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diff --git a/old/orang10.txt b/old/orang10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7cd71f9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/orang10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11040 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Orange Fairy Book +by Andrew Lang +(#29 in our series by Andrew Lang) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.07.00*END* + + + + +This etext was prepared by Scanned by jcbyers@capitalnet.com, typed and +Proofread by LMShaf@aol.com + + + + + + The Orange Fairy Book + Edited by Andrew Lang + + +Preface + + + +The children who read fairy books, or have fairy books read to them, do +not read prefaces, and the parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, who +give fairy books to their daughters, nieces, and cousines, leave +prefaces unread. For whom, then, are prefaces written? When an author +publishes a book 'out of his own head,' he writes the preface for his +own pleasure. After reading over his book in print--to make sure that +all the 'u's' are not printed as 'n's,' and all the 'n's' as 'u's' in +the proper names--then the author says, mildly, in his preface, what he +thinks about his own book, and what he means it to prove--if he means +it to prove anything--and why it is not a better book than it is. But, +perhaps, nobody reads prefaces except other authors; and critics, who +hope that they will find enough in the preface to enable them to do +without reading any of the book. + +This appears to be the philosophy of prefaces in general, and perhaps +authors might be more daring and candid than they are with advantage, +and write regular criticisms of their own books in their prefaces, for +nobody can be so good a critic of himself as the author--if he has a +sense of humour. If he has not, the less he says in his preface the +better. + +These Fairy Books, however, are not written by the Editor, as he has +often explained, 'out of his own head.' The stories are taken from +those told by grannies to grandchildren in many countries and in many +languages-- French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Gaelic, Icelandic, +Cherokee, African, Indian, Australian, Slavonic, Eskimo, and what not. +The stories are not literal, or word by word translations, but have +been altered in many ways to make them suitable for children. Much has +been left out in places, and the narrative has been broken up into +conversations, the characters telling each other how matters stand, and +speaking for themselves, as children, and some older people, prefer +them to do. In many tales, fairly cruel and savage deeds are done, and +these have been softened down as much as possible; though it is +impossible, even if it were desirable, to conceal the circumstance that +popular stories were never intended to be tracts and nothing else. +Though they usually take the side of courage and kindness, and the +virtues in general, the old story-tellers admire successful cunning as +much as Homer does in the Odyssey. At least, if the cunning hero, +human or animal, is the weaker, like Odysseus, Brer Rabbit, and many +others, the story-teller sees little in intellect but superior cunning, +by which tiny Jack gets the better of the giants. In the fairy tales +of no country are 'improper' incidents common, which is to the credit +of human nature, as they were obviously composed mainly for children. +It is not difficult to get rid of this element when it does occur in +popular tales. + +The old puzzle remains a puzzle--why do the stories of the remotest +people so closely resemble each other? Of course, in the immeasurable +past, they have been carried about by conquering races, and learned by +conquering races from vanquished peoples. Slaves carried far from home +brought their stories with them into captivity. Wanderers, travellers, +shipwrecked men, merchants, and wives stolen from alien tribes have +diffused the stories; gipsies and Jews have passed them about; Roman +soldiers of many different races, moved here and there about the +Empire, have trafficked in them. From the remotest days men have been +wanderers, and wherever they went their stories accompanied them. The +slave trade might take a Greek to Persia, a Persian to Greece; an +Egyptian woman to Phoenicia; a Babylonian to Egypt; a Scandinavian +child might be carried with the amber from the Baltic to the Adriatic; +or a Sidonian to Ophir, wherever Ophir may have been; while the +Portuguese may have borne their tales to South Africa, or to Asia, and +thence brought back other tales to Egypt. The stories wandered +wherever the Buddhist missionaries went, and the earliest French +voyageurs told them to the Red Indians. These facts help to account +for the sameness of the stories everywhere; and the uniformity of +human fancy in early societies must be the cause of many other +resemblances. + +In this volume there are stories from the natives of Rhodesia, +collected by Mr. Fairbridge, who speaks the native language, and one is +brought by Mr. Cripps from another part of Africa, Uganda. Three tales +from the Punjaub were collected and translated by Major Campbell. +Various savage tales, which needed a good deal of editing, are derived +from the learned pages of the 'Journal of the Anthropological +Institute.' With these exceptions, and 'The Magic Book,' translated by +Mrs. Pedersen, from 'Eventyr fra Jylland,' by Mr. Ewald Tang Kristensen +(Stories from Jutland), all the tales have been done, from various +sources, by Mrs. Lang, who has modified, where it seemed desirable, all +the narratives. + + + + CONTENTS + + + +The Story of the Hero Makoma The Magic Mirror Story of the King who +would see Paradise How Isuro the Rabbit tricked Gudu Ian, the Soldier's +Son The Fox and the Wolf How Ian Direach got the Blue Falcon The Ugly +Duckling The Two Caskets The Goldsmith's Fortune The Enchanted Wreath +The Foolish Weaver The Clever Cat The Story of Manus Pinkel the Thief +The Adventures of a Jackal The Adventures of the Jachal's Eldest Son +The Adventures of the Younger Son of the Jackal The Three Treasures of +the Giants The Rover of the Plain The White Doe The Girl Fish The Owl +and the Eagle The Frog and the Lion Fairy The Adventures of Covan the +Brown-haired The Princess Bella-Flor The Bird of Truth The Mink and the +Wolf Adventures of an Indian Brave How the Stalos were Tricked Andras +Baive The White Slipper The Magic Book + + + + The Orange Fairy Book + + + + The Story of the Hero Makoma From the Senna (Oral +Tradition) + + + +Once upon a time, at the town of Senna on the banks of the Zambesi, was +born a child. He was not like other children, for he was very tall and +strong; over his shoulder he carried a big sack, and in his hand an +iron hammer. He could also speak like a grown man, but usually he was +very silent. + +One day his mother said to him: 'My child, by what name shall we know +you?' + +And he answered: 'Call all the head men of Senna here to the river's +bank.' And his mother called the head men of the town, and when they +had come he led them down to a deep black pool in the river where all +the fierce crocodiles lived. + +'O great men!' he said, while they all listened, 'which of you will +leap into the pool and overcome the crocodiles?' But no one would come +forward. So he turned and sprang into the water and disappeared. + +The people held their breath, for they thought: 'Surely the boy is +bewitched and throws away his life, for the crocodiles will eat him!' +Then suddenly the ground trembled, and the pool, heaving and swirling, +became red with blood, and presently the boy rising to the surface swam +on shore. + +But he was no longer just a boy! He was stronger than any man and very +tall and handsome, so that the people shouted with gladness when they +saw him. + +'Now, O my people!' he cried, waving his hand, 'you know my name--I am +Makoma, "the Greater"; for have I not slain the crocodiles into the +pool where none would venture?' + +Then he said to his mother: 'Rest gently, my mother, for I go to make a +home for myself and become a hero.' Then, entering his hut he took +Nu-endo, his iron hammer, and throwing the sack over his shoulder, he +went away. + +Makoma crossed the Zambesi, and for many moons he wandered towards the +north and west until he came to a very hilly country where, one day, he +met a huge giant making mountains. + +'Greeting,' shouted Makoma, 'you are you?' + +'I am Chi-eswa-mapiri, who makes the mountains,' answered the giant; +'and who are you?' + +'I am Makoma, which signifies "greater,"' answered he. + +'Greater than who?' asked the giant. + +'Greater than you!' answered Makoma. + +The giant gave a roar and rushed upon him. Makoma said nothing, but +swinging his great hammer, Nu-endo, he struck the giant upon the head. + +He struck him so hard a blow that the giant shrank into quite a little +man, who fell upon his knees saying: 'You are indeed greater than I, O +Makoma; take me with you to be your slave!' So Makoma picked him up +and dropped him into the sack that he carried upon his back. + +He was greater than ever now, for all the giant's strength had gone +into him; and he resumed his journey, carrying his burden with as +little difficulty as an eagle might carry a hare. + +Before long he came to a country broken up with huge stones and immense +clods of earth. Looking over one of the heaps he saw a giant wrapped +in dust dragging out the very earth and hurling it in handfuls on +either side of him. + +'Who are you,' cried Makoma, 'that pulls up the earth in this way?' + +'I am Chi-dubula-taka,' said he, 'and I am making the river-beds.' + +'Do you know who I am?' said Makoma. 'I am he that is called +"greater"!' + +'Greater than who?' thundered the giant. + +'Greater than you!' answered Makoma. + +With a shout, Chi-dubula-taka seized a great clod of earth and launched +it at Makoma. But the hero had his sack held over his left arm and the +stones and earth fell harmlessly upon it, and, tightly gripping his +iron hammer, he rushed in and struck the giant to the ground. +Chi-dubula-taka grovelled before him, all the while growing smaller and +smaller; and when he had become a convenient size Makoma picked him up +and put him into the sack beside Chi- eswa-mapiri. + +He went on his way even greater than before, as all the river-maker's +power had become his; and at last he came to a forest of bao- babs and +thorn trees. He was astonished at their size, for every one was full +grown and larger than any trees he had ever seen, and close by he saw +Chi-gwisa-miti, the giant who was planting the forest. + +Chi-gwisa-miti was taller than either of his brothers, but Makoma was +not afraid, and called out to him: 'Who are you, O Big One?' + +'I,' said the giant, 'am Chi-gwisa-miti, and I am planting these +bao-babs and thorns as food for my children the elephants.' + +'Leave off!' shouted the hero, 'for I am Makoma, and would like to +exchange a blow with thee!' + +The giant, plucking up a monster bao-bab by the roots, struck heavily +at Makoma; but the hero sprang aside, and as the weapon sank deep into +the soft earth, whirled Nu-endo the hammer round his head and felled +the giant with one blow. + +So terrible was the stroke that Chi-gwisa- miti shrivelled up as the +other giants had done; and when he had got back his breath he begged +Makoma to take him as his servant. 'For,' said he, 'it is honourable +to serve a man so great as thou.' + +Makoma, after placing him in his sack, proceeded upon his journey, and +travelling for many days he at last reached a country so barren and +rocky that not a single living thing grew upon it--everywhere reigned +grim desolation. And in the midst of this dead region he found a man +eating fire. + +'What are you doing?' demanded Makoma. + +'I am eating fire,' answered the man, laughing; 'and my name is +Chi-idea-moto, for I am the flame-spirit, and can waste and destroy +what I like.' + +'You are wrong,' said Makoma; 'for I am Makoma, who is "greater" than +you--and you cannot destroy me!' + +The fire-eater laughed again, and blew a flame at Makoma. But the hero +sprang behind a rock--just in time, for the ground upon which he had +been standing was turned to molten glass, like an overbaked pot, by the +heat of the flame-spirit's breath. + +Then the hero flung his iron hammer at Chi- idea-moto, and, striking +him, it knocked him helpless; so Makoma placed him in the sack, +Woro-nowu, with the other great men that he had overcome. + +And now, truly, Makoma was a very great hero; for he had the strength +to make hills, the industry to lead rivers over dry wastes, foresight +and wisdom in planting trees, and the power of producing fire when he +wished. + +Wandering on he arrived one day at a great plain, well watered and full +of game; and in the very middle of it, close to a large river, was a +grassy spot, very pleasant to make a home upon. + +Makoma was so delighted with the little meadow that he sat down under a +large tree and removing the sack from his shoulder, took out all the +giants and set them before him. 'My friends,' said he, 'I have +travelled far and am weary. Is not this such a place as would suit a +hero for his home? Let us then go, to-morrow, to bring in timber to +make a kraal.' + +So the next day Makoma and the giants set out to get poles to build the +kraal, leaving only Chi-eswa-mapiri to look after the place and cook +some venison which they had killed. In the evening, when they +returned, they found the giant helpless and tied to a tree by one +enormous hair! + +'How is it,' said Makoma, astonished, 'that we find you thus bound and +helpless?' + +'O Chief,' answered Chi-eswa-mapiri, 'at mid- day a man came out of the +river; he was of immense statue, and his grey moustaches were of such +length that I could not see where they ended! He demanded of me "Who +is thy master?" And I answered: "Makoma, the greatest of heroes." Then +the man seized me, and pulling a hair from his moustache, tied me to +this tree--even as you see me.' + +Makoma was very wroth, but he said nothing, and drawing his finger-nail +across the hair (which was as thick and strong as palm rope) cut it, +and set free the mountain-maker. + +The three following days exactly the same thing happened, only each +time with a different one of the party; and on the fourth day Makoma +stayed in camp when the others went to cut poles, saying that he would +see for himself what sort of man this was that lived in the river and +whose moustaches were so long that they extended beyond men's sight. + +So when the giants had gone he swept and tidied the camp and put some +venison on the fire to roast. At midday, when the sun was right +overhead, he heard a rumbling noise from the river, and looking up he +saw the head and shoulders of an enormous man emerging from it. And +behold! right down the river-bed and up the river-bed, till they faded +into the blue distance, stretched the giant's grey moustaches! + +'Who are you?' bellowed the giant, as soon as he was out of the water. + +'I am he that is called Makoma,' answered the hero; 'and, before I slay +thee, tell me also what is thy name and what thou doest in the river?' + +'My name is Chin-debou Mau-giri,' said the giant. 'My home is in the +river, for my moustache is the grey fever-mist that hangs above the +water, and with which I bind all those that come unto me so that they +die.' + +'You cannot bind me!' shouted Makoma, rushing upon him and striking +with his hammer. But the river giant was so slimy that the blow slid +harmlessly off his green chest, and as Makoma stumbled and tried to +regain his balance, the giant swung one of his long hairs around him +and tripped him up. + +For a moment Makoma was helpless, but remembering the power of the +flame-spirit which had entered into him, he breathed a fiery breath +upon the giant's hair and cut himself free. + +As Chin-debou Mau-giri leaned forward to seize him the hero flung his +sack Woronowu over the giant's slippery head, and gripping his iron +hammer, struck him again; this time the blow alighted upon the dry sack +and Chin- debou Mau-giri fell dead. + +When the four giants returned at sunset with the poles, they rejoiced +to find that Makoma had overcome the fever-spirit, and they feasted on +the roast venison till far into the night; but in the morning, when +they awoke, Makoma was already warming his hands to the fire, and his +face was gloomy. + +'In the darkness of the night, O my friends,' he said presently, 'the +white spirits of my fathers came upon me and spoke, saying: "Get thee +hence, Makoma, for thou shalt have no rest until thou hast found and +fought with Sakatirina, who had five heads, and is very great and +strong; so take leave of thy friends, for thou must go alone."' + +Then the giants were very sad, and bewailed the loss of their hero; but +Makoma comforted them, and gave back to each the gifts he had taken +from them. Then bidding them 'Farewell,' he went on his way. + +Makoma travelled far towards the west; over rough mountains and +water-logged morasses, fording deep rivers, and tramping for days +across dry deserts where most men would have died, until at length he +arrived at a hut standing near some large peaks, and inside the hut +were two beautiful women. + +'Greeting!' said the hero. 'Is this the country of Sakatirina of five +heads, whom I am seeking?' + +'We greet you, O Great One!' answered the women. 'We are the wives of +Sakatirina; your search is at an end, for there stands he whom you +seek!' And they pointed to what Makoma had thought were two tall +mountain peaks. 'Those are his legs,' they said; 'his body you cannot +see, for it is hidden in the clouds.' + +Makoma was astonished when he beheld how tall was the giant; but, +nothing daunted, he went forward until he reached one of Sakatirina's +legs, which he struck heavily with Nu-endo. Nothing happened, so he +hit again and then again until, presently, he heard a tired, far-away +voice saying: 'Who is it that scratches my feet?' + +And Makoma shouted as loud as he could, answering: 'It is I, Makoma, +who is called "Greater"!' And he listened, but there was no answer. + +Then Makoma collected all the dead brushwood and trees that he could +find, and making an enormous pile round the giant's legs, set a light +to it. + +This time the giant spoke; his voice was very terrible, for it was the +rumble of thunder in the clouds. 'Who is it,' he said, 'making that +fire smoulder around my feet?' + +'It is I, Makoma!' shouted the hero. 'And I have come from far away to +see thee, O Sakatirina, for the spirits of my fathers bade me go seek +and fight with thee, lest I should grow fat, and weary of myself.' + +There was silence for a while, and then the giant spoke softly: 'It is +good, O Makoma!' he said. 'For I too have grown weary. There is no +man so great as I, therefore I am all alone. Guard thyself!' and +bending suddenly he seized the hero in his hands and dashed him upon +the ground. And lo! instead of death, Makoma had found life, for he +sprang to his feet mightier in strength and stature than before, and +rushing in he gripped the giant by the waist and wrestled with him. + +Hour by hour they fought, and mountains rolled beneath their feet like +pebbles in a flood; now Makoma would break away, and summoning up his +strength, strike the giant with Nu-endo his iron hammer, and Sakatirina +would pluck up the mountains and hurl them upon the hero, but neither +one could slay the other. At last, upon the second day, they grappled +so strongly that they could not break away; but their strength was +failing, and, just as the sun was sinking, they fell together to the +ground, insensible. + +In the morning when they awoke, Mulimo the Great Spirit was standing by +them; and he said: 'O Makoma and Sakatirina! Ye are heroes so great +that no man may come against you. Therefore ye will leave the world +and take up your home with me in the clouds.' And as he spake the +heroes became invisible to the people of the Earth, and were no more +seen among them. + +[Native Rhodesian Tale.] + + + + The Magic Mirror From the Senna + + + +A long, long while ago, before ever the White Men were seen in Senna, +there lived a man called Gopani-Kufa. + +One day, as he was out hunting, he came upon a strange sight. An +enormous python had caught an antelope and coiled itself around it; the +antelope, striking out in despair with its horns, had pinned the +python's neck to a tree, and so deeply had its horns sunk in the soft +wood that neither creature could get away. + +'Help!' cried the antelope, 'for I was doing no harm, yet I have been +caught, and would have been eaten, had I not defended myself.' + +'Help me,' said the python, 'for I am Insato, King of all the Reptiles, +and will reward you well!' + +Gopani-Kufa considered for a moment, then stabbing the antelope with +his assegai, he set the python free. + +'I thank you,' said the python; 'come back here with the new moon, when +I shall have eaten the antelope, and I will reward you as I promised.' + +'Yes,' said the dying antelope, 'he will reward you, and lo! your +reward shall be your own undoing!' + +Gopani-Kufa went back to his kraal, and with the new moon he returned +again to the spot where he had saved the python. + +Insato was lying upon the ground, still sleepy from the effects of his +huge meal, and when he saw the man he thanked him again, and said: +'Come with me now to Pita, which is my own country, and I will give you +what you will of all my possessions.' + +Gopani-Kufa at first was afraid, thinking of what the antelope had +said, but finally he consented and followed Insato into the forest. + +For several days they travelled, and at last they came to a hole +leading deep into the earth. It was not very wide, but large enough to +admit a man. 'Hold on to my tail,' said Insato, 'and I will go down +first, drawing you after me.' The man did so, and Insato entered. + +Down, down, down they went for days, all the while getting deeper and +deeper into the earth, until at last the darkness ended and they +dropped into a beautiful country; around them grew short green grass, +on which browsed herds of cattle and sheep and goats. In the distance +Gopani-Kufa saw a great collection of houses all square, built of stone +and very tall, and their roofs were shining with gold and burnished +iron. + +Gopani-Kufa turned to Insato, but found, in the place of the python, a +man, strong and handsome, with the great snake's skin wrapped round him +for covering; and on his arms and neck were rings of pure gold. + +The man smiled. 'I am Insato,' said he, 'but in my own country I take +man's shape--even as you see me--for this is Pita, the land over which +I am king.' He then took Gopani-Kufa by the hand and led him towards +the town. + +On the way they passed rivers in which men and women were bathing and +fishing and boating; and farther on they came to gardens covered with +heavy crops of rice and maize, and many other grains which Gopani-Kufa +did not even know the name of. And as they passed, the people who were +singing at their work in the fields, abandoned their labours and +saluted Insato with delight, bringing also palm wine and green +cocoanuts for refreshment, as to one returned from a long journey. + +'These are my children!' said Insato, waving his hand towards the +people. Gopani-Kufa was much astonished at all that he saw, but he +said nothing. Presently they came to the town; everything here, too, +was beautiful, and everything that a man might desire he could obtain. +Even the grains of dust in the streets were of gold and silver. + +Insato conducted Gopani-Kufa to the palace, and showing him his rooms, +and the maidens who would wait upon him, told him that they would have +a great feast that night, and on the morrow he might name his choice of +the riches of Pita and it should be given him. Then he was away. + +Now Gopani-Kufa had a wasp called Zengi-mizi. Zengi-mizi was not an +ordinary wasp, for the spirit of the father of Gopani-Kufa had entered +it, so that it was exceedingly wise. In times of doubt Gopani-Kufa +always consulted the wasp as to what had better be done, so on this +occasion he took it out of the little rush basket in which he carried +it, saying: 'Zengi-mizi, what gift shall I ask of Insato to-morrow when +he would know the reward he shall bestow on me for saving his life?' + +'Biz-z-z,' hummed Zengi-mizi, 'ask him for Sipao the Mirror.' And it +flew back into its basket. + +Gopani-Kufa was astonished at this answer; but knowing that the words +of Zengi-mizi were true words, he determined to make the request. So +that night they feasted, and on the morrow Insato came to Gopani-Kufa +and, giving him greeting joyfully, he said: + +'Now, O my friend, name your choice amongst my possessions and you +shall have it!' + +'O king!' answered Gopani-Kufa, 'out of all your possessions I will +have the Mirror, Sipao.' + +The king started. 'O friend, Gopani-Kufa,' he said, 'ask anything but +that! I did not think that you would request that which is most +precious to me.' + +'Let me think over it again then, O king,' said Gopani-Kufa, 'and +to-morrow I will let you know if I change my mind.' + +But the king was still much troubled, fearing the loss of Sipao, for +the mirror had magic powers, so that he who owned it had but to ask and +his wish would be fulfilled; to it Insato owed all that he possessed. + +As soon as the king left him, Gopani-Kufa again took Zengi-mizi, out of +his basket. 'Zengi-mizi,' he said, 'the king seems loth to grant my +request for the Mirror--is there not some other thing of equal value +for which I might ask?' + +And the wasp answered: 'There is nothing in the world, O Gopani-Kufa, +which is of such value as this Mirror, for it is a Wishing Mirror, and +accomplishes the desires of him who owns it. If the king hesitates, go +to him the next day, and the day after, and in the end he will bestow +the Mirror upon you, for you saved his life.' + +And it was even so. For three days Gopani- Kufa returned the same +answer to the king, and, at last, with tears in his eyes, Insato gave +him the Mirror, which was of polished iron, saying: 'Take Sipao, then, +O Gopani- Kufa, and may thy wishes come true. Go back now to thine own +country; Sipao will show you the way.' + +Gopani-Kufa was greatly rejoiced, and, taking farewell of the king, +said to the Mirror: + +'Sipao, Sipao, I wish to be back upon the Earth again!' + +Instantly he found himself standing upon the upper earth; but, not +knowing the spot, he said again to the Mirror: + +'Sipao, Sipao, I want the path to my own kraal!' + +And behold! right before him lay the path! + +When he arrived home he found his wife and daughter mourning for him, +for they thought that he had been eaten by lions; but he comforted +them, saying that while following a wounded antelope he had missed his +way and had wandered for a long time before he had found the path again. + +That night he asked Zengi-mizi, in whom sat the spirit of his father, +what he had better ask Sipao for next? + +'Biz-z-z,' said the wasp, 'would you not like to be as great a chief as +Insato?' + +And Gopani-Kufa smiled, and took the Mirror and said to it: + +'Sipao, Sipao, I want a town as great as that of Insato, the King of +Pita; and I wish to be chief over it!' + +Then all along the banks of the Zambesi river, which flowed near by, +sprang up streets of stone buildings, and their roofs shone with gold +and burnished iron like those in Pita; and in the streets men and women +were walking, and young boys were driving out the sheep and cattle to +pasture; and from the river came shouts and laughter from the young men +and maidens who had launched their canoes and were fishing. And when +the people of the new town beheld Gopani-Kufa they rejoiced greatly and +hailed him as chief. + +Gopani-Kufa was now as powerful as Insato the King of the Reptiles had +been, and he and his family moved into the palace that stood high above +the other buildings right in the middle of the town. His wife was too +astonished at all these wonders to ask any questions, but his daughter +Shasasa kept begging him to tell her how he had suddenly become so +great; so at last he revealed the whole secret, and even entrusted +Sipao the Mirror to her care, saying: + +'It will be safer with you, my daughter, for you dwell apart; whereas +men come to consult me on affairs of state, and the Mirror might be +stolen.' + +Then Shasasa took the Magic Mirror and hid it beneath her pillow, and +after that for many years Gopani-Kufa ruled his people both well and +wisely, so that all men loved him, and never once did he need to ask +Sipao to grant him a wish. + +Now it happened that, after many years, when the hair of Gopani-Kufa +was turning grey with age, there came white men to that country. Up +the Zambesi they came, and they fought long and fiercely with +Gopani-Kufa; but, because of the power of the Magic Mirror, he beat +them, and they fled to the sea-coast. Chief among them was one Rei, a +man of much cunning, who sought to discover whence sprang Gopani-Kufa's +power. So one day he called to him a trusty servant named Butou, and +said: 'Go you to the town and find out for me what is the secret of its +greatness.' + +And Butou, dressing himself in rags, set out, and when he came to +Gopani-Kufa's town he asked for the chief; and the people took him into +the presence of Gopani-Kufa. When the white man saw him he humbled +himself, and said: 'O Chief! take pity on me, for I have no home! When +Rei marched against you I alone stood apart, for I knew that all the +strength of the Zambesi lay in your hands, and because I would not +fight against you he turned me forth into the forest to starve!' + +And Gopani-Kufa believed the white man's story, and he took him in and +feasted him, and gave him a house. + +In this way the end came. For the heart of Shasasa, the daughter of +Gopani-Kufa, went forth to Butou the traitor, and from her he learnt +the secret of the Magic Mirror. One night, when all the town slept, he +felt beneath her pillow and, finding the Mirror, he stole it and fled +back with it to Rei, the chief of the white men. + +So it befell that, one day, as Gopani-Kufa was gazing up at the river +from a window of the palace he again saw the war-canoes of the white +men; and at the sight his spirit misgave him. + +'Shasasa! my daughter!' he cried wildly, 'go fetch me the mirror, for +the white men are at hand.' + +'Woe is me, my father!' she sobbed. 'The Mirror is gone! For I loved +Butou the traitor, and he has stolen Sipao from me!' + +Then Gopani-Kufa calmed himself, and drew out Zengi-mizi from its rush +basket. + +'O spirit of my father!' he said, 'what now shall I do?' + +'O Gopani-Kufa!' hummed the wasp, 'there is nothing now that can be +done, for the words of the antelope which you slew are being fulfilled.' + +'Alas! I am an old man--I had forgotten!' cried the chief. 'The words +of the antelope were true words--my reward shall be my undoing--they +are being fulfilled!' + +Then the white men fell upon the people of Gopani-Kufa and slew them +together with the chief and his daughter Shasasa; and since then all +the power of the Earth has rested in the hands of the white men, for +they have in their possession Sipao, the Magic Mirror. + + + + Story of the King Who Would See Paradise + + + +Once upon a time there was king who, one day out hunting, came upon a +fakeer in a lonely place in the mountains. The fakeer was seated on a +little old bedstead reading the Koran, with his patched cloak thrown +over his shoulders. + +The king asked him what he was reading; and he said he was reading +about Paradise, and praying that he might be worthy to enter there. +Then they began to talk, and, by-and- bye, the king asked the fakeer if +he could show him a glimpse of Paradise, for he found it very difficult +to believe in what he could not see. The fakeer replied that he was +asking a very difficult, and perhaps a very dangerous, thing; but that +he would pray for him, and perhaps he might be able to do it; only he +warned the king both against the dangers of his unbelief, and against +the curiosity which prompted him to ask this thing. However, the king +was not to be turned from his purpose, and he promised the fakeer +always to provided him with food, if he, in return, would pray for him. + To this the fakeer agreed, and so they parted. + +Time went on, and the king always sent the old fakeer his food +according to his promise; but, whenever he sent to ask him when he was +going to show him Paradise, the fakeer always replied: 'Not yet, not +yet!' + +After a year or two had passed by, the king heard one day that the +fakeer was very ill-- indeed, he was believed to be dying. Instantly +he hurried off himself, and found that it was really true, and that the +fakeer was even then breathing his last. There and then the king +besought him to remember his promise, and to show him a glimpse of +Paradise. The dying fakeer replied that if the king would come to his +funeral, and, when the grave was filled in, and everyone else was gone +away, he would come and lay his hand upon the grave, he would keep his +word, and show him a glimpse of Paradise. At the same time he implored +the king not to do this thing, but to be content to see Paradise when +God called him there. Still the king's curiosity was so aroused that +he would not give way. + +Accordingly, after the fakeer was dead, and had been buried, he stayed +behind when all the rest went away; and then, when he was quite alone, +he stepped forward, and laid his hand upon the grave! Instantly the +ground opened, and the astonished king, peeping in, saw a flight of +rough steps, and, at the bottom of them, the fakeer sitting, just as he +used to sit, on his rickety bedstead, reading the Koran! + +At first the king was so surprised and frightened that he could only +stare; but the fakeer beckoned to him to come down, so, mustering up +his courage, he boldly stepped down into the grave. + +The fakeer rose, and, making a sign to the king to follow, walked a few +paces along a dark passage. Then he stopped, turned solemnly to his +companion, and, with a movement of his hand, drew aside as it were a +heavy curtain, and revealed--what? No one knows what was there shown +to the king, nor did he ever tell anyone; but, when the fakeer at +length dropped the curtain, and the king turned to leave the place, he +had had his glimpse of Paradise! Trembling in every limb, he staggered +back along the passage, and stumbled up the steps out of the tomb into +the fresh air again. + +The dawn was breaking. It seemed odd to the king that he had been so +long in the grave. It appeared but a few minutes ago that he had +descended, passed along a few steps to the place where he had peeped +beyond the veil, and returned again after perhaps five minutes of that +wonderful view! And what WAS it he had seen? He racked his brains to +remember, but he could not call to mind a single thing! How curious +everything looked too! Why, his own city, which by now he was +entering, seemed changed and strange to him! The sun was already up +when he turned into the palace gate and entered the public durbar hall. + It was full; and there upon the throne sat another king! The poor +king, all bewildered, sat down and stared about him. Presently a +chamberlain came across and asked him why he sat unbidden in the king's +presence. 'But I am the king!' he cried. + +'What king?' said the chamberlain. + +'The true king of this country,' said he indignantly. + +Then the chamberlain went away, and spoke to the king who sat on the +throne, and the old king heard words like 'mad,' 'age,' 'compassion.' +Then the king on the throne called him to come forward, and, as he +went, he caught sight of himself reflected in the polished steel shield +of the bodyguard, and started back in horror! He was old, decrepit, +dirty, and ragged! His long white beard and locks were unkempt, and +straggled all over his chest and shoulders. Only one sign of royalty +remained to him, and that was the signet ring upon his right hand. He +dragged it off with shaking fingers and held it up to the king. + +'Tell me who I am,' he cried; 'there is my signet, who once sat where +you sit--even yesterday!' + +The king looked at him compassionately, and examined the signet with +curiosity. Then he commanded, and they brought out dusty records and +archives of the kingdom, and old coins of previous reigns, and compared +them faithfully. At last the king turned to the old man, and said: +'Old man, such a king as this whose signet thou hast, reigned seven +hundred years ago; but he is said to have disappeared, none know +whither; where got you the ring?' + +Then the old man smote his breast, and cried out with a loud +lamentation; for he understood that he, who was not content to wait +patiently to see the Paradise of the faithful, had been judged already. + And he turned and left the hall without a word, and went into the +jungle, where he lived for twenty-five years a life of prayer and +meditations, until at last the Angel of Death came to him, and +mercifully released him, purged and purified through his punishment. + +[A Pathan story told to Major Campbell.] + + + + How Isuro the Rabbit Tricked Gudu + + + +Far away in a hot country, where the forests are very thick and dark, +and the rivers very swift and strong, there once lived a strange pair +of friends. Now one of the friends was a big white rabbit named Isuro, +and the other was a tall baboon called Gudu, and so fond were they of +each other that they were seldom seen apart. + +One day, when the sun was hotter even than usual, the rabbit awoke from +his midday sleep, and saw Gudu the baboon standing beside him. + +'Get up,' said Gudu; 'I am going courting, and you must come with me. +So put some food in a bag, and sling it round your neck, for we may not +be able to find anything to eat for a long while.' + +Then the rabbit rubbed his eyes, and gathered a store of fresh green +things from under the bushes, and told Gudu that he was ready for the +journey. + +They went on quite happily for some distance, and at last they came to +a river with rocks scattered here and there across the stream. + +'We can never jump those wide spaces if we are burdened with food,' +said Gudu, 'we must throw it into the river, unless we wish to fall in +ourselves.' And stooping down, unseen by Isuro, who was in front of +him, Gudu picked up a big stone, and threw it into the water with a +loud splash. + +'It is your turn now,' he cried to Isuro. And with a heavy sigh, the +rabbit unfastened his bag of food, which fell into the river. + +The road on the other side led down an avenue of trees, and before they +had gone very far Gudu opened the bag that lay hidden in the thick hair +about his neck, and began to eat some delicious-looking fruit. + +'Where did you get that from?' asked Isuro enviously. + +'Oh, I found after all that I could get across the rocks quite easily, +so it seemed a pity not to keep my bag,' answered Gudu. + +'Well, as you tricked me into throwing away mine, you ought to let me +share with you,' said Isuro. But Gudu pretended not to hear him, and +strode along the path. + +By-and-bye they entered a wood, and right in front of them was a tree +so laden with fruit that its branches swept the ground. And some of +the fruit was still green, and some yellow. The rabbit hopped forward +with joy, for he was very hungry; but Gudu said to him: 'Pluck the +green fruit, you will find it much the best. I will leave it all for +you, as you have had no dinner, and take the yellow for myself.' So +the rabbit took one of the green oranges and began to bite it, but its +skin was so hard that he could hardly get his teeth through the rind. + +'It does not taste at all nice,' he cried, screwing up his face; 'I +would rather have one of the yellow ones.' + +'No! no! I really could not allow that,' answered Gudu. 'They would +only make you ill. Be content with the green fruit.' And as they were +all he could get, Isuro was forced to put up with them. + +After this had happened two or three times, Isuro at last had his eyes +opened, and made up his mind that, whatever Gudu told him, he would do +exactly the opposite. However, by this time they had reached the +village where dwelt Gudu's future wife, and as they entered Gudu +pointed to a clump of bushes, and said to Isuro: 'Whenever I am eating, +and you hear me call out that my food has burnt me, run as fast as you +can and gather some of those leaves that they may heal my mouth.' + +The rabbit would have liked to ask him why he ate food that he knew +would burn him, only he was afraid, and just nodded in reply; but when +they had gone on a little further, he said to Gudu: + +'I have dropped my needle; wait here a moment while I go and fetch it.' + +'Be quick then,' answered Gudu, climbing into a tree. And the rabbit +hastened back to the bushes, and gathered a quantity of the leaves, +which he hid among his fur, 'For,' thought he, 'if I get them now I +shall save myself the trouble of a walk by-and-by.' + +When he had plucked as many as he wanted he returned to Gudu, and they +went on together. + + The sun was almost setting by the time they reached their journey's +end and being very tired they gladly sat down by a well. Then Gudu's +betrothed, who had been watching for him, brought out a pitcher of +water--which she poured over them to wash off the dust of the road--and +two portions of food. But once again the rabbit's hopes were dashed to +the ground, for Gudu said hastily: + +'The custom of the village forbids you to eat till I have finished.' +And Isuro did not know that Gudu was lying, and that he only wanted +more food. So he saw hungrily looking on, waiting till his friend had +had enough. + +In a little while Gudu screamed loudly: 'I am burnt! I am burnt!' +though he was not burnt at all. Now, though Isuro had the leaves about +him, he did not dare to produce them at the last moment lest the baboon +should guess why he had stayed behind. So he just went round a corner +for a short time, and then came hopping back in a great hurry. But, +quick though he was, Gudu had been quicker still, and nothing remained +but some drops of water. + +'How unlucky you are,' said Gudu, snatching the leaves; 'no sooner had +you gone than ever so many people arrived, and washed their hands, as +you see, and ate your portion.' But, though Isuro knew better than to +believe him, he said nothing, and went to bed hungrier than he had ever +been in his life. + +Early next morning they started for another village, and passed on the +way a large garden where people were very busy gathering monkey- nuts. + +'You can have a good breakfast at last,' said Gudu, pointing to a heap +of empty shells; never doubting but that Isuro would meekly take the +portion shown him, and leave the real nuts for himself. But what was +his surprise when Isuro answered: + +'Thank you; I think I should prefer these.' And, turning to the +kernels, never stopped as long as there was one left. And the worst of +it was that, with so many people about, Gudu could not take the nuts +from him. + +It was night when they reached the village where dwelt the mother of +Gudu's betrothed, who laid meat and millet porridge before them. + +'I think you told me you were fond of porridge,' said Gudu; but Isuro +answered: 'You are mistaking me for somebody else, as I always eat meat +when I can get it.' And again Gudu was forced to be content with the +porridge, which he hated. + +While he was eating it, however a sudden thought darted into his mind, +and he managed to knock over a great pot of water which was hanging in +front of the fire, and put it quite out. + +'Now,' said the cunning creature to himself, 'I shall be able in the +dark to steal his meat!' But the rabbit had grown as cunning as he, +and standing in a corner hid the meat behind him, so that the baboon +could not find it. + +'O Gudu!' he cried, laughing aloud, 'it is you who have taught me to be +clever.' And calling to the people of the house, he bade them kindle +the fire, for Gudu would sleep by it, but that he would pass the night +with some friends in another hut. + + It was still quite dark when Isuro heard his name called very softly, +and, on opening his eyes, beheld Gudu standing by him. Laying his +finger on his nose, in token of silence, he signed to Isuro to get up +and follow him, and it was not until they were some distance from the +hut that Gudu spoke. + +'I am hungry and want something to eat better than that nasty porridge +that I had for supper. So I am going to kill one of those goats, and +as you are a good cook you must boil the flesh for me.' The rabbit +nodded, and Gudu disappeared behind a rock, but soon returned dragging +the dead goat with him. The two then set about skinning it, after +which they stuffed the skin with dried leaves, so that no one would +have guessed it was not alive, and set it up in the middle of a lump of +bushes, which kept it firm on its feet. While he was doing this, Isuro +collected sticks for a fire, and when it was kindled, Gudu hastened to +another hut to steal a pot which he filled with water from the river, +and, planting two branches in the ground, they hung the pot with the +meat in it over the fire. + +'It will not be fit to eat for two hours at least,' said Gudu, 'so we +can both have a nap.' And he stretched himself out on the ground, and +pretended to fall fast asleep, but, in reality, he was only waiting +till it was safe to take all the meat for himself. 'Surely I hear him +snore,' he thought; and he stole to the place where Isuro was lying on +a pile of wood, but the rabbit's eyes were wide open. + +'How tiresome,' muttered Gudu, as he went back to his place; and after +waiting a little longer he got up, and peeped again, but still the +rabbit's pink eyes stared widely. If Gudu had only known, Isuro was +asleep all the time; but this he never guessed, and by-and- bye he grew +so tired with watching that he went to sleep himself. Soon after, +Isuro woke up, and he too felt hungry, so he crept softly to the pot +and ate all the meat, while he tied the bones together and hung them in +Gudu's fur. After that he went back to the wood-pile and slept again. + +In the morning the mother of Gudu's betrothed came out to milk her +goats, and on going to the bushes where the largest one seemed +entangled, she found out the trick. She made such lament that the +people of the village came running, and Gudu and Isuro jumped up also, +and pretended to be as surprised and interested as the rest. But they +must have looked guilty after all, for suddenly an old man pointed to +them, and cried: + +'Those are thieves.' And at the sound of his voice the big Gudu +trembled all over. + +'How dare you say such things? I defy you to prove it,' answered Isuro +boldly. And he danced forward, and turned head over heels, and shook +himself before them all. + +'I spoke hastily; you are innocent,' said the old man; 'but now let the +baboon do likewise.' And when Gudu began to jump the goat's bones +rattled and the people cried: 'It is Gudu who is the goat-slayer!' But +Gudu answered: + +'Nay, I did not kill your goat; it was Isuro, and he ate the meat, and +hung the bones round my neck. So it is he who should die!' And the +people looked at each other, for they knew not what to believe. At +length one man said: + +'Let them both die, but they may choose their own deaths.' + +Then Isuro answered: + +'If we must die, put us in the place where the wood is cut, and heap it +up all round us, so that we cannot escape, and set fire to the wood; +and if one is burned and the other is not, then he that is burned is +the goat- slayer.' + +And the people did as Isuro had said. But Isuro knew of a hole under +the wood-pile, and when the fire was kindled he ran into the hole, but +Gudu died there. + +When the fire had burned itself out and only ashes were left where the +wood had been, Isuro came out of his hole, and said to the people: + +'Lo! did I not speak well? He who killed your goat is among those +ashes.' + +[Mashona Story.] + + + + Ian, the Soldier's Son + + + +There dwelt a knight in Grianaig of the land of the West, who had three +daughters, and for goodness and beauty they had not their like in all +the isles. All the people loved them, and loud was the weeping when +one day, as the three maidens sat on the rocks on the edge of the sea, +dipping their feet in the water, there arose a great beast from under +the waves and swept them away beneath the ocean. And none knew whither +they had gone, or how to seek them. + +Now there lived in a town a few miles off a soldier who had three sons, +fine youths and strong, and the best players at shinny in that country. + At Christmastide that year, when families met together and great +feasts were held, Ian, the youngest of the three brothers, said: + +'Let us have a match at shinny on the lawn of the knight of Grianaig, +for his lawn is wider and the grass smoother than ours.' + +But the others answered: + +'Nay, for he is in sorrow, and he will think of the games that we have +played there when his daughters looked on.' + +'Let him be pleased or angry as he will,' said Ian; 'we will drive our +ball on his lawn to-day.' + +And so it was done, and Ian won three games from his brothers. But the +knight looked out of his window, and was wroth; and bade his men bring +the youths before him. When he stood in his hall and beheld them, his +heart was softened somewhat; but his face was angry as he asked: + +'Why did you choose to play shinny in front of my castle when you knew +full well that the remembrance of my daughters would come back to me? +The pain which you have made me suffer you shall suffer also.' + +'Since we have done you wrong,' answered Ian, the youngest, 'build us a +ship, and we will go and seek your daughters. Let them be to windward, +or to leeward, or under the four brown boundaries of the sea, we will +find them before a year and a day goes by, and will carry them back to +Grianaig.' + +In seven days the ship was built, and great store of food and wine +placed in her. And the three brothers put her head to the sea and +sailed away, and in seven days the ship ran herself on to a beach of +white sand, and they all went ashore. They had none of them ever seen +that land before, and looked about them. Then they saw that, a short +way from them, a number of men were working on a rock, with one man +standing over them. + +'What place is this?' asked the eldest brother. And the man who was +standing by made answer: + +'This is the place where dwell the three daughters of the knight of +Grianaig, who are to be wedded to-morrow to three giants.' + +'How can we find them?' asked the young man again. And the overlooker +answered: + +'To reach the daughters of the knight of Grianaig you must get into +this basket, and be drawn by a rope up the face of this rock.' + +'Oh, that is easily done,' said the eldest brother, jumping into the +basket, which at once began to move--up, and up, and up--till he had +gone about half-way, when a fat black raven flew at him and pecked him +till he was nearly blind, so that he was forced to go back the way he +had come. + +After that the second brother got into the creel; but he fared no +better, for the raven flew upon him, and he returned as his brother had +done. + +'Now it is my turn,' said Ian. But when he was halfway up the raven +set upon him also. + +'Quick! quick!' cried Ian to the men who held the rope. 'Quick! quick! +or I shall be blinded!' And the men pulled with all their might, and in +another moment Ian was on top, and the raven behind him. + +'Will you give me a piece of tobacco?' asked the raven, who was now +quite quiet. + +'You rascal! Am I to give you tobacco for trying to peck my eyes out?' +answered Ian. + +'That was part of my duty,' replied the raven; 'but give it to me, and +I will prove a good friend to you.' So Ian broke off a piece of +tobacco and gave it to him. The raven hid it under his wing, and then +went on; 'Now I will take you to the house of the big giant, where the +knight's daughter sits sewing, sewing, till even her thimble is wet +with tears.' And the raven hopped before him till they reached a large +house, the door of which stood open. They entered and passed through +one hall after the other, until they found the knight's daughter, as +the bird had said. + +'What brought you here?' asked she. And Ian made answer: + +'Why may I not go where you can go?' + +'I was brought hither by a giant,' replied she. + +'I know that,' said Ian; 'but tell me where the giant is, that I may +find him.' + +'He is on the hunting hill,' answered she; 'and nought will bring him +home save a shake of the iron chain which hangs outside the gate. But, +there, neither to leeward, nor to windward, nor in the four brown +boundaries of the sea, is there any man that can hold battle against +him, save only Ian, the soldier's son, and he is now but sixteen years +old, and how shall he stand against the giant?' + +'In the land whence I have come there are many men with the strength of +Ian,' answered he. And he went outside and pulled at the chain, but he +could not move it, and fell on to his knees. At that he rose swiftly, +and gathering up his strength, he seized the chain, and this time he +shook it so that the link broke. And the giant heard it on the hunting +hill, and lifted his head, thinking-- + +'It sounds like the noise of Ian, the soldier's son,' said he; 'but as +yet he is only sixteen years old. Still, I had better look to it.' +And home he came. + +'Are you Ian, the soldier's son?' he asked, as he entered the castle. + +'No, of a surety,' answered the youth, who had no wish that they should +know him. + +'Then who are you in the leeward, or in the windward, or in the four +brown boundaries of the sea, who are able to move my battle- chain?' + +'That will be plain to you after wrestling with me as I wrestle with my +mother. And one time she got the better of me, and two times she did +not.' + +So they wrestled, and twisted and strove with each other till the giant +forced Ian to his knee. + +'You are the stronger,' said Ian; and the giant answered: + +'All men know that!' And they took hold of each other once more, and at +last Ian threw the giant, and wished that the raven were there to help +him. No sooner had he wished his wish than the raven came. + +'Put your hand under my right wing and you will find a knife sharp +enough to take off his head,' said the raven. And the knife was so +sharp that it cut off the giant's head with a blow. + +'Now go and tell the daughter of the king of Grianaig; but take heed +lest you listen to her words, and promise to go no further, for she +will seek to help you. Instead, seek the middle daughter, and when you +have found her, you shall give me a piece of tobacco for reward.' + +'Well have you earned the half of all I have,' answered Ian. But the +raven shook his head. + +'You know only what has passed, and nothing of what lies before. If +you would not fail, wash yourself in clean water, and take balsam from +a vessel on top of the door, and rub it over your body, and to-morrow +you will be as strong as many men, and I will lead you to the dwelling +of the middle one.' + +Ian did as the raven bade him, and in spite of the eldest daughter's +entreaties, he set out to seek her next sister. He found her where she +was seated sewing, her very thimble wet from the tears which she had +shed. + +'What brought you here?' asked the second sister. + +'Why may I not go where you can go?' answered he; 'and why are you +weeping?' + +'Because in one day I shall be married to the giant who is on the +hunting hill.' + +'How can I get him home?' asked Ian. + +'Nought will bring him but a shake of that iron chain which hangs +outside the gate. But there is neither to leeward, nor to westward, +nor in the four brown boundaries of the sea, any man that can hold +battle with him, save Ian, the soldier's son, and he is now but sixteen +years of age.' + +'In the land whence I have come there are many men with the strength of +Ian,' said he. And he went outside and pulled at the chain, but he +could not move it, and fell on his knees. At that he rose to his feet, +and gathering up his strength mightily, he seized the chain, and this +time he shook it so that three links broke. And the second giant heard +it on the hunting hill, and lifted his head, thinking-- + +'It sounds like the noise of Ian, the soldier's son,' said he; 'but as +yet he is only sixteen years old. Still, I had better look to it.' +And home he came. + +'Are you Ian, the soldier's son?' he asked, as he entered the castle. + +'No, of a surety,' answered the youth, who had no wish that this giant +should know him either; 'but I will wrestle with you as if I were he.' + +Then they seized each other by the shoulder, and the giant threw him on +his two knees. 'You are the stronger,' cried Ian; 'but I am not beaten +yet.' And rising to his feet, he threw his arms round the giant. + +Backwards and forwards they swayed, and first one was uppermost and +then the other; but at length Ian worked his leg round the giant's and +threw him to the ground. Then he called to the raven, and the raven +came flapping towards him, and said: 'Put your hand under my right +wing, and you will find there a knife sharp enough to take off his +head.' And sharp indeed it was, for with a single blow, the giant's +head rolled from his body. + +'Now wash yourself with warm water, and rub yourself over with oil of +balsam, and to- morrow you will be as strong as many men. But beware +of the words of the knight's daughter, for she is cunning, and will try +to keep you at her side. So farewell; but first give me a piece of +tobacco.' + +'That I will gladly,' answered Ian breaking off a large bit. + +He washed and rubbed himself that night, as the raven had told him, and +the next morning he entered the chamber where the knight's daughter was +sitting. + +'Abide here with me,' she said, 'and be my husband. There is silver +and gold in plenty in the castle.' But he took no heed, and went on +his way till he reached the castle where the knight's youngest daughter +was sewing in the hall. And tears dropped from her eyes on to her +thimble. + +'What brought you here?' asked she. And Ian made answer: + +'Why may I not go where you can go?' + +'I was brought hither by a giant.' + +'I know full well,' said he. + +'Are you Ian, the soldier's son?' asked she again. And again he +answered: + +'Yes, I am; but tell me, why are you weeping?' + +'To-morrow the giant will return from the hunting hill, and I must +marry him,' she sobbed. And Ian took no heed, and only said: 'How can +I bring him home?' + +'Shake the iron chain that hangs outside the gate.' + +And Ian went out, and gave such a pull to the chain that he fell down +at full length from the force of the shake. But in a moment he was on +his feet again, and seized the chain with so much strength that four +links came off in his hand. And the giant heard him in the hunting +hill, as he was putting the game he had killed into a bag. + +'In the leeward, or the windward, or in the four brown boundaries of +the sea, there is none who could give my chain a shake save only Ian, +the soldier's son. And if he has reached me, then he has left my two +brothers dead behind him.' With that he strode back to the castle, the +earth trembling under him as he went. + +'Are you Ian, the soldier's son?' asked he. And the youth answered: + +'No, of a surety.' + +'Then who are you in the leeward, or the windward, or in the four brown +boundaries of the sea, who are able to shake my battle chain? There is +only Ian, the soldier's son, who can do this, and he is but now sixteen +years old. + +'I will show you who I am when you have wrestled with me,' said Ian. +And they threw their arms round each other, and the giant forced Ian on +to his knees; but in a moment he was up again, and crooking his leg +round the shoulders of the giant, he threw him heavily to the ground. +'Stumpy black raven, come quick!' cried he; and the raven came, and +beat the giant about the head with his wings, so that he could not get +up. Then he bade Ian take out a sharp knife from under his feathers, +which he carried with him for cutting berries, and Ian smote off the +giant's head with it. And so sharp was that knife that, with one blow, +the giant's head rolled on the ground. + +'Rest now this night also,' said the raven, 'and to-morrow you shall +take the knight's three daughters to the edge of the rock that leads to +the lower world. But take heed to go down first yourself, and let them +follow after you. And before I go you shall give me a piece of +tobacco.' + +'Take it all,' answered Ian, 'for well have you earned it.' + +'No; give me but a piece. You know what is behind you, but you have no +knowledge of what is before you.' And picking up the tobacco in his +beak, the raven flew away. + +So the next morning the knight's youngest daughter loaded asses with +all the silver and gold to be found in the castle, and she set out with +Ian the soldier's son for the house where her second sister was waiting +to see what would befall. She also had asses laden with precious +things to carry away, and so had the eldest sister, when they reached +the castle where she had been kept a prisoner. Together they all rode +to the edge of the rock, and then Ian lay down and shouted, and the +basket was drawn up, and in it they got one by one, and were let down +to the bottom. When the last one was gone, Ian should have gone also, +and left the three sisters to come after him; but he had forgotten the +raven's warning, and bade them go first, lest some accident should +happen. Only, he begged the youngest sister to let him keep the little +gold cap which, like the others, she wore on her head; and then he +helped them, each in her turn, into the basket. + + Long he waited, but wait as he might, the basket never came back, for +in their joy at being free the knight's daughters had forgotten all +about Ian, and had set sail in the ship that had brought him and his +brothers to the land of Grianaig. + +At last he began to understand what had happened to him, and while he +was taking counsel with himself what had best be done, the raven came +to him. + +'You did not heed my words,' he said gravely. + +'No, I did not, and therefore am I here,' answered Ian, bowing his head. + +'The past cannot be undone,' went on the raven. 