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diff --git a/19068.txt b/19068.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e53ef01 --- /dev/null +++ b/19068.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11242 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, by +Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm + +Author: Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm + +Illustrator: Walter Crane + +Translator: Lucy Crane + +Release Date: August 17, 2006 [EBook #19068] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOUSEHOLD STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Melissa Er-Raqabi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +HOUSEHOLD STORIES + +GRIMM + + + + +[Illustration: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY + + "--AT LAST HE CAME TO THE + TOWER & OPENED THE DOOR + OF THE LITTLE ROOM WHERE + ROSAMOND LAY."] + + + + +HOUSEHOLD +STORIES, +FROM +THE COLLECTION OF THE BROS: +GRIMM: + +TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN +BY +LUCY CRANE; +AND +DONE INTO PICTURES +BY +WALTER CRANE + +DOVER +PUBLICATIONS, INC. + +NEW YORK + + + + +This new Dover edition, first published in 1963, is an unabridged +republication of the work first published by Macmillan and Company in +1886. + + +_Standard Book Number: 486-21080-4_ + +_Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 64-16327_ + + +Manufactured in the United States of America +Dover Publications, Inc. +180 Varick Street +New York, N. Y. 10014 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + HALF-TITLE. + + THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. _Frontispiece_ + + TITLE-PAGE. PAGE + + THE RABBIT'S BRIDE, Headpiece 1 + Tailpiece 2 + + SIX SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE, Headpiece 3 + Tailpiece 8 + + CLEVER GRETHEL, Headpiece 9 + Tailpiece 11 + + THE DEATH OF THE HEN, Headpiece 12 + Tailpiece 13 + + HANS IN LUCK, Headpiece 14 + Tailpiece 19 + + THE GOOSE GIRL _To face page_ 20 + Headpiece 20 + Tailpiece 25 + + THE RAVEN, Headpiece 26 + Tailpiece 31 + + THE FROG PRINCE, Headpiece 32 + Tailpiece 36 + + CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP, Headpiece 37 + Tailpiece 39 + + THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN KIDS, Headpiece 40 + Tailpiece 42 + + FAITHFUL JOHN _To face page_ 43 + Headpiece 43 + Tailpiece 51 + + THE WONDERFUL MUSICIAN, Headpiece 52 + Tailpiece 55 + + THE TWELVE BROTHERS, Headpiece 56 + Tailpiece 61 + + THE VAGABONDS, Headpiece 62 + Tailpiece 64 + + THE BROTHER AND SISTER, Headpiece 65 + Tailpiece 71 + + RAPUNZEL _To face page_ 72 + Headpiece 72 + Tailpiece 75 + + THE THREE LITTLE MEN IN THE WOOD, Headpiece 76 + Tailpiece 81 + + THE THREE SPINSTERS, Headpiece 82 + Tailpiece 84 + + HANSEL AND GRETHEL, Headpiece 85 + Tailpiece 92 + + THE WHITE SNAKE _To face page_ 93 + Headpiece 93 + Tailpiece 97 + + THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN, Headpiece 98 + Tailpiece 99 + + THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE, Headpiece 100 + Tailpiece 108 + + THE GALLANT TAILOR, Headpiece 109 + Tailpiece 117 + + ASCHENPUTTEL, Headpiece 118 + Tailpiece 125 + + THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, AND THE SAUSAGE, Headpiece 126 + Tailpiece 127 + + MOTHER HULDA _To face page_ 128 + Headpiece 128 + Tailpiece 131 + + LITTLE RED-CAP, Headpiece 132 + Tailpiece 135 + + THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS, Headpiece 136 + Tailpiece 139 + + PRUDENT HANS, Headpiece 140 + Tailpiece 144 + + CLEVER ELSE, Headpiece 145 + Tailpiece 148 + + THE TABLE, THE ASS, AND THE STICK, Headpiece 149 + Tailpiece 159 + + TOM THUMB, Headpiece 160 + Tailpiece 166 + + HOW MRS. FOX MARRIED AGAIN, Headpiece 167 + Initial 169 + Tailpiece 170 + + THE ELVES, Headpiece 171 + Initial 173 + Initial 174 + Tailpiece 174 + + THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM _To face page_ 175 + Headpiece 175 + Tailpiece 178 + + MR. KORBES, Headpiece 179 + Tailpiece 180 + + TOM THUMB'S TRAVELS, Headpiece 181 + Tailpiece 185 + + THE ALMOND TREE _To face page_ 186 + Headpiece 186 + Tailpiece 194 + + OLD SULTAN, Headpiece 195 + Tailpiece 197 + + THE SIX SWANS _To face page_ 198 + Headpiece 198 + Tailpiece 203 + + THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, Headpiece 204 + Tailpiece 207 + + KING THRUSHBEARD, Headpiece 208 + Tailpiece 212 + + SNOW-WHITE _To face page_ 213 + Headpiece 213 + Tailpiece 221 + + THE KNAPSACK, THE HAT, AND THE HORN, Headpiece 222 + Tailpiece 227 + + RUMPELSTILTSKIN, Headpiece 228 + Tailpiece 231 + + ROLAND, Headpiece 232 + Tailpiece 235 + + THE GOLDEN BIRD, _To face page_ 236 + Headpiece 236 + Tailpiece 243 + + THE DOG AND THE SPARROW, Headpiece 244 + Tailpiece 247 + + FRED AND KATE, Headpiece 248 + Tailpiece 255 + + THE LITTLE FARMER, Headpiece 256 + Tailpiece 261 + + THE QUEEN BEE, Headpiece 262 + Tailpiece 264 + + THE GOLDEN GOOSE, Headpiece 265 + Tailpiece 269 + + + + +THE RABBIT'S BRIDE + + +THERE was once a woman who lived with her daughter in a beautiful +cabbage-garden; and there came a rabbit and ate up all the cabbages. At +last said the woman to her daughter, + +"Go into the garden, and drive out the rabbit." + +"Shoo! shoo!" said the maiden; "don't eat up all our cabbages, little +rabbit!" + +"Come, maiden," said the rabbit, "sit on my tail and go with me to my +rabbit-hutch." But the maiden would not. + +Another day, back came the rabbit, and ate away at the cabbages, until +the woman said to her daughter, + +"Go into the garden, and drive away the rabbit." + +"Shoo! shoo!" said the maiden; "don't eat up all our cabbages, little +rabbit!" + +"Come, maiden," said the rabbit, "sit on my tail and go with me to my +rabbit-hutch." But the maiden would not. + +Again, a third time back came the rabbit, and ate away at the cabbages, +until the woman said to her daughter, + +"Go into the garden, and drive away the rabbit." + +"Shoo! shoo!" said the maiden; "don't eat up all our cabbages, little +rabbit!" + +"Come, maiden," said the rabbit, "sit on my tail and go with me to my +rabbit-hutch." + +And then the girl seated herself on the rabbit's tail, and the rabbit +took her to his hutch. + +"Now," said he, "set to work and cook some bran and cabbage; I am going +to bid the wedding guests." And soon they were all collected. Would you +like to know who they were? Well, I can only tell you what was told to +me; all the hares came, and the crow who was to be the parson to marry +them, and the fox for the clerk, and the altar was under the rainbow. +But the maiden was sad, because she was so lonely. + +"Get up! get up!" said the rabbit, "the wedding folk are all merry." + +But the bride wept and said nothing, and the rabbit went away, but very +soon came back again. + +"Get up! get up!" said he, "the wedding folk are waiting." But the bride +said nothing, and the rabbit went away. Then she made a figure of straw, +and dressed it in her own clothes, and gave it a red mouth, and set it +to watch the kettle of bran, and then she went home to her mother. Back +again came the rabbit, saying, "Get up! get up!" and he went up and hit +the straw figure on the head, so that it tumbled down. + +And the rabbit thought that he had killed his bride, and he went away +and was very sad. + + + + +SIX SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE + + +THERE was once a man who was a Jack-of-all-trades; he had served in the +war, and had been brave and bold, but at the end of it he was sent about +his business, with three farthings and his discharge. + +"I am not going to stand this," said he; "wait till I find the right man +to help me, and the king shall give me all the treasures of his kingdom +before he has done with me." + +Then, full of wrath, he went into the forest, and he saw one standing +there by six trees which he had rooted up as if they had been stalks of +corn. And he said to him, + +"Will you be my man, and come along with me?" + +"All right," answered he; "I must just take this bit of wood home to my +father and mother." And taking one of the trees, he bound it round the +other five, and putting the faggot on his shoulder, he carried it off; +then soon coming back, he went along with his leader, who said, + +"Two such as we can stand against the whole world." + +And when they had gone on a little while, they came to a huntsman who +was kneeling on one knee and taking careful aim with his rifle. + +"Huntsman," said the leader, "what are you aiming at?" + +"Two miles from here," answered he, "there sits a fly on the bough of an +oak-tree, I mean to put a bullet into its left eye." + +"Oh, come along with me," said the leader; "three of us together can +stand against the world." + +The huntsman was quite willing to go with him, and so they went on till +they came to seven windmills, whose sails were going round briskly, and +yet there was no wind blowing from any quarter, and not a leaf stirred. + +"Well," said the leader, "I cannot think what ails the windmills, +turning without wind;" and he went on with his followers about two miles +farther, and then they came to a man sitting up in a tree, holding one +nostril and blowing with the other. + +"Now then," said the leader, "what are you doing up there?" + +"Two miles from here," answered he, "there are seven windmills; I am +blowing, and they are going round." + +"Oh, go with me," cried the leader, "four of us together can stand +against the world." + +So the blower got down and went with them, and after a time they came to +a man standing on one leg, and the other had been taken off and was +lying near him. + +"You seem to have got a handy way of resting yourself," said the leader +to the man. + +"I am a runner," answered he, "and in order to keep myself from going +too fast I have taken off a leg, for when I run with both, I go faster +than a bird can fly." + +"Oh, go with me," cried the leader, "five of us together may well stand +against the world." + +So he went with them all together, and it was not long before they met a +man with a little hat on, and he wore it just over one ear. + +"Manners! manners!" said the leader; "with your hat like that, you look +like a jack-fool." + +"I dare not put it straight," answered the other; "if I did, there would +be such a terrible frost that the very birds would be frozen and fall +dead from the sky to the ground." + +"Oh, come with me," said the leader; "we six together may well stand +against the whole world." + +So the six went on until they came to a town where the king had caused +it to be made known that whoever would run a race with his daughter and +win it might become her husband, but that whoever lost must lose his +head into the bargain. And the leader came forward and said one of his +men should run for him. + +"Then," said the king, "his life too must be put in pledge, and if he +fails, his head and yours too must fall." + +When this was quite settled and agreed upon, the leader called the +runner, and strapped his second leg on to him. + +"Now, look out," said he, "and take care that we win." + +It had been agreed that the one who should bring water first from a far +distant brook should be accounted winner. Now the king's daughter and +the runner each took a pitcher, and they started both at the same time; +but in one moment, when the king's daughter had gone but a very little +way, the runner was out of sight, for his running was as if the wind +rushed by. In a short time he reached the brook, filled his pitcher full +of water, and turned back again. About half-way home, however, he was +overcome with weariness, and setting down his pitcher, he lay down on +the ground to sleep. But in order to awaken soon again by not lying too +soft he had taken a horse's skull which lay near and placed it under his +head for a pillow. In the meanwhile the king's daughter, who really was +a good runner, good enough to beat an ordinary man, had reached the +brook, and filled her pitcher, and was hastening with it back again, +when she saw the runner lying asleep. + +"The day is mine," said she with much joy, and she emptied his pitcher +and hastened on. And now all had been lost but for the huntsman who was +standing on the castle wall, and with his keen eyes saw all that +happened. + +"We must not be outdone by the king's daughter," said he, and he loaded +his rifle and took so good an aim that he shot the horse's skull from +under the runner's head without doing him any harm. And the runner awoke +and jumped up, and saw his pitcher standing empty and the king's +daughter far on her way home. But, not losing courage, he ran swiftly to +the brook, filled it again with water, and for all that, he got home ten +minutes before the king's daughter. + +"Look you," said he; "this is the first time I have really stretched my +legs; before it was not worth the name of running." + +The king was vexed, and his daughter yet more so, that she should be +beaten by a discharged common soldier; and they took counsel together +how they might rid themselves of him and of his companions at the same +time. + +"I have a plan," said the king; "do not fear but that we shall be quit +of them for ever." Then he went out to the men and bade them to feast +and be merry and eat and drink; and he led them into a room, which had a +floor of iron, and the doors were iron, the windows had iron frames and +bolts; in the room was a table set out with costly food. + +"Now, go in there and make yourselves comfortable," said the king. + +And when they had gone in, he had the door locked and bolted. Then he +called the cook, and told him to make a big fire underneath the room, so +that the iron floor of it should be red hot. And the cook did so, and +the six men began to feel the room growing very warm, by reason, as they +thought at first, of the good dinner; but as the heat grew greater and +greater, and they found the doors and windows fastened, they began to +think it was an evil plan of the king's to suffocate them. + +"He shall not succeed, however," said the man with the little hat; "I +will bring on a frost that shall make the fire feel ashamed of itself, +and creep out of the way." + +So he set his hat straight on his head, and immediately there came such +a frost that all the heat passed away and the food froze in the dishes. +After an hour or two had passed, and the king thought they must have all +perished in the heat, he caused the door to be opened, and went himself +to see how they fared. And when the door flew back, there they were all +six quite safe and sound, and they said they were quite ready to come +out, so that they might warm themselves, for the great cold of that room +had caused the food to freeze in the dishes. Full of wrath, the king +went to the cook and scolded him, and asked why he had not done as he +was ordered. + +"It is hot enough there: you may see for yourself," answered the cook. +And the king looked and saw an immense fire burning underneath the room +of iron, and he began to think that the six men were not to be got rid +of in that way. And he thought of a new plan by which it might be +managed, so he sent for the leader and said to him, + +"If you will give up your right to my daughter, and take gold instead, +you may have as much as you like." + +"Certainly, my lord king," answered the man; "let me have as much gold +as my servant can carry, and I give up all claim to your daughter." And +the king agreed that he should come again in a fortnight to fetch the +gold. The man then called together all the tailors in the kingdom, and +set them to work to make a sack, and it took them a fortnight. And when +it was ready, the strong man who had been found rooting up trees took it +on his shoulder, and went to the king. + +"Who is this immense fellow carrying on his shoulder a bundle of stuff +as big as a house?" cried the king, terrified to think how much gold he +would carry off. And a ton of gold was dragged in by sixteen strong men, +but he put it all into the sack with one hand, saying, + +"Why don't you bring some more? this hardly covers the bottom!" So the +king bade them fetch by degrees the whole of his treasure, and even then +the sack was not half full. + +"Bring more!" cried the man; "these few scraps go no way at all!" Then +at last seven thousand waggons laden with gold collected through the +whole kingdom were driven up; and he threw them in his sack, oxen and +all. + +"I will not look too closely," said he, "but take what I can get, so +long as the sack is full." And when all was put in there was still +plenty of room. + +"I must make an end of this," he said; "if it is not full, it is so much +the easier to tie up." And he hoisted it on his back, and went off with +his comrades. + +When the king saw all the wealth of his realm carried off by a single +man he was full of wrath, and he bade his cavalry mount, and follow +after the six men, and take the sack away from the strong man. + +Two regiments were soon up to them, and called them to consider +themselves prisoners, and to deliver up the sack, or be cut in pieces. + +"Prisoners, say you?" said the man who could blow, "suppose you first +have a little dance together in the air," and holding one nostril, and +blowing through the other, he sent the regiments flying head over heels, +over the hills and far away. But a sergeant who had nine wounds and was +a brave fellow, begged not to be put to so much shame. And the blower +let him down easily, so that he came to no harm, and he bade him go to +the king and tell him that whatever regiments he liked to send more +should be blown away just the same. And the king, when he got the +message, said, + +"Let the fellows be; they have some right on their side." So the six +comrades carried home their treasure, divided it among them, and lived +contented till they died. + + + + +CLEVER GRETHEL + + +THERE was once a cook called Grethel, who wore shoes with red heels, and +when she went out in them she gave herself great airs, and thought +herself very fine indeed. When she came home again, she would take a +drink of wine to refresh herself, and as that gave her an appetite, she +would take some of the best of whatever she was cooking, until she had +had enough;--"for," said she, "a cook must know how things taste." + +Now it happened that one day her master said to her,-- + +"Grethel, I expect a guest this evening; you must make ready a pair of +fowls." + +"Certainly, sir, I will," answered Grethel. So she killed the fowls, +cleaned them, and plucked them, and put them on the spit, and then, as +evening drew near, placed them before the fire to roast. And they began +to be brown, and were nearly done, but the guest had not come. + +"If he does not make haste," cried Grethel to her master, "I must take +them away from the fire; it's a pity and a shame not to eat them now, +just when they are done to a turn." And the master said he would run +himself and fetch the guest. As soon as he had turned his back, Grethel +took the fowls from before the fire. + +"Standing so long before the fire," said she, "makes one hot and +thirsty,--and who knows when they will come! in the meanwhile I will go +to the cellar and have a drink." So down she ran, took up a mug, and +saying, "Here's to me!" took a good draught. "One good drink deserves +another," she said "and it should not be cut short;" so she took another +hearty draught. Then she went and put the fowls down to the fire again, +and, basting them with butter, she turned the spit briskly round. And +now they began to smell so good that Grethel saying, "I must find out +whether they really are all right," licked her fingers, and then cried, +"Well, I never! the fowls are good; it's a sin and a shame that no one +is here to eat them!" + +So she ran to the window to see if her master and his guest were coming, +but as she could see nobody she went back to her fowls. "Why, one of the +wings is burning!" she cried presently, "I had better eat it and get it +out of the way." So she cut it off and ate it up, and it tasted good, +and then she thought, + +"I had better cut off the other too, in case the master should miss +anything." And when both wings had been disposed of she went and looked +for the master, but still he did not come. + +"Who knows," said she, "whether they are coming or not? they may have +put up at an inn." And after a pause she said again, "Come, I may as +well make myself happy, and first I will make sure of a good drink and +then of a good meal, and when all is done I shall be easy; the gifts of +the gods are not to be despised." So first she ran down into the cellar +and had a famous drink, and ate up one of the fowls with great relish. +And when that was done, and still the master did not come, Grethel eyed +the other fowl, saying, "What one is the other must be, the two belong +to each other, it is only fair that they should be both treated alike; +perhaps, when I have had another drink, I shall be able to manage it." +So she took another hearty drink, and then the second fowl went the way +of the first. + +Just as she was in the middle of it the master came back. "Make haste, +Grethel," cried he, "the guest is coming directly!" "Very well, master," +she answered, "it will soon be ready." The master went to see that the +table was properly laid, and, taking the great carving knife with which +he meant to carve the fowls, he sharpened it upon the step. Presently +came the guest, knocking very genteelly and softly at the front door. +Grethel ran and looked to see who it was, and when she caught sight of +the guest she put her finger on her lip saying, "Hush! make the best +haste you can out of this, for if my master catches you, it will be bad +for you; he asked you to come to supper, but he really means to cut off +your ears! Just listen how he is sharpening his knife!" + +The guest, hearing the noise of the sharpening, made off as fast as he +could go. And Grethel ran screaming to her master. "A pretty guest you +have asked to the house!" cried she. + +"How so, Grethel? what do you mean?" asked he. + +"What indeed!" said she; "why, he has gone and run away with my pair of +fowls that I had just dished up." + +"That's pretty sort of conduct!" said the master, feeling very sorry +about the fowls; "he might at least have left me one, that I might have +had something to eat." And he called out to him to stop, but the guest +made as if he did not hear him; then he ran after him, the knife still +in his hand, crying out, "Only one! only one!" meaning that the guest +should let him have one of the fowls and not take both, but the guest +thought he meant to have only one of his ears, and he ran so much the +faster that he might get home with both of them safe. + + + + +The DEATH of the HEN + + +ONCE on a time the cock and the hen went to the nut mountain, and they +agreed beforehand that whichever of them should find a nut was to divide +it with the other. Now the hen found a great big nut, but said nothing +about it, and was going to eat it all alone, but the kernel was such a +fat one that she could not swallow it down, and it stuck in her throat, +so that she was afraid she should choke. + +"Cock!" cried she, "run as fast as you can and fetch me some water, or I +shall choke!" + +So the cock ran as fast as he could to the brook, and said, "Brook, give +me some water, the hen is up yonder choking with a big nut stuck in her +throat." But the brook answered, "First run to the bride and ask her for +some red silk." + +So the cock ran to the bride and said, + +"Bride, give me some red silk; the brook wants me to give him some red +silk; I want him to give me some water, for the hen lies yonder choking +with a big nut stuck in her throat." + +But the bride answered, + +"First go and fetch me my garland that hangs on a willow." And the cock +ran to the willow and pulled the garland from the bough and brought it +to the bride, and the bride gave him red silk, and he brought it to the +brook, and the brook gave him water. So then the cock brought the water +to the hen, but alas, it was too late; the hen had choked in the +meanwhile, and lay there dead. And the cock was so grieved that he +cried aloud, and all the beasts came and lamented for the hen; and six +mice built a little waggon, on which to carry the poor hen to her grave, +and when it was ready they harnessed themselves to it, and the cock +drove. On the way they met the fox. + +"Halloa, cock," cried he, "where are you off to?" + +"To bury my hen," answered the cock. + +"Can I come too?" said the fox. + +"Yes, if you follow behind," said the cock. + +So the fox followed behind and he was soon joined by the wolf, the bear, +the stag, the lion, and all the beasts in the wood. And the procession +went on till they came to a brook. + +"How shall we get over?" said the cock. Now in the brook there was a +straw, and he said, + +"I will lay myself across, so that you may pass over on me." But when +the six mice had got upon this bridge, the straw slipped and fell into +the water and they all tumbled in and were drowned. So they were as +badly off as ever, when a coal came up and said he would lay himself +across and they might pass over him; but no sooner had he touched the +water than he hissed, went out, and was dead. A stone seeing this was +touched with pity, and, wishing to help the cock, he laid himself across +the stream. And the cock drew the waggon with the dead hen in it safely +to the other side, and then began to draw the others who followed behind +across too, but it was too much for him, the waggon turned over, and all +tumbled into the water one on the top of another, and were drowned. + +So the cock was left all alone with the dead hen, and he digged a grave +and laid her in it, and he raised a mound above her, and sat himself +down and lamented so sore that at last he died. And so they were all +dead together. + + + + +HANS IN LUCK + + +HANS had served his master seven years, and at the end of the seventh +year he said, + +"Master, my time is up; I want to go home and see my mother, so give me +my wages." + +"You have served me truly and faithfully," said the master; "as the +service is, so must the wages be," and he gave him a lump of gold as big +as his head. Hans pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket and tied up +the lump of gold in it, hoisted it on his shoulder, and set off on his +way home. And as he was trudging along, there came in sight a man riding +on a spirited horse, and looking very gay and lively. "Oh!" cried Hans +aloud, "how splendid riding must be! sitting as much at one's ease as in +an arm-chair, stumbling over no stones, saving one's shoes, and getting +on one hardly knows how!" + +The horseman heard Hans say this, and called out to him, + +"Well Hans, what are you doing on foot?" + +"I can't help myself," said Hans, "I have this great lump to carry; to +be sure, it is gold, but then I can't hold my head straight for it, and +it hurts my shoulder." + +"I'll tell you what," said the horseman, "we will change; I will give +you my horse, and you shall give me your lump of gold." + +"With all my heart," said Hans; "but I warn you, you will find it +heavy." And the horseman got down, took the gold, and, helping Hans up, +he gave the reins into his hand. + +"When you want to go fast," said he, "you must click your tongue and cry +'Gee-up!'" + +And Hans, as he sat upon his horse, was glad at heart, and rode off with +merry cheer. After a while he thought he should like to go quicker, so +he began to click with his tongue and to cry "Gee-up!" And the horse +began to trot, and Hans was thrown before he knew what was going to +happen, and there he lay in the ditch by the side of the road. The horse +would have got away but that he was caught by a peasant who was passing +that way and driving a cow before him. And Hans pulled himself together +and got upon his feet, feeling very vexed. "Poor work, riding," said he, +"especially on a jade like this, who starts off and throws you before +you know where you are, going near to break your neck; never shall I try +that game again; now, your cow is something worth having, one can jog on +comfortably after her and have her milk, butter, and cheese every day, +into the bargain. What would I not give to have such a cow!" + +"Well now," said the peasant, "since it will be doing you such a favour, +I don't mind exchanging my cow for your horse." + +Hans agreed most joyfully, and the peasant, swinging himself into the +saddle, was soon out of sight. + +And Hans went along driving his cow quietly before him, and thinking all +the while of the fine bargain he had made. + +"With only a piece of bread I shall have everything I can possibly want, +for I shall always be able to have butter and cheese to it, and if I am +thirsty I have nothing to do but to milk my cow; and what more is there +for heart to wish!" + +And when he came to an inn he made a halt, and in the joy of his heart +ate up all the food he had brought with him, dinner and supper and all, +and bought half a glass of beer with his last two farthings. Then on he +went again driving his cow, until he should come to the village where +his mother lived. It was now near the middle of the day, and the sun +grew hotter and hotter, and Hans found himself on a heath which it would +be an hour's journey to cross. And he began to feel very hot, and so +thirsty that his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. + +"Never mind," said Hans; "I can find a remedy. I will milk my cow at +once." And tying her to a dry tree, and taking off his leather cap to +serve for a pail, he began to milk, but not a drop came. And as he set +to work rather awkwardly, the impatient beast gave him such a kick on +the head with his hind foot that he fell to the ground, and for some +time could not think where he was; when luckily there came by a butcher +who was wheeling along a young pig in a wheelbarrow. + +"Here's a fine piece of work!" cried he, helping poor Hans on his legs +again. Then Hans related to him all that had happened; and the butcher +handed him his pocket-flask, saying, + +"Here, take a drink, and be a man again; of course the cow would give no +milk; she is old and only fit to draw burdens, or to be slaughtered." + +"Well, to be sure," said Hans, scratching his head. "Who would have +thought it? of course it is a very handy way of getting meat when a man +has a beast of his own to kill; but for my part I do not care much about +cow beef, it is rather tasteless. Now, if I had but a young pig, that is +much better meat, and then the sausages!" + +"Look here, Hans," said the butcher, "just for love of you I will +exchange, and will give you my pig instead of your cow." + +"Heaven reward such kindness!" cried Hans, and handing over the cow, +received in exchange the pig, who was turned out of his wheelbarrow and +was to be led by a string. + +So on went Hans, thinking how everything turned out according to his +wishes, and how, if trouble overtook him, all was sure to be set right +directly. After a while he fell in with a peasant, who was carrying a +fine white goose under his arm. They bid each other good-day, and Hans +began to tell about his luck, and how he had made so many good +exchanges. And the peasant told how he was taking the goose to a +christening feast. + +"Just feel how heavy it is," said he, taking it up by the wings; "it has +been fattening for the last eight weeks; and when it is roasted, won't +the fat run down!" + +"Yes, indeed," said Hans, weighing it in his hand, "very fine to be +sure; but my pig is not to be despised." + +Upon which the peasant glanced cautiously on all sides, and shook his +head. + +"I am afraid," said he, "that there is something not quite right about +your pig. In the village I have just left one had actually been stolen +from the bailiff's yard. I fear, I fear you have it in your hand; they +have sent after the thief, and it would be a bad look-out for you if it +was found upon you; the least that could happen would be to be thrown +into a dark hole." + +Poor Hans grew pale with fright. "For heaven's sake," said he, "help me +out of this scrape, I am a stranger in these parts; take my pig and give +me your goose." + +"It will be running some risk," answered the man, "but I will do it +sooner than that you should come to grief." And so, taking the cord in +his hand, he drove the pig quickly along a by-path, and lucky Hans went +on his way home with the goose under his arm. "The more I think of it," +said he to himself, "the better the bargain seems; first I get the roast +goose; then the fat; that will last a whole year for bread and dripping; +and lastly the beautiful white feathers which I can stuff my pillow +with; how comfortably I shall sleep upon it, and how pleased my mother +will be!" + +And when he reached the last village, he saw a knife-grinder with his +barrow; and his wheel went whirring round, and he sang, + + "My scissors I grind, and my wheel I turn; + And all good fellows my trade should learn, + For all that I meet with just serves my turn." + +And Hans stood and looked at him; and at last he spoke to him and said, + +"You seem very well off, and merry with your grinding." + +"Yes," answered the knife-grinder, "my handiwork pays very well. I call +a man a good grinder who, every time he puts his hand in his pocket +finds money there. But where did you buy that fine goose?" + +"I did not buy it, but I exchanged it for my pig," said Hans. + +"And the pig?" + +"That I exchanged for a cow." + +"And the cow?" + +"That I exchanged for a horse." + +"And the horse?" + +"I gave for the horse a lump of gold as big as my head." + +"And the gold?" + +"Oh, that was my wage for seven years' service." + +"You seem to have fended for yourself very well," said the +knife-grinder. "Now, if you could but manage to have money in your +pocket every time you put your hand in, your fortune is made." + +"How shall I manage that?" said Hans. + +"You must be a knife-grinder like me," said the man. "All you want is a +grindstone, the rest comes of itself: I have one here; to be sure it is +a little damaged, but I don't mind letting you have it in exchange for +your goose; what say you?" + +"How can you ask?" answered Hans. "I shall be the luckiest fellow in the +world, for if I find money whenever I put my hand in my pocket, there is +nothing more left to want." + +And so he handed over the goose to the pedlar and received the +grindstone in exchange. + +"Now," said the knife-grinder, taking up a heavy common stone that lay +near him, "here is another proper sort of stone that will stand a good +deal of wear and that you can hammer out your old nails upon. Take it +with you, and carry it carefully." + +Hans lifted up the stone and carried it off with a contented mind. "I +must have been born under a lucky star!" cried he, while his eyes +sparkled for joy. "I have only to wish for a thing and it is mine." + +After a while he began to feel rather tired, as indeed he had been on +his legs since daybreak; he also began to feel rather hungry, as in the +fulness of his joy at getting the cow, he had eaten up all he had. At +last he could scarcely go on at all, and had to make a halt every +moment, for the stones weighed him down most unmercifully, and he could +not help wishing that he did not feel obliged to drag them along. And on +he went at a snail's pace until he came to a well; then he thought he +would rest and take a drink of the fresh water. And he placed the stones +carefully by his side at the edge of the well; then he sat down, and as +he stooped to drink, he happened to give the stones a little push, and +they both fell into the water with a splash. And then Hans, having +watched them disappear, jumped for joy, and thanked his stars that he +had been so lucky as to get rid of the stones that had weighed upon him +so long without any effort of his own. + +"I really think," cried he, "I am the luckiest man under the sun." So on +he went, void of care, until he reached his mother's house. + + + + +THE GOOSE GIRL. + + +THERE lived once an old Queen, whose husband had been dead many years. +She had a beautiful daughter who was promised in marriage to a King's +son living a great way off. When the time appointed for the wedding drew +near, and the old Queen had to send her daughter into the foreign land, +she got together many costly things, furniture and cups and jewels and +adornments, both of gold and silver, everything proper for the dowry of +a royal Princess, for she loved her daughter dearly. She gave her also a +waiting gentlewoman to attend her and to give her into the bridegroom's +hands; and they were each to have a horse for the journey, and the +Princess's horse was named Falada, and he could speak. When the time for +parting came, the old Queen took her daughter to her chamber, and with a +little knife she cut her own finger so that it bled; and she held +beneath it a white napkin, and on it fell three drops of blood; and she +gave it to her daughter, bidding her take care of it, for it would be +needful to her on the way. Then they took leave of each other; and the +Princess put the napkin in her bosom, got on her horse, and set out to +go to the bridegroom. After she had ridden an hour, she began to feel +very thirsty, and she said to the waiting-woman, + +"Get down, and fill my cup that you are carrying with water from the +brook; I have great desire to drink." + +"Get down yourself," said the waiting-woman, "and if you are thirsty +stoop down and drink; I will not be your slave." + +[Illustration: GOOSE GIRL + + 'O WIND, BLOW CONRAD'S HAT AWAY, + AND MAKE HIM FOLLOW AS IT FLIES, + WHILE I WITH MY GOLD HAIR WILL PLAY + AND BIND IT UP IN SEEMLY WISE.' ] + +And as her thirst was so great, the Princess had to get down and to +stoop and drink of the water of the brook, and could not have her gold +cup to serve her. "Oh dear!" said the poor Princess. And the three drops +of blood heard her, and said, + +"If your mother knew of this, it would break her heart." + +But the Princess answered nothing, and quietly mounted her horse again. +So they rode on some miles farther; the day was warm, the sun shone hot, +and the Princess grew thirsty once more. And when they came to a +water-course she called again to the waiting-woman and said, + +"Get down, and give me to drink out of my golden cup." For she had +forgotten all that had gone before. But the waiting-woman spoke still +more scornfully and said, + +"If you want a drink, you may get it yourself; I am not going to be your +slave." + +So, as her thirst was so great, the Princess had to get off her horse +and to stoop towards the running water to drink, and as she stooped, she +wept and said, "Oh dear!" And the three drops of blood heard her and +answered, + +"If your mother knew of this, it would break her heart!" + +And as she drank and stooped over, the napkin on which were the three +drops of blood fell out of her bosom and floated down the stream, and in +her distress she never noticed it; not so the waiting-woman, who +rejoiced because she should have power over the bride, who, now that she +had lost the three drops of blood, had become weak, and unable to defend +herself. And when she was going to mount her horse again the +waiting-woman cried, + +"Falada belongs to me, and this jade to you." And the Princess had to +give way and let it be as she said. Then the waiting-woman ordered the +Princess with many hard words to take off her rich clothing and to put +on her plain garments, and then she made her swear to say nothing of the +matter when they came to the royal court; threatening to take her life +if she refused. And all the while Falada noticed and remembered. + +The waiting-woman then mounting Falada, and the Princess the sorry jade, +they journeyed on till they reached the royal castle. There was great +joy at their coming, and the King's son hastened to meet them, and +lifted the waiting woman from her horse, thinking she was his bride; and +then he led her up the stairs, while the real Princess had to remain +below. But the old King, who was looking out of the window, saw her +standing in the yard, and noticed how delicate and gentle and beautiful +she was, and then he went down and asked the seeming bride who it was +that she had brought with her and that was now standing in the +courtyard. + +"Oh!" answered the bride, "I only brought her with me for company; give +the maid something to do, that she may not be for ever standing idle." + +But the old King had no work to give her; until he bethought him of a +boy he had who took care of the geese, and that she might help him. And +so the real Princess was sent to keep geese with the goose-boy, who was +called Conrad. + +Soon after the false bride said to the Prince, + +"Dearest husband, I pray thee do me a pleasure." + +"With all my heart," answered he. + +"Then" said she, "send for the knacker, that he may carry off the horse +I came here upon, and make away with him; he was very troublesome to me +on the journey." For she was afraid that the horse might tell how she +had behaved to the Princess. And when the order had been given that +Falada should die, it came to the Princess's ears, and she came to the +knacker's man secretly, and promised him a piece of gold if he would do +her a service. There was in the town a great dark gate-way through which +she had to pass morning and evening with her geese, and she asked the +man to take Falada's head and to nail it on the gate, that she might +always see it as she passed by. And the man promised, and he took +Falada's head and nailed it fast in the dark gate-way. + +Early next morning as she and Conrad drove their geese through the gate, +she said as she went by, + + "O Falada, dost thou hang there?" + +And the head answered, + + "Princess, dost thou so meanly fare? + But if thy mother knew thy pain, + Her heart would surely break in twain." + +But she went on through the town, driving her geese to the field. And +when they came into the meadows, she sat down and undid her hair, which +was all of gold, and when Conrad saw how it glistened, he wanted to pull +out a few hairs for himself. And she said, + + "O wind, blow Conrad's hat away, + Make him run after as it flies, + While I with my gold hair will play, + And twist it up in seemly wise." + +Then there came a wind strong enough to blow Conrad's hat far away over +the fields, and he had to run after it; and by the time he came back she +had put up her hair with combs and pins, and he could not get at any to +pull it out; and he was sulky and would not speak to her; so they looked +after the geese until the evening came, and then they went home. + +The next morning, as they passed under the dark gate-way, the Princess +said, + + "O Falada, dost thou hang there?" + +And Falada answered, + + "Princess, dost thou so meanly fare? + But if thy mother knew thy pain, + Her heart would surely break in twain." + +And when they reached the fields she sat down and began to comb out her +hair; then Conrad came up and wanted to seize upon some of it, and she +cried, + + "O wind, blow Conrad's hat away, + Make him run after as it flies, + While I with my gold hair will play, + And do it up in seemly wise." + +Then the wind came and blew Conrad's hat very far away, so that he had +to run after it, and when he came back again her hair was put up again, +so that he could pull none of it out; and they tended the geese until +the evening. + +And after they had got home, Conrad went to the old King and said, "I +will tend the geese no longer with that girl!" + +"Why not?" asked the old King. + +"Because she vexes me the whole day long," answered Conrad. Then the old +King ordered him to tell how it was. + +"Every morning," said Conrad, "as we pass under the dark gate-way with +the geese, there is an old horse's head hanging on the wall, and she +says to it, + + "O Falada, dost thou hang there?" + +And the head answers, + + "Princess, dost thou so meanly fare? + But if thy mother knew thy pain, + Her heart would surely break in twain." + +And besides this, Conrad related all that happened in the fields, and +how he was obliged to run after his hat. + +The old King told him to go to drive the geese next morning as usual, +and he himself went behind the gate and listened how the maiden spoke to +Falada; and then he followed them into the fields, and hid himself +behind a bush; and he watched the goose-boy and the goose-girl tend the +geese; and after a while he saw the girl make her hair all loose, and +how it gleamed and shone. Soon she said, + + "O wind, blow Conrad's hat away, + And make him follow as it flies, + While I with my gold hair will play, + And bind it up in seemly wise." + +Then there came a gust of wind and away went Conrad's hat, and he after +it, while the maiden combed and bound up her hair; and the old King saw +all that went on. At last he went unnoticed away, and when the +goose-girl came back in the evening he sent for her, and asked the +reason of her doing all this. + +"That I dare not tell you," she answered, "nor can I tell any man of my +woe, for when I was in danger of my life I swore an oath not to reveal +it." And he pressed her sore, and left her no peace, but he could get +nothing out of her. At last he said, + +"If you will not tell it me, tell it to the iron oven," and went away. +Then she crept into the iron oven, and began to weep and to lament, and +at last she opened her heart and said, + +"Here I sit forsaken of all the world, and I am a King's daughter, and a +wicked waiting-woman forced me to give up my royal garments and my place +at the bridegroom's side, and I am made a goose-girl, and have to do +mean service. And if my mother knew, it would break her heart." + +Now the old King was standing outside by the oven-door listening, and he +heard all she said, and he called to her and told her to come out of the +oven. And he caused royal clothing to be put upon her, and it was a +marvel to see how beautiful she was. The old King then called his son +and proved to him that he had the wrong bride, for she was really only a +waiting-woman, and that the true bride was here at hand, she who had +been the goose-girl. The Prince was glad at heart when he saw her beauty +and gentleness; and a great feast was made ready, and all the court +people and good friends were bidden to it. The bridegroom sat in the +midst with the Princess on one side and the waiting-woman on the other; +and the false bride did not know the true one, because she was dazzled +with her glittering braveries. When all the company had eaten and drunk +and were merry, the old King gave the waiting-woman a question to +answer, as to what such an one deserved, who had deceived her masters in +such and such a manner, telling the whole story, and ending by asking, + +"Now, what doom does such an one deserve?" + +"No better than this," answered the false bride, "that she be put naked +into a cask, studded inside with sharp nails, and be dragged along in it +by two white horses from street to street, until she be dead." + +"Thou hast spoken thy own doom," said the old King; "as thou hast said, +so shall it be done." And when the sentence was fulfilled, the Prince +married the true bride, and ever after they ruled over their kingdom in +peace and blessedness. + + + + +THE RAVEN + + +THERE was once a Queen and she had a little daughter, who was as yet a +babe in arms; and once the child was so restless that the mother could +get no peace, do what she would; so she lost patience, and seeing a +flight of ravens passing over the castle, she opened the window and said +to her child, + +"Oh, that thou wert a raven and couldst fly away, that I might be at +peace." + +No sooner had she uttered the words, than the child was indeed changed +into a raven, and fluttered from her arms out of the window. And she +flew into a dark wood and stayed there a long time, and her parents knew +nothing of her. Once a man was passing through the wood, and he heard +the raven cry, and he followed the voice; and when he came near it said, + +"I was born a King's daughter, and have been bewitched, but thou canst +set me free." + +"What shall I do?" asked the man. + +"Go deeper into the wood," said she, "and thou shalt find a house and an +old woman sitting in it: she will offer thee meat and drink, but thou +must take none; if thou eatest or drinkest thou fallest into a deep +sleep, and canst not set me free at all. In the garden behind the house +is a big heap of tan, stand upon that and wait for me. Three days, at +about the middle of the day, shall I come to thee in a car drawn by four +white horses the first time, by four red ones the second time, and +lastly by four black ones; and if thou art not waking but sleeping, thou +failest to set me free." + +The man promised to do all she said. + +"But ah!" cried she, "I know quite well I shall not be set free of thee; +something thou wilt surely take from the old woman." + +But the man promised yet once more that certainly he would not touch the +meat or the drink. But when he came to the house the old woman came up +to him. + +"My poor man," said she to him, "you are quite tired out, come and be +refreshed, and eat and drink." + +"No," said the man, "I will eat and drink nothing." + +But she left him no peace, saying, + +"Even if you eat nothing, take a draught out of this cup once and away." + +So he was over-persuaded, and he drank. + +In the afternoon, about two o'clock, he went out into the garden to +stand upon the tan-heap and wait for the raven. As he stood there he +felt all at once so tired, that he could bear it no longer, and laid +himself down for a little; but not to sleep. But no sooner was he +stretched at length than his eyes closed of themselves, and he fell +asleep, and slept so sound, as if nothing in the world could awaken him. + +At two o'clock came the raven in the car drawn by four white horses, but +she was sad, knowing already that the man would be asleep, and so, when +she came into the garden, there he lay sure enough. And she got out of +the car and shook him and called to him, but he did not wake. The next +day at noon the old woman came and brought him meat and drink, but he +would take none. But she left him no peace, and persuaded him until he +took a draught out of the cup. About two o'clock he went into the garden +to stand upon the tan-heap, and to wait for the raven, but he was +overcome with so great a weariness that his limbs would no longer hold +him up; and whether he would or no he had to lie down, and he fell into +a deep sleep. And when the raven came up with her four red horses, she +was sad, knowing already that the man would be asleep. And she went up +to him, and there he lay, and nothing would wake him. + +The next day the old woman came and asked what was the matter with him, +and if he wanted to die, that he would neither eat nor drink; but he +answered, + +"I neither can nor will eat and drink." + +But she brought the dishes of food and the cup of wine, and placed them +before him, and when the smell came in his nostrils he could not +refrain, but took a deep draught. When the hour drew near, he went into +the garden and stood on the tan-heap to wait for the king's daughter; as +time went on he grew more and more weary, and at last he laid himself +down and slept like a stone. At two o'clock came the raven with four +black horses, and the car and all was black; and she was sad, knowing +already that he was sleeping, and would not be able to set her free; and +when she came up to him, there he lay and slept. She shook him and +called to him, but she could not wake him. Then she laid a loaf by his +side and some meat, and a flask of wine, for now, however much he ate +and drank, it could not matter. And she took a ring of gold from her +finger, and put it on his finger, and her name was engraven on it. And +lastly she laid by him a letter, in which was set down what she had +given him, and that all was of no use, and further also it said, + +"I see that here thou canst not save me, but if thy mind is to the +thing, come to the golden castle of Stromberg: I know well that if thou +willst thou canst." And when all this was done, she got again into her +car, and went to the golden castle of Stromberg. + +When the man waked up and perceived that he had been to sleep, he was +sad at heart to think that she had been, and gone, and that he had not +set her free. Then, catching sight of what lay beside him, he read the +letter that told him all. And he rose up and set off at once to go to +the golden castle of Stromberg, though he knew not where it was. And +when he had wandered about in the world for a long time, he came to a +dark wood, and there spent a fortnight trying to find the way out, and +not being able. At the end of this time, it being towards evening, he +was so tired that he laid himself down under a clump of bushes and went +to sleep. The next day he went on again, and in the evening, when he was +going to lie down again to rest, he heard howlings and lamentations, so +that he could not sleep. And about the hour when lamps are lighted, he +looked up and saw a light glimmer in the forest; and he got up and +followed it, and he found that it came from a house that looked very +small indeed, because there stood a giant before it. And the man thought +to himself that if he were to try to enter and the giant were to see +him, it would go hard but he should lose his life. At last he made up +his mind, and walked in. And the giant saw him. + +"I am glad thou art come," said he; "it is now a long time since I have +had anything to eat; I shall make a good supper of thee." + +"That may be," said the man, "but I shall not relish it; besides, if +thou desirest to eat, I have somewhat here that may satisfy thee." + +"If that is true," answered the giant, "thou mayest make thy mind easy; +it was only for want of something better that I wished to devour thee." + +Then they went in and placed themselves at the table, and the man +brought out bread, meat, and wine in plenty. + +"This pleases me well," said the giant, and he ate to his heart's +content. After a while the man asked him if he could tell him where the +golden castle of Stromberg was. + +"I will look on my land-chart," said the giant, "for on it all towns and +villages and houses are marked." + +So he fetched the land-chart which was in his room, and sought for the +castle, but it was not to be found. + +"Never mind," said he, "I have up-stairs in the cupboard much bigger +maps than this; we will have a look at them." And so they did, but in +vain. + +And now the man wanted to pursue his journey, but the giant begged him +to stay a few days longer, until his brother, who had gone to get in a +store of provisions, should return. When the brother came, they asked +him about the golden castle of Stromberg. + +"When I have had time to eat a meal and be satisfied, I will look at the +map." + +That being done, he went into his room with them, and they looked at his +maps, but could find nothing: then he fetched other old maps, and they +never left off searching until they found the golden castle of +Stromberg, but it was many thousand miles away. + +"How shall I ever get there?" said the man. + +"I have a couple of hours to spare," said the giant, "and I will set you +on your way, but I shall have to come back and look after the child that +we have in the house with us." + +Then the giant bore the man until within about a hundred hours' journey +from the castle, and saying, + +"You can manage the rest of the way by yourself," he departed; and the +man went on day and night, until at last he came to the golden castle of +Stromberg. It stood on a mountain of glass, and he could see the +enchanted Princess driving round it, and then passing inside the gates. +He was rejoiced when he saw her, and began at once to climb the mountain +to get to her; but it was so slippery, as fast as he went he fell back +again. And when he saw this he felt he should never reach her, and he +was full of grief, and resolved at least to stay at the foot of the +mountain and wait for her. So he built himself a hut, and sat there and +waited a whole year; and every day he saw the Princess drive round and +pass in, and was never able to reach her. + +One day he looked out of his hut and saw three robbers fighting, and he +called out, "Mercy on us!" Hearing a voice, they stopped for a moment, +but went on again beating one another in a dreadful manner. And he cried +out again, "Mercy on us!" They stopped and listened, and looked about +them, and then went on again. And he cried out a third time, "Mercy on +us!" and then, thinking he would go and see what was the matter, he went +out and asked them what they were fighting for. One of them told him he +had found a stick which would open any door only by knocking at it; the +second said he had found a cloak which, if he put it on, made him +invisible; the third said he was possessed of a horse that would ride +over everything, even the glass mountain. Now they had fought because +they could not agree whether they should enjoy these things in common or +separately. + +"Suppose we make a bargain," said the man; "it is true I have no money, +but I have other things yet more valuable to exchange for these; I must, +however, make trial of them beforehand, to see if you have spoken truth +concerning them." + +So they let him mount the horse, and put the cloak round him, and they +gave him the stick into his hand, and as soon as he had all this he was +no longer to be seen; but laying about him well, he gave them all a +sound thrashing, crying out, + +"Now, you good-for-nothing fellows, you have got what you deserve; +perhaps you will be satisfied now!" + +Then he rode up the glass mountain, and when he reached the castle gates +he found them locked; but he beat with his stick upon the door and it +opened at once. And he walked in, and up the stairs to the great room +where sat the Princess with a golden cup and wine before her: she could +not see him so long as the cloak was on him, but drawing near to her he +pulled off the ring she had given him, and threw it into the cup with a +clang. + +"This is my ring," she cried, "and the man who is to set me free must be +here too!" + +But though she sought through the whole castle she found him not; he had +gone outside, seated himself on his horse, and thrown off the cloak. And +when she came to look out at the door, she saw him and shrieked out for +joy; and he dismounted and took her in his arms, and she kissed him, +saying, + +"Now hast thou set me free from my enchantment, and to-morrow we will be +married." + + + + +THE FROG PRINCE + + +IN the old times, when it was still of some use to wish for the thing +one wanted, there lived a King whose