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diff --git a/25913-h/25913-h.htm b/25913-h/25913-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..63a8060 --- /dev/null +++ b/25913-h/25913-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8984 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title> +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Tales of Folk and Fairies, by Katharine Pyle +</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + body {margin-left: 11%; margin-right: 10%;} + a {text-decoration: none;} + h3 {text-align:center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.4em} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + div.ce p {text-align: center; margin: auto 0;} + .figcenter {margin: 2em auto 2em auto; text-align: center;} + .caption {font-size:.8em} + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + .pagenum {display: inline; font-size: x-small; text-align: right; position: absolute; right: 2%; padding: 1px 3px; font-style: normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; text-decoration: none; color: silver; background-color: inherit; border:1px solid #eee;} + hr.silver {width: 100%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver;} + h2 {text-align:center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.6em} +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ +</style> + +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales of Folk and Fairies, by Katharine Pyle + +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: Tales of Folk and Fairies + +Author: Katharine Pyle + +Release Date: June 27, 2008 [EBook #25913] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF FOLK AND FAIRIES *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ronnie Sahlberg and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/cover.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> + +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a name='linki_1' id='linki_1'></a> +<img src='images/frontis.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> +He took out his pipe and blew a tune. <i>See <a href="#tune">page 210</a>.</i> +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:2em; margin-top:1em;'>TALES OF</p> +<p style=' font-size:2em; margin-top:0.5em;'>FOLK AND FAIRIES</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:1.0em; margin-top:4em;'>WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:0.8em; margin-top:1em;'>BY</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:1.5em; margin-top:0.5em;'>KATHARINE PYLE</p> +</div> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/g001.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> + +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:1em; margin-top:10em;'>BOSTON</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:1.5em; margin-top:0.5em;'>LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:1em; margin-top:1em;'>1929</p> +</div> + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce'> +<p><i>Copyright, 1919</i>,</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>By Little, Brown, and Company</span>.</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Printed in the United States of America</span></p> +</div> + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:larger; margin-bottom:1em;'>CONTENTS</p> +</div> + +<p style='line-height: 1'> </p> + +<table border='0' width='400' cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' summary='Contents' style='margin:1em auto;'> +<tr> + <td align='left'><span style='font-size:small;'>CHAPTER</span></td> + <td align='right'><span style='font-size:small;'>PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Meester Stoorworm</span> <i>A Story from Scotland</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_MEESTER_STOORWORM_A_STORY_FROM_SCOTLAND'>1</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Jean Malin and the Bull-man</span> <i>A Louisiana Tale</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#JEAN_MALIN_AND_THE_BULLMAN_A_LOUISIANA_TALE'>22</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Widow’s Son</span> <i>A Scandinavian Tale</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_WIDOW_S_SON_A_SCANDINAVIAN_TALE'>35</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Wise Girl</span> <i>A Serbian Story</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_WISE_GIRL_A_SERBIAN_STORY'>61</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The History of Ali Cogia</span> <i>From the Arabian Nights</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_HISTORY_OF_ALI_COGIA_FROM_THE_ARABIAN_NIGHTS'>72</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Oh!</span> <i>A Cossack Story</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#OH_A_COSSACK_STORY'>101</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Talking Eggs</span> <i>A Story from Louisiana</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_TALKING_EGGS_A_STORY_FROM_LOUISIANA'>123</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Frog Princess</span> <i>A Russian Story</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_FROG_PRINCESS_A_RUSSIAN_STORY'>137</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Magic Turban, the Magic Sword and the Magic Carpet</span> <i>A Persian Story</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_MAGIC_TURBAN_THE_MAGIC_SWORD_AND_THE_MAGIC_CARPET_A_PERSIAN_STORY'>159</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Three Silver Citrons</span> <i>A Persian Story</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_THREE_SILVER_CITRONS_A_PERSIAN_STORY'>180</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Magic Pipe</span> <i>A Norse Tale</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_MAGIC_PIPE_A_NORSE_TALE'>201</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Triumph of Truth</span> <i>A Hindu Story</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_TRIUMPH_OF_TRUTH_A_HINDU_STORY'>221</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Life’s Secret</span> <i>A Story of Bengal</i> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#LIFE_S_SECRET_A_STORY_OF_BENGAL'>251</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Dame Pridgett and the Fairies</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#DAME_PRIDGETT_AND_THE_FAIRIES'>278</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:larger; margin-bottom:1em;'><a name='illus' id='illus'></a>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</p> +</div> + +<p style='line-height: 1'> </p> + +<table border='0' width='400' cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' summary='Illustrations' style='margin:1em auto'> +<col style='width:80%;' /> +<col style='width:20%;' /> +<tr> + <td></td> + <td align='right'><span style='font-size:small'>PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>He took out his pipe and blew a tune.</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_1'>Frontispiece</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>Seeing no one, the creature dropped on its knees and<br />bellowed, “Beau Madjam!”</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_2'>29</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>She sat down beside the hearth and took off her head.</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_3'>127</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>Then the demon flew out through the window and away<br />through the night.</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_4'>169</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>The Princess took the cup and drank.</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_5'>191</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>The Rajah brought the girl down, while the crows<br />circled about his head.</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_6'>241</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div><span class='pagenum'><a id='page_1' name='page_1'></a>1</span></div> +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:2em;'>TALES OF FOLK AND</p> +<p style=' font-size:2em;'>FAIRIES</p> +</div> + +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_MEESTER_STOORWORM_A_STORY_FROM_SCOTLAND' id='THE_MEESTER_STOORWORM_A_STORY_FROM_SCOTLAND'></a> +<h2>THE MEESTER STOORWORM</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Story from Scotland</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a lad, and what his real +name was nobody remembered, unless it was +the mother who bore him; but what every +one called him was Ashipattle. They called +him that because he sat among the ashes to +warm his toes. +</p> +<p>He had six older brothers, and they did not +think much of him. All the tasks they scorned +to do themselves they put upon Ashipattle. +He gathered the sticks for the fire, he swept +the floor, he cleaned the byre, he ran the errands, +and all he got for his pains were kicks +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_2' name='page_2'></a>2</span> +and cuffs and mocking words. Still he was a +merry fellow, and as far as words went he +gave his brothers as good as they sent. +</p> +<p>Ashipattle had one sister, and she was very +good and kind to him. In return for her +kindness he told her long stories of trolls and +giants and heroes and brave deeds, and as +long as he would tell she would sit and listen. +But his brothers could not stand his stories, +and used to throw clods at him to make him +be quiet. They were angry because Ashipattle +was always the hero of his own stories, +and in his tales there was nothing he dared +not do. +</p> +<p>Now while Ashipattle was still a lad, but a +tall, stout one, a great misfortune fell upon +the kingdom, for a Stoorworm rose up out of +the sea; and of all Stoorworms it was the +greatest and the worst. For this reason it +was called the Meester Stoorworm. Its length +stretched half around the world, its one eye +was as red as fire, and its breath was so poisonous +that whatever it breathed upon was withered. +</p> +<p>There was great fear and lamentation throughout +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_3' name='page_3'></a>3</span> +the land because of the worm, for every day +it drew nearer to the shore, and every day the +danger from it grew greater. When it was first +discovered it was so far away that its back was +no more than a low, long, black line upon the +horizon, but soon it was near enough for them +to see the horns upon its back, and its scales, +and its one fierce eye, and its nostrils that +breathed out and in. +</p> +<p>In their fear the people cried upon the King +to save them from the monster, but the King +had no power to save them more than any +other man. His sword, Snickersnapper, was +the brightest and sharpest and most wonderful +sword in all the world, but it would need a +longer sword than Snickersnapper to pierce +through that great body to the monster’s heart. +The King summoned his councillors,—all the +wisest men in the kingdom,—and they consulted +and talked together, but none of them +could think of any plan to beat or drive the +Stoorworm off, so powerful it was. +</p> +<p>Now there was in that country a sorcerer, +and the King had no love for him. Still, when +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_4' name='page_4'></a>4</span> +all the wisemen and councillors could think of +no plan for destroying the Stoorworm, the +King said, “Let us send for this sorcerer, and +have him brought before us, and hear what +he has to say; for ’twould seem there is no +help in any of us for this evil that has come +upon us.” +</p> +<p>So the sorcerer was brought, and he stood +up in the council and looked from one to another. +Last of all he looked at the King, and there his +eyes rested. +</p> +<p>“There is one way, and only one,” said he, +“by which the land can be saved from destruction. +Let the King’s only daughter, the +Princess Gemlovely, be given to the Stoorworm +as a sacrifice, and he will be satisfied +and quit us.” +</p> +<p>No sooner had the sorcerer said this than a +great tumult arose in the council. The councillors +were filled with horror, and cried aloud +that the sorcerer should be torn to pieces for +speaking such words. +</p> +<p>But the King arose and bade them be silent,—and +he was as white as death. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_5' name='page_5'></a>5</span></p> +<p>“Is this the only way to save my people?” +he asked. +</p> +<p>“It is the only way I know of,” answered +the sorcerer. +</p> +<p>The King stood still and white for a time. +“Then,” said he, “if it is the only way, so let +it be. But first let it be proclaimed, far and +wide throughout my kingdom, that there is +an heroic deed to be done. Whosoever will do +battle with the Stoorworm and slay it, or drive +it off, shall have the Princess Gemlovely for a +bride, and the half of my kingdom, and my +sword Snickersnapper for his own; and after +my death he shall rule as king over all the +realm.” +</p> +<p>Then the King dismissed the Council, and +they went away in silence, with dark and +heavy looks. +</p> +<p>A proclamation was sent out as the King +commanded, saying that whoever could kill +the Stoorworm or drive it away should have +the Princess, and the half of the kingdom as a +reward, and the King’s sword, and after the +King’s death should reign over the whole realm. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_6' name='page_6'></a>6</span></p> +<p>When this news went out many a man wished +he might win these three prizes for himself, +for what better was there to be desired than a +beauteous wife, a kingdom to reign over, and +the most famous sword in all the world. But +fine as were the prizes, only six-and-thirty +bold hearts came to offer themselves for the +task, so great was the fear of the Stoorworm. +Of this number the first twelve who looked at +the Stoorworm fell ill at sight of him and had +to be carried home. The next twelve did not +stay to be carried, but ran home on their own +legs and shut themselves up in strong fortresses; +and the last twelve stayed at the King’s palace +with their hearts in their stomachs, and their +wrists too weak with fear to strike a blow, even +to win a kingdom. +</p> +<p>So there was nothing left but for the Princess +to be offered up to the Stoorworm, for it was +better that one should be lost, even though +that one were the Princess, than that the +whole country should be destroyed. +</p> +<p>Then there was great grief and lamenting +throughout the land, for the Princess Gemlovely +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_7' name='page_7'></a>7</span> +was so kind and gentle that she was +beloved by all, both high and low. Only +Ashipattle heard it all unmoved. He said +nothing, but sat by the fire and thought and +thought, and what his thoughts were he told +to nobody. +</p> +<p>The day was set when the Princess was to +be offered up to the Stoorworm, and the night +before there was a great feast at the palace, +but a sad feast it was. Little was eaten and +less was said. The King sat with his back to +the light and bit his fingers, and no one dared +to speak to him. +</p> +<p>In the poorer houses there was a great stir +and bustle and laying out of coats and dresses, +for many were planning to go to the seashore +to see the Princess offered up to the Stoorworm,—though +a gruesome sight ’twould be to see. +Ashipattle’s father and brothers were planning +to go with the rest, but his mother and sister +wept, and said they would not see it for anything +in the world. +</p> +<p>Now Ashipattle’s father had a horse named +Feetgong, and he was not much to look at. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_8' name='page_8'></a>8</span> +Nevertheless the farmer treasured him, and it +was not often he would let any one use him but +himself. When the farmer rode Feetgong he +could make him go like the wind,—none +faster,—and that without beating him, either. +Then when the farmer wished him to stop +Feetgong would stand as still as though he +were frozen to the ground; no one could make +him budge. But if any one other than the +farmer rode him, then it was quite different. +Feetgong would jog along, and not even a +beating would drive him faster, and then if +one wanted him to stop that was as hard to +do as it was to start him. Ashipattle was +sure there was some secret about this; that +his father had a way to make him go that no +one knew about; but what that way was he +could not find out. +</p> +<p>The day before the beauteous Gemlovely +was to be sacrificed Ashipattle said to his +mother, “Tell me something; how is it that +Feetgong will not go for you or my brothers +or any one, but when my father mounts him +he goes like the wind,—none faster?” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_9' name='page_9'></a>9</span></p> +<p>Then his mother answered, “Indeed, I do not +know.” +</p> +<p>“It seems a strange thing that my father +would not tell you that,” said Ashipattle, +“and you his own true wife.” +</p> +<p>To this his mother answered nothing. +</p> +<p>“A strange thing,” said Ashipattle; “and +in all the years you’ve lived together not a +thing have you kept back from him, whether +he wished it or no. But even a good husband +always holds back some secret from his wife.” +</p> +<p>Still his mother spoke never a word, but +Ashipattle could see that she was thinking. +</p> +<p>That night Ashipattle lay awake long after +the others were asleep. He heard his father +snoring and his brothers, too, but it seemed +his mother could not sleep. She turned and +twisted and sighed aloud, until at last she +awakened her husband. +</p> +<p>“What ails you,” he asked, “that you turn +and twist in bed and sigh so loud that a body +scarce can sleep.” +</p> +<p>“It’s no wonder I sigh and cannot sleep,” +answered his wife. “I have been thinking and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_10' name='page_10'></a>10</span> +turning things over in my mind, and I can see +very plainly that you do not love me as a good +husband should love his wife.” +</p> +<p>“How can you say that?” asked her husband. +“Have I not treated you well in all these years? +Have I not shown my love in every way?” +</p> +<p>“Yes, but you do not trust me,” said his +wife. “You do not tell me what is in your +heart.” +</p> +<p>“What have I not told you?” +</p> +<p>“You have never told me about Feetgong; +you have never told me why it is that he goes +like the wind whenever you mount him, and +when any one else rides him he is so slow there +is no getting anywhere with him.” Then she +began to sob as if her heart would break. “You +do not trust me,” said she. +</p> +<p>“Wait, wait!” cried the Goodman. “That +is a secret I had never thought to tell any one, +but since you have set your heart on knowing—listen! +Only you must promise not to tell a +living soul what I tell you now.” +</p> +<p>His wife promised. +</p> +<p>“Then this is it,” said her husband. “When +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_11' name='page_11'></a>11</span> +I want Feetgong to go moderately fast I slap +him on the right shoulder; when I want him to +stop I slap him on the left shoulder, and when +I want him to go like the wind I blow upon +the dried windpipe of a goose that I always +carry in the right-hand pocket of my coat.” +</p> +<p>“Now indeed I know that you love me when +you tell me this,” said his wife. And then +she went to sleep, for she was satisfied. +</p> +<p>Ashipattle waited until near morning, and +then he arose and dressed himself. He put +on the coat of one brother, and the breeches +of another, and the shoes of a third, and so +on, for his own clothes were nothing but rags. +He felt in the right-hand pocket of his father’s +coat, and there, sure enough, he found the +dried windpipe of a goose. He took that and he +took a pot of burning peat, and covered it over +so it would keep hot; and he took also a big +kitchen knife. Then he went out and led +Feetgong from the stable. He sprang upon +his back and slapped him on the right shoulder, +and away they went. +</p> +<p>The noise awoke the goodman and he jumped +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_12' name='page_12'></a>12</span> +from bed and ran to the window. There was +some one riding away on his dear Feetgong. +Then he called out at the top of his voice: +</p> +<table summary='poetry' style='margin:0 auto'><tr><td> +<p style='margin: 0 0 0 0em;'>“Hie! Hie! Ho!</p> +<p style='margin: 0 0 0 0em;'>Feetgong, whoa!”</p> +</td></tr></table> + +<p>When Feetgong heard his master calling he +stopped and stood stockstill. But Ashipattle +whipped out the dried windpipe of the goose +and blew upon it, and away went Feetgong +like the wind; none could go faster. No one +could overtake them. +</p> +<p>After a while, and not so long either, they +came to the seashore, and there, a little way +out from the shore, lay the King’s own boat +with the boatman in it. He was keeping the +boat there until day dawned. Then the King +and his court would come, bringing the beauteous +Gemlovely to offer up to the Stoorworm. They +would put her in the boat and set the sails to +carry her toward him. +</p> +<p>Ashipattle looked out across the water, and +he could see the black back of the beast rising +out of the sea like a long low mountain. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_13' name='page_13'></a>13</span></p> +<p>He lighted down from Feetgong and called +across the water to the boatman, “Hello, +friend! How fares it with you out there?” +</p> +<p>“Bitterly, bitterly!” answered the boatman. +“Here I sit and freeze all night, for it is cold +on the water, and not a soul except myself but +what is safe asleep in a good warm bed.” +</p> +<p>“I have a fire here in the pot,” called Ashipattle. +“Draw your boat in to shore and +come and warm yourself, for I can see even +from here that you are almost perished.” +</p> +<p>“That I may not do,” answered the man. +“The King and his court may come at any +time now, and they must find me ready and +waiting for them as the commands were.” +</p> +<p>Then Ashipattle put his pot down on the +shore and stood and thought a bit. Suddenly +he dropped on his knees and began to dig in +the sand as though he had gone mad. “Gold! +Gold!” he shouted. +</p> +<p>“What is the matter?” called the boatman. +“What have you found?” +</p> +<p>“Gold! Gold!” shouted Ashipattle, digging +faster than ever. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_14' name='page_14'></a>14</span></p> +<p>The boatman thought Ashipattle must certainly +have found a treasure in the sand. He +made haste to bring the boat to land. He +sprang out upon the shore, and pushing Ashipattle +aside, he dropped on his knees and began +to scoop out the sand. But Ashipattle did not +wait to see whether he found anything. He +caught up the pot and leaped into the boat, +and before the boatman could stop him he +pushed off from the shore. +</p> +<p>Too late the boatman saw what he was +doing. He ran down to the edge of the water +and shouted and stormed and cried to Ashipattle +to come back, but Ashipattle paid +no heed to him. He never even turned his +head. He set the sail and steered over toward +where the great monster lay, with the waves +washing up and breaking into foam against +him. +</p> +<p>And now the dawn was breaking. It was +time for the monster to awake, and down the +road from the castle came riding the King and +all his court, and the Princess Gemlovely rode +among them on a milk-white horse. All the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_15' name='page_15'></a>15</span> +color was gone from her face, and she looked as +white as snow. +</p> +<p>When the King and all the others reached +the shore there stood the boatman, wringing +his hands and lamenting, and the boat was +gone. +</p> +<p>“What is this?” asked the King. “What +have you done with my boat, and why are you +standing here?” +</p> +<p>“Look! Look!” cried the boatman and he +pointed out to sea. +</p> +<p>The King looked, and then first he saw Ashipattle +in the boat, sailing away toward the +monster,—for before his eyes had been dim +with sorrow, and he had seen naught but what +was close before him. +</p> +<p>The King looked, and all the court looked +with him, and a great cry arose, for they guessed +that Ashipattle was sailing out to do battle with +the Stoorworm. +</p> +<p>As they stood staring the sun shone red and +the monster awoke. Slowly, slowly his great +jaws opened in a yawn, and as he yawned the +water rushed into his mouth like a great flood +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_16' name='page_16'></a>16</span> +and on down his throat. Ashipattle’s boat was +caught in the swirl and swept forward faster +than any sail could carry it. Then slowly the +monster closed his mouth and all was still save +for the foaming and surging of the waters. +</p> +<p>Ashipattle steered his boat close in against +the monster’s jaws, and it lay there, rocking +in the tide, while he waited for the Stoorworm +to yawn again. +</p> +<p>Presently slowly, slowly, the great jaws gaped, +and the flood rushed in, foaming. Ashipattle’s +boat was swept in with the water, and it almost +crushed against one of the monster’s teeth, but +Ashipattle fended it off, and it was carried on +the flood down into the Stoorworm’s throat. +</p> +<p>Down and down went the boat with Ashipattle +in it and the sound of surging waters filled +his ears. It was light there in the monster’s +throat, for the roof and the sides of it shone +with phosphorescence so that he could see +everything. +</p> +<p>As he swept on, the roof above him grew +lower and lower, and the water grew shallower +and shallower; for it drained off into passages +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_17' name='page_17'></a>17</span> +that opened off from the throat into the rest +of the body. +</p> +<p>At last the roof grew so low that the mast of +the boat wedged against it. Then Ashipattle +stepped over the side of the boat into the water, +and it had grown so shallow it was scarce as +high as his knees. He took the pot of peat, +that was still hot, and the knife, and went a +little further until he came to where the beast’s +heart was. He could see it beat, beat, beating. +</p> +<p>Ashipattle took his knife and dug a hole in +the heart, and emptied the hot peat into it. +Then he blew and blew on the peat. He blew +until his cheeks almost cracked with blowing, +and it seemed as though the peat would never +burn. But at last it flared up; the oil of the +heart trickled down upon it, and the flame +burst into a blaze. Higher and higher waxed +the fire. All the heart shone red with the light +of it. +</p> +<p>Then the lad ran back and jumped into the +boat and pushed it clear of the roof. And +none too soon, for as the fire burned deeper +into the heart, the monster felt the burn of it +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_18' name='page_18'></a>18</span> +and began to writhe and twist. Then he gave +a great cough that sent the waters surging back +out of his body and into the sea again in a +mighty flood. +</p> +<p>Ashipattle’s boat was caught in the rush and +swept like a straw up out of the Stoorworm’s +throat and into the light of day. The monster +spewed him and his boat all the way across the +sea and up on the shore, almost at the King’s +feet. +</p> +<p>The King himself sprang from his steed and +ran and helped Ashipattle to his feet. Then +every one fled back to a high hill, for the sea +was rising in a mighty flood with the beating +and tossing of the Stoorworm. +</p> +<p>Then began such a sight as never was seen +before and perchance will never be seen again. +For first the monster flung his tail so high that +it seemed as though it would strike the sun +from the sky. And next it fell into the sea +with such a slap as sent the waves high up the +rocks; and now it was his head that flung aloft, +and the tongue caught on the point of the +crescent moon and hung there, and for a while +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_19' name='page_19'></a>19</span> +it looked as though the moon would be pulled +from the sky, but it stood firm, and the +monster’s tongue tore, so that the head dropped +back into the sea with such force that the teeth +flew out of its mouth, and these teeth became +the Orkney Islands. +</p> +<p>Again its head reared high and fell back, and +more teeth flew out, and these became the +Shetland Islands. The third time his head +rose and fell, and teeth flew out; they became +the Faroe Islands. +</p> +<p>So the monster beat and threshed and +struggled, while the King and the Princess +and Ashipattle and all the people looked on +with fear and wonder at the dreadful sight. +</p> +<p>But at last the struggle became weaker, for +the heart was almost burned out. Then the +Stoorworm curled up and lay still, for it was +dead, and its great coils became the place +called Iceland. +</p> +<p>So was the monster killed, and that was the +manner of his death! +</p> +<p>But the King turned to Ashipattle and called +him son, and took the hand of the Princess +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_20' name='page_20'></a>20</span> +Gemlovely and laid it in the lad’s hand, for +now she was to be his bride as the King had +promised. +</p> +<p>Then they all rode back to the palace together, +and the King took the sword Snickersnapper +and gave it to Ashipattle for him to +keep as his own. +</p> +<p>A great feast was spread in honor of the +slaying of the Stoorworm. All who chose to +come were welcome, and all was mirth and +rejoicing. +</p> +<p>The honest farmer, Ashipattle’s father, and +his mother and his sister and his brothers heard +of the feast and put on their best clothes and +came, but the farmer had no Feetgong to ride. +When they entered the great hall and saw +Ashipattle sitting there at the King’s right +hand in the place of honor, with the Princess +Gemlovely beside him, they could hardly believe +their eyes, for they had not known he +was the hero every one was talking about. But +Ashipattle looked at them and nodded, and all +was well. +</p> +<p>Not long after that Ashipattle and the Princess +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_21' name='page_21'></a>21</span> +were married, and a grand wedding it was, +I can tell you; and after the old King died +Ashipattle became ruler of the whole realm, +and he and the Princess lived in mutual love +and happiness together the rest of their long +lives. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='JEAN_MALIN_AND_THE_BULLMAN_A_LOUISIANA_TALE' id='JEAN_MALIN_AND_THE_BULLMAN_A_LOUISIANA_TALE'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_22' name='page_22'></a>22</span> +<h2>JEAN MALIN AND THE BULL-MAN</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Louisiana Tale</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a little boy who was all +alone in the world; he had no father or mother, +and no home; and no one to care for him. +That made him very sad. +</p> +<p>One day he sat by the roadside, and he was +so sad that he began to weep. Presently a fine +coach came rolling along, and in it sat a beautiful, +grand lady. She leaned back against the +cushions and looked about, first on this side +and then on that, and enjoyed herself. +</p> +<p>When she saw the little boy she made the +coachman stop. +</p> +<p>“Come here, little boy,” she called in a +gentle voice. +</p> +<p>The child lifted his head, and then he rose +and came over to her. +</p> +<p>“What is your name?” asked the lady. +</p> +<p>“Jean Malin,” the child answered. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_23' name='page_23'></a>23</span></p> +<p>“Why are you weeping, Jean? Has some +one been unkind to you?” +</p> +<p>“No; I am weeping because I have no one +to be either unkind or kind to me. I am all +alone in the world, and I have no home.” +</p> +<p>When the lady heard that she felt very sorry +for him. “Come; sit here in the coach beside +me,” she said, “and I will take you home with +me. My home shall be your home, and I will +keep you with me always if you are a good boy +and do as I tell you.” +</p> +<p>Jean Malin climbed into the coach, and the +lady took him home with her. She talked to +him and questioned him on the way, and she +soon found that he was a clever boy and very +polite in his manners. +</p> +<p>When they arrived at the lady’s house she +gave him a pretty little suit of clothes and +bade him wash and dress himself, and then +he came in and waited on her at supper. +</p> +<p>After that he lived there, and the lady became +very fond of him. As for Jean Malin, +he soon loved his mistress so dearly that if +she had been his own mother he could not +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_24' name='page_24'></a>24</span> +have loved her better. Everything she said +and did seemed to him exactly right. +</p> +<p>The lady had a lover who was a great, handsome +man with a fine deep voice. This gentleman +often came to the house to take meals +with the lady, and he always spoke to Jean +Malin very pleasantly; but Jean could not +abide him. He used to run and hide whenever +this man came to the house. The lady scolded +him for it, but he could not help it. +</p> +<p>The gentleman’s name was Mr. Bulbul. +</p> +<p>“I do not know what is the matter with +you,” said the lady to Jean Malin. “Why +is it you do not like Mr. Bulbul? He is very +kind to you.” +</p> +<p>“I do not know, but I wish I might never +see him again,” answered Jean. +</p> +<p>“That is very wrong of you. Perhaps sometime +I may marry Mr. Bulbul. Then he will +be your master. What will you do then?” +</p> +<p>“Perhaps I will run away.” +</p> +<p>That angered the lady. “And perhaps I +will send you away if you do not behave better +and learn to like him.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_25' name='page_25'></a>25</span></p> +<p>Now not far from the lady’s house there was +a pasture, and in this pasture there was a bull,—a +fine, handsome animal. Jean Malin often +saw it there. +</p> +<p>After a while Jean began to notice a curious +thing. Whenever Mr. Bulbul came to the +house, which was almost every day, the bull +disappeared from the pasture, and whenever +the bull was in the pasture there was nothing +to be seen of the gentleman. +</p> +<p>“That is a curious thing,” said Jean to +himself. “I will watch and find out what +this means. I am sure something is wrong.” +</p> +<p>So one day Jean went out and hid himself +behind some rocks at the edge of the pasture. +The bull was grazing with his head down and +did not see him. After a while the bull raised +his head and looked all about him to see if +there were any one around. He did not see +Jean, because the little boy was behind the +rocks, so the animal thought itself alone. Then +it dropped on its knees and cried, “Beau Madjam, +fat Madjam, djam, djam, djara, djara!” +</p> +<p>At once the bull became a man, and the man +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_26' name='page_26'></a>26</span> +was the very Mr. Bulbul who came to visit +Jean’s mistress. +</p> +<p>The boy was so frightened he shivered all +over as though he were cold. +</p> +<p>Mr. Bulbul walked away in the direction of +the lady’s house, and after he had gone Jean +Malin ran home by another way. He crept +into the house and heard the lady calling to +him, but he would not go to her or show himself. +She did not know what had become of +him. +</p> +<p>The next day Mr. Bulbul came again to +the lady’s house. He came very early for he +was to have breakfast with her. The lady +called Jean Malin to come and wait on them. +He did not want to come, but he was obliged +to. He was so frightened that he darted about +the room, first on one side and then on the +other, and did not understand what was said +to him. When the lady asked for water he +gave her the toast rack, and when she asked +for toast he brought her a towel. It really +was very provoking. +</p> +<p>After Mr. Bulbul had gone the lady called +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_27' name='page_27'></a>27</span> +Jean Malin to her. “I am very angry,” said +she. “You have acted very stupidly this morning. +If you cannot do better and behave in a +sensible manner, I will have to send you away.” +</p> +<p>When she said this Jean Malin felt very +much hurt. He could hardly refrain from +weeping. +</p> +<p>“Mistress, I will tell you why I acted so. +I was afraid, and if you knew what I know, +you would be afraid, too, and you would never +let that big man come into your house again.” +</p> +<p>“What is it that you know and I do not +know?” asked the lady. +</p> +<p>But Jean Malin would not tell her. +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said his mistress; “if you will +not tell me willingly I will have you beaten. +I will have you beaten until you do tell, so +you had better speak now before they begin.” +</p> +<p>Jean Malin began to cry. “I did not want +to tell you,” said he, “but if I must I must. +Dear Mistress, Mr. Bulbul is not a man at +all, but that bull that you sometimes see over +in the pasture. He uses magic to make himself +look like a man so as to come to see you, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_28' name='page_28'></a>28</span> +and then he goes right out and becomes a bull +again and eats grass.” +</p> +<p>The lady began to laugh. “You are either +crazy or dreaming,” said she. “Or, more +likely still, you are telling me an untruth so +as to excuse yourself and make trouble between +him and me.” +</p> +<p>But Jean Malin insisted that what he told +her was true. “I have seen it, and I know +it,” said he. “Moreover I will prove it to +you. I do not know how, but I am sure I +can prove it.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said the lady, “if you prove +it I will forgive you and treat you as my +own son, but if you do not I will have you +beaten and sent out of the house as a mischief +maker.” +</p> +<p>After that Jean went away by himself and +thought and thought. He tried to remember +the exact words the bull had said when he +turned himself into a man, but he could not +be sure about them. So the next day he went +out and hid himself behind the rocks again, +taking care, as before, that the bull should not +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_29' name='page_29'></a>29</span> +see him. The bull’s head was down, and it +was eating grass. +</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<a name='linki_2' id='linki_2'></a> +<img src='images/c001.