'He that will not take +counsel will take combat. This night, you will sleep in the giant's +castle. And now you shall give me a piece of tobacco.' + +'I will. But, I pray you, stay in the castle with me.' + +'That I may not do, but on the morrow I will come.' + +And on the morrow he did, and he bade Ian go to the giant's stable +where stood a horse to whom it mattered nothing if she journeyed over +land or sea. + +'But be careful,' he added, 'how you enter the stable, for the door +swings without ceasing to and fro, and if it touches you, it will cause +you to cry out. I will go first and show you the way.' + +'Go,' said Ian. And the raven gave a bob and a hop, and thought he was +quite safe, but the door slammed on a feather of his tail, and he +screamed loudly. + +Then Ian took a run backwards, and a run forwards, and made a spring; +but the door caught one of his feet, and he fell fainting on the stable +floor. Quickly the raven pounced on him, and picked him up in his beak +and claws, and carried him back to the castle, where he laid ointments +on his foot till it was as well as ever it was. + +'Now come out to walk,' said the raven, 'but take heed that you wonder +not at aught you may behold; neither shall you touch anything. And, +first, give me a piece of tobacco.' + +Many strange things did Ian behold in that island, more than he had +thought for. In a glen lay three heroes stretched on their backs, done +to death by three spears that still stuck in their breasts. But he +kept his counsel and spake nothing, only he pulled out the spears, and +the men sat up and said: + +'You are Ian the soldier's son, and a spell is laid upon you to travel +in our company, to the cave of the black fisherman.' + +So together they went till they reached the cave, and one of the men +entered, to see what should be found there. And he beheld a hag, +horrible to look upon, seated on a rock, and before he could speak, she +struck him with her club, and changed him into a stone; and in like +manner she dealt with the other three. At the last Ian entered. + +'These men are under spells,' said the witch, 'and alive they can never +be till you have anointed them with the water which you must fetch from +the island of Big Women. See that you do not tarry.' And Ian turned +away with a sinking heart, for he would fain have followed the youngest +daughter of the knight of Grianaig. + +'You did not obey my counsel,' said the raven, hopping towards him, +'and so trouble has come upon you. But sleep now, and to- morrow you +shall mount the horse which is in the giant's stable, that can gallop +over sea and land. When you reach the island of Big Women, sixteen +boys will come to meet you, and will offer the horse food, and wish to +take her saddle and bridle from her. But see that they touch her not, +and give her food yourself, and yourself lead her into the stable, and +shut the door. And be sure that for every turn of the lock given by +the sixteen stable lads you give one. And now you shall break me off a +piece of tobacco.' + +The next morning Ian arose, and led the horse from the stable, without +the door hurting him, and he rode across the sea to the island of the +Big Women, where the sixteen stable lads met him, and each one offered +to take his horse, and to feed her, and to put her into the stable. +But Ian only answered: + +'I myself will put her in and will see to her.' And thus he did. And +while he was rubbing her sides the horse said to him: + +'Every kind of drink will they offer you, but see you take none, save +whey and water only.' And so it fell out; and when the sixteen +stable-boys saw that he would drink nothing, they drank it all +themselves, and one by one lay stretched around the board. + +Then Ian felt pleased in his heart that he had withstood their fair +words, and he forgot the counsel that the horse had likewise given him +saying: + +'Beware lest you fall asleep, and let slip the chance of getting home +again'; for while the lads were sleeping sweet music reached his ears, +and he slept also. + +When this came to pass the steed broke through the stable door, and +kicked him and woke him roughly. + +'You did not heed my counsel,' said she; 'and who knows if it is not +too late to win over the sea? But first take that sword which hangs on +the wall, and cut off the heads of the sixteen grooms.' + +Filled with shame at being once more proved heedless, Ian arose and did +as the horse bade him. Then he ran to the well and poured some of the +water into a leather bottle, and jumping on the horse's back rode over +the sea to the island where the raven was waiting for him. + +'Lead the horse into the stable,' said the raven, 'and lie down +yourself to sleep, for to-morrow you must make the heroes to live +again, and must slay the hag. And have a care not to be so foolish +to-morrow as you were to-day.' + +'Stay with me for company,' begged Ian; but the raven shook his head, +and flew away. + +In the morning Ian awoke, and hastened to the cave where the old hag +was sitting, and he struck her dead as she was, before she could cast +spells on him. Next he sprinkled the water over the heroes, who came +to life again, and together they all journeyed to the other side of the +island, and there the raven met them. + +'At last you have followed the counsel that was given you,' said the +raven; 'and now, having learned wisdom, you may go home again to +Grianaig. There you will find that the knight's two eldest daughters +are to be wedded this day to your two brothers, and the youngest to the +chief of the men at the rock. But her gold cap you shall give to me +and, if you want it, you have only to think of me and I will bring it +to you. And one more warning I give you. If anyone asks you whence +you came, answer that you have come from behind you; and if anyone asks +you whither you are going, say that you are going before you.' + +So Ian mounted the horse and set her face to the sea and her back to +the shore, and she was off, away and away till she reached the church +of Grianaig, and there, in a field of grass, beside a well of water, he +leaped down from his saddle. + +'Now,' the horse said to him, 'draw your sword and cut off my head.' +But Ian answered: + +'Poor thanks would that be for all the help I have had from you.' + +'It is the only way that I can free myself from the spells that were +laid by the giants on me and the raven; for I was a girl and he was a +youth wooing me! So have no fears, but do as I have said.' + +Then Ian drew his sword as she bade him, and cut off her head, and went +on his way without looking backwards. As he walked he saw a woman +standing at her house door. She asked him whence he had come, and he +answered as the raven had told him, that he came from behind. Next she +inquired whither he was going, and this time he made reply that he was +going on before him, but that he was thirsty and would like a drink. + +'You are an impudent fellow,' said the woman; 'but you shall have a +drink.' And she gave him some milk, which was all she had till her +husband came home. + +'Where is your husband?' asked Ian, and the woman answered him: + +'He is at the knight's castle trying to fashion gold and silver into a +cap for the youngest daughter, like unto the caps that her sisters +wear, such as are not to be found in all this land. But, see, he is +returning; and now we shall hear how he has sped.' + +At that the man entered the gate, and beholding a strange youth, he +said to him: 'What is your trade, boy?' + +'I am a smith,' replied Ian. And the man answered: + +'Good luck has befallen me, then, for you can help me to make a cap for +the knight's daughter.' + +'You cannot make that cap, and you know it,' said Ian. + +'Well, I must try,' replied the man, 'or I shall be hanged on a tree; +so it were a good deed to help me.' + +'I will help you if I can,' said Ian; 'but keep the gold and silver for +yourself, and lock me into the smithy to-night, and I will work my +spells.' So the man, wondering to himself, locked him in. + +As soon as the key was turned in the lock Ian wished for the raven, and +the raven came to him, carrying the cap in his mouth. + +'Now take my head off,' said the raven. But Ian answered: + +'Poor thanks were that for all the help you have given me.' + +'It is the only thanks you can give me,' said the raven, 'for I was a +youth like yourself before spells were laid on me.' + +Then Ian drew his sword and cut off the head of the raven, and shut his +eyes so that he might see nothing. After that he lay down and slept +till morning dawned, and the man came and unlocked the door and shook +the sleeper. + +'Here is the cap,' said Ian drowsily, drawing it from under his pillow. + And he fell asleep again directly. + +The sun was high in the heavens when he woke again, and this time he +beheld a tall, brown- haired youth standing by him. + +'I am the raven,' said the youth, 'and the spells are broken. But now +get up and come with me.' + +Then they two went together to the place where Ian had left the dead +horse; but no horse was there now, only a beautiful maiden. + +'I am the horse,' she said, 'and the spells are broken'; and she and +the youth went away together. + +In the meantime the smith had carried the cap to the castle, and bade a +servant belonging to the knight's youngest daughter bear it to her +mistress. But when the girl's eyes fell on it, she cried out: + +'He speaks false; and if he does not bring me the man who really made +the cap I will hang him on the tree beside my window.' + +The servant was filled with fear at her words, and hastened and told +the smith, who ran as fast as he could to seek for Ian. And when he +found him and brought him into the castle, the girl was first struck +dumb with joy; then she declared that she would marry nobody else. At +this some one fetched to her the knight of Grianaig, and when Ian had +told his tale, he vowed that the maiden was right, and that his elder +daughters should never wed with men who had not only taken glory to +themselves which did not belong to them, but had left the real doer of +the deeds to his fate. + +And the wedding guests said that the knight had spoken well; and the +two elder brothers were fain to leave the country, for no one would +converse with them. + +[From Tales of the West Highlands.] + + + + The Fox and the Wolf + + + +At the foot of some high mountains there was, once upon a time, a small +village, and a little way off two roads met, one of them going to the +east and the other to the west. The villagers were quiet, hard-working +folk, who toiled in the fields all day, and in the evening set out for +home when the bell began to ring in the little church. In the summer +mornings they led out their flocks to pasture, and were happy and +contented from sunrise to sunset. + +One summer night, when a round full moon shone down upon the white +road, a great wolf came trotting round the corner. + +'I positively must get a good meal before I go back to my den,' he said +to himself; 'it is nearly a week since I have tasted anything but +scraps, though perhaps no one would think it to look at my figure! Of +course there are plenty of rabbits and hares in the mountains; but +indeed one needs to be a greyhound to catch them, and I am not so young +as I was! If I could only dine off that fox I saw a fortnight ago, +curled up into a delicious hairy ball, I should ask nothing better; I +would have eaten her then, but unluckily her husband was lying beside +her, and one knows that foxes, great and small, run like the wind. +Really it seems as if there was not a living creature left for me to +prey upon but a wolf, and, as the proverb says: "One wolf does not bite +another." However, let us see what this village can produce. I am as +hungry as a schoolmaster.' + +Now, while these thoughts were running through the mind of the wolf, +the very fox he had been thinking of was galloping along the other road. + +'The whole of this day I have listened to those village hens clucking +till I could bear it no longer,' murmured she as she bounded along, +hardly seeming to touch the ground. 'When you are fond of fowls and +eggs it is the sweetest of all music. As sure as there is a sun in +heaven I will have some of them this night, for I have grown so thin +that my very bones rattle, and my poor babies are crying for food.' +And as she spoke she reached a little plot of grass, where the two +roads joined, and flung herself under a tree to take a little rest, and +to settle her plans. At this moment the wolf came up. + +At the sight of the fox lying within his grasp his mouth began to +water, but his joy was somewhat checked when he noticed how thin she +was. The fox's quick ears heard the sound of his paws, though they +were soft as velvet, and turning her head she said politely: + +'Is that you, neighbour? What a strange place to meet in! I hope you +are quite well?' + +'Quite well as regards my health,' answered the wolf, whose eye +glistened greedily, 'at least, as well as one can be when one is very +hungry. But what is the matter with you? A fortnight ago you were as +plump as heart could wish!' + +'I have been ill--very ill,' replied the fox, 'and what you say is +quite true. A worm is fat in comparison with me.' + +'He is. Still, you are good enough for me; for "to the hungry no bread +is hard."' + +'Oh, you are always joking! I'm sure you are not half as hungry as I!' + +'That we shall soon see,' cried the wolf, opening his huge mouth and +crouching for a spring. + +'What are you doing?' exclaimed the fox, stepping backwards. + +'What am I doing? What I am going to do is to make my supper off you, +in less time than a cock takes to crow.' + +'Well, I suppose you must have your joke,' answered the fox lightly, +but never removing her eye from the wolf, who replied with a snarl +which showed all his teeth: + +'I don't want to joke, but to eat!' + +'But surely a person of your talents must perceive that you might eat +me to the very last morsel and never know that you had swallowed +anything at all!' + +'In this world the cleverest people are always the hungriest,' replied +the wolf. + +'Ah! how true that is; but--' + +'I can't stop to listen to your "buts" and "yets,"' broke in the wolf +rudely; 'let us get to the point, and the point is that I want to eat +you and not talk to you.' + +'Have you no pity for a poor mother?' asked the fox, putting her tail +to her eyes, but peeping slily out of them all the same. + +'I am dying of hunger,' answered the wolf, doggedly; 'and you know,' he +added with a grin, 'that charity begins at home.' + +'Quite so,' replied the fox; 'it would be unreasonable of me to object +to your satisfying your appetite at my expense. But if the fox resigns +herself to the sacrifice, the mother offers you one last request.' + +'Then be quick and don't waste my time, for I can't wait much longer. +What is it you want?' + +'You must know,' said the fox, 'that in this village there is a rich +man who makes in the summer enough cheeses to last him for the whole +year, and keeps them in an old well, now dry, in his courtyard. By the +well hang two buckets on a pole that were used, in former days, to draw +up water. For many nights I have crept down to the palace, and have +lowered myself in the bucket, bringing home with me enough cheese to +feed the children. All I beg of you is to come with me, and, instead +of hunting chickens and such things, I will make a good meal off cheese +before I die.' + +'But the cheeses may be all finished by now?' + +'If you were only to see the quantities of them!' laughed the fox. +'And even if they were finished, there would always be ME to eat.' + +'Well, I will come. Lead the way, but I warn you that if you try to +escape or play any tricks you are reckoning without your host-- that is +to say, without my legs, which are as long as yours!' + +All was silent in the village, and not a light was to be seen but that +of the moon, which shone bright and clear in the sky. The wolf and the +fox crept softly along, when suddenly they stopped and looked at each +other; a savoury smell of frying bacon reached their noses, and reached +the noses of the sleeping dogs, who began to bark greedily. + +'Is it safe to go on, think you?' asked the wolf in a whisper. And the +fox shook her head. + +'Not while the dogs are barking,' said she; 'someone might come out to +see if anything was the matter.' And she signed to the wolf to curl +himself up in the shadow beside her. + +In about half an hour the dogs grew tired of barking, or perhaps the +bacon was eaten up and there was no smell to excite them. Then the +wolf and the fox jumped up, and hastened to the foot of the wall. + +'I am lighter than he is,' thought the fox to herself, 'and perhaps if +I make haste I can get a start, and jump over the wall on the other +side before he manages to spring over this one.' And she quickened her +pace. But if the wolf could not run he could jump, and with one bound +he was beside his companion. + +'What were you going to do, comrade?' + +'Oh, nothing,' replied the fox, much vexed at the failure of her plan. + +'I think if I were to take a bit out of your haunch you would jump +better,' said the wolf, giving a snap at her as he spoke. The fox drew +back uneasily. + +'Be careful, or I shall scream,' she snarled. And the wolf, +understanding all that might happen if the fox carried out her threat, +gave a signal to his companion to leap on the wall, where he +immediately followed her. + +Once on the top they crouched down and looked about them. Not a +creature was to be seen in the courtyard, and in the furthest corner +from the house stood the well, with its two buckets suspended from a +pole, just as the fox had described it. The two thieves dragged +themselves noiselessly along the wall till they were opposite the well, +and by stretching out her neck as far as it would go the fox was able +to make out that there was only very little water in the bottom, but +just enough to reflect the moon, big, and round and yellow. + +'How lucky!' cried she to the wolf. 'There is a huge cheese about the +size of a mill wheel. Look! look! did you ever see anything so +beautiful!' + +'Never!' answered the wolf, peering over in his turn, his eyes +glistening greedily, for he imagined that the moon's reflection in the +water was really a cheese. + +'And now, unbeliever, what have you to say?' and the fox laughed gently. + +'That you are a woman--I mean a fox--of your word,' replied the wolf. + +'Well, then, go down in that bucket and eat your fill,' said the fox. + +'Oh, is that your game?' asked the wolf, with a grin. 'No! no! The +person who goes down in the bucket will be you! And if you don't go +down your head will go without you!' + +'Of course I will go down, with the greatest pleasure,' answered the +fox, who had expected the wolf's reply. + +'And be sure you don't eat all the cheese, or it will be the worse for +you,' continued the wolf. But the fox looked up at him with tears in +her eyes. + +'Farewell, suspicious one!' she said sadly. And climbed into the +bucket. + +In an instant she had reached the bottom of the well, and found that +the water was not deep enough to cover her legs. + +'Why, it is larger and richer than I thought,' cried she, turning +towards the wolf, who was leaning over the wall of the well. + +'Then be quick and bring it up,' commanded the wolf. + +'How can I, when it weighs more than I do?' asked the fox. + +'If it is so heavy bring it in two bits, of course,' said he. + +'But I have no knife,' answered the fox. 'You will have to come down +yourself, and we will carry it up between us.' + +'And how am I to come down?' inquired the wolf. + +'Oh, you are really very stupid! Get into the other bucket that is +nearly over your head.' + +The wolf looked up, and saw the bucket hanging there, and with some +difficulty he climbed into it. As he weighed at least four times as +much as the fox the bucket went down with a jerk, and the other bucket, +in which the fox was seated, came to the surface. + +As soon as he understood what was happening, the wolf began to speak +like an angry wolf, but was a little comforted when he remembered that +the cheese still remained to him. + +'But where is the cheese?' he asked of the fox, who in her turn was +leaning over the parapet watching his proceedings with a smile. + +'The cheese?' answered the fox; 'why I am taking it home to my babies, +who are too young to get food for themselves.' + +'Ah, traitor!' cried the wolf, howling with rage. But the fox was not +there to hear this insult, for she had gone off to a neighbouring +fowl-house, where she had noticed some fat young chickens the day +before. + +'Perhaps I did treat him rather badly,' she said to herself. 'But it +seems getting cloudy, and if there should be heavy rain the other +bucket will fill and sink to the bottom, and his will go up--at least +it may!' + +[From Cuentos Populares, por Antonio de Trueba.] + + + + How Ian Direach Got the Blue Falcon + + + +Long ago a king and queen ruled over the islands of the west, and they +had one son, whom they loved dearly. The boy grew up to be tall and +strong and handsome, and he could run and shoot, and swim and dive +better than any lad of his own age in the country. Besides, he knew +how to sail about, and sing songs to the harp, and during the winter +evenings, when everyone was gathered round the huge hall fire shaping +bows or weaving cloth, Ian Direach would tell them tales of the deeds +of his fathers. + +So the time slipped by till Ian was almost a man, as they reckoned men +in those days, and then his mother the queen died. There was great +mourning throughout all the isles, and the boy and his father mourned +her bitterly also; but before the new year came the king had married +another wife, and seemed to have forgotten his old one. Only Ian +remembered. + +On a morning when the leaves were yellow in the trees of the glen, Ian +slung his bow over his shoulder, and filling his quiver with arrows, +went on to the hill in search of game. But not a bird was to be seen +anywhere, till at length a blue falcon flew past him, and raising his +bow he took aim at her. His eye was straight and his hand steady, but +the falcon's flight was swift, and he only shot a feather from her +wing. As the sun was now low over the sea he put the feather in his +game bag, and set out homewards. + +'Have you brought me much game to-day?' asked his stepmother as he +entered the hall. + +'Nought save this,' he answered, handing her the feather of the blue +falcon, which she held by the tip and gazed at silently. Then she +turned to Ian and said: + +'I am setting it on you as crosses and as spells, and as the fall of +the year! That you may always be cold, and wet and dirty, and that +your shoes may ever have pools in them, till you bring me hither the +blue falcon on which that feather grew.' + +'If it is spells you are laying I can lay them too,' answered Ian +Direach; 'and you shall stand with one foot on the great house and +another on the castle, till I come back again, and your face shall be +to the wind, from wheresoever it shall blow.' Then he went away to +seek the bird, as his stepmother bade him; and, looking homewards from +the hill, he saw the queen standing with one foot on the great house, +and the other on the castle, and her face turned towards whatever +tempest should blow. + +On he journeyed, over hills, and through rivers till he reached a wide +plain, and never a glimpse did he catch of the falcon. Darker and +darker it grew, and the small birds were seeking their nests, and at +length Ian Direach could see no more, and he lay down under some bushes +and sleep came to him. And in his dream a soft nose touched him, and a +warm body curled up beside him, and a low voice whispered to him: + +'Fortune is against you, Ian Direach; I have but the cheek and the hoof +of a sheep to give you, and with these you must be content.' With that +Ian Direach awoke, and beheld Gille Mairtean the fox. + +Between them they kindled a fire, and ate their supper. Then Gille +Mairtean the fox bade Ian Direach lie down as before, and sleep till +morning. And in the morning, when he awoke, Gille Mairtean said: + +'The falcon that you seek is in the keeping of the Giant of the Five +Heads, and the Five Necks, and the Five Humps. I will show you the way +to his house, and I counsel you to do his bidding, nimbly and +cheerfully, and, above all, to treat his birds kindly, for in this +manner he may give you his falcon to feed and care for. And when this +happens, wait till the giant is out of his house; then throw a cloth +over the falcon and bear her away with you. Only see that not one of +her feathers touches anything within the house, or evil will befall +you.' + +'I thank you for your counsel,' spake Ian Direach, 'and I will be +careful to follow it.' Then he took the path to the giant's house. + +'Who is there?' cried the giant, as someone knocked loudly on the door +of his house. + +'One who seeks work as a servant,' answered Ian Direach. + +'And what can you do?' asked the giant again. + +'I can feed birds and tend pigs; I can feed and milk a cow, and also +goats and sheep, if you have any of these,' replied Ian Direach. + +'Then enter, for I have great need of such a one,' said the giant. + +So Ian Direach entered, and tended so well and carefully all the birds +and beasts, that the giant was better satisfied than ever he had been, +and at length he thought that he might even be trusted to feed the +falcon. And the heart of Ian was glad, and he tended the blue falcon +till his fathers shone like the sky, and the giant was well pleased; +and one day he said to him: + +'For long my brothers on the other side of the mountain have besought +me to visit them, but never could I go for fear of my falcon. Now I +think I can leave her with you for one day, and before nightfall I +shall be back again.' + +Scarcely was the giant out of sight next morning when Ian Direach +seized the falcon, and throwing a cloth over her head hastened with her +to the door. But the rays of the sun pierced through the thickness of +the cloth, and as they passed the doorpost she gave a spring, and the +tip of one of her feathers touched the post, which gave a scream, and +brought the giant back in three strides. Ian Direach trembled as he +saw him; but the giant only said: + +'If you wish for my falcon you must first bring me the White Sword of +Light that is in the house of the Big Women of Dhiurradh.' + +'And where do they live?' asked Ian. But the giant answered: + +'Ah, that is for you to discover.' And Ian dared say no more, and +hastened down to the waste. There, as he hoped, he met his friend +Gille Mairtean the fox, who bade him eat his supper and lie down to +sleep. And when he had wakened next morning the fox said to him: + +'Let us go down to the shore of the sea.' And to the shore of the sea +they went. And after they had reached the shore, and beheld the sea +stretching before them, and the isle of Dhiurradh in the midst of it, +the soul of Ian sank, and he turned to Gille Mairtean and asked why he +had brought him thither, for the giant, when he had sent him, had known +full well that without a boat he could never find the Big Women. + +'Do not be cast down,' answered the fox, 'it is quite easy! I will +change myself into a boat, and you shall go on board me, and I will +carry you over the sea to the Seven Big Women of Dhiurradh. Tell them +that you are skilled in brightening silver and gold, and in the end +they will take you as servant, and if you are careful to please them +they will give you the White Sword of Light to make bright and shining. + But when you seek to steal it, take heed that its sheath touches +nothing inside the house, or ill will befall you.' + +So Ian Direach did all things as the fox had told him, and the Seven +Big Women of Dhiurradh took him for their servant, and for six weeks he +worked so hard that his seven mistresses said to each other: 'Never has +a servant had the skill to make all bright and shining like this one. +Let us give him the White Sword of Light to polish like the rest.' + +Then they brought forth the White Sword of Light from the iron closet +where it hung, and bade him rub it till he could see his face in the +shining blade; and he did so. But one day, when the Seven Big Women +were out of the way, he bethought him that the moment had come for him +to carry off the sword, and, replacing it in its sheath, he hoisted it +on his shoulder. But just as he was passing through the door the tip +of the sheath touched it, and the door gave a loud shriek. And the Big +Women heard it, and came running back, and took the sword from him, and +said: + +'If it is our sword you want, you must first bring us the bay colt of +the King of Erin.' + +Humbled and ashamed, Ian Direach left the house, and sat by the side of +the sea, and soon Gille Mairtean the fox came to him. + +'Plainly I see that you have taken no heed to my words, Ian Direach,' +spoke the fox. 'But eat first, and yet once more will I help you.' + +At these words the heart returned again to Ian Direach, and he gathered +sticks and made a fire and ate with Gille Mairtean the fox, and slept +on the sand. At dawn next morning Gille Mairtean said to Ian Direach: + +'I will change myself into a ship, and will bear you across the seas to +Erin, to the land where dwells the king. And you shall offer yourself +to serve in his stable, and to tend his horses, till at length so well +content is he, that he gives you the bay colt to wash and brush. But +when you run away with her see that nought except the soles of her +hoofs touch anything within the palace gates, or it will go ill with +you.' + +After he had thus counselled Ian Direach, the fox changed himself into +a ship, and set sail for Erin. And the king of that country gave into +Ian Direach's hands the care of his horses, and never before did their +skins shine so brightly or was their pace so swift. And the king was +well pleased, and at the end of a month he sent for Ian and said to him: + +'You have given me faithful service, and now I will entrust you with +the most precious thing that my kingdom holds.' And when he had +spoken, he led Ian Direach to the stable where stood the bay colt. And +Ian rubbed her and fed her, and galloped with her all round the +country, till he could leave one wind behind him and catch the other +which was in front. + + 'I am going away to hunt,' said the king one morning while he was +watching Ian tend the bay colt in her stable. 'The deer have come down +from the hill, and it is time for me to give them chase.' Then he went +away; and when he was no longer in sight, Ian Direach led the bay colt +out of the stable, and sprang on her back. But as they rode through +the gate, which stood between the palace and the outer world, the colt +swished her tail against the post, which shrieked loudly. In a moment +the king came running up, and he seized the colt's bridle. + +'If you want my bay colt, you must first bring me the daughter of the +king of the Franks.' + +With slow steps went Ian Direach down to the shore where Gille Mairtean +the fox awaited him. + +'Plainly I see that you have not done as I bid you, nor will you ever +do it,' spoke Gille Mairtean the fox; 'but I will help you yet again. +for a third time I will change myself into a ship, and we will sail to +France.' + +And to France they sailed, and, as he was the ship, the Gille Mairtean +sailed where he would, and ran himself into the cleft of a rock, high +on to the land. Then, he commanded Ian Direach to go up to the king's +palace, saying that he had been wrecked, that his ship was made fast in +a rock, and that none had been saved but himself only. + +Ian Direach listened to the words of the fox, and he told a tale so +pitiful, that the king and queen, and the princess their daughter, all +came out to hear it. And when they had heard, nought would please them +except to go down to the shore and visit the ship, which by now was +floating, for the tide was up. Torn and battered was she, as if she +had passed through many dangers, yet music of a wondrous sweetness +poured forth from within. + +'Bring hither a boat,' cried the princess, 'that I may go and see for +myself the harp that gives forth such music.' And a boat was brought, +and Ian Direach stepped in to row it to the side of the ship. + +To the further side he rowed, so that none could see, and when he +helped the princess on board he gave a push to the boat, so that she +could not get back to it again. And the music sounded always sweeter, +though they could never see whence it came, and sought it from one part +of the vessel to another. When at last they reached the deck and +looked around them, nought of land could they see, or anything save the +rushing waters. + +The princess stood silent, and her face grew grim. At last she said: + +'An ill trick have you played me! What is this that you have done, and +whither are we going?' + +'It is a queen you will be,' answered Ian Direach, 'for the king of +Erin has sent me for you, and in return he will give me his bay colt, +that I may take him to the Seven Big Women of Dhiurradh, in exchange +for the White Sword of Light. This I must carry to the giant of the +Five Heads and Five Necks and Five Humps, and, in place of it, he will +bestow on me the blue falcon, which I have promised my stepmother, so +that she may free me from the spell which she has laid on me.' + +'I would rather be wife to you,' answered the princess. + +By-and-by the ship sailed into a harbour on the coast of Erin, and cast +anchor there. And Gille Mairtean the fox bade Ian Direach tell the +princess that she must bide yet a while in a cave amongst the rocks, +for they had business on land, and after a while they would return to +her. Then they took a boat and rowed up to some rocks, and as they +touched the land Gille Mairtean changed himself into a fair woman, who +laughed, and said to Ian Direach, 'I will give the king a fine wife.' + +Now the king of Erin had been hunting on the hill, and when he saw a +strange ship sailing towards the harbour, he guessed that it might be +Ian Direach, and left his hunting, and ran down to the hill to the +stable. Hastily he led the bay colt from his stall, and put the golden +saddle on her back, and the silver bridle over his head, and with the +colt's bridle in his hand, he hurried to meet the princess. + +'I have brought you the king of France's daughter,' said Ian Direach. +And the king of Erin looked at the maiden, and was well pleased, not +knowing that it was Gille Mairtean the fox. And he bowed low, and +besought her to do him the honour to enter the palace; and Gille +Mairtean, as he went in, turned to look back at Ian Direach, and +laughed. + +In the great hall the king paused and pointed to an iron chest which +stood in a corner. + +'In that chest is the crown that has waited for you for many years,' he +said, 'and at last you have come for it.' And he stooped down to +unlock the box. + +In an instant Gille Mairtean the fox had sprung on his back, and gave +him such a bite that he fell down unconscious. Quickly the fox took +his own shape again, and galloped away to the sea shore, where Ian +Direach and the princess and the bay colt awaited him. + +'I will become a ship,' cried Gille Mairtean, 'and you shall go on +board me.' And so he did, and Ian Direach let the bay colt into the +ship and the princess went after them, and they set sail for Dhiurradh. + The wind was behind them, and very soon they saw the rocks of +Dhiurradh in front. Then spoke Gille Mairtean the fox: + +'Let the bay colt and the king's daughter hide in these rocks, and I +will change myself into the colt, and go with you to the house of the +Seven Big Women.' + +Joy filed the hearts of the Big Women when they beheld the bay colt led +up to their door by Ian Direach. And the youngest of them fetched the +White Sword of Light, and gave it into the hands of Ian Direach, who +took off the golden saddle and the silver bridle, and went down the +hill with the sword to the place where the princess and the real colt +awaited him. + +'Now we shall have the ride that we have longed for!' cried the Seven +Big Women; and they saddled and bridled the colt, and the eldest one +got upon the saddle. Then the second sister sat on the back of the +first, and the third on the back of the second, and so on for the whole +seven. And when they were all seated, the eldest struck her side with +a whip and the colt bounded forward. Over the moors she flew, and +round and round the mountains, and still the Big Women clung to her and +snorted with pleasure. At last she leapt high in the air, and came +down on top of Monadh the high hill, where the crag is. And she rested +her fore feet on the crag, and threw up her hind legs, and the Seven +Big Women fell over the crag, and were dead when they reached the +bottom. And the colt laughed, and became a fox again and galloped away +to the sea shore, where Ian Direach, and the princess and the real colt +and the White Sword of Light were awaiting him. + +'I will make myself into a ship,' said Gille Mairtean the fox, 'and +will carry you and the princess, and the bay colt and the White Sword +of Light, back to the land.' And when the shore was reached, Gille +Mairtean the fox took back his own shape, and spoke to Ian Direach in +this wise: + +'Let the princess and the White Sword of Light, and the bay colt, +remain among the rocks, and I will change myself into the likeness of +the White Sword of Light, and you shall bear me to the giant, and, +instead, he will give you the blue falcon.' And Ian Direach did as the +fox bade him, and set out for the giant's castle. From afar the giant +beheld the blaze of the White Sword of Light, and his heart rejoiced; +and he took the blue falcon and put it in a basket, and gave it to Ian +Direach, who bore it swiftly away to the place where the princess, and +the bay colt, and the real Sword of Light were awaiting him. + +So well content was the giant to possess the sword he had coveted for +many a year, that he began at once to whirl it through the air, and to +cut and slash with it. For a little while Gille Mairtean let the giant +play with him in this manner; then he turned in the giant's hand, and +cut through the Five Necks, so that the Five Heads rolled on the +ground. Afterwards he went back to Ian Direach and said to him: + +'Saddle the colt with the golden saddle, and bridle her with the silver +bridle, and sling the basket with the falcon over your shoulders, and +hold the White Sword of Light with its back against your nose. Then +mount the colt, and let the princess mount behind you, and ride thus to +your father's palace. But see that the back of the sword is ever +against your nose, else when your stepmother beholds you, she will +change you into a dry faggot. If, however, you do as I bid you, she +will become herself a bundle of sticks.' + +Ian Direach hearkened to the words of Gille Mairtean, and his +stepmother fell as a bundle of sticks before him; and he set fire to +her, and was free from her spells for ever. After that he married the +princess, who was the best wife in all the islands of the West. +Henceforth he was safe from harm, for had he not the bay colt who could +leave one wind behind her and catch the other wind, and the blue falcon +to bring him game to eat, and the White Sword of Light to pierce +through his foes? + +And Ian Direach knew that all this he owed to Gille Mairtean the fox, +and he made a compact with him that he might choose any beast out of +his herds, whenever hunger seized him, and that henceforth no arrow +should be let fly at him or at any of his race. But Gille Mairtean the +fox would take no reward for the help he had given to Ian Direach, only +his friendship. Thus all things prospered with Ian Direach till he +died. + +[From Tales of the West Highlands.] + + + + The Ugly Duckling + + + +It was summer in the land of Denmark, and though for most of the year +the country looks flat and ugly, it was beautiful now. The wheat was +yellow, the oats were green, the hay was dry and delicious to roll in, +and from the old ruined house which nobody lived in, down to the edge +of the canal, was a forest of great burdocks, so tall that a whole +family of children might have dwelt in them and never have been found +out. + +It was under these burdocks that a duck had built herself a warm nest, +and was not sitting all day on six pretty eggs. Five of them were +white, but the sixth, which was larger than the others, was of an ugly +grey colour. The duck was always puzzled about that egg, and how it +came to be so different from the rest. Other birds might have thought +that when the duck went down in the morning and evening to the water to +stretch her legs in a good swim, some lazy mother might have been on +the watch, and have popped her egg into the nest. But ducks are not +clever at all, and are not quick at counting, so this duck did not +worry herself about the matter, but just took care that the big egg +should be as warm as the rest. + +This was the first set of eggs that the duck had ever laid, and, to +begin with, she was very pleased and proud, and laughed at the other +mothers, who were always neglecting their duties to gossip with each +other or to take little extra swims besides the two in the morning and +evening that were necessary for health. But at length she grew tired +of sitting there all day. 'Surely eggs take longer hatching than they +did,' she said to herself; and she pined for a little amusement also. +Still, she knew that if she left her eggs and the ducklings in them to +die none of her friends would ever speak to her again; so there she +stayed, only getting off the eggs several times a day to see if the +shells were cracking--which may have been the very reason why they did +not crack sooner. + +She had looked at the eggs at least a hundred and fifty times, when, to +her joy, she saw a tiny crack on two of them, and scrambling back to +the nest she drew the eggs closer the one to the other, and never moved +for the whole of that day. Next morning she was rewarded by noticing +cracks in the whole five eggs, and by midday two little yellow heads +were poking out from the shells. This encouraged her so much that, +after breaking the shells with her bill, so that the little creatures +could get free of them, she sat steadily for a whole night upon the +nest, and before the sun arose the five white eggs were empty, and ten +pairs of eyes were gazing out upon the green world. + +Now the duck had been carefully brought up, and did not like dirt, and, +besides, broken shells are not at all comfortable things to sit or walk +upon; so she pushed the rest out over the side, and felt delighted to +have some company to talk to till the big egg hatched. But day after +day went on, and the big egg showed no signs of cracking, and the duck +grew more and more impatient, and began to wish to consult her husband, +who never came. + +'I can't think what is the matter with it,' the duck grumbled to her +neighbour who had called in to pay her a visit. 'Why I could have +hatched two broods in the time that this one has taken!' + +'Let me look at it,' said the old neighbour. 'Ah, I thought so; it is +a turkey's egg. Once, when I was young, they tricked me to sitting on +a brood of turkey's eggs myself, and when they were hatched the +creatures were so stupid that nothing would make them learn to swim. I +have no patience when I think of it.' + +'Well, I will give it another chance,' sighed the duck, 'and if it does +not come out of its shell in another twenty-four hours, I will just +leave it alone and teach the rest of them to swim properly and to find +their own food. I really can't be expected to do two things at once.' +And with a fluff of her feathers she pushed the egg into the middle of +the nest. + +All through the next day she sat on, giving up even her morning bath +for fear that a blast of cold might strike the big egg. In the +evening, when she ventured to peep, she thought she saw a tiny crack in +the upper part of the shell. Filled with hope, she went back to her +duties, though she could hardly sleep all night for excitement. When +she woke with the first steaks of light she felt something stirring +under her. Yes, there it was at last; and as she moved, a big awkward +bird tumbled head foremost on the ground. + +There was no denying it was ugly, even the mother was forced to admit +that to herself, though she only said it was 'large' and 'strong.' +'You won't need any teaching when you are once in the water,' she told +him, with a glance of surprise at the dull brown which covered his +back, and at his long naked neck. And indeed he did not, though he was +not half so pretty to look at as the little yellow balls that followed +her. + +When they returned they found the old neighbour on the bank waiting for +them to take them into the duckyard. 'No, it is not a young turkey, +certainly,' whispered she in confidence to the mother, 'for though it +is lean and skinny, and has no colour to speak of, yet there is +something rather distinguished about it, and it holds its head up well.' + +'It is very kind of you to say so,' answered the mother, who by this +time had some secret doubts of its loveliness. 'Of course, when you +see it by itself it is all right, though it is different, somehow, from +the others. But one cannot expect all one's children to be beautiful!' + +By this time they had reached the centre of the yard, where a very old +duck was sitting, who was treated with great respect by all the fowls +present. + +'You must go up and bow low before her,' whispered the mother to her +children, nodding her head in the direction of the old lady, 'and keep +your legs well apart, as you see me do. No well-bred duckling turns in +its toes. It is a sign of common parents.' + +The little ducks tried hard to make their small fat bodies copy the +movements of their mother, and the old lady was quite pleased with +them; but the rest of the ducks looked on discontentedly, and said to +each other: + +'Oh, dear me, here are ever so many more! The yard is full already; +and did you ever see anything quite as ugly as that great tall +creature? He is a disgrace to any brood. I shall go and chase him +out!' So saying she put up her feathers, and running to the big +duckling bit his neck. + +The duckling gave a loud quack; it was the first time he had felt any +pain, and at the sound his mother turned quickly. + +'Leave him alone,' she said fiercely, 'or I will send for his father. +He was not troubling you.' + +'No; but he is so ugly and awkward no one can put up with him,' +answered the stranger. And though the duckling did not understand the +meaning of the words, he felt he was being blamed, and became more +uncomfortable still when the old Spanish duck who ruled the fowlyard +struck in: + +'It certainly is a great pity he is so different from these beautiful +darlings. If he could only be hatched over again!' + +The poor little fellow drooped his head, and did not know where to +look, but was comforted when his mother answered: + +'He may not be quite as handsome as the others, but he swims better, +and is very strong; I am sure he will make his way in the world as well +as anybody.' + +'Well, you must feel quite at home here,' said the old duck waddling +off. And so they did, all except the duckling, who was snapped at by +everyone when they thought his mother was not looking. Even the +turkey-cock, who was so big, never passed him without mocking words, +and his brothers and sisters, who would not have noticed any difference +unless it had been put into their heads, soon became as rude and unkind +as the rest. + +At last he could bear it no longer, and one day he fancied he saw signs +of his mother turning against him too; so that night, when the ducks +and hens were still asleep, he stole away through an open door, and +under cover of the burdock leaves scrambled on by the bank of the +canal, till he reached a wide grassy moor, full of soft marshy places +where the reeds grew. Here he lay down, but he was too tired and too +frightened to fall asleep, and with the earliest peep of the sun the +reeds began to rustle, and he saw that he had blundered into a colony +of wild ducks. But as he could not run away again he stood up and +bowed politely. + +'You are ugly,' said the wild ducks, when they had looked him well +over; 'but, however, it is no business of ours, unless you wish to +marry one of our daughters, and that we should not allow.' And the +duckling answered that he had no idea of marrying anybody, and wanted +nothing but to be left alone after his long journey. + +So for two whole days he lay quietly among the reeds, eating such food +as he could find, and drinking the water of the moorland pool, till he +felt himself quite strong again. He wished he might stay were he was +for ever, he was so comfortable and happy, away from everyone, with +nobody to bite him and tell him how ugly he was. + +He was thinking these thoughts, when two young ganders caught sight of +him as they were having their evening splash among the reeds, looking +for their supper. + +'We are getting tired of this moor,' they said, 'and to-morrow we think +of trying another, where the lakes are larger and the feeding better. +Will you come with us?' + +'Is it nicer than this?' asked the duckling doubtfully. And the words +were hardly out of his mouth, when 'Pif! pah!' and the two new- comers +were stretched dead beside him. + +At the sound of the gun the wild ducks in the rushes flew into the air, +and for a few minutes the firing continued. + +Luckily for himself the duckling could not fly, and he floundered along +through the water till he could hide himself amidst some tall ferns +which grew in a hollow. But before he got there he met a huge creature +on four legs, which he afterwards knew to be a dog, who stood and gazed +at him with a long red tongue hanging out of his mouth. The duckling +grew cold with terror, and tried to hide his head beneath his little +wings; but the dog snuffed at him and passed on, and he was able to +reach his place of shelter. + +'I am too ugly even for a dog to eat,' said he to himself. 'Well, that +is a great mercy.' And he curled himself up in the soft grass till the +shots died away in the distance. + +When all had been quiet for a long time, and there were only stars to +see him, he crept out and looked about him. + +He would never go near a pool again, never, thought he; and seeing that +the moor stretched far away in the opposite direction from which he had +come, he marched bravely on till he got to a small cottage, which +seemed too tumbledown for the stones to hold together many hours +longer. Even the door only hung upon one hinge, and as the only light +in the room sprang from a tiny fire, the duckling edged himself +cautiously in, and lay down under a chair close to the broken door, +from which he could get out if necessary. But no one seemed to see him +or smell him; so he spend the rest of the night in peace. + +Now in the cottage dwelt an old woman, her cat, and a hen; and it was +really they, and not she, who were masters of the house. The old +woman, who passed all her days in spinning yarn, which she sold at the +nearest town, loved both the cat and the hen as her own children, and +never contradicted them in any way; so it was their grace, and not +hers, that the duckling would have to gain. + +It was only next morning, when it grew light, that they noticed their +visitor, who stood trembling before them, with his eye on the door +ready to escape at any moment. They did not, however, appear very +fierce, and the duckling became less afraid as they approached him. + +'Can you lay eggs?' asked the hen. And the duckling answered meekly: + +'No; I don't know how.' Upon which the hen turned her back, and the +cat came forward. + +'Can you ruffle your fur when you are angry, or purr when you are +pleased?' said she. And again the duckling had to admit that he could +do nothing but swim, which did not seem of much use to anybody. + +So the cat and the hen went straight off to the old woman, who was +still in bed. + +'Such a useless creature has taken refuge here,' they said. 'It calls +itself a duckling; but it can neither lay eggs nor purr! What had we +better do with it?' + +'Keep it, to be sure!' replied the old woman briskly. 'It is all +nonsense about it not laying eggs. Anyway, we will let it stay here +for a bit, and see what happens.' + +So the duckling remained for three weeks, and shared the food of the +cat and the hen; but nothing in the way of eggs happened at all. Then +the sun came out, and the air grew soft, and the duckling grew tired of +being in a hut, and wanted with all his might to have a swim. And one +morning he got so restless that even his friends noticed it. + +'What is the matter?' asked the hen; and the duckling told her. + +'I am so longing for the water again. You can't think how delicious it +is to put your head under the water and dive straight to the bottom.' + +'I don't think I should enjoy it,' replied the hen doubtfully. 'And I +don't think the cat would like it either.' And the cat, when asked, +agreed there was nothing she would hate so much. + +'I can't stay here any longer, I Must get to the water,' repeated the +duck. And the cat and the hen, who felt hurt and offended, answered +shortly: + +'Very well then, go.' + +The duckling would have liked to say good- bye, and thank them for +their kindness, as he was polite by nature; but they had both turned +their backs on him, so he went out of the rickety door feeling rather +sad. But, in spite of himself, he could not help a thrill of joy when +he was out in the air and water once more, and cared little for the +rude glances of the creatures he met. For a while he was quite happy +and content; but soon the winter came on, and snow began to fall, and +everything to grow very wet and uncomfortable. And the duckling soon +found that it is one thing to enjoy being in the water, and quite +another to like being damp on land. + +The sun was setting one day, like a great scarlet globe, and the river, +to the duckling's vast bewilderment, was getting hard and slippery, +when he heard a sound of whirring wings, and high up in the air a flock +of swans were flying. They were as white as snow which had fallen +during the night, and their long necks with yellow bills were stretched +southwards, for they were going--they did not quite know whither--but +to a land where the sun shone all day. Oh, if he only could have gone +with them! But that was not possible, of course; and besides, what +sort of companion could an ugly thing like him be to those beautiful +beings? So he walked sadly down to a sheltered pool and dived to the +very bottom, and tried to think it was the greatest happiness he could +dream of. But, all the same, he knew it wasn't! + +And every morning it grew colder and colder, and the duckling had hard +work to keep himself warm. Indeed, it would be truer to say that he +never was warm at all; and at last, after one bitter night, his legs +moved so slowly that the ice crept closer and closer, and when the +morning light broke he was caught fast, as in a trap; and soon his +senses went from him. + +A few hours more and the poor duckling's life had been ended. But, by +good fortune, a man was crossing the river on his way to his work, and +saw in a moment what had happened. He had on thick wooden shoes, and +he went and stamped so hard on the ice that it broke, and then he +picked up the duckling and tucked him under his sheepskin coat, where +his frozen bones began to thaw a little. + +Instead of going on his work, the man turned back and took the bird to +his children, who gave him a warm mess to eat and put him in a box by +the fire, and when they came back from school he was much more +comfortable than he had been since he had left the old woman's cottage. + They were kind little children, and wanted to play with him; but, +alas! the poor fellow had never played in his life, and thought they +wanted to tease him, and flew straight into the milk-pan, and then into +the butter-dish, and from that into the meal- barrel, and at last, +terrified at the noise and confusion, right out of the door, and hid +himself in the snow amongst the bushes at the back of the house. + +He never could tell afterwards exactly how he had spent the rest of the +winter. He only knew that he was very miserable and that he never had +enough to eat. But by-and-by things grew better. The earth became +softer, the sun hotter, the birds sang, and the flowers once more +appeared in the grass. When he stood up, he felt different, somehow, +from what he had done before he fell asleep among the reeds to which he +had wandered after he had escaped from the peasant's hut. His body +seemed larger, and his wings stronger. Something pink looked at him +from the side of a hill. He thought he would fly towards it and see +what it was. + +Oh, how glorious it felt to be rushing through the air, wheeling first +one way and then the other! He had never thought that flying could be +like that! The duckling was almost sorry when he drew near the pink +cloud and found it was made up of apple blossoms growing beside a +cottage whose garden ran down to the banks of the canal. He fluttered +slowly to the ground and paused for a few minutes under a thicket of +syringas, and while he was gazing about him, there walked slowly past a +flock of the same beautiful birds he had seen so many months ago. +Fascinated, he watched them one by one step into the canal, and float +quietly upon the waters as if they were part of them. + +'I will follow them,' said the duckling to himself; 'ugly though I am, +I would rather be killed by them than suffer all I have suffered from +cold and hunger, and from the ducks and fowls who should have treated +me kindly.' And flying quickly down to the water, he swam after them +as fast as he could. + +It did not take him long to reach them, for they had stopped to rest in +a green pool shaded by a tree whose branches swept the water. And +directly they saw him coming some of the younger ones swam out to meet +him with cries of welcome, which again the duckling hardly understood. +He approached them glad, yet trembling, and turning to one of the older +birds, who by this time had left the shade of the tree, he said: + +'If I am to die, I would rather you should kill me. I don't know why I +was ever hatched, for I am too ugly to live.' And as he spoke, he +bowed his head and looked down into the water. + +Reflected in the still pool he saw many white shapes, with long necks +and golden bills, and, without thinking, he looked for the dull grey +body and the awkward skinny neck. But no such thing was there. +Instead, he beheld beneath him a beautiful white swan! + +'The new one is the best of all,' said the children when they came down +to feed the swans with biscuit and cake before going to bed. 'His +feathers are whiter and his beak more golden than the rest.' And when +he heard that, the duckling thought that it was worth while having +undergone all the persecution and loneliness that he had passed +through, as otherwise he would never have known what it was to be +really happy. + +[Hans Andersen.] + + + + The Two Caskets + + + +Far, far away, in the midst of a pine forest, there lived a woman who +had both a daughter and a stepdaughter. Ever since her own daughter +was born the mother had given her all that she cried for, so she grew +up to be as cross and disagreeable as she was ugly. Her stepsister, on +the other hand, had spent her childhood in working hard to keep house +for her father, who died soon after his second marriage; and she was as +much beloved by the neighbours for her goodness and industry as she was +for her beauty. + +As the years went on, the difference between the two girls grew more +marked, and the old woman treated her stepdaughter worse than ever, and +was always on the watch for some pretext for beating her, or depriving +her of her food. Anything, however foolish, was good enough for this, +and one day, when she could think of nothing better, she set both the +girls to spin while sitting on the low wall of the well. + +'And you had better mind what you do,' said she, 'for the one whose +thread breaks first shall be thrown to the bottom.' + +But of course she took good care that her own daughter's flax was fine +and strong, while the stepsister had only some coarse stuff, which no +one would have thought of using. As might be expected, in a very +little while the poor girl's thread snapped, and the old woman, who had +been watching from behind a door, seized her stepdaughter by her +shoulders, and threw her into the well. + +'That is an end of you!' she said. But she was wrong, for it was only +the beginning. + +Down, down, down went the girl--it seemed as if the well must reach to +the very middle of the earth; but at last her feet touched the ground, +and she found herself in a field more beautiful than even the summer +pastures of her native mountains. Trees waved in the soft breeze, and +flowers of the brightest colours danced in the grass. And though she +was quite alone, the girl's heart danced too, for she felt happier than +she had since her father died. So she walked on through the meadow +till she came to an old tumbledown fence--so old that it was a wonder +it managed to stand up at all, and it looked as if it depended for +support on the old man's beard that climbed all over it. + +The girl paused for a moment as she came up, and gazed about for a +place where she might safely cross. But before she could move a voice +cried from the fence: + +'Do not hurt me, little maiden; I am so old, so old, I have not much +longer to live.' + +And the maiden answered: + +'No, I will not hurt you; fear nothing.' And then seeing a spot where +the clematis grew less thickly than in other places, she jumped lightly +over. + +'May all go well with thee,' said the fence, as the girl walked on. + +She soon left the meadow and turned into a path which ran between two +flowery hedges. Right in front of her stood an oven, and through its +open door she could see a pile of white loaves. + +'Eat as many loaves as you like, but do me no harm, little maiden,' +cried the oven. And the maiden told her to fear nothing, for she never +hurt anything, and was very grateful for the oven's kindness in giving +her such a beautiful white loaf. When she had finished it, down to the +last crumb, she shut the oven door and said: 'Good-morning.' + +'May all go well with thee,' said the oven, as the girl walked on. + +By-and-by she became very thirsty, and seeing a cow with a milk-pail +hanging on her horn, turned towards her. + +'Milk me and drink as much as you will, little maiden,' cried the cow, +'but be sure you spill none on the ground; and do me no harm, for I +have never harmed anyone.' + +'Nor I,' answered the girl; 'fear nothing.' So she sat down and milked +till the pail was nearly full. Then she drank it all up except a +little drop at the bottom. + +'Now throw any that is left over my hoofs, and hang the pail on my +horns again,' said the cow. And the girl did as she was bid, and +kissed the cow on her forehead and went her way. + +Many hours had now passed since the girl had fallen down the well, and +the sun was setting. + +'Where shall I spend the night?' thought she. And suddenly she saw +before her a gate which she had not noticed before, and a very old +woman leaning against it. + +'Good evening,' said the girl politely; and the old woman answered: + +'Good evening, my child. Would that everyone was as polite as you. +Are you in search of anything?' + +'I am in search of a place,' replied the girl; and the woman smiled and +said: + +'Then stop a little while and comb my hair, and you shall tell me all +the things you can do.' + +'Willingly, mother,' answered the girl. And she began combing out the +old woman's hair, which was long and white. + +Half an hour passed in this way, and then the old woman said: + +'As you did not think yourself too good to comb me, I will show you +where you may take service. Be prudent and patient and all will go +well.' + +So the girl thanked her, and set out for a farm at a little distance, +where she was engaged to milk the cows and sift the corn. + +As soon as it was light next morning the girl got up and went into the +cow-house. 