daughters were all handsome, but +the youngest was so beautiful that the sun himself, who has seen so +much, wondered each time he shone over her because of her beauty. Near +the royal castle there was a great dark wood, and in the wood under an +old linden-tree was a well; and when the day was hot, the King's +daughter used to go forth into the wood and sit by the brink of the cool +well, and if the time seemed long, she would take out a golden ball, and +throw it up and catch it again, and this was her favourite pastime. + +Now it happened one day that the golden ball, instead of falling back +into the maiden's little hand which had sent it aloft, dropped to the +ground near the edge of the well and rolled in. The king's daughter +followed it with her eyes as it sank, but the well was deep, so deep +that the bottom could not be seen. Then she began to weep, and she wept +and wept as if she could never be comforted. And in the midst of her +weeping she heard a voice saying to her, + +"What ails thee, king's daughter? thy tears would melt a heart of +stone." + +And when she looked to see where the voice came from, there was nothing +but a frog stretching his thick ugly head out of the water. + +"Oh, is it you, old waddler?" said she; "I weep because my golden ball +has fallen into the well." + +"Never mind, do not weep," answered the frog; "I can help you; but what +will you give me if I fetch up your ball again?" + +"Whatever you like, dear frog," said she; "any of my clothes, my pearls +and jewels, or even the golden crown that I wear." + +"Thy clothes, thy pearls and jewels, and thy golden crown are not for +me," answered the frog; "but if thou wouldst love me, and have me for +thy companion and play-fellow, and let me sit by thee at table, and eat +from thy plate, and drink from thy cup, and sleep in thy little bed,--if +thou wouldst promise all this, then would I dive below the water and +fetch thee thy golden ball again." + +"Oh yes," she answered; "I will promise it all, whatever you want, if +you will only get me my ball again." + +But she thought to herself, "What nonsense he talks! as if he could do +anything but sit in the water and croak with the other frogs, or could +possibly be any one's companion." + +But the frog, as soon as he heard her promise, drew his head under the +water and sank down out of sight, but after a while he came to the +surface again with the ball in his mouth, and he threw it on the grass. + +The King's daughter was overjoyed to see her pretty play-thing again, +and she caught it up and ran off with it. + +"Stop, stop!" cried the frog; "take me up too; I cannot run as fast as +you!" + +But it was of no use, for croak, croak after her as he might, she would +not listen to him, but made haste home, and very soon forgot all about +the poor frog, who had to betake himself to his well again. + +The next day, when the King's daughter was sitting at table with the +King and all the court, and eating from her golden plate, there came +something pitter patter up the marble stairs, and then there came a +knocking at the door, and a voice crying "Youngest King's daughter, let +me in!" + +And she got up and ran to see who it could be, but when she opened the +door, there was the frog sitting outside. Then she shut the door hastily +and went back to her seat, feeling very uneasy. The King noticed how +quickly her heart was beating, and said, + +"My child, what are you afraid of? is there a giant standing at the door +ready to carry you away?" + +"Oh no," answered she; "no giant, but a horrid frog." + +"And what does the frog want?" asked the King. + +"O dear father," answered she, "when I was sitting by the well +yesterday, and playing with my golden ball, it fell into the water, and +while I was crying for the loss of it, the frog came and got it again +for me on condition I would let him be my companion, but I never thought +that he could leave the water and come after me; but now there he is +outside the door, and he wants to come in to me." + +And then they all heard him knocking the second time and crying, + + "Youngest King's daughter, + Open to me! + By the well water + What promised you me? + Youngest King's daughter + Now open to me!" + +"That which thou hast promised must thou perform," said the King; "so go +now and let him in." + +So she went and opened the door, and the frog hopped in, following at +her heels, till she reached her chair. Then he stopped and cried, + +"Lift me up to sit by you." + +But she delayed doing so until the King ordered her. When once the frog +was on the chair, he wanted to get on the table, and there he sat and +said, + +"Now push your golden plate a little nearer, so that we may eat +together." + +And so she did, but everybody might see how unwilling she was, and the +frog feasted heartily, but every morsel seemed to stick in her throat. + +"I have had enough now," said the frog at last, "and as I am tired, you +must carry me to your room, and make ready your silken bed, and we will +lie down and go to sleep." + +Then the King's daughter began to weep, and was afraid of the cold frog, +that nothing would satisfy him but he must sleep in her pretty clean +bed. Now the King grew angry with her, saying, + +"That which thou hast promised in thy time of necessity, must thou now +perform." + +So she picked up the frog with her finger and thumb, carried him +upstairs and put him in a corner, and when she had lain down to sleep, +he came creeping up, saying, "I am tired and want sleep as much as you; +take me up, or I will tell your father." + +Then she felt beside herself with rage, and picking him up, she threw +him with all her strength against the wall, crying, + +"Now will you be quiet, you horrid frog!" + +But as he fell, he ceased to be a frog, and became all at once a prince +with beautiful kind eyes. And it came to pass that, with her father's +consent, they became bride and bridegroom. And he told her how a wicked +witch had bound him by her spells, and how no one but she alone could +have released him, and that they two would go together to his father's +kingdom. And there came to the door a carriage drawn by eight white +horses, with white plumes on their heads, and with golden harness, and +behind the carriage was standing faithful Henry, the servant of the +young prince. Now, faithful Henry had suffered such care and pain when +his master was turned into a frog, that he had been obliged to wear +three iron bands over his heart, to keep it from breaking with trouble +and anxiety. When the carriage started to take the prince to his +kingdom, and faithful Henry had helped them both in, he got up behind, +and was full of joy at his master's deliverance. And when they had gone +a part of the way, the prince heard a sound at the back of the carriage, +as if something had broken, and he turned round and cried, + +"Henry, the wheel must be breaking!" but Henry answered, + + "The wheel does not break, + 'Tis the band round my heart + That, to lessen its ache, + When I grieved for your sake, + I bound round my heart." + +Again, and yet once again there was the same sound, and the prince +thought it must be the wheel breaking, but it was the breaking of the +other bands from faithful Henry's heart, because it was now so relieved +and happy. + + + + +CAT & MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP. + + +A CAT having made acquaintance with a mouse, professed such great love +and friendship for her, that the mouse at last agreed that they should +live and keep house together. + +"We must make provision for the winter," said the cat, "or we shall +suffer hunger, and you, little mouse, must not stir out, or you will be +caught in a trap." + +So they took counsel together and bought a little pot of fat. And then +they could not tell where to put it for safety, but after long +consideration the cat said there could not be a better place than the +church, for nobody would steal there; and they would put it under the +altar and not touch it until they were really in want. So this was done, +and the little pot placed in safety. + +But before long the cat was seized with a great wish to taste it. + +"Listen to me, little mouse," said he; "I have been asked by my cousin +to stand god-father to a little son she has brought into the world; he +is white with brown spots; and they want to have the christening to-day, +so let me go to it, and you stay at home and keep house." + +"Oh yes, certainly," answered the mouse, "pray go by all means; and when +you are feasting on all the good things, think of me; I should so like a +drop of the sweet red wine." + +But there was not a word of truth in all this; the cat had no cousin, +and had not been asked to stand god-father: he went to the church, +straight up to the little pot, and licked the fat off the top; then he +took a walk over the roofs of the town, saw his acquaintances, stretched +himself in the sun, and licked his whiskers as often as he thought of +the little pot of fat; and then when it was evening he went home. + +"Here you are at last," said the mouse; "I expect you have had a merry +time." + +"Oh, pretty well," answered the cat. + +"And what name did you give the child?" asked the mouse. + +"Top-off," answered the cat, drily. + +"Top-off!" cried the mouse, "that is a singular and wonderful name! is +it common in your family?" + +"What does it matter?" said the cat; "it's not any worse than +Crumb-picker, like your god-child." + +A little time after this the cat was again seized with a longing. + +"Again I must ask you," said he to the mouse, "to do me a favour, and +keep house alone for a day. I have been asked a second time to stand +god-father; and as the little one has a white ring round its neck, I +cannot well refuse." + +So the kind little mouse consented, and the cat crept along by the town +wall until he reached the church, and going straight to the little pot +of fat, devoured half of it. + +"Nothing tastes so well as what one keeps to oneself," said he, feeling +quite content with his day's work. When he reached home, the mouse asked +what name had been given to the child. + +"Half-gone," answered the cat. + +"Half-gone!" cried the mouse, "I never heard such a name in my life! +I'll bet it's not to be found in the calendar." + +Soon after that the cat's mouth began to water again for the fat. + +"Good things always come in threes," said he to the mouse; "again I have +been asked to stand god-father, the little one is quite black with white +feet, and not any white hair on its body; such a thing does not happen +every day, so you will let me go, won't you?" + +"Top-off, Half-gone," murmured the mouse, "they are such curious names, +I cannot but wonder at them!" + +"That's because you are always sitting at home," said the cat, "in your +little grey frock and hairy tail, never seeing the world, and fancying +all sorts of things." + +So the little mouse cleaned up the house and set it all in order. +Meanwhile the greedy cat went and made an end of the little pot of fat. + +"Now all is finished one's mind will be easy," said he, and came home in +the evening, quite sleek and comfortable. The mouse asked at once what +name had been given to the third child. + +"It won't please you any better than the others," answered the cat. "It +is called All-gone." + +"All-gone!" cried the mouse. "What an unheard-of-name! I never met with +anything like it! All-gone! whatever can it mean?" And shaking her head, +she curled herself round and went to sleep. After that the cat was not +again asked to stand god-father. + +When the winter had come and there was nothing more to be had out of +doors, the mouse began to think of their store. + +"Come, cat," said she, "we will fetch our pot of fat, how good it will +taste, to be sure!" + +"Of course it will," said the cat, "just as good as if you stuck your +tongue out of window!" + +So they set out, and when they reached the place, they found the pot, +but it was standing empty. + +"Oh, now I know what it all meant," cried the mouse, "now I see what +sort of a partner you have been! Instead of standing god-father you have +devoured it all up; first Top-off, then Half-gone, then"---- + +"Will you hold your tongue!" screamed the cat, "another word, and I +devour you too!" + +And the poor little mouse, having "All-gone" on her tongue, out it came, +and the cat leaped upon her and made an end of her. And that is the way +of the world. + + + + +The WOLF and the SEVEN LITTLE GOATS. + + +THERE was once an old goat who had seven little ones, and was as fond of +them as ever mother was of her children. One day she had to go into the +wood to fetch food for them, so she called them all round her. + +"Dear children," said she, "I am going out into the wood; and while I am +gone, be on your guard against the wolf, for if he were once to get +inside he would eat you up, skin, bones, and all. The wretch often +disguises himself, but he may always be known by his hoarse voice and +black paws." + +"Dear mother," answered the kids, "you need not be afraid, we will take +good care of ourselves." And the mother bleated good-bye, and went on +her way with an easy mind. + +It was not long before some one came knocking at the house-door, and +crying out, + +"Open the door, my dear children, your mother is come back, and has +brought each of you something." + +But the little kids knew it was the wolf by the hoarse voice. + +"We will not open the door," cried they; "you are not our mother, she +has a delicate and sweet voice, and your voice is hoarse; you must be +the wolf." + +Then off went the wolf to a shop and bought a big lump of chalk, and ate +it up to make his voice soft. And then he came back, knocked at the +house-door, and cried, + +"Open the door, my dear children, your mother is here, and has brought +each of you something." + +But the wolf had put up his black paws against the window, and the kids +seeing this, cried out, + +"We will not open the door; our mother has no black paws like you; you +must be the wolf." + +The wolf then ran to a baker. + +"Baker," said he, "I am hurt in the foot; pray spread some dough over +the place." + +And when the baker had plastered his feet, he ran to the miller. + +"Miller," said he, "strew me some white meal over my paws." But the +miller refused, thinking the wolf must be meaning harm to some one. + +"If you don't do it," cried the wolf, "I'll eat you up!" + +And the miller was afraid and did as he was told. And that just shows +what men are. + +And now came the rogue the third time to the door and knocked. "Open, +children!" cried he. "Your dear mother has come home, and brought you +each something from the wood." + +"First show us your paws," said the kids, "so that we may know if you +are really our mother or not." + +And he put up his paws against the window, and when they saw that they +were white, all seemed right, and they opened the door; and when he was +inside they saw it was the wolf, and they were terrified and tried to +hide themselves. One ran under the table, the second got into the bed, +the third into the oven, the fourth in the kitchen, the fifth in the +cupboard, the sixth under the sink, the seventh in the clock-case. But +the wolf found them all, and gave them short shrift; one after the other +he swallowed down, all but the youngest, who was hid in the clock-case. +And so the wolf, having got what he wanted, strolled forth into the +green meadows, and laying himself down under a tree, he fell asleep. + +Not long after, the mother goat came back from the wood; and, oh! what a +sight met her eyes! the door was standing wide open, table, chairs, and +stools, all thrown about, dishes broken, quilt and pillows torn off the +bed. She sought her children, they were nowhere to be found. She called +to each of them by name, but nobody answered, until she came to the name +of the youngest. + +"Here I am, mother," a little voice cried, "here, in the clock-case." + +And so she helped him out, and heard how the wolf had come, and eaten +all the rest. And you may think how she cried for the loss of her dear +children. At last in her grief she wandered out of doors, and the +youngest kid with her; and when they came into the meadow, there they +saw the wolf lying under a tree, and snoring so that the branches shook. +The mother goat looked at him carefully on all sides and she noticed how +something inside his body was moving and struggling. + +"Dear me!" thought she, "can it be that my poor children that he +devoured for his evening meal are still alive?" And she sent the little +kid back to the house for a pair of shears, and needle, and thread. Then +she cut the wolf's body open, and no sooner had she made one snip than +out came the head of one of the kids, and then another snip, and then +one after the other the six little kids all jumped out alive and well, +for in his greediness the rogue had swallowed them down whole. How +delightful this was! so they comforted their dear mother and hopped +about like tailors at a wedding. + +"Now fetch some good hard stones," said the mother, "and we will fill +his body with them, as he lies asleep." + +And so they fetched some in all haste, and put them inside him, and the +mother sewed him up so quickly again that he was none the wiser. + +When the wolf at last awoke, and got up, the stones inside him made him +feel very thirsty, and as he was going to the brook to drink, they +struck and rattled one against another. And so he cried out: + + "What is this I feel inside me + Knocking hard against my bones? + How should such a thing betide me! + They were kids, and now they're stones." + +So he came to the brook, and stooped to drink, but the heavy stones +weighed him down, so he fell over into the water and was drowned. And +when the seven little kids saw it they came up running. + +"The wolf is dead, the wolf is dead!" they cried, and taking hands, they +danced with their mother all about the place. + +[Illustration: FAITHFUL JOHN + +"IT HAPPENED, AS THEY WERE STILL +JOURNEYING ON THE OPEN SEA, THAT +FAITHFUL JOHN, AS HE SAT IN THE FORE +PART OF THE SHIP, & MADE MUSIC, CAUGHT +SIGHT OF THREE RAVENS FLYING OVERHEAD. +THEN HE STOPPED PLAYING & +LISTENED TO WHAT THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER"] + + + + +FAITHFUL JOHN + + +THERE was once an old King, who, having fallen sick, thought to himself, +"This is very likely my death-bed on which I am lying." + +Then he said, "Let Faithful John be sent for." + +Faithful John was his best-beloved servant, and was so called because he +had served the King faithfully all his life long. When he came near the +bed, the King said to him, + +"Faithful John, I feel my end drawing near, and my only care is for my +son; he is yet of tender years, and does not always know how to shape +his conduct; and unless you promise me to instruct him in all his +actions and be a true foster-father to him, I shall not be able to close +my eyes in peace." + +Then answered Faithful John, "I will never forsake him, and will serve +him faithfully, even though it should cost me my life." + +And the old King said, "Then I die, being of good cheer and at peace." +And he went on to say, + +"After my death, you must lead him through the whole castle, into all +the chambers, halls, and vaults, and show him the treasures that in them +lie; but the last chamber in the long gallery, in which lies hidden the +picture of the Princess of the Golden Palace, you must not show him. If +he were to see that picture, he would directly fall into so great a love +for her, that he would faint with the strength of it, and afterwards for +her sake run into great dangers; so you must guard him well." + +And as Faithful John gave him his hand upon it, the old King became +still and silent, laid his head upon the pillow, and died. + +When the old King was laid in the grave, Faithful John told the young +King what he had promised to his father on his death-bed, and said, + +"And I will certainly hold to my promise and be faithful to you, as I +was faithful to him, even though it should cost me my life." + +When the days of mourning were at an end, Faithful John said to the +Prince, + +"It is now time that you should see your inheritance; I will show you +all the paternal castle." + +Then he led him over all the place, upstairs and down-stairs, and showed +him all the treasures and the splendid chambers; one chamber only he did +not open, that in which the perilous picture hung. Now the picture was +so placed that when the door opened it was the first thing to be seen, +and was so wonderfully painted that it seemed to breathe and move, and +in the whole world was there nothing more lovely or more beautiful. The +young King noticed how Faithful John always passed by this one door, and +asked, + +"Why do you not undo this door?" + +"There is something inside that would terrify you," answered he. But the +King answered, + +"I have seen the whole castle, and I will know what is in here also." +And he went forward and tried to open the door by force. + +Then Faithful John called him back, and said, "I promised your father on +his death-bed that you should not see what is in that room; it might +bring great misfortune on you and me were I to break my promise." + +But the young King answered, "I shall be undone if I do not go inside +that room; I shall have no peace day or night until I have seen it with +these eyes; and I will not move from this place until you have unlocked +it." + +Then Faithful John saw there was no help for it, and he chose out the +key from the big bunch with a heavy heart and many sighs. When the door +was opened he walked in first, and thought that by standing in front of +the King he might hide the picture from him, but that was no good, the +King stood on tiptoe, and looked over his shoulder. And when he saw the +image of the lady that was so wonderfully beautiful, and so glittering +with gold and jewels, he fell on the ground powerless. Faithful John +helped him up, took him to his bed, and thought with sorrow, "Ah me! the +evil has come to pass; what will become of us?" + +Then he strengthened the King with wine, until he came to himself. The +first words that he said were, + +"Oh, the beautiful picture! whose portrait is it?" + +"It is the portrait of the Princess of the Golden Palace," answered +Faithful John. Then the King said, + +"My love for her is so great that if all the leaves of the forest were +tongues they could not utter it! I stake my life on the chance of +obtaining her, and you, my Faithful John, must stand by me." + +The faithful servant considered for a long time how the business should +be begun; it seemed to him that it would be a difficult matter to come +only at a sight of the Princess. At last he thought out a way, and said +to the King, + +"All that she has about her is of gold--tables, chairs, dishes, +drinking-cups, bowls, and all the household furniture; in your treasury +are five tons of gold, let the goldsmiths of your kingdom work it up +into all kinds of vessels and implements, into all kinds of birds, and +wild creatures, and wonderful beasts, such as may please her; then we +will carry them off with us, and go and seek our fortune." + +The King had all the goldsmiths fetched, and they worked day and night, +until at last some splendid things were got ready. When a ship had been +loaded with them, Faithful John put on the garb of a merchant, and so +did the King, so as the more completely to disguise themselves. Then +they journeyed over the sea, and went so far that at last they came to +the city where the Princess of the Golden Palace dwelt. + +Faithful John told the King to stay in the ship, and to wait for him. + +"Perhaps," said he, "I shall bring the Princess back with me, so take +care that everything is in order; let the golden vessels be placed +about, and the whole ship be adorned." + +Then he gathered together in his apron some of the gold things, one of +each kind, landed, and went up to the royal castle. And when he reached +the courtyard of the castle there stood by the well a pretty maiden, who +had two golden pails in her hand, and she was drawing water with them; +and as she turned round to carry them away she saw the strange man, and +asked him who he was. He answered, + +"I am a merchant," and opened his apron, and let her look within it. + +"Ah, what beautiful things!" cried she, and setting down her pails, she +turned the golden toys over, and looked at them one after another: then +she said, + +"The Princess must see these; she takes so much pleasure in gold things +that she will buy them all from you." + +Then she took him by the hand and led him in, for she was the +chamber-maid. + +When the Princess saw the golden wares she was very pleased, and said, + +"All these are so finely worked that I should like to buy them of you." + +But the faithful John said, + +"I am only the servant of a rich merchant, and what I have here is +nothing to what my master has in the ship--the cunningest and costliest +things that ever were made of gold." + +The Princess then wanted it all to be brought to her; but he said, + +"That would take up many days; so great is the number of them, and so +much space would they occupy that there would not be enough room for +them in your house." + +But the Princess's curiosity and fancy grew so much that at last she +said, + +"Lead me to the ship; I will myself go and see your master's treasures." + +Then Faithful John led her to the ship joyfully, and the King, when he +saw that her beauty was even greater than the picture had set forth, +felt his heart leap at the sight. Then she climbed up into the ship, and +the King received her. Faithful John stayed by the steersman, and gave +orders for the ship to push off, saying, "Spread all sail, that she may +fly like a bird in the air." + +So the King showed her all the golden things, each separately--the +dishes, the bowls, the birds, the wild creatures, and the wonderful +beasts. Many hours were passed in looking at them all, and in her +pleasure the Princess never noticed that the ship was moving onwards. +When she had examined the last, she thanked the merchant, and prepared +to return home; but when she came to the ship's side, she saw that they +were on the high seas, far from land, and speeding on under full sail. + +"Ah!" cried she, full of terror, "I am betrayed and carried off by this +merchant. Oh that I had died rather than have fallen into his power!" + +But the King took hold of her hand, and said, + +"No merchant am I, but a King, and no baser of birth than thyself; it is +because of my over-mastering love for thee that I have carried thee off +by cunning. The first time I saw thy picture I fell fainting to the +earth." + +When the Princess of the Golden Palace heard this she became more +trustful, and her heart inclined favourably towards him, so that she +willingly consented to become his wife. + +It happened, however, as they were still journeying on the open sea, +that Faithful John, as he sat in the forepart of the ship and made +music, caught sight of three ravens in the air flying overhead. Then he +stopped playing, and listened to what they said one to another, for he +understood them quite well. The first one cried, + +"Ay, there goes the Princess of the Golden Palace." + +"Yes," answered the second; "but he has not got her safe yet." And the +third said, + +"He has her, though; she sits beside him in the ship." + +Then the first one spoke again, + +"What does that avail him? When they come on land a fox-red horse will +spring towards them; then will the King try to mount him; and if he +does, the horse will rise with him into the air, so that he will never +see his bride again." The second raven asked, + +"Is there no remedy?" + +"Oh yes; if another man mounts quickly, and takes the pistol out of the +holster and shoots the horse dead with it, he will save the young King. +But who knows that? and he that knows it and does it will become stone +from toe to knee." Then said the second, + +"I know further, that if the horse should be killed, the young King will +not even then be sure of his bride. When they arrive at the castle there +will lie a wrought bride-shirt in a dish, and it will seem all woven of +gold and silver, but it is really of sulphur and pitch, and if he puts +it on it will burn him to the marrow of his bones." The third raven +said, + +"Is there no remedy?" + +"Oh yes," answered the second; "if another man with gloves on picks up +the shirt, and throws it into the fire, so that it is consumed, then is +the young King delivered. But what avails that? He who knows it and does +it will be turned into stone from his heart to his knee." Then spoke the +third, + +"I know yet more, that even when the bride-shirt is burnt up the King is +not sure of his bride; when at the wedding the dance begins, and the +young Queen dances, she will suddenly grow pale and fall to the earth as +if she were dead, and unless some one lifts her up and takes three drops +of blood from her right breast, she will die. But he that knows this and +does this will become stone from the crown of his head to the sole of +his foot." + +When the ravens had spoken thus among themselves they flew away. +Faithful John had understood it all, and from that time he remained +quiet and sad, for he thought to himself that were he to conceal what he +had heard from his master, misfortune would befall; and were he to +discover it his own life would be sacrificed. At last, however, he said +within himself, + +"I will save my master, though I myself should perish!" + +So when they came on land, it happened just as the ravens had foretold, +there sprang forward a splendid fox-red horse. + +"Come on!" said the King, "he shall carry me to the castle," and was +going to mount, when Faithful John passed before him and mounted +quickly, drew the pistol out of the holster, and shot the horse dead. +Then the other servants of the king cried out (for they did not wish +well to Faithful John), + +"How shameful to kill that beautiful animal that was to have carried the +king to his castle." But the King said, + +"Hold your tongues, and let him be: he is my Faithful John; he knows +what is the good of it." + +Then they went up to the castle, and there stood in the hall a dish, +and the wrought bride-shirt that lay on it seemed as if of gold and +silver. The young King went up to it and was going to put it on, but +Faithful John pushed him away, picked it up with his gloved hands, threw +it quickly on the fire, and there let it burn. The other servants began +grumbling again, and said, + +"Look, he is even burning up the king's bridal shirt!" But the young +King said, + +"Who knows but that there may be a good reason for it? let him be, he is +my Faithful John." + +Then the wedding feast was held; and the bride led the dance; Faithful +John watched her carefully, and all at once she grew pale and fell down +as if she were dead. Then he went quickly to her, and carried her into a +chamber hard by, laid her down, and kneeling, took three drops of blood +from her right breast. Immediately she drew breath again and raised +herself up, but the young King witnessing all, and not knowing why +Faithful John had done this, grew very angry, and cried out, + +"Throw him into prison!" + +The next morning Faithful John was condemned to death and led to the +gallows, and as he stood there ready to suffer, he said, + +"He who is about to die is permitted to speak once before his end; may I +claim that right?" + +"Yes," answered the King, "it is granted to you." Then said Faithful +John, + +"I have been condemned unjustly, for I have always been faithful," and +he related how he had heard on the sea voyage the talk of the ravens, +and how he had done everything in order to save his master. Then cried +the King, + +"O my Faithful John, pardon! pardon! lead him down!" But Faithful John, +as he spoke the last words, fell lifeless, and became stone. + +The King and Queen had great grief because of this, and the King said, + +"Ah, how could I have evil-rewarded such faithfulness!" and he caused +the stone image to be lifted up and put to stand in his sleeping-room by +the side of his bed. And as often as he saw it he wept and said, + +"Would that I could bring thee back to life, my Faithful John!" + +After some time the Queen bore twins--two little sons--that grew and +thrived, and were the joy of their parents. One day, when the Queen was +in church, the two children were sitting and playing with their father, +and he gazed at the stone image full of sadness, sighed, and cried, + +"Oh that I could bring thee back to life, my Faithful John!" Then the +stone began to speak, and said, + +"Yes, thou canst bring me back to life again, if thou wilt bestow +therefor thy best-beloved." Then cried the King, + +"All that I have in the world will I give up for thee!" The stone went +on to say, + +"If thou wilt cut off the heads of thy two children with thy own hand, +and besmear me with their blood, I shall receive life again." + +The King was horror-struck at the thought that he must put his beloved +children to death, but he remembered all John's faithfulness, and how he +had died for him, and he drew his sword and cut off his children's heads +with his own hand. And when he had besmeared the stone with their blood +life returned to it, and Faithful John stood alive and well before him; +and he said to the king, + +"Thy faithfulness shall not be unrewarded," and, taking up the heads of +the children, he set them on again, and besmeared the wound with their +blood, upon which in a moment they were whole again, and jumped about, +and went on playing as if nothing had happened to them. + +Now was the King full of joy; and when he saw the Queen coming he put +the Faithful John and the two children in a great chest. When she came +in he said to her, + +"Hast thou prayed in church?" + +"Yes," answered she, "but I was thinking all the while of Faithful John, +and how he came to such great misfortune through us." + +"Then," said he, "dear wife, we can give him life again, but it will +cost us both our little sons, whom we must sacrifice." + +The Queen grew pale and sick at heart, but said, + +"We owe it him, because of his great faithfulness." + +Then the King rejoiced because she thought as he did, and he went and +unlocked the chest and took out the children and Faithful John, and +said, + +"God be praised, he is delivered, and our little sons are ours again;" +and he related to her how it had come to pass. + +After that they all lived together in happiness to their lives' end. + + + + +THE WONDERFUL MUSICIAN + + +THERE was once a wonderful musician, and he was one day walking through +a wood all alone, thinking of this and that: and when he had nothing +more left to think about, he said to himself, + +"I shall grow tired of being in this wood, so I will bring out a good +companion." + +So he took the fiddle that hung at his back and fiddled so that the wood +echoed. Before long a wolf came through the thicket and trotted up to +him. + +"Oh, here comes a wolf! I had no particular wish for such company," said +the musician: but the wolf drew nearer, and said to him, + +"Ho, you musician, how finely you play! I must learn how to play too." + +"That is easily done," answered the musician, "you have only to do +exactly as I tell you." + +"O musician," said the wolf, "I will obey you, as a scholar does his +master." + +The musician told him to come with him. As they went a part of the way +together they came to an old oak tree, which was hollow within and cleft +through the middle. + +"Look here," said the musician, "if you want to learn how to fiddle, you +must put your fore feet in this cleft." + +The wolf obeyed, but the musician took up a stone and quickly wedged +both his paws with one stroke, so fast, that the wolf was a prisoner, +and there obliged to stop. + +"Stay there until I come back again," said the musician, and went his +way. + +After a while he said again to himself, + +"I shall grow weary here in this wood; I will bring out another +companion," and he took his fiddle and fiddled away in the wood. Before +long a fox came slinking through the trees. + +"Oh, here comes a fox!" said the musician; "I had no particular wish for +such company." + +The fox came up to him and said, + +"O my dear musician, how finely you play! I must learn how to play too." + +"That is easily done," said the musician, "you have only to do exactly +as I tell you." + +"O musician," answered the fox, "I will obey you, as a scholar his +master." + +"Follow me," said the musician; and as they went a part of the way +together they came to a footpath with a high hedge on each side. Then +the musician stopped, and taking hold of a hazel-branch bent it down to +the earth, and put his foot on the end of it; then he bent down a branch +from the other side, and said: "Come on, little fox, if you wish to +learn something, reach me your left fore foot." + +The fox obeyed, and the musician bound the foot to the left hand branch. + +"Now, little fox," said he, "reach me the right one;" then he bound it +to the right hand branch. And when he had seen that the knots were fast +enough he let go, and the branches flew back and caught up the fox, +shaking and struggling, in the air. + +"Wait there until I come back again," said the musician, and went his +way. + +By and by he said to himself: "I shall grow weary in this wood; I will +bring out another companion." + +So he took his fiddle, and the sound echoed through the wood. Then a +hare sprang out before him. + +"Oh, here comes a hare!" said he, "that's not what I want." + +"Ah, my dear musician," said the hare, "how finely you play! I should +like to learn how to play too." + +"That is soon done," said the musician, "only you must do whatever I +tell you." + +"O musician," answered the hare, "I will obey you, as a scholar his +master." + +So they went a part of the way together, until they came to a clear +place in the wood where there stood an aspen tree. The musician tied a +long string round the neck of the hare, and knotted the other end of it +to the tree. + +"Now then, courage, little hare! run twenty times round the tree!" cried +the musician, and the hare obeyed: as he ran round the twentieth time +the string had wound twenty times round the tree trunk and the hare was +imprisoned, and pull and tug as he would he only cut his tender neck +with the string. "Wait there until I come back again," said the +musician, and walked on. + +The wolf meanwhile had struggled, and pulled, and bitten, at the stone, +and worked away so long, that at last he made his paws free and got +himself out of the cleft. Full of anger and fury he hastened after the +musician to tear him to pieces. When the fox saw him run by he began +groaning, and cried out with all his might, + +"Brother wolf, come and help me! the musician has betrayed me." The wolf +then pulled the branches down, bit the knots in two, and set the fox +free, and he went with him to take vengeance on the musician. They found +the imprisoned hare, and set him likewise free, and then they all went +on together to seek their enemy. + +The musician had once more played his fiddle, and this time he had been +more fortunate. The sound had reached the ears of a poor woodcutter, who +immediately, and in spite of himself, left his work, and, with his axe +under his arm, came to listen to the music. + +"At last here comes the right sort of companion," said the musician; "it +was a man I wanted, and not wild animals." And then he began to play so +sweetly that the poor man stood as if enchanted, and his heart was +filled with joy. And as he was standing there up came the wolf, the fox, +and the hare, and he could easily see that they meant mischief. Then he +raised his shining axe, and stood in front of the musician, as if to +say, + +"Whoever means harm to him had better take care of himself, for he will +have to do with me!" + +Then the animals were frightened, and ran back into the wood, and the +musician, when he had played once more to the man to show his gratitude, +went on his way. + + + + +THE TWELVE BROTHERS + + +ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen very peacefully together; +they had twelve children, all boys. Now the King said to the Queen one +day, + +"If our thirteenth child should be a girl the twelve boys shall die, so +that her riches may be the greater, and the kingdom fall to her alone." + +Then he caused twelve coffins to be made; and they were filled with +shavings, and a little pillow laid in each, and they were brought and +put in a locked-up room; and the King gave the key to the Queen, and +told her to say nothing about it to any one. + +But the mother sat the whole day sorrowing, so that her youngest son, +who never left her, and to whom she had given the Bible name Benjamin, +said to her, + +"Dear mother, why are you so sad?" + +"Dearest child," answered she, "I dare not tell you." + +But he let her have no peace until she went and unlocked the room, and +showed him the twelve coffins with the shavings and the little pillows. +Then she said, + +"My dear Benjamin, your father has caused these coffins to be made for +you and your eleven brothers, and if I bring a little girl into the +world you are all to be put to death together and buried therein." And +she wept as she spoke, and her little son comforted her and said, + +"Weep not, dear mother, we will save ourselves and go far away." Then +she answered, + +"Yes, go with your eleven brothers out into the world, and let one of +you always sit on the top of the highest tree that can be found, and +keep watch upon the tower of this castle. If a little son is born I will +put out a white flag, and then you may safely venture back again; but if +it is a little daughter I will put out a red flag, and then flee away as +fast as you can, and the dear God watch over you. Every night will I +arise and pray for you--in winter that you may have a fire to warm +yourselves by, and in summer that you may not languish in the heat." + +After that, when she had given her sons her blessing, they went away out +into the wood. One after another kept watch, sitting on the highest oak +tree, looking towards the tower. When eleven days had passed, and +Benjamin's turn came, he saw a flag put out, but it was not white, but +blood red, to warn them that they were to die. When the brothers knew +this they became angry, saying, + +"Shall we suffer death because of a girl! we swear to be revenged; +wherever we find a girl we will shed her blood." + +Then they went deeper into the wood; and in the middle, where it was +darkest, they found a little enchanted house, standing empty. Then they +said, + +"Here will we dwell; and you, Benjamin, the youngest and weakest, shall +stay at home and keep house; we others will go abroad and purvey food." + +Then they went into the wood and caught hares, wild roes, birds, and +pigeons, and whatever else is good to eat, and brought them to Benjamin +for him to cook and make ready to satisfy their hunger. So they lived +together in the little house for ten years, and the time did not seem +long. + +By this time the Queen's little daughter was growing up, she had a kind +heart and a beautiful face, and a golden star on her forehead. Once when +there was a great wash she saw among the clothes twelve shirts, and she +asked her mother, + +"Whose are these twelve shirts? they are too small to be my father's." +Then the mother answered with a sore heart, + +"Dear child, they belong to your twelve brothers." The little girl said, + +"Where are my twelve brothers? I have never heard of them." And her +mother answered, + +"God only knows where they are wandering about in the world." Then she +led the little girl to the secret room and unlocked it, and showed her +the twelve coffins with the shavings and the little pillows. + +"These coffins," said she, "were intended for your twelve brothers, but +they went away far from home when you were born," and she related how +everything had come to pass. Then said the little girl, + +"Dear mother, do not weep, I will go and seek my brothers." + +So she took the twelve shirts and went far and wide in the great forest. +The day sped on, and in the evening she came to the enchanted house. She +went in and found a youth, who asked, + +"Whence do you come, and what do you want?" and he marvelled at her +beauty, her royal garments, and the star on her forehead. Then she +answered, + +"I am a king's daughter, and I seek my twelve brothers, and I will go +everywhere under the blue sky until I find them." And she showed him the +twelve shirts which belonged to them. Then Benjamin saw that it must be +his sister, and said, + +"I am Benjamin, your youngest brother." + +And she began weeping for joy, and Benjamin also, and they kissed and +cheered each other with great love. After a while he said, + +"Dear sister, there is still a hindrance; we have sworn that any maiden +that we meet must die, as it was because of a maiden that we had to +leave our kingdom." Then she said, + +"I will willingly die, if so I may benefit my twelve brothers." + +"No," answered he, "you shall not die; sit down under this tub until the +eleven brothers come, and I agree with them about it." She did so; and +as night came on they returned from hunting, and supper was ready. And +as they were sitting at table and eating, they asked, + +"What news?" And Benjamin said, + +"Don't you know any?" + +"No," answered they. So he said, + +"You have been in the wood, and I have stayed at home, and yet I know +more than you." + +"Tell us!" cried they. He answered, + +"Promise me that the first maiden we see shall not be put to death." + +"Yes, we promise," cried they all, "she shall have mercy; tell us now." +Then he said, + +"Our sister is here," and lifted up the tub, and the king's daughter +came forth in her royal garments with her golden star on her forehead, +and she seemed so beautiful, delicate, and sweet, that they all +rejoiced, and fell on her neck and kissed her, and loved her with all +their hearts. + +After this she remained with Benjamin in the house and helped him with +the work. The others went forth into the woods to catch wild animals, +does, birds, and pigeons, for food for them all, and their sister and +Benjamin took care that all was made ready for them. She fetched the +wood for cooking, and the vegetables, and watched the pots on the fire, +so that supper was always ready when the others came in. She kept also +great order in the house, and the beds were always beautifully white and +clean, and the brothers were contented, and lived in unity. + +One day the two got ready a fine feast, and when they were all assembled +they sat down and ate and drank, and were full of joy. Now there was a +little garden belonging to the enchanted house, in which grew twelve +lilies; the maiden, thinking to please her brothers, went out to gather +the twelve flowers, meaning to give one to each as they sat at meat. But +as she broke off the flowers, in the same moment the brothers were +changed into twelve ravens, and flew over the wood far away, and the +house with the garden also disappeared. So the poor maiden stood alone +in the wild wood, and as she was looking around her she saw an old woman +standing by her, who said, + +"My child, what hast thou done! why couldst thou not leave the twelve +flowers standing? they were thy twelve brothers, who are now changed to +ravens for ever." The maiden said, weeping, + +"Is there no means of setting them free?" + +"No," said the old woman, "there is in the whole world no way but one, +and that is difficult; thou canst not release them but by being dumb for +seven years: thou must neither speak nor laugh; and wert thou to speak +one single word, and it wanted but one hour of the seven years, all +would be in vain, and thy brothers would perish because of that one +word." + +Then the maiden said in her heart, "I am quite sure that I can set my +brothers free," and went and sought a tall tree, climbed up, and sat +there spinning, and never spoke or laughed. Now it happened that a King, +who was hunting in the wood, had with him a large greyhound, who ran to +the tree where the maiden was, sprang up at it, and barked loudly. Up +came the King and saw the beautiful Princess with the golden star on her +forehead, and he was so charmed with her beauty that he prayed her to +become his wife. She gave no answer, only a little nod of her head. Then +he himself climbed the tree and brought her down, set her on his horse +and took her home. The wedding was held with great splendour and +rejoicing, but the bride neither spoke nor laughed. After they had lived +pleasantly together for a few years, the King's mother, who was a wicked +woman, began to slander the young Queen, and said to the King, + +"She is only a low beggar-maid that you have taken to yourself; who +knows what mean tricks she is playing? Even if she is really dumb and +cannot speak she might at least laugh; not to laugh is the sign of a bad +conscience." + +At first the King would believe nothing of it, but the old woman talked +so long, and suggested so many bad things, that he at last let himself +be persuaded, and condemned the Queen to death. + +Now a great fire was kindled in the courtyard, and she was to be burned +in it; and the King stood above at the window, and watched it all with +weeping eyes, for he had held her very dear. And when she was already +fast bound to the stake, and the fire was licking her garments with red +tongues, the last moment of the seven years came to an end. Then a +rushing sound was heard in the air, and twelve ravens came flying and +sank downwards; and as they touched the earth they became her twelve +brothers that she had lost. They rushed through the fire and quenched +the flames, and set their dear sister free, kissing and consoling her. +And now that her mouth was opened, and that she might venture to speak, +she told the King the reason of her dumbness, and why she had never +laughed. The King rejoiced when he heard of her innocence, and they all +lived together in happiness until their death. + +But the wicked mother-in-law was very unhappy, and died miserably. + + + + +THE VAGABONDS + + +THE cock said to the hen, + +"It is nutting time, let us go together to the mountains and have a good +feast for once, before the squirrels come and carry all away." + +"Yes," answered the hen, "come along; we will have a jolly time +together." + +Then they set off together to the mountains, and as it was a fine day +they stayed there till the evening. Now whether it was that they had +eaten so much, or because of their pride and haughtiness, I do not know, +but they would not go home on foot; so the cock set to work to make a +little carriage out of nutshells. When it was ready, the hen seated +herself in it, and said to the cock, + +"Now you can harness yourself to it." + +"That's all very fine," said the cock, "I would sooner go home on foot +than do such a thing: and I never agreed to it. I don't mind being +coachman, and sitting on the box; but as to drawing it myself, it's +quite out of the question." + +As they were wrangling, a duck came quacking, + +"You thieving vagabonds, who told you you might go to my mountain? Look +out, or it will be the worse for you!" and flew at the cock with bill +wide open. But the cock was not backward, and he gave the duck a good +dig in the body, and hacked at her with his spurs so valiantly that she +begged for mercy, and willingly allowed herself to be harnessed to the +carriage. Then the cock seated himself on the box and was coachman; so +off they went at a great pace, the cock crying out "Run, duck, as fast +as you can!" + +When they had gone a part of the way they met two foot-passengers, a pin +and a needle. They cried "Stop! stop!" and said that it would soon be +blindman's holiday; that they could not go a step farther; that the ways +were very muddy; might they just get in for a little? they had been +standing at the door of the tailors' house of call and had been delayed +because of beer. + +The cock, seeing they were slender folks that would not take up a great +deal of room, let them both step in, only they must promise not to tread +on his toes nor on the hen's. + +Late in the evening they came to an inn, and there they found that they +could not go any farther that night, as the duck's paces were not good, +she waddled so much from side to side; so they turned in. The landlord +at first made some difficulty; his house was full already, and he +thought they had no very distinguished appearance; at last, however, +when they had made many fine speeches, and had promised him the egg that +the hen had laid on the way, and that he should keep the duck, who laid +one every day, he agreed to let them stay the night; and so they had a +very gay time. + +Early in the morning, when it was beginning to grow light, and everybody +was still asleep, the cock waked up the hen, fetched the egg, and made a +hole in it, and they ate it up between them, and put the eggshell on the +hearth. Then they went up to the needle, who was still sleeping, picked +him up by his head, and stuck him in the landlord's chair-cushion, and +having also placed the pin in his towel, off they flew over the hills +and far away. The duck, who had chosen to sleep in the open air, and had +remained in the yard, heard the rustling of their wings, and, waking up, +looked about till she found a brook, down which she swam a good deal +faster than she had drawn the carriage. + +A few hours later the landlord woke, and, leaving his feather-bed, began +washing himself; but when he took the towel to dry himself he drew the +pin all across his face, and made a red streak from ear to ear. Then he +went into the kitchen to light his pipe, but when he stooped towards the +hearth to take up a coal the eggshell flew in his eyes. + +"Everything goes wrong this morning," said he, and let himself drop, +full of vexation, into his grandfather's chair; but up he jumped in a +moment, crying, "Oh dear!" for the needle had gone into him. + +Now he became angry, and had his suspicions of the guests who had +arrived so late the evening before; and when he looked round for them +they were nowhere to be seen. + +Then he swore that he would never more harbour such vagabonds, that +consumed so much, paid nothing, and played such nasty tricks into the +bargain. + + + + +THE BROTHER AND SISTER + + +THE brother took his sister's hand and said to her, + +"Since our mother died we have had no good days; our stepmother beats us +every day, and if we go near her she kicks us away; we have nothing to +eat but hard crusts of bread left over; the dog under the table fares +better; he gets a good piece every now and then. If our mother only +knew, how she would pity us! Come, let us go together out into the wide +world!" + +So they went, and journeyed the whole day through fields and meadows and +stony places, and if it rained the sister said, + +"The skies and we are weeping together." + +In the evening they came to a great wood, and they were so weary with +hunger and their long journey, that they climbed up into a high tree and +fell asleep. + +The next morning, when they awoke, the sun was high in heaven, and shone +brightly through the leaves. Then said the brother, + +"Sister, I am thirsty; if I only knew where to find a brook, that I +might go and drink! I almost think that I hear one rushing." So the +brother got down and led his sister by the hand, and they went to seek +the brook. But their wicked stepmother was a witch, and had known quite +well that the two children had run away, and had sneaked after them, as +only witches can, and had laid a spell on all the brooks in the forest. +So when they found a little stream flowing smoothly over its pebbles, +the brother was going to drink of it; but the sister heard how it said +in its rushing, + + "He a tiger will be who drinks of me, + Who drinks of me a tiger will be!" + +Then the sister cried, + +"Pray, dear brother, do not drink, or you will become a wild beast, and +will tear me in pieces." + +So the brother refrained from drinking, though his thirst was great, and +he said he would wait till he came to the next brook. When they came to +a second brook the sister heard it say, + + "He a wolf will be who drinks of me, + Who drinks of me a wolf will be!" + +Then the sister cried, + +"Pray, dear brother, do not drink, or you will be turned into a wolf, +and will eat me up!" + +So the brother refrained from drinking, and said, + +"I will wait until we come to the next brook, and then I must drink, +whatever you say; my thirst is so great." + +And when they came to the third brook the sister heard how in its +rushing it said, + + "Who drinks of me a fawn will be, + He a fawn will be who drinks of me!" + +Then the sister said, + +"O my brother, I pray drink not, or you will be turned into a fawn, and +run away far from me." + +But he had already kneeled by the side of the brook and stooped and +drunk of the water, and as the first drops passed his lips he became a +fawn. + +And the sister wept over her poor lost brother, and the fawn wept also, +and stayed sadly beside her. At last the maiden said, + +"Be comforted, dear fawn, indeed I will never leave you." + +Then she untied her golden girdle and bound it round the fawn's neck, +and went and gathered rushes to make a soft cord, which she fastened to +him; and then she led him on, and they went deeper into the forest. And +when they had gone a long long way, they came at last to a little +house, and the maiden looked inside, and as it was empty she thought, + +"We might as well live here." + +And she fetched leaves and moss to make a soft bed for the fawn, and +every morning she went out and gathered roots and berries and nuts for +herself, and fresh grass for the fawn, who ate out of her hand with joy, +frolicking round her. At night, when the sister was tired, and had said +her prayers, she laid her head on the fawn's back, which served her for +a pillow, and softly fell asleep. And if only the brother could have got +back his own shape again, it would have been a charming life. So they +lived a long while in the wilderness alone. + +Now it happened that the King of that country held a great hunt in the +forest. The blowing of the horns, the barking of the dogs, and the lusty +shouts of the huntsmen sounded through the wood, and the fawn heard them +and was eager to be among them. + +"Oh," said he to his sister, "do let me go to the hunt; I cannot stay +behind any longer," and begged so long that at last she consented. + +"But mind," said she to him, "come back to me at night. I must lock my +door against the wild