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diff --git a/19734.txt b/19734.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..deea9ea --- /dev/null +++ b/19734.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13087 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Fairy Book, by Dinah Maria Mulock (AKA Miss Mulock) + +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: The Fairy Book + The Best Popular Stories Selected and Rendered Anew + +Author: Dinah Maria Mulock (AKA Miss Mulock) + +Release Date: November 7, 2006 [EBook #19734] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE FAIRY BOOK. + + THE BEST POPULAR STORIES SELECTED + AND RENDERED ANEW. + + + + BY + + MISS MULOCK + + THE AUTHOR OF + "JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN." + + + + + NEW YORK AND LONDON: + HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS. + + * * * * * + + + + +DEDICATED + +TO + +LITTLE OLIVE. + + * * * * * + + + + +PREFACE. + + +A preface is usually an excrescence on a good book, and a vain apology +for a worthless one; but, in the present instance, a few explanatory +words seem necessary. + +This is meant to be the best collection attainable of that delight of +all children, and of many grown people who retain the child-heart +still--the old-fashioned, time-honored classic Fairy-tale. It has been +compiled from all sources--far-off and familiar; when familiar, the +stories have been traced with care to their original form, which, if +foreign, has been retranslated, condensed, and in any other needful +way made suitable for modern British children. Perrault, Madame +d'Aulnois, and Grimm have thus been laid under contribution. Where it +was not possible to get at the original of a tale, its various +versions have been collated, compared, and combined; and in some +instances, when this proved still unsatisfactory, the whole story has +been written afresh. The few English fairy tales extant, such as _Jack +the Giant Killer, Tom Thumb_, etc., whose authorship is lost in +obscurity, but whose charming Saxon simplicity of style, and intense +realism of narration, make for them an ever-green immortality--these +have been left intact, for no later touch would improve them. All +modern stories have been excluded. + +Of course, in fairy tales, instruction is not expected; we find in +them only the rude moral of virtue rewarded and vice punished. But +children will soon discover for themselves that in real life all +beautiful people are not good, nor all ugly ones wicked; that every +elder sister is not ungenerous, nor every stepmother cruel. And the +tender baby-heart is often reached quite as soon by the fancy as by +the reason. Nevertheless, without any direct appeal to conscience or +morality, the Editor of this collection has been especially careful +that there should be nothing in it which could really harm a child. + +She trusts that, whatever its defects, the Fairy Book will not deserve +one criticism, almost the sharpest that can be given to any +work--"that it would have been better if the author had taken more +pains." + + * * * * * + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD + +HOP-O'-MY-THUMB + +CINDERELLA; OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER + +ADVENTURES OF JOHN DIETRICH + +BEAUTY AND THE BEAST + +LITTLE ONE EYE, LITTLE TWO EYES, AND LITTLE THREE EYES + +JACK THE GIANT KILLER + +TOM THUMB + +RUMPELSTILZCHEN + +FORTUNATUS + +THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS + +RIQUET WITH THE TUFT + +HOUSE ISLAND + +SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE RED + +JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK + +GRACIOSA AND PERCINET + +THE IRON STOVE + +THE INVISIBLE PRINCE + +THE WOODCUTTER'S DAUGHTER + +BROTHER AND SISTER + +LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD + +PUSS IN BOOTS + +THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN YOUNG GOSLINGS + +THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN LOOKS + +THE BUTTERFLY + +THE FROG-PRINCE + +THE WHITE CAT + +PRINCE CHERRY + +LITTLE SNOWDROP + +THE BLUE BIRD + +THE YELLOW DWARF + +THE SIX SWANS + +THE PRINCE WITH THE NOSE + +THE HIND OF THE FOREST + +THE JUNIPER TREE + +CLEVER ALICE + + * * * * * + + + + +THE + +SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD. + + +Once there was a royal couple who grieved excessively because they had +no children. When at last, after long waiting, the queen presented her +husband with a little daughter, his majesty showed his joy by giving a +christening feast, so grand that the like of it was never known. He +invited all the fairies in the land--there were seven altogether--to +stand godmothers to the little princess; hoping that each might bestow +on her some good gift, as was the custom of good fairies in those +days. + +After the ceremony, all the guests returned to the palace, where there +was set before each fairy-godmother a magnificent covered dish, with +an embroidered table-napkin, and a knife and fork of pure gold, +studded with diamonds and rubies. But alas! as they placed themselves +at table, there entered an old fairy who had never been invited, +because more than fifty years since she had left the king's dominion +on a tour of pleasure, and had not been heard of until this day. His +majesty, much troubled, desired a cover to be placed for her, but it +was of common delf, for he had ordered from his jeweller only seven +gold dishes for the seven fairies aforesaid. The elderly fairy thought +herself neglected, and muttered angry menaces, which were overheard by +one of the younger fairies, who chanced to sit beside her. This good +godmother, afraid of harm to the pretty baby, hastened to hide herself +behind the tapestry in the hall. She did this, because she wished all +the others to speak first--so that if any ill gift were bestowed on +the child, she might be able to counteract it. + +The six now offered their good wishes--which, unlike most wishes, were +sure to come true. The fortunate little princess was to grow up the +fairest woman in the world; to have a temper sweet as an angel; to be +perfectly graceful and gracious; to sing like a nightingale; to dance +like a leaf on a tree; and to possess every accomplishment under the +sun. Then the old fairy's turn came. Shaking her head spitefully, she +uttered the wish that when the baby grew up into a young lady, and +learned to spin, she might prick her finger with the spindle and die +of the wound. + +At this terrible prophecy all the guests shuddered; and some of the +more tender-hearted began to weep. The lately happy parents were +almost out of their wits with grief. Upon which the wise young fairy +appeared from behind the tapestry, saying cheerfully "Your majesties +may comfort yourselves; the princess shall not die. I have no power +to alter the ill-fortune just wished her by my ancient sister--her +finger must be pierced; and she shall then sink, not into the sleep of +death, but into a sleep that will last a hundred years. After that +time is ended, the son of a king will find her, awaken her, and marry +her." + +Immediately all the fairies vanished. + +The king, in the hope of avoiding his daughter's doom, issued an +edict, forbidding all persons to spin, and even to have +spinning-wheels in their houses, on pain of instant death. But it was +in vain. One day, when she was just fifteen years of age, the king and +queen left their daughter alone in one of their castles, when, +wandering about at her will, she came to an ancient donjon tower, +climbed to the top of it, and there found a very old woman--so old and +deaf that she had never heard of the king's edict--busy with her +wheel. + +"What are you doing, good old woman?" said the princess. + +"I'm spinning, my pretty child." + +"Ah, how charming! Let me try if I can spin also." + +She had no sooner taken up the spindle than, being lively and +obstinate, she handled it so awkwardly and carelessly that the point +pierced her finger. Though it was so small a wound, she fainted away +at once, and dropped silently down on the floor. The poor frightened +old woman called for help; shortly came the ladies in waiting, who +tried every means to restore their young mistress, but all their care +was useless. She lay, beautiful as an angel, the colour still +lingering in her lips and cheeks; her fair bosom softly stirred with +her breath: only her eyes were fast closed. When the king her father +and the queen her mother beheld her thus, they knew regret was +idle--all had happened as the cruel fairy meant. But they also knew +that their daughter would not sleep for ever, though after one hundred +years it was not likely they would either of them behold her +awakening. Until that happy hour should arrive, they determined to +leave her in repose. They sent away all the physicians and attendants, +and themselves sorrowfully laid her upon a bed of embroidery, in the +most elegant apartment of the palace. There she slept and looked like +a sleeping angel still. + +When this misfortune happened, the kindly young fairy who had saved +the princess by changing her sleep of death into this sleep of a +hundred years, was twelve thousand leagues away in the kingdom of +Mataquin. But being informed of everything, she arrived speedily, in a +chariot of fire drawn by dragons. The king was somewhat startled by +the sight, but nevertheless went to the door of his palace, and, with +a mournful countenance, presented her his hand to descend. + +The fairy condoled with his majesty, and approved of all he had done. +Then, being a fairy of great common sense and foresight, she suggested +that the princess, awakening after a hundred years in this ancient +castle, might be a good deal embarrassed, especially with a young +prince by her side, to find herself alone. Accordingly, without asking +any one's leave, she touched with her magic wand the entire population +of the palace--except the king and queen; governesses, ladies of +honour, waiting-maids, gentlemen ushers, cooks, kitchen-girls, pages, +footmen--down to the horses that were in the stables, and the grooms +that attended them, she touched each and all. Nay, with kind +consideration for the feelings of the princess, she even touched the +little fat lap-dog, Puffy, who had laid himself down beside his +mistress on her splendid bed. He, like all the rest, fell fast asleep +in a moment. The very spits that were before the kitchen-fire ceased +turning, and the fire itself went out, and everything became as silent +as if it were the middle of the night, or as if the palace were a +palace of the dead. + +The king and queen--having kissed their daughter and wept over her a +little, but not much, she looked so sweet and content--departed from +the castle, giving orders that it was to be approached no more. The +command was unnecessary; for in one quarter of an hour there sprung up +around it a wood so thick and thorny that neither beasts nor men could +attempt to penetrate there. Above this dense mass of forest could only +be perceived the top of the high tower where the lovely princess +slept. + +A great many changes happen in a hundred years. The king, who never +had a second child, died, and his throne passed into another royal +family. So entirely was the story of the poor princess forgotten, that +when the reigning king's son, being one day out hunting and stopped in +the chase by this formidable wood, inquired what wood it was and what +were those towers which he saw appearing out of the midst of it, no +one could answer him. At length an old peasant was found who +remembered having heard his grandfather say to his father, that in +this tower was a princess, beautiful as the day, who was doomed to +sleep there for one hundred years, until awakened by a king's son, her +destined bridegroom. + +At this, the young prince, who had the spirit of a hero, determined to +find out the truth for himself. Spurred on by both generosity and +curiosity, he leaped from his horse and began to force his way through +the thick wood. To his amazement the stiff branches all gave way, and +the ugly thorns sheathed themselves of their own accord, and the +brambles buried themselves in the earth to let him pass. This done, +they closed behind him, allowing none of his suite to follow: but, +ardent and young, he went boldly on alone. The first thing he saw was +enough to smite him with fear. Bodies of men and horses lay extended +on the ground; but the men had faces, not death-white, but red as +peonies, and beside them were glasses half filled with wine, showing +that they had gone to sleep drinking. Next he entered a large court, +paved with marble, where stood rows of guards presenting arms, but +motionless as if cut out of stone; then he passed through many +chambers where gentlemen and ladies, all in the costume of the past +century, slept at their ease, some standing, some sitting. The pages +were lurking in corners, the ladies of honour were stooping over their +embroidery frames, or listening apparently with polite attention to +the gentlemen of the court, but all were as silent as statues and as +immoveable. Their clothes, strange to say, were fresh and new as ever: +and not a particle of dust or spider-web had gathered over the +furniture, though it had not known a broom for a hundred years. +Finally the astonished prince came to an inner chamber, where was the +fairest sight his eyes had ever beheld. + +A young girl of wonderful beauty lay asleep on an embroidered bed, and +she looked as if she had only just closed her eyes. Trembling, the +prince approached and knelt beside her. Some say he kissed her, but as +nobody saw it, and she never told, we cannot be quite sure of the +fact. However, as the end of the enchantment had come, the princess +awakened at once, and looking at him with eyes of the tenderest +regard, said drowsily, "Is it you, my prince? I have waited for you +very long." + +Charmed with these words, and still more with the tone in which they +were uttered, the prince assured her that he loved her more than his +life. Nevertheless, he was the most embarrassed of the two; for, +thanks to the kind fairy, the princess had plenty of time to dream of +him during her century of slumber, while he had never even heard of +her till an hour before. For a long time did they sit conversing, and +yet had not said half enough. Their only interruption was the little +dog Puffy, who had awakened with his mistress, and now began to be +exceedingly jealous that the princess did not notice him as much as +she was wont to do. + +Meantime all the attendants, whose enchantment was also broken, not +being in love, were ready to die of hunger after their fast of a +hundred years. A lady of honour ventured to intimate that dinner was +served; whereupon the prince handed his beloved princess at once to +the great hall. She did not wait to dress for dinner, being already +perfectly and magnificently attired, though in a fashion somewhat out +of date. However, her lover had the politeness not to notice this, nor +to remind her that she was dressed exactly like her royal grandmother, +whose portrait still hung on the palace walls. + +During the banquet a concert took place by the attendant musicians, +and considering they had not touched their instruments for a century +they played extremely well. They ended with a wedding march: for that +very evening the marriage of the prince and princess was celebrated, +and though the bride was nearly one hundred years older than the +bridegroom, it is remarkable that the fact would never have been +discovered by any one unacquainted therewith. + +After a few days they went together out of the castle and enchanted +wood, both of which immediately vanished, and were never more beheld +by mortal eyes. The princess was restored to her ancestral kingdom, +but it was not generally declared who she was, as during a hundred +years people had grown so very much cleverer that nobody then living +would ever have believed the story. So nothing was explained, and +nobody presumed to ask any questions about her, for ought not a prince +be able to marry whomsoever he pleases? + +Nor--whether or not the day of fairies was over--did the princess ever +see anything further of her seven godmothers. She lived a long and +happy life, like any other ordinary woman, and died at length, +beloved, regretted, but, the prince being already no more, perfectly +contented. + + + + +HOP-O'-MY-THUMB. + + +There once lived in a village a faggot-maker and his wife, who had +seven children, all boys; the eldest was no more than ten years old, +and the youngest was only seven. + +It was odd enough, to be sure, that they should have so many children +in such a short time; but the truth is, the wife always brought him +two and once three at a time. This made him very poor, for not one of +these boys was old enough to get a living, and what was still worse, +the youngest was a puny little fellow who hardly ever spoke a word. +Now this, indeed, was a mark of his good sense, but it made his father +and mother suppose him to be silly, and they thought that at last he +would turn out quite a fool. This boy was the least size ever seen; +for when he was born he was no bigger than a man's thumb, which made +him be christened by the name of Hop-o'-my-thumb. The poor child was +the drudge of the whole house and always bore the blame of everything +that was done wrong. For all this, Hop-o'-my-thumb was far more clever +than any of his brothers; and though he spoke but little, he heard and +knew more than people thought. It happened just at this time, that for +want of rain the fields had grown but half as much corn and potatoes +as they used to grow; so that the faggot-maker and his wife could not +give the boys the food they had before, which was always either bread +or potatoes. + +After the father and mother had grieved some time, they thought that +as they could contrive no other way to live, they must somehow get rid +of their children. One night when the boys were gone to bed, and the +faggot-maker and his wife were sitting over a few lighted sticks, to +warm themselves, the husband sighed deeply, and said, "You see, my +dear, we cannot maintain our children any longer, and to see them die +of hunger before my eyes is what I could never bear. I will, +therefore, to-morrow morning take them to the forest, and leave them +in the thickest part of it, so that they will not be able to find +their way back: this will be very easy; for while they amuse +themselves with tying up the faggots, we need only slip away when they +are looking some other way." + +"Ah! husband," cried the poor wife, "you cannot, no, you never can +consent to be the death of your own children." + +The husband in vain told her to think how very poor they were. + +The wife replied "that this was true, to be sure; but if she was poor, +she was still their mother;" and then she cried as if her heart would +break. At last she thought how shocking it would be to see them +starved to death before their eyes; so she agreed to what her husband +had said, and then went sobbing to bed. + +Hop-o'-my-thumb had been awake all the time; and when he heard his +father talk very seriously, he slipped away from his brothers' side, +and crept under his father's bed, to hear all that was said without +being seen. + +When his father and mother had left off talking, he got back to his +own place, and passed the night in thinking what he should do the next +morning. + +He rose early, and ran to the river's side, where he filled his +pockets with small white pebbles, and then went back home. In the +morning they all set out, as their father and mother had agreed on; +and Hop-o'-my-thumb did not say a word to any of his brothers about +what he had heard. They came to a forest that was so very thick that +they could not see each other a few yards off. The faggot-maker set to +work cutting down wood; and the children began to gather the twigs, to +make faggots of them. + +When the father and mother saw that the young ones were all very busy, +they slipped away without being seen. The children soon found +themselves alone, and began to cry as loud as they could. +Hop-o'-my-thumb let them cry on, for he knew well enough how to lead +them safe home, an he had taken care to drop the white pebbles he had +in his pocket along all the way he had come. He only said to them, +"Never mind it, my lads: father and mother have left us here by +ourselves, but only take care to follow me, and I will lead you back +again." + +When they heard this they left off crying, and followed +Hop-o'-my-thumb, who soon brought them to their father's house by the +very same path which they had come along. At first they had not the +courage to go in; but stood at the door to hear what their parents +were talking about. Just as the faggot-maker and his wife had come +home without their children, a great gentleman of the village sent to +pay them two guineas, for work they had done for him, which he had +owed them so long that they never thought of getting a farthing of it. +This money made them quite happy; for the poor creatures were very +hungry, and had no other way of getting anything to eat. + +The faggot-maker sent his wife out immediately to buy some meat; and +as it was a long time since she had made a hearty meal, she bought as +much meat as would have been enough for six or eight persons. The +truth was, when she was thinking what would be enough for dinner, she +forgot that her children were not at home; but as soon as she and her +husband had done eating, she cried out, "Alas! where are our poor +children? how they would feast on what we have left! It was all your +fault, husband! I told you we should repent leaving them to starve in +the forest!--Oh mercy! perhaps they have already been eaten by the +hungry wolves!" The poor woman shed plenty of tears: "Alas! alas!" +said she, over and over again, "what is become of my dear children?" + +The children, who were all at the door, cried out together, "Here we +are, mother, here we are!" + +She flew like lightning to let them in, and kissed every one of them. + +The faggot-maker and his wife were charmed at having their children +once more with them, and their joy for this lasted till their money +was all spent; but then they found themselves quite as ill off as +before. So by degrees they again thought of leaving them in the +forest: and that the young ones might not come back a second time, +they said they would take them a great deal farther than they did at +first. They could not talk about this matter so slily but that +Hop-o'-my-thumb found means to hear all that passed between them; but +he cared very little about it, for he thought it would be easy for him +to do just the same as he had done before. But though he got up very +early the next morning to go to the river's side to get the pebbles, a +thing which he had not thought of hindered him; for he found that the +house-door was double-locked. Hop-o'-my-thumb was now quite at a loss +what to do; but soon after this, his mother gave each of the children +a piece of bread for breakfast, and then it came into his head that he +could make his share do as well as the pebbles, by dropping crumbs of +it all the way as he went. So he did not eat his piece, but put it +into his pocket. + +It was not long before they all set out, and their parents took care +to lead them into the very thickest and darkest part of the forest. +They then slipped away by a by-path as before, and left the children +by themselves again. All this did not give Hop-o'-my-thumb any +concern, for he thought himself quite sure of getting back by means +of the crumbs that he had dropped by the way; but when he came to look +for them he found that not a crumb was left, for the birds had eaten +them all up. + +The poor children were now sadly off, for the further they went the +harder it was for them to get out of the forest. At last night came +on, and the noise of the wind among the trees seemed to them like the +howling of wolves, so that every moment they thought they should be +eaten up. They hardly dared to speak a word, or to move a limb, for +fear. Soon after there came a heavy rain, which wetted them to the +very skin, and made the ground so slippery, that they fell down almost +at every step, and got dirty all over. + +Before it was quite dark, Hop-o'-my-thumb climbed up to the top of a +tree, and looked round on all sides to see if he could find any way of +getting help. He saw a small light, like that of a candle, but it was +a very great way off, and beyond the forest. He then came down from +the tree, to try to find the way to it; but he could not see it when +he was on the ground, and he was in the utmost trouble what to do +next. They walked on towards the place where he had seen the light, +and at last reached the end of the forest, and got sight of it again. +They now walked faster; and after being much tired and vexed (for +every time they got into lower ground they lost sight of the light), +came to the house it was in. They knocked at the door, which was +opened by a very good-natured-looking lady, who asked what brought +them there. Hop-o'-my-thumb told her that they were poor children, who +had lost their way in the forest, and begged that she would give them +a bed till morning. When the lady saw that they had such pretty faces, +she began to shed tears and said, "Ah! my poor children, you do not +know what place you are come to. This is the house of an Ogre, who +eats up little boys and girls." + +"Alas! madam," replied Hop-o'-my-thumb, who trembled from head to +foot, "what shall we do? If we go back to the forest, we are sure of +being torn to pieces by the wolves; we would rather, therefore, be +eaten by the gentleman: besides, when he sees us, perhaps he may take +pity on us and spare our lives." + +The Ogre's wife thought she could contrive to hide them from her +husband till morning; so she let them go in and warm themselves by a +good fire, before which there was a whole sheep roasting for the +Ogre's supper. When they had stood a short time by the fire, there +came a loud knocking at the door: this was the Ogre come home. His +wife hurried the children under the bed, and told them to lie still, +and she then let her husband in. + +The Ogre asked if supper were ready, and if the wine were fetched from +the cellar; and then he sat down at the table. The sheep was not quite +done, but he liked it much better half raw. In a minute or two the +Ogre began to snuff to his right and left, and said he smelt child's +flesh. + +"It must be this calf which has just been killed," said his wife. + +"I smell child's flesh, I tell thee once more," cried the Ogre, +looking all about the room; "I smell child's flesh; there is something +going on that I do not know of." + +As soon as he had spoken these words, he rose from his chair and went +towards the bed. + +"Ah! madam," said he, "you thought to cheat me, did you? Wretch! thou +art old and tough thyself, or else I would eat thee up too! But come, +come, this is lucky enough; for the brats will make a nice dish for +three Ogres, who are my particular friends, and who are to dine with +me to-morrow." + +He then drew them out one by one from under the bed. The poor children +fell on their knees and begged his pardon as humbly as they could; but +this Ogre was the most cruel of all Ogres, and instead of feeling any +pity, he only began to think how sweet and tender their flesh would +be; so he told his wife they would be nice morsels, if she served them +up with plenty of sauce. He then fetched a large knife, and began to +sharpen it on a long whetstone that he held in his left hand; and all +the while he came nearer and nearer to the bed. The Ogre took up one +of the children, and was going to set about cutting him to pieces; but +his wife said to him, "What in the world makes you take the trouble of +killing them to-night? Will it not be time enough to-morrow morning?" + +"Hold your prating," replied the Ogre; "they will grow tender by being +kept a little while after they are killed." + +"But," said his wife, "you have got so much meat in the house already; +here is a calf, two sheep and half a pig." + +"True," said the Ogre, "so give them all a good supper, that they may +not get lean, and then send them to bed." + +The good creature was quite glad at this. She gave them plenty for +their supper, but the poor children were so terrified that they could +not eat a bit. + +The Ogre sat down to his wine, very much pleased with the thought of +giving his friends such a dainty dish: this made him drink rather more +than common, and he was soon obliged to go to bed himself. Now the +Ogre had seven daughters, who were all very young like Hop-o'-my-thumb +and his brothers. These young Ogresses had fair skins, because they +fed on raw meat like their father; but they had small grey eyes, quite +round, and sunk in their heads, hooked noses, wide mouths, and very +long sharp teeth standing a great way off each other. They were too +young as yet to do much mischief; but they showed that if they lived +to be as old as their father, they would grow quite as cruel as he +was, for they took pleasure already in biting young children, and +sucking their blood. The Ogresses had been put to bed very early that +night; they were all in one bed, which was very large, and every one +of them had a crown of gold on her head. There was another bed of the +same size in the room, and in this the Ogre's wife put the seven +little boys, and then went to bed herself along with her husband. + +Now Hop-o'-my-thumb was afraid that the Ogre would wake in the night +and kill him and his brothers while they were asleep. So he got out of +bed in the middle of the night as softly as he could, took off all his +brothers' nightcaps and his own, and crept with them to the bed that +the Ogre's daughters were in: he then took off their crowns, and put +the nightcaps on their heads instead: next he put the crowns on his +brothers' heads and his own, and got into bed again; expecting, after +this, that, if the Ogre should come, he would take him and his +brothers for his own children. Everything turned out as he wished. The +Ogre waked soon after midnight, and began to be very sorry that he had +put off killing the boys till the morning: so he jumped out of bed, +and took hold of his large knife. "Let us see," said he, "what the +young rogues are about, and do the business at once!" He then walked +softly to the room where they all slept, and went up to the bed the +boys were in, who were all asleep except Hop-o'-my-thumb. He touched +their heads one at a time, and feeling the crowns of gold, said to +himself, "Oh, oh! I had like to have made such a mistake. I must have +drunk too much wine last night." + +He went next to the bed that his own little Ogresses were in, and when +he felt the nightcaps, he said, "Ah! here you are, my lads:" and so in +a moment he cut the throats of all his daughters. + +He was very much pleased when he had done this, and then went back to +his own bed. As soon as Hop-o'-my-thumb heard him snore, he awoke his +brothers, and told them to put on their clothes quickly, and follow +him. They stole down softly into the garden, and then jumped from the +wall into the road: they ran as fast as their legs could carry them, +but were so much afraid all the while, that they hardly knew which way +to take. When the Ogre waked in the morning, he said to his wife, +grinning, "My dear, go and dress the young rogues I saw last night." + +The wife was quite surprised at hearing her husband speak so kindly, +and did not dream of the real meaning of his words. She supposed he +wanted her to help them to put on their clothes; so she went upstairs, +and the first thing she saw was her seven daughters with their throats +cut and all over blood. This threw her into a fainting fit. The Ogre +was afraid his wife might be too long in doing what he had set her +about, so he went himself to help her; but he was as much shocked as +she had been at the dreadful sight of his bleeding children. "Ah! what +have I done?" he cried; "but the little rascals shall pay for it, I +warrant them." + +He first threw some water on his wife's face; and, as soon as she came +to herself, he said to her: "Bring me quickly my seven-league boots, +that I may go and catch the little vipers." + +The Ogre then put on these boots, and set out with all speed. He +strided over many parts of the country, and at last turned into the +very road in which the poor children were. For they had set off +towards the faggot-maker's cottage, which they had almost reached. +They watched the Ogre stepping from mountain to mountain at one step, +and crossing rivers as if they had been tiny brooks. At this +Hop-o'-my-thumb thought a little what was to be done; and spying a +hollow place under a large rock, he made his brothers get into it. He +then crept in himself, but kept his eye fixed on the Ogre, to see what +he would do next. + +The Ogre found himself quite weary with the journey he had gone, for +seven-league boots are very tiresome to the person who wears them; so +he now began to think of resting, and happened to sit down on the very +rock where the poor children were hid. As he was so tired, and it was +a very hot day, he fell fast asleep, and soon began to snore so loud, +that the little fellows were terrified. + +When Hop-o'-my-thumb saw this he said to his brothers, "Courage, my +lads! never fear! you have nothing to do but to steal away and get +home while the Ogre is fast asleep, and leave me to shift for myself." + +The brothers now were very glad to do whatever he told them, and so +they soon came to their father's house. In the mean time +Hop-o'-my-thumb went up to the Ogre softly, pulled off his +seven-league boots very gently, and put them on his own legs: for +though the boots were very large, yet being fairy-boots, they could +make themselves small enough to fit any leg they pleased. + +As soon as ever Hop-o'-my-thumb had made sure of the Ogre's +seven-league boots, he went at once to the palace, and offered his +services to carry orders from the king to his army, which was a great +way off, and to bring back the quickest accounts of the battle they +were just at that time fighting with the enemy. In short, he thought +he could be of more use to the king than all his mail coaches, and so +should make his fortune in this manner. He succeeded so well, that in +a short time he made money enough to keep himself, his father, mother, +and six brothers, without the trouble of working, for the rest of +their lives. Having done this, he went back to his father's cottage, +where all the family were delighted to see him again. As the great +fame of his boots had been talked of at court in this time, the king +sent for him, and indeed employed him very often in the greatest +affairs of the state, so that he became one of the richest men in the +kingdom. + +And now let us see what became of the wicked Ogre. He slept so soundly +that he never discovered the loss of his boots; but having an evil +conscience and bad dreams, he fell in his sleep from the corner of the +rock where Hop-o'-my-thumb and his brothers had left him, and bruised +himself so much from head to foot, that he could not stir: so he was +forced to stretch himself out at full length, and wait for some one to +come and help him. + +Now a good many faggot-makers passed near the place where the Ogre +lay; and, when they heard him groan, they went up to ask him what was +the matter. But the Ogre had eaten such a great number of children in +his lifetime, that he had grown so very big and fat that these men +could not even have carried one of his legs; so they were forced to +leave him there. At last night came on, and then a large serpent came +out of a wood just by, and stung him, so that he died in great pain. + +By and by, Hop-o'-my-thumb, who had become the king's first favourite, +heard of the Ogre's death; and the first thing he did was to tell his +majesty all that the good-natured Ogress had done to save the lives of +himself and brothers. The king was so much pleased at what he heard, +that he asked Hop-o'-my-thumb if there was any favour he could bestow +upon her? Hop-o'-my-thumb thanked the king, and desired that the +Ogress might have the noble title of Duchess of Draggletail given to +her; which was no sooner asked than granted. The Ogress then came to +court, and lived very happily for many years, enjoying the vast +fortune she had found in the Ogre's chests. As for Hop-o'-my-thumb, he +every day grew more witty and brave; till at last the king made him +the greatest lord in the kingdom, and set him over all his affairs. + + + + +CINDERELLA + +OR, + +The Little Glass Slipper. + + +There was once an honest gentle man who took for his second wife a +lady, the proudest and most disagreeable in the whole country. She had +two daughters exactly like herself in all things. He also had one +little girl, who resembled her dead mother, the best woman in all the +world. Scarcely had the second marriage taken place, than the +stepmother became jealous of the good qualities of the little girl, +who was so great a contrast to her own two daughters. She gave her all +the menial occupations of the house; compelled her to wash the floors +and staircases, to dust the bed-rooms, and clean the grates; and while +her sisters occupied carpeted chambers hung with mirrors, where they +could see themselves from head to foot, this poor little damsel was +sent to sleep in an attic, on an old straw mattress, with only one +chair and not a looking-glass in the room. + +She suffered all in silence, not daring to complain to her father, who +was entirely ruled by his new wife. When her daily work was done she +used to sit down in the chimney-corner among the ashes; from which the +two sisters gave her the nick-name of _Cinderella_. But Cinderella, +however shabbily clad, was handsomer than they were with all their +fine clothes. + +It happened that the king's son gave a series of balls, to which were +invited all the rank and fashion of the city, and among the rest the +two elder sisters. They were very proud and happy, and occupied their +whole time in deciding what they should wear; a source of new trouble +to Cinderella, whose duty it was to get up their fine linen and laces, +and who never could please them however much she tried. They talked of +nothing but their clothes. + +"I," said the elder, "shall wear my velvet gown and my trimmings of +English lace." + +"And I," added the younger, "will have but my ordinary silk petticoat, +but I shall adorn it with an upper skirt of flowered brocade, and +shall put on my diamond tiara, which is a great deal finer than +anything of yours." + +Here the elder sister grew angry, and the dispute began to run so +high, that Cinderella, who was known to have excellent taste, was +called upon to decide between them. She gave them the best advice she +could, and gently and submissively offered to dress them herself, and +especially to arrange their hair, an accomplishment in which she +excelled many a noted coiffeur. The important evening came, and she +exercised all her skill to adorn the two young ladies. While she was +combing out the elder's hair, this ill-natured girl said sharply, +"Cinderella, do you not wish you were going to the ball?" + +"Ah, madam" (they obliged her always to say madam), "you are only +mocking me; it is not my fortune to have any such pleasure." + +"You are right; people would only laugh to see a little cinder-wench +at a ball." + +Any other than Cinderella would have dressed the hair all awry, but +she was good, and dressed it perfectly even and smooth, and as +prettily as she could. + +The sisters had scarcely eaten for two days, and had broken a dozen +stay-laces a day, in trying to make themselves slender; but to-night +they broke a dozen more, and lost their tempers over and over again +before they had completed their toilette. When at last the happy +moment arrived, Cinderella followed them to the coach; after it had +whirled them away, she sat down by the kitchen fire and cried. + +Immediately her godmother, who was a fairy, appeared beside her. "What +are you crying for, my little maid?" + +"Oh, I wish--I wish--" Her sobs stopped her. + +"You wish to go to the ball; isn't it so?" + +Cinderella nodded. + +"Well, then, be a good girl, and you shall go. First run into the +garden and fetch me the largest pumpkin you can find." + +Cinderella did not comprehend what this had to do with her going to +the ball, but being obedient and obliging, she went. Her godmother +took the pumpkin, and having scooped out all its inside, struck it +with her wand; it became a splendid gilt coach, lined with +rose-coloured satin. + +"Now fetch me the mouse-trap out of the pantry, my dear." + +Cinderella brought it; it contained six of the fattest, sleekest mice. +The fairy lifted up the wire door, and as each mouse ran out she +struck it and changed it into a beautiful black horse. + +"But what shall I do for your coachman, Cinderella?" + +Cinderella suggested that she had seen a large black rat in the +rat-trap, and he might do for want of better. + +"You are right; go and look again for him." + +He was found, and the fairy made him into a most respectable coachman, +with the finest whiskers imaginable. She afterwards took six lizards +from behind the pumpkin frame, and changed them into six footmen, all +in splendid livery, who immediately jumped up behind the carriage, as +if they had been footmen all their days. "Well, Cinderella, now you +can go to the ball." + +"What, in these clothes?" said Cinderella piteously, looking down on +her ragged frock. + +Her godmother laughed, and touched her also with the wand; at which +her wretched thread-bare jacket became stiff with gold, and sparkling +with jewels; her woollen petticoat lengthened into a gown of sweeping +satin, from underneath which peeped out her little feet, no longer +bare, but covered with silk stockings, and the prettiest glass +slippers in the world. "Now Cinderella, depart; but remember, if you +stay one instant after midnight, your carriage will become a pumpkin, +your coachman a rat, your horses mice, and your footmen lizards; while +you yourself will be the little cinder-wench you were an hour ago." + +Cinderella promised without fear, her heart was so full of joy. + +Arrived at the palace, the king's son, whom some one, probably the +fairy, had told to await the coming of an uninvited princess whom +nobody knew, was standing at the entrance, ready to receive her. He +offered her his hand, and led her with the utmost courtesy through the +assembled guests, who stood aside to let her pass, whispering to one +another, "Oh, how beautiful she is!" It might have turned the head of +any one but poor Cinderella, who was so used to be despised, that she +took it all as if it were something happening in a dream. + +Her triumph was complete; even the old king said to the queen, that +never since her majesty's young days had he seen so charming and +elegant a person. All the court ladies, scanned her eagerly, clothes +and all, determining to have theirs made next day of exactly the same +pattern. The king's son himself led her out to dance, and she danced +so gracefully that he admired her more and more. Indeed, at supper, +which was fortunately early, his admiration quite took away his +appetite. For Cinderella herself, with an involuntary shyness she +sought out her sisters; placed herself beside them and offered them +all sorts of civil attentions, which, coming as they supposed from a +stranger, and so magnificent a lady, almost overwhelmed them with +delight. + +While she was talking with them, she heard the clock strike a quarter +to twelve, and making a courteous adieu to the royal family, she +re-entered her carriage, escorted tenderly by the king's son, and +arrived in safety at her own door. There she found her godmother, who +smiled approval; and of whom she begged permission to go to a second +ball, the following night, to which the queen had earnestly invited +her. + +While she was talking, the two sisters were heard knocking at the +gate, and the fairy godmother vanished, leaving Cinderella sitting in +the chimney-corner, rubbing her eyes and pretending to be very sleepy. + +"Ah," cried the eldest sister maliciously, "it has been the most +delightful ball, and there was present the most beautiful princess I +ever saw, who was so exceedingly polite to us both." + +"Was she?" said Cinderella indifferently; "and who might she be?" + +"Nobody knows, though everybody would give their eyes to know, +especially the king's son." + +"Indeed!" replied Cinderella, a little more interested; "I should like +to see her. Miss Javotte"--that was the elder sister's name--"will you +not let me go to-morrow, and lend me your yellow gown that you wear on +Sundays?" + +"What, lend my yellow gown to a cinder-wench! I am not so mad as +that;" at which refusal Cinderella did not complain, for if her sister +really had lent her the gown she would have been considerably +embarrassed. + +The next night came, and the two young ladies richly dressed in +different toilettes, went to the ball. Cinderella, more splendidly +attired and beautiful than ever, followed them shortly after. "Now +remember twelve o'clock," was her godmother's parting speech; and she +thought she certainly should. But the prince's attentions to her were +greater even than the first evening, and in the delight of listening +to his pleasant conversation, time slipped by unperceived. While she +was sitting beside him in a lovely alcove, and looking at the moon +from under a bower of orange blossoms, she heard a clock strike the +first stroke of twelve. She started up, and fled away as lightly as a +deer. + +Amazed, the prince followed, but could not catch her. Indeed he missed +his lovely princess altogether, and only saw running out of the palace +doors a little dirty lass whom he had never beheld before, and of whom +he certainly would never have taken the least notice, Cinderella +arrived at home breathless and weary, ragged and cold, without +carriage, or footmen, or coachman; the only remnant of her past +magnificence being one of her little glass slippers;--the other she +had dropped in the ball-room as she ran away. + +When the two sisters returned they were full of this strange +adventure, how the beautiful lady had appeared at the ball more +beautiful than ever, and enchanted every one who looked at her; and +how as the clock was striking twelve she had suddenly risen up and +fled through the ball-room, disappearing no one knew how or where, and +dropping one of her glass slippers behind her in her flight. How the +king's son had remained inconsolable until he chanced to pick up the +little glass slipper, which he carried away in his pocket, and was +seen to take it out continually, and look at it affectionately, with +the air of a man very much in love; in fact, from his behaviour during +the remainder of the evening, all the court and royal family were +convinced that he had become desperately enamoured of the wearer of +the little glass slipper. + +Cinderella listened in silence, turning her face to the kitchen fire, +and perhaps it was that which made her look so rosy, but nobody ever +noticed or admired her at home, so it did not signify, and next +morning she went to her weary work again just as before. + +A few days after, the whole city was attracted by the sight of a +herald going round with a little glass slipper in his hand, +publishing, with a flourish of trumpets, that the king's son ordered +this to be fitted on the foot of every lady in the kingdom, and that +he wished to marry the lady whom it fitted best, or to whom it and the +fellow slipper belonged. Princesses, duchesses, countesses, and simple +gentlewomen all tried it on, but being a fairy slipper, it fitted +nobody and beside, nobody could produce its fellow slipper, which lay +all the time safely in the pocket of Cinderella's old linsey gown. + +At last the herald came to the house of the two sisters, and though +they well knew neither of themselves was the beautiful lady, they made +every attempt to get their clumsy feet into the glass slipper, but in +vain. + +"Let me try it on," said Cinderella from the chimney corner. + +"What, you?" cried the others, bursting into shouts of laughter; but +Cinderella only smiled, and held out her hand. + +Her sisters could not prevent her, since the command was that every +young maiden in the city should try on the slipper, in order that no +chance might be left untried, for the prince was nearly breaking his +heart; and his father and mother were afraid that though a prince, he +would actually die for love of the beautiful unknown lady. + +So the herald bade Cinderella sit down on a three-legged stool in the +kitchen, and himself put the slipper on her pretty little foot, which +it fitted exactly; she then drew from her pocket the fellow slipper, +which she also put on, and stood up--for with the touch of the magic +shoes all her dress was changed likewise--no longer the poor despised +cinder-wench, but the beautiful lady whom the king's son loved. + +Her sisters recognized her at once. Filled with astonishment, mingled +with no little alarm, they threw themselves at her feet, begging her +pardon for all their former unkindness. She raised and embraced them: +told them she forgave them with all her heart, and only hoped they +would love her always. Then she departed with the herald to the king's +palace, and told her whole story to his majesty and the royal family, +who were not in the least surprised, for everybody believed in +fairies, and everybody longed to have a fairy godmother. + +For the young prince, he found her more lovely and loveable than ever, +and insisted upon marrying her immediately. Cinderella never went home +again, but she sent for her two sisters to the palace, and with the +consent of all parties married them shortly after to two rich +gentlemen of the court. + + + + +ADVENTURES OF JOHN DIETRICH. + + +There once lived in Rambin, a town near the Baltic Sea, an honest, +industrious man named James Dietrich. He had several children, all of +a good disposition, especially the youngest, whose name was John. John +Dietrich was a handsome, smart boy, diligent at school, and obedient +at home. His great passion was for hearing stories, and whenever he +met any one who was well stored with such, he never let him go till he +had heard them all. + +When John was about eight years old he was sent to spend a summer with +his uncle, a farmer in Rodenkirchen. Here he had to keep cows with +other boys, and they used to drive them to graze about the Nine-hills, +where an old cowherd, one Klas Starkwolt, frequently came to join the +lads, and then they would sit down all together and tell stories. +Consequently Klas became John's best friend, for he knew stories +without end. He could tell all about the Nine-hills, and the +underground folk who inhabited them; how the giants disappeared from +the country, and the dwarfs or little people came in their stead. +These tales John swallowed so eagerly that he thought of nothing else, +and was for ever talking of golden cups, and crowns, and glass shoes, +and pockets full of ducats, and gold rings, and diamond coronets, and +snow-white brides, and the like. Old Klas used often to shake his head +at him and say, "John! John! what are you about? The spade and scythe +will be your sceptre and crown, and your bride will wear a garland of +rosemary and a gown of striped drill." + +Still John almost longed to get into the Nine-hills, for Klas had told +him that any one who by luck or cunning should get the cap of one of +the little people might go down with safety, and instead of becoming +their slave, he would be their master. The fairy whose cap he got +would be his servant, and obey all his commands. + +Midsummer-eve, when the days are longest and the nights shortest, was +now come. In the village of Rambin old and young kept the holiday, had +all sorts of plays, and told all kinds of stories. John, who knew that +this season was the time for all fairy-people to come abroad, could +now no longer contain himself, but the day after the festival he +slipped away to the Nine-hills, and when it grew dark laid himself +down on the top of the highest of them, which Klas had told him was +the principal dancing-ground of the underground people. John lay there +quite still from ten till twelve at night. At last it struck twelve. +Immediately there was a ringing and a singing in the hills, and then a +whispering and a lisping and a whiz and a buzz all about him, for the +little people were now come out, some whirling round and round in the +dance, and others sporting and tumbling about in the moonshine, and +playing a thousand merry pranks. He felt a secret dread creep over +him at this whispering and buzzing, for he could see nothing of them, +as the caps they wore made them invisible; but he lay quite still, +with his face in the grass and his eyes fast shut, snoring a little +just as if he was asleep. Yet now and then he ventured to open his +eyes a little and peep out, but not the slightest trace of them could +he see, though it was bright moonlight. + +It was not long before three of the underground people came jumping up +to where he was lying; but they took no heed of him, and flung their +brown caps up into the air, and caught them from one another. At +length one snatched the cap out of the hand of another and flung it +away. It flew direct and fell upon John's head. He could feel, though +he could not see it; and the moment he did feel it, he caught hold of +it. Starting up, he swung it about for joy, and made the little silver +bell of it tingle, then set it upon his head, and--O wonderful to +relate!--that instant he saw the countless and merry swarm of the +little people. + +The three little men came slily up to him, and thought by their +nimbleness to get back the cap, but he held his prize fast, and they +saw clearly that nothing was to be done in this way with him, for in +size and strength John was a giant in comparison of these little +fellows, who hardly reached his knee. The owner of the cap now came up +very humbly to the finder, and begged in as supplicating a tone as if +his life depended upon it, that he would give him back his cap. "No," +said John, "you sly little rogue, you'll get the cap no more. That's +not the sort of thing: I should be in a nice perplexity if I had not +something of yours; now you have no power over me, but must do what I +please. And I will go down with you, and see how you live below and +you shall be my servant.--Nay, no grumbling, you know you must. And I +know it too, just as well as you do, for Klas Starkwolt told it to me +often and often." + +The little man made as if he had not heard or understood one word of +all this; he began all his crying and whining over again, and wept, +and screamed, and howled most piteously for his little cap. But John +cut the matter short by saying to him, "Have done; you are my servant, +and I intend to take a trip with you." So the underground man gave up +the point; especially as he well knew there was no remedy. + +John now flung away his old hat, and put on the cap, and set it firmly +on his head, lest it should slip off or fly away, for all his power +lay in it. He lost no time in trying its virtues, but commanded his +new servant to fetch him food and drink. The servant ran away like the +wind, and in a second was there again with bottles of wine, and bread, +and rich fruits. So John ate and drank, and looked on at the sports +and the dancing of the little people, and it pleased him right well, +and he behaved himself stoutly and wisely, as if he was a born master. + +When the cock had now crowed for the third time, and the little larks +had made their first flutter in the sky, and the daybreak appeared in +slender white streaks in the east, then there went a whisper, hush, +hush, hush, through the bushes, and flowers, and trees; and the hills +rang again, and opened up, and the little men stole down and +disappeared. John gave close attention to every thing, and found that +it was exactly as he had been told. And behold! on the top of the hill +where they had just been dancing, and which was now full of grass and +flowers, as people see it by day, there rose, of a sudden, a small +glass door. Whosoever wanted to go in stepped upon this; it opened, +and he glided gently in, the glass closing again after him; and when +they had all entered it vanished, and there was no farther trace of it +to be seen. Those who descended through the glass door sank quite +gently into a wide silver tun or barrel, which held them all, and +could easily have harboured a thousand such little people. John and +his man went down also, along with several others, all of whom +screamed out and prayed him not to tread on them, for if his weight +came on them, they were dead men. He was, however, careful, and acted +in a very friendly way towards them. Several barrels of this kind went +up and down after each other, until all were in. They hung by long +silver chains, which were drawn and guided from below. + +In his descent John was amazed at the wonderful brilliancy of the +walls between which the tun glided down. They seemed all studded with +pearls and diamonds, glittering and sparkling brightly, while below +him he heard the most beautiful music tinkling at a distance, so that +he did not know what he was about, and from excess of pleasure he fell +fast asleep. + +He slept a long time, and when he awoke he found himself in the most +beautiful bed that could be, such as he had never seen in his father's +or any other house. It was also the prettiest little chamber in the +world, and his servant was beside him with a fan to keep away the +flies and gnats. He had hardly opened his eyes when his little servant +brought him a basin and towel, and held ready for him to put on the +nicest new clothes of brown silk, most beautifully made; with these +was a pair of new black shoes with red ribbons, such as John had never +beheld in Rambin or in Rodenkirchen either. There were also there +several pairs of glittering glass shoes, such as are only used on +great occasions. John was, we may well suppose, delighted to have such +clothes to wear, and he put them on joyfully. His servant then flew +like lightning and returned with a fine breakfast of wine and milk, +and delicate white bread and fruits, and such other things as little +boys are fond of. He now perceived, every moment, more and more, that +Klas Starkwolt, the old cowherd, knew what he was talking about, for +the splendour and magnificence here surpassed anything John had ever +dreamt of. His servant, too, was the most obedient one possible; a nod +or a sign was enough for him, for he was as wise as a bee, as all +these little people are by nature. + +John's bedroom was all covered with emeralds and other precious +stones, and in the ceiling was a diamond as big as a nine-pin bowl, +that gave light to the whole chamber. In this place they have neither +sun, nor moon, nor stars to give them light; neither do they use lamps +or candles of any kind; but they live in the midst of precious stones, +and have the purest of gold and silver in abundance, from which they +manage to obtain light both by day and by night, though indeed, +properly speaking, as there is no sun here, there is no distinction of +day and night, and they reckon only by weeks. They set the brightest +and clearest precious stones in their dwellings, and the ways and +passages leading under the ground, and in the places where they have +their large halls, and their dances and feasts; and the sparkle of +these jewels makes a sort of silvery twilight which is far more +beautiful than common day. + +When John had finished his breakfast, his servant opened a little door +in the wall, where was a closet with silver and gold cups and dishes +and other vessels, and baskets filled with ducats, and boxes of jewels +and precious stones. There were also charming pictures, and the most +delightful story-books he had seen in the whole course of his life. + +John spent the morning looking at these things; and, when it was +mid-day, a bell rung, and his servant said, "Will you dine alone, sir, +or with the large company?" + +"With the large company, to be sure," replied John. So his servant led +him out. John, however, saw nothing but solitary halls, lighted up +with precious stones, and here and there little men and women, who +appeared to him to glide out of the clefts and fissures of the rocks. +Wondering what it was the bells rang for, he said to his servant--"But +where is the company?" And scarcely had he spoken when the hall they +were in opened out to a great extent, and a canopy set with diamonds +and precious stones was drawn over it. At the same moment he saw an +immense throng of nicely dressed little men and women pouring in +through several open doors: the floor opened in several places, and +tables, covered with the most beautiful ware, and the most luscious +meats, and fruits, and wines, arranged themselves in rows, and the +chairs arranged themselves along beside the tables, and then the men +and women took their seats. + +The principal persons now came forward, bowed to John, and led him to +their table, where they placed him among their most beautiful maidens, +a distinction which pleased John well. The party too was very merry, +for the underground people are extremely lively and cheerful, and can +never stay long quiet. Then the most charming music sounded over their +heads; and beautiful birds, flying about, sung sweetly: these were not +real but artificial birds, which the little men make so ingeniously +that they can fly about and sing like natural ones. + +The servants of both sexes, who waited at table, and handed about the +gold cups, and the silver and crystal baskets with fruit, were mortal +children, whom some misfortune had thrown among the underground +people, and who, having come down without securing any pledge, such as +John's cap, had fallen into their power. These were differently clad +from their masters. The boys and girls were dressed in snow-white +coats and jackets, and wore glass shoes, so thin that their steps +could never be heard, with blue caps on their heads, and silver belts +round their waists. + +John at first pitied them, seeing how they were forced to run about +and wait on the little people; but as they looked cheerful and happy, +and were handsomely dressed, and had such rosy cheeks, he said to +himself--"After all, they are not so badly off, and I was myself much +worse when I had to be running after the cows and bullocks. To be +sure, I am now a master here, and they are servants; but there is no +help for it: why were they so foolish as to let themselves be taken +and not get some pledge beforehand? At any rate, the time must come +when they shall be set at liberty, and they will certainly not be +longer than fifty years here." With these thoughts he consoled +himself, and sported and played away with his little playfellows, and +ate, and drank, and made his servant and the others tell him stories, +for he always liked to hear something strange, and to get to the +bottom of everything. + +They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a +little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, +leaving the company standing on their feet. The birds now struck up a +most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and +leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown +dizzy. And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of +him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he +danced with them for two good hours. Every afternoon while he remained +there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he +always spoke of it with the greatest glee. + +When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock. +The little people then disappeared, and went each about their work or +their pleasure. After supper they sported and danced in the same way; +and at midnight, especially on starlight nights, they slipped out of +their hills to dance in the open air. John used then, like a good boy, +to say his prayers and go to sleep, a duty he never neglected either +in the evening or in the morning. + +For the first week that John was in the glass-hill he only went from +his chamber to the great hall and back again. After then, however, he +began to walk about, making his servant show and explain everything to +him. He found that there were here most beautiful walks, in which he +might ramble along for miles, in all directions, without ever finding +an end of them, so immensely large was the hill that the little people +lived in, and yet outwardly it seemed but a little hill, with a few +bushes and trees growing on it. + +He found also meadows and lanes, islands and lakes, where the birds +sang sweeter, and the flowers were more brilliant and fragrant than +anything he had ever seen on earth. There was a breeze, and yet one +did not feel the wind; it was quite clear and bright, but there was no +heat; the waves were dashing, still there was no danger; and the most +beautiful little barks and canoes came, like white swans, when one +wanted to cross the water, and went backwards and forwards of their +own accord. Whence all this came nobody knew, nor could his servant +tell anything about it. + +These lovely meads and plains were, for the most part, all solitary. +Few of the underground people were to be seen upon them, and those +that were just glided across them, as if in the greatest hurry. It +very rarely happened that any of them danced out here in the open air; +sometimes about three of them did so; at the most half a dozen: John +never saw a greater number together. The meadows never seemed +cheerful, except when the earth-children, who were kept as servants, +were let out to walk. This, however, happened but twice a week, for +they were mostly kept employed in the great hall and adjoining +apartments, or at school. + +For John soon found they had schools there also; he had been there +about ten months, when one day he saw something snow-white gliding +into a rock, and disappearing. "What!" said he to his servant, "are +there some of you too that wear white, like the servants?" He was +informed that there were; but they were few in number, and never +appeared at the large tables or the dances, except once a year, on the +birthday of the great Hill-king, who dwelt many thousand miles below +in the great deep. These were the oldest men among them, some being +many thousand years old; they knew all things, and could tell of the +beginning of the world, and were called the Wise. They lived all +alone, and only left their chambers to instruct the underground +children and the attendants of both sexes. + +John was greatly interested by this news, and he determined to take +advantage of it: so next morning he made his servant conduct him to +the school, and was so well pleased with it that he never missed a +day. The scholars were taught reading, writing, and accounts, to +compose and relate histories and stories, and many elegant kinds of +work; so that many came out of the hills very prudent and learned. The +biggest, and those of best capacity, received instruction in natural +science and astronomy, and in poetry and riddle-making, arts highly +esteemed by the little people. John was very diligent, and soon became +a clever painter; he wrought, too, most ingeniously in gold, and +silver, and stones; and in verse and riddle-making he had no fellow. + +John had spent many a happy year here without ever thinking of the +upper world, or of those he had left behind, so pleasantly passed the +time--so many an agreeable playfellow had he among the children. + +Of all his playfellows there was none of whom he was so fond as of a +little fair-haired girl, named Elizabeth Krabbin. She was from his own +village, and was the daughter of Frederick Krabbe, the minister of +Rambin. She was but four years old when she was taken away, and John +had often heard tell of her. She was not, however, stolen by the +little people, but came into their power in this manner. One day in +summer, she, with other children, ran out into the fields: in their +rambles they went to the Nine-hills, where little Elizabeth fell +asleep, and was forgotten by the rest. At night, when she awoke, she +found herself under the ground among the little people. It was not +merely because she was from his own village that John was so fond of +Elizabeth, but she was a most beautiful child, with clear blue eyes +and ringlets of fair hair, and a most angelic smile. + +Time flew away unperceived: John was now eighteen, and Elizabeth +sixteen. Their childish fondness was now become love, and the little +people were pleased to see it, thinking that by means of her they +might get John to renounce his power, and become their servant; for +they were fond of him, and would willingly have had him to wait upon +them; the love of dominion is their vice. But they were mistaken; John +had learned too much from his servant to be caught in that way. + +John's chief delight was walking about alone with Elizabeth; for he +now knew every place so well that he could dispense with the +attendance of his servant. In these rambles he was always gay and +lively, but his companion was frequently sad and melancholy, thinking +of the land above, where men lived, and where the sun, moon, and stars +shine. Now it happened in one of their walks, that as they talked of +their love, and it was after midnight, they passed under the place +where the tops of the glass hills used to open and let the underground +people in and out. As they went along they heard of a sudden the +crowing of several cocks above. At this sound, which she had not heard +for twelve years, little Elizabeth felt her heart so affected that she +could contain herself no longer, but throwing her arms about John's +neck, she bathed his cheeks with her tears. At length she spake-- + +"Dearest John," said she, "everything down here is very beautiful, and +the little people are kind, and do nothing to injure me, but still I +have always been uneasy, nor ever felt any pleasure till I began to +love you; and yet that is not pure pleasure, for this is not a right +way of living, such as it should be for human beings. Every night I +dream of my dear father and mother, and of our church-yard, where the +people stand so piously at the church-door waiting for my father, and +I could weep tears of blood that I cannot go into the church with +them, and worship God as a human being should; for this is no +Christian life we lead down here, but a delusive half heathen one. And +only think, dear John, that we can never marry, as there is no priest +to join us. Do, then, plan some way for us to leave this place; for I +cannot tell you how I long to get once more to my father, and among +pious Christians." + +John too had not been unaffected by the crowing of the cocks, and he +felt what he had never felt here before, a longing after the land +where the sun shines. He replied-- + +"Dear Elizabeth, all you say is true, and I now feel that it is a sin +for Christians to stay here; and it seems to me as if our Lord said to +us in that cry of the cocks, 'Come up, ye Christian children, out of +those abodes of illusion and magic; come to the light of the stars, +and act as children of light.' I now feel that it was a great sin for +me to come down here, but I trust I shall be forgiven on account of my +youth; for I was a child and knew not what I did. But now I will not +stay a day longer. They cannot keep _me_ here." + +At these last words, Elizabeth turned pale, for she recollected that +she was a servant, and must serve her fifty years. "And what will it +avail me," cried she, "that I shall continue young and be but as +twenty years old when I go out, for my father and mother will be dead, +and all my companions old and gray; and you, dearest John, will be old +and gray also," cried she, throwing herself on his bosom. + +John was thunderstruck at this, for it had never before occurred to +him; he, however, comforted her as well as he could, and declared he +would never leave the place without her. He spent the whole night in +forming various plans, at last he fixed on one, and in the morning he +dispatched his servant to summon to his apartment six of the principal +of the little people. When they came, John thus mildly addressed them: + +"My friends, you know how I came here, not as a prisoner or servant, +but as a lord and master over one of you, and consequently, over all. +You have now for the ten years I have been with you treated me with +respect and attention, and for that I am your debtor. But you are +still more my debtors, for I might have given you every sort of +annoyance and vexation, and you must have submitted to it. I have, +however, not done so, but have behaved as your equal, and have sported +and played with you rather than ruled over you. I now have one request +to make. There is a girl among your servants whom I love, Elizabeth +Krabbin, of Rambin, where I was born. Give her to me, and let us +depart. For I will return to where the sun shines and the plough goes +through the land. I ask to take nothing with me but her, and the +ornaments and furniture of my chamber." + +He spoke in a determined tone, and they hesitated and cast their eyes +to the ground; at last the eldest of them replied: + +"Sir, you ask what we cannot grant. It is a fixed law, that no servant +should leave this place before the appointed time. Were we to break +through this law, our whole subterranean empire would fall. Anything +else you desire, for we love and respect you, but we cannot give up +Elizabeth." + +"You can and you shall give her up," cried John in a rage; "go think +of it till to-morrow. Return here at this hour. I will show you +whether or no I can triumph over your hypocritical and cunning +stratagems." + +The six retired. Next morning, on their return, John addressed them in +the kindest manner, but to no purpose; they persisted in their +refusal. He gave them till the following day, threatening them +severely in case of their still proving refractory. + +Next day, when the six little people appeared before him, John looked +at them sternly, and made no reply to their salutations, but said to +them shortly, "Yes or No?" And they answered with one voice, "No." He +then ordered his servant to summon twenty-four more of the principal +persons, with their wives and children. When they came, they were in +all five hundred men, women, and children. John ordered them forthwith +to go and fetch pickaxes, spades, and bars, which they did in a +second. + +He now led them out to a rock in one of the fields, and ordered them +to fall to work at blasting, hewing, and dragging stones. They toiled +patiently, and made as if it was only sport to them. From morning till +night their taskmaster made them labour without ceasing, standing over +them constantly, to prevent their resting. Still their obstinacy was +inflexible; and at the end of some weeks his pity for them was so +great, that he was obliged to give over. + +He now thought of a new species of punishment for them. He ordered +them to appear before him next morning, each provided with a new whip. +They obeyed, and John commanded them to strip and lash one another +till the blood should run down on the ground, while he stood looking +on as grim and cruel as an Eastern tyrant. Still the little people cut +and slashed themselves, and mocked at John, and refused to comply with +his wishes. This he did for three or four days. + +Several other courses did he try, but all in vain; his temper was too +gentle to struggle with their obstinacy, and he began now to despair +of ever accomplishing his dearest wish. He began to hate the little +people whom he was before so fond of; he kept away from their banquets +and dances, associated only with Elizabeth, and ate and drank quite +solitary in his chamber. In short, he became almost a perfect hermit, +and sank into moodiness and melancholy. + +While in this temper, as he was taking a solitary walk in the evening, +and, to divert his melancholy, was flinging the stones that lay in his +path against each other, he happened to break a tolerably large one, +and out of it jumped a toad. The moment John saw the ugly animal, he +caught him up in ecstasy, and put him into his pocket and ran home, +crying, "Now I have her! I have my Elizabeth! Now you shall catch it, +you little mischievous rascals!" And on getting home he put the toad +into a costly silver casket, as if it was the greatest treasure. + +To account for John's joy you must know Klas Starkwolt had often told +him that the underground people could not endure any ill odour, and +that the sight or even the smell of a toad made them faint and suffer +the most dreadful tortures, so that, by means of these animals, one +could compel them to anything. Hence there are no bad smells to be +found in the whole glass empire, and a toad is a thing unheard of +there; this toad must therefore have been inclosed in the stone from +the Creation, as it were for the sake of John and Elizabeth. + +Resolved to try the effect of his toad, John took the casket under his +arm and went out, and on the way he met two of the little people in a +lonesome place. The moment he approached them they fell to the ground, +and whimpered and howled most lamentably, as long as he was near them. + +Satisfied now of his power, he next morning summoned the fifty +principal persons, with their wives and children, to his apartment. +When they came, he addressed them, reminding them once again of his +kindness and gentleness towards them, and of the good terms on which +they had hitherto lived together. He reproached them with their +ingratitude in refusing him the only favour he had ever asked of them, +but firmly declared he would not give way to their obstinacy. +"Wherefore," said he, "for the last time, I warn you;--think for a +minute, and if you then say No, you shall feel that pain which is to +you and your children the most terrible of all sufferings." + +They did not take long to deliberate, but unanimously replied "No;" +for they thought to themselves, What new scheme has the youth hit on, +with which he thinks to frighten wise ones like us? and they smiled +when they said No. Their smiling enraged John above all, and he ran +back to where he had laid the casket with the toad, under a bush. + +He was hardly come within a hundred paces of them when they all fell +to the ground as if struck with a thunderbolt, and began to howl and +whimper, and to writhe, as if suffering the most excruciating pain. +They stretched out their hands, and cried, "Have mercy! have mercy! we +feel you have a toad, and there is no escape for us. Take the odious +beast away, and we will do all you require." He let them kick a few +seconds longer, and then took the toad away. They then stood up and +felt no more pain. John let all depart but the six chief persons, to +whom he said,-- + +"This night, between twelve and one, Elizabeth and I will depart. Load +then for me three waggons, with gold, and silver, and precious stones. +I might, you know, take all that is in the hill, and you deserve it, +but I will be merciful. Farther, you must put all the furniture of my +chamber in two waggons, and get ready for me the handsomest +travelling-carriage that is in the hill with six black horses. +Moreover, you must set at liberty all the servants who have been so +long here that on earth they would be twenty years old and upwards, +and you must give them as much silver and gold as will make them rich +for life, and make a law that no one shall be detained here longer +than his twentieth year." + +The six took the oath, and went away quite melancholy, and John buried +his toad deep in the ground. The little people laboured hard according +to his bidding. At midnight everything was out of the hill, and John +and Elizabeth got into the silver tun and were drawn up. + +It was then one o'clock, and midsummer-eve, the very time that twelve +years before John had gone down into the hill. Music sounded around +them, and they saw the glass hill open, and the rays of the light of +heaven shine on them for the first time after so many years; and when +they got out they saw the streaks of dawn already in the east. Crowds +of the underground people were around them busied about the waggons. +John bade them a last farewell, waved his brown cap three times in the +air, and then flung it among them. And at the same moment he ceased to +see them; he beheld nothing but a green hill, and the well-known +bushes and fields, and heard the church-clock of Rambin strike two. +When all was still, save a few larks who were tuning their morning +songs, they both fell on their knees and worshipped God, resolving +henceforth to lead a pious and a Christian life. + +When the sun rose, John and his Elizabeth, with the children whom they +had saved from the underground people, set out for Rambin. Every +well-known object that they saw awakened pleasing recollections; and +as they passed by Rodenkirchen, John recognised, among the people +that gazed at and followed them, his old friend Klas Starkwolt, the +cowherd, and his dog Speed. It was four in the morning when they +entered Rambin, and they halted in the middle of the village, about +twenty paces from the house where John was born. The whole village +poured out to gaze on these Asiatic princes; for such the old sexton, +who had in his youth been at Moscow and Constantinople, said they +were. There John saw his father and mother, and his brother Andrew, +and his sister Trine. The old minister, Krabbe, stood there too, in +his black slippers and white nightcap, gaping and staring with the +rest. + +John discovered himself to his parents, and Elizabeth to hers, and the +wedding-day was soon fixed, and such a wedding was never seen before +or since in the island of Rugen; for John sent to Stralsund and +Greifswald for whole boat-loads of wine, and sugar, and coffee, and +whole herds of oxen, sheep, and pigs. The quantity of harts and roes +and hares that were shot on the occasion it were vain to attempt to +tell, or to count the fish that were caught. There was not a musician +in Rugen and Pomerania that was not engaged, for John was immensely +rich, and he wished to display his wealth. + +John did not neglect his old friend Klas Starkwolt, the cowherd. He +gave him enough to make him comfortable for the rest of his days, and +insisted on his coming and staying with him as often and as long as he +wished. + +After his marriage, John made a progress through the country with his +beautiful Elizabeth and they purchased towns, and villages, and +lands, until he became master of nearly half Rugen and a very +considerable portion of the country. His father, old James Dietrich, +was made a nobleman, and his brothers and sisters gentlemen and +ladies--for what cannot money do? + +John and his wife spent their days in acts of piety and charity. They +built several churches, they had the blessings of every one that knew +them, and died universally lamented. It was Count John Dietrich who +built and richly endowed the present church of Rambin. He built it on +the site of his father's house, and presented to it several of the +cups and plates made by the underground people, and his own and +Elizabeth's glass shoes, in memory of what had befallen them in their +youth. But they were all taken away in the time of the great Charles +the Twelfth of Sweden, when the Russians came on the island, and the +Cossacks plundered even the churches, and took away everything. + + + + +BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. + + +There was once a very rich merchant, who had six children, three boys +and three girls. As he was himself a man of great sense, he spared no +expense for their education. The three daughters were all handsome, +but particularly the youngest; indeed, she was so very beautiful, that +in her childhood every one called her the Little Beauty; and being +equally lovely when she was grown up, nobody called her by any other +name, which made her sisters very jealous of her. This youngest +daughter was not only more handsome than her sisters, but also was +better tempered. The two eldest were vain of their wealth and +position. They gave themselves a thousand airs, and refused to visit +other merchants' daughters; nor would they condescend to be seen +except with persons of quality. They went every day to balls, plays, +and public walks, and always made game of their youngest sister for +spending her time in reading or other useful employments. As it was +well known that these young ladies would have large fortunes, many +great merchants wished to get them for wives; but the two eldest +always answered, that, for their parts, they had no thoughts of +marrying any one below a duke or an earl at least. Beauty had quite as +many offers as her sisters, but she always answered, with the +greatest civility, that though she was much obliged to her lovers, she +would rather live some years longer with her father, as she thought +herself too young to marry. + +It happened that, by some unlucky accident, the merchant suddenly lost +all his fortune, and had nothing left but a small cottage in the +country. Upon this he said to his daughters, while the tears ran down +his cheeks, "My children, we must now go and dwell in the cottage, and +try to get a living by labour, for we have no other means of support." +The two eldest replied that they did not know how to work, and would +not leave town; for they had lovers enough who would be glad to marry +them, though they had no longer any fortune. But in this they were +mistaken; for when the lovers heard what had happened, they said, "The +girls were so proud and ill-tempered, that all we wanted was their +fortune: we are not sorry at all to see their pride brought down: let +them show off their airs to their cows and sheep." But everybody +pitied poor Beauty, because she was so sweet-tempered and kind to all, +and several gentlemen offered to marry her, though she had not a +penny; but Beauty still refused, and said she could not think of +leaving her poor father in this trouble. At first Beauty could not +help sometimes crying in secret for the hardships she was now obliged +to suffer; but in a very short time she said to herself, "All the +crying in the world will do me no good, so I will try to be happy +without a fortune." + +When they had removed to their cottage, the merchant and his three +sons employed themselves in ploughing and sowing the fields, and +working in the garden. Beauty also did her part, for she rose by four +o'clock every morning, lighted the fires, cleaned the house, and got +ready the breakfast for the whole family. At first she found all this +very hard; but she soon grew quite used to it, and thought it no +hardship; indeed, the work greatly benefited her health. When she had +done, she used to amuse herself with reading, playing her music, or +singing while she spun. But her two sisters were at a loss what to do +to pass the time away: they had their breakfast in bed, and did not +rise till ten o'clock. Then they commonly walked out, but always found +themselves very soon tired; when they would often sit down under a +shady tree, and grieve for the loss of their carriage and fine +clothes, and say to each other, "What a mean-spirited poor stupid +creature our young sister is, to be so content with this low way of +life!" But their father thought differently: and loved and admired his +youngest child more than ever. + +After they had lived in this manner about a year, the merchant +received a letter, which informed him that one of his richest ships, +which he thought was lost, had just come into port. This news made the +two eldest sisters almost mad with joy; for they thought they should +now leave the cottage, and have all their finery again. When they +found that their father must take a journey to the ship, the two +eldest begged he would not fail to bring them back some new gowns, +caps, rings, and all sorts of trinkets. But Beauty asked for nothing; +for she thought in herself that all the ship was worth would hardly +buy everything her sisters wished for. "Beauty," said the merchant, +"how comes it that you ask for nothing: what can I bring you, my +child?" + +"Since you are so kind as to think of me, dear father," she answered, +"I should be glad if you would bring me a rose, for we have none in +our garden." Now Beauty did not indeed wish for a rose, nor anything +else, but she only said this that she might not affront her sisters; +otherwise they would have said she wanted her father to praise her for +desiring nothing. The merchant took his leave of them, and set out on +his journey; but when he got to the ship, some persons went to law +with him about the cargo, and after a deal of trouble he came back to +his cottage as poor as he had left it. When he was within thirty miles +of his home, and thinking of the joy of again meeting his children, he +lost his way in the midst of a dense forest. It rained and snowed very +hard, and, besides, the wind was so high as to throw him twice from +his horse. Night came on, and he feared he should die of cold and +hunger, or be torn to pieces by the wolves that he heard howling round +him. All at once, he cast his eyes towards a long avenue, and saw at +the end a light, but it seemed a great way off. He made the best of +his way towards it, and found that it came from a splendid palace, the +windows of which were all blazing with light. It had great bronze +gates, standing wide open, and fine court-yards, through which the +merchant passed; but not a living soul was to be seen. There were +stables too, which his poor, starved horse, less scrupulous than +himself, entered at once, and took a good meal of oats and hay. His +master then tied him up, and walked towards the entrance hall, but +still without seeing a single creature. He went on to a large +dining-parlour, where he found a good fire, and a table covered with +some very nice dishes, but only one plate with a knife and fork. As +the snow and rain had wetted him to the skin, he went up to the fire +to dry himself. "I hope," said he, "the master of the house or his +servants will excuse me, for it surely will not be long now before I +see them." He waited some time, but still nobody came: at last the +clock struck eleven, and the merchant, being quite faint for the want +of food, helped himself to a chicken, and to a few glasses of wine, +yet all the time trembling with fear. He sat till the clock struck +twelve, and then, taking courage, began to think he might as well look +about him: so he opened a door at the end of the hall, and went +through it into a very grand room, in which there was a fine bed; and +as he was feeling very weary, he shut the door, took off his clothes, +and got into it. + +It was ten o'clock in the morning before he awoke, when he was amazed +to see a handsome new suit of clothes laid ready for him, instead of +his own, which were all torn and spoiled. "To be sure," said he to +himself, "this place belongs to some good fairy, who has taken pity on +my ill luck." He looked out of the window, and instead of the +snow-covered wood, where he had lost himself the previous night, he +saw the most charming arbours covered with all kinds of flowers. +Returning to the hall where he had supped, he found a breakfast table, +ready prepared. "Indeed, my good fairy," said the merchant aloud, "I +am vastly obliged to you for your kind care of me." He then made a +hearty breakfast, took his hat, and was going to the stable to pay his +horse a visit; but as he passed under one of the arbours, which was +loaded with roses, he thought of what Beauty had asked him to bring +back to her, and so he took a bunch of roses to carry home. At the +same moment he heard a loud noise, and saw coming towards him a beast, +so frightful to look at that he was ready to faint with fear. +"Ungrateful man!" said the beast in a terrible voice, "I have saved +your life by admitting you into my palace, and in return you steal my +roses, which I value more than anything I possess. But you shall atone +for your fault: you shall die in a quarter of an hour." + +The merchant fell on his knees, and clasping his hands, said, "Sir, I +humbly beg your pardon: I did not think it would offend you to gather +a rose for one of my daughters, who had entreated me to bring her one +home. Do not kill me, my lord!" + +"I am not a lord, but a beast," replied the monster; "I hate false +compliments: so do not fancy that you can coax me by any such ways. +You tell me that you have daughters; now I suffer you to escape, if +one of them will come and die in your stead. If not, promise that you +will yourself return in three months, to be dealt with as I may +choose." + +The tender-hearted merchant had no thoughts of letting any one of his +daughters die for his sake; but he knew that if he seemed to accept +the beast's terms, he should at least have the pleasure of seeing them +once again. So he gave his promise, and was told he might then set off +as soon as he liked. "But," said the beast, "I do not wish you to go +back empty-handed. Go to the room you slept in, and you will find a +chest there; fill it with whatsoever you like best, and I will have it +taken to your own house for you." + +When the beast had said this, he went away. The good merchant, left to +himself, began to consider that as he must die--for he had no thought +of breaking a promise, made even to a beast--he might as well have the +comfort of leaving his children provided for. He returned to the room +he had slept in, and found there heaps of gold pieces lying about. He +filled the chest with them to the very brim, locked it, and, mounting +his horse, left the palace as sorrowful as he had been glad when he +first beheld it. The horse took a path across the forest of his own +accord, and in a few hours they reached the merchant's house. His +children came running round him, but, instead of kissing them with +joy, he could not help weeping as he looked at them. He held in his +hand the bunch of roses, which he gave to Beauty saying, "Take these +roses, Beauty; but little do you think how dear they have cost your +poor father;" and then he gave them an account of all that he had seen +or heard in the palace of the beast. + +The two eldest sisters now began to shed tears, and to lay the blame +upon Beauty, who, they said, would be the cause of her father's death. +"See," said they, "what happens from the pride of the little wretch; +why did not she ask for such things as we did? But, to be sure, Miss +must not be like other people; and though she will be the cause of her +father's death, yet she does not shed a tear." + +"It would be useless," replied Beauty, "for my father shall not die. +As the beast will accept of one of his daughters, I will give myself +up, and be only too happy to prove my love for the best of fathers." + +"No, sister," said the three brothers with one voice, "that cannot be; +we will go in search of this monster, and either he or we will +perish." + +"Do not hope to kill him," said the merchant, "his power is far too +great. But Beauty's young life shall not be sacrificed: I am old, and +cannot expect to live much longer; so I shall but give up a few years +of my life, and shall only grieve for the sake of my children." + +"Never, father!" cried Beauty: "If you go back to the palace, you +cannot hinder my going after you; though young, I am not over-fond of +life; and I would much rather be eaten up by the monster, than die of +grief for your loss." + +The merchant in vain tried to reason with Beauty, who still +obstinately kept to her purpose; which, in truth, made her two sisters +glad, for they were jealous of her, because everybody loved her. + +The merchant was so grieved at the thoughts of losing his child, that +he never once thought of the chest filled with gold, but at night, to +his great surprise, he found it standing by his bedside. He said +nothing about his riches to his eldest daughters, for he knew very +well it would at once make them want to return to town; but he told +Beauty his secret, and she then said, that while he was away, two +gentlemen had been on a visit at their cottage, who had fallen in love +with her two sisters. She entreated her father to marry them without +delay, for she was so sweet-natured, she only wished them to be happy. + +Three months went by, only too fast, and then the merchant and Beauty +got ready to set out for the palace of the beast. Upon this, the two +sisters rubbed their eyes with an onion, to make believe they were +crying; both the merchant and his sons cried in earnest. Only Beauty +shed no tears. They reached the palace in a very few hours, and the +horse, without bidding, went into the same stable as before. The +merchant and Beauty walked towards the large hall, where they found a +table covered with every dainty, and two plates laid ready. The +merchant had very little appetite; but Beauty, that she might the +better hide her grief, placed herself at the table, and helped her +father; she then began to eat herself, and thought all the time that, +to be sure, the beast had a mind to fatten her before he ate her up, +since he had provided such good cheer for her. When they had done +their supper, they heard a great noise, and the good old man began to +bid his poor child farewell, for he knew it was the beast coming to +them. When Beauty first saw that frightful form, she was very much +terrified, but tried to hide her fear. The creature walked up to her, +and eyed her all over--then asked her in a dreadful voice if she had +come quite of her own accord. + +"Yes," said Beauty. + +"Then you are a good girl, and I am very much obliged to you." + +This was such an astonishingly civil answer that Beauty's courage +rose: but it sank again when the beast, addressing the merchant, +desired him to leave the palace next morning, and never return to it +again. "And so good night, merchant. And good night, Beauty." + +"Good night, beast," she answered, as the monster shuffled out of the +room. + +"Ah! my dear child," said the merchant, kissing his daughter, "I am +half dead already, at the thought of leaving you with this dreadful +beast; you shall go back and let me stay in your place." + +"No," said Beauty, boldly, "I will never agree to that; you must go +home to-morrow morning." + +They then wished each other good night, and went to bed, both of them +thinking they should not be able to close their eyes; but as soon as +ever they had lain down, they fell into a deep sleep, and did not +awake till morning. Beauty dreamed that a lady came up to her, who +said, "I am very much pleased, Beauty, with the goodness you have +shown, in being willing to give your life to save that of your father. +Do not be afraid of anything; you shall not go without a reward." + +As soon as Beauty awoke, she told her father this dream; but though it +gave him some comfort, he was a long time before he could be persuaded +to leave the palace. At last Beauty succeeded in getting him safely +away. + +When her father was out of sight, poor Beauty began to weep sorely; +still, having naturally a courageous spirit, she soon resolved not to +make her sad case still worse by sorrow, which she knew was vain, but +to wait and be patient. She walked about to take a view of all the +palace, and the elegance of every part of it much charmed her. + +But what was her surprise, when she came to a door on which was +written, BEAUTY'S ROOM! She opened it in haste, and her eyes were +dazzled by the splendour and taste of the apartment. What made her +wonder more than all the rest, was a large library filled with books, +a harpsichord, and many pieces of music. "The beast surely does not +mean to eat me up immediately," said she, "since he takes care I shall +not be at a loss how to amuse myself." She opened the library and saw +these verses written in letters of gold on the back of one of the +books:-- + + "Beauteous lady, dry your tears, + Here's no cause for sighs or fears. + Command as freely as you may, + For you command and I obey." + +"Alas!" said she, sighing; "I wish I could only command a sight of my +poor father, and to know what he is doing at this moment." Just then, +by chance, she cast her eyes on a looking-glass that stood near her, +and in it she saw a picture of her old home, and her father riding +mournfully up to the door. Her sisters came out to meet him, and +although they tried to look sorry, it was easy to see that in their +hearts they were very glad. In a short time all this picture +disappeared, but it caused Beauty to think that the beast, besides +being very powerful, was also very kind. About the middle of the day +she found a table laid ready for her, and a sweet concert of music +played all the time she was dining, without her seeing anybody. But at +supper, when she was going to seat herself at table, she heard the +noise of the beast, and could not help trembling with fear. + +"Beauty," said he, "will you give me leave to see you sup?" + +"That is as you please," answered she, very much afraid. + +"Not in the least," said the beast; "you alone command in this place. +If you should not like my company, you need only say so, and I will +leave you that moment. But tell me, Beauty, do you not think me very +ugly?" + +"Why, yes," said she, "for I cannot tell a falsehood; but then I think +you are very good." + +"Am I?" sadly replied the beast; "yet, besides being ugly, I am also +very stupid: I know well enough that I am but a beast." + +"Very stupid people," said Beauty, "are never aware of it themselves." + +At which kindly speech the beast looked pleased, and replied, not +without an awkward sort of politeness, "Pray do not let me detain you +from supper, and be sure that you are well served. All you see is your +own, and I should be deeply grieved if you wanted for any thing." + +"You are very kind--so kind that I almost forgot you are so ugly," +said Beauty, earnestly. + +"Ah! yes," answered the beast, with a great sigh; "I hope I am +good-tempered, but still I am only a monster." + +"There is many a monster who wears the form of a man; it is better of +the two to have the heart of a man and the form of a monster." + +"I would thank you, Beauty, for this speech, but I am too senseless to +say anything that would please you," returned the beast in a +melancholy voice; and altogether he seemed so gentle and so unhappy, +that Beauty, who had the tenderest heart in the world, felt her fear +of him gradually vanish. + +She ate her supper with a good appetite, and conversed in her own +sensible and charming way, till at last, when the beast rose to +depart, he terrified her more than ever by saying abruptly, in his +gruff voice, "Beauty, will you marry me!" + +Now Beauty, frightened as she was, would speak only the exact truth; +besides, her father had told her that the beast liked only to have +the truth spoken to him. So she answered, in a very firm tone, "No, +beast." + +He did not go into a passion, or do anything but sigh deeply, and +depart. + +When Beauty found herself alone, she began to feel pity for the poor +beast. "Oh!" said she, "what a sad thing it is that he should be so +very frightful, since he is so good-tempered!" + +Beauty lived three months in this palace very well pleased. The beast +came to see her every night, and talked with her while she supped; and +though what he said was not very clever, yet, as she saw in him every +day some new goodness, instead of dreading the time of his coming, she +soon began continually looking at her watch, to see if it were nine +o'clock; for that was the hour when he never failed to visit her. One +thing only vexed her, which was that every night before he went away, +he always made it a rule to ask her if she would be his wife, and +seemed very much grieved at her steadfastly replying "No." At last, +one night, she said to him, "You wound me greatly, beast, by forcing +me to refuse you so often; I wish I could take such a liking to you as +to agree to marry you: but I must tell you plainly, that I do not +think it will ever happen. I shall always be your friend; so try to +let that content you." + +"I must," sighed the beast, "for I know well enough how frightful I +am; but I love you better than myself. Yet I think I am very lucky in +your being pleased to stay with me: now promise me, Beauty, that you +will never leave me." + +Beauty would almost have agreed to this, so sorry was she for him, but +she had that day seen in her magic glass, which she looked at +constantly, that her father was dying of grief for her sake. + +"Alas!" she said, "I long so much to see my father, that if you do not +give me leave to visit him, I shall break my heart." + +"I would rather break mine, Beauty," answered the beast; "I will send +you to your father's cottage: you shall stay there, and your poor +beast shall die of sorrow." + +"No," said Beauty, crying, "I love you too well to be the cause of +your death; I promise to return in a week. You have shown me that my +sisters are married, and my brothers are gone for soldiers, so that my +father is left all alone. Let me stay a week with him." + +"You shall find yourself with him to-morrow morning," replied the +beast; "but mind, do not forget your promise. When you wish to return, +you have nothing to do but to put your ring on a table when you go to +bed. Good-bye, Beauty!" The beast sighed as he said these words, and +Beauty went to bed very sorry to see him so much grieved. When she +awoke in the morning, she found herself in her father's cottage. She +rang a bell that was at her bedside, and a servant entered; but as +soon as she saw Beauty, the woman gave a loud shriek; upon which the +merchant ran upstairs, and when he beheld his daughter he ran to her, +and kissed her a hundred times. At last Beauty began to remember that +she had brought no clothes with her to put on; but the servant told +her she had just found in the next room a large chest full of dresses, +trimmed all over with gold, and adorned with pearls and diamonds. + +Beauty, in her own mind, thanked the beast for his kindness, and put +on the plainest gown she could find among them all. She then desired +the servant to lay the rest aside, for she intended to give them to +her sisters; but, as soon as she had spoken these words, the chest was +gone out of sight in a moment. Her father then suggested, perhaps the +beast chose for her to keep them all for herself: and as soon as he +had said this, they saw the chest standing again in the same place. +While Beauty was dressing herself, a servant brought word to her that +her sisters were come with their husbands to pay her a visit. They +both lived unhappily with the gentlemen they had married. The husband +of the eldest was very handsome, but was so proud of this, that he +thought of nothing else from morning till night, and did not care a +pin for the beauty of his wife. The second had married a man of great +learning; but he made no use of it, except to torment and affront all +his friends, and his wife more than any of them. The two sisters were +ready to burst with spite when they saw Beauty dressed like a +princess, and looking so very charming. All the kindness that she +showed them was of no use; for they were vexed more than ever when she +told them how happy she lived at the palace of the beast. The +spiteful creatures went by themselves into the garden, where they +cried to think of her good fortune. + +"Why should the little wretch be better off than we?" said they. "We +are much handsomer than she is." + +"Sister!" said the eldest, "a thought has just come into my head: let +us try to keep her here longer than the week for which the beast gave +her leave; and then he will be so angry, that perhaps when she goes +back to him he will eat her up in a moment." + +"That is well thought of," answered the other, "but to do this, we +must pretend to be very kind." + +They then went to join her in the cottage, where they showed her so +much false love, that Beauty could not help crying for joy. + +When the week was ended, the two sisters began to pretend such grief +at the thought of her leaving them, that she agreed to stay a week +more: but all that time Beauty could not help fretting for the sorrow +that she knew her absence would give her poor beast; for she tenderly +loved him, and much wished for his company again. Among all the grand +and clever people she saw, she found nobody who was half so sensible, +so affectionate, so thoughtful, or so kind. The tenth night of her +being at the cottage, she dreamed she was in the garden of the palace, +that the beast lay dying on a grass-plot, and with his last breath put +her in mind of her promise, and laid his death to her forsaking him. +Beauty awoke in a great fright, and burst into tears. "Am not I +wicked," said she, "to behave so ill to a beast who has shown me so +much kindness? Why will not I marry him? I am sure I should be more +happy with him than my sisters are with their husbands. He shall not +be wretched any longer on my account; for I should do nothing but +blame myself all the rest of my life." + +She then rose, put her ring on the table, got into bed again, and soon +fell asleep. In the morning she with joy found herself in the palace +of the beast. She dressed herself very carefully, that she might +please him the better, and thought she had never known a day pass away +so slowly. At last the clock struck nine, but the beast did not come. +Beauty, dreading lest she might truly have caused his death, ran from +room to room, calling out, "Beast, dear beast;" but there was no +answer. At last she remembered her dream, rushed to the grass-plot, +and there saw him lying apparently dead beside the fountain. +Forgetting all his ugliness, she threw herself upon his body, and, +finding his heart still beat, she fetched some water and sprinkled it +over him, weeping and sobbing the while. + +The beast opened his eyes: "You forgot your promise, Beauty, and so I +determined to die; for I could not live without you. I have starved +myself to death, but I shall die content since I have seen your face +once more." + +"No, dear beast," cried Beauty, passionately, "you shall not die; you +shall live to be my husband. I thought it was only friendship I felt +for you, but now I know it was love." + +The moment Beauty had spoken these words, the palace was suddenly +lighted up, and all kinds of rejoicings were heard around them, none +which she noticed, but hung over her dear beast with the utmost +tenderness. At last, unable to restrain herself, she dropped her head +over her hands, covered her eyes, and cried for joy; and, when she +looked up again, the beast was gone. In his stead she saw at her feet +a handsome, graceful young prince, who thanked her with the tenderest +expressions for having freed him from enchantment. + +"But where is my poor beast? I only want him and nobody else," sobbed +Beauty. + +"I am he," replied the Prince. "A wicked fairy condemned me to this +form, and forbade me to show that I had any wit or sense, till a +beautiful lady should consent to marry me. You alone, dearest Beauty, +judged me neither by my looks nor by my talents, but by my heart +alone. Take it then, and all that I have besides, for all is yours." + +Beauty, full of surprise, but very happy, suffered the prince to lead +her to his palace, where she found her father and sisters, who had +been brought there by the fairy-lady whom she had seen in a dream the +first night she came. + +"Beauty," said the fairy, "you have chosen well, and you have your +reward, for a true heart is better than either good looks or clever +brains. As for you, ladies," and she turned to the two elder sisters, +"I know all your ill deeds, but I have no worse punishment for you +than to see your sister happy. You shall stand as statues at the door +of her palace, and when you repent of and have amended your faults, +you shall become women again. But, to tell you the truth, I very much +fear you will remain statues for ever." + + + + +LITTLE ONE EYE, LITTLE TWO EYES, + +AND + +Little Three Eyes. + + +There was a woman who had three daughters, the eldest of whom was +called Little One Eye, because she had only one eye in the middle of +her forehead; the second, Little Two Eyes, because she had two eyes +like other people; and the youngest, Little Three Eyes, because she +had three eyes, one of them being also in the middle of the forehead. +But because Little Two Eyes looked no different from other people, her +sisters and mother could not bear her. They said, "You with your two +eyes are no better than anybody else; you do not belong to us." They +knocked her about, and gave her shabby clothes, and food which was +left over from their own meals; in short, they vexed her whenever they +could. + +It happened that Little Two Eyes had to go out into the fields to look +after the goat; but she was still quite hungry, because her sisters +had given her so little to eat. She sat down on a hillock and began to +cry, and cried so much that two little streams ran down out of each +eye. And as she looked up once in her sorrow, a woman stood near her, +who asked, "Little Two Eyes, why do you cry?" + +Little Two Eyes answered, "Have I not need to cry? Because I have two +eyes, like other people, my sisters and my mother cannot bear me; they +push me out of one corner into the other, give me shabby clothes, and +nothing to eat but what they leave. To-day they have given me so +little that I am still quite hungry." + +The wise woman said, "Little Two Eyes, dry your tears, and I will tell +you something which will keep you from ever being hungry more. Only +say to your goat, 'Little goat, bleat; little table, rise,' and a +neatly-laid table will stand before you with the most delicious food +on it, so that you can eat as much as you like. And when you are +satisfied and do not want the table any more, only say, 'Little goat, +bleat; little table, away,' and it will all disappear before your +eyes." Then the wise woman went out of sight. + +Little Two Eyes thought, "I must try directly if it is true what she +has said, for I am much too hungry to wait." So she said, "Little +goat, bleat; little table, rise;" and scarcely had she uttered the +words, when there stood before her a little table, covered with a +white cloth, on which was laid a plate, knife and fork, and silver +spoon. The most delicious food was there also, and smoking hot, as if +just come from the kitchen. Then Little Two Eyes said the shortest +grace that she knew, "Lord God, be our guest at all times.--Amen," +began to eat, and found it very good. And when she had had enough, she +said as the wise woman had taught her--"Little goat, bleat; little +table, away." In an instant the little table, and all that stood on +it, had disappeared again. "That is a beautiful, easy way of +housekeeping," thought Little Two Eyes, and was quite happy and merry. + +In the evening, when she came home with her goat, she found a little +earthen dish with food, which her sisters had put aside for her, but +she did not touch anything--she had no need. On the next day she went +out again with her goat, and let the few crusts that were given her +remain uneaten. The first time and the second time the sisters took no +notice; but when the same thing happened every day, they remarked it, +and said, "All is not right with Little Two Eyes; she always leaves +her food, and she used formerly to eat up everything that was given +her; she must have found other ways of dining." + +In order to discover the truth, they resolved that Little One Eye +should go with Little Two Eyes when she drove the goat into the +meadow, and see what she did there, and whether anybody brought her +anything to eat and drink. So when Little Two Eyes set out again, +Little One Eye came to her and said, "I will go with you into the +field, and see that the goat is taken proper care of, and driven to +good pasture." + +But Little Two Eyes saw what Little One Eye had in her mind, and drove +the goat into long grass, saying, "Come, Little One Eye, we will sit +down; I will sing you something." Little One Eye sat down, being tired +from the unusual walk and from the heat of the sun, and Little Two +Eyes kept on singing, "Are you awake, Little One Eye? Are you asleep, +Little One Eye?" Then Little One Eye shut her one eye, and fell +asleep. And when Little Two Eyes saw that Little One Eye was fast +asleep, and could not betray anything, she said, "Little goat, bleat; +little table, rise," and sat herself at her table, and ate and drank +till she was satisfied; then she called out again, "Little goat, +bleat; little table, away," and instantly everything disappeared. + +Little Two Eyes now woke Little One Eye, and said, "Little One Eye, +you pretend to watch, and fall asleep over it, and in the meantime the +goat could have run all over the world; come, we will go home." Then +they went home, and Little Two Eyes let her little dish again stand +untouched; and Little One Eye, who could not tell the mother why her +sister would not eat, said, as an excuse, "Oh, I fell asleep out +there." + +The next day the mother said to Little Three Eyes, "This time you +shall go and see if Little Two Eyes eats out of doors, and if anyone +brings her food and drink, for she must eat and drink secretly." + +Then Little Three Eyes went to Little Two Eyes, and said, "I will go +with you and see whether the goat is taken proper care of, and driven +to good pasture." But Little Two Eyes saw what Little Three Eyes had +in her mind, and drove the goat into long grass, and said as before, +"We will sit down here, Little Three Eyes; I will sing you +something." Little Three Eyes seated herself, being tired from the +walk and the heat of the sun, and Little Two Eyes began the same song +again, and sang, "Are you awake, Little Three Eyes?" But instead of +singing then as she should, "Are you asleep, Little _Three_ Eyes?" she +sang, through carelessness, "Are you asleep, Little _Two_ Eyes?" and +went on singing, "Are you awake, Little Three Eyes? Are you asleep, +Little _Two_ Eyes?" So the two eyes of Little Three Eyes fell asleep, +but the third did not go to sleep, because it was not spoken to by the +verse. Little Three Eyes, to be sure, shut it, and made believe to go +to sleep, but only through slyness; for she winked with it, and could +see everything quite well. And when Little Two Eyes thought that +Little Three Eyes was fast asleep, she said her little sentence, +"Little goat, bleat; little table, rise," ate and drank heartily, and +then told the little table to go away again, "Little goat, bleat; +little table away." But Little Three Eyes had seen everything. Then +Little Two Eyes came to her, woke her, and said, "Ah! Little Three +Eyes, have you been asleep? you keep watch well! come, we will go +home." And when they got home, Little Two Eyes again did not eat, and +Little Three Eyes said to the mother, "I know why the proud thing does +not eat: when she says to the goat out there, 'Little goat, bleat; +little table, rise,' there stands a table before her, which is covered +with the very best food, much better than we have here; and when she +is satisfied, she says, 'Little goat, bleat; little table away,' and +everything is gone again; I have seen it all exactly. She put two of +my eyes to sleep with her little verse, but the one on my forehead +luckily remained awake." + +Then the envious mother cried out, "Shall she be better off than we +are?" fetched a butcher's knife and stuck it into the goat's heart, so +that it fell down dead. + +When Little Two Eyes saw that, she went out full of grief, seated +herself on a hillock, and wept bitter tears. All at once the wise +woman stood near her again, and said, "Little Two Eyes, why do you +cry?" + +"Shall I not cry?" answered she. "The goat who every day, when I said +your little verse, laid the table so beautifully, has been killed by +my mother; now I must suffer hunger and thirst again." + +The wise woman said, "Little Two Eyes, I will give you some good +advice; beg your sisters to give you the heart of the murdered goat, +and bury it in the ground before the house-door, and it will turn out +lucky for you." Then she disappeared, and Little Two Eyes went home +and said to her sisters, "Dear sisters, give me some part of my goat; +I don't ask for anything good, only give me the heart." + +Then they laughed and said, "You can have that, if you do not want +anything else." Little Two Eyes took the heart, and buried it quietly +in the evening before the house-door, after the advice of the wise +woman. + +Next morning, when the sisters woke, and went to the house-door +together, there stood a most wonderful splendid tree, with leaves of +silver, and fruit of gold hanging between them. Nothing more beautiful +or charming could be seen in the wide world. But they did not know how +the tree had come there in the night. Little Two Eyes alone noticed +that it had grown out of the heart of the goat, for it stood just +where she had buried it in the ground. + +Then the mother said to Little One Eye, "Climb up, my child, and +gather us some fruit from the tree." + +Little One Eye climbed up, but when she wanted to seize a golden +apple, the branch sprang out of her hand; this happened every time, so +that she could not gather a single apple, though she tried as much as +she could. + +Then the mother said, "Little Three Eyes, do you climb up; you can see +better about you with your three eyes than Little One Eye can." + +Little One Eye scrambled down, and Little Three Eyes climbed up. But +Little Three Eyes was no cleverer, and might look about her as much as +she liked--the golden apples always sprang back from her grasp. At +last the mother became impatient, and climbed up herself, but could +touch the fruit just as little as Little One Eye or Little Three Eyes; +she always grasped the empty air. + +Then Little Two Eyes said, "I will go up myself; perhaps I shall +prosper better." + +"You!" cried the sisters. "With your two eyes, what can you do?" + +But Little Two Eyes climbed up and the golden apples did not spring +away from her, but dropped of themselves into her hand, so that she +could gather one after the other, and brought down a whole apron full. +Her mother took them from her, and instead of her sisters, Little One +Eye and Little Three Eyes, behaving better to poor Little Two Eyes for +it, they were only envious because she alone could get the fruit, and +behaved still more cruelly to her. + +It happened, as they stood together by the tree, one day, that a young +knight came by. + +"Quick, Little Two Eyes," cried the two sisters, "creep under, so that +we may not be ashamed of you," and threw over poor Little Two Eyes, in +a great hurry, an empty cask that stood just by the tree, and pushed +also beside her the golden apples which she had broken off. + +Now, as the knight came nearer, he proved to be a handsome prince, who +stood still, admired the beautiful tree of gold and silver, and said +to the two sisters-- + +"To whom does this beautiful tree belong? She who gives me a branch of +it shall have whatever she wishes." + +Then Little One Eye and Little Three Eyes answered that the tree was +theirs, and they would break off a branch for him. They both of them +gave themselves a great deal of trouble, but it was no use, for the +branches and fruit sprang back from them every time. Then the knight +said-- + +"It is very wonderful that the tree belongs to you, and yet you have +not the power of gathering anything from it." + +They insisted, however, that the tree was their own property. But as +they spoke, Little Two Eyes rolled a few golden apples from under the +cask, so that they ran to the feet of the knight; for Little Two Eyes +was angry that Little One Eye and Little Three Eyes did not tell the +truth. + +When the knight saw the apples he was astonished, and asked where they +came from. Little One Eye and Little Three Eyes answered that they had +another sister, who might not, however, show herself, because she had +only two eyes, like other common people. But the knight desired to see +her, and called out, "Little Two Eyes, come out." Then Little Two Eyes +came out of the cask quite comforted, and the knight was astonished at +her great beauty, and said-- + +"You, Little Two Eyes, can certainly gather me a branch from the +tree?" + +"Yes," answered Little Two Eyes, "I can do that, for the tree belongs +to me." And she climbed up and easily broke off a branch, with its +silver leaves and golden fruit, and handed it to the knight. + +Then the knight said, "Little Two Eyes, what shall I give you for it?" + +"Oh," answered Little Two Eyes, "I suffer hunger and thirst, sorrow +and want, from early morning till late evening; if you would take me +with you and free me, I should be happy." + +Then the knight lifted Little Two Eyes on to his horse, and took her +home to his paternal castle; there he gave her beautiful clothes, +food, and drink as much as she wanted, and because he loved her so +much he married her, and the marriage was celebrated with great joy. + +Now, when Little Two Eyes was taken away by the handsome knight, the +two sisters envied her very much her happiness. "The wonderful tree +remains for us, though," thought they; "and even though we cannot +gather any fruit off it, every one will stand still before it, come to +us, and praise it." But the next morning the tree had disappeared, and +all their hopes with it. + +Little Two Eyes lived happy a long time. Once two poor women came to +her at the castle and begged alms. Then Little Two Eyes looked in +their faces and recognised her sisters, Little One Eye and Little +Three Eyes, who had fallen into such poverty that they had to wander +about, and seek their bread from door to door. Little Two Eyes, +however, bade them welcome, and was very good to them, and took care +of them; for they both repented from their hearts the evil they had +done to their sister in their youth. + + + + +JACK THE GIANT-KILLER. + + +In the reign of the famous King Arthur, there lived, near the Land's +End of England, in the county of Cornwall, a worthy farmer, who had an +only son named Jack. Jack was a boy of a bold temper; he took pleasure +in hearing or reading stories of wizards, conjurors, giants, and +fairies; and used to listen eagerly while his father talked of the +great deeds of the brave knights of King Arthur's Round Table. When +Jack was sent to take care of the sheep and oxen in the fields, he +used to amuse himself with planning battles, sieges, and the means to +conquer or surprise a foe. He was above the common sports of children, +but hardly any one could equal him at wrestling; or, if he met with a +match for himself in strength, his skill and address always made him +the victor. In those days there lived on St. Michael's Mount, of +Cornwall, which rises out of the sea at some distance from the +mainland, a huge giant. He was eighteen feet high, and three yards +round; and his fierce and savage looks were the terror of all his +neighbors. He dwelt in a gloomy cavern on the very top of the +mountain, and used to wade over to the mainland in search of his prey. +When he came near, the people left their houses; and, after he had +glutted his appetite upon their cattle, he would throw half a dozen +oxen upon his back, and tie three times as many sheep and hogs round +his waist, and so march back to his own abode. The giant had done this +for many years, and the coast of Cornwall was greatly hurt by his +thefts, when Jack boldly resolved to destroy him. He therefore took a +horn, a shovel, a pickaxe, and a dark lantern, and, early in a long +winter's evening, he swam to the Mount. There he fell to work at once, +and before morning he had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and almost +as many broad. He covered it over with sticks and straw, and strewed +some of the earth over them, to make it look just like solid ground. +He then put his horn to his mouth, and blew such a loud and long +tantivy, that the giant awoke, and came towards Jack, roaring like +thunder: "You saucy villain, you shall pay dearly for breaking my +rest; I will broil you for my breakfast." He had scarcely spoken these +words, when he came advancing one step further; but then he tumbled +headlong into the pit, and his fall shook the very mountain. + +"O ho, Mr. Giant!" said Jack, looking into the pit, "have you found +your way so soon to the bottom? How is your appetite now? Will nothing +serve you for breakfast this cold morning but broiling poor Jack?" + +The giant now tried to rise, but Jack struck him a blow on the crown +of the head with his pickaxe, which killed him at once. Jack then made +haste back, to rejoice his friends with the news of the giant's +death. When the justices of Cornwall heard of this valiant action, +they sent for Jack, and declared that he should always be called Jack +the Giant Killer; and they also gave him a sword and belt, upon which +was written, in letters of gold:-- + + "This is the valiant Cornishman + Who slew the giant Cormoran." + +The news of Jack's exploits soon spread over the western parts of +England: and another giant, called Old Blunderbore, vowed to have +revenge on Jack, if it should ever be his fortune to get him into his +power. The giant kept an enchanted castle in the midst of a lonely +wood. About four months after the death of Cormoran, as Jack was +taking a journey into Wales, he passed through this wood; and, as he +was very weary, he sat down to rest by the side of a pleasant +fountain, and there he fell into a deep sleep. The giant came to the +fountain for water just at this time, and found Jack there; and as the +lines on Jack's belt showed who he was, the giant lifted him up and +laid him gently upon his shoulder, to carry him to his castle; but, as +he passed through the thicket, the rustling of the leaves waked Jack; +and he was sadly afraid when he found himself in the clutches of +Blunderbore. Yet this was nothing to his fright soon after; for, when +they reached the castle, he beheld the floor covered all over with the +skulls and bones of men and women. The giant took him into a large +room, where lay the hearts and limbs of persons who had been lately +killed; and he told Jack, with a horrid grin, that men's hearts, eaten +with pepper and vinegar, were his nicest food, and also, that he +thought he should make a dainty meal on his heart. When he had said +this, he locked Jack up in that room, while he went to fetch another +giant, who lived in the same wood, to enjoy a dinner off Jack's flesh +with him. While he was away, Jack heard dreadful shrieks, groans, and +cries from many parts of the castle; and soon after he heard a +mournful voice repeat these lines:-- + + "Haste, valiant stranger, haste away, + Lest you become the giant's prey. + On his return he'll bring another, + Still more savage than his brother; + A horrid, cruel monster, who, + Before he kills, will torture you. + Oh valiant stranger! haste away, + Or you'll become these giants' prey." + +This warning was so shocking to poor Jack, that he was ready to go +mad. He ran to the window, and saw the two giants coming along arm in +arm. This window was right over the gates of the castle. "Now," +thought Jack, "either my death or freedom is at hand." + +There were two strong cords in the room. Jack made a large noose, with +a slip-knot at the ends of both these, and, as the giants were coming +through the gates, he threw the ropes over their heads. He then made +the other ends fast to a beam in the ceiling, and pulled with all his +might, till he had almost strangled them. When he saw that they were +both quite black in the face, and had not the least strength left, he +drew his sword, and slid down the ropes; he then killed the giants, +and thus saved himself from a cruel death. Jack next took a great +bunch of keys from the pocket of Blunderbore, and went into the castle +again. He made a strict search through all the rooms, and in them +found three ladies tied up by the hair of their heads, and almost +starved to death. They told him that their husbands had been killed by +the giants, who had then condemned them to be starved to death, +because they would not eat the flesh of their own dead husbands. + +"Ladies," said Jack, "I have put an end to the monster and his wicked +brother; and I give you this castle and all the riches it contains, to +make you some amends for the dreadful pains you have felt." He then +very politely gave them the keys of the castle, and went further on +his journey to Wales. + +As Jack had not taken any of the giant's riches for himself, and had +very little money of his own, he thought it best to travel as fast as +he could. At length he lost his way; and, when night came on, he was +in a lonely valley between two lofty mountains. There he walked about +for some hours, without seeing any dwelling-place, so he thought +himself very lucky at last in finding a large and handsome house. He +went up to it boldly, and knocked loudly at the gate; when, to his +great terror and surprise, there came forth a monstrous giant with two +heads. He spoke to Jack very civilly, for he was a Welsh giant, and +all the mischief he did was by private and secret malice, under the +show of friendship and kindness. Jack told him that he was a traveller +who had lost his way, on which the huge monster made him welcome, and +led him into a room, where there was a good bed in which to pass the +night. Jack took off his clothes quickly; but though he was so weary, +he could not go to sleep. Soon after this, he heard the giant walking +backward and forward in the next room, and saying to himself:-- + + "Though here you lodge with me this night, + You shall not see the morning light; + My club shall dash your brains out quite." + +"Say you so?" thought Jack. "Are these your tricks upon travellers? +But I hope to prove as cunning as you." Then getting out of bed, he +groped about the room, and at last found a large thick billet of wood; +he laid it in his own place in the bed, and hid himself in a dark +corner of the room. In the middle of the night the giant came with his +great club, and struck many heavy blows on the bed, in the very place +where Jack had laid the billet, and then he went back to his own room, +thinking he had broken all his bones. Early in the morning, Jack put a +bold face upon the matter, and walked into the giant's room to thank +him for his lodging. + +The giant started when he saw him, and he began to stammer out, "Oh, +dear me! is it you? Pray how did you sleep last night? Did you hear or +see anything in the dead of the night?" + +"Nothing worth speaking of," said Jack, carelessly; "a rat, I +believe, gave me three or four slaps with his tail, and disturbed me a +little, but I soon went to sleep again." + +The giant wondered more and more at this; yet he did not answer a +word, and went to bring two great bowls of hasty-pudding for their +breakfast. + +Jack wished to make the giant believe that he could eat as much as +himself; so he contrived to button a leathern bag inside his coat, and +slipped the hasty-pudding into this bag, while he seemed to put it +into his mouth. When breakfast was over, he said to the giant, "Now I +will show you a fine trick; I can cure all wounds with a touch; I +could cut off my head one minute, and the next put it sound again on +my shoulders: you shall see an example." He then took hold of the +knife, ripped up the leathern bag, and all the hasty-pudding tumbled +out upon the floor. + +"Ods splutter hur nails," cried the Welsh giant, who was ashamed to be +outdone by such a little fellow as Jack; "hur can do that hurself." So +he snatched up the knife, plunged it into his stomach, and in a moment +dropped down dead. + +As soon as Jack had thus tricked the Welsh monster, he went farther on +his journey; and, a few days after, he met with King Arthur's only +son, who had got his father's leave to travel into Wales, to deliver a +beautiful lady from the power of a wicked magician, by whom she was +held in enchantment. When Jack found that the young prince had no +servants with him, he begged leave to attend him; and the prince at +once agreed to this, and gave Jack many thanks for his kindness. + +King Arthur's son was a handsome, polite, and brave knight, and so +good-natured, that he gave money to everybody he met. At length he +gave his last penny to an old woman, and then turned to Jack, "How +shall we be able to get food for ourselves the rest of our journey?" + +"Leave that to me, sir," replied Jack; "I will provide for my prince." + +Night now came on, and the prince began to grow uneasy at thinking +where they should lodge. + +"Sir," said Jack, "be of good heart; two miles further there lives a +large giant, whom I know well; he has three heads, and will fight five +hundred men, and make them fly before him." + +"Alas!" cried the king's son, "we had better never have been born than +meet with such a monster." + +"My lord, leave me to manage him, and wait here in quiet till I +return." + +The prince now stayed behind, while Jack rode on at full speed; and +when he came to the gates of the castle, he gave a loud knock. The +giant, with a voice like thunder, roared out, "Who is there?" + +Jack made answer, and said, "No one but your poor cousin Jack." + +"Well," said the giant, "what news, cousin Jack?" + +"Dear uncle," said Jack, "I have heavy news." + +"Pooh!" said the giant, "what heavy news can come to me? I am a giant +with three heads, and can fight five hundred men, and make them fly +before me." + +"Alas!" said Jack, "here's the king's son coming with two thousand men +to kill you, and to destroy the castle and all that you have." + +"Oh, cousin Jack," said the giant, "this is heavy news indeed! But I +have a large cellar underground, where I will hide myself, and you +shall lock, bolt, and bar me in, and keep the keys till the king's son +is gone." + +Now, when Jack had barred the giant fast in the vault, he went back +and fetched the prince to the castle; they both made themselves merry +with the wine and other dainties that were in the house. So that night +they rested very pleasantly while the poor giant lay trembling and +shaking with fear in the cellar underground. Early in the morning, +Jack gave the king's son gold and silver out of the giant's treasure, +and accompanied him three miles forward on his journey. The prince +then sent Jack to let his uncle out of the hole, who asked him what he +should give him as a reward for saving his castle. + +"Why, good uncle," said Jack, "I desire nothing but the old coat and +cap, with the old rusty sword and slippers, which are hanging at your +bed's head." + +"Then," said the giant, "you shall have them: and pray keep them for +my sake, for they are things of great use. The coat will keep you +invisible, the cap will give you knowledge, the sword will cut +through anything, and the shoes are of vast swiftness; they may be +useful to you in all times of danger, so take them with all my heart." + +Jack gave many thanks to the giant, and then set off to the prince. +When he had come up to the king's son, they soon arrived at the +dwelling of the beautiful lady, who was under the power of a wicked +magician. She received the prince very politely, and made a noble +feast for him: when it was ended, she rose, and, wiping her mouth with +a fine handkerchief, said, "My lord, you must submit to the custom of +my palace; to-morrow morning I command you to tell me on whom I bestow +this handkerchief, or lose your head." She then left the room. + +The young prince went to bed very mournful, but Jack put on his cap of +knowledge, which told him that the lady was forced, by the power of +enchantment, to meet the wicked magician every night in the middle of +the forest. Jack now put on his coat of darkness, and his shoes of +swiftness, and was there before her. When the lady came, she gave the +handkerchief to the magician. Jack, with his sword of sharpness, at +one blow cut off his head; the enchantment was then ended in a moment, +and the lady was restored to her former virtue and goodness. She was +married to the prince on the next day, and soon after went back, with +her royal husband and a great company, to the court of King Arthur, +where they were received with loud and joyful welcomes; and the +valiant hero Jack, for the many great exploits he had done for the +good of his country, was made one of the knights of the Round Table. + +As Jack had been so lucky in all his adventures, he resolved not to be +idle for the future, but still to do what services he could for the +honour of the king and the nation. He therefore humbly begged his +majesty to furnish him with a horse and money, that he might travel in +search of new and strange exploits. "For," said he to the king, "there +are many giants yet living in the remote parts of Wales, to the great +terror and distress of your majesty's subjects; therefore, if it +please you, sire, to favour me in my design, I will soon rid your +kingdom of these giants and monsters in human shape." + +Now when the king heard this offer, and began to think of the cruel +deeds of these blood-thirsty giants and savage monsters, he gave Jack +everything proper for such a journey. After this, Jack took leave of +the king, the prince, and all the knights, and set off; taking with +him his cap of knowledge, his sword of sharpness, his shoes of +swiftness, and his invisible coat, the better to perform the great +exploits that might fall in his way. He went along over hills and +mountains; and on the third day he came to a wide forest. He had +hardly entered it, when on a sudden he heard dreadful shrieks and +cries; and forcing his way through the trees, saw a monstrous giant +dragging along by the hair of their heads, a handsome knight and a +beautiful lady. Their tears and cries melted the heart of honest +Jack; he alighted from his horse, and tying him to an oak-tree, put on +his invisible coat, under which he carried his sword of sharpness. + +When he came up to the giant, he made several strokes at him, but +could not reach his body, on account of the enormous height of the +terrible creature; but he wounded his thighs in several places; and at +length, putting both hands to his sword, and aiming with all his +might, he cut off both the giant's legs just below the garter; and the +trunk of his body, tumbling to the ground, made not only the trees +shake, but the earth itself tremble with the force of his fall. Then +Jack, setting his foot upon his neck, exclaimed: "Thou barbarous and +savage wretch, behold, I come to execute upon thee the just reward for +all thy crimes;" and instantly plunged his sword into the giant's +body. The huge monster gave a groan, and yielded up his life into the +hands of the victorious Jack the Giant-Killer, whilst the noble knight +and the virtuous lady were both joyful spectators of his sudden death. +They not only returned Jack hearty thanks for their deliverance, but +also invited him to their house, to refresh himself after his dreadful +encounter, as likewise to receive a reward for his good services. + +"No," said Jack, "I cannot be at ease till I find out the den that was +the monster's habitation." + +The knight, on hearing this, grew very sorrowful, and replied: "Noble +stranger, it is too much to run a second hazard; this monster lived +in a den under yonder mountain, with a brother of his, more fierce and +cruel than himself; therefore, if you should go thither, and perish in +the attempt, it would be a heart-breaking thing to me and my lady; so +let me persuade you to go back with us, and desist from any further +pursuit." + +"Nay," answered Jack, "if there be another, even if there were twenty, +I would shed the last drop of blood in my body before one of them +should escape. When I have finished this task, I will come and pay my +respects to you." + +So when they had told him where to find them again, he got on his +horse and went after the dead giant's brother. + +Jack had not ridden a mile and a half before he came in sight of the +mouth of the cavern; and, nigh the entrance of it, he saw the other +giant sitting on a huge block of timber, with a knotted iron club +lying by his side, waiting for his brother. His eyes looked like +flames of fire, his face was grim and ugly, and his cheeks were like +two flitches of bacon; the bristles of his beard seemed to be thick +rods of iron wire; and his long locks of hair hung down upon his broad +shoulders like curling snakes. Jack got down from his horse, and +turned him into a thicket; then he put on his coat of darkness, and +drew a little nearer to behold this figure, and said softly, "Oh, +monster! are you there? It will not be long before I shall take you +fast by the beard." + +The giant all this while could not see him, by reason of his invisible +coat; so Jack came quite close to him, and struck a blow at his head +with his sword of sharpness; but he missed his aim, and only cut off +his nose, which made him roar like loud claps of thunder. He rolled +his glaring eyes round on every side, but could not see who had given +him the blow; so he took up his iron club, and began to lay about him +like one that was mad with pain and fury. + +"Nay," said Jack, "if this be the case, I will kill you at once." So +saying, he slipped nimbly behind him, and jumping upon the block of +timber, as the giant rose from it, he stabbed him in the back; when, +after a few howls, he dropped down dead. Jack cut off his head, and +sent it, with the head of his brother, to King Arthur, by a waggon +which he had hired for that purpose. When Jack had thus killed these +two monsters, he went into their cave in search of their treasure. He +passed through many turnings and windings, which led him to a room +paved with freestone; at the end of it was a boiling cauldron, and on +the right hand stood a large table, where the giants used to dine. He +then came to a window that was secured with iron bars, through which +he saw a number of wretched captives, who cried out when they saw +Jack: "Alas! alas! young man, you are come to be one among us in this +horrid den." + +"I hope," said Jack, "you will not stay here long: but pray tell me +what is the meaning of your being here at all?" + +"Alas!" said one poor old man, "I will tell you, sir. We are persons +that have been taken by the giants who hold this cave, and are kept +till they choose to have a feast; then one of us is to be killed, and +cooked to please their taste. It is not long since they took three for +the same purpose." + +"Well," said Jack, "I have given them such a dinner, that it will be +long enough before they have any more." + +The captives were amazed at his words. + +"You may believe me," said Jack, "for I have killed them both with the +edge of this sword, and have sent their large heads to the court of +King Arthur, as marks of my great success." + +To show that what he said was true, he unlocked the gate, and set the +captives all free. Then he led them to the great room, placed them +round the table, and placed before them two quarters of beef, with +bread and wine; upon which they feasted their fill. When supper was +over, they searched the giant's coffers, and Jack divided among them +all the treasures. The next morning they set off to their homes, and +Jack to the knight's house, whom he had left with his lady not long +before. + +He was received with the greatest joy by the thankful knight and his +lady, who, in honour of Jack's exploits, gave a grand feast, to which +all the nobles and gentry were invited. When the company were +assembled, the knight declared to them the great actions of Jack, and +gave him, as a mark of respect, a fine ring, on which was engraved the +picture of the giant dragging the knight and the lady by the hair, +with this motto round it:-- + + "Behold in dire distress were we, + Under a giant's fierce command; + But gained our lives and liberty + From valiant Jack's victorious hand." + +Among the guests then present were five aged gentlemen, who were +fathers to some of those captives who had been freed by Jack from the +dungeon of the giants. As soon as they heard that he was the person +who had done such wonders, they pressed round him with tears of joy, +to return him thanks for the happiness he had caused them. After this +the bowl went round, and every one drank the health and long life of +the gallant hero. Mirth increased, and the hall was filled with peals +of laughter. But, on a sudden, a herald, pale and breathless, rushed +into the midst of the company, and told them that Thundel, a savage +giant with two heads, had heard of the death of his two kinsmen, and +was come to take his revenge on Jack; and that he was now within a +mile of the house, the people flying before him like chaff before the +wind. At this news the very boldest of the guests trembled; but Jack +drew his sword, and said, "Let him come, I have a rod for him also. +Pray, ladies and gentlemen, do me the favour to walk into the garden, +and you shall soon behold the giant's defeat and death." + +To this they all agreed, and heartily wished him success in his +dangerous attempt. + +The knight's house stood in the middle of a moat, thirty feet deep and +twenty wide, over which lay a drawbridge. Jack set men to work, to cut +the bridge on both sides, almost to the middle, and then dressed +himself in his coat of darkness, and went against the giant with his +sword of sharpness. As he came close to him, though the giant could +not see him for his invisible coat, yet he found some danger was near, +which made him cry out:-- + + "Fa, fe, fi, fo, fum, + I smell the blood of an Englishman; + Let him be alive, or let him be dead, + I'll grind his bones to make me bread." + +"Say you so, my friend?" said Jack; "you are a monstrous miller, +indeed!" + +"Art thou," cried the giant, "the villain that killed my kinsmen? Then +I will tear thee with my teeth, and grind thy bones to powder." + +"You must catch me first," said Jack; and throwing off his coat of +darkness, and putting on his shoes of swiftness, he began to run, the +giant following him like a walking castle, making the earth shake at +every step. + +Jack led him round and round the walls of the house, that the company +might see the monster; then, to finish the work, he ran over the +drawbridge, the giant going after him with his club: but when he came +to the middle, where the bridge had been cut on both sides, the great +weight of his body made it break, and he tumbled into the water, where +he rolled about like a large whale. Jack now stood by the side of the +moat, and laughed and jeered at him, saying, "I think you told me you +would grind my bones to powder; when will you begin?" + +The giant foamed at both his horrid mouths with fury, and plunged +from side to side of the moat; but he could not get out to have +revenge on his little foe. At last Jack ordered a cart-rope to be +brought to him; he then drew it over his two heads, and by the help of +a team of horses, dragged him to the edge of the moat, where he cut +off his heads: and before he either ate or drank, sent them both to +the court of King Arthur. He then went back to the table with the +company, and the rest of the day was spent in mirth and good cheer. + +After staying with the knight for some time, Jack grew weary of such +an idle life, and set out again in search of new adventures. He went +over hills and dales without meeting any, till he came to the foot of +a very high mountain. Here he knocked at the door of a small and +lonely house, and an old man, with a head as white as snow, let him +in. + +"Good father," said Jack, "can you lodge a traveller who has lost his +way?" + +"Yes," said the hermit, "I can, if you will accept such fare as my +poor house affords." + +Jack entered, and the old man set before him some bread and fruit for +his supper. When Jack had eaten as much as he chose, the hermit said: +"My son, I know you are the famous conqueror of giants; now, at the +top of this mountain is an enchanted castle, kept by a giant named +Galligantus, who, by the help of a vile magician, gets many knights +into his castle, where he changes them into the shape of beasts. Above +all, I lament the hard fate of a duke's daughter, whom they seized as +she was walking in her father's garden, and brought hither through the +air in a chariot drawn by two fiery dragons, and turned her into the +shape of a deer. Many knights have tried to destroy the enchantment +and deliver her, yet none have been able to do it, by reason of two +fiery griffins, who guard the gate of the castle, and destroy all who +come nigh; but as you, my son, have an invisible coat, you may pass by +them without being seen; and on the gates of the castle you will find +engraved by what means the enchantment may be broken." + +Jack promised that in the morning, at the risk of his life, he would +break the enchantment; and after a sound sleep, he arose early, put on +his invisible coat, and got ready for the attempt. When he had climbed +to the top of the mountain, he saw the two fiery griffins; but he +passed between them without the least fear of danger for they could +not see him because of his invisible coat. On the castle-gate he found +a golden trumpet, under which were written these lines:-- + + "Whoever can this trumpet blow, + Shall cause the giant's overthrow." + +As soon as Jack had read this, he seized the trumpet, and blew a +shrill blast, which made the gates fly open, and the very castle +itself tremble. The giant and the conjuror now knew that their wicked +course was at an end, and they stood biting their thumbs and shaking +with fear. Jack with his sword of sharpness, soon killed the giant, +and the magician was then carried away by a whirlwind. All the +knights and beautiful ladies, who had been changed into birds and +beasts, returned to their proper shapes. The castle vanished away like +smoke, and the head of the giant Galligantus was sent to King Arthur. +The knights and ladies rested that night at the old man's hermitage, +and the next day they set out for the court. Jack then went up to the +king, and gave his majesty an account of all his fierce battles. +Jack's fame had spread through the whole country; and at the king's +desire, the duke gave him his daughter in marriage, to the joy of all +the kingdom. After this, the king gave him a large estate, on which he +and his lady lived the rest of their days in joy and content. + + + + +TOM THUMB. + + +In the days of King Arthur, Merlin, the most learned enchanter of his +time, was on a journey; and being very weary, stopped one day at the +cottage of an honest ploughman to ask for refreshment. The ploughman's +wife, with great civility, immediately brought him some milk in a +wooden bowl, and some brown bread on a wooden platter. Merlin could +not help observing, that although everything within the cottage was +particularly neat and clean, and in good order, the ploughman and his +wife had the most sorrowful air imaginable: so he questioned them on +the cause of their melancholy, and learned that they were very +miserable because they had no children. The poor woman declared, with +tears in her eyes, that she should be the happiest creature in the +world, if she had a son, although he were no bigger than his father's +thumb. Merlin was much amused with the notion of a boy no bigger than +a man's thumb; and as soon as he returned home, he sent for the queen +of the fairies (with whom he was very intimate), and related to her +the desire of the ploughman and his wife to have a son the size of his +father's thumb. She liked the plan exceedingly, and declared their +wish should be speedily granted. Accordingly, the ploughman's wife +had a son, who in a few minutes grew as tall as his father's thumb. +The queen of the fairies came in at the window as the mother was +sitting up in bed admiring the child. Her majesty kissed the infant, +and, giving it the name of Tom Thumb, immediately summoned several +fairies from Fairyland, to clothe her new little favourite:-- + + "An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, + His shirt it was by spiders spun: + With doublet wove of thistledown, + His trousers up with points were done; + His stockings, of apple-rind, they tie + With eye-lash pluck'd from his mother's eye: + His shoes were made of a mouse's skin, + Nicely tann'd with hair within." + +Tom was never any bigger than his father's thumb, which was not a +large thumb neither; but as he grew older, he became very cunning, for +which his mother did not sufficiently correct him: and by this ill +quality he was often brought into difficulties. For instance, when he +had learned to play with other boys for cherry-stones, and had lost +all his own, he used to creep into the boys' bags, fill his pockets, +and come out again to play. But one day as he was getting out of a bag +of cherry-stones, the boy to whom it belonged chanced to see him. + +"Ah, ha, my little Tom Thumb!" said he, "have I caught you at your bad +tricks at last? Now I will reward you for thieving." Then drawing the +string tight round his neck, and shaking the bag, the cherry-stones +bruised Tom's legs, thighs, and body sadly; which made him beg to be +let out, and promise never to be guilty of such things any more. + +Shortly afterwards Tom's mother was making a batter-pudding, and that +he might see how she mixed it, he climbed on the edge of the bowl; but +his foot happening to slip, he fell over head and ears into the +batter, and his mother, not observing him, stirred him into the +pudding, and popped him into the pot to boil. The hot water made Tom +kick and struggle; and his mother, seeing the pudding jump up and down +in such a furious manner, thought it was bewitched; and a tinker +coming by just at the time, she quickly gave him the pudding; he put +it into his budget, and walked on. + +As soon as Tom could get the batter out of his mouth, he began to cry +aloud, which so frightened the poor tinker, that he flung the pudding +over the hedge, and ran away from it as fast as he could. The pudding +being broken to pieces by the fall, Tom was released, and walked home +to his mother, who gave him a kiss and put him to bed. + +Tom Thumb's mother once took him with her when she went to milk the +cow; and it being a very windy day, she tied him with a needleful of +thread to a thistle, that he might not be blown away. The cow, liking +his oak-leaf hat, took him and the thistle up at one mouthful. While +the cow chewed the thistle, Tom, terrified at her great teeth, which +seemed ready to crush him to pieces, roared, "Mother, mother!" as loud +as he could bawl. + +"Where are you, Tommy, my dear Tommy?' said the mother. + +"Here, mother, here in the red cow's mouth." + +The mother began to cry and wring her hands; but the cow, surprised at +such odd noises in her throat, opened her mouth and let him drop out. +His mother clapped him into her apron, and ran home with him. Tom's +father made him a whip of a barley straw to drive the cattle with, and +being one day in the field he slipped into a deep furrow. A raven +flying over picked him up with a grain of corn, and flew with him to +the top of a giant's castle by the sea-side, where he left him; and +old Grumbo, the giant, coming soon after to walk upon his terrace, +swallowed Tom like a pill, clothes and all. Tom presently made the +giant very uncomfortable, and he threw him up into the sea. A great +fish then swallowed him. This fish was soon after caught, and sent as +a present to King Arthur. When it was cut open, everybody was +delighted with little Tom Thumb. The king made him his dwarf; he was +the favourite of the whole court; and, by his merry pranks, often +amused the queen and the knights of the Round Table. The king, when he +rode on horseback, frequently took Tom in his hand; and if a shower of +rain came on, he used to creep into the king's waist-coat-pocket, and +sleep till the rain was over. The king also sometimes questioned Tom +concerning his parents; and when Tom informed his majesty they were +very poor people, the king led him into his treasury, and told him he +should pay his friends a visit, and take with him as much money as he +could carry. Tom procured a little purse, and putting a threepenny +piece into it, with much labour and difficulty got it upon his back; +and after travelling two days and nights, arrived at his father's +house. His mother met him at the door, almost tired to death, having +in forty-eight hours travelled almost half a mile with a huge silver +threepence upon his back. Both his parents were glad to see him, +especially when he had brought such an amazing sum of money with him. +They placed him in a walnut-shell by the fireside, and feasted him for +three days upon a hazel-nut, which made him sick, for a whole nut +usually served him for a month. Tom got well, but could not travel +because it had rained: therefore his mother took him in her hand, and +with one puff blew him into King Arthur's court; where Tom entertained +the king, queen, and nobility at tilts and tournaments, at which he +exerted himself so much that he brought on a fit of sickness, and his +life was despaired of. At this juncture the queen of the fairies came +in a chariot, drawn by flying mice, placed Tom by her side, and drove +through the air, without stopping till they arrived at her palace; +when, after restoring him to health and permitting him to enjoy all +the gay diversions of Fairyland, she commanded a fair wind, and, +placing Tom before it, blew him straight to the court of King Arthur. +But just as Tom should have alighted in the courtyard of the palace, +the cook happened to pass along with the king's great bowl of +furmenty (King Arthur loved furmenty), and poor Tom Thumb fell plump +into the middle of it, and splashed the hot furmenty into the cook's +eyes. Down went the bowl. + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" cried Tom. + +"Murder! murder!" bellowed the cook; and away poured the king's nice +furmenty into the kennel. + +The cook was a red-faced, cross fellow, and swore to the king that Tom +had done it out of mere mischief; so he was taken up, tried, and +sentenced to be beheaded. Tom hearing this dreadful sentence, and +seeing a miller stand by with his mouth wide open, he took a good +spring, and jumped down the miller's throat, unperceived by all, even +by the miller himself. + +Tom being lost, the court broke up, and away went the miller to his +mill. But Tom did not leave him long at rest: he began to roll and +tumble about, so that the miller thought himself bewitched, and sent +for a doctor. When the doctor came, Tom began to dance and sing; the +doctor was as much frightened as the miller, and sent in great haste +for five more doctors and twenty learned men. While all these were +debating upon the affair, the miller (for they were very tedious) +happened to yawn, and Tom, taking the opportunity, made another jump, +and alighted on his feet in the middle of the table. The miller, +provoked to be thus tormented by such a little creature, fell into a +great passion, caught hold of Tom, and threw him out of the window +into the river. A large salmon swimming by snapped him up in a minute. +The salmon was soon caught and sold in the market to a steward of a +lord. The lord, thinking it an uncommon fine fish, made a present of +it to the king, who ordered it to be dressed immediately. When the +cook cut open the salmon, he found poor Tom, and ran with him directly +to the king; but the king, being busy with state affairs, desired that +he might be brought another day. The cook resolving to keep him safely +this time, as he had so lately given him the slip, clapped him into a +mouse-trap, and left him to amuse himself by peeping through the wires +for a whole week; when the king sent for him, he forgave him for +throwing down the furmenty, ordered him new clothes, and knighted +him:-- + + "His shirt was made of butterflies' wings, + His boots were made of chicken skins; + His coat and breeches were made with pride: + A tailor's needle hung by his side; + A mouse for a horse he used to ride." + +Thus dressed and mounted, he rode a-hunting with the king and +nobility, who all laughed heartily at Tom and his fine prancing steed. +As they rode by a farmhouse one day, a cat jumped from behind the +door, seized the mouse and little Tom, and began to devour the mouse; +however, Tom boldly drew his sword and attacked the cat, who then let +him fall. The king and his nobles, seeing Tom falling, went to his +assistance, and one of the lords caught him in his hat; but poor Tom +was sadly scratched, and his clothes were torn by the claws of the +cat. In this condition he was carried home, when a bed of down was +made for him in a little ivory cabinet. The queen of the fairies came +and took him again to Fairyland, where she kept him for some years; +and then, dressing him in bright green, sent him flying once more +through the air to the earth, in the days of King Thunstone. The +people flocked far and near to look at him; and the king, before whom +he was carried, asked him who he was, whence he came, and where he +lived? Tom answered:-- + + "My name Is Tom Thumb, + From the Fairies I come; + When King Arthur shone, + This court was my home. + In me he delighted, + By him I was knighted; + Did you never hear of + Sir Thomas Thumb?" + +The king was so charmed with this address, that he ordered a little +chair to be made, in order that Tom might sit on his table, and also a +palace of gold a span high, with a door an inch wide, for little Tom +to live in. He also gave him a coach drawn by six small mice, This +made the queen angry, because she had not a new coach too: therefore, +resolving to ruin Tom, she complained to the king that he had behaved +very insolently to her. The king sent for him in a rage. Tom, to +escape his fury, crept into an empty snail-shell, and there lay till +he was almost starved; when, peeping out of the hole, he saw a fine +butterfly settle on the ground: he now ventured out, and getting +astride, the butterfly took wing, and mounted into the air with +little Tom on his back. Away he flew from field to field, from tree to +tree, till at last he flew to the king's court. The king, queen, and +nobles, all strove to catch the butterfly, but could not. At length +poor Tom, having neither bridle nor saddle, slipped from his seat, and +fell into a watering-pot, where he was found almost drowned. The queen +vowed he should be guillotined; but while the guillotine was getting +ready, he was secured once more in a mouse-trap; when the cat, seeing +something stir, and supposing it to be a mouse, patted the trap about +till she broke it, and set Tom at liberty. Soon afterwards a spider, +taking him for a fly, made at him. Tom drew his sword and fought +valiantly, but the spider's poisonous breath overcame him:-- + + "He fell dead on the ground where late he had stood, + And the spider suck'd up the last drop of his blood." + +King Thunstone and his whole court went into mourning for little Tom +Thumb. They buried him under a rosebush, and raised a nice white +marble monument over his grave, with the following epitaph:-- + + "Here lies Tom Thumb, King Arthur's knight, + Who died by a spider's cruel bite. + He was well known in Arthur's court, + Where he afforded gallant sport; + He rode at tilt and tournament, + And on a mouse a-hunting went; + Alive he fill'd the court with mirth, + His death to sorrow soon gave birth. + Wipe, wipe your eyes, and shake your head, + And cry, 'Alas! Tom Thumb is dead.'" + + + + +RUMPELSTILZCHEN. + + +There was once a miller who was very poor, but he had a beautiful +daughter. Now, it happened that he came to speak to the king, and, to +give himself importance, he said to him, "I have a daughter who can +spin straw into gold." + +The king said to the miller, "That is a talent that pleases me well; +if she be as skilful as you say, bring her to-morrow to the palace, +and I will put her to the proof." + +When the maiden was brought to him, he led her to a room full of +straw, gave her a wheel and spindle, and said, "Now set to work, and +if by the morrow this straw be not spun into gold, you shall die." He +locked the door, and left the maiden alone. + +The poor girl sat down disconsolate, and could not for her life think +what she was to do; for she knew not--how could she?--the way to spin +straw into gold; and her distress increased so much that at last she +began to weep. All at once the door opened, and a little man entered, +and said, "Good evening, my pretty miller's daughter why are you +weeping so bitterly?" + +"Ah!" answered the maiden, "I must spin straw into gold, and know not +how to do it." + +The little man said, "What will you give me if I do it for you?" + +"My neckerchief," said the maiden. + +He took the kerchief, sat down before the wheel, and grind, grind, +grind--three times did he grind--and the spindle was full: then he put +another thread on, and grind, grind, grind, the second was full; so he +spun on till morning; when all the straw was spun, and all the +spindles were full of gold. + +The king came at sunrise, and was greatly astonished and overjoyed at +the sight; but it only made his heart the more greedy of gold. He put +the miller's daughter into another much larger room, full of straw, +and ordered her to spin it all in one night, if life were dear to her. +The poor helpless maiden began to weep, when once more the door flew +open, the little man appeared, and said, "What will you give me if I +spin this straw into gold?" + +"My ring from my finger," answered the maiden. + +The little man took the ring, began to turn the wheel, and, by the +morning, all the straw was spun into shining gold. + +The king was highly delighted when he saw it, but was not yet +satisfied with the quantity of gold; so he put the damsel into a still +larger room, full of straw, and said, "Spin this during the night; and +if you do it, you shall be my wife." "For," he thought, "if she's only +a miller's daughter I shall never find a richer wife in the whole +world." + +As soon as the damsel was alone, the little man came the third time, +and said, "What will you give me if I again spin all this straw for +you?" + +"I have nothing more to give you," answered the girl. + +"Then promise, if you become queen, to give me your first child." + +"Who knows how that may be, or how things may turn out between now and +then?" thought the girl, but in her perplexity she could not help +herself: so she promised the little man what he desired, and he spun +all the straw into gold. + +When the king came in the morning, and saw that his orders had been +obeyed, he married the maiden, and the beautiful miller's daughter +became a queen. After a year had passed she brought a lovely baby into +the world, but quite forgot the little man, till he walked suddenly +into her chamber, and said, "Give me what you promised me." The queen +was frightened, and offered the dwarf all the riches of the kingdom if +he would only leave her her child; but he answered, "No; something +living is dearer to me than all the treasures of the world." + +Then the queen began to grieve and to weep so bitterly, that the +little man took pity upon her and said, "I will give you three days; +if in that time you can find out my name, you shall keep the child." + +All night long the queen thought over every name she had ever heard, +and sent a messenger through the kingdom, to inquire what names were +usually given to people in that country. When, next day, the little +man came again, she began with Caspar, Melchoir, Balthazar, and +repeated, each after each, all the names she knew or had heard of; but +at each one the little man said, "That is not my name." + +The second day she again sent round about in all directions, to ask +how the people were called, and repeated to the little man the +strangest names she could hear of or imagine: to each he answered +always, "That is not my name." + +The third day the messenger returned and said, "I have not been able +to find a single new name; but as I came over a high mountain by a +wood, where the fox and the hare bid each other good-night, I saw a +little house, and before the house was burning a little fire, and +round the fire danced a very funny little man, who hopped upon one +leg, and cried out:-- + + "To-day I brew, to-morrow I bake, + Next day the queen's child I shall take; + How glad I am that nobody knows + My name is Rumpelstilzchen!" + +You may guess how joyful the queen was at hearing this; and when, soon +after, the little man entered and said, "Queen, what is my name?" she +asked him mischievously, "Is your name Kunz?" + +"No." + +"Is your name Carl?" + +"No." + +"Are you not sometimes called Rumpelstilzchen?" + +"A witch has told you that--a witch has told you!" shrieked the poor +little man, and stamped so furiously with his right foot that it sunk +into the earth up to the hip; then he seized his left foot with both +hands with such violence, that he tore himself right in two. + + + + +FORTUNATUS. + + +In the city of Famagosta, in the island of Cyprus, there lived a very +rich gentleman. His name was Theodorus: he married a lady who was the +greatest beauty in Cyprus, and she was as rich as himself; she was +called Graciana. They both had every pleasure that wealth could buy, +and lived in the first style. Besides all this, the lady Graciana +brought her husband a fine little son, who was named Fortunatus; so +one would think nothing could have kept Theodorus from being the most +happy person in the world. But this was not long the case; for when he +had enjoyed all these pleasures for some time, he grew tired of them, +and began to keep company with young noblemen of the court, with whom +he sat up all night drinking and playing cards, so that in a few years +he spent all his fortune. He was now very sorry for what he had done, +but it was too late; and there was nothing he could do, but to work at +some trade to support his wife and child. For all this the lady +Graciana never found fault with him, but still loved her husband the +same as before; saying, "Dear Theodorus, to be sure I do not know how +to work at any trade; but if I can not help you in earning money, I +will help you to save it." So Theodorus set to work; and though the +lady Graciana had always been used only to ring her bell for +everything that she wanted, she now scoured the kettles and washed the +clothes with her own hands. + +They went on in this manner till Fortunatus was sixteen years of age. +When that time came, one day, as they were all sitting at dinner, +Theodorus fixed his eyes on his son, and sighed deeply. + +"What is the matter with you, father?" said Fortunatus. + +"Ah! my child," said Theodorus, "I have reason enough to be sorry, +when I think of the noble fortune which I have spent, and that my +folly will force you to labour for your living." + +"Father," replied Fortunatus, "do not grieve about it. I have often +thought that it was time I should do something for myself; and though +I have not been brought up to any trade, yet I hope I can contrive to +support myself somehow." + +When Fortunatus had done his dinner, he took his hat and walked to the +sea-side, thinking of what he could do, so as to be no longer a burden +to his parents. Just as he reached the sea-shore, the Earl of +Flanders, who had been to Jerusalem, was embarking on board his ship +with all his servants, to set sail for Flanders. Fortunatus now +thought he would offer himself to be the Earl's page. When the Earl +saw that he was a smart-looking lad, and heard the quick replies which +he made to his questions, he took him into his service; so at once +they all went on board. On their way the ship stopped a short time at +the port of Venice, where Fortunatus saw many strange things, which +made him wish still more to travel, and taught him much that he did +not know before. + +Soon after this they came to Flanders; and they had not been long on +shore, before the Earl, his master, was married to the daughter of the +Duke of Cleves. The wedding was kept with all sorts of public +feasting, and games on horseback, called tilts, which lasted many +days; and, among the rest, the Earl's lady gave two jewels as prizes +to be played for, each of them the value of a hundred crowns. One of +them was won by Fortunatus, and the other by Timothy, a servant of the +Duke of Burgundy; who afterwards ran another tilt with Fortunatus, so +that the winner was to have both the jewels. So they tilted, and, at +the fourth course, Fortunatus hoisted Timothy a full spear's length +from his horse, and thus won both the jewels, which pleased the Earl +and Countess so much that they praised Fortunatus, and thought better +of him than ever. At this time, also, Fortunatus had many rich +presents given him by the lords and ladies of the court. But the high +favour shown him made his fellow-servants jealous, and one, named +Robert, who had always pretended a great friendship for Fortunatus, +made him believe that for all his seeming kindness, the Earl, in +secret, envied him his great skill in tilting. Robert said, too, that +he had heard the Earl give private orders to one of his servants to +find some way of killing him next day, while they should all be out +hunting. + +Fortunatus thanked the wicked Robert for what he thought a great +kindness; and the next day, at daybreak, he took the swiftest horse in +the Earl's stables, and left the country. When the Earl heard that +Fortunatus had gone away in a hurry, he was much surprised, and asked +all his servants what they knew about the matter, but they all denied +knowing anything of it, or why he had left them. The Earl then said, +"Fortunatus was a lad for whom I had a great esteem; I am sure some of +you must have given him an affront; if I discover it, I shall not fail +to punish the guilty person." In the meantime, Fortunatus, when he +found himself out of the Earl's country, stopped at an inn to refresh +himself, and began to reckon how much he had about him. He took out +all his fine clothes and jewels, and could not help putting them on. +He then looked at himself in the glass, and thought that, to be sure, +he was quite a fine smart fellow. Next he took out his purse, and +counted the money that had been given him by the lords and ladies of +the Earl's court. He found that in all he had five hundred crowns; so +he bought a horse, and took care to send back the one that he had +taken from the Earl's stable. + +He then set off for Calais, crossed the Channel, landed safely at +Dover, and went on to London, where he soon made his way into genteel +company, and had once the honour to dance with the daughter of a Duke +at the Lord Mayor's ball. This sort of life, as anybody may well +think, soon made away with his little stock of money. When Fortunatus +found that he had not a penny left, he began to think of going back +again to France, and soon after went on board a ship bound to Picardy. +He landed in that country, but finding no employment he set off for +Brittany, when he lost his way in crossing a wood, and was forced to +stay in it all night. The next morning he was little better off, for +he could find no path. So he walked about from one part of the wood to +another, till at last, on the evening of the second day, he saw a +spring, at which he drank very heartily; but still he had nothing to +eat, and was ready to die with hunger. When night came on, he heard +the growling of wild beasts, so he climbed up a high tree for safety, +and he had hardly seated himself in it, before a lion walked fiercely +up to the spring to drink. This made him very much afraid. When the +lion had gone away, a bear came to drink also; and, as the moon shone +very bright, the beast looked up, and saw Fortunatus, and straightway +began to climb up the tree to get at him. + +Fortunatus drew his sword, and sat quiet till the bear was come within +arm's length; and then he ran him through the body. This drove the +bear so very savage, that he made a great spring to get at him; but +the bough broke, and down he fell, and lay sprawling and howling on +the ground. Fortunatus now looked around on all sides; and as he saw +no more wild beasts near, he thought this would be a good time to get +rid of the bear at once; so down he came, and killed him at a single +blow. Being almost starved for want of food, the poor youth stooped +down, and was going to suck the blood of the bear; but looking round +once more, to see if any wild beasts were coming, he on a sudden +beheld a beautiful lady standing by his side, with a bandage over her +eyes, leaning upon a wheel, and looking as if she were going to speak, +which she soon did, in these words: "Know, young man, that my name is +Fortune; I have the power to bestow wisdom, strength, riches, health, +beauty, and long life; one of these I am willing to grant you--choose +for yourself which it shall be." + +Fortunatus was not a moment before he answered: "Good lady, I wish to +have riches in such plenty that I may never again know what it is to +be so hungry as I now find myself." The lady then gave him a purse, +and told him that in all the countries where he might happen to be, he +need only put his hand into the purse as often as he pleased, and he +would be sure to find in it ten pieces of gold; that the purse should +never fail of yielding the same sum as long as it was kept by him and +his children; but that when he and his children should be dead, then +the purse would lose its power. + +Fortunatus now did not know what to do with himself for joy, and began +to thank the lady very much; but she told him that he had better think +of making his way out of the wood. She then directed him which path to +take, and bade him farewell. He walked by the light of the moon, as +fast as his weakness and fatigue would let him, till he came near an +inn. But before he went into it, he thought it would be best to see +whether the Lady Fortune had been as good as her word; so he put his +hand into his purse, and to his great joy he counted ten pieces of +gold. Having nothing to fear, Fortunatus walked boldly up to the inn, +and called for the best supper they could get ready in a minute; +"For," said he, "I must wait till to-morrow before I am very nice. I +am so hungry now, that almost anything will do." Fortunatus very soon +ate quite enough, and then called for every sort of wine in the house, +and drank his fill. After supper, he began to think what sort of life +he should lead; "For," said he to himself, "I shall now have money +enough for everything I can desire." He slept that night in the very +best bed in the house, and the next day he ordered the finest victuals +of all kinds. When he rang his bell, all the waiters tried who should +run the fastest, to ask him what he pleased to want; and the landlord +himself, hearing what a noble guest was come to his house, took care +to be standing at the door to bow to him when he should be passing +out. + +Fortunatus asked the landlord whether any fine horses could be got +near at hand; also, if he knew of some smart-looking, clever +men-servants who wanted places. By chance the landlord was able to +provide him with both. As he had now got everything he wanted, he set +out on the finest horse that was ever seen, with two servants, for the +nearest town. There he bought some grand suits of clothes, put his two +servants into liveries laced with gold, and they went on to Paris. +Here he took the best house that was to be had, and lived in great +pomp. He invited the nobility, and gave grand balls to all the most +beautiful ladies of the court. He went to all public places of +amusement, and the first lords in the country invited him to their +houses. He had lived in this manner for about a year, when he began to +think of going to Famagosta to visit his parents, whom he had left +very poor. "But," thought Fortunatus, "as I am young and have not seen +much of the world, I should like to meet with some person of more +knowledge than I have, who would make my journey both useful and +pleasing to me." Soon after this he met with an old gentleman, called +Loch-Fitty, who was a native of Scotland, and had left a wife and ten +children a great many years ago, in hopes to better his fortune; but +now, owing to many accidents, was poorer than ever, and had not money +enough to take him back to his family. + +When Loch-Fitty found how much Fortunatus wished to obtain knowledge, +he told him many of the strange adventures he had met with, and gave +him an account of all the countries he had been in, as well as of the +customs, dress, and manners of the people. Fortunatus thought to +himself, "This is the very man I stand in need of;" so at once he made +him a good offer, which the old gentleman agreed to, but made the +bargain that he might first go and visit his family. Fortunatus told +him that he should. "And," said he, "as I am a little tired of being +always in the midst of such noisy pleasures as we find at Paris, I +will, with your leave, go with you to Scotland, and see your wife and +children." They get out the very next day, and came safe to the house +of Loch-Fitty; and in all the journey, Fortunatus did not once wish to +change his kind companion for all the pleasures and grandeur he had +left behind. Loch-Fitty kissed his wife and children, five of whom +were daughters, and the most beautiful creatures that were ever +beheld. When they were seated, his wife said to him, "Ah! dear Lord +Loch-Fitty, how happy I am to see you once again! Now, I hope we shall +enjoy each other's company for the rest of our lives. What though we +are poor! We will be content if you will but promise not to think of +leaving us again to get riches, only because we have a noble title." + +Fortunatus heard this with great surprise. "What!" said he, "are you a +lord? Then you shall be a rich lord too. And that you may not think I +lay you under any burden in the fortune I shall give you, I will put +it in your power to make me your debtor instead. Give me your youngest +daughter, Cassandra, for a wife, and accompany us as far as Famagosta, +and take all your family with you, that you may have pleasant company +on your way back, when you have rested in that place from your +fatigue." + +Lord Loch-Fitty shed some tears of joy to think he should at last see +his family again raised to all the honours which it had once enjoyed. +He gladly agreed to the marriage of Fortunatus with his daughter +Cassandra, and then told him the reasons that had forced him to drop +his title and live poor at Paris. When Lord Loch-Fitty had ended his +story, they agreed that the very next morning the Lady Cassandra +should be asked to accept the hand of Fortunatus; and that, if she +should consent, they would set sail in a few days for Famagosta. The +next morning the offer was made to her, as had been agreed on, and +Fortunatus had the pleasure of hearing from the lips of the beautiful +Cassandra, that the very first time she cast her eyes on him she +thought him the most handsome gentleman in the world. + +Everything was soon ready for them to set out on the journey. +Fortunatus, Lord Loch-Fitty, his lady, and their ten children, then +set sail in a large ship: they had a good voyage, and landed safe at +the port of Famagosta. There, however, Fortunatus found, with great +grief and self-reproach, that his father and mother were both dead. +However, as he was an easy-tempered gentleman, and had his betrothed +Cassandra and her whole family to reconcile him to his grief, it did +not last very long; the wedding took place almost immediately; so they +lived all together in Famagosta, and in very great style. By the end +of the first year, the Lady Cassandra had a little son, who was +christened Ampedo; and the next year another, who was christened +Andolucia. For twelve years Fortunatus lived a very happy life with +his wife and children, and his wife's kindred; and as each of her +sisters had a fortune given her from the purse of Fortunatus, they +soon married very well. But by this time he began to long to travel +again; and he thought, as he was now so much older and wiser than when +he was at Paris, he might go by himself, for Lord Loch-Fitty was at +this time too old to bear fatigue. After he had, with great trouble, +got the consent of the Lady Cassandra, and made her a promise to stay +away only two years, he made all things ready for his journey; and +taking his lady into one of his private rooms, he showed her three +chests of gold. He told her to keep one of these for herself, and take +charge of the other two for their sons, in case any evil should happen +to him. He then led her back to the room where the whole family were +sitting, embraced them all tenderly one by one, and set sail with a +fair wind for Alexandria. + +When Fortunatus came to this place, he was told it was the custom to +make a handsome present to the sultan; so he sent him a piece of plate +that cost five thousand pounds. The sultan was so much pleased with +this, that he ordered a hundred casks of spices to be given to +Fortunatus in return. Fortunatus sent these straight to the Lady +Cassandra, with the most tender letters, by the same ship that brought +him, which was then going back to Famagosta. Having stated that he +wished to travel through his country by land, he obtained from the +sultan such passports and letters as he might stand in need of, to the +other princes in those parts. He then bought a camel, hired proper +servants, and set off on his travels. He went through Turkey, Persia, +and from thence to Carthage; he next went into the country of Prester +John, who rides upon a white elephant, and has kings to wait on him. +Fortunatus made him some rich presents, and went on to Calcutta; and, +in coming back, he took Jerusalem in the way, and so came again to +Alexandria, where he had the good fortune to find the same ship that +had brought him, and to learn from the captain that his wife and +family were all in perfect health. The first thing he did was to pay a +visit to his old friend the sultan, to whom he again made a handsome +present, and was invited to dine at his palace. After dinner, the +sultan said: "It must be vastly amusing, Fortunatus, to hear an +account of all the places you have seen; pray favour me with a history +of your travels." Fortunatus did as he was desired, and pleased the +sultan very much by telling him the many odd adventures he had met +with; and, above all, the manner of his first becoming known to the +Lord Loch-Fitty, and the desire of that lord to maintain the honours +of his family. When he had ended, the sultan said he was greatly +pleased with what he had heard, but that he possessed a more curious +thing than any Fortunatus had told him of. He then led him into a room +almost filled with jewels, opened a large closet, and took out a cap, +which he said was of greater value than all the rest. Fortunatus +thought the sultan was joking, and told him he had seen many a better +cap than that. "Ah!" said the sultan, "that is because you do not know +its value. Whoever puts this cap on his head, and wishes to be in any +part of the world, will find himself there in a moment." + +"Indeed!" said Fortunatus; "and pray, is the man living who made it?" + +"I know nothing about that," said the sultan. + +"One would hardly believe it," said Fortunatus. "Pray, sir, is it very +heavy?" + +"Not at all," replied the sultan; "you may feel it." + +Fortunatus took up the cap, put it on his head, and could not help +wishing himself on board the ship that was going back to Famagosta. In +less than a moment he was carried on board of her, just as she was +ready to sail; and there being a brisk gale, they were out of sight in +half an hour, before the sultan had even time to repent of his folly +for letting Fortunatus try the cap on his head. The ship came safe to +Famagosta, after a happy passage, and Fortunatus found his wife and +children well; but Lord Loch-Fitty and his lady had died of old age, +and were buried in the same grave. + +Fortunatus now began to take great pleasure in teaching his two boys +all sorts of useful learning, and also such manly sports as wrestling +and tilting. Now and then he thought about the curious cap which had +brought him home, and then would wish he could just take a peep at +what was passing in other countries; which wish was always fulfilled: +but he never stayed there more than an hour or two, so that the Lady +Cassandra did not miss him, and was no longer made uneasy by his love +of travelling. + +At last, Fortunatus began to grow old, and the Lady Cassandra fell +sick and died. The loss of her caused him so much grief, that soon +after he fell sick too. As he thought he had not long to live, he +called his two sons to his bedside, and told them the secrets of the +purse and the cap, which he begged they would not, on any account, +make known to others. "Follow my example," said he: "I have had the +purse these forty years, and no living person knew from what source I +obtained my riches." He then told them to make use of the purse +between them, and to live together in friendship; and embracing them, +died soon after. Fortunatus was buried with great pomp by the side of +Lady Cassandra, in his own chapel, and was for a long time mourned by +the people of Famagosta. + + + + +THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS. + + +There was a man who owned a donkey, which had carried his sacks to the +mill industriously for many years, but whose strength had come to an +end, so that the poor beast grew more and more unfit for work. The +master determined to stop his food, but the donkey, discovering that +there was no good intended to him, ran away and took the road to +Bremen: "There," thought he, "I can turn Town Musician." + +When he had gone a little way, he found a hound lying on the road and +panting, like one who was tired with running. "Hollo! what are you +panting so for, worthy Seize 'em?" asked the donkey. + +"Oh!" said the dog, "just because I am old, and get weaker every day, +and cannot go out hunting, my master wanted to kill me, so I have +taken leave of him; but how shall I gain my living now?" + +"I'll tell you what," said the donkey, "I am going to Bremen to be +Town Musician; come with me and take to music too. I will play the +lute, and you shall beat the drum." + +The dog liked the idea, and they travelled on. It was not long before +they saw a cat sitting by the road, making a face like three rainy +days. + +"Now then, what has gone wrong with you old Whiskers?" said the +donkey. + +"Who can be merry when his neck is in danger?" answered the cat. +"Because I am advanced in years, and my teeth are blunt, and I like +sitting before the fire and purring better than chasing the mice +about, my mistress wanted to drown me. I have managed to escape, but +good advice is scarce; tell me where I shall go to?" + +"Come with us two to Bremen; you understand serenading; you also can +become a Town Musician." + +The cat thought it a capital idea, and went with them. Soon after the +three runaways came to a farmyard, and there sat a cock on the gate, +crowing with might and main. + +"You crow loud enough to deafen one," said the donkey; "what is the +matter with you?" + +"I prophesied fair weather," said the cock, "because it is our good +mistress's washing-day, and she wants to dry the clothes; but because +to-morrow is Sunday, and company is coming, the mistress has no pity +on me, and has told the cook to put me into the soup to-morrow, and I +must have my head cut off to-night: so now I am crowing with all my +might as long as I can." + +"O you old Redhead," said the donkey, "you had better come with us; we +are going to Bremen, where you will certainly find something better +than having your head cut off; you have a good voice, and if we all +make music together, it will be something striking." + +The cock liked the proposal, and they went on, all four together. + +But they could not reach the city of Bremen in one day, and they came +in the evening to a wood, where they agreed to spend the night. The +donkey and the dog laid themselves down under a great tree, but the +cat and the cock went higher--the cock flying up to the topmost +branch, where he was safest. Before he went to sleep he looked round +towards all the four points of the compass, and he thought he saw a +spark shining in the distance. He called to his companions that there +must be a house not far off; for he could see a light. The donkey +said: "Then we must rise and go to it, for the lodgings here are very +bad;" and the dog said, "Yes; a few bones with a little flesh on them +would do me good." So they took the road in the direction where the +light was, and soon saw it shine brighter; and it got larger and +larger till they came to a brilliantly-illumined robber's house. The +donkey, being the biggest, got up at the window and looked in. + +"What do you see, Greybeard?" said the cock. + +"What do I see?" answered the donkey: "a table covered with beautiful +food and drink, and robbers are sitting round it and enjoying +themselves." + +"That would do nicely for us," said the cock. + +"Yes, indeed, if we were only there," replied the donkey. + +The animals then consulted together how they should manage to drive +out the robbers, till at last they settled on a plan. Tie donkey was +to place himself with his forefeet on the window-sill, the dog to +climb on the donkey's back, and the cat on the dog's, and, at last, +the cock was to fly up and perch himself on the cat's head. When that +was done, at a signal they began their music all together: the donkey +brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed; then, with +one great smash, they dashed through the window into the room, so that +the glass clattered down. The robbers jumped up at this dreadful +noise, thinking that nothing less than a ghost was coming in, and ran +away into the wood in a great fright. The four companions then sat +down at the table, quite content with what was left there, and ate as +if they were expecting to fast for a month to come. + +When the four musicians had finished, they put out the light, and each +one looked out for a suitable and comfortable sleeping-place. The +donkey lay down on the dunghill, the dog behind the door, the cat on +the hearth near the warm ashes, and the cock set himself on the +hen-roost; and, as they were all tired with their long journey, they +soon went to sleep. Soon after midnight, as the robbers in the +distance could see that no more lights were burning in the house, and +as all seemed quiet, the captain said, "We ought not to have let +ourselves be scared so easily," and sent one of them to examine the +house. The messenger found everything quiet, went into the kitchen to +light a candle, and, thinking the cat's shining fiery eyes were live +coals, he held a match to them to light it. But the cat did not +understand the joke, flew in his face, spat at him, and scratched. He +was dreadfully frightened, ran away, and was going out of the back +door; when the dog, who was lying there, jumped up and bit him in the +leg. As he ran through the yard, past the dunghill, the donkey gave +him a good kick with his hind-foot; and the cock being awakened, and +made quite lively by the noise, called out from the hen-roost +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" + +The robber ran as hard as he could, back to the captain, and said: +"Oh, dear! in the house sits a horrid old witch, who blew at me, and +scratched my face with her long fingers; and by the door stands a man +with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg; and in the yard lies a black +monster, who hit me with a club; and up on the roof there sits the +judge, who called out, 'Bring the rascal up here'--so I made the best +of my way off." + +From that time the robbers never trusted themselves again in the +house; but the four musicians liked it so well that they could not +make up their minds to leave it, and spent there the remainder of +their days, as the last person who told the story is ready to avouch +for a fact. + + + + +RIQUET WITH THE TUFT + + +Once upon a time a queen had a little son, who was so ugly and +ill-made, that for a long time the poor little baby was thought hardly +human. However, a good fairy, who presided at his birth, assured his +mother that, though ugly, he would have so much sense and wit that he +would never be disagreeable; moreover, she bestowed on him the power +of communicating these gifts to the person he should love best in the +world. At this the queen was a little comforted, and became still more +so, when, as soon as he could speak, the infant began to say such +pretty and clever things that everybody was charmed with him. (I +forgot to mention that his name was Riquet with the Tuft, because he +was born with a curious tuft of hair on the top of his head.) + +Seven or eight years after this, the queen of a neighbouring country +had two little daughters, twins, at whose birth the same fairy +presided. The elder twin was more beautiful than the day--the younger +so extremely ugly that the mother's extravagant joy in the first was +all turned to grief about the second. So, in order to calm her +feelings, the fairy told her that the one daughter should be as stupid +as she was pretty, while the other would grow up so clever and +charming that nobody would miss her want of beauty. + +"Heaven grant it!" sighed the queen; "but are there no means of giving +a little sense to the one who is so beautiful?" + +"I can do nothing for her, madam," returned the fairy--"nothing as +regards her own fortunes; but I grant her the power of making the +person who best pleases her as handsome as herself." + +Accordingly, as the young princesses grew up, their perfections grew +with them; and nothing was spoken of but the beauty of the elder and +the wit of the younger. True, their faults increased equally: the one +became uglier, and the other more stupid, day by day. Unlucky fair +one! she never had a word to say for herself, or else it was the +silliest word imaginable, and she was so awkward that she could not +place four teacups in a row without breaking at least one of them, nor +drink a glass of water without spilling half of it over her clothes. +Beauty is a great charm; yet, whenever the sisters went out together, +those who were attracted by the elder's lovely face, in less than half +an hour were sure to be seen at the side of the younger, laughing at +her witty and pleasant sayings, and altogether deserting the poor +beauty, who had just sense enough to find it out, and to feel that she +would have given all her good looks for one half of her sister's +talents. + +One day, when she had hid herself in a wood, and was crying over her +hard fate, she saw coming towards her a little man, very ugly, but +magnificently dressed. Who should this be but Prince Riquet with the +Tuft? He had seen her portrait, had fallen desperately in love with +her, and secretly quitted his father's kingdom that he might have the +pleasure of meeting her. Delighted to find her alone, he came forward +with all the respect and politeness imaginable. But he could not help +noticing how very melancholy she was, and that all the elegant +compliments he made her did not seem to affect her in the least. + +"I cannot comprehend, madam," said he, "how so charming and lovely a +lady can be so very sad. Never did I see anyone who could at all +compare with you." + +"That's all you know," said the princess, and stopped. + +"Beauty," continued the prince, sighing, "is so great an advantage +that, if one possessed it, one would never trouble oneself about +anything else. + +"I wish I were as ugly as you and had some sense, rather than be as +handsome as I am, and such a fool." + +"Madam," said Riquet politely, though her speech was not exactly +civil, "nothing shows intellect so much as the modesty of believing +one does not possess it." + +"I don't know that; but I know I am a great fool, and it vexes me so, +that I wish I was dead," cried the princess bitterly. + +"If that is all, madam, I can easily put an end to your grief, for I +have the power of making the person I love best as clever as I +please. I will do it, provided you consent to marry me." + +The princess stood dumb with astonishment. She--to marry that little +frightful creature--scarcely a man at all! + +"I see," said Riquet, "that my proposal offends and grieves you. Well, +I will give you a year to consider it." + +Now the young lady was so stupid that she thought a year's end was a +long way off--so long that it seemed as if it might not come at all, +or something might happen between whiles. And she had such a longing +to be clever and admired that she thought at all risks she would +accept the chance of becoming so. Accordingly, she promised Riquet to +marry him that day twelvemonth. + +No sooner had she said it than she felt herself quite another being. +She found she could at once say anything she chose, and say it in the +most graceful and brilliant way. She began a lively conversation with +Prince Riquet, and chattered so fast and so wittily, that he began to +be afraid he had given her so much cleverness as to leave himself +none. + +When she returned to the palace, all the court were astonished at the +change. She, who had annoyed everybody by the impertinent, tasteless, +or downright foolish things she uttered, now charmed everybody by her +wit, her pleasantness, and her exceeding good sense. The king himself +began to come to her apartment, and ask her advice in state affairs. +Her mother, and indeed the whole kingdom, were delighted; the only +person to be pitied was the poor younger sister, of whom nobody now +took the least notice. + +Meantime, princes came in throngs to ask in marriage this wonderful +princess, who was as clever as she was beautiful; but she found none +to suit her, probably because the more sense a lady has, the more +difficult she is to please. As for her promise to Riquet with the +Tuft, being given in the days when she was so dull and stupid, it now +never once came into her head; until one day, being quite perplexed by +her numerous suitors, she went to take a solitary walk and think the +matter over, when by chance she came into the same wood where she had +met the prince. There, all of a sudden, she thought she heard a queer +running about and chattering underground. "Fetch me that spit," cried +one; "Put some more wood on that fire," said another; and by and by +the earth opened, showing a great kitchen filled with cooks, cooking a +splendid banquet. They were all working merrily at their several +duties, and singing together in the most lively chorus. + +"What is all this about?" asked the amazed princess. + +"If you please, madam," replied the head-cook, politely, "we are +cooking the wedding-dinner of Prince Riquet with the Tuft, who is to +be married to-morrow." + +"To-morrow!" cried the princess, all at once recollecting her promise; +at which she was so frightened that she thought she should have +fallen to the earth. Greater still was her alarm when, at only a few +steps' distance, she beheld Riquet, dressed splendidly like a prince +and a bridegroom. + +"You see me, princess, exact to my word; and I doubt not you are the +same, come to make me the happiest of mankind." + +"Prince," said the lady, frankly, "I must confess that such was not my +intention, and I fear I shall never be able to do as you desire." + +"You surprise me, madam." + +"I can well believe it; and if I had to do with a brute, instead of a +gentleman of sense and feeling, I should be very uneasy," returned +she; "but since I speak with the cleverest man in the world, I am sure +he will hear reason, and will not bind me, now a sensible woman, to a +promise I made when I was only a fool." + +"If I were a fool myself, madam, I might well complain of your broken +promise; and being, as you say, a man of sense, should I not complain +of what takes away all the happiness of my life? Tell me candidly, is +there anything in me, except my ugliness, which displeases you? Do you +object to my birth, my temper, my manners?" + +"No, truly," replied the princess; "I like everything in you, +except"--and she hesitated courteously--"except your appearance." + +"Then, madam, I need not lose my happiness; for if I have the gift of +making clever whosoever I love best, you also are able to make the +person you prefer as handsome as ever you please. Could you love me +enough to do that?" + +"I think I could," said the princess, and her heart being greatly +softened towards him, she wished that he might become the handsomest +prince in all the world. No sooner had she done so than Riquet with +the Tuft appeared in her eyes the most elegant young man she had ever +seen. + +Ill-natured people have said that this was no fairy-gift, but that +love created the change. They declare that the princess, when she +thought over her lover's perseverance, patience, good-humour, and +discretion, and counted his numerous fine qualities of mind and +disposition, saw no longer the deformity of his body or the plainness +of his features; that his hump was merely an exaggerated stoop, and +his awkward movements became only an interesting eccentricity. Nay, +even his eyes, which squinted terribly, seemed always looking on all +sides for her, in token of his violent love, and his great red nose +gave him an air very martial and heroic. + +However this may be, it is certain that the princess married him; that +either she retained her good sense, or he never felt the want of it; +and he never again became ugly--or, at least, not in his wife's eyes; +so they both lived very happy until they died. + + + + +HOUSE ISLAND. + + +There lived in Norway, not far from the city of Drontheim, a rich and +prosperous gentleman. He had an only daughter, called Aslog, the fame +of whose beauty spread far and wide. The greatest men of the country +sought her, but all were alike unsuccessful in their suit. Her father, +who thought his daughter delayed her choice only that she might choose +the better, forbore to interfere, and exulted in her prudence. But +when, at length, the richest and noblest had tried their fortune with +as little success as the rest, he grew angry, called his daughter, and +said to her:-- + +"Hitherto I have left you to your free choice, but since I see that +you reject all without any distinction, and the very best of your +suitors seem not good enough for you, I will keep measures no longer +with you. What! shall my family become extinct, and my inheritance +pass away into the hands of strangers? I will break your stubborn +spirit. I give you now till the festival of the great Winter-night; by +that time you must make your decision, or prepare to accept the +husband whom I myself shall select." + +Now Aslog secretly loved a youth named Orm, handsome, noble and brave. +She loved him with her whole soul, and would sooner die than bestow +her hand on another. But Orm was poor, and poverty compelled him to +keep his love as secret as her own. + +When Aslog saw the darkness of her father's countenance, and heard his +angry words, she turned pale as death, for she knew his temper, and +doubted not but that he would put his threats into execution. Without +uttering a word in reply, she retired to her chamber, and pondered +vainly how to escape the storm that hung over her. The great festival +approached nearer and nearer, and her anguish increased every day. + +At last the lovers resolved on flight. Orm knew a secure place, where +they could hide until they found an opportunity of quitting the +country. So at night, when all were asleep, he led the trembling Aslog +over the snow and ice-fields away to the mountains. The moon and the +stars lighted them on their way. They had under their arms a few +articles of dress and some skins of animals, which were all they could +carry. They ascended the mountains the whole night long, till they +reached a lonely spot inclosed with lofty rocks. Here Orm conducted +the weary Aslog into a cave, the low and narrow entrance to which was +hardly perceptible, but it soon enlarged to a great hall, reaching +deep into the mountain. He kindled a fire, and they now, reposing on +their skins, sat in the deepest solitude far away from all the world. + +Orm was the first who had discovered this cave, which is shown to this +very day. But as no one then knew anything of it, they were safe from +the pursuit of Aslog's father. They passed the whole winter in this +retirement, contented and even happy; for they knew they were married, +and belonged to one another, and no cruel father could separate them +more. Orm used to go a-hunting, and Aslog stayed at home in the cave, +minded the fire, and prepared the necessary food. Frequently did she +mount the points of the rocks, but her eyes, did they wander ever so +far, saw only glittering snow-fields. + +The spring now came on--the woods were green--the meadows put on their +various colors, people began to wander out for summer pleasuring, and +Aslog could but rarely and with circumspection venture to leave the +cave. One evening Orm came in with the intelligence that he had +recognised her father's servants in the distance, and that he could +hardly have been unobserved by them. "They will surround this place," +continued he, "and never rest till they have found us; we must quit +our retreat, then, without a moment's delay." + +They accordingly descended on the other side of the mountain, and +reached the strand, where they fortunately found a boat. Orm pushed +off, and the boat drove into the open sea. They had escaped their +pursuers, but they were now exposed to dangers of another kind: +whither should they turn? They could not venture to land, for Aslog's +father was lord of the whole coast, and they would infallibly fall +into his hands. Nothing then remained for them but to commit their +bark to the wind and waves. They were driven along the entire night. +At break of day the coast had disappeared, and they saw nothing but +the sky, the sea, and the waves. They had not brought one morsel of +food with them, and thirst and hunger began now to torment them. Three +days did they toss about in this state of misery, and Aslog, faint and +exhausted, saw nothing but certain death before her. + +At length, on the evening of the third day, they discovered an island +of tolerable magnitude, and surrounded by a number of smaller ones. +Orm immediately steered for it, but, just as he came near it, there +suddenly rose a violent wind, and the sea rolled every moment higher +and higher. He turned about with a view of approaching it on another +side, but with no better success; his vessel, as often as it neared +the island, was driven back as if by an invisible power. "God help +us!" he cried, and crossed himself, and looked on poor Aslog, who +seemed to be dying of weakness before his eyes. But scarcely had the +exclamation passed his lips when the storm ceased, the waves subsided, +and the vessel came to the shore without encountering any hindrance. +Orm jumped out on the beach; some mussels that he found on the strand +strengthened and revived the exhausted Aslog, so that she was soon +able to leave the boat. + +The island was overgrown with low dwarf shrubs, and seemed to be +uninhabited; but when they had reached the middle of it, they +discovered a house, which appeared to be half under the surface of +the earth. In the hope of meeting with human help, the wanderers +approached it. They listened, but the most perfect silence reigned +there. Orm at length opened the door, and they both walked in: but +what was their surprise, to find everything regulated and arranged as +if for inhabitants, yet not a single living creature visible. The fire +was burning on the hearth, in the middle of the room, and a kettle +with fish hung on it, apparently only waiting for some one to take it +up and eat it. The beds were made, and ready to receive their wearied +tenants. Orm and Aslog stood for some time dubious, and looked on with +a certain degree of awe, but at last, overcome by hunger, they took up +the food and ate. When they had satisfied their appetites, and still +discovered no human being, they gave way to weariness, and laid +themselves in the beds, which looked so peaceful and inviting to their +wearied limbs. + +They had expected to be awakened in the night by the owners of the +house on their return home, but their expectation was not fulfilled; +they slept undisturbed till the morning sun shone in upon them. No one +appeared on any of the following days, and it seemed as if some +invisible power had made ready the house for their reception. They +spent the whole summer in perfect happiness: they were, to be sure, +solitary, yet they did not miss mankind. The wild birds' eggs, and the +fish they caught, yielded them provisions in abundance. + +When autumn came, Aslog brought forth a son. In the midst of their +joy at this, they were surprised by a wonderful apparition. The door +opened on a sudden, and an old woman stepped in. She wore a handsome +blue dress; there was something proud, but at the same time something +strange, in her appearance. + +"Do not be afraid," said she, "at my unexpected appearance. I am the +owner of this house, and I thank you for the clean and neat state in +which you have kept it, and for the good order in which I find +everything with you. I would willingly have come sooner, but I had no +power to do so till this little heathen (pointing to the new-born +babe) was come to the light. Now I have free access. Only fetch no +priest from the mainland to christen it, or I must depart again. If +you will in this matter comply with my wishes, you may not only +continue to live here, but all the good that ever you can wish for I +will do you. Whatever you take in hand shall prosper; good luck shall +follow you wherever you go. But break this condition, and depend upon +it that misfortune after misfortune will come on you, and even on this +child will I avenge myself. If you want anything, or are in danger, +you have only to pronounce my name three times, and I will appear and +lend you assistance. I am of the race of the old giants, and my name +is Guru. But beware of uttering in my presence the name of Him whom no +giant may hear of, and never venture to make the sign of the cross, or +to cut it on beam or board in the house. You may dwell in this house +the whole year long, only be so good as to give it up to me on Yule +evening, when the sun is at the lowest, as then we celebrate our great +festival, and then only are we permitted to be merry. At least, if you +should not be willing to go out of the house, keep yourselves up in +the loft as quiet as possible the whole day long, and as you value +your lives do not look down into the room below until midnight is +past. After that you may take possession of everything again." + +When the old woman had thus spoken she vanished, and Aslog and Orm +lived without any disturbance, contented and happy. Orm never made a +cast of his net without getting a plentiful draught; he never shot an +arrow from his bow that it was not sure to hit; in short, whatever +they took in hand, were it ever so trifling, evidently prospered. + +When Christmas came, they cleaned up the house in the best manner, set +everything in order, kindled a fire on the hearth, and as the twilight +approached they went up to the loft, where they remained quite still +and quiet. At length it grew dark; they thought they heard a sound of +whizzing and snorting in the air, such as the swans used to make in +the winter time. There was a hole in the roof over the fireplace, +which might be opened and shut either to let in the light from above, +or to afford a free passage for the smoke. Orm lifted up the lid, +which was covered with a skin, and put out his head. But what a +wonderful sight then presented itself to his eyes! The little islands +around were all lit up with countless blue lights, which moved about +without ceasing, jumped up and down, then skipped to the shore, +assembled together, and came nearer and nearer to the large island +where Orm and Aslog lived. At last they reached it, and arranged +themselves in a circle around a large stone not far from the shore, +and which Orm well knew. But what was his surprise when he saw that +the stone had now completely assumed the form of a man, though a +monstrous and gigantic one! He could clearly perceive that the little +blue lights were borne by Dwarfs whose pale clay-coloured faces, with +their huge noses and red eyes, disfigured too by birds' bills and +owls' eyes, were supported by misshapen bodies, and they tottered and +wabbled about here and there, so that they seemed to be at the same +time merry and in pain. Suddenly, the circle opened; the little ones +retired on each side, and Guru--who was the woman Guru, whom Orm +recognised immediately, though she had risen in stature and size so as +to be almost as gigantic as the stone man--advanced towards it. She +threw both her arms round the image, which immediately seemed to +receive life and motion. Then the Dwarfs, with wonderful capers and +grimaces, began a song, or, to speak more properly, a howl, with which +the whole island resounded and almost trembled at the noise. Orm, +quite terrified, drew in his head, and he and Aslog remained in the +dark, so still that they hardly ventured to draw their breath. + +The procession moved on towards the house, as might be clearly +perceived by the nearer approach of the shouting and crying. They were +now all come in, light and active; the Dwarfs were heard jumping about +on the benches, and heavy and loud sounded at intervals the steps of +the giants. Orm and his wife listened to the clattering of the plates, +and the shouts of joy with which they celebrated their banquet. When +it was over and midnight drew near, they began to dance to that +ravishing fairy-tune, which some have heard in the rocky glens, and +learned by listening to the underground musicians. As soon as Aslog +caught the sound of this air, she felt an irresistible longing to see +the dance. Nor was Orm able to keep her back. "Let me look," said she, +"or my heart will burst." She took her child and placed herself at the +extreme end of the loft, whence, without being observed, she could see +all that passed. Long did she gaze, without taking off her eyes for an +instant, on the dance--on the bold and wonderful springs of the little +creatures, who seemed to float in the air, and not so much as to touch +the ground, while the ravishing melody of the Elves filled her whole +soul. The child, meanwhile, which lay in her arms grew sleepy and drew +its breath heavily, and, without ever thinking on the promise she had +given the old woman, she made, as is usual, the sign of the cross over +the mouth of the child, and said, "Christ bless you, my babe!" + +The instant she had spoken the word there was raised a horrible, +piercing cry. The Dwarfs tumbled head over heels out at the door with +terrible crushing and crowding, their lights went out, and in a few +minutes the whole house was clear of them and left desolate. Orm and +Aslog, frightened to death, hid themselves in the most retired nook +they could find. They did not venture to stir till daybreak, and not +till the sun shone through the hole in the roof down on the fireplace +did they feel courage enough to descend from the loft. + +The table remained still covered as the underground people had left +it; all their vessels, which were of silver, and manufactured in the +most beautiful manner, lay upon it. In the middle of the room, there +stood upon the ground a huge copper kettle half full of sweet mead, +and by the side of it a drinking-horn of pure gold. In the corner +rested, against the wall, a stringed instrument, not unlike a +dulcimer, which, as people believe, the Giantesses used to play on. +They gazed on what was before them, full of admiration, but without +venturing to lay their hands on anything; how great and fearful was +their amazement, when, on turning about, they saw sitting at the table +an immense figure, which Orm instantly recognised as the Giant whom +Guru had animated by her embrace. He was now a cold and hard stone. +While they were standing gazing on it, Guru herself entered the room +in her giant form. She wept so bitterly, that her tears trickled down +on the ground. It was long ere her sobbing permitted her to utter a +single word; at last she spoke:-- + +"Great affliction have you brought on me, and henceforth I must weep +while I live; yet as I know that you have not done this with evil +intentions, I forgive you, though it were a trifle for me to crush the +whole house like an egg-shell over your heads." + +"What have we done?" cried Orm and Aslog, penetrated with the deepest +sorrow. + +"Alas!" answered she, "my husband, whom I love more than myself, there +he sits, petrified for ever; never again will he open his eyes! Three +hundred years lived I with my father on the island of Kunnan, happy in +the innocence of youth, as the fairest among the Giant-maidens. Mighty +heroes sued for my hand; the sea around that island is still filled +with the rocky fragments which they hurled against each other in their +combats. Andfind won the victory, and I plighted myself to him. But +ere I was married came the detestable Odin into the country, who +overcame my father, and drove us all from the island. My father and +sisters fled to the mountains, and since that time my eyes have beheld +them no more. Andfind and I saved ourselves on this island, where we +for a long time lived in peace and quiet, and thought it would never +be interrupted. But destiny which no one escapes, had determined it +otherwise. Oluf came from Britain. They called him the Holy, and +Andfind instantly found that his voyage would be inauspicious to the +Giants. When he heard how Oluf's ship rushed through the waves, he +went down to the strand and blew the sea against him with all his +strength. The waves swelled up like mountains. But Oluf was still +more mighty than he; his ship flew unchecked through the billows like +an arrow from a bow. He steered direct for our island. When the ship +was so near that Andfind thought he could reach it with his hands, he +grasped at the forepart with his right hand, and was about to drag it +down to the bottom, as he had often done with other ships. But Oluf, +the terrible Oluf, stepped forward, and crossing his hands over each +other, he cried with a loud voice, "Stand there as a stone till the +last day," and in the same instant my unhappy husband became a mass of +rock. The ship sailed on unimpeded, and ran direct against the +mountain, which it cut through, and separated from it the little +island which lies out yonder. + +"Ever have I passed my life alone and forlorn. On Yule-eve alone can +petrified Giants receive back their life for the space of seven hours, +if one of their race embraces them, and is at the same time willing to +sacrifice a hundred years. I loved my husband too well not to bring +him back to life every time that I could do it, even at this price, +and I have not even counted how often I have done it, that I might not +know the hour when I myself should share his fate, and at the moment +when I threw my arms around him become stone like him. But, alas! even +this comfort is taken from me; I can never more by any embrace awake +him. He has heard the Name which I dare not utter, and never again +will he see the light until the dawn of the last day shall bring it. + +"I now go hence, and you will behold me no more. All that is here in +the house I give you; my dulcimer alone will I keep. But let no one +venture to fix his habitation on the small islands that lie around +here. There dwell the little underground people whom you saw at the +festival, and I will protect them as long as I live!" + +With these words Guru vanished. The next spring Orm took the golden +horn and the silverware to Drontheim, where no one knew him. The value +of these precious metals was so great that he was able to purchase +everything requisite for a wealthy man. He laded his ship with his +purchases, and returned back to the island, where he spent many years +in unalloyed happiness, and Aslog's father was soon reconciled to his +wealthy son-in-law. + +The huge image remained sitting in the house; no human power was able +to move it. So hard was the stone, that hammer and axe flew in pieces +without making the slightest impression upon it. The giant sat there +till a holy man came to the island, who with one single word removed +him back to his former station, where he stands to this hour. The +copper kettle, which the underground people left behind them, was +preserved as a memorial upon the island, which bears the name of House +Island to the present day. + + + + +SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED. + + +A poor widow lived alone in a little cottage, in front of which was a +garden, where stood two little rose-trees: one bore white roses, the +other red. The widow had two children, who resembled the two +rose-trees: one was called Snow-white, and the other Rose-red. They +were two of the best children that ever lived; but Snow-white was +quieter and more gentle than Rose-red. Rose-red liked best to jump +about in the meadows, to look for flowers and catch butterflies; but +Snow-white sat at home with her mother, helped her in the house, or +read to her when there was nothing else to do. The two children loved +one another so much, that they always walked hand in hand; and when +Snow-white said, "We will not forsake one another," Rose-red answered, +"Never, as long as we live;" and the mother added, "Yes, my children, +whatever one has, let her divide with the other." They often ran about +in solitary places, and gathered red berries; and the wild creatures +of the wood never hurt them, but came confidingly up to them. The +little hare ate cabbage-leaves out of their hands, the doe grazed at +their side, the stag sprang merrily past them, and the birds remained +sitting on the boughs, and never ceased their songs. They met with no +accident if they loitered in the wood and right came on; they lay down +together on the moss, and slept till morning; and the mother knew +this, and was in no anxiety about them. Once, when they had spent the +night in the wood, and the red morning awoke them, they saw a +beautiful child in a shining white dress, sitting by the place where +they had slept, who, arising, and looking at them kindly, said +nothing, but went into the wood. And when they looked round, they +found out that they had been sleeping close to a precipice, and would +certainly have fallen down it if they had gone a few steps farther in +the dark. Their mother told them it must have been the angel that +takes care of good children who had sat by them all night long. + +Snow-white and Rose-red kept their mother's cottage so clean, that it +was a pleasure to look into it. In the summer, Rose-red managed the +house, and every morning she gathered a nosegay in which was a rose +off each tree, and set it by her mother's bed before she awoke. In +winter Snow-white lighted the fire, and hung the kettle on the hook; +and though it was only copper, it shone like gold, it was rubbed so +clean. In the evening, when the snow fell, the mother said, "Go, +Snow-white, and bolt the door;" and then they seated themselves on the +hearth, and the mother took her spectacles, and read aloud out of a +great book, and the two girls listened, and sat and span. Near them +lay a lamb on the floor, and behind them, on a perch, sat a white +dove, with its head under its wing. + +One evening, as they were thus happy together, some one knocked to be +let in. The mother said, "Quick, Rose-red, open the door; perhaps it +is a traveller who seeks shelter." Rose-red went and pushed the bolt +back, and thought it was a poor man, but a bear stretched his thick +black head into the door. Rose-red screamed and sprang back, the +little lamb bleated, the little dove fluttered about, and Snow-white +hid herself behind her mother's bed. However, the bear began to speak, +and said, "Do not be frightened, I will do you no harm; I am half +frozen, and only want to warm myself a little." + +"You poor bear," said the mother, "lay yourself down before the fire, +only take care your fur does not burn." Then she called out, +"Snow-white and Rose-red, come out; the bear will not hurt you--he +means honestly by us." Then they both came out, and, by degrees, the +lamb and the dove also approached, and ceased to be afraid. The bear +said, "Children, knock the snow a little out of my fur;" and they +fetched a broom, and swept the bear's skin clean; and he stretched +himself before the fire and growled softly, like a bear that was quite +happy and comfortable. In a short time, they all became quite friendly +together, and the children played tricks with the awkward guest. They +pulled his hair, set their feet on his back, and rolled him here and +there; or took a hazel rod and beat him, and when he growled they +laughed. The bear was very much pleased with this frolic, only, when +they became too mischievous, he called out, "Children, leave me +alone." + + "Little Snow-white and Rose-red, + You will strike your lover dead." + +When bedtime came, and the others went to sleep, the mother said to +the bear: "You can lie there on the hearth, and then you will be +sheltered from the cold and the bad weather." At daybreak the two +children let him out, and he trotted over the snow into the wood. +Henceforward, the bear came every evening at the same hour, laid +himself on the hearth, and allowed the children to play with him as +much as they liked; and they became so used to him, that the door was +never bolted until their black companion had arrived. When spring +came, and everything was green out of doors, the bear said one morning +to Snow-white: "Now I must go away, and may not come again the whole +summer." + +"Where are you going, dear Bear?" asked Snow-white. + +"I must go into the wood, and guard my treasures from the bad dwarfs; +in winter, when the ground is frozen hard, they have to stay +underneath, and cannot work their way through, but now that the sun +has thawed and warmed the earth, they break through, come up, seek, +and steal: what is once in their hands, and lies in their caverns, +does not come so easily into daylight again." Snow-white was quite +sorrowful at parting, and as she unbolted the door for him, and the +bear ran out, the hook of the door caught him, and a piece of his skin +tore off; it seemed to Snow-white as if she had seen gold shining +through, but she was not sure. But the bear ran quickly away, and soon +disappeared behind the trees. + +After some time, their mother sent the children into the wood to +collect faggots. They found there a large tree, which had been cut +down and lay on the ground, and by the trunk something was jumping up +and down, but they could not tell what it was. As they came nearer, +they saw that it was a dwarf, with an old withered face, and a +snow-white beard a yard long. The end of the beard was stuck fast in a +cleft in the tree, and the little fellow jumped about like a dog on a +rope, and did not know how to help himself. He stared at the girls +with his fiery red eyes, and screamed out, "Why do you stand there! +Can't you come and render me some assistance?" + +"What is the matter with you, little man?" asked Rose-red. + +"Stupid little goose!" answered the dwarf; "I wanted to chop the tree, +so as to have some small pieces of wood for the kitchen; we only want +little bits; with thick logs, the small quantity of food that we cook +for ourselves--we are not, like you, great greedy people--burns +directly. I had driven the wedge well in, and it was all going on +right, but the detestable wood was too smooth, and sprang out +unexpectedly; and the tree closed up so quickly, that I could not pull +my beautiful white beard out; now it is sticking there, and I can't +get away. There you foolish, soft, milk-faces! you are laughing and +crying out, 'How ugly you are! how ugly you are!'" + +The children took a great deal of trouble, but they could not pull the +beard out; it stuck too fast. + +"I will run and fetch somebody," said Rose red. + +"You great ninny!" snarled the dwarf, "you want to call more people; +you are two too many for me now. Can't you think of anything better?" + +"Only don't be impatient," said Snow-white, "I have thought of +something;" and she took her little scissors out of her pocket, and +cut the end of the beard off. + +As soon as the dwarf felt himself free, he seized a sack filled with +gold that was sticking between the roots of the tree; pulling it out, +he growled to himself, "You rude people, to cut off a piece of my +beautiful beard! May evil reward you!" Then he threw his sack over his +shoulders and walked away, without once looking at the children. + +Some time afterwards, Snow-white and Rose red wished to catch some +fish for dinner. As they came near to the stream, they saw that +something like a grasshopper was jumping towards the water, as if it +were going to spring in. They ran on and recognised the dwarf. + +"Where are you going?" asked Rose-red, "You don't want to go into the +water?" + +"I am not such a fool as that," cried the dwarf, "Don't you see the +detestable fish wants to pull me in?" + +The little fellow had been sitting there fishing, and, unluckily, the +wind had entangled his beard with the line. When directly afterwards a +great fish bit at his hook, the weak creature could not pull him out, +so the fish was pulling the dwarf into the water. It is true he caught +hold of all the reeds and rushes, but that did not help him much; he +had to follow all the movements of the fish, and was in imminent +danger of being drowned. The girls, coming at the right time, held him +fast and tried to get the beard loose from the line, but in +vain--beard and line were entangled fast together. There was nothing +to do but to pull out the scissors and to cut off the beard, in doing +which a little piece of it was lost. When the dwarf saw that, he cried +out: "Is that manners, you goose! to disfigure one's face so? Is it +not enough that you once cut my beard shorter? But now you have cut +the best part of it off, I dare not be seen by my people. I wish you +had had to run, and had lost the soles of your shoes!" Then he fetched +a sack of pearls that lay among the rushes, and, without saying a word +more, he dragged it away and disappeared behind a stone. + +Soon after, the mother sent the two girls to the town to buy cotton, +needles, cord, and tape. The road led them by a heath, scattered over +which lay great masses of rock. There they saw a large bird hovering +in the air; it flew round and round just above them, always sinking +lower and lower, and at last it settled down by a rock not far +distant. Directly after, they heard a piercing, wailing cry. They ran +up, and saw with horror that the eagle had seized their old +acquaintance the dwarf, and was going to carry him off. The +compassionate children instantly seized hold of the little man, held +him fast, and struggled so long that the eagle let his prey go. + +When the dwarf had recovered from his first fright, he called out, in +his shrill voice: "Could not you deal rather more gently with me? You +have torn my thin coat all in tatters, awkward, clumsy creatures that +you are!" Then he took a sack of precious stones, and slipped behind +the rock again into his den. The girls, who were used to his +ingratitude, went on their way, and completed their business in the +town. As they were coming home again over the heath, they surprised +the dwarf, who had emptied his sack of precious stones on a little +clean place, and had not thought that any one would come by there so +late. The evening sun shone on the glittering stones, which looked so +beautiful in all their colours, that the children could not help +standing still to gaze. + +"Why do you stand there gaping?" cried the dwarf, his ash-coloured +face turning vermilion with anger. + +With these cross words he was going away, when he heard a loud +roaring, and a black bear trotted out of the wood towards them. The +dwarf sprang up terrified, but he could not get to his lurking hole +again--the bear was already close upon him. Then he called out in +anguish,-- + +"Dear Mr. Bear, spare me, and you shall have all my treasures; look +at the beautiful precious stones that lie there. Give me my life! for +what do you want with a poor thin little fellow like me? You would +scarcely feel me between your teeth. Rather seize those two wicked +girls; they will be tender morsels for you, as fat as young quails; +pray, eat them at once." + +The bear, without troubling himself to answer, gave the malicious +creature one single stroke with his paw, and he did not move again. +The girls had run away, but the bear called after them, "Snow-white +and Rose-red, do not be frightened; wait, I will go with you. +Recognising the voice of their old friend, they stood still, and when +the bear came up to them his skin suddenly fell off; and behold he was +not a bear, but a handsome young man dressed all in gold. + +"I am a king's son," said he; "I was changed by the wicked dwarf, who +had stolen all my treasures, into a wild bear, and obliged to run +about in the wood until I should be freed by his death. Now he has +received his well-deserved punishment." + +So they all went home together to the widow's cottage, and Snow-white +was married to the prince, and Rose-red to his brother. They divided +between them the great treasures which the dwarf had amassed. The old +mother lived many quiet and happy years with her children; but when +she left her cottage for the palace, she took the two rose-trees with +her, and they stood before her window and bore every year the most +beautiful roses--one white and the other red. + + + + +JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. + + +In the days of King Alfred, there lived a poor woman, whose cottage +was in a remote country village, many miles from London. She had been +a widow some years, and had an only child named Jack, whom she +indulged so much that he never paid the least attention to anything +she said, but was indolent, careless, and extravagant. His follies +were not owing to a bad disposition, but to his mother's foolish +partiality. By degrees, he spent all that she had--scarcely anything +remained but a cow. One day, for the first time in her life, she +reproached him: "Cruel, cruel boy! you have at last brought me to +beggary. I have not money enough to purchase even a bit of bread; +nothing now remains to sell but my poor cow! I am sorry to part with +her; it grieves me sadly, but we cannot starve." For a few minutes +Jack felt remorse, but it was soon over; and he began asking his +mother to let him sell the cow at the next village; teasing her so +much, that she at last consented. As he was going along he met a +butcher, who inquired why he was driving the cow from home? Jack +replied, he was going to sell it. The butcher held some curious beans +in his hat; they were of various colors, and attracted Jack's +attention; this did not pass unnoticed by the man, who, knowing +Jack's easy temper, thought now was the time to take an advantage of +it; and, determined not to let slip so good an opportunity, asked what +was the price of the cow, offering at the same time all the beans in +his hat for her. The silly boy could not conceal the pleasure he felt +at what he supposed so great an offer: the bargain was struck +instantly, and the cow exchanged for a few paltry beans. Jack made the +best of his way home, calling aloud to his mother before he reached +the door, thinking to surprise her. + +When she saw the beans, and heard Jack's account, her patience quite +forsook her: she tossed the beans out of the window, where they fell +on the garden-bed below. Then she threw her apron over her head, and +cried bitterly. Jack attempted to console her, but in vain, and, not +having anything to eat, they both went supperless to bed. Jack awoke +early in the morning, and seeing something uncommon darkening the +window of his bedchamber, ran downstairs into the garden, where he +found some of the beans had taken root, and sprung up surprisingly: +the stalks were of an immense thickness, and had twined together until +they formed a ladder like a chain, and so high that the top appeared +to be lost in the clouds. Jack was an adventurous lad; he determined +to climb up to the top, and ran to tell his mother, not doubting but +that she would be equally pleased with himself. She declared he should +not go; said it would break her heart if he did--entreated and +threatened, but all in vain. Jack set out, and after climbing for +some hours, reached the top of the bean-stalk, quite exhausted. +Looking around, he found himself in a strange country; it appeared to +be a barren desert--not a tree, shrub, house, or living creature was +to be seen; here and there were scattered fragments of stone; and at +unequal distances, small heaps of earth were loosely thrown together. + +Jack seated himself pensively upon a block of stone, and thought of +his mother; he reflected with sorrow upon his disobedience in climbing +the bean-stalk against her will, and concluded that he must die of +hunger. However, he walked on, hoping to see a house, where he might +beg something to eat and drink. He did not find it; but he saw at a +distance a beautiful lady, walking all alone. She was elegantly clad, +and carried a white wand, at the top of which sat a peacock of pure +gold. + +Jack, who was a gallant fellow, went straight up to her; when, with a +bewitching smile, she asked him how he came there. He told her all +about the bean-stalk. The lady answered him by a question, "Do you +remember your father, young man?" + +"No, madam; but I am sure there is some mystery about him, for when I +name him to my mother she always begins to weep, and will tell me +nothing." + +"She dare not," replied the lady, "but I can and will. For know, young +man, that I am a fairy, and was your father's guardian. But fairies +are bound by laws as well as mortals; and by an error of mine I lost +my power for a term of years, so that I was unable to succour your +father when he most needed it, and he died." Here the fairy looked so +sorrowful that Jack's heart warmed to her, and he begged her earnestly +to tell him more. + +"I will; only you must promise to obey me in everything, or you will +perish yourself." + +Jack was brave, and, besides, his fortunes were so bad they could not +well be worse--so he promised. + +The fairy continued: "Your father, Jack, was a most excellent, +amiable, generous man. He had a good wife, faithful servants, plenty +of money; but he had one misfortune--a false friend. This was a giant, +whom he had succoured in misfortune, and who returned his kindness by +murdering him, and seizing on all his property; also making your +mother take a solemn oath that she would never tell you anything about +your father, or he would murder both her and you. Then he turned her +off with you in her arms, to wander about the wide world as she might. +I could not help her, as my power only returned on the day you went to +sell your cow." + +"It was I," added the fairy, "who impelled you to take the beans, who +made the bean-stalk grow, and inspired you with the desire to climb up +it to this strange country; for it is here the wicked giant lives who +was your father's destroyer. It is you who must avenge him, and rid +the world of a monster who never will do anything but evil. I will +assist you. You may lawfully take possession of his house and all his +riches, for everything he has belonged to your father, and is +therefore yours. Now farewell! Do not let your mother know you are +acquainted with your father's history; this is my command, and if you +disobey me you will suffer for it. Now go." + +Jack asked where he was to go. + +"Along the direct road, till you see the house where the giant lives. +You must then act according to your own just judgment, and I will +guide you if any difficulty arises. Farewell!" + +She bestowed on the youth a benignant smile, and vanished. + +Jack pursued his journey. He walked on till after sunset, when to his +great joy, he espied a large mansion. A plain-looking woman was at the +door: he accosted her, begging she would give him a morsel of bread +and a night's lodging. She expressed the greatest surprise, and said +it was quite uncommon to see a human being near their house; for it +was well known that her husband was a powerful giant, who would never +eat anything but human flesh, if he could possibly get it; that he +would walk fifty miles to procure it, usually being out the whole day +for that purpose. + +This account greatly terrified Jack, but still he hoped to elude the +giant, and therefore he again entreated the woman to take him in for +one night only, and hide him where she thought proper. She at last +suffered herself to be persuaded, for she was of a compassionate and +generous disposition, and took him into the house. First, they entered +a fine large hall, magnificently furnished; they then passed through +several spacious rooms, in the same style of grandeur; but all +appeared forsaken and desolate. A long gallery came next; it was very +dark--just light enough to show that, instead of a wall on one side, +there was a grating of iron which parted off a dismal