'I'm sure you must be hungry,' said she, patting each in +turn. And then she fetched hay from the barn, and while they were +eating it, she swept out the cow-house, and strewed clean straw upon +the floor. The cows were so pleased with the care she took of them +that they stood quite still while she milked them, and did not play any +of the tricks on her that they had played on other dairymaids who were +rough and rude. And when she had done, and was going to get up from +her stool, she found sitting round her a whole circle of cats, black +and white, tabby and tortoise- shell, who all cried with one voice: + +'We are very thirsty, please give us some milk!' + +'My poor little pussies,' said she, 'of course you shall have some.' +And she went into the dairy, followed by all the cats, and gave each +one a little red saucerful. But before they drank they all rubbed +themselves against her knees and purred by way of thanks. + +The next thing the girl had to do was to go to the storehouse, and to +sift the corn through a sieve. While she was busy rubbing the corn she +heard a whirr of wings, and a flock of sparrows flew in at the window. + +'We are hungry; give us some corn! give us some corn!' cried they; and +the girl answered: + +'You poor little birds, of course you shall have some!' and scattered a +fine handful over the floor. When they had finished they flew on her +shoulders and flapped their wings by way of thanks. + + Time went by, and no cows in the whole country-side were so fat and +well tended as hers, and no dairy had so much milk to show. The +farmer's wife was so well satisfied that she gave her higher wages, and +treated her like her own daughter. At length, one day, the girl was +bidden by her mistress to come into the kitchen, and when there, the +old woman said to her: 'I know you can tend cows and keep a diary; now +let me see what you can do besides. Take this sieve to the well, and +fill it with water, and bring it home to me without spilling one drop +by the way.' + +The girl's heart sank at this order; for how was it possible for her to +do her mistress's bidding? However, she was silent, and taking the +sieve went down to the well with it. Stopping over the side, she +filled it to the brim, but as soon as she lifted it the water all ran +out of the holes. Again and again she tried, but not a drop would +remaining in the sieve, and she was just turning away in despair when a +flock of sparrows flew down from the sky. + +'Ashes! ashes!' they twittered; and the girl looked at them and said: + +'Well, I can't be in a worse plight than I am already, so I will take +your advice.' And she ran back to the kitchen and filled her sieve +with ashes. Then once more she dipped the sieve into the well, and, +behold, this time not a drop of water disappeared! + +'Here is the sieve, mistress,' cried the girl, going to the room where +the old woman was sitting. + +'You are cleverer than I expected,' answered she; 'or else someone +helped you who is skilled in magic.' But the girl kept silence, and +the old woman asked her no more questions. + +Many days passed during which the girl went about her work as usual, +but at length one day the old woman called her and said: + +'I have something more for you to do. There are here two yarns, the +one white, the other black. What you must do is to wash them in the +river till the black one becomes white and the white black.' And the +girl took them to the river and washed hard for several hours, but wash +as she would they never changed one whit. + +'This is worse than the sieve,' thought she, and was about to give up +in despair when there came a rush of wings through the air, and on +every twig of the birch trees which grew by the bank was perched a +sparrow. + +'The black to the east, the white to the west!' they sang, all at once; +and the girl dried her tears and felt brave again. Picking up the +black yarn, she stood facing the east and dipped it in the river, and +in an instant it grew white as snow, then turning to the west, she held +the white yarn in the water, and it became as black as a crow's wing. +She looked back at the sparrows and smiled and nodded to them, and +flapping their wings in reply they flew swiftly away. + +At the sight of the yarn the old woman was struck dumb; but when at +length she found her voice she asked the girl what magician had helped +her to do what no one had done before. But she got no answer, for the +maiden was afraid of bringing trouble on her little friends. + +For many weeks the mistress shut herself up in her room, and the girl +went about her work as usual. She hoped that there was an end to the +difficult tasks which had been set her; but in this she was mistaken, +for one day the old woman appeared suddenly in the kitchen, and said to +her: + +'There is one more trial to which I must put you, and if you do not +fail in that you will be left in peace for evermore. Here are the +yarns which you washed. Take them and weave them into a web that is as +smooth as a king's robe, and see that it is spun by the time that the +sun sets.' + +'This is the easiest thing I have been set to do,' thought the girl, +who was a good spinner. But when she began she found that the skein +tangled and broke every moment. + +'Oh, I can never do it!' she cried at last, and leaned her head against +the loom and wept; but at that instant the door opened, and there +entered, one behind another, a procession of cats. + +'What is the matter, fair maiden?' asked they. And the girl answered: + +'My mistress has given me this yarn to weave into a piece of cloth, +which must be finished by sunset, and I have not even begun yet, for +the yarn breaks whenever I touch it.' + +'If that is all, dry your eyes,' said the cats; 'we will manage it for +you.' And they jumped on the loom, and wove so fast and so skilfully +that in a very short time the cloth was ready and was as fine as any +king ever wore. The girl was so delighted at the sight of it that she +gave each cat a kiss on his forehead as they left the room behind one +the other as they had come. + +'Who has taught you this wisdom?' asked the old woman, after she had +passed her hands twice or thrice over the cloth and could find no +roughness anywhere. But the girl only smiled and did not answer. She +had learned early the value of silence. + +After a few weeks the old woman sent for her maid and told her that as +her year of service was now up, she was free to return home, but that, +for her part, the girl had served her so well that she hoped she might +stay with her. But at these words the maid shook her head, and +answered gently: + +'I have been happy here, Madam, and I thank you for your goodness to +me; but I have left behind me a stepsister and a stepmother, and I am +fain to be with them once more.' The old woman looked at her for a +moment, and then she said: + +'Well, that must be as you like; but as you have worked faithfully for +me I will give you a reward. Go now into the loft above the store +house and there you will find many caskets. Choose the one which +pleases you best, but be careful not to open it till you have set it in +the place where you wish it to remain.' + +The girl left the room to go to the loft, and as soon as she got +outside, she found all the cats waiting for her. Walking in +procession, as was their custom, they followed her into the loft, which +was filled with caskets big and little, plain and splendid. She lifted +up one and looked at it, and then put it down to examine another yet +more beautiful. Which should she choose, the yellow or the blue, the +red or the green, the gold or the silver? She hesitated long, and went +first to one and then to another, when she heard the cats' voices +calling: 'Take the black! take the black!' + +The words make her look round--she had seen no black casket, but as the +cats continued their cry she peered into several corners that had +remained unnoticed, and at length discovered a little black box, so +small and so black, that it might easily have been passed over. + +'This is the casket that pleases me best, mistress,' said the girl, +carrying it into the house. And the old woman smiled and nodded, and +bade her go her way. So the girl set forth, after bidding farewell to +the cows and the cats and the sparrows, who all wept as they said +good-bye. + +She walked on and on and on, till she reached the flowery meadow, and +there, suddenly, something happened, she never knew what, but she was +sitting on the wall of the well in her stepmother's yard. Then she got +up and entered the house. + +The woman and her daughter stared as if they had been turned into +stone; but at length the stepmother gasped out: + +'So you are alive after all! Well, luck was ever against me! And +where have you been this year past?' Then the girl told how she had +taken service in the under-world, and, beside her wages, had brought +home with her a little casket, which she would like to set up in her +room. + +'Give me the money, and take the ugly little box off to the outhouse,' +cried the woman, beside herself with rage, and the girl, quite +frightened at her violence, hastened away, with her precious box +clasped to her bosom. + +The outhouse was in a very dirty state, as no one had been near it +since the girl had fallen down the well; but she scrubbed and swept +till everything was clean again, and then she placed the little casket +on a small shelf in the corner. + +'Now I may open it,' she said to herself; and unlocking it with the key +which hung to its handle, she raised the lid, but started back as she +did so, almost blinded by the light that burst upon her. No one would +ever have guessed that that little black box could have held such a +quantity of beautiful things! Rings, crowns, girdles, necklaces--all +made of wonderful stones; and they shone with such brilliance that not +only the stepmother and her daughter but all the people round came +running to see if the house was on fire. Of course the woman felt +quite ill with greed and envy, and she would have certainly taken all +the jewels for herself had she not feared the wrath of the neighbours, +who loved her stepdaughter as much as they hated her. + +But if she could not steal the casket and its contents for herself, at +least she could get another like it, and perhaps a still richer one. +So she bade her own daughter sit on the edge of the well, and threw her +into the water, exactly as she had done to the other girl; and, exactly +as before, the flowery meadow lay at the bottom. + +Every inch of the way she trod the path which her stepsister had +trodden, and saw the things which she had seen; but there the likeness +ended. When the fence prayed her to do it no harm, she laughed rudely, +and tore up some of the stakes so that she might get over the more +easily; when the oven offered her bread, she scattered the loaves onto +the ground and stamped on them; and after she had milked the cow, and +drunk as much as she wanted, she threw the rest on the grass, and +kicked the pail to bits, and never heard them say, as they looked after +her: 'You shall not have done this to me for nothing!' + +Towards evening she reached the spot where the old woman was leaning +against the gate- post, but she passed her by without a word. + +'Have you no manners in your country?' asked the crone. + +'I can't stop and talk; I am in a hurry,' answered the girl. 'It is +getting late, and I have to find a place.' + +'Stop and comb my hair for a little,' said the old woman, 'and I will +help you to get a place.' + +'Comb your hair, indeed! I have something better to do than that!' And +slamming the gate in the crone's face she went her way. And she never +heard the words that followed her: 'You shall not have done this to me +for nothing!' + +By-and-by the girl arrived at the farm, and she was engaged to look +after the cows and sift the corn as her stepsister had been. But it +was only when someone was watching her that she did her work; at other +times the cow-house was dirty, and the cows ill-fed and beaten, so that +they kicked over the pail, and tried to butt her; and everyone said +they had never seen such thin cows or such poor milk. As for the cats, +she chased them away, and ill-treated them, so that they had not even +the spirit to chase the rats and mice, which nowadays ran about +everywhere. And when the sparrows came to beg for some corn, they +fared no better than the cows and the cats, for the girl threw her +shoes at them, till they flew in a fright to the woods, and took +shelter amongst the trees. + +Months passed in this manner, when, one day, the mistress called the +girl to her. + +'All that I have given you to do you have done ill,' said she, 'yet +will I give you another chance. For though you cannot tend cows, or +divide the grain from the chaff, there may be other things that you can +do better. Therefore take this sieve to the well, and fill it with +water, and see that you bring it back without spilling a drop.' + +The girl took the sieve and carried it to the well as her sister had +done; but no little birds came to help her, and after dipping it in the +well two or three times she brought it back empty. + +'I thought as much,' said the old woman angrily; 'she that is useless +in one thing is useless in another.' + +Perhaps the mistress may have thought that the girl had learnt a +lesson, but, if she did, she was quite mistaken, as the work was no +better done than before. By-and-by she sent for her again, and gave +her maid the black and white yarn to wash in the river; but there was +no one to tell her the secret by which the black would turn white, and +the white black; so she brought them back as they were. This time the +old woman only looked at her grimly but the girl was too well pleased +with herself to care what anyone thought about her. + +After some weeks her third trial came, and the yarn was given her to +spin, as it had been given to her stepsister before her. + +But no procession of cats entered the room to weave a web of fine +cloth, and at sunset she only brought back to her mistress an armful of +dirty, tangled wool. + +'There seems nothing in the world you can do,' said the old woman, and +left her to herself. + +Soon after this the year was up, and the girl went to her mistress to +tell her that she wished to go home. + +'Little desire have I to keep you,' answered the old woman, 'for no one +thing have you done as you ought. Still, I will give you some payment, +therefore go up into the loft, and choose for yourself one of the +caskets that lies there. But see that you do not open it till you +place it where you wish it to stay.' + +This was what the girl had been hoping for, and so rejoiced was she, +that, without even stopping to thank the old woman, she ran as fast as +she could to the loft. There were the caskets, blue and red, green and +yellow, silver and gold; and there in the corner stood a little black +casket just like the one her stepsister had brought home. + +'If there are so many jewels in that little black thing, this big red +one will hold twice the number,' she said to herself; and snatching it +up she set off on her road home without even going to bid farewell to +her mistress. + +'See, mother, see what I have brought!' cried she, as she entered the +cottage holding the casket in both hands. + +'Ah! you have got something very different from that little black box,' +answered the old woman with delight. But the girl was so busy finding +a place for it to stand that she took little notice of her mother. + +'It will look best here--no, here,' she said, setting it first on one +piece of furniture and then on another. 'No, after all it is to fine +to live in a kitchen, let us place it in the guest chamber.' + +So mother and daughter carried it proudly upstairs and put it on a +shelf over the fireplace; then, untying the key from the handle, they +opened the box. As before, a bright light leapt out directly the lid +was raised, but it did not spring from the lustre of jewels, but from +hot flames, which darted along the walls and burnt up the cottage and +all that was in it and the mother and daughter as well. + +As they had done when the stepdaughter came home, the neighbours all +hurried to see what was the matter; but they were too late. Only the +hen-house was left standing; and, in spite of her riches, there the +stepdaughter lived happily to the end of her days. + +[From Thorpe's Yule-Tide Stories.] + + + + + + The Goldsmith's Fortune + + + +Once upon a time there was a goldsmith who lived in a certain village +where the people were as bad and greedy, and covetous, as they could +possibly be; however, in spite of his surroundings, he was fat and +prosperous. He had only one friend whom he liked, and that was a +cowherd, who looked after cattle for one of the farmers in the village. + Every evening the goldsmith would walk across to the cowherd's house +and say: 'Come, let's go out for a walk!' + +Now the cowherd didn't like walking in the evening, because, he said, +he had been out grazing the cattle all day, and was glad to sit down +when night came; but the goldsmith always worried him so that the poor +man had to go against his will. This at last so annoyed him that he +tried to think how he could pick a quarrel with the goldsmith, so that +he should not beg him to walk with him any more. He asked another +cowherd for advice, and he said the best thing he could do was to go +across and kill the goldsmith's wife, for then the goldsmith would be +sure to regard him as an enemy; so, being a foolish person, and there +being no laws in that country by which a man would be certainly +punished for such a crime, the cowherd one evening took a big stick and +went across to the goldsmith's house when only Mrs. Goldsmith was at +home, and banged her on the head so hard that she died then and there. + +When the goldsmith came back and found his wife dead he said nothing, +but just took her outside into the dark lane and propped her up against +the wall of his house, and then went into the courtyard and waited. +Presently a rich stranger came along the lane, and seeing someone +there, as he supposed, he said: + +'Good-evening, friend! a fine night to- night!' But the goldsmith's +wife said nothing. The man then repeated his words louder; but still +there was no reply. A third time he shouted: + +'Good-evening, friend! are you deaf?' but the figure never replied. +Then the stranger, being angry at what he thought very rude behaviour, +picked up a big stone and threw it at Mrs. Goldsmith, crying: + +'Let that teach you manners!' + +Instantly poor Mrs. Goldsmith tumbled over; and the stranger, +horrified at seeing what he had done, was immediately seized by the +goldsmith, who ran out screaming: + +'Wretch! you have killed my wife! Oh, miserable one; we will have +justice done to thee!' + +With many protestations and reproaches they wrangled together, the +stranger entreating the goldsmith to say nothing and he would pay him +handsomely to atone for the sad accident. At last the goldsmith +quieted down, and agreed to accept one thousand gold pieces from the +stranger, who immediately helped him to bury his poor wife, and then +rushed off to the guest house, packed up his things and was off by +daylight, lest the goldsmith should repent and accuse him as the +murderer of his wife. Now it very soon appeared that the goldsmith had +a lot of extra money, so that people began to ask questions, and +finally demanded of him the reason for his sudden wealth. + +'Oh,' said he, 'my wife died, and I sold her.' + +'You sold your dead wife?' cried the people. + +'Yes,' said the goldsmith. + +'For how much?' + +'A thousand gold pieces,' replied the goldsmith. + +Instantly the villagers went away and each caught hold of his own wife +and throttled her, and the next day they all went off to sell their +dead wives. Many a weary mile did they tramp, but got nothing but hard +words or laughter, or directions to the nearest cemetery, from people +to whom they offered dead wives for sale. At last they perceived that +they had been cheated somehow by that goldsmith. So off they rushed +home, seized the unhappy man, and, without listening to his cries and +entreaties, hurried him down to the river bank and flung +him--plop!--into the deepest, weediest, and nastiest place they could +find. + +'That will teach him to play tricks on us,' said they. 'For as he +can't swim he'll drown, and we sha'n't have any more trouble with him!' + +Now the goldsmith really could not swim, and as soon as he was thrown +into the deep river he sank below the surface; so his enemies went away +believing that they had seen the last of him. But, in reality, he was +carried down, half drowned, below the next bend in the river, where he +fortunately came across a 'snag' floating in the water (a snag is, you +know, a part of a tree or bush which floats very nearly under the +surface of the water); and he held on to this snag, and by great good +luck eventually came ashore some two or three miles down the river. At +the place where he landed he came across a fine fat cow buffalo, and +immediately he jumped on her back and rode home. When the village +people saw him, they ran out in surprise, and said: + +'Where on earth do you come from, and where did you get that buffalo?' + +'Ah!' said the goldsmith, 'you little know what delightful adventures I +have had! Why, down in that place in the river where you threw me in I +found meadows, and trees, and fine pastures, and buffaloes, and all +kinds of cattle. In fact, I could hardly tear myself away; but I +thought that I must really let you all know about it.' + +'Oh, oh!' thought the greedy village people; 'if there are buffaloes to +be had for the taking we'll go after some too.' Encouraged by the +goldsmith they nearly all ran off the very next morning to the river; +and, in order that they might get down quickly to the beautiful place +the goldsmith told them of, they tied great stones on to their feet and +their necks, and one after another they jumped into the water as fast +as the could, and were drowned. And whenever any one of them waved his +hands about and struggled the goldsmith would cry out: + +'Look! he's beckoning the rest of you to come; he's got a fine +buffalo!' And others who were doubtful would jump in, until not one was +left. Then the cunning goldsmith went back and took all the village +for himself, and became very rich indeed. But do you think he was +happy? Not a bit. Lies never made a man happy yet. Truly, he got the +better of a set of wicked and greedy people, but only by being wicked +and greedy himself; and, as it turned out, when he got so rich he got +very fat; and at last was so fat that he couldn't move, and one day he +got the apoplexy and died, and no one in the world cared the least bit. + +[Told by a Pathan to Major Campbell.] + + + + The Enchanted Wreath + + + +Once upon a time there lived near a forest a man and his wife and two +girls; one girl was the daughter of the man, and the other the daughter +of his wife; and the man's daughter was good and beautiful, but the +woman's daughter was cross and ugly. However, her mother did not know +that, but thought her the most bewitching maiden that ever was seen. + +One day the man called to his daughter and bade her come with him into +the forest to cut wood. They worked hard all day, but in spite of the +chopping they were very cold, for it rained heavily, and when they +returned home, they were wet through. Then, to his vexation, the man +found that he had left his axe behind him, and he knew that if it lay +all night in the mud it would become rusty and useless. So he said to +his wife: + +'I have dropped my axe in the forest, bid your daughter go and fetch +it, for mine has worked hard all day and is both wet and weary.' + +But the wife answered: + +'If your daughter is wet already, it is all the more reason that she +should go and get the axe. Besides, she is a great strong girl, and a +little rain will not hurt her, while my daughter would be sure to catch +a bad cold.' + +By long experience the man knew there was no good saying any more, and +with a sigh he told the poor girl she must return to the forest for the +axe. + +The walk took some time, for it was very dark, and her shoes often +stuck in the mud, but she was brave as well as beautiful and never +thought of turning back merely because the path was both difficult and +unpleasant. At last, with her dress torn by brambles that she could +not see, and her fact scratched by the twigs on the trees, she reached +the spot where she and her father had been cutting in the morning, and +found the axe in the place he had left it. To her surprise, three +little doves were sitting on the handle, all of them looking very sad. + +'You poor little things,' said the girl, stroking them. 'Why do you +sit there and get wet? Go and fly home to your nest, it will be much +warmer than this; but first eat this bread, which I saved from my +dinner, and perhaps you will feel happier. It is my father's axe you +are sitting on, and I must take it back as fast as I can, or I shall +get a terrible scolding from my stepmother.' She then crumbled the +bread on the ground, and was pleased to see the doves flutter quite +cheerfully towards it. + +'Good-bye,' she said, picking up the axe, and went her way homewards. + +By the time they had finished all the crumbs the doves felt must +better, and were able to fly back to their nest in the top of a tree. + +'That is a good girl,' said one; 'I really was too weak to stretch out +a wing before she came. I should like to do something to show how +grateful I am.' + +'Well, let us give her a wreath of flowers that will never fade as long +as she wears it,' cried another. + +'And let the tiniest singing birds in the world sit amongst the +flowers,' rejoined the third. + +'Yes, that will do beautifully,' said the first. And when the girl +stepped into her cottage a wreath of rosebuds was on her head, and a +crowd of little birds were singing unseen. + +The father, who was sitting by the fire, thought that, in spite of her +muddy clothes, he had never seen his daughter looking so lovely; but +the stepmother and the other girl grew wild with envy. + +'How absurd to walk about on such a pouring night, dressed up like +that,' she remarked crossly, and roughly pulled off the wreath as she +spoke, to place it on her own daughter. As she did so the roses became +withered and brown, and the birds flew out of the window. + +'See what a trumpery thing it is!' cried the stepmother; 'and now take +your supper and go to bed, for it is near upon midnight.' + +But though she pretended to despise the wreath, she longed none the +less for her daughter to have one like it. + +Now it happened that the next evening the father, who had been alone in +the forest, came back a second time without his axe. The stepmother's +heart was glad when she saw this, and she said quite mildly: + +'Why, you have forgotten your axe again, you careless man! But now +your daughter shall stay at home, and mine shall go and bring it back'; +and throwing a cloak over the girl's shoulders, she bade her hasten to +the forest. + +With a very ill grace the damsel set forth, grumbling to herself as she +went; for though she wished for the wreath, she did not at all want the +trouble of getting it. + +By the time she reached the spot where her stepfather had been cutting +the wood the girl was in a very bad temper indeed, and when she caught +sight of the axe, there were the three little doves, with drooping +heads and soiled, bedraggled feathers, sitting on the handle. + +'You dirty creatures,' cried she, 'get away at once, or I will throw +stones at you! And the doves spread their wings in a fright and flew +up to the very top of a tree, their bodies shaking with anger. + +'What shall we do to revenge ourselves on her?' asked the smallest of +the doves, 'we were never treated like that before.' + +'Never,' said the biggest dove. 'We must find some way of paying her +back in her own coin!' + +'I know,' answered the middle dove; 'she shall never be able to say +anything but "dirty creatures" to the end of her life.' + +'Oh, how clever of you! That will do beautifully,' exclaimed the other +two. And they flapped their wings and clucked so loud with delight, +and made such a noise, that they woke up all the birds in the trees +close by. + +'What in the world is the matter?' asked the birds sleepily. + +'That is our secret,' said the doves. + +Meanwhile the girl had reached home crosser than ever; but as soon as +her mother heard her lift the latch of the door she ran out to hear her +adventures. 'Well, did you get the wreath?' cried she. + +'Dirty creatures!' answered her daughter. + +'Don't speak to me like that! What do you mean?' asked the mother +again. + +'Dirty creatures!' repeated the daughter, and nothing else could she +say. + +Then the woman saw that something evil had befallen her, and turned in +her rage to her stepdaughter. + +'You are at the bottom of this, I know,' she cried; and as the father +was out of the way she took a stick and beat the girl till she screamed +with pain and went to bed sobbing. + +If the poor girl's life had been miserable before, it was ten times +worse now, for the moment her father's back was turned the others +teased and tormented her from morning till night; and their fury was +increased by the sight of her wreath, which the doves had placed again +on her head. + +Things went on like this for some weeks, when, one day, as the king's +son was riding through the forest, he heard some strange birds singing +more sweetly than birds had ever sung before. He tied his horse to a +tree, and followed where the sound led him, and, to his surprise, he +saw before him a beautiful girl chopping wood, with a wreath of pink +rose-buds, out of which the singing came. Standing in the shelter of a +tree, he watched her a long while, and then, hat in hand, he went up +and spoke to her. + +'Fair maiden, who are you, and who gave you that wreath of singing +roses?' asked he, for the birds were so tiny that till you looked +closely you never saw them. + +'I live in a hut on the edge of the forest,' she answered, blushing, +for she had never spoken to a prince before. 'As to the wreath, I know +not how it came there, unless it may be the gift of some doves whom I +fed when they were starving! The prince was delighted with this +answer, which showed the goodness of the girl's heart, and besides he +had fallen in love with her beauty, and would not be content till she +promised to return with him to the palace, and become his bride. The +old king was naturally disappointed at his son's choice of a wife, as +he wished him to marry a neighbouring princess; but as from his birth +the prince had always done exactly as he like, nothing was said and a +splendid wedding feast was got ready. + +The day after her marriage the bride sent a messenger, bearing handsome +presents to her father, and telling him of the good fortune which had +befallen her. As may be imagined, the stepmother and her daughter were +so filled with envy that they grew quite ill, and had to take to their +beds, and nobody would have been sorry it they had never got up again; +but that did not happen. At length, however, they began to feel +better, for the mother invented a plan by which she could be revenged +on the girl who had never done her any harm. + +Her plan was this. In the town where she had lived before she was +married there was an old witch, who had more skill in magic that any +other witch she knew. To this witch she would go and beg her to make +her a mask with the face of her stepdaughter, and when she had the mask +the rest would be easy. She told her daughter what she meant to do, +and although the daughter could only say 'dirty creatures,' in answer, +she nodded and smiled and looked well pleased. + +Everything fell out exactly as the woman had hoped. By the aid of her +magic mirror the witch beheld the new princess walking in her gardens +in a dress of green silk, and in a few minutes had produced a mask so +like her, that very few people could have told the difference. +However, she counselled the woman that when her daughter first wore +it-- for that, of course, was what she intended her to do--she had +better pretend that she had a toothache, and cover her head with a lace +veil. The woman thanked her and paid her well, and returned to her +hut, carrying the mask under her cloak. + +In a few days she heard that a great hunt was planned, and the prince +would leave the palace very early in the morning, so that his wife +would be alone all day. This was a chance not to be missed, and taking +her daughter with her she went up to the palace, where she had never +been before. The princess was too happy in her new home to remember +all that she had suffered in the old one, and she welcomed them both +gladly, and gave them quantities of beautiful things to take back with +them. At last she took them down to the shore to see a pleasure boat +which her husband had had made for her; and here, the woman seizing her +opportunity, stole softly behind the girl and pushed her off the rock +on which she was standing, into the deep water, where she instantly +sank to the bottom. Then she fastened the mask on her daughter, flung +over her shoulders a velvet cloak, which the princess had let fall, and +finally arranged a lace veil over her head. + +'Rest your cheek on your hand, as if you were in pain, when the prince +returns,' said the mother; 'and be careful not to speak, whatever you +do. I will go back to the witch and see if she cannot take off the +spell laid on you by those horrible birds. Ah! why did I not think of +it before!' + +No sooner had the prince entered the palace than he hastened to the +princess's apartments, where he found her lying on the sofa apparently +in great pain. + +'My dearest wife, what is the matter with you?' he cried, kneeling down +beside her, and trying to take her hand; but she snatched it away, and +pointing to her cheek murmured something he could not catch. + +'What is it? tell me! Is the pain bad? When did it begin? Shall I +send for your ladies to bath the place?' asked the prince, pouring out +these and a dozen other questions, to which the girl only shook her +head. + +'But I can't leave you like this,' he continued, starting up, 'I must +summon all the court physicians to apply soothing balsams to the sore +place! And as he spoke he sprang to his feet to go in search of them. + This so frightened the pretended wife, who knew that if the physicians +once came near her the trick would at once be discovered, that she +forgot her mother's counsel not to speak, and forgot even the spell +that had been laid upon her, and catching hold of the prince's tunic, +she cried in tones of entreaty: 'Dirty creatures!' + +The young man stopped, not able to believe his ears, but supposed that +pain had made the princess cross, as it sometimes does. However, he +guessed somehow that she wised to be left alone, so he only said: + +'Well, I dare say a little sleep will do you good, if you can manage to +get it, and that you will wake up better to-morrow.' + +Now, that night happened to be very hot and airless, and the prince, +after vainly trying to rest, at length got up and went to the window. +Suddenly he beheld in the moonlight a form with a wreath of roses on +her head rise out of the sea below him and step on to the sands, +holding out her arms as she did so towards the palace. + +'That maiden is strangely like my wife,' thought he; 'I must see her +closer! And he hastened down to the water. But when he got there, +the princess, for she indeed it was, had disappeared completely, and he +began to wonder if his eyes had deceived him. + +The next morning he went to the false bride's room, but her ladies told +him she would neither speak nor get up, though she ate everything they +set before her. The prince was sorely perplexed as to what could be +the matter with her, for naturally he could not guess that she was +expecting her mother to return every moment, and to remove the spell +the doves had laid upon her, and meanwhile was afraid to speak lest she +should betray herself. At length he made up his mind to summon all the +court physicians; he did not tell her what he was going to do, lest it +should make her worse, but he went himself and begged the four learned +leeches attached to the king's person to follow him to the princess's +apartments. Unfortunately, as they entered, the princess was so +enraged at the sight of them that she forgot all about the doves, and +shrieked out: 'Dirty creatures! dirty creatures!' which so offended the +physicians that they left the room at once, and nothing that the prince +could say would prevail on them to remain. He then tried to persuade +his wife to send them a message that she was sorry for her rudeness, +but not a word would she say. + +Late that evening, when he had performed all the tiresome duties which +fall to the lot of every prince, the young man was leaning out of his +window, refreshing himself with the cool breezes that blew off the sea. + His thoughts went back to the scene of the morning, and he wondered +if, after all, he had not made a great mistake in marrying a low-born +wife, however beautiful she might be. How could he have imagined that +the quiet, gentle girl who had been so charming a companion to him +during the first days of their marriage, could have become in a day the +rude, sulky woman, who could not control her temper even to benefit +herself. One thing was clear, if she did not change her conduct very +shortly he would have to send her away from court. + +He was thinking these thoughts, when his eyes fell on the sea beneath +him, and there, as before, was the figure that so closely resembled his +wife, standing with her feet in the water, holding out her arms to him. + +'Wait for me! Wait for me! Wait for me!' he cried; not even knowing +he was speaking. But when he reached the shore there was nothing to be +seen but the shadows cast by the moonlight. + +A state ceremonial in a city some distance off caused the prince to +ride away at daybreak, and he left without seeing his wife again. + +'Perhaps she may have come to her senses by to-morrow,' said he to +himself; 'and, anyhow, if I am going to send her back to her father, it +might be better if we did not meet in the meantime! Then he put the +matter from his mind, and kept his thoughts on the duty that lay before +him. + +It was nearly midnight before he returned to the palace, but, instead +of entering, he went down to the shore and hid behind a rock. He had +scarcely done so when the girl came out of the sea, and stretched out +her arms towards his window. In an instant the prince had seized her +hand, and though she made a frightened struggle to reach the water--for +she in her turn had had a spell laid upon her--he held her fast. + +'You are my own wife, and I shall never let you go,' he said. But the +words were hardly out of his mouth when he found that it was a hare +that he was holding by the paw. Then the hare changed into a fish, and +the fish into a bird, and the bird into a slimy wriggling snake. This +time the prince's hand nearly opened of itself, but with a strong +effort he kept his fingers shut, and drawing his sword cut off its +head, when the spell was broken, and the girl stood before him as he +had seen her first, the wreath upon her head and the birds singing for +joy. + +The very next morning the stepmother arrived at the palace with an +ointment that the old witch had given her to place upon her daughter's +tongue, which would break the dove's spell, if the rightful bride had +really been drowned in the sea; if not, then it would be useless. The +mother assured her that she had seen her stepdaughter sink, and that +there was no fear that she would ever come up again; but, to make all +quite safe, the old woman might bewitch the girl; and so she did. +After that the wicked stepmother travelled all through the night to get +to the palace as soon as possible, and made her way straight into her +daughter's room. + +'I have got it! I have got it!' she cried triumphantly, and laid the +ointment on her daughter's tongue. + +'Now what do you say?' she asked proudly. + +'Dirty creatures! dirty creatures!' answered the daughter; and the +mother wrung her hands and wept, as she knew that all her plans had +failed. + +At this moment the prince entered with his real wife. 'You both +deserved death,' he said, 'and if it were left to me, you should have +it. But the princess has begged me to spare your lives, so you will be +put into a ship and carried off to a desert island, where you will stay +till you die.' + +Then the ship was made ready and the wicked woman and her daughter were +placed in it, and it sailed away, and no more was heard of them. But +the prince and his wife lived together long and happily, and ruled +their people well. + +[Adapted from Thorpe's Yule-Tide Stories.] + + + + The Foolish Weaver + + + +Once a weaver, who was in want of work, took service with a certain +farmer as a shepherd. + +The farmer, knowing that the man was very slow-witted, gave him most +careful instructions as to everything that he was to do. + +Finally he said: 'If a wolf or any wild animal attempts to hurt the +flock you should pick up a big stone like this' (suiting the action to +the word) 'and throw a few such at him, and he will be afraid and go +away.' The weaver said that he understood, and started with the flocks +to the hillsides where they grazed all day. + +By chance in the afternoon a leopard appeared, and the weaver instantly +ran home as fast as he could to get the stones which the farmer had +shown him, to throw at the creature. When he came back all the flock +were scattered or killed, and when the farmer heard the tale he beat +him soundly. 'Were there no stones on the hillside that you should run +back to get them, you senseless one?' he cried; 'you are not fit to +herd sheep. To-day you shall stay at home and mind my old mother who +is sick, perhaps you will be able to drive flies off her face, if you +can't drive beasts away from sheep!' + +So, the next day, the weaver was left at home to take care of the +farmer's old sick mother. Now as she lay outside on a bed, it turned +out that the flies became very troublesome, and the weaver looked round +for something to drive them away with; and as he had been told to pick +up the nearest stone to drive the beasts away from the flock, he +thought he would this time show how cleverly he could obey orders. +Accordingly he seized the nearest stone, which was a big, heavy one, +and dashed it at the flies; but, unhappily, he slew the poor old woman +also; and then, being afraid of the wrath of the farmer, he fled and +was not seen again in that neighbourhood. + +All that day and all the next night he walked, and at length he came to +a village where a great many weavers lived together. + +'You are welcome,' said they. 'Eat and sleep, for to-morrow six of us +start in search of fresh wool to weave, and we pray you to give us your +company.' + +'Willingly,' answered the weaver. So the next morning the seven +weavers set out to go to the village where they could buy what they +wanted. On the way they had to cross a ravine which lately had been +full of water, but now was quite dry. The weavers, however, were +accustomed to swim over this ravine; therefore, regardless of the fact +that this time it was dry, they stripped, and, tying their clothes on +their heads, they proceeded to swim across the dry sand and rocks that +formed the bed of the ravine. Thus they got to the other side without +further damage than bruised knees and elbows, and as soon as they were +over, one of them began to count the party to make sure that all were +safe there. He counted all except himself, and then cried out that +somebody was missing! This set each of them counting; but each made +the same mistake of counting all except himself, so that they became +certain that one of their party was missing! They ran up and down the +bank of the ravine wringing their hands in great distress and looking +for signs of their lost comrade. There a farmer found them and asked +what was the matter. 'Alas!' said one, 'seven of us started from the +other bank and one must have been drowned on the crossing, as we can +only find six remaining!' The farmer eyed them a minute, and then, +picking up his stick, he dealt each a sounding blow, counting, as he +did so, 'One! two! three!' and so on up to the seven. When the weavers +found that there were seven of them they were overcome with gratitude +to one whom they took for a magician as he could thus make seven out of +an obvious six. + +[From the Pushto.] + + + + + + The Clever Cat + + + +Once upon a time there lived an old man who dwelt with his son in a +small hut on the edge of the plain. He was very old, and had worked +very hard, and when at last he was struck down by illness he felt that +he should never rise from his bed again. + +So, one day, he bade his wife summon their son, when he came back from +his journey to the nearest town, where he had been to buy bread. + +'Come hither, my son,' said he; 'I know myself well to be dying, and I +have nothing to leave you but my falcon, my cat and my greyhound; but +if you make good use of them you will never lack food. Be good to your +mother, as you have been to me. And now farewell!' + +Then he turned his face to the wall and died. + +There was great mourning in the hut for many days, but at length the +son rose up, and calling to his greyhound, his cat and his falcon, he +left the house saying that he would bring back something for dinner. +Wandering over the plain, he noticed a troop of gazelles, and pointed +to his greyhound to give chase. The dog soon brought down a fine fat +beast, and slinging it over his shoulders, the young man turned +homewards. On the way, however, he passed a pond, and as he approached +a cloud of birds flew into the air. Shaking his wrist, the falcon +seated on it darted into the air, and swooped down upon the quarry he +had marked, which fell dead to the ground. The young man picked it up, +and put it in his pouch and then went towards home again. + +Near the hut was a small barn in which he kept the produce of the +little patch of corn, which grew close to the garden. Here a rat ran +out almost under his feet, followed by another and another; but quick +as thought the cat was upon them and not one escaped her. + +When all the rats were killed, the young man left the barn. He took +the path leading to the door of the hut, but stopped on feeling a hand +laid on his shoulder. + +'Young man,' said the ogre (for such was the stranger), 'you have been +a good son, and you deserve the piece of luck which has befallen you +this day. Come with me to that shining lake yonder, and fear nothing.' + +Wondering a little at what might be going to happen to him, the youth +did as the ogre bade him, and when they reached the shore of the lake, +the ogre turned and said to him: + +'Step into the water and shut your eyes! You will find yourself +sinking slowly to the bottom; but take courage, all will go well. Only +bring up as much silver as you can carry, and we will divide it between +us.' + +So the young man stepped bravely into the lake, and felt himself +sinking, sinking, till he reached firm ground at last. In front of him +lay four heaps of silver, and in the midst of them a curious white +shining stone, marked over with strange characters, such as he had +never seen before. He picked it up in order to examine it more +closely, and as he held it the stone spoke. + +'As long as you hold me, all your wishes will come true,' it said. +'But hide me in your turban, and then call to the ogre that you are +ready to come up.' + +In a few minutes the young man stood again by the shores of the lake. + +'Well, where is the silver?' asked the ogre, who was awaiting him. + +'Ah, my father, how can I tell you! So bewildered was I, and so +dazzled with the splendours of everything I saw, that I stood like a +statue, unable to move. Then hearing steps approaching I got +frightened, and called to you, as you know.' + +'You are no better than the rest,' cried the ogre, and turned away in a +rage. + +When he was out of sight the young man took the stone from his turban +and looked at it. 'I want the finest camel that can be found, and the +most splendid garments,' said he. + +'Shut your eyes then,' replied the stone. And he shut them; and when +he opened them again the camel that he had wished for was standing +before him, while the festal robes of a desert prince hung from his +shoulders. Mounting the camel, he whistled the falcon to his wrist, +and, followed by his greyhound and his cat, he started homewards. + +His mother was sewing at her door when this magnificent stranger rode +up, and, filled with surprise, she bowed low before him. + +'Don't you know me, mother?' he said with a laugh. And on hearing his +voice the good woman nearly fell to the ground with astonishment. + +'How have you got that camel and those clothes?' asked she. 'Can a son +of mine have committed murder in order to possess them?' + +'Do not be afraid; they are quite honestly come by,' answered the +youth. 'I will explain all by-and-by; but now you must go to the +palace and tell the king I wish to marry his daughter.' + +At these words the mother thought her son had certainly gone mad, and +stared blankly at him. The young man guessed what was in her heart, +and replied with a smile: + +'Fear nothing. Promise all that he asks; it will be fulfilled somehow.' + +So she went to the palace, where she found the king sitting in the Hall +of Justice listening to the petitions of his people. The woman waited +until all had been heard and the hall was empty, and then went up and +knelt before the throne. + +'My son has sent me to ask for the hand of the princess,' said she. + +The king looked at her and thought that she was mad; but, instead of +ordering his guards to turn her out, he answered gravely: + +'Before he can marry the princess he must build me a palace of ice, +which can be warmed with fires, and wherein the rarest singing- birds +can live!' + +'It shall be done, your Majesty,' said she, and got up and left the +hall. + +Her son was anxiously awaiting her outside the palace gates, dressed in +the clothes that he wore every day. + +'Well, what have I got to do?' he asked impatiently, drawing his mother +aside so that no one could overhear them. + +'Oh, something quite impossible; and I hope you will put the princess +out of your head,' she replied. + +'Well, but what is it?' persisted he. + +'Nothing but to build a palace of ice wherein fires can burn that shall +keep it so warm that the most delicate singing-birds can live in it!' + +'I thought it would be something much harder than that,' exclaimed the +young man. 'I will see about it at once.' And leaving his mother, he +went into the country and took the stone from his turban. + +'I want a palace of ice that can be warmed with fires and filled with +the rarest singing-birds!' + +'Shut your eyes, then,' said the stone; and he shut them, and when he +opened them again there was the palace, more beautiful than anything he +could have imagined, the fires throwing a soft pink glow over the ice. + +'It is fit even for the princess,' thought he to himself. + +As soon as the king awoke next morning he ran to the window, and there +across the plain he beheld the palace. + +'That young man must be a great wizard; he may be useful to me.' And +when the mother came again to tell him that his orders had been +fulfilled he received her with great honour, and bade her tell her son +that the wedding was fixed for the following day. + +The princess was delighted with her new home, and with her husband +also; and several days slipped happily by, spent in turning over all +the beautiful things that the palace contained. But at length the +young man grew tired of always staying inside walls, and he told his +wife that the next day he must leave her for a few hours, and go out +hunting. 'You will not mind?' he asked. And she answered as became a +good wife: + +'Yes, of course I shall mind; but I will spend the day in planning out +some new dresses; and then it will be so delightful when you come back, +you know!' + +So the husband went off to hunt, with the falcon on his wrist, and the +greyhound and the cat behind him--for the palace was so warm that even +the cat did not mind living in it. + +No sooner had he gone, than the ogre who had been watching his chance +for many days, knocked at the door of the palace. + +'I have just returned from a far country,' he said, 'and I have some of +the largest and most brilliant stones in the world with me. The +princess is known to love beautiful things, perhaps she might like to +buy some?' + +Now the princess had been wondering for many days what trimming she +should put on her dresses, so that they should outshine the dresses of +the other ladies at the court balls. Nothing that she thought of +seemed good enough, so, when the message was brought that the ogre and +his wares were below, she at once ordered that he should be brought to +her chamber. + +Oh! what beautiful stones he laid before her; what lovely rubies, and +what rare pearls! No other lady would have jewels like those--of that +the princess was quite sure; but she cast down her eyes so that the +ogre might not see how much she longed for them. + +'I fear they are too costly for me,' she said carelessly; 'and besides, +I have hardly need of any more jewels just now.' + +'I have no particular wish to sell them myself,' answered the ogre, +with equal indifference. 'But I have a necklace of shining stones +which was left me by father, and one, the largest engraven with weird +characters, is missing. I have heard that it is in your husband's +possession, and if you can get me that stone you shall have any of +these jewels that you choose. But you will have to pretend that you +want it for yourself; and, above all, do not mention me, for he sets +great store by it, and would never part with it to a stranger! +To-morrow I will return with some jewels yet finer than those I have +with me to-day. So, madam, farewell!' + +Left alone, the princess began to think of many things, but chiefly as +to whether she would persuade her husband to give her the stone or not. + At one moment she felt he had already bestowed so much upon her that +it was a shame to ask for the only object he had kept back. No, it +would be mean; she could not do it! But then, those diamonds, and +those string of pearls! After all, they had only been married a week, +and the pleasure of giving it to her ought to be far greater than the +pleasure of keeping it for himself. And she was sure it would be! + +Well, that evening, when the young man had supped off his favourite +dishes which the princess took care to have specially prepared for him, +she sat down close beside him, and began stroking his head. For some +time she did not speak, but listened attentively to all the adventures +that had befallen him that day. + +'But I was thinking of you all the time,' said he at the end, 'and +wishing that I could bring you back something you would like. But, +alas! what is there that you do not possess already?' + +'How good of you not to forget me when you are in the midst of such +dangers and hardships,' answered she. 'Yes, it is true I have many +beautiful things; but if you want to give me a present--and to-morrow +is my birthday--there IS one thing that I wish for very much.' + +'And what is that? Of course you shall have it directly!' he asked +eagerly. + +'It is that bright stone which fell out of the folds of your turban a +few days ago,' she answered, playing with his finger; 'the little stone +with all those funny marks upon it. I never saw any stone like it +before.' + +The young man did not answer at first; then he said, slowly: + +'I have promised, and therefore I must perform. But will you swear +never to part from it, and to keep it safely about you always? More I +cannot tell you, but I beg you earnestly to take heed to this.' + +The princess was a little startled by his manner, and began to be sorry +that she had every listened to the ogre. But she did not like to draw +back, and pretended to be immensely delighted at her new toy, and +kissed and thanked her husband for it. + +'After all I needn't give it to the ogre,' thought she as she dropped +off to sleep. + +Unluckily the next morning the young man went hunting again, and the +ogre, who was watching, knew this, and did not come till much later +than before. At the moment that he knocked at the door of the palace +the princess had tired of all her employments, and her attendants were +at their wits' end how to amuse her, when a tall negro dressed in +scarlet came to announce that the ogre was below, and desired to know +if the princess would speak to him. + +'Bring him hither at once!' cried she, springing up from her cushions, +and forgetting all her resolves of the previous night. In another +moment she was bending with rapture over the glittering gems. + +'Have you got it?' asked the ogre in a whisper, for the princess's +ladies were standing as near as they dared to catch a glimpse of the +beautiful jewels. + +'Yes, here,' she answered, slipping the stone from her sash and placing +it among the rest. Then she raised her voice, and began to talk +quickly of the prices of the chains and necklaces, and after some +bargaining, to deceive the attendants, she declared that she liked one +string of pearls better than all the rest, and that the ogre might take +away the other things, which were not half as valuable as he supposed. + +'As you please, madam,' said he, bowing himself out of the palace. + +Soon after he had gone a curious thing happened. The princess +carelessly touched the wall of her room, which was wont to reflect the +warm red light of the fire on the hearth, and found her hand quite wet. + She turned round, and--was it her fancy? or did the fire burn more +dimly than before? Hurriedly she passed into the picture gallery, +where pools of water showed here and there on the floor, and a cold +chill ran through her whole body. At that instant her frightened +ladies came running down the stairs, crying: + +'Madam! madam! what has happened? The palace is disappearing under our +eyes!' + +'My husband will be home very soon,' answered the princess--who, though +nearly as much frightened as her ladies, felt that she must set them a +good example. 'Wait till then, and he will tell us what to do.' + +So they waited, seated on the highest chairs they could find, wrapped +in their warmest garments, and with piles of cushions under their feet, +while the poor birds flew with numbed wings hither and thither, till +they were so lucky as to discover an open window in some forgotten +corner. Through this they vanished, and were seen no more. + +At last, when the princess and her ladies had been forced to leave the +upper rooms, where the walls and floors had melted away, and to take +refuge in the hall, the young man came home. He had ridden back along +a winding road from which he did not see the palace till he was close +upon it, and stood horrified at the spectacle before him. He knew in +an instant that his wife must have betrayed his trust, but he would not +reproach her, as she must be suffering enough already. Hurrying on he +sprang over all that was left of the palace walls, and the princess +gave a cry of relief at the sight of him. + +'Come quickly,' he said, 'or you will be frozen to death!' And a +dreary little procession set out for the king's palace, the greyhound +and the cat bringing up the rear. + +At the gates he left them, though his wife besought him to allow her to +enter. + +'You have betrayed me and ruined me,' he said sternly; 'I go to seek my +fortune alone.' And without another word he turned and left her. + +With his falcon on his wrist, and his greyhound and cat behind him, the +young man walked a long way, inquiring of everyone he met whether they +had seen his enemy the ogre. But nobody had. Then he bade his falcon +fly up into the sky--up, up, and up--and try if his sharp eyes could +discover the old thief. The bird had to go so high that he did not +return for some hours; but he told his master that the ogre was lying +asleep in a splendid palace in a far country on the shores of the sea. +This was delightful news to the young man, who instantly bought some +meat for the falcon, bidding him make a good meal. + +'To-morrow,' said he, 'you will fly to the palace where the ogre lies, +and while he is asleep you will search all about him for a stone on +which is engraved strange signs; this you will bring to me. In three +days I shall expect you back here.' + +'Well, I must take the cat with me,' answered the bird. + +The sun had not yet risen before the falcon soared high into the air, +the cat seated on his back, with his paws tightly clasping the bird's +neck. + +'You had better shut your eyes or you may get giddy,' said the bird; +and the cat, you had never before been off the ground except to climb a +tree, did as she was bid. + +All that day and all that night they flew, and in the morning they saw +the ogre's palace lying beneath them. + +'Dear me,' said the cat, opening her eyes for the first time, 'that +looks to me very like a rat city down there, let us go down to it; they +may be able to help us.' So they alighted in some bushes in the heart +of the rat city. The falcon remained where he was, but the cat lay +down outside the principal gate, causing terrible excitement among the +rats. + +At length, seeing she did not move, one bolder than the rest put its +head out of an upper window of the castle, and said, in a trembling +voice: + +'Why have you come here? What do you want? If it is anything in our +power, tell us, and we will do it.' + +'If you would have let me speak to you before, I would have told you +that I come as a friend,' replied the cat; 'and I shall be greatly +obliged if you would send four of the strongest and cunningest among +you, to do me a service.' + +'Oh, we shall be delighted,' answered the rat, much relieved. 'But if +you will inform me what it is you wish them to do I shall be better +able to judge who is most fitted for the post.' + +'I thank you,' said the cat. 'Well, what they have to do is this: +To-night they must burrow under the walls of the castle and go up to +the room were an ogre lies asleep. Somewhere about him he has hidden a +stone, on which are engraved strange signs. When they have found it +they must take it from him without his waking, and bring it to me.' + +'Your orders shall be obeyed,' replied the rat. And he went out to +give his instructions. + +About midnight the cat, who was still sleeping before the gate, was +awakened by some water flung at her by the head rat, who could not make +up his mind to open the doors. + +'Here is the stone you wanted,' said he, when the cat started up with a +loud mew; 'if you will hold up your paws I will drop it down.' And so +he did. 'And now farewell,' continued the rat; 'you have a long way to +go, and will do well to start before daybreak.' + +'Your counsel is good,' replied the cat, smiling to itself; and putting +the stone in her mouth she went off to seek the falcon. + +Now all this time neither the cat nor the falcon had had any food, and +the falcon soon got tired carrying such a heavy burden. When night +arrived he declared he could go no further, but would spend it on the +banks of a river. + +'And it is my turn to take care of the stone,' said he, 'or it will +seem as if you had done everything and I nothing.' + +'No, I got it, and I will keep it,' answered the cat, who was tired and +cross; and they began a fine quarrel. But, unluckily, in the midst of +it, the cat raised her voice, and the stone fell into the ear of a big +fish which happened to be swimming by, and though both the cat and the +falcon sprang into the water after it, they were too late. + +Half drowned, and more than half choked, the two faithful servants +scrambled back to land again. The falcon flew to a tree and spread his +wings in the sun to dry, but the cat, after giving herself a good +shake, began to scratch up the sandy banks and to throw the bits into +the stream. + +'What are you doing that for?' asked a little fish. 'Do you know that +you are making the water quite muddy?' + +'That doesn't matter at all to me,' answered the cat. 'I am going to +fill up all the river, so that the fishes may die.' + +'That is very unkind, as we have never done you any harm,' replied the +fish. 'Why are you so angry with us?' + +'Because one of you has got a stone of mine-- a stone with strange +signs upon it--which dropped into the water. If you will promise to +get it back for me, why, perhaps I will leave your river alone.' + +'I will certainly try,' answered the fish in a great hurry; 'but you +must have a little patience, as it may not be an easy task.' And in an +instant his scales might be seen flashing quickly along. + +The fish swam as fast as he could to the sea, which was not far +distant, and calling together all his relations who lived in the +neighbourhood, he told them of the terrible danger which threatened the +dwellers in the river. + +'None of us has got it,' said the fishes, shaking their heads; 'but in +the bay yonder there is a tunny who, although he is so old, always goes +everywhere. He will be able to tell you about it, if anyone can.' So +the little fish swam off to the tunny, and again related his story. + +'Why I was up that river only a few hours ago!' cried the tunny; 'and +as I was coming back something fell into my ear, and there it is still, +for I went to sleep, when I got home and forgot all about it. Perhaps +it may be what you want.' And stretching up his tail he whisked out +the stone. + +'Yes, I think that must be it,' said the fish with joy. And taking the +stone in his mouth he carried it to the place where the cat was waiting +for him. + +'I am much obliged to you,' said the cat, as the fish laid the stone on +the sand, 'and to reward you, I will let your river alone.' And she +mounted the falcon's back, and they flew to their master. + +Ah, how glad he was to see them again with the magic stone in their +possession. In a moment he had wished for a palace, but this time it +was of green marble; and then he wished for the princess and her ladies +to occupy it. And there they lived for many years, and when the old +king died the princess's husband reigned in his stead. + +[Adapted from Contes Berberes.] + + + + The Story of Manus + + + +Far away over the sea of the West there reigned a king who had two +sons; and the name of the one was Oireal, and the name of the other was +Iarlaid. When the boys were still children, their father and mother +died, and a great council was held, and a man was chosen from among +them who would rule the kingdom till the boys were old enough to rule +it themselves. + +The years passed on, and by-and-by another council was held, and it was +agreed that the king's sons were now of an age to take the power which +rightly belonged to them. So the youths were bidden to appear before +the council, and Oireal the elder was smaller and weaker than his +brother. + +'I like not to leave the deer on the hill and the fish in the rivers, +and sit in judgment on my people,' said Oireal, when he had listened to +the words of the chief of the council. And the chief waxed angry, and +answered quickly: + +'Not one clod of earth shall ever be yours if this day you do not take +on yourself the vows that were taken by the king your father.' + +Then spake Iarlaid, the younger, and he said: 'Let one half be yours, +and the other give to me; then you will have fewer people to rule over.' + +'Yes, I will do that,' answered Oireal. + +After this, one half of the men of the land of Lochlann did homage to +Oireal, and the other half to Iarlaid. And they governed their +kingdoms as they would, and in a few years they became grown men with +beards on their chins; and Iarlaid married the daughter of the king of +Greece, and Oireal the daughter of the king of Orkney. The next year +sons were born to Oireal and Iarlaid; and the son of Oireal was big and +strong, but the son of Iarlaid was little and weak, and each had six +foster brothers who went everywhere with the princes. + +One day Manus, son of Oireal, and his cousin, the son of Iarlaid, +called to their foster brothers, and bade them come and play a game at +shinny in the great field near the school where they were taught all +that princes and nobles should know. Long they played, and swiftly did +the ball pass from one to another, when Manus drove the ball at his +cousin, the son of Iarlaid. The boy, who was not used to be roughly +handled, even in jest, cried out that he was sorely hurt, and went home +with his foster brothers and told his tale to his mother. The wife of +Iarlaid grew white and angry as she listened, and thrusting her son +aside, sought the council hall where Iarlaid was sitting. + +'Manus has driven a ball at my son, and fain would have slain him,' +said she. 