hunters, so, in order that I may know you, you +must knock and say, 'Little sister, let me in,' and unless I hear that I +shall not unlock the door." + +Then the fawn sprang out, and felt glad and merry in the open air. The +King and his huntsmen saw the beautiful animal, and began at once to +pursue him, but they could not come within reach of him, for when they +thought they were certain of him he sprang away over the bushes and +disappeared. As soon as it was dark he went back to the little house, +knocked at the door, and said, + +"Little sister, let me in." + +Then the door was opened to him, and he went in, and rested the whole +night long on his soft bed. The next morning the hunt began anew, and +when the fawn heard the hunting-horns and the tally-ho of the huntsmen +he could rest no longer, and said, + +"Little sister, let me out, I must go." The sister opened the door and +said, + +"Now, mind you must come back at night and say the same words." + +When the King and his hunters saw the fawn with the golden collar again, +they chased him closely, but he was too nimble and swift for them. This +lasted the whole day, and at last the hunters surrounded him, and one of +them wounded his foot a little, so that he was obliged to limp and to go +slowly. Then a hunter slipped after him to the little house, and heard +how he called out, "Little sister, let me in," and saw the door open and +shut again after him directly. The hunter noticed all this carefully, +went to the King, and told him all he had seen and heard. Then said the +King, + +"To-morrow we will hunt again." + +But the sister was very terrified when she saw that her fawn was +wounded. She washed his foot, laid cooling leaves round it, and said, +"Lie down on your bed, dear fawn, and rest, that you may be soon well." +The wound was very slight, so that the fawn felt nothing of it the next +morning. And when he heard the noise of the hunting outside, he said, + +"I cannot stay in, I must go after them; I shall not be taken easily +again!" The sister began to weep, and said, + +"I know you will be killed, and I left alone here in the forest, and +forsaken of everybody. I cannot let you go!" + +"Then I shall die here with longing," answered the fawn; "when I hear +the sound of the horn I feel as if I should leap out of my skin." + +Then the sister, seeing there was no help for it, unlocked the door with +a heavy heart, and the fawn bounded away into the forest, well and +merry. When the King saw him, he said to his hunters, + +"Now, follow him up all day long till the night comes, and see that you +do him no hurt." + +So as soon as the sun had gone down, the King said to the huntsmen: +"Now, come and show me the little house in the wood." + +And when he got to the door he knocked at it, and cried, + +"Little sister, let me in!" + +Then the door opened, and the King went in, and there stood a maiden +more beautiful than any he had seen before. The maiden shrieked out +when she saw, instead of the fawn, a man standing there with a gold +crown on his head. But the King looked kindly on her, took her by the +hand, and said, + +"Will you go with me to my castle, and be my dear wife?" + +"Oh yes," answered the maiden, "but the fawn must come too. I could not +leave him." And the King said, + +"He shall remain with you as long as you live, and shall lack nothing." +Then the fawn came bounding in, and the sister tied the cord of rushes +to him, and led him by her own hand out of the little house. + +The King put the beautiful maiden on his horse, and carried her to his +castle, where the wedding was held with great pomp; so she became lady +Queen, and they lived together happily for a long while; the fawn was +well tended and cherished, and he gambolled about the castle garden. + +Now the wicked stepmother, whose fault it was that the children were +driven out into the world, never dreamed but that the sister had been +eaten up by wild beasts in the forest, and that the brother, in the +likeness of a fawn, had been slain by the hunters. But when she heard +that they were so happy, and that things had gone so well with them, +jealousy and envy arose in her heart, and left her no peace, and her +chief thought was how to bring misfortune upon them. + +Her own daughter, who was as ugly as sin, and had only one eye, +complained to her, and said, + +"I never had the chance of being a Queen." + +"Never mind," said the old woman, to satisfy her; "when the time comes, +I shall be at hand." + +After a while the Queen brought a beautiful baby-boy into the world, and +that day the King was out hunting. The old witch took the shape of the +bedchamber woman, and went into the room where the Queen lay, and said +to her, + +"Come, the bath is ready; it will give you refreshment and new strength. +Quick, or it will be cold." + +Her daughter was within call, so they carried the sick Queen into the +bath-room, and left her there. And in the bath-room they had made a +great fire, so as to suffocate the beautiful young Queen. + +When that was managed, the old woman took her daughter, put a cap on +her, and laid her in the bed in the Queen's place, gave her also the +Queen's form and countenance, only she could not restore the lost eye. +So, in order that the King might not remark it, she had to lie on the +side where there was no eye. In the evening, when the King came home and +heard that a little son was born to him, he rejoiced with all his heart, +and was going at once to his dear wife's bedside to see how she did. +Then the old woman cried hastily, + +"For your life, do not draw back the curtains, to let in the light upon +her; she must be kept quiet." So the King went away, and never knew that +a false Queen was lying in the bed. + +Now, when it was midnight, and every one was asleep, the nurse, who was +sitting by the cradle in the nursery and watching there alone, saw the +door open, and the true Queen come in. She took the child out of the +cradle, laid it in her bosom, and fed it. Then she shook out its little +pillow, put the child back again, and covered it with the coverlet. She +did not forget the fawn either: she went to him where he lay in the +corner, and stroked his back tenderly. Then she went in perfect silence +out at the door, and the nurse next morning asked the watchmen if any +one had entered the castle during the night, but they said they had seen +no one. And the Queen came many nights, and never said a word; the nurse +saw her always, but she did not dare speak of it to any one. + +After some time had gone by in this manner, the Queen seemed to find +voice, and said one night, + + "My child my fawn twice more I come to see, + Twice more I come, and then the end must be." + +The nurse said nothing, but as soon as the Queen had disappeared she +went to the King and told him all. The King said, + +"Ah, heaven! what do I hear! I will myself watch by the child to-morrow +night." + +So at evening he went into the nursery, and at midnight the Queen +appeared, and said, + + "My child my fawn once more I come to see, + Once more I come, and then the end must be." + +And she tended the child, as she was accustomed to do, before she +vanished. The King dared not speak to her, but he watched again the +following night, and heard her say, + + "My child my fawn this once I come to see, + This once I come, and now the end must be." + +Then the King could contain himself no longer, but rushed towards her, +saying, + +"You are no other than my dear wife!" Then she answered, + +"Yes, I am your dear wife," and in that moment, by the grace of heaven, +her life returned to her, and she was once more well and strong. Then +she told the King the snare that the wicked witch and her daughter had +laid for her. The King had them both brought to judgment, and sentence +was passed upon them. The daughter was sent away into the wood, where +she was devoured by the wild beasts, and the witch was burned, and ended +miserably. And as soon as her body was in ashes the spell was removed +from the fawn, and he took human shape again; and then the sister and +brother lived happily together until the end. + + + + +RAPUNZEL + + +THERE once lived a man and his wife, who had long wished for a child, +but in vain. Now there was at the back of their house a little window +which overlooked a beautiful garden full of the finest vegetables and +flowers; but there was a high wall all round it, and no one ventured +into it, for it belonged to a witch of great might, and of whom all the +world was afraid. One day that the wife was standing at the window, and +looking into the garden, she saw a bed filled with the finest rampion; +and it looked so fresh and green that she began to wish for some; and at +length she longed for it greatly. This went on for days, and as she knew +she could not get the rampion, she pined away, and grew pale and +miserable. Then the man was uneasy, and asked, "What is the matter, dear +wife?" + +"Oh," answered she, "I shall die unless I can have some of that rampion +to eat that grows in the garden at the back of our house." The man, who +loved her very much, thought to himself, + +"Rather than lose my wife I will get some rampion, cost what it will." + +[Illustration: RAPUNZEL + + "O RAPUNZEL, RAPUNZEL! + LET DOWN THINE HAIR."] + +So in the twilight he climbed over the wall into the witch's garden, +plucked hastily a handful of rampion and brought it to his wife. She +made a salad of it at once, and ate of it to her heart's content. But +she liked it so much, and it tasted so good, that the next day she +longed for it thrice as much as she had done before; if she was to +have any rest the man must climb over the wall once more. So he went in +the twilight again; and as he was climbing back, he saw, all at once, +the witch standing before him, and was terribly frightened, as she +cried, with angry eyes, + +"How dare you climb over into my garden like a thief, and steal my +rampion! it shall be the worse for you!" + +"Oh," answered he, "be merciful rather than just, I have only done it +through necessity; for my wife saw your rampion out of the window, and +became possessed with so great a longing that she would have died if she +could not have had some to eat." Then the witch said, + +"If it is all as you say you may have as much rampion as you like, on +one condition--the child that will come into the world must be given to +me. It shall go well with the child, and I will care for it like a +mother." + +In his distress of mind the man promised everything; and when the time +came when the child was born the witch appeared, and, giving the child +the name of Rapunzel (which is the same as rampion), she took it away +with her. + +Rapunzel was the most beautiful child in the world. When she was twelve +years old the witch shut her up in a tower in the midst of a wood, and +it had neither steps nor door, only a small window above. When the witch +wished to be let in, she would stand below and would cry, + +"Rapunzel, Rapunzel! let down your hair!" + +Rapunzel had beautiful long hair that shone like gold. When she heard +the voice of the witch she would undo the fastening of the upper window, +unbind the plaits of her hair, and let it down twenty ells below, and +the witch would climb up by it. + +After they had lived thus a few years it happened that as the King's son +was riding through the wood, he came to the tower; and as he drew near +he heard a voice singing so sweetly that he stood still and listened. It +was Rapunzel in her loneliness trying to pass away the time with sweet +songs. The King's son wished to go in to her, and sought to find a door +in the tower, but there was none. So he rode home, but the song had +entered into his heart, and every day he went into the wood and listened +to it. Once, as he was standing there under a tree, he saw the witch +come up, and listened while she called out, + +"O Rapunzel, Rapunzel! let down your hair." + +Then he saw how Rapunzel let down her long tresses, and how the witch +climbed up by it and went in to her, and he said to himself, + +"Since that is the ladder I will climb it, and seek my fortune." And the +next day, as soon as it began to grow dusk, he went to the tower and +cried, + +"O Rapunzel, Rapunzel! let down your hair." + +And she let down her hair, and the King's son climbed up by it. + +Rapunzel was greatly terrified when she saw that a man had come in to +her, for she had never seen one before; but the King's son began +speaking so kindly to her, and told how her singing had entered into his +heart, so that he could have no peace until he had seen her herself. +Then Rapunzel forgot her terror, and when he asked her to take him for +her husband, and she saw that he was young and beautiful, she thought to +herself, + +"I certainly like him much better than old mother Gothel," and she put +her hand into his hand, saying, + +"I would willingly go with thee, but I do not know how I shall get out. +When thou comest, bring each time a silken rope, and I will make a +ladder, and when it is quite ready I will get down by it out of the +tower, and thou shalt take me away on thy horse." They agreed that he +should come to her every evening, as the old woman came in the day-time. +So the witch knew nothing of all this until once Rapunzel said to her +unwittingly, + +"Mother Gothel, how is it that you climb up here so slowly, and the +King's son is with me in a moment?" + +"O wicked child," cried the witch, "what is this I hear! I thought I had +hidden thee from all the world, and thou hast betrayed me!" + +In her anger she seized Rapunzel by her beautiful hair, struck her +several times with her left hand, and then grasping a pair of shears in +her right--snip, snap--the beautiful locks lay on the ground. And she +was so hard-hearted that she took Rapunzel and put her in a waste and +desert place, where she lived in great woe and misery. + +The same day on which she took Rapunzel away she went back to the tower +in the evening and made fast the severed locks of hair to the +window-hasp, and the King's son came and cried, + +"Rapunzel, Rapunzel! let down your hair." + +Then she let the hair down, and the King's son climbed up, but instead +of his dearest Rapunzel he found the witch looking at him with wicked +glittering eyes. + +"Aha!" cried she, mocking him, "you came for your darling, but the sweet +bird sits no longer in the nest, and sings no more; the cat has got her, +and will scratch out your eyes as well! Rapunzel is lost to you; you +will see her no more." + +The King's son was beside himself with grief, and in his agony he sprang +from the tower: he escaped with life, but the thorns on which he fell +put out his eyes. Then he wandered blind through the wood, eating +nothing but roots and berries, and doing nothing but lament and weep for +the loss of his dearest wife. + +So he wandered several years in misery until at last he came to the +desert place where Rapunzel lived with her twin-children that she had +borne, a boy and a girl. At first he heard a voice that he thought he +knew, and when he reached the place from which it seemed to come +Rapunzel knew him, and fell on his neck and wept. And when her tears +touched his eyes they became clear again, and he could see with them as +well as ever. + +Then he took her to his kingdom, where he was received with great joy, +and there they lived long and happily. + + + + +The THREE LITTLE MEN in the WOOD + + +THERE was once a man, whose wife was dead, and a woman, whose husband +was dead; and the man had a daughter, and so had the woman. The girls +were acquainted with each other, and used to play together sometimes in +the woman's house. So the woman said to the man's daughter, + +"Listen to me, tell your father that I will marry him, and then you +shall have milk to wash in every morning and wine to drink, and my +daughter shall have water to wash in and water to drink." + +The girl went home and told her father what the woman had said. The man +said, + +"What shall I do! Marriage is a joy, and also a torment." + +At last, as he could come to no conclusion, he took off his boot, and +said to his daughter, + +"Take this boot, it has a hole in the sole; go up with it into the loft, +hang it on the big nail and pour water in it. If it holds water, I will +once more take to me a wife; if it lets out the water, so will I not." + +The girl did as she was told, but the water held the hole together, and +the boot was full up to the top. So she went and told her father how it +was. And he went up to see with his own eyes, and as there was no +mistake about it, he went to the widow and courted her, and then they +had the wedding. + +The next morning, when the two girls awoke, there stood by the bedside +of the man's daughter milk to wash in and wine to drink, and by the +bedside of the woman's daughter there stood water to wash in and water +to drink. + +On the second morning there stood water to wash in and water to drink +for both of them alike. On the third morning there stood water to wash +in and water to drink for the man's daughter, and milk to wash in and +wine to drink for the woman's daughter; and so it remained ever after. +The woman hated her step-daughter, and never knew how to treat her badly +enough from one day to another. And she was jealous because her +step-daughter was pleasant and pretty, and her real daughter was ugly +and hateful. + +Once in winter, when it was freezing hard, and snow lay deep on hill and +valley, the woman made a frock out of paper, called her step-daughter, +and said, + +"Here, put on this frock, go out into the wood and fetch me a basket of +strawberries; I have a great wish for some." + +"Oh dear," said the girl, "there are no strawberries to be found in +winter; the ground is frozen, and the snow covers everything. And why +should I go in the paper frock? it is so cold out of doors that one's +breath is frozen; the wind will blow through it, and the thorns will +tear it off my back!" + +"How dare you contradict me!" cried the step-mother, "be off, and don't +let me see you again till you bring me a basket of strawberries." + +Then she gave her a little piece of hard bread, and said, + +"That will do for you to eat during the day," and she thought to +herself, "She is sure to be frozen or starved to death out of doors, and +I shall never set eyes on her again." + +So the girl went obediently, put on the paper frock, and started out +with the basket. The snow was lying everywhere, far and wide, and there +was not a blade of green to be seen. When she entered the wood she saw a +little house with three little men peeping out of it. She wished them +good day, and knocked modestly at the door. They called her in, and she +came into the room and sat down by the side of the oven to warm herself +and eat her breakfast. The little men said, + +"Give us some of it." + +"Willingly," answered she, breaking her little piece of bread in two, +and giving them half. They then said, + +"What are you doing here in the wood this winter time in your little +thin frock?" + +"Oh," answered she, "I have to get a basket of strawberries, and I must +not go home without them." + +When she had eaten her bread they gave her a broom, and told her to go +and sweep the snow away from the back door. When she had gone outside to +do it the little men talked among themselves about what they should do +for her, as she was so good and pretty, and had shared her bread with +them. Then the first one said, + +"She shall grow prettier every day." The second said, + +"Each time she speaks a piece of gold shall fall from her mouth." The +third said, + +"A king shall come and take her for his wife." + +In the meanwhile the girl was doing as the little men had told her, and +had cleared the snow from the back of the little house, and what do you +suppose she found? fine ripe strawberries, showing dark red against the +snow! Then she joyfully filled her little basket full, thanked the +little men, shook hands with them all, and ran home in haste to bring +her step-mother the thing she longed for. As she went in and said, "Good +evening," a piece of gold fell from her mouth at once. Then she related +all that had happened to her in the wood, and at each word that she +spoke gold pieces fell out of her mouth, so that soon they were +scattered all over the room. + +"Just look at her pride and conceit!" cried the step-sister, "throwing +money about in this way!" but in her heart she was jealous because of +it, and wanted to go too into the wood to fetch strawberries. But the +mother said, + +"No, my dear little daughter, it is too cold, you will be frozen to +death." + +But she left her no peace, so at last the mother gave in, got her a +splendid fur coat to put on, and gave her bread and butter and cakes to +eat on the way. + +The girl went into the wood and walked straight up to the little house. +The three little men peeped out again, but she gave them no greeting, +and without looking round or taking any notice of them she came stumping +into the room, sat herself down by the oven, and began to eat her bread +and butter and cakes. + +"Give us some of that," cried the little men, but she answered, + +"I've not enough for myself; how can I give away any?" + +Now when she had done with her eating, they said, + +"Here is a broom, go and sweep all clean by the back door." + +"Oh, go and do it yourselves," answered she; "I am not your housemaid." + +But when she saw that they were not going to give her anything, she went +out to the door. Then the three little men said among themselves, + +"What shall we do to her, because she is so unpleasant, and has such a +wicked jealous heart, grudging everybody everything?" The first said, + +"She shall grow uglier every day." The second said, + +"Each time she speaks a toad shall jump out of her mouth at every word." +The third said, + +"She shall die a miserable death." + +The girl was looking outside for strawberries, but as she found none, +she went sulkily home. And directly she opened her mouth to tell her +mother what had happened to her in the wood a toad sprang out of her +mouth at each word, so that every one who came near her was quite +disgusted. + +The step-mother became more and more set against the man's daughter, +whose beauty increased day by day, and her only thought was how to do +her some injury. So at last she took a kettle, set it on the fire, and +scalded some yarn in it. When it was ready she hung it over the poor +girl's shoulder, and gave her an axe, and she was to go to the frozen +river and break a hole in the ice, and there to rinse the yarn. She +obeyed, and went and hewed a hole in the ice, and as she was about it +there came by a splendid coach, in which the King sat. The coach stood +still, and the King said, + +"My child, who art thou, and what art thou doing there?" She answered, + +"I am a poor girl, and am rinsing yarn." + +Then the King felt pity for her, and as he saw that she was very +beautiful, he said, + +"Will you go with me?" + +"Oh yes, with all my heart," answered she; and she felt very glad to be +out of the way of her mother and sister. + +So she stepped into the coach and went off with the King; and when they +reached his castle the wedding was celebrated with great splendour, as +the little men in the wood had foretold. + +At the end of a year the young Queen had a son; and as the step-mother +had heard of her great good fortune she came with her daughter to the +castle, as if merely to pay the King and Queen a visit. One day, when +the King had gone out, and when nobody was about, the bad woman took the +Queen by the head, and her daughter took her by the heels, and dragged +her out of bed, and threw her out of the window into a stream that +flowed beneath it. Then the old woman put her ugly daughter in the bed, +and covered her up to her chin. When the King came back, and wanted to +talk to his wife a little, the old woman cried, + +"Stop, stop! she is sleeping nicely; she must be kept quiet to-day." + +The King dreamt of nothing wrong, and came again the next morning; and +as he spoke to his wife, and she answered him, there jumped each time +out of her mouth a toad instead of the piece of gold as heretofore. Then +he asked why that should be, and the old woman said it was because of +her great weakness, and that it would pass away. + +But in the night, the boy who slept in the kitchen saw how something in +the likeness of a duck swam up the gutter, and said,-- + + "My King, what mak'st thou? + Sleepest thou, or wak'st thou?" + +But there was no answer. Then it said, + + "What cheer my two guests keep they?" + +So the kitchen-boy answered, + + "In bed all soundly sleep they." + +It asked again, + + "And my little baby, how does _he_?" + +And he answered, + + "He sleeps in his cradle quietly." + +Then the duck took the shape of the Queen and went to the child, and +gave him to drink, smoothed his little bed, covered him up again, and +then, in the likeness of a duck, swam back down the gutter. In this way +she came two nights, and on the third she said to the kitchen-boy, + +"Go and tell the King to brandish his sword three times over me on the +threshold!" + +Then the kitchen-boy ran and told the King, and he came with his sword +and brandished it three times over the duck, and at the third time his +wife stood before him living, and hearty, and sound, as she had been +before. + +The King was greatly rejoiced, but he hid the Queen in a chamber until +the Sunday came when the child was to be baptized. And after the baptism +he said, + +"What does that person deserve who drags another out of bed and throws +him in the water?" + +And the old woman answered, + +"No better than to be put into a cask with iron nails in it, and to be +rolled in it down the hill into the water." + +Then said the King, + +"You have spoken your own sentence;" and he ordered a cask to be +fetched, and the old woman and her daughter were put into it, and the +top hammered down, and the cask was rolled down the hill into the river. + + + + +THE THREE SPINSTERS + + +THERE was once a girl who was lazy and would not spin, and her mother +could not persuade her to it, do what she would. At last the mother +became angry and out of patience, and gave her a good beating, so that +she cried out loudly. At that moment the Queen was going by; as she +heard the crying, she stopped; and, going into the house, she asked the +mother why she was beating her daughter, so that every one outside in +the street could hear her cries. + +The woman was ashamed to tell of her daughter's laziness, so she said, + +"I cannot stop her from spinning; she is for ever at it, and I am poor +and cannot furnish her with flax enough." + +Then the Queen answered, + +"I like nothing better than the sound of the spinning-wheel, and always +feel happy when I hear its humming; let me take your daughter with me to +the castle--I have plenty of flax, she shall spin there to her heart's +content." + +The mother was only too glad of the offer, and the Queen took the girl +with her. When they reached the castle the Queen showed her three rooms +which were filled with the finest flax as full as they could hold. + +"Now you can spin me this flax," said she, "and when you can show it me +all done you shall have my eldest son for bridegroom; you may be poor, +but I make nothing of that--your industry is dowry enough." + +The girl was inwardly terrified, for she could not have spun the flax, +even if she were to live to be a hundred years old, and were to sit +spinning every day of her life from morning to evening. And when she +found herself alone she began to weep, and sat so for three days without +putting her hand to it. On the third day the Queen came, and when she +saw that nothing had been done of the spinning she was much surprised; +but the girl excused herself by saying that she had not been able to +begin because of the distress she was in at leaving her home and her +mother. The excuse contented the Queen, who said, however, as she went +away, + +"To-morrow you must begin to work." + +When the girl found herself alone again she could not tell how to help +herself or what to do, and in her perplexity she went and gazed out of +the window. There she saw three women passing by, and the first of them +had a broad flat foot, the second had a big under-lip that hung down +over her chin, and the third had a remarkably broad thumb. They all of +them stopped in front of the window, and called out to know what it was +that the girl wanted. She told them all her need, and they promised her +their help, and said, + +"Then will you invite us to your wedding, and not be ashamed of us, and +call us your cousins, and let us sit at your table; if you will promise +this, we will finish off your flax-spinning in a very short time." + +"With all my heart," answered the girl; "only come in now, and begin at +once." + +Then these same women came in, and she cleared a space in the first room +for them to sit and carry on their spinning. The first one drew out the +thread and moved the treddle that turned the wheel, the second moistened +the thread, the third twisted it, and rapped with her finger on the +table, and as often as she rapped a heap of yarn fell to the ground, and +it was most beautifully spun. But the girl hid the three spinsters out +of the Queen's sight, and only showed her, as often as she came, the +heaps of well-spun yarn; and there was no end to the praises she +received. When the first room was empty they went on to the second, and +then to the third, so that at last all was finished. Then the three +women took their leave, saying to the girl, + +"Do not forget what you have promised, and it will be all the better for +you." + +So when the girl took the Queen and showed her the empty rooms, and the +great heaps of yarn, the wedding was at once arranged, and the +bridegroom rejoiced that he should have so clever and diligent a wife, +and praised her exceedingly. + +"I have three cousins," said the girl, "and as they have shown me a +great deal of kindness, I would not wish to forget them in my good +fortune; may I be allowed to invite them to the wedding, and to ask them +to sit at the table with us?" + +The Queen and the bridegroom said at once, + +"There is no reason against it." + +So when the feast began in came the three spinsters in strange guise, +and the bride said, + +"Dear cousins, you are welcome." + +"Oh," said the bridegroom, "how come you to have such dreadfully ugly +relations?" + +And then he went up to the first spinster and said, + +"How is it that you have such a broad flat foot?" + +"With treading," answered she, "with treading." + +Then he went up to the second and said, + +"How is it that you have such a great hanging lip?" + +"With licking," answered she, "with licking." + +Then he asked the third, + +"How is it that you have such a broad thumb?" + +"With twisting thread," answered she, "with twisting thread." + +Then the bridegroom said that from that time forward his beautiful bride +should never touch a spinning-wheel. + +And so she escaped that tiresome flax-spinning. + + + + +HANSEL AND GRETHEL + + +NEAR a great forest there lived a poor woodcutter and his wife, and his +two children; the boy's name was Hansel and the girl's Grethel. They had +very little to bite or to sup, and once, when there was great dearth in +the land, the man could not even gain the daily bread. As he lay in bed +one night thinking of this, and turning and tossing, he sighed heavily, +and said to his wife, + +"What will become of us? we cannot even feed our children; there is +nothing left for ourselves." + +"I will tell you what, husband," answered the wife; "we will take the +children early in the morning into the forest, where it is thickest; we +will make them a fire, and we will give each of them a piece of bread, +then we will go to our work and leave them alone; they will never find +the way home again, and we shall be quit of them." + +"No, wife," said the man, "I cannot do that; I cannot find in my heart +to take my children into the forest and to leave them there alone; the +wild animals would soon come and devour them." + +"O you fool," said she, "then we will all four starve; you had better +get the coffins ready,"--and she left him no peace until he consented. + +"But I really pity the poor children," said the man. + +The two children had not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard +what their step-mother had said to their father. Grethel wept bitterly, +and said to Hansel, + +"It is all over with us." + +"Do be quiet, Grethel," said Hansel, "and do not fret; I will manage +something." And when the parents had gone to sleep he got up, put on his +little coat, opened the back door, and slipped out. The moon was shining +brightly, and the white flints that lay in front of the house glistened +like pieces of silver. Hansel stooped and filled the little pocket of +his coat as full as it would hold. Then he went back again, and said to +Grethel, + +"Be easy, dear little sister, and go to sleep quietly; God will not +forsake us," and laid himself down again in his bed. + +When the day was breaking, and before the sun had risen, the wife came +and awakened the two children, saying, + +"Get up, you lazy bones; we are going into the forest to cut wood." + +Then she gave each of them a piece of bread, and said, + +"That is for dinner, and you must not eat it before then, for you will +get no more." + +Grethel carried the bread under her apron, for Hansel had his pockets +full of the flints. Then they set off all together on their way to the +forest. When they had gone a little way Hansel stood still and looked +back towards the house, and this he did again and again, till his father +said to him, + +"Hansel, what are you looking at? take care not to forget your legs." + +"O father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my little white kitten, who is +sitting up on the roof to bid me good-bye." + +"You young fool," said the woman, "that is not your kitten, but the +sunshine on the chimney-pot." + +Of course Hansel had not been looking at his kitten, but had been taking +every now and then a flint from his pocket and dropping it on the road. + +When they reached the middle of the forest the father told the children +to collect wood to make a fire to keep them warm; and Hansel and Grethel +gathered brushwood enough for a little mountain; and it was set on fire, +and when the flame was burning quite high the wife said, + +"Now lie down by the fire and rest yourselves, you children, and we will +go and cut wood; and when we are ready we will come and fetch you." + +So Hansel and Grethel sat by the fire, and at noon they each ate their +pieces of bread. They thought their father was in the wood all the time, +as they seemed to hear the strokes of the axe: but really it was only a +dry branch hanging to a withered tree that the wind moved to and fro. So +when they had stayed there a long time their eyelids closed with +weariness, and they fell fast asleep. When at last they woke it was +night, and Grethel began to cry, and said, + +"How shall we ever get out of this wood?" But Hansel comforted her, +saying, + +"Wait a little while longer, until the moon rises, and then we can +easily find the way home." + +And when the full moon got up Hansel took his little sister by the hand, +and followed the way where the flint stones shone like silver, and +showed them the road. They walked on the whole night through, and at the +break of day they came to their father's house. They knocked at the +door, and when the wife opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Grethel +she said, + +"You naughty children, why did you sleep so long in the wood? we thought +you were never coming home again!" + +But the father was glad, for it had gone to his heart to leave them both +in the woods alone. + +Not very long after that there was again great scarcity in those parts, +and the children heard their mother say at night in bed to their father, + +"Everything is finished up; we have only half a loaf, and after that the +tale comes to an end. The children must be off; we will take them +farther into the wood this time, so that they shall not be able to find +the way back again; there is no other way to manage." + +The man felt sad at heart, and he thought, + +"It would better to share one's last morsel with one's children." + +But the wife would listen to nothing that he said, but scolded and +reproached him. He who says A must say B too, and when a man has given +in once he has to do it a second time. + +But the children were not asleep, and had heard all the talk. When the +parents had gone to sleep Hansel got up to go out and get more flint +stones, as he did before, but the wife had locked the door, and Hansel +could not get out; but he comforted his little sister, and said, + +"Don't cry, Grethel, and go to sleep quietly, and God will help us." + +Early the next morning the wife came and pulled the children out of bed. +She gave them each a little piece of bread--less than before; and on the +way to the wood Hansel crumbled the bread in his pocket, and often +stopped to throw a crumb on the ground. + +"Hansel, what are you stopping behind and staring for?" said the father. + +"I am looking at my little pigeon sitting on the roof, to say good-bye +to me," answered Hansel. + +"You fool," said the wife, "that is no pigeon, but the morning sun +shining on the chimney pots." + +Hansel went on as before, and strewed bread crumbs all along the road. + +The woman led the children far into the wood, where they had never been +before in all their lives. And again there was a large fire made, and +the mother said, + +"Sit still there, you children, and when you are tired you can go to +sleep; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening, +when we are ready to go home we will come and fetch you." + +So when noon came Grethel shared her bread with Hansel, who had strewed +his along the road. Then they went to sleep, and the evening passed, and +no one came for the poor children. When they awoke it was dark night, +and Hansel comforted his little sister, and said, + +"Wait a little, Grethel, until the moon gets up, then we shall be able +to see the way home by the crumbs of bread that I have scattered along +it." + +So when the moon rose they got up, but they could find no crumbs of +bread, for the birds of the woods and of the fields had come and picked +them up. Hansel thought they might find the way all the same, but they +could not. They went on all that night, and the next day from the +morning until the evening, but they could not find the way out of the +wood, and they were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but the +few berries they could pick up. And when they were so tired that they +could no longer drag themselves along, they lay down under a tree and +fell asleep. + +It was now the third morning since they had left their father's house. +They were always trying to get back to it, but instead of that they only +found themselves farther in the wood, and if help had not soon come they +would have been starved. About noon they saw a pretty snow-white bird +sitting on a bough, and singing so sweetly that they stopped to listen. +And when he had finished the bird spread his wings and flew before them, +and they followed after him until they came to a little house, and the +bird perched on the roof, and when they came nearer they saw that the +house was built of bread, and roofed with cakes; and the window was of +transparent sugar. + +"We will have some of this," said Hansel, "and make a fine meal. I will +eat a piece of the roof, Grethel, and you can have some of the +window--that will taste sweet." + +So Hansel reached up and broke off a bit of the roof, just to see how it +tasted, and Grethel stood by the window and gnawed at it. Then they +heard a thin voice call out from inside, + + "Nibble, nibble, like a mouse, + Who is nibbling at my house?" + +And the children answered, + + "Never mind, + It is the wind." + +And they went on eating, never disturbing themselves. Hansel, who found +that the roof tasted very nice, took down a great piece of it, and +Grethel pulled out a large round window-pane, and sat her down and began +upon it. Then the door opened, and an aged woman came out, leaning upon +a crutch. Hansel and Grethel felt very frightened, and let fall what +they had in their hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head, and +said, + +"Ah, my dear children, how come you here? you must come indoors and stay +with me, you will be no trouble." + +So she took them each by the hand, and led them into her little house. +And there they found a good meal laid out, of milk and pancakes, with +sugar, apples, and nuts. After that she showed them two little white +beds, and Hansel and Grethel laid themselves down on them, and thought +they were in heaven. + +The old woman, although her behaviour was so kind, was a wicked witch, +who lay in wait for children, and had built the little house on purpose +to entice them. When they were once inside she used to kill them, cook +them, and eat them, and then it was a feast-day with her. The witch's +eyes were red, and she could not see very far, but she had a keen scent, +like the beasts, and knew very well when human creatures were near. When +she knew that Hansel and Grethel were coming, she gave a spiteful laugh, +and said triumphantly, + +"I have them, and they shall not escape me!" + +Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she got up to look +at them, and as they lay sleeping so peacefully with round rosy cheeks, +she said to herself, + +"What a fine feast I shall have!" + +Then she grasped Hansel with her withered hand, and led him into a +little stable, and shut him up behind a grating; and call and scream as +he might, it was no good. Then she went back to Grethel and shook her, +crying, + +"Get up, lazy bones; fetch water, and cook something nice for your +brother; he is outside in the stable, and must be fattened up. And when +he is fat enough I will eat him." + +Grethel began to weep bitterly, but it was of no use, she had to do what +the wicked witch bade her. + +And so the best kind of victuals was cooked for poor Hansel, while +Grethel got nothing but crab-shells. Each morning the old woman visited +the little stable, and cried, + +"Hansel, stretch out your finger, that I may tell if you will soon be +fat enough." + +Hansel, however, used to hold out a little bone, and the old woman, who +had weak eyes, could not see what it was, and supposing it to be +Hansel's finger, wondered very much that it was not getting fatter. When +four weeks had passed and Hansel seemed to remain so thin, she lost +patience and could wait no longer. + +"Now then, Grethel," cried she to the little girl; "be quick and draw +water; be Hansel fat or be he lean, to-morrow I must kill and cook +him." + +Oh what a grief for the poor little sister to have to fetch water, and +how the tears flowed down over her cheeks! + +"Dear God, pray help us!" cried she; "if we had been devoured by wild +beasts in the wood at least we should have died together." + +"Spare me your lamentations," said the old woman; "they are of no +avail." + +Early next morning Grethel had to get up, make the fire, and fill the +kettle. + +"First we will do the baking," said the old woman; "I have heated the +oven already, and kneaded the dough." + +She pushed poor Grethel towards the oven, out of which the flames were +already shining. + +"Creep in," said the witch, "and see if it is properly hot, so that the +bread may be baked." + +And Grethel once in, she meant to shut the door upon her and let her be +baked, and then she would have eaten her. But Grethel perceived her +intention, and said, + +"I don't know how to do it: how shall I get in?" + +"Stupid goose," said the old woman, "the opening is big enough, do you +see? I could get in myself!" and she stooped down and put her head in +the oven's mouth. Then Grethel gave her a push, so that she went in +farther, and she shut the iron door upon her, and put up the bar. Oh how +frightfully she howled! but Grethel ran away, and left the wicked witch +to burn miserably. Grethel went straight to Hansel, opened the +stable-door, and cried, + +"Hansel, we are free! the old witch is dead!" + +Then out flew Hansel like a bird from its cage as soon as the door is +opened. How rejoiced they both were! how they fell each on the other's +neck! and danced about, and kissed each other! And as they had nothing +more to fear they went over all the old witch's house, and in every +corner there stood chests of pearls and precious stones. + +"This is something better than flint stones," said Hansel, as he filled +his pockets, and Grethel, thinking she also would like to carry +something home with her, filled her apron full. + +"Now, away we go," said Hansel;--"if we only can get out of the witch's +wood." + +When they had journeyed a few hours they came to a great piece of water. + +"We can never get across this," said Hansel, "I see no stepping-stones +and no bridge." + +"And there is no boat either," said Grethel; "but here comes a white +duck; if I ask her she will help us over." So she cried, + + "Duck, duck, here we stand, + Hansel and Grethel, on the land, + Stepping-stones and bridge we lack, + Carry us over on your nice white back." + +And the duck came accordingly, and Hansel got upon her and told his +sister to come too. + +"No," answered Grethel, "that would be too hard upon the duck; we can go +separately, one after the other." + +And that was how it was managed, and after that they went on happily, +until they came to the wood, and the way grew more and more familiar, +till at last they saw in the distance their father's house. Then they +ran till they came up to it, rushed in at the door, and fell on their +father's neck. The man had not had a quiet hour since he left his +children in the wood; but the wife was dead. And when Grethel opened her +apron the pearls and precious stones were scattered all over the room, +and Hansel took one handful after another out of his pocket. Then was +all care at an end, and they lived in great joy together. + +[Illustration: + + Sing every one, + My story is done, + And look! round the house + There runs a little mouse, + He that can catch her before she scampers in, + May make himself a very very large fur-cap out of her skin.] + +[Illustration: + + THE + WHITE SNAKE + + "THEY DIVIDED THE APPLE OF + LIFE AND ATE IT TOGETHER."] + + + + +THE WHITE SNAKE + + +A LONG time ago there lived a King whose wisdom was noised abroad in all +the country. Nothing remained long unknown to him, and it was as if the +knowledge of hidden things was brought to him in the air. However, he +had one curious custom. Every day at dinner, after the table had been +cleared and every one gone away, a trusty servant had to bring in one +other dish. But it was covered up, and the servant himself did not know +what was in it, and no one else knew, for the King waited until he was +quite alone before he uncovered it. This had gone on a long time, but at +last there came a day when the servant could restrain his curiosity no +longer, but as he was carrying the dish away he took it into his own +room. As soon as he had fastened the door securely, he lifted the cover, +and there he saw a white snake lying on the dish. After seeing it he +could not resist the desire to taste it, and so he cut off a small piece +and put it in his mouth. As soon as it touched his tongue he heard +outside his window a strange chorus of delicate voices. He went and +listened, and found that it was the sparrows talking together, and +telling each other all they had seen in the fields and woods. The virtue +of the snake had given him power to understand the speech of animals. + +Now it happened one day that the Queen lost her most splendid ring, and +suspicion fell upon the trusty servant, who had the general +superintendence, and he was accused of stealing it. The King summoned +him to his presence, and after many reproaches told him that if by the +next day he was not able to name the thief he should be considered +guilty, and punished. It was in vain that he protested his innocence; he +could get no better sentence. In his uneasiness and anxiety he went out +into the courtyard, and began to consider what he could do in so great a +necessity. There sat the ducks by the running water and rested +themselves, and plumed themselves with their flat bills, and held a +comfortable chat. The servant stayed where he was and listened to them. +They told how they had waddled about all yesterday morning and found +good food; and then one of them said pitifully, + +"Something lies very heavy in my craw,--it is the ring that was lying +under the Queen's window; I swallowed it down in too great a hurry." + +Then the servant seized her by the neck, took her into the kitchen, and +said to the cook, + +"Kill this one, she is quite ready for cooking." + +"Yes," said the cook, weighing it in her hand; "there will be no trouble +of fattening this one--it has been ready ever so long." + +She then slit up its neck, and when it was opened the Queen's ring was +found in its craw. The servant could now clearly prove his innocence, +and in order to make up for the injustice he had suffered the King +permitted him to ask some favour for himself, and also promised him the +place of greatest honour in the royal household. + +But the servant refused it, and only asked for a horse and money for +travelling, for he had a fancy to see the world, and look about him a +little. So his request was granted, and he set out on his way; and one +day he came to a pool of water, by which he saw three fishes who had got +entangled in the rushes, and were panting for water. Although fishes are +usually considered dumb creatures, he understood very well their lament +that they were to perish so miserably; and as he had a compassionate +heart he dismounted from his horse, and put the three fishes back again +into the water. They quivered all over with joy, stretched out their +heads, and called out to him, + +"We will remember and reward thee, because thou hast delivered us." He +rode on, and after a while he heard a small voice come up from the sand +underneath his horse's feet. He listened, and understood how an ant-king +was complaining, + +"If only these men would keep off, with their great awkward beasts! here +comes this stupid horse treading down my people with his hard hoofs!" + +The man then turned his horse to the side-path, and the ant-king called +out to him, + +"We will remember and reward thee!" + +The path led him through a wood, and there he saw a father-raven and +mother-raven standing by their nest and throwing their young ones out. + +"Off with you! young gallows-birds!" cried they; "we cannot stuff you +any more; you are big enough to fend for yourselves!" The poor young +ravens lay on the ground, fluttering, and beating the air with their +pinions, and crying, + +"We are poor helpless things, we cannot fend for ourselves, we cannot +even fly! we can only die of hunger!" + +Then the kind young man dismounted, killed his horse with his dagger, +and left it to the young ravens for food. They came hopping up, feasted +away at it, and cried, + +"We will remember and reward thee!" + +So now he had to use his own legs, and when he had gone a long way he +came to a great town. There was much noise and thronging in the streets, +and there came a man on a horse, who proclaimed, + +"That the King's daughter seeks a husband, but he who wishes to marry +her must perform a difficult task, and if he cannot carry it through +successfully, he must lose his life." + +Many had already tried, but had lost their lives, in vain. The young +man, when he saw the King's daughter, was so dazzled by her great +beauty, that he forgot all danger, went to the King and offered himself +as a wooer. + +Then he was led to the sea-side, and a gold ring was thrown into the +water before his eyes. Then the King told him that he must fetch the +ring up again from the bottom of the sea, saying, + +"If you come back without it, you shall be put under the waves again and +again until you are drowned." + +Every one pitied the handsome young man, but they went, and left him +alone by the sea. As he was standing on the shore and thinking of what +he should do, there came three fishes swimming by, none other than those +he had set free. The middle one had a mussel in his mouth, and he laid +it on the strand at the young man's feet; and when he took it up and +opened it there was the gold ring inside! Full of joy he carried it to +the King, and expected the promised reward; but the King's daughter, +proud of her high birth, despised him, and set him another task to +perform. She went out into the garden, and strewed about over the grass +ten sacks full of millet seed. + +"By the time the sun rises in the morning you must have picked up all +these," she said, "and not a grain must be wanting." + +The young man sat down in the garden and considered how it was possible +to do this task, but he could contrive nothing, and stayed there, +feeling very sorrowful, and expecting to be led to death at break of +day. But when the first beams of the sun fell on the garden he saw that +the ten sacks were all filled, standing one by the other, and not even a +grain was missing. The ant-king had arrived in the night with his +thousands of ants, and the grateful creatures had picked up all the +millet seed, and filled the sacks with great industry. The King's +daughter came herself into the garden and saw with astonishment that the +young man had performed all that had been given him to do. But she could +not let her proud heart melt, but said, + +"Although he has completed the two tasks, he shall not be my bridegroom +unless he brings me an apple from the tree of life." + +The young man did not know where the tree of life was to be found, but +he set out and went on and on, as long as his legs could carry him, but +he had no hope of finding it. When he had gone through three kingdoms he +came one evening to a wood, and seated himself under a tree to go to +sleep; but he heard a rustling in the boughs, and a golden apple fell +into his hand. Immediately three ravens flew towards him, perched on his +knee, and said, + +"We are the three young ravens that you delivered from starving; when we +grew big, and heard that you were seeking the golden apple, we flew +over the sea to the end of the earth, where the tree of life stands, and +we fetched the apple." + +Full of joy the young man set off on his way home, and brought the +golden apple to the King's beautiful daughter, who was without any +further excuse. + +So they divided the apple of life, and ate it together; and their hearts +were filled with love, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a +great age. + + + + +The STRAW, The COAL, and the BEAN + + +THERE lived in a certain village a poor old woman who had collected a +mess of beans, and was going to cook them. So she made a fire on her +hearth, and, in order to make it burn better, she put in a handful of +straw. When the beans began to bubble in the pot, one of them fell out +and lay, never noticed, near a straw which was already there; soon a +red-hot coal jumped out of the fire and joined the pair. The straw began +first, and said, + +"Dear friends, how do you come here?" The coal answered, + +"I jumped out of the fire by great good luck, or I should certainly have +met with my death. I should have been burned to ashes." The bean said, + +"I too have come out of it with a whole skin, but if the old woman had +kept me in the pot I should have been cooked into a soft mass like my +comrades." + +"Nor should I have met with a better fate," said the straw; "the old +woman has turned my brothers into fire and smoke, sixty of them she took +up at once and deprived of life. Very luckily I managed to slip through +her fingers." + +"What had we better do now?" said the coal. + +"I think," answered the bean, "that as we have been so lucky as to +escape with our lives, we will join in good fellowship together, and, +lest any more bad fortune should happen to us here, we will go abroad +into foreign lands." + +The proposal pleased the two others, and forthwith they started on their +travels. Soon they came to a little brook, and as there was no +stepping-stone, and no bridge, they could not tell how they were to get +to the other side. The straw was struck with a good idea, and said, + +"I will lay myself across, so that you can go over me as if I were a +bridge!" + +So the straw stretched himself from one bank to the other, and the coal, +who was of an ardent nature, quickly trotted up to go over the new-made +bridge. When, however, she reached the middle, and heard the water +rushing past beneath her, she was struck with terror, and stopped, and +could get no farther. So the straw began to get burnt, broke in two +pieces, and fell in the brook, and the coal slipped down, hissing as she +touched the water, and gave up the ghost. The bean, who had prudently +remained behind on the bank, could not help laughing at the sight, and +not being able to contain herself, went on laughing so excessively that +she burst. And now would she certainly have been undone for ever, if a +tailor on his travels had not by good luck stopped to rest himself by +the brook. As he had a compassionate heart, he took out needle and +thread and stitched her together again. The bean thanked him in the most +elegant manner, but as he had sewn her up with black stitches, all beans +since then have a black seam. + + + + +The FISHERMAN and his WIFE + + +THERE was once a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a hovel by +the sea-shore, and the fisherman went out every day with his hook and +line to catch fish, and he angled and angled. + +One day he was sitting with his rod and looking into the clear water, +and he sat and sat. + +At last down went the line to the bottom of the water, and when he drew +it up he found a great flounder on the hook. And the flounder said to +him, + +"Fisherman, listen to me; let me go, I am not a real fish but an +enchanted prince. What good shall I be to you if you land me? I shall +not taste well; so put me back into the water again, and let me swim +away." + +"Well," said the fisherman, "no need of so many words about the matter, +as you can speak I had much rather let you swim away." + +Then he put him back into the clear water, and the flounder sank to the +bottom, leaving a long streak of blood behind him. Then the fisherman +got up and went home to his wife in their hovel. + +"Well, husband," said the wife, "have you caught nothing to-day?" + +"No," said the man--"that is, I did catch a flounder, but as he said he +was an enchanted prince, I let him go again." + +"Then, did you wish for nothing?" said the wife. + +"No," said the man; "what should I wish for?" + +"Oh dear!" said the wife; "and it is so dreadful always to live in this +evil-smelling hovel; you might as well have wished for a little cottage; +go again and call him; tell him we want a little cottage, I daresay he +will give it us; go, and be quick." + +And when he went back, the sea was green and yellow, and not nearly so +clear. So he stood and said, + + "O man, O man!