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diff --git a/3454.txt b/3454.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a520ce --- /dev/null +++ b/3454.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11022 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lilac Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Lilac Fairy Book + +Author: Andrew Lang + +Posting Date: February 9, 2009 [EBook #3454] +Release Date: October, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by J.C. Byers, and L.M. Shaffer + + + + + +THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK + +Edited by Andrew Lang + + + +Preface + + + +'What cases are you engaged in at present?' 'Are you stopping many teeth +just now?' 'What people have you converted lately?' Do ladies put these +questions to the men--lawyers, dentists, clergymen, and so forth--who +happen to sit next them at dinner parties? + +I do not know whether ladies thus indicate their interest in the +occupations of their casual neighbours at the hospitable board. But if +they do not know me, or do not know me well, they generally ask 'Are +you writing anything now?' (as if they should ask a painter 'Are you +painting anything now?' or a lawyer 'Have you any cases at present?'). +Sometimes they are more definite and inquire 'What are you writing now?' +as if I must be writing something--which, indeed, is the case, though +I dislike being reminded of it. It is an awkward question, because the +fair being does not care a bawbee what I am writing; nor would she +be much enlightened if I replied 'Madam, I am engaged on a treatise +intended to prove that Normal is prior to Conceptional Totemism'--though +that answer would be as true in fact as obscure in significance. The +best plan seems to be to answer that I have entirely abandoned mere +literature, and am contemplating a book on 'The Causes of Early Blight +in the Potato,' a melancholy circumstance which threatens to deprive us +of our chief esculent root. The inquirer would never be undeceived. +One nymph who, like the rest, could not keep off the horrid topic of my +occupation, said 'You never write anything but fairy books, do you?' A +French gentleman, too, an educationist and expert in portraits of Queen +Mary, once sent me a newspaper article in which he had written that I +was exclusively devoted to the composition of fairy books, and nothing +else. He then came to England, visited me, and found that I knew rather +more about portraits of Queen Mary than he did. + +In truth I never did write any fairy books in my life, except 'Prince +Prigio,' 'Prince Ricardo,' and 'Tales from a Fairy Court'--that of the +aforesaid Prigio. I take this opportunity of recommending these fairy +books--poor things, but my own--to parents and guardians who may never +have heard of them. They are rich in romantic adventure, and the Princes +always marry the right Princesses and live happy ever afterwards; +while the wicked witches, stepmothers, tutors and governesses are never +cruelly punished, but retire to the country on ample pensions. I hate +cruelty: I never put a wicked stepmother in a barrel and send her +tobogganing down a hill. It is true that Prince Ricardo did kill the +Yellow Dwarf; but that was in fair fight, sword in hand, and the dwarf, +peace to his ashes! died in harness. + +The object of these confessions is not only that of advertising my own +fairy books (which are not 'out of print'; if your bookseller says so, +the truth is not in him), but of giving credit where credit is due. +The fairy books have been almost wholly the work of Mrs. Lang, who +has translated and adapted them from the French, German, Portuguese, +Italian, Spanish, Catalan, and other languages. + +My part has been that of Adam, according to Mark Twain, in the Garden +of Eden. Eve worked, Adam superintended. I also superintend. I find out +where the stories are, and advise, and, in short, superintend. I do not +write the stories out of my own head. The reputation of having written +all the fairy books (an European reputation in nurseries and the United +States of America) is 'the burden of an honour unto which I was not +born.' It weighs upon and is killing me, as the general fash of being +the wife of the Lord of Burleigh, Burleigh House by Stamford Town, was +too much for the village maiden espoused by that peer. + +Nobody really wrote most of the stories. People told them in all parts +of the world long before Egyptian hieroglyphics or Cretan signs or +Cyprian syllabaries, or alphabets were invented. They are older than +reading and writing, and arose like wild flowers before men had any +education to quarrel over. The grannies told them to the grandchildren, +and when the grandchildren became grannies they repeated the same old +tales to the new generation. Homer knew the stories and made up the +'Odyssey' out of half a dozen of them. All the history of Greece till +about 800 B.C. is a string of the fairy tales, all about Theseus and +Heracles and Oedipus and Minos and Perseus is a Cabinet des Fes, a +collection of fairy tales. Shakespeare took them and put bits of +them into 'King Lear' and other plays; he could not have made them up +himself, great as he was. Let ladies and gentlemen think of this when +they sit down to write fairy tales, and have them nicely typed, and send +them to Messrs. Longman & Co. to be published. They think that to +write a new fairy tale is easy work. They are mistaken: the thing is +impossible. Nobody can write a new fairy tale; you can only mix up and +dress up the old, old stories, and put the characters into new dresses, +as Miss Thackeray did so well in 'Five Old Friends.' If any big girl +of fourteen reads this preface, let her insist on being presented with +'Five Old Friends.' + +But the three hundred and sixty-five authors who try to write new fairy +tales are very tiresome. They always begin with a little boy or girl who +goes out and meets the fairies of polyanthuses and gardenias and apple +blossoms: 'Flowers and fruits, and other winged things.' These fairies +try to be funny, and fail; or they try to preach, and succeed. Real +fairies never preach or talk slang. At the end, the little boy or girl +wakes up and finds that he has been dreaming. + +Such are the new fairy stories. May we be preserved from all the sort of +them! + +Our stories are almost all old, some from Ireland, before that island +was as celebrated for her wrongs as for her verdure; some from Asia, +made, I dare say, before the Aryan invasion; some from Moydart, +Knoydart, Morar and Ardnamurchan, where the sea streams run like great +clear rivers and the saw-edged hills are blue, and men remember Prince +Charlie. Some are from Portugal, where the golden fruits grow in the +Garden of the Hesperides; and some are from wild Wales, and were told at +Arthur's Court; and others come from the firesides of the kinsmen of +the Welsh, the Bretons. There are also modern tales by a learned +Scandinavian named Topelius. + +All the stories were translated or adapted by Mrs. Lang, except 'The +Jogi's Punishment' and 'Moti,' done by Major Campbell out of the Pushtoo +language; 'How Brave Walter hunted Wolves,' which, with 'Little Lasse' +and 'The Raspberry Worm,' was done from Topelius by Miss Harding; and +'The Sea King's Gift,' by Miss Christie, from the same author. + +It has been suggested to the Editor that children and parents and +guardians would like 'The Grey True Ghost-Story Book.' He knows that the +children would like it well, and he would gladly give it to them; but +about the taste of fond anxious mothers and kind aunts he is not quite +so certain. Before he was twelve the Editor knew true ghost stories +enough to fill a volume. They were a pure joy till bedtime, but then, +and later, were not wholly a source of unmixed pleasure. At that time +the Editor was not afraid of the dark, for he thought, 'If a ghost is +here, we can't see him.' But when older and better informed persons said +that ghosts brought their own light with them (which is too true), then +one's emotions were such as parents do not desire the young to endure. +For this reason 'The Grey True Ghost-Story Book' is never likely to be +illustrated by Mr. Ford. + + + +Contents + + The Shifty Lad + The False Prince and the True + The Jogi's Punishment + The Heart of a Monkey + The Fairy Nurse + A Lost Paradise + How Brave Walter Hunted Wolves + The Ring of the Waterfalls + A French Puck + The Three Crowns + The Story of a Very Bad Boy + The Brown Bear of Norway + Little Lasse + 'Moti' + The Enchanted Deer + A Fish Story + The Wonderful Tune + The Rich Brother and the Poor Brother + The One-Handed Girl + The Bones of Djulung + The Sea Ring's Gift + The Raspberry Worm + The Stones of Plouhinec + The Castle of Kerglas + The Battle of the Birds + The Lady of the Fountain + The Four Gifts + The Groac'h of the Isle of Lok + The Escape of the Mouse + The Believing. Husbands + The Hoodie-Crow + The Brownie of the Lake + The Winning of Olwen + + + + +The Shifty Lad + + + +In the land of Erin there dwelt long ago a widow who had an only son. +He was a clever boy, so she saved up enough money to send him to school, +and, as soon as he was old enough, to apprentice him to any trade that +he would choose. But when the time came, he said he would not be bound +to any trade, and that he meant to be a thief. + +Now his mother was very sorrowful when she heard of this, but she knew +quite well that if she tried to stop his having his own way he would +only grow more determined to get it. So all the answer she made was that +the end of thieves was hanging at the bridge of Dublin, and then she +left him alone, hoping that when he was older he might become more +sensible. + +One day she was going to church to hear a sermon from a great preacher, +and she begged the Shifty Lad, as the neighbours called him from the +tricks he played, to come with her. But he only laughed and declared +that he did not like sermons, adding: + +'However, I will promise you this, that the first trade you hear named +after you come out from church shall be my trade for the rest of my +life.' + +These words gave a little comfort to the poor woman, and her heart was +lighter than before as she bade him farewell. + +When the Shifty Lad thought that the hour had nearly come for the sermon +to be over, he hid himself in some bushes in a little path that led +straight to his mother's house, and, as she passed along, thinking of +all the good things she had heard, a voice shouted close to her ear +'Robbery! Robbery! Robbery!' The suddenness of it made her jump. The +naughty boy had managed to change his voice, so that she did not know +it for his, and he had concealed himself so well that, though she peered +about all round her, she could see no one. As soon as she had turned +the corner the Shifty Lad came out, and by running very fast through +the wood he contrived to reach home before his mother, who found him +stretched out comfortably before the fire. + +'Well, have you got any news to tell me?' asked he. + +'No, nothing; for I left the church at once, and did not stop to speak +to anyone.' + +'Oh, then no one has mentioned a trade to you?' he said in tones of +disappointment. + +'Ye--es,' she replied slowly. 'At least, as I walked down the path a +voice cried out "Robbery! Robbery! Robbery!" but that was all.' + +'And quite enough too,' answered the boy. 'What did I tell you? That is +going to be my trade.' + +'Then your end will be hanging at the bridge of Dublin,' said she. But +there was no sleep for her that night, for she lay in the dark thinking +about her son. + +'If he is to be a thief at all, he had better be a good one. And who is +there that can teach him?' the mother asked herself. But an idea came +to her, and she arose early, before the sun was up, and set off for the +home of the Black Rogue, or Gallows Bird, who was such a wonderful thief +that, though all had been robbed by him, no one could catch him. + +'Good-morning to you,' said the woman as she reached the place where the +Black Gallows Bird lived when he was not away on his business. 'My son +has a fancy to learn your trade. Will you be kind enough to teach him?' + +'If he is clever, I don't mind trying,' answered the Black Gallows Bird; +'and, of course, if ANY one can turn him into a first-rate thief, it +is I. But if he is stupid, it is of no use at all; I can't bear stupid +people.' + +'No, he isn't stupid,' said the woman with a sigh. 'So to-night, after +dark, I will send him to you.' + +The Shifty Lad jumped for joy when his mother told him where she had +been. + +'I will become the best thief in all Erin!' he cried, and paid no heed +when his mother shook her head and murmured something about 'the bridge +of Dublin.' + +Every evening after dark the Shifty Lad went to the home of the Black +Gallows Bird, and many were the new tricks he learned. By-and-by he was +allowed to go out with the Bird and watch him at work, and at last there +came a day when his master though that he had grown clever enough to +help in a big robbery. + +'There is a rich farmer up there on the hill, who has just sold all his +fat cattle for much money and has bought some lean ones which will cost +him little. Now it happens that, while he has received the money for the +fat cattle, he has not yet paid the price of the thin ones, which he has +in the cowhouse. To-morrow he will go to the market with the money in +his hand, so to-night we must get at the chest. When all is quiet we +will hide in the loft.' + +There was no moon, and it was the night of Hallowe'en, and everyone +was burning nuts and catching apples in a tub of water with their hands +tied, and playing all sorts of other games, till the Shifty Lad grew +quite tired of waiting for them to get to bed. The Black Gallows Bird, +who was more accustomed to the business, tucked himself up on the hay +and went to sleep, telling the boy to wake him when the merry-makers had +departed. But the Shifty Lad, who could keep still no longer, crept down +to the cowshed and loosened the heads of the cattle which were tied, and +they began to kick each other and bellow, and made such a noise that the +company in the farmhouse ran out to tie them up again. Then the Shifty +Lad entered the room and picked up a big handful of nuts, and returned +to the loft, where the Black Rogue was still sleeping. At first the +Shifty Lad shut his eyes too, but very soon he sat up, and taking a big +needle and thread from his pocket, he sewed the hem of the Black Gallows +Bird's coat to a heavy piece of bullock's hide that was hanging at his +back. + +By this time the cattle were all tied up again, but as the people could +not find their nuts they sat round the fire and began to tell stories. + +'I will crack a nut,' said the Shifty Lad. + +'You shall not,' cried the Black Gallows Bird; 'they will hear you.' + +'I don't care,' answered the Shifty Lad. 'I never spend Hallowe'en yet +without cracking a nut'; and he cracked one. + +'Some one is cracking nuts up there,' said one of the merry-makers in +the farmhouse. 'Come quickly, and we will see who it is.' + +He spoke loudly, and the Black Gallows Bird heard, and ran out of the +loft, dragging the big leather hide after him which the Shifty Lad had +sewed to his coat. + +'He is stealing my hide!' shouted the farmer, and they all darted after +him; but he was too swift for them, and at last he managed to tear the +hide from his coat, and then he flew like a hare till he reached his old +hiding-place. But all this took a long time, and meanwhile the Shifty +Lad got down from the loft, and searched the house till he found the +chest with the gold and silver in it, concealed behind a load of straw +and covered with loaves of bread and a great cheese. The Shifty Lad +slung the money bags round his shoulders and took the bread and the +cheese under his arm, then set out quietly for the Black Rogue's house. + +'Here you are at last, you villain!' cried his master in great wrath. +'But I will be revenged on you.' + +'It is all right,' replied the Shifty Lad calmly. 'I have brought what +you wanted'; and he laid the things he was carrying down on the ground. + +'Ah! you are the better thief,' said the Black Rogue's wife; and the +Black Rogue added: + +'Yes, it is you who are the clever boy'; and they divided the spoil and +the Black Gallows Bird had one half and the Shifty Lad the other half. + +A few weeks after that the Black Gallows Bird had news of a wedding that +was to be held near the town; and the bridegroom had many friends and +everybody sent him a present. Now a rich farmer who lived up near the +moor thought that nothing was so useful to a young couple when they +first began to keep house as a fine fat sheep, so he bade his shepherd +go off to the mountain where the flock were feeding, and bring him +back the best he could find. And the shepherd chose out the largest and +fattest of the sheep and the one with the whitest fleece; then he tied +its feet together and put it across his shoulder, for he had a long way +to go. + +That day, the Shifty Lad happened to be wandering over the moor, when he +saw the man with the sheep on his shoulder walking along the road which +led past the Black Rogue's house. The sheep was heavy and the man was +in no hurry, so he came slowly and the boy knew that he himself could +easily get back to his master before the shepherd was even in sight. + +'I will wager,' he cried, as he pushed quickly through the bushes which +hid the cabin--'I will wager that I will steal the sheep from the man +that is coming before he passes here.' + +'Will you indeed?' said the Gallows Bird. 'I will wager you a hundred +silver pieces that you can do nothing of the sort.' + +'Well, I will try it, anyway,' replied the boy, and disappeared in the +bushes. He ran fast till he entered a wood through which the shepherd +must go, and then he stopped, and taking off one of his shoes smeared it +with mud and set it in the path. When this was done he slipped behind a +rock and waited. + +Very soon the man came up, and seeing the shoe lying there, he stooped +and looked at it. + +'It is a good shoe,' he said to himself, 'but very dirty. Still, if I +had the fellow, I would be at the trouble of cleaning it'; so he threw +the shoe down again and went on. + +The Shifty Lad smiled as he heard him, and, picking up the shoe, he +crept round by a short way and laid the other shoe on the path. A few +minutes after the shepherd arrived, and beheld the second shoe lying on +the path. + +'Why, that is the fellow of the dirty shoe!' he exclaimed when he saw +it. 'I will go back and pick up the other one, and then I shall have a +pair of good shoes,' and he put the sheep on the grass and returned to +fetch the shoe. Then the Shifty Lad put on his shoes, and, picking up +the sheep, carried it home. And the Black Rogue paid him the hundred +marks of his wager. + +When the shepherd reached the farmhouse that night he told his tale to +his master, who scolded him for being stupid and careless, and bade him +go the next day to the mountain and fetch him a kid, and he would send +that as a wedding gift. But the Shifty Lad was on the look-out, and hid +himself in the wood, and the moment the man drew near with the kid on +his shoulders began to bleat like a sheep, and no one, not even the +sheep's own mother, could have told the difference. + +'Why, it must have got its feet loose, and have strayed after all,' +thought the man; and he put the kid on the grass and hurried off in the +direction of the bleating. Then the boy ran back and picked up the kid, +and took it to the Black Gallows Bird. + +The shepherd could hardly believe his eyes when he returned from seeking +the sheep and found that the kid had vanished. He was afraid to go home +and tell the same tale that he had told yesterday; so he searched the +wood through and through till night was nearly come. Then he felt that +there was no help for it, and he must go home and confess to his master. + +Of course, the farmer was very angry at this second misfortune; but this +time he told him to drive one of the big bulls from the mountain, and +warned him that if he lost THAT he would lose his place also. Again the +Shifty Lad, who was on the watch, perceived him pass by, and when he saw +the man returning with the great bull he cried to the Black Rogue: + +'Be quick and come into the wood, and we will try to get the bull also.' + +'But how can we do that?' asked the Black Rogue. + +'Oh, quite easily! You hide yourself out there and baa like a sheep, and +I will go in the other direction and bleat like a kid. It will be all +right, I assure you.' + +The shepherd was walking slowly, driving the bull before him, when he +suddenly heard a loud baa amongst the bushes far away on one side of the +path, and a feeble bleat answering it from the other side. + +'Why, it must be the sheep and the kid that I lost,' said he. 'Yes, +surely it must'; and tying the bull hastily to a tree, he went off +after the sheep and the kid, and searched the wood till he was tired. Of +course by the time he came back the two thieves had driven the bull home +and killed him for meat, so the man was obliged to go to his master and +confess that he had been tricked again. + +After this the Black Rogue and the Shifty Lad grew bolder and bolder, +and stole great quantities of cattle and sold them and grew quite rich. +One day they were returning from the market with a large sum of money in +their pockets when they passed a gallows erected on the top of a hill. + +'Let us stop and look at that gallows,' exclaimed the Shifty Lad. 'I +have never seen one so close before. Yet some say that it is the end of +all thieves.' + +There was no one in sight, and they carefully examined every part of it. + +'I wonder how it feels to be hanged,' said the Shifty Lad. 'I should +like to know, in case they ever catch me. I'll try first, and then you +can do so.' + +As he spoke he fastened the loose cord about his neck, and when it was +quite secure he told the Black Rogue to take the other end of the rope +and draw him up from the ground. + +'When I am tired of it I will shake my legs, and then you must let me +down,' said he. + +The Black Rogue drew up the rope, but in half a minute the Shifty Lad's +legs began to shake, and he quickly let it down again. + +'You can't imagine what a funny feeling hanging gives you,' murmured +the Shifty Lad, who looked rather purple in the face and spoke in an odd +voice. 'I don't think you have every tried it, or you wouldn't have let +me go up first. Why, it is the pleasantest thing I have ever done. I was +shaking my legs from sheer delight, and if you had been there you would +have shaken your legs too.' + +'Well, let me try, if it is so nice,' answered the Black Rogue. 'But be +sure you tie the knot securely, for I don't want to fall down and break +my neck.' + +'Oh, I will see to that!' replied the Shifty Lad. 'When you are tired, +just whistle, and I'll let you down.' + +So the Black Rogue was drawn up, and as soon as he was as high as the +rope would allow him to go the Shifty Lad called to him: + +'Don't forest to whistle when you want to come down; but if you are +enjoying yourself as I did, shake your legs.' + +And in a moment the Black Rogue's legs began to shake and to kick, and +the Shifty Lad stood below, watching him and laughing heartily. + +'Oh, how funny you are! If you could only see yourself! Oh, you ARE +funny! But when you have had enough, whistle and you shall be let down'; +and he rocked again with laughter. + +But no whistle came, and soon the legs ceased to shake and to kick, for +the Black Gallows Bird was dead, as the Shifty Lad intended he should +be. + +Then he went home to the Black Rogue's wife, and told her that her +husband was dead, and that he was ready to marry her if she liked. But +the woman had been fond of the Black Rogue, thief though he was, and she +shrank from the Shifty Lad in horror, and set the people after him, +and he had to fly to another part of the country where none knew of his +doings. + +Perhaps if the Shifty Lad's mother knew anything of this, she may have +thought that by this time her son might be tired of stealing, and ready +to try some honest trade. But in reality he loved the tricks and danger, +and life would have seemed very dull without them. So he went on just as +before, and made friends whom he taught to be as wicked as himself, till +they took to robbing the king's storehouses, and by the advice of the +Wise Man the king sent out soldiers to catch the band of thieves. + +For a long while they tried in vain to lay hands on them. The Shifty Lad +was too clever for them all, and if they laid traps he laid better ones. +At last one night he stole upon some soldiers while they were asleep in +a barn and killed them, and persuaded the villagers that if THEY did not +kill the other soldiers before morning they would certainly be killed +themselves. Thus it happened that when the sun rose not a single soldier +was alive in the village. + +Of course this news soon reached the king's ears, and he was very angry, +and summoned the Wise Man to take counsel with him. And this was the +counsel of the Wise Man--that he should invite all the people in the +countryside to a ball, and among them the bold and impudent thief would +be sure to come, and would be sure to ask the king's daughter to dance +with him. + +'Your counsel is good,' said the king, who made his feast and prepared +for his ball; and all the people of the countryside were present, and +the Shifty Lad came with them. + +When everyone had eaten and drunk as much as they wanted they went into +the ballroom. There was a great throng, and while they were pressing +through the doorway the Wise Man, who had a bottle of black ointment +hidden in his robes, placed a tiny dot on the cheek of the Shifty Lad +near his ear. The Shifty Lad felt nothing, but as he approached the +king's daughter to ask her to be his partner he caught sight of the +black dot in a silver mirror. Instantly he guessed who had put it +there and why, but he said nothing, and danced so beautifully that the +princess was quite delighted with him. At the end of the dance he bowed +low to his partner and left her, to mingle with the crowd that was +filling the doorway. As he passed the Wise Man he contrived not only to +steal the bottle but to place two black dots on his face, and one on the +faces of twenty other men. Then he slipped the bottle back in the Wise +Man's robe. + +By-and-by he went up to the king's daughter again, and begged for the +honour of another dance. She consented, and while he was stooping to +tie the ribbons on his shoe she took out from her pocket another bottle, +which the Wizard had given her, and put a black dot on his cheek. But +she was not as skilful as the Wise Man, and the Shifty Lad felt the +touch of her fingers; so as soon as the dance was over he contrived to +place a second black dot on the faces of the twenty men and two more on +the Wizard, after which he slipped the bottle into her pocket. + +At length the ball came to an end, and then the king ordered all the +doors to be shut, and search made for a man with two black dots on his +cheek. The chamberlain went among the guests, and soon found such a man, +but just as he was going to arrest him and bring him before the king his +eye fell on another with the same mark, and another, and another, till +he had counted twenty--besides the Wise Man--on whose face were found +spots. + +Not knowing what to do, the chamberlain hurried back with his tale +to the king, who immediately sent for the Wise Man, and then for his +daughter. + +'The thief must have stolen your bottle,' said the king to the Wizard. + +'No, my lord, it is here,' answered the Wise Man, holding it out. + +'Then he must have got yours,' he cried, turning to his daughter. + +'Indeed, father, it is safe in my pocket,' replied she, taking it out as +she spoke; and they all three looked at each other and remained silent. + +'Well,' said the king at last, 'the man who has done this is cleverer +than most men, and if he will make himself known to me he shall marry +the princess and govern half my kingdom while I am alive, and the whole +of it when I am dead. Go and announce this in the ballroom,' he added to +an attendant, 'and bring the fellow hither.' + +So the attendant went into the ballroom and did as the king had bidden +him, when, to his surprise, not one man, but twenty, stepped forward, +all with black dots on their faces. + +'I am the person you want,' they all exclaimed at once, and the +attendant, as much bewildered as the chamberlain had been, desired them +to follow him into the king's presence. + +But the question was too difficult for the king to decide, so he called +together his council. For hours they talked, but to no purpose, and in +the end they hit upon a plan which they might just as well have thought +of at the beginning. + +And this was the plan. A child was to be brought to the palace, and next +the king's daughter would give her an apple. Then the child was to take +the apple and be led into a room where the twenty men with the black +dots were sitting in a ring. And to whomsoever the child gave the apple, +that man should marry the king's daughter. + +'Of course,' said the king, 'it may not be the right man, after all, but +then again it MAY be. Anyhow, it is the best we can do.' + +The princess herself led the child into the room where the twenty men +were now seated. She stood in the centre of the ring for a moment, +looking at one man after another, and then held out the apple to the +Shifty Lad, who was twisting a shaving of wood round his finger, and had +the mouthpiece of a bagpipe hanging from his neck. + +'You ought not to have anything which the others have not got,' said +the chamberlain, who had accompanied the princess; and he bade the +child stand outside for a minute, while he took away the shaving and the +mouthpiece, and made the Shifty Lad change his place. Then he called the +child in, but the little girl knew him again, and went straight up to +him with the apple. + +'This is the man whom the child has twice chosen,' said the chamberlain, +signing to the Shifty Lad to kneel before the king. 'It was all quite +fair; we tried it twice over.' In this way the Shifty Lad won the king's +daughter, and they were married the next day. + +A few days later the bride and bridegroom were taking a walk together, +and the path led down to the river, and over the river was a bridge. + +'And what bridge may this be?' asked the Shifty Lad; and the princess +told him that this was the bridge of Dublin. + +'Is it indeed?' cried he. 'Well, now, many is the time that my mother +has said, when I played her a trick, that my end would be that I should +hang on the bridge of Dublin.' + +'Oh, if you want to fulfil her prophecies,' laughed the princess, 'you +have only to let me tie my handkerchief round your ankle, and I will +hold you as you hang over the wall of the bridge.' + +'That would be fine fun,' said he; 'but you are not strong enough to +hold me up.' + +'Oh, yes, I am,' said the princess; 'just try.' So at last he let her +bind the handkerchief round his ankle and hang him over the wall, and +they both laughed and jested at the strength of the princess. + +'Now pull me up again,' called he; but as he spoke a great cry arose +that the palace was burning. The princess turned round with a start, and +let go her handkerchief, and the Shifty Lad fell, and struck his head on +a stone, and died in an instant. + +So his mother's prophecy had come true, after all. + +West Highland Tales. + + + + +The False Prince and the True + + +The king had just awakened from his midday sleep, for it was summer, and +everyone rose early and rested from twelve to three, as they do in hot +countries. He had dressed himself in cool white clothes, and was passing +through the hall on his way to the council chamber, when a number of +young nobles suddenly appeared before him, and one amongst them stepped +forward and spoke. + +'Sire, this morning we were all playing tennis in the court, the prince +and this gentleman with the rest, when there broke out some dispute +about the game. The prince lost his temper, and said many insulting +things to the other, who was playing against him, till at length the +gentleman whom you see there struck him violently in the face, so that +the blood ran from his mouth and nose. We were all so horrified at the +sight, that we should most likely have killed the man then and there, +for daring to lay hands on the prince, had not his grandfather the duke +stepped between and commanded us to lay the affair before you.' + +The king had listened attentively to the story, and when it was ended he +said: + +'I suppose the prince had no arms with him, or else he would have used +them?' + +'Yes, sire, he had arms; he always carries a dagger in his belt. But +when he saw the blood pouring from his face, he went to a corner of the +court and began to cry, which was the strangest thing of all.' + +On hearing this the king walked to the window and stood for a few +minutes with his back to the room, where the company of young men +remained silent. Then he came back, his face white and stern. + +'I tell you,' he said, 'and it is the solemn truth, that I would rather +you had told me that the prince was dead, though he is my only son, than +know that he would suffer such an injury without attempting to avenge +it. As for the gentleman who struck him, he will be brought before my +judges, and will plead his own cause, but I hardly think he can escape +death, after having assaulted the heir to the crown.' + +The young man raised his head as if to reply, but the king would not +listen, and commanded his guards to put him under arrest, adding, +however, that if the prisoner wished to visit any part of the city, he +was at liberty to do so properly guarded, and in fifteen days he would +be brought to trial before the highest judges in the land. + +The young man left the king's presence, surrounded by soldiers, and +accompanied by many of his friends, for he was a great favourite. By +their advice he spent the fourteen days that remained to him going about +to seek counsel from wise men of all sorts, as to how he might escape +death, but no one could help him, for none could find any excuse for the +blow he had given to the prince. + +The fourteenth night had come, and in despair the prisoner went out to +take his last walk through the city. He wandered on hardly knowing +where he went, and his face was so white and desperate that none of his +companions dared speak to him. The sad little procession had passed some +hours in this manner, when, near the gate of a monastery, an old woman +appeared round a corner, and suddenly stood before the young man. She +was bent almost double, and was so wizened and wrinkled that she looked +at least ninety; only her eyes were bright and quick as those of a girl. + +'Sir,' she said, 'I know all that has happened to you, and how you are +seeking if in any wise you can save your life. But there is none that +can answer that question save only I myself, if you will promise to do +all I ask.' + +At her words the prisoner felt as if a load had all at once been rolled +off him. + +'Oh, save me, and I will do anything!' he cried. 'It is so hard to leave +the world and go out into the darkness.' + +'You will not need to do that,' answered the old woman, 'you have only +got to marry me, and you will soon be free.' + +'Marry you?' exclaimed he, 'but--but--I am not yet twenty, and you +--why, you must be a hundred at least! Oh, no, it is quite impossible.' + +He spoke without thinking, but the flash of anger which darted from her +eyes made him feel uncomfortable. However, all she said was: + +'As you like; since you reject me, let the crows have you,' and hurried +away down the street. + +Left to himself, the full horror of his coming death rushed upon the +young man, and he understood that he had thrown away his sole chance of +life. Well, if he must, he must, he said to himself, and began to run as +fast as he could after the old crone, who by this time could scarcely be +seen, even in the moonlight. Who would have believed a woman past ninety +could walk with such speed? It seemed more like flying! But at length, +breathless and exhausted, he reached her side, and gasped out: + +'Madam, pardon me for my hasty words just now; I was wrong, and will +thankfully accept the offer you made me.' + +'Ah, I thought you would come to your senses,' answered she, in rather +an odd voice. 'We have no time to lose--follow me at once,' and they +went on silently and swiftly till they stopped at the door of a small +house in which the priest lived. Before him the old woman bade the +prisoner swear that she should be his wife, and this he did in the +presence of witnesses. Then, begging the priest and the guards to leave +them alone for a little, she told the young man what he was to do, when +the next morning he was brought before the king and the judges. + +The hall was full to overflowing when the prisoner entered it, and all +marvelled at the brightness of his face. The king inquired if he had any +excuse to plead for the high treason he had committed by striking the +heir to the throne, and, if so, to be quick in setting it forth. With a +low bow the youth made answer in a clear voice: + +'O my lord and gracious king, and you, nobles and wise men of the land, +I leave my cause without fear in your hands, knowing that you will +listen and judge rightly, and that you will suffer me to speak to the +end, before you give judgment. + +'For four years, you, O king, had been married to the queen and yet had +no children, which grieved you greatly. The queen saw this, and likewise +that your love was going from her, and thought night and day of some +plan that might put an end to this evil. At length, when you were +away fighting in distant countries, she decided what she would do, and +adopted in secret the baby of a poor quarryman, sending a messenger to +tell you that you had a son. No one suspected the truth except a priest +to whom the queen confessed the truth, and in a few weeks she fell ill +and died, leaving the baby to be brought up as became a prince. And now, +if your highness will permit me, I will speak of myself.' + +'What you have already told me,' answered the king, 'is so strange that +I cannot imagine what more there is to tell, but go on with your story.' + +'One day, shortly after the death of the queen,' continued the young +man, 'your highness was hunting, and outstripped all your attendants +while chasing the deer. You were in a part of the country which you did +not know, so seeing an orchard all pink and white with apple-blossoms, +and a girl tossing a ball in one corner, you went up to her to ask your +way. But when she turned to answer you, you were so struck with her +beauty that all else fled from your mind. Again and again you rode back +to see her, and at length persuaded her to marry you. She only thought +you a poor knight, and agreed that as you wished it, the marriage should +be kept secret. + +'After the ceremony you gave her three rings and a charm with a cross +on it, and then put her in a cottage in the forest, thinking to hide the +matter securely. + +'For some months you visited the cottage every week; but a rebellion +broke out in a distant part of the kingdom, and called for your +presence. When next you rode up to the cottage, it was empty, and none +could inform you whither your bride had gone. That, sire, I can now +tell you,' and the young man paused and looked at the king, who +coloured deeply. 'She went back to her father the old duke, once your +chamberlain, and the cross on her breast revealed at once who you were. +Fierce was his anger when he heard his daughter's tale, and he vowed +that he would hide her safely from you, till the day when you would +claim her publicly as your queen. + +'By and bye I was born, and was brought up by my grandfather in one of +his great houses. Here are the rings you gave to my mother, and here is +the cross, and these will prove if I am your son or not.' + +As he spoke the young man laid the jewels at the feet of the king, and +the nobles and the judges pressed round to examine them. The king alone +did not move from his seat, for he had forgotten the hall of justice and +all about him, and saw only the apple-orchard, as it was twenty years +ago, and the beautiful girl playing at ball. A sudden silence round him +made him look up, and he found the eyes of the assembly fixed on him. + +'It is true; it is he who is my son, and not the other,' he said with +an effort, 'and let every man present swear to acknowledge him as king, +after my death.' + +Therefore one by one they all knelt before him and took the oath, and +a message was sent to the false prince, forbidding him ever again to +appear at court, though a handsome pension was granted him. + +At last the ceremony was over, and the king, signing to his newly found +son to follow him, rose and went into another room. + +'Tell me how you knew all that,' he said, throwing himself into a carved +chair filled with crimson cushions, and the prince told of his meeting +with the old woman who had brought him the jewels from his mother, and +how he had sworn before a priest to marry her, though he did not want to +do it, on account of the difference in their ages, and besides, he would +rather receive a bride chosen by the king himself. But the king frowned, +and answered sharply: + +'You swore to marry her if she saved your life, and, come what may, +you must fulfil your promise.' Then, striking a silver shield that hung +close by, he said to the equerry who appeared immediately: + +'Go and seek the priest who lives near the door of the prison, and ask +him where you can find the old woman who visited him last night; and +when you have found her, bring her to the palace.' + +It took some time to discover the whereabouts of the old woman, but at +length it was accomplished, and when she arrived at the palace with the +equerry, she was received with royal honours, as became the bride of +the prince. The guards looked at each other with astonished eyes, as the +wizened creature, bowed with age, passed between their lines; but they +were more amazed still at the lightness of her step as she skipped up +the steps to the great door before which the king was standing, with the +prince at his side. If they both felt a shock at the appearance of the +aged lady they did not show it, and the king, with a grave bow, took her +band, and led her to the chapel, where a bishop was waiting to perform +the marriage ceremony. + +For the next few weeks little was seen of the prince, who spent all his +days in hunting, and trying to forget the old wife at home. As for the +princess, no one troubled himself about her, and she passed the days +alone in her apartments, for she had absolutely declined the services of +the ladies-in-waiting whom the king had appointed for her. + +One night the prince returned after a longer chase than usual, and he +was so tired that he went up straight to bed. Suddenly he was awakened +by a strange noise in the room, and suspecting that a robber might have +stolen in, he jumped out of bed, and seized his sword, which lay ready +to his hand. Then he perceived that the noise proceeded from the next +room, which belonged to the princess, and was lighted by a burning +torch. Creeping softly to the door, he peeped through it, and beheld +her lying quietly, with a crown of gold and pearls upon her head, her +wrinkles all gone, and her face, which was whiter than the snow, as +fresh as that of a girl of fourteen. Could that really be his wife--that +beautiful, beautiful creature? + +The prince was still gazing in surprise when the lady opened her eyes +and smiled at him. + +'Yes, I really am your wife,' she said, as if she had guessed his +thoughts, 'and the enchantment is ended. Now I must tell you who I am, +and what befell to cause me to take the shape of an old woman. + +'The king of Granada is my father, and I was born in the palace which +overlooks the plain of the Vega. I was only a few months old when a +wicked fairy, who had a spite against my parents, cast a spell over +me, bending my back and wrinkling my skin till I looked as if I was a +hundred years old, and making me such an object of disgust to everyone, +that at length the king ordered my nurse to take my away from the +palace. She was the only person who cared about me, and we lived +together in this city on a small pension allowed me by the king. + +'When I was about three an old man arrived at our house, and begged my +nurse to let him come in and rest, as he could walk no longer. She saw +that he was very ill, so put him to bed and took such care of him that +by and bye he was as strong as ever. In gratitude for her goodness to +him, he told her that he was a wizard and could give her anything she +chose to ask for, except life or death, so she answered that what she +longed for most in the world was that my wrinkled skin should disappear, +and that I should regain the beauty with which I was born. To this he +replied that as my misfortune resulted from a spell, this was rather +difficult, but he would do his best, and at any rate he could promise +that before my fifteenth birthday I should be freed from the enchantment +if I could get a man who would swear to marry me as I was. + +'As you may suppose, this was not easy, as my ugliness was such that +no one would look at me a second time. My nurse and I were almost in +despair, as my fifteenth birthday was drawing near, and I had never so +much as spoken to a man. At last we received a visit from the wizard, +who told us what had happened at court, and your story, bidding me to +put myself in your way when you had lost all hope, and offer to save you +if you would consent to marry me. + +'That is my history, and now you must beg the king to send messengers at +once to Granada, to inform my father of our marriage, and I think,' she +added with a smile, 'that he will not refuse us his blessing.' + +Adapted from the Portuguese. + + + + +The Jogi's Punishment + + +Once upon a time there came to the ancient city of Rahmatabad a +jogi[FN#1: A Hindu holy man.] of holy appearance, who took up his abode +under a tree outside the city, where he would sit for days at a time +fasting from food and drink, motionless except for the fingers that +turned restlessly his string of beads. The fame of such holiness as this +soon spread, and daily the citizens would flock to see him, eager to +get his blessing, to watch his devotions, or to hear his teaching, if +he were in the mood to speak. Very soon the rajah himself heard of the +jogi, and began regularly to visit him to seek his counsel and to ask +his prayers that a son might be vouchsafed to him. Days passed by, and +at last the rajah became so possessed with the thought of the holy man +that he determined if possible to get him all to himself. So he built in +the neighbourhood a little shrine, with a room or two added to it, and a +small courtyard closely walled up; and, when all was ready, besought the +jogi to occupy it, and to receive no other visitors except himself and +his queen and such pupils as the jogi might choose, who would hand down +his teaching. To this the jogi consented; and thus he lived for some +time upon the king's bounty, whilst the fame of his godliness grew day +by day. + +Now, although the rajah of Rahmatabad had no son, he possessed a +daughter, who as she grew up became the most beautiful creature that eye +ever rested upon. Her father had long before betrothed her to the son of +the neighbouring rajah of Dilaram, but as yet she had not been married +to him, and lived the quiet life proper to a maiden of her beauty and +position. The princess had of course heard of the holy man and of his +miracles and his fasting, and she was filled with curiosity to see and +to speak to him; but this was difficult, since she was not allowed to go +out except into the palace grounds, and then was always closely guarded. +However, at length she found an opportunity, and made her way one +evening alone to the hermit's shrine. + +Unhappily, the hermit was not really as holy as he seemed; for no sooner +did he see the princess than he fell in love with her wonderful beauty, +and began to plot in his heart how he could win her for his wife. But +the maiden was not only beautiful, she was also shrewd; and as soon as +she read in the glance of the jogi the love that filled his soul, she +sprang to her feet, and, gathering her veil about her, ran from the +place as fast as she could. The jogi tried to follow, but he was no +match for her; so, beside himself with rage at finding that he could not +overtake her, he flung at her a lance, which wounded her in the leg. The +brave princess stooped for a second to pluck the lance out of the wound, +and then ran on until she found herself safe at home again. There she +bathed and bound up the wound secretly, and told no one how naughty she +had been, for she knew that her father would punish her severely. + +Next day, when the king went to visit the jogi, the holy man would +neither speak to nor look at him. + +'What is the matter?' asked the king. 'Won't you speak to me to-day?' + +'I have nothing to say that you would care to hear,' answered the jogi. + +'Why?' said the king. 'Surely you know that I value all that you say, +whatever it may be.' + +But still the jogi sat with his face turned away, and the more the king +pressed him the more silent and mysterious he became. At last, after +much persuasion, he said: + +'Let me tell you, then, that there is in this city a creature which, +if you do not put an end to it, will kill every single person in the +place.' + +The king, who was easily frightened, grew pale. + +'What?' he gasped--'what is this dreadful thing? How am I to know it +and to catch it? Only counsel me and help me, and I will do all that you +advise.' + +'Ah!' replied the jogi, 'it is indeed dreadful. It is in the shape of a +beautiful girl, but it is really an evil spirit. Last evening it came to +visit me, and when I looked upon it its beauty faded into hideousness, +its teeth became horrible fangs, its eyes glared like coals of fire, +great claws sprang from its slender fingers, and were I not what I am it +might have consumed me.' + +The king could hardly speak from alarm, but at last he said: + +'How am I to distinguish this awful thing when I see it?' + +'Search,' said the jogi, 'for a lovely girl with a lance wound in her +leg, and when she is found secure her safely and come and tell me, and I +will advise you what to do next.' + +Away hurried the king, and soon set all his soldiers scouring the +country for a girl with a lance wound in her left. For two days the +search went on, and then it was somehow discovered that the only person +with a lance wound in the leg was the princess herself. The king, +greatly agitated, went off to tell the jogi, and to assure him that +there must be some mistake. But of course the jogi was prepared for +this, and had his answer ready. + +'She is not really your daughter, who was stolen away at her birth, but +an evil spirit that has taken her form,' said he solemnly. 'You can do +what you like, but if you don't take my advice she will kill you all.' +And so solemn he appeared, and so unshaken in his confidence, that the +king's wisdom was blinded, and he declared that he would do whatever the +jogi advised, and believe whatever he said. So the jogi directed him to +send him secretly two carpenters; and when they arrived he set them to +make a great chest, so cunningly jointed and put together that neither +air nor water could penetrate it. There and then the chest was made, +and, when it was ready, the jogi bade the king to bring the princess +by night; and they two thrust the poor little maiden into the chest and +fastened it down with long nails, and between them carried it to the +river and pushed it out into the stream. + +As soon as the jogi got back from this deed he called two of his pupils, +and pretended that it had been revealed to him that there should be +found floating on the river a chest with something of great price within +it; and he bade them go and watch for it at such a place far down the +stream, and when the chest came slowly along, bobbing and turning in the +tide, they were to seize it and secretly and swiftly bring it to him, +for he was now determined to put the princess to death himself. The +pupils set off at once, wondering at the strangeness of their errand, +and still more at the holiness of the jogi to whom such secrets were +revealed. + +It happened that, as the next morning was dawning, the gallant young +prince of Dilaram was hunting by the banks of the river, with a great +following of wazirs, attendants, and huntsmen, and as he rode he saw +floating on the river a large chest, which came slowly along, bobbing +and turning in the tide. Raising himself in his saddle, he gave an +order, and half a dozen men plunged into the water and drew the chest +out on to the river bank, where every one crowded around to see what +it could contain. The prince was certainly not the least curious among +them; but he was a cautious young man, and, as he prepared to open the +chest himself, he bade all but a few stand back, and these few to draw +their swords, so as to be prepared in case the chest should hold some +evil beast, or djinn, or giant. When all were ready and expectant, the +prince with his dagger forced open the lid and flung it back, and there +lay, living and breathing, the most lovely maiden he had ever seen in +his life. + +Although she was half stifled from her confinement in the chest, the +princess speedily revived, and, when she was able to sit up, the prince +began to question her as to who she was and how she came to be shut +up in the chest and set afloat upon the water; and she, blushing and +trembling to find herself in the presence of so many strangers, told him +that she was the princess of Rahmatabad, and that she had been put into +the chest by her own father. When he on his part told her that he +was the prince of Dilaram, the astonishment of the young people was +unbounded to find that they, who had been betrothed without ever having +seen one another, should have actually met for the first time in such +strange circumstances. In fact, the prince was so moved by her beauty +and modest ways that he called up his wazirs and demanded to be married +at once to this lovely lady who had so completely won his heart. And +married they were then and there upon the river bank, and went home to +the prince's palace, where, when the story was told, they were welcomed +by the old rajah, the prince's father, and the remainder of the day was +given over to feasting and rejoicing. But when the banquet was over, the +bride told her husband that now, on the threshold of their married +life, she had more to relate of her adventures than he had given her +the opportunity to tell as yet; and then, without hiding anything, she +informed him of all that happened to her from the time she had stolen +out to visit the wicked jogi. + +In the morning the prince called his chief wazir and ordered him to shut +up in the chest in which the princess had been found a great monkey that +lived chained up in the palace, and to take the chest back to the river +and set it afloat once more and watch what became of it. So the monkey +was caught and put into the chest, and some of the prince's servants +took it down to the river and pushed it off into the water. Then they +followed secretly a long way off to see what became of it. + +Meanwhile the jogi's two pupils watched and watched for the chest until +they were nearly tired of watching, and were beginning to wonder whether +the jogi was right after all, when on the second day they spied the +great chest coming floating on the river, slowly bobbing and turning in +the tide; and instantly a great joy and exultation seized them, for they +thought that here indeed was further proof of the wonderful wisdom of +their master. With some difficulty they secured the chest, and carried +it back as swiftly and secretly as possible to the jogi's house. As soon +as they brought in the chest, the jogi, who had been getting very cross +and impatient, told them to put it down, and to go outside whilst he +opened the magic chest. + +'And even if you hear cries and sounds, however alarming, you must on +no account enter,' said the jogi, walking over to a closet where lay the +silken cord that was to strangle the princess. + +And the two pupils did as they were told, and went outside and shut +close all the doors. Presently they heard a great outcry within and the +jogi's voice crying aloud for help; but they dared not enter, for had +they not been told that whatever the noise, they must not come in? So +they sat outside, waiting and wondering; and at last all grew still +and quiet, and remained so for such a long time that they determined +to enter and see if all was well. No sooner had they opened the door +leading into the courtyard than they were nearly upset by a huge monkey +that came leaping straight to the doorway and escaped past them into +the open fields. Then they stepped into the room, and there they saw the +jogi's body lying torn to pieces on the threshold of his dwelling! + +Very soon the story spread, as stories will, and reached the ears of the +princess and her husband, and when she knew that her enemy was dead she +made her peace with her father. + +From Major Campbell, Feroshepore. + + + + +The Heart of a Monkey + + +A long time ago a little town made up of a collection of low huts stood +in a tiny green valley at the foot of a cliff. Of course the people had +taken great care to build their houses out of reach of the highest tide +which might be driven on shore by a west wind, but on the very edge of +the town there had sprung up a tree so large that half its boughs hung +over the huts and the other half over the deep sea right under the +cliff, where sharks loved to come and splash in the clear water. The +branches of the tree itself were laden with fruit, and every day at +sunrise a big grey monkey might have been seen sitting in the topmost +branches having his breakfast, and chattering to himself with delight. + +After he had eaten all the fruit on the town side of the tree the monkey +swung himself along the branches to the part which hung over the water. +While he was looking out for a nice shady place where he might perch +comfortably he noticed a shark watching him from below with greedy eyes. + +'Can I do anything for you, my friend?' asked the monkey politely. + +'Oh! if you only would thrown me down some of those delicious things, +I should be so grateful,' answered the shark. 'After you have lived on +fish for fifty years you begin to feel you would like a change. And I am +so very, very tired of the taste of salt.' + +'Well, I don't like salt myself,' said the monkey; 'so if you will open +your mouth I will throw this beautiful juicy kuyu into it,' and, as he +spoke, he pulled one off the branch just over his head. But it was not +so easy to hit the shark's mouth as he supposed, even when the creature +had turned on his back, and the first kuyu only struck one of his teeth +and rolled into the water. However, the second time the monkey had +better luck, and the fruit fell right in. + +'Ah, how good!' cried the shark. 'Send me another, please.' And the +monkey grew tired of picking the kuyu long before the shark was tired of +eating them. + +'It is getting late, and I must be going home to my children,' he said, +at length, 'but if you are here at the same time to-morrow I will give +you another treat.' + +'Thank you, thank you,' said the shark, showing all his great ugly teeth +as he grinned with delight; 'you can't guess how happy you have made +me,' and he swam away into the shadow, hoping to sleep away the time +till the monkey came again. + +For weeks the monkey and the shark breakfasted together, and it was +a wonder that the tree had any fruit left for them. They became fast +friends, and told each other about their homes and their children, and +how to teach them all they ought to know. By and bye the monkey became +rather discontented with his green house in a grove of palms beyond the +town, and longed to see the strange things under the sea which he had +heard of from the shark. The shark perceived this very clearly, and +described greater marvels, and the monkey as he listened grew more and +more gloomy. + +Matters were in this state when one day the shark said: 'I really hardly +know how to thank you for all your kindness to me during these weeks. +Here I have nothing of my own to offer you, but if you would only +consent to come home with me, how gladly would I give you anything that +might happen to take your fancy.' + +'I should like nothing better,' cried the monkey, his teeth chattering, +as they always did when he was pleased. 'But how could I get there? Not +by water. Ugh! It makes me ill to think of it!' + +'Oh! don't let that trouble you,' replied the shark, 'you have only to +sit on my back and I will undertake that not a drop of water shall touch +you.' + +So it was arranged, and directly after breakfast next morning the shark +swam close up under the tree and the monkey dropped neatly on his back, +without even a splash. After a few minutes--for at first he felt a +little frightened at his strange position--the monkey began to enjoy +himself vastly, and asked the shark a thousand questions about the fish +and the sea-weeds and the oddly-shaped things that floated past them, +and as the shark always gave him some sort of answer, the monkey never +guessed that many of the objects they saw were as new to his guide as to +himself. + +The sun had risen and set six times when the shark suddenly said, 'My +friend, we have now performed half our journey, and it is time that I +should tell you something.' + +'What is it?' asked the monkey. 'Nothing unpleasant, I hope, for you +sound rather grave?' + +'Oh, no! Nothing at all. It is only that shortly before we left I heard +that the sultan of my country is very ill, and that the only thing to +cure him is a monkey's heart.' + +'Poor man, I am very sorry for him,' replied the monkey; 'but you were +unwise not to tell me till we had started.' + +'What do you mean?' asked the shark; but the monkey, who now understood +the whole plot, did not answer at once, for he was considering what he +should say. + +'Why are you so silent?' inquired the shark again. + +'I was thinking what a pity it was you did not tell me while I was still +on land, and then I would have brought my heart with me.' + +'Your heart! Why isn't your heart here?' said the shark, with a puzzled +expression. + +'Oh, no! Of course not. Is it possible you don't know that when we +leave home we always hang up our hearts on trees, to prevent their being +troublesome? However, perhaps you won't believe that, and will just +think I have invented it because I am afraid, so let us go on to your +country as fast as we can, and when we arrive you can look for my heart, +and if you find it you can kill me.' + +The monkey spoke in such a calm, indifferent way that the shark was +quite deceived, and began to wish he had not been in such a hurry. + +'But there is no use going on if your heart is not with you,' he said at +last. 'We had better turn back to the town, and then you can fetch it.' + +Of course, this was just what the monkey wanted, but he was careful not +to seem too pleased. + +'Well, I don't know,' he remarked carelessly, 'it is such a long way; +but you may be right.' + +'I am sure I am,' answered the shark, 'and I will swim as quickly as +I can,' and so he did, and in three days they caught sight of the kuyu +tree hanging over the water. + +With a sigh of relief the monkey caught hold of the nearest branch and +swung himself up. + +'Wait for me here,' he called out to the shark. 'I am so hungry I must +have a little breakfast, and then I will go and look for my heart,' and +he went further and further into the branches so that the shark could +not see him. Then he curled himself up and went to sleep. + +'Are you there?' cried the shark, who was soon tired of swimming about +under the cliff, and was in haste to be gone. + +The monkey awoke with a start, but did not answer. + +'Are you there?' called the shark again, louder than before, and in a +very cross voice. + +'Oh, yes. I am here,' replied the monkey; 'but I wish you had not +wakened me up. I was having such a nice nap.' + +'Have you got it?' asked the shark. 'It is time we were going.' + +'Going where?' inquired the monkey. + +'Why, to my country, of course, with your heart. You CAN'T have +forgotten!' + +'My dear friend,' answered the monkey, with a chuckle, 'I think you must +be going a little mad. Do you take me for a washerman's donkey?' + +'Don't talk nonsense,' exclaimed the shark, who did not like being +laughed at. 'What do you mean about a washerman's donkey? And I wish you +would be quick, or we may be too late to save the sultan.' + +'Did you really never hear of the washerman's donkey?' asked the monkey, +who was enjoying himself immensely. 