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diff --git a/3282-0.txt b/3282-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bcbc29d --- /dev/null +++ b/3282-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10431 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Brown Fairy Book + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: The Brown Fairy Book + +Author: Various + +Editor: Andrew Lang + +Release Date: March 12, 2001 [eBook #3282] +[Most recently updated: March 14, 2023] + +Language: English + +Produced by: J.C. Byers, L.M. Shaffer and David Widger + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BROWN FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +THE BROWN FAIRY BOOK + +Edited by Andrew Lang + + + + +Dedicated +to +Diana Scott Lang + + + + +Preface + + +The stories in this Fairy Book come from all quarters of the world. For +example, the adventures of “Ball-Carrier and the Bad One” are told by +Red Indian grandmothers to Red Indian children who never go to school, +nor see pen and ink. “The Bunyip” is known to even more uneducated +little ones, running about with no clothes at all in the bush, in +Australia. You may see photographs of these merry little black fellows +before their troubles begin, in “Northern Races of Central Australia,” +by Messrs. Spencer and Gillen. They have no lessons except in tracking +and catching birds, beasts, fishes, lizards, and snakes, all of which +they eat. But when they grow up to be big boys and girls, they are +cruelly cut about with stone knives and frightened with sham bogies all +for their good their parents say and I think they would rather go to +school, if they had their choice, and take their chance of being +birched and bullied. However, many boys might think it better fun to +begin to learn hunting as soon as they can walk. Other stories, like +“The Sacred Milk of Koumongoé,” come from the Kaffirs in Africa, whose +dear papas are not so poor as those in Australia, but have plenty of +cattle and milk, and good mealies to eat, and live in houses like very +big bee-hives, and wear clothes of a sort, though not very like our +own. “Pivi and Kabo” is a tale from the brown people in the island of +New Caledonia, where a boy is never allowed to speak to or even look at +his own sisters; nobody knows why, so curious are the manners of this +remote island. The story shows the advantages of good manners and +pleasant behaviour; and the natives do not now cook and eat each other, +but live on fish, vegetables, pork, and chickens, and dwell in houses. +“What the Rose did to the Cypress,” is a story from Persia, where the +people, of course, are civilised, and much like those of whom you read +in “The Arabian Nights.” Then there are tales like “The Fox and the +Lapp” from the very north of Europe, where it is dark for half the year +and day-light for the other half. The Lapps are a people not fond of +soap and water, and very much given to art magic. Then there are tales +from India, told to Major Campbell, who wrote them out, by Hindoos; +these stories are “Wali Dâd the Simple-hearted,” and “The King who +would be Stronger than Fate,” but was not so clever as his daughter. +From Brazil, in South America, comes “The Tortoise and the Mischievous +Monkey,” with the adventures of other animals. Other tales are told in +various parts of Europe, and in many languages; but all people, black, +white, brown, red, and yellow, are like each other when they tell +stories; for these are meant for children, who like the same sort of +thing, whether they go to school and wear clothes, or, on the other +hand, wear skins of beasts, or even nothing at all, and live on grubs +and lizards and hawks and crows and serpents, like the little +Australian blacks. + +The tale of “What the Rose did to the Cypress,” is translated out of a +Persian manuscript by Mrs. Beveridge. “Pivi and Kabo” is translated by +the Editor from a French version; “Asmund and Signy” by Miss Blackley; +the Indian stories by Major Campbell, and all the rest are told by Mrs. +Lang, who does not give them exactly as they are told by all sorts of +outlandish natives, but makes them up in the hope white people will +like them, skipping the pieces which they will not like. That is how +this Fairy Book was made up for your entertainment. + + + + +CONTENTS + + Preface + What the Rose did to the Cypress + Footnotes + Ball-carrier and the Bad One + How Ball-carrier Finished His Task + The Bunyip + Father Grumbler + The Story of the Yara + The Cunning Hare + The Turtle and His Bride + How Geirald The Coward Was Punished + Hábogi + How the Little Brother Set Free His Big Brothers + The Sacred Milk of Koumongoé + The Wicked Wolverine + The Husband of the Rat’s Daughter + The Mermaid and the Boy + Pivi and Kabo + The Elf Maiden + How Some Wild Animals Became Tame Ones + Fortune and the Wood-Cutter + The Enchanted Head + The Sister of the Sun + The Prince and the Three Fates + The Fox and the Lapp + Kisa the Cat + The Lion and the Cat + Which was the Foolishest? + Asmund and Signy + Rübezahl + Story Of The King Who Would Be Stronger Than Fate + Story of Wali Dâd the Simple-Hearted + Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey + The Knights of the Fish + + + + +The Brown Fairy Book + + + + +What the Rose did to the Cypress[1] + + +Once upon a time a great king of the East, named Saman-lalposh,[2] had +three brave and clever sons—Tahmasp, Qamas, and Almas-ruh-baksh.[3] One +day, when the king was sitting in his hall of audience, his eldest son, +Prince Tahmasp, came before him, and after greeting his father with due +respect, said: “O my royal father! I am tired of the town; if you will +give me leave, I will take my servants to-morrow and will go into the +country and hunt on the hill-skirts; and when I have taken some game I +will come back, at evening-prayer time.” His father consented, and sent +with him some of his own trusted servants, and also hawks, and falcons, +hunting dogs, cheetahs and leopards. + +At the place where the prince intended to hunt he saw a most beautiful +deer. He ordered that it should not be killed, but trapped or captured +with a noose. The deer looked about for a place where he might escape +from the ring of the beaters, and spied one unwatched close to the +prince himself. It bounded high and leaped right over his head, got out +of the ring, and tore like the eastern wind into the waste. The prince +put spurs to his horse and pursued it; and was soon lost to the sight +of his followers. Until the world-lighting sun stood above his head in +the zenith he did not take his eyes off the deer; suddenly it +disappeared behind some rising ground, and with all his search he could +not find any further trace of it. He was now drenched in sweat, and he +breathed with pain; and his horse’s tongue hung from its mouth with +thirst. He dismounted and toiled on, with bridle on arm, praying and +casting himself on the mercy of heaven. Then his horse fell and +surrendered its life to God. On and on he went across the sandy waste, +weeping and with burning breast, till at length a hill rose into sight. +He mustered his strength and climbed to the top, and there he found a +giant tree whose foot kept firm the wrinkled earth, and whose crest +touched the very heaven. Its branches had put forth a glory of leaves, +and there were grass and a spring underneath it, and flowers of many +colours. + +Gladdened by this sight, he dragged himself to the water’s edge, drank +his fill, and returned thanks for his deliverance from thirst. + +He looked about him and, to his amazement, saw close by a royal seat. +While he was pondering what could have brought this into the merciless +desert, a man drew near who was dressed like a faqir, and had bare head +and feet, but walked with the free carriage of a person of rank. His +face was kind, and wise and thoughtful, and he came on and spoke to the +prince. + +“O good youth! how did you come here? Who are you? Where do you come +from?” + +The prince told everything just as it had happened to him, and then +respectfully added: “I have made known my own circumstances to you, and +now I venture to beg you to tell me your own. Who are you? How did you +come to make your dwelling in this wilderness?” + +To this the faqir replied: “O youth! it would be best for you to have +nothing to do with me and to know nothing of my fortunes, for my story +is fit neither for telling nor for hearing.” The prince, however, +pleaded so hard to be told, that at last there was nothing to be done +but to let him hear. + +“Learn and know, O young man! that I am King Janangir[4] of Babylon, +and that once I had army and servants, family and treasure; untold +wealth and belongings. The Most High God gave me seven sons who grew up +well versed in all princely arts. My eldest son heard from travellers +that in Turkistan, on the Chinese frontier, there is a king named +Quimus, the son of Timus, and that he has an only child, a daughter +named Mihr-afruz,[5] who, under all the azure heaven, is unrivalled for +beauty. Princes come from all quarters to ask her hand, and on one and +all she imposes a condition. She says to them: ‘I know a riddle; and I +will marry anyone who answers it, and will bestow on him all my +possessions. But if a suitor cannot answer my question I cut off his +head and hang it on the battlements of the citadel.’ The riddle she +asks is, ‘What did the rose do to the cypress?’ + +“Now, when my son heard this tale, he fell in love with that unseen +girl, and he came to me lamenting and bewailing himself. Nothing that I +could say had the slightest effect on him. I said: ‘Oh my son! if there +must be fruit of this fancy of yours, I will lead forth a great army +against King Quimus. If he will give you his daughter freely, well and +good; and if not, I will ravage his kingdom and bring her away by +force.’ This plan did not please him; he said: ‘It is not right to lay +a kingdom waste and to destroy a palace so that I may attain my desire. +I will go alone; I will answer the riddle, and win her in this way.’ At +last, out of pity for him, I let him go. He reached the city of King +Quimus. He was asked the riddle and could not give the true answer; and +his head was cut off and hung upon the battlements. Then I mourned him +in black raiment for forty days. + +After this another and another of my sons were seized by the same +desire, and in the end all my seven sons went, and all were killed. In +grief for their death I have abandoned my throne, and I abide here in +this desert, withholding my hand from all State business and wearing +myself away in sorrow.” + +Prince Tahmasp listened to this tale, and then the arrow of love for +that unseen girl struck his heart also. Just at this moment of his +ill-fate his people came up, and gathered round him like moths round a +light. They brought him a horse, fleet as the breeze of the dawn; he +set his willing foot in the stirrup of safety and rode off. As the days +went by the thorn of love rankled in his heart, and he became the very +example of lovers, and grew faint and feeble. At last his confidants +searched his heart and lifted the veil from the face of his love, and +then set the matter before his father, King Saman-lal-posh. “Your son, +Prince Tahmasp, loves distractedly the Princess Mihr-afruz, daughter of +King Quimus, son of Timus.” Then they told the king all about her and +her doings. A mist of sadness clouded the king’s mind, and he said to +his son: “If this thing is so, I will in the first place send a courier +with friendly letters to King Quimus, and will ask the hand of his +daughter for you. I will send an abundance of gifts, and a string of +camels laden with flashing stones and rubies of Badakhsham In this way +I will bring her and her suite, and I will give her to you to be your +solace. But if King Quimus is unwilling to give her to you, I will pour +a whirlwind of soldiers upon him, and I will bring to you, in this way, +that most consequential of girls.” But the prince said that this plan +would not be right, and that he would go himself, and would answer the +riddle. Then the king’s wise men said: “This is a very weighty matter; +it would be best to allow the prince to set out accompanied by some +persons in whom you have confidence. Maybe he will repent and come +back.” So King Saman ordered all preparations for the journey to be +made, and then Prince Tahmasp took his leave and set out, accompanied +by some of the courtiers, and taking with him a string of two-humped +and raven-eyed camels laden with jewels, and gold, and costly stuffs. + +By stage after stage, and after many days’ journeying, he arrived at +the city of King Quimus. What did he see? A towering citadel whose foot +kept firm the wrinkled earth, and whose battlements touched the blue +heaven. He saw hanging from its battlements many heads, but it had not +the least effect upon him that these were heads of men of rank; he +listened to no advice about laying aside his fancy, but rode up to the +gate and on into the heart of the city. The place was so splendid that +the eyes of the ages have never seen its like, and there, in an open +square, he found a tent of crimson satin set up, and beneath it two +jewelled drums with jewelled sticks. These drums were put there so that +the suitors of the princess might announce their arrival by beating on +them, after which some one would come and take them to the king’s +presence. The sight of the drums stirred the fire of Prince Tahmasp’s +love. He dismounted, and moved towards them; but his companions hurried +after and begged him first to let them go and announce him to the king, +and said that then, when they had put their possessions in a place of +security, they would enter into the all important matter of the +princess. The prince, however, replied that he was there for one thing +only; that his first duty was to beat the drums and announce himself as +a suitor, when he would be taken, as such, to the king, who would then +give him proper lodgment. So he struck upon the drums, and at once +summoned an officer who took him to King Quimus. + +When the king saw how very young the prince looked, and that he was +still drinking of the fountain of wonder, he said: “O youth! leave +aside this fancy which my daughter has conceived in the pride of her +beauty. No one can answer er her riddle, and she has done to death many +men who had had no pleasure in life nor tasted its charms. God forbid +that your spring also should be ravaged by the autumn winds of +martyrdom.” All his urgency, however, had no effect in making the +prince withdraw. At length it was settled between them that three days +should be given to pleasant hospitality and that then should follow +what had to be said and done. Then the prince went to his own quarters +and was treated as became his station. + +King Quimus now sent for his daughter and for her mother, Gulrukh,[6] +and talked to them. He said to Mibrafruz: “Listen to me, you cruel +flirt! Why do you persist in this folly? Now there has come to ask your +hand a prince of the east, so handsome that the very sun grows modest +before the splendour of his face; he is rich, and he has brought gold +and jewels, all for you, if you will marry him. A better husband you +will not find.” + +But all the arguments of father and mother were wasted, for her only +answer was: “O my father! I have sworn to myself that I will not marry, +even if a thousand years go by, unless someone answers my riddle, and +that I will give myself to that man only who does answer it.” + +The three days passed; then the riddle was asked: “What did the rose do +to the cypress?” The prince had an eloquent tongue, which could split a +hair, and without hesitation he replied to her with a verse: “Only the +Omnipotent has knowledge of secrets; if any man says, ‘I know’ do not +believe him.” + +Then a servant fetched in the polluted, blue-eyed headsman, who asked: +“Whose sun of life has come near its setting?” took the prince by the +arm, placed him upon the cloth of execution, and then, all merciless +and stony hearted, cut his head from his body and hung it on the +battlements. + +The news of the death of Prince Tahmasp plunged his father into despair +and stupefaction. He mourned for him in black raiment for forty days; +and then, a few days later, his second son, Prince Qamas, extracted +from him leave to go too; and he, also, was put to death. One son only +now remained, the brave, eloquent, happy-natured Prince +Almas-ruh-bakhsh. One day, when his father sat brooding over his lost +children, Almas came before him and said: “O father mine! the daughter +of King Quimus has done my two brothers to death; I wish to avenge them +upon her.” These words brought his father to tears. “O light of your +father!” he cried, “I have no one left but you, and now you ask me to +let you go to your death.” + +“Dear father!” pleaded the prince, “until I have lowered the pride of +that beauty, and have set her here before you, I cannot settle down or +indeed sit down off my feet.” + +In the end he, too, got leave to go; but he went a without a following +and alone. Like his brothers, he made the long journey to the city of +Quimus the son of Timus; like them he saw the citadel, but he saw there +the heads of Tahmasp and Qamas. He went about in the city, saw the tent +and the drums, and then went out again to a village not far off. Here +he found out a very old man who had a wife 120 years old, or rather +more. Their lives were coming to their end, but they had never beheld +face of child of their own. They were glad when the prince came to +their house, and they dealt with him as with a son. He put all his +belongings into their charge, and fastened his horse in their +out-house. Then he asked them not to speak of him to anyone, and to +keep his affairs secret. He exchanged his royal dress for another, and +next morning, just as the sun looked forth from its eastern oratory, he +went again into the city. He turned over in his mind without ceasing +how he was to find out the meaning of the riddle, and to give them a +right answer, and who could help him, and how to avenge his brothers. +He wandered about the city, but heard nothing of service, for there was +no one in all that land who understood the riddle of Princess +Mihr-afruz. + +One day he thought he would go to her own palace and see if he could +learn anything there, so he went out to her garden-house. It was a very +splendid place, with a wonderful gateway, and walls like Alexander’s +ramparts. Many gate-keepers were on guard, and there was no chance of +passing them. His heart was full of bitterness, but he said to himself: +“All will be well! it is here I shall get what I want.” He went round +outside the garden wall hoping to find a gap, and he made supplication +in the Court of Supplications and prayed, “O Holder of the hand of the +helpless! show me my way.” + +While he prayed he bethought himself that he could get into the garden +with a stream of inflowing water. He looked carefully round, fearing to +be seen, stripped, slid into the stream and was carried within the +great walls. There he hid himself till his loin cloth was dry. The +garden was a very Eden, with running water amongst its lawns, with +flowers and the lament of doves and the jug-jug of nightingales. It was +a place to steal the senses from the brain, and he wandered about and +saw the house, but there seemed to be no one there. In the forecourt +was a royal seat of polished jasper, and in the middle of the platform +was a basin of purest water that flashed like a mirror. He pleased +himself with these sights for a while, and then went back to the garden +and hid himself from the gardeners and passed the night. Next morning +he put on the appearance of a madman and wandered about till he came to +a lawn where several pert-faced girls were amusing themselves. On a +throne, jewelled and overspread with silken stuffs, sat a girl the +splendour of whose beauty lighted up the place, and whose ambergris and +attar perfumed the whole air. “That must be Mihrafruz,” he thought, +“she is indeed lovely.” Just then one of the attendants came to the +water’s edge to fill a cup, and though the prince was in hiding, his +face was reflected in the water. When she saw this image she was +frightened, and let her cup fall into the stream, and thought, “Is it +an angel, or a peri, or a man?” Fear and trembling took hold of her, +and she screamed as women scream. Then some of the other girls came and +took her to the princess who asked: “What is the matter, pretty one?” + +“O princess! I went for water, and I saw an image, and I was afraid.” +So another girl went to the water and saw the same thing, and came back +with the same story. The princess wished to see for herself; she rose +and paced to the spot with the march of a prancing peacock. When she +saw the image she said to her nurse: “Find out who is reflected in the +water, and where he lives.” Her words reached the prince’s ear, he +lifted up his head; she saw him and beheld beauty such as she had never +seen before. She lost a hundred hearts to him, and signed to her nurse +to bring him to her presence. The prince let himself be persuaded to go +with the nurse, but when the princess questioned him as to who he was +and how he had got into her garden, he behaved like a man out of his +mind—sometimes smiling, sometimes crying, and saying: “I am hungry,” Or +words misplaced and random, civil mixed with the rude. + +“What a pity!” said the princess, “he is mad!” As she liked him she +said: “He is my madman; let no one hurt him.” She took him to her house +and told him not to go away, for that she would provide for all his +wants. The prince thought, “It would be excellent if here, in her very +house, I could get the answer to her riddle; but I must be silent, on +pain of death.” + +Now in the princess’s household there was a girl called Dil-aram[7]; +she it was who had first seen the image of the prince. She came to love +him very much, and she spent day and night thinking how she could make +her affection known to him. One day she escaped from the princess’s +notice and went to the prince, and laid her head on his feet and said: +“Heaven has bestowed on you beauty and charm. Tell me your secret; who +are you, and how did you come here? I love you very much, and if you +would like to leave this place I will go with you. I have wealth equal +to the treasure of the miserly Qarun.” But the prince only made answer +like a man distraught, and told her nothing. He said to himself, “God +forbid that the veil should be taken in vain from my secret; that would +indeed disgrace me.” So, with streaming eyes and burning breast, +Dil-aram arose and went to her house and lamented and fretted. + +Now whenever the princess commanded the prince’s attendance, Dil-aram, +of all the girls, paid him attention and waited on him best. The +princess noticed this, and said: “O Dil-aram! you must take my madman +into your charge and give him whatever he wants.” This was the very +thing Dilaram had prayed for. A little later she took the prince into a +private place and she made him take an oath of secrecy, and she herself +took one and swore, “By Heaven! I will not tell your secret. Tell me +all about yourself so that I may help you to get what you want.” The +prince now recognised in her words the perfume of true love, and he +made compact with her. “O lovely girl! I want to know what the rose did +to the cypress. Your mistress cuts off men’s heads because of this +riddle; what is at the bottom of it, and why does she do it?” Then +Dil-aram answered: “If you will promise to marry me and to keep me +always amongst those you favour, I will tell you all I know, and I will +keep watch about the riddle.” + +“O lovely girl,” rejoined he, “if I accomplish my purpose, so that I +need no longer strive for it, I will keep my compact with you. When I +have this woman in my power and have avenged my brothers, I will make +you my solace.” + +“O wealth of my life and source of my joy!” responded Dil-aram, “I do +not know what the rose did to the cypress; but so much I know that the +person who told Mihr-afruz about it is a negro whom she hides under her +throne. He fled here from Waq of the Caucasus—it is there you must make +inquiry; there is no other way of getting at the truth.“On hearing +these words, the prince said to his heart, “O my heart! your task will +yet wear away much of your life.” + +He fell into long and far thought, and Dil-aram looked at him and said: +“O my life and my soul! do not be sad. If you would like this woman +killed, I will put poison into her cup so that she will never lift her +head from her drugged sleep again.” + +“O Dil-aram! such a vengeance is not manly. I shall not rest till I +have gone to Waq of the Caucasus and have cleared up the matter.” Then +they repeated the agreement about their marriage, and bade one another +goodbye. + +The prince now went back to the village, and told the old man that he +was setting out on a long journey, and begged him not to be anxious, +and to keep safe the goods which had been entrusted to him. + +The prince had not the least knowledge of the way to Waq of the +Caucasus, and was cast down by the sense of his helplessness. He was +walking along by his horse’s side when there appeared before him an old +man of serene countenance, dressed in green and carrying a staff, who +resembled Khizr.[8] The prince thanked heaven, laid the hands of +reverence on his breast and salaamed. The old man returned the greeting +graciously, and asked: “How fare you? Whither are you bound? You look +like a traveller.” + +“O revered saint! I am in this difficulty: I do not know the way to Waq +of the Caucasus.” The old man of good counsel looked at the young +prince and said: “Turn back from this dangerous undertaking. Do not go; +choose some other task! If you had a hundred lives you would not bring +one out safe from this journey.” But his words had no effect on the +prince’s resolve. “What object have you,” the old man asked, “in thus +consuming your life?” + +“I have an important piece of business to do, and only this journey +makes it possible. I must go; I pray you, ill God’s name, tell me the +way.” + +When the saint saw that the prince was not to be moved, he said: “Learn +and know, O youth! that Waq of Qaf is in the Caucasus and is a +dependency of it. In it there are jins, demons, and peris. You must go +on along this road till it forks into three; take neither the right +hand nor the left, but the middle path. Follow this for a day and a +night. Then you will come to a column on which is a marble slab +inscribed with Cufic characters. Do what is written there; beware of +disobedience.” Then he gave his good wishes for the journey and his +blessing, and the prince kissed his feet, said good-bye, and, with +thanks to the Causer of Causes, took the road. + +After a day and a night he saw the column rise in silent beauty to the +heavens. Everything was as the wise old man had said it would be, and +the prince, who was skilled in all tongues, read the following Cufic +inscription: “O travellers! be it known to you that this column has +been set up with its tablet to give true directions about these roads. +If a man would pass his life in ease and pleasantness, let him take the +right-hand path. If he take the left, he will have some trouble, but he +will reach his goal without much delay. Woe to him who chooses the +middle path! if he had a thousand lives he would not save one; it is +very hazardous; it leads to the Caucasus, and is an endless road. +Beware of it!” + +The prince read and bared his head and lifted his hands in supplication +to Him who has no needs, and prayed, “O Friend of the traveller! I, Thy +servant, come to Thee for succour. My purpose lies in the land of Qaf +and my road is full of peril. Lead me by it.” Then he took a handful of +earth and cast it on his collar, and said: “O earth! be thou my grave; +and O vest! tee thou my winding-sheet!” Then he took the middle road +and went along it, day after day, with many a silent prayer, till he +saw trees rise from the weary waste of sand. They grew in a garden, and +he went up to the gate and found it a slab of beautifully worked +marble, and that near it there lay sleeping, with his head on a stone, +a negro whose face was so black that it made darkness round him. His +upper lip, arched like an eyebrow, curved upwards to his nostrils and +his lower hung down like a camel’s. Four millstones formed his shield, +and on a box-tree close by hung his giant sword. His loin-cloth was +fashioned of twelve skins of beasts, and was bound round his waist by a +chain of which each link was as big as an elephant’s thigh. + +The prince approached and tied up his horse near the negro’s head. Then +he let fall the Bismillah from his lips, entered the garden and walked +through it till he came to the private part, delighting in the great +trees, the lovely verdure, and the flowery borders. In the inner garden +there were very many deer. These signed to him with eye and foot to go +back, for that this was enchanted ground; but he did not understand +them, and thought their pretty gestures were a welcome. After a while +he reached a palace which had a porch more splendid than Caesar’s, and +was built of gold and silver bricks. In its midst was a high seat, +overlaid with fine carpets, and into it opened eight doors, each having +opposite to it a marble basin. + +Banishing care, Prince Almas walked on through the garden, when +suddenly a window opened and a girl, who was lovely enough to make the +moon writhe with jealousy, put out her head. She lost her heart to the +good looks of the prince, and sent her nurse to fetch him so that she +might learn where he came from and how he had got into her private +garden where even lions and wolves did not venture. The nurse went, and +was struck with amazement at the sun-like radiance of his face; she +salaamed and said: “O youth! welcome! the lady of the garden calls you; +come!” He went with her and into a palace which was like a house in +Paradise, and saw seated on the royal carpets of the throne a girl +whose brilliance shamed the shining sun. He salaamed; she rose, took +him by the hand and placed him near her. “O young man! who are you? +Where do you come from? How did you get into this garden?” He told her +his story from beginning to end, and Lady Latifa[9] replied: “This is +folly! It will make you a vagabond of the earth, and lead you to +destruction. Come, cease such talk! No one can go to the Caucasus. Stay +with me and be thankful, for here is a throne which you can share with +me, and in my society you can enjoy my wealth. I will do whatever you +wish; I will bring here King Qulmus and his daughter, and you can deal +with them as you will.” + +“O Lady Latifa,” he said, “I have made a compact with heaven not to sit +down off my feet till I have been to Waq of Qaf and have cleared up +this matter, and have taken Mihrafruz from her father, as brave men +take, and have put her in prison. When I have done all this I will come +back to you in state and with a great following, and I will marry you +according to the law.” Lady Latifa argued and urged her wishes, but in +vain; the prince was not to be moved. Then she called to the cupbearers +for new wine, for she thought that when his head was hot with it he +might consent to stay. The pure, clear wine was brought; she filled a +cup and gave to him. He said: “O most enchanting sweetheart! it is the +rule for the host to drink first and then the guest.” So to make him +lose his head, she drained the cup; then filled it again and gave him. +He drank it off, and she took a lute from one of the singers and played +upon it with skill which witched away the sense of all who heard. But +it was all in vain; three days passed in such festivities, and on the +fourth the prince said: “O joy of my eyes! I beg now that you will bid +me farewell, for my way is long and the fire of your love darts flame +into the harvest of my heart. By heaven’s grace I may accomplish my +purpose, and, if so, I will come back to you.” + +Now she saw that she could not in any way change his resolve, she told +her nurse to bring a certain casket which contained, she said, +something exhilarating which would help the prince on his journey. The +box was brought, and she divided off a portion of what was within and +gave it to the prince to eat. Then, and while he was all unaware, she +put forth her hand to a stick fashioned like a snake; she said some +words over it and struck him so sharply on the shoulder that he cried +out; then he made a pirouette and found that he was a deer. + +When he knew what had been done to him he thought, “All the threads of +affliction are gathered together; I have lost my last chance!” He tried +to escape, but the magician sent for her goldsmith, who, coming, +overlaid the deer-horns with gold and jewels. The kerchief which that +day she had had in her hand was then tied round its neck, and this +freed it from her attentions. + +The prince-deer now bounded into the garden and at once sought some way +of escape. It found none, and it joined the other deer, which soon made +it their leader. Now, although the prince had been transformed into the +form of a deer, he kept his man’s heart and mind. He said to himself, +“Thank heaven that the Lady Latifa has changed me into this shape, for +at least deer are beautiful.” He remained for some time living as a +deer amongst the rest, but at length resolved that an end to such a +life must be put ill some way. He looked again for some place by which +he could get out of the magic garden. Following round the wall he +reached a lower part; he remembered the Divine Names and flung himself +over, saying, “Whatever happens is by the will of God.” When he looked +about he found that he was in the very same place he had jumped from; +there was the palace, there the garden and the deer! Eight times he +leaped over the wall and eight times found himself where he had started +from; but after the ninth leap there was a change, there was a palace +and there was a garden, but the deer were gone. + +Presently a girl of such moon-like beauty opened a window that the +prince lost to her a hundred hearts. She was delighted with the +beautiful deer, and cried to her nurse: “Catch it! if you will I will +give you this necklace, every pearl of which is worth a kingdom.” The +nurse coveted the pearls, but as she was three hundred years old she +did not know how she could catch a deer. However, she went down into +the garden and held out some grass, but when she went near the creature +ran away. The girl watched with great excitement from the palace +window, and called: “O nurse, if you don’t catch it, I will kill you!” +“I am killing myself,” shouted back the old woman. The girl saw that +nurse tottering along and went down to help, marching with the gait of +a prancing peacock. When she saw the gilded horns and the kerchief she +said: “It must be accustomed to the hand, and be some royal pet!” The +prince had it in mind that this might be another magician who could +give him some other shape, but still it seemed best to allow himself to +be caught. So he played about the girl and let her catch him by the +neck. A leash was brought, fruits were given, and it was caressed with +delight. It was taken to the palace and tied at the foot of the Lady +Jamila’s raised seat, but she ordered a longer cord to be brought so +that it might be able to jump up beside her. + +When the nurse went to fix the cord she saw tears falling from its +eyes, and that it was dejected and sorrowful “O Lady Jamila! this is a +wonderful deer, it is crying; I never saw a deer cry before.” Jamila +darted down like a flash of lightning, and saw that it was so. It +rubbed its head on her feet and then shook it so sadly that the girl +cried for sympathy. She patted it and said: “Why are you sad, my heart? +Why do you cry, my soul? Is it because I have caught you? I love you +better than my own life.” But, spite of her comforting, it cried the +more. Then Jamila said: “Unless I am mistaken, this is the work of my +wicked sister Latifa, who by magic art turns servants of God into +beasts of the field.” At these words the deer uttered sounds, and laid +its head on her feet. Then Jamila was sure it was a man, and said: “Be +comforted, I will restore you to your own shape.” She bathed herself +and ordered the deer to be bathed, put on clean raiment, called for a +box which stood in an alcove, opened it and gave a portion of what was +in it to the deer to eat. Then she slipped her hand under her carpet +and produced a stick to which she said something. She struck the deer +hard, it pirouetted and became Prince Almas. + +The broidered kerchief and the jewels lay upon the ground. The prince +prostrated himself in thanks to heaven and Jamila, and said: “O +delicious person! O Chinese Venus! how shall I excuse myself for giving +you so much trouble? With what words can I thank you?” Then she called +for a clothes-wallet and chose out a royal dress of honour. Her +attendants dressed him in it, and brought him again before the +tender-hearted lady. She turned to him a hundred hearts, took his hand +and seated him beside her, and said: “O youth! tell me truly who you +are and where you come from, and how you fell into the power of my +sister.” + +Even when he was a deer the prince had much admired Jamila now he +thought her a thousand times more lovely than before. He judged that in +truth alone was safety, and so told her his whole story. Then she +asked: “O Prince Almas-ruh-bakhsh, do you still wish so much to make +this journey to Waq of Qaf? What hope is there in it? The road is +dangerous even near here, and this is not yet the borderland of the +Caucasus. Come, give it up! It is a great risk, and to go is not wise. +It would be a pity for a man like you to fall into the hands of jins +and demons. Stay with me, and I will do whatever you wish.” + +“O most delicious person!” he answered, “you are very generous, and the +choice of my life lies in truth in your hands; but I beg one favour of +you. If you love me, so do I too love you. If you really love me, do +not forbid me to make this journey, but help me as far as you can. Then +it may be that I shall succeed, and if I return with my purpose +fulfilled I will marry you according to the law, and take you to my own +country, and we will spend the rest of our lives together in pleasure +and good companionship. Help me, if you can, and give me your counsel.” + +“O very stuff of my life,” replied Jamila “I will give you things that +are not in kings’ treasuries, and which will be of the greatest use to +you. First, there are the bow and arrows of his Reverence the Prophet +Salih. Secondly, there is the Scorpion of Solomon (on whom be peace), +which is a sword such as no king has; steel and stone are one to it; if +you bring it down on a rock it will not be injured, and it will cleave +whatever you strike. Thirdly, there is the dagger which the sage Timus +himself made; this is most useful, and the man who wears it would not +bend under seven camels’ loads. What you have to do first is to get to +the home of the Simurgh,[10] and to make friends with him. If he +favours you, he will take you to Waq of Qaf; if not, you will never get +there, for seven seas are on the way, and they are such seas that if +all the kings of the earth, and all their wazirs, and all their wise +men considered for a thousand years, they would not be able to cross +them.” + +“O most delicious person! where is the Simurgh’s home? How shall I get +there?” + +“O new fruit of life! you must just do what I tell you, and you must +use your eyes and your brains, for if you don’t you will find yourself +at the place of the negroes, who are a bloodthirsty set; and God forbid +they should lay hands on your precious person.” + +Then she took the bow and quiver of arrows, the sword, and the dagger +out of a box, and the prince let fall a Bismillah, and girt them all +on. Then Jamila of the houri-face, produced two saddle-bags of ruby-red +silk, one filled with roasted fowl and little cakes, and the other with +stones of price. Next she gave him a horse as swift as the breeze of +the morning, and she said: “Accept all these things from me; ride till +you come to a rising ground, at no great distance from here, where +there is a spring. It is called the Place of Gifts, and you must stay +there one night. There you will see many wild beasts—lions, tigers, +leopards, apes, and so on. Before you get there you must capture some +game. On the long road beyond there dwells a lion-king, alla if other +beasts did not fear him they would ravage the whole country and let no +one pass. The lion is a red transgressor, so when he comes rise and do +him reverence; take a cloth and rub the dust and earth from his face, +then set the game you have taken before him, well cleansed, and lay the +hands of respect on your breast. When he wishes to eat, take your knife +and cut pieces of the meat and set them before him with a bow. In this +way you will enfold that lion-king in perfect friendship, and he will +be most useful to you, and you will be safe from molestation by the +negroes. When you go on from the Place of Gifts, be sure you do not +take the right-hand road; take the left, for the other leads by the +negro castle, which is known as the Place of Clashing Swords, and where +there are forty negro captains each over three thousand or four +thousand more. Their chief is Taramtaq.[11] Further on than this is the +home of the Simurgh.” + +Having stored these things in the prince’s memory, she said: “You will +see everything happen just as I have said.” Then she escorted him a +little way; they parted, and she went home to mourn his absence. + +Prince Almas, relying on the Causer of Causes, rode on to the Place of +Gifts and dismounted at the platform. Everything happened just as +Jamila had foretold; when one or two watches of the night had passed, +he saw that the open ground around him was full of such stately and +splendid animals as he had never seen before. By-and-by, they made way +for a wonderfully big lion, which was eighty yards from nose to +tail-tip, and was a magnificent creature. The prince advanced and +saluted it; it proudly drooped its head and forelocks and paced to the +platform. Seventy or eighty others were with it, and now encircled it +at a little distance. It laid its right paw over its left, and the +prince took the kerchief Jamila had given him for the purpose, and +rubbed the dust and earth from its face; then brought forward the game +he had prepared, and crossing his hands respectfully on his breast +stood waiting before it. When it wished for food he cut off pieces of +the meat and put them in its mouth. The serving lions also came near +and the prince would have stayed his hand, but the king-lion signed to +him to feed them too. This he did, laying the meat on the platform. +Then the king-lion beckoned the prince to come near and said: “Sleep at +ease; my guards will watch.”. So, surrounded by the lion-guard, he +slept till dawn, when the king lion said good-bye, and gave him a few +of his own hairs and said: “When you are in any difficulty, burn one of +these and I will be there.” Then it went off into the jungle. + +Prince Almas immediately started; he rode till he came to the parting +of the ways. He remembered quite well that the right-hand way was short +and dangerous, but he bethought himself too that whatever was written +on his forehead would happen, and took the forbidden road. By-and-by he +saw a castle, and knew from what Jamila had told him that it was the +Place of Clashing Swords. He would have liked to go back by the way ho +had come, but courage forbade, and he said, “What has been preordained +from eternity will happen to me,” and went on towards the castle. He +was thinking of tying his horse to a tree which grew near the gate when +a negro came out and spied him. “Ha!” said the wretch to himself, “this +is good; Taram-taq has not eaten man-meat for a long time, and is +craving for some. I will take this creature to him.” He took hold of +the prince’s reins, and said: “Dismount, man-child! Come to my master. +He has wanted to eat man-meat this long time back.” “What nonsense are +you saying?” said the prince, and other such words. When the negro +understood that he was being abused, he cried: “Come along! I will put +you into such a state that the birds of the air will weep for you.” +Then the prince drew the Scorpion of Solomon and struck him—struck him +on the leathern belt and shore him through so that the sword came out +on the other side. He stood upright for a little while, muttered some +words, put out his hand to seize the prince, then fell in two and +surrendered his life. + +There was water close at hand, and the prince made his ablution, and +then said: “O my heart! a wonderful task lies upon you.” A second negro +came out of the fort, and seeing what had been done, went back and told +his chief. Others wished to be doubled, and went out, and of every one +the Scorpion of Solomon made two. Then Taram-taq sent for a giant negro +named Chil-maq, who in the day of battle was worth three hundred, and +said to him: “I shall thank you to fetch me that man.” + +Chil-maq went out, tall as a tower, and bearing a shield of eight +millstones, and as he walked he shouted: “Ho! blunder-head! by what +right do you come to our country and kill our people? Come! make two of +me.” As the prince was despicable in his eyes, he tossed aside his club +and rushed to grip him with his hands. He caught him by the collar, +tucked him under his arm and set off with him to Taram-taq. But the +prince drew the dagger of Timus and thrust it upwards through the +giant’s armpit, for its full length. This made Chil-maq drop him and +try to pick up his club; but when he stooped the mighty sword shore him +through at the waist. + +When news of his champion’s death reached Taram-taq he put himself at +the head of an army of his negroes and led them forth. Many fell before +the magic sword, and the prince laboured on in spite of weakness and +fatigue till he was almost worn out. In a moment of respite from attack +he struck his fire-steel and burned a hair of the king-lion; and he had +just succeeded in this when the negroes charged again and all but took +him prisoner. Suddenly from behind the distant veil of the desert +appeared an army of lions led by their king. “What brings these +scourges of heaven here?” cried the negroes. They came roaring up, and +put fresh life into the prince. He fought on, and when he struck on a +belt the wearer fell in two, and when on a head he cleft to the waist. +Then the ten thousand mighty lions joined the fray and tore in pieces +man and horse. + +Taram-taq was left alone; he would have retired into his fort, but the +prince shouted: “Whither away, accursed one? Are you fleeing before +me?” At these defiant words the chief shouted back, “Welcome, man! Come +here and I will soften you to wax beneath my club.” Then he hurled his +club at the prince’s head, but it fell harmless because the prince had +quickly spurred his horse forward. The chief, believing he had hit him, +was looking down for him, when all at once he came up behind and cleft +him to the waist and sent him straight to hell. + +The king-lion greatly praised the dashing courage of Prince Almas. They +went together into the Castle of Clashing Swords and found it adorned +and fitted in princely fashion. In it was a daughter of Taram taq, +still a child She sent a message to Prince Almas saying, “O king of the +world! choose this slave to be your handmaid. Keep her with you; where +you go, there she will go!” He sent for her and she kissed his feet and +received the Mussulman faith at his hands. He told her he was going a +long journey on important business, and that when he came back he would +take her and her possessions to his own country, but that for the +present she must stay in the castle. Then he made over the fort and all +that was in it to the care of the lion, saying: “Guard them, brother! +let no one lay a hand on them.” He said goodbye, chose a fresh horse +from the chief’s stable and once again took the road. + +After travelling many stages and for many days, he reached a plain of +marvellous beauty and refreshment. It was carpeted with flowers—roses, +tulips, and clover; it had lovely lawns, and amongst them running +water. This choicest place of earth filled him with wonder. There was a +tree such as he had never seen before; its branches were alike, but it +bore flowers and fruit of a thousand kinds. Near it a reservoir had +been fashioned of four sorts of stone—touchstone, pure stone, marble, +and loadstone. In and out of it flowed water like attar. The prince +felt sure this must be the place of the Simurgh.” he dismounted, turned +his horse loose to graze, ate some of the food Jamila had given him, +drank of the stream and lay down to sleep. + +He was still dozing when he was aroused by the neighing and pawing of +his horse. When he could see clearly he made out a mountain-like dragon +whose heavy breast crushed the stones beneath it into putty. He +remembered the Thousand Names of God and took the bow of Salih from its +case and three arrows from their quiver. He bound the dagger of Timus +firmly to his waist and hung the scorpion of Solomon round his neck. +Then he set an arrow on the string and released it with such force that +it went in at the monster’s eye right up to the notch. The dragon +writhed on itself, and belched forth an evil vapour, and beat the +ground with its head till the earth quaked. Then the prince took a +second arrow and shot into its throat. It drew in its breath and would +have sucked the prince into its maw, but when he was within striking +distance he drew his sword and, having committed himself to God, struck +a mighty blow which cut the creature’s neck down to the gullet. The +foul vapour of the beast and horror at its strangeness now overcame the +prince, and he fainted. When he came to himself he found that he was +drenched in the gore of the dead monster. He rose and thanked God for +his deliverance. + +The nest of the Simurgh was in the wonderful tree above him, and in it +were young birds; the parents were away searching for food. They always +told the children, before they left them, not to put their heads out of +the nest; but, to-day, at the noise of the fight below, they looked +down and so saw the whole affair. By the time the dragon had been +killed they were very hungry and set up a clamour for food. The prince +therefore cut up the dragon and fed them with it, bit by bit, till they +had eaten the whole. He then washed himself and lay down to rest, and +he was still asleep when the Simurgh came home. As a rule, the young +birds raised a clamour of welcome when their parents came near, but on +this day they were so full of dragon-meat that they had no choice, they +had to go to sleep. + +As they flew nearer, the old birds saw the prince lying under the tree +and no sign of life in the nest. They thought that the misfortune which +for so many earlier years had befallen them had again happened and that +their nestlings had disappeared. They had never been able to find out +the murderer, and now suspected the prince. “He has eaten our children +and sleeps after it; he must die,” said the father-bird, and flew back +to the hills and clawed up a huge stone which he meant to let fall on +the prince’s head. But his mate said, “Let us look into the nest first +for to kill an innocent person would condemn us at the Day of +Resurrection.” They flew nearer, and presently the young birds woke and +cried, “Mother, what have you brought for us?” and they told the whole +story of the fight, and of how they were alive only by the favour of +the young man under the tree, and of his cutting up the dragon and of +their eating it. The mother-bird then remarked, “Truly, father! you +were about to do a strange thing, and a terrible sin has been averted +from you.” Then the Simurgh flew off to a distance with the great stone +and dropped it. It sank down to the very middle of the earth. + +Coming back, the Simurgh saw that a little sunshine fell upon the +prince through the leaves, and it spread its wings and shaded him till +he woke. When he got up he salaamed to it, who returned his greeting +with joy and gratitude, and caressed him and said: “O youth, tell me +true! who are you, and where are you going? And how did you cross that +pitiless desert where never yet foot of man had trod?” The prince told +his story from beginning to end, and finished by saying: “Now it is my +heart’s wish that you should help me to get to Waq of the Caucasus. +Perhaps, by your favour, I shall accomplish my task and avenge my +brothers.” In reply the Simurgh.” first blessed the deliverer of his +children, and then went on: “What you have done no child of man has +ever done before; you assuredly have a claim on all my help, for every +year up till now that dragon has come here and has destroyed my +nestlings, and I have never been able to find who was the murderer and +to avenge myself. By God’s grace you have removed my children’s +powerful foe. I regard you as a child of my own. Stay with me; I will +give you everything you desire, and I will establish a city here for +you, and will furnish it with every requisite; I will give you the land +of the Caucasus, and will make its princes subject to you. Give up the +journey to Waq, it is full of risk, and the jins there will certainly +kill you.” But nothing could move the prince, and seeing this the bird +went on: “Well, so be it! When you wish to set forth you must go into +the plain and take seven head of deer, and must make water-tight bags +of their hides and keep their flesh in seven portions. Seven seas lie +on our way—I will carry you over them; but if I have not food and drink +we shall fall into the sea and be drowned. When I ask for it you must +put food and water into my mouth. So we shall make the journey safely.” + +The prince did all as he was told, then they took flight; they crossed +the seven seas, and at each one the prince fed the Simurgh When they +alighted on the shore of the last sea, it said: “O my son! there lies +your road; follow it to the city. Take thee three feathers of mine, +and, if you are in a difficulty, burn one and I will be with you in the +twinkling of an eye.” + +The prince walked on in solitude till he reached the city. He went in +and wandered about through all quarters, and through bazaars and lanes +and squares, in the least knowing from whom he could ask information +about the riddle of Mihr-afruz. He spent seven days thinking it over in +silence. From the first day of his coming he had made friends with a +young cloth-merchant, and a great liking had sprung up between them. +One day he said abruptly to his companion: “O dear friend! I wish you +would tell me what the rose did to the cypress, and what the sense of +the riddle is.” The merchant started, and exclaimed: “If there were not +brotherly affection between us, I would cut off your head for asking me +this!” “If you meant to kill me,” retorted the prince, “you would still +have first to tell me what I want to know.” When the merchant saw that +the prince was in deadly earnest, he said: “If you wish to hear the +truth of the matter you must wait upon our king. There is no other way; +no one else will tell you. I have a well-wisher at the Court, named +Farrukh-fal,[12] and will introduce you to him.” “That would be +excellent,” cried the prince. A meeting was arranged between Farrukhfal +and Almas, and then the amir took him to the king’s presence and +introduced him as a stranger and traveller who had come from afar to +sit in the shadow of King Sinaubar. + +Now the Simurgh had given the prince a diamond weighing thirty misqals, +and he ordered this to the king, who at once recognised its value, and +asked where it had been obtained. “I, your slave, once had riches and +state and power; there are many such stones in my country. On my way +here I was plundered at the Castle of Clashing Swords, and I saved this +one thing only, hidden in my bathing-cloth.” In return for the diamond, +King Sinaubar showered gifts of much greater value, for he remembered +that it was the last possession of the prince. He showed the utmost +kindness and hospitality, and gave his wazir orders to instal the +prince in the royal guest-house. He took much pleasure in his visitor’s +society; they were together every day and spent the time most +pleasantly. Several times the king said: “Ask me for something, that I +may give it you.“One day he so pressed to know what would pleasure the +prince, that the latter said: “I have only one wish, and that I will +name to you in private.” The king at once commanded every one to +withdraw, and then Prince Almas said: “The desire of my life is to know +what the rose did to the cypress, and what meaning there is in the +words.” The king was astounded. “In God’s name! if anyone else had said +that to me I should have cut off his head instantly.” The prince heard +this in silence, and presently so beguiled the king with pleasant talk +that to kill him was impossible. + +Time flew by, the king again and again begged the prince to ask some +gift of him, and always received this same reply: “I wish for your +Majesty’s welfare, what more can I desire?” One night there was a +banquet, and cupbearers carried round gold and silver cups of sparkling +wine, and singers with sweetest voices contended for the prize. The +prince drank from the king’s own cup, and when his head was hot with +wine he took a lute from one of the musicians and placed himself on the +carpet border and sang and sang till he witched away the sense of all +who listened. Applause and compliments rang from every side. The king +filled his cup and called the prince and gave it him and said: “Name +your wish! it is yours.” The prince drained off the wine and answered: +“O king of the world! learn and know that I have only one aim in life, +and this is to know what the rose did to the cypress.” + +“Never yet,” replied the king, “has any man come out from that question +alive. If this is your only wish, so be it; I will tell you. But I will +do this on one condition only, namely, that when you have heard you +will submit yourself to death.” To this the prince agreed, and said: “I +set my foot firmly on this compact.” + +The king then gave an order to an attendant; a costly carpet overlaid +with European velvet was placed near him, and a dog was led in by a +golden and jewelled chain and set upon the splendid stuffs. A band of +fair girls came in and stood round it in waiting. + +Then, with ill words, twelve negroes dragged in a lovely woman, +fettered on hands and feet and meanly dressed, and they set her down on +the bare floor. She was extraordinarily beautiful, and shamed the +glorious sun. The king ordered a hundred stripes to be laid on her +tender body; she sighed a long sigh. Food was called for and +table-cloths were spread. Delicate meats were set before the dog, and +water given it in a royal cup of Chinese crystal. When it had eaten its +fill, its leavings were placed before the lovely woman and she was made +to eat of them. She wept and her tears were pearls; she smiled and her +lips shed roses. Pearls and flowers were gathered up and taken to the +treasury. + +“Now,” said the king, “you have seen these things and your purpose is +fulfilled.” “Truly,” said the prince, “I have seen things which I have +not understood; what do they mean, and what is the story of them? Tell +me and kill me.” + +Then said the king: “The woman you see there in chains is my wife; she +is called Gul, the Rose, and I am Sinaubar, the Cypress. One day I was +hunting and became very thirsty. After great search I discovered a well +in a place so secret that neither bird nor beast nor man could find it +without labour. I was alone, I took my turban for a rope and my cap for +a bucket. There was a good deal of water, but when I let down my rope, +something caught it, and I could not in any way draw it back. I shouted +down into the well: ‘O! servant of God! whoever you are, why do you +deal unfairly with me? I am dying of thirst, let go! in God’s name.’ A +cry came up in answer, ‘O servant of God! we have been in the well a +long time; in God’s name get us out!’ After trying a thousand schemes, +I drew up two blind women. They said they were peris, and that their +king had blinded them in his anger and had left them in the well alone. + +“‘Now,’ they said, ‘if you will get us the cure for our blindness we +will devote ourselves to your service, and will do whatever you wish.’ + +“‘What is the cure for your blindness?’ + +“‘Not far from this place,’ they said, ‘a cow comes up from the great +sea to graze; a little of her dung would cure us. We should be +eternally your debtors. Do not let the cow see you, or she will +assuredly kill you.’ + +“With renewed strength and spirit I went to the shore. There I watched +the cow come up from the sea, graze, and go back. Then I came out of my +hiding, took a little of her dung and conveyed it to the peris. They +rubbed it on their eyes, and by the Divine might saw again. + +“They thanked heaven and me, and then considered what they could do to +show their gratitude to me. ‘Our peri-king,’ they said, ‘has a daughter +whom he keeps under his own eye and thinks the most lovely girl on +earth. In good sooth, she has not her equal! Now we will get you into +her house and you must win her heart, and if she has an inclination for +another, you must drive it out and win her for yourself. Her mother +loves her so dearly that she has no ease but in her presence, and she +will give her to no one in marriage. Teach her to love you so that she +cannot exist without you. But if the matter becomes known to her mother +she will have you burned in the fire. Then you must beg, as a last +favour, that your body may be anointed with oil so that you may burn +the more quickly and be spared torture. If the peri-king allows this +favour, we two will manage to be your anointers, and we will put an oil +on you such that if you were a thousand years in the fire not a trace +of burning would remain.’ + +“In the end the two peris took me to the girl’s house. I saw her +sleeping daintily. She was most lovely, and I was so amazed at the +perfection of her beauty that I stood with senses lost, and did not +know if she were real or a dream. When at last I saw that she was a +real girl, I returned thanks that I, the runner, had come to my goal, +and that I, the seeker, had found my treasure. + +“When the peri opened her eyes she asked in affright: ‘Who are you? +Have you come to steal? How did you get here? Be quick! save yourself +from this whirlpool of destruction, for the demons and peris. who guard +me will wake and seize you.’ + +“But love’s arrow had struck me deep, and the girl, too, looked kindly +on me. I could not go away. For some months I remained hidden in her +house. “We did not dare to let her mother know of our love. Sometimes +the girl was very sad and fearful lest her mother should come to know. +One day her father said to her: ‘Sweetheart, for some time I have +noticed that your beauty is not what it was. How is this? Has sickness +touched you? Tell me that I may seek a cure.’ Alas! there was now no +way of concealing the mingled delight and anguish of our love; from +secret it became known. I was put in prison and the world grew dark to +my rose, bereft of her lover. + +“The peri-king ordered me to be burnt, and said: ‘Why have you, a man, +done this perfidious thing in my house?’ His demons and peris. +collected amber-wood and made a pile, and would have set me on it, when +I remembered the word of life which the two peris. I had rescued had +breathed into my ear, and I asked that my body might be rubbed with oil +to release me the sooner from torture. This was allowed, and those two +contrived to be the anointers. I was put into the fire and it was kept +up for seven days and nights. By the will of the Great King it left no +trace upon me. At the end of a week the pert-king ordered the ashes to +be cast upon the dust-heap, and I was found alive and unharmed. + +“Peris who had seen Gul consumed by her love for me now interceded with +the king, and said: ‘It is clear that your daughter’s fortunes are +bound up with his, for the fire has not hurt him. It is best to give +him the girl, for they love one another. He is King of Waq of Qaf, and +you will find none better.’ + +“To this the king agreed, and made formal marriage between Gul and me. +You now know the price I paid for this faithless creature. O prince! +remember our compact.” + +“I remember,” said the prince; “but tell me what brought Queen Gul to +her present pass?” + +“One night,” continued King Sinaubar, “I was aroused by feeling Gul’s +hands and feet, deadly cold, against my body. I asked her where she had +been to get so cold, and she said she had had to go out. Next morning, +when I went to my stable I saw that two of my horses, Windfoot and +Tiger, were thin and worn out. I reprimanded the groom and beat him. He +asked where his fault lay, and said that every night my wife took one +or other of these horses and rode away, and came back only just before +dawn. A flame kindled in my heart, and I asked myself where she could +go and what she could do. I told the groom to be silent, and when next +Gul took a horse from the stable to saddle another quickly and bring it +to me. That day I did not hunt, but stayed at home to follow the matter +up. I lay down as usual at night and pretended to fall asleep. When I +seemed safely off Gul got up and went to the stable as her custom was. +That night it was Tiger’s turn. She rode off on him, and I took +Windfoot and followed. With me went that dog you see, a faithful friend +who never left me. + +“When I came to the foot of those hills which lie outside the city I +saw Gul dismount and go towards a house which some negroes have built +there. Over against the door was a high seat, and on it lay a giant +negro, before whom she salaamed. He got up and beat her till she was +marked with weals, but she uttered no complaint. I was dumfounded, for +once when I had struck her with a rose stalk she had complained and +fretted for three days! Then the negro said to her: ‘How now, ugly one +and shaven head! Why are you so late, and why are you not wearing +wedding garments?’ She answered him: ‘That person did not go to sleep +quickly, and he stayed at home all day, so that I was not able to adorn +myself. I came as soon as I could.’ In a little while he called her to +sit beside him; but this was more than I could bear. I lost control of +myself and rushed upon him. He clutched my collar and we grappled in a +death struggle. Suddenly she came behind me, caught my feet and threw +me. While he held me on the ground, she drew out my own knife and gave +it to him. I should have been killed but for that faithful dog which +seized his throat and pulled him down and pinned him to the ground. +Then I got up and despatched the wretch. There were four other negroes +at the place; three I killed and the fourth got away, and has taken +refuge beneath the throne of Mihr-afruz, daughter of King Quimus. I +took Gul back to my palace, and from that time till now I have treated +her as a dog is treated, and I have cared for my dog as though it were +my wife. Now you know what the rose did to the cypress; and now you +must keep compact with me.” + +“I shall keep my word,” said the prince; “but may a little water be +taken to the roof so that I may make my last ablution?” + +To this request the king consented. The prince mounted to the roof, +and, getting into a corner, struck his fire-steel and burned one of the +Sirurgh’s feathers in the flame. Straightway it appeared, and by the +majesty of its presence made the city quake. It took the prince on its +back and soared away to the zenith. + +After a time King Sinaubar said: “That young man is a long time on the +roof; go and bring him here.” But there was no sign of the prince upon +the roof; only, far away in the sky, the Simurgh was seen carrying him +off. When the king heard of his escape he thanked heaven that his hands +were clean of this blood. + +Up and up flew the Simurgh, till earth looked like an egg resting on an +ocean. At length it dropped straight down to its own place, where the +kind prince was welcomed by the young birds and most hospitably +entertained. He told the whole story of the rose and the cypress, and +then, laden with gifts which the Simurgh had gathered from cities far +and near, he set his face for the Castle of Clashing Swords. The +king-lion came out to meet him; he took the negro chief’s +daughter—-whose name was also Gul—in lawful marriage, and then marched +with her and her possessions and her attendants to the Place of Gifts. +Here they halted for a night, and at dawn said good-bye to the +king-lion and set out for Jamila’s country. + +When the Lady Jamila heard that Prince Almas was near, she went out, +with many a fair handmaid, to give him loving reception. Their meeting +was joyful, and they went together to the garden-palace. Jamila +summoned all her notables, and in their presence her marriage with the +prince was solemnised. A few days later she entrusted her affairs to +her wazir, and made preparation to go with the prince to his own +country. Before she started she restored all the men whom her sister, +Latifa, had bewitched, to their own forms, and received their +blessings, and set them forward to their homes. The wicked Latifa +herself she left quite alone in her garden-house. When all was ready +they set out with all her servants and slaves, all her treasure and +goods, and journeyed at ease to the city of King Quimus. + +When King Quimus heard of the approach of such a great company, he sent +out his wazir to give the prince honourable meeting, and to ask what +had procured him the favour of the visit. The prince sent back word +that he had no thought of war, but he wrote: “Learn and know, King +Quimus, that I am here to end the crimes of your insolent daughter who +has tyrannously done to death many kings and kings sons, and has hung +their heads on your citadel. I am here to give her the answer to her +riddle.” Later on he entered the city, beat boldly on the drums, and +was conducted to the presence. + +The king entreated him to have nothing to do with the riddle, for that +no man had come out of it alive. “O king!” replied the prince, “it is +to answer it that I am here; I will not withdraw.” + +Mihr-afruz was told that one man more had staked his head on her +question, and that this was one who said he knew the answer. At the +request of the prince, all the officers and notables of the land were +summoned to hear his reply to the princess. All assembled, and the king +and his queen Gul-rakh, and the girl and the prince were there. + +The prince addressed Mihr-afruz: “What is the question you ask?” + +“What did the rose do to the cypress?” she rejoined. + +The prince smiled, and turned and addressed the assembly. + +“You who are experienced men and versed in affairs, did you ever know +or hear and see anything of this matter?” + +“No!” they answered, “no one has ever known or heard or seen aught +about it; it is an empty fancy.” + +“From whom, then, did the princess hear of it? This empty fancy it is +that has done many a servant of God to death!” + +All saw the good sense of his words and showed their approval. Then he +turned to the princess: “Tell us the truth, princess; who told you of +this thing? I know it hair by hair, and in and out; but if I tell you +what I know, who is there that can say I speak the truth? You must +produce the person who can confirm my words.” + +Her heart sank, for she feared that her long-kept secret was now to be +noised abroad. But she said merely: “Explain yourself.” + +“I shall explain myself fully when you bring here the negro whom you +hide beneath your throne.” + +Here the king shouted in wonderment: “Explain yourself, young man! What +negro does my daughter hide beneath her throne?” + +“That,” said the prince, “you will see if you order to be brought here +the negro who will be found beneath the throne of the princess.” + +Messengers were forthwith despatched to the garden house, and after +awhile they returned bringing a negro whom they had discovered in a +secret chamber underneath the throne of Mihr-afruz, dressed in a dress +of honour, and surrounded with luxury. The king was overwhelmed with +astonishment, but the girl had taken heart again. She had had time to +think that perhaps the prince had heard of the presence of the negro, +and knew no more. So she said haughtily: “Prince! you have not answered +my riddle.” + +“O most amazingly impudent person,” cried he, “do you not yet repent?” + +Then he turned to the people, and told them the whole story of the rose +and the cypress, of King Sinaubar and Queen Gul. When he came to the +killing of the negroes, he said to the one who stood before them: “You, +too, were present.” + +“That is so; all happened as you have told it!” + +There was great rejoicing in the court and all through the country over +the solving of the riddle, and because now no more kings and princes +would be killed. King Quimus made over his daughter to Prince Almas, +but the latter refused to marry her, and took her as his captive. He +then asked that the heads should be removed from the battlements and +given decent burial. This was done. He received from the king +everything that belonged to Mihr-afruz; her treasure of gold and +silver; her costly stuffs and carpets; her household plenishing; her +horses and camels; her servants and slaves. + +Then he returned to his camp and sent for Dil-aram, who came bringing +her goods and chattels, her gold and her jewels. When all was ready, +Prince Almas set out for home, taking with him Jamila, and Dil-aram and +Gul, daughter of Taram-taq, and the wicked Mihr-afruz, and all the +belongings of the four, packed on horses and camels, and in carts +without number. + +As he approached the borders of his father’s country word of his coming +went before him, and all the city came forth to give him welcome. King +Saman-lal-posh—Jessamine, wearer of rubies—had so bewept the loss of +his sons that he was now blind. When the prince had kissed his feet and +received his blessing, he took from a casket a little collyrium of +Solomon, which the Simurgh had given him, and which reveals the hidden +things of earth, and rubbed it on his father’s eyes. Light came, and +the king saw his son. + +Mihr-afruz was brought before the king, and the prince said: “This is +the murderer of your sons; do with her as you will.” The king fancied +that the prince might care for the girl’s beauty, and replied: “You +have humbled her; do with her as you will.” + +Upon this the prince sent for four swift and strong horses, and had the +negro bound to each one of them; then each was driven to one of the +four quarters, and he tore in pieces like muslin. + +This frightened Mihr-afruz horribly, for she thought the same thing +might be done to herself. She cried out to the prince: “O Prince Almas! +what is hardest to get is most valued. Up till now I have been subject +to no man, and no man had had my love. The many kings and kings sons +who have died at my hands have died because it was their fate to die +like this. In this matter I have not sinned. That was their fate from +eternity; and from the beginning it was predestined that my fate should +be bound up with yours.” + +The prince gave ear to the argument from pre-ordainment, and as she was +a very lovely maiden he took her too in lawful marriage. She and +Jamila, set up house together, and Dil-aram and Gul set up theirs; and +the prince passed the rest of his life with the four in perfect +happiness, and in pleasant and sociable entertainment. + +Now has been told what the rose did to the cypress. + +Finished, finished, finished! + + + + +Footnotes: + +1 (return) +[Translated from two Persian MSS. in the possession of the British +Museum and the India Office, and adapted, with some reservations, by +Annette S. Beveridge.] + +2 (return) +[Jessamine, ruby-decked.] + +3 (return) +[Life-giving diamond.] + +4 (return) +[World-gripper.] + +5 (return) +[Love-enkindler.] + +6 (return) +[Rose-cheek.] + +7 (return) +[Heartsease.] + +8 (return) +[Elias.] + +9 (return) +[Pleasure.] + +10 (return) +[Thirty-birds.] + +11 (return) +[Pomp and Pride.] + +12 (return) +[Of happy omen.] + + + + +Ball-carrier and the Bad One + + +Far, far in the forest there were two little huts, and in each of them +lived a man who was a famous hunter, his wife, and three or four +children. Now the children were forbidden to play more than a short +distance from the door, as it was known that, away on the other side of +the wood near the great river, there dwelt a witch who had a magic ball +that she used as a means of stealing children. + +Her plan was a very simple one, and had never yet failed. When she +wanted a child she just flung her ball in the direction of the child’s +home, and however far off it might be, the ball was sure to reach it. +Then, as soon as the child saw it, the ball would begin rolling slowly +back to the witch, just keeping a little ahead of the child, so that he +always thought that he could catch it the next minute. But he never +did, and, what was more, his parents never saw him again. + +Of course you must not suppose that all the fathers and mothers who had +lost children made no attempts to find them, but the forest was so +large, and the witch was so cunning in knowing exactly where they were +going to search, that it was very easy for her to keep out of the way. +Besides, there was always the chance that the children might have been +eaten by wolves, of which large herds roamed about in winter. + +One day the old witch happened to want a little boy, so she threw her +ball in the direction of the hunters’ huts. A child was standing +outside, shooting at a mark with his bow and arrows, but the moment he +saw the ball, which was made of glass whose blues and greens and +whites, all frosted over, kept changing one into the other, he flung +down his bow, and stooped to pick the ball up. But as he did so it +began to roll very gently downhill. The boy could not let it roll away, +when it was so close to him, so he gave chase. The ball seemed always +within his grasp, yet he could never catch it; it went quicker and +quicker, and the boy grew more and more excited. That time he almost +touched it—no, he missed it by a hair’s breadth! Now, surely, if he +gave a spring he could get in front of it! He sprang forward, tripped +and fell, and found himself in the witch’s house! + +“Welcome! welcome! grandson!” said she; “get up and rest yourself, for +you have had a long walk, and I am sure you must be tired!” So the boy +sat down, and ate some food which she gave him in a bowl. It was quite +different from anything he had tasted before, and he thought it was +delicious. When he had eaten up every bit, the witch asked him if he +had ever fasted. + +“No,” replied the boy, “at least I have been obliged to sometimes, but +never if there was any food to be had.” + +“You will have to fast if you want the spirits to make you strong and +wise, and the sooner you begin the better.” + +“Very well,” said the boy, “what do I do first?” + +“Lie down on those buffalo skins by the door of the hut,” answered she; +and the boy lay down, and the squirrels and little bears and the birds +came and talked to him. + +At the end of ten days the old woman came to him with a bowl of the +same food that he had eaten before. + +“Get up, my grandson, you have fasted long enough. Have the good +spirits visited you, and granted you the strength and wisdom that you +desire?” + +“Some of them have come, and have given me a portion of both,” answered +the boy, “but many have stayed away from me.” + +“Then,” said she, “you must fast ten days more.” + +So the boy lay down again on the buffalo skins, and fasted for ten +days, and at the end of that time he turned his face to the wall, and +fasted for twenty days longer. At length the witch called to him, and +said: + +“Come and eat something, my grandson.” At the sound of her voice the +boy got up and ate the food she gave him. When he had finished every +scrap she spoke as before: “Tell me, my grandson, have not the good +spirits visited you all these many days that you have fasted?” + +“Not all, grandmother,” answered he; “there are still some who keep +away from me and say that I have not fasted long enough.” + +“Then you must fast again,” replied the old woman, “and go on fasting +till you receive the gifts of all the good spirits. Not one must be +missing.” + +The boy said nothing, but lay down for the third time on the buffalo +skins, and fasted for twenty days more. And at the end of that time the +witch thought he was dead, his face was so white and his body so still. +But when she had fed him out of the bowl he grew stronger, and soon was +able to sit up. + +“You have fasted a long time,” said she, “longer than anyone ever +fasted before. Surely the good spirits must be satisfied now?” + +“Yes, grandmother,” answered the boy, “they have all come, and have +given me their gifts.” + +This pleased the old woman so much that she brought him another basin +of food, and while he was eating it she talked to him, and this is what +she said: “Far away, on the other side of the great river, is the home +of the Bad One. In his house is much gold, and what is more precious +even than the gold, a little bridge, which lengthens out when the Bad +One waves his hand, so that there is no river or sea that he cannot +cross. Now I want that bridge and some of the gold for myself, and that +is the reason that I have stolen so many boys by means of my ball. I +have tried to teach them how to gain the gifts of the good spirits, but +none of them would fast long enough, and at last I had to send them +away to perform simple, easy little tasks. But you have been strong and +faithful, and you can do this thing if you listen to what I tell you! +When you reach the river tie this ball to your foot, and it will take +you across—you cannot manage it in any other way. But do not be afraid; +trust to the ball, and you will be quite safe!” + +The boy took the ball and put it in a bag. Then he made himself a club +and a bow, and some arrows which would fly further than anyone else’s +arrows, because of the strength the good spirits had given him. They +had also bestowed on him the power of changing his shape, and had +increased the quickness of his eyes and ears so that nothing escaped +him. And in some way or other they made him understand that if he +needed more help they would give it to him. + +When all these things were ready the boy bade farewell to the witch and +set out. He walked through the forest for several days without seeing +anyone but his friends the squirrels and the bears and the birds, but +though he stopped and spoke to them all, he was careful not to let them +know where he was going. + +At last, after many days, he came to the river, and beyond it he +noticed a small hut standing on a hill which he guessed to be the home +of the Bad One. But the stream flowed so quickly that he could not see +how he was ever to cross it, and in order to test how swift the current +really was, he broke a branch from a tree and threw it in. It seemed +hardly to touch the water before it was carried away, and even his +magic sight could not follow it. He could not help feeling frightened, +but he hated giving up anything that he had once undertaken, and, +fastening the ball on his right foot, he ventured on the river. To his +surprise he was able to stand up; then a panic seized him, and he +scrambled up the bank again. In a minute or two he plucked up courage +to go a little further into the river, but again its width frightened +him, and a second time he turned back. However, he felt rather ashamed +of his cowardice, as it was quite clear that his ball could support +him, and on his third trial he got safely to the other side. + +Once there he replaced the ball in the bag, and looked carefully round +him. The door of the Bad One’s hut was open, and he saw that the +ceiling was supported by great wooden beams, from which hung the bags +of gold and the little bridge. He saw, too, the Bad One sitting in the +midst of his treasures eating his dinner, and drinking something out of +a horn. It was plain to the boy that he must invent some plan of +getting the Bad One out of the way, or else he would never be able to +steal the gold or the bridge. + +What should he do? Give horrible shrieks as if he were in pain? But the +Bad One would not care whether he were murdered or not! Call him by his +name? But the Bad One was very cunning, and would suspect some trick. +He must try something better than that! Then suddenly an idea came to +him, and he gave a little jump of joy. “Oh, how stupid of me not to +think of that before!” said he, and he wished with all his might that +the Bad One should become very hungry—so hungry that he could not wait +a moment for fresh food to be brought to him. And sure enough at that +instant the Bad One called out to his servant, “You did not bring food +that would satisfy a sparrow Fetch some more at once, for I am +perfectly starving.” Then, without giving the woman time to go to the +larder, he got up from his chair, and rolled, staggering from hunger, +towards the kitchen. + +Directly the door had closed on the Bad One the boy ran in, pulled down +a bag of gold from the beam, and tucked it under his left arm. Next he +unhooked the little bridge and put it under his right. He did not try +to escape, as most boys of his age would have done, for the wisdom put +into his mind by the good spirits taught him that before he could reach +the river and make use of the bridge the Bad One would have tracked him +by his footsteps and been upon him. So, making himself very small and +thin, he hid himself behind a pile of buffalo skins in the corner, +first tearing a slit through one of them, so that he could see what was +going on. + +He had hardly settled himself when the servant entered the room, and, +as she did so, the last bag of gold on the beam fell to the ground—for +they had begun to fall directly the boy had taken the first one. She +cried to her master that someone had stolen both the bag and the +bridge, and the Bad One rushed in, mad with anger, and bade her go and +seek for footsteps outside, that they might find out where the thief +had gone. In a few minutes she returned, saying that he must be in the +house, as she could not see any footsteps leading to the river, and +began to move all the furniture in the room, without discovering Ball +Carrier. + +“But he must be here somewhere,” she said to herself, examining for the +second time the pile of buffalo skins; and Ball-Carrier, knowing that +he could not possibly escape now, hastily wished that the Bad One +should be unable to eat any more food at present. + +“Ah, there is a slit in this one,” cried the servant, shaking the skin; +“and here he is.” And she pulled out Ball-Carrier, looking so lean and +small that he would hardly have made a mouthful for a sparrow. + +“Was it you who took my gold and bridge?” asked the Bad One. + +“Yes,” answered Ball-Carrier, “it was I who took them.” + +The Bad One made a sign to the woman, who inquired where he had hidden +them. He lifted his left arm where the gold was, and she picked up a +knife and scraped his skin so that no gold should be left sticking to +it. + +“What have you done with the bridge?” said she. And he lifted his right +arm, from which she took the bridge, while the Bad One looked on, well +pleased. “Be sure that he does not run away,” chuckled he. “Boil some +water, and get him ready for cooking, while I go and invite my friends +the water-demons to the feast.” + +The woman seized Ball-Carrier between her finger and thumb, and was +going to carry him to the kitchen, when the boy spoke: + +“I am very lean and small now,” he said, “hardly worth the trouble of +cooking; but if you were to keep me two days, and gave me plenty of +food, I should get big and fat. As it is, your friends the water-demons +would think you meant to laugh at them, when they found that I was the +feast.” + +“Well, perhaps you are right,” answered the Bad One; “I will keep you +for two days.” And he went out to visit the water-demons. + +Meanwhile the servant, whose name was Lung Woman, led him into a little +shed, and chained him up to a ring in the wall. But food was given him +every hour, and at the end of two days he was as fat and big as a +Christmas turkey, and could hardly move his head from one side to the +other. + +“He will do now,” said the Bad One, who came constantly to see how he +was getting on. “I shall go and tell the water-demons that we expect +them to dinner to-night. Put the kettle on the fire, but be sure on no +account to taste the broth.” + +Lung-Woman lost no time in obeying her orders. She built up the fire, +which had got very low, filled the kettle with water, and passing a +rope which hung from the ceiling through the handle, swung it over the +flames. Then she brought in Ball-Carrier, who, seeing all these +preparations, wished that as long as he was in the kettle the water +might not really boil, though it would hiss and bubble, and also, that +the spirits would turn the water into fat. + +The kettle soon began to sing and bubble, and Ball Carrier was lifted +in. Very soon the fat which was to make the sauce rose to the surface, +and Ball-Carrier, who was bobbing about from one side to the other, +called out that Lung-Woman had better taste the broth, as he though +that some salt should be added to it. The servant knew quite well that +her master had forbidden her to do any thing of the kind, but when once +the idea was put into her head, she found the smell from the kettle so +delicious that she unhooked a long ladle from the wall and plunged it +into the kettle. + +“You will spill it all, if you stand so far off,” said the boy; “why +don’t you come a little nearer?” And as she did so he cried to the +spirits to give him back his usual size and strength and to make the +water scalding hot Then he gave the kettle a kick, which upset all the +boiling water upon her, and jumping over her body he seized once more +the gold and the bridge, picked up his club and bow and arrows, and +after setting fire to the Bad One’s hut, ran down to the river, which +he crossed safely by the help of the bridge. + +The hut, which was made of wood, was burned to the ground before the +Bad One came back with a large crowd of water-demons. There was not a +sign of anyone or anything, so he started for the river, where he saw +Ball Carrier sitting quietly on the other side. Then the Bad One knew +what had happened, and after telling the water demons that there would +be no feast after all, he called to Ball-Carrier, who was eating an +apple. + +“I know your name now,” he said, “and as you have ruined me, and I am +not rich any more, will you take me as your servant?” + +“Yes, I will, though you have tried to kill me,” answered Ball-Carrier, +throwing the bridge across the water as he spoke. But when the Bad One +was in the midst of the stream, the boy wished it to become small; and +the Bad One fell into the water and was drowned, and the world was rid +of him. + +[U.S.. Bureau of Ethnology.] + + + + +How Ball-carrier Finished His Task + + +After Ball-Carrier had managed to drown the Bad One so that he could +not do any more mischief, he forgot the way to his grandmother’s house, +and could not find it again, though he searched everywhere. During this +time he wandered into many strange places, and had many adventures; and +one day he came to a hut where a young girl lived. He was tired and +hungry and begged her to let him in and rest, and he stayed a long +while, and the girl became his wife. One morning he saw two children +playing in front of the hut, and went out to speak to them. But as soon +as they saw him they set up cries of horror and ran away. “They are the +children of my sister who has been on a long journey,” replied his +wife, “and now that she knows you are my husband she wants to kill +you.” + +“Oh, well, let her try,” replied Ball-Carrier. “It is not the first +time people have wished to do that. And here I am still, you see!” + +“Be careful,” said the wife, “she is very cunning.” But at this moment +the sister-in-law came up. + +“How do you do, brother-in-law? I have heard of you so often that I am +very glad to meet you. I am told that you are more powerful than any +man on earth, and as I am powerful too, let us try which is the +strongest.” + +“That will be delightful,” answered he. “Suppose we begin with a short +race, and then we will go on to other things.” + +“That will suit me very well,” replied the woman, who was a witch. “And +let us agree that the one who wins shall have the right to kill the +other.” + +“Oh, certainly,” said Ball-Carrier; and I don’t think we shall find a +flatter course than the prairie itself—no one knows how many miles it +stretches. We will run to the end and back again.” + +This being settled they both made ready for the race, and Ball-Carrier +silently begged the good spirits to help him, and not to let him fall +into the hands of this wicked witch. + +“When the sun touches the trunk of that tree we will start,” said she, +as they both stood side by side. But with the first step Ball-Carrier +changed himself into a wolf and for a long way kept ahead. Then +gradually he heard her creeping up behind him, and soon she was in +front. So Ball-Carrier took the shape of a pigeon and flew rapidly past +her, but in a little while she was in front again and the end of the +prairie was in sight. “A crow can fly faster than a pigeon,” thought +he, and as a crow he managed to pass her and held his ground so long +that he fancied she was quite beaten. The witch began to be afraid of +it too, and putting out all her strength slipped past him. Next he put +on the shape of a hawk, and in this form he reached the bounds of the +prairie, he and the witch turning homewards at the moment. + +Bird after bird he tried, but every time the witch gained on him and +took the lead. At length the goal was in sight, and Ball-Carrier knew +that unless he could get ahead now he would be killed before his own +door, under the eyes of his wife. His eyes had grown dim from fatigue, +his wings flapped wearily and hardly bore him along, while the witch +seemed as fresh as ever. What bird was there whose flight was swifter +than his? Would not the good spirits tell him? Ah, of course he knew; +why had he not thought of it at first and spared himself all that +fatigue? And the next instant a humming bird, dressed in green and +blue, flashed past the woman and entered the house. The witch came +panting up, furious at having lost the race which she felt certain of +winning; and Ball-Carrier, who had by this time changed back into his +own shape, struck her on the head and killed her. + +For a long while Ball-Carrier was content to stay quietly at home with +his wife and children, for he was tired of adventures, and only did +enough hunting to supply the house with food. But one day he happened +to eat some poisonous berries that he had found in the forest, and grew +so ill that he felt he was going to die. + +“When I am dead do not bury me in the earth,” he said, “but put me over +there, among that clump of trees.” So his wife and her three children +watched by him as long as he was alive, and after he was dead they took +him up and laid the body on a platform of stakes which they had +prepared in the grove. And as they returned weeping to the hut they +caught a glimpse of the ball rolling away down the path back to the old +grandmother. One of the sons sprang forward to stop it, for +Ball-Carrier had often told them the tale of how it had helped him to +cross the river, but it was too quick for him, and they had to content +themselves with the war club and bow and arrows, which were put +carefully away. + +By-and-by some travellers came past, and the chief among them asked +leave to marry Ball-Carrier’s daughter. The mother said she must have a +little time to think over it, as her daughter was still very young; so +it was settled that the man should go away for a month with his +friends, and then come back to see if the girl was willing. + +Now ever since Ball-Carrier’s death the family had been very poor, and +often could not get enough to eat. One morning the girl, who had had no +supper and no breakfast, wandered off to look for cranberries, and +though she was quite near home was astonished at noticing a large hut, +which certainly had not been there when last she had come that way. No +one was about, so she ventured to peep in, and her surprise was +increased at seeing, heaped up in one corner, a quantity of food of all +sorts, while a little robin redbreast stood perched on a beam looking +down upon her. + +“It is my father, I am sure,” she cried; and the bird piped in answer. + +From that day, whenever they wanted food they went to the hut, and +though the robin could not speak, he would hop on their shoulders and +let them feed him with the food they knew he liked best. + +When the man came back he found the girl looking so much prettier and +fatter than when he had left her, that he insisted that they should be +married on the spot. And the mother, who did not know how to get rid of +him, gave in. + +The husband spent all his time in hunting, and the family had never had +so much meat before; but the man, who had seen for himself how poor +they were, noticed with amazement that they did not seem to care about +it, or to be hungry. “They must get food from somewhere,” he thought, +and one morning, when he pretended to be going out to hunt, he hid in a +thicket to watch. Very soon they all left the house together, and +walked to the other hut, which the girl’s husband saw for the first +time, as it was hid in a hollow. He followed, and noticed that each one +went up to the redbreast, and shook him by the claw; and he then +entered boldly and shook the bird’s claw too. The whole party +afterwards sat down to dinner, after which they all returned to their +own hut. + +The next day the husband declared that he was very ill, and could not +eat anything; but this was only a presence so that he might get what he +wanted. The family were all much distressed, and begged him to tell +them what food he fancied. + +“Oh! I could not eat any food,” he answered every time, and at each +answer his voice grew fainter and fainter, till they thought he would +die from weakness before their eyes. + +“There must be some thing you could take, if you would only say what it +is,” implored his wife. + +“No, nothing, nothing; except, perhaps—but of course that is +impossible!” + +“No, I am sure it is not,” replied she; “you shall have it, I +promise—only tell me what it is.” + +“I think—but I could not ask you to do such a thing. Leave me alone, +and let me die quietly.” + +“You shall not die,” cried the girl, who was very fond of her husband, +for he did not beat her as most girls’ husbands did. “Whatever it is, I +will manage to get it for you.” + +“Well, then, I think, if I had that—redbreast, nicely roasted, I could +eat a little bit of his wing!” + +The wife started back in horror at such a request; but the man turned +his face to the wall, and took no notice, as he thought it was better +to leave her to herself for a little. + +Weeping and wringing her hands, the girl went down to her mother. The +brothers were very angry when they heard the story, and declared that, +if any one were to die, it certainly should not be the robin. But all +that night the man seemed getting weaker and weaker, and at last, quite +early, the wife crept out, and stealing to the hut, killed the bird, +and brought him home to her husband. + +Just as she was going to cook it her two brothers came in. They cried +out in horror at the sight, and, rushing out of the hut, declared they +would never see her any more. And the poor girl, with a heavy heart, +took the body of the redbreast up to her husband. + +But directly she entered the room the man told her that he felt a great +deal better, and that he would rather have a piece of bear’s flesh, +well boiled, than any bird, however tender. His wife felt very +miserable to think that their beloved redbreast had been sacrificed for +nothing, and begged him to try a little bit. + +“You felt so sure that it would do you good before,” said she, “that I +can’t help thinking it would quite cure you now.” But the man only flew +into a rage, and flung the bird out of the window. Then he got up and +went out. + +Now all this while the ball had been rolling, rolling, rolling to the +old grandmother’s hut on the other side of the world, and directly it +rolled into her hut she knew that her grandson must be dead. Without +wasting any time she took a fox skin and tied it round her forehead, +and fastened another round her waist, as witches always do when they +leave their own homes. When she was ready she said to the ball: “Go +back the way you came, and lead me to my grandson.” And the ball +started with the old woman following. + +It was a long journey, even for a witch, but, like other things, it +ended at last; and the old woman stood before the platform of stakes, +where the body of Ball-Carrier lay. + +“Wake up, my grandson, it is time to go home,” the witch said. And +Ball-Carrier stepped down oft the platform, and brought his club and +bow and arrows out of the hut, and set out, for the other side of the +world, behind the old woman. + +When they reached the hut where Ball-Carrier had fasted so many years +ago, the old woman spoke for the first time since they had started on +their way. + +“My grandson, did you ever manage to get that gold from the Bad One?” + +“Yes, grandmother, I got it.” + +“Where is it?” she asked. + +“Here, in my left arm-pit,” answered he. + +So she picked up a knife and scraped away all the gold which had stuck +to his skin, and which had been sticking there ever since he first +stole it. After she had finished she asked again: + +“My grandson, did you manage to get that bridge from the Bad One?” + +“Yes, grandmother, I got that too,” answered he. + +“Where is it?” she asked, and Ball-Carrier lifted his right arm, and +pointed to his arm-pit. + +“Here is the bridge, grandmother,” said he. + +Then the witch did something that nobody in the world could have +guessed that she would do. First, she took the gold and said to +Ball-carrier: + +“My grandson, this gold must be hidden in the earth, for if people +think they can get it when they choose, they will become lazy and +stupid. But if we take it and bury it in different parts of the world +they will have to work for it if they want it, and then will only find +a little at a time.” And as she spoke, she pulled up one of the poles +of the hut, and Ball-Carrier saw that underneath was a deep, deep hole, +which seemed to have no bottom. Down this hole she poured all the gold, +and when it was out of sight it ran about all over the world, where +people that dig hard sometimes find it. And after that was done she put +the pole back again. + +Next she lifted down a spade from a high shelf, where it had grown +quite rusty, and dug a very small hole on the opposite side of the +hut—very small, but very deep. + +“Give me the bridge,” said she, “for I am going to bury it here. If +anyone was to get hold of it, and find that they could cross rivers and +seas without any trouble, they would never discover how to cross them +for themselves. I am a witch, and if I had chosen I could easily have +cast my spells over the Bad One, and have made him deliver them to you +the first day you came into my hut. But then you would never have +fasted, and never have planned how to get what you wanted, and never +have known the good spirits, and would have been fat and idle to the +end of your days. And now go; in that hut, which you can just see far +away, live your father and mother, who are old people now, and need a +son to hunt for them. You have done what you were set to do, and I need +you no more.” + +Then Ball-Carrier remembered his parents and went back to them. + +[From Bureau of Ethnology. “Indian Folklore.“] + + + + +The Bunyip + + +Long, long ago, far, far away on the other side of the world, some +young men left the camp where they lived to get some food for their +wives and children. The sun was hot, but they liked heat, and as they +went they ran races and tried who could hurl his spear the farthest, or +was cleverest in throwing a strange weapon called a boomerang, which +always returns to the thrower. They did not get on very fast at this +rate, but presently they reached a flat place that in time of flood was +full of water, but was now, in the height of summer, only a set of +pools, each surrounded with a fringe of plants, with bulrushes standing +in the inside of all. In that country the people are fond of the roots +of bulrushes, which they think as good as onions, and one of the young +men said that they had better collect some of the roots and carry them +back to the camp. It did not take them long to weave the tops of the +willows into a basket, and they were just going to wade into the water +and pull up the bulrush roots when a youth suddenly called out: “After +all, why should we waste our time in doing work that is only fit for +women and children? Let them come and get the roots for themselves; but +we will fish for eels and anything else we can get.” + +This delighted the rest of the party, and they all began to arrange +their fishing lines, made from the bark of the yellow mimosa, and to +search for bait for their hooks. Most of them used worms, but one, who +had put a piece of raw meat for dinner into his skin wallet, cut off a +little bit and baited his line with it, unseen by his companions. + +For a long time they cast patiently, without receiving a single bite; +the sun had grown low in the sky, and it seemed as if they would have +to go home empty-handed, not even with a basket of roots to show; when +the youth, who had baited his hook with raw meat, suddenly saw his line +disappear under the water. Something, a very heavy fish he supposed, +was pulling so hard that he could hardly keep his feet, and for a few +minutes it seemed either as if he must let go or be dragged into the +pool. He cried to his friends to help him, and at last, trembling with +fright at what they were going to see, they managed between them to +land on the bank a creature that was neither a calf nor a seal, but +something of both, with a long, broad tail. They looked at each other +with horror, cold shivers running down their spines; for though they +had never beheld it, there was not a man amongst them who did not know +what it was—the cub of the awful Bunyip! + +All of a sudden the silence was broken by a low wail, answered by +another from the other side of the pool, as the mother rose up from her +den and came towards them, rage flashing from her horrible yellow eyes. +“Let it go! let it go!” whispered the young men to each other; but the +captor declared that he had caught it, and was going to keep it. “He +had promised his sweetheart,” he said, “that he would bring back enough +meat for her father’s house to feast on for three days, and though they +could not eat the little Bunyip, her brothers and sisters should have +it to play with.” So, flinging his spear at the mother to keep her +back, he threw the little Bunyip on to his shoulders, and set out for +the camp, never heeding the poor mother’s cries of distress. + +By this time it was getting near sunset, and the plain was in shadow, +though the tops of the mountains were still quite bright. The youths +had all ceased to be afraid, when they were startled by a low rushing +sound behind them, and, looking round, saw that the pool was slowly +rising, and the spot where they had landed the Bunyip was quite +covered. “What could it be?” they asked one of another; “there was not +a cloud in the sky, yet the water had risen higher already than they +had ever known it do before.” For an instant they stood watching as if +they were frozen, then they turned and ran with all their might, the +man with the Bunyip running faster than all. When he reached a high +peak over-looking all the plain he stopped to take breath, and turned +to see if he was safe yet. Safe! why only the tops of the trees +remained above that sea of water, and these were fast disappearing. +They must run fast indeed if they were to escape. So on they flew, +scarcely feeling the ground as they went, till they flung themselves on +the ground before the holes scooped out of the earth where they had all +been born. The old men were sitting in front, the children were +playing, and the women chattering together, when the little Bunyip fell +into their midst, and there was scarcely a child among them who did not +know that something terrible was upon them. “The water! the water!” +gasped one of the young men; and there it was, slowly but steadily +mounting the ridge itself. Parents and children clung together, as if +by that means they could drive back the advancing flood; and the youth +who had caused all this terrible catastrophe, seized his sweetheart, +and cried: “I will climb with you to the top of that tree, and there no +waters can reach us.” But, as he spoke, something cold touched him, and +quickly he glanced down at his feet. Then with a shudder he saw that +they were feet no longer, but bird’s claws. He looked at the girl he +was clasping, and beheld a great black bird standing at his side; he +turned to his friends, but a flock of great awkward flapping creatures +stood in their place He put up his hands to cover his face, but they +were no more hands, only the ends of wings; and when he tried to speak, +a noise such as he had never heard before seemed to come from his +throat, which had suddenly become narrow and slender. Already the water +had risen to his waist, and he found himself sitting easily upon it, +while its surface reflected back the image of a black swan, one of +many. + +Never again did the swans become men; but they are still different from +other swans, for in the night-time those who listen can hear them talk +in a language that is certainly not swan’s language; and there are even +sounds of laughing and talking, unlike any noise made by the swans whom +we know. + +The little Bunyip was carried home by its mother, and after that the +waters sank back to their own channels. The side of the pool where she +lives is always shunned by everyone, as nobody knows when she may +suddenly put out her head and draw him into her mighty jaws. But people +say that underneath the black waters of the pool she has a house filled +with beautiful things, such as mortals who dwell on the earth have no +idea of. Though how they know I cannot tell you, as nobody has ever +seen it. + +[From Journal of Anthropological-Institute.] + + + + +Father Grumbler + + +Once upon a time there lived a man who had nearly as many children as +there were sparrows in the garden. He had to work very hard all day to +get them enough to eat, and was often tired and cross, and abused +everything and everybody, so that people called him “Father Grumbler.” + +By-and-by he grew weary of always working, and on Sundays he lay a long +while in bed, instead of going to church. Then after a time he found it +dull to sit so many hours by himself, thinking of nothing but how to +pay the rent that was owing, and as the tavern across the road looked +bright and cheerful, he walked in one day and sat down with his +friends. “It was just to chase away Care,” he said; but when he came +out, hours and hours after, Care came out with him. + +Father Grumbler entered his house feeling more dismal than when he left +it, for he knew that he had wasted both his time and his money. + +“I will go and see the Holy Man in the cave near the well,” he said to +himself, “and perhaps he can tell me why all the luck is for other +people, and only misfortunes happen to me.” And he set out at once for +the cave. + +It was a long way off, and the road led over mountains and through +valleys; but at last he reached the cave where the Holy Man dwelt, and +knocked at the door. + +“Who is there?” asked a voice from within. + +“It is I, Holy Man, Father Grumbler, you know, who has as many children +as sparrows in the garden.” + +“Well, and what is it that you want?” + +“I want to know why other people have all the luck, and only +misfortunes happen to me!” + +The Holy Man did not answer, but went into an inner cave, from which he +came out bearing something in his hand. “Do you see this basket?” said +he. “It is a magical basket, and if you are hungry you have only got to +say: ‘Little basket, little basket, do your duty,’ and you will eat the +best dinner you ever had in your life. But when you have had enough, be +sure you don’t forget to cry out: ‘That will do for to-day.’ Oh!—and +one thing more—you need not show it to everybody and declare that I +have give it to you. Do you understand?” + +Father Grumbler was always accustomed to think of himself as so unlucky +that he did not know whether the Holy Man was not playing a trick upon +him; but he took the basket without being polite enough to say either +“Thank you,” or “Good-morning,” and went away. However, he only waited +till he was out of sight of the cave before he stooped down and +whispered: “Little basket, little basket, do your duty.” + +Now the basket had a lid, so that he could not see what was inside, but +he heard quite clearly strange noises, as if a sort of scuffling was +going on. Then the lid burst open, and a quantity of delicious little +white rolls came tumbling out one after the other, followed by a stream +of small fishes all ready cooked. What a quantity there were to be +sure! The whole road was covered with them, and the banks on each side +were beginning to disappear. Father Grumbler felt quite frightened at +the torrent, but at last he remembered what the Holy Man had told him, +and cried at the top of his voice: “Enough! enough! That will do for +to-day!” And the lid of the basket closed with a snap. + +Father Grumbler sighed with relief and happiness as he looked around +him, and sitting down on a heap of stones, he ate till he could eat no +more. Trout, salmon, turbot, soles, and a hundred other fishes whose +names he did not know, lay boiled, fried, and grilled within reach of +his hands. As the Holy Man had said, he had never eaten such a dinner; +still, when he had done, he shook his head, and grumbled; “Yes, there +is plenty to eat, of course, but it only makes me thirsty, and there is +not a drop to drink anywhere.” + +Yet, somehow, he could never tell why, he looked up and saw the tavern +in front of him, which he thought was miles, and miles, and miles away. + +“Bring the best wine you have got, and two glasses, good mother,” he +said as he entered, “and if you are fond of fish there is enough here +to feed the house. Only there is no need to chatter about it all over +the place. You understand? Eh?” And without waiting for an answer he +whispered to the basket: “Little basket, little basket, do your duty.” +The innkeeper and his wife thought that their customer had gone +suddenly mad, and watched him closely, ready to spring on him if he +became violent; but both instinctively jumped backwards, nearly into +the fire, as rolls and fishes of every kind came tumbling out of the +basket, covering the tables and chairs and the floor, and even +overflowing into the street. + +“Be quick, be quick, and pick them up,” cried the man. “And if these +are not enough, there are plenty more to be had for the asking.” + +The innkeeper and his wife did not need telling twice. Down they went +on their knees and gathered up everything they could lay hands on. But +busy though they seemed, they found time to whisper to each other: + +“If we can only get hold of that basket it will make our fortune!” + +So they began by inviting Father Grumbler to sit down to the table, and +brought out the best wine in the cellar, hoping it might loosen his +tongue. But Father Grumbler was wiser than they gave him credit for, +and though they tried in all manner of ways to find out who had given +him the basket, he put them off, and kept his secret to himself. +Unluckily, though he did not SPEAK, he did drink, and it was not long +before he fell fast asleep. Then the woman fetched from her kitchen a +basket, so like the magic one that no one, without looking very +closely, could tell the difference, and placed it in Father Grumbler’s +hand, while she hid the other carefully away. + +It was dinner time when the man awoke, and, jumping up hastily, he set +out for home, where he found all the children gathered round a basin of +thin soup, and pushing their wooden bowls forward, hoping to have the +first spoonful. Their father burst into the midst of them, bearing his +basket, and crying: + +“Don’t spoil your appetites, children, with that stuff. Do you see this +basket? Well, I have only got to say, ‘Little basket, little basket, do +your duty,’ and you will see what will happen. Now you shall say it +instead of me, for a treat.” + +The children, wondering and delighted, repeated the words, but nothing +happened. Again and again they tried, but the basket was only a basket, +with a few scales of fish sticking to the bottom, for the innkeeper’s +wife had taken it to market the day before. + +“What is the matter with the thing?” cried the father at last, +snatching the basket from them, and turning it all over, grumbling and +swearing while he did so, under the eyes of his astonished wife and +children, who did not know whether to cry or to laugh. + +“It certainly smells of fish,” he said, and then he stopped, for a +sudden thought had come to him. + +“Suppose it is not mine at all; supposing—Ah, the scoundrels!” + +And without listening to his wife and children, who were frightened at +his strange conduct and begged him to stay at home, he ran across to +the tavern and burst open the door. + +“Can I do anything for you, Father Grumbler?” asked the innkeeper’s +wife in her softest voice. + +“I have taken the wrong basket—by mistake, of course,” said he. “Here +is yours, will you give me back my own?” + +“Why, what are you talking about?” answered she. “You can see for +yourself that there is no basket here.” + +And though Father Grumbler DID look, it was quite true that none was to +be seen. + +“Come, take a glass to warm you this cold day,” said the woman, who was +anxious to keep him in a good temper, and as this was an invitation +Father Grumbler never refused, he tossed it off and left the house. + +He took the road that led to the Holy Man’s cave, and made such haste +that it was not long before he reached it. + +“Who is there?” said a voice in answer to his knock. + +“It is me, it is me, Holy man. You know quite well. Father Grumbler, +who has as many children as sparrows in the garden.” + +“But, my good man, it was only yesterday that I gave you a handsome +present.” + +“Yes, Holy Man, and here it is. But something has happened, I don’t +know what, and it won’t work any more.” + +“Well, put it down. I will go and see if I can find anything for you.” + +In a few minutes the Holy Man returned with a cock under his arm. + +“Listen to me,” he said, “whenever you want money, you only have to +say: ‘Show me what you can do, cock,’ and you will see some wonderful +things. But, remember, it is not necessary to let all the world into +the secret.” + +“Oh no, Holy Man, I am not so foolish as that.” + +“Nor to tell everybody that I gave it to you,” went on the Holy Man. “I +have not got these treasures by the dozen.” + +And without waiting for an answer he shut the door. + +As before, the distance seemed to have wonderfully shortened, and in a +moment the tavern rose up in front of Father Grumbler. Without stopping +to think, he went straight in, and found the innkeeper’s wife in the +kitchen making a cake. + +“Where have you come from, with that fine red cock in your basket,” +asked she, for the bird was so big that the lid would not shut down +properly. + +“Oh, I come from a place where they don’t keep these things by the +dozen,” he replied, sitting down in front of the table. + +The woman said no more, but set before him a bottle of his favourite +wine, and soon he began to wish to display his prize. + +“Show me what you can do, cock,” cried he. And the cock stood up and +flapped his wings three times, crowing “coquerico” with a voice like a +trumpet, and at each crow there fell from his beak golden drops, and +diamonds as large as peas. + +This time Father Grumbler did not invite the innkeeper’s wife to pick +up his treasures, but put his own hat under the cock’s beak, so as to +catch everything he let fall; and he did not see the husband and wife +exchanging glances with each other which said, “That would be a +splendid cock to put with our basket.” + +“Have another glass of wine?” suggested the innkeeper, when they had +finished admiring the beauty of the cock, for they pretended not to +have seen the gold or the diamonds. And Father Grumbler, nothing loth, +drank one glass after another, till his head fell forward on the table, +and once more he was sound asleep. Then the woman gently coaxed the +cock from the basket and carried it off to her own poultry yard, from +which she brought one exactly like it, and popped it in its place. + +Night was falling when the man awoke, and throwing proudly some grains +of gold on the table to pay for the wine he had drunk, he tucked the +cock comfortably into his basket and set out for home. + +His wife and all the children were waiting for him at the door, and as +soon as she caught sight of him she broke out: + +“You are a nice man to go wasting your time and your money drinking in +that tavern, and leaving us to starve! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” + +“You don’t know what you are talking of,” he answered. “Money? Why, I +have gold and diamonds now, as much as I want. Do you see that cock? +Well, you have only to say to him, ‘Show me what you can do, cock,’ and +something splendid will happen.” + +Neither wife nor children were inclined to put much faith in him after +their last experience; however, they thought it was worth trying, and +did as he told them. The cock flew round the room like a mad thing, and +crowed till their heads nearly split with the noise; but no gold or +diamonds dropped on the brick floor—not the tiniest grain of either. + +Father Grumbler stared in silence for an instant, and then he began to +swear so loudly that even his family, accustomed as they were to his +language, wondered at him. + +At last he grew a little quieter, but remained as puzzled as ever. + +“Can I have forgotten the words? But I KNOW that was what he said! And +I saw the diamonds with my own eyes!” Then suddenly he seized the cock, +shut it into the basket, and rushed out of the house. + +His heavy wooden shoes clattered as he ran along the road, and he made +such haste that the stars were only just beginning to come out when he +reached the cave of the Holy Man. + +“Who is that knocking?” asked a voice from within. + +“It is me! It is me! Holy Man! you know! Father—” + +“But, my good fellow, you really should give some one else a chance. +This is the third time you have been—and at such an hour, too!” + +“Oh, yes, Holy Man, I know it is very late, but you will forgive me! It +is your cock—there is something the matter. It is like the basket. +Look!” + +“THAT my cock? THAT my basket? Somebody has played you a trick, my good +man!” + +“A trick?” repeated Father Grumbler, who began to understand what had +happened. “Then it must have been those two—” + +“I warned you not to show them to anybody,” said the Holy Man. “You +deserve—but I will give you one more chance.” And, turning, he unhooked +something from the wall. + +“When you wish to dust your own jacket or those of your friends,” he +said, “you have only got to say, ‘Flack, flick, switch, be quick,’ and +you will see what happens. That is all I have to tell you.” And, +smiling to himself, the Holy Man pushed Father Grumbler out of the +cave. + +“Ah, I understand now,” muttered the good man, as he took the road +home; “but I think I have got you two rascals!” and he hurried on to +the tavern with his basket under his arm, and the cock and the switch +both inside. + +“Good evening, friends!” he said, as he entered the inn. “I am very +hungry, and should be glad if you would roast this cock for me as soon +as possible. THIS cock and no other—mind what I say,” he went on. “Oh, +and another thing! You can light the fire with this basket. When you +have done that I will show you something I have in my bag,” and, as he +spoke, he tried to imitate the smile that the Holy Man had given HIM. + +These directions made the innkeeper’s wife very uneasy. However, she +said nothing, and began to roast the cock, while her husband did his +best to make the man sleepy with wine, but all in vain. + +After dinner, which he did not eat without grumbling, for the cock was +very tough, the man struck his hand on the table, and said: “Now listen +to me. Go and fetch my cock and my basket, at once. Do you hear?” + +“Your cock, and your basket, Father Grumbler? But you have just—” + +“MY cock and MY basket!” interrupted he. “And, if you are too deaf and +too stupid to understand what that means, I have got something which +may help to teach you.” And opening the bag, he cried: “Flack, flick, +switch, be quick.” + +And flack! flick! like lightening a white switch sprang out of the bag, +and gave such hearty blows to the innkeeper and his wife, and to Father +Grumbler into the bargain, that they all jumped as high as feathers +when a mattress is shaken. + +“Stop! stop! make it stop, and you shall have back your cock and +basket,” cried the man and his wife. And Father Grumbler, who had no +wish to go on, called out between his hops: “Stop then, can’t you? That +is enough for to-day!” + +But the switch paid no attention, and dealt out its blows as before, +and MIGHT have been dealing them to this day, if the Holy Man had not +heard their cries and come to the rescue. “Into the bag, quick!” said +he, and the switch obeyed. + +“Now go and fetch me the cock and the basket,” and the woman went +without a word, and placed them on the table. + +“You have all got what you deserved,” continued the Holy Man, “and I +have no pity for any of you. I shall take my treasures home, and +perhaps some day I may find a man who knows how to make the best of the +chances that are given to him. But that will never be YOU,” he added, +turning to Father Grumbler. + +[From Contes Populaires.] + + + + +The Story of the Yara + + +Down in the south, where the sun shines so hotly that everything and +everybody sleeps all day, and even the great forests seem silent, +except early in the morning and late in the evening—down in this +country there once lived a young man and a maiden. The girl had been +born in the town, and had scarcely ever left it; but the young man was +a native of another country, and had only come to the city near the +great river because he could find no work to do where he was. + +A few months after his arrival, when the days were cooler, and the +people did not sleep so much as usual, a great feast was held a little +way out of the town, and to this feast everyone flocked from thirty +miles and more. Some walked and some rode, some came in beautiful +golden coaches; but all had on splendid dresses of red or blue, while +wreaths of flowers rested on their hair. + +It was the first time that the youth had been present on such an +occasion, and he stood silently aside watching the graceful dances and +the pretty games played by the young people. And as he watched, he +noticed one girl, dressed in white with scarlet pomegranates in her +hair, who seemed to him lovelier than all the rest. + +When the feast was over, and the young man returned home, his manner +was so strange that it drew the attention of all his friends. + +Through his work next day the youth continued to see the girl’s face, +throwing the ball to her companions, or threading her way between them +as she danced. At night sleep fled from him, and after tossing for +hours on his bed, he would get up and plunge into a deep pool that lay +a little way in the forest. + +This state of things went on for some weeks, then at last chance +favoured him. One evening, as he was passing near the house where she +lived, he saw her standing with her back to the wall, trying to beat +off with her fan the attacks of a savage dog that was leaping at her +throat. Alonzo, for such was his name, sprang forward, and with one +blow of his fist stretched the creature dead upon the road. He then +helped the frightened and half-fainting girl into the large cool +verandah where her parents were sitting, and from that hour he was a +welcome guest in the house, and it was not long before he was the +promised husband of Julia. + +Every day, when his work was done, he used to go up to the house, half +hidden among flowering plants and brilliant creepers, where +humming-birds darted from bush to bush, and parrots of all colours, red +and green and grey, shrieked in chorus. There he would find the maiden +waiting for him, and they would spend an hour or two under the stars, +which looked so large and bright that you felt as if you could almost +touch them. + +“What did you do last night after you went home?” suddenly asked the +girl one evening. + +“Just the same as I always do,” answered he. “It was too hot to sleep, +so it was no use going to bed, and I walked straight of to the forest +and bathed in one of those deep dark pools at the edge of the river. I +have been there constantly for several months, but last night a strange +thing happened. I was taking my last plunge, when I heard—sometimes +from one side, and sometimes from another—the sound of a voice singing +more sweetly than any nightingale, though I could not catch any words. +I left the pool, and, dressing myself as fast as I could, I searched +every bush and tree round the water, as I fancied that perhaps it was +my friend who was playing a trick on me, but there was not a creature +to be seen; and when I reached home I found my friend fast asleep.” + +As Julia listened her face grew deadly white, and her whole body +shivered as if with cold. From her childhood she had heard stories of +the terrible beings that lived in the forests and were hidden under the +banks of the rivers, and could only be kept off by powerful charms. +Could the voice which had bewitched Alonzo have come from one of these? +Perhaps, who knows, it might be the voice of the dreaded Yara herself, +who sought young men on the eve of their marriage as her prey. + +For a moment the girl sat choked with fear, as these thoughts rushed +through her; then she said: “Alonzo, will you promise something?” + +“What is that?” asked he. + +“It is something that has to do with our future happiness.” + +“Oh! it is serious, then? Well, of course I promise. Now tell me!” + +“I want you to promise,” she answered, lowering her voice to a whisper, +“never to bathe in those pools again.” + +“But why not, queen of my soul; have I not gone there always, and +nothing has harmed me, flower of my heart?” + +“No; but perhaps something will. If you will not promise I shall go mad +with fright. Promise me.” + +“Why, what is the matter? You look so pale! Tell me why you are so +frightened?” + +“Did you not hear the song?” she asked, trembling. + +“Suppose I did, how could that hurt me? It was the loveliest song I +ever heard!” + +“Yes, and after the song will come the apparition; and after that— +after that—” + +“I don’t understand. Well—after that?” + +“After that—death.” + +Alonzo stared at her. Had she really gone mad? Such talk was very +unlike Julia; but before he could collect his senses the girl spoke +again: + +“That is the reason why I implore you never to go there again; at any +rate till after we are married.” + +“And what difference will our marriage make?” + +“Oh, there will be no danger then; you can go to bathe as often as you +like!” + +“But tell me why you are so afraid?” + +“Because the voice you heard—I know you will laugh, but it is quite +true—it was the voice of the Yara.” + +At these words Alonzo burst into a shout of laughter; but it sounded so +harsh and loud that Julia shrank away shuddering. It seemed as if he +could not stop himself, and the more he laughed the paler the poor girl +became, murmuring to herself as she watched him: + +“Oh, heaven! you have seen her! you have seen her! what shall I do?” + +Faint as was her whisper, it reached the ears of Alonzo, who, though he +still could not speak for laughing, shook his head. + +“You may not know it, but it is true. Nobody who has not seen the Yara +laughs like that.” And Julia flung herself on the ground weeping +bitterly. + +At this sight Alonzo became suddenly grave, and kneeling by her side, +gently raised her up. + +“Do not cry so, my angel,” he said, “I will promise anything you +please. Only let me see you smile again.” + +With a great effort Julia checked her sobs, and rose to her feet. + +“Thank you,” she answered. “My heart grows lighter as you say that! I +know you will try to keep your word and to stay away from the forest. +But—the power of the Yara is very strong, and the sound of her voice is +apt to make men forget everything else in the world. Oh, I have seen +it, and more than one betrothed maiden lives alone, broken-hearted. If +ever you should return to the pool where you first heard the voice, +promise me that you will at least take this with you.” And opening a +curiously carved box, she took out a sea-shell shot with many colours, +and sang a song softly into it. “The moment you hear the Yara’s voice,” +said she, “put this to your ear, and you will hear my song instead. +Perhaps—I do not know for certain—but perhaps, I may be stronger than +the Yara.” + +It was late that night when Alonzo returned home. The moon was shining +on the distant river, which looked cool and inviting, and the trees of +the forest seemed to stretch out their arms and beckon him near. But +the young man steadily turned his face in the other direction, and went +home to bed. + +The struggle had been hard, but Alonzo had his reward next day in the +joy and relief with which Julia greeted him. He assured her that having +overcome the temptation once the danger was now over; but she, knowing +better than he did the magic of the Yara’s face and voice, did not fail +to make him repeat his promise when he went away. + +For three nights Alonzo kept his word, not because he believed in the +Yara, for he thought that the tales about her were all nonsense, but +because he could not bear the tears with which he knew that Julia would +greet him, if he confessed that he had returned to the forest. But, in +spite of this, the song rang in his ears, and daily grew louder. + +On the fourth night the attraction of the forest grew so strong that +neither the thought of Julia nor the promises he had made her could +hold him back. At eleven o’clock he plunged into the cool darkness of +the trees, and took the path that led straight to the river. Yet, for +the first time, he found that Julia’s warnings, though he had laughed +at her at the moment, had remained in his memory, and he glanced at the +bushes with a certain sense of fear which was quite new to him. + +When he reached the river he paused and looked round for a moment to +make sure that the strange feeling of some one watching him was fancy, +and he was really alone. But the moon shone brightly on every tree, and +nothing was to be seen but his own shadow; nothing was to be heard but +the sound of the rippling stream. + +He threw off his clothes, and was just about to dive in headlong, when +something—he did not know what—suddenly caused him to look round. At +the same instant the moon passed from behind a cloud, and its rays fell +on a beautiful golden-haired woman standing half hidden by the ferns. + +With one bound he caught up his mantle, and rushed headlong down the +path he had come, fearing at each step to feel a hand laid on his +shoulder. It was not till he had left the last trees behind him, and +was standing in the open plain, that he dared to look round, and then +he thought a figure in white was still standing there waving her arms +to and fro. This was enough; he ran along the road harder than ever, +and never paused till he was save in his own room. + +With the earliest rays of dawn he went back to the forest to see +whether he could find any traces of the Yara, but though he searched +every clump of bushes, and looked up every tree, everything was empty, +and the only voices he heard were those of parrots, which are so ugly +that they only drive people away. + +“I think I must be mad,” he said to himself, “and have dreamt all that +folly”; and going back to the city he began his daily work. But either +that was harder than usual, or he must be ill, for he could not fix his +mind upon it, and everybody he came across during the day inquired if +anything had happened to give him that white, frightened look. + +“I must be feverish,” he said to himself; “after all, it is rather +dangerous to take a cold bath when one is feeling so hot.” Yet he knew, +while he said it, that he was counting the hours for night to come, +that he might return to the forest. + +In the evening he went as usual to the creeper-covered house. But he +had better have stayed away, as his face was so pale and his manner so +strange, that the poor girl saw that something terrible had occurred. +Alonzo, however, refused to answer any of her questions, and all she +could get was a promise to hear everything the next day. + +On pretence of a violent headache, he left Julia much earlier than +usual and hurried quickly home. Taking down a pistol, he loaded it and +put it in his belt, and a little before midnight he stole out on the +tips of his toes, so as to disturb nobody. Once outside he hastened +down the road which led to the forest. + +He did not stop till he had reached the river pool, when holding the +pistol in his hand, he looked about him. At every little noise—the +falling of a leaf, the rustle of an animal in the bushes, the cry of a +night-bird—he sprang up and cocked his pistol in the direction of the +sound. But though the moon still shone he saw nothing, and by and by a +kind of dreamy state seemed to steal over him as he leant against a +tree. + +How long he remained in this condition he could not have told, but +suddenly he awoke with a start, on hearing his name uttered softly. + +“Who is that?” he cried, standing upright instantly; but only an echo +answered him. Then his eyes grew fascinated with the dark waters of the +pool close to his feet, and he looked at it as if he could never look +away. + +He gazed steadily into the depths for some minutes, when he became +aware that down in the darkness was a bright spark, which got rapidly +bigger and brighter. Again that feeling of awful fear took possession +of him, and he tried to turn his eyes from the pool. But it was no use; +something stronger than himself compelled him to keep them there. + +At last the waters parted softly, and floating on the surface he saw +the beautiful woman whom he had fled from only a few nights before. He +turned to run, but his feet were glued to the spot. + +She smiled at him and held out her arms, but as she did so there came +over him the remembrance of Julia, as he had seen her a few hours +earlier, and her warnings and fears for the very danger in which he now +found himself. + +Meanwhile the figure was always drawing nearer, nearer; but, with a +violent effort, Alonzo shook off his stupor, and taking aim at her +shoulder he pulled the trigger. The report awoke the sleeping echoes, +and was repeated all through the forest, but the figure smiled still, +and went on advancing. Again Alonzo fired, and a second time the bullet +whistled through the air, and the figure advanced nearer. A moment +more, and she would be at his side. + +Then, his pistol being empty, he grasped the barrel with both hands, +and stood ready to use it as a club should the Yara approach and +closer. But now it seemed her turn to feel afraid, for she paused an +instant while he pressed forward, still holding the pistol above his +head, prepared to strike. + +In his excitement he had forgotten the river, and it was not till the +cold water touched his feet that he stood still by instinct. The Yara +saw that he was wavering, and suffering herself to sway gently +backwards and forwards on the surface of the river, she began to sing. +The song floated through the trees, now far and now near; no one could +tell whence it came, the whole air seemed full of it. Alonzo felt his +senses going and his will failing. His arms dropped heavily to his +side, but in falling struck against the sea shell, which, as he had +promised Julia, he had always carried in his coat. + +His dimmed mind was just clear enough to remember what she had said, +and with trembling fingers, that were almost powerless to grasp, he +drew it out. As he did so the song grew sweeter and more tender than +before, but he shut his ears to it and bent his head over the shell. +Out of its depths arose the voice of Julia singing to him as she had +sung when she gave him the shell, and though the notes sounded faint at +first, they swelled louder and louder till the mist which had gathered +about him was blown away. + +Then he raised his head, feeling that he had been through strange +places, where he could never wander any more; and he held himself erect +and strong, and looked about him. Nothing was to be seen but the +shining of the river, and the dark shadows of the trees; nothing was to +be heard but the hum of the insects, as they darted through the night. + +[Adapted from Folklore Bresilien.] + + + + +The Cunning Hare + + +In a very cold country, far across the seas, where ice and snow cover +the ground for many months in the year, there lived a little hare, who, +as his father and mother were both dead, was brought up by his +grandmother. As he was too young, and she was too old, to work, they +were very poor, and often did not have enough to eat. + +One day, when the little fellow was hungrier than usual, he asked his +grandmother if he might go down to the river and catch a fish for their +breakfast, as the thaw had come and the water was flowing freely again. +She laughed at him for thinking that any fish would let itself be +caught by a hare, especially such a young one; but as she had the +rheumatism very badly, and could get no food herself, she let him go. +“If he does not catch a fish he may find something else,” she said to +herself. So she told her grandson where to look for the net, and how he +was to set it across the river; but just as he was starting, feeling +himself quite a man, she called him back. + +“After all, I don’t know what is the use of your going, my boy! For +even if you should catch a fish, I have no fire to cook it with.” + +“Let me catch my fish, and I will soon make you a fire,” he answered +gaily, for he was young, and knew nothing about the difficulties of +fire-making. + +It took him some time to haul the net through bushes and over fields, +but at length he reached a pool in the river which he had often heard +was swarming with fish, and here he set the net, as his grandmother had +directed him. + +He was so excited that he hardly slept all night, and at the very first +streak of dawn he ran as fast as ever he could down to the river. His +heart beat as quickly as if he had had dogs behind him, and he hardly +dared to look, lest he should be disappointed. Would there be even one +fish? And at this thought the pangs of hunger made him feel quite sick +with fear. But he need not have been afraid; in every mesh of the net +was a fine fat fish, and of course the net itself was so heavy that he +could only lift one corner. He threw some of the fish back into the +water, and buried some more in a hole under a stone, where he would be +sure to find them. Then he rolled up the net with the rest, put it on +his back and carried it home. The weight of the load caused his back to +ache, and he was thankful to drop it outside their hut, while he rushed +in, full of joy, to tell his grandmother. “Be quick and clean them!” he +said, “and I will go to those people’s tents on the other side of the +water.” + +The old woman stared at him in horror as she listened to his proposal. +Other people had tried to steal fire before, and few indeed had come +back with their lives; but as, contrary to all her expectations, he had +managed to catch such a number of fish, she thought that perhaps there +was some magic about him which she did not know of, and did not try to +hinder him. + +When the fish were all taken out, he fetched the net which he had laid +out to dry, folded it up very small, and ran down to the river, hoping +that he might find a place narrow enough for him to jump over; but he +soon saw that it was too wide for even the best jumper in the world. +For a few moments he stood there, wondering what was to be done, then +there darted into his head some words of a spell which he had once +heard a wizard use, while drinking from the river. He repeated them, as +well as he could remember, and waited to see what would happen. In five +minutes such a grunting and a puffing was heard, and columns of water +rose into the air, though he could not tell what had made them. Then +round the bend of the stream came fifteen huge whales, which he ordered +to place themselves heads to tails, like stepping stones, so that he +could jump from one to the other till he landed on the opposite shore. +Directly he got there he told the whales that he did not need them any +more, and sat down in the sand to rest. + +Unluckily some children who were playing about caught sight of him, and +one of them, stealing softly up behind him, laid tight hold of his +ears. The hare, who had been watching the whales as they sailed down +the river, gave a violent start, and struggled to get away; but the boy +held on tight, and ran back home, as fast as he could go. + +“Throw it in the pot,” said the old woman, as soon as he had told his +story; “put it in that basket, and as soon as the water boils in the +pot we will hang it over the fire!” + +“Better kill it first,” said the old man; and the hare listened, +horribly frightened, but still looking secretly to see if there was no +hole through which he could escape, if he had a chance of doing so. +Yes, there was one, right in the top of the tent, so, shaking himself, +as if with fright, he let the end of his net unroll itself a little. + +“I wish that a spark of fire would fall on my net,” whispered he; and +the next minute a great log fell forward into the midst of the tent, +causing every one to spring backwards. The sparks were scattered in +every direction, and one fell on the net, making a little blaze. In an +instant the hare had leaped through the hole, and was racing towards +the river, with men, women, and children after him. There was no time +to call back the whales, so, holding the net tight in his mouth, he +wished himself across the river. Then he jumped high into the air, and +landed safe on the other side, and after turning round to be sure that +there was no chance of anyone pursuing him, trotted happily home to his +grandmother. + +“Didn’t I tell you I would bring you fire?” said he, holding up his +net, which was now burning briskly. + +“But how did you cross the water?” inquired the old woman. + +“Oh, I just jumped!” said he. And his grandmother asked him no more +questions, for she saw that he was wiser than she. + +[“Indian Folk Tales.” Bureau of Ethnology.] + + + + +The Turtle and His Bride + + +There was once a turtle who lived among a great many people of +different kinds, in a large camp near a big river which was born right +up amongst the snows, and flowed straight away south till it reached a +sea where the water was always hot. + +There were many other turtles in the camp, and this turtle was kind and +pleasant to them all, but he did not care for any of them very much, +and felt rather lonely. + +At last he built himself a hut, and filled it with skins for seats, and +made it as comfortable as any hut for miles round; and when it was +quite finished he looked about among the young women to see which of +them he should ask to be his wife. + +It took him some time to make up his mind, for no turtle likes being +hurried, but at length he found one girl who seemed prettier and more +industrious than the rest, and one day he entered her home, and said: +“Will you marry me?” + +The young woman was so surprised at this question that she dropped the +beaded slipper she was making, and stared at the turtle. She felt +inclined to laugh—the idea was so absurd; but she was kind-hearted and +polite, so she looked as grave as she could, and answered: + +“But how are you going to provide for a family? Why, when the camp +moves, you will not even be able to keep up with the rest!” + +“I can keep up with the best of them,” replied the turtle, tossing his +head. But though he was very much offended he did not let the girl see +it, and begged and, prayed her so hard to marry him that, at last, she +consented, very unwillingly. + +“You will have to wait till the spring, though,” she said; “I must make +a great many slippers and dresses for myself, as I shall not have much +time afterwards.” + +This did not please the turtle; but he knew it was no use talking, so +all he answered was: + +“I shall go to war and take some captives, and I shall be away several +months. And when I return I shall expect you to be ready to marry me.” + +So he went back to his hut, and at once set about his preparations. The +first thing he did was to call all his relations together, and ask them +if they would come with him and make war on the people of a +neighbouring village. The turtles, who were tired of doing nothing, +agreed at once, and next day the whole tribe left the camp. The girl +was standing at the door of her hut as they passed, and laughed out +loud—they moved so slowly. Her lover, who was marching at the head, +grew very angry at this, and cried out: + +“In four days from now you will be weeping instead of laughing, because +there will be hundreds of miles between you and me.” + +“In four days,” replied the girl—who only promised to marry him in +order to get rid of him—“in four days you will hardly be out of sight.” + +“Oh, I did not mean four days, but four YEARS,” answered the turtle, +hastily; “whatever happens I shall be back by then.” + +The army marched on, till one day, when they felt as if they must have +got half round the earth, though they were scarcely four miles from the +camp, they found a large tree lying across their path. They looked at +it with dismay, and the oldest among them put their heads together to +see what was to be done. + +“Can’t we manage to get past by the top?” asked one. + +“Why, it would take us YEARS,” exclaimed another. “Just look at all +those tall green branches, spreading in every direction. If once we got +entangled in THEM, we should never get out again!” + +“Well then, let us go round by the bottom,” said a third. + +“How are we to do that, when the roots have made a deep hole, and above +that is a high bank?” replied a fourth. “No; the only way I can think +of, is to burn a large hole in the trunk.” And this they did, but the +trunk was very thick, and would not burn through. + +“It is no use, we must give it up,” they agreed at last. “After all, +nobody need ever know! We have been away such a long while that we +might easily have had all sorts of adventures.” And so the whole +company turned homewards again. + +They took even longer to go back than they had to come, for they were +tired and footsore with their journey. When they drew near the camp +they plucked up their courage, and began to sing a war-song. At this +the villagers came flocking to see what spoils the turtles had won, +but, as they approached, each turtle seized some one by the wrist, +exclaiming: “You are our spoils; you are our prisoners!” + +“Now that I have got you I will keep you,” said the leader, who had +happened to seize his betrothed. + +Everybody was naturally very angry at this behaviour, and the girl most +of all, and in her secret heart she determined to have her revenge. +But, just at present, the turtles were too strong, so the prisoners had +to put on their smartest slippers and their brightest clothes, and +dance a war dance while the turtles sang. They danced so long that it +seemed as if they would never stop, till the turtle who was leading the +singing suddenly broke into a loud chant: + +Whoever comes here, will die, will die! + +At this all the dancers grew so frightened that they burst through the +ring of their captors, and ran back to the village, the turtles +following—very slowly. On the way the chief turtle met a man, who said +to him: + +“That woman who was to have been your wife has married another man!” + +“Is that true?” said the turtle. “Then I must see him.” + +But as soon as the villager was out of sight the turtle stopped, and +taking a bundle containing fringes and ornaments from his back, he hung +them about him, so that they rattled as he walked. When he was quite +close to the hut where the woman lived, he cried out: + +“Here I am to claim the woman who promised to be my wife.” + +“Oh, here is the turtle,” whispered the husband hurriedly; “what is to +be done now?” + +“Leave that to me; I will manage him,” replied the wife, and at that +moment the turtle came in, and seized her by the wrist. “Come with me,” +he said sternly. + +“You broke your promise,” answered she. “You said you would be back +soon, and it is more than a year since you went! How was I to know that +you were alive?” + +At her words the husband took courage, and spoke hastily: + +“Yes, you promised you would go to war and bring back some prisoners, +and you have not done it.” + +“I DID go, and made many prisoners,” retorted the turtle angrily, +drawing out his knife. “Look here, if she won’t be MY wife, she sha’n’t +be YOURS. I will cut her in two; and you shall have one half, and I the +other.” + +“But half a woman is no use to me,” answered the man. “If you want her +so much you had better take her.” And the turtle, followed by his +relations, carried her off to his own hut. + +Now the woman saw she would gain nothing by being sulky, so she +pretended to be very glad to have got rid of her husband; but all the +while she was trying to invent a plan to deliver herself from the +turtle. At length she remembered that one of her friends had a large +iron pot, and when the turtle had gone to his room to put away his +fringes, she ran over to her neighbour’s and brought it back. Then she +filled it with water and hung it over the fire to boil. It was just +beginning to bubble and hiss when the turtle entered. + +“What are you doing there?” asked he, for he was always afraid of +things that he did not understand. + +“Just warming some water,” she answered. “Do you know how to swim?” + +“Yes, of course I do. What a question! But what does it matter to you?” +said the turtle, more suspicious than ever. + +“Oh, I only thought that after your long journey you might like to +wash. The roads are so muddy, after the winter’s rains. I could rub +your shell for you till it was bright and shining again. + +“Well, I AM rather muddy. If one is fighting, you know, one cannot stop +to pick one’s way. I should certainly be more comfortable if my back +was washed.” + +The woman did not wait for him to change his mind. She caught him up by +his shell and popped him straight into the pot, where he sank to the +bottom, and died instantly. + +The other turtles, who were standing at the door, saw their leader +disappear, and felt it was their duty as soldiers to follow him; and, +springing into the pot, died too. All but one young turtle, who, +frightened at not seeing any of his friends come out again, went as +fast as he could to a clump of bushes, and from there made his way to +the river. His only thought was to get away as far as possible from +that dreadful hut; so he let the river carry him where it was going +itself, and at last, one day, he found himself in the warm sea, where, +if he is not dead, you may meet him still. + +[Bureau of Ethnology.] + + + + +How Geirald The Coward Was Punished + + +Once upon a time there lived a poor knight who had a great many +children, and found it very hard to get enough for them to eat. One day +he sent his eldest son, Rosald, a brave and honest youth, to the +neighbouring town to do some business, and here Rosald met a young man +named Geirald, with whom he made friends. + +Now Geirald was the son of a rich man, who was proud of the boy, and +had all his life allowed him to do whatever he fancied, and, luckily +for the father, he was prudent and sensible, and did not waste money, +as many other rich young men might have done. For some time he had set +his heart on travelling into foreign countries, and after he had been +talking for a little while to Rosald, he asked if his new friend would +be his companion on his journey. + +“There is nothing I should like better,” answered Rosald, shaking his +head sorrowfully; “but my father is very poor, and he could never give +me the money.” + +“Oh, if that is your only difficulty, it is all right,” cried Geirald. +“My father has more money than he knows what to do with, and he will +give me as much as I want for both of us; only, there is one thing you +must promise me, Rosald, that, supposing we have any adventures, you +will let the honour and glory of them fall to me.” + +“Yes, of course, that is only fair,” answered Rosald, who never cared +about putting himself forward. “But I cannot go without telling my +parents. I am sure they will think me lucky to get such a chance.” + +As soon as the business was finished, Rosald hastened home. His parents +were delighted to hear of his good fortune, and his father gave him his +own sword, which was growing rusty for want of use, while his mother +saw that his leather jerkin was in order. + +“Be sure you keep the promise you made to Geirald,” said she, as she +bade him good-bye, “and, come what may, see that you never betray him.” + +Full of joy Rosald rode off, and the next day he and Geirald started +off to seek adventures. To their disappointment their own land was so +well governed that nothing out of the common was very likely to happen, +but directly they crossed the border into another kingdom all seemed +lawlessness and confusion. + +They had not gone very far, when, riding across a mountain, they caught +a glimpse of several armed men hiding amongst some trees in their path, +and remembered suddenly some talk they had heard of a band of twelve +robbers who lay in wait for rich travellers. The robbers were more like +savage beasts than men, and lived somewhere at the top of the mountain +in caves and holes in the ground. They were all called “Hankur,” and +were distinguished one from another by the name of a colour—blue, grey, +red, and so on, except their chief, who was known as Hankur the Tall. +All this and more rushed into the minds of the two young men as they +saw the flash of their swords in the moonlight. + +“It is impossible to fight them—they are twelve to two,” whispered +Geirald, stopping his horse in the path. “We had much better ride back +and take the lower road. It would be stupid to throw away our lives +like this.” + +“Oh, we can’t turn back,” answered Rosald, “we should be ashamed to +look anyone in the face again! And, besides, it is a grand opportunity +to show what we are made of. Let us tie up our horses here, and climb +up the rocks so that we can roll stones down on them.” + +“Well, we might try that, and then we shall always have our horses,” +said Geirald. So they went up the rocks silently and carefully. + +The robbers were lying all ready, expecting every moment to see their +victims coming round the corner a few yards away, when a shower of huge +stones fell on their heads, killing half the band. The others sprang up +the rock, but as they reached the top the sword of Rosald swung round, +and one man after another rolled down into the valley. At last the +chief managed to spring up, and, grasping Rosald by the waist, flung +away his sword, and the two fought desperately, their bodies swaying +always nearer the edge. It seemed as if Rosald, being the smaller of +the two, MUST fall over, when, with his left hand, he drew the robber’s +sword out of its sheath and plunged it into his heart. Then he took +from the dead man a beautiful ring set with a large stone, and put it +on his own finger. + +The fame of this wonderful deed soon spread through the country, and +people would often stop Geirald’s horse, and ask leave to see the +robber’s ring, which was said to have been stolen from the father of +the reigning king. And Geirald showed them the ring with pride, and +listened to their words of praise, and no one would ever have guessed +anyone else had destroyed the robbers. + +In a few days they left the kingdom and rode on to another, where they +thought they would stop through the remainder of the winter, for +Geirald liked to be comfortable, and did not care about travelling +through ice and snow. But the king would only grant them leave to stop +on condition that, before the winter was ended, they should give him +some fresh proof of the courage of which he had heard so much. Rosald’s +heart was glad at the king’s message, and as for Geirald, he felt that +as long as Rosald was there all would go well. So they both bowed low +and replied that it was the king’s place to command and theirs to obey. + +“Well, then,” said his Majesty, “this is what I want you to do: In the +north-east part of my kingdom there dwells a giant, who has an iron +staff twenty yards long, and he is so quick in using it, that even +fifty knights have no chance against him. The bravest and strongest +young men of my court have fallen under the blows of that staff; but, +as you overcame the twelve robbers so easily, I feel that I have reason +to hope that you may be able to conquer the giant. In three days from +this you will set out.” + +“We will be ready, your Majesty,” answered Rosald; but Geirald remained +silent. + +“How can we possibly fight against a giant that has killed fifty +knights?” cried Geirald, when they were outside the castle. “The king +only wants to get rid of us! He won’t think about us for the next three +days—that is one comfort—so we shall have plenty of time to cross the +borders of the kingdom and be out of reach.” + +“We mayn’t be able to kill the giant, but we certainly can’t run away +till we have tried,” answered Rosald. “Besides, think how glorious it +will be if we DO manage to kill him! I know what sort of weapon I shall +use. Come with me now, and I will see about it.” And, taking his friend +by the arm, he led him into a shop where he bought a huge lump of solid +iron, so big that they could hardly lift it between them. However, they +just managed to carry it to a blacksmith’s where Rosald directed that +it should be beaten into a thick club, with a sharp spike at one end. +When this was done to his liking he took it home under his arm. + +Very early on the third morning the two young men started on their +journey, and on the fourth day they reached the giant’s cave before he +was out of bed. Hearing the sound of footsteps, the giant got up and +went to the entrance to see who was coming, and Rosald, expecting +something of the sort, struck him such a blow on the forehead that he +fell to the ground. Then, before he could rise to his feet again, +Rosald drew out his sword and cut off his head. + +“It was not so difficult after all, you see,” he said, turning to +Geirald. And placing the giant’s head in a leathern wallet which was +slung over his back, they began their journey to the castle. + +As they drew near the gates, Rosald took the head from the wallet and +handed it to Geirald, whom he followed into the king’s presence. + +“The giant will trouble you no more,” said Geirald, holding out the +head. And the king fell on his neck and kissed him, and cried joyfully +that he was the “bravest knight in all the world, and that a feast +should be made for him and Rosald, and that the great deed should be +proclaimed throughout the kingdom.” And Geirald’s heart swelled with +pride, and he almost forgot that it was Rosald and not he, who had +slain the giant. + +By-and-by a whisper went round that a beautiful lady who lived in the +castle would be present at the feast, with twenty-four lovely maidens, +her attendants. The lady was the queen of her own country, but as her +father and mother had died when she was a little girl, she had been +left in the care of this king who was her uncle. + +She was now old enough to govern her own kingdom, but her subjects did +not like being ruled by a woman, and said that she must find a husband +to help her in managing her affairs. Prince after prince had offered +himself, but the young queen would have nothing to say to any of them, +and at last told her ministers that if she was to have a husband at all +she must choose him for herself, as she would certainly not marry any +of those whom they had selected for her. The ministers replied that in +that case she had better manage her kingdom alone, and the queen, who +knew nothing about business, got things into such a confusion that at +last she threw them up altogether, and went off to her uncle. + +Now when she heard how the two young men had slain the giant, her heart +was filled with admiration of their courage, and she declared that if a +feast was held she would certainly be present at it. + +And so she was; and when the feast was over she asked the king, her +guardian, if he would allow the two heroes who had killed the robbers +and slain the giant to fight a tourney the next day with one of her +pages. The king gladly gave his consent, and ordered the lists to be +made ready, never doubting that two great champions would be eager for +such a chance of adding to their fame. Little did he guess that Geirald +had done all he could to persuade Rosald to steal secretly out of the +castle during the night, “for,” said he, “I don’t believe they are +pages at all, but well-proved knights, and how can we, so young and +untried, stand up against them?” + +“The honour will be all the higher if we gain the day,” answered +Rosald; but Geirald would listen to nothing, and only declared that he +did not care about honour, and would rather be alive than have every +honour in the world heaped upon him. Go he would, and as Rosald had +sworn to give him his company, he must come with him. + +Rosald was much grieved when he heard these words, but he knew that it +was useless attempting to persuade Geirald, and turned his thoughts to +forming some plan to prevent this disgraceful flight. Suddenly his face +brightened. “Let us change clothes,” he said, “and I will do the +fighting, while you shall get the glory. Nobody will ever know.” And to +this Geirald readily consented. + +Whether Geirald was right or not in thinking that the so-called page +was really a well-proved knight, it is certain that Rosald’s task was a +very hard one. Three times they came together with a crash which made +their horses reel; once Rosald knocked the helmet off his foe, and +received in return such a blow that he staggered in his saddle. Shouts +went up from the lookers-on, as first one and then the other seemed +gaining the victory; but at length Rosald planted his spear in the +armour which covered his adversary’s breast and bore him steadily +backward. “Unhorsed! unhorsed!” cried the people; and Rosald then +himself dismounted and helped his adversary to rise. + +In the confusion that followed it was easy for Rosald to slip away and +return Geirald his proper clothes. And in these, torn and dusty with +the fight, Geirald answered the king’s summons to come before him. + +“You have done what I expected you to do,” said he, “and now, choose +your reward.” + +“Grant me, sire, the hand of the queen, your niece,” replied the young +man, bowing low, “and I will defend her kingdom against all her +enemies.” + +“She could choose no better husband,” said the king, “and if she +consents I do.” And he turned towards the queen, who had not been +present during the fight, but had just slipped into a seat by his right +hand. Now the queen’s eyes were very sharp, and it seemed to her that +the man who stood before her, tall and handsome though he might be, was +different in many slight ways, and in one in particular, from the man +who had fought the tourney. How there could be any trickery she could +not understand, and why the real victor should be willing to give up +his prize to another was still stranger; but something in her heart +warned her to be careful. She answered: “You may be satisfied, uncle, +but I am not. One more proof I must have; let the two young men now +fight against each other. The man I marry must be the man who killed +the robbers and the giant, and overcame my page.” Geirald’s face grew +pale as he heard these words. He knew there was no escape from him now, +though he did not doubt for one moment that Rosald would keep his +compact loyally to the last. But how would it be possible that even +Rosald should deceive the watchful eyes of the king and his court, and +still more those of the young queen whom he felt uneasily had suspected +him from the first? + +The tourney was fought, and in spite of Geirald’s fears Rosald managed +to hang back to make attacks which were never meant to succeed, and to +allow strokes which he could easily have parried to attain their end. +At length, after a great show of resistance, he fell heavily to the +ground. And as he fell he knew that it was not alone the glory that was +his rightfully which he gave up, but the hand of the queen that was +more precious still. + +But Geirald did not even wait to see if he was wounded; he went +straight to the wall where the royal banner waved and claimed the +reward which was now his. + +The crowd of watchers turned towards the queen, expecting to see her +stoop and give some token to the victor. Instead, to the surprise of +everyone, she merely smiled gracefully, and said that before she +bestowed her hand one more test must be imposed, but this should be the +last. The final tourney should be fought; Geirald and Rosald should +meet singly two knights of the king’s court, and he who could unhorse +his foe should be master of herself and of her kingdom. The combat was +fixed to take place at ten o’clock the following day. + +All night long Geirald walked about his room, not daring to face the +fight that lay in front of him, and trying with all his might to +discover some means of escaping it. All night long he moved restlessly +from door to window; and when the trumpets sounded, and the combatants +rode into the field, he alone was missing. The king sent messengers to +see what had become of him, and he was found, trembling with fear, +hiding under his bed. After that there was no need of any further +proof. The combat was declared unnecessary, and the queen pronounced +herself quite satisfied, and ready to accept Rosald as her husband. + +“You forgot one thing,” she said, when they were alone. “I recognized +my father’s ring which Hankur the Tall had stolen, on the finger of +your right hand, and I knew that it was you and not Geirald who had +slain the robber band. I was the page who fought you, and again I saw +the ring on your finger, though it was absent from his when he stood +before me to claim the prize. That was why I ordered the combat between +you, though your faith to your word prevented my plan being successful, +and I had to try another. The man who keeps his promise at all costs to +himself is the man I can trust, both for myself and for my people.” + +So they were married, and returned to their own kingdom, which they +ruled well and happily. And many years after a poor beggar knocked at +the palace gates and asked for money, for the sake of days gone by—and +this was Geirald. + +[From Neuislandischem Volksmärchen.] + + + + +Hábogi + + +Once upon a time there lived two peasants who had three daughters, and, +as generally happens, the youngest was the most beautiful and the best +tempered, and when her sisters wanted to go out she was always ready to +stay at home and do their work. + +Years passed quickly with the whole family, and one day the parents +suddenly perceived that all three girls were grown up, and that very +soon they would be thinking of marriage. + +“Have you decided what your husband’s name is to be?” said the father, +laughingly, to his eldest daughter, one evening when they were all +sitting at the door of their cottage. “You know that is a very +important point!” + +“Yes; I will never wed any man who is not called Sigmund,” answered +she. + +“Well, it is lucky for you that there are a great many Sigmunds in this +part of the world,” replied her father, “so that you can take your +choice! And what do YOU say?” he added, turning to the second. + +“Oh, I think that there is no name so beautiful as Sigurd,” cried she. + +“Then you won’t be an old maid either,” answered he. “There are seven +Sigurds in the next village alone! And you, Helga?” + +Helga, who was still the prettiest of the three, looked up. She also +had her favourite name, but, just as she was going to say it, she +seemed to hear a voice whisper: “Marry no one who is not called +Hábogi.” + +The girl had never heard of such a name, and did not like it, so she +determined to pay no attention; but as she opened her mouth to tell her +father that her husband must be called Njal, she found herself +answering instead: “If I do marry it will be to no one except Hábogi.” + +“Who IS Hábogi?” asked her father and sisters; “We never heard of such +a person.” + +“All I can tell you is that he will be my husband, if ever I have one,” +returned Helga; and that was all she would say. + +Before very long the young men who lived in the neighbouring villages +or on the sides of the mountains, had heard of this talk of the three +girls, and Sigmunds and Sigurds in scores came to visit the little +cottage. There were other young men too, who bore different names, +though not one of them was called “Hábogi,” and these thought that they +might perhaps gain the heart of the youngest. But though there was more +than one “Njal” amongst them, Helga’s eyes seemed always turned another +way. + +At length the two elder sisters made their choice from out of the +Sigurds and the Sigmunds, and it was decided that both weddings should +take place at the same time. Invitations were sent out to the friends +and relations, and when, on the morning of the great day, they were all +assembled, a rough, coarse old peasant left the crowd and came up to +the brides’ father. + +“My name is Hábogi, and Helga must be my wife,” was all he said. And +though Helga stood pale and trembling with surprise, she did not try to +run away. + +“I cannot talk of such things just now,” answered the father, who could +not bear the thought of giving his favourite daughter to this horrible +old man, and hoped, by putting it off, that something might happen. But +the sisters, who had always been rather jealous of Helga, were secretly +pleased that their bridegrooms should outshine hers. + +When the feast was over, Hábogi led up a beautiful horse from a field +where he had left it to graze, and bade Helga jump up on its splendid +saddle, all embroidered in scarlet and gold. “You shall come back +again,” said he; “but now you must see the house that you are to live +in.” And though Helga was very unwilling to go, something inside her +forced her to obey. + +The old man settled her comfortably, then sprang up in front of her as +easily as if he had been a boy, and, shaking the reins, they were soon +out of sight. + +After some miles they rode through a meadow with grass so green that +Helga’s eyes felt quite dazzled; and feeding on the grass were a +quantity of large fat sheep, with the curliest and whitest wool in the +world. + +“What lovely sheep! whose are they?” cried Helga. + +“Your Hábogi’s,” answered he, “all that you see belongs to him; but the +finest sheep in the whole herd, which has little golden bells hanging +between its horns, you shall have for yourself.” + +This pleased Helga very much, for she had never had anything of her +own; and she smiled quite happily as she thanked Hábogi for his +present. + +They soon left the sheep behind them, and entered a large field with a +river running through it, where a number of beautiful grey cows were +standing by a gate waiting for a milk-maid to come and milk them. + +“Oh, what lovely cows!” cried Helga again; “I am sure their milk must +be sweeter than any other cows. How I should like to have some! I +wonder to whom they belong?” + +“To your Hábogi,” replied he; “and some day you shall have as much milk +as you like, but we cannot stop now. Do you see that big grey one, with +the silver bells between her horns? That is to be yours, and you can +have her milked every morning the moment you wake.” + +And Helga’s eyes shone, and though she did not say anything, she +thought that she would learn to milk the cow herself. + +A mile further on they came to a wide common, with short, springy turf, +where horses of all colours, with skins of satin, were kicking up their +heels in play. The sight of them so delighted Helga that she nearly +sprang from her saddle with a shriek of joy. + +“Whose are they?” Oh! whose are they?” she asked. “How happy any man +must be who is the master of such lovely creatures!” + +“They are your Hábogi’s,” replied he, “and the one which you think the +most beautiful of all you shall have for yourself, and learn to ride +him.” + +At this Helga quite forgot the sheep and the cow. + +“A horse of my own!” said she. “Oh, stop one moment, and let me see +which I will choose. The white one? No. The chestnut? No. I think, +after all, I like the coal-black one best, with the little white star +on his forehead. Oh, do stop, just for a minute.” + +But Hábogi would not stop or listen. “When you are married you will +have plenty of time to choose one,” was all he answered, and they rode +on two or three miles further. + +At length Hábogi drew rein before a small house, very ugly and +mean-looking, and that seemed on the point of tumbling to pieces. + +“This is my house, and is to be yours,” said Hábogi, as he jumped down +and held out his arms to lift Helga from the horse. The girl’s heart +sank a little, as she thought that the man who possessed such wonderful +sheep, and cows, and horses, might have built himself a prettier place +to live in; but she did not say so. And, taking her arm, he led her up +the steps. + +But when she got inside, she stood quite bewildered at the beauty of +all around her. None of her friends owned such things, not even the +miller, who was the richest man she knew. There were carpets +everywhere, thick and soft, and of deep rich colours; and the cushions +were of silk, and made you sleepy even to look at them; and curious +little figures in china were scattered about. Helga felt as if it would +take her all her life to see everything properly, and it only seemed a +second since she had entered the house, when Hábogi came up to her. + +“I must begin the preparations for our wedding at once,” he said; “but +my foster-brother will take you home, as I promised. In three days he +will bring you back here, with your parents and sisters, and any guests +you may invite, in your company. By that time the feast will be ready.” + +Helga had so much to think about, that the ride home appeared very +short. Her father and mother were delighted to see her, as they did not +feel sure that so ugly and cross-looking a man as Hábogi might not have +played her some cruel trick. And after they had given her some supper +they begged her to tell them all she had done. But Helga only told them +that they should see for themselves on the third day, when they would +come to her wedding. + +It was very early in the morning when the party set out, and Helga’s +two sisters grew green with envy as they passed the flocks of sheep, +and cows, and horses, and heard that the best of each was given to +Helga herself; but when they caught sight of the poor little house +which was to be her home their hearts grew light again. + +“I should be ashamed of living in such a place,” whispered each to the +other; and the eldest sister spoke of the carved stone over HER +doorway, and the second boasted of the number of rooms SHE had. But the +moment they went inside they were struck dumb with rage at the +splendour of everything, and their faces grew white and cold with fury +when they saw the dress which Hábogi had prepared for his bride—a dress +that glittered like sunbeams dancing upon ice. + +“She SHALL not look so much finer than us,” they cried passionately to +each other as soon as they were alone; and when night came they stole +out of their rooms, and taking out the wedding-dress, they laid it in +the ash-pit, and heaped ashes upon it. But Hábogi, who knew a little +magic, and had guessed what they would do, changed the ashes into +roses, and cast a spell over the sisters, so that they could not leave +the spot for a whole day, and every one who passed by mocked at them. + +The next morning when they all awoke the ugly tumble-down house had +disappeared, and in its place stood a splendid palace. The guests’ eyes +sought in vain for the bridegroom, but could only see a handsome young +man, with a coat of blue velvet and silver and a gold crown upon his +head. + +“Who is that?” they asked Helga. + +“That is my Hábogi,” said she. + +[From Neuislandischem Volksmärchen.] + + + + +How the Little Brother Set Free His Big Brothers + + +In a small hut, right in the middle of the forest, lived a man, his +wife, three sons and a daughter. For some reason, all the animals +seemed to have left that part of the country, and food grew very +scarce; so, one morning, after a night of snow, when the tracks of +beasts might be easily seen, the three boys started off to hunt. + +They kept together for some time, till they reached a place where the +path they had been following split into two, and one of the brothers +called his dog and went to the left, while the others took the trail to +the right. These had not gone far when their dogs scented a bear, and +drove him out from the thicket. The bear ran across a clearing, and the +elder brother managed to place an arrow right in his head. + +They both took up the bear, and carried it towards home, meeting the +third at the spot where they had parted from him. When they reached +home they threw the bear down on the floor of the hut saying, + +“Father, here is a bear which we killed; now we can have some dinner.” + +But the father, who was in a bad temper, only said: + +“When I was a young man we used to get two bears in one day.” + +The sons were rather disappointed at hearing this, and though there was +plenty of meat to last for two or three days, they started off early in +the morning down the same trail that they had followed before. As they +drew near the fork a bear suddenly ran out from behind a tree, and took +the path on the right. The two elder boys and their dogs pursued him, +and soon the second son, who was also a good shot, killed him instantly +with an arrow. At the fork of the trail, on their way home, they met +the youngest, who had taken the left-hand road, and had shot a bear for +himself. But when they threw the two bears triumphantly on the floor of +the hut their father hardly looked at them, and only said: + +“When I was a young man I used to get three bears in one day.” + +The next day they were luckier than before, and brought back three +bears, on which their father told them that HE had always killed four. +However, that did not prevent him from skinning the bears and cooking +them in a way of his own, which he thought very good, and they all ate +an excellent supper. + +Now these bears were the servants of the great bear chief who lived in +a high mountain a long way off. And every time a bear was killed his +shadow returned to the house of the bear chief, with the marks of his +wounds plainly to bee seen by the rest. + +The chief was furious at the number of bears the hunters had killed, +and determined that he would find some way of destroying them. So he +called another of his servants, and said to him: + +“Go to the thicket near the fork, where the boys killed your brothers, +and directly they or the dogs see you return here as fast as ever you +can. The mountain will open to let you in, and the hunters will follow +you. Then I shall have them in my power, and be able to revenge +myself.” + +The servant bowed low, and started at once for the fork, where he hid +himself in the bushes. + +By-and-by the boys came in sight, but this time there were only two of +them, as the youngest had stayed at home. The air was warm and damp, +and the snow soft and slushy, and the elder brother’s bowstring hung +loose, while the bow of the younger caught in a tree and snapped in +half. At that moment the dogs began to bark loudly, and the bear rushed +out of the thicket and set off in the direction of the mountain. +Without thinking that they had nothing to defend themselves with, +should the bear turn and attack them, the boys gave chase. The bear, +who knew quite well that he could not be shot, sometimes slackened his +pace and let the dogs get quite close; and in this way the elder son +reached the mountain without observing it, while his brother, who had +hurt his foot, was still far behind. + +As he ran up, the mountain opened to admit the bear, and the boy, who +was close on his heels, rushed in after him, and did not know where he +was till he saw bears sitting on every side of him, holding a council. +The animal he had been chasing sank panting in their midst, and the +boy, very much frightened, stood still, letting his bow fall to the +ground. + +“Why are you trying to kill all my servants?” asked the chief. “Look +round and see their shades, with arrows sticking in them. It was I who +told the bear to-day how he was to lure you into my power. I shall take +care that you shall not hurt my people any more, because you will +become a bear yourself.” + +At this moment the second brother came up—for the mountain had been +left open on purpose to tempt him also—and cried out breathlessly: +“Don’t you see that the bear is lying close to you? Why don’t you shoot +him?” And, without waiting for a reply, pressed forward to drive his +arrow into the heart of the bear. But the elder one caught his raised +arm, and whispered: “Be quiet! can’t you tell where you are?” Then the +boy looked up and saw the angry bears about him. On the one side were +the servants of the chief, and on the other the servants of the chief’s +sister, who was sorry for the two youths, and begged that their lives +might be spared. The chief answered that he would not kill them, but +only cast a spell over them, by which their heads and bodies should +remain as they were, but their arms and legs should change into those +of a bear, so that they would go on all fours for the rest of their +lives. And, stooping over a spring of water, he dipped a handful of +moss in it and rubbed it over the arms and legs of the boys. In an +instant the transformation took place, and two creatures, neither beast +nor human stood before the chief. + +Now the bear chief of course knew that the boys’ father would seek for +his sons when they did not return home, so he sent another of his +servants to the hiding-place at the fork of the trail to see what would +happen. He had not waited long, when the father came in sight, stooping +as he went to look for his sons’ tracks in the snow. When he saw the +marks of snow-shoes along the path on the right he was filled with joy, +not knowing that the servant had made some fresh tracks on purpose to +mislead him; and he hastened forward so fast that he fell headlong into +a pit, where the bear was sitting. Before he could pick himself up the +bear had quietly broken his neck, and, hiding the body under the snow, +sat down to see if anyone else would pass that way. + +Meanwhile the mother at home was wondering what had become of her two +sons, and as the hours went on, and their father never returned, she +made up her mind to go and look for him. The youngest boy begged her to +let him undertake the search, but she would not hear of it, and told +him he must stay at home and take care of his sister. So, slipping on +her snow-shoes, she started on her way. + +As no fresh snow had fallen, the trail was quite easy to find, and she +walked straight on, till it led her up to the pit where the bear was +waiting for her. He grasped her as she fell and broke her neck, after +which he laid her in the snow beside her husband, and went back to tell +the bear chief. + +Hour after hour dragged heavily by in the forest hut, and at last the +brother and sister felt quite sure that in some way or other all the +rest of the family had perished. Day after day the boy climbed to the +top of a tall tree near the house, and sat there till he was almost +frozen, looking on all sides through the forest openings, hoping that +he might see someone coming along. Very soon all the food in the house +was eaten, and he knew he would have to go out and hunt for more. +Besides, he wished to seek for his parents. + +The little girl did not like being left alone in the hut, and cried +bitterly; but her brother told her that there was no use sitting down +quietly to starve, and that whether he found any game or not he would +certainly be back before the following night. Then he cut himself some +arrows, each from a different tree, and winged with the feathers of +four different birds. He then made himself a bow, very light and +strong, and got down his snow-shoes. All this took some time, and he +could not start that day, but early next morning he called his little +dog Redmouth, whom he kept in a box, and set out. + +After he had followed the trail for a great distance he grew very +tired, and sat upon the branch of a tree to rest. But Redmouth barked +so furiously that the boy thought that perhaps his parents might have +been killed under its branches, and stepping back, shot one of his +arrows at the root of the tree. Whereupon a noise like thunder shook it +from top to bottom, fire broke out, and in a few minutes a little heap +of ashes lay in the place where it had stood. + +Not knowing quite what to make of it all, the boy continued on the +trail, and went down the right-hand fork till he came to the clump of +bushes where the bears used to hide. + +Now, as was plain by his being able to change the shape of the two +brothers, the bear chief knew a good deal of magic, and he was quite +aware that the little boy was following the trail, and he sent a very +small but clever bear servant to wait for him in the bushes and to try +to tempt him into the mountain. But somehow his spells could not have +worked properly that day, as the bear chief did not know that Redmouth +had gone with his master, or he would have been more careful. For the +moment the dog ran round the bushes barking loudly, the little bear +servant rushed out in a fright, and set out for the mountains as fast +as he could. + +The dog followed the bear, and the boy followed the dog, until the +mountain, the house of the great bear chief, came in sight. But along +the road the snow was so wet and heavy that the boy could hardly get +along, and then the thong of his snow-shoes broke, and he had to stop +and mend it, so that the bear and the dog got so far ahead that he +could scarcely hear the barking. When the strap was firm again the boy +spoke to his snow-shoes and said: + +“Now you must go as fast as you can, or, if not, I shall lose the dog +as well as the bear.” And the snow-shoes sang in answer that they would +run like the wind. + +As he came along, the bear chief’s sister was looking out of the +window, and took pity on this little brother, as she had on the two +elder ones, and waited to see what the boy would do, when he found that +the bear servant and the dog had already entered the mountain. + +The little brother was certainly very much puzzled at not seeing +anything of either of the animals, which had vanished suddenly out of +his sight. He paused for an instant to think what he should do next, +and while he did so he fancied he heard Redmouth’s voice on the +opposite side of the mountain. With great difficulty he scrambled over +steep rocks, and forced a path through tangled