--if man you be, + Or flounder, flounder, in the sea-- + Such a tiresome wife I've got, + For she wants what I do not." + +Then the flounder came swimming up, and said, + +"Now then, what does she want?" + +"Oh," said the man, "you know when I caught you my wife says I ought to +have wished for something. She does not want to live any longer in the +hovel, and would rather have a cottage. + +"Go home with you," said the flounder, "she has it already." + +So the man went home, and found, instead of the hovel, a little cottage, +and his wife was sitting on a bench before the door. And she took him by +the hand, and said to him, + +"Come in and see if this is not a great improvement." + +So they went in, and there was a little house-place and a beautiful +little bedroom, a kitchen and larder, with all sorts of furniture, and +iron and brass ware of the very best. And at the back was a little yard +with fowls and ducks, and a little garden full of green vegetables and +fruit. + +"Look," said the wife, "is not that nice?" + +"Yes," said the man, "if this can only last we shall be very well +contented." + +"We will see about that," said the wife. And after a meal they went to +bed. + +So all went well for a week or fortnight, when the wife said, + +"Look here, husband, the cottage is really too confined, and the yard +and garden are so small; I think the flounder had better get us a +larger house; I should like very much to live in a large stone castle; +so go to your fish and he will send us a castle." + +"O my dear wife," said the man, "the cottage is good enough; what do we +want a castle for?" + +"We want one," said the wife; "go along with you; the flounder can give +us one." + +"Now, wife," said the man, "the flounder gave us the cottage; I do not +like to go to him again, he may be angry." + +"Go along," said the wife, "he might just as well give us it as not; do +as I say!" + +The man felt very reluctant and unwilling; and he said to himself, + +"It is not the right thing to do;" nevertheless he went. + +So when he came to the seaside, the water was purple and dark blue and +grey and thick, and not green and yellow as before. And he stood and +said, + + "O man, O man!--if man you be, + Or flounder, flounder, in the sea-- + Such a tiresome wife I've got, + For she wants what I do not." + +"Now then, what does she want?" said the flounder. + +"Oh," said the man, half frightened, "she wants to live in a large stone +castle." + +"Go home with you, she is already standing before the door," said the +flounder. + +Then the man went home, as he supposed, but when he got there, there +stood in the place of the cottage a great castle of stone, and his wife +was standing on the steps, about to go in; so she took him by the hand, +and said, + +"Let us enter." + +With that he went in with her, and in the castle was a great hall with a +marble pavement, and there were a great many servants, who led them +through large doors, and the passages were decked with tapestry, and the +rooms with golden chairs and tables, and crystal chandeliers hanging +from the ceiling; and all the rooms had carpets. And the tables were +covered with eatables and the best wine for any one who wanted them. And +at the back of the house was a great stable-yard for horses and cattle, +and carriages of the finest; besides, there was a splendid large garden, +with the most beautiful flowers and fine fruit trees, and a pleasance +full half a mile long, with deer and oxen and sheep, and everything that +heart could wish for. + +"There!" said the wife, "is not this beautiful?" + +"Oh yes," said the man, "if it will only last we can live in this fine +castle and be very well contented." + +"We will see about that," said the wife, "in the meanwhile we will sleep +upon it." With that they went to bed. + +The next morning the wife was awake first, just at the break of day, and +she looked out and saw from her bed the beautiful country lying all +round. The man took no notice of it, so she poked him in the side with +her elbow, and said, + +"Husband, get up and just look out of the window. Look, just think if we +could be king over all this country. Just go to your fish and tell him +we should like to be king." + +"Now, wife," said the man, "what should we be kings for? I don't want to +be king." + +"Well," said the wife, "if you don't want to be king, I will be king." + +"Now, wife," said the man, "what do you want to be king for? I could not +ask him such a thing." + +"Why not?" said the wife, "you must go directly all the same; I must be +king." + +So the man went, very much put out that his wife should want to be king. + +"It is not the right thing to do--not at all the right thing," thought +the man. He did not at all want to go, and yet he went all the same. + +And when he came to the sea the water was quite dark grey, and rushed +far inland, and had an ill smell. And he stood and said, + + "O man, O man!--if man you be, + Or flounder, flounder, in the sea-- + Such a tiresome wife I've got, + For she wants what I do not." + +"Now then, what does she want?" said the fish. + +"Oh dear!" said the man, "she wants to be king." + +"Go home with you, she is so already," said the fish. + +So the man went back, and as he came to the palace he saw it was very +much larger, and had great towers and splendid gateways; the herald +stood before the door, and a number of soldiers with kettle-drums and +trumpets. + +And when he came inside everything was of marble and gold, and there +were many curtains with great golden tassels. Then he went through the +doors of the saloon to where the great throne-room was, and there was +his wife sitting upon a throne of gold and diamonds, and she had a great +golden crown on, and the sceptre in her hand was of pure gold and +jewels, and on each side stood six pages in a row, each one a head +shorter than the other. So the man went up to her and said, + +"Well, wife, so now you are king!" + +"Yes," said the wife, "now I am king." + +So then he stood and looked at her, and when he had gazed at her for +some time he said, + +"Well, wife, this is fine for you to be king! now there is nothing more +to wish for." + +"O husband!" said the wife, seeming quite restless, "I am tired of this +already. Go to your fish and tell him that now I am king I must be +emperor." + +"Now, wife," said the man, "what do you want to be emperor for?" + +"Husband," said she, "go and tell the fish I want to be emperor." + +"Oh dear!" said the man, "he could not do it--I cannot ask him such a +thing. There is but one emperor at a time; the fish can't possibly make +any one emperor--indeed he can't." + +"Now, look here," said the wife, "I am king, and you are only my +husband, so will you go at once? Go along! for if he was able to make me +king he is able to make me emperor; and I will and must be emperor, so +go along!" + +So he was obliged to go; and as he went he felt very uncomfortable about +it, and he thought to himself, + +"It is not at all the right thing to do; to want to be emperor is really +going too far; the flounder will soon be beginning to get tired of +this." + +With that he came to the sea, and the water was quite black and thick, +and the foam flew, and the wind blew, and the man was terrified. But he +stood and said, + + "O man, O man!--if man you be, + Or flounder, flounder, in the sea-- + Such a tiresome wife I've got, + For she wants what I do not." + +"What is it now?" said the fish. + +"Oh dear!" said the man, "my wife wants to be emperor." + +"Go home with you," said the fish, "she is emperor already." + +So the man went home, and found the castle adorned with polished marble +and alabaster figures, and golden gates. The troops were being +marshalled before the door, and they were blowing trumpets and beating +drums and cymbals; and when he entered he saw barons and earls and dukes +waiting about like servants; and the doors were of bright gold. And he +saw his wife sitting upon a throne made of one entire piece of gold, and +it was about two miles high; and she had a great golden crown on, which +was about three yards high, set with brilliants and carbuncles; and in +one hand she held the sceptre, and in the other the globe; and on both +sides of her stood pages in two rows, all arranged according to their +size, from the most enormous giant of two miles high to the tiniest +dwarf of the size of my little finger; and before her stood earls and +dukes in crowds. So the man went up to her and said, + +"Well, wife, so now you are emperor." + +"Yes," said she, "now I am emperor." + +Then he went and sat down and had a good look at her, and then he said, + +"Well now, wife, there is nothing left to be, now you are emperor." + +"What are you talking about, husband?" said she; "I am emperor, and next +I will be pope! so go and tell the fish so." + +"Oh dear!" said the man, "what is it that you don't want? You can never +become pope; there is but one pope in Christendom, and the fish can't +possibly do it." + +"Husband," said she, "no more words about it; I must and will be pope; +so go along to the fish." + +"Now, wife," said the man, "how can I ask him such a thing? it is too +bad--it is asking a little too much; and, besides, he could not do it." + +"What rubbish!" said the wife; "if he could make me emperor he can make +me pope. Go along and ask him; I am emperor, and you are only my +husband, so go you must." + +So he went, feeling very frightened, and he shivered and shook, and his +knees trembled; and there arose a great wind, and the clouds flew by, +and it grew very dark, and the sea rose mountains high, and the ships +were tossed about, and the sky was partly blue in the middle, but at the +sides very dark and red, as in a great tempest. And he felt very +desponding, and stood trembling and said, + + "O man, O man!--if man you be, + Or flounder, flounder, in the sea-- + Such a tiresome wife I've got, + For she wants what I do not." + +"Well, what now?" said the fish. + +"Oh dear!" said the man, "she wants to be pope." + +"Go home with you, she is pope already," said the fish. + +So he went home, and he found himself before a great church, with +palaces all round. He had to make his way through a crowd of people; and +when he got inside he found the place lighted up with thousands and +thousands of lights; and his wife was clothed in a golden garment, and +sat upon a very high throne, and had three golden crowns on, all in the +greatest priestly pomp; and on both sides of her there stood two rows of +lights of all sizes--from the size of the longest tower to the smallest +rushlight, and all the emperors and kings were kneeling before her and +kissing her foot. + +"Well, wife," said the man, and sat and stared at her, "so you are +pope." + +"Yes," said she, "now I am pope!" + +And he went on gazing at her till he felt dazzled, as if he were sitting +in the sun. And after a little time he said, + +"Well, now, wife, what is there left to be, now you are pope?" + +And she sat up very stiff and straight, and said nothing. + +And he said again, "Well, wife, I hope you are contented at last with +being pope; you can be nothing more." + +"We will see about that," said the wife. With that they both went to +bed; but she was as far as ever from being contented, and she could not +get to sleep for thinking of what she should like to be next. + +The husband, however, slept as fast as a top after his busy day; but the +wife tossed and turned from side to side the whole night through, +thinking all the while what she could be next, but nothing would occur +to her; and when she saw the red dawn she slipped off the bed, and sat +before the window to see the sun rise, and as it came up she said, + +"Ah, I have it! what if I should make the sun and moon to +rise--husband!" she cried, and stuck her elbow in his ribs, "wake up, +and go to your fish, and tell him I want power over the sun and moon." + +The man was so fast asleep that when he started up he fell out of bed. +Then he shook himself together, and opened his eyes and said, + +"Oh,--wife, what did you say?" + +"Husband," said she, "if I cannot get the power of making the sun and +moon rise when I want them, I shall never have another quiet hour. Go to +the fish and tell him so." + +"O wife!" said the man, and fell on his knees to her, "the fish can +really not do that for you. I grant you he could make you emperor and +pope; do be contented with that, I beg of you." + +And she became wild with impatience, and screamed out, + +"I can wait no longer, go at once!" + +And so off he went as well as he could for fright. And a dreadful storm +arose, so that he could hardly keep his feet; and the houses and trees +were blown down, and the mountains trembled, and rocks fell in the sea; +the sky was quite black, and it thundered and lightened; and the waves, +crowned with foam, ran mountains high. So he cried out, without being +able to hear his own words, + + "O man, O man!--if man you be, + Or flounder, flounder, in the sea-- + Such a tiresome wife I've got, + For she wants what I do not." + +"Well, what now?" said the flounder. + +"Oh dear!" said the man, "she wants to order about the sun and moon." + +"Go home with you!" said the flounder, "you will find her in the old +hovel." + +And there they are sitting to this very day. + + + + +THE GALLANT TAILOR + + +ONE summer morning a little tailor was sitting on his board near the +window, and working cheerfully with all his might, when an old woman +came down the street crying, + +"Good jelly to sell! good jelly to sell!" + +The cry sounded pleasant in the little tailor's ears, so he put his head +out of the window, and called out, + +"Here, my good woman--come here, if you want a customer." + +So the poor woman climbed the steps with her heavy basket, and was +obliged to unpack and display all her pots to the tailor. He looked at +every one of them, and lifting all the lids, applied his nose to each, +and said at last, + +"The jelly seems pretty good; you may weigh me out four half ounces, or +I don't mind having a quarter of a pound." + +The woman, who had expected to find a good customer, gave him what he +asked for, but went off angry and grumbling. + +"This jelly is the very thing for me," cried the little tailor; "it will +give me strength and cunning;" and he took down the bread from the +cupboard, cut a whole round of the loaf, and spread the jelly on it, +laid it near him, and went on stitching more gallantly than ever. All +the while the scent of the sweet jelly was spreading throughout the +room, where there were quantities of flies, who were attracted by it and +flew to partake. + +"Now then, who asked you to come?" said the tailor, and drove the +unbidden guests away. But the flies, not understanding his language, +were not to be got rid of like that, and returned in larger numbers than +before. Then the tailor, not being able to stand it any longer, took +from his chimney-corner a ragged cloth, and saying, + +"Now, I'll let you have it!" beat it among them unmercifully. When he +ceased, and counted the slain, he found seven lying dead before him. + +"This is indeed somewhat," he said, wondering at his own gallantry; "the +whole town shall know this." + +So he hastened to cut out a belt, and he stitched it, and put on it in +large capitals "Seven at one blow!" + +"--The town, did I say!" said the little tailor; "the whole world shall +know it!" And his heart quivered with joy, like a lamb's tail. + +The tailor fastened the belt round him, and began to think of going out +into the world, for his workshop seemed too small for his worship. So he +looked about in all the house for something that it would be useful to +take with him, but he found nothing but an old cheese, which he put in +his pocket. Outside the door he noticed that a bird had got caught in +the bushes, so he took that and put it in his pocket with the cheese. +Then he set out gallantly on his way, and as he was light and active he +felt no fatigue. The way led over a mountain, and when he reached the +topmost peak he saw a terrible giant sitting there, and looking about +him at his ease. The tailor went bravely up to him, called out to him, +and said, + +"Comrade, good day! there you sit looking over the wide world! I am on +the way thither to seek my fortune: have you a fancy to go with me?" + +The giant looked at the tailor contemptuously, and said, + +"You little rascal! you miserable fellow!" + +"That may be!" answered the little tailor, and undoing his coat he +showed the giant his belt; "you can read there whether I am a man or +not!" + +The giant read: "Seven at one blow!" and thinking it meant men that the +tailor had killed, felt at once more respect for the little fellow. But +as he wanted to prove him, he took up a stone and squeezed it so hard +that water came out of it. + +"Now you can do that," said the giant,--"that is, if you have the +strength for it." + +"That's not much," said the little tailor, "I call that play," and he +put his hand in his pocket and took out the cheese and squeezed it, so +that the whey ran out of it. + +"Well," said he, "what do you think of that?" + +The giant did not know what to say to it, for he could not have believed +it of the little man. Then the giant took up a stone and threw it so +high that it was nearly out of sight. + +"Now, little fellow, suppose you do that!" + +"Well thrown," said the tailor; "but the stone fell back to earth +again,--I will throw you one that will never come back." So he felt in +his pocket, took out the bird, and threw it into the air. And the bird, +when it found itself at liberty, took wing, flew off, and returned no +more. + +"What do you think of that, comrade?" asked the tailor. + +"There is no doubt that you can throw," said the giant; "but we will see +if you can carry." + +He led the little tailor to a mighty oak-tree which had been felled, and +was lying on the ground, and said, + +"Now, if you are strong enough, help me to carry this tree out of the +wood." + +"Willingly," answered the little man; "you take the trunk on your +shoulders, I will take the branches with all their foliage, that is much +the most difficult." + +So the giant took the trunk on his shoulders, and the tailor seated +himself on a branch, and the giant, who could not see what he was doing, +had the whole tree to carry, and the little man on it as well. And the +little man was very cheerful and merry, and whistled the tune: "_There +were three tailors riding by_," as if carrying the tree was mere child's +play. The giant, when he had struggled on under his heavy load a part of +the way, was tired out, and cried, + +"Look here, I must let go the tree!" + +The tailor jumped off quickly, and taking hold of the tree with both +arms, as if he were carrying it, said to the giant, + +"You see you can't carry the tree though you are such a big fellow!" + +They went on together a little farther, and presently they came to a +cherry-tree, and the giant took hold of the topmost branches, where the +ripest fruit hung, and pulling them downwards, gave them to the tailor +to hold, bidding him eat. But the little tailor was much too weak to +hold the tree, and as the giant let go, the tree sprang back, and the +tailor was caught up into the air. And when he dropped down again +without any damage, the giant said to him, + +"How is this? haven't you strength enough to hold such a weak sprig as +that?" + +"It is not strength that is lacking," answered the little tailor; "how +should it to one who has slain seven at one blow! I just jumped over the +tree because the hunters are shooting down there in the bushes. You jump +it too, if you can." + +The giant made the attempt, and not being able to vault the tree, he +remained hanging in the branches, so that once more the little tailor +got the better of him. Then said the giant, + +"As you are such a gallant fellow, suppose you come with me to our den, +and stay the night." + +The tailor was quite willing, and he followed him. When they reached the +den there sat some other giants by the fire, and each had a roasted +sheep in his hand, and was eating it. The little tailor looked round and +thought, + +"There is more elbow-room here than in my workshop." + +And the giant showed him a bed, and told him he had better lie down upon +it and go to sleep. The bed was, however, too big for the tailor, so he +did not stay in it, but crept into a corner to sleep. As soon as it was +midnight the giant got up, took a great staff of iron and beat the bed +through with one stroke, and supposed he had made an end of that +grasshopper of a tailor. Very early in the morning the giants went into +the wood and forgot all about the little tailor, and when they saw him +coming after them alive and merry, they were terribly frightened, and, +thinking he was going to kill them, they ran away in all haste. + +So the little tailor marched on, always following his nose. And after he +had gone a great way he entered the courtyard belonging to a King's +palace, and there he felt so overpowered with fatigue that he lay down +and fell asleep. In the meanwhile came various people, who looked at him +very curiously, and read on his belt, "Seven at one blow!" + +"Oh!" said they, "why should this great lord come here in time of peace? +what a mighty champion he must be." + +Then they went and told the King about him, and they thought that if war +should break out what a worthy and useful man he would be, and that he +ought not to be allowed to depart at any price. The King then summoned +his council, and sent one of his courtiers to the little tailor to beg +him, so soon as he should wake up, to consent to serve in the King's +army. So the messenger stood and waited at the sleeper's side until his +limbs began to stretch, and his eyes to open, and then he carried his +answer back. And the answer was, + +"That was the reason for which I came," said the little tailor, "I am +ready to enter the King's service." + +So he was received into it very honourably, and a separate dwelling set +apart for him. + +But the rest of the soldiers were very much set against the little +tailor, and they wished him a thousand miles away. + +"What shall be done about it?" they said among themselves; "if we pick a +quarrel and fight with him then seven of us will fall at each blow. That +will be of no good to us." + +So they came to a resolution, and went all together to the King to ask +for their discharge. + +"We never intended," said they, "to serve with a man who kills seven at +a blow." + +The King felt sorry to lose all his faithful servants because of one +man, and he wished that he had never seen him, and would willingly get +rid of him if he might. But he did not dare to dismiss the little tailor +for fear he should kill all the King's people, and place himself upon +the throne. He thought a long while about it, and at last made up his +mind what to do. He sent for the little tailor, and told him that as he +was so great a warrior he had a proposal to make to him. He told him +that in a wood in his dominions dwelt two giants, who did great damage +by robbery, murder, and fire, and that no man durst go near them for +fear of his life. But that if the tailor should overcome and slay both +these giants the King would give him his only daughter in marriage, and +half his kingdom as dowry, and that a hundred horsemen should go with +him to give him assistance. + +"That would be something for a man like me!" thought the little tailor, +"a beautiful princess and half a kingdom are not to be had every day," +and he said to the King, + +"Oh yes, I can soon overcome the giants, and yet have no need of the +hundred horsemen; he who can kill seven at one blow has no need to be +afraid of two." + +So the little tailor set out, and the hunched horsemen followed him. +When he came to the border of the wood he said to his escort, + +"Stay here while I go to attack the giants." + +Then he sprang into the wood, and looked about him right and left. After +a while he caught sight of the two giants; they were lying down under a +tree asleep, and snoring so that all the branches shook. The little +tailor, all alive, filled both his pockets with stones and climbed up +into the tree, and made his way to an overhanging bough, so that he +could seat himself just above the sleepers; and from there he let one +stone after another fall on the chest of one of the giants. For a long +time the giant was quite unaware of this, but at last he waked up and +pushed his comrade, and said, + +"What are you hitting me for?" + +"You are dreaming," said the other, "I am not touching you." And they +composed themselves again to sleep, and the tailor let fall a stone on +the other giant. + +"What can that be?" cried he, "what are you casting at me?" + +"I am casting nothing at you," answered the first, grumbling. + +They disputed about it for a while, but as they were tired, they gave it +up at last, and their eyes closed once more. Then the little tailor +began his game anew, picked out a heavier stone and threw it down with +force upon the first giant's chest. + +"This is too much!" cried he, and sprang up like a madman and struck his +companion such a blow that the tree shook above them. The other paid him +back with ready coin, and they fought with such fury that they tore up +trees by their roots to use for weapons against each other, so that at +last they both of them lay dead upon the ground. And now the little +tailor got down. + +"Another piece of luck!" said he,--"that the tree I was sitting in did +not get torn up too, or else I should have had to jump like a squirrel +from one tree to another." + +Then he drew his sword and gave each of the giants a few hacks in the +breast, and went back to the horsemen and said, + +"The deed is done, I have made an end of both of them: but it went hard +with me, in the struggle they rooted up trees to defend themselves, but +it was of no use, they had to do with a man who can kill seven at one +blow." + +"Then are you not wounded?" asked the horsemen. + +"Nothing of the sort!" answered the tailor, "I have not turned a hair." + +The horsemen still would not believe it, and rode into the wood to see, +and there they found the giants wallowing in their blood, and all about +them lying the uprooted trees. + +The little tailor then claimed the promised boon, but the King repented +him of his offer, and he sought again how to rid himself of the hero. + +"Before you can possess my daughter and the half of my kingdom," said he +to the tailor, "you must perform another heroic act. In the wood lives a +unicorn who does great damage; you must secure him." + +"A unicorn does not strike more terror into me than two giants. Seven at +one blow!--that is my way," was the tailor's answer. + +So, taking a rope and an axe with him, he went out into the wood, and +told those who were ordered to attend him to wait outside. He had not +far to seek, the unicorn soon came out and sprang at him, as if he would +make an end of him without delay. "Softly, softly," said he, "most +haste, worst speed," and remained standing until the animal came quite +near, then he slipped quietly behind a tree. The unicorn ran with all +his might against the tree and stuck his horn so deep into the trunk +that he could not get it out again, and so was taken. + +"Now I have you," said the tailor, coming out from behind the tree, and, +putting the rope round the unicorn's neck, he took the axe, set free the +horn, and when all his party were assembled he led forth the animal and +brought it to the King. + +The King did not yet wish to give him the promised reward, and set him a +third task to do. Before the wedding could take place the tailor was to +secure a wild boar which had done a great deal of damage in the wood. + +The huntsmen were to accompany him. + +"All right," said the tailor, "this is child's play." + +But he did not take the huntsmen into the wood, and they were all the +better pleased, for the wild boar had many a time before received them +in such a way that they had no fancy to disturb him. When the boar +caught sight of the tailor he ran at him with foaming mouth and gleaming +tusks to bear him to the ground, but the nimble hero rushed into a +chapel which chanced to be near, and jumped quickly out of a window on +the other side. The boar ran after him, and when he got inside the door +shut after him, and there he was imprisoned, for the creature was too +big and unwieldy to jump out of the window too. Then the little tailor +called the huntsmen that they might see the prisoner with their own +eyes; and then he betook himself to the king, who now, whether he liked +it or not, was obliged to fulfil his promise, and give him his daughter +and the half of his kingdom. But if he had known that the great warrior +was only a little tailor he would have taken it still more to heart. So +the wedding was celebrated with great splendour and little joy, and the +tailor was made into a king. + +One night the young queen heard her husband talking in his sleep and +saying, + +"Now boy, make me that waistcoat and patch me those breeches, or I will +lay my yard measure about your shoulders!" + +And so, as she perceived of what low birth her husband was, she went to +her father the next morning and told him all, and begged him to set her +free from a man who was nothing better than a tailor. The king bade her +be comforted, saying, + +"To-night leave your bedroom door open, my guard shall stand outside, +and when he is asleep they shall come in and bind him and carry him off +to a ship, and he shall be sent to the other side of the world." + +So the wife felt consoled, but the king's water-bearer, who had been +listening all the while, went to the little tailor and disclosed to him +the whole plan. + +"I shall put a stop to all this," said he. + +At night he lay down as usual in bed, and when his wife thought that he +was asleep, she got up, opened the door and lay down again. The little +tailor, who only made believe to be asleep, began to murmur plainly, + +"Now, boy, make me that waistcoat and patch me those breeches, or I will +lay my yard measure about your shoulders! I have slain seven at one +blow, killed two giants, caught a unicorn, and taken a wild boar, and +shall I be afraid of those who are standing outside my room door?" + +And when they heard the tailor say this, a great fear seized them; they +fled away as if they had been wild hares, and none of them would venture +to attack him. + +And so the little tailor all his lifetime remained a king. + + + + +ASCHENPUTTEL + + +THERE was once a rich man whose wife lay sick, and when she felt her end +drawing near she called to her only daughter to come near her bed, and +said, + +"Dear child, be pious and good, and God will always take care of you, +and I will look down upon you from heaven, and will be with you." + +And then she closed her eyes and expired. The maiden went every day to +her mother's grave and wept, and was always pious and good. When the +winter came the snow covered the grave with a white covering, and when +the sun came in the early spring and melted it away, the man took to +himself another wife. + +The new wife brought two daughters home with her, and they were +beautiful and fair in appearance, but at heart were black and ugly. And +then began very evil times for the poor step-daughter. + +"Is the stupid creature to sit in the same room with us?" said they; +"those who eat food must earn it. Out upon her for a kitchen-maid!" + +They took away her pretty dresses, and put on her an old gray kirtle, +and gave her wooden shoes to wear. + +"Just look now at the proud princess, how she is decked out!" cried they +laughing, and then they sent her into the kitchen. There she was obliged +to do heavy work from morning to night, get up early in the morning, +draw water, make the fires, cook, and wash. Besides that, the sisters +did their utmost to torment her,--mocking her, and strewing peas and +lentils among the ashes, and setting her to pick them up. In the +evenings, when she was quite tired out with her hard day's work, she had +no bed to lie on, but was obliged to rest on the hearth among the +cinders. And as she always looked dusty and dirty, they named her +Aschenputtel. + +It happened one day that the father went to the fair, and he asked his +two step-daughters what he should bring back for them. + +"Fine clothes!" said one. + +"Pearls and jewels!" said the other. + +"But what will you have, Aschenputtel?" said he. + +"The first twig, father, that strikes against your hat on the way home; +that is what I should like you to bring me." + +So he bought for the two step-daughters fine clothes, pearls, and +jewels, and on his way back, as he rode through a green lane, a +hazel-twig struck against his hat; and he broke it off and carried it +home with him. And when he reached home he gave to the step-daughters +what they had wished for, and to Aschenputtel he gave the hazel-twig. +She thanked him, and went to her mother's grave, and planted this twig +there, weeping so bitterly that the tears fell upon it and watered it, +and it flourished and became a fine tree. Aschenputtel went to see it +three times a day, and wept and prayed, and each time a white bird rose +up from the tree, and if she uttered any wish the bird brought her +whatever she had wished for. + +Now if came to pass that the king ordained a festival that should last +for three days, and to which all the beautiful young women of that +country were bidden, so that the king's son might choose a bride from +among them. When the two step-daughters heard that they too were bidden +to appear, they felt very pleased, and they called Aschenputtel, and +said, + +"Comb our hair, brush our shoes, and make our buckles fast, we are going +to the wedding feast at the king's castle." + +Aschenputtel, when she heard this, could not help crying, for she too +would have liked to go to the dance, and she begged her step-mother to +allow her. + +"What, you Aschenputtel!" said she, "in all your dust and dirt, you +want to go to the festival! you that have no dress and no shoes! you +want to dance!" + +But as she persisted in asking, at last the step-mother said, + +"I have strewed a dish-full of lentils in the ashes, and if you can pick +them all up again in two hours you may go with us." + +Then the maiden went to the back-door that led into the garden, and +called out, + + "O gentle doves, O turtle-doves, + And all the birds that be, + The lentils that in ashes lie + Come and pick up for me! + The good must be put in the dish, + The bad you may eat if you wish." + +Then there came to the kitchen-window two white doves, and after them +some turtle-doves, and at last a crowd of all the birds under heaven, +chirping and fluttering, and they alighted among the ashes; and the +doves nodded with their heads, and began to pick, peck, pick, peck, and +then all the others began to pick, peck, pick, peck, and put all the +good grains into the dish. Before an hour was over all was done, and +they flew away. Then the maiden brought the dish to her step-mother, +feeling joyful, and thinking that now she should go to the feast; but +the step-mother said, + +"No, Aschenputtel, you have no proper clothes, and you do not know how +to dance, and you would be laughed at!" + +And when Aschenputtel cried for disappointment, she added, + +"If you can pick two dishes full of lentils out of the ashes, nice and +clean, you shall go with us," thinking to herself, "for that is not +possible." When she had strewed two dishes full of lentils among the +ashes the maiden went through the back-door into the garden, and cried, + + "O gentle doves, O turtle-doves, + And all the birds that be, + The lentils that in ashes lie + Come and pick up for me! + The good must be put in the dish, + The bad you may eat if you wish." + +So there came to the kitchen-window two white doves, and then some +turtle-doves, and at last a crowd of all the other birds under heaven, +chirping and fluttering, and they alighted among the ashes, and the +doves nodded with their heads and began to pick, peck, pick, peck, and +then all the others began to pick, peck, pick, peck, and put all the +good grains into the dish. And before half-an-hour was over it was all +done, and they flew away. Then the maiden took the dishes to the +step-mother, feeling joyful, and thinking that now she should go with +them to the feast; but she said "All this is of no good to you; you +cannot come with us, for you have no proper clothes, and cannot dance; +you would put us to shame." + +Then she turned her back on poor Aschenputtel, and made haste to set out +with her two proud daughters. + +And as there was no one left in the house, Aschenputtel went to her +mother's grave, under the hazel bush, and cried, + + "Little tree, little tree, shake over me, + That silver and gold may come down and cover me." + +Then the bird threw down a dress of gold and silver, and a pair of +slippers embroidered with silk and silver. And in all haste she put on +the dress and went to the festival. But her step-mother and sisters did +not know her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, she looked so +beautiful in her golden dress. Of Aschenputtel they never thought at +all, and supposed that she was sitting at home, and picking the lentils +out of the ashes. The King's son came to meet her, and took her by the +hand and danced with her, and he refused to stand up with any one else, +so that he might not be obliged to let go her hand; and when any one +came to claim it he answered, + +"She is my partner." + +And when the evening came she wanted to go home, but the prince said he +would go with her to take care of her, for he wanted to see where the +beautiful maiden lived. But she escaped him, and jumped up into the +pigeon-house. Then the prince waited until the father came, and told him +the strange maiden had jumped into the pigeon-house. The father thought +to himself, + +"It cannot surely be Aschenputtel," and called for axes and hatchets, +and had the pigeon-house cut down, but there was no one in it. And when +they entered the house there sat Aschenputtel in her dirty clothes among +the cinders, and a little oil-lamp burnt dimly in the chimney; for +Aschenputtel had been very quick, and had jumped out of the pigeon-house +again, and had run to the hazel bush; and there she had taken off her +beautiful dress and had laid it on the grave, and the bird had carried +it away again, and then she had put on her little gray kirtle again, and +had sat down in the kitchen among the cinders. + +The next day, when the festival began anew, and the parents and +step-sisters had gone to it, Aschenputtel went to the hazel bush and +cried, + + "Little tree, little tree, shake over me, + That silver and gold may come down and cover me." + +Then the bird cast down a still more splendid dress than on the day +before. And when she appeared in it among the guests every one was +astonished at her beauty. The prince had been waiting until she came, +and he took her hand and danced with her alone. And when any one else +came to invite her he said, + +"She is my partner." + +And when the evening came she wanted to go home, and the prince followed +her, for he wanted to see to what house she belonged; but she broke away +from him, and ran into the garden at the back of the house. There stood +a fine large tree, bearing splendid pears; she leapt as lightly as a +squirrel among the branches, and the prince did not know what had become +of her. So he waited until the father came, and then he told him that +the strange maiden had rushed from him, and that he thought she had gone +up into the pear-tree. The father thought to himself, + +"It cannot surely be Aschenputtel," and called for an axe, and felled +the tree, but there was no one in it. And when they went into the +kitchen there sat Aschenputtel among the cinders, as usual, for she had +got down the other side of the tree, and had taken back her beautiful +clothes to the bird on the hazel bush, and had put on her old gray +kirtle again. + +On the third day, when the parents and the step-children had set off, +Aschenputtel went again to her mother's grave, and said to the tree, + + "Little tree, little tree, shake over me, + That silver and gold may come down and cover me." + +Then the bird cast down a dress, the like of which had never been seen +for splendour and brilliancy, and slippers that were of gold. + +And when she appeared in this dress at the feast nobody knew what to say +for wonderment. The prince danced with her alone, and if any one else +asked her he answered, + +"She is my partner." + +And when it was evening Aschenputtel wanted to go home, and the prince +was about to go with her, when she ran past him so quickly that he could +not follow her. But he had laid a plan, and had caused all the steps to +be spread with pitch, so that as she rushed down them the left shoe of +the maiden remained sticking in it. The prince picked it up, and saw +that it was of gold, and very small and slender. The next morning he +went to the father and told him that none should be his bride save the +one whose foot the golden shoe should fit. Then the two sisters were +very glad, because they had pretty feet. The eldest went to her room to +try on the shoe, and her mother stood by. But she could not get her +great toe into it, for the shoe was too small; then her mother handed +her a knife, and said, + +"Cut the toe off, for when you are queen you will never have to go on +foot." So the girl cut her toe off, squeezed her foot into the shoe, +concealed the pain, and went down to the prince. Then he took her with +him on his horse as his bride, and rode off. They had to pass by the +grave, and there sat the two pigeons on the hazel bush, and cried, + + "There they go, there they go! + There is blood on her shoe; + The shoe is too small, + --Not the right bride at all!" + +Then the prince looked at her shoe, and saw the blood flowing. And he +turned his horse round and took the false bride home again, saying she +was not the right one, and that the other sister must try on the shoe. +So she went into her room to do so, and got her toes comfortably in, but +her heel was too large. Then her mother handed her the knife, saying, +"Cut a piece off your heel; when you are queen you will never have to +go on foot." + +So the girl cut a piece off her heel, and thrust her foot into the shoe, +concealed the pain, and went down to the prince, who took his bride +before him on his horse and rode off. When they passed by the hazel bush +the two pigeons sat there and cried, + + "There they go, there they go! + There is blood on her shoe; + The shoe is too small, + --Not the right bride at all!" + +Then the prince looked at her foot, and saw how the blood was flowing +from the shoe, and staining the white stocking. And he turned his horse +round and brought the false bride home again. + +"This is not the right one," said he, "have you no other daughter?" + +"No," said the man, "only my dead wife left behind her a little stunted +Aschenputtel; it is impossible that she can be the bride." But the +King's son ordered her to be sent for, but the mother said, + +"Oh no! she is much too dirty, I could not let her be seen." + +But he would have her fetched, and so Aschenputtel had to appear. + +First she washed her face and hands quite clean, and went in and +curtseyed to the prince, who held out to her the golden shoe. Then she +sat down on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and +slipped it into the golden one, which fitted it perfectly. And when she +stood up, and the prince looked in her face, he knew again the beautiful +maiden that had danced with him, and he cried, + +"This is the right bride!" + +The step-mother and the two sisters were thunderstruck, and grew pale +with anger; but he put Aschenputtel before him on his horse and rode +off. And as they passed the hazel bush, the two white pigeons cried, + + "There they go, there they go! + No blood on her shoe; + The shoe's not too small, + The right bride is she after all." + +And when they had thus cried, they came flying after and perched on +Aschenputtel's shoulders, one on the right, the other on the left, and +so remained. + +And when her wedding with the prince was appointed to be held the false +sisters came, hoping to curry favour, and to take part in the +festivities. So as the bridal procession went to the church, the eldest +walked on the right side and the younger on the left, and the pigeons +picked out an eye of each of them. And as they returned the elder was on +the left side and the younger on the right, and the pigeons picked out +the other eye of each of them. And so they were condemned to go blind +for the rest of their days because of their wickedness and falsehood. + + + + +The MOUSE, the BIRD, and the SAUSAGE + + +ONCE on a time, a mouse and a bird and a sausage lived and kept house +together in perfect peace among themselves, and in great prosperity. It +was the bird's business to fly to the forest every day and bring back +wood. The mouse had to draw the water, make the fire, and set the table; +and the sausage had to do the cooking. Nobody is content in this world: +much will have more! One day the bird met another bird on the way, and +told him of his excellent condition in life. But the other bird called +him a poor simpleton to do so much work, while the two others led easy +lives at home. + +When the mouse had made up her fire and drawn water, she went to rest in +her little room until it was time to lay the cloth. The sausage stayed +by the saucepans, looked to it that the victuals were well cooked, and +just before dinner-time he stirred the broth or the stew three or four +times well round himself, so as to enrich and season and flavour it. +Then the bird used to come home and lay down his load, and they sat down +to table, and after a good meal they would go to bed and sleep their +fill till the next morning. It really was a most satisfactory life. + +But the bird came to the resolution next day never again to fetch wood: +he had, he said, been their slave long enough, now they must change +about and make a new arrangement So in spite of all the mouse and the +sausage could say, the bird was determined to have his own way. So they +drew lots to settle it, and it fell so that the sausage was to fetch +wood, the mouse was to cook, and the bird was to draw water. + +Now see what happened. The sausage went away after wood, the bird made +up the fire, and the mouse put on the pot, and they waited until the +sausage should come home, bringing the wood for the next day. But the +sausage was absent so long, that they thought something must have +happened to him, and the bird went part of the way to see if he could +see anything of him. Not far off he met with a dog on the road, who, +looking upon the sausage as lawful prey, had picked him up, and made an +end of him. The bird then lodged a complaint against the dog as an open +and flagrant robber, but it was all no good, as the dog declared that he +had found forged letters upon the sausage, so that he deserved to lose +his life. + +The bird then very sadly took up the wood and carried it home himself, +and related to the mouse all he had seen and heard. They were both very +troubled, but determined to look on the bright side of things, and still +to remain together. And so the bird laid the cloth, and the mouse +prepared the food, and finally got into the pot, as the sausage used to +do, to stir and flavour the broth, but then she had to part with fur and +skin, and lastly with life! + +And when the bird came to dish up the dinner, there was no cook to be +seen; and he turned over the heap of wood, and looked and looked, but +the cook never appeared again. By accident the wood caught fire, and the +bird hastened to fetch water to put it out, but he let fall the bucket +in the well, and himself after it, and as he could not get out again, he +was obliged to be drowned. + + + + +MOTHER HULDA + + +A WIDOW had two daughters; one was pretty and industrious, the other was +ugly and lazy. And as the ugly one was her own daughter, she loved her +much the best, and the pretty one was made to do all the work, and be +the drudge of the house. Every day the poor girl had to sit by a well on +the high road and spin until her fingers bled. Now it happened once that +as the spindle was bloody, she dipped it into the well to wash it; but +it slipped out of her hand and fell in. Then she began to cry, and ran +to her step-mother, and told her of her misfortune; and her step-mother +scolded her without mercy, and said in her rage, + +"As you have let the spindle fall in, you must go and fetch it out +again!" + +Then the girl went back again to the well, not knowing what to do, and +in the despair of her heart she jumped down into the well the same way +the spindle had gone. After that she knew nothing; and when she came to +herself she was in a beautiful meadow, and the sun was shining on the +flowers that grew round her. And she walked on through the meadow until +she came to a baker's oven that was full of bread; and the bread called +out to her, + +"Oh, take me out, take me out, or I shall burn; I am baked enough +already!" + +[Illustration: MOTHER HULDA + + "THEN THE GIRL WENT BACK AGAIN + TO THE WELL NOT KNOWING WHAT + TO DO, AND IN THE DESPAIR OF HER + HEART SHE JUMPED DOWN INTO + THE WELL THE SAME WAY THE + SPINDLE HAD GONE."] + +Then she drew near, and with the baker's peel she took out all the +loaves one after the other. And she went farther on till she came to +a tree weighed down with apples, and it called out to her, + +"Oh, shake me, shake me, we apples are all of us ripe!" + +Then she shook the tree until the apples fell like rain, and she shook +until there were no more to fall; and when she had gathered them +together in a heap, she went on farther. At last she came to a little +house, and an old woman was peeping out of it, but she had such great +teeth that the girl was terrified and about to run away, only the old +woman called her back. + +"What are you afraid of, my dear child? Come and live with me, and if +you do the house-work well and orderly, things shall go well with you. +You must take great pains to make my bed well, and shake it up +thoroughly, so that the feathers fly about, and then in the world it +snows, for I am Mother Hulda."