dungeon, from +whence issued the groans of those victims whom the cruel giant +reserved in confinement for his own voracious appetite. Poor Jack was +half dead with fear, and would have given the world to have been with +his mother again, for he now began to doubt if he should ever see her +more; he even mistrusted the good woman, and thought she had let him +into the house for no other purpose than to lock him up among the +unfortunate people in the dungeon. However, she bade Jack sit down, +and gave him plenty to eat and drink; and he, not seeing anything to +make him uncomfortable, soon forgot his fear and was just beginning to +enjoy himself, when he was startled by a loud knocking at the outer +door, which made the whole house shake. + +"Ah! that's the giant; and if he sees you he will kill you and me +too," cried the poor woman, trembling all over. "What shall I do?" + +"Hide me in the oven," cried Jack, now as bold as a lion at the +thought of being face to face with his father's cruel murderer. So he +crept into the oven--for there was no fire near it--and listened to +the giant's loud voice and heavy step as he went up and down the +kitchen scolding his wife. At last he seated himself at table, and +Jack, peeping through a crevice in the oven, was amazed to see what a +quantity of food he devoured. It seemed as if he never would have done +eating and drinking; but he did at last, and, leaning back, called to +his wife in a voice like thunder: + +"Bring me my hen!" + +She obeyed, and placed upon the table a very beautiful live hen. + +"Lay!" roared the giant, and the hen laid immediately an egg of solid +gold. + +"Lay another!" and every time the giant said this the hen laid a +larger egg than before. + +He amused himself a long time with his hen, and then sent his wife to +bed, while he fell asleep by the fireside, and snored like the roaring +of cannon. + +As soon as he was asleep, Jack crept out of the oven, seized the hen, +and ran off with her. He got safely out of the house, and finding his +way along the road he came, reached the top of the bean-stalk, which +he descended in safety. + +His mother was overjoyed to see him. She thought he had come to some +ill end. + +"Not a bit of it, mother. Look here!" and he showed her the hen. "Now +lay;" and the hen obeyed him as readily as the giant, and laid as many +golden eggs as he desired. + +These eggs being sold, Jack and his mother got plenty of money, and +for some months lived very happily together; till Jack got another +great longing to climb the bean-stalk, and carry away some more of the +giant's riches. He had told his mother of his adventure, but had been +very careful not to say a word about his father. He thought of his +journey again and again, but still he could not summon resolution +enough to break it to his mother, being well assured that she would +endeavour to prevent his going. However, one day he told her boldly, +that he must take another journey up the bean-stalk; she begged and +prayed him not to think of it, and tried all in her power to dissuade +him. She told him that the giant's wife would certainly know him +again, and that the giant would desire nothing better than to get him +into his power, that he might put him to a cruel death, in order to be +revenged for the loss of his hen. Jack, finding that all his arguments +were useless, ceased speaking, though resolved to go at all events. He +had a dress prepared which would disguise him, and something to colour +his skin; he thought it impossible for any one to recollect him in +this dress. + +A few mornings after, he rose very early, and, unperceived by any one, +climbed the bean-stalk a second time. He was greatly fatigued when he +reached the top, and very hungry. Having rested some time on one of +the stones, he pursued his journey to the giant's mansion, which he +reached late in the evening: the woman was at the door as before. Jack +addressed her, at the same time telling her a pitiful tale, and +requesting that she would give him some victuals and drink, and also a +night's lodging. + +She told him (what he knew before very well) about her husband's being +a powerful and cruel giant, and also that she had one night admitted a +poor, hungry, friendless boy; that the little ungrateful fellow had +stolen one of the giant's treasures; and ever since that her husband +had been worse than before, using her very cruelly, and continually +upbraiding her with being the cause of his misfortune. Jack felt sorry +for her, but confessed nothing, and did his best to persuade her to +admit him, but found it a very hard task. At last she consented, and +as she led the way, Jack observed that everything was just as he had +found it before: she took him into the kitchen, and after he had done +eating and drinking, she hid him in an old lumber-closet. The giant +returned at the usual time, and walked in so heavily, that the house +was shaken to its foundation. He seated himself by the fire, and soon +after exclaimed: "Wife, I smell fresh meat!" + +The wife replied it was the crows, which had brought a piece of raw +meat, and left it at the top of the house. While supper was preparing, +the giant was very ill-tempered and impatient, frequently lifting up +his hand to strike his wife for not being quick enough. He was also +continually upbraiding her with the loss of his wonderful hen. + +At last, having ended his supper, he cried, "Give me something to +amuse me--my harp or my money-bags." + +"Which will you have, my dear?" said the wife, humbly. + +"My money-bags, because they are the heaviest to carry," thundered he. + +She brought them, staggering under the weight: two bags--one filled +with new guineas, and the other with new shillings; she emptied them +out on the table, and the giant began counting them in great glee. +"Now you may go to bed, you old fool." So the wife crept away. + +Jack from his hiding-place watched the counting of the money, which he +knew was his poor father's, and wished it was his own; it would give +him much less trouble than going about selling the golden eggs. The +giant, little thinking he was so narrowly observed, reckoned it all +up, and then replaced it in the two bags, which he tied up very +carefully and put beside his chair, with his little dog to guard them. +At last he fell asleep as before, and snored so loud, that Jack +compared his noise to the roaring of the sea in a high wind, when the +tide is coming in. At last Jack, concluding all secure, stole out, in +order to carry off the two bags of money; but just as he laid his hand +upon one of them, the little dog, which he had not perceived before, +started from under the giant's chair and barked most furiously. +Instead of endeavouring to escape, Jack stood still, though expecting +his enemy to awake every instant. Contrary, however, to his +expectation, the giant continued in a sound sleep, and Jack, seeing a +piece of meat, threw it to the dog, who at once ceased barking, and +began to devour it. So Jack carried off the bags, one on each +shoulder, but they were so heavy that it took him two whole days to +descend the bean-stalk and get back to his mother's door. + +When he came he found the cottage deserted. He ran from one room to +another, without being able to find any one; he then hastened into the +village, hoping to see some of the neighbours, who could inform him +where he could find his mother. An old woman at last directed him to a +neighbouring house, where she was ill of a fever. He was greatly +shocked at finding her apparently dying, and blamed himself bitterly +as the cause of it all. However, at sight of her dear son, the poor +woman revived, and slowly recovered health. Jack gave her his two +money-bags; they had the cottage rebuilt and well furnished, and lived +happier than they had ever done before. + +For three years Jack heard no more of the bean-stalk, but he could not +forget it, though he feared making his mother unhappy. It was in vain +endeavouring to amuse himself; he became thoughtful, and would arise +at the first dawn of day, and sit looking at the bean-stalk for hours +together. His mother saw that something preyed upon his mind, and +endeavoured to discover the cause; but Jack knew too well what the +consequence would be should she succeed. He did his utmost, therefore, +to conquer the great desire he had for another journey up the +bean-stalk. Finding, however, that his inclination grew too powerful +for him, he began to make secret preparations for his journey. He got +ready a new disguise, better and more complete than the former; and +when summer came, on the longest day he awoke as soon as it was light, +and without telling his mother, ascended the bean-stalk. He found the +road, journey, &c., much as it was on the two former times. He arrived +at the giant's mansion in the evening, and found the wife standing, as +usual, at the door. Jack had disguised himself so completely, that she +did not appear to have the least recollection of him; however, when he +pleaded hunger and poverty, in order to gain admittance, he found it +very difficult indeed to persuade her. At last he prevailed, and was +concealed in the copper. When the giant returned, he said furiously, +"I smell fresh meat!" But Jack felt quite composed, as he had said so +before, and had been soon satisfied. However, the giant started up +suddenly, and, notwithstanding all his wife could say, he searched all +round the room. Whilst this was going forward, Jack was exceedingly +terrified, wishing himself at home a thousand times; but when the +giant approached the copper, and put his hand upon the lid, Jack +thought his death was certain. However, nothing happened; for the +giant did not take the trouble to lift up the lid, but sat down +shortly by the fireside, and began to eat his enormous supper. When he +had finished, he commanded his wife to fetch down his harp. Jack +peeped under the copper-lid, and saw a most beautiful harp. The giant +placed it on the table, said "Play!" and it played of its own accord, +without anybody touching it, the most exquisite music imaginable. +Jack, who was a very good musician, was delighted, and more anxious to +get this than any other of his enemy's treasures. But the giant not +being particularly fond of music, the harp had only the effect of +lulling him to sleep earlier than usual. As for the wife, she had gone +to bed as soon as ever she could. + +As soon as he thought all was safe, Jack got out of the copper, and +seizing the harp, was eagerly running off with it. But the harp was +enchanted by a fairy, and as soon as it found itself in strange hands, +it called out loudly, just as if it had been alive, "Master! Master!" + +The giant awoke, started up, and saw Jack scampering away as fast as +his legs could carry him. + +"Oh you villain! it is you who have robbed me of my hen and my +money-bags, and now you are stealing my harp also. Wait till I catch +you, and I'll eat you up alive!" + +"Very well; try!" shouted Jack, who was not a bit afraid, for he saw +the giant was so tipsy he could hardly stand, much less run; and he +himself had young legs and a clear conscience, which carry a man a +long way. So, after leading the giant a considerable race, he +contrived to be first at the top of the bean-stalk, and then scrambled +down it as fast as he could, the harp playing all the while the most +melancholy music till he said, "Stop," and it stopped. + +Arrived at the bottom, he found his mother sitting at her +cottage-door, weeping silently. + +"Here, mother, don't cry; just give me a hatchet; make haste." For he +knew there was not a moment to spare; he saw the giant beginning to +descend the bean-stalk. + +However, it was too late--the monster's ill deeds had come to an end. +Jack with his hatchet cut the bean-stalk close off at the root; the +giant fell headlong into the garden, and was killed on the spot. + +Instantly the fairy appeared, and explained everything to Jack's +mother, begging her to forgive Jack, who was his father's own son for +bravery and generosity, and who would be sure to make her happy for +the rest of her days. + +So all ended well, and nothing was ever beard or seen of the wonderful +Bean-stalk. + + + + +GRACIOSA AND PERCINET. + + +Once upon a time there lived a king and queen, who had an only +daughter. Her incomparable beauty, sweetness, and intelligence caused +her to be named Graciosa. She was all her mother's joy. Every day she +had given her a different dress, of gold brocade, velvet, or satin; +yet she was neither conceited nor boastful. She used to pass her +mornings in study, and in the afternoon she sat sewing by the queen's +side. She had, however, plenty of play-time, and sweetmeats without +end, so that she was altogether the happiest princess alive. + +At the same court was an elderly young lady named Duchess Grognon, who +was the very opposite of Graciosa. Her hair was fiery red, her face +fat and spotty, and she had but one eye. Her mouth was so big that you +might have thought she could eat you up, only she had no teeth to do +it with; she was also humpbacked and lame. Of course she could not +help her ugliness, and nobody would have disliked her for that, if she +had not been of such an unpleasant temper that she hated everything +sweet and beautiful, and especially Graciosa. She had also a very good +opinion of herself, and when any one praised the princess, would say +angrily, "That is a lie! My little finger is worth her whole body." + +In course of time the queen fell sick and died, and her daughter was +almost broken-hearted. So was her husband for a year, and then he +began to comfort himself by hunting. One day, after a long chase, he +came to a strange castle, which happened to be that of the Duchess +Grognon. She, informed of his approach, went out to meet him, and +received him most respectfully. As he was very hot with hunting, she +took him into the coolest place in the palace, which was a vaulted +cave, most elegantly furnished, where there were two hundred barrels +arranged in long rows. + +"Madam, are these all yours?" inquired the king. + +"Yes, sire, but I shall be most happy if you will condescend to taste +their contents. Which wine do you prefer--canary, hermitage, +champagne?" and she ran over a long list, out of which his majesty +made his choice. + +Grognon took a little hammer, and struck "toc, toc," on the cask, from +which there rolled out a handful of silver money. "Nay, what is this?" +said she, smiling, and passed on to the next, from which, when she +tapped it, out poured a stream of gold coins. "I never saw the +like--what nonsense!" and she tried the third, out of which came a +heap of pearls and diamonds, so that the floor of the cave was strewn +with them. "Sire," she exclaimed, "some one has robbed me of my good +wine, and put this rubbish in its place." + +"Rubbish, madam! Why, such rubbish would buy my whole kingdom." + +"It is yours, sire," replied the duchess, "if you will make me your +queen." + +The king, who was a great lover of money, replied eagerly, "Certainly, +madam, I'll marry you to-morrow if you will." + +Grognon, highly delighted, made but one other condition--that she +should have the Princess Graciosa entirely in her own rule and power, +just as if she had been her real mother; to which the foolish king +consented, for he thought much more of riches than he did of his +child. So he and Grognon departed hand in hand out of the cave, very +well pleased. + +When the king returned home, Graciosa ran out with joy to welcome her +father, and asked him if he had had good sport in his hunting. + +"Yes, my child," said he, "for I have taken a dove alive." + +"Oh, give it me, and I will nourish and cherish it," cried the +princess. + +"That is impossible; for it is the Duchess Grognon, whom I have +promised to marry." + +"She a dove!--she is rather a hawk," sighed the princess in despair; +but her father bade her hold her tongue, and promise to love her +stepmother, who would have over her all the authority of a mother, and +to whom he wished to present her that very day. + +The obedient princess went to her apartment, where her nurse soon +found out the sorrow in her face, and its cause. + +"My child," said the good old woman, "princesses ought to show a good +example to humbler women. Promise me to do your best to please your +father, and to make yourself agreeable to the stepmother he has +chosen for you. She may not be so bad after, all." + +And the nurse gave so much good advice, that Graciosa began to smile, +and dressed herself in her best attire, a green robe embroidered with +gold; while her fair, loose-falling hair was adorned, according to the +fashion of the day, with a coronet of jasmine, of which the leaves +were made of large emeralds. + +Grognon, on her part, made the best of herself that was possible. She +put on a high-heeled shoe to appear less lame, she padded her +shoulders, dyed her red hair black, and put in a false eye; then +dressed herself in a hooped petticoat of violet satin trimmed with +blue, and an upper gown of yellow with green ribands. In this costume, +she wished to enter the city on horseback, as she understood the +queens were in the habit of doing. + +Meantime, Graciosa waited in fear the moment of her arrival, and, to +pass the time away, she went all alone into a little wood, where she +sobbed and wept in secret, until suddenly there appeared before her a +young page, whom she had never seen before. + +"Who are you?" she inquired; "and when did his majesty take you into +his service?" + +"Princess," said the page, bowing, "I am in no one's service but your +own. I am Percinet, a prince in my own country, so that there is no +inequality of rank between us. I have loved you long, and seen you +often, for I have the fairy gift of making myself invisible. I might +longer have concealed myself from you, but for your present sorrow, +in which, however, I hope to be of both comfort and assistance--a page +and yet a prince, and your faithful lover." + +At these words, at once tender and respectful, the princess, who had +long heard of the fairy-prince Percinet, felt so happy that she feared +Grognon no more. They talked a little while together, and then +returned to the palace, where the page assisted her to mount her +horse; on which she looked so beautiful, that all the new queen's +splendours faded into nothing in comparison, and not one of the +courtiers had eyes for any except Graciosa. + +As soon as Grognon saw it, "What!" cried she, "has this creature the +impudence to be better mounted than myself! Descend, Miss, and let me +try your horse;--and your page, whom everybody thinks so much of, bid +him come and hold my bridle." + +Prince Percinet, who was the page, cast one look at his fair Graciosa +and obeyed; but no sooner had the duchess mounted, than the horse ran +away with her and dragged her over briers, stones, and mud, and +finally threw her into a deep ditch. Her head was cut in several +places, and her arm fractured. They picked her up in little pieces, +like a broken wineglass; never was there a poor bride in worse plight. +But in spite of her sufferings her malice remained. She sent for the +king: + +"This is all Graciosa's fault; she wished to kill me. I desire that +your majesty will punish her, or leave me to do it--else I will +certainly be revenged upon you both." + +The king, afraid of losing his casks full of gold pieces, consented, +and Graciosa was commanded to appear. She came trembling and looking +round vainly for Prince Percinet. The cruel Grognon ordered four +women, ugly as witches, to take her and strip off her fine clothes, +and whip her with rods till her white shoulders were red with blood. +But lo! as soon as the rods touched her, they turned into bundles of +feathers, and the women tired themselves to death with whipping, +without hurting Graciosa the least in the world! + +"Ah! kind Percinet, what do I not owe you? What should I do without +you!" sighed the princess, when she was taken back to her own chamber +and her nurse. And then she saw the prince standing before her, in his +green dress and his white plume, the most charming of pages. + +Percinet advised her to pretend illness on account of the cruel +treatment she was supposed to have received; which so delighted +Grognon, that she got well all the sooner, and the marriage was +celebrated with great splendour. + +Soon after, the king, who knew that his wife's weak point was her +vanity, gave a tournament, at which he ordered the six bravest knights +of the court to proclaim that Queen Grognon was the fairest lady +alive. No knight ventured to dispute this fact, until there appeared +one who carried a little box adorned with diamonds, and proclaimed +aloud that Grognon was the ugliest woman in the universe, and that the +most beautiful was she whose portrait was in the box. He opened it, +and behold the image of the Princess Graciosa! + +The princess, who sat behind her stepmother, felt sure that the +unknown knight was Percinet; but she dared say nothing. The contest +was fixed for next day; but in the meantime, Grognon, wild with anger, +commanded Graciosa to be taken in the middle of the night to a forest +a hundred leagues distant, full of wolves, lions, tigers, and bears. +In vain the poor maiden implored that the attendants would kill her at +once, rather than leave her in that dreadful place: the queen's orders +must be obeyed; no answer was made to her, but the servants remounted +and rode away. Graciosa, in solitude and darkness, groped through the +forest, sometimes falling against the trunks of trees, sometimes +tearing herself with bushes and briers; at last, overcome with fear +and grief, she sank on the ground, sobbing out, "Percinet, Percinet, +have you forsaken me?" + +While she spoke, a bright light dazzled her eyes, the midnight forest +was changed into glittering alleys, at the end of which appeared a +palace of crystal, shining like the sun. She knew it was the doing of +the fairy-prince who loved her, and felt a joy mingled with fear. She +turned to fly, but saw him standing before her, more handsome and +charming than ever. + +"Princess," said he, "why are you afraid of me? This is the palace of +the fairy-queen my mother, and the princesses my sisters, who will +take care of you, and love you tenderly. Enter this chariot, and I +will convey you there." + +Graciosa entered, and passing through many a lovely forest glade, +where it was clear daylight, and shepherds and shepherdesses were +dancing to merry music, they reached the palace, where the queen and +her two daughters received the forlorn princess with great kindness, +and led her through many rooms of rock-crystal, glittering with +jewels, where, to her amazement, Graciosa saw the history of her own +life, even down to this adventure in the forest, painted on the walls. + +"How is this?" she said. "Prince, you know everything about me." + +"Yes; and I wish to preserve everything concerning you," said he +tenderly; whereupon Graciosa cast down her eyes. She was only too +happy, and afraid that she should learn to love the fairy-prince too +much. + +She spent eight days in his palace--days full of every enjoyment; and +Percinet tried all the arguments he could think of to induce her to +marry him, and remain there for ever. But the good and gentle Graciosa +remembered her father who was once so kind to her, and she preferred +rather to suffer than to be wanting in duty. She entreated Percinet to +use his fairy power to send her home again, and meantime to tell her +what had become of her father. + +"Come with me into the great tower there, and you shall see for +yourself." + +Thereupon he took her to the top of a tower, prodigiously high, put +her little finger to his lips, and her foot upon his foot. Then he +bade her look, and she saw as hi a picture, or as in a play upon the +stage, the King and Grognon sitting together on their throne. The +latter was telling how Graciosa had hanged herself in a cave. + +"She will not be much loss, sire; and as, when dead, she was far too +frightful for you to look at, I have given orders to bury her at +once." + +She might well say that, for she had had a large faggot put into a +coffin, and sealed up; the king and all the nation mourned over it; +and now, that she was no more, they declared there never was such a +sweet creature as the lost princess. + +The sight of her father's grief quite overcame Graciosa. "Oh, +Percinet!" she cried, "my father believes me dead. If you love me, +take me home." + +The prince consented, though very sorrowfully, saying that she was as +cruel to him as Grognon was to her, and mounted with her in his +chariot, drawn by four white stags. As they quitted the courtyard, +they heard a great noise, and Graciosa saw the palace all falling to +pieces with a great crash. + +"What is this?" she cried, terrified. + +"Princess, my palace, which you forsake, is among the things which are +dead and gone. You will enter it no more till after your burial." + +"Prince, you are angry with me," said Graciosa sorrowfully; only she +knew well that she suffered quite as much as he did in thus departing +and quitting him. + +Arrived in her father's presence, she had great difficulty in +persuading him that she was not a ghost, until the coffin with the +faggot inside it was taken up, and Grognon's malice discovered But +even then, the king was so weak a man, that the queen soon made him +believe he had been cheated, that the princess was really dead, and +that this was a false Graciosa. Without more ado, he abandoned his +daughter to her stepmother's will. + +Grognon, transported with joy, dragged her to a dark prison, took away +her clothes, made her dress in rags, feed on bread and water, and +sleep upon straw. Forlorn and hopeless, Graciosa dared not now call +upon Percinet; she doubted if he still loved her enough to come to her +aid. + +Meantime, Grognon had sent for a fairy, who was scarcely less +malicious than herself. "I have here," said she, "a little wretch of a +girl for whom I wish to find all sorts of difficult tasks; pray assist +me in giving her a new one every day." + +The fairy promised to think of it, and soon brought a skein as thick +as four persons, yet composed of thread so fine, that it broke if you +only blew upon it, and so tangled that it had neither beginning nor +end. Grognon, delighted, sent for her poor prisoner. + +"There, miss, teach your clumsy fingers to unwind this skein, and if +you break a single thread I will flay you alive. Begin when you like, +but you must finish at sunset, or it will be the worse for you." Then +she sent her to her miserable cell, and treble-locked the door. + +Graciosa stood dismayed, turning the skein over and over, and breaking +hundreds of threads each time. "Ah! Percinet," she cried in despair, +"come and help me, or at least receive my last farewell." + +Immediately Percinet stood beside her, having entered the cell as +easily as if he carried the key in his pocket. "Behold me, princess, +ready to serve you, even though you forsook me." He touched the skein +with his wand, and it untangled itself, and wound itself up in perfect +order. "Do you wish anything more, madam?" asked he coldly. + +"Percinet, Percinet, do not reproach me; I am only too unhappy." + +"It is your own fault. Come with me, and make us both happy." But she +said nothing, and the fairy-prince disappeared. + +At sunset, Grognon eagerly came to the prison-door with her three +keys, and found Graciosa smiling and fair, her task all done. There +was no complaint to make, yet Grognon exclaimed that the skein was +dirty, and boxed the princess's ears till her rosy cheeks turned +yellow and blue. Then she left her, and overwhelmed the fairy with +reproaches. + +"Find me, by to-morrow, something absolutely impossible for her to +do." + +The fairy brought a great basket full of feathers, plucked from every +kind of bird--nightingales, canaries, linnets, larks, doves, thrushes, +peacocks, ostriches, pheasants, partridges, magpies, eagles--in fact, +if I told them all over, I should never come to an end; and all these +feathers were so mixed up together, that they could not be +distinguished. + +"See," said the fairy, "even one of ourselves would find it difficult +to separate these, and arrange them as belonging to each sort of bird. +Command your prisoner to do it; she is sure to fail." + +Grognon jumped for joy, sent for the princess, and ordered her to take +her task, and finish it, as before, by set of sun. + +Graciosa tried patiently, but she could see no difference in the +feathers; she threw them all back again into the basket, and began to +weep bitterly. "Let me die," said she, "for death only will end my +sorrows. Percinet loves me no longer; if he did, he would already have +been here." + +"Here I am, my princess," cried a voice from under the basket; and the +fairy-prince appeared. He gave three taps with his wand--the feathers +flew by millions out of the basket, and arranged themselves in little +heaps, each belonging to a different bird. + +"What do I not owe you?" cried Graciosa. + +"Love me!" answered the prince, tenderly, and said no more. + +When Grognon arrived, she found the task done. She was furious at the +fairy, who was as much astonished as herself at the result of their +malicious contrivances. But she promised to try once more; and for +several days employed all her industry in inventing a box, which, she +said, the prisoner must be forbidden on any account to open. "Then," +added the cunning fairy, "of course, being such a disobedient and +wicked girl, as you say, she will open it, and the result will +satisfy you to your heart's content." + +Grognon took the box, and commanded Graciosa to carry it to her +castle, and set it on a certain table, in an apartment she named, but +not upon any account, to open it or examine its contents. + +Graciosa departed. She was dressed like any poor peasant, in a cotton +gown, a woollen hood and wooden shoes; yet, as she walked along, +people took her for a queen in disguise, so lovely were her looks and +ways. But being weak with imprisonment, she soon grew weary, and, +sitting down upon the edge of a little wood, took the box upon her +lap. Suddenly a wonderful desire seized her to open it. + +"I will take nothing out, I will touch nothing," said she to herself, +"but I must see what is inside." + +Without reflecting on the consequences, she lifted up the lid, and +instantly there jumped out a number of little men and little women, +carrying little tables and chairs, little dishes, and little musical +instruments. The whole company were so small, that the biggest giant +among them was scarcely the height of a finger. They leaped into the +green meadow, separated into various bands, and began dancing and +singing, eating and drinking, to Graciosa's wonder and delight. But +when she recollected herself, and wished to get them into the box +again, they all scampered away, played at hide-and-seek in the wood, +and by no means could she catch a single one. + +Again, in her distress, she called upon Percinet, and again he +appeared; and, with a single touch of his wand, sent all the little +people back into the box. Then, in his chariot, drawn by stags, he +took her to the castle, where she did all that she had been commanded, +and returned in safety, to her stepmother, who was more furious than +ever. If a fairy could be strangled, Grognon certainly would have done +it in her rage. At last, she resolved to ask help no more, but to work +her own wicked will upon Graciosa. + +She caused to be dug a large hole in the garden, and taking the +princess there, showed her the stone which covered it. + +"Underneath this stone lies a great treasure; lift it up, and you will +see." + +Graciosa obeyed; and while she was standing at the edge of the pit, +Grognon pushed her in, and let the stone fall down again upon her, +burying her alive. After this, there seemed no more hope for the poor +princess. + +"O Percinet," cried she, "you are avenged. Why did I not return your +love, and marry you! Still, death will be less bitter, if only you +regret me a little." + +While she spoke, she saw through the blank darkness a glimmer of +light; it came through a little door. She remembered what Percinet had +said: that she would never return to the fairy palace, until after she +was buried. Perhaps this final cruelty of Grognon would be the end of +her sorrows. So she took courage, crept through the little door, and +lo! she came out into a beautiful garden, with long alleys, +fruit-trees, and flower-beds. Well she knew it, and well she knew the +glitter of the rock-crystal walls. And there, at the palace-gate, +stood Percinet, and the queen, his mother, and the princesses, his +sisters. "Welcome, Graciosa!" cried they all; and Graciosa, after all +her sufferings, wept for joy. + +The marriage was celebrated with great splendour; and all the fairies, +for a thousand leagues round, attended it. Some came in chariots drawn +by dragons, or swans, or peacocks; some were mounted upon floating +clouds, or globes of fire. Among the rest, appeared the very fairy who +had assisted Grognon to torment Graciosa. When she discovered that +Grognon's poor prisoner was now Prince Percinet's bride, she was +overwhelmed with confusion, and entreated her to forget all that had +passed, because she really was ignorant who she had been so cruelly +afflicting. + +"But I will make amends for all the evil that I have done," said the +fairy; and, refusing to stay for the wedding-dinner, she remounted her +chariot, drawn by two terrible serpents, and flew to the palace of +Graciosa's father. There, before either king, or courtiers, or +ladies-in-waiting could stop her--even had they wished to do it, which +remains doubtful--she came behind the wicked Grognon, and twisted her +neck, just as a cook does a barn-door fowl. So Grognon died and was +buried, and nobody was particularly sorry for the same. + + + + +THE IRON STOVE. + + +In the days when magic was still of some avail, a king's son was +enchanted by an old witch, and compelled to spend his life sitting +inside a great Iron Stove in a wood. There he passed many years, and +nobody could release him. + +Once a king's daughter came into the wood. She had gone astray, and +could not find her father's kingdom again; and having wandered about +for nine days, at last she stood before the Iron Stove. Then a voice +came out of it, and said, "Whence do you come, and where do you want +to go?" + +She answered, "I have wandered from my father's kingdom, and lost +myself, and cannot get home again." + +Then the voice spoke out of the Iron Stove: "I will help you home +again, and that, too, in a short time, if you will promise to do what +I desire. I am a greater prince than you are a princess, and I wish to +marry you." + +She was very much frightened, and thought, "Oh, what shall I do! How +can I marry an Iron Stove?" + +However, as she wanted very much to go home to her father, she +promised what was demanded of her. "Very well," said the voice "you +must come again, and bring a knife with you, and scrape a hole in the +iron." + +And the Iron Stove gave her for a companion something, or +somebody--she was not quite sure what--who walked by her side and did +not speak, but took her safe home within two hours. Then there was +great joy in her father's palace, and the old king fell on her neck, +and kissed her many times. But she was very sorrowful, and said: "Dear +father, you little know what has happened to me; I should never have +come home again out of the great wild wood, if I had not passed by an +Iron Stove. But I had to promise faithfully that I would return back +to it, and marry it." + +The old king was so terrified that he nearly fell into a swoon; for he +had only this one child. They therefore consulted together, and +decided to send, not the princess, but a miller's daughter, who was +very beautiful; and leading her out, they gave her a knife, and told +her how she was to scrape the Iron Stove. When she reached the wood, +she scraped away for four-and-twenty hours, but could not make the +slightest impression. But when day began to break, a voice in the Iron +Stove called out, "It seems to me that it is day out there." + +She answered: "It seems so to me too; I think I hear my father's mill +turning." + +"Oh, then, you are a miller's daughter; go straight back and send the +king's daughter here!" + +Then she returned and told the old king that the Iron Stove would not +have her; he wanted the princess only. The old king was greatly +frightened, and the princess wept. But they had still a swineherd's +daughter, who was still more beautiful than the miller's girl; so they +gave her a piece of gold, in order that she might be persuaded to go, +instead of the king's daughter, to the Iron Stove. She was taken to +the wood as before, and had also to scrape for four-and-twenty hours; +but she could make no impression. + +Now, when dawn broke, a voice called out of the Stove, "It seems to me +it is day out there." + +Then she answered, "It seems so to me too; I think I hear my father's +little horn sounding." + +"So you are the swineherd's daughter; go away directly, and bid the +king's daughter come, and tell her it shall happen to her as I +forewarned her; if she does not come, everything in the kingdom shall +fall to pieces and tumble down, and no stone remain upon another." + +When the king's daughter heard this, she began to cry; but there was +nothing else to be done--she must keep her promise. She took leave of +her father, put a knife in her pocket, and went out to the Iron Stove +in the wood. When she arrived there, she began to scrape and scrape; +the iron yielded, and in two hours she had already scraped a little +hole. She looked in and saw a most beautiful youth: oh! he shone so +with gold and precious stones, that he pleased her to the very bottom +of her heart. She scraped away faster than ever, till she made the +hole so large that he was able to get out. + +Then he said, "You are mine, and I am yours, you have freed me, and +you are my bride." + +He wished to take her home to his kingdom, but she begged that she +might go once more to see her father; and the prince gave her leave, +on condition that she should speak no more than three words with him, +and come back again. So she went home; but, alas! being a little +chatter-box, she spoke more than three words. The Iron Stove +disappeared instantly, and was removed far away, over glass mountains +and sharp swords; but the king's son, being now freed, was not shut up +in it. + +The princess took leave of her father, and took some money with her, +but not much, and went again into the great wood. There she looked +everywhere for the Iron Stove, but it was not to be found. + +She sought it for nine days, until her hunger was so great that she +did not know what to do; for she had eaten all the food she could +find, and had nothing left to keep her alive. At evening-tide she +climbed up into a little tree, and purposed spending the night there, +for fear of the wild beasts. But when midnight came she saw afar off a +little glimmering light, and thinking, "Oh! there I should be safe," +climbed down and went towards it. + +Then she came to a little old house, overgrown with grass, with a +little heap of wood before the door. Wondering how it came there, she +looked in through the window, and saw nothing inside but a number of +fat little frogs, and a table beautifully spread. There were on it +roast meats and wines, and the plates and cups were all of silver. So +she took heart, and knocked. Immediately the fattest frog called out-- + + "Maiden sweet and small, + Hutzelbein I call; + Hutzelbein's little dog. + Creep about and see + Who this can be." + +Then a little frog came and opened the door for her; and as soon as +she came in, the frogs all bade her welcome, and persuaded her to sit +down. They asked--"Whence do you come? where do you want to go?" + +Then she told them all that had happened to her, and how, because she +had disobeyed the command not to speak to her father more than three +words, the Stove had disappeared, as well as the king's son; now she +was determined to seek him, and to wander over mountain and valley +till she found him. + +The old fat frog said-- + + "Maiden sweet and small, + Hutzelbein I call; + Hutzelbein's little dog, + Creep about and see; + Bring the great box to me." + +Then the little frog went and brought the box. Afterwards they gave +the princess food and drink, and took her to a beautifully-made bed, +all of silk and velvet; she laid herself in it, and slept peacefully. + +When day came she arose, and the old frog gave her three needles out +of the great box, and told her to take them with her. They would be +very necessary to her, for she would have to go over a high glass +mountain, and three sharp swords, and a great sea; if she passed all +those, she would recover her dearest prince. The frog also gave her, +besides the three needles, other gifts, which she was to take great +care of--namely, a plough-wheel, and three nuts. + +With these she set off, and when she came to the slippery glass +mountain, she stuck the three needles into it as she walked--some +before her feet, and some behind--and so managed to get across. When +she was on the other side, she hid the needles, in a place which she +had noticed particularly, and went on her way. Afterwards she came to +the sharp-cutting swords, but she set herself on her plough-wheel and +rolled safely over them. At last she came before a great lake, which +she had to sail across, and when she had done so she saw a great +castle. She went in and said she was a poor maiden, who wished very +much to hire herself out, if she might be taken in there as a servant. +For the frogs had told her that the king's son, whom she had released +out of the Iron Stove in the great wood, dwelt there; so she was +content to be taken as kitchen-maid, for very small pay. + +Now the king's son had thought the princess was dead; and there was +now with him another maiden, whom he had been persuaded he ought to +marry, which grieved the poor kitchen-maid very much. + +In the evening, when she had washed up the dishes, and had done all +her work, she felt in her pocket, and found the three nuts which the +old frog had given her. She bit one open, and was going to eat the +kernel, when, behold, inside it was the most beautiful dress +imaginable--so beautiful that the bride soon heard of it, came and +asked to see it, and wanted to buy it, saying it was no dress for a +kitchen-maid. But the kitchen-maid thought differently, and refused to +sell it, but offered to give it as a present, if the bride would grant +her one favour--namely, to sleep one night on the mat outside the +bridegroom's door. The bride gave her leave, because the dress was so +beautiful, and she had none like it. + +Now when it was evening, she said to her bridegroom: "The foolish +kitchen-maid wants to sleep on the mat outside your door." + +"If you are content, I am," said he. + +But the bride gave him a glass of wine, in which she had put a +sleeping draught; so that he slept so soundly, nothing could wake him. +While, outside the door, the princess wept the whole night, saying: "I +have released you out of the wild wood--out of an Iron Stove; in +seeking you, I have gone over a glass mountain, over three sharp +swords, and over a great lake; yet, now that I find you, you will not +hear me." + +Next evening, when she had washed up everything, she bit the second +nut open; and inside it was a far more beautiful dress than the first +which, when the bride saw, she wished to buy also. But the girl again +refused to take money and again begged that she might spend the night +outside the bridegroom's door. Once more, the bride gave him a +sleeping-draught, and he slept so soundly, that he could hear nothing. +But the kitchen-maid wept the whole night long, crying: "I have +released you out of a wild wood, and out of an Iron Stove; and have +gone over a glass mountain, over three sharp swords, and over a great +lake, before I found you; and yet, when I find you, you will not hear +me." + +The third evening, she bit open the third nut; and there was in it a +still more beautiful dress, which shone stiff with pure gold. When the +bride saw it, she wished more earnestly than ever to have it; but the +kitchen-maid would only give it to her on condition that she might +sleep, for the third time, on the mat at the bridegroom's door. But +this time the prince was cautious, and left the sleeping-draught +untouched. Now, when she began to weep, and to call out, "Dearest +treasure, I have released you out of the horrible wild wood, and out +of an Iron Stove," the king's son sprang up, crying out: "This is my +right true love--she is mine, and I am hers." Then he declared he +would not marry the other bride, whom he did not love; and so, still +in the middle of the night, he got into a carriage with the +kitchen-maid, and drove away. + +When they came to the great lake, they sailed over; and at the three +sharp swords, they seated themselves on the plough-wheel; and at the +glass mountain, they found the three needles, and stuck them in step +by step. So they came at last to the little old house; but, as they +went in, lo! it changed to a great castle; the frogs turned to +princes and princesses, all kings' children, and received them both +with great joy. There the wedding was celebrated, and they remained in +the castle, which was much larger than that which belonged to the +princess's father. But as the old man lamented very much his +daughter's loss, and his own loneliness, they soon went and fetched +him home to themselves. So they had two kingdoms, instead of one, and +lived happily together all their days. + + + + +THE INVISIBLE PRINCE. + + +There was a king and queen who were dotingly fond of their only son, +notwithstanding that he was equally deformed in mind and person. The +king was quite sensible of the evil disposition of his son, but the +queen, in her excessive fondness, saw no fault whatever in her dear +Furibon, as he was named. The surest way to win her favour was to +praise Furibon for charms he did not possess. When he came of age to +have a governor, the king made choice of a prince who had an ancient +right to the crown, but was not able to support it. This prince had a +son, named Leander, handsome, accomplished, amiable--in every respect +the opposite of Prince Furibon. The two were frequently together, +which only made the deformed prince more repulsive. + +One day, certain ambassadors having arrived from a far country, the +princes stood in a gallery to see them; when, taking Leander for the +king's son, they made their obeisance to him, treating Furibon as a +mere dwarf, at which the latter was so offended that he drew his +sword, and would have done them a mischief had not the king just then +appeared. As it was, the affair produced a quarrel, which ended in +Leander's being sent to a far-away castle belonging to his father. + +There, however, he was quite happy, for he was a great lover of +hunting, fishing, and walking: he understood painting, read much, and +played upon several instruments; so that he was glad to be freed from +the fantastic humours of Furibon. One day as he was walking in the +garden, finding the heat increase, he retired into a shady grove, and +began to play upon the flute to amuse himself. As he played, he felt +something wind about his leg, and looking down saw a great adder: he +took his handkerchief, and catching it by the head, was going to kill +it. But the adder, looking steadfastly in his face, seemed to beg his +pardon. At this instant one of the gardeners happened to come to the +place where Leander was, and spying the snake, cried out to his +master, "Hold him fast, sir; it is but an hour since we ran after him +to kill him: it is the most mischievous creature in the world." + +Leander, casting his eyes a second time upon the snake, which was +speckled with a thousand extraordinary colours, perceived the poor +creature still looked upon him with an aspect that seemed to implore +compassion, and never tried in the least to defend itself. + +"Though thou hast such a mind to kill it," said he to the gardener, +"yet, as it came to me for refuge, I forbid thee to do it any harm; +for I will keep it, and when it has cast its beautiful skin I will let +it go." He then returned home, and carrying the snake with him, put it +into a large chamber, the key of which he kept himself, and ordered +bran, milk, and flowers to be given to it, for its delight and +sustenance; so that never was snake so happy. Leander went sometimes +to see it, and when it perceived him it made haste to meet him, +showing him all the little marks of love and gratitude of which a poor +snake was capable, which did not a little surprise him, though, +however, he took no further notice of it. + +In the meantime all the court ladies were extremely troubled at his +absence, and he was the subject of all their discourse. "Alas!" cried +they, "there is no pleasure at court since Leander is gone, of whose +absence the wicked Furibon is the cause!" Furibon also had his +parasites, for his power over the queen made him feared; they told him +what the ladies said, which enraged him to such a degree that in his +passion he flew to the queen's chamber, and vowed he would kill +himself before her face if she did not find means to destroy Leander. +The queen, who also hated Leander, because he was handsomer than her +son, replied that she had long looked upon him as a traitor, and +therefore would willingly consent to his death. To which purpose she +advised Furibon to go a-hunting with some of his confidants, and +contrive it so that Leander should make one of the party. + +"Then," said she, "you may find some way to punish him for pleasing +everybody." + +Furibon understood her, and accordingly went a-hunting; and Leander, +when he heard the horns and the hounds, mounted his horse, and rode to +see who it was. But he was surprised to meet the prince so +unexpectedly: he alighted immediately, and saluted him with respect; +and Furibon received him more graciously than usual, and bade him +follow him. All of a sudden he turned his horse, and rode another way, +making a sign to the ruffians to take the first opportunity to kill +him; but before he had got quite out of sight, a lion of prodigious +size, coming out of his den, leaped upon Furibon: all his followers +fled, and only Leander remained; who, attacking the animal sword in +hand, by his valour and agility saved the life of his most cruel +enemy, who had fallen in a swoon from fear. When he recovered, Leander +presented him his horse to remount. Now, any other than such a wretch +would have been grateful: but Furibon did not even look upon him: nay, +mounting the horse, he rode in quest of the ruffians, to whom he +repeated his orders to kill him. They accordingly surrounded Leander, +who, setting his back to a tree, behaved with so much bravery, that he +laid them all dead at his feet. Furibon, believing him by this time +slain, rode eagerly up to the spot. When Leander saw him, he advanced +to meet him. "Sir," said he, "if it was by your order that these +assassins came to kill me, I am sorry I made any defence." + +"You are an insolent villain!" replied Furibon, "and if ever you come +into my presence again, you shall surely die." + +Leander made no answer, but retired sad and pensive to his own home, +where he spent the night in pondering what was best for him to do, +for there was no likelihood he should be able to defend himself +against the power of the king's son; therefore he at length concluded +he would travel abroad and see the world. Being ready to depart, he +recollected his snake, and, calling for some milk and fruits, carried +them to the poor creature for the last time; but on opening the door +he perceived an extraordinary lustre in one corner of the room, and +casting his eye on the place he was surprised to see a lady, whose +noble and majestic air made him immediately conclude she was a +princess of royal birth. Her habit was of purple satin, embroidered +with pearls and diamonds; and advancing towards him with a gracious +smile-- + +"Young prince," said she, "you find no longer your pet snake, but me, +the Fairy Gentilla, ready to requite your generosity. For know, that +we fairies live a hundred years in flourishing youth, without +diseases, without trouble or pain; and this term being expired, we +become snakes for eight days. During that time it is not in our power +to prevent any misfortune that may befall us; and if we happen to be +killed, we never revive again. But these eight days being expired, we +resume our usual form, and recover our beauty, our power, and our +riches. Now you know how much I am obliged to your goodness, and it is +but just that I should repay my debt of gratitude: think how I can +serve you and depend on me." + +The young prince, who had never conversed with a fairy till now, was +so surprised that it was a long time before he could speak. But at +length, making a profound reverence, "Madam," said he, "since I have +had the honour to serve you, I know not any other happiness that I can +wish for." + +"I should be sorry," replied she, "not to be of service to you in +something; consider, it is in my power to bestow on you long life, +kingdoms, riches: to give you mines of diamonds, and houses full of +gold; I can make you an excellent orator, poet, musician, and painter; +or, if you desire it, a spirit of the air, the water, or the earth." + +Here Leander interrupted her: "Permit me, madam," said he, "to ask you +what benefit it would be to me to be a spirit?" + +"Much," replied the fairy; "you would be invisible when you pleased, +and might in an instant traverse the whole earth; you would be able to +fly without wings, to descend into the abyss of the earth without +dying, and walk at the bottom of the sea without being drowned; nor +doors, nor windows, though fast shut and locked, could hinder you from +entering anywhere; and whenever you had a mind, you might resume your +natural form." + +"Oh, madam!" cried Leander, "then let me be a spirit; I am going to +travel, and should prefer it above all those other advantages you have +so generously offered me." + +Gentilla thereupon stroking his face three times, "Be a spirit," said +she; and then, embracing him, she gave him a little red cap with a +plume of feathers. "When you put on this cap, you shall be invisible; +but when you take it off, you shall again become visible." + +Leander, overjoyed, put his little red cap upon his head, and wished +himself in the forest, that he might gather some wild roses which he +had observed there: his body immediately became as light as thought; +he flew through the window like a bird; though, in flying over the +river, he was not without fear, lest he should fall into it, and the +power of the fairy not be able to save him. But he arrived in safety +at the rose-bushes, plucked three roses, and returned immediately to +his chamber; presented his roses to the fairy, overjoyed that his +first experiment had succeeded so well. She bade him keep the roses, +for that one of them would supply him with money whenever he wanted +it; that if he put the other into his mistress's bosom, he would know +whether she was faithful or not; and that the third would keep him +always in good health. Then, without staying to receive his thanks, +she wished him success in his travels and disappeared. + +Leander, infinitely pleased, settled his affairs, mounted the finest +horse in the stable, called Gris-de-line, and attended by some of his +servants in livery, made his return to court. Now you must know +Furibon had given out, that had it not been for his courage Leander +would have murdered him when they were a-hunting; so the king, being +importuned by the queen, gave orders that Leander should be +apprehended. But when he came, he showed so much courage and +resolution that Furibon ran to the queen's chamber, and prayed her to +order him to be seized. The queen, who was extremely diligent in +everything that her son desired, went immediately to the king. +Furibon, being impatient to know what would be resolved, followed her; +but stopped at the door, and laid his ear to the keyhole, putting his +hair aside that he might the better hear what was said. At the same +time, Leander entered the court-hall of the palace with his red cap +upon his head, and perceiving Furibon listening at the door of the +king's chamber, he took a nail and a hammer, and nailed his ear to the +door. Furibon began to roar, so that the queen, hearing her son's +voice, ran and opened the door, and, pulling it hastily, tore her +son's ear from his head. Half out of her wits, she set him in her lap, +took up his ear, kissed it, and clapped it again upon its place; but +the invisible Leander, seizing upon a handful of twigs, with which +they corrected the king's little dogs, gave the queen several lashes +upon her hands, and her son as many on the nose: upon which the queen +cried out, "Murder! murder!" and the king looked about, and the people +came running in; but nothing was to be seen. Some cried that the queen +was mad, and that her madness proceeded from her grief to see that her +son had lost one ear; and the king was as ready as any to believe it, +so that when she came near him he avoided her, which made a very +ridiculous scene. Leander, then leaving the chamber, went into the +garden, and there, assuming his own shape, he boldly began to pluck +the queen's cherries, apricots, strawberries, and flowers, though he +knew she set such a high value on them, that it was as much as a man's +life was worth to touch one. The gardeners, all amazed, came and told +their majesties that Prince Leander was making havoc of all the fruits +and flowers in the queen's garden. + +"What insolence!" said the queen: then turning to Furibon, "My pretty +child, forget the pain of thy ear but for a moment, and fetch that +vile wretch hither; take our guards, both horse and foot, seize him, +and punish him as he deserves." + +Furibon, encouraged by his mother, and attended by a great number of +armed soldiers, entered the garden, and saw Leander; who, taking +refuge under a tree, pelted them all with oranges. But when they came +running towards him, thinking to have seized him, he was not to be +seen; he had slipped behind Furibon, who was in a bad condition +already. But Leander played him one trick more; for he pushed him down +upon the gravel-walk, and frightened him so that the soldiers had to +take him up, carry him away, and put him to bed. + +Satisfied with this revenge, he returned to his servants, who waited +for him, and giving them money, sent them back to his castle, that +none might know the secret of his red cap and roses. As yet he had not +determined whither to go; however, he mounted his fine horse +Gris-de-line, and, laying the reins upon his neck, let him take his +own road: at length he arrived in a forest, where he stopped to +shelter himself from the heat. He had not been above a minute there +before he heard a lamentable noise of sighing and sobbing; and looking +about him, beheld a man, who ran, stopped, then ran again, sometimes +crying, sometimes silent, then tearing his hair, then thumping his +breast like some unfortunate madman. Yet he seemed to be both handsome +and young: his garments had been magnificent, but he had torn them all +to tatters. The prince, moved with compassion, made towards him, and +mildly accosted him: "Sir," said he, "your condition appears so +deplorable, that I must ask the cause of your sorrow, assuring you of +every assistance in my power." + +"Oh, sir," answered the young man, "nothing can cure my grief; this +day my dear mistress is to be sacrificed to a rich old ruffian of a +husband who will make her miserable." + +"Does she love you then?" asked Leander. + +"I flatter myself so," answered the young man. + +"Where is she?" continued Leander. + +"In a castle at the end of this forest," replied the lover. + +"Very well," said Leander; "stay you here till I come again, and in a +little while I will bring you good news." + +He then put on his little red cap, and wished himself in the castle. +He had hardly got thither before he heard all sorts of music; he +entered into a great room, where the friends and kindred of the old +man and the young lady were assembled. No one could look more amiable +than she; but the paleness of her complexion, the melancholy that +appeared in her countenance, and the tears that now and then dropped, +as it were by stealth, from her eyes, betrayed the trouble of her +mind. + +Leander now became invisible, and placed himself in a corner of the +room. He soon perceived the father and mother of the bride; and coming +behind the mother's chair, whispered in her ear, "If you marry your +daughter to that old dotard, before eight days are over you shall +certainly die." The woman, frightened to hear such a terrible sentence +pronounced upon her, and yet not know from whence it came, gave a loud +shriek, and dropped upon the floor. Her husband asked what ailed her: +she cried that she was a dead woman if the marriage of her daughter +went forward, and therefore she would not consent to it for all the +world. Her husband laughed at her, and called her a fool. But the +invisible Leander accosting the man, threatened him in the same way, +which frightened him so terribly, that he also insisted on the +marriage being broken off. When the lover complained, Leander trod +hard upon his gouty toes, and rang such an alarum in his ears, that, +not being able any longer to hear himself speak, away he limped, glad +enough to go. The real lover soon appeared, and he and his fair +mistress fell joyfully into one another's arms, the parents consenting +to their union. Leander, assuming his own shape, appeared at the +hall-door, as if he were a stranger drawn thither by the report of +this extraordinary wedding. + +From hence he travelled on, and came to a great city, where, upon his +arrival, he understood there was a great and solemn procession, in +order to shut up a young woman, against her will, among the vestal +nuns. The prince was touched with compassion; and thinking the best +use he could make of his cap was to redress public wrongs and relieve +the oppressed, he flew to the temple, where he saw the young woman, +crowned with flowers, clad in white, and with her dishevelled hair +flowing about her shoulders. Two of her brothers led her by each hand, +and her mother followed her with a great crowd of men and women. +Leander, being invisible, cried out, "Stop, stop, wicked brethren: +stop, rash and inconsiderate mother; if you proceed any further, you +shall be squeezed to death like so many frogs." They looked about, but +could not conceive from whence these terrible menaces came. The +brothers said it was only their sister's lover, who had hid himself in +some hole; at which Leander, in wrath, took a long cudgel, and they +had no reason to say the blows were not well laid on. The multitude +fled, the vestals ran away, and Leander was left alone with the +victim; immediately he pulled off his red cap, and asked her wherein +he might serve her. She answered him, that there was a certain +gentleman whom she would be glad to marry, but that he wanted an +estate. Leander then shook his rose so long, that he supplied them +with ten millions; after which they married, and lived happily +together. + +But his last adventure was the most agreeable. Entering into a wide +forest, he heard lamentable cries. Looking about him every way, at +length he spied four men well armed, who were carrying away by force a +young lady, thirteen or fourteen years of age; upon which, making up +to them as fast as he could, "What harm has that girl done?" said he. + +"Ha, ha! my little master," cried he who seemed to be the ringleader +of the rest, "who bade you inquire?" + +"Let her alone," said Leander, "and go about your business." + +"Oh yes, to be sure," cried they, laughing; whereupon the prince +alighting, put on his red cap, not thinking it otherwise prudent to +attack four who seemed strong enough to fight a dozen. One of them +stayed to take care of the young lady, while the three others went +after Gris-de-line, who gave them a great deal of unwelcome exercise. + +Meantime the young lady continued her cries and complaints: "Oh my +dear princess," said she, "how happy was I in your palace! Did you but +know my sad misfortune, you would send your Amazons to rescue poor +Abricotina." + +Leander, having listened to what she said, without delay seized the +ruffian that held her, and bound him fast to a tree, before he had +time or strength to defend himself. He then went to the second, and +taking him by both arms, bound him in the same manner to another +tree. In the meantime Abricotina made the best of her good fortune, +and betook herself to her heels, not knowing which way she went. But +Leander, missing her, called out to his horse Gris-de-line; who, by +two kicks with his hoof, rid himself of the two ruffians who had +pursued him: one of them had his head broken; and the other, three of +his ribs. And now Leander only wanted to overtake Abricotina; for he +had thought her so handsome that he wished to see her again. He found +her leaning against a tree. When she saw Gris-de-line coming towards +her, "How lucky am I!" cried she; "this pretty little horse will carry +me to the Palace of Pleasure." Leander heard her, though she saw him +not: he rode up to her; Gris-de-line stopped, and when Abricotina +mounted him, Leander clasped her in his arms, and placed her gently +before him. Oh, how great was Abricotina's fear to feel herself fast +embraced, and yet see nobody! She durst not stir, and shut her eyes +for fear of seeing a spirit. But Leander took off his little cap: "How +comes it, fair Abricotina," said he, "that you are afraid of me, who +delivered you out of the hands of the ruffians?" + +With that she opened her eyes, and knowing him again, "Oh sir," said +she, "I am infinitely obliged to you; but I was afraid, for I felt +myself held fast, and could see no one." + +"Surely," replied Leander, "the danger you have been in has disturbed +you, and cast a mist before your eyes." + +Abricotina would not seem to doubt him, though she was otherwise +extremely sensible. And after they had talked for some time of +indifferent things, Leander requested her to tell him her age, her +country, and by what accident she fell into the hands of the ruffians. + +"Know then, sir," said she, "there was a certain very great fairy +married to a prince who wearied of her; she therefore banished him +from her presence, and established herself and daughter in the Island +of Calm Delights. The princess, who is my mistress, being very fair, +has many lovers--among others, one named Furibon, whom she detests: he +it was whose ruffians seized me to-day when I was wandering in search +of a stray parrot. Accept, noble prince, my best thanks for your +valour, which I shall never forget." + +Leander said how happy he was to have served her, and asked if he +could not obtain admission into the island. Abricotina assured him +this was impossible, and therefore he had better forget all about it. +While they were thus conversing, they came to the bank of a large +river: Abricotina alighting with a nimble jump from the horse-- + +"Farewell, sir," said she to the prince, making a profound reverence, +"I wish you every happiness." + +"And I," said Leander, "wish that I may now and then have a small +share in your remembrance." + +So saying, he galloped away, and soon entered into the thickest part +of a wood, near a river where he unbridled and unsaddled Gris-de-line; +then, putting on his little cap, wished himself in the Island of Calm +Delights, and his wish was immediately accomplished. + +The palace was of pure gold, and stood upon pillars of crystal and +precious stones, which represented the zodiac, and all the wonders of +nature; all the arts and sciences; the sea, with all the variety of +fish therein contained; the earth, with all the various creatures +which it produces; the chases of Diana and her nymphs; the noble +exercises of the Amazons; the amusements of a country life; flocks of +sheep with their shepherds and dogs; the toils of agriculture, +harvesting, gardening. And among all this variety of representations, +there was neither man nor boy to be seen--not so much as a little +winged Cupid: so highly had the princess been incensed against her +inconstant husband, as not to show the least favour to his fickle sex. + +"Abricotina did not deceive me," said Leander to himself; "they have +banished from hence the very idea of men; now let us see what they +have lost by it." With that he entered into the palace, and at every +step he took, he met with objects so wonderful, that when he had once +fixed his eyes upon them he had much ado to take them off again. He +viewed a vast number of these apartments, some full of china, no less +fine than curious; others lined with porcelain, so delicate, that the +walls were quite transparent. Coral jasper, agates, and cornelians +adorned the rooms of state, and the presence-chamber was one entire +mirror. The throne was one single pearl, hollowed like a shell; the +princess sat, surrounded by her maidens, none of whom could compare +with herself. In her was all the innocent sweetness of youth, joined +to the dignity of maturity; in truth, she was perfection; and so +thought the invisible Leander. + +Not seeing Abricotina, she asked where she was. Upon that, Leander, +being very desirous to speak, assumed the tone of a parrot, for there +were many in the room; and addressing himself invisibly to the +princess,-- + +"Most charming princess," said he, "Abricotina will return +immediately. She was in great danger of being carried away from this +palace, but for a young prince who rescued her." + +The princess was surprised at the parrot, his answer was so extremely +pertinent: + +"You are very rude, little parrot," said the princess; "and +Abricotina, when she comes, shall chastise you for it." + +"I shall not be chastised," answered Leander, still counterfeiting the +parrot's voice; "moreover, she will let you know the great desire that +stranger had to be admitted into this palace, that he might convince +you of the falsehood of those ideas which you have conceived against +his sex." + +"In truth, pretty parrot," cried the princess, "it is a pity you are +not every day so diverting I should love you dearly." + +"Ah! if prattling will please you, princess," replied Leander, "I +will prate from morning till night." + +"But," continued the princess, "how shall I be sure my parrot is not a +sorcerer?" + +"He is more in love than any sorcerer can be," replied the prince. + +At this moment Abricotina entered the room, and falling at her lovely +mistress's feet, gave her a full account of what had befallen her, and +described the prince in the most glowing colours. + +"I should have hated all men," added she, "had I not seen him! Oh, +madam, how charming he is! His air and all his behaviour have +something in them so noble; and though whatever he spoke was +infinitely pleasing, yet I think I did well in not bringing him +hither." + +To this the princess said nothing, but she asked Abricotina a hundred +other questions concerning the prince; whether she knew his name, his +country, his birth, from whence he came, and whither he was going; and +after this she fell into a profound thoughtfulness. + +Leander observed everything, and continued to chatter as he had +begun-- + +"Abricotina is ungrateful, madam," said he; "that poor stranger will +die for grief if he sees you not." + +"Well, parrot, let him die," answered the princess, with a sigh; "and +since thou undertakest to reason like a person of wit, and not like a +little bird, I forbid thee to talk to me any more of this unknown +person." + +Leander was overjoyed to find that Abricotina's and the parrot's +discourse had made such an impression on the princess. He looked upon +her with pleasure and delight. "Can it be," said he to himself, "that +the masterpiece of nature, that the wonder of our age, should be +confined eternally in an island, and no mortal dare to approach her? +But," continued he, "wherefore am I concerned that others are banished +hence, since I have the happiness to be with her, to see her, to hear +and to admire her; nay more, to love her above all the women in the +universe?" + +It was late, and the princess retired into a large room of marble and +porphyry, where several bubbling fountains refreshed the air with an +agreeable coolness. As soon as she entered, the music began, a +sumptuous supper was served up, and the birds from several aviaries on +each side of the room, of which Abricotina had the chief care, opened +their little throats in the most agreeable manner. + +Leander had travelled a journey long enough to give him a good +appetite, which made him draw near the table, where the very smell of +such viands was agreeable and refreshing. The princess had a curious +tabby-cat, for which she had a great kindness. This cat one of the +maids of honour held in her arms, saying, "Madam, Bluet is hungry!" +With that a chair was presently brought for the cat; for he was a cat +of quality, and had a necklace of pearl about his neck. He was served +on a gold plate, with a laced napkin before him; and the plate being +supplied with meat, Bluet sat with the solemn importance of an +alderman. + +"Ho, ho!" cried Leander to himself; "an idle tabby malkin, that +perhaps never caught a mouse in his life, and I dare say is not +descended from a better family than myself, has the honour to sit at +table with my mistress: I would fain know whether he loves her so well +as I do." + +Saying this, he placed himself in the chair with the cat upon his +knee, for nobody saw him, because he had his little red cap on; +finding Bluet's plate well supplied with partridge, quails, and +pheasants, he made so free with them, that whatever was set before +master puss disappeared in a trice. The whole court said no cat ever +ate with a better appetite. There were excellent ragouts, and the +prince made use of the cat's paw to taste them; but he sometimes +pulled his paw too roughly, and Bluet, not understanding raillery, +began to mew and be quite out of patience. The princess observing it, +"Bring that fricassee and that tart to poor Bluet," said she; "see how +he cries to have them." + +Leander laughed to himself at the pleasantness of this adventure; but +he was very thirsty, not being accustomed to make such large meals +without drinking. By the help of the cat's paw, he got a melon, with +which he somewhat quenched his thirst; and when supper was quite over, +he went to the beaufet, and took two bottles of delicious wine. + +The princess now retired into her boudoir, ordering Abricotina to +follow her and make fast the door; but they could not keep out +Leander, who was there as soon as they. However, the princess, +believing herself alone with her confidante-- + +"Abricotina," said she, "tell me truly, did you exaggerate in your +description of the unknown prince, for methinks it is impossible he +should be as amiable as you say?" + +"Madam," replied the damsel, "if I have failed in anything, it was in +coming short of what was due to him." + +The princess sighed, and was silent for a time; then resuming her +speech: "I am glad," said she, "thou didst not bring him with thee." + +"But, madam," answered Abricotina, who was a cunning girl, and already +penetrated her mistress's thoughts, "suppose he had come to admire the +wonders of these beautiful mansions, what harm could he have done us? +Will you live eternally unknown in a corner of the world, concealed +from the rest of human kind? Of what use is all your grandeur, pomp, +magnificence, if nobody sees it?" + +"Hold thy peace, prattler," replied the princess, "and do not disturb +that happy repose which I have enjoyed so long." + +Abricotina durst make no reply; and the princess, having waited her +answer for some time, asked her whether she had anything to say. +Abricotina then said she thought it was to very little purpose her +mistress having sent her picture to the courts of several princes, +where it only served to make those who saw it miserable; that every +one would be desirous to marry her, and as she could not marry them +all, indeed none of them, it would make them desperate. + +"Yet, for all that," said the princess, "I could wish my picture were +in the hands of this same stranger." + +"Oh, madam," answered Abricotina, "is not his desire to see you +violent enough already; would you augment it?" + +"Yes," cried the princess; "a certain impulse of vanity, which I was +never sensible of till now, has bred this foolish fancy in me." + +Leander heard all this discourse, and lost not a tittle of what she +said; some of her expressions gave him hope, others absolutely +destroyed it. The princess presently asked Abricotina whether she had +seen anything extraordinary during her short travels? + +"Madam," said she, "I passed through one forest where I saw certain +creatures that resembled little children: they skip and dance upon the +trees like squirrels; they are very ugly, but have wonderful agility +and address." + +"I wish I had one of them," said the princess; "but if they are so +nimble as you say they are, it is impossible to catch one." + +Leander, who passed through the same forest, knew what Abricotina +meant, and presently wished himself in the place. He caught a dozen of +little monkeys, some bigger, some less, and all of different colours, +and with much ado put them into a large sack; then, wishing himself at +Paris, where, he had heard, a man might have everything for money, he +went and bought a little gold chariot. He taught six green monkeys to +draw it; they were harnessed with fine traces of flame-coloured +morocco leather. He went to another place, where he met with two +monkeys of merit, the most pleasant of which was called Briscambril, +the other Pierceforest--both very spruce and well educated. He dressed +Briscambril like a king, and placed him in the coach; Pierceforest he +made the coachman; the others were dressed like pages; all which he +put into his sack, coach and all. + +The princess not being gone to bed, heard a rumbling of a little coach +in the long gallery; at the same time, her ladies came to tell her +that the king of the dwarfs was arrived, and the chariot immediately +entered her chamber with all the monkey train. The country monkeys +began to show a thousand tricks, which far surpassed those of +Briscambril and Pierceforest. To say the truth, Leander conducted the +whole machine. He drew the chariot where Briscambril sat arrayed as a +king, and making him hold a box of diamonds in his hand, he presented +it with a becoming grace to the princess. The princess's surprise may +be easily imagined. Moreover, Briscambril made a sign for Pierceforest +to come and dance with him. The most celebrated dancers were not to be +compared with them in activity. But the princess, troubled that she +could not guess from whence this curious present came, dismissed the +dancers sooner than she would otherwise have done, though she was +extremely pleased with them. + +Leander, satisfied with having seen the delight the princess had taken +in beholding the monkeys, thought of nothing now but to get a little +repose, which he greatly wanted. He stayed some time in the great +gallery; afterwards, going down a pair of stairs, and finding a door +open, he entered into an apartment the most delightful that ever was +seen. There was in it a bed of cloth of gold, enriched with pearls, +intermixed with rubies and emeralds; for by this time there appeared +daylight sufficient for him to view and admire the magnificence of +this sumptuous furniture. Having made fast the door, he composed +himself to sleep. Next day he rose very early, and looking about on +every side, he spied a painter's pallet, with colours ready prepared +and pencils. Remembering what the princess had said to Abricotina +touching her own portrait, he immediately (for he could paint as well +as the most excellent masters) seated himself before a mirror, and +drew his own picture first; then, in an oval, that of the princess. He +had all her features so strong in his imagination, that he had no +occasion for her sitting; and as his desire to please her had set him +to work, never did portrait bear a stronger resemblance. He had +painted himself upon one knee, holding the princess's picture in one +hand, and in the other a label with this inscription--"She is better +in my heart." When the princess went into her cabinet, she was amazed +to see the portrait of a man; and she fixed her eyes upon it with so +much the more surprise, because she also saw her own with it, and +because the words which were written upon the label afforded her ample +room for curiosity She persuaded herself that it was Abricotina's +doing; and all she desired to know was, whether the portrait were real +or imaginary. Rising in haste, she called Abricotina, while the +invisible Leander, with his little red cap, slipped into the cabinet, +impatient to know what passed. The princess bid Abricotina look upon +the picture, and tell her what she thought of it. + +After she had viewed it, "I protest," said she, "'tis the picture of +that generous stranger to whom I am indebted for my life. Yes, yes, I +am sure it is he; his very features, shape, and hair." + +"Thou pretendest surprise," said the princess, "but I know it was thou +thyself who put it there." + +"Who! I, madam?" replied Abricotina; "I protest, I never saw the +picture before in my life. Should I be so bold as to conceal from your +knowledge a thing that so nearly concerns you? And by what miracle +could I come by it? I never could paint, nor did any man ever enter +this place; yet here he is painted with you." + +"Some spirit, then, must have brought it hither," cried the princess. + +"How I tremble for fear, madam!" said Abricotina. "Was it not rather +some lover? And therefore, if you will take my advice, let us burn it +immediately." + +"'Twere a pity to burn it," cried the princess, sighing; "a finer +piece, methinks, cannot adorn my cabinet." And saying these words, she +cast her eyes upon it. But Abricotina continued obstinate in her +opinion that it ought to be burnt, as a thing that could not come +there but by the power of magic. + +"And these words--'She is better in my heart,'" said the princess; +"must we burn them too?" + +"No favour must be shown to anything," said Abricotina, "not even to +your own portrait." + +Abricotina ran away immediately for some fire, while the princess went +to look out at the window. Leander, unwilling to let his performance +be burnt, took this opportunity to convey it away without being +perceived. He had hardly quitted the cabinet, when the princess turned +about to look once more upon that enchanting picture, which had so +delighted her. But how was she surprised to find it gone! She sought +for it all the room over; and Abricotina returning, was no less +surprised than her mistress; so that