thickets; but when he +reached the other side the sound appeared to start from the place from +which he had come. Then he had to go all the way back again, and at the +very top, where he stopped to rest, the barking was directly beneath +him, and he knew in an instant where he was and what had happened. + +“Let my dog out at once, bear chief!” cried he. “If you do not, I shall +destroy your palace.” But the bear chief only laughed, and said +nothing. The boy was very angry at his silence, and aiming one of his +arrows at the bottom of the mountain, shot straight through it. + +As the arrow touched the ground a rumbling was heard, and with a roar a +fire broke out which seemed to split the whole mountain into pieces. +The bear chief and all his servants were burnt up in the flames, but +his sister and all that belonged to her were spared because she had +tried to save the two elder boys from punishment. + +As soon as the fire had burnt itself out the little hunter entered what +was left of the mountain, and the first thing he saw was his two +brothers—half bear, half boy. + +“Oh, help us! help us!” cried they, standing on their hind legs as they +spoke, and stretching out their fore-paws to him. + +“But how am I to help you?” asked the little brother, almost weeping. +“I can kill people, and destroy trees and mountains, but I have no +power over men.” And the two elder brothers came up and put their paws +on his shoulders, and they all three wept together. + +The heart of the bear chief’s sister was moved when she saw their +misery, and she came gently up behind, and whispered: + +“Little boy, gather some moss from the spring over there, and let your +brothers smell it.” + +With a bound all three were at the spring, and as the youngest plucked +a handful of wet moss, the two others sniffed at it with all their +might. Then the bearskin fell away from them, and they stood upright +once more. + +“How can we thank you? how can we thank you?” they stammered, hardly +able to speak; and fell at her feet in gratitude. But the bear’s sister +only smiled, and bade them go home and look after the little girl, who +had no one else to protect her. + +And this the boys did, and took such good care of their sister that, as +she was very small, she soon forgot that she had ever had a father and +mother. + +[From the Bureau of Ethnology, U.S.] + + + + +The Sacred Milk of Koumongoé + + +Far way, in a very hot country, there once lived a man and woman who +had two children, a son named Koane and a daughter called Thakane. + +Early in the morning and late in the evenings the parents worked hard +in the fields, resting, when the sun was high, under the shade of some +tree. While they were absent the little girl kept house alone, for her +brother always got up before the dawn, when the air was fresh and cool, +and drove out the cattle to the sweetest patches of grass he could +find. + +One day, when Koane had slept later than usual, his father and mother +went to their work before him, and there was only Thakane to be seen +busy making the bread for supper. + +“Thakane,” he said, “I am thirsty. Give me a drink from the tree +Koumongoé, which has the best milk in the world.” + +“Oh, Koane,” cried his sister, “you know that we are forbidden to touch +that tree. What would father say when he came home? For he would be +sure to know.” + +“Nonsense,” replied Koane, “there is so much milk in Koumongoé that he +will never miss a little. If you won’t give it to me, I sha’n’t take +the cattle out. They will just have to stay all day in the hut, and you +know that they will starve.” And he turned from her in a rage, and sat +down in the corner. + +After a while Thakane said to him: “It is getting hot, had you better +drive out the cattle now?” + +But Koane only answered sulkily: “I told you I am not going to drive +them out at all. If I have to do without milk, they shall do without +grass.” + +Thakane did not know what to do. She was afraid to disobey her parents, +who would most likely beat her, yet the beasts would be sure to suffer +if they were kept in, and she would perhaps be beaten for that too. So +at last she took an axe and a tiny earthen bowl, she cut a very small +hole in the side of Koumongoé, and out gushed enough milk to fill the +bowl. + +“Here is the milk you wanted,” said she, going up to Koane, who was +still sulking in his corner. + +“What is the use of that?” grumbled Koane; “why, there is not enough to +drown a fly. Go and get me three times as much!” + +Trembling with fright, Thakane returned to the tree, and struck it a +sharp blow with the axe. In an instant there poured forth such a stream +of milk that it ran like a river into the hut. + +“Koane! Koane!” cried she, “come and help me to plug up the hole. There +will be no milk left for our father and mother.” But Koane could not +stop it any more than Thakane, and soon the milk was flowing through +the hut downhill towards their parents in the fields below. + +The man saw a white stream a long way off, and guessed what had +happened. + +“Wife, wife,” he called loudly to the woman, who was working at a +little distance: “Do you see Koumongoé running fast down the hill? That +is some mischief of the children’s, I am sure. I must go home and find +out what is the matter.” And they both threw down their hoes and +hurried to the side of Koumongoé. + +Kneeling on the grass, the man and his wife made a cup of their hands +and drank the milk from it. And no sooner had they done this, than +Koumongoé flowed back again up the hill, and entered the hut. + +“Thakane,” said the parents, severely, when they reached home panting +from the heat of the sun, “what have you been doing? Why did Koumongoé +come to us in the fields instead of staying in the garden?” + +“It was Koane’s fault,” answered Thakane. “He would not take the cattle +to feed until he drank some of the milk from Koumongoé. So, as I did +not know what else to do, I gave it to him.” + +The father listened to Thakane’s words, but made no answer. Instead, he +went outside and brought in two sheepskins, which he stained red and +sent for a blacksmith to forge some iron rings. The rings were then +passed over Thakane’s arms and legs and neck, and the skins fastened on +her before and behind. When all was ready, the man sent for his +servants and said: + +“I am going to get rid of Thakane.” + +“Get rid of your only daughter?” they answered, in surprise. “But why?” + +“Because she has eaten what she ought not to have eaten. She has +touched the sacred tree which belongs to her mother and me alone.” And, +turning his back, he called to Thakane to follow him, and they went +down the road which led to the dwelling of an ogre. + +They were passing along some fields where the corn was ripening, when a +rabbit suddenly sprang out at their feet, and standing on its hind +legs, it sang: + +Why do you give to the ogre Your child, so fair, so fair? + +“You had better ask her,” replied the man, “she is old enough to give +you an answer.” + +Then, in her turn, Thakane sang: + +I gave Koumongoé to Koane, Koumongoé to the keeper of beasts; For +without Koumongoé they could not go to the meadows: Without Koumongoé +they would starve in the hut; That was why I gave him the Koumongoé of +my father. + +And when the rabbit heard that, he cried: “Wretched man! it is you whom +the ogre should eat, and not your beautiful daughter.” + +But the father paid no heed to what the rabbit said, and only walked on +the faster, bidding Thakane to keep close behind him. By-and-by they +met with a troop of great deer, called elands, and they stopped when +they saw Thakane and sang: + +Why do you give to the ogre Your child, so fair, so fair? + +“You had better ask her, replied the man, “she is old enough to give +you an answer.” + +Then, in her turn, Thakane sang: + +I gave Koumongoé to Koane, Koumongoé to the keeper of beasts; For +without Koumongoé they could not go to the meadows: Without Koumongoé +they would starve in the hut; That was why I gave him the Koumongoé of +my father. + +And the elands all cried: “Wretched man! it is you whom the ogre should +eat, and not your beautiful daughter.” + +By this time it was nearly dark, and the father said they could travel +no further that night, and must go to sleep where they were. Thakane +was thankful indeed when she heard this, for she was very tired, and +found the two skins fastened round her almost too heavy to carry. So, +in spite of her dread of the ogre, she slept till dawn, when her father +woke her, and told her roughly that he was ready to continue their +journey. + +Crossing the plain, the girl and her father passed a herd of gazelles +feeding. They lifted their heads, wondering who was out so early, and +when they caught sight of Thakane, they sang: + +Why do you give to the ogre Your child, so fair, so fair? + +“You had better ask her, replied the man, “she is old enough to answer +for herself.” + +Then, in her turn, Thakane sang: + +I gave Koumongoé to Koane, Koumongoé to the keeper of beasts; For +without Koumongoé they could not go to the meadows: Without Koumongoé +they would starve in the hut; That was why I gave him the Koumongoé of +my father. + +And the gazelles all cried: “Wretched man! it is you whom the ogre +should eat, and not your beautiful daughter.” + +At last they arrived at the village where the ogre lived, and they went +straight to his hut. He was nowhere to be seen, but in his place was +his son Masilo, who was not an ogre at all, but a very polite young +man. He ordered his servants to bring a pile of skins for Thakane to +sit on, but told her father he must sit on the ground. Then, catching +sight of the girl’s face, which she had kept down, he was struck by its +beauty, and put the same question that the rabbit, and the elands, and +the gazelles had done. + +Thakane answered him as before, and he instantly commanded that she +should be taken to the hut of his mother, and placed under her care, +while the man should be led to his father. Directly the ogre saw him he +bade the servant throw him into the great pot which always stood ready +on the fire, and in five minutes he was done to a turn. After that the +servant returned to Masilo and related all that had happened. + +Now Masilo had fallen in loved with Thakane the moment he saw her. At +first he did not know what to make of this strange feeling, for all his +life he had hated women, and had refused several brides whom his +parents had chosen for him. However, they were so anxious that he +should marry, that they willingly accepted Thakane as their +daughter-in-law, though she did bring any marriage portion with her. + +After some time a baby was born to her, and Thakane thought it was the +most beautiful baby that ever was seen. But when her mother-in-law saw +it was a girl, she wrung her hands and wept, saying: + +“O miserable mother! Miserable child! Alas for you! why were you not a +boy!” + +Thakane, in great surprise, asked the meaning of her distress; and the +old woman told her that it was the custom in that country that all the +girls who were born should be given to the ogre to eat. + +Then Thakane clasped the baby tightly in her arms, and cried: + +“But it is not the customer in MY country! There, when children die, +they are buried in the earth. No one shall take my baby from me.” + +That night, when everyone in the hut was asleep, Thakane rose, and +carrying her baby on her back, went down to a place where the river +spread itself out into a large lake, with tall willows all round the +bank. Here, hidden from everyone, she sat down on a stone and began to +think what she should do to save her child. + +Suddenly she heard a rustling among the willows, and an old woman +appeared before her. + +“What are you crying for, my dear?” said she. + +And Thakane answered: “I was crying for my baby—I cannot hide her for +ever, and if the ogre sees her, he will eat her; and I would rather she +was drowned than that.” + +“What you say is true,” replied the old woman. “Give me your child, and +let me take care of it. And if you will fix a day to meet me here I +will bring the baby.” + +Then Thakane dried her eyes, and gladly accepted the old woman’s offer. +When she got home she told her husband she had thrown it in the river, +and as he had watched her go in that direction he never thought of +doubting what she said. + +On the appointed day, Thakane slipped out when everybody was busy, and +ran down the path that led to the lake. As soon as she got there, she +crouched down among the willows, and sang softly: + +Bring to me Dilah, Dilah the rejected one, Dilah, whom her father +Masilo cast out! + +And in a moment the old woman appeared holding the baby in her arms. +Dilah had become so big and strong, that Thakane’s heart was filled +with joy and gratitude, and she stayed as long as she dared, playing +with her baby. At last she felt she must return to the village, lest +she should be missed, and the child was handed back to the old woman, +who vanished with her into the lake. + +Children grow up very quickly when they live under water, and in less +time than anyone could suppose, Dilah had changed from a baby to a +woman. Her mother came to visit her whenever she was able, and one day, +when they were sitting talking together, they were spied out by a man +who had come to cut willows to weave into baskets. He was so surprised +to see how like the face of the girl was to Masilo, that he left his +work and returned to the village. + +“Masilo,” he said, as he entered the hut, “I have just beheld your wife +near the river with a girl who must be your daughter, she is so like +you. We have been deceived, for we all thought she was dead.” + +When he heard this, Masilo tried to look shocked because his wife had +broken the law; but in his heart he was very glad. + +“But what shall we do now?” asked he. + +“Make sure for yourself that I am speaking the truth by hiding among +the bushes the first time Thakane says she is going to bathe in the +river, and waiting till the girl appears.” + +For some days Thakane stayed quietly at home, and her husband began to +think that the man had been mistaken; but at last she said to her +husband: “I am going to bathe in the river.” + +“Well, you can go,” answered he. But he ran down quickly by another +path, and got there first, and hid himself in the bushes. An instant +later, Thakane arrived, and standing on the bank, she sang: + +Bring to me Dilah, Dilah the rejected one, Dilah, whom her father +Masilo cast out! + +Then the old woman came out of the water, holding the girl, now tall +and slender, by the hand. And as Masilo looked, he saw that she was +indeed his daughter, and he wept for joy that she was not lying dead in +the bottom of the lake. The old woman, however, seemed uneasy, and said +to Thakane: “I feel as if someone was watching us. I will not leave the +girl to-day, but will take her back with me”; and sinking beneath the +surface, she drew the girl after her. After they had gone, Thakane +returned to the village, which Masilo had managed to reach before her. + +All the rest of the day he sat in a corner weeping, and his mother who +came in asked: “Why are you weeping so bitterly, my son?” + +“My head aches,” he answered; “it aches very badly.” And his mother +passed on, and left him alone. + +In the evening he said to his wife: “I have seen my daughter, in the +place where you told me you had drowned her. Instead, she lives at the +bottom of the lake, and has now grown into a young woman.” + +“I don’t know what you are talking about,” replied Thakane. “I buried +my child under the sand on the beach.” + +Then Masilo implored her to give the child back to him; but she would +not listen, and only answered: “If I were to give her back you would +only obey the laws of your country and take her to your father, the +ogre, and she would be eaten.” + +But Masilo promised that he would never let his father see her, and +that now she was a woman no one would try to hurt her; so Thakane’s +heart melted, and she went down to the lake to consult the old woman. + +“What am I to do?” she asked, when, after clapping her hands, the old +woman appeared before her. “Yesterday Masilo beheld Dilah, and ever +since he has entreated me to give him back his daughter.” + +“If I let her go he must pay me a thousand head of cattle in exchange,” +replied the old woman. And Thakane carried her answer back to Masilo. + +“Why, I would gladly give her two thousand!” cried he, “for she has +saved my daughter.” And he bade messengers hasten to all the +neighbouring villages, and tell his people to send him at once all the +cattle he possessed. When they were all assembled he chose a thousand +of the finest bulls and cows, and drove them down to the river, +followed by a great crowd wondering what would happen. + +Then Thakane stepped forward in front of the cattle and sang: + +Bring to me Dilah, Dilah the rejected one, Dilah, whom her father +Masilo cast out! + +And Dilah came from the waters holding out her hands to Masilo and +Thakane, and in her place the cattle sank into the lake, and were +driven by the old woman to the great city filled with people, which +lies at the bottom. + +[Contes Populaires des Bassoutos.] + + + + +The Wicked Wolverine + + +One day a wolverine was out walking on the hill-side, when, on turning +a corner, he suddenly saw a large rock. + +“Was that you I heard walking about just now?” he asked, for wolverines +are cautious animals, and always like to know the reasons of things. + +“No, certainly not,” answered the rock; “I don’t know how to walk.” + +“But I SAW you walking,” continued the wolverine. + +“I am afraid that you were not taught to speak the truth,” retorted the +rock. + +“You need not speak like that, for I have SEEN you walking,” replied +the wolverine, “though I am quite sure that you could never catch ME!” +and he ran a little distance and then stopped to see if the rock was +pursuing him; but, to his vexation, the rock was still in the same +place. Then the wolverine went up close, and struck the rock a blow +with his paw, saying: “Well, will you catch me NOW?” + +“I can’t walk, but I can ROLL,” answered the rock. + +And the wolverine laughed and said: “Oh, that will do just as well”; +and began to run down the side of the mountain. + +At first he went quite slowly, “just to give the rock a chance,” he +thought to himself; but soon he quickened his pace, for he found that +the rock was almost at his heels. But the faster the wolverine ran, the +faster the rock rolled, and by-and-by the little creature began to get +very tired, and was sorry he had not left the rock to itself. Thinking +that if he could manage to put on a spurt he would reach the forest of +great trees at the bottom of the mountain, where the rock could not +come, he gathered up all his strength, and instead of running he leaped +over sticks and stones, but, whatever he did, the rock was always close +behind him. At length he grew so weary that he could not even see where +he was going, and catching his foot in a branch he tripped and fell. +The rock stopped at once, but there came a shriek from the wolverine: + +“Get off, get off! can’t you see that you are on my legs?” + +“Why did you not leave me alone?” asked the rock. “I did not want to +move—I hate moving. But you WOULD have it, and I certainly sha’n’t move +now till I am forced to.” + +“I will call my brothers,” answered the wolverine. “There are many of +them in the forest, and you will soon see that they are stronger than +you.” And he called, and called, and called, till wolves and foxes and +all sorts of other creatures all came running to see what was the +matter. + +“How DID you get under that rock?” asked they, making a ring round him; +but they had to repeat their question several times before the +wolverine would answer, for he, like many other persons, found it hard +to confess that he had brought his troubles on himself. + +“Well, I was dull, and wanted someone to play with me,” he said at +last, in sulky voice, “and I challenged the rock to catch me. Of course +I thought I could run the fastest; but I tripped, and it rolled on me. +It was just an accident.” + +“It serves you right for being so silly,” said they; but they pushed +and hauled at the rock for a long time without making it move an inch. + +“You are no good at all,” cried the wolverine crossly, for it was +suffering great pain, “and if you cannot get me free, I shall see what +my friends the lightning and thunder can do.” And he called loudly to +the lightning to come and help him as quickly as possible. + +In a few minutes a dark cloud came rolling up the sky, giving out such +terrific claps of thunder that the wolves and the foxes and all the +other creatures ran helter-skelter in all directions. But, frightened +though they were, they did not forget to beg the lightning to take off +the wolverine’s coat and to free his legs, but to be careful not to +hurt him. So the lightning disappeared into the cloud for a moment to +gather up fresh strength, and then came rushing down, right upon the +rock, which it sent flying in all directions, and took the wolverine’s +coat so neatly that, though it was torn into tiny shreds, the wolverine +himself was quite unharmed. + +“That was rather clumsy of you,” said he, standing up naked in his +flesh. “Surely you could have split the rock without tearing my coat to +bits!” And he stooped down to pick up the pieces. It took him a long +time, for there were a great many of them, but at last he had them all +in his hand. + +“I’ll go to my sister the frog,” he thought to himself, “and she will +sew them together for me”; and he set off at once for the swamp in +which his sister lived. + +“Will you sew my coat together? I had an unlucky accident, and it is +quite impossible to wear,” he said, when he found her. + +“With pleasure,” she answered, for she had always been taught to be +polite; and getting her needle and thread she began to fit the pieces. +But though she was very good-natured, she was not very clever, and she +got some of the bits wrong. When the wolverine, who was very particular +about his clothes, came to put it on, he grew very angry. + +“What a useless creature you are!” cried he. “Do you expect me to go +about in such a coat as that? Why it bulges all down the back, as if I +had a hump, and it is so tight across the chest that I expect it to +burst every time I breathe. I knew you were stupid, but I did not think +you were as stupid as that.” And giving the poor frog a blow on her +head, which knocked her straight into the water, he walked off in a +rage to his younger sister the mouse. + +“I tore my coat this morning,” he began, when he had found her sitting +at the door of her house eating an apple. “It was all in little bits, +and I took it to our sister the frog to ask her to sew it for me. But +just look at the way she has done it! You will have to take it to +pieces and fit them together properly, and I hope I shall not have to +complain again.” For as the wolverine was older than the mouse, he was +accustomed to speak to her in this manner. However, the mouse was used +to it and only answered: “I think you had better stay here till it is +done, and if there is any alteration needed I can make it.” So the +wolverine sat down on a heap of dry ferns, and picking up the apple, he +finished it without even asking the mouse’s leave. + +At last the coat was ready, and the wolverine put it on. + +“Yes, it fits very well,” said he, “and you have sewn it very neatly. +When I pass this way again I will bring you a handful of corn, as a +reward”; and he ran off as smart as ever, leaving the mouse quite +grateful behind him. + +He wandered about for many days, till he reached a place where food was +very scarce, and for a whole week he went without any. He was growing +desperate, when he suddenly came upon a bear that was lying asleep. +“Ah! here is food at last!” thought he; but how was he to kill the +bear, who was so much bigger than himself? It was no use to try force, +he must invent some cunning plan which would get her into his power. At +last, after thinking hard, he decided upon something, and going up to +the bear, he exclaimed: “Is that you, my sister?” + +The bear turned round and saw the wolverine, and murmuring to herself, +so low that nobody could hear, “I never heard before that I had a +brother,” got up and ran quickly to a tree, up which she climbed. Now +the wolverine was very angry when he saw his dinner vanishing in front +of him, especially as HE could not climb trees like the bear, so he +followed, and stood at the foot of the tree, shrieking as loud as he +could, “Come down, sister; our father has sent me to look for you! You +were lost when you were a little girl and went out picking berries, and +it was only the other day that we heard from a beaver where you were.” +At these words, the bear came a little way down the tree, and the +wolverine, seeing this, went on: + +“Are you not fond of berries? I am! And I know a place where they grow +so thick the ground is quite hidden. Why, look for yourself! That +hillside is quite red with them!” + +“I can’t see so far,” answered the bear, now climbing down altogether. +“You must have wonderfully good eyes! I wish I had; but my sight is +very short.” + +“So was mine till my father smashed a pailful of cranberries, and +rubbed my eyes with them,” replied the wolverine. “But if you like to +go and gather some of the berries I will do just as he did, and you +will soon be able to see as far as me.” + +It took the bear a long while to gather the berries, for she was slow +about everything, and, besides, it made her back ache to stoop. But at +last she returned with a sackful, and put them down beside the +wolverine. “That is splendid, sister!” cried the wolverine. “Now lie +flat on the ground with your head on this stone, while I smash them.” + +The bear, who was very tired, was only too glad to do as she was bid, +and stretched herself comfortably on the grass. + +“I am ready now,” said the wolverine after a bit; “just at first you +will find that the berries make your eyes smart, but you must be +careful not to move, or the juice will run out, and then it will have +to be done all over again.” + +So the bear promised to lie very still; but the moment the cranberries +touched her eyes she sprang up with a roar. + +“Oh, you mustn’t mind a little pain,” said the wolverine, “it will soon +be over, and then you will see all sorts of things you have never +dreamt of.” The bear sank down with a groan, and as her eyes were full +of cranberry juice, which completely blinded her, the wolverine took up +a sharp knife and stabbed her to the heart. + +Then he took off the skin, and, stealing some fire from a tent, which +his sharp eyes had perceived hidden behind a rock, he set about +roasting the bear bit by bit. He thought the meat was the best he ever +had tasted, and when dinner was done he made up his mind to try that +same trick again, if ever he was hungry. + +And very likely he did! + +[Adapted from Bureau of Ethnology.] + + + + +The Husband of the Rat’s Daughter + + +Once upon a time there lived in Japan a rat and his wife who came of an +old and noble race, and had one daughter, the loveliest girl in all the +rat world. Her parents were very proud of her, and spared no pains to +teach her all she ought to know. There was not another young lady in +the whole town who was as clever as she was in gnawing through the +hardest wood, or who could drop from such a height on to a bed, or run +away so fast if anyone was heard coming. Great attention, too, was paid +to her personal appearance, and her skin shone like satin, while her +teeth were as white as pearls, and beautifully pointed. + +Of course, with all these advantages, her parents expected her to make +a brilliant marriage, and, as she grew up, they began to look round for +a suitable husband. + +But here a difficulty arose. The father was a rat from the tip of his +nose to the end of his tail, outside as well as in, and desired that +his daughter should wed among her own people. She had no lack of +lovers, but her father’s secret hopes rested on a fine young rat, with +moustaches which almost swept the ground, whose family was still nobler +and more ancient than his own. Unluckily, the mother had other views +for her precious child. She was one of those people who always despise +their own family and surroundings, and take pleasure in thinking that +they themselves are made of finer material than the rest of the world. +“HER daughter should never marry a mere rat,” she declared, holding her +head high. “With her beauty and talents she had a right to look for +someone a little better than THAT.” + +So she talked, as mothers will, to anyone that would listen to her. +What the girl thought about the matter nobody knew or cared—it was not +the fashion in the rat world. + +Many were the quarrels which the old rat and his wife had upon the +subject, and sometimes they bore on their faces certain marks which +looked as if they had not kept to words only. + +“Reach up to the stars is MY motto,” cried the lady one day, when she +was in a greater passion than usual. “My daughter’s beauty places her +higher than anything upon earth,” she cried; “and I am certainly not +going to accept a son-in-law who is beneath her.” + +“Better offer her in marriage to the sun,” answered her husband +impatiently. “As far as I know there is nothing greater than he.” + +“Well, I WAS thinking of it,” replied the wife, “and as you are of the +same mind, we will pay him a visit to-morrow.” + +So the next morning, the two rats, having spent hours in making +themselves smart, set out to see the sun, leading their daughter +between them. + +The journey took some time, but at length they came to the golden +palace where the sun lived. + +“Noble king,” began the mother, “behold our daughter! She is so +beautiful that she is above everything in the whole world. Naturally, +we wish for a son-in-law who, on his side, is greater than all. +Therefore we have come to you.” + +“I feel very much flattered,” replied the sun, who was so busy that he +had not the least wish to marry anybody. “You do me great honour by +your proposal. Only, in one point you are mistaken, and it would be +wrong of me to take advantage of your ignorance. There is something +greater than I am, and that is the cloud. Look!” And as he spoke a +cloud spread itself over the sun’s face, blotting out his rays. + +“Oh, well, we will speak to the cloud,” said the mother. And turning to +the cloud she repeated her proposal. + +“Indeed I am unworthy of anything so charming,” answered the cloud; +“but you make a mistake again in what you say. There is one thing that +is even more powerful than I, and that is the wind. Ah, here he comes, +you can see for yourself.” + +And she DID see, for catching up the cloud as he passed, he threw it on +the other side of the sky. Then, tumbling father, mother and daughter +down to the earth again, he paused for a moment beside them, his foot +on an old wall. + +When she had recovered her breath, the mother began her little speech +once more. + +“The wall is the proper husband for your daughter,” answered the wind, +whose home consisted of a cave, which he only visited when he was not +rushing about elsewhere; “you can see for yourself that he is greater +than I, for he has power to stop me in my flight.” And the mother, who +did not trouble to conceal her wishes, turned at once to the wall. + +Then something happened which was quite unexpected by everyone. + +“I won’t marry that ugly old wall, which is as old as my grandfather,” +sobbed the girl, who had not uttered one word all this time. “I would +have married the sun, or the cloud, or the wind, because it was my +duty, although I love the handsome young rat, and him only. But that +horrid old wall—I would sooner die!” + +And the wall, rather hurt in his feelings, declared that he had no +claim to be the husband of so beautiful a girl. + +“It is quite true,” he said, “that I can stop the wind who can part the +clouds who can cover the sun; but there is someone who can do more than +all these, and that is the rat. It is the rat who passes through me, +and can reduce me to powder, simply with his teeth. If, therefore, you +want a son-in-law who is greater than the whole world, seek him among +the rats.” + +“Ah, what did I tell you?” cried the father. And his wife, though for +the moment angry at being beaten, soon thought that a rat son-in-law +was what she had always desired. + +So all three returned happily home, and the wedding was celebrated +three days after. + +[Contes Populaires.] + + + + +The Mermaid and the Boy + + +Long, long ago, there lived a king who ruled over a country by the sea. +When he had been married about a year, some of his subjects, inhabiting +a distant group of islands, revolted against his laws, and it became +needful for him to leave his wife and go in person to settle their +disputes. The queen feared that some ill would come of it, and implored +him to stay at home, but he told her that nobody could do his work for +him, and the next morning the sails were spread, and the king started +on his voyage. + +The vessel had not gone very far when she ran upon a rock, and stuck so +fast in a cleft that the strength of the whole crew could not get her +off again. To make matters worse, the wind was rising too, and it was +quite plain that in a few hours the ship would be dashed to pieces and +everybody would be drowned, when suddenly the form of a mermaid was +seen dancing on the waves which threatened every moment to overwhelm +them. + +“There is only one way to free yourselves,” she said to the king, +bobbing up and down in the water as she spoke, “and that is to give me +your solemn word that you will deliver to me the first child that is +born to you.” + +The king hesitated at this proposal. He hoped that some day he might +have children in his home, and the thought that he must yield up the +heir to his crown was very bitter to him; but just then a huge wave +broke with great force on the ship’s side, and his men fell on their +knees and entreated him to save them. + +So he promised, and this time a wave lifted the vessel clean off the +rocks, and she was in the open sea once more. + +The affairs of the islands took longer to settle than the king had +expected, and some months passed away before he returned to his palace. +In his absence a son had been born to him, and so great was his joy +that he quite forgot the mermaid and the price he had paid for the +safety of his ship. But as the years went on, and the baby grew into a +fine big boy, the remembrance of it came back, and one day he told the +queen the whole story. From that moment the happiness of both their +lives was ruined. Every night they went to bed wondering if they should +find his room empty in the morning, and every day they kept him by +their sides, expecting him to be snatched away before their very eyes. + +At last the king felt that this state of things could not continue, and +he said to his wife: + +“After all, the most foolish thing in the world one can do is to keep +the boy here in exactly the place in which the mermaid will seek him. +Let us give him food and send him on his travels, and perhaps, if the +mermaid ever blocs come to seek him, she may be content with some other +child.” And the queen agreed that his plan seemed the wisest. + +So the boy was called, and his father told him the story of the voyage, +as he had told his mother before him. The prince listened eagerly, and +was delighted to think that he was to go away all by himself to see the +world, and was not in the least frightened; for though he was now +sixteen, he had scarcely been allowed to walk alone beyond the palace +gardens. He began busily to make his preparations, and took off his +smart velvet coat, putting on instead one of green cloth, while he +refused a beautiful bag which the queen offered him to hold his food, +and slung a leather knapsack over his shoulders instead, just as he had +seen other travellers do. Then he bade farewell to his parents and went +his way. + +All through the day he walked, watching with interest the strange birds +and animals that darted across his path in the forest or peeped at him +from behind a bush. But as evening drew on he became tired, and looked +about as he walked for some place where he could sleep. At length he +reached a soft mossy bank under a tree, and was just about to stretch +himself out on it, when a fearful roar made him start and tremble all +over. In another moment something passed swiftly through the air and a +lion stood before him. + +“What are you doing here?” asked the lion, his eyes glaring fiercely at +the boy. + +“I am flying from the mermaid,” the prince answered, in a quaking +voice. + +“Give me some food then,” said the lion, “it is past my supper time, +and I am very hungry.” + +The boy was so thankful that the lion did not want to eat him, that he +gladly picked up his knapsack which lay on the ground, and held out +some bread and a flask of wine. + +“I feel better now,” said the lion when he had done, “so now I shall go +to sleep on this nice soft moss, and if you like you can lie down +beside me.” So the boy and the lion slept soundly side by side, till +the sun rose. + +“I must be off now,” remarked the lion, shaking the boy as he spoke; +“but cut off the tip of my ear, and keep it carefully, and if you are +in any danger just wish yourself a lion and you will become one on the +spot. One good turn deserves another, you know.” + +The prince thanked him for his kindness, and did as he was bid, and the +two then bade each other farewell. + +“I wonder how it feels to be a lion,” thought the boy, after he had +gone a little way; and he took out the tip of the ear from the breast +of his jacket and wished with all his might. In an instant his head had +swollen to several times its usual size, and his neck seemed very hot +and heavy; and, somehow, his hands became paws, and his skin grew hairy +and yellow. But what pleased him most was his long tail with a tuft at +the end, which he lashed and switched proudly. “I like being a lion +very much,” he said to himself, and trotted gaily along the road. + +After a while, however, he got tired of walking in this unaccustomed +way—it made his back ache and his front paws felt sore. So he wished +himself a boy again, and in the twinkling of an eye his tail +disappeared and his head shrank, and the long thick mane became short +and curly. Then he looked out for a sleeping place, and found some dry +ferns, which he gathered and heaped up. + +But before he had time to close his eyes there was a great noise in the +trees near by, as if a big heavy body was crashing through them. The +boy rose and turned his head, and saw a huge black bear coming towards +him. + +“What are you doing here?” cried the bear. + +“I am running away from the mermaid,” answered the boy; but the bear +took no interest in the mermaid, and only said: “I am hungry; give me +something to eat.” + +The knapsack was lying on the ground among the fern, but the prince +picked it up, and, unfastening the strap, took out his second flask of +wine and another loaf of bread. “We will have supper together,” he +remarked politely; but the bear, who had never been taught manners, +made no reply, and ate as fast as he could. When he had quite finished, +he got up and stretched himself. + +“You have got a comfortable-looking bed there,” he observed. “I really +think that, bad sleeper as I am, I might have a good night on it. I can +manage to squeeze you in,” he added; “you don’t take up a great deal of +room.” The boy was rather indignant at the bear’s cool way of talking; +but as he was too tired to gather more fern, they lay down side by +side, and never stirred till sunrise next morning. + +“I must go now,” said the bear, pulling the sleepy prince on to his +feet; “but first you shall cut off the tip of my ear, and when you are +in any danger just wish yourself a bear and you will become one. One +good turn deserves another, you know.” And the boy did as he was bid, +and he and the bear bade each other farewell. + +“I wonder how it feels to be a bear,” thought he to himself when he had +walked a little way; and he took out the tip from the breast of his +coat and wished hard that he might become a bear. The next moment his +body stretched out and thick black fur covered him all over. As before, +his hands were changed into paws, but when he tried to switch his tail +he found to his disgust that it would not go any distance. “Why it is +hardly worth calling a tail!” said he. For the rest of the day he +remained a bear and continued his journey, but as evening came on the +bear-skin, which had been so useful when plunging through brambles in +the forest, felt rather heavy, and he wished himself a boy again. He +was too much exhausted to take the trouble of cutting any fern or +seeking for moss, but just threw himself down under a tree, when +exactly above his head he heard a great buzzing as a bumble-bee +alighted on a honeysuckle branch. “What are you doing here?” asked the +bee in a cross voice; “at your age you ought to be safe at home.” + +“I am running away from the mermaid,” replied the boy; but the bee, +like the lion and the bear, was one of those people who never listen to +the answers to their questions, and only said: “I am hungry. Give me +something to eat.” + +The boy took his last loaf and flask out of his knapsack and laid them +on the ground, and they had supper together. “Well, now I am going to +sleep,” observed the bee when the last crumb was gone, “but as you are +not very big I can make room for you beside me,” and he curled up his +wings, and tucked in his legs, and he and the prince both slept soundly +till morning. Then the bee got up and carefully brushed every scrap of +dust off his velvet coat and buzzed loudly in the boy’s ear to waken +him. + +“Take a single hair from one of my wings,” said he, “and if you are in +danger just wish yourself a bee and you will become one. One good turn +deserves another, so farewell, and thank you for your supper.” And the +bee departed after the boy had pulled out the hair and wrapped it +carefully in a leaf. + +“It must feel quite different to be a bee from what it does to be a +lion or bear,” thought the boy to himself when he had walked for an +hour or two. “I dare say I should get on a great deal faster,” so he +pulled out his hair and wished himself a bee. + +In a moment the strangest thing happened to him. All his limbs seemed +to draw together, and his body to become very short and round; his head +grew quite tiny, and instead of his white skin he was covered with the +richest, softest velvet. Better than all, he had two lovely gauze wings +which carried him the whole day without getting tired. + +Late in the afternoon the boy fancied he saw a vast heap of stones a +long way off, and he flew straight towards it. But when he reached the +gates he saw that it was really a great town, so he wished himself back +in his own shape and entered the city. + +He found the palace doors wide open and went boldly into a sort of hall +which was full of people, and where men and maids were gossiping +together. He joined their talk and soon learned from them that the king +had only one daughter who had such a hatred to men that she would never +suffer one to enter her presence. Her father was in despair, and had +had pictures painted of the handsomest princes of all the courts in the +world, in the hope that she might fall in love with one of them; but it +was no use; the princess would not even allow the pictures to be +brought into her room. + +“It is late,” remarked one of the women at last; “I must go to my +mistress.” And, turning to one of the lackeys, she bade him find a bed +for the youth. + +“It is not necessary,” answered the prince, “this bench is good enough +for me. I am used to nothing better.” And when the hall was empty he +lay down for a few minutes. But as soon as everything was quiet in the +palace he took out the hair and wished himself a bee, and in this shape +he flew upstairs, past the guards, and through the keyhole into the +princess’s chamber. Then he turned himself into a man again. + +At this dreadful sight the princess, who was broad awake, began to +scream loudly. “A man! a man!” cried she; but when the guards rushed in +there was only a bumble-bee buzzing about the room. They looked under +the bed, and behind the curtains, and into the cupboards, then came to +the conclusion that the princess had had a bad dream, and bowed +themselves out. The door had scarcely closed on them than the bee +disappeared, and a handsome youth stood in his place. + +“I knew a man was hidden somewhere,” cried the princess, and screamed +more loudly than before. Her shrieks brought back the guards, but +though they looked in all kinds of impossible places no man was to be +seen, and so they told the princess. + +“He was here a moment ago—I saw him with my own eyes,” and the guards +dared not contradict her, though they shook their heads and whispered +to each other that the princess had gone mad on this subject, and saw a +man in every table and chair. And they made up their minds that—let her +scream as loudly as she might—they would take no notice. + +Now the princess saw clearly what they were thinking, and that in +future her guards would give her no help, and would perhaps, besides, +tell some stories about her to the king, who would shut her up in a +lonely tower and prevent her walking in the gardens among her birds and +flowers. So when, for the third time, she beheld the prince standing +before her, she did not scream but sat up in bed gazing at him in +silent terror. + +“Do not be afraid,” he said, “I shall not hurt you”; and he began to +praise her gardens, of which he had heard the servants speak, and the +birds and flowers which she loved, till the princess’s anger softened, +and she answered him with gentle words. Indeed, they soon became so +friendly that she vowed she would marry no one else, and confided to +him that in three days her father would be off to the wars, leaving his +sword in her room. If any man could find it and bring it to him he +would receive her hand as a reward. At this point a cock crew, and the +youth jumped up hastily saying: “Of course I shall ride with the king +to the war, and if I do not return, take your violin every evening to +the seashore and play on it, so that the very sea-kobolds who live at +the bottom of the ocean may hear it and come to you.” + +Just as the princess had foretold, in three days the king set out for +the war with a large following, and among them was the young prince, +who had presented himself at court as a young noble in search of +adventures. They had left the city many miles behind them, when the +king suddenly discovered that he had forgotten his sword, and though +all his attendants instantly offered theirs, he declared that he could +fight with none but his own. + +“The first man who brings it to me from my daughter’s room,” cried he, +“shall not only have her to wife, but after my death shall reign in my +stead.” + +At this the Red Knight, the young prince, and several more turned their +horses to ride as fast as the wind back to the palace. But suddenly a +better plan entered the prince’s head, and, letting the others pass +him, he took his precious parcel from his breast and wished himself a +lion. Then on he bounded, uttering such dreadful roars that the horses +were frightened and grew unmanageable, and he easily outstripped them, +and soon reached the gates of the palace. Here he hastily changed +himself into a bee, and flew straight into the princess’s room, where +he became a man again. She showed him where the sword hung concealed +behind a curtain, and he took it down, saying as he did so: “Be sure +not to forget what you have promised to do.” + +The princess made no reply, but smiled sweetly, and slipping a golden +ring from her finger she broke it in two and held half out silently to +the prince, while the other half she put in her own pocket. He kissed +it, and ran down the stairs bearing the sword with him. Some way off he +met the Red Knight and the rest, and the Red Knight at first tried to +take the sword from him by force. But as the youth proved too strong +for him, he gave it up, and resolved to wait for a better opportunity. + +This soon came, for the day was hot and the prince was thirsty. +Perceiving a little stream that ran into the sea, he turned aside, and, +unbuckling the sword, flung himself on the ground for a long drink. +Unluckily, the mermaid happened at that moment to be floating on the +water not very far off, and knew he was the boy who had been given her +before he was born. So she floated gently in to where he was lying, she +seized him by the arm, and the waves closed over them both. Hardly had +they disappeared, when the Red Knight stole cautiously up, and could +hardly believe his eyes when he saw the king’s sword on the bank. He +wondered what had become of the youth, who an hour before had guarded +his treasure so fiercely; but, after all, that was no affair of his! +So, fastening the sword to his belt, he carried it to the king. + +The war was soon over, and the king returned to his people, who +welcomed him with shouts of joy. But when the princess from her window +saw that her betrothed was not among the attendants riding behind her +father, her heart sank, for she knew that some evil must have befallen +him, and she feared the Red Knight. She had long ago learned how clever +and how wicked he was, and something whispered to her that it was he +who would gain the credit of having carried back the sword, and would +claim her as his bride, though he had never even entered her chamber. +And she could do nothing; for although the king loved her, he never let +her stand in the way of his plans. + +The poor princess was only too right, and everything came to pass +exactly as she had foreseen it. The king told her that the Red Knight +had won her fairly, and that the wedding would take place next day, and +there would be a great feast after it. + +In those days feasts were much longer and more splendid than they are +now; and it was growing dark when the princess, tired out with all she +had gone through, stole up to her own room for a little quiet. But the +moon was shining so brightly over the sea that it seemed to draw her +towards it, and taking her violin under her arm, she crept down to the +shore. + +“Listen! listen! said the mermaid to the prince, who was lying +stretched on a bed of seaweeds at the bottom of the sea. “Listen! that +is your old love playing, for mermaids know everything that happens +upon earth.” + +“I hear nothing,” answered the youth, who did not look happy. “Take me +up higher, where the sounds can reach me.” + +So the mermaid took him on her shoulders and bore him up midway to the +surface. “Can you hear now?” she asked. + +“No,” answered the prince, “I hear nothing but the water rushing; I +must go higher still.” + +Then the mermaid carried him to the very top. “You must surely be able +to hear now?” said she. + +“Nothing but the water,” repeated the youth. So she took him right to +the land. + +“At any rate you can hear now?” she said again. + +“The water is still rushing in my ears,” answered he; “but wait a +little, that will soon pass off.” And as he spoke he put his hand into +his breast, and seizing the hair wished himself a bee, and flew +straight into the pocket of the princess. The mermaid looked in vain +for him, and coated all night upon the sea; but he never came back, and +never more did he gladden her eyes. But the princess felt that +something strange was about her, though she knew not what, and returned +quickly to the palace, where the young man at once resumed his own +shape. Oh, what joy filled her heart at the sight of him! But there was +no time to be lost, and she led him right into the hall, where the king +and his nobles were still sitting at the feast. “Here is a man who +boasts that he can do wonderful tricks,” said she, “better even than +the Red Knight’s! That cannot be true, of course, but it might be well +to give this impostor a lesson. He pretends, for instance, that he can +turn himself into a lion; but that I do not believe. I know that you +have studied the art of magic,” she went on, turning to the Red Knight, +“so suppose you just show him how it is done, and bring shame upon +him.” + +Now the Red Knight had never opened a book of magic in his life; but he +was accustomed to think that he could do everything better than other +people without any teaching at all. So he turned and twisted himself +about, and bellowed and made faces; but he did not become a lion for +all that. + +“Well, perhaps it is very difficult to change into a lion. Make +yourself a bear,” said the princess. But the Red Knight found it no +easier to become a bear than a lion. + +“Try a bee,” suggested she. “I have always read that anyone who can do +magic at all can do that.” And the old knight buzzed and hummed, but he +remained a man and not a bee. + +“Now it is your turn,” said the princess to the youth. “Let us see if +you can change yourself into a lion.” And in a moment such a fierce +creature stood before them, that all the guests rushed out of the hall, +treading each other underfoot in their fright. The lion sprang at the +Red Knight, and would have torn him in pieces had not the princess held +him back, and bidden him to change himself into a man again. And in a +second a man took the place of the lion. + +“Now become a bear,” said she; and a bear advanced panting and +stretching out his arms to the Red Knight, who shrank behind the +princess. + +By this time some of the guests had regained their courage, and +returned as far as the door, thinking that if it was safe for the +princess perhaps it was safe for them. The king, who was braver than +they, and felt it needful to set them a good example besides, had never +left his seat, and when at a new command of the princess the bear once +more turned into a man, he was silent from astonishment, and a +suspicion of the truth began to dawn on him. “Was it he who fetched the +sword?” asked the king. + +“Yes, it was,” answered the princess; and she told him the whole story, +and how she had broken her gold ring and given him half of it. And the +prince took out his half of the ring, and the princess took out hers, +and they fitted exactly. Next day the Red Knight was hanged, as he +richly deserved, and there was a new marriage feast for the prince and +princess. + +[Lapplandische Mahrchen.] + + + + +Pivi and Kabo + + +When birds were men, and men were birds, Pivi and Kabo lived in an +island far away, called New Claledonia. Pivi was a cheery little bird +that chirps at sunset; Kabo was an ugly black fowl that croaks in the +darkness. One day Pivi and Kabo thought that they would make slings, +and practice slinging, as the people of the island still do. So they +went to a banyan tree, and stripped the bark to make strings for their +slings, and next they repaired to the river bank to find stones. Kabo +stood on the bank of the river, and Pivi went into the water. The game +was for Kabo to sling at Pivi, and for Pivi to dodge the stones, if he +could. For some time he dodged them cleverly, but at last a stone from +Kabo’s sling hit poor Pivi on the leg and broke it. Down went Pivi into +the stream, and floated along it, till he floated into a big hollow +bamboo, which a woman used for washing her sweet potatoes. + +“What is that in my bamboo?” said the woman. And she blew in at one +end, and blew little Pivi out at the other, like a pea from a +pea-shooter. + +“Oh!” cried the woman, “what a state you are in! What have you been +doing?” + +“It was Kabo who broke my leg at the slinging game,” said Pivi. + +“Well, I am sorry for you,” said the woman; “will you come with me, and +do what I tell you?” + +“I will!” said Pivi, for the woman was very kind and pretty. She took +Pivi into a shed where she kept her fruit laid him on a bed of mats, +and made him as comfortable as she could, and attended to his broken +leg without cutting off the flesh round the bone, as these people +usually do. + +“You will be still, won’t you, Pivi?” she said. “If you hear a little +noise you will pretend to be dead. It is the Black Ant who will come +and creep from your feet up to your head. Say nothing, and keep quiet, +won’t you, Pivi?” + +“Certainly, kind lady,” said Pivi, “I will lie as still as can be.” + +“Next will come the big Red Ant—you know him?” + +“Yes, I know him, with his feet like a grasshopper’s.” + +“He will walk over your body up to your head. Then you must shake all +your body. Do you understand, Pivi?” + +“Yes, dear lady, I shall do just as you say.” + +“Very good,” said the woman, going out and shutting the door. + +Pivi lay still under his coverings, then a tiny noise was heard, and +the Black Ant began to march over Pivi, who lay quite still. Then came +the big Red Ant skipping along his body, and then Pivi shook himself +all over. He jumped up quite well again, he ran to the river, he looked +into the water and saw that he was changed from a bird into a fine +young man! + +“Oh, lady,” he cried, “look at me now! I am changed into a man, and so +handsome!” + +“Will you obey me again?” said the woman. + +“Always; whatever you command I will do it,” said Pivi, politely. + +“Then climb up that cocoa-nut tree, with your legs only, not using your +hands,” said the woman. + +Now the natives can run up cocoa-nut trees like squirrels, some using +only one hand; the girls can do that. But few can climb without using +their hands at all. + +“At the top of the tree you will find two cocoa-nuts. You must not +throw them down, but carry them in your hands; and you must descend as +you went up, using your legs only.” + +“I shall try, at least,” said Pivi. And up he went, but it was very +difficult, and down he came. + +“Here are your cocoa-nuts,” he said, presenting them to the woman. + +“Now, Pivi, put them in the shed where you lay, and when the sun sets +to cool himself in the sea and rise again not so hot in the dawn you +must go and take the nuts.” + +All day Pivi played about in the river, as the natives do, throwing +fruit and silvery showers of water at each other. When the sun set he +went into the hut. But as he drew near he heard sweet voices talking +and laughing within. + +“What is that? People chattering in the hut! Perhaps they have taken my +cocoa-nuts,” said Pivi to himself. + +In he went, and there he found two pretty, laughing, teasing girls. He +hunted for his cocoanuts, but none were there. + +Down he ran to the river. “Oh, lady, my nuts have been stolen!” he +cried. + +“Come with me, Pivi, and there will be nuts for you,” said the woman. + +They went back to the hut, where the girls were laughing and playing. + +“Nuts for you?” said the woman, “there are two wives for you, Pivi, +take them to your house.” + +“Oh, good lady,” cried Pivi, “how kind you are!” + +So they were married and very happy, when in came cross old Kabo. + +“Is this Pivi?” said he. “Yes, it is—no, it isn’t. It is not the same +Pivi—but there is a kind of likeness. Tell me, are you Pivi?” + +“Oh, yes!” said Pivi. “But I am much better looking, and there are my +two wives, are they not beautiful?” + +“You are mocking me, Pivi! Your wives? How? Where did you get them? +You, with wives!” + +Then Pivi told Kabo about the kind woman, and all the wonderful things +that had happened to him. + +“Well, well!” said Kabo, “but I want to be handsome too, and to have +pretty young wives.” + +“But how can we manage that?” asked Pivi. + +“Oh, we shall do all the same things over again—play at slinging, and, +this time, you shall break my leg, Pivi!” + +“With all the pleasure in life,” said Pivi, who was always ready to +oblige. + +So they went slinging, and Pivi broke Kabo’s leg, and Kabo fell into +the river, and floated into the bamboo, and the woman blew him out, +just as before. Then she picked up Kabo, and put him in the shed, and +told him what to do when the Black Ant came, and what to do when the +Red Ant came. But he didn’t! + +When the Black Ant came, he shook himself, and behold, he had a twisted +leg, and a hump back, and was as black as the ant. + +Then he ran to the woman. + +“Look, what a figure I am!” he said; but she only told him to climb the +tree, as she had told Pivi. + +But Kabo climbed with both hands and feet, and he threw down the nuts, +instead of carrying them down, and he put them in the hut. And when he +went back for them there he found two horrid old black hags, wrangling, +and scolding, and scratching! So back he went to Pivi with his two +beautiful wives, and Pivi was very sorry, but what could he do? +Nothing, but sit and cry. + +So, one day, Kabo came and asked Pivi to sail in his canoe to a place +where he knew of a great big shell-fish, enough to feed on for a week. +Pivi went, and deep in the clear water they saw a monstrous shell-fish, +like an oyster, as big as a rock, with the shell wide open. + +“We shall catch it, and dry it, and kipper it,” said Pivi, “and give a +dinner to all our friends!” + +“I shall dive for it, and break it off the rock,” said Kabo, “and then +you must help me to drag it up into the canoe.” + +There the shell-fish lay and gaped, but Kabo, though he dived in, kept +well out of the way of the beast. + +Up he came, puffing and blowing: “Oh, Pivi,” he cried, “I cannot move +it. Jump in and try yourself!” + +Pivi dived, with his spear, and the shell-fish opened its shell wider +yet, and sucked, and Pivi disappeared into its mouth, and the shell +shut up with a snap! + +Kabo laughed like a fiend, and then went home. + +“Where is Pivi?” asked the two pretty girls. Kabo pretended to cry, and +told how Pivi had been swallowed. + +“But dry your tears, my darlings,” said Kabo, “I will be your husband, +and my wives shall be your slaves. Everything is for the best, in the +best of all possible worlds.” + +“No, no!” cried the girls, “we love Pivi. We do not love anyone else. +We shall stay at home, and weep for Pivi!” + +“Wretched idiots!” cried Kabo; “Pivi was a scoundrel who broke my leg, +and knocked me into the river.” + +Then a little cough was heard at the door, and Kabo trembled, for he +knew it was the cough of Pivi! + +“Ah, dear Pivi!” cried Kabo, rushing to the door. “What joy! I was +trying to console your dear wives.” + +Pivi said not one word. He waved his hand, and five and twenty of his +friends came trooping down the hill. They cut up Kabo into little +pieces. Pivi turned round, and there was the good woman of the river. + +“Pivi,” she said, “how did you get out of the living tomb into which +Kabo sent you?” + +“I had my spear with me,” said Pivi. “It was quite dry inside the +shell, and I worked away at the fish with my spear, till he saw reason +to open his shell, and out I came.” Then the good woman laughed; and +Pivi and his two wives lived happy ever afterwards. + +[Moncelon. Bulletin de la Societe d’Anthropologie. Series iii. vol. +ix., pp. 613-365.] + + + + +The Elf Maiden + + +Once upon a time two young men living in a small village fell in love +with the same girl. During the winter, it was all night except for an +hour or so about noon, when the darkness seemed a little less dark, and +then they used to see which of them could tempt her out for a sleigh +ride with the Northern Lights flashing above them, or which could +persuade her to come to a dance in some neighbouring barn. But when the +spring began, and the light grew longer, the hearts of the villagers +leapt at the sight of the sun, and a day was fixed for the boats to be +brought out, and the great nets to be spread in the bays of some +islands that lay a few miles to the north. Everybody went on this +expedition, and the two young men and the girl went with them. + +They all sailed merrily across the sea chattering like a flock of +magpies, or singing their favourite songs. And when they reached the +shore, what an unpacking there was! For this was a noted fishing +ground, and here they would live, in little wooden huts, till autumn +and bad weather came round again. + +The maiden and the two young men happened to share the same hut with +some friends, and fished daily from the same boat. And as time went on, +one of the youths remarked that the girl took