'Let an end be put to him and his ill deeds.' + +But Iarlaid answered: + +'Nay, I will not slay the son of my brother.' + +'And he shall not slay my son,' said the queen. And calling to her +chamberlain she ordered him to lead the prince to the four brown +boundaries of the world, and to leave him there with a wise man, who +would care for him, and let no harm befall him. And the wise man set +the boy on the top of a hill where the sun always shone, and he could +see every man, but no man could see him. + +Then she summoned Manus to the castle, and for a whole year she kept +him fast, and his own mother could not get speech of him. But in the +end, when the wife of Oireal fell sick, Manus fled from the tower which +was his prison, and stole back to his on home. + +For a few years he stayed there in peace, and then the wife of Iarlaid +his uncle sent for him. + +'It is time that you were married,' she said, when she saw that Manus +had grown tall and strong like unto Iarlaid. 'Tall and strong you are, +and comely of face. I know a bride that will suit you well, and that +is the daughter of the mighty earl of Finghaidh, that does homage for +his lands to me. I myself will go with a great following to his house, +and you shall go with me.' + +Thus it was done; and though the earl's wife was eager to keep her +daughter with her yet a while, she was fain to yield, as the wife of +Iarlaid vowed that not a rood of land should the earl have, unless he +did her bidding. But if he would give his daughter to Manus, she would +bestow on him the third part of her own kingdom, with much treasure +beside. This she did, not from love to Manus, but because she wished +to destroy him. So they were married, and rode back with the wife of +Iarlaid to her own palace. And that night, while he was sleeping, +there came a wise man, who was his father's friend, and awoke him +saying: 'Danger lies very close to you, Manus, son of Oireal. You hold +yourself favoured because you have as a bride the daughter of a mighty +earl; but do you know what bride the wife of Iarlaid sought for her own +son? It was no worldly wife she found for him, but the swift March +wind, and never can you prevail against her.' + +'Is it thus?' answered Manu. And at the first streak of dawn he went +to the chamber where the queen lay in the midst of her maidens. + +'I have come,' he said, 'for the third part of the kingdom, and for the +treasure which you promised me.' But the wife of Iarlaid laughed as +she heard him. + +'Not a clod shall you have here,' spake she. 'You must go to the Old +Bergen for that. Mayhap under its stones and rough mountains you may +find a treasure!' + +'Then give me your son's six foster brothers as well as my own,' +answered he. And the queen gave them to him, and they set out for Old +Bergen. + +A year passed by, and found them still in that wild land, hunting the +reindeer, and digging pits for the mountain sheep to fall into. For a +time Manus and his companions lived merrily, but at length Manus grew +weary of the strange country, and they all took ship for the land of +Lochlann. The wind was fierce and cold, and long was the voyage; but, +one spring day, they sailed into the harbour that lay beneath the +castle of Iarlaid. The queen looked from her window and beheld him +mounting the hill, with the twelve foster brothers behind him. Then +she said to her husband: 'Manus has returned with his twelve foster +brothers. Would that I could put an end to him and his murdering and +his slaying.' + +'That were a great pity,' answered Iarlaid. 'And it is not I that will +do it.' + +'If you will not do it I will,' said she. And she called the twelve +foster brothers and made them vow fealty to herself. So Manus was left +with no man, and sorrowful was he when he returned alone to Old Bergen. + It was late when his foot touched the shore, and took the path towards +the forest. On his way there met him a man in a red tunic. + +'Is it you, Manus, come back again?' asked he. + +'It is I,' answered Manus; 'alone have I returned from the land of +Lochlann.' + +The man eyed him silently for a moment, and then he said: + +'I dreamed that you were girt with a sword and became king of +Lochlann.' But Manus answered: + +'I have no sword and my bow is broken.' + +'I will give you a new sword if you will make me a promise,' said the +man once more. + +'To be sure I will make it, if ever I am king,' answered Manus. 'But +speak, and tell me what promise I am to make.' + +'I was your grandfather's armourer,' replied the man, 'and I wish to be +your armourer also.' + +'That I will promise readily,' said Manus; and followed the man into +his house, which was at a little distance. But the house was not like +other houses, for the walls of every room were hung so thick with arms +that you could not see the boards. + +'Choose what you will,' said the man; and Manus unhooked a sword and +tried it across his knee, and it broke, and so did the next, and the +next. + +'Leave off breaking the swords,' cried the man, 'and look at this old +sword and helmet and tunic that I wore in the wars of your grandfather. + Perhaps you may find them of stouter steel.' And Manus bent the sword +thrice across his knee but he could not break it. So he girded it to +his side, and put on the old helmet. As he fastened the strap his eye +fell on a cloth flapping outside the window. + +'What cloth is that?' asked he. + +'It is a cloth that was woven by the Little People of the forest,' said +the man; 'and when you are hungry it will give you food and drink, and +if you meet a foe, he will not hurt you, but will stoop and kiss the +back of your hand in token of submission. Take it, and use it well.' +Manus gladly wrapped the shawl round his arm, and was leaving the +house, when he heard the rattling of a chain blown by the wind. + +'What chain is that?' asked he. + +'The creature who has that chain round his neck, need not fear a +hundred enemies,' answered the armourer. And Manus wound it round him +and passed on into the forest. + +Suddenly there sprang out from the bushes two lions, and a lion cub +with them. The fierce beasts bounded towards him, roaring loudly, and +would fain have eaten him, but quickly Manus stooped and spread the +cloth upon the ground. At that the lions stopped, and bowing their +great heads, kissed the back of his wrist and went their ways. But the +cub rolled itself up in the cloth; so Manus picked them both up, and +carried them with him to Old Bergen. + +Another year went by, and then he took the lion cub and set forth to +the land of Lochlann. And the wife of Iarlaid came to meet him, and a +brown dog, small but full of courage, came with her. When the dog +beheld the lion cub he rushed towards him, thinking to eat him; but the +cub caught the dog by the neck, and shook him, and he was dead. And +the wife of Iarlaid mourned him sore, and her wrath was kindled, and +many times she tried to slay Manus and his cub, but she could not. And +at last they two went back to Old Bergen, and the twelve foster +brothers went also. + +'Let them go,' said the wife of Iarlaid, when she heard of it. 'My +brother the Red Gruagach will take the head off Manus as well in Old +Bergen as elsewhere.' + +Now these words were carried by a messenger to the wife of Oireal, and +she made haste and sent a ship to Old Bergen to bear away her son +before the Red Gruagach should take the head off him. And in the ship +was a pilot. But the wife of Iarlaid made a thick fog to cover the +face of the sea, and the rowers could not row, lest they should drive +the ship on to a rock. And when night came, the lion cub, whose eyes +were bright and keen, stole up to Manus, and Manus got on his back, and +the lion cub sprang ashore and bade Manus rest on the rock and wait for +him. So Manus slept, and by-and-by a voice sounded in his ears, +saying: 'Arise!' And he saw a ship in the water beneath him, and in the +ship sat the lion cup in the shape of the pilot. + +Then they sailed away through the fog, and none saw them; and they +reached the land of Lochlann, and the lion cub with the chain round his +neck sprang from the ship and Manus followed after. And the lion cub +killed all the men that guarded the castle, and Iarlaid and his wife +also, so that, in the end, Manus son of Oireal was crowned king of +Lochlann. + +[Shortened from West Highland Tales.] + + + + Pinkel the Thief + + + +Long, long ago there lived a widow who had three sons. The two eldest +were grown up, and though they were known to be idle fellows, some of +the neighbours had given them work to do on account of the respect in +which their mother was held. But at the time this story begins they +had both been so careless and idle that their masters declared they +would keep them no longer. + +So home they went to their mother and youngest brother, of whom they +thought little, because he made himself useful about the house, and +looked after the hens, and milked the cow. 'Pinkel,' they called him +in scorn, and by-and-by 'Pinkel' became his name throughout the village. + +The two young men thought it was much nicer to live at home and be idle +than to be obliged to do a quantity of disagreeable things they did not +like, and they would have stayed by the fire till the end of their +lives had not the widow lost patience with them and said that since +they would not look for work at home they must seek it elsewhere, for +she would not have them under her roof any longer. But she repented +bitterly of her words when Pinkel told her that he too was old enough +to go out into the world, and that when he had made a fortune he would +send for his mother to keep house for him. + +The widow wept many tears at parting from her youngest son, but as she +saw that his heart was set upon going with his brothers, she did not +try to keep him. So the young men started off one morning in high +spirits, never doubting that work such as they might be willing to do +would be had for the asking, as soon as their little store of money was +spent. + +But a very few days of wandering opened their eyes. Nobody seemed to +want them, or, if they did, the young men declared that they were not +able to undertake all that the farmers or millers or woodcutters +required of them. The youngest brother, who was wiser, would gladly +have done some of the work that the others refused, but he was small +and slight, and no one thought of offering him any. Therefore they +went from one place to another, living only on the fruit and nuts they +could find in the woods, and getting hungrier every day. + +One night, after they had been walking for many hours and were very +tired, they came to a large lake with an island in the middle of it. +From the island streamed a strong light, by which they could see +everything almost as clearly as if the sun had been shining, and they +perceived that, lying half hidden in the rushes, was a boat. + +'Let us take it and row over to the island, where there must be a +house,' said the eldest brother; 'and perhaps they will give us food +and shelter.' And they all got in and rowed across in the direction of +the light. As they drew near the island they saw that it came from a +golden lantern hanging over the door of a hut, while sweet tinkling +music proceeded from some bells attached to the golden horns of a goat +which was feeding near the cottage. The young men's hearts rejoiced as +they thought that at last they would be able to rest their weary limbs, +and they entered the hut, but were amazed to see an ugly old woman +inside, wrapped in a cloak of gold which lighted up the whole house. +They looked at each other uneasily as she came forward with her +daughter, as they knew by the cloak that this was a famous witch. + +'What do you want?' asked she, at the same time signing to her daughter +to stir the large pot on the fire. + +'We are tired and hungry, and would fain have shelter for the night,' +answered the eldest brother. + +'You cannot get it here,' said the witch, 'but you will find both food +and shelter in the palace on the other side of the lake. Take your +boat and go; but leave this boy with me--I can find work for him, +though something tells me he is quick and cunning, and will do me ill.' + +'What harm can a poor boy like me do a great Troll like you?' answered +Pinkel. 'Let me go, I pray you, with my brothers. I will promise +never to hurt you.' And at last the witch let him go, and he followed +his brothers to the boat. + +The way was further than they thought, and it was morning before they +reached the palace. + +Now, at last, their luck seemed to have turned, for while the two +eldest were given places in the king's stables, Pinkel was taken as +page to the little prince. He was a clever and amusing boy, who saw +everything that passed under his eyes, and the king noticed this, and +often employed him in his own service, which made his brothers very +jealous. + +Things went on this way for some time, and Pinkel every day rose in the +royal favour. At length the envy of his brothers became so great that +they could bear it no longer, and consulted together how best they +might ruin his credit with the king. They did not wish to kill +him--though, perhaps, they would not have been sorry if they had heard +he was dead--but merely wished to remind him that he was after all only +a child, not half so old and wise as they. + +Their opportunity soon came. It happened to be the king's custom to +visit his stables once a week, so that he might see that his horses +were being properly cared for. The next time he entered the stables +the two brothers managed to be in the way, and when the king praised +the beautiful satin skins of the horses under their charge, and +remarked how different was their condition when his grooms had first +come across the lake, the young men at once began to speak of the +wonderful light which sprang from the lantern over the hut. The king, +who had a passion for collection all the rarest things he could find, +fell into the trap directly, and inquired where he could get this +marvellous lantern. + +'Send Pinkel for it, Sire,' said they. 'It belongs to an old witch, +who no doubt came by it in some evil way. But Pinkel has a smooth +tongue, and he can get the better of any woman, old or young.' + +'Then bid him go this very night,' cried the king; 'and if he brings me +the lantern I will make him one of the chief men about my person.' + +Pinkel was much pleased at the thought of his adventure, and without +more ado he borrowed a little boat which lay moored to the shore, and +rowed over to the island at once. It was late by the time he arrived, +and almost dark, but he knew by the savoury smell that reached him that +the witch was cooking her supper. So he climbed softly on to the roof, +and, peering, watched till the old woman's back was turned, when he +quickly drew a handful of salt from his pocket and threw it into the +pot. Scarcely had he done this when the witch called her daughter and +bade her lift the pot off the fire and put the stew into a dish, as it +had been cooking quite long enough and she was hungry. But no sooner +had she tasted it than she put her spoon down, and declared that her +daughter must have been meddling with it, for it was impossible to eat +anything that was all made of salt. + +'Go down to the spring in the valley, and get some fresh water, that I +may prepare a fresh supper,' cried she, 'for I feel half- starved.' + +'But, mother,' answered the girl, 'how can I find the well in this +darkness? For you know that the lantern's rays shed no light down +there.' + +'Well, then, take the lantern with you,' answered the witch, 'for +supper I must have, and there is no water that is nearer.' + +So the girl took her pail in one hand and the golden lantern in the +other, and hastened away to the well, followed by Pinkel, who took care +to keep out of the way of the rays. When at last she stooped to fill +her pail at the well Pinkel pushed her into it, and snatching up the +lantern hurried back to his boat and rowed off from the shore. + +He was already a long distance from the island when the witch, who +wondered what had become of her daughter, went to the door to look for +her. Close around the hut was thick darkness, but what was that +bobbing light that streamed across the water? The witch's heart sank +as all at once it flashed upon her what had happened. + +'Is that you, Pinkel?' cried she; and the youth answered: + +'Yes, dear mother, it is I!' + +'And are you not a knave for robbing me?' said she. + +'Truly, dear mother, I am,' replied Pinkel, rowing faster than ever, +for he was half afraid that the witch might come after him. But she +had no power on the water, and turned angrily into the hut, muttering +to herself all the while: + +'Take care! take care! A second time you will not escape so easily!' + +The sun had not yet risen when Pinkel returned to the palace, and, +entering the king's chamber, he held up the lantern so that its rays +might fall upon the bed. In an instant the king awoke, and seeing the +golden lantern shedding its light upon him, he sprang up, and embraced +Pinkel with joy. + +'O cunning one,' cried he, 'what treasure hast thou brought me!' And +calling for his attendants he ordered that rooms next his own should be +prepared for Pinkel, and that the youth might enter his presence at any +hour. And besides this, he was to have a seat on the council. + +It may easily be guessed that all this made the brothers more envious +than they were before; and they cast about in their minds afresh how +best they might destroy him. At length they remembered the goat with +golden horns and the bells, and they rejoiced; 'For,' said they, 'THIS +time the old woman will be on the watch, and let him be as clever as he +likes, the bells on the horns are sure to warn her.' So when, as +before, the king came down to the stables and praised the cleverness of +their brother, the young men told him of that other marvel possessed by +the witch, the goat with the golden horns. + +From this moment the king never closed his eyes at night for longing +after this wonderful creature. He understood something of the danger +that there might be in trying to steal it, now that the witch's +suspicions were aroused, and he spent hours in making plans for +outwitting her. But somehow he never could think of anything that +would do, and at last, as the brothers had foreseen, he sent for Pinkel. + +'I hear,' he said, 'that the old witch on the island has a goat with +golden horns from which hang bells that tinkle the sweetest music. +That goat I must have! But, tell me, how am I to get it? I would give +the third part of my kingdom to anyone who would bring it to me.' + +'I will fetch it myself,' answered Pinkel. + +This time it was easier for Pinkel to approach the island unseen, as +there was no golden lantern to thrown its beams over the water. But, +on the other hand, the goat slept inside the hut, and would therefore +have to be taken from under the very eyes of the old woman. How was he +to do it? All the way across the lake he thought and thought, till at +length a plan came into his head which seemed as if it might do, though +he knew it would be very difficult to carry out. + +The first thing he did when he reached the shore was to look about for +a piece of wood, and when he had found it he hid himself close to the +hut, till it grew quite dark and near the hour when the witch and her +daughter went to bed. Then he crept up and fixed the wood under the +door, which opened outwards, in such a manner that the more you tried +to shut it the more firmly it stuck. And this was what happened when +the girl went as usual to bolt the door and make all fast for the night. + +'What are you doing?' asked the witch, as her daughter kept tugging at +the handle. + +'There is something the matter with the door; it won't shut,' answered +she. + +'Well, leave it alone; there is nobody to hurt us,' said the witch, who +was very sleepy; and the girl did as she was bid, and went to bed. +Very soon they both might have been heard snoring, and Pinkel knew that +his time was come. Slipping off his shoes he stole into the hut on +tiptoe, and taking from his pocket some food of which the goat was +particularly fond, he laid it under his nose. Then, while the animal +was eating it, he stuffed each golden bell with wool which he had also +brought with him, stopping every minute to listen, lest the witch +should awaken, and he should find himself changed into some dreadful +bird or beast. But the snoring still continued, and he went on with +his work as quickly as he could. When the last bell was done he drew +another handful of food out of his pocket, and held it out to the goat, +which instantly rose to its feet and followed Pinkel, who backed slowly +to the door, and directly he got outside he seized the goat in his arms +and ran down to the place where he had moored his boat. + +As soon as he had reached the middle of the lake, Pinkel took the wool +out of the bells, which began to tinkle loudly. Their sound awoke the +witch, who cried out as before: + +'Is that you, Pinkel?' + +'Yes, dear mother, it is I,' said Pinkel. + +'Have you stolen my golden goat?' asked she. + +'Yes, dear mother, I have,' answered Pinkel. + +'Are you not a knave, Pinkel?' + +'Yes, dear mother, I am,' he replied. And the old witch shouted in a +rage: + +'Ah! beware how you come hither again, for next time you shall not +escape me!' + +But Pinkel laughed and rowed on. + +The king was so delighted with the goat that he always kept it by his +side, night and day; and, as he had promised, Pinkel was made ruler +over the third part of the kingdom. As may be supposed, the brothers +were more furious than ever, and grew quite thin with rage. + +'How can we get rid of him?' said one to the other. And at length they +remembered the golden cloak. + +'He will need to be clever if he is to steal that!' they cried, with a +chuckle. And when next the king came to see his horses they began to +speak of Pinkel and his marvellous cunning, and how he had contrived to +steal the lantern and the goat, which nobody else would have been able +to do. + +'But as he was there, it is a pity he could not have brought away the +golden cloak,' added they. + +'The golden cloak! what is that?' asked the king. And the young men +described its beauties in such glowing words that the king declared he +should never know a day's happiness till he had wrapped the cloak round +his own shoulders. + +'And,' added he, 'the man who brings it to me shall wed my daughter, +and shall inherit my throne.' + +'None can get it save Pinkel,' said they; for they did not imagine that +the witch, after two warnings, could allow their brother to escape a +third time. So Pinkel was sent for, and with a glad heart he set out. + +He passed many hours inventing first one plan and then another, till he +had a scheme ready which he thought might prove successful. + +Thrusting a large bag inside his coat, he pushed off from the shore, +taking care this time to reach the island in daylight. Having made his +boat fast to a tree, he walked up to the hut, hanging his head, and +putting on a face that was both sorrowful and ashamed. + +'Is that you, Pinkel?' asked the witch when she saw him, her eyes +gleaming savagely. + +'Yes, dear mother, it is I,' answered Pinkel. + +'So you have dared, after all you have done, to put yourself in my +power!' cried she. 'Well, you sha'n't escape me THIS time!' And she +took down a large knife and began to sharpen it.' + +'Oh! dear mother, spare me!' shrieked Pinkel, falling on his knees, and +looking wildly about him. + +'Spare you, indeed, you thief! Where are my lantern and my goat? No! +not! there is only one fate for robbers!' And she brandished the knife +in the air so that it glittered in the firelight. + +'Then, if I must die,' said Pinkel, who, by this time, was getting +really rather frightened, 'let me at least choose the manner of my +death. I am very hungry, for I have had nothing to eat all day. Put +some poison, if you like, into the porridge, but at least let me have a +good meal before I die.' + +'That is not a bad idea,' answered the woman; 'as long as you do die, +it is all one to me.' And ladling out a large bowl of porridge, she +stirred some poisonous herbs into it, and set about work that had to be +done. Then Pinkel hastily poured all the contents of the bowl into his +bag, and make a great noise with his spoon, as if he was scraping up +the last morsel. + +'Poisoned or not, the porridge is excellent. I have eaten it, every +scrap; do give me some more,' said Pinkel, turning towards her. + +'Well, you have a fine appetite, young man,' answered the witch; +'however, it is the last time you will ever eat it, so I will give you +another bowlful.' And rubbing in the poisonous herbs, she poured him +out half of what remained, and then went to the window to call her cat. + +In an instant Pinkel again emptied the porridge into the bag, and the +next minute he rolled on the floor, twisting himself about as if in +agony, uttering loud groans the while. Suddenly he grew silent and lay +still. + +'Ah! I thought a second dose of that poison would be too much for you,' +said the witch looking at him. 'I warned you what would happen if you +came back. I wish that all thieves were as dead as you! But why does +not my lazy girl bring the wood I sent her for, it will soon be too +dark for her to find her way? I suppose I must go and search for her. +What a trouble girls are!' And she went to the door to watch if there +were any signs of her daughter. But nothing could be seen of her, and +heavy rain was falling. + +'It is no night for my cloak,' she muttered; 'it would be covered with +mud by the time I got back.' So she took it off her shoulders and hung +it carefully up in a cupboard in the room. After that she put on her +clogs and started to seek her daughter. Directly the last sound of the +clogs had ceased, Pinkel jumped up and took down the cloak, and rowed +off as fast as he could. + +He had not gone far when a puff of wind unfolded the cloak, and its +brightness shed gleams across the water. The witch, who was just +entering the forest, turned round at that moment and saw the golden +rays. She forgot all about her daughter, and ran down to the shore, +screaming with rage at being outwitted a third time. + +'Is that you, Pinkel?' cried she. + +'Yes, dear mother, it is I.' + +'Have you taken my gold cloak?' + +'Yes, dear mother, I have.' + +'Are you not a great knave?' + +'Yes, truly dear mother, I am.' + +And so indeed he was! + +But, all the same, he carried the cloak to the king's palace, and in +return he received the hand of the king's daughter in marriage. People +said that it was the bride who ought to have worn the cloak at her +wedding feast; but the king was so pleased with it that he would not +part from it; and to the end of his life was never seen without it. +After his death, Pinkel became king; and let up hope that he gave up +his bad and thievish ways, and ruled his subjects well. As for his +brothers, he did not punish them, but left them in the stables, where +they grumbled all day long. + +[Thorpe's Yule-Tide Stories.] + + + + The Adventures of a Jackal + + + +In a country which is full of wild beasts of all sorts there once lived +a jackal and a hedgehog, and, unlike though they were, the two animals +made great friends, and were often seen in each other's company. + +One afternoon they were walking along a road together, when the jackal, +who was the taller of the two, exclaimed: + +'Oh! there is a barn full of corn; let us go and eat some.' + +'Yes, do let us!' answered the hedgehog. So they went to the barn, and +ate till they could eat no more. Then the jackal put on his shoes, +which he had taken off so as to make no noise, and they returned to the +high road. + +After they had gone some way they met a panther, who stopped, and +bowing politely, said: + +'Excuse my speaking to you, but I cannot help admiring those shoes of +yours. Do you mind telling me who made them?' + +'Yes, I think they are rather nice,' answered the jackal; 'I made them +myself, though.' + +'Could you make me a pair like them?' asked the panther eagerly. + +'I would do my best, of course,' replied the jackal; 'but you must kill +me a cow, and when we have eaten the flesh I will take the skin and +make your shoes out of it.' + +So the panther prowled about until he saw a fine cow grazing apart from +the rest of the herd. He killed it instantly, and then gave a cry to +the jackal and hedgehog to come to the place where he was. They soon +skinned the dead beasts, and spread its skin out to dry, after which +they had a grand feast before they curled themselves up for the night, +and slept soundly. + +Next morning the jackal got up early and set to work upon the shoes, +while the panther sat by and looked on with delight. At last they were +finished, and the jackal arose and stretched himself. + +'Now go and lay them in the sun out there,' said he; 'in a couple of +hours they will be ready to put on; but do not attempt to wear them +before, or you will feel them most uncomfortable. But I see the sun is +high in the heavens, and we must be continuing our journey.' + +The panther, who always believed what everybody told him, did exactly +as he was bid, and in two hours' time began to fasten on the shoes. +They certainly set off his paws wonderfully, and he stretched out his +forepaws and looked at them with pride. But when he tried to walk--ah! +that was another story! They were so stiff and hard that he nearly +shrieked every step he took, and at last he sank down where he was, and +actually began to cry. + +After some time some little partridges who were hopping about heard the +poor panther's groans, and went up to see what was the matter. He had +never tried to make his dinner off them, and they had always been quite +friendly. + +'You seem in pain,' said one of them, fluttering close to him, 'can we +help you?' + +'Oh, it is the jackal! He made me these shoes; they are so hard and +tight that they hurt my feet, and I cannot manage to kick them off.' + +'Lie still, and we will soften them,' answered the kind little +partridge. And calling to his brothers, they all flew to the nearest +spring, and carried water in their beaks, which they poured over the +shoes. This they did till the hard leather grew soft, and the panther +was able to slip his feet out of them. + +'Oh, thank you, thank you,' he cried, skipping round with joy. 'I feel +a different creature. Now I will go after the jackal and pay him my +debts.' And he bounded away into the forest. + +But the jackal had been very cunning, and had trotted backwards and +forwards and in and out, so that it was very difficult to know which +track he had really followed. At length, however, the panther caught +sight of his enemy, at the same moment that the jackal had caught sight +of him. The panther gave a loud roar, and sprang forward, but the +jackal was too quick for him and plunged into a dense thicket, where +the panther could not follow. + +Disgusted with his failure, but more angry than ever, the panther lay +down for a while to consider what he should do next, and as he was +thinking, an old man came by. + +'Oh! father, tell me how I can repay the jackal for the way he has +served me!' And without more ado he told his story. + +'If you take my advice,' answered the old man, 'you will kill a cow, +and invite all the jackals in the forest to the feast. Watch them +carefully while they are eating, and you will see that most of them +keep their eyes on their food. But if one of them glances at you, you +will know that is the traitor.' + +The panther, whose manners were always good, thanked the old man, and +followed his counsel. The cow was killed, and the partridges flew +about with invitations to the jackals, who gathered in large numbers to +the feast. The wicked jackal came amongst them; but as the panther had +only seen him once he could not distinguish him from the rest. +However, they all took their places on wooden seats placed round the +dead cow, which was laid across the boughs of a fallen tree, and began +their dinner, each jackal fixing his eyes greedily on the piece of meat +before him. Only one of them seemed uneasy, and every now and then +glanced in the direction of his host. This the panther noticed, and +suddenly made a bound at the culprit and seized his tail; but again the +jackal was too quick for him, and catching up a knife he cut off his +tail and darted into the forest, followed by all the rest of the party. + And before the panther had recovered from his surprise he found +himself alone. + +'What am I to do now?' he asked the old man, who soon came back to see +how things had turned out. + +'It is very unfortunate, certainly,' answered he; 'but I think I know +where you can find him. There is a melon garden about two miles from +here, and as jackals are very fond of melons they are nearly sure to +have gone there to feed. If you see a tailless jackal you will know +that he is the one you want.' So the panther thanked him and went his +way. + +Now the jackal had guessed what advice the old man would give his +enemy, and so, while his friends were greedily eating the ripest melons +in the sunniest corner of the garden, he stole behind them and tied +their tails together. He had only just finished when his ears caught +the sound of breaking branches; and he cried: 'Quick! quick! here comes +the master of the garden!' And the jackals sprang up and ran away in +all directions, leaving their tails behind them. And how was the +panther to know which was his enemy? + +'They none of them had any tails,' he said sadly to the old man, 'and I +am tired of hunting them. I shall leave them alone and go and catch +something for supper.' + +Of course the hedgehog had not been able to take part in any of these +adventures; but as soon as all danger was over, the jackal went to look +for his friend, whom he was lucky enough to find at home. + +'Ah, there you are,' he said gaily. 'I have lost my tail since I saw +you last. And other people have lost theirs too; but that is no +matter! I am hungry, so come with me to the shepherd who is sitting +over there, and we will ask him to sell us one of his sheep.' + +'Yes, that is a good plan,' answered the hedgehog. And he walked as +fast as his little legs would go to keep up with the jackal. When they +reached the shepherd the jackal pulled out his purse from under his +foreleg, and made his bargain. + +'Only wait till to-morrow,' said the shepherd, 'and I will give you the +biggest sheep you ever saw. But he always feeds at some distance from +the rest of the flock, and it would take me a long time to catch him.' + +'Well, it is very tiresome, but I suppose I must wait,' replied the +jackal. And he and the hedgehog looked about for a nice dry cave in +which to make themselves comfortable for the night. But, after they +had gone, the shepherd killed one of his sheep, and stripped off his +skin, which he sewed tightly round a greyhound he had with him, and put +a cord round its neck. Then he lay down and went to sleep. + +Very, very early, before the sun was properly up, the jackal and the +hedgehog were pulling at the shepherd's cloak. + +'Wake up,' they said, 'and give us that sheep. We have had nothing to +eat all night, and are very hungry.' + +The shepherd yawned and rubbed his eyes. 'He is tied up to that tree; +go and take him.' So they went to the tree and unfastened the cord, +and turned to go back to the cave where they had slept, dragging the +greyhound after them. When they reached the cave the jackal said to +the hedgehog. + +'Before I kill him let me see whether he is fat or thin.' And he stood +a little way back, so that he might the better examine the animal. +After looking at him, with his head on one side, for a minute or two, +he nodded gravely. + +'He is quite fat enough; he is a good sheep.' + +But the hedgehog, who sometimes showed more cunning than anyone would +have guessed, answered: + +'My friend, you are talking nonsense. The wool is indeed a sheep's +wool, but the paws of my uncle the greyhound peep out from underneath.' + +'He is a sheep,' repeated the jackal, who did not like to think anyone +cleverer than himself. + +'Hold the cord while I look at him,' answered the hedgehog. + +Very unwillingly the jackal held the rope, while the hedgehog walked +slowly round the greyhound till he reached the jackal again. He knew +quite well by the paws and tail that it was a greyhound and not a +sheep, that the shepherd had sold them; and as he could not tell what +turn affairs might take, he resolved to get out of the way. + +'Oh! yes, you are right,' he said to the jackal; 'but I never can eat +till I have first drunk. I will just go and quench my thirst from that +spring at the edge of the wood, and then I shall be ready for +breakfast.' + +'Don't be long, then,' called the jackal, as the hedgehog hurried off +at his best pace. And he lay down under a rock to wait for him. + +More than an hour passed by and the hedgehog had had plenty of time to +go to the spring and back, and still there was no sign of him. And +this was very natural, as he had hidden himself in some long grass +under a tree! + +At length the jackal guessed that for some reason his friend had run +away, and determined to wait for his breakfast no longer. So he went +up to the place where the greyhound had been tethered and untied the +rope. But just as he was about to spring on his back and give him a +deadly bite, the jackal heard a low growl, which never proceeded from +the throat of any sheep. Like a flash of lightning the jackal threw +down the cord and was flying across the plain; but though his legs were +long, the greyhound's legs were longer still, and he soon came up with +his prey. The jackal turned to fight, but he was no match for the +greyhound, and in a few minutes he was lying dead on the ground, while +the greyhound was trotting peacefully back to the shepherd. + +[Nouveaux Contes Berberes, par Rene Basset.] + + + + The Adventures of the Jackal's Eldest Son + + + +Now, though the jackal was dead, he had left two sons behind him, every +whit as cunning and tricky as their father. The elder of the two was a +fine handsome creature, who had a pleasant manner and made many +friends. The animal he saw most of was a hyena; and one day, when they +were taking a walk together, they picked up a beautiful green cloak, +which had evidently been dropped by some one riding across the plain on +a camel. Of course each wanted to have it, and they almost quarrelled +over the matter; but at length it was settled that the hyena should +wear the cloak by day and the jackal by night. After a little while, +however, the jackal became discontented with this arrangement, +declaring that none of his friends, who were quite different from those +of the hyena, could see the splendour of the mantle, and that it was +only fair that he should sometimes be allowed to wear it by day. To +this the hyena would by no means consent, and they were on the eve of a +quarrel when the hyena proposed that they should ask the lion to judge +between them. The jackal agreed to this, and the hyena wrapped the +cloak about him, and they both trotted off to the lion's den. + +The jackal, who was fond of talking, at once told the story; and when +it was finished the lion turned to the hyena and asked if it was true. + +'Quite true, your majesty,' answered the hyena. + +'Then lay the cloak on the ground at my feet,' said the lion, 'and I +will give my judgment.' So the mantle was spread upon the red earth, +the hyena and the jackal standing on each side of it. + +There was silence for a few moments, and then the lion sat up, looking +very great and wise. + +'My judgment is that the garment shall belong wholly to whoever first +rings the bell of the nearest mosque at dawn to-morrow. Now go; for +much business awaits me!' + +All that night the hyena sat up, fearing lest the jackal should reach +the bell before him, for the mosque was close at hand. With the first +streak of dawn he bounded away to the bell, just as the jackal, who had +slept soundly all night, was rising to his feet. + +'Good luck to you,' cried the jackal. And throwing the cloak over his +back he darted away across the plain, and was seen no more by his +friend the hyena. + +After running several miles the jackal thought he was safe from +pursuit, and seeing a lion and another hyena talking together, he +strolled up to join them. + +'Good morning,' he said; 'may I ask what is the matter? You seem very +serious about something.' + +'Pray sit down,' answered the lion. 'We were wondering in which +direction we should go to find the best dinner. The hyena wishes to go +to the forest, and I to the mountains. What do you say?' + +'Well, as I was sauntering over the plain, just now, I noticed a flock +of sheep grazing, and some of them had wandered into a little valley +quite out of sight of the shepherd. If you keep among the rocks you +will never be observed. But perhaps you will allow me to go with you +and show you the way?' + +'You are really very kind,' answered the lion. And they crept steadily +along till at length they reached the mouth of the valley where a ram, +a sheep and a lamb were feeding on the rich grass, unconscious of their +danger. + +'How shall we divide them?' asked the lion in a whisper to the hyena. + +'Oh, it is easily done,' replied the hyena. 'The lamb for me, the +sheep for the jackal, and the ram for the lion.' + +'So I am to have that lean creature, which is nothing but horns, am I?' +cried the lion in a rage. 'I will teach you to divide things in that +manner!' And he gave the hyena two great blows, which stretched him +dead in a moment. Then he turned to the jackal and said: 'How would +you divide them?' + +'Quite differently from the hyena,' replied the jackal. 'You will +breakfast off the lamb, you will dine off the sheep, and you will sup +off the ram.' + +'Dear me, how clever you are! Who taught you such wisdom?' exclaimed +the lion, looking at him admiringly. + +'The fate of the hyena,' answered the jackal, laughing, and running off +at his best speed; for he saw two men armed with spears coming close +behind the lion! + + The jackal continued to run till at last he could run no longer. He +flung himself under a tree panting for breath, when he heard a rustle +amongst the grass, and his father's old friend the hedgehog appeared +before him. + +'Oh, is it you?' asked the little creature; 'how strange that we should +meet so far from home!' + +'I have just had a narrow escape of my life,' gasped the jackal, 'and I +need some sleep. After that we must think of something to do to amuse +ourselves.' And he lay down again and slept soundly for a couple of +hours. + +'Now I am ready,' said he; 'have you anything to propose?' + +'In a valley beyond those trees,' answered the hedgehog, 'there is a +small farmhouse where the best butter in the world is made. I know +their ways, and in an hour's time the farmer's wife will be off to milk +the cows, which she keeps at some distance. We could easily get in at +the window of the shed where she keeps the butter, and I will watch, +lest some one should come unexpectedly, while you have a good meal. +Then you shall watch, and I will eat.' + +'That sounds a good plan,' replied the jackal; and they set off +together. + +But when they reached the farmhouse the jackal said to the hedgehog: +'Go in and fetch the pots of butter and I will hide them in a safe +place.' + +'Oh no,' cried the hedgehog, 'I really couldn't. They would find out +directly! And, besides, it is so different just eating a little now +and then.' + +'Do as I bid you at once,' said the jackal, looking at the hedgehog so +sternly that the little fellow dared say no more, and soon rolled the +jars to the window where the jackal lifted them out one by one. + +When they were all in a row before him he gave a sudden start. + +'Run for your life,' he whispered to his companion; 'I see the woman +coming over the hill!' And the hedgehog, his heart beating, set off as +fast as he could. The jackal remained where he was, shaking with +laughter, for the woman was not in sight at all, and he had only sent +the hedgehog away because he did not want him to know where the jars of +butter were buried. But every day he stole out to their hiding-place +and had a delicious feast. + +At length, one morning, the hedgehog suddenly said: + +'You never told me what you did with those jars?' + +'Oh, I hid them safely till the farm people should have forgotten all +about them,' replied the jackal. 'But as they are still searching for +them we must wait a little longer, and then I'll bring them home, and +we will share them between us.' + +So the hedgehog waited and waited; but every time he asked if there was +no chance of getting jars of butter the jackal put him off with some +excuse. After a while the hedgehog became suspicious, and said: + +'I should like to know where you have hidden them. To-night, when it +is quite dark, you shall show me the place.' + +'I really can't tell you,' answered the jackal. 'You talk so much that +you would be sure to confide the secret to somebody, and then we should +have had our trouble for nothing, besides running the risk of our necks +being broken by the farmer. I can see that he is getting disheartened, +and very soon he will give up the search. Have patience just a little +longer.' + +The hedgehop said no more, and pretended to be satisfied; but when some +days had gone by he woke the jackal, who was sleeping soundly after a +hunt which had lasted several hours. + +'I have just had notice,' remarked the hedgehog, shaking him, 'that my +family wish to have a banquet to-morrow, and they have invited you to +it. Will you come?' + +'Certainly,' answered the jackal, 'with pleasure. But as I have to go +out in the morning you can meet me on the road.' + +'That will do very well,' replied the hedgehog. And the jackal went to +sleep again, for he was obliged to be up early. + +Punctual to the moment the hedgehog arrived at the place appointed for +their meeting, and as the jackal was not there he sat down and waited +for him. + +'Ah, there you are!' he cried, when the dusky yellow form at last +turned the corner. 'I had nearly given you up! Indeed, I almost wish +you had not come, for I hardly know where I shall hide you.' + +'Why should you hide me anywhere?' asked the jackal. 'What is the +matter with you?' + +'Well, so many of the guests have brought their dogs and mules with +them, that I fear it may hardly be safe for you to go amongst them. +No; don't run off that way,' he added quickly, 'because there is +another troop that are coming over the hill. Lie down here, and I will +throw these sacks over you; and keep still for your life, whatever +happens.' + +And what did happen was, that when the jackal was lying covered up, +under a little hill, the hedgehog set a great stone rolling, which +crushed him to death. + +[Contes Berberes.] + + + + The Adventures of the Younger Son of the Jackal + + + +Now that the father and elder brother were both dead, all that was left +of the jackal family was one son, who was no less cunning than the +others had been. He did not like staying in the same place any better +than they, and nobody ever knew in what part of the country he might be +found next. + +One day, when we was wandering about he beheld a nice fat sheep, which +was cropping the grass and seemed quite contented with her lot. + +'Good morning,' said the jackal, 'I am so glad to see you. I have been +looking for you everywhere.' + +'For ME?' answered the sheep, in an astonished voice; 'but we have +never met before!' + +'No; but I have heard of you. Oh! You don't know what fine things I +have heard! Ah, well, some people have all the luck!' + +'You are very kind, I am sure,' answered the sheep, not knowing which +way to look. 'Is there any way in which I can help you?' + +'There is something that I had set my heart on, though I hardly like to +propose it on so short an acquaintance; but from what people have told +me, I thought that you and I might keep house together comfortably, if +you would only agree to try. I have several fields belonging to me, +and if they are kept well watered they bear wonderful crops.' + +'Perhaps I might come for a short time,' said the sheep, with a little +hesitation; 'and if we do not get on, we can part company.' + +'Oh, thank you, thank you,' cried the jackal; 'do not let us lose a +moment.' And he held out his paw in such an inviting manner that the +sheep got up and trotted beside him till they reached home. + +'Now,' said the jackal, 'you go to the well and fetch the water, and I +will pour it into the trenches that run between the patches of corn.' +And as he did so he sang lustily. The work was very hard, but the +sheep did not grumble, and by-and-by was rewarded at seeing the little +green heads poking themselves through earth. After that the hot sun +ripened them quickly, and soon harvest time was come. Then the grain +was cut and ground and ready for sale. + +When everything was complete, the jackal said to the sheep: + +'Now let us divide it, so that we can each do what we like with his +share.' + +'You do it,' answered the sheep; 'here are the scales. You must weigh +it carefully.' + +So the jackal began to weigh it, and when he had finished, he counted +out loud: + +'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven parts for the jackal, and one +part for the sheep. If she likes it she can take it, if not, she can +leave it.' + +The sheep looked at the two heaps in silence- -one so large, the other +so small; and then she answered: + +'Wait for a minute, while I fetch some sacks to carry away my share.' + +But it was not sacks that the sheep wanted; for as soon as the jackal +could no longer see her she set forth at her best pace to the home of +the greyhound, where she arrived panting with the haste she had made. + +'Oh, good uncle, help me, I pray you!' she cried, as soon as she could +speak. + +'Why, what is the matter?' asked the greyhound, looking up with +astonishment. + +'I beg you to return with me, and frighten the jackal into paying me +what he owes me,' answered the sheep. 'For months we have lived +together, and I have twice every day drawn the water, while he only +poured it into the trenches. Together we have reaped our harvest; and +now, when the moment to divide our crop has come, he has taken seven +parts for himself, and only left one for me.' + +She finished, and giving herself a twist, passed her woolly tail across +her eyes; while the greyhound watched her, but held his peace. Then he +said: + +'Bring me a sack.' And the sheep hastened away to fetch one. Very +soon she returned, and laid the sack down before him. + +'Open it wide, that I may get in,' cried he; and when he was +comfortably rolled up inside he bade the sheep take him on her back, +and hasten to the place where she had left the jackal. + +She found him waiting for her, and pretending to be asleep, though she +clearly saw him wink one of his eyes. However, she took no notice, but +throwing the sack roughly on the ground, she exclaimed: + +'Now measure!' + +At this the jackal got up, and going to the heap of grain which lay +close by, he divided it as before into eight portions--seven for +himself and one for the sheep. + +'What are you doing that for?' asked she indignantly. 'You know quite +well that it was I who drew the water, and you who only poured it into +the trenches.' + +'You are mistaken,' answered the jackal. 'It was I who drew the water, +and you who poured it into the trenches. Anybody will tell you that! +If you like, I will ask those people who are digging there!' + +'Very well,' replied the sheep. And the jackal called out: + +'Ho! You diggers, tell me: Who was it you heard singing over the work?' + +'Why, it was you, of course, jackal! You sang so loud that the whole +world might have heard you!' + +'And who it is that sings--he who draws the water, or he who empties +it?' + +'Why, certainly he who draws the water!' + +'You hear?' said the jackal, turning to the sheep. 'Now come and carry +away your own portion, or else I shall take it for myself.' + +'You have got the better of me,' answered the sheep; 'and I suppose I +must confess myself beaten! But as I bear no malice, go and eat some +of the dates that I have brought in that sack.' And the jackal, who +loved dates, ran instantly back, and tore open the mouth of the sack. +But just as he was about to plunge his nose in he saw two brown eyes +calmly looking at him. In an instant he had let fall the flap of the +sack and bounded back to where the sheep was standing. + +'I was only in fun; and you have brought my uncle the greyhound. Take +away the sack, we will make the division over again.' And he began +rearranging the heaps. + +'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, for my mother the sheep, and +one for the jackal,' counted he; casting timid glances all the while at +the sack. + +'Now you can take your share and go,' said the sheep. And the jackal +did not need twice telling! Whenever the sheep looked up, she still +saw him flying, flying across the plain; and, for all I know, he may be +flying across it still. + +[Contes Berberes, par Rene Basset.] + + + + The Three Treasures of the Giants + + + +Long, long ago, there lived an old man and his wife who had three sons; +the eldest was called Martin, the second Michael, while the third was +named Jack. + +One evening they were all seated round the table, eating their supper +of bread and milk. + +'Martin,' said the old man suddenly, 'I feel that I cannot live much +longer. You, as the eldest, will inherit this hut; but, if you value +my blessing, be good to your mother and brothers.' + +'Certainly, father; how can you suppose I should do them wrong?' +replied Martin indignantly, helping himself to all the best bits in the +dish as he spoke. The old man saw nothing, but Michael looked on in +surprise, and Jack was so astonished that he quite forgot to eat his +own supper. + +A little while after, the father fell ill, and sent for his sons, who +were out hunting, to bid him farewell. After giving good advice to the +two eldest, he turned to Jack. + +'My boy,' he said, 'you have not got quite as much sense as other +people, but if Heaven has deprived you of some of your wits, it was +given you a kind heart. Always listen to what it says, and take heed +to the words of your mother and brothers, as well as you are able!' So +saying the old man sank back on his pillows and died. + +The cries of grief uttered by Martin and Michael sounded through the +house, but Jack remained by the bedside of his father, still and +silent, as if he were dead also. At length he got up, and going into +the garden, hid himself in some trees, and wept like a child, while his +two brothers made ready for the funeral. + +No sooner was the old man buried than Martin and Michael agreed that +they would go into the world together to seek their fortunes, while +Jack stayed at home with their mother. Jack would have liked nothing +better than to sit and dream by the fire, but the mother, who was very +old herself, declared that there was no work for him to do, and that he +must seek it with his brothers. + +So, one fine morning, all three set out; Martin and Michael carried two +great bags full of food, but Jack carried nothing. This made his +brothers very angry, for the day was hot and the bags were heavy, and +about noon they sat down under a tree and began to eat. Jack was as +hungry as they were, but he knew that it was no use asking for +anything; and he threw himself under another tree, and wept bitterly. + +'Another time perhaps you won't be so lazy, and will bring food for +yourself,' said Martin, but to his surprise Jack answered: + +'You are a nice pair! You talk of seeking your fortunes so as not to +be a burden on our mother, and you begin by carrying off all the food +she has in the house!' + +This reply was so unexpected that for some moments neither of the +brothers made any answer. Then they offered their brother some of +their food, and when he had finished eating they went their way once +more. + +Towards evening they reached a small hut, and knocking at the door, +asked if they might spend the night there. The man, who was a +wood-cutter, invited them him, and begged them to sit down to supper. +Martin thanked him, but being very proud, explained that it was only +shelter they wanted, as they had plenty of food with them; and he and +Michael at once opened their bags and began to eat, while Jack hid +himself in a corner. The wife, on seeing this, took pity on him, and +called him to come and share their supper, which he gladly did, and +very good he found it. At this, Martin regretted deeply that he had +been so foolish as to refuse, for his bits of bread and cheese seemed +very hard when he smelt the savoury soup his brother was enjoying. + +'He shan't have such a chance again,' thought he; and the next morning +he insisted on plunging into a thick forest where they were likely to +meet nobody. + +For a long time they wandered hither and thither, for they had no path +to guide them; but at last they came upon a wide clearing, in the midst +of which stood a castle. Jack shouted with delight, but Martin, who +was in a bad temper, said sharply: + +'We must have taken a wrong turning! Let us go back.' + +'Idiot!' replied Michael, who was hungry too, and, like many people +when they are hungry, very cross also. 'We set out to travel through +the world, and what does it matter if we go to the right or to the +left?' And, without another word, took the path to the castle, closely +followed by Jack, and after a moment by Martin likewise. + +The door of the castle stood open, and they entered a great hall, and +looked about them. Not a creature was to be seen, and suddenly +Martin--he did not know why--felt a little frightened. He would have +left the castle at once, but stopped when Jack boldly walked up to a +door in the wall and opened it. He could not for very shame be outdone +by his younger brother, and passed behind him into another splendid +hall, which was filled from floor to ceiling with great pieces of +copper money. + +The sight quite dazzled Martin and Michael, who emptied all the +provisions that remained out of their bags, and heaped them up instead +with handfuls of copper. + +Scarcely had they done this when Jack threw open another door, and this +time it led to a hall filled with silver. In an instant his brothers +had turned their bags upside down, so that the copper money tumbled out +on to the floor, and were shovelling in handfuls of the silver instead. + They had hardly finished, when Jack opened yet a third door, and all +three fell back in amazement, for this room as a mass of gold, so +bright that their eyes grew sore as they looked at it. However, they +soon recovered from their surprise, and quickly emptied their bags of +silver, and filled them with gold instead. When they would hold no +more, Martin said: + +'We had better hurry off now lest somebody else should come, and we +might not know what to do'; and, followed by Michael, he hastily left +the castle. Jack lingered behind for a few minutes to put pieces of +gold, silver, and copper into his pocket, and to eat the food that his +brothers had thrown down in the first room. Then he went after them, +and found them lying down to rest in the midst of a forest. It was +near sunset, and Martin began to feel hungry, so, when Jack arrived, he +bade him return to the castle and bring the bread and cheese that they +had left there. + +'It is hardly worth doing that,' answered Jack; 'for I picked up the +pieces and ate them myself.' + +At this reply both brothers were beside themselves with anger, and fell +upon the boy, beating him, and calling him names, till they were quite +tired. + +'Go where you like,' cried Martin with a final kick; 'but never come +near us again.' And poor Jack ran weeping into the woods. + +The next morning his brothers went home, and bought a beautiful house, +where they lived with their mother like great lords. + + Jack remained for some hours in hiding, thankful to be safe from his +tormentors; but when no one came to trouble him, and his back did not +ache so much, he began to think what he had better do. At length he +made up his mind to go to the caste and take away as much money with +him as would enable him to live in comfort for the rest of his life. +This being decided, he sprang up, and set out along the path which led +to the castle. As before, the door stood open, and he went on till he +had reached the hall of gold, and there he took off his jacket and tied +the sleeves together so that it might make a kind of bag. He then +began to pour in the gold by handfuls, when, all at once, a noise like +thunder shook the castle. This was followed by a voice, hoarse as that +of a bull, which cried: + +'I smell the smell of a man.' And two giants entered. + +'So, little worm! it is you who steal our treasures!' exclaimed the +biggest. 'Well, we have got you now, and we will cook you for supper!' + But here the other giant drew him aside, and for a moment or two they +whispered together. At length the first giant spoke: + +'To please my friend I will spare your life on condition that, for the +future, you shall guard our treasures. If you are hungry take this +little table and rap on it, saying, as you do so: "The dinner of an +emperor!" and you will get as much food as you want.' + +With a light heart Jack promised all that was asked of him, and for +some days enjoyed himself mightily. He had everything he could wish +for, and did nothing from morning till night; but by-and-by he began to +get very tired of it all. + +'Let the giants guard their treasures themselves,' he said to himself +at last; 'I am going away. But I will leave all the gold and silver +behind me, and will take nought but you, my good little table.' + +So, tucking the table under his arm, he started off for the forest, but +he did not linger there long, and soon found himself in the fields on +the other side. There he saw an old man, who begged Jack to give him +something to eat. + +'You could not have asked a better person,' answered Jack cheerfully. +And signing to him to sit down with him under a tree, he set the table +in front of them, and struck it three times, crying: + +'The dinner of an emperor!' He had hardly uttered the words when fish +and meat of all kinds appeared on it! + +'That is a clever trick of yours,' said the old man, when he had eaten +as much as he wanted. 