[A] + +[Footnote A: In Hesse, when it snows, they say, "Mother Hulda is making +her bed."] + +As the old woman spoke so kindly, the girl took courage, consented, and +went to her work. She did everything to the old woman's satisfaction, +and shook the bed with such a will that the feathers flew about like +snow-flakes: and so she led a good life, had never a cross word, but +boiled and roast meat every day. When she had lived a long time with +Mother Hulda, she began to feel sad, not knowing herself what ailed her; +at last she began to think she must be home-sick; and although she was a +thousand times better off than at home where she was, yet she had a +great longing to go home. At last she said to her mistress, + +"I am home-sick, and although I am very well off here, I cannot stay any +longer; I must go back to my own home." + +Mother Hulda answered, + +"It pleases me well that you should wish to go home, and, as you have +served me faithfully, I will undertake to send you there!" + +She took her by the hand and led her to a large door standing open, and +as she was passing through it there fell upon her a heavy shower of +gold, and the gold hung all about her, so that she was covered with it. + +"All this is yours, because you have been so industrious," said Mother +Hulda; and, besides that, she returned to her her spindle, the very +same that she had dropped in the well. And then the door was shut again, +and the girl found herself back again in the world, not far from her +mother's house; and as she passed through the yard the cock stood on the +top of the well and cried, + + "Cock-a-doodle doo! + Our golden girl has come home too!" + +Then she went in to her mother, and as she had returned covered with +gold she was well received. + +So the girl related all her history, and what had happened to her, and +when the mother heard how she came to have such great riches she began +to wish that her ugly and idle daughter might have the same good +fortune. So she sent her to sit by the well and spin; and in order to +make her spindle bloody she put her hand into the thorn hedge. Then she +threw the spindle into the well, and jumped in herself. She found +herself, like her sister, in the beautiful meadow, and followed the same +path, and when she came to the baker's oven, the bread cried out, + +"Oh, take me out, take me out, or I shall burn; I am quite done +already!" + +But the lazy-bones answered, + +"I have no desire to black my hands," and went on farther. Soon she came +to the apple-tree, who called out, + +"Oh, shake me, shake me, we apples are all of us ripe!" + +But she answered, + +"That is all very fine; suppose one of you should fall on my head," and +went on farther. When she came to Mother Hulda's house she did not feel +afraid, as she knew beforehand of her great teeth, and entered into her +service at once. The first day she put her hand well to the work, and +was industrious, and did everything Mother Hulda bade her, because of +the gold she expected; but the second day she began to be idle, and the +third day still more so, so that she would not get up in the morning. +Neither did she make Mother Hulda's bed as it ought to have been made, +and did not shake it for the feathers to fly about. So that Mother Hulda +soon grew tired of her, and gave her warning, at which the lazy thing +was well pleased, and thought that now the shower of gold was coming; +so Mother Hulda led her to the door, and as she stood in the doorway, +instead of the shower of gold a great kettle full of pitch was emptied +over her. + +"That is the reward for your service," said Mother Hulda, and shut the +door. So the lazy girl came home all covered with pitch, and the cock on +the top of the well seeing her, cried, + + "Cock-a-doodle doo! + Our dirty girl has come home too!" + +And the pitch remained sticking to her fast, and never, as long as she +lived, could it be got off. + + + + +LITTLE RED CAP + + +THERE was once a sweet little maid, much beloved by everybody, but most +of all by her grandmother, who never knew how to make enough of her. +Once she sent her a little cap of red velvet, and as it was very +becoming to her, and she never wore anything else, people called her +Little Red-cap. One day her mother said to her, + +"Come, Little Red-cap, here are some cakes and a flask of wine for you +to take to grandmother; she is weak and ill, and they will do her good. +Make haste and start before it grows hot, and walk properly and nicely, +and don't run, or you might fall and break the flask of wine, and there +would be none left for grandmother. And when you go into her room, don't +forget to say, Good morning, instead of staring about you." + +"I will be sure to take care," said Little Red-cap to her mother, and +gave her hand upon it. Now the grandmother lived away in the wood, +half-an-hour's walk from the village; and when Little Red-cap had +reached the wood, she met the wolf; but as she did not know what a bad +sort of animal he was, she did not feel frightened. + +"Good day, Little Red-cap," said he. + +"Thank you kindly, Wolf," answered she. + +"Where are you going so early, Little Red-cap?" + +"To my grandmother's." + +"What are you carrying under your apron?" + +"Cakes and wine; we baked yesterday; and my grandmother is very weak +and ill, so they will do her good, and strengthen her." + +"Where does your grandmother live, Little Red-cap?" + +"A quarter of an hour's walk from here; her house stands beneath the +three oak trees, and you may know it by the hazel bushes," said Little +Red-cap. The wolf thought to himself, + +"That tender young thing would be a delicious morsel, and would taste +better than the old one; I must manage somehow to get both of them." + +Then he walked by Little Red-cap a little while, and said, + +"Little Red-cap, just look at the pretty flowers that are growing all +round you, and I don't think you are listening to the song of the birds; +you are posting along just as if you were going to school, and it is so +delightful out here in the wood." + +Little Red-cap glanced round her, and when she saw the sunbeams darting +here and there through the trees, and lovely flowers everywhere, she +thought to herself, + +"If I were to take a fresh nosegay to my grandmother she would be very +pleased, and it is so early in the day that I shall reach her in plenty +of time;" and so she ran about in the wood, looking for flowers. And as +she picked one she saw a still prettier one a little farther off, and so +she went farther and farther into the wood. But the wolf went straight +to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door. + +"Who is there?" cried the grandmother. + +"Little Red-cap," he answered, "and I have brought you some cake and +wine. Please open the door." + +"Lift the latch," cried the grandmother; "I am too feeble to get up." + +So the wolf lifted the latch, and the door flew open, and he fell on the +grandmother and ate her up without saying one word. Then he drew on her +clothes, put on her cap, lay down in her bed, and drew the curtains. + +Little Red-cap was all this time running about among the flowers, and +when she had gathered as many as she could hold, she remembered her +grandmother, and set off to go to her. She was surprised to find the +door standing open, and when she came inside she felt very strange, and +thought to herself, + +"Oh dear, how uncomfortable I feel, and I was so glad this morning to go +to my grandmother!" + +And when she said, "Good morning," there was no answer. Then she went up +to the bed and drew back the curtains; there lay the grandmother with +her cap pulled over her eyes, so that she looked very odd. + +"O grandmother, what large ears you have got!" + +"The better to hear with." + +"O grandmother, what great eyes you have got!" + +"The better to see with." + +"O grandmother, what large hands you have got!" + +"The better to take hold of you with." + +"But, grandmother, what a terrible large mouth you have got!" + +"The better to devour you!" And no sooner had the wolf said it than he +made one bound from the bed, and swallowed up poor Little Red-cap. + +Then the wolf, having satisfied his hunger, lay down again in the bed, +went to sleep, and began to snore loudly. The huntsman heard him as he +was passing by the house, and thought, + +"How the old woman snores--I had better see if there is anything the +matter with her." + +Then he went into the room, and walked up to the bed, and saw the wolf +lying there. + +"At last I find you, you old sinner!" said he; "I have been looking for +you a long time." And he made up his mind that the wolf had swallowed +the grandmother whole, and that she might yet be saved. So he did not +fire, but took a pair of shears and began to slit up the wolf's body. +When he made a few snips Little Red-cap appeared, and after a few more +snips she jumped out and cried, "Oh dear, how frightened I have been! it +is so dark inside the wolf." And then out came the old grandmother, +still living and breathing. But Little Red-cap went and quickly fetched +some large stones, with which she filled the wolf's body, so that when +he waked up, and was going to rush away, the stones were so heavy that +he sank down and fell dead. + +They were all three very pleased. The huntsman took off the wolf's skin, +and carried it home. The grandmother ate the cakes, and drank the wine, +and held up her head again, and Little Red-cap said to herself that she +would never more stray about in the wood alone, but would mind what her +mother told her. + +It must also be related how a few days afterwards, when Little Red-cap +was again taking cakes to her grandmother, another wolf spoke to her, +and wanted to tempt her to leave the path; but she was on her guard, and +went straight on her way, and told her grandmother how that the wolf had +met her, and wished her good-day, but had looked so wicked about the +eyes that she thought if it had not been on the high road he would have +devoured her. + +"Come," said the grandmother, "we will shut the door, so that he may not +get in." + +Soon after came the wolf knocking at the door, and calling out, "Open +the door, grandmother, I am Little Red-cap, bringing you cakes." But +they remained still, and did not open the door. After that the wolf +slunk by the house, and got at last upon thereof to wait until Little +Red-cap should return home in the evening; then he meant to spring down +upon her, and devour her in the darkness. But the grandmother discovered +his plot. Now there stood before the house a great stone trough, and the +grandmother said to the child, "Little Red-cap, I was boiling sausages +yesterday, so take the bucket, and carry away the water they were boiled +in, and pour it into the trough." + +And Little Red-cap did so until the great trough was quite full. When +the smell of the sausages reached the nose of the wolf he snuffed it up, +and looked round, and stretched out his neck so far that he lost his +balance and began to slip, and he slipped down off the roof straight +into the great trough, and was drowned. Then Little Red-cap went +cheerfully home, and came to no harm. + + + + +THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS + + +THERE was once an ass whose master had made him carry sacks to the mill +for many a long year, but whose strength began at last to fail, so that +each day as it came found him less capable of work. Then his master +began to think of turning him out, but the ass, guessing that something +was in the wind that boded him no good, ran away, taking the road to +Bremen; for there he thought he might get an engagement as town +musician. When he had gone a little way he found a hound lying by the +side of the road panting, as if he had run a long way. + +"Now, Holdfast, what are you so out of breath about?" said the ass. + +"Oh dear!" said the dog, "now I am old, I get weaker every day, and can +do no good in the hunt, so, as my master was going to have me killed, I +have made my escape; but now, how am I to gain a living?" + +"I will tell you what," said the ass, "I am going to Bremen to become +town musician. You may as well go with me, and take up music too. I can +play the lute, and you can beat the drum." + +And the dog consented, and they walked on together. It was not long +before they came to a cat sitting in the road, looking as dismal as +three wet days. + +"Now then, what is the matter with you, old shaver?" said the ass. + +"I should like to know who would be cheerful when his neck is in +danger?" answered the cat. "Now that I am old my teeth are getting +blunt, and I would rather sit by the oven and purr than run about after +mice, and my mistress wanted to drown me; so I took myself off; but good +advice is scarce, and I do not know what is to become of me." + +"Go with us to Bremen," said the ass, "and become town musician. You +understand serenading." + +The cat thought well of the idea, and went with them accordingly. After +that the three travellers passed by a yard, and a cock was perched on +the gate crowing with all his might. + +"Your cries are enough to pierce bone and marrow," said the ass; "what +is the matter?" + +"I have foretold good weather for Lady-day, so that all the shirts may +be washed and dried; and now on Sunday morning company is coming, and +the mistress has told the cook that I must be made into soup, and this +evening my neck is to be wrung, so that I am crowing with all my might +while I can." + +"You had much better go with us, Chanticleer," said the ass. "We are +going to Bremen. At any rate that will be better than dying. You have a +powerful voice, and when we are all performing together it will have a +very good effect." + +So the cock consented, and they went on all four together. + +But Bremen was too far off to be reached in one day, and towards evening +they came to a wood, where they determined to pass the night. The ass +and the dog lay down under a large tree; the cat got up among the +branches, and the cock flew up to the top, as that was the safest place +for him. Before he went to sleep he looked all round him to the four +points of the compass, and perceived in the distance a little light +shining, and he called out to his companions that there must be a house +not far off, as he could see a light, so the ass said, + +"We had better get up and go there, for these are uncomfortable +quarters." The dog began to fancy a few bones, not quite bare, would do +him good. And they all set off in the direction of the light, and it +grew larger and brighter, until at last it led them to a robber's house, +all lighted up. The ass, being the biggest, went up to the window, and +looked in. + +"Well, what do you see?" asked the dog. + +"What do I see?" answered the ass; "here is a table set out with +splendid eatables and drinkables, and robbers sitting at it and making +themselves very comfortable." + +"That would just suit us," said the cock. + +"Yes, indeed, I wish we were there," said the ass. Then they consulted +together how it should be managed so as to get the robbers out of the +house, and at last they hit on a plan. The ass was to place his forefeet +on the window-sill, the dog was to get on the ass's back, the cat on the +top of the dog, and lastly the cock was to fly up and perch on the cat's +head. When that was done, at a given signal they all began to perform +their music. The ass brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock +crowed; then they burst through into the room, breaking all the panes of +glass. The robbers fled at the dreadful sound; they thought it was some +goblin, and fled to the wood in the utmost terror. Then the four +companions sat down to table, made free with the remains of the meal, +and feasted as if they had been hungry for a month. And when they had +finished they put out the lights, and each sought out a sleeping-place +to suit his nature and habits. The ass laid himself down outside on the +dunghill, the dog behind the door, the cat on the hearth by the warm +ashes, and the cock settled himself in the cockloft, and as they were +all tired with their long journey they soon fell fast asleep. + +When midnight drew near, and the robbers from afar saw that no light was +burning, and that everything appeared quiet, their captain said to them +that he thought that they had run away without reason, telling one of +them to go and reconnoitre. So one of them went, and found everything +quite quiet; he went into the kitchen to strike a light, and taking the +glowing fiery eyes of the cat for burning coals, he held a match to them +in order to kindle it. But the cat, not seeing the joke, flew into his +face, spitting and scratching. Then he cried out in terror, and ran to +get out at the back door, but the dog, who was lying there, ran at him +and bit his leg; and as he was rushing through the yard by the dunghill +the ass struck out and gave him a great kick with his hindfoot; and the +cock, who had been wakened with the noise, and felt quite brisk, cried +out, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" + +Then the robber got back as well as he could to his captain, and said, +"Oh dear! in that house there is a grewsome witch, and I felt her breath +and her long nails in my face; and by the door there stands a man who +stabbed me in the leg with a knife; and in the yard there lies a black +spectre, who beat me with his wooden club; and above, upon the roof, +there sits the justice, who cried, 'Bring that rogue here!' And so I ran +away from the place as fast as I could." + +From that time forward the robbers never ventured to that house, and the +four Bremen town musicians found themselves so well off where they were, +that there they stayed. And the person who last related this tale is +still living, as you see. + + + + +PRUDENT HANS + + +ONE day, Hans's mother said, + +"Where are you going, Hans?" + +Hans answered, + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"Manage well, Hans." + +"All right! Good-bye, mother." + +"Good-bye, Hans." + +Then Hans came to Grethel's. + +"Good morning, Grethel." + +"Good morning, Hans. What have you brought me to-day?" + +"I have brought nothing, but I want something." + +So Grethel gave Hans a needle; and then he said, + +"Good-bye, Grethel," and she said, "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans carried the needle away with him, and stuck it in a hay-cart that +was going along, and he followed it home. + +"Good evening, mother." + +"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"What did you take her?" + +"I took nothing, but I brought away something." + +"What did Grethel give you?" + +"A needle, mother." + +"What did you do with it, Hans?" + +"Stuck it in the hay-cart." + +"That was very stupid of you, Hans. You should have stuck it in your +sleeve." + +"All right, mother! I'll do better next time." + +When next time came, Hans's mother said, + +"Where are you going, Hans?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"Manage well, Hans." + +"All right! Good-bye, mother." + +"Good-bye, Hans." + +Then Hans came to Grethel. + +"Good morning, Grethel." + +"Good morning, Hans. What have you brought me to-day?" + +"I've brought nothing, but I want something." + +So Grethel gave Hans a knife, and then he said, "Good-bye, Grethel," and +she said, "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans took the knife away with him, and stuck it in his sleeve, and went +home. + +"Good evening, mother." + +"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?" + +"To Grethel's." + +"What did you take her?" + +"I took nothing, but I brought away something." + +"What did Grethel give you, Hans?" + +"A knife, mother." + +"What did you do with it, Hans?" + +"Stuck it in my sleeve, mother." + +"That was very stupid of you, Hans. You should have put it in your +pocket." + +"All right, mother! I'll do better next time." + +When next time came, Hans's mother said, + +"Where to, Hans?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"Manage well, Hans." + +"All right! Good-bye, mother." + +"Good-bye, Hans." + +So Hans came to Grethel's. "Good morning, Grethel." + +"Good morning, Hans. What have you brought me to-day?" + +"I've brought nothing, but I want to take away something." + +So Grethel gave Hans a young goat; then he said, + +"Good-bye, Grethel," and she said, "Good-bye, Hans." + +So Hans carried off the goat, and tied its legs together, and put it in +his pocket, and by the time he got home it was suffocated. + +"Good evening, mother." + +"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"What did you take her, Hans?" + +"I took nothing, but I brought away something." + +"What did Grethel give you, Hans?" + +"A goat, mother." + +"What did you do with it, Hans?" + +"Put it in my pocket, mother." + +"That was very stupid of you, Hans. You should have tied a cord round +its neck, and led it home." + +"All right, mother! I'll do better next time." + +Then when next time came, + +"Where to, Hans?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"Manage well, Hans." + +"All right! Good-bye, mother." + +"Good-bye, Hans." + +Then Hans came to Grethel's. + +"Good morning, Grethel." + +"Good morning, Hans. What have you brought me to-day?" + +"I've brought nothing, but I want to take away something." + +So Grethel gave Hans a piece of bacon. Then he said, "Good-bye, +Grethel." + +She said, "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans took the bacon, and tied a string round it, and dragged it after +him on his way home, and the dogs came and ate it up, so that when he +got home he had the string in his hand, and nothing at the other end of +it. + +"Good evening, mother." + +"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"What did you take her, Hans?" + +"I took her nothing, but I brought away something." + +"What did Grethel give you, Hans?" + +"A piece of bacon, mother." + +"What did you do with it, Hans?" + +"I tied a piece of string to it, and led it home, but the dogs ate it, +mother." + +"That was very stupid of you, Hans. You ought to have carried it on your +head." + +"All right! I'll do better next time, mother." + +When next time came, + +"Where to, Hans?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"Manage well, Hans." + +"All right! Good-bye, mother." + +"Good-bye, Hans." + +Then Hans came to Grethel's. + +"Good morning, Grethel." + +"Good morning, Hans. What have you brought me?" + +"I have brought nothing, but I want to take away something." + +So Grethel gave Hans a calf. + +"Good-bye, Grethel." + +"Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans took the calf, and set it on his head, and carried it home, and the +calf scratched his face. + +"Good evening, mother." + +"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"What did you take her?" + +"I took nothing, but I brought away something." + +"What did Grethel give you, Hans?" + +"A calf, mother." + +"What did you do with the calf, Hans?" + +"I carried it home on my head, but it scratched my face." + +"That was very stupid of you, Hans. You ought to have led home the calf, +and tied it to the manger." + +"All right! I'll do better next time, mother." + +When next time came, + +"Where to, Hans?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"Manage well, Hans." + +"All right, mother! Good-bye." + +"Good-bye, Hans." + +Then Hans came to Grethel's. + +"Good morning, Grethel." + +"Good morning, Hans. What have you brought me to-day?" + +"I have brought nothing, but I want to take away something." + +Then Grethel said to Hans, + +"You shall take away me." + +Then Hans took Grethel, and tied a rope round her neck, and led her +home, and fastened her up to the manger, and went to his mother. + +"Good evening, mother." + +"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?" + +"To Grethel's, mother." + +"What did you take her, Hans?" + +"Nothing, mother." + +"What did Grethel give you, Hans?" + +"Nothing but herself, mother." + +"Where have you left Grethel, Hans?" + +"I led her home with a rope, and tied her up to the manger to eat hay, +mother." + +"That was very stupid of you, Hans. You should have cast sheep's eyes at +her." + +"All right, mother! I'll do better next time." + +Then Hans went into the stable, and taking all the eyes out of the +sheep, he threw them in Grethel's face. Then Grethel was angry, and +getting loose, she ran away and became the bride of another. + + + + +CLEVER ELSE + + +THERE was once a man who had a daughter who was called "Clever Else," +and when she was grown up, her father said she must be married, and her +mother said, + +"Yes, if we could only find some one that she would consent to have." + +At last one came from a distance, and his name was Hans, and when he +proposed to her, he made it a condition that Clever Else should be very +careful as well. + +"Oh," said the father, "she does not want for brains." + +"No, indeed," said the mother, "she can see the wind coming up the +street and hear the flies cough." + +"Well," said Hans, "if she does not turn out to be careful too, I will +not have her." + +Now when they were all seated at table, and had well eaten, the mother +said, + +"Else, go into the cellar and draw some beer." + +Then Clever Else took down the jug from the hook in the wall, and as she +was on her way to the cellar she rattled the lid up and down so as to +pass away the time. When she got there, she took a stool and stood it in +front of the cask, so that she need not stoop and make her back ache +with needless trouble. Then she put the jug under the tap and turned it, +and while the beer was running, in order that her eyes should not be +idle, she glanced hither and thither, and finally caught sight of a +pickaxe that the workmen had left sticking in the ceiling just above +her head. Then Clever Else began to cry, for she thought, + +"If I marry Hans, and we have a child, and it grows big, and we send it +into the cellar to draw beer, that pickaxe might fall on his head and +kill him." + +So there she sat and cried with all her might, lamenting the anticipated +misfortune. All the while they were waiting upstairs for something to +drink, and they waited in vain. At last the mistress said to the maid, + +"Go down to the cellar and see why Else does not come." + +So the maid went, and found her sitting in front of the cask crying with +all her might. + +"What are you crying for?" said the maid. + +"Oh dear me," answered she, "how can I help crying? if I marry Hans, and +we have a child, and it grows big, and we send it here to draw beer, +perhaps the pickaxe may fall on its head and kill it." + +"Our Else is clever indeed!" said the maid, and directly sat down to +bewail the anticipated misfortune. After a while, when the people +upstairs found that the maid did not return, and they were becoming more +and more thirsty, the master said to the boy, + +"You go down into the cellar, and see what Else and the maid are doing." + +The boy did so, and there he found both Clever Else and the maid sitting +crying together. Then he asked what was the matter. + +"Oh dear me," said Else, "how can we help crying? if I marry Hans, and +we have a child, and it grows big, and we send it here to draw beer, the +pickaxe might fall on its head and kill it." + +"Our Else is clever indeed!" said the boy, and sitting down beside her, +he began howling with a good will. Upstairs they were all waiting for +him to come back, but as he did not come, the master said to the +mistress, + +"You go down to the cellar and see what Else is doing." + +So the mistress went down and found all three in great lamentations, and +when she asked the cause, then Else told her how the future possible +child might be killed as soon as it was big enough to be sent to draw +beer, by the pickaxe falling on it. Then the mother at once exclaimed, + +"Our Else is clever indeed!" and, sitting down, she wept with the rest. + +Upstairs the husband waited a little while, but as his wife did not +return, and as his thirst constantly increased, he said, + +"I must go down to the cellar myself, and see what has become of Else." +And when he came into the cellar, and found them all sitting and weeping +together, he was told that it was all owing to the child that Else might +possibly have, and the possibility of its being killed by the pickaxe so +happening to fall just at the time the child might be sitting underneath +it drawing beer; and when he heard all this, he cried, + +"How clever is our Else!" and sitting down, he joined his tears to +theirs. + +The intended bridegroom stayed upstairs by himself a long time, but as +nobody came back to him, he thought he would go himself and see what +they were all about. And there he found all five lamenting and crying +most pitifully, each one louder than the other. + +"What misfortune has happened?" cried he. + +"O my dear Hans," said Else, "if we marry and have a child, and it grows +big, and we send it down here to draw beer, perhaps that pickaxe which +has been left sticking up there might fall down on the child's head and +kill it; and how can we help crying at that!" + +"Now," said Hans, "I cannot think that greater sense than that could be +wanted in my household; so as you are so clever, Else, I will have you +for my wife," and taking her by the hand he led her upstairs, and they +had the wedding at once. + +A little while after they were married, Hans said to his wife, + +"I am going out to work, in order to get money; you go into the field +and cut the corn, so that we may have bread." + +"Very well, I will do so, dear Hans," said she. And after Hans was gone +she cooked herself some nice stew, and took it with her into the field. +And when she got there, she said to herself, + +"Now, what shall I do? shall I reap first, or eat first? All right, I +will eat first." Then she ate her fill of stew, and when she could eat +no more, she said to herself, + +"Now, what shall I do? shall I reap first, or sleep first? All right, I +will sleep first." Then she lay down in the corn and went to sleep. And +Hans got home, and waited there a long while, and Else did not come, so +he said to himself, + +"My clever Else is so industrious that she never thinks of coming home +and eating." + +But when evening drew near and still she did not come, Hans set out to +see how much corn she had cut; but she had cut no corn at all, but there +she was lying in it asleep. Then Hans made haste home, and fetched a +bird-net with little bells and threw it over her; and still she went on +sleeping. And he ran home again and locked himself in, and sat him down +on his bench to work. At last, when it was beginning to grow dark, +Clever Else woke, and when she got up and shook herself, the bells +jingled at each movement that she made. Then she grew frightened, and +began to doubt whether she were really Clever Else or not, and said to +herself, + +"Am I, or am I not?" And, not knowing what answer to make, she stood for +a long while considering; at last she thought, + +"I will go home to Hans and ask him if I am I or not; he is sure to +know." + +So she ran up to the door of her house, but it was locked; then she +knocked at the window, and cried, + +"Hans, is Else within?" + +"Yes," answered Hans, "she is in." + +Then she was in a greater fright than ever, and crying, + +"Oh dear, then I am not I," she went to inquire at another door, but the +people hearing the jingling of the bells would not open to her, and she +could get in nowhere. So she ran away beyond the village, and since then +no one has seen her. + + + + +The TABLE, the ASS, and the STICK. + + +THERE was once a tailor who had three sons and one goat. And the goat, +as she nourished them all with her milk, was obliged to have good food, +and so she was led every day down to the willows by the water-side; and +this business the sons did in turn. One day the eldest took the goat to +the churchyard, where the best sprouts are, that she might eat her fill, +and gambol about. + +In the evening, when it was time to go home, he said, + +"Well, goat, have you had enough?" + +The goat answered, + + "I am so full, + I cannot pull + Another blade of grass--ba! baa!" + +"Then come home," said the youth, and fastened a string to her, led her +to her stall, and fastened her up. + +"Now," said the old tailor, "has the goat had her proper food?" + +"Oh," answered the son, "she is so full, she no more can pull." + +But the father, wishing to see for himself, went out to the stall, +stroked his dear goat, and said, + +"My dear goat, are you full?" And the goat answered, + + "How can I be full? + There was nothing to pull, + Though I looked all about me--ba! baa!" + +"What is this that I hear?" cried the tailor, and he ran and called out +to the youth, + +"O you liar, to say that the goat was full, and she has been hungry all +the time!" And in his wrath he took up his yard-measure and drove his +son out of the house with many blows. + +The next day came the turn of the second son, and he found a fine place +in the garden hedge, where there were good green sprouts, and the goat +ate them all up. In the evening, when he came to lead her home, he said, + +"Well, goat, have you had enough?" And the goat answered, + + "I am so full, + I could not pull + Another blade of grass--ba! baa!" + +"Then come home," said the youth, and led her home, and tied her up. + +"Now," said the old tailor, "has the goat had her proper food?" + +"Oh," answered the son, "she is so full, she no more can pull." + +The tailor, not feeling satisfied, went out to the stall, and said, + +"My dear goat, are you really full?" And the goat answered, + + "How can I be full? + There was nothing to pull, + Though I looked all about me--ba! baa!" + +"The good-for-nothing rascal," cried the tailor, "to let the dear +creature go fasting!" and, running back, he chased the youth with his +yard-wand out of the house. + +Then came the turn of the third son, who, meaning to make all sure, +found some shrubs with the finest sprouts possible, and left the goat to +devour them. In the evening, when he came to lead her home, he said, + +"Well, goat, are you full?" And the goat answered, + + "I am so full, + I could not pull + Another blade of grass--ba! baa!" + +"Then come home," said the youth; and he took her to her stall, and +fastened her up. + +"Now," said the old tailor, "has the goat had her proper food?" + +"Oh," answered the son, "she is so full, she no more can pull." + +But the tailor, not trusting his word, went to the goat and said, + +"My dear goat, are you really full?" The malicious animal answered, + + "How can I be full? + There was nothing to pull, + Though I looked all about me--ba! baa!" + +"Oh, the wretches!" cried the tailor. "The one as good-for-nothing and +careless as the other. I will no longer have such fools about me;" and +rushing back, in his wrath he laid about him with his yard-wand, and +belaboured his son's back so unmercifully that he ran away out of the +house. + +So the old tailor was left alone with the goat. The next day he went out +to the stall, and let out the goat, saying, + +"Come, my dear creature, I will take you myself to the willows." + +So he led her by the string, and brought her to the green hedges and +pastures where there was plenty of food to her taste, and saying to her, + +"Now, for once, you can eat to your heart's content," he left her there +till the evening. Then he returned, and said, + +"Well, goat, are you full?" + +She answered, + + "I am so full, + I could not pull, + Another blade of grass--ba! baa!" + +"Then come home," said the tailor, and leading her to her stall, he +fastened her up. + +Before he left her he turned once more, saying, + +"Now then, for once you are full." But the goat actually cried, + + "How can I be full? + There was nothing to pull, + Though I looked all about me--ba! baa!" + +When the tailor heard that he marvelled, and saw at once that his three +sons had been sent away without reason. + +"Wait a minute," cried he, "you ungrateful creature! It is not enough +merely to drive you away--I will teach you to show your face again among +honourable tailors." + +So in haste he went and fetched his razor, and seizing the goat he +shaved her head as smooth as the palm of his hand. And as the +yard-measure was too honourable a weapon, he took the whip and fetched +her such a crack that with many a jump and spring she ran away. + +The tailor felt very sad as he sat alone in his house, and would +willingly have had his sons back again, but no one knew where they had +gone. + +The eldest son, when he was driven from home, apprenticed himself to a +joiner, and he applied himself diligently to his trade, and when the +time came for him to travel his master gave him a little table, nothing +much to look at, and made of common wood; but it had one great quality. +When any one set it down and said, "Table, be covered!" all at once the +good little table had a clean cloth on it, and a plate, and knife, and +fork, and dishes with roast and boiled, and a large glass of red wine +sparkling so as to cheer the heart. The young apprentice thought he was +set up for life, and he went merrily out into the world, and never cared +whether an inn were good or bad, or whether he could get anything to eat +there or not. When he was hungry, it did not matter where he was, +whether in the fields, in the woods, or in a meadow, he set down his +table and said, "Be covered!" and there he was provided with everything +that heart could wish. At last it occurred to him that he would go back +to his father, whose wrath might by this time have subsided, and perhaps +because of the wonderful table he might receive him again gladly. It +happened that one evening during his journey home he came to an inn that +was quite full of guests, who bade him welcome, and asked him to sit +down with them and eat, as otherwise he would have found some difficulty +in getting anything. + +"No," answered the young joiner, "I could not think of depriving you; +you had much better be my guests." + +Then they laughed, and thought he must be joking. But he brought his +little wooden table, and put it in the middle of the room, and said, +"Table, be covered!" Immediately it was set out with food much better +than the landlord had been able to provide, and the good smell of it +greeted the noses of the guests very agreeably. "Fall to, good friends," +said the joiner; and the guests, when they saw how it was, needed no +second asking, but taking up knife and fork fell to valiantly. And what +seemed most wonderful was that when a dish was empty immediately a full +one stood in its place. All the while the landlord stood in a corner, +and watched all that went on. He could not tell what to say about it; +but he thought "such cooking as that would make my inn prosper." The +joiner and his fellowship kept it up very merrily until late at night. +At last they went to sleep, and the young joiner, going to bed, left his +wishing-table standing against the wall. The landlord, however, could +not sleep for thinking of the table, and he remembered that there was in +his lumber room an old table very like it, so he fetched it, and taking +away the joiner's table, he left the other in its place. The next +morning the joiner paid his reckoning, took up the table, not dreaming +that he was carrying off the wrong one, and went on his way. About noon +he reached home, and his father received him with great joy. + +"Now, my dear son, what have you learned?" said he to him. + +"I have learned to be a joiner, father," he answered. + +"That is a good trade," returned the father; "but what have you brought +back with you from your travels?" + +"The best thing I've got, father, is this little table," said he. + +The tailor looked at it on all sides, and said, + +"You have certainly produced no masterpiece. It is a rubbishing old +table." + +"But it is a very wonderful one," answered the son. "When I set it down, +and tell it to be covered, at once the finest meats are standing on it, +and wine so good that it cheers the heart. Let us invite all the friends +and neighbours, that they may feast and enjoy themselves, for the table +will provide enough for all." + +When the company was all assembled, he put his table in the middle of +the room, and said, "Table, be covered!" + +But the table never stirred, and remained just as empty as any other +table that does not understand talking. When the poor joiner saw that +the table remained unfurnished, he felt ashamed to stand there like a +fool. The company laughed at him freely, and were obliged to return +unfilled and uncheered to their houses. The father gathered his pieces +together and returned to his tailoring, and the son went to work under +another master. + +The second son had bound himself apprentice to a miller. And when his +time was up, his master said to him, + +"As you have behaved yourself so well, I will give you an ass of a +remarkable kind: he will draw no cart, and carry no sack." + +"What is the good of him then?" asked the young apprentice. + +"He spits out gold," answered the miller. "If you put a cloth before him +and say, 'Bricklebrit,' out come gold pieces." + +"That is a capital thing," said the apprentice, and, thanking his +master, he went out into the world. Whenever he wanted gold he had only +to say "Bricklebrit" to his ass, and there was a shower of gold pieces, +and so he had no cares as he travelled about. Wherever he came he lived +on the best, and the dearer the better, as his purse was always full. +And when he had been looking about him about the world a long time, he +thought he would go and find out his father, who would perhaps forget +his anger and receive him kindly because of his gold ass. And it +happened that he came to lodge in the same inn where his brother's table +had been exchanged. He was leading his ass in his hand, and the landlord +was for taking the ass from him to tie it up, but the young apprentice +said, + +"Don't trouble yourself, old fellow, I will take him into the stable +myself and tie him up, and then I shall know where to find him." + +The landlord thought this was very strange, and he never supposed that a +man who was accustomed to look after his ass himself could have much to +spend; but when the stranger, feeling in his pocket, took out two gold +pieces and told him to get him something good for supper; the landlord +stared, and ran and fetched the best that could be got. After supper the +guest called the reckoning, and the landlord, wanting to get all the +profit he could, said that it would amount to two gold pieces more. The +apprentice felt in his pocket, but his gold had come to an end. + +"Wait a moment, landlord," said he, "I will go and fetch some money," +and he went out of the room, carrying the table-cloth with him. The +landlord could not tell what to make of it, and, curious to know his +proceedings, slipped after him, and as the guest shut the stable-door, +he peeped in through a knot-hole. Then he saw how the stranger spread +the cloth before the ass, saying, "Bricklebrit," and directly the ass +spat out gold, which rained upon the ground. + +"Dear me," said the landlord, "that is an easy way of getting ducats; a +purse of money like that is no bad thing." + +After that the guest paid his reckoning and went to bed; but the +landlord slipped down to the stable in the middle of the night, led the +gold-ass away, and tied up another ass in his place. The next morning +early the apprentice set forth with his ass, never doubting that it was +the right one. By noon he came to his father's house, who was rejoiced +to see him again, and received him gladly. + +"What trade have you taken up, my son?" asked the father. + +"I am a miller, dear father," answered he. + +"What have you brought home from your travels?" continued the father. + +"Nothing but an ass," answered the son. + +"We have plenty of asses here," said the father. "You had much better +have brought me a nice goat!" + +"Yes," answered the son, "but this is no common ass. When I say, +'Bricklebrit,' the good creature spits out a whole clothful of gold +pieces. Let me call all the neighbours together. I will make rich people +of them all." + +"That will be fine!" said the tailor. "Then I need labour no more at my +needle;" and he rushed out himself and called the neighbours together. +As soon as they were all assembled, the miller called out to them to +make room, and brought in the ass, and spread his cloth before him. + +"Now, pay attention," said he, and cried, "Bricklebrit!" but no gold +pieces came, and that showed that the animal was not more scientific +than any other ass. + +So the poor miller made a long face when he saw that he had been taken +in, and begged pardon of the neighbours, who all went home as poor as +they had come. And there was nothing for it but that the old man must +take to his needle again, and that the young one should take service +with a miller. + +The third brother had bound himself apprentice to a turner; and as +turning is a very ingenious handicraft, it took him a long time to learn +it. His brother told him in a letter how badly things had gone with +them, and how on the last night of their travels the landlord deprived +them of their treasures. When the young turner had learnt his trade, and +was ready to travel, his master, to reward him for his good conduct, +gave him a sack, and told him that there was a stick inside it. + +"I can hang up the sack, and it may be very useful to me," said the +young man. "But what is the good of the stick?" + +"I will tell you," answered the master. "If any one does you any harm, +and you say, 'Stick, out of the sack!' the stick will jump out upon +them, and will belabour them so soundly that they shall not be able to +move or to leave the place for a week, and it will not stop until you +say, 'Stick, into the sack!'" + +The apprentice thanked him, and took up the sack and started on his +travels, and when any one attacked him he would say, "Stick, out of the +sack!" and directly out jumped the stick, and dealt a shower of blows on +the coat or jerkin, and the back beneath, which quickly ended the +affair. One evening the young turner reached the inn where his two +brothers had been taken in. He laid his knapsack on the table, and began +to describe all the wonderful things he had seen in the world. + +"Yes," said he, "you may talk of your self-spreading table, +gold-supplying ass, and so forth; very good things, I do not deny, but +they are nothing in comparison with the treasure that I have acquired +and carry with me in that sack!" + +Then the landlord opened his ears. + +"What in the world can it be?" thought he. "Very likely the sack is full +of precious stones; and I have a perfect right to it, for all good +things come in threes." + +When bedtime came the guest stretched himself on a bench, and put his +sack under his head for a pillow, and the landlord, when he thought the +young man was sound asleep, came, and, stooping down, pulled gently at +the sack, so as to remove it cautiously, and put another in its place. +The turner had only been waiting for this to happen, and just as the +landlord was giving a last courageous pull, he cried, "Stick, out of the +sack!" Out flew the stick directly, and laid to heartily on the +landlord's back; and in vain he begged for mercy; the louder he cried +the harder the stick beat time on his back, until he fell exhausted to +the ground. Then the turner said, + +"If you do not give me the table and the ass directly, this game shall +begin all over again." + +"Oh dear, no!" cried the landlord, quite collapsed; "I will gladly give +it all back again if you will only make this terrible goblin go back +into the sack." + +Then said the young man, "I will be generous instead of just, but +beware!" Then he cried, "Stick, into the sack!" and left him in peace. + +The next morning the turner set out with the table and the ass on his +way home to his father. The tailor was very glad, indeed, to see him +again, and asked him what he had learned abroad. + +"My dear father," answered he, "I am become a turner." + +"A very ingenious handicraft," said the father. "And what have you +brought with you from your travels?" + +"A very valuable thing, dear father," answered the son. "A stick in a +sack!" + +"What!" cried the father. "A stick! The thing is not worth so much +trouble when you can cut one from any tree." + +"But it is not a common stick, dear father," said the young man. "When I +say, 'Stick, out of the bag!' out jumps the stick upon any one who means +harm to me, and makes him dance again, and does not leave off till he +is beaten to the earth, and asks pardon. Just look here, with this stick +I have recovered the table and the ass which the thieving landlord had +taken from my two brothers. Now, let them both be sent for, and bid all +the neighbours too, and they shall eat and drink to their hearts' +content, and I will fill their pockets with gold." + +The old tailor could not quite believe in such a thing, but he called +his sons and all the neighbours together. Then the turner brought in the +ass, opened a cloth before him, and said to his brother, + +"Now, my dear brother, speak to him." And the miller said, +"Bricklebrit!" and immediately the cloth was covered with gold pieces, +until they had all got more than they could carry away. (I tell you this +because it is a pity you were not there.) Then the turner set down the +table, and said, + +"Now, my dear brother, speak to it." And the joiner said, "Table, be +covered!" and directly it was covered, and set forth plentifully with +the richest dishes. Then they held a feast such as had never taken place +in the tailor's house before, and the whole company remained through the +night, merry and content. + +The tailor after that locked up in a cupboard his needle and thread, his +yard-measure and goose, and lived ever after with his three sons in +great joy and splendour. + +But what became of the goat, the unlucky cause of the tailor's sons +being driven out? I will tell you. She felt so ashamed of her bald head +that she ran into a fox's hole and hid herself. When the fox came home +he caught sight of two great eyes staring at him out of the darkness, +and was very frightened and ran away. A bear met him, and seeing that he +looked very disturbed, asked him, + +"What is the matter, brother fox, that you should look like that?" + +"Oh dear," answered the fox, "a grisly beast is sitting in my hole, and +he stared at me with fiery eyes!" + +"We will soon drive him out," said the bear; and went to the hole and +looked in, but when he caught sight of the fiery eyes he likewise felt +great terror seize him, and not wishing to have anything to do with so +grisly a beast, he made off. He was soon met by a bee, who remarked +that he had not a very courageous air, and said to him, + +"Bear, you have a very depressed countenance, what has become of your +high spirit?" + +"You may well ask," answered the bear. "In the fox's hole there sits a +grisly beast with fiery eyes, and we cannot drive him out." + +The bee answered, "I know you despise me, bear. I am a poor feeble +little creature, but I think I can help you." + +So she flew into the fox's hole, and settling on the goat's +smooth-shaven head, stung her so severely that she jumped up, crying, +"Ba-baa!" and ran out like mad into the world; and to this hour no one +knows where she ran to. + + + + +TOM THUMB + + +THERE was once a poor countryman who used to sit in the chimney-corner +all evening and poke the fire, while his wife sat at her spinning-wheel. + +And he used to say, + +"How dull it is without any children about us; our house is so quiet, +and other people's houses so noisy and merry!" + +"Yes," answered his wife, and sighed, "if we could only have one, and +that one ever so little, no bigger than my thumb, how happy I should be! +It would, indeed, be having our heart's desire." + +Now, it happened that after a while the woman had a child who was +perfect in all his limbs, but no bigger than a thumb. Then the parents +said, + +"He is just what we wished for, and we will love him very much," and +they named him according to his stature, "Tom Thumb." And though they +gave him plenty of nourishment, he grew no bigger, but remained exactly +the same size as when he was first born; and he had very good faculties, +and was very quick and prudent, so that all he did prospered. + +One day his father made ready to go into the forest to cut wood, and he +said, as if to himself, + +"Now, I wish there was some one to bring the cart to meet me." + +"O father," cried Tom Thumb, "I can bring the cart, let me alone for +that, and in proper time, too!" + +Then the father laughed, and said, + +"How will you manage that? You are much too little to hold the reins." + +"That has nothing to do with it, father; while my mother goes on with +her spinning I will sit in the horse's ear and tell him where to go." + +"Well," answered the father, "we will try it for once." + +When it was time to set off, the mother went on spinning, after setting +Tom Thumb in the horse's ear; and so he drove off, crying, + +"Gee-up, gee-wo!" + +So the horse went on quite as if his master were driving him, and drew +the waggon along the right road to the wood. + +Now it happened just as they turned a corner, and the little fellow was +calling out "Gee-up!" that two strange men passed by. + +"Look," said one of them, "how is this? There goes a waggon, and the +driver is calling to the horse, and yet he is nowhere to be seen." + +"It is very strange," said the other; "we will follow the waggon, and +see where it belongs." + +And the waggon went right through the wood, up to the place where the +wood had been hewed. When Tom Thumb caught sight of his father, he cried +out, + +"Look, father, here am I with the waggon; now, take me down." + +The father held the horse with his left hand, and with the right he +lifted down his little son out of the horse's ear, and Tom Thumb sat +down on a stump, quite happy and content. When the two strangers saw him +they were struck dumb with wonder. At last one of them, taking the other +aside, said to him, "Look here, the little chap would make our fortune +if we were to show him in the town for money. Suppose we buy him." + +So they went up to the woodcutter, and said, + +"Sell the little man to us; we will take care he shall come to no harm." + +"No," answered the father; "he is the apple of my eye, and not for all +the money in the world would I sell him." + +But Tom Thumb, when he heard what was going on, climbed up by his +father's coat tails, and, perching himself on his shoulder, he whispered +in his ear, + +"Father, you might as well let me go. I will soon come back again." + +Then the father gave him up to the two men for a large piece of money. +They asked him where he would like to sit, + +"Oh, put me on the brim of your hat," said he. "There I can walk about +and view the country, and be in no danger of falling off." + +So they did as he wished, and when Tom Thumb had taken leave of his +father, they set off all together. And they travelled on until it grew +dusk, and the little fellow asked to be set down a little while for a +change, and after some difficulty they consented. So the man took him +down from his hat, and set him in a field by the roadside, and he ran +away directly, and, after creeping about among the furrows, he slipped +suddenly into a mouse-hole, just what he was looking for. + +"Good evening, my masters, you can go home without me!" cried he to +them, laughing. They ran up and felt about with their sticks in the +mouse-hole, but in vain. Tom Thumb crept farther and farther in, and as +it was growing dark, they had to make the best of their way home, full +of vexation, and with empty purses. + +When Tom Thumb found they were gone, he crept out of his hiding-place +underground. + +"It is dangerous work groping about these holes in the darkness," said +he; "I might easily break my neck." + +But by good fortune he came upon an empty snail shell. + +"That's all right," said he. "Now I can get safely through the night;" +and he settled himself down in it. Before he had time to get to sleep, +he heard two men pass by, and one was saying to the other, + +"How can we manage to get hold of the rich parson's gold and silver?" + +"I can tell you how," cried Tom Thumb. + +"How is this?" said one of the thieves, quite frightened, "I hear some +one speak!" + +So they stood still and listened, and Tom Thumb spoke again. + +"Take me with you; I will show you how to do it!" + +"Where are you, then?" asked they. + +"Look about on the ground and notice where the voice comes from," +answered he. + +At last they found him, and lifted him up. + +"You little elf," said they, "how can you help us?" + +"Look here," answered he, "I can easily creep between the iron bars of +the parson's room and hand out to you whatever you would like to have." + +"Very well," said they, "we will try what you can do." + +So when they came to the parsonage-house, Tom Thumb crept into the room, +but cried out with all his might, + +"Will you have all that is here?" So the thieves were terrified, and +said, + +"Do speak more softly, lest any one should be awaked." + +But Tom Thumb made as if he did not hear them, and cried out again, + +"What would you like? will you have all that is here?" so that the cook, +who was sleeping in a room hard by, heard it, and raised herself in bed +and listened. The thieves, however, in their fear of being discovered, +had run back part of the way, but they took courage again, thinking that +it was only a jest of the little fellow's. So they came back and +whispered to him to be serious, and to hand them out something. + +Then Tom Thumb called out once more as loud as he could, + +"Oh yes, I will give it all to you, only put out your hands." + +Then the listening maid heard him distinctly that time, and jumped out +of bed, and burst open the door. The thieves ran off as if the wild +huntsman were behind them; but the maid, as she could see nothing, went +to fetch a light. And when she came back with one, Tom Thumb had taken +himself off, without being seen by her, into the barn; and the maid, +when she had looked in every hole and corner and found nothing, went +back to bed at last, and thought that she must have been dreaming with +her eyes and ears open. + +So Tom Thumb crept among the hay, and found a comfortable nook to sleep +in, where he intended to remain until it was day, and then to go home to +his father and mother. But other things were to befall him; indeed, +there is nothing but trouble and worry in this world! The maid got up +at dawn of day to feed the cows. The first place she went to was the +barn, where she took up an armful of hay, and it happened to be the very +heap in which Tom Thumb lay asleep. And he was so fast asleep, that he +was aware of nothing, and never waked until he was in the mouth of the +cow, who had taken him up with the hay. + +"Oh dear," cried he, "how is it that I have got into a mill!" but he +soon found out where he was, and he had to be very careful not to get +between the cow's teeth, and at last he had to descend into the cow's +stomach. + +"The windows were forgotten when this little room was built," said he, +"and the sunshine cannot get in; there is no light to be had." + +His quarters were in every way unpleasant to him, and, what was the +worst, new hay was constantly coming in, and the space was being filled +up. At last he cried out in his extremity, as loud as he could, + +"No more hay for me! no more hay for me!" + +The maid was then milking the cow, and as she heard a voice, but could +see no one, and as it was the same voice that she had heard in the +night, she was so frightened that she fell off her stool, and spilt the +milk. Then she ran in great haste to her master, crying, + +"Oh, master dear, the cow spoke!" + +"You must be crazy," answered her master, and he went himself to the +cow-house to see what was the matter. No sooner had he put his foot +inside the door, than Tom Thumb cried out again, + +"No more hay for me! no more hay for me!" + +Then the parson himself was frightened, supposing that a bad spirit had +entered into the cow, and he ordered her to be put to death. So she was +killed, but the stomach, where Tom Thumb was lying, was thrown upon a +dunghill. Tom Thumb had great trouble to work his way out of it, and he +had just made a space big enough for his head to go through, when a new +misfortune happened. A hungry wolf ran up and swallowed the whole +stomach at one gulp. But Tom Thumb did not lose courage. "Perhaps," +thought he, "the wolf will listen to reason," and he cried out from the +inside of the wolf, + +"My dear wolf, I can tell you where to get a splendid meal!" + +"Where is it to be had?" asked the wolf. + +"In such and such a house, and you must creep into it through the drain, +and there you will find cakes and bacon and broth, as much as you can +eat," and he described to him His father's house. The wolf needed not to +be told twice. He squeezed himself through the drain in the night, and +feasted in the store-room to his heart's content. When, at last, he was +satisfied, he wanted to go away again, but he had become so big, that to +creep the same way back was impossible. This Tom Thumb had reckoned +upon, and began to make a terrible din inside the wolf, crying and +calling as loud as he could. + +"Will you be quiet?" said the wolf; "you will wake the folks up!" + +"Look here," cried the little man, "you are very well satisfied, and now +I will do something for my own enjoyment," and began again to make all +the noise he could. At last the father and mother were awakened, and +they ran to the room-door and peeped through the chink, and when they +saw a wolf in occupation, they ran and fetched weapons--the man an axe, +and the wife a scythe. + +"Stay behind," said the man, as they entered the room; "when I have +given him a blow, and it does not seem to have killed him, then you must +cut at him with your scythe." + +Then Tom Thumb heard his father's voice, and cried, + +"Dear father, I am here in the wolf's inside." + +Then the father called out full of joy, + +"Thank heaven that we have found our dear child!" and told his wife to +keep the scythe out of the way, lest Tom Thumb should be hurt with it. +Then he drew near and struck the wolf such a blow on the head that he +fell down dead; and then he fetched a knife and a pair of scissors, slit +up the wolf's body, and let out the little fellow. + +"Oh, what anxiety we have felt about you!" said the father. + +"Yes, father, I have seen a good deal of the world, and I am very glad +to breathe fresh air again." + +"And where have you been all this time?" asked his father. + +"Oh, I have been in a mouse-hole and a snail's shell, in a cow's stomach +and a wolf's inside: now, I think, I will stay at home." + +"And we will not part with you for all the kingdoms of the world," cried +the parents, as they kissed and hugged their dear little Tom Thumb. And +they gave him something to eat and drink, and a new suit of clothes, as +his old ones were soiled with travel. + + + + +HOW MRS FOX MARRIED AGAIN + + +FIRST VERSION. + + +THERE was once an old fox with nine tails, who wished to put his wife's +affection to proof, pretended to be dead, and stretched himself under +the bench quite stiff, and never moved a joint, on which Mrs. Fox +retired to her room and locked herself in, while her maid, the cat, +stayed by the kitchen fire and attended to the cooking. + +When it became known that the old fox was dead, some suitors prepared to +come forward, and presently the maid heard some one knocking at the +house door; she went and opened it, and there was a young fox, who said, + + "What is she doing, Miss Cat? + Is she sleeping, or waking, or what is she at?" + +And the cat answered, + + "I am not asleep, I am quite wide awake, + Perhaps you would know what I'm going to make; + I'm melting some butter, and warming some beer, + Will it please you sit down, and partake of my cheer?" + +"Thank you, miss," said the fox. "What is Mrs. Fox doing?" + +The maid answered, + + "She is sitting upstairs in her grief, + And her eyes with her weeping are sore; + From her sorrow she gets no relief, + Now poor old Mr. Fox is no more!" + +"But just tell her, miss, that a young fox has come to woo her." + +"Very well, young master," answered the cat. + +Up went the cat pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat. + +She knocks at the door, rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat! + + "Mrs. Fox, are you there?" + "Yes, yes, pussy dear!" + "There's a suitor below, + Shall I tell him to go?" + +"But what is he like?" asked Mrs. Fox. "Has he nine beautiful tails, +like dear Mr. Fox?" + +"Oh no," answered the cat; "he has only one." + +"Then I won't have him," said Mrs. Fox. + +So the cat went down-stairs, and sent the suitor away. Soon there was +another knock at the door. It was another fox come to woo. He had two +tails, but he met with no better success than the first. Then there +arrived more foxes, one after another, each with one more tail than the +last, but they were all dismissed, until there came one with nine tails +like old Mr. Fox. When the widow heard that she cried, full of joy, to +the cat, + + "Now, open door and window wide, + And turn old Mr. Fox outside." + +But before they could do so, up jumped old Mr. Fox from under the bench, +and cudgelled the whole pack, driving them, with Mrs. Fox, out of the +house. + + +SECOND VERSION. + + +WHEN old Mr. Fox died there came a wolf to woo, and he knocked at the +door, and the cat opened to him; and he made her a bow, and said, + + "Good day, Miss Cat, so brisk and gay, + How is it that alone you stay? + And what is it you cook to-day?" + +The cat answered, + + "Bread so white, and milk so sweet, + Will it please you sit and eat?" + +"Thank you very much, Miss Cat," answered the wolf; "but is Mrs. Fox at +home?" + +Then the cat said, + + "She is sitting upstairs in her grief, + And her eyes with her weeping are sore, + From her sorrow she gets no relief, + Now poor old Mr. Fox is no more!" + +The wolf answered, + + "Won't she take another spouse, + To protect her and her house?" + +Up went the cat, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat. + +She knocks at the door, rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat! + + "Mrs. Fox, are