less notice of him than +she did of his companion. At first he tried to think that he was +dreaming, and for a long while he kept his eyes shut very tight to what +he did not want to see, but in spite of his efforts, the truth managed +to wriggle through, and then the young man gave up trying to deceive +himself, and set about finding some way to get the better of his rival. + +The plan that he hit upon could not be carried out for some months; but +the longer the young man thought of it, the more pleased he was with +it, so he made no sign of his feelings, and waited patiently till the +moment came. This was the very day that they were all going to leave +the islands, and sail back to the mainland for the winter. In the +bustle and hurry of departure, the cunning fisherman contrived that +their boat should be the last to put off, and when everything was +ready, and the sails about to be set, he suddenly called out: + +“Oh, dear, what shall I do! I have left my best knife behind in the +hut. Run, like a good fellow, and get it for me, while I raise the +anchor and loosen the tiller.” + +Not thinking any harm, the youth jumped back on shore and made his way +up the steep hank. At the door of the hut he stopped and looked back, +then started and gazed in horror. The head of the boat stood out to +sea, and he was left alone on the island. + +Yes, there was no doubt of it—he was quite alone; and he had nothing to +help him except the knife which his comrade had purposely dropped on +the ledge of the window. For some minutes he was too stunned by the +treachery of his friend to think about anything at all, but after a +while he shook himself awake, and determined that he would manage to +keep alive somehow, if it were only to revenge himself. + +So he put the knife in his pocket and went off to a part of the island +which was not so bare as the rest, and had a small grove of trees. From +one of these he cut himself a bow, which he strung with a piece of cord +that had been left lying about the huts. + +When this was ready the young man ran down to the shore and shot one or +two sea-birds, which he plucked and cooked for supper. + +In this way the months slipped by, and Christmas came round again. The +evening before, the youth went down to the rocks and into the copse, +collecting all the drift wood the sea had washed up or the gale had +blown down, and he piled it up in a great stack outside the door, so +that he might not have to fetch any all the next day. As soon as his +task was done, he paused and looked out towards the mainland, thinking +of Christmas Eve last year, and the merry dance they had had. The night +was still and cold, and by the help of the Northern Lights he could +almost sea across to the opposite coast, when, suddenly, he noticed a +boat, which seemed steering straight for the island. At first he could +hardly stand for joy, the chance of speaking to another man was so +delightful; but as the boat drew near there was something, he could not +tell what, that was different from the boats which he had been used to +all his life, and when it touched the shore he saw that the people that +filled it were beings of another world than ours. Then he hastily +stepped behind the wood stack, and waited for what might happen next. + +The strange folk one by one jumped on to the rocks, each bearing a load +of something that they wanted. Among the women he remarked two young +girls, more beautiful and better dressed than any of the rest, carrying +between them two great baskets full of provisions. The young man peeped +out cautiously to see what all this crowd could be doing inside the +tiny hut, but in a moment he drew back again, as the girls returned, +and looked about as if they wanted to find out what sort of a place the +island was. + +Their sharp eyes soon discovered the form of a man crouching behind the +bundles of sticks, and at first they felt a little frightened, and +started as if they would run away. But the youth remained so still, +that they took courage and laughed gaily to each other. “What a strange +creature, let us try what he is made of,” said one, and she stooped +down and gave him a pinch. + +Now the young man had a pin sticking in the sleeve of his jacket, and +the moment the girl’s hand touched him she pricked it so sharply that +the blood came. The girl screamed so loudly that the people all ran out +of their huts to see what was the matter. But directly they caught +sight of the man they turned and fled in the other direction, and +picking up the goods they had brought with them scampered as fast as +they could down to the shore. In an instant, boat, people, and goods +had vanished completely. + +In their hurry they had, however, forgotten two things: a bundle of +keys which lay on the table, and the girl whom the pin had pricked, and +who now stood pale and helpless beside the wood stack. + +“You will have to make me your wife,” she said at last, “for you have +drawn my blood, and I belong to you.” + +“Why not? I am quite willing,” answered he. “But how do you suppose we +can manage to live till summer comes round again?” + +“Do not be anxious about that,” said the girl; “if you will only marry +me all will be well. I am very rich, and all my family are rich also.” + +Then the young man gave her his promise to make her his wife, and the +girl fulfilled her part of the bargain, and food was plentiful on the +island all through the long winter months, though he never knew how it +got there. And by-and-by it was spring once more, and time for the +fisher-folk to sail from the mainland. + +“Where are we to go now?” asked the girl, one day, when the sun seemed +brighter and the wind softer than usual. + +“I do not care where I go,” answered the young man; “what do you +think?” + +The girl replied that she would like to go somewhere right at the other +end of the island, and build a house, far away from the huts of the +fishing-folk. And he consented, and that very day they set off in +search of a sheltered spot on the banks of a stream, so that it would +be easy to get water. + +In a tiny bay, on the opposite side of the island they found the very +thing, which seemed to have been made on purpose for them; and as they +were tired with their long walk, they laid themselves down on a bank of +moss among some birches and prepared to have a good night’s rest, so as +to be fresh for work next day. But before she went to sleep the girl +turned to her husband, and said: “If in your dreams you fancy that you +hear strange noises, be sure you do not stir, or get up to see what it +is.” + +“Oh, it is not likely we shall hear any noises in such a quiet place,” +answered he, and fell sound asleep. + +Suddenly he was awakened by a great clatter about his ears, as if all +the workmen in the world were sawing and hammering and building close +to him. He was just going to spring up and go to see what it meant, +when he luckily remembered his wife’s words and lay still. But the time +till morning seemed very long, and with the first ray of sun they both +rose, and pushed aside the branches of the birch trees. There, in the +very place they had chosen, stood a beautiful house—doors and windows, +and everything all complete! + +“Now you must fix on a spot for your cow-stalls,” said the girl, when +they had breakfasted off wild cherries; “and take care it is the proper +size, neither too large nor too small.” And the husband did as he was +bid, though he wondered what use a cow-house could be, as they had no +cows to put in it. But as he was a little afraid of his wife, who knew +so much more than he, he asked no questions. + +This night also he was awakened by the same sounds as before, and in +the morning they found, near the stream, the most beautiful cow-house +that ever was seen, with stalls and milk-pails and stools all complete, +indeed, everything that a cow-house could possibly want, except the +cows. Then the girl bade him measure out the ground for a storehouse, +and this, she said, might be as large as he pleased; and when the +storehouse was ready she proposed that they should set off to pay her +parents a visit. + +The old people welcomed them heartily, and summoned their neighbours, +for many miles round, to a great feast in their honour. In fact, for +several weeks there was no work done on the farm at all; and at length +the young man and his wife grew tired of so much play, and declared +that they must return to their own home. But, before they started on +the journey, the wife whispered to her husband: “Take care to jump over +the threshold as quick as you can, or it will be the worse for you.” + +The young man listened to her words, and sprang over the threshold like +an arrow from a bow; and it was well he did, for, no sooner was he on +the other side, than his father-in-law threw a great hammer at him, +which would have broken both his legs, if it had only touched them. + +When they had gone some distance on the road home, the girl turned to +her husband and said: “Till you step inside the house, be sure you do +not look back, whatever you may hear or see.” + +And the husband promised, and for a while all was still; and he thought +no more about the matter till he noticed at last that the nearer he +drew to the house the louder grew the noise of the trampling of feet +behind him. As he laid his hand upon the door he thought he was safe, +and turned to look. There, sure enough, was a vast herd of cattle, +which had been sent after him by his father-in-law when he found that +his daughter had been cleverer than he. Half of the herd were already +through the fence and cropping the grass on the banks of the stream, +but half still remained outside and faded into nothing, even as he +watched them. + +However, enough cattle were left to make the young man rich, and he and +his wife lived happily together, except that every now and then the +girl vanished from his sight, and never told him where she had been. +For a long time he kept silence about it; but one day, when he had been +complaining of her absence, she said to him: “Dear husband, I am bound +to go, even against my will, and there is only one way to stop me. +Drive a nail into the threshold, and then I can never pass in or out.” + +And so he did. + +[Lapplandische Mahrchen.] + + + + +How Some Wild Animals Became Tame Ones + + +Once upon a time there lived a miller who was so rich that, when he was +going to be married, he asked to the feast not only his own friends but +also the wild animals who dwelt in the hills and woods round about. The +chief of the bears, the wolves, the foxes, the horses, the cows, the +goats, the sheep, and the reindeer, all received invitations; and as +they were not accustomed to weddings they were greatly pleased and +flattered, and sent back messages in the politest language that they +would certainly be there. + +The first to start on the morning of the wedding-day was the bear, who +always liked to be punctual; and, besides, he had a long way to go, and +his hair, being so thick and rough, needed a good brushing before it +was fit to be seen at a party. However, he took care to awaken very +early, and set off down the road with a light heart. Before he had +walked very far he met a boy who came whistling along, hitting at the +tops of the flowers with a stick. + +“Where are you going?” said he, looking at the bear in surprise, for he +was an old acquaintance, and not generally so smart. + +“Oh, just to the miller’s marriage,” answered the bear carelessly. “Of +course, I would much rather stay at home, but the miller was so anxious +I should be there that I really could not refuse.” + +“Don’t go, don’t go!” cried the boy. “If you do you will never come +back! You have got the most beautiful skin in the world—just the kind +that everyone is wanting, and they will be sure to kill you and strip +you of it.” + +“I had not thought of that,” said the bear, whose face turned white, +only nobody could see it. “If you are certain that they would be so +wicked—but perhaps you are jealous because nobody has invited you?” + +“Oh, nonsense!” replied the boy angrily, “do as you see. It is your +skin, and not mine; I don’t care what becomes of it!” And he walked +quickly on with his head in the air. + +The bear waited until he was out of sight, and then followed him +slowly, for he felt in his heart that the boy’s advice was good, though +he was too proud to say so. + +The boy soon grew tired of walking along the road, and turned off into +the woods, where there were bushes he could jump and streams he could +wade; but he had not gone far before he met the wolf. + +“Where are you going?” asked he, for it was not the first time he had +seen him. + +“Oh, just to the miller’s marriage,” answered the wolf, as the bear had +done before him. “It is rather tiresome, of course—weddings are always +so stupid; but still one must be good-natured!” + +“Don’t go!” said the boy again. “Your skin is so thick and warm, and +winter is not far off now. They will kill you, and strip it from you.” + +The wolf’s jaw dropped in astonishment and terror. “Do you really think +that would happen?” he gasped. + +“Yes, to be sure, I do,” answered the boy. “But it is your affair, not +mine. So good-morning,” and on he went. The wolf stood still for a few +minutes, for he was trembling all over, and then crept quietly back to +his cave. + +Next the boy met the fox, whose lovely coat of silvery grey was shining +in the sun. + +“You look very fine!” said the boy, stopping to admire him, “are you +going to the miller’s wedding too?” + +“Yes,” answered the fox; “it is a long journey to take for such a thing +as that, but you know what the miller’s friends are like—so dull and +heavy! It is only kind to go and amuse them a little.” + +“You poor fellow,” said the boy pityingly. “Take my advice and stay at +home. If you once enter the miller’s gate his dogs will tear you in +pieces.” + +“Ah, well, such things have occurred, I know,” replied the fox gravely. +And without saying any more he trotted off the way he had come. + +His tail had scarcely disappeared, when a great noise of crashing +branches was heard, and up bounded the horse, his black skin glistening +like satin. + +“Good-morning,” he called to the boy as he galloped past, “I can’t wait +to talk to you now. I have promised the miller to be present at his +wedding-feast, and they won’t sit down till I come.” + +“Stop! stop!” cried the boy after him, and there was something in his +voice that made the horse pull up. “What is the matter?” asked he. + +“You don’t know what you are doing,” said the boy. “If once you go +there you will never gallop through these woods any more. You are +stronger than many men, but they will catch you and put ropes round +you, and you will have to work and to serve them all the days of your +life.” + +The horse threw back his head at these words, and laughed scornfully. + +“Yes, I am stronger than many men,” answered he, “and all the ropes in +the world would not hold me. Let them bind me as fast as they will, I +can always break loose, and return to the forest and freedom.” + +And with this proud speech he gave a whisk of his long tail, and +galloped away faster than before. + +But when he reached the miller’s house everything happened as the boy +had said. While he was looking at the guests and thinking how much +handsomer and stronger he was than any of them, a rope was suddenly +flung over his head, and he was thrown down and a bit thrust between +his teeth. Then, in spite of his struggles, he was dragged to a stable, +and shut up for several days without any food, till his spirit was +broken and his coat had lost its gloss. After that he was harnessed to +a plough, and had plenty of time to remember all he had lost through +not listening to the counsel of the boy. + +When the horse had turned a deaf ear to his words the boy wandered idly +along, sometimes gathering wild strawberries from a bank, and sometimes +plucking wild cherries from a tree, till he reached a clearing in the +middle of the forest. Crossing this open space was a beautiful +milk-white cow with a wreath of flowers round her neck. + +“Good-morning,” she said pleasantly, as she came up to the place where +the boy was standing. + +“Good-morning,” he returned. “Where are you going in such a hurry?” + +“To the miller’s wedding; I am rather late already, for the wreath took +such a long time to make, so I can’t stop.” + +“Don’t go,” said the boy earnestly; when once they have tasted your +milk they will never let you leave them, and you will have to serve +them all the days of your life.” + +“Oh, nonsense; what do you know about it?” answered the cow, who always +thought she was wiser than other people. “Why, I can run twice as fast +as any of them! I should like to see anybody try to keep me against my +will.” And, without even a polite bow, she went on her way, feeling +very much offended. + +But everything turned out just as the boy had said. The company had all +heard of the fame of the cow’s milk, and persuaded her to give them +some, and then her doom was sealed. A crowd gathered round her, and +held her horns so that she could not use them, and, like the horse, she +was shut in the stable, and only let out in the mornings, when a long +rope was tied round her head, and she was fastened to a stake in a +grassy meadow. + +And so it happened to the goat and to the sheep. + +Last of all came the reindeer, looking as he always did, as if some +serious business was on hand. + +“Where are you going?” asked the boy, who by this time was tired of +wild cherries, and was thinking of his dinner. + +“I am invited to the wedding,” answered the reindeer, “and the miller +has begged me on no account to fail him.” + +“O fool!” cried the boy, “have you no sense at all? Don’t you know that +when you get there they will hold you fast, for neither beast nor bird +is as strong or as swift as you?” + +“That is exactly why I am quite safe,” replied the reindeer. “I am so +strong that no one can bind me, and so swift that not even an arrow can +catch me. So, goodbye for the present, you will soon see me back.” + +But none of the animals that went to the miller’s wedding ever came +back. And because they were self-willed and conceited, and would not +listen to good advice, they and their children have been the servants +of men to this very day. + +[Lapplandische Mahrchen.] + + + + +Fortune and the Wood-Cutter + + +Several hundreds of years ago there lived in a forest a wood-cutter and +his wife and children. He was very poor, having only his axe to depend +upon, and two mules to carry the wood he cut to the neighbouring town; +but he worked hard, and was always out of bed by five o’clock, summer +and winter. + +This went on for twenty years, and though his sons were now grown up, +and went with their father to the forest, everything seemed to go +against them, and they remained as poor as ever. In the end the +wood-cutter lost heart, and said to himself: + +“What is the good of working like this if I never am a penny the richer +at the end? I shall go to the forest no more! And perhaps, if I take to +my bed, and do not run after Fortune, one day she may come to me.” + +So the next morning he did not get up, and when six o’clock struck, his +wife, who had been cleaning the house, went to see what was the matter. + +“Are you ill?” she asked wonderingly, surprised at not finding him +dressed. “The cock has crowed ever so often. It is high time for you to +get up.” + +“Why should I get up?” asked the man, without moving. + +“Why? to go to the forest, of course.” + +“Yes; and when I have toiled all day I hardly earn enough to give us +one meal.” + +“But what can we do, my poor husband?” said she. “It is just a trick of +Fortune’s, who would never smile upon us.” + +“Well, I have had my fill of Fortune’s tricks,” cried he. “If she wants +me she can find me here. But I have done with the wood for ever.” + +“My dear husband, grief has driven you mad! Do you think Fortune will +come to anybody who does not go after her? Dress yourself, and saddle +the mules, and begin your work. Do you know that there is not a morsel +of bread in the house?” + +“I don’t care if there isn’t, and I am not going to the forest. It is +no use your talking; nothing will make me change my mind.” + +The distracted wife begged and implored in vain; her husband persisted +in staying in bed, and at last, in despair, she left him and went back +to her work. + +An hour or two later a man from the nearest village knocked at her +door, and when she opened it, he said to her: “Good-morning, mother. I +have got a job to do, and I want to know if your husband will lend me +your mules, as I see he is not using them, and can lend me a hand +himself?” + +“He is upstairs; you had better ask him,” answered the woman. And the +man went up, and repeated his request. + +“I am sorry, neighbour, but I have sworn not to leave my bed, and +nothing will make me break my vow.” + +“Well, then, will you lend me your two mules? I will pay you something +for them.” + +“Certainly, neighbour. Take them and welcome.” + +So the man left the house, and leading the mules from the stable, +placed two sacks on their back, and drove them to a field where he had +found a hidden treasure. He filled the sacks with the money, though he +knew perfectly well that it belonged to the sultan, and was driving +them quietly home again, when he saw two soldiers coming along the +road. Now the man was aware that if he was caught he would be condemned +to death, so he fled back into the forest. The mules, left to +themselves, took the path that led to their master’s stable. + +The wood-cutter’s wife was looking out of the window when the mules +drew up before the door, so heavily laden that they almost sank under +their burdens. She lost no time in calling her husband, who was still +lying in bed. + +“Quick! quick! get up as fast as you can. Our two mules have returned +with sacks on their backs, so heavily laden with something or other +that the poor beasts can hardly stand up.” + +“Wife, I have told you a dozen times already that I am not going to get +up. Why can’t you leave me in peace?” + +As she found she could get no help from her husband the woman took a +large knife and cut the cords which bound the sacks on to the animals’ +backs. They fell at once to the ground, and out poured a rain of gold +pieces, till the little court-yard shone like the sun. + +“A treasure!” gasped the woman, as soon as she could speak from +surprise. “A treasure!” And she ran off to tell her husband. + +“Get up! get up!” she cried. “You were quite right not to go to the +forest, and to await Fortune in your bed; she has come at last! Our +mules have returned home laden with all the gold in the world, and it +is now lying in the court. No one in the whole country can be as rich +as we are!” + +In an instant the wood-cutter was on his feet, and running to the +court, where he paused dazzled by the glitter of the coins which lay +around him. + +“You see, my dear wife, that I was right,” he said at last. “Fortune is +so capricious, you can never count on her. Run after her, and she is +sure to fly from you; stay still, and she is sure to come.” + +[Traditions Populaires de l’Asie Mineure.] + + + + +The Enchanted Head + + +Once upon a time an old woman lived in a small cottage near the sea +with her two daughters. They were very poor, and the girls seldom left +the house, as they worked all day long making veils for the ladies to +wear over their faces, and every morning, when the veils were finished, +the other took them over the bridge and sold them in the city. Then she +bought the food that they needed for the day, and returned home to do +her share of veil-making. + +One morning the old woman rose even earlier than usual, and set off for +the city with her wares. She was just crossing the bridge when, +suddenly, she knocked up against a human head, which she had never seen +there before. The woman started back in horror; but what was her +surprise when the head spoke, exactly as if it had a body joined on to +it. + +“Take me with you, good mother!” it said imploringly; “take me with you +back to your house.” + +At the sound of these words the poor woman nearly went mad with terror. +Have that horrible thing always at home? Never! never! And she turned +and ran back as fast as she could, not knowing that the head was +jumping, dancing, and rolling after her. But when she reached her own +door it bounded in before her, and stopped in front of the fire, +begging and praying to be allowed to stay. + +All that day there was no food in the house, for the veils had not been +sold, and they had no money to buy anything with. So they all sat +silent at their work, inwardly cursing the head which was the cause of +their misfortunes. + +When evening came, and there was no sign of supper, the head spoke, for +the first time that day: + +“Good mother, does no one ever eat here? During all the hours I have +spent in your house not a creature has touched anything.” + +“No,” answered the old woman, “we are not eating anything.” + +“And why not, good mother?” + +“Because we have no money to buy any food.” + +“Is it your custom never to eat?” + +“No, for every morning I go into the city to sell my veils, and with +the few shillings I get for them I buy all we want. To-day I did not +cross the bridge, so of course I had nothing for food.” + +“Then I am the cause of your having gone hungry all day?” asked the +head. + +“Yes, you are,” answered the old woman. + +“Well, then, I will give you money and plenty of it, if you will only +do as I tell you. In an hour, as the clock strikes twelve, you must be +on the bridge at the place where you met me. When you get there call +out ‘Ahmed,’ three times, as loud as you can. Then a negro will appear, +and you must say to him: ‘The head, your master, desires you to open +the trunk, and to give me the green purse which you will find in it.’” + +“Very well, my lord,” said the old woman, “I will set off at once for +the bridge.” And wrapping her veil round her she went out. + +Midnight was striking as she reached the spot where she had met the +head so many hours before. + +“Ahmed! Ahmed! Ahmed!” cried she, and immediately a huge negro, as tall +as a giant, stood on the bridge before her. + +“What do you want?” asked he. + +“The head, your master, desires you to open the trunk, and to give me +the green purse which you will find in it.” + +“I will be back in a moment, good mother,” said he. And three minutes +later he placed a purse full of sequins in the old woman’s hand. + +No one can imagine the joy of the whole family at the sight of all this +wealth. The tiny, tumble-down cottage was rebuilt, the girls had new +dresses, and their mother ceased selling veils. It was such a new thing +to them to have money to spend, that they were not as careful as they +might have been, and by-and-by there was not a single coin left in the +purse. When this happened their hearts sank within them, and their +faces fell. + +“Have you spent your fortune?” asked the head from its corner, when it +saw how sad they looked. “Well, then, go at midnight, good mother, to +the bridge, and call out ‘Mahomet!’ three times, as loud as you can. A +negro will appear in answer, and you must tell him to open the trunk, +and to give you the red purse which he will find there.” + +The old woman did not need twice telling, but set off at once for the +bridge. + +“Mahomet! Mahomet! Mahomet!” cried she, with all her might; and in an +instant a negro, still larger than the last, stood before her. + +“What do you want?” asked he. + +“The head, your master, bids you open the trunk, and to give me the red +purse which you will find in it.” + +“Very well, good mother, I will do so,” answered the negro, and, the +moment after he had vanished, he reappeared with the purse in his hand. + +This time the money seemed so endless that the old woman built herself +a new house, and filled it with the most beautiful things that were to +be found in the shops. Her daughters were always wrapped in veils that +looked as if they were woven out of sunbeams, and their dresses shone +with precious stones. The neighbours wondered where all this sudden +wealth had sprung from, but nobody knew about the head. + +“Good mother,” said the head, one day, “this morning you are to go to +the city and ask the sultan to give me his daughter for my bride.” + +“Do what?” asked the old woman in amazement. “How can I tell the sultan +that a head without a body wishes to become his son-in-law? They will +think that I am mad, and I shall be hooted from the palace and stoned +by the children.” + +“Do as I bid you,” replied the head; “it is my will.” + +The old woman was afraid to say anything more, and, putting on her +richest clothes, started for the palace. The sultan granted her an +audience at once, and, in a trembling voice, she made her request. + +“Are you mad, old woman?” said the sultan, staring at her. + +“The wooer is powerful, O Sultan, and nothing is impossible to him.” + +“Is that true?” + +“It is, O Sultan; I swear it,” answered she. + +“Then let him show his power by doing three things, and I will give him +my daughter.” + +“Command, O gracious prince,” said she. + +“Do you see that hill in front of the palace?” asked the sultan. + +“I see it,” answered she. + +“Well, in forty days the man who has sent you must make that hill +vanish, and plant a beautiful garden in its place. That is the first +thing. Now go, and tell him what I say.” + +So the old woman returned and told the head the sultan’s first +condition. + +“It is well,” he replied; and said no more about it. + +For thirty-nine days the head remained in its favourite corner. The old +woman thought that the task set before was beyond his powers, and that +no more would be heard about the sultan’s daughter. But on the +thirty-ninth evening after her visit to the palace, the head suddenly +spoke. + +“Good mother,” he said, “you must go to-night to the bridge, and when +you are there cry ‘Ali! Ali! Ali!’ as loud as you can. A negro will +appear before you, and you will tell him that he is to level the hill, +and to make, in its place, the most beautiful garden that ever was +seen.” + +“I will go at once,” answered she. + +It did not take her long to reach the bridge which led to the city, and +she took up her position on the spot where she had first seen the head, +and called loudly “Ali! Ali! Ali.” In an instant a negro appeared +before her, of such a huge size that the old woman was half frightened; +but his voice was mild and gentle as he said: “What is it that you +want?” + +“Your master bids you level the hill that stands in front of the +sultan’s palace and in its place to make the most beautiful garden in +the world.” + +“Tell my master he shall be obeyed,” replied Ali; “it shall be done +this moment.” And the old woman went home and gave Ali’s message to the +head. + +Meanwhile the sultan was in his palace waiting till the fortieth day +should dawn, and wondering that not one spadeful of earth should have +been dug out of the hill. + +“If that old woman has been playing me a trick,” thought he, “I will +hang her! And I will put up a gallows to-morrow on the hill itself.” + +But when to-morrow came there was no hill, and when the sultan opened +his eyes he could not imagine why the room was so much lighter than +usual, and what was the reason of the sweet smell of flowers that +filled the air. + +“Can there be a fire?” he said to himself; “the sun never came in at +this window before. I must get up and see.” So he rose and looked out, +and underneath him flowers from every part of the world were blooming, +and creepers of every colour hung in chains from tree to tree. + +Then he remembered. “Certainly that old woman’s son is a clever +magician!” cried he; “I never met anyone as clever as that. What shall +I give him to do next? Let me think. Ah! I know.” And he sent for the +old woman, who by the orders of the head, was waiting below. + +“Your son has carried out my wishes very nicely,” he said. “The garden +is larger and better than that of any other king. But when I walk +across it I shall need some place to rest on the other side. In forty +days he must build me a palace, in which every room shall be filled +with different furniture from a different country, and each more +magnificent than any room that ever was seen.” And having said this he +turned round and went away. + +“Oh! he will never be able to do that,” thought she; “it is much more +difficult than the hill.” And she walked home slowly, with her head +bent. + +“Well, what am I to do next?” asked the head cheerfully. And the old +woman told her story. + +“Dear me! is that all? why it is child’s play,” answered the head; and +troubled no more about the palace for thirty-nine days. Then he told +the old woman to go to the bridge and call for Hassan. + +“What do you want, old woman?” asked Hassan, when he appeared, for he +was not as polite as the others had been. + +“Your master commands you to build the most magnificent palace that +ever was seen,” replied she; “and you are to place it on the borders of +the new garden.” + +“He shall be obeyed,” answered Hassan. And when the sultan woke he saw, +in the distance, a palace built of soft blue marble, resting on slender +pillars of pure gold. + +“That old woman’s son is certainly all-powerful,” cried he; “what shall +I bid him do now?” And after thinking some time he sent for the old +woman, who was expecting the summons. + +“The garden is wonderful, and the palace the finest in the world,” said +he, “so fine, that my servants would cut but a sorry figure in it. Let +your son fill it with forty slaves whose beauty shall be unequalled, +all exactly like each other, and of the same height.” + +This time the king thought he had invented something totally +impossible, and was quite pleased with himself for his cleverness. + +Thirty-nine days passed, and at midnight on the night of the last the +old woman was standing on the bridge. + +“Bekir! Bekir! Bekir!” cried she. And a negro appeared, and inquired +what she wanted. + +“The head, your master, bids you find forty slaves of unequalled +beauty, and of the same height, and place them in the sultan’s palace +on the other side of the garden.” + +And when, on the morning of the fortieth day, the sultan went to the +blue palace, and was received by the forty slaves, he nearly lost his +wits from surprise. + +“I will assuredly give my daughter to the old woman’s son,” thought he. +“If I were to search all the world through I could never find a more +powerful son-in-law.” + +And when the old woman entered his presence he informed her that he was +ready to fulfil his promise, and she was to bid her son appear at the +palace without delay. + +This command did not at all please the old woman, though, of course, +she made no objections to the sultan. + +“All has gone well so far,” she grumbled, when she told her story to +the head,” but what do you suppose the sultan will say, when he sees +his daughter’s husband?” + +“Never mind what he says! Put me on a silver dish and carry me to the +palace.” + +So it was done, though the old woman’s heart beat as she laid down the +dish with the head upon it. + +At the sight before him the king flew into a violent rage. + +“I will never marry my daughter to such a monster,” he cried. But the +princess placed her head gently on his arm. + +“You have given your word, my father, and you cannot break it,” said +she. + +“But, my child, it is impossible for you to marry such a being,” +exclaimed the sultan. + +“Yes, I will marry him. He had a beautiful head, and I love him +already.” + +So the marriage was celebrated, and great feasts were held in the +palace, though the people wept tears to think of the sad fate of their +beloved princess. But when the merry-making was done, and the young +couple were alone, the head suddenly disappeared, or, rather, a body +was added to it, and one of the handsomest young men that ever was seen +stood before the princess. + +“A wicked fairy enchanted me at my birth,” he said, “and for the rest +of the world I must always be a head only. But for you, and you only, I +am a man like other men.” + +“And that is all I care about,” said the princess. + +[Traditions populaires de toutes les nations (Asie Mineure)]. + + + + +The Sister of the Sun + + +A long time ago there lived a young prince whose favourite playfellow +was the son of the gardener who lived in the grounds of the palace. The +king would have preferred his choosing a friend from the pages who were +brought up at court; but the prince would have nothing to say to them, +and as he was a spoilt child, and allowed his way in all things, and +the gardener’s boy was quiet and well-behaved, he was suffered to be in +the palace, morning, noon, and night. + +The game the children loved the best was a match at archery, for the +king had given them two bows exactly alike, and they would spend whole +days in trying to see which could shoot the highest. This is always +very dangerous, and it was a great wonder they did not put their eyes +out; but somehow or other they managed to escape. + +One morning, when the prince had done his lessons, he ran out to call +his friend, and they both hurried off to the lawn which was their usual +playground. They took their bows out of the little hut where their toys +were kept, and began to see which could shoot the highest. At last they +happened to let fly their arrows both together, and when they fell to +earth again the tail feather of a golden hen was found sticking in one. +Now the question began to arise whose was the lucky arrow, for they +were both alike, and look as closely as you would you could see no +difference between them. The prince declared that the arrow was his, +and the gardener’s boy was quite sure it was HIS—and on this occasion +he was perfectly right; but, as they could not decide the matter, they +went straight to the king. + +When the king had heard the story, he decided that the feather belonged +to his son; but the other boy would not listen to this and claimed the +feather for himself. At length the king’s patience gave way, and he +said angrily: + +“Very well; if you are so sure that the feather is yours, yours it +shall be; only you will have to seek till you find a golden hen with a +feather missing from her tail. And if you fail to find her your head +will be the forfeit.” + +The boy had need of all his courage to listen silently to the king’s +words. He had no idea where the golden hen might be, or even, if he +discovered that, how he was to get to her. But there was nothing for it +but to do the king’s bidding, and he felt that the sooner he left the +palace the better. So he went home and put some food into a bag, and +then set forth, hoping that some accident might show him which path to +take. + +After walking for several hours he met a fox, who seemed inclined to be +friendly, and the boy was so glad to have anyone to talk to that he sat +down and entered into conversation. + +“Where are you going?” asked the fox. + +“I have got to find a golden hen who has lost a feather out of her +tail,” answered the boy; “but I don’t know where she lives or how I +shall catch her!” + +“Oh, I can show you the way!” said the fox, who was really very +good-natured. “Far towards the east, in that direction, lives a +beautiful maiden who is called ‘The Sister of the Sun.’ She has three +golden hens in her house. Perhaps the feather belongs to one of them.” + +The boy was delighted at this news, and they walked on all day +together, the fox in front, and the boy behind. When evening came they +lay down to sleep, and put the knapsack under their heads for a pillow. + +Suddenly, about midnight, the fox gave a low whine, and drew nearer to +his bedfellow. “Cousin,” he whispered very low, “there is someone +coming who will take the knapsack away from me. Look over there!” And +the boy, peeping through the bushes, saw a man. + +“Oh, I don’t think he will rob us!” said the boy; and when the man drew +near, he told them his story, which so much interested the stranger +that he asked leave to travel with them, as he might be of some use. So +when the sun rose they set out again, the fox in front as before, the +man and boy following. + +After some hours they reached the castle of the Sister of the Sun, who +kept the golden hens among her treasures. They halted before the gate +and took counsel as to which of them should go in and see the lady +herself. + +“I think it would be best for me to enter and steal the hens,” said the +fox; but this did not please the boy at all. + +“No, it is my business, so it is right that I should go,” answered he. + +“You will find it a very difficult matter to get hold of the hens,” +replied the fox. + +“Oh, nothing is likely to happen to me,” returned the boy. + +“Well, go then,” said the fox, “but be careful not to make any mistake. +Steal only the hen which has the feather missing from her tail, and +leave the others alone.” + +The man listened, but did not interfere, and the boy entered the court +of the palace. + +He soon spied the three hens strutting proudly about, though they were +really anxiously wondering if there were not some grains lying on the +ground that they might be glad to eat. And as the last one passed by +him, he saw she had one feather missing from her tail. + +At this sight the youth darted forward and seized the hen by the neck +so that she could not struggle. Then, tucking her comfortably under his +arm, he made straight for the gate. Unluckily, just as he was about to +go through it he looked back and caught a glimpse of wonderful +splendours from an open door of the palace. “After all, there is no +hurry,” he said to himself; “I may as well see something now I AM +here,” and turned back, forgetting all about the hen, which escaped +from under his arm, and ran to join her sisters. + +He was so much fascinated by the sight of all the beautiful things +which peeped through the door that he scarcely noticed that he had lost +the prize he had won; and he did not remember there was such a thing as +a hen in the world when he beheld the Sister of the Sun sleeping on a +bed before him. + +For some time he stood staring; then he came to himself with a start, +and feeling that he had no business there, softly stole away, and was +fortunate enough to recapture the hen, which he took with him to the +gate. On the threshold he stopped again. “Why should I not look at the +Sister of the Sun?” he thought to himself; “she is asleep, and will +never know.” And he turned back for the second time and entered the +chamber, while the hen wriggled herself free as before. When he had +gazed his fill he went out into the courtyard and picked up his hen who +was seeking for corn. + +As he drew near the gate he paused. “Why did I not give her a kiss?” he +said to himself; “I shall never kiss any woman so beautiful.” And he +wrung his hands with regret, so that the hen fell to the ground and ran +away. + +“But I can do it still!” he cried with delight, and he rushed back to +the chamber and kissed the sleeping maiden on the forehead. But, alas! +when he came out again he found that the hen had grown so shy that she +would not let him come near her. And, worse than that, her sisters +began to cluck so loud that the Sister of the Sun was awakened by the +noise. She jumped up in haste from her bed, and going to the door she +said to the boy: + +“You shall never, never, have my hen till you bring me back my sister +who was carried off by a giant to his castle, which is a long way off.” + +Slowly and sadly the youth left the palace and told his story to his +friends, who were waiting outside the gate, how he had actually held +the hen three times in his arms and had lost her. + +“I knew that we should not get off so easily,” said the fox, shaking +his head; “but there is no more time to waste. Let us set off at once +in search of the sister. Luckily, I know the way.” + +They walked on for many days, till at length the fox, who, as usual, +was going first, stopped suddenly. + +“The giant’s castle is not far now,” he said, “but when we reach it you +two must remain outside while I go and fetch the princess. Directly I +bring her out you must both catch hold of her tight, and get away as +fast as you can; while I return to the castle and talk to the +giants—for there are many of them—so that they may not notice the +escape of the princess.” + +A few minutes later they arrived at the castle, and the fox, who had +often been there before, slipped in without difficulty. There were +several giants, both young and old, in the hall, and they were all +dancing round the princess. As soon as they saw the fox they cried out: +“Come and dance too, old fox; it is a long time since we have seen +you.” + +So the fox stood up, and did his steps with the best of them; but after +a while he stopped and said: + +“I know a charming new dance that I should like to show you; but it can +only be done by two people. If the princess will honour me for a few +minutes, you will soon see how it is done.” + +“Ah, that is delightful; we want something new,” answered they, and +placed the princess between the outstretched arms of the fox. In one +instant he had knocked over the great stand of lights that lighted the +hall, and in the darkness had borne the princess to the gate. His +comrades seized hold of her, as they had been bidden, and the fox was +back again in the hall before anyone had missed him. He found the +giants busy trying to kindle a fire and get some light; but after a bit +someone cried out: + +“Where is the princess?” + +“Here, in my arms,” replied the fox. “Don’t be afraid; she is quite +safe.” And he waited until he thought that his comrades had gained a +good start, and put at least five or six mountains between themselves +and the giants. Then he sprang through the door, calling, as he went: +“The maiden is here; take her if you can!” + +At these words the giants understood that their prize had escaped, and +they ran after the fox as fast as their great legs could carry them, +thinking that they should soon come up with the fox, who they supposed +had the princess on his back. The fox, on his side, was far too clever +to choose the same path that his friends had taken, but would in and +out of the forest, till at last even HE was tired out, and fell fast +asleep under a tree. Indeed, he was so exhausted with his day’s work +that he never heard the approach of the giants, and their hands were +already stretched out to seize his tail when his eyes opened, and with +a tremendous bound he was once more beyond their reach. All the rest of +the night the fox ran and ran; but when bright red spread over the +east, he stopped and waited till the giants were close upon him. Then +he turned, and said quietly: “Look, there is the Sister of the Sun!” + +The giants raised their eyes all at once, and were instantly turned +into pillars of stone. The fox then made each pillar a low bow, and set +off to join his friends. + +He knew a great many short cuts across the hills, so it was not long +before he came up with them, and all four travelled night and day till +they reached the castle of the Sister of the Sun. What joy and feasting +there was throughout the palace at the sight of the princess whom they +had mourned as dead! and they could not make enough of the boy who had +gone through such dangers in order to rescue her. The golden hen was +given to him at once, and, more than that, the Sister of the Sun told +him that, in a little time, when he was a few years older, she would +herself pay a visit to his home and become his wife. The boy could +hardly believe his ears when he heard what was in store for him, for +his was the most beautiful princess in all the world; and however thick +the darkness might be, it fled away at once from the light of a star on +her forehead. + +So the boy set forth on his journey home, with his friends for company; +his heart full of gladness when he thought of the promise of the +princess. But, one by one, his comrades dropped off at the places where +they had first met him, and he was quite alone when he reached his +native town and the gates of the palace. With the golden hen under his +arm he presented himself before the king, and told his adventures, and +how he was going to have for a wife a princess so wonderful and unlike +all other princesses, that the star on her forehead could turn night +into day. The king listened silently, and when the boy had done, he +said quietly: “If I find that your story is not true I will have you +thrown into a cask of pitch.” + +“It is true—every word of it,” answered the boy; and went on to tell +that the day and even the hour were fixed when his bride was to come +and seek him. + +But as the time drew near, and nothing was heard of the princess, the +youth became anxious and uneasy, especially when it came to his ears +that the great cask was being filled with pitch, and that sticks were +laid underneath to make a fire to boil it with. All day long the boy +stood at the window, looking over the sea by which the princess must +travel; but there were no signs of her, not even the tiniest white +sail. And, as he stood, soldiers came and laid hands on him, and led +him up to the cask, where a big fire was blazing, and the horrid black +pitch boiling and bubbling over the sides. He looked and shuddered, but +there was no escape; so he shut his eyes to avoid seeing. + +The word was given for him to mount the steps which led to the top of +the cask, when, suddenly, some men were seen running with all their +might, crying as they went that a large ship with its sails spread was +making straight for the city. No one knew what the ship was, or whence +it came; but the king declared that he would not have the boy burned +before its arrival, there would always be time enough for that. + +At length the vessel was safe in port, and a whisper went through the +watching crowd that on board was the Sister of the Sun, who had come to +marry the young peasant as she had promised. In a few moments more she +had landed, and desired to be shown the way to the cottage which her +bridegroom had so often described to her; and whither he had been led +back by the king’s order at the first sign of the ship. + +“Don’t you know me?” asked the Sister of the Sun, bending over him +where he lay, almost driven out of his senses with terror. + +“No, no; I don’t know you,” answered the youth, without raising his +eyes. + +“Kiss me,” said the Sister of the Sun; and the youth obeyed her, but +still without looking up. + +“Don’t you know me NOW?” asked she. + +“No, I don’t know you—I don’t know you,” he replied, with the manner of +a man whom fear had driven mad. + +At this the Sister of the Sun grew rather frightened, and beginning at +the beginning, she told him the story of his meeting with her, and how +she had come a long way in order to marry him. And just as she had +finished in walked the king, to see if what the boy had said was really +true. But hardly had he opened the door of the cottage when he was +almost blinded by the light that filled it; and he remembered what he +had been told about the star on the forehead of the princess. He +staggered back as if he had been struck, then a curious feeling took +hold of him, which he had never felt before, and falling on his knees +before the Sister of the Sun, he implored her to give up all thought of +the peasant boy, and to share his throne. But she laughed, and said she +had a finer throne of her own, if she wanted to sit on it, and that she +was free to please herself, and would have no husband but the boy whom +she would never have seen except for the king himself. + +“I shall marry him to-morrow,” ended she; and ordered the preparations +to be set on foot at once. + +When the next day came, however, the bridegroom’s father informed the +princess that, by the law of the land, the marriage must take place in +the presence of the king; but he hoped his majesty would not long delay +his arrival. An hour or two passed, and everyone was waiting and +watching, when at last the sound of trumpets was heard and a grand +procession was seen marching up the street. A chair covered with velvet +had been made ready for the king, and he took his seat upon it, and, +looking round upon the assembled company, he said: + +“I have no wish to forbid this marriage; but, before I can allow it to +be celebrated, the bridegroom must prove himself worthy of such a bride +by fulfilling three tasks. And the first is that in a single day he +must cut down every tree in an entire forest. + +The youth stood aghast as the king’s words. He had never cut down a +tree in his life, and had not the least idea how to begin. And as for a +whole forest—! But the princess saw what was passing in his mind, and +whispered to him: + +“Don’t be afraid. In my ship you will find an axe, which you must carry +off to the forest. When you have cut down one tree with it just say: +‘So let the forest fall,’ and in an instant all the trees will be on +the ground. But pick up three chips of the tree you felled, and put +them in your pocket.” + +And the young man did exactly as he was bid, and soon returned with the +three chips safe in his coat. + +The following morning the princess declared that she had been thinking +about the matter, and that, as she was not a subject of the king, she +saw no reason why she should be bound by his laws; and she meant to be +married that very day. But the bridegroom’s father told her that it was +all very well for her to talk like that, but it was quite different for +his son, who would pay with his head for any disobedience to the king’s +commands. However, in consideration of what the youth had done the day +before, he hoped his majesty’s heart might be softened, especially as +he had sent a message that they might expect him at once. With this the +bridal pair had to be content, and be as patient as they could till the +king’s arrival. + +He did not keep them long, but they saw by his face that nothing good +awaited them. + +“The marriage cannot take place,” he said shortly, “till the youth has +joined to their roots all the trees he cut down yesterday.” + +This sounded much more difficult than what he had done before, and he +turned in despair to the Sister of the Sun. + +“It is all right,” she whispered encouragingly. “Take this water and +sprinkle it on one of the fallen trees, and say to it: ‘So let all the +trees of the forest stand upright,’ and in a moment they will be erect +again.” + +And the young man did what he was told, and left the forest looking +exactly as it had done before. + +Now, surely, thought the princess, there was no longer any need to put +off the wedding; and she gave orders that all should be ready for the +following day. But again the old man interfered, and declared that +without the king’s permission no marriage could take place. For the +third time his majesty was sent for, and for the third time he +proclaimed that he could not give his consent until the bridegroom +should have slain a serpent which dwelt in a broad river that flowed at +the back of the castle. Everyone knew stories of this terrible serpent, +though no one had actually seen it; but from time to time a child +strayed from home and never came back, and then mothers would forbid +the other children to go near the river, which had juicy fruits and +lovely flowers growing along its banks. + +So no wonder the youth trembled and turned pale when he heard what lay +before him. + +“You will succeed in this also,” whispered the Sister of the Sun, +pressing his hand, “for in my ship is a magic sword which will cut +through everything. Go down to the river and unfasten a boat which lies +moored there, and throw the chips into the water. When the serpent +rears up its body you will cut off its three heads with one blow of +your sword. Then take the tip of each tongue and go with it to-morrow +morning into the king’s kitchen. If the king himself should enter, just +say to him: ‘Here are three gifts I offer you in return for the +services you demanded of me!’ and throw the tips of the serpent’s +tongues at him, and hasten to the ship as fast as your legs will carry +you. But be sure you take great care never to look behind you.” + +The young man did exactly what the princess had told him. The three +chips which he flung into the river became a boat, and, as he steered +across the stream, the serpent put up its head and hissed loudly. The +youth had his sword ready, and in another second the three heads were +bobbing on the water. Guiding his boat till he was beside them, he +stooped down and snipped off the ends of the tongues, and then rowed +back to the other bank. Next morning he carried them into the royal +kitchen, and when the king entered, as was his custom, to see what he +was going to have for dinner, the bridegroom flung them in his face, +saying: “Here is a gift for you in return for the services you asked of +me.” And, opening the kitchen door, he fled to the ship. Unluckily he +missed the way, and in his excitement ran backwards and forwards, +without knowing whither he was going. At last, in despair, he looked +round, and saw to his amazement that both the city and palace had +vanished completely. Then he turned his eyes in the other direction, +and, far, far away, he caught sight of the ship with her sails spread, +and a fair wind behind her. + +This dreadful spectacle seemed to take away his senses, and all day +long he wandered about, without knowing where he was going, till, in +the evening, he noticed some smoke from a little hut of turf near by. +He went straight up to it and cried: “O mother, let me come in for +pity’s sake!” The old woman who lived in the hut beckoned to him to +enter, and hardly was he inside when he cried again: “O mother, can you +tell me anything of the Sister of the Sun?” + +But the woman only shook her head. “No, I know nothing of her,” said +she. + +The young man turned to leave the hut, but the old woman stopped him, +and, giving him a letter, begged him to carry it to her next eldest +sister, saying: “If you should get tired on the way, take out the +letter and rustle the paper.” + +This advice surprised the young man a good deal, as he did not see how +it could help him; but he did not answer, and went down the road +without knowing where he was going. At length he grew so tired he could +walk no more; then he remembered what the old woman had said. After he +had rustled the leaves only once all fatigue disappeared, and he strode +over the grass till he came to another little turf hut. + +“Let me in, I pray you, dear mother,” cried he. And the door opened in +front of him. “Your sister has sent you this letter,” he said, and +added quickly: “O mother! can you tell me anything of the Sister of the +Sun?” + +“No, I know nothing of her,” answered she. But as he turned hopelessly +away, she stopped him. + +“If you happen to pass my eldest sister’s house, will you give her this +letter?” said she. “And if you should get tired on the road, just take +it out of your pocket and rustle the paper.” + +So the young man put the letter in his pocket, and walked all day over +the hills till he reached a little turf hut, exactly like the other +two. + +“Let me in, I pray you, dear mother,” cried he. And as he entered he +added: “Here is a letter from your sister and—can you tell me anything +of the Sister of the Sun?” + +“Yes, I can,” answered the old woman. “She lives in the castle on the +Banka. Her father lost a battle only a few days ago because you had +stolen his sword from him, and the Sister of the Sun herself is almost +dead of grief. But, when you see her, stick a pin into the palm of her +hand, and suck the drops of blood that flow. Then she will grow calmer, +and will know you again. Only, beware; for before you reach the castle +on the Banka fearful things will happen.” + +He thanked the old woman with tears of gladness for the good news she +had given him, and continued his journey. But he had not gone very far +when, at a turn of the road, he met with two brothers, who were +quarrelling over a piece of cloth. + +“My good men, what are you fighting about?” said he. “That cloth does +not look worth much!” + +“Oh, it is ragged enough,” answered they, “but it was left us by our +father, and if any man wraps it round him no one can see him; and we +each want it for our own.” + +“Let me put it round me for a moment,” said the youth, “and then I will +tell you whose it ought to be!” + +The brothers were pleased with this idea, and gave him the stuff; but +the moment he had thrown it over his shoulder he disappeared as +completely as if he had never been there at all. + +Meanwhile the young man walked briskly along, till he came up with two +other men, who were disputing over a table-cloth. + +“What is the matter?” asked he, stopping in front of them. + +“If this cloth is spread on a table,” answered they, “the table is +instantly covered with the most delicious food; and we each want to +have it.” + +“Let me try the table-cloth,” said the youth, “and I will tell you +whose it ought to be.” + +The two men were quite pleased with this idea, and handed him the +cloth. He then hastily threw the first piece of stuff round his +shoulders and vanished from sight, leaving the two men grieving over +their own folly. + +The young man had not walked far before he saw two more men standing by +the road-side, both grasping the same stout staff, and sometimes one +seemed on the point of getting it, and sometimes the other. + +“What are you quarrelling about? You could cut a dozen sticks from the +wood each just as good as that!” said the young man. And as he spoke +the fighters both stopped and looked at him. + +“Ah! you may think so,” said one, “but a blow from one end of this +stick will kill a man, while a touch from the other end will bring him +back to life. You won’t easily find another stick like that!” + +“No; that is true,” answered the young man. “Let me just look at it, +and I will tell you whose it ought to be.” + +The men were pleased with the idea, and handed him the staff. + +“It is very curious, certainly,” said he; “but which end is it that +restores people to life? After all, anyone can be killed by a blow from +a stick if it is only hard enough!” But when he was shown the end he +threw the stuff over his shoulders and vanished. + +At last he saw another set of men, who were struggling for the +possession of a pair of shoes. + +“Why can’t you leave that pair of old shoes alone?” said he. “Why, you +could not walk a yard in them!” + +“Yes, they are old enough,” answered they; “but whoever puts them on +and wishes himself at a particular place, gets there without going.” + +“That sounds very clever,” said the youth. “Let me try them, and then I +shall be able to tell you whose they ought to be.” + +The idea pleased the men, and they handed him the shoes; but the moment +they were on his feet he cried: + +“I wish to be in the castle on the Banka!” And before he knew it, he +was there, and found the Sister of the Sun dying of grief. He knelt +down by her side, and pulling a pin he stuck it into the palm of her +hand, so that a drop of blood gushed out. This he sucked, as he had +been told to do by the old woman, and immediately the princess came to +herself, and flung her arms round his neck. Then she told him all her +story, and what had happened since the ship had sailed away without +him. “But the worst misfortune of all,” she added, “was a battle which +my father lost because you had vanished with his magic sword; and out +of his whole army hardly one man was left.” + +“Show me the battle-field,” said he. And she took him to a wild heath, +where the dead were lying as they fell, waiting for burial. One by one +he touched them with the end of his staff, till at length they all +stood before him. Throughout the kingdom there was nothing but joy; and +THIS time the wedding was REALLY celebrated. And the bridal pair lived +happily in the castle on the Banka till they died. + +[Lapplandische Mahrchen.] + + + + +The Prince and the Three Fates + + +Once upon a time a little boy was born to a king who ruled over a great +country through which ran a wide river. The king was nearly beside +himself with joy, for he had always longed for a son to inherit his +crown, and he sent messages to beg all the most powerful fairies