this last adventure put them both +in the most terrible fright. + +Leander took great delight in hearing and seeing his incomparable +mistress; even though he had to eat every day at her table with the +tabby-cat, who fared never the worse for that; but his satisfaction +was far from being complete, seeing he durst neither speak nor show +himself; and he knew it was not a common thing for ladies to fall in +love with persons invisible. + +The princess had a universal taste for amusement. One day, she was +saying to her attendants that it would give her great pleasure to know +how the ladies were dressed in all the courts of the universe. There +needed no more words to send Leander all over the world. He wished +himself in China, where he bought the richest stuffs he could lay his +hands on, and got patterns of all the court fashions. From thence he +flew to Siam, where he did the same; in three days he travelled over +all the four parts of the world, and, from time to time, brought what +he bought to the Palace of Calm Delights, and hid it all in a chamber, +which he kept always locked. When he had thus collected together all +the rarities he could meet with--for he never wanted money, his rose +always supplying him--he went and bought five or six dozen of dolls, +which he caused to be dressed at Paris, the place in the world where +most regard is paid to fashions. They were all dressed differently, +and as magnificent as could be, and Leander placed them all in the +princess's closet. When she entered it, she was agreeably surprised to +see such a company of little mutes, every one decked with watches, +bracelets, diamond buckles, or necklaces; and the most remarkable of +them held a picture-box in its hand, which the princess opening, found +it contained Leander's portrait. She gave a loud shriek, and looking +upon Abricotina, "There have appeared of late," said she, "so many +wonders in this place, that I know not what to think of them:--my +birds are all grown witty; I cannot so much as wish, but presently I +have my desires; twice have I now seen the portrait of him who rescued +thee from the ruffians; and here are silks of all sorts, diamonds, +embroideries, laces, and an infinite number of other rarities. What +fairy is it that takes such care to pay me these agreeable +civilities?" + +Leander was overjoyed to hear and see her so much interested about his +picture, and calling to mind that there was in a grotto which she +often frequented a certain pedestal, on which a Diana, not yet +finished, was to be erected, on this pedestal he resolved to place +himself, crowned with laurel, and holding a lyre in his hand, on which +he played like another Apollo. He most anxiously waited the princess's +retiring to the grotto, which she did every day since her thoughts had +been taken up with this unknown person; for what Abricotina had said, +joined to the sight of the picture, had almost destroyed her repose: +her lively humour changed into a pensive melancholy, and she grew a +great lover of solitude. When she entered the grotto, she made a sign +that nobody should follow her, so that her young damsels dispersed +themselves into the neighbouring walks. The princess threw herself +upon a bank of green turf, sighed, wept, and even talked, but so +softly that Leander could not hear what she said. He had put his red +cap on, that she might not see him at first; but having taken it off, +she beheld him standing on the pedestal. At first she took him for a +real statue, for he observed exactly the attitude in which he had +placed himself, without moving so much as a finger. She beheld with a +kind of pleasure intermixed with fear, but pleasure soon dispelled her +fear, and she continued to view the pleasing figure, which so exactly +resembled life. The prince having tuned his lyre, began to play, at +which the princess, greatly surprised, could not resist the fear that +seized her; she grew pale, and fell into a swoon. Leander leaped from +the pedestal, and putting on his little red cap, that he might not be +perceived, took the princess in his arms, and gave her all the +assistance that his zeal and tenderness could inspire. At length she +opened her charming eyes, and looked about in search of him, but she +could perceive nobody; yet she felt somebody who held her hands, +kissed them, and bedewed them with his tears. It was a long time +before she durst speak, and her spirits were in a confused agitation +between fear and hope. She was afraid of the spirit, but loved the +figure of the unknown. At length she said: "Courtly invisible, why are +you not the person I desire you should be?" At these words, Leander +was going to declare himself, but durst not do it yet; "For," thought +he, "if I again affright the object I adore, and make her fear me, she +will not love me." This consideration caused him to keep silence. + +The princess, then, believing herself alone, called Abricotina and +told her all the wonders of the animated statue; that it had played +divinely, and that the invisible person had greatly assisted her when +she lay in a swoon. + +"What pity 'tis," said she, "that this person should be so frightful, +for nothing can be more amiable or acceptable than his behaviour!" + +"Who told you, madam," answered Abricotina, "that he is frightful? If +he is the youth who saved me, he is beautiful as Cupid himself." + +"If Cupid and the unknown are the same," replied the princess, +blushing, "I could be content to love Cupid; but alas! how far am I +from such a happiness! I love a mere shadow; and this fatal picture, +joined to what thou hast told me, have inspired me with inclinations +so contrary to the precepts which I received from my mother, that I am +daily afraid of being punished for them." + +"Oh! madam," said Abricotina, interrupting her, "have you not troubles +enough already? Why should you anticipate afflictions which may never +come to pass?" + +It is easy to imagine what pleasure Leander took in this conversation. + +In the meantime, the little Furibon, still enamoured of the princess +whom he had never seen, expected with impatience the return of the +four servants whom he had sent to the Island of Calm Delights. One of +them at last came back, and after he had given the prince a particular +account of what had passed, told him that the island was defended by +Amazons, and that unless he sent a very powerful army, it would be +impossible to get into it. The king his father was dead, and Furibon +was now lord of all: disdaining, therefore, any repulse, he raised an +army of four hundred thousand men, and put himself at the head of +them, appearing like another Tom Thumb upon a war-horse. Now, when the +Amazons perceived his mighty host, they gave the princess notice of +it, who immediately despatched away her trusty Abricotina to the +kingdom of the fairies, to beg her mother's instructions as to what +she should do to drive the little Furibon from her territories. But +Abricotina found the fairy in an angry humour. + +"Nothing that my daughter does," said she, "escapes my knowledge. The +Prince Leander is now in her palace; he loves her, and she has a +tenderness for him. All my cares and precepts have not been able to +guard her from the tyranny of love, and she is now under its fatal +dominion. But it is the decree of destiny, and I must submit; +therefore, Abricotina, begone! nor let me hear a word more of a +daughter whose behaviour has so much displeased me." + +Abricotina returned with these ill tidings, whereat the princess was +almost distracted; and this was soon perceived by Leander, who was +near her, though she did not see him. He beheld her grief with the +greatest pain. However, he durst not then open his lips; but +recollecting that Furibon was exceedingly covetous, he thought that, +by giving him a sum of money, he might perhaps prevail with him to +retire. Thereupon, he dressed himself like an Amazon, and wished +himself in the forest, to catch his horse. He had no sooner called him +than Gris-de-line came leaping, prancing, and neighing for joy, for he +was grown quite weary of being so long absent from his dear master; +but when he beheld him dressed as a woman he hardly knew him. However, +at the sound of his voice, he suffered the prince to mount, and they +soon arrived in the camp of Furibon, where they gave notice that a +lady was come to speak with him from the Princess of Calm Delights. +Immediately the little fellow put on his royal robes, and having +placed himself upon his throne, he looked like a great toad +counterfeiting a king. + +Leander harangued him, and told him that the princess, preferring a +quiet and peaceable life to the fatigues of war, had sent to offer his +majesty as much money as he pleased to demand, provided he would +suffer her to continue in peace; but if he refused her proposal, she +would omit no means that might serve for her defence. Furibon replied +that he took pity on her, and would grant her the honour of his +protection; but that he demanded a hundred thousand thousand millions +of pounds, and without which he would not return to his kingdom. +Leander answered that such a vast sum would be too long a-counting, +and therefore, if he would say how many rooms full he desired to have, +the princess was generous and rich enough to satisfy him. Furibon was +astonished to hear that, instead of entreating, she would rather offer +more; and it came into his wicked mind to take all the money he could +get, and then seize the Amazon and kill her, that she might never +return to her mistress. He told Leander, therefore, that he would have +thirty chambers of gold, all full to the ceiling. Leander, being +conducted into the chambers, took his rose and shook it, till every +room was filled with all sorts of coin. Furibon was in an ecstasy, and +the more gold he saw the greater was his desire to get hold of the +Amazon; so that when all the rooms were full, he commanded his guards +to seize her, alleging she had brought him counterfeit money. +Immediately Leander put on his little red cap and disappeared. The +guards, believing that the lady had escaped, ran out and left Furibon +alone; when Leander, availing himself of the opportunity, took the +tyrant by the hair, and twisted his head off with the same ease he +would a pullet's; nor did the little wretch of a king see the hand +that killed him. + +Leander having got his enemy's head, wished himself in the Palace of +Calm Delights, where he found the princess walking, and with grief +considering the message which her mother had sent her, and on the +means to repel Furibon. Suddenly she beheld a head hanging in the air, +with nobody to hold it. This prodigy astonished her so, that she could +not tell what to think of it; but her amazement was increased when she +saw the head laid at her feet, and heard a voice utter these words: + + "Charming princess, cease your fear + Of Furibon; whose head see here." + +Abricotina, knowing Leander's voice, cried: "I protest, madam, the +invisible person who speaks is the very stranger that rescued me." + +The princess seemed astonished, but yet pleased. + +"Oh," said she, "if it be true that the invisible and the stranger are +the same person, I confess I shall be glad to make him my +acknowledgments." + +Leander, still invisible, replied, "I will yet do more to deserve +them;" and so saying he returned to Furibon's army, where the report +of the king's death was already spread throughout the camp. As soon +as Leander appeared there in his usual habit, everybody knew him; all +the officers and soldiers surrounded him, uttering the loudest +acclamations of joy. In short, they acknowledged him for their king, +and that the crown of right belonged to him, for which he thanked +them, and, as the first mark of his royal bounty, divided the thirty +rooms of gold among the soldiers. This done, he returned to his +princess, ordering the army to march back into his kingdom. + +The princess was gone to bed. Leander, therefore, retired into his own +apartment, for he was very sleepy--so sleepy that he forgot to bolt +his door; and so it happened that the princess, rising early to taste +the morning air, chanced to enter into this very chamber, and was +greatly astonished to find a young prince asleep upon the bed. She +took a full view of him, and was convinced that he was the person +whose picture she had in her diamond box. "It is impossible," said +she, "that this should be a spirit; for can spirits sleep? Is this a +body composed of air and fire, without substance, as Abricotina told +me?" She softly touched his hair, and heard him breathe and looked at +him as if she could have looked for ever. While she was thus occupied, +her mother, the fairy, entered with such a dreadful noise that Leander +started out of his sleep. But how deeply was he afflicted, to behold +his beloved princess in the most deplorable condition! Her mother +dragged her by the hair, and loaded her with a thousand bitter +reproaches. In what grief and consternation were the two young lovers, +who saw themselves now upon the point of being separated for ever! The +princess durst not open her lips, but cast her eyes upon Leander, as +if to beg his assistance. He judged rightly, that he ought not to deal +rudely with a power superior to his own, and therefore he sought, by +his eloquence and submission, to move the incensed fairy. He ran to +her, threw himself at her feet, and besought her to have pity upon a +young prince, who would never change in his affection for her +daughter. The princess, encouraged, also embraced her mother's knees, +and declared that without Leander she should never be happy. + +"Happy!" cried the fairy, "you know not the miseries of love, nor the +treacheries of which lovers are capable. They bewitch us only to +poison our lives; I have known it by experience; and will you suffer +the same?" + +"Is there no exception, madam?" replied Leander, and his countenance +showed him to be one. + +But neither tears nor entreaties could move the implacable fairy; and +it is very probable that she would never have pardoned them, had not +the lovely Gentilla appeared at that instant in the chamber, more +brilliant than the sun. Embracing the old fairy,-- + +"Dear sister," said she, "I am persuaded you cannot have forgotten the +good office I did you when, after your unhappy marriage, you besought +a readmittance into Fairyland; since then I never desired any favour +at your hands, but now the time is come. Pardon, then, this lovely +princess; consent to her nuptials with this young prince. I will +engage he shall be ever constant to her; the thread of their days +shall be spun of gold and silk; they shall live to complete your +happiness; and I will never forget the obligation you lay upon me." + +"Charming Gentilla," cried the fairy, "I consent to whatever you +desire. Come, my dear children, and receive my love." So saying, she +embraced them both. + +Abricotina, just then entering, cast her eyes upon Leander: she knew +him again, and saw he was perfectly happy, at which she, too, was +quite satisfied. + +"Prince," condescendingly said the fairy-mother, "I will remove the +Island of Calm Delights into your own kingdom, live with you myself, +and do you great services." + +Whether or not Prince Leander appreciated this offer, he bowed low, +and assured his mother-in-law that no favour could be equal to the one +he had that day received from her hands. This short compliment pleased +the fairy exceedingly, for she belonged to those ancient days when +people used to stand a whole day upon one leg complimenting one +another. The nuptials were performed in a most splendid manner, and +the young prince and princess lived together happily for many years, +beloved by all around them. + + + + +THE WOODCUTTER'S DAUGHTER. + + +There was once a poor woodcutter, very miserable, though prudent and +industrious; he had a wife and three grown-up sons, yet their united +labours scarcely sufficed for bread. No hope appeared of improving his +lot, when he was one day fortunate enough to save the life of his +master when attacked by robbers in the forest. + +This master was not ungrateful; he desired the woodcutter to repair to +him on the following day in order to receive a reward. The poor man +did not fail, hoping to gain two or three crowns; for it appeared so +natural to defend an unarmed man that he attached little value to his +services, considering his own danger not worth a thought. He put on +his best array, shaved, and made many reverences to the porter and the +numerous lackeys previous to an introduction to the master, who was +much more polite than the valets. + +"Well, Thomas," said he, "how can I recompense what you have done for +me? Without your assistance I should have perished; and as my life is +a very happy one, I value it accordingly." + +Poor Thomas was at a loss how to reply; he stammered out, "My +Lord--your Grace," but could get no further. + +The master, in order to relieve the poor man, interrupted him thus: "I +understand better than yourself, perhaps, what would suit you; I would +not wish to draw you from your native condition, for I believe that +none is more truly happy; but I present to you and your children's +children, in perpetuity, the cottage which you inhabit in the forest. +You and they shall have the power of cutting as much wood every year +as you can use; you shall work for yourself; and if your sons like to +hunt, all the game which they kill shall be for their own use. I only +exact that you sell nothing, and that while possessing every comfort, +you seek not to quit your peaceful obscurity." + +Thomas was so astonished that he could find no words to express his +gratitude. He came home to his wife, who heartily shared his joy. The +sons immediately set off for a large supply of faggots, and made a +great fire; but when they had been thoroughly warmed, Mother Thomas +began to say what a pity it was they could make no use of all the wood +which was not burned. + +"An idea has just struck me," replied the husband; "our master gives +us all we can _use_; these are his own words,--very well; I shall be +able to use enough to bring us in a pretty little income!" + +"How?" said his wife. + +"When I was a boy," rejoined the woodcutter, "my father taught me to +make wooden shoes and I made them so light and so neat, that they were +everywhere sought for. What need now prevent me from exercising this +trade? James shall cut wood in the forest, Peter shall kill game for +dinner, and Paul, who has not the least brains of the three, shall go +to sell my merchandise at the neighbouring town. This will be a public +benefit, by enabling the poor about us to dress with more decency and +comfort, and it will also serve to furnish our own cottage, of which +we shall make a little palace." + +The boys, who were present, highly relished this idea. Mother Thomas, +who was rather inclined to gluttony, made the most of the game which +Peter provided. A little labour, good cheer, a blazing fire, and +perfect family concord, rendered this family the happiest in the +world. The master came to the cottage, and seeing them so united and +industrious, encouraged the trade of the wooden shoes, which increased +their comforts without exposing them to the vices attendant on avarice +and luxury. + +But happiness such as this seldom remains permanent. A flock of +furious wolves appeared in the forest; every day they devoured either +helpless children or travellers; they tore up the roots of the trees, +attacking even each other, while their wild howlings were heard night +and day in the cottage of the woodcutter. + +Mother Thomas would no longer suffer her boys to leave home; and when +they did go in spite of her, she remained watching at the door +refusing either to eat or drink until they returned. + +Such a situation was deplorable; when at length the young men, who +were very brave, resolved to deliver themselves and their master. +Taking arms, in case they should be attacked, they went into the +forest and digged deep pits, covering them with a little earth, laid +over some branches of trees; and during this heavy labour, which +lasted several days, they lighted great fires around them, in order to +hinder the wolves from approaching. + +Success crowned their enterprise, for in returning to the spot at +sunrise, they perceived that one of the pits had been broken into +during the night, and that it was now quite uncovered. They charged +their muskets, and each were disputing the honour of first firing, +when they heard issue from the depths below, a mild and supplicating +voice imploring assistance. + +"What shall we do?" said Peter; "assuredly that is not the roaring of +a wolf; it is, perhaps, some unfortunate little wandering child. How +lucky that we did not draw the trigger!" + +They approached, and distinguished a beautiful lady richly dressed, +wearing on her head a cluster of diamonds, which shone like a star. +She appeared very young, and was trembling with cold. Much rain had +fallen during the night, and her robe, of silver gauze, was dabbled in +mud and water; her fair and tender hands were all dirty, which seemed +to vex her even more than the dangers she had experienced. She +continued, however, to struggle and to make signs for relief, when +three enormous wolves appeared at a distance. The brothers looked at +each other expressively, like people who feel that all is lost, but +who resolve to do their duty They had a cord about them, which Peter +fastened round his body, and let himself down into the pit. He took +the beautiful lady on his shoulders, while his brothers assisted in +drawing them up. They then stretched her on the grass, for she had +fainted; and now the wolves had just reached them,--when, lo! these +beasts of prey were instantly turned into three little lambs, and +licked the feet of the lady, who slowly returned to life. + +"My good lads," said she to the woodcutters, "fear nothing. From +henceforth no more dangerous animals than these shall trouble you. But +I owe you a still greater recompense; lead me to your father; I wish +to felicitate him on the generosity and bravery of his sons." + +The poor youths were so astonished by this adventure, that they felt +unable to reply; but they respectfully lifted her long train from the +ground, it having now recovered all its splendour. + +The three lambs followed, skipping and frolicking before them--they +seemed to know the way; and Mother Thomas, who sat at the door looking +out for her children, was not a little surprised to behold their +companion. + +She had, however, presence of mind to invite her noble guest to enter +and rest; much ashamed of having nothing better to offer than a straw +chair, and some spring-water, which was in a very clean pitcher on the +dresser. + +"I shall willingly rest an hour with you," said the lady. "Although +you now see me for the first time, I am one of your best friends, of +which I shall give you a proof. I accept a glass of water, on +condition that your husband and children will also pledge me." + +A glance of Mother Thomas's eye directed her family; they each sought +their ordinary drinking cup, which was of wood, and then bent the neck +of the pitcher; but what was their astonishment to perceive the vessel +turn into wrought-silver in their hands, and to taste, instead of +water, a liquor so delicious, that when the woodcutter and his wife +had drunk, they felt themselves ten years younger than before! + +They threw themselves at the feet of the beautiful lady, in terror; +for a natural instinct made them feel that great power is always more +or less to be dreaded, even when employed in acts of beneficence. The +lady meanwhile kindly raised them, and having spoken of the courage +and generosity of their sons, who exposed themselves to the fury of +wolves rather than take flight and abandon her, she said that her name +was the Fairy Coquette, and that she would willingly relate her +history. + +"Previously, madam," said the woodcutter, "will you have the goodness +to tell me, what is a fairy? During thirty years that I have inhabited +this forest, I have heard of the devil, of the Were wolf, of the +monster of Gevaudan, but never have I heard of fairies." + +"We exist, notwithstanding," replied Coquette, "but not in all ages, +nor in all countries. We are supernatural beings, to whom has been +imparted a portion of supernatural power, which we make use of for +good or evil, according to our natural disposition; in that alone +consists our resemblance to men." + +The woodcutter, who was very simple, understood little of this +explanation; but, like many others, had a profound respect for what he +could not comprehend. He bowed down to the ground, and only requested +the fairy to inform him, why a supernatural being, so highly gifted, +could have fallen into a pit prepared for wolves. + +"It is," replied Coquette, "because I have an enemy still more +powerful than myself, the Enchanter Barabapatapouf, the most wicked +ogre in the world; he has but three teeth, three hairs, one eye, and +is fifteen feet high. With all these charms he happened to fall in +love with me, and merely for mischief I affected to accept him. He +then invited his friends to the nuptials; when, to his great +mortification, I took them to witness that I would never be the wife +of such a monster. Barabapatapouf was deeply incensed, swore to be +revenged, and has never lost an opportunity of keeping his word. I +should have remained three days in that horrible pit but for the +generosity of your children." + +"They have done nothing more than their duty," replied the woodcutter. + +"I must also do mine," said Coquette, "but my power is limited. I can +satisfy but two wishes, and it is necessary that each of you should +choose freely, unbiased by the other. You must separate accordingly, +and to-morrow at early dawn, come to inform me what you have all +resolved on during the night." + +Mother Thomas was very uneasy in thinking how she could accommodate +the fairy, for neither her children's beds nor her own were worthy of +offering to such a grand lady; but Coquette desired her to feel at +ease, as she would provide everything needful. She then drew forth +some grains of sand, which she scattered on the floor. Instantly there +arose on the spot a bed of rose-leaves three feet high; the bolster +was of violets, heartsease and orange flowers, all breathing delicious +perfumes; and the counterpane, entirely composed of butterflies' +wings, exhibited colours so brilliant and varied that one could never +be weary of examining it. The three lambs which had followed the fairy +lay down at her feet, and as the room was rather damp, they gently +warmed it with their breath, with a care and intelligence almost +human. The woodcutter and his sons felt so surprised at all these +wonders, that they imagined themselves dreaming. Coquette warned +Mother Thomas that if she should speak once to her husband before she +again saw her, the wishes could not be realized. The strictest +injunctions were indeed necessary, to prevent their communicating on a +subject which interested both so deeply. When day appeared, Coquette +summoned them to her presence. + +The woodcutter first came, and said, with his usual simplicity, that +he never could have believed it so difficult to form a wish. Till that +moment he had considered himself happy, but now finding it possible +to obtain one thing, he desired a thousand. Wearied with the fatigue +of thought, he had fallen asleep without coming to a determination; +but seeing in his dreams five purses filled with gold, it seemed as if +one were for him, one for his wife, and one for each of his children. + +"Well," said the Coquette, "these purses are apparently your desire; +go then to the bin where you deposit your bread, and you will find +them. Only say how many pounds you wish them to contain." + +"Oh, if there were but a hundred pounds in each," replied Thomas, +"that would be sufficient to extend our little commerce, and send our +wooden shoes to China itself." + +"Your wish is accomplished," said the fairy; "go away, and permit your +wife to come in her turn." + +The good dame had also passed a sleepless night, and had never before +been so much agitated or so unhappy; sometimes she wished for riches, +and then thought, riches would not prevent her from dying--so she had +better wish that she might live a hundred years. Now one idea filled +her mind, now another; it seemed as if the fairy should have given her +at least a month to deliberate. At last she suddenly said: "Madam +Fairy, I am very old, and what I desire most is a daughter, to assist +me in household management and to keep me company; my husband almost +lives in the woods and leaves me at break of day; my sons also go +about their business; we are without neighbours, and I have nobody to +speak to." + +"Be it so," said the fairy; "you shall have the prettiest daughter +imaginable, and she shall speak from her birth, in order that no time +may be lost. Call your husband and sons; I hope to find all parties +content." + +The little family assembled, but harmony was not the result of their +communications. The young men thought their father's wish quite +pitiful, and the woodcutter by no means relished the idea of another +child. The fairy, however, provided an excellent breakfast, and the +wine reanimated his spirits. + +"Now I promise," said Coquette, "that you shall have a daughter, who +at the moment of her birth will be endowed with the figure and the +intelligence of twelve years old. Call her Rose, for her complexion +shall shame the flower which bears that name." + +"And _I_ pronounce that she shall also be as black as ebony, and +become, before the age of fifteen, the wife of a great king," said a +very strong voice in clear and distinct accents, accompanied by shouts +of laughter, which evidently proceeded from a great pitcher placed at +the corner of the chimney. + +The Fairy Coquette turned pale, and consternation was general; but the +woodcutter, now merry with wine, joined in the laugh. "Ah! how droll," +said he, "red and black roses! A likely story, indeed, that a great +king would come a-wooing to a woodcutter's daughter! Only a pitcher +could invent such nonsense, and I shall teach it to utter no more." + +Thus saying, he gave the pitcher a great kick and broke it in pieces; +when there issued from it a smoke thick and black, and so stifling +that Coquette was obliged to use two bottles of essence to dissipate +its noxious effects. + +"Ah, cruel Barabapatapouf!" cried she, "must your malignity then +extend even to those whom I wish to benefit? I indeed recognise my +enemy," said she to the woodcutter; "beware of him, and believe that +it is with no good intention he destines your daughter for the bride +of a king. Some mystery is here concealed, foreboding evil." + +Every one was rendered quite melancholy by this adventure, and +Coquette, beginning to weary of these poor foresters, opened the +window and disappeared. + +A great quarrel then arose between the woodcutter and his sons, who, +forgetting that respect in which they had never before failed, +reproached him for losing an opportunity of rendering them all happy. +"We might," said they, "have purchased estates, finery of all kinds, +and been as rich and noble as many who now despise us. One or two +millions would have been as easy said as five hundred pounds; that sum +would obtain a marquisate for my father, and baronies for each of us. +What extraordinary stupidity our parents have shown!" + +"My children," said the woodcutter, "are these things, then, necessary +for happiness? It appeared to me that you were well satisfied when our +master only made our poverty a little less oppressive; and now, while +you have more gold than you ever saw in your lives, one would suppose +that you had been deeply injured, and could never know contentment +more." + +As for Mother Thomas, she was wiser, and so well pleased with the idea +of her daughter, that her imagination roamed no farther. In course of +time she gave birth to an infant; but scarcely had it seen the light +than it glided from her arms, and started up to the stature of a +well-formed girl of twelve or thirteen years old, who made a low +courtesy to the woodcutter, kissed the hand of her mother, and offered +her brothers a cordial embrace. But these lads ill-naturedly repulsed +the young stranger; they felt jealous, fearing that she would now be +preferred to them. + +Rose, one might say, was born dressed, for flowing ringlets fell +around her shoulders, forming a complete covering; and with her +increase of size, appeared a little smart petticoat and brown bodice +in peasant fashion. Her delicate feet were clad in wooden shoes, but +both the foot and the shoe were so shapely, that any lady in the land +might have been proud to exhibit them. Her little plump hand was so +white that it hardly appeared formed for rustic labours, yet she +immediately prepared to assist in household matters, and the poor old +dame was never weary of caressing such a charming child. + +A bed was prepared for Rose beside her mother. This good girl arose at +dawn to prepare the young men's breakfast; for she had an excellent +natural disposition, and so much intelligence that she seemed to know +by instinct that her birth was displeasing to them, and sought to +gain their regard by good-natured attentions. + +Mother Thomas soon rose likewise, and returned to the kitchen. But +what was her horror on beholding her daughter's face black as ebony, +her hair woolly and crisped like a negro's! As there was no mirror in +the cottage, Rose could not understand what had so alarmed her mother; +she asked if she had involuntarily had the misfortune to give offence? + +"No, no," said the old dame, weeping; "shouldst thou remain all thy +life as black as ink, I shall not love thee less; but I cannot without +pain recall thy beauties of yesterday. Thou wilt be laughed at; and us +too. Still, we will keep thee--thou must never leave us." + +Rose readily promised she never would. But when her brothers returned, +they considered the change in her quite as a matter of course. They +recollected the prediction of the pitcher, and seemed quite delighted +to think that, since it was fulfilled in the first instance, they +might yet become the brothers of a queen. + +Meanwhile they lived on better terms with Rose, hoping that one day +she might be of service to them. Far from listening to the counsels of +their father, they endeavoured to awaken in her mind the seeds of +ambition; and in order to further views interested and selfish, +flattered her beauty, her talents, and her sense, rendering the future +queen the most respectful homage, which diverted her exceedingly. + +But, strange to say, Rose was not always black; every second day she +recovered her natural beauty, from whence it might be concluded, that +the influence of the fairy and the Enchanter Barabapatapouf operated +alternately. The woodcutter's family grew gradually accustomed to +these successions; and as habit reconciles people to all things, each +colour became indifferent to them. + +Thomas was too old to change his mode of life; he would not hear of +going to live in town, although they had money sufficient for that +purpose; he also still continued the making of wooden shoes. Those +which Rose wore in winter were trimmed with lamb's-wool, which she +wrought very dexterously; she was clever and ingenious but, it must be +confessed, a little imperious; and was sometimes surprised sighing +like a person indulging in visionary wishes, and languishing under +some secret chagrin. + +A year passed: Rose grew tall, and her brothers, weary of waiting for +an event so uncertain as her marriage with a king, executed a crime +which they had long meditated. Seeing that their father had touched +but one of the purses, they easily obtained possession of the rest, +and rising with the dawn, all three departed, saying, to satisfy their +consciences, that these purses must be finally theirs, and that they +would, meanwhile, turn them to advantage. When they should become very +rich, they would come back to their parents and take care of their +latter days. Each of them made a belt, in which he concealed his gold; +and with perfect concord, more frequently found amongst knaves than +honest men, they travelled a hundred leagues in eight days. + +The woodcutter and his wife did not at first comprehend the extent of +their misfortune. They thought their children must have gone astray in +the forest, and the old man wandered everywhere in search of them. But +when he observed the loss of the purses, the truth was revealed, and +he felt ready to die with grief. "Cursed gold!" cried he, "thou hast +corrupted my brave and honest boys; they were poor, but virtuous; they +are now become villains, and will meet punishment from either man or +God!" + +Thus saying, he took the remaining purse, and flung it into the bottom +of a well. Mother Thomas was vexed, but dared not speak, for the +unfortunate man was so much irritated and troubled that he would have +beaten her. + +When his reason cleared a little, however, he felt that he had +committed an error in parting with his money, they being both old and +unable to work as formerly. The dame sold some articles which had been +purchased during their prosperity. But poverty was nothing; it was the +conduct of their sons which inflicted the bitter sting. How was this +then augmented, when some officers of justice arrived, and announced +that James, Peter, and Paul had been arrested. It seemed that while +drinking together in a public-house, they had spread on a table all +their gold. The host surprised them, and not believing that young +peasants, so coarsely clothed and wearing wooden shoes, could lawfully +be in possession of such a sum, he had given them in charge. The poor +boys, quite terrified, related the story of the Fairy Coquette; but +as the magistrate had never seen a fairy, he did not believe one word +of the matter. + +Having then no hope but in the kindness of their father, they sent to +summon the woodcutter and his wife, who confirmed all their +assertions. But as no money was found in the cottage, whose +inhabitants appeared to subsist on their labour, the officers knew not +what to think. + +Meantime they arrested the woodcutter for the purpose of identifying +his children. Pale, and trembling like criminals, the old couple +followed the guards. Mother Thomas was ready to faint, and doubly +grieved for leaving poor Rose all alone, especially as this was her +day for being white and beautiful. She begged her not to leave the +house, but to live on the milk of her sheep, and to bake cakes of some +meal which was in the bin. Their adieus were heart-rending; although +the soldiers declared that in three days the forester should be at +liberty to return, provided the innocence of his family was +established. Rose believed them, and endeavoured to take courage. But +more than a month passed, and no tidings of her parents. She could not +then prevent herself from wandering a little on the highway; and +having walked till sunset, wept so bitterly, that her beauty indeed +must have been a fairy-gift to remain uninjured. + +One evening, being more worn out than usual, she seated herself at the +foot of a tree and fell asleep. A slight noise awoke her, and, on +looking up, she perceived a young gentleman richly dressed, who was +contemplating her with evident astonishment. "Art thou a goddess, or a +simple mortal?" cried he. + +"Sir," replied Rose, "I am the daughter of a poor woodcutter, who +lives in the forest;--it is late, and I beg you will not detain me." + +"You are a wayward beauty, indeed!" replied the prince, for so he was; +"but as my way lies in that direction, I hope you will permit me to +see you home." + +"It is not in my power to prevent you," said Rose, without raising her +eyes. + +The prince at this moment remarked that she had been weeping, and, +delighted to have an opportunity of offering sympathy and consolation, +entreated her to impart her grief to him. "I am not actuated by mere +curiosity," added he; "I never can behold a woman in tears without +feeling moved to the bottom of my soul! Tell me your distress, and I +will neither sleep nor eat till I have aided you." + +Rose timidly raised her lovely blue eyes, to see whether the +countenance of the prince harmonised with his discourse; but although +he was not actually ugly, his features wore an expression too stern +and hypocritical to invite her confidence. She therefore walked +silently forward, and when near the cottage felt so uneasy, that, for +the first time, she invented a lie in order to get rid of him. "You +seem to compassionate my sorrows," said she; "meanwhile you only +increase them. When my mother sees me accompanied by a great gentleman +like you, she will beat me, and not believe that you have followed me +against my will." + +This reasoning appeared so just to the prince, who felt himself +affected by a passion such as he had never before experienced, that he +consented to retire, entreating Rose to meet him the next evening at +the same hour. She refused to give a decisive answer, and returned +home much dejected; recalling all the words of the stranger, and +almost reproaching herself for having behaved so harshly to him. + +The following day Rose took mechanically the same route, going always +in the path by which her parents might be expected. Her provisions +being nearly exhausted, she feared to die of hunger, and began to +think that this gentleman, who had been repulsed so rudely, could, +perhaps, obtain news of her family. Suddenly beholding him leaning +against a tree, looking very melancholy and dejected, she threw +herself at his feet, bathed in tears, and said-- + +"Sir, a wretch who has lost everything dear, supplicates your +compassion. You are so kind--so tender-hearted--" + +"What does the vile creature want!" exclaimed the prince, with a +savage expression. "How dare you have the impertinence to address me? +I wonder what prevents me from shooting you. I lost my sport all +yesterday in following a pretty girl, here is game of a new +description." + +Rose started up, overwhelmed with terror, while the prince laughed +most brutally. It was not till that moment she recollected that this +her black day, which accounted for his not recognising her. "Ah!" +thought she, "this is the humane man who could not behold a woman +weep; because my colour displeases him, he is ready to take my life. +No hope now remains for me--my misfortunes are at their height!" + +Rose wept all night; yet she could not prevent herself from returning +to the same spot on the following day; she felt irresistibly led +thither, dreading, and yet wishing, to meet the prince. + +He had been already waiting above an hour, and accosted her with a +degree of respect quite unusual for him; but he was in love, and love +makes the worst of people better for the time. + +"Cruel beauty!" said he, in a courtier-like style, to which Rose was +little accustomed, "what have I not suffered during your absence! I +even remained all night in the wood, in expectation of you, and the +queen my mother despatched messengers everywhere, fearing some +accident had befallen me." + +"The queen, your mother!" exclaimed Rose. "Are you, then, the son of a +queen?" + +"I have betrayed myself!" said the prince, striking his forehead in a +theatrical manner. "Yes, it is true, I have that misfortune. You will +now fear me; and what we fear, we never love." + +"The wicked alone are to be feared," answered Rose. "I am very glad to +hear that you are a king, for I know that you will be my husband." + +The prince, who little guessed the enchanter's communication, was +confounded by the unembarrassed freedom of her manner; but it was far +from displeasing to him. "You are ambitious," said he, smiling; "but +there is nothing to which beauty may not pretend. Tell me only how I +can have the happiness of serving you, and you shall see that +everything is possible to love." + +Rose sat down on the grass, and related in very simple terms the story +of the purse; confessed that she had deceived him, and that, so far +from being severely treated at home, she was now weeping her mother's +loss; that the king must take measures for the discovery and +liberation of her family, before he could hope to win her affections, +or pretend to her hand. + +The enamoured monarch vowed he would not lose a moment; and although +she behaved with much dignity, her every word and look was adorable in +his eyes. Rose thought all night of the fine fortune of being a queen; +she would then no longer wear wooden shoes; and, above all, might have +an opportunity of being useful to her dear parents. + +These meetings continued every alternate day during a week; and the +queen dowager was informed that her son neglected all business, and +thought of nothing but making love. She was in despair. This prince +was surnamed the Terrible, by reason of his ferocity to women: till +that moment he had never loved, but he had frequently made pretence of +it, and when successful, it was not unusual with him to cut out the +poor ladies' tongues, put out their eyes, or even throw them into the +sea. The least pretext sufficed for this; and the queen, who was of a +kind disposition, lamented that yet another victim was preparing. The +courtiers begged her to be tranquil; said it was nothing more than the +daughter of a poor woodcutter whom his majesty now admired, and that +if he did kill her, it would be of little consequence. + +But the courtiers, and the queen dowager herself, were altogether +bewildered when the king, having liberated the woodcutter and his +family, brought Rose to the palace as his wife. She was not at all +abashed or out of countenance; she behaved with the utmost respect to +the queen, and with affability to all. It was universally remarked: +"The king has committed a folly, but that charming girl is his excuse, +and no man would have been wiser under similar circumstances." + +A grand ball was given in the evening. Rose danced well enough for a +queen; and she yielded herself up entirely to the enchantment of such +a happy day. The prince, ever eager to be near her, was figuring away +in a quadrille, when twelve o'clock struck: great, then, was his +astonishment, while gazing passionately on his partner, he beheld--a +negress! + +"What metamorphosis is this?" cried he, rudely seizing her arm; "where +is the princess I married to-day?" + +Rose bent her head in confusion; it still bore her diamonds, and her +crown,--no doubt could exist of her identity. + +"Wretched, hideous black, thou shalt surely die!" cried the king; +"none shall deceive me with impunity." He then drew a poniard, and was +preparing to take instant vengeance, when, recollecting himself--"I do +thee too much honour," said he; "rather let my cooks cut thee in +pieces to make a hash for my hounds." + +The old queen, as humane as her son was cruel, knew there was but one +means of saving the unfortunate victim; this was to appear still more +enraged than the king. + +"I truly feel this injury," said she; "some times you have reproached +my weakness, but now behold a proof that I also can avenge. Your +orders must be strictly fulfilled--I myself shall witness the +execution." She then signed to the guards to lay hold of the +unfortunate Rose, who was dragged away by an iron chain fastened round +her neck. She gave herself up for lost, and uttering the most +heart-rending cries, was led away to a pigeon-house at the end of the +palace, furnished with some clean straw, where, however, the queen +promised to come on the following day. + +Her majesty kept her word. Much affected by the sweetness of the +hapless bride, she promised to mitigate, as far as possible, her +melancholy situation. + +Rose, very grateful, supplicated her benefactress to inform the +woodcutter's family that she was still alive, knowing what they would +suffer should the story reach them of the black Rose having +breakfasted the king's hounds. The queen promised to employ a +confidential domestic; and Rose, who had still preserved her wooden +shoes, sent one, that her father might recognise his handiwork. + +A few days afterwards a young peasant arrived from the cottage; he +brought some cakes and cheese, made by Mother Thomas, which Rose +preferred to all the delicacies of the palace. + +This young peasant, who was named Mirto, related to Rose everything +concerning her dear parents, and took back very loving messages from +her to them. + +Mirto found so much pleasure in conversing with the fair prisoner, and +had so often cakes to carry, that they were seldom asunder. He said he +was an orphan, and having some work to do in the prison where Thomas +had been confined, there formed a friendship with the family. In +return for some little services then rendered them, he desired to +learn the trade of the wooden shoes; being very ingenious, he became a +valuable acquisition. He never had felt so happy before. In truth, he +was not aware that this happiness received its date from the hour in +which he first saw Rose. + +Alas! the poor Rose was only too sensible of his affection, and +feeling the duty of struggling against it, found herself still more +miserable than before. + +"Whatever may be the conduct of Prince Terrible," said she to herself, +"I have married him. It is certainly very hard to love a husband who +wished to kill me, but still I should not permit myself to love +another." + +For a whole month following she had sufficient resolution to see Mirto +no more, and was becoming sick with chagrin and weariness. The queen +visited her frequently, bringing all sorts of sweetmeats, and a +singing-bird, to divert her captivity. She brought no finery; indeed, +that would have been quite thrown away on the pigeons. + +At length, one day Rose heard a great noise in the palace. People kept +running to and fro--all the bells were rung, and all the cannons +fired. The poor prisoner mounted up to one of the pigeon-holes, and +peeping through, perceived the palace hung with black. She knew not +what to think. But some one of the queen's officers appeared, and +conducted her in due form to the court. Rose, all trembling, inquired +what had happened. + +"Your majesty is a widow," replied the officer; "the king has been +killed in hunting; here are your weeds, of which the queen begs your +acceptance." + +Rose was much agitated, but she followed the officer in silence, with +a sad and serious aspect, as a dignified personage should do when +informed of the death of a husband. + +The queen was a tender mother, and although fully conscious of the +ferocious disposition of her son, she deeply lamented him, and wept +bitterly on embracing her daughter-in-law. "You husband is no more," +said she; "forget his errors, my dear child; the remainder of my life +shall be devoted to making atonement for them." + +The princess threw herself at her benefactress' feet, and declared all +was forgotten. "If your majesty deigns to permit me to speak +candidly," added she, "and will bestow a moment's attention, I shall +confess the dearest wishes of my heart!" + +"Speak," said the queen; "nothing now can assuage my grief, save an +opportunity of proving to you my friendship." + +"I was not born for a queen," continued Rose. "My mother is a poor +forester, but she has been a tender parent, and weeps incessantly for +my absence." + +"Let her be conducted hither," replied the queen. + +"This is not all, madam," continued Rose; "I confess that I love a +young peasant, who has assisted my father to make wooden shoes. If I +were the wife of Mirto, and your majesty would have the goodness to +give some assistance to my family, my old father might be freed from +labour, and I the happiest woman in the world." + +The queen embraced Rose, and promised all she wished. She then +conducted her to the forest; and just as they had reached its +boundary, they perceived in the air a mahogany car, mounted on wheels +of mother-o'-pearl; two pretty white lambs were yoked to it, which +Rose immediately recognised as those of the Fairy Coquette. + +The car descended, and the fairy alighting thus addressed the queen: +"Madam, I come to seek my child, and am delighted to find you willing +to part with her, for she has a lover whom I approve;--who loves her +faithfully, though hopelessly, which is a thing more rare than all the +treasures of your majesty's crown." + +The fairy then addressing herself to Rose, related that her enemy, the +Enchanter Barabapatapouf, had just been killed in combat with another +giant. "Now," added Coquette, "I have full power to render you happy;" +and passing her fair hand over Rose's face, the negro colour and +features vanished--to reappear no more. + +The queen, convinced that her daughter-in-law required nothing +further, offered only her portrait, as a token of esteem and +friendship. Rose received it with grateful respect, then ascended the +fairy's car, and was in a few minutes surrounded by the foresters, who +never wearied of caressing her. Poor Mirto drew back, trembling, not +knowing whether to hope or fear; but Coquette, perceiving their mutual +embarrassment, declared that she had ordained this marriage from the +very beginning. She blessed them, gave them a flock of beautiful white +sheep, a cottage covered with honeysuckles and roses, a lovely garden +abounding with fruits and flowers, and a moderate sum of money; +endowing them also with life for a hundred years, uninterrupted +health, and constant love. + + + + +BROTHER AND SISTER. + + +A brother took his sister by the hand and said, "Since our mother is +dead we have no more happy hours: our stepmother beats us every day, +and whenever we come near her she kicks us away. She gives us hard +crusts and nasty scraps to eat, and the dog under the table fares +better than we do, for he does sometimes get a nice bit thrown to him. +It would break our mother's heart if she knew it! Come, we will go out +into the wide world together." + +They went along the whole day through meadows, over rocks and stones, +and when it rained the little sister said, "Heaven and our hearts are +crying together." In the evening they came to a great wood, and were +so worn out with grief, hunger, and weariness, that they sat down in a +hollow tree and went to sleep. + +The next morning, when they awoke, the sun was already high in the +heavens, and shone down very hot on the tree. Upon which said the +brother, "Sister, I am thirsty; I would go and have a drink if I knew +where there was a spring: I think I can hear one trickling." He got +up, took his sister by the hand, and they went to look for the spring. + +The wicked stepmother, however, who was a witch, and well knew how the +children had run away, had crept after them secretly, in the way +witches do, and had bewitched all the springs in the wood. When they +had found a spring that was dancing brightly over the stones, the +brother stooped down to drink; but his sister heard a voice in its +murmur, which said, "Whoever drinks of me will become a tiger." +Eagerly the little sister cried, "I pray thee, brother, do not drink, +lest thou become a wild beast and tear me to pieces." + +The brother did not drink, although he was so thirsty, but said, "I +will wait for the next spring." When they came to the next, the little +sister heard it say, "Who drinks of me will become a wolf; who drinks +of me will become a wolf!" and cried out, "Oh brother, I pray thee do +not drink, lest thou become a wolf and eat me up." + +The brother did not drink, but said, "I will wait till I come to the +next spring, but then I must drink, say what you will, for my thirst +is getting unbearable." + +And when they came to the third spring, the little sister heard a +voice in its murmur, saying, "Whoever drinks of me will become a roe," +and she cried, "Oh brother, do not drink, I pray thee, lest thou +become a roe and run away from me." But the brother had already knelt +down by the stream, stooped down, and drank of the water; and as soon +as the first drop touched his lips, there he lay--a white roe. + +The little sister cried over her poor bewitched brother, and the roe +cried also as he rested mournfully beside her. At last the maiden +said, "Never mind, dear Roe, I will never forsake you." So she took +off her golden garter and put it round the roe's neck, then pulled +some rushes and wove them into a cord. To this she tied the little +animal and led him on, and they both went still deeper into the wood. +When they had gone a long, long way, they came at last to a little +house, into which the maiden peeped; and as it was empty, she thought, +"Here we may stay and live." So she made a pretty bed of leaves and +moss for the roe; and every morning she went out and gathered roots, +berries, and nuts for herself; and for the roe she brought tender +grass, which he ate out of her hand, and played about and was very +happy. In the evening, when the little sister was tired and had said +her prayers, she laid her head upon the roe, who was her pillow, and +went sweetly to sleep; and if her brother had only kept his proper +shape, they would have led a very happy life. + +They had lived alone in this way during a long time, when it happened +that the king of the country held a great hunt in the forest. Through +the trees might be heard the blowing of horns, the barking of dogs, +and the joyous cries of the hunters, which when the little roe heard +he was almost beside himself with delight. "Oh," said he to his +sister, "let me go and see the hunt: I can no longer refrain;" and he +begged hard till she consented. + +"But," said she, "when you return at evening I shall have shut my door +against the wild huntsmen, and in order that I may know you, knock +and say, 'My little sister, let me in;' but if you do not say so, I +shall not open the door." + +Now off sprang the roe, and was so happy to find himself in the open +air. The king and his huntsmen saw the beautiful beast and set off +after him, but they could not catch him; for when they thought they +had certainly got him, he sprang over a bush and disappeared. When it +was dark he galloped up to the little house, knocked, and cried, "My +little sister, let me in." And when the door was opened he sprang in, +and rested all night on his pretty little bed. Next morning the hunt +began again, and when the roe heard the blast of the horns, and the +"Ho! ho!" of the hunters, he could not rest, and cried, "Sister, open +the door; I must go." + +His sister opened the door and said, "But mind you must be back in the +evening and make your little speech, that I may let you in." + +When the king and his huntsmen saw the white roe with the gold band +once more, they all rode after him, but he was too quick and agile for +them. This chase lasted the whole day; at last, towards evening, the +hunters surrounded him, and wounded him with an arrow in the foot, so +that he was forced to limp and go slowly. One of the hunters, creeping +softly after him to the little house, heard him say, "My sister, let +me in," and saw that the door was opened and immediately shut to +again; so he went back to the king, and told him all he had seen and +heard. + +"We will have another hunt to-morrow," said the king. + +The little sister was greatly alarmed when she saw her white roe was +wounded; she washed off the blood, laid herbs upon the place, and +said, "Go now to thy bed, dear Roe, and get well." + +The wound, however, was so slight that the next morning he felt +nothing of it, and when he heard the noise of the hunt, he said, "I +cannot keep away; I must go, and nothing shall keep me." + +His sister cried and said, "Now you will go and be killed, and leave +me here alone in the forest, forsaken by all the world; I will not let +you go out." + +"Then I shall die here of grief," answered the roe: "for when I hear +the sound of the horn, I do feel as if I could jump out of my shoes." +So his sister could not do less than open the door with a heavy heart, +and the roe sprang out joyfully into the forest. + +As soon as the king saw him, he said to his huntsmen, "Now hunt him +all day till evening, but don't do anything to hurt him." + +When the sun was set the king said to his huntsman, "Now come and show +me the little house you saw in the wood." And when he was before the +door he knocked and cried, "Dear little sister, let me in." +Immediately the door opened, the king entered, and there stood a +maiden more beautiful than any one he had ever seen. The damsel was +frightened when she found there had come in, not her roe, but a man +who wore a golden crown on his head. But the king looked kindly at +her, took her hand and said, "Wilt thou go with me to my castle, and +be my dear wife?" + +"Oh yes," answered the maiden, "but the roe must come with me, for I +cannot forsake him." + +The king replied, "He shall remain with you as long as you live, and +shall want for nothing." + +At this moment he came springing in, his sister tied the cord of +rushes round his neck, led him with her own hand, and they all left +the little house together. + +The king took the beautiful maiden on his own horse and conducted her +to his castle, where the marriage was celebrated with great pomp. She +was now queen, and they lived a long time very happily together; while +the roe was petted and taken care of, and played all day about the +palace-garden. + +But the wicked stepmother, on whose account these children had been +driven into the wide world, thought nothing less than that the little +sister had been torn to pieces by wild beasts in the forest, and that +the brother, in the shape of a roe, had been killed by the hunters. +When she now heard they were so happy, and that everything went well +with them, envy and spite raged in her heart and gave her no rest, and +her only thought was how she could do some mischief to them both. Her +own daughter, who was as ugly as the night and had only one eye, was +continually reproaching her, and saying, "It is I who ought to have +been made queen." + +"Never mind," said the old witch to console her; "when the time comes +I will manage it." + +By and by the queen gave birth to a beautiful little boy; and the king +being away at the hunt, the old witch took upon herself the form of +the lady-in-waiting, entered the room where the queen lay, and said to +her, "Come, the bath is ready, which will do you good and give you new +strength; make haste before it gets cold." Her daughter was also at +hand, and they carried the poor weak queen between them into the +bathroom, and laid her in the bath: then they shut the door and ran +away. But under the bath they had first lighted a great furnace-fire, +so that the beautiful young queen could not save herself from being +scorched alive. + +When that was done the old witch took her own daughter, put a cap on +her, and laid her on the bed in the queen's room. She changed her also +into the shape of the young queen, all except her one eye, and she +could not give her another. But in order that the king might not +observe it, she was obliged to lie on that side where there was no +eye. In the evening, when he was come home, and heard that he had a +little son, he was very much delighted, and wished to visit his dear +wife and see how she was getting on; on which the old woman cried out +in a great hurry, "As you value your life, don't touch the curtain; +the queen must not see the light, and must be left quite quiet." So +the king went away, and never found out that it was a false queen in +the bed. + +But when it was midnight, and all the world was asleep, the nurse who +was sitting beside the cradle, and who was the only person awake, saw +the door open and the true queen come in. She took the baby out of the +cradle, laid it in her arms, and nursed it tenderly. She then shook +up the pillows, laid it down again, and covered it with the +counterpane. She did not forget the roe either, but went into the +corner where it lay, and stroked it gently. After this she passed out, +quite silently, through the door; and the nurse inquired next morning +of the sentinels whether any one had gained entrance into the palace +during the night, but they answered, "No--we have seen nobody." She +continued to come in the same way for several nights, though she spoke +never a word: the nurse always saw her, but never dared to mention it. + +When some time had passed, the queen at last began to speak, and +said-- + + "How is my baby? How is my roe? + I can come again twice, then for ever must go." + +The nurse could not answer her; but when she had disappeared she went +to the king, and told him all about it, upon which he cried, "What +does it mean? I will myself watch by the child to-night." + +In the evening he came to the nursery, and there at midnight the dead +queen appeared, and said-- + + "How is my baby? How is my roe? + I can come but once more, then for ever must go;" + +and nursed and fondled the baby as before, then vanished. The king did +not dare to address her, but watched again the following night. This +time she said-- + + "How is my baby? How is my roe? + I can come but this once, then for ever must go." + +Upon which the king could no longer contain himself, but sprang +forward and cried, "Thou canst surely be no one but my own dear wife!" + +She replied, "Yes, I am thy dear wife;" and as soon as she had spoken +these words she was restored to life, and became once more fresh and +blooming. + +Then she related to the king the crime committed on her by the old +witch and her ugly daughter, whom he at once commanded to be brought +to judgment, and had sentence passed upon them. The daughter was taken +forth into the woods, where the wild beasts tore her in pieces, and +the witch was burnt. And behold! as soon as there was nothing left of +her but ashes, the white roe became changed again and resumed his +human form; so they all lived happily together till the end of their +lives. + + + + +LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD. + + +Once there was a little village maiden, the prettiest ever seen. Her +mother was foolishly fond of her, and her grandmother likewise. The +old woman made for her a little hood, which became the damsel so well, +that ever after she went by the name of Little Red-Riding-Hood. One +day, when her mother was making cakes, she said, "My child, you shall +go and see your grandmother, for I hear she is not well; and you shall +take her some of these cakes, and a pot of butter." + +Little Red-Riding-Hood was delighted to go, though it was a long walk; +but she was a good child, and fond of her kind grandmother. Passing +through a wood, she met a great wolf, who was most eager to eat her +up, but dared not, because of a woodcutter who was busy hard by. So he +only came and asked her politely where she was going. The poor child, +who did not know how dangerous it is to stop and speak to wolves, +replied, "I am going to see my grandmother, and to take her a cake and +a pot of butter, which my mother has sent her." + +"Is it very far from hence?" asked the wolf. + +"Oh yes, it is just above the mill which you may see up there--the +first house you come to in the village." + +"Well," said the wolf, "I will go there also, to inquire after your +excellent grandmother; I will go one way, and you the other, and we +will see who can be there first." + +So he ran as fast as ever he could, taking the shortest road, but the +little maiden took the longest; for she stopped to pluck roses in the +wood, to chase butterflies, and gather nosegays of the prettiest +flowers she could find--she was such a happy and innocent little soul. + +The wolf was not long in reaching the grand-mother's door. He knocked, +Toc--toc, and the grandmother said, "Who is there?" + +"It is your child, Little Red-Riding-Hood," replied the wicked beast, +imitating the girl's voice; "I bring you a cake and a pot of butter, +which my mother has sent you." + +The grandmother, who was ill in her bed, said, "Very well, my dear, +pull the string and the latch will open." The wolf pulled the +string--the door flew open; he leaped in, fell upon the poor old +woman, and ate her up in less than no time, tough as she was, for he +had not tasted anything for more than three days. Then he carefully +shut the door, and laying himself down snugly in the bed, waited for +Little Red-Riding-Hood, who was not long before she came and knocked, +Toc--toc, at the door. + +"Who is there?" said the wolf; and the little maiden, hearing his +gruff voice, felt sure that her poor grandmother must have caught a +bad cold and be very ill indeed. + +So she answered cheerfully, "It is your child, Little +Red-Riding-Hood, who brings you a cake and a pot of butter that my +mother has sent you." + +Then the wolf, softening his voice as much as he could, said, "Pull +the string, and the latch will open." + +So Little Red-Riding-Hood pulled the string and the door opened. The +wolf, seeing her enter, hid himself as much as he could under the +cover-lid of the bed, and said in a whisper, "Put the cake and the pot +of butter on the shelf, and then make haste and come to bed, for it is +very late." + +Little Red-Riding-Hood did not think so; but, to please her +grandmother, she undressed herself and began to get ready for bed, +when she was very much astonished to find how different the old woman +looked from ordinary. + +"Grandmother, what great arms you have!" + +"That is to hug you the better, my dear." + +"Grandmother, what great ears you have!" + +"That is to hear you the better, my dear." + +"Grandmother, what great eyes you have!" + +"That is to see you the better, my dear." + +"Grandmother, what a great mouth you have!" + +"That is to eat you up," cried the wicked wolf; and immediately he +fell upon poor Little Red-Riding-Hood, and ate her up in a moment. + + + + +PUSS IN BOOTS. + + +A Miller, dying, divided all his property between his three children. +This was a very simple matter, as he had nothing to leave but his +mill, his ass, and his cat; so he made no will, and called in no +lawyer, who would, probably, have taken a large slice out of these +poor possessions. The eldest son took the mill, the second the ass, +while the third was obliged to content himself with the cat, at which +he grumbled very much. "My brothers," said he, "by putting their +property together, may gain an honest livelihood, but there is nothing +left for me except to die of hunger; unless, indeed, I were to kill my +cat and eat him, and make a coat out of his skin, which would be very +scanty clothing." + +The cat, who heard the young man talking to himself, sat up on his +four paws, and looking at him with a grave and wise air, said, +"Master, I think you had better not kill me; I shall be much more +useful to you alive." + +"How so?" asked his master. + +"You have but to give me a sack, and a pair of boots such as gentlemen +wear when they go shooting, and you will find you are not so ill off +as you suppose." + +Now, though the young miller did not much depend upon the cat's words, +still he thought it rather surprising that a cat should speak at all. +And he had before now seen him show so much adroitness and cleverness +in catching rats and mice, that it seemed advisable to trust him a +little farther, especially as, poor young fellow! he had nobody else +to trust. + +When the cat got his boots, he drew them on with a grand air, and +slinging his sack over his shoulder, and drawing the cords of it round +his neck, he marched bravely to a rabbit-warren hard by, with which he +was well acquainted. Then, putting some bran and lettuces into his +bag, and stretching himself out beside it as if he were dead, he +waited till some fine fat young rabbit, ignorant of the wickedness and +deceit of the world, should peer into the sack to eat the food that +was inside. This happened very shortly, for there are plenty of +foolish young rabbits in every warren; and when one of them, who +really was a splendid fat fellow, put his head inside, Master Puss +drew the cords immediately, and took him and killed him without mercy. +Then, very proud of his prey, he marched direct up to the palace, and +begged to speak with the king. He was desired to ascend to the +apartments of his majesty, where, making a low bow, he said, + +"Sire, here is a magnificent rabbit, killed in the warren which +belongs to my lord the Marquis of Carabas, and which he has desired me +to offer humbly to your majesty." + +"Tell your master," replied the king, politely, "that I accept his +present, and am very much obliged to him." + +Another time, Puss went and hid himself and his sack in a wheat-field, +and there caught two splendid fat partridges in the same manner as he +had done the rabbit. When he presented them to the king, with a +similar message as before, his majesty was so pleased that he ordered +the cat to be taken down into the kitchen and given something to eat +and drink; where, while enjoying himself, the faithful animal did not +cease to talk in the most cunning way of the large preserves and +abundant game which belonged to my lord the Marquis of Carabas. + +One day, hearing that the king was intending to take a drive along the +river-side with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the +world, Puss said to his master, "Sir, if you would only follow my +advice, your fortune is made." + +"Be it so," said the miller's son, who was growing very disconsolate, +and cared little what he did: "Say your say, cat." + +"It is but little," replied Puss, looking wise, as cats can. "You have +only to go and bathe in the river, at a place which I shall show you, +and leave all the rest to me. Only remember that you are no longer +yourself, but my lord the Marquis of Carabas." + +"Just so," said the miller's son; "it's all the same to me;" but he +did as the cat told him. + +While he was bathing, the king and all the court passed by, and were +startled to hear loud cries of "Help, help! my lord the Marquis of +Carabas is drowning." The king put his head out of the carriage, and +saw nobody but the cat, who had, at different times, brought him so +many presents of game; however, he ordered his guards to fly quickly +to the succour of my lord the Marquis of Carabas. While they were +pulling the unfortunate marquis out of the water, the cat came up, +bowing, to the side of the king's carriage, and told a long and +pitiful story about some thieves, who, while his master was bathing, +had come and carried away all his clothes, so that it would be +impossible for him to appear before his majesty and the illustrious +princess. + +"Oh, we will soon remedy that," answered the king, kindly; and +immediately ordered one of the first officers of the household to ride +back to the palace with all speed, and bring back the most elegant +supply of clothes for the young gentleman, who kept in the background +until they arrived. Then, being handsome and well-made, his new +clothes became him so well, that he looked as if he had been a marquis +all his days, and advanced with an air of respectful ease to offer his +thanks to his majesty. + +The king received him courteously, and the princess admired him very +much. Indeed, so charming did he appear to her, that she hinted to her +father to invite him into the carriage with them, which, you may be +sure, the young man did not refuse. The cat, delighted at the success +of his scheme, went away as fast as he could, and ran so swiftly that +he kept a long way ahead of the royal carriage. He went on and on, +till he came to some peasants who were mowing in a meadow. "Good +people," said he, in a very firm voice, "the king is coming past here +shortly, and if you do not say that the field you are mowing belongs +to my lord the Marquis of Carabas, you shall all be chopped as small +as mince-meat." + +So when the king drove by, and asked whose meadow it was where there +was such a splendid crop of hay, the mowers all answered, trembling, +that it belonged to my lord the Marquis of Carabas. + +"You have very fine land, Marquis," said his majesty to the miller's +son; who bowed, and answered "that it was not a bad meadow, take it +altogether." + +Then the cat came to a wheat-field, where the reapers were reaping +with all their might. He bounded in upon them: "The king is coming +past to-day, and if you do not tell him that this wheat belongs to my +lord the Marquis of Carabas, I will have you every one chopped as +small as mince-meat." The reapers, very much alarmed, did as they were +bid, and the king congratulated the Marquis upon possessing such +beautiful fields, laden with such an abundant harvest. + +They drove on--the cat always running before and saying the same thing +to everybody he met, that they were to declare the whole country +belonged to his master; so that even the king was astonished at the +vast estate of my lord the Marquis of Carabas. + +But now the cat arrived at a great castle where dwelt an Ogre, to whom +belonged all the land through which the royal equipage had been +driving. He was a cruel tyrant, and his tenants and servants were +terribly afraid of him, which accounted for their being so ready to +say whatever they were told to say by the cat, who had taken pains to +inform himself of all about the Ogre. So, putting on the boldest face +he could assume, Puss marched up to the castle with his boots on, and +asked to see the owner of it, saying that he was on his travels, but +did not wish to pass so near the castle of such a noble gentleman +without paying his respects to him. When the Ogre heard this message, +he went to the door, received the cat as civilly as an Ogre can, and +begged him to walk in and repose himself. + +"Thank you, sir," said the cat; "but first I hope you will satisfy a +traveller's curiosity. I have heard in far countries of your many +remarkable qualities, and especially how you have the power to change +yourself into any sort of beast you choose--a lion for instance, or an +elephant." + +"That is quite true," replied the Ogre; "and lest you should doubt it, +I will immediately become a lion." + +He did so; and the cat was so frightened that he sprang up to the roof +of the castle and hid himself in the gutter--a proceeding rather +inconvenient on account of his boots, which were not exactly fitted to +walk with upon tiles. At length, perceiving that the Ogre had resumed +his original form, he came down again stealthily, and confessed that +he had been very much frightened. + +"But, sir," said he, "it may be easy enough for such a big gentleman +as you to change himself into a large animal: I do not suppose you +can become a small one--a rat or mouse for instance. I have heard +that you can; still, for my part, I consider it quite impossible." + +"Impossible!" cried the other, indignantly. "You shall see!" and +immediately the cat saw the Ogre no longer, but a little mouse running +along on the floor. + +This was exactly what he wanted; and he did the very best a cat could +do, and the most natural under the circumstances--he sprang upon the +mouse and gobbled it up in a trice. So there was an end of the Ogre. + +By this time the king had arrived opposite the castle, and was seized +with a strong desire to enter it. The cat, hearing the noise of the +carriage-wheels, ran forward in a great hurry, and standing at the +gate, said in a loud voice, "Welcome, sire, to the castle of my lord +the Marquis of Carabas." + +"What!" cried his majesty, very much surprised, "does the castle also +belong to you? Truly, Marquis, you have kept your secret well up to +the last minute. I have never seen anything finer than this courtyard +and these battlements. Indeed, I have nothing like them in the whole +of my dominions." + +The Marquis, without speaking, offered his hand to the princess to +assist her to descend, and, standing aside that the king might enter +first--for he had already acquired all the manners of a +court--followed his majesty to the great hall, where a magnificent +collation was laid out, and where, without more delay, they all sat +down to feast. + +Before the banquet was over, the king, charmed with the good qualities +of the Marquis of Carabas--and likewise with his wine, of which he had +drunk six or seven cups--said, bowing across the table at which the +princess and the miller's son were talking very confidentially +together, "It rests with you, Marquis, whether you will not become my +son-in-law." + +"I shall be only too happy," said the complaisant Marquis, and the +princess's cast-down eyes declared the same. + +So they were married the very next day, and took possession of the +Ogre's castle, and of everything that had belonged to him. + +As for the cat, he became at once a grand personage, and had never +more any need to run after mice, except for his own diversion. + + + + +THE WOLF + +AND + +The Seven Young Goslings. + + +There was once an old goose who had seven young goslings, and loved +them as only a mother can love her children. One day she was going +into the wood to seek for provender, and before setting off she called +all seven to her and said, "Dear children, I am obliged to go into the +wood, so be on your guard against the wolf; for if he gets in here he +will eat you up, feathers, skin, and all. The villain often disguises +himself, but you can easily recognise him by his rough voice and black +paws." + +The children answered, "Dear mother, we will take great care; you may +go without any anxiety." So the old lady was comforted, and set off +cheerfully for the wood. + +Before long, some one knocked at the door, and cried, "Open, open, my +dear children; your mother is here, and has brought something for each +of you." + +But the goslings soon perceived, by the rough voice, that it was the +wolf. "We will not open," said they; "you are not our mother, for she +has a sweet and lovely voice; but your voice is rough--you are the +wolf." + +Thereupon the wolf set off to a merchant and bought a large lump of +chalk; he ate it, and it made his voice sweet. Back he came, knocked +at the door, and cried, "Open, open, my dear children; your mother is +here, and has brought something for each of you." + +But the wolf had laid his black paw on the window-sill, and when the +children saw it, they cried, "We will not open; our mother has not +black feet like you--you are the wolf." + +So the wolf ran off to the baker, and said, "I have hurt my foot, put +some dough on it." And when the baker had plastered it with dough, the +wolf went to the miller and cried, "Strew some meal on my paws." But +the miller thought to himself, "The wolf wants to deceive some one," +and he hesitated to do it; till the wolf said, "If you don't do it at +once, I will eat you up." So the miller was afraid and made his paws +white. Such is the way of the world! + +Now came the rogue back for the third time, knocked and said, "Open +the door, dear children; your mother has come home, and has brought +something for each of you out of the wood." + +The little goslings cried, "Show us your paws first, that we may see +whether you are indeed our mother." So he laid his paws on the +window-sill, and when the goslings saw that they were white, they +believed it was all right, and opened the door; and who