'Why, he is the beast who has no +heart. And as I am not feeling very well, and am afraid to start while +the sun is so high lest I should get a sunstroke, if you like, I will +come a little nearer and tell you his story.' + +'Very well,' said the shark sulkily, 'if you won't come, I suppose I may +as well listen to that as do nothing.' + +So the monkey began. + +'A washerman once lived in the great forest on the other side of the +town, and he had a donkey to keep him company and to carry him wherever +he wanted to go. For a time they got on very well, but by and bye the +donkey grew lazy and ungrateful for her master's kindness, and ran away +several miles into the heart of the forest, where she did nothing but +eat and eat and eat, till she grew so fat she could hardly move. + +'One day as she was tasting quite a new kind of grass and wondering if +it was as good as what she had had for dinner the day before, a hare +happened to pass by. + +'"Well, that is a fat creature," thought she, and turned out of her path +to tell the news to a lion who was a friend of hers. Now the lion had +been very ill, and was not strong enough to go hunting for himself, and +when the hare came and told him that a very fat donkey was to be found +only a few hundred yards off, tears of disappointment and weakness +filled his eyes. + +'"What is the good of telling me that?" he asked, in a weepy voice; "you +know I cannot even walk as far as that palm." + +'"Never mind," answered the hare briskly. "If you can't go to your +dinner your dinner shall come to you," and nodding a farewell to the +lion she went back to the donkey. + +'"Good morning," said she, bowing politely to the donkey, who lifted her +head in surprise. "Excuse my interrupting you, but I have come on very +important business." + +'"Indeed," answered the donkey, "it is most kind of you to take the +trouble. May I inquire what the business is?" + +'"Certainly," replied the hare. "It is my friend the lion who has heard +so much of your charms and good qualities that he has sent me to beg +that you will give him your paw in marriage. He regrets deeply that he +is unable to make the request in person, but he has been ill and is too +weak to move." + +'"Poor fellow! How sad!" said the donkey. "But you must tell him that +I feel honoured by his proposal, and will gladly consent to be Queen of +the Beasts." + +'"Will you not come and tell him so yourself?" asked the hare. + +'Side by side they went down the road which led to the lion's house. It +took a long while, for the donkey was so fat with eating she could only +walk very slowly, and the hare, who could have run the distance in about +five minutes, was obliged to creep along till she almost dropped with +fatigue at not being able to go at her own pace. When at last they +arrived the lion was sitting up at the entrance, looking very pale and +thin. The donkey suddenly grew shy and hung her head, but the lion put +on his best manners and invited both his visitors to come in and make +themselves comfortable. + +'Very soon the hare got up and said, "Well, as I have another engagement +I will leave you to make acquaintance with your future husband," and +winking at the lion she bounded away. + +'The donkey expected that as soon as they were left alone the lion would +begin to speak of their marriage, and where they should live, but as +he said nothing she looked up. To her surprise and terror she saw him +crouching in the corner, his eyes glaring with a red light, and with a +loud roar he sprang towards her. But in that moment the donkey had had +time to prepare herself, and jumping on one side dealt the lion such a +hard kick that he shrieked with the pain. Again and again he struck at +her with his claws, but the donkey could bite too, as well as the lion, +who was very weak after his illness, and at last a well-planted kick +knocked him right over, and he rolled on the floor, groaning with pain. +The donkey did not wait for him to get up, but ran away as fast as she +could and was lost in the forest. + +'Now the hare, who knew quite well what would happen, had not gone to do +her business, but hid herself in some bushes behind the cave, where she +could hear quite clearly the sounds of the battle. When all was quiet +again she crept gently out, and stole round the corner. + +'"Well, lion, have you killed her?" asked she, running swiftly up the +path. + +'"Killed her, indeed!" answered the lion sulkily, "it is she who has +nearly killed me. I never knew a donkey could kick like that, though I +took care she should carry away the marks of my claws." + +'"Dear me! Fancy such a great fat creature being able to fight!" cried +the hare. "But don't vex yourself. Just lie still, and your wounds +will soon heal," and she bade her friend, good bye, and returned to her +family. + +'Two or three weeks passed, and only bare places on the donkey's back +showed where the lion's claws had been, while, on his side, the lion +had recovered from his illness and was now as strong as ever. He was +beginning to think that it was almost time for him to begin hunting +again, when one morning a rustle was heard in the creepers outside, and +the hare's head peeped through. + +'"Ah! there is no need to ask how you are," she said. "Still you mustn't +overtire yourself, you know. Shall I go and bring you your dinner?" + +'"If you will bring me that donkey I will tear it in two," cried the +lion savagely, and the hare laughed and nodded and went on her errand. + +'This time the donkey was much further than before, and it took longer +to find her. At last the hare caught sight of four hoofs in the air, and +ran towards them. The donkey was lying on a soft cool bed of moss near a +stream, rolling herself backwards and forwards from pleasure. + +'"Good morning," said the hare politely, and the donkey got slowly on to +her legs, and looked to see who her visitor could be. + +'"Oh, it is you, is it?" she exclaimed. "Come and have a chat. What news +have you got?" + +'"I mustn't stay," answered the hare; "but I promised the lion to beg +you to pay him a visit, as he is not well enough to call on you." + +'"Well, I don't know," replied the donkey gloomily, "the last time we +went he scratched me very badly, and really I was quite afraid." + +'"He was only trying to kiss you," said the hare, "and you bit him, and +of course that made him cross." + +'"If I were sure of that," hesitated the donkey. + +'"Oh, you may be quite sure," laughed the hare. "I have a large +acquaintance among lions. But let us be quick," and rather unwillingly +the donkey set out. + +'The lion saw them coming and hid himself behind a large tree. As the +donkey went past, followed by the hare, he sprang out, and with one blow +of his paw stretched the poor foolish creature dead before him. + +'"Take this meat and skin it and roast it," he said to the hare; "but my +appetite is not so good as it was, and the only part I want for myself +is the heart. The rest you can either eat yourself or give away to your +friends." + +'"Thank you," replied the hare, balancing the donkey on her back as +well as she was able, and though the legs trailed along the ground she +managed to drag it to an open space some distance off, where she made +a fire and roasted it. As soon as it was cooked the hare took out the +heart and had just finished eating it when the lion, who was tired of +waiting, came up. + +'"I am hungry," said he. "Bring me the creature's heart; it is just what +I want for supper." + +'"But there is no heart," answered the hare, looking up at the lion with +a puzzled face. + +'"What nonsense!" said the lion. "As if every beast had not got a heart. +What do you mean?" + +'"This is a washerman's donkey," replied the hare gravely. + +'"Well, and suppose it is?" + +'"Oh, fie!" exclaimed the hare. "You, a lion and a grown-up person, and +ask questions like that. If the donkey had had a heart would she be here +now? The first time she came she knew you were trying to kill her, and +ran away. Yet she came back a second time. Well, if she had had a heart +would she have come back a second time? Now would she?" + +'And the lion answered slowly, "No, she would not." + +'So you think I am a washerman's donkey?' said the monkey to the shark, +when the story was ended. 'You are wrong; I am not. And as the sun +is getting low in the sky, it is time for you to begin your homeward +journey. You will have a nice cool voyage, and I hope you will find the +sultan better. Farewell!' And the monkey disappeared among the green +branches, and was gone. + +From 'Swahili Tales,' by Edward Steere, LL.D. + + + + +The Fairy Nurse + + +There was once a little farmer and his wife living near Coolgarrow. They +had three children, and my story happened while the youngest was a baby. +The wife was a good wife enough, but her mind was all on her family and +her farm, and she hardly ever went to her knees without falling asleep, +and she thought the time spent in the chapel was twice as long as it +need be. So, friends, she let her man and her two children go before +her one day to Mass, while she called to consult a fairy man about a +disorder one of her cows had. She was late at the chapel, and was sorry +all the day after, for her husband was in grief about it, and she was +very fond of him. + +Late that night he was wakened up by the cries of his children calling +out 'Mother! Mother!' When he sat up and rubbed his eyes, there was no +wife by his side, and when he asked the little ones what was become of +their mother, they said they saw the room full of nice little men and +women, dressed in white and red and green, and their mother in the +middle of them, going out by the door as if she was walking in her +sleep. Out he ran, and searched everywhere round the house but, neither +tale nor tidings did he get of her for many a day. + +Well, the poor man was miserable enough, for he was as fond of his woman +as she was of him. It used to bring the salt tears down his cheeks +to see his poor children neglected and dirty, as they often were, and +they'd be bad enough only for a kind neighbour that used to look in +whenever she could spare time. The infant was away with a nurse. + +About six weeks after--just as he was going out to his work one +morning--a neighbour, that used to mind women when they were ill, came +up to him, and kept step by step with him to the field, and this is what +she told him. + +'Just as I was falling asleep last night, I heard a horse's tramp on +the grass and a knock at the door, and there, when I came out, was a +fine-looking dark man, mounted on a black horse, and he told me to get +ready in all haste, for a lady was in great want of me. As soon as I put +on my cloak and things, he took me by the hand, and I was sitting behind +him before I felt myself stirring. "Where are we going, sir?" says I. +"You'll soon know," says he; and he drew his fingers across my eyes, +and not a ray could I see. I kept a tight grip of him, and I little knew +whether he was going backwards or forwards, or how long we were about +it, till my hand was taken again, and I felt the ground under me. The +fingers went the other way across my eyes, and there we were before +a castle door, and in we went through a big hall and great rooms all +painted in fine green colours, with red and gold bands and ornaments, +and the finest carpets and chairs and tables and window curtains, and +grand ladies and gentlemen walking about. At last we came to a bedroom, +with a beautiful lady in bed, with a fine bouncing boy beside her. The +lady clapped her hands, and in came the Dark Man and kissed her and the +baby, and praised me, and gave me a bottle of green ointment to rub the +child all over. + +'Well, the child I rubbed, sure enough; but my right eye began to smart, +and I put up my finger and gave it a rub, and then stared, for never +in all my life was I so frightened. The beautiful room was a big, rough +cave, with water oozing over the edges of the stones and through the +clay; and the lady, and the lord, and the child weazened, poverty-bitten +creatures--nothing but skin and bone--and the rich dresses were old +rags. I didn't let on that I found any difference, and after a bit says +the Dark Man, "Go before me to the hall door, and I will be with you in +a few moments, and see you safe home." Well, just as I turned into the +outside cave, who should I see watching near the door but poor Molly. +She looked round all terrified, and says she to me in a whisper, "I'm +brought here to nurse the child of the king and queen of the fairies; +but there is one chance of saving me. All the court will pass the cross +near Templeshambo next Friday night, on a visit to the fairies of Old +Ross. If John can catch me by the hand or cloak when I ride by, and has +courage not to let go his grip, I'll be safe. Here's the king. Don't +open your mouth to answer. I saw what happened with the ointment." + +'The Dark Man didn't once cast his eye towards Molly, and he seemed to +have no suspicion of me. When we came out I looked about me, and where +do you think we were but in the dyke of the Rath of Cromogue. I was +on the horse again, which was nothing but a big rag-weed, and I was +in dread every minute I'd fall off; but nothing happened till I found +myself in my own cabin. The king slipped five guineas into my hand as +soon as I was on the ground, and thanked me, and bade me good night. I +hope I'll never see his face again. I got into bed, and couldn't sleep +for a long time; and when I examined my five guineas this morning, that +I left in the table drawer the last thing, I found five withered leaves +of oak--bad luck to the giver!' + +Well, you may all think the fright, and the joy, and the grief the +poor man was in when the woman finished her story. They talked and they +talked, but we needn't mind what they said till Friday night came, when +both were standing where the mountain road crosses the one going to +Ross. + +There they stood, looking towards the bridge of Thuar, in the dead of +the night, with a little moonlight shining from over Kilachdiarmid. At +last she gave a start, and "By this and by that," says she, "here they +come, bridles jingling and feathers tossing!" He looked, but could see +nothing; and she stood trembling and her eyes wide open, looking down +the way to the ford of Ballinacoola. "I see your wife," says she, +"riding on the outside just so as to rub against us. We'll walk on +quietly, as if we suspected nothing, and when we are passing I'll give +you a shove. If you don't do YOUR duty then, woe be with you!" + +Well, they walked on easy, and the poor hearts beating in both their +breasts; and though he could see nothing, he heard a faint jingle and +trampling and rustling, and at last he got the push that she promised. +He spread out his arms, and there was his wife's waist within them, and +he could see her plain; but such a hullabulloo rose as if there was an +earthquake, and he found himself surrounded by horrible-looking things, +roaring at him and striving to pull his wife away. But he made the sign +of the cross and bid them begone in God's name, and held his wife as if +it was iron his arms were made of. Bedad, in one moment everything was +as silent as the grave, and the poor woman lying in a faint in the arms +of her husband and her good neighbour. Well, all in good time she was +minding her family and her business again; and I'll go bail, after the +fright she got, she spent more time on her knees, and avoided fairy men +all the days of the week, and particularly on Sunday. + +It is hard to have anything to do with the good people without getting +a mark from them. My brave nurse didn't escape no more than another. +She was one Thursday at the market of Enniscorthy, when what did she see +walking among the tubs of butter but the Dark Man, very hungry-looking, +and taking a scoop out of one tub and out of another. 'Oh, sir,' says +she, very foolish, 'I hope your lady is well, and the baby.' 'Pretty +well, thank you,' says he, rather frightened like. 'How do I look in +this new suit?' says he, getting to one side of her. 'I can't see you +plain at all, sir,' says she. 'Well, now?' says he, getting round her +back to the other side. 'Musha, indeed, sir, your coat looks no +better than a withered dock-leaf.' 'Maybe, then,' says he, 'it will be +different now,' and he struck the eye next him with a switch. Friends, +she never saw a glimmer after with that one till the day of her death. + +'Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts,' by Patrick Kennedy. + + + + +A Lost Paradise + + +In the middle of a great forest there lived a long time ago a +charcoal-burner and his wife. They were both young and handsome and +strong, and when they got married, they thought work would never fail +them. But bad times came, and they grew poorer and poorer, and the +nights in which they went hungry to bed became more and more frequent. + +Now one evening the king of that country was hunting near the +charcoal-burner's hut. As he passed the door, he heard a sound of +sobbing, and being a good-natured man he stopped to listen, thinking +that perhaps he might be able to give some help. + +'Were there ever two people so unhappy!' said a woman's voice. 'Here we +are, ready to work like slaves the whole day long, and no work can we +get. And it is all because of the curiosity of old mother Eve! If she +had only been like me, who never want to know anything, we should all +have been as happy as kings to-day, with plenty to eat, and warm +clothes to wear. Why--' but at this point a loud knock interrupted her +lamentations. + +'Who is there?' asked she. + +'I!' replied somebody. + +'And who is "I"?' + +'The king. Let me in.' + +Full of surprise the woman jumped up and pulled the bar away from the +door. As the king entered, he noticed that there was no furniture in +the room at all, not even a chair, so he pretended to be in too great +a hurry to see anything around him, and only said 'You must not let me +disturb you. I have no time to stay, but you seemed to be in trouble. +Tell me; are you very unhappy?' + +'Oh, my lord, we can find no work and have eaten nothing for two days!' +answered she. 'Nothing remains for us but to die of hunger.' + +'No, no, you shan't do that,' cried the king, 'or if you do, it will be +your own fault. You shall come with me into my palace, and you will feel +as if you were in Paradise, I promise you. In return, I only ask one +thing of you, that you shall obey my orders exactly.' + +The charcoal-burner and his wife both stared at him for a moment, as +if they could hardly believe their ears; and, indeed, it was not to be +wondered at! Then they found their tongues, and exclaimed together: + +'Oh, yes, yes, my lord! we will do everything you tell us. How could we +be so ungrateful as to disobey you, when you are so kind?' + +The king smiled, and his eyes twinkled. + +'Well, let us start at once,' said he. 'Lock your door, and put the key +in your pocket.' + +The woman looked as if she thought this was needless, seeing it was +quite, quite certain they would never come back. But she dared not say +so, and did as the king told her. + +After walking through the forest for a couple of miles, they all +three reached the palace, and by the king's orders servants led the +charcoal-burner and his wife into rooms filled with beautiful things +such as they had never even dreamed of. First they bathed in green +marble baths where the water looked like the sea, and then they put on +silken clothes that felt soft and pleasant. When they were ready, one +of the king's special servants entered, and took them into a small hall, +where dinner was laid, and this pleased them better than anything else. + +They were just about to sit down to the table when the king walked in. + +'I hope you have been attended to properly,' said he, 'and that you will +enjoy your dinner. My steward will take care you have all you want, and +I wish you to do exactly as you please. Oh, by the bye, there is one +thing! You notice that soup-tureen in the middle of the table? Well, be +careful on no account to lift the lid. If once you take off the cover, +there is an end of your good fortune.' Then, bowing to his guests, he +left the room. + +'Did you hear what he said?' inquired the charcoal-burner in an +awe-stricken voice. 'We are to have what we want, and do what we please. +Only we must not touch the soup-tureen.' + +'No, of course we won't,' answered the wife. 'Why should we wish to? +But all the same it is rather odd, and one can't help wondering what is +inside.' + +For many days life went on like a beautiful dream to the +charcoal-burner and his wife. Their beds were so comfortable, they could +hardly make up their minds to get up, their clothes were so lovely they +could scarcely bring themselves to take them off; their dinners were so +good that they found it very difficult to leave off eating. Then outside +the palace were gardens filled with rare flowers and fruits and singing +birds, or if they desired to go further, a golden coach, painted with +wreaths of forget-me-nots and lined with blue satin, awaited their +orders. Sometimes it happened that the king came to see them, and he +smiled as he glanced at the man, who was getting rosier and plumper each +day. But when his eyes rested on the woman, they took on a look which +seemed to say 'I knew it,' though this neither the charcoal-burner nor +his wife ever noticed. + +'Why are you so silent?' asked the man one morning when dinner had +passed before his wife had uttered one word. 'A little while ago you +used to be chattering all the day long, and now I have almost forgotten +the sound of your voice.' + +'Oh, nothing; I did not feel inclined to talk, that was all!' She +stopped, and added carelessly after a pause, 'Don't you ever wonder what +is in that soup-tureen?' + +'No, never,' replied the man. 'It is no affair of ours,' and the +conversation dropped once more, but as time went on, the woman spoke +less and less, and seemed so wretched that her husband grew quite +frightened about her. As to her food, she refused one thing after +another. + +'My dear wife,' said the man at last, 'you really must eat something. +What in the world is the matter with you? If you go on like this you +will die.' + +'I would rather die than not know what is in that tureen,' she burst +forth so violently that the husband was quite startled. + +'Is that it?' cried he; 'are you making yourself miserable because of +that? Why, you know we should be turned out of the palace, and sent away +to starve.' + +'Oh no, we shouldn't. The king is too good-natured. Of course he didn't +mean a little thing like this! Besides, there is no need to lift the lid +off altogether. Just raise one corner so that I may peep. We are quite +alone: nobody will ever know.' + +The man hesitated: it did seem a 'little thing,' and if it was to make +his wife contented and happy it was well worth the risk. So he took +hold of the handle of the cover and raised it very slowly and carefully, +while the woman stooped down to peep. Suddenly she startled back with a +scream, for a small mouse had sprung from the inside of the tureen, and +had nearly hit her in the eye. Round and round the room it ran, round +and round they both ran after it, knocking down chairs and vases in +their efforts to catch the mouse and put it back in the tureen. In the +middle of all the noise the door opened, and the mouse ran out between +the feet of the king. In one instant both the man and his wife were +hiding under the table, and to all appearance the room was empty. + +'You may as well come out,' said the king, 'and hear what I have to +say.' + +'I know what it is,' answered the charcoal-burner, hanging his head. The +mouse has escaped.' + +'A guard of soldiers will take you back to your hut,' said the king. +'Your wife has the key.' + +'Weren't they silly?' cried the grandchildren of the charcoal-burners +when they heard the story. 'How we wish that we had had the chance! WE +should never have wanted to know what was in the soup-tureen!' + +From 'Litterature Orale de l'Auvergne,' par Paul Sebillot. + + + + +How Brave Walter Hunted Wolves + + +A little back from the high road there stands a house which is called +'Hemgard.' Perhaps you remember the two beautiful mountain ash trees by +the reddish-brown palings, and the high gate, and the garden with the +beautiful barberry bushes which are always the first to become grown +in spring, and which in summer are weighed down with their beautiful +berries. + +Behind the garden there is a hedge with tall aspens which rustle in the +morning wind, behind the hedge is a road, behind the road is a wood, and +behind the wood the wide world. + +But on the other side of the garden there is a lake, and beyond the lake +is a village, and all around stretch meadows and fields, now yellow, now +green. + +In the pretty house, which has white window-frames, a neat porch and +clean steps, which are always strewn with finely-cut juniper leaves, +Walter's parents live. His brother Frederick, his sister Lotta, old +Lena, Jonah, Caro and Bravo, Putte and Murre, and Kuckeliku. + +Caro lives in the dog house, Bravo in the stable, Putte with the +stableman, Murre a little here and a little there, and Kuckeliku lives +in the hen house, that is his kingdom. + +Walter is six years old, and he must soon begin to go to school. +He cannot read yet, but he can do many other things. He can turn +cartwheels, stand on his head, ride see-saw, throw snowballs, play ball, +crow like a cock, eat bread and butter and drink sour milk, tear his +trousers, wear holes in his elbows, break the crockery in pieces, throw +balls through the windowpanes, draw old men on important papers, walk +over the flower-beds, eat himself sick with gooseberries, and be well +after a whipping. For the rest he has a good heart but a bad memory, +and forgets his father's and his mother's admonitions, and so often gets +into trouble and meets with adventures, as you shall hear, but first of +all I must tell you how brave he was and how he hunted wolves. + +Once in the spring, a little before Midsummer, Walter heard that there +were a great many wolves in the wood, and that pleased him. He was +wonderfully brave when he was in the midst of his companions or at home +with his brothers and sister, then he used often to say 'One wolf is +nothing, there ought to be at least four.' + +When he wrestled with Klas Bogenstrom or Frithiof Waderfelt and struck +them in the back, he would say 'That is what I shall do to a wolf!' and +when he shot arrows at Jonas and they rattled against his sheepskin coat +he would say: 'That is how I should shoot you if you were a wolf!' + +Indeed, some thought that the brave boy boasted a little; but one must +indeed believe him since he said so himself. So Jonas and Lena used to +say of him 'Look, there goes Walter, who shoots the wolves.' And other +boys and girls would say 'Look, there goes brave Walter, who is brave +enough to fight with four.' + +There was no one so fully convinced of this as Walter himself, and one +day he prepared himself for a real wolf hunt. He took with him his drum, +which had holes in one end since the time he had climbed up on it to +reach a cluster of rowan berries, and his tin sabre, which was a little +broken, because he had with incredible courage fought his way through a +whole unfriendly army of gooseberry bushes. + +He did not forget to arm himself quite to the teeth with his pop-gun, +his bow, and his air-pistol. He had a burnt cork in his pocket to +blacken his moustache, and a red cock's feather to put in his cap to +make himself look fierce. He had besides in his trouser pocket a clasp +knife with a bone handle, to cut off the ears of the wolves as soon as +he had killed them, for he thought it would be cruel to do that while +they were still living. + +It was such a good thing that Jonas was going with corn to the mill, for +Walter got a seat on the load, while Caro ran barking beside them. As +soon as they came to the wood Walter looked cautiously around him to +see perchance there was a wolf in the bushes, and he did not omit to +ask Jonas if wolves were afraid of a drum. 'Of course they are' (that is +understood) said Jonas. Thereupon Walter began to beat his drum with all +his might while they were going through the wood. + +When they came to the mill Walter immediately asked if there had been +any wolves in the neighbourhood lately. + +'Alas! yes,' said the miller, 'last night the wolves have eaten our +fattest ram there by the kiln not far from here.' + +'Ah!' said Walter, 'do you think that there were many?' + +'We don't know,' answered the miller. + +'Oh, it is all the same,' said Walter. 'I only asked so that I should +know if I should take Jonas with me. + +'I could manage very well alone with three, but if there were more, I +might not have time to kill them all before they ran away.' + +'In Walter's place I should go quite alone, it is more manly,' said +Jonas. + +'No, it is better for you to come too,' said Walter. 'Perhaps there are +many.' + +'No, I have not time,' said Jonas, 'and besides, there are sure not to +be more than three. Walter can manage them very well alone.' + +'Yes,' said Walter, 'certainly I could; but, you see, Jonas, it might +happen that one of them might bite me in the back, and I should have +more trouble in killing them. If I only knew that there were not more +than two I should not mind, for them I should take one in each hand and +give them a good shaking, like Susanna once shook me.' + +'I certainly think that there will not be more than two,' said Jonas, +'there are never more than two when they slay children and rams; Walter +can very well shake them without me.' + +'But, you see, Jonas,' said Walter, 'if there are two, it might still +happen that one of them escapes and bites me in the leg, for you see +I am not so strong in the left hand as in the right. You can very well +come with me, and take a good stick in case there are really two. Look, +if there is only one, I shall take him so with both my hands and thrown +him living on to his back, and he can kick as much as he likes, I shall +hold him fast.' + +'Now, when I really think over the thing,' said Jonas, 'I am almost sure +there will not be more than one. What would two do with one ram? There +will certainly not be more than one.' + +'But you should come with me all the same, Jonas,' said Walter. 'You see +I can very well manage one, but I am not quite accustomed to wolves yet, +and he might tear holes in my new trousers.' + +'Well, just listen,' said Jonas, 'I am beginning to think that Walter +is not so brave as people say. First of all Walter would fight against +four, and then against three, then two, and then one, and now Walter +wants help with one. Such a thing must never be; what would people say? +Perhaps they would think that Walter is a coward?' + +'That's a lie,' said Walter, 'I am not at all frightened, but it is +more amusing when there are two. I only want someone who will see how I +strike the wolf and how the dust flies out of his skin.' + +'Well, then, Walter can take the miller's little Lisa with him. She can +sit on a stone and look on,' said Jonas. + +'No, she would certainly be frightened,' said Walter, 'and how would +it do for a girl to go wolf-hunting? Come with me, Jonas, and you shall +have the skin, and I will be content with the ears and the tail.' + +'No, thank you,' said Jonas, 'Walter can keep the skin for himself. Now +I see quite well that he is frightened. Fie, shame on him!' + +This touched Walter's pride very near. 'I shall show that I am not +frightened,' he said; and so he took his drum, sabre, cock's feather, +clasp-knife, pop-gun and air-pistol, and went off quite alone to the +wood to hunt wolves. + +It was a beautiful evening, and the birds were singing in all the +branches. Walter went very slowly and cautiously. At every step he +looked all round him to see if perchance there was anything lurking +behind the stones. He quite thought something moved away there in the +ditch. Perhaps it was a wolf. 'It is better for me to beat the drum a +little before I go there,' thought Walter. + +Br-r-r, so he began to beat his drum. Then something moved again. Caw! +caw! a crow flew up from the ditch. Walter immediately regained courage. +'It was well I took my drum with me,' he thought, and went straight on +with courageous steps. Very soon he came quite close to the kiln, where +the wolves had killed the ram. But the nearer he came the more dreadful +he thought the kiln looked. It was so gray and old. Who knew how many +wolves there might be hidden there? Perhaps the very ones which killed +the ram were still sitting there in a corner. Yes, it was not at +all safe here, and there were no other people to be seen in the +neighbourhood. It would be horrible to be eaten up here in the daylight, +thought Walter to himself; and the more he thought about it the uglier +and grayer the old kiln looked, and the more horrible and dreadful it +seemed to become the food of wolves. + +'Shall I go back and say that I struck one wolf and it escaped?' thought +Walter. 'Fie!' said his conscience, 'Do you not remember that a lie is +one of the worst sins, both in the sight of God and man? If you tell a +lie to-day and say you struck a wolf, to-morrow surely it will eat you +up.' + +'No, I will go to the kiln,' thought Walter, and so he went. But he +did not go quite near. He went only so near that he could see the ram's +blood which coloured the grass red, and some tufts of wool which the +wolves had torn from the back of the poor animal. + +It looked so dreadful. + +'I wonder what the ram thought when they ate him up,' thought Walter +to himself; and just then a cold shiver ran through him from his collar +right down to his boots. + +'It is better for me to beat the drum,' he thought to himself again, and +so he began to beat it. But it sounded horrid, and an echo came out +from the kiln that seemed almost like the howl of a wolf. The drumsticks +stiffened in Walter's hands, and he thought now they are coming...! + +Yes, sure enough, just then a shaggy, reddish-brown wolf's head looked +out from under the kiln! + +What did Walter do now? Yes, the brave Walter who alone could manage +four, threw his drum far away, took to his heels and ran, and ran as +fast as he could back to the mill. + +But, alas! the wolf ran after him. Walter looked back; the wolf was +quicker than he and only a few steps behind him. Then Walter ran faster. +But fear got the better of him, he neither heard nor saw anything more. +He ran over sticks, stones and ditches; he lost drum-sticks, sabre, +bow, and air-pistol, and in his terrible hurry he tripped over a tuft of +grass. There he lay, and the wolf jumped on to him.... + +It was a gruesome tale! Now you may well believe that it was all over +with Walter and all his adventures. That would have been a pity. But do +not be surprised if it was not quite so bad as that, for the wolf was +quite a friendly one. He certainly jumped on to Walter, but he only +shook his coat and rubbed his nose against his face; and Walter +shrieked. Yes, he shrieked terribly! + +Happily Jonas heard his cry of distress, for Walter was quite near the +mill now, and he ran and helped him up. + +'What has happened?' he asked. 'Why did Walter scream so terribly?' + +'A wolf! A wolf!' cried Walter, and that was all he could say. + +'Where is the wolf?' said Jonas. 'I don't see any wolf.' + +'Take care, he is here, he has bitten me to death,' groaned Walter. + +Then Jonas began to laugh; yes, he laughed so that he nearly burst his +skin belt. + +Well, well, was that the wolf? Was that the wolf which Walter was to +take by the neck and shake and throw down on its back, no matter how +much it struggled? Just look a little closer at him: he is your old +friend, your own good old Caro. I quite expect he found a leg of the ram +in the kiln. When Walter beat his drum, Caro crept out, and when Walter +ran away, Caro ran after him, as he so often does when Walter wants to +romp and play. + +'Down, Caro! you ought to be rather ashamed to have put such a great +hero to flight!' + +Walter got up feeling very foolish. + +'Down, Caro!' he said, both relieved and annoyed. + +'It was only a dog, then if it had been a wolf I certainly should have +killed him....' + +'If Walter would listen to my advice, and boast a little less, and do a +little more,' said Jonas, consolingly. 'Walter is not a coward, is he?' + +'I! You shall see, Jonas, when we next meet a bear. You see I like so +much better to fight with bears.' + +'Indeed!' laughed Jonas. 'Are you at it again? + +'Dear Walter, remember that it is only cowards who boast; a really brave +man never talks of his bravery.' + +From Z. Topelius. + + + + +The King of the Waterfalls + + +When the young king of Easaidh Ruadh came into his kingdom, the first +thing he thought of was how he could amuse himself best. The sports that +all his life had pleased him best suddenly seemed to have grown dull, +and he wanted to do something he had never done before. At last his face +brightened. + +'I know!' he said. 'I will go and play a game with the Gruagach.' Now +the Gruagach was a kind of wicked fairy, with long curly brown hair, and +his house was not very far from the king's house. + +But though the king was young and eager, he was also prudent, and his +father had told him on his deathbed to be very careful in his dealings +with the 'good people,' as the fairies were called. Therefore before +going to the Gruagach the king sought out a wise man of the countryside. + +'I am wanting to play a game with the curly-haired Gruagach,' said he. + +'Are you, indeed?' replied the wizard. 'If you will take my counsel, you +will play with someone else.' + +'No; I will play with the Gruagach,' persisted the king. + +'Well, if you must, you must, I suppose,' answered the wizard; 'but if +you win that game, ask as a prize the ugly crop-headed girl that stands +behind the door.' + +'I will,' said the king. + +So before the sun rose he got up and went to the house of the Gruagach, +who was sitting outside. + +'O king, what has brought you here to-day?' asked the Gruagach. 'But +right welcome you are, and more welcome will you be still if you will +play a game with me.' + +'That is just what I want,' said the king, and they played; and +sometimes it seemed as if one would win, and sometimes the other, but in +the end it was the king who was the winner. + +'And what is the prize that you will choose?' inquired the Gruagach. + +'The ugly crop-headed girl that stands behind the door,' replied the +king. + +'Why, there are twenty others in the house, and each fairer than she!' +exclaimed the Gruagach. + +'Fairer they may be, but it is she whom I wish for my wife, and none +other,' and the Gruagach saw that the king's mind was set upon her, so +he entered his house, and bade all the maidens in it come out one by +one, and pass before the king. + +One by one they came; tall and short, dark and fair, plump and thin, and +each said 'I am she whom you want. You will be foolish indeed if you do +not take me.' + +But he took none of them, neither short nor tall, dark nor fair, plump +nor thin, till at the last the crop-headed girl came out. + +'This is mine,' said the king, though she was so ugly that most men +would have turned from her. 'We will be married at once, and I will +carry you home.' And married they were, and they set forth across a +meadow to the king's house. As they went, the bride stooped and picked +a sprig of shamrock, which grew amongst the grass, and when she stood +upright again her ugliness had all gone, and the most beautiful woman +that ever was seen stood by the king's side. + +The next day, before the sun rose, the king sprang from his bed, and +told his wife he must have another game with the Gruagach. + +'If my father loses that game, and you win it,' said she, 'accept +nothing for your prize but the shaggy young horse with the stick +saddle.' + +'I will do that,' answered the king, and he went. + +'Does your bride please you?' asked the Gruagach, who was standing at +his own door. + +'Ah! does she not!' answered the king quickly. 'Otherwise I should be +hard indeed to please. But will you play a game to-day?' + +'I will,' replied the Gruagach, and they played, and sometimes it seemed +as if one would win, and sometimes the other, but in the end the king +was the winner. + +'What is the prize that you will choose?' asked the Gruagach. + +'The shaggy young horse with the stick saddle,' answered the king, but +he noticed that the Gruagach held his peace, and his brow was dark as he +led out the horse from the stable. Rough was its mane and dull was its +skin, but the king cared nothing for that, and throwing his leg over the +stick saddle, rode away like the wind. + +On the third morning the king got up as usual before dawn, and as soon +as he had eaten food he prepared to go out, when his wife stopped +him. 'I would rather,' she said, 'that you did not go to play with the +Gruagach, for though twice you have won yet some day he will win, and +then he will put trouble upon you.' + +'Oh! I must have one more game,' cried the king; 'just this one.' And he +went off to the house of the Gruagach. + +Joy filled the heart of the Gruagach when he saw him coming, and without +waiting to talk they played their game. Somehow or other, the king's +strength and skill had departed from him, and soon the Gruagach was the +victor. + +'Choose your prize,' said the king, when the game was ended, 'but do not +be too hard on me, or ask what I cannot give.' + +'The prize I choose,' answered the Gruagach, 'is that the crop-headed +creature should take thy head and thy neck, if thou dost not get for +me the Sword of Light that hangs in the house of the king of the oak +windows.' + +'I will get it,' replied the young man bravely; but as soon as he was +out of sight of the Gruagach he pretended no more, and his face grew +dark and his steps lagging. + +'You have brought nothing with you to-night,' said the queen, who was +standing on the steps awaiting him. She was so beautiful that the king +was fain to smile when he looked at her, but then he remembered what had +happened, and his heart grew heavy again. + +'What is it? What is the matter? Tell me thy sorrow that I may bear it +with thee, or, it may be, help thee!' Then the king told her everything +that had befallen him, and she stroked his hair the while. + +'That is nothing to grieve about,' she said when the tale was finished. +'You have the best wife in Erin, and the best horse in Erin. Only do as +I bid you, and all will go well.' And the king suffered himself to be +comforted. + +He was still sleeping when the queen rose and dressed herself, to make +everything ready for her husband's journey; and the first place she went +to was the stable, where she fed and watered the shaggy brown horse and +put the saddle on it. Most people thought this saddle was of wood, and +did not see the little sparkles of gold and silver that were hidden in +it. She strapped it lightly on the horse's back, and then led it down +before the house, where the king waited. + +'Good luck to you, and victories in all your battles,' she said, as she +kissed him before he mounted. 'I need not be telling you anything. Take +the advice of the horse, and see you obey it.' + +So he waved his hand and set out on his journey, and the wind was not +swifter than the brown horse--no, not even the March wind which raced it +and could not catch it. But the horse never stopped nor looked behind, +till in the dark of the night he reached the castle of the king of the +oak windows. + +'We are at the end of the journey,' said the horse, 'and you will find +the Sword of Light in the king's own chamber. If it comes to you without +scrape or sound, the token is a good one. At this hour the king is +eating his supper, and the room is empty, so none will see you. The +sword has a knob at the end, and take heed that when you grasp it, you +draw it softly out of its sheath. Now go! I will be under the window.' + +Stealthily the young man crept along the passage, pausing now and then +to make sure that no man was following him, and entered the king's +chamber. A strange white line of light told him where the sword was, and +crossing the room on tiptoe, he seized the knob, and drew it slowly out +of the sheath. The king could hardly breathe with excitement lest it +should make some noise, and bring all the people in the castle running +to see what was the matter. But the sword slid swiftly and silently +along the case till only the point was left touching it. Then a low +sound was heard, as of the edge of a knife touching a silver plate, and +the king was so startled that he nearly dropped the knob. + +'Quick! quick!' cried the horse, and the king scrambled hastily through +the small window, and leapt into the saddle. + +'He has heard and he will follow,' said the horse; 'but we have a good +start,' And on they sped, on and on, leaving the winds behind them. + +At length the horse slackened its pace. 'Look and see who is behind +you,' it said; and the young man looked. + +'I see a swarm of brown horses racing madly after us,' he answered. + +'We are swifter than those,' said the horse, and flew on again. + +'Look again, O king! Is anyone coming now?' + +'A swarm of black horses, and one has a white face, and on that horse a +man is seated. He is the king of the oak windows.' + +'That is my brother, and swifter still than I,' said the horse, 'and he +will fly past me with a rush. Then you must have your sword ready, and +take off the head of the man who sits on him, as he turns and looks at +you. And there is no sword in the world that will cut off his head, save +only that one.' + +'I will do it,' replied the king; and he listened with all his might, +till he judged that the white-faced horse was close to him. Then he sat +up very straight and made ready. + +The next moment there was a rushing noise as of a mighty tempest, and +the young man caught a glimpse of a face turned towards him. Almost +blindly he struck, not knowing whether he had killed or only wounded +the rider. But the head rolled off, and was caught in the brown horse's +mouth. + +'Jump on my brother, the black horse, and go home as fast as you can, +and I will follow as quickly as I may,' cried the brown horse; and +leaping forward the king alighted on the back of the black horse, but +so near the tail that he almost fell off again. But he stretched out his +arm and clutched wildly at the mane and pulled himself into the saddle. + +Before the sky was streaked with red he was at home again, and the queen +was sitting waiting till he arrived, for sleep was far from her eyes. +Glad was she to see him enter, but she said little, only took her harp +and sang softly the songs which he loved, till he went to bed, soothed +and happy. + +It was broad day when he woke, and he sprang up saying: + +'Now I must go to the Gruagach, to find out if the spells he laid on me +are loose.' + +'Have a care,' answered the queen, 'for it is not with a smile as on the +other days that he will greet you. Furiously he will meet you, and will +ask you in his wrath if you have got the sword, and you will reply that +you have got it. Next he will want to know how you got it, and to this +you must say that but for the knob you had not got it at all. Then he +will raise his head to look at the knob, and you must stab him in the +mole which is on the right side of his neck; but take heed, for if you +miss the mole with the point of the sword, then my death and your death +are certain. He is brother to the king of the oak windows, and sure +will he be that the king must be head, or the sword would not be in your +hands.' After that she kissed him, and bade him good speed. + +'Didst thou get the sword?' asked the Gruagach, when they met in the +usual place. + +'I got the sword.' + +'And how didst thou get it?' + +'If it had not had a knob on the top, then I had not got it,' answered +the king. + +'Give me the sword to look at,' said the Gruagach, peering forward; but +like a flash the king had drawn it from under his nose and pierced the +mole, so that the Gruagach rolled over on the ground. + +'Now I shall be at peace,' thought the king. But he was wrong, for when +he reached home he found his servants tied together back to back with +cloths bound round their mouths, so that they could not speak. He +hastened to set them free, and he asked who had treated them in so evil +a manner. + +'No sooner had you gone than a great giant came, and dealt with us as +you see, and carried off your wife and your two horses,' said the men. + +'Then my eyes will not close nor will my head lay itself down till I +fetch my wife and horses home again,' answered he, and he stopped and +noted the tracks of the horses on the grass, and followed after them +till he arrived at the wood, when the darkness fell. + +'I will sleep here,' he said to himself, 'but first I will make a fire,' +And he gathered together some twigs that were lying about, and then took +two dry sticks and rubbed them together till the fire came, and he sat +by it. + +The twigs cracked and the flame blazed up, and a slim yellow dog pushed +through the bushes and laid his head on the king's knee, and the king +stroked his head. + +'Wuf, wuf,' said the dog. 'Sore was the plight of thy wife and thy +horses when the giant drove them last night through the forest.' + +'That is why I have come,' answered the king; and suddenly his heart +seemed to fail him and he felt that he could not go on. + +'I cannot fight that giant,' he cried, looking at the dog with a white +face. 'I am afraid, let me turn homewards.' + +'No, don't do that,' replied the dog. 'Eat and sleep, and I will watch +over you.' So the king ate and lay down, and slept till the sun waked +him. + +'It is time for you to start on your way,' said the dog, 'and if danger +presses, call on me, and I will help you.' + +'Farewell, then,' answered the king; 'I will not forget that promise,' +and on he went, and on, and on, till he reached a tall cliff with many +sticks lying about. + +'It is almost night,' he thought; 'I will make a fire and rest,' and +thus he did, and when the flames blazed up, the hoary hawk of the grey +rock flew on to a bough above him. + +'Sore was the plight of thy wife and thy horses when they passed here +with the giant,' said the hawk. + +'Never shall I find them,' answered the king, 'and nothing shall I get +for all my trouble.' + +'Oh, take heart,' replied the hawk; 'things are never so bad but what +they might be worse. Eat and sleep and I will watch thee,' and the +king did as he was bidden by the hawk, and by the morning he felt brave +again. + +'Farewell,' said the bird, 'and if danger presses call to me, and I will +help you.' + +On he walked, and on and on, till as dusk was falling he came to a great +river, and on the bank there were sticks lying about. + +'I will make myself a fire,' he thought, and thus he did, and by and +bye a smooth brown head peered at him from the water, and a long body +followed it. + +'Sore was the plight of thy wife and thy horses when they passed the +river last night,' said the otter. + +'I have sought them and not found them,' answered the king, 'and nought +shall I get for my trouble.' + +'Be not so downcast,' replied the otter; 'before noon to-morrow thou +shalt behold thy wife. But eat and sleep and I will watch over thee.' So +the king did as the otter bid him, and when the sun rose he woke and saw +the otter lying on the bank. + +'Farewell,' cried the otter as he jumped into the water, 'and if danger +presses, call to me and I will help you.' + +For many hours the king walked, and at length he reached a high rock, +which was rent into two by a great earthquake. Throwing himself on the +ground he looked over the side, and right at the very bottom he saw his +wife and his horses. His heart gave a great bound, and all his fears +left him, but he was forced to be patient, for the sides of the rock +were smooth, and not even a goat could find foothold. So he got up +again, and made his way round through the wood, pushing by trees, +scrambling over rocks, wading through streams, till at last he was on +flat ground again, close to the mouth of the cavern. + +His wife gave a shriek of joy when he came in, and then burst into +tears, for she was tired and very frightened. But her husband did not +understand why she wept, and he was tired and bruised from his climb, +and a little cross too. + +'You give me but a sorry welcome,' grumbled he, 'when I have half-killed +myself to get to you.' + +'Do not heed him,' said the horses to the weeping woman; 'put him in +front of us, where he will be safe, and give him food, for he is weary.' +And she did as the horses told her, and he ate and rested, till by and +bye a long shadow fell over them, and their hearts beat with fear, for +they knew that the giant was coming. + +'I smell a stranger,' cried the giant, as he entered; but it was dark +inside the chasm, and he did not see the king, who was crouching down +between the feet of the horses. + +'A stranger, my lord! no stranger ever comes here, not even the sun!' +and the king's wife laughed gaily as she went up to the giant and +stroked the huge hand which hung down by his side. + +'Well, I perceive nothing, certainly,' answered he, 'but it is very odd. +However, it is time that the horses were fed;' and he lifted down +an armful of hay from a shelf of rock and held out a handful to each +animal, who moved forward to meet him, leaving the king behind. As soon +as the giant's hands were near their mouths they each made a snap, and +began to bit them, so that his groans and shrieks might have been heard +a mile off. Then they wheeled round and kicked him till they could +kick no more. At length the giant crawled away, and lay quivering in a +corner, and the queen went up to him. + +'Poor thing! poor thing!' she said, 'they seem to have gone mad; it was +awful to behold.' + +'If I had had my soul in my body they would certainly have killed me,' +groaned the giant. + +'It was lucky indeed,' answered the queen; 'but tell me, where is thy +soul, that I may take care of it?' + +'Up there, in the Bonnach stone,' answered the giant, pointing to a +stone which was balanced loosely on an edge of rock. 'But now leave me, +that I may sleep, for I have far to go to-morrow.' + +Soon snores were heard from the corner where the giant lay, and then +the queen lay down too, and the horses, and the king was hidden between +them, so that none could see him. + +Before the dawn the giant rose and went out, and immediately the queen +ran up to the Bonnach stone, and tugged and pushed at it till it was +quite steady on its ledge, and could not fall over. And so it was in the +evening when the giant came home; and when they saw his shadow, the king +crept down in front of the horses. + +'Why, what have you done to the Bonnach stone?' asked the giant. + +'I feared lest it should fall over, and be broken, with your soul in +it,' said the queen, 'so I put it further back on the ledge.' + +'It is not there that my soul is,' answered he, 'it is on the threshold. +But it is time the horses were fed;' and he fetched the hay, and gave it +to them, and they bit and kicked him as before, till he lay half dead on +the ground. + +Next morning he rose and went out, and the queen ran to the threshold +of the cave, and washed the stones, and pulled up some moss and little +flowers that were hidden in the crannies, and by and bye when dusk had +fallen the giant came home. + +'You have been cleaning the threshold,' said he. + +'And was I not right to do it, seeing that your soul is in it?' asked +the queen. + +'It is not there that my soul is,' answered the giant. 'Under the +threshold is a stone, and under the stone is a sheep, and in the sheep's +body is a duck, and in the duck is an egg, and in the egg is my soul. +But it is late, and I must feed the horses;' and he brought them the +hay, but they only bit and kicked him as before, and if his soul had +been within him, they would have killed him outright. + +It was still dark when the giant got up and went his way, and then +the king and the queen ran forward to take up the threshold, while +the horses looked on. But sure enough! just as the giant had said, +underneath the threshold was the flagstone, and they pulled and tugged +till the stone gave way. Then something jumped out so suddenly, that it +nearly knocked them down, and as it fled past, they saw it was a sheep. + +'If the slim yellow dog of the greenwood were only here, he would soon +have that sheep,' cried the king; and as he spoke, the slim yellow dog +appeared from the forest, with the sheep in his mouth. With a blow from +the king, the sheep fell dead, and they opened its body, only to be +blinded by a rush of wings as the duck flew past. + +'If the hoary hawk of the rock were only here, he would soon have that +duck,' cried the king; and as he spoke the hoary hawk was seen hovering +above them, with the duck in his mouth. They cut off the duck's head +with a swing of the king's sword, and took the egg out of its body, +but in his triumph the king held it carelessly, and it slipped from his +hand, and rolled swiftly down the hill right into the river. + +'If the brown otter of the stream were only here, he would soon have +that egg,' cried the king; and the next minute there was the brown +otter, dripping with water, holding the egg in his mouth. But beside the +brown otter, a huge shadow came stealing along--the shadow of the giant. + +The king stood staring at it, as if he were turned into stone, but the +queen snatched the egg from the otter and crushed it between her two +hands. And after that the shadow suddenly shrank and was still, and they +knew that the giant was dead, because they had found his soul. + +Next day they mounted the two horses and rode home again, visiting their +friends the brown otter and the hoary hawk and the slim yellow dog by +the way. + +From 'West Highland Tales.' + + + + +A French Puck + + +Among the mountain pastures and valleys that lie in the centre of France +there dwelt a mischievous kind of spirit, whose delight it was to play +tricks on everybody, and particularly on the shepherds and the cowboys. +They never knew when they were safe from him, as he could change himself +into a man, woman or child, a stick, a goat, a ploughshare. Indeed, +there was only one thing whose shape he could not take, and that was a +needle. At least, he could transform himself into a needle, but try as +he might he never was able to imitate the hole, so every woman would +have found him out at once, and this he knew. + +Now the hour oftenest chosen by this naughty sprite (whom we will +call Puck) for performing his pranks was about midnight, just when the +shepherds and cowherds, tired out with their long day's work, were sound +asleep. Then he would go into the cowsheds and unfasten the chains that +fixed each beast in its own stall, and let them fall with a heavy clang +to the ground. The noise was so loud that it was certain to awaken the +cowboys, however fatigued they might be, and they dragged themselves +wearily to the stable to put back the chains. But no sooner had they +returned to their beds than the same thing happened again, and so on +till the morning. Or perhaps Puck would spend his night in plaiting +together the manes and tails of two of the horses, so that it would take +the grooms hours of labour to get them right in the morning, while Puck, +hidden among the hay in the loft, would peep out to watch them, enjoying +himself amazingly all the time. + +One evening more than eighty years ago a man named William was passing +along the bank of a stream when he noticed a sheep who was bleating +loudly. William thought it must have strayed from the flock, and that he +had better take it home with him till he could discover its owner. So +he went up to where it was standing, and as it seemed so tired that it +could hardly walk, he hoisted it on his shoulders and continued on +his way. The sheep was pretty heavy, but the good man was merciful and +staggered along as best he could under his load. + +'It is not much further,' he thought to himself as he reached an avenue +of walnut trees, when suddenly a voice spoke out from over his head, and +made him jump. + +'Where are you?' said the voice, and the sheep answered: + +'Here on the shoulders of a donkey.' + +In another moment the sheep was standing on the ground and William was +running towards home as fast as his legs would carry him. But as he +went, a laugh, which yet was something of a bleat, rang in his ears, and +though he tried not to hear, the words reached him, 'Oh, dear! What fun +I have had, to be sure!' + +Puck was careful not always to play his tricks in the same place, but +visited one village after another, so that everyone trembled lest he +should be the next victim. After a bit he grew tired of cowboys and +shepherds, and wondered if there was no one else to give him some sport. +At length he was told of a young couple who were going to the nearest +town to buy all that they needed for setting up house. Quite certain +that they would forget something which they could not do without, Puck +waited patiently till they were jogging along in their cart on their +return journey, and changed himself into a fly in order to overhear +their conversation. + +For a long time it was very dull--all about their wedding day next +month, and who were to be invited. This led the bride to her wedding +dress, and she gave a little scream. + +'Just think! Oh! how could I be so stupid! I have forgotten to buy the +different coloured reels of cotton to match my clothes!' + +'Dear, dear!' exclaimed the young man. 'That is unlucky; and didn't you +tell me that the dressmaker was coming in to-morrow?' + +'Yes, I did,' and then suddenly she gave another little scream, which +had quite a different sound from the first. 'Look! Look!' + +The bridegroom looked, and on one side of the road he saw a large ball +of thread of all colours--of all the colours, that is, of the dresses +that were tied on to the back of the cart. + +'Well, that is a wonderful piece of good fortune,' cried he, as he +sprang out to get it. 'One would think a fairy had put it there on +purpose.' + +'Perhaps she has,' laughed the girl, and as she spoke she seemed to hear +an echo of her laughter coming from the horse, but of course that was +nonsense. + +The dressmaker was delighted with the thread that was given her. It +matched the stuffs so perfectly, and never tied itself in knots, or +broke perpetually, as most thread did. She finished her work much +quicker than she expected and the bride said she was to be sure to come +to the church and see her in her wedding dress. + +There was a great crowd assembled to witness the ceremony, for the young +people were immense favourites in the neighbourhood, and their parents +were very rich. The doors were open, and the bride could be seen from +afar, walking under the chestnut avenue. + +'What a beautiful girl!' exclaimed the men. 'What a lovely dress!' +whispered the women. But just as she entered the church and took the +hand of the bridegroom, who was waiting for her, a loud noise was heard. + +'Crick! crack! Crick! crack!' and the wedding garments fell to the +ground, to the great confusion of the wearer. + +Not that the ceremony was put off for a little thing like that! Cloaks +in profusion were instantly offered to the young bride, but she was so +upset that she could hardly keep from tears. One of the guests, more +curious than the rest, stayed behind to examine the dress, determined, +if she could, to find out the cause of the disaster. + +'The thread must have been rotten,' she said to herself. 'I will see if +I can break it.' But search as she would she could find none. + +The thread had vanished! + +From 'Litterature Orale de l'Auvergne,' par Paul Sebillot. + + + + +The Three Crowns + + +There was once a king who had three daughters. The two eldest were very +proud and quarrelsome, but the youngest was as good as they were bad. +Well, three princes came to court them, and two of them were exactly +like the eldest ladies, and one was just as lovable as the youngest. One +day they were all walking down to a lake that lay at the bottom of the +lawn when they met a poor beggar. The king wouldn't give him anything, +and the eldest princesses wouldn't give him anything, nor their +sweethearts; but the youngest daughter and her true love did give him +something, and kind words along with it, and that was better than all. + +When they got to the edge of the lake what did they find but the +beautifullest boat you ever saw in your life; and says the eldest, 'I'll +take a sail in this fine boat'; and says the second eldest, 'I'll take a +sail in this fine boat'; and says the youngest, 'I won't take a sail in +that fine boat, for I am afraid it's an enchanted one.' But the others +persuaded her to go in, and her father was just going in after her, when +up sprung on the deck a little man only seven inches high, and ordered +him to stand back. Well, all the men put their hands to their swords; +and if the same swords were only playthings, they weren't able to draw +them, for all strength that was left their arms. Seven Inches loosened +the silver chain that fastened the boat, and pushed away, and after +grinning at the four men, says he to them. 