'Give it to me in exchange for a treasure I have +which is still better. Do you see this cornet? Well, you have only to +tell it that you wish for an army, and you will have as many soldiers +as you require.' + +Now, since he had been left to himself, Jack had grown ambitious, so, +after a moment's hesitation, he took the cornet and gave the table in +exchange. The old man bade him farewell, and set off down one path, +while Jack chose another, and for a long time he was quite pleased with +his new possession. Then, as he felt hungry, he wished for his table +back again, as no house was in sight, and he wanted some supper badly. +All at once he remembered his cornet, and a wicked thought entered his +mind. + +'Two hundred hussars, forward!' cried he. And the neighing of horses +and the clanking of swords were heard close at hand. The officer who +rode at their head approached Jack, and politely inquired what he +wished them to do. + +'A mile or two along that road,' answered Jack, 'you will find an old +man carrying a table. Take the table from him and bring it to me.' + +The officer saluted and went back to his men, who started at a gallop +to do Jack's bidding. + +In ten minutes they had returned, bearing the table with them. + +'That is all, thank you,' said Jack; and the soldiers disappeared +inside the cornet. + +Oh, what a good supper Jack had that night, quite forgetting that he +owed it to a mean trick. The next day he breakfasted early, and then +walked on towards the nearest town. On the way thither he met another +old man, who begged for something to eat. + +'Certainly, you shall have something to eat,' replied Jack. And, +placing the table on the ground he cried: + +'The dinner of an emperor!' when all sorts of food dishes appeared. At +first the old man ate quite greedily, and said nothing; but, after his +hunger was satisfied, he turned to Jack and said: + +'That is a very clever trick of yours. Give the table to me and you +shall have something still better.' + +'I don't believe that there is anything better,' answered Jack. + +'Yes, there is. Here is my bag; it will give you as many castles as +you can possibly want.' + +Jack thought for a moment; then he replied: 'Very well, I will exchange +with you.' And passing the table to the old man, he hung the bag over +his arm. + +Five minutes later he summoned five hundred lancers out of the cornet +and bade them go after the old man and fetch back the table. + +Now that by his cunning he had obtained possession of the three magic +objects, he resolved to return to his native place. Smearing his face +with dirt, and tearing his clothes so as to look like a beggar, he +stopped the passers by and, on pretence of seeking money or food, he +questioned them about the village gossip. In this manner he learned +that his brothers had become great men, much respected in all the +country round. When he heard that, he lost no time in going to the +door of their fine house and imploring them to give him food and +shelter; but the only thing he got was hard words, and a command to beg +elsewhere. At length, however, at their mother's entreaty, he was told +that he might pass the night in the stable. Here he waited until +everybody in the house was sound asleep, when he drew his bag from +under his cloak, and desired that a castle might appear in that place; +and the cornet gave him soldiers to guard the castle, while the table +furnished him with a good supper. In the morning, he caused it all to +vanish, and when his brothers entered the stable they found him lying +on the straw. + +Jack remained here for many days, doing nothing, and--as far as anybody +knew--eating nothing. This conduct puzzled his brothers greatly, and +they put such constant questions to him, that at length he told them +the secret of the table, and even gave a dinner to them, which far +outdid any they had ever seen or heard of. But though they had +solemnly promised to reveal nothing, somehow or other the tale leaked +out, and before long reached the ears of the king himself. That very +evening his chamberlain arrived at Jack's dwelling, with a request from +the king that he might borrow the table for three days. + +'Very well,' answered Jack, 'you can take it back with you. But tell +his majesty that if he does not return it at the end of the three days +I will make war upon him.' + +So the chamberlain carried away the table and took it straight to the +king, telling him at the same time of Jack's threat, at which they both +laughed till their sides ached. + +Now the king was so delighted with the table, and the dinners it gave +him, that when the three days were over he could not make up his mind +to part with it. Instead, he sent for his carpenter, and bade him copy +it exactly, and when it was done he told his chamberlain to return it +to Jack with his best thanks. It happened to be dinner time, and Jack +invited the chamberlain, who knew nothing of the trick, to stay and +dine with him. The good man, who had eaten several excellent meals +provided by the table in the last three days, accepted the invitation +with pleasure, even though he was to dine in a stable, and sat down on +the straw beside Jack. + +'The dinner of an emperor!' cried Jack. But not even a morsel of +cheese made its appearance. + +'The dinner of an emperor!' shouted Jack in a voice of thunder. Then +the truth dawned on him; and, crushing the table between his hands, he +turned to the chamberlain, who, bewildered and half-frightened, was +wondering how to get away. + +'Tell your false king that to-morrow I will destroy his castle as +easily as I have broken this table.' + +The chamberlain hastened back to the palace, and gave the king Jack's +message, at which he laughed more than before, and called all his +courtiers to hear the story. But they were not quite so merry when +they woke next morning and beheld ten thousand horsemen, and as many +archers, surrounding the palace. The king saw it was useless to hold +out, and he took the white flag of truce in one hand, and the real +table in the other, and set out to look for Jack. + +'I committed a crime,' said he; 'but I will do my best to make up for +it. Here is your table, which I own with shame that I tried to steal, +and you shall have besides, my daughter as your wife!' + + There was no need to delay the marriage when the table was able to +furnish the most splendid banquet that ever was seen, and after +everyone had eaten and drunk as much as they wanted, Jack took his bag +and commanded a castle filled with all sorts of treasures to arise in +the park for himself and his bride. + +At this proof of his power the king's heart died within him. + +'Your magic is greater than mine,' he said; 'and you are young and +strong, while I am old and tired. Take, therefore, the sceptre from my +hand, and my crown from my head, and rule my people better than I have +done.' + +So at last Jack's ambition was satisfied. He could not hope to be more +than king, and as long as he had his cornet to provide him with +soldiers he was secure against his enemies. He never forgave his +brothers for the way they had treated him, though he presented his +mother with a beautiful castle, and everything she could possibly wish +for. In the centre of his own palace was a treasure chamber, and in +this chamber the table, the cornet, and the bag were kept as the most +prized of all his possessions, and not a week passed without a visit +from king John to make sure they were safe. He reigned long and well, +and died a very old man, beloved by his people. But his good example +was not followed by his sons and his grandsons. They grew so proud +that they were ashamed to think that the founder of their race had once +been a poor boy; and as they and all the world could not fail to +remember it, as long as the table, the cornet, and the bag were shown +in the treasure chamber, one king, more foolish than the rest, thrust +them into a dark and damp cellar. + +For some time the kingdom remained, though it became weaker and weaker +every year that passed. Then, one day, a rumour reached the king that +a large army was marching against him. Vaguely he recollected some +tales he had heard about a magic cornet which could provide as many +soldiers as would serve to conquer the earth, and which had been +removed by his grandfather to a cellar. Thither he hastened that he +might renew his power once more, and in that black and slimy spot he +found the treasures indeed. But the table fell to pieces as he touched +it, in the cornet there remained only a few fragments of leathern belts +which the rats had gnawed, and in the bag nothing but broken bits of +stone. + +And the king bowed his head to the doom that awaited him, and in his +heart cursed the ruin wrought by the pride and foolishness of himself +and his forefathers. + +[From Contes Populaires Slaves, par Louis Leger.] + + + + The Rover of the Plain + + + +A long way off, near the sea coast of the east of Africa, there dwelt, +once upon a time, a man and his wife. They had two children, a son and +a daughter, whom they loved very much, and, like parents in other +countries, they often talked of the fine marriages the young people +would make some day. Out there both boys and girls marry early, and +very soon, it seemed to the mother, a message was sent by a rich man on +the other side of the great hills offering a fat herd of oxen in +exchange for the girl. Everyone in the house and in the village +rejoiced, and the maiden was despatched to her new home. When all was +quiet again the father said to his son: + +'Now that we own such a splendid troop of oxen you had better hasten +and get yourself a wife, lest some illness should overtake them. +Already we have seen in the villages round about one or two damsels +whose parents would gladly part with them for less than half the herd. +Therefore tell us which you like best, and we will buy her for you.' + +But the son answered: + +'Not so; the maidens I have seen do not please me. If, indeed, I must +marry, let me travel and find a wife for myself.' + +'It shall be as you wish,' said the parents; 'but if by-and-by trouble +should come of it, it will be your fault and not ours.' + +The youth, however, would not listen; and bidding his father and mother +farewell, set out on his search. Far, far away he wandered, over +mountains and across rivers, till he reached a village where the people +were quite different from those of his own race. He glanced about him +and noticed that the girls were fair to look upon, as they pounded +maize or stewed something that smelt very nice in earthen +pots--especially if you were hot and tired; and when one of the maidens +turned round and offered the stranger some dinner, he made up his mind +that he would wed her and nobody else. + +So he sent a message to her parents asking their leave to take her for +his wife, and they came next day to bring their answer. + +'We will give you our daughter,' said they, 'if you can pay a good +price for her. Never was there so hardworking a girl; and how we shall +do without her we cannot tell! Still-- no doubt your father and mother +will come themselves and bring the price?' + +'No; I have the price with me,' replied the young man; laying down a +handful of gold pieces. 'Here it is--take it.' + +The old couple's eyes glittered greedily; but custom forbade them to +touch the price before all was arranged. + +'At least,' said they, after a moment's pause, 'we may expect them to +fetch your wife to her new home?' + +'No; they are not used to travelling,' answered the bridegroom. 'Let +the ceremony be performed without delay, and we will set forth at once. + It is a long journey.' + +Then the parents called in the girl, who was lying in the sun outside +the hut, and, in the presence of all the village, a goat was killed, +the sacred dance took place, and a blessing was said over the heads of +the young people. After that the bride was led aside by her father, +whose duty it was to bestow on her some parting advice as to her +conduct in her married life. + +'Be good to your husband's parents,' added he, 'and always do the will +of your husband.' And the girl nodded her head obediently. Next it +was the mother's turn; and, as was the custom of the tribe, she spoke +to her daughter: + +'Will you choose which of your sisters shall go with you to cut your +wood and carry your water?' + +'I do not want any of them,' answered she; 'they are no use. They will +drop the wood and spill the water.' + +'Then will you have any of the other children? There are enough to +spare,' asked the mother again. But the bride said quickly: + +'I will have none of them! You must give me our buffalo, the Rover of +the Plain; he alone shall serve me.' + +'What folly you talk!' cried the parents. 'Give you our buffalo, the +Rover of the Plain? Why, you know that our life depends on him. Here +he is well fed and lies on soft grass; but how can you tell what will +befall him in another country? The food may be bad, he will die of +hunger; and, if he dies we die also.' + +'No, no,' said the bride; 'I can look after him as well as you. Get +him ready, for the sun is sinking and it is time we set forth.' + +So she went away and put together a small pot filled with healing +herms, a horn that she used in tending sick people, a little knife, and +a calabash containing deer fat; and, hiding these about her, she took +leave of her father and mother and started across the mountains by the +side of her husband. + +But the young man did not see the buffalo that followed them, which had +left his home to be the servant of his wife. + +No one ever knew how the news spread to the kraal that the young man +was coming back, bringing a wife with him; but, somehow or other, when +the two entered the village, every man and woman was standing in the +road uttering shouts of welcome. + +'Ah, you are not dead after all,' cried they; 'and have found a wife to +your liking, though you would have none of our girls. Well, well, you +have chosen your own path; and if ill comes of it beware lest you +grumble.' + +Next day the husband took his wife to the fields and showed her which +were his, and which belonged to his mother. The girl listened +carefully to all he told her, and walked with him back to the hut; but +close to the door she stopped, and said: + +'I have dropped my necklace of beads in the field, and I must go and +look for it.' But in truth she had done nothing of the sort, and it +was only an excuse to go and seek the buffalo. + +The beast was crouching under a tree when she came up, and snorted with +pleasure at the sight of her. + +'You can roam about this field, and this, and this,' she said, 'for +they belong to my husband; and that is his wood, where you may hide +yourself. But the other fields are his mother's, so beware lest you +touch them.' + +'I will beware,' answered the buffalo; and, patting his head, the girl +left him. + +Oh, how much better a servant he was than any of the little girls the +bride had refused to bring with her! If she wanted water, she had only +to cross the patch of maize behind the hut and seek out the place where +the buffalo lay hidden, and put down her pail beside him. Then she +would sit at her ease while he went to the lake and brought the bucket +back brimming over. If she wanted wood, he would break the branches +off the trees and lay them at her feet. And the villagers watched her +return laden, and said to each other: + +'Surely the girls of her country are stronger than our girls, for none +of them could cut so quickly or carry so much!' But then, nobody knew +that she had a buffalo for a servant. + +Only, all this time she never gave the poor buffalo anything to eat, +because she had just one dish, out of which she and her husband ate; +while in her old home there was a dish put aside expressly for the +Rover of the Plain. The buffalo bore it as long as he could; but, one +day, when his mistress bade him go to the lake and fetch water, his +knees almost gave way from hunger. He kept silence, however, till the +evening, when he said to his mistress: + +'I am nearly starved; I have not touched food since I came here. I can +work no more.' + +'Alas!' answered she, 'what can I do? I have only one dish in the +house. You will have to steal some beans from the fields. Take a few +here and a few there; but be sure not to take too many from one place, +or the owner may notice it.' + +Now the buffalo had always lived an honest life, but if his mistress +did not feed him, he must get food for himself. So that night, when +all the village was asleep, he came out from the wood and ate a few +beans here and a few there, as his mistress had bidden him. And when +at last his hunger was satisfied, he crept back to his lair. But a +buffalo is not a fairy, and the next morning, when the women arrived to +work in the fields, they stood still with astonishment, and said to +each other: + +'Just look at this; a savage beast has been destroying our crops, and +we can see the traces of his feet!' And they hurried to their homes to +tell their tale. + +In the evening the girl crept out to the buffalo's hiding-place, and +said to him: + +'They perceived what happened, of course; so to-night you had better +seek your supper further off.' And the buffalo nodded his head and +followed her counsel; but in the morning, when these women also went +out to work, the races of hoofs were plainly to be seen, and they +hastened to tell their husbands, and begged them to bring their guns, +and to watch for the robber. + +It happened that the stranger girl's husband was the best marksman in +all the village, and he hid himself behind the trunk of a tree and +waited. + +The buffalo, thinking that they would probably make a search for him in +the fields he had laid waste the evening before, returned to the bean +patch belonging to his mistress. + +The young man saw him coming with amazement. + +'Why, it is a buffalo!' cried he; 'I never have beheld one in this +country before!' And raising his gun, he aimed just behind the ear. + +The buffalo gave a leap into the air, and then fell dead. + +'It was a good shot,' said the young man. And he ran to the village to +tell them that the thief was punished. + +When he entered his hut he found his wife, who had somehow heard the +news, twisting herself to and fro and shedding tears. + +'Are you ill?' asked he. And she answered: 'Yes; I have pains all over +my body.' But she was not ill at all, only very unhappy at the death +of the buffalo which had served her so well. Her husband felt anxious, +and sent for the medicine man; but though she pretended to listen to +him, she threw all his medicine out of the door directly he had gone +away. + +With the first rays of light the whole village was awake, and the women +set forth armed with baskets and the men with knives in order to cut up +the buffalo. Only the girl remained in her hut; and after a while she +too went to join them, groaning and weeping as she walked along. + +'What are you doing here?' asked her husband when he saw her. 'If you +are ill you are better at home.' + +'Oh! I could not stay alone in the village,' said she. And her +mother-in-law left off her work to come and scold her, and to tell her +that she would kill herself if she did such foolish things. But the +girl would not listen and sat down and looked on. + +When they had divided the buffalo's flesh, and each woman had the +family portion in her basket, the stranger wife got up and said: + +'Let me have the head.' + +'You could never carry anything so heavy,' answered the men, 'and now +you are ill besides.' + +'You do not know how strong I am,' answered she. And at last they gave +it her. + +She did not walk to the village with the others, but lingered behind, +and, instead of entering her hut, she slipped into the little shed +where the pots for cooking and storing maize were kept. Then she laid +down the buffalo's head and sat beside it. Her husband came to seek +her, and begged her to leave the shed and go to bed, as she must be +tired out; but the girl would not stir, neither would she attend to the +words of her mother-in-law. + +'I wish you would leave me alone!' she answered crossly. 'It is +impossible to sleep if somebody is always coming in.' And she turned +her back on them, and would not even eat the food they had brought. So +they went away, and the young man soon stretched himself out on his +mat; but his wife's odd conduct made him anxious, and he lay wake all +night, listening. + +When all was still the girl made a fire and boiled some water in a pot. + As soon as it was quite hot she shook in the medicine that she had +brought from home, and then, taking the buffalo's head, she made +incisions with her little knife behind the ear, and close to the temple +where the shot had struck him. Next she applied the horn to the spot +and blew with all her force till, at length, the blood began to move. +After that she spread some of the deer fat out of the calabash over the +wound, which she held in the steam of the hot water. Last of all, she +sang in a low voice a dirge over the Rover of the Plain. + +As she chanted the final words the head moved, and the limbs came back. + The buffalo began to feel alive again and shook his horns, and stood +up and stretched himself. Unluckily it was just at this moment that +the husband said to himself: + +'I wonder if she is crying still, and what is the matter with her! +Perhaps I had better go and see.' And he got up and, calling her by +name, went out to the shed. + +'Go away! I don't want you!' she cried angrily. But it was too late. +The buffalo had fallen to the ground, dead, and with the wound in his +head as before. + +The young man who, unlike most of his tribe, was afraid of his wife, +returned to his bed without having seen anything, but wondering very +much what she could be doing all this time. After waiting a few +minutes, she began her task over again, and at the end the buffalo +stood on his feet as before. But just as the girl was rejoicing that +her work was completed, in came the husband once more to see what his +wife was doing; and this time he sat himself down in the hut, and said +that he wished to watch whatever was going on. Then the girl took up +the pitcher and all her other things and left the shed, trying for the +third time to bring the buffalo back to life. + +She was too late; the dawn was already breaking, and the head fell to +the ground, dead and corrupt as it was before. + +The girl entered the hut, where her husband and his mother were getting +ready to go out. + +'I want to go down to the lake, and bathe,' said she. + +'But you could never walk so far,' answered they. 'You are so tired, +as it is, that you can hardly stand!' + +However, in spite of their warnings, the girl left the hut in the +direction of the lake. Very soon she came back weeping, and sobbed out: + +'I met some one in the village who lives in my country, and he told me +that my mother is very, very ill, and if I do not go to her at once she +will be dead before I arrive. I will return as soon as I can, and now +farewell.' And she set forth in the direction of the mountains. But +this story was not true; she knew nothing about her mother, only she +wanted an excuse to go home and tell her family that their prophecies +had come true, and that the buffalo was dead. + + Balancing her basket on her head, she walked along, and directly she +had left the village behind her she broke out into the song of the +Rover of the Plain, and at last, at the end of the day, she came to the +group of huts where her parents lived. Her friends all ran to meet +her, and, weeping, she told them that the buffalo was dead. + +This sad news spread like lightning through the country, and the people +flocked from far and near to bewail the loss of the beast who had been +their pride. + +'If you had only listened to us,' they cried, 'he would be alive now. +But you refused all the little girls we offered you, and would have +nothing but the buffalo. And remember what the medicine-man said: "If +the buffalo dies you die also!"' + +So they bewailed their fate, one to the other, and for a while they did +not perceive that the girl's husband was sitting in their midst, +leaning his gun against a tree. Then one man, turning, beheld him, and +bowed mockingly. + +'Hail, murderer! hail! you have slain us all!' + +The young man stared, not knowing what he meant, and answered, +wonderingly: + +'I shot a buffalo; is that why you call me a murderer?' + +'A buffalo--yes; but the servant of your wife! It was he who carried +the wood and drew the water. Did you not know it?' + +'No; I did not know it,' replied the husband in surprise. 'Why did no +one tell me? Of course I should not have shot him!' + +'Well, he is dead,' answered they, 'and we must die too.' + +At this the girl took a cup in which some poisonous herbs had been +crushed, and holding it in her hands, she wailed: 'O my father, Rover +of the Plain!' Then drinking a deep draught from it, fell back dead. +One by one her parents, her brothers and her sisters, drank also and +died, singing a dirge to the memory of the buffalo. + +The girl's husband looked on with horror; and returned sadly home +across the mountains, and, entering his hut, threw himself on the +ground. At first he was too tired to speak; but at length he raised +his head and told all the story to his father and mother, who sat +watching him. When he had finished they shook their heads and said: + +'Now you see that we spoke no idle words when we told you that ill +would come of your marriage! We offered you a good and hard- working +wife, and you would have none of her. And it is not only your wife you +have lost, but your fortune also. For who will give you back your +money if they are all dead?' + +'It is true, O my father,' answered the young man. But in his heart he +thought more of the loss of his wife than of the money he had given for +her. + +[From L'Etude Ethnographique sur les Baronga, par Henri Junod.] + + + + The White Doe + + + +Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who loved each other +dearly, and would have been perfectly happy if they had only had a +little son or daughter to play with. They never talked about it, and +always pretended that there was nothing in the world to wish for; but, +sometimes when they looked at other people's children, their faces grew +sad, and their courtiers and attendants knew the reason why. + +One day the queen was sitting alone by the side of a waterfall which +sprung from some rocks in the large park adjoining the castle. She was +feeling more than usually miserable, and had sent away her ladies so +that no one might witness her grief. Suddenly she heard a rustling +movement in the pool below the waterfall, and, on glancing up, she saw +a large crab climbing on to a stone beside her. + +'Great queen,' said the crab, 'I am here to tell you that the desire of +your heart will soon be granted. But first you must permit me to lead +you to the palace of the fairies, which, though hard by, has never been +seen by mortal eyes because of the thick clouds that surround it. When +there you will know more; that is, if you will trust yourself to me.' + +The queen had never before heard an animal speak, and was struck dumb +with surprise. However, she was so enchanted at the words of the crab +that she smiled sweetly and held out her hand; it was taken, not by the +crab, which had stood there only a moment before, but by a little old +woman smartly dressed in white and crimson with green ribbons in her +grey hair. And, wonderful to say, not a drop of water fell from her +clothes. + +The old woman ran lightly down a path along which the queen had been a +hundred times before, but it seemed so different she could hardly +believe it was the same. Instead of having to push her way through +nettles and brambles, roses and jasmine hung about her head, while +under her feet the ground was sweet with violets. The orange trees +were so tall and thick that, even at mid-day, the sun was never too +hot, and at the end of the path was a glimmer of something so dazzling +that the queen had to shade her eyes, and peep at it only between her +fingers. + +'What can it be?' she asked, turning to her guide; who answered: + +'Oh, that is the fairies' palace, and here are some of them coming to +meet us.' + +As she spoke the gates swung back and six fairies approached, each +bearing in her hand a flower made of precious stones, but so like a +real one that it was only by touching you could tell the difference. + +'Madam,' they said, 'we know not how to thank you for this mark of your +confidence, but have the happiness to tell you that in a short time you +will have a little daughter.' + +The queen was so enchanted at this news that she nearly fainted with +joy; but when she was able to speak, she poured out all her gratitude +to the fairies for their promised gift. + +'And now,' she said, 'I ought not to stay any longer, for my husband +will think that I have run away, or that some evil beast has devoured +me.' + +In a little while it happened just as the fairies had foretold, and a +baby girl was born in the palace. Of course both the king and queen +were delighted, and the child was called Desiree, which means +'desired,' for she had been 'desired' for five years before her birth. + +At first the queen could think of nothing but her new plaything, but +then she remembered the fairies who had sent it to her. Bidding her +ladies bring her the posy of jewelled flowers which had been given her +at the palace, she took each flower in her hand and called it by name, +and, in turn, each fairy appeared before her. But, as unluckily often +happens, the one to whom she owed the most, the crab-fairy, was +forgotten, and by this, as in the case of other babies you have read +about, much mischief was wrought. + +However, for the moment all was gaiety in the palace, and everybody +inside ran to the windows to watch the fairies' carriages, for no two +were alike. One had a car of ebony, drawn by white pigeons, another +was lying back in her ivory chariot, driving ten black crows, while the +rest had chosen rare woods or many-coloured sea-shells, with scarlet +and blue macaws, long-tailed peacocks, or green love-birds for horses. +These carriages were only used on occasions of state, for when they +went to war flying dragons, fiery serpents, lions or leopards, took the +place of the beautiful birds. + +The fairies entered the queen's chamber followed by little dwarfs who +carried their presents and looked much prouder than their mistresses. +One by one their burdens were spread upon the ground, and no one had +ever seen such lovely things. Everything that a baby could possibly +wear or play with was there, and besides, they had other and more +precious gifts to give her, which only children who have fairies for +godmothers can ever hope to possess. + +They were all gathered round the heap of pink cushions on which the +baby lay asleep, when a shadow seemed to fall between them and the sun, +while a cold wind blew through the room. Everybody looked up, and +there was the crab- fairy, who had grown as tall as the ceiling in her +anger. + +'So I am forgotten!' cried she, in a voice so loud that the queen +trembled as she heard it. 'Who was it soothed you in your trouble? +Who was it led you to the fairies? Who was it brought you back in +safety to your home again? Yet I--I--am overlooked, while these who +have done nothing in comparison, are petted and thanked.' + +The queen, almost dumb with terror, in vain tried to think of some +explanation or apology; but there was none, and she could only confess +her fault and implore forgiveness. The fairies also did their best to +soften the wrath of their sister, and knowing that, like many plain +people who are not fairies, she was very vain, they entreated her to +drop her crab's disguise, and to become once more the charming person +they were accustomed to see. + +For some time the enraged fairy would listen to nothing; but at length +the flatteries began to take effect. The crab's shell fell from her, +she shrank into her usual size, and lost some of her fierce expression. + +'Well,' she said, 'I will not cause the princess's death, as I had +meant to do, but at the same time she will have to bear the punishment +of her mother's fault, as many other children have done before her. +The sentence I pass upon her is, that if she is allowed to see one ray +of daylight before her fifteenth birthday she will rue it bitterly, and +it may perhaps cost her her life.' And with these words she vanished +by the window through which she came, while the fairies comforted the +weeping queen and took counsel how best the princess might be kept safe +during her childhood. + +At the end of half an hour they had made up their minds what to do, and +at the command of the fairies, a beautiful palace sprang up, close to +that of the king and queen, but different from every palace in the +world in having no windows, and only a door right under the earth. +However, once within, daylight was hardly missed, so brilliant were the +multitudes of tapers that were burning on the walls. + +Now up to this time the princess's history has been like the history of +many a princess that you have read about; but, when the period of her +imprisonment was nearly over, her fortunes took another turn. For +almost fifteen years the fairies had taken care of her, and amused her +and taught her, so that when she came into the world she might be no +whit behind the daughters of other kings in all that makes a princess +charming and accomplished. They all loved her dearly, but the fairy +Tulip loved her most of all; and as the princess's fifteenth birthday +drew near, the fairy began to tremble lest something terrible should +happen--some accident which had not been foreseen. 'Do not let her out +of your sight,' said Tulip to the queen, 'and meanwhile, let her +portrait be painted and carried to the neighbouring Courts, as is the +custom in order that the kings may see how far her beauty exceeds that +of every other princess, and that they may demand her in marriage for +their sons.' + +And so it was done; and as the fairy had prophesied, all the young +princes fell in love with the picture; but the last one to whom it was +shown could think of nothing else, and refused to let it be removed +from his chamber, where he spent whole days gazing at it. + +The king his father was much surprised at the change which had come +over his son, who generally passed all his time in hunting or hawking, +and his anxiety was increased by a conversation he overheard between +two of his courtiers that they feared the prince must be going out of +his mind, so moody had he become. Without losing a moment the king +went to visit his son, and no sooner had he entered the room than the +young man flung himself at his father's feet. + +'You have betrothed me already to a bride I can never love!' cried he; +'but if you will not consent to break off the match, and ask for the +hand of the princess Desiree, I shall die of misery, thankful to be +alive no longer.' + +These words much displeased the king, who felt that, in breaking off +the marriage already arranged he would almost certainly be bringing on +his subjects a long and bloody war; so, without answering, he turned +away, hoping that a few days might bring his son to reason. But the +prince's condition grew rapidly so much worse that the king, in +despair, promised to send an embassy at once to Desiree's father. + +This news cured the young man in an instant of all his ills; and he +began to plan out every detail of dress and of horses and carriages +which were necessary to make the train of the envoy, whose name was +Becasigue, as splendid as possible. He longed to form part of the +embassy himself, if only in the disguise of a page; but this the king +would not allow, and so the prince had to content himself with +searching the kingdom for everything that was rare and beautiful to +send to the princess. Indeed, he arrived, just as the embassy was +starting, with his portrait, which had been painted in secret by the +court painter. + +The king and queen wished for nothing better than that their daughter +marry into such a great and powerful family, and received the +ambassador with every sign of welcome. They even wished him to see the +princess Desiree, but this was prevented by the fairy Tulip, who feared +some ill might come of it. + +'And be sure you tell him,' added she, 'that the marriage cannot be +celebrated till she is fifteen years old, or else some terrible +misfortune will happen to the child.' + +So when Becasigue, surround by his train, made a formal request that +the princess Desiree might be given in marriage to his master's son, +the king replied that he was much honoured, and would gladly give his +consent; but that no one could even see the princess till her fifteenth +birthday, as the spell laid upon her in her cradle by a spiteful fairy, +would not cease to work till that was past. The ambassador was greatly +surprised and disappointed, but he knew too much about fairies to +venture to disobey them, therefore he had to content himself with +presenting the prince's portrait to the queen, who lost no time in +carrying it to the princess. As the girl took it in her hands it +suddenly spoke, as it had been taught to do, and uttered a compliment +of the most delicate and charming sort, which made the princess flush +with pleasure. + +'How would you like to have a husband like that?' asked the queen, +laughing. + +'As if I knew anything about husbands!' replied Desiree, who had long +ago guessed the business of the ambassador. + +'Well, he will be your husband in three months,' answered the queen, +ordering the prince's presents to be brought in. The princess was very +pleased with them, and admired them greatly, but the queen noticed that +all the while her eyes constantly strayed from the softest silks and +most brilliant jewels to the portrait of the prince. + +The ambassador, finding that there was no hope of his being allowed to +see the princess, took his leave, and returned to his own court; but +here a new difficulty appeared. The prince, though transported with +joy at the thought that Desiree was indeed to be his bride, was +bitterly disappointed that she had not been allowed to return with +Becasigue, as he had foolishly expected; and never having been taught +to deny himself anything or to control his feelings, he fell as ill as +he had done before. He would eat nothing nor take pleasure in +anything, but lay all day on a heap of cushions, gazing at the picture +of the princess. + +'If I have to wait three months before I can marry the princess I shall +die!' was all this spoilt boy would say; and at length the king, in +despair, resolved to send a fresh embassy to Desiree's father to +implore him to permit the marriage to be celebrated at once. 'I would +have presented my prayer in person, he added in his letter, 'but my +great age and infirmities do not suffer me to travel; however my envoy +has orders to agree to any arrangement that you may propose.' + +On his arrival at the palace Becasigue pleaded his young master's cause +as fervently as the king his father could have done, and entreated that +the princess might be consulted in the matter. The queen hastened to +the marble tower, and told her daughter of the sad state of the prince. + Desiree sank down fainting at the news, but soon came to herself +again, and set about inventing a plan which would enable her to go to +the prince without risking the doom pronounced over her by the wicked +fairy. + +'I see!' she exclaimed joyfully at last. 'Let a carriage be built +through which no light can come, and let it be brought into my room. I +will then get into it, and we can travel swiftly during the night and +arrive before dawn at the palace of the prince. Once there, I can +remain in some underground chamber, where no light can come.' + +'Ah, how clever you are,' cried the queen, clasping her in her arms. +And she hurried away to tell the king. + +'What a wife our prince will have!' said Becasigue bowing low; 'but I +must hasten back with the tidings, and to prepare the underground +chamber for the princess.' And so he took his leave. + +In a few days the carriage commanded by the princess was ready. It was +of green velvet, scattered over with large golden thistles, and lined +inside with silver brocade embroidered with pink roses. It had no +windows, of course; but the fairy Tulip, whose counsel had been asked, +had managed to light it up with a soft glow that came no one knew +whither. + +It was carried straight up into the great hall of the tower, and the +princess stepped into it, followed by her faithful maid of honour, +Eglantine, and by her lady in waiting Cerisette, who also had fallen in +love with the prince's portrait and was bitterly jealous of her +mistress. The fourth place in the carriage was filled by Cerisette's +mother, who had been sent by the queen to look after the three young +people. + +Now the Fairy of the Fountain was the godmother of the princess Nera, +to whom the prince had been betrothed before the picture of Desiree had +made him faithless. She was very angry at the slight put upon her +godchild, and from that moment kept careful watch on the princess. In +this journey she saw her chance, and it was she who, invisible, sat by +Cerisette, and put bad thoughts into the minds of both her and her +mother. + +The way to the city where the prince lived ran for the most part +through a thick forest, and every night when there was no moon, and not +a single star could be seen through the trees, the guards who travelled +with the princess opened the carriage to give it an airing. This went +on for several days, till only twelve hours journey lay between them +and the palace. The Cerisette persuaded her mother to cut a great hole +in the side of the carriage with a sharp knife which she herself had +brought for the purpose. In the forest the darkness was so intense +that no one perceived what she had done, but when they left the last +trees behind them, and emerged into the open country, the sun was up, +and for the first time since her babyhood, Desiree found herself in the +light of day. + +She looked up in surprise at the dazzling brilliance that streamed +through the hole; then gave a sigh which seemed to come from her heart. + The carriage door swung back, as if by magic, and a white doe sprang +out, and in a moment was lost to sight in the forest. But, quick as +she was, Eglantine, her maid of honour, had time to see where she went, +and jumped from the carriage in pursuit of her, followed at a distance +by the guards. + +Cerisette and her mother looked at each other in surprise and joy. +They could hardly believe in their good fortune, for everything had +happened exactly as they wished. The first thing to be done was to +conceal the hole which had been cut, and when this was managed (with +the help of the angry fairy, though they did not know it), Cerisette +hastened to take off her own clothes, and put on those of the princess, +placing the crown of diamonds on her head. She found this heavier than +she expected; but then, she had never been accustomed to wear crowns, +which makes all the difference. + +At the gates of the city the carriage was stopped by a guard of honour +sent by the king as an escort to his son's bride. Though Cerisette and +her mother could of course see nothing of what was going on outside, +they heard plainly the shouts of welcome from the crowds along the +streets. + +The carriage stopped at length in the vast hall which Becasigue had +prepared for the reception of the princess. The grand chamberlain and +the lord high steward were awaiting her, and when the false bride +stepped into the brilliantly lighted room, they bowed low, and said +they had orders to inform his highness the moment she arrived. The +prince, whom the strict etiquette of the court had prevented from being +present in the underground hall, was burning with impatience in his own +apartments. + +'So she had come!' cried he, throwing down the bow he had been +pretending to mend. 'Well, was I not right? Is she not a miracle of +beauty and grace? And has she her equal in the whole world?' The +ministers looked at each other, and made no reply; till at length the +chamberlain, who was the bolder of the two, observed: + +'My lord, as to her beauty, you can judge of that for yourself. No +doubt it is as great as you say; but at present it seems to have +suffered, as is natural, from the fatigues of the journey.' + +This was certainly not what the prince had expected to hear. Could the +portrait have flattered her? He had known of such things before, and a +cold shiver ran through him; but with an effort he kept silent from +further questioning, and only said: + +'Has the king been told that the princess is in the palace?' + +'Yes, highness; and he has probably already joined her.' + +'Then I will go too,' said the prince. + +Weak as he was from his long illness, the prince descended the +staircase, supported by the ministers, and entered the room just in +time to hear his father's loud cry of astonishment and disgust at the +sight of Cerisette. + +'There was been treachery at work,' he exclaimed, while the prince +leant, dumb with horror, against the doorpost. But the lady in +waiting, who had been prepared for something of the sort, advanced, +holding in her hand the letters which the king and queen had entrusted +to her. + +'This is the princess Desiree,' said she, pretending to have heard +nothing, 'and I have the honour to present to you these letters from my +liege lord and lady, together with the casket containing the princess' +jewels.' + +The king did not move or answer her; so the prince, leaning on the arm +of Becasigue, approached a little closer to the false princess, hoping +against hope that his eyes had deceived him. But the longer he looked +the more he agreed with his father that there was treason somewhere, +for in no single respect did the portrait resemble the woman before +him. Cerisette was so tall that the dress of the princess did not +reach her ankles, and so thin that her bones showed through the stuff. +Besides that her nose was hooked, and her teeth black and ugly. + +In his turn, the prince stood rooted to the spot. At last he spoke, +and his words were addressed to his father, and not to the bride who +had come so far to marry him. + +'We have been deceived,' he said, 'and it will cost me my life.' And +he leaned so heavily on the envoy that Becasigue feared he was going to +faint, and hastily laid him on the floor. For some minutes no one +could attend to anybody but the prince; but as soon as he revived the +lady in waiting made herself heard. + +'Oh, my lovely princess, why did we ever leave home?' cried she. 'But +the king your father will avenge the insults that have been heaped on +you when we tell him how you have been treated.' + +'I will tell him myself,' replied the king in wrath; 'he promised me a +wonder of beauty, he has sent me a skeleton! I am not surprised that +he has kept her for fifteen years hidden away from the eyes of the +world. Take them both away,' he continued, turning to his guards, 'and +lodge them in the state prison. There is something more I have to +learn of this matter.' + +His orders were obeyed, and the prince, loudly bewailing his sad fate, +was led back to bed, where for many days he lay in a high fever. At +length he slowly began to gain strength, but his sorrow was still so +great that he could not bear the sight of a strange face, and shuddered +at the notion of taking his proper part in the court ceremonies. +Unknown to the king, or to anybody but Becasigue, he planned that, as +soon as he was able, he would make his escape and pass the rest of his +life alone in some solitary place. It was some weeks before he had +regained his health sufficiently to carry out his design; but finally, +one beautiful starlight night, the two friends stole away, and when the +king woke next morning he found a letter lying by his bed, saying that +his son had gone, he knew not whither. He wept bitter tears at the +news, for he loved the prince dearly; but he felt that perhaps the +young man had done wisely, and he trusted to time and Becasigue's +influence to bring the wanderer home. + +And while these things were happening, what had become of the white +doe? Though when she sprang from the carriage she was aware that some +unkind fate had changed her into an animal, yet, till she saw herself +in a stream, she had no idea what it was. + +'Is it really, I, Desiree?' she said to herself, weeping. 'What wicked +fairy can have treated me so; and shall I never, never take my own +shape again? My only comfort that, in this great forest, full of lions +and serpents, my life will be a short one.' + +Now the fairy Tulip was as much grieved at the sad fate of the princess +as Desiree's own mother could have been if she had known of it. Still, +she could not help feeling that if the king and queen had listened to +her advice the girl would by this time be safely in the walls of her +new home. However, she loved Desiree too much to let her suffer more +than could be helped, and it was she who guided Eglantine to the place +where the white doe was standing, cropping the grass which was her +dinner. + +At the sound of footsteps the pretty creature lifted her head, and when +she saw her faithful companion approaching she bounded towards her, and +rubbed her head on Eglantine's shoulder. The maid of honour was +surprised; but she was fond of animals, and stroked the white doe +tenderly, speaking gently to her all the while. Suddenly the beautiful +creature lifted her head, and looked up into Eglantine's face, with +tears streaming from her eyes. A thought flashed through her mind, and +quick as lightning the girl flung herself on her knees, and lifting the +animal's feet kissed them one by one. 'My princess! O my dear +princess!' cried she; and again the white doe rubbed her head against +her, for thought the spiteful fairy had taken away her power of speech, +she had not deprived her of her reason! + +All day long the two remained together, and when Eglantine grew hungry +she was led by the white doe to a part of the forest where pears and +peaches grew in abundance; but, as night came on, the maid of honour +was filled with the terrors of wild beasts which had beset the princess +during her first night in the forest. + +'Is there no hut or cave we could go into?' asked she. But the doe +only shook her head; and the two sat down and wept with fright. + +The fairy Tulip, who, in spite of her anger, was very soft-hearted, was +touched at their distress, and flew quickly to their help. + +'I cannot take away the spell altogether,' she said, 'for the Fairy of +the Fountain is stronger than I; but I can shorten the time of your +punishment, and am able to make it less hard, for as soon as darkness +fall you shall resume your own shape.' + +To think that by-and-by she would cease to be a white doe--indeed, that +she would at once cease to be one during the night--was for the present +joy enough for Desiree, and she skipped about on the grass in the +prettiest manner. + +'Go straight down the path in front of you,' continued the fairy, +smiling as she watched her; 'go straight down the path and you will +soon reach a little hut where you will find shelter.' And with these +words she vanished, leaving her hearers happier than they ever thought +they could be again. + +An old woman was standing at the door of the hut when Eglantine drew +near, with the white doe trotting by her side. + +'Good evening!' she said; 'could you give me a night's lodging for +myself and my doe?' + +'Certainly I can,' replied the old woman. And she led them into a room +with two little white beds, so clean and comfortable that it made you +sleepy even to look at them. + +The door had hardly closed behind the old woman when the sun sank below +the horizon, and Desiree became a girl again. + +'Oh, Eglantine! what should I have done if you had not followed me,' +she cried. And she flung herself into her friend's arms in a transport +of delight. + +Early in the morning Eglantine was awakened by the sound of someone +scratching at the door, and on opening her eyes she saw the white doe +struggling to get out. The little creature looked up and into her +face, and nodded her head as the maid of honour unfastened the latch, +but bounded away into the woods, and was lost to sight in a moment. + + Meanwhile, the prince and Becasigue were wandering through the wood, +till at last the prince grew so tired, that he lay down under a tree, +and told Becasigue that he had better go in search of food, and of some +place where they could sleep. Becasigue had not gone very far, when a +turn of the path brought him face to face with the old woman who was +feeding her doves before her cottage. + +'Could you give me some milk and fruit?' asked he. 'I am very hungry +myself, and, besides, I have left a friend behind me who is still weak +from illness.' + +'Certainly I can,' answered the old woman. 'But come and sit down in +my kitchen while I catch the goat and milk it.' + +Becasigue was glad enough to do as he was bid, and in a few minutes the +old woman returned with a basket brimming over with oranges and grapes. + +'If your friend has been ill he should not pass the night in the +forest,' said she. 'I have room in my hut--tiny enough, it is true; +but better than nothing, and to that you are both heartily welcome.' + +Becasigue thanked her warmly, and as by this time it was almost sunset, +he set out to fetch the prince. It was while he was absent that +Eglantine and the white doe entered the hut, and having, of course, no +idea that in the very next room was the man whose childish impatience +had been the cause of all their troubles. + +In spite of his fatigue, the prince slept badly, and directly it was +light he rose, and bidding Becasigue remain where he was, as he wished +to be alone, he strolled out into the forest. He walked on slowly, +just as his fancy led him, till, suddenly, he came to a wide open +space, and in the middle was the white doe quietly eating her +breakfast. She bounded off at the sight of a man, but not before the +prince, who had fastened on his bow without thinking, had let fly +several arrows, which the fairy Tulip took care should do her no harm. +But, quickly as she ran, she soon felt her strength failing her, for +fifteen years of life in a tower had not taught her how to exercise her +limbs. + +Luckily, the prince was too weak to follow her far, and a turn of a +path brought her close to the hut, where Eglantine was awaiting her. +Panting for breath, she entered their room, and flung herself down on +the floor. + +When it was dark again, and she was once more the princess Desiree, she +told Eglantine what had befallen her. + +'I feared the Fairy of the Fountain, and the cruel beasts,' said she; +'but somehow I never thought of the dangers that I ran from men. I do +not know now what saved me.' + +'You must stay quietly here till the time of your punishment is over,' +answered Eglantine. But when the morning dawned, and the girl turned +into a doe, the longing for the forest came over her, and she sprang +away as before. + +As soon as the prince was awake he hastened to the place where, only +the day before, he had found the white doe feeding; but of course she +had taken care to go in the opposite direction. Much disappointed, he +tried first one green path and then another, and at last, wearied with +walking, he threw himself down and went fast asleep. + +Just at this moment the white doe sprang out of a thicket near by, and +started back trembling when she beheld her enemy lying there. Yet, +instead of turning to fly, something bade her go and look at him +unseen. As she gazed a thrill ran through her, for she felt that, worn +and wasted though he was by illness, it was the face of her destined +husband. Gently stooping over him she kissed his forehead, and at her +touch he awoke. + +For a minute they looked at each other, and to his amazement he +recognized the white doe which had escaped him the previous day. But +in an instant the animal was aroused to a sense of her danger, and she +fled with all her strength into the thickest part of the forest. Quick +as lightning the prince was on her track, but this time it was with no +wish to kill or even wound the beautiful creature. + +'Pretty doe! pretty doe! stop! I won't hurt you,' cried he, but his +words were carried away by the wind. + +At length the doe could run no more, and when the prince reached her, +she was lying stretched out on the grass, waiting for her death blow. +But instead the prince knelt at her side, and stroked her, and bade her +fear nothing, as he would take care of her. So he fetched a little +water from the stream in his horn hunting cup, then, cutting some +branches from the trees, he twisted them into a litter which he covered +with moss, and laid the white doe gently on it. + +For a long time they remained thus, but when Desiree saw by the way +that the light struck the trees, that he sun must be near its setting, +she was filled with alarm lest the darkness should fall, and the prince +should behold her in her human shape. + +'No, he must not see me for the first time here,' she thought, and +instantly began to plan how to get rid of him. Then she opened her +mouth and let her tongue hang out, as if she were dying of thirst, and +the prince, as she expected, hastened to the stream to get her some +more water. + +When he returned, the white doe was gone. + +That night Desiree confessed to Eglantine that her pursuer was no other +than the prince, and that far from flattering him, the portrait had +never done him justice. + +'Is it not hard to meet him in this shape,' wept she, 'when we both +love each other so much?' But Eglantine comforted her, and reminded her +that in a short time all would be well. + +The prince was very angry at the flight of the white doe, for whom he +had taken so much trouble, and returning to the cottage he poured out +his adventures and his wrath to Becasigue, who could not help smiling. + +'She shall not escape me again,' cried the prince. 'If I hunt her +every day for a year, I will have her at last.' And in this frame of +mind he went to bed. + + When the white doe entered the forest next morning, she had not made +up her mind whether she would go and meet the prince, or whether she +would shun him, and hide in thickets of which he knew nothing. She +decided that the last plan was the best; and so it would have been if +the prince had not taken the very same direction in search of her. + +Quite by accident he caught sight of her white skin shining through the +bushes, and at the same instant she heard a twig snap under his feet. +In a moment she was up and away, but the prince, not knowing how else +to capture her, aimed an arrow at her leg, which brought her to the +ground. + +The young man felt like a murderer as he ran hastily up to where the +white doe lay, and did his best to soothe the pain she felt, which, in +reality, was the last part of the punishment sent by the Fairy of the +Fountain. First he brought her some water, and then he fetched some +healing herbs, and having crushed them in his hand, laid them on the +wound. + +'Ah! what a wretch I was to have hurt you,' cried he, resting her head +upon his knees; 'and now you will hate me and fly from me for ever!' + +For some time the doe lay quietly where she was, but, as before, she +remembered that the hour of her transformation was near. She struggled +to her feet, but the prince would not hear of her walking, and thinking +the old woman might be able to dress her wound better than he could, he +took her in his arms to carry her back to the hut. But, small as she +was, she made herself so heavy that, after staggering a few steps under +her weight, he laid her down, and tied her fast to a tree with some of +the ribbons of his hat. This done he went away to get help. + +Meanwhile Eglantine had grown very uneasy at the long absence of her +mistress, and had come out to look for her. Just as the prince passed +out of sight the fluttering ribbons dance before her eyes, and she +descried her beautiful princess bound to a tree. With all her might +she worked at the knots, but not a single one could she undo, though +all appeared so easy. She was still busy with them when a voice behind +her said: + +'Pardon me, fair lady, but it is MY doe you are trying to steal!' + +'Excuse me, good knight' answered Eglantine, hardly glancing at him, +'but it is MY doe that is tied up here! And if you wish for a proof of +it, you can see if she knows me or not. Touch my heart, my little +one,' she continued, dropping on her knees. And the doe lifted up its +fore-foot and laid it on her side. 'Now put your arms round my neck, +and sigh.' And again the doe did as she was bid. + +'You are right,' said the prince; 'but it is with sorrow I give her up +to you, for though I have wounded her yet I love her deeply.' + +To this Eglantine answered nothing; but carefully raising up the doe, +she led her slowly to the hut. + +Now both the prince and Becasigue were quite unaware that the old woman +had any guests besides themselves, and, following afar, were much +surprised to behold Eglantine and her charge enter the cottage. They +lost no time in questioning the old woman, who replied that she knew +nothing about the lady and her white doe, who slept next the chamber +occupied by the prince and his friend, but that they were very quiet, +and paid her well. Then she went back to her kitchen. + +'Do you know,' said Becasigue, when they were alone, 'I am certain that +the lady we saw is the maid of honour to the Princess Desiree, whom I +met at the palace. And, as her room is next to this, it will be easy +to make a small hole through which I can satisfy myself whether I am +right or not.' + +So, taking a knife out of his pocket, he began to saw away the +woodwork. The girls heard the grating noise, but fancying it was a +mouse, paid no attention, and Becasigue was left in peace to pursue his +work. At length the hole was large enough for him to peep through, and +the sight was one to strike him dumb with amazement. He had guessed +truly: the tall lady was Eglantine herself; but the other--where had he +seen her? Ah! now he knew--it was the lady of the portrait! + +Desiree, in a flowing dress of green silk, was lying stretched out upon +cushions, and as Eglantine bent over her to bathe the wounded leg, she +began to talk: + +'Oh! let me die,' cried she, 'rather than go on leading this life. You +cannot tell the misery of being a beast all the day, and unable to +speak to the man I love, to whose impatience I owe my cruel fate. Yet, +even so, I cannot bring myself to hate him.' + +These words, low though they were spoken, reached Becasigue, who could +hardly believe his ears. He stood silent for a moment; then, crossing +to the window out of which the prince was gazing, he took his arm and +led him across the room. A single glance was sufficient to show the +prince that it was indeed Desiree; and how another had come to the +palace bearing her name, at that instant he neither knew nor cared. +Stealing on tip- toe from the room, he knocked at the next door, which +was opened by Eglantine, who thought it was the old woman bearing their +supper. + +She started back at the sight of the prince, whom this time she also +recognised. But he thrust her aside, and flung himself at the feet of +Desiree, to whom he poured out all his heart! + +Dawn found them still conversing; and the sun was high in the heavens +before the princess perceived that she retained her human form. Ah! +how happy she was when she knew that the days of her punishment were +over; and with a glad voice she told the prince the tale of her +enchantment. + +So the story ended well after all; and the fairy Tulip, who turned out +to be the old woman of the hut, made the young couple such a wedding +feast as had never been seen since the world began. And everybody was +delighted, except Cerisette and her mother, who were put in a boat and +carried to a small island, where they had to work hard for their living. + +[Contes des Fees, par Madame d'Aulnoy.] + + + + The Girl-Fish + + + +Once upon a time there lived, on the bank of a stream, a man and a +woman who had a daughter. As she was an only child, and very pretty +besides, they never could make up their minds to punish her for her +faults or to teach her nice manners; and as for work-- she laughed in +her mother's face if she asked her to help cook the dinner or to wash +the plates. All the girl would do was to spend her days in dancing and +playing with her friends; and for any use she was to her parents they +might as well have no daughter at all. + +However, one morning her mother looked so tired that even the selfish +girl could not help seeing it, and asked if there was anything she was +able to do, so that her mother might rest a little. + +The good woman looked so surprised and grateful for this offer that the +girl felt rather ashamed, and at that moment would have scrubbed down +the house if she had been requested; but her mother only begged her to +take the fishing-net out to the bank of the river and mend some holes +in it, as her father intended to go fishing that night. + +The girl took the net and worked so hard that soon there was not a hole +to be found. She felt quite pleased with herself, though she had had +plenty to amuse her, as everybody who passed by had stopped and had a +chat with her. But by this time the sun was high overhead, and she was +just folding her net to carry it home again, when she heard a splash +behind her, and looking round she saw a big fish jump into the air. +Seizing the net with both hands, she flung it into the water where the +circles were spreading one behind the other, and, more by luck than +skill, drew out the fish. + +'Well, you are a beauty!' she cried to herself; but the fish looked up +to her and said: + +'You had better not kill me, for, if you do, I will turn you into a +fish yourself!' + +The girl laughed contemptuously, and ran straight in to her mother. + +'Look what I have caught,' she said gaily; 'but it is almost a pity to +eat it, for it can talk, and it declares that, if I kill it, it will +turn me into a fish too.' + +'Oh, put it back, put it back!' implored the mother. 'Perhaps it is +skilled in magic. And I should die, and so would your father, if +anything should happen to you.' + +'Oh, nonsense, mother; what power could a creature like that have over +me? Besides, I am hungry, and if I don't have my dinner soon, I shall +be cross.' And off she went to gather some flowers to stick in her +hair. + +About an hour later the blowing of a horn told her that dinner was +ready. + +'Didn't I say that fish would be delicious?' she cried; and plunging +her spoon into the dish the girl helped herself to a large piece. But +the instant it touched her mouth a cold shiver ran through her. Her +head seemed to flatten, and her eyes to look oddly round the corners; +her legs and her arms were stuck to her sides, and she gasped wildly +for breath. With a mighty bound she sprang through the window and fell +into the river, where she soon felt better, and was able to swim to the +sea, which was close by. + +No sooner had she arrived there than the sight of her sad face +attracted the notice of some of the other fishes, and they pressed +round her, begging her to tell them her story. + +'I am not a fish at all,' said the new-comer, swallowing a great deal +of salt water as she spoke; for you cannot learn how to be a proper +fish all in a moment. 'I am not a fish at all, but a girl; at least I +was a girl a few minutes ago, only--' And she ducked her head under the +waves so that they should not see her crying. + +'Only you did not believe that the fish you caught had power to carry +out its threat,' said an old tunny. 