you there?" + "Yes, yes, pussy dear!" + "There's a suitor below, + Shall I tell him to go?" + +But Mrs. Fox asked, "Has the gentleman red breeches and a sharp nose?" + +"No," answered the cat. + +"Then I won't have him," said Mrs. Fox. + +After the wolf was sent away, there came a dog, a stag, a hare, a bear, +a lion, and several other wild animals. But they all of them lacked the +good endowments possessed by the late Mr. Fox, so that the cat had to +send them all away. At last came a young fox. And Mrs. Fox inquired +whether he had red breeches and a sharp nose. + +"Yes, he has," said the cat. + +"Then I will have him," said Mrs. Fox, and bade the cat make ready the +wedding-feast. + + "Now, cat, sweep the parlours and bustle about, + And open the window, turn Mr. Fox out; + Then, if you've a fancy for anything nice, + Just manage to catch for yourself a few mice, + You may eat them alone, + I do not want one." + +So she was married to young Master Fox with much dancing and rejoicing, +and for anything I have heard to the contrary, they may be dancing +still. + + + + +THE ELVES + +(I) + + +THERE was once a shoemaker, who, through no fault of his own, became so +poor that at last he had nothing left but just enough leather to make +one pair of shoes. He cut out the shoes at night, so as to set to work +upon them next morning; and as he had a good conscience, he laid himself +quietly down in his bed, committed himself to heaven, and fell asleep. +In the morning, after he had said his prayers, and was going to get to +work, he found the pair of shoes made and finished, and standing on his +table. He was very much astonished, and could not tell what to think, +and he took the shoes in his hand to examine them more nearly; and they +were so well made that every stitch was in its right place, just as if +they had come from the hand of a master-workman. + +Soon after a purchaser entered, and as the shoes fitted him very well, +he gave more than the usual price for them, so that the shoemaker had +enough money to buy leather for two more pairs of shoes. He cut them out +at night, and intended to set to work the next morning with fresh +spirit; but that was not to be, for when he got up they were already +finished, and a customer even was not lacking, who gave him so much +money that he was able to buy leather enough for four new pairs. Early +next morning he found the four pairs also finished, and so it always +happened; whatever he cut out in the evening was worked up by the +morning, so that he was soon in the way of making a good living, and in +the end became very well to do. + +One night, not long before Christmas, when the shoemaker had finished +cutting out, and before he went to bed, he said to his wife, + +"How would it be if we were to sit up to-night and see who it is that +does us this service?" + +His wife agreed, and set a light to burn. Then they both hid in a corner +of the room, behind some coats that were hanging up, and then they began +to watch. As soon as it was midnight they saw come in two neatly-formed +naked little men, who seated themselves before the shoemaker's table, +and took up the work that was already prepared, and began to stitch, to +pierce, and to hammer so cleverly and quickly with their little fingers +that the shoemaker's eyes could scarcely follow them, so full of wonder +was he. And they never left off until everything was finished and was +standing ready on the table, and then they jumped up and ran off. + +The next morning the shoemaker's wife said to her husband, "Those little +men have made us rich, and we ought to show ourselves grateful. With all +their running about, and having nothing to cover them, they must be very +cold. I'll tell you what; I will make little shirts, coats, waistcoats, +and breeches for them, and knit each of them a pair of stockings, and +you shall make each of them a pair of shoes." + +The husband consented willingly, and at night, when everything was +finished, they laid the gifts together on the table, instead of the +cut-out work, and placed themselves so that they could observe how the +little men would behave. When midnight came, they rushed in, ready to +set to work, but when they found, instead of the pieces of prepared +leather, the neat little garments put ready for them, they stood a +moment in surprise, and then they testified the greatest delight. With +the greatest swiftness they took up the pretty garments and slipped them +on, singing, + + "What spruce and dandy boys are we! + No longer cobblers we will be." + +Then they hopped and danced about, jumping over the chairs and tables, +and at last they danced out at the door. + +From that time they were never seen again; but it always went well with +the shoemaker as long as he lived, and whatever he took in hand +prospered. + + +(II.) + + +THERE was once a poor servant maid, who was very cleanly and +industrious; she swept down the house every day, and put the sweepings +on a great heap by the door. One morning, before she began her work, she +found a letter, and as she could not read, she laid her broom in the +corner, and took the letter to her master and mistress, to see what it +was about; and it was an invitation from the elves, who wished the maid +to come and stand godmother to one of their children. The maid did not +know what to do; and as she was told that no one ought to refuse the +elves anything, she made up her mind to go. So there came three little +elves, who conducted her into the middle of a high mountain, where the +little people lived. Here everything was of a very small size, but more +fine and elegant than can be told. The mother of the child lay in a bed +made of ebony, studded with pearls, the counterpane was embroidered with +gold, the cradle was of ivory, and the bathing-tub of gold. So the maid +stood godmother, and was then for going home, but the elves begged her +to stay at least three more days with them; and so she consented, and +spent the time in mirth and jollity, and the elves seemed very fond of +her. At last, when she was ready to go away, they filled her pockets +full of gold, and led her back again out of the mountain. When she got +back to the house, she was going to begin working again, and took her +broom in her hand; it was still standing in the corner where she had +left it, and began to sweep. Then came up some strangers and asked her +who she was, and what she was doing. And she found that instead of three +days, she had been seven years with the elves in the mountain, and that +during that time her master and mistress had died. + + +(III.) + + +The elves once took a child away from its mother, and left in its place +a changeling with a big head and staring eyes, who did nothing but eat +and drink. The mother in her trouble went to her neighbours and asked +their advice. The neighbours told her to take the changeling into the +kitchen and put it near the hearth, and then to make up the fire, and +boil water in two egg-shells; that would make the changeling laugh, and +if he laughed, it would be all over with him. So the woman did as her +neighbours advised. And when she set the egg-shells of water on the +fire, the changeling said, + + "Though old I be + As forest tree, + Cooking in an egg-shell never did I see!" + +and began to laugh. And directly there came in a crowd of elves bringing +in the right child; and they laid it near the hearth, and carried the +changeling away with them. + + + + +[Illustration: THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM + + "TURN BACK, TURN BACK, THOU PRETTY BRIDE, + WITHIN THIS HOUSE THOU MUST NOT BIDE, + FOR HERE DO EVIL THINGS BETIDE."] + + + + +THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM + + +THERE was once a miller who had a beautiful daughter, and when she was +grown up he became anxious that she should be well married and taken +care of; so he thought, + +"If a decent sort of man comes and asks her in marriage, I will give her +to him." + +Soon after a suitor came forward who seemed very well to do, and as the +miller knew nothing to his disadvantage, he promised him his daughter. +But the girl did not seem to love him as a bride should love her +bridegroom; she had no confidence in him; as often as she saw him or +thought about him, she felt a chill at her heart. One day he said to +her, + +"You are to be my bride, and yet you have never been to see me." + +The girl answered, + +"I do not know where your house is." + +Then he said, + +"My house is a long way in the wood." + +She began to make excuses, and said she could not find the way to it; +but the bridegroom said, + +"You must come and pay me a visit next Sunday; I have already invited +company, and I will strew ashes on the path through the wood, so that +you will be sure to find it." + +When Sunday came, and the girl set out on her way, she felt very uneasy +without knowing exactly why; and she filled both pockets full of peas +and lentils. There were ashes strewed on the path through the wood, +but, nevertheless, at each step she cast to the right and left a few +peas on the ground. So she went on the whole day until she came to the +middle of the wood, where it was the darkest, and there stood a lonely +house, not pleasant in her eyes, for it was dismal and unhomelike. She +walked in, but there was no one there, and the greatest stillness +reigned. Suddenly she heard a voice cry, + + "Turn back, turn back, thou pretty bride, + Within this house thou must not bide, + For here do evil things betide." + +The girl glanced round, and perceived that the voice came from a bird +who was hanging in a cage by the wall. And again it cried, + + "Turn back, turn back, thou pretty bride, + Within this house thou must not bide, + For here do evil things betide." + +Then the pretty bride went on from one room into another through the +whole house, but it was quite empty, and no soul to be found in it. + +At last she reached the cellar, and there sat a very old woman nodding +her head. + +"Can you tell me," said the bride, "if my bridegroom lives here?" + +"Oh, poor child," answered the old woman, "do you know what has happened +to you? You are in a place of cut-throats. You thought you were a bride, +and soon to be married, but death will be your spouse. Look here, I have +a great kettle of water to set on, and when once they have you in their +power they will cut you in pieces without mercy, cook you, and eat you, +for they are cannibals. Unless I have pity on you, and save you, all is +over with you!" + +Then the old woman hid her behind a great cask, where she could not be +seen. + +"Be as still as a mouse," said she; "do not move or go away, or else you +are lost. At night, when the robbers are asleep, we will escape. I have +been waiting a long time for an opportunity." + +No sooner was it settled than the wicked gang entered the house. They +brought another young woman with them, dragging her along, and they +were drunk, and would not listen to her cries and groans. They gave her +wine to drink, three glasses full, one of white wine, one of red, and +one of yellow, and then they cut her in pieces. The poor bride all the +while shaking and trembling when she saw what a fate the robbers had +intended for her. One of them noticed on the little finger of their +victim a golden ring, and as he could not draw it off easily, he took an +axe and chopped it off, but the finger jumped away, and fell behind the +cask on the bride's lap. The robber took up a light to look for it, but +he could not find it. Then said one of the others, + +"Have you looked behind the great cask?" + +But the old woman cried, + +"Come to supper, and leave off looking till to-morrow; the finger cannot +run away." + +Then the robbers said the old woman was right, and they left off +searching, and sat down to eat, and the old woman dropped some sleeping +stuff into their wine, so that before long they stretched themselves on +the cellar floor, sleeping and snoring. When the bride heard that, she +came from behind the cask, and had to make her way among the sleepers +lying all about on the ground, and she felt very much afraid lest she +might awaken any of them. But by good luck she passed through, and the +old woman with her, and they opened the door, and they made all haste to +leave that house of murderers. The wind had carried away the ashes from +the path, but the peas and lentils had budded and sprung up, and the +moonshine upon them showed the way. And they went on through the night, +till in the morning they reached the mill. Then the girl related to her +father all that had happened to her. + +When the wedding-day came, the friends and neighbours assembled, the +miller having invited them, and the bridegroom also appeared. When they +were all seated at table, each one had to tell a story. But the bride +sat still, and said nothing, till at last the bridegroom said to her, + +"Now, sweetheart, do you know no story? Tell us something." + +She answered, + +"I will tell you my dream. I was going alone through a wood, and I came +at last to a house in which there was no living soul, but by the wall +was a bird in a cage, who cried, + + 'Turn back, turn back, thou pretty bride, + Within this house thou must not bide, + For evil things do here betide.' + +"And then again it said it. Sweetheart, the dream is not ended. Then I +went through all the rooms, and they were all empty, and it was so +lonely and wretched. At last I went down into the cellar, and there sat +an old old woman, nodding her head. I asked her if my bridegroom lived +in that house, and she answered, 'Ah, poor child, you have come into a +place of cut-throats; your bridegroom does live here, but he will kill +you and cut you in pieces, and then cook and eat you.' Sweetheart, the +dream is not ended. But the old woman hid me behind a great cask, and no +sooner had she done so than the robbers came home, dragging with them a +young woman, and they gave her to drink wine thrice, white, red, and +yellow. Sweetheart, the dream is not yet ended. And then they killed +her, and cut her in pieces. Sweetheart, my dream is not yet ended. And +one of the robbers saw a gold ring on the finger of the young woman, and +as it was difficult to get off, he took an axe and chopped off the +finger, which jumped upwards, and then fell behind the great cask on my +lap. And here is the finger with the ring!" + +At these words she drew it forth, and showed it to the company. + +The robber, who during the story had grown deadly white, sprang up, and +would have escaped, but the folks held him fast, and delivered him up to +justice. And he and his whole gang were, for their evil deeds, condemned +and executed. + + + + +MR KORBES + + +A COCK and a hen once wanted to go a journey together. So the cock built +a beautiful carriage with four red wheels, and he harnessed four little +mice to it. And the cock and the hen got into it, and were driven off. +Very soon they met a cat, who asked where they were going. The cock +answered, + + "On Mr. Korbes a call to pay, + And that is where we go to-day!" + +"Take me with you," said the cat. + +The cock answered, + +"Very well, only you must sit well back, and then you will not fall +forward." + + "And pray take care + Of my red wheels there; + And wheels be steady, + And mice be ready + On Mr. Korbes a call to pay, + For that is where we go to-day!" + +Then there came up a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, +and lastly a needle, who all got up on the carriage, and were driven +along. But when they came to Mr. Korbes's house he was not at home. So +the mice drew the carriage into the barn, the cock and the hen flew up +and perched on a beam, the cat sat by the fireside, the duck settled on +the water; but the egg wrapped itself in the towel, the pin stuck itself +in the chair cushion, the needle jumped into the bed among the pillows, +and the millstone laid itself by the door. Then Mr. Korbes came home, +and went to the hearth to make a fire, but the cat threw ashes in his +eyes. Then he ran quickly into the kitchen to wash himself, but the duck +splashed water in his face. Then he was going to wipe it with the towel, +but the egg broke in it, and stuck his eyelids together. In order to get +a little peace he sat down in his chair, but the pin ran into him, and, +starting up, in his vexation he threw himself on the bed, but as his +head fell on the pillow, in went the needle, so that he called out with +the pain, and madly rushed out. But when he reached the housedoor the +mill-stone jumped up and struck him dead. + +What a bad man Mr. Korbes must have been! + + + + +TOM THUMB'S TRAVELS + + +THERE was once a tailor who had a son no higher than a thumb, so he was +called Tom Thumb. Notwithstanding his small size, he had plenty of +spirit, and one day he said to his father, + +"Father, go out into the world I must and will." + +"Very well, my son," said the old man, and taking a long darning needle, +he put a knob of sealing-wax on the end, saying, + +"Here is a sword to take with you on your journey." + +Now the little tailor wanted to have one more meal first, and so he +trotted into the kitchen to see what sort of a farewell feast his mother +had cooked for him. It was all ready, and the dish was standing on the +hearth. Then said he, + +"Mother, what is the fare to-day?" + +"You can see for yourself," said the mother. Then Tom Thumb ran to the +hearth and peeped into the dish, but as he stretched his neck too far +over it, the steam caught him and carried him up the chimney. For a time +he floated with the steam about in the air, but at last he sank down to +the ground. Then the little tailor found himself out in the wide world, +and he wandered about, and finally engaged himself to a master tailor, +but the food was not good enough for him. + +"Mistress," said Tom Thumb, "if you do not give us better victuals, I +shall go out early in the morning and write with a piece of chalk on the +house-door, 'Plenty of potatoes to eat, and but little meat; so +good-bye, Mr. Potato.'" + +"What are you after, grasshopper?" said the mistress, and growing angry +she seized a piece of rag to beat him off; but he crept underneath her +thimble, and then peeped at her, and put his tongue out at her. She took +up the thimble, and would have seized him, but he hopped among the rags, +and as the mistress turned them over to find him, he stepped into a +crack in the table. "He-hee! Mistress!" cried he, sticking out his head, +and when she was just going to grasp him, he jumped into the +table-drawer. But in the end she caught him, and drove him out of the +house. + +So he wandered on until he came to a great wood; and there he met a gang +of robbers that were going to rob the king's treasury. When they saw the +little tailor, they thought to themselves, + +"Such a little fellow might easily creep through a key-hole, and serve +instead of a pick-lock." + +"Holloa!" cried one, "you giant Goliath, will you come with us to the +treasure-chamber? you can slip in, and then throw us out the money." + +Tom Thumb considered a little, but at last he consented and went with +them to the treasure-chamber. Then he looked all over the doors above +and below, but there was no crack to be seen; at last he found one broad +enough to let him pass, and he was getting through, when one of the +sentinels that stood before the door saw him, and said to the other, + +"See what an ugly spider is crawling there! I will put an end to him." + +"Let the poor creature alone," said the other, "it has done you no +harm." + +So Tom Thumb got safely through the crack into the treasure-chamber, and +he opened the window beneath which the thieves were standing, and he +threw them out one dollar after another. Just as he had well settled to +the work, he heard the king coming to take a look at his treasure, and +so Tom Thumb had to creep away. The king presently remarked that many +good dollars were wanting, but could not imagine how they could have +been stolen, as the locks and bolts were in good order, and everything +seemed secure. And he went away, saying to the two sentinels, + +"Keep good guard; there is some one after the money." + +When Tom Thumb had set to work anew, they heard the chink, chink of the +money, and hastily rushed in to catch the thief. But the little tailor, +as he heard them coming, was too quick for them, and, hiding in a +corner, he covered himself up with a dollar, so that nothing of him was +to be seen, and then he mocked the sentinels, crying, "Here I am!" They +ran about, and when they came near him, he was soon in another corner +under a dollar, crying, "Here I am!" Then the sentinels ran towards him, +and in a moment he was in a third corner, crying, "Here I am!" In this +way he made fools of them, and dodged them so long about the +treasure-chamber, that they got tired and went away. Then he set to +work, and threw the dollars out of the window, one after the other, till +they were all gone; and when it came to the last, as he flung it with +all his might, he jumped nimbly on it, and flew with it out of the +window. The robbers gave him great praise, saying, + +"You are a most valiant hero; will you be our captain?" + +But Tom Thumb thanked them, and said he would like to see the world +first. Then they divided the spoil; but the little tailor's share was +only one farthing, which was all he was able to carry. + +Then binding his sword to his side, he bid the robbers good day, and +started on his way. He applied to several master tailors, but they would +not have anything to do with him; and at last he hired himself as indoor +servant at an inn. The maid servants took a great dislike to him, for he +used to see everything they did without being seen by them, and he told +the master and mistress about what they took from the plates, and what +they carried away out of the cellar. And they said, "Wait a little, we +will pay you out," and took counsel together to play him some +mischievous trick. Once when one of the maids was mowing the grass in +the garden she saw Tom Thumb jumping about and creeping among the +cabbages, and she mowed him with the grass, tied all together in a +bundle, and threw it to the cows. Among the cows was a big black one, +who swallowed him down, without doing him any harm. But he did not like +his lodging, it was so dark, and there was no candle to be had. When the +cow was being milked, he cried out, + + "Strip, strap, strull, + Will the pail soon be full?" + +But he was not understood because of the noise of the milk. Presently +the landlord came into the stable and said, + +"To-morrow this cow is to be slaughtered." + +At that Tom Thumb felt very terrified; and with his shrillest voice he +cried, + +"Let me out first; I am sitting inside here!" + +The master heard him quite plainly, but could not tell where the voice +came from. + +"Where are you?" asked he. + +"Inside the black one," answered Tom Thumb, but the master, not +understanding the meaning of it all, went away. + +The next morning the cow was slaughtered. Happily, in all the cutting +and slashing he escaped all harm, and he slipped among the sausage-meat. +When the butcher came near to set to work, he cried with all his might, + +"Don't cut so deep, don't cut so deep, I am underneath!" + +But for the sound of the butcher's knife his voice was not heard. Now, +poor Tom Thumb was in great straits, and he had to jump nimbly out of +the way of the knife, and finally he came through with a whole skin. But +he could not get quite away, and he had to let himself remain with the +lumps of fat to be put in a black pudding. His quarters were rather +narrow, and he had to be hung up in the chimney in the smoke, and to +remain there a very long while. At last, when winter came he was taken +down, for the black pudding was to be set before a guest. And when the +landlady cut the black pudding in slices, he had to take great care not +to lift up his head too much, or it might be shaved off at the neck. At +last he saw his opportunity, took courage, and jumped out. + +But as things had gone so badly with him in that house, Tom Thumb did +not mean to stay there, but betook himself again to his wanderings. His +freedom, however, did not last long. In the open fields there came a fox +who snapped him up without thinking. + +"Oh, Mr. Fox," cries Tom Thumb, "here I am sticking in your throat; let +me out again." + +"Very well," answered the fox. "It is true you are no better than +nothing; promise me the hens in your father's yard, then I will let you +go." + +"With all my heart," answered Tom Thumb, "you shall have them all, I +promise you." + +Then the fox let him go, and he ran home. When the father saw his dear +little son again, he gave the fox willingly all the hens that he had. + +"And look, besides, what a fine piece of money I've got for you!" said +Tom Thumb, and handed over the farthing which he had earned in his +wanderings. + +But how, you ask, could they let the fox devour all the poor chicks? + +Why, you silly child, you know that your father would rather have you +than the hens in his yard! + + + + +THE ALMOND TREE + + +A LONG time ago, perhaps as much as two thousand years, there was a rich +man, and he had a beautiful and pious wife, and they loved each other +very much, and they had no children, though they wished greatly for +some, and the wife prayed for one day and night. Now, in the courtyard +in front of their house stood an almond tree; and one day in winter the +wife was standing beneath it, and paring an apple, and as she pared it +she cut her finger, and the blood fell upon the snow. + +"Ah," said the woman, sighing deeply, and looking down at the blood, "if +only I could have a child as red as blood, and as white as snow!" + +[Illustration: THE ALMOND TREE + + "KYWITT, KYWITT, KYWITT, I CRY, + OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BIRD AM I!"] + +And as she said these words, her heart suddenly grew light, and she felt +sure she should have her wish. So she went back to the house, and when a +month had passed the snow was gone; in two months everything was green; +in three months the flowers sprang out of the earth; in four months the +trees were in full leaf, and the branches were thickly entwined; the +little birds began to sing, so that the woods echoed, and the blossoms +fell from the trees; when the fifth month had passed the wife stood +under the almond tree, and it smelt so sweet that her heart leaped +within her, and she fell on her knees for joy; and when the sixth month +had gone, the fruit was thick and fine, and she remained still; and the +seventh month she gathered the almonds, and ate them eagerly, and was +sick and sorrowful; and when the eighth month had passed she called +to her husband, and said, weeping, + +"If I die, bury me under the almond tree." + +Then she was comforted and happy until the ninth month had passed, and +then she bore a child as white as snow and as red as blood, and when she +saw it her joy was so great that she died. + +Her husband buried her under the almond tree, and he wept sore; time +passed, and he became less sad; and after he had grieved a little more +he left off, and then he took another wife. + +His second wife bore him a daughter, and his first wife's child was a +son, as red as blood and as white as snow. Whenever the wife looked at +her daughter she felt great love for her, but whenever she looked at the +little boy, evil thoughts came into her heart, of how she could get all +her husband's money for her daughter, and how the boy stood in the way; +and so she took great hatred to him, and drove him from one corner to +another, and gave him a buffet here and a cuff there, so that the poor +child was always in disgrace; when he came back after school hours there +was no peace for him. + +Once, when the wife went into the room upstairs, her little daughter +followed her, and said, + +"Mother, give me an apple." + +"Yes, my child," said the mother, and gave her a fine apple out of the +chest, and the chest had a great heavy lid with a strong iron lock. + +"Mother," said the little girl, "shall not my brother have one too?" + +That was what the mother expected, and she said, + +"Yes, when he comes back from school." + +And when she saw from the window that he was coming, an evil thought +crossed her mind, and she snatched the apple, and took it from her +little daughter, saying, + +"You shall not have it before your brother." + +Then she threw the apple into the chest, and shut to the lid. Then the +little boy came in at the door, and she said to him in a kind tone, but +with evil looks, + +"My son, will you have an apple?" + +"Mother," said the boy, "how terrible you look! yes, give me an apple!" + +Then she spoke as kindly as before, holding up the cover of the chest, + +"Come here and take out one for yourself." + +And as the boy was stooping over the open chest, crash went the lid +down, so that his head flew off among the red apples. But then the woman +felt great terror, and wondered how she could escape the blame. And she +went to the chest of drawers in her bedroom and took a white +handkerchief out of the nearest drawer, and fitting the head to the +neck, she bound them with the handkerchief, so that nothing should be +seen, and set him on a chair before the door with the apple in his hand. + +Then came little Marjory into the kitchen to her mother, who was +standing before the fire stirring a pot of hot water. + +"Mother," said Marjory, "my brother is sitting before the door and he +has an apple in his hand, and looks very pale; I asked him to give me +the apple, but he did not answer me; it seems very strange." + +"Go again to him," said the mother, "and if he will not answer you, give +him a box on the ear." + +So Marjory went again and said, + +"Brother, give me the apple." + +But as he took no notice, she gave him a box on the ear, and his head +fell off, at which she was greatly terrified, and began to cry and +scream, and ran to her mother, and said, + +"O mother! I have knocked my brother's head off!" and cried and +screamed, and would not cease. + +"O Marjory!" said her mother, "what have you done? but keep quiet, that +no one may see there is anything the matter; it can't be helped now; we +will put him out of the way safely." + +When the father came home and sat down to table, he said, + +"Where is my son?" + +But the mother was filling a great dish full of black broth, and Marjory +was crying bitterly, for she could not refrain. Then the father said +again, + +"Where is my son?" + +"Oh," said the mother, "he is gone into the country to his great-uncle's +to stay for a little while." + +"What should he go for?" said the father, "and without bidding me +good-bye, too!" + +"Oh, he wanted to go so much, and he asked me to let him stay there six +weeks; he will be well taken care of." + +"Dear me," said the father, "I am quite sad about it; it was not right +of him to go without bidding me good-bye." + +With that he began to eat, saying, + +"Marjory, what are you crying for? Your brother will come back some +time." + +After a while he said, + +"Well, wife, the food is very good; give me some more." + +And the more he ate the more he wanted, until he had eaten it all up, +and he threw the bones under the table. Then Marjory went to her chest +of drawers, and took one of her best handkerchiefs from the bottom +drawer, and picked up all the bones from under the table and tied them +up in her handkerchief, and went out at the door crying bitterly. She +laid them in the green grass under the almond tree, and immediately her +heart grew light again, and she wept no more. Then the almond tree began +to wave to and fro, and the boughs drew together and then parted, just +like a clapping of hands for joy; then a cloud rose from the tree, and +in the midst of the cloud there burned a fire, and out of the fire a +beautiful bird arose, and, singing most sweetly, soared high into the +air; and when he had flown away, the almond tree remained as it was +before, but the handkerchief full of bones was gone. Marjory felt quite +glad and light-hearted, just as if her brother were still alive. So she +went back merrily into the house and had her dinner. + +The bird, when it flew away, perched on the roof of a goldsmith's house, +and began to sing, + + "It was my mother who murdered me; + It was my father who ate of me; + It was my sister Marjory + Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound, + And laid them under the almond tree. + Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, + Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +The goldsmith was sitting in his shop making a golden chain, and when he +heard the bird, who was sitting on his roof and singing, he started up +to go and look, and as he passed over his threshold he lost one of his +slippers; and he went into the middle of the street with a slipper on +one foot and only a sock on the other; with his apron on, and the gold +chain in one hand and the pincers in the other; and so he stood in the +sunshine looking up at the bird. + +"Bird," said he, "how beautifully you sing; do sing that piece over +again." + +"No," said the bird, "I do not sing for nothing twice; if you will give +me that gold chain I will sing again." + +"Very well," said the goldsmith, "here is the gold chain; now do as you +said." + +Down came the bird and took the gold chain in his right claw, perched in +front of the goldsmith, and sang, + + "It was my mother who murdered me; + It was my father who ate of me; + It was my sister Marjory + Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound, + And laid them under the almond tree. + Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, + Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +Then the bird flew to a shoemaker's, and perched on his roof, and sang, + + "It was my mother who murdered me; + It was my father who ate of me; + It was my sister Marjory + Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound, + And laid them under the almond tree. + Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, + Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +When the shoemaker heard, he ran out of his door in his shirt sleeves +and looked up at the roof of his house, holding his hand to shade his +eyes from the sun. + +"Bird," said he, "how beautifully you sing!" + +Then he called in at his door, + +"Wife, come out directly; here is a bird singing beautifully; only +listen." + +Then he called his daughter, all his children, and acquaintance, both +young men and maidens, and they came up the street and gazed on the +bird, and saw how beautiful it was with red and green feathers, and +round its throat was as it were gold, and its eyes twinkled in its head +like stars. + +"Bird," said the shoemaker, "do sing that piece over again." + +"No," said the bird, "I may not sing for nothing twice; you must give me +something." + +"Wife," said the man, "go into the shop; on the top shelf stands a pair +of red shoes; bring them here." + +So the wife went and brought the shoes. + +"Now bird," said the man, "sing us that piece again." + +And the bird came down and took the shoes in his left claw, and flew up +again to the roof, and sang, + + "It was my mother who murdered me; + It was my father who ate of me; + It was my sister Marjory + Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound, + And laid them under the almond tree. + Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, + Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +And when he had finished he flew away, with the chain in his right claw +and the shoes in his left claw, and he flew till he reached a mill, and +the mill went "clip-clap, clip-clap, clip-clap." And in the mill sat +twenty millers-men hewing a millstone--"hick-hack, hick-hack, +hick-hack," while the mill was going "clip-clap, clip-clap, clip-clap." +And the bird perched on a linden tree that stood in front of the mill, +and sang, + + "It was my mother who murdered me;" + +Here one of the men looked up. + + "It was my father who ate of me;" + +Then two more looked up and listened. + + "It was my sister Marjory" + +Here four more looked up. + + "Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound," + +Now there were only eight left hewing. + + "And laid them under the almond tree." + +Now only five. + + "Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry," + +Now only one. + + "Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +At length the last one left off, and he only heard the end. + +"Bird," said he, "how beautifully you sing; let me hear it all; sing +that again!" + +"No," said the bird, "I may not sing it twice for nothing; if you will +give me the millstone I will sing it again." + +"Indeed," said the man, "if it belonged to me alone you should have it." + +"All right," said the others, "if he sings again he shall have it." + +Then the bird came down, and all the twenty millers heaved up the stone +with poles--"yo! heave-ho! yo! heave-ho!" and the bird stuck his head +through the hole in the middle, and with the millstone round his neck he +flew up to the tree and sang, + + "It was my mother who murdered me; + It was my father who ate of me; + It was my sister Marjory + Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound, + And laid them under the almond tree. + Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, + Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +And when he had finished, he spread his wings, having in the right claw +the chain, and in the left claw the shoes, and round his neck the +millstone, and he flew away to his father's house. + +In the parlour sat the father, the mother, and Marjory at the table; the +father said, + +"How light-hearted and cheerful I feel." + +"Nay," said the mother, "I feel very low, just as if a great storm were +coming." + +But Marjory sat weeping; and the bird came flying, and perched on the +roof. + +"Oh," said the father, "I feel so joyful, and the sun is shining so +bright; it is as if I were going to meet with an old friend." + +"Nay," said the wife, "I am terrified, my teeth chatter, and there is +fire in my veins," and she tore open her dress to get air; and Marjory +sat in a corner and wept, with her plate before her, until it was quite +full of tears. Then the bird perched on the almond tree, and sang, + + "It was my mother who murdered me;" + +And the mother stopped her ears and hid her eyes, and would neither see +nor hear; nevertheless, the noise of a fearful storm was in her ears, +and in her eyes a quivering and burning as of lightning. + + "It was my father who ate of me;" + +"O mother!" said the father, "there is a beautiful bird singing so +finely, and the sun shines, and everything smells as sweet as cinnamon. + + "It was my sister Marjory" + +Marjory hid her face in her lap and wept, and the father said, + +"I must go out to see the bird." + +"Oh do not go!" said the wife, "I feel as if the house were on fire." + +But the man went out and looked at the bird. + + "Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound, + And laid them under the almond tree. + Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, + Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +With that the bird let fall the gold chain upon his father's neck, and +it fitted him exactly. So he went indoors and said, + +"Look what a beautiful chain the bird has given me." + +Then his wife was so terrified that she fell all along on the floor, and +her cap came off. Then the bird began again to sing, + + "It was my mother who murdered me;" + +"Oh," groaned the mother, "that I were a thousand fathoms under ground, +so as not to be obliged to hear it." + + "It was my father who ate of me;" + +Then the woman lay as if she were dead. + + "It was my sister Marjory" + +"Oh," said Marjory, "I will go out, too, and see if the bird will give +me anything." And so she went. + + "Who all my bones in pieces found; + Them in a handkerchief she bound," + +Then he threw the shoes down to her. + + "And laid them under the almond tree. + Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, + Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" + +And poor Marjory all at once felt happy and joyful, and put on her red +shoes, and danced and jumped for joy. + +"Oh dear," said she, "I felt so sad before I went outside, and now my +heart is so light! He is a charming bird to have given me a pair of red +shoes." + +But the mother's hair stood on end, and looked like flame, and she said, + +"Even if the world is coming to an end, I must go out for a little +relief." + +Just as she came outside the door, crash went the millstone on her head, +and crushed her flat. The father and daughter rushed out, and saw smoke +and flames of fire rise up; but when that had gone by, there stood the +little brother; and he took his father and Marjory by the hand, and they +felt very happy and content, and went indoors, and sat to the table, and +had their dinner. + + + + +OLD SULTAN + + +THERE was once a peasant who owned a faithful dog called Sultan, now +grown so old that he had lost all his teeth, and could lay hold of +nothing. One day the man was standing at the door of his house with his +wife, and he said, + +"I shall kill old Sultan to-morrow; he is of no good any longer." + +His wife felt sorry for the poor dog, and answered, "He has served us +for so many years, and has kept with us so faithfully, he deserves food +and shelter in his old age." + +"Dear me, you do not seem to understand the matter," said the husband; +"he has never a tooth, and no thief would mind him in the least, so I do +not see why he should not be made away with. If he has served us well, +we have given him plenty of good food." + +The poor dog, who was lying stretched out in the sun not far off, heard +all they said, and was very sad to think that the next day would be his +last. He bethought him of his great friend the wolf, and slipped out in +the evening to the wood to see him, and related to him the fate that was +awaiting him. + +"Listen to me, old fellow," said the wolf; "be of good courage, I will +help you in your need. I have thought of a way. Early to-morrow morning +your master is going hay-making with his wife, and they will take their +child with them, so that no one will be left at home. They will be sure +to lay the child in the shade behind the hedge while they are at work; +you must lie by its side, just as if you were watching it. Then I will +come out of the wood and steal away the child; you must rush after me, +as if to save it from me. Then I must let it fall, and you must bring it +back again to its parents, who will think that you have saved it, and +will be much too grateful to do you any harm; on the contrary, you will +be received into full favour, and they will never let you want for +anything again." + +The dog was pleased with the plan, which was carried out accordingly. +When the father saw the wolf running away with his child he cried out, +and when old Sultan brought it back again, he was much pleased with him, +and patted him, saying, + +"Not a hair of him shall be touched; he shall have food and shelter as +long as he lives." And he said to his wife, + +"Go home directly and make some good stew for old Sultan, something that +does not need biting; and get the pillow from my bed for him to lie on." + +From that time old Sultan was made so comfortable that he had nothing +left to wish for. Before long the wolf paid him a visit, to congratulate +him that all had gone so well. + +"But, old fellow," said he, "you must wink at my making off by chance +with a fat sheep of your master's; perhaps one will escape some fine +day." + +"Don't reckon on that," answered the dog; "I cannot consent to it; I +must remain true to my master." + +But the wolf, not supposing it was said in earnest, came sneaking in the +night to carry off the sheep. But the master, who had been warned by the +faithful Sultan of the wolf's intention, was waiting for him, and gave +him a fine hiding with the threshing-flail. So the wolf had to make his +escape, calling out to the dog, + +"You shall pay for this, you traitor!" + +The next morning the wolf sent the wild boar to call out the dog; and to +appoint a meeting in the wood to receive satisfaction from him. Old +Sultan could find no second but a cat with three legs; and as they set +off together, the poor thing went limping along, holding her tail up in +the air. The wolf and his second were already on the spot; when they saw +their antagonists coming, and caught sight of the elevated tail of the +cat, they thought it was a sabre they were bringing with them. And as +the poor thing came limping on three legs, they supposed it was lifting +a big stone to throw at them. This frightened them very much; the wild +boar crept among the leaves, and the wolf clambered up into a tree. And +when the dog and cat came up, they were surprised not to see any one +there. However, the wild boar was not perfectly hidden in the leaves, +and the tips of his ears peeped out. And when the cat caught sight of +one, she thought it was a mouse, and sprang upon it, seizing it with her +teeth. Out leaped the wild boar with a dreadful cry, and ran away +shouting, + +"There is the culprit in the tree!" + +And the dog and the cat looking up caught sight of the wolf, who came +down, quite ashamed of his timidity, and made peace with the dog once +more. + + + + +THE SIX SWANS + + +ONCE on a time a king was hunting in a great wood, and he pursued a wild +animal so eagerly that none of his people could follow him. When evening +came he stood still, and looking round him he found that he had lost his +way; and seeking a path, he found none. Then all at once he saw an old +woman with a nodding head coming up to him; and it was a witch. + +"My good woman," said he, "can you show me the way out of the wood?" + +"Oh yes, my lord king," answered she, "certainly I can; but I must make +a condition, and if you do not fulfil it, you will never get out of the +wood again, but die there of hunger." + +"What is the condition?" asked the king. + +"I have a daughter," said the old woman, "who is as fair as any in the +world, and if you will take her for your bride, and make her queen, I +will show you the way out of the wood." + +The king consented, because of the difficulty he was in, and the old +woman led him into her little house, and there her daughter was sitting +by the fire. + +[Illustration: THE SIX SWANS + + "THE SWANS CAME CLOSE UP TO + HER WITH RUSHING WINGS; & + STOOPED ROUND HER; SO THAT + SHE COULD THROW THE SHIRTS + OVER THEM."] + +She received the king just as if she had been expecting him, and though +he saw that she was very beautiful, she did not please him, and he could +not look at her without an inward shudder. Nevertheless, he took the +maiden before him on his horse, and the old woman showed him the way, +and soon he was in his royal castle again, where the wedding was +held. + +The king had been married before, and his first wife had left seven +children, six boys and one girl, whom he loved better than all the +world, and as he was afraid the step-mother might not behave well to +them, and perhaps would do them some mischief, he took them to a lonely +castle standing in the middle of a wood. There they remained hidden, for +the road to it was so hard to find that the king himself could not have +found it, had it not been for a clew of yarn, possessing wonderful +properties, that a wise woman had given him; when he threw it down +before him, it unrolled itself and showed him the way. And the king went +so often to see his dear children, that the queen was displeased at his +absence; and she became curious and wanted to know what he went out into +the wood for so often alone. She bribed his servants with much money, +and they showed her the secret, and told her of the clew of yarn, which +alone could point out the way; then she gave herself no rest until she +had found out where the king kept the clew, and then she made some +little white silk shirts, and sewed a charm in each, as she had learned +witchcraft of her mother. And once when the king had ridden to the hunt, +she took the little shirts and went into the wood, and the clew of yarn +showed her the way. The children seeing some one in the distance, +thought it was their dear father coming to see them, and came jumping +for joy to meet him. Then the wicked queen threw over each one of the +little shirts, and as soon as the shirts touched their bodies, they were +changed into swans, and flew away through the wood. So the queen went +home very pleased to think she had got rid of her step-children; but the +maiden had not run out with her brothers, and so the queen knew nothing +about her. The next day the king went to see his children, but he found +nobody but his daughter. + +"Where are thy brothers?" asked the king. + +"Ah, dear father," answered she, "they are gone away and have left me +behind," and then she told him how she had seen from her window her +brothers in the guise of swans fly away through the wood, and she showed +him the feathers which they had let fall in the courtyard, and which she +had picked up. The king was grieved, but he never dreamt that it was +the queen who had done this wicked deed, and as he feared lest the +maiden also should be stolen away from him, he wished to take her away +with him. But she was afraid of the step-mother, and begged the king to +let her remain one more night in the castle in the wood. + +Then she said to herself, + +"I must stay here no longer, but go and seek for my brothers." + +And when the night came, she fled away and went straight into the wood. +She went on all that night and the next day, until she could go no +longer for weariness. At last she saw a rude hut, and she went in and +found a room with six little beds in it; she did not dare to lie down in +one, but she crept under one and lay on the hard boards and wished for +night. When it was near the time of sun-setting she heard a rustling +sound, and saw six swans come flying in at the window. They alighted on +the ground, and blew at one another until they had blown all their +feathers off, and then they stripped off their swan-skin as if it had +been a shirt. And the maiden looked at them and knew them for her +brothers, and was very glad, and crept from under the bed. The brothers +were not less glad when their sister appeared, but their joy did not +last long. + +"You must not stay here," said they to her; "this is a robbers' haunt, +and if they were to come and find you here, they would kill you." + +"And cannot you defend me?" asked the little sister. + +"No," answered they, "for we can only get rid of our swan-skins and keep +our human shape every evening for a quarter of an hour, but after that +we must be changed again into swans." + +Their sister wept at hearing this, and said, + +"Can nothing be done to set you free?" + +"Oh no," answered they, "the work would be too hard for you. For six +whole years you would be obliged never to speak or laugh, and make +during that time six little shirts out of aster-flowers. If you were to +let fall a single word before the work was ended, all would be of no +good." + +And just as the brothers had finished telling her this, the quarter of +an hour came to an end, and they changed into swans and flew out of the +window. + +But the maiden made up her mind to set her brothers free, even though it +should cost her her life. She left the hut, and going into the middle of +the wood, she climbed a tree, and there passed the night. The next +morning she set to work and gathered asters and began sewing them +together: as for speaking, there was no one to speak to, and as for +laughing, she had no mind to it; so she sat on and looked at nothing but +her work. When she had been going on like this for a long time, it +happened that the king of that country went a-hunting in the wood, and +some of his huntsmen came up to the tree in which the maiden sat. They +called out to her, saying, "Who art thou?" But she gave no answer. "Come +down," cried they; "we will do thee no harm." But she only shook her +head. And when they tormented her further with questions she threw down +to them her gold necklace, hoping they would be content with that. But +they would not leave off, so she threw down to them her girdle, and when +that was no good, her garters, and one after another everything she had +on and could possibly spare, until she had nothing left but her smock. +But all was no good, the huntsmen would not be put off any longer, and +they climbed the tree, carried the maiden off, and brought her to the +king. The king asked, "Who art thou? What wert thou doing in the tree?" +But she answered nothing. He spoke to her in all the languages he knew, +but she remained dumb: but, being very beautiful, the king inclined to +her, and he felt a great love rise up in his heart towards her; and +casting his mantle round her, he put her before him on his horse and +brought her to his castle. Then he caused rich clothing to be put upon +her, and her beauty shone as bright as the morning, but no word would +she utter. He seated her by his side at table, and her modesty and +gentle mien so pleased him, that he said, + +"This maiden I choose for wife, and no other in all the world," and +accordingly after a few days they were married. + +But the king had a wicked mother, who was displeased with the marriage, +and spoke ill of the young queen. + +"Who knows where the maid can have come from?" said she, "and not able +to speak a word! She is not worthy of a king!" + +After a year had passed, and the queen brought her first child into the +world, the old woman carried it away, and marked the queen's mouth with +blood as she lay sleeping. Then she went to the king and declared that +his wife was an eater of human flesh. The king would not believe such a +thing, and ordered that no one should do her any harm. And the queen +went on quietly sewing the shirts and caring for nothing else. The next +time that a fine boy was born, the wicked step-mother used the same +deceit, but the king would give no credence to her words, for he said, + +"She is too tender and good to do any such thing, and if she were only +not dumb, and could justify herself, then her innocence would be as +clear as day." + +When for the third time the old woman stole away the new-born child and +accused the queen, who was unable to say a word in her defence, the king +could do no other but give her up to justice, and she was sentenced to +suffer death by fire. + +The day on which her sentence was to be carried out was the very last +one of the sixth year of the years during which she had neither spoken +nor laughed, to free her dear brothers from the evil spell. The six +shirts were ready, all except one which wanted the left sleeve. And when +she was led to the pile of wood, she carried the six shirts on her arm, +and when she mounted the pile and the fire was about to be kindled, all +at once she cried out aloud, for there were six swans coming flying +through the air; and she saw that her deliverance was near, and her +heart beat for joy. The swans came close up to her with rushing wings, +and stooped round her, so that she could throw the shirts over them; and +when that had been done the swan-skins fell off them, and her brothers +stood before her in their own bodies quite safe and sound; but as one +shirt wanted the left sleeve, so the youngest brother had a swan's wing +instead of a left arm. They embraced and kissed each other, and the +queen went up to the king, who looked on full of astonishment, and began +to speak to him and to say, + +"Dearest husband, now I may dare to speak and tell you that I am +innocent, and have been falsely accused," and she related to him the +treachery of the step-mother, who had taken away the three children and +hidden them. And she was reconciled to the king with great joy, and the +wicked step-mother was bound to the stake on the pile of wood and burnt +to ashes. + +And the king and queen lived many years with their six brothers in peace +and joy. + + + + +THE SLEEPING BEAUTY + + +IN times past there lived a king and queen, who said to each other every +day of their lives, "Would that we had a child!" and yet they had none. +But it happened once that when the queen was bathing, there came a frog +out of the water, and he squatted on the ground, and said to her, + +"Thy wish shall be fulfilled; before a year has gone by, thou shalt +bring a daughter into the world." + +And as the frog foretold, so it happened; and the queen bore a daughter +so beautiful that the king could not contain himself for joy, and he +ordained a great feast. Not only did he bid to it his relations, +friends, and acquaintances, but also the wise women, that they might be +kind and favourable to the child. There were thirteen of them in his +kingdom, but as he had only provided twelve golden plates for them to +eat from, one of them had to be left out. However, the feast was +celebrated with all splendour; and as it drew to an end, the wise women +stood forward to present to the child their wonderful gifts: one +bestowed virtue, one beauty, a third riches, and so on, whatever there +is in the world to wish for. And when eleven of them had said their say, +in came the uninvited thirteenth, burning to revenge herself, and +without greeting or respect, she cried with a loud voice, + +"In the fifteenth year of her age the princess shall prick herself with +a spindle and shall fall down dead." + +And without speaking one more word she turned away and left the hall. +Every one was terrified at her saying, when the twelfth came forward, +for she had not yet bestowed her gift, and though she could not do away +with the evil prophecy, yet she could soften it, so she said, + +"The princess shall not die, but fall into a deep sleep for a hundred +years." + +Now the king, being desirous of saving his child even from this +misfortune, gave commandment that all the spindles in his kingdom should +be burnt up. + +The maiden grew up, adorned with all the gifts of the wise women; and +she was so lovely, modest, sweet, and kind and clever, that no one who +saw her could help loving her. + +It happened one day, she being already fifteen years old, that the king +and queen rode abroad, and the maiden was left behind alone in the +castle. She wandered about into all the nooks and corners, and into all +the chambers and parlours, as the fancy took her, till at last she came +to an old tower. She climbed the narrow winding stair which led to a +little door, with a rusty key sticking out of the lock; she turned the +key, and the door opened, and there in the little room sat an old woman +with a