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> +Seeing no one, the creature dropped on its knees and<br /> +bellowed, “Beau Madjam!” +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>Soon, however, it raised its head and looked +all about it. Seeing no one, the creature +dropped on its knees and bellowed, “Beau +Madjam, fat Madjam, djam, djam, djara, +djara!” At once the bull became a man and +walked away in the direction of the lady’s +house. +</p> +<p>Jean Malin followed, being careful to keep +out of sight, and as he went he kept saying +over and over to himself, “Beau Madjam, fat +Madjam, djam, djam, djara, djara, Beau Madjam, +fat Madjam, djam, djam, djara, djara!” +He said it over and over, so that he should not +forget any least word of it. +</p> +<p>When Jean Malin reached home Mr. Bulbul +was in the salon with his mistress; Jean could +hear them talking together there; his mistress’s +voice very fine and clear and then Mr. +Bulbul’s big, deep voice. +</p> +<p>Jean Malin took a tray of cakes and wine +and carried it into the salon just as though his +mistress had ordered him to do so. The lady +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_30' name='page_30'></a>30</span> +was surprised to see him coming with the tray, +but she said, “That is right, Jean. Offer the +cake and wine to Mr. Bulbul.” +</p> +<p>Jean Malin went over to Mr. Bulbul, close +in front of him, and then he said in a low voice, +as though to himself, “Beau Madjam, fat Madjam, +djam, djam, djara, djara!” +</p> +<p>Such a noise you never heard. The fine Mr. +Bulbul bellowed aloud and jumped up, smashing +his chair and knocking the tray with all +the plates and glasses and everything out of +Jean Malin’s hands. The lady shrieked and +almost fainted. Then, right there before her, +Mr. Bulbul’s head grew long and hairy, horns +sprouted from his forehead, his arms turned +into legs, and his hands and feet into hoofs, +and he became a bull and all his clothes fell +off him,—his trousers and coat and vest and +eyeglasses and collar and everything. He galloped +across the salon in a fright, his hoofs +clattering on the floor, and burst out through +the glass door so fast that he carried it away on +his horns and back into the pasture with him. +</p> +<p>Then the lady knew that everything Jean +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_31' name='page_31'></a>31</span> +Malin had told her was true, and she could not +thank him enough. +</p> +<p>“Now you shall indeed be to me as a son,” +said she, “and you shall live here always and +never leave me.” +</p> +<p>Jean Malin was very happy when the lady +said that to him. Nevertheless, when he +thought of Mr. Bulbul, he could not feel easy +in his mind. He was sure the bull would try +to revenge itself on him in some way or other. +He kept away from the pasture, and wherever +he went he was always looking around to see +whether the bull were anywhere in sight. +</p> +<p>At last he grew so afraid that he determined +to go and talk to a black man he knew who +dealt in magic. He found the man sitting +at the door of his hut, making magic with a +horsehair and a snakeskin, and some ground-up +glass. Jean Malin, told him everything that +had happened, about the bull, and how it had +changed itself into a man and had come to +visit the lady, and about the magic words, +and how he had forced the man to turn back +into a bull again. “And now,” said he, “I +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_32' name='page_32'></a>32</span> +am afraid, for I think he means harm to me.” +</p> +<p>“You do well to be afraid,” said the black +man. “Bulbul will certainly try to do you +harm. He knows much magic, but my magic +is stronger than his magic, and I will help you. +Get me three owl’s eggs and a cup of black +goat’s milk and bring them here.” +</p> +<p>Jean Malin went away and got the three +owl’s eggs and the cup of black goat’s milk, +though they were things not easy to find, and +then he brought them to the black man. +</p> +<p>The black man took them from him and +rolled the owl’s eggs in the milk and made +magic over them. Then he gave them back +to the boy. “Keep these by you all the time,” +said he. “Then if the bull comes after you do +thus and so, and this and the other, and you +will have no more trouble with him.” +</p> +<p>Jean Malin thanked the black man and +gave him a piece of silver, and went away +with the eggs tied up in his handkerchief. +</p> +<p>It was a good thing he had them. He had +not gone more than halfway home, and was +just coming out from a wood, when he heard a +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_33' name='page_33'></a>33</span> +big noise, and the bull burst out of a thicket +and came charging down on him. +</p> +<p>But quick as a flash Jean Malin put the eggs +in his mouth and climbed up a tree, and the +eggs were not broken. +</p> +<p>The bull galloped up and struck the tree with +its horns. “You think you are safe, but I will +soon have you down,” it cried. +</p> +<p>It dropped down on its knees and muttered +magic, but Jean could not hear what it said. +Then the bull changed into a man with an +ax in his hands and began to chop down the +tree. Gip, gop! Gip, gop! The chips flew +and the branches trembled. +</p> +<p>Jean tried to remember the words that +would turn the man back into a bull again, +but he was so frightened he could not think +of them. What he did remember, though, were +the eggs the black man had given him. He +took one out of his mouth and dropped it down +on the bull-man’s right shoulder, and at once +his right arm fell off, and the ax dropped to +the ground. This did not trouble the bull-man, +however. He caught up the ax in his +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_34' name='page_34'></a>34</span> +left hand and chopped away, Gip, gop! Gip, +gop! The chips flew faster than ever. +</p> +<p>Then Jean Malin dropped the second egg +down on the man’s left shoulder, and his left +arm fell off. Now he had no arms, but he +caught up the ax in his mouth and went on +chopping, Gip, gop! Gip, gop! The whole +tree shook and trembled. +</p> +<p>Then Jean Malin dropped the third and last +egg down on the man’s head, and at once his +head fell off. +</p> +<p>That ended the man’s magic; he could do +nothing more, and had to turn into a bull +again. He bellowed like anything, but he could +not help it, for the black man’s magic was +stronger than his magic. Away he galloped, +with his tail in the air, and that was the last +Jean Malin ever saw of him. What became of +him nobody ever knew, but he must have gone +far, far away. +</p> +<p>But Jean Malin climbed down from the tree +and went on home, and after that he lived +very happily in the lady’s house and was like +a son to her, just as she had promised him. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_WIDOW_S_SON_A_SCANDINAVIAN_TALE' id='THE_WIDOW_S_SON_A_SCANDINAVIAN_TALE'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_35' name='page_35'></a>35</span> +<h2>THE WIDOW’S SON</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Scandinavian Tale</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a poor widow +who had only one son, and he was so dear to +her that no one could have been dearer. All +the same she was obliged to send him out into +the world to seek his fortune, for they were so +very poor that as long as he stayed at home +they were like to starve. +</p> +<p>The lad kissed her good-by, and she gave +him her blessing, and then off he set, always +putting one foot before the other. +</p> +<p>He journeyed on a short way and a long way, +and then he came to a dark and gloomy wood. +He had not gone far into it when he met a tall +man as dark and gloomy as the wood itself. +The man stopped the lad and said to him, “Are +you seeking work or shunning work?” +</p> +<p>“I am seeking work,” answered the widow’s +son. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_36' name='page_36'></a>36</span></p> +<p>“Then come with me, and I will give you +enough to do but not too much,” said the +man, “and the wages will be according.” +</p> +<p>That suited the lad. He was quite willing +to work for the tall stranger. They set out +and traveled along, and after a while they came +to a great dark house set all alone in the +midst of the wood. The man showed him in +and told him what to do. The lad set to +work, and everything the man told him to do +he did so well and willingly that his master +was much pleased with him. After he had +done all the tasks set, his master gave him a +good bite of supper and a comfortable bed to +sleep in. +</p> +<p>The next day it was the same thing over. +The master told the lad what to do, and the +lad did it willingly and well. So it went on +for three days. At the end of that time the +man said, “Now I am obliged to go away on +a journey. Until I return you may do as +you please and be your own master. But +there is one part of the house you have never +seen, and those are the four cellars down below. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_37' name='page_37'></a>37</span> +Into these you must not go under any +consideration. If you so much as open one +of the doors, you will suffer for it.” +</p> +<p>“Why should I want to go into the cellars?” +asked the lad. “The house and the yard are +good enough for me.” +</p> +<p>“That is well,” answered the master, and +then he mounted a great black steed and rode +away. +</p> +<p>The lad stayed at home and cleaned and +polished and ate and drank. “I wonder what +can be in those cellars that my master does +not want me to see!” thought the lad. “Not +that I mean to look, but it does no harm to +wonder about it.” +</p> +<p>Every hour the lad stayed there in the house +alone he grew more curious about the cellars. +At last he could bear it no longer. “I’ll just +take a wee peep into one of them,” he said. +“That can surely do no harm to any one.” +</p> +<p>So he opened the cellar door and went down +a flight of stone steps into the first cellar. He +looked all about him, and there was nothing at +all there but a switch made of brier lying on +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_38' name='page_38'></a>38</span> +a shelf behind the door. “That is not much +for the Master to have made such a fuss about,” +said the lad. “I could see as much as that +any day without coming into a cellar for it;” +and he went upstairs again and shut the door +behind him. +</p> +<p>The next day the master came home, and +the first thing he asked was, “Have you looked +into any of the cellars?” +</p> +<p>“Why should I do that?” asked the lad. +“I have plenty to do upstairs without poking +my nose in where it is not wanted.” +</p> +<p>“I will just see for myself whether or not +you have looked,” said the master. +</p> +<p>He opened one of the doors and went down +into the first cellar. When he came back his +face was as black as thunder. +</p> +<p>“You have disobeyed me and have gone into +one of the cellars,” said he. “Now you shall +suffer for it!” He took up a cudgel and beat +the lad until he was black and blue. “It’s +lucky for you you went only into the first +cellar,” said he. “Otherwise you would not +have come off so lightly.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_39' name='page_39'></a>39</span></p> +<p>Then he sat down to supper. +</p> +<p>As for the lad he sat and nursed his bruises +and wished he had never heard tell of such a +thing as a cellar. +</p> +<p>Not long after the master said he was going +on another journey. “I will be gone two +weeks,” said he, “and whatever you do, do +not dare to look into any of the other cellars, +or you will suffer for it.” +</p> +<p>“I have learned my lesson,” said the lad. +“You’ll not find me doing such a thing again.” +</p> +<p>After that the master mounted his horse and +rode away. +</p> +<p>After he had gone the lad cleaned and polished +and ate and drank, and then he began to wonder +what was in the second cellar. “There +must be something more than a stick to see,” +said he, “or my master would not be so particular +about it.” In the end he determined +to look at what was in the second cellar, whatever +it cost him. He opened the door and +went down the stone steps that led to it and +looked about, but all he saw was a shelf behind +the door, and on it a stone and a water bottle. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_40' name='page_40'></a>40</span></p> +<p>“They are not much to see, and I wish I +had not come,” said the lad to himself. “I +hope my master will not know about it;” +and then he went upstairs and shut the door +behind him. +</p> +<p>Not long afterward his master came home. +The first thing he asked was, “Have you been +down in any of the cellars again?” +</p> +<p>“How can you think such a thing!” cried +the lad. “I have no wish for another beating.” +</p> +<p>“All the same, I will see for myself,” said +the master, and he went down into the second +cellar. Then the lad was frightened, you may +well believe. +</p> +<p>When the Master came back his face was as +red as fire. “You have disobeyed me again,” +cried he. Then he seized a cudgel and beat +the lad till he could hardly stand. +</p> +<p>“This should teach you to obey,” said he, +“but I fear as long as you live you will not +learn.” +</p> +<p>Not long after the Master was going away +on a third journey, and this time he was to be +away for three weeks. “And if you look in +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_41' name='page_41'></a>41</span> +the third cellar,” said he, “your life shall pay +the forfeit.” After that he rode away into the +forest and out of sight. +</p> +<p>Well, for two weeks the lad would not look +into the third cellar, but at last his curiosity +got the better of him. He opened the third +door and went down into the third cellar. +There in the middle of it was a brazen caldron +set deep in the floor and full of something that +seethed and bubbled. “I wonder what that +is in the caldron,” said the lad to himself, and +he stuck his finger in. When he drew it out +it was covered all over with gold. The lad +scrubbed and scrubbed, but he could not get +the gold off. Then he was terribly frightened. +He took a rag and wound it about his finger +and hoped his master would not notice it. He +shut the door into the cellar and tried to forget +about it. +</p> +<p>The first thing the Master asked when he +came home was, “Have you been down in the +third cellar?” +</p> +<p>“How can you think it?” asked the lad. +“Two drubbings are enough for any one.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_42' name='page_42'></a>42</span></p> +<p>“What is the matter with your finger?” +asked the Master. +</p> +<p>“Oh, I cut it with the bread-knife.” +</p> +<p>The Master snatched the rag off, and there +the lad’s finger shone as though it were all of +solid gold. +</p> +<p>“You have been down in the third cellar,” +cried the Master, “and now you must die,”—and +his face was as pale as death. He took +down a sword from the wall, but the lad fell +on his knees and begged and pleaded so piteously +for his life that at last the man had to spare him. +All the same he gave him such a beating that the +lad could not rise from the floor. There he lay +and groaned. Then the Master took a flask of +ointment from the wall and bathed him all over, +and after that the lad was just as well as ever. +</p> +<p>Now the Master stayed at home for a long +while, but at last he had to go away on still +another journey, and now he was to be gone a +whole month. “And if you dare to look in +the fourth cellar while I am away, then you +shall surely die,” said he. “Do not hope that +I will spare you again, for I will not.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_43' name='page_43'></a>43</span></p> +<p>After he had gone the lad resisted his curiosity +for three whole weeks. He was dying to look +in the fourth cellar and see what was there, +but he dared not, for dear life’s sake. But at +the end of the third week he was so curious +that he could resist no longer. He opened the +fourth door and went down the steps into the +cellar, and there was a magnificent coal-black +horse chained to a manger, and the manger +was filled with red-hot coals. At the horse’s +tail was a basket of hay. +</p> +<p>“That is a cruel thing to do to an animal,” +cried the lad, and he loosed the horse from the +manger and turned him so he could eat. +</p> +<p>Then the black steed spoke to him in a human +tone. “You have done a Christian act,” said +the horse, “and you shall not suffer for it. If +the Troll Master finds you here when he returns +he will surely take your life, and that +must not be. Look over in yonder corner, +and you will find a suit of armor and a sword. +Put on the armor and take up the sword in +your hand.” +</p> +<p>The lad went over to the corner, and there +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_44' name='page_44'></a>44</span> +lay the armor and the sword, but when he +would have taken them up they were too heavy +for him. He could scarce stir them. “Well, +there is no help for it,” said the horse. “You +will have to bathe in the caldron that is in the +third cellar. Only so can you take up the +armor and wear it.” +</p> +<p>This the lad did not want to do, for he was +afraid. “If you do not,” said the horse, “we +will both of us lose our lives.” +</p> +<p>Then the lad went back to the third cellar +and shut his eyes and stepped down into the +caldron, and though the waters in it bubbled +and seethed they were as cold as ice and as +bitter as death. He thought he would have +died of cold, but presently he grew quite warm +again. He stepped out from the caldron, and +he had become the handsomest lad in the world; +his skin was red and white, and his eyes shone +like stars. He went back to where the horse +was, and now he lifted the armor with ease, he +had become so strong. He put it on and +buckled the sword about him. +</p> +<p>“Now we must be off,” cried the horse. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_45' name='page_45'></a>45</span> +“Take the briar whip and the stone and the +jug of water and the flask of ointment. Then +mount my back and ride. If the Troll Master +finds us here when he returns, it will be short +shrift for both of us.” +</p> +<p>The lad did as the horse bade him; he took +the briar whip and the stone, the jug of water +and the flask of ointment, and mounted the +black steed’s back; and the steed carried him +up the steps and out of the house and fast, +fast away through the forest and over the +plains beyond. +</p> +<p>After a while the black horse said, “I hear +a noise behind us. Look and see whether any +one is coming.” +</p> +<p>The lad turned and looked. “Yes, yes; it +is the Master,” said he, “and with him is a +whole crowd of people.” +</p> +<p>“They are his friends he has brought out +against us,” said the steed. “If they catch +us it will go ill with us. Throw the thorn +whip behind us, but be sure you throw it clear +and do not let it touch even the tip of my tail.” +</p> +<p>The lad threw the whip behind him, and at +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_46' name='page_46'></a>46</span> +once a great forest of thorns grew up where +it fell. No one could have forced a way through +it. The Master and his friends were obliged +to go home and get hatchets and axes and cut a +path through. +</p> +<p>Meanwhile the black horse had gone a long +way. Then he said, “Look behind you, for I +hear a noise; is any one coming?” +</p> +<p>The youth looked over his shoulder. “Yes, +it is the Master,” said he, “and with him are +a multitude of people—like a church congregation.” +</p> +<p>“Still more of his friends have come to help +him catch us,” said the horse. “Throw the +stone behind us, but be very sure it does not +touch me.” +</p> +<p>The lad threw the stone behind him, and at +once a great stone mountain rose up where it +fell. The Master and his friends could by no +means cross over it. They were obliged to +go home and get something to bore a way +through, and this they did. +</p> +<p>But by this time the horse had gone a long, +long way. Then he said to the lad, “Look +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_47' name='page_47'></a>47</span> +back and see whether you see any one, for I +hear a noise behind us.” +</p> +<p>The lad looked back. “I see the Master +coming,” said he, “and a great multitude with +him, so that they are like an army for numbers.” +</p> +<p>“Yes, yes,” said the horse. “He has all of +his friends with him now. Woe betide us if +they catch us. Pour the water from the jug +behind us, but be careful that none of it touches +me.” +</p> +<p>The lad stretched back his arm and poured +the water out from the jug, but his haste was +such that three drops fell upon the horse’s +flanks. Immediately a great lake rose about +them, and because of the three drops that had +fallen on the horse, the lake was not only behind +them but about them, too; the steed had +to swim for it. +</p> +<p>The Trolls came to the edge of the lake, and +as there was no way to cross over they threw +themselves down on their stomachs and began +to drink it up. They drank and they drank +and they drank, until at last they all burst. +</p> +<p>But the steed came out from the water and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_48' name='page_48'></a>48</span> +up on dry land. Then he went on until he +came to a wood, and here he stopped. “Light +down now,” said he to the lad, “and take off +your armor and my saddle and bridle and hide +them in yon hollow oak tree. Over there, a +little beyond, is a castle, and you must go and +take service there. But first make yourself a +wig of hanging gray mosses and put it on.” +</p> +<p>The lad did as the horse told him. He took +off the saddle and bridle and the armor and +hid them in the tree, and made for himself a +moss wig; when he put it upon his head all +the beauty went out of his face, and he looked +so pale and miserable that no one would have +wanted him around. +</p> +<p>“If you ever need me,” said the horse, “come +here to the wood and take out the bridle and +shake it, and at once I will be with you.” Then +he galloped away into the wood. +</p> +<p>The lad in his moss wig went on until he +came to the castle. He went to the kitchen +door and knocked, and asked if he might take +service there. +</p> +<p>The kitchen wench looked at him and made +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_49' name='page_49'></a>49</span> +a face as though she had a sour taste in her +mouth. “Take off that wig and let me see +how you look,” said she. “With that on your +head you are so ugly that no one would want +you around.” +</p> +<p>“I cannot take off my wig,” said the lad, +“for that I have been told not to do.” +</p> +<p>“Then you may seek service elsewhere, for +I cannot bear the look of you,” said the kitchen +wench, and she shut the door in his face. +</p> +<p>Next the lad went to the gardener and +asked if he could help him in the gardens, +digging and planting. +</p> +<p>The gardener looked and stared. “You are +not a beauty,” said he, “but out here in the +garden no one will be apt to see you, and I +need a helper, so you may stay.” +</p> +<p>So the lad became the gardener’s helper and +dug and hoed in the garden all day. +</p> +<p>Now the King and Queen of that country +had one fair daughter, and she was as pretty +and as fresh as a rose. +</p> +<p>One day the gardener set the lad to spading +under the Princess’s window. She looked out, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_50' name='page_50'></a>50</span> +and there she saw him. “Br-r-r! But he is +an ugly one,” said she. Nevertheless she +couldn’t keep her eyes off him. +</p> +<p>After a while the lad grew hot with his work. +He looked about him, and he saw nobody, so +he whipped off his wig to wipe his forehead, +and then he was as handsome a lad as ever +was seen, so that the Princess’s heart turned +right over at the sight of him. Then he put +on his wig and became ugly again, and went +on spading, but now the Princess knew what +he was really like. +</p> +<p>The next day there was the lad at work under +her window again, but as he had his wig on he +was just as ugly as before. Then the Princess +said to her maid, “Go down there where the +gardener’s lad is working and creep up behind +him and twitch his wig off.” +</p> +<p>The maid went down to the garden and crept +up back of the lad and gave the wig a twitch, +but he was too clever for her. He heard her +coming, and he held the wig tight down over +his ears. All the same the Princess had once +seen what he was like without it, and she made +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_51' name='page_51'></a>51</span> +up her mind that if she could not have the gardener’s +lad for a husband she would never marry +any one. +</p> +<p>Now after this there was a great war and disturbance +in the land. The King’s enemies had +risen up against him and had come to take away +his land from him. But the King with his +courtiers and his armed men rode out to meet +them and turn them back. The lad would +have liked to ride with them and strike a blow +for the King, but the gardener would not hear +of it. Nevertheless the day the King and his +army were ready to set out the lad stole away +to the stables and begged the stablemen to +give him a mount. +</p> +<p>It seemed to the men that that would be a +merry thing to do. He was such a scarecrow +they gave him a scarecrow horse. It was old +and blind of one eye and limped on three legs, +dragging the fourth behind it. The lad mounted +and rode forth with all the rest, and when the +courtiers saw him they laughed and laughed +until their sides ached. +</p> +<p>They had not gone far before they had to +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_52' name='page_52'></a>52</span> +cross a swamp, and midway through it the +nag stuck fast. There sat the lad, beating it +and shouting, “Hie! Hie! Now will you go? +Hie! Hie! Now will you go?” Every one +went riding by, and as they passed him they +pointed and laughed and jeered. +</p> +<p>After they had all gone the lad slipped from +the nag’s back and ran off to the wood. He +snatched off his wig and took his armor from +the hollow tree and shook the bridle. At once +the black steed came galloping up. The lad +mounted him and rode off after the others. +His armor shone in the sun, and so handsome +was he, and so noble his air that any one would +have taken him for a prince at least. +</p> +<p>When he reached the battle ground he found +the King sore pressed, but he rode so fiercely +against the enemy that they were obliged to +fall back, and the King’s own forces won the +day. Then the lad rode away so quickly that +no one knew what had become of him. The +King was sorry, for he wished to thank the +brave hero who had fought for him. +</p> +<p>But the lad rode back to the wood and hid +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_53' name='page_53'></a>53</span> +his armor in a tree and turned the black steed +loose. Then he put on his wig and ran back +and mounted the sorry nag that was still stuck +in the swamp where he had left it. +</p> +<p>When the King and his courtiers came riding +back there sat the lad in rags and a gray moss +wig, and he was beating his horse and shouting, +“Hie! Hie! Now will you go?” +</p> +<p>Then the courtiers laughed more than ever, +and one of them threw a clod at him. +</p> +<p>The next day the King again rode forth to +war with all his train. There was the lad still +seated on the nag in the swamp. “What a +fool he is,” they cried. “He must have been +sitting there all night.” Then they rode on +and left him. +</p> +<p>But the lad ran with haste to the wood and +took his armor from the tree and put it on. +He shook the bridle, and the black steed came +galloping up to him. The lad mounted and +rode away to the battle field. The King’s +forces were falling back, but the lad attacked +the enemy so fiercely that they were put to +rout. Every one wondered who the hero could +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_54' name='page_54'></a>54</span> +be, but as soon as the battle was won he rode +away so swiftly that no one had a chance to +question him and no one knew what had become +of him. “If I could but find him,” said the +King, “I would honor him as I have never +honored any one, for such a hero never was +seen before.” +</p> +<p>But the lad hastened back to the wood; he +laid aside his armor and turned the black steed +loose. Then he put on his wig again and ran +back to the swamp and mounted the sorry +nag. +</p> +<p>When the King’s forces came riding home, +there sat the gardener’s ugly lad, whipping his +sorry nag and crying “Hie! Hie! Now will +you go?” +</p> +<p>The courtiers looked upon him with scorn. +“Why does he not go home and get to work?” +they cried. “Such a scarecrow is an insult to +all who see him.” One of the courtiers, more +ill-natured than the rest, shot an arrow at him, +and it pierced his leg so the blood flowed. The +lad cried out so that it was pitiful to hear him. +The King felt sorry for him, ugly though he +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_55' name='page_55'></a>55</span> +was, and drew out his own royal handkerchief +and threw it to him. +</p> +<p>“There, Sirrah! Take that and bind up thy +wound!” he cried. +</p> +<p>The lad took the handkerchief and bound it +about his leg, and so the bleeding was stopped. +</p> +<p>The next day, when the courtiers rode by, +there sat the lad still upon his broken-down +nag, shouting to it as if to urge it forward, and +his leg was tied up with the bloody kerchief, +and the King’s own initials were on the kerchief +in letters of gold. +</p> +<p>The courtiers did not dare to jeer at him this +time, because the King had been kind to him, +but they turned their faces aside so as not to +see him. +</p> +<p>As soon as they had gone the lad sprang down +and ran to the wood and put on his armor and +shook the bridle for the black steed, but he +was in such haste, that he forgot the kerchief +that he had used to bind up his wound, and so, +when he rode out upon the battle field, he had +it still tied about his leg. +</p> +<p>That day the lad fought more fiercely than +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_56' name='page_56'></a>56</span> +ever before, and it was well he did, for otherwise +the King’s forces would certainly have +been defeated. Already they were in retreat +when the lad rode forth upon the field. But at +sight of him they took heart again, and he +led them on and did not stop or stay till he +came to where the enemy’s leader was, and +with one blow of his sword cut off his head. +</p> +<p>Then all the enemy’s forces fled back, and +the King’s men pursued after them and cut +many of them to pieces, and the rest were glad +to get safely back into their own country. +</p> +<p>After that the lad would have ridden away +as before, but this the King would not allow. +He called to him and rode up to where he was, +and when he saw the bloody kerchief tied about +the stranger’s leg he knew he must be the very +one he had left sitting on the old nag in the +swamp awhile back. +</p> +<p>This the lad could not deny, and when the +King questioned him he told him everything. +</p> +<p>Then the King said, “Though you are only +a gardener’s lad still you are a mighty hero, +and the hand of the Princess shall be yours. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_57' name='page_57'></a>57</span> +You shall marry her, and after I die you shall +rule over the kingdom in my stead.” +</p> +<p>You may guess the lad did not say no to +that, for he had seen the Princess sitting at +her window, and just from looking at her there +he loved her with all his heart. +</p> +<p>So the King and the courtiers rode home with +the lad in their midst, and when the Princess +heard she was to marry him she was filled with +joy, for she recognized him at once as the +gardener’s boy who had worked beneath her +window. +</p> +<p>Then all was joy and happiness. A great +feast was prepared, and the lad and the Princess +were married with the greatest magnificence. +But first the lad rubbed his leg with the ointment +and then it became quite well again; for +it would never have done for him to go limping +to his own wedding. +</p> +<p>Now as soon as he was married he went out +to the stable to tell it to the black steed. He +found the horse sad and sorrowful. It stood +drooping and would not raise its head or speak +when he entered the stall. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_58' name='page_58'></a>58</span></p> +<p>The lad was troubled at this. “What +ails you, my steed, that you stand there +so sorrowful when all around rejoice?” asked +he. +</p> +<p>“I am sick at heart,” answered the steed, +“and you alone can cure me of my sickness.” +</p> +<p>“How is that?” asked the lad. +</p> +<p>“Promise to do whatsoever I ask of you, +and I will tell you.” +</p> +<p>“I promise,” replied the lad, “for there is +nothing I would not do for you.” +</p> +<p>“Then take your sword and cut off my +head,” said the steed. +</p> +<p>When the lad heard this he was horrified. +“What is this you ask of me?” he cried. “All +that I have I owe to you, and shall I in return +do you such an injury?” +</p> +<p>But the black horse reminded him that he +had promised. “If you do not do as I ask +you,” said he, “then I shall know that you are +a coward who dares not keep his word.” +</p> +<p>The youth could not refuse after that. He +was obliged to do as the horse bade him, but +the tears dimmed his eyes so that he could +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_59' name='page_59'></a>59</span> +scarcely see. He drew his sword and cut off +the horse’s head. At once, instead of a coal-black +steed, a handsome young Prince stood +before him. The lad could scarce believe his +eyes. He stared about him, wondering what +had become of the horse. +</p> +<p>“There is no need to look for the black steed,” +said the princely stranger, “for I am he.” He +then told the lad that he was the son of the +King of a neighboring country. An enemy +had risen up and slain the King and had +given the Prince to the black master who had +turned him into a horse and taken him away +to his castle. “You have rescued me from the +enchantment, and now I am free to claim +my land again,” said the Prince. He then +told the lad that the enemy King whom he +had lately slain in battle was the very one +who had taken his kingdom from him. +</p> +<p>Then the Prince went back with the lad +to the palace, and was introduced to the King +and the Princess and all the court. +</p> +<p>After that the lad and his bride and the +Prince rode forth with a great retinue into +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_60' name='page_60'></a>60</span> +the Prince’s own country, and his people received +him with joy, and he and the lad lived +in the greatest love and friendship forever +after. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_WISE_GIRL_A_SERBIAN_STORY' id='THE_WISE_GIRL_A_SERBIAN_STORY'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_61' name='page_61'></a>61</span> +<h2>THE WISE GIRL</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Serbian Story</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a girl who was wiser than +the King and all his councilors; there never +was anything like it. Her father was so proud +of her that he boasted about her cleverness +at home and abroad. He could not keep his +tongue still about it. One day he was boasting +to one of his neighbors, and he said, “The +girl is so clever that not even the King himself +could ask her a question she couldn’t answer, +or read her a riddle she couldn’t unravel.” +</p> +<p>Now it so chanced the King was sitting at a +window near by, and he overheard what the +girl’s father was saying. The next day he +sent for the man to come before him. “I +hear you have a daughter who is so clever +that no one in the kingdom can equal her; +and is that so?” asked the King. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_62' name='page_62'></a>62</span></p> +<p>Yes, it was no more than the truth. Too +much could not be said of her wit and cleverness. +</p> +<p>That was well, and the King was glad to +hear it. He had thirty eggs; they were fresh +and good, but it would take a clever person +to hatch chickens out of them. He then bade +his chancellor get the eggs and give them to +the man. +</p> +<p>“Take these home to your daughter,” said +the King, “and bid her hatch them out for +me. If she succeeds she shall have a bag of +money for her pains, but if she fails you shall +be beaten as a vain boaster.” +</p> +<p>The man was troubled when he heard this. +Still his daughter was so clever he was almost +sure she could hatch out the eggs. He carried +them home to her and told her exactly what +the King had said, and it did not take the girl +long to find out that the eggs had been boiled. +</p> +<p>When she told her father that, he made a +great to-do. That was a pretty trick for the +King to have played upon him. Now he +would have to take a beating and all the neighbors +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_63' name='page_63'></a>63</span> +would hear about it. Would to Heaven +he had never had a daughter at all if that was +what came of it. +</p> +<p>The girl, however, bade him be of good +cheer. “Go to bed and sleep quietly,” said +she. “I will think of some way out of the +trouble. No harm shall come to you, even +though I have to go to the palace myself and +take the beating in your place.” +</p> +<p>The next day the girl gave her father a bag +of boiled beans and bade him take them out +to a certain place where the King rode by +every day. “Wait until you see him coming,” +said she, “and then begin to sow the beans.” +At the same time he was to call out this, that, +and the other so loudly that the King could +not help but hear him. +</p> +<p>The man took the bag of beans and went +out to the field his daughter had spoken of. +He waited until he saw the King coming, and +then he began to sow the beans, and at the +same time to cry aloud, “Come sun, come +rain! Heaven grant that these boiled beans +may yield me a good crop.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_64' name='page_64'></a>64</span></p> +<p>The King was surprised that any one should +be so stupid as to think boiled beans would +grow and yield a crop. He did not recognize +the man, for he had only seen him once, and +he stopped his horse to speak to him. “My +poor man,” said he, “how can you expect +boiled beans to grow? Do you not know +that that is impossible?” +</p> +<p>“Whatever the King commands should be +possible,” answered the man, “and if chickens +can hatch from boiled eggs why should not +boiled beans yield a crop?” +</p> +<p>When the King heard this he looked at the +man more closely, and then he recognized him +as the father of the clever daughter. +</p> +<p>“You have indeed a clever daughter,” said +he. “Take your beans home and bring me +back the eggs I gave you.” +</p> +<p>The man was very glad when he heard that, +and made haste to obey. He carried the beans +home and then took the eggs and brought them +back to the palace of the King. +</p> +<p>After the King had received the eggs he gave +the man a handful of flax. “Take this to +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_65' name='page_65'></a>65</span> +your clever daughter,” he said, “and bid her +make for me within the week a full set of sails +for a large ship. If she does this she shall +receive the half of my kingdom as a reward, +but if she fails you shall have a drubbing that +you will not soon forget.” +</p> +<p>The man returned to his home, loudly lamenting +his hard lot. +</p> +<p>“What is the matter?” asked his daughter. +“Has the King set another task that I must do?” +</p> +<p>Yes, that he had; and her father showed +her the flax the King had sent her and gave +her the message. +</p> +<p>“Do not be troubled,” said the girl. “No +harm shall come to you. Go to bed and sleep +quietly, and to-morrow I will send the King an +answer that will satisfy him.” +</p> +<p>The man believed what his daughter said. +He went to bed and slept quietly. +</p> +<p>The next day the girl gave her father a small +piece of wood. “Carry this to the King,” said +she. “Tell him I am ready to make the sails, +but first let him make me of this wood a large +ship that I may fit the sails to it.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_66' name='page_66'></a>66</span></p> +<p>The father did as the girl bade him, and the +King was surprised at the cleverness of the girl +in returning him such an answer. +</p> +<p>“That is all very well,” said he, “and I will +excuse her from this task. But here! Here +is a glass mug. Take it home to your clever +daughter. Tell her it is my command that she +dip out the waters from the ocean bed so that +I can ride over the bottom dry shod. If she does +this, I will take her for my wife, but if she fails +you shall be beaten within an inch of your life.” +</p> +<p>The man took the mug and hastened home, +weeping aloud and bemoaning his fate. +</p> +<p>“Well, and what is it?” asked his daughter. +“What does the King demand of me now?” +</p> +<p>The man gave her the glass mug and told +her what the King had said. +</p> +<p>“Do not be troubled,” said the girl. “Go +to bed and sleep in peace. You shall not be +beaten, and soon I shall be reigning as Queen +over all this land.” +</p> +<p>The man had trust in her. He went to bed +and slept and dreamed he saw her sitting by +the King with a crown on her head. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_67' name='page_67'></a>67</span></p> +<p>The next day the girl gave her father a bunch +of tow. “Take this to the King,” she said. +“Tell him you have given me the mug, and I +am willing to dip the sea dry, but first let him +take this tow and stop up all the rivers that +flow into the ocean.” +</p> +<p>The man did as his daughter bade him. He +took the tow to the King and told him exactly +what the girl had said. +</p> +<p>Then the King saw that the girl was indeed +a clever one, and he sent for her to come before +him. +</p> +<p>She came just as she was, in her homespun +dress and her rough shoes and with a cap on +her head, but for all her mean clothing she +was as pretty and fine as a flower, and the +King was not slow to see it. Still he wanted +to make sure for himself that she was as clever +as her messages had been. +</p> +<p>“Tell me,” said he, “what sound can be +heard the farthest throughout the world?” +</p> +<p>“The thunder that echoes through heaven +and earth,” answered the girl, “and your own +royal commands that go from lip to lip.