should come in +but the wolf! + +They screamed out and tried to hide themselves; one jumped under the +table, another into the bed, the third into the oven; the fourth ran +into the kitchen, the fifth hopped into a chest, the sixth under the +wash-tub, and the seventh got into the clock-case. But the wolf seized +them, and stood on no ceremony with them; one after another he gobbled +them all up, except the youngest, who being in the clock-case he +couldn't find. When the wolf had eaten his fill, he strolled forth, +laid himself down in the green meadow under a tree, and went fast +asleep. + +Not long after, back came the old goose home from the wood; but what, +alas! did she see? The house-door stood wide open; table, chairs, +benches, were all overthrown; the wash-tub lay in the ashes; blankets +and pillows were torn off the bed. She looked for her children, but +nowhere could she find them; she called them each by name, but nobody +answered. At last, when she came to the youngest, a little squeaking +voice answered, "Dear mother, I am in the clock-case." She pulled him +out, and he told her how the wolf had come and had eaten up all the +others. You may think how she wept for her dear children. + +At last, in her grief, she went out, and the youngest gosling ran +beside her. And when she came to the meadow there lay the wolf under +the tree, snoring till the boughs shook. She walked round and examined +him on all sides, till she perceived that something was moving and +kicking about inside him. + +"Can it be," thought she, "that my poor children whom he has swallowed +for his supper are yet alive?" So she sent the little gosling back to +the house for scissors, needle, and thread, and began to slit up the +monster's stomach. Scarcely had she given one snip, when out came the +head of a gosling, and when she had cut a little further, the six +jumped out one after another, not having taken the least hurt, because +the greedy monster had swallowed them down whole. That was a joy! They +embraced their mother tenderly, and skipped about as lively as a +tailor at his wedding. + +But the old goose said, "Now go and find me six large stones, which we +will put inside the greedy beast while he is still asleep." So the +goslings got the stones in all haste, and they put them inside the +wolf; and the old goose sewed him up again in a great hurry, while he +never once moved nor took any notice. + +Now when the wolf at last woke up and got upon his legs, he found he +was very thirsty, and wished to go to the spring to drink. But as soon +as he began to move the stones began to shake and rattle inside him, +till he cried,-- + + "What's this rumbling and tumbling, + What's this rattling like bones? + I thought I had eaten six little geese, + But they've turned out only stones." + +And when he came to the spring and bent down his head to drink, the +heavy stones overbalanced him, and in he went head over heels. Now +when the seven goslings saw this, they came running up, crying +loudly, "The wolf is dead, the wolf is dead!" and danced for joy all +round the spring, and their mother with them. + + + + +THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN LOCKS. + + +There was once a king's daughter so beautiful that they named her the +Fair One with Golden Locks. These golden locks were the most +remarkable in the world, soft and fine, and falling in long waves down +to her very feet. She wore them always thus, loose and flowing, +surmounted with a wreath of flowers; and though such long hair was +sometimes rather inconvenient, it was so exceedingly beautiful, +shining in the sun like ripples of molten gold, that everybody agreed +she fully deserved her name. + +Now there was a young king of a neighbouring country, very handsome, +very rich, and wanting nothing but a wife to make him happy. He heard +so much of the various perfections of the Fair One with Golden Locks, +that at last, without even seeing her, he fell in love with her so +desperately that he could neither eat nor drink, and resolved to send +an ambassador at once to demand her in marriage. So he ordered a +magnificent equipage--more than a hundred horses and a hundred +footmen--in order to bring back to him the Fair One with Golden Locks, +who, he never doubted, would be only too happy to become his queen. +Indeed, he felt so sure of her that he refurnished the whole palace, +and had made, by all the dressmakers of the city, dresses enough to +last a lady for a lifetime. But, alas! when the ambassador arrived and +delivered his message, either the princess was in a bad humor, or the +offer did not appear to be to her taste; for she returned her best +thanks to his majesty, but said she had not the slightest wish or +intention to be married. She also, being a prudent damsel, declined +receiving any of the presents which the king had sent her; except +that, not quite to offend his majesty, she retained a box of English +pins, which were in that country of considerable value. + +When the ambassador returned, alone and unsuccessful, all the court +was very much affected, and the king himself began to weep with all +his might. Now, there was in the palace household a young gentleman +named Avenant, beautiful as the sun, besides being at once so amiable +and so wise that the king confided to him all his affairs; and every +one loved him, except those people--to be found in all courts--who +were envious of his good fortune. These malicious folk hearing him say +gaily, "If the king had sent me to fetch the Fair One with Golden +Locks, I know she would have come back with me," repeated the saying +in such a manner, that it appeared as if Avenant thought so much of +himself and his beauty, and felt sure the princess would have followed +him all over the world; which when it came to the ears of the king, as +it was meant to do, irritated him so much that he commanded Avenant to +be imprisoned in a high tower, and left to die there of hunger. The +guards accordingly carried off the young man, who had quite forgotten +his idle speech, and had not the least idea what fault he had +committed. They ill-treated him very much, and then left him, with +nothing to eat and only water to drink. This, however, kept him alive +for a few days, during which he did not cease to complain aloud, and +to call upon the king, saying, "O king, what harm have I done? You +have no subject more faithful than I. Never have I had a thought which +could offend you." + +And it so befell that the king, coming by chance, or else with a sort +of remorse, past the tower, was touched by the voice of the young +Avenant, whom he had once so much regarded. In spite of all the +courtiers could do to prevent him, he stopped to listen, and overheard +these words. The tears rushed into his eyes; he opened the door of the +tower, and called, "Avenant!" Avenant came, creeping feebly along, +fell at the king's knees, and kissed his feet: + +"O sire, what have I done that you should treat me so cruelly?" + +"You have mocked me and my ambassador; for you said, if I had sent you +to fetch the Fair One with Golden Locks, you would have been +successful and brought her back." + +"I did say it, and it was true," replied Avenant fearlessly; "for I +should have told her so much about your majesty and your various high +qualities, which no one knows so well as myself, that I am persuaded +she would have returned with me." + +"I believe it," said the king, with an angry look at those who had +spoken ill of his favourite; he then gave Avenant a free pardon, and +took him back with him to the court. + +After having supplied the famished youth with as much supper as he +could eat, the king admitted him to a private audience, and said, "I +am as much in love as ever with the Fair One with Golden Locks, so I +will take thee at thy word, and send thee to try and win her for me." + +"Very well, please your majesty," replied Avenant cheerfully; "I will +depart to-morrow." + +The king, overjoyed with his willingness and hopefulness, would have +furnished him with a still more magnificent equipage and suite than +the first ambassador; but Avenant refused to take anything except a +good horse to ride, and letters of introduction to the princess's +father. The king embraced him and eagerly saw him depart. + +It was on a Monday morning when, without any pomp or show, Avenant +thus started on his mission. He rode slowly and meditatively, +pondering over every possible means of persuading the Fair One with +Golden Locks to marry the king; but, even after several days' journey +towards her country, no clear project had entered into his mind. One +morning, when he had started at break of day, he came to a great +meadow with a stream running through it, along which were planted +willows and poplars. It was such a pleasant, rippling stream that he +dismounted and sat down on its banks. There he perceived, gasping on +the grass, a large golden carp, which, in leaping too far after gnats, +had thrown itself quite out of the water, and now lay dying on the +greensward. Avenant took pity on it, and though he was very hungry, +and the fish was very fat, and he would well enough have liked it for +his breakfast, still he lifted it gently and put it back into the +stream. No sooner had the carp touched the fresh cool water than it +revived and swam away; but shortly returning, it spoke to him from the +water in this wise:-- + +"Avenant, I thank you for your good deed. I was dying, and you have +saved me: I will recompense you for this one day." + +After this pretty little speech, the fish popped down to the bottom of +the stream, according to the habit of carp, leaving Avenant very much +astonished, as was natural. + +Another day he met with a raven that was in great distress, being +pursued by an eagle, which would have swallowed him up in no time. +"See," thought Avenant, "how the stronger oppress the weaker! What +right has an eagle to eat up a raven?" So taking his bow and arrow, +which he always carried, he shot the eagle dead, and the raven, +delighted, perched in safety on an opposite tree. + +"Avenant," screeched he, though not in the sweetest voice in the +world; "you have generously succoured me, a poor miserable raven. I +am not ungrateful, and I will recompense you one day. + +"Thank you," said Avenant, and continued his road. + +Entering in a thick wood, so dark with the shadows of early morning +that he could scarcely find his way, he heard an owl hooting, like an +owl in great tribulation. She had been caught by the nets spread by +birdcatchers to entrap finches, larks, and other small birds. "What a +pity," thought Avenant, "that men must always torment poor birds and +beasts who have done them no harm!" So he took out his knife, cut the +net, and let the owl go free. She went sailing up into the air, but +immediately returned hovering over his head on her brown wings. + +"Avenant," said she, "at daylight the birdcatchers would have been +here, and I should have been caught and killed. I have a grateful +heart; I will recompense you one day." + +These were the three principal adventures that befell Avenant on his +way to the kingdom of the Fair One with Golden Locks. Arrived there, +he dressed himself with the greatest care, in a habit of silver +brocade, and a hat adorned with plumes of scarlet and white. He threw +over all a rich mantle, and carried a little basket, in which was a +lovely little dog, an offering of respect to the princess. With this +he presented himself at the palace-gates, where, even though he came +alone, his mien was so dignified and graceful, so altogether charming, +that every one did him reverence, and was eager to run and tell the +Fair One with Golden Locks, that Avenant another ambassador from the +king her suitor, awaited an audience. + +"Avenant!" repeated the princess, "That is a pretty name; perhaps the +youth is pretty too." + +"So beautiful," said the ladies of honour, "that while he stood under +the palace-window we could do nothing but look at him." + +"How silly of you!" sharply said the princess. But she desired them to +bring her robe of blue satin to comb out her long hair, and adorn it +with the freshest garland of flowers; to give her her high-heeled +shoes, and her fan. "Also," added she, "take care that my +audience-chamber is well swept and my throne well dusted. I wish in +everything to appear as becomes the Fair One with Golden Locks." + +This done, she seated herself on her throne of ivory and ebony, and +gave orders for her musicians to play, but softly, so as not to +disturb conversation. Thus, shining in all her beauty, she admitted +Avenant to her presence. + +He was so dazzled that at first he could not speak: then he began and +delivered his harangue to perfection. + +"Gentle Avenant," returned the princess, after listening to all his +reasons for her returning with him, "your arguments are very strong, +and I am inclined to listen to them; but you must first find for me a +ring, which I dropped into the river about a month ago. Until I +recover it, I can listen to no propositions of marriage." + +Avenant, surprised and disturbed, made her a profound reverence and +retired, taking with him the basket and the little dog Cabriole, which +she refused to accept. All night long he sat sighing to himself, "How +can I ever find a ring which she dropped into the river a month ago? +She has set me an impossibility." + +"My dear master," said Cabriole, "nothing is an impossibility to one +so young and charming as you are: let us go at daybreak to the +river-side." + +Avenant patted him, but replied nothing: until, worn out with grief, +he slept. Before dawn Cabriole wakened him, saying, "Master, dress +yourself and let us go to the river." + +There Avenant walked up and down, with his arms folded and his head +bent, but saw nothing. At last he heard a voice, calling from a +distance, "Avenant, Avenant!" + +The little dog ran to the water-side--"Never believe me again, master, +if it is not a golden carp with a ring in its mouth!" + +"Yes, Avenant," said the carp, "this is the ring which the princess +has lost. You saved my life in the willow meadow, and I have +recompensed you. Farewell!" + +Avenant took the ring gratefully and returned to the palace with +Cabriole, who scampered about in great glee. Craving an audience, he +presented the princess with her ring, and begged her to accompany him +to his master's kingdom. She took the ring, looked at it, and thought +she was surely dreaming. + +"Some fairy must have assisted you, fortunate Avenant," said she. + +"Madam, I am only fortunate in my desire to obey your wishes." + +"Obey me still," she said graciously. "There is a prince named +Galifron, whose suit I have refused. He is a giant as tall as a tower, +who eats a man as a monkey eats a nut: he puts cannons into his +pockets instead of pistols; and when he speaks, his voice is so loud +that every one near him becomes deaf. Go and fight him, and bring me +his head." + +Avenant was thunderstruck; but after a time he recovered +himself--"Very well, madam. I shall certainly perish, but I will +perish like a brave man. I will depart at once to fight the Giant +Galifron." + +The princess, now in her turn surprised and alarmed, tried every +persuasion to induce him not to go, but in vain. Avenant armed himself +and started, carrying his little dog in its basket. Cabriole was the +only creature that gave him consolation: "Courage, master! While you +attack the giant, I will bite his legs: he will stoop down to strike +me, and then you can knock him on the head." Avenant smiled at the +little dog's spirit, but he knew it was useless. + +Arrived at the castle of Galifron, he found the road all strewn with +bones, and carcases of men. Soon he saw the giant walking. His head +was level with the highest trees, and he sang in a terrific voice-- + + "Bring me babies to devour; + More--more--more--more-- + Men and women, tender and tough; + All the world holds not enough." + +To which Avenant replied, imitating the tune-- + + "Avenant you here may see, + He is come to punish thee: + Be he tender, be he tough, + To kill thee, giant, he is enough." + +Hearing these words, the giant took up his massive club, looked around +for the singer, and, perceiving him, would have slain him on the spot, +had not a raven, sitting on a tree close by, suddenly flown out upon +him and picked out both his eyes. Then Avenant easily killed him and +cut off his head, while the raven, watching him, said-- + +"You shot the eagle who was pursuing me: I promised to recompense you, +and to-day I have done it. We are quits." + +"No, it is I who am your debtor, Sir Raven," replied Avenant, as, +hanging the frightful head to his saddle-bow, he mounted his horse and +rode back to the city of the Fair One with Golden Locks. + +There everybody followed him, shouting, "Here is brave Avenant, who +has killed the giant," until the princess, hearing the noise, and +fearing it was Avenant himself who was killed, appeared, all +trembling; and even when he appeared with Galifron's head, she +trembled still, although she had nothing to fear. + +"Madam," said Avenant, "your enemy is dead: so I trust you will accept +the hand of the king my master." + +"I cannot," replied she thoughtfully, "unless you first bring me a +phial of the water in the Grotto of Darkness. It is six leagues in +length, and guarded at the entrance by two fiery dragons. Within it is +a pit, full of scorpions, lizards, and serpents, and at the bottom of +this place flows the Fountain of Beauty and Health. All who wash in it +become, if ugly, beautiful, and if beautiful, beautiful for ever; if +old, young; and if young, young for ever. Judge then, Avenant, if I +can quit my kingdom without carrying with me some of this miraculous +water." + +"Madam," replied Avenant, "you are already so beautiful that you +require it not; but I am an unfortunate ambassador whose death you +desire: I will obey you, though I know I shall never return." + +So he departed with his only friends--his horse and his faithful dog +Cabriole; while all who met him looked at him compassionately, pitying +so pretty a youth bound on such a hopeless errand. But, however kindly +they addressed him, Avenant rode on and answered nothing, for he was +too sad at heart. + +He reached a mountain-side, where he sat down to rest, leaving his +horse to graze, and Cabriole to run after the flies. He knew that the +Grotto of Darkness was not far off, yet he looked about him like one +who sees nothing. At last he perceived a rock, as black as ink, whence +came a thick smoke; and in a moment appeared one of the two dragons, +breathing out flames. It had a yellow and green body, claws, and a +long tail. When Cabriole saw the monster, the poor little dog hid +himself in terrible fright. But Avenant resolved to die bravely; so, +taking a phial which the princess had given him, he prepared to +descend into the cave. + +"Cabriole," said he, "I shall soon be dead: then fill this phial with +my blood, and carry it to the Fair One with Golden Locks, and +afterwards to the king my master, to show him I have been faithful to +the last." + +While he was thus speaking, a voice called, "Avenant, Avenant!"--and +he saw an owl sitting on a hollow tree. Said the owl: "You cut the net +in which I was caught, and I vowed to recompense you. Now is the time. +Give me the phial: I know every corner of the Grotto of Darkness--I +will fetch you the water of beauty." + +Delighted beyond words, Avenant delivered up his phial; the owl flew +with it into the grotto, and in less than half-an-hour reappeared, +bringing it quite full and well corked. Avenant thanked her with all +his heart, and joyfully took once more the road to the city. + +The Fair One with Golden Locks had no more to say. She consented to +accompany him back, with all her suite, to his master's court. On the +way thither, she saw so much of him, and found him so charming, that +Avenant might have married her himself had he chosen; but he would not +have been false to his master for all the beauties under the sun. At +length they arrived at the king's city, and the Fair One with Golden +Locks became his spouse and queen. But she still loved Avenant in her +heart, and often said to the king her lord--"But for Avenant I should +not be here; he has done all sorts of impossible deeds for my sake; he +has fetched me the water of beauty, and I shall never grow old--in +short, I owe him everything." + +And she praised him in this sort so much, that at length the king +became jealous; and though Avenant gave him not the slightest cause of +offence, he shut him up in the same high tower once more--but with +irons on his hands and feet, and a cruel jailer besides, who fed him +with bread and water only. His sole companion was his little dog +Cabriole. + +When the Fair One with Golden Locks heard of this, she reproached her +husband for his ingratitude, and then, throwing herself at his knees, +implored that Avenant might be set free. But the king only said, "She +loves him!" and refused her prayer. The queen entreated no more, but +fell into a deep melancholy. + +When the king saw it, he thought she did not care for him because he +was not handsome enough; and that if he could wash his face with her +water of beauty, it would make her love him more. He knew that she +kept it in a cabinet in her chamber, where she could find it always. + +Now it happened that a waiting-maid, in cleaning out this cabinet, +had, the very day before knocked down the phial, which was broken in a +thousand pieces, and all the contents were lost. Very much alarmed, +she then remembered seeing, in a cabinet belonging to the king, a +similar phial. This she fetched, and put in the place of the other +one, in which was the water of beauty. But the king's phial contained +the water of death. It was a poison, used to destroy great +criminals--that is, noblemen, gentlemen, and such like. Instead of +hanging them or cutting their heads off, like common people, they were +compelled to wash their faces with this water; upon which they fell +asleep, and woke no more. So it happened that the king, taking up this +phial, believing it to be the water of beauty, washed his face with +it, fell asleep, and--died. + +Cabriole heard the news, and, gliding in and out among the crowd which +clustered round the young and lovely widow, whispered softly to +her--"Madam, do not forget poor Avenant." If she had been disposed to +do so, the sight of his little dog would have been enough to remind +her of him--his many sufferings, and his great fidelity. She rose up, +without speaking to anybody, and went straight to the tower where +Avenant was confined. There, with her own hands, she struck off his +chains, and putting a crown of gold on his head, and a purple mantle +on his shoulders, said to him, "Be king--and my husband." + +Avenant could not refuse; for in his heart he had loved her all the +time. He threw himself at her feet, and then took the crown and +sceptre, and ruled her kingdom like a king. All the people were +delighted to have him as their sovereign. The marriage was celebrated +in all imaginable pomp, and Avenant and the Fair One with Golden Locks +lived and reigned happily together all their days. + + + + +THE BUTTERFLY. + + +In the time of the illustrious Merinous, it was indeed a pleasure to +be a king; the laws were just, the people obedient, and peace was over +the land. This monarch would have been the happiest of men, but for +the continual complaints of his consort, which tore his very heart in +twain. She wept continually for her daughters, nineteen of whom had +perished in the flower of youth. The Fairy of the Fountain had +promised a twentieth; but years passed away in fruitless expectation. +"You have neglected to do the fairy sufficient homage," said the king +one day; "I shall give orders to conduct you to the foot of the +mountain with pomp and splendour. But when arrived there the mountain +itself must be climbed on foot, with many fatigues: most women would +rather die childless than encounter them." + +"Courage shall not be wanting on my part," said the queen, "and I wish +to set out immediately." + +The king kissed her forehead, bade her good-night, and fell asleep. + +At early dawn appeared in the grand court of the palace an equipage, +dazzling as the sun itself; the wheels were of massy gold, with +emerald nails, which sparkled in the light. It was drawn by forty-two +horses, white as snow, whose reins were of rose-coloured satin, the +fashion of that period. They snorted impatiently, striking fire from +the pavement beneath their feet; their eyes were inflamed; their bits +covered with foam, and their proud and triumphant air seemed already +to announce the success of the queen's enterprise. Three thousand +chevaliers, armed at all points and mounted on fiery coursers, wheeled +about the chariot, the air resounding with their joyful acclamations +of--"_Long live King Merinous and his august spouse!_" + +The queen saluted the people with the utmost grace and condescension, +which caused such immoderate joy, that she was almost stifled by the +pressure of the crowd: but the guards gently kept them at a distance, +and the procession passed on. + +When her majesty had reached the foot of the mountain, she alighted +from her chariot, and, accompanied by only four maids-of-honour, +proceeded on foot. + +This mountain was formed of slippery earth, slightly covered over with +green turf, but giving way at every step. The queen's pretty little +white satin shoes were soon left behind; and her feet next stuck so +fast that she could not withdraw them; her fair hands were in the same +plight; she cried aloud for succour, fearing she should be completely +buried alive. + +Turning then round to look for her maids-of-honour, she perceived that +they had fallen flat on their faces (the impression remains till this +day), and were struggling, making the most desperate efforts, less in +consideration of their own danger than that of the queen. In fine, +after four hours and a half's patient perseverance they succeeded in +regaining their feet; and strange to say, no mud or clay attached +itself to their clothes; nothing worse than a slight shade of the +green turf, which assumed the appearance of a gauze veil. The fairy +then, seeing the queen willing to overcome difficulties, would not try +her further, but with one stroke of a wand reduced the mountain two or +three hundred feet; the remaining height was very dry and easy of +ascent. + +The queen was thus conducted to a delicious grove: a coral fountain +rose in the midst; its waters, of the purest rose-colour, wound along +the meadow, murmuring plaintive airs, whose words were perfectly +distinguishable. The fairy there welcomed her majesty, who prepared to +explain the occasion of her journey; but that was quite unnecessary. +The fairy, exacting profound secrecy, presented her with a phial of +water drawn from the fountain, strictly ordering that it should be +broken when she had drank it all. The queen, charmed by this +reception, made presents of inestimable value, and rejoined her +maids-of-honour, who had been thrown into an enchanted sleep. They +then returned to the palace in such high spirits, that all the court +danced and sung for a month afterwards. + +In due course her majesty became, for the twentieth time, a joyful +mother. + +The magnificence and liberality displayed on this occasion exceed +belief. The royal palace was surrounded by three hundred large spouts +which poured forth alternately, night and day the choicest sweetmeats, +confectionery, and money; the streets, in fact, were filled--the +passengers had only to stoop down and be satisfied. + +But in the midst of these festivities the Fairy of the Fountain, +uncovering the little princess's cradle, which was of mother-o'-pearl +studded with diamonds, perceived a beautiful butterfly, placed +immediately under the infant's left eye. + +The chief cradle-rocker, who dreaded being taxed with negligence, took +a humming-bird's wing, and endeavoured to chase it away, but all in +vain: it remained quite unconcerned in the same spot, extending its +large wings of rose-colour and azure-blue on the face of the princess, +appearing rather to caress than to wish to do her any injury. "Ah!" +said the fairy, "this butterfly is not what you imagine. It is a +powerful fairy, who presides at the birth of the most distinguished +princesses, and endows them with a degree of levity which generally +leads to misfortune. I can lessen the evil, without doubt, but I +cannot entirely avert it." The queen wept bitterly at this sad news, +and the king saw no person during eight days. He then ceased to think +on the subject. + +Misfortunes rarely enter into the speculations of kings. Masters of +the destinies of others, mankind flatter them into a belief that their +power can almost control fate itself. Accordingly, the visit of the +butterfly did not produce much permanent inquietude. The +poets-laureate and literati of the court turned it into numerous +sentimental conceits; amongst others, that the insect had fastened on +the princess's cheek mistaking it for a rose. This idea branched out +into a hundred elegies, a thousand madrigals, and fifteen hundred +songs, which were sung in all the principal families, and adapted to +airs, some already known, and others composed for the occasion. + +The fairy frequently visited her little charge, but was unable to +conquer her fickle disposition. Ten different nurses had already been +obliged to give her up; she scratched them, bit them, and obstinately +refused to be fed. When she grew older, and began her education, she +was so easily wearied and vexed, that no one dared to contradict her. +The fairy was consulted; who made her smell at a very rare flower. +This produced a degree of intelligence so extraordinary, that in three +days she could read, write, speak all languages, and play on every +instrument after just twenty-three minutes' application. + +The queen was now delighted, for the princess's talents were noised +abroad equally with her beauty. She had scarcely attained the age of +fourteen when many kings sought the honour of her hand. The good King +Merinous was well stricken in years, and fondly desired to see +Papillette established. All who seemed worthy of her received a +favourable reception, and amongst this number was the accomplished +Prince Favourite. After he had been presented in due form, the old +monarch asked his daughter what she thought of their new guest. + +"Sire," replied the maiden, "I have been brought up with too much +modesty and reserve to bestow attention on strangers of the other +sex." + +"That is true," returned the monarch; "but merely regarding him as a +picture, how has he appeared to you?" + +"Tall and handsome," answered Papillette, "his chestnut hair clinging +in close and crisping curls to his ivory brow; his eyes of +violet-blue, filled with soft vivacity; his teeth, of the most +brilliant white, divide lips of coral; his nose is perfect Grecian, +and his limbs like the rarest statuary. I might say more, had I +ventured to look at the prince." + +"It is enough," said the king; "your first glance has shown you +enough. I am delighted that you are so sensible to the merits of +Prince Favourite, as I design him for your husband. Love him +accordingly." + +"Your majesty's commands are laws to your dutiful daughter," replied +Papillette. + +One may easily imagine with what magnificence preparations were made +for the nuptials; the king hastened them, lest his daughter's +fickleness and levity might cause disappointment to their dearest +hopes. + +Papillette one day, while steadily regarding her lover, who was +kneeling before her, appeared struck by something which made an +impression as sudden as disagreeable. She repulsed Prince Favourite, +saying she was seized with a headache, and could not be troubled with +company. + +The lover submissively arose and went to seek the queen, beseeching +her to find out what he had done, and to intercede in his favour. Her +majesty accordingly questioned the princess, who, bathed in tears, +threw herself into the arms of her mother, confessing that she had +made a discovery which totally altered her sentiments regarding the +prince. "Is it possible," added she, "that you have not perceived his +ears, of so unusual a size, and a deep red colour?" + +"Is that all?" cried the queen. "In truth, I have not observed it; but +to take notice of an imperfection so very trifling, would make us +appear ridiculous indeed." + +"People cannot help their feelings," replied Papillette; "I have quite +a horror of red ears; it is little worth while to be daughter of a +great king, if one must be crossed and thwarted in the most important +arrangement of life." + +The queen reasoned long; but this only increased Papillette's +resistance: therefore, being quite defenceless against the tears of a +child so dear, her majesty promised to speak to the king. + +Merinous was firm in all his resolutions; he therefore declared, that +his daughter should become the wife of Prince Favourite, whether she +liked it or not. + +The queen had not courage to impart this dreadful intelligence; but +she threw herself on the generosity of the prince, beseeching that he +would himself break the engagement--thus shielding Papillette from the +resentment of the king. + +The distracted lover was ready to die with grief: but promised to do +all she requested. He asked but three days' grace. + +The queen consented; and Prince Favourite then summoned Queseca, chief +barber to the king, "Barber," said he, "each country has its +particular prejudices--its own ideas of beauty; here I find large ears +are deemed a deformity; therefore, I command thee to cut off mine." + +"I cannot do it," replied the barber; "your royal highness has been +grossly deceived. I have the honour of shaving the first lords of the +court, and I know many of them whose ears are equally red and ten +times as long as those of your royal highness. These very lords are +amongst the most distinguished favourites of the king." + +"I have summoned thee," replied the prince, "to operate and not to +prate; obey my orders, and inflame not my ears still further by thy +discourse." + +"Alas!" said the barber, "since your royal highness means to sacrifice +them to an unreasonable caprice, what signifies it whether they are +inflamed or not?" + +At these words the prince made a threatening gesture; and Queseca, no +longer daring to resist, took his razor, and with a trembling hand +separated two of the handsomest ears from one of the finest heads in +the world: for be it known, that the princess only made a pretext of +this assertion, because she had taken a fancy for somebody else. + +The wound bled profusely: the prince applied healing balm; and when in +a condition to appear before her, enclosed his two ears in a little +box, rare and precious, and presented it to Papillette, his heart once +more filled with hope and love. + +The princess eagerly opened the beautiful little casket, then dashed +it with horror to the ground. "Prince!" she cried, "what can have +induced you to mutilate yourself so cruelly? Could you imagine that I +would ever wed a man who submitted to lose his ears?" + +"Madam," said the prince, in consternation, "it was by my own order +that--" + +"What a fool you were then!" cried Papillette. "If you are not willing +to become the ridicule of the court, I advise you to quit it with the +greatest expedition imaginable." + +The prince dared not call her cruel and ungrateful: he retired to the +thickest retreats of a forest, and soon after entirely lost his +reason. + +The princess, once more free, confessed that amongst her numerous +suitors there was one whom she preferred; this was Prince Malabar, +whose martial mien announced the soul of a hero. The queen did not +deny that Malabar had sought her daughter's hand, even before +Favourite aspired to that honour, and King Merinous could now no +longer insist on a marriage with this unfortunate prince, since he was +quite insane, ran naked through the woods, sometimes believing himself +a hind, sometimes a wolf, and never stopping until exhausted by grief +and despair. But in consenting to the marriage of his daughter with +Prince Malabar, the king declared that, should she again change her +mind, he would never forgive her. + +The happy day was once more fixed, and Papillette, three days +preceding, invited her lover to meet her in a delightful grove at the +extremity of the gardens. This grove was planted with myrtles, so +thick and high that they afforded a pleasant shade. Beautiful flowers +sprang up on all sides; and, added to the warblings of the birds in +the trees, were the voices of hidden musicians, singing a chorus, +composed by the princess herself. This, however, Malabar, who was a +soldier, and not a musician, and who naturally wished to have his +lady-love's society all to himself, did not sufficiently appreciate. + +"Princess," said he, "I had much rather hear you talk than these +people sing." + +"Are then those cares despised," replied Papillette, "which I have so +assiduously employed to amuse and gratify you by the display of my +talents?" + +"Your dearest talent," cried he, "is that of pleasing: it comprises +every other. Send away these people, I pray." He added in a tone of +the utmost irritation: "I hate--I detest music!" + +"Have I rightly heard?" exclaimed the princess angrily; "and do you +pretend to love, if your soul is insensible to such transporting +sounds?" + +"I wish they would transport themselves far enough away," returned +the lover, who, like most other lovers, could be in an ill humour +sometimes. "My princess, do order this scraping and squalling to +cease." + +"On the contrary, I order my musicians to remain," answered +Papillette, quite indignant, "and never, never will I unite myself to +him whom divine melody hath no power to move. Go, prince, barbarous +alike in taste and science, seek some rustic maid, best suited to your +insensibility." + +The musicians, too far distant to hear these words, struck up a lively +tune. Malabar imagined this done in derision, and it required all his +respect for the princess to prevent him from falling on them sword in +hand. He repented much his words, but considered it beneath his +dignity to retract them; the princess also refused to retract hers: so +they parted. + +Malabar resolved on instant death. Mounting the noblest courser in his +stable, he rode down to the sea-coast, and plunged him right over a +perpendicular cliff into the waters below. + +The tide happened to be coming in, so that the body was soon washed on +shore, and brought before the eyes of the cruel princess, laid on a +litter formed of willow, hung with draperies of black crape. + +She was standing at the window when the melancholy procession passed, +and inquired what it was. None dared answer; they only removed the +covering from the face of the corpse. She ottered a loud shriek, and +fainted away. + +The king and queen lavished on her the most tender cares, but all in +vain: she declared that she regarded herself as an inconsolable widow, +and insisted upon putting on the deepest weeds. + +King Merinous respected this caprice, and ordered twenty thousand +yards of crape for her use. She was just giving orders to have her +apartments festooned with it, and holding a cambric handkerchief to +her eyes, when a little green ape (a drawing-room favourite) dressed +itself in weepers, and disposed one of the widow's caps most +tastefully under its chin. + +At this sight the princess burst out laughing so loudly and heartily, +that all the court ladies, who had been trying which could pull the +longest and most sympathetic countenance, were greatly relieved, and +began immediately to smile a little. + +Gradually, they removed from her eyes the trappings of woe, and +substituted ribbons of rose-colour and blue of every shade and +variety: trying on these, so diverted Papillette's melancholy, that +the poor drowned prince was soon forgotten. Her tears indeed were +vain; he had already enough of water. + +The king was in despair. "Alas!" said he to the queen, "we shall never +have the consolation of marrying Papillette, or beholding our +grandchildren. Of two monarchs so worthy of her, one has lost his +reason, the other has cast himself into the sea; and while we continue +to weep, she, already consoled, thinks only of diverting herself!" + +"Sire," replied the queen, "calm your apprehensions. Our daughter is +yet too young to feel true love in all its fervour; let us have +patience, and seek alliance with none but those truly worthy of her +affections." + +"Such is my wish," replied the king, "and I begin to turn my views +upon Prince Patipata; he has seen the portrait of Papillette, and is +satisfied; but, though a wise and noble monarch, his personal +qualifications are little in his favor." + +"How so!" rejoined the queen. + +"Because he is stiff, tall, and spare; his eyes bleared and filmy; his +hair red, and so scanty withal, that it seems like a few stripes of +blasted flax hung around a distaff." + +A few days after this conversation, Prince Patipata arrived at court; +and the queen did not conceal from Papillette, that, notwithstanding +his personal disadvantages, he was intended for her spouse. + +The princess laughed immoderately, yet, just for amusement, she +displayed towards him all the arts and graces of coquetry to +perfection. + +Prince Patipata having been informed of the deplorable end of his +predecessors, concealed his love as carefully as the others had +proclaimed theirs. He was so reserved and cold, that the princess +longed exceedingly to discover the state of his feelings. Accordingly, +one day, while Patipata was walking with Salmoe, his intimate +confidant, she hid herself in the trunk of an old tree, which had been +hollowed out by lightning, and afforded apparently a secure retreat. +The prince seated himself at the foot of it, but he had observed the +princess; and, making a sign of intelligence to his companion, feigned +to continue a conversation of which she was the subject. "Assuredly," +said he, "the princess is very handsome; but flatterers, poets, and +painters always overstep the truth. Her portrait has deceived me: its +large blue eyes bear assuredly some resemblance to those of +Papillette, but they bespeak an ardent and feeling heart, while hers +is frivolous, volatile, and incapable of love. Her smile would be +charming, but for its satirical irony. And what is the value of the +loveliest lips in the world, if they open but to deceive and betray!" + +"I am much surprised," replied Salmoe; "I believed that your royal +highness was equally loving and beloved." + +"Far from it," returned Patipata; "it would ill become me, plain as I +am, to be confident of pleasing; and I am not dupe enough to yield my +heart without return. Do not you approve of this?" + +"No," answered Salmoe, "your royal highness is too modest; I cannot +sufficiently appreciate your humility." + +The prince affected to be dissatisfied with this praise, and then +moved onwards in order to liberate Papillette, who was very +inconveniently cramped, and almost suffocated with anger. Disagreeable +truths seldom reach the ear of princesses; her resentment, therefore, +was to be expected. Meanwhile, her heart being equally capricious as +her understanding, she felt ready to pardon, and even, on reflection, +to justify Patipata. But pride soon combated this weakness; and she +determined to send him away. She complained to her father; assured +him, that by mere chance she had heard the most odious calumnies +uttered by a prince who sported with their dignity, by falsely +pretending to the hand of her whom he slighted and despised. The king +was surprised; but, not having entered into any positive engagements +with Patipata, he readily entered into her feelings, and intimated to +the prince that his adieus would be well received. This Patipata +expected; but, although not naturally presumptuous, he had read +sufficiently into the heart of Papillette to feel some degree of +consolation. + +As no decisive explanation of any kind occurred, he was permitted to +take leave of the princess. This he did with much firmness; while she +appeared so much agitated, that it was remarked by all the court. The +men attributed this to hatred; but the ladies, who knew better, +pronounced it love. They were convinced of the fact, when day by day +she began to pine and refused to eat; and had not the chief cook every +day invented some new ragout, she would inevitably have died of +hunger. + +The queen was in despair, and dispatched a billet to the Fairy of the +Fountain, fastening it to the tail of a little white mouse, which +served as a messenger on this occasion; it was perfectly acquainted +with the way, and in a few minutes the fairy arrived at the palace. +The late events were mentioned to her, and the melancholy situation of +the princess. + +"I understand this case," said the fairy; "but it is necessary that +Papillette should give me her confidence." + +The fairy was so amiable and so much beloved by the princess, that she +easily yielded; and casting down her eyes, confessed that she loved +one who regarded her with contemptuous indifference; and what rendered +her choice still more degrading was, its object being equally ugly as +insensible. + +"I am then to understand," replied the fairy, "that you wish to be +cured of this unfortunate passion?" + +"Alas, no!" rejoined Papillette, "for my only pleasure is in thinking +of him, speaking to him as if he could hear, and persuading myself +that, notwithstanding appearances, he could have loved me, had he +believed my heart capable of steady affections. I shall therefore die, +leaving him alike ignorant of my regrets and my repentance." + +"I would not advise you to die," said the fairy "that is the only evil +in the world without a remedy. But, my dear Papillette, what can I do +to console you?" + +"Let me see the prince once more, under some metamorphose in which it +is impossible for him to recognise me." + +"Very well," replied the fairy. "But since you wish to risk it, and +that a simple butterfly can scarcely compromise her dignity in +following a king, under this form I shall transport you to his court." + +So saying, the Fairy of the Fountain placed on her finger a little +emerald ring, and the princess distinctly felt her arms change their +shape--expand--become flexible, and form two light wings, clothed in +the most brilliant colours. Her little feet quitted the earth, and as +the window was open, she flew out, traversing the air, with a degree +of rapidity which at first caused some sensations of fear. But soon +the eager desire of seeing Patipata urged her forward, although +natural instinct so far prevailed, as to cause frequent descents to +earth, where she rested on every tempting flower. + +At length, entering the prince's gardens, she beheld him walking on a +terrace watering a beautiful orange-tree. Her heart beat so violently, +that her first emotion was to hide, but, soon recovering +self-possession, she flew forwards and rested on a branch which he had +just gathered. + +"What a charming butterfly!" observed the king to his chief gardener. +"Its colours are truly exquisite; I never recollect having seen any +such before." + +"Some new species, come to do mischief, I suppose," said the gardener, +preparing to brush it rudely away. But it took refuge on the bosom of +the king, with such caressing and tender familiarity, that only a hard +heart could have done it injury. + +"Ah, little traitor!" cried Patipata, "thou wishest to win me by thy +fleeting charms, and then escape for ever. I already know too well the +pain of loving fickle beings such as thou. Yet still I must defend +thee, and permit thy return to my orange-tree as often as thou +desirest." + +Papillette easily penetrated the thoughts of the prince, and although +they uttered a reproach for her inconstancy, she fancied they also +breathed the language of love; and returned in better spirits than +usual to her father's palace, where her absence had been unobserved. +From thenceforward she never omitted making use of the emerald ring, +which transported her in a few moments to her royal lover: she +followed him to his palace, saw him give audiences, preside in +council, and everywhere prove himself just, great, generous, and +worthy of all her affection. It is true that his eyes were still +filmy, his body spare, and his hair as red as ever; but what signifies +an outside casket when containing a priceless jewel within? + +Patipata was determined against marriage; he therefore adopted as heir +to the crown the son of a cousin, a young orphan, whom he purposed +bringing up beneath his own eye. This prince little resembled his +uncle: he had been much spoiled in infancy, and it was impossible to +improve him. One day, while conversing with Patipata, "Sire," said he, +"I have a favour to ask your majesty, and I pray you not to refuse +me." + +"I shall willingly grant you anything reasonable," replied the king. + +"It is but your beautiful rose-coloured butterfly, which follows you +everywhere." + +"And if I were to give it to you, what then?" + +"I would run this golden pin through its body, and stick it to a +branch of the orange-tree, to see how long it would live. Oh, nothing +could be more amusing!" + +"Nothing could be more barbarous!" answered Patipata indignantly. "Go, +you inspire me with horror; I banish you from my presence during three +entire days, and remember, that if my butterfly should receive any +injury, you shall be punished with unexampled severity!" + +The poor butterfly, who had heard this discourse, knew not how to +express its gratitude and joy; it flapped its wings, and sported +around its benefactor. The king held out his finger, and it rested +there. "Thou shalt quit me no more," said he. "It is so sweet to be +loved, even by a butterfly, that I would not willingly prove myself +ungrateful: thou shalt feed at my table; I will serve thee with the +finest fruits, the fairest flowers. Ah! if I can only make thee +happy!" + +On the following day, Patipata went out hunting. In vain Papillette +sought him in the park, in the garden, and near the favourite +orange-tree. But his nephew, taking advantage of his absence, began +chasing the pretty butterfly. The courtiers knew that he would one day +be in power, and, eager to gratify his whims, assisted in the wanton +sport: ministers the most pompous, members of council the most +profound, climbed on trees, and capered through the meadows,--one +would have supposed them mad. But the royal insect, so familiar with +the king, was for all others the most capricious of butterflies. It +amused itself in leading the court a long chase, and at length rested +in the private cabinet of the king, where they never once thought of +seeking it. + +Papillette, now all alone, could not resist the opportunity afforded +of looking over a great quantity of writing which lay on the bureau. +What was her surprise and joy, on there finding verses, the most +passionate and tender, which Patipata had written in her praise! They +indeed revealed that he was proud, and would not risk a second +refusal; but they vowed to remain faithful to her, and never to wed +another. + +The princess was so affected, that two little tiny tears stood in her +butterfly-eyes. Well indeed she might shed them, for at this moment, +the wicked little prince, her enemy, came behind, and seizing her by +her two lovely wings, popped her into his hat. + +"Now I have you!" cried he; and it is impossible to say what would +have happened, had not the king opportunely returned; when, in taking +off his hat to his uncle, he let the butterfly go. + +She, recovering from her fright, testified affection by many little +endearments; and Patipata, now accustomed to speak to her, exclaimed: +"Beautiful insect, how happy art thou!--thou wanderest from flower to +flower, without giving the preference to any--thou knowest not +love--thou hast not found ingratitude! I, a king, can not boast of +such happiness. I adore the lovely Princess Papillette, and am +dismissed from her court. I am ugly, it is true; but were I ever so +handsome, I should not be more fortunate, for I too well know her +fickle--" + +The butterfly here sighed so deeply, that the king started. + +"Is it possible thou canst feel?" said he. "Oh, if my princess had but +as much sensibility, I would know no other care! With her I would live +in a hut, far, far from the deceitful splendour of a throne." + +"The Princess Papillette would willingly accompany you," said a little +voice, in tones of the finest and purest melody: and the butterfly's +rosy wings blushed deep as crimson. + +"What a prodigy!" cried Patipata. "Ah! butterfly, what dost thou know +of my Papillette?" + +"Suppose it were herself!" said a voice, which seemed to proceed from +a little fountain of rock-crystal which stood between the windows. + +The prince turned round; but instead of the butterfly, he beheld the +Fairy of the Fountain, holding the fair Papillette by the hand. They +were both encircled by a light rose-coloured cloud, which shed a +softly brilliant light around the apartment. + +Patipata bent one knee to the earth, and kissed the hem of the +princess's garment. + +"Come, prince," said the fairy, "King Merinous is apprised of what +passes here. Papillette has overcome her evil destiny. Her affections +are fixed and sure; and their object is yourself And however ready +you may both be to live in a hut together, I advise you not to do it. +Love is sweeter than royalty, no doubt, but it is not impossible to +unite both." + +The lovers, transported with joy, placed their feet on the +rose-colored cloud, which instantly carried them to the palace of the +king. The Fairy of the Fountain, to complete her benefactions, +rendered Patipata as handsome as he was amiable, and the nuptials were +celebrated with suitable pomp and festivity. We are informed that +Papillette had, at first, some slight returns of her natural +disposition; but in one year she became a mother, and from +thenceforward never knew frivolity more. + + + + +THE FROG-PRINCE. + + +In times of yore, when wishes were both heard and granted, lived a +king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so +lovely that the sun himself, who has seen so much, wondered at her +beauty every time he looked in her face. Now, near the king's castle +was a large dark forest; and in the forest, under an old linden-tree, +was a deep well. When the day was very hot, the king's daughter used +to go to the wood and seat herself at the edge of the cool well; and +when she became wearied, she would take a golden ball, throw it up in +the air, and catch it again. This was her favourite amusement. Once it +happened that her golden ball, instead of falling back into the little +hand that she stretched out for it, dropped on the ground, and +immediately rolled away into the water. The king's daughter followed +it with her eyes, but the ball had vanished, and the well was so deep +that no one could see down to the bottom. Then she began to weep, wept +louder and louder every minute, and could not console herself at all. + +While she was thus lamenting some one called to her: "What is the +matter with you, king's daughter? You weep so, that you would touch +the heart of a stone." + +She looked around to see whence the voice came, and saw a frog +stretching his thick ugly head out of the water. + +"Ah! it is you, old water-paddler!" said she. "I am crying for my +golden ball, which has fallen into the well." + +"Be content," answered the frog, "I daresay I can give you some good +advice; but what will you give me if I bring back your plaything to +you?" + +"Whatever you like, dear frog," said she, "my clothes, my pearls and +jewels, even the golden crown I wear." + +The frog answered, "Your clothes, your pearls and jewels, even your +golden crown, I do not care for; but if you will love me, and let me +be your companion and playfellow; sit near you at your little table, +eat from your little golden plate, drink from your little cup, and +sleep in your little bed;--if you will promise me this, then I will +bring you back your golden ball from the bottom of the well." + +"Oh, yes!" said she; "I promise you everything, if you will only bring +me back my golden ball." + +She thought to herself, meanwhile: "What nonsense the silly frog +talks! He sits in the water with the other frogs, and croaks, and can +not be anybody's playfellow!" + +But the frog, as soon as he had received the promise, dipped his head +under the water and sank down. In a little while up he came again with +the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass. The king's daughter +was overjoyed when she beheld her pretty plaything again, picked it +up, and ran away with it. + +"Wait! wait!" cried the frog; "take me with you. I cannot run as fast +as you." + +Alas! of what use was it that he croaked after her as loud as he +could. She would not listen to him, but hastened home, and soon forgot +the poor frog, who was obliged to plunge again to the bottom of his +well. + +The next day, when she was sitting at dinner with the king and all the +courtiers, eating from her little gold plate, there came a sound of +something creeping up the marble staircase--splish, splash; and when +it had reached the top, it knocked at the door and cried, "Youngest +king's daughter, open to me." + +She ran, wishing to see who was outside; but when she opened the door, +and there sat the frog, she flung it hastily to again, and sat down at +table, feeling very, very uncomfortable. The king saw that her heart +was beating violently, and said, "How, my child, why are you afraid? +Is a giant standing outside the door to carry you off?" + +"Oh, no!" answered she, "it is no giant, but a nasty frog, who +yesterday, when I was playing in the wood near the well, fetched my +golden ball out of the water. For this I promised him he should be my +companion, but I never thought he could come out of his well. Now he +is at the door, and wants to come in." + +Again, the second time there was a knock, and a voice cried: + + "Youngest king's daughter, + Open to me; + Know you what yesterday + You promised me, + By the cool water? + Youngest king's daughter + Open to me." + +Then said the king, "What you promised you must perform. Go and open +the door." + +She went and opened the door; the frog hopped in, always following and +following her till he came up to her chair. There he sat and cried +out, "Lift me up to you on the table." + +She refused, till the king, her father, commanded her to do it. When +the frog was on the table, he said, "Now push your little golden plate +nearer to me, that we may eat together." She did as he desired, but +one could easily see that she did it unwillingly. The frog seemed to +enjoy his dinner very much, but every morsel she ate stuck in the +throat of the poor little princess. + +Then said the frog, "I have eaten enough, and am tired; carry me to +your little room, and make your little silken bed smooth, and we will +lay ourselves down to sleep together." + +At this the daughter of the king began to weep; for she was afraid of +the cold frog, who wanted to sleep in her pretty clean bed. + +But the king looked angrily at her, and said again: "What you have +promised you must perform. The frog is your companion." + +It was no use to complain whether she liked it or not; she was obliged +to take the frog with her up to her little bed. So she picked him up +with two fingers, hating him bitterly the while, and carried him +upstairs: but when she got into bed, instead of lifting him up to her, +she threw him with all her strength against the wall, saying, "Now, +you nasty frog, there will be an end of you." + +But what fell down from the wall was not a dead frog, but a living +young prince, with beautiful and loving eyes, who at once became, by +her own promise and her father's will, her dear companion and husband. +He told her how he had been cursed by a wicked sorceress, and that no +one but the king's youngest daughter could release him from his +enchantment and take him out of the well. + +The next day a carriage drove up to the palace-gates with eight white +horses, having white feathers on their heads and golden reins. Behind +it stood the servant of the young prince, called the Faithful Henry. +This faithful Henry had been so grieved when his master was changed +into a frog, that he had been compelled to have three iron bands +fastened round his heart, lest it should break. Now the carriage came +to convey the prince to his kingdom, so the faithful Henry lifted in +the bride and bridegroom, and mounted behind, full of joy at his +lord's release. But when they had gone a short distance, the prince +heard behind him a noise as if something was breaking. He turned +round, and cried out, "Henry, the carriage is breaking!" + +But Henry replied: "No, sir, it is not the carriage, but one of the +bands from my heart, with which I was forced to bind it up, or it +would have broken with grief, while you sat as a frog at the bottom of +the well." + +Twice again this happened, and the prince always thought the carriage +was breaking; but it was only the bands breaking off from the heart of +the faithful Henry, out of joy that his lord the Frog-Prince was a +frog no more. + + + + +THE WHITE CAT. + + +There was once a king who had three sons, all handsome, brave and +noble of heart. Nevertheless, some wicked courtiers made their father +believe they were eager to wear his crown, which, though he was old, +he had no mind to resign. He therefore invented a plan to get them out +of the kingdom, and prevent their carrying out any undutiful projects. +Sending for them to a private audience, he conversed with them kindly, +and said: "You must be sensible, my dear children, that my great age +prevents me from attending so closely as I have hitherto done to state +affairs. I fear this may be injurious to my subjects; I therefore +desire to place my crown on the head of one of you; but it is no more +than just that, in return for such a present, you should procure me +some amusement in my retirement, before I leave the capital for ever. +I cannot help thinking that a little dog, handsome, faithful, and +engaging, would be the very thing to make me happy; so that, without +bestowing a preference on either of you, I declare that he who brings +me the most perfect little dog shall be my successor." + +The princes were much surprised at the fancy of their father to have a +little dog, yet they accepted the proposition with pleasure; and +accordingly, after taking leave of the king, who presented them with +abundance of money and jewels, and appointed that day twelvemonth for +their return, they set off on their travels. + +Before separating, however, they took some refreshment together, in an +old palace about three miles out of town, where they mutually agreed +to meet in the same place on that day twelvemonth, and go all together +with their presents to court. They also agreed to change their names, +and travel incognito. + +Each took a different road; but it is intended to relate the +adventures of only the youngest, who was the most beautiful, amiable, +and accomplished prince in the world. As he travelled from town to +town, he bought all the handsome dogs that fell in his way; and as +soon as he saw one that was handsomer than those he had, he made a +present of the rest; for twenty servants would scarcely have been +sufficient to take care of all the dogs he was continually purchasing. +At length, wandering he knew not whither, he found himself in a +forest; night suddenly came on, and with it a violent storm of +thunder, lightning, and rain: to add to his perplexity, he lost his +way. After he had groped about for a long time, he perceived a light, +which made him suppose that he was not far from some house: he +accordingly pursued his way towards it, and in a short time found +himself at the gates of the most magnificent palace he had ever +beheld. The entrance-door was of gold, covered with sapphires, which +shone so that scarcely could the strongest eyesight bear to look at +it: this was the light the prince had seen from the forest. The walls +were of transparent porcelain, variously coloured, and represented the +history of all the fairies that had existed from the beginning of the +world. The prince, coming back to the golden door, observed a deer's +foot fastened to a chain of diamonds; he could not help wondering at +the magnificence he beheld, and the security in which the inhabitants +seemed to live; "For," said he to himself, "nothing could be easier +than for thieves to steal this chain, and as many of the +sapphire-stones as would make their fortunes." He pulled the chain, +and heard a bell, the sound of which was exquisite. In a few moments +the door was opened; yet he perceived nothing but twelve hands in the +air, each holding a torch. The prince was so astonished that he durst +not move a step--when he felt himself gently pushed on by some other +hands from behind him. He walked on, in great perplexity, till he +entered a vestibule inlaid with porphyry and lapis-stone, where the +most melodious voice he had ever heard chanted the following words:-- + + "Welcome, prince, no danger fear, + Mirth and love attend you here; + You shall break the magic spell, + That on a beauteous lady fell. + + Welcome, prince, no danger fear, + Mirth and love attend you here." + +The prince now advanced with confidence, wondering what these words +could mean; the hands moved him forward towards a large door of +coral, which opened of itself to give him admittance into a splendid +apartment built of mother-o'-pearl, through which he passed into +others, so richly adorned with paintings and jewels, and so +resplendently lighted with thousands of lamps, girandoles, and +lustres, that he imagined he must be in an enchanted palace. When he +had passed through sixty apartments, all equally splendid, he was +stopped by the hands, and a large easy chair advanced of itself +towards the fireplace; then the hands, which he observed were +extremely white and delicate, took off his wet clothes, and supplied +their place with the finest linen imaginable, adding a comfortable +wrapping-gown, embroidered with gold and pearls. + +The hands next brought him an elegant dressing-table, and combed his +hair so very gently that he scarcely felt their touch. They held +before him a beautiful basin, filled with perfumes, for him to wash +his face and hands, and afterwards took off the wrapping-gown, and +dressed him in a suit of clothes of still greater splendour. When his +toilet was complete, they conducted him to an apartment he had not yet +seen, and which also was magnificently furnished. There was a table +spread for supper, and everything upon it was of the purest gold, +adorned with jewels. The prince observed there were two covers set, +and was wondering who was to be his companion, when his attention was +suddenly caught by a small figure not a foot high, which just then +entered the room, and advanced towards him. It had on a long black +veil, and was supported by two cats dressed in mourning and with +swords by their sides: they were followed by a numerous retinue of +cats, some carrying cages full of rats, and others mouse-traps full of +mice. + +The prince was at a loss what to think. The little figure now +approached, and throwing aside her veil, he beheld a most beautiful +white cat: she seemed young and melancholy; and, addressing herself to +him, she said, "My prince, you are welcome; your presence affords me +the greatest pleasure." + +"Madam," replied he, "I would fain thank you for your generosity, nor +can I help observing that you must be an extraordinary creature to +possess, with your present form, the gift of speech, and the most +magnificent palace I have ever seen." + +"All this is very true," answered the beautiful cat; "but, prince, I +am not fond of talking, and least of all do I like compliments; let us +therefore sit down to supper." + +The trunkless hands then placed the dishes on the table, and the +prince and white cat seated themselves at it. The first dish was a pie +made of young pigeons, and the next was a fricassee of the fattest +mice. The view of the one made the prince almost afraid to taste the +other, till the white cat, who guessed his thoughts, assured him that +there were certain dishes at table which had been dressed on purpose +for him, in which there was not a morsel of either rat or mouse: +accordingly, he ate heartily of such as she recommended. When supper +was over, he perceived that the white cat had a portrait set in gold +hanging to one of her feet. He begged her permission to look at it; +when, to his astonishment, he saw the portrait of a handsome young +man, who exactly resembled himself! He thought there was something +most extraordinary in all this: yet, as the white cat sighed and +looked very sorrowful, he did not venture to ask any questions. He +conversed with her on different subjects, and found her extremely well +versed in everything that was passing in the world. When night was far +advanced, his hostess wished him a good night, and he was conducted by +the hands to his bedchamber, which was different still from anything +he had seen in the palace, being hung with the wings of butterflies +mixed with the most curious feathers. His bed was of gauze, festooned +with bunches of the gayest ribands, and the looking-glasses reached +from the floor to the ceiling. The prince was undressed and put into +bed by the hands, without speaking a word. He, however, slept little, +and in the morning was awakened by a confused noise. The hands took +him out of bed, and put on him a handsome hunting-jacket. He looked +into the courtyard, and perceived more than five hundred cats, busily +employed in preparing for the field--for this was a day of festival. +Presently the white cat came to his apartment; and having politely +inquired after his health, she invited him to partake of their +amusement. The prince willingly acceded, and mounted a wooden horse, +richly caparisoned, which had been prepared for him, and which he was +assured would gallop to admiration. The beautiful white cat mounted a +monkey; she wore a dragoon's cap, which made her look so fierce that +all the rats and mice ran away in the utmost terror. + +Everything being ready, the horns sounded, and away they went: no +hunting was ever more agreeable. The cats ran faster than the hares +and rabbits; and when they caught any, they turned them out to be +hunted in the presence of the white cat, and a thousand cunning tricks +were played. Nor were the birds in safety; for the monkey made nothing +of climbing up the trees, with the white cat on his back, to the nests +of the young eagles. When the chase was over, the whole retinue +returned to the palace; the white cat immediately exchanged her +dragoon's cap for the veil, and sat down to supper with the prince, +who, being very hungry, ate heartily, and afterwards partook with her +of the most delicious wines. He then was conducted to his chamber as +before, and wakened in the morning to renew the same sort of life, +which day after day became so pleasant to him that he no longer +thought of anything but of pleasing the sweet little creature who +received him so courteously: accordingly, every day was spent in new +amusements. The prince had almost forgotten his country and relations, +and sometimes even regretted that he was not a cat, so great was his +affection for his mewing companions. + +"Alas!" said he to the white cat, "how will it afflict me to leave +you, whom I love so much! Either make yourself a lady, or make me a +cat." She smiled at the prince's wish, but offered no reply. + +At length, the twelvemonth was nearly expired: the white cat, who knew +the very day when the prince was to reach his father's palace, +reminded him that he had but three days longer to look for a perfect +little dog. The prince, astonished at his own forgetfulness, began to +afflict himself; when the cat told him not to be so sorrowful, since +she would not only provide him with a little dog, but also with a +wooden horse, which should convey him safely home in less than twelve +hours. + +"Look here," said she, showing him an acorn, "this contains what you +desire." + +The prince put the acorn to his ear, and heard the barking of a little +dog. Transported with joy, he thanked the cat a thousand times; and +the next day, bidding her tenderly adieu, he set out on his return. + +The prince arrived first at the place of rendezvous, and was soon +joined by his brothers: they mutually embraced, and began to give an +account of their success; when the youngest showed them only a little +mongrel cur, telling them that he thought it could not fail to please +the king, from its extraordinary beauty. The brothers trod on each +other's toes under the table, as much as to say, "We have little to +fear from this sorry-looking animal." The next day they went together +to the palace. The dogs of the two elder brothers were lying on +cushions, and so curiously wrapped around with embroidered quilts, +that one would scarcely venture to touch them. The youngest produced +his cur, and all wondered how the prince could hope to receive a crown +for such a shabby present. The king examined the two little dogs of +the elder princes, and declared he thought them so equally beautiful +that he knew not to which, with justice, he could give the preference. +They accordingly began to dispute; when the youngest prince, taking +his acorn from his pocket, soon ended their contention; for a little +dog appeared, which could with ease go through the smallest ring, and +was besides a miracle of beauty. The king could not possibly hesitate +in declaring his satisfaction; yet, as he was not more inclined than +the year before to part with his crown, he told his sons that he was +extremely obliged to them for the pains they had taken: and since they +had succeeded so well, he wished they would make a second attempt; he +therefore begged they would take another year in order to procure a +piece of cambric, fine enough to be drawn through the eye of a small +needle. + +The three princes thought this very hard; yet they set out, in +obedience to the king's command. The two eldest took different roads, +and the youngest remounted his wooden horse, and in a short time +arrived at the palace of his beloved white cat, who received him with +the greatest joy, while the trunkless hands helped him to dismount, +and provided him with immediate refreshment. Afterwards the prince +gave the white cat an account of the admiration which had been +bestowed on the beautiful little dog, and informed her of the further +injunction of his father. + +"Make yourself perfectly easy, dear prince," said she; "I have in my +palace some cats who are perfect adepts in making such cambric as the +king requires; so you have nothing to do but to give me the pleasure +of your company while it is making, and I will procure you all the +amusement possible." + +She accordingly ordered the most curious fire-works to be played off +in sight of the window of the apartment in which they were sitting; +and nothing but festivity and rejoicing was heard throughout the +palace for the prince's return. As the white cat frequently gave +proofs of an excellent understanding, the prince was by no means tired +of her company; she talked with him of state affairs, of theatres, of +fashions: in short, she was at a loss on no subject whatever; so that +when the prince was alone, he had plenty of amusement in thinking how +it could possibly be, that a small white cat could be endowed with all +the attractions of the very best and most charming of women. + +The twelvemonth in this manner again passed insensibly away; but the +cat took care to remind the prince of his duty in proper time. "For +once, my prince," said she, "I will have the pleasure of equipping you +as suits your high rank." And, looking into the courtyard, he saw a +superb car, ornamented all over with gold, silver, pearls, and +diamonds, drawn by twelve horses as white as snow, and harnessed in +the most sumptuous trappings; and behind the car a thousand guards, +richly apparelled, were waiting to attend on the prince's person. She +then presented him with a nut: "You will find in it," said she, "the +piece of cambric I promised you: do not break the shell till you are +in the presence of the king your father." Then, to prevent the +acknowledgments which the prince was about to offer, she hastily bade +him adieu. + +Nothing could exceed the speed with which the snow-white horses +conveyed this fortunate prince to his father's palace, where his +brothers had just arrived before him. They embraced each other, and +demanded an immediate audience of the king, who received them with the +greatest of kindness. The princes hastened to place at the feet of his +majesty the curious present he had required them to procure. The +eldest produced a piece of cambric so extremely fine, that his friends +had no doubt of its passing through the eye of a needle, which was now +delivered to the king, having been kept locked up in the custody of +his majesty's treasurer all the time. But when the king tried to draw +the cambric through the eye of the needle, it would not pass, though +it failed but very little. Then came the second prince, who made as +sure of obtaining the crown as his brother had done, but, alas! with +no better success; for though his piece of cambric was exquisitely +fine, yet it could not be drawn through the eye of the needle. It was +now the turn of the youngest prince, who accordingly advanced, and +opening an elegant little box inlaid with jewels, took out a walnut +and cracked the shell, imagining he should immediately perceive his +piece of cambric; but what was his astonishment to see nothing but a +filbert! He did not, however, lose his hopes; he cracked the filbert, +and it presented him with a cherry-stone. The lords of the court, who +had assembled to witness this extraordinary trial, could not, any more +than the princes his brothers, refrain from laughing, to think he +should be so silly as to claim the crown on no better pretensions. The +prince, however, cracked the cherry-stone, which was filled with a +kernel; he divided it, and found in the middle a grain of wheat, and +in that a grain of millet-seed. He was now absolutely confounded, and +could not help muttering between his teeth, "O white cat, white cat, +thou hast deceived me!" At this instant he felt his hand scratched by +the claw of a cat; upon which he again took courage, and opening the +grain of millet-seed, to the astonishment of all present, he drew +forth a piece of cambric four hundred yards long, and fine enough to +be threaded with perfect ease through the eye of the needle. + +When the king found he had no pretext left for refusing the crown to +his youngest son, he sighed deeply, and it was easy to be seen that he +was sorry for the prince's success. + +"My sons," said he, "it is so gratifying to the heart of a father to +receive proofs of his children's love and obedience, that I cannot +refuse myself the satisfaction of requiring of you one thing more. +You must undertake another expedition. That one of you, who, by the +end of a year, brings me the most beautiful lady, shall marry her and +obtain my crown." + +So they again took leave of the king and of each other, and set out +without delay; and in less than twelve hours, our young prince +arrived, in his splendid car, at the palace of his dear white cat. +Everything went on as before till the end of another year. At length +only one day remained of the year, when the white cat thus addressed +him: "To-morrow, my prince, you must present yourself at the palace of +your father, and give him a proof of your obedience. It depends only +on yourself to conduct thither the most beautiful princess ever yet +beheld, for the time is come when the enchantment by which I am bound +may be ended. You must cut off my head and tail," continued she, "and +throw them into the fire." + +"I!" said the prince, hastily--"I cut off your head and tail! You +surely mean to try my affection, which, believe me, beautiful cat, is +truly yours." + +"You mistake me, generous prince," said she; "I do not doubt your +regard; but if you wish to see me in any other form than that of a +cat, you must consent to do as I desire, when you will have done me a +service I shall never be able sufficiently to repay." + +The prince's eyes filled with tears as she spoke, yet he considered +himself obliged to undertake the dreadful task; and the cat +continuing to press him with the greatest eagerness, with a trembling +hand he drew his sword, cut off her head and tail, and threw them into +the fire. No sooner was this done, than the most beautiful lady his +eyes had ever seen stood before him: and ere he had sufficiently +recovered from his surprise to speak to her, a long train of +attendants, who, at the same moment as their mistress, were changed to +their natural shapes, came to offer their congratulations to the +queen, and inquire her commands. She received them with the greatest +kindness, and ordering them to withdraw, thus addressed the astonished +prince: + +"Do not imagine, dear prince, that I have always been a cat, or that I +am of obscure birth. My father was the monarch of six kingdoms; he +tenderly loved my mother, and left her always at liberty to follow her +own inclinations. Her prevailing passion was to travel; and a short +time before my birth, having heard of some fairies who were in +possession of the largest gardens filled with the most delicious +fruits, she had so strong a desire to eat some of them, that she set +out for the country where they lived. She arrived at their abode, +which she found to be a magnificent palace, on all sides glittering +with gold and precious stones. She knocked a long time at the gates; +but no one came, nor could she perceive the least sign that it had any +inhabitant. The difficulty, however, did but increase the violence of +my mother's longing; for she saw the tops of the trees above the +garden-walls, loaded with the most luscious fruits. The queen, in +despair, ordered her attendants to place tents close to the door of +the palace; but, having waited six weeks without seeing any one pass +the gates, she fell sick of vexation, and her life was despaired of. + +"One night, as she lay half asleep, she turned herself about, and, +opening her eyes, perceived a little old woman, very ugly and +deformed, seated in the easy-chair by her bedside. 