to +come and see this wonderful baby. In an hour or two, so many were +gathered round the cradle, that the child seemed in danger of being +smothered; but the king, who was watching the fairies eagerly, was +disturbed to see them looking grave. “Is there anything the matter?” he +asked anxiously. + +The fairies looked at him, and all shook their heads at once. + +“He is a beautiful boy, and it is a great pity; but what IS to happen +WILL happen,” said they. “It is written in the books of fate that he +must die, either by a crocodile, or a serpent, or by a dog. If we could +save him we would; but that is beyond our power.” + +And so saying they vanished. + +For a time the king stood where he was, horror-stricken at what he had +heard; but, being of a hopeful nature, he began at once to invent plans +to save the prince from the dreadful doom that awaited him. He +instantly sent for his master builder, and bade him construct a strong +castle on the top of a mountain, which should be fitted with the most +precious things from the king’s own palace, and every kind of toy a +child could wish to play with. And, besides, he gave the strictest +orders that a guard should walk round the castle night and day. + +For four or five years the baby lived in the castle alone with his +nurses, taking his airings on the broad terraces, which were surrounded +by walls, with a moat beneath them, and only a drawbridge to connect +them with the outer world. + +One day, when the prince was old enough to run quite fast by himself, +he looked from the terrace across the moat, and saw a little soft +fluffy ball of a dog jumping and playing on the other side. Now, of +course, all dogs had been kept from him for fear that the fairies’ +prophecy should come true, and he had never even beheld one before. So +he turned to the page who was walking behind him, and said: + +“What is that funny little thing which is running so fast over there?” + +“That is a dog, prince,” answered the page. + +“Well, bring me one like it, and we will see which can run the faster.” +And he watched the dog till it had disappeared round the corner. + +The page was much puzzled to know what to do. He had strict orders to +refuse the prince nothing; yet he remembered the prophecy, and felt +that this was a serious matter. At last he thought he had better tell +the king the whole story, and let him decide the question. + +“Oh, get him a dog if he wants one,” said the king, “he will only cry +his heart out if he does not have it.” So a puppy was found, exactly +like the other; they might have been twins, and perhaps they were. + +Years went by, and the boy and the dog played together till the boy +grew tall and strong. The time came at last when he sent a message to +his father, saying: + +“Why do you keep me shut up here, doing nothing? I know all about the +prophecy that was made at my birth, but I would far rather be killed at +once than live an idle, useless life here. So give me arms, and let me +go, I pray you; me and my dog too.” + +And again the king listened to his wishes, and he and his dog were +carried in a ship to the other side of the river, which was so broad +here it might almost have been the sea. A black horse was waiting for +him, tied to a tree, and he mounted and rode away wherever his fancy +took him, the dog always at his heels. Never was any prince so happy as +he, and he rode and rode till at length he came to a king’s palace. + +The king who lived in it did not care about looking after his country, +and seeing that his people lived cheerful and contented lives. He spent +his whole time in making riddles, and inventing plans which he had much +better have let alone. At the period when the young prince reached the +kingdom he had just completed a wonderful house for his only child, a +daughter. It had seventy windows, each seventy feet from the ground, +and he had sent the royal herald round the borders of the neighbouring +kingdoms to proclaim that whoever could climb up the walls to the +window of the princess should win her for his wife. + +The fame of the princess’s beauty had spread far and wide, and there +was no lack of princes who wished to try their fortune. Very funny the +palace must have looked each morning, with the dabs of different colour +on the white marble as the princes were climbing up the walls. But +though some managed to get further than others, nobody was anywhere +near the top. + +They had already been spending several days in this manner when the +young prince arrived, and as he was pleasant to look upon, and civil to +talk to, they welcomed him to the house, which had been given to them, +and saw that his bath was properly perfumed after his long journey. +“Where do you come from?” they said at last. “And whose son are you?” + +But the young prince had reasons for keeping his own secret, and he +answered: + +“My father was master of the horse to the king of my country, and after +my mother died he married another wife. At first all went well, but as +soon as she had babies of her own she hated me, and I fled, lest she +should do me harm.” + +The hearts of the other young men were touched as soon as they heard +this story, and they did everything they could think of to make him +forget his past sorrows. + +“What are you doing here?” said the youth, one day. + +“We spend our whole time climbing up the walls of the palace, trying to +reach the windows of the princess,” answered the young men; “but, as +yet, no one has reached within ten feet of them.” + +“Oh, let me try too,” cried the prince; “but to-morrow I will wait and +see what you do before I begin. + +So the next day he stood where he could watch the young men go up, and +he noted the places on the wall that seemed most difficult, and made up +his mind that when his turn came he would go up some other way. + +Day after day he was to be seen watching the wooers, till, one morning, +he felt that he knew the plan of the walls by heart, and took his place +by the side of the others. Thanks to what he had learned from the +failure of the rest, he managed to grasp one little rough projection +after another, till at last, to the envy of his friends, he stood on +the sill of the princess’s window. Looking up from below, they saw a +white hand stretched forth to draw him in. + +Then one of the young men ran straight to the king’s palace, and said: +“The wall has been climbed, and the prize is won!” + +“By whom?” cried the king, starting up from his throne; “which of the +princes may I claim as my son-in-law?” + +“The youth who succeeded in climbing to the princess’s window is not a +prince at all,” answered the young man. “He is the son of the master of +the horse to the great king who dwells across the river, and he fled +from his own country to escape from the hatred of his stepmother.” + +At this news the king was very angry, for it had never entered his head +that anyone BUT a prince would seek to woo his daughter. + +“Let him go back to the land whence he came,” he shouted in wrath; +“does he expect me to give my daughter to an exile?” And he began to +smash the drinking vessels in his fury; indeed, he quite frightened the +young man, who ran hastily home to his friends, and told the youth what +the king had said. + +Now the princess, who was leaning from her window, heard his words and +bade the messenger go back to the king her father and tell him that she +had sworn a vow never to eat or drink again if the youth was taken from +her. The king was more angry than ever when he received this message, +and ordered his guards to go at once to the palace and put the +successful wooer to death; but the princess threw herself between him +and his murderers. + +“Lay a finger on him, and I shall be dead before sunset,” said she; and +as they saw that she meant it, they left the palace, and carried the +tale to her father. + +By this time the king’s anger was dying away, and he began to consider +what his people would think of him if he broke the promise he had +publicly given. So he ordered the princess to be brought before him, +and the young man also, and when they entered the throne room he was so +pleased with the noble air of the victor that his wrath quite melted +away, and he ran to him and embraced him. + +“Tell me who you are?” he asked, when he had recovered himself a +little, “for I will never believe that you have not royal blood in your +veins.” + +But the prince still had his reasons for being silent, and only told +the same story. However, the king had taken such a fancy to the youth +that he said no more, and the marriage took place the following day, +and great herds of cattle and a large estate were given to the young +couple. + +After a little while the prince said to his wife: “My life is in the +hands of three creatures—a crocodile, a serpent, and a dog.” + +“Ah, how rash you are!” cried the princess, throwing her arms round his +neck. “If you know that, how can you have that horrid beast about you? +I will give orders to have him killed at once.” + +But the prince would not listen to her. + +“Kill my dear little dog, who had been my playfellow since he was a +puppy?” exclaimed he. “Oh, never would I allow that.” And all that the +princess could get from him was that he would always wear a sword, and +have somebody with him when he left the palace. + +When the prince and princess had been married a few months, the prince +heard that his stepmother was dead, and his father was old and ill, and +longing to have his eldest son by his side again. The young man could +not remain deaf to such a message, and he took a tender farewell of his +wife, and set out on his journey home. It was a long way, and he was +forced to rest often on the road, and so it happened that, one night, +when he was sleeping in a city on the banks of the great river, a huge +crocodile came silently up and made its way along a passage to the +prince’s room. Fortunately one of his guards woke up as it was trying +to steal past them, and shut the crocodile up in a large hall, where a +giant watched over it, never leaving the spot except during the night, +when the crocodile slept. And this went on for more than a month. + +Now, when the prince found that he was not likely to leave his father’s +kingdom again, he sent for his wife, and bade the messenger tell her +that he would await her coming in the town on the banks of the great +river. This was the reason why he delayed his journey so long, and +narrowly escaped being eaten by the crocodile. During the weeks that +followed the prince amused himself as best he could, though he counted +the minutes to the arrival of the princess, and when she did come, he +at once prepared to start for the court. That very night, however, +while he was asleep, the princess noticed something strange in one of +the corners of the room. It was a dark patch, and seemed, as she +looked, to grow longer and longer, and to be moving slowly towards the +cushions on which the prince was lying. She shrank in terror, but, +slight as was the noise, the thing heard it, and raised its head to +listen. Then she saw it was the long flat head of a serpent, and the +recollection of the prophecy rushed into her mind. Without waking her +husband, she glided out of bed, and taking up a heavy bowl of milk +which stood on a table, laid it on the floor in the path of the +serpent—for she knew that no serpent in the world can resist milk. She +held her breath as the snake drew near, and watched it throw up its +head again as if it was smelling something nice, while its forky tongue +darted out greedily. At length its eyes fell upon the milk, and in an +instant it was lapping it so fast that it was a wonder the creature did +not choke, for it never took its head from the bowl as long as a drop +was left in it. After that it dropped on the ground and slept heavily. +This was what the princess had been waiting for, and catching up her +husband’s sword, she severed the snake’s head from its body. + +The morning after this adventure the prince and princess set out for +the king’s palace, but found when they reached it, that he was already +dead. They gave him a magnificent burial, and then the prince had to +examine the new laws which had been made in his absence, and do a great +deal of business besides, till he grew quite ill from fatigue, and was +obliged to go away to one of his palaces on the banks of the river, in +order to rest. Here he soon got better, and began to hunt, and to shoot +wild duck with his bow; and wherever he went, his dog, now grown very +old, went with him. + +One morning the prince and his dog were out as usual, and in chasing +their game they drew near the bank of the river. The prince was running +at full speed after his dog when he almost fell over something that +looked like a log of wood, which was lying in his path. To his surprise +a voice spoke to him, and he saw that the thing which he had taken for +a branch was really a crocodile. + +“You cannot escape from me,” it was saying, when he had gathered his +senses again. “I am your fate, and wherever you go, and whatever you +do, you will always find me before you. There is only one means of +shaking off my power. If you can dig a pit in the dry sand which will +remain full of water, my spell will be broken. If not death will come +to you speedily. I give you this one chance. Now go.” + +The young man walked sadly away, and when he reached the palace he shut +himself into his room, and for the rest of the day refused to see +anyone, not even his wife. At sunset, however, as no sound could be +heard through the door, the princess grew quite frightened, and made +such a noise that the prince was forced to draw back the bolt and let +her come in. “How pale you look,” she cried, “has anything hurt you? +Tell me, I pray you, what is the matter, for perhaps I can help!” + +So the prince told her the whole story, and of the impossible task +given him by the crocodile. + +“How can a sand hole remain full of water?” asked he. “Of course, it +will all run through. The crocodile called it a ‘chance’; but he might +as well have dragged me into the river at once. He said truly that I +cannot escape him.” + +“Oh, if that is all,” cried the princess, “I can set you free myself, +for my fairy godmother taught me to know the use of plants and in the +desert not far from here there grows a little four-leaved herb which +will keep the water in the pit for a whole year. I will go in search of +it at dawn, and you can begin to dig the hole as soon as you like. + +To comfort her husband, the princess had spoken lightly and gaily; but +she knew very well she had no light task before her. Still, she was +full of courage and energy, and determined that, one way or another, +her husband should be saved. + +It was still starlight when she left the palace on a snow-white donkey, +and rode away from the river straight to the west. For some time she +could see nothing before her but a flat waste of sand, which became +hotter and hotter as the sun rose higher and higher. Then a dreadful +thirst seized her and the donkey, but there was no stream to quench it, +and if there had been she would hardly have had time to stop, for she +still had far to go, and must be back before evening, or else the +crocodile might declare that the prince had not fulfilled his +conditions. So she spoke cheering words to her donkey, who brayed in +reply, and the two pushed steadily on. + +Oh! how glad they both were when they caught sight of a tall rock in +the distance. They forgot that they were thirsty, and that the sun was +hot; and the ground seemed to fly under their feet, till the donkey +stopped of its own accord in the cool shadow. But though the donkey +might rest the princess could not, for the plant, as she knew, grew on +the very top of the rock, and a wide chasm ran round the foot of it. +Luckily she had brought a rope with her, and making a noose at one end, +she flung it across with all her might. The first time it slid back +slowly into the ditch, and she had to draw it up, and throw it again, +but at length the noose caught on something, the princess could not see +what, and had to trust her whole weight to this little bridge, which +might snap and let her fall deep down among the rocks. And in that case +her death was as certain as that of the prince. + +But nothing so dreadful happened. The princess got safely to the other +side, and then became the worst part of her task. As fast as she put +her foot on a ledge of the rock the stone broke away from under her, +and left her in the same place as before. Meanwhile the hours were +passing, and it was nearly noon. + +The heart of the poor princess was filled with despair, but she would +not give up the struggle. She looked round till she saw a small stone +above her which seemed rather stronger than the rest, and by only +poising her foot lightly on those that lay between, she managed by a +great effort to reach it. In this way, with torn and bleeding hands, +she gained the top; but here such a violent wind was blowing that she +was almost blinded with dust, and was obliged to throw herself on the +ground, and feel about after the precious herb. + +For a few terrible moments she thought that the rock was bare, and that +her journey had been to no purpose. Feel where she would, there was +nothing but grit and stones, when, suddenly, her fingers touched +something soft in a crevice. It was a plant, that was clear; but was it +the right one? See she could not, for the wind was blowing more +fiercely than ever, so she lay where she was and counted the leaves. +One, two, three—yes! yes! there were four! And plucking a leaf she held +it safe in her hand while she turned, almost stunned by the wind, to go +down the rock. + +When once she was safely over the side all became still in a moment, +and she slid down the rock so fast that it was only a wonder that she +did not land in the chasm. However, by good luck, she stopped quite +close to her rope bridge and was soon across it. The donkey brayed +joyfully at the sight of her, and set off home at his best speed, never +seeming to know that the earth under his feet was nearly as hot as the +sun above him. + +On the bank of the great river he halted, and the princess rushed up to +where the prince was standing by the pit he had digged in the dry sand, +with a huge water pot beside it. A little way off the crocodile lay +blinking in the sun, with his sharp teeth and whity-yellow jaws wide +open. + +At a signal from the princess the prince poured the water in the hole, +and the moment it reached the brim the princess flung in the +four-leaved plant. Would the charm work, or would the water trickle +away slowly through the sand, and the prince fall a victim to that +horrible monster? For half an hour they stood with their eyes rooted to +the spot, but the hole remained as full as at the beginning, with the +little green leaf floating on the top. Then the prince turned with a +shout of triumph, and the crocodile sulkily plunged into the river. + +The prince had escape for ever the second of his three fates! + +He stood there looking after the crocodile, and rejoicing that he was +free, when he was startled by a wild duck which flew past them, seeking +shelter among the rushes that bordered the edge of the stream. In +another instant his dog dashed by in hot pursuit, and knocked heavily +against his master’s legs. The prince staggered, lost his balance and +fell backwards into the river, where the mud and the rushes caught him +and held him fast. He shrieked for help to his wife, who came running; +and luckily brought her rope with her. The poor old dog was drowned, +but the prince was pulled to shore. “My wife,” he said, “has been +stronger than my fate.” + +[Adapted from Les Contes Populaires de l’Egypte Ancienne.] + + + + +The Fox and the Lapp + + +Once upon a time a fox lay peeping out of his hole, watching the road +that ran by at a little distance, and hoping to see something that +might amuse him, for he was feeling very dull and rather cross. For a +long while he watched in vain; everything seemed asleep, and not even a +bird stirred overhead. The fox grew crosser than ever, and he was just +turning away in disgust from his place when he heard the sound of feet +coming over the snow. He crouched eagerly down at the edge of the road +and said to himself: “I wonder what would happen if I were to pretend +to be dead! This is a man driving a reindeer sledge, I know the +tinkling of the harness. And at any rate I shall have an adventure, and +that is always something!” + +So he stretched himself out by the side of the road, carefully choosing +a spot where the driver could not help seeing him, yet where the +reindeer would not tread on him; and all fell out just as he had +expected. The sledge-driver pulled up sharply, as his eyes lighted on +the beautiful animal lying stiffly beside him, and jumping out he threw +the fox into the bottom of the sledge, where the goods he was carrying +were bound tightly together by ropes. The fox did not move a muscle +though his bones were sore from the fall, and the driver got back to +his seat again and drove on merrily. + +But before they had gone very far, the fox, who was near the edge, +contrived to slip over, and when the Laplander saw him stretched out on +the snow he pulled up his reindeer and put the fox into one of the +other sledges that was fastened behind, for it was market-day at the +nearest town, and the man had much to sell. + +They drove on a little further, when some noise in the forest made the +man turn his head, just in time to see the fox fall with a heavy thump +on to the frozen snow. “That beast is bewitched!” he said to himself, +and then he threw the fox into the last sledge of all, which had a +cargo of fishes. This was exactly what the cunning creature wanted, and +he wriggled gently to the front and bit the cord which tied the sledge +to the one before it so that it remained standing in the middle of the +road. + +Now there were so many sledges that the Lapp did not notice for a long +while that one was missing; indeed, he would have entered the town +without knowing if snow had not suddenly begun to fall. Then he got +down to secure more firmly the cloths that kept his goods dry, and +going to the end of the long row, discovered that the sledge containing +the fish and the fox was missing. He quickly unharnessed one of his +reindeer and rode back along the way he had come, to find the sledge +standing safe in the middle of the road; but as the fox had bitten off +the cord close to the noose there was no means of moving it away. + +The fox meanwhile was enjoying himself mightily. As soon as he had +loosened the sledge, he had taken his favourite fish from among the +piles neatly arranged for sale, and had trotted off to the forest with +it in his mouth. By-and-by he met a bear, who stopped and said: “Where +did you find that fish, Mr. Fox?” + +“Oh, not far off,” answered he; “I just stuck my tail in the stream +close by the place where the elves dwell, and the fish hung on to it of +itself.” + +“Dear me,” snarled the bear, who was hungry and not in a good temper, +“if the fish hung on to your tail, I suppose he will hang on to mine.” + +“Yes, certainly, grandfather,” replied the fox, “if you have patience +to suffer what I suffered.” + +“Of course I can,” replied the bear, “what nonsense you talk! Show me +the way.” + +So the fox led him to the bank of a stream, which, being in a warm +place, had only lightly frozen in places, and was at this moment +glittering in the spring sunshine. + +“The elves bathe here,” he said, “and if you put in your tail the fish +will catch hold of it. But it is no use being in a hurry, or you will +spoil everything.” + +Then he trotted off, but only went out of sight of the bear, who stood +still on the bank with his tail deep in the water. Soon the sun set and +it grew very cold and the ice formed rapidly, and the bear’s tail was +fixed as tight as if a vice had held it; and when the fox saw that +everything had happened just as he had planned it, he called out +loudly: + +“Be quick, good people, and come with your bows and spears. A bear has +been fishing in your brook!” + +And in a moment the whole place was full of little creatures each one +with a tiny bow and a spear hardly big enough for a baby; but both +arrows and spears could sting, as the bear knew very well, and in his +fright he gave such a tug to his tail that it broke short off, and he +rolled away into the forest as fast as his legs could carry him. At +this sight the fox held his sides for laughing, and then scampered away +in another direction. By-and-by he came to a fir tree, and crept into a +hole under the root. After that he did something very strange. + +Taking one of his hind feet between his two front paws, he said softly: + +“What would you do, my foot, if someone was to betray me?” + +“I would run so quickly that he should not catch you.” + +“What would you do, mine ear, if someone was to betray me?” + +“I would listen so hard that I should hear all his plans.” + +“What would you do, my nose, if someone was to betray me?” + +“I would smell so sharply that I should know from afar that he was +coming.” + +“What would you do, my tail, if someone was to betray me?” + +“I would steer you so straight a course that you would soon be beyond +his reach. Let us be off; I feel as if danger was near.” + +But the fox was comfortable where he was, and did not hurry himself to +take his tail’s advice. And before very long he found he was too late, +for the bear had come round by another path, and guessing where his +enemy was began to scratch at the roots of the tree. The fox made +himself as small as he could, but a scrap of his tail peeped out, and +the bear seized it and held it tight. Then the fox dug his claws into +the ground, but he was not strong enough to pull against the bear, and +slowly he was dragged forth and his body flung over the bear’s neck. In +this manner they set out down the road, the fox’s tail being always in +the bear’s mouth. + +After they had gone some way, they passed a tree-stump, on which a +bright coloured woodpecker was tapping. + +“Ah! those were better times when I used to paint all the birds such +gay colours,” sighed the fox. + +“What are you saying, old fellow?” asked the bear. + +“I? Oh, I was saying nothing,” answered the fox drearily. “Just carry +me to your cave and eat me up as quick as you can.” + +The bear was silent, and thought of his supper; and the two continued +their journey till they reached another tree with a woodpecker tapping +on it. + +“Ah! those were better times when I used to paint all the birds such +gay colours,” said the fox again to himself. + +“Couldn’t you paint me too?” asked the bear suddenly. + +But the fox shook his head; for he was always acting, even if no one +was there to see him do it. + +“You bear pain so badly,” he replied, in a thoughtful voice, “and you +are impatient besides, and could never put up with all that is +necessary. Why, you would first have to dig a pit, and then twist ropes +of willow, and drive in posts and fill the hole with pitch, and, last +of all, set it on fire. Oh, no; you would never be able to do all +that.” + +“It does not matter a straw how hard the work is,” answered the bear +eagerly, “I will do it every bit.” And as he spoke he began tearing up +the earth so fast that soon a deep pit was ready, deep enough to hold +him. + +“That is all right,” said the fox at last, “I see I was mistaken in +you. Now sit here, and I will bind you.” So the bear sat down on the +edge of the pit, and the fox sprang on his back, which he crossed with +the willow ropes, and then set fire to the pitch. It burnt up in an +instant, and caught the bands of willow and the bear’s rough hair; but +he did not stir, for he thought that the fox was rubbing the bright +colours into his skin, and that he would soon be as beautiful as a +whole meadow of flowers. But when the fire grew hotter still he moved +uneasily from one foot to the other, saying, imploringly: “It is +getting rather warm, old man.” But all the answer he got was: “I +thought you would never be able to suffer pain like those little +birds.” + +The bear did not like being told that he was not as brave as a bird, so +he set his teeth and resolved to endure anything sooner than speak +again; but by this time the last willow band had burned through, and +with a push the fox sent his victim tumbling into the grass, and ran +off to hide himself in the forest. After a while he stole cautiously +and found, as he expected, nothing left but a few charred bones. These +he picked up and put in a bag, which he slung over his back. + +By-and-by he met a Lapp driving his team of reindeer along the road, +and as he drew near, the fox rattled the bones gaily. + +“That sounds like silver or gold,” thought the man to himself. And he +said politely to the fox: + +“Good-day, friend! What have you got in your bag that makes such a +strange sound?” + +“All the wealth my father left me,” answered the fox. “Do you feel +inclined to bargain?” + +“Well, I don’t mind,” replied the Lapp, who was a prudent man, and did +not wish the fox to think him too eager; “but show me first what money +you have got.” + +“Ah, but I can’t do that,” answered the fox, “my bag is sealed up. But +if you will give me those three reindeer, you shall take it as it is, +with all its contents.” + +The Lapp did not quite like it, but the fox spoke with such an air that +his doubts melted away. He nodded, and stretched out his hand; the fox +put the bag into it, and unharnassed the reindeer he had chosen. + +“Oh, I forgot!” he exclaimed, turning round, as he was about to drive +them in the opposite direction, “you must be sure not to open the bag +until you have gone at least five miles, right on the other side of +those hills out there. If you do, you will find that all the gold and +silver has changed into a parcel of charred bones.” Then he whipped up +his reindeer, and was soon out of sight. + +For some time the Lapp was satisfied with hearing the bones rattle, and +thinking to himself what a good bargain he had made, and of all the +things he would buy with the money. But, after a bit, this amusement +ceased to content him, and besides, what was the use of planning when +you did not know for certain how rich you were? Perhaps there might be +a great deal of silver and only a little gold in the bag; or a great +deal of gold, and only a little silver. Who could tell? He would not, +of course, take the money out to count it, for that might bring him bad +luck. But there could be no harm in just one peep! So he slowly broke +the seal, and untied the strings, and, behold, a heap of burnt bones +lay before him! In a minute he knew he had been tricked, and flinging +the bag to the ground in a rage, he ran after the fox as fast as his +snow-shoes would carry him. + +Now the fox had guessed exactly what would happen, and was on the look +out. Directly he saw the little speck coming towards him, he wished +that the man’s snow-shoes might break, and that very instant the Lapp’s +shoes snapped in two. The Lapp did now know that this was the fox’s +work, but he had to stop and fetch one of his other reindeer, which he +mounted, and set off again in pursuit of his enemy. The fox soon heard +him coming, and this time he wished that the reindeer might fall and +break its leg. And so it did; and the man felt it was a hopeless chase, +and that he was no match for the fox. + +So the fox drove on in peace till he reached the cave where all his +stores were kept, and then he began to wonder whom he could get to help +him kill his reindeer, for though he could steal reindeer he was too +small to kill them. “After all, it will be quite easy,” thought he, and +he bade a squirrel, who was watching him on a tree close by, take a +message to all the robber beasts of the forest, and in less than half +an hour a great crashing of branches was heard, and bears, wolves, +snakes, mice, frogs, and other creatures came pressing up to the cave. + +When they heard why they had been summoned, they declared themselves +ready each one to do his part. The bear took his crossbow from his neck +and shot the reindeer in the chin; and, from that day to this, every +reindeer has a mark in that same spot, which is always known as the +bear’s arrow. The wolf shot him in the thigh, and the sign of his arrow +still remains; and so with the mouse and the viper and all the rest, +even the frog; and at the last the reindeer all died. And the fox did +nothing, but looked on. + +“I really must go down to the brook and wash myself,” said he (though +he was perfectly clean), and he went under the bank and hid himself +behind a stone. From there he set up the most frightful shrieks, so +that the animals fled away in all directions. Only the mouse and the +ermine remained where they were, for they thought that they were much +too small to be noticed. + +The fox continued his shrieks till he felt sure that the animals must +have got to a safe distance; then he crawled out of his hiding-place +and went to the bodies of the reindeer, which he now had all to +himself. He gathered a bundle of sticks for a fire, and was just +preparing to cook a steak, when his enemy, the Lapp, came up, panting +with haste and excitement. + +“What are you doing there?” cried he; “why did you palm off those bones +on me? And why, when you had got the reindeer, did you kill them?” + +“Dear brother,” answered the fox with a sob, “do not blame me for this +misfortune. It is my comrades who have slain them in spite of my +prayers.” + +The man made no reply, for the white fur of the ermine, who was +crouching with the mouse behind some stones, had just caught his eye. +He hastily seized the iron hook which hung over the fire and flung it +at the little creature; but the ermine was too quick for him, and the +hook only touched the top of its tail, and that has remained black to +this day. As for the mouse, the Lapp threw a half-burnt stick after +him, and though it was not enough to hurt him, his beautiful white skin +was smeared all over with it, and all the washing in the world would +not make him clean again. And the man would have been wiser if he had +let the ermine and the mouse alone, for when he turned round again he +found he was alone. + +Directly the fox noticed that his enemy’s attention had wandered from +himself he watched his chance, and stole softly away till he had +reached a clump of thick bushes, when he ran as fast as he could, till +he reached a river, where a man was mending his boat. + +“Oh, I wish, I wish, I had a boat to mend too!” he cried, sitting up on +his hind-legs and looking into the man’s face. + +“Stop your silly chatter!” answered the man crossly, “or I will give +you a bath in the river.” + +“Oh, I wish, I do wish, I had a boat to mend,” cried the fox again, as +if he had not heard. And the man grew angry and seized him by the tail, +and threw him far out in the stream close to the edge of an island; +which was just what the fox wanted. He easily scrambled up, and sitting +on the top, he called: “Hasten, hasten, O fishes, and carry me to the +other side!” And the fishes left the stones where they had been +sleeping, and the pools where they had been feeding, and hurried to see +who could get to the island first. + +“I have won,” shouted the pike. “Jump on my back, dear fox, and you +will find yourself in a trice on the opposite shore.” + +“No, thank you,” answered the fox, “your back is much too weak for me. +I should break it.” + +“Try mine,” said the eel, who had wriggled to the front. + +“No, thank you,” replied the fox again, “I should slip over your head +and be drowned.” + +“You won’t slip on MY back,” said the perch, coming forward. + +“No; but you are really TOO rough,” returned the fox. + +“Well, you can have no fault to find with ME,” put in the trout. + +“Good gracious! are YOU here?” exclaimed the fox. “But I’m afraid to +trust myself to you either.” + +At this moment a fine salmon swam slowly up. + +“Ah, yes, you are the person I want,” said the fox; “but come near, so +that I may get on your back, without wetting my feet.” + +So the salmon swam close under the island, and when he was touching it +the fox seized him in his claws and drew him out of the water, and put +him on a spit, while he kindled a fire to cook him by. When everything +was ready, and the water in the pot was getting hot, he popped him in, +and waited till he thought the salmon was nearly boiled. But as he +stooped down the water gave a sudden fizzle, and splashed into the +fox’s eyes, blinding him. He started backwards with a cry of pain, and +sat still for some minutes, rocking himself to and fro. When he was a +little better he rose and walked down a road till he met a grouse, who +stopped and asked what was the matter. + +“Have you a pair of eyes anywhere about you?” asked the fox politely. + +“No, I am afraid I haven’t,” answered the grouse, and passed on. + +A little while after the fox heard the buzzing of an early bee, whom a +gleam of sun had tempted out. + +“Do you happen to have an extra pair of eyes anywhere?” asked the fox. + +“I am sorry to say I have only those I am using,” replied the bee. And +the fox went on till he nearly fell over an asp who was gliding across +the road. + +“I should be SO glad if you would tell me where I could get a pair of +eyes,” said the fox. “I suppose you don’t happen to have any you could +lend me?” + +“Well, if you only want them for a short time, perhaps I could manage,” +answered the asp; “but I can’t do without them for long.” + +“Oh, it is only for a very short time that I need them,” said the fox; +“I have a pair of my own just behind that hill, and when I find them I +will bring yours back to you. Perhaps you will keep these till them.” +So he took the eyes out of his own head and popped them into the head +of the asp, and put the asp’s eyes in their place. As he was running +off he cried over his shoulder: “As long as the world lasts the asps’ +eyes will go down in the heads of foxes from generation to generation.” + +And so it has been; and if you look at the eyes of an asp you will see +that they are all burnt; and though thousands and thousands of years +have gone by since the fox was going about playing tricks upon +everybody he met, the asp still bears the traces of the day when the +sly creature cooked the salmon. + +[Lapplandische Mahrchen.] + + + + +Kisa the Cat + + +Once upon a time there lived a queen who had a beautiful cat, the +colour of smoke, with china-blue eyes, which she was very fond of. The +cat was constantly with her, and ran after her wherever she went, and +even sat up proudly by her side when she drove out in her fine glass +coach. + +“Oh, pussy,” said the queen one day, “you are happier than I am! For +you have a dear kitten just like yourself, and I have nobody to play +with but you.” + +“Don’t cry,” answered the cat, laying her paw on her mistress’s arm. +“Crying never does any good. I will see what can be done.” + +The cat was as good as her word. As soon as she returned from her drive +she trotted off to the forest to consult a fairy who dwelt there, and +very soon after the queen had a little girl, who seemed made out of +snow and sunbeams. The queen was delighted, and soon the baby began to +take notice of the kitten as she jumped about the room, and would not +go to sleep at all unless the kitten lay curled up beside her. + +Two or three months went by, and though the baby was still a baby, the +kitten was fast becoming a cat, and one evening when, as usual, the +nurse came to look for her, to put her in the baby’s cot, she was +nowhere to be found. What a hunt there was for that kitten, to be sure! +The servants, each anxious to find her, as the queen was certain to +reward the lucky man, searched in the most impossible places. Boxes +were opened that would hardly have held the kitten’s paw; books were +taken from bookshelves, lest the kitten should have got behind them, +drawers were pulled out, for perhaps the kitten might have got shut in. +But it was all no use. The kitten had plainly run away, and nobody +could tell if it would ever choose to come back. + +Years passed away, and one day, when the princess was playing ball in +the garden, she happened to throw her ball farther than usual, and it +fell into a clump of rose-bushes. The princess of course ran after it +at once, and she was stooping down to feel if it was hidden in the long +grass, when she heard a voice calling her: “Ingibjorg! Ingibjorg!” it +said, “have you forgotten me? I am Kisa, your sister!” + +“But I never HAD a sister,” answered Ingibjorg, very much puzzled; for +she knew nothing of what had taken place so long ago. + +“Don’t you remember how I always slept in your cot beside you, and how +you cried till I came? But girls have no memories at all! Why, I could +find my way straight up to that cot this moment, if I was once inside +the palace.” + +“Why did you go away then?” asked the princess. But before Kisa could +answer, Ingibjorg’s attendants arrived breathless on the scene, and +were so horrified at the sight of a strange cat, that Kisa plunged into +the bushes and went back to the forest. + +The princess was very much vexed with her ladies-in-waiting for +frightening away her old playfellow, and told the queen who came to her +room every evening to bid her good-night. + +“Yes, it is quite true what Kisa said,” answered the queen; “I should +have liked to see her again. Perhaps, some day, she will return, and +then you must bring her to me.” + +Next morning it was very hot, and the princess declared that she must +go and play in the forest, where it was always cool, under the big +shady trees. As usual, her attendants let her do anything she pleased, +and sitting down on a mossy bank where a little stream tinkled by, soon +fell sound asleep. The princess saw with delight that they would pay no +heed to her, and wandered on and on, expecting every moment to see some +fairies dancing round a ring, or some little brown elves peeping at her +from behind a tree. But, alas! she met none of these; instead, a +horrible giant came out of his cave and ordered her to follow him. The +princess felt much afraid, as he was so big and ugly, and began to be +sorry that she had not stayed within reach of help; but as there was no +use in disobeying the giant, she walked meekly behind. + +They went a long way, and Ingibjorg grew very tired, and at length +began to cry. + +“I don’t like girls who make horrid noises,” said the giant, turning +round. “But if you WANT to cry, I will give you something to cry for.” +And drawing an axe from his belt, he cut off both her feet, which he +picked up and put in his pocket. Then he went away. + +Poor Ingibjorg lay on the grass in terrible pain, and wondering if she +should stay there till she died, as no one would know where to look for +her. How long it was since she had set out in the morning she could not +tell—it seemed years to her, of course; but the sun was still high in +the heavens when she heard the sound of wheels, and then, with a great +effort, for her throat was parched with fright and pain, she gave a +shout. + +“I am coming!” was the answer; and in another moment a cart made its +way through the trees, driven by Kisa, who used her tail as a whip to +urge the horse to go faster. Directly Kisa saw Ingibjorg lying there, +she jumped quickly down, and lifting the girl carefully in her two +front paws, laid her upon some soft hay, and drove back to her own +little hut. + +In the corner of the room was a pile of cushions, and these Kisa +arranged as a bed. Ingibjorg, who by this time was nearly fainting from +all she had gone through, drank greedily some milk, and then sank back +on the cushions while Kisa fetched some dried herbs from a cupboard, +soaked them in warm water and tied them on the bleeding legs. The pain +vanished at once, and Ingibjorg looked up and smiled at Kisa. + +“You will go to sleep now,” said the cat, “and you will not mind if I +leave you for a little while. I will lock the door, and no one can hurt +you.” But before she had finished the princess was asleep. Then Kisa +got into the cart, which was standing at the door, and catching up the +reins, drove straight to the giant’s cave. + +Leaving her cart behind some trees, Kisa crept gently up to the open +door, and, crouching down, listened to what the giant was telling his +wife, who was at supper with him. + +“The first day that I can spare I shall just go back and kill her,” he +said; “it would never do for people in the forest to know that a mere +girl can defy me!” And he and his wife were so busy calling Ingibjorg +all sorts of names for her bad behaviour, that they never noticed Kisa +stealing into a dark corner, and upsetting a whole bag of salt into the +great pot before the fire. + +“Dear me, how thirsty I am!” cried the giant by-and-by. + +“So am I,” answered the wife. “I do wish I had not taken that last +spoonful of broth; I am sure something was wrong with it.” + +“If I don’t get some water I shall die,” went on the giant. And rushing +out of the cave, followed by his wife, he ran down the path which led +to the river. + +Then Kisa entered the hut, and lost no time in searching every hole +till she came upon some grass, under which Ingibjorg’s feet were +hidden, and putting them in her cart, drove back again to her own hut. + +Ingibjorg was thankful to see her, for she had lain, too frightened to +sleep, trembling at every noise. + +“Oh, is it you?” she cried joyfully, as Kisa turned the key. And the +cat came in, holding up the two neat little feet in their silver +slippers. + +“In two minutes they shall be as tight as they ever were!” said Kisa. +And taking some strings of the magic grass which the giant had +carelessly heaped on them, she bound the feet on to the legs above. + +“Of course you won’t be able to walk for some time; you must not expect +THAT,” she continued. “But if you are very good, perhaps, in about a +week, I may carry you home again.” + +And so she did; and when the cat drove the cart up to the palace gate, +lashing the horse furiously with her tail, and the king and queen saw +their lost daughter sitting beside her, they declared that no reward +could be too great for the person who had brought her out of the +giant’s hands. + +“We will talk about that by-and-by,” said the cat, as she made her best +bow, and turned her horse’s head. + +The princess was very unhappy when Kisa left her without even bidding +her farewell. She would neither eat nor drink, nor take any notice of +all the beautiful dresses her parents bought for her. + +“She will die, unless we can make her laugh,” one whispered to the +other. “Is there anything in the world that we have left untried?” + +“Nothing except marriage,” answered the king. And he invited all the +handsomest young men he could think of to the palace, and bade the +princess choose a husband from among them. + +It took her some time to decide which she admired the most, but at last +she fixed upon a young prince, whose eyes were like the pools in the +forest, and his hair of bright gold. The king and the queen were +greatly pleased, as the young man was the son of a neighbouring king, +and they gave orders that a splendid feast should be got ready. + +When the marriage was over, Kisa suddenly stood before them, and +Ingibjorg rushed forward and clasped her in her arms. + +“I have come to claim my reward,” said the cat. “Let me sleep for this +night at the foot of your bed.” + +“Is that ALL?” asked Ingibjorg, much disappointed. + +“It is enough,” answered the cat. And when the morning dawned, it was +no cat that lay upon the bed, but a beautiful princess. + +“My mother and I were both enchanted by a spiteful fairy,” said she, +“we could not free ourselves till we had done some kindly deed that had +never been wrought before. My mother died without ever finding a chance +of doing anything new, but I took advantage of the evil act of the +giant to make you as whole as ever.” + +Then they were all more delighted than before, and the princess lived +in the court until she, too, married, and went away to govern one of +her own. + +[Adapted from Neuislandischen Volksmärchen.] + + + + +The Lion and the Cat + + +Far away on the other side of the world there lived, long ago, a lion +and his younger brother, the wild cat, who were so fond of each other +that they shared the same hut. The lion was much the bigger and +stronger of the two—indeed, he was much bigger and stronger than any of +the beasts that dwelt in the forest; and, besides, he could jump father +and run faster than all the rest. If strength and swiftness could gain +him a dinner he was sure never to be without one, but when it came to +cunning, both the grizzly bear and the serpent could get the better of +him, and he was forced to call in the help of the wild cat. + +Now the young wild cat had a lovely golden ball, so beautiful that you +could hardly look at it except through a piece of smoked glass, and he +kept it hidden in the thick fur muff that went round his neck. A very +large old animal, since dead, had given it to him when he was hardly +more than a baby, and had told him never to part with it, for as long +as he kept it no harm could ever come near him. + +In general the wild cat did not need to use his ball, for the lion was +fond of hunting, and could kill all the food that they needed; but now +and then his life would have been in danger had it not been for the +golden ball. + +One day the two brothers started to hunt at daybreak, but as the cat +could not run nearly as fast as the lion, he had quite a long start. At +least he THOUGHT it was a long one, but in a very few bounds and +springs the lion reached his side. + +“There is a bear sitting on that tree,” he whispered softly. “He is +only waiting for us to pass, to drop down on my back.” + +“Ah, you are so big that he does not see I am behind you,” answered the +wild cat. And, touching the ball, he just said: “Bear, die!” And the +bear tumbled dead out of the tree, and rolled over just in front of +them. + +For some time they trotted on without any adventures, till just as they +were about to cross a strip of long grass on the edge of the forest, +the lion’s quick ears detected a faint rustling noise. + +“That is a snake,” he cried, stopping short, for he was much more +afraid of snakes than of bears. + +“Oh, it is all right,” answered the cat. “Snake, die!” And the snake +died, and the two brothers skinned it. They then folded the skin up +into a very small parcel, and the cat tucked it into his mane, for +snakes’ skins can do all sorts of wonderful things, if you are lucky +enough to have one of them. + +All this time they had had no dinner, for the snake’s flesh was not +nice, and the lion did not like eating bear—perhaps because he never +felt sure that the bear was REALLY dead, and would not jump up alive +when his enemy went near him. Most people are afraid of SOME thing, and +bears and serpents were the only creatures that caused the lion’s heart +to tremble. So the two brothers set off again and soon reached the side +of a hill where some fine deer were grazing. + +“Kill one of those deer for your own dinner,” said the boy-brother, +“but catch me another alive. I want him.” + +The lion at once sprang towards them with a loud roar, but the deer +bounded away, and they were all three soon lost to sight. The cat +waited for a long while, but finding that the lion did not return, went +back to the house where they lived. + +It was quite dark when the lion came home, where his brother was +sitting curled up in one corner. + +“Did you catch the deer for me?” asked the boy-brother, springing up. + +“Well, no,” replied the man-brother. “The fact is, that I did not get +up to them till we had run half way across the world and left the wind +far behind us. Think what a trouble it would have been to drag it here! +So—I just ate them both.” + +The cat said nothing, but he did not feel that he loved his big +brother. He had thought a great deal about that deer, and had meant to +get on his back to ride him as a horse, and go to see all the wonderful +places the lion talked to him about when he was in a good temper. The +more he thought of it the more sulky he grew, and in the morning, when +the lion said that it was time for them to start to hunt, the cat told +him that he might kill the bear and snake by himself, as HE had a +headache, and would rather stay at home. The little fellow knew quite +well that the lion would not dare to go out without him and his ball +for fear of meeting a bear or a snake. + +The quarrel went on, and for many days neither of the brothers spoke to +each other, and what made them still more cross was, that they could +get very little to eat, and we know that people are often cross when +they are hungry. At last it occurred to the lion that if he could only +steal the magic ball he could kill bears and snakes for himself, and +then the cat might be as sulky as he liked for anything that it would +matter. But how was the stealing to be done? The cat had the ball hung +round his neck day and night, and he was such a light sleeper that it +was useless to think of taking it while he slept. No! the only thing +was to get him to lend it of his own accord, and after some days the +lion (who was not at all clever) hit upon a plan that he thought would +do. + +“Dear me, how dull it is here!” said the lion one afternoon, when the +rain was pouring down in such torrents that, however sharp your eyes or +your nose might be, you could not spy a single bird or beast among the +bushes. “Dear me, how dull, how dreadfully dull I am. Couldn’t we have +a game of catch with that golden ball of yours?” + +“I don’t care about playing catch, it does not amuse me,” answered the +cat, who was as cross as ever; for no cat, even to this day, ever +forgets an injury done to him. + +“Well, then, lend me the ball for a little, and I will play by myself,” +replied the lion, stretching out a paw as he spoke. + +“You can’t play in the rain, and if you did, you would only lose it in +the bushes,” said the cat. + +“Oh, no, I won’t; I will play in here. Don’t be so ill-natured.” And +with a very bad grace the cat untied the string and threw the golden +ball into the lion’s lap, and composed himself to sleep again. + +For a long while the lion tossed it up and down gaily, feeling that, +however sound asleep the boy-brother might LOOK, he was sure to have +one eye open; but gradually he began to edge closer to the opening, and +at last gave such a toss that the ball went up high into the air, and +he could not see what became of it. + +“Oh, how stupid of me!” he cried, as the cat sprang up angrily, “let us +go at once and search for it. It can’t really have fallen very far.” +But though they searched that day and the next, and the next after +that, they never found it, because it never came down. + +After the loss of his ball the cat refused to live with the lion any +longer, but wandered away to the north, always hoping he might meet +with his ball again. But months passed, and years passed, and though he +travelled over hundreds of miles, he never saw any traces of it. + +At length, when he was getting quite old, he came to a place unlike any +that he had ever seen before, where a big river rolled right to the +foot of some high mountains. The ground all about the river bank was +damp and marshy, and as no cat likes to wet its feet, this one climbed +a tree that rose high above the water, and thought sadly of his lost +ball, which would have helped him out of this horrible place. Suddenly +he saw a beautiful ball, for all the world like his own, dangling from +a branch of the tree he was on. He longed to get at it; but was the +branch strong enough to bear his weight? It was no use, after all he +had done, getting drowned in the water. However, it could do no harm, +if he was to go a little way; he could always manage to get back +somehow. + +So he stretched himself at full length upon the branch, and wriggled +his body cautiously along. To his delight it seemed thick and stout. +Another movement, and, by stretching out his paw, he would be able to +draw the string towards him, when the branch gave a loud crack, and the +cat made haste to wriggle himself back the way he had come. + +But when cats make up their minds to do anything they generally DO it; +and this cat began to look about to see if there was really no way of +getting at his ball. Yes! there was, and it was much surer than the +other, though rather more difficult. Above the bough where the ball was +hung was another bough much thicker, which he knew could not break with +his weight; and by holding on tight to this with all his four paws, he +could just manage to touch the ball with his tail. He would thus be +able to whisk the ball to and fro till, by-and-by, the string would +become quite loose, and it would fall to the ground. It might take some +time, but the lion’s little brother was patient, like most cats. + +Well, it all happened just as the cat intended it should, and when the +ball dropped on the ground the cat ran down the tree like lightning, +and, picking it up, tucked it away in the snake’s skin round his neck. +Then he began jumping along the shore of the Big Water from one place +to another, trying to find a boat, or even a log of wood, that would +take him across. But there was nothing; only, on the other side, he saw +two girls cooking, and though he shouted to them at the top of his +voice, they were too far off to hear what he said. And, what was worse, +the ball suddenly fell out of its snake’s skin bag right into the +river. + +Now, it is not at all an uncommon thing for balls to tumble into +rivers, but in that case they generally either fall to the bottom and +stay there, or else bob about on the top of the water close to where +they first touched it. But this ball, instead of doing either of these +things, went straight across to the other side, and there one of the +girls saw it when she stooped to dip some water into her pail. + +“Oh! what a lovely ball!” cried she, and tried to catch it in her pail; +but the ball always kept bobbing just out of her reach. + +“Come and help me!” she called to her sister, and after a long while +they had the ball safe inside the pail. They were delighted with their +new toy, and one or the other held it in her hand till bedtime came, +and then it was a long time before they could make up their minds where +it would be safest for the night. At last they locked it in a cupboard +in one corner of their room, and as there was no hole anywhere the ball +could not possibly get out. After that they went to sleep. + +In the morning the first thing they both did was to run to the cupboard +and unlock it, but when the door opened they started back, for, instead +of the ball, there stood a handsome young man. + +“Ladies,” he said, “how can I thank you for what you have done for me? +Long, long ago, I was enchanted by a wicked fairy, and condemned to +keep the shape of a ball till I should meet with two maidens, who would +take me to their own home. But where was I to meet them? For hundreds +of years I have lived in the depths of the forest, where nothing but +wild beasts ever came, and it was only when the lion threw me into the +sky that I was able to fall to earth near this river. Where there is a +river, sooner or later people will come; so, hanging myself on a tree, +I watched and waited. For a moment I lost heart when I fell once more +into the hands of my old master the wild cat, but my hopes rose again +as I saw he was making for the river bank opposite where you were +standing. That was my chance, and I took it. And now, ladies, I have +only to say that, if ever I can do anything to help you, go to the top +of that high mountain and knock three times at the iron door at the +north side, and I will come to you.” + +So, with a low bow, he vanished from before them, leaving the maidens +weeping at having lost in one moment both the ball and the prince. + +[Adapted from North American Indian Legends.] + + + + +Which was the Foolishest? + + +In a little village that stood on a wide plain, where you could see the +sun from the moment he rose to the moment he set, there lived two +couples side by side. The men, who worked under the same master, were +quite good friends, but the wives were always quarrelling, and the +subject they quarrelled most about was—which of the two had the +stupidest husband. + +Unlike most women—who think that anything that belongs to them must be +better than what belongs to anyone else—each thought her husband the +more foolish of the two. + +“You should just see what he does!” one said to her neighbour. “He puts +on the baby’s frock upside down, and, one day, I found him trying to +feed her with boiling soup, and her mouth was scalded for days after. +Then he picks up stones in the road and sows them instead of potatoes, +and one day he wanted to go into the garden from the top window, +because he declared it was a shorter way than through the door.” + +“That is bad enough, of course,” answered the other; “but it is really +NOTHING to what I have to endure every day from MY husband. If, when I +am busy, I ask him to go and feed the poultry, he is certain to give +them some poisonous stuff instead of their proper food, and when I +visit the yard next I find them all dead. Once he even took my best +bonnet, when I had gone away to my sick mother, and when I came back I +found he had given it to the hen to lay her eggs in. And you know +yourself that, only last week, when I sent him to buy a cask of butter, +he returned driving a hundred and fifty ducks which someone had induced +him to take, and not one of them would lay.” + +“Yes, I am afraid he IS trying,” replied the first; “but let us put +them to the proof, and see which of them is the most foolish.” + +So, about the time that she expected her husband home from work, she +got out her spinning-wheel, and sat busily turning it, taking care not +even to look up from her work when the man came in. For some minutes he +stood with his mouth open watching her, and as she still remained +silent, he said at last: + +“Have you gone mad, wife, that you sit spinning without anything on the +wheel?” + +“YOU may think that there is nothing on it,” answered she, “but I can +assure you that there is a large skein of wool, so fine that nobody can +see it, which will be woven into a coat for you.” + +“Dear me!” he replied, “what a clever wife I have got! If you had not +told me I should never have known that there was any wool on the wheel +at all. But now I really do seem to see something.” + +The woman smiled and was silent, and after spinning busily for an hour +more, she got up from her stoop, and began to weave as fast as she +could. At last she got up, and said to her husband: “I am too tired to +finish it to-night, so I shall go to bed, and to-morrow I shall only +have the cutting and stitching to do.” + +So the next morning she got up early, and after she had cleaned her +house, and fed her chickens, and put everything in its place again, she +bent over the kitchen table, and the sound of her big scissors might be +heard snip! snap! as far as the garden. Her husband could not see +anything to snip at; but then he was so stupid that was not surprising! + +After the cutting came the sewing. The woman patted and pinned and +fixed and joined, and then, turning to the man, she said: + +“Now it is ready for you to try on.” And she made him take off his +coat, and stand up in front of her, and once more she patted an pinned +and fixed and joined, and was very careful in smoothing out every +wrinkle. + +“It does not feel very warm,” observed the man at last, when he had +borne all this patiently for a long time. + +“That is because it is so fine,” answered she; “you do not want it to +be as thick as the rough clothes you wear every day.” + +He DID, but was ashamed to say so, and only answered: “Well, I am sure +it must be beautiful since you say so, and I shall be smarter than +anyone in the whole village. ‘What a splendid coat!’ they will exclaim +when they see me. But it is not everybody who has a wife as clever as +mine.” + +Meanwhile the other wife was not idle. As soon as her husband entered +she looked at him with such a look of terror that the poor man was +quite frightened. + +“Why