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_68' name='page_68'></a>68</span></p> +<p>This reply pleased the King greatly. “And +now tell me,” said he, “exactly what is my +royal sceptre worth?” +</p> +<p>“It is worth exactly as much as the power +for which it stands,” the girl replied. +</p> +<p>The King was so well satisfied with the +way the girl answered that he no longer +hesitated; he determined that she should be +his Queen, and that they should be married +at once. +</p> +<p>The girl had something to say to this, however. +“I am but a poor girl,” said she, “and +my ways are not your ways. It may well be +that you will tire of me, or that you may be +angry with me sometime, and send me back +to my father’s house to live. Promise that if +this should happen you will allow me to carry +back with me from the castle the thing that +has grown most precious to me.” +</p> +<p>The King was willing to agree to this, but +the girl was not satisfied until he had written +down his promise and signed it with his own +royal hand. Then she and the King were +married with the greatest magnificence, and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_69' name='page_69'></a>69</span> +she came to live in the palace and reign over +the land. +</p> +<p>Now while the girl was still only a peasant +she had been well content to dress in homespun +and live as a peasant should, but after she became +Queen she would wear nothing but the +most magnificent robes and jewels and ornaments, +for that seemed to her only right and +proper for a Queen. But the King, who was +of a very jealous nature, thought his wife did +not care at all for him, but only for the fine +things he could give her. +</p> +<p>One time the King and Queen were to ride +abroad together, and the Queen spent so much +time in dressing herself that the King was kept +waiting, and he became very angry. When +she appeared before him, he would not even +look at her. “You care nothing for me, but +only for the jewels and fine clothes you wear,” +he cried. “Take with you those that are the +most precious to you, as I promised you, and +return to your father’s house. I will no longer +have a wife who cares only for my possessions +and not at all for me.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_70' name='page_70'></a>70</span></p> +<p>Very well; the girl was willing to go. “And +I will be happier in my father’s house than I +was when I first met you,” said she. Nevertheless +she begged that she might spend one +more night in the palace, and that she and +the King might sup together once again before +she returned home. +</p> +<p>To this the King agreed, for he still loved +her, even though he was so angry with her. +</p> +<p>So he and his wife supped together that evening, +and just at the last the Queen took a golden +cup and filled it with wine. Then, when the +King was not looking, she put a sleeping potion +in the wine and gave it to him to drink. +</p> +<p>He took it and drank to the very last drop, +suspecting nothing, but soon after he sank +down among the cushions in a deep sleep. +Then the Queen caused him to be carried to +her father’s house and laid in the bed there. +</p> +<p>When the King awoke the next morning he +was very much surprised to find himself in the +peasant’s cottage. He raised himself upon his +elbow to look about him, and at once the girl +came to the bedside, and she was again dressed +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_71' name='page_71'></a>71</span> +in the coarse and common clothes she had worn +before she was married. +</p> +<p>“What means this?” asked the King, “and +how came I here?” +</p> +<p>“My dear husband,” said the girl, “your +promise was that if you ever sent me back +to my father’s house I might carry with me +the thing that had become most precious to +me in the castle. You are that most precious +thing, and I care for nothing else except as +it makes me pleasing in your sight.” +</p> +<p>Then the King could no longer feel jealous +or angry with her. He clasped her in his +arms, and they kissed each other tenderly. +That same day they returned to the palace, +and from that time on the King and his peasant +Queen lived together in the greatest love and +happiness. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_HISTORY_OF_ALI_COGIA_FROM_THE_ARABIAN_NIGHTS' id='THE_HISTORY_OF_ALI_COGIA_FROM_THE_ARABIAN_NIGHTS'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_72' name='page_72'></a>72</span> +<h2>THE HISTORY OF ALI COGIA</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>From the Arabian Nights</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>In the city of Bagdad there once lived a merchant +named Ali Cogia. This merchant was +faithful and honest in all his dealings, but he +had never made the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. +He often felt troubled over this, for he knew +he was neglecting a religious duty, but he was +so occupied with his business affairs that it was +difficult for him to leave home. Year after year +he planned to make the pilgrimage, but always +he postponed it, hoping for some more convenient +time. +</p> +<p>One night the merchant had a dream so vivid +that it was more like a vision than a dream. +In this dream or vision an old man appeared +before him and, regarding him with a severe +and reproachful look, said, “Why have you not +made the pilgrimage to Mecca?” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_73' name='page_73'></a>73</span></p> +<p>When Ali Cogia awoke he felt greatly +troubled. He feared this dream had been sent +him as a reproach and a warning from heaven. +He was still more troubled when the next night +he dreamed the same dream; and when upon +the third night the old man again appeared before +him and asked the same question, he determined +to delay no longer, but to set out upon +the pilgrimage as soon as possible. +</p> +<p>To this end he sold off all his goods except +some that he decided to carry with him to +Mecca and to dispose of there. He settled +all his debts and rented his shop and his +house to a friend, and as he had neither wife +nor family, he was now free to set out at +any time. +</p> +<p>The sale of his goods had brought in quite a +large sum of money, so that after he had set +aside as much as was needed for the journey +he found he had still a thousand gold pieces +left over. +</p> +<p>These he determined to leave in some safe +place until his return. He put the money in +an olive jar and covered it over with olives and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_74' name='page_74'></a>74</span> +sealed it carefully. He then carried the jar to +a friend named Abul Hassan, who was the owner +of a large warehouse. +</p> +<p>“Abul Hassan,” said he, “I am about to +make the journey to Mecca, as you perhaps +know. I have here a jar of olives that I would +like to leave in your warehouse until my return, +if you will allow me to do so.” +</p> +<p>Abul Hassan was quite willing that his friend +should do this and gave him the keys of the +warehouse, bidding him place the jar wherever +he wished. “I will gladly keep it until +you return,” said he, “and you may rest +assured the jar will not be disturbed until such +time as you shall come and claim it.” +</p> +<p>Ali Cogia thanked his friend and carried the +jar into the warehouse, placing it in the farthest +and darkest corner where it would not be in the +way. Soon after he set out upon his journey +to Mecca. +</p> +<p>When Ali Cogia left Bagdad he had no +thought but that he would return in a year’s +time at latest. He made the journey safely, +in company with a number of other pilgrims. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_75' name='page_75'></a>75</span> +Arrived in Mecca, he visited the celebrated +temples and other objects of interest that were +there. He performed all his religious duties +faithfully, and after that he went to the bazaar +and secured a place where he could display the +goods he had brought with him. +</p> +<p>One day a stranger came through the bazaar +and stopped to admire the beauty of the things +Ali had for sale. +</p> +<p>“It is a pity,” said the stranger, “that you +should not go to Cairo. You could go there +at no great expense, and I feel assured that you +would receive a far better price for your goods +there than here. I know, for I have lived in +that city all my life, and I am familiar with the +prices that are paid for such fine merchandise +as yours.” The stranger talked with Ali for +some time and then passed on his way. +</p> +<p>After he had gone the merchant meditated +upon what had been said, and he finally determined +to follow the stranger’s advice and to +take such goods as he had left to Cairo, and +place them on sale there. This he did and +found that, as the stranger had promised, the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_76' name='page_76'></a>76</span> +prices he could get there were much higher than +those paid in Mecca. +</p> +<p>While Ali Cogia was in Cairo he made the +acquaintance of some people who were about to +journey down into Egypt by caravan. They +urged Ali to join them, and after some persuasion +he consented to do so, as he had always +wished to see that country. From Egypt Ali +Cogia journeyed to Constantinople, and then +on to other cities and countries. Time flew by +so rapidly that when, finally, Ali stopped to +reckon up how long it was since he had left +Bagdad, he found that seven years had elapsed. +</p> +<p>He now determined to return without delay +to his own city. He found a camel that suited +him, and having bought it he packed upon it +such goods as he had left, and set out for Bagdad. +</p> +<p>Now all the while that Ali Cogia had been +travelling from place to place the jar containing +the gold pieces had rested undisturbed and +forgotten in Abul Hassan’s warehouse. Abul +and his wife sometimes talked of Ali and wondered +when he would return and how he had +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_77' name='page_77'></a>77</span> +fared upon his journey. They were surprised +at his long absence and feared some misfortune +might have come upon him. At one time +there was a rumor that he was dead, but +this rumor was afterward denied. +</p> +<p>Now the very day that Ali Cogia set out +upon his return journey Abul Hassan and his +wife were seated at the table at their evening +meal, and their talk turned upon the subject of +olives. +</p> +<p>“It is a long time since we have had any in +the house,” said the wife. “Indeed, I do not +remember when I last tasted one, and yet +it is my favorite fruit. I wish we had some +now.” +</p> +<p>“Yes, we must get some,” said Abul Hassan. +“And by the way, that reminds me of the jar +that Ali Cogia left with us. I wonder whether +the olives in it are still good. They have been +there for some years now.” +</p> +<p>“Yes, for seven years,” replied his wife. “No +doubt they are all spoiled by this time.” +</p> +<p>“That I will see,” said Abul Hassan, rising +and taking up a light. “If they are still good +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_78' name='page_78'></a>78</span> +we might as well have some, for I do not believe +Ali Cogia will ever return to claim the jar.” +</p> +<p>His wife was horrified. “What are you +thinking of?” cried she. “Ali Cogia entrusted +this jar to you, and you gave your word that it +would not be disturbed until he came again to +claim it. We heard, indeed, that he was dead, +but this rumor was afterward denied. What +opinion would he have of you if he returned +and found you had helped yourself to his olives?” +</p> +<p>Abul Hassan, still holding the light in his +hand, waited impatiently until his wife had +finished speaking. Then he replied, “Ali Cogia +will not return; of that I feel assured. And at +any rate, if he should, I can easily replace the +olives.” +</p> +<p>“You can replace the olives, no doubt,” answered +his wife, “but they would not be Ali +Cogia’s olives. This jar is a sacred trust and +should not be disturbed by you under any +consideration.” But though she spoke thus +strongly she could see by her husband’s face +that he had not changed his determination. +He now took up the dish and said, “If the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_79' name='page_79'></a>79</span> +olives are good I will bring a dish full from the +jar, but if they are spoiled, as I suppose they are, +I will replace the cover and no one will be any +the wiser.” +</p> +<p>His wife would have tried again to dissuade +him, but without listening further he went at +once to the warehouse. It did not take him +long to find the jar. He took off the cover and +found that, as he had suspected, the olives were +spoiled. Wishing to see whether those beneath +were in the same condition he tilted the jar +and emptied some of them out into the dish. +What was his surprise to see some gold pieces +fall out with the olives. Abul Hassan could +hardly believe his eyes. Hastily he plunged his +hands down into the jar and soon found that +except for the top layer of fruit the whole jar +was full of gold pieces. +</p> +<p>Abul Hassan’s eyes sparkled with desire. He +was naturally a very avaricious man, and the +sight of the gold awakened all his greed. It +had been there in his warehouse, all unknown +to him, for seven years. He felt as though he +had been tricked, for, thought he, “All this +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_80' name='page_80'></a>80</span> +time I might have been using this money to +advantage by trading with it and with no harm +to any one, for I could have replaced it at any +time I heard Ali Cogia was about to return.” +</p> +<p>For a while he stood there lost in thought. +Then he returned the gold to the jar, covered it +over with olives as before, and replaced the +cover, and taking up the empty dish and the +light he returned to his wife. +</p> +<p>“You were quite right,” said he carelessly. +“The olives were spoiled, so I did not bring +any.” +</p> +<p>“You should not even have opened the jar,” +said his wife. “Heaven grant that no evil +may come upon us for this.” +</p> +<p>To this remark Abul Hassan made no reply, +and soon after he and his wife retired to rest. +But the merchant could not sleep. All night he +tossed and twisted, thinking of the gold and +planning how he could make it his own, and it +was not until morning that he fell into a troubled +sleep. +</p> +<p>The next day he arose early and as soon as +the bazaar opened he went out and bought a +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_81' name='page_81'></a>81</span> +quantity of olives. He brought them home and +carried them into the warehouse secretly, and +without his wife’s knowing anything about it. +Then he again opened Ali Cogia’s jar, and having +emptied it of its contents, he filled it with fresh +olives and replaced the cover in such a way +that no one, looking at it, would have known +it had been disturbed. He then threw the +spoiled olives away and hid the gold in a secret +place known only to himself. +</p> +<p>About a month after this Ali Cogia returned +to Bagdad. As his own house was still rented +he took a room in a khan and at once hastened +to Abul Hassan’s house to get his jar. +</p> +<p>Abul Hassan was confounded when he saw Ali +Cogia enter his house, for he had managed to +convince himself that Ali must be dead. This +he had done to try to excuse himself in his own eyes +for taking the gold. However he hid his confusion +as best he could, and made the returned +traveller welcome, and asked him how he had +fared in his journeyings. +</p> +<p>Ali Cogia answered his inquiries politely, +but he was uneasy and restless, and as soon +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_82' name='page_82'></a>82</span> +as he could make the opportunity he inquired +about the olive jar he had left in the warehouse. +</p> +<p>“The jar is there where you put it, I am +sure,” answered Abul Hassan, “though I myself +have not seen it. I do not even know in what +part of the warehouse you left it. But here +are the keys, and as I am busy I will ask you +to get it for yourself.” +</p> +<p>Ali Cogia made haste to seek out the jar +and was much relieved to find it exactly where +he had left it and apparently untouched. He +had trust in Abul Hassan’s honor, but a thousand +pieces of gold was such a large sum that +he could not but feel some concern until he had +it in his own hands again. +</p> +<p>After thanking his fellow merchant for keeping +the jar, more earnestly than seemed necessary, +he carried it back to his room in the khan, +and having locked the door he opened it. He +removed the two top layers of olives and was +somewhat surprised not to see the gold. However, +he thought he must have covered the +money more carefully than he had supposed. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_83' name='page_83'></a>83</span> +He took out more olives, and then still more, +but still there were no signs of the gold. +</p> +<p>Filled with misgivings, Ali Cogia tilted the +jar and emptied out the rest of the olives so +hastily that they rolled all over the floor, but +not a single piece of gold was there. +</p> +<p>The merchant was dismayed. He could +scarcely believe that Abul Hassan would rob +him of his money, and yet there seemed no +other explanation. He knew that the merchant +kept his warehouse locked except when he was +there himself, and that no one was allowed to +visit it but those with whom he was well +acquainted, and then only upon special business. +</p> +<p>Deeply troubled he returned to the merchant’s +house, determined to demand an explanation +and, if necessary, to force him by +law to return the gold. +</p> +<p>Abul Hassan seemed surprised to see Ali +return so soon. “Did you forget something?” +he asked. “Or do you wish to speak to me +upon some business?” +</p> +<p>“Do you not guess what I have come to +speak to you about?” asked Ali. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_84' name='page_84'></a>84</span></p> +<p>“How should I guess? Unless it is to thank +me again for keeping your jar for you.” +</p> +<p>“Abul Hassan, when I went away I left a +thousand pieces of gold in the jar I placed in +your warehouse. The gold is now gone. I suppose +you saw some way in which you could +use it both for your advantage and my own. +If such is the case, please to give me some receipt +for the money, and I am willing to wait until you +can return it to me, but I think you should have +spoken of the matter when I was here before.” +</p> +<p>Abul Hassan showed the greatest surprise at +this address. “I do not know what you are +talking about,” said he. “I know nothing +about any gold. If there was any in the jar, +which I very much doubt, it must be there still, +for the jar has never been disturbed since you +yourself placed it in my warehouse.” +</p> +<p>“The gold certainly was in the jar when I +placed it there, and you must know it, for no one +else could have taken it. No one goes into the +warehouse without your permission, as you +have often told me and then only for some express +purpose.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_85' name='page_85'></a>85</span></p> +<p>Ali Cogia would have said more, but his fellow +merchant interrupted him. “I repeat I +know nothing of any gold,” he cried angrily. +“Go away and do not trouble me any further, +or you will find yourself in difficulties. Do you +not see how your loud talking has gathered a +crowd about my house?” +</p> +<p>And indeed a number of people had gathered +in front of Abul’s house, drawn thither by the +sound of the dispute. They listened with curiosity +to what the merchants were saying and +presently became so interested that they began +to discuss the matter among themselves, and to +argue and dispute as to which of the merchants +was in the right. +</p> +<p>At last Ali Cogia, finding that Abul would +confess nothing, said, “Very well. I see you +are determined to keep the money if possible. +But you shall find it is not as easy to rob me +as you seem to think.” Then, laying his hand +upon Abul’s shoulder, he added, “I summon +you to appear with me before the Cadi, that +he may decide the matter between us.” +</p> +<p>Now this is a summons no true Mussulman +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_86' name='page_86'></a>86</span> +can disobey. Abul was compelled to go before +the Cadi with Ali, and a great crowd of people +followed them, eager to know what decision +would be given in the matter by the judge. +</p> +<p>The Cadi listened attentively to all the two +merchants had to say and after reflecting upon +the matter he asked, “Abul Hassan, are you +ready to swear that you know nothing of the +gold Ali Cogia says he left with you, and that +you did not disturb the jar?” +</p> +<p>“I am,” answered the merchant. “And indeed +I wish to swear to it,” and this he did. +</p> +<p>“And you, Ali Cogia; have you any witnesses +to prove there was gold in the jar when +you left it in Abul Hassan’s warehouse?” +</p> +<p>“Alas! no; no one knew of it but myself.” +</p> +<p>“Then it is your word against his. Abul +Hassan has sworn that he did not touch the jar, +and unless you can bring witnesses to your +truth, I cannot compel him to pay you a thousand +pieces of gold that you may never have +lost.” +</p> +<p>The case was dismissed. Abul Hassan returned +to his home, satisfied and triumphant, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_87' name='page_87'></a>87</span> +but Ali Cogia with hanging head and bitterness +of heart. +</p> +<p>But though the Cadi had decided against +him, Ali was not willing to let the matter rest +there. He was determined to have justice done +him, even though he were obliged to appeal to +the Caliph himself. +</p> +<p>At that time Haroun-al-Raschid was Commander +of the Faithful. Every morning Haroun-al-Raschid +went to the mosque to offer +up prayers, accompanied by his Grand Vizier +and Mesrour the Chief Eunuch. As he returned +to the palace all who had complaints to +make or petitions to offer stationed themselves +along the way and gave their complaints and +petitions in written form to Mesrour. Afterward +these papers were presented to the Caliph +that he might read them and decide upon their +merits. +</p> +<p>The day after the Cadi had dismissed the +case of the two merchants, Ali Cogia set out +early in the morning and placed himself beside +the way where he knew the Caliph would pass. +</p> +<p>In his hand he carried his complaint against +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_88' name='page_88'></a>88</span> +Abul Hassan, written out in due form. He +waited until Haroun-al-Raschid was returning +from the mosque and then put the paper in +the hand of Mesrour. +</p> +<p>Later, when the Caliph was reading the +papers, he was particularly interested in the one +presented by Ali Cogia: “This is a curious +case,” said he to his Vizier, “and one which it +will be difficult to decide. Order the two merchants +to appear before me to-morrow, and I +will hear what they have to say.” +</p> +<p>That evening the Caliph and his Vizier disguised +themselves, and, attended only by Mesrour, +they went out to wander about the streets +of the city. It was the custom of the Caliph +to do this, as in this way he learned much about +his people, their needs and wants and ways of +life, which would otherwise have been hidden +from him. +</p> +<p>For some time after they set out they heard +and saw nothing of importance, but as they +came near to a court that opened off one of the +streets they heard the voices of a number of +boys who were at play there in the moonlight. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_89' name='page_89'></a>89</span></p> +<p>The Caliph motioned to his Vizier to be silent, +and together they stole to the opening of the +court and looked in. The moon was so bright +that they could see clearly the faces of the boys +at play there. They had gathered about the +tallest and most intelligent-looking lad, who appeared +to be their leader. +</p> +<p>“Let us act out some play,” the leader was +saying. “I will be the Cadi, and you shall bring +some case before me to be tried.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” cried another. “But what case +shall we take?” +</p> +<p>“Let us take the case of Ali Cogia and Abul +Hassan. We all know about that, and if it had +come before me I should have decided it differently +from the way the Cadi did.” +</p> +<p>All the boys agreed to this by clapping their +hands. +</p> +<p>The leader then appointed one boy to take +the part of Ali Cogia and another to be Abul +Hassan. Still others were chosen to be guards +and merchants and so on. +</p> +<p>The Caliph and his Vizier were much amused +by this play of the boys, and they sat down upon +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_90' name='page_90'></a>90</span> +a bench so conveniently placed that they could +see all that went on without themselves being +observed. +</p> +<p>The pretended Cadi took his seat and commanded +that Abul Hassan and Ali Cogia should +be brought before him. “And let Ali Cogia +bring with him the jar of olives in which he +said he hid the gold,” said he. +</p> +<p>The lads who were taking the parts of Ali +Cogia and Abul Hassan were now led forward +by some of the other boys and were told by the +pretended Cadi to state their cases. This they +did clearly, for the case had been much talked +about by their elders, and they were well acquainted +with all the circumstances and had +discussed them among themselves. +</p> +<p>The pretended Cadi listened attentively to +what they said, and then addressing the lad +who took the part of Abul he asked, “Abul +Hassan, are you willing to swear that you have +not touched the jar nor opened it?” +</p> +<p>The pretended merchant said he was. +</p> +<p>The lad then asked, “Has Ali Cogia brought +the jar of olives into court with him?” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_91' name='page_91'></a>91</span></p> +<p>“It is here,” said the boys who were taking +the parts of officers of the court. +</p> +<p>The feigned Cadi ordered them to place the +jar before him, which they pretended to do. +He then went through the motions of lifting +the lid and examining the olives and even of +tasting one. +</p> +<p>“These are very fine olives,” said he. “Ali +Cogia, when did you say you placed this jar in +the warehouse?” +</p> +<p>“It was when I left Bagdad, seven years ago,” +answered the pretended merchant. +</p> +<p>“Abul Hassan, is that so?” +</p> +<p>The boy who acted the part of Abul said that +it was. +</p> +<p>“Let the olive merchants be brought into +court,” commanded the pretended Cadi. +</p> +<p>The boys who were taking the parts of olive +merchants now came forward. +</p> +<p>“Tell me,” said the feigned Cadi, “how long +is it possible to keep olives?” +</p> +<p>“However great the care that is taken,” +they answered, “it is impossible to preserve +them for more than three years. After that +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_92' name='page_92'></a>92</span> +time they lose both color and flavor and are +fit for nothing but to be thrown out.” The +boys spoke with assurance, for their fathers were +among the most expert olive dealers in the city, +and they knew what they were talking about. +</p> +<p>The pretended Cadi then bade them examine +the olives in the jar and tell him how old they +were. “As you see,” said he, “they are of a fine +color, large, and of a delicious fresh taste.” +</p> +<p>The feigned merchants pretended to examine +them carefully and then announced the olives +were of that year’s growth. +</p> +<p>“But Ali Cogia says he left them with Abul +Hassan seven years ago, and to this statement +Abul Hassan agrees.” +</p> +<p>“It is impossible they should have been kept +that long,” answered the feigned merchants. +“As we tell you, after three years olives are +worth nothing, and at the end of seven years +they would be utterly spoiled. These are fresh +olives and of this year’s growth.” +</p> +<p>The boy who took the part of Abul Hassan +would have tried to explain and make excuses, +but the pretended Cadi bade him be silent. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_93' name='page_93'></a>93</span></p> +<p>“You have sworn falsely,” said he, “and also +proved yourself a thief.” +</p> +<p>Then to the pretended guards he cried, “Take +him away and let him be hung according to +the law.” +</p> +<p>The feigned guards dragged away the boy +who was acting Abul Hassan and then, the play +being finished, all the boys clapped their hands +and shouted their approval of the way the +feigned Cadi had conducted the case. +</p> +<p>Seeing that all was over the Caliph withdrew, +beckoning to the Vizier and Mesrour to follow +him. After they had gone a short distance, +Haroun-al-Raschid turned to the Vizier and +asked him what he thought of the play they had +just witnessed. +</p> +<p>“I think,” said the Vizier, “that the pretended +Cadi showed a wisdom and a judgment +that the real Cadi would do well to imitate. I +also think the boy is a lad of remarkable intelligence.” +</p> +<p>“It is my own thought,” replied the Caliph. +“Moreover I have a further thought. You +know this very case between Ali Cogia and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_94' name='page_94'></a>94</span> +Abul Hassan is to appear before me to-morrow, +I have it in mind to send you to bring this boy +to the palace, and I will then let him conduct +this case in reality as he has to-day in play.” +</p> +<p>The Vizier applauded this plan, and he and +his master returned to the palace, still talking +of the boy. +</p> +<p>The next day the Vizier went back to the +court they had visited the evening before, and +after looking about he found the lad who had +taken the part of the Cadi sitting in a doorway. +The Vizier approached him and spoke to him +in a kind and friendly manner. +</p> +<p>“My boy,” said he, “I have come here by +order of the Commander of the Faithful. Last +evening, when you were acting your play, he +overheard all that was said, and he wishes to +see you at the palace to-day.” +</p> +<p>The boy was alarmed when he heard this, +grew pale, and showed great uneasiness. +“Have I done something wrong?” he asked. +“If I have I did it unknowingly, and I hope I +am not to be punished for something I did +without intention.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_95' name='page_95'></a>95</span></p> +<p>“You have done no wrong,” answered the +Vizier, “and it is not to punish you that the +Caliph has sent for you. Indeed he is very +much pleased with your conduct, and his sending +for you in this manner is a great honor.” +He then told the lad what it was the Caliph +wished him to do. +</p> +<p>Instead of being put at ease by this the lad +showed even greater discomfort. “This seems +a strange thing for me to do,” said he:—“to +decide a case between two grown men—I who +am only a child. I am afraid I will not be able +to please the Caliph, and that he will be angry +with me.” +</p> +<p>“Conduct the case as wisely as you did last +night when you were playing,” answered the +Vizier, “and the Caliph will not be displeased +with you.” +</p> +<p>The boy then asked permission to go and tell +his mother where he was going and for what +purpose, and to this the Vizier consented. +</p> +<p>When the lad’s mother heard that he was to +go to the palace to act as judge in a case of such +importance she could hardly believe her ears. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_96' name='page_96'></a>96</span> +She was frightened lest the lad should in some +way offend the Caliph by saying or doing something +ill-judged. +</p> +<p>The lad tried to reassure her, though he himself +was far from being at ease. +</p> +<p>“If the Caliph was pleased with the way I +conducted the case last night I do not think he +can be so very much displeased with me to-day,” +said he; “for I feel sure that only in +this way can we discover the truth between the +two merchants.” +</p> +<p>When the lad returned to the Vizier he looked +very grave, and as they went along together on +their way to the palace the Vizier tried in every +way to put him more at ease and give him confidence. +</p> +<p>Immediately upon their arrival at the palace +they were shown into the room where the +Caliph was sitting. Haroun-al-Raschid greeted +the boy with no less kindness than the Vizier +had shown and asked him if he understood +the purpose for which he had been brought +thither. +</p> +<p>The lad said he did. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_97' name='page_97'></a>97</span></p> +<p>“Then let the two merchants come in,” said +the Caliph. +</p> +<p>Ali Cogia and Abul Hassan were at once +brought in by the officers of the court. Ali +Cogia brought with him the jar of olives, for so +he had been commanded to do. +</p> +<p>The Cadi who had judged between the two +merchants had also been ordered to attend, and +he entered and took the place assigned to him. +</p> +<p>The Caliph then turned to the lad and bade +him open the case by bidding the merchants +tell their stories, and this, after a moment’s +pause, the lad did. +</p> +<p>Ali Cogia told his story just as he had before, +stating that he had left with Abul Hassan seven +years before a thousand pieces of gold packed +in a jar and covered over with olives. +</p> +<p>“Is this the jar you left with Abul Hassan?” +asked the boy, pointing to the jar Ali had +brought into court. +</p> +<p>Ali stated that it was. +</p> +<p>“Abul Hassan, do you also say this is the jar +Ali Cogia left with you?” asked the lad. +</p> +<p>Abul answered that it was. He also asked +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_98' name='page_98'></a>98</span> +to be allowed to take his oath that the jar had +not been disturbed after it was left in his warehouse +until Ali Cogia had returned and removed +it. +</p> +<p>“That is not necessary at present,” answered +the boy. “First let some expert olive merchants +be brought in.” +</p> +<p>Several olive dealers, the most expert in the +city, had been sent for, and they now came +forward. +</p> +<p>The lad asked these real merchants the same +questions he had asked of the feigned merchants +the night before. “How long,” said he, “is it +possible to keep olives good?” +</p> +<p>And the merchants answered, as had the boys, +“Not more than three years, for no matter how +carefully they have been packed, after that time +they lose both color and flavor.” +</p> +<p>“Look in that jar,” said the lad, “and tell +us how long you think those olives have been +kept there.” +</p> +<p>The merchants examined the olives with the +greatest care, and then they all agreed that the +olives were of that year’s growth and quite fresh. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_99' name='page_99'></a>99</span></p> +<p>“And do you not think it possible they may +have been kept a year or so?” +</p> +<p>“No, it is not possible,” answered the merchants. +“We know, of a surety, as we have +already said, that these olives are of this year’s +growth, and have only recently been packed in +the jar.” +</p> +<p>When Ali Cogia heard this he gave a cry of +surprise, but Abul Hassan was silent; his face +grew as pale as ashes, and his legs failed under +him, for he knew that the merchants, in saying +this, had pronounced sentence against him. +</p> +<p>But the lad turned to the Caliph and begged +that he might now be allowed to hand over the +case to him. “When I pronounced sentence last +night, it was but in play,” said he. “But this +is not play. A man’s life is at stake, and I dare +not pronounce sentence upon him.” +</p> +<p>To this request the Caliph agreed. “Abul +Hassan, you have condemned yourself,” he said. +He then bade the guards take Abul Hassan +away and execute him according to the law. +</p> +<p>Before the wretched man was hanged, however, +he confessed his guilt and told where he had +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_100' name='page_100'></a>100</span> +hidden the thousand pieces of gold that belonged +to Ali Cogia. +</p> +<p>After Abul had been led away the Caliph +caressed and praised the lad for conducting the +case so wisely and with so much judgment. +</p> +<p>“As for you,” said he to the Cadi, “you have +not shown the wisdom I demand from my +judges. Learn from this child that such cases +are not to be dismissed lightly, but to be inquired +into with judgment and care. Otherwise +it may go ill with you.” +</p> +<p>The Cadi retired, full of shame, but the +Caliph ordered that a hundred pieces of gold +should be given to the boy and that he should +be sent home to his mother with honor. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='OH_A_COSSACK_STORY' id='OH_A_COSSACK_STORY'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_101' name='page_101'></a>101</span> +<h2>OH!</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Cossack Story</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a man who had one son, +and he was so lazy that he would not work +at all. The father apprenticed him to a tailor, +but the lad went to sleep between the stitches. +He apprenticed him to a cobbler and the lad +only sat and yawned instead of driving pegs. +What to do with him the man did not know. +</p> +<p>“Come,” said the father one day, “we will +go out into the wide world. It may be that +somewhere or other we will find a master who +can make you work.” +</p> +<p>The lad was very good-natured. “Very well,” +said he, “I am willing”; and he arose and +stretched himself and yawned, and then he was +ready to set out. +</p> +<p>The father put on his cap and took a staff in +his hand, and then he was ready, too. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_102' name='page_102'></a>102</span></p> +<p>The two of them journeyed along together, +in step and out of step, and after a while they +came to a deep wood. When they were well +into it, the father grew so weary that he had to +sit down and rest. +</p> +<p>“Oh! what have I done that I should have +such a lazy son!” he cried. +</p> +<p>At once a little old, wrinkled, weazened man, +all dressed in green, with a green face, green +hair, and a green beard stood before them. +</p> +<p>“Why did you call me,” said he, “and what +do you want?” +</p> +<p>“I did not call you,” answered the man. +</p> +<p>“But you did call me, for I heard you. Did +not you call ‘Oh’? And that is my name.” +</p> +<p>“I said, ‘Oh, what have I done to have such +a lazy son,’” replied the man, “but I did not +call you, for I did not know that was your +name.” +</p> +<p>The Green one looked closely at the lad. +“Is he so lazy?” he asked. “He looks a +stout, healthy fellow.” +</p> +<p>“That is the worst of it,” answered the father. +“He is so stout and healthy that he eats me +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_103' name='page_103'></a>103</span> +out of house and home, and not one stroke will +he do to pay for it. I have tried to apprentice +him to different masters, but they soon weary +of him and drive him out.” +</p> +<p>“Very well; I will take him as an apprentice +myself,” answered the little man. “Leave him +here with me for a year. Come back at the end +of that time, and if you know him again and are +able to choose him out from among my other +apprentices, then you shall take him home with +you, but if not, then he shall serve with me a +year longer.” +</p> +<p>Very well, the father was willing to agree +to that. It would only be for a year, for of +course he would recognize his own son anywhere. +So he left the lad with Oh and went +on home again. +</p> +<p>Oh took the lad down into the country that +lies beneath this earth, and the way was not +long. There everything was green. Oh’s house +was made of green rushes. His wife was green +and his daughters were green and his dog was +green, and when they gave the lad food to eat, +it was green also. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_104' name='page_104'></a>104</span></p> +<p>The oldest daughter would have been a +beauty if she had not been green all over—eyes, +hair, and all. As soon as she saw the lad +she loved him and would have been glad to +have him for a husband, but he had no fancy +for her. +</p> +<p>“When I marry,” said he, “it shall be some +girl who is good red and white flesh and blood +like myself.” +</p> +<p>“Never mind,” said Oh. “After you have +lived here for a while you will be glad enough to +have her for a wife.” +</p> +<p>The lad lived down in the under country for +a year, and Oh taught him much magic, and he +was very useful to the old Green One. +</p> +<p>But at the end of the year the father came +back in search of his son. He stopped at the +very same spot in the forest where he had +stopped before and cried out in a loud voice, +“Oh! Oh! I would like to see my son.” +</p> +<p>At once Oh appeared before him. “Come +with me,” he said, “but remember our bargain. +If you know your son when you see him he is +yours again, but if you do not know him, then he +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_105' name='page_105'></a>105</span> +must stay with me and serve me still another +year.” +</p> +<p>The man was very willing to agree, for it +would be a strange thing if he did not know his +own son when he saw him. +</p> +<p>Oh led him down the short way to the land +that is under this, and when he got there the +man stared about him in wonder. Never had +he seen so many green things in all his life +before. +</p> +<p>Oh took a handful of corn and scattered it +about, calling as he did so. Then a great number +of cocks that were pecking about the place +came running and began to pick up the corn. +</p> +<p>“Tell me now, which of these is your son?” +asked Oh, “for one of them is he.” +</p> +<p>The man stared and scratched his head and +stared again, but he could not tell, for one cock +was just like another. He had to own that he +could not tell which was his son. +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said Oh. “Then you will have +to go home without him. Come back at the +end of another year, and then if you know him +from his mates you shall take him home with +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_106' name='page_106'></a>106</span> +you, but if not then he shall stay with me a +twelvemonth longer.” +</p> +<p>That did not suit the man at all, but he could +not say no, for that was what the bargain had +been. +</p> +<p>At the end of the year the man came back to +the forest again and called upon Oh, and Oh +was quickly before him. +</p> +<p>“Come along,” said Oh. “You surely ought +to know your son when you see him. If you do +he shall go home with you, and I shall not say +no to it, but if not then he shall stay with me a +year longer.” +</p> +<p>When the man heard this he was troubled, +for he feared the Green One meant to play some +trick on him as he had before, and he wanted +his son home again, lazy or not. Moreover the +lad’s mother was grieving for him. +</p> +<p>Oh led the man down to the underworld and +over to a field where a flock of rams was grazing. +</p> +<p>“All these are my servants,” said Oh, “and +one of them is your son. Look well and tell me +which is he, for unless you can choose him out +he must stay here with me.