'I and my sister +fairies,' said she, 'take it very ill that your majesty should so +obstinately persist in getting some of our fruit; but since so +precious a life is at stake, we consent to give you as much as you can +carry away, provided you will give us in return what we shall ask.' +'Ah! kind fairy,' cried the queen, 'I will give you anything that I +possess, even my very kingdoms, on condition that I eat of your +fruit.' The old fairy then informed the queen that what they required +was, that she should give them the child she was going to have, as +soon as it should be born; adding, that every possible care should be +taken of it, and that it should become the most accomplished princess. +The queen replied that, however cruel the conditions, she must accept +them, since nothing but the fruit could save her life. In short, dear +prince," continued the lady, "my mother instantly got out of bed, was +dressed by her attendants, entered the palace, and satisfied her +longing. Having eaten her fill, she ordered four thousand mules to be +procured and loaded with the fruit, which had the virtue of continuing +all the year round in a state of perfection. Thus provided, she +returned to the king my father, who, with the whole court, received +her with rejoicings, as it was before imagined she would die of +disappointment. All this time the queen said nothing to my father of +the promise she had made to give her daughter to the fairies; so that +when the time was come that she expected my birth, she grew very +melancholy; till at length, being pressed by the king, she declared to +him the truth. Nothing could exceed his affliction when he heard that +his only child, when born, was to be given to the fairies. He bore it, +however, as well as he could, for fear of adding to my mother's grief; +and also believing he should find some means of keeping me in a place +of safety, which the fairies would not be able to approach. As soon, +therefore, as I was born, he had me conveyed to a tower in the palace, +to which there were twenty flights of stairs, and a door to each, of +which my father kept the key, so that none came near me without his +consent. When the fairies heard of what had been done, they sent first +to demand me; and on my father's refusal, they let loose a monstrous +dragon, which devoured men, women, and children, and which, by the +breath of its nostrils, destroyed everything it came near, so that +even the trees and plants began to die. The grief of the king was +excessive; and, finding that his whole kingdom would in a short time +be reduced to famine, he consented to give me into their hands. I was +accordingly laid in a cradle of mother-o'-pearl, ornamented with gold +and jewels, and carried to their palace, when the dragon immediately +disappeared. The fairies placed me in a tower, elegantly furnished, +but to which there was no door, so that whoever approached was obliged +to come by the windows, which were a great height from the ground: +from these I had the liberty of getting out into a delightful garden, +in which were baths, and every sort of cooling fruit. In this place +was I educated by the fairies, who behaved to me with the greatest +kindness; my clothes were splendid, and I was instructed in every kind +of accomplishment; in short, prince, if I had never seen anyone but +themselves, I should have remained very happy. One day, however, as I +was talking at the window with my parrot, I perceived a young +gentleman who was listening to our conversation. As I had never seen a +man but in pictures, I was not sorry for the opportunity of gratifying +my curiosity. I thought him a very pleasing object, and he at length +bowed in the most respectful manner, without daring to speak, for he +knew that I was in the palace of the fairies. When it began to grow +dark, he went away, and I vainly endeavoured to see which road he +took. The next morning, as soon as it was light, I again placed myself +at the window, and had the pleasure of seeing that the gentleman had +returned to the same place. He now spoke to me through a +speaking-trumpet, and informed me he thought me a most charming lady, +and that he should be very unhappy if he did not pass his life in my +company. + +"I resolved to find some means of escaping from my tower, and was not +long in devising the means for the execution of my project: I begged +the fairies to bring me a netting-needle, a mesh, and some cord, +saying I wished to make some nets to amuse myself with catching birds +at my window. This they readily complied with, and in a short time I +completed a ladder long enough to reach to the ground. I now sent my +parrot to the prince, to beg he would come to the usual place, as I +wished to speak with him. He did not fail; and finding the ladder, +mounted it, and quickly entered my tower. This at first alarmed me, +but the charms of his conversation had restored me to tranquillity, +when all at once the window opened, and the Fairy Violent, mounted on +the dragon's back, rushed into the tower. My beloved prince thought of +nothing but how to defend me from their fury; for I had had time to +relate to him my story, previous to this cruel interruption; but their +numbers overpowered him, and the Fairy Violent had the barbarity to +command the dragon to devour my lover before my eyes. In my despair, I +would have thrown myself also into the mouth of the horrible monster; +but this they took care to prevent, saying, my life should be +preserved for greater punishment. The fairy then touched me with her +wand, and I instantly became a white cat. She next conducted me to +this palace, which belonged to my father, and gave me a train of cats +for my attendants, together with the twelve hands that waited on your +highness. She then informed me of my birth and the death of my +parents, and pronounced upon me what she imagined the greatest of +maledictions; that I should not be restored to my natural figure until +a young prince, the perfect resemblance of him I had lost, should cut +off my head and tail. You are that perfect resemblance; and +accordingly you ended the enchantment. I need not add, that I already +love you more than my life; let us therefore hasten to the palace of +the king your father, and obtain his approbation to our marriage." + +The prince and princess accordingly set out side by side, in a car of +still greater splendour than before, and reached the palace just as +the two brothers had arrived with two beautiful princesses. The king, +hearing that each of his sons had succeeded in finding what he had +required, again began to think of some new expedient to delay the time +of his resigning the crown; but when the whole court were with the +king assembled to pass judgment, the princess who accompanied the +youngest, perceiving his thoughts by his countenance, stepped +majestically forward and thus addressed him: + +"It is a pity that your majesty, who is so capable of governing, +should think of resigning the crown! I am fortunate enough to have six +kingdoms in my possession; permit me to bestow one on each of the +eldest princes, and to enjoy the remaining four in the society of the +youngest. And may it please your majesty to keep your own kingdom, and +make no decision concerning the beauty of three princesses, who, +without such a proof of your majesty's preference, will no doubt live +happily together!" + +The air resounded with the applauses of the assembly: the young prince +and princess embraced the king, and next their brothers and sisters: +the three weddings immediately took place, and the kingdoms were +divided as the princess had proposed. + + + + +PRINCE CHERRY + + +Long ago there lived a monarch, who was such a very honest man that +his subjects entitled him the Good King. One day, when he was out +hunting, a little white rabbit, which had been half killed by his +hounds, leaped right into his majesty's arms. Said he, caressing it: +"This poor creature has put itself under my protection, and I will +allow no one to injure it." So he carried it to his palace, had +prepared for it a neat little rabbit-hutch, with abundance of the +daintiest food, such as rabbits love, and there he left it. + +The same night, when he was alone in his chamber, there appeared to +him a beautiful lady. She was dressed neither in gold, nor silver, nor +brocade; but her flowing robes were white as snow, and she wore a +garland of white roses on her head. The Good King was greatly +astonished at the sight; for his door was locked, and he wondered how +so dazzling a lady could possibly enter; but she soon removed his +doubts. + +"I am the Fairy Candide," said she, with a smiling and gracious air. +"Passing through the wood, where you were hunting, I took a desire to +know if you were as good as men say you are. I therefore changed +myself into a white rabbit, and took refuge in your arms. You saved +me, and now I know that those who are merciful to dumb beasts will be +ten times more so to human beings. You merit the name your subjects +give you: you are the Good King. I thank you for your protection, and +shall be always one of your best friends. You have but to say what you +most desire, and I promise you your wish shall be granted." + +"Madam," replied the king, "if you are a fairy, you must know, without +my telling you, the wish of my heart. I have one well-beloved son, +Prince Cherry: whatever kindly feeling you have towards me, extend it +to him." + +"Willingly," said Candide. "I will make him the handsomest, richest, +or most powerful prince in the world: choose whichever you desire for +him." + +"None of the three," returned the father. "I only wish him to be +good--the best prince in the whole world. Of what use would riches, +power, or beauty be to him if he were a bad man?" + +"You are right," said the fairy; "but I cannot make him good: he must +do that himself. I can only change his external fortunes; for his +personal character, the utmost I can promise is to give him good +counsel, reprove him for his faults, and even punish him, if he will +not punish himself. You mortals can do the same with your children." + +"Ah, yes!" said the king, sighing. Still, he felt that the kindness of +a fairy was something gained for his son, and died not long after, +content and at peace. + +Prince Cherry mourned deeply, for he dearly loved his father, and +would have gladly given all his kingdoms and treasures to keep him in +life a little longer. Two days after the Good King was no more, Prince +Cherry was sleeping in his chamber, when he saw the same dazzling +vision of the Fairy Candide. + +"I promised your father," said she, "to be your best friend, and in +pledge of this take what I now give you;" and she placed a small gold +ring upon his finger. "Poor as it looks, it is more precious than +diamonds; for whenever you do ill it will prick your finger. If, after +that warning, you still continue in evil, you will lose my friendship, +and I shall become your direst enemy." + +So saying, she disappeared, leaving Cherry in such amazement, that he +would have believed it all a dream, save for the ring on his finger. + +He was for a long time so good that the ring never pricked him at all; +and this made him so cheerful and pleasant in his humour that +everybody called him, "Happy Prince Cherry." But, one unlucky day, he +was out hunting and found no sport, which vexed him so much that he +showed his ill temper by his looks and ways. He fancied his ring felt +very tight and uncomfortable, but as it did not prick him, he took no +heed of this: until, re-entering his palace, his little pet dog, Bibi, +jumped up upon him, and was sharply told to get away. The creature, +accustomed to nothing but caresses, tried to attract his attention by +pulling at his garments, when Prince Cherry turned and gave it a +severe kick. At this moment he felt in his finger a prick like a pin. + +"What nonsense!" said he to himself. "The fairy must be making game of +me. Why, what great evil have I done! I, the master of a great empire, +cannot I kick my own dog?" + +A voice replied, or else Prince Cherry imagined it, "No, sire; the +master of a great empire has a right to do good, but not evil. I--a +fairy--am as much above you as you are above your dog. I might punish +you, kill you, if I chose; but I prefer leaving you to amend your +ways. You have been guilty of three faults to-day--bad temper, +passion, cruelty: do better to-morrow." + +The prince promised, and kept his word awhile; but he had been brought +up by a foolish nurse, who indulged him in every way, and was always +telling him that he would be a king one day, when he might do as he +liked in all things. He found out now that even a king cannot always +do that; it vexed him, and made him angry. His ring began to prick him +so often that his little finger was continually bleeding. He disliked +this, as was natural; and soon began to consider whether it would not +be easier to throw the ring away altogether than to be constantly +annoyed by it. It was such a queer thing for a king to have always a +spot of blood on his finger! At last, unable to put up with it any +more, he took his ring off, and hid it where he would never see it; +and believed himself the happiest of men, for he could now do exactly +what he liked. He did it, and became every day more and more +miserable. + +One day he saw a young girl, so beautiful that, being always +accustomed to have his own way, he immediately determined to espouse +her. He never doubted that she would be only too glad to be made a +queen, for she was very poor. But Zelia--that was her name--answered, +to his great astonishment, that she would rather not marry him. + +"Do I displease you?" asked the prince, into whose mind it had never +entered that he could displease anybody. + +"Not at all, my prince," said the honest peasant-maiden. "You are very +handsome, very charming; but you are not like your father the Good +King. I will not be your queen, for you would make me miserable." + +At these words the prince's love seemed all to turn to hatred: he gave +orders to his guards to convey Zelia to a prison near the palace; and +then took counsel with his foster brother, the one of all his ill +companions who most incited him to do wrong. + +"Sir," said this man, "if I were in your majesty's place, I would +never vex myself about a poor silly girl. Feed her on bread and water +till she comes to her senses; and if she still refuses you, let her +die in torment, as a warning to your other subjects should they +venture to dispute your will. You will be disgraced should you suffer +yourself to be conquered by a simple girl." + +"But," said Prince Cherry, "shall I not be disgraced if I harm a +creature so perfectly innocent?" + +"No one is innocent who disputes your majesty's authority," said the +courtier, bowing; "and it is better to commit an injustice than allow +it to be supposed you can ever be contradicted with impunity." + +This touched Cherry on his weak point--his good impulses faded; he +resolved once more to ask Zelia if she would marry him, and, if she +again refused, to sell her as a slave. Arrived at the cell in which +she was confined, what was his astonishment to find her gone! He knew +not who to accuse, for he had kept the key in his pocket the whole +time. At last, the foster-brother suggested that the escape of Zelia +might have been contrived by an old man, Suliman by name, the prince's +former tutor, who was the only one who now ventured to blame him for +anything that he did. Cherry sent immediately, and ordered his old +friend to be brought to him, loaded heavily with irons. Then, full of +fury, he went and shut himself up in his own chamber, where he went +raging to and fro, till startled by a noise like a clap of thunder. +The Fairy Candide stood before him. + +"Prince," said she, in a severe voice, "I promised your father to give +you good counsels, and to punish you if you refused to follow them. My +counsels were forgotten, my punishments despised. Under the figure of +a man, you have been no better than the beasts you chase: like a lion +in fury a wolf in gluttony, a serpent in revenge, and a bull in +brutality. Take, therefore, in your new form the likeness of all these +animals." + +Scarcely had Prince Cherry heard these words, than to his horror he +found himself transformed into what the fairy had named. He was a +creature with the head of a lion, the horns of a bull the feet of a +wolf, and the tail of a serpent. At the same time he felt himself +transported to a distant forest, where, standing on the bank of a +stream, he saw reflected in the water his own frightful shape, and +heard a voice saying: + +"Look at thyself, and know thy soul has become a thousand times uglier +even than thy body." + +Cherry recognised the voice of Candide, and in his rage would have +sprung upon her and devoured her; but he saw nothing, and the same +voice said behind him: + +"Cease thy feeble fury, and learn to conquer thy pride by being in +submission to thine own subjects." + +Hearing no more, he soon quitted the stream, hoping at least to get +rid of the sight of himself; but he had scarcely gone twenty paces +when he tumbled into a pitfall that was laid to catch bears; the +bear-hunters, descending from some trees hard by, caught him, chained +him, and, only too delighted to get hold of such a curious-looking +animal, led him along with them to the capital of his own kingdom. + +There great rejoicings were taking place, and the bear-hunters, asking +what it was all about, were told that it was because Prince Cherry, +the torment of his subjects, had just been struck dead by a +thunderbolt--just punishment of all his crimes. Four courtiers, his +wicked companions, had wished to divide his throne between them; but +the people had risen up against them, and offered the crown to +Suliman, the old tutor whom Cherry had ordered to be arrested. + +All this the poor monster heard. He even saw Suliman sitting upon his +own throne, and trying to calm the populace by representing to them +that it was not certain Prince Cherry was dead, that he might return +one day to re-assume with honour the crown which Suliman only +consented to wear as a sort of viceroy. + +"I know his heart," said the honest and faithful old man; "it is +tainted, but not corrupt. If alive, he may reform yet, and be all his +father over again to you, his people, whom he has caused to suffer so +much." + +These words touched the poor beast so deeply, that he ceased to beat +himself against the iron bars of the cage in which the hunters carried +him about, became gentle as a lamb, and suffered himself to be taken +quietly to a menagerie, where were kept all sorts of strange and +ferocious animals--a place which he had himself often visited as a +boy, but never thought he should be shut up there himself. + +However, he owned he had deserved it all, and began to make amends by +showing himself very obedient to his keeper. This man was almost as +great a brute as the animals he had charge of, and when he was in ill +humour he used to beat them without rhyme or reason. One day, while he +was sleeping, a tiger broke loose, and leaped upon him, eager to +devour him. Cherry at first felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought +of being revenged; then, seeing how helpless the man was, he wished +himself free, that he might defend him. Immediately the doors of his +cage opened. The keeper, waking up, saw the strange beast leap out, +and imagined, of course, that he was going to be slain at once. +Instead, he saw the tiger lying dead, and the strange beast creeping +up, and laying itself at his feet to be caressed. But as he lifted up +his hand to stroke it, a voice was heard saying, "Good actions never +go unrewarded;" and, instead of the frightful monster, there crouched +on the ground nothing but a pretty little dog. + +Cherry, delighted to find himself thus metamorphosed, caressed the +keeper in every possible way, till at last the man took him up into +his arms and carried him to the king, to whom he related this +wonderful story, from beginning to end. The queen wished to have the +charming little dog; and Cherry would have been exceedingly happy, +could he have forgotten that he was originally a man and a king. He +was lodged most elegantly, had the richest of collars to adorn his +neck, and heard himself praised continually. But his beauty rather +brought him into trouble, for the queen, afraid lest he might grow too +large for a pet, took advice of dog-doctors, who ordered that he +should be fed entirely upon bread, and that very sparingly; so poor +Cherry was sometimes nearly starved. + +One day, when they gave him his crust for breakfast, a fancy seized +him to go and eat it in the palace-garden; so he took the bread in his +mouth, and trotted away towards a stream which he knew, and where he +sometimes stopped to drink. But instead of the stream he saw a +splendid palace, glittering with gold and precious stones. Entering +the doors was a crowd of men and women, magnificently dressed; and +within there was singing and dancing, and good cheer of all sorts. +Yet, however grandly and gaily the people went in, Cherry noticed that +those who came out were pale, thin, ragged, half-naked, covered with +wounds and sores. Some of them dropped dead at once; others dragged +themselves on a little way and then lay down, dying of hunger, and +vainly begged a morsel of bread from others who were entering in--who +never took the least notice of them. + +Cherry perceived one woman, who was trying feebly to gather and eat +some green herbs. "Poor thing!" said he to himself; "I know what it is +to be hungry, and I want my breakfast badly enough; but still it will +not kill me to wait till dinner-time, and my crust may save the life +of this poor woman." + +So the little dog ran up to her, and dropped his bread at her feet; +she picked it up, and ate it with avidity. Soon she looked quite +recovered, and Cherry, delighted, was trotting back again to his +kennel, when he heard loud cries, and saw a young girl dragged by +four men to the door of the palace, which they were trying to compel +her to enter. Oh, how he wished himself a monster again, as when he +slew the tiger!--for the young girl was no other than his beloved +Zelia. Alas! what could a poor little dog do to defend her? But he ran +forward and barked at the men, and bit their heels, until at last they +chased him away with heavy blows. And then he lay down outside the +palace-door, determined to watch and see what had become of Zelia. + +Conscience pricked him now. "What!" thought he, "I am furious against +these wicked men, who are carrying her away; and did I not do the same +myself? Did I not cast her into prison, and intend to sell her as a +slave? Who knows how much more wickedness I might not have done to her +and others, if heaven's justice had not stopped me in time?" + +While he lay thinking and repenting, he heard a window open, and saw +Zelia throw out of it a bit of dainty meat. Cherry, who felt hungry +enough by this time, was just about to eat it, when the woman to whom +he had given his crust snatched him up in her arms. + +"Poor little beast!" cried she, patting him, "every bit of food in +that palace is poisoned: you shall not touch a morsel." + +And at the same time the voice in the air repeated again, "Good +actions never go unrewarded;" and Cherry found himself changed into a +beautiful little white pigeon. He remembered with joy that white was +the colour of the Fairy Candide, and began to hope that she was +taking him into favour again. + +So he stretched his wings, delighted that he might now have a chance +of approaching his fair Zelia. He flew up to the palace-windows, and, +finding one of them open, entered and sought everywhere, but he could +not find Zelia. Then, in despair, he flew out again, resolved to go +over the world until he beheld her once more. + +He took flight at once, and traversed many countries, swiftly as a +bird can, but found no trace of his beloved. At length in a desert, +sitting beside an old hermit in his cave, and partaking with him his +frugal repast, Cherry saw a poor peasant-girl, and recognised Zelia. +Transported with joy, he flew in, perched on her shoulder, and +expressed his delight and affection by a thousand caresses. + +She, charmed with the pretty little pigeon, caressed it in her turn, +and promised it that, if it would stay with her, she would love it +always. + +"What have you done, Zelia?" said the hermit, smiling; and while he +spoke the white pigeon vanished, and there stood Prince Cherry in his +own natural form. "Your enchantment ended, prince, when Zelia promised +to love you. Indeed, she has loved you always, but your many faults +constrained her to hide her love. These are now amended, and you may +both live happy if you will, because your union is founded upon mutual +esteem." + +Cherry and Zelia threw themselves at the feet of the hermit, whose +form also began to change His soiled garments became of dazzling +whiteness, and his long beard and withered face grew into the flowing +hair and lovely countenance of the Fairy Candide. + +"Rise up, my children," said she; "I must now transport you to your +palace, and restore to Prince Cherry his father's crown, of which he +is now worthy." + +She had scarcely ceased speaking when they found themselves in the +chamber of Suliman, who, delighted to find again his beloved pupil and +master, willingly resigned the throne, and became the most faithful of +his subjects. + +King Cherry and Queen Zelia reigned together for many years, and it is +said that the former was so blameless and strict in all his duties, +that though he constantly wore the ring which Candide had restored to +him, it never once pricked his finger enough to make it bleed. + + + + +LITTLE SNOWDROP. + + +Once upon a time, in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow +fell like feathers from the sky, a queen sat at a window set in an +ebony frame, and sewed. While she was sewing and watching the snow +fall, she pricked her finger with her needle, and three drops of blood +dropped on the snow. And because the crimson looked so beautiful on +the white snow, she thought, "Oh that I had a child as white as snow, +as red as blood, and as black as the wood of this ebony frame!" + +Soon afterwards she had a little daughter, who was as white as snow, +as red as blood, and had hair as black as ebony. And when the child +was born, the queen died. + +After a year had gone by, the king took another wife. She was a +handsome lady, but proud and haughty, and could not endure that any +one should surpass her in beauty. She had a wonderful mirror, and +whenever she walked up to it, and looked at herself in it, she said: + + "Little glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest among us all?" + +Then the mirror replied: + + "Lady queen, so grand and tall, + Thou art the fairest of them all." + +And she was satisfied, for she knew the mirror always told the truth. +But Snowdrop grew ever taller and fairer, and at seven years old was +beautiful as the day, and more beautiful than the queen herself. So +once, when the queen asked of her mirror: + + "Little glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest among us all?" + +it answered: + + "Lady queen, you are grand and tall, + But Snowdrop is fairest of you all." + +Then the queen was startled, and turned yellow and green with envy. +From that hour she so hated Snowdrop, that she burned with secret +wrath whenever she saw the maiden. Pride and envy grew apace like +weeds in her heart, till she had no rest day or night. So she called a +huntsman and said, "Take the child out in the forest, for I will +endure her no longer in my sight. Kill her, and bring me her lungs and +liver as tokens that you have done it." + +The huntsman obeyed, and led the child away; but when he had drawn his +hunting-knife, and was about to pierce Snowdrop's innocent heart, she +began to weep, and said, "Ah! dear huntsman, spare my life, and I will +run deep into the wild forest, and never more come home." + +The huntsman took pity on her, because she looked so lovely, and said, +"Run away then, poor child!"--"The wild beasts will soon make an end +of thee," he thought; but it seemed as if a stone had been rolled from +his heart, because he had avoided taking her life; and as a little +bear came by just then, he killed it, took out its liver and lungs, +and carried them as tokens to the queen. She made the cook dress them +with salt, and then the wicked woman ate them, and thought she had +eaten Snowdrop's lungs and liver. The poor child was now all alone in +the great forest, and she felt frightened as she looked at all the +leafy trees, and knew not what to do. So she began to run, and ran +over the sharp stones, and through the thorns; and the wild beasts +passed close to her, but did her no harm. She ran as long as her feet +could carry her, and when evening closed in, she saw a little house, +and went into it to rest herself. Everything in the house was very +small, but I cannot tell you how pretty and clean it was. + +There stood a little table, covered with a white tablecloth, on which +were seven little plates (each little plate with its own little +spoon)--also seven little knives and forks, and seven little cups. +Round the walls stood seven little beds close together, with sheets as +white as snow. Snowdrop being so hungry and thirsty, ate a little of +the vegetables and bread on each plate, and drank a drop of wine from +every cup, for she did not like to empty one entirely. + +Then, being very tired, she laid herself down in one of the beds, but +could not make herself comfortable, for one was too long, and another +too short. The seventh, luckily, was just right; so there she stayed, +said her prayers, and fell asleep. + +When it was grown quite dark, home came the masters of the house, +seven dwarfs, who delved and mined for iron among the mountains. They +lighted their seven candles, and as soon as there was a light in the +kitchen, they saw that some one had been there, for it was not quite +so orderly as they had left it. + +The first said, "Who has been sitting on my stool?" + +The second, "Who has eaten off my plate?" + +The third, "Who has taken part of my loaf?" + +The fourth, "Who has touched my vegetables?" + +The fifth, "Who has used my fork?" + +The sixth, "Who has cut with my knife?" + +The seventh, "Who has drunk out of my little cup?" + +Then the first dwarf looked about, and saw that there was a slight +hollow in his bed, so he asked, "Who has been lying in my little bed?" + +The others came running, and each called out, "Some one has also been +lying in my bed." + +But the seventh, when he looked in his bed, saw Snowdrop there, fast +asleep. He called the others, who flocked round with cries of +surprise, fetched their seven candles, and cast the light on Snowdrop. + +"Oh, heaven!" they cried, "what a lovely child!" and were so pleased +that they would not wake her, but let her sleep on in the little bed. +The seventh dwarf slept with all his companions in turn, an hour with +each, and so they spent the night. When it was morning, Snowdrop woke +up, and was frightened when she saw the seven dwarfs. They were very +friendly, however, and inquired her name. + +"Snowdrop," answered she. + +"How have you found your way to our house?" further asked the dwarfs. + +So she told them how her stepmother had tried to kill her, how the +huntsman had spared her life, and how she had run the whole day +through, till at last she had found their little house. + +Then the dwarfs said, "If thou wilt keep our house, cook, make the +beds, wash, sew and knit, and make all neat and clean, thou canst stay +with us, and shalt want for nothing." + +"I will, right willingly," said Snowdrop. So she dwelt with them, and +kept their house in order. Every morning they went out among the +mountains, to seek iron and gold, and came home ready for supper in +the evening. + +The maiden being left alone all day long, the good dwarfs warned her, +saying, "Beware of thy wicked stepmother, who will soon find out that +thou art here; take care that thou lettest nobody in." + +The queen, however, after having, as she thought, eaten Snowdrop's +lungs and liver, had no doubt that she was again the first and fairest +woman in the world; so she walked up to her mirror, and said: + + "Little glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest among us all?" + +The mirror replied: + + "Lady queen, so grand and tall, + Here, you are fairest of them all: + But over the hills, with the seven dwarfs old, + Lives Snowdrop, fairer a hundredfold." + +She trembled, knowing the mirror never told a falsehood; she felt sure +that the huntsman had deceived her, and that Snowdrop was still alive. +She pondered once more, late and early, early and late, how best to +kill Snowdrop; for envy gave her no rest, day or night, while she +herself was not the fairest lady in the land. When she had planned +what to do, she painted her face, dressed herself like an old +pedlar-woman, and altered her appearance so much, that no one could +have known her. In this disguise she went over the seven hills, to +where the seven dwarfs dwelt, knocked at the door, and cried, "Good +wares, cheap! very cheap!" + +Snowdrop looked out of the window and cried, "Good morning, good +woman: what have you to sell?" + +"Good wares, smart wares," answered the queen--"bodice laces of all +colours;" and drew out one which was woven of coloured silk. + +"I may surely let this honest dame in!" thought Snowdrop; so she +unfastened the door, and bought for herself the pretty lace. + +"Child," said the old woman, "what a figure thou art! Let me lace thee +for once properly." Snowdrop feared no harm, so stepped in front of +her, and allowed her bodice to be fastened up with the new lace. + +But the old woman laced so quick and laced so tight, that Snowdrop's +breath was stopped, and she fell down as if dead. "Now I am fairest at +last," said the old woman to herself, and sped away. + +The seven dwarfs came home soon after, at eventide, but how alarmed +were they to find their poor Snowdrop lifeless on the ground! They +lifted her up, and, seeing that she was laced too tightly, cut the +lace of her bodice; she began to breathe faintly, and slowly returned +to life. When the dwarfs heard what had happened, they said, "The old +pedlar-woman was none other than the wicked queen. Be careful of +thyself, and open the door to no one if we are not at home." + +The cruel stepmother walked up to her mirror when she reached home, +and said: + + "Little glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest among us all?" + +To which it answered, as usual: + + "Lady queen, so grand and tall, + Here, you are fairest of them all; + But over the hills, with the seven dwarfs old, + Lives Snowdrop, fairer a hundredfold." + +When she heard this, she was so alarmed that all the blood rushed to +her heart, for she saw plainly that Snowdrop was still alive. + +"This time," said she, "I will think of some means that shall destroy +her utterly;" and with the help of witchcraft, in which she was +skilful, she made a poisoned comb. Then she changed her dress and took +the shape of another old woman. + +Again she crossed the seven hills to the home of the seven dwarfs, +knocked at the door, and cried, "Good wares, very cheap!" + +Snowdrop looked out and said, "Go away--I dare let no one in." + +"You may surely be allowed to look!" answered the old woman, and she +drew out the poisoned comb and held it up. The girl was so pleased +with it that she let herself be cajoled, and opened the door. + +When the bargain was struck, the dame said, "Now let me dress your +hair properly for once." Poor Snowdrop took no heed, and let the old +woman begin; but the comb had scarcely touched her hair before the +poison worked, and she fell down senseless. + +"Paragon of beauty!" said the wicked woman, "all is over with thee +now," and went away. + +Luckily, it was near evening, and the seven dwarfs soon came home. +When they found Snowdrop lifeless on the ground, they at once +distrusted her stepmother. They searched, and found the poisoned comb; +and as soon as they had drawn it out, Snowdrop came to herself, and +told them what had happened. Again they warned her to be careful, and +open the door to no one. + +The queen placed herself before the mirror at home and said: + + "Little glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest among us all?" + +But it again answered: + + "Lady queen, so grand and tall, + Here you are fairest of them all; + But over the hills, with the seven dwarfs old, + Lives Snowdrop, fairer a thousandfold." + +When she heard the mirror speak thus, she quivered with rage. +"Snowdrop shall die," she cried, "if it costs my own life!" + +Then she went to a secret and lonely chamber, where no one ever +disturbed her, and compounded an apple of deadly poison. Ripe and rosy +cheeked, it was so beautiful to look upon, that all who saw it longed +for it; but it brought death to any who should eat it. When the apple +was ready, she painted her face, disguised herself as a peasant-woman, +and journeyed over the seven hills to where the seven dwarfs dwelt. At +the sound of the knock, Snowdrop put her head out of the window, and +said, "I cannot open the door to anybody, for the seven dwarfs have +forbidden me to do so." + +"Very well," replied the peasant-woman; "I only want to be rid of my +apples. Here, I will give you one of them!" + +"No!" said Snowdrop, "I dare not take it." + +"Art thou afraid of being poisoned?" asked the old woman. "Look here; +I will cut the apple in two, and you shall eat the rosy side, and I +the white." + +Now the fruit was so cunningly made, that only the rosy side was +poisoned. Snowdrop longed for the pretty apple; and when she saw the +peasant-woman eating it, she could resist no longer, but stretched out +her hand and took the poisoned half. She had scarcely tasted it, when +she fell lifeless to the ground. + +The queen, laughing loudly, watched her with a barbarous look, and +cried, "O thou who art white as snow, red as blood, and black as +ebony, the seven dwarfs cannot awaken thee this time!" + +And when she asked the mirror at home, + + "Little glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest among us all?" + +the mirror at last replied, + + "Lady queen, so grand and tall, + You are the fairest of them all." + +So her envious heart had as much repose as an envious heart can ever +know. + +When the dwarfs came home in the evening, they found Snowdrop lying +breathless and motionless on the ground. They lifted her up, searched +whether she had anything poisonous about her, unlaced her, combed her +hair, washed her with water and with wine; but all was useless, for +they could not bring the darling back to life. They laid her on a +bier, and all the seven placed themselves round it, and mourned for +her three long days. Then they would have buried her, but that she +still looked so fresh and life-like, and had such lovely rosy cheeks. +"We cannot lower her into the dark earth," said they; and caused a +transparent coffin of glass to be made, so that she could be seen on +all sides, and laid her in it, writing her name outside in letters of +gold, which told that she was the daughter of a king. Then they placed +the coffin on the mountain above, and one of them always stayed by it +and guarded it. But there was little need to guard it, for even the +wild animals came and mourned for Snowdrop: the birds likewise--first +an owl, and then a raven, and afterwards a dove. + +Long, long years, did Snowdrop lie in her coffin unchanged, looking as +though asleep, for she was still white as snow, red as blood, and her +hair was black as ebony. At last the son of a king chanced to wander +into the forest, and came to the dwarf's house for a night's shelter. +He saw the coffin on the mountain with the beautiful Snowdrop in it, +and read what was written there in letters of gold. Then he said to +the dwarfs, "Let me have the coffin! I will give you whatever you like +to ask for it." + +But the dwarfs answered, "We would not part with it for all the gold +in the world." + +He said again, "Yet give it me; for I cannot live without seeing +Snowdrop, and though she is dead, I will prize and honour her as my +beloved." + +Then the good dwarfs took pity on him, and gave him the coffin. The +prince had it borne away by his servants. They happened to stumble +over a bush, and the shock forced the bit of poisoned apple which +Snowdrop had tasted out of her throat. Immediately she opened her +eyes, raised the coffin-lid, and sat up alive once more. "Oh, heaven!" +cried she, "where am I?" + +The prince answered joyfully, "Thou art with me," and told her what +had happened, saying, "I love thee more dearly than anything else in +the world. Come with me to my father's castle, and be my wife." + +Snowdrop, well pleased, went with him, and they were married with much +state and grandeur. + +The wicked stepmother was invited to the feast. Richly dressed, she +stood before the mirror, and asked of it: + + "Little glass upon the wall, + Who is fairest among us all?" + +The mirror answered: + + "Lady queen, so grand and tall, + Here, you are fairest among them all; + But the young queen over the mountains old, + Is fairer than you a thousandfold." + +The evil-hearted woman uttered a curse, and could scarcely endure her +anguish. She first resolved not to attend the wedding, but curiosity +would not allow her to rest. She determined to travel, and see who +that young queen could be, who was the most beautiful in all the +world. When she came, and found that it was Snowdrop alive again, she +stood petrified with terror and despair. Then two iron shoes, heated +burning hot, were drawn out of the fire with a pair of tongs, and laid +before her feet. She was forced to put them on, and to go and dance at +Snowdrop's wedding--dancing, dancing on these red hot shoes till she +fell down dead. + + + + +THE BLUE BIRD. + + +A powerful and wealthy king, having lost his wife, was so +inconsolable, that he shut himself up for eight entire days, in a +little cabinet, where he spent his time in knocking his head against +the wall, until the courtiers were afraid he would kill himself! They +accordingly placed stuffed mattresses over every wall, and allowed all +his subjects, who desired, to pay him a visit, trusting that something +would be said to alleviate his grief. But neither grave nor lively +discourse made any impression upon him; he scarcely heard what was +spoken. At last there presented herself before him a lady, covered +from head to foot in a long crape veil, who wept and sobbed so much +that the king noticed her. She told him that she did not come, like +the rest, to console him, but rather to encourage his grief. She +herself had lost the best of husbands, and here she began to weep so +profusely, that it was a wonder her eyes were not melted out of her +head. The king began to weep in company, and to talk to her of his +dear wife--she did the same of her dear husband: in fact they talked +so much, that they talked their sorrow quite away. Then, lifting up +her veil, she showed lovely blue eyes and dark eyelashes. The king +noticed her more and more--he spoke less and less of the departed +queen; by and by he ceased to speak of her at all. The end was, that +he courted the inconsolable lady in the black veil, and married her. + +By his first marriage he had one daughter, called Florina, or the +little Flora, because she was so fresh and lovely; at the time of his +second marriage she was quite fifteen years old. The new queen also +had a daughter, who was being brought up by her godmother, the fairy +Soussio--her name was Troutina, because her complexion was all spotted +like a trout's back. Indeed, she was altogether ugly and disagreeable; +and when contrasted with Florina, the difference between the two made +the mother so envious, that she and Troutina spared no pains to make +the princess's life unhappy, and to speak ill of her to her father. + +One day the king observed that both girls were now old enough to be +married, and that he intended to choose for one of them the first +prince who visited his court. + +"Be it so," said the queen; "and as my daughter is older, handsomer, +and more amiable than yours, she shall have the first choice." The +king disputed nothing; indeed, he never did--the queen ruled him in +all things. + +Some time after, news came that King Charming would shortly arrive, +and that he was as charming as his name. When the queen heard this +news, she sent for milliners, dressmakers, jewellers, and decked +Troutina from head to foot; but to Florina she allowed not a single +new frock The poor princess had to put on her old one, which was very +old and shabby indeed, she was so much ashamed of it, that she hid +herself in a corner of the saloon, lest King Charming should see her. +But he did not, being overwhelmed with the ceremonious reception given +him by the queen, who presented to him Troutina, all blazing with +jewels, yet so ugly that King Charming involuntarily turned away his +eyes. + +"But, madam, is there not another princess called Florina?" + +They pointed to the corner where Florina was hidden, and she came out, +blushing so much, that the young king was dazzled with her beauty, in +spite of her shabby gown. He rose, and made her a profound reverence, +paying her besides so many elegant compliments, that the queen became +very much displeased. King Charming took no heed, but conversed with +Florina for three hours without stopping. Indeed, his admiration of +her was so plain, that the queen and Troutina begged of the king that +she might be shut up in a tower during the whole time of his visit; +so, as soon as she had returned to her apartment, four men in masks +entered, and carried her off, leaving her in a dark cell, and in the +utmost desolation. + +Meantime King Charming eagerly awaited her re-appearance, but he saw +her no more; and by the queen's orders, every one about him spoke all +the evil they could of poor Florina, but he refused to believe one +word. "No," said he, "nature could not have united a base nature to +such a sweet innocent face. I will rather suppose that she is +maligned by her stepmother and by Troutina, who is so ugly herself +that no wonder she bears envy towards the fairest woman in the world." + +Meanwhile Florina, shut up in her tower, lamented bitterly. "Ah, would +I had been sent here before I saw this amiable prince, who was so kind +to me! It is to prevent my meeting him again, that the queen treats me +so cruelly. Alas! the little beauty I have has cost me sore!" + +The queen, to win King Charming for her daughter, made him many +presents; among the rest an order of knighthood, a golden heart, +enamelled in flame-colour, surrounded with many arrows, but pierced by +one only, the motto being, "_She alone_." The heart was made of a +single ruby, as big as an ostrich's egg. Each arrow was a diamond, a +finger's length, and the chain was of pearls, each weighing a pound. +When the young king received this very handsome present, he was much +perplexed, until they told him it came from the princess whom he had +lately seen, and who requested him to be her knight. + +"Florina!" cried he, enchanted. + +"No, Troutina." + +"Then I am sorry I cannot accept the honour," replied King Charming. +"A monarch is surely at liberty to form his own engagements. I know +what is a knight's duty to his lady, and should wish to fulfil it; as +I cannot fulfil it to Troutina, I would rather decline the favour she +offers me than become unworthy of it." + +Civil as this answer was, it irritated the queen and her daughter +exceedingly; and when, since in all his audiences with their majesties +he never saw Florina, he at last inquired where the younger princess +was, the queen answered fiercely, that she was shut up in prison, and +would remain there till Troutina was married. + +"And for what reason?" asked King Charming. + +"I do not know; and if I did, I would not tell you," replied the +queen, more angrily than ever; so that King Charming quitted her +presence as soon as ever he could. + +When he was alone, he sent for one of his attendants, whom he trusted +very much, and begged him to gain information from some court lady +about the princess Florina. This scheme succeeded so well, that +Florina was persuaded to promise she would speak to him for a few +moments next night, from a small window at the bottom of the tower. +But the faithless lady-in-waiting betrayed her to the queen, who +locked her up in her chamber, and determined to send her own daughter +to the window instead. The night was so dark that King Charming never +found out the difference, but made to Troutina all the tender speeches +that he meant for Florina, offering her his crown and his heart, and +ending by placing his own ring on her finger, as a pledge of eternal +fidelity. He also made her agree to fly with him next night, in a +chariot drawn by winged frogs, of which a great magician, one of his +friends, had made him a present. He thought she talked very little, +and that little not in quite so pleasant a voice as formerly; still, +he was too much in love to notice much, and departed very joyful in +having obtained her promise. + +Next night Troutina, thickly veiled, quitted the palace by a secret +door. King Charming met her, received her in his arms, and vowed to +love her for ever. Then he lifted her into the fairy chariot, and they +sailed about in the air for some hours. But as he was not likely to +wish to sail about for ever, he at last proposed that they should +descend to earth, and be married. Troutina agreed with all her heart, +but wished that the ceremony should be performed at her godmother's, +the fairy Soussio. So they entered together into the fairy-palace, and +she told her godmother privately how all had happened, and how she had +won King Charming, begging the fairy to pacify him when he found out +his mistake. + +"My child," replied the godmother, "that is more easily said than +done; he is too deeply in love with Florina." + +Meantime the king was left waiting in a chamber with diamond walls, so +thin and transparent, that through them he saw Troutina and Soussio +conversing together. He stood like a man in a dream: "What! am I +betrayed? Has this enemy to my peace carried away my dear Florina?" + +How great was his despair, when Soussio said to him in a commanding +voice, "King Charming, behold the princess Troutina, to whom you have +promised your faith: marry her immediately!" + +"Do you think me a fool?" cried the king; "I have promised her +nothing. She is--" + +"Stop--if you show me any disrespect--" + +"I will respect you as much as a fairy deserves to be respected, if +you will only give me back my princess." + +"Am not I she?" said Troutina. "It was to me you gave this ring; to me +you spoke at the window." + +"I have been wickedly deceived!" cried the king; "come, my winged +frogs, we will depart immediately." + +"You cannot," said Soussio; and, touching him, he found himself fixed +as if his feet were glued to the pavement. + +"You may turn me into stone!" exclaimed he; "but I will love no one, +except Florina." + +Soussio employed persuasions, threats, promises, entreaties. Troutina +wept, groaned, shrieked, and then tried quiet sulkiness; but the king +uttered not a word. For twenty days and twenty nights he stood there, +without sleeping, or eating, or once sitting down--they talking all +the while. + +At length, Soussio, quite worn out, said, "Choose seven years of +penitence and punishment, or marry my goddaughter." + +"I choose," answered the king; "and I will not marry your +goddaughter." + +"Then fly out of this window, in the shape of a Blue Bird." + +Immediately the king's figure changed. His arms formed themselves into +wings; his legs and feet turned black and thin, and claws grew upon +them; his body wasted into the slender shape of a bird, and was +covered with bright blue feathers; his eyes became round and beady; +his nose an ivory beak; and his crown was a white plume on the top of +his head. He began to speak in a singing voice, and then uttering a +doleful cry, fled away as far as possible from the fatal palace of +Soussio. + +But, though he looked only a blue bird, the king was his own natural +self still, and remembered all his misfortunes, and did not cease to +lament for his beautiful Florina. Flying from tree to tree, he sang +melancholy songs about her and himself, and wished he were dead many a +time. + +The fairy Soussio sent back Troutina to her mother, who was furious. +"Florina shall repent having pleased King Charming!" cried she; and +dressing her own daughter in rich garments, with a gold crown on her +head, and King Charming's ring on her finger, she took her to the +tower. "Florina, your sister is come to see and bring you marriage +presents, for she is now the wife of King Charming." + +Florina, doubting no more her lover's loss, fell down in a swoon, and +the queen immediately went to tell her father that she was mad for +love, and must be watched closely lest she should in some way disgrace +herself. The king said, her stepmother might do with her exactly what +she pleased. + +When the princess recovered from her swoon, she began to weep, and +wept all night long, sitting at the open window of her tower. The Blue +Bird, who kept continually flying about the palace, but only at night +time, lest any one should see him, happened to come and perch upon a +tall cypress opposite the window, and heard her; but it was too dark +to see who she was, and at daylight she shut the window. Next night, +it was broad moonlight, and then he saw clearly the figure of a young +girl, weeping sore, and knew that it was his beloved Florina. + +When she paused in her lamentations, "Adorable princess," said he, +"why do you mourn? Your troubles are not without remedy." + +"Who speaks to me so gently?" asked she. + +"A king, who loves you, and will never love any other." + +So saying he flew up to the window, and at first frightened the +princess very much, for she could not understand such an extraordinary +thing as a bird who talked in words like a man, yet kept still the +piping voice of a nightingale. But soon she began stroking his +beautiful plumage, and caressing him. + +"Who are you, charming bird?" + +"You have spoken my name. I am King Charming, condemned to be a bird +for seven years, because I will not renounce you." + +"Ah! do not deceive me. I know you have married Troutina. She came to +visit me with your diamonds on her neck, and your ring on her finger, +wearing the golden crown and royal mantle which you had given her, +while I was laden with iron chains." + +"It is all false," sang the Blue Bird, and told her his whole story, +which comforted her so much that she thought no more of her +misfortunes. They conversed till daybreak, and promised faithfully +every night to meet again thus. + +Meantime the princess could not sleep for thinking of her Blue Bird. +"Suppose sportsmen should shoot him, or eagles and kites attack him, +and vultures devour him just as if he were a mere bird and not a great +king? What should I do if I saw his poor feathers scattered on the +ground, and knew that he was no more?" So she grieved all day long. + +The beautiful Blue Bird, hid in a hollow tree, spent the hours in +thinking of his princess. "How happy I am to have found her again, and +found her so engaging and so sweet." And as he wished to pay her all +the attentions that a lover delights in, he flew to his own kingdom, +entered his palace by an open window, and sought for some diamond +ear-rings, which he brought back in his beak, and, when night came, +offered them to Florina. So night after night he brought her something +beautiful, and they talked together till day, when he flew back to the +hollow tree, where he sang her praises in a voice so sweet that the +passers-by thought it was not a bird but a spirit. Rumours went about +that the place was haunted, and no one would go near the spot. Thus, +for two years, Florina spent her time, and never once regretted her +captivity. Her Blue Bird visited her every night, and they loved one +another dearly. And though she saw nobody and he lived in the hollow +of a tree, they always found plenty to say to one another. + +The malicious queen tried with all her might to get Troutina married, +but in vain. Nobody would have her. "If it were Florina, now," said +the kings, or the kings' ambassadors, "we should be most happy to sign +the contract." + +"That girl thwarts us still," said the queen. "She must have some +secret correspondence with foreign suitors. But we will find her out +and punish her." + +The mother and daughter finished talking so late that it was midnight +before they reached Florina's apartment. She had dressed herself as +usual, with the utmost care, to please her Blue Bird, who liked to see +her lovely; and she had adorned herself with all the pretty things he +had given her. He perched on the window-sill, and she sat at the +window, and they were singing together a duet, which the queen heard +outside. She burst the door open, and rushed into the chamber. + +The first thing Florina did was to open her little window that the +Blue Bird might fly away. But he would not. He had seen the queen and +Troutina, and though he could not defend his princess, he refused to +leave her. The two rushed upon her like furies. Her wonderful beauty +and her splendid jewels startled them. "Whence came all these +ornaments?" cried they. + +"I found them," replied Florina, and refused to answer more. + +"Some one has given them to you that you might join in treason +against your father and the kingdom. + +"Am I likely to do this? I, a poor princess, kept in captivity for two +years, with you as my gaoler?" + +"In captivity," repeated the queen. "Why, then, do you dress yourself +so fine, and adorn your chamber with flowers?" + +"I have leisure enough: I may just as well spend some of it in +adorning myself, instead of bemoaning my misfortune--innocent as I +am." + +"Innocent, indeed!" cried the queen, and began to search the room. In +it she found all King Charming's presents--diamonds, rubies, emeralds, +amethysts--in short, jewels without end. Meantime, from the window the +Blue Bird, who had the eye of a lynx, sang aloud, "Beware, Florina!" + +"You see, madam," said Florina, "even the spirits of the air take pity +upon me." + +"I see that you are in league with demons; but your father shall judge +you;" and, very much frightened, the queen left her, and went to hold +counsel with Troutina as to what was to be done. They agreed to put in +Florina's chamber a waiting-maid, who should watch her from morning +till night. When the princess learnt this she was in great grief. + +"Alas!" cried she, "I can no longer talk with my bird who loved me so; +and our love was consolation for all our misfortunes. What will he do? +What shall I do?" And she melted into floods of tears. + +She dared not open the window, though she heard continually his wings +fluttering round it. For more than a month she waited; but the +serving-maid watched her night and day. At last, overcome with +weariness, the girl fell asleep, and then Florina opened her little +window, and sang in a low voice-- + + "Blue Bird, Blue Bird, + Come to my side." + +The Blue Bird flew to the window-sill, and they lavished on one +another a hundred caresses, and talked together till dawn. Next night +it happened the same, till they began to hope that the waiting-maid, +who seemed to enjoy her sleep so much, would sleep every night to +come. But on the third night, hearing a noise, she wakened, and saw by +the light of the moon the Princess Florina sitting at the window with +a beautiful Blue Bird, who warbled in her ear and touched her gently +with his beak. The spy listened and heard all their conversation, very +much astonished that a princess could be so fond of a mere bird. When +day came she related all to the queen and Troutina, who concluded that +the bird could be no other than King Charming. They sent the girl +back, told her to express no curiosity, but to feign sleep, and to go +to bed earlier than usual. Then the poor deceived princess opened her +little window, and sang her usual song-- + + "Blue Bird, Blue Bird, + Come to my side." + +But no Blue Bird appeared. The queen had caused sharp knives to be +hung outside the hollow of the tree: he flew against them and cut his +feet and wings, till he dropped down, covered with blood. + +"Oh, Florina, come to my help!" sighed he, "But she is dead, I know, +and I will die also." + +At that moment, his friend, the magician, who since he had seen the +chariot with flying frogs return without King Charming, had gone eight +times round the world in search of him, made his ninth journey, and +came to the tree where the poor Blue Bird lay, calling out, "King +Charming, King Charming!" + +The king recognised the voice of his best friend: whereupon the +magician took him out of the hollow tree, healed his wounds, and heard +all his history. He persuaded King Charming that, overcome with fear +and cruel treatment, Florina must have betrayed him. + +"Then do as you will with me!" cried the king. "Put me into a cage and +take me back with you. I shall at least be safe there for the five +years that are to be endured." + +"But," said the enchanter, "can you remain five years in so +undignified a position? And you have enemies who will assuredly seize +on your kingdom." + +"Why can I not return and govern it as before?" + +"I fear," replied his friend, "that the thing is difficult. Who would +obey a Blue Bird?" + +"Ah, that is too true!" cried the king, sadly, "People only judge by +the outside." + +Meantime Florina, overcome with grief, fell dangerously sick, and in +her sickness she kept singing, day and night, her little song-- + + "Blue Bird, Blue Bird, + Come to my side." + +But no one regarded her. + +At last a sudden change took place in her fortunes. The king her +father died, and the people, who knew she was his heir, began to +inquire, with one accord, where was the Princess Florina? They +assailed the palace in crowds, demanding her for their sovereign. The +riot became so dangerous that Troutina and her mother fled away to the +fairy Soussio. Then the populace stormed the tower, rescued the sick +and almost dying princess, and crowned her as their queen. + +The exceeding care that was taken of her, and her longing to live in +order to see again her Blue Bird, restored Florina's health, and gave +her strength to call a council and arrange all the affairs of her +kingdom. Then she departed by night, and alone, to go over the world +in search of her Blue Bird. + +The magician, who was King Charming's friend, went to the fairy +Soussio, whom he knew, for they had quarrelled and made it up again, +as fairies and magicians do, many times within the last five or six +hundred years. She received him civilly, and asked him what he wanted. +He tried to make a bargain with her but could effect nothing, unless +King Charming would consent to marry Troutina. The enchanter found +this bride so ugly that he could not advise. Still, the Blue Bird had +run so many risks in his cage: the nail it was hung upon had broken, +and the king suffered much in the fall; Minetta, the cat, had glowered +at him with her green eyes; the attendants had forgotten his hemp-seed +and his water-glass, so that he was half dying of hunger and thirst; +and a monkey had plucked at his feathers through the wires as +disrespectfully as if, instead of a king, he had been a linnet or a +jay. Worse than all, his next heir spread reports of his death, and +threatened to seize on his throne. + +Under these circumstances the magician thought it best to agree with +Soussio that King Charming should be restored to his kingdom and his +natural shape for six months, on condition that Troutina should remain +in his palace, and that he should try to like her and marry her. If +not, he was to become again a Blue Bird. So he found himself once more +King Charming, and as charming as ever; but he would rather have been +a bird and near his beloved, than a king in the society of Troutina. +The enchanter gave him the best reasons for what had been done, and +advised him to occupy himself with the affairs of his kingdom and +people; but he thought less of these things than how to escape from +the horror of marrying Troutina. + +Meanwhile the Queen Florina, in a peasant's dress, with a straw hat on +her head, and a canvas sack on her shoulder, began her journey: +sometimes on horseback, sometimes on foot, sometimes by sea, sometimes +by land, wandering; evermore after her beloved King Charming. One +day, stopping beside a fountain, she let her hair fall loose, and +dipped her weary feet in the cool water, when an old woman, bent, and +leaning on a stick, came by. + +"My pretty maiden, what are you doing here all alone?" + +"Good mother," replied the queen, "I have too many troubles to be +pleasant company for anybody." + +"Tell me your troubles, and I may be able to soften them." + +Florina obeyed, and told her whole history, and how she was travelling +over the world in search of the Blue Bird. The little woman listened +attentively, and then, in the twinkling of an eye, became, instead of +an old woman, a beautiful fairy. + +"Incomparable Florina, the king you seek is no longer a bird; my +sister Soussio has restored him to his proper shape, and he reigns in +his own kingdom. Do not afflict yourself; happiness will yet be yours. +Take these four eggs, and whenever you are in trouble, break them, and +see what ensues." So saying, the fairy vanished. + +Florina, greatly comforted, put the eggs in her sack, and turned her +steps towards the country of King Charming. She walked eight days and +nights without stopping, and then came to a mountain made entirely of +ivory, and nearly perpendicular. Despairing of ever climbing it, she +sank down at the foot, prepared to die there, when she bethought +herself of the eggs. "Let me see," said she, "if the fairy has +deceived me or not." So she broke one, and inside it were little +hooks of gold, which she fitted on her feet and hands, and by means of +which she climbed the mountain with ease. Arrived at the summit she +found new difficulties; for the valley below was one large smooth +mirror, in which sixty thousand women stood admiring themselves. They +had need, for the charm of the mirror was that each saw herself +therein, not as she was, but as she wished to be; and the grimaces +they made were enough to cause a person to die of laughter. Not one of +them had ever gained the top of the mountain; and when they saw +Florina there, they all burst into angry outcries, "How has this woman +got up the hill? If she descends upon our mirror her first footstep +will crack it into a thousand pieces." + +The queen, uncertain what to do, broke the second egg, and there flew +out two pigeons harnessed to a fine chariot, in which Florina mounted, +and descended lightly over the mirror to the valley's foot. "Now, my +pretty pigeons," said she, "will you convey me to the palace of King +Charming?" The obedient pigeons did so, flying day and night till they +reached the city gates; when the queen dismissed them with a sweet +kiss, which was worth more than her crown. + +How her heart beat as she entered, and begged to see the king! "You!" +cried the servants mocking. "Little peasant-girl, your eyes are not +half good enough to see the king. Besides, he is going to-morrow to +the temple with the Princess Troutina, whom he has at last agreed to +marry." + +Florina sat down on a door-step, and hid her face under her straw hat +and her drooping hair. "Alas!" she cried, "my Blue Bird has forsaken +me." + +She neither ate nor slept, but rose with the dawn, and pushed her way +through the guards to the temple, where she saw two thrones, one for +King Charming, and the other for Troutina. They arrived shortly; he +more charming and she more repulsive than ever. Knitting her brows, +Troutina exclaimed, "What creature is that who dares approach so near +my golden throne?" + +"I am a poor peasant-girl," said Florina. "I come from afar to sell +you curiosities." And she took out of her sack the emerald bracelets +which the Blue Bird had given her. + +"These are pretty trinkets," said Troutina; and going up to the king +she asked him what he thought of them. At sight of the ornaments he +turned pale, remembering those he had given to Florina. + +"These bracelets are worth half my kingdom; I did not think there had +been more than one pair in the world." + +"Then I will buy these," said Troutina; but Florina refused to sell +them for money: the price she asked was permission to sleep a night in +the Chamber of Echoes. + +"As you will; your bargains are cheap enough," replied Troutina, +laughing: and when she laughed she showed teeth like the tusks of a +wild boar. + +Now the king, when he was a Blue Bird, had informed Florina about this +Chamber of Echoes, where every word spoken could be heard in his own +chamber; she could not have chosen a better way of reproaching him for +his infidelity. But vain were her sobs and complainings; the king had +taken opium to lull his grief; he slept soundly all night long. Next +day, Florina was in great disquietude. Could he have really heard her, +and been indifferent to her sorrow; or had he not heard her at all? +She determined to buy another night in the Chamber of Echoes; but she +had no more jewels to tempt Troutina; so she broke the third egg. Out +of it came a chariot of polished steel, inlaid with gold, drawn by six +green mice, the coachman being a rose-coloured rat, and the postilion +a grey one. Inside the carriage sat little puppets, who behaved +themselves just like live ladies and gentlemen. + +When Troutina went to walk in the palace garden, Florina awaited her +in a green alley, and made the mice gallop, and the ladies and +gentlemen bow, till the princess was delighted, and ready to buy the +curiosity at any price. Again Florina exacted permission to pass the +night in the Chamber of Echoes; and again the king, undisturbed by her +lamentation, slept without waking till dawn. + +The third day, one of the palace valets, passing her by, said, "You +stupid peasant-girl, it is well the king takes opium every night, or +you would disturb him by that terrible sobbing of yours." + +"Does he so?" said the queen, now comprehending all. "Then if you will +promise to-night to keep the opium cup out of his way, these pearls +and diamonds," and she took a handful of them from her sack, "shall +assuredly be yours." + +The valet promised; and then Florina broke her fourth egg, out of +which came a pie composed of birds, which, though they had been +plucked, baked, and made ready for the table, sang as beautifully as +birds that are alive. Troutina, charmed with this marvellous novelty, +bought it at the same price as the rest, adding generously a small +piece of gold. + +When all the palace were asleep, Florina for the last time, hoping +King Charming would hear her, called upon him with all sorts of tender +expressions, reminding him of their former vows, and their two years +of happiness. "What have I done to thee, that thou shouldst forget me +and marry Troutina?" sobbed she; and the king, who this time was wide +awake, heard her. He could not make out whose voice it was, or whence +it came, but it somehow reminded him of his dearest Florina, whom he +had never ceased to love. He called his valet, inquired who was +sleeping in the Chamber of Echoes, and heard that it was the little +peasant-girl who had sold to Troutina the emerald bracelet. Then he +rose up, dressed himself hastily, and went in search of her. She was +sitting mournfully on the floor, with her hair hiding her face, and +her eyes swollen with tears; but he knew at once his faithful Florina. +He fell on his knees before her covered her hands with kisses, and +they embraced and wept together. For what was the good of all their +love when they were still in the power of the fairy Soussio? + +But at this moment appeared the friendly enchanter, with a fairy still +greater than Soussio, the one who had given Florina the four eggs. +They declared that their united power was stronger than Soussio's, and +that the lovers should be married without further delay. + +When this news reached Troutina, she ran to the Chamber of Echoes, and +there beheld her beautiful rival, whom she had so cruelly afflicted. +But the moment she opened her mouth to speak, her wicked tongue was +silenced for ever; for the magician turned her into a trout, which he +flung out of the window into the stream that flowed through the castle +garden. + +As for King Charming and Queen Florina, delivered out of all their +sorrows, and given to one another, their joy was quite inexpressible, +and it lasted to the end of their lives. + + _Note._--It will be seen that this tale, which is from the + French, bears a curious resemblance to Grimm's story of "The + Iron Stove," except that the latter retains a brevity and + German simplicity, not found here. This family likeness may + be traced in the fairy tales of all countries. I merely + refer to it to show that the repetition of incidents was not + unobserved or unintentional.