'Bid your daughters and your +brides farewell for awhile. You,' says he to the youngest, 'needn't +fear, you'll recover your princess all in good time, and you and she +will be as happy as the day is long. Bad people, if they were rolling +stark naked in gold, would not be rich. Good-bye.' Away they sailed, and +the ladies stretched out their hands, but weren't able to say a word. + +Well, they weren't crossing the lake while a cat 'ud be lickin' her ear, +and the poor men couldn't stir hand or foot to follow them. They saw +Seven Inches handing the three princesses out of the boat, and letting +them down by a basket into a draw-well, but king nor princes ever saw an +opening before in the same place. When the last lady was out of sight, +the men found the strength in their arms and legs again. Round the lake +they ran, and never drew rein till they came to the well and windlass; +and there was the silk rope rolled on the axle, and the nice white +basket hanging to it. 'Let me down,' says the youngest prince. 'I'll die +or recover them again.' 'No,' says the second daughter's sweetheart, 'it +is my turn first.' And says the other, 'I am the eldest.' So they gave +way to him, and in he got into the basket, and down they let him. First +they lost sight of him, and then, after winding off a hundred perches of +the silk rope, it slackened, and they stopped turning. They waited two +hours, and then they went to dinner, because there was no pull made at +the rope. + +Guards were set till next morning, and then down went the second prince, +and sure enough, the youngest of all got himself let down on the third +day. He went down perches and perches, while it was as dark about him +as if he was in a big pot with a cover on. At last he saw a glimmer far +down, and in a short time he felt the ground. Out he came from the big +lime-kiln, and, lo! and behold you, there was a wood, and green fields, +and a castle in a lawn, and a bright sky over all. 'It's in Tir-na-n-Oge +I am,' says he. 'Let's see what sort of people are in the castle.' On he +walked, across fields and lawn, and no one was there to keep him out or +let him into the castle; but the big hall-door was wide open. He went +from one fine room to another that was finer, and at last he reached the +handsomest of all, with a table in the middle. And such a dinner as was +laid upon it! The prince was hungry enough, but he was too mannerly to +eat without being invited. So he sat by the fire, and he did not wait +long till he heard steps, and in came Seven Inches with the youngest +sister by the hand. Well, prince and princess flew into one another's +arms, and says the little man, says he, 'Why aren't you eating?' 'I +think, sir,' says the prince, 'it was only good manner to wait to be +asked.' 'The other princes didn't think so,' says he. 'Each o' them fell +to without leave, and only gave me the rough words when I told them they +were making more free than welcome. Well, I don't think they feel much +hunger now. There they are, good marble instead of flesh and blood,' +says he, pointing to two statues, one in one corner, and the other in +the other corner of the room. The prince was frightened, but he was +afraid to say anything, and Seven Inches made him sit down to dinner +between himself and his bride; and he'd be as happy as the day is long, +only for the sight of the stone men in the corner. Well, that day went +by, and when the next came, says Seven Inches to him, 'Now, you'll have +to set out that way,' pointing to the sun, 'and you'll find the second +princess in a giant's castle this evening, when you'll be tired and +hungry, and the eldest princess to-morrow evening; and you may as well +bring them here with you. You need not ask leave of their masters; and +perhaps if they ever get home, they'll look on poor people as if they +were flesh and blood like themselves.' + +Away went the prince, and bedad! it's tired and hungry he was when he +reached the first castle, at sunset. Oh, wasn't the second princess glad +to see him! And what a good supper she gave him. But she heard the giant +at the gate, and she hid the prince in a closet. Well, when he came in, +he snuffed, an' he snuffed, and says he, 'By the life, I smell fresh +meat.' 'Oh,' says the princess, 'it's only the calf I got killed +to-day.' 'Ay, ay,' says he, 'is supper ready?' 'It is,' says she; and +before he rose from the table he ate three-quarters of a calf, and a +flask of wine. 'I think,' says he, when all was done, 'I smell fresh +meat still.' 'It's sleepy you are,' says she; 'go to bed.' 'When will +you marry me?' says the giant. 'You're putting me off too long.' 'St. +Tibb's Eve,' says she. 'I wish I knew how far off that is,' says he; and +he fell asleep, with his head in the dish. + +Next day, he went out after breakfast, and she sent the prince to the +castle where the eldest sister was. The same thing happened there; but +when the giant was snoring, the princess wakened up the prince, and they +saddled two steeds in the stables and rode into the field on them. But +the horses' heels struck the stones outside the gate, and up got the +giant and strode after them. He roared and he shouted, and the more he +shouted, the faster ran the horses, and just as the day was breaking he +was only twenty perches behind. But the prince didn't leave the castle +of Seven Inches without being provided with something good. He reined +in his steed, and flung a short, sharp knife over his shoulder, and up +sprung a thick wood between the giant and themselves. They caught the +wind that blew before them, and the wind that blew behind them did not +catch them. At last they were near the castle where the other sister +lived; and there she was, waiting for them under a high hedge, and a +fine steed under her. + +But the giant was now in sight, roaring like a hundred lions, and the +other giant was out in a moment, and the chase kept on. For every two +springs the horses gave, the giants gave three, and at last they were +only seventy perches off. Then the prince stopped again, and flung the +second knife behind him. Down went all the flat field, till there was a +quarry between them a quarter of a mile deep, and the bottom filled with +black water; and before the giants could get round it, the prince and +princesses were inside the kingdom of the great magician, where the high +thorny hedge opened of itself to everyone that he chose to let in. There +was joy enough between the three sisters, till the two eldest saw their +lovers turned into stone. But while they were shedding tears for them, +Seven Inches came in, and touched them with his rod. So they were flesh, +and blood, and life once more, and there was great hugging and kissing, +and all sat down to breakfast, and Seven Inches sat at the head of the +table. + +When breakfast was over, he took them into another room, where there +was nothing but heaps of gold, and silver, and diamonds, and silks, +and satins; and on a table there was lying three sets of crowns: a gold +crown was in a silver crown, and that was lying in a copper crown. +He took up one set of crowns, and gave it to the eldest princess; and +another set, and gave it to the second youngest princess; and another, +and gave it to the youngest of all; and says he, 'Now you may all go to +the bottom of the pit, and you have nothing to do but stir the basket, +and the people that are watching above will draw you up. But remember, +ladies, you are to keep your crows safe, and be married in them, all +the same day. If you be married separately, or if you be married without +your crowns, a curse will follow--mind what I say.' + +So they took leave of him with great respect, and walked arm-in-arm to +the bottom of the draw-well. There was a sky and a sun over them, and +a great high wall, covered with ivy, rose before them, and was so high +they could not see to the top of it; and there was an arch in this wall, +and the bottom of the draw-well was inside the arch. The youngest +pair went last; and says the princess to the prince, 'I'm sure the two +princes don't mean any good to you. Keep these crowns under your cloak, +and if you are obliged to stay last, don't get into the basket, but put +a big stone, or any heavy thing inside, and see what will happen.' + +As soon as they were inside the dark cave, they put in the eldest +princess first, and stirred the basket, and up she went. Then the basket +was let down again, and up went the second princess, and then up went +the youngest; but first she put her arms round her prince's neck, and +kissed him, and cried a little. At last it came to the turn of the +youngest prince, and instead of going into the basket he put in a big +stone. He drew on one side and listened, and after the basket was drawn +up about twenty perches, down came it and the stone like thunder, and +the stone was broken into little bits. + +Well, the poor prince had nothing for it but to walk back to the castle; +and through it and round it he walked, and the finest of eating and +drinking he got, and a bed of bog-down to sleep on, and long walks he +took through gardens and lawns, but not a sight could he get, high or +low, of Seven Inches. He, before a week, got tired of it, he was so +lonesome for his true love; and at the end of a month he didn't know +what to do with himself. + +One morning he went into the treasure room, and took notice of a +beautiful snuff-box on the table that he didn't remember seeing there +before. He took it in his hands and opened it, and out Seven Inches +walked on the table. 'I think, prince,' says he, 'you're getting a +little tired of my castle?' 'Ah!' says the other, 'if I had my princess +here, and could see you now and then, I'd never know a dismal day.' +'Well, you're long enough here now, and you're wanted there above. +Keep your bride's crowns safe, and whenever you want my help, open this +snuff-box. Now take a walk down the garden, and come back when you're +tired.' + +The prince was going down a gravel walk with a quickset hedge on each +side, and his eyes on the ground, and he was thinking of one thing +and another. At last he lifted his eyes, and there he was outside of +a smith's gate that he often passed before, about a mile away from the +palace of his betrothed princess. The clothes he had on him were as +ragged as you please, but he had his crowns safe under his old cloak. + +Then the smith came out, and says he, 'It's a shame for a strong, big +fellow like you to be lazy, and so much work to be done. Are you any +good with hammer and tongs? Come in and bear a hand, an I'll give you +diet and lodging, and a few pence when you earn them.' 'Never say't +twice,' says the prince. 'I want nothing but to be busy.' So he took the +hammer, and pounded away at the red-hot bar that the smith was turning +on the anvil to make into a set of horse-shoes. + +They hadn't been long at work when a tailor came in, and he sat down +and began to talk. 'You all heard how the two princess were loth to +be married till the youngest would be ready with her crowns and her +sweetheart. But after the windlass loosened accidentally when they were +pulling up her bridegroom that was to be, there was no more sign of a +well, or a rope, or a windlass, than there is on the palm of your hand. +So the princes that were courting the eldest ladies wouldn't give +peace or ease to their lovers nor the king till they got consent to the +marriage, and it was to take place this morning. Myself went down out o' +curiousity, and to be sure I was delighted with the grand dresses of +the two brides, and the three crowns on their heads--gold, silver, and +copper, one inside the other. The youngest was standing by mournful +enough, and all was ready. The two bridegrooms came in as proud and +grand as you please, and up they were walking to the altar rails, when +the boards opened two yards wide under their feet, and down they went +among the dead men and the coffins in the vaults. Oh, such shrieks as +the ladies gave! and such running and racing and peeping down as there +was! but the clerk soon opened the door of the vault, and up came the +two princes, their fine clothes covered an inch thick with cobwebs and +mould. + +So the king said they should put off the marriage. 'For,' says he, 'I +see there is no use in thinking of it till the youngest gets her three +crowns, and is married with the others. I'll give my youngest daughter +for a wife to whoever brings three crowns to me like the others; and if +he doesn't care to be married, some other one will, and I'll make his +fortune.' + +'I wish,' says the smith, 'I could do it; but I was looking at the +crowns after the princesses got home, and I don't think there's a black +or a white smith on the face of the earth that could imitate them.' +'Faint heart never won fair lady,' says the prince. 'Go to the palace +and ask for a quarter of a pound of gold, a quarter of a pound of +silver, and a quarter of a pound of copper. Get one crown for a pattern, +and my head for a pledge, I'll give you out the very things that are +wanted in the morning.' 'Are you in earnest?' says the smith. 'Faith, I +am so,' says he. 'Go! you can't do worse than lose.' + +To make a long story short, the smith got the quarter of a pound of +gold, and the quarter of a pound of silver, and the quarter of a pound +of copper, and gave them and the pattern crown to the prince. He shut +the forge door at nightfall, and the neighbours all gathered in the +yard, and they heard him hammering, hammering, hammering, from that to +daybreak; and every now and then he'd throw out through the window bits +of gold, silver, and copper; and the idlers scrambled for them, and +cursed one another, and prayed for the good luck of the workman. + +Well, just as the sun was thinking to rise, he opened the door, and +brought out the three crowns he got from his true love, and such +shouting and huzzaing as there was! The smith asked him to go along with +him to the palace, but he refused; so off set the smith, and the whole +townland with him; and wasn't the king rejoiced when he saw the crowns! +'Well,' says he to the smith, 'you're a married man. What's to be done?' +'Faith, your majesty, I didn't make them crowns at all. It was a big +fellow that took service with me yesterday.' 'Well, daughter, will +you marry the fellow that made these crowns?' 'Let me see them first, +father,' said she; but when she examined them she knew them right well, +and guessed it was her true love that sent them. 'I will marry the man +that these crowns came from,' says she. + +'Well,' says the king to the elder of the two princes, 'go up to the +smith's forge, take my best coaches, and bring home the bridegroom.' He +did not like doing this, he was so proud, but he could not refuse. +When he came to the forge he saw the prince standing at the door, and +beckoned him over to the coach. 'Are you the fellow,' says he, 'that +made these crowns?' 'Yes,' says the other. 'Then,' says he, 'maybe you'd +give yourself a brushing, and get into that coach; the king wants to see +you. I pity the princess.' The young prince got into the carriage, and +while they were on the way he opened the snuff-box, and out walked Seven +Inches, and stood on his thigh. 'Well,' says he, 'what trouble is on you +now?' 'Master,' says the other, 'please let me go back to my forge, and +let this carriage be filled with paving stones.' No sooner said than +done. The prince was sitting in his forge, and the horses wondered what +was after happening to the carriage. + +When they came into the palace yard, the king himself opened the +carriage door, for respect to his new son-in-law. As soon as he turned +the handle, a shower of small stones fell on his powdered wig and his +silk coat, and down he fell under them. There was great fright and some +laughter, and the king, after he wiped the blood from his forehead, +looked very cross at the eldest prince. 'My lord,' says he, 'I'm very +sorry for this accident, but I'm not to blame. I saw the young smith get +into the carriage, and we never stopped a minute since.' 'It's uncivil +you were to him. Go,' says he to the other prince, 'and bring the young +smith here, and be polite.' 'Never fear,' says he. + +But there's some people that couldn't be good-natured if they tried, and +not a bit civiller was the new messenger than the old, and when the king +opened the carriage door a second time, it's shower of mud that came +down on him. 'There's no use,' says he, 'going on this way. The fox +never got a better messenger than himself.' + +So he changed his clothes, and washed himself, and out he set to the +prince's forge and asked him to sit along with himself. The prince +begged to be allowed to sit in the other carriage, and when they were +half-way he opened his snuff-box. 'Master,' says he, 'I'd wish to be +dressed now according to my rank.' 'You shall be that,' says Seven +Inches. 'And now I'll bid you farewell. Continue as good and kind as you +always were; love your wife; and that's all the advice I'll give you.' +So Seven Inches vanished; and when the carriage door was opened in the +yard, out walks the prince as fine as hands could make him, and the +first thing he did was to run over to his bride and embrace her. + +Every one was full of joy but the two other princes. There was not much +delay about the marriages, and they were all celebrated on the one day. +Soon after, the two elder couples went to their own courts, but the +youngest pair stayed with the old king, and they were as happy as the +happiest married couple you ever heard of in a story. + +From 'West Highland Tales.' + + + + +The Story of a Very Bad Boy + + +Once upon a time there lived in a little village in the very middle of +France a widow and her only son, a boy about fifteen, whose name was +Antoine, though no one ever called him anything but Toueno-Boueno. They +were very poor indeed, and their hut shook about their ears on windy +nights, till they expected the walls to fall in and crush them, but +instead of going to work as a boy of his age ought to do, Toueno-Boueno +did nothing but lounge along the street, his eyes fixed on the ground, +seeing nothing that went on round him. + +'You are very, very stupid, my dear child,' his mother would sometimes +say to him, and then she would add with a laugh, 'Certainly you will +never catch a wolf by the tail.' + +One day the old woman bade Antoine go into the forest and collect enough +dry leaves to make beds for herself and him. Before he had finished it +began to rain heavily, so he hid himself in the hollow trunk of a tree, +where he was so dry and comfortable that he soon fell fast asleep. By +and by he was awakened by a noise which sounded like a dog scratching +at the door, and he suddenly felt frightened, why he did not know. Very +cautiously he raised his head, and right above him he saw a big hairy +animal, coming down tail foremost. + +'It is the wolf that they talk so much about,' he said to himself, and +he made himself as small as he could and shrunk into a corner. + +The wolf came down the inside of the tree, slowly, slowly; Antoine +felt turned to stone, so terrified was he, and hardly dared to breathe. +Suddenly an idea entered his mind, which he thought might save him +still. He remembered to have heard from his mother that a wolf could +neither bend his back nor turn his head, so as to look behind him, and +quick as lightning he stretched up his hand, and seizing the wolf's +tail, pulled it towards him. + +Then he left the tree and dragged the animal to his mother's house. + +'Mother, you have often declared that I was too stupid to catch a wolf +by the tail. Now see,' he cried triumphantly. + +'Well, well, wonders will never cease,' answered the good woman, who +took care to keep at a safe distance. 'But as you really have got him, +let us see if we can't put him to some use. Fetch the skin of the ram +which died last week out of the chest, and we will sew the wolf up in +it. He will make a splendid ram, and to-morrow we will drive him to the +fair and sell him.' + +Very likely the wolf, who was cunning and clever, may have understood +what she said, but he thought it best to give no sign, and suffered the +skin to be sewn upon him. + +'I can always get away if I choose,' thought he, 'it is better not to +be in a hurry;' so he remained quite still while the skin was drawn over +his head, which made him very hot and uncomfortable, and resisted the +temptation to snap off the fingers or noses that were so close to his +mouth. + +The fair was at its height next day when Toueno-Boueno arrived with his +wolf in ram's clothing. All the farmers crowded round him, each offering +a higher price than the last. Never had they beheld such a beautiful +beast, said they, and at last, after much bargaining, he was handed over +to three brothers for a good sum of money. + +It happened that these three brothers owned large flocks of sheep, +though none so large and fine as the one they had just bought. + +'My flock is the nearest,' observed the eldest brother; 'we will leave +him in the fold for the night, and to-morrow we will decide which +pastures will be best for him.' And the wolf grinned as he listened, and +held up his head a little higher than before. + +Early next morning the young farmer began to go his rounds, and the +sheep-fold was the first place he visited. To his horror, the sheep were +all stretched out dead before him, except one, which the wolf had eaten, +bones and all. Instantly the truth flashed upon him. It was no ram that +lay curled up in the corner pretending to be asleep (for in reality he +could bend back and turn his head as much as he liked), but a wolf who +was watching him out of the corner of his eye, and might spring upon him +at any moment. So the farmer took no notice, and only thought that here +was a fine chance of revenging himself on his next brother for a trick +which he had played, and merely told him that the ram would not eat the +grass in that field, and it might be well to drive him to the pasture by +the river, where his own flock was feeding. The second brother eagerly +swallowed the bait, and that evening the wolf was driven down to the +field where the young man kept the sheep which had been left him by +his father. By the next morning they also were all dead, but the second +brother likewise held his peace, and allowed the sheep which belonged +to the youngest to share the fate of the other two. Then they met and +confessed to each other their disasters, and resolved to take the +animal as fast as possible back to Toueno-Boueno, who should get a sound +thrashing. + +Antoine was sitting on a plum tree belonging to a neighbour, eating +the ripe fruit, when he saw the three young farmers coming towards him. +Swinging himself down, he flew home to the hut, crying breathlessly, +'Mother, mother, the farmers are close by with the wolf. They have found +out all about it, and will certainly kill me, and perhaps you too. But +if you do as I tell you, I may be able to save us both. Lie down on +the floor, and pretend to be dead, and be sure not to speak, whatever +happens. + +Thus when the three brothers, each armed with a whip, entered the hut a +few seconds later, they found a woman extended on the floor, and Toueno +kneeling at her side, whistling loudly into her ears. + +'What are you doing now, you rascal?' asked the eldest. + +'What am I doing? Oh, my poor friends, I am the most miserable creature +in the world! I have lost the best of mothers, and I don't know what +will become of me,' and he hid his face in his hands and sobbed again. + +'But what are you whistling like that for?' + +'Well, it is the only chance. This whistle has been known to bring the +dead back to life, and I hoped--' here he buried his face in his hands +again, but peeping between his fingers he saw that the brother had +opened their six eyes as wide as saucers. + +'Look!' he suddenly exclaimed with a cry, 'Look! I am sure I felt her +body move! And now her nostrils are twitching. Ah! the whistle has +not lost its power after all,' and stooping down, Toueno whistled more +loudly than before, so that the old woman's feet and hands showed signs +of life, and she soon was able to life her head. + +The farmers were so astonished at her restoration, that it was some +time before they could speak. At length the eldest turned to the boy and +said: + +'Now listen to me. There is no manner of doubt that you are a young +villain. You sold us a ram knowing full well that it was a wolf, and +we came here to-day to pay you out for it. But if you will give us that +whistle, we will pardon what you have done, and will leave you alone.' + +'It is my only treasure, and I set great store by it,' answered the boy, +pretending to hesitate. 'But as you wish for it so much, well, I suppose +I can't refuse,' and he held out the whistle, which the eldest brother +put in his pocket. + +Armed with the precious whistle, the three brothers returned home full +of joy, and as they went the youngest said to the others, 'I have such +a good idea! Our wives are all lazy and grumbling, and make our lives a +burden. Let us give them a lesson, and kill them as soon as we get in. +Of course we can restore them to life at once, but they will have had a +rare fright.' + +'Ah, how clever you are,' answered the other two. 'Nobody else would +have thought of that.' + +So gaily the three husbands knocked down their three wives, who fell +dead to the ground. Then one by one the men tried the whistle, and blew +so loudly that it seemed as if their lungs would burst, but the women +lay stark and stiff and never moved an eyelid. The husbands grew pale +and cold, for they had never dreamed of this, nor meant any harm, and +after a while they understood that their efforts were of no use, and +that once more the boy had tricked them. With stern faces they rose to +their feet, and taking a large sack they retraced their steps to the +hut. + +This time there was no escape. Toueno had been asleep, and only opened +his eyes as they entered. Without a word on either side they thrust +him into the sack, and tying up the mouth, the eldest threw it over his +shoulder. After that they all set out to the river, where they intended +to drown the boy. + +But the river was a long way off, and the day was very hot, and Antoine +was heavy, heavier than a whole sheaf of corn. They carried him in +turns, but even so they grew very tired and thirsty, and when a little +tavern came in sight on the roadside, they thankfully flung the sack +down on a bench and entered to refresh themselves. They never noticed +that a beggar was sitting in the shade at the end of the bench, but +Toueno's sharp ears caught the sound of someone eating, and as soon as +the farmers had gone into the inn he began to groan softly. + +'What is the matter?' asked the beggar, drawing a little nearer. 'Why +have they shut you up, poor boy?' + +'Because they wanted to make me a bishop, and I would not consent,' +answered Toueno. + +'Dear me,' exclaimed the beggar, 'yet it isn't such a bad thing to be a +bishop.' + +'I don't say it is,' replied the young rascal, 'but I should never like +it. However, if you have any fancy for wearing a mitre, you need only +untie the sack, and take my place.' + +'I should like nothing better,' said the man, as he stooped to undo the +big knot. + +So it was the beggar and not Toueno-Boueno who was flung into the water. + +The next morning the three wives were buried, and on returning from the +cemetery, their husbands met Toueno-Boueno driving a magnificent +flock of sheep. At the sight of him the three farmers stood still with +astonishment. + +'What! you scoundrel!' they cried at last, 'we drowned you yesterday, +and to-day we find you again, as well as ever!' + +'It does seem odd, doesn't it?' answered he. 'But perhaps you don't know +that beneath this world there lies another yet more beautiful and far, +far richer. Well, it was there that you sent me when you flung me into +the river, and though I felt a little strange at first, yet I soon began +to look about me, and to see what was happening. There I noticed that +close to the place where I had fallen, a sheep fair was being held, and +a bystander told me that every day horses or cattle were sold somewhere +in the town. If I had only had the luck to be thrown into the river on +the side of the horse fair I might have made my fortune! As it was, I +had to content myself with buying these sheep, which you can get for +nothing.' + +'And do you know exactly the spot in the river which lies over the horse +fair?' + +'As if I did not know it, when I have seen it with my own eyes.' + +'Then if you do not want us to avenge our dead flocks and our murdered +wives, you will have to throw us into the river just over the place of +the horse fair.' + +'Very well; only you must get three sacks and come with me to that rock +which juts into the river. I will throw you in from there, and you will +fall nearly on to the horses' backs.' + +So he threw them in, and as they were never seen again, no one ever knew +into which fair they had fallen. + +From 'Litterature Orale de L'Auvergne,' par Paul Sebillot. + + + + +The Brown Bear of Norway + + +There was once a king in Ireland, and he had three daughters, and very +nice princesses they were. And one day, when they and their father were +walking on the lawn, the king began to joke with them, and to ask them +whom they would like to be married to. 'I'll have the king of Ulster for +a husband,' says one; 'and I'll have the king of Munster,' says another; +'and,' says the youngest, 'I'll have no husband but the Brown Bear of +Norway.' For a nurse of hers used to be telling her of an enchanted +prince that she called by that name, and she fell in love with him, and +his name was the first name on her tongue, for the very night before she +was dreaming of him. Well, one laughed, and another laughed, and they +joked with the princess all the rest of the evening. But that very night +she woke up out of her sleep in a great hall that was lighted up with +a thousand lamps; the richest carpets were on the floor, and the walls +were covered with cloth of gold and silver, and the place was full of +grand company, and the very beautiful prince she saw in her dreams was +there, and it wasn't a moment till he was on one knee before her, and +telling her how much he loved her, and asking her wouldn't she be his +queen. Well, she hadn't the heart to refuse him, and married they were +the same evening. + +'Now, my darling,' says he, when they were left by themselves, 'you +must know that I am under enchantment. A sorceress, that had a beautiful +daughter, wished me for her son-in-law; but the mother got power over +me, and when I refused to wed her daughter she made me take the form of +a bear by day, and I was to continue so till a lady would marry me of +her own free will, and endure five years of great trials after.' + +Well, when the princess woke in the morning, she missed her husband from +her side, and spent the day very sadly. But as soon as the lamps were +lighted in the grand hall, where she was sitting on a sofa covered with +silk, the folding doors flew open, and he was sitting by her side the +next minute. So they spent another happy evening, but he warned her that +whenever she began to tire of him, or ceased to have faith in him, +they would be parted for ever, and he'd be obliged to marry the witch's +daughter. + +She got used to find him absent by day, and they spent a happy +twelvemonth together, and at last a beautiful little boy was born; and +happy as she was before, she was twice as happy now, for she had her +child to keep her company in the day when she couldn't see her husband. + +At last, one evening, when herself, and himself, and her child were +sitting with a window open because it was a sultry night, in flew an +eagle, took the infant's sash in his beak, and flew up in the air with +him. She screamed, and was going to throw herself out the window after +him, but the prince caught her, and looked at her very seriously. She +bethought of what he said soon after their marriage, and she stopped the +cries and complaints that were on her tongue. She spent her days very +lonely for another twelvemonth, when a beautiful little girl was sent to +her. Then she thought to herself she'd have a sharp eye about her this +time; so she never would allow a window to be more than a few inches +open. + +But all her care was in vain. Another evening, when they were all so +happy, and the prince dandling the baby, a beautiful greyhound stood +before them, took the child out of the father's hand, and was out of +the door before you could wink. This time she shouted and ran out of +the room, but there were some of the servants in the next room, and all +declared that neither child nor dog passed out. She felt, somehow, as if +it was her husband's fault, but still she kept command over herself, and +didn't once reproach him. + +When the third child was born she would hardly allow a window or a door +to be left open for a moment; but she wasn't the nearer to keep the +child to herself. They were sitting one evening by the fire, when a +lady appeared standing by them. The princess opened her eyes in a great +fright and stared at her, and while she was doing so, the lady wrapped +a shawl round the baby that was sitting in its father's lap, and either +sank through the ground with it or went up through the wide chimney. +This time the mother kept her bed for a month. + +'My dear,' said she to her husband, when she was beginning to recover, +'I think I'd feel better if I was to see my father and mother and +sisters once more. If you give me leave to go home for a few days I'd +be glad.' 'Very well,' said he, 'I will do that, and whenever you feel +inclined to return, only mention your wish when you lie down at night.' +The next morning when she awoke she found herself in her own old chamber +in her father's palace. She rang the bell, and in a short time she had +her mother and father and married sisters about her, and they laughed +till they cried for joy at finding her safe back again. + +In time she told them all that had happened to her, and they didn't know +what to advise her to do. She was as fond of her husband as ever, and +said she was sure that he couldn't help letting the children go; but +still she was afraid beyond the world to have another child torn from +her. Well, the mother and sisters consulted a wise woman that used to +bring eggs to the castle, for they had great faith in her wisdom. She +said the only plan was to secure the bear's skin that the prince was +obliged to put on every morning, and get it burned, and then he couldn't +help being a man night and day, and the enchantment would be at an end. + +So they all persuaded her to do that, and she promised she would; and +after eight days she felt so great a longing to see her husband again +that she made the wish the same night, and when she woke three hours +after, she was in her husband's palace, and he himself was watching over +her. There was great joy on both sides, and they were happy for many +days. + +Now she began to think how she never minded her husband leaving her in +the morning, and how she never found him neglecting to give her a sweet +drink out of a gold cup just as she was going to bed. + +One night she contrived not to drink any of it, though she pretended to +do so; and she was wakeful enough in the morning, and saw her husband +passing out through a panel in the wainscot, though she kept her eyelids +nearly closed. The next night she got a few drops of the sleepy posset +that she saved the evening before put into her husband's night drink, +and that made him sleep sound enough. She got up after midnight, passed +through the panel, and found a Beautiful brown bear's hide hanging in +the corner. Then she stole back, and went down to the parlour fire, and +put the hide into the middle of it till it was all fine ashes. She then +lay down by her husband, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and fell asleep. + +If she was to live a hundred years she'd never forget how she wakened +next morning, and found her husband looking down on her with misery and +anger in his face. 'Unhappy woman,' said he, 'you have separated us for +ever! Why hadn't you patience for five years? I am now obliged, whether +I like or no, to go a three days' journey to the witch's castle, and +marry her daughter. The skin that was my guard you have burned it, and +the egg-wife that gave you the counsel was the witch herself. I won't +reproach you: your punishment will be severe without it. Farewell for +ever!' + +He kissed her for the last time, and was off the next minute, walking +as fast as he could. She shouted after him, and then seeing there was no +use, she dressed herself and pursued him. He never stopped, nor stayed, +nor looked back, and still she kept him in sight; and when he was on the +hill she was in the hollow, and when he was in the hollow she was on +the hill. Her life was almost leaving her, when, just as the sun was +setting, he turned up a lane, and went into a little house. She crawled +up after him, and when she got inside there was a beautiful little boy +on his knees, and he kissing and hugging him. 'Here, my poor darling,' +says he, 'is your eldest child, and there,' says he, pointing to a woman +that was looking on with a smile on her face, 'is the eagle that carried +him away.' She forgot all her sorrows in a moment, hugging her child, +and laughing and crying over him. The woman washed their feet, and +rubbed them with an ointment that took all the soreness out of their +bones, and made them as fresh as a daisy. Next morning, just before +sunrise, he was up, and prepared to be off, 'Here,' said he to her, 'is +a thing which may be of use to you. It's a scissors, and whatever stuff +you cut with it will be turned into silk. The moment the sun rises, I'll +lose all memory of yourself and the children, but I'll get it at sunset +again. Farewell!' But he wasn't far gone till she was in sight of him +again, leaving her boy behind. It was the same to-day as yesterday: +their shadows went before them in the morning and followed them in the +evening. He never stopped, and she never stopped, and as the sun was +setting he turned up another lane, and there they found their little +daughter. It was all joy and comfort again till morning, and then the +third day's journey commenced. + +But before he started he gave her a comb, and told her that whenever she +used it, pearls and diamonds would fall from her hair. Still he had his +memory from sunset to sunrise; but from sunrise to sunset he travelled +on under the charm, and never threw his eye behind. This night they +came to where the youngest baby was, and the next morning, just before +sunrise, the prince spoke to her for the last time. 'Here, my poor +wife,' said he, 'is a little hand-reel, with gold thread that has no +end, and the half of our marriage ring. If you ever get to my house, +and put your half-ring to mine, I shall recollect you. There is a wood +yonder, and the moment I enter it I shall forget everything that ever +happened between us, just as if I was born yesterday. Farewell, dear +wife and child, for ever!' Just then the sun rose, and away he walked +towards the wood. She saw it open before him and close after him, and +when she came up, she could no more get in than she could break +through a stone wall. She wrung her hands and shed tears, but then she +recollected herself, and cried out, 'Wood, I charge you by my three +magic gifts, the scissors, the comb, and the reel--to let me through'; +and it opened, and she went along a walk till she came in sight of a +palace, and a lawn, and a woodman's cottage on the edge of the wood +where it came nearest the palace. + +She went into the lodge, and asked the woodman and his wife to take her +into their service. They were not willing at first; but she told them +she would ask no wages, and would give them diamonds, and pearls, and +silk stuffs, and gold thread whenever they wished for them, and then +they agreed to let her stay. + +It wasn't long till she heard how a young prince, that was just arrived, +was living in the palace of the young mistress. He seldom stirred +abroad, and every one that saw him remarked how silent and sorrowful he +went about, like a person that was searching for some lost thing. + +The servants and conceited folk at the big house began to take notice +of the beautiful young woman at the lodge, and to annoy her with their +impudence. The head footman was the most troublesome, and at last she +invited him to come and take tea with her. Oh, how rejoiced he was, and +how he bragged of it in the servants' hall! Well, the evening came, and +the footman walked into the lodge, and was shown to her sitting-room; +for the lodge-keeper and his wife stood in great awe of her, and gave +her two nice rooms for herself. Well, he sat down as stiff as a ramrod, +and was talking in a grand style about the great doings at the castle, +while she was getting the tea and toast ready. 'Oh,' says she to him, +'would you put your hand out at the window and cut me off a sprig or two +of honeysuckle?' He got up in great glee, and put out his hand and head; +and said she, 'By the virtue of my magic gifts, let a pair of horns +spring out of your head, and sing to the lodge.' Just as she wished, so +it was. They sprung from the front of each ear, and met at the back. Oh, +the poor wretch! And how he bawled and roared! and the servants that he +used to be boasting to were soon flocking from the castle, and grinning, +and huzzaing, and beating tunes on tongs and shovels and pans; and he +cursing and swearing, and the eyes ready to start out of his head, and +he so black in the face, and kicking out his legs behind him like mad. + +At last she pitied him, and removed the charm, and the horns dropped +down on the ground, and he would have killed her on the spot, only he +was as weak as water, and his fellow-servants came in and carried him up +to the big house. Well, some way or other the story came to the ears of +the prince, and he strolled down that way. She had only the dress of a +countrywoman on her as she sat sewing at the window, but that did not +hide her beauty, and he was greatly puzzled after he had a good look, +just as a body is puzzled to know whether something happened to him when +he was young or if he only dreamed it. Well, the witch's daughter heard +about it too, and she came to see the strange girl; and what did she +find her doing but cutting out the pattern of a gown from brown paper; +and as she cut away, the paper became the richest silk she ever saw. The +witch's daughter looked on with greedy eyes, and, says she, 'What would +you be satisfied to take for that scissors?' 'I'll take nothing,' says +she, 'but leave to spend one night outside the prince's chamber.' Well, +the proud lady fired up, and was going to say something dreadful; but +the scissors kept on cutting, and the silk growing richer and richer +every inch. So she promised what the girl had asked her. + +When night came on she was let into the palace and lay down till the +prince was in such a dead sleep that all she did couldn't awake him. +She sung this verse to him, sighing and sobbing, and kept singing it the +night long, and it was all in vain: + +Four long years I was married to thee; Three sweet babes I bore to thee; +Brown Bear of Norway, turn to me. + +At the first dawn the proud lady was in the chamber, and led her away, +and the footman of the horns put out his tongue at her as she was +quitting the palace. + +So there was no luck so far; but the next day the prince passed by again +and looked at her, and saluted her kindly, as a prince might a farmer's +daughter, and passed one; and soon the witch's daughter passed by, and +found her combing her hair, and pearls and diamonds dropping from it. + +Well, another bargain was made, and the princess spent another night of +sorrow, and she left the castle at daybreak, and the footman was at his +post and enjoyed his revenge. + +The third day the prince went by, and stopped to talk with the strange +woman. He asked her could he do anything to serve her, and she said he +might. She asked him did he ever wake at night. He said that he often +did, but that during the last two nights he was listening to a sweet +song in his dreams, and could not wake, and that the voice was one that +he must have known and loved in some other world long ago. Says she, +'Did you drink any sleepy posset either of these evenings before you +went to bed?' 'I did,' said he. 'The two evenings my wife gave me +something to drink, but I don't know whether it was a sleepy posset or +not.' 'Well, prince,' said she, 'as you say you would wish to oblige me, +you can do it by not tasting any drink to-night.' 'I will not,' says he, +and then he went on his walk. + +Well, the great lady came soon after the prince, and found the stranger +using her hand-reel and winding threads of gold off it, and the third +bargain was made. + +That evening the prince was lying on his bed at twilight, and his mind +much disturbed; and the door opened, and in his princess walked, and +down she sat by his bedside and sung: + +Four long years I was married to thee; Three sweet babes I bore to thee; +Brown Bear of Norway, turn to me. + +'Brown Bear of Norway!' said he. 'I don't understand you.' 'Don't you +remember, prince, that I was your wedded wife for four years?' 'I do +not,' said he, 'but I'm sure I wish it was so.' 'Don't you remember our +three babes that are still alive?' 'Show me them. My mind is all a heap +of confusion.' 'Look for the half of our marriage ring, that hangs at +your neck, and fit it to this.' He did so, and the same moment the charm +was broken. His full memory came back on him, and he flung his arms +round his wife's neck, and both burst into tears. + +Well, there was a great cry outside, and the castle walls were heard +splitting and cracking. Everyone in the castle was alarmed, and made +their way out. The prince and princess went with the rest, and by the +time all were safe on the lawn, down came the building, and made the +ground tremble for miles round. No one ever saw the witch and her +daughter afterwards. It was not long till the prince and princess had +their children with them, and then they set out for their own palace. +The kings of Ireland and of Munster and Ulster, and their wives, soon +came to visit them, and may every one that deserves it be as happy as +the Brown Bear of Norway and his family. + +From 'West Highland Tales.' + + + + +Little Lasse + + +There was once a little boy whose name was Lars, and because he was so +little he was called Little Lasse; he was a brave little man, for he +sailed round the world in a pea-shell boat. + +It was summer time, when the pea shells grew long and green in the +garden. Little Lasse crept into the pea bed where the pea stalks rose +high above his cap, and he picked seventeen large shells, the longest +and straightest he could find. + +Little Lasse thought, perhaps, that no one saw him; but that was +foolish, for God sees everywhere. + +Then the gardener came with his gun over his shoulder, and he heard +something rustling in the pea bed. + +'I think that must be a sparrow,' he said. 'Ras! Ras!' but no sparrows +flew out, for Little Lasse had no wings, only two small legs. 'Wait! I +will load my gun and shoot the sparrows,' said the gardener. + +Then Little Lasse was frightened, and crept out on to the path. + +'Forgive me, dear gardener!' he said. 'I wanted to get some fine boats.' + +'Well, I will this time,' said the gardener. 'But another time Little +Lasse must ask leave to go and look for boats in the pea bed.' + +'I will,' answered Lasse; and he went off to the shore. Then he opened +the shells with a pin, split them carefully in two, and broke small +little bits of sticks for the rowers' seats. Then he took the peas which +were in the shells and put them in the boats for cargo. Some of the +shells got broken, some remained whole, and when all were ready Lasse +had twelve boats. But they should not be boats, they should be large +warships. He had three liners, three frigates, three brigs and three +schooners. The largest liner was called Hercules, and the smallest +schooner The Flea. Little Lasse put all the twelve into the water, and +they floated as splendidly and as proudly as any great ships over the +waves of the ocean. + +And now the ships must sail round the world. The great island over there +was Asia; that large stone Africa; the little island America; the small +stones were Polynesia; and the shore from which the ships sailed out was +Europe. The whole fleet set off and sailed far away to other parts of +the world. The ships of the line steered a straight course to Asia, the +frigates sailed to Africa, the brigs to America, and the schooners to +Polynesia. But Little Lasse remained in Europe, and threw small stones +out into the great sea. + +Now, there was on the shore of Europe a real boat, father's own, a +beautiful white-painted boat, and Little Lasse got into it. Father and +mother had forbidden this, but Little Lasse forgot. He thought he should +very much like to travel to some other part of the world. + +'I shall row out a little way--only a very little way,' he thought. The +pea-shell boats had travelled so far that they only looked like little +specks on the ocean. 'I shall seize Hercules on the coast of Asia,' said +Lasse, 'and then row home again to Europe.' + +He shook the rope that held the boat, and, strange to say, the rope +became loose. Ditsch, ratsch, a man is a man, and so Little Lasse manned +the boat. + +Now he would row--and he could row, for he had rowed so often on the +step sat home, when the steps pretended to be a boat and father's big +stick an oar. But when Little Lasse wanted to row there were no oars +to be found in the boat. The oars were locked up in the boat-house, and +Little Lasse had not noticed that the boat was empty. It is not so easy +as one thinks to row to Asia without oars. + +What could Little Lasse do now? The boat was already some distance out +on the sea, and the wind, which blew from land, was driving it still +further out. Lasse was frightened and began to cry. But there was no +one on the shore to hear him. Only a big crow perched alone in the birch +tree; and the gardener's black cat sat under the birch tree, waiting to +catch the crow. Neither of them troubled themselves in the least about +Little Lasse, who was drifting out to sea. + +Ah! how sorry Little Lasse was now that he had been disobedient and got +into the boat, when father and mother had so often forbidden him to do +so! Now it was too late, he could not get back to land. Perhaps he would +be lost out on the great sea. What should he do? + +When he had shouted until he was tired and no one heard him, he put +his two little hands together and said, 'Good God, do not be angry with +Little Lasse.' And then he went to sleep. For although it was daylight, +old Nukku Matti was sitting on the shores of the 'Land of Nod,' and was +fishing for little children with his long fishing rod. He heard the low +words which Little Lasse said to God, and he immediately drew the boat +to himself and laid Little Lasse to sleep on a bed of rose leaves. + +Then Nukku Matti said to one of the Dreams, 'Play with Little Lasse, so +that he does not feel lonesome.' + +It was a little dream-boy, so little, so little, that he was less than +Lasse himself; he had blue eyes and fair hair, a red cap with a silver +band, and white coat with pearls on the collar. He came to Little Lasse +and said, 'Would you like to sail round the world?' + +'Yes,' said Lasse in his sleep, 'I should like to.' + +'Come, then,' said the dream-boy, 'and let us sail in your pea-shell +boats. You shall sail in Hercules and I shall sail in The Flea.' + +So they sailed away from the 'Land of Nod,' and in a little while +Hercules and The Flea were on the shores of Asia away at the other end +of the world, where the Ice Sea flows through Behring Straits into the +Pacific Ocean. A long way off in the winter mist they could see the +explorer Nordenskiold with his ship Vega trying to find an opening +between the ice. It was so cold, so cold; the great icebergs glittered +strangely, and the huge whales now lived under the ice, for they could +not make a hole through with their awkward heads. All around on the +dreary shore there was snow and snow as far as the eye could see; little +grey men in shaggy skins moved about, and drove in small sledges through +the snow drifts, but the sledges were drawn by dogs. + +'Shall we land here?' asked the dream-boy. + +'No,' said Little Lasse. 'I am so afraid that the whales would swallow +us up, and the big dogs bite us. Let us sail instead to another part of +the world.' + +'Very well,' said the dream-boy with the red cap and the silver band; +'it is not far to America'--and at the same moment they were there. + +The sun was shining and it was very warm. Tall palm trees grew in long +rows on the shore and bore coconuts in their top branches. Men red as +copper galloped over the immense green prairies and shot their arrows +at the buffaloes, who turned against them with their sharp horns. An +enormous cobra which had crept up the stem of a tall palm tree threw +itself on to a little llama that was grazing at the foot. Knaps! it was +all over the little llama. + +'Shall we land here?' asked the dream-boy. + +'No,' said Little Lasse. 'I am so afraid that the buffaloes will butt +us, and the great serpent eat us up. Let us travel to another part of +the world.' + +'Very well,' said the dream-boy with the white coat, 'it is only a +little way to Polynesia'--and then they were there. + +It was very warm there, as warm as in a hot bath in Finland. Costly +spices grew on the shores: the pepper plant, the cinnamon tree, ginger, +saffron; the coffee plant and the tea plant. Brown people with long ears +and thick lips, and hideously painted faces, hunted a yellow-spotted +tiger among the high bamboos on the shore, and the tiger turned on them +and stuck its claws into one of the brown men. Then all the others took +to flight. + +'Shall we land here?' asked the dream-boy. + +'No,' said Little Lasse. 'Don't you see the tiger away there by the +pepper plant? Let us travel to another part of the world.' + +'We can do so,' said the dream-boy with the blue eyes. 'We are not far +from Africa'--and as he said that they were there. + +They anchored at the mouth of a great river where the shores were +as green as the greenest velvet. A little distance from the river an +immense desert stretched away. The air was yellow; the sun shone so hot, +so hot as if it would burn the earth to ashes, and the people were as +black as the blackest jet. They rode across the desert on tall camels; +the lions roared with thirst, and the great crocodiles with their grey +lizard heads and sharp white teeth gaped up out of the river. + +'Shall we land here?' asked the dream-boy. + +'No,' said Little Lasse. 'The sun would burn us, and the lions and the +crocodiles would eat us up. Let us travel to another part of the world.' + +'We can travel back to Europe,' said the dream-boy with the fair hair. +And with that they were there. + +They came to a shore where it was all so cool and familiar and friendly. +There stood the tall birch tree with its drooping leaves; at the top sat +the old crow, and at its foot crept the gardener's black cat. Not far +away was a house which Little Lasse had seen before; near the house +there was a garden, and in the garden a pea bed with long pea shells. +An old gardener with a green coat walked about and wondered if the +cucumbers were ripe. Fylax was barking on the steps, and when he saw +Little Lasse he wagged his tail. Old Stina was milking the cows in the +farmyard, and there was a very familiar lady in a check woollen shawl +on her way to the bleaching green to see if the clothes were bleached. +There was, too, a well-known gentleman in a yellow summer coat, with a +long pipe in his mouth; he was going to see if the reapers had cut the +rye. A boy and a girl were running on the shore and calling out, 'Little +Lasse! Come home for bread-and-butter!' + +'Shall we land here?' asked the dream-boy, and he blinked his blue eyes +roguishly. + +'Come with me, and I shall ask mother to give you some bread-and-butter +and a glass of milk,' said Little Lasse. + +'Wait a little,' said the dream-boy. And now Little Lasse saw that the +kitchen door was open, and from within there was heard a low, pleasant +frizzling, like that which is heard when one whisks yellow batter with a +wooden ladle into a hot frying-pan. + +'Perhaps we should sail back to Polynesia now?' said the happy +dream-boy. + +'No; they are frying pancakes in Europe just now,' said Little Lasse; +and he wanted to jump ashore, but he could not. The dream-boy had tied +him with a chain of flowers, so that he could not move. And now all +the little dreams came about him, thousands and thousands of little +children, and they made a ring around him and sang a little song: + + The world is very, very wide, + Little Lasse, Lasse, + And though you've sailed beyond the tide, + You can never tell how wide + It is on the other side, + Lasse, Little Lasse. + You have found it cold and hot, + Little Lasse, Lasse; + But in no land is God not, + Lasse, Little Lasse. + Many men live there as here, + But they all to God are dear, + Little Lasse, Lasse. + When His angel is your guide, + Little Lasse, Lasse, + Then no harm can e'er betide, + Even on the other side + Where the wild beasts wander. + But tell us now, + Whene'er you roam, + Do you not find the best is home + Of all the lands you've looked upon, + Lasse, Little Lasse? + +When the dreams had sung their song they skipped away, and Nukku Matti +carried Lasse back to the boat. He lay there for a long time quite +still, and he still heard the frying-pan frizzling at home of the fire, +the frizzling was very plain, Little Lasse heard it quite near him; and +so he woke up and rubbed his eyes. + +There he lay in the boat, where he had fallen asleep. The wind had +turned, and the boat had drifted out with one wind and drifted in with +another while Little Lasse slept, and what Lasse thought was frizzling +in a frying-pan was the low murmur of the waves as they washed against +the stones on the shore. But he was not altogether wrong, for the clear +blue sea is like a great pan in which God's sun all day makes cakes for +good children. + +Little Lasse rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked around him. +Everything was the same as before; the crow in the birch tree, the cat +on the grass, and the pea-shell fleet on the shore. Some of the ships +had foundered, and some had drifted back to land. Hercules had come back +with its cargo from Asia, The Flea had arrived from Polynesia, and the +other parts of the world were just where they were before. + +Little Lasse did not know what to think. He had so often been in that +grotto in the 'Land of Nod' and did not know what tricks dreams can +play. But Little Lasse did not trouble his head with such things; he +gathered together his boats and walked up the shore back to the house. + +His brother and sister ran to meet him, and called out from the +distance, 'Where have you been so long, Lasse? Come home and get some +bread-and-butter.' The kitchen door stood open, and inside was heard a +strange frizzling. + +The gardener was near the gate, watering the dill and parsley, the +carrots and parsnips. + +'Well,' he said, 'where has Little Lasse been so long?' + +Little Lasse straightened himself up stiff, and answered: 'I have sailed +round the world in a pea-shell boat.' + +'Oh!' said the gardener. + +He has forgotten Dreamland. But you have not forgotten it; you know that +it exists. You know the beautiful grotto and the bright silver walls +whose lustre never fades, the sparkling diamonds which never grow dim, +the music which never ceases its low, soft murmur through the sweet +evening twilight. The airy fairy fancies of happy Dreamland never grow +old; they, like the glorious stars above us, are always young. Perhaps +you have caught a glimpse of their ethereal wings as they flew around +your pillow. Perhaps you have met the same dream-boy with the blue eyes +and the fair hair, the one who wore the red cap with the silver band and +the white coat with pearls on the collar. Perhaps he has taken you to +see all the countries of the world and the peoples, the cold waste lands +and the burning deserts, the many coloured men and the wild creatures +in the sea and in the woods, so that you may earn many things, but come +gladly home again. Yes, who knows? Perhaps you also have sailed round +the wide world once in a pea-shell boat. + +From Z. Topelius. + + + + +'Moti' + + +Once upon a time there was a youth called Moti, who was very big and +strong, but the clumsiest creature you can imagine. So clumsy was he +that he was always putting his great feet into the bowls of sweet milk +or curds which his mother set out on the floor to cool, always smashing, +upsetting, breaking, until at last his father said to him: + +'Here, Moti, are fifty silver pieces which are the savings of years; +take them and go and make your living or your fortune if you can.' + +Then Moti started off one early spring morning with his thick staff over +his shoulder, singing gaily to himself as he walked along. + +In one way and another he got along very well until a hot evening when +he came to a certain city where he entered the travellers' 'serai' or +inn to pass the night. Now a serai, you must know, is generally just a +large square enclosed by a high wall with an open colonnade along the +inside all round to accommodate both men and beasts, and with perhaps +a few rooms in towers at the corners for those who are too rich or too +proud to care about sleeping by their own camels and horses. Moti, of +course, was a country lad and had lived with cattle all his life, and +he wasn't rich and he wasn't proud, so he just borrowed a bed from the +innkeeper, set it down beside an old buffalo who reminded him of home, +and in five minutes was fast asleep. + +In the middle of the night he woke, feeling that he had been disturbed, +and putting his hand under his pillow found to his horror that his bag +of money had been stolen. He jumped up quietly and began to prowl around +to see whether anyone seemed to be awake, but, though he managed to +arouse a few men and beasts by falling over them, he walked in the +shadow of the archways round the whole serai without coming across a +likely thief. He was just about to give it up when he overheard two men +whispering, and one laughed softly, and peering behind a pillar, he saw +two Afghan horsedealers counting out his bag of money! Then Moti went +back to bed! + +In the morning Moti followed the two Afghans outside the city to the +horsemarket in which they horses were offered for sale. Choosing the +best-looking horse amongst them he went up to it and said: + +'Is this horse for sale? may I try it?' and, the merchants assenting, he +scrambled up on its back, dug in his heels, and off they flew. Now Moti +had never been on a horse in his life, and had so much ado to hold on +with both hands as well as with both legs that the animal went just +where it liked, and very soon broke into a break-neck gallop and made +straight back to the serai where it had spent the last few nights. + +'This will do very well,' thought Moti as they whirled in at the +entrance. As soon as the horse had arrived at its table it stopped of +its own accord and Moti immediately rolled off; but he jumped up at +once, tied the beast up, and called for some breakfast. Presently the +Afghans appeared, out of breath and furious, and claimed the horse. + +'What do you mean?' cried Moti, with his mouth full of rice, 'it's my +horse; I paid you fifty pieces of silver for it--quite a bargain, I'm +sure!' + +'Nonsense! it is our horse,' answered one of the Afghans beginning to +untie the bridle. + +'Leave off,' shouted Moti, seizing his staff; 'if you don't let my horse +alone I'll crack your skulls! you thieves! I know you! Last night you +took my money, so to-day I took your horse; that's fair enough!' + +Now the Afghans began to look a little uncomfortable, but Moti seemed so +determined to keep the horse that they resolved to appeal to the law, so +they went off and laid a complaint before the king that Moti had stolen +one of their horses and would not give it up nor pay for it. + +Presently a soldier came to summon Moti to the king; and, when he +arrived and made his obeisance, the king began to question him as to why +he had galloped off with the horse in this fashion. But Moti declared +that he had got the animal in exchange for fifty pieces of silver, +whilst the horse merchants vowed that the money they had on them was +what they had received for the sale of other horses; and in one way and +another the dispute got so confusing that the king (who really thought +that Moti had stolen the horse) said at last, 'Well, I tell you what +I will do. I will lock something into this box before me, and if he +guesses what it is, the horse is his, and if he doesn't then it is +yours.' + +To this Moti agreed, and the king arose and went out alone by a +little door at the back of the Court, and presently came back clasping +something closely wrapped up in a cloth under his robe, slipped it into +the little box, locked the box, and set it up where all might see. + +'Now,' said the king to Moti, 'guess!' + +It happened that when the king had opened the door behind him, Moti +noticed that there was a garden outside: without waiting for the king's +return he began to think what could be got out of the garden small +enough to be shut in the box. 'Is it likely to be a fruit or a flower? +No, not a flower this time, for he clasped it too tight. Then it must +be a fruit or a stone. Yet not a stone, because he wouldn't wrap a dirty +stone in his nice clean cloth. Then it is a fruit! And a fruit without +much scent, or else he would be afraid that I might smell it. Now what +fruit without much scent is in season just now? When I know that I shall +have guessed the riddle!' + +As has been said before, Moti was a country lad, and was accustomed +to work in his father's garden. He knew all the common fruits, so he +thought he ought to be able to guess right; but so as not to let it +seem too easy, he gazed up at the ceiling with a puzzled expression, and +looked down at the floor with an air or wisdom and his fingers pressed +against his forehead, and then he said, slowly, with his eyes on the +king,-- + +'It is freshly plucked! It is round and it is red! It is a pomegranate!' + +Now the king knew nothing about fruits except that they were good to +eat; and, as for seasons, he asked for whatever fruit he wanted whenever +he wanted it, and saw that he got it; so to him Moti's guess was like +a miracle, and clear proof not only of his wisdom but of his innocence, +for it was a pomegranate that he had put into the box. Of course when +the king marvelled and praised Moti's wisdom, everybody else did so too; +and, whilst the Afghans went off crestfallen, Moti took the horse and +entered the king's service. + +Very soon after this, Moti, who continued to live in the serai, came +back one wet and stormy evening to find that his precious horse had +strayed. Nothing remained of him but a broken halter cord, and no one +knew what had become of him. After inquiring of everyone who was likely +to know, Moti seized the cord and his big staff and sallied out to +look for him. Away and away he tramped out of the city and into the +neighbouring forest, tracking hoof-marks in the mud. Presently it +grew late, but still Moti wandered on until suddenly in the gathering +darkness he came right upon a tiger who was contentedly eating his +horse. + +'You thief!' shrieked Moti, and ran up and, just as the tiger, in +astonishment, dropped a bone--whack! came Moti's staff on his head with +such good will that the beast was half stunned and could hardly breathe +or see. Then Moti continued to shower upon him blows and abuse until the +poor tiger could hardly stand, whereupon his tormentor tied the end of +the broken halter round his neck and dragged him back to the serai. + +'If you had my horse,' he said, 'I will at least have you, that's fair +enough!' And he tied him up securely by the head and heels, much as he +used to tie the horse; then, the night being far gone, he flung himself +beside him and slept soundly. + +You cannot imagine anything like the fright of the people in the +serai, when they woke up and found a tiger--very battered but still +a tiger--securely tethered amongst themselves and their beasts! Men +gathered in groups talking and exclaiming, and finding fault with the +innkeeper for allowing such a dangerous beast into the serai, and all +the while the innkeeper was just as troubled as the rest, and none dared +go near the place where the tiger stood blinking miserably on everyone, +and where Moti lay stretched out snoring like thunder. + +At last news reached the king that Moti had exchanged his horse for a +live tiger; and the monarch himself came down, half disbelieving the +tale, to see if it were really true. Someone at last awaked Moti with +the news that his royal master was come; and he arose yawning, and was +soon delightedly explaining and showing off his new possession. The +king, however, did not share his pleasure at all, but called up a +soldier to shoot the tiger, much to the relief of all the inmates of the +serai except Moti. If the king, however, was before convinced that Moti +was one of the wisest of men, he was now still more convinced that he +was the bravest, and he increased his pay a hundredfold, so that our +hero thought that he was the luckiest of men. + +A week or two after this incident the king sent for Moti, who on arrival +found his master in despair. A neighbouring monarch, he explained, who +had many more soldiers than he, had declared war against him, and he was +at his wits' end, for he had neither money to buy him off nor soldiers +enough to fight him--what was he to do? + +'If that is all, don't you trouble,' said Moti. 'Turn out your men, and +I'll go with them, and we'll soon bring this robber to reason.' + +The king began to revive at these hopeful words, and took Moti off to +his stable where he bade him choose for himself any horse he liked. +There were plenty of fine horses in the stalls, but to the king's +astonishment Moti chose a poor little rat of a pony that was used to +carry grass and water for the rest of the stable. + +'But why do you choose that beast?' said the king. + +'Well, you see, your majesty,' replied Moti, 'there are so many chances +that I may fall off, and if I choose one of your fine big horses I shall +have so far to fall that I shall probably break my leg or my arm, if not +my neck, but if I fall off this little beast I can't hurt myself much.' + +A very comical sight was Moti when he rode out to the war. The only +weapon he carried was his staff, and to help him to keep his balance +on horseback he had tied to each of his ankles a big stone that nearly +touched the ground as he sat astride the little pony. The rest of the +king's cavalry were not very numerous, but they pranced along in armour +on fine horses. Behind them came a great rabble of men on foot armed +with all sorts of weapons, and last of all was the king with his +attendants, very nervous and ill at ease. So the army started. + +They had not very far to go, but Moti's little pony, weighted with a +heavy man and two big rocks, soon began to lag behind the cavalry, +and would have lagged behind the infantry too, only they were not very +anxious to be too early in the fight, and hung back so as to give Moti +plenty of time. The young man jogged along more and more slowly for some +time, until at last, getting impatient at the slowness of the pony, +he gave him such a tremendous thwack with his staff that the pony +completely lost his temper and bolted. First one stone became untied +and rolled away in a cloud of dust to one side of the road, whilst Moti +nearly rolled off too, but clasped his steed valiantly by its ragged +mane, and, dropping his staff, held on for dear life. Then, fortunately +the other rock broke away from his other leg and rolled thunderously +down a neighbouring ravine. Meanwhile the advanced cavalry had barely +time to draw to one side when Moti came dashing by, yelling bloodthirsty +threats to his pony: + +'You wait till I get hold of you! I'll skin you alive! I'll wring your +neck! I'll break every bone in your body!' The cavalry thought that +this dreadful language was meant for the enemy, and were filled with +admiration of his courage. Many of their horses too were quite upset by +this whirlwind that galloped howling through their midst, and in a few +minutes, after a little plunging and rearing and kicking, the whole +troop were following on Moti's heels. + +Far in advance, Moti continued his wild career. Presently in his course +he came to a great field of castor-oil plants, ten or twelve feet high, +big and bushy, but quite green and soft. Hoping to escape from the back +of his fiery steed Moti grasped one in passing, but its roots gave +way, and he dashed on, with the whole plant looking like a young tree +flourishing in his grip. + +The enemy were in battle array, advancing over the plain, their king +with them confident and cheerful, when suddenly from the front came a +desperate rider at a furious gallop. + +'Sire!' he cried, 'save yourself! the enemy are coming!' + +'What do you mean?' said the king. + +'Oh, sire!' panted the messenger, 'fly at once, there is no time to +lose. Foremost of the enemy rides a mad giant at a furious gallop. He +flourishes a tree for a club and is wild with anger, for as he goes he +cries, "You wait till I get hold of you! I'll skin you alive! I'll wring +your neck! I'll break every bone in your body!" Others ride behind, and +you will do well to retire before this whirlwind of destruction comes +upon you.' + +Just then out of a cloud of dust in the distance the king saw Moti +approaching at a hard gallop, looking indeed like a giant compared with +the little beast he rode, whirling his castor-oil plant, which in the +distance might have been an oak tree, and the sound of his revilings and +shoutings came down upon the breeze! Behind him the dust cloud moved +to the sound of the thunder of hoofs, whilst here and there flashed the +glitter of steel. The sight and the sound struck terror into the king, +and, turning his horse, he fled at top speed, thinking that a regiment +of yelling giants was upon him; and all his force followed him as fast +as they might go. One fat officer alone could not keep up on foot with +that mad rush, and as Moti came galloping up he flung himself on the +ground in abject fear. This was too much for Moti's excited pony, who +shied so suddenly that Moti went flying over his head like a sky rocket, +and alighted right on the top of his fat foe. + +Quickly regaining his feet Moti began to swing his plant round his head +and to shout: + +'Where are your men? Bring them up and I'll kill them. My regiments! +Come on, the whole lot of you! Where's your king? Bring him to me. Here +are all my fine fellows coming up and we'll each pull up a tree by the +roots and lay you all flat and your houses and towns and everything +else! Come on!' + +But the poor fat officer could do nothing but squat on his knees with +his hands together, gasping. At last, when he got his breath, Moti sent +him off to bring his king, and to tell him that if he was reasonable his +life should be spared. Off the poor man went, and by the time the troops +of Moti's side had come up and arranged themselves to look as formidable +as possible, he returned with his king. The latter was very humble and +apologetic, and promised never to make war any more, to pay a large sum +of money, and altogether do whatever his conqueror wished. + +So the armies on both sides went rejoicing home, and this was really +the making of the fortune of clumsy Moti, who lived long and contrived +always to be looked up to as a fountain of wisdom, valour, and +discretion by all except his relations, who could never understand what +he had done to be considered so much wiser than anyone else. + +A Pushto Story. + + + + +The Enchanted Deer + + +A young man was out walking one day in Erin, leading a stout cart-horse +by the bridle. He was thinking of his mother and how poor they were +since his father, who was a fisherman, had been drowned at sea, and +wondering what he should do to earn a living for both of them. Suddenly +a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a voice said to him: + +'Will you sell me your horse, son of the fisherman?' and looking up he +beheld a man standing in the road with a gun in his hand, a falcon on +his shoulder, and a dog by his side. + +'What will you give me for my horse?' asked the youth. 'Will you give me +your gun, and your dog, and your falcon?' + +'I will give them,' answered the man, and he took the horse, and the +youth took the gun and the dog and the falcon, and went home with them. +But when his mother heard what he had done she was very angry, and beat +him with a stick which she had in her hand. + +'That will teach you to sell my property,' said she, when her arm was +quite tired, but Ian her son answered her nothing, and went off to his +bed, for he was very sore. + +That night he rose softly, and left the house carrying the gun with him. +'I will not stay here to be beaten,' thought he, and he walked and +he walked and he walked, till it was day again, and he was hungry and +looked about him to see if he could get anything to eat. Not very far +off was a farm-house, so he went there, and knocked at the door, and the +farmer and his wife begged him to come in, and share their breakfast. + +'Ah, you have a gun,' said the farmer as the young man placed it in a +corner. 'That is well, for a deer comes every evening to eat my corn, +and I cannot catch it. It is fortune that has sent you to me.' + +'I will gladly remain and shoot the deer for you,' replied the youth, +and that night he hid himself and watched till the deer came to the +cornfield; then he lifted his gun to his shoulder and was just going +to pull the trigger, when, behold! instead of a deer, a woman with long +black hair was standing there. At this sight his gun almost dropped from +his hand in surprise, but as he looked, there was the deer eating the +corn again. And thrice this happened, till the deer ran away over the +moor, and the young man after her. + +On they went, on and on and one, till they reached a cottage which was +thatched with heather. With a bound the deer sprang on the roof, and lay +down where none could see her, but as she did so she called out, 'Go in, +fisher's son, and eat and drink while you may.' So he entered and found +food and wine on the table, but no man, for the house belonged to some +robbers, who were still away at their wicked business. + +After Ian, the fisher's son, had eaten all he wanted, he hid himself +behind a great cask, and very soon he heard a noise, as of men coming +through the heather, and the small twigs snapping under their feet. +From his dark corner he could see into the room, and he counted four and +twenty of them, all big, cross-looking men. + +'Some one has been eating our dinner,' cried they, 'and there was hardly +enough for ourselves.' + +'It is the man who is lying under the cask,' answered the leader. 'Go +and kill him, and then come and eat your food and sleep, for we must be +off betimes in the morning.' + +So four of them killed the fisher's son and left him, and then went to +bed. + +By sunrise they were all out of the house, for they had far to go. And +when they had disappeared the deer came off the roof, to where the dead +man lay, and she shook her head over him, and wax fell from her ear, and +he jumped up as well as ever. + +'Trust me and eat as you did before, and no harm shall happen to you,' +said she. So Ian ate and drank, and fell sound asleep under the cask. +In the evening the robbers arrived very tired, and crosser than they +had been yesterday, for their luck had turned and they had brought back +scarcely anything. + +'Someone has eaten our dinner again,' cried they. + +'It is the man under the barrel,' answered the captain. 'Let four of you +go and kill him, but first slay the other four who pretended to kill him +last night and didn't because he is still alive.' + +Then Ian was killed a second time, and after the rest of the robbers had +eaten, they lay down and slept till morning. + +No sooner were their faces touched with the sun's rays than they were up +and off. Then the deer entered and dropped the healing wax on the dead +man, and he was as well as ever. By this time he did not mind what +befell him, so sure was he that the deer would take care of him, and +in the evening that which had happened before happened again--the four +robbers were put to death and the fisher's son also, but because there +was no food left for them to eat, they were nearly mad with rage, and +began to quarrel. From quarrelling they went on to fighting, and fought +so hard that by and bye they were all stretched dead on the floor. + +Then the deer entered, and the fisher's son was restored to life, and +bidding him follow her, she ran on to a little white cottage where dwelt +an old woman and her son, who was thin and dark. + +'Here I must leave you,' said the deer, 'but to-morrow meet me at +midday in the church that is yonder.' And jumping across the stream, she +vanished into a wood. + +Next day he set out for the church, but the old woman of the cottage had +gone before him, and had stuck an enchanted stick called 'the spike of +hurt' in a crack of the door, so that he would brush against it as he +stepped across the threshold. Suddenly he felt so sleepy that he could +not stand up, and throwing himself on the ground he sank into a deep +slumber, not knowing that the dark lad was watching him. Nothing could +waken him, not even the sound of sweetest music, nor the touch of a lady +who bent over him. A sad look came on her face, as she saw it was no +use, and at last she gave it up, and lifting his arm, wrote her name +across the side--'the daughter of the king of the town under the +waves.' + +'I will come to-morrow,' she whispered, though he could not hear her, +and she went sorrowfully away. + +Then he awoke, and the dark lad told him what had befallen him, and he +was very grieved. But the dark lad did not tell him of the name that was +written underneath his arm. + +On the following morning the fisher's son again went to the church, +determined that he would not go to sleep, whatever happened. But in his +hurry to enter he touched with his hand the spike of hurt, and sank down +where he stood, wrapped in slumber. A second time the air was filled +with music, and the lady came in, stepping softly, but though she laid +his head on her knee, and combed his hair with a golden comb, his eyes +opened not. Then she burst into tears, and placing a beautifully wrought +box in his pocket she went her way. + +The next day the same thing befell the fisher's son, and this time +the lady wept more bitterly than before, for she said it was the last +chance, and she would never be allowed to come any more, for home she +must go. + +As soon as the lady had departed the fisher's son awoke, and the dark +lad told him of her visit, and how he would never see her as long as he +lived. At this the fisher's son felt the cold creeping up to his heart, +yet he knew the fault had not been his that sleep had overtaken him. + +'I will search the whole world through till I find her,' cried he, and +the dark lad laughed as he heard him. But the fisher's son took no heed, +and off he went, following the sun day after day, till his shoes were in +holes and his feet were sore from the journey. Nought did he see but +the birds that made their nests in the trees, not so much as a goat or +a rabbit. On and on and on he went, till suddenly he came upon a little +house, with a woman standing outside it. + +'All hail, fisher's son!' said she. 'I know what you are seeking; enter +in and rest and eat, and to-morrow I will give you what help I can, and +send you on your way.' + +Gladly did Ian the fisher's son accept her offer, and all that day he +rested, and the woman gave him ointment to put on his feet, which healed +his sores. At daybreak he got up, ready to be gone, and the woman bade +him farewell, saying: + +'I have a sister who dwells on the road which you must travel. It is a +long road, and it would take you a year and a day to reach it, but put +on these old brown shoes with holes all over them, and you will be there +before you know it. Then shake them off, and turn their toes to the +known, and their heels to the unknown, and they will come home of +themselves.' + +The fisher's son did as the woman told him, and everything happened just +as she had said. But at parting the second sister said to him, as she +gave him another pair of shoes: + +'Go to my third sister, for she has a son who is keeper of the birds of +the air, and sends them to sleep when night comes. He is very wise, and +perhaps he can help you.' + +Then the young man thanked her, and went to the third sister. + +The third sister was very kind, but had no counsel to give him, so he +ate and drank and waited till her son came home, after he had sent all +the birds to sleep. He thought a long while after his mother had told +him the young man's story, and at last he said that he was hungry, and +the cow must be killed, as he wanted some supper. So the cow was killed +and the meat cooked, and a bag made of its red skin. + +'Now get into the bag,' bade the son, and the young man got in and took +his gun with him, but the dog and the falcon he left outside. The keeper +of the birds drew the string at the top of the bag, and left it to +finish his supper, when in flew an eagle through the open door, and +picked the bag up in her claws and carried it through the air to an +island. There was nothing to eat on the island, and the fisher's son +thought he would die of food, when he remembered the box that the lady +had put in his pocket. He opened the lid, and three tiny little birds +flew out, and flapping their wings they asked, + +'Good master, is there anything we can do for thee?' + +'Bear me to the kingdom of the king under the waves,' he answered, and +one little bird flew on to his head, and the others perched on each of +his shoulders, and he shut his eyes, and in a moment there he was in +the country under the sea. Then the birds flew away, and the young man +looked about him, his heart beating fast at the thought that here dwelt +the lady whom he had sought all the world over. + +He walked on through the streets, and presently he reached the house of +a weaver who was standing at his door, resting from his work. + +'You are a stranger here, that is plain,' said the weaver, 'but come in, +and I will give you food and drink.' And the young man was glad, for he +knew not where to go, and they sat and talked till it grew late. + +'Stay with me, I pray, for I love company and am lonely,' observed the +weaver at last, and he pointed to a bed in a corner, where the fisher's +son threw himself, and slept till dawn. + +'There is to be a horse-race in the town to-day,' remarked the weaver, +'and the winner is to have the king's daughter to wife.' The young +man trembled with excitement at the news, and his voice shook as he +answered: + +'That will be a prize indeed, I should like to see the race.' + +'Oh, that is quite easy--anyone can go,' replied the weaver. 'I would +take you myself, but I have promised to weave this cloth for the king.' + +'That is a pity,' returned the young man politely, but in his heart he +rejoiced, for he wished to be alone. + +Leaving the house, he entered a grove of trees which stood behind, and +took the box from his pocket. He raised the lid, and out flew the three +little birds. + +'Good master, what shall we do for thee?' asked they, and he answered, +'Bring me the finest horse that ever was seen, and the grandest dress, +and glass shoes.' + +'They are here, master,' said the birds, and so they were, and never had +the young man seen anything so splendid. + +Mounting the horse he rode into the ground where the horses were +assembling for the great race, and took his place among them. Many +good beasts were there which had won many races, but the horse of the +fisher's son left them all behind, and he was first at the winning post. +The king's daughter waited for him in vain to claim his prize, for +he went back to the wood, and got off his horse, and put on his old +clothes, and bade the box place some gold in his pockets. After that +he went back to the weaver's house, and told him that the gold had been +given him by the man who had won the race, and that the weaver might +have it for his kindness to him. + +Now as nobody had appeared to demand the hand of the princess, the king +ordered another race to be run, and the fisher's son rode into the field +still more splendidly dressed than he was before, and easily distanced +everybody else. But again he left the prize unclaimed, and so it +happened on the third day, when it seemed as if all the people in +the kingdom were gathered to see the race, for they were filled with +curiosity to know who the winner could be. + +'If he will not come of his own free will, he must be brought,' said the +king, and the messengers who had seen the face of the victor were sent +to seek him in every street of the town. This took many days, and when +at last they found the young man in the weaver's cottage, he was so +dirty and ugly and had such a strange appearance, that they declared he +could not be the winner they had been searching for, but a wicked robber +who had murdered ever so many people, but had always managed to escape. + +'Yes, it must be the robber,' said the king, when the fisher's son was +led into his presence; 'build a gallows at once and hang him in the +sight of all my subjects, that they may behold him suffer the punishment +of his crimes.' + +So the gallows was built upon a high platform, and the fisher's son +mounted the steps up to it, and turned at the top to make the speech +that was expected from every doomed man, innocent or guilt. As he spoke +he happened to raise his arm, and the king's daughter, who was there at +her father's side, saw the name which she had written under it. With +a shriek she sprang from her seat, and the eyes of the spectators were +turned towards her. + +'Stop! stop!' she cried, hardly knowing what she said. 'If that man +is hanged there is not a soul in the kingdom but shall die also.' And +running up to where the fisher's son was standing, she took him by the +hand, saying, + +'Father, this is no robber or murderer, but the victor in the three +races, and he loosed the spells that were laid upon me.' + +Then, without waiting for a reply, she conducted him into the palace, +and he bathed in a marble bath, and all the dirt that the fairies had +put upon him disappeared like magic, and when he had dressed himself in +the fine garments the princess had sent to him, he looked a match for +any king's daughter in Erin. He went down into the great hall where she +was awaiting him, and they had much to tell each other but little +time to tell it in, for the king her father, and the princes who were +visiting him, and all the people of the kingdom were still in their +places expecting her return. + +'How did you find me out?' she whispered as they went down the passage. + +'The birds in the box told me,' answered he, but he could say no more, +as they stepped out into the open space that was crowded with people. +There the princes stopped. + +'O kings!' she said, turning towards them, 'if one of you were killed +to-day, the rest would fly; but this man put his trust in me, and had +his head cut off three times. Because he has done this, I will marry him +rather than one of you, who have come hither to wed me, for many kings +here sought to free me from the spells, but none could do it save Ian +the fisher's son.' + +From 'Popular Tales of the West Highlands.' + + + + +A Fish Story + + +Perhaps you think that fishes were always fishes, and never lived +anywhere except in the water, but if you went to Australia and talked to +the black people in the sandy desert in the centre of the country, you +would learn something quite different. They would tell you that long, +long ago you would have met fishes on the land, wandering from place to +place, and hunting all sorts of animals, and if you consider how fishes +are made, you will understand how difficult this must have been and how +clever they were to do it. Indeed, so clever were they that they might +have been hunting still if a terrible thing had not happened. + +One day the whole fish tribe came back very tired from a hunting +expedition, and looked about for a nice, cool spot in which to pitch +their camp. It was very hot, and they thought that they could not find +a more comfortable place than under the branches of a large tree which +grew by the bank of a river. So they made their fire to cook some food, +right on the edge of a steep bank, which had a deep pool of water lying +beneath it at the bottom. While the food was cooking they all stretched +themselves lazily out under the tree, and were just dropping off to +sleep when a big black cloud which they had never noticed spread over +the sun, and heavy drops of rain began to fall, so that the fire was +almost put out, and that, you know, is a very serious thing in savage +countries where they have no matches, for it is very hard to light it +again. To make matters worse, an icy wind began to blow, and the poor +fishes were chilled right through their bodies. + +'This will never do,' said Thuggai, the oldest of the fish tribe. 'We +shall die of cold unless we can light the fire again,' and he bade his +sons rub two sticks together in the hope of kindling a flame, but though +they rubbed till they were tired, not a spark could they produce. + +'Let me try,' cried Biernuga, the bony fish, but he had no better luck, +and no more had Kumbal, the bream, nor any of the rest. + +'It is no use,' exclaimed Thuggai, at last. 'The wood is too wet. We +must just sit and wait till the sun comes out again and dries it.' +Then a very little fish indeed, not more than four inches long and the +youngest of the tribe, bowed himself before Thuggai, saying, 'Ask my +father, Guddhu the cod, to light the fire. He is skilled in magic more +than most fishes.' So Thuggai asked him, and Guddhu stripped some pieces +of bark off a tree, and placed them on top of the smouldering ashes. +Then he knelt by the side of the fire and blew at it for a long while, +till slowly the feeble red glow became a little stronger and the edges +of the bark showed signs of curling up. When the rest of the tribe saw +this they pressed close, keeping their backs towards the piercing wind, +but Guddhu told them they must go to the other side, as he wanted the +wind to fan his fire. By and by the spark grew into a flame, and a merry +crackling was heard. + +'More wood,' cried Guddhi, and they all ran and gathered wood and heaped +it on the flames, which leaped and roared and sputtered. + +'We shall soon be warm now,' said the people one to another. 'Truly +Guddhu is great'; and they crowded round again, closer and closer. +Suddenly, with a shriek, a blast of wind swept down from the hills +and blew the fire out towards them. They sprang back hurriedly, quite +forgetting where they stood, and all fell down the bank, each tumbling +over the other, till they rolled into the pool that lay below. Oh, how +cold it was in that dark water on which the sun never shone! Then in an +instant they felt warm again, for the fire, driven by the strong wind, +had followed them right down to the bottom of the pool, where it burned +as brightly as ever. And the fishes gathered round it as they had done +on the top of the cliff, and found the flames as hot as before, and that +fire never went out, like those upon land, but kept burning for ever. +So now you know why, if you dive deep down below the cold surface of +the water on a frosty day, you will find it comfortable and pleasant +underneath, and be quite sorry that you cannot stay there. + +Australian Folk Tale. + + + + +The Wonderful Tune. + + +Maurice Connor was the king, and that's no small word, of all the pipers +in Munster. He could play jig and reel without end, and Ollistrum's +March, and the Eagle's Whistle, and the Hen's Concert, and odd tunes of +every sort and kind. But he knew one far more surprising than the rest, +which had in it the power to set everything dead or alive dancing. + +In what way he learned it is beyond my knowledge for he was mighty +cautious about telling how he came by so wonderful a tune. At the very +first note of that tune the shoes began shaking upon the feet of all how +heard it--old or young, it mattered not--just as if the shoes had the +ague; then the feet began going, going, going from under them, and at +last up and away with them, dancing like mad, whisking here, there, and +everywhere, like a straw in a storm--there was no halting while the +music lasted. + +Not a fair, nor a wedding, nor a feast in the seven parishes round, was +counted worth the speaking of without 'blind Maurice and his pipes.' +His mother, poor woman, used to lead him about from one place to another +just like a dog. + +Down through Iveragh, Maurice Connor and his mother were taking their +rounds. Beyond all other places Iveragh is the place for stormy coasts +and steep mountains, as proper a spot it is as any in Ireland to get +yourself drowned, or your neck broken on the land, should you prefer +that. But, notwithstanding, in Ballinskellig Bay there is a neat bit of +ground, well fitted for diversion, and down from it, towards the water, +is a clean smooth piece of strand, the dead image of a calm summer's sea +on a moonlight night, with just the curl of the small waves upon it. + +Here is was that Maurice's music had brought from all parts a great +gathering of the young men and the young women; for 'twas not every day +the strand of Trafraska was stirred up by the voice of a bagpipe. The +dance began; and as pretty a dance it was as ever was danced. 'Brave +music,' said everybody, 'and well done,' when Maurice stopped. + +'More power to your elbow, Maurice, and a fair wind in the bellows,' +cried Paddy Dorman, a hump-backed dancing master, who was there to keep +order. ''Tis a pity,' said he, 'if we'd let the piper run dry after such +music; 'twould be a disgrace to Iveragh, that didn't come on it since +the week of the three Sundays.' So, as well became him, for he was +always a decent man, says he, 'Did you drink, piper?' + +'I will, sir,' said Maurice, answering the question on the safe side, +for you never yet knew piper or schoolmaster who refused his drink. + +'What will you drink, Maurice?' says Paddy. + +'I'm no ways particular,' says Maurice; 'I drink anything, barring +raw water; but if it's all the same to you, Mister Dorman, may be you +wouldn't lend me the loan of a glass of whisky.' + +'I've no glass, Maurice,' said Paddy; 'I've only the bottle.' + +'Let that be no hindrance,' answered Maurice; 'my mouth just holds a +glass to the drop; often I've tried it sure.' + +So Paddy Dorman trusted him with the bottle--more fool was he; and, to +his cost, he found that though Maurice's mouth might not hold more than +the glass at one time, yet, owing to the hole in his throat, it took +many a filling. + +'That was no bad whisky neither,' says Maurice, handing back the empty +bottle. + +'By the holy frost, then!' says Paddy, ''tis but cold comfort there's in +that bottle now; and 'tis your word we must take for the strength of +the whisky, for you've left us no sample to judge by'; and to be sure +Maurice had not. + +Now I need not tell any gentleman or lady that if he or she was to drink +an honest bottle of whisky at one pull, it is not at all the same thing +as drinking a bottle of water; and in the whole course of my life I +never knew more than five men who could do so without being the worse. +Of these Maurice Connor was not one, though he had a stiff head enough +of his own. Don't think I blame him for it; but true is the word that +says, 'When liquor's in sense is out'; and puff, at a breath, out he +blasted his wonderful tune. + +'Twas really then beyond all belief or telling the dancing. Maurice +himself could not keep quiet; staggering now on one leg, now on the +other, and rolling about like a ship in a cross sea, trying to humour +the tune. There was his mother, too, moving her old bones as light as +the youngest girl of them all; but her dancing, no, nor the dancing +of all the rest, is not worthy the speaking about to the work that was +going on down upon the strand. Every inch of it covered with all manner +of fish jumping and plunging about to the music, and every moment more +and more would tumble in and out of the water, charmed by the wonderful +tune. Crabs of monstrous size spun round and round on one claw with the +nimbleness of a dancing master, and twirled and tossed their other claws +about like limbs that did not belong to them. It was a sight surprising +to behold. But perhaps you may have heard of Father Florence Conry, as +pleasant a man as one would wish to drink with of a hot summer's day; +and he had rhymed out all about the dancing fishes so neatly that it +would be a thousand pities not to give you his verses; so here they are +in English: + + The big seals in motion, + Like waves of the ocean, + Or gouty feet prancing, + Came heading the gay fish, + Crabs, lobsters, and cray-fish, + Determined on dancing. + + The sweet sounds they followed, + The gasping cod swallow'd-- + 'Twas wonderful, really; + And turbot and flounder, + 'Mid fish that were rounder, + Just caper'd as gaily. + + John-dories came tripping; + Dull hake, by their skipping, + To frisk it seem'd given; + Bright mackrel went springing, + Like small rainbows winging + Their flight up to heaven. + + The whiting and haddock + Left salt water paddock + This dance to be put in; + Where skate with flat faces + Edged out some old plaices; + But soles kept their footing. + + Sprats and herrings in powers + Of silvery showers + All number out-numbered; + And great ling so lengthy + Was there in such plenty + The shore was encumber'd. + + The scallop and oyster + Their two shells did roister, + Like castanets flitting; + While limpets moved clearly, + And rocks very nearly + With laughter were splitting. + +Never was such a hullabaloo in this world, before or since; 'twas as if +heaven and earth were coming together; and all out of Maurice Connor's +wonderful tune! + +In the height of all these doings, what should there be dancing among +the outlandish set of fishes but a beautiful young woman--as beautiful +as the dawn of day! She had a cocked hat upon her head; from under it +her long green hair--just the colour of the sea--fell down behind, +without hindrance to her dancing. Her teeth were like rows of pearls; +her lips for all the world looked like red coral; and she had a shining +gown pale green as the hollow of the wave, with little rows of purple +and red seaweeds settled out upon it; for you never yet saw a lady, +under the water or over the water, who had not a good notion of dressing +herself out. + +Up she danced at last to Maurice, who was flinging his feet from under +him as fast as hops--for nothing in this world could keep still while +that tune of his was going on--and says she to him, chanting it out with +a voice as sweet as honey: + + I'm a lady of honour + Who live in the sea; + Come down, Maurice Connor, + And be married to me. + Silver plates and gold dishes + You shall have, and shall be + The king of the fishes, + When you're married to me. + +Drink was strong in Maurice's head, and out he chanted in return for her +great civility. It is not every lady, may be, that would be after making +such an offer to a blind piper; therefore 'twas only right in him to +give her as good as she gave herself, so says Maurice: + + I'm obliged to you, madam: + Off a gold dish or plate, + If a king, and I had 'em, + I could dine in great state. + With your own father's daughter + I'd be sure to agree, + But to drink the salt water + Wouldn't do so with me! + +The lady looked at him quite amazed, and swinging her head from side to +side like a great scholar, 'Well,' says she, 'Maurice, if you're not a +poet, where is poetry to be found?' + +In this way they kept on at it, framing high compliments; one answering +the other, and their feet going with the music as fast as their tongues. +All the fish kept dancing, too; Maurice heard the clatter and was +afraid to stop playing lest it might be displeasing to the fish, and not +knowing what so many of them may take it into their heads to do to him +if they got vexed. + +Well, the lady with the green hair kept on coaxing Maurice with soft +speeches, till at last she over persuaded him to promise to marry her, +and be king over the fishes, great and small. Maurice was well fitted +to be their king, if they wanted one that could make them dance; and he +surely would drink, barring the salt water, with any fish of them all. + +When Maurice's mother saw him with that unnatural thing in the form of a +green-haired lady as his guide, and he and she dancing down together +so lovingly to the water's edge, through the thick of the fishes, she +called out after him to stop and come back. 'Oh, then,' says she, 'as +if I was not widow enough before, there he is going away from me to be +married to that scaly woman. And who knows but 'tis grandmother I may be +to a hake or a cod--Lord help and pity me, but 'tis a mighty unnatural +thing! And my be 'tis boiling and eating my own grandchild I'll be, with +a bit of salt butter, and I not knowing it! Oh, Maurice, Maurice, if +there's any love or nature left in you, come back to your own ould +mother, who reared you like a decent Christian!' Then the poor woman +began to cry and sob so finely that it would do anyone good to hear her. + +Maurice was not long getting to the rim of the water. There he kept +playing and dancing on as if nothing was the matter, and a great +thundering wave coming in towards him ready to swallow him up alive; but +as he could not see it, he did not fear it. His mother it was who saw +it plainly through the big tears that were rolling down her cheeks; and +though she saw it, and her heart was aching as much as ever mother's +heart ached for a son, she kept dancing, dancing all the time for the +bare life of her. Certain it was she could not help it, for Maurice +never stopped playing that wonderful tune of his. + +He only turned his ear to the sound of his mother's voice, fearing it +might put him out in his steps, and all the answer he made back was, +'Whisht with you mother--sure I'm going to be king over the fishes down +in the sea, and for a token of luck, and a sign that I'm alive and well, +I'll send you in, every twelvemonth on this day, a piece of burned wood +to Trafraska.' Maurice had not the power to say a word more, for the +strange lady with the green hair, seeing the wave just upon them, +covered him up with herself in a thing like a cloak with a big hood to +it, and the wave curling over twice as high as their heads, burst upon +the strand, with a rush and a roar that might be heard as far as Cape +Clear. + +That day twelvemonth the piece of burned wood came ashore in Trafraska. +It was a queer thing for Maurice to think of sending all the way +from the bottom of the sea. A gown or a pair of shoes would have been +something like a present for his poor mother; but he had said it, and +he kept his word. The bit of burned wood regularly came ashore on the +appointed day for as good, ay, and better than a hundred years. The +day is now forgotten, and may be that is the reason why people say how +Maurice Connor has stopped sending the luck-token to his mother. Poor +woman, she did not live to get as much as one of them; for what through +the loss of Maurice, and the fear of eating her own grandchildren, she +died in three weeks after the dance. Some say it was the fatigue that +killed her, but whichever it was, Mrs. Connor was decently buried with +her own people. + +Seafaring people have often heard, off the coast of Kerry, on a still +night, the sound of music coming up from the water; and some, who have +had good ears, could plainly distinguish Maurice Connor's voice singing +these words to his pipes-- + + Beautiful shore, with thy spreading strand, + Thy crystal water, and diamond sand; + Never would I have parted from thee, + But for the sake of my fair ladie. + +From 'Fairy Tales and Traditions of the South of Ireland.' + + + + +The Rich Brother and the Poor Brother + + +There was once a rich old man who had two sons, and as his wife was +dead, the elder lived with him, and helped him to look after his +property. For a long time all went well; the young man got up very early +in the morning, and worked hard all day, and at the end of every week +his father counted up the money they had made, and rubbed his hands with +delight, as he saw how big the pile of gold in the strong iron chest was +becoming. 'It will soon be full now, and I shall have to buy a larger +one,' he said to himself, and so busy was he with the thought of his +money, that he did not notice how bright his son's face had grown, nor +how he sometimes started when he was spoken to, as if his mind was far +away. + +One day, however, the old man went to the city on business, which he had +not done for three years at least. It was market day, and he met with +many people he knew, and it was getting quite late when he turned into +the inn yard, and bade an ostler saddle his horse, and bring it round +directly. While he was waiting in the hall, the landlady came up for a +gossip, and after a few remarks about the weather and the vineyards she +asked him how he liked his new daughter-in-law, and whether he had been +surprised at the marriage. + +The old man stared as he listened to her. 'Daughter-in-law? Marriage?' +said he. 'I don't know what you are talking about! I've got no +daughter-in-law, and nobody has been married lately, that I ever heard +of.' + +Now this was exactly what the landlady, who was very curious, wanted to +find out; but she put on a look of great alarm, and exclaimed: + +'Oh, dear! I hope I have not made mischief. I had no idea--or, of +course, I would not have spoken--but'--and here she stopped and fumbled +with her apron, as if she was greatly embarrassed. + +'As you have said so much you will have to say a little more,' retorted +the old man, a suspicion of what she meant darting across him; and the +woman, nothing loth, answered as before. + +'Ah, it was not all for buying or selling that your handsome son has +been coming to town every week these many months past. And not by the +shortest way, either! No, it was over the river he rode, and across the +hill and past the cottage of Miguel the vine-keeper, whose daughter, +they say, is the prettiest girl in the whole country side, though she is +too white for my taste,' and then the landlady paused again, and glanced +up at the farmer, to see how he was taking it. She did not learn much. +He was looking straight before him, his teeth set. But as she ceased to +talk, he said quietly, 'Go on.' + +'There is not much more to tell,' replied the landlady, for she suddenly +remembered that she must prepare supper for the hungry men who always +stopped at the inn on market days, before starting for home, 'but one +fine morning they both went to the little church on top of the hill, +and were married. My cousin is servant to the priest, and she found out +about it and told me. But good-day to you, sir; here is your horse, and +I must hurry off to the kitchen.' + +It was lucky that the horse was sure-footed and knew the road, for his +bridle hung loose on his neck, and his master took no heed of the way +he was going. When the farm-house was reached, the man led the animal to +the stable, and then went to look for his son. + +'I know everything--you have deceived me. Get out of my sight at once--I +have done with you,' he stammered, choking with passion as he came up to +the young man, who was cutting a stick in front of the door, whistling +gaily the while. + +'But, father--' + +'You are no son of mine; I have only one now. Begone, or it will be the +worse for you,' and as he spoke he lifted up his whip. + +The young man shrank back. He feared lest his father should fall down in +a fit, his face was so red and his eyes seemed bursting from his head. +But it was no use staying: perhaps next morning the old man might listen +to reason, though in his heart the son felt that he would never take +back his words. So he turned slowly away, and walked heavily along a +path which ended in a cave on the side of his hill, and there he sat +through the night, thinking of what had happened. + +Yes, he had been wrong, there was no doubt of that, and he did not quite +know how it had come about. He had meant to have told his father all +about it, and he was sure, quite sure, that if once the old man had seen +his wife, he would have forgiven her poverty on account of her great +beauty and goodness. But he had put it off from day to day, hoping +always for a better opportunity, and now this was the end! + +If the son had no sleep that night, no more had the father, and as soon +as the sun rose, he sent a messenger into the great city with orders to +bring back the younger brother. When he arrived the farmer did not waste +words, but informed him that he was now his only heir, and would inherit +all his lands and money, and that he was to come and live at home, and +to help manage the property. + +Though very pleased at the thought of becoming such a rich man--for the +brothers had never cared much for each other--the younger would rather +have stayed where he was, for he soon got tired of the country, and +longed for a town life. However, this he kept to himself, and made the +best of things, working hard like his brother before him. + +In this way the years went on, but the crops were not so good as they +had been, and the old man gave orders that some fine houses he was +building in the city should be left unfinished, for it would take all +the savings to complete them. As to the elder son, he would never even +hear his name mentioned, and died at last without ever seeing his face, +leaving to the younger, as he had promised, all his lands, as well as +his money. + +Meanwhile, the son whom he had disinherited had grown poorer and poorer. +He and his wife were always looking out for something to do, and never +spent a penny that they could help, but luck was against them, and at +the time of his father's death they had hardly bread to eat or clothes +to cover them. If there had been only himself, he would have managed +to get on somehow, but he could not bear to watch his children becoming +weaker day by day, and swallowing his pride, at length he crossed the +mountains to his old home where his brother was living. + +It was the first time for long that the two men had come face to face, +and they looked at each other in silence. Then tears rose in the eyes of +the elder, but winking them hastily away, he said: + +'Brother, it is not needful that I should tell you how poor I am; you +can see that for yourself. I have not come to beg for money, but only +to ask if you will give me those unfinished houses of yours in the city, +and I will make them watertight, so that my wife and children can live +in them, and that will save our rent. For as they are, they profit you +nothing.' + +And the younger brother listened and pitied him, and gave him the houses +that he asked for, and the elder went away happy. + +For some years things went on as they were, and then the rich brother +began to feel lonely, and thought to himself that he was getting older, +and it was time for him to be married. The wife he chose was very +wealthy, but she was also very greedy, and however much she had, she +always wanted more. She was, besides, one of those unfortunate people +who invariably fancy that the possessions of other people must be better +than their own. Many a time her poor husband regretted the day that he +had first seen her, and often her meanness and shabby ways put him to +shame. But he had not the courage to rule her, and she only got worse +and worse. + +After she had been married a few months the bride wanted to go into the +city and buy herself some new dresses. She had never been there before, +and when she had finished her shopping, she thought she would pay a +visit to her unknown sister-in-law, and rest for a bit. The house +she was seeking was in a broad street, and ought to have been very +magnificent, but the carved stone portico enclosed a mean little door +of rough wood, while a row of beautiful pillars led to nothing. The +dwelling on each side were in the same unfinished condition, and water +trickled down the walls. Most people would have considered it a wretched +place, and turned their backs on it as soon as they could, but this lady +saw that by spending some money the houses could be made as splendid as +they were originally intended to be, and she instantly resolved to get +them for herself. + +Full of this idea she walked up the marble staircase, and entered +the little room where her sister-in-law sat, making clothes for her +children. The bride seemed full of interest in the houses, and asked +a great many questions about them, so that her new relations liked her +much better than they expected, and hoped they might be good friends. +However, as soon as she reached home, she went straight to her husband, +and told him that he must get back those houses from his brother, as +they would exactly suit her, and she could easily make them into a +palace as fine as the king's. But her husband only told her that she +might buy houses in some other part of the town, for she could not have +those, as he had long since made a gift of them to his brother, who had +lived there for many years past. + +At this answer the wife grew very angry. She began to cry, and made such +a noise that all the neighbours heard her and put their heads out of the +windows, to see what was the matter. 'It was absurd,' she sobbed out, +'quite unjust. Indeed, if you came to think of it, the gift was worth +nothing, as when her husband made it he was a bachelor, and since then +he had been married, and she had never given her consent to any such +thing.' And so she lamented all day and all night, till the poor man +was nearly worried to death; and at last he did what she wished, and +summoned his brother in a court of law to give up the houses which, he +said, had only been lent to him. But when the evidence on both sides had +been heard, the judge decided in favour of the poor man, which made the +rich lady more furious than ever, and she determined not to rest until +she had gained the day. If one judge would not give her the houses +another should, and so time after time the case was tried over again, +till at last it came before the highest judge of all, in the city of +Evora. Her husband was heartily tired and ashamed of the whole affair, +but his weakness in not putting a stop to it in the beginning had got +him into this difficulty, and now he was forced to go on. + +On the same day the two brothers set out on their journey to the city, +the rich one on horseback, with plenty of food in his knapsack, the poor +one on foot with nothing but a piece of bread and four onions to eat +on the way. The road was hilly and neither could go very fast, and when +night fell, they were both glad to see some lights in a window a little +distance in front of them. + +The lights turned out to have been placed there by a farmer, who +had planned to have a particularly good supper as it was his wife's +birthday, and bade the rich man enter and sit down, while he himself +took the horse to the stable. The poor man asked timidly if he might +spend the night in a corner, adding that he had brought his own supper +with him. Another time permission might have been refused him, for the +farmer was no lover of humble folk, but now he gave the elder brother +leave to come in, pointing out a wooden chair where he could sit. + +Supper was soon served, and very glad the younger brother was to eat it, +for his long ride had made him very hungry. The farmer's wife, however, +would touch nothing, and at last declared that the only supper she +wanted was one of the onions the poor man was cooking at the fire. Of +course he gave it to her, though he would gladly have eaten it himself, +as three onions are not much at the end of a long day's walk, and soon +after they all went to sleep, the poor man making himself as comfortable +as he could in his corner. + +A few hours later the farmer was aroused by the cries and groans of his +wife. + +'Oh, I feel so ill, I'm sure I'm going to die,' wept she. 'It was that +onion, I know it was. I wish I had never eaten it. It must have been +poisoned.' + +'If the man has poisoned you he shall pay for it,' said her husband, and +seizing a thick stick he ran downstairs and began to beat the poor +man, who had been sound asleep, and had nothing to defend himself +with. Luckily, the noise aroused the younger brother, who jumped up and +snatched the stick from the farmer's hand, saying: + +'We are both going to Evora to try a law-suit. Come too, and accuse him +there if he has attempted to rob you or murder you, but don't kill him +now, or you will get yourself into trouble.' + +'Well, perhaps you are right,' answered the farmer, 'but the sooner that +fellow has his deserts, the better I shall be pleased,' and without more +words he went to the stables and brought out a horse for himself and +also the black Andalusian mare ridden by the rich man, while the poor +brother, fearing more ill-treatment, started at once on foot. + +Now all that night it had rained heavily, and did not seem likely to +stop, and in some places the road was so thick with mud that it was +almost impossible to get across it. In one spot it was so very bad that +a mule laden with baggage had got stuck in it, and tug as he might, +his master was quite unable to pull him out. The muleteer in despair +appealed to the two horseman, who were carefully skirting the swamp at +some distance off, but they paid no heed to his cries, and he began to +talk cheerfully to his mule, hoping to keep up his spirits, declaring +that if the poor beast would only have a little patience help was sure +to come. + +And so it did, for very soon the poor brother reached the place, +bespattered with mud from head to foot, but ready to do all he could +to help with the mule and his master. First they set about finding some +stout logs of wood to lay down on the marsh so that they could reach the +mule, for by this time his frantic struggles had broken his bridle, and +he was deeper in than ever. Stepping cautiously along the wood, the poor +man contrived to lay hold of the animal's tale, and with a desperate +effort the mule managed to regain his footing on dry ground, but at the +cost of leaving his tail in the poor man's hand. When he saw this the +muleteer's anger knew no bounds, and forgetting that without the help +given him he would have lost his mule altogether, he began to abuse the +poor man, declaring that he had ruined his beast, and the law would make +him pay for it. Then, jumping on the back of the mule, which was so glad +to be out of the choking mud that he did not seem to mind the loss of +his tail, the ungrateful wretch rode on, and that evening reached the +inn at Evora, where the rich man and the farmer had already arrived for +the night. + +Meanwhile the poor brother walked wearily along, wondering what other +dreadful adventures were in store for him. + +'I shall certainly be condemned for one or other of them,' thought he +sadly; 'and after all, if I have to die, I would rather choose my own +death than leave it to my enemies,' and as soon as he entered Evora he +looked about for a place suitable for carrying out the plan he had made. +At length he found what he sought, but as it was too late and too dark +for him to make sure of success, he curled himself up under a doorway, +and slept till morning. + +Although it was winter, the sun rose in a clear sky, and its rays felt +almost warm when the poor man got up and shook himself. He intended it +to be the day of his death, but in spite of that, and of the fact +that he was leaving his wife and children behind him, he felt almost +cheerful. He had struggled so long, and was so very, very tired; but he +would not have minded that if he could have proved his innocence, and +triumphed over his enemies. However, they had all been too clever for +him, and he had no strength to fight any more. So he mounted the stone +steps that led to the battlements of the city, and stopped for a moment +to gaze about him. + +It happened that an old sick man who lived near by had begged to be +carried out and to be laid at the foot of the wall so that the beams of +the rising sun might fall upon him, and he would be able to talk with +his friends as they passed by to their work. Little did he guess that +on top of the battlements, exactly over his head, stood a man who was +taking his last look at the same sun, before going to his death that +awaited him. But so it was; and as the steeple opposite was touched by +the golden light, the poor man shut his eyes and sprang forward. The +wall was high, and he flew rapidly through the air, but it was not the +ground he touched, only the body of the sick man, who rolled over and +died without a groan. As for the other, he was quite unhurt, and was +slowly rising to his feet when his arms were suddenly seized and held. + +'You have killed our father, do you see? do you see?' cried two young +men, 'and you will come with us this instant before the judge, and +answer for it.' + +'Your father? but I don't know him. What do you mean?' asked the poor +man, who was quite bewildered with his sudden rush through the air, and +could not think why he should be accused of this fresh crime. But he got +no reply, and was only hurried through the streets to the court-house, +where his brother, the muleteer, and the farmer had just arrived, all as +angry as ever, all talking at once, till the judge entered and ordered +them to be silent. + +'I will hear you one by one,' he said, and motioned the younger brother +to begin. + +He did not take long to state his case. The unfinished houses were his, +left him with the rest of the property by his father, and his brother +refused to give them up. In answer, the poor man told, in a few words, +how he had begged the houses from his brother, and produced the deed of +gift which made him their owner. + +The judge listened quietly and asked a few questions; then he gave his +verdict. + +'The houses shall remain the property of the man to whom they were +given, and to whom they belong. And as you,' he added, turning to the +younger brother, 'brought this accusation knowing full well it was +wicked and unjust, I order you, besides losing the houses, to pay a +thousand pounds damages to your brother.' + +The rich man heard the judge with rage in his heart, the poor man with +surprise and gratitude. But he was not safe yet, for now it was the turn +of the farmer. The judge could hardly conceal a smile at the story, +and inquired if the wife was dead before the farmer left the house, and +received for answer that he was in such a hurry for justice to be done +that he had not waited to see. Then the poor man told his tale, and once +more judgment was given in his favour, while twelve hundred pounds +was ordered to be paid him. As for the muleteer, he was informed very +plainly that he had proved himself mean and ungrateful for the help that +had been given him, and as a punishment he must pay to the poor man a +fine of fifty pounds, and hand him over the mule till his tail had grown +again. + +Lastly, there came the two sons of the sick man. + +'This is the wretch who killed our father,' they said, 'and we demand +that he should die also.' + +'How did you kill him?' asked the judge, turning to the accused, and the +poor man told how he had leaped from the wall, not knowing that anyone +was beneath. + +'Well, this is my judgment,' replied the judge, when they had all +spoken: 'Let the accused sit under the wall, and let the sons of the +dead man jump from the top and fall on him and kill him, and if they +will not to this, then they are condemned to pay eight hundred pounds +for their false accusation.' + +The young men looked at each other, and slowly shook their heads. + +'We will pay the fine,' said they, and the judge nodded. + +So the poor man rode the mule home, and brought back to his family +enough money to keep them in comfort to the end of their days. + +Adapted from the Portuguese. + + + + +The One-Handed Girl + + +An old couple once lived in a hut under a grove of palm trees, and they +had one son and one daughter. They were all very happy together for many +years, and then the father became very ill, and felt he was going to +die. He called his children to the place where he lay on the floor--for +no one had any beds in that country--and said to his son, 'I have +no herds of cattle to leave you--only the few things there are in the +house--for I am a poor man, as you know. But choose: will you have my +blessing or my property?' + +'Your property, certainly,' answered the son, and his father nodded. + +'And you?' asked the old man of the girl, who stood by her brother. + +'I will have blessing,' she answered, and her father gave her much +blessing. + +That night he died, and his wife and son and daughter mourned for him +seven days, and gave him a burial according to the custom of his people. +But hardly was the time of mourning over, than the mother was attacked +by a disease which was common in that country. + +'I am going away from you,' she said to her children, in a faint voice; +'but first, my son, choose which you will have: blessing or property.' + +'Property, certainly,' answered the son. + +'And you, my daughter?' + +'I will have blessing,' said the girl; and her mother gave her much +blessing, and that night she died. + +When the days of mourning were ended, the brother bade his sister put +outside the hut all that belonged to his father and his mother. So the +girl put them out, and he took them away, save only a small pot and a +vessel in which she could clean her corn. But she had no corn to clean. + +She sat at home, sad and hungry, when a neighbour knocked at the door. + +'My pot has cracked in the fire, lend me yours to cook my supper in, and +I will give you a handful of corn in return.' + +And the girl was glad, and that night she was able to have supper +herself, and next day another woman borrowed her pot, and then another +and another, for never were known so many accidents as befell the +village pots at that time. She soon grew quite fat with all the corn she +earned with the help of her pot, and then one evening she picked up a +pumpkin seed in a corner, and planted it near her well, and it sprang +up, and gave her many pumpkins. + +At last it happened that a youth from her village passed through the +place where the girl's brother was, and the two met and talked. + +'What news is there of my sister?' asked the young man, with whom things +had gone badly, for he was idle. + +'She is fat and well-liking,' replied the youth, 'for the women borrow +her mortar to clean their corn, and borrow her pot to cook it in, and +for al this they give her more food than she can eat.' And he went his +way. + +Now the brother was filled with envy at the words of the man, and he set +out at once, and before dawn he had reached the hut, and saw the pot and +the mortar were standing outside. He slung them over his shoulders and +departed, pleased with his own cleverness; but when his sister awoke +and sought for the pot to cook her corn for breakfast, she could find it +nowhere. At length she said to herself, + +'Well, some thief must have stolen them while I slept. I will go and see +if any of my pumpkins are ripe.' And indeed they were, and so many that +the tree was almost broken by the weight of them. So she ate what she +wanted and took the others to the village, and gave them in exchange for +corn, and the women said that no pumpkins were as sweet as these, and +that she was to bring every day all that she had. In this way she earned +more than she needed for herself, and soon was able to get another +mortar and cooking pot in exchange for her corn. Then she thought she +was quite rich. + +Unluckily someone else thought so too, and this was her brother's wife, +who had heard all about the pumpkin tree, and sent her slave with a +handful of grain to buy her a pumpkin. At first the girl told him that +so few were left that she could not spare any; but when she found that +he belonged to her brother, she changed her mind, and went out to the +tree and gathered the largest and the ripest that was there. + +'Take this one,' she said to the slave, 'and carry it back to your +mistress, but tell her to keep the corn, as the pumpkin is a gift.' + +The brother's wife was overjoyed at the sight of the fruit, and when she +tasted it, she declared it was the nicest she had ever eaten. Indeed, +all night she thought of nothing else, and early in the morning she +called another slave (for she was a rich woman) and bade him go and ask +for another pumpkin. But the girl, who had just been out to look at her +tree, told him that they were all eaten, so he went back empty-handed to +his mistress. + +In the evening her husband returned from hunting a long way off, and +found his wife in tears. + +'What is the matter?' asked he. + +'I sent a slave with some grain to your sister to buy some pumpkins, but +she would not sell me any, and told me there were none, though I know +she lets other people buy them.' + +'Well, never mind now--go to sleep,' said he, 'and to-morrow I will go +and pull up the pumpkin tree, and that will punish her for treating you +so badly.' + +So before sunrise he got up and set out for his sister's house, and +found her cleaning some corn. + +'Why did you refuse to sell my wife a pumpkin yesterday when she wanted +one?' he asked. + +'The old ones are finished, and the new ones are not yet come,' answered +the girl. 'When her slave arrived two days ago, there were only four +left; but I gave him one, and would take no corn for it.' + +'I do not believe you; you have sold them all to other people. I shall +go and cut down the pumpkin,' cried her brother in a rage. + +'If you cut down the pumpkin you shall cut off my hand with it,' +exclaimed the girl, running up to her tree and catching hold of it. But +her brother followed, and with one blow cut off the pumpkin and her hand +too. + +Then he went into the house and took away everything he could find, and +sold the house to a friend of his who had long wished to have it, and +his sister had no home to go to. + +Meanwhile she had bathed her arm carefully, and bound on it some healing +leaves that grew near by, and wrapped a cloth round the leaves, and went +to hide in the forest, that her brother might not find her again. + +For seven days she wandered about, eating only the fruit that hung from +the trees above her, and every night she climbed up and tucked herself +safely among the creepers which bound together the big branches, so that +neither lions nor tigers nor panthers might get at her. + +When she woke up on the seventh morning she saw from her perch smoke +coming up from a little town on the edge of the forest. The sight of +the huts made her feel more lonely and helpless than before. She longed +desperately for a draught of milk from a gourd, for there were no +streams in that part, and she was very thirsty, but how was she to earn +anything with only one hand? And at this thought her courage failed, and +she began to cry bitterly. + +It happened that the king's son had come out from the town very early to +shoot birds, and when the sun grew hot he left tired. + +'I will lie here and rest under this tree,' he said to his attendants. +'You can go and shoot instead, and I will just have this slave to stay +with me!' Away they went, and the young man fell asleep, and slept long. +Suddenly he was awakened by something wet and salt falling on his face. + +'What is that? Is it raining?' he said to his slave. 'Go and look.' + +'No, master, it is not raining,' answered the slave. + +'Then climb up the tree and see what it is,' and the slave climbed up, +and came back and told his master that a beautiful girl was sitting up +there, and that it must have been her tears which had fallen on the face +of the king's son. + +'Why was she crying?' inquired the prince. + +'I cannot tell--I did not dare to ask her; but perhaps she would tell +you.' And the master, greatly wondering, climbed up the tree. + +'What is the matter with you?' said he gently, and, as she only sobbed +louder, he continued: + +'Are you a woman, or a spirit of the woods?' + +'I am a woman,' she answered slowly, wiping her eyes with a leaf of the +creeper that hung about her. + +'Then why do you cry?' he persisted. + +'I have many things to cry for,' she replied, 'more than you could ever +guess.' + +'Come home with me,' said the prince; 'it is not very far. Come home to +my father and mother. I am a king's son.' + +'Then why are you here?' she said, opening her eyes and staring at him. + +'Once every month I and my friends shoot birds in the forest,' he +answered, 'but I was tired and bade them leave me to rest. And you--what +are you doing up in this tree?' + +At that she began to cry again, and told the king's son all that had +befallen her since the death of her mother. + +'I cannot come down with you, for I do not like anyone to see me,' she +ended with a sob. + +'Oh! I will manage all that,' said the king's son, and swinging himself +to a lower branch, he bade his slave go quickly into the town, and bring +back with him four strong men and a curtained litter. When the man +was gone, the girl climbed down, and hid herself on the ground in some +bushes. Very soon the slave returned with the litter, which was placed +on the ground close to the bushes where the girl lay. + +'Now go, all of you, and call my attendants, for I do not wish to say +here any longer,' he said to the men, and as soon as they were out of +sight he bade the girl get into the litter, and fasten the curtains +tightly. Then he got in on the other side, and waited till his +attendants came up. + +'What is the matter, O son of a king?' asked they, breathless with +running. + +'I think I am ill; I am cold,' he said, and signing to the bearers, he +drew the curtains, and was carried through the forest right inside his +own house. + +'Tell my father and mother that I have a fever, and want some gruel,' +said he, 'and bid them send it quickly.' + +So the slave hastened to the king's palace and gave his message, which +troubled both the king and the queen greatly. A pot of hot gruel was +instantly prepared, and carried over to the sick man, and as soon as the +council which was sitting was over, the king and his ministers went to +pay him a visit, bearing a message from the queen that she would follow +a little later. + +Now the prince had pretended to be ill in order to soften his parent's +hearts, and the next day he declared he felt better, and, getting into +his litter, was carried to the palace in state, drums being beaten all +along the road. + +He dismounted at the foot of the steps and walked up, a great parasol +being held over his head by a slave. Then he entered the cool, dark room +where his father and mother were sitting, and said to them: + +'I saw a girl yesterday in the forest whom I wish to marry, and, unknown +to my attendants, I brought her back to my house in a litter. Give me +your consent, I beg, for no other woman pleases me as well, even though +she has but one hand!' + +Of course the king and queen would have preferred a daughter-in-law +with two hands, and one who could have brought riches with her, but they +could not bear to say 'No' to their son, so they told him it should be +as he chose, and that the wedding feast should be prepared immediately. + +The girl could scarcely believe her good fortune, and, in gratitude for +all the kindness shown her, was so useful and pleasant to her husband's +parents that they soon loved her. + +By and bye a baby was born to her, and soon after that the prince was +sent on a journey by his father to visit some of the distant towns of +the kingdom, and to set right things that had gone wrong. + +No sooner had he started than the girl's brother, who had wasted all the +riches his wife had brought him in recklessness and folly, and was now +very poor, chanced to come into the town, and as he passed he heard a +man say, 'Do you know that the king's son has married a woman who has +lost one of her hands?' On hearing these words the brother stopped and +asked, 'Where did he find such a woman?' + +'In the forest,' answered the man, and the cruel brother guessed at once +it must be his sister. + +A great rage took possession of his soul as he thought of the girl whom +he had tried to ruin being after all so much better off than himself, +and he vowed that he would work her ill. Therefore that very afternoon +he made his way to the palace and asked to see the king. + +When he was admitted to his presence, he knelt down and touched the +ground with his forehead, and the king bade him stand up and tell +wherefore he had come. + +'By the kindness of your heart have you been deceived, O king,' said he. +'Your son has married a girl who has lost a hand. Do you know why she +had lost it? She was a witch, and has wedded three husbands, and each +husband she has put to death with her arts. Then the people of the town +cut off her hand, and turned her into the forest. And what I say is +true, for her town is my town also.' + +The king listened, and his face grew dark. Unluckily he had a hasty +temper, and did not stop to reason, and, instead of sending to the town, +and discovering people who knew his daughter-in-law and could have told +him how hard she had worked and how poor she had been, he believed all +the brother's lying words, and made the queen believe them too. Together +they took counsel what they should do, and in the end they decided that +they also would put her out of the town. But this did not content the +brother. + +'Kill her,' he said. 'It is no more than she deserves for daring to +marry the king's son. Then she can do no more hurt to anyone.' + +'We cannot kill her,' answered they; 'if we did, our son would assuredly +kill us. Let us do as the others did, and put her out of the town. And +with this the envious brother was forced to be content. + +The poor girl loved her husband very much, but just then the baby was +more to her than all else in the world, and as long as she had him with +her, she did not very much mind anything. So, taking her son on her arm, +and hanging a little earthen pot for cooking round her neck, she left +her house with its great peacock fans and slaves and seats of ivory, and +plunged into the forest. + +For a while she walked, not knowing whither she went, then by and bye +she grew tired, and sat under a tree to rest and to hush her baby to +sleep. Suddenly she raised her eyes, and saw a snake wriggling from +under the bushes towards her. + +'I am a dead woman,' she said to herself, and stayed quite still, for +indeed she was too frightened to move. In another minute the snake had +reached her side, and to her surprise he spoke. + +'Open your earthen pot, and let me go in. Save me from sun, and I will +save you from rain,' and she opened the pot, and when the snake had +slipped in, she put on the cover. Soon she beheld another snake coming +after the other one, and when it had reached her it stopped and said, +'Did you see a small grey snake pass this way just now?' + +'Yes,' she answered, 'it was going very quickly.' + +'Ah, I must hurry and catch it up,' replied the second snake, and it +hastened on. + +When it was out of sight, a voice from the pot said: + +'Uncover me,' and she lifted the lid, and the little grey snake slid +rapidly to the ground. + +'I am safe now,' he said. 'But tell me, where are you going?' + +'I cannot tell you, for I do not know,' she answered. 'I am just +wandering in the wood.' + +'Follow me, and let us go home together,' said the snake, and the girl +followed his through the forest and along the green paths, till they +came to a great lake, where they stopped to rest. + +'The sun is hot,' said the snake, 'and you have walked far. Take your +baby and bathe in that cool place where the boughs of the tree stretch +far over the water.' + +'Yes, I will,' answered she, and they went in. The baby splashed and +crowed with delight, and then he gave a spring and fell right in, down, +down, down, and his mother could not find him, though she searched all +among the reeds. + +Full of terror, she made her way back to the bank, and called to the +snake, 'My baby is gone!--he is drowned, and never shall I see him +again.' + +'Go in once more,' said the snake, 'and feel everywhere, even among the +trees that have their roots in the water, lest perhaps he may be held +fast there.' + +Swiftly she went back and felt everywhere with her whole hand, even +putting her fingers into the tiniest crannies, where a crab could hardly +have taken shelter. + +'No, he is not here,' she cried. 'How am I to live without him?' But the +snake took no notice, and only answered, 'Put in your other arm too.' + +'What is the use of that?' she asked, 'when it has no hand to feel +with?' but all the same she did as she was bid, and in an instant the +wounded arm touched something round and soft, lying between two stones +in a clump of reeds. + +'My baby, my baby!' she shouted, and lifted him up, merry and laughing, +and not a bit hurt or frightened. + +'Have you found him this time?' asked the snake. + +'Yes, oh, yes!' she answered, 'and, why--why--I have got my hand back +again!' and from sheer joy she burst into tears. + +The snake let her weep for a little while, and then he said-- + +'Now we will journey on to my family, and we will all repay you for the +kindness you showed to me.' + +'You have done more than enough in giving me back my hand,' replied the +girl; but the snake only smiled. + +'Be quick, lest the sun should set,' he answered, and began to wriggle +along so fast that the girl could hardly follow him. + +By and bye they arrived at the house in a tree where the snake lived, +when he was not travelling with his father and mother. And he told them +all his adventures, and how he had escaped from his enemy. The father +and mother snake could not do enough to show their gratitude. They made +their guest lie down on a hammock woven of the strong creepers +which hung from bough to bough, till she was quite rested after her +wanderings, while they watched the baby and gave him milk to drink from +the cocoa-nuts which they persuaded their friends the monkeys to crack +for them. They even managed to carry small fruit tied up in their tails +for the baby's mother, who felt at last that she was safe and at peace. +Not that she forgot her husband, for she often thought of him and longed +to show him her son, and in the night she would sometimes lie awake and +wonder where he was. + + + +In this manner many weeks passed by. + +And what was the prince doing? + +Well, he had fallen very ill when he was on the furthest border of the +kingdom, and he was nursed by some kind people who did not know who he +was, so that the king and queen heard nothing about him. When he was +better he made his way home again, and into his father's palace, where +he found a strange man standing behind the throne with the peacock's +feathers. This was his wife's brother, whom the king had taken into high +favour, though, of course, the prince was quite ignorant of what had +happened. + +For a moment the king and queen stared at their son, as if he had been +unknown to them; he had grown so thin and weak during his illness that +his shoulders were bowed like those of an old man. + +'Have you forgotten me so soon?' he asked. + +At the sound of his voice they gave a cry and ran towards him, and +poured out questions as to what had happened, and why he looked like +that. But the prince did not answer any of them. + +'How is my wife?' he said. There was a pause. + +Then the queen replied: + +'She is dead.' + +'Dead!' he repeated, stepping a little backwards. 'And my child?' + +'He is dead too.' + +The young man stood silent. Then he said, 'Show me their graves.' + +At these words the king, who had been feeling rather uncomfortable, took +heart again, for had he not prepared two beautiful tombs for his son to +see, so that he might never, never guess what had been done to his wife? +All these months the king and queen had been telling each other how good +and merciful they had been not to take her brother's advice and to put +her to death. But now, this somehow did not seem so certain. + +Then the king led the way to the courtyard just behind the palace, and +through the gate into a beautiful garden where stood two splendid +tombs in a green space under the trees. The prince advanced alone, and, +resting his head against the stone, he burst into tears. His father and +mother stood silently behind with a curious pang in their souls which +they did not quite understand. Could it be that they were ashamed of +themselves? + +But after a while the prince turned round, and walking past them in to +the palace he bade the slaves bring him mourning. For seven days no +one saw him, but at the end of them he went out hunting, and helped his +father rule his people. Only no one dared to speak to him of his wife +and son. + +At last one morning, after the girl had been lying awake all night +thinking of her husband, she said to her friend the snake: + +'You have all shown me much kindness, but now I am well again, and want +to go home and hear some news of my husband, and if he still mourns for +me!' Now the heart of the snake was sad at her words, but he only said: + +'Yes, thus it must be; go and bid farewell to my father and mother, but +if they offer you a present, see that you take nothing but my father's +ring and my mother's casket.' + +So she went to the parent snakes, who wept bitterly at the thought of +losing her, and offered her gold and jewels as much as she could carry +in remembrance of them. But the girl shook her head and pushed the +shining heap away from her. + +'I shall never forget you, never,' she said in a broken voice, 'but the +only tokens I will accept from you are that little ring and this old +casket.' + +The two snakes looked at each other in dismay. The ring and the casket +were the only things they did not want her to have. Then after a short +pause they spoke. + +'Why do you want the ring and casket so much? Who has told you of them?' + +'Oh, nobody; it is just my fancy,' answered she. But the old snakes +shook their heads and replied: + +'Not so; it is our son who told you, and, as he said, so it must be. If +you need food, or clothes, or a house, tell the ring and it will find +them for you. And if you are unhappy or in danger, tell the casket and +it will set things right.' Then they both gave her their blessing, and +she picked up her baby and went her way. + +She walked for a long time, till at length she came near the town where +her husband and his father dwelt. Here she stopped under a grove of palm +trees, and told the ring that she wanted a house. + +'It is ready, mistress,' whispered a queer little voice which made +her jump, and, looking behind her, she saw a lovely palace made of the +finest woods, and a row of slaves with tall fans bowing before the door. +Glad indeed was she to enter, for she was very tired, and, after eating +a good supper of fruit and milk which she found in one of the rooms, she +flung herself down on a pile of cushions and went to sleep with her baby +beside her. + +Here she stayed quietly, and every day the baby grew taller and +stronger, and very soon he could run about and even talk. Of course the +neighbours had a great deal to say about the house which had been built +so quickly--so very quickly--on the outskirts of the town, and invented +all kinds of stories about the rich lady who lived in it. And by and +bye, when the king returned with his son from the wars, some of these +tales reached his ears. + +'It is really very odd about that house under the palms,' he said to the +queen; 'I must find out something of the lady whom no one ever sees. I +daresay it is not a lady at all, but a gang of conspirators who want to +get possession of my throne. To-morrow I shall take my son and my chief +ministers and insist on getting inside.' + +Soon after sunrise next day the prince's wife was standing on a little +hill behind the house, when she saw a cloud of dust coming through the +town. A moment afterwards she heard faintly the roll of the drums that +announced the king's presence, and saw a crowd of people approaching the +grove of palms. Her heart beat fast. Could her husband be among them? +In any case they must not discover her there; so just bidding the ring +prepare some food for them, she ran inside, and bound a veil of golden +gauze round her head and face. Then, taking the child's hand, she went +to the door and waited. + +In a few minutes the whole procession came up, and she stepped forward +and begged them to come in and rest. + +'Willingly,' answered the king; 'go first, and we will follow you.' + +They followed her into a long dark room, in which was a table covered +with gold cups and baskets filled with dates and cocoa-nuts and all +kinds of ripe yellow fruits, and the king and the prince sat upon +cushions and were served by slaves, while the ministers, among whom she +recognised her own brother, stood behind. + +'Ah, I owe all my misery to him,' she said to herself. 'From the first +he has hated me,' but outwardly she showed nothing. And when the king +asked her what news there was in the town she only answered: + +'You have ridden far; eat first, and drink, for you must be hungry and +thirsty, and then I will tell you my news.' + +'You speak sense,' answered the king, and silence prevailed for some +time longer. Then he said: + +'Now, lady, I have finished, and am refreshed, therefore tell me, I pray +you, who you are, and whence you come? But, first, be seated.' + +She bowed her head and sat down on a big scarlet cushion, drawing her +little boy, who was asleep in a corner, on to her knee, and began to +tell the story of her life. As her brother listened, he would fain have +left the house and hidden himself in the forest, but it was his duty to +wave the fan of peacock's feathers over the king's head to keep off the +flies, and he knew he would be seized by the royal guards if he tried +to desert his post. He must stay where he was, there was no help for +it, and luckily for him the king was too much interested in the tale to +notice that the fan had ceased moving, and that flies were dancing right +on the top of his thick curly hair. + +The story went on, but the story-teller never once looked at the prince, +even through her veil, though he on his side never moved his eyes from +her. When she reached the part where she had sat weeping in the tree, +the king's son could restrain himself no longer. + +'It is my wife,' he cried, springing to where she sat with the sleeping +child in her lap. 'They have lied to me, and you are not dead after all, +nor the boy either! But what has happened? Why did they lie to me? +and why did you leave my house where you were safe?' And he turned and +looked fiercely at his father. + +'Let me finish my tale first, and then you will know,' answered she, +throwing back her veil, and she told how her brother had come to the +palace and accused her of being a witch, and had tried to persuade the +king to slay her. 'But he would not do that,' she continued softly, 'and +after all, if I had stayed on in your house, I should never have met the +snake, nor have got my hand back again. So let us forget all about it, +and be happy once more, for see! our son is growing quite a big boy.' + +'And what shall be done to your brother?' asked the king, who was glad +to think that someone had acted in this matter worse than himself. + +'Put him out of the town,' answered she. + +From 'Swaheli Tales,' by E. Steere. + + + + +The Bones of Djulung + + +In a beautiful island that lies in the southern seas, where chains of +gay orchids bind the trees together, and the days and nights are equally +long and nearly equally hot, there once lived a family of seven sisters. +Their father and mother were dead, and they had no brothers, so the +eldest girl ruled over the rest, and they all did as she bade them. One +sister had to clean the house, a second carried water from the spring +in the forest, a third cooked their food, while to the youngest fell the +hardest task of all, for she had to cut and bring home the wood which +was to keep the fire continually burning. This was very hot and tiring +work, and when she had fed the fire and heaped up in a corner the sticks +that were to supply it till the next day, she often threw herself down +under a tree, and went sound asleep. + +One morning, however, as she was staggering along with her bundle on her +back, she thought that the river which flowed past their hut looked so +cool and inviting that she determined to bathe in it, instead of taking +her usual nap. Hastily piling up her load by the fire, and thrusting +some sticks into the flame, she ran down to the river and jumped in. How +delicious it was diving and swimming and floating in the dark forest, +where the trees were so thick that you could hardly see the sun! But +after a while she began to look about her, and her eyes fell on a little +fish that seemed made out of a rainbow, so brilliant were the colours he +flashed out. + +'I should like him for a pet,' thought the girl, and the next time the +fish swam by, she put out her hand and caught him. Then she ran along +the grassy path till she came to a cave in front of which a stream fell +over some rocks into a basin. Here she put her little fish, whose name +was Djulung-djulung, and promising to return soon and bring him some +dinner, she went away. + +By the time she got home, the rice for their dinner was ready cooked, +and the eldest sister gave the other six their portions in wooden bowls. +But the youngest did not finish hers, and when no one was looking, stole +off to the fountain in the forest where the little fish was swimming +about. + +'See! I have not forgotten you,' she cried, and one by one she let +the grains of rice fall into the water, where the fish gobbled them up +greedily, for he had never tasted anything so nice. + +'That is all for to-day,' she said at last, 'but I will come again +to-morrow,' and biding him good-bye she went down the path. + +Now the girl did not tell her sisters about the fish, but every day she +saved half of her rice to give him, and called him softly in a little +song she had made for herself. If she sometimes felt hungry, no one knew +of it, and, indeed, she did not mind that much, when she saw how the +fish enjoyed it. And the fish grew fat and big, but the girl grew thin +and weak, and the loads of wood felt heavier every day, and at last her +sisters noticed it. + +Then they took counsel together, and watched her to see what she did, +and one of them followed her to the fountain where Djulung lived, +and saw her give him all the rice she had saved from her breakfast. +Hastening home the sister told the others what she had witnessed, and +that a lovely fat fish might be had for the catching. So the eldest +sister went and caught him, and he was boiled for supper, but the +youngest sister was away in the woods, and did not know anything about +it. + +Next morning she went as usual to the cave, and sang her little song, +but no Djulung came to answer it; twice and thrice she sang, then threw +herself on her knees by the edge, and peered into the dark water, but +the trees cast such a deep shadow that her eyes could not pierce it. + +'Djulung cannot be dead, or his body would be floating on the surface,' +she said to herself, and rising to her feet she set out homewards, +feeling all of a sudden strangely tired. + +'What is the matter with me?' she thought, but somehow or other she +managed to reach the hut, and threw herself down in a corner, where she +slept so soundly that for days no one was able to wake her. + +At length, one morning early, a cock began to crow so loud that +she could sleep no longer and as he continued to crow she seemed to +understand what he was saying, and that he was telling her that Djulung +was dead, killed and eaten by her sisters, and that his bones lay buried +under the kitchen fire. Very softly she got up, and took up the large +stone under the fire, and creeping out carried the bones to the cave +by the fountain, where she dug a hole and buried them anew. And as she +scooped out the hole with a stick she sang a song, bidding the bones +grow till they became a tree--a tree that reached up so high into the +heavens that its leaves would fall across the sea into another island, +whose king would pick them up. + +As there was no Djulung to give her rice to, the girl soon became fat +again, and as she was able to do her work as of old, her sisters did not +trouble about her. They never guessed that when she went into the forest +to gather her sticks, she never failed to pay a visit to the tree, which +grew taller and more wonderful day by day. Never was such a tree seen +before. Its trunk was of iron, its leaves were of silk, its flowers of +gold, and its fruit of diamonds, and one evening, though the girl did +not know it, a soft breeze took one of the leaves, and blew it across +the sea to the feet of one of the king's attendants. + +'What a curious leaf! I have never beheld one like it before. I must +show it to the king,' he said, and when the king saw it he declared he +would never rest until he had found the tree which bore it, even if he +had to spend the rest of his life in visiting the islands that lay all +round. Happily for him, he began with the island that was nearest, and +here in the forest he suddenly saw standing before him the iron tree, +its boughs covered with shining leaves like the one he carried about +him. + +'But what sort of a tree is it, and how did it get here?' he asked of +the attendants he had with him. No one could answer him, but as they +were about to pass out of the forest a little boy went by, and the king +stopped and inquired if there was anyone living in the neighbourhood +whom he might question. + +'Seven girls live in a hut down there,' replied the boy, pointing with +his finger to where the sun was setting. + +'Then go and bring them here, and I will wait,' said the king, and the +boy ran off and told the sisters that a great chief, with strings of +jewels round his neck, had sent for them. + +Pleased and excited the six elder sisters at once followed the boy, but +the youngest, who was busy, and who did not care about strangers, stayed +behind, to finish the work she was doing. The king welcomed the girls +eagerly, and asked them all manner of questions about the tree, but as +they had never even heard of its existence, they could tell him nothing. +'And if we, who live close by the forest, do not know, you may be sure +no one does,' added the eldest, who was rather cross at finding this was +all that the king wanted of them. + +'But the boy told me there were seven of you, and there are only six +here,' said the king. + +'Oh, the youngest is at home, but she is always half asleep, and is of +no use except to cut wood for the fire,' replied they in a breath. + +'That may be, but perhaps she dreams,' answered the king. 'Anyway, I +will speak to her also.' Then he signed to one of his attendants, who +followed the path that the boy had taken to the hut. + +Soon the man returned, with the girl walking behind him. And as soon as +she reached the tree it bowed itself to the earth before her, and she +stretched out her hand and picked some of its leaves and flowers and +gave them to the king. + +'The maiden who can work such wonders is fitted to be the wife of the +greatest chief,' he said, and so he married her, and took her with him +across the sea to his own home, where they lived happily for ever after. + +From 'Folk Lore,' by A. F. Mackenzie. + + + + +The Sea King's Gift + + +There was once a fisherman who was called Salmon, and his Christian name +was Matte. He lived by the shore of the big sea; where else could he +live? He had a wife called Maie; could you find a better name for her? +In winter they dwelt in a little cottage by the shore, but in spring +they flitted to a red rock out in the sea and stayed there the whole +summer until it was autumn. The cottage on the rock was even smaller +than the other; it had a wooden bolt instead of an iron lock to the +door, a stone hearth, a flagstaff, and a weather-cock on the roof. + +The rock was called Ahtola, and was not larger than the market-place +of a town. Between the crevices there grew a little rowan tree and four +alder bushes. Heaven only knows how they ever came there; perhaps they +were brought by the winter storms. Besides that, there flourished some +tufts of velvety grass, some scattered reeds, two plants of the yellow +herb called tansy, four of a red flower, and a pretty white one; but the +treasures of the rock consisted of three roots of garlic, which Maie had +put in a cleft. Rock walls sheltered them on the north side, and the +sun shone on them on the south. This does not seem much, but it sufficed +Maie for a herb plot. + +All good things go in threes, so Matte and his wife fished for salmon in +spring, for herring in summer, and for cod in winter. When on Saturdays +the weather was fine and the wind favourable, they sailed to the nearest +town, sold their fish, and went to church on Sunday. But it often +happened that for weeks at a time they were quite alone on the rock +Ahtola, and had nothing to look at except their little yellow-brown dog, +which bore the grand name of Prince, their grass tufts, their bushes and +blooms, the sea bays and fish, a stormy sky and the blue, white-crested +waves. For the rock lay far away from the land, and there were no +green islets or human habitations for miles round, only here and there +appeared a rock of the same red stone as Ahtola, besprinkled day and +night with the ocean spray. + +Matte and Maie were industrious, hard-working folk, happy and contented +in their poor hut, and they thought themselves rich when they were able +to salt as many casks of fish as they required for winter and yet have +some left over with which to buy tobacco for the old man, and a pound or +two of coffee for his wife, with plenty of burned corn and chicory in it +to give it a flavour. Besides that, they had bread, butter, fish, a beer +cask, and a buttermilk jar; what more did they require? All would have +gone well had not Maie been possessed with a secret longing which never +let her rest; and this was, how she could manage to become the owner of +a cow. + +'What would you do with a cow?' asked Matte. 'She could not swim so far, +and our boat is not large enough to bring her over here; and even if we +had her, we have nothing to feed her on.' + +'We have four alder bushes and sixteen tufts of grass,' rejoined Maie. + +'Yes, of course,' laughed Matte, 'and we have also three plants of +garlic. Garlic would be fine feeding for her.' + +'Every cow likes salt herring,' rejoined his wife. 'Even Prince is fond +of fish.' + +'That may be,' said her husband. 'Methinks she would soon be a dear cow +if we had to feed her on salt herring. All very well for Prince, who +fights with the gulls over the last morsel. Put the cow out of your +head, mother, we are very well off as we are.' + +Maie sighed. She knew well that her husband was right, but she could not +give up the idea of a cow. The buttermilk no longer tasted as good as +usual in the coffee; she thought of sweet cream and fresh butter, and of +how there was nothing in the world to be compared with them. + +One day as Matte and his wife were cleaning herring on the shore they +heard Prince barking, and soon there appeared a gaily painted boat with +three young men in it, steering towards the rock. They were students, on +a boating excursion, and wanted to get something to eat. + +'Bring us a junket, good mother,' cried they to Maie. + +'Ah! if only I had such a thing!' sighed Maie. + +'A can of fresh milk, then,' said the students; 'but it must not be +skim.' + +'Yes, if only I had it!' sighed the old woman, still more deeply. + +'What! haven't you got a cow?' + +Maie was silent. This question so struck her to the heart that she could +not reply. + +'We have no cow,' Matte answered; 'but we have good smoked herring, and +can cook them in a couple of hours.' + +'All right, then, that will do,' said the students, as they flung +themselves down on the rock, while fifty silvery-white herring were +turning on the spit in front of the fire. + +'What's the name of this little stone in the middle of the ocean?' asked +one of them. + +'Ahtola,' answered the old man. + +'Well, you should want for nothing when you live in the Sea King's +dominion.' + +Matte did not understand. He had never read Kalevala and knew nothing of +the sea gods of old, but the students proceeded to explain to him.[FN#2: +Kalevala is a collection of old Finnish songs about gods and heroes.] + +'Ahti,' said they, 'is a mighty king who lives in his dominion of +Ahtola, and has a rock at the bottom of the sea, and possesses besides a +treasury of good things. He rules over all fish and animals of the deep; +he has the finest cows and the swiftest horses that ever chewed grass +at the bottom of the ocean. He who stands well with Ahti is soon a rich +man, but one must beware in dealing with him, for he is very changeful +and touchy. Even a little stone thrown into the water might offend him, +and then as he takes back his gift, he stirs up the sea into a storm +and drags the sailors down into the depths. Ahti owns also the fairest +maidens, who bear the train of his queen Wellamos, and at the sound of +music they comb their long, flowing locks, which glisten in the water.' + +'Oh!' cried Matte, 'have your worships really seen all that?' + +'We have as good as seen it,' said the students. 'It is all printed in a +book, and everything printed is true.' + +'I'm not so sure of that,' said Matte, as he shook his head. + +But the herring were now ready, and the students ate enough for six, +and gave Prince some cold meat which they happened to have in the boat. +Prince sat on his hind legs with delight and mewed like a pussy cat. +When all was finished, the students handed Matte a shining silver coin, +and allowed him to fill his pipe with a special kind of tobacco. They +then thanked him for his kind hospitality and went on their journey, +much regretted by Prince, who sat with a woeful expression and whined on +the shore as long as he could see a flip of the boat's white sail in the +distance. + +Maie had never uttered a word, but thought the more. She had good ears, +and had laid to heart the story about Ahti. 'How delightful,' thought +she to herself, 'to possess a fairy cow! How delicious every morning and +evening to draw milk from it, and yet have no trouble about the feeding, +and to keep a shelf near the window for dishes of milk and junkets! But +this will never be my luck.' + +'What are you thinking of?' asked Matte. + +'Nothing,' said his wife; but all the time she was pondering over some +magic rhymes she had heard in her childhood from an old lame man, which +were supposed to bring luck in fishing. + +'What if I were to try?' thought she. + +Now this was Saturday, and on Saturday evenings Matte never set the +herring-net, for he did not fish on Sunday. Towards evening, however, +his wife said: + +'Let us set the herring-net just this once.' + +'No,' said her husband, 'it is a Saturday night.' + +'Last night was so stormy, and we caught so little,' urged his wife; +'to-night the sea is like a mirror, and with the wind in this direction +the herring are drawing towards land.' + +'But there are streaks in the north-western sky, and Prince was eating +grass this evening,' said the old man. + +'Surely he has not eaten my garlic,' exclaimed the old woman. + +'No; but there will be rough weather by to-morrow at sunset,' rejoined +Matte. + +'Listen to me,' said his wife, 'we will set only one net close to the +shore, and then we shall be able to finish up our half-filled cask, +which will spoil if it stands open so long.' + +The old man allowed himself to be talked over, and so they rowed out +with the net. When they reached the deepest part of the water, she began +to hum the words of the magic rhyme, altering the words to suit the +longing of her heart: + + Oh, Ahti, with the long, long beard, + Who dwellest in the deep blue sea, + Finest treasures have I heard, + And glittering fish belong to thee. + The richest pearls beyond compare + Are stored up in thy realm below, + And Ocean's cows so sleek and fair + Feed on the grass in thy green meadow. + + King of the waters, far and near, + I ask not of thy golden store, + I wish not jewels of pearl to wear, + Nor silver either, ask I for, + But one is odd and even is two, + So give me a cow, sea-king so bold, + And in return I'll give to you + A slice of the moon, and the sun's gold. + +'What's that you're humming?' asked the old man. + +'Oh, only the words of an old rhyme that keeps running in my head,' +answered the old woman; and she raised her voice and went on: + + Oh, Ahti, with the long, long beard, + Who dwellest in the deep blue sea, + A thousand cows are in thy herd, + I pray thee give one onto me. + +'That's a stupid sort of song,' said Matte. 'What else should one beg of +the sea-king but fish? But such songs are not for Sunday.' + +His wife pretended not to hear him, and sang and sang the same tune all +the time they were on the water. Matte heard nothing more as he sat and +rowed the heavy boat, while thinking of his cracked pipe and the fine +tobacco. Then they returned to the island, and soon after went to bed. + +But neither Matte nor Maie could sleep a wink; the one thought of how he +had profaned Sunday, and the other of Ahti's cow. + +About midnight the fisherman sat up, and said to his wife: + +'Dost thou hear anything?' + +'No,' said she. + +'I think the twirling of the weathercock on the roof bodes ill,' said +he; 'we shall have a storm.' + +'Oh, it is nothing but your fancy,' said his wife. + +Matte lay down, but soon rose again. + +'The weathercock is squeaking now,' said he. + +'Just fancy! Go to sleep,' said his wife; and the old man tried to. + +For the third time he jumped out of bed. + +'Ho! how the weather-cock is roaring at the pitch of its voice, as if it +had a fire inside it! We are going to have a tempest, and must bring in +the net.' + +Both rose. The summer night was as dark as if it had been October, the +weather-cock creaked, and the storm was raging in every direction. As +they went out the sea lay around them as white as now, and the spray +was dashing right over the fisher-hut. In all his life Matte had never +remembered such a night. To launch the boat and put to sea to rescue the +net was a thing not to be thought of. The fisherman and his wife stood +aghast on the doorstep, holding on fast by the doorpost, while the foam +splashed over their faces. + +'Did I not tell thee that there is no luck in Sunday fishing?' said +Matte sulkily; and his wife was so frightened that she never even once +thought of Ahti's cows. + +As there was nothing to be done, they went in. Their eyes were heavy for +lack of slumber, and they slept as soundly as if there had not been such +a thing as an angry sea roaring furiously around their lonely dwelling. +When they awoke, the sun was high in the heavens, the tempest had cased, +and only the swell of the sea rose in silvery heavings against the red +rock. + +'What can that be?' said the old woman, as she peeped out of the door. + +'It looks like a big seal,' said Matte. + +'As sure as I live, it's a cow!' exclaimed Maie. And certainly it was a +cow, a fine red cow, fat and flourishing, and looking as if it had been +fed all its days on spinach. It wandered peacefully up and down the +shore, and never so much as even looked at the poor little tufts of +grass, as if it despised such fare. + +Matte could not believe his eyes. But a cow she seemed, and a cow she +was found to be; and when the old woman began to milk her, every pitcher +and pan, even to the baler, was soon filled with the most delicious +milk. + +The old man troubled his head in vain as to how she came there, and +sallied forth to seek for his lost net. He had not proceeded far when he +found it cast up on the shore, and so full of fish that not a mesh was +visible. + +'It is all very fine to possess a cow,' said Matte, as he cleaned the +fish; 'but what are we going to feed her on?' + +'We shall find some means,' said his wife; and the cow found the means +herself. She went out and cropped the seaweed which grew in great +abundance near the shore, and always kept in good condition. Every one +Prince alone excepted, thought she was a clever beast; but Prince barked +at her, for he had now got a rival. + +From that day the red rock overflowed with milk and junkets, and every +net was filled with fish. Matte and Maie grew fat on this fine living, +and daily became richer. She churned quantities of butter, and he hired +two men to help him in his fishing. The sea lay before him like a big +fish tank, out of which he hauled as many as he required; and the cow +continued to fend for herself. In autumn, when Matte and Maie went +ashore, the cow went to sea, and in spring, when they returned to the +rock, there she stood awaiting them. + +'We shall require a better house,' said Maie the following summer; 'the +old one is too small for ourselves and the men.' + +'Yes,' said Matte. So he built a large cottage, with a real lock to the +door, and a store-house for fish as well; and he and his men caught such +quantities of fish that they sent tons of salmon, herring, and cod to +Russian and Sweden. + +'I am quite overworked with so many folk,' said Maie; 'a girl to help me +would not come amiss.' + +'Get one, then,' said her husband; and so they hired a girl. + +Then Maie said: 'We have too little milk for all these folk. Now that +I have a servant, with the same amount of trouble she could look after +three cows.' + +'All right, then,' said her husband, somewhat provoked, 'you can sing a +song to the fairies.' + +This annoyed Maie, but nevertheless she rowed out to sea on Sunday night +and sang as before: + + Oh, Ahti, with the long, long beard, + Who dwellest in the deep blue sea, + A thousand cows are in thy herd, + I pray thee give three unto me. + +The following morning, instead of one, three cows stood on the island, +and they all ate seaweed and fended for themselves like the first one. + +'Art thou satisfied now?' said Matte to his wife. + +'I should be quite satisfied,' said his wife, 'if only I had two +servants to help, and if I had some finer clothes. Don't you know that I +am addressed as Madam?' + +'Well, well,' said her husband. So Maie got several servants and clothes +fit for a great lady. + +'Everything would now be perfect if only we had a little better dwelling +for summer. You might build us a two-storey house, and fetch soil to +make a garden. Then you might make a little arbour up there to let +us have a sea-view; and we might have a fiddler to fiddle to us of an +evening, and a little steamer to take us to church in stormy weather.' + +'Anything more?' asked Matte; but he did everything that his wife +wished. The rock Ahtola became so grand and Maie so grand that all the +sea-urchins and herring were lost in wonderment. Even Prince was fed +on beefsteaks and cream scones till at last he was as round as a butter +jar. + +'Are you satisfied now?' asked Matte. + +'I should be quite satisfied,' said Maie, 'if only I had thirty cows. At +least that number is required for such a household.' + +'Go to the fairies,' said Matte. + +His wife set out in the new steamer and sang to the sea-king. Next +morning thirty cows stood on the shore, all finding food for themselves. + +'Know'st thou, good man, that we are far too cramped on this wretched +rock, and where am I to find room for so many cows?' + +'There is nothing to be done but to pump out the sea.' + +'Rubbish!' said his wife. 'Who can pump out the sea?' + +'Try with thy new steamer, there is a pump in it.' + +Maie knew well that her husband was only making fun of her, but still +her mind was set upon the same subject. 'I never could pump the sea +out,' thought she, 'but perhaps I might fill it up, if I were to make +a big dam. I might heap up sand and stones, and make our island as big +again.' + +Maie loaded her boat with stones and went out to sea. The fiddler was +with her, and fiddled so finely that Ahti and Wellamos and all the sea's +daughters rose to the surface of the water to listen to the music. + +'What is that shining so brightly in the waves?' asked Maie. + +'That is sea foam glinting in the sunshine,' answered the fiddler. + +'Throw out the stones,' said Maie. + +The people in the boat began to throw out the stones, splash, splash, +right and left, into the foam. One stone hit the nose of Wellamos's +chief lady-in-waiting, another scratched the sea queen herself on the +cheek, a third plumped close to Ahti's head and tore off half of the +sea-king's beard; then there was a commotion in the sea, the waves +bubbled and bubbled like boiling water in a pot. + +'Whence comes this gust of wind?' said Maie; and as she spoke the sea +opened and swallowed up the steamer. Maie sank to the bottom like a +stone, but, stretching out her arms and legs, she rose to the surface, +where she found the fiddler's fiddle, and used it as a float. At the +same moment she saw close beside her the terrible head of Ahti, and he +had only half a beard!' + +'Why did you throw stones at me?' roared the sea-king. + +'Oh, your majesty, it was a mistake! Put some bear's grease on your +beard and that will soon make it grow again.' + +'Dame, did I not give you all you asked for--nay, even more?' + +'Truly, truly, your majesty. Many thanks for the cows.' + +'Well, where is the gold from the sun and the silver from the moon that +you promised me?' + +'Ah, your majesty, they have been scattered day and night upon the sea, +except when the sky was overcast,' slyly answered Maie. + +'I'll teach you!' roared the sea-king; and with that he gave the fiddle +such a 'puff' that it sent the old woman up like a sky-rocket on to her +island. There Prince lay, as famished as ever, gnawing the carcase of +a crow. There sat Matte in his ragged grey jacket, quite alone, on the +steps of the old hut, mending a net. + +'Heavens, mother,' said he, 'where are you coming from at such a +whirlwind pace, and what makes you in such a dripping condition?' + +Maie looked around her amazed, and said, 'Where is our two-storey +house?' + +'What house?' asked her husband. + +'Our big house, and the flower garden, and the men and the maids, and +the thirty beautiful cows, and the steamer, and everything else?' + +'You are talking nonsense, mother,' said he. 'The students have quite +turned your head, for you sang silly songs last evening while we were +rowing, and then you could not sleep till early morning. We had stormy +weather during the night, and when it was past I did not wish to waken +you, so rowed out alone to rescue the net.' + +'But I've seen Ahti,' rejoined Maie. + +'You've been lying in bed, dreaming foolish fancies, mother, and then in +your sleep you walked into the water.' + +'But there is the fiddle,' said Maie. + +'A fine fiddle! It is only an old stick. No, no, old woman, another time +we will be more careful. Good luck never attends fishing on a Sunday.' + +From Z. Topelius. + + + + +The Raspberry Worm + + +'Phew!' cried Lisa. + +'Ugh!' cried Aina. + +'What now?' cried the big sister. + +'A worm!' cried Lisa. + +'On the raspberry!' cried Aina. + +'Kill it!' cried Otto. + +'What a fuss over a poor little worm!' said the big sister scornfully. + +'Yes, when we had cleaned the raspberries so carefully,' said Lisa. + +'It crept out from that very large one,' put in Aina. + +'And supposing someone had eaten the raspberry,' said Lisa. + +'Then they would have eaten the worm, too,' said Aina. + +'Well, what harm?' said Otto. + +'Eat a worm!' cried Lisa. + +'And kill him with one bite!' murmured Aina. + +'Just think of it!' said Otto laughing. + +'Now it is crawling on the table,' cried Aina again. + +'Blow it away!' said the big sister. + +'Tramp on it!' laughed Otto. + +But Lisa took a raspberry leaf, swept the worm carefully on to the +leaf and carried it out into the yard. Then Aina noticed that a sparrow +sitting on the fence was just ready to pounce on the poor little worm, +so she took up the leaf, carried it out into the wood and hid it under a +raspberry bush where the greedy sparrow could not find it. Yes, and +what more is there to tell about a raspberry worm? Who would give three +straws for such a miserable little thing? Yes, but who would not like +to live in such a pretty home as it lives in; in such a fresh fragrant +dark-red cottage, far away in the quiet wood among flowers and green +leaves! + +Now it was just dinner time, so they all had a dinner of raspberries +and cream. 'Be careful with the sugar, Otto,' said the big sister; but +Otto's plate was like a snowdrift in winter, with just a little red +under the snow. + +Soon after dinner the big sister said: 'Now we have eaten up the +raspberries and we have none left to make preserve for the winter; it +would be fine if we could get two baskets full of berries, then we could +clean them this evening, and to-morrow we could cook them in the big +preserving pan, and then we should have raspberry jam to eat on our +bread!' + +'Come, let us go to the wood and pick,' said Lisa. + +'Yes, let us,' said Aina. 'You take the yellow basket and I will take +the green one.' + +'Don't get lost, and come back safely in the evening,' said the big +sister. + +'Greetings to the raspberry worm,' said Otto, mockingly. 'Next time I +meet him I shall do him the honour of eating him up.' + +So Aina and Lisa went off to the wood. Ah! how delightful it was there, +how beautiful! It was certainly tiresome sometimes climbing over the +fallen trees, and getting caught in the branches, and waging war with +the juniper bushes and the midges, but what did that matter? The girls +climbed well in their short dresses, and soon they were deep in the +wood. + +There were plenty of bilberries and elder berries, but no raspberries. +They wandered on and on, and at last they came... No, it could not be +true!... they came to a large raspberry wood. The wood had been on fire +once, and now raspberry bushes had grown up, and there were raspberry +bushes and raspberry bushes as far as the eye could see. Every bush was +weighted to the ground with the largest, dark red, ripe raspberries, +such a wealth of berries as two little berry pickers had never found +before! + +Lisa picked, Aina picked. Lisa ate, Aina ate, and in a little while +their baskets were full. + +'Now we shall go home,' said Aina. 'No, let us gather a few more,' said +Lisa. So they put the baskets down on the ground and began to fill their +pinafores, and it was not long before their pinafores were full, too. + +'Now we shall go home,' said Lina. 'Yes, now we shall go home,' said +Aina. Both girls took a basket in one hand and held up her apron in the +other and then turned to go home. But that was easier said than done. +They had never been so far in the great wood before, they could not find +any road nor path, and soon the girls noticed that they had lost their +way. + +The worst of it was that the shadows of the tress were becoming so long +in the evening sunlight, the birds were beginning to fly home, and the +day was closing in. At last the sun went down behind the pine tops, and +it was cool and dusky in the great wood. + +The girls became anxious but went steadily on, expecting that the wood +would soon end, and that they would see the smoke from the chimneys of +their home. + +After they had wandered on for a long time it began to grow dark. At +last they reached a great plain overgrown with bushes, and when they +looked around them, they saw, as much as they could in the darkness, +that they were among the same beautiful raspberry bushes from which they +had picked their baskets and their aprons full. Then they were so tired +that they sat down on a stone and began to cry. + +'I am so hungry,' said Lisa. + +'Yes,' said Aina, 'if we had only two good meat sandwiches now.' + +As she said that, she felt something in her hand, and when she looked +down, she saw a large sandwich of bread and chicken, and at the same +time Lisa said: 'How very queer! I have a sandwich in my hand.' + +'And I, too,' said Aina. 'Will you dare to eat it?' + +'Of course I will,' said Lisa. 'Ah, if we only had a good glass of milk +now!' + +Just as she said that she felt a large glass of milk between her +fingers, and at the same time Aina cried out, 'Lisa! Lisa! I have a +glass of milk in my hand! Isn't it queer?' + +The girls, however, were very hungry, so they ate and drank with a good +appetite. When they had finished Aina yawned, stretched out her arms and +said: 'Oh, if only we had a nice soft bed to sleep on now!' + +Scarcely had she spoken before she felt a nice soft bed by her side, and +there beside Lisa was one too. This seemed to the girls more and more +wonderful, but tired and sleepy as they were, they thought no more about +it, but crept into the little beds, drew the coverlets over their heads +and were soon asleep. + +When they awoke the sun was high in the heavens, the wood was beautiful +in the summer morning, and the birds were flying about in the branches +and the tree tops. + +At first the girls were filled with wonder when they saw that they had +slept in the wood among the raspberry bushes. They looked at each other, +they looked at their beds, which were of the finest flax covered over +with leaves and moss. At last Lisa said: 'Are you awake, Aina?' + +'Yes,' said Aina. + +'But I am still dreaming,' said Lisa. + +'No,' said Aina, 'but there is certainly some good fairy living among +these raspberry bushes. Ah, if we had only a hot cup of coffee now, and +a nice piece of white bread to dip into it!' + +Scarcely had she finished speaking when she saw beside her a little +silver tray with a gilt coffee-pot, two cups of rare porcelain, a sugar +basin of fine crystal, silver sugar tongs, and some good fresh white +bread. The girls poured out the beautiful coffee, put in the cream and +sugar, and tasted it; never in their lives had they drunk such beautiful +coffee. + +'Now I should like to know very much who has given us all this,' said +Lisa gratefully. + +'I have, my little girls,' said a voice just then from the bushes. + +The children looked round wonderingly, and saw a little kind-looking old +man, in a white coat and a red cap, limping out from among the bushes, +for he was lame in his left foot; neither Lisa nor Aina could utter a +word, they were so filled with surprise. + +'Don't be afraid, little girls,' he said smiling kindly at them; he +could not laugh properly because his mouth was crooked. 'Welcome to my +kingdom! Have you slept well and eaten well and drunk well?' he asked. + +'Yes, indeed we have,' said both the girls, 'but tell us...' and they +wanted to ask who the old man was, but were afraid to. + +'I will tell you who I am,' said the old man; 'I am the raspberry king, +who reigns over all this kingdom of raspberry bushes, and I have lived +here for more than a thousand years. But the great spirit who rules over +the woods, and the sea, and the sky, did not want me to become proud of +my royal power and my long life. Therefore he decreed that one day in +every hundred years I should change into a little raspberry worm, and +live in that weak and helpless form from sunrise to sunset. During that +time my life is dependent on the little worm's life, so that a bird can +eat me, a child can pick me with the berries and trample under foot my +thousand years of life. Now yesterday was just my transformation day, +and I was taken with the raspberry and would have been trampled to death +if you had not saved my life. Until sunset I lay helpless in the grass, +and when I was swept away from your table I twisted one of my feet, and +my mouth became crooked with terror; but when evening came and I could +take my own form again, I looked for you to thank you and reward you. +Then I found you both here in my kingdom, and tried to meet you both as +well as I could without frightening you. Now I will send a bird from my +wood to show you the way home. Good-bye, little children, thank you +for your kind hearts; the raspberry king can show that he is not +ungrateful.' The children shook hands with the old man and thanked him, +feeling very glad that they had saved the little raspberry worm. They +were just going when the old man turned round, smiled mischievously with +his crooked mouth, and said: 'Greetings to Otto from me, and tell him +when I meet him again I shall do him the honour of eating him up.' + +'Oh, please don't do that,' cried both the girls, very frightened. + +'Well, for your sake I will forgive him,' said the old man, 'I am not +revengeful. Greetings to Otto and tell him that he may expect a gift +from me, too. Good-bye.' + +The two girls, light of heart, now took their berries and ran off +through the wood after the bird; and soon it began to get lighter in the +wood and they wondered how they could have lost their way yesterday, it +seemed so easy and plain now. + +One can imagine what joy there was when the two reached home. Everyone +had been looking for them, and the big sister had not been able to +sleep, for she thought the wolves had eaten them up. + +Otto met them; he had a basket in his hand and said: 'Look, here is +something that an old man has just left for you.' + +When the girls looked into the basket they saw a pair of most beautiful +bracelets of precious stones, dark red, and made in the shape of a ripe +raspberry and with an inscription: 'To Lisa and Aina'; beside them there +was a diamond breast pin in the shape of a raspberry worm: on it was +inscribed 'Otto, never destroy the helpless!' + +Otto felt rather ashamed: he quite understood what it meant, but he +thought that the old man's revenge was a noble one. + +The raspberry king had also remembered the big sister, for when she went +in to set the table for dinner, she found eleven big baskets of most +beautiful raspberries, and no one knew how they had come there, but +everyone guessed. + +And so there was such a jam-making as had never been seen before, and if +you like to go and help in it, you might perhaps get a little, for they +must surely be making jam still to this very day. + +From Z. Topelius. + + + + +The Stones of Plouhinec + + +Perhaps some of you may have read a book called 'Kenneth; or the +Rear-Guard of the Grand Army' of Napoleon. If so, you will remember how +the two Scotch children found in Russia were taken care of by the +French soldiers and prevented as far as possible from suffering from the +horrors of the terrible Retreat. One of the soldiers, a Breton, often +tried to make them forget how cold and hungry they were by telling +them tales of his native country, Brittany, which is full of wonderful +things. The best and warmest place round the camp fire was always +given to the children, but even so the bitter frost would cause them to +shiver. It was then that the Breton would begin: 'Plouhinec is a small +town near Hennebonne by the sea,' and would continue until Kenneth or +Effie would interrupt him with an eager question. Then he forgot how his +mother had told him the tale, and was obliged to begin all over again, +so the story lasted a long while, and by the time it was ended the +children were ready to be rolled up in what ever coverings could be +found, and go to sleep. It is this story that I am going to tell to you. + +Plouhinec is a small town near Hennebonne by the sea. Around it +stretches a desolate moor, where no corn can be grown, and the grass is +so coarse that no beast grows fat on it. Here and there are scattered +groves of fir trees, and small pebbles are so thick on the ground that +you might almost take it for a beach. On the further side, the fairies, +or korigans, as the people called them, had set up long long ago two +rows of huge stones; indeed, so tall and heavy were they, that it seemed +as if all the fairies in the world could not have placed them upright. + +Not far off them this great stone avenue, and on the banks of the little +river Intel, there lived a man named Marzinne and his sister Rozennik. +They always had enough black bread to eat, and wooden shoes or sabots +to wear, and a pig to fatten, so the neighbours thought them quite rich; +and what was still better, they thought themselves rich also. + +Rozennik was a pretty girl, who knew how to make the best of everything, +and she could, if she wished, have chosen a husband from the young men +of Plouhinec, but she cared for none of them except Bernez, whom she had +played with all her life, and Bernez, though he worked hard, was so very +very poor that Marzinne told him roughly he must look elsewhere for a +wife. But whatever Marzinne might say Rozennik smiled and nodded to +him as before, and would often turn her head as she passed, and sing +snatches of old songs over her shoulder. + +Christmas Eve had come, and all the men who worked under Marzinne or on +the farms round about were gathered in the large kitchen to eat the +soup flavoured with honey followed by rich puddings, to which they were +always invited on this particular night. In the middle of the table was +a large wooden bowl, with wooden spoons placed in a circle round it, so +that each might dip in his turn. The benches were filled, and Marzinne +was about to give the signal, when the door was suddenly thrown open, +and an old man came in, wishing the guests a good appetite for their +supper. There was a pause, and some of the faces looked a little +frightened; for the new-comer was well known to them as a beggar, who +was also said to be a wizard who cast spells over the cattle, and caused +the corn to grow black, and old people to die, of what, nobody knew. +Still, it was Christmas Eve, and besides it was as well not to offend +him, so the farmer invited him in, and gave him a seat at the table and +a wooden spoon like the rest. + +There was not much talk after the beggar's entrance, and everyone was +glad when the meal came to an end, and the beggar asked if he might +sleep in the stable, as he should die of cold if he were left outside. +Rather unwillingly Marzinne gave him leave, and bade Bernez take the +key and unlock the door. There was certainly plenty of room for a dozen +beggars, for the only occupants of the stable were an old donkey and a +thin ox; and as the night was bitter, the wizard lay down between them +for warmth, with a sack of reeds for a pillow. + +He had walked far that day, and even wizards get tired sometimes, so in +spite of the hard floor he was just dropping off to sleep, when midnight +struck from the church tower of Plouhinec. At this sound the donkey +raised her head and shook her ears, and turned towards the ox. + +'Well, my dear cousin,' said she, 'and how have you fared since last +Christmas Eve, when we had a conversation together?' + +Instead of answering at once, the ox eyed the beggar with a long look of +disgust. + +'What is the use of talking,' he replied roughly, 'when a +good-for-nothing creature like that can hear all we say?' + +'Oh, you mustn't lose time in grumbling,' rejoined the donkey gaily, +'and don't you see that the wizard is asleep?' + +'His wicked pranks do not make him rich, certainly,' said the ox, 'and +he isn't even clever enough to have found out what a piece of luck might +befall him a week hence.' + +'What piece of luck?' asked the donkey. + +'Why, don't you know,' inquired the ox, 'that once very hundred years +the stones on Plouhinec heath go down to drink at the river, and that +while they are away the treasures underneath them are uncovered?' + +'Ah, I remember now,' replied the donkey, 'but the stones return so +quickly to their places, that you certainly would be crushed to death +unless you have in your hands a bunch of crowsfoot and of five-leaved +trefoil.' + +'Yes, but that is not enough,' said the ox; 'even supposing you get +safely by, the treasure you have brought with you will crumble into dust +if you do not give in exchange a baptised soul. It is needful that a +Christian should die before you can enjoy the wealth of Plouhinec.' + +The donkey was about to ask some further questions, when she suddenly +found herself unable to speak: the time allowed them for conversation +was over. + +'Ah, my dear creatures,' thought the beggar, who had of course heard +everything, 'you are going to make me richer than the richest men of +Vannes or Lorient. But I have no time to lose; to-morrow I must begin to +hunt for the precious plants.' + +He did not dare to seek too near Plouhinec, lest somebody who knew the +story might guess what he was doing, so he went away further towards the +south, where the air was softer and the plants are always green. From +the instant it was light, till the last rays had faded out of the sky, +he searched every inch of ground where the magic plants might grow; he +scarcely gave himself a minute to eat and drink, but at length he found +the crowsfoot in a little hollow! Well, that was certainly a great deal, +but after all, the crowsfoot was of no use without the trefoil, and +there was so little time left. + +He had almost give up hope, when on the very last day before it was +necessary that he should start of Plouhinec, he came upon a little +clump of trefoil, half hidden under a rock. Hardly able to breathe from +excitement, he sat down and hunted eagerly through the plant which +he had torn up. Leaf after leaf he threw aside in disgust, and he had +nearly reached the end when he gave a cry of joy--the five-leaved +trefoil was in his hand. + +The beggar scrambled to his feet, and without a pause walked quickly +down the road that led northwards. The moon was bright, and for some +hours he kept steadily on, not knowing how many miles he had gone, nor +even feeling tired. By and bye the sun rose, and the world began to +stir, and stopping at a farmhouse door, he asked for a cup of milk and +slice of bread and permission to rest for a while in the porch. Then he +continued his journey, and so, towards sunset on New Year's Eve, he came +back to Plouhinec. + +As he was passing the long line of stones, he saw Bernez working with a +chisel on the tallest of them all. + +'What are you doing there?' called the wizard, 'do you mean to hollow +out for yourself a bed in that huge column?' + +'No,' replied Bernez quietly, 'but as I happened to have no work to do +to-day, I thought I would just carve a cross on this stone. The holy +sign can never come amiss.' + +'I believe you think it will help you to win Rozennik,' laughed the old +man. + +Bernez ceased his task for a moment to look at him. + +'Ah, so you know about that,' replied he; 'unluckily Marzinne wants a +brother-in-law who has more pounds than I have pence.' + +'And suppose I were to give you more pounds than Marzinne ever dreamed +of?' whispered the sorcerer glancing round to make sure that no one +overheard him. + +'You?' + +'Yes, I.' + +'And what am I to do to gain the money,' inquired Bernez, who knew quite +well that the Breton peasant gives nothing for nothing. + +'What I want of you only needs a little courage,' answered the old man. + +'If that is all, tell me what I have got to do, and I will do it,' cried +Bernez, letting fall his chisel. 'If I have to risk thirty deaths, I am +ready.' + +When the beggar knew that Bernez would give him no trouble, he told him +how, during that very night, the treasures under the stones would be +uncovered, and how in a very few minutes they could take enough to make +them both rich for life. But he kept silence as to the fate that awaited +the man who was without the crowsfoot and the trefoil, and Bernez +thought that nothing but boldness and quickness were necessary. So he +said: + +'Old man, I am grateful, indeed, for the chance you have given me, and +there will always be a pint of my blood at your service. Just let me +finish carving this cross. It is nearly done, and I will join you in the +fir wood at whatever hour you please.' + +'You must be there without fail an hour before midnight,' answered the +wizard, and went on his way. + +As the hour struck from the great church at Plouhinec, Bernez entered +the wood. He found the beggar already there with a bag in each hand, and +a third slung round his neck. + +'You are punctual,' said the old man, 'but we need not start just yet. +You had better sit down and think what you will do when your pockets are +filled with gold and silver and jewels.' + +'Oh, it won't take me long to plan out that,' returned Bernez with a +laugh. 'I shall give Rozennik everything she can desire, dresses of all +sorts, from cotton to silk, and good things of all kinds to eat, from +white bread to oranges.' + +'The silver you find will pay for all that, and what about the gold?' + +'With the gold I shall make rich Rozennik's relations and every friend +of hers in the parish,' replied he. + +'So much for the gold; and the jewels?' + +'Then,' cried Bernez, 'I will divide the jewels amongst everybody in the +world, so that they may be wealthy and happy; and I will tell them that +it is Rozennik who would have it so.' + +'Hush! it is close on midnight--we must go,' whispered the wizard, and +together they crept to the edge of the wood. + +With the first stroke of twelve a great noise arose over the silent +heath, and the earth seemed to rock under the feet of the two watchers. +The next moment by the light of the moon they beheld the huge stones +near them leave their places and go down the slope leading to the river, +knocking against each other in their haste. Passing the spot where stood +Bernez and the beggar, they were lost in the darkness. It seemed as if a +procession of giants had gone by. + +'Quick,' said the wizard, in a low voice, and he rushed towards the +empty holes, which even in the night shone brightly from the treasures +within them. Flinging himself on his knees, the old man began filling +the wallets he had brought, listening intently all the time for the +return of the stones up the hill, while Bernez more slowly put handfuls +of all he could see into his pockets. + +The sorcerer had just closed his third wallet, and was beginning to +wonder if he could carry away any more treasures when a low murmur as of +a distant storm broke upon his ears. + +The stones had finished drinking, and were hastening back to their +places. + +On they came, bent a little forward, the tallest of them all at their +head, breaking everything that stood in their way. At the sight Bernez +stood transfixed with horror, and said, + +'We are lost! They will crush us to death.' + +'Not me!' answered the sorcerer, holding up the crowsfoot and the +five-leaved trefoil, 'for these will preserve me. But in order to keep +my riches, I was obliged to sacrifice a Christian to the stones, and +an evil fate threw you in my way.' And as he spoke he stretched out +the magic herbs to the stones, which were advancing rapidly. As +if acknowledging a power greater than theirs, the monstrous things +instantly parted to the right and left of the wizard, but closed their +ranks again as they approached Bernez. + +The young man did not try to escape, he knew it was useless, and sank +on his knees and closed his eyes. But suddenly the tall stone that was +leading stopped straight in front of Bernez, so that no other could get +past. + +It was the stone on which Bernez had carved the cross, and it was now a +baptized stone, and had power to save him. + +So the stone remained before the young man till the rest had taken their +places, and then, darting like a bird to its own hole, came upon the +beggar, who, thinking himself quite safe, was staggering along under the +weight of his treasures. + +Seeing the stone approaching, he held out the magic herbs which he +carried, but the baptized stone was no longer subject to the spells +that bound the rest, and passed straight on its way, leaving the wizard +crushed into powder in the heather. + +Then Bernez went home, and showed his wealth to Marzinne, who this +time did not refuse him as a brother-in-law, and he and Rozennik were +married, and lived happy for ever after. + +From 'Le Royer Breton,' par Emile Souvestre. + + + + +The Castle of Kerglas + + +Peronnik was a poor idiot who belonged to nobody, and he would have died +of starvation if it had not been for the kindness of the village people, +who gave him food whenever he chose to ask for it. And as for a bed, +when night came, and he grew sleepy, he looked about for a heap of +straw, and making a hole in it, crept in, like a lizard. Idiot though he +was, he was never unhappy, but always thanked gratefully those who fed +him, and sometimes would stop for a little and sing to them. For he +could imitate a lark so well, that no one knew which was Peronnik and +which was the bird. + +He had been wandering in a forest one day for several hours, and when +evening approached, he suddenly felt very hungry. Luckily, just at +that place the trees grew thinner, and he could see a small farmhouse +a little way off. Peronnik went straight towards it, and found the +farmer's wife standing at the door holding in her hands the large bowl +out of which her children had eaten their supper. + +'I am hungry, will you give me something to eat?' asked the boy. + +'If you can find anything here, you are welcome to it,' answered she, +and, indeed, there was not much left, as everybody's spoon had dipped +in. But Peronnik ate what was there with a hearty appetite, and thought +that he had never tasted better food. + +'It is made of the finest flour and mixed with the richest milk and +stirred by the best cook in all the countryside,' and though he said it +to himself, the woman heard him. + +'Poor innocent,' she murmured, 'he does not know what he is saying, but +I will cut him a slice of that new wheaten loaf,' and so she did, and +Peronnik ate up every crumb, and declared that nobody less than the +bishop's baker could have baked it. This flattered the farmer's wife +so much that she gave him some butter to spread on it, and Peronnik was +still eating it on the doorstep when an armed knight rode up. + +'Can you tell me the way to the castle of Kerglas?' asked he. + +'To Kerglas? are you really going to Kerglas?' cried the woman, turning +pale. + +'Yes; and in order to get there I have come from a country so far off +that it has taken me three months' hard riding to travel as far as +this.' + +'And why do you want to go to Kerglas?' said she. + +'I am seeking the basin of gold and the lance of diamonds which are in +the castle,' he answered. Then Peronnik looked up. + +'The basin and the lance are very costly things,' he said suddenly. + +'More costly and precious than all the crowns in the world,' replied the +stranger, 'for not only will the basin furnish you with the best food +that you can dream of, but if you drink of it, it will cure you of any +illness however dangerous, and will even bring the dead back to life, if +it touches their mouths. As to the diamond lance, that will cut through +any stone or metal.' + +'And to whom do these wonders belong?' asked Peronnik in amazement. + +'To a magician named Rogear who lives in the castle,' answered the +woman. 'Every day he passes along here, mounted on a black mare, with +a colt thirteen months old trotting behind. But no one dares to attack +him, as he always carries his lance.' + +'That is true,' said the knight, 'but there is a spell laid upon him +which forbids his using it within the castle of Kerglas. The moment he +enters, the basin and lance are put away in a dark cellar which no +key but one can open. And that is the place where I wish to fight the +magician.' + +'You will never overcome him, Sir Knight,' replied the woman, shaking +her head. 'More than a hundred gentlemen have ridden past this house +bent on the same errand, and not one has ever come back.' + +'I know that, good woman,' returned the knight, 'but then they did not +have, like me, instructions from the hermit of Blavet.' + +'And what did the hermit tell you?' asked Peronnik. + +'He told me that I should have to pass through a wood full of all sorts +of enchantments and voices, which would try to frighten me and make me +lose my way. Most of those who have gone before me have wandered they +know not where, and perished from cold, hunger, or fatigue.' + +'Well, suppose you get through safely?' said the idiot. + +'If I do,' continued the knight, 'I shall then meet a sort of fairy +armed with a needle of fire which burns to ashes all it touches. This +dwarf stands guarding an apple-tree, from which I am bound to pluck an +apple.' + +'And next?' inquired Peronnik. + +'Next I shall find the flower that laughs, protected by a lion whose +mane is formed of vipers. I must pluck that flower, and go on to the +lake of the dragons and fight the black man who holds in his hand the +iron ball which never misses its mark and returns of its own accord to +its master. After that, I enter the valley of pleasure, where some who +conquered all the other obstacles have left their bones. If I can win +through this, I shall reach a river with only one ford, where a lady +in black will be seated. She will mount my horse behind me, and tell me +what I am to do next.' + +He paused, and the woman shook her head. + +'You will never be able to do all that,' said she, but he bade her +remembered that these were only matters for men, and galloped away down +the path she pointed out. + +The farmer's wife sighed and, giving Peronnik some more food, bade him +good-night. The idiot rose and was opening the gate which led into the +forest when the farmer himself came up. + +'I want a boy to tend my cattle,' he said abruptly, 'as the one I had +has run away. Will you stay and do it?' and Peronnik, though he loved +his liberty and hated work, recollected the good food he had eaten, and +agreed to stop. + +At sunrise he collected his herd carefully and led them to the rich +pasture which lay along the borders of the forest, cutting himself a +hazel wand with which to keep them in order. + +His task was not quite so easy as it looked, for the cows had a way of +straying into the wood, and by the time he had brought one back another +was off. He had gone some distance into the trees, after a naughty black +cow which gave him more trouble than all the rest, when he heard the +noise of horse's feet, and peeping through the leaves he beheld the +giant Rogear seated on his mare, with the colt trotting behind. Round +the giant's neck hung the golden bowl suspended from a chain, and in his +hand he grasped the diamond lance, which gleamed like fire. But as soon +as he was out of sight the idiot sought in vain for traces of the path +he had taken. + +This happened not only once but many times, till Peronnik grew so used +to him that he never troubled to hide. But on each occasion he saw him +the desire to possess the bowl and the lance became stronger. + +One evening the boy was sitting alone on the edge of the forest, when a +man with a white beard stopped beside him. 'Do you want to know the way +to Kerglas?' asked the idiot, and the man answered 'I know it well.' + +'You have been there without being killed by the magician?' cried +Peronnik. + +'Oh! he had nothing to fear from me,' replied the white-bearded man, 'I +am Rogear's elder brother, the wizard Bryak. When I wish to visit him I +always pass this way, and as even I cannot go through the enchanted wood +without losing myself, I call the colt to guide me.' Stooping down as he +spoke he traced three circles on the ground and murmured some words very +low, which Peronnik could not hear. Then he added aloud: + + Colt, free to run and free to eat. + Colt, gallop fast until we meet, + +and instantly the colt appeared, frisking and jumping to the wizard, who +threw a halter over his neck and leapt on his back. + +Peronnik kept silence at the farm about this adventure, but he +understood very well that if he was ever to get to Kerglas he must first +catch the colt which knew the way. Unhappily he had not heard the magic +words uttered by the wizard, and he could not manage to draw the three +circles, so if he was to summon the colt at all he must invent some +other means of doing it. + +All day long, while he was herding the cows, he thought and thought how +he was to call the colt, for he felt sure that once on its back he could +overcome the other dangers. Meantime he must be ready in case a chance +should come, and he made his preparations at night, when everyone was +asleep. Remembering what he had seen the wizard do, he patched up an +old halter that was hanging in a corner of the stable, twisted a rope +of hemp to catch the colt's feet, and a net such as is used for snaring +birds. Next he sewed roughly together some bits of cloth to serve as a +pocket, and this he filled with glue and lark's feathers, a string of +beads, a whistle of elder wood, and a slice of bread rubbed over with +bacon fat. Then he went out to the path down which Rogear, his mare, and +the colt always rode, and crumbled the bread on one side of it. + +Punctual to their hour all three appeared, eagerly watched by Peronnik, +who lay hid in the bushes close by. Suppose it was useless; suppose the +mare, and not the colt, ate the crumbs? Suppose--but no! the mare and +her rider went safely by, vanishing round a corner, while the colt, +trotting along with its head on the ground, smelt the bread, and began +greedily to lick up the pieces. Oh, how good it was! Why had no one ever +given it that before, and so absorbed was the little beast, sniffing +about after a few more crumbs, that it never heard Peronnik creep up +till it felt the halter on its neck and the rope round its feet, and--in +another moment--some one on its back. + +Going as fast as the hobbles would allow, the colt turned into one of +the wildest parts of the forest, while its rider sat trembling at the +strange sights he saw. Sometimes the earth seemed to open in front of +them and he was looking into a bottomless pit; sometimes the trees burst +into flames and he found himself in the midst of a fire; often in the +act of crossing a stream the water rose and threatened to sweep him +away; and again, at the foot of a mountain, great rocks would roll +towards him, as if they would crush him and his colt beneath their +weight. To his dying day Peronnik never knew whether these things were +real or if he only imagined them, but he pulled down his knitted cap so +as to cover his eyes, and trusted the colt to carry him down the right +road. + +At last the forest was left behind, and they came out on a wide plain +where the air blew fresh and strong. The idiot ventured to peep out, and +found to his relief that the enchantments seemed to have ended, though +a thrill of horror shot through him as he noticed the skeletons of men +scattered over the plain, beside the skeletons of their horses. And what +were those grey forms trotting away in the distance? Were they--could +they be--wolves? + +But vast through the plain seemed, it did not take long to cross, and +very soon the colt entered a sort of shady park in which was standing a +single apple-tree, its branches bowed down to the ground with the weight +of its fruit. In front was the korigan--the little fairy man--holding in +his hand the fiery sword, which reduced to ashes everything it touched. +At the sight of Peronnik he uttered a piercing scream, and raised his +sword, but without appearing surprised the youth only lifted his cap, +though he took care to remain at a little distance. + +'Do not be alarmed, my prince,' said Peronnik, 'I am just on my way to +Kerglas, as the noble Rogear has begged me to come to him on business.' + +'Begged you to come!' repeated the dwarf, 'and who, then, are you?' + +'I am the new servant he has engaged, as you know very well,' answered +Peronnik. + +'I do not know at all,' rejoined the korigan sulkily, 'and you may be a +robber for all I can tell.' + +'I am so sorry,' replied Peronnik, 'but I may be wrong in calling myself +a servant, for I am only a bird-catcher. But do not delay me, I pray, +for his highness the magician expects me, and, as you see, has lent me +his colt so that I may reach the castle all the quicker.' + +At these words the korigan cast his eyes for the first time on the colt, +which he knew to be the one belonging to the magician, and began to +think that the young man was speaking the truth. After examining the +horse, he studied the rider, who had such an innocent, and indeed +vacant, air that he appeared incapable of inventing a story. Still, the +dwarf did not feel quite sure that all was right, and asked what the +magician wanted with a bird-catcher. + +'From what he says, he wants one very badly,' replied Peronnik, 'as he +declares that all his grain and all the fruit in his garden at Kerglas +are eaten up by the birds.' + +'And how are you going to stop that, my fine fellow?' inquired the +korigan; and Peronnik showed him the snare he had prepared, and remarked +that no bird could possible escape from it. + +'That is just what I should like to be sure of,' answered the korigan. +'My apples are completely eaten up by blackbirds and thrushes. Lay your +snare, and if you can manage to catch them, I will let you pass.' + +'That is a fair bargain,' and as he spoke Peronnik jumped down and +fastened his colt to a tree; then, stopping, he fixed one end of the net +to the trunk of the apple tree, and called to the korigan to hold the +other while he took out the pegs. The dwarf did as he was bid, when +suddenly Peronnik threw the noose over his neck and drew it close, and +the korigan was held as fast as any of the birds he wished to snare. + +Shrieking with rage, he tried to undo the cord, but he only pulled the +knot tighter. He had put down the sword on the grass, and Peronnik had +been careful to fix the net on the other side of the tree, so that it +was now easy for him to pluck an apple and to mount his horse, without +being hindered by the dwarf, whom he left to his fate. + +When they had left the plain behind them, Peronnik and his steed found +themselves in a narrow valley in which was a grove of trees, full of +all sorts of sweet-smelling things--roses of every colour, yellow broom, +pink honeysuckle--while above them all towered a wonderful scarlet pansy +whose face bore a strange expression. This was the flower that laughs, +and no one who looked at it could help laughing too. Peronnik's heart +beat high at the thought that he had reached safely the second trial, +and he gazed quite calmly at the lion with the mane of vipers twisting +and twirling, who walked up and down in front of the grove. + +The young man pulled up and removed his cap, for, idiot though he was, +he knew that when you have to do with people greater than yourself, a +cap is more useful in the hand than on the head. Then, after wishing all +kinds of good fortune to the lion and his family, he inquired if he was +on the right road to Kerglas. + +'And what is your business at Kerglas?' asked the lion with a growl, and +showing his teeth. + +'With all respect,' answered Peronnik, pretending to be very frightened, +'I am the servant of a lady who is a friend of the noble Rogear and +sends him some larks for a pasty.' + +'Larks?' cried the lion, licking his long whiskers. 'Why, it must be a +century since I have had any! Have you a large quantity with you?' + +'As many as this bag will hold,' replied Peronnik, opening, as he spoke, +the bag which he had filled with feathers and glue; and to prove what he +said, he turned his back on the lion and began to imitate the song of a +lark. + +'Come,' exclaimed the lion, whose mouth watered, 'show me the birds! I +should like to see if they are fat enough for my master.' + +'I would do it with pleasure,' answered the idiot, 'but if I once open +the bag they will all fly away.' + +'Well, open it wide enough for me to look in,' said the lion, drawing a +little nearer. + +Now this was just what Peronnik had been hoping for, so he held the bag +while the lion opened it carefully and put his head right inside, so +that he might get a good mouthful of larks. But the mass of feathers and +glue stuck to him, and before he could pull his head out again Peronnik +had drawn tight the cord, and tied it in a knot that no man could untie. +Then, quickly gathering the flower that laughs, he rode off as fast as +the colt could take him. + +The path soon led to the lake of the dragons, which he had to swim +across. The colt, who was accustomed to it, plunged into the water +without hesitation; but as soon as the dragons caught sight of Peronnik +they approached from all parts of the lake in order to devour him. + +This time Peronnik did not trouble to take off his cap, but he threw the +beads he carried with him into the water, as you throw black corn to a +duck, and with each bead that he swallowed a dragon turned on his back +and died, so that the idiot reached the other side without further +trouble. + +The valley guarded by the black man now lay before him, and from afar +Peronnik beheld him, chained by one foot to a rock at the entrance, and +holding the iron ball which never missed its mark and always returned +to its master's hand. In his head the black man had six eyes that were +never all shut at once, but kept watch one after the other. At this +moment they were all open, and Peronnik knew well that if the black +man caught a glimpse of him he would cast his ball. So, hiding the colt +behind a thicket of bushes, he crawled along a ditch and crouched close +to the very rock to which the black man was chained. + +The day was hot, and after a while the man began to grow sleepy. Two of +his eyes closed, and Peronnik sang gently. In a moment a third eye shut, +and Peronnik sang on. The lid of a fourth eye dropped heavily, and then +those of the fifth and the sixth. The black man was asleep altogether. + +Then, on tiptoe, the idiot crept back to the colt which he led over soft +moss past the black man into the vale of pleasure, a delicious garden +full of fruits that dangled before your mouth, fountains running with +wine, and flowers chanting in soft little voices. Further on, tables +were spread with food, and girls dancing on the grass called to him to +join them. + +Peronnik heard, and, scarcely knowing what he did drew the colt into a +slower pace. He sniffed greedily the smell of the dishes, and raised his +head the better to see the dancers. Another instant and he would have +stopped altogether and been lost, like others before him, when suddenly +there came to him like a vision the golden bowl and the diamond lance. +Drawing his whistle from his pocket, he blew it loudly, so as to drown +the sweet sounds about him, and ate what was left of his bread and bacon +to still the craving of the magic fruits. His eyes he fixed steadily on +the ears of the colt, that he might not see the dancers. + +In this way he was able to reach the end of the garden, and at length +perceived the castle of Kerglas, with the river between them which had +only one ford. Would the lady be there, as the old man had told him? +Yes, surely that was she, sitting on a rock, in a black satin dress, and +her face the colour of a Moorish woman's. The idiot rode up, and took +off his cap more politely than ever, and asked if she did not wish to +cross the river. + +'I was waiting for you to help me do so,' answered she. 'Come near, that +I may get up behind you.' + +Peronnik did as she bade him, and by the help of his arm she jumped +nimbly on to the back of the colt. + +'Do you know how to kill the magician?' asked the lady, as they were +crossing the ford. + +'I thought that, being a magician, he was immortal, and that no one +could kill him,' replied Peronnik. + +'Persuade him to taste that apple, and he will die, and if that is not +enough I will touch him with my finger, for I am the plague,' answered +she. + +'But if I kill him, how am I to get the golden bowl and the diamond +lance that are hidden in the cellar without a key?' rejoined Peronnik. + +'The flower that laughs opens all doors and lightens all darkness,' said +the lady; and as she spoke, they reached the further bank, and advanced +towards the castle. + +In front of the entrance was a sort of tent supported on poles, and +under it the giant was sitting, basking in the sun. As soon as he +noticed the colt bearing Peronnik and the lady, he lifted his head, and +cried in a voice of thunder: + +'Why, it is surely the idiot, riding my colt thirteen months old!' + +'Greatest of magicians, you are right,' answered Peronnik. + +'And how did you manage to catch him?' asked the giant. + +'By repeating what I learnt from your brother Bryak on the edge of the +forest,' replied the idiot. 'I just said-- + + Colt, free to run and free to eat, + Colt, gallop fast until we meet, + +and it came directly.' + +'You know my brother, then?' inquired the giant. 'Tell me why he sent +you here.' + +'To bring you two gifts which he has just received from the country of +the Moors,' answered Peronnik: 'the apple of delight and the woman of +submission. If you eat the apple you will not desire anything else, and +if you take the woman as your servant you will never wish for another.' + +'Well, give me the apple, and bid the woman get down,' answered Rogear. + +The idiot obeyed, but at the first taste of the apple the giant +staggered, and as the long yellow finger of the woman touched him he +fell dead. + +Leaving the magician where he lay, Peronnik entered the palace, bearing +with him the flower that laughs. Fifty doors flew open before him, and +at length he reached a long flight of steps which seemed to lead into +the bowels of the earth. Down these he went till he came to a silver +door without a bar or key. Then he held up high the flower that laughs, +and the door slowly swung back, displaying a deep cavern, which was as +bright as the day from the shining of the golden bowl and the diamond +lance. The idiot hastily ran forward and hung the bowl round his neck +from the chain which was attached to it, and took the lance in his hand. +As he did so, the ground shook beneath him, and with an awful rumbling +the palace disappeared, and Peronnik found himself standing close to the +forest where he led the cattle to graze. + +Though darkness was coming on, Peronnik never thought of entering +the farm, but followed the road which led to the court of the duke +of Brittany. As he passed through the town of Vannes he stopped at a +tailor's shop, and bought a beautiful costume of brown velvet and a +white horse, which he paid for with a handful of gold that he had picked +up in the corridor of the castle of Kerglas. Thus he made his way to the +city of Nantes, which at that moment was besieged by the French. + +A little way off, Peronnik stopped and looked about him. For miles round +the country was bare, for the enemy had cut down every tree and burnt +every blade of corn; and, idiot though he might be, Peronnik was able +to grasp that inside the gates men were dying of famine. He was still +gazing with horror, when a trumpeter appeared on the walls, and, after +blowing a loud blast, announced that the duke would adopt as his heir +the man who could drive the French out of the country. + +On the four sides of the city the trumpeter blew his blast, and the last +time Peronnik, who had ridden up as close as he might, answered him. + +'You need blow no more,' said he, 'for I myself will free the town from +her enemies.' And turning to a soldier who came running up, waving his +sword, he touched him with the magic lance, and he fell dead on the +spot. The men who were following stood still, amazed. Their comrade's +armour had not been pierced, of that they were sure, yet he was dead, as +if he had been struck to the heart. But before they had time to recover +from their astonishment, Peronnik cried out: + +'You see how my foes will fare; now behold what I can do for my +friends,' and, stooping down, he laid the golden bowl against the mouth +of the soldier, who sat up as well as ever. Then, jumping his horse +across the trench, he entered the gate of the city, which had opened +wide enough to receive him. + +The news of these marvels quickly spread through the town, and put fresh +spirit into the garrison, so that they declared themselves able to fight +under the command of the young stranger. And as the bowl restored all +the dead Bretons to life, Peronnik soon had an army large enough to +drive away the French, and fulfilled his promise of delivering his +country. + +As to the bowl and the lance, no one knows what became of them, but some +say that Bryak the sorcerer managed to steal them again, and that any +one who wishes to possess them must seek them as Peronnik did. + +From 'Le Foyer Breton,' par Emile Souvestre. + + + + +The Battle of the Birds + + +There was to be a great battle between all the creatures of the earth +and the birds of the air. News of it went abroad, and the son of the +king of Tethertown said that when the battle was fought he would be +there to see it, and would bring back word who was to be king. But in +spite of that, he was almost too late, and every fight had been fought +save the last, which was between a snake and a great black raven. Both +struck hard, but in the end the snake proved the stronger, and would +have twisted himself round the neck of the raven till he died had not +the king's son drawn his sword, and cut off the head of the snake at a +single blow. And when the raven beheld that his enemy was dead, he was +grateful, and said: + +'For thy kindness to me this day, I will show thee a sight. So come up +now on the root of my two wings.' The king's son did as he was bid, and +before the raven stopped flying, they had passed over seven bens and +seven glens and seven mountain moors. + +'Do you see that house yonder?' said the raven at last. 'Go straight +for it, for a sister of mine dwells there, and she will make you right +welcome. And if she asks, "Wert thou at the battle of the birds?" answer +that thou wert, and if she asks, "Didst thou see my likeness?" answer +that thou sawest it, but be sure thou meetest me in the morning at this +place.' + +The king's son followed what the raven told him and that night he had +meat of each meat, and drink of each drink, warm water for his feet, and +a soft bed to lie in. + +Thus it happened the next day, and the next, but on the fourth meeting, +instead of meeting the raven, in his place the king's son found waiting +for him the handsomest youth that ever was seen, with a bundle in his +hand. + +'Is there a raven hereabouts?' asked the king's son, and the youth +answered: + +'I am that raven, and I was delivered by thee from the spells that bound +me, and in reward thou wilt get this bundle. Go back by the road thou +camest, and lie as before, a night in each house, but be careful not to +unloose the bundle till thou art in the place wherein thou wouldst most +wish to dwell.' + +Then the king's son set out, and thus it happened as it had happened +before, till he entered a thick wood near his father's house. He had +walked a long way and suddenly the bundle seemed to grow heavier; first +he put it down under a tree, and next he thought he would look at it. + +The string was easy to untie, and the king's son soon unfastened the +bundle. What was it he saw there? Why, a great castle with an orchard +all about it, and in the orchard fruit and flowers and birds of very +kind. It was all ready for him to dwell in, but instead of being in the +midst of the forest, he did wish he had left the bundle unloosed till he +had reached the green valley close to his father's palace. Well, it was +no use wishing, and with a sigh he glanced up, and beheld a huge giant +coming towards him. + +'Bad is the place where thou hast built thy house, king's son,' said the +giant. + +'True; it is not here that I wish to be,' answered the king's son. + +'What reward wilt thou give me if I put it back in the bundle?' asked +the giant. + +'What reward dost thou ask?' answered the king's son. + +'The first boy thou hast when he is seven years old,' said the giant. + +'If I have a boy thou shalt get him,' answered the king's son, and as he +spoke the castle and the orchard were tied up in the bundle again. + +'Now take thy road, and I will take mine,' said the giant. 'And if thou +forgettest thy promise, I will remember it.' + +Light of heart the king's son went on his road, till he came to the +green valley near his father's palace. Slowly he unloosed the bundle, +fearing lest he should find nothing but a heap of stones or rags. But +no! all was as it had been before, and as he opened the castle door +there stood within the most beautiful maiden that ever was seen. + +'Enter, king's son,' said she, 'all is ready, and we will be married at +once,' and so they were. + +The maiden proved a good wife, and the king's son, now himself a king, +was so happy that he forgot all about the giant. Seven years and a day +had gone by, when one morning, while standing on the ramparts, he beheld +the giant striding towards the castle. Then he remembered his promise, +and remembered, too, that he had told the queen nothing about it. Now he +must tell her, and perhaps she might help him in his trouble. + +The queen listened in silence to his tale, and after he had finished, +she only said: + +'Leave thou the matter between me and the giant,' and as she spoke, the +giant entered the hall and stood before them. + +'Bring out your son,' cried he to the king, 'as you promised me seven +years and a day since.' + +The king glanced at his wife, who nodded, so he answered: + +'Let his mother first put him in order,' and the queen left the hall, +and took the cook's son and dressed him in the prince's clothes, and led +him up to the giant, who held his hand, and together they went out along +the road. They had not walked far when the giant stopped and stretched +out a stick to the boy. + +'If your father had that stick, what would he do with it?' asked he. + +'If my father had that stick, he would beat the dogs and cats that steal +the king's meat,' replied the boy. + +'Thou art the cook's son!' cried the giant. 'Go home to thy mother'; and +turning his back he strode straight to the castle. + +'If you seek to trick me this time, the highest stone will soon be the +lowest,' said he, and the king and queen trembled, but they could not +bear to give up their boy. + +'The butler's son is the same age as ours,' whispered the queen; 'he +will not know the difference,' and she took the child and dressed him in +the prince's clothes, and the giant let him away along the road. Before +they had gone far he stopped, and held out a stick. + +'If thy father had that rod, what would he do with it?' asked the giant. + +'He would beat the dogs and cats that break the king's glasses,' +answered the boy. + +'Thou art the son of the butler!' cried the giant. 'Go home to thy +mother'; and turning round he strode back angrily to the castle. + +'Bring out thy son at once,' roared he, 'or the stone that is highest +will be lowest,' and this time the real prince was brought. + +But though his parents wept bitterly and fancied the child was suffering +all kinds of dreadful things, the giant treated him like his own son, +though he never allowed him to see his daughters. The boy grew to be +a big boy, and one day the giant told him that he would have to amuse +himself alone for many hours, as he had a journey to make. So the boy +wandered to the top of the castle, where he had never been before. There +he paused, for the sound of music broke upon his ears, and opening a +door near him, he beheld a girl sitting by the window, holding a harp. + +'Haste and begone, I see the giant close at hand,' she whispered +hurriedly, 'but when he is asleep, return hither, for I would speak with +thee.' And the prince did as he was bid, and when midnight struck he +crept back to the top of the castle. + +'To-morrow,' said the girl, who was the giant's daughter, 'to-morrow +thou wilt get the choice of my two sisters to marry, but thou must +answer that thou wilt not take either, but only me. This will anger him +greatly, for he wishes to betroth me to the son of the king of the Green +City, whom I like not at all.' + +Then they parted, and on the morrow, as the girl had said, the giant +called his three daughters to him, and likewise the young prince to whom +he spoke. + +'Now, O son of the king of Tethertown, the time has come for us to part. +Choose one of my two elder daughters to wife, and thou shalt take her to +your father's house the day after the wedding.' + +'Give me the youngest instead,' replied the youth, and the giant's face +darkened as he heard him. + +'Three things must thou do first,' said he. + +'Say on, I will do them,' replied the prince, and the giant left the +house, and bade him follow to the byre, where the cows were kept. + +'For a hundred years no man has swept this byre,' said the giant, 'but +if by nightfall, when I reach home, thou has not cleaned it so that a +golden apple can roll through it from end to end, thy blood shall pay +for it.' + +All day long the youth toiled, but he might as well have tried to empty +the ocean. At length, when he was so tired he could hardly move, the +giant's youngest daughter stood in the doorway. + +'Lay down thy weariness,' said she, and the king's son, thinking he +could only die once, sank on the floor at her bidding, and fell sound +asleep. When he woke the girl had disappeared, and the byre was so clean +that a golden apple could roll from end to end of it. He jumped up in +surprise, and at that moment in came the giant. + +'Hast thou cleaned the byre, king's son?' asked he. + +'I have cleaned it,' answered he. + +'Well, since thou wert so active to-day, to-morrow thou wilt thatch this +byre with a feather from every different bird, or else thy blood shall +pay for it,' and he went out. + +Before the sun was up, the youth took his bow and his quiver and set off +to kill the birds. Off to the moor he went, but never a bird was to be +seen that day. At last he got so tired with running to and fro that he +gave up heart. + +'There is but one death I can die,' thought he. Then at midday came the +giant's daughter. + +'Thou art tired, king's son?' asked she. + +'I am,' answered he; 'all these hours have I wandered, and there fell +but these two blackbirds, both of one colour.' + +'Lay down thy weariness on the grass,' said she, and he did as she bade +him, and fell fast asleep. + +When he woke the girl had disappeared, and he got up, and returned to +the byre. As he drew near, he rubbed his eyes hard, thinking he was +dreaming, for there it was, beautifully thatched, just as the giant had +wished. At the door of the house he met the giant. + +'Hast thou thatched the byre, king's son?' + +'I have thatched it.' + +'Well, since thou hast been so active to-day, I have something else for +thee! Beside the loch thou seest over yonder there grows a fir tree. +On the top of the fir tree is a magpie's nest, and in the nest are five +eggs. Thou wilt bring me those eggs for breakfast, and if one is cracked +or broken, thy blood shall pay for it.' + +Before it was light next day, the king's son jumped out of bed and ran +down to the loch. The tree was not hard to find, for the rising sun +shone red on the trunk, which was five hundred feet from the ground to +its first branch. Time after time he walked round it, trying to find +some knots, however small, where he could put his feet, but the bark was +quite smooth, and he soon saw that if he was to reach the top at all, it +must be by climbing up with his knees like a sailor. But then he was a +king's son and not a sailor, which made all the difference. + +However, it was no use standing there staring at the fir, at least he +must try to do his best, and try he did till his hands and knees were +sore, for as soon as he had struggled up a few feet, he slid back again. +Once he climbed a little higher than before, and hope rose in his heart, +then down he came with such force that his hands and knees smarted worse +than ever. + +'This is no time for stopping,' said the voice of the giant's daughter, +as he leant against the trunk to recover his breath. + +'Alas! I am no sooner up than down,' answered he. + +'Try once more,' said she, and she laid a finger against the tree and +bade him put his foot on it. Then she placed another finger a little +higher up, and so on till he reached the top, where the magpie had built +her nest. + +'Make haste now with the nest,' she cried, 'for my father's breath is +burning my back,' and down he scrambled as fast as he could, but the +girl's little finger had caught in a branch at the top, and she was +obliged to leave it there. But she was too busy to pay heed to this, for +the sun was getting high over the hills. + +'Listen to me,' she said. 'This night my two sisters and I will be +dressed in the same garments, and you will not know me. But when my +father says 'Go to thy wife, king's son,' come to the one whose right +hand has no little finger.' + +So he went and gave the eggs to the giant, who nodded his head. + +'Make ready for thy marriage,' cried he, 'for the wedding shall take +place this very night, and I will summon thy bride to greet thee.' Then +his three daughters were sent for, and they all entered dressed in green +silk of the same fashion, and with golden circlets round their heads. +The king's son looked from one to another. Which was the youngest? +Suddenly his eyes fell on the hand of the middle one, and there was no +little finger. + +'Thou hast aimed well this time too,' said the giant, as the king's son +laid his hand on her shoulder, 'but perhaps we may meet some other way'; +and though he pretended to laugh, the bride saw a gleam in his eye which +warned her of danger. + +The wedding took place that very night, and the hall was filled with +giants and gentlemen, and they danced till the house shook from top to +bottom. At last everyone grew tired, and the guests went away, and the +king's son and his bride were left alone. + +'If we stay here till dawn my father will kill thee,' she whispered, +'but thou art my husband and I will save thee, as I did before,' and +she cut an apple into nine pieces, and put two pieces at the head of +the bed, and two pieces at the foot, and two pieces at the door of the +kitchen, and two at the big door, and one outside the house. And when +this was done, and she heard the giant snoring, she and the king's son +crept out softly and stole across to the stable, where she led out the +blue-grey mare and jumped on its back, and her husband mounted behind +her. Not long after, the giant awoke. + + 'Are you asleep?' asked he. + +'Not yet,' answered the apple at the head of the bed, and the giant +turned over, and soon was snoring as loudly as before. By and bye he +called again. + +'Are you asleep?' + +'Not yet,' said the apple at the foot of the bed, and the giant was +satisfied. After a while, he called a third time, 'Are you asleep?' + +'Not yet,' replied the apple in the kitchen, but when in a few minutes, +he put the question for the fourth time and received an answer from the +apple outside the house door, he guessed what had happened, and ran to +the room to look for himself. + +The bed was cold and empty! + +'My father's breath is burning my back,' cried the girl, 'put thy hand +into the ear of the mare, and whatever thou findest there, throw it +behind thee.' And in the mare's ear there was a twig of sloe tree, and +as he threw it behind him there sprung up twenty miles of thornwood so +thick that scarce a weasel could go through it. And the giant, who was +striding headlong forwards, got caught in it, and it pulled his hair and +beard. + +'This is one of my daughter's tricks,' he said to himself, 'but if I had +my big axe and my wood-knife, I would not be long making a way through +this,' and off he went home and brought back the axe and the wood-knife. + +It took him but a short time to cut a road through the blackthorn, and +then he laid the axe and the knife under a tree. + +'I will leave them there till I return,' he murmured to himself, but a +hoodie crow, which was sitting on a branch above, heard him. + +'If thou leavest them,' said the hoodie, 'we will steal them.' + +'You will,' answered the giant, 'and I must take them home.' So he took +them home, and started afresh on his journey. + +'My father's breath is burning my back,' cried the girl at midday. 'Put +thy finger in the mare's ear and throw behind thee whatever thou findest +in it,' and the king's son found a splinter of grey stone, and threw it +behind him, and in a twinkling twenty miles of solid rock lay between +them and the giant. + +'My daughter's tricks are the hardest things that ever met me,' said +the giant, 'but if I had my lever and my crowbar, I would not be long in +making my way through this rock also,' but as he had got them, he had to +go home and fetch them. Then it took him but a short time to hew his way +through the rock. + +'I will leave the tools here,' he murmured aloud when he had finished. + +'If thou leavest them, we will steal them,' said a hoodie who was +perched on a stone above him, and the giant answered: + +'Steal them if thou wilt; there is no time to go back.' + +'My father's breath is burning my back,' cried the girl; 'look in the +mare's ear, king's son, or we are lost,' and he looked, and found a tiny +bladder full of water, which he threw behind him, and it became a +great lock. And the giant, who was striding on so fast, could not stop +himself, and he walked right into the middle and was drowned. + +The blue-grey mare galloped on like the wind, and the next day the +king's son came in sight of his father's house. + +'Get down and go in,' said the bride, 'and tell them that thou hast +married me. But take heed that neither man nor beast kiss thee, for then +thou wilt cease to remember me at all.' + +'I will do thy bidding,' answered he, and left her at the gate. All who +met him bade him welcome, and he charged his father and mother not to +kiss him, but as he greeted them his old greyhound leapt on his neck, +and kissed him on the mouth. And after that he did not remember the +giant's daughter. + +All that day she sat on a well which was near the gate, waiting, +waiting, but the king's son never came. In the darkness she climbed up +into an oak tree that shadowed the well, and there she lay all night, +waiting, waiting. + +On the morrow, at midday, the wife of a shoemaker who dwelt near the +well went to draw water for her husband to drink, and she saw the shadow +of the girl in the tree, and thought it was her own shadow. + +'How handsome I am, to be sure,' said she, gazing into the well, and as +she stopped to behold herself better, the jug struck against the stones +and broke in pieces, and she was forced to return to her husband without +the water, and this angered him. + +'Thou hast turned crazy,' said he in wrath. 'Go thou, my daughter, and +fetch me a drink,' and the girl went, and the same thing befell her as +had befallen her mother. + +'Where is the water?' asked the shoemaker, when she came back, and as +she held nothing save the handle of the jug he went to the well himself. +He too saw the reflection of the woman in the tree, but looked up to +discover whence it came, and there above him sat the most beautiful +woman in the world. + +'Come down,' he said, 'for a while thou canst stay in my house,' and +glad enough the girl was to come. + +Now the king of the country was about to marry, and the young men about +the court thronged the shoemaker's shop to buy fine shoes to wear at the +wedding. + +'Thou hast a pretty daughter,' said they when they beheld the girl +sitting at work. + +'Pretty she is,' answered the shoemaker, 'but no daughter of mine.' + +'I would give a hundred pounds to marry her,' said one. + +'And I,' 'And I,' cried the others. + +'That is no business of mine,' answered the shoemaker, and the young men +bade him ask her if she would choose one of them for a husband, and to +tell them on the morrow. Then the shoemaker asked her, and the girl said +that she would marry the one who would bring his purse with him. So the +shoemaker hurried to the youth who had first spoken, and he came back, +and after giving the shoemaker a hundred pounds for his news, he sought +the girl, who was waiting for him. + +'Is it thou?' inquired she. 'I am thirsty, give me a drink from the well +that is yonder.' And he poured out the water, but he could not move from +the place where he was; and there he stayed till many hours had passed +by. + +'Take away that foolish boy,' cried the girl to the shoemaker at last, +'I am tired of him,' and then suddenly he was able to walk, and betook +himself to his home, but he did not tell the others what had happened to +him. + +Next day there arrived one of the other young men, and in the evening, +when the shoemaker had gone out and they were alone, she said to him, +'See if the latch is on the door.' The young man hastened to do her +bidding, but as soon as he touched the latch, his fingers stuck to it, +and there he had to stay for many hours, till the shoemaker came back, +and the girl let him go. Hanging his head, he went home, but he told no +one what had befallen him. + +Then was the turn of the third man, and his foot remained fastened to +the floor, till the girl unloosed it. And thankfully, he ran off, and +was not seen looking behind him. + +'Take the purse of gold,' said the girl to the shoemaker, 'I have no +need of it, and it will better thee.' And the shoemaker took it and told +the girl he must carry the shoes for the wedding up to the castle. + +'I would fain get a sight of the king's son before he marries,' sighed +she. + +'Come with me, then,' answered he; 'the servants are all my friends, and +they will let you stand in the passage down which the king's son will +pass, and all the company too.' + +Up they went to the castle, and when the young men saw the girl standing +there, they led her into the hall where the banquet was laid out and +poured her out some wine. She was just raising the glass to drink when a +flame went up out of it, and out of the flame sprang two pigeons, one of +gold and one of silver. They flew round and round the head of the girl, +when three grains of barley fell on the floor, and the silver pigeon +dived down, and swallowed them. + +'If thou hadst remembered how I cleaned the byre, thou wouldst have +given me my share,' cooed the golden pigeon, and as he spoke three more +grains fell, and the silver pigeon ate them as before. + +'If thou hadst remembered how I thatched the byre, thou wouldst have +given me my share,' cooed the golden pigeon again; and as he spoke three +more grains fell, and for the third time they were eaten by the silver +pigeon. + +'If thou hadst remembered how I got the magpie's nest, thou wouldst have +given me my share,' cooed the golden pigeon. + +Then the king's son understood that they had come to remind him of what +he had forgotten, and his lost memory came back, and he knew his wife, +and kissed her. But as the preparations had been made, it seemed a pity +to waste them, so they were married a second time, and sat down to the +wedding feast. + +From 'Tales of the West Highlands.' + + + + +The Lady of the Fountain. + + +In the centre of the great hall in the castle of Caerleon upon Usk, king +Arthur sat on a seat of green rushes, over which was thrown a covering +of flame-coloured silk, and a cushion of red satin lay under his elbow. +With him were his knights Owen and Kynon and Kai, while at the far +end, close to the window, were Guenevere the queen and her maidens +embroidering white garments with strange devices of gold. + +'I am weary,' said Arthur, 'and till my food is prepared I would fain +sleep. You yourselves can tell each other tales, and Kai will fetch you +from the kitchen a flagon of mean and some meat.' + +And when they had eaten and drunk, Kynon, the oldest among them, began +his story. + +'I was the only son of my father and mother, and much store they set by +me, but I was not content to stay with them at home, for I thought no +deed in all the world was too mighty for me. None could hold me back, +and after I had won many adventures in my own land, I bade farewell +to my parents and set out to see the world. Over mountains, through +deserts, across rivers I went, till I reached a fair valley full of +trees, with a path running by the side of a stream. I walked along that +path all the day, and in the evening I came to a castle in front of +which stood two youths clothed in yellow, each grasping an ivory bow, +with arrows made of the bones of the whale, and winged with peacock's +feathers. By their sides hung golden daggers with hilts of the bones of +the whale. + +'Near these young men was a man richly dressed, who turned and went with +me towards the castle, where all the dwellers were gathered in the hall. +In one window I beheld four and twenty damsels, and the least fair of +them was fairer than Guenevere at her fairest. Some took my horse, and +others unbuckled my armour, and washed it, with my sword and spear, till +it all shone like silver. Then I washed myself and put on a vest and +doublet which they brought me, and I and the man that entered with me +sat down before a table of silver, and a goodlier feast I never had. + +'All this time neither the man nor the damsels had spoken one word, but +when our dinner was half over, and my hunger was stilled, the man began +to ask who I was. Then I told him my name and my father's name, and why +I came there, for indeed I had grown weary of gaining the mastery over +all men at home, and sought if perchance there was one who could gain +the mastery over me. And at this the man smiled and answered: + +'"If I did not fear to distress thee too much, I would show thee what +thou seekest." His words made me sorrowful and fearful of myself, which +the man perceived, and added, "If thou meanest truly what thou sayest, +and desirest earnestly to prove thy valour, and not to boast vainly that +none can overcome thee, I have somewhat to show thee. But to-night thou +must sleep in the this castle, and in the morning see that thou rise +early and follow the road upwards through the valley, until thou +reachest a wood. In the wood is a path branching to the right; go along +this path until thou comest to a space of grass with a mound in the +middle of it. On the top of the mound stands a black man, larger than +any two white men; his eye is in the centre of his forehead and he has +only one foot. He carries a club of iron, and two white men could hardly +lift it. Around him graze a thousand beasts, all of different kinds, for +he is the guardian of that wood, and it is he who will tell thee which +way to go in order to find the adventure thou art in quest of." + +'So spake the man, and long did that night seem to me, and before dawn +I rose and put on my armour, and mounted my horse and rode on till I +reached the grassy space of which he had told me. There was the black +man on top of the mound, as he had said, and in truth he was mightier +in all ways than I had thought him to be. As for the club, Kai, it would +have been a burden for four of our warriors. He waited for me to speak, +and I asked him what power he held over the beasts that thronged so +close about him. + +'"I will show thee, little man," he answered, and with his club he +struck a stag on the head till he brayed loudly. And at his braying the +animals came running, numerous as the stars in the sky, so that scarce +was I able to stand among them. Serpents were there also, and dragons, +and beasts of strange shapes, with horns in places where never saw I +horns before. And the black man only looked at them and bade them go +and feed. And they bowed themselves before him, as vassals before their +lord. + +'"Now, little man, I have answered thy question and showed thee my +power," said he. "Is there anything else thou wouldest know?" Then I +inquired of him my way, but he grew angry, and, as I perceived, would +fain have hindered me; but at the last, after I had told him who I was, +his anger passed from him. + +'"Take that path," said he, "that leads to the head of this grassy +glade, and go up the wood till thou reachest the top. There thou wilt +find an open space, and in the midst of it a tall tree. Under the tree +is a fountain, and by the fountain a marble slab, and on the slab a bowl +of silver, with a silver chain. Dip the bowl in the fountain, and throw +the water on the slab, and thou wilt hear a might peal of thunder, till +heaven and earth seem trembling with the noise. After the thunder will +come hail, so fierce that scarcely canst thou endure it and live, for +the hailstones are both large and thick. Then the sun will shine again, +but every leaf of the tree will by lying on the ground. Next a flight +of birds will come and alight on the tree, and never didst thou hear a +strain so sweet as that which they will sing. And at the moment in which +their song sounds sweetest thou wilt hear a murmuring and complaining +coming towards thee along the valley, and thou wilt see a knight in +black velvet bestriding a black horse, bearing a lance with a black +pennon, and he will spur his steed so as to fight thee. If thou turnest +to flee, he will overtake thee. And if thou abidest were thou art, he +will unhorse thee. And if thou dost not find trouble in that adventure, +thou needest not to seek it during the rest of thy life." + +'So I bade the black man farewell, and took my way to the top of the +wood, and there I found everything just as I had been told. I went up to +the tree beneath which stood the fountain, and filling the silver bowl +with water, emptied it on the marble slab. Thereupon the thunder came, +louder by far than I had expected to hear it, and after the thunder came +the shower, but heavier by far than I had expected to feel it, for, of a +truth I tell thee, Kai, not one of those hailstones would be stopped by +skin or by flesh till it had reached the bone. I turned my horse's flank +towards the shower, and, bending over his neck, held my shield so that +it might cover his head and my own. When the hail had passed, I looked +on the tree and not a single leaf was left on it, and the sky was blue +and the sun shining, while on the branches were perched birds of very +kind, who sang a song sweeter than any that has come to my ears, either +before or since. + +'Thus, Kai, I stood listening to the birds, when lo, a murmuring voice +approached me, saying: + +'"O knight, what has brought thee hither? What evil have I done to thee, +that thou shouldest do so much to me, for in all my lands neither man +nor beast that met that shower has escaped alive." Then from the valley +appeared the knight on the black horse, grasping the lance with the +black pennon. Straightway we charged each other, and though I fought +my best, he soon overcame me, and I was thrown to the ground, while the +knight seized the bridle of my horse, and rode away with it, leaving me +where I was, without even despoiling me of my armour. + +'Sadly did I go down the hill again, and when I reached the glade where +the black man was, I confess to thee, Kai, it was a marvel that I did +not melt into a liquid pool, so great was my shame. That night I slept +at the castle where I had been before, and I was bathed and feasted, and +none asked me how I had fared. The next morning when I arose I found a +bay horse saddled for me, and, girdling on my armour, I returned to my +own court. The horse is still in the stable, and I would not part with +it for any in Britain. + +'But of a truth, Kai, no man ever confessed an adventure so much to his +own dishonour, and strange indeed it seems that none other man have I +ever met that knew of the black man, and the knight and the shower.' + +'Would it not be well,' said Owen, 'to go and discover the place?' + +'By the hand of my friend,' answered Kai, 'often dost thou utter that +with thy tongue which thou wouldest not make good with thy deeds.' + +'In truth,' said Guenevere the queen, who had listened to the tale, +'thou wert better hanged, Kai, than use such speech towards a man like +Owen.' + +'I meant nothing, lady,' replied Kai; 'thy praise of Owen is not greater +than mine.' And as he spoke Arthur awoke, and asked if he had not slept +for a little. + +'Yes, lord,' answered Owen, 'certainly thou hast slept.' + +'Is it time for us to go to meat?' + +'It is, lord,' answered Owen. + +Then the horn for washing themselves was sounded, and after that the +king and his household sat down to eat. And when they had finished, Owen +left them, and made ready his horse and his arms. + +With the first rays of the sun he set forth, and travelled through +deserts and over mountains and across rivers, and all befell him which +had befallen Kynon, till he stood under the leafless tree listening +to the song of the birds. Then he heard the voice, and turning to look +found the knight galloping to meet him. Fiercely they fought till their +lances were broken, and then they drew their swords, and a blow from +Owen cut through the knight's helmet, and pierced his skull. + +Feeling himself wounded unto death the knight fled, and Owen pursued him +till they came to a splendid castle. Here the knight dashed across the +bridge that spanned the moat, and entered the gate, but as soon as he +was safe inside, the drawbridge was pulled up and caught Owen's horse in +the middle, so that half of him was inside and half out, and Owen could +not dismount and knew not what to do. + +While he was in this sore plight a little door in the castle gate +opened, and he could see a street facing him, with tall houses. Then a +maiden with curling hair of gold looked through the little door and bade +Owen open the gate. + +'By my troth!' cried Owen, 'I can no more open it from here than thou +art able to set me free.' + +'Well,' said she, 'I will do my best to release thee if thou wilt do +as I tell thee. Take this ring and put it on with the stone inside thy +hand, and close thy fingers tight, for as long as thou dost conceal it, +it will conceal thee. When the men inside have held counsel together, +they will come to fetch thee to thy death, and they will be much grieved +not to find thee. I will stand on the horse block yonder and thou canst +see me though I cannot see thee. Therefore draw near and place thy hand +on my shoulder and follow me wheresoever I go.' + +Upon that she went away from Owen, and when the men came out from the +castle to seek him and did not find him they were sorely grieved, and +they returned to the castle. + +Then Owen went to the maiden and placed his hand on her shoulder, and +she guided him to a large room, painted all over with rich colours, and +adorned with images of gold. Here she gave him meat and drink, and water +to wash with and garments to wear, and he lay down upon a soft bed, with +scarlet and fur to cover him, and slept gladly. + +In the middle of the night he woke hearing a great outcry, and he jumped +up and clothed himself and went into the hall, where the maiden was +standing. + +'What is it?' he asked, and she answered that the knight who owned the +castle was dead, and they were bearing his body to the church. Never had +Owen beheld such vast crowds, and following the dead knight was the most +beautiful lady in the world, whose cry was louder than the shout of the +men, or the braying of the trumpets. And Owen looked on her and loved +her. + +'Who is she?' he asked the damsel. 