spindle, diligently spinning her flax. + +"Good day, mother," said the princess, "what are you doing?" + +"I am spinning," answered the old woman, nodding her head. + +"What thing is that that twists round so briskly?" asked the maiden, and +taking the spindle into her hand she began to spin; but no sooner had +she touched it than the evil prophecy was fulfilled, and she pricked her +finger with it. In that very moment she fell back upon the bed that +stood there, and lay in a deep sleep. And this sleep fell upon the whole +castle; the king and queen, who had returned and were in the great hall, +fell fast asleep, and with them the whole court. The horses in their +stalls, the dogs in the yard, the pigeons on the roof, the flies on the +wall, the very fire that flickered on the hearth, became still, and +slept like the rest; and the meat on the spit ceased roasting, and the +cook, who was going to pull the scullion's hair for some mistake he had +made, let him go, and went to sleep. And the wind ceased, and not a leaf +fell from the trees about the castle. + +Then round about that place there grew a hedge of thorns thicker every +year, until at last the whole castle was hidden from view, and nothing +of it could be seen but the vane on the roof. And a rumour went abroad +in all that country of the beautiful sleeping Rosamond, for so was the +princess called; and from time to time many kings' sons came and tried +to force their way through the hedge; but it was impossible for them to +do so, for the thorns held fast together like strong hands, and the +young men were caught by them, and not being able to get free, there +died a lamentable death. + +Many a long year afterwards there came a king's son into that country, +and heard an old man tell how there should be a castle standing behind +the hedge of thorns, and that there a beautiful enchanted princess named +Rosamond had slept for a hundred years, and with her the king and queen, +and the whole court. The old man had been told by his grandfather that +many king's sons had sought to pass the thorn-hedge, but had been caught +and pierced by the thorns, and had died a miserable death. Then said the +young man, "Nevertheless, I do not fear to try; I shall win through and +see the lovely Rosamond." The good old man tried to dissuade him, but he +would not listen to his words. + +For now the hundred years were at an end, and the day had come when +Rosamond should be awakened. When the prince drew near the hedge of +thorns, it was changed into a hedge of beautiful large flowers, which +parted and bent aside to let him pass, and then closed behind him in a +thick hedge. When he reached the castle-yard, he saw the horses and +brindled hunting-dogs lying asleep, and on the roof the pigeons were +sitting with their heads under their wings. And when he came indoors, +the flies on the wall were asleep, the cook in the kitchen had his hand +uplifted to strike the scullion, and the kitchen-maid had the black fowl +on her lap ready to pluck. Then he mounted higher, and saw in the hall +the whole court lying asleep, and above them, on their thrones, slept +the king and the queen. And still he went farther, and all was so quiet +that he could hear his own breathing; and at last he came to the tower, +and went up the winding stair, and opened the door of the little room +where Rosamond lay. And when he saw her looking so lovely in her sleep, +he could not turn away his eyes; and presently he stooped and kissed +her, and she awaked, and opened her eyes, and looked very kindly on him. +And she rose, and they went forth together, and the king and the queen +and whole court waked up, and gazed on each other with great eyes of +wonderment. And the horses in the yard got up and shook themselves, the +hounds sprang up and wagged their tails, the pigeons on the roof drew +their heads from under their wings, looked round, and flew into the +field, the flies on the wall crept on a little farther, the kitchen fire +leapt up and blazed, and cooked the meat, the joint on the spit began to +roast, the cook gave the scullion such a box on the ear that he roared +out, and the maid went on plucking the fowl. + +Then the wedding of the Prince and Rosamond was held with all splendour, +and they lived very happily together until their lives' end. + + + + +KING THRUSHBEARD + + +A KING had a daughter who was beautiful beyond measure, but so proud and +overbearing that none of her suitors were good enough for her; she not +only refused one after the other, but made a laughing-stock of them. +Once the king appointed a great feast, and bade all the marriageable men +to it from far and near. And they were all put in rows, according to +their rank and station; first came the kings, then the princes, the +dukes, the earls, the barons, and lastly the noblemen. The princess was +led in front of the rows, but she had a mocking epithet for each. One +was too fat, "What a tub!" said she. Another too tall, "Long and lean is +ill to be seen," said she. A third too short, "Fat and short, not fit to +court," said she. A fourth was too pale, "A regular death's-head;" a +fifth too red-faced, "A game-cock," she called him. The sixth was not +well-made enough, "Green wood ill dried!" cried she. So every one had +something against him, and she made especially merry over a good king +who was very tall, and whose chin had grown a little peaked. + +"Only look," cried she, laughing, "he has a chin like a thrush's beak." + +And from that time they called him King Thrushbeard. But the old king, +when he saw that his daughter mocked every one, and scorned all the +assembled suitors, swore in his anger that she should have the first +beggar that came to the door for a husband. + +A few days afterwards came a travelling ballad-singer, and sang under +the window in hopes of a small alms. When the king heard of it, he said +that he must come in. And so the ballad-singer entered in his dirty +tattered garments, and sang before the king and his daughter; when he +had done, he asked for a small reward. But the king said, + +"Thy song has so well pleased me, that I will give thee my daughter to +wife." + +The princess was horrified; but the king said, + +"I took an oath to give you to the first beggar that came, and so it +must be done." + +There was no remedy. The priest was fetched, and she had to be married +to the ballad-singer out of hand. When all was done, the king said, + +"Now, as you are a beggar-wife, you can stay no longer in my castle, so +off with you and your husband." + +The beggar-man led her away, and she was obliged to go forth with him on +foot. On the way they came to a great wood, and she asked, + + "Oh, whose is this forest, so thick and so fine?" + +He answered, + + "It is King Thrushbeard's, and might have been thine." + +And she cried, + + "Oh, I was a silly young thing, I'm afeared, + Would I had taken that good King Thrushbeard!" + +Then they passed through a meadow, and she asked, + + "Oh, whose is this meadow, so green and so fine?" + +He answered, + + "It is King Thrushbeard's, and might have been thine." + +And she cried, + + "I was a silly young thing, I'm afeared, + Would I had taken that good King Thrushbeard!" + +Then they passed through a great town, and she asked, + + "Whose is this city, so great and so fine?" + +He answered, + + "Oh, it is King Thrushbeard's, and might have been thine." + +And she cried, + + "I was a silly young thing, I'm afeared, + Would I had taken that good King Thrushbeard!" + +Then said the beggar-man, + +"It does not please me to hear you always wishing for another husband; +am I not good enough for you?" + +At last they came to a very small house, and she said, + + "Oh dear me! what poor little house do I see? + And whose, I would know, may the wretched hole be?" + +The man answered, + +"That is my house and thine, where we must live together." + +She had to stoop before she could go in at the door. + +"Where are the servants?" asked the king's daughter. + +"What servants?" answered the beggar-man, "what you want to have done +you must do yourself. Make a fire quick, and put on water, and cook me +some food; I am very tired." + +But the king's daughter understood nothing about fire-making and +cooking, and the beggar-man had to lend a hand himself in order to +manage it at all. And when they had eaten their poor fare, they went to +bed; but the man called up his wife very early in the morning, in order +to clean the house. For a few days they lived in this indifferent +manner, until they came to the end of their store. + +"Wife," said the man, "this will not do, stopping here and earning +nothing; you must make baskets." + +So he went out and cut willows, and brought them home; and she began to +weave them, but the hard twigs wounded her tender hands. + +"I see this will not do," said the man, "you had better try spinning." + +So she sat her down and tried to spin, but the harsh thread cut her soft +fingers, so that the blood flowed. + +"Look now!" said the man, "you are no good at any sort of work; I made a +bad bargain when I took you. I must see what I can do to make a trade +of pots and earthen vessels; you can sit in the market and offer them +for sale." + +"Oh dear!" thought she, "suppose while I am selling in the market people +belonging to my father's kingdom should see me, how they would mock at +me!" + +But there was no help for it; she had to submit, or else die of hunger. + +The first day all went well; the people bought her wares eagerly, +because she was so beautiful, and gave her whatever she asked, and some +of them gave her the money and left the pots after all behind them. And +they lived on these earnings as long as they lasted; and then the man +bought a number of new pots. So she seated herself in a corner of the +market, and stood the wares before her for sale. All at once a drunken +horse-soldier came plunging by, and rode straight into the midst of her +pots, breaking them into a thousand pieces. She could do nothing for +weeping. + +"Oh dear, what will become of me," cried she; "what will my husband +say?" and she hastened home and told him her misfortune. + +"Who ever heard of such a thing as sitting in the corner of the market +with earthenware pots!" said the man; "now leave off crying; I see you +are not fit for any regular work. I have been asking at your father's +castle if they want a kitchen-maid, and they say they don't mind taking +you; at any rate you will get your victuals free." + +And the king's daughter became a kitchen-maid, to be at the cook's beck +and call, and to do the hardest work. In each of her pockets she +fastened a little pot, and brought home in them whatever was left, and +upon that she and her husband were fed. It happened one day, when the +wedding of the eldest prince was celebrated, the poor woman went +upstairs, and stood by the parlour door to see what was going on. And +when the place was lighted up, and the company arrived, each person +handsomer than the one before, and all was brilliancy and splendour, she +thought on her own fate with a sad heart, and bewailed her former pride +and haughtiness which had brought her so low, and plunged her in so +great poverty. And as the rich and delicate dishes smelling so good were +carried to and fro every now and then, the servants would throw her a +few fragments, which she put in her pockets, intending to take home. +And then the prince himself passed in clothed in silk and velvet, with a +gold chain round his neck. And when he saw the beautiful woman standing +in the doorway, he seized her hand and urged her to dance with him, but +she refused, all trembling, for she saw it was King Thrushbeard, who had +come to court her, whom she had turned away with mocking. It was of no +use her resisting, he drew her into the room; and all at once the band +to which her pockets were fastened broke, and the pots fell out, and the +soup ran about, and the fragments were scattered all round. And when the +people saw that, there was great laughter and mocking, and she felt so +ashamed, that she wished herself a thousand fathoms underground. She +rushed to the door to fly from the place, when a man caught her just on +the steps, and when she looked at him, it was King Thrushbeard again. He +said to her in a kind tone, + +"Do not be afraid, I and the beggar-man with whom you lived in the +wretched little hut are one. For love of you I disguised myself, and it +was I who broke your pots in the guise of a horse-soldier. I did all +that to bring down your proud heart, and to punish your haughtiness, +which caused you to mock at me." Then she wept bitterly, and said, + +"I have done great wrong, and am not worthy to be your wife." + +But he said, + +"Take courage, the evil days are gone over; now let us keep our +wedding-day." + +Then came the ladies-in-waiting and put on her splendid clothing; and +her father came, and the whole court, and wished her joy on her marriage +with King Thrushbeard; and then the merry-making began in good earnest. +I cannot help wishing that you and I could have been there too. + + + + +[Illustration: SNOW-WHITE + + "QUEEN THOU ART OF BEAUTY RARE + BUT SNOW-WHITE LIVING IN THE GLEN, + WITH THE SEVEN LITTLE MEN, + IS A THOUSAND TIMES MORE FAIR."] + + + + +SNOW-WHITE + + +IT was the middle of winter, and the snow-flakes were falling like +feathers from the sky, and a queen sat at her window working, and her +embroidery-frame was of ebony. And as she worked, gazing at times out on +the snow, she pricked her finger, and there fell from it three drops of +blood on the snow. And when she saw how bright and red it looked, she +said to herself, "Oh that I had a child as white as snow, as red as +blood, and as black as the wood of the embroidery frame!" + +Not very long after she had a daughter, with a skin as white as snow, +lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony, and she was named +Snow-white. And when she was born the queen died. + +After a year had gone by the king took another wife, a beautiful woman, +but proud and overbearing, and she could not bear to be surpassed in +beauty by any one. She had a magic looking-glass, and she used to stand +before it, and look in it, and say, + + "Looking-glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest of us all?" + +And the looking-glass would answer, + + "You are fairest of them all." + +And she was contented, for she knew that the looking-glass spoke the +truth. + +Now, Snow-white was growing prettier and prettier, and when she was +seven years old she was as beautiful as day, far more so than the queen +herself. So one day when the queen went to her mirror and said, + + "Looking-glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest of us all?" + +It answered, + + "Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true, + But Snow-white fairer is than you." + +This gave the queen a great shock, and she became yellow and green with +envy, and from that hour her heart turned against Snow-white, and she +hated her. And envy and pride like ill weeds grew in her heart higher +every day, until she had no peace day or night. At last she sent for a +huntsman, and said, + +"Take the child out into the woods, so that I may set eyes on her no +more. You must put her to death, and bring me her heart for a token." + +The huntsman consented, and led her away; but when he drew his cutlass +to pierce Snow-white's innocent heart, she began to weep, and to say, + +"Oh, dear huntsman, do not take my life; I will go away into the wild +wood, and never come home again." + +And as she was so lovely the huntsman had pity on her, and said, + +"Away with you then, poor child;" for he thought the wild animals would +be sure to devour her, and it was as if a stone had been rolled away +from his heart when he spared to put her to death. Just at that moment a +young wild boar came running by, so he caught and killed it, and taking +out its heart, he brought it to the queen for a token. And it was salted +and cooked, and the wicked woman ate it up, thinking that there was an +end of Snow-white. + +Now, when the poor child found herself quite alone in the wild woods, +she felt full of terror, even of the very leaves on the trees, and she +did not know what to do for fright. Then she began to run over the sharp +stones and through the thorn bushes, and the wild beasts after her, but +they did her no harm. She ran as long as her feet would carry her; and +when the evening drew near she came to a little house, and she went +inside to rest. Everything there was very small, but as pretty and clean +as possible. There stood the little table ready laid, and covered with a +white cloth, and seven little plates, and seven knives and forks, and +drinking-cups. By the wall stood seven little beds, side by side, +covered with clean white quilts. Snow-white, being very hungry and +thirsty, ate from each plate a little porridge and bread, and drank out +of each little cup a drop of wine, so as not to finish up one portion +alone. After that she felt so tired that she lay down on one of the +beds, but it did not seem to suit her; one was too long, another too +short, but at last the seventh was quite right; and so she lay down upon +it, committed herself to heaven, and fell asleep. + +When it was quite dark, the masters of the house came home. They were +seven dwarfs, whose occupation was to dig underground among the +mountains. When they had lighted their seven candles, and it was quite +light in the little house, they saw that some one must have been in, as +everything was not in the same order in which they left it. The first +said, + +"Who has been sitting in my little chair?" + +The second said, + +"Who has been eating from my little plate?" + +The third said, + +"Who has been taking my little loaf?" + +The fourth said, + +"Who has been tasting my porridge?" + +The fifth said, + +"Who has been using my little fork?" + +The sixth said, + +"Who has been cutting with my little knife?" + +The seventh said, + +"Who has been drinking from my little cup?" + +Then the first one, looking round, saw a hollow in his bed, and cried, + +"Who has been lying on my bed?" + +And the others came running, and cried, + +"Some one has been on our beds too!" + +But when the seventh looked at his bed, he saw little Snow-white lying +there asleep. Then he told the others, who came running up, crying out +in their astonishment, and holding up their seven little candles to +throw a light upon Snow-white. + +"O goodness! O gracious!" cried they, "what beautiful child is this?" +and were so full of joy to see her that they did not wake her, but let +her sleep on. And the seventh dwarf slept with his comrades, an hour at +a time with each, until the night had passed. + +When it was morning, and Snow-white awoke and saw the seven dwarfs, she +was very frightened; but they seemed quite friendly, and asked her what +her name was, and she told them; and then they asked how she came to be +in their house. And she related to them how her step-mother had wished +her to be put to death, and how the huntsman had spared her life, and +how she had run the whole day long, until at last she had found their +little house. Then the dwarfs said, + +"If you will keep our house for us, and cook, and wash, and make the +beds, and sew and knit, and keep everything tidy and clean, you may stay +with us, and you shall lack nothing." + +"With all my heart," said Snow-white; and so she stayed, and kept the +house in good order. In the morning the dwarfs went to the mountain to +dig for gold; in the evening they came home, and their supper had to be +ready for them. All the day long the maiden was left alone, and the good +little dwarfs warned her, saying, + +"Beware of your step-mother, she will soon know you are here. Let no one +into the house." + +Now the queen, having eaten Snow-white's heart, as she supposed, felt +quite sure that now she was the first and fairest, and so she came to +her mirror, and said, + + "Looking-glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest of us all?" + +And the glass answered, + + "Queen, thou art of beauty rare, + But Snow-white living in the glen + With the seven little men + Is a thousand times more fair." + +Then she was very angry, for the glass always spoke the truth, and she +knew that the huntsman must have deceived her, and that Snow-white must +still be living. And she thought and thought how she could manage to +make an end of her, for as long as she was not the fairest in the land, +envy left her no rest. At last she thought of a plan; she painted her +face and dressed herself like an old pedlar woman, so that no one would +have known her. In this disguise she went across the seven mountains, +until she came to the house of the seven little dwarfs, and she knocked +at the door and cried, + +"Fine wares to sell! fine wares to sell!" + +Snow-white peeped out of the window and cried, + +"Good-day, good woman, what have you to sell?" + +"Good wares, fine wares," answered she, "laces of all colours;" and she +held up a piece that was woven of variegated silk. + +"I need not be afraid of letting in this good woman," thought +Snow-white, and she unbarred the door and bought the pretty lace. + +"What a figure you are, child!" said the old woman, "come and let me +lace you properly for once." + +Snow-white, suspecting nothing, stood up before her, and let her lace +her with the new lace; but the old woman laced so quick and tight that +it took Snow-white's breath away, and she fell down as dead. + +"Now you have done with being the fairest," said the old woman as she +hastened away. + +Not long after that, towards evening, the seven dwarfs came home, and +were terrified to see their dear Snow-white lying on the ground, without +life or motion; they raised her up, and when they saw how tightly she +was laced they cut the lace in two; then she began to draw breath, and +little by little she returned to life. When the dwarfs heard what had +happened they said, + +"The old pedlar woman was no other than the wicked queen; you must +beware of letting any one in when we are not here!" + +And when the wicked woman got home she went to her glass and said, + + "Looking-glass against the wall, + Who is fairest of us all?" + +And it answered as before, + + "Queen, thou art of beauty rare, + But Snow-white living in the glen + With the seven little men + Is a thousand times more fair." + +When she heard that she was so struck with surprise that all the blood +left her heart, for she knew that Snow-white must still be living. + +"But now," said she, "I will think of something that will be her ruin." +And by witchcraft she made a poisoned comb. Then she dressed herself up +to look like another different sort of old woman. So she went across the +seven mountains and came to the house of the seven dwarfs, and knocked +at the door and cried, + +"Good wares to sell! good wares to sell!" + +Snow-white looked out and said, + +"Go away, I must not let anybody in." + +"But you are not forbidden to look," said the old woman, taking out the +poisoned comb and holding it up. It pleased the poor child so much that +she was tempted to open the door; and when the bargain was made the old +woman said, + +"Now, for once your hair shall be properly combed." + +Poor Snow-white, thinking no harm, let the old woman do as she would, +but no sooner was the comb put in her hair than the poison began to +work, and the poor girl fell down senseless. + +"Now, you paragon of beauty," said the wicked woman, "this is the end of +you," and went off. By good luck it was now near evening, and the seven +little dwarfs came home. When they saw Snow-white lying on the ground as +dead, they thought directly that it was the step-mother's doing, and +looked about, found the poisoned comb, and no sooner had they drawn it +out of her hair than Snow-white came to herself, and related all that +had passed. Then they warned her once more to be on her guard, and never +again to let any one in at the door. + +And the queen went home and stood before the looking-glass and said, + + "Looking-glass against the wall, + Who is fairest of us all?" + +And the looking-glass answered as before, + + "Queen, thou art of beauty rare, + But Snow-white living in the glen + With the seven little men + Is a thousand times more fair." + +When she heard the looking-glass speak thus she trembled and shook with +anger. + +"Snow-white shall die," cried she, "though it should cost me my own +life!" And then she went to a secret lonely chamber, where no one was +likely to come, and there she made a poisonous apple. It was beautiful +to look upon, being white with red cheeks, so that any one who should +see it must long for it, but whoever ate even a little bit of it must +die. When the apple was ready she painted her face and clothed herself +like a peasant woman, and went across the seven mountains to where the +seven dwarfs lived. And when she knocked at the door Snow-white put her +head out of the window and said, + +"I dare not let anybody in; the seven dwarfs told me not." + +"All right," answered the woman; "I can easily get rid of my apples +elsewhere. There, I will give you one." + +"No," answered Snow-white, "I dare not take anything." + +"Are you afraid of poison?" said the woman, "look here, I will cut the +apple in two pieces; you shall have the red side, I will have the white +one." + +For the apple was so cunningly made, that all the poison was in the rosy +half of it. Snow-white longed for the beautiful apple, and as she saw +the peasant woman eating a piece of it she could no longer refrain, but +stretched out her hand and took the poisoned half. But no sooner had she +taken a morsel of it into her mouth than she fell to the earth as dead. +And the queen, casting on her a terrible glance, laughed aloud and +cried, + +"As white as snow, as red as blood, as black as ebony! this time the +dwarfs will not be able to bring you to life again." + +And when she went home and asked the looking-glass, + + "Looking-glass against the wall, + Who is fairest of us all?" + +at last it answered, + +"You are the fairest now of all." + +Then her envious heart had peace, as much as an envious heart can have. + +The dwarfs, when they came home in the evening, found Snow-white lying +on the ground, and there came no breath out of her mouth, and she was +dead. They lifted her up, sought if anything poisonous was to be found, +cut her laces, combed her hair, washed her with water and wine, but all +was of no avail, the poor child was dead, and remained dead. Then they +laid her on a bier, and sat all seven of them round it, and wept and +lamented three whole days. And then they would have buried her, but that +she looked still as if she were living, with her beautiful blooming +cheeks. So they said, + +"We cannot hide her away in the black ground." And they had made a +coffin of clear glass, so as to be looked into from all sides, and they +laid her in it, and wrote in golden letters upon it her name, and that +she was a king's daughter. Then they set the coffin out upon the +mountain, and one of them always remained by it to watch. And the birds +came too, and mourned for Snow-white, first an owl, then a raven, and +lastly, a dove. + +Now, for a long while Snow-white lay in the coffin and never changed, +but looked as if she were asleep, for she was still as white as snow, +as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony. It happened, +however, that one day a king's son rode through the wood and up to the +dwarfs' house, which was near it. He saw on the mountain the coffin, and +beautiful Snow-white within it, and he read what was written in golden +letters upon it. Then he said to the dwarfs, + +"Let me have the coffin, and I will give you whatever you like to ask +for it." + +But the dwarfs told him that they could not part with it for all the +gold in the world. But he said, + +"I beseech you to give it me, for I cannot live without looking upon +Snow-white; if you consent I will bring you to great honour, and care +for you as if you were my brethren." + +When he so spoke the good little dwarfs had pity upon him and gave him +the coffin, and the king's son called his servants and bid them carry it +away on their shoulders. Now it happened that as they were going along +they stumbled over a bush, and with the shaking the bit of poisoned +apple flew out of her throat. It was not long before she opened her +eyes, threw up the cover of the coffin, and sat up, alive and well. + +"Oh dear! where am I?" cried she. The king's son answered, full of joy, +"You are near me," and, relating all that had happened, he said, + +"I would rather have you than anything in the world; come with me to my +father's castle and you shall be my bride." + +And Snow-white was kind, and went with him, and their wedding was held +with pomp and great splendour. + +But Snow-white's wicked step-mother was also bidden to the feast, and +when she had dressed herself in beautiful clothes she went to her +looking-glass and said, + + "Looking-glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest of us all?" + +The looking-glass answered, + + "O Queen, although you are of beauty rare, + The young bride is a thousand times more fair." + +Then she railed and cursed, and was beside herself with disappointment +and anger. First she thought she would not go to the wedding; but then +she felt she should have no peace until she went and saw the bride. And +when she saw her she knew her for Snow-white, and could not stir from +the place for anger and terror. For they had ready red-hot iron shoes, +in which she had to dance until she fell down dead. + + + + +The KNAPSACK, the HAT, and the HORN + + +ONCE there were three brothers, and they grew poorer and poorer, until +at last their need was so great that they had nothing left to bite or to +break. Then they said, "This will not do; we had better go out into the +world and seek our fortune." + +So they set out, and went some distance through many green fields, but +they met with no good fortune. One day they came to a great wood, in the +midst of which was a hill, and when they came near to it, they saw that +it was all of silver. Then said the eldest, + +"Now here is good fortune enough for me, and I desire no better." + +And he took of the silver as much as he could carry, turned round, and +went back home. But the other two said, + +"We must have something better than mere silver," and they would not +touch it, but went on farther. After they had gone on a few days longer, +they came to a hill that was all of gold. The second brother stood still +and considered, and was uncertain. + +"What shall I do?" said he; "shall I take of the gold enough to last me +my life, or shall I go farther?" + +At last, coming to a conclusion, he filled his pockets as full as they +would hold, bid good-bye to his brother, and went home. But the third +brother said to himself, + +"Silver and gold do not tempt me; I will not gainsay fortune, who has +better things in store for me." + +So he went on, and when he had journeyed for three days, he came to a +wood still greater than the former ones, so that there was no end to it; +and in it he found nothing to eat or to drink, so that he was nearly +starving. He got up into a high tree, so as to see how far the wood +reached, but as far as his eyes could see, there was nothing but the +tops of the trees. And as he got down from the tree, hunger pressed him +sore, and he thought, + +"Oh that for once I could have a good meal!" + +And when he reached the ground he saw to his surprise a table beneath +the tree richly spread with food, and that smoked before him. + +"This time at least," said he, "I have my wish," and without stopping to +ask who had brought the meal there, and who had cooked it, he came close +to the table and ate with relish, until his hunger was appeased. When he +had finished, he thought, + +"It would be a pity to leave such a good table-cloth behind in the +wood," so he folded it up neatly and pocketed it. Then he walked on, and +in the evening, when hunger again seized him, he thought he would put +the table-cloth to the proof, and he brought it out and said, + +"Now I desire that thou shouldst be spread with a good meal," and no +sooner were the words out of his mouth, than there stood on it as many +dishes of delicious food as there was room for. + +"Now that I see," said he, "what sort of a cook thou art, I hold thee +dearer than the mountains of silver and of gold," for he perceived that +it was a wishing-cloth. Still he was not satisfied to settle down at +home with only a wishing-cloth, so he determined to wander farther +through the world and seek his fortune. One evening, in a lonely wood, +he came upon a begrimed charcoal-burner at his furnace, who had put some +potatoes to roast for his supper. + +"Good evening, my black fellow," said he, "how do you get on in this +lonely spot?" + +"One day is like another," answered the charcoal-burner: "every evening +I have potatoes; have you a mind to be my guest?" + +"Many thanks," answered the traveller, "I will not deprive you; you did +not expect a guest; but if you do not object, you shall be the one to be +invited." + +"How can that be managed?" said the charcoal-burner; "I see that you +have nothing with you, and if you were to walk two hours in any +direction, you would meet with no one to give you anything." + +"For all that," answered he, "there shall be a feast so good, that you +have never tasted the like." + +Then he took out the table-cloth from his knapsack, and spreading it on +the ground, said, + +"Cloth, be covered," and immediately there appeared boiled and roast +meat, quite hot, as if it had just come from the kitchen. The +charcoal-burner stared, but did not stay to be asked twice, and fell to, +filling his black mouth with ever bigger and bigger pieces. When they +had finished eating, the charcoal-burner smiled, and said, + +"Look here, I approve of your table-cloth; it would not be a bad thing +for me to have here in the wood, where the cooking is not first-rate. I +will strike a bargain with you. There hangs a soldier's knapsack in the +corner, which looks old and unsightly, but it has wonderful qualities; +as I have no further occasion for it, I will give it to you in exchange +for the table-cloth." + +"First, I must know what these wonderful qualities are," returned the +other. + +"I will tell you," answered the charcoal-burner; "if you strike it with +your hand, there will appear a corporal and six men with swords and +muskets, and whatever you wish to have done, that will they do." + +"Well, for my part," said the other, "I am quite willing to make the +exchange." And he gave the table-cloth to the charcoal-burner, took down +the knapsack from its hook, slung it over his shoulder, and took his +leave. Before he had gone far he began to want to make a trial of his +wonderful knapsack, so he struck it a blow. At once seven soldiers +appeared before him, and the corporal said, + +"What does my lord and master please to want?" + +"March in haste to the charcoal-burner and demand my wishing-cloth +back," said the man. They wheeled round to the left, and were not long +before they had accomplished his desire, and taken away, without wasting +many words, the wishing-cloth from the charcoal-burner. Having dismissed +them, he wandered on, expecting still more wonderful luck. About sunset +he fell in with another charcoal-burner, who was getting his supper +ready at the fire. + +"Will you join me?" said this black fellow; "potatoes and salt, without +butter; sit down to it with me." + +"No," answered he, "this time you shall be my guest." And he spread out +his table-cloth, and it was directly covered with the most delicious +victuals. So they ate and drank together and were merry. After the meal +was over the charcoal-burner said, + +"Over there, on the bench, lies an old worn-out hat, which has wonderful +properties: if you put it on and draw it well over your head it is as if +a dozen field-pieces went off, one after the other, shooting everything +down, so that no one can stand against them. This hat is of no use to +me, and I will give it to you in exchange for the table-cloth." + +"All right," answered the other, taking the hat and carrying it off, and +leaving the table-cloth behind him. Before he had gone far he struck +upon the knapsack, and summoned his soldiers to fetch back the +table-cloth again. + +"First one thing, and then another," thought he, "just as if my luck +were never to end." And so it seemed, for at the end of another day's +journey he came up to another charcoal-burner, who was roasting his +potatoes just like the others. He invited him to eat with him off his +wishing-cloth, to which the charcoal-burner took such a fancy, that he +gave him for it a horn, which had different properties still from the +hat. If a man blew on it down fell all walls and fortresses, and finally +towns and villages in heaps. So the man gave the table-cloth in exchange +for it to the charcoal-burner, afterwards sending his men to fetch it +back, so that at last he had in his possession knapsack, hat, and horn, +all at one time. + +"Now," said he, "I am a made man, and it is time to go home again and +see how my brothers are faring." + +When he reached home he found that his brothers had built themselves a +fine house with their silver and gold, and lived in clover. He went to +see them, but because he wore a half-worn-out coat, a shabby hat, and +the old knapsack on his back, they would not recognise him as their +brother. They mocked him and said, + +"It is of no use your giving yourself out to be our brother; he who +scorned silver and gold, seeking for better fortune, will return in +great splendour, as a mighty king, not as a beggar-man." And they drove +him from their door. Then he flew into a great rage, and struck upon his +knapsack until a hundred and fifty men stood before him, rank and file. +He ordered them to surround his brothers' house, and that two of them +should take hazel-rods, and should beat the brothers until they knew who +he was. And there arose a terrible noise; the people ran together and +wished to rescue the brothers in their extremity, but they could do +nothing against the soldiers. It happened at last that the king of the +country heard of it, and he was indignant, and sent a captain with his +troops to drive the disturber of the peace out of the town: but the man +with his knapsack soon assembled a greater company, who beat back the +captain and his people, sending them off with bleeding noses. Then the +king said, + +"This vagabond fellow must be put down," and he sent the next day a +larger company against him, but they could do nothing: for he assembled +more men than ever, and in order to bring them more quickly, he pulled +his hat twice lower over his brows; then the heavy guns came into play, +and the king's people were beaten and put to flight. + +"Now," said he, "I shall not make peace until the king gives me his +daughter to wife, and lets me rule the whole kingdom in his name." + +This he caused to be told to the king, who said to his daughter, + +"This is a hard nut to crack; there is no choice but for me to do as he +asks; if I wish to have peace and keep the crown on my head, I must give +in to him." + +So the wedding took place, but the king's daughter was angry that the +bridegroom should be a common man, who wore a shabby hat, and carried an +old knapsack. She wished very much to get rid of him, and thought day +and night how to manage it. Then it struck her that perhaps all his +wonder-working power lay in the knapsack, and she pretended to be very +fond of him, and when she had brought him into a good humour she +said,--"Pray lay aside that ugly knapsack; it misbecomes you so much +that I feel ashamed of you." + +"My dear child," answered he, "this knapsack is my greatest treasure; so +long as I keep it I need not fear anything in the whole world," and then +he showed her with what wonderful qualities it was endowed. Then she +fell on his neck as if she would have kissed him, but, by a clever +trick, she slipped the knapsack over his shoulder and ran away with it. +As soon as she was alone she struck upon it and summoned the soldiers, +and bade them seize her husband and bring him to the king's palace. They +obeyed, and the false woman had many more to follow behind, so as to be +ready to drive him out of the country. He would have been quite done for +if he had not still kept the hat. As soon as he could get his hands free +he pulled it twice forward on his head; and then the cannon began to +thunder and beat all down, till at last the king's daughter had to come +and to beg pardon. And as she so movingly prayed and promised to behave +better, he raised her up and made peace with her. Then she grew very +kind to him, and seemed to love him very much, and he grew so deluded, +that one day he confided to her that even if he were deprived of his +knapsack nothing could be done against him as long as he should keep the +old hat. And when she knew the secret she waited until he had gone to +sleep; then she carried off the hat, and had him driven out into the +streets. Still the horn remained to him, and in great wrath he blew a +great blast upon it, and down came walls and fortresses, towns and +villages, and buried the king and his daughter among their ruins. If he +had not set down the horn when he did, and if he had blown a little +longer, all the houses would have tumbled down, and there would not have +been left one stone upon another. After this no one dared to withstand +him, and he made himself king over the whole country. + + + + +RUMPELSTILTSKIN + + +THERE was once a miller who was poor, but he had one beautiful daughter. +It happened one day that he came to speak with the king, and, to give +himself consequence, he told him that he had a daughter who could spin +gold out of straw. The king said to the miller, + +"That is an art that pleases me well; if thy daughter is as clever as +you say, bring her to my castle to-morrow, that I may put her to the +proof." + +When the girl was brought to him, he led her into a room that was quite +full of straw, and gave her a wheel and spindle, and said, + +"Now set to work, and if by the early morning thou hast not spun this +straw to gold thou shalt die." And he shut the door himself, and left +her there alone. + +And so the poor miller's daughter was left there sitting, and could not +think what to do for her life; she had no notion how to set to work to +spin gold from straw, and her distress grew so great that she began to +weep. Then all at once the door opened, and in came a little man, who +said, + +"Good evening, miller's daughter; why are you crying?" + +"Oh!" answered the girl, "I have got to spin gold out of straw, and I +don't understand the business." + +Then the little man said, + +"What will you give me if I spin it for you?" + +"My necklace," said the girl. + +The little man took the necklace, seated himself before the wheel, and +whirr, whirr, whirr! three times round and the bobbin was full; then he +took up another, and whirr, whirr, whirr! three times round, and that +was full; and so he went on till the morning, when all the straw had +been spun, and all the bobbins were full of gold. At sunrise came the +king, and when he saw the gold he was astonished and very much rejoiced, +for he was very avaricious. He had the miller's daughter taken into +another room filled with straw, much bigger than the last, and told her +that as she valued her life she must spin it all in one night. The girl +did not know what to do, so she began to cry, and then the door opened, +and the little man appeared and said, + +"What will you give me if I spin all this straw into gold?" + +"The ring from my finger," answered the girl. + +So the little man took the ring, and began again to send the wheel +whirring round, and by the next morning all the straw was spun into +glistening gold. The king was rejoiced beyond measure at the sight, but +as he could never have enough of gold, he had the miller's daughter +taken into a still larger room full of straw, and said, + +"This, too, must be spun in one night, and if you accomplish it you +shall be my wife." For he thought, "Although she is but a miller's +daughter, I am not likely to find any one richer in the whole world." + +As soon as the girl was left alone, the little man appeared for the +third time and said, + +"What will you give me if I spin the straw for you this time?" + +"I have nothing left to give," answered the girl. + +"Then you must promise me the first child you have after you are queen," +said the little man. + +"But who knows whether that will happen?" thought the girl; but as she +did not know what else to do in her necessity, she promised the little +man what he desired, upon which he began to spin, until all the straw +was gold. And when in the morning the king came and found all done +according to his wish, he caused the wedding to be held at once, and the +miller's pretty daughter became a queen. + +In a year's time she brought a fine child into the world, and thought +no more of the little man; but one day he came suddenly into her room, +and said, + +"Now give me what you promised me." + +The queen was terrified greatly, and offered the little man all the +riches of the kingdom if he would only leave the child; but the little +man said, + +"No, I would rather have something living than all the treasures of the +world." + +Then the queen began to lament and to weep, so that the little man had +pity upon her. + +"I will give you three days," said he, "and if at the end of that time +you cannot tell my name, you must give up the child to me." + +Then the queen spent the whole night in thinking over all the names that +she had ever heard, and sent a messenger through the land to ask far and +wide for all the names that could be found. And when the little man came +next day, (beginning with Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar) she repeated all +she knew, and went through the whole list, but after each the little man +said, + +"That is not my name." + +The second day the queen sent to inquire of all the neighbours what the +servants were called, and told the little man all the most unusual and +singular names, saying, + +"Perhaps you are called Roast-ribs, or Sheepshanks, or Spindleshanks?" +But he answered nothing but + +"That is not my name." + +The third day the messenger came back again, and said, + +"I have not been able to find one single new name; but as I passed +through the woods I came to a high hill, and near it was a little house, +and before the house burned a fire, and round the fire danced a comical +little man, and he hopped on one leg and cried, + + "To-day do I bake, to-morrow I brew, + The day after that the queen's child comes in; + And oh! I am glad that nobody knew + That the name I am called is Rumpelstiltskin!" + +You cannot think how pleased the queen was to hear that name, and soon +afterwards, when the little man walked in and said, "Now, Mrs. Queen, +what is my name?" she said at first, + +"Are you called Jack?" + +"No," answered he. + +"Are you called Harry?" she asked again. + +"No," answered he. And then she said, + +"Then perhaps your name is Rumpelstiltskin!" + +"The devil told you that! the devil told you that!" cried the little +man, and in his anger he stamped with his right foot so hard that it +went into the ground above his knee; then he seized his left foot with +both his hands in such a fury that he split in two, and there was an end +of him. + + + + +ROLAND + + +THERE was once a woman who was a witch, and she had two daughters, one +ugly and wicked, whom she loved the best, because she was her very own +daughter, and one pretty and good, whom she hated because she was her +step-daughter. One day the step-daughter put on a pretty apron, which +the other daughter liked so much that she became envious, and said to +her mother that she must and should have the apron. + +"Be content, my child," said the old woman, "thou shalt have it. Thy +step-sister has long deserved death, and to-night, while she is asleep, +I shall come and cut off her head. Take care to lie at the farthest side +of the bed, and push her to the outside." + +And it would have been all over with the poor girl, if she had not been +standing in a corner near and heard it all. She did not dare to go +outside the door the whole day long, and when bed-time came the other +one got into bed first, so as to lie on the farthest side; but when she +had gone to sleep, the step-daughter pushed her towards the outside, and +took the inside place next the wall. In the night the old woman came +sneaking; in her right hand she held an axe, and with her left she felt +for the one who was lying outside, and then she heaved up the axe with +both hands, and hewed the head off her only daughter. + +When she had gone away, the other girl got up and went to her +sweetheart's, who was called Roland, and knocked at his door. When he +came to her, she said, + +"Listen, dear Roland, we must flee away in all haste; my step-mother +meant to put me to death, but she has killed her only child instead. +When the day breaks, and she sees what she has done, we are lost." + +"But I advise you," said Roland, "to bring away her magic wand with you; +otherwise we cannot escape her when she comes after to overtake us." So +the maiden fetched the magic wand, and she took up the head of her +step-sister and let drop three drops of blood on the ground,--one by the +bed, one in the kitchen, and one on the steps. Then she hastened back to +her sweetheart. + +When the old witch got up in the morning, she called out to her +daughter, to give her the apron, but no daughter came. Then she cried +out, "Where art thou?" + +"Here, at the steps, sweeping!" answered one of the drops of blood. + +The old woman went out, but she saw nobody at the steps, and cried +again, "Where art thou?" + +"Here in the kitchen warming myself," cried the second drop of blood. + +So she went into the kitchen and found no one. Then she cried again, +"Where art thou?" + +"Oh, here in bed fast asleep!" cried the third drop of blood. + +Then the mother went into the room, and up to the bed, and there lay her +only child, whose head she had cut off herself. The witch fell into a +great fury, rushed to the window, for from it she could see far and +wide, and she caught sight of her step-daughter, hastening away with her +dear Roland. + +"It will be no good to you," cried she, "if you get ever so far away, +you cannot escape me." Then she put on her boots, which took her an +hour's walk at every stride, and it was not long before she had +overtaken them. But the maiden, when she saw the old woman striding up, +changed, by means of the magic wand, her dear Roland into a lake, and +herself into a duck swimming upon it. The witch stood on the bank and +threw in crumbs of bread, and took great pains to decoy the duck towards +her, but the duck would not be decoyed, and the old woman was obliged +to go back in the evening disappointed. Then the maiden and her dear +Roland took again their natural shapes, and travelled on the whole night +through until daybreak. Then the maiden changed herself into a beautiful +flower, standing in the middle of a hedge of thorns, and her dear Roland +into a fiddle-player. It was not long before the witch came striding up, +and she said to the musician, + +"Dear musician, will you be so kind as to reach that pretty flower for +me?" + +"Oh yes," said he, "I will strike up a tune to it." + +Then as she crept quickly up to the hedge to break off the flower, for +she knew well who it was, he began to play, and whether she liked it or +not, she was obliged to dance, for there was magic in the tune. The +faster he played the higher she had to jump, and the thorns tore her +clothes, and scratched and wounded her, and he did not cease playing +until she was spent, and lay dead. + +So now they were saved, and Roland said, + +"I will go to my father and prepare for the wedding." + +"And I will stay here," said the maiden, "and wait for you, and so that +no one should know me, I will change myself into a red milestone." So +away went Roland, and the maiden in the likeness of a stone waited in +the field for her beloved. + +But when Roland went home he fell into the snares of another maiden, who +wrought so, that he forgot his first love. + +And the poor girl waited a long time, but at last, seeing that he did +not come, she was filled with despair, and changed herself into a +flower, thinking "Perhaps some one in passing will put his foot upon me +and crush me." + +But it happened that a shepherd, tending his flock, saw the flower, and +as it was so beautiful, he gathered it, took it home with him, and put +it in his chest. From that time everything went wonderfully well in the +shepherd's house. When he got up in the morning, all the work was +already done; the room was swept, the tables and benches rubbed, fire +kindled on the hearth, and water ready drawn; and when he came home in +the middle of the day, the table was laid, and a good meal spread upon +it. He could not understand how it was done, for he never saw anybody in +his house, and it was too little for anybody to hide in. The good +serving pleased him well; but in the end he became uneasy, and went to a +wise woman to take counsel of her. The wise woman said, + +"There is magic in it: get up early some morning, and if you hear +something moving in the room, be it what it may, throw a white cloth +over it, and the charm will be broken." + +The shepherd did as she told him, and the next morning at daybreak he +saw the chest open, and the flower come out. Then he jumped up quickly +and threw a white cloth over it. So the spell was broken, and a lovely +maiden stood before him; and she told him that she had been the flower, +and had until now cared for his household matters. She told him all that +had happened to her, and she pleased him so much that he asked her to +marry him, but she answered "No," because she still remained true to her +dear Roland, though he had forsaken her; but she promised not to leave +the shepherd, but to go on taking care of his house. + +Now the time came when Roland's wedding was to be held; and there was an +old custom in that country that all the girls should be present, and +should sing in honour of the bride and bridegroom. The faithful maiden, +when she knew this, was so sorrowful that she felt as if her heart would +break; and she would not go, until the others came and fetched her. And +when her turn came to sing she slipped behind, so that she stood alone, +and so began to sing: and as soon as her song reached Roland's ear he +sprang up and cried, + +"I know that voice! that is the right bride, and no other will I have." +And everything that he had forgotten, and that had been swept out of his +mind, came suddenly home to him in his heart. And the faithful maiden +was married to her dear Roland; her sorrow came to an end and her joy +began. + + + + +THE GOLDEN BIRD + + +IN times gone by there was a king who had at the back of his castle a +beautiful pleasure-garden, in which stood a tree that bore golden +apples. As the apples ripened they were counted, but one morning one was +missing. Then the king was angry, and he ordered that watch should be +kept about the tree every night. Now the king had three sons, and he +sent the eldest to spend the whole night in the garden; so he watched +till midnight, and then he could keep off sleep no longer, and in the +morning another apple was missing. The second son had to watch the +following night; but it fared no better, for when twelve o'clock had +struck he went to sleep, and in the morning another apple was missing. +Now came the turn of the third son to watch, and he was ready to do so; +but the king had less trust in him, and believed he would acquit himself +still worse than his brothers, but in the end he consented to let him +try. So the young man lay down under the tree to watch, and resolved +that sleep should not be master. When it struck twelve something came +rushing through the air, and he saw in the moonlight a bird flying +towards him, whose feathers glittered like gold. The bird perched upon +the tree, and had already pecked off an apple, when the young man let +fly an arrow at it. The bird flew away, but the arrow had struck its +plumage, and one of its golden feathers fell to the ground: the young +man picked it up, and taking it next morning to the king, told him what +had happened in the night. The king called his council together, and +all declared that such a feather was worth more than the whole kingdom. + +[Illustration: THE GOLDEN BIRD + + "THE FOX SAID, + NOW WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME + FOR MY REWARD?"] + +"Since the feather is so valuable," said the king, "one is not enough +for me; I must and will have the whole bird." + +So the eldest son set off, and relying on his own cleverness he thought +he should soon find the golden bird. When he had gone some distance he +saw a fox sitting at the edge of a wood, and he pointed his gun at him. +The fox cried out, + +"Do not shoot me, and I will give you good counsel. You are on your way +to find the golden bird, and this evening you will come to a village, in +which two taverns stand facing each other. One will be brightly lighted +up, and there will be plenty of merriment going on inside; do not mind +about that, but go into the other one, although it will look to you very +uninviting." + +"How can a silly beast give one any rational advice?" thought the king's +son, and let fly at the fox, but missed him, and he stretched out his +tail and ran quick into the wood. Then the young man went on his way, +and towards evening he came to the village, and there stood the two +taverns; in one singing and dancing was going on, the other looked quite +dull and wretched. "I should be a fool," said he, "to go into that +dismal place, while there is anything so good close by." So he went into +the merry inn, and there lived in clover, quite forgetting the bird and +his father, and all good counsel. + +As time went on, and the eldest son never came home, the second son set +out to seek the golden bird. He met with the fox, just as the eldest +did, and received good advice from him without attending to it. And when +he came to the two taverns, his brother was standing and calling to him +at the window of one of them, out of which came sounds of merriment; so +he could not resist, but went in and revelled to his heart's content. + +And then, as time went on, the youngest son wished to go forth, and to +try his luck, but his