do you stare at me so? Is there anything the matter?” asked he. + +“Oh! go to bed at once,” she cried; “you must be very ill indeed to +look like that!” + +The man was rather surprised at first, as he felt particularly well +that evening; but the moment his wife spoke he became quite certain +that he had something dreadful the matter with him, and grew quite +pale. + +“I dare say it would be the best place for me,” he answered, trembling; +and he suffered his wife to take him upstairs, and to help him off with +his clothes. + +“If you sleep well during the might there MAY be a chance for you,” +said she, shaking her head, as she tucked him up warmly; “but if not—” +And of course the poor man never closed an eye till the sun rose. + +“How do you feel this morning?” asked the woman, coming in on tip-toe +when her house-work was finished. + +“Oh, bad; very bad indeed,” answered he; “I have not slept for a +moment. Can you think of nothing to make me better?” + +“I will try everything that is possible,” said the wife, who did not in +the least wish her husband to die, but was determined to show that he +was more foolish that the other man. “I will get some dried herbs and +make you a drink, but I am very much afraid that it is too late. Why +did you not tell me before?” + +“I thought perhaps the pain would go off in a day or two; and, besides, +I did not want to make you unhappy,” answered the man, who was by this +time quite sure he had been suffering tortures, and had borne them like +a hero. “Of course, if I had had any idea how ill I really was, I +should have spoken at once.” + +“Well, well, I will see what can be done,” said the wife, “but talking +is not good for you. Lie still, and keep yourself warm.” + +All that day the man lay in bed, and whenever his wife entered the room +and asked him, with a shake of the head, how he felt, he always replied +that he was getting worse. At last, in the evening, she burst into +tears, and when he inquired what was the matter, she sobbed out: + +“Oh, my poor, poor husband, are you really dead? I must go to-morrow +and order your coffin.” + +Now, when the man heard this, a cold shiver ran through his body, and +all at once he knew that he was as well as he had ever been in his +life. + +“Oh, no, no!” he cried, “I feel quite recovered! Indeed, I think I +shall go out to work.” + +“You will do no such thing,” replied his wife. “Just keep quite quiet, +for before the sun rises you will be a dead man.” + +The man was very frightened at her words, and lay absolutely still +while the undertaker came and measured him for his coffin; and his wife +gave orders to the gravedigger about his grave. That evening the coffin +was sent home, and in the morning at nine o’clock the woman put him on +a long flannel garment, and called to the undertaker’s men to fasten +down the lid and carry him to the grave, where all their friends were +waiting them. Just as the body was being placed in the ground the other +woman’s husband came running up, dressed, as far as anyone could see, +in no clothes at all. Everybody burst into shouts of laughter at the +sight of him, and the men laid down the coffin and laughed too, till +their sides nearly split. The dead man was so astonished at this +behaviour, that he peeped out of a little window in the side of the +coffin, and cried out: + +“I should laugh as loudly as any of you, if I were not a dead man.” + +When they heard the voice coming from the coffin the other people +suddenly stopped laughing, and stood as if they had been turned into +stone. Then they rushed with one accord to the coffin, and lifted the +lid so that the man could step out amongst them. + +“Were you really not dead after all?” asked they. “And if not, why did +you let yourself be buried?” + +At this the wives both confessed that they had each wished to prove +that her husband was stupider than the other. But the villagers +declared that they could not decide which was the most foolish—the man +who allowed himself to be persuaded that he was wearing fine clothes +when he was dressed in nothing, or the man who let himself be buried +when he was alive and well. + +So the women quarrelled just as much as they did before, and no one +ever knew whose husband was the most foolish. + +[Adapted from the Neuislandische Volksmärchen.] + + + + +Asmund and Signy + + +Long, long ago, in the days when fairies, witches, giants and ogres +still visited the earth, there lived a king who reigned over a great +and beautiful country. He was married to a wife whom he dearly loved, +and had two most promising children—a son called Asmund, and a daughter +who was named Signy. + +The king and queen were very anxious to bring their children up well, +and the young prince and princess were taught everything likely to make +them clever and accomplished. They lived at home in their father’s +palace, and he spared no pains to make their lives happy. + +Prince Asmund dearly loved all outdoor sports and an open-air life, and +from his earliest childhood he had longed to live entirely in the +forest close by. After many arguments and entreaties he succeeded in +persuading the king to give him two great oak trees for his very own. + +“Now,” said he to his sister, “I will have the trees hollowed out, and +then I will make rooms in them and furnish them so that I shall be able +to live out in the forest.” + +“Oh, Asmund!” exclaimed Signy, “what a delightful idea! Do let me come +too, and live in one of your trees. I will bring all my pretty things +and ornaments, and the trees are so near home we shall be quite safe in +them.” + +Asmund, who was extremely fond of his sister, readily consented, and +they had a very happy time together, carrying over all their pet +treasures, and Signy’s jewels and other ornaments, and arranging them +in the pretty little rooms inside the trees. + +Unfortunately sadder days were to come. A war with another country +broke out, and the king had to lead his army against their enemy. +During his absence the queen fell ill, and after lingering for some +time she died, to the great grief of her children. They made up their +minds to live altogether for a time in their trees, and for this +purpose they had provisions enough stored up inside to last them a +year. + +Now, I must tell you, in another country a long way off, there reigned +a king who had an only son named Ring. Prince Ring had heard so much +about the beauty and goodness of Princess Signy that he determined to +marry her if possible. So he begged his father to let him have a ship +for the voyage, set sail with a favourable wind, and after a time +landed in the country where Signy lived. + +The prince lost no time in setting out for the royal palace, and on his +way there he met such a wonderfully lovely woman that he felt he had +never seen such beauty in all his life. He stopped her and at once +asked who she was. + +“I am Signy, the king’s daughter,” was the reply. + +Then the prince inquired why she was wandering about all by herself, +and she told him that since her mother’s death she was so sad that +whilst her father was away she preferred being alone. + +Ring was quite deceived by her, and never guessed that she was not +Princess Signy at all, but a strong, gigantic, wicked witch bent on +deceiving him under a beautiful shape. He confided to her that he had +travelled all the way from his own country for her sake, having fallen +in love with the accounts he had heard of her beauty, and he then and +there asked her to be his wife. + +The witch listened to all he said and, much pleased, ended by accepting +his offer; but she begged him to return to his ship for a little while +as she wished to go some way further into the forest, promising to join +him later on. + +Prince Ring did as she wished and went back to his ship to wait, whilst +she walked on into the forest till she reached the two oak trees. + +Here she resumed her own gigantic shape, tore up the trees by their +roots, threw one of them over her back and clasped the other to her +breast, carried them down to the shore and waded out with them to the +ship. + +She took care not to be noticed as she reached the ship, and directly +she got on board she once more changed to her former lovely appearance +and told the prince that her luggage was now all on board, and that +they need wait for nothing more. + +The prince gave orders to set sail at once, and after a fine voyage +landed in his own country, where his parents and his only sister +received him with the greatest joy and affection. + +The false Signy was also very kindly welcomed. A beautiful house was +got ready for her, and Prince Ring had the two oaks planted in the +garden just in front of her windows so that she might have the pleasure +of seeing them constantly. He often went to visit the witch, whom he +believed to be Princess Signy, and one day he asked: “Don’t you think +we might be married before long?” + +“Yes,” said she, quite pleased, “I am quite ready to marry you whenever +you like.” + +“Then,” replied Ring, “let us decide on this day fortnight. And see, I +have brought you some stuff to make your wedding-dress of.” So saying +he gave her a large piece of the most beautiful brocade, all woven over +with gold threads, and embroidered with pearls and other jewels. + +The prince had hardly left her before the witch resumed her proper +shape and tore about the room, raging and storming and flinging the +beautiful silk on the floor. + +“What was SHE to do with such things?” she roared. “SHE did not know +how to sew or make clothes, and she was sure to die of starvation into +the bargain if her brother Ironhead did not come soon and bring her +some raw meat and bones, for she really could eat nothing else.” + +As she was raving and roaring in this frantic manner part of the floor +suddenly opened and a huge giant rose up carrying a great chest in his +arms. The witch was enchanted at this sight, and eagerly helped her +brother to set down and open the chest, which was full of the ghastly +food she had been longing for. The horrid pair set to and greedily +devoured it all, and when the chest was quite empty the giant put it on +his shoulder and disappeared as he had come, without leaving any trace +of his visit. + +But his sister did not keep quiet for long, and tore and pulled at the +rich brocade as if she wanted to destroy it, stamping about and +shouting angrily. + +Now, all this time Prince Asmund and his sister sat in their trees just +outside the window and saw all that was going on. + +“Dear Signy,” said Asmund, “do try to get hold of that piece of brocade +and make the clothes yourself, for really we shall have no rest day or +night with such a noise.” + +“I will try,” said Signy; “it won’t be an easy matter, but it’s worth +while taking some trouble to have a little peace.” + +So she watched for an opportunity and managed to carry off the brocade +the first time the witch left her room. Then she set to work, cutting +out and sewing as best she could, and by the end of six days she had +turned it into an elegant robe with a long train and a mantle. When it +was finished she climbed to the top of her tree and contrived to throw +the clothes on to a table through the open window. + +How delighted the witch was when she found the clothes all finished! +The next time Prince Ring came to see her she gave them to him, and he +paid her many compliments on her skilful work, after which he took +leave of her in the most friendly manner. But he had scarcely left the +house when the witch began to rage as furiously as ever, and never +stopped till her brother Ironhead appeared. + +When Asmund saw all these wild doings from his tree he felt he could no +longer keep silence. He went to Prince Ring and said: “Do come with me +and see the strange things that are happening in the new princess’s +room.” + +The prince was not a little surprised, but he consented to hide himself +with Asmund behind the panelling of the room, from where they could see +all that went on through a little slit. The witch was raving and +roaring as usual, and said to her brother: + +“Once I am married to the king’s son I shall be better off than now. I +shall take care to have all that pack of courtiers put to death, and +then I shall send for all my relations to come and live here instead. I +fancy the giants will enjoy themselves very much with me and my +husband.” + +When Prince Ring heard this he fell into such a rage that he ordered +the house to be set on fire, and it was burnt to the ground, with the +witch and her brother in it. + +Asmund then told the prince about the two oak trees and took him to see +them. The prince was quite astonished at them and at all their +contents, but still more so at the extreme beauty of Signy. He fell in +love with her at once, and entreated her to marry him, which, after a +time, she consented to do. Asmund, on his side, asked for the hand of +Prince Ring’s sister, which was gladly granted him, and the double +wedding was celebrated with great rejoicings. + +After this Prince Asmund and his bride returned to his country to live +with the king his father. The two couples often met, and lived happily +for many, many years. And that is the end of the story. + +[From Islandische Mahrchen.] + + + + +Rübezahl + + +Over all the vast under-world the mountain Gnome Rübezahl was lord; and +busy enough the care of his dominions kept him. There were the endless +treasure chambers to be gone through, and the hosts of gnomes to be +kept to their tasks. Some built strong barriers to hold back the fiery +rivers in the earth’s heart, and some had scalding vapours to change +dull stones to precious metal, or were hard at work filling every +cranny of the rocks with diamonds and rubies; for Rübezahl loved all +pretty things. Sometimes the fancy would take him to leave those gloomy +regions, and come out upon the green earth for a while, and bask in the +sunshine and hear the birds sing. And as gnomes live many hundreds of +years he saw strange things. For, the first time he came up, the great +hills were covered with thick forests, in which wild animals roamed, +and Rübezahl watched the fierce fights between bear and bison, or +chased the grey wolves, or amused himself by rolling great rocks down +into the desolate valleys, to hear the thunder of their fall echoing +among the hills. But the next time he ventured above ground, what was +his surprise to find everything changed! The dark woods were hewn down, +and in their place appeared blossoming orchards surrounding +cosy-looking thatched cottages; from every chimney the blue smoke +curled peacefully into the air, sheep and oxen fed in the flowery +meadows, while from the shade of the hedges came the music of the +shepherd’s pipe. The strangeness and pleasantness of the sight so +delighted the gnome that he never thought of resenting the intrusion of +these unexpected guests, who, without saying “by your leave” or “with +your leave,” had made themselves so very much at home upon his hills; +nor did he wish to interfere with their doings, but left them in quiet +possession of their homes, as a good householder leaves in peace the +swallows who have built their nests under his eaves. He was indeed +greatly minded to make friends with this being called “man,” so, taking +the form of an old field labourer, he entered the service of a farmer. +Under his care all the crops flourished exceedingly, but the master +proved to be wasteful and ungrateful, and Rübezahl soon left him, and +went to be shepherd to his next neighbour. He tended the flock so +diligently, and knew so well where to lead the sheep to the sweetest +pastures, and where among the hills to look for any who strayed away, +that they too prospered under his care, and not one was lost or torn by +wolves; but this new master was a hard man, and begrudged him his +well-earned wages. So he ran away and went to serve the judge. Here he +upheld the law with might and main, and was a terror to thieves and +evildoers; but the judge was a bad man, who took bribes, and despised +the law. Rübezahl would not be the tool of an unjust man, and so he +told his master, who thereupon ordered him to be thrown into prison. Of +course that did not trouble the gnome at all, he simply got out through +the keyhole, and went away down to his underground palace, very much +disappointed by his first experience of mankind. But, as time went on, +he forgot the disagreeable things that had happened to him, and thought +he would take another look at the upper world. + +So he stole into the valley, keeping himself carefully hidden in copse +or hedgerow, and very soon met with an adventure; for, peeping through +a screen of leaves, he saw before him a green lawn where stood a +charming maiden, fresh as the spring, and beautiful to look upon. +Around her upon the grass lay her young companions, as if they had +thrown themselves down to rest after some merry game. Beyond them +flowed a little brook, into which a waterfall leapt from a high rock, +filling the air with its pleasant sound, and making a coolness even in +the sultry noontide. The sight of the maiden so pleased the gnome that, +for the first time, he wished himself a mortal; and, longing for a +better view of the gay company, he changed himself into a raven and +perched upon an oaktree which overhung the brook. But he soon found +that this was not at all a good plan. He could only see with a raven’s +eyes, and feel as a raven feels; and a nest of field-mice at the foot +of the tree interested him far more than the sport of the maidens. When +he understood this he flew down again in a great hurry into the +thicket, and took the form of a handsome young man—that was the best +way—and he fell in love with the girl then and there. The fair maiden +was the daughter of the king of the country, and she often wandered in +the forest with her play fellows gathering the wild flowers and fruits, +till the midday heat drove the merry band to the shady lawn by the +brook to rest, or to bathe in the cool waters. On this particular +morning the fancy took them to wander off again into the wood. This was +Master Rübezahl’s opportunity. Stepping out of his hiding-place he +stood in the midst of the little lawn, weaving his magic spells, till +slowly all about him changed, and when the maidens returned at noon to +their favourite resting-place they stood lost in amazement, and almost +fancied that they must be dreaming. The red rocks had become white +marble and alabaster; the stream that murmured and struggled before in +its rocky bed, flowed in silence now in its smooth channel, from which +a clear fountain leapt, to fall again in showers of diamond drops, now +on this side now on that, as the wandering breeze scattered it. + +Daisies and forget-me-nots fringed its brink, while tall hedges of +roses and jasmine ringed it round, making the sweetest and daintiest +bower imaginable. To the right and left of the waterfall opened out a +wonderful grotto, its walls and arches glittering with many-coloured +rock-crystals, while in every niche were spread out strange fruits and +sweetmeats, the very sight of which made the princess long to taste +them. She hesitated a while, however, scarcely able to believe her +eyes, and not knowing if she should enter the enchanted spot or fly +from it. But at length curiosity prevailed, and she and her companions +explored to their heart’s content, and tasted and examined everything, +running hither and thither in high glee, and calling merrily to each +other. + +At last, when they were quite weary, the princess cried out suddenly +that nothing would content her but to bathe in the marble pool, which +certainly did look very inviting; and they all went gaily to this new +amusement. The princess was ready first, but scarcely had she slipped +over the rim of the pool when down—down—down she sank, and vanished in +its depths before her frightened playmates could seize her by so much +as a lock of her floating golden hair! + +Loudly did they weep and wail, running about the brink of the pool, +which looked so shallow and so clear, but which had swallowed up their +princess before their eyes. They even sprang into the water and tried +to dive after her, but in vain; they only floated like corks in the +enchanted pool, and could not keep under water for a second. + +They saw at last that there was nothing for it but to carry to the king +the sad tidings of his beloved daughter’s disappearance. And what great +weeping and lamentation there was in the palace when the dreadful news +was told! The king tore his robes, dashed his golden crown from his +head, and hid his face in his purple mantle for grief and anguish at +the loss of the princess. After the first outburst of wailing, however, +he took heart and hurried off to see for himself the scene of this +strange adventure, thinking, as people will in sorrow, that there might +be some mistake after all. But when he reached the spot, behold, all +was changed again! The glittering grotto described to him by the +maidens had completely vanished, and so had the marble bath, the bower +of jasmine; instead, all was a tangle of flowers, as it had been of +old. The king was so much perplexed that he threatened the princess’s +playfellows with all sorts of punishments if they would not confess +something about her disappearance; but as they only repeated the same +story he presently put down the whole affair to the work of some sprite +or goblin, and tried to console himself for his loss by ordering a +grand hunt; for kings cannot bear to be troubled about anything long. + +Meanwhile the princess was not at all unhappy in the palace of her +elfish lover. + +When the water-nymphs, who were hiding in readiness, had caught her and +dragged her out of the sight of her terrified maidens, she herself had +not had time to be frightened. They swam with her quickly by strange +underground ways to a palace so splendid that her father’s seemed but a +poor cottage in comparison with it, and when she recovered from her +astonishment she found herself seated upon a couch, wrapped in a +wonderful robe of satin fastened with a silken girdle, while beside her +knelt a young man who whispered the sweetest speeches imaginable in her +ear. The gnome, for he it was, told her all about himself and his great +underground kingdom, and presently led her through the many rooms and +halls of the palace, and showed her the rare and wonderful things +displayed in them till she was fairly dazzled at the sight of so much +splendour. On three sides of the castle lay a lovely garden with masses +of gay, sweet flowers, and velvet lawns all cool and shady, which +pleased the eye of the princess. The fruit trees were hung with golden +and rosy apples, and nightingales sang in every bush, as the gnome and +the princess wandered in the leafy alleys, sometimes gazing at the +moon, sometimes pausing to gather the rarest flowers for her adornment. +And all the time he was thinking to himself that never, during the +hundreds of years he had lived, had he seen so charming a maiden. But +the princess felt no such happiness; in spite of all the magic delights +around her she was sad, though she tried to seem content for fear of +displeasing the gnome. However, he soon perceived her melancholy, and +in a thousand ways strove to dispel the cloud, but in vain. At last he +said to himself: “Men are sociable creatures, like bees or ants. +Doubtless this lovely mortal is pining for company. Who is there I can +find for her to talk to?” + +Thereupon he hastened into the nearest field and dug up a dozen or so +of different roots—carrots, turnips, and radishes—and laying them +carefully in an elegant basket brought them to the princess, who sat +pensive in the shade of the rose-bower. + +“Loveliest daughter of earth,” said the gnome, “banish all sorrow; no +more shall you be lonely in my dwelling. In this basket is all you need +to make this spot delightful to you. Take this little many-coloured +wand, and with a touch give to each root the form you desire to see.” + +With this he left her, and the princess, without an instant’s delay, +opened the basket, and touching a turnip, cried eagerly: “Brunhilda, my +dear Brunhilda! come to me quickly!” And sure enough there was +Brunhilda, joyfully hugging and kissing her beloved princess, and +chattering as gaily as in the old days. + +This sudden appearance was so delightful that the princess could hardly +believe her own eyes, and was quite beside herself with the joy of +having her dear playfellow with her once more. Hand in hand they +wandered about the enchanted garden, and gathered the golden apples +from the trees, and when they were tired of this amusement the princess +led her friend through all the wonderful rooms of the palace, until at +last they came to the one in which were kept all the marvellous dresses +and ornaments the gnome had given to his hoped-for bride. There they +found so much to amuse them that the hours passed like minutes. Veils, +girdles, and necklaces were tried on and admired, the imitation +Brunhilda knew so well how to behave herself, and showed so much taste +that nobody would ever have suspected that she was nothing but a turnip +after all. The gnome, who had secretly been keeping an eye upon them, +was very pleased with himself for having so well understood the heart +of a woman; and the princess seemed to him even more charming than +before. She did not forget to touch the rest of the roots with her +magic wand, and soon had all her maidens about her, and even, as she +had two tiny radishes to spare, her favourite cat, and her little dog +whose name was Beni. + +And now all went cheerfully in the castle. The princess gave to each of +the maidens her task, and never was mistress better served. For a whole +week she enjoyed the delight of her pleasant company undisturbed. They +all sang, they danced, they played from morning to night; only the +princess noticed that day by day the fresh young faces of her maidens +grew pale and wan, and the mirror in the great marble hall showed her +that she alone still kept her rosy bloom, while Brunhilda and the rest +faded visibly. They assured her that all was well with them; but, +nevertheless, they continued to waste away, and day by day it became +harder to them to take part in the games of the princess, till at last, +one fine morning, when the princess started from bed and hastened out +to join her gay playfellows, she shuddered and started back at the +sight of a group of shrivelled crones, with bent backs and trembling +limbs, who supported their tottering steps with staves and crutches, +and coughed dismally. A little nearer to the hearth lay the once +frolicsome Beni, with all four feet stretched stiffly out, while the +sleek cat seemed too weak to raise his head from his velvet cushion. + +The horrified princess fled to the door to escape from the sight of +this mournful company, and called loudly for the gnome, who appeared at +once, humbly anxious to do her bidding. + +“Malicious Sprite,” she cried, “why do you begrudge me my playmates—the +greatest delight of my lonely hours? Isn’t this solitary life in such a +desert bad enough without your turning the castle into a hospital for +the aged? Give my maidens back their youth and health this very minute, +or I will never love you!” + +“Sweetest and fairest of damsels,” cried the gnome, “do not be angry; +everything that is in my power I will do—but do not ask the impossible. +So long as the sap was fresh in the roots the magic staff could keep +them in the forms you desired, but as the sap dried up they withered +away. But never trouble yourself about that, dearest one, a basket of +fresh turnips will soon set matters right, and you can speedily call up +again every form you wish to see. The great green patch in the garden +will provide you with a more lively company.” + +So saying the gnome took himself off. And the princess with her magic +wand touched the wrinkled old women, and left them the withered roots +they really were, to be thrown upon the rubbish heap; and with light +feet skipped off across to the meadow to take possession of the freshly +filled basket. But to her surprise she could not find it anywhere. Up +and down the garden she searched, spying into every corner, but not a +sign of it was to be found. By the trellis of grape vines she met the +gnome, who was so much embarrassed at the sight of her that she became +aware of his confusion while he was still quite a long way off. + +“You are trying to tease me,” she cried, as soon as she saw him. “Where +have you hidden the basket? I have been looking for it at least an +hour.” + +“Dear queen of my heart,” answered he, “I pray you to forgive my +carelessness. I promised more than I could perform. I have sought all +over the land for the roots you desire; but they are gathered in, and +lie drying in musty cellars, and the fields are bare and desolate, for +below in the valley winter reigns, only here in your presence spring is +held fast, and wherever your foot is set the gay flowers bloom. Have +patience for a little, and then without fail you shall have your +puppets to play with.” + +Almost before the gnome had finished, the disappointed princess turned +away, and marched off to her own apartments, without deigning to answer +him. + +The gnome, however, set off above ground as speedily as possible, and +disguising himself as a farmer, bought an ass in the nearest +market-town, and brought it back loaded with sacks of turnip, carrot, +and radish seed. With this he sowed a great field, and sent a vast army +of his goblins to watch and tend it, and to bring up the fiery rivers +from the heart of the earth near enough to warm and encourage the +sprouting seeds. Thus fostered they grew and flourished marvellously, +and promised a goodly crop. + +The princess wandered about the field day by day, no other plants or +fruits in all her wonderful garden pleased her as much as these roots; +but still her eyes were full of discontent. And, best of all, she loved +to while away the hours in a shady fir-wood, seated upon the bank of a +little stream, into which she would cast the flowers she had gathered +and watch them float away. + +The gnome tried hard by every means in his power to please the princess +and win her love, but little did he guess the real reason of his lack +of success. He imagined that she was too young and inexperienced to +care for him; but that was a mistake, for the truth was that another +image already filled her heart. The young Prince Ratibor, whose lands +joined her father’s, had won the heart of the princess; and the lovers +had been looking forward to the coming of their wedding-day when the +bride’s mysterious disappearance took place. The sad news drove Ratibor +distracted, and as the days went on, and nothing could be heard of the +princess, he forsook his castle and the society of men, and spent his +days in the wild forests, roaming about and crying her name aloud to +the trees and rocks. Meanwhile, the maiden, in her gorgeous prison, +sighed in secret over her grief, not wishing to arouse the gnome’s +suspicions. In her own mind she was wondering if by any means she might +escape from her captivity, and at last she hit upon a plan. + +By this time spring once more reigned in the valley, and the gnome sent +the fires back to their places in the deeps of the earth, for the roots +which they had kept warm through all the cruel winter had now come to +their full size. Day by day the princess pulled up some of them, and +made experiments with them, conjuring up now this longed-for person, +and now that, just for the pleasure of seeing them as they appeared; +but she really had another purpose in view. + +One day she changed a tiny turnip into a bee, and sent him off to bring +her some news of her lover. + +“Fly, dear little bee, towards the east,” said she, “to my beloved +Ratibor, and softly hum into his ear that I love him only, but that I +am a captive in the gnome’s palace under the mountains. Do not forget a +single word of my greeting, and bring me back a message from my +beloved.” + +So the bee spread his shining wings and flew away to do as he was +bidden; but before he was out of sight a greedy swallow made a snatch +at him, and to the great grief of the princess her messenger was eaten +up then and there. + +After that, by the power of the wonderful wand she summoned a cricket, +and taught him this greeting: + +“Hop, little cricket, to Ratibor, and chirp in his ear that I love him +only, but that I am held captive by the gnome in his palace under the +mountains.” + +So the cricket hopped off gaily, determined to do his best to deliver +his message; but, alas! a long-legged stork who was prancing along the +same road caught him in her cruel beak, and before he could say a word +he had disappeared down her throat. + +These two unlucky ventures did not prevent the princess from trying +once more. + +This time she changed the turnip into a magpie. + +“Flutter from tree to tree, chattering bird,” said she, “till you come +to Ratibor, my love. Tell him that I am a captive, and bid him come +with horses and men, the third day from this, to the hill that rises +from the Thorny Valley.” + +The magpie listened, hopped awhile from branch to branch, and then +darted away, the princess watching him anxiously as far as she could +see. + +Now Prince Ratibor was still spending his life in wandering about the +woods, and not even the beauty of the spring could soothe his grief. + +One day, as he sat in the shade of an oak tree, dreaming of his lost +princess, and sometimes crying her name aloud, he seemed to hear +another voice reply to his, and, starting up, he gazed around him, but +he could see no one, and he had just made up his mind that he must be +mistaken, when the same voice called again, and, looking up sharply, he +saw a magpie which hopped to and fro among the twigs. Then Ratibor +heard with surprise that the bird was indeed calling him by name. + +“Poor chatterpie,” said he; “who taught you to say that name, which +belongs to an unlucky mortal who wishes the earth would open and +swallow up him and his memory for ever?” + +Thereupon he caught up a great stone, and would have hurled it at the +magpie, if it had not at that moment uttered the name of the princess. + +This was so unexpected that the prince’s arm fell helplessly to his +side at the sound, and he stood motionless. + +But the magpie in the tree, who, like all the rest of his family, was +not happy unless he could be for ever chattering, began to repeat the +message the princess had taught him; and as soon as he understood it, +Prince Ratibor’s heart was filled with joy. All his gloom and misery +vanished in a moment, and he anxiously questioned the welcome messenger +as to the fate of the princess. + +But the magpie knew no more than the lesson he had learnt, so he soon +fluttered away; while the prince hurried back to his castle to gather +together a troop of horsemen, full of courage for whatever might +befall. + +The princess meanwhile was craftily pursuing her plan of escape. She +left off treating the gnome with coldness and indifference; indeed, +there was a look in her eyes which encouraged him to hope that she +might some day return his love, and the idea pleased him mightily. The +next day, as soon as the sun rose, she made her appearance decked as a +bride, in the wonderful robes and jewels which the fond gnome had +prepared for her. Her golden hair was braided and crowned with myrtle +blossoms, and her flowing veil sparkled with gems. In these magnificent +garments she went to meet the gnome upon the great terrace. + +“Loveliest of maidens,” he stammered, bowing low before her, “let me +gaze into your dear eyes, and read in them that you will no longer +refuse my love, but will make me the happiest being the sun shines +upon.” + +So saying he would have drawn aside her veil; but the princess only +held it more closely about her. + +“Your constancy has overcome me,” she said; “I can no longer oppose +your wishes. But believe my words, and suffer this veil still to hide +my blushes and tears.” + +“Why tears, beloved one?” cried the gnome anxiously; “every tear of +yours falls upon my heart like a drop of molten gold. Greatly as I +desire your love, I do not ask a sacrifice.” + +“Ah!” cried the false princess, “why do you misunderstand my tears? My +heart answers to your tenderness, and yet I am fearful. A wife cannot +always charm, and though YOU will never alter, the beauty of mortals is +as a flower that fades. How can I be sure that you will always be as +loving and charming as you are now?” + +“Ask some proof, sweetheart,” said he. “Put my obedience and my +patience to some test by which you can judge of my unalterable love.” + +“Be it so,” answered the crafty maiden. “Then give me just one proof of +your goodness. Go! count the turnips in yonder meadow. My wedding feast +must not lack guests. They shall provide me with bride-maidens too. But +beware lest you deceive me, and do not miss a single one. That shall be +the test of your truth towards me.” + +Unwilling as the gnome was to lose sight of his beautiful bride for a +moment, he obeyed her commands without delay, and hurried off to begin +his task. He skipped along among the turnips as nimbly as a +grasshopper, and had soon counted them all; but, to be quite certain +that he had made no mistake, he thought he would just run over them +again. This time, to his great annoyance, the number was different; so +he reckoned them for the third time, but now the number was not the +same as either of the previous ones! And this was hardly to be wondered +at, as his mind was full of the princess’s pretty looks and words. + +As for the maiden, no sooner was her deluded lover fairly out of sight +than she began to prepare for flight. She had a fine fresh turnip +hidden close at hand, which she changed into a spirited horse, all +saddled and bridled, and, springing upon its back, she galloped away +over hill and dale till she reached the Thorny Valley, and flung +herself into the arms of her beloved Prince Ratibor. + +Meanwhile the toiling gnome went through his task over and over again +till his back ached and his head swam, and he could no longer put two +and two together; but as he felt tolerably certain of the exact number +of turnips in the field, big and little together, he hurried back eager +to prove to his beloved one what a delightful and submissive husband he +would be. He felt very well satisfied with himself as he crossed the +mossy lawn to the place where he had left her; but, alas! she was no +longer there. + +He searched every thicket and path, he looked behind every tree, and +gazed into every pond, but without success; then he hastened into the +palace and rushed from room to room, peering into every hole and corner +and calling her by name; but only echo answered in the marble +halls—there was neither voice nor footstep. + +Then he began to perceive that something was amiss, and, throwing off +the mortal form that encumbered him, he flew out of the palace, and +soared high into the air, and saw the fugitive princess in the far +distance just as the swift horse carried her across the boundary of his +dominions. + +Furiously did the enraged gnome fling two great clouds together, and +hurl a thunderbolt after the flying maiden, splintering the rocky +barriers which had stood a thousand years. But his fury was vain, the +thunderclouds melted away into a soft mist, and the gnome, after flying +about for a while in despair, bewailing to the four winds his unhappy +fate, went sorrowfully back to the palace, and stole once more through +every room, with many sighs and lamentations. He passed through the +gardens which for him had lost their charm, and the sight of the +princess’s footprints on the golden sand of the pathway renewed his +grief. All was lonely, empty, sorrowful; and the forsaken gnome +resolved that he would have no more dealings with such false creatures +as he had found men to be. + +Thereupon he stamped three times upon the earth, and the magic palace, +with all its treasures, vanished away into the nothingness out of which +he had called it; and the gnome fled once more to the depths of his +underground kingdom. + +While all this was happening, Prince Ratibor was hurrying away with his +prize to a place of safety. With great pomp and triumph he restored the +lovely princess to her father, and was then and there married to her, +and took her back with him to his own castle. + +But long after she was dead, and her children too, the villagers would +tell the tale of her imprisonment underground, as they sat carving wood +in the winter nights. + +[Volksmärchen der Deutschen.] + + + + +Story Of The King Who Would Be Stronger Than Fate + + +Once upon a time, far away in the east country, there lived a king who +loved hunting so much that, when once there was a deer in sight, he was +careless of his own safety. Indeed, he often became quite separated +from his nobles and attendants, and in fact was particularly fond of +lonely adventures. Another of his favourite amusements was to give out +that he was not well, and could not be seen; and then, with the +knowledge only of his faithful Grand Wazeer, to disguise himself as a +pedlar, load a donkey with cheap wares, and travel about. In this way +he found out what the common people said about him, and how his judges +and governors fulfilled their duties. + +One day his queen presented him with a baby daughter as beautiful as +the dawn, and the king himself was so happy and delighted that, for a +whole week, he forgot to hunt, and spent the time in public and private +rejoicing. + +Not long afterwards, however, he went out after some deer which were to +be found in a far corner of his forests. In the course of the beat his +dogs disturbed a beautiful snow-white stag, and directly he saw it the +king determined that he would have it at any cost. So he put the spurs +to his horse, and followed it as hard as he could gallop. Of course all +his attendants followed at the best speed that they could manage; but +the king was so splendidly mounted, and the stag was so swift, that, at +the end of an hour, the king found that only his favourite hound and +himself were in the chase; all the rest were far, far behind and out of +sight. + +Nothing daunted, however, he went on and on, till he perceived that he +was entering a valley with great rocky mountains on all sides, and that +his horse was getting very tired and trembled at every stride. Worse +than all evening was already drawing on, and the sun would soon set. In +vain had he sent arrow after arrow at the beautiful stag. Every shot +fell short, or went wide of the mark; and at last, just as darkness was +setting in, he lost sight altogether of the beast. By this time his +horse could hardly move from fatigue, his hound staggered panting along +beside him, he was far away amongst mountains where he had never been +before, and had quite missed his way, and not a human creature or +dwelling was in sight. + +All this was very discouraging, but the king would not have minded if +he had not lost that beautiful stag. That troubled him a good deal, but +he never worried over what he could not help, so he got down from his +horse, slipped his arm through the bridle, and led the animal along the +rough path in hopes of discovering some shepherd’s hut, or, at least, a +cave or shelter under some rock, where he might pass the night. + +Presently he heard the sound of rushing water, and made towards it. He +toiled over a steep rocky shoulder of a hill, and there, just below +him, was a stream dashing down a precipitous glen, and, almost beneath +his feet, twinkling and flickering from the level of the torrent, was a +dim light as of a lamp. Towards this light the king with his horse and +hound made his way, sliding and stumbling down a steep, stony path. At +the bottom the king found a narrow grassy ledge by the brink of the +stream, across which the light from a rude lantern in the mount of a +cave shed a broad beam of uncertain light. At the edge of the stream +sat an old hermit with a long white beard, who neither spoke nor moved +as the king approached, but sat throwing into the stream dry leaves +which lay scattered about the ground near him. + +“Peace be upon you,” said the king, giving the usual country +salutation. + +“And upon you peace,” answered the hermit; but still he never looked +up, nor stopped what he was doing. + +For a minute or two the king stood watching him. He noticed that the +hermit threw two leaves in at a time, and watched them attentively. +Sometimes both were carried rapidly down by the stream; sometimes only +one leaf was carried off, and the other, after whirling slowly round +and round on the edge of the current, would come circling back on an +eddy to the hermit’s feet. At other times both leaves were held in the +backward eddy, and failed to reach the main current of the noisy +stream. + +“What are you doing?” asked the king at last, and the hermit replied +that he was reading the fates of men; every one’s fate, he said, was +settled from the beginning, and, whatever it were, there was no escape +from it. The king laughed. + +“I care little,” he said, “what my fate may be; but I should be curious +to know the fate of my little daughter.” + +“I cannot say,” answered the hermit. + +“Do you not know, then?” demanded the king. + +“I might know,” returned the hermit, “but it is not always wisdom to +know much.” + +But the king was not content with this reply, and began to press the +old man to say what he knew, which for a long time he would not do. At +last, however, the king urged him so greatly that he said: + +“The king’s daughter will marry the son of a poor slave-girl called +Puruna, who belongs to the king of the land of the north. There is no +escaping from Fate.” + +The king was wild with anger at hearing these words, but he was also +very tired; so he only laughed, and answered that he hoped there would +be a way out of THAT fate anyhow. Then he asked if the hermit could +shelter him and his beasts for the night, and the hermit said “Yes”; +so, very soon the king had watered and tethered his horse, and, after a +supper of bread and parched peas, lay down in the cave, with the hound +at his feet, and tried to go to sleep. But instead of sleeping he only +lay awake and thought of the hermit’s prophecy; and the more he thought +of it the angrier he felt, until he gnashed his teeth and declared that +it should never, never come true. + +Morning came, and the king got up, pale and sulky, and, after learning +from the hermit which path to take, was soon mounted and found his way +home without much difficulty. Directly he reached his palace he wrote a +letter to the king of the land of the north, begging him, as a favour, +to sell him his slave girl Puruna and her son, and saying that, if he +consented, he would send a messenger to receive them at the river which +divided the kingdoms. + +For five days he awaited the reply, and hardly slept or ate, but was as +cross as could be all the time. On the fifth day his messenger returned +with a letter to say that the king of the land of the north would not +sell, but he would give, the king the slave girl and her son. The king +was overjoyed. He sent for his Grand Wazeer and told him that he was +going on one of his lonely expeditions, and that the Wazeer must invent +some excuse to account for his absence. Next he disguised himself as an +ordinary messenger, mounted a swift camel, and sped away to the place +where the slave girl was to be handed over to him. When he got there he +gave the messengers who brought her a letter of thanks and a handsome +present for their master and rewards for themselves; and then without +delay he took the poor woman and her tiny baby-boy up on to his camel +and rode off to a wild desert. + +After riding for a day and a night, almost without stopping, he came to +a great cave where he made the woman dismount, and, taking her and the +baby into the cave, he drew his sword and with one blow chopped her +head off. But although his anger made him cruel enough for anything so +dreadful, the king felt that he could not turn his great sword on the +helpless baby, who he was sure must soon die in this solitary place +without its mother; so he left it in the cave where it was, and, +mounting his camel, rode home as fast as he could. + +Now, in a small village in his kingdom there lived an old widow who had +no children or relations of any kind. She made her living mostly by +selling the milk of a flock of goats; but she was very, very poor, and +not very strong, and often used to wonder how she would live if she got +too weak or ill to attend to her goats. Every morning she drove the +goats out into the desert to graze on the shrubs and bushes which grew +there, and every evening they came home of themselves to be milked and +to be shut up safely for the night. + +One evening the old woman was astonished to find that her very best +nanny-goat returned without a drop of milk. She thought that some +naughty boy or girl was playing a trick upon her and had caught the +goat on its way home and stolen all the milk. But when evening after +evening the goat remained almost dry she determined to find out who the +thief was. So the next day she followed the goats at a distance and +watched them while they grazed. At length, in the afternoon, the old +woman noticed this particular nanny-goat stealing off by herself away +from the herd and she at once went after her. On and on the goat walked +for some way, and then disappeared into a cave in the rocks. The old +woman followed the goat into the cave and then, what should she see but +the animal giving her milk to a little boy-baby, whilst on the ground +near by lay the sad remains of the baby’s dead mother! Wondering and +frightened, the old woman thought at last that this little baby might +be a son to her in her old age, and that he would grow up and in time +to come be her comfort and support. So she carried home the baby to her +hut, and next day she took a spade to the cave and dug a grave where +she buried the poor mother. + +Years passed by, and the baby grew up into a find handsome lad, as +daring as he was beautiful, and as industrious as he was brave. One +day, when the boy, whom the old woman had named Nur Mahomed, was about +seventeen years old, he was coming from his day’s work in the fields, +when he saw a strange donkey eating the cabbages in the garden which +surround their little cottage. Seizing a big stick, he began to beat +the intruder and to drive him out of his garden. A neighbour passing by +called out to him—“Hi! I say! why are you beating the pedlar’s donkey +like that?” + +“The pedlar should keep him from eating my cabbages,” said Nur Mahomed; +“if he comes this evening here again I’ll cut off his tail for him!” + +Whereupon he went off indoors, whistling cheerfully. It happened that +this neighbour was one of those people who make mischief by talking too +much; so, meeting the pedlar in the “serai,” or inn, that evening, he +told him what had occurred, and added: “Yes; and the young spitfire +said that if beating the donkey would not do, he would beat you also, +and cut your nose off for a thief!” + +A few days later, the pedlar having moved on, two men appeared in the +village inquiring who it was who had threatened to ill-treat and to +murder an innocent pedlar. They declared that the pedlar, in fear of +his life, had complained to the king; and that they had been sent to +bring the lawless person who had said these things before the king +himself. Of course they soon found out about the donkey eating Nur +Mahomed’s cabbages, and about the young man’s hot words; but although +the lad assured them that he had never said anything about murdering +anyone, they replied they were ordered to arrest him, and bring him to +take his trial before the king. So, in spite of his protests, and the +wails of his mother, he was carried off, and in due time brought before +the king. Of course Nur Mahomed never guessed that the supposed pedlar +happened to have been the king himself, although nobody knew it. + +But as he was very angry at what he had been told, he declared that he +was going to make an example of this young man, and intended to teach +him that even poor travelling pedlars could get justice in HIS country, +and be protected from such lawlessness. However, just as he was going +to pronounce some very heavy sentence, there was a stir in the court, +and up came Nur Mahomed’s old mother, weeping and lamenting, and +begging to be heard. The king ordered her to speak, and she began to +plead for the boy, declaring how good he was, and how he was the +support of her old age, and if he were put in prison she would die. The +king asked her who she was. She replied that she was his mother. + +“His mother?” said the king; “you are too old, surely, to have so young +a son!” + +Then the old woman, in her fright and distress, confessed the whole +story of how she found the baby, and how she rescued and brought him +up, and ended by beseeching the king for mercy. + +It is easy to guess how, as the story came out, the king looked blacker +and blacker, and more and more grim, until at last he was half fainting +with rage and astonishment. This, then, was the baby he had left to +die, after cruelly murdering his mother! Surely fate might have spared +him this! He wished he had sufficient excuse to put the boy to death, +for the old hermit’s prophecy came back to him as strongly as ever; and +yet the young man had done nothing bad enough to deserve such a +punishment. Everyone would call him a tyrant if he were to give such an +order—in fact, he dared not try it! + +At length he collected himself enough to say:—“If this young man will +enlist in my army I will let him off. We have need of such as him, and +a little discipline will do him good.” Still the old woman pleaded that +she could not live without her son, and was nearly as terrified at the +idea of his becoming a soldier as she was at the thought of his being +put in prison. But at length the king—determined to get the youth into +his clutches—pacified her by promising her a pension large enough to +keep her in comfort; and Nur Mahomed, to his own great delight, was +duly enrolled in the king’s army. + +As a soldier Nur Mahomed seemed to be in luck. He was rather surprised, +but much pleased, to find that he was always one of those chosen when +any difficult or dangerous enterprise was afoot; and, although he had +the narrowest escapes on some occasions, still, the very desperateness +of the situations in which he found himself gave him special chances of +displaying his courage. And as he was also modest and generous, he +became a favourite with his officers and his comrades. + +Thus it was not very surprising that, before very long, he became +enrolled amongst the picked men of the king’s bodyguard. The fact is, +that the king had hoped to have got him killed in some fight or +another; but, seeing that, on the contrary, he throve on hard knocks, +he was now determined to try more direct and desperate methods. + +One day, soon after Nur Mahomed had entered the bodyguard, he was +selected to be one of the soldiers told off to escort the king through +the city. The procession was marching on quite smoothly, when a man, +armed with a dagger, rushed out of an alley straight towards the king. +Nur Mahomed, who was the nearest of the guards, threw himself in the +way, and received the stab that had been apparently intended for the +king. Luckily the blow was a hurried one, and the dagger glanced on is +breastbone, so that, although he received a severe wound, his youth and +strength quickly got the better of it. The king was, of course, obliged +to take some notice of this brave deed, and as a reward made him one of +his own attendants. + +After this the strange adventures the young man passed through were +endless. Officers of the bodyguard were often sent on all sorts of +secret and difficult errands, and such errands had a curious way of +becoming necessary when Nur Mahomed was on duty. Once, while he was +taking a journey, a foot-bridge gave way under him; once he was +attacked by armed robbers; a rock rolled down upon him in a mountain +pass; a heavy stone coping fell from a roof at his feet in a narrow +city alley. Altogether, Nur Mahomed began to think that, somewhere or +other, he had made an enemy; but he was light-hearted, and the thought +did not much trouble him. He escaped somehow every time, and felt +amused rather than anxious about the next adventure. + +It was the custom of that city that the officer for the day of the +palace guards should receive all his food direct from the king’s +kitchen. One day, when Nur Mahomed’s turn came to be on duty, he was +just sitting down to a delicious stew that had been sent in from the +palace, when one of those gaunt, hungry dogs, which, in eastern +countries, run about the streets, poked his nose in at the open +guard-room door, and looked at Nur Mahomed with mouth watering and +nostrils working. The kind-hearted young man picked out a lump of meat, +went to the door, and threw it outside to him. The dog pounced upon it, +and gulped it down greedily, and was just turning to go, when it +staggered, fell, rolled over, and died. Nur Mahomed, who had been +lazily watching him, stood still for a moment, then he came back +whistling softly. He gathered up the rest of his dinner and carefully +wrapped it up to carry away and bury somewhere; and then he sent back +the empty plates. + +How furious the king was when, at the next morning’s durbar, Nur +Mahomed appeared before him fresh, alert and smiling as usual. He was +determined, however, to try once more, and bidding the young man come +into his presence that evening, gave orders that he was to carry a +secret despatch to the governor of a distant province. “Make your +preparations at once,” added he, “and be ready to start in the morning. +I myself will deliver you the papers at the last moment.” + +Now this province was four or five days’ journey from the palace, and +the governor of it was the most faithful servant the king had. He could +be silent as the grave, and prided himself on his obedience. Whilst he +was an old and tried servant of the king’s, his wife had been almost a +mother to the young princess ever since the queen had died some years +before. It happened that, a little before this time, the princess had +been sent away for her health to another remote province; and whilst +she was there her old friend, the governor’s wife, had begged her to +come and stay with them as soon as she could. + +The princess accepted gladly, and was actually staying in the +governor’s house at the very time when the king made up his mind to +send Nur Mahomed there with the mysterious despatch. + +According to orders Nur Mahomed presented himself early the next +morning at the king’s private apartments. His best horse was saddled, +food placed in is saddle-bag, and with some money tied up in his +waist-band, he was ready to start. The king handed over to him a sealed +packet, desiring him to give it himself only into the hands of the +governor, and to no one else. Nur Mahomed hid it carefully in his +turban, swung himself into the saddle, and five minutes later rode out +of the city gates, and set out on his long journey. + +The weather was very hot; but Nur Mahomed thought that the sooner his +precious letter was delivered the better; so that, by dint of riding +most of each night and resting only in the hottest part of the day, he +found himself, by noon on the third day, approaching the town which was +his final destination. + +Not a soul was to be seen anywhere; and Nur Mahomed, stiff, dry, +thirsty, and tired, looked longingly over the wall into the gardens, +and marked the fountains, the green grass, the shady apricot orchards, +and giant mulberry trees, and wished he were there. + +At length he reached the castle gates, and was at once admitted, as he +was in the uniform of the king’s bodyguard. The governor was resting, +the soldier said, and could not see him until the evening. So Nur +Mahomed handed over his horse to an attendant, and wandered down into +the lovely gardens he had seen from the road, and sat down in the shade +to rest himself. He flung himself on his back and watched the birds +twittering and chattering in the trees above him. Through the branches +he could see great patches of sky where the kites wheeled and circled +incessantly, with shrill whistling cried. Bees buzzed over the flowers +with a soothing sound, and in a few minutes Nur Mahomed was fast +asleep. + +Every day, through the heat of the afternoon, the governor, and his +wife also, used to lie down for two or three hours in their own rooms, +and so, for the matter of that, did most people in the palace. But the +princess, like many other girls, was restless, and preferred to wander +about the garden, rather than rest on a pile of soft cushions. What a +torment her stout old attendants and servants sometime thought her when +she insisted on staying awake, and making them chatter or do something, +when they could hardly keep their eyes open! Sometimes, however, the +princess would pretend to go to sleep, and then, after all her women +had gladly followed her example, she would get up and go out by +herself, her veil hanging loosely about her. If she was discovered her +old hostess scolded her severely; but the princess only laughed, and +did the same thing next time. + +This very afternoon the princess had left all her women asleep, and, +after trying in vain to amuse herself indoors, she had slipped out into +the great garden, and rambled about in all her favourite nooks and +corners, feeling quite safe as there was not a creature to be seen. +Suddenly, on turning a corner, she stopped in surprise, for before her +lay a man fast asleep! In her hurry she had almost tripped over him. +But there he was, a young man, tanned and dusty with travel, in the +uniform of an officer of the king’s guard. One of the few faults of +this lovely princess was a devouring curiosity, and she lived such an +idle life that she had plenty of time to be curious. Out of one of the +folds of this young man’s turban there peeped the corner of a letter! +She wondered what the letter was—whom it was for! She drew her veil a +little closer, and stole across on tip-toe and caught hold of the +corner of the letter. Then she pulled it a little, and just a little +more! A great big seal came into view, which she saw to be her +father’s, and at the sight of it she paused for a minute half ashamed +of what she was doing. But the pleasure of taking a letter which was +not meant for her was more than she could resist, and in another moment +it was in her hand. All at once she remembered that it would be death +to this poor officer if he lost the letter, and that at all hazards she +must put it back again. But this was not so easy; and, moreover, the +letter in her hand burnt her with longing to read it, and see what was +inside. She examined the seal. It was sticky with being exposed to the +hot sun, and with a very little effort it parted from the paper. The +letter was open and she read it! And this was what was written: + +“Behead the messenger who brings this letter secretly and at once. Ask +no questions.” + +The girl grew pale. What a shame! she thought. SHE would not let a +handsome young fellow like that be beheaded; but how to prevent it was +not quite clear at the moment. Some plan must be invented, and she +wished to lock herself in where no one could interrupt her, as might +easily happen in the garden. So she crept softly to her room, and took +a piece of paper and wrote upon it: “Marry the messenger who brings +this letter to the princess openly at once. Ask no questions.” And even +contrived to work the seals off the original letter and to fix them to +this, so that no one could tell, unless they examined it closely, that +it had ever been opened. Then she slipped back, shaking with fear and +excitement, to where the young officer still lay asleep, thrust the +letter into the fold so his turban, and hurried back to her room. It +was done! + +Late in the afternoon Nur Mahomed woke, and, making sure that the +precious despatch was still safe, went off to get ready for his +audience with the governor. As soon as he was ushered into his presence +he took the letter from his turban and placed it in the governor’s +hands according to orders. When he had read it the governor was +certainly a little astonished; but he was told in the letter to “ask no +questions,” and he knew how to obey orders. He sent for his wife and +told her to get the princess ready to be married at once. + +“Nonsense!” said his wife, “what in the world do you mean?” + +“These are the king’s commands,” he answered; “go and do as I bid you. +The letter says ‘at once,’ and ‘ask no questions.’ The marriage, +therefore, must take place this evening.” + +In vain did his wife urge every objection; the more she argued, the +more determined was her husband. “I know how to obey orders,” he said, +“and these are as plain as the nose on my face!” So the princess was +summoned, and, somewhat to their surprise, she seemed to take the news +very calmly; next Nur Mahomed was informed, and he was greatly +startled, but of course he could but be delighted at the great and +unexpected honour which he thought the king had done him. Then all the +castle was turned upside down; and when the news spread in the town, +THAT was turned upside down too. Everybody ran everywhere, and tried to +do everything at once; and, in the middle of it all, the old governor +went about with his hair standing on end, muttering something about +“obeying orders.” + +And so the marriage was celebrated, and there was a great feast in the +castle, and another in the soldiers’ barracks, and illuminations all +over the town and in the beautiful gardens. And all the people declared +that such a wonderful sight had never been seen, and talked about it to +the ends of their lives. + +The next day the governor despatched the princess and her bridegroom to +the king, with a troop of horsemen, splendidly dressed, and he sent a +mounted messenger on before them, with a letter giving the account of +the marriage to the king. + +When the king got the governor’s letter, he grew so red in the face +that everyone thought he was going to have apoplexy. They were all very +anxious to know what had happened, but he rushed off and locked himself +into a room, where he ramped and raved until he was tired. Then, after +awhile, he began to think he had better make the best of it, especially +as the old governor had been clever enough to send him back his letter, +and the king was pretty sure that this was in the princess’s +handwriting. He was fond of his daughter, and though she had behaved +badly, he did not wish to cut HER head off, and he did not want people +to know the truth because it would make him look foolish. In fact, the +more he considered the matter, the more he felt that he would be wise +to put a good face on it, and to let people suppose that he had really +brought about the marriage of his own free will. + +So, when the young couple arrived, the king received them with all +state, and gave his son-in-law a province to govern. Nur Mahomed soon +proved himself as able and honourable a governor as he was a brave +soldier; and, when the old king died, he became king in his place, and +reigned long and happily. + +Nur Mahomed’s old mother lived for a long time in her “son’s” palace, +and died in peace. The princess, his wife, although she had got her +husband by a trick, found that she could not trick HIM, and so she +never tried, but busied herself in teaching her children and scolding +her maids. As for the old hermit, no trace of him was ever discovered; +but the cave is there, and the leaves lie thick in front of it unto +this day. + +[Told the writer by an Indian.] + + + + +Story of Wali Dâd the Simple-Hearted + + +Once upon a time there lived a poor old man whose name was Wali Dâd +Gunjay, or Wali Dâd the Bald. He had no relations, but lived all by +himself in a little mud hut some distance from any town, and made his +living by cutting grass in the jungle, and selling it as fodder for +horses. He only earned by this five halfpence a day; but he was a +simple old man, and needed so little out of it, that he saved up one +halfpenny daily, and spent the rest upon such food and clothing as he +required. + +In this way he lived for many years until, one night, he thought that +he would count the money he had hidden away in the great earthen pot +under the floor of his hut. So he set to work, and with much trouble he +pulled the bag out on to the floor, and sat gazing in astonishment at +the heap of coins which tumbled out of it. What should he do with them +all? he wondered. But he never thought of spending the money on +himself, because he was content to pass the rest of his days as he had +been doing for ever so long, and he really had no desire for any +greater comfort or luxury. + +At last he threw all the money into an old sack, which he pushed under +his bead, and then, rolled in his ragged old blanket, he went off to +sleep. + +Early next morning he staggered off with his sack of money to the shop +of a jeweller, whom he knew in the town, and bargained with him for a +beautiful little gold bracelet. With this carefully wrapped up in his +cotton waistband he went to the house of a rich friend, who was a +travelling merchant, and used to wander about with his camels and +merchandise through many countries. Wali Dâd was lucky enough to find +him at home, so he sat down, and after a little talk he asked the +merchant who was the most virtuous and beautiful lady he had ever met +with. The merchant replied that the princess of Khaistan was renowned +everywhere as well for the beauty of her person as for the kindness and +generosity of her disposition. + +“Then,” said Wali Dâd, “next time you go that way, give her this little +bracelet, with the respectful compliments of one who admires virtue far +more than he desires wealth.” + +With that he pulled the bracelet from his waistband, and handed it to +his friend. The merchant was naturally much astonished, but said +nothing, and made no objection to carrying out his friend’s plan. + +Time passed by, and at length the merchant arrived in the course of his +travels at the capital of Khaistan. As soon as he had opportunity he +presented himself at the palace, and sent in the bracelet, neatly +packed in a little perfumed box provided by himself, giving at the same +time the message entrusted to him by Wali Dâd. + +The princess could not think who could have bestowed this present on +her, but she bade her servant to tell the merchant that if he would +return, after he had finished his business in the city, she would give +him her reply. In a few days, therefore, the merchant came back, and +received from the princess a return present in the shape of a +camel-load or rich silks, besides a present of money for himself. With +these he set out on his journey. + +Some months later he got home again from his journeyings, and proceeded +to take Wali Dâd the princess’s present. Great was the perplexity of +the good man to find a camel-load of silks tumbled at his door! What +was he to do with these costly things? But, presently, after much +thought, he begged the merchant to consider whether he did not know of +some young prince to whom such treasures might be useful. + +“Of course,” cried the merchant, greatly amused; “from Delhi to +Baghdad, and from Constantinople to Lucknow, I know them all; and there +lives none worthier than the gallant and wealthy young prince of +Nekabad.” + +“Very well, then, take the silks to him, with the blessing of an old +man,” said Wali Dâd, much relieved to be rid of them. + +So, the next time that the merchant journeyed that way he carried the +silks with him, and in due course arrived at Nekabad, and sought an +audience of the prince. When he was shown into his presence he produced +the beautiful gift of silks that Wali Dâd had sent, and begged the +young man to accept them as a humble tribute to his worth and +greatness. The prince was much touched by the generosity of the giver, +and ordered, as a return present, twelve of the finest breed of horses +for which his country was famous to be delivered over to the merchant, +to whom also, before he took his leave, he gave a munificent reward for +his services. + +As before, the merchant at last arrived at home; and next day, he set +out for Wali Dâd’s house with the twelve horses. When the old man saw +them coming in the distance he said to himself: “Here’s luck! a troop +of horses coming! They are sure to want quantities of grass, and I +shall sell all I have without having to drag it to market.” Thereupon +he rushed off and cut grass as fast he could. When he got back, with as +much grass as he could possibly carry, he was greatly discomfited to +find that the horses were all for himself. At first he could not think +what to do with them, but, after a little, a brilliant idea struck him! +He gave two to the merchant, and begged him to take the rest to the +princess of Khaistan, who was clearly the fittest person to possess +such beautiful animals. + +The merchant departed, laughing. But, true to his old friend’s request, +he took the horses with him on his next journey, and eventually +presented them safely to the princess. This time the princess sent for +the merchant, and questioned him about the giver. Now, the merchant was +usually a most honest man, but he did not quite like to describe Wali +Dâd in his true light as an old man whose income was five halfpence a +day, and who had hardly clothes to cover him. So he told her that his +friend had heard stories of her beauty and goodness, and had longed to +lay the best he had at her feet. The princess then took her father into +her confidence, and begged him to advise her what courtesy she might +return to one who persisted in making her such presents. + +“Well,” said the king, “you cannot refuse them; so the best thing you +can do is to send this unknown friend at once a present so magnificent +that he is not likely to be able to send you anything better, and so +will be ashamed to send anything at all!” Then he ordered that, in +place of each of the ten horses, two mules laden with silver should be +returned by her. + +Thus, in a few hours, the merchant found himself in charge of a +splendid caravan; and he had to hire a number of armed men to defend it +on the road against the robbers, and he was glad indeed to find himself +back again in Wali Dâd’s hut. + +“Well, now,” cried Wali Dâd, as he viewed all the wealth laid at his +door, “I can well repay that kind prince for his magnificent present of +horses; but to be sure you have been put to great expenses! Still, if +you will accept six mules and their loads, and will take the rest +straight to Nekabad, I shall thank you heartily.” + +The merchant felt handsomely repaid for his trouble, and wondered +greatly how the matter would turn out. So he made no difficulty about +it; and as soon as he could get things ready, he set out for Nekabad +with this new and princely gift. + +This time the prince, too, was embarrassed, and questioned the merchant +closely. The merchant felt that his credit was at stake, and whilst +inwardly determining that he would not carry the joke any further, +could not help describing Wali Dâd in such glowing terms that the old +man would never have known himself had he heard them. The prince, like +the king of Khaistan, determined that he would send in return a gift +that would be truly royal, and which would perhaps prevent the unknown +giver sending him anything more. So he made up a caravan on twenty +splendid horses caparisoned in gold embroidered cloths, with fine +morocco saddles and silver bridles and stirrups, also twenty camels of +the best breed, which had the speed of race-horses, and could swing +along at a trot all day without getting tired; and, lastly, twenty +elephants, with magnificent silver howdahs and coverings of silk +embroidered with pearls. To take care of these animals the merchant +hired a little army of men; and the troop made a great show as they +travelled along. + +When Wali Dâd from a distance saw the cloud of dust which the caravan +made, and the glitter of its appointments, he said to himself: “By +Allah! here’s a grand crowd coming! Elephants, too! Grass will be +selling well to-day!” And with that he hurried off to the jungle and +cut grass as fast as he could. As soon as he got back he found the +caravan had stopped at his door, and the merchant was waiting, a little +anxiously, to tell him the news and to congratulate him upon his +riches. + +“Riches!” cried Wali Dâd, “what has an old man like me with one foot in +the grave to do with riches? That beautiful young princess, now! She’d +be the one to enjoy all these fine things! Do you take for yourself two +horses, two camels, and two elephants, with all their trappings, and +present the rest to her.” + +The merchant at first objected to these remarks, and pointed out to +Wali Dâd that he was beginning to feel these embassies a little +awkward. Of course he was himself richly repaid, so far as expenses +went; but still he did not like going so often, and he was getting +nervous. At length, however he consented to go once more, but he +promised himself never to embark on another such enterprise. + +So, after a few days’ rest, the caravan started off once more for +Khaistan. + +The moment the king of Khaistan saw the gorgeous train of men and +beasts entering his palace courtyard, he was so amazed that he hurried +down in person to inquire about it, and became dumb when he heard that +these also were a present from the princely Wali Dâd, and were for the +princess, his daughter. He went hastily off to her apartments, and said +to her: “I tell you what it is, my dear, this man wants to marry you; +that is the meaning of all these presents! There is nothing for it but +that we go and pay him a visit in person. He must be a man of immense +wealth, and as he is so devoted to you, perhaps you might do worse than +marry him!” + +The princess agreed with all that her father said, and orders were +issued for vast numbers of elephants and camels, and gorgeous tents and +flags, and litters for the ladies, and horses for the men, to be +prepared without delay, as the king and princess were going to pay a +visit to the great and munificent prince Wali Dâd. The merchant, the +king declared, was to guide the party. + +The feelings of the poor merchant in this sore dilemma can hardly be +imagined. Willingly would he have run away; but he was treated with so +much hospitality as Wali Dâd’s representative, that he hardly got an +instant’s real peace, and never any opportunity of slipping away. In +fact, after a few days, despair possessed him to such a degree that he +made up his mind that all that happened was fate, and that escape was +impossible; but he hoped devoutly some turn of fortune would reveal to +him a way out of the difficulties which he had, with the best +intentions, drawn upon himself. + +On the seventh day they all started, amidst thunderous salutes from the +ramparts of the city, and much dust, and cheering, and blaring of +trumpets. + +Day after day they moved on, and every day the poor merchant felt more +ill and miserable. He wondered what kind of death the king would invent +for him, and went through almost as much torture, as he lay awake +nearly the whole of every night thinking over the situation, as he +would have suffered if the king’s executioners were already setting to +work upon his neck. + +At last they were only one day’s march from Wali Dâd’s little mud home. +Here a great encampment was made, and the merchant was sent on to tell +Wali Dâd that the King and Princess of Khaistan had arrived and were +seeking an interview. When the merchant arrived he found the poor old +man eating his evening meal of onions and dry bread, and when he told +him of all that had happened he had not the heart to proceed to load +him with the reproaches which rose to his tongue. For Wali Dâd was +overwhelmed with grief and shame for himself, for his friend, and for +the name and honour of the princess; and he wept and plucked at his +beard, and groaned most piteously. With tears he begged the merchant to +detain them for one day by any kind of excuse he could think of, and to +come in the morning to discuss what they should do. + +As soon as the merchant was gone Wali Dâd made up his mind that there +was only one honourable way out of the shame and distress that he had +created by his foolishness, and that was—to kill himself. So, without +stopping to ask any one’s advice, he went off in the middle of the +night to a place where the river wound along at the base of steep rocky +cliffs of great height, and determined to throw himself down and put an +end to his life. When he got to the place he drew back a few paces, +took a little run, and at the very edge of that dreadful black gulf he +stopped short! He COULD not do it! + +From below, unseen in the blackness of the deep night shadows, the +water roared and boiled round the jagged rocks—he could picture the +place as he knew it, only ten times more pitiless and forbidding in the +visionless darkness; the wind soughed through the gorge with fearsome +sighs, and rustlings and whisperings, and the bushes and grasses that +grew in the ledges of the cliffs seemed to him like living creatures +that danced and beckoned, shadowy and indistinct. An owl laughed “Hoo! +hoo!” almost in his face, as he peered over the edge of the gulf, and +the old man threw himself back in a perspiration of horror. He was +afraid! He drew back shuddering, and covering his face in his hands he +wept aloud. + +Presently he was aware of a gentle radiance that shed itself before +him. Surely morning was not already coming to hasten and reveal his +disgrace! He took his hands from before his face, and saw before him +two lovely beings whom his instinct told him were not mortal, but were +Peris from Paradise. + +“Why do you weep, old man?” said one, in a voice as clear and musical +as that of the bulbul. + +“I weep for shame,” replied he. + +“What do you here?” questioned the other. + +“I came here to die,” said Wali Dâd. And as they questioned him, he +confessed all his story. + +Then the first stepped forward and laid a hand upon his shoulder, and +Wali Dâd began to feel that something strange—what, he did not know—was +happening to him. His old cotton rags of clothes were changed to +beautiful linen and embroidered cloth; on his hard, bare feet were +warm, soft shoes, and on his head a great jewelled turban. Round his +neck there lay a heavy golden chain, and the little old bent sickle, +which he cut grass with, and which hung in his waistband, had turned +into a gorgeous scimetar, whose ivory hilt gleamed in the pale light +like snow in moonlight. As he stood wondering, like a man in a dream, +the other peri waved her hand and bade him turn and see; and, lo! +before him a noble gateway stood open. And up an avenue of giant place +trees the peris led him, dumb with amazement. At the end of the avenue, +on the very spot where his hut had stood, a gorgeous palace appeared, +ablaze with myriads of lights. Its great porticoes and verandahs were +occupied by hurrying servants, and guards paced to and fro and saluted +him respectfully as he drew near, along mossy walks and through +sweeping grassy lawns where fountains were playing and flowers scented +the air. Wali Dâd stood stunned and helpless. + +“Fear not,” said one of the peris; “go to your house, and learn that +God rewards the simple-hearted.” + +With these words they both disappeared and left him. He walked on, +thinking still that he must be dreaming. Very soon he retired to rest +in a splendid room, far grander than anything he had ever dreamed of. + +When morning dawned he woke, and found that the palace, and himself, +and his servants were all real, and that he was not dreaming after all! + +If he was dumbfounded, the merchant, who was ushered into his presence +soon after sunrise, was much more so. He told Wali Dâd that he had not +slept all night, and by the first streak of daylight had started to +seek out his friend. And what a search he had had! A great stretch of +wild jungle country had, in the night, been changed into parks and +gardens; and if it had not been for some of Wali Dâd’s new servants, +who found him and brought him to the palace, he would have fled away +under the impression that his trouble had sent him crazy, and that all +he saw was only imagination. + +Then Wali Dâd told the merchant all that had happened. By his advice he +sent an invitation to the king and princess of Khaistan to come and be +his guests, together with all their retinue and servants, down to the +very humblest in the camp. + +For three nights and days a great feast was held in honour of the royal +guests. Every evening the king and his nobles were served on golden +plates and from golden cups; and the smaller people on silver plates +and from silver cups; and each evening each guest was requested to keep +the places and cups that they had used as a remembrance of the +occasion. Never had anything so splendid been seen. Besides the great +dinners, there were sports and hunting, and dances, and amusements of +all sorts. + +On the fourth day the king of Khaistan took his host aside, and asked +him whether it was true, as he had suspected, that he wished to marry +his daughter. But Wali Dâd, after thanking him very much for the +compliment, said that he had never dreamed of so great an honour, and +that he was far too old and ugly for so fair a lady; but he begged the +king to stay with him until he could send for the Prince of Nekabad, +who was a most excellent, brave, and honourable young man, and would +surely be delighted to try to win the hand of the beautiful princess. + +To this the king agreed, and Wali Dâd sent the merchant to Nekabad, +with a number of attendants, and with such handsome presents that the +prince came at once, fell head over ears in love with the princess, and +married her at Wali Dâd’s palace amidst a fresh outburst of rejoicings. + +And now the King of Khaistan and the Prince and Princess of Nekabad, +each went back to their own country; and Wali Dâd lived to a good old +age, befriending all who were in trouble and preserving, in his +prosperity, the simple-hearted and generous nature that he had when he +was only Wali Dâd Gunjay, the grass cutter. + +[Told the author by an Indian.] + + + + +Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey + + +Once upon a time there was a country where the rivers were larger, and +the forests deeper, than anywhere else. Hardly any men came there, and +the wild creatures had it all to themselves, and used to play all sorts +of strange games with each other. The great trees, chained one to the +other by thick flowering plants with bright scarlet or yellow blossoms, +were famous hiding-places for the monkeys, who could wait unseen, till +a puma or an elephant passed by, and then jump on their backs and go +for a ride, swinging themselves up by the creepers when they had had +enough. Near the rivers huge tortoises were to be found, and though to +our eyes a tortoise seems a dull, slow thing, it is wonderful to think +how clever they were, and how often they outwitted many of their +livelier friends. + +There was one tortoise in particular that always managed to get the +better of everybody, and many were the tales told in the forest of his +great deeds. They began when he was quite young, and tired of staying +at home with his father and mother. He left them one day, and walked +off in search of adventures. In a wide open space surrounded by trees +he met with an elephant, who was having his supper before taking his +evening bath in the river which ran close by. “Let us see which of us +two is strongest,” said the young tortoise, marching up to the +elephant. “Very well,” replied the elephant, much amused at the +impertinence of the little creature; “when would you like the trial to +be?” + +“In an hour’s time; I have some business to do first,” answered the +tortoise. And he hastened away as fast as his short legs would carry +him. + +In a pool of the river a whale was resting, blowing water into the air +and making a lovely fountain. The tortoise, however, was too young and +too busy to admire such things, and he called to the whale to stop, as +he wanted to speak to him. “Would you like to try which of us is the +stronger?” said he. The whale looked at him, sent up another fountain, +and answered: “Oh, yes; certainly. When do you wish to begin? I am +quite ready.” + +“Then give me one of your longest bones, and I will fasten it to my +leg. When I give the signal, you must pull, and we will see which can +pull the hardest.” + +“Very good,” replied the whale; and he took out one of his bones and +passed it to the tortoise. + +The tortoise picked up the end of the bone in his mouth and went back +to the elephant. “I will fasten this to your leg,” said he, “in the +same way as it is fastened to mine, and we must both pull as hard as we +can. We shall soon see which is the stronger.” So he wound it carefully +round the elephant’s leg, and tied it in a firm knot. “Now!” cried he, +plunging into a thick bush behind him. + +The whale tugged at one end, and the elephant tugged at the other, and +neither had any idea that he had not the tortoise for his foe. When the +whale pulled hardest the elephant was dragged into the water; and when +the elephant pulled the hardest the whale was hauled on to the land. +They were very evenly matched, and the battle was a hard one. + +At last they were quite tired, and the tortoise, who was watching, saw +that they could play no more. So he crept from his hiding-place, and +dipping himself in the river, he went to the elephant and said: “I see +that you really are stronger than I thought. Suppose we give it up for +to-day?” Then he dried himself on some moss and went to the whale and +said: “I see that you really are stronger than I thought. Suppose we +give it up for to-day?” + +The two adversaries were only too glad to be allowed to rest, and +believed to the end of their days that, after all, the tortoise was +stronger than either of them. + +A day or two later the young tortoise was taking a stroll, when he met +a fox, and stopped to speak to him. “Let us try,” said he in a careless +manner, “which of us can lie buried in the ground during seven years.” + +“I shall be delighted,” answered the fox, “only I would rather that you +began.” + +“It is all the same to me,” replied the tortoise; “if you come round +this way to-morrow you will see that I have fulfilled my part of the +bargain.” + +So he looked about for a suitable place, and found a convenient hole at +the foot of an orange tree. He crept into it, and the next morning the +fox heaped up the earth round him, and promised to feed him every day +with fresh fruit. The fox so far kept his word that each morning when +the sun rose he appeared to ask how the tortoise was getting on. “Oh, +very well; but I wish you would give me some fruit,” replied he. + +“Alas! the fruit is not ripe enough yet for you to eat,” answered the +fox, who hoped that the tortoise would die of hunger long before the +seven years were over. + +“Oh dear, oh dear! I am so hungry!” cried the tortoise. + +“I am sure you must be; but it will be all right to-morrow,” said the +fox, trotting off, not knowing that the oranges dropped down the hollow +trunk, straight into the tortoise’s hole, and that he had as many as he +could possibly eat. + +So the seven years went by; and when the tortoise came out of his hole +he was as fat as ever. + +Now it was the fox’s turn, and he chose his hole, and the tortoise +heaped the earth round, promising to return every day or two with a +nice young bird for his dinner. “Well, how are you getting on?” he +would ask cheerfully when he paid his visits. + +“Oh, all right; only I wish you had brought a bird with you,” answered +the fox. + +“I have been so unlucky, I have never been able to catch one,” replied +the tortoise. “However, I shall be more fortunate to-morrow, I am +sure.” + +But not many to-morrows after, when the tortoise arrived with his usual +question: “Well, how are you getting on?” he received no answer, for +the fox was lying in his hole quite still, dead of hunger. + +By this time the tortoise was grown up, and was looked up to throughout +the forest as a person to be feared for his strength and wisdom. But he +was not considered a very swift runner, until an adventure with a deer +added to his fame. + +One day, when he was basking in the sun, a stag passed by, and stopped +for a little conversation. “Would you care to see which of us can run +fastest?” asked the tortoise, after some talk. The stag thought the +question so silly that he only shrugged his shoulders. “Of course, the +victor would have the right to kill the other,” went on the tortoise. +“Oh, on that condition I agree,” answered the deer; “but I am afraid +you are a dead man.” + +“It is no use trying to frighten me,” replied the tortoise. “But I +should like three days for training; then I shall be ready to start +when the sun strikes on the big tree at the edge of the great +clearing.” + +The first thing the tortoise did was to call his brothers and his +cousins together, and he posted them carefully under ferns all along +the line of the great clearing, making a sort of ladder which stretched +for many miles. This done to his satisfaction, he went back to the +starting place. + +The stag was quite punctual, and as soon as the sun’s rays struck the +trunk of the tree the stag started off, and was soon far out of the +sight of the tortoise. Every now and then he would turn his head as he +ran, and call out: “How are you getting on?” and the tortoise who +happened to be nearest at that moment would answer: “All right, I am +close up to you.” + +Full of astonishment, the stag would redouble his efforts, but it was +no use. Each time he asked: “Are you there?” the answer would come: +“Yes, of course, where else should I be?” And the stag ran, and ran, +and ran, till he could run no more, and dropped down dead on the grass. + +And the tortoise, when he thinks about it, laughs still. + +But the tortoise was not the only creature of whose tricks stories were +told in the forest. There was a famous monkey who was just as clever +and more mischievous, because he was so much quicker on his feet and +with his hands. It was quite impossible to catch him and give him the +thrashing he so often deserved, for he just swung himself up into a +tree and laughed at the angry victim who was sitting below. Sometimes, +however, the inhabitants of the forest were so foolish as to provoke +him, and then they got the worst of it. This was what happened to the +barber, whom the monkey visited one morning, saying that he wished to +be shaved. The barber bowed politely to his customer, and begging him +to be seated, tied a large cloth round his neck, and rubbed his chin +with soap; but instead of cutting off his beard, the barber made a snip +at the end of his tail. It was only a very little bit and the monkey +started up more in rage than in pain. “Give me back the end of my +tail,” he roared, “or I will take one of your razors.” The barber +refused to give back the missing piece, so the monkey caught up a razor +from the table and ran away with it, and no one in the forest could be +shaved for days, as there was not another to be got for miles and +miles. + +As he was making his way to his own particular palm-tree, where the +cocoanuts grew, which were so useful for pelting passers-by, he met a +woman who was scaling a fish with a bit of wood, for in this side of +the forest a few people lived in huts near the river. + +“That must be hard work,” said the monkey, stopping to look; “try my +knife—you will get on quicker.” And he handed her the razor as he +spoke. A few days later he came back and rapped at the door of the hut. +“I have called for my razor,” he said, when the woman appeared. + +“I have lost it,” answered she. + +“If you don’t give it to me at once I will take your sardine,” replied +the monkey, who did not believe her. The woman protested she had not +got the knife, so he took the sardine and ran off. + +A little further along he saw a baker who was standing at the door, +eating one of his loaves. “That must be rather dry,” said the monkey, +“try my fish”; and the man did not need twice telling. A few days later +the monkey stopped again at the baker’s hut. “I’ve called for that +fish,” he said. + +“That fish? But I have eaten it!” exclaimed the baker in dismay. + +“If you have eaten it I shall take this barrel of meal in exchange,” +replied the monkey; and he walked off with the barrel under his arm. + +As he went he saw a woman with a group of little girls round her, +teaching them how to dress hair. “Here is something to make cakes for +the children,” he said, putting down his barrel, which by this time he +found rather heavy. The children were delighted, and ran directly to +find some flat stones to bake their cakes on, and when they had made +and eaten them, they thought they had never tasted anything so nice. +Indeed, when they saw the monkey approaching not long after, they +rushed to meet him, hoping that he was bringing them some more +presents. But he took no notice of their questions, he only said to +their mother: “I’ve called for my barrel of meal.” + +“Why, you gave it to me to make cakes of!” cried the mother. + +“If I can’t get my barrel of meal, I shall take one of your children,” +answered the monkey. “I am in want of somebody who can bake my bread +when I am tired of fruit, and who knows how to make cocoanut cakes.” + +“Oh, leave me my child, and I will find you another barrel of meal,” +wept the mother. + +“I don’t WANT another barrel, I want THAT one,” answered the monkey +sternly. And as the woman stood wringing her hands, he caught up the +little girl that he thought the prettiest and took her to his home in +the palm tree. + +She never went back to the hut, but on the whole she was not much to be +pitied, for monkeys are nearly as good as children to play with, and +they taught her how to swing, and to climb, and to fly from tree to +tree, and everything else they knew, which was a great deal. + +Now the monkey’s tiresome tricks had made him many enemies in the +forest, but no one hated him so much as the puma. The cause of their +quarrel was known only to themselves, but everybody was aware of the +fact, and took care to be out of the way when there was any chance of +these two meeting. Often and often the puma had laid traps for the +monkey, which he felt sure his foe could not escape; and the monkey +would pretend that he saw nothing, and rejoice the hidden puma’s heart +by seeming to walk straight into the snare, when, lo! a loud laugh +would be heard, and the monkey’s grinning face would peer out of a mass +of creepers and disappear before his foe could reach him. + +This state of things had gone on for quite a long while, when at last +there came a season such as the oldest parrot in the forest could never +remember. Instead of two or three hundred inches of rain falling, which +they were all accustomed to, month after month passed without a cloud, +and the rivers and springs dried up, till there was only one small pool +left for everyone to drink from. There was not an animal for miles +round that did not grieve over this shocking condition of affairs, not +one at least except the puma. His only thought for years had been how +to get the monkey into his power, and this time he imagined his chance +had really arrived. He would hide himself in a thicket, and when the +monkey came down to drink—and come he must—the puma would spring out +and seize him. Yes, on this occasion there could be no escape! + +And no more there would have been if the puma had had greater patience; +but in his excitement he moved a little too soon. The monkey, who was +stooping to drink, heard a rustling, and turning caught the gleam of +two yellow, murderous eyes. With a mighty spring he grasped a creeper +which was hanging above him, and landed himself on the branch of a +tree; feeling the breath of the puma on his feet as the animal bounded +from is cover. Never had the monkey been so near death, and it was some +time before he recovered enough courage to venture on the ground again. + +Up there in the shelter of the trees, he began to turn over in his head +plans for escaping the snares of the puma. And at length chance helped +him. Peeping down to the earth, he saw a man coming along the path +carrying on his head a large gourd filled with honey. + +He waited till the man was just underneath the tree, then he hung from +a bough, and caught the gourd while the man looked up wondering, for he +was no tree-climber. Then the monkey rubbed the honey all over him, and +a quantity of leaves from a creeper that was hanging close by; he stuck +them all close together into the honey, so that he looked like a +walking bush. This finished, he ran to the pool to see the result, and, +quite pleased with himself, set out in search of adventures. + +Soon the report went through the forest that a new animal had appeared +from no one knew where, and that when somebody had asked his name, the +strange creature had answered that it was Jack-in-the-Green. Thanks to +this, the monkey was allowed to drink at the pool as often as he liked, +for neither beast nor bird had the faintest notion who he was. And if +they made any inquiries the only answer they got was that the water of +which he had drunk deeply had turned his hair into leaves, so that they +all knew what would happen in case they became too greedy. + +By-and-by the great rains began again. The rivers and streams filled +up, and there was no need for him to go back to the pool, near the home +of his enemy, the puma, as there was a large number of places for him +to choose from. So one night, when everything was still and silent, and +even the chattering parrots were asleep on one leg, the monkey stole +down softly from his perch, and washed off the honey and the leaves, +and came out from his bath in his own proper skin. On his way to +breakfast he met a rabbit, and stopped for a little talk. + +“I am feeling rather dull,” he remarked; “I think it would do me good +to hunt a while. What do you say?” + +“Oh, I am quite willing,” answered the rabbit, proud of being spoken to +by such a large creature. “But the question is, what shall we hunt?” + +“There is no credit in going after an elephant or a tiger,” replied the +monkey stroking his chin, “they are so big they could not possibly get +out of your way. It shows much more skill to be able to catch a small +thing that can hide itself in a moment behind a leaf. I’ll tell you +what! Suppose I hunt butterflies, and you, serpents.” + +The rabbit, who was young and without experience, was delighted with +this idea, and they both set out on their various ways. + +The monkey quietly climbed up the nearest tree, and ate fruit most of +the day, but the rabbit tired himself to death poking his nose into +every heap of dried leaves he saw, hoping to find a serpent among them. +Luckily for himself the serpents were all away for the afternoon, at a +meeting of their own, for there is nothing a serpent likes so well for +dinner as a nice plump rabbit. But, as it was, the dried leaves were +all empty, and the rabbit at last fell asleep where he was. Then the +monkey, who had been watching him, fell down and pulled his ears, to +the rage of the rabbit, who vowed vengeance. + +It was not easy to catch the monkey off his guard, and the rabbit +waited long before an opportunity arrived. But one day +Jack-in-the-Green was sitting on a stone, wondering what he should do +next, when the rabbit crept softly behind him, and gave his tail a +sharp pull. The monkey gave a shriek of pain, and darted up into a +tree, but when he saw that it was only the rabbit who had dared to +insult him so, he chattered so fast in his anger, and looked so fierce, +that the rabbit fled into the nearest hole, and stayed there for +several days, trembling with fright. + +Soon after this adventure the monkey went away into another part of the +country, right on the outskirts of the forest, where there was a +beautiful garden full of oranges hanging ripe from the trees. This +garden was a favourite place for birds of all kinds, each hoping to +secure an orange for dinner, and in order to frighten the birds away +and keep a little fruit for himself, the master had fastened a waxen +figure on one of the boughs. + +Now the monkey was as fond of oranges as any of the birds, and when he +saw a man standing in the tree where the largest and sweetest oranges +grew, he spoke to him at once. “You man,” he said rudely, “throw me +down that big orange up there, or I will throw a stone at you.” The wax +figure took no notice of this request, so the monkey, who was easily +made angry, picked up a stone, and flung it with all his force. But +instead of falling to the ground again, the stone stuck to the soft +wax. + +At this moment a breeze shook the tree, and the orange on which the +monkey had set his heart dropped from the bough. He picked it up and +ate it every bit, including the rind, and it was so good he thought he +should like another. So he called again to the wax figure to throw him +an orange, and as the figure did not move, he hurled another stone, +which stuck to the wax as the first had done. Seeing that the man was +quite indifferent to stones, the monkey grew more angry still, and +climbing the tree hastily, gave the figure a violent kick. But like the +two stones his leg remained stuck to the wax, and he was held fast. +“Let me go at once, or I will give you another kick,” he cried, suiting +the action to the word, and this time also his foot remained in the +grasp of the man. Not knowing what he did, the monkey hit out, first +with one hand and then with the other, and when he found that he was +literally bound hand and foot, he became so mad with anger and terror +that in his struggles he fell to the ground, dragging the figure after +him. This freed his hands and feet, but besides the shock of the fall, +they had tumbled into a bed of thorns, and he limped away broken and +bruised, and groaning loudly; for when monkeys ARE hurt, they take +pains that everybody shall know it. + +It was a long time before Jack was well enough to go about again; but +when he did, he had an encounter with his old enemy the puma. And this +was how it came about. + +One day the puma invited his friend the stag to go with him and see a +comrade, who was famous for the good milk he got from his cows. The +stag loved milk, and gladly accepted the invitation, and when the sun +began to get a little low the two started on their walk. On the way +they arrived on the banks of a river, and as there were no bridges in +those days it was necessary to swim across it. The stag was not fond of +swimming, and began to say that he was tired, and thought that after +all it was not worth going so far to get milk, and that he would return +home. But the puma easily saw through these excuses, and laughed at +him. + +“The river is not deep at all,” he said; “why, you will never be off +your feet. Come, pluck up your courage and follow me.” + +The stag was afraid of the river; still, he was much more afraid of +being laughed at, and he plunged in after the puma; but in an instant +the current had swept him away, and if it had not borne him by accident +to a shallow place on the opposite side, where he managed to scramble +up the bank, he would certainly have been drowned. As it was, he +scrambled out, shaking with terror, and found the puma waiting for him. +“You had a narrow escape that time,” said the puma. + +After resting for a few minutes, to let the stag recover from his +fright, they went on their way till they came to a grove of bananas. + +“They look very good,” observed the puma with a longing glance, “and I +am sure you must be hungry, friend stag? Suppose you were to climb the +tree and get some. You shall eat the green ones, they are the best and +sweetest; and you can throw the yellow ones down to me. I dare say they +will do quite well!” The stag did as he was bid, though, not being used +to climbing, it gave him a deal of trouble and sore knees, and besides, +his horns were continually getting entangled in the creepers. What was +worse, when once he had tasted the bananas, he found them not at all to +his liking, so he threw them all down, green and yellow alike, and let +the puma take his choice. And what a dinner he made! When he had QUITE +done, they set forth once more. + +The path lay through a field of maize, where several men were working. +As they came up to them, the puma whispered: “Go on in front, friend +stag, and just say ‘Bad luck to all workers!’” The stag obeyed, but the +men were hot and tired, and did not think this a good joke. So they set +their dogs at him, and he was obliged to run away as fast as he could. + +“I hope your industry will be rewarded as it deserves,” said the puma +as he passed along; and the men were pleased, and offered him some of +their maize to eat. + +By-and-by the puma saw a small snake with a beautiful shining skin, +lying coiled up at the foot of a tree. “What a lovely bracelet that +would make for your daughter, friend stag! said he. The stag stooped +and picked up the snake, which bit him, and he turned angrily to the +puma. “Why did you not tell me it would bite?” he asked. + +“Is it my fault if you are an idiot?” replied the puma. + +At last they reached their journey’s end, but by this time it was late, +and the puma’s comrade was ready for bed, so they slung their hammocks +in convenient places, and went to sleep. But in the middle of the night +the puma rose softly and stole out of the door to the sheep-fold, where +he killed and ate the fattest sheep he could find, and taking a bowl +full of its blood, he sprinkled the sleeping stag with it. This done, +he returned to bed. + +In the morning the shepherd went as usual to let the sheep out of the +fold, and found one of them missing. He thought directly of the puma, +and ran to accuse him of having eaten the sheep. “I, my good man? What +had put it into your head to think of such a thing? Have I got any +blood about me? If anyone has eaten a sheep it must be my friend the +stag.” Then the shepherd went to examine the sleeping stag, and of +course he saw the blood. “Ah! I will teach you how to steal!” cried he, +and he hit the stag such a blow on his skull that he died in a moment. +The noise awakened the comrade above, and he came downstairs. The puma +greeted him with joy, and begged he might have some of the famous milk +as soon as possible, for he was very thirsty. A large bucket was set +before the puma directly. He drank it to the last drop, and then took +leave. + +On his way home he met the monkey. “Are you fond of milk?” asked he. “I +know a place where you get it very nice. I will show you it if you +like.” The monkey knew that the puma was not so good-natured for +nothing, but he felt quite able to take care of himself, so he said he +should have much pleasure in accompanying his friend. + +They soon reached the same river, and, as before, the puma remarked: +“Friend monkey, you will find it very shallow; there is no cause for +fear. Jump in and I will follow.” + +“Do you think you have the stag to deal with?” asked the monkey, +laughing. “I should prefer to follow; if not I shall go no further. The +puma understood that it was useless trying to make the monkey do as he +wished, so he chose a shallow place and began to swim across. The +monkey waited till the puma had got to the middle, then he gave a great +spring and jumped on his back, knowing quite well that the puma would +be afraid to shake him off, lest he should be swept away into deep +water. So in this manner they reached the bank. + +The banana grove was not far distant, and here the puma thought he +would pay the monkey out for forcing him to carry him over the river. +“Friend monkey, look what fine bananas,” cried he. “You are fond of +climbing; suppose you run up and throw me down a few. You can eat the +green ones, which are the nicest, and I will be content with the +yellow.” + +“Very well,” answered the monkey, swinging himself up; but he ate all +the yellow ones himself, and only threw down the green ones that were +left. The puma was furious and cried out: “I will punch your head for +that.” But the monkey only answered: “If you are gong to talk such +nonsense I won’t walk with you.” And the puma was silent. + +In a few minutes more they arrived at the field were the men were +reaping the maize, and the puma remarked as he had done before: “Friend +monkey, if you wish to please these men, just say as you go by: ‘Bad +luck to all workers.’ + +“Very well,” replied the monkey; but, instead, he nodded and smiled, +and said: “I hope your industry may be rewarded as it deserves.” The +men thanked him heartily, let him pass on, and the puma followed behind +him. + +Further along the path they saw the shining snake lying on the moss. +“What a lovely necklace for your daughter,” exclaimed the puma. “Pick +it up and take it with you.” + +“You are very kind, but I will leave it for you,” answered the monkey, +and nothing more was said about the snake. + +Not long after this they reached the comrade’s house, and found him +just ready to go to bed. So, without stopping to talk, the guests slung +their hammocks, the monkey taking care to place his so high that no one +could get at him. Besides, he thought it would be more prudent not to +fall asleep, so he only lay still and snored loudly. When it was quite +dark and no sound was to be heard, the puma crept out to the +sheep-fold, killed the sheep, and carried back a bowl full of its blood +with which to sprinkle the monkey. But the monkey, who had been +watching out of the corner of his eye, waited until the puma drew near, +and with a violent kick upset the bowl all over the puma himself. + +When the puma saw what had happened, he turned in a great hurry to +leave the house, but before he could do so, he saw the shepherd coming, +and hastily lay down again. + +“This is the second time I have lost a sheep,” the man said to the +monkey; “it will be the worse for the thief when I catch him, I can +tell you.” The monkey did not answer, but silently pointed to the puma +who was pretending to be asleep. The shepherd stooped and saw the +blood, and cried out: “Ah! so it is you, is it? then take that!” and +with his stick he gave the puma such a blow on the head that he died +then and there. + +Then the monkey got up and went to the dairy, and drank all the milk he +could find. Afterwards he returned home and married, and that is the +last we heard of him. + +[Adapted from Folk-lore Bresilien.] + + + + +The Knights of the Fish + + +Once upon a time there lived an old cobbler who worked hard at his +trade from morning till night, and scarcely gave himself a moment to +eat. But, industrious as he was, he could hardly buy bread and cheese +for himself and his wife, and they grew thinner and thinner daily. + +For a long while whey pretended to each other that they had no +appetite, and that a few blackberries from the hedges were a great deal +nicer than a good strong bowl of soup. But at length there came a day +when the cobbler could bear it no longer, and he threw away his last, +and borrowing a rod from a neighbour he went out to fish. + +Now the cobbler was as patient about fishing as he had been about +cobbling. From dawn to dark he stood on the banks of the little stream, +without hooking anything better than an eel, or a few old shoes, that +even he, clever though he was, felt were not worth mending. At length +his patience began to give way, and as he undressed one night he said +to himself: “Well, I will give it one more chance; and if I don’t catch +a fish to-morrow, I will go and hang myself.” + +He had not cast his line for ten minutes the next morning before he +drew from the river the most beautiful fish he had ever seen in his +life. But he nearly fell into the water from surprise, when the fish +began to speak to him, in a small, squeaky voice: + +“Take me back to your hut and cook me; then cut me up, and sprinkle me +over with pepper and salt. Give two of the pieces to your wife, and +bury two more in the garden.” + +The cobbler did not know what to make of these strange words; but he +was wiser than many people, and when he did not understand, he thought +it was well to obey. His children wanted to eat all the fish +themselves, and begged their father to tell them what to do with the +pieces he had put aside; but the cobbler only laughed, and told them it +was no business of theirs. And when they were safe in bed he stole out +and buried the two pieces in the garden. + +By and by two babies, exactly alike, lay in a cradle, and in the garden +were two tall plants, with two brilliant shields on the top. + +Years passed away, and the babies were almost men. They were tired of +living quietly at home, being mistaken for each other by everybody they +saw, and determined to set off in different directions, to seek +adventures. + +So, one fine morning, the two brothers left the hut, and walked +together to the place where the great road divided. There they embraced +and parted, promising that if anything remarkable had happened to +either, he would return to the cross roads and wait till his brother +came. + +The youth who took the path that ran eastwards arrived presently at a +large city, where he found everybody standing at the doors, wringing +their hands and weeping bitterly. + +“What is the matter?” asked he, pausing and looking round. And a man +replied, in a faltering voice, that each year a beautiful girl was +chosen by lot to be offered up to a dreadful fiery dragon, who had a +mother even worse than himself, and this year the lot had fallen on +their peerless princess. + +“But where IS the princess?” said the young man once more, and again +the man answered him: “She is standing under a tree, a mile away, +waiting for the dragon.” + +This time the Knight of the Fish did not stop to hear more, but ran off +as fast as he could, and found the princess bathed in tears, and +trembling from head to foot. + +She turned as she heard the sound of his sword, and removed her +handkerchief from his eyes. + +“Fly,” she cried; “fly while you have yet time, before that monster +sees you.” + +She said it, and she mean it; yet, when he had turned his back, she +felt more forsaken than before. But in reality it was not more than a +few minutes before he came back, galloping furiously on a horse he had +borrowed, and carrying a huge mirror across its neck. + +“I am in time, then,” he cried, dismounting very carefully, and placing +the mirror against the trunk of a tree. + +“Give me your veil,” he said hastily to the princess. And when she had +unwound it from her head he covered the mirror with it. + +“The moment the dragon comes near you, you must tear off the veil,” +cried he; “and be sure you hide behind the mirror. Have no fear; I +shall be at hand.” + +He and his horse had scarcely found shelter amongst some rocks, when +the flap of the dragon’s wings could be plainly heard. He tossed his +head with delight at the sight of her, and approached slowly to the +place where she stood, a little in front of the mirror. Then, still +looking the monster steadily in the face, she passed one hand behind +her back and snatched off the veil, stepping swiftly behind the tree as +she did so. + +The princess had not known, when she obeyed the orders of the Knight of +the Fish, what she expected to happen. Would the dragon with snaky +locks be turned to stone, she wondered, like the dragon in an old story +her nurse had told her; or would some fiery spark dart from the heart +of the mirror, and strike him dead? Neither of these things occurred, +but, instead, the dragon stopped short with surprise and rage when he +saw a monster before him as big and strong as himself. He shook his +mane with rage and fury; the enemy in front did exactly the same. He +lashed his tail, and rolled his red eyes, and the dragon opposite was +no whit behind him. Opening his mouth to its very widest, he gave an +awful roar; but the other dragon only roared back. This was too much, +and with another roar which made the princess shake in her shoes, he +flung himself upon his foe. In an instant the mirror lay at his feet +broken into a thousand pieces, but as every piece reflected part of +himself, the dragon thought that he too had been smashed into atoms. + +It was the moment for which the Knight of the Fish had watched and +waited, and before the dragon could find out that he was not hurt at +all, the young man’s lance was down his throat, and he was rolling, +dead, on the grass. + +Oh! what shouts of joy rang through the great city, when the youth came +riding back with the princess sitting behind him, and dragging the +horrible monster by a cord. Everybody cried out that the king must give +the victor the hand of the princess; and so he did, and no one had ever +seen such balls and feasts and sports before. And when they were all +over the young couple went to the palace prepared for them, which was +so large that it was three miles round. + +The first wet day after their marriage the bridegroom begged the bride +to show him all the rooms in the palace, and it was so big and took so +long that the sun was shining brightly again before they stepped on to +the roof to see the view. + +“What castle is that out there,” asked the knight; “it seems to be made +of black marble?” + +“It is called the castle of Albatroz,” answered the princess. “It is +enchanted, and no one that has tried to enter it has ever come back.” + +Her husband said nothing, and began to talk of something else; but the +next morning he ordered his horse, took his spear, called his +bloodhound, and set off for the castle. + +It needed a brave man to approach it, for it made your hair stand on +end merely to look at it; it was as dark as the night of a storm, and +as silent as the grave. But the Knight of the Fish knew no fear, and +had never turned his back on an enemy; so he drew out his horn, and +blew a blast. + +The sound awoke all the sleeping echoes in the castle, and was repeated +now loudly, now softly; now near, and now far. But nobody stirred for +all that. + +“Is there anyone inside?” cried the young man in his loudest voice; +“anyone who will give a knight hospitality? Neither governor, nor +squire, not even a page?” + +“Not even a page!” answered the echoes. But the young man did not heed +them, and only struck a furious blow at the gate. + +Then a small grating opened, and there appeared the tip of a huge nose, +which belonged to the ugliest old woman that ever was seen. + +“What do you want?” said she. + +“To enter,” he answered shortly. “Can I rest here this night? Yes or +No?” + +“No, No, No!” repeated the echoes. + +Between the fierce sun and his anger at being kept waiting, the Knight +of the Fish had grown so hot that he lifted his visor, and when the old +woman saw how handsome he was, she began fumbling with the lock of the +gate. + +“Come in, come in,” said she, “so fine a gentleman will do us no harm.” + +“Harm!” repeated the echoes, but again the young man paid no heed. + +“Let us go in, ancient dame,” but she interrupted him. + +“You must call me the Lady Berberisca,” she answered, sharply; “and +this is my castle, to which I bid you welcome. You shall live here with +me and be my husband.” But at these words the knight let his spear +fall, so surprised was he. + +“I marry YOU? why you must be a hundred at least!” cried he. “You are +mad! All I desire is to inspect the castle and then go.” As he spoke he +heard the voices give a mocking laugh; but the old woman took no +notice, and only bade the knight follow her. + +Old though she was, it seemed impossible to tire her. There was no +room, however small, she did not lead him into, and each room was full +of curious things he had never seen before. + +At length they came to a stone staircase, which was so dark that you +could not see your hand if you held it up before your face. + +“I have kept my most precious treasure till the last,” said the old +woman; “but let me go first, for the stairs are steep, and you might +easily break your leg.” So on she went, now and then calling back to +the young man in the darkness. But he did not know that she had slipped +aside into a recess, till suddenly he put his foot on a trap door which +gave way under him, and he fell down, down, as many good knights had +done before him, and his voice joined the echoes of theirs. + +“So you would not marry me!” chuckled the old witch. “Ha! ha! Ha! ha!” + +Meanwhile his brother had wandered far and wide, and at last he +wandered back to the same great city where the other young knight had +met with so many adventures. He noticed, with amazement, that as he +walked through the streets the guards drew themselves up in line, and +saluted him, and the drummers played the royal march; but he was still +more bewildered when several servants in livery ran up to him and told +him that the princess was sure something terrible had befallen him, and +had made herself ill with weeping. At last it occurred to him that once +more he had been taken for his brother. “I had better say nothing,” +thought he; “perhaps I shall be able to help him after all.” + +So he suffered himself to be borne in triumph to the palace, where the +princess threw herself into his arms. + +“And so you did go to the castle?” she asked. + +“Yes, of course I did,” answered he. + +“And what did you see there?” + +“I am forbidden to tell you anything about it, until I have returned +there once more,” replied he. + +“Must you really go back to that dreadful place?” she asked wistfully. +“You are the only man who has ever come back from it.” + +“I must,” was all he answered. And the princess, who was a wise woman, +only said: “Well, go to bed now, for I am sure you must be very tired.” + +But the knight shook his head. “I have sworn never to lie in a bed as +long as my work in the castle remains standing.” And the princess again +sighed, and was silent. + +Early next day the young man started for the castle, feeling sure that +some terrible thing must have happened to his brother. + +At the blast of his horn the long nose of the old woman appeared at the +grating, but the moment she caught sight of his face, she nearly +fainted from fright, as she thought it was the ghost of the youth whose +bones were lying in the dungeon of the castle. + +“Lady of all the ages,” cried the new comer, “did you not give +hospitality to a young knight but a short time ago?” + +“A short time ago!” wailed the voices. + +“And how have you ill-treated him?” he went on. + +“Ill-treated him!” answered the voices. The woman did not stop to hear +more; she turned to fly; but the knight’s sword entered her body. + +“Where is my brother, cruel hag?” asked he sternly. + +“I will tell you,” said she; “but as I feel that I am going to die I +shall keep that piece of news to myself, till you have brought me to +life again.” + +The young man laughed scornfully. “How do you propose that I should +work that miracle?” + +“Oh, it is quite easy. Go into the garden and gather the flowers of the +everlasting plant and some of dragon’s blood. Crush them together and +boil them in a large tub of water, and then put me into it.” + +The knight did as the old witch bade him, and, sure enough, she came +out quite whole, but uglier than ever. She then told the young man what +had become of his brother, and he went down into the dungeon, and +brought up his body and the bodies of the other victims who lay there, +and when they were all washed in the magic water their strength was +restored to them. + +And, besides these, he found in another cavern the bodies of the girls +who had been sacrificed to the dragon, and brought them back to life +also. + +As to the old witch, in the end she died of rage at seeing her prey +escape her; and at the moment she drew her last breath the castle of +Albatroz fell into ruins with a great noise. + +[From Cuentos, Oraciones, Adivinas recogidos por Fernan Caballaro.] + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BROWN FAIRY BOOK *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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