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_107' name='page_107'></a>107</span></p> +<p>The man looked and looked, but he could not +tell which of the rams was his son, for they all +looked alike to him, so he had to go home without +him. +</p> +<p>When the lad’s mother heard of this second +trick the Green One had played on her husband +she wept bitterly. “If we cannot find some way +to get round him, we will never have the lad +back again,” she said. +</p> +<p>“That is true,” said the man; “but if our +son looks like a cock, how can I tell him from +other cocks; and if he looks like a ram, how can +I tell him from other rams?” +</p> +<p>Well, time slipped by, and the man and his +wife grew poorer and poorer, for they were +growing old, and they needed a young body in +the house to work for them. +</p> +<p>When it was about time for the man to set +out for Oh’s house his wife said to him, “See +now! we have nothing left in the house but a +small loaf and a bit of honeycomb. But we +can do better than fill our stomach with them. +Do you take them to the old Wise Woman who +lives over beyond the hill. Tell her they are +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_108' name='page_108'></a>108</span> +a gift, and then ask her what we can do to meet +the tricks of the little old Green One.” +</p> +<p>The man did as his wife bade him, though he +was hungry and would have been glad of a bit +of the bread himself. +</p> +<p>The Wise Woman was pleased with the gift, +and thanked the man kindly. Then the man +told her all his troubles and asked her how he +was to get his son back again from Oh. +</p> +<p>“Listen!” said the old woman. “Oh would +gladly keep your son with him as a husband for +his daughter, and if you do not bring the lad +away with you this time, you will never have +him back. This time Oh will show you a flock +of doves, and one of them will be your son. +Look closely at them, and the one that has tears +in its eyes is he, for only a human soul can weep.” +</p> +<p>The father thanked the old woman and hurried +back home again, and very soon after it +was time to set out for Oh’s house. +</p> +<p>The man travelled along till he came to the +wood and the place where he had come twice +already, and he stood there and cried, “Oh! +Oh!” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_109' name='page_109'></a>109</span></p> +<p>Then Oh appeared before him. “Here I +am,” said Oh, “ready and waiting for you. +This time, as before, I tell you that if you +know your son when you see him you shall take +him away with you, but if, this time, you do not +know him, then he is mine forever.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said the man, “that is a bargain.” +</p> +<p>Then Oh took him down to the underworld. +He called to a flock of doves that was perched +on the roof and scattered a handful of peas on +the ground for them. The doves flew down all +about them and began to peck up the peas; but +one dove would not eat but sat mournfully on a +low bough and looked at them, and its eyes +were full of tears. +</p> +<p>“This one is my son,” cried the man, pointing +to the dove that wept. +</p> +<p>As soon as he said this the dove changed its +shape and became a young man, and this was +the son, though he had become so fine and tall +and handsome in these three years that his +father could scarcely recognize him. +</p> +<p>Then Oh was in a fine rage. He danced with +fury and tore his beard. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_110' name='page_110'></a>110</span></p> +<p>“Very well,” he cried, “he is yours now, but +you shall not keep him long, and when I once +get him back again he is mine forever.” +</p> +<p>But the lad paid no heed to his threats. He +and his father were soon on the upper earth +again, and they set out for home, one foot before +the other. +</p> +<p>On the way the father told the lad how badly +it had gone with him and the mother in the +past years; of how poor they were, and of how +their hut was tumbling to pieces, and how their +cow had died. +</p> +<p>“Never mind,” said the lad. “I learned quite a +bit of magic from the Green One, and that should +help us out now. Do you hear the huntsmen +winding their horns farther on in the open?” +</p> +<p>Yes, the father heard them. +</p> +<p>“I will turn myself into a greyhound,” said the +lad. “The hunt is coming this way, and when +the huntsmen see me they will want to buy me. +Ask them three hundred dollars for me; no more, +no less, but when they take me do not leave the +leash on me, whatever you do. Take it off and +put it in your pocket, and then all will be well +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_111' name='page_111'></a>111</span> +with me. Fail to do this, and misfortune will +surely overtake me.” +</p> +<p>The father promised to do as the son said, +and then the lad turned himself into a greyhound, +and he was so sleek and handsome that +the man could not admire him enough; but +about his neck was an old, worn leash that did +not look as though it were worth a penny. It +seemed a pity to leave it on the neck of such a +handsome dog. +</p> +<p>The man went on a little further and then he +came to where a grand nobleman and his friends +were hunting a hare. They had a pack of dogs +with them but the hare had outrun them. +</p> +<p>When the nobleman saw the man and the +greyhound he stopped his horse. +</p> +<p>“That is a fine greyhound you have there.” +</p> +<p>“Yes, it is,” answered the man. +</p> +<p>“Do you think it could course down the hare +we are chasing?” +</p> +<p>Yes, the man was sure it could. +</p> +<p>“Then let me have it and I will pay you a +good price for it.” +</p> +<p>Very well, he could have it for three hundred +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_112' name='page_112'></a>112</span> +dollars, but that was without the leash; the +leash was not for sale. +</p> +<p>The nobleman laughed aloud, “when the dog +is mine,” he said, “he shall have a golden leash, +for that one you have is fit for nothing but the +ash heap.” +</p> +<p>The nobleman then paid the man three hundred +dollars and unfastened the leash from the +dog’s neck. +</p> +<p>Away he flew like the wind and soon caught +the hare. But when the hunters reached the +spot where the hare lay they could see nothing +of the dog. Only a tall and handsome youth +stood there, and he was flushed and hot as +though he had been running. +</p> +<p>“Have you seen my greyhound, a sleek and +handsome dog?” asked the nobleman. +</p> +<p>No, the youth had not seen any dog. +</p> +<p>The nobleman called and whistled, and he +and his huntsman hunted far and near, but they +never found the greyhound. +</p> +<p>As for the lad he set out on the road his father +had taken and soon caught up with him. +</p> +<p>“That was a very pretty trick,” said the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_113' name='page_113'></a>113</span> +father; “but after all three hundred dollars is +not much. It will barely buy us a cow and +clothes and put a new roof on the hut.” +</p> +<p>“Yes, but that is not the only trick I know,” +answered the son. “Look at the hill over yonder +and tell me what you see.” +</p> +<p>The father looked. “I see a company of fine +ladies and gentlemen,” answered the father, +“and they are flying their falcons.” +</p> +<p>“I will change myself into a falcon, and when +you have come to where they are you shall loose +me, and I will strike down a quail. Then they +will want to buy me. Sell me for three hundred +dollars, no more, no less. But whatever you +do take off my hood and keep it, or misfortune +will surely overtake us.” +</p> +<p>The father promised he would do this, and +then the lad turned himself into a falcon and +perched upon his father’s hand. +</p> +<p>Presently the father came up to where the +ladies and gentlemen were at their sport. They +loosed their falcons, and the falcons flew after +the quail, but always they failed to strike, and +the quail escaped. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_114' name='page_114'></a>114</span></p> +<p>“That is poor sport,” said the man. “I can +show you better.” +</p> +<p>He took off the hood and cast his falcon at +the quail, and it quickly struck down its prey. +</p> +<p>The gentlemen and ladies were astonished at +the quickness of the falcon and at the beauty of +its feathers. +</p> +<p>“Sell us the bird,” they said. +</p> +<p>Yes, the man was willing to do that, but his +price was three hundred dollars without the +hood; the hood was not for sale for love nor +money. +</p> +<p>All the fine folk began to laugh. “What do +we want with that old hood?” they cried. “We +will give the bird a hood that is worthy of a +king.” +</p> +<p>So the man took the three hundred dollars +and the hood and went on his way. +</p> +<p>The one who had bought the falcon cast it +at a quail, and it struck down its prey as before, +but when the hunters reached the place where +the birds had fallen they saw no falcon, but only +a handsome young man who stood there looking +down at the dead quail. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_115' name='page_115'></a>115</span></p> +<p>“What became of the falcon that was here?” +they asked. +</p> +<p>But the youth had seen no falcon. +</p> +<p>He set out and soon overtook his father, who +had not gone far. “And now art thou content?” he asked. +</p> +<p>“Six hundred dollars is not a fortune,” answered +the man. “Since you have done so well +you might have done better.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” answered the son. “We are now +coming to a town where they are holding a fair. +I will change myself into a horse, and you shall +take me there and sell me for a thousand dollars,—no +more, no less. But heed what I say. +Do not sell the halter whatever you do, or evil +will surely come of it.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said the father. “I will remember.” +</p> +<p>The son then changed himself into a coal-black +horse. His skin was like satin, his eyes +like jewels, and when he moved, his hoofs +scarcely seemed to touch the ground. But +around his neck was an old leather halter that +was scarcely fit for an old farm nag. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_116' name='page_116'></a>116</span></p> +<p>The father led the horse on to where the fair +was being held, and at once a crowd gathered +around him, all bidding for the horse. Some +offered him more and some less. +</p> +<p>“The price is a thousand dollars,” said the +father, “no more, no less. But that is without +the halter.” +</p> +<p>Then the people all laughed. “Who wants +the halter?” they cried. “What we offer is for +the horse alone. The halter we would not take +as a gift.” +</p> +<p>Then a rough looking, black-haired gypsy +elbowed his way through the crowd. He was +really the Green One who had taken on this +form, though this the man did not know. +</p> +<p>“I will give you two thousand,” he cried. +“One thousand for the horse and one thousand +for the halter, but I will not have one without +the other.” +</p> +<p>When the crowd heard this they laughed +louder than ever. They thought the gypsy was +crazy to offer such a price. +</p> +<p>As for the father he stood there gaping and +he did not know what to do. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_117' name='page_117'></a>117</span></p> +<p>“The price of the horse is a thousand dollars,” +he said. +</p> +<p>“And a thousand for the halter,” said the +gypsy. +</p> +<p>Well, two thousand dollars seemed a fortune +to the man. Moreover he did not see what +harm it could do to sell the halter too. +</p> +<p>So he let the gypsy have the horse and the +halter as well, and the gypsy paid him two +thousand dollars and led the horse away. +</p> +<p>And now the lad could not change himself +back into his human shape, because the halter +held him, and this Oh knew very well. +</p> +<p>He led the horse back to the forest and down +to the world that is under this. “Now I have +you again,” he said, “and this time you shall +not escape me.” +</p> +<p>Then he called to his youngest daughter and +bade her take the horse down to the river to +drink. +</p> +<p>When she had brought the horse to the river +bank it said to her. “Loosen, I pray of thee, +the halter, that I may drink more easily.” +</p> +<p>Then the girl, who was a stupid wench, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_118' name='page_118'></a>118</span> +loosened the halter. At once the lad slipped out +of it and changed himself into a perch and fled +away down the river. +</p> +<p>But the Green One knew what had happened. +He rushed down to the river and changed himself +into a pike and pursued after the perch. +</p> +<p>On and on they went, but the pike swam +faster than the perch and was just about to +catch it when the perch sprang clear out of the +water. +</p> +<p>The daughter of the Tsar was walking by the +river, and she was such a beauty that it made +the heart ache to look at her. On her arm she +carried a basket. +</p> +<p>As the perch leaped he changed himself into +a ruby ring and fell into the basket. +</p> +<p>The damsel was very much astonished to +see the ring in her basket. She did not know +where it had come from. She looked up, and +she looked down, but she could see no one who +could have thrown the ring. +</p> +<p>Then she took it up and slid it upon her +finger, and at once she loved it as she had never +loved anything in all her life before. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_119' name='page_119'></a>119</span></p> +<p>She carried it to her father and said to him, +“Look what a pretty ring I have found!” +</p> +<p>“Yes,” answered her father, “but where did +you find it?” +</p> +<p>“I found it in my basket, but how it came +there I do not know.” +</p> +<p>The Tsaritsa’s mother also admired the ring +very much. Never had they seen such a brilliant +and flashing ruby before. +</p> +<p>Now at first, after the perch leaped out of the +river and into the Tsaritsa’s basket, Oh did not +know what had become of him. He was obliged +to go home and get out his magic books, and +then he soon learned where the lad was. +</p> +<p>He then changed himself into a venerable +merchant, clothed in velvet robes and with a +long white beard. He broke a stick from an ash +tree and changed it into a horse, and mounted +on it and rode away to the Tsar’s palace. +</p> +<p>Then he asked to speak with the Tsar, and so +old and venerable did he look that they would +not refuse him, but brought him before the Tsar. +</p> +<p>“What dost thou want, old man?” asked the +Tsar. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_120' name='page_120'></a>120</span></p> +<p>“Your majesty,” answered the Green One, “I +have had a great loss. I was crossing the river +in a boat, and I had with me a very handsome +ruby ring that I was carrying with me to my +master, who is also a Tsar. Unfortunately I +lost the ring overboard, and I thought it might +perchance have washed up on the shore and +have been picked up by one of thy servants.” +</p> +<p>“What was thy ring like?” asked the Tsar. +</p> +<p>Then the pretended merchant described the +Tsaritsa’s ring exactly. +</p> +<p>The Tsar sent for his daughter, and she came +with the ring on her finger, for she would not +take it off, either night or day. +</p> +<p>“Let me see thy ring,” said the Tsar. +</p> +<p>He took her hand in his and examined the +ring carefully, and it was in every respect exactly +as the Green One had described it. +</p> +<p>“Is this thy ring?” the Tsar asked of the +merchant. +</p> +<p>“Yes, your majesty, it is.” +</p> +<p>“Then,” said the Tsar to his daughter, “it is +right that thou shouldst return it to him.” +</p> +<p>The Tsaritsa wept and implored. She offered +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_121' name='page_121'></a>121</span> +the merchant her pearls and every other gem +she had if he would but let her keep the ring, +but he refused. +</p> +<p>“Very well, then, it shall be neither thine +nor mine,” cried the Tsaritsa, and she drew the +ring from her finger and dashed it against the +wall. +</p> +<p>At once the ring changed into a hundred +millet seeds and was scattered all over the floor. +</p> +<p>But the Green One as quickly changed himself +into a cock and ran about this way and that, +pecking up the millet seeds and swallowing +them. Ninety-nine millet seeds he found and +ate, but the hundredth he did not find, because +it had fallen beside the Tsaritsa’s foot, and the +hem of her robe covered it. +</p> +<p>As soon as the cock had swallowed the ninety-ninth +seed he sprang upon the window sill, +and stretched his neck and crowed with triumph. +</p> +<p>But the hundredth seed was really the lad, +and in that moment he changed himself back +into his human form, and before the cock knew +what had happened, he caught hold of it and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_122' name='page_122'></a>122</span> +wrung its neck and that was the end of Oh and +his magic. +</p> +<p>As for the Tsaritsa, no sooner had she seen the +lad than her heart went out to him, and she +loved him even better than she had her ring, +and she declared that he and he only should be +her husband. +</p> +<p>The Tsar did not know what to say to that, +for it did not seem fitting that his daughter +should marry a common man. But the Tsaritsa +begged and plead with him till he could no +longer withstand her. +</p> +<p>So she and the lad were married with great +pomp and magnificence. +</p> +<p>His old father and mother were bidden to the +wedding, and they could hardly believe their +eyes when they saw their son stand there in +those costly robes with a crown upon his +head and the Tsaritsa beside him as his bride. +</p> +<p>The old people were given a house to live in +and plenty of money to spend, and they all +lived in peace and happiness forever after. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_TALKING_EGGS_A_STORY_FROM_LOUISIANA' id='THE_TALKING_EGGS_A_STORY_FROM_LOUISIANA'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_123' name='page_123'></a>123</span> +<h2>THE TALKING EGGS</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Story from Louisiana</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a widow who had two daughters, +one named Rose and the other Blanche. +</p> +<p>Blanche was good and beautiful and gentle, +but the mother cared nothing for her and gave +her only hard words and harder blows; but she +loved Rose as she loved the apple of her eye, +because Rose was exactly like herself, coarse-looking, +and with a bad temper and a sharp +tongue. +</p> +<p>Blanche was obliged to work all day, but Rose +sat in a chair with folded hands as though she +were a fine lady, with nothing in the world to +do. +</p> +<p>One day the mother sent Blanche to the well +for a bucket of water. When she came to the +well she saw an old woman sitting there. The +woman was so very old that her nose and her +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_124' name='page_124'></a>124</span> +chin met, and her cheeks were as wrinkled as a +walnut. +</p> +<p>“Good day to you, child,” said the old woman. +</p> +<p>“Good day, auntie,” answered Blanche. +</p> +<p>“Will you give me a drink of water?” asked +the old woman. +</p> +<p>“Gladly,” said Blanche. She drew the bucket +full of water, and tilted it so the old woman +could drink, but the crone lifted the bucket in +her two hands as though it were a feather and +drank and drank till the water was all gone. +Blanche had never seen any one drink so much; +not a drop was left in the bucket. +</p> +<p>“May heaven bless you!” said the old +woman, and then she went on her way. +</p> +<p>And now Blanche had to fill the bucket again, +and it seemed as though her arms would break, +she was so tired. +</p> +<p>When she went home her mother struck her +because she had tarried so long at the well. +Her blows made Blanche weep. Rose laughed +when she saw her crying. +</p> +<p>The very next day the mother became angry +over nothing and gave Blanche such a beating +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_125' name='page_125'></a>125</span> +that the girl ran away into the woods; she +would not stay in the house any longer. She +ran on and on, deeper and deeper into the +forest, and there, in the deepest part, she met the +old woman she had seen beside the well. +</p> +<p>“Where are you going, my child? And why +are you weeping so bitterly?” asked the crone. +</p> +<p>“I am weeping because my mother beat +me,” answered Blanche; “and now I have +run away from her, and I do not know where +to go.” +</p> +<p>“Then come with me,” said the old woman. +“I will give you a shelter and a bite to eat, and +in return there is many a task you can do for +me. Only, whatever you may see as we journey +along together you must not laugh nor say anything +about it.” +</p> +<p>Blanche promised she would not, and then +she trudged away at the old woman’s side. +</p> +<p>After a while they came to a hedge so thick +and wide and so set with thorns that Blanche +did not see how they could pass it without being +torn to pieces, but the old hag waved her staff, +and the branches parted before them and left +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_126' name='page_126'></a>126</span> +the path clear. Then, as they passed, the hedge +closed together behind them. +</p> +<p>Blanche wondered but said nothing. +</p> +<p>A little further on they saw two axes fighting +together with no hand to hold them. That +seemed a curious thing, but still Blanche said +nothing. +</p> +<p>Further on were two arms that strove against +each other without a sound. Still Blanche was +silent. +</p> +<p>Further on again two heads fought, butting +each other like goats. Blanche looked and +stared but said no word. Then the heads called +to her. “You are a good girl, Blanche. +Heaven will reward you.” +</p> +<p>After that she and her companion came to the +hut where the old woman lived. They went in, +and the hag bade Blanche gather some sticks of +wood and build a fire. Meanwhile she sat +down beside the hearth and took off her head. +She put it in her lap and began to comb +her hair and twist it up. +</p> +<p>Blanche was frightened, but she held her +peace and built the fire as the old woman had +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_127' name='page_127'></a>127</span> +directed. When it was burning the old woman +put back her head in place, and told Blanche to +look on the shelf behind the door. “There you +will find a bone; put it on to boil for our dinners,” +said she. +</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<a name='linki_3' id='linki_3'></a> +<img src='images/c002.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> +She sat down beside the hearth and took off her head. +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>Blanche found the bone and put it on to boil, +though it seemed a poor dinner. +</p> +<p>The old woman gave her a grain of rice and +bade her grind it in the mortar. Blanche put +the rice in the mortar and ground it with the +pestle, and before she had been grinding two +minutes the mortar was full of rice, enough for +both of them and to spare. +</p> +<p>When it was time for dinner she looked in the +pot and it was full of good, fresh meat. She +and the old woman had all they could eat. +</p> +<p>After dinner was over the old woman lay +down on the bed. “Oh, my back! Oh, my +poor back! How it does ache,” groaned she. +“Come hither and rub it.” +</p> +<p>Blanche came over and uncovered the old +crone’s back, and she was surprised when she +saw it; it was as hard and ridgy as a turtle’s. +Still she said nothing but began to rub it. She +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_128' name='page_128'></a>128</span> +rubbed and rubbed till the skin was all worn +off her hand. +</p> +<p>“That is good,” said the old woman. “Now +I feel better.” She sat up and drew her clothes +about her. Then she blew upon Blanche’s +hand, and at once it was as well as ever. +</p> +<p>Blanche stayed with the old woman for three +days and served her well; she neither asked +questions nor spoke of what she saw. +</p> +<p>At the end of that time her mistress said to +her, “My child, you have now been with me +for three days, and I can keep you here no +longer. You have served me well, and you +shall not lack your reward. Go to the chicken-house +and look in the nests. You will find there +a number of eggs. Take all that say to you, +‘Take me,’ but those that say, ‘Do not take +me,’ you must not touch.” +</p> +<p>Blanche went out to the chicken-house and +looked in the nests. There were ever so many +eggs; some of them were large and beautiful +and white and shining and so pretty that she +longed to take them, but each time she stretched +out her hand toward one it cried, “Do not take +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_129' name='page_129'></a>129</span> +me.” Then she did not touch it. There were +also some small, brown, muddy-looking eggs, and +these called to her, “Take me!” So those +were the ones she took. +</p> +<p>When she came back to the house the old +woman looked to see which ones she had taken. +“You have done what was right,” said she, +“and you will not regret it.” She then showed +Blanche a path by which she could return to +her own home without having to pass through +the thorn hedge. +</p> +<p>“As you go throw the eggs behind you,” +she said, “and you will see what you shall see. +One thing I can tell you, your mother will be +glad enough to have you home again after that.” +</p> +<p>Blanche thanked her for the eggs, though +she did not think much of them, and started +out. After she had gone a little way she threw +one of the eggs over her shoulder. It broke on +the path, and a whole bucket full of gold poured +out from it. Blanche had never seen so much +gold in all her life before. +</p> +<p>She gathered it up in her apron and went a +little farther, and then she threw another egg +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_130' name='page_130'></a>130</span> +over her shoulder. When it broke a whole +bucket full of diamonds poured out over the +path. They fairly dazzled the eyes, they were +so bright and sparkling. +</p> +<p>Blanche gathered them up, and went on +farther, and threw another egg over her shoulder. +Out from it came all sorts of fine clothes, embroidered +and set all over with gems. Blanche +put them on, and then she looked like the most +beautiful princess that ever was seen. +</p> +<p>She threw the last egg over her shoulder, and +there stood a magnificent golden coach drawn +by four white horses, and with coachman and +footman all complete. Blanche stepped into +the coach, and away they rolled to the door of +her mother’s house without her ever having to +give an order or speak a word. +</p> +<p>When her mother and sister heard the coach +draw up at the door they ran out to see who +was coming. There sat Blanche in the coach, +all dressed in fine clothes, and with her lap full +of gold and diamonds. +</p> +<p>Her mother welcomed her in and then began +to question her as to how she had become so +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_131' name='page_131'></a>131</span> +rich and fine. It did not take her long to +learn the whole story. +</p> +<p>Nothing would satisfy her but that Rose +should go out into the forest, and find the old +woman, and get her to take her home with her +as a servant. +</p> +<p>Rose grumbled and muttered, for she was a +lazy girl and had no wish to work for any one, +whatever the reward, and she would rather +have sat at home and dozed; but her mother +pushed her out of the door, and so she had to +go. +</p> +<p>She slouched along through the forest, and +presently she met the old woman. “Will you +take me home with you for a servant?” asked +Rose. +</p> +<p>“Come with me if you will,” said the old +woman, “but whatever you may see do not +laugh nor say anything about it.” +</p> +<p>“I am a great laugher,” said Rose, and then +she walked along with the old woman through +the forest. +</p> +<p>Presently they came to the thorn hedge, and +it opened before them just as it had when +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_132' name='page_132'></a>132</span> +Blanche had journeyed there. “That is a good +thing,” said Rose. “If it had not done that, +not a step farther would I have gone.” +</p> +<p>Soon they came to the place where the axes +were fighting. Rose looked and stared, and +then she began to laugh. +</p> +<p>A little later they came to where the arms +were striving together, and at that Rose laughed +harder still. But when she came to where the +heads were butting each other, she laughed +hardest of all. Then the heads opened their +mouths and spoke to her. “Evil you are, and +evil you will be, and no luck will come through +your laughter.” +</p> +<p>Soon after they arrived at the old woman’s +house. She pushed open the door, and they +went in. The crone bade Rose gather sticks +and build a fire; she herself sat down by the +hearth, and took off her head, and began to +comb and plait her hair. +</p> +<p>Rose stood and looked and laughed. “What +a stupid old woman you are,” she said, “to +take off your head to comb your hair!” and +she laughed and laughed. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_133' name='page_133'></a>133</span></p> +<p>The old woman was very angry. Still she +did not say anything. She put on her head and +made up the fire herself. Rose would not do +anything. She would not even put the pot on +the fire. She was as lazy at the old woman’s +house as she was at home, and the old crone +was obliged to do the work herself. At the end +of three days she said to Rose. “Now you +must go home, for you are of no use to anybody, +and I will keep you here no longer.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said Rose. “I am willing +enough to go, but first pay me my wages.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said the old woman. “I will +pay you. Go out to the chicken-house and +look for eggs. All the eggs that say, ‘Take me’, +you may have, but if they say, ‘Do not take me’, +then you must not touch them.” +</p> +<p>Rose went out to the chicken-house and +hunted about and soon found the eggs. Some +were large and beautiful and white, and of these +she gathered up an apronful, though they cried +to her ever so loudly, “Do not take me.” Some +of the eggs were small and ugly and brown. +“Take me! Take me!” they cried. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_134' name='page_134'></a>134</span></p> +<p>“A pretty thing if I were to take you,” she +cried. “You are fit for nothing but to be +thrown out on the hillside.” +</p> +<p>She did not return to the hut to thank the +old woman or bid her good-by but set off for +home the way she had come. When she +reached the thorn thicket it had closed together +again. She had to force her way through, and +the thorns scratched her face and hands and +almost tore the clothes off her back. Still she +comforted herself with the thought of all the +riches she would get out of the eggs. +</p> +<p>She went a little farther, and then she took +the eggs out of her apron. “Now I will have +a fine coach to travel in the rest of the way,” +said she, “and gay clothes and diamonds and +money,” and she threw the eggs down in the +path, and they all broke at once. But no +clothes, nor jewels, nor fine coach, nor horses +came out of them. Instead snakes and toads +sprang forth, and all sorts of filth that covered +her up to her knees and bespattered her clothing. +</p> +<p>Rose shrieked and ran, and the snakes and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_135' name='page_135'></a>135</span> +toads pursued her, spitting venom, and the filth +rolled after her like a tide. +</p> +<p>She reached her mother’s house, and burst +open the door, and ran in, closing it behind her. +“Look what Blanche has brought on me,” she +sobbed. “This is all her fault.” +</p> +<p>The mother looked at her and saw the filth, +and she was so angry she would not listen to a +word Blanche said. She picked up a stick to +beat her, but Blanche ran away out of the house +and into the forest. She did not stop for her +clothes or her jewels or anything. +</p> +<p>She had not gone very far before she heard a +noise behind her. She looked over her shoulder, +and there was her golden coach rolling after her. +Blanche waited until it caught up to her, and +then she opened the door and stepped inside, +and there were all her diamonds and gold lying +in a heap. Her mother and Rose had not been +able to keep any of them. +</p> +<p>Blanche rode along for a long while, and then +she came to a grand castle, and the King and +Queen of the country lived there. The coach +drew up at the door, and every one came running +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_136' name='page_136'></a>136</span> +out to greet her. They thought she must +be some great Princess come to visit them, +but Blanche told them she was not a Princess, +but only the daughter of a poor widow, and +that all the fine things she had, had come out of +some eggs an old woman had given her. +</p> +<p>When the people heard this they were very +much surprised. They took her in to see the +King and Queen, and the King and Queen made +her welcome. She told them her story, and +they were so sorry for her they declared she +should live there with them always and be as a +daughter to them. +</p> +<p>So Blanche became a grand lady, and after +a while she was married to the Prince, the son of +the old King and Queen, and she was beloved +by all because she was so good and gentle. +</p> +<p>But when Blanche’s mother and sister heard +of the good fortune that had come to her, and +how she had become the bride of the Prince, +they were ready to burst with rage and spite. +Moreover they turned quite green with envy, +and green they may have remained to the end of +their lives, for all that I know to the contrary. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_FROG_PRINCESS_A_RUSSIAN_STORY' id='THE_FROG_PRINCESS_A_RUSSIAN_STORY'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_137' name='page_137'></a>137</span> +<h2>THE FROG PRINCESS</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Russian Story</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a Tsar<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> who had three sons, +and they were all dear to him, but the youngest, +Ivan, was the dearest of them all. +</p> +<p>When the Princes grew to manhood the Tsar +began to talk and talk to them about getting +married, but it so happened not one of the +Princes had ever seen the girl he wished to have +for a wife. There were many in the kingdom +whom they might well have loved, but not one +of them meant more to any of the Princes than +another. +</p> +<p>“Very well, then,” said the Tsar at last, +“we will leave it to chance. Take your bows +and arrows and come with me into the courtyard. +You shall each shoot an arrow, and in +whatever places your arrows fall, there shall +you take your brides.” +</p> +<div><span class='pagenum'><a id='page_138' name='page_138'></a>138</span></div> +<p>The Princes were not greatly pleased with +this plan, but still they dared not say no to +their father. They took their bows and went +with him into the courtyard. +</p> +<p>First the eldest son shot his arrow, and he +aimed it toward the east, where the sun rises. +The arrow fell upon the balcony of a great +nobleman’s house. +</p> +<p>Well and good! The nobleman had a daughter, +and she was so stately and handsome +that the Prince was very glad to take her +for a wife. +</p> +<p>Then the second Prince shot an arrow and +aimed it toward the west, where the sun is in its +glory. He was no less lucky than his brother, +for his arrow fell into the court of a rich merchant, +and he also had a daughter who was a +beauty. So the second son took her for a bride, +and he was well content. +</p> +<p>Last of all Prince Ivan shot his arrow, and he +aimed neither toward the east nor the west, but +straight up into the sky above him. Then a +sudden gust of wind arose and caught the arrow +and blew it away so that it fell in a great swamp. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_139' name='page_139'></a>139</span> +In this swamp were no rich nor beautiful ladies, +but only a poor, green, croaking frog. +</p> +<p>When the young Prince Ivan saw where his +arrow had fallen he was in despair. “How can +I marry a frog,” said he, “and have her rule +with me as my Princess?” +</p> +<p>“It is a great pity,” said the Tsar; “nevertheless +what I have said I have said, and where +your arrow fell there must you take your bride.” +</p> +<p>So Prince Ivan was married to the frog, and +the Tsar built a castle on the edge of the swamp +for them to live in. +</p> +<p>Now the Tsar was growing old, and he began +to consider in his mind to which of his sons he +would leave his kingdom. Gladly would he +have left it to his youngest son, who was his +favorite, but it did not seem right that a frog +should ever rule over the kingdom as Queen. +</p> +<p>At last he called the three Princes before +him and said, “My sons, to-morrow let your +wives bake me some soft white bread. I will +eat of it, and in this way I will know which of +you has the cleverest wife, and he who has the +cleverest wife shall inherit my kingdom.