'Well, never mind, that has +happened to all of us, and it really is not a bad life. Cheer up and +come with us and see our queen, who lives in a palace that is much more +beautiful than any your queens can boast of.' + +The new fish felt a little afraid of taking such a journey; but as she +was still more afraid of being left alone, she waved her tail in token +of consent, and off they all set, hundreds of them together. The +people on the rocks and in the ships that saw them pass said to each +other: + +'Look what a splendid shoal!' and had no idea that they were hastening +to the queen's palace; but, then, dwellers on land have so little +notion of what goes on in the bottom of the sea! Certainly the little +new fish had none. She had watched jelly-fish and nautilus swimming a +little way below the surface, and beautiful coloured sea-weeds floating +about; but that was all. Now, when she plunged deeper her eyes fell +upon strange things. + +Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl, inestimable stones, +unvalued jewels-- all scattered in the bottom of the sea! Dead men's +bones were there also, and long white creatures who had never seen the +light, for they mostly dwelt in the clefts of rocks where the sun's +rays could not come. At first our little fish felt as if she were +blind also, but by-and-by she began to make out one object after +another in the green dimness, and by the time she had swum for a few +hours all became clear. + +'Here we are at last,' cried a big fish, going down into a deep valley, +for the sea has its mountains and valleys just as much as the land. +'That is the palace of the queen of the fishes, and I think you must +confess that the emperor himself has nothing so fine.' + +'It is beautiful indeed,' gasped the little fish, who was very tired +with trying to swim as fast as the rest, and beautiful beyond words the +palace was. The walls were made of pale pink coral, worn smooth by the +waters, and round the windows were rows of pearls; the great doors were +standing open, and the whole troop floated into the chamber of +audience, where the queen, who was half a woman after all, was seated +on a throne made of a green and blue shell. + +'Who are you, and where do you come from?' said she to the little fish, +whom the others had pushed in front. And in a low, trembling voice, +the visitor told her story. + +'I was once a girl too,' answered the queen, when the fish had ended; +'and my father was the king of a great country. A husband was found +for me, and on my wedding-day my mother placed her crown on my head and +told me that as long as I wore it I should likewise be queen. For many +months I was as happy as a girl could be, especially when I had a +little son to play with. But, one morning, when I was walking in my +gardens, there came a giant and snatched the crown from my head. +Holding me fast, he told me that he intended to give the crown to his +daughter, and to enchant my husband the prince, so that he should not +know the difference between us. Since then she has filled my place and +been queen in my stead. As for me, I was so miserable that I threw +myself into the sea, and my ladies, who loved me, declared that they +would die too; but, instead of dying, some wizard, who pitied my fate, +turned us all into fishes, though he allowed me to keep the face and +body of a woman. And fished we must remain till someone brings me back +my crown again!' + +'I will bring it back if you tell me what to do!' cried the little +fish, who would have promised anything that was likely to carry her up +to earth again. And the queen answered: + +'Yes, I will tell you what to do.' + +She sat silent for a moment, and then went on: + +'There is no danger if you will only follow my counsel; and first you +must return to earth, and go up to the top of a high mountain, where +the giant has built his castle. You will find him sitting on the steps +weeping for his daughter, who has just died while the prince was away +hunting. At the last she sent her father my crown by a faithful +servant. But I warn you to be careful, for if he sees you he may kill +you. Therefore I will give you the power to change yourself into any +creature that may help you best. You have only to strike your +forehead, and call out its name.' + +This time the journey to land seemed much shorter than before, and when +once the fish reached the shore she struck her forehead sharply with +her tail, and cried: + +'Deer, come to me!' + +In a moment the small, slimy body disappeared, and in its place stood a +beautiful beast with branching horns and slender legs, quivering with +longing to be gone. Throwing back her head and snuffing the air, she +broke into a run, leaping easily over the rivers and walls that stood +in her way. + +It happened that the king's son had been hunting since daybreak, but +had killed nothing, and when the deer crossed his path as he was +resting under a tree he determined to have her. He flung himself on +his horse, which went like the wind, and as the prince had often hunted +the forest before, and knew all the short cuts, he at last came up with +the panting beast. + +'By your favour let me go, and do not kill me,' said the deer, turning +to the prince with tears in her eyes, 'for I have far to run and much +to do.' And as the prince, struck dumb with surprise, only looked at +her, the deer cleared the next wall and was soon out of sight. + +'That can't really be a deer,' thought the prince to himself, reining +in his horse and not attempting to follow her. 'No deer ever had eyes +like that. It must be an enchanted maiden, and I will marry her and no +other.' So, turning his horse's head, he rode slowly back to his +palace. + + The deer reached the giant's castle quite out of breath, and her heart +sank as she gazed at the tall, smooth walls which surrounded it. Then +she plucked up courage and cried: + +'Ant, come to me!' And in a moment the branching horns and beautiful +shape had vanished, and a tiny brown ant, invisible to all who did not +look closely, was climbing up the walls. + +It was wonderful how fast she went, that little creature! The wall +must have appeared miles high in comparison with her own body; yet, in +less time than would have seemed possible, she was over the top and +down in the courtyard on the other side. Here she paused to consider +what had best be done next, and looking about her she saw that one of +the walls had a tall tree growing by it, and in the corner was a window +very nearly on a level with the highest branches of the tree. + +'Monkey, come to me!' cried the ant; and before you could turn round a +monkey was swinging herself from the topmost branches into the room +where the giant lay snoring. + +'Perhaps he will be so frightened at the sight of me that he may die of +fear, and I shall never get the crown,' thought the monkey. 'I had +better become something else.' And she called softly: 'Parrot, come to +me!' + +Then a pink and grey parrot hopped up to the giant, who by this time +was stretching himself and giving yawns which shook the castle. The +parrot waited a little, until he was really awake, and then she said +boldly that she had been sent to take away the crown, which was not his +any longer, now his daughter the queen was dead. + +On hearing these words the giant leapt out of bed with an angry roar, +and sprang at the parrot in order to wring her neck with his great +hands. But the bird was too quick for him, and, flying behind his +back, begged the giant to have patience, as her death would be of no +use to him. + +'That is true,' answered the giant; 'but I am not so foolish as to give +you that crown for nothing. Let me think what I will have in +exchange!' And he scratched his huge head for several minutes, for +giants' minds always move slowly. + +'Ah, yes, that will do!' exclaimed the giant at last, his face +brightening. 'You shall have the crown if you will bring me a collar +of blue stones from the Arch of St. Martin, in the Great City.' + +Now when the parrot had been a girl she had often heard of this +wonderful arch and the precious stones and marbles that had been let +into it. It sounded as if it would be a very hard thing to get them +away from the building of which they formed a part, but all had gone +well with her so far, and at any rate she could but try. So she bowed +to the giant, and made her way back to the window where the giant could +not see her. Then she called quickly: + +'Eagle, come to me!' + +Before she had even reached the tree she felt herself borne up on +strong wings ready to carry her to the clouds if she wished to go +there, and seeming a mere speck in the sky, she was swept along till +she beheld the Arch of St. Martin far below, with the rays of the sun +shining on it. Then she swooped down, and, hiding herself behind a +buttress so that she could not be detected from below, she set herself +to dig out the nearest blue stones with her beak. It was even harder +work than she had expected; but at last it was done, and hope arose in +her heart. She next drew out a piece of string that she had found +hanging from a tree, and sitting down to rest strung the stones +together. When the necklace was finished she hung it round her neck, +and called: 'Parrot, come to me!' And a little later the pink and grey +parrot stood before the giant. + +'Here is the necklace you asked for,' said the parrot. And the eyes of +the giant glistened as he took the heap of blue stones in his hand. +But for all that he was not minded to give up the crown. + +'They are hardly as blue as I expected,' he grumbled, though the parrot +knew as well as he did that he was not speaking the truth; 'so you must +bring me something else in exchange for the crown you covet so much. +If you fail it will cost you not only the crown but you life also.' + +'What is it you want now?' asked the parrot; and the giant answered: + +'If I give you my crown I must have another still more beautiful; and +this time you shall bring me a crown of stars.' + +The parrot turned away, and as soon as she was outside she murmured: + +'Toad, come to me!' And sure enough a toad she was, and off she set in +search of the starry crown. + +She had not gone far before she came to a clear pool, in which the +stars were reflected so brightly that they looked quite real to touch +and handle. Stooping down she filled a bag she was carrying with the +shining water and, returning to the castle, wove a crown out of the +reflected stars. Then she cried as before: + +'Parrot, come to me!' And in the shape of a parrot she entered the +presence of the giant. + +'Here is the crown you asked for,' she said; and this time the giant +could not help crying out with admiration. He knew he was beaten, and +still holding the chaplet of stars, he turned to the girl. + +'Your power is greater than mine: take the crown; you have won it +fairly!' + +The parrot did not need to be told twice. Seizing the crown, she +sprang on to the window, crying: 'Monkey, come to me!' And to a +monkey, the climb down the tree into the courtyard did not take half a +minute. When she had reached the ground she said again: 'Ant, come to +me!' And a little ant at once began to crawl over the high wall. How +glad the ant was to be out of the giant's castle, holding fast the +crown which had shrunk into almost nothing, as she herself had done, +but grew quite big again when the ant exclaimed: + +'Deer, come to me!' + +Surely no deer ever ran so swiftly as that one! On and on she went, +bounding over rivers and crashing through tangles till she reached the +sea. Here she cried for the last time: + +'Fish, come to me!' And, plunging in, she swam along the bottom as far +as the palace, where the queen and all the fishes gathered together +awaiting her. + +The hours since she had left had gone very slowly--as they always do to +people that are waiting--and many of them had quite given up hope. + +'I am tired of staying here,' grumbled a beautiful little creature, +whose colours changed with every movement of her body, 'I want to see +what is going on in the upper world. It must be months since that fish +went away.' + +'It was a very difficult task, and the giant must certainly have killed +her or she would have been back long ago,' remarked another. + +'The young flies will be coming out now,' murmured a third, 'and they +will all be eaten up by the river fish! It is really too bad!' When, +suddenly, a voice was heard from behind: 'Look! look! what is that +bright thing that is moving so swiftly towards us?' And the queen +started up, and stood on her tail, so excited was she. + +A silence fell on all the crowd, and even the grumblers held their +peace and gazed like the rest. On and on came the fish, holding the +crown tightly in her mouth, and the others moved back to let her pass. +On she went right up to the queen, who bent and, taking the crown, +placed it on her own head. Then a wonderful thing happened. Her tail +dropped away or, rather, it divided and grew into two legs and a pair +of the prettiest feet in the world, while her maidens, who were grouped +around her, shed their scales and became girls again. They all turned +and looked at each other first, and next at the little fish who had +regained her own shape and was more beautiful than any of them. + +'It is you who have given us back our life; you, you!' they cried; and +fell to weeping from very joy. + +So they all went back to earth and the queen's palace, and quite forgot +the one that lay under the sea. But they had been so long away that +they found many changes. The prince, the queen's husband, had died +some years since, and in his place was her son, who had grown up and +was king! Even in his joy at seeing his mother again an air of sadness +clung to him, and at last the queen could bear it no longer, and begged +him to walk with her in the garden. Seated together in a bower of +jessamine--where she had passed long hours as a bride--she took her +son's hand and entreated him to tell her the cause of his sorrow. +'For,' said she, 'if I can give you happiness you shall have it.' + +'It is no use,' answered the prince; 'nobody can help me. I must bear +it alone.' + +'But at least let me share your grief,' urged the queen. + +'No one can do that,' said he. 'I have fallen in love with what I can +never marry, and I must get on as best I can.' + +'It may not be as impossible as you think,' answered the queen. 'At +any rate, tell me.' + +There was silence between them for a moment, then, turning away his +head, the prince answered gently: + +'I have fallen in love with a beautiful deer!' + +'Ah, if that is all,' exclaimed the queen joyfully. And she told him +in broken words that, as he had guessed, it was no deer but an +enchanted maiden who had won back the crown and brought her home to her +own people. + +'She is here, in my palace,' added the queen. 'I will take you to her.' + +But when the prince stood before the girl, who was so much more +beautiful than anything he had ever dreamed of, he lost all his +courage, and stood with bent head before her. + +Then the maiden drew near, and her eyes, as she looked at him, were the +eyes of the deer that day in the forest. She whispered softly: + +'By your favour let me go, and do not kill me.' + +And the prince remembered her words, and his heart was filled with +happiness. And the queen, his mother, watched them and smiled. + +[From Cuentos Populars Catalans, por lo Dr. D. Francisco de S. +Maspons y Labros.] + + + + The Owl and the Eagle + + + +Once upon a time, in a savage country where the snow lies deep for many +months in the year, there lived an owl and an eagle. Though they were +so different in many ways they became great friends, and at length set +up house together, one passing the day in hunting and the other the +night. In this manner they did not see very much of each other--and +perhaps agreed all the better for that; but at any rate they were +perfectly happy, and only wanted one thing, or, rather, two things, and +that was a wife for each. + +'I really am too tired when I come home in the evening to clean up the +house,' said the eagle. + +'And I am much too sleepy at dawn after a long night's hunting to begin +to sweep and dust,' answered the owl. And they both made up their +minds that wives they must have. + +They flew about in their spare moments to the young ladies of their +acquaintance, but the girls all declared they preferred one husband to +two. The poor birds began to despair, when, one evening, after they +had been for a wonder hunting together, they found two sisters fast +asleep on their two beds. The eagle looked at the owl and the owl +looked at the eagle. + +'They will make capital wives if they will only stay with us,' said +they. And they flew off to give themselves a wash, and to make +themselves smart before the girls awoke. + +For many hours the sisters slept on, for they had come a long way, from +a town where there was scarcely anything to eat, and felt weak and +tired. But by-and-by they opened their eyes and saw the two birds +watching them. + +'I hope you are rested?' asked the owl politely. + +'Oh, yes, thank you,' answered the girls. 'Only we are so very hungry. + Do you think we could have something to eat?' + +'Certainly!' replied the eagle. And he flew away to a farmhouse a mile +or two off, and brought back a nest of eggs in his strong beak; while +the owl, catching up a tin pot, went to a cottage where lived an old +woman and her cow, and entering the shed by the window dipped the pot +into the pail of new milk that stood there. + +The girls were so much delighted with the kindness and cleverness of +their hosts that, when the birds inquired if they would marry them and +stay there for ever, they accepted without so much as giving it a +second thought. So the eagle took the younger sister to wife, and the +owl the elder, and never was a home more peaceful than theirs! + +All went well for several months, and then the eagle's wife had a son, +while, on the same day, the owl's wife gave birth to a frog, which she +placed directly on the banks of a stream near by, as he did not seem to +like the house. The children both grew quickly, and were never tired +of playing together, or wanted any other companions. + +One night in the spring, when the ice had melted, and the snow was +gone, the sisters sat spinning in the house, awaiting their husbands' +return. But long though they watched, neither the owl nor the eagle +ever came; neither that day nor the next, nor the next, nor the next. +At last the wives gave up all hope of their return; but, being sensible +women, they did not sit down and cry, but called their children, and +set out, determined to seek the whole world over till the missing +husbands were found. + +Now the women had no idea in which direction the lost birds had gone, +but they knew that some distance off was a thick forest, where good +hunting was to be found. It seemed a likely place to find them, or, at +any rate, they might hear something of them, and they walked quickly +on, cheered by the thought that they were doing something. Suddenly +the younger sister, who was a little in front, gave a cry of surprise. + +'Oh! look at that lake!' she said, 'we shall never get across it.' + +'Yes we shall,' answered the elder; 'I know what to do.' And taking a +long piece of string from her pocket, fastened it into the frog's +mouth, like a bit. + +'You must swim across the lake,' she said, stooping to put him in, 'and +we will walk across on the line behind you.' And so they did, till +they got to about the middle of the lake, when the frog boy stopped. + +'I don't like it, and I won't go any further,' cried he sulkily. And +his mother had to promise him all sorts of nice things before he would +go on again. + +When at last they reached the other side, the owl's wife untied the +line from the frog's mouth and told him he might rest and play by the +lake till they got back from the forest. Then she and her sister and +the boy walked on, with the great forest looming before them. But they +had by this time come far and were very tired, and felt glad enough to +see some smoke curling up from a little hut in front of them. + +'Let us go in and ask for some water,' said the eagle's wife; and in +they went. + +The inside of the hut was so dark that at first they could see nothing +at all; but presently they heard a feeble croak from one corner. But +sisters turned to look, and there, tied by wings and feet, and their +eyes sunken, were the husbands that they sought. Quick as lightning +the wives cut the deer- thongs which bound them; but the poor birds +were too weak from pain and starvation to do more than utter soft +sounds of joy. Hardly, however, were they set free, than a voice of +thunder made the two sisters jump, while the little boy clung tightly +round his mother's neck. + +'What are you doing in my house?' cried she. And the wives answered +boldly that now they had found their husbands they meant to save them +from such a wicked witch. + +'Well, I will give you your chance,' answered the ogress, with a +hideous grin; 'we will see if you can slide down this mountain. If you +can reach the bottom of the cavern, you shall have your husbands back +again.' And as she spoke she pushed them before her out of the door to +the edge of a precipice, which went straight down several hundreds of +feet. Unseen by the witch, the frog's mother fastened one end of the +magic line about her, and whispered to the little boy to hold fast the +other. She had scarcely done so when the witch turned round. + +'You don't seem to like your bargain,' said she; but the girl answered: + +'Oh, yes, I am quite ready. I was only waiting for you!' And sitting +down she began her slide. On, on, she went, down to such a depth that +even the witch's eyes could not follow her; but she took for granted +that the woman was dead, and told the sister to take her place. At +that instant, however, the head of the elder appeared above the rock, +brought upwards by the magic line. The witch gave a howl of disgust, +and hid her face in her hands; thus giving the younger sister time to +fasten the cord to her waist before the ogress looked up. + +'You can't expect such luck twice,' she said; and the girl sat down and +slid over the edge. But in a few minutes she too was back again, and +the witch saw that she had failed, and feared lest her power was going. + Trembling with rage though she was, she dared not show it, and only +laughed hideously. + +'I sha'n't let my prisoners go as easily as all that!' she said. 'Make +my hair grow as thick and as black as yours, or else your husbands +shall never see daylight again.' + +'That is quite simple,' replied the elder sister; 'only you must do as +we did--and perhaps you won't like the treatment.' + +'If you can bear it, of course I can,' answered the witch. And so the +girls told her they had first smeared their heads with pitch and then +laid hot stones upon them. + +'It is very painful,' said they, 'but there is no other way that we +know of. And in order to make sure that all will go right, one of us +will hold you down while the other pours on the pitch.' + +And so they did; and the elder sister let down her hair till it hung +over the witch's eyes, so that she might believe it was her own hair +growing. Then the other brought a huge stone, and, in short, there was +an end of the witch. The sisters were savages who had never seen a +missionary. + +So when the sisters saw that she was dead they went to the hut, and +nursed their husbands till they grew strong. Then they picked up the +frog, and all went to make another home on the other side of the great +lake. + +[From the Journal of the Anthropological Institute.] + + + + The Frog and the Lion Fairy + + + +Once upon a time there lived a king who was always at war with his +neighbours, which was very strange, as he was a good and kind man, +quite content with his own country, and not wanting to seize land +belonging to other people. Perhaps he may have tried too much to +please everybody, and that often ends in pleasing nobody; but, at any +rate, he found himself, at the end of a hard struggle, defeated in +battle, and obliged to fall back behind the walls of his capital city. +Once there, he began to make preparations for a long siege, and the +first thing he did was to plan how best to send his wife to a place of +security. + +The queen, who loved her husband dearly, would gladly have remained +with him to share his dangers, but he would not allow it. So they +parted, with many tears, and the queen set out with a strong guard to a +fortified castle on the outskirts of a great forest, some two hundred +miles distant. She cried nearly all the way, and when she arrived she +cried still more, for everything in the castle was dusty and old, and +outside there was only a gravelled courtyard, and the king had +forbidden her to go beyond the walls without at least two soldiers to +take care of her. + +Now the queen had only been married a few months, and in her own home +she had been used to walk and ride all over the hills without any +attendants at all; so she felt very dull at her being shut up in this +way. However, she bore it for a long while because it was the king's +wish, but when time passed and there were no signs of the war drifting +in the direction of the castle, she grew bolder, and sometimes strayed +outside the walls, in the direction of the forest. + +Then came a dreadful period, when news from the king ceased entirely. + +'He must surely be ill or dead,' thought the poor girl, who even now +was only sixteen. 'I can bear it no longer, and if I do not get a +letter from him soon I shall leave this horrible place and go back to +see what is the matter. Oh! I do wish I had never come away!' + +So, without telling anyone what she intended to do, she ordered a +little low carriage to be built, something like a sledge, only it was +on two wheels--just big enough to hold one person. + +'I am tired of being always in the castle,' she said to her attendants; +'and I mean to hunt a little. Quite close by, of course,' she added, +seeing the anxious look on their faces. 'And there is no reason that +you should not hunt too.' + +All the faces brightened at that, for, to tell the truth, they were +nearly as dull as their mistress; so the queen had her way, and two +beautiful horses were brought from the stable to draw the little +chariot. At first the queen took care to keep near the rest of the +hunt, but gradually she stayed away longer and longer, and at last, one +morning, she took advantage of the appearance of a wild boar, after +which her whole court instantly galloped, to turn into a path in the +opposite direction. + +Unluckily, it did not happen to lead towards the king's palace, where +she intended to go, but she was so afraid her flight would be noticed +that she whipped up her horses till they ran away. + +When she understood what was happening the poor young queen was +terribly frightened, and, dropping the reins, clung to the side of the +chariot. The horses, thus left without any control, dashed blindly +against a tree, and the queen was flung out on the ground, where she +lay for some minutes unconscious. + +A rustling sound near her at length caused her to open her eyes; before +her stood a huge woman, almost a giantess, without any clothes save a +lion's skin, which was thrown over her shoulders, while a dried snake's +skin was plaited into her hair. In one hand she held a club on which +she leaned, and in the other a quiver full of arrows. + +At the sight of this strange figure the queen thought she must be dead, +and gazing on an inhabitant of another world. So she murmured softly +to herself: + +'I am not surprised that people are so loth to die when they know that +they will see such horrible creatures.' But, low as she spoke, the +giantess caught the words, and began to laugh. + +'Oh, don't be afraid; you are still alive, and perhaps, after all, you +may be sorry for it. I am the Lion Fairy, and you are going to spend +the rest of your days with me in my palace, which is quite near this. +So come along.' But the queen shrank back in horror. + +'Oh, Madam Lion, take me back, I pray you, to my castle; and fix what +ransom you like, for my husband will pay it, whatever it is. But the +giantess shook her head. + +'I am rich enough already,' she answered, 'but I am often dull, and I +think you may amuse me a little.' And, so saying, she changed her +shape into that of a lion, and throwing the queen across her back, she +went down the ten thousand steps that led to her palace. The lion had +reached the centre of the earth before she stopped in front of a house, +lighted with lamps, and built on the edge of a lake of quicksilver. In +this lake various huge monsters might be seen playing or fighting--the +queen did not know which-- and around flew rooks and ravens, uttering +dismal croaks. In the distance was a mountain down whose sides waters +slowly coursed--these were the tears of unhappy lovers--and nearer the +gate were trees without either fruit of flowers, while nettles and +brambles covered the ground. If the castle had been gloomy, what did +the queen feel about this? + +For some days the queen was so much shaken by all she had gone through +that she lay with her eyes closed, unable either to move or speak. +When she got better, the Lion Fairy told her that if she liked she +could build herself a cabin, as she would have to spend her life in +that place. At these words the queen burst into tears, and implored +her gaoler to put her to death rather than condemn her to such a life; +but the Lion Fairy only laughed, and counselled her to try to make +herself pleasant, as many worse things might befall her. + +'Is there no way in which I can touch your heart?' asked the poor girl +in despair. + +'Well, if you really wish to please me you will make me a pasty out of +the stings of bees, and be sure it is good.' + +'But I don't see any bees,' answered the queen, looking round. + +'Oh, no, there aren't any,' replied her tormentor; 'but you will have +to find them all the same.' And, so saying, she went away. + +'After all, what does it matter?' thought the queen to herself, 'I have +only one life, and I can but lose it.' And not caring what she did, +she left the palace and seating herself under a yew tree, poured out +all her grief. + +'Oh, my dear husband,' wept she, 'what will you think when you come to +the castle to fetch me and find me gone? Rather a thousand times that +you should fancy me dead than imagine that I had forgotten you! Ah, +how fortunate that the broken chariot should be lying in the wood, for +then you may grieve for me as one devoured by wild beasts. And if +another should take my place in your heart--Well, at least I shall +never know it.' + +She might have continued for long in this fashion had not the voice of +a crow directly overhead attracted her attention. Looking up to see +what was the matter she beheld, in the dim light, a crow holding a fat +frog in his claws, which he evidently intended for his supper. The +queen rose hastily from the seat, and striking the bird sharply on the +claws with the fan which hung from her side, she forced him to drop the +frog, which fell to the round more dead than alive. The crow, furious +at his disappointment, flew angrily away. + +As soon as the frog had recovered her senses she hopped up to the +queen, who was still sitting under the yew. Standing on her hind legs, +and bowing low before her, she said gently: + +'Beautiful lady, by what mischance do you come here? You are the only +creature that I have seen do a kind deed since a fatal curiosity lured +me to this place.' + +'What sort of a frog can you be that knows the language of mortals?' +asked the queen in her turn. 'But if you do, tell me, I pray, if I +alone am a captive, for hitherto I have beheld no one but the monsters +of the lake.' + +'Once upon a time they were men and women like yourself,' answered the +frog, 'but having power in their hands, they used it for their own +pleasure. Therefore fate has sent them here for a while to bear the +punishment of their misdoings.' + +'But you, friend frog, you are not one of these wicked people, I am +sure?' asked the queen. + +'I am half a fairy,' replied the frog; 'but, although I have certain +magic gifts, I am not able to do all I wish. And if the Lion Fairy +were to know of my presence in her kingdom she would hasten to kill me.' + +'But if you are a fairy, how was it that you were so nearly slain by +the crow?' said the queen, wrinkling her forehead. + +'Because the secret of my power lies in my little cap that is made of +rose leaves; but I had laid it aside for the moment, when that horrible +crow pounced upon me. Once it is on my head I fear nothing. But let +me repeat; had it not been for you I could not have escaped death, and +if I can do anything to help you, or soften your hard fate, you have +only to tell me.' + +'Alas,' sighed the queen, 'I have been commanded by the Lion Fairy to +make her a pasty out of the stings of bees, and, as far as I can +discover, there are none here; as how should there be, seeing there are +no flowers for them to feed on? And, even if there were, how could I +catch them?' + +'Leave it to me,' said the frog, 'I will manage it for you.' And, +uttering a strange noise, she struck the ground thrice with her foot. +In an instant six thousand frogs appeared before her, one of them +bearing a little cap. + +'Cover yourselves with honey, and hop round by the beehives,' commanded +the frog, putting on the cap which her friend was holding in her mouth. + And turning to the queen, he added: + +'The Lion Fairy keeps a store of bees in a secret place near to the +bottom of the ten thousand steps leading into the upper world. Not +that she wants them for herself, but they are sometimes useful to her +in punishing her victims. However, this time we will get the better of +her.' + +Just as she had finished speaking the six thousand frogs returned, +looking so strange with bees sticking to every part of them that, sad +as she felt, the poor queen could not help laughing. The bees were all +so stupefied with what they had eaten that it was possible to draw +their stings without hunting them. So, with the help of her friend, +the queen soon made ready her pasty and carried it to the Lion Fairy. + +'Not enough pepper,' said the giantess, gulping down large morsels, in +order the hide the surprise she felt. 'Well, you have escaped this +time, and I am glad to find I have got a companion a little more +intelligent than the others I have tried. Now, you had better go and +build yourself a house.' + +So the queen wandered away, and picking up a small axe which lay near +the door she began with the help of her friend the frog to cut down +some cypress trees for the purpose. And not content with that the six +thousand froggy servants were told to help also, and it was not long +before they had built the prettiest little cabin in the world, and made +a bed in one corner of dried ferns which they fetched from the top of +the ten thousand steps. It looked soft and comfortable, and the queen +was very glad to lie down upon it, so tired was she with all that had +happened since the morning. Scarcely, however, had she fallen asleep +when the lake monsters began to make the most horrible noises just +outside, while a small dragon crept in and terrified her so that she +ran away, which was just what the dragon wanted! + +The poor queen crouched under a rock for the rest of the night, and the +next morning, when she woke from her troubled dreams, she was cheered +at seeing the frog watching by her. + +'I hear we shall have to build you another palace,' said she. 'Well, +this time we won't go so near the lake.' And she smiled with her funny +wide mouth, till the queen took heart, and they went together to find +wood for the new cabin. + +The tiny palace was soon ready, and a fresh bed made of wild thyme, +which smelt delicious. Neither the queen nor the frog said anything +about it, but somehow, as always happens, the story came to the ears of +the Lion Fairy, and she sent a raven to fetch the culprit. + +'What gods or men are protecting you?' she asked, with a frown. 'This +earth, dried up by a constant rain of sulphur and fire, produces +nothing, yet I hear that YOUR bed is made of sweet smelling herbs. +However, as you can get flowers for yourself, of course you can get +them for me, and in an hour's time I must have in my room a nosegay of +the rarest flowers. If not--! Now you can go.' + +The poor queen returned to her house looking so sad that the frog, who +was waiting for her, noticed it directly. + +'What is the matter?' said she, smiling. + +'Oh, how can you laugh!' replied the queen. 'This time I have to bring +her in an hour a posy of the rarest flowers, and where am I to find +them? If I fail I know she will kill me.' + +'Well, I must see if I can't help you,' answered the frog. 'The only +person I have made friends with here is a bat. She is a good creature, +and always does what I tell her, so I will just lend her my cap, and if +she puts it on, and flies into the world, she will bring back all we +want. I would go myself, only she will be quicker.' + +Then the queen dried her eyes, and waited patiently, and long before +the hour had gone by the bat flew in with all the most beautiful and +sweetest flowers that grew on the earth. The girl sprang up overjoyed +at the sight, and hurried with them to the Lion Fairy, who was so +astonished that for once she had nothing to say. + +Now the smell and touch of the flowers had made the queen sick with +longing for her home, and she told the frog that she would certainly +die if she did not manage to escape somehow. + +'Let me consult my cap,' said the frog; and taking it off she laid it +in a box, and threw in after it a few sprigs of juniper, some capers, +and two peas, which she carried under her right leg; she then shut down +the lid of the box, and murmured some words which the queen did not +catch. + +In a few moments a voice was heard speaking from the box. + +'Fate, who rules us all,' said the voice, 'forbids your leaving this +place till the time shall come when certain things are fulfilled. But, +instead, a gift shall be given you, which will comfort you in all your +troubles.' + +And the voice spoke truly, for, a few days after, when the frog peeped +in at the door she found the most beautiful baby in the world lying by +the side of the queen. + +'So the cap has kept its word,' cried the frog with delight. 'How soft +its cheeks are, and what tiny feet it has got! What shall we call it?' + +This was a very important point, and needed much discussion. A +thousand names were proposed and rejected for a thousand silly reasons. + One was too long, and one was too short. One was too harsh, and +another reminded the queen of somebody she did not like; but at length +an idea flashed into the queen's head, and she called out: + +'I know! We will call her Muffette.' + +'That is the very thing,' shouted the frog, jumping high into the air; +and so it was settled. + +The princess Muffette was about six months old when the frog noticed +that the queen had begun to grow sad again. + +'Why do you have that look in your eyes?' she asked one day, when she +had come in to play with the baby, who could now crawl. + +The way they played their game was to let Muffette creep close to the +frog, and then for the frog to bound high into the air and alight on +the child's head, or back, or legs, when she always sent up a shout of +pleasure. There is no play fellow like a frog; but then it must be a +fairy frog, or else you might hurt it, and if you did something +dreadful might happen to you. Well, as I have said, our frog was +struck with the queen's sad face, and lost no time in asking her what +was the reason. + +'I don't see what you have to complain of now; Muffette is quite well +and quite happy, and even the Lion Fairy is kind to her when she sees +her. What is it?' + +'Oh! if her father could only see her!' broke forth the queen, clasping +her hands. 'Or if I could only tell him all that has happened since we +parted. But they will have brought him tidings of the broken carriage, +and he will have thought me dead, or devoured by wild beasts. And +though he will mourn for me long--I know that well--yet in time they +will persuade him to take a wife, and she will be young and fair, and +he will forget me.' + +And in all this the queen guessed truly, save that nine long years were +to pass before he would consent to put another in her place. + +The frog answered nothing at the time, but stopped her game and hopped +away among the cypress trees. Here she sat and thought and thought, +and the next morning she went back to the queen and said: + +'I have come, madam, to make you an offer. Shall I go to the king +instead of you, and tell him of your sufferings, and that he has the +most charming baby in the world for his daughter? The way is long, and +I travel slowly; but, sooner or later, I shall be sure to arrive. +Only, are you not afraid to be left without my protection? Ponder the +matter carefully; it is for you to decide.' + +'Oh, it needs no pondering,' cried the queen joyfully, holding up her +clasped hands, and making Muffette do likewise, in token of gratitude. +But in order that he may know that you have come from me I will send +him a letter.' And pricking her arm, she wrote a few words with her +blood on the corner of her handkerchief. Then tearing it off, she gave +it to the frog, and they bade each other farewell. + +It took the frog a year and four days to mount the ten thousand steps +that led to the upper world, but that was because she was still under +the spell of a wicked fairy. By the time she reached the top, she was +so tired that she had to remain for another year on the banks of a +stream to rest, and also to arrange the procession with which she was +to present herself before the king. For she knew far too well what was +due to herself and her relations, to appear at Court as if she was a +mere nobody. At length, after many consultations with her cap, the +affair was settled, and at the end of the second year after her parting +with the queen they all set out. + +First walked her bodyguard of grasshoppers, followed by her maids of +honour, who were those tiny green frogs you see in the fields, each one +mounted on a snail, and seated on a velvet saddle. Next came the +water-rats, dressed as pages, and lastly the frog herself, in a litter +borne by eight toads, and made of tortoiseshell. Here she could lie at +her ease, with her cap on her head, for it was quite large and roomy, +and could easily have held two eggs when the frog was not in it. + +The journey lasted seven years, and all this time the queen suffered +tortures of hope, though Muffette did her best to comfort her. Indeed, +she would most likely have died had not the Lion Fairy taken a fancy +that the child and her mother should go hunting with her in the upper +world, and, in spite of her sorrows, it was always a joy to the queen +to see the sun again. As for little Muffette, by the time she was +seven her arrows seldom missed their mark. So, after all, the years of +waiting passed more quickly than the queen had dared to hope. + +The frog was always careful to maintain her dignity, and nothing would +have persuaded her to show her face in public places, or even along the +high road, where there was a chance of meeting anyone. But sometimes, +when the procession had to cross a little stream, or go over a piece of +marshy ground, orders would be given for a halt; fine clothes were +thrown off, bridles were flung aside, and grasshoppers, water-rats, +even the frog herself, spent a delightful hour or two playing in the +mud. + +But at length the end was in sight, and the hardships were forgotten in +the vision of the towers of the king's palace; and, one bright morning, +the cavalcade entered the gates with all the pomp and circumstance of a +royal embassy. And surely no ambassador had ever created such a +sensation! Door and windows, even the roofs of houses, were filled +with people, whose cheers reached the ears of the king. However, he +had no time to attend to such matters just then, as, after nine years, +he had at last consented to the entreaties of his courtiers, and was on +the eve of celebrating his second marriage. + +The frog's heart beat high when her litter drew up before the steps of +the palace, and leaning forward she beckoned to her side one of the +guards who were standing in his doorway. + +'I wish to see his Majesty,' said he. + +'His Majesty is engaged, and can see no one,' answered the soldier. + +'His Majesty will see ME,' returned the frog, fixing her eye upon him; +and somehow the man found himself leading the procession along the +gallery into the Hall of Audience, where the king sat surrounded by his +nobles arranging the dresses which everyone was to wear at his marriage +ceremony. + +All stared in surprise as the procession advanced, and still more when +the frog gave one bound from the litter on to the floor, and with +another landed on the arm of the chair of state. + +'I am only just in time, sire,' began the frog; 'had I been a day later +you would have broken your faith which you swore to the queen nine +years ago.' + +'Her remembrance will always be dear to me,' answered the king gently, +though all present expected him to rebuke the frog severely for her +impertinence. But know, Lady Frog, that a king can seldom do as he +wishes, but must be bound by the desires of his subjects. For nine +years I have resisted them; now I can do so no longer, and have made +choice of the fair young maiden playing at ball yonder.' + +'You cannot wed her, however fair she may be, for the queen your wife +is still alive, and sends you this letter written in her own blood,' +said the frog, holding out the square of handkerchief as she spoke. +'And, what is more, you have a daughter who is nearly nine years old, +and more beautiful than all the other children in the world put +together.' + +The king turned pale when he heard these words, and his hand trembled +so that he could hardly read what the queen had written. Then he +kissed the handkerchief twice or thrice, and burst into tears, and it +was some minutes before he could speak. When at length he found his +voice he told his councillors that the writing was indeed that of the +queen, and now that he had the joy of knowing she was alive he could, +of course, proceed no further with his second marriage. This naturally +displeased the ambassadors who had conducted the bride to court, and +one of them inquired indignantly if he meant to put such an insult on +the princess on the word of a mere frog. + +'I am not a "mere frog," and I will give you proof of it,' retorted the +angry little creature. And putting on her cap, she cried: Fairies that +are my friends, come hither!' And in a moment a crowd of beautiful +creatures, each one with a crown on her head, stood before her. +Certainly none could have guessed that they were the snails, water- +rats, and grasshoppers from which she had chosen her retinue. + +At a sign from the frog the fairies danced a ballet, with which +everyone was so delighted that they begged to have to repeated; but now +it was not youths and maidens who were dancing, but flowers. Then +these again melted into fountains, whose waters interlaced and, rushing +down the sides of the hall, poured out in a cascade down the steps, and +formed a river found the castle, with the most beautiful little boats +upon it, all painted and gilded. + +'Oh, let us go in them for a sail!' cried the princess, who had long +ago left her game of ball for a sight of these marvels, and, as she was +bent upon it, the ambassadors, who had been charged never to lose sight +of her, were obliged to go also, though they never entered a boat if +they could help it. + +But the moment they and the princess had seated themselves on the soft +cushions, river and boats vanished, and the princess and the +ambassadors vanished too. Instead the snails and grasshoppers and +water-rats stood round the frog in their natural shapes. + +'Perhaps,' said she, 'your Majesty may now be convinced that I am a +fairy and speak the truth. Therefore lose no time in setting in order +the affairs of your kingdom and go in search of your wife. Here is a +ring that will admit you into the presence of the queen, and will +likewise allow you to address unharmed the Lion Fairy, though she is +the most terrible creature that ever existed.' + +By this time the king had forgotten all about the princess, whom he had +only chosen to please his people, and was as eager to depart on his +journey as the frog was for him to go. He made one of his ministers +regent of the kingdom, and gave the frog everything her heart could +desire; and with her ring on his finger he rode away to the outskirts +of the forest. Here he dismounted, and bidding his horse go home, he +pushed forward on foot. + +Having nothing to guide him as to where he was likely to find the +entrance of the under- world, the king wandered hither and thither for +a long while, till, one day, while he was resting under a tree, a voice +spoke to him. + +'Why do you give yourself so much trouble for nought, when you might +know what you want to know for the asking? Alone you will never +discover the path that leads to your wife.' + +Much startled, the king looked about him. He could see nothing, and +somehow, when he thought about it, the voice seemed as if it were part +of himself. Suddenly his eyes fell on the ring, and he understood. + +'Fool that I was!' cried he; 'and how much precious time have I wasted? + Dear ring, I beseech you, grant me a vision of my wife and my +daughter!' And even as he spoke there flashed past him a huge lioness, +followed by a lady and a beautiful young maid mounted on fairy horses. + +Almost fainting with joy he gazed after them, and then sank back +trembling on the ground. + +'Oh, lead me to them, lead me to them!' he exclaimed. And the ring, +bidding him take courage, conducted him safely to the dismal place +where his wife had lived for ten years. + +Now the Lion Fairy knew beforehand of his expected presence in her +dominions, and she ordered a palace of crystal to be built in the +middle of the lake of quicksilver; and in order to make it more +difficult of approach she let it float whither it would. Immediately +after their return from the chase, where the king had seen them, she +conveyed the queen and Muffette into the palace, and put them under the +guard of the monsters of the lake, who one and all had fallen in love +with the princess. They were horribly jealous, and ready to eat each +other up for her sake, so they readily accepted the charge. Some +stationed themselves round the floating palace, some sat by the door, +while the smallest and lightest perched themselves on the roof. + +Of course the king was quite ignorant of these arrangements, and boldly +entered the palace of the Lion Fairy, who was waiting for him, with her +tail lashing furiously, for she still kept her lion's shape. With a +roar that shook the walls she flung herself upon him; but he was on the +watch, and a blow from his sword cut off the paw she had put forth to +strike him dead. She fell back, and with his helmet still on and his +shield up, he set his foot on her throat. + +'Give me back the wife and the child you have stolen from me,' he said, +'or you shall not live another second!' + +But the fairy answered: + +'Look through the window at that lake and see if it is in my power to +give them to you.' And the king looked, and through the crystal walls +he beheld his wife and daughter floating on the quicksilver. At that +sight the Lion Fairy and all her wickedness was forgotten. Flinging +off his helmet, he shouted to them with all his might. The queen knew +his voice, and she and Muffette ran to the window and held out their +hands. Then the king swore a solemn oath that he would never leave the +spot without taking them if it should cost him his life; and he meant +it, though at the moment he did not know what he was undertaking. + +Three years passed by, and the king was no nearer to obtaining his +heart's desire. He had suffered every hardship that could be +imagined--nettles had been his bed, wild fruits more bitter than gall +his food, while his days had been spent in fighting the hideous +monsters which kept him from the palace. He had not advanced one +single step, nor gained one solitary advantage. Now he was almost in +despair, and ready to defy everything and throw himself into the lake. + +It was at this moment of his blackest misery that, one night, a dragon +who had long watched him from the roof crept to his side. + +'You thought that love would conquer all obstacles,' said he; 'well, +you have found it hasn't! But if you will swear to me by your crown +and sceptre that you will give me a dinner of the food that I never +grow tired of, whenever I choose to ask for it, I will enable you to +reach your wife and daughter.' + +Ah, how glad the king was to hear that! What oath would he not have +taken so as to clasp his wife and child in is arms? Joyfully he swore +whatever the dragon asked of him; then he jumped on his back, and in +another instant would have been carried by the strong wings into the +castle if the nearest monsters had not happened to awake and hear the +noise of talking and swum to the shore to give battle. The fight was +long and hard, and when the king at last beat back his foes another +struggle awaited him. At the entrance gigantic bats, owls, and crows +set upon him from all sides; but the dragon had teeth and claws, while +the queen broke off sharp bits of glass and stabbed and cut in her +anxiety to help her husband. At length the horrible creatures flew +away; a sound like thunder was heard, the palace and the monsters +vanished, while, at the same moment--no one knew how-- the king found +himself standing with his wife and daughter in the hall of his own home. + +The dragon had disappeared with all the rest, and for some years no +more was heard or thought of him. Muffette grew every day more +beautiful, and when she was fourteen the kings and emperors of the +neighbouring countries sent to ask her in marriage for themselves or +their sons. For a long time the girl turned a deaf ear to all their +prayers; but at length a young prince of rare gifts touched her heart, +and though the king had left her free to choose what husband she would, +he had secretly hoped that out of all the wooers this one might be his +son-in-law. So they were betrothed that some day with great pomp, and +then with many tears, the prince set out for his father's court, +bearing with him a portrait of Muffette. + +The days passed slowly to Muffette, in spite of her brave efforts to +occupy herself and not to sadden other people by her complaints. One +morning she was playing on her harp in the queen's chamber when the +king burst into the room and clasped his daughter in his arms with an +energy that almost frightened her. + +'Oh, my child! my dear child! why were you ever born?' cried he, as +soon as he could speak. + +'Is the prince dead?' faltered Muffette, growing white and cold. + +'No, no; but--oh, how can I tell you!' And he sank down on a pile of +cushions while his wife and daughter knelt beside him. + +At length he was able to tell his tale, and a terrible one it was! +There had just arrived at court a huge giant, as ambassador from the +dragon by whose help the king had rescued the queen and Muffette from +the crystal palace. The dragon had been very busy for many years past, +and had quite forgotten the princess till the news of her betrothal +reached his ears. Then he remembered the bargain he had made with her +father; and the more he heard of Muffette the more he felt sure she +would make a delicious dish. So he had ordered the giant who was his +servant to fetch her at once. + +No words would paint the horror of both the queen and the princess as +they listened to this dreadful doom. They rushed instantly to the +hall, where the giant was awaiting them, and flinging themselves at his +feet implored him to take the kingdom if he would, but to have pity on +the princess. The giant looked at them kindly, for he was not at all +hard- hearted, but said that he had no power to do anything, and that +if the princess did not go with him quietly the dragon would come +himself. + +Several days went by, and the king and queen hardly ceased from +entreating the aid of the giant, who by this time was getting weary of +waiting. + +'There is only one way of helping you,' he said at last, 'and that is +to marry the princess to my nephew, who, besides being young and +handsome, has been trained in magic, and will know how to keep her safe +from the dragon.' + +'Oh, thank you, thank you!' cried the parents, clasping his great hands +to their breasts. 'You have indeed lifted a load from us. She shall +have half the kingdom for her dowry.' But Muffette stood up and thrust +them aside. + +'I will not buy my life with faithlessness,' she said proudly; 'and I +will go with you this moment to the dragon's abode.' And all her +father's and mother's tears and prayers availed nothing to move her. + +The next morning Muffette was put into a litter, and, guarded by the +giant and followed by the king and queen and the weeping maids of +honour, they started for the foot of the mountain where the dragon had +his castle. The way, though rough and stony, seemed all too short, and +when they reached the spot appointed by the dragon the giant ordered +the men who bore the litter to stand still. + +'It is time for you to bid farewell to your daughter,' said he; 'for I +see the dragon coming to us.' + +It was true; a cloud appeared to pass over the sun, for between them +and it they could all discern dimly a huge body half a mile long +approaching nearer and nearer. At first the king could not believe +that this was the small beast who had seemed so friendly on the shore +of the lake of quicksilver but then he knew very little of necromancy, +and had never studied the art of expanding and contracting his body. +But it was the dragon and nothing else, whose six wings were carrying +him forward as fast as might be, considering his great weight and the +length of his tail, which had fifty twists and a half. + +He came quickly, yes; but the frog, mounted on a greyhound, and wearing +her cap on her head, went quicker still. Entering a room where the +prince was sitting gazing at the portrait of his betrothed, she cried +to him: + +'What are you doing lingering here, when the life of the princess is +nearing its last moment? In the courtyard you will find a green horse +with three heads and twelve feet, and by its side a sword eighteen +yards long. Hasten, lest you should be too late!' + +The fight lasted all day, and the prince's strength was well-nigh +spent, when the dragon, thinking that the victory was won, opened his +jaws to give a roar of triumph. The prince saw his chance, and before +his foe could shut his mouth again had plunged his sword far down his +adversary's throat. There was a desperate clutching of the claws to +the earth, a slow flagging of the great wings, then the monster rolled +over on his side and moved no more. Muffette was delivered. + +After this they all went back to the palace. The marriage took place +the following day, and Muffette and her husband lived happy for ever +after. + +[From Les Contes des Fees, par Madame d'Aulnoy.] + + + + The Adventures of Covan the Brown- Haired + + + +On the shores of the west, where the great hills stand with their feet +in the sea, dwelt a goatherd and his wife, together with their three +sons and one daughter. All day long the young men fished and hunted, +while their sister took out the kids to pasture on the mountain, or +stayed at home helping her mother and mending the nets. + +For several years they all lived happily together, when one day, as the +girl was out on the hill with the kids, the sun grew dark and an air +cold as a thick white mist came creeping, creeping up from the sea. +She rose with a shiver, and tried to call to her kids, but the voice +died away in her throat, and strong arms seemed to hold her. + +Loud were the wails in the hut by the sea when the hours passed on and +the maiden came not. Many times the father and brothers jumped up, +thinking they heard her steps, but in the thick darkness they could +scarcely see their own hands, nor could they tell where the river lay, +nor where the mountain. One by one the kids came home, and at every +bleat someone hurried to open the door, but no sound broke the +stillness. Through the night no one slept, and when morning broke and +the mist rolled back, they sought the maiden by sea and by land, but +never a trace of her could be found anywhere. + +Thus a year and a day slipped by, and at the end of it Gorla of the +Flocks and his wife seemed suddenly to have grown old. Their sons too +were sadder than before, for they loved their sister well, and had +never ceased to mourn for her. At length Ardan the eldest spoke and +said: + +'It is now a year and a day since our sister was taken from us, and we +have waited in grief and patience for her to return. Surely some evil +has befallen her, or she would have sent us a token to put our hearts +at rest; and I have vowed to myself that my eyes shall not know sleep +till, living or dead, I have found her.' + +'If you have vowed, then must you keep your vow,' answered Gorla. 'But +better had it been if you had first asked your father's leave before +you made it. Yet, since it is so, your mother will bake you a cake for +you to carry with you on your journey. Who can tell how long it may +be?' + +So the mother arose and baked not one cake but two, a big one and a +little one. + +'Choose, my son,' said she. 'Will you have the little cake with your +mother's blessing, or the big one without it, in that you have set +aside your father and taken on yourself to make a vow?' + +'I will have the large cake,' answered the youth; 'for what good would +my mother's blessing do for me if I was dying of hunger?' And taking +the big cake he went his way. + +Straight on he strode, letting neither hill nor river hinder him. +Swiftly he walked-- swiftly as the wind that blew down the mountain. +The eagles and the gulls looked on from their nests as he passed, +leaving the deer behind him; but at length he stopped, for hunger had +seized on him, and he could walk no more. Trembling with fatigue he +sat himself on a rock and broke a piece off his cake. + +'Spare me a morsel, Ardan son of Gorla,' asked a raven, fluttering down +towards him. + +'Seek food elsewhere, O bearer of ill-news,' answered Ardan son of +Gorla; 'it is but little I have for myself.' And he stretched himself +out for a few moments, then rose to his feet again. On and on went he +till the little birds flew to their nests, and the brightness died out +of the sky, and a darkness fell over the earth. On and on, and on, +till at last he saw a beam of light streaming from a house and hastened +towards it. + +The door was opened and he entered, but paused when he beheld an old +man lying on a bench by the fire, while seated opposite him was a +maiden combing out the locks of her golden hair with a comb of silver. + +'Welcome, fair youth,' said the old man, turning his head. 'Sit down +and warm yourself, and tell me how fares the outer world. It is long +since I have seen it.' + +'All my news is that I am seeking service,' answered Ardan son of +Gorla; 'I have come from far since sunrise, and glad was I to see the +rays of your lamp stream into the darkness.' + +'I need someone to herd my three dun cows, which are hornless,' said +the old man. 'If, for the space of a year, you can bring them back to +me each evening before the sun sets, I will make you payment that will +satisfy your soul.' + +But here the girl looked up and answered quickly: + +'Ill will come of it if he listens to your offer.' + +'Counsel unsought is worth nothing,' replied, rudely, Ardan son of +Gorla. 'It would be little indeed that I am fit for if I cannot drive +three cows out to pasture and keep them safe from the wolves that may +come down from the mountains. Therefore, good father, I will take +service with you at daybreak, and ask no payment till the new year +dawns.' + +Next morning the bell of the deer was not heard amongst the fern before +the maiden with the hair of gold had milked the cows, and led them in +front of the cottage where the old man and Ardan son of Gorla awaited +them. + +'Let them wander where they will,' he said to his servant, 'and never +seek to turn them from their way, for well they know the fields of good +pasture. But take heed to follow always behind them, and suffer +nothing that you see, and nought that you hear, to draw you into +leaving them. Now go, and may wisdom go with you.' + +As he ceased speaking he touched one of the cows on her forehead, and +she stepped along the path, with the two others one on each side. As +he had been bidden, behind them came Ardan son of Gorla, rejoicing in +his heart that work so easy had fallen to his lot. At the year's end, +thought he, enough money would lie in his pocket to carry him into far +countries where his sister might be, and, in the meanwhile, someone +might come past who could give him tidings of her. + +Thus he spoke to himself, when his eyes fell on a golden cock and a +silver hen running swiftly along the grass in front of him. In a +moment the words that the old man had uttered vanished from his mind +and he gave chase. They were so near that he could almost seize their +tails, yet each time he felt sure he could catch them his fingers +closed on the empty air. At length he could run no more, and stopped +to breathe, while the cock and hen went on as before. Then he +remembered the cows, and, somewhat frightened, turned back to seek +them. Luckily they had not strayed far, and were quietly feeding on +the thick green grass. + +Ardan son of Gorla was sitting under a tree, when he beheld a staff of +gold and a staff of silver doubling themselves in strange ways on the +meadow in front of him, and starting up he hastened towards them. He +followed them till he was tired, but he could not catch them, though +they seemed ever within his reach. When at last he gave up the quest +his knees trembled beneath him for very weariness, and glad was he to +see a tree growing close by lade with fruits of different sorts, of +which he ate greedily. + +The sun was by now low in the heavens, and the cows left off feeding, +and turned their faces home again, followed by Ardan son of Gorla. At +the door of their stable the maiden stood awaiting them, and saying +nought to their herd, she sat down and began to milk. But it was not +milk that flowed into her pail; instead it was filled with a thin +stream of water, and as she rose up from the last cow the old man +appeared outside. + +'Faithless one, you have betrayed your trust!' he said to Ardan son of +Gorla. 