'That is my mistress, the countess of +the fountain, and the wife of him whom thou didst slay yesterday.' + +'Verily,' said Owen, 'she is the woman that I love best.' + +'She shall also love thee not a little,' said the maiden. + +Then she left Owen, and after a while went into the chamber of her +mistress, and spoke to her, but the countess answered her nothing. + +'What aileth thee, mistress?' inquired the maiden. + +'Why hast thou kept far from me in my grief, Luned?' answered the +countess, and in her turn the damsel asked: + +'Is it well for thee to mourn so bitterly for the dead, or for anything +that is gone from thee?' + +'There is no man in the world equal to him,' replied the countess, +her cheeks growing red with anger. 'I would fain banish thee for such +words.' + +'Be not angry, lady,' said Luned, 'but listen to my counsel. Thou +knowest well that alone thou canst not preserve thy lands, therefore +seek some one to help thee.' + +'And how can I do that?' asked the countess. + +'I will tell thee,' answered Luned. 'Unless thou canst defend the +fountain all will be lost, and none can defend the fountain except a +knight of Arthur's court. There will I go to seek him, and woe betide me +if I return without a warrior that can guard the fountain, as well as he +who kept it before.' + +'Go then,' said the countess, 'and make proof of that which thou hast +promised.' + +So Luned set out, riding on a white palfrey, on pretence of journeying +to King Arthur's court, but instead of doing that she hid herself for as +many days as it would have taken her to go and come, and then she left +her hiding-place, and went into the countess. + +'What news from the court?' asked her mistress, when she had given Luned +a warm greeting. + +'The best of news,' answered the maiden, 'for I have gained the object +of my mission. When wilt thou that I present to thee the knight who has +returned with me?' + +'To-morrow at midday,' said the countess, 'and I will cause all the +people in the town to come together.' + +Therefore the next day at noon Owen put on his coat of mail, and over it +he wore a splendid mantle, while on his feet were leather shoes fastened +with clasps of gold. And he followed Luned to the chamber of her +mistress. + +Right glad was the countess to see them, but she looked closely at Owen +and said: + +'Luned, this knight has scarcely the air of a traveller.' + +'What harm is there in that, lady?' answered Luned. + +'I am persuaded,' said the countess, 'that this man and no other chased +the soul from the body of my lord.' + +'Had he not been stronger than thy lord,' replied the damsel, 'he could +not have taken his life, and for that, and for all things that are past, +there is no remedy.' + +'Leave me, both of you,' said the countess, 'and I will take counsel.' + +Then they went out. + +The next morning the countess summoned her subjects to meet in the +courtyard of the castle, and told them that now that her husband was +dead there was none to defend her lands. + +'So choose you which it shall be,' she said. 'Either let one of you take +me for a wife, or give me your consent to take a new lord for myself, +that my lands be not without a master.' + +At her words the chief men of the city withdrew into one corner and took +counsel together, and after a while the leader came forward and said +that they had decided that it was best, for the peace and safety of +all, that she should choose a husband for herself. Thereupon Owen was +summoned to her presence, and he accepted with joy the hand that she +offered him, and they were married forthwith, and the men of the earldom +did him homage. + +From that day Owen defended the fountain as the earl before him had +done, and every knight that came by was overthrown by him, and his +ransom divided among his barons. In this way three years passed, and no +man in the world was more beloved than Owen. + +Now at the end of the three years it happened that Gwalchmai the knight +was with Arthur, and he perceived the king to be very sad. + +'My lord, has anything befallen thee?' he asked. + +'Oh, Gwalchmai, I am grieved concerning Owen, whom I have lost these +three years, and if a fourth year passes without him I can live no +longer. And sure am I that the tale told by Kynon the son of Clydno +caused me to lose him. I will go myself with the men of my household to +avenge him if he is dead, to free him if he is in prison, to bring him +back if he is alive.' + +Then Arthur and three thousand men of his household set out in quest of +Owen, and took Kynon for their guide. When Arthur reached the castle, +the youths were shooting in the same place, and the same yellow man was +standing by, and as soon as he beheld Arthur he greeted him and invited +him in, and they entered together. So vast was the castle that the +king's three thousand men were of no more account than if they had been +twenty. + +At sunrise Arthur departed thence, with Kynon for his guide, and reached +the black man first, and afterwards the top of the wooded hill, with the +fountain and the bowl and the tree. + +'My lord,' said Kai, 'let me throw the water on the slab, and receive +the first adventure that may befall.' + +'Thou mayest do so,' answered Arthur, and Kai threw the water. + +Immediately all happened as before; the thunder and the shower of +hail which killed many of Arthur's men; the song of the birds and the +appearance of the black knight. And Kai met him and fought him, and was +overthrown by him. Then the knight rode away, and Arthur and his men +encamped where they stood. + +In the morning Kai again asked leave to meet the knight and to try to +overcome him, which Arthur granted. But once more he was unhorsed, and +the black knight's lance broke his helmet and pierced the skin even to +the bone, and humbled in spirit he returned to the camp. + +After this every one of the knights gave battle, but none came out +victor, and at length there only remained Arthur himself and Gwalchmai. + +'Oh, let me fight him, my lord,' cried Gwalchmai, as he saw Arthur +taking up his arms. + +'Well, fight then,' answered Arthur, and Gwalchmai threw a robe over +himself and his horse, so that none knew him. All that day they fought, +and neither was able to throw the other, and so it was on the next day. +On the third day the combat was so fierce that they fell both to the +ground at once, and fought on their feet, and at last the black knight +gave his foe such a blow on his head that his helmet fell from his face. + +'I did not know it was thee, Gwalchmai,' said the black knight. 'Take my +sword and my arms.' + +'No,' answered Gwalchmai, 'it is thou, Owen, who art the victor, take +thou my sword'; but Owen would not. + +'Give me your swords,' said Arthur from behind them, 'for neither of +you has vanquished the other,' and Owen turned and put his arms round +Arthur's neck. + +The next day Arthur would have given orders to his men to make ready to +go back whence they came, but Owen stopped him. + +'My lord,' he said, 'during the three years that I have been absent from +thee I have been preparing a banquet for thee, knowing full well that +thou wouldst come to seek me. Tarry with me, therefore, for a while, +thou and thy men.' + +So they rode to the castle of the countess of the fountain, and spent +three months in resting and feasting. And when it was time for them to +depart Arthur besought the countess that she would allow Owen to go +with him to Britain for the space of three months. With a sore heart she +granted permission, and so content was Owen to be once more with his old +companions that three years instead of three months passed away like a +dream. + +One day Owen sat at meat in the castle of Caerleon upon Usk, when a +damsel on a bay horse entered the hall, and riding straight up to the +place where Owen sat she stooped and drew the ring from off his hand. + +'Thus shall be treated the traitor and the faithless,' said she, and +turning her horse's head she rode out of the hall. + +At her words Owen remembered all that he had forgotten, and sorrowful +and ashamed he went to his own chamber and made ready to depart. At the +dawn he set out, but he did not go back to the castle, for his heart was +heavy, but he wandered far into wild places till his body was weak and +thin, and his hair was long. The wild beasts were his friends, and he +slept by their side, but in the end he longed to see the face of a man +again, and he came down into a valley and fell asleep by a lake in the +lands of a widowed countess. + +Now it was the time when the countess took her walk, attended by her +maidens, and when they saw a man lying by the lake they shrank back in +terror, for he lay so still that they thought he was dead. But when they +had overcome their fright, they drew near him, and touched him, and saw +that there was life in him. Then the countess hastened to the castle, +and brought from it a flask full of precious ointment and gave it to one +of her maidens. + +'Take that horse which is grazing yonder,' she said, 'and a suit of +men's garments, and place them near the man, and pour some of this +ointment near his heart. If there is any life in him that will bring it +back. But if he moves, hide thyself in the bushes near by, and see what +he does.' + +The damsel took the flask and did her mistress' bidding. Soon the man +began to move his arms, and then rose slowly to his feet. Creeping +forward step by step he took the garments from off the saddle and put +them on him, and painfully he mounted the horse. When he was seated the +damsel came forth and greeted him, and glad was he when he saw her and +inquired what castle that was before him. + +'It belongs to a widowed countess,' answered the maiden. 'Her husband +left her two earldoms, but it is all that remains of her broad lands, +for they have been torn from her by a young earl, because she would not +marry him.' + +'That is a pity,' replied Owen, but he said no more, for he was too weak +to talk much. Then the maiden guided him to the castle, and kindled a +fire, and brought him food. And there he stayed and was tended for three +months, till he was handsomer than ever he was. + +At noon one day Owen heard a sound of arms outside the castle, and he +asked of the maiden what it was. + +'It is the earl of whom I spoke to thee,' she answered, 'who has come +with a great host to carry off my mistress.' + +'Beg of her to lend me a horse and armour,' said Owen, and the maiden +did so, but the countess laughed somewhat bitterly as she answered: + +'Nay, but I will give them to him, and such a horse and armour and +weapons as he has never had yet, though I know not what use they will be +to him. Yet mayhap it will save them from falling into the hands of my +enemies.' + +The horse was brought out and Owen rode forth with two pages behind him, +and they saw the great host encamped before them. + +'Where is the earl?' said he, and the pages answered: + +'In yonder troop where are four yellow standards.' + +'Await me,' said Owen, 'at the gate of the castle, and he cried a +challenge to the earl, who came to meet him. Hard did they fight, but +Owen overthrew his enemy and drove him in front to the castle gate and +into the hall. + +'Behold the reward of thy blessed balsam,' said he, as he bade the earl +kneel down before her, and made him swear that he would restore all that +he had taken from her. + +After that he departed, and went into the deserts, and as he was passing +through a wood he heard a loud yelling. Pushing aside the bushes he +beheld a lion standing on a great mound, and by it a rock. Near the rock +was a lion seeking to reach the mound, and each time he moved out darted +a serpent from the rock to prevent him. Then Owen unsheathed his +sword, and cut off the serpent's head and went on his way, and the lion +followed and played about him, as if he had been a greyhound. And much +more useful was he than a greyhound, for in the evening he brought large +logs in his mouth to kindle a fire, and killed a fat buck for dinner. + +Owen made his fire and skinned the buck, and put some of it to roast, +and gave the rest to the lion for supper. While he was waiting for the +meat to cook he heard a sound of deep sighing close to him, and he said: + +'Who are thou?' + +'I am Luned,' replied a voice from a cave so hidden by bushes and green +hanging plants that Owen had not seen it. + +'And what dost thou here?' cried he. + +'I am held captive in this cave on account of the knight who married +the countess and left her, for the pages spoke ill of him, and because I +told them that no man living was his equal they dragged me here and said +I should die unless he should come to deliver me by a certain day, and +that is no further than the day after to-morrow. His name is Owen the +son of Urien, but I have none to send to tell him of my danger, or of a +surety he would deliver me.' + +Owen held his peace, but gave the maiden some of the meat, and bade her +be of good cheer. Then, followed by the lion, he set out for a great +castle on the other side of the plain, and men came and took his horse +and placed it in a manger, and the lion went after and lay down on the +straw. Hospitable and kind were all within the castle, but so full of +sorrow that it might have been thought death was upon them. At length, +when they had eaten and drunk, Owen prayed the earl to tell him the +reason of their grief. + +'Yesterday,' answered the earl, 'my two sons were seized, while thy were +hunting, by a monster who dwells on those mountains yonder, and he vows +that he will not let them go unless I give him my daughter to wife.' + +'That shall never be,' said Owen; 'but what form hath this monster?' + +'In shape he is a man, but in stature he is a giant,' replied the earl, +'and it were better by far that he should slay my sons than that I +should give up my daughter.' + +Early next morning the dwellers in the castle were awakened by a great +clamour, and they found that the giant had arrived with the two young +men. Swiftly Owen put on his armour and went forth to meet the giant, +and the lion followed at his heels. And when the great beast beheld the +hard blows which the giant dealt his master he flew at his throat, and +much trouble had the monster in beating him off. + +'Truly,' said the giant, 'I should find no difficulty in fighting thee, +if it were not for that lion.' When he heard that Owen felt shame that +he could not overcome the giant with his own sword, so he took the lion +and shut him up in one of the towers of the castle, and returned to the +fight. But from the sound of the blows the lion knew that the combat +was going ill for Owen, so he climbed up till he reached the top of +the tower, where there was a door on to the roof, and from the tower he +sprang on to the walls, and from the walls to the ground. Then with a +loud roar he leaped upon the giant, who fell dead under the blow of his +paw. + +Now the gloom of the castle was turned into rejoicing, and the earl +begged Owen to stay with him till he could make him a feast, but the +knight said he had other work to do, and rode back to the place where he +had left Luned, and the lion followed at his heels. When he came there +he saw a great fire kindled, and two youths leading out the maiden to +cast her upon the pile. + +'Stop!' he cried, dashing up to them. 'What charge have you against +her?' + +'She boasted that no man in the world was equal to Owen,' said they, +'and we shut her in a cave, and agreed that none should deliver her but +Owen himself, and that if he did not come by a certain day she should +die. And now the time has past and there is no sign of him.' + +'In truth he is a good knight, and had he but known that the maid was in +peril he would have come to save her,' said Owen; 'but accept me in his +stead, I entreat you.' + +'We will,' replied they, and the fight began. + +The youths fought well and pressed hard on Owen, and when the lion saw +that he came to help his master. But the youths made a sign for the +fight to stop, and said: + +'Chieftain, it was agreed we should give battle to thee alone, and it is +harder for us to contend with yonder beast than with thee.' + +Then Owen shut up the lion in the cave where the maiden had been in +prison, and blocked up the front with stones. But the fight with the +giant had sorely tried him, and the youths fought well, and pressed him +harder than before. And when the lion saw that he gave a loud roar, and +burst through the stones, and sprang upon the youths and slew them. And +so Luned was delivered at the last. + +Then the maiden rode back with Owen to the lands of the lady of the +fountain. And he took the lady with him to Arthur's court, where they +lived happily till they died. + +From the 'Mabinogion.' + + + + +The Four Gifts + + +In the old land of Brittany, once called Cornwall, there lived a woman +named Barbaik Bourhis, who spent all her days in looking after her farm +with the help of her niece Tephany. Early and late the two might be +seen in the fields or in the dairy, milking cows, making butter, feeding +fowls; working hard themselves and taking care that others worked too. +Perhaps it might have been better for Barbaik if she had left herself a +little time to rest and to think about other things, for soon she grew +to love money for its own sake, and only gave herself and Tephany the +food and clothes they absolutely needed. And as for poor people she +positively hated them, and declared that such lazy creatures had no +business in the world. + +Well, this being the sort of person Barbaik was, it is easy to guess at +her anger when one day she found Tephany talking outside the cowhouse to +young Denis, who was nothing more than a day labourer from the village +of Plover. Seizing her niece by the arm, she pulled her sharply away, +exclaiming: + +'Are you not ashamed, girl, to waste your time over a man who is as poor +as a rat, when there are a dozen more who would be only too happy to buy +you rings of silver, if you would let them?' + +'Denis is a good workman, as you know very well,' answered Tephany, red +with anger, 'and he puts by money too, and soon he will be able to take +a farm for himself.' + +'Nonsense,' cried Barbaik, 'he will never save enough for a farm till +he is a hundred. I would sooner see you in your grave than the wife of a +man who carries his whole fortune on his back.' + +'What does fortune matter when one is young and strong?' asked Tephany, +but her aunt, amazed at such words, would hardly let her finish. + +'What does fortune matter?' repeated Barbaik, in a shocked voice. 'Is it +possible that you are really so foolish as to despise money? If this is +what you learn from Denis, I forbid you to speak to him, and I will have +him turned out of the farm if he dares to show his face here again. Now +go and wash the clothes and spread them out to dry.' + +Tephany did not dare to disobey, but with a heavy heart went down the +path to the river. + +'She is harder than these rocks,' said the girl to herself, 'yes, a +thousand times harder. For the rain at least can at last wear away the +stone, but you might cry for ever, and she would never care. Talking to +Denis is the only pleasure I have, and if I am not to see him I may as +well enter a convent.' + +Thinking these thoughts she reached the bank, and began to unfold the +large packet of linen that had to be washed. The tap of a stick made her +look up, and standing before her she saw a little old woman, whose face +was strange to her. + +'You would like to sit down and rest, granny?' asked Tephany, pushing +aside her bundle. + +'When the sky is all the roof you have, you rest where you will,' +replied the old woman in trembling tones. + +'Are you so lonely, then?' inquired Tephany, full of pity. 'Have you no +friends who would welcome you into their houses?' + +The old woman shook her head. + +'They all died long, long ago,' she answered, 'and the only friends I +have are strangers with kind hearts.' + +The girl did not speak for a moment, then held out the small loaf and +some bacon intended for her dinner. + +'Take this,' she said; 'to-day at any rate you shall dine well,' and the +old woman took it, gazing at Tephany the while. + +'Those who help others deserve to be helped,' she answered; 'your eyes +are still red because that miser Barbaik has forbidden you to speak to +the young man from Plover. But cheer up, you are a good girl, and I will +give you something that will enable you to see him once every day.' + +'You?' cried Tephany, stupefied at discovering that the beggar knew all +about her affairs, but the old woman did not hear her. + +'Take this long copper pin,' she went on, 'and every time you stick it +in your dress Mother Bourhis will be obliged to leave the house in order +to go and count her cabbages. As long as the pin is in your dress you +will be free, and your aunt will not come back until you have put it in +its case again.' Then, rising, she nodded to Tephany and vanished. + +The girl stood where she was, as still as a stone. If it had not been +for the pin in her hands she would have thought she was dreaming. But by +that token she knew it was no common old woman who had given it to her, +but a fairy, wise in telling what would happen in the days to come. Then +suddenly Tephany's eyes fell on the clothes, and to make up for lost +time she began to wash them with great vigour. + +Next evening, at the moment when Denis was accustomed to wait for her in +the shadow of the cowhouse, Tephany stuck the pin in her dress, and at +the very same instant Barbaik took up her sabots or wooden shoes and +went through the orchard and past to the fields, to the plot where the +cabbages grew. With a heart as light as her footsteps, the girl ran from +the house, and spent her evening happily with Denis. And so it was for +many days after that. Then, at last, Tephany began to notice something, +and the something made her very sad. + +At first, Denis seemed to find the hours that they were together fly as +quickly as she did, but when he had taught her all the songs he knew, +and told her all the plans he had made for growing rich and a great +man, he had nothing more to say to her, for he, like a great many other +people, was fond of talking himself, but not of listening to any one +else. Sometimes, indeed, he never came at all, and the next evening +he would tell Tephany that he had been forced to go into the town on +business, but though she never reproached him she was not deceived and +saw plainly that he no longer cared for her as he used to do. + +Day by day her heart grew heavier and her cheeks paler, and one evening, +when she had waited for him in vain, she put her water-pot on her +shoulder and went slowly down to the spring. On the path in front of her +stood the fairy who had given her the pin, and as she glanced at Tephany +she gave a little mischievous laugh and said: + +'Why, my pretty maiden hardly looks happier than she did before, in +spite of meeting her lover whenever she pleases.' + +'He has grown tired of me,' answered Tephany in a trembling voice, 'and +he makes excuses to stay away. Ah! granny dear, it is not enough to be +able to see him, I must be able to amuse him and to keep him with me. He +is so clever, you know. Help me to be clever too.' + +'Is that what you want?' cried the old woman. 'Well, take this feather +and stick it in your hair, and you will be as wise as Solomon himself.' + +Blushing with pleasure Tephany went home and stuck the feather into the +blue ribbon which girls always wear in that part of the country. In +a moment she heard Denis whistling gaily, and as her aunt was safely +counting her cabbages, she hurried out to meet him. The young man was +struck dumb by her talk. There was nothing that she did not seem to +know, and as for songs she not only could sing those from every part of +Brittany, but could compose them herself. Was this really the quiet +girl who had been so anxious to learn all he could teach her, or was it +somebody else? Perhaps she had gone suddenly mad, and there was an evil +spirit inside her. But in any case, night after night he came back, only +to find her growing wiser and wiser. Soon the neighbours whispered their +surprise among themselves, for Tephany had not been able to resist the +pleasure of putting the feather in her hair for some of the people who +despised her for her poor clothes, and many were the jokes she made +about them. Of course they heard of her jests, and shook their heads +saying: + +'She is an ill-natured little cat, and the man that marries her will +find that it is she who will hold the reins and drive the horse.' + +It was not long before Denis began to agree with them, and as he always +liked to be master wherever he went, he became afraid of Tephany's sharp +tongue, and instead of laughing as before when she made fun of other +people he grew red and uncomfortable, thinking that his turn would come +next. + +So matters went on till one evening Denis told Tephany that he really +could not stay a moment, as he had promised to go to a dance that was to +be held in the next village. + +Tephany's face fell; she had worked hard all day, and had been counting +on a quiet hour with Denis. She did her best to persuade him to remain +with her, but he would not listen, and at last she grew angry. + +'Oh, I know why you are so anxious not to miss the dance,' she said; 'it +is because Aziliez of Pennenru will be there.' + +Now Aziliez was the loveliest girl for miles round, and she and Denis +had known each other from childhood. + +'Oh yes, Aziliez will be there,' answered Denis, who was quite pleased +to see her jealous, 'and naturally one would go a long way to watch her +dance.' + +'Go then!' cried Tephany, and entering the house she slammed the door +behind her. + +Lonely and miserable she sat down by the fire and stared into the red +embers. Then, flinging the feather from her hair, she put her head on +her hands, and sobbed passionately. + +'What is the use of being clever when it is beauty that men want? That +is what I ought to have asked for. But it is too late, Denis will never +come back.' + +'Since you wish it so much you shall have beauty,' said a voice at her +side, and looking round she beheld the old woman leaning on her stick. + +'Fasten this necklace round your neck, and as long as you wear it you +will be the most beautiful woman in the world,' continued the fairy. +With a little shriek of joy Tephany took the necklace, and snapping the +clasp ran to the mirror which hung in the corner. Ah, this time she was +not afraid of Aziliez or of any other girl, for surely none could be as +fair and white as she. And with the sight of her face a thought came +to her, and putting on hastily her best dress and her buckled shoes she +hurried off to the dance. + +On the way she met a beautiful carriage with a young man seated in it. + +'What a lovely maiden!' he exclaimed, as Tephany approached. 'Why, there +is not a girl in my own country that can be compared to her. She, and no +other, shall be my bride.' + +The carriage was large and barred the narrow road, so Tephany was +forced, much against her will, to remain where she was. But she looked +the young man full in the face as she answered: + +'Go your way, noble lord, and let me go mine. I am only a poor peasant +girl, accustomed to milk, and make hay and spin.' + +'Peasant you may be, but I will make you a great lady,' said he, taking +her hand and trying to lead her to the carriage. + +'I don't want to be a great lady, I only want to be the wife of Denis,' +she replied, throwing off his hand and running to the ditch which +divided the road from the cornfield, where he hoped to hide. Unluckily +the young man guessed what she was doing, and signed to his attendants, +who seized her and put her in the coach. The door was banged, and the +horses whipped up into a gallop. + +At the end of an hour they arrived at a splendid castle, and Tephany, +who would not move, was lifted out and carried into the hall, while +a priest was sent for to perform the marriage ceremony. The young man +tried to win a smile from her by telling of all the beautiful things she +should have as his wife, but Tephany did not listen to him, and looked +about to see if there was any means by which she could escape. It did +not seem easy. The three great doors were closely barred, and the one +through which she had entered shut with a spring, but her feather was +still in her hair, and by its aid she detected a crack in the wooden +panelling, through which a streak of light could be dimly seen. Touching +the copper pin which fastened her dress, the girl sent every one in the +hall to count the cabbages, while she herself passed through the little +door, not knowing whither she was going. + +By this time night had fallen, and Tephany was very tired. Thankfully +she found herself at the gate of a convent, and asked if she might stay +there till morning. But the portress answered roughly that it was no +place for beggars, and bade her begone, so the poor girl dragged herself +slowly along the road, till a light and the bark of a dog told her that +she was near a farm. + +In front of the house was a group of people; two or three women and +the sons of the farmer. When their mother heard Tephany's request to be +given a bed the good wife's heart softened, and she was just going to +invite her inside, when the young men, whose heads were turned by the +girl's beauty, began to quarrel as to which should do most for her. From +words they came to blows, and the women, frightened at the disturbance, +pelted Tephany with insulting names. She quickly ran down the nearest +path, hoping to escape them in the darkness of the trees, but in an +instant she heard their footsteps behind her. Wild with fear her legs +trembled under her, when suddenly she bethought herself of her necklace. +With a violent effort she burst the clasp and flung it round the neck +of a pig which was grunting in a ditch, and as she did so she heard the +footsteps cease from pursuing her and run after the pig, for her charm +had vanished. + +On she went, scarcely knowing where she was going, till she found +herself, to her surprise and joy, close to her aunt's house. For several +days she felt so tired and unhappy that she could hardly get through her +work, and to make matters worse Denis scarcely ever came near her. + +'He was too busy,' he said, 'and really it was only rich people who +could afford to waste time in talking.' + +As the days went on Tephany grew paler and paler, till everybody noticed +it except her aunt. The water-pot was almost too heavy for her now, but +morning and evening she carried it to the spring, though the effort to +lift it to her shoulder was often too much for her. + +'How could I have been so foolish,' she whispered to herself, when she +went down as usual at sunset. 'It was not freedom to see Denis that I +should have asked for, for he was soon weary of me, nor a quick tongue, +for he was afraid of it, nor beauty, for that brought me nothing but +trouble, but riches which make life easy both for oneself and others. +Ah! if I only dared to beg this gift from the fairy, I should be wiser +than before and know how to choose better.' + +'Be satisfied,' said the voice of the old woman, who seemed to be +standing unseen at Tephany's elbow. 'If you look in your right-hand +pocket when you go home you will find a small box. Rub your eyes with +the ointment it contains, and you will see that you yourself contain a +priceless treasure.' + +Tephany did not in the least understand what she meant, but ran back +to the farm as fast as she could, and began to fumble joyfully in +her right-hand pocket. Sure enough, there was the little box with the +precious ointment. She was in the act of rubbing her eyes with it when +Barbaik Bourhis entered the room. Ever since she had been obliged to +leave her work and pass her time, she did not know why, in counting +cabbages, everything had gone wrong, and she could not get a labourer +to stay with her because of her bad temper. When, therefore, she saw her +niece standing quietly before her mirror, Barbaik broke out: + +'So this is what you do when I am out in the fields! Ah! it is no wonder +if the farm is ruined. Are you not ashamed, girl, to behave so?' + +Tephany tried to stammer some excuse, but her aunt was half mad with +rage, and a box on the ears was her only answer. At this Tephany, hurt, +bewildered and excited, could control herself no longer, and turning +away burst into tears. But what was her surprise when she saw that each +tear-drop was a round and shining pearl. Barbaik, who also beheld this +marvel, uttered a cry of astonishment, and threw herself on her knees to +pick them up from the floor. + +She was still gathering them when the door opened and in came Denis. + +'Pearls! Are they really pearls?' he asked, falling on his knees also, +and looking up at Tephany he perceived others still more beautiful +rolling down the girl's cheeks. + +'Take care not to let any of the neighbours hear of it, Denis,' said +Barbaik. 'Of course you shall have your share, but nobody else shall get +a single one. Cry on, my dear, cry on,' she continued to Tephany. It +is for your good as well as ours,' and she held out her apron to catch +them, and Denis his hat. + +But Tephany could hardly bear any more. She felt half choked at the +sight of their greediness, and wanted to rush from the hall, and though +Barbaik caught her arm to prevent this, and said all sorts of tender +words which she thought would make the girl weep the more, Tephany with +a violent effort forced back her tears, and wiped her eyes. + +'Is she finished already?' cried Barbaik, in a tone of disappointment. +'Oh, try again, my dear. Do you think it would do any good to beat her a +little?' she added to Denis, who shook his head. + +'That is enough for the first time. I will go into the town and find out +the value of each pearl.' + +'Then I will go with you,' said Barbaik, who never trusted anyone and +was afraid of being cheated. So the two went out, leaving Tephany behind +them. + +She sat quite still on her chair, her hands clasped tightly together, +as if she was forcing something back. At last she raised her eyes, which +had been fixed on the ground, and beheld the fairy standing in a dark +corner by the hearth, observing her with a mocking look. The girl +trembled and jumped up, then, taking the feather, the pin, and the box, +she held them out to the old woman. + +'Here they are, all of them,' she cried; 'they belong to you. Let me +never see them again, but I have learned the lesson that they taught me. +Others may have riches, beauty and wit, but as for me I desire nothing +but to be the poor peasant girl I always was, working hard for those she +loves.' + +'Yes, you have learned your lesson,' answered the fairy, 'and now you +shall lead a peaceful life and marry the man you love. For after all it +was not yourself you thought of but him.' + +Never again did Tephany see the old woman, but she forgave Denis for +selling her tears, and in time he grew to be a good husband, who did his +own share of work. + +From 'Le Foyer Breton,' par E. Souvestre. + + + + +The Groac'h of the Isle of Lok + + +In old times, when all kinds of wonderful things happened in Brittany, +there lived in the village of Lanillis, a young man named Houarn Pogamm +and a girl called Bellah Postik. They were cousins, and as their mothers +were great friends, and constantly in and out of each other's houses, +they had often been laid in the same cradle, and had played and fought +over their games. + +'When they are grown up they will marry,' said the mothers; but just as +every one was beginning to think of wedding bells, the two mothers died, +and the cousins, who had no money, went as servants in the same house. +This was better than being parted, of course, but not so good as having +a little cottage of their own, where they could do as they liked, and +soon they might have been heard bewailing to each other the hardness of +their lots. + +'If we could only manage to buy a cow and get a pig to fatten,' grumbled +Houarn, 'I would rent a bit of ground from the master, and then we could +be married.' + +'Yes,' answered Bellah, with a deep sigh; 'but we live in such hard +times, and at the last fair the price of pigs had risen again.' + +'We shall have long to wait, that is quite clear,' replied Houarn, +turning away to his work. + +Whenever they met they repeated their grievances, and at length Houarn's +patience was exhausted, and one morning he came to Bellah and told her +that he was going away to seek his fortune. + +The girl was very unhappy as she listened to this, and felt sorry that +she had not tried to make the best of things. She implored Houarn not to +leave her, but he would listen to nothing. + +'The birds,' he said, 'continue flying until they reach a field of corn, +and the bees do not stop unless they find the honey-giving flowers, and +why should a man have less sense than they? Like them, I shall seek till +I get what I want--that is, money to buy a cow and a pig to fatten. And +if you love me, Bellah, you won't attempt to hinder a plan which will +hasten our marriage.' + +The girl saw it was useless to say more, so she answered sadly: + +'Well, go then, since you must. But first I will divide with you all +that my parents left me,' and going to her room, she opened a small +chest, and took from it a bell, a knife, and a little stick. + +'This bell,' she said, 'can be heard at any distance, however far, but +it only rings to warn us that our friends are in great danger. The knife +frees all it touches from the spells that have been laid on them; while +the stick will carry you wherever you want to go. I will give you the +knife to guard you against the enchantments of wizards, and the bell to +tell me of your perils. The stick I shall keep for myself, so that I can +fly to you if ever you have need of me.' + +Then they cried for a little on each other's necks, and Houarn started +for the mountains. + +But in those days, as in these, beggars abounded, and through every +village he passed they followed Houarn in crowds, mistaking him for a +gentleman, because there were no holes in his clothes. + +'There is no fortune to be made here,' he thought to himself; 'it is a +place for spending, and not earning. I see I must go further,' and he +walked on to Pont-aven, a pretty little town built on the bank of a +river. + +He was sitting on a bench outside an inn, when he heard two men who were +loading their mules talking about the Groac'h of the island of Lok. + +'What is a Groac'h?' asked he. 'I have never come across one.' And the +men answered that it was the name given to the fairy that dwelt in the +lake, and that she was rich--oh! richer than all the kings in the world +put together. Many had gone to the island to try and get possession of +her treasures, but no one had ever come back. + +As he listened Houarn's mind was made up. + +'I will go, and return too,' he said to the muleteers. They stared at +him in astonishment, and besought him not to be so mad and to throw away +his life in such a foolish manner; but he only laughed, and answered +that if they could tell him of any other way in which to procure a cow +and a pig to fatten, he would think no more about it. But the men did +not know how this was to be done, and, shaking their heads over his +obstinacy, left him to his fate. + +So Houarn went down to the sea, and found a boatman who engaged to take +him to the isle of Lok. + +The island was large, and lying almost across it was a lake, with a +narrow opening to the sea. Houarn paid the boatman and sent him away, +and then proceeded to walk round the lake. At one end he perceived a +small skiff, painted blue and shaped like a swan, lying under a clump of +yellow broom. As far as he could see, the swan's head was tucked under +its wing, and Houarn, who had never beheld a boat of the sort, went +quickly towards it and stepped in, so as to examine it the better. +But no sooner was he on board than the swan woke suddenly up; his head +emerged from under his wing, his feet began to move in the water, and in +another moment they were in the middle of the lake. + +As soon as the young man had recovered from his surprise, he prepared +to jump into the lake and swim to shore. But the bird had guessed his +intentions, and plunged beneath the water, carrying Houarn with him to +the palace of the Groac'h. + +Now, unless you have been under the sea and beheld all the wonders that +lie there, you can never have an idea what the Groac'h's palace was +like. It was all made of shells, blue and green and pink and lilac and +white, shading into each other till you could not tell where one colour +ended and the other began. The staircases were of crystal, and every +separate stair sang like a woodland bird as you put your foot on it. +Round the palace were great gardens full of all the plants that grow in +the sea, with diamonds for flowers. + +In a large hall the Groac'h was lying on a couch of gold. The pink and +white of her face reminded you of the shells of her palace, while her +long black hair was intertwined with strings of coral, and her dress +of green silk seemed formed out of the sea. At the sight of her Houarn +stopped, dazzled by her beauty. + +'Come in,' said the Groac'h, rising to her feet. 'Strangers and handsome +youths are always welcome here. Do not be shy, but tell me how you found +your way, and what you want.' + +'My name is Houarn,' he answered, 'Lanillis is my home, and I am trying +to earn enough money to buy a little cow and a pig to fatten.' + +'Well, you can easily get that,' replied she; 'it is nothing to worry +about. Come in and enjoy yourself.' And she beckoned him to follow her +into a second hall whose floors and walls were formed of pearls, while +down the sides there were tables laden with fruit and wines of all +kinds; and as he ate and drank, the Groac'h talked to him and told him +how the treasures he saw came from shipwrecked vessels, and were brought +to her palace by a magic current of water. + +'I do not wonder,' exclaimed Houarn, who now felt quite at home--'I do +not wonder that the people on the earth have so much to say about you.' + +'The rich are always envied.' + +'For myself,' he added, with a laugh, 'I only ask for the half of your +wealth.' + +'You can have it, if you will, Houarn,' answered the fairy. + +'What do you mean?' cried he. + +'My husband, Korandon, is dead,' she replied, 'and if you wish it, I +will marry you.' + +The young man gazed at her in surprise. Could any one so rich and so +beautiful really wish to be his wife? He looked at her again, and Bellah +was forgotten as he answered: + +'A man would be mad indeed to refuse such an offer. I can only accept it +with joy.' + +'Then the sooner it is done the better,' said the Groac'h, and gave +orders to her servants. After that was finished, she begged Houarn to +accompany her to a fish-pond at the bottom of the garden. + +'Come lawyer, come miller, come tailor, come singer!' cried she, holding +out a net of steel; and at each summons a fish appeared and jumped into +the net. When it was full she went into a large kitchen and threw them +all into a golden pot; but above the bubbling of the water Houarn seemed +to hear the whispering of little voices. + +'Who is it whispering in the golden pot, Groac'h?' he inquired at last. + +'It is nothing but the noise of the wood sparkling,' she answered; but +it did not sound the least like that to Houarn. + +'There it is again,' he said, after a short pause. + +'The water is getting hot, and it makes the fish jump,' she replied; but +soon the noise grew louder and like cries. + +'What is it?' asked Houarn, beginning to feel uncomfortable. + +'Just the crickets on the hearth,' said she, and broke into a song which +drowned the cries from the pot. + +But though Houarn held his peace, he was not as happy as before. +Something seemed to have gone wrong, and then he suddenly remembered +Bellah. + +'Is it possible I can have forgotten her so soon? What a wretch I am!' +he thought to himself; and he remained apart and watched the Groac'h +while she emptied the fish into a plate, and bade him eat his dinner +while she fetched wine from her cellar in a cave. + +Houarn sat down and took out the knife which Bellah had given him, but +as soon as the blade touched the fish the enchantment ceased, and four +men stood before him. + +'Houarn, save us, we entreat you, and save yourself too!' murmured they, +not daring to raise their voices. + +'Why, it must have been you who were crying out in the pot just now!' +exclaimed Houarn. + +'Yes, it was us,' they answered. 'Like you, we came to the isle of Lok +to seek our fortunes, and like you we consented to marry the Groac'h, +and no sooner was the ceremony over than she turned us into fishes, as +she had done to all our forerunners, who are in the fish-pond still, +where you will shortly join them.' + +On hearing this Houarn leaped into the air, as if he already felt +himself frizzling in the golden pot. He rushed to the door, hoping to +escape that way; but the Groac'h, who had heard everything, met him on +the threshold. Instantly she threw the steel net over his head, and the +eyes of a little green frog peeped through the meshes. + +'You shall go and play with the rest,' she said, carrying him off to the +fish-pond. + +It was at this very moment that Bellah, who was skimming the milk in the +farm dairy, heard the fairy bell tinkle violently. + +At the sound she grew pale, for she knew it meant that Houarn was in +danger; and, hastily, changing the rough dress she wore for her work, +she left the farm with the magic stick in her hand. + +Her knees were trembling under her, but she ran as fast as she could to +the cross roads, where she drove her stick into the ground, murmuring as +she did so a verse her mother had taught her: + + Little staff of apple-tree, + Over the earth and over the sea, + Up in the air be guide to me, + Everywhere to wander free, + +and immediately the stick became a smart little horse, with a rosette +at each ear and a feather on his forehead. He stood quite still while +Bellah scrambled up, then he started off, his pace growing quicker and +quicker, till at length the girl could hardly see the trees and houses +as they flashed past. But, rapid as the pace was, it was not rapid +enough for Bellah, who stooped and said: + +'The swallow is less swift than the wind, the wind is less swift than +the lightning. But you, my horse, if you love me, must be swifter than +them all, for there is a part of my heart that suffers--the best part +of my heart that is in danger.' + +And the horse heard her, and galloped like a straw carried along by +a tempest till they reached the foot of a rock called the Leap of the +Deer. There he stopped, for no horse or mule that ever was born could +climb that rock, and Bellah knew it, so she began to sing again: + + Horse of Leon, given to me, + Over the earth and over the sea, + Up in the air be guide to me, + Everywhere to wander free, + +and when she had finished, the horse's fore legs grew shorter and spread +into wings, his hind legs became claws, feathers sprouted all over his +body, and she sat on the back of a great bird, which bore her to the +summit of the rock. Here she found a nest made of clay and lined with +dried moss, and in the centre a tiny man, black and wrinkled, who gave a +cry of surprise at the sight of Bellah. + +'Ah! you are the pretty girl who was to come and save me!' + +'To save you!' repeated Bellah. 'But who are you, my little friend?' + +'I am the husband of the Groac'h of the isle of Lok, and it is owing to +her that I am here.' + +'But what are you doing in this nest?' + +'I am sitting on six eggs of stone, and I shall not be set free till +they are hatched.' + +On hearing this Bellah began to laugh. + +'Poor little cock!' she said, 'and how am I to deliver you?' + +'By delivering Houarn, who is in the power of the Groac'h.' + +'Ah! tell me how I can manage that, and if I have to walk round the +whole of Brittany on my bended knees I will do it!' + +'Well, first you must dress yourself as a young man, and then go and +seek the Groac'h. When you have found her you must contrive to get hold +of the net of steel that hangs from her waist, and shut her up in it for +ever.' + +'But where am I to find a young man's clothes?' asked she. + +'I will show you,' he replied, and as he spoke he pulled out three of +his red hairs and blew them away, muttering something the while. In the +twinkling of an eye the four hairs changed into four tailors, of whom +the first carried a cabbage, the second a pair of scissors, the third +a needle, and the fourth an iron. Without waiting for orders, they sat +down in the nest and, crossing their legs comfortably, began to prepare +the suit of clothes for Bellah. + +With one of the leaves of the cabbage they made her a coat, and another +served for a waistcoat; but it took two for the wide breeches which were +then in fashion. The hat was cut from the heart of the cabbage, and a +pair of shoes from the thick stem. And when Bellah had put them all on +you would have taken her for a gentleman dressed in green velvet, lined +with white satin. + +She thanked the little men gratefully, and after a few more +instructions, jumped on the back of her great bird, and was borne away +to the isle of Lok. Once there, she bade him transform himself back into +a stick, and with it in her hand she stepped into the blue boat, which +conducted her to the palace of shells. + +The Groac'h seemed overjoyed to see her, and told her that never before +had she beheld such a handsome young man. Very soon she led her visitor +into the great hall, where wine and fruit were always waiting, and +on the table lay the magic knife, left there by Houarn. Unseen by the +Groac'h, Bellah hid it in a pocket of her green coat, and then followed +her hostess into the garden, and to the pond which contained the fish, +their sides shining with a thousand different colours. + +'Oh! what beautiful, beautiful creatures!' said she. 'I'm sure I should +never be tired of watching them.' And she sat down on the bank, with +her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, her eyes fixed on the +fishes as they flashed past. + +'Would you not like to stay here always?' asked the Groac'h; and Bellah +answered that she desired nothing better. + +'Then you have only to marry me,' said the Groac'h. 'Oh! don't say no, +for I have fallen deeply in love with you.' + +'Well, I won't say "No,"' replied Bellah, with a laugh, 'but you must +promise first to let me catch one of those lovely fish in your net.' + +'It is not so easy as it looks,' rejoined the Groac'h, smiling, 'but +take it, and try your luck.' + +Bellah took the net which the Groac'h held out, and, turning rapidly, +flung it over the witch's head. + +'Become in body what you are in soul!' cried she, and in an instant the +lovely fairy of the sea was a toad, horrible to look upon. She struggled +hard to tear the net asunder, but it was no use. Bellah only drew it +the tighter, and, flinging the sorceress into a pit, she rolled a great +stone across the mouth, and left her. + +As she drew near the pond she saw a great procession of fishes advancing +to meet her, crying in hoarse tones: + +'This is our lord and master, who has saved us from the net of steel and +the pot of gold!' + +'And who will restore you to your proper shapes,' said Bellah, drawing +the knife from her pocket. But just as she was going to touch the +foremost fish, her eyes fell on a green frog on his knees beside her, +his little paws crossed over his little heart. Bellah felt as if fingers +were tightening round her throat, but she managed to cry: + +'Is this you, my Houarn? Is this you?' + +'It is I,' croaked the little frog; and as the knife touched him he was +a man again, and, springing up, he clasped her in his arms. + +'But we must not forget the others,' she said at last, and began to +transform the fishes to their proper shapes. There were so many of them +that it took quite a long time. Just as she had finished there arrived +the little dwarf from the Deer's Leap in a car drawn by six cockchafers, +which once had been the six stone eggs. + +'Here I am!' he exclaimed. 'You have broken the spell that held me, and +now come and get your reward,' and, dismounting from his chariot, he led +them down into the caves filled with gold and jewels, and bade Bellah +and Houarn take as much as they wanted. + +When their pockets were full, Bellah ordered her stick to become a +winged carriage, large enough to bear them and the men they had rescued +back to Lanillis. + +There they were married the next day, but instead of setting up +housekeeping with the little cow and pig to fatten that they had so long +wished for, they were able to buy lands for miles round for themselves, +and gave each man who had been delivered from the Groac'h a small farm, +where he lived happily to the end of his days. + +From 'Le Foyer Breton,' par E. Souvestre. + + + + +The Escape of the Mouse + + +Manawyddan the prince and his friend Pryderi were wanderers, for the +brother of Manawyddan had been slain, and his throne taken from him. +Very sorrowful was Manawyddan, but Pryderi was stout of heart, and bade +him be of good cheer, as he knew a way out of his trouble. + +'And what may that be?' asked Manawyddan. + +'It is that thou marry my mother Rhiannon and become lord of the fair +lands that I will give her for dowry. Never did any lady have more wit +than she, and in her youth none was more lovely; even yet she is good to +look upon.' + +'Thou art the best friend that ever a man had,' said Manawyddan. 'Let us +go now to seek Rhiannon, and the lands where she dwells.' + +Then they set forth, but the news of their coming ran swifter still, and +Rhiannon and Kieva, wife of Pryderi, made haste to prepare a feast for +them. And Manawyddan found that Pryderi had spoken the truth concerning +his mother, and asked if she would take him for her husband. Right +gladly did she consent, and without delay they were married, and rode +away to the hunt, Rhiannon and Manawyddan, Kieva and Pryderi, and they +would not be parted from each other by night or by day, so great was the +love between them. + +One day, when they were returned, they were sitting out in a green +place, and suddenly the crash of thunder struck loudly on their ears, +and a wall of mist fell between them, so that they were hidden one from +the other. Trembling they sat till the darkness fled and the light shone +again upon them, but in the place where they were wont to see cattle, +and herds, and dwellings, they beheld neither house nor beast, nor man +nor smoke; neither was any one remaining in the green place save these +four only. + +'Whither have they gone, and my host also?' cried Manawyddan, and they +searched the hall, and there was no man, and the castle, and there was +none, and in the dwellings that were left was nothing save wild beasts. +For a year these four fed on the meat that Manawyddan and Pryderi killed +out hunting, and the honey of the bees that sucked the mountain heather. +For a time they desired nothing more, but when the next year began they +grew weary. + +'We cannot spend our lives thus,' said Manawyddan at last, 'let us go +into England and learn some trade by which we may live.' So they +left Wales, and went to Hereford, and there they made saddles, while +Manawyddan fashioned blue enamel ornaments to put on their trappings. +And so greatly did the townsfolk love these saddles, that no others +were bought throughout the whole of Hereford, till the saddlers banded +together and resolved to slay Manawyddan and his companions. + +When Pryderi heard of it, he was very wroth, and wished to stay and +fight. But the counsels of Manawyddan prevailed, and they moved by night +to another city. + +'What craft shall we follow?' asked Pryderi. + +'We will make shields,' answered Manawyddan. + +'But do we know anything of that craft?' answered Pryderi. + +'We will try it,' said Manawyddan, and they began to make shields, and +fashioned them after the shape of the shields they had seen; and these +likewise they enamelled. And so greatly did they prosper that no man +in the town bought a shield except they had made it, till at length the +shield-makers banded together as the saddlers had done, and resolved to +slay them. But of this they had warning, and by night betook themselves +to another town. + +'Let us take to making shoes,' said Manawyddan, 'for there are not any +among the shoemakers bold enough to fight us.' + +'I know nothing of making shoes,' answered Pryderi, who in truth +despised so peaceful a craft. + +'But I know,' replied Manawyddan, 'and I will teach thee to stitch. We +will buy the leather ready dressed, and will make the shoes from it. + +Then straightway he sought the town for the best leather, and for a +goldsmith to fashion the clasps, and he himself watched till it was +done, so that he might learn for himself. Soon he became known as 'The +Maker of Gold Shoes,' and prospered so greatly, that as long as one +could be bought from him not a shoe was purchased from the shoemakers +of the town. And the craftsmen were wroth, and banded together to slay +them. + +'Pryderi,' said Manawyddan, when he had received news of it, 'we will +not remain in England any longer. Let us set forth to Dyved.' + +So they journeyed until they came to their lands at Narberth. There they +gathered their dogs round them, and hunted for a year as before. + +After that a strange thing happened. One morning Pryderi and Manawyddan +rose up to hunt, and loosened their dogs, which ran before them, till +they came to a small bush. At the bush, the dogs shrank away as if +frightened, and returned to their masters, their hair brisling on their +backs. + +'We must see what is in that bush,' said Pryderi, and what was in it was +a boar, with a skin as white as the snow on the mountains. And he came +out, and made a stand as the dogs rushed on him, driven on by the men. +Long he stood at bay; then at last he betook himself to flight, and fled +to a castle which was newly built, in a place where no building had ever +been known. Into the castle he ran, and the dogs after him, and long +though their masters looked and listened, they neither saw nor heard +aught concerning dogs or boar. + +'I will go into the castle and get tidings of the dogs,' said Pryderi at +last. + +'Truly,' answered Manawyddan, 'thou wouldst do unwisely, for whosoever +has cast a spell over this land has set this castle here.' + +'I cannot give up my dogs,' replied Pryderi, and to the castle he went. + +But within was neither man nor beast; neither boar nor dogs, but only +a fountain with marble round it, and on the edge a golden bowl, richly +wrought, which pleased Pryderi greatly. In a moment he forgot about his +dogs, and went up to the bowl and took hold of it, and his hands +stuck to the bowl, and his feet to the marble slab, and despair took +possession of him. + +Till the close of day Manawyddan waited for him, and when the sun was +fast sinking, he went home, thinking that he had strayed far. + +'Where are thy friend and thy dogs?' said Rhiannon, and he told her what +had befallen Pryderi. + +'A good friend hast thou lost,' answered Rhiannon, and she went up to +the castle and through the gate, which was open. There, in the centre of +the courtyard, she beheld Pryderi standing, and hastened towards him. + +'What dost thou here?' she asked, laying her hand on the bowl, and as +she spoke she too stuck fast, and was not able to utter a word. Then +thunder was heard and a veil of darkness descended upon them, and the +castle vanished and they with it. + +When Kieva, the wife of Pryderi, found that neither her husband nor +his mother returned to her, she was in such sorrow that she cared not +whether she lived or died. Manawyddan was grieved also in his heart, and +said to her: + +'It is not fitting that we should stay here, for he have lost our dogs +and cannot get food. Let us go into England--it is easier for us to live +there.' So they set forth. + +'What craft wilt thou follow?' asked Kieva as they went along. + +'I shall make shoes as once I did,' replied he; and he got all the +finest leather in the town and caused gilded clasps to be made for the +shoes, till everyone flocked to buy, and all the shoemakers in the +town were idle and banded together in anger to kill him. But luckily +Manawyddan got word of it, and he and Kieva left the town one night and +proceeded to Narberth, taking with him a sheaf of wheat, which he sowed +in three plots of ground. And while the wheat was growing up, he hunted +and fished, and they had food enough and to spare. Thus the months +passed until the harvest; and one evening Manawyddan visited the +furthest of his fields of wheat; and saw that it was ripe. + +'To-morrow I will reap this,' said he; but on the morrow when he went to +reap the wheat he found nothing but the bare straw. + +Filled with dismay he hastened to the second field, and there the corn +was ripe and golden. + +'To-morrow I will reap this,' he said, but on the morrow the ears had +gone, and there was nothing but the bare straw. + +'Well, there is still one field left,' he said, and when he looked +at it, it was still fairer than the other two. 'To-night I will watch +here,' thought he, 'for whosoever carried off the other corn will in +like manner take this, and I will know who it is.' So he hid himself and +waited. + +The hours slid by, and all was still, so still that Manawyddan well-nigh +dropped asleep. But at midnight there arose the loudest tumult in the +world, and peeping out he beheld a mighty host of mice, which could +neither be numbered nor measured. Each mouse climbed up a straw till +it bent down with its weight, and then it bit off one of the ears, and +carried it away, and there was not one of the straws that had not got a +mouse to it. + +Full of wrath he rushed at the mice, but he could no more come up with +them than if they had been gnats, or birds of the air, save one only +which lingered behind the rest, and this mouse Manawyddan came up with. +Stooping down he seized it by the tail, and put it in his glove, and +tied a piece of string across the opening of the glove, so that the +mouse could not escape. When he entered the hall where Kieva was +sitting, he lighted a fire, and hung the glove up on a peg. + +'What hast thou there?' asked she. + +'A thief,' he answered, 'that I caught robbing me.' + +'What kind of a thief may it be which thou couldst put in thy glove?' +said Kieva. + +'That I will tell thee,' he replied, and then he showed her how his +fields of corn had been wasted, and how he had watched for the mice. + +'And one was less nimble than the rest, and is now in my glove. +To-morrow I will hang it, and I only wish I had them all.' + +'It is a marvel, truly,' said she, 'yet it would be unseemly for a man +of thy dignity to hang a reptile such as this. Do not meddle with it, +but let it go.' + +'Woe betide me,' he cried, 'if I would not hang them all if I could +catch them, and such as I have I will hang.' + +'Verily,' said she, 'there is no reason I should succour this reptile, +except to prevent discredit unto thee.' + +'If I knew any cause that I should succour it, I would take thy +counsel,' answered Manawyddan, 'but as I know of none, I am minded to +destroy it.' + +'Do so then,' said Kieva. + +So he went up a hill and set up two forks on the top, and while he +was doing this he saw a scholar coming towards him, whose clothes were +tattered. Now it was seven years since Manawyddan had seen man or beast +in that place, and the sight amazed him. + +'Good day to thee, my lord,' said the scholar. + +'Good greeting to thee, scholar. Whence dost thou come?' + +'From singing in England; but wherefore dost thou ask?' + +'Because for seven years no man hath visited this place.' + +'I wander where I will,' answered the scholar. 'And what work art thou +upon?' + +'I am about to hang a thief that I caught robbing me!' + +'What manner of thief is that?' inquired the scholar. 'I see a creature +in thy hand like upon a mouse, and ill does it become a man of thy rank +to touch a reptile like this. Let it go free.' + +'I will not let it go free,' cried Manawyddan. 'I caught it robbing me, +and it shall suffer the doom of a thief.' + +'Lord!' said the scholar, 'sooner than see a man like thee at such a +work, I would give thee a pound which I have received as alms to let it +go free.' + +'I will not let it go free, neither will I sell it.' + +'As thou wilt, lord,' answered the scholar, and he went his way. + +Manawyddan was placing the cross-beam on the two forked sticks, where +the mouse was to hang, when a priest rode past. + +'Good-day to thee, lord; and what art thou doing?' + +'I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me.' + +'What manner of thief, lord?' + +'A creature in the form of a mouse. It has been robbing me, and it shall +suffer the doom of a thief.' + +'Lord,' said the priest, 'sooner than see thee touch this reptile, I +would purchase its freedom.' + +'I will neither sell it nor set it free.' + +'It is true that a mouse is worth nothing, but rather than see thee +defile thyself with touching such a reptile as this, I will give thee +three pounds for it.' + +'I will not take any price for it. It shall be hanged as it deserves.' + +'Willingly, my lord, if it is thy pleasure.' And the priest went his +way. + +Then Manawyddan noosed the string about the mouse's neck, and was +about to draw it tight when a bishop, with a great following and horses +bearing huge packs, came by. + +'What work art thou upon?' asked the bishop, drawing rein. + +'Hanging a thief that I caught robbing me.' + +'But is not that a mouse that I see in thine hand?' asked the bishop. + +'Yes; that is the thief,' answered Manawyddan. + +'Well, since I have come at the doom of this reptile, I will ransom it +of thee for seven pounds, rather than see a man of thy rank touch it. +Loose it, and let it go.' + +'I will not let it loose.' + +'I will give thee four and twenty pounds to set it free,' said the +bishop. + +'I will not set it free for as much again.' + +'If thou wilt not set it free for this, I will give thee all the horses +thou seest and the seven loads of baggage.' + +'I will not set it free.' + +'Then tell me at what price thou wilt loose it, and I will give it.' + +'The spell must be taken off Rhiannon and Pryderi,' said Manawyddan. + +'That shall be done.' + +'But not yet will I loose the mouse. The charm that has been cast over +all my lands must be taken off likewise.' + +'This shall be done also.' + +'But not yet will I loose the mouse till I know who she is.' + +'She is my wife,' answered the bishop. + +'And wherefore came she to me?' asked Manawyddan. + +'To despoil thee,' replied the bishop, 'for it is I who cast the charm +over thy lands, to avenge Gwawl the son of Clud my friend. And it was I +who threw the spell upon Pryderi to avenge Gwawl for the trick that had +been played on him in the game of Badger in the Bag. And not only was I +wroth, but my people likewise, and when it was known that thou wast come +to dwell in the land, they besought me much to change them into mice, +that they might eat thy corn. The first and the second nights it was +the men of my own house that destroyed thy two fields, but on the third +night my wife and her ladies came to me and begged me to change them +also into the shape of mice, that they might take part in avenging +Gwawl. Therefore I changed them. Yet had she not been ill and slow of +foot, thou couldst not have overtaken her. Still, since she was caught, +I will restore thee Pryderi and Rhiannon, and will take the charm from +off thy lands. I have told thee who she is; so now set her free.' + +'I will not set her free,' answered Manawyddan, 'till thou swear that no +vengeance shall be taken for his, either upon Pryderi, or upon Rhiannon, +or on me.' + +'I will grant thee this boon; and thou hast done wisely to ask it, for +on thy head would have lit all the trouble. Set now my wife free.' + +'I will not set her free till Pryderi and Rhiannon are with me.' + +'Behold, here they come,' said the bishop. + +Then Manawyddan held out his hands and greeted Pryderi and Rhiannon, and +they seated themselves joyfully on the grass. + +'Ah, lord, hast thou not received all thou didst ask?' said the bishop. +'Set now my wife free!' + +'That I will gladly,' answered Manawyddan, unloosing the cord from her +neck, and as he did so the bishop struck her with his staff, and she +turned into a young woman, the fairest that ever was seen. + +'Look around upon thy land,' said he, 'and thou wilt see it all tilled +and peopled, as it was long ago.' And Manawyddan looked, and saw corn +growing in the fields, and cows and sheep grazing on the hill-side, and +huts for the people to dwell in. And he was satisfied in his soul, but +one more question he put to the bishop. + +'What spell didst thou lay upon Pryderi and Rhiannon?' + +'Pryderi has had the knockers of the gate of my palace hung about him, +and Rhiannon has carried the collars of my asses around her neck,' said +the bishop with a smile. + +From the 'Mabinogion.' + + + + +The Believing Husbands + + +Once upon a time there dwelt in the land of Erin a young man who was +seeking a wife, and of all the maidens round about none pleased him +as well as the only daughter of a farmer. The girl was willing and the +father was willing, and very soon they were married and went to live at +the farm. By and bye the season came when they must cut the peats and +pile them up to dry, so that they might have fires in the winter. So +on a fine day the girl and her husband, and the father and his wife all +went out upon the moor. + +They worked hard for many hours, and at length grew hungry, so the young +woman was sent home to bring them food, and also to give the horses +their dinner. When she went into the stables, she suddenly saw the heavy +pack-saddle of the speckled mare just over her head, and she jumped and +said to herself: + +'Suppose that pack-saddle were to fall and kill me, how dreadful it +would be!' and she sat down just under the pack-saddle she was so much +afraid of, and began to cry. + +Now the others out on the moor grew hungrier and hungrier. + +'What can have become of her?' asked they, and at length the mother +declared that she would wait no longer, and must go and see what had +happened. + +As the bride was nowhere in the kitchen or the dairy, the old woman went +into the stable, where she found her daughter weeping bitterly. + +'What is the matter, my dove?' and the girl answered, between her sobs: + +'When I came in and saw the pack-saddle over my head, I thought how +dreadful it would be if it fell and killed me,' and she cried louder +than before. + +The old woman struck her hands together: 'Ah, to think of it! if that +were to be, what should I do?' and she sat down by her daughter, and +they both wrung their hands and let their tears flow. + +'Something strange must have occurred,' exclaimed the old farmer on the +moor, who by this time was not only hungry, but cross. 'I must go after +them.' And he went and found them in the stable. + +'What is the matter?' asked he. + +'Oh!' replied his wife, 'when our daughter came home, did she not see +the pack-saddle over her head, and she thought how dreadful it would be +if it were to fall and kill her.' + +'Ah, to think of it!' exclaimed he, striking his hands together, and he +sat down beside them and wept too. + +As soon as night fell the young man returned full of hunger, and there +they were, all crying together in the stable. + +'What is the matter?' asked he. + +'When thy wife came home,' answered the farmer, 'she saw the pack-saddle +over her head, and she thought how dreadful it would be if it were to +fall and kill her.' + +'Well, but it didn't fall,' replied the young man, and he went off to +the kitchen to get some supper, leaving them to cry as long as they +liked. + +The next morning he got up with the sun, and said to the old man and to +the old woman and to his wife: + +'Farewell: my foot shall not return to the house till I have found other +three people as silly as you,' and he walked away till he came to the +town, and seeing the door of a cottage standing open wide, he entered. +No man was present, but only some women spinning at their wheels. + +'You do not belong to this town,' said he. + +'You speak truth,' they answered, 'nor you either?' + +'I do not,' replied he, 'but is it a good place to live in?' + +The women looked at each other. + +'The men of the town are so silly that we can make them believe anything +we please,' said they. + +'Well, here is a gold ring,' replied he, 'and I will give it to the one +amongst you who can make her husband believe the most impossible thing,' +and he left them. + +As soon as the first husband came home his wife said to him: + +'Thou art sick!' + +'Am I?' asked he. + +'Yes, thou art,' she answered; 'take off thy clothes and lie down.' + +So he did, and when he was in his bed his wife went to him and said: + +'Thou art dead.' + +'Oh, am I?' asked he. + +'Thou art,' said she; 'shut thine eyes and stir neither hand nor foot.' + +And dead he felt sure he was. + +Soon the second man came home, and his wife said to him: + +'You are not my husband!' + +'Oh, am I not?' asked he. + +'No, it is not you,' answered she, so he went away and slept in the +wood. + +When the third man arrived his wife gave him his supper, and after that +he went to bed, just as usual. The next morning a boy knocked at the +door, bidding him attend the burial of the man who was dead, and he was +just going to get up when his wife stopped him. + +'Time enough,' said she, and he lay still till he heard the funeral +passing the window. + +'Now rise, and be quick,' called the wife, and the man jumped out of bed +in a great hurry, and began to look about him. + +'Why, where are my clothes?' asked he. + +'Silly that you are, they are on your back, of course,' answered the +woman. + +'Are they?' said he. + +'They are,' said she, 'and make haste lest the burying be ended before +you get there.' + +Then off he went, running hard, and when the mourners saw a man coming +towards them with nothing on but his nightshirt, they forgot in their +fright what they were there for, and fled to hide themselves. And the +naked man stood alone at the head of the coffin. + +Very soon a man came out of the wood and spoke to him. + +'Do you know me?' + +'Not I,' answered the naked man. 'I do not know you.' + +'But why are you naked?' asked the first man. + +'Am I naked? My wife told me that I had all my clothes on,' answered he. + +'And my wife told me that I myself was dead,' said the man in the +coffin. + +But at the sound of his voice the two men were so terrified that they +ran straight home, and the man in the coffin got up and followed them, +and it was his wife that gained the gold ring, as he had been sillier +than the other two. + +From 'West Highland Tales.' + + + + +The Hoodie-Crow. + + +Once there lived a farmer who had three daughters, and good useful girls +they were, up with the sun, and doing all the work of the house. One +morning they all ran down to the river to wash their clothes, when a +hoodie came round and sat on a tree close by. + +'Wilt thou wed me, thou farmer's daughter?' he said to the eldest. + +'Indeed I won't wed thee,' she answered, 'an ugly brute is the hoodie.' +And the bird, much offended, spread his wings and flew away. But the +following day he came back again, and said to the second girl: + +'Wilt thou wed me, farmer's daughter?' + +'Indeed I will not,' answered she, 'an ugly brute is the hoodie.' And +the hoodie was more angry than before, and went away in a rage. However, +after a night's rest he was in a better temper, and thought that he +might be more lucky the third time, so back he went to the old place. + +'Wilt thou wed me, farmer's daughter?' he said to the youngest. + +'Indeed I will wed thee; a pretty creature is the hoodie,' answered she, +and on the morrow they were married. + +'I have something to ask thee,' said the hoodie when they were far away +in his own house. 'Wouldst thou rather I should be a hoodie by day and a +man by night, or a man by day and a hoodie by night?' + +The girl was surprised at his words, for she did not know that he could +be anything but a hoodie at all times. + +Still she said nothing of this, and only replied, 'I would rather thou +wert a man by day and a hoodie by night,' And so he was; and a handsomer +man or a more beautiful hoodie never was seen. The girl loved them both, +and never wished for things to be different. + +By and bye they had a son, and very pleased they both were. But in the +night soft music was heard stealing close towards the house, and every +man slept, and the mother slept also. When they woke again it was +morning, and the baby was gone. High and low they looked for it, but +nowhere could they find it, and the farmer, who had come to see his +daughter, was greatly grieved, as he feared it might be thought that he +had stolen it, because he did not want the hoodie for a son-in-law. + +The next year the hoodie's wife had another son, and this time a watch +was set at every door. But it was no use. In vain they determined that, +come what might, they would not close their eyes; at the first note of +music they all fell asleep, and when the farmer arrived in the morning +to see his grandson, he found them all weeping, for while they had slept +the baby had vanished. + +Well, the next year it all happened again, and the hoodie's wife was so +unhappy that her husband resolved to take her away to another house he +had, and her sisters with her for company. So they set out in a coach +which was big enough to hold them, and had not gone very far when the +hoodie suddenly said: + +'You are sure you have not forgotten anything?' + +'I have forgotten my coarse comb,' answered the wife, feeling in her +pocket, and as she spoke the coach changed into a withered faggot, and +the man became a hoodie again, and flew away. + +The two sisters returned home, but the wife followed the hoodie. +Sometimes she would see him on a hill-top, and then would hasten after +him, hoping to catch him. But by the time she had got to the top of the +hill, he would be in the valley on the other side. When night came, and +she was tired, she looked about for some place to rest, and glad she was +to see a little house full of light straight in front of her, and she +hurried towards it as fast as she could. + +At the door stood a little boy, and the sight of him filled her heart +with pleasure, she did not know why. A woman came out, and bade her +welcome, and set before her food, and gave her a soft bed to lie on. And +the hoodie's wife lay down, and so tired was she, that it seemed to her +but a moment before the sun rose, and she awoke again. From hill to hill +she went after the hoodie, and sometimes she saw him on the top; but +when she got to the top, he had flown into the valley, and when she +reached the valley he was on the top of another hill--and so it happened +till night came round again. Then she looked round for some place to +rest in, and she beheld a little house of light before her, and fast she +hurried towards it. At the door stood a little boy, and her heart was +filled with pleasure at the sight of him, she did not know why. After +that a woman bade her enter, and set food before her, and gave her +a soft bed to lie in. And when the sun rose she got up, and left the +house, in search of the hoodie. This day everything befell as on the +two other days, but when she reached the small house, the woman bade her +keep awake, and if the hoodie flew into the room, to try to seize him. + +But the wife had walked far, and was very tired, and strive as she +would, she fell sound asleep. + +Many hours she slept, and the hoodie entered through a window, and let +fall a ring on her hand. The girl awoke with a start, and leant forward +to grasp him, but he was already flying off, and she only seized a +feather from his wing. And when dawn came, she got up and told the +woman. + +'He has gone over the hill of poison,' said she, 'and there you cannot +follow him without horse-shoes on your hands and feet. But I will help +you. Put on this suit of men's clothes, and go down this road till you +come to the smithy, and there you can learn to make horse-shoes for +yourself.' + +The girl thanked her, and put on the cloths and went down the road to +do her bidding. So hard did she work, that in a few days she was able +to make the horse-shoes. Early one morning she set out for the hill of +poison. On her hands and feet she went, but even with the horse-shoes +on she had to be very careful not to stumble, lest some poisoned thorns +should enter into her flesh, and she should die. But when at last she +was over, it was only to hear that her husband was to be married that +day to the daughter of a great lord. + +Now there was to be a race in the town, and everyone meant to be there, +except the stranger who had come over the hill of poison--everyone, that +is, but the cook, who was to make the bridal supper. Greatly he loved +races, and sore was his heart to think that one should be run without +his seeing it, so when he beheld a woman whom he did not know coming +along the street, hope sprang up in him. + +'Will you cook the wedding feast in place of me?' he said, 'and I will +pay you well when I return from the race.' + +Gladly she agreed, and cooked the feast in a kitchen that looked into +the great hall, where the company were to eat it. After that she watched +the seat where the bridegroom was sitting, and taking a plateful of the +broth, she dropped the ring and the feather into it, and set if herself +before him. + +With the first spoonful he took up the ring, and a thrill ran through +him; in the second he beheld the feather and rose from his chair. + +'Who has cooked this feast?' asked he, and the real cook, who had come +back from the race, was brought before him. + +'He may be the cook, but he did not cook this feast,' said the +bridegroom, and then inquiry was made, and the girl was summoned to the +great hall. + +'That is my married wife,' he declared, 'and no one else will I have,' +and at that very moment the spells fell off him, and never more would he +be a hoodie. Happy indeed were they to be together again, and little did +they mind that the hill of poison took long to cross, for she had to go +some way forwards, and then throw the horse-shoes back for him to put +on. Still, at last they were over, and they went back the way she had +come, and stopped at the three houses in order to take their little sons +to their own home. + +But the story never says who had stolen them, nor what the coarse comb +had to do with it. + +From 'West Highland Tales.' + + + + +The Brownie of the Lake + + +Once upon a time there lived in France a man whose name was Jalm Riou. +You might have walked a whole day without meeting anyone happier or more +contented, for he had a large farm, plenty of money, and above all, a +daughter called Barbaik, the most graceful dancer and the best-dressed +girl in the whole country side. When she appeared on holidays in her +embroidered cap, five petticoats, each one a little shorter than the +other, and shoes with silver buckles, the women were all filled with +envy, but little cared Barbaik what they might whisper behind her back +as long as she knew that her clothes were finer than anyone else's and +that she had more partners than any other girl. + +Now amongst all the young men who wanted to marry Barbaik, the one whose +heart was most set on her was her father's head man, but as his manners +were rough and he was exceedingly ugly she would have nothing to say to +him, and, what was worse, often made fun of him with the rest. + +Jegu, for that was his name, of course heard of this, and it made him +very unhappy. Still he would not leave the farm, and look for work +elsewhere, as he might have done, for then he would never see Barbaik at +all, and what was life worth to him without that? + +One evening he was bringing back his horses from the fields, and stopped +at a little lake on the way home to let them drink. He was tired with +a long day's work, and stood with his hand on the mane of one of the +animals, waiting till they had done, and thinking all the while of +Barbaik, when a voice came out of the gorse close by. + +'What is the matter, Jegu? You mustn't despair yet.' + +The young man glanced up in surprise, and asked who was there. + +'It is I, the brownie of the lake,' replied the voice. + +'But where are you?' inquired Jegu. + +'Look close, and you will see me among the reeds in the form of a little +green frog. I can take,' he added proudly, 'any shape I choose, and +even, which is much harder, be invisible if I want to.' + +'Then show yourself to me in the shape in which your family generally +appear,' replied Jegu. + +'Certainly, if you wish,' and the frog jumped on the back of one of the +horses, and changed into a little dwarf, all dressed in green. + +This transformation rather frightened Jegu, but the brownie bade him +have no fears, for he would not do him any harm; indeed, he hoped that +Jegu might find him of some use. + +'But why should you take all this interest in me?' asked the peasant +suspiciously. + +'Because of a service you did me last winter, which I have never +forgotten,' answered the little fellow. 'You know, I am sure, that +the korigans[FN#3: The spiteful fairies.] who dwell in the White Corn +country have declared war on my people, because they say that they are +the friends of man. We were therefore obliged to take refuge in distant +lands, and to hide ourselves at first under different animal shapes. +Since that time, partly from habit and partly to amuse ourselves, we +have continued to transform ourselves, and it was in this way that I got +to know you.' + +'How?' exclaimed Jegu, filled with astonishment. + +'Do you remember when you were digging in the field near the river, +three months ago, you found a robin redbreast caught in a net? + +'Yes,' answered Jegu, 'I remember it very well, and I opened the net and +let him go.' + +'Well, I was that robin redbreast, and ever since I have vowed to be +your friend, and as you want to marry Barbaik, I will prove the truth of +what I say by helping you to do so.' + +'Ah! my little brownie, if you can do that, there is nothing I won't +give you, except my soul.' + +'Then let me alone,' rejoined the dwarf, 'and I promise you that in a +very few months you shall be master of the farm and of Barbaik.' + +'But how are you going to do it?' exclaimed Jegu wonderingly. + +'That is my affair. Perhaps I may tell you later. Meanwhile you just eat +and sleep, and don't worry yourself about anything.' + +Jegu declared that nothing could be easier, and then taking off his hat, +he thanked the dwarf heartily, and led his horses back to the farm. + +Next morning was a holiday, and Barbaik was awake earlier than usual, as +she wished to get through her work as soon as possible, and be ready to +start for a dance which was to be held some distance off. She went +first to the cow-house, which it was her duty to keep clean, but to her +amazement she found fresh straw put down, the racks filled with hay, the +cows milked, and the pails standing neatly in a row. + +'Of course, Jegu must have done this in the hope of my giving him a +dance,' she thought to herself, and when she met him outside the door +she stopped and thanked him for his help. To be sure, Jegu only replied +roughly that he didn't know what she was talking about, but this answer +made her feel all the more certain that it was he and nobody else. + +The same thing took place every day, and never had the cow-house been so +clean nor the cows so fat. Morning and evening Barbaik found her earthen +pots full of milk and a pound of butter freshly churned, ornamented +with leaves. At the end of a few weeks she grew so used to this state of +affairs that she only got up just in time to prepare breakfast. + +Soon even this grew to be unnecessary, for a day arrived when, coming +downstairs, she discovered that the house was swept, the furniture +polished, the fire lit, and the food ready, so that she had nothing to +do except to ring the great bell which summoned the labourers from the +fields to come and eat it. This, also, she thought was the work of Jegu, +and she could not help feeling that a husband of this sort would be very +useful to a girl who liked to lie in bed and to amuse herself. + +Indeed, Barbaik had only to express a wish for it to be satisfied. If +the wind was cold or the sun was hot and she was afraid to go out lest +her complexion should be spoilt, she need only to run down to the spring +close by and say softly, 'I should like my churns to be full, and my +wet linen to be stretched on the hedge to dry,' and she need never give +another thought to the matter. + +If she found the rye bread too hard to bake, or the oven taking too long +to heat, she just murmured, 'I should like to see my six loaves on the +shelf above the bread box,' and two hours after there they were. + +If she was too lazy to walk all the way to market along a dirty road, +she would say out loud the night before, 'Why am I not already back from +Morlaix with my milk pot empty, my butter bowl inside it, a pound of +wild cherries on my wooden plate, and the money I have gained in my +apron pocket?' and in the morning when she got up, lo and behold! there +were standing at the foot of her bed the empty milk pot with the butter +bowl inside, the black cherries on the wooden plate, and six new pieces +of silver in the pocket of her apron. And she believed that all this +was owing to Jegu, and she could no longer do without him, even in her +thoughts. + +When things had reached this pass, the brownie told the young man that +he had better ask Barbaik to marry him, and this time the girl did not +turn rudely away, but listened patiently to the end. In her eyes he was +as ugly and awkward as ever, but he would certainly make a most useful +husband, and she could sleep every morning till breakfast time, just +like a young lady, and as for the rest of the day, it would not be +half long enough for all she meant to do. She would wear the beautiful +dresses that came when she wished for them, and visit her neighbours, +who would be dying of envy all the while, and she would be able to dance +as much as she wished. Jegu would always be there to work for her and +save for her, and watch over her. So, like a well-brought-up girl, +Barbaik answered that it should be as her father pleased, knowing quite +well that old Riou had often said that after he was dead there was no +one so capable of carrying on the farm. + +The marriage took place the following month, and a few days later the +old man died quite suddenly. Now Jegu had everything to see to himself, +and somehow it did not seem so easy as when the farmer was alive. But +once more the brownie stepped in, and was better than ten labourers. +It was he who ploughed and sowed and reaped, and if, as happened, +occasionally, it was needful to get the work done quickly, the brownie +called in some of his friends, and as soon as it was light a host of +little dwarfs might have been seen in the fields, busy with hoe, fork or +sickle. But by the time the people were about all was finished, and the +little fellows had disappeared. + +And all the payment the brownie ever asked for was a bowl of broth. From +the very day of her marriage Barbaik had noted with surprise and rage +that things ceased to be done for her as they had been done all the +weeks and months before. She complained to Jegu of his laziness, and he +only stared at her, not understanding what she was talking about. But +the brownie, who was standing by, burst out laughing, and confessed that +all the good offices she spoke of had been performed by him, for the +sake of Jegu, but that now he had other business to do, and it was high +time that she looked after her house herself. + +Barbaik was furious. Each morning when she was obliged to get up before +dawn to milk the cows and go to market, and each evening when she had to +sit up till midnight in order to churn the butter, her heart was filled +with rage against the brownie who had caused her to expect a life of +ease and pleasure. But when she looked at Jegu and beheld his red face, +squinting eyes, and untidy hair, her anger was doubled. + +'If it had not been for you, you miserable dwarf!' she would say between +her teeth, 'if it had not been for you I should never have married that +man, and I should still have been going to dances, where the young men +would have brought me present of nuts and cherries, and told me that +I was the prettiest girl in the parish. While now I can receive no +presents except from my husband. I can never dance, except with my +husband. Oh, you wretched dwarf, I will never, never forgive you!' + +In spite of her fierce words, no one knew better than Barbaik how to +put her pride in her pocket when it suited her, and after receiving an +invitation to a wedding, she begged the brownie to get her a horse to +ride there. To her great joy he consented, bidding her set out for the +city of the dwarfs and to tell them exactly what she wanted. Full of +excitement, Barbaik started on her journey. It was not long, and when +she reached the town she went straight to the dwarfs, who were holding +counsel in a wide green place, and said to them, 'Listen, my friends! I +have come to beg you to lend me a black horse, with eyes, a mouth, ears, +bridle and saddle.' + +She had hardly spoken when the horse appeared, and mounting on his back +she started for the village where the wedding was to be held. + +At first she was so delighted with the chance of a holiday from the work +which she hated, that she noticed nothing, but very soon it struck +her as odd that as she passed along the roads full of people they all +laughed as they looked at her horse. At length she caught some words +uttered by one man to another. 'Why, the farmer's wife has sold her +horse's tail!' and turned in her saddle. Yes; it was true. Her horse +had no tail! She had forgotten to ask for one, and the wicked dwarfs had +carried out her orders to the letter! + +'Well, at any rate, I shall soon be there,' she thought, and shaking +the reins, tried to urge the horse to a gallop. But it was of no use; he +declined to move out of a walk; and she was forced to hear all the jokes +that were made upon her. + +In the evening she returned to the farm more angry than ever, and +quite determined to revenge herself on the brownie whenever she had the +chance, which happened to be very soon. + +It was the spring, and just the time of year when the dwarfs held their +fete, so one day the brownie asked Jegu if he might bring his friends to +have supper in the great barn, and whether he would allow them to dance +there. Of course, Jegu was only too pleased to be able to do anything +for the brownie, and he ordered Barbaik to spread her best table-cloths +in the barn, and to make a quantity of little loaves and pancakes, +and, besides, to keep all the milk given by the cows that morning. He +expected she would refuse, as he knew she hated the dwarfs, but she said +nothing, and prepared the supper as he had bidden her. + +When all was ready, the dwarfs, in new green suits, came bustling in, +very happy and merry, and took their seats at the table. But in a moment +they all sprang up with a cry, and ran away screaming, for Barbaik had +placed pans of hot coals under their feet, and all their poor little +toes were burnt. + +'You won't forget that in a hurry,' she said, smiling grimly to herself, +but in a moment they were back again with large pots of water, which +they poured on the fire. Then they joined hands and danced round it, +singing: + + Wicked traitress, Barne Riou, + Our poor toes are burned by you; + Now we hurry from your hall-- + Bad luck light upon you all. + +That evening they left the country for ever, and Jegu, without their +help, grew poorer and poorer, and at last died of misery, while Barbaik +was glad to find work in the market of Morlaix. + +From 'Le Foyer Breton,' par E. Souvestre. + + + + +The Winning of Olwen + + +There was once a king and queen who had a little boy, and they called +his name Kilweh. The queen, his mother, fell ill soon after his birth, +and as she could not take care of him herself she sent him to a woman +she knew up in the mountains, so that he might learn to go out in all +weathers, and bear heat and cold, and grow tall and strong. Kilweh was +quite happy with his nurse, and ran races and climbed hills with the +children who were his playfellows, and in the winter, when the snow +lay on the ground, sometimes a man with a harp would stop and beg for +shelter, and in return would sing them songs of strange things that had +happened in the years gone by. + +But long before this changes had taken place in the court of Kilweh's +father. Soon after she had sent her baby away the queen became much +worse, and at length, seeing that she was going to die, she called her +husband to her and said: + +'Never again shall I rise from this bed, and by and bye thou wilt take +another wife. But lest she should make thee forget thy son, I charge +thee that thou take not a wife until thou see a briar with two blossoms +upon my grave.' And this he promised her. Then she further bade him +to see to her grave that nothing might grow thereon. This likewise he +promised her, and soon she died, and for seven years the king sent a man +every morning to see that nothing was growing on the queen's grave, but +at the end of seven years he forgot. + +One day when the king was out hunting he rode past the place where the +queen lay buried, and there he saw a briar growing with two blossoms on +it. + +'It is time that I took a wife,' said he, and after long looking he +found one. But he did not tell her about his son; indeed he hardly +remembered that he had one till she heard it at last from an old woman +whom she had gone to visit. And the new queen was very pleased, and sent +messengers to fetch the boy, and in his father's court he stayed, while +the years went by till one day the queen told him that a prophecy +had foretold that he was to win for his wife Olwen the daughter of +Yspaddaden Penkawr. + +When he heard this Kilweh felt proud and happy. Surely he must be a man +now, he thought, or there would be no talk of a wife for him, and his +mind dwelt all day upon his promised bride, and what she would be like +when he beheld her. + +'What aileth thee, my son?' asked his father at last, when Kilweh had +forgotten something he had been bidden to do, and Kilweh blushed red as +he answered: + +'My stepmother says that none but Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden +Penkawr, shall be my wife.' + +'That will be easily fulfilled,' replied his father. 'Arthur the king +is thy cousin. Go therefore unto him and beg him to cut thy hair, and to +grant thee this boon.' + +Then the youth pricked forth upon a dapple grey horse of four years old, +with a bridle of linked gold, and gold upon his saddle. In his hand he +bore two spears of silver with heads of steel; a war-horn of ivory was +slung round his shoulder, and by his side hung a golden sword. Before +him were two brindled white-breasted greyhounds with collars of rubies +round their necks, and the one that was on the left side bounded across +to the right side, and the one on the right to the left, and like two +sea-swallows sported round him. And his horse cast up four sods with his +four hoofs, like four swallows in the air about his head, now above, now +below. About him was a robe of purple, and an apple of gold was at each +corner, and every one of the apples was of the value of a hundred cows. +And the blades of grass bent not beneath him, so light were his horse's +feet as he journeyed toward the gate of Arthur's palace. + +'Is there a porter?' cried Kilweh, looking round for someone to open the +gate. + +'There is; and I am Arthur's porter every first day of January,' +answered a man coming out to him. 'The rest of the year there are other +porters, and among them Pennpingyon, who goes upon his head to save his +feet.' + +'Well, open the portal, I say.' + +'No, that I may not do, for none can enter save the son of a king or a +pedlar who has goods to sell. But elsewhere there will be food for thy +dogs and hay for thy horse, and for thee collops cooked and peppered, +and sweet wine shall be served in the guest chamber.' + +'That will not do for me,' answered Kilweh. 'If thou wilt not open the +gate I will send up three shouts that shall be heard from Cornwall unto +the north, and yet again to Ireland.' + +'Whatsoever clamour thou mayest make,' spake Glewlwyd the porter, 'thou +shalt not enter until I first go and speak with Arthur.' + +Then Glewlwyd went into the hall, and Arthur said to him: + +'Hast thou news from the gate?' and the porter answered: + +'Far have I travelled, both in this island and elsewhere, and many +kingly men have I seen; but never yet have I beheld one equal in majesty +to him who now stands at the door.' + +'If walking thou didst enter here, return thou running,' replied Arthur, +'and let everyone that opens and shuts the eye show him respect and +serve him, for it is not meet to keep such a man in the wind and rain.' +So Glewlwyd unbarred the gate and Kilweh rode in upon his charger. + +'Greeting unto thee, O ruler of this land,' cried he, 'and greeting no +less to the lowest than to the highest.' + +'Greeting to thee also,' answered Arthur. 'Sit thou between two of my +warriors, and thou shalt have minstrels before thee and all that belongs +to one born to be a king, while thou remainest in my palace.' + +'I am not come,' replied Kilweh, 'for meat and drink, but to obtain a +boon, and if thou grant it me I will pay it back, and will carry thy +praise to the four winds of heaven. But if thou wilt not grant it to me, +then I will proclaim thy discourtesy wherever thy name is known.' + +'What thou askest that shalt thou receive,' said Arthur, 'as far as +the wind dries and the rain moistens, and the sun revolves and the sea +encircles and the earth extends. Save only my ship and my mantle, my +word and my lance, my shield and my dagger, and Guinevere my wife.' + +'I would that thou bless my hair,' spake Kilweh, and Arthur answered: + +'That shall be granted thee.' + +Forthwith he bade his men fetch him a comb of gold and a scissors with +loops of silver, and he combed the hair of Kilweh his guest. + +'Tell me who thou art,' he said, 'for my heart warms to thee, and I feel +thou art come of my blood.' + +'I am Kilweh, son of Kilydd,' replied the youth. + +'Then my cousin thou art in truth,' replied Arthur, 'and whatsoever boon +thou mayest ask thou shalt receive.' + +'The boon I crave is that thou mayest win for me Olwen, the daughter of +Yspaddaden Penkawr, and this boon I seek likewise at the hands of thy +warriors. From Sol, who can stand all day upon one foot; from Ossol, +who, if he were to find himself on the top of the highest mountain in +the world, could make it into a level plain in the beat of a bird's +wing; from Cluse, who, though he were buried under the earth, could yet +hear the ant leave her nest fifty miles away: from these and from Kai +and from Bedwyr and from all thy mighty men I crave this boon.' + +'O Kilweh,' said Arthur, 'never have I heard of the maiden of whom thou +speakest, nor of her kindred, but I will send messengers to seek her if +thou wilt give me time.' + +'From this night to the end of the year right willingly will I grant +thee,' replied Kilweh; but when the end of the year came and the +messengers returned Kilweh was wroth, and spoke rough words to Arthur. + +It was Kai, the boldest of the warriors and the swiftest of foot--he +would could pass nine nights without sleep, and nine days beneath the +water--that answered him: + +'Rash youth that thou art, darest thou speak thus to Arthur? Come with +us, and we will not part company till we have won that maiden, or till +thou confess that there is none such in the world.' + +Then Arthur summoned his five best men and bade them go with Kilweh. +There was Bedwyr the one-handed, Kai's comrade and brother in arms, the +swiftest man in Britain save Arthur; there was Kynddelig, who knew the +paths in a land where he had never been as surely as he did those of +his own country; there was Gwrhyr, that could speak all tongues; and +Gwalchmai the son of Gwyar, who never returned till he had gained what +he sought; and last of all there was Menw, who could weave a spell over +them so that none might see them, while they could see everyone. + +So these seven journeyed together till they reached a vast open plain in +which was a fair castle. But though it seemed so close it was not until +the evening of the third day that they really drew near to it, and in +front of it a flock of sheep was spread, so many in number that there +seemed no end to them. A shepherd stood on a mound watching over them, +and by his side was a dog, as large as a horse nine winters old. + +'Whose is this castle, O herdsmen?' asked the knights. + +'Stupid are ye truly,' answered the herdsman. 'All the world knows that +this is the castle of Yspaddaden Penkawr.' + +'And who art thou?' + +'I am called Custennin, brother of Yspaddaden, and ill has he treated +me. And who are you, and what do you here?' + +'We come from Arthur the king, to seek Olwen the daughter of +Yspaddaden,' but at this news the shepherd gave a cry: + +'O men, be warned and turn back while there is yet time. Others have +gone on that quest, but none have escaped to tell the tale,' and he rose +to his feet as if to leave them. Then Kilweh held out to him a ring of +gold, and he tried to put it on his finger, but it was too small, so he +placed it in his glove, and went home and gave it to his wife. + +'Whence came this ring?' asked she, 'for such good luck is not wont to +befall thee.' + +'The man to whom this ring belonged thou shalt see here in the evening,' +answered the shepherd; 'he is Kilweh, son of Kilydd, cousin to king +Arthur, and he has come to seek Olwen.' And when the wife heard that she +knew that Kilweh was her nephew, and her heart yearned after him, half +with joy at the thought of seeing him, and half with sorrow for the doom +she feared. + +Soon they heard steps approaching, and Kai and the rest entered into the +house and ate and drank. After that the woman opened a chest, and out of +it came a youth with curling yellow hair. + +'It is a pity to hid him thus,' said Gwrhyr, 'for well I know that he +has done no evil.' + +'Three and twenty of my sons has Yspaddaden slain, and I have no more +hope of saving this one,' replied she, and Kai was full of sorrow and +answered: + +'Let him come with me and be my comrade, and he shall never be slain +unless I am slain also.' And so it was agreed. + +'What is your errand here?' asked the woman. + +'We seek Olwen the maiden for this youth,' answered Kai; 'does she ever +come hither so that she may be seen?' + +'She comes every Saturday to wash her hair, and in the vessel where she +washes she leaves all her rings, and never does she so much as send a +messenger to fetch them.' + +'Will she come if she is bidden?' asked Kai, pondering. + +'She will come; but unless you pledge me your faith that you will not +harm her I will not fetch her.' + +'We pledge it,' said they, and the maiden came. + +A fair sight was she in a robe of flame-coloured silk, with a collar of +ruddy gold about her neck, bright with emeralds and rubies. More yellow +was her head than the flower of the broom, and her skin was whiter than +the foam of the wave, and fairer were her hands than the blossoms of +the wood anemone. Four white trefoils sprang up where she trod, and +therefore was she called Olwen. + +She entered, and sat down on a bench beside Kilweh, and he spake to her: + +'Ah, maiden, since first I heard thy name I have loved thee--wilt thou +not come away with me from this evil place?' + +'That I cannot do,' answered she, 'for I have given my word to my father +not to go without his knowledge, for his life will only last till I am +betrothed. Whatever is, must be, but this counsel I will give you. Go, +and ask me of my father, and whatsoever he shall required of thee grant +it, and thou shalt win me; but if thou deny him anything thou wilt not +obtain me, and it will be well for thee if thou escape with thy life.' + +'All this I promise,' said he. + +So she returned to the castle, and all Arthur's men went after her, and +entered the hall. + +'Greeting to thee, Yspaddaden Penkawr,' said they. 'We come to ask thy +daughter Olwen for Kilweh, son of Kilydd.' + +'Come hither to-morrow and I will answer you,' replied Yspaddaden +Penkawr, and as they rose to leave the hall he caught up one of the +three poisoned darts that lay beside him and flung it in their midst. +But Bedwyr saw and caught it, and flung it back so hard that it pierced +the knee of Yspaddaden. + +'A gentle son-in-law, truly!' he cried, writhing with pain. 'I shall +ever walk the worse for this rudeness. Cursed be the smith who forged +it, and the anvil on which it was wrought!' + +That night the men slept in the house of Custennin the herdsman, and the +next day they proceeded to the castle, and entered the hall, and said: + +'Yspaddaden Penkawr, give us thy daughter and thou shalt keep her dower. +And unless thou wilt do this we will slay thee.' + +'Her four great grandmothers and her four great grandfathers yet live,' +answered Yspaddaden Penkawr; 'it is needful that I take counsel with +them.' + +'Be it so; we will go to meat,' but as they turned he took up the second +dart that lay by his side and cast it after them. And Menw caught it, +and flung it at him, and wounded him in the chest, so that it came out +at his back. + +'A gentle son-in-law, truly!' cried Yspaddaden, 'the iron pains me like +the bite of a horse-leech. Cursed be the hearth whereon it was heated, +and the smith who formed it!' The third day Arthur's men returned to the +palace into the presence of Yspaddaden. + +'Shoot not at me again,' said he, 'unless you desire death. But lift +up my eyebrows, which have fallen over my eyes, that I may see my +son-in-law.' Then they arose, and as they did so Yspaddaden Penkawr took +the third poisoned dart and cast it at them. And Kilweh caught it, and +flung it back, and it passed through his eyeball, and came out on the +other side of his head. + +'A gentle son-in-law, truly! Cursed be the fire in which it was forged +and the man who fashioned it!' + +The next day Arthur's men came again to the palace and said: + +'Shoot not at us any more unless thou desirest more pain than even now +thou hast, but give us thy daughter without more words.' + +'Where is he that seeks my daughter? Let him come hither so that I may +see him.' And Kilweh sat himself in a chair and spoke face to face with +him. + +'Is it thou that seekest my daughter?' + +'It is I,' answered Kilweh. + +'First give me thy word that thou wilt do nothing towards me that is not +just, and when thou hast won for me that which I shall ask, then thou +shalt wed my daughter.' + +'I promise right willingly,' said Kilweh. 'Name what thou wilt.' + +'Seest thou yonder hill? Well, in one day it shall be rooted up and +ploughed and sown, and the grain shall ripen, and of that wheat I will +bake the cakes for my daughter's wedding.' + +'It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest deem it +will not be easy,' answered Kilweh, thinking of Ossol, under whose feet +the highest mountain became straightway a plain, but Yspaddaden paid no +heed, and continued: + +'Seest thou that field yonder? When my daughter was born nine bushels of +flax were sown therein, and not one blade has sprung up. I require thee +to sow fresh flax in the ground that my daughter may wear a veil spun +from it on the day of her wedding.' + +'It will be easy for me to compass this.' + +'Though thou compass this there is that which thou wilt not compass. For +thou must bring me the basket of Gwyddneu Garanhir which will give meat +to the whole world. It is for thy wedding feast. Thou must also fetch me +the drinking-horn that is never empty, and the harp that never ceases to +play until it is bidden. Also the comb and scissors and razor that lie +between the two ears of Trwyth the boar, so that I may arrange my hair +for the wedding. And though thou get this yet there is that which thou +wilt not get, for Trwyth the boar will not let any man take from him the +comb and the scissors, unless Drudwyn the whelp hunt him. But no leash +in the world can hold Drudwyn save the leash of Cant Ewin, and no collar +will hold the leash except the collar of Canhastyr.' + +'It will be easy for me to compass this, though thou mayest think it +will not be easy,' Kilweh answered him. + +'Though thou get all these things yet there is that which thou wilt not +get. Throughout the world there is none that can hunt with this dog save +Mabon the son of Modron. He was taken from his mother when three nights +old, and it is not know where he now is, nor whether he is living or +dead, and though thou find him yet the boar will never be slain save +only with the sword of Gwrnach the giant, and if thou obtain it not +neither shalt thou obtain my daughter.' + +'Horses shall I have, and knights from my lord Arthur. And I shall gain +thy daughter, and thou shalt lose thy life.' + +The speech of Kilweh the son of Kilydd with Yspaddaden Penkawr was +ended. + +Then Arthur's men set forth, and Kilweh with them, and journeyed till +they reached the largest castle in the world, and a black man came out +to meet them. + +'Whence comest thou, O man?' asked they, 'and whose is that castle?' + +'That is the castle of Gwrnach the giant, as all the world knows,' +answered the man, 'but no guest ever returned thence alive, and none may +enter the gate except a craftsman, who brings his trade.' But little did +Arthur's men heed his warning, and they went straight to the gate. + +'Open!' cried Gwrhyr. + +'I will not open,' replied the porter. + +'And wherefore?' asked Kai. + +'The knife is in the meat, and the drink is in the horn, and there is +revelry in the hall of Gwrnach the giant, and save for a craftsman who +brings his trade the gate will not be opened to-night.' + +'Verily, then, I may enter,' said Kai, 'for there is no better burnisher +of swords than I.' + +'This will I tell Gwrnach the giant, and I will bring thee his answer.' + +'Bid the man come before me,' cried Gwrnach, when the porter had told +his tale, 'for my sword stands much in need of polishing,' so Kai passed +in and saluted Gwrnach the giant. + +'Is it true what I hear of thee, that thou canst burnish swords?' + +'It is true,' answered Kai. Then was the sword of Gwrnach brought to +him. + +'Shall it be burnished white or blue?' said Kai, taking a whetstone from +under his arm. + +'As thou wilt,' answered the giant, and speedily did Kai polish half the +sword. The giant marvelled at his skill, and said: + +'It is a wonder that such a man as thou shouldst be without a +companion.' + +'I have a companion, noble sir, but he has no skill in this art.' + +'What is his name?' asked the giant. + +'Let the porter go forth, and I will tell him how he may know him. The +head of his lance will leave its shaft, and draw blood from the wind, +and descend upon its shaft again.' So the porter opened the gate and +Bedwyr entered. + +Now there was much talk amongst those who remained without when the +gate closed upon Bedwyr, and Goreu, son of Custennin, prevailed with the +porter, and he and his companions got in also and hid themselves. + +By this time the whole of the sword was polished, and Kai gave it into +the hand of Gwrnach the giant, who felt it and said: + +'Thy work is good; I am content.' + +Then said Kai: + +'It is thy scabbard that hath rusted thy sword; give it to me that I may +take out the wooden sides of it and put in new ones.' And he took the +scabbard in one hand and the sword in the other, and came and stood +behind the giant, as if he would have sheathed the sword in the +scabbard. But with it he struck a blow at the head of the giant, and it +rolled from his body. After that they despoiled the castle of its gold +and jewels, and returned, bearing the sword of the giant, to Arthur's +court. + +They told Arthur how they had sped, and they all took counsel together, +and agreed that they must set out on the quest for Mabon the son of +Modron, and Gwrhyr, who knew the languages of beasts and of birds, went +with them. SO they journeyed until they came to the nest of an ousel, +and Gwrhyr spoke to her. + +'Tell me if thou knowest aught of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken +when three nights old from between his mother and the wall.' + +And the ousel answered: + +'When I first came here I was a young bird, and there was a smith's +anvil in this place. But from that time no work has been done upon it, +save that every evening I have pecked at it, till now there is not so +much as the size of a nut remaining thereof. Yet all that time I have +never once heard of the man you name. Still, there is a race of beasts +older than I, and I will guide you to them.' + +So the ousel flew before them, till she reached the stag of Redynvre; +but when they inquired of the stag whether he knew aught of Mabon he +shook his head. + +'When first I came hither,' said he, 'the plain was bare save for one +oak sapling, which grew up to be an oak with a hundred branches. All +that is left of that oak is a withered stump, but never once have I +heard of the man you name. Nevertheless, as you are Arthur's men, I will +guide you to the place where there is an animal older than I'; and the +stag ran before them till he reached the owl of Cwm Cawlwyd. But when +they inquired of the owl if he knew aught of Mabon he shook his head. + +'When first I came hither,' said he, 'the valley was a wooded glen; +then a race of men came and rooted it up. After that there grew a second +wood, and then a third, which you see. Look at my wings also--are they +not withered stumps? Yet until to-day I have never heard of the man you +name. Still, I will guide you to the oldest animal in the world, and +the one that has travelled most, the eagle of Gwern Abbey.' And he flew +before them, as fast as his old wings would carry him, till he reached +the eagle of Gwern Abbey, but when they inquired of the eagle whether he +knew aught of Mabon he shook his head. + +'When I first came hither,' said the eagle, 'there was a rock here, and +every evening I pecked at the stars from the top of it. Now, behold, it +is not even a span high! But only once have I heard of the man you +name, and that was when I went in search of food as far as Llyn Llyw. I +swooped down upon a salmon, and struck my claws into him, but he drew me +down under water till scarcely could I escape him. Then I summoned all +my kindred to destroy him, but he made peace with me, and I took fifty +fish spears from his back. Unless he may know something of the man whom +you seek I cannot tell who may. But I will guide you to the place where +he is.' + +So they followed the eagle, who flew before them, though so high was he +in the sky, it was often hard to mark his flight. At length he stopped +above a deep pool in a river. + +'Salmon of Llyn Llyw,' he called, 'I have come to thee with an embassy +from Arthur to inquire if thou knowest aught concerning Mabon the son of +Modron.' And the salmon answered: + +'As much as I know I will tell thee. With every tide I go up the river, +till I reach the walls of Gloucester, and there have I found such wrong +as I never found elsewhere. And that you may see that what I say is true +let two of you go thither on my shoulders.' So Kai and Gwrhyr went upon +the shoulders of the salmon, and were carried under the walls of the +prison, from which proceeded the sound of great weeping. + +'Who is it that thus laments in this house of stone?' + +'It is I, Mabon the son of Modron.' + +'Will silver or gold bring thy freedom, or only battle and fighting?' +asked Gwrhyr again. + +'By fighting alone shall I be set free,' said Mabon. + +Then they sent a messenger to Arthur to tell him that Mabon was found, +and he brought all his warriors to the castle of Gloucester and fell +fiercely upon it; while Kai and Bedwyr went on the shoulders of the +salmon to the gate of the dungeon, and broke it down and carried away +Mabon. And he now being free returned home with Arthur. + +After this, on a certain day, as Gwythyr was walking across a mountain +he heard a grievous cry, and he hastened towards it. In a little valley +he saw the heather burning and the fire spreading fast towards the +anthill, and all the ants were hurrying to and fro, not knowing whither +to go. Gwythyr had pity on them, and put out the fire, and in gratitude +the ants brought him the nine bushels of flax seed which Yspaddaden +Penkawr required of Kilweh. And many of the other marvels were done +likewise by Arthur and his knights, and at last it came to the fight +with Trwyth the board, to obtain the comb and the scissors and the razor +that lay between his ears. But hard was the boar to catch, and fiercely +did he fight when Arthur's men gave him battle, so that many of them +were slain. + +Up and down the country went Trwyth the boar, and Arthur followed after +him, till they came to the Severn sea. There three knights caught his +feet unawares and plunged him into the water, while one snatched the +razor from him, and another seized the scissors. But before they laid +hold of the comb he had shaken them all off, and neither man nor horse +nor dog could reach him till he came to Cornwall, whither Arthur had +sworn he should not go. Thither Arthur followed after him with his +knights, and if it had been hard to win the razor and the scissors, the +struggle for the comb was fiercer still, but at length Arthur prevailed, +and the boar was driven into the sea. And whether he was drowned or +where he went no man knows to this day. + +In the end all the marvels were done, and Kilweh set forward, and with +him Goreu, the son of Custennin, to Yspaddaden Penkawr, bearing in their +hands the razor, the scissors and the comb, and Yspaddaden Penkawr was +shaved by Kaw. + +'Is thy daughter mine now?' asked Kilweh. + +'She is thine,' answered Yspaddaden, 'but it is Arthur and none other +who has won her for thee. Of my own free will thou shouldst never have +had her, for now I must lose my life.' And as he spake Goreu the son of +Custennin cut off his head, as if had been ordained, and Arthur's hosts +returned each man to his own country. + + +From the 'Mabinogion.' + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lilac Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 3454.txt or 3454.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/5/3454/ + +Produced by J.C. Byers, and L.M. Shaffer + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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