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_140' name='page_140'></a>140</span></p> +<p>After they had heard him the three Princes +went away to their own homes, and Prince Ivan +was very sad. +</p> +<p>“What ails you, my dear husband,” said the +frog, “that you hang your head and are so +downcast?” +</p> +<p>“It is no wonder I am downcast,” answered +Prince Ivan. “My father has commanded that +you shall make him a loaf of soft white bread +to-morrow, and well I know that your webby +fingers can never make bread that he would +taste or even so much as look at.” +</p> +<p>“Do not be too sure of that,” answered the +frog. “Sleep in peace, and I promise that to-morrow +I will provide a loaf that even the Tsar +will be glad to eat of.” +</p> +<p>The Prince did not believe this, but grief is +heavy, so no sooner was he in bed than he fell +into a deep sleep. +</p> +<p>Then the frog arose from beside him and went +into a far-off room and took off her frog-skin; for +she was really a Princess who had been enchanted. +She combed her hair and washed +herself and then she went out on the balcony of +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_141' name='page_141'></a>141</span> +the castle and cried, “Nurses dear, nurses +dear, bring me a loaf of bread such as I used +to have in the palace of my own dear father, +the King.” +</p> +<p>After she had called this three times three +crows appeared, carrying among them a fine +napkin embroidered with gold, and in this napkin +was a loaf of bread. They laid the napkin +before the Princess and bowed three times, +croaking solemnly, and then they flew away +again into the night. +</p> +<p>The Princess took up the bread and went +back into the room and put on her frog-skin +again; after that she returned to her chamber +and lay down beside her husband. +</p> +<p>The next day when the Prince was ready to +set out for the Tsar’s palace, the frog brought +him the loaf of bread still wrapped in the napkin. +</p> +<p>“Take this, dear husband,” said she, “and +carry it to your father, the Tsar, but do not +open it on the way lest the dust should spoil +the fineness of the bread.” +</p> +<p>The Prince took the loaf and rode away with +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_142' name='page_142'></a>142</span> +it, but he could not forbear from peeping into +the napkin to see what was there, and what he +saw filled him with admiration and wonder. +Quickly he rode on his way, and soon reached +the Tsar’s palace. +</p> +<p>The two older brothers were there, and each +brought a loaf of fine white bread that his wife +had made. +</p> +<p>When Prince Ivan entered his brothers could +not forbear from smiling. “Come!” said they, +“show us quickly what kind of bread the Frog +Princess has made. Does it smell of reeds and +rushes?” +</p> +<p>The young Prince made no answer but gave +what he carried to his father. +</p> +<p>When the Tsar saw the fineness of the napkin +and the beautiful embroidery upon it he was +very much surprised. But he was still more +surprised when he opened the napkin and saw +what it contained. Never before had he seen +such bread. Not only was it soft and light +and fine, but it was molded along the sides in +cunning scenes, castles and cities, moats and +bridges, and upon the top was the imprint of +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_143' name='page_143'></a>143</span> +the royal eagle, perfect even to the claws and +feathers. +</p> +<p>The Tsar could not admire it enough. Still +he was not willing to leave the kingdom to +Prince Ivan and so make a queen of a frog. +</p> +<p>“This is very beautiful, but a loaf of bread is +soon eaten and forgotten,” said he. “I now +wish each one of you to bring me a carpet to +lay before my throne, and he who brings me the +finest carpet, him will I make my heir.” +</p> +<p>The Princes returned to their own homes, and +the youngest one was very sad and sorrowful. +</p> +<p>“What ails you, my dear husband?” asked +the frog. “Why are you so downcast, and why +do you hang your head. Was not the Tsar +pleased with the bread you carried to him?” +</p> +<p>“He was well pleased,” answered the Prince; +“but now he has commanded each one of us to +bring him a carpet, and to him who brings the +finest carpet he will leave his kingdom. No +wonder I am sad, for where, in this swamp, can +I find a carpet such as I require?” +</p> +<p>“Do not trouble yourself about that,” answered +the frog. “Do you go and lie down and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_144' name='page_144'></a>144</span> +go quietly to sleep. I will supply you such a +carpet as you need.” +</p> +<p>The Prince did not believe her, but because +grief is heavy he lay down and soon fell into a +deep sleep. +</p> +<p>Again as before the frog stole away to a distant +chamber and laid aside her frog-skin. +Then she went out on the balcony and cried +aloud three times; “Nurses dear, nurses true, +bring me a carpet such as lay before my bed in +my own home.” +</p> +<p>At once the three crows appeared, carrying +among them a carpet rolled up and covered +with a piece of embroidered velvet. They laid +the roll before the Princess, bowed three times, +and then flew away again. +</p> +<p>The Princess carried the carpet back into the +chamber and put on her frog-skin again, and +then she went back and lay down quietly beside +the Prince. +</p> +<p>The next morning when the Prince was ready +to set out, the frog brought the roll of carpet +to him. +</p> +<p>“Here,” said she; “carry this to your father, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_145' name='page_145'></a>145</span> +but do not open it upon the way lest the dust +spoil its beauty.” +</p> +<p>The Prince took the carpet and rode away. +When he reached the Tsar’s palace his two +brothers were already there, and each had +brought with him a piece of carpet so fine and +rich that it was difficult to say which of the +two was the more beautiful. +</p> +<p>When the older brothers saw Ivan they began +to laugh. “Come!” said they. “Let us see +what kind of a carpet he has brought from his +swamp home. No doubt it is very wonderful.” +</p> +<p>The Prince laid the roll of carpet upon the floor +and opened it out and when they saw it every +one was struck with wonder. The elder Princes +had not a word to say. Never before had they +seen such a carpet. Not only was it as thick +and soft as eiderdown, but it shone with wondrous +colors that changed as one looked at them, +and it was embroidered with gold in strange +designs. +</p> +<p>The Tsar was filled with admiration. All +the same he still was unwilling to have a frog +reign in his kingdom. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_146' name='page_146'></a>146</span></p> +<p>“This is all very well,” said he, “and never +before have I seen such a beautiful carpet. But +now I wish you all to appear before me to-morrow +with your wives. Let the Princesses +wear their most beautiful dresses and their +finest jewels, and whichever of you has the +wife best fitted to be Queen, to him will I leave +the kingdom.” +</p> +<p>When the Prince Ivan heard this he was in +despair. How could he ever bring the frog +to court and present her to the Tsar as though +she were a beautiful Princess? +</p> +<p>When he went home the frog at once asked +him why he was so sad and woebegone. “Is +not the kingdom to be yours?” she asked. +</p> +<p>“No,” answered the Prince, “for now my +father, the Tsar, has demanded something else +of us.” He then told her how the Tsar had +bidden him and his brothers bring their wives +to court, and had said that whichever of the +Princesses was the finest and most beautiful +should reign as Queen, and her husband should +be the Tsar. +</p> +<p>“Do not trouble over that,” said the frog. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_147' name='page_147'></a>147</span> +“Only go to bed and sleep quietly. The kingdom +shall still be yours.” +</p> +<p>Then the Prince went to bed, but he only +closed his eyes and pretended to go to sleep, for +he had grown very curious as to how the frog +had been able to provide him with the wonderful +loaf and the carpet. +</p> +<p>The frog kept very still until she thought the +Prince was asleep. Then she arose quietly from +his side and slipped away, but the Prince also +arose and followed her without her being aware +of it. She went to the far-off chamber, and +there she laid aside her frog-skin; and when +the prince saw her in her human form he was +amazed at her beauty, and his heart melted +within him for love of her, for her hair was like +spun gold, her eyes as blue as the sky, and her +skin as white as milk. Never had he seen such +a beauty. +</p> +<p>The Princess went out on a balcony as she +had before, and cried aloud three times, “Nurses +dear, nurses true, bring me fine clothes and jewels +to wear, richer than ever were seen before.” +</p> +<p>At once the three crows appeared, carrying +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_148' name='page_148'></a>148</span> +with them jewels and fine robes all encrusted +with gems and embroidery. These they laid +at the Princess’s feet and bowed three times, +croaking hoarsely, and then they flew away. +</p> +<p>The Princess took the robes and jewels back +into the chamber to hide them, and while she +was doing this Prince Ivan returned to his bed +and lay down and closed his eyes as though he +were asleep. When the frog came back she +looked at him carefully, but he kept so still she +never guessed that he had stirred from where +he lay. +</p> +<p>The next morning the frog bade Ivan ride +away alone to the palace of the Tsar. “I will +follow you,” she said, “and when you hear a +great noise, say, ‘That is my little Froggie, driving +up in her basket made of rushes.’” +</p> +<p>The Prince promised to do this and then he +rode away to the palace of the Tsar. +</p> +<p>His brothers were already there, and their +two wives were with them, both so handsome +and so magnificently dressed that each looked +finer than the other. +</p> +<p>When Ivan came in they all began to laugh. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_149' name='page_149'></a>149</span> +“Where is thy dear frog?” they asked. “Is she +still asleep among her reeds and rushes, or is +she too hoarse to come?” +</p> +<p>Even as they spoke there was a great noise +outside,—a roaring and rumbling like thunder. +</p> +<p>The palace shook until it seemed as though it +would fall about their ears. Every one was +terrified. Only Prince Ivan was calm. +</p> +<p>“There is my little Froggie now,” he said; +“she is driving up in her little basket of rushes.” +</p> +<p>At once the noise ceased, the doors were flung +open, and a magnificent Princess swept into the +room. Never was such a beauty seen before. +Her golden hair fell almost to the floor and was +bound about with jewels. Her robes were stiff +with embroidery and gems. The other Princesses +paled before her as stars pale before the +rising moon. +</p> +<p>Prince Ivan took her by the hand and led her +to the Tsar. “This is my dear Princess,” said +he, “and surely it is she and she only who +should reign over this land.” +</p> +<p>Well, there were no two ways to that. The +Tsar could hardly contain himself for joy over +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_150' name='page_150'></a>150</span> +the beauty of Prince Ivan’s bride. A great +feast was spread, and the Tsar himself led the +Princess to the table. She sat at his right +hand and drank from his jewelled cup, and +all was joy and merriment. Only the older +brothers and their wives were sad, for they +knew they had missed all chance of gaining the +kingdom. +</p> +<p>Now while they were still at the table, all +eating and drinking, Prince Ivan arose and +made some excuse for leaving the room. He +went quietly and mounted his horse and rode +back to his own castle. +</p> +<p>There he made haste to the room where his +wife had left her frog-skin. He hunted about +until he found it, and then he threw it into the +fire, for he did not intend that she should ever +hide herself away in it again. +</p> +<p>At once a clap of thunder sounded, and the +Princess stood before him. Her eyes were +streaming with tears, and she wrung her hands +in grief. +</p> +<p>“Alas and woe is me!” she cried. “Why did +you burn my frog-skin? A little longer, and I +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_151' name='page_151'></a>151</span> +would have been free. Now I must go away +and leave you forever.” +</p> +<p>“But where are you going?” cried the Prince +in despair. “Wherever it is I will follow and +find you.” +</p> +<p>“Seek me beyond the seven mountains, beyond +the seven seas, in the kingdom of Koshchei +the Deathless, for it is in his house I will be,” +answered the Princess. Then she turned into +a great white swan and flew out through the +window and far, far away; so far the Prince +could no longer see her. +</p> +<p>Then Prince Ivan was filled with grief; and +he neither stayed nor tarried but set out at +once in search of his Princess. +</p> +<p>He journeyed on and journeyed on a short +way and a long way, and then he met an old +man with a grey beard that hung down far below +his belt. +</p> +<p>“Good day, good youth,” said the old man. +</p> +<p>“Good day, grandfather,” answered Ivan. +</p> +<p>“Whither do you journey with so sad a face?” +asked the stranger. +</p> +<p>“I journey over land and over sea in search +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_152' name='page_152'></a>152</span> +of the kingdom of Koshchei the Deathless,” +answered Ivan. +</p> +<p>“Then you have a long journey before you,” +said the old man. “But why do you seek the +kingdom of Koshchei the Deathless, that terrible +man?” +</p> +<p>“I seek it that I may find what is lost.” +Then Ivan told the old man his story, all about +his frog bride and how she had turned into a +Princess,—how he had burned the frog-skin +and how she had flown away as a swan, and that +now life would be nothing but a burden to him +until he could find her again. +</p> +<p>The old man shook his head. “Alas! alas! +You should never have burned the frog-skin!” +he said. He then told Ivan that the name of +the Princess was Vasilisa the Fair. “Her +mother was the sister of Koshchei the Deathless,” +said the stranger, “and when she was +born it was foretold that before she was eighteen +Koshchei should lose his life because of her. +It was for this reason that he changed her into +a frog and set her in the midst of the lonely +swamp. In a month and a day from now the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_153' name='page_153'></a>153</span> +Princess would have been eighteen, and the +danger to Koshchei would have been over. +Then he would have allowed her to lay aside +her frog-skin and take back her human shape. +But now he is angry and has carried her away +to his castle, and only by the grace of Heaven +will you be able to find her and set her free.” +</p> +<p>The old man then gave Prince Ivan a little +ball. “Take this,” he said, “and roll it before +you as you go. It will show you which way +to travel, and with its help you may reach the +kingdom of Koshchei.” +</p> +<p>Ivan took the ball and thanked the old man +and journeyed on. He rolled the ball before +him, and in whichever direction it rolled he +followed. +</p> +<p>He went along and went along, until after +a while he came to a forest, and there he saw a +bear. +</p> +<p>Prince Ivan would have shot it, but the bear +cried to him, “Do not shoot me, Prince. Take +me with you as a servant, and the time may +come when I can help you.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said the Prince. “Come with +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_154' name='page_154'></a>154</span> +me”; so he journeyed on with the bear at his +heels. +</p> +<p>Presently he saw a wild duck and would have +shot it, but the duck called to him, “Do not +shoot me, dear Prince. Take me with you, and +I will be a faithful servant. The time may +come when you will need me.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” answered the Prince. “You +also may come with us as a companion.” +</p> +<p>So the Prince journeyed along with the bear +at his heels and the duck flying overhead. +</p> +<p>After a while they came to the edge of a river, +and there lay a great fish, gasping out its life in +the sunlight. +</p> +<p>“Now at last I shall have a good meal,” +said the Prince. +</p> +<p>But the fish cried to him in a human voice, +“Throw me back into the river, Prince, that I +may live. The time may come when I can do +you a good turn also.” +</p> +<p>So the Prince had mercy on the fish and +threw it back into the water. +</p> +<p>After that he and his companions traveled on +a long way. They journeyed over seven mountains +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_155' name='page_155'></a>155</span> +and crossed seven seas, and so they came +at last to the kingdom of Koshchei the Deathless. +</p> +<p>There the Prince saw a little hut. It stood +on hen’s legs and turned this way and that, +whichever way the wind blew. There was no +getting at the door. Then the Prince cried, +“Little hut, stand the way my mother built +you with your back away from me and your +door before me.” +</p> +<p>At once the hut whirled round and stood +with the open door in front of him. +</p> +<p>Prince Ivan entered in, and saw a bony-legged +Baba Yaga lying on the stove with her grey hair +over her face. +</p> +<p>“Who are you? And what seek you here in +the kingdom of Koshchei the Deathless?” she +cried. +</p> +<p>“Do not ask questions but rise up and give +me food and drink,” said the Prince; “for I +am both hungry and thirsty.” +</p> +<p>The Baba Yaga arose and served him food +and drink. He ate and gave part to the bear +and the duck. Then he told the Baba Yaga +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_156' name='page_156'></a>156</span> +why he had come there—that he was wandering +in search of his dear wife, Vasilisa the +Fair. +</p> +<p>The old witch shook her head. “It will be a +hard thing to rescue her,” she said. “Koshchei +is very powerful. Only in one way can you +overcome him. Not far from here stands a tree. +It is as hard as rock, so that no ax can dent it, +and so smooth that none can climb it. On the +top of it is a nest. In the nest is an egg. A +duck sits over the egg to guard it. In that egg +is a needle, and only with that needle can you +kill Koshchei the Deathless.” +</p> +<p>The Baba Yaga then led Prince Ivan to the +door and pointed out to him where the tree +grew, and Prince Ivan hurried on toward it, +with his two faithful servants, the bear and the +duck. +</p> +<p>But when he reached the tree he looked at it +with despair. It was indeed very smooth and +high,—as smooth as glass, and when he tried +his hunting knife upon it the knife bent and +crumpled in his hand. +</p> +<p>“Master, now is the time that I can help +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_157' name='page_157'></a>157</span> +you,” said the bear. He went to the tree +and clasped it and shook it, so that its roots +cracked, and it fell with a mighty noise. +</p> +<p>At once the duck that was guarding the egg +caught it up in its claws and flew away with it. +But Ivan’s duck pursued so fiercely that the +other was forced to drop the egg in order to +defend itself. +</p> +<p>Unfortunately they had both flown over a +river, and into this river the egg dropped and +was lost to sight. +</p> +<p>Ivan sat down upon the bank of the river and +wept. “Alas, alas!” he cried. “Now truly is +my dear wife lost to me, for never can I recover +the egg from the river.” +</p> +<p>Hardly had he spoken when the fish he had +thrown back into the river appeared, bearing +the egg in its mouth. +</p> +<p>Now Ivan’s grief was turned to rejoicing. +He broke the egg and took out the needle. +Then, with the little ball to lead him, he soon +made his way to Koshchei’s palace. +</p> +<p>The Deathless One rushed out to meet him, +but Ivan attacked him with the point of the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_158' name='page_158'></a>158</span> +needle. It was in vain Koshchei tried to protect +himself. Ivan drove the needle into him +deeper and deeper, and presently Koshchei sank +down dead before him, no better than a lump +of clay. +</p> +<p>Prince Ivan strode across him and on into +the castle. From room to room he went, and in +the deepest dungeon he found the Princess +Vasilisa, his own dear wife. She threw herself +into his arms, weeping with joy. +</p> +<p>Then they went to Koshchei’s treasure room +and took from it all the most precious jewels,—all +that the faithful bear could carry they +loaded upon his back and carried away with +them. +</p> +<p>After that they journeyed back to their own +kingdom, and if any one was glad to see them +it was the Tsar himself. +</p> +<p>He built for them a castle close to his own, +where they could not even see the swamp. +There Ivan and his frog princess lived in the +greatest love and happiness, and after the old +Tsar’s death they themselves ruled over the +kingdom as the Tsar and Tsaritsa. +</p> + +<hr style='width: 10%; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; clear:both; margin: 2em auto 1em 0' /> + +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_1' id='Footnote_1'></a><a href='#FNanchor_1'><span class='label'>[1]</span></a> +<p style='font-size: small'>King.</p></div> + +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_MAGIC_TURBAN_THE_MAGIC_SWORD_AND_THE_MAGIC_CARPET_A_PERSIAN_STORY' id='THE_MAGIC_TURBAN_THE_MAGIC_SWORD_AND_THE_MAGIC_CARPET_A_PERSIAN_STORY'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_159' name='page_159'></a>159</span> +<h2>THE MAGIC TURBAN, THE MAGIC SWORD<br />AND THE MAGIC CARPET</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Persian Story</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There were once two brothers, the sons of a +rich merchant, and when he died he left all his +estate to be divided between them equally. +This was done, and the elder at once set about +trading and improving his condition, so that very +soon he became twice as rich as he had been. +</p> +<p>But the younger son had no luck. Everything +he undertook failed. Moreover, he never +had the heart to say no to a friend in need. +So before long he was left with not a penny in +his purse or a roof over his head. +</p> +<p>In his distress he went to his elder brother +and asked help of him. +</p> +<p>“How is this?” said the elder. “Our father +left the same to both of us, and I have prospered +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_160' name='page_160'></a>160</span> +in the world and have now become a rich +man, but you have not even a roof to shelter +your head or a bite to eat.” +</p> +<p>“Well, that’s a long tale,” said the younger, +“and what is done is done. But give me another +chance, and it may be that this time I will +succeed in the world.” +</p> +<p>After they had talked a long time the elder +brother consented to give him fifty dollars, but +if he wasted that the way he had the rest of his +property, he was not to come back again. +</p> +<p>The younger brother took the money and +went off with it, but it was not long before it +had slipped through his fingers just the way his +other money had. Before long he was back at +his brother’s door, asking for help again. +</p> +<p>The older brother scolded and reproached +him. He was a spendthrift and a waster. +But in the end he gave him another fifty dollars, +and bade him be off, and not dare to return +again. +</p> +<p>The younger brother went off with the fifty +dollars and this time he was sure he would succeed +with it. But his luck was still no better +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_161' name='page_161'></a>161</span> +than it had been before. Soon it was all gone, +and back he came to his brother’s house. +</p> +<p>So it went on. The older brother could not +rid himself of him. At last the elder brother, +seeing there would be no peace for him as long +as he remained where he was, made up his +mind to sell all his possessions and take the +money and journey to a far land without telling +his younger brother anything about it. +</p> +<p>This he did, but somehow or other the +younger one got wind of it. He found what +ship his brother was to sail on, and then he +crawled aboard at night, when nobody was +watching, and hid himself among the cargo. +</p> +<p>The next day the ship set sail. Soon they +were out at sea. Then the elder brother came +out on deck and strutted up and down, and he +rejoiced at heart that he had shaken off the +younger lad and with good luck might never see +him again. +</p> +<p>But just as he thought this, whom should he +see but the lad coming across the deck to meet +him and give him greeting. +</p> +<p>The elder was a sick and sorry man. It +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_162' name='page_162'></a>162</span> +seemed there was no ridding himself of his +brother. At the first port they touched he left +the ship, and his brother got off with him, for +he had no idea of being left behind. +</p> +<p>The elder brother stood there on the shore +and looked about him. Then he said, “Listen, +now! It is a long way to the town. Do you +stay here while I go on farther, beyond yon +spit of land, and see whether I can find a dwelling +where I can buy us a couple of horses; for +I have no wish to journey on foot.” +</p> +<p>The younger brother was for going along too, +but to this the elder would not consent. No, +no; the lad was to stay there and watch a box +that the elder brother had brought along. (The +box had nothing in it, but this the younger +brother did not know.) +</p> +<p>So the elder brother set out and soon was out +of sight, and the younger one sat on the box +and kicked his heels and waited, and waited and +waited and waited; but his brother never did +come back. +</p> +<p>Then the lad knew the older one had made a +fool of him. He looked in the box and found +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_163' name='page_163'></a>163</span> +it empty. So off he set to see whether he could +make his own way in the world and no thanks +to any one. +</p> +<p>He journeyed on a short way and a long way, +and so he came to a place where three men were +quarreling together fiercely, and the things they +were quarreling over were an old turban, a +piece of carpet, and a sword. +</p> +<p>As soon as they saw the lad they stopped +quarreling and ran and caught hold of him. +“You shall decide! You shall decide!” they +shouted all together. +</p> +<p>“What is it you wish me to decide?” asked +the lad. +</p> +<p>Then the men told him they were three +brothers, and that when their father died he had +left them these three things,—the turban, the +carpet, and the sword. Whoever placed the +turban on his head would at once become invisible. +Whoever sat on the carpet had only to +wish himself wherever he would be, and the +carpet would carry him there in a twinkling, +and the sword would cut through anything, +and no magic could stand against it. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_164' name='page_164'></a>164</span></p> +<p>“These things should belong to me, because +I am the eldest,” cried one of the men. +</p> +<p>“No, I should have them because I am the +strongest and stoutest,” said the second. +</p> +<p>“But I am the youngest and weakest and +need them most,” cried the third. They then +began to quarrel again and even came to blows. +</p> +<p>“Stop, stop,” cried the lad. “You said that +I should decide this matter for you, so why +quarrel about it? But before I decide I must +try the things and see whether what you have +told me is really so.” +</p> +<p>To this the brothers agreed. First they gave +him the sword, and the lad took it in his hand +and aimed a blow at a rock near by, and the +sword cut through the rock as smoothly and +easily as though it had been a piece of cheese. +</p> +<p>“Now give me the turban,” said the lad. +</p> +<p>The brothers gave him the turban, and he +placed it upon his head and at once became invisible! +</p> +<p>“Now the carpet.” +</p> +<p>The brothers spread out the carpet on the +ground, and the lad seated himself upon it with +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_165' name='page_165'></a>165</span> +the turban still upon his head and the sword in +his hand! Then he wished himself far away in +some place where the brothers would never find +him. +</p> +<p>Immediately he found himself in the outskirts +of a large city. He stepped from the carpet +and rolled it up and took the turban from +his head and looked about him. He had no +idea of going back to return the things to the +brothers, and if they waited for him they waited +a long time. “It will teach them not to quarrel +but to live at peace with each other,” said +the lad to himself. Then he made his way to +the nearest house, for he was hungry and meant +to ask for a bite to eat. +</p> +<p>He knocked, and an old woman opened the +door, and she was so old that her chin and her +nose met. +</p> +<p>“Good day, mother,” said the lad. +</p> +<p>“Good day to you,” answered the crone. +</p> +<p>“Will you give me a bite to eat, for the love +of charity?” +</p> +<p>Yes, the crone would do that. She gave him +a bite and a sup and a bit over, and while he +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_166' name='page_166'></a>166</span> +was eating and drinking she sat and talked with +him. +</p> +<p>“What is the news here in the city?” asked +the lad. +</p> +<p>“Oh the same news as ever.” +</p> +<p>“And what is that? For I am a stranger +here and know no more of yesterday or the +week before than of to-day.” +</p> +<p>“Then I will tell you. Over yonder lies the +castle, and the King lives there. He has only +one daughter, and she is a beauty, you may +believe. Every night the Princess disappears +from the castle, and where she goes no one can +tell but herself, and she will not. So the King +has offered a reward to any one who will find +out. The half of his kingdom he offers and the +hand of the Princess as well, if only any one +can tell him where she goes.” +</p> +<p>“That is a good hearing,” said the lad. “I +have a mind to try for that prize myself.” +</p> +<p>“No, but wait a bit,” said the old woman. +“There is another side to the story, for if you +try and fail your head will be lifted from your +shoulders with a sharp sword, and you are too +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_167' name='page_167'></a>167</span> +fine a young man to lose your life in that +way.” +</p> +<p>But the lad was determined to try. In vain +the old woman warned and entreated him. He +thanked her for the meal he had eaten, and +then off he set for the palace. There he told +the errand that had brought him and after that +it did not take long for him to get to see the King. +</p> +<p>“So you think you can find out where the +Princess goes at night,” said the King. +</p> +<p>Yes, the lad thought he could. +</p> +<p>Very well, then, he might have a try at it, +but he must remember that if he tried and failed +his head would be cut from his shoulders with +a sharp sword. +</p> +<p>Yes, the lad understood that, and he was +ready to take the risk. +</p> +<p>So that night he was taken to the door of a +room in a high tower, and the room was of iron +and had only one door and one window. Into +this room the Princess was put every night, +and it would be the duty of the lad to watch at +the door and see either that she did not leave +it, or where she went. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_168' name='page_168'></a>168</span></p> +<p>Presently the Princess came upstairs and +passed by the lad without so much as a glance, +but his heart leaped within him, she was so +beautiful. +</p> +<p>She opened the door to go in, and the lad put +on his turban of darkness and slipped in after +her, but the Princess did not know that because +he was invisible. She closed the door tight and +sighed three times, and then a great black demon +stood before her, and he was terrible to +look upon, he was so huge and ugly. +</p> +<p>“Oh, my dear Lala,” said the Princess, “let +us be off at once. I do not know why, but I +feel so frightened, just as though some misfortune +were about to come upon me.” +</p> +<p>“That is nonsense,” said the demon. “But +do you seat yourself upon my head, and we will +be off at once.” +</p> +<p>The demon wore a buckler upon his head, +and now he stooped, and she seated herself upon +it, but the lad was quick and sprang up and +took his place beside her. +</p> +<p>“Ai! Ai!” cried the demon, “but you are +heavy to-day, Princess.” +</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_169' name='page_169'></a>169</span> +<a name='linki_4' id='linki_4'></a> +<img src='images/c003.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> +Then the demon flew out through the window and away<br /> +through the night. +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>“I do not know what you mean,” answered +the Princess. “I am no heavier and no lighter +than I was last night.” +</p> +<p>Then the demon flew out through the window +and away through the night so fast that +the lad had much ado to keep from falling off. +</p> +<p>After a while they came to a garden the like +of which the lad had never seen before and +never expected to see again, for the leaves of +the trees were of silver, and the branches +were of gold, and the fruits were emeralds +and rubies. +</p> +<p>As they passed through it the lad stretched +out his hand and broke off a twig and put it in +his bosom. Then all the trees in the garden +began to sigh and moan.</p> + +<p>“Child of man! Child +of man! why do you break and torture us?” +</p> +<p>The Princess shuddered. “Some one besides +ourselves is here in the garden,” she cried. +</p> +<p>“That cannot be, or we would see him,” +answered the demon, but he was frightened +and flew on faster than before. +</p> +<p>Presently they came to another garden and +it was even more wonderful than the first, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_170' name='page_170'></a>170</span> +for here the trees were of diamonds, and the +fruits of every kind of precious stones you can +think of. +</p> +<p>As they passed through it the lad stretched +out his hand and broke off a twig. Then all +the trees began to sigh and moan. +</p> +<p>“Child of man! Child of man! Why do you +break and torture us?” they cried. +</p> +<p>“Oh, my dear Lala, what did I tell you?” +asked the Princess. “I am afraid”; and she +trembled all over her body. +</p> +<p>The demon answered nothing, but he flew on +even faster than ever. +</p> +<p>Soon after they came to a magnificent palace, +and the demon flew in through a window and +alighted. Then the Princess and the lad leaped +down from the buckler, and the demon was +glad to have the weight off him. After that he +vanished. +</p> +<p>The Princess opened a door and went into +another room, with the lad close behind her, +and there was the King of all the demons, and +he was so huge and black that the demon Lala +was nothing to him. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_171' name='page_171'></a>171</span></p> +<p>“My dearest dear one, why are you so late +to-night?” asked he of the Princess. +</p> +<p>“I do not know what was the matter,” answered +the fair one, “but something is terribly +wrong”; and she told him all that had happened. +</p> +<p>The Demon laughed at her. “You are nervous,” +said he. “But come! You have not +kissed me yet.” +</p> +<p>He came close to the Princess to kiss her, but +the lad stepped between them and gave the +Demon such a push that he almost fell over; +at the same time he himself gave the Princess a +kiss upon the cheek. +</p> +<p>“Why do you push me away?” cried the +Demon, and he was very angry. +</p> +<p>The Princess began to tremble again. “I +did not push you,” said she. “Moreover, some +one kissed me on the cheek. I am sure somebody +is in the room with us.” +</p> +<p>The King Demon looked all around, but he +could see nobody. Then he called a slave to +bring the Princess the jeweled slippers she always +wore when she came to his palace. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_172' name='page_172'></a>172</span></p> +<p>The slave brought the slippers on a golden +cushion, and they were crusted over with pearls +and precious stones. He knelt before the Princess, +and she took one and put it on, but at the +same time the lad took the other and slipped it +in his bosom. The Princess and the Demon +did not know what had become of it. They +hunted everywhere, but they could not find it. +</p> +<p>“There, now! See how careless you are,” +said the Demon; and he bade the slave bring +another pair of slippers. +</p> +<p>This the slave did, but it was the same with +this pair as with the others. While the Princess +was putting on one slipper the lad took +the other and hid it in his bosom. The Princess +and the Demon and the slave all looked +for it, but they could not find it. +</p> +<p>At that the Princess flew into a passion and +threw both the slippers away from her. +</p> +<p>“I do not care,” said she; “and now I will +not wear any slippers at all.” +</p> +<p>“Never mind!” answered the Demon. “We +will have a sherbet together, and after that we +will eat.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_173' name='page_173'></a>173</span></p> +<p>He clapped his hands, and another slave appeared, +bearing two crystal goblets full of sherbet. +The Princess took one goblet and the +Demon the other. Just as they were about to +drink the lad smote the crystal goblet from the +Princess’s hand so that it fell upon the marble +floor and was shattered, and all the sherbet was +spilled. +</p> +<p>The lad picked up a splinter of the crystal +and hid it in his bosom with the golden twig, +the diamond twig, and the two slippers. But +the Princess shook and trembled until she could +hardly stand, and even the Demon was troubled. +</p> +<p>“Why did you cast the goblet on the floor?” +he asked. +</p> +<p>“I did not,” answered the Princess, “but +some one struck it from my hand”; and she +began to weep. +</p> +<p>The Demon comforted her and bade other +slaves bring in the feast that had been prepared +for him and the Princess. +</p> +<p>Quickly the slaves brought it and placed it +before them. The lad had never seen such a +feast. All the dishes were of gold and were +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_174' name='page_174'></a>174</span> +carved to represent scenes in demon life, and the +handles were set thick with precious stones and +enamelled in strange colors. There were all +sorts of delicious things to eat, so that the lad’s +mouth watered at the smell of them. +</p> +<p>The Demon and the Princess sat down to eat, +but it was small good the Princess got of the +feast, for every time the Demon put anything +on her plate the lad snatched it away and ate +it, and the Princess was left hungry. The lad +also took one of the golden forks and one of the +golden spoons and hid them in his bosom. +</p> +<p>“What did I tell you,” cried the Princess. +“Something is wrong! Something is <i>terribly</i> +wrong.” +</p> +<p>“Yes, I can see that myself,” said the King +Demon. “You had better go on home again, +for we will get no pleasure out of this night, +and that I can easily see.” +</p> +<p>Lala was called, the Princess mounted the +buckler in haste, and away the Demon flew +with her. But this time the lad did not fly +with them. +</p> +<p>He waited until they were gone, and then he +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_175' name='page_175'></a>175</span> +drew the Sword of Sharpness and smote the +King Demon’s head from his shoulders. +</p> +<p>At once a clap of thunder sounded; the castle +rocked, and the walls crumbled about him. +The trees in the gardens were withered, and a +thick darkness fell, while all about him sounded +cries and groans. +</p> +<p>But the lad seated himself upon the carpet +and wished himself back at the door of the +room in the tower, and there he was in a twinkling, +long before Lala had flown in through the +window with the Princess, even though he +flew as swiftly as the wind. +</p> +<p>The lad took off the Turban of Darkness, +and rolled up the carpet, and lay down and +closed his eyes as though he were asleep. +</p> +<p>Presently the Princess opened the door and +peered out. There lay the lad, snoring and +with his eyes closed. The Princess drew a +sharp needle and ran it into the lad’s heel, but +he never flinched, so she felt sure he was +asleep. +</p> +<p>“Thou fool!” said she scornfully. “Sleep +on, and to-morrow thou shalt pay the penalty.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_176' name='page_176'></a>176</span></p> +<p>Then she went back into the room and closed +the door. +</p> +<p>The next day the Princess called the guards +and bade them carry the lad away and cut the +head from his shoulders. +</p> +<p>“Wait a bit,” said the lad. “Do not be in +such a hurry. First we must appear before +thy father the King; he must decide in this +case, and it may be I have something to tell +him that will be worth the hearing.” +</p> +<p>The Princess could not refuse this, so she and +the lad were brought before the King, and the +lad began to tell his story. When he came to +the part where the great black Demon had +come and flown away with the Princess she +turned first as red as blood and then as pale as +death. +</p> +<p>“It is not true!” she cried, but the King +bade her be silent. +</p> +<p>Then the lad told how they had flown +through the gardens. “It is all a wicked lie,” +moaned the Princess, but the lad drew forth +the twigs he had broken from the trees and +showed them to the King as proof of his truth. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_177' name='page_177'></a>177</span></p> +<p>After that the lad told of how they had +entered the castle, and how the King Demon +had tried to kiss the Princess, and of the shattered +goblet and the uneaten feast, and he had +the splinter of crystal and the spoon and fork +to show, so the King knew it was all true, and +the Princess looked as though she wished she +were dead. +</p> +<p>Last of all he told how the Princess had returned +on the Demon’s buckler, and how he had +remained behind and cut off the King Demon’s +head, and how the castle had fallen and the +gardens had withered, and all had become darkness +and confusion. +</p> +<p>When the Princess heard this she gave a +shriek of joy. “Then you have saved me!” +she cried. “Never again need I fly forth at +night at the will of the Demon nor be his slave!” +</p> +<p>Then it was her turn to tell her story. She +told how one time the King Demon had seen +her walking in the palace gardens and had fallen +in love with her, and how he had used his magic +to gain power over her. She told how she hated +him and feared him, but how against her will +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_178' name='page_178'></a>178</span> +he had forced her to come to visit him every +night in his castle and had sent the demon +Lala to fetch her. But now that the King +Demon was dead, she was free, and it was the +lad who had saved her. +</p> +<p>When the King, her father, heard this, he +marveled greatly. Glad was he that such a +brave lad was to be his son-in-law, for that was +his promise. The lad and the Princess were +betrothed then and there, and the King gave +orders that a grand wedding feast should be +prepared, for they were to be married as soon +as possible. All the good folks far and near +were invited to come to the feast. +</p> +<p>The lad’s elder brother was invited with the +rest, but he never dreamed that the brave lad +who was to marry the Princess was his own +younger brother. +</p> +<p>He came to the palace on the feast day and +took his place at the table with the other guests, +and then he looked up at the three thrones +where the King and the Princess and the lad +were sitting, and there it was his own younger +brother who sat there. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_179' name='page_179'></a>179</span></p> +<p>When the man saw that he was afraid, for he +remembered how he had deserted the lad on +the seashore to live or die as fate willed, and +he feared he might be punished for it. +</p> +<p>But the younger brother bore him no grudge, +but was grateful to him for what he had done. +As soon as he saw the elder one there among the +guests, he sent a servant for him and placed +him in the seat of honor and called him brother. +</p> +<p>So all was happiness and rejoicing. Everybody +was happy, but the lad and the Princess +were happiest of all, because they loved each +other and had just been married. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_THREE_SILVER_CITRONS_A_PERSIAN_STORY' id='THE_THREE_SILVER_CITRONS_A_PERSIAN_STORY'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_180' name='page_180'></a>180</span> +<h2>THE THREE SILVER CITRONS</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Persian Story</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a King who had three sons, +and he loved them all equally, one no more than +the other. +</p> +<p>When he had grown old and felt his strength +leaving him, he called the three Princes before +him. +</p> +<p>“My sons,” said he, “I am no longer young, +and soon the time will come when I must leave +you. I have it in mind to give the kingdom +to one or the other of you now and not to leave +it for you to quarrel over after I have gone. +You have reached a time of life when you +should marry. Go forth into the world and +seek, each one of you, a bride for himself. He +who brings home the most beautiful Princess +shall have the kingdom.” +</p> +<p>The three Princes were well content with +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_181' name='page_181'></a>181</span> +what their father said. At once the two elder +ones made ready to set out; but the youngest +one said he would wait a bit. “It is not +right,” said he, “that our father should be left +alone in his old age. I will wait until my +brothers return, and then I too will start out to +try my fortune in the world.” +</p> +<p>That was good hearing for the older Princes, +for they had always been a bit jealous of their +younger brother and were just as well pleased +not to have him with them. +</p> +<p>Before they set out they packed a bag full of +food to carry with them, for they had no wish +to starve by the wayside. They took baked +meats and boiled meats, and little cakes and +big cakes, and fine white bread, and wine to +drink. +</p> +<p>Well, off they set, and on they went, a short +way and a long way, until they came to the +edge of a forest, and there they sat down in +the shade to eat; and when they spread the +food out before them it made a fine feast I can +tell you. +</p> +<p>Just as they were about to begin an old +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_182' name='page_182'></a>182</span> +woman came hobbling out of the forest. She +was so old that her nose and her chin met and +she was so bent that she could barely get +along even with the help of the crutch she had. +</p> +<p>“Good masters, give me a bite and a sup, +I beg of you,” she said. “It is a hundred years +since I have tasted anything but black bread.” +</p> +<p>“If you have lived on black bread that long +you can live on it a little longer,” said one +of the Princes, and then they both laughed. +However, they bade the old crone come back +there after they had gone, and it might be she +would find some broken bits lying round, and +those she might have if she cared to gather +them up. +</p> +<p>Then the Princes went on eating and drinking, +and after they had finished they journeyed +on again. +</p> +<p>Presently they came to a cross roads, and +there they separated; one went east and one +went west. The eldest Prince took the east +road, and soon it brought him to a castle, and +in this castle lived a Princess who was as pretty +as a picture. It was not long before the Prince +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_183' name='page_183'></a>183</span> +won her to be his wife, for he was a stout and +comely lad, and as soon as they were married +he set out for home, taking his bride with him. +</p> +<p>As it happened with the eldest Prince, so it +did with the second brother. He also found a +castle and a Princess, and won her to be his +bride, and brought her home with him to his +father’s house; and when the two Princesses +met it was hard to choose between them, they +were both so pretty. It seemed as though the +kingdom would have to be divided between the +elder brothers and their pretty brides. +</p> +<p>But first it was only right that the youngest +Prince should have a chance, so now that his +brothers had returned he was ready to set out +into the wide world and see what sort of a +beauty he could pick up. His brothers laughed +at him, for they had never had much of an +opinion of his wit, even though they were jealous +of him. +</p> +<p>“Only see that she has two eyes and a stout +pair of hands,” said they. “Our Princesses will +find something for her to do about the palace, +no doubt, and as for you, you shall always have +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_184' name='page_184'></a>184</span> +a warm place in the chimney corner where you +can sit.” +</p> +<p>The youngest Prince answered never a word, +but he put some food in a scrip and off he set. +</p> +<p>He journeyed on and on, a short way and a +long way, and then he too came to the forest +and sat down in the shade to eat, as his brothers +had done before him. +</p> +<p>Presently the old crone came hobbling out +from the forest, and she was more bent and +hideous than ever. +</p> +<p>“Good youth, give me a bite and sup, I +beg of you,” she said. “It is a hundred years +since I have tasted anything but black bread.” +</p> +<p>“Then it is high time you had something +else to eat,” said the Prince, and he gave her +the best of all he had, both food and wine. +</p> +<p>The old woman ate and drank, and by the +time she finished there was little enough left for +the Prince. Then she drew out from her sleeve +a pretty little pipe and gave it to him. “Take +this,” she said, “and if there is anything you +wish for play a tune upon the pipe, and it may +help you to find it.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_185' name='page_185'></a>185</span></p> +<p>After that she disappeared into the forest again. +</p> +<p>The Prince hung his scrip over his shoulder, +and then he was ready to set out, but first he +thought he might as well see what the pipe was +good for. He set it to his lips and blew a tune. +</p> +<p>Immediately a score of little black Trolls with +long noses appeared before him. “Master, +here we are!” they cried. “What would you +have of us?” +</p> +<p>“I did not know I was your master,” thought +the Prince, but what he said was, “What I want +is the prettiest Princess in twelve kingdoms for +a bride, and if you can get me such a one I’ll +thank you kindly.” +</p> +<p>“We know where to find such a Princess, +and we can show you the way,” said the oldest +and blackest of the Trolls, “but we ourselves +cannot touch her. You will have to win her for +yourself.” +</p> +<p>Well, that suited the Prince, and if they +would only show him the Princess he would do his +best to get her. So off they set, and presently +they came to a high mountain, and it belonged +to the King of the Trolls. The Prince blew +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_186' name='page_186'></a>186</span> +upon the pipe again, and the mountain opened +before him. He went in, and there he was in a +great chamber, where the Troll kept the three +daughters of three Kings whom he had taken +captive and brought there, and they were so +beautiful that their beauty lighted the whole +place so there was no need of lamps. +</p> +<p>When the girls saw the Prince they were terrified +and began to run about this way and +that, looking for a place to hide; but they +could find no place, for the chamber was +quite smooth and bare. Then they changed +themselves into three silver citrons and rolled +about this way and that, all over the room. +</p> +<p>The Prince was terribly distressed that the +girls had changed into citrons, for they were so +lovely that he would have been glad to have +any one of them for a wife. +</p> +<p>However, he took up the citrons and hid +them in his bosom, and then, as there seemed +nothing better to do, he set out for home again, +for after having seen three such beauties as that +he would never be satisfied with any one else. +</p> +<p>After a while as he journeyed he came to the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_187' name='page_187'></a>187</span> +wood where he had seen the old crone before, +and there she was, waiting for him. +</p> +<p>“Well, and did you get what you set out to +search for?” she asked. +</p> +<p>“I did and I didn’t,” answered the Prince;—and +then he told her the whole story and showed +her the three citrons that he still carried in his +bosom. “They are three beauties, I can tell +you,” said he, “but of what use are they as +long as they remain as citrons?” +</p> +<p>“I may be able to help you again,” said the +old hag. She then gave him a silver knife and +a little golden cup. “Keep the citrons until +you come to a running stream. Then take +one,—whichever one you please,—and cut it +open with this knife. At once one of the Princesses +will appear. She will ask you for a +drink of water. Give it to her immediately in +this golden cup, and after that she will remain +with you and you can have her for your wife.” +</p> +<p>The Prince was delighted. He took the knife +and cup and thanked the old woman gratefully, +and then she again disappeared in the shadow +of the forest. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_188' name='page_188'></a>188</span></p> +<p>The Prince journeyed on until he came to a +running stream, and it was not so very far from +his father’s palace. Then he got out the knife +and the cup and one of the citrons. He cut +the citron, and at once one of the Princesses +appeared before him. If she had looked a +beauty when he saw her in the mountain she +was ten times lovelier, now that he saw her +in the light of day. The Prince could only +gape and gape at her. +</p> +<p>“Give me a cup of water to drink,” demanded +the Princess; but the Prince was so +busy staring at her that he did not move, and +in a moment the Princess vanished from before +him, and where she went he could not tell. +He was filled with grief over the loss of her, +but she was gone, and that was all of it. +</p> +<p>Then the Prince took out the second citron. +“This time I will be ready for her,” he thought. +He took his knife and cut the second citron. +At once the second Princess appeared before +him. +</p> +<p>“Give me a cup of water to drink,” she demanded. +But again the Prince was so overcome +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_189' name='page_189'></a>189</span> +by her beauty that he could no more move +than if he had been rooted to the ground, and +the next moment she too disappeared from before +his eyes. +</p> +<p>The Prince was in despair. He ran this way +and that way, calling aloud and trying to find +her, but she had vanished like the fading of a +breath. +</p> +<p>And now there was only one other citron +left, and the Prince trembled at the thought +of opening it, for he was afraid he would lose +this third Princess as he had the others. At +last he drew it from his bosom and prepared to +cut it, but first he filled the golden cup and set +it ready to his hand. Then he seized the knife +and with one stroke divided the citron in two. +</p> +<p>At once the third Princess stood before him, +and though the others had been beautiful she +exceeded them in beauty as the full moon exceeds +the stars in splendor. +</p> +<p>“Give me a cup of water,” said she; and +this time the Prince was ready. Almost before +she could speak he had caught up the golden +cup and presented it to her. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_190' name='page_190'></a>190</span></p> +<p>The Princess took the cup and drank, and +then she smiled upon him so brightly that he +was dazzled. +</p> +<p>“Now I am yours, and you are mine,” said +she, “and where you go I will follow, for I have +no one in all the wide world but you.” +</p> +<p>The Prince was almost wild with happiness. +He kissed her hands and looked with joy upon +her face. +</p> +<p>But she was dressed only in a linen shift. +</p> +<p>The Prince took off his cloak and wrapped it +about her. “Climb up into a tree,” said he, +“and hide yourself among the branches, and I +will go to the castle and bring you from thence +robes and jewels and all things fitting for such +a beautiful Princess to wear.” +</p> +<p>To this the Princess agreed. The Prince +helped her to climb up among the branches of +a tree that overhung the water, and then he +hastened away to the castle. +</p> +<p>The beauty sat there among the leaves waiting +for his return, and the time of waiting was +long, for when the Prince reached the castle he +was obliged to stay and tell the whole story to +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_191' name='page_191'></a>191</span> +his father before the King would permit him +to return with the robes and jewels he had +promised to bring to his bride. +</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<a name='linki_5' id='linki_5'></a> +<img src='images/c004.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> +The Princess took the cup and drank. +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>Meanwhile an ugly kitchen wench who +worked in the castle came to fetch water from +the spring, for every day the Princesses required +it for their baths. The girl had brought with +her an earthen jar to hold the water. +</p> +<p>As she leaned over the stream to fill the jar +she looked down into the water and saw the +face of the Princess reflected there, as she peered +out from the leaves above. +</p> +<p>The servant wench, whose name was Lucy, +thought it was the reflection of her own face +that she saw. She gazed upon it with wonder +and joy. “Ah! Ah!” she cried. “What a +beauty I am; why did no one ever tell me so? +Not even the two Princesses are as beautiful +as I.” She knelt there, staring and staring at +the reflection. Then in a rage she sprang to +her feet. +</p> +<p>“And they send me to draw water for them! +Me, who ought to sit on a throne above them +all. But I’ll no longer be their slave. I’ll +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_192' name='page_192'></a>192</span> +break their water jar to pieces, and if they +send me with others I’ll break them too!” +</p> +<p>With that she threw down the jar with such +violence that it was broken into bits, and +then she stamped about with rage. +</p> +<p>The sight amused the Princess so that she +laughed aloud. The servant wench looked up +and saw the lovely face peering out at her from +among the green leaves; it was the same beautiful +face she had seen reflected in the water. +</p> +<p>“Who are you? What are you doing up there +among the leaves?” she asked in a thick voice. +</p> +<p>“I am the promised bride of the Prince who +has just gone up to the castle,” answered the +beauty. “He has gone to fetch fine robes and +jewels that I may dress myself properly before +I appear before his father.” +</p> +<p>When she said this an evil thought came into +the servant wench’s head. +</p> +<p>“Come down,” said she, “and I will dress +your hair for you; I have often done this for +the other Princesses, and I can arrange it so +that you will look even more beautiful when +the Prince returns.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_193' name='page_193'></a>193</span></p> +<p>The Princess was nothing loath. She had no +thought of evil. She climbed down from the +tree and sat herself upon a rock, while Lucy +looped and pinned her hair in place and wove +a crown of flowers to place upon it. “Come +now, and see how beautiful you are,” said the +servant. +</p> +<p>She led the Princess to the place where the +stream was deepest, and then, when the beauty +stooped to look at herself in the water, Lucy +pushed her in. After that she stripped herself +to her shift, and hid her clothes under a +rock, and climbed up into the tree. There she +sat among the leaves, peering out just as the +Princess had done. +</p> +<p>Presently the Prince returned, bringing with +him all sorts of beautiful clothes and gifts for +his Princess bride. What was his amazement +to see, instead of the beauty he left in the tree, +the ugly face of the servant wench smiling down +at him from among the leaves. +</p> +<p>“What are you doing there?” he cried. +“And what have you done with the Princess?” +</p> +<p>“Alas,” said the servant maid, pretending to +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_194' name='page_194'></a>194</span> +weep, “I am the Princess. After you left me +a wicked enchantress came by this way and +changed me into this shape.” +</p> +<p>The Prince was filled with grief and horror +at these words. However, he believed her and +could not find it in his heart to punish her for +a misfortune she could not help. He showed +her the robes and jewels he had brought, and the +servant wench made haste to come down and +dress herself in them. When she had done this +she looked more hideous than ever. The Prince +could hardly bear to look at her, his grief and +shame were so great. Nevertheless he took her +by the hand and led her back to the castle. +</p> +<p>There the King was waiting full of impatience +to see the bride of his youngest son, this most +beautiful Princess in all of twelve kingdoms. +But when the Prince brought the ugly servant +wench before him he could hardly believe his +eyes. +</p> +<p>“This a beauty!” he cried. “Are you a fool +or do you take me for one? It is an insult +to bring me such a creature for a daughter-in-law.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_195' name='page_195'></a>195</span></p> +<p>The older Princes and their brides did not try +to hide their scorn or laughter, but the servant +sank on her knees, weeping, and repeated to the +king the same story she had told the Prince. +She assured him that she had been as beautiful +as the day when she had climbed up into +the tree and would be so still if the wicked +enchantress had not passed by and bewitched +her. +</p> +<p>The King frowned and stroked his beard. +“Yours is a sad case,” said he, “and since the +Prince has given his word to marry you, marry +you he must. Perchance sometime your beauty +may return.” +</p> +<p>He then gave orders that Lucy should be +shown to the apartments prepared for the Princess +and that she should be waited on and +served just as though she were the beauty his +son had promised him. +</p> +<p>But the heart of the Prince was like a stone +in his bosom, and he could not bear to look +upon the ugly one who was to be his bride. +</p> +<p>Now when the Princess had been pushed into +the water she had not been drowned, as Lucy +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_196' name='page_196'></a>196</span> +thought. Instead she changed into a beautiful +silver fish that swam about in the stream or hid +under a grassy bank. +</p> +<p>Now there was another servant who came +down to the stream for water instead of Lucy, +and one day when this servant dipped the jar +into the water the fish swam into it, and she +carried it back to the castle with her. +</p> +<p>It was so pretty that she showed it to the +Prince, hoping it might cheer him for a moment. +</p> +<p>No sooner had the Prince looked upon the +fish than he grew quite light and happy. He +would not let the servant take the fish away but +kept it with him in a crystal bowl and now +he no longer grieved so bitterly about his +bride. +</p> +<p>Lucy did not know why the Prince had grown +happier. She thought perhaps he had begun +to love her. But when she found that he +scarcely ever came to see her, but spent all +his time watching the fish, she became very +angry. +</p> +<p>She bribed a servant to steal the fish from +the Prince’s room and bring it to her. Then +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_197' name='page_197'></a>197</span> +she had a fire built and threw the fish into it to +burn. +</p> +<p>No sooner did the flames touch the fish, however, +than it changed into a beautiful silver bird +and flew out of the window. +</p> +<p>The false Princess was frightened. “There is +some magic here,” thought she, “and magic +that will prove my ruin.” +</p> +<p>And now the silver bird sat on a branch outside +the Princess’s window and sang and sang. +The Prince heard it, and his heart was filled +with joy, he knew not why, and he forgot the +fish that had disappeared from the bowl. +</p> +<p>Lucy also heard it and was more frightened +than ever. She sent for the servant who had +stolen the fish and bribed him to set a net to +catch the bird. This he did one day when the +Prince was away, and then he brought the bird +to the false Princess. But she shuddered at +sight of it as though she were cold, and bade +him take it outside and wring its neck. +</p> +<p>This the servant was loath to do, but he dared +not disobey her. He carried the bird outside +and did as she commanded, and three drops of +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_198' name='page_198'></a>198</span> +blood fell on the ground just below the Prince’s +window. +</p> +<p>The next morning when the Prince awoke he +saw with amazement that a beautiful citron tree +was growing outside of his window. Its trunk +was silver, and its leaves were silver, and on the +branch nearest his window hung three silver +citrons, and they were exactly like the silver +citrons he had brought from the Troll’s home +under the mountain. +</p> +<p>The Prince saw them hanging there, and his +heart was filled with joy and hope as he looked +at them. He reached out and plucked them +and hid them in his bosom. Then he took the +silver knife and the golden cup and hastened +down to the stream where he had opened the +citrons before. +</p> +<p>He cut the first citron, and at once the first +Princess appeared and asked him for a drink +of water, but he scarcely looked at her, and she +fled away. +</p> +<p>He cut the second citron, and the second +Princess appeared and demanded water, but +he never stirred, and she too vanished. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_199' name='page_199'></a>199</span></p> +<p>Then he filled the golden cup with water and +with a trembling hand cut the third citron. +</p> +<p>Immediately the third Princess appeared. +“Give me of the water to drink,” said she. +</p> +<p>At once the Prince handed her the golden cup. +She drank deeply, and then she smiled upon +him, and it was his own dear love who stood before +him more beautiful than ever. +</p> +<p>The Prince could hardly believe in his good +fortune. But the Princess told him all that had +happened to her—how Lucy had pushed her +into the water, and how she had been changed +first into a fish, and then into a bird, and then +into a citron as she had been before. The +Prince could not wonder and marvel enough. +He took her by the hand and led her up to the +castle, and her golden hair fell all about her so +that she seemed to be clothed in a shimmering +golden mantle. +</p> +<p>When she appeared before the King he was +amazed at the beauty of her, and when the +Prince told him that this was his true bride and +not the other, his happiness knew no bounds. +The whole palace resounded with rejoicings. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_200' name='page_200'></a>200</span> +Only Lucy was so terrified that she ran and +jumped out of a window and broke her neck. +</p> +<p>But the kingdom was given to the youngest +Prince, and he and the Princess reigned there +in peace and happiness as long as they lived. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_MAGIC_PIPE_A_NORSE_TALE' id='THE_MAGIC_PIPE_A_NORSE_TALE'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_201' name='page_201'></a>201</span> +<h2>THE MAGIC PIPE</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Norse Tale</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once three brothers, all the sons +of the same father and mother. +</p> +<p>The two elder were hard-working, thrifty lads, +who had no care except as to how they might +better themselves in the world. But the youngest, +whose name was Boots, was not thrifty at +all. He was a do-nothing and was quite content +to sit in the chimney corner and warm his +shins and think about things. +</p> +<p>One day the eldest son came to his father and +said, “I have it in mind to go over yonder to +the King’s castle and take service there, for I +hear the King has need of a herdsman to take +care of his hares for him. The wages are six +dollars a week, and if any one can keep the herd +together and bring them safe home every night +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_202' name='page_202'></a>202</span> +without losing one of them the King will give +him the Princess for a wife.” +</p> +<p>The father was pleased when he heard this. +Six dollars a week was fair pay, and it would be +a fine thing if the lad could win the Princess +for his wife. At any rate it was worth trying +for. +</p> +<p>So the eldest son cocked his hat over one ear, +and off he set for the palace. +</p> +<p>He had not gone so very far when he came to +the edge of a forest, and there was an old crone +with a green nose a yard long, and it was caught +in a crack of a log. She was dancing and hopping +about, but for all her dancing and hopping +she got no farther than that one spot, for her +nose held her there. +</p> +<p>The lad stopped and stared at her, and she +looked so funny to his mind that he laughed and +laughed till his sides ached. +</p> +<p>“You gawk!” screamed the old hag. “Come +and drive a wedge in the crack so I can get my +nose out. Here I have stood for twice a hundred +years, and no Christian soul has come to +set me free.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_203' name='page_203'></a>203</span></p> +<p>“If you have stood there twice a hundred +years you might as well stay a while longer. +As for me, I’m expected at the King’s palace, +and I have no time to waste driving wedges,” +said the lad, and away he went, one foot before +the other, leaving the old crone with her nose +still in the crack. +</p> +<p>When the lad came to the palace, he knocked +at the door and told the man who opened it +that he had come to see about the place of +herdsman. When the man heard this he +brought the lad straight to the King, and told +him what the lad had come for. +</p> +<p>The King listened and nodded his head. +Yes, he was in need of a herdsman and would +be glad to take the lad into his service, and +the wages were just as the youth thought, +with a chance of winning the Princess to +boot. But there was one part of the bargain +that had been left out. If the lad failed to +keep the herd together and lost so much +as even one small leveret, he was to receive +such a beating as would turn him black +and blue. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_204' name='page_204'></a>204</span></p> +<p>That part of the bargain was not such pleasant +hearing as the rest of it. Still the lad had +a mind to try for the Princess. So he was +taken out to the paddock where the hares were, +and a pretty sight it was to see them hopping +and frisking about, hundreds and hundreds of +them, big and little. +</p> +<p>All morning the hares were kept there in the +paddock with the new herdsman watching them, +and as long as that was the case everything +went well. But later on the hares had to be +driven out on the hills for a run and a bite of +fresh grass, and then the trouble began. The +lad could no more keep them together than if +they had been sparks from a fire. Away they +sped, some one way and some another, into the +woods and over the hills,—there was no keeping +track of them. The lad shouted and ran +and ran and shouted till the sweat poured down +his face, but he could not herd them back. By +the time evening came he had scarce a score of +them to drive home to the palace. +</p> +<p>And there on the steps stood the King with a +stout rod in his hands, all ready to give the lad +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_205' name='page_205'></a>205</span> +a beating. And a good beating it was, I can +tell you. When the King had finished with him +he could hardly stand. Home he went with +only his sore bones for wages. +</p> +<p>Then it was the second brother’s turn. He +also had a mind to try his hand at keeping the +King’s hares, with the chance of winning the +Princess for a wife. Off he set along the same +road his brother had taken, and after a while +he came to the place where the old crone was +dancing about with her long, green nose still +caught in the crack of a log. He was just as +fond of a good laugh as his brother was, and he +stood for a while to watch her, for he thought it +a merry sight. He laughed and laughed till the +tears ran down his cheeks, and the old hag was +screaming with rage. +</p> +<p>“You gawk! Come and drive a wedge into +the crack so that I can get my nose out,” she +bawled. “Here I have been for twice a hundred +years and no Christian soul has come to set +me free.” +</p> +<p>“If you have been there that long it will not +hurt to stay a bit longer,” said the youth. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_206' name='page_206'></a>206</span> +“I’m no woodsman, and besides that I’m on +my way to the King’s palace to win a Princess +for a wife.” And away he went, leaving the +old woman screaming after him. +</p> +<p>After a while the second brother came to the +palace, and when the servants heard why he had +come they were not slow in bringing him before +the King. Yes, the King was as much in need +of a herdsman for his hares as ever, but was the +lad willing to run the risk of having only a +beating for his pains? +</p> +<p>Yes, the lad was willing to run that risk, +for he was almost sure he could keep the +herd together, and it was not every day +one had a chance of winning a Princess for +a wife. +</p> +<p>So they took him out to the paddock where +the hares were. All morning he herded them +there as his brother had done before him, and +that was an easy task. But it was in the afternoon +that the trouble began. For no sooner +did the fresh wind of the hillside ruffle up their +fur than away they fled, this way and that, +kicking up their heels behind them. It was in +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_207' name='page_207'></a>207</span> +vain the lad chased after them and shouted and +sweated; he could not keep them together. +In the end he had scarcely threescore of them +to drive back to the palace in the evening. +</p> +<p>And the King was waiting for him with a +cudgel in his hands, and if the lad did not get +a good drubbing that day, then nobody ever +did. When the King finished with him he was +black and blue from his head to his heels, and +that is all he got for trying to win a Princess for +a wife. +</p> +<p>Now after the second son had come home +again with his doleful tale, Boots sat and +thought and thought about what had happened. +After a while, however, he rose up and shook +the ashes from his clothes and said that now it +was his turn to have a try at winning the Princess +for his wife. +</p> +<p>When the elder brothers heard that they +scoffed and hooted. Boots was no better than +a numskull anyway, and how could he hope +to succeed where they had failed. +</p> +<p>Well, all that might be true or it might not, +but at any rate he was for having a try at this +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_208' name='page_208'></a>208</span> +business, so off he set, just as the other two had +before him. +</p> +<p>After a while he came to the log where his +brothers had seen the hag with her nose caught +in the crack, and there she was still, for no one +had come by in the meantime to set her free. +He stood and stared and stared, for it was a +curious sight. +</p> +<p>“Oh, you gawk! Why do you stand there +staring?” cried the old hag. “Here I have +been for twice a hundred years, and no Christian +soul will take the trouble to set me free. Drive +a wedge into the crack so that I may get my +nose out.” +</p> +<p>“That I will and gladly, good mother,” said +the youth. “Two hundred years is a long time +for one to have one’s nose pinched in a crack.” +</p> +<p>Quickly he found a wedge and drove it into +the crack with a stone, and then the old hag +pulled her nose out. +</p> +<p>“Now you have done me a good turn, and I +have it in mind to do the same for you,” she +said. With that she took a pretty little pipe +out of the pocket of her skirt. “Do you take +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_209' name='page_209'></a>209</span> +this,” she said, “and it will come in handy if +you’re on your way to the King’s palace. If +you blow on the right end of the whistle the +things around you will be blown every which way +as if a strong wind had struck them, and if you +blow on the wrong end of it they will be gathered +together again. And those are not the +only tricks the pipe has, for if any one takes it +from you, you have only to wish for it, and +you can wish it back into your fingers again.” +</p> +<p>Boots took the pipe and thanked the old hag +kindly, and then he bade her good-by and went +on his way to the King’s palace. +</p> +<p>When the King heard what Boots had come +for, he was no less ready to take him for a herdsman +than he had been to take his brothers. +“But, mind you, you shall have a drubbing that +will make your bones ache if you come back in +the evening with even the smallest leveret missing +from the herd,” said the King. +</p> +<p>Yes, that was all right. The lad was ready +to take the risk, so all morning Boots herded +the hares in the paddock, and in the afternoon +he took them out to the hills, as the bargain +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_210' name='page_210'></a>210</span> +was. There the hares could no longer be kept +in a herd. They kicked up their heels and away +they went, every which way. +</p> +<p>So that was the game, was it? Boots was +very willing to play it, too. <a name='tune' id='tune'></a>He took out his +pipe and blew a tune on the right end of it, +and away the hares flew faster than they had +intended, as though a strong wind had blown +them. Presently there was not one left on the +hill. Then the lad lay down in the sun and fell +asleep. +</p> +<p>When he awoke it was toward evening and +time to be bringing the hares back to the castle, +but not one of them was in sight. +</p> +<p>Then Boots sat up, and shook the hair out of +his eyes and blew on the wrong end of the +pipe. Immediately there was the whole herd +before him, drawn up in ranks just like soldiers. +Not even one of the smallest leverets was +missing. +</p> +<p>“That is well,” said Boots. “And now we’ll +be going home again.” +</p> +<p>Off he set for the palace, driving the hares +before him, and as soon as he came near enough +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_211' name='page_211'></a>211</span> +he could see the King standing on the steps +waiting for him with a stout cudgel in his hand,—for +he had no thought but that Boots would +fail in his task. +</p> +<p>When he saw the whole herd come hopping +home, as tame as sheep, and turning into the +paddock, he could hardly believe his eyes. He +hurried after and began to count them. He +counted them over and over again, and not +one was missing. +</p> +<p>Well, Boots had brought them all back safely +that time, but the question was whether he +could do it again. +</p> +<p>Boots thought he could. Indeed, he was sure +he could. So the next afternoon he set out for +the hills, whistling merrily as he tramped along +with the hares hopping before him. +</p> +<p>That day things happened just as they had +before. As soon as the hares began to stray +Boots took his pipe and blew them away as +though they were so much chaff. He lay down +and slept until it was time to take them home +again, and then he blew them together with the +wrong end of the pipe. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_212' name='page_212'></a>212</span></p> +<p>When the King found the lad had brought +the whole herd home again for the second time +he was greatly troubled, for he had no mind to +give the Princess to Boots for a bride. So the +third day he bade the Princess go out to the +hills and hide herself among the bushes and +watch and see how it was that Boots managed +to keep the hares together. +</p> +<p>This the Princess did. She hid back of the +bushes; she saw Boots come tramping up the +hill with the hares frisking before him; she saw +him blow them away with his pipe as though +they had been so many dry leaves in the wind, +and then, after he had had a nap, she saw +him blow them together again. +</p> +<p>Then the Princess must and would have that +pipe. She came out from the bushes and +offered to buy it. She offered ten dollars for +it. +</p> +<p>“No.” +</p> +<p>“Fifty!” +</p> +<p>“No!” +</p> +<p>“A hundred!” +</p> +<p>“No.” Boots had no wish to sell, but +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_213' name='page_213'></a>213</span> +as it was the Princess, and as she seemed +so set and determined on having it, he would +tell her what he would do; he would sell the +pipe for a hundred dollars if she would give +him a kiss for every dollar she paid. +</p> +<p>The Princess did not know what to say to +that. It was not becoming that a Princess +should kiss a herdsman; still she wanted the +pipe and as that was the only way to get it she +at last agreed. She paid the lad a hundred +bright silver dollars, and she also gave him a +hundred kisses out there on the hillside, with +no one to look on but the hares. +</p> +<p>Then she took the pipe and hastened home +with it. +</p> +<p>But small good the pipe did her. Just as she +reached the palace steps the pipe slipped out +of her fingers as though it had been buttered, +and look as she might she could not find it +again. +</p> +<p>That was because the lad had wished it back +to himself. At that very moment he was on +his way home with the pipe in his pocket and +the hares hopping before him in lines like soldiers. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_214' name='page_214'></a>214</span></p> +<p>When the King heard the story he thought +and pondered. The Princess had told him +nothing of the kisses. He thought she had +bought the pipe for a hundred dollars, so the +next day he sent the Queen out to the hillside +with two hundred dollars in her pocket. +</p> +<p>“The Princess is young and foolish,” said he. +“She must have lost the pipe on the hillside, +and no doubt the lad has it back by this time. +Do you go out and see if you can buy it from +him and if you once have your fingers on it +you’ll not lose it, I’ll wager.” +</p> +<p>So the Queen went out to the hillside and hid +herself in the bushes, and she saw Boots blow +the hares away and lie down to sleep and afterward +blow them together again in a twinkling. +</p> +<p>Then she came out from the bushes and +offered to buy the pipe. At first the lad said +no, and again no, and then no for the third +time, but in the end he sold the pipe to the +Queen for two hundred dollars and fifty kisses +to go with them, and the Queen hoped the King +would never hear of it. She took the pipe +and hastened home with it, but she fared no +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_215' name='page_215'></a>215</span> +better than the Princess, for just before she +reached the palace the pipe disappeared from +her fingers, and what had become of it she did +not know. +</p> +<p>When the King heard that he was a wroth +and angry man. Now he himself would go out +to the hill and buy the pipe, for there was no +trusting the womenfolk. If he once had the +pipe in his hands there would be no losing it again, +and of that he felt very sure. So he mounted +his old mare Whitey and rode over to the hillside. +There he hid himself among the bushes, +and he hid old Whitey there with him, and he +watched until he had seen all that the others +had told him about. Then he came out and +tried to strike a bargain with the lad. But this +time it seemed as though Boots would not sell +the pipe,—neither for love nor money. The +King offered him three hundred dollars, and four +hundred dollars, and five hundred dollars for it, +and still Boots said no. +</p> +<p>“Listen!” said Boots suddenly. “If you’ll +go over there in the bushes and kiss old Whitey +on the mouth five-and-twenty times, I’ll sell +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_216' name='page_216'></a>216</span> +you the pipe for five hundred dollars, but not +otherwise.” +</p> +<p>That was a thing the King was loath to do, +for it ill befitted a king to kiss an old horse, but +have the pipe he must and would; and besides +there was nobody there to see him do it but +Boots, and he did not count. “May I spread a +handkerchief between old Whitey’s mouth and +mine before I do it?” asked the King. +</p> +<p>Yes, he might do that. +</p> +<p>So the King went back into the bushes and +spread his handkerchief over old Whitey’s +mouth and kissed her through it five-and-twenty +times. Then he came back and the lad gave +him the pipe, and the King mounted and rode +away with it, and he was well pleased with +himself for his cleverness, and he held the pipe +tight in one hand and the bridle in the other. +“No danger of my losing it as the Queen and +the Princess did,” thought he. But scarcely +had the King reached the palace steps when the +pipe slipped through his fingers like water, and +what became of it he did not know. +</p> +<p>But when Boots drove the hares home that +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_217' name='page_217'></a>217</span> +evening he had the pipe safely hidden away up +his sleeve, though nobody knew it. +</p> +<p>And now how about the Princess? Would +the King keep his promise and give her to the +herdsman for a wife? +</p> +<p>But that was a thing the King and Queen +could not bear to think of. +</p> +<p>They put their heads together and talked +and talked, and the more they talked the more +unwilling they were to have a herdsman in the +family. So in the end this is what they said. +The Princess was a very clever girl, and she +must have a clever lad for a husband. If +Boots could tell bigger stories than the Princess +then he should have her for a wife, but if she +could tell bigger stories than he, then he should +have three red strips cut from his back and be +beaten all the way home. +</p> +<p>To this Boots agreed. +</p> +<p>Then the Princess began. “I looked out of +my window,” said she, “and there was a tree +that grew straight up to the sky, and the fruit +of it was diamonds and pearls and rubies. I +reached out and picked them and made myself +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_218' name='page_218'></a>218</span> +such a necklace as never was, and I might +have it yet only I leaned over the well to look +at myself in the waters, and the necklace fell +off, and there it lies still at the bottom of the +well for any one who cares to dive for it.” +</p> +<p>“That is a pretty story!” said Boots; “but +I can tell a better. When I was herding hares +the Princess came up on the hill and gave me a +hundred bright silver dollars and a hundred +kisses as well, one for every dollar.” +</p> +<p>Then the King scowled till his brows met, +and the Princess grew as red as fire. “Oh, +what a story!” cried she. +</p> +<p>Then it was her turn again. +</p> +<p>“I went to see my god-mother, and she took +me for a ride in a golden coach drawn by six +fleas, and the fleas were as big as horses, and +they went so fast we were back again a day before +we started.” +</p> +<p>“That’s a good story,” said Boots, “but +here’s a better. The Queen came out on the +hillside and made me a present of two hundred +dollars, and she kissed me over and over +again; fifty kisses she gave me.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_219' name='page_219'></a>219</span></p> +<p>“Is that true?” said the King to the Queen; +and his face was as black as thunder. +</p> +<p>“It’s a great wicked story,” cried the Queen, +“and you must know it is.” +</p> +<p>Then the Princess tried again. “I had six +suitors, and I cared for one no more than another, +but the seventh one was a demon, and +he would have had me whether or no. He +would have flown away with me before this, +but I caught his tail in the crack of the door, +and he howled most horribly. There he is still, +if you care to look, unless he has vanished in a +puff of smoke.” +</p> +<p>“Now it is my turn,” said Boots, “and you +may believe this or not, but it’s mostly true. +The King came up on the hillside and kissed the +old white mare twenty-five times. I was there +and I saw. He kissed her twenty-five times, +and he gave me five hundred dollars not to tell.” +</p> +<p>When Boots told this right out before every +one, the King was so ashamed he did not know +which way to look. “There’s not a word of it +true. It’s the biggest story I ever heard,” +said he. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_220' name='page_220'></a>220</span></p> +<p>“Very well, then I have won the Princess,” +said Boots. “And when shall we be married?” +</p> +<p>And married they were that day week, for +the King and Queen could no longer refuse to +give Boots the Princess for a wife. +</p> +<p>The Princess was willing, too, for Boots was +a handsome, fine-looking lad. They had a great +feast at the wedding, with plenty of cake and +ale flowing like water. I was there, and I ate +and drank with the best of them. +</p> +<p>Pfst! There goes a mouse. Catch it and +you may make a fine big cloak of its skin,—and +that’s a story, too. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='THE_TRIUMPH_OF_TRUTH_A_HINDU_STORY' id='THE_TRIUMPH_OF_TRUTH_A_HINDU_STORY'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_221' name='page_221'></a>221</span> +<h2>THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Hindu Story</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>There was once a Rajah who was both +young and handsome, and yet he had never +married. One time this Rajah, whose name +was Chundun, found himself obliged to make +a long journey. He took with him attendants +and horsemen, and also his Wuzeer. This +Wuzeer was a very wise man,—so wise that +nothing was hid from him. +</p> +<p>In a certain far-off part of the kingdom the +Rajah saw a fine garden, and so beautiful was +it that he stopped to admire it. He was surprised +to see growing in the midst of it a small +bingal tree that bore a number of fine bingals, +but not a single leaf. +</p> +<p>“This is a very curious thing, and I do not +understand it,” said Chundun Rajah to his +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_222' name='page_222'></a>222</span> +Wuzeer. “Why does this tree bear such fine and +perfect fruit, and yet it has not a single leaf?” +</p> +<p>“I could tell you the meaning,” said the +Wuzeer, “but I fear that if I did you would not +believe me and would have me punished for +telling a lie.” +</p> +<p>“That could never be,” answered the Rajah; +“I know you to be a very truthful man and wise +above all others. Whatever you tell me I shall +believe.” +</p> +<p>“Then this is the meaning of it,” said the +Wuzeer. “The gardener who has charge of +this garden has one daughter; her name is +Guzra Bai, and she is very beautiful. If you +will count the bingals you will find there are +twenty-and-one. Whosoever marries the gardener’s +daughter will have twenty and one children,—twenty +boys and one girl.” +</p> +<p>Chundun Rajah was very much surprised +at what his Wuzeer said. “I should like to +see this Guzra Bai,” said he. +</p> +<p>“You can very easily see her,” answered the +Wuzeer. “Early every morning she comes into +the garden to play among the flowers. If you +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_223' name='page_223'></a>223</span> +come here early and hide you can see her without +frightening her, as you would do if you went to +her home.” +</p> +<p>The Rajah was pleased with this suggestion, +and early the next morning he came to the +garden and hid himself behind a flowering bush. +It was not long before he saw the girl playing +about among the flowers, and she was so very +beautiful the Rajah at once fell in love with +her. He determined to make her his Ranee, +but he did not speak to her or show himself +to her then for fear of frightening her. He +determined to go to the gardener’s house +that evening and tell him he wished his daughter +for a wife. +</p> +<p>As he had determined, so he did. That very +evening, accompanied only by his Wuzeer, he +went to the gardener’s house and knocked upon +the door. +</p> +<p>“Who is there?” asked the gardener from +within. +</p> +<p>“It is I, the Rajah,” answered Chundun. +“Open the door, for I wish to speak with you.” +</p> +<p>The gardener laughed. “That is a likely +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_224' name='page_224'></a>224</span> +story,” said he. “Why should the Rajah come +to my poor hut? No, no; you are some one +who wishes to play a trick on me, but you shall +not succeed. I will not let you in.” +</p> +<p>“But it is indeed Chundun Rajah,” called +the Wuzeer. “Open the door that he may +speak with you.” +</p> +<p>When the gardener heard the Wuzeer’s voice +he came and opened the door a crack, but still +he only half believed what was told him. What +was his amazement to see that it was indeed +the Rajah who stood there in all his magnificence +with his Wuzeer beside him. The poor +man was terrified, fearing Chundun would be +angry, but the Rajah spoke to him graciously. +</p> +<p>“Do not be afraid,” said he. “Call thy +daughter that I may speak with her, for it is +she whom I wish to see.” +</p> +<p>The girl was hiding (for she was afraid) and +would not come until her father took her hand +and drew her forward. +</p> +<p>When the Rajah saw her now, this second +time, she seemed to him even more beautiful +than at first. He was filled with joy and wonder. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_225' name='page_225'></a>225</span></p> +<p>“Now I will tell you why I have come here,” +he said. “I wish to take Guzra Bai for my +wife.” +</p> +<p>At first the gardener would not believe him, +but when he found the Rajah did indeed mean +what he said he turned to his daughter. “If +the girl is willing you shall have her,” said +he, “but I will not force her to marry even a +Rajah.” +</p> +<p>The girl was still afraid, yet she could not +but love the Rajah, so handsome was he, and +so kind and gracious was his manner. She gave +her consent, and the gardener was overjoyed at +the honor that had come to him and his daughter. +</p> +<p>Chundun and the beautiful Guzra Bai were +married soon after in the gardener’s house, and +then the Rajah and his new Ranee rode away +together. +</p> +<p>Now Chundun Rajah’s mother, the old +Ranee, was of a very proud and jealous nature. +When she found her son had married a common +girl, the daughter of a gardener, and that +Chundun thought of nothing but his bride and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_226' name='page_226'></a>226</span> +her beauty, she was very angry. She determined +to rid herself of Guzra Bai in some way +or other. But Chundun watched over his +young Ranee so carefully that for a long time +the old Queen could find no chance to harm +her. +</p> +<p>But after a while the Rajah found it was +again necessary for him to go on a long journey. +Just before he set out he gave Guzra Bai a little +golden bell. “If any danger should threaten +or harm befall you, ring this bell,” said he. +“Wherever I am I shall hear it and be with +you at once, even though I return from the +farthest part of my kingdom.” +</p> +<p>No sooner had he gone than Guzra Bai began +to wonder whether indeed it were possible that +he could hear the bell at any distance and return +to her. She wondered and wondered until +at last her curiosity grew so great that she +could not forbear from ringing it. +</p> +<p>No sooner had it sounded than the Rajah +stood before her. “What has happened?” he +asked. “Why did you call me?” +</p> +<p>“Nothing has happened,” answered Guzra +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_227' name='page_227'></a>227</span> +Bai, “but it did not seem to me possible that +you could really hear the bell so far away, and +I could not forbear from trying it.” +</p> +<p>“Very well,” said the Rajah. “Now you +know that it is true, so do not call me again +unless you have need of me.” +</p> +<p>Again he went away, and Guzra Bai sat and +thought and thought about the golden bell. +At last she rang it again. At once the Rajah +stood before her. +</p> +<p>“Oh, my dear husband, please to forgive me,” +cried Guzra Bai. “It seemed so wonderful I +thought I must have dreamed that the bell +could bring you back.” +</p> +<p>“Guzra Bai, do not be so foolish,” said her +husband. “I will forgive you this time, but +do not call me again unless you have need of +me.” And he went away. +</p> +<p>Again and for the third time Guzra Bai rang +the bell, and the Rajah appeared. +</p> +<p>“Why do you call me again?” he asked. +“Is it again for nothing, or has something happened +to you?” +</p> +<p>“Nothing has happened,” answered Guzra +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_228' name='page_228'></a>228</span> +Bai, “only somehow I felt so frightened that I +wanted you near me.” +</p> +<p>“Guzra Bai, I am away on affairs of state,” +said the Rajah. “If you call me in this way +when you have no need of me, I shall soon +refuse to answer the bell. Remember this and +do not call me again without reason.” +</p> +<p>And for the third time the Rajah went away +and left her. +</p> +<p>Soon after this the young Ranee had twenty +and one beautiful children, twenty sons and one +daughter. +</p> +<p>When the old Queen heard of this she was +more jealous than ever. “When the Rajah +returns and sees all these children,” she thought +to herself, “he will be so delighted that he will +love Guzra Bai more dearly than ever, and +nothing I can do will ever separate them.” +She then began to plan within herself as to +how she could get rid of the children before +the Rajah’s return. +</p> +<p>She sent for the nurse who had charge of the +babies, and who was as wicked as herself. “If +you can rid me of these children, I will give you +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_229' name='page_229'></a>229</span> +a lac of gold pieces,” she said. “Only it must +be done in such a way that the Rajah will lay +all the blame on Guzra Bai.” +</p> +<p>“That can be done,” answered the nurse. +“I will throw the children out on the ash heaps, +where they will soon perish, and I will put +stones in their places. Then when the Rajah +returns we will tell him Guzra Bai is a wicked +sorceress, who has changed her children into +stones.” +</p> +<p>The old Ranee was pleased with this plan +and said that she herself would go with the +nurse and see that it was carried out. +</p> +<p>Guzra Bai looked from her window and saw +the old Queen coming with the nurse, and at +once she was afraid. She was sure they intended +some harm to her or the children. She +seized the golden bell and rang and rang it, +but Chundun did not come. She had called +him back so often for no reason at all that +this time he did not believe she really needed +him. +</p> +<p>The nurse and the old Ranee carried away +the children, as they had planned, and threw +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_230' name='page_230'></a>230</span> +them on the ash heaps and brought twenty-one +large stones that they put in their places. +</p> +<p>When Chundun Rajah returned from his journey +the old Ranee met him, weeping and tearing +her hair. “Alas! alas!” she cried. “Why +did you marry a sorceress and bring such terrible +misfortune upon us all!” +</p> +<p>“What misfortune?” asked the Rajah. +“What do you mean?” +</p> +<p>His mother then told him that while he was +away Guzra Bai had had twenty-one beautiful +children, but she had turned them all into +stones. +</p> +<p>Chundun Rajah was thunderstruck. He +called the wicked nurse and questioned her. +She repeated what the old Ranee had already +told him and also showed him the stones. +</p> +<p>Then the Rajah believed them. He still +loved Guzra Bai too much to put her to death, +but he had her imprisoned in a high tower, and +would not see her nor speak with her. +</p> +<p>But meanwhile the little children who had +been thrown out on the ash heap were being +well taken care of. A large rat, of the kind +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_231' name='page_231'></a>231</span> +called Bandicote, had heard them crying and +had taken pity on them. She drew them down +into her hole, which was close by and where +they would be safe. She then called twenty of +her friends together. She told them who the +children were and where she had found them, +and the twenty agreed to help her take care of +the little ones. Each rat was to have the care +of one of the little boys and to bring him suitable +food, and the old Bandicote who had found +them would care for the little girl. +</p> +<p>This was done, and so well were the children +fed that they grew rapidly. Before long they +were large enough to leave the rat hole and go +out to play among the ash heaps, but at night +they always returned to the hole. The old +Bandicote warned them that if they saw anyone +coming they must at once hide in the hole, +and under no circumstances must any one see +them. +</p> +<p>The little boys were always careful to do this, +but the little girl was very curious. Now it so happened +that one day the wicked nurse came past +the ash heaps. The little boys saw her coming +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_232' name='page_232'></a>232</span> +and ran back into the hole to hide. But the +little girl lingered until the nurse was quite close +to her before she ran away. +</p> +<p>The nurse went to the old Ranee, and said, +“Do you know, I believe those children are still +alive? I believe they are living in a rat hole +near the ash heap, for I saw a pretty little girl +playing there among the ashes, and when I +came close to her she ran down into the largest +rat hole and hid.” +</p> +<p>The Ranee was very much troubled when she +heard this, for if it were true, as she thought +it might be, she feared the Rajah would hear +about it and inquire into the matter. “What +shall I do?” she asked the nurse. +</p> +<p>“Send out and have the ground dug over and +filled in,” the nurse replied. “In this way, if +any of the children are hidden there, they will +be covered over and smothered, and you will +also kill the rats that have been harboring +them.” +</p> +<p>The Ranee at once sent for workmen and +bade them go out to the rat holes and dig and +fill them in, and the children and the rats would +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_233' name='page_233'></a>233</span> +certainly have been smothered just as the nurse +had planned, only luckily the old mother rat +was hiding near by and overheard what was +said. She at once hastened home and told her +friends what was going to happen, and they +all made their escape before the workmen arrived. +She also took the children out of the +hole and hid them under the steps that led +down into an old unused well. There were +twenty-one steps, and she hid one child under +each step. She told them not to utter a sound +whatever happened, and then she and her friends +ran away and left them. +</p> +<p>Presently the workmen came with their tools +and began to fill in the rat holes. The little +daughter of the head workman had come with +him, and while he and his fellows were at work +the little girl amused herself by running up and +down the steps into the well. Every time she +trod upon a step it pinched the child who lay +under it. The little boys made no sound when +they were pinched, but lay as still as stones, +but every time the child trod on the step under +which the Princess lay she sighed, and the third +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_234' name='page_234'></a>234</span> +time she felt the pinch she cried out, “Have pity +on me and tread more lightly. I too am a +little girl like you!” +</p> +<p>The workman’s daughter was very much +frightened when she heard the voice. She ran +to her father and told him the steps had spoken +to her. +</p> +<p>The workman thought this a strange thing. +He at once went to the old Ranee and told her +he dared no longer work near the well, for he +believed a witch or a demon lived there under +the steps; and he repeated what his little +daughter had told him. +</p> +<p>The wicked nurse was with the Ranee when +the workman came to her. As soon as he had +gone, the nurse said: “I am sure some of those +children must still be alive. They must have +escaped from the rat holes and be hiding under +the steps. If we send out there we will probably +find them.” +</p> +<p>The Ranee was frightened at the thought +they might still be alive. She ordered some +servants to come with her, and she and the +nurse went out to look for the children. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_235' name='page_235'></a>235</span></p> +<p>But when the little girl had cried out the little +boys were afraid some harm might follow, and +prayed that they might be changed into trees, +so that if any one came to search for them +they might not find them. +</p> +<p>Their prayers were answered. The twenty +little boys were changed into twenty little banyan +trees that stood in a circle, and the little +girl was changed into a rose-bush that stood in +the midst of the circle and was full of red and +white roses. +</p> +<p>The old Ranee and the nurse and the servants +came to the well and searched under every +step, but no one was there, so went away again. +</p> +<p>All might now have been well, but the workman’s +mischievous little daughter chanced to +come by that way again. At once she espied +the banyan trees and the rose-bush. “It is a +curious thing that I never saw these trees before,” +she thought. “I will gather a bunch of +roses.” +</p> +<p>She ran past the banyan trees without giving +them a thought and began to break the flowers +from the rose-tree. At once a shiver ran through +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_236' name='page_236'></a>236</span> +the tree, and it cried to her in a pitiful voice: +“Oh! oh! you are hurting me. Do not break +my branches, I pray of you. I am a little girl, +too, and can suffer just as you might.” +</p> +<p>The child ran back to her father and caught +him by the hand. “Oh, I am frightened!” she +cried. “I went to gather some roses from the +rose-tree, and it spoke to me;” and she told +him what the rose-tree had said. +</p> +<p>At once the workman went off and repeated +to the Ranee what his little daughter had told +him, and the Queen gave him a piece of gold +and sent him away, bidding him keep what he +had heard a secret. +</p> +<p>Then she called the wicked nurse to her and +repeated the workman’s story. “What had we +better do now?” she asked. +</p> +<p>“My advice is that you give orders to have +all the trees cut down and burned,” said the +nurse. “In this way you will rid yourself of +the children altogether.” +</p> +<p>This advice seemed good to the Ranee. She +sent men and had the trees cut down and +thrown in a heap to burn. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_237' name='page_237'></a>237</span></p> +<p>But heaven had pity on the children, and +just as the men were about to set fire to the +heap a heavy rain storm arose and put out the +fire. Then the river rose over its banks, and +swept the little trees down on its flood, far, far +away to a jungle where no one lived. Here +they were washed ashore and at once took on +their real shapes again. +</p> +<p>The children lived there in the jungle safely +for twelve years, and the brothers grew up tall +and straight and handsome, and the sister was +like the new moon in her beauty, so slim and +white and shining was she. +</p> +<p>The brothers wove a hut of branches to +shelter their sister, and every day ten of them +went out hunting in the forest, and ten of them +stayed at home to care for her. But one day +it chanced they all wished to go hunting together, +so they put their sister up in a high +tree where she would be safe from the beasts +of the forest, and then they went away and left +her there alone. +</p> +<p>The twenty brothers went on and on through +the jungle, farther than they had ever gone before, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_238' name='page_238'></a>238</span> +and so came at last to an open space +among the trees, and there was a hut. +</p> +<p>“Who can be living here?” said one of the +brothers. +</p> +<p>“Let us knock and see,” cried another. +</p> +<p>The Princes knocked at the door and immediately +it was opened to them by a great, +wicked-looking Rakshas. She had only one red +eye in the middle of her forehead; her gray +hair hung in a tangled mat over her shoulders, +and she was dressed in dirty rags. +</p> +<p>When the Rakshas saw the brothers she was +filled with fury. +</p> +<p>She considered all the jungle belonged to her, +and she was not willing that any one else should +come there. Her one eye flashed fire, and she +seized a stick and began beating the Princes, +and each one, as she struck him, was turned +into a crow. She then drove them away +and went back into her hut and closed the +door. +</p> +<p>The twenty crows flew back through the forest, +cawing mournfully. When they came to +the tree where their sister sat they gathered +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_239' name='page_239'></a>239</span> +about her, trying to make her understand that +they were her brothers. +</p> +<p>At first the Princess was frightened by the +crows, but when she saw there were tears in +their eyes, and when she counted them and +found there were exactly twenty, she guessed +what had happened, and that some wicked enchantment +had changed her brothers into this +shape. Then she wept over them and smoothed +their feathers tenderly. +</p> +<p>After this the sister lived up in the tree, and +the crows brought her food every day and rested +around her in the branches at night, so that no +harm should come to her. +</p> +<p>Some time after this a young Rajah came +into that very jungle to hunt. In some way +he became separated from his attendants and +wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, +until at length he came to the tree where the +Princess sat. He threw himself down beneath +the tree to rest. Hearing a sound of wings +above him the Rajah looked up and was +amazed to see a beautiful girl sitting there among +the branches with a flock of crows about her. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_240' name='page_240'></a>240</span></p> +<p>The Rajah climbed the tree and brought +the girl down, while the crows circled about his +head, cawing hoarsely. +</p> +<p>“Tell me, beautiful one, who are you? And +how come you here in the depths of the jungle?” +asked the Rajah. +</p> +<p>Weeping, the Princess told him all her story +except that the crows were her brothers; she let +him believe that her brothers had gone off hunting +and had never returned. +</p> +<p>“Do not weep any more,” said the Rajah. +“You shall come home with me and be my +Ranee, and I will have no other but you alone.” +</p> +<p>When the Princess heard this she smiled, +for the Rajah was very handsome, and already +she loved him. +</p> +<p>She was very glad to go with him and be his +wife. “But my crows must go with me,” she +said, “for they have fed me for many long days +and have been my only companions.” +</p> +<p>To this the Rajah willingly consented, and he +took her home with him to the palace; and the +crows circled about above them, following +closely all the way. +</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_241' name='page_241'></a>241</span> +<a name='linki_6' id='linki_6'></a> +<img src='images/c005.jpg' alt='' title='' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='text-align:center;'> +The Rajah brought the girl down, while the crows circled<br /> +about his head. +<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>When the old Rajah and Ranee (the young +Rajah’s father and mother) saw what a very +beautiful girl he had brought back with him +from the jungle they gladly welcomed her as a +daughter-in-law. +</p> +<p>The young Ranee would have been very +happy now in her new life, for she loved her +husband dearly, but always the thought of her +brothers was like a weight upon her heart. She +had a number of trees planted outside her windows +so that her brothers might rest there close +to her. She cooked rice for them herself and +fed them with her own hands, and often she +sat under the trees and stroked them and talked +to them while her tears fell upon their glossy +feathers. +</p> +<p>After a while the young Ranee had a son, +and he was called Ramchundra. He grew up +straight and tall, and he was the joy of his +mother’s eyes. +</p> +<p>One day, when he was fourteen years old, +and big and strong for his age, he sat in the +garden with his mother. The crows flew down +about them, and she began to caress and talk +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_242' name='page_242'></a>242</span> +to them as usual. “Ah, my dear ones!” she +cried, “how sad is your fate! If I could but +release you, how happy I should be.” +</p> +<p>“Mother,” said the boy, “I can plainly see +that these crows are not ordinary birds. Tell +me whence come they, and why you weep +over them and talk to them as you do?” +</p> +<p>At first his mother would not tell him, but +in the end she related to him the whole story +of who she was, and how she and her brothers +had come to the jungle and had lived there happily +enough until they were changed into crows; +and then of how the Rajah had found her and +brought her home with him to the palace. +</p> +<p>“I can easily see,” said Ramchundra, when +she had ended the tale, “that my uncles must +have met a Rakshas somewhere in the forest +and have been enchanted. Tell me exactly +where the tree was—the tree where you +lived—and what kind it was?” +</p> +<p>The Ranee told him. +</p> +<p>“And in which direction did your brothers +go when they left you?” +</p> +<p>This also his mother told him. “Why do +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_243' name='page_243'></a>243</span> +you ask me these questions, my son?” she +asked. +</p> +<p>“I wish to know,” said Ramchundra, “for +sometime I intend to set out and find that +Rakshas and force her to free my uncles from +her enchantment and change them back to +their natural shapes again.” +</p> +<p>His mother was terrified when she heard this, +but she said very little to him, hoping he would +soon forget about it and not enter into such a +dangerous adventure. +</p> +<p>Not long afterward Ramchundra went to his +father and said, “Father, I am no longer a +child; give me your permission to ride out into +the world and see it for myself.” +</p> +<p>The Rajah was willing for him to do this and +asked what attendants his son would take with +him. +</p> +<p>“I wish for no attendants,” answered Ramchundra. +“Give me only a horse, and a groom +to take care of it.” +</p> +<p>The Rajah gave his son the handsomest horse +in his stables and also a well-mounted groom to +ride with him. Ramchundra, however, only +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_244' name='page_244'></a>244</span> +allowed the groom to go with him as far as the +edge of the jungle, and then he sent him back +home again with both the horses. +</p> +<p>The Prince went on and on through the forest +for a long distance until at last he came to a tree +that he felt sure was the one his mother had +told him of. From there he set forth in the +same direction she told him his uncles had taken. +He went on and on, ever deeper and deeper +into the forest, until at last he came to a miserable +looking hut. The door was open, and he +looked in. There lay an ugly old hag fast +asleep. She had only one eye in the middle of +her forehead, and her gray hair was tangled and +matted and fell over her face. The Prince +entered in very softly, and sitting down beside +her, he began to rub her head. He suspected +that this was the Rakshas who had bewitched +his uncles, and it was indeed she. +</p> +<p>Presently the old woman awoke. “My +pretty lad,” said she, “you have a kind heart. +Stay with me here and help me, for I am very +old and feeble, as you see, and I cannot very +well look out for myself.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_245' name='page_245'></a>245</span></p> +<p>This she said not because she really was old +or feeble, but because she was lazy and wanted +a servant to wait on her. +</p> +<p>“Gladly will I stay,” answered the lad, “and +what I can do to serve you, that I will do.” +</p> +<p>So the Prince stayed there as the Rakshas’ +servant. He served her hand and foot, and +every day she made him sit down and rub her +head. +</p> +<p>One day, while he was rubbing her head and +she was in a good humor he said to her, +“Mother, why do you keep all those little jars +of water standing along the wall? Let me +throw out the water so that we may make some +use of the jars.” +</p> +<p>“Do not touch them,” cried the Rakshas. +“That water is very powerful. One drop of it +can break the strongest enchantment, and if any +one has been bewitched, that water has power +to bring him back to his own shape again.” +</p> +<p>“And why do you keep that crooked stick +behind the door? To-morrow I shall break it +up to build a fire.” +</p> +<p>“Do not touch it,” cried the hag. “I have +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_246' name='page_246'></a>246</span> +but to wave that stick, and I can conjure up a +mountain, a forest, or a river just as I wish, +and all in the twinkling of an eye.” +</p> +<p>The Prince said nothing to that, but went on +rubbing her head. Presently he began to talk +again. “Your hair is in a dreadful tangle, +mother,” he said. “Let me get a comb and +comb it out.” +</p> +<p>“Do not dare!” screamed the Rakshas. +“One hair of my head has the power to set the +whole jungle in flames.” +</p> +<p>Ramchundra again was silent and went on +rubbing her head, and after a while the old +Rakshas fell asleep and snored till the hut +shook with her snoring. +</p> +<p>Then, very quietly, the Prince arose. He +plucked a hair from the old hag’s head without +awakening her, he took a flask of the magic +water and the staff from behind the door, and +set out as fast as he could go in the direction of +the palace. +</p> +<p>It was not long before he heard the Rakshas +coming through the jungle after him, for she had +awakened and found him gone. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_247' name='page_247'></a>247</span></p> +<p>Nearer and nearer she came, and then the +Prince turned and waved the crooked stick. At +once a river rolled between him and the Rakshas. +</p> +<p>Without pause the Rakshas plunged into the +river and struck out boldly, and soon she +reached the other side. +</p> +<p>On she came again close after Ramchundra. +Again he turned and waved the staff. At once +a thick screen of trees sprang up between him +and the hag. The Rakshas brushed them aside +this way and that as though they had been +nothing but twigs. +</p> +<p>On she came, and again the Prince waved the +staff. A high mountain arose, but the Rakshas +climbed it, and it did not take her long to do +this. +</p> +<p>Now she was so close that Ramchundra could +hear her panting, but the edge of the jungle +had been reached. He turned and cast the +Rakshas’ hair behind him. Immediately the +whole jungle burst into fire, and the Rakshas +was burned up in the flames. +</p> +<p>Soon after the Prince reached the palace and +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_248' name='page_248'></a>248</span> +hastened out into the garden. There sat his +mother weeping, with the crows gathered about +her. When she saw Ramchundra she sprang +to her feet with a scream of joy and ran to him +and took him in her arms. +</p> +<p>“My son! my son! I thought you had +perished!” she cried. “Did you meet the +Rakshas?” +</p> +<p>“Not only did I meet her, but I have slain +her and brought back with me that which will +restore my uncles to their proper shapes,” answered +the Prince. +</p> +<p>He then dipped his fingers into the jar he +carried and sprinkled the magic water over +the crows. At once the enchantment was +broken, and the twenty Princes stood there, +tall and handsome, in their own proper shapes. +</p> +<p>The Ranee made haste to lead them to her +husband and told him the whole story. The +Rajah could not wonder enough when he understood +that the Princes were his wife’s brothers, +and were the crows she had brought home with +her. +</p> +<p>He at once ordered a magnificent feast to be +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_249' name='page_249'></a>249</span> +prepared and a day of rejoicing to be held +throughout all the kingdom. +</p> +<p>Many Rajahs from far and near were invited +to the feast, and among those who came was +the father of the Ranee and her brothers, but +he never suspected, as he looked upon them, +that they were his children. +</p> +<p>Before they sat down to the feast the young +Ranee said to him, “Where is your wife Guzra +Bai? Why has she not come with you? We +had expected to see her here?” +</p> +<p>The Rajah was surprised that the young Ranee +should know his wife’s name, but he made some +excuse as to why Guzra Bai was not there. +</p> +<p>Then the young Rajah said, “Send for her, I +beg of you, for the feast cannot begin till she +is here.” +</p> +<p>The older Rajah was still more surprised at +this. He could not think any one was really +concerned about Guzra Bai, and he feared the +young Rajah wished, for some reason, to quarrel +with him. But he agreed to send for his wife, +and messengers were at once dispatched to +bring Guzra Bai to the palace. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_250' name='page_250'></a>250</span></p> +<p>No sooner had she come than the young +Ranee began to weep, and she and the Princes +gathered about their mother. Then they told +the Rajah the whole story of how his mother +and the nurse had sought to destroy Guzra Bai +and her children, and how they had been saved, +and had now come to safety and great honor. +</p> +<p>The Rajah was overcome with joy when he +found that Guzra Bai was innocent. He prayed +her to forgive him, and this she did, and all was +joy and happiness. +</p> +<p>As for the old Ranee, she was shut up in the +tower where Guzra Bai had lived for so many +years, but the old nurse was killed as befitted +such a wicked woman. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='LIFE_S_SECRET_A_STORY_OF_BENGAL' id='LIFE_S_SECRET_A_STORY_OF_BENGAL'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_251' name='page_251'></a>251</span> +<h2>LIFE’S SECRET</h2> +<h3><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Story of Bengal</span></h3> +</div> + +<p>In a far-off country there once lived a great +Rajah who had two wives, one named Duo and +the other Suo. Both these Ranees were beautiful, +but Duo was of a harsh and cruel nature, +while Suo was gentle and kind to all. +</p> +<p>Though the Rajah had been married to his +Ranees for some time they neither of them had +any children, and this was a great grief to every +one. Daily prayers were offered up in the temples +for the birth of a son to the Rajah, but the +prayers remained unanswered. +</p> +<p>One day a beggar, a holy man who had vowed +to live in poverty, came to the palace asking for +alms. Duo would have had him driven away, +but Suo felt compassion for him. She gave +him the alms he asked and bade him sit in the +cool of the courtyard to rest. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_252' name='page_252'></a>252</span></p> +<p>The beggar thanked her and ate the food she +gave him. Just before he left, he asked to +speak to her in private. This favor Suo granted +him. She stepped aside with him, and as it so +happened this brought them directly under the +windows of Duo’s apartments. +</p> +<p>“Great Ranee, you have been very kind to +me,” said the beggar, “and I wish to reward +you. I know that for years you have desired +to have a son, but that this wish has not been +granted. Now listen! In the midst of the +jungle over beyond the city there grows the +most wonderful tree in all the world. Its +trunk is silver, and its leaves are of gold. Once +in every hundred years this tree bears a single +crimson fruit. She who eats this fruit, whosoever +she may be, shall, within a year, bear a +son. This is that hundredth year,—the year +in which the tree bears fruit, and I have gathered +that fruit and have it here.” +</p> +<p>So saying, the beggar drew from among his +rags a piece of silk embroidered with strange +figures. This he unfolded, and showed to the +Ranee, lying within it, a strange fruit such as +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_253' name='page_253'></a>253</span> +she had never seen before. It was pear shaped, +and of such a vivid red that it seemed to pulse +and glow with light. +</p> +<p>Suo looked at it with wonder and awe. +</p> +<p>“If you wish to have it, it is yours,” the +beggar continued. “But I must tell you one +other thing. Whoever eats this fruit shall indeed +bear a son, but he will not be as other +children. His life will not be altogether within +himself as with other people; it will be bound +up with an object quite outside of himself. If +this object should fall into the hands of an +enemy that enemy could, by willing it, bring +upon him misfortune or even death, and this +no matter how closely the child was watched +and guarded. And now, knowing this, do you +still wish to eat the fruit?” +</p> +<p>“Yes, yes!” cried Suo. +</p> +<p>“Then I will tell you what this object is and +where it is to be found,” said the beggar. He +drew still closer to the Ranee and whispered +in her ear, but though what he told her +was so important Suo paid but little attention +to it; she thought only of the fruit, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_254' name='page_254'></a>254</span> +and the happiness that might come to her +if she ate it. +</p> +<p>Now all the while the beggar had been talking +to Suo, Duo had been seated at her window just +above them, and she overheard all that was +said. Only when the beggar came closer to Suo +and whispered in her ear Duo could not hear +what he said, though she leaned out as far as +she could and strained her ears to listen. So, +though she had learned that if Suo had a child +its life would depend on some object outside of +itself, she did not learn what that object was. +</p> +<p>The beggar now gave the fruit to Suo, and +she took it and ate all of it. Not one seed or +bit of rind did she miss. After that she went +back to her own apartments to dream upon the +joy that might be coming to her. +</p> +<p>Within the year, even as the beggar had +promised, Suo bore a child, and this child was +so large and strong and handsome that he was +the wonder of all who saw him. +</p> +<p>The Rajah was wild with joy. He could +scarcely think or talk of anything but his son, +and he showered gifts and caresses upon the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_255' name='page_255'></a>255</span> +happy mother. Duo was quite forgotten. He +never even went near her apartments, and her +heart was filled with jealousy and hatred toward +Suo and the little prince Dalim Kumar,—for +so the child was named. Nothing would +have given her more joy than to be able to +injure them and bring sorrow and misfortune +upon them. +</p> +<p>Now as Dalim Kumar grew older he became +very fond of a flock of pigeons that his father +had given him, and he spent a great deal of +time playing with them in the courtyard. They +were so tame they would come at his call and +light upon his head and shoulders. Sometimes +they flew in through the windows of Duo’s +apartments which overlooked the courtyard. +Duo scattered peas and grain on the floor for +them, and they came and ate them. Then one +day she caught two or three of them. +</p> +<p>Soon after Dalim Kumar missed his pigeons +and began calling them. +</p> +<p>Duo leaned from her window. “Your pigeons +are up here,” she cried. “If you want them +you must come up and get them.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_256' name='page_256'></a>256</span></p> +<p>Suo had forbidden her son to go to Duo’s +apartments, but he quite forgot this in his +eagerness to regain his pets, and he at once ran +up to the Ranee’s apartments. +</p> +<p>Duo took him by the wrist and drew him +into her room. “You shall have your pigeons +again,” said she, “but first there is something +you must tell me.” +</p> +<p>“What is it?” asked Dalim Kumar. +</p> +<p>“I wish to know where your life lies and in +what object it is bound up.” +</p> +<p>Dalim Kumar was very much surprised. “I +do not know what you mean,” said he. “My +life lies within me, in my head and my body +and my limbs, as it is with every one.” +</p> +<p>“No, that is not so,” said Duo. “Has your +mother never told you that your life is bound +up in something outside of yourself?” +</p> +<p>“No, she has never told me that, and moreover +I do not believe it.” +</p> +<p>“Nevertheless it is so,” said Duo. “If you +will find out what this thing is and come and +tell me you shall have your pigeons again, and +if you do not do this I will wring their necks.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_257' name='page_257'></a>257</span></p> +<p>Dalim Kumar was greatly troubled at the +thought of harm coming to his pigeons. “No, +no! You must not do that,” he cried. “I will +go to my mother and find out what she knows, +and if there is indeed truth in what you say I +will come back at once and tell you the secret. +But you must do nothing to my pigeons while +I am gone.” +</p> +<p>To this Duo agreed. “There is another +thing you must promise,” said she. “You must +not let your mother know I have asked you anything +about your life. If you do I will wring +your pigeons’ necks even though you tell me +the secret.” +</p> +<p>“I will not let her know,” promised the boy, +and then he hastened away to his mother’s +apartments. When he came to the door he +began to walk slowly and with dragging steps. +He entered in and threw himself down among +some cushions and closed his eyes. +</p> +<p>“What ails you, my son?” asked his mother. +“Why do you sit there so quietly instead of +playing about?” +</p> +<p>“Nothing ails me now,” answered the boy, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_258' name='page_258'></a>258</span> +“but there is something that I wish to know, and +unless you tell me I am sure I shall be quite ill.” +</p> +<p>“What is it that you wish to know, my darling?” +</p> +<p>“I wish to know where my life lies, and in +what it is bound up,” answered the boy. +</p> +<p>When Suo heard this she was very much +frightened. +</p> +<p>“What do you mean?” she cried. “Who +has been talking to you of your life?” +</p> +<p>Then Dalim said what was not true, for he +feared that harm might come to his pigeons. +“No one has been talking to me,” said he, +“but I am sure that my life lies somewhere +outside of me, and if you will not tell me about +it I will neither eat nor drink, and then perhaps +I may die.” +</p> +<p>At last Suo could withstand him no longer. +“My son,” she said, “it is as you have guessed. +You are not as other children. Your life is +bound up in some object outside of yourself, +and if this object should fall into the hands of +an enemy the greatest misfortunes might come +upon you, and perhaps even death.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_259' name='page_259'></a>259</span></p> +<p>“And what is this object?” asked the boy. +</p> +<p>Again Suo hesitated. Then she said: +</p> +<p>“The beggar told me that under the roots of +that same tree that bore the fruit lies buried a +golden necklace, and it is with that necklace +that part of your life is bound up.” +</p> +<p>Now that Dalim Kumar knew the secret he +was content, and smiled upon his mother and +caressed her, and ate some of the sweetmeats +she had prepared for him. Then he ran away +to get his pigeons. +</p> +<p>Duo was waiting for him impatiently. +“Have you found out the secret of your life?” +she demanded. +</p> +<p>“Yes,” answered the Prince. “It is bound +up in a golden necklace that lies buried under +the roots of a tree over in the jungle,—a tree +with a silver trunk and golden leaves. And +now give me my pigeons.” +</p> +<p>Duo was very willing to do this; she had no +longer any use for them. She placed the cage +in which she had put them in his hands and +pushed him impatiently from the room. +</p> +<p>As soon as the boy had gone the Ranee sent +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_260' name='page_260'></a>260</span> +for a man upon whom she could depend and +told him what she wished him to do. She +wished him to go into the jungle and search +until he found a tree with a silver trunk and +golden leaves. He was then to dig down about +its roots until he found a golden necklace that +lay buried there. This necklace he was to +bring to her, and in return for his services she +would give him a lac of gold mohurs. +</p> +<p>The man willingly agreed to do as she wished +and at once set out into the jungle. After +searching for some time he at last found the +tree and began to dig about its roots. +</p> +<p>Now at the very time this happened Dalim +Kumar was with his mother playing about in +her apartment. But no sooner did the man in +the jungle begin to dig about the tree than the +boy gave a cry and laid his hand upon his +heart. At the same time he became very pale. +</p> +<p>“What is the matter, my son?” cried his +mother anxiously. “Are you ill?” +</p> +<p>“I do not know what is the matter,” answered +the Prince, “but something threatens +me.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_261' name='page_261'></a>261</span></p> +<p>His mother put her arm about him, and at +the very moment she did so the man who had +been digging found the necklace and picked it +up, and at that the young Prince sank back +senseless in his mother’s arms. +</p> +<p>The Ranee was terrified. She sent at once +for the Rajah, and physicians were called in, +but none of them could arouse the child nor +could they tell what ailed him. He lay there +among the cushions where they had placed him +still breathing, but unconscious of all around +him. +</p> +<p>And so the boy lay all the while that the +man with the necklace hidden in his bosom was +on his way back from the jungle. But when +he reached the apartments of Duo and gave +the necklace into the hands of the evil Ranee, +the breath went out from the Prince’s body, +and he became as one dead. +</p> +<p>The Rajah was in despair. His grief was +now as great as his joy had been when the +child was born. He had a magnificent temple +built in the most beautiful of all his gardens, +and in this temple the body of Dalim Kumar +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_262' name='page_262'></a>262</span> +was laid. After this was done the Rajah commanded +that the gates of the garden should be +locked, and that no one but the gardeners +should ever enter there on pain of death. +</p> +<p>This command was carried out. The garden +gates were kept locked, and no one entered but +the men who went there in the daytime to +prune the trees and water the flowers and keep +the place in order. Not even Suo might go +into the garden to mourn beside the body of +her son. +</p> +<p>But though every one believed Dalim Kumar +to be dead, such was not really the case. All +day, while Duo wore the necklace, he lay without +breath or sign of life, but in the evening, +when the Ranee took the necklace off, he revived +and returned to life. And this happened +every night, for every night the Rajah came to +visit Duo, and just before he came she always +took the necklace off and hid it. She feared if +he saw it he might wonder and question her +about it. +</p> +<p>The wicked Ranee was now satisfied and +happy. She believed she had destroyed the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_263' name='page_263'></a>263</span> +young Prince, and with him the Rajah’s love +for Suo. For the Rajah now never went to +Suo’s apartments. He neither saw her nor +spoke of her, for she only reminded him of his +grief for his son. +</p> +<p>Now the first time that Dalim Kumar awoke +in the temple he was very much surprised to +find himself alone in a strange place, and with +no attendants around him. He arose and went +out into the garden, and then at once he knew +where he was, though the temple was new to +him. He went to one gate after another of the +garden, intending to go and return to the +palace, but he found them all locked. The +gardeners had gone away for the night, and +before going they had securely fastened the +gates, according to the Rajah’s orders. The +young prince called and called, but no one heard +or answered. Feeling hungry, he plucked some +fruit and ate it, and after that he amused himself +as best he could, playing about among the +trees and flowers. +</p> +<p>Toward morning he felt sleepy and returned +to the temple. He lay down upon the couch, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_264' name='page_264'></a>264</span> +and later on, when Duo again put on the necklace, +his breath left him, and he became as one +dead. +</p> +<p>As it had been that night, so it was also in +the many nights that followed. In the evening +the Prince revived and came out to play among +the flowers, but with the coming of day he returned +to the temple and lay down on the +couch, and all appearance of life left him. +After a time he became used to the strange life +he led, and no longer wondered why he was left +there alone and why no one came to seek him. +</p> +<p>So year after year slipped by, and from a +child the Prince became a youth, and in all that +time he had seen no one, for the gardeners had +always gone away before he returned to life. +</p> +<p>Now there lived at this time, in a country +far away, a woman who had one only child, a +daughter named Surai Bai. This girl was so +beautiful that she was the wonder of all who +saw her. Her hair was as black as night, her +eyes like stars, her teeth like pearls, and her +lips as red as ripe pomegranates. +</p> +<p>When this child was born it was foretold to +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_265' name='page_265'></a>265</span> +her mother that she would sometime marry a +Prince who was both alive and dead. This +prophecy frightened the mother so much that +as soon as her daughter was of a marriageable +age she left her own country and journeyed +away into a far land, taking the girl with her. +She hoped that if she went far enough she might +escape the fate that had been foretold for the +child. +</p> +<p>Journeying on from one place to another, +she came at last to the city where Dalim +Kumar’s father reigned, and where the garden +was, and the temple where the young prince +lay. +</p> +<p>It was toward evening when the mother and +daughter reached the city, and it was necessary +for them to find some shelter for the night. +Surai Bai was weary, and her mother bade her +sit down and rest by the gate of one of the +palace gardens while she went farther to seek a +lodging. As soon as she had found a place +where they could stay she would return for the +girl. +</p> +<p>So Surai Bai seated herself beside the gate, +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_266' name='page_266'></a>266</span> +and there her mother left her. But the mother +had not been gone long when some noise farther +up the street frightened the girl. She looked +about for a place to hide, and it occurred to her +that she might go into the garden and wait +there. She tried the gate and found it unfastened, +for by some chance one of the gardeners +had forgotten to lock it that evening +when he went away. +</p> +<p>Surai Bai pushed the gate open and stepped +inside, closing it behind her. When she looked +about her, she was amazed at the beauty of the +garden. The fruit trees were laden with fruits +of every kind. There were winding paths and +flowers and fountains, and in the midst of the +garden was a temple shining with gold and +wondrous colors. +</p> +<p>Though daylight had faded the moon had +arisen, and the garden was full of light. Surai +Bai went over close to the temple, wishing to +examine it, but just as she reached the foot of +the steps that led up to it a young man appeared +above her at the door of the temple. It was +Dalim Kumar, who had aroused again to life +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_267' name='page_267'></a>267</span> +and was coming forth to breathe the air of the +garden. +</p> +<p>When he saw Surai Bai he stood amazed, not +only at her beauty, which was so great, but +because hers was the first face he had ever seen +in the years he had spent in the garden. As +for Surai Bai, never before had she beheld a +youth so handsome, or with such a noble air, +and as the two stood looking at each other they +became filled with love for one another. +</p> +<p>Presently Dalim Kumar came down the steps +of the temple and took Surai Bai’s hand. +</p> +<p>“Who are you, beautiful one?” he asked. +“Whence come you, and what is your name?” +</p> +<p>“My name is Surai Bai,” answered the girl, +“and I come from another country far away. +My mother left me sitting by the gate while +she went to find a lodging for us, but some noise +frightened me, and I ran in here to hide.” +</p> +<p>“That is a strange thing,” said the Prince. +“In all the years I have been living here, the +gates have never been unlocked before.” +</p> +<p>“But do you live here alone?” asked the +girl. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_268' name='page_268'></a>268</span></p> +<p>“Yes, all alone. Yours is the first face I +have seen for years, and yet I am a Prince, and +the son of a great Rajah.” +</p> +<p>“Then why are you here?” +</p> +<p>“I am here because my life was bound up in +a golden necklace that lay buried under the +roots of a tree in the jungle. I told the secret +to a Ranee who was my enemy, though I did +not know it at the time. She must in some +way have gained possession of the necklace, +and now she is using it for my harm. All day +I lie there in the temple as though dead; no +sound reaches me, nothing arouses me; only +at night can I arise and come forth. I, a great +prince, am as one both dead and alive.” +</p> +<p>When Dalim Kumar pronounced these words +Surai Bai could not refrain from giving a loud +cry. She was overcome with amazement and +confusion. +</p> +<p>The Prince at once wished to know what +had moved her so. “Why do you cry out and +change color?” he asked. “And why do you +tremble and look at me so strangely?” +</p> +<p>At first Surai Bai would not tell him, but he +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_269' name='page_269'></a>269</span> +was so urgent in his questioning that finally she +was obliged to recount to him the prophecy +made at the time of her birth;—that it had +been foretold of her that she was to marry a +Prince who was both alive and dead. +</p> +<p>Dalim Kumar listened to her attentively. +“That is a strange thing,” said he. “I do not +suppose in all the world there is another prince +beside myself who is both alive and dead. If +this saying is true, it must be that I am the +one you are to marry. If so, I am very happy, +for already I love you, and if you will stay here +with me we will be married by the ceremony of +Grandharva, and I will be a true and loving +husband to you.” +</p> +<p>To this Surai Bai willingly consented, for already +she loved the prince so dearly that she +felt she could not live without him. That very +night she and the Prince presented each other +with garlands of flowers, for that is the ceremony +of Grandharva, and so they became man +and wife. +</p> +<p>After that they lived together in great happiness, +and nothing could exceed their love +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_270' name='page_270'></a>270</span> +for each other. By day, while Dalim Kumar +lay lifeless in the temple, his bride slept +also, and at evening they awoke and talked +together and walked through the garden. +</p> +<p>But after a while a son was born to the young +couple, and after that Surai Bai was no longer +gay and happy. Her look was sad, and often +she stole away from Dalim Kumar to weep in +secret. +</p> +<p>The Prince was greatly troubled by this. At +first he forbore to question her, but one day +he followed her and finding her in tears, he said, +“Tell me, why are you sad and downcast? +Have you wearied of this garden, and are you +lonely here; or is it that you no longer love +me?” +</p> +<p>“Dalim Kumar,” answered the girl, “I love +you as dearly as ever, and I am never lonely +with you. As long as we had no child I was +content to stay here in the garden and see no +one. But now that we have a son I wish him +to be seen by your people, and I wish them to +know that he is the heir to the kingdom.” +</p> +<p>At this Dalim Kumar became very thoughtful. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_271' name='page_271'></a>271</span> +“My dear wife,” said he, “you are right. +Our son should be known as my heir; but +every one believes I died long ago when I was a +child. If you went out among them with the +boy and told them he was my son, they would +laugh at you, and either think you were an +impostor or that you were crazy. If we could +but gain possession of the necklace, then I +could go out from the garden with you, and if +I showed myself to my people they would be +obliged to believe.” +</p> +<p>“That is what I have thought also,” said +Surai Bai, “and it has been in my mind to ask +you to give me permission to leave the garden +for a while. If you will do this I will try to +gain entrance to the palace and the apartments +of Duo. Then possibly I can find where she +keeps the necklace at night, and I may be able +to get possession of it.” +</p> +<p>Dalim Kumar eagerly agreed to this plan, +and the very next day, while he lay unconscious +in the temple, Surai Bai took the child +and managed to steal out through one of the +gates without being seen by any of the gardeners. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_272' name='page_272'></a>272</span></p> +<p>She at once sought out a shop in the city and +bought for herself the dress of a hairdresser; +then, leading the child by the hand she made +her way to the palace. She told the attendants +there that she was very skillful in dressing the +hair, and if they would take her to the Ranees +she was sure she could please them. +</p> +<p>After some hesitation the attendants agreed +to do this, and led the way first to the apartments +of Suo. When Surai Bai entered the +room and saw her husband’s mother sitting +there thin and pale and grief-stricken, her +heart yearned over her. But Suo would not +so much as look at the pretended hairdresser. +“Why do you bring her here?” she asked. “I +have no wish to look beautiful. My son is +dead and my husband no longer loves me nor +comes to me. Take her away and leave me +alone with my sorrow.” +</p> +<p>The attendants motioned to Surai Bai to +come away, and they led her across the palace +to the apartments of Duo. +</p> +<p>Here all was bright and joyous. The beautiful +Duo lay among the cushions, smiling to herself +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_273' name='page_273'></a>273</span> +and playing with the necklace that hung +about her neck. When she heard that the +young woman they had brought to her was a +skilled hairdresser, she sat up and beckoned +Surai Bai to approach. +</p> +<p>“Come!” said she. “Let us see how well +you can dress my hair. The Rajah will be +here before long, and I must be beautiful for +him.” +</p> +<p>Surai Bai at once came behind Duo and began +to arrange her hair. The child meanwhile +kept close by her side. When Surai Bai had +almost finished she managed to loosen the clasp +of the necklace so that it slipped from Duo’s +neck and fell upon the floor. +</p> +<p>This was as the pretended hairdresser had +planned, and she had explained to her son beforehand +that when the necklace fell he must +pick it up and hold it tight, and yield it to no +one. So now, no sooner did the necklace slip +to the floor, than the child picked it up and +twisted it tight around his fingers. +</p> +<p>Duo was frightened. “Give me my necklace,” +cried she, and reaching over she tried to +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_274' name='page_274'></a>274</span> +take it from the boy, but at this he began to +scream so loudly that it seemed as though the +whole palace must be aroused by his cries. +</p> +<p>Duo drew back alarmed and bade the child +be quiet. Then she turned to the pretended +hairdresser. “Make him give me the necklace +again,” she demanded. +</p> +<p>Surai Bai pretended to hesitate. “If I try +to take it from him now,” she said, “he might +break it. Have patience, and let him keep it +for a while; he will soon tire of it. Then I can +take it from him and bring it to you.” +</p> +<p>To this Duo was obliged to agree. It was +growing late and she feared at any moment now +the Rajah might come in and that he might +notice the necklace in the child’s hands and ask +questions about it. +</p> +<p>“Very well,” she said. “Let him keep it for +the present, but bring it back to me the first +thing in the morning. If you neglect to do this +you shall be severely punished,—you and the +child also.” +</p> +<p>The pretended hairdresser made a deep +obeisance, and then departed, carrying the +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_275' name='page_275'></a>275</span> +child who still held the necklace tightly clutched +in his hands. +</p> +<p>As soon as Surai Bai was outside of the +palace she hastened away to the garden and +found Dalim Kumar awaiting her at the gate. +</p> +<p>“I know you have the necklace,” he cried to +her, “for I aroused while it was still day, and +with such a feeling of life and joy as I have +never felt before.” +</p> +<p>“Yes, it is here,” said Surai Bai, and she +took the necklace from the child and held it +out to him. +</p> +<p>Dalim Kumar gave a cry of joy. His hands +trembled with eagerness as he grasped the necklace. +“Oh, my dear wife,” he cried, “you have +saved me. I have now again become as other +men and can claim what is my own. Come! +Let us return to the palace and to my father +and mother.” +</p> +<p>So, with the child on his arm, and leading +Surai Bai by the hand, the Prince hastened +back to the palace. But when he entered the +gates no one knew him, for when they had +last seen him he had been only a boy. They +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_276' name='page_276'></a>276</span> +wondered to see a stranger enter in like a master, +but his air was so noble, and his appearance +so handsome that no one dared to stop him. +</p> +<p>Dalim Kumar went at once to his mother’s +apartments, and though no one else had known +him, she recognized him at once, even though he +had become a man. She knew not what miracle +had brought him back, but she fell upon his neck +and kissed him, and wept aloud, so that all in +the palace heard the sound of her weeping. +</p> +<p>The Rajah was sent for in haste, and when +he came Dalim Kumar quickly made himself +known to his father. The Rajah’s joy was no +less than the Ranee’s over the return of his son. +</p> +<p>Soon the news spread through all the palace, +and there was great rejoicing. But Duo was +filled with fear. She knew not what punishment +would fall upon her for her evil doings, +but she guessed the wrath of the Rajah would +be great. So she fled away secretly and in +haste, and for a long time she wandered about +from place to place, miserable and afraid, and +at last died in poverty as she deserved. +</p> +<p>But Dalim Kumar and his young wife lived +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_277' name='page_277'></a>277</span> +in happiness forever after, and when the old +Rajah died Dalim Kumar became Rajah in his +stead, and his own son ruled after him as Surai +Bai and he had desired. +</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='DAME_PRIDGETT_AND_THE_FAIRIES' id='DAME_PRIDGETT_AND_THE_FAIRIES'></a> +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_278' name='page_278'></a>278</span> +<h2>DAME PRIDGETT AND THE FAIRIES</h2> +</div> + +<p>Dame Pridgett was a fat, comfortable, good-natured +old body, and her business in life was +to go about nursing sick folk and making them +well again. +</p> +<p>One day she was sitting by the window, rocking +herself and resting after a hard week of +nursing. She looked from the window, and +there she saw a queer-looking little man come +riding along the road on a great fiery, prancing +black horse. He rode up to her door and +knocked without getting off his horse, and when +Dame Pridgett opened the door he looked down +at her with such queer pale eyes he almost +frightened her. +</p> +<p>“Are you Dame Pridgett?” he asked. +</p> +<p>“I am,” answered the dame. +</p> +<p>“And do you go about nursing sick people?” +</p> +<p>“Yes, that is my business.” +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_279' name='page_279'></a>279</span></p> +<p>“Then you are the one I want. My wife is +ill, and I am seeking some one to nurse her.” +</p> +<p>“Where do you live?” asked the dame, for +the man was a stranger to her, and she knew +he was not from thereabouts. +</p> +<p>“Oh, I come from over beyond the hills, but +I have no time to talk. Give me your hand +and mount up behind me.” +</p> +<p>Dame Pridgett gave him her hand, not because +she wanted to, but because, somehow, +when he bade her do so she could not refuse. +He gave her hand a little pull, and she flew up +through the air as light as a bird, and there +she was sitting on the horse behind him. The +stranger whistled, and away went the great +black horse, fast, fast as the wind;—so fast +that the old Dame had much ado not to be +blown off, but she shut her eyes and held tight +to the stranger. +</p> +<p>They rode along for what seemed a long distance, +and then they stopped before a poor, +mean-looking house. Dame Pridgett stared +about her, and she did not know where they +were. She knew she had never seen the place +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_280' name='page_280'></a>280</span> +before. In front of the house were some rocks +with weeds growing among them, and a pool of +muddy water, and a few half-dead trees. It +was a dreary place. Two ragged children were +playing beside the door with a handful of +pebbles. +</p> +<p>The little man lighted down and helped the +old dame slip from the horse; then he led the +way into the house. They passed through a +mean hallway and into a room hung round +with cobwebs. The room was poorly furnished +with a wooden bed, a table and a few chairs. +In the bed lay a little, round-faced woman with +a snub nose and a coarse, freckled skin, and in +the crook of her arm was a baby so small and +weak-looking the nurse knew it could not be +more than a few hours old. +</p> +<p>“This is my wife,” said the stranger. “It +will be your duty to wait on her and to wash +and dress the child.” +</p> +<p>The baby was so queer looking that Dame +Pridgett did not much care to handle it, but +still she had come there as a nurse, and she +would do what was required of her. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_281' name='page_281'></a>281</span></p> +<p>The little man showed her where the kitchen +was, and she heated some water and then went +back to the bedroom and took up the baby to +wash it. But so strange it all seemed, and she +felt so shaken up by her ride that she was +awkward in handling the child, and as she bent +her head over it, it lifted its hand and gave +her such a box on the ear that her head rang +with it. +</p> +<p>The old dame cried out and almost let the +babe fall, she was so thunderstruck. +</p> +<p>“What is the matter?” asked the woman +from the bed. Then she slipped her hand under +her pillow and drew out a box of salve. “Here! +Rub the child’s eyes with a bit of this,” she said, +“but be sure you do not get any of it on your +own eyes, or it will be a bad thing for you,—scarce +could be a worse.” +</p> +<p>The nurse took a bit of the salve on her forefinger +and rubbed the baby’s eyes with it, and +then the mother bade her go and wash off any +particle of salve that might be left on her finger. +</p> +<p>All day Dame Pridgett waited on the mother +and child, and when night came she was shown +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_282' name='page_282'></a>282</span> +into a room next to theirs where she was to +sleep. +</p> +<p>The following day the dame was again kept +busy with the mother and child. She washed +the baby and rubbed the salve on its eyelids as +before, and again the mother warned her not to +let the least particle of salve touch her own +eyes, or it would be the worse for her. +</p> +<p>Food was set out for the nurse in a small +room beyond her own. She did not know +whence it came, nor who prepared it, but she +was hungry and ate heartily of it, though it had +a strange taste she did not like. The two +ragged children came in and ate with her. +They did not speak, but stared at her from +under their matted hair. The little man she +did not see again for some time. +</p> +<p>So day followed day, and it was always the +same thing over and over for Dame Pridgett, +and every day after she had washed the child +she rubbed salve on its eyelids. Soon its eyes, +that had at first been dull, grew so bright and +strong they sparkled like jewels. Dame Pridgett +thought it must be a very fine salve. She +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_283' name='page_283'></a>283</span> +would have liked to try some of it on her own +eyes, for her sight was somewhat dim, but the +mother watched her so closely that she never +had a chance to use it. +</p> +<p>Now, every day, after Dame Pridgett had +washed the baby, she left the basin on a chair +beside her while she rubbed the salve on the +child’s eyes. One day she managed to upset +the basin with her elbow as though by accident, +though really by design. She gave a cry and +bent over to pick up the basin, and as she did +so, unseen by her mistress, she rubbed her right +eye with the finger that still had some salve +left on it. +</p> +<p>When Dame Pridgett straightened up and +looked about her she could hardly keep from +crying out again at what she saw. The room +and everything in it looked different. Instead +of being poor and mean, it was like a chamber +in a castle. Where there had been cobwebs +were now shimmering silken hangings. The +bed and all the furniture was of gold, magnificently +carved. The sheets and pillow cases +were of silk, and instead of a coarse, snub-nosed +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_284' name='page_284'></a>284</span> +little woman, there among the pillows lay the +most exquisite little lady the old dame had ever +set eyes on; her skin was as fine as a rose leaf, +her hair like spun gold, her lips like coral, and +her eyes as bright as stars. The babe, also, +from being a very ordinary looking child, had +become the most exquisite little elfin creature +that ever was seen. +</p> +<p>Dame Pridgett managed somehow to keep +quiet and hide her amazement, but now she +knew very well that it was to fairyland she had +come, and that these were fairy folk. +</p> +<p>She made some excuse to go to the window +and look out. The change outside was no less +wonderful than that within. The muddy pool +she now saw was a shining lake; the rocks were +grottoes; the trees were covered with leaves +and shining fruit, and the weeds were beds of +flowers of wondrous colors, such as she had +never seen before. As for the ragged children, +she saw them now as fairy children clothed in +the finest of laces and playing, not with pebbles, +but with precious jewels so brilliant that they +fairly dazzled the eyes. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_285' name='page_285'></a>285</span></p> +<p>Dame Pridgett managed to keep her mouth +shut and acted in such a way that the fairies +never suspected she had used the magic ointment, +and could now see them as they were. +But it was only with the right eye, the one she +had touched with the salve, that she could see +thus. When she closed that eye and looked +with the other, everything was just as it had +been before, and seemed so mean and squalid +it was difficult to believe it could appear otherwise. +</p> +<p>So time went on until the fairy lady was +well again and had no need of a nurse to care +for her. Then one day the little man came +again on his black steed and called the old +dame out to him. +</p> +<p>“You have served us well,” said he, “and +here is your reward,” and he placed a purse of +gold pieces in her hand. Then he caught hold +of her and lifted her up behind him on to the +horse, and away they went, swifter than the +wind. Dame Pridgett had to shut her eyes to +keep from growing dizzy and falling off. So it +was that when she reached home she knew no +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_286' name='page_286'></a>286</span> +more of the way she had come than she knew +of the way she had gone. +</p> +<p>But this was not the last Dame Pridgett saw +of the fairy folk. The little man on the black +steed came to her house no more, but there were +other little people about in the world who were +now visible to her salve-touched eye. Sometimes +as she came through the wood she would +see them busy among the roots of the trees, +setting their houses in order, or bartering and +trading in their fairy markets; or on moonlight +nights she would look out and see them at +play among the flowers in her garden; or she +would pass them dancing in fairy rings in the +pastures or meadow lands, but she never told +a soul of what she saw, nor tried to speak to +the wee folk, and they were so busy about their +own affairs that they paid no attention to her +and never guessed she could see them. +</p> +<p>And then at last came a day (and a sad day +it was for Dame Pridgett) when she again met +the little man who had come for her on the +great black horse. +</p> +<p>She had gone to market to buy the stuff for a +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_287' name='page_287'></a>287</span> +new apron and was walking along, thinking of +nothing but her purchase, when suddenly she +saw the little man slipping about among the +market people, never touching them and unseen +by any. He was peeping into the butter firkins, +smelling and tasting, and wherever he found +some very good butter he helped himself to a +bit of it and put it in a basket he carried on +his arm. +</p> +<p>Dame Pridgett pressed up close to him and +looked into his basket, and there in it was a +dish almost full of butter. When the good +dame saw that, she was so indignant that she +quite lost all prudence. +</p> +<p>“Shame on you,” she cried to the little man. +“Are you not ashamed to be stealing butter from +good folk who are less able to buy than yourself.” +</p> +<p>The little man stopped and looked at her. +“So you can see me, can you?” he said. +</p> +<p>“Yes, to be sure I can,” said the old dame +boldly. +</p> +<p>“And how does that happen?” asked the +little man smoothly, and without any show of +anger. +<span class='pagenum'><a id='page_288' name='page_288'></a>288</span></p> +<p>“Oh, when I was nursing your good lady, I +managed to rub a bit of her salve on one of my +eyes, and that is how I can see you.” +</p> +<p>“And which eye did you rub with the salve?” +</p> +<p>“My right eye.” +</p> +<p>“And it is only with your right eye you see +me?” +</p> +<p>“Only with my right eye.” +</p> +<p>When the little man heard that, quick as a +flash he pursed up his lips and blew into her +right eye, and he blew so hard he blew the sight +right out of it. The old dame blinked and +winked and rubbed her eye with her fingers. +The little man had vanished from before her. +She could see everything else, but what she saw +was with her left eye only, and she could see no +fairies with it for it had not been touched with +salve. +</p> +<p>So that was the end of it for Dame Pridgett, +as far as the wee folk were concerned, for she +never got back the sight of her right eye; only +she still had the purse of gold pieces left, and +that was enough to comfort the old dame for a +great deal. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><strong>Transcriber's Note:</strong></p> + +<p>The page numbers numbers in the list of <a href='#illus'>Illustrations</a> have been +changed to match their position in this ebook.</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales of Folk and Fairies, by Katharine Pyle + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF FOLK AND FAIRIES *** + +***** This file should be named 25913-h.htm or 25913-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/9/1/25913/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ronnie Sahlberg 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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