'Not even for one day could you keep true! Well, you shall +have your reward at once, that others may take warning from you.' And +waving his wand he touched with it the chest of the youth, who became a +pillar of stone. + +Now Gorla of the Flocks and his wife were full of grief that they had +lost a son as well as a daughter, for no tidings had come to them of +Ardan their eldest born. At length, when two years and two days had +passed since the maiden had led her kids to feed on the mountain and +had been seen no more, Ruais, second son of Gorla, rose up one morning, +and said: + +'Time is long without my sister and Ardan my brother. So I have vowed +to seek them wherever they may be.' + +And his father answered: + +'Better it had been if you had first asked my consent and that of your +mother; but as you have vowed so must you do.' Then he bade his wife +make a cake, but instead she made two, and offered Ruais his choice, as +she had done to Ardan. Like Ardan, Ruais chose the large, unblessed +cake, and set forth on his way, doing always, though he knew it not, +that which Ardan had done; so, needless is it to tell what befell him +till he too stood, a pillar of stone, on the hill behind the cottage, +so that all men might see the fate that awaited those who broke their +faith. + +Another year and a day passed by, when Covan the Brown-haired, youngest +son of Gorla of the Flocks, one morning spake to his parents, saying: + +'It is more than three years since my sister left us. My brothers have +also gone, no one know whither, and of us four none remains but I. No, +therefore, I long to seek them, and I pray you and my mother to place +no hindrance in my way.' + +And his father answered: + +'Go, then, and take our blessing with you.' + +So the wife of Gorla of the Flocks baked two cakes, one large and one +small; and Covan took the small one, and started on his quest. In the +wood he felt hungry, for he had walked far, and he sat down to eat. +Suddenly a voice behind him cried: + +'A bit for me! a bit for me!' And looking round he beheld the black +raven of the wilderness. + +'Yes, you shall have a bit,' said Covan the Brown-haired; and breaking +off a piece he stretched it upwards to the raven, who ate it greedily. +Then Covan arose and went forward, till he saw the light from the +cottage streaming before him, and glad was he, for night was at hand. + +'Maybe I shall find some work there,' he thought, 'and at least I shall +gain money to help me in my search; for who knows how far my sister and +my brothers may have wandered?' + +The door stood open and he entered, and the old man gave him welcome, +and the golden- haired maiden likewise. As happened before, he was +offered by the old man to herd his cows; and, as she had done to his +brothers, the maiden counselled him to leave such work alone. But, +instead of answering rudely, like both Ardan and Ruais, he thanked her, +with courtesy, though he had no mind to heed her; and he listened to +the warnings and words of his new master. + +Next day he set forth at dawn with the dun cows in front of him, and +followed patiently wherever they might lead him. On the way he saw the +gold cock and silver hen, which ran even closer to him than they had +done to his brothers. Sorely tempted, he longed to give them chase; +but, remembering in time that he had been bidden to look neither to the +right nor to the left, with a mighty effort he turned his eyes away. +Then the gold and silver staffs seemed to spring from the earth before +him, but this time also he overcame; and though the fruit from the +magic tree almost touched his mouth, he brushed it aside and went +steadily on. + +That day the cows wandered father than ever they had done before, and +never stopped till they had reached a moor where the heather was +burning. The fire was fierce, but the cows took no heed, and walked +steadily through it, Covan the Brown-haired following them. Next they +plunged into a foaming river, and Covan plunged in after them, though +the water came high above his waist. On the other side of the river +lay a wide plain, and here the cows lay down, while Covan looked about +him. Near him was a house built of yellow stone, and from it came +sweet songs, and Covan listened, and his heart grew light within him. + +While he was thus waiting there ran up to him a youth, scarcely able to +speak so swiftly had he sped; and he cried aloud: + +'Hasten, hasten, Covan the Brown-haired, for your cows are in the corn, +and you must drive them out!' + +'Nay,' said Covan smiling, 'it had been easier for you to have driven +them out than to come here to tell me.' And he went on listening to +the music. + +Very soon the same youth returned and cried with panting breath: + +'Out upon you, Covan son of Gorla, that you stand there agape. For our +dogs are chasing your cows, and you must drive them off!' + +'Nay, then,' answered Covan as before, 'it had been easier for you to +call off your dogs than to come here to tell me.' And he stayed where +he was till the music ceased. + +Then he turned to look for the cows, and found them all lying in the +place where he had left them; but when they saw Covan they rose up and +walked homewards, taking a different path to that they had trod in the +morning. This time they passed over a plain so bare that a pin could +not have lain there unnoticed, yet Covan beheld with surprise a foal +and its mother feeding there, both as fat as if they had pastured on +the richest grass. Further on they crossed another plain, where the +grass was thick and green, but on it were feeding a foal and its +mother, so lean that you could have counted their ribs. And further +again the path led them by the shores of a lake whereon were floating +two boats; one full of gay and happy youths, journeying to the land of +the Sun, and another with grim shapes clothed in black, travelling to +the land of Night. + +'What can these things mean?' said Covan to himself, as he followed his +cows. + +Darkness now fell, the wind howled, and torrents of rain poured upon +them. Covan knew not how far they might yet have to go, or indeed if +they were on the right road. He could not even see his cows, and his +heart sank lest, after all, he should have failed to bring them safely +back. What was he to do? + +He waited thus, for he could go neither forwards nor backwards, till he +felt a great friendly paw laid on his shoulder. + +'My cave is just here,' said the Dog of Maol- mor, of whom Covan son of +Gorla had heard much. 'Spend the night here, and you shall be fed on +the flesh of lamb, and shall lay aside three-thirds of thy weariness.' + +And Covan entered, and supped, and slept, and in the morning rose up a +new man. + +'Farewell, Covan,' said the Dog of Maol-mor. 'May success go with you, +for you took what I had to give and did not mock me. So, when danger +is your companion, wish for me, and I will not fail you.' + +At these words the Dog of Maol-mor disappeared into the forest, and +Covan went to seek his cows, which were standing in the hollow where +the darkness had come upon them. + +At the sight of Covan the Brown-haired they walked onwards, Covan +following ever behind them, and looking neither to the right nor to the +left. All that day they walked, and when night fell they were in a +barren plain, with only rocks for shelter. + +'We must rest here as best we can,' spoke Covan to the cows. And they +bowed their heads and lay down in the place where they stood. Then +came the black raven of Corri- nan-creag, whose eyes never closed, and +whose wings never tired; and he fluttered before the face of Covan and +told him that he knew of a cranny in the rock where there was food in +plenty, and soft moss for a bed. + +'Go with me thither,' he said to Covan, 'and you shall lay aside +three-thirds of your weariness, and depart in the morning refreshed,' +and Covan listened thankfully to his words, and at dawn he rose up to +seek his cows. + +'Farewell!' cried the black raven. 'You trusted me, and took all I had +to offer in return for the food you once gave me. So if in time to +come you need a friend, wish for me, and I will not fail you.' + +As before, the cows were standing in the spot where he had left them, +ready to set out. All that day they walked, on and on, and on, Covan +son of Gorla walking behind them, till night fell while they were on +the banks of a river. + +'We can go no further,' spake Covan to the cows. And they began to eat +the grass by the side of the stream, while Covan listened to them and +longed for some supper also, for they had travelled far, and his limbs +were weak under him. Then there was a swish of water at his feet, and +out peeped the head of the famous otter Doran-donn of the stream. + +'Trust to me and I will find you warmth and shelter,' said Doran-donn; +'and for food fish in plenty.' And Covan went with him thankfully, and +ate and rested, and laid aside three-thirds of his weariness. At +sunrise he left his bed of dried sea-weed, which had floated up with +the tide, and with a grateful heart bade farewell to Doran-donn. + +'Because you trusted me and took what I had to offer, you have made me +your friend, Covan,' said Doran-donn. 'And if you should be in danger, +and need help from one who can swim a river or dive beneath a wave, +call to me and I will come to you.' Then he plunged into the stream, +and was seen no more. + +The cows were standing ready in the place where Covan had left them, +and they journeyed on all that day, till, when night fell, they reached +the cottage. Joyful indeed was the old man as the cows went into their +stables, and he beheld the rich milk that flowed into the pail of the +golden-haired maiden with the silver comb. + +'You have done well indeed,' he said to Covan son of Gorla. 'And now, +what would you have as a reward?' + +'I want nothing for myself,' answered Covan the Brown-haired; 'but I +ask you to give me back my brothers and my sister who have been lost to +us for three years past. You are wise and know the lore of fairies and +of witches; tell me where I can find them, and what I must do to bring +them to life again.' + +The old man looked grave at the words of Covan. + +'Yes, truly I know where they are,' answered he, 'and I say not that +they may not be brought to life again. But the perils are great--too +great for you to overcome.' + +'Tell me what they are,' said Covan again, 'and I shall know better if +I may overcome them.' + +'Listen, then, and judge. In the mountain yonder there dwells a roe, +white of foot, with horns that branch like the antlers of a deer. On +the lake that leads to the land of the Sun floats a duck whose body is +green and whose neck is of gold. In the pool of Corri- Bui swims a +salmon with a skin that shines like silver, and whose gills are +red--bring them all to me, and then you shall know where dwell your +brothers and your sister!' + +'To-morrow at cock-crow I will begone!' answered Covan. + +The way to the mountain lay straight before him, and when he had +climbed high he caught sight of the roe with the white feet and the +spotted sides, on the peak in front. + +Full of hope he set out in pursuit of her, but by the time he had +reached that peak she had left it and was to be seen on another. And +so it always happened, and Covan's courage had well-nigh failed him, +when the thought of the Dog of Maol-mor darted into his mind. + +'Oh, that he was here!' he cried. And looking up he saw him. + +'Why did you summon me?' asked the Dog of Maol-mor. And when Covan had +told him of his trouble, and how the roe always led him further and +further, the Dog only answered: + +'Fear nothing; I will soon catch her for you.' And in a short while he +laid the roe unhurt at Covan's feet. + +'What will you wish me to do with her?' said the Dog. And Covan +answered: + +'The old man bade me bring her, and the duck with the golden neck, and +the salmon with the silver sides, to his cottage; if I shall catch +them, I know not. But carry you the roe to the back of the cottage, +and tether her so that she cannot escape.' + +'It shall be done,' said the Dog of Maol-mor. + +Then Covan sped to the lake which led to the land of the Sun, where the +duck with the green body and the golden neck was swimming among the +water-lilies. + +'Surely I can catch him, good swimmer as I am,' to himself. But, if he +could swim well, the duck could swim better, and at length his strength +failed him, and he was forced to seek the land. + +'Oh that the black raven were here to help me!' he thought to himself. +And in a moment the black raven was perched on his shoulder. + +'How can I help you?' asked the raven. And Covan answered: + +'Catch me the green duck that floats on the water.' And the raven flew +with his strong wings and picked him up in his strong beak, and in +another moment the bird was laid at the feet of Covan. + +This time it was easy for the young man to carry his prize, and after +giving thanks to the raven for his aid, he went on to the river. + +In the deep dark pool of which the old man had spoken the silver-sided +salmon was lying under a rock. + +'Surely I, good fisher as I am, can catch him,' said Covan son of +Gorla. And cutting a slender pole from a bush, he fastened a line to +the end of it. But cast with what skill he might, it availed nothing, +for the salmon would not even look at the bait. + +'I am beaten at last, unless the Doran-donn can deliver me,' he cried. +And as he spoke there was a swish of the water, and the face of the +Doran-donn looked up at him. + +'O catch me, I pray you, that salmon under the rock!' said Covan son of +Gorla. And the Doran-donn dived, and laying hold of the salmon by his +tail, bore it back to the place where Covan was standing. + +'The roe, and the duck, and the salmon are here,' said Covan to the old +man, when he reached the cottage. And the old man smiled on him and +bade him eat and drink, and after he hungered no more, he would speak +with him. + +And this was what the old man said: 'You began well, my son, so things +have gone well with you. You set store by your mother's blessing, +therefore you have been blest. You gave food to the raven when it +hungered, you were true to the promise you had made to me, and did not +suffer yourself to be turned aside by vain shows. You were skilled to +perceive that the boy who tempted you to leave the temple was a teller +of false tales, and took with a grateful heart what the poor had to +offer you. Last of all, difficulties gave you courage, instead of +lending you despair. + +And now, as to your reward, you shall in truth take your sister home +with you, and your brothers I will restore to life; but idle and +unfaithful as they are their lot is to wander for ever. And so +farewell, and may wisdom be with you.' + +'First tell me your name?' asked Covan softly. + +'I am the Spirit of Age,' said the old man. + +[Taken from a Celtic Story. Translated by Doctor Macleod Clarke.] + + + + The Princess Bella-Flor + + + +Once upon a time there lived a man who had two sons. When they grew up +the elder went to seek his fortune in a far country, and for many years +no one heard anything about him. Meanwhile the younger son stayed at +home with his father, who died at last in a good old age, leaving great +riches behind him. + +For some time the son who stayed at home spent his father's wealth +freely, believing that he alone remained to enjoy it. But, one day, as +he was coming down stairs, he was surprised to see a stranger enter the +hall, looking about as if the house belonged to him. + +'Have you forgotten me?' asked the man. + +'I can't forget a person I have never known,' was the rude answer. + +'I am your brother,' replied the stranger, 'and I have returned home +without the money I hoped to have made. And, what is worse, they tell +me in the village that my father is dead. I would have counted my lost +gold as nothing if I could have seen him once more.' + +'He died six months ago,' said the rich brother, 'and he left you, as +your portion, the old wooden chest that stands in the loft. You had +better go there and look for it; I have no more time to waste.' And he +went his way. + +So the wanderer turned his steps to the loft, which was at the top of +the storehouse, and there he found the wooden chest, so old that it +looked as if it were dropping to pieces. + +'What use is this old thing to me?' he said to himself. 'Oh, well, it +will serve to light a fire at which I can warm myself; so things might +be worse after all.' + +Placing the chest on his back, the man, whose name was Jose, set out +for his inn, and, borrowing a hatchet, began to chop up the box. In +doing so he discovered a secret drawer, and in it lay a paper. He +opened the paper, not knowing what it might contain, and was astonished +to find that it was the acknowledgment of a large debt that was owing +to his father. Putting the precious writing in his pocket, he hastily +inquired of the landlord where he could find the man whose name was +written inside, and he ran out at once in search of him. + +The debtor proved to be an old miser, who lived at the other end of the +village. He had hoped for many months that the paper he had written +had been lost or destroyed, and, indeed, when he saw it, was very +unwilling to pay what he owed. However, the stranger threatened to +drag him before the king, and when the miser saw that there was no help +for it he counted out the coins one by one. The stranger picked them +up and put them in his pocket, and went back to his inn feeling that he +was now a rich man. + +A few weeks after this he was walking through the streets of the +nearest town, when he met a poor woman crying bitterly. He stopped and +asked her what was the matter, and she answered between her sobs that +her husband was dying, and, to make matters worse, a creditor whom he +could not pay was anxious to have him taken to prison. + +'Comfort yourself,' said the stranger kindly; 'they shall neither send +your husband to prison nor sell your goods. I will not only pay his +debts but, if he dies, the cost of his burial also. And now go home, +and nurse him as well as you can.' + +And so she did; but, in spite of her care, the husband died, and was +buried by the stranger. But everything cost more than he expected, and +when all was paid he found that only three gold pieces were left. + +'What am I to do now?' said he to himself. 'I think I had better go to +court, and enter into the service of the king.' + +At first he was only a servant, who carried the king the water for his +bath, and saw that his bed was made in a particular fashion. But he +did his duties so well that his master soon took notice of him, and in +a short time he rose to be a gentleman of the bedchamber. + +Now, when this happened the younger brother had spent all the money he +had inherited, and did not know how to make any for himself. He then +bethought him of the king's favourite, and went whining to the palace +to beg that his brother, whom he had so ill-used, would give him his +protection, and find him a place. The elder, who was always ready to +help everyone spoke to the king on his behalf, and the next day the +young man took up is work at court. + +Unfortunately, the new-comer was by nature spiteful and envious, and +could not bear anyone to have better luck than himself. By dint of +spying through keyholes and listening at doors, he learned that the +king, old and ugly though he was, had fallen in love with the Princess +Bella-Flor, who would have nothing to say to him, and had hidden +herself in some mountain castle, no one knew where. + +'That will do nicely,' thought the scoundrel, rubbing his hands. 'It +will be quite easy to get the king to send my brother in search of her, +and if he returns without finding her, his head will be the forfeit. +Either way, he will be out of MY path.' + +So he went at once to the Lord High Chamberlain and craved an audience +of the king, to whom he declared he wished to tell some news of the +highest importance. The king admitted him into the presence chamber +without delay, and bade him state what he had to say, and to be quick +about it. + +'Oh, sire! the Princess Bella-Flor--' answered the man, and then +stopped as if afraid. + +'What of the Princess Bella-Flor?' asked the king impatiently. + +'I have heard--it is whispered at court--that your majesty desires to +know where she lies in hiding.' + +'I would give half my kingdom to the man who will bring her to me,' +cried the king, eagerly. 'Speak on, knave; has a bird of the air +revealed to you the secret?' + +'It is not I, but my brother, who knows,' replied the traitor; 'if your +majesty would ask him--' But before the words were out of his mouth the +king had struck a blow with his sceptre on a golden plate that hung on +the wall. + +'Order Jose to appear before me instantly,' he shouted to the servant +who ran to obey his orders, so great was the noise his majesty had +made; and when Jose entered the hall, wondering what in the world could +be the matter, the king was nearly dumb from rage and excitement. + +'Bring me the Princess Bella-Flor this moment,' stammered he, 'for if +you return without her I will have you drowned!' And without another +word he left the hall, leaving Jose staring with surprise and horror. + +'How can I find the Princess Bella-Flor when I have never even seen +her?' thought he. 'But it is no use staying here, for I shall only be +put to death.' And he walked slowly to the stables to choose himself a +horse. + +There were rows upon rows of fine beasts with their names written in +gold above their stalls, and Jose was looking uncertainly from one to +the other, wondering which he should choose, when an old white horse +turned its head and signed to him to approach. + +'Take me,' it said in a gentle whisper, 'and all will go well.' + +Jose still felt so bewildered with the mission that the king had given +him that he forgot to be astonished at hearing a horse talk. +Mechanically he laid his hand on the bridle and led the white horse out +of the stable. He was about to mount on his back, when the animal +spoke again: + +'Pick up those three loaves of bread which you see there, and put them +in your pocket.' + +Jose did as he was told, and being in a great hurry to get away, asked +no questions, but swung himself into the saddle. + +They rode far without meeting any adventures, but at length they came +to an ant-hill, and the horse stopped. + +'Crumble those three loaves for the ants,' he said. But Jose hesitated. + +'Why, we may want them ourselves!' answered he. + +'Never mind that; give them to the ants all the same. Do not lose a +chance of helping others.' And when the loaves lay in crumbs on the +road, the horse galloped on. + +By-and-by they entered a rocky pass between two mountains, and here +they saw an eagle which had been caught in a hunter's net. + +'Get down and cut the meshes of the net, and set the poor bird free,' +said the horse. + +'But it will take so long,' objected Jose, 'and we may miss the +princess.' + +'Never mind that; do not lose a chance of helping others,' answered the +horse. And when the meshes were cut, and the eagle was free, the horse +galloped on. + +The had ridden many miles, and at last they came to a river, where they +beheld a little fish lying gasping on the sand, and the horse said: + +'Do you see that little fish? It will die if you do not put it back in +the water.' + +'But, really, we shall never find the Princess Bella-Flor if we waste +our time like this!' cried Jose. + +'We never waste time when we are helping others,' answered the horse. +And soon the little fish was swimming happily away. + +A little while after they reached a castle, which was built in the +middle of a very thick wood, and right in front was the Princess +Bella-Flor feeding her hens. + +'Now listen,' said the horse. 'I am going to give all sorts of little +hops and skips, which will amuse the Princess Bella-Flor. Then she +will tell you that she would like to ride a little way, and you must +help her to mount. When she is seated I shall begin to neigh and kick, +and you must say that I have never carried a woman before, and that you +had better get up behind so as to be able to manage me. Once on my +back we will go like the wind to the king's palace.' + +Jose did exactly as the horse told him, and everything fell out as the +animal prophesied; so that it was not until they were galloping +breathlessly towards the palace that the princess knew that she was +taken captive. She said nothing, however, but quietly opened her apron +which contained the bran for the chickens, and in a moment it lay +scattered on the ground. + +'Oh, I have let fall my bran!' cried she; 'please get down and pick it +up for me.' But Jose only answered: + +'We shall find plenty of bran where we are going.' And the horse +galloped on. + +They were now passing through a forest, and the princess took out her +handkerchief and threw it upwards, so that it stuck in one of the +topmost branches of a tree. + +'Dear me; how stupid! I have let my handkerchief blow away,' said she. + 'Will you climb up and get it for me?' But Jose answered: + +'We shall find plenty of handkerchiefs where we are going.' And the +horse galloped on. + +After the wood they reached a river, and the princess slipped a ring +off her finger and let it roll into the water. + +'How careless of me,' gasped she, beginning to sob. 'I have lost my +favourite ring; DO stop for a moment and look if you can see it.' But +Jose answered: + +'You will find plenty of rings where you are going.' And the horse +galloped on. + +At last they entered the palace gates, and the king's heart bounded +with joy at beholding his beloved Princess Bella-Flor. But the +princess brushed him aside as if he had been a fly, and locked herself +into the nearest room, which she would not open for all his entreaties. + +'Bring me the three things I lost on the way, and perhaps I may think +about it,' was all she would say. And, in despair, the king was driven +to take counsel of Jose. + +'There is no remedy that I can see,' said his majesty, 'but that you, +who know where they are, should go and bring them back. And if you +return without them I will have you drowned.' + +Poor Jose was much troubled at these words. He thought that he had +done all that was required of him, and that his life was safe. +However, he bowed low, and went out to consult his friend the horse. + +'Do not vex yourself,' said the horse, when he had heard the story; +'jump up, and we will go and look for the things.' And Jose mounted at +once. + +They rode on till they came to the ant-hill, and then the horse asked: + +'Would you like to have the bran?' + +'What is the use of liking?' answered Jose. + +'Well, call the ants, and tell them to fetch it for you; and, if some +of it has been scattered by the wind, to bring in its stead the grains +that were in the cakes you gave them.' Jose listened in surprise. He +did not much believe in the horse's plan; but he could not think of +anything better, so he called to the ants, and bade them collect the +bran as fast as they could. + +Then he saw under a tree and waited, while his horse cropped the green +turf. + +'Look there!' said the animal, suddenly raising its head; and Jose +looked behind him and saw a little mountain of bran, which he put into +a bag that was hung over his saddle. + +'Good deeds bear fruit sooner or later,' observed the horse; 'but mount +again, as we have far to go.' + +When they arrived at the tree, they saw the handkerchief fluttering +like a flag from the topmost branch, and Jose's spirits sank again. + +'How am I to get that handkerchief?' cried he; 'why I should need +Jacob's ladder!' But the horse answered: + +'Do not be frightened; call to the eagle you set free from the net, he +will bring it to you.' + +So Jose called to the eagle, and the eagle flew to the top of the tree +and brought back the handkerchief in its beak. Jose thanked him, and +vaulting on his horse they rode on to the river. + +A great deal of rain had fallen in the night, and the river, instead of +being clear as it was before, was dark and troubled. + +'How am I to fetch the ring from the bottom of this river when I do not +know exactly where it was dropped, and cannot even see it?' asked Jose. + But the horse answered: 'Do not be frightened; call the little fish +whose life you saved, and she will bring it to you.' + +So he called to the fish, and the fish dived to the bottom and slipped +behind big stones, and moved little ones with its tail till it found +the ring, and brought it to Jose in its mouth. + +Well pleased with all he had done, Jose returned to the palace; but +when the king took the precious objects to Bella-Flor, she declared +that she would never open her door till the bandit who had carried her +off had been fried in oil. + +'I am very sorry,' said the king to Jose, 'I really would rather not; +but you see I have no choice.' + + While the oil was being heated in the great caldron, Jose went to the +stables to inquire of his friend the horse if there was no way for him +to escape. + +'Do not be frightened,' said the horse. 'Get on my back, and I will +gallop till my whole body is wet with perspiration, then rub it all +over your skin, and no matter how hot the oil may be you will never +feel it.' + +Jose did not ask any more questions, but did as the horse bade him; and +men wondered at his cheerful face as they lowered him into the caldron +of boiling oil. He was left there till Bella-Flor cried that he must +be cooked enough. Then out came a youth so young and handsome, that +everyone fell in love with him, and Bella-Flor most of all. + +As for the old king, he saw that he had lost the game; and in despair +he flung himself into the caldron, and was fried instead of Jose. Then +Jose was proclaimed king, on condition that he married Bella-Flor which +he promised to do the next day. But first he went to the stables and +sought out the horse, and said to him: 'It is to you that I owe my life +and my crown. Why have you done all this for me?' + +And the horse answered: 'I am the soul of that unhappy man for whom you +spent all your fortune. And when I saw you in danger of death I begged +that I might help you, as you had helped me. For, as I told you, Good +deeds bear their own fruit!' + +[From Cuentos, Oraciones, y Adivinas, por Fernan Caballero.] + + + + The Bird of Truth + + + +Once upon a time there lived a poor fisher who built a hut on the banks +of a stream which, shunning the glare of the sun and the noise of the +towns, flowed quietly past trees and under bushes, listening to the +songs of the birds overhead. + +One day, when the fisherman had gone out as usual to cast his nets, he +saw borne towards him on the current a cradle of crystal. Slipping his +net quickly beneath it he drew it out and lifted the silk coverlet. +Inside, lying on a soft bed of cotton, were two babies, a boy and a +girl, who opened their eyes and smiled at him. The man was filled with +pity at the sight, and throwing down his lines he took the cradle and +the babies home to his wife. + +The good woman flung up her hands in despair when she beheld the +contents of the cradle. + +'Are not eight children enough,' she cried, 'without bringing us two +more? How do you think we can feed them?' + +'You would not have had me leave them to die of hunger,' answered he, +'or be swallowed up by the waves of the sea? What is enough for eight +is also enough for ten.' + +The wife said no more; and in truth her heart yearned over the little +creatures. Somehow or other food was never lacking in the hut, and the +children grew up and were so good and gentle that, in time, their +foster-parents loved them as well or better than their own, who were +quarrelsome and envious. It did not take the orphans long to notice +that the boys did not like them, and were always playing tricks on +them, so they used to go away by themselves and spend whole hours by +the banks of the river. Here they would take out the bits of bread +they had saved from their breakfasts and crumble them for the birds. +In return, the birds taught them many things: how to get up early in +the morning, how to sing, and how to talk their language, which very +few people know. + +But though the little orphans did their best to avoid quarrelling with +their foster- brothers, it was very difficult always to keep the peace. + Matters got worse and worse till, one morning, the eldest boy said to +the twins: + +'It is all very well for you to pretend that you have such good +manners, and are so much better than we, but we have at least a father +and mother, while you have only got the river, like the toads and the +frogs.' + +The poor children did not answer the insult; but it made them very +unhappy. And they told each other in whispers that they could not stay +there any longer, but must go into the world and seek their fortunes. + +So next day they arose as early as the birds and stole downstairs +without anybody hearing them. One window was open, and they crept +softly out and ran to the side of the river. Then, feeling as if they +had found a friend, they walked along its banks, hoping that by- and-by +they should meet some one to take care of them. + +The whole of that day they went steadily on without seeing a living +creature, till, in the evening, weary and footsore, they saw before +them a small hut. This raised their spirits for a moment; but the door +was shut, and the hut seemed empty, and so great was their +disappointment that they almost cried. However, the boy fought down +his tears, and said cheerfully: + +'Well, at any rate here is a bench where we can sit down, and when we +are rested we will think what is best to do next.' + +Then they sat down, and for some time they were too tired even to +notice anything; but by-and-by they saw that under the tiles of the +roof a number of swallows were sitting, chattering merrily to each +other. Of course the swallows had no idea that the children understood +their language, or they would not have talked so freely; but, as it +was, they said whatever came into their heads. + +'Good evening, my fine city madam,' remarked a swallow, whose manners +were rather rough and countryfied to another who looked particularly +distinguished. 'Happy, indeed, are the eyes that behold you! Only +think of your having returned to your long-forgotten country friends, +after you have lived for years in a palace!' + +'I have inherited this nest from my parents,' replied the other, 'and +as they left it to me I certainly shall make it my home. But,' she +added politely, 'I hope that you and all your family are well?' + +'Very well indeed, I am glad to say. But my poor daughter had, a short +time ago, such bad inflammation in her eyes that she would have gone +blind had I not been able to find the magic herb, which cured her at +once.' + +'And how is the nightingale singing? Does the lark soar as high as +ever? And does the linnet dress herself as smartly?' But here the +country swallow drew herself up. + +'I never talk gossip,' she said severely. 'Our people, who were once +so innocent and well-behaved, have been corrupted by the bad examples +of men. It is a thousand pities.' + +'What! innocence and good behaviour are not to be met with among birds, +nor in the country! My dear friend, what are you saying?' + +'The truth and nothing more. Imagine, when we returned here, we met +some linnets who, just as the spring and the flowers and the long days +had come, were setting out for the north and the cold? Out of pure +compassion we tried to persuade them to give up this folly; but they +only replied with the utmost insolence.' + +'How shocking!' exclaimed the city swallow. + +'Yes, it was. And worse than that, the crested lark, that was formerly +so timid and shy, is now no better than a thief, and steals maize and +corn whenever she can find them.' + +'I am astonished at what you say.' + +'You will be more astonished when I tell you that on my arrival here +for the summer I found my nest occupied by a shameless sparrow! "This +is my nest," I said. "Yours?" he answered, with a rude laugh. "Yes, +mine; my ancestors were born here, and my sons will be born here also." +And at that my husband set upon him and threw him out of the nest. I +am sure nothing of this sort ever happens in a town.' + +'Not exactly, perhaps. But I have seen a great deal--if you only knew!' + +'Oh! do tell us! do tell us!' cried they all. And when they had +settled themselves comfortably, the city swallow began: + +'You must know, then that our king fell in love with the youngest +daughter of a tailor, who was as good and gentle as she was beautiful. +His nobles hoped that he would have chosen a queen from one of their +daughters, and tried to prevent the marriage; but the king would not +listen to them, and it took place. Not many months later a war broke +out, and the king rode away at the head of his army, while the queen +remained behind, very unhappy at the separation. When peace was made, +and the king returned, he was told that his wife had had two babies in +his absence, but that both were dead; that she herself had gone out of +her mind and was obliged to be shut up in a tower in the mountains, +where, in time, the fresh air might cure her.' + +'And was this not true?' asked the swallows eagerly. + +'Of course not,' answered the city lady, with some contempt for their +stupidity. 'The children were alive at that very moment in the +gardener's cottage; but at night the chamberlain came down and put them +in a cradle of crystal, which he carried to the river. + +'For a whole day they floated safely, for though the stream was deep it +was very still, and the children took no harm. In the morning--so I am +told by my friend the kingfisher--they were rescued by a fisherman who +lived near the river bank.' + + The children had been lying on the bench, listening lazily to the +chatter up to this point; but when they heard the story of the crystal +cradle which their foster-mother had always been fond of telling them, +they sat upright and looked at each other. + +'Oh, how glad I am I learnt the birds' language!' said the eyes of one +to the eyes of the other. + +Meanwhile the swallows had spoken again. + +'That was indeed good fortune!' cried they. + +'And when the children are grown up they can return to their father and +set their mother free.' + +'It will not be so easy as you think,' answered the city swallow, +shaking her head; 'for they will have to prove that they are the king's +children, and also that their mother never went mad at all. In fact, +it is so difficult that there is only one way of proving it to the +king.' + +'And what is that?' cried all the swallows at once. 'And how do you +know it?' + +'I know it,' answered the city swallow, 'because, one day, when I was +passing through the palace garden, I met a cuckoo, who, as I need not +tell you, always pretends to be able to see into the future. We began +to talk about certain things which were happening in the palace, and of +the events of past years. "Ah," said he, "the only person who can +expose the wickedness of the ministers and show the king how wrong he +has been, is the Bird of Truth, who can speak the language of men." + +'"And where can this bird be found?" I asked. + +'"It is shut up in a castle guarded by a fierce giant, who only sleeps +one quarter of an hour out of the whole twenty-four," replied the +cuckoo. + +'And where is this castle?' inquired the country swallow, who, like all +the rest, and the children most of all, had been listening with deep +attention. + +'That is just what I don't know,' answered her friend. 'All I can tell +you is that not far from here is a tower, where dwells an old witch, +and it is she who knows the way, and she will only teach it to the +person who promises to bring her the water from the fountain of many +colours, which she uses for her enchantments. But never will she +betray the place where the Bird of Truth is hidden, for she hates him, +and would kill him if she could; knowing well, however, that this bird +cannot die, as he is immortal, she keeps him closely shut up, and +guarded night and day by the Birds of Bad Faith, who seek to gag him so +that his voice should not be heard.' + +'And is there no one else who can tell the poor boy where to find the +bird, if he should ever manage to reach the tower?' asked the country +swallow. + +'No one,' replied the city swallow, 'except an owl, who lives a +hermit's life in that desert, and he knows only one word of man's +speech, and that is "cross." So that even if the prince did succeed in +getting there, he could never understand what the owl said. But, look, +the sun is sinking to his nest in the depths of the sea, and I must go +to mine. Good-night, friends, good-night!' + +Then the swallow flew away, and the children, who had forgotten both +hunger and weariness in the joy of this strange news, rose up and +followed in the direction of her flight. After two hours' walking, +they arrived at a large city, which they felt sure must be the capital +of their father's kingdom. Seeing a good-natured looking woman +standing at the door of a house, they asked her if she would give them +a night's lodging, and she was so pleased with their pretty faces and +nice manners that she welcomed them warmly. + +It was scarcely light the next morning before the girl was sweeping out +the rooms, and the boy watering the garden, so that by the time the +good woman came downstairs there was nothing left for her to do. This +so delighted her that she begged the children to stay with her +altogether, and the boy answered that he would leave his sisters with +her gladly, but that he himself had serious business on hand and must +not linger in pursuit of it. So he bade them farewell and set out. + + For three days he wandered by the most out- of-the-way paths, but no +signs of a tower were to be seen anywhere. On the fourth morning it +was just the same, and, filled with despair, he flung himself on the +ground under a tree and hid his face in his hands. In a little while +he heard a rustling over his head, and looking up, he saw a turtle dove +watching him with her bright eyes. + +'Oh dove!' cried the boy, addressing the bird in her own language, 'Oh +dove! tell me, I pray you, where is the castle of Come-and- never-go?' + +'Poor child,' answered the dove, 'who has sent you on such a useless +quest?' + +'My good or evil fortune,' replied the boy, 'I know not which.' + +'To get there,' said the dove, 'you must follow the wind, which to-day +is blowing towards the castle.' + +The boy thanked her, and followed the wind, fearing all the time that +it might change its direction and lead him astray. But the wind seemed +to feel pity for him and blew steadily on. + +With each step the country became more and more dreary, but at +nightfall the child could see behind the dark and bare rocks something +darker still. This was the tower in which dwelt the witch; and seizing +the knocker he gave three loud knocks, which were echoed in the hollows +of the rocks around. + +The door opened slowly, and there appeared on the threshold an old +woman holding up a candle to her face, which was so hideous that the +boy involuntarily stepped backwards, almost as frightened by the troop +of lizards, beetles and such creatures that surrounded her, as by the +woman herself. + +'Who are you who dare to knock at my door and wake me?' cried she. 'Be +quick and tell me what you want, or it will be the worse for you.' + +'Madam,' answered the child, 'I believe that you alone know the way to +the castle of Come- and-never-go, and I pray you to show it to me.' + +'Very good,' replied the witch, with something that she meant for a +smile, 'but to-day it is late. To-morrow you shall go. Now enter, and +you shall sleep with my lizards.' + +'I cannot stay,' said he. 'I must go back at once, so as to reach the +road from which I started before day dawns.' + +'If I tell you, will you promise me that you will bring me this jar +full of the many- coloured water from the spring in the court- yard of +the castle?' asked she. 'If you fail to keep your word I will change +you into a lizard for ever.' + +'I promise,' answered the boy. + +Then the old woman called to a very thin dog, and said to him: + +'Conduct this pig of a child to the castle of Come-and-never-go, and +take care that you warn my friend of his arrival.' And the dog arose +and shook itself, and set out. + +At the end of two hours they stopped in front of a large castle, big +and black and gloomy, whose doors stood wide open, although neither +sound nor light gave sign of any presence within. The dog, however, +seemed to know what to expect, and, after a wild howl, went on; but the +boy, who was uncertain whether this was the quarter of an hour when the +giant was asleep, hesitated to follow him, and paused for a moment +under a wild olive that grew near by, the only tree which he had beheld +since he had parted from the dove. 'Oh, heaven, help me!' cried he. + +'Cross! cross!' answered a voice. + +The boy leapt for joy as he recognised the note of the owl of which the +swallow had spoken, and he said softly in the bird's language: + +'Oh, wise owl, I pray you to protect and guide me, for I have come in +search of the Bird of Truth. And first I must fill this far with the +many-coloured water in the courtyard of the castle.' + +'Do not do that,' answered the owl, 'but fill the jar from the spring +which bubbles close by the fountain with the many-coloured water. +Afterwards, go into the aviary opposite the great door, but be careful +not to touch any of the bright-plumaged birds contained in it, which +will cry to you, each one, that he is the Bird of Truth. Choose only a +small white bird that is hidden in a corner, which the others try +incessantly to kill, not knowing that it cannot die. And, be +quick!--for at this very moment the giant has fallen asleep, and you +have only a quarter of an hour to do everything.' + +The boy ran as fast as he could and entered the courtyard, where he saw +the two spring close together. He passed by the many- coloured water +without casting a glance at it, and filled the jar from the fountain +whose water was clear and pure. He next hastened to the aviary, and +was almost deafened by the clamour that rose as he shut the door behind +him. Voices of peacocks, voices of ravens, voices of magpies, each +claiming to be the Bird of Truth. With steadfast face the boy walked +by them all, to the corner, where, hemmed in by a hand of fierce crows, +was the small white bird he sought. Putting her safely in his breast, +he passed out, followed by the screams of the birds of Bad Faith which +he left behind him. + +Once outside, he ran without stopping to the witch's tower, and handed +to the old woman the jar she had given him. + +'Become a parrot!' cried she, flinging the water over him. But instead +of losing his shape, as so many had done before, he only grew ten times +handsomer; for the water was enchanted for good and not ill. Then the +creeping multitude around the witch hastened to roll themselves in the +water, and stood up, human beings again. + +When the witch saw what was happening, she took a broomstick and flew +away. + +Who can guess the delight of the sister at the sight of her brother, +bearing the Bird of Truth? But although the boy had accomplished much, +something very difficult yet remained, and that was how to carry the +Bird of Truth to the king without her being seized by the wicked +courtiers, who would be ruined by the discovery of their plot. + +Soon--no one knew how--the news spread abroad that the Bird of Truth +was hovering round the palace, and the courtiers made all sorts of +preparations to hinder her reaching the king. + +They got ready weapons that were sharpened, and weapons that were +poisoned; they sent for eagles and falcons to hunt her down, and +constructed cages and boxes in which to shut her up if they were not +able to kill her. They declared that her white plumage was really put +on to hide her black feathers--in fact there was nothing they did not +do in order to prevent the king from seeing the bird or from paying +attention to her words if he did. + +As often happens in these cases, the courtiers brought about that which +they feared. They talked so much about the Bird of Truth that at last +the king heard of it, and expressed a wish to see her. The more +difficulties that were put in his way the stronger grew his desire, and +in the end the king published a proclamation that whoever found the +Bird of Truth should bring her to him without delay. + +As soon as he saw this proclamation the boy called his sister, and they +hastened to the palace. The bird was buttoned inside his tunic, but, +as might have been expected, the courtiers barred the way, and told the +child that he could not enter. It was in vain that the boy declared +that he was only obeying the king's commands; the courtiers only +replied that his majesty was not yet out of bed, and it was forbidden +to wake him. + +They were still talking, when, suddenly, the bird settled the question +by flying upwards through an open window into the king's own room. +Alighting on the pillow, close to the king's head, she bowed +respectfully, and said: + +'My lord, I am the Bird of Truth whom you wished to see, and I have +been obliged to approach you in the manner because the boy who brought +me is kept out of the palace by your courtiers.' + +'They shall pay for their insolence,' said the king. And he instantly +ordered one of his attendants to conduct the boy at once to his +apartments; and in a moment more the prince entered, holding his sister +by the hand. + +'Who are you?' asked the king; 'and what has the Bird of Truth to do +with you?' + +'If it please your majesty, the Bird of Truth will explain that +herself,' answered the boy. + +And the bird did explain; and the king heard for the first time of the +wicked plot that had been successful for so many years. He took his +children in his arms, with tears in his eyes, and hurried off with them +to the tower in the mountains where the queen was shut up. The poor +woman was as white as marble, for she had been living almost in +darkness; but when she saw her husband and children, the colour came +back to her face, and she was as beautiful as ever. + +They all returned in state to the city, where great rejoicings were +held. The wicked courtiers had their heads cut off, and all their +property was taken away. As for the good old couple, they were given +riches and honour, and were loved and cherished to the end of their +lives. + +[From Cuentos, Oraciones y Adivinas, por Fernan Caballero.] + + + + The Mink and the Wolf + + + +In a big forest in the north of America lived a quantity of wild +animals of all sorts. They were always very polite when they met; but, +in spite of that, they kept a close watch one upon the other, as each +was afraid of being killed and eaten by somebody else. But their +manners were so good that no one would ever had guessed that. + +One day a smart young wolf went out to hunt, promising his grandfather +and grandmother that he would be sure to be back before bedtime. He +trotted along quite happily through the forest till he came to a +favourite place of his, just where the river runs into the sea. There, +just as he had hoped, he saw the chief mink fishing in a canoe. + +'I want to fish too,' cried the wolf. But the mink said nothing and +pretended not to hear. + +'I wish you would take me into your boat!' shouted the wolf, louder +than before, and he continued to beseech the mink so long that at last +he grew tired of it, and paddled to the shore close enough for the wolf +to jump in. + +'Sit down quietly at that end or we shall be upset,' said the mink; +'and if you care about sea-urchins' eggs, you will find plenty in that +basket. But be sure you eat only the white ones, for the red ones +would kill you.' + +So the wolf, who was always hungry, began to eat the eggs greedily; and +when he had finished he told the mink he thought he would have a nap. + +'Well, then, stretch yourself out, and rest your head on that piece of +wood,' said the mink. And the wolf did as he was bid, and was soon +fast asleep. Then the mink crept up to him and stabbed him to the +heart with his knife, and he died without moving. After that he landed +on the beach, skinned the wolf, and taking the skin to his cottage, he +hung it up before the fire to dry. + +Not many days later the wolf's grandmother, who, with the help of her +relations, had been searching for him everywhere, entered the cottage +to buy some sea-urchins' eggs, and saw the skin, which she at once +guessed to be that of her grandson. + +'I knew he was dead--I knew it! I knew it!' she cried, weeping +bitterly, till the mink told her rudely that if she wanted to make so +much noise she had better do it outside as he liked to be quiet. So, +half-blinded by her tears, the old woman went home the way she had +come, and running in at the door, she flung herself down in front of +the fire. + +'What are you crying for?' asked the old wolf and some friends who had +been spending the afternoon with him. + +'I shall never see my grandson any more!' answered she. 'Mink has +killed him, oh! oh!' And putting her head down, she began to weep as +loudly as ever. + +'There! there!' said her husband, laying his paw on her shoulder. 'Be +comforted; if he IS dead, we will avenge him.' And calling to the +others they proceeded to talk over the best plan. It took them a long +time to make up their minds, as one wolf proposed one thing and one +another; but at last it was agreed that the old wolf should give a +great feast in his house, and that the mink should be invited to the +party. And in order that no time should be lost it was further agreed +that each wolf should bear the invitations to the guests that lived +nearest to him. + +Now the wolves thought they were very cunning, but the mink was more +cunning still; and though he sent a message by a white hare, that was +going that way, saying he should be delighted to be present, he +determined that he would take his precautions. So he went to a mouse +who had often done him a good turn, and greeted her with his best bow. + +'I have a favour to ask of you, friend mouse,' said he, 'and if you +will grant it I will carry you on my back every night for a week to the +patch of maize right up the hill.' + +'The favour is mine,' answered the mouse. 'Tell me what it is that I +can have the honour of doing for you.' + +'Oh, something quite easy,' replied the mink. 'I only want +you--between to-day and the next full moon--to gnaw through the bows +and paddles of the wolf people, so that directly they use them they +will break. But of course you must manage it so that they notice +nothing.' + +'Of course,' answered the mouse, 'nothing is easier; but as the full +moon is to-morrow night, and there is not much time, I had better begin +at once.' Then the mink thanked her, and went his way; but before he +had gone far he came back again. + +'Perhaps, while you are about the wolf's house seeing after the bows, +it would do no harm if you were to make that knot-hole in the wall a +little bigger,' said he. 'Not large enough to draw attention, of +course; but it might come in handy.' And with another nod he left her. + +The next evening the mink washed and brushed himself carefully and set +out for the feast. He smiled to himself as he looked at the dusty +track, and perceived that though the marks of wolves' feet were many, +not a single guest was to be seen anywhere. He knew very well what +that meant; but he had taken his precautions and was not afraid. + +The house door stood open, but through a crack the mink could see the +wolves crowding in the corner behind it. However, he entered boldly, +and as soon as he was fairly inside the door was shut with a bang, and +the whole herd sprang at him, with their red tongues hanging out of +their mouths. Quick as they were they were too late, for the mink was +already through the knot-hole and racing for his canoe. + +The knot-hole was too small for the wolves, and there were so many of +them in the hut that it was some time before they could get the door +open. Then they seized the bows and arrows which were hanging on the +walls and, once outside, aimed at the flying mink; but as they pulled +the bows broke in their paws, so they threw them away, and bounded to +the shore, with all their speed, to the place where their canoes were +drawn up on the beach. + +Now, although the mink could not run as fast as the wolves, he had a +good start, and was already afloat when the swiftest among them threw +themselves into the nearest canoe. They pushed off, but as they dipped +the paddles into the water, they snapped as the bows had done, and were +quite useless. + +'I know where there are some new ones,' cried a young fellow, leaping +on shore and rushing to a little cave at the back of the beach. And +the mink's heart smote him when he heard, for he had not known of this +secret store. + +After a long chase the wolves managed to surround their prey, and the +mink, seeing it was no good resisting any more, gave himself up. Some +of the elder wolves brought out some cedar bands, which they always +carried wound round their bodies, but the mink laughed scornfully at +the sight of them. + +'Why I could snap those in a moment,' said he; 'if you want to make +sure that I cannot escape, better take a line of kelp and bind me with +that.' + +'You are right,' answered the grandfather; 'your wisdom is greater than +ours.' And he bade his servants gather enough kelp from the rocks to +make a line, as they had brought none with them. + +'While the line is being made you might as well let me have one last +dance,' remarked the mink. And the wolves replied: 'Very good, you may +have your dance; perhaps it may amuse us as well as you.' So they +brought two canoes and placed them one beside the other. The mink +stood up on his hind legs and began to dance, first in one canoe and +then in the other; and so graceful was he, that the wolves forgot they +were going to put him to death, and howled with pleasure. + +'Pull the canoes a little apart; they are too close for this new +dance,' he said, pausing for a moment. And the wolves separated them +while he gave a series of little springs, sometime pirouetting while he +stood with one foot on the prow of both. 'Now nearer, now further +apart,' he would cry as the dance went on. 'No! further still.' And +springing into the air, amidst howls of applause, he came down +head-foremost, and dived to the bottom. And through the wolves, whose +howls had now changed into those of rage, sought him everywhere, they +never found him, for he hid behind a rock till they were out of sight, +and then made his home in another forest. + +[From the Journal of the Anthropological Institute.] + + + + Adventures of an Indian Brave + + + +A long, long way off, right away in the west of America, there once +lived an old man who had one son. The country round was covered with +forests, in which dwelt all kinds of wild beasts, and the young man and +his companions used to spend whole days in hunting them, and he was the +finest hunter of all the tribe. + +One morning, when winter was coming on, the youth and his companions +set off as usual to bring back some of the mountain goats and deer to +be salted down, as he was afraid of a snow-storm; and if the wind blew +and the snow drifted the forest might be impassable for some weeks. +The old man and the wife, however, would not go out, but remained in +the wigwam making bows and arrows. + +It soon grew so cold in the forest that at last one of the men declared +they could walk no more, unless they could manage to warm themselves. + +'That is easily done,' said the leader, giving a kick to a large tree. +Flames broke out in the trunk, and before it had burnt up they were as +hot as if it had been summer. Then they started off to the place where +the goats and deer were to be found in the greatest numbers, and soon +had killed as many as they wanted. But the leader killed most, as he +was the best shot. + +'Now we must cut up the game and divide it,' said he; and so they did, +each one taking his own share; and, walking one behind the other, set +out for the village. But when they reached a great river the young man +did not want the trouble of carrying his pack any further, and left it +on the bank. + +'I am going home another way,' he told his companions. And taking +another road he reached the village long before they did. + +'Have you returned with empty hands?' asked the old man, as his son +opened the door. + +'Have I ever done that, that you put me such a question?' asked the +youth. 'No; I have slain enough to feast us for many moons, but it was +heavy, and I left the pack on the bank of the great river. Give me the +arrows, I will finish making them, and you can go to the river and +bring home the pack!' + +So the old man rose and went, and strapped the meat on his shoulder; +but as he was crossing the ford the strap broke and the pack fell into +the river. He stooped to catch it, but it swirled past him. He +clutched again; but in doing so he over- balanced himself and was +hurried into some rapids, where he was knocked against some rocks, and +he sank and was drowned, and his body was carried down the stream into +smoother water when it rose to the surface again. But by this time it +had lost all likeness to a man, and was changed into a piece of wood. + +The wood floated on, and the river got bigger and bigger and entered a +new country. There it was borne by the current close to the shore, and +a woman who was down there washing her clothes caught it as it passed, +and drew it out, saying to herself: 'What a nice smooth plank! I will +use it as a table to put my food upon.' And gathering up her clothes +she took the plank with her into her hut. + +When her supper time came she stretched the board across two strings +which hung from the roof, and set upon it the pot containing a stew +that smelt very good. The woman had been working hard all day and was +very hungry, so she took her biggest spoon and plunged it into the pot. + But what was her astonishment and disgust when both pot and food +vanished instantly before her! + +'Oh, you horrid plank, you have brought me ill-luck!' she cried. And +taking it up she flung it away from her. + + The woman had been surprised before at the disappearance of her food, +but she was more astonished still when, instead of the plank, she +beheld a baby. However, she was fond of children and had none of her +own, so she made up her mind that she would keep it and take care of +it. The baby grew and throve as no baby in that country had ever done, +and in four days he was a man, and as tall and strong as any brave of +the tribe. + +'You have treated me well,' he said, 'and meat shall never fail to your +house. But now I must go, for I have much work to do.' + +Then he set out for his home. + +It took him many days to get there, and when he saw his son sitting in +his place his anger was kindled, and his heart was stirred to take +vengeance upon him. So he went out quickly into the forest and shed +tears, and each tear became a bird. 'Stay there till I want you,' said +he; and he returned to the hut. + +'I saw some pretty new birds, high up in a tree yonder,' he remarked. +And the son answered: 'Show me the way and I will get them for dinner.' + +The two went out together, and after walking for about half an hour +they old man stopped. 'That is the tree,' he said. And the son began +to climb it. + +Now a strange thing happened. The higher the young man climbed the +higher the birds seemed to be, and when he looked down the earth below +appeared no bigger than a star. Sill he tried to go back, but he could +not, and though he could not see the birds any longer he felt as if +something were dragging him up and up. + +He thought that he had been climbing that tree for days, and perhaps he +had, for suddenly a beautiful country, yellow with fields of maize, +stretched before him, and he gladly left the top of the tree and +entered it. He walked through the maize without knowing where he was +going, when he heard a sound of knocking, and saw two old blind women +crushing their food between two stones. He crept up to them on tiptoe, +and when one old woman passed her dinner to the other he held out his +hand and took it and ate if for himself. + +'How slow you are kneading that cake,' cried the other old woman at +last. + +'Why, I have given you your dinner, and what more do you want?' replied +the second. + +'You didn't; at least I never got it,' said the other. + +'I certainly thought you took it from me; but here is some more.' And +again the young man stretched out his hand; and the two old women fell +to quarrelling afresh. But when it happened for the third time the old +women suspected some trick, and one of them exclaimed: + +'I am sure there is a man here; tell me, are you not my grandson?' + +'Yes,' answered the young man, who wished to please her, 'and in return +for your good dinner I will see if I cannot restore your sight; for I +was taught in the art of healing by the best medicine man in the +tribe.' And with that he left them, and wandered about till he found +the herb which he wanted. Then he hastened back to the old women, and +begging them to boil him some water, he threw the herb in. As soon as +the pot began to sing he took off the lid, and sprinkled the eyes of +the women, and sight came back to them once more. + +There was no night in that country, so, instead of going to bed very +early, as he would have done in his own hut, the young man took another +walk. A splashing noise near by drew him down to a valley through +which ran a large river, and up a waterfall some salmon were leaping. +How their silver sides glistened in the light, and how he longed to +catch some of the great fellows! But how could he do it? He had +beheld no one except the old women, and it was not very likely that +they would be able to help him. So with a sigh he turned away and went +back to them, but, as he walked, a thought struck him. He pulled out +one of his hairs which hung nearly to his waist, and it instantly +became a strong line, nearly a mile in length. + +'Weave me a net that I may catch some salmon,' said he. And they wove +him the net he asked for, and for many weeks he watched by the river, +only going back to the old women when he wanted a fish cooked. + +At last, one day, when he was eating his dinner, the old woman who +always spoke first, said to him: + +'We have been very glad to see you, grandson, but now it is time that +you went home.' And pushing aside a rock, he saw a deep hole, so deep +that he could not see to the bottom. Then they dragged a basket out of +the house, and tied a rope to it. 'Get in, and wrap this blanket round +your head,' said they; 'and, whatever happens, don't uncover it till +you get to the bottom.' Then they bade him farewell, and he curled +himself up in the basket. + +Down, down, down he went; would he ever stop going? But when the +basket did stop, the young man forgot what he had been told, and put +his head out to see what was the matter. In an instant the basket +moved, but, to his horror, instead of going down, he felt himself being +drawn upwards, and shortly after he beheld the faces of the old women. + +'You will never see your wife and son if you will not do as you are +bid,' said they. 'Now get in, and do not stir till you hear a crow +calling.' + +This time the young man was wiser, and though the basket often stopped, +and strange creatures seemed to rest on him and to pluck at his +blanket, he held it tight till he heard the crow calling. Then he +flung off the blanket and sprang out, while the basket vanished in the +sky. + +He walked on quickly down the track that led to the hut, when, before +him, he saw his wife with his little son on her back. + +'Oh! there is father at last,' cried the boy; but the mother bade him +cease from idle talking. + +'But, mother, it is true; father is coming!' repeated the child. And, +to satisfy him, the woman turned round and perceived her husband. + +Oh, how glad they all were to be together again! And when the wind +whistled through the forest, and the snow stood in great banks round +the door, the father used to take the little boy on his knee and tell +him how he caught salmon in the Land of the Sun. + +[From the Journal of the Anthropological Institute.] + + + + How the Stalos Were Tricked + + + +'Mother, I have seen such a wonderful man,' said a little boy one day, +as he entered a hut in Lapland, bearing in his arms the bundle of +sticks he had been sent out to gather. + +'Have you, my son; and what was he like?' asked the mother, as she took +off the child's sheepskin coat and shook it on the doorstep. + +'Well, I was tired of stooping for the sticks, and was leaning against +a tree to rest, when I heard a noise of 'sh-'sh, among the dead leaves. + I thought perhaps it was a wolf, so I stood very still. But soon +there came past a tall man--oh! twice as tall as father--with a long +red beard and a red tunic fastened with a silver girdle, from which +hung a silver-handled knife. Behind him followed a great dog, which +looked stronger than any wolf, or even a bear. But why are you so +pale, mother?' + +'It was the Stalo,' replied she, her voice trembling; 'Stalo the +man-eater! You did well to hide, or you might never had come back. +But, remember that, though he is so tall and strong, he is very stupid, +and many a Lapp has escaped from his clutches by playing him some +clever trick.' + +Not long after the mother and son had held this talk, it began to be +whispered in the forest that the children of an old man called Patto +had vanished one by one, no one knew whither. The unhappy father +searched the country for miles round without being able to find as much +as a shoe or a handkerchief, to show him where they had passed, but at +length a little boy came with news that he had seen the Stalo hiding +behind a well, near which the children used to play. The boy had +waited behind a clump of bushes to see what would happen, and by-and-by +he noticed that the Stalo had laid a cunning trap in the path to the +well, and that anybody who fell over it would roll into the water and +drown there. + +And, as he watched, Patto's youngest daughter ran gaily down the path, +till her foot caught in the strings that were stretched across the +steepest place. She slipped and fell, and in another instant had +rolled into the water within reach of the Stalo. + +As soon as Patto heard this tale his heart was filled with rage, and he +vowed to have his revenge. So he straightway took an old fur coat from +the hook where it hung, and putting it on went out into the forest. +When he reached the path that led to the well he looked hastily round +to be sure that no one was watching him, then laid himself down as if +he had been caught in the snare and had rolled into the well, though he +took care to keep his head out of the water. + +Very soon he heard a 'sh-'sh of the leaves, and there was the Stalo +pushing his way through the undergrowth to see what chance he had of a +dinner. At the first glimpse of Patto's head in the well he laughed +loudly, crying: + +'Ha! ha! This time it is the old ass! I wonder how he will taste?' And +drawing Patto out of the well, he flung him across his shoulders and +carried him home. Then he tied a cord round him and hung him over the +fire to roast, while he finished a box that he was making before the +door of the hut, which he meant to hold Patto's flesh when it was +cooked. In a very short time the box was so nearly done that it only +wanted a little more chipping out with an axe; but this part of the +work was easier accomplished indoors, and he called to one of his sons +who were lounging inside to bring him the tool. + +The young man looked everywhere, but he could not find the axe, for the +very good reason that Patto had managed to pick it up and hide it in +his clothes. + +'Stupid fellow! what is the use of you?' grumbled his father angrily; +and he bade first one and then another of his sons to fetch him the +tool, but they had no better success than their brother. + +'I must come myself, I suppose!' said Stalo, putting aside the box. +But, meanwhile, Patto had slipped from the hook and concealed himself +behind the door, so that, as Stalo stepped in, his prisoner raised the +axe, and with one blow the ogre's head was rolling on the ground. His +sons were so frightened at the sight that they all ran away. + +And in this manner Patto avenged his dead children. + +But though Stalo was dead, his three sons were still living, and not +very far off either. They had gone to their mother, who was tending +some reindeer on the pastures, and told her that by some magic, they +knew not what, their father's head had rolled from his body, and they +had been so afraid that something dreadful would happen to them that +they had come to take refuge with her. The ogress said nothing. Long +ago she had found out how stupid her sons were, so she just sent them +out to milk the reindeer, while she returned to the other house to bury +her husband's body. + +Now, three days' journey from the hut on the pastures two brothers +Sodno dwelt in a small cottage with their sister Lyma, who tended a +large herd of reindeer while they were out hunting. Of late it had +been whispered from one to another that the three young Stalos were to +be seen on the pastures, but the Sodno brothers did not disturb +themselves, the danger seemed too far away. + +Unluckily, however, one day, when Lyma was left by herself in the hut, +the three Stalos came down and carried her and the reindeer off to +their own cottage. The country was very lonely, and perhaps no one +would have known in which direction she had gone had not the girl +managed to tie a ball of thread to the handle of a door at the back of +the cottage and let it trail behind her. Of course the ball was not +long enough to go all the way, but it lay on the edge of a snowy track +which led straight to the Stalos' house. + +When the brothers returned from their hunting they found both the hut +and the sheds empty. Loudly they cried: 'Lyma! Lyma!' But no voice +answered them; and they fell to searching all about, lest perchance +their sister might have dropped some clue to guide them. At length +their eyes dropped on the thread which lay on the snow, and they set +out to follow it. + +On and on they went, and when at length the thread stopped the brothers +knew that another day's journey would bring them to the Stalos' +dwelling. Of course they did not dare to approach it openly, for the +Stalos had the strength of giants, and besides, there were three of +them; so the two Sodnos climbed into a big bushy tree which overhung a +well. + +'Perhaps our sister may be sent to draw water here,' they said to each +other. + +But it was not till the moon had risen that the sister came, and as she +let down her bucket into the well, the leaves seemed to whisper 'Lyma! +Lyma!' + +The girl started and looked up, but could see nothing, and in a moment +the voice came again. + +'Be careful--take no notice, fill your buckets, but listen carefully +all the while, and we will tell you what to do so that you may escape +yourself and set free the reindeer also.' + +So Lyman bent over the well lower than before, and seemed busier than +ever. + +'You know,' said her brother, 'that when a Stalo finds that anything +has been dropped into his food he will not eat a morsel, but throws it +to his dogs. Now, after the pot has been hanging some time over the +fire, and the broth is nearly cooked, just rake up the log of wood so +that some of the ashes fly into the pot. The Stalo will soon notice +this, and will call you to give all the food to the dogs; but, instead, +you must bring it straight to us, as it is three days since we have +eaten or drunk. That is all you need do for the present.' + +Then Lyma took up her buckets and carried them into the house, and did +as her brothers had told her. They were so hungry that they ate the +food up greedily without speaking, but when there was nothing left in +the pot, the eldest one said: + +'Listen carefully to what I have to tell you. After the eldest Stalo +has cooked and eaten a fresh supper, he will go to bed and sleep so +soundly that not even a witch could wake him. You can hear him snoring +a mile off, and then you must go into his room and pull off the iron +mantle that covers him, and put it on the fire till it is almost red +hot. When that is done, come to us and we will give you further +directions.' + +'I will obey you in everything, dear brothers,' answered Lyman; and so +she did. + +It had happened that on this very evening the Stalos had driven in some +of the reindeer from the pasture, and had tied them up to the wall of +the house so that they might be handy to kill for next day's dinner. +The two Sodnos had seen what they were doing, and where the beasts were +secured; so, at midnight, when all was still, they crept down from +their tree and seized the reindeer by the horns which were locked +together. The animals were frightened, and began to neigh and kick, as +if they were fighting together, and the noise became so great that even +the eldest Stalo was awakened by it, and that was a thing which had +never occurred before. Raising himself in his bed, he called to his +youngest brother to go out and separate the reindeer or they would +certainly kill themselves. + +The young Stalo did as he was bid, and left the house; but no sooner +was he out of the door than he was stabbed to the heart by one of the +Sodnos, and fell without a groan. Then they went back to worry the +reindeer, and the noise became as great as ever, and a second time the +Stalo awoke. + +'The boy does not seem to be able to part the beasts,' he cried to his +second brother; 'go and help him, or I shall never get to sleep.' So +the brother went, and in an instant was struck dead as he left the +house by the sword of the eldest Sodno. The Stalo waited in bed a +little longer for things to get quiet, but as the clatter of the +reindeer's horns was as bad as ever, he rose angrily from his bed +muttering to himself: + +'It is extraordinary that they cannot unlock themselves; but as no one +else seems able to help them I suppose I must go and do it.' + +Rubbing his eyes, he stood up on the floor and stretched his great arms +and gave a yawn which shook the walls. The Sodnos heard it below, and +posted themselves, one at the big door and one at the little door at +the back, for they did not know what their enemy would come out at. + +The Stalo put out his hand to take his iron mantle from the bed, where +it always lay, but the mantle was no there. He wondered where it could +be, and who could have moved it, and after searching through all the +rooms, he found it hanging over the kitchen fire. But the first touch +burnt him so badly that he let it alone, and went with nothing, except +a stick in his hand, through the back door. + +The young Sodno was standing ready for him, and as the Stalo passed the +threshold struck him such a blow on the head that he rolled over with a +crash and never stirred again. The two Sodnos did not trouble about +him, but quickly stripped the younger Stalos of their clothes, in which +they dressed themselves. Then they sat still till the dawn should +break and they could find out from the Stalos' mother where the +treasure was hidden. + +With the first rays of the sun the young Sodno went upstairs and +entered the old woman's room. She was already up and dressed, and +sitting by the window knitting, and the young man crept in softly and +crouched down on the floor, laying his head on her lap. For a while he +kept silence, then he whispered gently: + +'Tell me, dear mother, where did my eldest brother conceal his riches?' + +'What a strange question! Surely you must know,' answered she. + +'No, I have forgotten; my memory is so bad.' + +'He dug a hole under the doorstep and placed it there,' said she. And +there was another pause. + +By-and-by the Sodno asked again: + +'And where may my second brother's money be?' + +'Don't you know that either?' cried the mother in surprise. + +'Oh, yes; I did once. But since I fell upon my head I can remember +nothing.' + +'It is behind the oven,' answered she. And again was silence. + +'Mother, dear mother,' said the young man at last, 'I am almost afraid +to ask you; but I really have grown so stupid of late. Where did I +hide my own money?' + +But at this question the old woman flew into a passion, and vowed that +if she could find a rod she would bring his memory back to him. +Luckily, no rod was within her reach, and the Sodno managed, after a +little, to coax her back into good humour, and at length she told him +that the youngest Stalo had buried his treasure under the very place +where she was sitting. + +'Dear mother,' said Lyman, who had come in unseen, and was kneeling in +front of the fire. 'Dear mother, do you know who it is you have been +talking with?' + +The old woman started, but answered quietly: + +'It is a Sodno, I suppose?' + +'You have guessed right,' replied Lyma. + +The mother of the Stalos looked round for her iron cane, which she +always used to kill her victims, but it was not there, for Lyma had put +it in the fire. + +'Where is my iron cane?' asked the old woman. + +'There!' answered Lyma, pointing to the flames. + +The old woman sprang forwards and seized it, but her clothes caught +fire, and in a few minutes she was burned to ashes. + +So the Sodno brothers found the treasure, and they carried it, and +their sister and the reindeer, to their own home, and were the richest +men in all Lapland. + +[From Lapplandische Marchen, J. C. Poestion.] + + + + Andras Baive + + + +Once upon a time there lived in Lapland a man who was so very strong +and swift of foot that nobody in his native town of Vadso could come +near him if they were running races in the summer evenings. The people +of Vadso were very proud of their champion, and thought that there was +no one like him in the world, till, by-and-by, it came to their ears +that there dwelt among the mountains a Lapp, Andras Baive by name, who +was said by his friends to be even stronger and swifter than the +bailiff. Of course not a creature in Vadso believed that, and declared +that if it made the mountaineers happier to talk such nonsense, why, +let them! + +The winter was long and cold, and the thoughts of the villagers were +much busier with wolves than with Andras Baive, when suddenly, on a +frosty day, he made his appearance in the little town of Vadso. The +bailiff was delighted at this chance of trying his strength, and at +once went out to seek Andras and to coax him into giving proof of his +vigour. As he walked along his eyes fell upon a big eight-oared boat +that lay upon the shore, and his face shone with pleasure. 'That is +the very thing,' laughed he, 'I will make him jump over that boat.' +Andras was quite ready to accept the challenge, and they soon settled +the terms of the wager. He who could jump over the boat without so +much as touching it with his heel was to be the winner, and would get a +large sum of money as the prize. So, followed by many of the +villagers, the two men walked down to the sea. + +An old fisherman was chosen to stand near the boat to watch fair play, +and to hold the stakes, and Andras, as the stranger was told to jump +first. Going back to the flag which had been stuck into the sand to +mark the starting place, he ran forward, with his head well thrown +back, and cleared the boat with a mighty bound. The lookers- on +cheered him, and indeed he well deserve it; but they waited anxiously +all the same to see what the bailiff would do. On he came, taller than +Andras by several inches, but heavier of build. He too sprang high and +well, but as he came down his heel just grazed the edge of the boat. +Dead silence reigned amidst the townsfolk, but Andras only laughed and +said carelessly: + +'Just a little too short, bailiff; next time you must do better than +that.' + +The bailiff turned red with anger at his rival's scornful words, and +answered quickly: 'Next time you will have something harder to do.' +And turning his back on his friends, he went sulkily home. Andras, +putting the money he had earned in his pocket, went home also. + +The following spring Andras happened to be driving his reindeer along a +great fiord to the west of Vadso. A boy who had met him hastened to +tell the bailiff that his enemy was only a few miles off; and the +bailiff, disguising himself as a Stalo, or ogre, called his son and his +dog and rowed away across the fiord to the place where the boy had met +Andras. + +Now the mountaineer was lazily walking along the sands, thinking of the +new hut that he was building with the money that he had won on the day +of his lucky jump. He wandered on, his eyes fixed on the sands, so +that he did not see the bailiff drive his boat behind a rock, while he +changed himself into a heap of wreckage which floated in on the waves. +A stumble over a stone recalled Andras to himself, and looking up he +beheld the mass of wreckage. 'Dear me! I may find some use for that,' +he said; and hastened down to the sea, waiting till he could lay hold +of some stray rope which might float towards him. Suddenly--he could +not have told why--a nameless fear seized upon him, and he fled away +from the shore as if for his life. As he ran he heard the sound of a +pipe, such as only ogres of the Stalo kind were wont to use; and there +flashed into his mind what the bailiff had said when they jumped the +boat: 'Next time you will have something harder to do.' So it was no +wreckage after all that he had seen, but the bailiff himself. + +It happened that in the long summer nights up in the mountain, where +the sun never set, and it was very difficult to get to sleep, Andras +had spent many hours in the study of magic, and this stood him in good +stead now. The instant he heard the Stalo music he wished himself to +become the feet of a reindeer, and in this guise he galloped like the +wind for several miles. Then he stopped to take breath and find out +what his enemy was doing. Nothing he could see, but to his ears the +notes of a pipe floated over the plain, and ever, as he listened, it +drew nearer. + +A cold shiver shook Andras, and this time he wished himself the feet of +a reindeer calf. For when a reindeer calf has reached the age at which +he begins first to lose his hair he is so swift that neither beast nor +bird can come near him. A reindeer calf is the swiftest of all things +living. Yes; but not so swift as a Stalo, as Andras found out when he +stopped to rest, and heard the pipe playing! + +For a moment his heart sank, and he gave himself up for dead, till he +remembered that, not far off, were two little lakes joined together by +a short though very broad river. In the middle of the river lay a +stone that was always covered by water, except in dry seasons, and as +the winter rains had been very heavy, he felt quite sure that not even +the top of it could be seen. The next minute, if anyone had been +looking that way, he would have beheld a small reindeer calf speeding +northwards, and by-and-by giving a great spring, which landed him in +the midst of the stream. But, instead of sinking to the bottom, he +paused a second to steady himself, then gave a second spring which +landed him on the further shore. He next ran on to a little hill where +he saw down and began to neigh loudly, so that the Stalo might know +exactly where he was. + +'Ah! There you are,' cried the Stalo, appearing on the opposite bank; +'for a moment I really thought I had lost you.' + +'No such luck,' answered Andras, shaking his head sorrowfully. By this +time he had taken his own shape again. + +'Well, but I don't see how I am to get to you1' said the Stalo, looking +up and down. + +'Jump over, as I did,' answered Andras; 'it is quite easy.' + +'But I could not jump this river; and I don't know how you did,' +replied the Stalo. + +'I should be ashamed to say such things,' exclaimed Andras. 'Do you +mean to tell me that a jump, which the weakest Lapp boy would make +nothing of, is beyond your strength?' + +The Stalo grew red and angry when he heard these words, just as Andras +meant him to do. He bounded into the air and fell straight into the +river. Not that that would have mattered, for he was a good swimmer; +but Andras drew out the bow and arrows which every Lapp carries, and +took aim at him. His aim was good, but the Stalo sprang so high into +the air that the arrow flew between his feet. A second shot, directed +at his forehead, fared no better, for this time the Stalo jumped so +high to the other side that the arrow passed between his finger and +thumb. Then Andras aimed his third arrow a little over the Stalo's +head, and when he sprang up, just an instant too soon, it hit him +between the ribs. + +Mortally wounded as he was, the Stalo was not yet dead, and managed to +swim to the shore. Stretching himself on the sand, he said slowly to +Andras: + +'Promise that you will give me an honourable burial, and when my body +is laid in the grave go in my boat across the fiord, and take whatever +you find in my house which belongs to me. My dog you must kill, but +spare my son, Andras.' + +Then he died; and Andras sailed in his boat away across the fiord and +found the dog and boy. The dog, a fierce, wicked-looking creature, he +slew with one blow from his fist, for it is well known that if a +Stalo's dog licks the blood that flows from his dead master's wounds +the Stalo comes to life again. That is why no REAL Stalo is ever seen +without his dog; but the bailiff, being only half a Stalo, had +forgotten him, when he went to the little lakes in search of Andras. +Next, Andras put all the gold and jewels which he found in the boat +into his pockets, and bidding the boy get in, pushed it off from the +shore, leaving the little craft to drift as it would, while he himself +ran home. With the treasure he possessed he was able to buy a great +herd of reindeer; and he soon married a rich wife, whose parents would +not have him as a son-in-law when he was poor, and the two lived happy +for ever after. + +[From Lapplandische Mahrchen, J. C. Poestion.] + + + + The White Slipper + + + +Once upon a time there lived a king who had a daughter just fifteen +years old. And what a daughter! + +Even the mothers who had daughters of their own could not help allowing +that the princess was much more beautiful and graceful than any of +them; and, as for the fathers, if one of them ever beheld her by +accident he could talk of nothing else for a whole day afterwards. + +Of course the king, whose name was Balancin, was the complete slave of +his little girl from the moment he lifted her from the arms of her dead +mother; indeed, he did not seem to know that there was anyone else in +the world to love. + +Now Diamantina, for that was her name, did not reach her fifteenth +birthday without proposals for marriage from every country under +heaven; but be the suitor who he might, the king always said him nay. + +Behind the palace a large garden stretched away to the foot of some +hills, and more than one river flowed through. Hither the princess +would come each evening towards sunset, attended by her ladies, and +gather herself the flowers that were to adorn her rooms. She also +brought with her a pair of scissors to cut off the dead blooms, and a +basket to put them in, so that when the sun rose next morning he might +see nothing unsightly. When she had finished this task she would take +a walk through the town, so that the poor people might have a chance of +speaking with her, and telling her of their troubles; and then she +would seek out her father, and together they would consult over the +best means of giving help to those who needed it. + +But what has all this to do with the White Slipper? my readers will ask. + +Have patience, and you will see. + +Next to his daughter, Balancin loved hunting, and it was his custom to +spend several mornings every week chasing the boars which abounded in +the mountains a few miles from the city. One day, rushing downhill as +fast as he could go, he put his foot into a hole and fell, rolling into +a rocky pit of brambles. The king's wounds were not very severe, but +his face and hands were cut and torn, while his feet were in a worse +plight still, for, instead of proper hunting boots, he only wore +sandals, to enable him to run more swiftly. + +In a few days the king was as well as ever, and the signs of the +scratches were almost gone; but one foot still remained very sore, +where a thorn had pierced deeply and had festered. The best doctors in +the kingdom treated it with all their skill; they bathed, and +poulticed, and bandaged, but it was in vain. The foot only grew worse +and worse, and became daily more swollen and painful. + +After everyone had tried his own particular cure, and found it fail, +there came news of a wonderful doctor in some distant land who had +healed the most astonishing diseases. On inquiring, it was found that +he never left the walls of his own city, and expected his patients to +come to see him; but, by dint of offering a large sum of money, the +king persuaded the famous physician to undertake the journey to his own +court. + +On his arrival the doctor was led at once into the king's presence, and +made a careful examination of his foot. + +'Alas! your majesty,' he said, when he had finished, 'the wound is +beyond the power of man to heal; but though I cannot cure it, I can at +least deaden the pain, and enable you to walk without so much +suffering.' + +'Oh, if you can only do that,' cried the king, 'I shall be grateful to +you for life! Give your own orders; they shall be obeyed.' + +'Then let your majesty bid the royal shoemaker make you a shoe of +goat-skin very loose and comfortable, while I prepare a varnish to +paint over it of which I alone have the secret!' So saying, the doctor +bowed himself out, leaving the king more cheerful and hopeful than he +had been for long. + +The days passed very slowly with him during the making of the shoe and +the preparation of the varnish, but on the eighth morning the physician +appeared, bringing with him the shoe in a case. He drew it out to slip +on the king's foot, and over the goat-skin he had rubbed a polish so +white that the snow itself was not more dazzling. + +'While you wear this shoe you will not feel the slightest pain,' said +the doctor. 'For the balsam with which I have rubbed it inside and out +has, besides its healing balm, the quality of strengthening the +material it touches, so that, even were your majesty to live a thousand +years, you would find the slipper just as fresh at the end of that time +as it is now.' + +The king was so eager to put it on that he hardly gave the physician +time to finish. He snatched it from the case and thrust his foot into +it, nearly weeping for joy when he found he could walk and run as +easily as any beggar boy. + +'What can I give you?' he cried, holding out both hands to the man who +had worked this wonder. 'Stay with me, and I will heap on you riches +greater than ever you dreamed of.' But the doctor said he would accept +nothing more than had been agreed on, and must return at once to his +own country, where many sick people were awaiting him. So king +Balancin had to content himself with ordering the physician to be +treated with royal honours, and desiring that an escort should attend +him on his journey home. + +For two years everything went smoothly at court, and to king Balancin +and his daughter the sun no sooner rose than it seemed time for it to +set. Now, the king's birthday fell in the month of June, and as the +weather happened to be unusually fine, he told the princess to +celebrate it in any way that pleased her. Diamantina was very fond of +being on the river, and she was delighted at this chance of delighting +her tastes. She would have a merry-making such as never had been seen +before, and in the evening, when they were tired of sailing and rowing, +there should be music and dancing, plays and fireworks. At the very +end, before the people went home, every poor person should be given a +loaf of bread and every girl who was to be married within the year a +new dress. + +The great day appeared to Diamantina to be long in coming, but, like +other days, it came at last. Before the sun was fairly up in the +heavens the princess, too full of excitement to stay in the palace, was +walking about the streets so covered with precious stones that you had +to shade your eyes before you could look at her. By-and-by a trumpet +sounded, and she hurried home, only to appear again in a few moments +walking by the side of her father down to the river. Here a splendid +barge was waiting for them, and from it they watched all sorts of races +and feats of swimming and diving. When these were over the barge +proceeded up the river to the field where the dancing and concerts were +to take place, and after the prizes had been given away to the winners, +and the loaves and the dresses had been distributed by the princess, +they bade farewell to their guests, and turned to step into the barge +which was to carry them back to the palace. + +Then a dreadful thing happened. As the king stepped on board the boat +one of the sandals of the white slipper, which had got loose, caught in +a nail that was sticking out, and caused the king to stumble. The pain +was great, and unconsciously he turned and shook his foot, so that the +sandals gave way, and in a moment the precious shoe was in the river. + +It had all occurred so quickly that nobody had noticed the loss of the +slipper, not even the princess, whom the king's cries speedily brought +to his side. + +'What is the matter, dear father?' asked she. But the king could not +tell her; and only managed to gasp out: 'My shoe! my shoe!' While the +sailors stood round staring, thinking that his majesty had suddenly +gone mad. + +Seeing her father's eyes fixed on the stream, Diamantina looked hastily +in that direction. There, dancing on the current, was the point of +something white, which became more and more distant the longer they +watched it. The king could bear the sight no more, and, besides, now +that the healing ointment in the shoe had been removed the pain in his +foot was as bad as ever; he gave a sudden cry, staggered, and fell over +the bulwarks into the water. + +In an instant the river was covered with bobbing heads all swimming +their fastest towards the king, who had been carried far down by the +swift current. At length one swimmer, stronger than the rest, seized +hold of his tunic, and drew him to the bank, where a thousand eager +hands were ready to haul him out. He was carried, unconscious, to the +side of his daughter, who had fainted with terror on seeing her father +disappear below the surface, and together they were place in a coach +and driven to the palace, where the best doctors in the city were +awaiting their arrival. + +In a few hours the princess was as well as ever; but the pain, the +wetting, and the shock of the accident, all told severely on the king, +and for three days he lay in a high fever. Meanwhile, his daughter, +herself nearly mad with grief, gave orders that the white slipper +should be sought for far and wide; and so it was, but even the +cleverest divers could find no trace of it at the bottom of the river. + +When it became clear that the slipper must have been carried out to sea +by the current, Diamantina turned her thoughts elsewhere, and sent +messengers in search of the doctor who had brought relief to her +father, begging him to make another slipper as fast as possible, to +supply the place of the one which was lost. But the messengers +returned with the sad news that the doctor had died some weeks before, +and, what was worse, his secret had died with him. + +In his weakness this intelligence had such an effect on the king that +the physicians feared he would become as ill as before. He could +hardly be persuaded to touch food, and all night long he lay moaning, +partly with pain, and partly over his own folly in not having begged +the doctor to make him several dozens of white slippers, so that in +case of accidents he might always have one to put on. However, +by-and-by he saw that it was no use weeping and wailing, and commanded +that they should search for his lost treasure more diligently than ever. + +What a sight the river banks presented in those days! It seemed as if +all the people in the country were gathered on them. But this second +search was no more fortunate than the first, and at last the king +issued a proclamation that whoever found the missing slipper should be +made heir to the crown, and should marry the princess. + +Now many daughters would have rebelled at being disposed of in the +manner; and it must be admitted that Diamantina's heart sank when she +heard what the king had done. Still, she loved her father so much that +she desired his comfort more than anything else in the world, so she +said nothing, and only bowed her head. + +Of course the result of the proclamation was that the river banks +became more crowded than before; for all the princess's suitors from +distant lands flocked to the spot, each hoping that he might be the +lucky finder. Many times a shining stone at the bottom of the stream +was taken for the slipper itself, and every evening saw a band of +dripping downcast men returning homewards. But one youth always +lingered longer than the rest, and night would still see him engaged in +the search, though his clothes stuck to his skin and his teeth +chattered. + +One day, when the king was lying on his bed racked with pain, he heard +the noise of a scuffle going on in his antechamber, and rang a golden +bell that stood by his side to summon one of his servants. + +'Sire,' answered the attendant, when the king inquired what was the +matter, 'the noise you heard was caused by a young man from the town, +who has had the impudence to come here to ask if he may measure your +majesty's foot, so as to make you another slipper in place of the lost +one.' + +'And what have you done to the youth?' said the king. + +'The servants pushed him out of the palace, and, added a few blows to +teach him not to be insolent,' replied the man. + +'Then they did very ill,' answered the king, with a frown. 'He came +here from kindness, and there was no reason to maltreat him.' + +'Oh, my lord, he had the audacity to wish to touch your majesty's +sacred person--he, a good-for-nothing boy, a mere shoemaker's +apprentice, perhaps! And even if he could make shoes to perfection +they would be no use without the soothing balsam.' + +The king remained silent for a few moments, then he said: + +'Never mind. Go and fetch the youth and bring him to me. I would +gladly try any remedy that may relieve my pain.' + +So, soon afterwards, the youth, who had not gone far from the palace, +was caught and ushered into the king's presence. + +He was tall and handsome and, though he professed to make shoes, his +manners were good and modest, and he bowed low as he begged the king +not only to allow him to take the measure of his foot, but also to +suffer him to place a healing plaster over the wound. + +Balancin was pleased with the young man's voice and appearance, and +thought that he looked as if he knew what he was doing. So he +stretched out his bad foot which the youth examined with great +attention, and then gently laid on the plaster. + +Very shortly the ointment began to soothe the sharp pain, and the king, +whose confidence increased every moment, begged the young man to tell +him his name. + +'I have no parents; they died when I was six, sire,' replied the youth, +modestly. 'Everyone in the town calls me Gilguerillo[FN#1], because, +when I was little, I went singing through the world in spite of my +misfortunes. Luckily for me I was born to be happy.' + +'And you really think you can cure me?' asked the king. + +'Completely, my lord,' answered Gilguerillo. + +'And how long do you think it will take?' + +'It is not an easy task; but I will try to finish it in a fortnight,' +replied the youth. + +A fortnight seemed to the king a long time to make one slipper. But he +only said: + +'Do you need anything to help you?' + +'Only a good horse, if your majesty will be kind enough to give me +one,' answered Gilguerillo. And the reply was so unexpected that the +courtiers could hardly restrain their smiles, while the king stared +silently. + +'You shall have the horse,' he said at last, 'and I shall expect you +back in a fortnight. If you fulfil your promise you know your reward; +if not, I will have you flogged for your impudence.' + +Gilguerillo bowed, and turned to leave the palace, followed by the +jeers and scoffs of everyone he met. But he paid no heed, for he had +got what he wanted. + +He waited in front of the gates till a magnificent horse was led up to +him, and vaulting into the saddle with an ease which rather surprised +the attendant, rode quickly out of the town amidst the jests of the +assembled crowd, who had heard of his audacious proposal. And while he +is on his way let us pause for a moment and tell who he is. + +Both father and mother had died before the boy was six years old; and +he had lived for many years with his uncle, whose life had been passed +in the study of chemistry. He could leave no money to his nephew, as +he had a son of his own; but he taught him all he knew, and at his dead +Gilguerillo entered an office, where he worked for many hours daily. +In his spare time, instead of playing with the other boys, he passed +hours poring over books, and because he was timid and liked to be alone +he was held by everyone to be a little mad. Therefore, when it became +known that he had promised to cure the king's foot, and had ridden +away--no one knew where--a roar of laughter and mockery rang through +the town, and jeers and scoffing words were sent after him. + +But if they had only known what were Gilguerillo's thoughts they would +have thought him madder than ever. + +The real truth was that, on the morning when the princess had walked +through the streets before making holiday on the river Gilguerillo had +seen her from his window, and had straightway fallen in love with her. +Of course he felt quite hopeless. It was absurd to imagine that the +apothecary's nephew could ever marry the king's daughter; so he did his +best to forget her, and study harder than before, till the royal +proclamation suddenly filled him with hope. When he was free he no +longer spent the precious moments poring over books, but, like the +rest, he might have been seen wandering along the banks of the river, +or diving into the stream after something that lay glistening in the +clear water, but which turned out to be a white pebble or a bit of +glass. + +And at the end he understood that it was not by the river that he would +win the princess; and, turning to his books for comfort, he studied +harder than ever. + +There is an old proverb which says: 'Everything comes to him who knows +how to wait.' It is not all men who know hot to wait, any more than it +is all men who can learn by experience; but Gilguerillo was one of the +few and instead of thinking his life wasted because he could not have +the thing he wanted most, he tried to busy himself in other directions. + So, one day, when he expected it least, his reward came to him. + +He happened to be reading a book many hundreds of years old, which told +of remedies for all kinds of diseases. Most of them, he knew, were +merely invented by old women, who sought to prove themselves wiser than +other people; but at length he came to something which caused him to +sit up straight in his chair, and made his eyes brighten. This was the +description of a balsam-- which would cure every kind of sore or +wound--distilled from a plant only to be found in a country so distant +that it would take a man on foot two months to go and come back again. + +When I say that the book declared that the balsam could heal every sort +of sore or wound, there were a few against which it was powerless, and +it gave certain signs by which these might be known. This was the +reason why Gilguerillo demanded to see the king's foot before he would +undertake to cure it; and to obtain admittance he gave out that he was +a shoemaker. However, the dreaded signs were absent, and his heart +bounded at the thought that the princess was within his reach. + +Perhaps she was; but a great deal had to be accomplished yet, and he +had allowed himself a very short time in which to do it. + +He spared his horse only so much as was needful, yet it took him six +days to reach the spot where the plant grew. A thick wood lay in front +of him, and, fastening the bridle tightly to a tree, he flung himself +on his hands and knees and began to hunt for the treasure. Many time +he fancied it was close to him, and many times it turned out to be +something else; but, at last, when light was fading, and he had almost +given up hope, he came upon a large bed of the plant, right under his +feet! Trembling with joy, he picked every scrap he could see, and +placed it in his wallet. Then, mounting his horse, he galloped quickly +back towards the city. + +It was night when he entered the gates, and the fifteen days allotted +were not up till the next day. His eyes were heavy with sleep, and his +body ached with the long strain, but, without pausing to rest, he +kindled a fire on is hearth, and quickly filling a pot with water, +threw in the herbs and left them to boil. After that he lay down and +slept soundly. + +The sun was shining when he awoke, and he jumped up and ran to the pot. + The plant had disappeared and in its stead was a thick syrup, just as +the book had said there would be. He lifted the syrup out with a +spoon, and after spreading it in the sun till it was partly dry, poured +it into a small flask of crystal. He next washed himself thoroughly, +and dressed himself, in his best clothes, and putting the flask in his +pocket, set out for the palace, and begged to see the king without +delay. + +Now Balancin, whose foot had been much less painful since Gilguerillo +had wrapped it in the plaster, was counting the days to the young man's +return; and when he was told Gilguerillo was there, ordered him to be +admitted at once. As he entered, the king raised himself eagerly on +his pillows, but his face fell when he saw no signs of a slipper. + +'You have failed, then?' he said, throwing up his hands in despair. + +'I hope not, your majesty; I think not,' answered the youth. And +drawing the flask from his pocket, he poured two or three drops on the +wound. + +'Repeat this for three nights, and you will find yourself cured,' said +he. And before the king had time to thank him he had bowed himself out. + +Of course the news soon spread through the city, and men and women +never tired of calling Gilguerillo an impostor, and prophesying that +the end of the three days would see him in prison, if not on the +scaffold. But Gilguerillo paid no heed to their hard words, and no +more did the king, who took care that no hand but his own should put on +the healing balsam. + +On the fourth morning the king awoke and instantly stretched out his +wounded foot that he might prove the truth or falsehood of +Gilguerillo's remedy. The wound was certainly cured on that side, but +how about the other? Yes, that was cured also; and not even a scar was +left to show where it had been! + +Was ever any king so happy as Balancin when he satisfied himself of +this? + +Lightly as a deer he jumped from his bed, and began to turn head over +heels and to perform all sorts of antics, so as to make sure that his +foot was in truth as well as it looked. And when he was quite tired he +sent for his daughter, and bade the courtiers bring the lucky young man +to his room. + +'He is really young and handsome,' said the princess to herself, +heaving a sigh of relief that it was not some dreadful old man who had +healed her father; and while the king was announcing to his courtiers +the wonderful cure that had been made, Diamantina was thinking that if +Gilguerillo looked so well in his common dress, how much improved by +the splendid garments of a king' son. However, she held her peace, and +only watched with amusement when the courtiers, knowing there was no +help for it, did homage and obeisance to the chemist's boy. + +Then they brought to Gilguerillo a magnificent tunic of green velvet +bordered with gold, and a cap with three white plumes stuck in it; and +at the sight of him so arrayed, the princess fell in love with him in a +moment. The wedding was fixed to take place in eight days, and at the +ball afterwards nobody danced so long or so lightly as king Balancin. + +[From Capullos de Rosa, por D. Enrique Ceballos Quintana.] + +[FN#1] Linnet. + + + + The Magic Book + + + +There was once an old couple named Peder and Kirsten who had an only +son called Hans. From the time he was a little boy he had been told +that on his sixteenth birthday he must go out into the world and serve +his apprenticeship. So, one fine summer morning, he started off to +seek his fortune with nothing but the clothes he wore on his back. + +For many hours he trudged on merrily, now and then stopping to drink +from some clear spring or to pick some ripe fruit from a tree. The +little wild creatures peeped at him from beneath the bushes, and he +nodded and smiled, and wished them 'Good-morning.' After he had been +walking for some time he met an old white-bearded man who was coming +along the footpath. The boy would not step aside, and the man was +determined not to do so either, so they ran against one another with a +bump. + +'It seems to me,' said the old fellow, 'that a boy should give way to +an old man.' + +'The path is for me as well as for you,' answered young Hans saucily, +for he had never been taught politeness. + +'Well, that's true enough,' answered the other mildly. 'And where are +you going?' + +'I am going into service,' said Hans. + +'Then you can come and serve me,' replied the man. + +Well, Hans could do that; but what would his wages be? + +'Two pounds a year, and nothing to do but keep some rooms clean,' said +the new-comer. + +This seemed to Hans to be easy enough; so he agreed to enter the old +man's service, and they set out together. On their way they crossed a +deep valley and came to a mountain, where the man opened a trapdoor, +and bidding Hans follow him, he crept in and began to go down a long +flight of steps. When they got to the bottom Hans saw a large number +of rooms lit by many lamps and full of beautiful things. While he was +looking round the old man said to him: + +'Now you know what you have to do. You must keep these rooms clean, +and strew sand on the floor every day. Here is a table where you will +always find food and drink, and there is your bed. You see there are a +great many suits of clothes hanging on the wall, and you may wear any +you please; but remember that you are never to open this locked door. +If you do ill will befall you. Farewell, for I am going away again and +cannot tell when I may return. + +No sooner had the old man disappeared than Hans sat down to a good +meal, and after that went to bed and slept until the morning. At first +he could not remember what had happened to him, but by-and-by he jumped +up and went into all the rooms, which he examined carefully. + +'How foolish to bid me to put sand on the floors,' he thought, 'when +there is nobody here by myself! I shall do nothing of the sort.' And +so he shut the doors quickly, and only cleaned and set in order his own +room. And after the first few days he felt that that was unnecessary +too, because no one came there to see if the rooms where clean or not. +At last he did no work at all, but just sat and wondered what was +behind the locked door, till he determined to go and look for himself. + +The key turned easily in the lock. Hans entered, half frightened at +what he was doing, and the first thing he beheld was a heap of bones. +That was not very cheerful; and he was just going out again when his +eye fell on a shelf of books. Here was a good way of passing the time, +he thought, for he was fond of reading, and he took one of the books +from the shelf. It was all about magic, and told you how you could +change yourself into anything in the world you liked. Could anything +be more exciting or more useful? So he put it in his pocket, and ran +quickly away out of the mountain by a little door which had been left +open. + +When he got home his parents asked him what he had been doing and where +he had got the fine clothes he wore. + +'Oh, I earned them myself,' answered he. + +'You never earned them in this short time,' said his father. 'Be off +with you; I won't keep you here. I will have no thieves in my house!' + +'Well I only came to help you,' replied the boy sulkily. 'Now I'll be +off, as you wish; but to-morrow morning when you rise you will see a +great dog at the door. Do not drive it away, but take it to the castle +and sell it to the duke, and they will give you ten dollars for it; +only you must bring the strap you lead it with, back to the house.' + +Sure enough the next day the dog was standing at the door waiting to be +let in. The old man was rather afraid of getting into trouble, but his +wife urged him to sell the dog as the boy had bidden him, so he took it +up to the castle and sold it to the duke for ten dollars. But he did +not forget to take off the strap with which he had led the animal, and +to carry it home. When he got there old Kirsten met him at the door. + +'Well, Peder, and have you sold the dog?' asked she. + +'Yes, Kirsten; and I have brought back ten dollars, as the boy told +us,' answered Peder. + +'Ay! but that's fine!' said his wife. 'Now you see what one gets by +doing as one is bid; if it had not been for me you would have driven +the dog away again, and we should have lost the money. After all, I +always know what is best.' + +'Nonsense!' said her husband; 'women always think they know best. I +should have sold the dog just the same whatever you had told me. Put +the money away in a safe place, and don't talk so much.' + +The next day Hans came again; but though everything had turned out as +he had foretold, he found that his father was still not quite satisfied. + +'Be off with you!' said he, 'you'll get us into trouble.' + +'I haven't helped you enough yet,' replied the boy. 'To-morrow there +will come a great fat cow, as big as the house. Take it to the king's +palace and you'll get as much as a thousand dollars for it. Only you +must unfasten the halter you lead it with and bring it back, and don't +return by the high road, but through the forest.' + +The next day, when the couple rose, they saw an enormous head looking +in at their bedroom window, and behind it was a cow which was nearly as +big as their hut. Kirsten was wild with joy to think of the money the +cow would bring them. + +'But how are you going to put the rope over her head?' asked she. + +'Wait and you'll see, mother,' answered her husband. Then Peder took +the ladder that led up to the hayloft and set it against the cow's +neck, and he climbed up and slipped the rope over her head. When he +had made sure that the noose was fast they started for the palace, and +met the king himself walking in his grounds. + +'I heard that the princess was going to be married,' said Peder, 'so +I've brought your majesty a cow which is bigger than any cow that was +ever seen. Will your majesty deign to buy it?' + +The king had, in truth, never seen so large a beast, and he willingly +paid the thousand dollars, which was the price demanded; but Peder +remembered to take off the halter before he left. After he was gone +the king sent for the butcher and told him to kill the animal for the +wedding feast. The butcher got ready his pole-axe; but just as he was +going to strike, the cow changed itself into a dove and flew away, and +the butcher stood staring after it as if he were turned to stone. +However, as the dove could not be found, he was obliged to tell the +king what had happened, and the king in his turn despatched messengers +to capture the old man and bring him back. But Peder was safe in the +woods, and could not be found. When at last he felt the danger was +over, and he might go home, Kirsten nearly fainted with joy at the +sight of all the money he brought with him. + +'Now that we are rich people we must build a bigger house,' cried she; +and was vexed to find that Peder only shook his head and said: 'No; if +they did that people would talk, and say they had got their wealth by +ill-doing.' + +A few mornings later Hans came again. + +'Be off before you get us into trouble,' said his father. 'So far the +money has come right enough, but I don't trust it.' + +'Don't worry over that, father,' said Hans. 'To-morrow you will find a +horse outside by the gate. Ride it to market and you will get a +thousand dollars for it. Only don't forget to loosen the bridle when +you sell it.' + +Well, in the morning there was the horse; Kirsten had never seen so +find an animal. 'Take care it doesn't hurt you, Peder,' said she. + +'Nonsense, wife,' answered he crossly. 'When I was a lad I lived with +horses, and could ride anything for twenty miles round.' But that was +not quite the truth, for he had never mounted a horse in his life. + +Still, the animal was quiet enough, so Peder got safely to market on +its back. There he met a man who offered nine hundred and ninety-nine +dollars for it, but Peder would take nothing less than a thousand. At +last there came an old, grey-bearded man who looked at the horse and +agreed to buy it; but the moment he touched it the horse began to kick +and plunge. 'I must take the bridle off,' said Peder. 'It is not to +be sold with the animal as is usually the case.' + +'I'll give you a hundred dollars for the bridle,' said the old man, +taking out his purse. + +'No, I can't sell it,' replied Hans's father. + +'Five hundred dollars!' + +'No.' + +'A thousand!' + +At this splendid offer Peder's prudence gave way; it was a shame to let +so much money go. So he agreed to accept it. But he could hardly hold +the horse, it became so unmanageable. So he gave the animal in charge +to the old man, and went home with his two thousand dollars. + +Kirsten, of course, was delighted at this new piece of good fortune, +and insisted that the new house should be built and land bought. This +time Peder consented, and soon they had quite a fine farm. + +Meanwhile the old man rode off on his new purchase, and when he came to +a smithy he asked the smith to forge shoes for the horse. The smith +proposed that they should first have a drink together, and the horse +was tied up by the spring whilst they went indoors. The day was hot, +and both men were thirsty, and, besides, they had much to say; and so +the hours slipped by and found them still talking. Then the servant +girl came out to fetch a pail of water, and, being a kind- hearted +lass, she gave some to the horse to drink. What was her surprise when +the animal said to her: 'Take off my bridle and you will save my life.' + +'I dare not,' said she; 'your master will be so angry.' + +'He cannot hurt you,' answered the horse, 'and you will save my life.' + +At that she took off the bridle; but nearly fainted with astonishment +when the horse turned into a dove and flew away just as the old man +came out of the house. Directly he saw what had happened he changed +himself into a hawk and flew after the dove. Over the woods and fields +they went, and at length they reached a king's palace surrounded by +beautiful gardens. The princess was walking with her attendants in the +rose garden when the dove turned itself into a gold ring and fell at +her feet. + +'Why, here is a ring!' she cried, 'where could it have come from?' And +picking it up she put it on her finger. As she did so the hill-man +lost his power over Hans--for of course you understand that it was he +who had been the dog, the cow, the horse and the dove. + +'Well, that is really strange,' said the princess. 'It fits me as +though it had been made for me!' + +Just at that moment up came the king. + +'Look at what I have found!' cried his daughter. + +'Well, that is not worth much, my dear,' said he. 'Besides, you have +rings enough, I should think.' + +'Never mind, I like it,' replied the princess. + +But as soon as she was alone, to her amazement, the ring suddenly left +her finger and became a man. You can imagine how frightened she was, +as, indeed, anybody would have been; but in an instant the man became a +ring again, and then turned back to a man, and so it went on for some +time until she began to get used to these sudden changes. + +'I am sorry I frightened you,' said Hans, when he thought he could +safely speak to the princess without making her scream. 'I took refuge +with you because the old hill-man, whom I have offended, was trying to +kill me, and here I am safe.' + +'You had better stay here then,' said the princess. So Hans stayed, +and he and she became good friends; though, of course, he only became a +man when no one else was present. + +This was all very well; but, one day, as they were talking together, +the king happened to enter the room, and although Hans quickly changed +himself into a ring again it was too late. + +The king was terribly angry. + +'So this is why you have refused to marry all the kings and princes who +have sought your hand?' he cried. + +And, without waiting for her to speak, he commanded that his daughter +should be walled up in the summer-house and starved to death with her +lover. + +That evening the poor princess, still wearing her ring, was put into +the summer-house with enough food to last for three days, and the door +was bricked up. But at the end of a week or two the king thought it +was time to give her a grand funeral, in spite of her bad behaviour, +and he had the summer-house opened. He could hardly believe his eyes +when he found that the princess was not there, nor Hans either. +Instead, there lay at his feet a large hole, big enough for two people +to pass through. + +Now what had happened was this. + +When the princess and Hans had given up hope, and cast themselves down +on the ground to die, they fell down this hole, and right through the +earth as well, and at last they tumbled into a castle built of pure +gold at the other side of the world, and there they lived happily. But +of this, of course, the king knew nothing. + +'Will anyone go down and see where the passage leads to?' he asked, +turning to his guards and courtiers. 'I will reward splendidly the man +who is brave enough to explore it.' + +For a long time nobody answered. The hole was dark and deep, and if it +had a bottom no one could see it. At length a soldier, who was a +careless sort of fellow, offered himself for the service, and +cautiously lowered himself into the darkness. But in a moment he, too, +fell down, down, down. Was he going to fall for ever, he wondered! +Oh, how thankful he was in the end to reach the castle, and to meet the +princess and Hans, looking quite well and not at all as if they had +been starved. They began to talk, and the soldier told them that the +king was very sorry for the way he had treated his daughter, and wished +day and night that he could have her back again. + +Then they all took ship and sailed home, and when they came to the +princess's country, Hans disguised himself as the sovereign of a +neighbouring kingdom, and went up to the palace alone. He was given a +hearty welcome by the king, who prided himself on his hospitality, and +a banquet was commanded in his honour. That evening, whilst they sat +drinking their wine, Hans said to the king: + +'I have heard the fame of your majesty's wisdom, and I have travelled +from far to ask your counsel. A man in my country has buried his +daughter alive because she loved a youth who was born a peasant. How +shall I punish this unnatural father, for it is left to me to give +judgment?' + +The king, who was still truly grieved for his daughter's loss, answered +quickly: + +'Burn him alive, and strew his ashes all over the kingdom.' + +Hans looked at him steadily for a moment, and then threw off his +disguise. + +'You are the man,' said he; 'and I am he who loved your daughter, and +became a gold ring on her finger. She is safe, and waiting not far +from here; but you have pronounced judgment on yourself.' + +Then the king fell on his knees and begged for mercy; and as he had in +other respects been a good father, they forgave him. The wedding of +Hans and the princess was celebrated with great festivities which +lasted a month. As for the hill-man he intended to be present; but +whilst he was walking along a street which led to the palace a loose +stone fell on his head and killed him. So Hans and the princess lived +in peace and happiness all their days, and when the old king died they +reigned instead of him. + +[From AEventyr fra Zylland samlede og optegnede af Tang Kristensen. +Translated from the Danish by Mrs. Skavgaard-Pedersen.] + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Orange Fairy Book +by Andrew Lang + |