father would not consent. + +"It would be useless," said he; "he is much less likely to find the bird +than his brothers, and if any misfortune were to happen to him he would +not know how to help himself; his wits are none of the best." + +But at last, as there was no peace to be had, he let him go. By the side +of the wood sat the fox, begged him to spare his life, and gave him good +counsel. The young man was kind, and said, + +"Be easy, little fox, I will do you no harm." + +"You shall not repent of it," answered the fox, "and that you may get +there all the sooner, get up and sit on my tail." + +And no sooner had he done so than the fox began to run, and off they +went over stock and stone, so that the wind whistled in their hair. When +they reached the village the young man got down, and, following the +fox's advice, went into the mean-looking tavern, without hesitating, and +there he passed a quiet night. The next morning, when he went out into +the field, the fox, who was sitting there already, said, + +"I will tell you further what you have to do. Go straight on until you +come to a castle, before which a great band of soldiers lie, but do not +trouble yourself about them, for they will be all asleep and snoring; +pass through them and forward into the castle, and go through all the +rooms, until you come to one where there is a golden bird hanging in a +wooden cage. Near at hand will stand empty a golden cage of state, but +you must beware of taking the bird out of his ugly cage and putting him +into the fine one; if you do so you will come to harm." + +After he had finished saying this the fox stretched out his tail again, +and the king's son sat him down upon it; then away they went over stock +and stone, so that the wind whistled through their hair. And when the +king's son reached the castle he found everything as the fox had said: +and he at last entered the room where the golden bird was hanging in a +wooden cage, while a golden one was standing by; the three golden apples +too were in the room. Then, thinking it foolish to let the beautiful +bird stay in that mean and ugly cage, he opened the door of it, took +hold of it, and put it in the golden one. In the same moment the bird +uttered a piercing cry. The soldiers awaked, rushed in, seized the +king's son and put him in prison. The next morning he was brought before +a judge, and, as he confessed everything, condemned to death. But the +king said he would spare his life on one condition, that he should bring +him the golden horse whose paces were swifter than the wind, and that +then he should also receive the golden bird as a reward. + +So the king's son set off to find the golden horse, but he sighed, and +was very sad, for how should it be accomplished? And then he saw his old +friend the fox sitting by the roadside. + +"Now, you see," said the fox, "all this has happened, because you would +not listen to me. But be of good courage, I will bring you through, and +will tell you how you are to get the golden horse. You must go straight +on until you come to a castle, where the horse stands in his stable; +before the stable-door the grooms will be lying, but they will all be +asleep and snoring; and you can go and quietly lead out the horse. But +one thing you must mind--take care to put upon him the plain saddle of +wood and leather, and not the golden one, which will hang close by; +otherwise it will go badly with you." + +Then the fox stretched out his tail, and the king's son seated himself +upon it, and away they went over stock and stone until the wind whistled +through their hair. And everything happened just as the fox had said, +and he came to the stall where the golden horse was: and as he was about +to put on him the plain saddle, he thought to himself, + +"Such a beautiful animal would be disgraced were I not to put on him the +good saddle, which becomes him so well." However, no sooner did the +horse feel the golden saddle touch him than he began to neigh. And the +grooms all awoke, seized the king's son and threw him into prison. The +next morning he was delivered up to justice and condemned to death, but +the king promised him his life, and also to bestow upon him the golden +horse, if he could convey thither the beautiful princess of the golden +castle. + +With a heavy heart the king's son set out, but by great good luck he +soon met with the faithful fox. + +"I ought now to leave you to your own ill-luck," said the fox, "but I am +sorry for you, and will once more help you in your need. Your way lies +straight up to the golden castle: you will arrive there in the evening, +and at night, when all is quiet, the beautiful princess goes to the +bath. And as she is entering the bathing-house, go up to her and give +her a kiss, then she will follow you, and you can lead her away; but do +not suffer her first to go and take leave of her parents, or it will go +ill with you." + +Then the fox stretched out his tail; the king's son seated himself upon +it, and away they went over stock and stone, so that the wind whistled +through their hair. And when he came to the golden castle, all was as +the fox had said. He waited until midnight, when all lay in deep sleep, +and then as the beautiful princess went to the bathing-house he went up +to her and gave her a kiss, and she willingly promised to go with him, +but she begged him earnestly, and with tears, that he would let her +first go and take leave of her parents. At first he denied her prayer, +but as she wept so much the more, and fell at his feet, he gave in at +last. And no sooner had the princess reached her father's bedside than +he, and all who were in the castle, waked up, and the young man was +seized and thrown into prison. + +The next morning the king said to him, + +"Thy life is forfeit, but thou shalt find grace if thou canst level that +mountain that lies before my windows, and over which I am not able to +see: and if this is done within eight days thou shalt have my daughter +for a reward." + +So the king's son set to work, and dug and shovelled away without +ceasing, but when, on the seventh day, he saw how little he had +accomplished, and that all his work was as nothing, he fell into great +sadness, and gave up all hope. But on the evening of the seventh day the +fox appeared, and said, + +"You do not deserve that I should help you, but go now and lie down to +sleep, and I will do the work for you." + +The next morning when he awoke, and looked out of the window, the +mountain had disappeared. The young man hastened full of joy to the +king, and told him that his behest was fulfilled, and, whether the king +liked it or not, he had to keep to his word, and let his daughter go. + +So they both went away together, and it was not long before the faithful +fox came up to them. + +"Well, you have got the best first," said he; "but you must know the +golden horse belongs to the princess of the golden castle." + +"But how shall I get it?" asked the young man. + +"I am going to tell you," answered the fox. "First, go to the king who +sent you to the golden castle, and take to him the beautiful princess. +There will then be very great rejoicing; he will willingly give you the +golden horse, and they will lead him out to you; then mount him without +delay, and stretch out your hand to each of them to take leave, and last +of all to the princess, and when you have her by the hand swing her up +on the horse behind you, and off you go! nobody will be able to overtake +you, for that horse goes swifter than the wind." + +And so it was all happily done, and the king's son carried off the +beautiful princess on the golden horse. The fox did not stay behind, and +he said to the young man, + +"Now, I will help you to get the golden bird. When you draw near the +castle where the bird is, let the lady alight, and I will take her under +my care; then you must ride the golden horse into the castle-yard, and +there will be great rejoicing to see it, and they will bring out to you +the golden bird; as soon as you have the cage in your hand, you must +start off back to us, and then you shall carry the lady away." + +The plan was successfully carried out; and when the young man returned +with the treasure, the fox said, + +"Now, what will you give me for my reward?" + +"What would you like?" asked the young man. + +"When we are passing through the wood, I desire that you should slay me, +and cut my head and feet off." + +"That were a strange sign of gratitude," said the king's son, "and I +could not possibly do such a thing." + +Then said the fox, + +"If you will not do it, I must leave you; but before I go let me give +you some good advice. Beware of two things: buy no gallows-meat, and sit +at no brook-side." With that the fox ran off into the wood. + +The young man thought to himself, "That is a wonderful animal, with most +singular ideas. How should any one buy gallows-meat? and I am sure I +have no particular fancy for sitting by a brook-side." + +So he rode on with the beautiful princess, and their way led them +through the village where his two brothers had stayed. There they heard +great outcry and noise, and when he asked what it was all about, they +told him that two people were going to be hanged. And when he drew near +he saw that it was his two brothers, who had done all sorts of evil +tricks, and had wasted all their goods. He asked if there were no means +of setting them free. + +"Oh yes! if you will buy them off," answered the people; "but why should +you spend your money in redeeming such worthless men?" + +But he persisted in doing so; and when they were let go they all went on +their journey together. + +After a while they came to the wood where the fox had met them first, +and there it seemed so cool and sheltered from the sun's burning rays +that the two brothers said, + +"Let us rest here for a little by the brook, and eat and drink to +refresh ourselves." + +The young man consented, quite forgetting the fox's warning, and he +seated himself by the brook-side, suspecting no evil. But the two +brothers thrust him backwards into the brook, seized the princess, the +horse, and the bird, and went home to their father. + +"Is not this the golden bird that we bring?" said they; "and we have +also the golden horse, and the princess of the golden castle." + +Then there was great rejoicing in the royal castle, but the horse did +not feed, the bird did not chirp, and the princess sat still and wept. + +The youngest brother, however, had not perished. The brook was, by good +fortune, dry, and he fell on soft moss without receiving any hurt, but +he could not get up again. But in his need the faithful fox was not +lacking; he came up running, and reproached him for having forgotten his +advice. + +"But I cannot forsake you all the same," said he; "I will help you back +again into daylight." So he told the young man to grasp his tail, and +hold on to it fast, and so he drew him up again. + +"Still you are not quite out of all danger," said the fox; "your +brothers, not being certain of your death, have surrounded the wood with +sentinels, who are to put you to death if you let yourself be seen." + +A poor beggar-man was sitting by the path, and the young man changed +clothes with him, and went clad in that wise into the king's courtyard. +Nobody knew him, but the bird began to chirp, and the horse began to +feed, and the beautiful princess ceased weeping. + +"What does this mean?" said the king, astonished. + +The princess answered, + +"I cannot tell, except that I was sad, and now I am joyful; it is to me +as if my rightful bridegroom had returned." + +Then she told him all that happened, although the two brothers had +threatened to put her to death if she let out anything. The king then +ordered every person who was in the castle to be brought before him, and +with the rest came the young man like a beggar in his wretched garments; +but the princess knew him, and greeted him well, falling on his neck and +kissing him. The wicked brothers were seized and put to death, and the +youngest brother was married to the princess, and succeeded to the +inheritance of his father. + +But what became of the poor fox? Long afterwards the king's son was +going through the wood, and the fox met him and said, + +"Now, you have everything that you can wish for, but my misfortunes +never come to an end, and it lies in your power to free me from them." +And once more he prayed the king's son earnestly to slay him, and cut +off his head and feet. So, at last, he consented, and no sooner was it +done than the fox was changed into a man, and was no other than the +brother of the beautiful princess; and thus he was set free from a spell +that had bound him for a long, long time. + +And now, indeed, there lacked nothing to their happiness as long as they +lived. + + + + +The DOG and the SPARROW + + +THERE was once a sheep-dog whose master behaved ill to him and did not +give him enough to eat, and when for hunger he could bear it no longer, +he left his service very sadly. In the street he was met by a sparrow, +who said, + +"Dog, my brother, why are you so sad?" + +And the dog answered, + +"I am hungry and have nothing to eat." + +Then said the sparrow, + +"Dear brother, come with me into the town; I will give you plenty." + +Then they went together into the town, and soon they came to a butcher's +stall, and the sparrow said to the dog, + +"Stay here while I reach you down a piece of meat," and he perched on +the stall, looked round to see that no one noticed him, and pecked, +pulled, and dragged so long at a piece that lay near the edge of the +board that at last it slid to the ground. The dog picked it up, ran with +it into a corner, and ate it up. Then said the sparrow, + +"Now come with me to another stall, and I will get you another piece, so +that your hunger may be satisfied." + +When the dog had devoured a second piece the sparrow asked, + +"Dog, my brother, are you satisfied now?" + +"Yes, as to meat I am," answered he, "but I have had no bread." + +Then said the sparrow, + +"That also shall you have; come with me." And he led him to a baker's +stall and pecked at a few little rolls until they fell to the ground, +and as the dog still wanted more, they went to another stall farther on +and got more bread. When that was done the sparrow said, + +"Dog, my brother, are you satisfied yet?" + +"Yes," answered he, "and now we will walk a little outside the town." + +And they went together along the high road. It was warm weather, and +when they had gone a little way the dog said, + +"I am tired, and would like to go to sleep." + +"Well, do so," said the sparrow; "in the meanwhile I will sit near on a +bough." The dog laid himself in the road and fell fast asleep, and as he +lay there a waggoner came up with a waggon and three horses, laden with +two casks of wine; the sparrow, seeing that he was not going to turn +aside but kept in the beaten track, just where the dog lay, cried out, + +"Waggoner, take care, or you shall suffer for it!" + +But the waggoner, muttering, "What harm can you do to me?" cracked his +whip and drove his waggon over the dog, and he was crushed to death by +the wheels. Then the sparrow cried, + +"Thou hast killed the dog my brother, and it shall cost thee horses and +cart!" + +"Oh! horses and cart!" said the waggoner, "what harm can you do me, I +should like to know?" and drove on. The sparrow crept under the covering +of the waggon and pecked at the bung-hole of one of the casks until the +cork came out, and all the wine ran out without the waggoner noticing. +After a while, looking round, he saw that something dripped from the +waggon, and on examining the casks he found that one of them was empty, +and he cried out, + +"I am a ruined man!" + +"Not ruined enough yet!" said the sparrow, and flying to one of the +horses he perched on his head and pecked at his eyes. When the waggoner +saw that he took out his axe to hit the sparrow, who at that moment flew +aloft, and the waggoner missing him struck the horse on the head, so +that he fell down dead. + +"Oh, I am a ruined man!" cried he. + +"Not ruined enough yet!" said the sparrow, and as the waggoner drove on +with the two horses that were left the sparrow crept again under the +waggon-covering and pecked the cork out of the second cask, so that all +the wine leaked out. When the waggoner became aware of it, he cried out +again, + +"Oh! I am a ruined man!" But the sparrow answered, "Not ruined enough +yet!" and perched on the second horse's head and began pecking at his +eyes. Back ran the waggoner and raised his axe to strike, but the +sparrow flying aloft, the stroke fell on the horse, so that he was +killed. + +"Oh! I am a ruined man!" cried the waggoner. + +"Not ruined enough yet!" said the sparrow, and perching on the third +horse began pecking at his eyes. The waggoner struck out in his anger at +the sparrow without taking aim, and missing him, he laid his third horse +dead. + +"Oh! I am a ruined man!" he cried. + +"Not ruined enough yet!" answered the sparrow, flying off; "I will see +to that at home." + +So the waggoner had to leave his waggon standing, and went home full of +rage. + +"Oh!" said he to his wife, "what ill-luck I have had! the wine is spilt, +and the horses are all three dead." + +"O husband!" answered she, "such a terrible bird has come to this house; +he has brought with him all the birds of the air, and there they are in +the midst of our wheat devouring it." And he looked and there were +thousands upon thousands of birds sitting on the ground, having eaten up +all the wheat, and the sparrow in the midst, and the waggoner cried, + +"Oh! I am a ruined man!" + +"Not ruined enough yet!" answered the sparrow; "Waggoner, it shall cost +thee thy life!" and he flew away. + +Now the waggoner, having lost everything he possessed, went in-doors and +sat down angry and miserable behind the stove. The sparrow was perched +outside on the window-sill, and cried, "Waggoner, it shall cost thee thy +life!" Then the waggoner seized his axe and threw it at the sparrow, but +it broke the window sash in two and did not touch the sparrow, who now +hopped inside, perched on the stove, and cried. + +"Waggoner it shall cost thee thy life!" and he, mad and blind with rage, +beat in the stove, and as the sparrow flew from one spot to another, +hacked everything in pieces, furniture, looking-glasses, benches, table, +and the very walls of his house, and yet did not touch the sparrow. + +At last he caught and held him in his hand. + +"Now," said his wife, "shall I not kill him?" + +"No!" cried he, "that were too easy a death; I will swallow him," and as +the bird was fluttering in the man's mouth, it stretched out its head, +saying, + +"Waggoner, it shall cost thee thy life!" + +Then the waggoner reached the axe to his wife saying, + +"Wife, strike me this bird dead." + +The wife struck, but missed her aim, and the blow fell on the waggoner's +head, and he dropped down dead. + +But the sparrow flew over the hills and away. + + + + +FRED and KATE + + +THERE were once a young husband and wife, and their names were Fred and +Kate. One day said Fred, + +"I must go now to my work in the fields, Kate, and when I come back you +must have on the table some roast meat to satisfy my hunger, and some +cool drink to quench my thirst." + +"All right, Fred," answered Kate; "be off with you, I will see to it." + +When dinner-time began to draw near, she took down a sausage from the +chimney, put it in a frying-pan with some butter, and stood it over the +fire. The sausage began to frizzle and fry, and Kate stood holding the +handle of the pan, and fell into deep thought; at last she said to +herself, + +"While the sausage is cooking I might as well be drawing the beer in the +cellar." + +So she saw that the frying-pan was standing firmly, and then took a can +and went down into the cellar to draw the beer. Now, while Kate was +watching the beer run into the can, a sudden thought came into her mind. + +"Holloa! the dog is not fastened up; he may perhaps get at the sausage," +and in a trice she was up the cellar steps: but already the dog had it +in his mouth, and was making off with it. Then Kate, with all haste, +followed after him and chased him a good way into the fields, but the +dog was quicker than Kate, and, never letting slip the sausage, was soon +at a great distance. + +"Well, it can't be helped!" said Kate turning back, and as she had +tired herself with running, she took her time about going home, and +walked slowly to cool herself. All this time the beer was running out of +the cask, for Kate had not turned off the tap, and as the can was soon +full, it began to run over on the cellar floor, and ran, and ran, until +the cask was empty. Kate stood on the steps and saw the misfortune. + +"Dear me!" cried she, "what am I to do to prevent Fred from noticing +it!" + +She considered for a while, and then remembered that there was remaining +in the loft from the last fair time a sack of fine wheat-flour; she +determined to bring it down, and strew it over the beer. + +"To be sure," said she, "those who know how to save have somewhat in +time of necessity." + +And going up to the loft, she dragged the sack down and threw it right +upon the can full of beer, so that Fred's drink ran about the cellar +with the rest. + +"It is all right," said Kate; "where some goes the rest must follow," +and she strewed the meal all over the cellar. When all was done, she was +highly pleased, and thought how clean and neat it looked. + +At dinner-time home came Fred. + +"Now, wife, what have you got for me?" said he. + +"O Fred," answered she, "I was going to cook a sausage for you, but +while I was drawing the beer the dog got it out of the pan, and while I +was running after the dog the beer all ran away, and as I was going to +stop up the beer with the wheat-meal I knocked over the can: but it is +all right now; the cellar is quite dry again." But said Fred, + +"O Kate, Kate! what have you been about, letting the sausage be carried +off, and the beer run out of the cask, and then to waste all our good +meal into the bargain?" + +"Well, Fred, I did not know; you should have told me," said Kate. So the +husband thought to himself, + +"If my wife is like this, I must look after things a little better." + +Now he had saved a very pretty sum of money, and he changed it all to +gold, and said to Kate, + +"Do you see these yellow counters? I am going to make a hole in the +stable underneath the cows' manger and bury them; see that you do not +meddle with them, or it will be the worse for you." + +And she said, "Oh no, Fred, certainly I won't." + +Now, one day when Fred was away, there came some pedlars to the village, +with earthen pots and basins to sell, and they asked the young wife if +she had nothing to give in exchange for them. + +"O my good men," said Kate, "I have no money to buy anything with, but +if you had any use for yellow counters, I might do some business with +you." + +"Yellow counters! why not? we might as well see them," said they. + +"Then go into the stable and dig under the cows' manger, and you will +find them; but I dare not go near the place." + +So those rogues went and dug, and found the gold accordingly. And they +seized it quickly, and ran off with it, leaving the pots and pans behind +them in the house. Kate thought she must make some use of her new +possessions, so, as she had no need of them in the kitchen, she spread +them out on the ground, and then stuck them, one after another, for +ornament, on the fence which ran round the house. When Fred came home +and saw the new decorations, he said, "Kate, what have you been doing?" + +"I bought them every one, Fred, with those yellow counters that were +buried under the manger, and I did not go there myself; the pedlars had +to dig them up for themselves." + +"O wife!" cried Fred, "what have you done? they were not counters, but +pure gold, and all our capital; you should not have done so." + +"Well, Fred, I did not know; you should have told me that before," +answered Kate. + +Then Kate stood still a little while to consider, and at last she said, +"Listen, Fred, we may be able to get the gold back again. Let us run +after the thieves." + +"Very well," said Fred, "we will try; only let us take some bread and +cheese with us, that we may have something to eat on the way." + +"All right," she answered. So they set out, and as Fred was a better +walker than Kate, she was soon left behind. + +"All the better for me," said she, "for when we turn back I shall have +so much the less distance to go." + +And they came to a mountain, where, on both sides of the road, there +were deep cart-ruts. And Kate said to herself, + +"How sad to see the poor earth torn, and vexed, and oppressed in this +way! it will never be healed again in all its life." + +And with a compassionate heart, she took out her butter and smeared the +cart-ruts right and left, so that they might not be so cut by the +wheels; and as she was stooping to perform this merciful act a cheese +fell out of her pocket and rolled down the mountain. And Kate said, + +"I have walked over the ground once, and I am not going to do it again, +but another shall run after that cheese, and bring it back." So saying, +she took another cheese, and rolled it after the first one: and as it +did not seem to be coming back again, she sent a third racing after +them, thinking, "Perhaps they are waiting for company, and are not used +to travelling alone." But when they all three delayed coming, she said, + +"I can't think what this means! perhaps it is that the third one has +lost his way, so I will send a fourth that he may call out to him as he +goes by." But it went no better with the fourth than with the third. And +Kate lost all patience and threw down the fifth and sixth, and that was +all. A long while she stood and waited for them to come up, but as still +they did not come, she said, + +"Oh, it's like sending good money after bad; there is no getting you +back again. If you suppose I am going to wait for you any longer, you +are very much mistaken: I shall go on my way and you may overtake me; +your legs are younger than mine." Kate then went on until she overtook +Fred, who was standing still and waiting, as he wanted something to eat. + +"Now, be quick," he said, "and hand over what you have brought." And she +handed him the dry bread. + +"Now for the butter and the cheese," said the man. + +"O Fred," said Kate, "I anointed the cart-ruts with the butter, and the +cheeses will soon be here, they are upon the road; one of them ran away, +and I sent the others to fetch it back." + +Then said Fred, + +"It was very wrong of you, Kate, to waste the butter, and roll the +cheeses down the hill." + +And Kate answered, "Well then, you should have told me so." + +As they were eating the dry bread together, Fred said, + +"Kate, did you lock up the house before leaving?" + +"No, Fred; you ought to have told me that before." + +And her husband answered, + +"Well, you must go home at once and lock up the house before we go any +farther, and you might as well bring something more to eat with you, and +I will wait for you here." + +So Kate went, and she thought to herself, + +"As Fred wants something more to eat, and he does not care much about +butter and cheese, I will bring some dried apples and a jug of vinegar +back with me." + +Then she bolted the front door, but the back door she took off its +hinges, and lifted it on her shoulders, thinking that if she had the +door all safe no harm could come to the house. And she took her time on +the way back, and thought to herself, "Fred will have so much the longer +to rest." So when she got back to him, she called out, + +"Fred, if the house-door is safe, no harm can come to the house!" + +"Oh dear!" cried he, "what a prudent wife have I! to carry away the +back-door, so that any one may get in, and to bolt the front door! It is +too late now to go home, but as you have brought the door so far, you +may carry it on farther." + +"All right, I will carry the door, Fred," said she, "but the dried +apples and the vinegar will be too heavy for me; I will hang them on the +door and make it carry them." + +Now they went into the wood to look for the thieves, but they could not +find them. When it grew dark they got up into a tree to pass the night +there. No sooner had they settled down when up came the pedlars, some of +those fellows who carry away what should not go with them, and who find +things before they are lost. They laid themselves down directly under +the tree where Fred and Kate were, and they made a fire, and began to +divide their spoil. Then Fred got down on the farther side of the tree +and gathered together some stones, and then got up again, intending to +stone the robbers to death with them. The stones, however, did not hit +them, and they said, + +"It will soon be morning; the wind is rising and shaking down the +fir-cones." + +Now all the time Kate had the door on her shoulder, and as it weighed +upon her heavily, she thought it must be the dried apples, and she said, + +"Fred, I must throw down the dried apples." + +"No, Kate, not now," answered he; "we might be discovered." + +"Oh dear, Fred, but I must! they weigh me down so!" said she. + +"Well then, do it, if you must, in the name of all that's tormenting!" +cried he; and down rolled the apples between the boughs, and the robbers +cried, + +"There are birds in this tree!" + +After a while, as the door still weighed her down heavily, Kate said, "O +Fred, I must pour away the vinegar;" and he answered, + +"No, Kate, you must not do that; we might be discovered." + +"Oh dear me, Fred, but I must! it weighs me down so!" + +"Then do it, if you must, in the name of all that's tormenting!" + +And she poured out the vinegar, so that the men were all besprinkled. + +And they said one to another, + +"The morning dew is beginning to fall already." + +At last Kate began to think that it must really be the door that weighed +so heavy, and she said, + +"Fred, I must throw down the door!" and he answered, + +"No, Kate, not now; we might be discovered." + +"Oh dear me, Fred, but I must! it weighs me down so." + +"No, Kate, you must hold it fast." + +"O Fred, it's slipping, it's falling!" + +"Well then, let it fall in the name of torment!" cried Fred in a +passion. And so it fell with a great crash, and the thieves below cried, + +"There is something wrong about this tree!" and they got up in a great +hurry and ran off, leaving their spoil behind them. And early in the +morning when Fred and Kate came down from the tree they got all their +gold again and carried it home. + +And when they reached their house again Fred said, + +"Now, Kate, you must fall to and be very industrious and work hard." + +"All right, Fred, I will go into the field and cut corn," said she. + +And when she came into the field she said to herself, + +"Shall I eat before I cut, or shall I sleep before I cut? well, I will +eat first." And so she ate, and after that she felt sleepy, but she +began to cut and went on half asleep cutting her own clothes, skirts, +gown, and all, and when she at last woke up and found herself in rags, +she said to herself, + +"Is this really I or not? oh dear, it is not I!" + +After a while night came on, and Kate ran into the village and knocked +at her husband's door calling out, "Fred!" + +"What is it?" said he. + +"I want to know if Kate is at home," said she. + +"Oh yes," he answered, "she is lying here fast asleep." + +So she said to herself, "All right then, I am certainly at home," and +she ran on farther. + +Soon she came upon some thieves who were looking about for something to +steal, and she went up to them and offered to help them, and the thieves +thought she knew of a good place and opportunity, and were glad of her +offer. But Kate walked in front of the houses calling out, + +"Good people, what have you for us to steal?" + +So the thieves thought to themselves, "This will never do," and wished +themselves quit of her. At last they said to her, + +"Just at the end of the village there are some turnips in the parson's +field; go and fetch us some." + +So Kate went into the field and began to pull some up, but very lazily, +and never raised herself. Presently came by a man who saw her, and +thought she was some evil thing grubbing for the turnips. So he ran +quickly into the village and said to the parson, + +"O parson, some evil creature is grubbing in your turnip-field!" + +"Oh dear!" answered the parson, "I have a lame foot, I cannot go to +drive it away." + +And the man at once offered to take him on his back, and he did so. + +Just as they reached the field Kate got up and stood upright. + +"Oh, the devil!" cried the parson, and both took to their heels, and the +parson was able, out of his great fear, to run faster with his lame foot +than the man who had carried him on his back with both legs sound. + + + + +THE LITTLE FARMER + + +THERE was a certain village where lived many rich farmers and only one +poor one, whom they called the Little Farmer. He had not even a cow, and +still less had he money to buy one; and he and his wife greatly wished +for such a thing. One day he said to her, + +"Listen, I have a good idea; it is that your godfather the joiner shall +make us a calf of wood and paint it brown, so as to look just like any +other; and then in time perhaps it will grow big and become a cow." + +This notion pleased the wife, and godfather joiner set to work to saw +and plane, and soon turned out a calf complete, with its head down and +neck stretched out as if it were grazing. + +The next morning, as the cows were driven to pasture, the Little Farmer +called out to the drover, + +"Look here, I have got a little calf to go, but it is still young and +must be carried." + +"All right!" said the drover, and tucked it under his arm, carried it +into the meadows, and stood it in the grass. So the calf stayed where it +was put, and seemed to be eating all the time, and the drover thought to +himself, + +"It will soon be able to run alone, if it grazes at that rate!" + +In the evening, when the herds had to be driven home, he said to the +calf, "If you can stand there eating like that, you can just walk off on +your own four legs; I am not going to lug you under my arm again!" + +But the Little Farmer was standing by his house-door, and waiting for +his calf; and when he saw the cow-herd coming through the village +without it, he asked what it meant. The cow-herd answered, "It is still +out there eating away, and never attended to the call, and would not +come with the rest." + +Then the Little Farmer said, + +"I will tell you what, I must have my beast brought home." + +And they went together through the fields in quest of it, but some one +had stolen it, and it was gone. And the drover said, + +"Most likely it has run away." + +But the Little Farmer said "Not it!" and brought the cow-herd before the +bailiff, who ordered him for his carelessness to give the Little Farmer +a cow for the missing calf. + +So now the Little Farmer and his wife possessed their long-wished-for +cow; they rejoiced with all their hearts, but unfortunately they had no +fodder for it, and could give it nothing to eat, so that before long +they had to kill it. Its flesh they salted down, and the Little Farmer +went to the town to sell the skin and buy a new calf with what he got +for it. On the way he came to a mill, where a raven was sitting with +broken wings, and he took it up out of pity and wrapped it in the skin. +The weather was very stormy, and it blew and rained, so he turned into +the mill and asked for shelter. The miller's wife was alone in the +house, and she said to the Little Farmer, + +"Well, come in and lay thee down in the straw," and she gave him a piece +of bread and cheese. So the Little Farmer ate, and then lay down with +his skin near him, and the miller's wife thought he was sleeping with +fatigue. After a while in came another man, and the miller's wife +received him very well, saying, + +"My husband is out; we will make good cheer." + +The Little Farmer listened to what they said, and when he heard good +cheer spoken of, he grew angry to think he had been put off with bread +and cheese. For the miller's wife presently brought out roast meat, +salad, cakes, and wine. + +Now as the pair were sitting down to their feast, there came a knock at +the door. + +"Oh dear," cried the woman, "it is my husband!" In a twinkling she +popped the roast meat into the oven, the wine under the pillow, the +salad in the bed, the cakes under the bed, and the man in the +linen-closet. Then she opened the door to her husband, saying, + +"Thank goodness, you are here! what weather it is, as if the world were +coming to an end!" + +When the miller saw the Little Farmer lying in the straw, he said, + +"What fellow have you got there?" + +"Oh!" said the wife, "the poor chap came in the midst of the wind and +rain and asked for shelter, and I gave him some bread and cheese and +spread some straw for him." + +The husband answered, "Oh well, I have no objection, only get me +something to eat at once." + +But the wife said, "There is nothing but bread and cheese." + +"Anything will do for me," answered the miller, "bread and cheese for +ever!" and catching sight of the Little Farmer, he cried, + +"Come along, and keep me company!" The Little Farmer did not wait to be +asked twice, but sat down and ate. After a while the miller noticed the +skin lying on the ground with the raven wrapped up in it, and he said, +"What have you got there?" + +The Little Farmer answered, "A fortune-teller." + +And the miller asked "Can he tell my fortune?" + +"Why not?" answered the Little Farmer. "He will tell four things, and +the fifth he keeps to himself." Now the miller became very curious, and +said, "Ask him to say something." + +And the Little Farmer pinched the raven, so that it croaked, "Crr, crr." +"What does he say?" asked the miller. And the Little Farmer answered, + +"First he says that there is wine under the pillow." + +"That would be jolly!" cried the miller, and he went to look, and found +the wine, and then asked, "What next?" + +So the Little Farmer made the raven croak again, and then said, + +"He says, secondly, that there is roast meat in the oven." + +"That would be jolly!" cried the miller, and he went and looked, and +found the roast meat. The Little Farmer made the fortune-teller speak +again, and then said, + +"He says, thirdly, that there is salad in the bed." + +"That would be jolly!" cried the miller, and went and looked, and found +the salad. Once more the Little Farmer pinched the raven, so that he +croaked, and said, + +"He says, fourthly and lastly, that there are cakes under the bed." + +"That would be jolly!" cried the miller, and he went and looked, and +found the cakes. + +And now the two sat down to table, and the miller's wife felt very +uncomfortable, and she went to bed and took all the keys with her. The +miller was eager to know what the fifth thing could be, but the Little +Farmer said, + +"Suppose we eat the four things in peace first, for the fifth thing is a +great deal worse." + +So they sat and ate, and while they ate, they bargained together as to +how much the miller would give for knowing the fifth thing; and at last +they agreed upon three hundred dollars. Then the Little Farmer pinched +the raven, so that he croaked aloud. And the miller asked what he said, +and the Little Farmer answered, + +"He says that there is a demon in the linen-closet." + +"Then," said the miller, "that demon must out of the linen-closet," and +he unbarred the house-door, while the Little Farmer got the key of the +linen-closet from the miller's wife, and opened it. Then the man rushed +forth, and out of the house, and the miller said, + +"I saw the black rogue with my own eyes; so that is a good riddance." + +And the Little Farmer took himself off by daybreak next morning with the +three hundred dollars. + +And after this the Little Farmer by degrees got on in the world, and +built himself a good house, and the other farmers said, + +"Surely the Little Farmer has been where it rains gold pieces, and has +brought home money by the bushel." + +And he was summoned before the bailiff to say whence his riches came. +And all he said was, + +"I sold my calf's skin for three hundred dollars." + +When the other farmers heard this they wished to share such good luck, +and ran home, killed all their cows, skinned them in order to sell them +also for the same high price as the Little Farmer. And the bailiff +said, "I must be beforehand with them." So he sent his servant into the +town to the skin-buyer, and he only gave her three dollars for the skin, +and that was faring better than the others, for when they came, they did +not get as much as that, for the skin-buyer said, + +"What am I to do with all these skins?" + +Now the other farmers were very angry with the Little Farmer for +misleading them, and they vowed vengeance against him, and went to +complain of his deceit to the bailiff. The poor Little Farmer was with +one voice sentenced to death, and to be put into a cask with holes in +it, and rolled into the water. So he was led to execution, and a priest +was fetched to say a mass for him, and the rest of the people had to +stand at a distance. As soon as the Little Farmer caught sight of the +priest he knew him for the man who was hid in the linen-closet at the +miller's. And he said to him, + +"As I let you out of the cupboard, you must let me out of the cask." + +At that moment a shepherd passed with a flock of sheep, and the Little +Farmer knowing him to have a great wish to become bailiff himself, +called out with all his might, + +"No, I will not, and if all the world asked me, I would not!" + +The shepherd, hearing him, came up and asked what it was he would not +do. The Little Farmer answered, + +"They want to make me bailiff, if I sit in this cask, but I will not do +it!" + +The shepherd said, + +"If that is all there is to do in order to become bailiff I will sit in +the cask and welcome." And the Little Farmer answered, + +"Yes, that is all, just you get into the cask, and you will become +bailiff." So the shepherd agreed, and got in, and the Little Farmer +fastened on the top; then he collected the herd of sheep and drove them +away. The priest went back to the parish-assembly, and told them the +mass had been said. Then they came and began to roll the cask into the +water, and as it went the shepherd inside called out, "I consent to be +bailiff!" + +They thought that it was the Little Farmer who spoke, and they +answered, + +"All right; but first you must go down below and look about you a +little," and they rolled the cask into the water. + +Upon that the farmers went home, and when they reached the village, +there they met the Little Farmer driving a flock of sheep, and looking +quite calm and contented. The farmers were astonished and cried, + +"Little Farmer, whence come you? how did you get out of the water?" + +"Oh, easily," answered he, "I sank and sank until I came to the bottom; +then I broke through the cask and came out of it, and there were +beautiful meadows and plenty of sheep feeding, so I brought away this +flock with me." + +Then said the farmers, "Are there any left?" + +"Oh yes," answered the Little Farmer, "more than you can possibly need." + +Then the farmers agreed that they would go and fetch some sheep also, +each man a flock for himself; and the bailiff said, "Me first." And they +all went together, and in the blue sky there were little fleecy clouds +like lambkins, and they were reflected in the water; and the farmers +cried out, + +"There are the sheep down there at the bottom." + +When the bailiff heard that he pressed forward and said, + +"I will go first and look about me, and if things look well, I will call +to you." + +And he jumped plump into the water, and they all thought that the noise +he made meant "Come," so the whole company jumped in one after the +other. So perished all the proprietors of the village, and the Little +Farmer, as sole heir, became a rich man. + + + + +THE QUEEN BEE + + +TWO king's sons once started to seek adventures, and fell into a wild, +reckless way of living, and gave up all thoughts of going home again. +Their third and youngest brother, who was called Witling, and had +remained behind, started off to seek them; and when at last he found +them, they jeered at his simplicity in thinking that he could make his +way in the world, while they who were so much cleverer were +unsuccessful. But they all three went on together until they came to an +ant-hill, which the two eldest brothers wished to stir up, that they +might see the little ants hurry about in their fright and carrying off +their eggs, but Witling said, + +"Leave the little creatures alone, I will not suffer them to be +disturbed." + +And they went on farther until they came to a lake, where a number of +ducks were swimming about. The two eldest brothers wanted to catch a +couple and cook them, but Witling would not allow it, and said, "Leave +the creatures alone, I will not suffer them to be killed." + +And then they came to a bee's-nest in a tree, and there was so much +honey in it that it overflowed and ran down the trunk. The two eldest +brothers then wanted to make a fire beneath the tree, that the bees +might be stifled by the smoke, and then they could get at the honey. But +Witling prevented them, saying, + +"Leave the little creatures alone, I will not suffer them to be +stifled." + +At last the three brothers came to a castle where there were in the +stables many horses standing, all of stone, and the brothers went +through all the rooms until they came to a door at the end secured with +three locks, and in the middle of the door a small opening through which +they could look into the room. And they saw a little grey-haired man +sitting at a table. They called out to him once, twice, and he did not +hear, but at the third time he got up, undid the locks, and came out. +Without speaking a word he led them to a table loaded with all sorts of +good things, and when they had eaten and drunk he showed to each his +bed-chamber. The next morning the little grey man came to the eldest +brother, and beckoning him, brought him to a table of stone, on which +were written three things directing by what means the castle could be +delivered from its enchantment. The first thing was, that in the wood +under the moss lay the pearls belonging to the princess--a thousand in +number--and they were to be sought for and collected, and if he who +should undertake the task had not finished it by sunset,--if but one +pearl were missing,--he must be turned to stone. So the eldest brother +went out, and searched all day, but at the end of it he had only found +one hundred; just as was said on the table of stone came to pass and he +was turned into stone. The second brother undertook the adventure next +day, but it fared with him no better than with the first; he found two +hundred pearls, and was turned into stone. + +And so at last it was Witling's turn, and he began to search in the +moss; but it was a very tedious business to find the pearls, and he grew +so out of heart that he sat down on a stone and began to weep. As he was +sitting thus, up came the ant-king with five thousand ants, whose lives +had been saved through Witling's pity, and it was not very long before +the little insects had collected all the pearls and put them in a heap. + +Now the second thing ordered by the table of stone was to get the key of +the princess's sleeping-chamber out of the lake. + +And when Witling came to the lake, the ducks whose lives he had saved +came swimming, and dived below, and brought up the key from the bottom. +The third thing that had to be done was the most difficult, and that was +to choose out the youngest and loveliest of the three princesses, as +they lay sleeping. All bore a perfect resemblance each to the other, and +only differed in this, that before they went to sleep each one had eaten +a different sweetmeat,--the eldest a piece of sugar, the second a little +syrup, and the third a spoonful of honey. Now the Queen-bee of those +bees that Witling had protected from the fire came at this moment, and +trying the lips of all three, settled on those of the one that had eaten +honey, and so it was that the king's son knew which to choose. Then the +spell was broken; every one awoke from stony sleep, and took their right +form again. + +And Witling married the youngest and loveliest princess, and became king +after her father's death. But his two brothers had to put up with the +two other sisters. + + + + +THE GOLDEN GOOSE + + +THERE was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was called the +Simpleton, and was despised, laughed at, and neglected, on every +occasion. It happened one day that the eldest son wished to go into the +forest to cut wood, and before he went his mother gave him a delicious +pancake and a flask of wine, that he might not suffer from hunger or +thirst. When he came into the forest a little old grey man met him, who +wished him good day, and said, + +"Give me a bit of cake out of your pocket, and let me have a drink of +your wine; I am so hungry and thirsty." + +But the prudent youth answered, + +"Give you my cake and my wine? I haven't got any; be off with you." + +And leaving the little man standing there, he went off. Then he began to +fell a tree, but he had not been at it long before he made a wrong +stroke, and the hatchet hit him in the arm, so that he was obliged to go +home and get it bound up. That was what came of the little grey man. + +Afterwards the second son went into the wood, and the mother gave to +him, as to the eldest, a pancake and a flask of wine. The little old +grey man met him also, and begged for a little bit of cake and a drink +of wine. But the second son spoke out plainly, saying, + +"What I give you I lose myself, so be off with you." + +And leaving the little man standing there, he went off. The punishment +followed; as he was chopping away at the tree, he hit himself in the leg +so severely that he had to be carried home. + +Then said the Simpleton, + +"Father, let me go for once into the forest to cut wood;" and the father +answered, "Your brothers have hurt themselves by so doing; give it up, +you understand nothing about it." + +But the Simpleton went on begging so long, that the father said at last, + +"Well, be off with you; you will only learn by experience." + +The mother gave him a cake (it was only made with water, and baked in +the ashes), and with it a flask of sour beer. When he came into the +forest the little old grey man met him, and greeted him, saying, + +"Give me a bit of your cake, and a drink from your flask; I am so hungry +and thirsty." + +And the Simpleton answered, "I have only a flour and water cake and sour +beer; but if that is good enough for you, let us sit down together and +eat." Then they sat down, and as the Simpleton took out his flour and +water cake it became a rich pancake, and his sour beer became good wine; +then they ate and drank, and afterwards the little man said, + +"As you have such a kind heart, and share what you have so willingly, I +will bestow good luck upon you. Yonder stands an old tree; cut it down, +and at its roots you will find some thing," and thereupon the little man +took his departure. + +The Simpleton went there, and hewed away at the tree, and when it fell +he saw, sitting among the roots, a goose with feathers of pure gold. He +lifted it out and took it with him to an inn where he intended to stay +the night. The landlord had three daughters who, when they saw the +goose, were curious to know what wonderful kind of bird it was, and +ended by longing for one of its golden feathers. The eldest thought, "I +will wait for a good opportunity, and then I will pull out one of its +feathers for myself;" and so, when the Simpleton was gone out, she +seized the goose by its wing--but there her finger and hand had to stay, +held fast. Soon after came the second sister with the same idea of +plucking out one of the golden feathers for herself; but scarcely had +she touched her sister, than she also was obliged to stay, held fast. +Lastly came the third with the same intentions; but the others screamed +out, + +"Stay away! for heaven's sake stay away!" + +But she did not see why she should stay away, and thought, "If they do +so, why should not I?" and went towards them. But when she reached her +sisters there she stopped, hanging on with them. And so they had to +stay, all night. The next morning the Simpleton took the goose under his +arm and went away, unmindful of the three girls that hung on to it. The +three had always to run after him, left and right, wherever his legs +carried him. In the midst of the fields they met the parson, who, when +he saw the procession, said, + +"Shame on you, girls, running after a young fellow through the fields +like this," and forthwith he seized hold of the youngest by the hand to +drag her away, but hardly had he touched her when he too was obliged to +run after them himself. Not long after the sexton came that way, and +seeing the respected parson following at the heels of the three girls, +he called out, + +"Ho, your reverence, whither away so quickly? You forget that we have +another christening to-day;" and he seized hold of him by his gown; but +no sooner had he touched him than he was obliged to follow on too. As +the five tramped on, one after another, two peasants with their hoes +came up from the fields, and the parson cried out to them, and begged +them to come and set him and the sexton free, but no sooner had they +touched the sexton than they had to follow on too; and now there were +seven following the Simpleton and the goose. + +By and by they came to a town where a king reigned, who had an only +daughter who was so serious that no one could make her laugh; therefore +the king had given out that whoever should make her laugh should have +her in marriage. The Simpleton, when he heard this, went with his goose +and his hangers-on into the presence of the king's daughter, and as soon +as she saw the seven people following always one after the other, she +burst out laughing, and seemed as if she could never stop. And so the +Simpleton earned a right to her as his bride; but the king did not like +him for a son-in-law and made all kinds of objections, and said he must +first bring a man who could drink up a whole cellar of wine. The +Simpleton thought that the little grey man would be able to help him, +and went out into the forest, and there, on the very spot where he +felled the tree, he saw a man sitting with a very sad countenance. The +Simpleton asked him what was the matter, and he answered, + +"I have a great thirst, which I cannot quench: cold water does not agree +with me; I have indeed drunk up a whole cask of wine, but what good is a +drop like that?" + +Then said the Simpleton, + +"I can help you; only come with me, and you shall have enough." + +He took him straight to the king's cellar, and the man sat himself down +before the big vats, and drank, and drank, and before a day was over he +had drunk up the whole cellar-full. The Simpleton again asked for his +bride, but the king was annoyed that a wretched fellow, called the +Simpleton by everybody, should carry off his daughter, and so he made +new conditions. He was to produce a man who could eat up a mountain of +bread. The Simpleton did not hesitate long, but ran quickly off to the +forest, and there in the same place sat a man who had fastened a strap +round his body, making a very piteous face, and saying, + +"I have eaten a whole bakehouse full of rolls, but what is the use of +that when one is so hungry as I am? My stomach feels quite empty, and I +am obliged to strap myself together, that I may not die of hunger." + +The Simpleton was quite glad of this, and said, + +"Get up quickly, and come along with me, and you shall have enough to +eat." + +He led him straight to the king's courtyard, where all the meal in the +kingdom had been collected and baked into a mountain of bread. The man +out of the forest settled himself down before it and hastened to eat, +and in one day the whole mountain had disappeared. + +Then the Simpleton asked for his bride the third time. The king, +however, found one more excuse, and said he must have a ship that should +be able to sail on land or on water. + +"So soon," said he, "as you come sailing along with it, you shall have +my daughter for your wife." + +The Simpleton went straight to the forest, and there sat the little old +grey man with whom he had shared his cake, and he said, + +"I have eaten for you, and I have drunk for you, I will also give you +the ship; and all because you were kind to me at the first." + +Then he gave him the ship that could sail on land and on water, and when +the king saw it he knew he could no longer withhold his daughter. The +marriage took place immediately, and at the death of the king the +Simpleton possessed the kingdom, and lived long and happily with his +wife. + +____________________ + +Transcriber's Notes: + +There are 225 illustrations and illustrated drop-caps in the original +book. In this text version, I have only indicated those illustrations +having captions. The html version contains many beautiful and intricate +drawings and woodcuts. + +There are several inconsistencies in hyphenation. The following words +appear in the text both with and without a hyphen: bed-chamber, +bed-time, egg-shell, god-father, house-door, in-doors, mill-stone, +sea-side, step-mother, up-stairs. + +I have changed or added wrong or missing punctuation in the following +phrases: + + --"Little sister, let me out, I must go[added .]" + + --stood a maiden more beautiful than any he had seen before[added .] + + --put a cap on her, and laid her in the bed in the Queen's place. + [changed . to ,] + + --So Kate went, and she thought to herself.[changed . to ,] + + --as it weighed upon her heavily, she thought it must be the the + [deleted repeated word] dried apples, and she said, + + --neck is in danger'[changed ' to ? and added "] answered the cat. + + --"Father, let me go for once into the forest to cut wood;[added "] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, by +Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOUSEHOLD STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 19068.txt or 19068.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/0/6/19068/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Melissa Er-Raqabi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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