--EDITOR. + + + + +THE YELLOW DWARF. + + +There was once a queen, who had been the mother of several children, +but all were dead, except one daughter, of whom she was excessively +fond, humouring and indulging her in all her ways and wishes. This +princess was so extremely beautiful, that she was called All-Fair, and +twenty kings were, at one time, paying their addresses to her. She had +so many lovers, indeed, that she did not know which to choose, and +refused them all. Her mother, being advanced in years, was anxious to +see her married and settled before she died; but as no entreaties +could prevail, she determined to go to the Desert Fairy to ask advice +concerning her stubborn daughter. + +Now, this fairy being guarded by two fierce lions, the queen made a +cake of millet, sugar-candy, and crocodiles' eggs, in order to appease +their fury, and pass by them; and having thus provided herself, she +set out. After travelling some time she found herself weary, and lying +down under a tree fell asleep. When she awoke, she heard the roaring +of the lions which guarded the fairy, and on looking for her cake she +found it was gone. This threw her into the utmost agony, as she felt +sure she should be devoured; when, hearing somebody approach, she +raised her eyes, and saw in a tree a little yellow man half a yard +high, picking and eating oranges. + +"Ah! queen," said the Yellow Dwarf, for so he was called on account of +his complexion, and the orange-tree in which he lived, "how will you +escape the lions? There is but one way; I know what business brought +you here; promise me your daughter in marriage and I will save you." + +The queen, though she could not look without horror upon so frightful +a figure, was forced to consent; and having agreed to the terms +proposed, she instantly found herself in her own palace, and all that +had passed seemed much like a dream: nevertheless, she was so +thoroughly persuaded of the reality of it, that she became melancholy. + +The young princess being unable to learn the cause of her mother's +dejection, resolved in her turn to go and inquire of the Desert Fairy; +and, accordingly, having prepared a cake for the lions, she also set +off on the same journey. It happened that All-Fair took exactly the +route her mother had done before her; and coming to the fatal tree +which was loaded with oranges, she felt inclined to pick some; +therefore, laying down her basket, in which she carried the cake, she +plentifully indulged herself with the delicious fruit. + +The lions now began to roar; All-Fair, looking for her cake, was +thrown into the utmost despair to find it gone; and as she was +lamenting her deplorable situation, the Yellow Dwarf presented himself +to her with these words:--"Lovely princess, dry your tears, and hear +what I am going to say. You need not proceed to the Desert Fairy, to +know the reason of your mother's indisposition--it is this: she is +ungenerous enough to repent having promised you, her only daughter, to +me in marriage--" + +"How!" interrupted the princess; "my mother promised me to you in +marriage;--you such a fright as you!" + +"None of your scoffs," returned the Yellow Dwarf; "I warn you not to +rouse my anger. If you will promise to marry me, I will be the +tenderest and most loving husband in the world; if not, save yourself +from the lions, if you can." + +The princess, overcome with terror, gave the promise; but such was the +agony of her mind, that she fell into a swoon, and, when she +recovered, she found herself in her own bed, finely adorned with +ribands, with a ring of a single red hair so fastened round her finger +that it could not be got off. + +This adventure had the same effect upon All Fair as the former one had +had upon her mother. She grew melancholy, which was remarked and +wondered at by the whole court. The best way to divert her, they +thought, would be to urge her to marry; which the princess, who was +now become less obstinate on that point than formerly, consented to. +Trusting that such a pigmy as the Yellow Dwarf would not dare to +contend with so gallant a person as the King of the Golden Mines, she +fixed upon that prince for her husband. He was exceedingly rich and +powerful, and loved her to distraction. The most superb preparations +were made for the nuptials, and the happy day was fixed when, as they +were proceeding to the ceremony, they saw moving towards them a box, +upon which sat an old woman remarkable for her ugliness. + +"Hold, queen and princess!" cried she, knitting her brows; "remember +the promises you have both made to my friend the Yellow Dwarf. I am +the Desert Fairy; and unless All-Fair consent to marry him, I solemnly +swear to burn my crutch." + +The queen and princess were struck almost motionless by this +unexpected address of the fairy; but the Prince of the Golden Mines +was exceeding angry, and holding his sword to her throat, he said, +"Fly, wretch! or thy malice shall cost thee thy life." + +No sooner had he uttered these words, than the top of the box flying +off, out came the Yellow Dwarf, mounted upon a large Spanish cat. +Placing himself between the king and the fairy, he exclaimed, "Rash +youth! thy rage shall be levelled at me, not at the Desert Fairy. I am +thy rival, and claim thy princess, who is fast bound to me by her own +promise, her mother's, and the single red hair that you see round her +finger." + +This so enraged the king, that he cried out, "Contemptible creature! +wert thou worthy of notice, I would sacrifice thee for thy +presumption." + +The Yellow Dwarf, clapping spurs to his cat, and drawing a cutlass, +now defied the king to combat; and down they went into the courtyard. +The sun was immediately turned as red as blood, the air became dark, +it thundered heavily, and the flashes of lightning discovered two +giants vomiting fire on each side of the Yellow Dwarf. The king +behaved with such undaunted courage, as to give the dwarf great +trouble; but he was dismayed when he saw the Desert Fairy, mounted on +a winged griffin, and with her head covered with snakes, strike the +princess so hard with a lance, that she fell into the queen's arms, +covered with blood. He immediately left the combat, to go to the +relief of his beloved, but the dwarf was too quick for him; and flying +on his Spanish cat to the balcony where she was, he took her from her +mother's arms, leaped with her upon the top of the palace, and +immediately disappeared. + +As the king stood confused and astonished at this strange adventure, +he suddenly found a mist before his eyes, and felt himself lifted up +in the air by some extraordinary power; for the Desert Fairy had +fallen in love with him. To secure him for herself, therefore, she +carried him to a frightful cavern, hoping he would there forget +All-Fair. But finding this scheme ineffectual, she resolved to carry +him to a place altogether as pleasant as the other was terrible; and +accordingly placed him in a chariot drawn by swans. In passing through +the air, he was unspeakably surprised to see his beloved princess in a +castle of polished steel, leaning her head on one hand, and wiping +away her tears with the other. She happened to look up, and had the +mortification to see the king sitting by the fairy who then, by her +art, made herself appear extremely beautiful. Had not the king been +sensible of the fairy's power, he would certainly have tried to free +himself from her by some means or other; but he knew it would be in +vain, and therefore made believe to have a liking for her. At last +they came to a stately palace, fenced on one side by walls of +emeralds, and on the other by a boisterous sea. The king, by +pretending an attachment to the fairy, obtained the liberty to walk by +himself on the shore. There, one day, he heard a voice, and presently +after was surprised by the appearance of a mermaid, who, swimming up +to him with a pleasing smile, spoke to this effect:--"O King of the +Golden Mines, I well know all that has befallen you and the Princess +All-Fair. Do not suspect this to be a contrivance of the fairy to try +you, for I am an inveterate enemy both to her and the Yellow Dwarf; +therefore, if you will place confidence in me, I will lend you my +assistance to procure the release, not only of yourself, but of +All-Fair also." + +The overjoyed king promised to do whatever the mermaid should direct, +and seating himself by her desire upon her fish's tail, they sailed +away together over the rolling sea. + +When they had sailed some time, "Now," said the mermaid to the king, +"we are approaching the place where your princess is kept prisoner by +the Yellow Dwarf. You will have many enemies to fight before you can +come to her, take, therefore, this sword, with which you may overcome +everything, provided you never let it go out of your hand." + +The king returned her all the thanks that the most grateful heart +could suggest; and the mermaid landed and took leave of him, promising +him farther assistance when necessary. The king boldly advanced, and, +meeting with two terrible sphinxes, laid them dead at his feet with +the sword. Next he attacked six dragons that opposed him, and +despatched them also. Then he met four-and-twenty nymphs, crowned with +garlands of flowers, at the sight of whom he stopped, being unwilling +to destroy so much beauty; when he heard a voice say, "Strike! strike! +or you lose your princess for ever!" So he threw himself into the +midst of the nymphs, smiting right and left, and soon dispersed them. + +Presently he came to the castle, where was imprisoned the princess +All-Fair. "O my princess," exclaimed he, "behold your faithful lover!" + +"Faithful lover!" she replied, drawing herself back: "Did I not see +you passing through the air with a beautiful nymph? were you faithful +then?" + +"Yes," replied the king, "I was. That was the detested Desert Fairy, +who was carrying me to a place where I must have languished out all my +days, had it not been for a kind mermaid, by whose assistance it is +that I am now come to release you." Having uttered these words, he +threw himself at her feet; but, catching hold of her gown he +unfortunately let go the magic sword, which the Yellow Dwarf no sooner +discovered, than, leaping from behind a shrub, where he had been +concealed, he ran and seized it. By two cabalistical words he then +conjured up a couple of giants, who laid the king in irons. + +"Now," said the Dwarf, "my rival's fate is in my own hands; however, +if he will consent to my marriage with the princess All-Fair, he shall +have his life and liberty." + +"No," said the king, "I scorn thy favour on such terms." + +The dwarf was so exasperated by this reply, that he instantly stabbed +the king to the heart. The disconsolate princess stood a moment +petrified, and then exclaimed, "Thou hideous creature! since +entreaties could not avail thee, perhaps thou now reliest upon force; +but thou shalt be disappointed. I will die for the love I have for the +King of the Golden Mines!" and so saying she sank down upon his body, +and expired without a sigh. + +Thus ended the fate of these two faithful lovers, whom the mermaid +very much regretted; but as all her power lay in the sword, she could +only change them into two palm-trees, which, preserving a constant and +mutual affection, still fondly unite their branches together. + + + + +THE SIX SWANS. + + +Once upon a time, a king, hunting in a great forest, chased a wild +boar so eagerly, that none of his people could follow him. When +evening came, he stopped to look about him, and saw that he had lost +himself. He sought everywhere for a way out of the wood, but could +find none. Then he perceived coming towards him an old woman, whose +head kept constantly shaking. She was a witch. + +"My good woman," said he to her, "cannot you show me the way through +the wood?" + +"O yes, your majesty," answered she, "that I can, but only on one +condition, and if you do not agree to it, you will never get out, and +must die here of hunger." + +"What is the condition?" asked the king. + +"I have an only daughter," said the old woman, "she is as beautiful as +any one you could find in the wide world, and well deserves to be your +wife; if you will make her your queen, I will show you the way out of +the wood." + +The king, in the fear of his heart, consented, and the old woman led +him to her house, where her daughter sat by the fire. She received the +king as if she had expected him, and he saw that she was very +beautiful; but still she did not please him, and he could not look at +her without a secret shudder. After he had lifted up the maiden +beside him on his horse, the old woman showed him the way, and the +king arrived again at his royal castle, where the wedding was +celebrated. + +He had been married once before, and had by his first wife seven +children, six boys and a girl, whom he loved more than anything in the +world. But, because he was afraid that the stepmother might not treat +them well, or might even do them some harm, he took them to a lonely +castle which stood in the middle of a wood. It was so hidden, and the +road was so difficult to find, that he himself would not have found +it, if a wise woman had not given him a wonderful skein of thread; +which, when he threw it down before him, unrolled of itself and showed +him the way. The king went out so often to his dear children, that the +queen noticed his absence, and was full of curiosity to know what +business took him thus alone to the wood. So she gave his servants a +sum of money, and they told her the secret, and also told her of the +skein, which was the only thing that could show the way. After that +she never rested till she had found out where the king kept the skein. +Then she made some little white silk shirts, and as she had learned +witchcraft from her mother, she sewed a spell into every one of them. +And one day when the king was gone out to hunt, she took the little +shirts and went into the wood, and the skein showed her the way. + +The six brothers, who saw some one in the distance, thought their +dear father was coming, and ran to meet him, full of joy. As they +approached, the queen threw one of the shirts over each of them, and +when the shirts touched their bodies, they were changed into swans, +and flew away over the wood. The witch's daughter went home quite +happy, and thought she had got rid of all her stepchildren; but the +one little girl had not run out with her brothers, and the queen knew +nothing about her. + +Next day, the king came joyfully to visit his children, but he found +nobody except the little sister. + +"Where are your brothers?" asked he. + +"Oh, dear father," she answered, "they are gone, and have left me +alone," and then she told him all that she had seen out of her window; +how her brothers were turned into swans, and had flown away over the +wood; she also showed him the feathers which they had dropped into the +courtyard, and which she had picked up. + +The king was grieved, but he never thought that the queen had done +this wicked deed; however, because he dreaded lest the little girl +would be stolen from him likewise, he wished to take her away with +him. But she was afraid of the stepmother, and begged the king to let +her stay one night more in the castle in the wood. + +The poor little girl thought, "I cannot rest here any longer, I will +go and look for my brothers." + +And when the night came, she ran away, and went straight into the +wood. She went on all through the night, and the next day too, till +she was so tired that she could go no further. Then she saw a little +house, and went in, and found a room with six little beds; she did not +dare to lie down in any, but crept under one of them, laid herself on +the hard floor, and meant to pass the night there. But when the sun +was just going to set, she heard a rustling, and saw six swans come +flying in at the window. They sat down on the floor, and blew at one +another, and blew all their feathers off, and took off their +swan's-skins like shirts. Then the little girl saw them and recognised +her brothers, and was very glad, and crept out from under the bed. + +The brothers were not less rejoiced when they saw their little sister, +but their joy did not last long. + +"You cannot stop here," said they to her, "this is a house belonging +to robbers; if they come home, and find you, they will kill you." + +"Cannot you protect me?" asked the little sister. + +"No," answered they, "we can only take off our swan's-skins for a +quarter of an hour every evening, and have our natural shape for that +time, but afterwards we are turned into swans again." + +The little sister cried and said, "Cannot you be released?" + +"Oh, no!" answered they, "the conditions are too hard. You must not +speak or laugh for six years, and must make for us six shirts out of +stitchweed during that time. If while you are making them a single +word comes from your mouth, all your work will be of no use." When her +brothers had said this, the quarter of an hour was over, and they +turned into swans again, and flew out of the window. + +But the little girl made a firm resolution to release her brothers, +even if it cost her her life. She left the house, and went into the +middle of the wood, and climbed up in a tree and spent the night +there. Next morning she got down, collected a quantity of stitchweed, +and began to sew. She could not speak to any one, and she did not want +to laugh; so she sat, and only looked at her work. + +When she had been there a long time, it happened that the king of the +country was hunting in the wood, and his hunters came to the tree on +which the little girl sat. They called to her, and said, "Who are +you?" + +But she gave them no answer. + +"Come down to us," said they, "we will not do you any harm." + +But she only shook her head. As they kept teasing her with their +questions, she threw them down her gold necklace, and thought they +would be satisfied with that. But they did not leave off, so she threw +her sash down to them, and as that was no good, she threw down her +garters, and at last everything that she had on, and could spare; so +that she had nothing left but her shift. But the hunters would not be +sent away, and climbed up the tree and brought down the little girl +and took her to the king. + +The king asked, "Who are you? what were you doing up in the tree?" + +But she did not answer. He asked it in all the languages that he knew, +but she remained as dumb as a fish. But, because she was so beautiful, +the king's heart was moved, and he fell deeply in love with her. He +wrapped his cloak round her, took her before him on his horse, and +brought her to his castle. Then he had her dressed in rich clothes, +and she shone in her beauty like bright sunshine; but they could not +get a word out of her. He set her by him at the table, and her modest +look and proper behaviour pleased him so much, that he said, "I will +marry her, and no one else in the world," and after a few days he was +married to her. + +But the king had a wicked mother, who was not pleased with this +marriage, and spoke ill of the young queen. "Who knows where the girl +comes from," said she, "she cannot speak; she is not good enough for a +king." + +A year after, when the queen brought her first child into the world, +the old mother took it away, and smeared her mouth with blood while +she was asleep. Then she went to the king, and accused her of eating +her child. The king would not believe it, and would not let anyone do +her any harm. And she always sat and sewed the shirts, and took no +notice of anything else. Next time, when she had another beautiful +baby, the wicked stepmother did the same as before; but the king could +not resolve to believe what she said. + +He said, "My wife is too pious and good to do such a thing; if she +were not dumb, and if she could defend herself, her innocence would be +made clear." + +But when for the third time the old woman took away the new-born +child, and accused the queen, who could not say a word in her own +defence, the king could not help himself; he was forced to give her up +to the court of justice, and she was condemned to suffer death by +fire. + +When the day came upon which the sentence was to be executed, it was +exactly the last day of the six years, in which she might not speak or +laugh; and she had freed her dear brothers from the power of the +spell. The six little shirts were finished, except that on the last +one a sleeve was wanting. When she came to the place of execution, she +laid the shirts on her arm, and when she stood at the stake, and the +fire was just going to be lit, she looked round, and there came six +swans flying through the air. Then her heart leaped with joy, for she +saw that her deliverance was near. + +The swans flew to her, and crouched down, so that she could throw the +shirts over them; as soon as the shirts were touched by them, their +swan's-skins fell off, and her brothers stood before her. They were +all grown up, strong and handsome; only the youngest had no left arm, +but instead of it a swan's wing. + +They hugged and kissed their sister many times, and then the queen +went to the king, and began to speak, and said, "Dearest husband, now +I may speak, and declare to you that I am innocent and falsely +accused;" and she told him about the deceit of the old mother, who had +taken away her three children, and hidden them. + +However they were soon fetched safely back, to the great joy of the +king; and the wicked mother-in-law was tied to the stake, and burnt to +ashes. But the king and queen, with their six brothers, lived many +years in peace and happiness. + + + + +THE PRINCE WITH THE NOSE. + + +There was once a king who was passionately in love with a beautiful +princess, but she could not be married because a magician had +enchanted her. The king went to a good fairy to inquire what he should +do. Said the fairy, after receiving him graciously; "Sir, I will tell +you a secret. The princess has a great cat whom she loves so well that +she cares for nothing and nobody else; but she will be obliged to +marry any person who is adroit enough to walk upon the cat's tail." + +"That will not be very difficult," thought the king to himself, and +departed, resolving to trample the cat's tail to pieces rather than +not succeed in walking upon it. He went immediately to the palace of +his fair mistress and the cat; the animal came in front of him, +arching its back in anger as it was wont to do. The king lifted up his +foot, thinking nothing would be so easy as to tread on the tail, but +he found himself mistaken. Minon--that was the creature's +name--twisted itself round so sharply that the king only hurt his own +foot by stamping on the floor. For eight days did he pursue the cat +everywhere: up and down the palace he was after it from morning till +night, but with no better success; the tail seemed made of +quicksilver, so very lively was it. At last the king had the good +fortune to catch Minon sleeping, when tramp, tramp! he trod on the +tail with all his force. + +Minon woke up, mewed horribly, and immediately changed from a cat into +a large, fierce-looking man, who regarded the king with flashing eyes. + +"You must marry the princess," cried he, "because you have broken the +enchantment in which I held her; but I will be revenged on you. You +shall have a son with a nose as long as--that;" he made in the air a +curve of half a foot; "yet he shall believe it is just like all other +noses, and shall be always unfortunate till he has found out it is +not. And if you ever tell anybody of this threat of mine, you shall +die on the spot." So saying, the magician disappeared. + +The king, who was at first much terrified, soon began to laugh at this +adventure. "My son might have a worse misfortune than too long a +nose," thought he. "At least it will hinder him neither in seeing nor +hearing. I will go and find the princess, and marry her at once." + +He did so, but he only lived a few months after, and died before his +little son was born, so that nobody knew anything about the secret of +the nose. + +The little prince was so much wished for, that when he came into the +world they agreed to call him Prince Wish. He had beautiful blue eyes +and a sweet little mouth, but his nose was so big that it covered half +his face. The queen, his mother, was inconsolable; but her ladies +tried to satisfy her by telling her that the nose was not nearly so +large as it seemed, that it would grow smaller as the prince grew +bigger, and that if it did not a large nose was indispensable to a +hero. All great soldiers, they said, had great noses, as everybody +knew. The queen was so very fond of her son that she listened eagerly +to all this comfort. Shortly she grew so used to the prince's nose +that it did not seem to her any larger than ordinary noses of the +court; where, in process of time, everybody with a long nose was very +much admired, and the unfortunate people who had only snubs were taken +very little notice of. + +Great care was observed in the education of the prince; and as soon as +he could speak they told him all sorts of amusing tales, in which all +the bad people had short noses, and all the good people had long ones. +No person was suffered to come near him who had not a nose of more +than ordinary length; nay, to such an extent did the courtiers carry +their fancy, that the noses of all the little babies were ordered to +be pulled out as far as possible several times a day, in order to make +them grow. But grow as they would, they never could grow as long as +that of Prince Wish. When he was old enough his tutor taught him +history; and whenever any great king or lovely princess was referred +to, the tutor always took care to mention that he or she had a long +nose. All the royal apartments were filled with pictures and portraits +having this peculiarity, so that at last Prince Wish began to regard +the length of his nose as his greatest perfection, and would not have +had it an inch less even to save his crown. + +When he was twenty years old his mother and his people wished him to +marry. They procured for him the likenesses of many princesses, but +the one he preferred was Princess Darling, daughter of a powerful +monarch and heiress to several kingdoms. Alas! with all her beauty, +this princess had one great misfortune, a little turned-up nose, +which, every one else said, made her only the more bewitching. But +here, in the kingdom of Prince Wish, the courtiers were thrown by it +into the utmost perplexity. They were in the habit of laughing at all +small noses; but how dared they make fun of the nose of Princess +Darling? Two unfortunate gentlemen, whom Prince Wish had overheard +doing so, were ignominiously banished from the court and capital. + +After this, the courtiers became alarmed, and tried to correct their +habit of speech; but they would have found themselves in constant +difficulties, had not one clever person struck out a bright idea. He +said that though it was indispensably necessary for a man to have a +great nose, women were different; and that a learned man had +discovered in a very old manuscript that the celebrated Cleopatra, +Queen of Egypt, the beauty of the ancient world, had a turned-up nose. +At this information Prince Wish was so delighted that he made the +courtier a very handsome present, and immediately sent off ambassadors +to demand Princess Darling in marriage. + +She accepted his offer at once, and returned with the ambassadors. He +made all haste to meet and welcome her; but when she was only three +leagues distant from his capital, before he had time even to kiss her +hand, the magician who had once assumed the shape of his mother's cat, +Minon, appeared in the air and carried her off before the lover's very +eyes. + +Prince Wish, almost beside himself with grief, declared that nothing +should induce him to return to his throne and kingdom till he had +found Darling. He would suffer none of his courtiers or attendants to +follow him; but, bidding them all adieu, mounted a good horse, laid +the reins on the animal's neck, and let him take him wherever he +would. + +The horse entered a wide-extended plain, and trotted on steadily the +whole day without finding a single house. Master and beast began +almost to faint with hunger; and Prince Wish might have wished himself +safe at home again, had he not discovered, just at dusk, a cavern, +where there sat, beside a bright lantern, a little woman who might +have been more than a hundred years old. + +She put on her spectacles the better to look at the stranger, and he +noticed that her nose was so small that the spectacles would hardly +stay on; then the prince and the fairy,--for it was a fairy--burst +into a mutual fit of laughter. + +"What a funny nose?" cried the one. + +"Not so funny as yours, madam," returned the other. "But pray let us +leave our noses alone, and be good enough to give me something to +eat, for I am dying with hunger, and so is my poor horse." + +"With all my heart," answered the fairy. "Although your nose is +ridiculously long, you are no less the son of one of my best friends. +I loved your father like a brother; _he_ had a very handsome nose." + +"What is wanting to my nose?" asked Wish, rather savagely. + +"Oh! nothing at all. On the contrary there is a great deal too much of +it; but never mind, one may be a very honest man, and yet have too big +a nose. As I said, I was a great friend of your father's; he came +often to see me. I was very pretty then, and oftentimes he used to say +to me, 'My sister--'" + +"I will hear the rest, madam, with pleasure, when I have supped; but +will you condescend to remember that I have tasted nothing all day?" + +"Poor boy," said the fairy, "I will give you some supper directly; and +while you eat it I will tell you my history in six words, for I hate +much talking. A long tongue is as insupportable as a long nose; and I +remember when I was young how much I used to be admired because I was +not a talker; indeed, some one said to the queen, my mother,--for poor +as you see me now I am the daughter of a great king, who always--" + +"Ate when he was hungry, I hope," interrupted the Prince, whose +patience was fast departing. + +"You are right," said the imperturbable old fairy; "and I will bring +you your supper directly, only I wish first just to say that the king +my father--" + +"Hang the king your father!" Prince Wish was about to exclaim, but he +stopped himself, and only observed that however the pleasure of her +conversation might make him forget his hunger, it could not have the +same effect upon his horse, who was really starving. + +The fairy, pleased at his civility, called her servants and bade them +supply him at once with all he needed. "And," added she, "I must say +you are very polite and very good-tempered, in spite of your nose." + +"What has the old woman to do with my nose?" thought the prince. "If I +were not so very hungry I would soon show her what she is--a regular +old gossip and chatter-box. She to fancy she talks little, indeed! One +must be very foolish not to know one's own defects. This comes of +being born a princess. Flatterers have spoiled her, and persuaded her +that she talks little. Little, indeed! I never knew anybody chatter so +much." + +While the prince thus meditated, the servants were laying the table, +the fairy asking them a hundred unnecessary questions, simply for the +pleasure of hearing herself talk. "Well," thought Wish, "I am +delighted that I came hither, if only to learn how wise I have been in +never listening to flatterers, who hide from us our faults, or make us +believe they are perfections. But they could never deceive me. I know +all my own weak points, I trust." As truly he believed he did. + +So he went on eating contentedly, nor stopped till the old fairy began +to address him. + +"Prince," said she, "will you be kind enough to turn a little? Your +nose casts such a shadow that I cannot see what is in my plate. And, +as I was saying, your father admired me and always made me welcome at +court. What is the court etiquette there now? Do the ladies still go +to assemblies, promenades, balls?--I beg your pardon for laughing, but +how _very_ long your nose is." + +"I wish you would cease to speak of my nose," said the prince, +becoming annoyed. "It is what it is, and I do not desire it any +shorter." + +"Oh! I see that I have vexed you," returned the fairy. "Nevertheless, +I am one of your best friends, and so I shall take the liberty of +always--" She would doubtless have gone on talking till midnight; but +the prince, unable to bear it any longer, here interrupted her, +thanked her for her hospitality, bade her a hasty adieu, and rode +away. + +He travelled for a long time, half over the world, but he heard no +news of Princess Darling. However, in each place he went to, he heard +one remarkable fact--the great length of his own nose. The little boys +in the streets jeered at him, the peasants stared at him, and the more +polite ladies and gentlemen whom he met in society used to try in vain +to keep from laughing, and to get out of his way as soon as they +could. So the poor prince became gradually quite forlorn and solitary; +he thought all the world was mad, but still he never thought of there +being anything queer about his own nose. + +At last the old fairy, who, though she was a chatter-box, was very +good-natured, saw that he was almost breaking his heart. She felt +sorry for him, and wished to help him in spite of himself, for she +knew the enchantment, which hid from him the Princess Darling, could +never be broken till he had discovered his own defect. So she went in +search of the princess, and being more powerful than the magician, +since she was a good fairy, and he was an evil magician, she got her +away from him, and shut her up in a palace of crystal, which she +placed on the road which Prince Wish had to pass. + +He was riding along, very melancholy, when he saw the palace; and at +its entrance was a room, made of the purest glass, in which sat his +beloved princess, smiling and beautiful as ever. He leaped from his +horse, and ran towards her. She held out her hand for him to kiss, but +he could not get at it for the glass. Transported with eagerness and +delight, he dashed his sword through the crystal, and succeeded in +breaking a small opening, to which she put up her beautiful rosy +mouth. But it was in vain, Prince Wish could not approach it. He +twisted his neck about, and turned his head on all sides, till at +length, putting up his hand to his face, he discovered the +impediment. + +"It must be confessed," exclaimed he, "that my nose _is_ too long." + +That moment the glass walls all split asunder, and the old fairy +appeared, leading Princess Darling. + +"Avow, prince," said she, "that you are very much obliged to me, for +now the enchantment is ended. You may marry the object of your choice. +But," added she, smiling, "I fear I might have talked to you for ever +on the subject of your nose, and you would not have believed me in its +length, till it became an obstacle to your own inclinations. Now +behold it!" and she held up a crystal mirror. "Are you satisfied to be +no different from other people?" + +"Perfectly," said Prince Wish, who found his nose had shrunk to an +ordinary length. And, taking the Princess Darling by the hand, he +kissed her, courteously, affectionately, and satisfactorily. Then they +departed to their own country, and lived very happy all their days. + + + + +THE HIND OF THE FOREST. + + +A beautiful queen, whose subjects adored her, and whose husband +thought her the best woman in the world, had but one sorrow, which was +equally a sorrow both to the king and the country--she brought him no +heir to the throne. She, at last, grew so melancholy, that she was +ordered for her health to drink the medicinal waters that were found +in a celebrated wood; and one day, sitting beside one of these +fountains, which fell into a marble and porphyry basin, she sent all +her ladies away, that she might the better weep and lament unobserved. + +"How unhappy am I," said she; "five years I have been married, and am +still childless, while the poorest women in the land have children by +the dozen. Am I to die without ever giving the king an heir?" + +While she spoke, she noticed that the water of the fountain was +slightly disturbed, and there issued thence a large cray-fish, who +thus addressed her, "Great queen, you shall have what you desire; but +first you must go to the fairy-palace which is near here, though so +surrounded by mists and clouds as to be invisible to mortal eyes, +unless you will be conducted there by a poor cray-fish." + +Though very much surprised, the queen answered courteously that she +had no objection, except that the animal's method of walking would not +well suit her own. + +The shell-fish smiled--if a shell-fish can smile--and immediately took +the shape of a pretty little old woman. "Madam," said she, "we now +need not walk crab-fashion. Consider me as your friend, for, indeed, I +am desirous of being so." + +So saying, she jumped out of the fountain, her clothes not being the +least wet, though they were made of white and crimson velvet, nor her +grey hair damp: it was tied with green ribbons, and appeared all in +order and smooth as silk. She saluted the queen, and then conducted +her by a road which, strange to say, well as she knew every portion of +the wood, her majesty had never before seen, to a palace of which the +walls, roofs, and balconies were built entirely of diamonds. + +"Is all this a dream?" cried the delighted queen. + +But no, it was a reality, for the gates straightway opened, and six +beautiful fairies appeared, who, making her a profound reverence, +presented her with six flowers composed of jewels: a rose, a tulip, an +anemone, a jasmine, a carnation, and a heartsease. + +"Madam," said they, "we could not give you a greater mark of our +favour than in permitting you to come here. We are delighted to tell +you that by and by you will have a little daughter, whom you must +name Desiree--the Desired. As soon as she is born, call us, and we +will endow her with all sorts of good qualities. You have only to take +this bouquet, and name each separate flower, thinking of us, when +immediately we shall be present in your chamber." + +The queen, transported with joy, embraced all the fairies, spent the +day with them, and returned, laden with presents, to the fountain +side; where the little old woman jumped into the water, became a +cray-fish again, and disappeared. + +In due time the Princess Desiree was born, and the queen did as she +was told in naming the flowers. Soon, all the six fairies appeared, in +different chariots; of ebony, drawn by white pigeons--of ivory, drawn +by black crows, and so on, in great variety. They entered the royal +chamber with an air at once cheerful and majestic, embraced the queen +and the little princess, and spread out all their presents. These +were, linen, so fine that none but fairy hands could have spun it; +lace and embroidery without end; and a cradle, the wonder of the +world. It was made of wood more precious than gold, and at each corner +stood four animated images, little cupids, who, as soon as the baby +cried, began to rock it of their own accord. Then the six fairies +kissed and dandled the princess, bestowing on her for her portion +beauty, good temper, good health, talents, long life, and the faculty +of doing thoroughly well everything she tried to do. The queen, +overcome with gratitude, was thanking them with all her heart for +their kindness to her little daughter, when she saw enter her chamber +a cray-fish, so large that it could hardly pass through the door. + +"Ungrateful queen," said the crab, "have you forgotten the fairy of +the fountain? You sent for these my sisters, and not for me, who am +the one to whom you owed most of all." + +The queen made a hundred apologies, and the six fairies tried vainly +to pacify the other one; but she was determined, as she said, to +punish ingratitude. "However," added she, "I will give no worse gift +to the princess than to warn you, that if you let her see daylight +before she is fifteen years old, you will repent it." So saying, she +retired backwards, crab-fashion, resisting all entreaties to resume +her proper form and join in the festivities. + +The afflicted mother took council with the six fairies how she was to +save her baby from this impending evil, and after many conflicting +opinions they advised her to build a tower without doors or windows, +and with a subterranean entrance, which the princess might inhabit +till she had passed the fatal age. Everything is easy to fairies; so +three strokes of their wands, making eighteen strokes in all, began +and finished the edifice. It was built of green and white marble, +ornamented inside with diamonds and emeralds, and hung with +tapestry--all fairy work--on which was pictured the lives of heroes. +Though there was only lamp-light allowed, yet the lamps were so +numerous, that they made the tower seem as bright as day. Whether the +princess was ever permitted any fresh air, or taken out for a walk by +starlight or moonlight, the history does not say; but it does say one +thing, that she grew up very happy, very lovely, and very well +educated. + +The six fairies came frequently to see her, and were most kind and +affectionate to her; but the one she loved best among them all was +Tulip. By this fairy's advice, the nearer she approached the age of +fifteen, the more carefully was Desiree shut up from daylight. But her +mother, who was very proud of her beauty, caused her portrait to be +painted, and sent among all the neighbouring courts, in order that +some prince might seek her in marriage. There was one prince who was +so captivated by this likeness, that he shut himself up with it, and +talked to it, as if it had been alive, making love to it in the most +passionate manner, and then falling into a hopeless melancholy. + +When his father tried to discover the cause of this--"Sir," said +Prince Warrior (he went by that name, because, young as he was, he had +already gained three battles), "my grief is that you wish me to marry +the Black Princess, while I will only marry the Princess Desiree. I +have seen her portrait, and without her I shall surely die. Behold +her!" + +The king looked at the portrait. "Well, my son, I cannot wish for a +more charming daughter-in-law, we will retract our offers for the +Black Princess, and send an ambassador to propose for the Princess +Desiree." + +The prince, kissing his father's hand, overwhelmed him with his +gratitude and joy. A courtier, Becafico by name, young and gallant, +was despatched with eighty equipages, a hundred mounted squires, and +the portrait of the Prince Warrior, to ask the Princess Desiree in +marriage. The report of his splendours travelled before him, till it +reached the ears of the king and queen, and of the six fairies, who +were all equally delighted. + +"But," said the Fairy Tulip, who was the sagest of them, "beware, +queen, of allowing Becafico to see our child," as they tenderly called +Desiree, "and do not upon any account suffer her to leave her tower +for the kingdom of Prince Warrior until her fifteenth birthday is +past." + +The ambassador arrived; his magnificent train took twenty-three days +in going through the gates of the city. He made his harangue to the +king and queen, and much state ceremonial passed between them; then he +begged for the honour of an audience with the princess, and was very +much astonished to find it denied him--still more so, when the king +candidly told him the whole story. + +The queen had strictly enjoined the ladies of honour not to tell her +daughter one word of the ambassador's visit, or her intended marriage; +yet somehow the princess already knew it quite well. But she was wise +enough to say nothing about it; and when her mother showed her the +prince's portrait, and asked her if she should like such a gallant +young man for her husband, she replied humbly that she should be +quite satisfied with any choice her parents made for her. So her hand +was promised, but as she still wanted three months of fifteen, the +prince was requested to wait thus long. + +He took this delay so much to heart, that he could neither eat nor +sleep; meantime Desiree was little better--she did nothing but look at +the prince's portrait, and was exceedingly irritable with Longthorn +and Gilliflower, her two maids of honour. The other lady--the Black +Princess--was in equally sore plight, for she, too, had fallen in love +with the prince's portrait, and his rejection of her hand offended her +much. + +"What," said she to the ambassador, "your master does not find me +handsome enough, or rich enough?" + +"Madam," said the ambassador, "as much as a subject dare blame a +sovereign, I blame my prince; had I the first throne in the world, I +should know to whom to offer it." + +He said this, because he feared the bastinado, for Ethiopians are warm +haters as well as warm lovers. The Black Princess was softened, and +dismissed him, on which he gladly took himself out of the country. + +But the Ethiopian lady was too deeply offended with Prince Warrior to +pardon him so readily. She mounted her ivory car, drawn by six +ostriches which ran at the rate of six leagues an hour, and went to +the palace of her godmother, the Fairy of the Fountain, who had been +so offended by being forgotten at the birth of Desiree. Arrived +there, she unfolded all her annoyances. The fairy consoled her, and +promised to aid her in her revenge. + +Meantime Becafico had travelled with all diligence to the capital of +Desiree's father, where with earnest entreaties he begged that the +princess might be sent back with him to her betrothed spouse, who +otherwise would certainly die; at which tidings the princess herself +was so much moved that she fainted away. Thus her parents discovered +how deeply in love she was with Prince Warrior. + +"Do not disquiet yourself, my dear child," said the queen; "if the +prince suffers, it is you who can console him. My only fear is on +account of the menaces of the Fairy of the Fountain." + +But Desiree was so eager to start, that she suggested being sent away +in a closed carriage, where the light of day should never penetrate, +and which should only be opened at night-time to give her food. She +was willing to suffer any inconvenience for the sake of saving the +life of Prince Warrior. + +The parents assented. So there was built a magnificent equipage of +green velvet outside, and lined with rose-colour and silver brocade. +It was very large, but it shut up as tight as a box, and it had a huge +lock, the key of which was entrusted to one of the highest noblemen of +the court. In this carriage Desiree was placed, after most affecting +adieus, by her father and mother; and with her were sent her maids of +honour Longthorn and Gilliflower, and a lady-in-waiting, who was the +mother of both. Now, Longthorn cared little for the princess, but she +cared very much for Prince Warrior, whose portrait she had seen; and +when the bridal train departed, she said to her mother that she should +certainly die if this marriage were accomplished; so the mother, +notwithstanding the confidence placed in her by queen, that she should +watch over the princess, and carefully seclude her from daylight until +she had reached the age of fifteen, yielded to her own child's +persuasions, and determined to betray her trust. + +Longthorn, who learned each evening from the officers of the +household, when they came to bring the princess her supper, how far +they were on their journey, at last persuaded her mother, who put off +the cruel act as long as she could, that it would never do to wait any +longer. They were nearly at the capital, and the young prince might, +in his impatience, come to meet them, and the opportunity be lost. So +next day, at noon, when the sun was at the hottest, the +lady-in-waiting took out a knife, which she had brought with her for +the purpose, cut a large hole in the side of the carriage where they +were all shut up together, and the princess, for the first time in her +life, beheld daylight. She uttered a deep sigh, and immediately leaped +out of the carriage in the form of a white hind, which fled away like +lightning, and hid itself in the thickest recesses of a neighbouring +wood. + +None of the train perceived her, or if they had, they would not have +known it was she; besides, the Fairy of the Fountain immediately sent +such a storm of thunder and lightning that the whole cavalcade took +shelter in the nearest place they could find. The only persons who +knew what had happened were Longthorn, her mother, and Gilliflower; +but Gilliflower, overwhelmed with grief, had sprung out of the +carriage after her beloved mistress; so the two others were left +alone. Longthorn immediately put on the garments of Desiree, and +adorned herself with her royal mantle, her crown of diamonds, her +sceptre of a single ruby, and the globe which she carried in her left +hand, composed of one enormous pearl. Thus attired, with her mother +bearing her train, the false Desiree marched into the city--they two +alone; for, by the fairy's contrivance, the rest of the attendants had +been scattered in all directions. Longthorn doubted not the prince +would be already advancing to meet his bride, which was indeed the +case; though he was so weak that he had to be conveyed in a litter, +surrounded by courtiers and knights, who all wore splendid armour and +green plumes, green being the favourite colour of the princess. Seeing +the two ladies so richly dressed, coming forward on foot and +unattended, they dismounted, and respectfully greeted them. + +"May I inquire," said Longthorn, "who is in that litter?" + +"Madam," replied a knight, "it is the Prince Warrior, who comes to +meet his betrothed, the Princess Desiree." + +"Tell him," said Longthorn, "that I am she. A fairy, jealous of my +happiness, has driven away all my attendants, but that I am Desiree is +proved by these my royal ornaments, and the letters of my father, +borne by my lady-of-honour here." + +Immediately the courtiers kissed the hem of her robe, and made all +diligence to announce to the prince, and the king his father, who +accompanied him, that the Princess Desiree had arrived. + +"What!" cried the king; "arrived here in full daylight?" But the +prince, burning with impatience, asked no questions, except about the +lady herself--"Is she not a miracle of beauty--according to her +portrait?" There was no reply. "You are afraid to speak, gentlemen, +lest you should praise her too much." + +But the courtiers were still silent. "Sir," at last said one of the +boldest of them, "you had better go and see the princess yourself." + +The prince, much surprised, would have thrown himself out of his +litter; but he was too feeble, and his father went instead. When the +king beheld the false princess, he involuntarily drew back; but the +lady-of-honour advancing boldly, said: + +"Sire, this is the Princess Desiree;--I bear letters from the king and +queen her parents, and also a casket of priceless jewels, which they +charged me to place in your hands." + +The king kept a mournful silence, and regarded his son, who now +approached, leaning on one of the courtiers. When he looked at the +girl, he recoiled with disgust; for she was so gaunt and tall that the +clothes of Desiree scarcely covered her knees, and her extreme +thinness, her red, hooked nose, her black and ill-shaped teeth, made +her as ugly as Desiree was beautiful. Prince Warrior, who for months +had thought of nothing but his lovely bride, stood petrified. "King," +said he to his father, "I am betrayed! this is not the lady whose +portrait was sent me, and to whom I have plighted my faith; I have +been deceived, and the deception will cost me my life." + +"What do I hear?" replied Longthorn, haughtily. "Prince, who has +deceived you? you will be no victim in marrying me." + +"Ah! my beautiful princess," exclaimed the lady-of-honour, "it is we +who are victims. What a reception for one of your rank! what +inconstancy--what falsehood! But the king your father shall make them +hear reason." + +"We will make him hear reason!" cried the other king, indignantly. "He +promised us a beautiful princess, and he has sent us a skeleton, a +fright. I do not wonder he has kept it shut up for fifteen years, and +now he wishes to foist it upon us." + +And without taking any more notice of Longthorn, he and his son +remounted each into his litter, and departed. + +Prince Warrior was so overcome by this unexpected affliction, that for +a long time he did not speak a word. Then he resolved, as soon as his +health allowed, to depart secretly from the capital, and seek some +solitary place where he might pass the remainder of his sad life. He +communicated this design to no one but the faithful Becafico, who +insisted upon following his fortunes wherever he went. So, one day, +the prince left a letter for his father, assuring him, that as soon as +his mind was tranquillized he would return to the court, but imploring +that in the meantime no search might be made after him; then he and +Becafico departed together. + +Meanwhile, the poor white hind fled into the wood. She wandered about +till she came to a fountain, where, as in a mirror, she saw her own +changed shape, and wept, convulsed with grief. Then hunger began to +attack her--she bent her head, and browsed upon the green grass, which +she was surprised to find tasted very good. She laid herself down on a +bank of moss, but passed the night in extreme terror, hearing the wild +beasts roaring around her, and often forgetting that she was a hind, +trying to save herself by climbing a tree like a human being. Daybreak +reassured her a little; she admired for the first time the wonderful +beauty of dawn; and when the sun rose, it appeared to her such a +marvellous sight that she could not take her eyes from it. She was +strangely comforted, spite of all her misfortune, by the charm that +she found out, every minute more and more, in the new world which now +for the first time she beheld in daylight. + +The Fairy Tulip, who loved Desiree, was very sorry for her, although +somewhat offended that the queen had not taken her advice, and +detained the princess safe in her tower till she was fifteen; however, +she would not leave her a prey to the malice of the Fairy of the +Fountain, so contrived invisibly to conduct the faithful Gilliflower +to the place where the poor forlorn hind reposed. As soon as Desiree +saw her, she leaped the stream, and came towards her former companion, +lavishing on her a thousand caresses. + +At first Gilliflower was very much astonished to be so taken notice of +by a deer of the forest; but looking at it attentively, she saw two +great tears rolling down from the soft human-like eyes, and some +instinct told her that it was her dear princess. She took the forefeet +of the hind, and kissed them as respectfully as if they had been her +mistress's hands. She spoke to her, and though the hind could not +reply, yet it was clear she understood, for the tears flowed faster +than ever, and she showed, by as much intelligence as a dumb beast +could possibly evince, that she responded to the love of the faithful +girl. When Gilliflower promised that she would never quit her, by a +hundred little signs the poor hind tried to express how happy she was. + +They passed the day together, Desiree leading her companion to a place +where she had seen plenty of wild fruits; so that Gilliflower, who was +dying of hunger, became strengthened and refreshed. But when night +came, the girl's terrors returned. + +"Dear hind," said she, "where shall we sleep? If we stay here the wild +beasts will devour us; is there no little hut where we can hide?" + +The poor hind shook her pretty head, and the tears again began to +flow, almost as if she were a human being. Her tears melted the heart +of the Fairy Tulip, who had watched her invisibly all the time, and +now made herself known--appearing suddenly in a shady alley of the +wood. Gilliflower and the white hind threw themselves at her feet--the +latter licking her hands, and caressing her as prettily as a deer +could--the former imploring her to take pity on the princess, and +restore her to her natural shape. + +"I cannot do that," said the fairy; "her enemy has too much power; but +I can shorten her term of punishment, and soften it a little, by +granting that during every night she becomes a woman, though as soon +as day breaks she must again wander about as a hind of the forest." + +It was a great comfort to be a woman every night; and the hind showed +her joy by innumerable leaps and bounds, which delighted the good +Tulip. + +"Follow this by-path," said she, "and you will find a hut that will +serve you as a quiet home. Farewell." + +She disappeared, and Gilliflower, with the hind trotting after her, +went on and on, till she came to a little hut, before which sat an old +woman, making a basket of osiers. + +"My good woman," said she, "have you a room to let, for me and my pet +here?" + +"Yes, truly," replied the old woman; and took them into a room where +were two little beds, hung with white dimity, with fine white sheets, +and everything as neat and comfortable as possible. As soon as it grew +dark, the princess recovered her own shape, and kissed and embraced a +thousand times her dear Gilliflower, who, on her part, was full of +delight and thankfulness. Then they had their supper, and went to +sleep in their two little beds. + +When morning broke, Gilliflower was awakened by a scratching, and +there she saw the hind, just as much a hind as before, waiting to be +let out. The faithful attendant opened the door, and the deer sprang +out quickly, and disappeared in the forest. + +Now, by an extraordinary chance, it happened that Prince Warrior, +wandering about, indifferent to where he went, lost himself in this +very forest, where he had come with his companion Becafico. The +latter, seeking for fruits to satisfy their hunger, reached the same +cottage-door where the old woman lived, and being received kindly, +asked her for some food for his master. She put some bread into a +basket, and was going to give it to him, when her charity made her +offer the wanderers shelter for the night. + +"It is a poor cottage," said she; "but I have still one empty room, +which will at least save you from being eaten up by wolves and lions." + +So the prince was persuaded; and the old woman, who appeared ignorant +of his rank, admitted him and Becafico cautiously, so as not to +disturb the lady and the hind, who occupied the next room. Thus the +two lovers were so near, that they might almost have heard one another +speak, yet did not know it. + +The prince rarely slept much; his sorrow was still too great; and when +the first rays of the sun shone through his window, he arose, and +went out into the forest. There he wandered a long time without +finding any sure track: at last he came upon a sort of bower, overhung +with trees, and carpeted with moss, out of which started a beautiful +white hind, who immediately fled away. + +Now the prince had formerly been a great hunter, until his passion for +the chase was swallowed up by his love for Desiree; but the old fancy +returned when he saw the white hind. He could not help following her, +and sending after her arrows, not a few, from the bow which he always +carried, causing her almost to die of fear; although, by the care of +the Fairy Tulip, she was not wounded. All through the day he pursued +her; until, towards twilight, she escaped from him towards the +cottage, where Gilliflower was watching in the utmost anxiety. The +faithful girl received tenderly into her arms the poor hind, +breathless, exhausted; and eagerly awaited the moment when her +mistress should become a woman again, and tell her what had happened. +When darkness came on, the deer vanished, and it was the Princess +Desiree who lay on Gilliflower's bosom. + +"Alas!" cried she, weeping, "I have more to fear than the Fairy of the +Fountain, and the wild beasts of the forest. I have been pursued all +day by a young hunter, whom I had scarcely seen, before he obliged me +to fly; and sent so many arrows after me that I marvel I was not +killed, or at least wounded." + +"My princess, you must never quit this room again," said Gilliflower. + +"I must; for the same enchantment which makes me a hind forces me to +do as hinds do. I feel myself every morning irresistibly compelled to +run into the wood, to leap and bound, and eat grass, and behave myself +exactly like a wild creature of the forest. Oh, how weary I am!" + +Her soft eyes closed, and she fell asleep until the dawn of day, when +again she was driven out in the shape of a poor four-footed creature, +to fulfil her sad destiny. + +The prince on his part came home also very much wearied and vexed. +"Becafico," he said, "I have spent the day in chasing the most +beautiful hind I ever saw. She has slipped from me time after time +with the most wondrous adroitness; yet my arrows were so true that I +marvel how she escaped. At dawn to-morrow I must be after her once +more." + +So he did not fail to go, at earliest dawn, to her hiding-place; but +the hind took care not to re-visit her favourite haunt. He sought her +everywhere, and could see nothing; then being very tired and hot, he +gathered some luscious apples which he saw hanging upon a tree over +his head. As soon as he ate them he fell fast asleep. + +Meantime the hind, roaming stealthily about, came to the place where +he lay--came quite suddenly, or else she would have taken to flight; +but now seeing her enemy sound asleep, she paused a minute to look at +him; and in his features, wasted with grief, but still so loveable +and beautiful, she recognised the face which had long been engraven on +her heart. The poor hind! she crouched down at a little distance, and +watched him, her eyes beaming with joy. Then she sighed: at length, +become bolder, she approached nearer, and softly touched him with her +fore-foot. + +Awaking, what was the prince's surprise to see beside him, tame and +familiar, the pretty creature whom he had hunted all yesterday; but +when he put out his hand to seize her, she fled away like lightning. +He followed with all the speed he could, and thus, she flying and he +pursuing, they passed the whole day. Towards evening her strength +failed; and when the hunter came up to her it was a poor half-dying +deer that he found lying on the grass. She thought her death was +certain--still, from his hands, it did not seem so terrible as from +any one else; but instead of killing her he caressed her. + +"Beautiful hind," said he, "do not be afraid. I only wish to take you +home with me, and have you with me always." He cut branches of trees, +wove them ingeniously into a sort of couch, which he strewed with +roses and moss; then took the creature in his arms, laid her gently +down upon them, and sat beside her, feeding her from time to time with +the softest grass he could find. She ate contentedly from his hand, +and he almost fancied she understood all the sweet things he said to +her, and so time passed till it grew dusk. + +"My pretty hind," said he, "I will go in search of a stream where you +can drink, and then we will take our way home together." But while he +was absent she stole away, and had only time to reach the cottage when +the transformation happened, and it was not a hind but a weeping +princess who threw herself on the bed beside the faithful Gilliflower. + +"I have seen him!" she cried. "My Prince Warrior is himself in this +forest: he was the hunter who has pursued me these two days, and has +taken me at last. But he did not slay me: he saved and caressed me. +Ah, he is gentler and sweeter even than the image in my heart." + +Here she began again to weep; but Gilliflower consoled her, and they +went to sleep, wondering much how this adventure would end. + +The prince, returning from the stream, missed his beautiful white +hind, and came back to Becafico full of grief, mingled with a certain +anger at the ingratitude of the creature to whom he had been so kind. +But at break of day he rose, determined again to pursue her. She, +however, in order to avoid him, took a quite different route. Still, +the forest was not so large, but that at last he saw her, leaping and +bounding among the bushes. Seized by an irresistible impulse, he shot +an arrow after her; it struck her, she felt a violent pain dart +through one of her slender limbs, and fell helpless on the grass. When +the prince came up to her, he was overcome with remorse for his +cruelty. He took a handful of herbs and bound up her wound, made her a +bed of branches and moss, laid her head upon his knees, and wept over +her. + +"My lovely hind," said he, "why did I wound you so cruelly? You will +hate me, when I wish you to love me." So he tended and cherished her +all day, and, towards nightfall, he knotted a ribbon round her neck, +with the intention of gently leading her home. But she struggled with +him; and the struggle was so sore that Gilliflower, coming out in +search of her dear mistress, heard the rustling, and saw her hind in +the hunter's power. She rushed to rescue her, to the prince's great +astonishment. + +"Whatever consideration I owe you, madam," said he, "you must know +that you are committing a robbery; this hind is mine." + +"No, sir, she is mine," returned Gilliflower, respectfully. "She knows +she is, and will prove it if you will only give her a little liberty. +My pretty pet, come and embrace me." The hind crept into her arms. +"Now kiss me on my right cheek." She obeyed. "Now touch my heart." She +laid her foot against Gilliflower's bosom. + +"I allow she is yours," said the prince, discontentedly. "Take her and +go your ways." + +But he followed them at a distance, and was very much surprised to see +them enter the cottage. He asked the old woman who the damsel was, but +she said she did not know, except that the lady and the hind lived +there together in solitude, and paid her well. But when Becafico, who +had eyes as sharp as needles, coming to meet his master, by chance +caught sight of Gilliflower, he recognised her at once. + +"Here is some great mystery," said he, "for that is the lady who was +the favourite of the Princess Desiree." + +"Do not utter that name, which only recalls my grief," said the +prince, sadly; but Becafico, determined to gratify his curiosity, made +all sorts of inquiries, and discovered that Gilliflower was lodged in +the next room. + +"I should like to see her again," thought he; "and since only a thin +partition divides us, I will bore a hole through." + +He did so, and beheld a wonderful sight. There sat the fairest +princess in all the world, attired in a robe of silver brocade, her +hair falling in long curls, and her eyes sparkling through tears. +Gilliflower knelt before her, binding up her beautiful arm, from which +the blood was flowing. + +"Do not heed it," sighed the princess; "better let me die, for death +itself would be sweeter than the life I lead. Alas! how hard it is to +be a hind all day; to see my betrothed, to feel his tenderness and +goodness, yet be unable to speak to him, or to tell him the fatal +destiny which divides me from him." + +When Becafico heard this, words cannot describe his astonishment and +delight. He ran towards the prince, who sat moodily at the window. +"Sir," cried he, "only look through this hole, and you will see the +original of the portrait which so fascinated you." + +The prince looked, and recognised at once his beloved princess. He +would have died with joy, had he not believed himself deceived by +some enchantment. He knocked at the door, Gilliflower opened it; he +entered, and threw himself at the feet of Desiree. What followed--of +explanations, vows, tears, and embraces--was never very clearly +related, not even by Gilliflower and Becafico, who were present, but +who considerately drew aside, and spent the time in conversing with +one another. So passed the night; and anxiously they awaited for the +dawn, to see whether the beautiful princess would again become a hind +of the forest. But the day broke, grew clearer, brightened into +sunrise, and the princess, with the prince sitting beside her, +remained a beautiful maiden still. Then came a knock at the door, and +there entered the little old woman, who had been such a kind hostess +for all this while. + +"The period of enchantment is ended, my children," said she. "Go home +and be happy." And then they knew her as no longer the little old +woman, but the Fairy Tulip, who had thus faithfully watched her +charge. + +So the bride and bridegroom returned to their capital, where the +marriage was solemnized with all splendour, and, at Desiree's request, +Longthorn and her mother, who had been imprisoned by the old king's +order, were set free, with no further punishment than banishment to +their own country, where they were to remain for life. As for the +faithful Gilliflower, she stayed at court, with her beloved mistress, +and became the wife of the equally faithful Becafico, who had served +Prince Warrior as devotedly as she the Princess Desiree. The two were +laden with wealth and honours, and shared the happiness of the other +two lovers, which was as great as any mortal could desire. After their +death the story of the White Hind of the Forest was commanded to be +written down in the archives of the state, and thence it has been told +in tradition, or sung in poetry, half over the world. + + + + +THE JUNIPER-TREE. + + +One or two thousand years ago, there was a rich man, who had a +beautiful and pious wife; they loved one another dearly, but they had +no children. They wished and prayed for some night and day, but still +they had none. In front of their house was a yard, where stood a +Juniper-tree, and under it the wife stood once in winter, and peeled +an apple, and as she peeled the apple she cut her finger, and the +blood fell on the snow. + +"Oh," said she, sighing deeply and looking sorrowfully at the blood, +"if I only had a child as red as blood, and as white as snow!" + +While she spoke, she became quite happy; it seemed to her as if her +wish would surely come to pass. Then she went into the house; and a +month passed, and the snow melted; and two months, and the ground was +green; and three months, and the flowers came up out of the earth; and +four months, and all the trees in the wood burst forth, and the green +twigs all grew thickly together; the little birds sang so that the +whole wood rang, and the blossoms fell from the trees. The fifth month +passed, and she stood under the Juniper-tree, and it smelt so +beautiful, and her heart leaped with joy. She fell upon her knees, +but could not speak. When the sixth month was gone, the fruit was +large and ripe, and she was very quiet; the seventh month, she took +the juniper berries, ate them eagerly, and was sick and sorrowful; and +the eighth month went by, and she called to her husband, and cried and +said, "If I die, bury me under the Juniper-tree." + +After this she was quite comforted and happy, till the next month was +passed, and then she had a child as white as snow and as red as blood. +When she beheld it, she was so glad, that she died. + +Her husband buried her under the Juniper-tree, and began to mourn very +much; but after a little time, he became calmer, and when he had wept +a little more, he left off weeping entirely, and soon afterwards he +took another wife. + +The second wife brought him a daughter, but the child of the first +wife was a little son, and was as red as blood, and as white as snow. +When the wife looked at her daughter, she loved her; but when she +looked at the little boy, she hated him, and it seemed as if he were +always in her way, and she was always thinking how she could get all +the property for her daughter. The Evil One possessed her so, that she +was quite angry with the little boy, and pushed him about from one +corner to another, and cuffed him here and pinched him there, until +the poor child was always in fear. When he came home from school, he +could not find a quiet place to creep into. + +Once, when the woman went up to her room, her little daughter came up +too, and said "Mother, give me an apple." + +"Yes, my child," said the woman, and gave her a beautiful apple out of +the chest; and the chest had a great heavy lid, with a great sharp +iron lock. + +"Mother," said the little daughter, "shall not brother have one too?" + +That vexed the woman, but she said, "Yes, when he comes from school." + +And when she saw from the window that he was coming, it was just as if +the Evil One came into her, and she snatched away the apple from her +daughter, and said, "You shall not have one before your brother." + +Then she threw the apple into the chest, and shut the lid close down. +When the little boy came in at the door, the Evil One made her say +kindly, "My son, will you have an apple?" + +Yet she looked so angry all the time, that the little boy said, +"Mother, how dreadful you look! Yes, give me an apple." + +Then she felt that she must speak to him. "Come with me," said she, +and opened the lid; "pick out an apple for yourself." + +And as the little boy stooped over, the Evil One prompted her, and +smash! she banged the lid down, so that his head flew off and fell +among the red apples. Then she was seized with terror, and thought, +"Can I get rid of the blame of this?" So she went up to her room to +her chest of drawers, and took out of the top drawer a white cloth, +and placed the head on the neck again, and tied the handkerchief +round it, so that one could see nothing, and set him before the door +on a chair, and gave him the apple in his hand. + +Soon after, little Margery came to her mother, who stood by the +kitchen fire, and had a pot of hot water before her, which she kept +stirring round. + +"Mother," said little Margery, "brother sits before the door, and +looks quite white, and has an apple in his hand; I asked him to give +me the apple, but he did not answer me, and I was frightened." + +"Go to him again," said her mother, "and if he will not answer you, +give him a box on the ear." + +Then Margery went, and said, "Brother, give me the apple." + +But he was silent, so she gave him a box on the ear, and the head fell +down. + +She was frightened, and began to cry and sob, and ran to her mother, +and said, "Oh, mother, I have knocked my brother's head off!" and +cried and cried, and would not be comforted. + +"Margery," said her mother, "what have you done!--but now be quiet, +and no one will notice; it cannot be helped now--we will cook him in +vinegar." + +Then the mother took the little boy, and chopped him in pieces, put +him into the pot, and cooked him in vinegar. But Margery stood by, and +cried and cried, and all her tears fell into the pot, so that the +cookery did not want any salt. + +When the father came home, and sat down to dinner, he said, "Where is +my son?" + +The mother brought a great big dish of black soup, and Margery cried +and cried without ceasing. Then the father said again, "Where is my +son?" + +"Oh," said the mother, "he is gone into the country, to see his uncle, +where he is going to stay awhile." + +"What does he want there? And he has not even said good-bye to me!" + +"Oh, he wished very much to go, and asked if he might remain away six +weeks; he is well taken care of there, you know." + +"Well," said the father, "I am sorry; for he ought to have bade me +good-bye." + +After that he began to eat, and said, "Margery, what are you crying +for? Brother will be sure to come back. Oh, wife," continued he, "how +delicious this food tastes; give me some more." And the more he ate, +the more he wanted; and he said, "Give me more, you shall not have any +of it; I feel as if it were all mine." And he ate and ate, throwing +the bones under the table, till he had finished it all. + +But Margery went to her drawers, and took out of the bottom drawer her +best silk handkerchief, and fetched out all the bones from under the +table; she tied them up in the silk handkerchief, and took them out of +doors, and shed bitter tears over them. Then she laid them under the +Juniper-tree in the green grass; and when she had put them there, she +felt all at once quite happy, and did not cry any more. + +Soon the Juniper began to move, and the twigs kept dividing and then +closing, just as if the tree were clapping its hands for joy. After +that there went up from it a sort of mist, and right in the centre of +the mist burnt a fire, and out of the fire flew a beautiful bird, who, +singing deliciously, rose up high in the air. When he was out of +sight, the Juniper-tree was just as it had been before, only the +handkerchief with the bones was gone. But Margery felt quite pleased +and happy, just as if her brother were still alive. And she went back +merrily into the house to dinner. + +The bird flew away, sat himself on a goldsmith's house, and began to +sing-- + + "My mother, she killed me; + My father, he ate me; + My sister, little Margery, + Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief, + And laid them under the Juniper-tree: + Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" + +The goldsmith sat in his workshop, making a gold chain, but he heard +the bird, which sat on his roof, and sang, and he thought it very +beautiful. He stood up, and as he went over the door-step he lost one +slipper. But he went right into the middle of the street, with one +slipper and one sock on; he had on his leather apron; in one hand he +carried the gold chain, and in the other the pincers, while the sun +shone brightly up the street. There he stood, and looked at the bird. + +"Bird," said he, "how beautiful you can sing! Sing me that song +again." + +"No," said the bird, "I do not sing twice for nothing. Give me that +gold chain, and I will sing it again." + +"There," said the goldsmith; "you shall have the gold chain--now sing +me that song once more." + +Then the bird came and took the gold chain in his right claw, and went +and sat before the goldsmith, and sang-- + + "My mother, she killed me; + My father, he ate me; + My sister, little Margery, + Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief, + And laid them under the Juniper-tree: + Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" + +Afterwards he flew away to a shoemaker's, and set himself on his roof, +and sang-- + + "My mother, she killed me; + My father, he ate me; + My sister, little Margery, + Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief, + And laid them under the Juniper-tree: + Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" + +When the shoemaker heard it, he ran out of his door in his +shirt-sleeves, looked towards his roof, and had to hold his hand over +his eyes, so that the sun should not dazzle him. + +"Bird," said he, "how beautifully you can sing!" And he called in at +his door, "Wife, just come out; there is a bird here which can sing so +beautifully." Then he called his daughter and his workpeople, both +boys and girls; they all came into the street, looked at the bird, and +saw how handsome he was; for he had bright red and green feathers, +and his neck shone like real gold, and his eyes twinkled in his head +like stars. + +"Bird," said the shoemaker, "now sing me that song again." + +"No," replied the bird, "I do not sing twice for nothing; you must +give me something." + +"Wife," said the man, "go to the garret: on the highest shelf there +stands a pair of red shoes--bring them here." + +The wife went and fetched the shoes. + +"There," said the man, "now sing me that song again." + +Then the bird came and took the shoes in his left claw and flew back +on the roof, and sang-- + + "My mother, she killed me; + My father, he ate me; + My sister, little Margery, + Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief, + And laid them under the Juniper-tree: + Kywitt! Kywitt! 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. He flew far away to a mill, and the +mill went "Clipper, clapper, clipper, clapper, clipper, clapper." And +in the mill there sat twenty millers, who chopped a stone, and +chopped, "Hick, hack, hick, hack, hick, hack;" and the mill went, +"Clipper, clapper, clipper, clapper, clipper, clapper." + +The bird flew up, and sat in a lime-tree that grew before the mill, +and sang-- + + "My mother, she killed me;" + +then one man stopped; + + "My father, he ate me;" + +then two more stopped and listened; + + "My sister, little Margery," + +then four more stopped; + + "Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief," + +now only eight more were chopping, + + "Laid them under" + +now only five, + + "the Juniper-tree." + +now only one. + + "Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" + +Then the last man stopped too, and heard the last word. + +"Bird," said he, "how beautifully you sing! Please to sing me that +song once more." + +"No," answered the bird, "I do not sing twice for nothing; give me the +millstone, and I will sing it again." + +"Yes," said he, "if it belonged to me only, you should have it." + +"Yes," cried all the others, "if he sings it again, he shall have it." + +Then the bird came down, and all the twenty millers took poles, and +lifted the stone up. The bird stuck his neck through the hole in the +millstone, and put it on like a collar, and flew back to the tree, and +sang-- + + "My mother, she killed me; + My father, he ate me; + My sister, little Margery, + Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief, + And laid them under the Juniper-tree: + Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" + +And when he had done singing, he opened his wings, and though he had +in his right claw the chain, in his left the shoes, and round his neck +the millstone, he flew far away to his father's house. + +In the room sat the father, the mother, and little Margery at dinner; +and the father said, "Oh, how happy I am! altogether joyful." + +"For me," said the mother, "I feel quite frightened, as if a dreadful +storm was coming." + +But Margery sat, and cried and cried. + +Then there came the bird flying, and as he perched himself on the +roof, "Oh," said the father, "I feel so happy, and the sun shines out +of doors so beautifully! It is just as if I were going to see an old +friend. + +"No," said the wife; "I am so frightened, my teeth chatter, and it +feels as if there was a fire in my veins;" and she tore open her +dress. But Margery sat in a corner, and cried, holding her apron +before her eyes, till the apron was quite wet through. + +The bird perched upon the Juniper-tree, and sang-- + + "My mother, she killed me;" + +Then the mother stopped up her ears, and shut her eyes tight, and did +not want to see or hear; but there was a roaring in her ears like the +loudest thunder, and her eyes burned and flashed like lightning-- + + "My father, he ate me;" + +"Oh, wife," said the man, "look at that beautiful bird!--he sings so +splendidly. And the sun shines so warm, and there is a smell like +real cinnamon!" + + "My sister, little Margery," + +Then Margery laid her head on her knee, and sobbed out loud; but the +man said, "I shall go out--I must look at the bird quite close." + +"Oh, do not go," said the wife; "it seems to me as if the whole house +shook, and was in flames." + +But the man went out and watched the bird, which still went on +singing-- + + "Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief, + And laid them under the Juniper-tree: + Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" + +After that, the bird let the gold chain fall, and it fell right on to +the man's neck, fitting exactly round it. He went in and said, "See +what a beautiful bird that is--it has given me such a splendid gold +chain!" + +But the wife was frightened, and fell flat down on the floor, and her +cap dropped off her head. + +Then the bird sang again-- + + "My mother, she killed me;" + +"Oh, that I were a thousand feet under the earth, so that I might not +hear!" + + "My father, he ate me," + +Then she fell down, as if she was dead. + + "My sister, little Margery," + +"Oh!" said Margery, "I will go out too, and see if the bird will give +me anything." + + "Gathered up all my bones, + Tied them in a silk handkerchief," + +And the shoes were thrown down. + + "And laid them under the Juniper-tree: + Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" + +Then Margery was very joyful; she put on the new red shoes, and danced +and jumped about. "Oh," said she, "I was so unhappy when I came out, +and now I am so happy! That is a wonderful bird; he has given me a +pair of red shoes." + +"For me," cried the wife, and jumped up, and her hair stood on end +like flames of fire, "I feel as if the world were come to an end; I +will go out--perhaps I shall feel easier." + +But as she went out of the door--smash!--the bird threw the millstone +on her head, and she was crushed to pieces. + +The father and Margery heard it, and rushed out to see what had +happened: there was a great flame and smoke rising up from the place, +and when that was gone, there stood the little brother all alive +again--as if he had never died. He took his father and Margery by the +hand, and they were all three quite happy, and went into the house to +dinner. + + + + +CLEVER ALICE. + + +Once upon a time there was a man who had a daughter, who was called +"Clever Alice;" and when she was grown up, her father said, "We must +see about her marrying." + +"Yes," replied her mother, "whenever a young man shall appear who is +worthy of her." + +At last a certain youth, by name Hans, came from a distance to make a +proposal of marriage but he required one condition, that the Clever +Alice should be very prudent. + +"Oh," said her father, "no fear of that! she has got a head full of +brains;" and the mother added, "Ah, she can see the wind blow up the +street, and hear the flies cough!" + +"Very well," replied Hans; "but remember, if she is not very prudent, +I will not take her." Soon afterwards they sat down to dinner, and her +mother said, "Alice, go down into the cellar and draw some beer." + +So Clever Alice took the jug down from the wall, and went into the +cellar, jerking the lid up and down on her way, to pass away the time. +As soon as she got downstairs, she drew a stool and placed it before +the cask, in order that she might not have to stoop, for she thought +stooping might in some way injure her back, and give it an +undesirable bend. Then she placed the can before her and turned the +tap, and while the beer was running, as she did not wish her eyes to +be idle, she looked about upon the wall above and below. Presently she +perceived, after much peeping into this corner and that corner, a +hatchet, which the bricklayers had left behind, sticking out of the +ceiling right above her head. At the sight of this Clever Alice began +to cry, saying, "Oh! if I marry Hans, and we have a child, and he +grows up, and we send him into the cellar to draw beer, the hatchet +will fall upon his head and kill him;" and so she sat there weeping +with all her might over the impending misfortune. + +Meanwhile the good folks upstairs were waiting for the beer, but as +Clever Alice did not come, her mother told the maid to go and see what +she was stopping for. The maid went down into the cellar, and found +Alice sitting before the cask crying heartily, and she asked, "Alice, +what are you weeping about?" + +"Ah," she replied, "have I not cause? If I marry Hans, and we have a +child, and he grow up, and we send him here to draw beer, that hatchet +will fall upon his head and kill him." + +"Oh," said the maid, "what a clever Alice we have!" And, sitting down, +she began to weep, too, for the misfortune that was to happen. + +After a while, when the servant did not return, the good folks above +began to feel very thirsty; so the husband told the boy to go down +into the cellar, and see what had become of Alice and the maid. The +boy went down, and there sat Clever Alice and the maid both crying, +so he asked the reason; and Alice told him the same tale, of the +hatchet that was to fall on her child, if she married Hans, and if +they had a child. When she had finished, the boy exclaimed, "What a +clever Alice we have!" and fell weeping and howling with the others. + +Upstairs they were still waiting, and the husband said, when the boy +did not return, "Do you go down, wife, into the cellar and see why +Alice stays so long." So she went down, and finding all three sitting +there crying, asked the reason, and Alice told her about the hatchet +which must inevitably fall upon the head of her son. Then the mother +likewise exclaimed, "Oh, what a clever Alice we have!" and, sitting +down, began to weep as much as any of the rest. + +Meanwhile the husband waited for his wife's return; but at last he +felt so very thirsty, that he said, "I must go myself down into the +cellar and see what is keeping our Alice." As soon as he entered the +cellar, there he found the four sitting and crying together, and when +he heard the reason, he also exclaimed, "Oh, what a clever Alice we +have!" and sat down to cry with the whole strength of his lungs. + +All this time the bridegroom above sat waiting, but when nobody +returned, he thought they must be waiting for him, and so he went down +to see what was the matter. When he entered, there sat the five crying +and groaning, each one in a louder key than his neighbour. + +"What misfortune has happened?" he asked. + +"Ah, dear Hans!" cried Alice, "if you and I should marry one another, +and have a child, and he grow up, and we, perhaps, send him down to +this cellar to tap the beer, the hatchet which has been left sticking +up there may fall on his head, and so kill him: and do you not think +this is enough to weep about?" + +"Now," said Hans, "more prudence than this is not necessary for my +housekeeping; because you are such a clever Alice, I will have you for +my wife." And, taking her hand, he led her home, and celebrated the +wedding directly. + +After they had been married a little while, Hans said one morning, +"Wife, I will go out to work and earn some money; do you go into the +field and gather some corn wherewith to make bread." + +"Yes," she answered, "I will do so, dear Hans." And when he was gone, +she cooked herself a nice mess of pottage to take with her. As she +came to the field she said to herself, "What shall I do? Shall I cut +first, or eat first? Ay, I will eat first!" Then she ate up the +contents of her pot, and when it was finished, she thought to herself, +"Now, shall I reap first or sleep first? Well, I think I will have a +nap!" and so she laid herself down amongst the corn, and went to +sleep. + +Meanwhile Hans returned home, but Alice did not come, and so he said, +"Oh, what a prudent Alice I have! She is so industrious that she does +not even come home to eat anything." By-and-by, however, evening came +on, and still she did not return; so Hans went out to see how much +she had reaped; but, behold, nothing at all, and there lay Alice fast +asleep among the corn! So home he ran very fast, and brought a net +with little bells hanging on it, which he threw over her head while +she still slept on. When he had done this, he went back again and shut +to the house-door, and, seating himself on his stool, began working +very industriously. + +At last, when it was nearly dark, the Clever Alice awoke, and as soon +as she stood up, the net fell all over her hair, and the bells jingled +at every step she took. This quite frightened her, and she began to +doubt whether she were really Clever Alice, and said to herself, "Am I +she, or am I not?" This was a question she could not answer, and she +stood still a long while considering about it. At last she thought she +would go home and ask whether she were really herself--supposing +somebody would be able to tell her. When she came to the house-door it +was shut; so she tapped at the window, and asked, "Hans, is Alice +within?" "Yes," he replied, "she is." At which answer she became +really terrified, and exclaiming, "Ah, heaven, then I am not Alice!" +she ran up to another house, intending to ask the same question. But +as soon as the folks within heard the jingling of the bells in her +net, they refused to open their doors, and nobody would receive her. +So she ran straight away from the village, and no one has ever seen +her since. + +THE END. + + * * * * * + + +BOOKS BY + +MISS MULOCK + + * * * * * + +MY MOTHER AND I +HANNAH +OLIVE +THE OGILVIES +A BRAVE LADY +THE WOMAN'S KINGDOM +MISTRESS AND MAID +THE UNKIND WORD, Etc. +THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY +YOUNG MRS. JARDINE +JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN +AGATHA'S HUSBAND +A LIFE FOR A LIFE +TWO MARRIAGES +CHRISTIAN'S MISTAKE +A NOBLE LIFE +A HERO +THE FAIRY BOOK +STUDIES FROM LIFE +SERMONS OUT OF CHURCH +THE LAUREL BUSH +A LEGACY +YOUNG MRS. JARDINE +HIS LITTLE MOTHER, Etc. +PLAIN-SPEAKING +MISS TOMMY +KING ARTHUR +ABOUT MONEY AND OTHER THINGS. + + +Illustrated. 12mo, each $1.00 + +The Fairy Book. New Edition. Post 8vo.... + +HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, N. Y. + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fairy Book, by +Dinah Maria Mulock (AKA Miss Mulock) + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 19734.txt or 19734.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/7/3/19734/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, 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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