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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.12.12.00*END* + + + + + +This etext was scanned by JC Byers and typed by L.M. Shaffer. +LMShaf@aol.com & jcbyers@capitalnet.com + + + + + + 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 Koumongoe,' 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 +Dad 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 + + + +What the Rose did to the Cypress +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 +Habogi +How the Little Brother set Free his Big Brothers +The Sacred Milk of Koumongoe +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 +Rubezahl +Story of the King who would be Stronger then Fate +Story of Wali Dad 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[FN#1] + + + +Once upon a time a great king of the East, named +Saman-lalposh,[FN#2] had three brave and clever sons--Tahmasp, +Qamas, and Almas-ruh-baksh.[FN#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[FN#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,[FN#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,[FN#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[FN#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 Dil- aram 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.[FN#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 [Bet, 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[FN#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 Mihr- afruz 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,[FN#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.[FN#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 So]omon 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 Tlmus 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,[FN#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 for What The Rose Did to the Cypress + + +[FN#1] 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. + +[FN#2] Jessamine, ruby-decked. + +[FN#3] Life-giving diamond. + +[FN#4] World-gripper. + +[FN#5] Love-enkindler. + +[FN#6] Rose-cheek. + +[FN#7] Heartsease. + +[FN#8] Elias. + +[FN#9] Pleasure. + +[FN#10] Thirty-birds. + +[FN#11] Pomp and Pride. + +[FN#12] 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 a,pple. + +'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 run- +ning 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 Volksmarcher.] + + + + +Habogi + + + +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 Habogi.' + +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 Habogi.' + +'Who IS Habogi?' 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 'Habogi,' +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 Habogi, 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, Habogi 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 Habogi'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 Habogi 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 Habogi,' 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 Habogi'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 Habogi 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 Habogi 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 Habogi, 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 Habogi 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 +Habogi 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 Habogi 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 Habogi, 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 Habogi,' said she. + +[From Neuislandischem Volksmarcher.] + + + +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 Koumongoe + + + +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 +Koumongoe, 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 Koumongoe +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 Koumongoe, +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 Koumongoe 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 Koumongoe. + +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 Koumongoe 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 Koumongoe 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 Koumongoe. +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 Koumongoe to Koane, Koumongoe to the keeper of beasts; For +without Koumongoe they could not go to the meadows: Without +Koumongoe they would starve in the hut; That was why I gave him +the Koumongoe 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 Koumongoe to Koane, Koumongoe to the keeper of beasts; For +without Koumongoe they could not go to the meadows: Without +Koumongoe they would starve in the hut; That was why I gave him +the Koumongoe 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 Koumongoe to Koane, Koumongoe to the keeper of beasts; For +without Koumongoe they could not go to the meadows: Without +Koumongoe they would starve in the hut; That was why I gave him +the Koumongoe 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 yon 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 Volksmarchen.] + + + + +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 Volksmarchen.] + + + +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.] + + + + +Rubezahl + + + +Over all the vast under-world the mountain Gnome Rubezahl 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 vapours to change dull stones to +precious metal, or were hard at work filling every cranny of the +rocks with diamonds and rubies; for Rubezahl 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 Rubezahl 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; for 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 is 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 Rubezahl 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. Rubezahl +would not be the tool of an unjust man, and so he told his +master, who thereupon ordered him to be thrown in 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 Rubezahl'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 filed 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 prove 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 hand 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 filed 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 +nimble 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. + +[Volksmahrchen 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 Dad the Simple-Hearted + + + +Once upon a time there lived a poor old man whose name was Wali +Dad Gunjay, or Wali Dad 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 Dad +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 Dad, '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 Dad. + +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 Dad 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 Dad, 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 Dad +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 Dad'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 Dad 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 Dad's hut. + +'Well, now,' cried Wali Dad, 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 Dad 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 Dad 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 Dad, '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 Dad 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 +Dad, 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 Dad. 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 Dad'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 Dad's little mud +home. Here a great encampment was made, and the merchant was +sent on to tell Wali Dad 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 Dad 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 Dad 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 Dad. And as they questioned him, +he confessed all his story. + +Then the first stepped forward and laid a hand upon his shoulder, +and Wali Dad 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 +Dad 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 Dad +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 Dad'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 Dad 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 Dad, 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 Dad 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 Dad'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 Dad 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 Dad 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 Project Gutenberg Etext of The Brown Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang + |