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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/36385-8.txt b/36385-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0dc2e64 --- /dev/null +++ b/36385-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11307 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales from the Fjeld, by P. Chr. Asbjörnsen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tales from the Fjeld + A Second Series of Popular Tales + +Author: P. Chr. Asbjörnsen + +Translator: G. W. Dasent + +Release Date: June 11, 2011 [EBook #36385] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES FROM THE FJELD *** + + + + +Produced by Delphine Lettau, Clive Pickton, Mary Meehan +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + TALES FROM THE FJELD. + + A SECOND SERIES OF POPULAR TALES, + + FROM THE NORSE OF + + P. CHR. ASBJÖRNSEN. + + BY G. W. DASENT, D.C.L. + + AUTHOR OF "TALES FROM THE NORSE," "ANNALS OF AN EVENTFUL LIFE," ETC. + + + LONDON: + CHAPMAN & HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. + 1874. + + [_All Rights Reserved._] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The Tales contained in this volume form a second series of those +"Popular Tales from the Norse," which have been received with much +favour in this country, and of which a Third Edition will shortly be +published. A part of them appeared some years ago in _Once a Week_, from +which they are now reprinted by permission of the proprietors, the Norse +originals, from which they were translated, having been communicated by +the translator's friend, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen, to various Christmas books, +published in Christiania. In 1871, Mr. Asbjörnsen collected those +scattered Tales and added some more to them, which he published under +the title "Norske Folke-Eventyr fortalte of P. Chr. Asbjörnsen, Ny +Samling." It is from this new series as revised by the collector that +the present version has been made. In it the translator has trodden in +the path laid down in the first series of "Tales from the Norse," and +tried to turn his Norse original into mother English, which any one that +runs may read. + +That this plan has met with favour abroad as well as at home is proved +by the fact that large editions of the "Tales from the Norse" have been +printed by Messrs. Appleton in New York, by which, no doubt, that +appropriating firm have been great gainers, though the translator's +share in their profits has amounted to nothing. It is more grateful to +him to find that in Norway, the cradle of these beautiful stories, his +efforts have been warmly appreciated by Messrs Asbjörnsen and Moe, who, +in their preface to the Third Edition, Christiania, 1866, speak in the +following terms of his version: "In France and England collections have +appeared in which our Tales have not only been correctly and faultlessly +translated, but even rendered with exemplary truth and care,--nay, with +thorough mastery; the English translation, by George Webbe Dasent, is +the best and happiest rendering of our Tales that has appeared, and it +has in England been more successful and become far more widely known +than the originals here at home." Then speaking of the Introduction, +Messrs. Asbjörnsen and Moe go on to say, "We have here added the end of +this Introduction to show how the translator has understood and grasped +the relation in which these Tales stand to Norse nature and the life of +the people, and how they have sprung out of both." + +The title of this volume, "Tales from the Fjeld," arose out of the form +in which they were published in _Once a Week_. The translator began by +setting them in a frame formed by the imaginary adventures of English +sportsmen on the Fjeld or Fells in Norway. "Karin and Anders," and +"Edward and I," are therefore the creatures of his imagination, but the +Tales are the Tales of Asbjörnsen. After a while he grew weary of the +setting and framework, and when about a third of the volume had been +thus framed, he resolved to let the Tales speak for themselves and stand +alone as in the first series of "Popular Tales from the Norse." + +With regard to the bearing of these Tales on the question of the +diffusion of race and tradition, much might be said, but as he has +already traversed the same ground in the Introduction to the "Tales from +the Norse," he reserves what he has to say on that point till the Third +Edition of those Tales shall appear. It will be enough here to mention +that several of the Tales now published are variations, though very +interesting ones, from some of those in the first series. Others are +rather the harvest of popular experience than mythical tales, and on the +whole the character of this volume is more jocose and less poetical than +that of its predecessor. In a word, they are, many of them, what the +Germans would call "Schwänke." + +Of this kind are the Tales called "The Charcoal Burner," "Our Parish +Clerk," and "The Parson and the Clerk." In "Goody 'gainst the Stream," +and "Silly Men and Cunning Wives," the reader, skilled in popular +fiction, will find two tales of Indian origin, both of which are +wide-spread in the folklore of the West, and make their appearance in +the Facetiæ of Poggio. The Beast Epic, in which Jacob Grimm so +delighted, is largely represented, and the stories of that kind in this +volume are among the best that have been collected. One of the most +mythical and at the same time one of the most domestic stories of those +now published, is, perhaps, "The Father of the Family," which ought +rather to have been called "The Seventh, the Father of the Family," as +it is not till the wayfarer has inquired seven times from as many +generations of old men that he finds the real father of the family Mr. +Ralston, the accomplished writer and editor of "Russian Popular Tales," +has pointed out in an article on these Norse Tales, which appeared in +_Fraser's Magazine_ for December, 1872, the probable antiquity of this +story, which he classes with the Rigsmal of the Elder Edda. That it was +known in England two centuries ago is proved by the curious fact that it +has got woven into the life of "Old Jenkins," whose mythical age as well +as that of "Old Parr," Mr. Thoms has recently demolished in his book on +the "Longevity of Man." The story as quoted by Mr. Thoms, from +Clarkson's "History and Antiquities of Richmond," in Yorkshire, is so +curious that it is worth while to give it at length. There had been some +legal dispute in which the evidence of Old Jenkins, as confessedly "the +oldest inhabitant" was required, and the agent of Mrs. Wastell, one of +the parties, went to visit the old man. "Previous to Jenkins going to +York," says Mr. Clarkson, "when the agent of Mrs. Wastell went to him to +find out what account he could give of the matter in dispute, he saw an +old man sitting at the door, to whom he told his business. The old man +said 'he could remember nothing about it, but that he would find his +father in the house, who perhaps could satisfy him.' When he went in he +saw another old man sitting over the fire, bowed down with years, to +whom he repeated his former questions. With some difficulty he made him +understand what he had said, and after a little while got the following +answer, which surprised him very much: 'That he knew nothing about it, +but that if he would go into the yard he would meet with his father, who +perhaps could tell him.' The agent upon this thought that he had met +with a race of Antediluvians. However into the yard he went, and to his +no small astonishment found a venerable man with a long beard, and a +broad leathern belt about him, chopping sticks. To this man he again +told his business, and received such information as in the end recovered +the royalty in dispute." "The fact is," adds Mr. Thoms, "that the story +of Jenkins' son and grandson is only a Yorkshire version of the story as +old or older than Jenkins himself, namely, of the very old man who was +seen crying because his father had beaten him for throwing stones at his +grandfather." On which it may be remarked, that however old Old Jenkins +may have been, this story has probably out-lived as many generations as +popular belief gave years to his life. Another old story is "Death and +the Doctor," which centuries ago got entangled with the history of the +family of Bethune, in Scotland, who were supposed to possess an +hereditary gift of leechcraft, derived in the same way. "Friends in Life +and Death," is a Norse variation of Rip van Winkle, which is nothing +more nor less than a Dutch popular tale, while the lassie who won the +prince by fulfilling his conditions of coming to him, "not driving and +not riding, not walking and not carried, not fasting and not full-fed, +not naked and not clad, not by daylight and not by night," has its +variations in many lands. It is no little proof of the wonderful skill +of Hans Christian Andersen, and at the same time of his power to enter +into the spirit of popular fiction, that he has worked the tale of "The +Companion" into one of his most happy stories. + +In this volume, as in the former one, the translator, while striving to +be as truthful as possible, has in the case of some characters adopted +the English equivalent rather than a literal rendering from the Norse. +Thus "Askpot" is still "Boots," the youngest of the family on whom falls +all the dirty work, and not "Cinderbob" or the Scottish "Ashiepet." +"Tyrihans" he has rendered almost literally "Taper Tom," the name +meaning not slender or limber Tom, but Tom who sits in the ingle and +makes tapers or matchwood of resinous fir to be used instead of candles. +Some of the Tales, such as "The Charcoal Burner," "Our Parish Clerk," +and "The Sheep and the Pig who set up House," are filled with proverbs +which it was often very difficult to render. On this and other points it +must be left to others to say whether he has succeeded or not. But if +his readers, young and old, will only remember that things which seem +easiest are often the hardest to do, they will be as gentle readers as +those he desired to find for his first volume, and so long as they are +of that spirit he is sure to be well pleased. + +_October 18th, 1873._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +OSBORN'S PIPE + +THE HAUNTED MILL, AND THE HONEST PENNY. + THE HAUNTED MILL + THE HONEST PENNY + +THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER, AND THE GREEDY CAT. + THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER + THE GREEDY CAT + +PETER THE FORESTER AND GRUMBLEGIZZARD. + GRUMBLEGIZZARD + +PETER'S THREE TALES. + FATHER BRUIN IN THE CORNER + REYNARD AND CHANTICLEER + GOODMAN AXEHAFT + +THE COMPANION. + THE COMPANION + +THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE, AND PEIK. + THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE + PEIK + +KARIN'S THREE STORIES. + DEATH AND THE DOCTOR + THE WAY OF THE WORLD + THE PANCAKE + +PETER'S BEAST STORIES. + PORK AND HONEY + THE HARE AND THE HEIRESS + SLIP ROOT, CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT + BRUIN GOODFELLOW + BRUIN AND REYNARD PARTNERS + REYNARD WANTS TO TASTE HORSE-FLESH + +MASTER TOBACCO + +THE CHARCOAL BURNER + +THE BOX WITH SOMETHING PRETTY IN IT + +THE THREE LEMONS + +THE PRIEST AND THE CLERK + +FRIENDS IN LIFE AND DEATH + +THE FATHER OF THE FAMILY + +THREE YEARS WITHOUT WAGES + +OUR PARISH CLERK + +SILLY MEN AND CUNNING WIVES + +TAPER TOM + +THE TROLLS IN HEDALE WOOD + +THE SKIPPER AND OLD NICK + +GOODY GAINST-THE-STREAM + +HOW TO WIN A PRINCE + +BOOTS AND THE BEASTS + +THE SWEETHEART IN THE WOOD + +HOW THEY GOT HAIRLOCK HOME + +OSBORN BOOTS AND MR. GLIBTONGUE + +THIS IS THE LAD WHO SOLD THE PIG + +THE SHEEP AND THE PIG WHO SET UP HOUSE + +THE GOLDEN PALACE THAT HUNG IN THE AIR + +LITTLE FREDDY WITH HIS FIDDLE + +MOTHER ROUNDABOUT'S DAUGHTER + +THE GREEN KNIGHT + +BOOTS AND HIS CREW + +THE TOWN-MOUSE AND THE FELL-MOUSE + +SILLY MATT + +KING VALEMON, THE WHITE BEAR + +THE GOLDEN BIRD + + + + +TALES FROM THE FJELD. + + +We were up on the Fjeld, Edward and I and Anders our guide, in quest of +reindeer. How long ago it was we will not ask; for after all it was not +so very long ago. How did we get there? Well; if you must know we went +up to the head of the Sogne Fjord in a boat, and then we drove up the +valley in carioles till we were tired, and then we took to our legs, +and, now, about three P.M., we were on the Fjeld making for the +_Soeter_ or Shieling, where we were to pass the night. On this our +first day, we did not expect to meet deer, so on we plodded over the +stony soil slanting across the Fjeld which showed its long shoulder +above us, while far off glared the snowy peaks, and the glaciers stooped +down to meet the Fjeld, for as the Norse proverb says, if the dale won't +come to the mountain, the mountain must meet the dale. On we went, +Anders cheering the way by stories of _Huldror_ and Trolls, and running +off hither and thither to fetch us Alpine plants and flowers. All at +once, in one of these flights which had brought him up to the very edge +of the shoulder above us, we saw his tall form stiffen as it were +against the sky, and, in another moment, he had fallen flat, beckoning +us to come cautiously to him. As we reached him stooping and running, he +whispered "There they are, away yonder;" and sure enough, about half a +mile further on, close under the shoulder, which broke off into an +immense circular valley or combe, we could make out two stags, three +hinds, and some fawns, at play. It was a strange sight to see the low, +thick-set stags with their heavy palmated antlers, leaping over one +another and over the hinds, and the hinds and fawns in turn following +their example. "A sure sign of rain and wind," said Anders. "It will +blow a hurricane and pour in torrents to-morrow, mark my words. I never +looked to find them so low down; let us try to get at them." We crept +down then, well under cover of the shoulder, and, led by Anders, went on +till he said we were opposite the spot where the deer were at play. +"But, by all the powers," said he, "be sure to take good aim both of +you, and bring down each a stag. I will take one of the hinds, but I +will not fire before you." And now began the real stalk; we had about +three hundred yards against the wind to crawl on our hands and feet over +stones, and gravel, and dry grass, and brambles, and dwarf willow, +before we could get to the edge of the shoulder, and look down on the +deer. For nearly the whole distance all went well, our bellies clove to +the dust like snakes, as we wormed our way. But, alas! when we were not +ten yards from the edge, Edward uttered a cry and sprang to his feet. +Anders and I did the same without the cry, only to see the deer off at +full speed down the combe, followed by a volley of oaths and a +billetless bullet from the old flint rifle which Anders carried. For +myself I turned to Edward and felt very much as though I should like to +send my bullet through him. + +"Why, in the name of all that is unholy, did you utter that yell and +scare them away." + +"Oh, I am very sorry," he said, "but I came across this thing like a +bramble, only the prickles are much sharper, and it tore me so I +couldn't bear it;" and, as he spoke, he pointed to a stout trailing +_Rubus arcticus_ over which he had crawled, and which had taken toll +both of his clothing and flesh. + +Anders looked at him with unutterable scorn. "When the gentleman next +goes after reindeer, he had better take Osborn's Pipe with him. Come +along, no more reindeer for us to-day; no, nor to-morrow either. The +peaks are going to put on their nightcaps; we must try to get to the +_Soeter_ before the storm comes on." After a tough walk, during which +Anders said little or nothing, we got to the shieling, where two girls, +a cousin of Anders and his sister, met us with bright hearty faces. They +had been up there looking after the cattle since June, and it was now +August, and they had made heaps of butter and cheese. There were three +rooms in the _Soeter_, a living-room in the middle, and on either hand +a room for the men and another for the women. There were outhouses for +the butter, and cheese, and milk, and cream. We had sent up some +creature comforts, and with these and the butter, cream, and cheese, we +made a good supper; and now we are sitting over the fire smoking our +pipes, and listening to the rain as it patters on the roof, and to the +wind as it howls round the building. Under the influence of tobacco and +cognac Anders was more happy, and got even reconciled to Edward, whom he +regarded as a muff. Looking at him mockingly, he said again, "What a +pity you had not Osborn's Pipe." + +"And, pray, what was that?" asked Edward; "was it anything like this?" +holding out his cutty pipe. + +"God forgive us," said Anders; "there are pipes and pipes, and Osborn's +Pipe was not a tobacco-pipe, but a playing pipe or whistle. At least so +my grandmother said, for she said her grandmother knew a very old woman +down at the head of the lake, who had known Osborn and seen his pipe. +But, if you like, I'll tell you the story. The girls are gone to bed, +and so they won't trouble us, though there's a good bit of kissing in +the story, and, when you hear it, you'll both say we should have been +lucky if we had only had Osborn's Pipe when the gentleman scared away +the deer. But here goes." + + + + +OSBORN'S PIPE. + + +"Once on a time there was a poor tenant farmer who had to give up his +farm to his landlord; but, if he had lost his farm, he had three sons +left, and their names were Peter, Paul, and Osborn Boots. They stayed at +home and sauntered about, and wouldn't do a stroke of work; _that_ they +thought was the right thing to do. They thought, too, they were too good +for everything, and that nothing was good enough for them. + +"At last Peter had got to hear how the king would have a keeper to watch +his hares; so he said to his father that he would be off thither: the +place would just suit him, for he would serve no lower man than the +king; that was what he said. The old father thought there might be work +for which he was better fitted than that; for he that would keep the +king's hares must be light and lissom, and no lazy-bones, and when the +hares began to skip and frisk there would be quite another dance than +loitering about from house to house. Well, it was all no good: Peter +would go, and must go, so he took his scrip on his back, and toddled +away down the hill; and when he had gone far, and farther than far, he +came to an old wife, who stood there with her nose stuck fast in a log +of wood, and pulled and pulled at it; and as soon as he saw how she +stood dragging and pulling to get free he burst into a loud fit of +laughter. + +"'Don't stand there and grin,' said the old wife, 'but come and help an +old cripple; I was to have split asunder a little firewood, and I got my +nose fast down here, and so I have stood and tugged and torn and not +tasted a morsel of food for hundreds of years.' That was what she said. + +"But for all that Peter laughed more and more. He thought it all fine +fun. All he said was, as she had stood so for hundreds of years she +might hold out for hundreds of years still. + +"When he got to the king's grange, they took him for keeper at once. It +was not bad serving there, and he was to have good food and good pay, +and maybe the princess into the bargain; but if one of the king's hares +got lost, they were to cut three red stripes out of his back and cast +him into a pit of snakes. + +"So long as Peter was in the byre and home-field he kept all the hares +in one flock: but as the day wore on, and they got up into the wood, all +the hares began to frisk, and skip, and scuttle away up and down the +hillocks. Peter ran after them this way and that, and nearly burst +himself with running, so long as he could make out that he had one of +them left, and when the last was gone he was almost brokenwinded. And +after that he saw nothing more of them. + +"When it drew towards evening he sauntered along on his way home, and +stood and called and called to them at each fence, but no hares came; +and when he got home to the king's grange, there stood the king all +ready with his knife, and he took and cut three red stripes out of +Peter's back, and then rubbed pepper and salt into them, and cast him +into a pit of snakes. + +"After a time, Paul was for going to the king's grange to keep the +king's hares. The old gaffer said the same thing to him, and even still +more; but he must and would set off; there was no help for it, and +things went neither better nor worse with him than with Peter. The old +wife stood there and tugged and tore at her nose to get it out of the +log; he laughed, and thought it fine fun, and left her standing and +hacking there. He got the place at once; no one said him nay; but the +hares hopped and skipped away from him down all the hillocks, while he +rushed about till he blew and panted like a colley-dog in the dog-days, +and when he got home at night to the king's grange, without a hare, the +king stood ready with his knife in the porch, and took and cut three +broad red stripes out of his back, and rubbed pepper and salt into them, +and so down he went into the pit of snakes. + +"Now, when a little while had passed, Osborn Boots was all for setting +off to keep the king's hares, and he told his mind to the gaffer. He +thought it would be just the right work for him to go into the woods and +fields, and along the wild strawberry brakes, and to drag a flock of +hares with him, and between whiles to lie and sleep and warm himself on +the sunny hillsides. + +"The gaffer thought there might be work which suited him better; if it +didn't go worse, it was sure not to go better with him than with his two +brothers. The man to keep the king's hares must not dawdle about like a +lazy-bones with leaden soles to his stockings, or like a fly in a +tar-pot; for when they fell to frisking and skipping on the sunny +slopes, it would be quite another dance to catching fleas with gloves +on. No; he that would get rid of that work with a whole back had need to +be more than lithe and lissom, and he must fly about faster than a +bladder or a bird's-wing. + +"'Well, well, it was all no good, however bad it might be,' said Osborn +Boots. He would go to the king's grange and serve the king, for no +lesser man would he serve, and he would soon keep the hares. They +couldn't well be worse than the goat and the calf at home. So Boots +threw his scrip on his shoulder, and down the hill he toddled. + +"So when he had gone far, and farther than far, and had begun to get +right down hungry, he too came to the old wife, who stood with her nose +fast in the log, who tugged, and tore, and tried to get loose. + +"'Good-day, grandmother,' said Boots. 'Are you standing there whetting +your nose, poor old cripple that you are?' + +"'Now, not a soul has called me "mother" for hundreds of years,' said +the old wife. 'Do come and help me to get free, and give me something to +live on; for I haven't had meat in my mouth all that time. See if I +don't do you a motherly turn afterwards.' + +"Yes; he thought she might well ask for a bit of food and a drop of +drink. + +"So he cleft the log for her, that she might get her nose out of the +split, and sat down to eat and drink with her; and as the old wife had a +good appetite, you may fancy she got the lion's share of the meal. + +"When they were done, she gave Boots a pipe, which was in this wise: +when he blew into one end of it, anything that he wished away was +scattered to the four winds, and when he blew into the other, all things +gathered themselves together again; and if the pipe were lost or taken +from him, he had only to wish for it, and it came back to him. + +"'Something like a pipe, this,' said Osborn Boots. + +"When he got to the king's grange, they chose him for keeper on the +spot. It was no bad service there, and food and wages he should have, +and, if he were man enough to keep the king's hares, he might, perhaps, +get the princess too; but if one of them got away, if it were only a +leveret, they were to cut three red stripes out of his back. And the +king was so sure of this that he went off at once and ground his knife. + +"It would be a small thing to keep these hares, thought Osborn Boots; +for when they set out they were almost as tame as a flock of sheep, and +so long as he was in the lane and in the home-field, he had them all +easily in a flock and following; but when they got upon the hill by the +wood, and it looked towards mid-day, and the sun began to burn and shine +on the slopes and hillsides, all the hares fell to frisking and skipping +about, and away over the hills. + +"'Ho, ho! stop! will you all go? Go, then!' said Boots; and he blew into +one end of the pipe, so that they ran off on all sides, and there was +not one of them left. But as he went on, and came to an old charcoal +pit, he blew into the other end of the pipe; and before he knew where he +was, the hares were all there, and stood in lines and rows, so that he +could take them all in at a glance, just like a troop of soldiers on +parade. 'Something like a pipe, this,' said Osborn Boots; and with that +he laid him down to sleep away under a sunny slope, and the hares +frisked and frolicked about till eventide. Then he piped them all +together again, and came down to the king's grange with them, like a +flock of sheep. + +"The king and the queen, and the princess, too, all stood in the porch, +and wondered what sort of fellow this was who so kept the hares that he +brought them home again; and the king told and reckoned them on his +fingers, and counted them over and over again; but there was not one of +them missing--no! not so much as a leveret. + +"'Something like a lad, this,' said the princess. + +"Next day he went off to the wood, and was to keep the hares again; but +as he lay and rested himself on a strawberry brake, they sent the maid +after him from the grange that she might find out how it was that he was +man enough to keep the king's hares so well. + +"So he took out the pipe and showed it her, and then he blew into one +end and made them fly like the wind over all the hills and dales; and +then he blew into the other end, and they all came scampering back to +the brake, and all stood in row and rank again. + +"'What a pretty pipe,' said the maid. She would willingly give a hundred +dollars for it, if he would sell it, she said. + +"'Yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots; 'and it was not +to be had for money alone; but if she would give him the hundred +dollars, and a kiss for each dollar, she should have it,' he said. + +"Well! why not? of course she would; she would willingly give him two +for each dollar, and thanks besides. + +"So she got the pipe; but when she had got as far as the king's grange, +the pipe was gone, for Osborn Boots had wished for it back, and so, when +it drew towards eventide, home he came with his hares just like any +other flock of sheep; and for all the king's counting or telling, there +was no help,--not a hair of the hares was missing. + +"The third day that he kept the hares, they sent the princess on her way +to try and get the pipe from him. She made herself as blithe as a lark, +and she bade him two hundred dollars if he would sell her the pipe and +tell her how she was to behave to bring it safe home with her. + +"'Yes! yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots; 'and it was +not for sale,' he said, 'but all the same, he would do it for her sake, +if she would give him two hundred dollars, and a kiss into the bargain +for each dollar; then she might have the pipe. If she wished to keep it, +she must look sharp after it. That was her look-out.' + +"'This is a very high price for a hare-pipe,' thought the princess; and +she made mouths at giving him the kisses; 'but, after all,' she said, +'it's far away in the wood, no one can see it or hear it--it can't be +helped; for I must and will have the pipe.' + +"So when Osborn Boots had got all he was to have, she got the pipe, and +off she went, and held it fast with her fingers the whole way; but when +she came to the grange, and was going to take it out, it slipped through +her fingers and was gone! + +"Next day the queen would go herself and fetch the pipe from him. She +made sure she would bring the pipe back with her. + +"Now she was more stingy about the money, and bade no more than fifty +dollars; but she had to raise her price till it came to three hundred. +Boots said it was something like a pipe, and it was no price at all; +still for her sake it might go, if she would give him three hundred +dollars, and a smacking kiss for each dollar into the bargain; then she +might have it. And he got the kisses well paid, for on that part of the +bargain she was not so squeamish. + +"So when she had got the pipe, she both bound it fast, and looked after +it well; but she was not a hair better off than the others, for when she +was going to pull it out at home, the pipe was gone; and at even down +came Osborn Boots, driving the king's hares home for all the world like +a flock of tame sheep. + +"'It is all stuff,' said the king; 'I see I must set off myself, if we +are to get this wretched pipe from him; there's no other help for it, I +can see.' And when Osborn Boots had got well into the woods next day +with the hares, the king stole after him, and found him lying on the +same sunny hillside, where the women had tried their hands on him. + +"Well! they were good friends and very happy; and Osborn Boots showed +him the pipe, and blew first on one end and then on the other, and the +king thought it a pretty pipe, and wanted at last to buy it, even though +he gave a thousand dollars for it. + +"'Yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Boots, 'and it's not to be had +for money; but do you see that white horse yonder down there?' and he +pointed away into the wood. + +"'See it! of course I see it; it's my own horse Whitey,' said the king. +No one had need to tell him that. + +"'Well! if you will give me a thousand dollars, and then go and kiss yon +white horse down in the marsh there, behind the big fir-tree, you shall +have my pipe.' + +"'Isn't it to be had for any other price?' asked the king. + +"'No, it is not,' said Osborn. + +"'Well! but I may put my silken pockethandkerchief between us?' said the +king. + +"Very good; he might have leave to do that. And so he got the pipe, and +put it into his purse. And the purse he put into his pocket, and +buttoned it up tight; and so off he strode to his home. But when he +reached the grange, and was going to pull out his pipe, he fared no +better than the women folk; he hadn't the pipe any more than they, and +there came Osborn Boots driving home the flock of hares, and not a hair +was missing. + +"The king was both spiteful and wroth, to think that he had fooled them +all round, and cheated him out of the pipe as well; and now he said +Boots must lose his life, there was no question of it, and the queen +said the same: it was best to put such a rogue out of the way +red-handed. + +"Osborn thought it neither fair nor right, for he had done nothing but +what they told him to do; and so he had guarded his back and life as +best he might. + +"So the king said there was no help for it; but if he could lie the +great brewing-vat so full of lies that it ran over, then he might keep +his life. + +"That was neither a long nor perilous piece of work: he was quite game +to do that, said Osborn Boots. So he began to tell how it had all +happened from the very first. He told about the old wife and her nose in +the log, and then he went on to say, 'Well, but I must lie faster if the +vat is to be full.' So he went on to tell of the pipe and how he got it; +and of the maid, how she came to him and wanted to buy it for a hundred +dollars, and of all the kisses she had to give besides, away there in +the wood. Then he told of the princess how she came and kissed him so +sweetly for the pipe when no one could see or hear it all away there in +the wood. Then he stopped and said, 'I must lie faster if the vat is +ever to be full.' So he told of the queen, how close she was about the +money and how overflowing she was with her smacks. 'You know I must lie +hard to get the vat full,' said Osborn. + +"'For my part,' said the queen, 'I think it's pretty full already.' + +"'No! no! it isn't,' said the king. + +"So he fell to telling how the king came to him, and about the white +horse down on the marsh, and how if the king was to have the pipe, he +must--'Yes, your majesty, if the vat is ever to be full I must go on and +lie hard,' said Osborn Boots. + +"'Hold! hold, lad! It's full to the brim,' roared out the king; 'don't +you see how it is foaming over?' + +"So both the king and the queen thought it best he should have the +princess to wife and half the kingdom. There was no help for it. + +"'That was something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots." + + * * * * * + +That was the story of Osborn's Pipe, and when Anders stopped we all +laughed, and our laughter was re-echoed by the girls, who had listened +with the door ajar, and who now showed their smiling faces through the +opening, and thanked Anders for telling the story so well. "Your own +grandmother couldn't have told it better," said Christine, his +fair-haired cousin. + + + + +THE HAUNTED MILL, AND THE HONEST PENNY. + + +Next morning we woke to find Anders' words too true; the wind still +howled, and the rain still poured, deerstalking was out of the question, +nor could the girls stir out of the doors to look after the kine. There +we were, all house-bound. What was to be done? After breakfast we +smoked, and the girls knitted stockings. Anders, for want of something +better to do, cleaned our guns and admired their make and locks. But all +this was not much towards killing time on the Fjeld, and we had no +books. + +At last Edward, who was rather afraid of Anders and his jokes on his +sportsmanship, whispered to me, + +"Can't you make him tell us some more stories? I'll be bound _Osborn's +Pipe_ is not the only tale he has in his scrip." + +Not a bad thought, but Anders was one of those free spirits who must be +stalked as warily as a reindeer. I felt that if I asked him outright he +might betake him to his Norse pride and say he was no story-teller. "If +I wanted stories I had better ask some of the old women down in the +dales." It was not the first time I had unsealed unwilling lips, and I +knew the way. + +"That was a good story about Osborn's Pipe, and I owe you one for it, +Anders. Come listen to one of mine, and let the lassies listen to it +too. It's not long." + + +THE HAUNTED MILL. + +"Once on a time, there was a man who had a mill by the side of a force, +and in the mill there was a brownie. Whether the man, as is the custom +in most places, gave the brownie porridge and ale at Yule to bring grist +to the mill, I can't say, but I don't think he did, for every time he +turned the water on the mill, the brownie took hold of the spindle and +stopped the mill, so that he couldn't grind a sack. + +"The man know well enough it was all the brownie's work, and at last one +evening, when he went into the mill, he took a pot full of pitch and +tar, and lit a fire under it. Well! when he turned the water on the +wheel, it went round awhile, but soon after it made a dead stop. So he +turned, and twisted, and put his shoulder to the top of the wheel, but +it was all no good. By this time the pot of pitch was boiling hot, and +then he opened the trap-door which opened on to the ladder that went +down into the wheel, and if he didn't see the brownie standing on the +steps of the ladder with his jaws all a-gape, and he gaped so wide that +his mouth filled up the whole trap-door. + +"'Did you ever see such a wide mouth?' said the brownie. + +"But the man was handy with his pitch. He caught up the pot and threw +it, pitch and all, into the gaping jaws. + +"'Did you ever feel such hot pitch?' + +"Then the brownie let the wheel go, and yelled and howled frightfully. +Since then he has been never known to stop the wheel in that mill, and +there they ground in peace." + + * * * * * + +Yes! Anders had heard a story something like that, only it was about a +water kelpy, not a brownie. Brownies, he declared, never did folk much +harm, except lazy maids and idle grooms, but kelpies were spiteful, and +hated men. Besides, brownies hated water, they couldn't bear to cross a +running stream; then how could they live in a mill? No, it was a kelpy, +and his grandmother had told him so. + +Then, after a pause, he went on, "But I know another story of a mill +which was not canny, and I'll tell it if you like." + +We were all ears, and Anders began:-- + + +THE HAUNTED MILL. + +"This story, too, I heard of my grandmother, who knew stories without +end, and more, she believed them. This mill was not in these parts, it +was somewhere up the country; but wherever it was, north of the Fells, +or south of the Fells, it was not canny. No one could grind a grain of +corn in it for weeks together, when something came and haunted it. But +the worst was that, besides haunting it, the trolls, or whatever they +were, took to burning the mill down. Two Whitsun-eves running it had +caught fire and burned to the ground. + +"Well, the third year, as Whitsuntide was drawing on, the man had a +tailor in his house hard by the mill, who was making Sunday clothes for +the miller. + +"'I wonder, now,' said the man on Whitsun-eve, 'whether the mill will +burn down this Whitsuntide, too?' + +"'No, it shan't,' said the tailor. 'Why should it? Give me the keys: +I'll watch the mill.' + +"Well, the man thought that brave, and so, as the evening drew on, he +gave the tailor the keys, and showed him into the mill. It was empty, +you know, for it was just new-built, and so the tailor sat down in the +middle of the floor, and took out his chalk and chalked a great circle +round about him, and outside the ring all round he wrote the Lord's +Prayer, and when he had done that he wasn't afraid--no, not if Old Nick +himself came. + +"So at dead of night the door flew open with a bang, and there came in +such a swarm of black cats you couldn't count them, they were as thick +as ants. They were not long before they had put a big pot on the +fireplace and set light under it, and the pot began to boil and bubble +and as for the broth, it was for all the world like pitch and tar. + +"'Ha! ha!' thought the tailor, 'that's your game, is it!' + +"And he had hardly thought this before one of the cats thrust her paw +under the pot and tried to upset it. + +"'Paws off, pussy,' said the tailor, 'you'll burn your whiskers.' + +"'Hark to the tailor, who says "Paws off, pussy," to me,' said the cat +to the other cats, and in a trice they all ran away from the fireplace, +and began to dance and jump round the circle; and then all at once the +same cat stole off to the fireplace and tried to upset the pot. + +"'Paws off, pussy, you'll burn your whiskers,' bawled out the tailor +again, and again he scared them from the fireplace. + +"'Hark to the tailor, who says "Paws off, pussy"' said the cat to the +others, and again they all began to dance and jump round the circle, and +then all at once they were off again to the pot, trying to upset it. + +"'Paws off, pussy, you'll burn your whiskers,' screamed out the tailor +the third time, and this time he gave them such a fright that they +tumbled head over heels on the floor, and began dancing and jumping as +before. + +"Then they closed round the circle, and danced faster and faster: so +fast at last that the tailor's head began to turn round, and they glared +at him with such big ugly eyes, as though they would swallow him up +alive. + +"Now just as they were at the fastest, the same cat which had tried so +often to upset the pot, stuck her paw inside the circle, as though she +meant to claw the tailor. But as soon as the tailor saw that, he drew +his knife out of the sheath and held it ready; just then the cat thrust +her paw in again, and in a trice the tailor chopped it off, and then, +pop! all the cats took to their heels as fast as they could, with yells +and caterwauls, right out at the door. + +"But the tailor lay down inside his circle, and slept till the sun shone +bright in upon the floor. Then he rose, locked the mill, and went away +to the miller's house. + +"When he got there, both the miller and his wife were still abed, for +you know it was Whitsunday morning. + +"'Good morning,' said the tailor, as he went to the bedside, and held +out his hand to the miller. + +"'Good morning,' said the miller, who was both glad and astonished to +see the tailor safe and sound, you must know. + +"'Good morning, mother!' said the tailor, and held out his hand to the +wife. + +"'Good morning,' said she; but she looked so wan and worried; and as for +her hand, she hid it under the quilt; but at last she stuck out the +left. Then the tailor saw plainly how things stood, but what he said to +the man and what was done to the wife, I never heard." + + * * * * * + +"But I can tell you, Anders," I broke in: "she was burnt for a witch, +and, do you know, over in Scotland we have the same story; only we have +the end. She tried on the Boot till her feet were crushed, and Morton's +Maiden hugged her till her ribs cracked, and her fingers were fitted to +the thumbscrews till they were all jelly. All this to make her own that +she was a witch, and at last, when she owned it, she was burnt at +Edinburgh, in the days of King James the Sixth, and seven other carlines +with her." + +Having unsealed Anders' lips, I was not going to let him stop, so I told +the story of _Whittington and his Cat_, and I even got him and the +lassies to understand the awful importance of the Lord Mayor of London. +After Anders and the lassies had crossed and blessed themselves over and +over again at that wonderful story, Anders said,-- + +"Heaven help us, we have no Lord Mayors in Norway; the sheriff is good +enough for us, and trouble enough he gives us sometimes; but we have a +story, the end of which is as like your Lord Mayor's story as one pea is +like another, and here it is, only we call it + + +THE HONEST PENNY. + +"Once on a time there was a poor woman who lived in a tumble-down hut +far away in the wood. Little had she to eat, and nothing at all to burn, +and so she sent a little boy she had out into the wood to gather fuel. +He ran and jumped, and jumped and ran, to keep himself warm, for it was +a cold gray autumn day, and every time he found a bough or a root for +his billet, he had to beat his arms across his breast, for his fists +were as red as the cranberries over which he walked, for very cold. So +when he had got his billet of wood and was off home, he came upon a +clearing of stumps on the hillside, and there he saw a white crooked +stone. + +"'Ah! you poor old stone,' said the boy; 'how white and wan you are! +I'll be bound you are frozen to death;' and with that he took off his +jacket, and laid it on the stone. So when he got home with his billet of +wood his mother asked what it all meant that he walked about in wintry +weather in his shirtsleeves. Then he told her how he had seen an old +crooked stone which was all white and wan for frost, and how he had +given it his jacket. + +"'What a fool you are!' said his mother; 'do you think a stone can +freeze? But even if it froze till it shook again, know this--everyone is +nearest to his own self. It costs quite enough to get clothes to your +back, without your going and hanging them on stones in the clearings,' +and as she said that, she hunted the boy out of the house to fetch his +jacket. + +"So when he came where the stone stood, lo! it had turned itself and +lifted itself up on one side from the ground. 'Yes! yes! this is since +you got the jacket, poor old thing,' said the boy. + +"But, when he looked a little closer at the stone, he saw a money-box, +full of bright silver, under it. + +"'This is stolen money, no doubt,' thought the boy; 'no one puts money, +come by honestly, under a stone away in the wood.' + +"So he took the money-box and bore it down to a tarn hard by and threw +the whole hoard into the tarn; but one silver pennypiece floated on the +top of the water, "'Ah! ah! that is honest,' said the lad; 'for what is +honest never sinks.' + +"So he took the silver penny and went home with it and his jacket. Then +he told his mother how it had all happened, how the stone had turned +itself, and how he had found a money-box full of silver money, which he +had thrown out into the tarn because it was stolen money, and how one +silver penny floated on the top. + +"'That I took,' said the boy, 'because it was honest.' + +"'You are a born fool,' said his mother, for she was very angry; 'were +naught else honest than what floats on water, there wouldn't be much +honesty in the world. And even though the money were stolen ten times +over, still you had found it; and I tell you again what I told you +before, every one is nearest to his own self. Had you only taken that +money we might have lived well and happily all our days. But a +ne'er-do-weel thou art, and a ne'er-do-weel thou wilt be, and now I +won't drag on any longer toiling and moiling for thee. Be off with thee +into the world and earn thine own bread.'" + +"So the lad had to go out into the wide world, and he went both far and +long seeking a place. But wherever he came, folk thought him too little +and weak, and said they could put him to no use. At last he came to a +merchant, and there he got leave to be in the kitchen and carry in wood +and water for the cook. Well, after he had been there a long time, the +merchant had to make a journey into foreign lands, and so he asked all +his servants what he should buy and bring home for each of them. So, +when all had said what they would have, the turn came to the scullion, +too, who brought in wood and water for the cook. Then he held out his +penny. + +"'Well, what shall I buy with this?' asked the merchant; 'there won't be +much time lost over this bargain.' + +"'Buy what I can get for it. It is honest, that I know,' said the lad. + +"That his master gave his word to do, and so he sailed away. + +"So when the merchant had unladed his ship and laded her again in +foreign lands, and bought what he had promised his servants to buy, he +came down to his ship, and was just going to shove off from the wharf. +Then all at once it came into his head that the scullion had sent out a +silver penny with him, that he might buy something for him. + +"'Must I go all the way back to the town for the sake of a silver penny? +One would then have small gain in taking such a beggar into one's +house,' thought the merchant. + +"Just then an old wife came walking by with a bag at her back. + +"'What have you got in your bag, mother?' asked the merchant. + +"'Oh! nothing else than a cat. I can't afford to feed it any longer, so +I thought I would throw it into the sea, and make away with it,' +answered the woman. + +"Then the merchant said to himself, 'Didn't the lad say I was to buy +what I could get for his penny?' So he asked the old wife if she would +take four farthings for her cat. Yes! the goody was not slow to say +'done,' and so the bargain was soon struck. + +"Now when the merchant had sailed a bit, fearful weather fell on him, +and such a storm, there was nothing for it but to drive and drive till +he did not know whither he was going. At last he came to a land on which +he had never set foot before, and so up he went into the town. + +"At the inn where he turned in, the board was laid with a rod for each +man who sat at it. The merchant thought it very strange, for he couldn't +at all make out what they were to do with all these rods; but he sate +him down, and thought he would watch well what the others did, and do +like them. Well! as soon as the meat was set on the board, he saw well +enough what the rods meant; for out swarmed mice in thousands, and each +one who sate at the board had to take to his rod and flog and flap about +him, and naught else could be heard than one cut of the rod harder than +the one which went before it. Sometimes they whipped one another in the +face, and just gave themselves time to say, 'Beg pardon,' and then at it +again. + +"'Hard work to dine in this land!' said the merchant. 'But don't folk +keep cats here?' + +"'Cats?' they all asked, for they did not know what cats were. + +"So the merchant sent and fetched the cat he had bought for the +scullion, and as soon as the cat got on the table, off ran the mice to +their holes, and folks had never in the memory of man had such rest at +their meat. + +"Then they begged and prayed the merchant to sell them the cat, and at +last, after a long, long time, he promised to let them have it; but he +would have a hundred dollars for it; and that sum they gave and thanks +besides. + +"So the merchant sailed off again; but he had scarce got good sea-room +before he saw the cat sitting up at the mainmast head, and all at once +again came foul weather and a storm worse than the first, and he drove +and drove till he got to a country where he had never been before. The +merchant went up to an inn, and here, too, the board was spread with +rods; but they were much bigger and longer than the first. And, to tell +the truth, they had need to be; for here the mice were many more, and +every mouse was twice as big as those he had before seen. + +"So he sold the cat again, and this time he got two hundred dollars for +it, and that without any haggling. + +"So when he had sailed away from that land and got a bit out at sea, +there sat Grimalkin again at the masthead; and the bad weather began at +once again, and the end of it was, he was again driven to a land where +he had never been before. + +"He went ashore, up to the town, and turned into an inn. There, too, the +board was laid with rods, but every rod was an ell and a half long, and +as thick as a small broom; and the folk said that to sit at meat was the +hardest trial they had, for there were thousands of big ugly rats, so +that it was only with sore toil and trouble one could get a morsel into +one's mouth, 'twas such hard work to keep off the rats. So the cat had +to be fetched up from the ship once more, and then folks got their food +in peace. Then they all begged and prayed the merchant, for heaven's +sake, to sell them his cat. For a long time he said, 'No;' but at last, +he gave his word to take three hundred dollars for it. That sum they +paid down at once, and thanked him and blessed him for it into the +bargain. + +"Now, when the merchant got out to sea, he fell a-thinking how much the +lad had made out of the penny he had sent out with him. + +"'Yes, yes, some of the money he shall have,' said the merchant to +himself; 'but not all. Me it is that he has to thank for the cat I +bought; and, besides, every man is nearest to his own self.' + +"But as soon as ever the merchant thought this, such a storm and gale +arose that every one thought the ship must founder. So the merchant saw +there was no help for it, and he had to vow that the lad should have +every penny; and, no sooner had he vowed this vow, than the weather +turned good, and he got a snoring breeze fair for home. + +"So, when he got to land, he gave the lad the six hundred dollars, and +his daughter besides; for now the little scullion was just as rich as +his master, the merchant, and even richer; and, after that, the lad +lived all his days in mirth and jollity; and he sent for his mother and +treated her as well as or better than he treated himself; for, said the +lad, 'I don't think that every one is nearest to his own self.'" + + + + +THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER, AND THE GREEDY CAT. + + +All this time Edward and the lassies sat by and listened. It was dull +work for Edward, he knew little Norse, and so could not follow the +stories; sometimes he stared in a dull vacant way at the girls, and +sometimes he consulted Bradshaw's Foreign Guide. Whether he solved any +of the many mysteries of that most mysterious volume, I know not, let us +hope he did. "Bored" is the word which best expressed his looks. But as +for Christine and Karin, they knitted and knitted, and laughed and +sniggered at the story, which Anders, I must say, told in a way which +would have rejoiced his old grandmother's heart. But they were not to +have all the fun and no work. It was now their turn to be amusing, and +help to kill the ancient enemy, time. + +When _The Honest Penny_ was over, Anders, almost without taking breath, +said,-- + +"Now, girls, it is my right to call for a tune. You know lots of +stories, and can tell them better than I. So, Christine, do you tell +_The Death of Chanticleer_; and you, Karin, _The Greedy Cat_. And mind +you act them as well as tell them. They are nursery tales meant for +children, and mind you tell them well." + +I am bound to say that Christine, who was a very pretty girl, now no +doubt the happy mother of children, told _The Death of Chanticleer_ in a +way which would have gained her in China the post of Own Story-teller to +the Emperor's children. Without a blush, and without even the +stereotyped "unaccustomed as I am to public story-telling," she began. +"This is the story of-- + + +THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER. + +"Once on a time there were a Cock and a Hen, who walked out into the +field, and scratched, and scraped, and scrabbled. All at once, +Chanticleer found a burr of hop, and Partlet found a barley-corn; and +they said they would make malt and brew Yule ale. + +"'Oh! I pluck barley, and I malt malt, and I brew ale, and the ale is +good,' cackled dame Partlet. + +"'Is the wort strong enough?' crew Chanticleer; and as he crowed he flew +up on the edge of the cask, and tried to have a taste; but, just as he +bent over to drink a drop, he took to flapping his wings, and so he fell +head over heels into the cask, and was drowned. + +"When dame Partlet saw that, she clean lost her wits, and flew up into +the chimney-corner, and fell a-screaming and screeching out. 'Harm in +the house! harm in the house!' she screeched out all in a breath, and +there was no stopping her. + +"'What ails you, dame Partlet, that you sit there sobbing and sighing?' +said the Handquern. + +"'Why not?' said dame Partlet; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into +the cask and drowned himself, and lies dead? That's why I sigh and sob.' + +"'Well, if I can do naught else, I will grind and groan,' said the +Handquern; and so it fell to grinding as fast as it could. + +"When the Chair heard that, it said-- + +"'What ails you, Handquern, that you grind and groan so fast and oft?' + +"'Why not, when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the cask and drowned +himself; and dame Partlet sits in the ingle, and sighs and sobs? That's +why I grind and groan,' said the Handquern. + +"'If I can do naught else, I will crack,' said the Chair; and, with +that, he fell to creaking and cracking. + +"When the Door heard that, it said,-- + +"'What's the matter? Why do you creak and crack so, Mr. Chair?' + +"'Why not?' said the Chair; 'goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; and the Handquern grinds and groans. That's why I creak and +crackle, and croak and crack.' + +"'Well,' said the Door, 'if I can do naught else, I can rattle and bang, +and whistle and slam;' and, with that, it began to open and shut, and +bang and slam, it deaved one to hear, and all one's teeth chattered. + +"All this the Stove heard, and it opened its mouth and called out-- + +"'Door! Door! why all this slamming and banging?' + +"'Why not?' said the Door; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans, and the Chair creaks and +cracks. That's why I bang and slam.' + +"'Well,' said the Stove, 'if I can do naught else, I can smoulder and +smoke;' and so it fell a-smoking and steaming till the room was all in a +cloud. + +"The Axe saw this, as it stood outside, and peeped with its shaft +through the window,-- + +"'What's all this smoke about, Mrs. Stove?' said the Axe, in a sharp +voice. + +"'Why not? said the Stove; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks and cracks, +and the Door bangs and slams. That's why I smoke and steam.' + +"'Well, if I can do naught else, I can rive and rend,' said the Axe; +and, with that, it fell to riving and rending all round about. + +"This the Aspen stood by and saw. + +"'Why do you rive and rend everything so, Mr. Axe?' said the Aspen. + +"'Goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned himself,' +said the Axe; 'dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and sobbing; the +Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks and cracks; the Door slams +and bangs, and the Stove smokes and steams. That's why I rive and rend +all about.' + +"'Well, if I can do naught else,' said the Aspen, 'I can quiver and +quake in all my leaves;' so it grew all of a quake. + +"The Birds saw this, and twittered out,-- + +"'Why do you quiver and quake, Miss Aspen?' + +"'Goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned himself,' +said the Aspen, with a trembling voice; 'dame Partlet sits in the ingle, +sighing and sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks +and cracks; the Door slams and bangs; the Stove steams and smokes; and +the Axe rives and rends. That's why I quiver and quake.' + +"Well, if we can do naught else, we will pluck off all our feathers,' +said the Birds; and, with that, they fell a-pilling and plucking +themselves till the room was full of feathers. + +"This the Master stood by and saw, and, when the feathers flew about +like fun, he asked the Birds,-- + +"'Why do you pluck off all your feathers, you Birds?' + +"'Oh! goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned +himself,' twittered out the Birds; 'dame Partlet sits sighing and +sobbing in the ingle; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks +and cracks; the Door slams and bangs; the Stove smokes and steams; the +Axe rives and rends, and the Aspen quivers and quakes. That's why we are +pilling and plucking all our feathers off.' + +"'Well, if I can do nothing else, I can tear the brooms asunder,' said +the man; and, with that, he fell tearing and tossing the brooms till the +birch-twigs flew about east and west. + +"The goody stood cooking porridge for supper, and saw all this. + +"'Why, man!' she called out; 'what are you tearing the brooms to bits +for?' + +"'Oh!' said the man, 'goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-vat +and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits sighing and sobbing in the ingle; +the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair cracks and creaks; the Door +slams and bangs; the Stove smokes and steams; the Axe rives and rends; +the Aspen quivers and quakes; the Birds are pilling and plucking all +their feathers off, and that's why I am tearing the besoms to bits.' + +"'So, so!' said the goody; 'then I'll dash the porridge over all the +walls;' and she did it; for she took one spoonful after the other and +dashed it against the walls, so that no one could see what they were +made of for very porridge. + +"That was how they drank the burial ale after goodman Chanticleer, who +fell into the brewing-vat and was drowned; and, if you don't believe it, +you may set off thither and have a taste both of the ale and the +porridge." + + * * * * * + +When Christine ended, I did not tell them what I could now tell them, +that this story of _The Death of Chanticleer_ is _mutatis mutandis_, the +very same story as one in _Grimm's Tales_, and another in the Scotch +collection of Robert Chambers. But alas! I heard _The Death of +Chanticleer_ up on the Fjeld long before those Scotch Stories appeared +in print, and so, as some of these stories say, I could tell them +nothing about it. + +Karin was not so good a story-teller as Christine, but she still told +her story well. Besides, it was harder to tell, and required an effort +of memory, like that needed in our _This is the House that Jack built_. +_The Greedy Cat_ has a wildness of its own, and is full of humour. Here +it is-- + + +THE GREEDY CAT. + +"Once on a time there was a man who had a cat, and she was so awfully +big, and such a beast to eat, he couldn't keep her any longer. So she +was to go down to the river with a stone round her neck, but before she +started she was to have a meal of meat. So the goody set before her a +bowl of porridge and a little trough of fat. That she crammed into her, +and ran off and jumped through the window. Outside stood the goodman by +the barn door, threshing. + +"'Good day, goodman,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, pussy,' said the goodman; 'have you had any food to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge and a trough of fat--and, now I think of it, +I'll take you too,' and so she took the goodman and gobbled him up. + +"When she had done that, she went into the byre, and there sat the goody +milking. + +"'Good day, goody,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, pussy,' said the goody; 'are you here, and have you eaten up +your food yet?' + +"'Oh, I've eaten a little to-day, but I'm 'most fasting,' said pussy; +'it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the +goodman--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took the +goody and gobbled her up. + +"'Good day, you cow at the manger,' said the cat to Daisy the cow. + +"'Good day, pussy,' said the bell-cow; 'have you had any food to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'I've +only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and +the goody--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took +the cow and gobbled her up. + +"Then off she set up into the home-field, and there stood a man picking +up leaves. + +"'Good day, you leaf-picker in the field,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' said the +leaf-picker. + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman and the +goody, and Daisy the cow--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So +she took the leaf-picker and gobbled him up. + +"Then she came to a heap of stones, and there stood a stoat and peeped +out. + +"'Good day, Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker--and, now I think of it, I'll +take you too.' So she took the stoat and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a bit farther, she came to a hazel-brake, and there +sat a squirrel gathering nuts. + +"'Good day, Sir Squirrel of the Brake,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat--and, now I think +of it, I'll take you too.' So she took the squirrel and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a little farther, she saw Reynard the Fox, who was +prowling about by the woodside. + +"'Good day, Reynard Slyboots,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So she took +Reynard and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a while farther she met Long Ears the Hare. + +"'Good day, Mr. Hopper the Hare,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So +she took the hare and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a bit farther, she met a wolf. + +"'Good day, you Greedy Greylegs,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox and the hare--and, now I think of it, I may as +well take you too.' So she took and gobbled up Greylegs too. + +"So she went on into the wood, and when she had gone far and farther +than far, o'er hill and dale, she met a bear-cub. + +"'Good day, you bare-breeched Bear,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said the bear-cub; 'have you had anything to +eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf--and, now I think of +it, I may as well take you too,' and so she took the bear-cub and +gobbled him up. + +"When the cat had gone a bit farther, she met a she-bear, who was +tearing away at a stump till the splinters flew, so angry was she at +having lost her cub. + +"'Good day, you Mrs. Bruin,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the +bear-cub--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took +Mrs. Bruin and gobbled her up too. + +"When the cat got still farther on, she met Baron Bruin himself. + +"'Good day, you Baron Bruin,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said Bruin; 'have you had anything to eat +to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she +took Bruin and ate him up too. + +"So the cat went on and on, and farther than far, till she came to the +abodes of men again, and there she met a bridal train on the road. + +"'Good day, you bridal train on the king's highway,' said she. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear--and, now I think of it, I'll take you +too,' and so she rushed at them, and gobbled up both the bride and +bridegroom, and the whole train, with the cook and the fiddler, and the +horses, and all. + +"When she had gone still farther, she came to a church, and there she +met a funeral. + +"'Good day, you funeral train,' said she. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom and the +whole train--and, now, I don't mind if I take you too,' and so she fell +on the funeral train and gobbled up both the body and the bearers. + +"Now when the cat had got the body in her, she was taken up to the sky, +and when she had gone a long, long way, she met the moon. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Moon,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom and the +whole train, and the funeral train--and, now I think of it, I don't mind +if I take you too,' and so she seized hold of the moon, and gobbled her +up, both new and full. + +"So the cat went a long way still, and then she met the sun. + +"'Good day, you Sun in heaven.' + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said the sun; 'have you had anything to eat +to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and the +whole train, and the funeral train, and the moon--and, now I think of +it, I don't mind if I take you too,' and so she rushed at the sun in +heaven and gobbled him up. + +"So the cat went far and farther than far, till she came to a bridge, +and on it she met a big Billygoat. + +"'Good day, you Billygoat on Broad-bridge,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' said the +Billygoat. + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting; I've only had a bowl of +porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody in the +byre, and Daisy the cow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in the +home-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, +and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the Hare, and Greedy Greylegs the +Wolf, and Bare-breech the Bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and +a Bridal train on the king's highway, and a Funeral at the church, and +Lady Moon in the sky, and Lord Sun in heaven, and, now I think of it, +I'll take you too.' + +"'That we'll fight about," said the Billygoat, and butted at the cat +till she fell right over the bridge into the river, and there she burst. + +"So they all crept out one after the other, and went about their +business, and were just as good as ever, all that the cat had gobbled +up. The Goodman of the house, and the Goody in the byre, and Daisy the +cow at the manger, and the Leaf-picker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoat +of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and +Mr. Hopper the Hare, and Greedy Greylegs the Wolf, and Bare-breech the +Bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and the Bridal train on the +highway, and the Funeral train at the church, and Lady Moon in the Sky, +and Lord Sun in heaven." + + + + +PETER THE FORESTER AND GRUMBLEGIZZARD. + + +When the girls had ended, we all laughed at the droll turn out of Sun, +Moon, and Co. from the cat's maw; and I was just going to repay them +with a Scotch story, when there came a great knock at the door. + +Who could it be? said the girls. Father and mother would not come up +from the dale in such weather. Who could it be? Perhaps one of the Hill +folk. Perhaps a Huldra. + +"Nonsense, lassies!" said Anders; "even if it were anything uncanny, we +have guns enough here to fire a shot over a whole pack of them, and men +enough to fire them too. Don't stand dawdling there, Karin, but open the +door." + +Karin did as she was bid, and drew back the wooden bolt. + +"My!" she cried, "if it isn't Peter the Forester! Come in, Peter. Come +in." + +In strode Peter, a strapping fellow, long past youth, but still hale and +hearty. His tight-fitting breeches and hose showed a well-knit frame; +over his many-buttoned jacket he wore a loose cloak of russet woollen +stuff, "Wadmel," as they call it in the north of Scotland, and "Vadmal," +as they call it in Norway. A broad, flapping wide-awake covered his +head, which on this occasion was tied down across the top, and under the +chin by a red cotton kerchief. On his shoulder was his rifle. + +"Why, Peter," said Anders, "what brought you out in such Deil's +weather?" + +"Well!" said Peter, "the owner of the sawmills down at the end of the +dale on the other side of the Fjeld, sent me up here last night to see +if I could mark down any reindeer for him; and so I came, though I told +him 'twas no use. The poor, silly body fancies the deer are like a pack +of barn-door fowls, that you can count morning and evening, as they go +out and come home to roost. He little thinks that the deer seen to-day +here, are to-morrow fifty miles off, or more; but as I wanted to cross +the Fjeld, and look at the forest on the other side down in the dale, I +said I would come and tell him if I saw any deer; and to make a long +story short, I came, and thought to get here last night; but just on the +edge of the Fjeld it grew dark as pitch, and so I crept into a reft in +the rocks, and spent the night as I best could. Luckily I had fladbrod +and gammelost, and a flask of brandy, else I should have fared badly. +But here I am, drenched to the skin, and nigh starved. Let me have a +pair of dry stockings, and a bowl of milk, and make myself comfortable. +But God's peace! I did not see you had English lords here. Good day! +Good day! After deer, too, no doubt. Did you see the deer yesterday?" + +While Anders told him in a low voice who we were, in which story +Edward's mishap was sure to find a place, Peter took off his shoes and +stockings, and put on dry ones, and then draining off his bowl of milk, +sate before the fire to enjoy his pipe. + +But Anders was not going to let him off so lightly. + +"You must often hear and see strange things in the woods, and on the +Fjeld, Peter!" + +"Aye! aye!" replied Peter, under a cloud of puffs, to this rather +leading question. "Aye, aye, I have both heard and seen many things. +Strange sounds and noises; sometimes for all the world like the sweetest +music." + +"And what made it?" I asked. + +"What made it!" scornfully replied Peter, "why the Huldror--the +fairies." + +"The fairies! then you believe in the Good People?" + +"Good or bad," said Peter, "and I think they are more often bad than +good, by their leave be it spoken; for to tell the truth, they say this +very Sæter was haunted in old days. Good or bad, why shouldn't I believe +in them? Doesn't the Bible speak of evil spirits? and if I believe in +the Bible I must believe in them." + +I was too eager to get out of Peter what he knew about the Hill folk or +Huldror or fairies, to stop to discuss his dictum as to the Bible, so I +said, + +"But do tell us what you saw yourself." + +"Well!" said Peter, "once in August I was sitting on a knoll by the side +of a path, with bushes on each side, so that I could look across the +path down into a little hollow full of heath and ling. I was out calling +birds, for I can call them by their notes, and just then I heard a grey +hen call among the heather, and I called to her and thought, 'If I only +set eyes on you, you shall have gobbled and cackled your last.' Then all +at once I heard something come rustling behind me along the path, and I +turned round and saw an old, old man; he was a strange looking chap +altogether, but the strangest thing about him was that he had--at least +so it seemed to me--three legs; and the third leg hung and dangled +between the other two right down to the ground, and so he walked along +the path. When I say 'walked,' it wasn't walking either, but a sliding, +sloping motion, and so he went along, and I lost sight of him in one of +the darkest hollows of the glen. Now if that were not a fairy I should +like to know what it was?" + +"Why an old gaberlunzie man, who helped himself along going down hill +with his stick behind him," said I. "Come, come, Peter, you must know +better stories than that. Tell us something that you have not seen, but +only heard tell of. Can't you tell us 'Grumblegizzard?'" For that, you +must know, was the name of a Norse tale that I had often heard of but +never yet heard. + +"Yes! yes," said Anders. "Peter knows it, I'll be bound." + +"Well!" said Peter, "it's a queer story, but here it is. This is the +story of + + +GRUMBLEGIZZARD. + +"Once on a time there were five goodies, who were all reaping in a +field; they were all childless, and all wished to have a bairn. All at +once they set eyes on a strangely big goose-egg, almost as big as a +man's head. + +"'I saw it first,' said one. + +"'I saw it just as soon as you,' screamed another. + +"'Heaven help me, but I will have it,' swore the third; 'I was the first +to see it.' + +"So they flocked round it and squabbled so much about the egg that they +were tearing one another's hair. But at last they agreed that they would +own it in common, all five of them, and each was to sit on it in turn +like a goose, and so hatch the gosling. The first lay sitting eight +days, and sat and sat, but nothing came of it; meanwhile the others had +to drag about to find food both for themselves and her. At last one of +them began to scold her. + +"'Well,' said the one that sat, 'you did not chip the egg yourself before +you could cry, not you; but this egg, I think, has something in it, for +it seems to me to mumble, and this is what it says, "Herrings and brose, +porridge and milk, all at once." And now you may come and sit for eight +days too, and we will change and change about and get food for you.' + +"So when all five had sat on it eight days, the fifth heard plainly that +there was a gosling in the egg, which screeched out, 'Herrings and +brose, porridge and milk;' so she picked a hole in it, but instead of a +gosling out came a man child, and awfully ugly it was, with a big head +and little body. And the first thing it bawled out when it chipped the +egg, was 'Herrings and brose, porridge and milk.' + +"So they called it 'Grumblegizzard.' + +"Ugly as it was, they were still glad to have it, at first; but it was +not long before it got so greedy that it ate up all the meat in their +house. When they boiled a kettle of soup or a pot of porridge, which +they thought would be enough for all six, it tossed it all down its own +throat. So they would not keep it any longer. + +"'I've not known what it is to have a full meal since this changeling +crept out of the egg-shell,' said one of them, and when Grumblegizzard +heard that all the rest were of the same mind, he said he was quite +willing to be off. If they did not care for him, he didn't care for +them; and with that he strode off from the farm. + +"After a long time he came to a farmer's house, which lay in a stone +country, and there he asked for a place. Well, they wanted a labourer, +and the goodman set him to pick up stones off the field. Yes! +Grumblegizzard gathered the stones from the field, and he took them so +big that there were many horse-loads in them, and whether they were big +or little, he stuffed them all into his pocket. 'Twas not long before he +was done with that work, and then he wanted to know what he was to do +next. + +"'I've told you to pluck out the stones from the field,' said the +goodman, 'you can't be done before you begin, I trow.' + +"But Grumblegizzard turned out his pockets and threw the stones in a +heap. Then the goodman saw that he had done his work, and felt he ought +to keep a workman who was so strong. He had better come in and have +something to eat, he said. Grumblegizzard thought so too, and he alone +ate all that was ready for the master and mistress and for the servants, +and after all he was not half full. + +"'That was a man and a half to work, but a fearful fellow to eat, too; +there was no stopping him,' said the goodman. 'Such a labourer would eat +a poor farmer out of house and home before one could turn round.' + +"So he told him he had no more work for him. He had best be off to the +king's grange. + +"Then Grumblegizzard strode on to the king, and got a place at once. In +the king's grange there was enough both of work and food. He was to be +odd man, and help the lasses to bring in wood and water and other small +jobs. So he asked what he was to do first. + +"'Oh, if you would be so good as to chop us a little firewood.' + +"Yes. Grumblegizzard fell to chopping and hewing till the splinters flew +about him. 'Twas not long before he had chopped up all that there was, +both of firewood and timber, both planks and beams; and when he had done +he came back and asked what he was to do now. + +"'Go on chopping wood,' they said. + +"'There's no more left to chop,' said he. + +"'That couldn't be true,' said the king's grieve, and he went and looked +out in the wood-yard. But it was quite true; Grumblegizzard had chopped +everything up; he had made firewood both of sawn planks and hewn beams. +That was bad work, the grieve said, and he told him he should not taste +a morsel of food till he had gone into the forest and cut down as much +timber as he had chopped up into firewood. + +"Grumblegizzard went off to the smithy, and got the smith to help him to +make an axe of fifteen pounds of iron; and so he went into the forest +and began to clear it; down toppled tall spruces and firs fit for masts. +Everything went down that he found either on the king's or his +neighbour's ground; he did not stay to top or lop them, and there they +lay like so many windfalls. Then he laid a good load on a sledge, and +put all the horses to it, but they could not stir the load from the +spot, and when he took them by the heads and wished to set them a-going, +he pulled their heads off. Then he tumbled the horses out of the traces +on to the ground, and drew the load home by himself. + +"When he came down to the king's grange the king and his wood-grieve +stood in the gallery to take him to task for having been so wasteful in +the forest--the wood-grieve had been up to see what he was at--but when +Grumblegizzard came along dragging back half a wood of timber, the king +got both angry and afraid, and he thought he must be careful with him, +since he was so strong. + +"'That I call a workman, and no mistake,' said the king; 'but how much +do you eat at once, for now you may well be hungry.' + +"'When he was to have a good meal of porridge, he could do with twelve +barrels of meal,' said Grumblegizzard; 'but when he had got so much +inside him, he could hold out for some time.' + +"It took time to get the porridge boiled, and, meantime, he was to draw +in a little wood for the cook; so he laid the whole pile of wood on a +sledge, but when he was to get through the doorway with it, he got into +a scrape again. The house was so shaken that it gave way at every joist, +and he was within an ace of dragging the whole grange over on end. + +"When the hour drew near for dinner, they sent him out to call home the +folk from the field; he bawled and bellowed so that the rocks and hills +rang again; but they did not come quick enough for him, so he fell out +with them, and slew twelve of them on the spot. + +"'He has slain twelve men,' said the king; 'and he eats for twelve times +twelve. But for how many do you work, I should like to know?' + +"'For twelve times twelve, too,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"When he had eaten his dinner, he was to go out into the barn to thrash, +so he took off the roof-tree and made a flail out of it; and, when the +roof was just about to fall, he took a great spruce fir, branches and +all, and stuck it up for a roof-tree; and then he thrashed the floor and +the straw, and hay, altogether. He did great harm, for the grain and +chaff and beard flew about together, and a cloud arose over the whole +grange. + +"When he was nearly done thrashing, enemies came into the land; and +there was to be war. So the king told him to take folk with him and go +on the way to meet the foe and fight them, for he thought they would put +him to death. 'No! he would have no folk with him to be slain; he would +fight alone, that he would,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"'All the better, I shall be sooner rid of him,' said the king. + +"But he must have a mighty club. + +"They sent off to the smith to forge a club of fifty pounds. 'That might +do very well to crack nuts,' said Grumblegizzard. So they smithied him +one of a hundred pounds. 'That might do well enough to nail shoes with,' +he said. Well, the smith couldn't smithy it any bigger with all his men. +So Grumblegizzard went off to the smithy himself, and forged a club of +fifteen tons, and it took a hundred men to turn it on the anvil. 'That +might do,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"Besides, he must have a scrip for food; and he made one out of fifteen +oxhides, and stuffed it full of food. And so he toddled off down the +hill with his scrip at his back and his club on his shoulder. + +"So, when he had got so far that the enemy saw him, they sent out a man +to ask if he were coming against them. + +"'Bide a bit, till I have had my dinner,' said Grumblegizzard, as he +threw himself down on the road, and fell to eating behind his great +scrip. + +"But they couldn't wait, and began to shoot at him at once, so that it +rained and hailed rifle bullets. + +"'These bilberries I don't mind a bit,' said Grumblegizzard, and fell to +eating harder than ever. + +"Neither lead nor iron could touch him, and before him was his scrip, +like a wall, and kept off the fire. + +"So they took to throwing shells at him, and to fire cannons at him; and +he just grinned a little every time they hit him. + +"'Ah! ah! it's all no good,' he said. But, just then, he got a bombshell +right down his throat. + +"'Fie!' he said, and spat it out again; and then came a chain-shot and +made its way into his butter-box, and another took the bit he was just +going to eat from between his fingers. Then he got angry, and rose up, +and took his club, and dashed it on the ground, and asked if they were +going to snatch the bread out of his mouth with their bilberries, which +they puffed out of big peashooters. Then he gave a few more strokes, +till the rocks and hills shook, and the enemy flew into the air like +chaff, and so the war was over." + + * * * * * + +Having got so far, Peter said he must take breath, and called for +another bowl of milk, and while he refreshed himself, we all waited +open-mouthed for the rest of the story of Grumblegizzard. + + * * * * * + +"When Grumblegizzard got home again and wanted more work, the king was +in a sad way, for he thought he should have been rid of him that time, +and now he could think of nothing but to send him to hell. + +"'You must be off to Old Nick, and ask for my land-tax.' + +"Grumblegizzard set off from the grange, with his scrip on his back and +his club on his shoulder. He lost no time on the way, but, when he got +there, Old Nick was gone to serve on a jury. There was no one at home +but his mother, and she said she had never in her born days heard talk +of any land-tax; he had better come again another day. + +"'Yes, yes! come to me to-morrow,' said Grumblegizzard. 'That's all +stuff and nonsense, for to-morrow never comes.' Now he was there, he +would stay there. He must and would have the land-tax, and he had lots +of time to wait. + +"But when he had eaten up all his food, the time hung heavy, and so he +went and asked the old dame to give him the land-tax. She must pay it +down. + +"'No,' she said, 'she couldn't do it. That stood as fast as the old +fir-tree,' she said, 'that grew outside the gate of hell, and was so big +that fifteen men could scarcely span it when they held hands.' + +"But Grumblegizzard climbed up to the top of it, and twisted and turned +it about like an osier; and then he asked if she were ready with the +land-tax. + +"Yes, she dared not do anything else, and found so many pence as he +thought he could carry in his scrip. + +"And now he started for home with the land-tax; but, as soon as he was +off, Old Nick came back. When he heard that Grumblegizzard had stridden +off from his house with his big scrip full of money, he first of all +beat and banged his mother, and then ran after him to catch him on the +way. + +"And he caught him up, too, for he ran light, and used his wings, while +Grumblegizzard had to keep to the ground under the weight of the big +scrip; but, just as Old Nick was at his heels, he began to run and jump +as fast as he could; and he held his club behind him to keep Old Nick +off. + +"And so they went along, Grumblegizzard holding the haft, and Old Nick +clawing at the head, till they came to a deep dale; there Grumblegizzard +leapt from one hill-top to the other, and Old Nick was so hot to follow, +that he tripped over the club and fell down into the dale, and broke his +leg, and so there he lay. + +"'Here you have the land-tax,' said Grumblegizzard, as he came to the +king's grange, and dashed down the scripful of money before the king, so +that the whole gallery creaked and cracked. + +"The king thanked him, and put a good face on it, and promised him good +pay and a safe pass home if he cared to have it; but all Grumblegizzard +wanted was more work. + +"'What shall I do now?' he asked. Well, when the king had thought about +it, he said he had better travel to the Hill Troll, who had carried off +his grandfather's sword to that castle he had by the lake, whither no +one dared to go. + +"So Grumblegizzard got several loads of food into his big scrip, and set +off again; and he fared both far and long, over wood and fell, and wild +wastes, till he came to some high hills, where the Troll was said to +dwell, who had taken the king's grandfather's sword. + +"But the Troll was not to be seen under bare sky, and the hill was fast +shut, so that even Grumblegizzard was not man enough to get in. + +"So he joined fellowship with some quarrymen, who were living at a hill +farm, and who lay up there quarrying stone in those hills. Such help +they never yet had, for he beat and battered the fell till the rocks +were rent, and great stones were rolled down as big as houses; but when +he was to rest at noon, and take out one load of food, the whole scrip +was clean eaten out. + +"'I'm a pretty good trencherman myself,' said Grumblegizzard; 'but +whoever has been here, has a sharper tooth, for he has eaten up bones +and all.' + +"That was how things went the first day, and it was no better the next. +The third day he set off to quarry stones again, and took with him the +third meal of food; but he laid down behind it, and shammed sleep. + +"Just then there came out of the hill a Troll with seven heads, and +began to munch and eat his food. + +"'Now the board is laid, and I will eat,' said the Troll. + +"'That we'll have a tussle for,' said Grumblegizzard; and gave him a +blow with his club, and knocked off all his seven heads at once. + +"So he went into the hill, out of which the Troll had come, and in there +stood a horse, which ate out of a tub of glowing coals, and at its heels +stood a tub of oats. + +"'Why don't you eat out of the tub of oats?' said Grumblegizzard. + +"'Because I am not able to turn round,' said the horse. + +"'I'll soon turn you,' said he. + +"'Rather strike off my head,' said the horse. + +"So he struck it off, and then the horse was turned into a handsome man. +He said he had been taken into the hill by the Troll, and turned into a +horse, and then he helped him to find the sword, which the Troll had +hidden at the bottom of his bed, and upon the bed lay the Troll's old +mother, asleep and snoring. + +"Home again they went by water, and when they had got well out, the old +witch came after them; as she could not catch them, she fell to drinking +the lake dry, and she drank and drank, till the water in the lake fell; +but she could not drink the sea dry, and so she burst. + +"When they came to shore, Grumblegizzard sent a message to the king, to +come and fetch his sword. He sent four horses. No! they could not stir +it; he sent eight, and he sent twelve; but the sword stayed where it +was, they could not move it an inch. But Grumblegizzard took it up +alone, and bore it along. + +"The king could not believe his eyes, when he saw Grumblegizzard again; +but he put a good face on it, and promised him gold, and green woods; +and when Grumblegizzard wanted more work, he said he had better set off +for a haunted castle he had, where no one dared to be, and there he must +sleep till he had built a bridge over the Sound, so that folk could pass +over. If he were good to do that he would pay him well; nay, he would be +glad to give him his daughter to wife. + +"'Yes! yes! I am good to do that,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"No man had ever left that castle alive; those who reached it lay there +slain and torn to bits, and the king thought he should never see him +more, if he only got him to go thither. + +"But Grumblegizzard set off; and he took with him his scrip of food, a +very tough and twisted stump of a fir-tree, an axe, a wedge, and a few +matches, and besides, he took the workhouse boy from the king's grange. + +"When they got to the Sound, the river ran full of ice, and was as +headlong as a force; but he stuck his legs fast at the bottom, and waded +on till he got over at last. + +"When he had lighted a fire and warmed himself, and got a bit of food, +he tried to sleep; but it was not long before there was such a noise and +din, as though the whole castle was turned topsy-turvy. The door blew +back against the wall, and he saw nothing but a gaping jaw, from the +threshold up to the lintel. + +"'There, you have a bit, taste that!' said Grumblegizzard, as he threw +the workhouse boy into the gaping maw. + +"'Now let me see you, what kind you are. May be we are old friends.' + +"So it was, for it was Old Nick, who was outside. Then they took to +playing cards, for the Old One wanted to try and win back some of the +land-tax, which Grumblegizzard had squeezed out of his mother, when he +went to ask it for the king; but whichever way they cut the cards, +Grumblegizzard won, for he put a cross on all the court cards, and when +he had won all his ready money, Old Nick was forced to give +Grumblegizzard some of the gold and silver that was in the castle. + +"Just as they were hard at it the fire went out, so that they could not +tell one card from another. + +"'Now we must chop wood,' said Grumblegizzard, and with that he drove +his axe into the fir stump, and thrust the wedge in; but the gnarled +root was tough, and would not split at once, however much he twisted and +turned his axe. + +"'They say you are very strong,' he said to Old Nick; 'spit in your +fists and bear a hand with your claws, and rive and rend, and let me see +the stuff you are made of.' + +"Old Nick did so, and put both his fists into the split, and strove to +rend it with might and main, but, at the same time, Grumblegizzard +struck the wedge out, and Old Nick was caught in a trap; and then +Grumblegizzard tried his back with his axe. Old Nick begged and prayed +so prettily to be let go, but Grumblegizzard was hard of hearing on that +side till he gave his word never to come there again, and make a noise. +And so, he too, had to promise to build a bridge over the Sound, so that +folks could pass over it at all times of the year, and it was to be +ready when the ice was gone. + +"'This is a hard bargain,' said Old Nick. But there was no help for it, +if he wished to get out. He had to give his word; only, he bargained, he +was to have the first soul that passed over the bridge. That was to be +the Sound due. + +"'That he should have,' said Grumblegizzard. So he got loose, and went +home; but Grumblegizzard lay down to sleep, and slept till far on next +day. + +"So, when the king came to see if he was hacked to pieces, or torn to +bits, he had to wade through heaps of money before he could get to the +bed. It lay in piles and sacks high up the wall: but Grumblegizzard lay +in the bed asleep and snoring. + +"'God help both me and my daughter,' said the king when he saw that +Grumblegizzard was alive and rich. Yes, all was good and well done; +there was no gainsaying that. But it was not worth while talking of the +wedding till the bridge was ready. + +"So, one day, the bridge stood ready, and Old Nick stood on it to take +the toll he had bargained for. + +"Now Grumblegizzard wanted to take the king with him to try the bridge, +but he had no mind to do that. So he got up himself on a horse, and +threw the fat milkmaid from the king's grange upon the pommel before +him;--she looked for all the world like a big fir-stump--and then he +rode over till the bridge thundered under him. + +"'Where is the Sound due? Where have you put the soul?' screamed Old +Nick. + +"'It sits inside this stump. If you want it, spit in your fists and take +it,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"'Nay, nay! many thanks,' said Old Nick. 'If she doesn't take me, I'll +not take her. You caught me once, and you shan't catch me again in a +cleft stick;' and, with that, he flew off straight home to his old +mother; and, since then, he has never been seen or heard in those parts. + +"But Grumblegizzard went home to the king's grange, and wanted the wages +the king had promised him; and when the king tried to wriggle out of it, +and would not keep his word, Grumblegizzard said he had better pack up a +good scrip of food, for he was going to take his wages himself. Yes, the +king did that: and, when all was ready, Grumblegizzard took the king out +before the door, and gave him a good push and sent him flying up into +the air. As for the scrip, he threw it after him, that he might have +something to eat. And, if he hasn't come down again, there he is still +hanging, with his scrip, between Heaven and Earth, to this very day that +now is." + + + + +PETER'S THREE TALES. + + +When _Grumblegizzard_ was over, we all laughed so that Peter was quite +in good humour. At first he had not liked the doubt thrown on his vision +of the old fairy man, but our applause soothed his ruffled spirit. + +"As you like stories," he said, "I'll tell you three short ones right +off, and then I'll call on Anders to tell one. The first is_ Father +Bruin in the Corner_, and it shows too what tongues old wives have, and +how there's no stopping them even in a pitfall. Many's the time I've +trapped Bruin, and Graylegs, and Reynard, in a pit; but I never yet +trapped an old woman, and I hope I never shall. It would be like +shearing a pig, 'all cry and no wool.' But here is the story." + + +FATHER BRUIN IN THE CORNER. + +"Once on a time there was a man who lived far, far away in the wood. He +had many, many goats and sheep, but never a one could he keep for fear +of Graylegs, the wolf. + +"At last he said, 'I'll soon trap Grayboots,' and so he set to work +digging a pitfall. When he had dug it deep enough, he put a polo down in +the midst of the pit, and on the top of the pole he set a board, and on +the board he put a little dog. Over the pit itself he spread boughs and +branches and leaves, and other rubbish, and a-top of all he strewed +snow, so that Graylegs might not see there was a pit underneath. + +"So when it got on in the night, the little dog grew weary of sitting +there: 'Bow-wow, bow-wow,' it said, and bayed at the moon. Just then up +came a fox, slouching and sneaking, and thought here was a fine time for +marketing, and with that gave a jump--head over heels down into the +pitfall. + +"And when it got a little farther on in the night, the little dog got so +weary and so hungry, and it fell to yelping and howling: 'Bow-wow, +bow-wow,' it cried out. Just at that very moment up came Graylegs, +trotting and trotting. He, too, thought he should get a fat steak, and +he too made a spring--head over heels down into the pitfall. + +"When it was getting on towards gray dawn in the morning, down fell +snow, with a north wind, and it grew so cold that the little dog stood +and froze, and shivered and shook; it was so weary and hungry, 'Bow-wow, +bow-wow, bow-wow,' it called out, and barked and yelled and howled. Then +up came a bear, tramping and tramping along, and thought to himself how +he could get a morsel for breakfast at the very top of the morning, and +so he thought and thought among the boughs and branches till he too went +bump--head over heels down into the pitfall. + +"So when it got a little further on in the morning, an old beggar wife +came walking by, who toddled from farm to farm with a bag on her back. +When she set eyes on the little dog that stood there and howled, she +couldn't help going near to look and see if any wild beasts had fallen +into the pit during the night. So she crawled up on her knees and peeped +down into it. + +"'Art thou come into the pit at last, Reynard?' she said to the fox, for +he was the first she saw; 'a very good place, too, for such a hen-roost +robber as thou: and thou, too, Graypaw,' she said to the wolf; 'many a +goat and sheep hast thou torn and rent, and now thou shalt be plagued +and punished to death. Bless my heart! Thou, too, Bruin! art thou, too, +sitting in this room, thou mare-flayer? Thee, too, will we strip, and +thee shall we flay, and thy skull shall be nailed up on the wall.' All +this the old lass screeched out as she bent over towards the bear. But +just then her bag fell over her ears, and dragged her down, and slap! +down went the old crone--head over heels into the pitfall. + +"So there they all four sat and glared at one another, each in a corner. +The fox in one, Graylegs in another, Bruin in a third, and the old crone +in a fourth. + +"But as soon as it was broad daylight, Reynard began to peep and peer, +and to twist and turn about, for he thought he might as well try to get +out. But the old lass cried out,-- + +"'Canst thou not sit still, thou whirligig thief, and not go twisting +and turning? Only look at Father Bruin himself in the corner, how he +sits as grave as a judge,' for now she thought she might as well make +friends with the bear. But just then up came the man who owned the +pitfall. First he drew up the old wife, and after that he slew all the +beasts, and neither spared Father Bruin himself in the corner, nor +Graylegs, nor Reynard, the whirligig thief. That night, at least, he +thought he had made a good haul." + + * * * * * + +"The next story," said Peter, "is also out of the wood. It isn't often +that Reynard gets cheated, but even the wisest folk sometimes get the +worst of it, and so it was with Reynard in this story." + + +REYNARD AND CHANTICLEER. + +"Once on a time there was a Cock who stood on a dung-heap, and crew, and +flapped his wings. Then the Fox came by. + +"'Good day,' said Reynard, 'I heard you crowing so nicely; but can you +stand on one leg and crow, and wink your eyes?' + +"'Oh, yes,' said Chanticleer. 'I can do that very well.' So he stood on +one leg and crew; but he winked only with one eye, and when he had done +that he made himself big and flapped his wings, as though he had done a +great thing. + +"'Very pretty, to be sure,' said Reynard. 'Almost as pretty as when the +parson preaches in church; but can you stand on one leg and wink both +your eyes at once? I hardly think you can.' + +"'Can't I though!' said Chanticleer, and stood on one leg, and winked +both his eyes, and crew. But Reynard caught hold of him, took him by the +throat, and threw him over his back, so that he was off to the wood +before he had crowed his crow out, as fast as Reynard could lay legs to +the ground. + +"When they had come under an old spruce fir, Reynard threw Chanticleer +on the ground, set his paw on his breast, and was going to take a bite! + +"'You are a heathen, Reynard!' said Chanticleer. 'Good Christians say +grace, and ask a blessing before they eat.' + +"But Reynard would be no heathen. God forbid it! So he let go his hold, +and was about to fold his paws over his breast and say grace--but pop! +up flew Chanticleer into a tree. + +"'You sha'n't get off for all that,' said Reynard to himself. So he went +away, and came again with a few chips, which the woodcutters had left. +Chanticleer peeped and peered to see what they could be. + +"'Whatever have you got there?' he asked. + +"'These are letters I have just got,' said Reynard, 'won't you help me +to read them, for I don't know how to read writing.' + +"'I'd be so happy, but I dare not read them now; said Chanticleer; 'for +here comes a hunter, I see him, I see him, as I sit by the tree trunk.' + +"When Reynard heard Chanticleer chattering about a hunter, he took to +his heels as quick as he could. + +"This time it was Reynard who was made game of. + + * * * * * + +"The third story," said Peter, "is about an old fellow who was as deaf +as a post, and who had a goody who was no better than she should have +been. Where he lived I'm sure I don't know, but I've heard it said he +lived in different parts of the country, both north of Stad and south of +Stad; but at any rate this is the story." + + +GOODMAN AXEHAFT. + +"There was once a ferryman who was so hard of hearing he could neither +hear nor catch anything that any one said to him. He had a goody and a +daughter, and they did not care a pin for the goodman, but lived in +mirth and jollity so long as there was aught to live on, and then they +took to running up a bill with the inn-keeper, and gave parties, and had +feasts every day. + +"So when no one would trust them any longer, the sheriff was to come and +seize for what they owed and had wasted. Then the goody and her child +set off for her kinsfolk, and left the deaf husband behind, all alone, +to see the sheriff and the bailiff. + +"Well, there stood the man and pottered about and wondered what the +sheriff wanted to ask, and what he should say when he came. + +"'If I take to doing something,' he said to himself, 'he'll be sure to +ask me something about it. I'll just begin to cut out an axehaft, so +when he asks me what that is to be, I shall answer, "Axehaft." Then +he'll ask how long it is to be, and I'll say, "Up as far as this twig +that sticks out." Then he'll ask, "What's become of the ferry-boat?" and +I'll say, "I am going to tar her; and yonder she lies on the strand, +split at both ends." Then he'll ask, "Where's your grey mare?" and I'll +answer, "She is standing in the stable, big with foal." Then he'll ask, +"Whereabouts is your sheepcote and shieling?" and I'll say, "Not far +off; when you get a bit up the hill you'll soon see them."' + +"All this he thought well-planned. + +"A little while after in came the sheriff; he was true to time, but as +for his man, he had gone another way round by an inn, and there he sat +still drinking. + +"'Good-day, sir,' he said. + +"'Axehaft,' said the ferryman. + +"'So, so," said the sheriff. 'How far off is it to the inn?' + +"'Right up to this twig,' said the man, and pointed a little way up the +piece of timber. + +"The sheriff shook his head and stared at him open-mouthed. + +"'Where is your mistress, pray?' + +"'I am just going to tar her,' said the ferryman, 'for yonder she lies +on the strand, split open at both ends.' + +"'Where is your daughter?' + +"'Oh, she stands in the stable, big with foal,' answered the man, who +thought he answered very much to the purpose. + +"'Oh, go to hell with you,' said the sheriff. + +"'Very good; 'tis not so far off; when you get a bit up the hill, you'll +soon get there,' said the man. + +"So the sheriff was floored, and went away." + + + + +THE COMPANION. + + +We all thought Peter's three stories first rate, but he was not going to +be put off with praise, and asked Anders if he knew _The Companion_. + +"Yes," was the answer, "but it's a long story, though a very good one." + +"If it's long, the sooner you begin it the better," said Peter; "and +then it will be sooner over." + +Anders made no more mouths about it, but began: + + +THE COMPANION. + +"Once on a time there was a farmer's son who dreamt that he was to marry +a princess far, far out in the world. She was as red and white as milk +and blood, and so rich there was no end to her riches. When he awoke he +seemed to see her still standing bright and living before him, and he +thought her so sweet and lovely that his life was not worth having +unless he had her too. So he sold all he had, and set off into the world +to find her out. Well, he went far, and farther than far, and about +winter he came to a land where all the high-roads lay right straight on +end; there wasn't a bend in any of them. When he had wandered on and on +for a quarter of a year he came to a town, and outside the church-door +lay a big block of ice, in which there stood a dead body, and the whole +parish spat on it as they passed by to church. The lad wondered at this, +and when the priest came out of church he asked him what it all meant. + +"'It is a great wrong-doer,' said the priest. 'He has been executed for +his ungodliness, and set up there to be mocked and spat upon.' + +"'But what was his wrong-doing?' asked the lad. + +"'When he was alive here he was a vintner,' said the priest, 'and he +mixed water with his wine.' + +"The lad thought that no such dreadful sin. + +"'Well,' he said, 'after he had atoned for it with his life, you might +as well have let him have Christian burial and peace after death.' + +"But the priest said that could not be in any wise, for there must be +folk to break him out of the ice, and money to buy a grave from the +church; then the grave-digger must be paid for digging the grave, and +the sexton for tolling the bell, and the clerk for singing the hymns, +and the priest for sprinkling dust over him. + +"'Do you think now there would be any one who would be willing to pay +all this for an executed sinner?' + +"'Yes,' said the lad. 'If he could only get him buried in Christian +earth, he would be sure to pay for his funeral ale out of his scanty +means.' + +"Even after that the priest hemmed and hawed; but when the lad came with +two witnesses, and asked him right out in their hearing if he could +refuse to sprinkle dust over the corpse, he was forced to answer that he +could not. + +"So they broke the vintner out of the block of ice, and laid him in +Christian earth, and they tolled the bell and sang hymns over him, and +the priest sprinkled dust over him, and they drank his funeral ale till +they wept and laughed by turns; but when the lad had paid for the ale he +hadn't many pence left in his pocket. + +"He set off on his way again, but he hadn't got far ere a man overtook +him who asked if he did not think it dull work walking on all alone. + +"No; the lad did not think it dull. 'I have always something to think +about,' he said. + +"Then the man asked if he wouldn't like to have a servant. + +"'No,' said the lad; 'I am wont to be my own servant, therefore I have +need of none; and even if I wanted one ever so much, I have no means to +get one, for I have no money to pay for his food and wages.' + +"'You do need a servant, that I know better than you,' said the man, +'and you have need of one whom you can trust in life and death. If you +won't have me as a servant, you may take me as your companion; I give +you my word I will stand you in good stead, and it shan't cost you a +penny. I will pay my own fare, and as for food and clothing, you shall +have no trouble about them.' + +"Well, on those terms he was willing enough to have him as his +companion; so after that they travelled together, and the man for the +most part went on ahead and showed the lad the way. + +"So after they had travelled on and on from land to land, over hill and +wood, they came to a crossfell that stopped the way. There the companion +went up and knocked, and bade them open the door; and the rock opened +sure enough, and when they got inside the hill up came an old witch with +a chair, and asked them, 'Be so good as to sit down. No doubt ye are +weary.' + +"'Sit on it yourself,' said the man. So she was forced to take her seat, +and as soon as she sat down she stuck fast, for the chair was such that +it let no one loose that came near it. Meanwhile they went about inside +the hill, and the companion looked round till he saw a sword hanging +over the door. That he would have, and if he got it he gave his word to +the old witch that he would let her loose out of the chair. + +"'Nay, nay,' she screeched out; 'ask me anything else. Anything else you +may have, but not that, for it is my Three-Sister Sword; we are three +sisters who own it together.' + +"Very well; then you may sit there till the end of the world,' said the +man. But when she heard that, she said he might have it if he would set +her free. + +"So he took the sword and went off with it, and left her still sitting +there. + +"When they had gone far, far away over naked fells and wide wastes, they +came to another crossfell. There, too, the companion knocked and bade +them open the door, and the same thing happened as happened before; the +rock opened, and when they had got a good way into the hill another old +witch came up to them with a chair and begged them to sit down. 'Ye may +well be weary,' she said. + +"'Sit down yourself,' said the companion. And so she fared as her sister +had fared, she did not dare to say nay, and as soon as she came on the +chair she stuck fast. Meanwhile the lad and his companion went about in +the hill, and the man broke open all the chests and drawers till he +found what he sought, and that was a golden ball of yarn. That he set +his heart on, and he promised the old witch to set her free if she would +give him the golden ball. She said he might take all she had, but that +she could not part with; it was her Three-Sister Ball. But when she +heard that she should sit there till Doomsday unless he got it, she said +he might take it all the same if he would only set her free. So the +companion took the golden ball, but he left her sitting where she sat. + +"So on they went for many days, over waste and wood, till they came to a +third crossfell. There all went as it had gone twice before. The +companion knocked, the rock opened, and inside the hill an old witch +came up, and asked them to sit on her chair, they must be tired. But the +companion said again, 'Sit on it yourself,' and there she sat. They had +not gone through many rooms before they saw an old hat which hung on a +peg behind the door. That the companion must and would have; but the old +witch couldn't part with it. It was her Three-Sister Hat, and if she +gave it away, all her luck would be lost. But when she heard that she +would have to sit there till the end of the world unless he got it, she +said he might take it if he would only let her loose. When the companion +had got well hold of the hat, he went off, and bade her sit there still, +like the rest of her sisters. + +"After a long, long time, they came to a Sound; then the companion took +the ball of yarn, and threw it so hard against the rock on the other +side of the stream that it bounded back, and after he had thrown it +backwards and forwards a few times it became a bridge. On that bridge +they went over the Sound, and when they reached the other side, the man +bade the lad to be quick and wind up the yarn again as soon as he could, +for, said he:-- + +"'If we don't wind it up quick, all those witches will come after us, +and tear us to bits.' + +"So the lad wound and wound with all his might and main, and when there +was no more to wind than the very last thread, up came the old witches +on the wings of the wind. They flew to the water, so that the spray rose +before them, and snatched at the end of the thread; but they could not +quite get hold of it, and so they were drowned in the Sound. + +"When they had gone on a few days further, the companion said, 'Now we +are soon coming to the castle where she is, the princess of whom you +dreamt, and when we get there, you must go in and tell the king what you +dreamt, and what it is you are seeking.' + +"So when they reached it he did what the man told him, and was very +heartily welcomed. He had a room for himself, and another for his +companion, which they were to live in, and when dinner-time drew near, +he was bidden to dine at the king's own board. As soon as ever he set +eyes on the princess he knew her at once, and saw it was she of whom he +had dreamt as his bride. Then he told her his business, and she answered +that she liked him well enough, and would gladly have him; but first he +must undergo three trials. So when they had dined she gave him a pair of +golden scissors, and said,-- + +"'The first proof is that you must take these scissors and keep them, +and give them to me at mid-day to-morrow. It is not so very great a +trial, I fancy,' she said, and made a face; 'but if you can't stand it, +you lose your life; it is the law, and so you will be drawn and +quartered, and your body will be stuck on stakes, and your head over the +gate, just like those lovers of mine, whose skulls and skeletons you see +outside the king's castle.' + +"'That is no such great art,' thought the lad. + +"But the princess was so merry and mad, and flirted so much with him, +that he forgot all about the scissors and himself, and so while they +played and sported, she stole the scissors away from him without his +knowing it. When he went up to his room at night, and told how he had +fared, and what she had said to him, and about the scissors she gave him +to keep, the companion said,-- + +"'Of course you have the scissors safe and sure.' + +"Then he searched in all his pockets; but there were no scissors, and +the lad was in a sad way when he found them wanting. + +"'Well! well!' said the companion; 'I'll see if I can't get you them +again.' + +"With that he went down into the stable, and there stood a big, fat +Billygoat, which belonged to the princess, and it was of that breed that +it could fly many times faster through the air than it could run on +land. So he took the Three-Sister Sword, and gave it a stroke between +the horns, and said,-- + +"'When rides the princess to see her lover to-night?' + +"The Billygoat baaed, and said it dared not say, but when it had another +stroke, it said the princess was coming at eleven o'clock. Then the +companion put on the Three-Sister Hat, and all at once he became +invisible, and so he waited for her. When she came, she took and rubbed +the Billygoat with an ointment which she had in a great horn, and +said,-- + +"'Away, away, o'er roof tree and steeple, o'er land, o'er sea, o'er +hill, o'er dale, to my true love who awaits me in fell this night.' + +"At the very moment that the goat set off, the companion threw himself +on behind, and away they went like a blast through the air. They were +not long on the way, and in a trice they came to a crossfell. There she +knocked, and so the goat passed through the fell to the Troll, who was +her lover. + +"'Now, my dear,' she said, 'a new lover is come, whose heart is set on +having me. He is young and handsome but I will have no other than you,' +and so she coaxed and petted the Troll. + +"'So I set him a trial, and here are the scissors he was to watch and +keep; now do you keep them,' she said. + +"So the two laughed heartily, just as though they had the lad already on +wheel and stake. + +"'Yes! yes!' said the Troll; 'I'll keep them safe enough. + + And I shall sleep on the bride's white arm, + While ravens round his skeleton swarm.' + +"And so he laid the scissors in an iron chest with three locks; but just +as he dropped them into the chest, the companion snapped them up. +Neither of them could see him, for he had on the Three-Sister Hat; and +so the Troll locked up the chest for naught, and he hid the keys he had +in the hollow eye-tooth in which he had the toothache. There it would be +hard work for any one to find them, the Troll thought. + +"So when midnight was passed she set off home again. The companion got +up behind the goat, and they lost no time on the way back. + +"Next day, about noon, the lad was asked down to the king's board; but +then the princess gave herself such airs, and was so high and mighty, +she would scarce look towards the side where the lad sat. After they had +dined, she dressed her face in holiday garb, and said, as if butter +wouldn't melt in her mouth,-- + +"'May be you have those scissors which I begged you to keep, yesterday?' + +"'Oh, yes, I have;' said the lad, 'and here they are,' and with that he +pulled them out, and drove them into the board, till it jumped again. +The princess could not have been more vexed had he driven the scissors +into her face; but for all that she made herself soft and gentle, and +said,-- + +"'Since you have kept the scissors so well, it won't be any trouble to +you to keep my golden ball of yarn, and take care you give it me +to-morrow at noon; but if you have lost it, you shall lose your life on +the scaffold. It is the law.' + +"The lad thought that an easy thing, so he took and put the golden ball +into his pocket. But she fell a-playing and flirting with him again, so +that he forgot both himself and the golden ball, and while they were at +the height of their games and pranks, she stole it from him, and sent +him off to bed. + +"Then when he came up to his bedroom, and told what they had said and +done, his companion asked,-- + +"'Of course you have the golden ball she gave you?' + +"'Yes! yes!' said the lad, and felt in his pocket where he had put it; +but no, there was no ball to be found, and he fell again into such an +ill mood, and knew not which way to turn. + +"'Well! well! bear up a bit,' said the companion. 'I'll see if I can't +lay hands on it;' and with that he took the sword and hat and strode off +to a smith, and got twelve pounds of iron welded on to the back of the +sword-blade. Then he went down to the stable, and gave the Billygoat a +stroke between his horns, so that the brute went head over heels, and he +asked,-- + +"'When rides the princess to see her lover to-night?' + +"'At twelve o'clock,' baaed the Billygoat. + +"So the companion put on the Three-Sister Hat again, and waited till she +came, tearing along with her horn of ointment, and greased the +Billygoat. Then she said, as she had said the first time,-- + +"'Away, away, o'er roof-tree and steeple, o'er land, o'er sea, o'er +hill, o'er dale, to my true love who awaits me in the fell this night.' + +"In a trice they were off, and the companion threw himself on behind the +Billygoat, and away they went like a blast through the air. In the +twinkling of an eye they came to the Troll's hill; and, when she had +knocked three times, they passed through the rock to the Troll, who was +her lover. + +"'Where was it you hid the golden scissors I gave you yesterday, my +darling?' cried out the princess. 'My wooer had it and gave it back to +me.' + +"'That was quite impossible,' said the Troll; 'for he had locked it up +in a chest with three locks and hidden the keys in the hollow of his +eye-tooth;' but, when they unlocked the chest, and looked for it, the +Troll had no scissors in his chest. + +"So the princess told him how she had given her suitor her golden ball. + +"'And here it is,' she said; 'for I took it from him again without his +knowing it. But what shall we hit upon now, since he is master of such +craft!' + +"Well, the Troll hardly knew; but, after they had thought a bit, they +made up their minds to light a large fire and burn the golden ball; and +so they would be cocksure that he could not get at it. But, just as she +tossed it into the fire, the companion stood ready and caught it; and +neither of them saw him, for he had on the Three-Sister Hat. + +"When the princess had been with the Troll a little while, and it began +to grow towards dawn, she set off home again, and the companion got up +behind her on the goat, and they got back fast and safe. + +"Next day, when the lad was bidden down to dinner, the companion gave +him the ball. The princess was even more high and haughty than the day +before, and, after they had dined, she perked up her mouth, and said, in +a dainty voice,-- + +"'Perhaps it is too much to look for that you should give me back my +golden ball, which I gave you to keep yesterday?' + +"'Is it?' said the lad. 'You shall soon have it. Here it is, safe +enough;' and, as he said that, he threw it down on the board so hard, +that it shook again; and, as for the king, he gave a jump high up into +the air. + +"The princess got as pale as a corpse, but she soon came to herself +again, and said, in a sweet, small voice,-- + +"'Well done, well done!' Now he had only one more trial left, and it was +this: + +"'If you are so clever as to bring me what I am now thinking of by +dinner-time to-morrow, you shall win me, and have me to wife.' + +"That was what she said. + +"The lad felt like one doomed to death, for he thought it quite +impossible to know what she was thinking about, and still harder to +bring it to her; and so, when he went up to his bedroom, it was hard +work to comfort him at all. His companion told him to be easy, he would +see if he could not get the right end of the stick this time too, as he +had done twice before. So the lad at last took heart, and lay down to +sleep. + +"Meanwhile, the companion went to the smith and got twenty-four pounds +of iron welded on to his sword; and, when that was done, he went down to +the stable and let fly at the Billygoat between the horns with such a +blow, that he went right head over heels against the wall. + +"'When rides the princess to her lover to-night?' he asked. + +"'At one o'clock,' baaed the Billygoat. + +"So, when the hour drew near, the companion stood in the stable with his +Three-Sister Hat on; and, when she had greased the goat, and uttered the +same words that they were to fly through the air to her true love, who +was waiting for her in the fell, off they went again, on the wings of +the wind; and, all the while, the companion sat behind. + +"But he was not light-handed this time; for, every now and then, he gave +the princess a slap, so that he almost beat the breath out of her body. + +"And when they came to the wall of rock, she knocked at the door, and it +opened, and they passed on into the fell to her lover. + +"As soon as she got there, she fell to bewailing, and was very cross, +and said she never knew the air could deal such buffets; she almost +thought, indeed, that some one sat behind, who beat both the Billygoat +and herself; she was sure she was black and blue all over her body, such +a hard flight had she had through the air. + +"Then she went on to tell how her lover had brought her the golden ball +too; how it happened, neither she nor the Troll could tell. + +"'But now do you know what I have hit upon?' + +"No; the Troll did not. + +"'Well,' she went on; 'I have told him to bring me what I was then +thinking of by dinner-time to-morrow, and what I thought of was your +head. Do you think he can get that, my darling?' said the princess, and +began to fondle the Troll. + +"'No, I don't think he can,' said the Troll. 'He would take his oath he +couldn't;' and then the Troll burst out laughing, and scunnered worse +than any ghost, and both the princess and the Troll thought the lad +would be drawn and quartered, and that the crows would peck out his +eyes, before he could get the Troll's head. + +"So when it turned towards dawn, she had to set off home again; but she +was afraid, she said, for she thought there was some one behind her, and +so she was afraid to ride home alone. The Troll must go with her on the +way. Yes; the Troll would go with her, and he led out his Billygoat (for +he had one that matched the princess's), and he smeared it and greased +it between the horns. And when the Troll got up, the companion crept on +behind, and so off they set through the air to the king's grange. But +all the way the companion thrashed the Troll and his Billygoat, and gave +them cut and thrust and thrust and cut with his sword, till they got +weaker and weaker, and at last were well on the way to sink down into +the sea over which they passed. Now the Troll thought the weather was so +wild, he went right home with the princess up to the king's grange, and +stood outside to see that she got home safe and well. But just as she +shut the door behind her, the companion struck off the Troll's head and +ran up with it to the lad's bedroom. + +"'Here is what the princess thought of,' said he. + +"Well, they were merry and joyful, one may think, and when the lad was +bidden down to dinner, and they had dined, the princess was as lively as +a lark. + +"'No doubt you have got what I thought of?' said she. + +"'Aye; aye; I have it,' said the lad, and he tore it out from under his +coat, and threw it down on the board with such a thump that the board, +trestles and all, was upset. As for the princess, she was as though she +had been dead and buried; but she could not say that this was not what +she was thinking of, and so now he was to have her to wife as she had +given her word. So they made a bridal feast, and there was drinking and +gladness all over the kingdom. + +"But the companion took the lad on one side, and told him that he might +just shut his eyes and sham sleep on the bridal night; but if he held +his life dear, and would listen to him, he wouldn't let a wink come over +them till he had stripped her of her troll-skin, which had been thrown +over her, but he must flog it off her with a rod made of nine new birch +twigs, and he must tear it off her in three tubs of milk: first he was +to scrub her in a tub of year-old whey, and then he was to scour her in +the tub of buttermilk, and lastly, he was to rub her in a tub of new +milk. The birch twigs lay under the bed, and the tubs he had set in the +corner of the room. Everything was ready to his hand. Yes; the lad gave +his word to do as he was bid and to listen to him. So when they got into +the bridal bed at even, the lad shammed as though he had given himself +up to sleep. Then the princess raised herself up on her elbow and looked +at him to see if he slept, and tickled him under the nose; but the lad +slept on still. Then she tugged his hair and his beard; but he lay like +a log, as she thought. After that she drew out a big butcher's knife +from under the bolster, and was just going to hack off his head; but the +lad jumped up, dashed the knife out of her hand, and caught her by the +hair. Then he flogged her with the birchrods, and wore them out upon her +till there was not a twig left. When that was over he tumbled her into +the tub of whey, and then he got to see what sort of beast she was: she +was black as a raven all over her body; but when he scrubbed her well in +the whey, and scoured her with buttermilk, and rubbed her well in new +milk, her troll-skin dropped off her, and she was fair and lovely and +gentle; so lovely she had never looked before. + +"Next day the companion said they must set off home. Yes; the lad was +ready enough, and the princess too, for her dower had been long waiting. +In the night the companion fetched to the king's grange all the gold and +silver and precious things which the Troll had left behind him in the +Fell, and when they were ready to start in the morning the whole grange +was so full of silver, and gold, and jewels, there was no walking +without treading on them. That dower was worth more than all the king's +land and realm, and they were at their wits' end to know how to carry it +with them. But the companion knew a way out of every strait. The Troll +left behind him six billygoats, who could all fly through the air. Those +he so laded with silver and gold that they were forced to walk along the +ground, and had no strength to mount aloft and fly, and what the +billygoats could not carry had to stay behind in the king's grange. So +they travelled far, and farther than far, but at last the billygoats got +so footsore and tired they could not go another step. The lad and the +princess knew not what to do; but when the companion saw they could not +get on, he took the whole dower on his back, and the billygoats a-top of +it, and bore it all so far on that there was only half a mile left to +the lad's home. + +"Then the companion said: 'Now we must part. I can't stay with you any +longer.' + +"But the lad would not part from him, he would not lose him for much or +little. Well, he went with them a quarter of a mile more; but farther he +could not go and when the lad begged and prayed him to go home and stay +with him altogether, or at least as long as they had drunk his +home-coming ale in his father's house, the companion said, 'No. That +could not be. Now he must part, for he heard heaven's bells ringing for +him.' He was the vintner who had stood in the block of ice outside the +church door, whom all spat upon; and he had been his companion and +helped him because he had given all he had to get him peace and rest in +Christian earth. + +"'I had leave,' he said, 'to follow you a year, and now the year is +out.' + +"When he was gone the lad laid together all his wealth in a safe place, +and went home without any baggage. Then they drank his home-coming ale, +till the news spread far and wide, over seven kingdoms, and when they +had got to the end of the feast, they had carting and carrying all the +winter both with the billygoats and the twelve horses which his father +had before they got all that gold and silver safely carted home." + + + + +THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE, AND PEIK. + + +When Anders had ended _The Companion_, that strangely wild story, we all +admired it, but he too had his call, and, turning to Karin, he said, + +"Now do you tell _The Shopboy and his Cheese_. I know you know it, for I +heard you telling it to the children last winter over the stove." + +So Karin began + + +THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE. + +"Once on a time there was a shopboy who was so well liked by all who +knew him, that they thought him too good to stand behind the counter +with a yard measure, and weights and scales. So they made up their minds +to send him out with a venture to foreign parts, and they let him choose +what he would take out. He chose old cheese, and set off with it to +Turkey. There he sold his cheeses very well; but as he was on his way +home, he met two who had slain a man, and it was not enough that they +had slain him in this life, but they ill-treated his body after he was +dead. This the shopboy could not bear to see, how wickedly they behaved; +so he bought the body of them and got a grave with his money, and buried +it, and then he had spent all he had. + +"After a long, long time, he got safe home, and was both illcome and +welcome. Some of those who had helped and fitted him out thought he had +done a good deed; but others were ill-pleased that he should have so +thrown away his money. But for all that they were ready to try if he +could not do better another time, so they let him choose his lading +again. He chose the same freight, and took the same way, and sold his +cheese even better than before. But, as he was on his way home, he met +two who had stolen a king's daughter, and they had put harness on her, +and had got so far as to drive her; they had stripped off her clothes to +the waist, and one went on either side of her and whipped her. The lad's +heart melted at this, for she was a lovely lass. So he asked if they +would sell her. Yes, if he would pay down her weight in silver he might +have her, and there was no long bargaining: he paid all they asked. + +"After a long, long time, he got safe home; but those who had fitted him +out were one and all so ill-pleased at his dealing, that they banished +him the land. So he had to set off to England. There he stayed for four +years with his sweetheart, and the way they got their living was by her +weaving ribbons, which she wove so well that he sold two shillings' +worth a-day. + +"One day he met two who were foes, and one wished to thrash the other +because he owed him eighteen-pence. That seemed to the lad wrong, and he +paid the debt for him. Another day he met two travellers, who began to +talk with him, and asked if he had anything to sell. 'Nothing but +ribbons,' he said. Well, they would have three shillings' worth, and +asked him where he lived, and fixed a day to come and fetch them; and +when the day came, they came too, and lo! when they came, if one of them +was not the princess's brother, and the other an emperor's son, to whom +she was betrothed. So they got the ribbons for which they had bargained, +and wanted to take her home with them. But she wouldn't go unless they +would let him go with them, and take care of him; for she would not +forsake the man who had freed her, so long as she had breath in her +body. So they had to give way to her if they were to take her at all. +But when they were to go on board ship, the brother and sister went +first into the boat, and when the emperor's son was to get into her, he +shoved her off, and jumped into her himself, and so the lad was left +standing on the shore. The ship lay ready for sea, and they sailed as +soon as ever they came on board. But then up came the man for whom the +lad had paid eighteen-pence, in a boat and put him on board. Then the +princess was so glad, and took a gold ring off her finger and gave it to +him, and made him go down into the cabin where she lay. + +"Well! they sailed many days, till they came to a desert island, where +they landed to look for game, and they settled things so that the +brother, and the Norseman who had saved the princess's life, were to go +each on his side of the island, and the emperor's son in the middle, and +when the lad was well gone, so that they could neither see him, nor he +them, they got on board, and he was left to walk about the island alone. +Then he saw there was no help for it but to stay there; and there he +stayed seven years. He got his food from a fruit-bearing tree which he +found, and when the seven years were up, an old, old man came to him and +said,-- + +"'To-day your true-love is to be married. They have not got a kind word +out of her these seven years, since you parted; but for all that the +emperor's son wants to marry her, for that he knows she is wise and +witty, and for that she is so rich.' + +"After that, the man asked if he had not a mind to be at the wedding. So +he said: well! what he said any one can guess, but he saw no way of +getting there. But lo! in a little while there he stood in the palace +where the wedding was to be. Then he wanted to know what kind of man +that was who had brought him thither. He was no man, he said; but a +spirit. He it was whose body he had bought and buried in Turkey. + +"After that, he gave him a glass and a bottle, with wine in it, and told +him to send some one in with a message to the cook to come out to him. + +"'When he comes, you must first pour out a glass and drink it yourself; +and then another, and give it to the cook; and then you must pour out a +third, and send it to the bride; but first of all you must take the ring +off your finger, and put it into the glass which you send her.' + +"So when the cook came in with the glass, they all cried out, 'She +mustn't drink.' But the cook said, 'First he drank, and then I drank, so +she may very safely drink the wine.' + +"And when she drank the glass out, she saw the ring that lay at the +bottom, and ran out, and as soon as she got outside she knew him again, +and fell on his neck and kissed him, all shaggy as he was, for you may +fancy, he had neither lather nor razor on his beard for seven years. + +"But now the king came after, and wanted to know the meaning of all this +fondling between them. So they were brought into a room, and told the +whole story from first to last. Then the king bade them go and fetch a +barber, and scrape the bristles off him, and trim him; and a tailor with +a new court dress; and then the king went into the bridal hall, and +asked the bridegroom, that emperor's son, what doom should be passed on +one who had robbed a man both of life and honour. He answered,-- + +"'Such a scoundrel should be first hanged on a gallows and then his body +should be burnt quick.' + +"So he was taken at his word and suffered the doom that he uttered over +himself, and the shopboy was wedded to the king's daughter, and lived +both long and luckily. + +"After that I was no longer with them, and I don't know how they fared; +but this I know, that he who last told this Tale is alive this very day, +and he is Ole Olsen, of Hitli, in Roldale." + + * * * * * + +When _The Shopboy and his Cheese_ was over, Anders, who ordered about +his cousins like a Turk, called on Christina for _Peik_; but nothing +could get the story out of her. There was something in it she did not +like. It was not a girl's story. He had better tell it himself. + +"Well, I will," said Anders; "I'm sure there's no harm in it; but judge +for yourselves." + + +PEIK. + +"Once on a time there was a man, and he had a wife; they had a son and a +daughter who were twins, and they were so like, no one could tell the +one from the other by anything else than their clothing. The boy they +called Peik. He was of little good while his father and mother lived, +for he had no mood to do aught else than to befool folk, and he was so +full of tricks and pranks that no one could be at peace for him; but +when they were dead it got worse and worse, he wouldn't turn his hand to +anything; all he would do was to squander what they left behind them, +and as for his neighbours he fell out with all of them. His sister +toiled and moiled all she could, but it helped little; so at last she +said to him how silly this was that he would do naught for her house, +and ended by asking him, + +"'What shall we have to live on when you have wasted everything?' + +"'Oh, I'll go out and befool somebody,' said Peik. + +"'Yes, Peik, I'll be bound you'll do that soon enough,' said his sister. + +"'Well, I'll try,' said Peik. + +"So at last they had nothing more, for there was an end of everything; +and Peik trotted off, and walked and walked till he came to the king's +grange. There stood the King in the porch, and as soon as he set eyes on +the lad, he said,-- + +"'Whither away to-day, Peik?' + +"'Oh, I was going out to see if I could befool anybody,' said Peik. + +"'Can't you befool me, now?' said the King. + +"'No, I'm sure I can't,' said Peik, 'for I've forgotten my fooling rods +at home.' + +"'Can't you go and fetch them?' said the King, 'for I should be very +glad to see if you are such a trickster as folks say.' + +"'I've no strength to walk,' said Peik. + +"'I'll lend you a horse and saddle,' said the King. + +"'But I can't ride either,' said Peik. + +"'Then we'll lift you up,' said the King, 'then you'll be able to stick +on.' + +"Well, Peik stood and clawed and scratched his head, as though he would +pull the hair off, and let them lift him up into the saddle, and there +he sat swinging this side and that so long as the King could see him, +and the King laughed till the tears came into his eyes, for such a +tailor on horseback he had never before seen. But when Peik was come +well into the wood behind the hill, so that he was out of the King's +sight, he sat as though he were nailed to the horse, and off he rode as +though he had stolen both steed and bridle, and when he got to the town, +he sold both horse and saddle. + +"All the while the King walked up and down, and loitered and waited for +Peik to come tottering back again with his fooling rods; and every now +and then he laughed when he called to mind how wretched he looked as he +sat swinging about on the horse like a sack of corn, not knowing on +which side to fall off; but this lasted for seven lengths and seven +breadths, and no Peik came, and so at last the King saw that he was +fooled and cheated out of his horse and saddle, even though Peik had not +his fooling rods with him. And so there was another story, for the King +got wroth, and was all for setting off to kill Peik. + +"But Peik had found out the day he was coming, and told his sister she +must put on the big boiler with a drop of water in it. But just as the +King came in Peik dragged the boiler off the fire and ran off with it to +the chopping-block, and so boiled the porridge on the block. + +"The King wondered at that, and wondered on and on so much that he clean +forgot what brought him there. + +"'What do you want for that pot?' said he. + +"'I can't spare it,' said Peik. + +"'Why not?' said the King, 'I'll pay what you ask.' + +"'No, no!' said Peik. 'It saves me time and money, woodhire and +choppinghire, carting and carrying.' + +"'Never mind,' said the King, 'I'll give you a hundred dollars. It's +true you've fooled me out of a horse and saddle, and bridle besides, but +all that shall go for nothing if I can only get the pot.' + +"'Well! if you must have it you must,' said Peik. + +"When the King got home he asked guests and made a feast, but the meat +was to be boiled in the new pot, and so he took it up and set it in the +middle of the floor. The guests thought the King had lost his wits, and +went about elbowing one another, and laughing at him. But he walked +round and round the pot, and cackled and chattered, saying all in a +breath-- + +"'Well, well! bide a bit, bide a bit! 'twill boil in a minute.' + +"But there was no boiling. So he saw that Peik had been out again with +his fooling rods and cheated him, and now he would set off at once and +slay him. + +"When the King came Peik stood out by the barn door. 'Wouldn't it boil?' +he asked. + +"'No! it would not,' said the King; 'but now you shall smart for it,' +and so he was just going to unsheath his knife. + +"'I can well believe that,' said Peik, 'for you did not take the block +too.' + +"'I wish I thought,' said the King, 'you weren't telling me a pack of +lies.' + +"'I tell you it's all because of the block it stands on; it won't boil +without it,' said Peik. + +"'Well; what did he want for it?' It was well worth three hundred +dollars; but for the King's sake it should go for two. So he got the +block and travelled home with it, and bade guests again, and made a +feast, and set the pot on the chopping-block in the middle of the room. +The guests thought he was both daft and mad, and they went about making +game of him, while he cackled and chattered round the pot, calling out +'Bide a bit, now it boils! now it boils in a trice.' + +"But it wouldn't boil a bit more on the block than on the bare floor. So +he saw again that Peik had been out with his fooling rods this time too. +Then he fell a-tearing his hair, and swore he would set off at once and +slay him. He wouldn't spare him this time, whether he put a good or a +bad face on it. + +"But Peik had taken steps to meet him again. He slaughtered a wether and +caught the blood in the bladder, and stuffed it into his sister's bosom, +and told her what to say and do. + +"'Where's Peik!' screeched out the King. He was in such a rage that his +tongue faltered. + +"'He is so poorly that he can't stir hand or foot,' she said, 'and now +he's trying to get a nap.' + +"'Wake him up,' said the King. + +"'Nay, I daren't; he is so hasty,' said the sister. + +"'Well! I'm hastier still,' said the King, 'and if you don't wake him, I +will,' and with that he tapped his side where his knife hung. + +"Well! she would go and wake him; but Peik turned hastily in his bed, +drew out a little knife, and ripped open the bladder in her bosom, so +that a stream of blood gushed out, and down she fell on the floor, as +though she were dead. + +"'What a dare devil you are, Peik,' said the King, 'if you haven't +stabbed your sister to death, and here I stood by and saw it with my own +eyes.' + +"'There's no risk with her body so long as there's breath in my +nostrils;' and with that he pulled out a ramshorn, and began to toot +upon it, and when he had tooted a bridal tune, he put the end to her +body, and blew life into her again, and up she rose as though there was +naught the matter with her. + +"'Bless me, Peik! can you kill folk and blow life into them again? Can +you do that?' said the King. + +"'Why!' said Peik, 'how could I get on at all if I couldn't? I'm always +killing everyone I come near; don't you know I'm very hasty.' + +"'So am I hot-tempered,' said the King, 'and that horn I must have; I'll +give you a hundred dollars for it, and besides I'll forgive you for +cheating me out of my horse, and for fooling me about the pot and the +block, and all else.' + +"Peik was very loth to part with it, but for his sake he would let him +have it, and so the King went off home with it, and he had hardly got +back before he must try it. So he fell a-wrangling and quarrelling with +the Queen and his eldest daughter, and they paid him back in the same +coin; but before they knew a word about it he whipped out his knife and +cut their throats, so that they fell down stone dead, and everyone else +ran out of the room, they were so afraid. + +"The King walked and paced about the floor for a while, and kept +chattering that there was no harm done, so long as there was breath in +him, and a pack of such stuff which had flowed out of Peik's mouth, and +then he pulled out the horn and began to blow 'Toot-i-too, Toot-i-too,' +but though he blew and tooted as hard as he could all that day and the +next too, he couldn't blow life into them again. Dead they were, and +dead they stayed, both the Queen and his daughter, and he was forced to +buy graves for them in the churchyard, and to spend money on their +funeral ale into the bargain. + +"So he must and would go and cut Peik off; but Peik had his spies out, +and knew when the King was coming, and then he said to his sister,-- + +"'Now you must change clothes with me and set off. If you will do that +you may have all we have got.' + +"Well! she changed clothes with him, and packed up and started off as +fast as she could; but Peik sat all alone in his sister's clothes. + +"'Where is that Peik?' said the King, as he came in a towering rage +through the door. + +"'He has run away,' said Peik. + +"'Ah! had he been at home,' said the King, 'I'd have slain him on the +spot. It's no good sparing the life of such a rogue.' + +"'Yes! he knew by his spies that your Majesty was coming, and was going +to take his life for his wicked tricks; but he has left me all alone +without a morsel of bread or a penny in my purse,' said Peik, who made +himself as soft and mealy-mouthed as a young lady. + +"'Come along then to the King's Grange, and you shall have enough to +live on. There's no good sitting here and starving in this cabin by +yourself,' said the King. + +"Yes! he was glad to do that; so the King took him with him, and had him +taught everything, and treated him as his own daughter, and it was +almost as if the King had his three daughters again, for Miss Peik sewed +and stitched, and sung and played with the others, and was with them +early and late. + +"After a time a king's son came to look for a wife. + +"'Yes! I have three daughters,' said the King; 'it rests with you which +you will have?' + +"So he got leave to go up to their bower to make friends with them, and +the end was that he liked Miss Peik best, and threw a silk kerchief into +her lap as a love token. So they set to work to get ready the bridal +feast, and in a little while his kinsfolk came, and the King's men, and +they all fell to feasting and drinking on the bridal eve; but as night +was falling Miss Peik daren't stay longer, but ran away from the King's +Grange, out into the wide world, and the bride was lost; but there was +worse behind, for just then both the other princesses felt very queer, +and all at once two little princes came travelling into the world, and +folk had to break up and go home just as the fun and feasting were +highest. + +"The King got both wroth and sorrowful, and began to wonder if it wasn't +Peik again that had a finger in this pie. + +"So he mounted his horse and rode out, for he thought it dull work +staying at home; but when he got out among the ploughed fields, there +sat Peik on a stone playing on a Jews' harp. + +"'What! are you sitting there, Peik?' said the King. + +"'Here I sit, sure enough,' said Peik. 'Where else should I sit?" + +"'Now you have cheated me foully, time after time,' said the King; 'but +now you must come along home with me, and I'll kill you.' + +"'Well, well,' said Peik, 'if it can't be helped it can't; I suppose I +must go along with you.' + +"When they got home to the King's Grange, they got ready a cask which +Peik was to be put in, and when it was ready they carted it up to a high +fell; there he was to lie three days thinking on all the evil he had +done, then they were to roll him down the fell into the firth. + +"The third day a rich man passed by, but Peik sat inside the cask and +sang,-- + + 'To heaven's bliss and Paradise, + To heaven's bliss and Paradise. + +"'I'd sooner far stay here and not be made an angel.' + +"When the man heard that, he asked what he would take to change places +with him. + +"'It ought to be a good sum,' said Peik, 'for there wasn't a coach ready +to start for Paradise every day.' + +"So the man said he would give all he had, and so he knocked out the +head of the cask and crept into it instead of Peik. + +"'A happy journey,' said the King, when he came to roll him down; 'now +you'll go faster to the firth than if you were in a sledge with +reindeer; and now it's all over with you and your fooling rods.' + +"Before the cask was half-way down the fell, there wasn't a whole stave +of it left, nor a limb of him who was inside. But when the King came +back to the Grange, Peik was there before him, and sat in the courtyard +playing on the Jews' harp. + +"'What! you sitting here, you Peik?' + +"'Yes! here I sit, sure enough; where else should I sit?' said Peik. +'Maybe I can get house-room here for all my horses and sheep and money.' + +"'But whither was it that I rolled you that you got all this wealth?' +asked the King. + +"'Oh, you rolled me into the firth,' said Peik, 'and when I got to the +bottom there was more than enough and to spare, both of horses and sheep +and of gold and silver. The cattle went about in great flocks, and the +gold and silver lay in large heaps as big as houses.' + +"'What will you take to roll me down the same way?' asked the King. + +"'Oh,' said Peik, 'it costs little or nothing to do it. Besides, you +took nothing from me, and so I'll take nothing from you either.' + +"So he stuffed the King into a cask and rolled him over, and when he had +given him a ride down to the firth for nothing, he went home to the +King's Grange. Then he began to hold his bridal feast with the youngest +princess, and afterwards he ruled both land and realm, but he kept his +fooling rods to himself, and kept them so well that nothing was ever +afterwards heard of Peik and his tricks, but only of OURSELF THE KING." + + + + +KARIN'S THREE STORIES. + + +"Now," said Karin, "as you have told _Peik_, which I did not want to +tell, I'll tell you three stories all of a row, _Death and the Doctor_, +_The Way of the World_, and _The Pancake_." So she began with the first. + + +DEATH AND THE DOCTOR. + +'Once on a time there was a lad, who had lived as a servant a long time +with a man of the North Country. This man was a master at ale-brewing; +it was so out-of-the-way good the like of it was not to be found. So, +when the lad was to leave his place and the man was to pay him the wages +he had earned, he would take no other pay than a keg of yule-ale. Well! +he got it and set off with it, and he carried it both far and long, but +the longer he carried the keg the heavier it got, and so he began to +look about to see if anyone were coming with whom he might have a drink, +that the ale might lessen, and the keg lighten. And after a long, long +time, he met an old man with a big beard. + +"'Good-day,' said the man. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the lad. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"'I'm looking after some one to drink with, and get my keg lightened,' +said the lad. + +"'Can't you drink as well with me as with anyone else?' said the man. 'I +have fared both far and wide, and I am both tired and thirsty.' + +"'Well! why shouldn't I?' said the lad; 'but tell me, whence do you +come, and what sort of man are you?' + +"'I am "Our Lord," and come from Heaven,' said the man. + +"'Thee will I not drink with,' said the lad; 'for thou makest such +distinction between persons here in the world, and sharest rights so +unevenly that some get so rich and some so poor. No! with thee I will +not drink,' and as he said this he trotted off with his keg again. + +"So, when he had gone a bit farther the keg grew too heavy again; he +thought he never could carry it any longer unless some one came with +whom he might drink, and so lessen the ale in the keg. Yes! he met an +ugly scrawny man who came along fast and furious. + +"'Good-day,' said the man. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the lad. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"'Oh! I'm looking for some one to drink with, and get my keg lightened,' +said the lad. + +"'Can't you drink with me as well as with any one else?' said the man; +'I have fared both far and wide, and I am tired and thirsty.' + +"'Well! why not?' said the lad; 'but who are you, and whence do you +come?' + +"'Who am I? I am the De'il, and I come from Hell; that's where I come +from,' said the man. + +"'No!' said the lad; 'thou only pinest and plaguest poor folk, and if +there is any unhappiness a-stir, they always say it is thy fault. Thee I +will not drink with.' + +"So he went far and farther than far again with his ale-keg on his back, +till he thought it grew so heavy there was no carrying it any farther. +He began to look round again if any one were coming with whom he could +drink and lighten his keg. So after a long, long time, another man came, +and he was so dry and lean 'twas a wonder his bones hung together. + +"'Good-day,' said the man. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the lad. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"'Oh, I was only looking about to see if I could find some one to drink +with, that my keg might be lightened a little, it is so heavy to carry.' + +"'Can't you drink as well with me as with anyone else?' said the man. + +"'Yes; why not?' said the lad. 'But what sort of man are you?' + +"'They call me Death,' said the man. + +"'The very man for my money,' said the lad. 'Thee I am glad to drink +with,' and as he said this he put down his keg, and began to tap the ale +into a bowl. 'Thou art an honest, trustworthy man, for thou treatest all +alike, both rich and poor.' + +"So he drank his health, and Death drank his health, and Death said he +had never tasted such drink, and as the lad was fond of him, they drank +bowl and bowl about, till the ale was lessened, and the keg grew light. + +"At last, Death said, 'I have never known drink which smacked better, or +did me so much good as this ale that you have given me, and I scarce +know what to give you in return.' But after he had thought a while, he +said the keg should never get empty, however much they drank out of it, +and the ale that was in it should become a healing drink, by which the +lad could make the sick whole again better than any doctor. And he also +said that when the lad came into the sick man's room Death would always +be there, and show himself to him, and it should be to him for a sure +token if he saw Death at the foot of the bed that he could cure the sick +with a draught from the keg; but if he sate by the pillow, there was no +healing nor medicine, for then the sick belonged to Death. + +"Well, the lad soon grew famous, and was called in far and near, and he +helped many to health again, who had been given over. When he came in +and saw how Death sate by the sick man's bed, he foretold either life or +death, and his foretelling was never wrong. He got both a rich and +powerful man, and at last he was called in to a king's daughter far, far +away in the world. She was so dangerously ill no doctor thought he could +do her any good, and so they promised him all that he cared either to +ask or have if he would only save her life. + +"Now, when he came into the princess's room, there sate Death at her +pillow; but as he sate he dozed and nodded, and while he did this she +felt herself better. + +"'Now, life or death is at stake,' said the doctor; 'and I fear, from +what I see, there is no hope.' + +"But they said he _must_ save her, if it cost land and realm. So he +looked at Death, and while he sate there and dozed again, he made a sign +to the servants to turn the bed round so quickly that Death was left +sitting at the foot, and at the very moment they turned the bed, the +doctor gave her the draught, and her life was saved. + +"'Now you have cheated me,' said Death, 'and we are quits.' + +"'I was forced to do it,' said the doctor, 'unless I wished to lose land +and realm.' + +"'That shan't help you much,' said Death; 'your time is up, for now you +belong to me.' + +"'Well,' said the lad, 'what must be, must be; but you'll let me have +time to read the Lord's Prayer first.' + +"Yes, he might have leave to do that; but he took very good care not to +read the Lord's Prayer; everything else he read; but the Lord's Prayer +never crossed his lips, and at last he thought he had cheated Death for +good and all. But when Death thought he had really waited too long, he +went to the lad's house one night, and hung up a great tablet with the +Lord's Prayer painted on it over against his bed. So when the lad woke +in the morning he began to read the tablet, and did not quite see what +he was about till he came to AMEN; but then it was just too late, and +Death had him." + + +THE WAY OF THE WORLD. + +"Once on a time, there was a man who went into the wood to cut +hop-poles, but he could find no trees so long and straight, and slender, +as he wanted, till he came high up under a great heap of stones. There +he heard groans and moans as though some one were at Death's door. So he +went up to see who it was that needed help, and then he heard that the +noise came from under a great flat stone which lay upon the heap. It was +so heavy it would have taken many a man to lift it. But the man went +down again into the wood and cut down a tree, which he turned into a +lever, and with that he tilted up the stone, and lo! out from under it +crawled a Dragon, and made at the man to swallow him up. But the man +said he had saved the Dragon's life, and it was shameful thanklessness +in him to want to eat him up. + +"'May be,' said the Dragon; 'but you might very well know I must be +starved when I have been here hundreds of years and never tasted meat. +Besides, it's the way of the world,--that's how it pays its debts.' + +"The man pleaded his cause stoutly, and begged prettily for his life; +and at last they agreed to take the first living thing that came for a +daysman, and if his doom went the other way the man should not lose his +life, but if he said the same as the Dragon, the Dragon should eat the +man. + +"The first thing that came was an old hound, who ran along the road down +below under the hillside. Him they spoke to, and begged him to be judge. + +"'God knows,' said the hound, 'I have served my master truly ever since +I was a little whelp. I have watched and watched many and many a night +through, while he lay warm asleep on his ear, and I have saved house and +home from fire and thieves more than once; but now I can neither see nor +hear any more, and he wants to shoot me. And so I must run away, and +slink from house to house, and beg for my living till I die of hunger. +No! it's the way of the world,' said the hound; 'that's how it pays its +debts.' + +"'Now I am coming to eat you up,' said the Dragon, and tried to swallow +the man again. But the man begged and prayed hard for his life, till +they agreed to take the next comer for a judge; and if he said the same +as the Dragon and the Hound, the Dragon was to eat him, and get a meal +of man's meat; but if he did not say so, the man was to get off with his +life. + +"So there came an old horse limping down along the road which ran under +the hill. Him they called out to come and settle the dispute. Yes; he +was quite ready to do that. + +"'Now, I have served my master,' said the horse, 'as long as I could +draw or carry. I have slaved and striven for him till the sweat trickled +from every hair, and I have worked till I have grown lame, and halt, and +worn out with toil and age; now I am fit for nothing. I am not worth my +food, and so I am to have a bullet through me, he says. Nay! nay! It's +the way of the world. That's how the world pays its debts.' + +"'Well, now I'm coming to eat you,' said the Dragon, who gaped wide, and +wanted to swallow the man. But he begged again hard for his life. + +"But the Dragon said he must have a mouthful of man's meat; he was so +hungry, he couldn't bear it any longer. + +"'See, yonder comes one who looks as if he was sent to be a judge +between us,' said the man, as he pointed to Reynard the fox, who came +stealing between the stones of the heap. + +"'All good things are three,' said the man; 'let me ask him, too, and if +he gives doom like the others, eat me up on the spot.' + +"'Very well,' said the Dragon. He, too, had heard that all good things +were three, and so it should be a bargain. So the man talked to the fox +as he had talked to the others. + +"'Yes, yes,' said Reynard; 'I see how it all is;' but as he said this he +took the man a little on one side. + +"'What will you give me if I free you from the Dragon?' he whispered +into the man's ear. + +"'You shall be free to come to my house, and to be lord and master over +my hens and geese, every Thursday night,' said the man. + +"'Well, my dear Dragon,' said Reynard, 'this is a very hard nut to +crack. I can't get it into my head how you, who are so big and mighty a +beast, could find room to lie under yon stone.' + +"'Can't you,' said the Dragon; 'well, I lay under the hillside, and +sunned myself, and down came a landslip, and hurled the stone over me.' + +"'All very likely, I dare say,' said Reynard; 'but still I can't +understand it, and what's more, I won't believe it till I see it.' + +"So the man said they had better prove it, and the Dragon crawled down +into the hole again; but in the twinkling of an eye they whipped out the +lever, and down the stone crashed again on the Dragon. + +"'Lie now there till Doomsday,' said the fox. 'You would eat the man, +would you, who saved your life?' + +"The Dragon groaned, and moaned, and begged hard to come out; but the +two went their way, and left him alone. + +"The very first Thursday night Reynard came to be lord and master over +the hen-roost, and hid himself behind a great pile of wood hard by. When +the maid went to feed the fowls, in stole Reynard. She neither saw nor +heard anything of him; but her back was scarce turned before he had +sucked blood enough for a week, and stuffed himself so that he couldn't +stir. So when she came again in the morning, there Reynard lay and +snored, and slept in the morning sun, with all four legs stretched +straight; and he was as sleek and round as a German sausage. + +"Away ran the lassie for the goody, and she came, and all the lassies +with her, with sticks and brooms to beat Reynard; and, to tell the +truth, they nearly banged the life out of him; but, just as it was +almost all over with him, and he thought his last hour was come, he +found a hole in the floor, and so he crept out, and limped and hobbled +off to the wood. + +"'Oh, oh,' said Reynard; 'how true it is. 'Tis the way of the world; and +this is how it pays its debts.'" + + +THE PANCAKE. + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had seven hungry bairns, and she +was frying a pancake for them. It was a sweet-milk pancake, and there it +lay in the pan bubbling and frizzling so thick and good, it was a sight +for sore eyes to look at. And the bairns stood round about, and the +goodman sat by and looked on. + +"'Oh, give me a bit of pancake, mother, dear; I am so hungry,' said one +bairn. + +"'Oh, darling mother,' said the second. + +"'Oh, darling, good mother,' said the third. + +"'Oh, darling, good, nice mother,' said the fourth. + +"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice mother,' said the fifth. + +"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice, clever mother,' said the sixth. + +"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice, clever, sweet mother,' said the +seventh. + +"So they begged for the pancake all round, the one more prettily than +the other; for they were so hungry and so good. + +"'Yes, yes, bairns, only bide a bit till it turns itself,'--she ought to +have said 'till I can get it turned,'--'and then you shall all have +some--a lovely sweet-milk pancake; only look how fat and happy it lies +there.' + +"When the pancake heard that, it got afraid, and in a trice it turned +itself all of itself, and tried to jump out of the pan; but it fell back +into it again t'other side up, and so when it had been fried a little on +the other side too, till it got firmer in its flesh, it sprang out on +the floor, and rolled off like a wheel through the door and down the +hill. + +"'Holloa! Stop, pancake!' and away went the goody after it, with the +frying-pan in one hand, and the ladle in the other, as fast as she +could, and her bairns behind her, while the goodman limped after them +last of all. + +"'Hi! won't you stop? Seize it. Stop, pancake, they all screamed out, +one after the other, and tried to catch it on the run and hold it; but +the pancake rolled on and on, and in the twinkling of an eye it was so +far ahead that they couldn't see it, for the pancake was faster on its +feet than any of them. + +"So when it had rolled awhile it met a man. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the man. + +"'God bless you, Manny Panny!' said the pancake. + +"'Dear pancake,' said the man, 'don't roll so fast; stop a little and +let me eat you.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, I may well slip through your fingers, Manny Panny,' +said the pancake, and rolled on and on till it met a hen. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the hen. + +"'The same to you, Henny Penny,' said the pancake. + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast, bide a bit and let me eat you up,' +said the hen. + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, I may well slip through your claws, +Henny Penny,' said the pancake, and so it rolled on like a wheel down +the road. + +"Just then it met a cock. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the cock. + +"'The same to you, Cocky Locky,' said the pancake. + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast, but bide a bit and let me eat you +up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and to Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, I may well slip +through your claws, Cocky Locky,' said the pancake, and off it set +rolling away as fast as it could; and when it had rolled a long way it +met a duck. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the duck. + +"'The same to you, Ducky Lucky.' + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll away so fast; bide a bit and let me eat you +up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, I +may well slip through your fingers, Ducky Lucky,' said the pancake, and +with that it took to rolling and rolling faster than ever; and when it +had rolled a long, long while, it met a goose. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the goose. + +"'The same to you, Goosey Poosey.' + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast; bide a bit and let me eat you up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, +and Ducky Lucky, I can well slip through your feet, Goosey Poosey,' said +the pancake, and off it rolled. + +"So when it had rolled a long, long way farther, it met a gander. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the gander. + +"'The same to you, Gander Pander,' said the pancake. + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast: bide a bit and let me eat you up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, +and Ducky Lucky, and Goosey Poosey, I may well slip through your feet, +Gander Pander,' said the pancake, which rolled off as fast as ever. + +"So when it had rolled a long, long time, it met a pig. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the pig. + +"'The same to you, Piggy Wiggy,' said the pancake, which, without a word +more, began to roll and roll like mad. + +"'Nay, nay,' said the pig, 'you needn't be in such a hurry; we two can +then go side by side and see one another over the wood; they say it is +not too safe in there.' + +"The pancake thought there might be something in that, and so they kept +company. But when they had gone awhile, they came to a brook. As for +piggy, he was so fat he swam safe across, it was nothing to him; but the +poor pancake couldn't get over. + +"'Seat yourself on my snout,' said the pig, 'and I'll carry you over.' + +"So the pancake did that. + +"'Ouf, ouf,' said the pig, and swallowed the pancake at one gulp; and +then, as the poor pancake could go no farther, why--this story can go no +farther either." + + + + +PETER'S BEAST STORIES. + + +"Now," said Peter, "I'll tell you another lot of stories right out of +the wood, as fresh as a spruce fir or a juniper. Here they are:-- + + +PORK AND HONEY. + +"At dawn the other day, when Bruin came tramping over the bog with a fat +pig, Reynard sat up on a stone by the moorside. + +"'Good day, grandsire,' said the fox, 'what's that so nice that you have +there?' + +"'Pork,' said Bruin. + +"'Well! I have got a dainty bit, too,' said Reynard. + +"'What is that?' asked the bear. + +"'The biggest wild bees-comb I ever saw in my life,' said Reynard. + +"'Indeed, you don't say so,' said Bruin, who grinned and licked his +lips. He thought it would be so nice to taste a little honey. At last he +said, 'Shall we swop our fare?' + +"'Nay, nay!' said Reynard, 'I can't do that.' + +"The end was that they made a bet, and agreed to name three trees. If +the fox could say them off faster than the bear he was to have leave to +take one bite off the bacon; but if the bear could say them faster he +was to have leave to take one sup out of the comb. Greedy Bruin thought +he was sure to sup out all the honey at one breath. + +"'Well,' said Reynard, 'it's all fair and right no doubt, but all I say +is, if I win, you shall be bound "to tear" off the bristles where I am +to bite.' + +"'Of course,' said Bruin, 'I'll help you as you can't help yourself.' + +"So they were to begin and name the trees. + +"'FIR, SCOTCH Fir, SPRUCE,' growled out Bruin, for he was gruff in his +tongue, that he was. But for all that he only named two trees, for Fir +and Scotch Fir are both the same. + +"'_Ash_, _Aspen_, _Oak_,' screamed Reynard, so that the wood rang again! + +"So he had won the wager, and down he ran and took the heart out of the +pig at one bite, and was just running off with it. But Bruin was angry +because he had taken the best bit out of the whole pig, and so he laid +hold of his tail and held him fast. + +"'Stop a bit, stop a bit,' he said, and was wild with rage. + +"'Never mind,' said the fox, 'it's all right; let me go, grandsire, and +I'll give you a taste of my honey.' + +"When Bruin heard that, he let go his hold, and away went Reynard after +the honey. + +"'Here, on this honeycomb,' said Reynard, 'lies a leaf, and under this +leaf is a hole, and that hole you are to suck.' + +"As he said this he held up the comb under the Bear's nose, took off the +leaf, jumped up on a stone, and began to gibber and laugh, for there was +neither honey nor honeycomb, but a wasp's nest, as big as a man's head, +full of wasps, and out swarmed the wasps and settled on Bruin's head, +and stung him in his eyes and ears, and mouth and snout. And he had such +hard work to rid himself of them that he had no time to think of +Reynard. + +"And that's why, ever since that day, Bruin is so afraid of wasps." + + +THE HARE AND THE HEIRESS. + +"Once on a time there was a hare, who was frisking up and down under the +greenwood tree. + +"'Oh! hurrah! hip, hip, hurrah!' he cried, and leapt and sprang, and all +at once he threw a somersault, and stood upon his hind legs. Just then a +fox came slouching by. + +"'Good-day, good-day,' said the hare; 'I'm so merry to-day, for you must +know I was married this morning.' + +"'Lucky fellow you,' said the fox. + +"'Ah, no! not so lucky after all,' said the hare, 'for she was very +heavy handed, and it was an old witch I got to wife. + +"'Then you were an unlucky fellow,' said the fox. + +"'Oh, not so unlucky either,' said the hare, 'for she was an heiress. +She had a cottage of her own.' + +"'Then you were lucky after all,' said the fox. + +"'No, no! not so lucky either,' said the hare, 'for the cottage caught +fire and was burnt, and all we had with it.' + +"'That I call downright unlucky,' said the fox. + +"'Oh, no; not so very unlucky after all,' said the hare, 'for my witch +of a wife was burnt along with her cottage.'" + + +SLIP ROOT, CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT. + +"Once on a time there was a bear, who sat on a hillside in the sun and +slept. Just then Reynard came slouching by and caught sight of him. + +"'There you sit taking your ease, grandsire,' said the fox. 'Now see if +I don't play you a trick.' So he went and caught three field mice and +laid them on a stump close under Bruin's nose, and then he bawled out, +into his ear, 'Bo! Bruin, here's Peter the Hunter, just behind this +stump;' and as he bawled this out he ran off through the wood as fast as +ever he could. + +"Bruin woke up with a start, and when he saw the three little mice, he +was as mad as a March hare, and was going to lift up his paw and crush +them, for he thought it was they who had bellowed in his ear. + +"But just as he lifted it he caught sight of Reynard's tail among the +bushes by the woodside, and away he set after him, so that the underwood +crackled as he went, and, to tell the truth, Bruin was so close upon +Reynard, that he caught hold of his off-hind foot just as he was +crawling into an earth under a pine-root. So there was Reynard in a +pinch, but for all that he had his wits about him, for he screeched out, +'SLIP THE PINE-ROOT AND CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT,' and so the silly bear let +his foot slip and laid hold of the root instead. But by that time +Reynard was safe inside the earth, and called out-- + +"'I cheated you that time, too, didn't I, grandsire!' + +"'Out of sight isn't out of mind,' growled Bruin down the earth, and was +wild with rage." + + +BRUIN GOODFELLOW. + +"Once on a time there was a husbandman who travelled ever so far up to +the Fells to fetch a load of leaves for litter for his cattle in winter. +So when he got to where the litter lay he backed the sledge close up to +the heap, and began to roll down the leaves on to the sledge. But under +the heap lay a bear who had made his winter lair there, and when he felt +the man trampling about he jumped out right down on to the sledge. + +"As soon as the horse got wind of Bruin, he was afraid, and ran off as +though he had stolen both bear and sledge, and he went back faster by +many times than he had come up. + +"Bruin, they say, is a brave fellow, but even he was not quite pleased +with his drive this time. So there he sat, holding fast, as well as he +could, and he glared and grinned on all sides, and he thought of +throwing himself off, but he was not used to sledge travelling, and so +he made up his mind to sit still where he was. + +"So when he had driven a good bit, he met a pedlar. + +"'Whither in heaven's name is the sheriff bound to-day? He has surely +little time, and a long way; he drives so fast.' + +"But Bruin said never a word, for all he could do was to stick fast. + +"A little further on a beggar-woman met him. She nodded to him and +greeted him, and begged for a penny, in God's name. But Bruin said never +a word, but stuck fast and drove on faster than ever. + +"So when he had gone a bit further, Reynard the fox met him. + +"'Ho! ho!' said Reynard, 'are you out taking a drive. Stop a bit, and +let me get up behind and be your post-boy.' + +"But still Bruin said never a word, but held on like grim death, and +drove on as fast as the horse could lay legs to the ground. + +"'Well, well,' screamed Reynard, after him, 'if you won't take me with +you I'll spae your fortune; and that is, though you drive like a +dare-devil to-day, you'll be hanging up to-morrow with the hide off your +back.' + +"But Bruin never heard a word that Reynard said. On and on he drove just +as fast; but when the horse got to the farm, he galloped into the open +stable door at full speed, so that he tore off both sledge and harness, +and as for poor Bruin, he knocked his skull against the lintel, and +there he lay dead on the spot. + +"All this time the man knew nothing of what had happened. He rolled down +bundle after bundle of leaves, and when he thought he had enough to load +his sledge, and went down to bind on the bundles, he could find neither +horse nor sledge. + +"So he had to tramp along the road to find his horse again, and, after a +while, he met the pedlar. + +"'Have you met my horse and sledge?' he asked. + +"'No,' said the pedlar; 'but lower down along the road I met the +sheriff; he drove so fast, he was surely going to lay some one by the +heels.' + +"A while after he met the beggar-woman. + +"'Have you seen my horse and sledge?' said the man. + +"'No,' said the beggar-woman, 'but I met the parson lower down yonder; +he was surely going to a parish meeting, he drove so fast, and he had a +borrowed horse.' + +"A while after, the man met the fox. + +"'Have you seen my horse and sledge?' + +"'Yes! I have,' said the fox, 'and Bruin Goodfellow sat on it and drove +just as though he had stolen both horse and harness.' + +"'De'il take him,' said the man, 'I'll be bound he'll drive my horse to +death.' + +"'If he does, flay him,' said Reynard, 'and roast him before the fire! +But if you get your horse again you may give me a lift over the Fell, +for I can ride well, and besides, I have a fancy to see how it feels +when one has four legs before one.' + +"'What will you give for the lift?' said the man. + +"'You can have what you like,' said Reynard; 'either wet or dry. You may +be sure you'll always get more out of me than out of Bruin Goodfellow, +for he is a rough carle to pay off when he takes a fancy to riding and +hangs on a horse's back.' + +"'Well! you shall have a lift over the Fell,' said the man, 'if you will +only meet me at this spot to-morrow.' + +"But he knew that Reynard was only playing off some of his tricks upon +him, and so he took with him a loaded gun on the sledge, and when +Reynard came, thinking to get a lift for nothing, he got, instead, a +charge of shot in his body, and so the husbandman flayed the coat off +him too, and then he had gotten both Bruin's hide and Reynard's skin." + + +BRUIN AND REYNARD PARTNERS. + +"Once on a time Bruin and Reynard were to own a field in common. They +had a little clearing up in the wood, and the first year they sowed rye. + +"'Now we must share the crop as is fair and right,' said Reynard. 'If +you like to have the root, I'll take the top.' + +"Yes, Bruin was ready to do that; but when they had threshed out the +crop, Reynard got all the corn, but Bruin got nothing but roots and +rubbish. He did not like that at all; but Reynard said it was how they +had agreed to share it. + +"'This year I have the gain,' said Reynard; 'next year it will be your +turn. Then you shall have the top, and I shall have to put up with the +root.' + +"But when spring came, and it was time to sow, Reynard asked Bruin what +he thought of turnips. + +"'Aye, aye!' said Bruin, 'that's better food than corn;' and so Reynard +thought also. But when harvest came Reynard got the roots, while Bruin +got the turnip-tops. And then Bruin was so angry with Reynard that he +put an end at once to his partnership with him." + + +REYNARD WANTS TO TASTE HORSE-FLESH. + +"One day as Bruin lay by a horse which he had slain, and was hard at +work eating it, Reynard was out that day too, and came up spying about +and licking his lips, if he might get a taste of the horse-flesh. So he +doubled and turned till he got just behind Bruin's back, and then he +jumped on the other side of the carcass and snapped a mouthful as he ran +by. Bruin was not slow either, for he made a grab at Reynard and caught +the tip of his red brush in his paw; and ever since then Reynard's brush +is white at the tip, as any one may see. + +"But that day Bruin was merry, and called out, "'Bide a bit, Reynard; +and come hither, and I'll tell you how to catch a horse for yourself.' + +"Yes, Reynard was ready enough to learn, but he did not for all that +trust himself to go very close to Bruin. + +"'Listen,' said Bruin, 'when you see a horse asleep, sunning himself in +the sunshine, you must mind and bind yourself fast by the hair of his +tail to your brush, and then you must make your teeth meet in the flesh +of his thigh.' + +"As you may fancy, it was not long before Reynard found out a horse that +lay asleep in the sunshine, and then he did as Bruin had told him; for +he knotted and bound himself well into the hair of his tail, and made +his teeth meet in the horse's thigh. + +"Up sprang the horse, and began to kick and rear and gallop, so that +Reynard was dashed against stock and stone, and got battered black and +blue, so that he was not far off losing both wit and sense. And while +the horse galloped, they passed Jack Longears, the Hare. + +"'Whither away so fast, Reynard?' cried Jack Longears. + +"'Post haste, on business of life and death, dear Jack,' cried Reynard. + +"And with that Jack stood up on his hind legs, and laughed till his +sides ached and his jaws split right up to his ears. It was so funny to +see Reynard ride post haste. + +"But you must know, since that ride Reynard has never thought of +catching a horse for himself. For that once at least it was Bruin who +had the best of it in wit, though they do say he is most often as +simple-minded as the Trolls." + + + * * * * * + +Many other stories Edward and I heard that season up on the Fjeld, +either from the girls, or Peter, or Anders; and here some of them follow +standing by themselves, and not set in a frame. + + + + +MASTER TOBACCO + + +[Illustration: MASTER TOBACCO.] + +"Once on a time there was a poor woman who went about begging with her +son; for at home she had neither a morsel to eat nor a stick to burn. +First she tried the country, and went from parish to parish; but it was +poor work, and so she came into the town. There she went about from +house to house for a while, and at last she came to the lord mayor. He +was both open-hearted and open-handed, and he was married to the +daughter of the richest merchant in the town, and they had one little +daughter. As they had no more children, you may fancy she was sugar and +spice and all that's nice, and in a word there was nothing too good for +her. This little girl soon came to know the beggar boy as he went about +with his mother; and as the lord mayor was a wise man, as soon as he saw +what friends the two were, he took the boy into his house, that he might +be his daughter's playmate. Yes, they played and read and went to school +together, and never had so much as one quarrel. + +"One day the lady mayoress stood at the window, and watched the children +as they were trudging off to school. There had been a shower of rain, +and the street was flooded, and she saw how the boy first carried the +basket with their dinner over the stream, and then he went back and +lifted the little girl over, and when he set her down he gave her a +kiss. + +"When the lady mayoress saw this, she got very angry. 'To think of such +a ragamuffin kissing our daughter--we, who are the best people in the +place!' That was what she said. Her husband did his best to stop her +tongue. 'No one knew,' he said, 'how children would turn out in life, or +what might befall his own: the boy was a clever, handy lad, and often +and often a great tree sprang from a slender plant.' + +"But no! it was all the same whatever he said, and whichever way he put +it. The lady mayoress held her own, and said, beggars on horseback +always rode their cattle to death, and that no one had ever heard of a +silk purse being made out of a sow's ear; adding, that a penny would +never turn into a shilling, even though it glittered like a guinea. The +end of it all was that the poor lad was turned out of the house, and had +to pack up his rags and be off. + +"When the lord mayor saw there was no help for it, he sent him away with +a trader who had come thither with a ship, and he was to be cabin-boy on +board her. He told his wife he had sold the boy for a roll of tobacco. + +"But before he went the lord mayor's daughter broke her ring into two +bits, and gave the boy one bit, that it might be a token to know him by +if they ever met again; and so the ship sailed away, and the lad came to +a town, far, far off in the world, and to that town a priest had just +come who was so good a preacher that every one went to church to hear +him, and the crew of the ship went with the rest the Sunday after to +hear the sermon. As for the lad, he was left behind to mind the ship and +to cook the dinner. So while he was hard at work he heard some one +calling out across the water on an island. So he took the boat and rowed +across, and there he saw an old hag, who called and roared. + +"'Aye,' she said, 'you have come at last! Here have I stood a hundred +years calling and bawling, and thinking how I should ever get over this +water; but no one has ever heard or heeded but you, and you shall be +well paid, if you will put me over to the other side.' + +"So the lad had to row her to her sister's house, who lived on a hill on +the other side, close by; and when they got there, she told him to beg +for the old table-cloth which lay on the dresser. Yes! he begged for it, +and when the old witch who lived there knew that he had helped her +sister over the water, she said he might have whatever he chose to ask. + +"'Oh,' said the boy, 'then I won't have anything else than that old +table-cloth on the dresser yonder.' + +"'Oh,' said the old witch, 'that you never asked out of your own wits.' + +"'Now I must be off,' said the lad, 'to cook the Sunday dinner for the +church-goers.' + +"'Never mind that,' said the first old hag; 'it will cook itself while +you are away. Stop with me, and I will pay you better still. Here have I +stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, but no one has ever +heeded me but you.' + +"The end was he had to go with her to another sister, and when he got +there the old hag said he was to be sure and ask for the old sword, +which was such that he could put it into his pocket and it became a +knife, and when he drew it out it was a long sword again. One edge was +black and the other white; and if he smote with the black edge +everything fell dead, and if with the white everything came to life +again. So when they came over, and the second old witch heard how he had +helped her sister across, she said he might have anything he chose to +ask for her fare. + +"'Oh,' said the lad, 'then I will have nothing else but that old sword +which hangs up over the cupboard.' + +"'That you never asked out of your own wits,' said the old witch; but +for all that he got the sword. + +"Then the old hag said again, 'Come on with me to my third sister. Here +have I stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, and no one has +heeded me but you. Come on to my third sister, and you shall have better +pay still.' + +"So he went with her, and on the way she told him he was to ask for the +old hymn-book; and that was such a book that when any one was sick and +the nurse sang one of the hymns, the sickness passed away, and they were +well again. Well! when they got across, and the third old witch heard he +had helped her sister across, she said he was to have whatever he chose +to ask for his fare. + +"'Oh,' said the lad, 'then I won't have anything else but granny's old +hymn-book.' + +"'That,' said the old hag, 'you never asked out of your own wits.' + +"When he got back to the ship the crew were still at church, so he tried +his table-cloth, and spread just a little bit of it out, for he wanted +to see what good it was before he laid it on the table. Yes! in a trice, +it was covered with good food and strong drink; enough, and to spare. So +he just took a little snack, and then he gave the ship's dog as much as +it could eat. + +"When the church-goers came on board, the captain said, 'Wherever did +you get all that food for the dog? Why, he's as round as a sausage, and +as lazy as a snail.' + +"'Oh, if you must know,' said the lad, 'I gave him the bones.' + +"'Good boy,' said the captain, 'to think of the dog.' + +"So he spread out the cloth, and at once the whole table was covered all +over with such brave meat and drink as they had never before seen in all +their born days. + +"Now when the boy was again alone with the dog, he wanted to try the +sword, so he smote at the dog with the black edge, and it fell dead on +the deck; but when he turned the blade and smote with the white edge, +the dog came to life again and wagged his tail and fawned on his +playmate. But the book,--that he could not get tried just then. + +"Then they sailed well and far till a storm overtook them, which lasted +many days; so they lay to and drove till they were quite out of their +course, and could not tell where they were. At last the wind fell, and +then they came to a country far, far off, that none of them knew; but +they could easily see there was great grief there, as well there might +be, for the king's daughter was a leper. The king came down to the +shore, and asked was there any one on board who could cure her and make +her well again. + +"'No, there was not.' That was what they all said who were on deck. + +"'Is there no one else on board the ship than those I see?' asked the +king. + +"'Yes; there's a little beggar boy.' + +"'Well,' said the king, 'let him come on deck.' + +"So when he came, and heard what the king wanted, he said he thought he +might cure her; and then the captain got so wrath and mad with rage that +he ran round and round like a squirrel in a cage, for he thought the boy +was only putting himself forward to do something in which he was sure to +fail, and he told the king not to listen to such childish chatter. + +"But the king only said that wit came as children grew, and that there +was the making of a man in every bairn. The boy had said he could do it, +and he might as well try. After all, there were many who had tried and +failed before him. So he took him home to his daughter, and the lad sang +an hymn once. Then the princess could lift her arm. Once again he sang +it, and she could sit up in bed. And when he had sung it thrice the +king's daughter was as well as you and I are. + +"The king was so glad, he wanted to give him half his kingdom and the +princess to wife. + +"'Yes,' said the lad, 'land and power were fine things to have half of, +and was very grateful; but as for the princess, he was betrothed to +another,' he said, 'and he could not take her to wife.' + +"So he stayed there awhile, and got half the kingdom; and when he had +not been very long there, war broke out, and the lad went out to battle +with the rest, and you may fancy he did not spare the black edge of his +sword. The enemy's soldiers fell before him like flies, and the king won +the day. But when they had conquered, he turned the white edge, and they +all rose up alive and became the king's soldiers, who had granted them +their lives. But then there were so many of them that they were badly +off for food, though the king wished to send them away full, both of +meat and drink. So the lad had to bring out his table-cloth, and then +there was not a man that lacked anything. + +"Now when he had lived a little longer with the king, he began to long +to see the lord mayor's daughter. So he fitted out four ships of war and +set sail; and when he came off the town where the lord mayor lived, he +fired off his cannon like thunder, till half the panes of glass in the +town were shivered. On board those ships everything was as grand as in a +king's palace; and as for himself, he had gold on every seam of his +coat, so fine he was. It was not long before the lord mayor came down to +the shore and asked if the foreign lord would not be so good as to come +up and dine with him. 'Yes, he would go,' he said; and so he went up to +the mansion-house where the lord mayor lived, and there he took his seat +between the lady mayoress and her daughter. + +"So as they sat there in the greatest state, and ate and drank and were +merry, he threw the half of the ring into the daughter's glass, and no +one saw it; but she was not slow to find out what he meant, and excused +herself from the feast and went out and fitted his half to her half. Her +mother saw there was something in the wind and hurried after her as fast +as she could. + +"'Do you know who that is in there, mother?' said the daughter. + +"'No!' said the lady mayoress. + +"'He whom papa sold for a roll of tobacco,' said the daughter. + +"At these words the lady mayoress fainted, and fell down flat on the +floor. + +"In a little while the lord mayor came out to see what was the matter, +and when he heard how things stood he was almost as uneasy as his wife. + +"'There is nothing to make a fuss about,' said Master Tobacco. 'I have +only come to claim the little girl I kissed as we were going to school.' + +"But to the lady mayoress, he said, 'You should never despise the +children of the poor and needy, for none can tell how they may turn out; +for there is the making of a man in every child of man, and wit and +wisdom come with growth and strength.'" + + + + +THE CHARCOAL-BURNER. + + +"Once on a time there was a charcoal-burner, who had a son, who was a +charcoal-burner too. When the father was dead, the son took him a wife; +but he was lazy and would turn his hand to nothing. He was careless in +minding his pits too, and the end was no one would have him to burn +charcoal for them. + +"It so fell out that one day he had burned a pit full for himself, and +set off to the town with a few loads and sold them; and when he had done +selling, he loitered in the street and looked about him. On his way home +he fell in with townsmen and neighbours, and made merry, and drank, and +chattered of all he had seen in the town. 'The prettiest thing I saw,' +he said, 'was a great crowd of priests, and all the folks greeted them +and took off their hats to them. I only wish I were a priest myself; +then maybe they would take off their hats to me too. As it was they +looked as though they did not even see me at all.' + +"'Well, well!' said his friends, 'if you are nothing else, you can't say +you're not as black as a priest. And now we are about it, we can go to +the sale of the old priest, who is dead, and have a glass, and meanwhile +you can buy his gown and hood.' That was what the neighbours said; and +what they said he did, and when he got home he had not so much as a +penny left. + +"'Now you have both means and money, I dare say,' said his goody, when +she heard he had sold his charcoal. + +"'I should think so. Means, indeed!' said the charcoal-burner, 'for you +must know I have been ordained priest. Here you see both gown and hood.' + +"'Nay, I'll never believe that,' said the goody, 'strong ale makes big +words. You are just as bad, whichever end of you turns up. That you +are,' she said. + +"'You shall neither scold nor sorrow for the pit, for its last coal is +quenched and cold,' said the charcoal-burner. + +"It fell out one day that many people in priests' robes passed by the +charcoal-burner's cottage on their way to the king's palace, so that it +was easy to see there was something in the wind there. Yes! the +charcoal-burner would go too, and so he put on his gown and hood. + +"His goody thought it would be far better to stay at home; for even if +he chanced to hold a horse for some great man, the drink-money he got +would only go down his throat like so many before it. + +"'There are many, mother, who talk of drink,' said the man, 'who never +think of thirst. All I know is, the more one drinks the more one +thirsts;' and with that he set off for the palace. When he got there, +all the strangers were bidden to come in, and the charcoal-burner +followed with the rest. So the king made them a speech, and said he had +lost his costliest ring, and was quite sure it had been stolen. That was +why he had summoned all the learned priests in the land, to see if there +were one of them who could tell him who the thief was. And he made a vow +there and then, and said what reward he would give to the man who found +out the thief. If he were a curate, he should have a living; if he was a +rector, he should be made a dean; if he were a dean, he should be made a +bishop; and if he were a bishop, he should become the first man in the +kingdom after the king. + +"So the king went round and round among them all, from one to the other, +asking them if they could find the thief; and when he came to the +charcoal-burner, he said, + +"'Who are you?' + +"'I am the wise priest and the true prophet,' said the charcoal-burner. + +"'Then you can tell me,' said the king, 'who has taken my ring?' + +"'Yes!' said the charcoal-burner; 'it isn't so right against rhyme and +reason that what has happened in darkness should come to light; but it +isn't every year that salmon spawn in fir-tree tops. Here have I been a +curate for seven years, trying to feed myself and my children, and I +haven't got a living yet. If that thief is to be found out, I must have +lots of time and reams of paper; for I must write and reckon, and track +him out through many lands.' + +"'Yes! he should have as much time and paper as he chose, if he would +only lay his finger on the thief.' + +"So they shut him up by himself in a room in the king's palace, and it +was not long before they found out that he must know much more than his +Lord's Prayer; for he scribbled over so much paper that it lay in great +heaps and rolls, and yet there was not a man who could make out a word +of what he wrote, for it looked like nothing else than pot-hooks and +hangers. But, as he did this, time went on, and still there was not a +trace of the thief. At last the king got weary, and so he said, if the +priest couldn't find the thief in three days he should lose his life. + +"'More haste, worse speed. You can't cart coal till the pit is cool,' +said the charcoal-burner. But the king stuck to his word--that he did; +and the charcoal-burner felt his life wasn't worth much. + +"Now there were three of the king's servants who waited on the +charcoal-burner day by day, in turn, and these three fellows had stolen +the ring between them. So when one of these servants came into the room +and cleared the table when he had eaten his supper, and was going out +again, the charcoal-burner heaved a deep sigh as he looked after him, +and said, + +"'THERE GOES THE FIRST OF THEM!' but he only meant the first of the +three days he had still to live. + +"'That priest knows more than how to fill his mouth,' said the servant, +when he was alone with his fellows; for he said, I was the first of +them.' + +"The next day, the second servant was to mark what the prisoner said +when he waited on him, and sure enough when he went out, after clearing +the table, the charcoal-burner stared him full in the face and fetched a +deep sigh, and said, + +"'THERE GOES THE SECOND OF THEM!' + +"So the third was to take heed to what the charcoal-burner said on the +third day, and it was all worse and no better; for when the servant had +his hand on the door as he went out with the plates and dishes, the +charcoal-burner clasped his hands together, and said, with a sigh as +though his heart would break, + +"'THERE GOES THE THIRD OF THEM!' + +"So the man went down to his fellows with his heart in his throat, and +said it was clear as day the priest knew all about it; and so they all +three went into his room and fell on their knees before him, and begged +and prayed he would not say it was they who had stolen the ring. If he +would do this, they were ready to give him, each of them, a hundred +dollars, if he would not bring them into trouble. + +"Well, he gave his word, like a man, to do that and keep them harmless, +if they would only give him the money and the ring and a great bowl of +porridge. And what do you think he did with the ring when he got it? +Why, he stuffed it well down into the porridge, and bade them go and +give it to the biggest pig in the king's stye. + +"Next morning the king came, and was in no mood for jokes, and said he +must know all about the thief. + +"'Well! well! now I have written and reckoned all the world round,' said +the charcoal-burner, 'but it is no child of man that stole your +majesty's ring.' + +"'Pooh!' said the king; 'who was it, then?' + +"'It was the biggest pig in your stye,' said the charcoal-burner. + +"Yes! they killed the pig, and there the ring was inside it; there was +no mistake about that; and so the charcoal-burner got a living, and the +king was so glad he gave him a farm and a horse, and a hundred dollars +into the bargain. + +"You may fancy the charcoal-burner was not slow in flitting to the +living, and the first Sunday after he got there he was going to church +to read himself in; but before he left his house he was to have his +breakfast, and so he took the king's letter and laid it on a bit of dry +toast and then, by mistake, he dipped both toast and letter into his +brose, and when he found it tough to chew, he gave the whole morsel to +his dog Tray, and Tray gobbled up both toast and letter. + +"And now he scarce knew what to do, or how to turn. To church he must, +for the people were waiting; and when he got there, he went straight up +into the pulpit. In the pulpit he put on such a grave face that all +thought he was a grand priest; but as the service went on, it was not so +good after all. This was how he began: + +"'The words, my brethren, which you should have heard this day have +gone, alas! to the dogs; but come next Sunday, dear parishioners, and +you shall hear something else; and so this sermon comes to an end. +Amen!' + +"All the parish thought they had got a strange priest, for they had +never heard such a funny sermon before; but still they said to +themselves, 'He'll be better perhaps by-and-by, and if he isn't better +we shall know how to deal with him.' + +"Next Sunday, when there was service again, the church was so crowded +full with folk who wished to hear the new priest that there was scarce +standing-room. Well, he came again, and went straight up into the +pulpit, and there he stood awhile and said never a word. But all at once +he burst out, and bawled at the top of his voice-- + +"'Hearken to me, old Nannygoat Bridget! Why in the world do you sit so +far back in the church?' + +"'Oh, your reverence,' said she, 'if you must know, it's because my +shoes are all in holes.' + +"'That's no reason; for you might take an old bit of pig-skin and stitch +yourself new shoes, and then you could also come far forward in the +church, like the other fine ladies. For the rest, you all ought to +bethink yourselves of the way you are going; for I see when ye come to +church, some of you come from the north and some from the south, and it +is the same when you go from church again. But sometimes ye stand and +loiter on the way, and then it may well be asked, What will become of +you? Yea! who can tell what will become of every one of us? By the way, +I have to give notice of a black mare which has strayed from the old +priest's widow. She has hair on her fetlocks and a falling mane, and +other marks which I will not name in this place. Besides, I may tell +you, I have a hole in my old breeches-pocket, and I know it, but you do +not know it; and another thing you do not know, and which I do not know, +is whether any of you has a bit of cloth to patch that hole. Amen.' + +"Some few of the hearers were very well pleased with this sermon. They +thought it sure he would make a brave priest in time; but, to tell the +truth, most of them thought it too bad, and when the dean came they +complained of the priest, and said no one had ever heard such sermons +before, and there was even one of them who knew the last by heart, and +wrote it down and read it to the dean. + +"'I call it a very good sermon,' said the dean, 'for it was likely that +he spoke in parables as to seeking light and shunning darkness and its +deeds, and as to those who were walking either on the broad or the +strait path; but most of all,' he said, 'that was a grand parable when +he gave that notice about the priest's black mare, and how it would fare +with us all at the last. The pocket with the hole in it was to show the +need of the church, and the piece of cloth to patch it was the gifts and +offerings of the congregation.' That was what the dean said. + +"As for the parish, what they said was, 'Ay! ay!' so much we could +understand that it was to go into the priest's pocket. + +"The end was, the dean said, he thought the parish had got such a good +and understanding priest, there was no fault to find with him, and so +they had to make the best of him; but after a while, as he got worse +instead of better, they complained of him to the bishop. + +"Well! sooner or later the bishop came, and there was to be a +visitation. But, the day before, the priest had gone into the church, +unbeknown to anybody, and sawed the props of the pulpit all but in two, +so that it would only just hang together if one went up into it very +carefully. So when the people were gathered together and he was to +preach before the bishop, he crept up into the pulpit and began to +expound, as he was wont; and when he had gone on a while, he got more in +earnest, threw his arms about and bawled out, + +"'If there be any here who is wicked or given to ill deeds, it were +better he left this place; for this very day there shall be a fall, such +as hath not been seen since the world began.' + +"With that he struck the reading-desk like thunder, and lo! the desk and +the priest and the whole pulpit tumbled down on the floor of the church +with such a crash that the whole congregation ran out of church, as if +Doomsday were at their heels. + +"But then the bishop told the fault-finders he was amazed that they +dared to complain of a priest who had such gifts in the pulpit, and so +much wisdom that he could foresee things about to happen. For his part, +he thought he ought to be a dean at least, and it was not long either +before he was a dean. So there was no help for it; they had to put up +with him. + +"Now it so happened that the king and queen had no children; but when +the king heard that, perhaps, there was one coming, he was eager to know +if it would be an heir to his crown and realm, or if it would only be a +princess. So all the wise men in the land were gathered to the palace, +that they might say beforehand what it would be. But when there was not +a man of them that could say that, both the king and the bishop thought +of the charcoal-burner, and it was not long before they got him between +them, and asked him about it. 'No!' he said, 'that was past his power, +for it was not good to guess at what no man alive could know.' + +"'All very fine, I dare say,' said the king. 'It's all the same to me, +of course, if you know it or if you don't know it; but, you know, you +are the wise priest and the true prophet who can foretell things to +come; and all I can say is if you don't tell it me, you shall lose your +gown. And now I think of it, I'll try you first.' + +"So he took the biggest silver tankard he had and went down to the +sea-shore, and, in a little while, called the priest. + +"'If you can tell me now what there is in this tankard,' said the king, +'you will be able to tell me the other also;' and as he said this, he +held the lid of the tankard tight. + +"The charcoal-burner only wrung his hands and bemoaned himself. + +"'Oh! you most wretched crab and cripple on this earth,' he cried out, +'this is what all your backslidings and sidelong tricks have brought on +you.' + +"'Ah!' cried out the king, 'how could you say you did not know?' for you +must know he had a crab in the tankard. So the charcoal-burner had to go +into the parlour to the queen. He took a chair and sat down in the +middle of the floor, while the queen walked up and down in the room. + +"'One should never count one's chickens before they are hatched, and +never quarrel about a baby's name before it is born,' said the +charcoal-burner; 'but I never heard or saw such a thing before! When the +queen comes toward me, I almost think it will be a prince, and when she +goes away from me it looks as if it would be a princess.' + +"Lo! when the time came, it was both a prince and a princess, for twins +were born; and so the charcoal-burner had hit the mark that time too. +And because he could tell that which no man could know, he got money in +carts full, and was the next man to the king in the realm. + + "Trip, trap, trill, + A man is often more than he will." + + + + +THE BOX WITH SOMETHING PRETTY IN IT. + + +"Once on a time there was a little boy who was out walking on the road, +and when he had walked a bit he found a box. + +"'I am sure there must be something pretty in this box,' he said to +himself; but however much he turned it, and however much he twisted it, +he was not able to get it open. + +"But when he had walked a bit farther, he found a little tiny key. Then +he got tired and sat down, and all at once he thought what fun it would +be if the key fitted the box, for it had a little key-hole in it. So he +took the little key out of his pocket, and then he blew first into the +pipe of the key, and afterwards into the key-hole, and then he put the +key into the key-hole and turned it. 'Snap' it went within the lock; and +when he tried the hasp, the box was open. + +"But can you guess what there was in the box? Why a cow's tail; and if +the cow's tail had been longer, this story would have been longer too." + + + + +THE THREE LEMONS. + + +"Once on a time there were three brothers, who had lost their parents; +and as they had left nothing behind them on which the lads could live, +they had to go out into the world to try their luck. The two elder +fitted themselves out as well as they could; but the youngest, whom they +called Taper Tom, because he always sat in the chimney-corner and held +tapers of pine wood, him they would not have with them. + +"The two set out early in the grey dawn; but, however fast they went, or +did not go, Taper Tom came just as soon as the others to the king's +palace. So when they got there, they asked for work. The king said he +had nothing for them to do; but as they were so pressing, he'd see if he +could not find them something,--there must be always something to do in +such a big house. Yes! they might drive nails into the wall; and when +they had done driving them in, they might pull them out again. When they +had done that, they might carry wood and water into the kitchen. + +"Taper Tom was the handiest in driving nails into the wall and in +pulling them out again and he was the handiest also in carrying wood and +water. So his brothers were jealous of him, and said he had given out +that he was good enough to get the king the prettiest princess who was +to be found in twelve kingdoms; for you must know the king had lost his +old dame, and was a widower. When the king heard that, he told Taper Tom +he must do what he had said, or else he would make them lay him on the +block and chop his head off. + +"Taper Tom answered, he had never said nor thought anything of the kind; +but, as the king was so stern, he would try what he could do. So he got +him a scrip of food over his shoulders, and set off from the palace; but +he had not gone far on the road before he grew hungry, and wanted to +taste the food they had given him when he set out. So when he had seated +himself to rest at his ease, under a spruce by the roadside, up came an +old hag hobbling, who asked what he had in his scrip. + +"'Salt meat and fresh meat,' said the lad. 'If you are hungry, granny, +come and take a snack with me.' + +"Yes! She thanked him, and then she said, might be she would do him a +good turn herself; and away she hobbled through the wood. So when Taper +Tom had eaten his full, and had rested, he threw his scrip over his +shoulder and set off again; but he had not gone far before he found a +pipe. That, he thought, would be nice to have with him and play on by +the way; and it was not long before he brought the sound out of it, you +may fancy. But then there came about him such a swarm of little Trolls, +and each asked the other in full cry,-- + +"'What has my lord to order? What has my lord to order?' + +"Taper Tom said he never knew he was lord over them; but if he was to +order anything, he wished they would fetch him the prettiest princess to +be found in twelve kingdoms. Yes! that was no great thing, the little +Trolls thought; they knew well enough where she was, and they could show +him the way, and then he might go and get her for himself, for they had +no power to touch her. + +"Then they showed him the way, and he got to the end of his journey well +and happily. There was not anyone who laid so much as two sticks across +in his way. It was a Troll's castle, and in it sat three lovely +princesses; but as soon as ever Taper Tom came in, they all lost their +wits for fear, and ran about like scared lambs, and all at once they +were turned into three lemons that lay in the window. Taper Tom was so +sorry and unhappy at that, he scarce knew which way to turn. But when he +had thought a little, he took and put the lemons into his pocket, for he +thought they would be good to have if he got thirsty by the way, for he +had heard say lemons were sour. + +"So when he had gone a bit of the way, he got so hot and thirsty; water +was not to be had, and he did not know what he should do to quench his +thirst. So he fell to thinking of the lemons, and took one of them out +and bit a hole in it. But, lo! inside sat the princess as far as her +armpits, and screamed out-- + +"'Water!--water!' Unless she got water, she must die, she said. + +"Yes! the lad ran about looking for water as though he were a mad thing; +but there was no water to be got, and all at once the princess was dead. + +"So when he had gone a bit further, he got still hotter and thirstier; +and as he could find nothing to quench his thirst, he pulled out the +second lemon and bit a hole in it. Inside it was also a princess, +sitting as far as her armpits, and she was still lovelier than the +first. She, too, screamed for water, and said, if she could not get it +she must die outright. So Taper Tom hunted under stone and moss, but he +could find no water; and so the end was the second Princess died too. + +"Taper Tom thought things got worse and worse, and so it was, for the +farther he went the hotter it got. The earth was so dry and burnt up, +there was not a drop of water to be found, and he was not far off being +half dead of thirst. He kept himself as long as he could from biting a +hole in the lemon he still had, but at last there was no help for it. So +when he had bitten the hole, there sat a princess inside it also; she +was the loveliest in twelve kingdoms, and she screamed out if she could +not get water she must die at once. So Taper Tom ran about hunting for +water; and this time he fell upon the king's miller, and he showed him +the way to the mill-dam. So when he came to the dam with her and gave +her some water, she came quite out of the lemon, and was stark naked. So +Taper Tom had to let her have the wrap he had to throw over her, and +then she hid herself up a tree while he went up to the king's palace to +fetch her clothes, and tell the king how he had got her, and, in a word, +told him the whole story. + +"But while this was going on, the cook came down to the mill-dam to +fetch water; and when she saw the lovely face which played on the water, +she thought it was her own, and grew so glad she fell a-dancing and +jumping because she had grown so pretty. + +"'The deil carry water,' she cried, 'since I am so pretty;' and away she +threw the water-buckets. But in a little while she got to see that the +face in the mill-dam belonged to the princess who sat up in the tree; +and then she got so cross, that she tore her down from the tree, and +threw her out into the dam. But she herself put on Taper Tom's cloak, +and crept up into the tree. + +"So when the king came and set eyes on the ugly swarthy kitchen-maid, he +turned white and red; but when he heard how they said she was the +loveliest in twelve kingdoms, he thought he could not help believing +there must be something in it; and besides he felt for poor Taper Tom, +who had taken so much pains to get her for him. + +"'She'll get better, perhaps, as time goes on,' he thought, 'when she is +dressed smartly, and wears fine clothes;' and so he took her home with +him. + +"Then they sent for all the wig-makers and needlewomen, and she was +dressed and clad like a princess; but for all they washed and dressed +her, she was still as ugly and black as ever. + +"After a while the kitchen-maid was to go to the dam to fetch water, and +then she caught a great silver fish in her bucket. She bore it up to the +palace, and showed it to the king, and he thought it grand and fine; but +the ugly princess said it was some witchcraft, and they must burn it, +for she soon saw what it was. Well! the fish was burnt, and next morning +they found a lump of silver in the ashes. So the cook came and told it +to the king, and he thought it passing strange; but the princess said it +was all witchcraft, and bade them bury it in the dung-heap. The king was +much against it; but she left him neither rest nor peace, and so he said +at last they might do it. + +"But lo! next day stood a tall lovely linden tree on the spot where they +had buried the lump of silver, and that linden had leaves which gleamed +like silver. So when they told the king that, he thought it passing +strange; but the princess said it was nothing but witchcraft, and they +must cut down the linden at once. The king was against that; but the +princess plagued him so long that at last he had to give way to her in +this also. + +"But lo! when the lasses went out to gather the chips of the linden to +light the fires, they were pure silver. + +"'It isn't worth while,' one of them said, 'to say anything about this +to the king or the princess, or else they, too, will be burnt and +melted. It is better to hide them in our drawers. They will be good to +have when a lover comes, and we are going to marry.' + +"Yes! They were all of one mind as to that; but when they had borne the +chips a while, they grew so fearfully heavy that they could not help +looking to see what it was; and then they found the chips had been +changed into a child, and it was not long before it grew into the +loveliest princess you ever set eyes on. + +"The lasses could see very well that something wrong lay under all this. +So they got her clothes, and flew off to find the lad, who was to fetch +the loveliest princess in twelve kingdoms, and told him their story. + +"So when Taper Tom came, the princess told him her story, and how the +cook had come and torn her from the tree and thrown her into the dam; +and how she had been the silver fish, and the silver lump, and the +linden, and the chips, and how she was the true princess. + +"It was not so easy to get the king's ear, for the ugly black cook hung +over him early and late; but at last they made out a story, and said +that a challenge had come from a neighbour king, and so they got him +out; and when he came to see the lovely princess, he was so taken with +her, he was for holding the bridal feast on the spot; and when he heard +how badly the ugly black cook had behaved to her, he said they should +take her and roll her down hill in a cask full of nails. Then they kept +the bridal feast at such a rate that it was heard and talked of over +twelve kingdoms." + + + + +THE PRIEST AND THE CLERK. + + +"Once on a time there was a priest, who was such a bully, that he bawled +out, ever so far off, whenever he met anyone driving on the king's +highway,-- + +"'Out of the way, out of the way! Here comes the priest!' + +"One day when he was driving along and behaving so, he met the king +himself. + +"'Out of the way, out of the way,' he bawled a long way off. But the +king drove on and kept his own; so that time it was the priest who had +to turn his horse aside, and when the king came alongside him, he said, +'To-morrow you shall come to me to the palace, and if you can't answer +three questions which I will set you, you shall lose hood and gown for +your pride's sake.' + +"This was something else than the priest was wont to hear. He could bawl +and bully, shout, and behave worse than badly. All THAT he could do, but +question and answer was out of his power. So he set off to the clerk who +was said to be better in a gown than the priest himself, and told him he +had no mind to go to the king. + +"'For one fool can ask more than ten wise men can answer;' and the end +was, he got the clerk to go in his stead. + +"Yes! The clerk set off, and came to the palace in the priest's gown and +hood. There the king met him out in the porch with crown and sceptre, +and was so grand it glittered and gleamed from him. + +"'Well! Are you there?' said the king. + +"Yes; he was there, sure enough. + +"'Tell me first,' said the king; 'how far the east is from the west?' + +"'Just a day's journey,' said the clerk. + +"'How is that?' asked the king. + +"'Don't you know,' said the clerk, 'that the sun rises in the east and +sets in the west, and he does it just nicely in one day.' + +"'Very well!' said the king; 'but tell me now what you think I am worth, +as you see me stand here?' + +"'Well,' said the clerk; 'Our Lord was valued at thirty pieces of +silver, so I don't think I can set your price higher than twenty-nine.' + +"'All very fine!' said the king; 'but as you are so wise, perhaps you +can tell me what I am thinking about now?' + +"'Oh!' said the clerk; 'you are thinking it's the priest who stands +before you, but so help me, if you don't think wrong, for I am the +clerk.' + +"'Be off home with you,' said the king, 'and be you priest, and let him +be clerk,' and so it was." + + + + +FRIENDS IN LIFE AND DEATH. + + +"Once on a time there were two young men who were such great friends +that they swore to one another they would never part, either in life or +death. One of them died before he was at all old, and a little while +after the other wooed a farmer's daughter, and was to be married to her. +So when they were bidding guests to the wedding the bridegroom went +himself to the churchyard where his friend lay, and knocked at his +grave, and called him by name. No! he neither answered nor came. He +knocked again, and he called again, but no one came. A third time he +knocked louder and called louder to him, to come that he might talk to +him. So, after a long, long time, he heard a rustling, and at last the +dead man came up out of the grave. + +"'It was well you came at last,' said the bridegroom, 'for I have been +standing here ever so long, knocking and calling for you.' + +"'I was a long way off,' said the dead man, 'so that I did not quite +hear you till the last time you called.' + +"'All right,' said the bridegroom; 'but I am going to stand bridegroom +to-day, and you mind well, I dare say, what we used to talk about, and +how we were to stand by each other at our weddings as best man.' + +"'I mind it well,' said the dead man, 'but you must wait a bit till I +have made myself a little smart; and, after all, no one can say I have +on a wedding garment.' + +"The lad was hard put to it for time, for he was overdue at home to meet +the guests, and it was all but time to go to church; but still he had to +wait awhile and let the dead man go into a room by himself, as he +begged, so that he might brush himself up a bit, and come smart to +church like the rest, for, of course, he was to go with the bridal train +to church. + +"Yes! the dead man went with him both to church and from church, but +when they had got so far on with the wedding that they had taken off the +bride's crown, he said he must go. So, for old friendship's sake, the +bridegroom said he would go with him to the grave again. And as they +walked to the churchyard the bridegroom asked his friend if he had seen +much that was wonderful, or heard anything that was pleasant to know. + +"'Yes! that I have,' said the dead man. 'I have seen much, and heard +many strange things.' + +"'That must be fine to see,' said the bridegroom. 'Do you know I have a +mind to go along with you, and see all that with my own eyes.' + +"'You are quite welcome,' said the dead man; 'but it may chance that you +may be away some time.' + +"'So it might,' said the bridegroom; but for all that he would go down +into the grave. + +"But before they went down the dead man took and cut up a turf out of +the graveyard and put it on the young man's head. Down and down they +went, far and far away, through dark, silent wastes, across wood, and +moor, and bog, till they came to a great, heavy gate, which opened to +them as soon as the dead man touched it. Inside it began to grow +lighter, first as though it were moonshine, and the further they went +the lighter it got. At last they got to a spot where there were such +green hills, knee-deep in grass, and on them fed a large herd of kine, +who grazed as they went; but for all they ate those kine looked poor, +and thin, and wretched. + +"'What's all this?' said the lad who had been bridegroom; 'why are they +so thin, and in such bad case, though they eat, every one of them, as +though they were well paid to eat?' + +"'This is a likeness of those who never can have enough, though they +rake and scrape it together ever so much,' said the dead man. + +"So they journeyed on far and farther than far, till they came to some +hill pastures, where there was naught but bare rocks and stones, with +here and there a blade of grass. Here was grazing another herd of kine, +which were so sleek, and fat, and smooth that their coats shone again. + +"'What are these,' asked the bridegroom, 'who have so little to live on, +and yet are in such good plight? I wonder what they can be.' + +"'This,' said the dead man, 'is a likeness of those who are content with +the little they have, however poor it be.' + +"So they went farther and farther on till they came to a great lake, and +it and all about it was so bright and shining that the bridegroom could +scarce bear to look at it--it was so dazzling. + +"'Now, you must sit down here,' said the dead man, 'till I come back. I +shall be away a little while.' + +"With that he set off, and the bridegroom sat down, and as he sat sleep +fell on him, and he forgot everything in sweet deep slumber. After a +while the dead man came back. + +"'It was good of you to sit still here, so that I could find you again.' + +"But when the bridegroom tried to get up he was all overgrown with moss +and bushes, so that he found himself sitting in a thicket of thorns and +brambles. + +"So when he had made his way out of it they journeyed back again, and +the dead man led him by the same way to the brink of the grave. There +they parted and said farewell, and as soon as the bridegroom got out of +the grave he went straight home to the house where the wedding was. + +"But when he got where he thought the house stood, he could not find his +way. Then he looked about on all sides, and asked every one he met, but +he could neither hear nor learn anything of the bride, or the wedding, +or his kindred, or his father and mother; nay, he could not so much as +find any one whom he knew. And all he met wondered at the strange shape, +who went about and looked for all the world like a scarecrow. + +"Well! as he could find no one he knew, he made his way to the priest, +and told him of his kinsmen and all that had happened up to the time he +stood bridegroom, and how he had gone away in the midst of his wedding. +But the priest knew nothing at all about it at first; but when he had +hunted in his old registers he found out that the marriage he spoke of +had happened a long, long time ago, and that all the folk he talked of +had lived four hundred years before. + +"In that time there had grown up a great stout oak in the priest's yard, +and when he saw it he clambered up into it, that he might look about +him. But the grey-beard who had sat in Heaven and slumbered for four +hundred years, and had now at last come back, did not come down from the +oak as well as he went up. He was stiff and gouty, as was likely enough; +and so when he was coming down he made a false step, fell down, broke +his neck, and that was the end of him." + + + + +THE FATHER OF THE FAMILY. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who was out on a journey; so at last he +came to a big and a fine farm, and there was a house so grand that it +might well have been a little palace. + +"'Here it would be good to get leave to spend the night,' said the man +to himself, as he went inside the gate. Hard by stood an old man with +grey hair and beard, who was hewing wood. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I have house-room here +to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the grey-beard. 'Go into the +kitchen, and talk to my father.' + +"The wayfarer went into the kitchen, and there he met a man who was +still older, and he lay on his knees before the hearth, and was blowing +up the fire. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I get house-room +to-night?' + +"I'm not father in the house,' said the old man; 'but go in and talk to +my father. You'll find him sitting at the table in the parlour.' + +"So the wayfarer went into the parlour, and talked to him who sat at the +table. He was much older than either of the other two, and there he sat, +with his teeth chattering, and shivered and shook, and read out of a big +book, almost like a little child. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the man. 'Will you let me have house-room +here to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the man who sat at the table, whose +teeth chattered, and who shivered and shook; 'but speak to my father +yonder--he who sits on the bench.' + +"So the wayfarer went to him who sat on the bench, and he was trying to +fill himself a pipe of tobacco; but he was so withered up and his hands +shook so with the palsy that he could scarce hold the pipe. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer again. 'Can I get house-room +here to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the old withered fellow; 'but speak +to my father, who lies in bed yonder.' + +"So the wayfarer went to the bed, and there lay an old, old man, who but +for his pair of big staring eyes scarcely looked alive. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I get house-room here +to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the old carle with the big eyes; +'but go and speak to my father, who lies yonder in the cradle.' + +"Yes, the wayfarer went to the cradle, and there lay a carle as old as +the hills, so withered and shrivelled he was no bigger than a baby, and +it was hard to tell that there was any life in him, except that there +was a sound of breathing every now and then in his throat. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'May I have house-room here +to-night?' + +"It was long before he got an answer, and still longer before the carle +brought it out; but the end was he said, as all the rest, that he was +not father in the house. 'But go,' said he, 'and speak to my +father--you'll find him hanging up in the horn yonder against the wall.' + +"So the wayfarer stared about round the walls, and at last he caught +sight of the horn; but when he looked for him who hung in it he looked +more like a film of ashes that had the likeness of a man's face. Then he +was so frightened that he screamed out,-- + +"'Good evening, father! will you let me have house-room here to-night?' + +"Then a chirping came out of the horn like a little tom-tit, and it +was-all he could do to make out that the chirping meant, 'YES, MY +CHILD.' + +"And now a table came in which was covered with the costliest dishes, +and with ale and brandy; and when he had eaten and drank there came in a +good bed, with reindeer skins; and the wayfarer was so very glad because +he had at last found the right father in the house." + + + + +THREE YEARS WITHOUT WAGES. + + +"Once on a time there was a poor householder, who had an only son, but +he was so lazy and unhandy, this son, that he would neither mix with +folk nor turn his hand to anything in the world. So the father said: + +"'If I'm not to go on for ever feeding this long lazy fellow, I must +pack him off a long way, where no one knows him. If he runs away then it +won't be so easy for him to come home.' + +"Yes! the man took his son with him, and went about far and wide +offering him as a serving man; but there was no one who would have him. + +"So last of all they came to a rich man, of whom the story went that he +turned a penny over seven times before he let it go. He was to take the +lad as a ploughboy, and there he was to serve three years without wages. +But when the three years were over the man was to go to the town two +mornings, and buy the first thing he met that was for sale, but the +third morning the lad was to go himself to the town, and buy the first +thing he met, and these three things he was to have instead of wages. + +"Well! the lad served his three years out, and behaved better than any +one would have believed. He was not the best ploughboy in the world, +sure enough; but then his master was not of the best sort either, for he +let him go the whole time with the same clothes he had when he came, so +that at last they were nothing else but patch on patch and mend on mend. +Now, when the man was to set off and buy he was up and away at cockcrow, +long before dawn. + +"'Dear wares must be seen by daylight,' he said; 'they are not to be +found on the road to town so early. Still, they may be dear enough, for +after all it's all risk and chance what I find.' + +"Well! the first person he found in the street was an old hag, and she +carried a basket with a cover. + +"'Good day, granny,' said the man. + +"'Good day to you, father,' said the old hag. + +"'What have you got in your basket?' asked the man. + +"'Do you mean business?' said the old hag. + +"'Yes, I do, for I was to buy the first thing I met.' + +"'Well, if you want to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag. + +"'But what does it cost?' asked the man. + +"Yes! she must have fourpence. + +"The man thought that no such very high price after all. He couldn't do +better, and lifted the lid, and it was a puppy that lay in the basket. + +"When the man came home from his trip to town the lad stood out in the +yard, and wondered what he should get for his wages for the first year. + +"'So soon home, master?' said the lad. + +"Yes, he was. + +"'What was it you bought?' he asked. + +"'What I bought,' said the man, 'was not worth much. I scarcely know if +I ought to show it; but I bought the first thing that was to be had, and +it was a puppy.' + +"'Now, thank you so much,' said the lad. 'I have always been so fond of +dogs.' + +"Next morning things went no better. The man was up at dawn again, and +he had not got well into the town before he saw the old hag with her +basket. + +"'Good day, granny,' he said. + +"'Good day to you, sir,' she said. + +"'What have you got in your basket to-day?' asked the man. + +"'If you wish to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag. + +"'What does it cost?' asked the man. + +"'Yes! she must have fourpence; she never had more than one price,' she +said. + +"So the man said he would take it; it would be hard to find anything +cheaper. When he lifted the lid this time there lay a kitten in it. + +"When he got home the lad stood out in the yard, waiting and wondering +what he should get for his wages the second year. + +"'Is that you, master?' he said. + +"Yes, there he was. + +"'What did you buy to-day now?' asked the lad. + +"'Oh! it was worse, and no better,' said the man; 'but it was just as we +bargained. I bought the first thing I met, and it was nothing else than +this kitten.' + +"'You could not have met anything better,' said the lad; 'I have been as +fond of cats all my life as of dogs.' + +"'Well,' thought the man, 'I did not get so badly out of that after all; +but there's another day to come, when he is to go to town himself.' + +"The third morning the lad set off, and just as he got into the town he +met the same old hag with her basket on her arm. + +"'Good morning, granny!' said the lad. + +"'Good morning to you, my son,' said the old hag. + +"'What have you got in your basket?' + +"'If you want to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag. + +"'Will you sell it then?' asked the lad. + +"Yes, she would; and fourpence was her price. + +"'That was cheap enough,' said the lad, 'and he would have it, for he +was to buy the first thing he met.' + +"'Now you may take it, basket and all,' said the old hag; 'but mind you +don't look inside it before you get home. Do you hear what I say?' + +"'Nay, nay, never fear, he wouldn't look inside it; was it likely?' But +for all that he walked and wondered what there could be inside the +basket, and whether he would or no he could not help just lifting the +lid and peeping in. In the twinkling of an eye out popped a little +lizard, and ran away so fast along the street that the air whistled +after it. There was nothing else in the basket. + +"'Nay! nay!' cried the lad, 'stop a bit, and don't run off so. You know +I have bought you.' + +"'Stick me in the tail--stick me in the tail!' bawled the lizard. + +"Well, the lad was not slow in running after it and sticking his knife +into its tail just as it was crawling into a hole in the wall, and that +very minute it was turned into a young man as fine and handsome as the +grandest prince, and a prince he was indeed. + +"'Now you have saved me,' said the prince, 'for that old hag with whom +you and your master have dealt is a witch, and me she has changed into a +lizard, and my brother and sister into a puppy and kitten.' + +"'A pretty story!' said the lad. + +"'Yes,' said the prince; 'and now she was on her way to cast us into the +fjord and kill us; but if any one came and wanted to buy us she must +sell us for fourpence each; that was settled, and that was all my father +could do. Now you must come home to him and get the meed for what you +have done.' + +"'I dare say,' said the lad, 'it's a long way off?' + +"'Oh,' said the prince, 'not so far after all. There it is yonder,' he +said, as he pointed to a great hill in the distance. + +"So they set off as fast as they could, but as was to be weened it was +farther off than it looked, and so they did not reach the hill till far +on in the night. + +"Then the prince began to knock and knock. + +"'WHO IS THAT,' said some one inside the hill, 'that knocks at my door, +and spoils my rest?' and that some one was so loud of speech that the +earth quaked. + +"'Oh! open the door, father, there's a dear,' said the prince. 'It is +your son who has come home again.' + +"Yes! he opened the door fast and well. + +"'I almost thought you lay at the bottom of the sea,' said the +grey-beard. 'But you are not alone, I see,' he said. + +"'This is the lad who saved me,' said the prince. 'I have asked him +hither that you may give him his meed.' + +"Yes, he would see to that, said the old fellow. + +"'But now you must step in,' he said; 'I am sure you have need of rest." + +"Yes! they went in and sat down, and the old man threw on the fire an +armful of dry fuel and one or two logs, so that the fire blazed up and +shone as clear as the day in every corner, and whichever way they looked +it was grander than grand. Anything like it the lad had never seen +before, and such meat and drink as the grey-beard set before them he had +never tasted either; and all the plates, and cups, and stoops, and +tankards were all of pure silver or real gold. + +"It was not easy to stop the lads. They ate and drank and were merry, +and afterwards they slept till far on next morning. But the lad was +scarcely awake before the grey-beard came with a morning draught in a +tumbler of gold. + +"So when he had huddled on his clothes and broken his fast, the old man +took him round with him and showed him everything that he might choose +something that he would like to have as his meed for saving his son. +There was much to see and to choose from you may fancy. + +"'Now what will you have?' said the king; 'you see there is plenty of +choice, you can have what you please.' + +"But the lad said, he would think it over and ask the prince. Yes! the +king was willing he should do that. + +"'Well!' said the prince, 'you have seen many grand things.' + +"'Yes, I have, as was likely,' said the lad; 'but tell me, what shall I +choose of all the wealth. Do tell me, for your father says I may choose +what I please.' + +"'Do not take anything of all you have seen,' said the prince; 'but he +has a little ring on his finger, that you must ask for.' + +"Yes! he did so, and begged for the little ring which he had on his +finger. + +"'Why! it is the dearest thing I have,' said the king; 'but, after all, +my son is just as dear and so you shall have it all the same. Do you +know now what it is good for?' + +"No! he knew nothing about it. + +"'When you have this ring on your finger,' said the king, 'you can have +anything you wish for." + +"So the lad thanked the king, and the king and the prince bade him God +speed home, and told him to be sure and take care of the ring. + +"So he had not gone far on his way before he thought he would prove what +the ring was worth, and so he wished himself a new suit of clothes, and +he had scarce wished for them before he had them on him. And now he was +as grand and bright as a new-struck penny. So he thought it would be +fine fun to play his father a trick. + +"'He was not so very nice all the time I was at home;' and so he wished +he was standing before his father's door, just as ragged as he was of +old, and in a second he stood at the door. + +"'Good day, father, and thank you for our last meal,' said the lad. + +"But when the father saw that he had come back still more ragged and +tattered than when he set out, he began to bellow and to bemoan himself. + +"'There's no helping you,' he said. 'You have not so much as earned +clothes to your back all the time you have been away.' + +"'Don't be in such a way, father,' said the lad, 'you ought never to +judge a man by his clothes; and now you shall be my spokesman, and go up +to the palace and woo the king's daughter for me.' That was what the lad +said. + +"'Oh, fie, fie,' said the father, 'this is only gibing and jeering.' + +"But the lad said it was the right down earnest, and so he took a birch +cudgel and drove his father up to the gate of the palace, and there he +came hobbling right up to the king with his eyes full of tears. + +"'Now, now!' said the king, 'what's the matter my man. If you have +suffered wrong, I will see you righted.' + +"No, it wasn't that, he said, but he had a son who had brought him great +sorrow, for he could never make a man of him, and now he must say he had +gone clean out of the little wit he had before, and then he went on,-- + +"'For now he has hunted me up to the palace gate with a big birch +cudgel, and forced me to ask for the king's daughter to wife.' + +"'Hold your tongue, my man,' said the king; 'and as for this son of +yours, go and ask him to come here indoors to me, and then we will see +what to make of him.' + +"So the lad ran in before the king till his rags fluttered behind him. + +"'Am I to have your daughter?' + +"'That was just what we were to talk about,' said the king; 'perhaps she +mayn't suit you, and perhaps you mayn't suit her either.' + +"'That was very likely!' said the lad. + +"Now you must know there had just come a big ship from over the sea, and +she could be seen from the palace windows. + +"'All the same!' said the King. 'If you are good to make a ship in an +hour or two like that lying yonder in the fjord and looking so brave, +you may perhaps have her.' That was what the king said. + +"'Nothing worse than that!' said the lad. + +"So he went down to the strand and sat down on a sandhill, and when he +had sat there long enough, he wished that a ship might be out on the +fjord fully furnished with masts, and sails and rigging, the very match +of that which lay there already. And as he wished for it there it lay, +and when the king saw there were two ships for one, he came down to the +strand to see the rights of it, and there he saw the lad standing out in +a boat with a brush in his hand as though he were painting out spots and +making blisters in the paint good--but as soon as he saw the king down +on the shore he threw away the brush and said,-- + +"'Now the ship is ready, may I have your daughter?' + +"'This is all very well,' said the king, 'but you try your hand at +another masterpiece first. If you can build a palace, a match to my +palace in one or two hours, we will see about it.' That was what the +king said. + +"'Nothing worse than that,' bawled out the lad and strode off. So when +he had sauntered about so long, that the time was nearly up, he wished +that a palace might stand there the very match of that which stood there +already. It was not long, I trow, before it stood there, and it was not +long either before the king came, both with queen and princess to look +about him in the new palace. There stood the lad again with his broom +and swept. + +"'Here's the palace right and ready,' he called out 'may I have her +now?' + +"'Very well, very well,' said the king, 'you may come in and we will +talk it over,' for he saw clearly the lad could do more than eat his +meat, and so he walked up and down, and thought and thought how he might +be rid of him. Yes! there they walked, the king first and foremost, and +after him the queen, and then the princess next before the lad. So as +they walked along, all at once the lad wished that he might become the +handsomest man in all the world, and so he was in a trice. When the +princess saw how handsome he had grown in no time, she gave the queen a +nudge, and the queen passed it on to the king, and when they had all +stared their full, they saw still more plainly, the lad was more than he +seemed to be when he first came in all tattered and torn. So they +settled it among them, that the princess should go daintily to work till +she had found out all about him. Yes! the princess made herself as sweet +and as soft as a whole firkin of butter, and coaxed and hoaxed the lad, +telling him she could not bear him out of her eyes, day or night. So +when the first evening was coming to an end, she said,-- + +"'As we are to have one another, you and I, you must keep nothing back +from me, dearest, and so you will tell me, I am sure, how you came to +make all these grand things.' + +"'Aye, aye,' then said the lad, 'all that you'll come to know in good +time. Only let us be man and wife; there's no good talking about it till +then.' That was what he said. + +"The next evening the princess was rather put out. She could see with +half an eye, she said, 'that he couldn't care very much for his +sweetheart, when he wouldn't tell her what she asked him. So it would be +with all the rest of his love-making, when he wouldn't meet her wishes +in such a little thing.' + +"Now the lad was quite cut to the heart, and that they might be friends +again he told her the whole story from beginning to end. She was not +slow in telling it to the king and queen, and so they laid their heads +together how they might get the ring from the lad, and when they had +done that they thought it would be no such hard thing to be rid of him. + +"At night the princess came with some sleeping-drops, and said, now she +would pour out a little philtre for her own true love, for she was sure +he did not care enough for her; that was what she said. Yes! he thought +no harm could come of it, and so he drained off the drink like a man, +and in a trice he fell so sound asleep, they might have pulled the house +down over his head without waking him. So the princess took the ring off +his finger and put it on her own, and wished the lad might lie on the +dung-heap outside in the street, just as tattered and beggarly as he was +when he came in, and in his place she wished for the handsomest prince +in the world. In the twinkling of an eye it all happened. As the night +wore on the lad woke up on the dunghill, and at first he thought it was +only a dream, but when he found the ring was gone he knew how it had all +happened, and then he got so bewildered that he set off and was just +going to jump into the lake and drown himself. + +"But just then he met the cat which his master had bought for him. + +"'Whither away?' asked the cat. + +"'To the lake to drown myself,' said the lad. + +"'Don't think of it,' said the cat; 'you shall get your ring back again, +never fear.' + +"'Oh, shall I, shall I?' said the lad. + +"By this time the cat was already off, and as she started she met a rat. + +"'Now I'll take and gobble you up,' said the cat. + +"'Oh! pray don't,' said the rat, 'and I'll get you the ring again.' + +"'If so, be quick about it,' said the cat, 'or----' + +"So after they had taken up their abode in the palace, the rat ran about +poking his nose into everything, trying to get into the prince and +princess's bedroom. At last he found a little hole and crept through it. +Then he heard how they lay awake talking, and the rat could tell that +the prince had the ring on his finger, for the princess said, 'Mind you +take great care of my ring, dear.' That was what she said; but what the +prince said was,-- + +"'Pooh, no one will come in hither after the ring through stone and +mortar; but, for all that, if you think it isn't safe on my finger, I +can just as well put it into my mouth.' + +"In a little while the prince turned over on his back, and tried to go to +sleep, and as he did so the ring was just slipping down into his throat, +and then he coughed it up, so that it shot out of his mouth and rolled +away over the floor--Pop!--up the rat snapped it and crept off with it +to the cat who sat outside watching at the rat-hole. + +"All this while the king had laid hands on the lad and put him into a +strong tower and doomed him to lose his life, for that he had made jeers +and gibes at him and his daughter, and there he was to stay till the day +of his death. Now, as the cat was hard at work prowling about trying to +steal into the tower with the ring to the lad, a great eagle came flying +and pounced down on her and caught her up in his claws and flew away +with her over the sea. But just in the nick of time came a falcon and +struck at the eagle, so that he let the cat fall into the sea; but when +the cat felt the cold water, she got so frightened she dropped the ring +and swam to shore. She had not shaken the water off her, and smoothed +her coat, before she met the dog which his master had bought for the +lad. + +"'Nay! nay!' said the cat, and purred and was in a sad way, 'what's to +be done now? the ring is gone and they will take the lad's life.' + +"'I'm sure I don't know,' said the dog, 'all I know is that something is +riving and rending my inside. It couldn't be worse, if I were going to +turn inside out.' + +"'Now you see what comes of over-eating yourself,' said the cat. + +"'I never eat more than I can carry,' said the dog; 'and this time I +have eaten nothing but a dead fish which lay floating up and down on the +ebb.' + +"'May be that fish had swallowed the ring,' said the cat. 'And now I +dare say you are going to pay for it too, for you know you can't digest +gold.' + +"'It may well be,' said the dog. 'It's much the same whether one loses +life first or last. Perhaps, the lad's life might then be saved.' + +"'Oh!' said the rat, for he was there too, 'don't say that. I don't want +much of a hole to creep into, and if the ring is there may I never tell +the truth, if I don't poke it out.' + +"Well! the rat crept down the dog's throat, and it was not long before +he came out again with the ring. Then the cat set off to the tower and +clambered up about it, till she found a hole into which she could put +her paw, and so she gave back his ring to the lad. + +"The lad no sooner got it on his finger than he wished the tower might +rend asunder, and at the same moment he stood in the doorway and scolded +both the king and queen and the princess as a pack of rogues. The king +was not slow in calling out his warriors, and bade them throw a ring +round the tower and seize the lad and settle him whether they took him +dead or alive. But the lad only wished that all the soldiers might stand +up to the armpits in the big moss up in the fjeld, and then they had +more than enough to get out again, all that were not left sticking +there. After that he began again where he left off with the king and his +folk, and when he had got his mouth to say all the bad of them that he +knew and willed, he wished they might be shut up all their days in the +tower into which they had thrown him. And when they were safe shut up +there, he took the land and realm as his own. Then the dog became a +prince and the cat a princess again, her he took and married, and the +last I heard of them, was, that they kept it up at the bridal both well +and long." + + + + +OUR PARISH CLERK. + + +"Once on a time there was a clerk in our parish, who was very sharp set +after all that was nice and good. All the parish said his brains were in +his belly, for though he was very fond of pretty girls and buxom wives, +still he liked good meat and drink even better. + +"'Aye, aye,' said our clerk; 'one can't live long on love and the south +wind.' That was his motto, and that was why he kept company most with +well-to-do-house-wives, with those who were new wedded, or with pretty +lasses who were sure to marry rich husbands, for there you were sure to +find titbits both of beauty and food. That was what our clerk thought. +It wasn't every one, indeed, who thought it so fine to have such a +cupboard lover, but yet there were some who looked on it as fine enough +for them, for, after all, a parish clerk stands a little higher than a +farmer. + +"Now it fell out there was a rich young lass who had married our clerk's +next-door neighbour. There he crept in and out, and soon got good +friends with the husband, and better friends still with his wife. When +the husband was at home all went well between them, but as soon as he +was away at the mill, or in the wood, or at floating timber, or at a +meeting, the goody sent word to the clerk, and then the two spent the +day in revelling and mirth. There was no one who found this out, before +the ploughboy got wind of it, and he thought he would just speak of it +to his master; but, somehow or other, he couldn't find a fitting time +till one day when they were together in the outfield gathering leaves +for litter. There they chatted this and that about lasses and wives, and +the master thought he had made a lucky hit in marrying such a rich and +pretty wife, and he said as much outright. + +"'Thank God, she is both good and clever.' + +"'Aye, aye,' said the lad; 'every man is welcome to believe what he +likes, but if you knew her as well as I do, you wouldn't say such words +at random. Pretty women are like wind in warm summer weather. + + 'And love is such that, willy, nilly, + It takes up with a clerk as well as a lily.' + +"'What's that you say?' said the man. + +"'I have long thought I would tell you that there's a black bull that +walks hoof to hoof and horn to horn with that milk-white cow in your +mead, master--that's what I wanted to say.' + +"'One can say much in a summer day,' said the man; 'but I can't +understand what this points to.' + +"'Is it so?' said the lad. 'Well, I have long thought of telling you +that our clerk is often and ever in our house with the mistress, and how +they lived as though there was a bridal every day, while we scarce get +so much as the leavings of their good cheer.' + + "'He who will ever taste and try, + Will burn his fingers in the pie,' + +said his master. 'I don't believe a word of what you say.' + +"'It's a strange ear that will never hear,' said the lad; 'but seeing is +believing, and if you will listen to me, I'm ready to wager ten dollars +that you shall soon have the proof in your own hands.' + +"'Done,' said the master; 'he would bet ten dollars; nay, for that +matter, he would bet horse and farm, and a hundred dollars into the +bargain.' + +"Well, that wager was to stand. 'But an old fox is hard to hunt,' said +the lad, and so his master must say and do all that his ploughboy +wished. When they got home he was to say they must set off for the river +and land timber, and his wife must put up some food for them in hot +haste; it was best to look out while the weather was fine, it might turn +to storm in a trice. Yes! That was what the husband said, and the food +was ready to the minute. The lad put the horses to the timber drags, and +off they went, but no farther than half a mile; there they put the +horses up at a farm, and turned in themselves. As the night came on they +went back, and when they got home, the door was locked fast. + +"'Now we have him,' said the lad; 'it's hard to keep off the field to +which one is wont.' + +"So they went by the back way from the garden, and so through a +trap-door in the cellar into the kitchen. Then they struck a light and +went into the parlour, and saw what they saw. Well! our clerk had eaten +so well that he lay snoring with his mouth open and his nose in the air; +as for the goody, she was not awake either. + +"'Now you see I was right; seeing is believing, master,' said the lad. + +"'May I never speak the truth again,' said the man, 'if I would have +believed ten men telling it.' + +"'Hush, be still,' said the lad, and took him out again. + +"'Man's law is not land's law,' said the lad; 'but even a bear can be +tamed if you know how to deal with him. Have you any lead, master? + +"Yes! He had, he was sure, more than seventy bullets in his pouch. Then +it was all right. They took a sauce-pan, and melted the lead on the +spot, and ran it down our clerk's throat. + +"'Every man has his own taste,' said the lad, 'and that's why all meat +is eaten,' as he heard the molten lead bubbling and frizzling in our +clerk's throat. + +"Then they went out by the way they got in, and began to knock and +thunder at the front door. The wife woke up and asked who was there. + +"'It is I, open the door, I say,' said the husband. + +"Then she gave our clerk a nudge in the ribs. 'It is the master; the +master is back,' she said. But no! he did not mind her, and never so +much as stirred. Then she put her knees to his side, and tumbled him on +to the floor, and jumped up and took him by the legs, and dragged him to +the heap of wood behind the stove, and there she hid him. Till she had +done that she had no time to open the door to her husband. + +"'Were you gone after christening water, that you were gone so long?' +asked the man. + +"'Oh!' she answered; 'I dozed off again to sleep, and I did not think it +could ever be you either.' + +"'Well!' said her husband; 'now you must bring out some food, for me and +the boy, we are a'most starved.' + +"'I've got no food ready,' said the goody. 'How can you think of such a +thing? I never thought you would be back either to-day or to-morrow. Why +you know you were to go to the river to land timber.' + +"'One can't hang a hungry man up on the wall like a clock,' said the +lad; 'and self-help is the best help; shall I bring in the food we +packed up, master.' + +"Yes; they did that, and they sat down to eat out of the knapsack; but +when they got up to put a log or two on the fire, there lay our clerk +among the pile of wood. + +"'Why who in the world is this?' asked the man. + +"'Oh! oh! It's only a beggar man who came here so late and begged for +house-room; he was quite content if he might only lie among the +firewood,' said the goody. + +"'A pretty beggar,' said the man; 'why he has got silver buckles to his +shoes, and silver buttons at his knees.' + +"'All are not beggars who are tattered and torn,' said the lad; 'but I'm +blessed if this isn't our parish clerk.' + +"'What was he doing here, mistress,' asked her husband, who all the +while kept on pulling and kicking at him. But our clerk never so much as +stirred or lifted a finger, There stood the goody fumbling and +stammering, and not knowing what to say. All she could do was to bite +her thumb. + +"'I see it in your face, what you have done, mistress,' said her +husband. 'But life is hard to lose, and, after all, he was our parish +clerk. If I did what was right, I should send off at once for the +sheriff.' + +"'Heaven help us,' said his wife; 'only get our clerk out of the way.' + +"'This is your matter, and not mine,' said the man. 'I never asked him +hither, nor sent for him; but if you can get any one to help you to get +rid of him, I won't stand in your way.' + +"Then she took the lad on one side, and said,-- + +"'I've laid up some woollen stuff for my husband, but I'll give it to +you for clothes, if you'll only get our clerk buried, so that he shall +never be seen or heard of again.' + +"'There's no saying what one can do till one tries. If we drive in the +frost, we shall find it slippery, to our cost. Have you ropes and cord, +master? if so, I'll see if I can't cure this.' + +"Well! he got our clerk fast in a slipknot, threw him on his back, +caught up his hat as well, and away he went. But he hadn't gone far +along the path in the meadow when he met some horses; so he caught one +of these, and tied and bound our clerk fast on his back. He put his hat, +too, on his head, and his hand down on his thigh, and there he sat +upright, and jogged up and down just as a man on horseback. + +"'One may kill trolls at any time of night,' said the lad, when he got +home; 'who can say when a man is 'fey.' But he will never rise up who is +safe buried under ground, and the cock that is slain crows never again.' + +"Now, whether all this were true or no, there was a way from the meadow +across the fields to a barn, and along it they had carted hay, and +dropped it as they went along; so the horse went that way, picking up +the hay as he went, and out in that barn were two men watching for +thieves who used to steal the hay, for it had been a bad year for +fodder. + +"'Here comes the thief,' they said, when they heard the horse's hoofs; +'now we shall catch him.' + +"'Who's there,' they called out, so that it rang against the hillside. +No! there was no answer, the horse paid little heed, and our clerk less. + +"'If you don't answer I'll send a bullet through your brains, you +horse-thief,' they both called out, and then off went the gun, at which +the horse gave such a sudden jump, that our clerk gave a bob, and fell +bump on the ground. + +"'I think,' said one of the watchers, as he jumped up to look, 'I think +you've shot him dead as mutton;' and then, when he saw who it was, 'Oh +Lord!' he said, 'if it ain't our parish clerk. You ought to have aimed +at his legs, and not killed him outright.' + +"'What's done is done, and can't be helped,' said the other. 'Least said +soonest mended. We must keep our ears close, and bury him for a little +while among the hay in the barn.' + +"Yes! They did that, and when it was over, they lay them down to rest. +In a little while came some one puffing and stamping, that the field +shook again. The two who lay among the hay nudged one another, for they +thought it was thieves again. Close to the barn was a stepping-stone, +and there the new-comer sat down with his load, and began to talk to +himself. He had been killing pigs at a farm a few days before, and +thought he had been paid too little for his work, too little pay and too +little board, and so he had set off and stolen the biggest porker. 'He +that swaps with a bear always comes worst off,' he said; 'and so it's +best to help one's self to what is right, and a little share is better +than a long law-suit. But, bitter death! If I haven't forgotten my +gloves; if they find them at the farm, they'll soon find out who has +inherited their porker.' And, as he said this, he bolted back after his +gloves. + +"The two who were in the barn lay and listened to all this. + +"'He who lays traps for others, comes into the trap himself,' said one. + +"'There's no sin in stealing from a thief,' said the other; 'and no one +is hanged, save those who can't steal right. It would be fine fun to get +rid of our clerk in an easy way, and get a fat pig instead. I think, old +chap, we had better make a swap.' + +"The other burst out laughing at this, and so they tumbled the pig out +of the sack and tossed in our clerk, head foremost, hat and all, and +tied up the mouth of the sack as tight as they could. + +"Just as they had done, back came the thief flying with his gloves, +snatched up the sack, and strode off home. There he cast the sack down +on the floor at his goody's feet. + +"'Here's what I call a porker, old lass,' he said. + +"'How grand!' said the goody. 'Nothing is all very fine to the eye, but +not to the mouth. One can't get on without meat, for meat is man's +strength. Thank Heaven we have now a bit of meat in the house, and shall +be able to live well awhile.' + +"'I took the biggest I could,' said the man, who sat down in his +armchair, and puffed and wiped the sweat off his brow. 'He had both +breeches and drawers, he was well covered, that he was.' By which he +meant the pig was well fed and fat. Then he went on, 'Have you any meat +in the house, old lass?' + +"'No,' she said; 'meat! where should I get meat?' + +"'Make up the fire then,' said the man; 'and sharpen your knife, and cut +off a wee bit, and fry it with salt, and let's have a pork chop.' + +"She did as he bade, and tore open the mouth of the sack, and was just +going to cut off a steak. + +"'What's all this?' she cried. 'He has got his trotters on,' when she +saw his shoes; 'and he's as black as a coal.' + +"'Don't you know,' said her husband; 'all cats are grey in the dark, and +all pigs black.' + +"'I dare say,' she said; 'but black or white is always bright, and a fog +is not like a bilberry. This pig has got breeches on.' + +"'Plague take him!' said the man. 'I know well enough he is covered with +fat all down his legs. Haven't I carried him till the sweat ran down my +face?' + +"'Nay, nay!' said the goody. 'He has silver buckles in his shoes, and +silver buttons at his knees. My! if it isn't our Parish Clerk!' she +screamed out. + +"'I tell you it was a fat pig I took,' said the man, as he jumped up to +see how things stood. 'Well! Well! Seeing is believing.' It was our +clerk, both with shoes and buckles; but, for all, he stuck to it, it was +the fattest pig he had put into the sack. + +"'But what's done can't be undone,' he said; 'the best servant is one's +own self; but, for all that, help is good, even if it comes out of the +porridge-pot; wake up our Mary, old girl.' + +"Now you must know Mary was their daughter, a ready and trusty lass; she +had the strength of a man too, and always had her wits about her. So she +was to take our clerk and bury him in an out-of-the-way dale, so that +nothing should ever be heard of him. If she did this, she was to have a +new suit of working clothes, which were meant for her mother. + +"Well! The lassie took our clerk round the body, tossed him on her back, +and strode off from the farm, not forgetting to take his hat. But when +she had gone a bit of the way, she heard a fiddle going, for there was a +dance at a farm near the road, and so she crept in and set our clerk +down upright behind the back-stairs. There he sat with his hat between +his hands, just as though he were begging an alms, and leaning against +the wall and a post. + +"After a while came a girl in a flurry. + +"'I wonder whoever this can be,' she said. 'The master of the house is +as grey as a goose, but this fellow is black as a raven. Halloa, you +sir, why are you sitting there, blocking up the way? One can scarce get +by.' + +"But our clerk said never a word. + +"'Are you poor? Do you beg for a penny for Heaven's sake? Ah! poor +fellow! Here's two pence for you,' and as she said this she tossed them +into his hat. Still our clerk said never a word. She waited a little, +for she thought he would say 'Thank you,' but our clerk did not so much +as nod his head. + +"'No, I never,' said the girl, when she went back into the ball-room. 'I +never did see the like of a beggar who sits out yonder by the staircase. +He isn't at all like a starling on a fence,' she went on; 'for he won't +answer, and he won't say "Thank you," and won't so much as lift a +finger, though I did give him two pence.' + +"'The least a beggar can do is to say "Thank you,"' cried a young +sheriff's clerk who was of the party. 'He must be a pretty fellow whom I +cannot get to speak, for I've made thieves and stiff-necked folk open +their mouths wide before this.' + +"As he said this he ran out to the stairs, and bawled out in our clerk's +ear, for he thought he was hard of hearing. + +"'What do you sit here for, you sir?' And then again, 'Are you poor? Do +you beg?' + +"No, our clerk said never a word. So he took out half-a-dollar, and +threw it into his hat, saying, 'There's something for you.' But our +clerk was still silent, and made no sign. So when he could get no thanks +out of him, the sheriff's officer gave him a blow under the ear, as hard +as he could, and down fell our clerk head over heels across the +staircase. And you may be sure the girl Mary was not slow in running to +the spot. + +"'Are you in a swoon, or are you dead, father,' she screeched out, and +then she went on screaming and bewailing herself. + +"'It's quite true,' she said; 'there's no peace for the poor after all, +but I never yet heard of any one laying themselves out to strike beggars +dead.' + +"'Hush! Hold your tongue,' said the sheriff's officer. 'Don't make a +fuss. Here you have ten dollars, keep your peace and take him away. I +only gave him a blow that made him swoon.' + +"Well! She was glad enough. 'Money brings money,' she thought; 'with +fair words and money, one can go far in a day, and one need never care +for food with a purse full of pence.' So she took our clerk on her back +again, and strode off to the nearest farm, and there she put him athwart +the brink of the well. When our Mary got home she said she had borne him +off to the wood, and buried him far far away in a side dale. + +"'Thank Heaven,' said the goody. 'Now we are well quit of him, you shall +have all I promised, and more besides. Be sure of that.' + +"So there lay our clerk, as though he were peering down into the well, +till at dawn of day the ploughboy came running up to draw water. + +"'Why are you lying there, and what are you gazing at? Out of the way. I +want some water,' said the lad. + +"No! He neither stirred hand or foot. Then the lad let drive at him, so +that it went _plump_, and there lay our clerk in the well. Then he must +have help to get him out, but there was no help for it till the hind +came with a boat-hook and dragged him out. + +"'Why! it's our Parish Clerk!' they all bawled out, and they all thought +he had eaten and drank so much at some feast, that he had fallen asleep +by the well-side. + +"But when the master of the house came and saw our clerk, and heard how +it had all happened, he said,-- + +"'Harm watches while men sleep; but man's scathe is the worst scathe. +When one pot strikes against another, both break. Take the saddle and +lay it on Blackie, and ride to fetch the sheriff, my lad, and then we +shall be out of harm's way, for our clerk's sake. Mishaps never come +single, but it's hard to drown on dry land.' That was what the master +said. + +"Yes! The lad rode off to the sheriff, and after a while the sheriff +came. But, as the saying is, more haste, worse speed, and work done in +haste will never last. So it took time before they got the doctor and +witnesses to come. Now you all know we owe a death to God; but then it +was made as plain as day that our clerk had been killed three times +before he tumbled into the well. First the ladle of lead had taken away +his breath, next he had a bullet through his forehead, and third and +last his neck was broken. Surely he was 'fey' when he set out to see the +goody. It is hard to tell how all this was found out at last; but +tongues will clack behind a man's back, and hard things are said of a +man when he's dead." + + + + +SILLY MEN AND CUNNING WIVES. + + +"Once on a time there were two Goodies, who quarrelled, as women often +will; and when they had nothing else to quarrel about, they fell to +fighting about their husbands, as to which was the silliest of them. The +longer they strove the worse they got, and at last they had almost come +to pulling caps about it, for, as every one knows, it is easier to begin +than to end, and it is a bad look out when wit is wanting. At last, one +of them said there was nothing she could not get her husband to believe, +if she only said it, for he was as easy as a Troll. Then the other said +there was nothing so silly that she could not get her husband to do, if +she only said it must be done, for he was such a fool, he could not tell +B from a bull's foot. + +"'Well! let us put it to the proof, which of us can fool them best, and +then we'll see which is the silliest.' That was what they said once, and +so it was settled. + +"Now when the first husband, Master Northgrange came home from the wood, +his goody said-- + +"'Heaven help us both! what is the matter! you are surely ill, if you +are not at death's door?' + +"'Nothing ails me but want of meat and drink,' said the man. + +"'Now, Heaven be my witness!' screamed out the wife, 'it gets worse and +worse. You look just like a corpse in face; you must go to bed! Dear! +dear! this never can last long!' And so she went on till she got her +husband to believe he was hard at death's door, and she put him to bed; +and then she made him fold his hands on his breast, and shut his eyes; +and so she stretched his limbs, and laid him out, and put him into a +coffin; but that he might not be smothered while he lay there, she had +some holes made in the sides, so that he could breathe and peep out. + +"The other goody, she took a pair of carding combs, and began to card +wool; but she had no wool on them. In came the man, and saw this +tomfoolery. + +"'There's no use,' he said, 'in a wheel without wool; but carding combs, +without wool, is work for a fool.' + +"'Without wool!' said the goody; 'I have wool, only you can't see it; +it's of the fine sort.' So, when she had carded it all, she took her +wheel, and fell a-spinning. + +"'Nay! nay! this is all labour lost!" said the man. 'There you sit, +wearing out your wheel, as it spins and hums, and all the while you've +nothing on it.' + +"'Nothing on it!' said the goody; 'the thread is so fine, it takes +better eyes than yours to see it, that's all.' + +"So, when her spinning was over, she set up her loom, and put the woof +in, and threw the shuttle, and wove cloth. Then she took it out of the +loom and pressed it and cut it out, and sewed a new suit of clothes for +her husband out of it, and when it was ready, she hung the suit up in +the linen closet. As for the man, he could see neither cloth nor +clothes; but as he had once for all got it into his head that it was too +fine for him to see, he went on saying, 'Aye, aye, I understand it all, +it is so fine because it is so fine.' + +"Well! in a day or two his goody said to him, + +"'To-day you must go to a funeral. Farmer Northgrange is dead, and they +bury him to-day, and so you had better put on your new clothes.' + +"'Yes, very true, he must go to the funeral;' and she helped him on with +his new suit, for it was so fine, he might tear it asunder if he put it +on alone. + +"So when he came up to the farm, where the funeral was to be, they had +all drank hard and long, and you may fancy their grief was not greater +when they saw him come in in his new suit. But when the train set off +for the churchyard, and the dead man peeped through the breathing holes, +he burst out into a loud fit of laughter. + +"'Nay! nay!' he said, 'I can't help laughing, though it is my funeral, +for if there isn't Olof Southgrange walking to my funeral stark naked!' + +"When the bearers heard that, they were not slow in taking the lid off +the coffin, and the other husband, he in the new suit, asked how it was +that he, over whom they had just drank his funeral ale, lay there in his +coffin and chatted and laughed, when it would be more seemly if he wept. + +"'Ah!' said the other; 'you know tears never yet dug up any one out of +his grave--that's why I laughed myself to life again.' + +"But the end of all their talk was that it came out that their goodies +had played them those tricks. So the husbands went home, and did the +wisest thing either of them had done for a long time; and if any one +wishes to know what it was, he had better go and ask the birch cudgel." + + + + +TAPER TOM. + + +"Once on a time there was a King, who had a daughter, and she was so +lovely, that her good looks were well known far and near; but she was so +sad and serious, she could never be got to laugh; and, besides, she was +so high and mighty, that she said 'No' to all who wooed her to wife, and +she would have none of them, were they ever so grand--lords and princes, +it was all the same. The king had long ago got tired of this, for he +thought she might just as well marry, she, too, like the rest of the +world. There was no good waiting; she was quite old enough, nor would +she be any richer, for she was to have half the kingdom, that came to +her as her mother's heir. + +"So he had it given out at the church door both quick and soon, that any +one who could get his daughter to laugh should have her and half the +kingdom. But if there were any one who tried and could not, he was to +have three red stripes cut out of his back, and salt rubbed in; and sure +it was that there were many sore backs in that kingdom, for lovers and +wooers came from north and south, and east and west, thinking it nothing +at all to make a king's daughter laugh; and brave fellows they were, +some of them, too; but for all their tricks and capers, there sat the +princess, just as sad and serious as she had been before. + +"Now, hard by the Palace lived a man who had three sons, and they too +had heard how the king had given it out that the man who could make the +princess laugh was to have her to wife and half the kingdom. + +"The eldest, he was for setting off first; so he strode off; and when he +came to the king's grange, he told the king he would be glad to try to +make the princess laugh. + +"'All very well, my man,' said the king; 'but it's sure to be no good, +for so many have been here and tried. My daughter is so sorrowful, it's +no use trying, and I don't at all wish that any one should come to +grief.' + +"But he thought there was use. It couldn't be such a very hard thing for +him to get a princess to laugh, for so many had laughed at him, both +gentle and simple, when he listed for a soldier, and learnt his drill +under Corporal Jack. So he went off to the courtyard, under the +princess's window, and began to go through his drill as Corporal Jack +had taught him. But it was no good, the princess was just as sad and +serious, and did not so much as smile at him once. So they took him, and +cut three broad red stripes out of his back, and sent him home again. + +"Well! he had hardly got home before his second brother wanted to set +off. He was a schoolmaster, and a wonderful figure of fun besides; he +was lop-sided, for he had one leg shorter than the other, and one moment +he was as little as a boy, and in another, when he stood on his long +leg, he was as tall and long as a Troll. Besides this, he was a powerful +preacher. + +"So when he came to the king's grange, and said he wished to make the +princess laugh, the king thought it might not be so unlikely after all. +'But Heaven help you!' he said, 'if you don't make her laugh. We are for +cutting the stripes broader and broader for every one that tries.' + +"Then the schoolmaster strode off to the courtyard, and put himself +before the princess's window, and read and preached like seven parsons, +and sang and chanted like seven clerks, as loud as all the parsons and +clerks in the country round. The king laughed loud at him, and was +forced to hold the posts in the gallery, and the princess was just going +to put a smile on her lips, but all at once she got as sad and serious +as ever; and so it fared no better with Paul the schoolmaster than with +Peter the soldier--for you must know one was called Peter and the other +Paul. So they took him and cut three red stripes out of his back, and +rubbed the salt well in, and then they sent him home again. + +"Then the youngest was all for setting out, and his name was Taper Tom; +but his brothers laughed and jeered at him, and showed him their sore +backs, and his father would not give him leave, for he said, how could +it be of any use to him, when he had no sense, for, wasn't it true that +he neither knew anything or could do anything? There he sat in the ingle +by the chimney corner, like a cat, and grubbed in the ashes and split +fir tapers. That was why they called him 'Taper Tom.' But Taper Tom +wouldn't give in, for he growled and grizzled so long, that they got +tired of his growling, and so, at last, he too got leave to go to the +king's grange, and try his luck. + +"When he got to the king's grange he did not say he wished to try to +make the princess laugh, but asked if he could get a place there. 'No,' +they had no place for him; but for all that Taper Tom wouldn't take an +answer; they must want some one, he said, to carry wood and water for +the kitchen-maid, in such a big grange as that--that was what he said; +and the king thought it might very well be, for he, too, got tired of +his worry, and the end was, Taper Tom got leave to stay there and carry +wood and water for the kitchen-maid. + +"So, one day, when he was going to fetch water from the beck, he set +eyes on a big fish, which lay under an old fir stump, where the water +had eaten into the bank, and he put his bucket so softly under the fish, +and caught it. But as he was going home to the grange he met an old +woman who led a golden goose by a string. + +"'Good day, godmother,' said Taper Tom; 'that's a pretty bird you have +got; and what fine feathers!--they dazzle one a long way off. If one +only had such feathers one might leave off splitting fir tapers.' + +"The goody was just as pleased with the fish Tom had in his bucket, and +said, if he would give her the fish, he might have the golden goose; and +it was such a goose, that when any one touched it, he stuck fast to it, +if Tom only said, 'Hang on, if you care to come with us.' + +"Yes! that swap Taper Tom was willing enough to make. + +"'A bird is as good as a fish, any day,' he said to himself; and if it's +such a bird as you say, I can use it as a fish-hook.' That was what he +said to the goody, and was so pleased with the goose. Now, he hadn't +gone far before he met another old woman, and as soon as she saw the +lovely gold goose she was all for running up to it and patting it; and +she spoke so prettily, and coaxed him so, and begged him give her leave +to stroke his lovely golden goose. + +"'With all my heart,' said Taper Tom; 'but, mind you don't pluck out any +of its feathers.' + +"Just as she stroked the goose, he said, + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us!' + +"The goody pulled and tore, but she was forced to hang on, whether she +would or no, and Taper Tom went before, as though he alone were with the +golden goose. So when he had gone a bit further, he met a man who had a +thorn in his side against the goody for a trick she had played him. So, +when he saw how hard she struggled and strove to get free, and how fast +she stuck, he thought he would be quite safe in giving her one for her +nob, to pay off the old grudge, and so he just gave her a kick with his +foot. + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us!' called out Tom, and then the +man had to limp along on one leg, whether he would or no, and when he +jibbed and jibed, and tried to break loose, it was still worse for him, +for he was all but falling flat on his back every step he took. + +"So they went on a good bit till they had about come to the king's +grange. There they met the king's smith, who was going to the smithy, +and had a great pair of tongs in his hand. Now you must know this smith +was a merry fellow, who was as full of tricks and pranks as an egg is +full of meat, and when he saw this string come hobbling and limping +along, he laughed so that he was almost bent in two, and then he bawled +out, 'Surely this is a new flock of geese the princess is going to have; +who can tell which is goose and which gander! Ah! I see, this must be +the gander that toddles in front. Goosey! goosey! goosey!' he called +out; and with that he coaxed them to him, and threw his hands about as +though he were scattering corn for the geese. + +"But the flock never stopped--on it went, and all that the goody and the +man did was to look daggers at the smith for making game of them. Then +the smith went on, + +"'It would be fine fun to see if I could hold the whole flock, so many +as they are;' for he was a stout strong fellow, and so he took hold, +with his big tongs, by the old man's coat tail, and the man all the +while bellowed and wriggled; but Taper Tom only said, + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us.' + +"So the smith had to go along too. He bent his back and stuck his heels +into the hill, and tried to get loose; but it was all no good, he stuck +fast, as though he had been screwed tight with his own anvil, and, +whether he would or no, he had to dance along with the rest. + +"So, when they came near to the king's grange, the mastiff ran out and +began to bay and bark as though they were wolves or beggars; and when +the princess looked out of the window to see what was the matter, and +set eyes on this strange pack, she laughed inwardly. But Taper Tom was +not content with that. + +"'Bide a bit,' he said, 'she'll soon have to open the door of her mouth +wider;' and as he said that he turned off with his band to the back of +the grange. + +"So, when they passed by the kitchen, the door stood open, and the cook +was just beating the porridge; but when she saw Taper Tom and his pack +she came running out at the door, with her brush in one hand, and a +wooden ladle full of smoking porridge in the other, and she laughed as +though her sides would split; and when she saw the smith there too, she +slapped her thigh and went off again in a loud peal. But when she had +laughed her laugh out, she too thought the golden goose so lovely she +must just stroke it. + +"'Taper Tom! Taper Tom!' she bawled out, and came running out with the +ladle of porridge in her fist, 'may I have leave to stroke that pretty +bird of yours?' + +"'Better let her stroke me,' said the smith. + +"'I daresay,' said Taper Tom. + +"But when the cook heard that she got angry. + +"'What is that you say!' she cried, and let fly at the smith with the +ladle. + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us,' said Taper Tom. So she stuck +fast, she, too; and for all her kicks and plunges, and all her scolding +and screaming, and all her riving and striving, and all her rage, she +too had to limp along with them. + +"But when they came outside the window of the princess, there she stood, +waiting for them; and when she saw they had taken the cook too, with her +ladle and brush, she opened her mouth wide, and laughed loud, so that +the king had to hold her upright. So Taper Tom got the princess and half +the kingdom; and they had such a merry wedding, it was heard and talked +of far and wide." + + + + +THE TROLLS IN HEDALE WOOD. + + +"Up at a place in Vaage, in Gudbrandsdale, there lived once on a time in +the days of old a poor couple. They had many children, and two of the +sons who were about half grown up had to be always roaming about the +country begging. So it was that they were well known with all the +highways and by-ways, and they also knew the short cut into Hedale. + +"It happened once that they wanted to get thither, but at the same time +they heard that some falconers had built themselves a hut at Mæla, and +so they wished to kill two birds with one stone, and see the birds, and +how they are taken, and so they took the cut across Longmoss. But you +must know it was far on towards autumn, and so the milkmaids had all +gone home from the shielings, and they could neither get shelter nor +food. Then they had to keep straight on for Hedale, but the path was a +mere track, and when night fell they lost it; and, worse still, they +could not find the falconers' hut either, and before they knew where +they were, they found themselves in the very depths of the forest. As +soon as they saw they could not get on, they began to break boughs, lit +a fire, and built themselves a bower of branches, for they had a +hand-axe with them; and, after that, they plucked heather and moss and +made themselves a bed. So a little while after they had lain down, they +heard something which sniffed and snuffed so with its nose; then the +boys pricked up their ears and listened sharp to hear whether it were +wild beasts or wood trolls, and just then something snuffed up the air +louder than ever, and said-- + +"'There's a smell of Christian blood here!' + +"At the same time they heard such a heavy foot-fall that the earth shook +under it, and then they knew well enough the trolls must be about. + +"'Heaven help us! what shall we do?' said the younger boy to his +brother. + +"'Oh! you must stand as you are under the fir, and be ready to take our +bags and run away when you see them coming; as for me, I will take the +hand-axe,' said the other. + +"All at once they saw the trolls coming at them like mad, and they were +so tall and stout, their heads were just as high as the fir-tops; but it +was a good thing they had only one eye between them all three, and that +they used turn and turn about. They had a hole in their foreheads into +which they put it, and turned and twisted it with their hands. The one +that went first, he must have it to see his way, and the others went +behind and took hold of the first. + +"'Take up the traps,' said the elder of the boys, 'but don't run away +too far, but see how things go; as they carry their eye so high aloft +they'll find it hard to see me when I get behind them.' + +"Yes! the brother ran before and the trolls after him, meanwhile the +elder got behind them and chopped the hindmost troll with his axe on the +ankle, so that the troll gave an awful shriek, and the foremost troll +got so afraid he was all of a shake and dropped the eye. But the boy was +not slow to snap it up. It was bigger than two quart pots put together, +and so clear and bright, that though it was pitch dark, everything was +as clear as day as soon as he looked through it. + +"When the trolls saw he had taken their eye and done one of them harm, +they began to threaten him with all the evil in the world if he didn't +give back the eye at once. + +"'I don't care a farthing for trolls and threats,' said the boy, 'now +I've got three eyes to myself and you three have got none, and besides +two of you have to carry the third.' + +"If we don't get our eye back this minute, you shall be both turned to +stocks and stones,' screeched the trolls. + +"But the boy thought things needn't go so fast; he was not afraid for +witchcraft or hard words. If they didn't leave him in peace he'd chop +them all three, so that they would have to creep and crawl along the +earth like cripples and crabs. + +"When the trolls heard that, they got still more afraid and began to use +soft words. They begged so prettily that he would give them their eye +back, and then he should have both gold and silver and all that he +wished to ask. Yes! that seemed all very fine to the lad, but he must +have the gold and silver first, and so he said, if one of them would go +home and fetch as much gold and silver as would fill his and his +brother's bags, and give them two good cross-bows beside, they might +have their eye, but he should keep it until they did what he said. + +"The trolls were very put out, and said none of them could go when he +hadn't his eye to see with, but all at once one of them began to bawl +out for their goody, for you must know they had a goody between them all +three as well as an eye. After a while an answer came from a knoll a +long way off to the north. So the trolls said she must come with two +steel cross-bows and two buckets full of gold and silver, and then it +was not long, you may fancy, before she was there. And when she heard +what had happened, she too began to threaten them with witchcraft. But +the trolls got so afraid, and begged her beware of the little wasp, for +she couldn't be sure he would not take away her eye too. So she threw +them the cross-bows and the buckets and the gold and the silver, and +strode off to the knoll with the trolls; and since that time no one has +ever heard that the trolls have walked in Hedale wood snuffing after +Christian blood." + + + + +THE SKIPPER AND OLD NICK. + + +"Once on a time there was a skipper who was so wonderfully lucky in +everything he undertook; there was no one who got such freights, and no +one who earned so much money, for it rolled in upon him on all sides, +and, in a word, there was no one who was good to make such voyages as +he, for whithersoever he sailed he took the wind with him;--nay! men did +say he had only to turn his hat and the wind turned the way he wished it +to blow. + +"So he sailed for many years, both in the timber trade and to China, and +he had gathered money together like grass. But it so happened that once +he was coming home across the North sea with every sail set, as though +he had stolen both ship and lading; but he who wanted to lay hold on him +went faster still. It was Old Nick, for with him he had made a bargain, +as one may well fancy, and that very day the time was up, and he might +look any moment that Old Nick would come and fetch him. + +"Well! the skipper came up on deck out of the cabin and looked at the +weather; then he called for the carpenter and some others of the crew, +and said they must go down into the hold and hew two holes in the ship's +bottom, and when they had done that they were to lift the pumps out of +their beds and drive them down tight into the holes they had made, so +that the sea might rise high up into the pumps. + +"The crew wondered at all this, and thought it a funny bit of work, but +they did as the skipper ordered; they hewed holes in the ship's bottom +and drove the pumps in so tight that never a drop of water could come to +the cargo, but up in the pump itself the North sea stood seven feet +high. + +"They had only just thrown the chips overboard after their piece of work +when Old Nick came on board in a gust of wind and caught the skipper by +the throat. + +"'Stop, father!' said the skipper, 'there's no need to be in such a +hurry,' and as he said that he began to defend himself and to loose the +claws which Old Nick had stuck into him by the help of a marling-spike. + +"'Haven't you made a bargain that you would always keep the ship dry and +tight?' asked the skipper. 'Yes! you're a pretty fellow; look down the +pumps, there's the water standing seven feet high in the pipe. Pump, +devil, pump! and pump the ship dry, and then you may take me and have me +as soon and as long as you choose.' + +"Old Nick was not so clever that he was not taken in; he pumped and +strove, and the sweat ran down his back like a brook, so that you might +have turned a mill at the end of his backbone, but he only pumped out of +the North sea and into the North sea again. At last he got tired of that +work, and when he could not pump a stroke more, he set off in a sad +temper home to his grandmother to take a rest. As for the skipper, he +let him stay a skipper as long as he chose, and if he isn't dead, he is +still perhaps sailing on his voyages whithersoever he will, and twisting +the wind as he chooses only by turning his hat." + + + + +GOODY GAINST-THE-STREAM. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who had a goody who was so cross-grained +that there was no living with her. As for her husband he could not get +on with her at all, for whatever he wished she set her face right +against it. + +"So it fell one Sunday in summer that the man and his wife went out into +the field to see how the crop looked; and when they came to a field of +rye on the other side of the river, the man said-- + +"'Ay! now it is ripe. To-morrow we must set to work and reap it.' + +"'Yes,' said his wife, 'to-morrow we can set to work and shear it.' + +"'What do you say,' said the man; 'shall we shear it? Mayn't we just as +well reap it?' + +"'No,' said the goody, 'It shall be shorn.' + +"'There is nothing so bad as a little knowledge,' said the man, 'but you +must have lost the little wit you had. When did you ever hear of +shearing a field?' + +"'I know little, and I care to know little, I dare say,' said the goody, +'but I know very well that this field shall be shorn and not reaped.' + +"That was what she said, and there was no help for it; it must and +should be shorn. + +"So they walked about and quarrelled and strove till they came to the +bridge across the river, just above a deep hole. + +"''Tis an old saying,' said the man, 'that good tools make good work, +but I fancy it will be a fine swathe that is shorn with a pair of +shears. Mayn't we just as well reap the field after all?' he asked. + +"'No! no! shear, shear,' bawled out the goody, who jumped about and +clipped like a pair of scissors under her husband's nose. In her +shrewishness she took such little heed that she tripped over a beam on +the bridge, and down she went _plump_ into the stream. + +"''Tis hard to wean any one from bad ways,' said the man, 'but it were +strange if I were not sometimes in the right, I too.' + +"Then he swam out into the hole and caught his wife by the hair of her +head, and so got her head above water. + +"'Shall we reap the field now?' were the first words he said. + +"'Shear! shear! shear!' screeched the goody. + +"'I'll teach you to shear,' said the man, as he ducked her under the +water; but it was no good, they must shear it, she said, as soon as ever +she came up again. + +"'I can't think anything else than that the goody is mad,' said the man +to himself. 'Many are mad and never know it; many have wit and never +show it; but all the same, I'll try her once more.' + +"But as soon as ever he ducked her under the water again, she held her +hands up out of the water and began to clip with her fingers like a pair +of shears. Then the man fell into a great rage and ducked her down both +well and long; but while he was about it, the goody's head fell down +below the water, and she got so heavy all at once, that he had to let +her go. + +"'No! no!' he said, 'you wish to drag me down with you into the hole, +but you may lie there by yourself.' + +"So the goody was left in the river. + +"But after a while the man thought it was ill she should lie there and +not get Christian burial, and so he went down the course of the stream +and hunted and searched for her, but for all his pains he could not find +her. Then he came with all his men and brought his neighbours with him, +and they all in a body began to drag the stream and to search for her +all along it. But for all their searching they found no goody. + +"'Oh!' said the man, 'I have it. All this is no good, we search in the +wrong place. This goody was a sort by herself; there was not such +another in the world while she was alive. She was so cross and contrary, +and I'll be bound it is just the same now she is dead. We had better +just go and hunt for her up stream, and drag for her above the force,[1] +maybe she has floated up thither.' + +[Footnote 1: Waterfall.] + +"And so it was. They went up stream and sought for her above the force, +and there lay the goody, sure enough! Yes! She was well called GOODY +GAINST-THE-STREAM." + + + + +HOW TO WIN A PRINCE. + + +"Once on a time there was a king's son who made love to a lass, but +after they had become great friends and were as good as betrothed, the +prince began to think little of her, and he got it into his head that +she wasn't clever enough for him, and so he wouldn't have her. + +"So he thought how he might be rid of her; and at last he said he would +take her to wife all the same, if she could come to him-- + + 'Not driving, + And not riding; + Not walking, + And not carried; + Not fasting, + And not full-fed; + Not naked, + And not clad; + Not in the daylight, + And not by night.' + +"For all that he fancied she could never do. + +"So she took three barleycorns and swallowed them, and then she was not +fasting, and yet not full-fed; and next she threw a net over her, and so +she was + + 'Not naked, + And yet not clad.' + +Next she got a ram and sat on him, so that her feet touched the ground; +and so she waddled along, and was + + 'Not driving, + And not riding; + Not walking, + And not carried.' + +And all this happened in the twilight, betwixt night and day. + +"So when she came to the guard at the palace, she begged that she might +have leave to speak with the prince; but they wouldn't open the gate, +she looked such a figure of fun. + +"But for all that the noise woke up the prince, and he went to the +window to see what it was. + +"So she waddled up to the window, and twisted off one of the ram's +horns, and took it and rapped with it against the window. + +"And so they had to let her in, and have her for their princess." + + + + +BOOTS AND THE BEASTS. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who had an only son, but he lived in +need and wretchedness, and when he lay on his death-bed, he told his son +he had nothing in the world but a sword, a bit of coarse linen, and a +few crusts of bread--that was all he had to leave him. Well! when the +man was dead, the lad made up his mind to go out into the world to try +his luck; so he girded the sword about him, and took the crusts and laid +them in the bit of linen for his travelling fare; for you must know they +lived far away up on a hillside in the wood, far from folk. Now the way +he went took him over a fell, and when he had got up so high that he +could look over the country, he set his eyes on a lion, a falcon, and an +ant, who stood there quarrelling over a dead horse. The lad was sore +afraid when he saw the lion, but he called out to him and said he must +come and settle the strife between them and share the horse, so that +each should get what he ought to have. + +"So the lad took his sword and shared the horse, as well as he could. To +the lion he gave the carcass and the greater portion; the falcon got +some of the entrails and other titbits; and the ant got the head. When +he had done, he said,-- + +"'Now I think it is fairly shared. The lion shall have most, because he +is biggest and strongest; the falcon shall have the best, because he is +nice and dainty; and the ant shall have the skull, because he loves to +creep about in holes and crannies.' + +"Yes! they were all well pleased with his sharing; and so they asked him +what he would like to have for sharing the horse so well. + +"'Oh,' he said, 'if I have done you a service, and you are pleased with +it, I am also pleased; but I won't be paid.' + +"'Yes; but he must have something,' they said. + +"'If you won't have anything else,' said the lion, 'you shall have three +wishes.' + +"But the lad knew not what to wish for; and so the lion asked him if he +wouldn't wish that he might be able to turn himself into a lion; and the +two others asked him if he wouldn't wish to be able to turn himself into +a falcon and an ant. Yes! all that seemed to him good and right; and so +he wished these three wishes. + +"Then he threw aside his sword and wallet, turned himself into a falcon, +and began to fly. So he flew on and on, till he came over a great lake; +but when he had almost flown across it he got so tired and sore on the +wing he couldn't fly any longer; and as he saw a steep rock that rose +out of the water, he perched on it and rested himself. He thought it a +wondrous strong rock, and walked about it for a while; but when he had +taken a good rest, he turned himself again into a little falcon, and +flew away till he came to the king's grange. There he perched on a tree, +just before the princess's windows. When she saw the falcon she set her +heart on catching it. So she lured it to her; and as soon as the falcon +came under the casement she was ready, and pop! she shut to the window, +and caught the bird and put him into a cage. + +"In the night the lad turned himself into an ant and crept out of the +cage; and then he turned himself into his own shape, and went up and sat +down by the princess's bed. Then she got so afraid that she fell to +screeching out and awoke the king, who came into her room and asked +whatever was the matter. + +"'Oh!' said the princess, 'there is some one here.' + +"But in a trice the lad became an ant, crept into the cage, and turned +himself into a falcon. The king could see nothing for her to be afraid +of; so he said to the princess it must have been the nightmare riding +her. But he was hardly out of the door before it was all the same story +over again. The lad crept out of the cage as an ant, and then became his +own self, and sat down by the bedside of the princess. + +"Then she screamed loud, and the king came again to see what was the +matter. + +"'There is some one here,' screamed the princess. But the lad crept into +the cage again, and sat perched up there like a falcon. The king looked +and hunted high and low; and when he could see nothing he got cross that +his rest was broken, and said it was all a trick of the princess. + +"'If you scream like that again,' he said, 'you shall soon know that +your father is the king.' + +"But for all that, the king's back was scarcely turned before the lad +was by the princess's side again. This time she did not scream, although +she was so afraid she did not know which way to turn. + +"So the lad asked why she was so afraid. + +"Didn't he know? She was promised to a hill-ogre, and the very first +time she came under bare sky he was to come and take her; and so when +the lad came she thought it was the hill-ogre. And, besides, every +Thursday morning came a messenger from the hill-ogre, and that was a +dragon, to whom the king had to give nine fat pigs every time he came; +and that was why he had given it out that the man who could free him +from the dragon should have the princess and half the kingdom. + +"The lad said he would soon do that; and as soon as it was daybreak the +princess went to the king and said there was a man in there who would +free him from the dragon and the tax of pigs. As soon as the king heard +that, he was very glad, for the dragon had eaten up so many pigs, there +would soon have been no more left in the whole kingdom. It happened that +day was just a Thursday morning, and so the lad strode off to the spot +where the dragon used to come to eat the pigs, and the shoeblack in the +king's grange showed him the way. + +"Yes! the dragon came; and he had nine heads, and he was so wild and +wroth that fire and flame flared out of his nostrils when he did not see +his feast of pigs; and he flew upon the lad as though he would gobble +him up alive. But, pop! he turned himself into a lion and fought with +the dragon, and tore one head off him after another. The dragon was +strong, that he was; and he spat fire and venom. But as the fight went +on he hadn't more than one head left, though that was the toughest. At +last the lad got that torn off, too; and then it was all over with the +dragon. + +"So he went to the king, and there was great joy all over the palace; +and the lad was to have the princess. But once on a time, as they were +walking in the garden, the hill-ogre came flying at them himself, and +caught up the princess and bore her off through the air. + +"As for the lad, he was for going after her at once; but the king said +he mustn't do that, for he had no one else to lean on now he had lost +his daughter. But for all that, neither prayers nor preaching were any +good: the lad turned himself into a falcon and flew off. But when he +could not see them anywhere, he called to mind that wonderful rock in +the lake, where he had rested the first time he ever flew. So he settled +there, and after he had done that he turned himself into an ant, and +crept down through a crack in the rock. So when he had crept about +awhile, he came to a door which was locked. But he knew a way how to get +in, for he crept through the key-hole, and what do you think he saw +there? Why, a strange princess, combing a hill-ogre's hair that had +three heads. + +"'I have come all right,' said the lad to himself; for he had heard how +the king had lost two daughters before, whom the trolls had taken. + +"'Maybe, I shall find the second also,' he said to himself, as he crept +through the key-hole of a second door. There sat a strange princess +combing a hill-ogre's hair who had six heads. So he crept through a +third key-hole still, and there sat the youngest princess, combing a +hill-ogre's hair with nine heads. Then he crept up her leg and stung +her, and so she knew it was the lad who wished to talk to her; and then +she begged leave of the hill-ogre to go out. + +"When she came out the lad was himself again, and so he told her she +must ask the hill-ogre whether she would never get away and go home to +her father. Then he turned himself into an ant and sat on her foot, and +so the princess went into the house again, and fell to combing the +hill-ogre's hair. + +"So when she had done this awhile, she fell a-thinking. + +"'You're forgetting to comb me,' said the hill-ogre. 'What is it you're +thinking of?' + +"'Oh, I am doubting whether I shall ever get away from this place, and +home to my father's grange,' said the princess. + +"'Nay! nay! that you'll never do!' said the hill-ogre; 'not unless you +can find the grain of sand which lies under the ninth tongue of the +ninth head of the dragon to which your father paid tax; but that no one +will ever find, for if that grain of sand came over the rock all the +hill-ogres would burst, and the rock itself would become a gilded +palace, and the lake green meadows.' + +"As soon as the lad heard that he crept out through the keyholes, and +through the crack in the rock, till he got outside. Then he turned +himself into a falcon, and flew whither the dragon lay. Then he hunted +till he found the grain of sand under the ninth tongue of the ninth +head, and flew off with it; but when he came to the lake he got so +tired, so tired, that he had to sink down and perch on a stone by the +strand. And just as he sat there he dozed and nodded for the twinkling +of an eye; and, meantime, the grain of sand fell out of his bill down +among the sand on the shore. So he searched for it three days before he +found it again. But as soon as he had found it he flew straight off to +the steep rock with it, and dropped it down the crack. Then all the +hill-ogres burst, and the rock was rent, and there stood a gilded +castle, which was the grandest castle in all the world; and the lake +became the loveliest fields and the greenest meads any one ever saw. + +"So they travelled back to the king's grange, and there arose, as you +may fancy, joy and gladness. The lad and the youngest princess were to +have one another; and they kept up the bridal feast over the whole +kingdom for seven full weeks. And if they did not fare well, I only hope +you may fare better still." + + + + +THE SWEETHEART IN THE WOOD. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who had a daughter, and she was so +pretty her name was spread over many kingdoms, and lovers came to her as +thick as autumn leaves. One of these made out that he was richer than +all the rest; and grand and handsome he was too; so he was to have her, +and after that he came over and over again to see her. + +"As time went on, he said he should like her to come to his house and +see how he lived; he was sorry he could not fetch her and go with her, +but the day she came he would strew peas all along the path right up to +his house door; but somehow or other it fell out that he strewed the +peas a day too early. + +"She set out and walked a long way, through wood and waste, and at last +she came to a big grand house, which stood in a green field in the midst +of the wood; but her lover was not at home, nor was there a soul in the +house either. First, she went into the kitchen, and there she saw +nothing but a strange bird which hung in a cage from the roof. Next she +went into the parlour, and there everything was so fine it was beyond +belief. But as she went into it, the bird called after her,-- + +"'Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.' + +"When she passed on into an inner room, the bird called out the same +words. There she saw ever so many chests of drawers, and when she pulled +open the drawers, they were filled with gold and silver, and everything +that was rich and rare. When she went on into a second room the bird +called out again,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold.' + +"In that room the walls were all hung round with women's dresses, till +the room was crammed full. She went on into a third room, and then the +bird screamed out,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.' + +"And what do you think she saw there? Why! ever so many pails full of +blood. + +"So she passed on to a fourth room, and then the bird screamed and +screeched after her,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.' + +"'That room was full of heaps of dead bodies, and skeletons of slain +women, and the girl got so afraid that she was going to run away out of +the house, but she had only got as far as the next room, where the pails +of blood stood, when the bird called out to her,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden! Jump under the bed, jump under the bed, +for now he's coming.' + +"She was not slow to give heed to the bird, and to hide under the bed. +She crept as far back close to the wall as she could, for she was so +afraid she would have crept into the wall itself, had she been able! + +"So in came her lover with another girl; and she begged so prettily and +so hard he would only spare her life, and then she would never say a +word against him, but it was all no good. He tore off all her clothes +and jewels, down to a ring which she had on her finger. That he pulled +and tore at, but when he couldn't get it off he hacked off her finger, +and it rolled away under the bed to the girl who lay there, and she took +it up and kept it. Her sweetheart told a little boy who was with him, to +creep under the bed and bring out the finger. Yes! he bent down and +crept under, and saw the girl lying there; but she squeezed his hand +hard, and then he saw what she meant. + +"'It lies so far under, I can't reach it,' he cried. 'Let it bide there +till to-morrow, and then I'll fetch it out.' + +"Early next morning the robber went out, and the boy was left behind to +mind the house, and he then went to meet the girl to whom his master was +betrothed, and who had come, as you know, by mistake the day before. But +before he went, the robber told him to be sure not to let her go into +the two farthermost bed-rooms. + +"So when he was well off in the wood, the boy went and said she might +come out now. + +"'You were lucky, that you were,' he said, 'in coming so soon, else he +would have killed you like all the others.' + +"She did not stay there long, you may fancy, but hurried back home as +quick as ever she could, and when her father asked her why she had come +so soon, she told him what sort of a man her sweetheart was, and all +that she had heard and seen. + +"A short time after her lover came passing by that way, and he looked so +grand that his raiment shone again, and he came to ask, he said, why she +had never paid him that visit as she had promised. + +"'Oh!' said her father; 'there came a man in the way with a sledge and +scattered the peas, and she couldn't find her way; but now you must just +put up with our poor house, and stay the night, for you must know we +have guests coming, and it will be just a betrothal feast.' + +"So when they had all eaten and drunk, and still sat round the table, +the daughter of the house said she had dreamt such a strange dream a few +nights before. If they cared to hear it she would tell it them, but they +must all promise to sit quite still till she came to the end. + +"Yes! They were all ready to hear, and they all promised to sit still, +and her sweetheart as well. + +"'I dreamt I was walking along a broad path, and it was strewn with +peas.' + +"'Yes! Yes!' said her sweetheart; 'just as it will be when you go to my +house, my love.' + +"'Then the path got narrower and narrower, and it went far, far away +through wood and waste.' + +"'Just like the way to my house, my love,' said her sweetheart. + +"'And so I came to a green field, in which stood a big grand house.' + +"'Just like my house, my love,' said her sweetheart. + +"'So I went into the kitchen, but I saw no living soul, and from the +roof hung a strange bird in a cage, and as I passed on into the parlour, +it called after me, "Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold."' + +"'Just like my house that too, my love!' said her sweetheart. + +"'So I passed on into a bedroom, and the bird bawled after me the same +words, and in there were so many chests of drawers, and when I pulled +the drawers out and looked into them, they were filled with gold and +silver stuffs, and everything that was grand.' + +"'That is just like it is at my house, my love,' said her sweetheart. +'I, too, have many drawers full of gold and silver, and costly things.' + +"'So I went on into another bedroom, and the bird screeched out to me +the very same words; and that room was all hung round on the walls with +fine dresses of women.' + +"'Yes, that too, is just as it is in my house,' he said; 'there are +dresses and finery there both of silk and satin.' + +"'Well! when I passed on to the next bedroom, the bird began to screech +and scream--pretty maiden, pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold; and +in this room were casks and pails all round the walls, and they were +full of blood.' + +"'Fie,' said her sweetheart, 'how nasty. It isn't at all like that in my +house, my love,' for now he began to grow uneasy and wished to be off. + +"'Why!' said the daughter, 'it's only a dream, you know, that I am +telling. Sit still. The least you can do is to hear my dream out.' Then +she went on, + +"'When I went on into the next bedroom the bird began to scream out as +loudly as before, the same words--pretty maiden, pretty maiden! be bold, +but not too bold. And there lay many dead bodies and skeletons of slain +folk.' + +"'No! no,' said her sweetheart, 'there's nothing like that in my house,' +and again he tried to run out. + +"'Sit still, I say,' she said, 'it is nothing else than a dream, and you +may very well hear it out. I, too, thought it dreadful, and ran back +again, but I had not got farther than the next room where all those +pails of blood stood, when the bird screeched out that I must jump under +the bed and hide, for now _He_ was coming; and so he came, and with him +he had a girl who was so lovely I thought I had never seen her like +before. She prayed and begged so prettily that he would spare her life. +But he did not care a pin for all her tears and prayers; he tore off her +clothes, and took all she had, and he neither spared her life nor aught +else; but on her left hand she had a ring, which he could not tear off, +so he hacked off her finger, and it rolled away under the bed to me.' + +"'Indeed! my love,' said her sweetheart, 'there's nothing like that in +my house.' + +"'Yes, it was in your house,' she said, 'and here is the finger and the +ring, and you are the man who hacked it off.' + +"So they laid hands on him, and put him to death, and burnt both his +body and his house in the wood." + + + + +HOW THEY GOT HAIRLOCK HOME. + + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had three sons. The first was +called Peter, the second Paul, and the third Osborn Boots. One single +nanny-goat she had who was called Hairlock and she never would come home +in time for tea. + +"Peter and Paul both went out to get her home, but they found no +nanny-goat, so Boots had to set off, and when he had walked a while he +saw Hairlock high, high upon a crag. + +"'Dear Hairlock, pretty Hairlock,' he cried, 'you can't stand any longer +on yon crag, for you must come home in good time for tea, to-day.' + +"'No, no, that I shan't,' said Hairlock, 'I won't wet my socks for any +one, and if you want me you must carry me.' + +"But Osborn Boots would not do that, so he went and told his mother. + +"'Well!' said his mother, 'go to the fox and beg him to bite Hairlock.' + +"So the lad went to the fox. + +"'My dear fox, bite Hairlock, for Hairlock won't come home in good time +for tea to-day.' + +"'No,' said the fox, 'I won't blunt my snout on pig's bristles and +goat's beards.' + +"So the lad went and told his mother. + +"'Well, then!' she said, 'go to Graylegs, the wolf.' + +"So the lad said to Graylegs,-- + +"'Dear Graylegs! do, Graylegs, tear the fox, for the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time for tea to-day.' + +"'No,' said Graylegs, 'I won't wear out my paws and teeth on a dry fox's +carcass.' + +"So the lad went and told his mother. + +"'Well then, go to the bear,' said his mother, 'and beg him to slay +Graylegs.' + +"So the lad said to the bear,-- + +"'My dear bear, do, bear, slay Graylegs, for Graylegs won't tear the +fox, and the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in +good time for tea to-day.' + +"'No, I won't,' said the bear, 'I won't blunt my claws in that work, +that I won't.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the Finn and beg him shoot the bear.' + +"So the lad said to the Finn,-- + +"'Dear Finn! do, Finn, shoot the bear, the bear won't slay Graylegs, +Graylegs won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock +won't come home in good time for tea to-day.' + +"'No! that I won't,' said the Finn, 'I'm not going to shoot away my +bullets for that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the fir, and beg him fall on the Finn.' + +"So the lad said to the fir,-- + +"'My dear fir! fir, do fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, +the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! that I won't,' said the fir, 'I'm not going to break off my boughs +for that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' said she, 'go to the fire and beg it to burn the fir.' + +"So the lad said to the fire, 'My dear fire! do, fire, burn the fir, the +fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear +won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! that I won't,' said the fire, 'I'm not going to burn myself out +for that, that I won't.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the water and beg it to quench the fire.' + +"So the lad said to the water,-- + +"'My dear water! do, water, quench the fire, the fire won't burn the +fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the +bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"No, I won't,' said the water, 'I'm not going to run to waste for that, +be sure.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the ox, and beg him to drink up the +water.' + +"So the lad said to the ox,-- + +"'My dear ox! do, ox, drink up the water, for the water won't quench the +fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the +Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't +tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home +in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! I won't,' said the ox, 'I'm not going to burst asunder in doing +that, I trow.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' said she, 'you must go to the yoke, and beg him to pinch +the ox.' + +"So the lad said to the yoke,-- + +"'My dear yoke! yoke, do pinch the ox, for the ox won't drink up the +water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the +fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear +won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No, that I won't,' said the yoke, 'I'm not going to break myself in +two in doing that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the axe, and beg him to chop the +yoke.' + +"So the lad said to the axe,-- + +"'My dear axe, do, axe, chop the yoke, for the yoke won't pinch the ox, +the ox won't drink up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the +fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't +shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the +fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good +time to tea to-day.' + +"'No, that I won't,' said the axe, 'I'm not going to spoil my edge for +that, that I won't.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the smith, and beg him to hammer the +axe.' + +"So the lad said to the smith,-- + +"'My dear smith! do, smith, hammer the axe, for the axe won't chop the +yoke, the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink up the water, the +water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't +fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the +wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and +Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No, I won't,' said the smith, 'I'm not going to burn up my coal, and +wear out my sledge hammer for that,' he said. + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the rope, and beg it to hang the +smith.' + +"So the lad said to the rope,-- + +"'My dear rope! do, rope, hang the smith, for the smith won't hammer the +axe, the axe won't chop the yoke, the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox +won't drink up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire +won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot +the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the +fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to +tea to-day.' + +"'No!' said the rope, 'that I won't, I'm not going to fray myself out +for that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then!' she said, 'you must go to the mouse, and beg him to gnaw +the rope.' + +"So the lad said to the mouse,-- + +"'My dear mouse! do, mouse, gnaw the rope, for the rope won't hang the +smith, the smith won't hammer the axe, the axe won't chop the yoke, the +yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink up the water, the water +won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall +on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the +wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and +Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! I won't,' said the mouse, 'I'm not going to wear down my teeth for +that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the cat, and beg her to catch +the mouse.' + +"So the lad said to the cat,-- + +"'My dear cat! do, cat, catch the mouse, for the mouse won't gnaw the +rope, the rope won't hang the smith, the smith won't hammer the axe, the +axe won't chop the yoke the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink +up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the +fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the +bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'Well!' said the cat, 'just give me a drop of milk for my kittens and +then----' that's what the cat said, and the lad said, 'yes, she should +have it.' + +"So the cat bit mouse, and mouse gnawed rope, and rope hanged smith, and +smith hammered axe, and axe chopped yoke, and yoke pinched ox, and ox +drank water, and water quenched fire, and fire burnt fir, and fir felled +Finn, and Finn shot bear, and bear slew graylegs, and graylegs tore fox, +and fox bit Hairlock, so that she sprang home and knocked off one of her +hind legs against the barn wall. + +"So there lay the nanny-goat, and if she's not dead she limps about on +three legs. + +"But as for Osborn Boots, he said it served her just right, because she +would not come home in good time for tea that very day." + + + + +OSBORN BOOTS AND MR. GLIBTONGUE. + + +"Once on a time there was a king who had many hundred sheep, and many +hundred goats and kine; and many hundred horses he had too, and silver +and gold in great heaps. But for all that he was so given to grief, that +he seldom or ever saw folk, and much less say a word to them. Such he +had been ever since his youngest daughter was lost, and if he had never +lost her it would still have been bad enough, for there was a troll who +was for ever making such waste and worry there that folk could hardly +pass to the king's grange in peace. Now the troll let all the horses +loose, and they trampled down mead and corn-field, and ate up the crops; +now he tore the heads off the king's ducks and geese; sometimes he +killed the king's kine in the byre, sometimes he drove the king's sheep +and goats down the rocks and broke their necks, and every time they went +to fish in the mill-dam he had hunted all the fish to land and left them +lying there dead. + +"Well! there was a couple of old folk who had three sons, the first was +called Peter, the second Paul, and the third Osborn Boots, for he always +lay and grubbed about in the ashes. + +"They were hopeful youths, but Peter, who was the eldest, was said to be +the hopefullest, and so he asked his father if he might have leave to go +out into the world and try his luck. + +"'Yes! you shall have it,' said the old fellow. 'Better late than never, +my boy.' + +"So he got brandy in a flask, and food in his wallet, and then he threw +his fare on his back and toddled down the hill. And when he had walked a +while, he fell upon an old wife who lay by the road side. + +"'Ah! my dear boy, give me a morsel of food to-day,' said the old wife. + +"But Peter hardly so much as looked on one side, and then he held his +head straight and went on his way. + +"'Ay, ay,' said the old wife, 'go along, and you shall see what you +shall see.' + +"So Peter went far and farther than far, till he came at last to the +king's grange. There stood the king in the gallery, feeding the cocks +and hens. + +"'Good evening and God bless your majesty," said Peter. + +"'Chick-a-biddy! chick-a-biddy!' said the king, and scattered corn both +east and west, and took no heed of Peter. + +"'Well!' said Peter to himself, 'you may just stand there and scatter +corn and cackle chicken-tongue till you turn into a bear,' and so he +went into the kitchen and sat down on the bench as though he were a +great man. + +"'What sort of a stripling are you,' said the cook, for Peter had not +yet got his beard. That he thought jibes and mocking, and so he fell to +beating and banging the kitchen-maid. But while he was hard at it, in +came the king, and made them cut three red stripes out of his back, and +then they rubbed salt into the wound, and sent him home again the same +way he came. + +"Now as soon as Peter was well home, Paul must set off in his turn. +Well! well! he too got brandy in his flask and food in his wallet, and +he threw his fare over his back and toddled down the hill. When he had +got on his way he, too, met the old wife, who begged for food, but he +strode past her and made no answer; and at the king's grange he did not +fare a pin better than Peter. The king called 'chick-a-biddy,' and the +kitchen-maid called him a clumsy boy, and when he was going to bang and +beat her for that, in came the king with a butcher's knife, and cut +three red stripes out of him, and rubbed hot embers in, and sent him +home again with a sore back. + +"Then Boots crept out the cinders, and fell to shaking himself. The +first day he shook all the ashes off him, the second he washed and +combed himself, and the third he dressed himself in his Sunday best. + +"'Nay! nay! just look at him,' said Peter. 'Now we have got a new sun +shining here. I'll be bound you are off to the king's grange to win his +daughter and half the kingdom. Far better bide in the dusthole and lie +in the ashes, that you had.' + +"But Boots was deaf in that ear, and he went in to his father and asked +leave to go out a little into the world. + +"'What are you to do out in the world?' said the grey-beard. 'It did not +fare so well either with Peter or Paul, and what do you think will +become of you?' + +"But Boots would not give way, and so at last he had leave to go. + +"His brothers were not for letting him have a morsel of food with him, +but his mother gave him a cheese rind and a bone with very little meat +on it, and with them he toddled away from the cottage. As he went he +took his time. 'You'll be there soon enough,' he said to himself. 'You +have all the day before you, and afterwards the moon will rise, if you +have any luck.' So he put his best foot foremost, and puffed up the +hills, and all the while looked about him on the road. + +"After a long, long way he met the old wife, who lay by the road side. + +"'The poor old cripple,' said Boots, 'I'll be bound you are starving.' + +"'Yes! she was,' said the old wife. + +"'Are you? then I'll go shares with you,' said Osborn Boots, and as he +said that he gave her the rind of cheese. + +"'You're freezing too,' he said, as he saw how her teeth chattered. 'You +must take this old jacket of mine. It's not good in the arms, and thin +in the back, but once on a time, when it was new, it was a good wrap.' + +"'Bide a bit,' said the old wife, as she fumbled down in her big pocket, +'Here you have an old key, I have nothing better or worse to give you, +but when you look through the ring at the top, you can see whatever you +choose to see.' + +"So when he got to the king's grange the cook was hard at work drawing +water, and that was great toil to her. + +"'It's too heavy for you,' said Boots, 'but it's just what I am fit to +do.' + +"The one that was glad then, you may fancy, was the kitchen-maid, and +from that day she always let Boots scrape the porridge-pot; but it was +not long before he got so many enemies by that, that they told lies of +him to the king, and said he had told them he was man enough to do this +and that. + +"So one day the king came and asked Boots if it were true that he was +man enough to keep the fish in the mill-dam, so that the troll could not +harm them, 'for that's what they tell me you have said,' spoke the king. + +"'I have not said so,' said Boots, 'but if I had said it I would have +been as good as my word.' + +"Well, however it was, whether he had said it or not, he must try, if he +wished to keep a whole skin on his back; that was what the king said. + +"'Well, if he must he must,' said Boots, for he said he had no need to +go about with red stripes under his jacket. + +"In the evening Boots peeped through his key ring, and then he saw that +the troll was afraid of thyme. So he fell to plucking all the thyme he +could find, and some of it he strewed in the water, and some on land, +and the rest he spread over the brink of the dam. + +"So the troll had to leave the fish in peace, but now the sheep had to +pay for it, for the troll was chasing them over all the cliffs and crags +the whole night. + +"Then one of the other servants came and said again that Boots knew a +cure for the stock as well, if he only chose, for that he had said he +was man enough to do it, was the very truth. + +"Well! the king went out to him and spoke to him as he had spoken the +first time, and threatened that he would cut three broad stripes out of +his back if he did not do what he had said. + +"So there was no help for it. Boots thought, I dare say it would be very +fine to go about in the king's livery and a red jacket, but he thought +he would rather be without it, if he himself had to find the cloth for +it out of the skin of his back. That was what he thought and said. + +"So he betook himself to his thyme again, but there was no end to his +work, for as soon as he bound thyme on the sheep they ate it off one +another's backs, and as he went on binding they went on eating, and they +ate faster than he could bind. But at last he made an ointment of thyme +and tar, and rubbed it well into them, and then they left off eating it. +Then the kine and the horses got the same ointment, and so they had +peace from the troll. + +"But one day when the king was out hunting he trod upon wild grass and +got bewildered, and lost his way in the wood; so he rode round and round +for many days, and had nothing either to eat or drink, and his clothing +fared so ill in the thorns and thickets that at last he had scarce a rag +to his back. So the troll came to him and said if he might have the +first thing the king set eyes on when he got on his own land, he would +let him go home to his grange. Yes! he should have that, for the king +thought it would be sure to be his little dog, which always came +frisking and fawning to meet him. But just as he got near his grange, +that they could see him, out came his eldest daughter at the head of all +the court, to meet the king, and to welcome him back safe and sound. + +"So when he saw that she was the first to meet him, he was so cut to the +heart he fell to the ground on the spot, and since that time had been +almost half-witted. + +"One evening the troll was to come and fetch the princess, and she was +dressed out in her best, and sat in a field out by the tarn, and wept +and bewailed. There was a man called Glibtongue, who was to go with her, +but he was so afraid he clomb up into a tall spruce fir, and there he +stuck. Just then up came Boots, and sat down on the ground by the side +of the princess. And she was so glad, as you may fancy, when she saw +there were still Christian folk who dared to stay by her after all. + +"'Lay your head on my lap,' she said, 'and I'll comb your hair;' so +Osborn Boots did as she bade him, and while she combed his hair he fell +asleep, and she took a gold ring off her finger and knitted it into his +hair. Just then up came the troll puffing and blowing. He was so heavy +footed that all the wood groaned and cracked a whole mile round. + +"And when the troll saw Glibtongue sitting up in the tree-top, like a +little black cock, he spat at him. + +"'Pish,' he said, that was all, and down toppled Glibtongue and the +spruce fir to the ground, and there he lay sprawling like a fish out of +water. + +"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'are you sitting here combing Christian +folk's hair? Now I'll gobble you up.' + +"'Stuff,' said Boots, as soon as he woke up, and then he fell to peering +at the troll through the ring on his key. + +"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'what are you staring at? Hu! hu!' + +"And as he said that he hurled his iron club at him, so that it stood +fifteen ells deep in the rock; but Boots was so quick and ready on his +feet that he got on one side of the club, just as the troll hurled it. + +"'Stuff! for such old wives' tricks,' said Boots, 'out with your +toothpick, and you shall see something like a throw.' + +"Yes! the troll plucked out the club at one pull, and it was as big as +three weaver's beams. Meanwhile Boots stared up at the sky, both south +and north. + +"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'what are you gazing at now?' + +"'I'm looking out for a star at which to throw,' said Boots. 'Do you see +that tiny little one due north, that's the one I choose.' + +"'Nay! nay!' said the troll, 'let it bide as it is. You mustn't throw +away my iron club.' + +"'Well! well!' said Boots, 'you may have it again then, but perhaps you +wouldn't mind if I tossed you up to the moon just for once.' + +"No! the troll would have nothing to say to that either. + +"'Oh! but blindman's buff,' said Boots, 'haven't you a mind to play +blindman's buff?' + +"Yes, that would be fine fun, the troll thought; 'but you shall be +blindfold first,' said the troll to Boots. + +"'Oh, yes, with all my heart,' said the lad, 'but the fairest way is +that we draw lots, and then we shan't have anything to quarrel about.' + +"Yes! yes! that was best, and then you may fancy Boots took care the +troll should be the first to have the handkerchief over his eyes, and +was the first 'buff.' + +"But that just was a game. My! how they went in and out of the wood, and +how the troll ran and stumbled over the stumps, so that the dust flew +and the wood rang. + +"'Haw! haw!' bawled the troll at last, 'the deil take me if I'll be buff +any longer,' for he was in a great rage. + +"'Bide a bit,' said Boots, 'and I'll stand still and call till you come +and catch me.' + +"Meanwhile he took a hemp-comb and ran round to the other side of the +tarn, which was so deep it had no bottom. + +"'Now come, here I stand,' bawled out Boots. + +"'I dare say there are logs and stumps in the way,' said the troll. + +"'Your ears can tell you there is no wood here,' said Boots, and then he +swore to him there were no stumps or stocks. + +"'Now come along.' + +"So the troll set off again, but 'squash' it said, and there lay the +troll in the tarn, and Boots hacked at his eyes with the hemp-comb every +time he got his head above water. + +"Now the troll begged so prettily for his life, that Boots thought it +was a shame to take it, but first he had to give up the princess, and to +bring back the other whom he had stolen before. And besides he had to +promise that folk and flock should have peace, and then he let the troll +out, and he took himself off home to his hill. + +"But now Glibtongue became a man again, and came down out of the +tree-top, and carried off the princess to the grange, as though he had +set her free. And then he stole down and gave his arm to the other also, +when Boots had brought her as far as the garden. And now there was such +joy in the king's grange, that it was heard and talked of over land and +realm, and Glibtongue was to be married to the youngest daughter. + +"Well, it was all good and right, but after all it was not so well, for +just as they were to have the feast, if that old troll had not gone down +under earth and stopped all the springs of water. + +"'If I can't do them any other harm,' he said, 'they sha'n't have water +to boil their bridal brose.' + +"So there was no help for it but to send for Boots again. Then he got +him an iron bar, which was to be fifteen ells long, and six smiths were +to make it red hot. Then he peeped through his key ring, and saw where +the troll was, just as well underground as above it, and then he drove +the bar down through the ground, and into the troll's backbone, and all +I can say was, there was a smell of burnt horn fifteen miles round. + +"'Haw! haw!' bellowed out the troll, 'let me out,' and in a trice he +came tearing up through the hole, and all his back was burnt and singed +up to the nape of his neck. + +"But Boots was not slow, for he caught the troll and laid him on a stake +that had thyme twisted round it, and there he had to be till he told him +where he had got eyes from after those had been hacked out with the +hemp-comb. + +"'If you must know,' said the troll, 'I stole a turnip, and rubbed it +well over with ointment, and then I cut it to the sizes I needed, and +nailed them in tight with ten-penny nails, and better eyes I hope no +Christian man will ever have.' + +"Then the king came with the two princesses, and wanted to see the +troll, and Glibtongue walked so bent and bowed, his coat tails were +higher than his neck. But then the king caught sight of something +glistening in the hair of Boots. + +"'What have you got there?' he said. + +"'Oh!' said Boots, 'nothing but the ring your daughter gave me when I +freed her from the troll.' + +"And now it came out how it had all happened. Glibtongue begged and +prayed for himself, but for all his trying and all his crying there was +no help for it, down he had to go into a pit full of snakes, and there +he lay till he burst. + +"Then they put an end to the troll, and then they began to be noisy and +merry, and to drink and dance at the bridal of Boots, for now he was +king of that company, and he got the youngest princess and half the +kingdom. + + "And here I lay my tale upon a sledge, + And send it thee whose tongue hath sharper edge, + But if thy tongue in wit is not so fine, + Then shame on thee that throwest blame on mine." + + + + +THIS IS THE LAD WHO SOLD THE PIG. + + +"Once on a time there was a widow who had a son and he had set his heart +on being nothing else than a tradesman. But you must know they were so +poor that they had nothing that he could begin his trading with. The +only thing his mother owned in the world was a sow pig, and he begged +and prayed so long and so prettily for that, at last she was forced to +let him have it. + +"When he had got it he was to set off to sell it, that he might have +some money to begin his trading. So he offered it to this man and that, +good and bad alike; but there was no one who just then cared to buy a +pig. At last he came to a rich old hunks; but you know much will always +have more, and that man was one of the sort that never can have enough. + +"'Will you buy a pig to-day?' said the lad; 'a good pig, and a long pig, +and a fine fat pig.' That was what he said. + +"The old hunks asked what he would have for it. It was at least worth +six dollars, even between brothers, said the lad; but the times were so +hard, and money so scarce, he didn't mind selling it for four dollars. +And that was as good as giving it away. + +"No, that the old hunks would not do--he wouldn't give so much as a +dollar even; he had more pigs already than he wanted, and was well off +for pigs of that sort. But as the lad was so eager to sell, he would be +willing to do him a turn, and deal with him; but the most he could give +for the whole pig, every inch of it, was fourpence. If he would take +that down, he might turn his pig into the sty with the rest. That was +what the old hunks said. + +"The lad thought it shameful that he should not get more for his pig; +but then he thought that something was better than nothing, and so he +took the fourpence and turned in the pig. And then he fingered the money +and went about his business. But when he got out into the road, he could +not get it out of his head that he had been cheated out of his pig, and +that he was not much better off with fourpence than with nothing. The +longer he went and thought of this the angrier he got, and at last he +thought to himself,-- + +"'If I could only play him a pretty trick, I wouldn't care either for +the pig or the pence.' + +"So he went away and got him a pair of stout thongs and a +cat-o'-nine-tails, and then he threw over him a big cloak, and put on a +billygoat's beard; and so he went back to the skinflint and said he was +from outlandish parts, where he had learnt to be a master builder--for +you must know he had heard the old hunks was going to build a house. + +"Yes, he would gladly take him as master builder, he said; for +thereabouts there were none but home-taught carpenters. So off they went +to look at the timber, and it was the finest heart of pine that any one +would wish to have in the wall of his house: and even the lad said it +was brave timber--he couldn't say otherwise; but in outlandish parts +they had got a new fashion, which was far better than the old. They did +not take long beams and fit them into the wall, but they cut the beams +up into nice small logs, and then they baked them in the sun and +fastened them together again; and so they wore both stronger and +prettier than an old-fashioned timber building. + +"'That's how they build all the houses now-a-days in outlandish parts,' +said the lad. + +"'If it must be so, it must,' said the hunks. With that he set all the +carpenters and woodmen who were to be found round about to chop and hew +all his beams up into small logs. + +"'But,' said the lad, 'we still want some big trees--some of the real +mast-firs--for our sill-beams; maybe, there are no such big trees in +your wood?' + +"'Well!' said the man; 'if they're not to be found in my wood, it will +be hard to find them anywhere else.' + +"And so they strode off to the wood, both of them; and a little way up +the hill they came to a big tree. + +"'I should think that's big enough,' said the man. + +"'No, it isn't big enough,' said the lad. 'If you haven't bigger trees, +we sha'n't make much way with our building after the new fashion.' + +"'Yes! I have bigger ones,' said the man. 'You shall soon see; but we +must go further on.' + +"So they went a long way over the hill, and at last they came to a big +tree, one of the finest trees for a mast in all the wood. + +"'Do you think this is big enough?' said the man. + +"'I almost think it is,' said the lad. 'We will fathom it, and then we +shall soon see. You go on the other side of the fir, and I will stand +here. If we are not good enough to make our hands meet, it will be big +enough; but mind you stretch out well. Stretch out well, do you hear?' +said the lad, as he took out his thongs. As for the man, he did all the +lad told him. + +"'Yes!' said the lad, 'we shall meet nicely, I can see. But stop a bit, +and I'll stretch your hands better,' he said, as he slipped a running +knot over his wrists and drew it tight and bound him fast to the tree; +then out came the cat-o'-nine-tails, and he fell to flogging the old +hunks as fast as he could, and all the while he cried out,-- + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig, and this is the lad who sold the +pig.' + +"Nor did he leave off till he thought the old hunks had enough, and that +he had got his rights for the pig; and then he loosed him, and left him +lying under the tree. + +"Now when the man did not come home they made a hue and cry for him over +the neighbourhood, and searched the country round; and at last they +found him under the fir-tree, more dead than alive. + +"So when they had got him home the lad came, and had dressed himself up +as a doctor, and said he had come from foreign parts, and knew a cure +for all kinds of hurt. And when the man heard that, he was all for +having him to doctor him, and the lad said he would not be long in +curing him; but he must have him all alone in a room by himself, and no +one must be by. + +"'If you hear him screech and cry out,' he said, 'you must not mind it; +for the more he screeches, the sooner he will be well again.' + +"So when they were alone, he said,-- + +"'First of all I must bleed you.' And so he threw the man roughly down +on a bench and bound him fast with the thongs; and then out came the +cat-o'-nine-tails, and he fell to flogging him as fast as he could. The +man screeched and screamed, for his back was sore, and every lash went +into the bare flesh; and the lad flogged and flogged as though there +were no end to it and all the while he bawled out,-- + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig. This is the lad who sold the pig.' + +"The old hunks bellowed as though a knife were being stuck into him; but +there was not a soul that cared about it, for the more he screeched the +sooner he would be well, they thought. + +"So when the lad had done his doctoring, he set off from the farm as +fast as he could; but they followed fast on his heels, and overtook him +and threw him into prison, and the end was he was doomed to be hanged. + +"And the old hunks was so angry with him, even then, that he would not +have him hanged till he was quite well, so that he might hang him with +his own hands. + +"So while the lad sat there in prison waiting to be hanged, one of the +serving-men came out by night and stole kail in the garden of the old +hunks, and the lad saw him. + +"'So, so!' said he to himself; 'master thief, it will be odd if I don't +play off a trick or two with you before I am hanged.' + +"And so when time went on, and the man was so well he thought he had +strength enough to hang him, he made them set up a gallows down by the +way to the mill, so that he might see the body hanging every time he +went to the mill. So they set out to hang the lad, and when they had +gone a bit of the way, the lad said,-- + +"'You will not refuse to let me talk alone with your servant who grinds +down yonder at the mill? I did him a bad turn once, and I wish now to +confess it, and beg him for forgiveness before I die.' + +"Yes! he might have leave to do that. + +"'Heaven help you!' he said to the miller's man. 'Now your master is +coming to hang you because you stole kail in his garden.' + +"As soon as the miller's man heard that, he was so taken aback he did +not know which way to turn; and so he asked the lad what he should do. + +"'Take and change clothes with me and hide yourself behind the door,' +said the lad; 'and then he will not know that it isn't me. And if he +lays hands on any one, then it will not be you, but me.' + +"It was some time before they had changed clothes and dressed again, and +the old hunks began to be afraid lest the lad should have run away. So +he posted down to the mill door. + +"'Where is he?' he said to the lad, who stood there as white as a +miller. + +"'Oh, he was here just now,' said the lad. 'I think he went and hid +himself behind the door.' + +"'I'll teach you to hide behind the door, you rogue,' said the old +hunks, as he seized the man in a great rage, and hurried him off to the +gallows and hanged him in a breath; and all the while he never knew it +was not the lad that he hanged. + +"After that was done, he wanted to go into the mill to talk to his man, +who was busy grinding. Meantime the lad had wedged up the upper +millstone, and was feeling under it with his hands. + +"Come here, come here,' he called out as soon as he saw the old hunks; +'and you shall feel what a wonderful millstone this is.' + +"So the man went and felt the millstone with one hand. + +"'Nay, nay,' said the lad; 'you'll never feel it unless you take hold of +it with both hands.' + +"Well, he did so; and just then the lad snatched out the wedge and let +the upper millstone down on him, so that he was caught fast by the hands +between the stones. Then out came the cat-o'-nine-tails again, and he +fell to flogging him as fast as he could. + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig,' he cried out, till he was hoarse. + +"And when he had flogged him as much as he could he went home to his +mother; and as time went on, and he thought the man had come to himself +again, he said to her,-- + +"'Yes! now I daresay that man will be coming to whom I sold the pig; and +now I know no other trick to screen me any longer from him, unless I dig +a hole here south of the house, and there I will lie all day; and you +must mind and say to him just what I tell you.' + +"So the lad told his mother all she was to say and do. + +"Then he dug such a hole as he had said, and took with him a long +butcher's knife, and lay down in it; and his mother covered him over +with boughs, and leaves, and moss, so that he was quite hidden! There he +lay by day; and after a while the man came travelling along and asked +for the lad. + +"'Ay, ay,' said his mother. 'He was a man, that he was; though he never +got from me more than one sow pig. For he became both a doctor and a +master builder, and he was hanged after that, and rose again from the +dead; and yet I never heard anything but ill of him. Here he came flying +home the other day, and then he gave me the greatest joy I ever had of +him, for he laid him down and died. As for me, I did not care enough for +him to spend money on a priest and Christian earth; but I just buried +him yonder, south of the house, and raked over him boughs and leaves.' + +"'See now,' said the old hunks; 'if he hasn't cheated me after all, and +slipped through my fingers. But though I have not been avenged on him +living, I will do him a dishonour in his grave.' + +"As he said this he strode away south to the grave, and stooped down to +spit into it; but at that very moment the lad stuck the knife into him +up to the handle, and bawled out,-- + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig! This is the lad who sold the pig!' + +"Away flew the man with the knife sticking in him, and he was so scared +and afraid, that nothing has ever been heard or seen of him since." + + + + +THE SHEEP AND THE PIG WHO SET UP HOUSE. + + +"Once on a time there was a sheep who stood in the pen to be fattened; +so he lived well, and was stuffed and crammed with everything that was +good. So it went on, till, one day, the dairymaid came and gave him +still more food, and then she said, + +"'Eat away, sheep; you won't be much longer here; we are going to kill +you to-morrow.' + +"It is an old saying, that women's counsel is always worth having, and +that there is a cure and physic for everything but death. 'But, after +all,' said the sheep to himself, 'there may be a cure even for death +this time.' + +"So he ate till he was ready to burst; and when he was crammed full, he +butted out the door of the pen, and took his way to the neighbouring +farm. There he went to the pigsty to a pig whom he had known out on the +common, and ever since had been the best friends with. + +"'Good day!' said the sheep, 'and thanks for our last merry meeting.' + +"'Good day!' answered the pig, 'and the same to you.' + +"'Do you know,' said the sheep, 'why it is you are so well off, and why +it is they fatten you and take such pains with you?' + +"'No, I don't,' said the pig. + +"'Many a flask empties the cask; I suppose you know that,' said the +sheep. 'They are going to kill and eat you.' + +"'Are they?' said the pig; 'well, I hope they'll say grace after meat.' + +"'If you will do as I do,' said the sheep, 'we'll go off to the wood, +build us a house, and set up for ourselves. A home is a home be it ever +so homely.' + +"Yes! the pig was willing enough. 'Good company is such a comfort,' he +said, and so the two set off. + +"So, when they had gone a bit they met a goose. + +"'Good day, good sirs, and thanks for our last merry meeting,' said the +goose; 'whither away so fast to-day?' + +"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep; 'you must know we were +too well off at home, and so we are going to set up for ourselves in the +wood, for you know every man's house is his castle.' + +"'Well!' said the goose, 'it's much the same with me where I am. Can't I +go with you too, for it's child's play when three share the day.' + +"'With gossip and gabble is built neither house nor stable,' said the +pig, 'let us know what you can do.' + +"'By cunning and skill a cripple can do what he will,' said the goose. +'I can pluck moss and stuff it into the seams of the planks, and your +house will be tight and warm.' + +"Yes! they would give him leave, for, above all things piggy wished to +be warm and comfortable. + +"So, when they had gone a bit farther--the goose had hard work to walk +so fast--they met a hare, who came frisking out of the wood. + +"'Good day, good sirs, and thanks for our last merry meeting,' she said, +'how far are you trotting to-day?' + +"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep; 'we were far too well +off at home, and so we're going to the wood, to build us a house, and +set up for ourselves, for you know, try all the world round, there's +nothing like home.' + +"'As for that,' said the hare, 'I have a house in every bush--yes, a +house in every bush; but, yet, I have often said, in winter, 'if I only +live till summer, I'll build me a house;' and so I have half a mind to +go with you and build one up, after all.' + +"'Yes!' said the pig, 'if we ever get into a scrape, we might use you to +scare away the dogs, for you don't fancy you could help us in house +building.' + +"'He who lives long enough always finds work enough to do,' said the +hare. 'I have teeth to gnaw pegs, and paws to drive them into the wall, +so I can very well set up to be a carpenter, for "good tools make good +work," as the man said, when he flayed the mare with a gimlet.' + +"Yes! he too got leave to go with them and build their house, there was +nothing more to be said about it. + +"When they had gone a bit farther they met a cock. + +"'Good day, good sirs,' said the cock, 'and thanks for our last merry +meeting; whither are ye going to-day, gentlemen?' + +"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep. 'At home we were too +well off, and so we are going off to the wood to build us a house, and +set up for ourselves; for he who out of doors shall bake, loses at last +both coal and cake.' + +"'Well!' said the cock, 'that's just my case; but it's better to sit on +one's own perch, for then one can never be left in the lurch, and, +besides, all cocks crow loudest at home. Now, if I might have leave to +join such a gallant company, I also would like to go to the wood and +build a house.' + +"'Ay! ay!' said the pig, 'flapping and crowing sets tongues a-going; but +a jaw on a stick never yet laid a brick. How can you ever help us to +build a house?' + +"'Oh!' said the cock, 'that house will never have a clock, where there +is neither dog nor cock. I am up early, and I wake every one.' + +"'Very true,' said the pig, 'the morning hour has a golden dower; let +him come with us;' for, you must know, piggy was always the soundest +sleeper. 'Sleep is the biggest thief,' he said; 'he thinks nothing of +stealing half one's life.' + +"So they all set off to the wood, as a band and brotherhood, and built +the house. The pig hewed the timber, and the sheep drew it home; the +hare was carpenter, and gnawed pegs and bolts, and hammered them into +the walls and roof; the goose plucked moss and stuffed it into the +seams; the cock crew, and looked out that they did not oversleep +themselves in the morning; and when the house was ready, and the roof +lined with birch bark, and thatched with turf; there they lived by +themselves, and were merry and well. ''Tis good to travel east and +west,' said the sheep, 'but after all a home is best.' + +"But you must know that a bit farther on in the wood was a wolf's den, +and there lived two graylegs. So when they saw that a new house had +risen up hard by, they wanted to know what sort of folk their neighbours +were, for they thought to themselves that a good neighbour was better +than a brother in a foreign land, and that it was better to live in a +good neighbourhood than to know many people miles and miles off. + +"So one of them made up an errand, and went into the new house and asked +for a light for his pipe. But as soon as ever he got inside the door, +the sheep gave him such a butt that he fell head foremost into the +stove. Then the pig began to gore and bite him, the goose to nip and +peck him, the cock upon the roost to crow and chatter; and as for the +hare he was so frightened out of his wits, that he ran about aloft and +on the floor, and scratched and scrambled in every corner of the house. + +"So after a long time the wolf came out. + +"'Well!' said the one who waited for him outside, 'neighbourhood makes +brotherhood. You must have come into a perfect paradise on bare earth, +since you stayed so long. But what became of the light, for you have +neither pipe nor smoke.' + +"'Yes, yes!' said the other; 'it was just a nice light and a pleasant +company. Such manners I never saw in all my life. But then you know we +can't pick and choose in this wicked world, and an unbidden guest gets +bad treatment. As soon as I got inside the door, the shoe-maker let fly +at me with his last, so that I fell head foremost into the stithy fire; +and there sat two smiths who blew the bellows and made the sparks fly, +and beat and punched me with red hot tongs and pincers, so that they +tore whole pieces out of my body. As for the hunter he went scrambling +about looking for his gun, and it was good luck he did not find it. And +all the while there was another who sat up under the roof, and slapped +his arms and sang out, + +"'Put a hook into him, and drag him hither, drag him hither.' That was +what he screamed, and if he had only got hold of me, I should never have +come out alive." + + + + +THE GOLDEN PALACE THAT HUNG IN THE AIR. + + +"Once on a time there was a poor man who had three sons. When he died +the two eldest were to go out into the world to try their luck; but as +for the youngest they would not have him at any price. + +"'As for you,' they said, 'you are fit for nothing but to sit and hold +fir tapers, and grub in the ashes and blow up the embers. That's what +you are fit for.' + +"'Well, well,' said Boots, 'then I must e'en go alone by myself: at any +rate I shan't fall out with my company.' + +"So the two went their way, and when they had travelled some days they +came to a great wood. There they sat down to rest, and were just going +to take out a meal from their knapsack, for they were both tired and +hungry. So as they sat there up came an old hag out of a hillock, and +begged for a morsel of meat. She was so old and feeble that her nose and +mouth met, and she nodded with her head, and could only walk with a +stick. As for meat she had not had, she said, a morsel in her mouth +these hundred years. But the lads only laughed at her, and ate on and +told her as she had lived so long on nothing, she might very well hold +out the rest of her life, even though she did not eat up their scanty +fare, for they had little to eat and nothing to spare. + +"So when they had eaten their fill and could eat no more, and were quite +rested, they went on their way again, and, sooner or later, they came to +the King's Grange, and there they each of them got a place. + +"A while after they had started from home, Boots gathered together the +crumbs which his brothers had thrown on one side, and put them into his +little scrip, and he took with him the old gun which had no lock, for he +thought it might be some good on the way; and so he set off. So when he +had wandered some days, he too came into the big wood, through which his +brothers had passed, and as he got tired and hungry, he sat down under a +tree that he might rest and eat; but he had his eyes about him for all +that, and as he opened his scrip he saw a picture hanging on a tree, and +on it was painted the likeness of a young girl or princess, whom he +thought so lovely he couldn't keep his eyes off her. So he forgot both +food and scrip, and took down the painting and lay and stared at it. +Just then came up the old hag out of the hillock, who hobbled along with +her stick, whose nose and mouth met, and whose head nodded. Then she +begged for a little food, for she hadn't had a morsel of bread in her +mouth for a hundred years. That was what she said. + +"'Then it's high time you had a little to live on, granny,' said the +lad; and with that he gave her some of the crumbs he had. The old hag +said no one had ever called her 'granny' these hundred years, and she +would be as a mother to him in her turn. Then she gave him a grey ball +of wool, which he had only to roll on before him and he would come to +whatever place he wished; but as for the painting she said he mustn't +bother himself about that, he would only fall into ill luck if he did. +As for Boots, he thought it was very kind of her to say that, but he +could not bear to be without the painting, so he took it under his arm +and rolled the ball of wool before him, and it was not long before he +came to the King's Grange, where his brothers served. There he too +begged for a place, but all the answer he got was they had nothing to +put him to, for they had just got two new serving men. But as he begged +so prettily, at last he got leave to be with the coachman, and learn how +to groom and handle horses. That he was right glad to do, for he was +fond of horses, and he was both quick and ready, so that he soon learnt +how to bed and rub them down, and it was not long before every one in +the King's Grange was fond of him; but every hour he had to himself he +was up in the loft looking at the picture, for he had hung it up in a +corner of the hay-loft. + +"As for his brothers, they were dull and lazy, and so they often got +scolding and stripes, and when they saw that Boots fared better than +they, they got jealous of him, and told the coachman he was a worshipper +of false gods, for he prayed to a picture and not to Our Lord. Now, even +though the coachman thought well of the lad, still he wasn't long before +he told the king what he had heard. But the king only swore and snapped +at him, for he had grown very sad and sorrowful since his daughters had +been carried off by trolls. But they so dinned it into the king's ears, +that at last he must and would know what it was that the lad did. But +when he went up into the hay-loft and set his eyes on the picture, he +saw it was his youngest daughter who was painted on it. But when the +brothers of Boots heard that, they were ready with an answer, and said +to the coachman, + +"'If our brother only would, he has said he was good to get the king's +daughter back.' + +"You may fancy it was not long before the coachman went to the king with +this story, and when the king heard it, he called for Boots, and said, + +"'Your brothers say you can bring back my daughter again, and now you +must do it.' + +"Boots answered, he had never known it was the king's daughter till the +king said so himself, and if he could free her and fetch her he would be +sure to do his best; but two days he must have to think over it and fit +himself out. Yes, he might have two days. + +"So Boots took the grey ball of wool and threw it down on the road, and +it rolled and rolled before him, and he followed it till he came to the +old hag, from whom he had got it. Her he asked what he must do, and she +said he must take with him that old gun of his and three hundred chests +of nails and horseshoe brads, and three hundred barrels of barley, and +three hundred barrels of grits, and three hundred carcases of pigs, and +three hundred beeves, and then he was to roll the ball of wool before +him till he met a raven and a baby troll, and then he would be all +right, for they were both of her stock. Yes, the lad did as she bade +him; he went right on to the King's Grange, and took his old gun with +him, and he asked the king for the nails and the brads, and meat and +flesh, and grain, and for horses and men, and carts to carry them in. +The king thought it was a good deal to ask, but if he could only get his +daughter back, he might have whatever he chose, even to the half of his +kingdom. + +"So when the lad had fitted himself out, he rolled the ball of wool +before him again, and he hadn't gone many days before he came to a high +hill, and there sat a raven, up in a fir tree. So Boots went on till he +came close under the tree, and then he began to aim and point at the +raven with his gun. + +"'No, no,' cried the raven, 'don't shoot me, don't shoot me, and I'll +help you.' + +"'Well,' said Boots, 'I never heard of anyone who boasted he had eaten +roast raven, and since you are so eager to save your life, I may just as +well spare it.' + +"So he threw down his gun, and the raven came flying down to him, and +said, + +"'Here, up on this fell there is a baby troll walking up and down, for +he has lost his way and can't get down again. I will help you up, and +then you can lead him home, and ask a boon which will stand you in good +stead. When you get to the troll's house he will offer you all the +grandest things he has, but you should not heed them a pin. Mind you +take nothing else but the little grey ass which stands behind the stable +door.' + +"Then the raven took Boots on his back and flew up on the hill with him, +and put him off there. When he had gone about on it a bit, he heard the +baby troll howling and whining, because it couldn't get down again. So +the lad talked kindly to it, and they got the best friends in the world, +and he said he would help it down and guide it to the old troll's house, +that it mightn't lose itself on the way back. Then they went to the +raven, and he took them both on his back, and carried them off the hill +troll's house. + +"And when the old troll saw his baby, he was so glad he was beside +himself, and told Boots he might come indoors and take whatever he +chose, because he had freed his child. Then they offered him both gold +and silver, and all that was rare and costly; but the lad said he would +rather have a horse than anything else. Yes, he should have a horse, the +troll said, and off they went to the stable. It was full of the grandest +horses, whose coats shone like the sun and moon; but Boots thought they +were all too big for him. So he peeped behind the stable door, and when +he set eyes on the little grey ass that stood there, he said, + +"'I'll take this one. It will suit me to a T, and if I fall off I shall +be no farther from the ground than that ---- high.' + +"The old troll did not at all like to part with his ass, but as he had +given his word he had to stand by it. So Boots got the ass, and saddle, +and bridle, and all that belonged to it, and then he set off. They +travelled through wood and field, and over fells and wide wastes. So +when they had gone farther than far, the ass asked Boots if he saw +anything. + +"'No, I see naught else than a hill, which looks blue in the distance,' +said Boots. + +"'Oh,' said the ass, 'that hill we have to pass through.' + +"'All very fine, I daresay,' said Boots, for he didn't believe a word of +it. + +"So when they got close to the hill, an unicorn came tearing along at +them, just as if he were going to eat them up all alive. + +"'I almost think now I'm afraid,' said Boots. + +"'Oh,' said the ass, 'don't say so; just throw it a score or so of +beeves, and beg it to bore a hole, and break a way for us through the +hill.' + +"So Boots did as he was told, and when the unicorn had eaten his fill, +they said they would give him a score or two of pigs' carcasses, if he +would go before them and bore a hole in the hill, so that they might get +through it. So when he heard that he set to work and bored the hole, and +broke a way so fast that they had hard work to keep up with him, and +when he had done his work they threw him two score of pigs. + +"So when they had got well out of that they travelled far away, until +they passed again through woods and fields and across fells and wide +wastes. + +"'Do you see anything now?' asked the ass. + +"'Now I see naught but the bare sky and wild fells,' said Boots. + +"So they travelled on far and farther than far, and the higher up they +came the fell got smoother and flatter, so that they could see farther +about them. + +"'Do you see anything now?' said the ass. + +"'Yes, I see something far, far away,' said Boots, 'and it gleams and +twinkles like a little star.' + +"'It's not so very little for all that,' said the ass. + +"So when they had gone on farther and farther than far again, the ass +asked again, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Yes,' said Boots, 'I see something a long way off, that shines like a +moon.' + +"'It is no moon,' said the ass, 'but the silver castle we are bound for. +Now, when we get there you will see three dragons lying on the watch +before the gate. They have not been awakened for hundreds of years, and +so the moss has grown over their eyes.' + +"'I almost think I shall be afraid of them,' said Boots. + +"'Oh, don't say that,' said the ass, 'you've only got to wake up the +youngest, and throw it a score or so of beeves and swine, and then it +will talk to the others, and so you'll come into the castle.' + +"So on they travelled far and farther than far again before they came up +to the castle, but when they reached it it was both grand and great, and +everything they saw was cast in silver, and outside the gate lay the +dragons, and blocked up the way so that no one could get in; but they +had a nice easy time of it, and had not been much troubled in their +watch; for they were so overgrown with moss that no one could tell what +they were made of, and at their sides underwood was springing up between +the tufts of moss. So Boots woke up the youngest of them, and it began +to rub its eyes and clear the moss out of them. But when the dragon saw +there was folk there, he came at them with his maw wide a-gape; but then +the lad stood ready, and tossed into it the carcasses of beeves, and +swung after them salted swine, till the dragon had got his fill, and +grew a little more sensible to talk to. Then the lad begged he would +wake up his fellows, and ask them to be so good as to get out of the +way, so that he might get into the castle; but the dragon neither would +nor dared to do that at first, for he said, as they had not been awake +or tasted anything for hundreds of years, he was afraid lest they should +get raving mad, and swallow up everything alive or dead. + +"But Boots thought there was no need to fear that, for they could leave +behind them a hundred carcasses of beeves, and a hundred salt swine, and +go a little way off and then the dragons would have time to eat their +fill, and to come to themselves before the others came back to the +castle. + +"Yes, the dragon was ready to do that, and so they did it; but before +the dragons were well awake, and got the moss rubbed off their eyes; +they went about roaring and raving, and riving and rending at everything +alive or dead, so that the youngest dragon had enough to do to shield +himself from them till they had snuffed up the smell of flesh. Then they +swallowed down whole oxen and swine, and ate and ate till they were +full. And after that they were just as tame and buxom as the youngest, +and let Boots pass between them into the castle. + +"When he got inside it was all so grand he never could have thought +anything could be so good anywhere; but there was not a soul in it, for +he went from room to room, and opened all the doors, but he could see no +one. Well, at last he peeped through a door that led to a bedroom, which +he had not seen before, and in there sat a princess, spinning, and she +was so glad and happy when she saw him. + +"'No, no,' she cried, 'can it be that Christian folk dare to come +hither? but it will be best for you to be off again, else the troll +might kill you, for you must know a troll lives with three heads.' + +"But Boots said he would not fly even if he had seven heads. When the +princess heard that, she said she wished him to try if he could brandish +the great rusty sword that hung behind the door. No, he could not +brandish it, he could not so much as even lift it. + +"'Ah,' said the princess, 'if you can't do that you must take a drink of +that flask yonder, that hangs by the side of the sword, for that's what +the troll does when he goes out to use it.' + +"So Boots took two or three drinks, and then he could brandish the sword +as though it were a rolling pin. + +"Just then came the troll, so that the wind sung after him. + +"'Hu!' he screeched out, 'what a smell of Christian blood there is in +here.' + +"'I know there is,' said Boots, 'but you needn't blow and snort so at +it; you shan't suffer long from that smell,' and in a trice he cut off +all his heads. + +"The princess was so glad, just as if she had got something so good; but +in a little while she got heavy-hearted, for she pined for her sister, +who had been stolen by a troll with six heads, and lived in a golden +castle three hundred miles on this side of the world's end. Boots +thought that was not so very bad, for he could go and fetch both the +princess and the castle; and so he took the sword and the flask, and got +on the ass, and bade the dragons follow him, and carry the meat, and +grain, and nails which he had. + +"So when they had been a while on the way, and had travelled far, far +away over land and strand, the ass said one day, + +"'Do you see anything?' + +"'I see naught,' said Boots, 'but land and water and bare sky and high +crags.' + +"So they went on far and farther than far, and then the ass said again, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Yes,' when he had looked well before him, he saw something a long, +long way off, that shone like a little star. + +"'It will be big enough by-and-by,' said the ass. + +"When they had gone a good bit still, the ass asked, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Now I see it shining like a moon,' said the lad. + +"'Ay, ay,' said the ass, and on they went. + +"So when they had gone far, and farther than far away, over land and +strand, and hill and heath, the ass asked, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Now, methinks,' said Boots, 'it shines most like the sun.' + +"'Ay,' said the ass, 'that's the golden castle for which we are bound; +but outside it lives a worm, which stops the way and keeps watch and +ward.' + +"'I think I shall be afraid of it,' said Boots. + +"'Oh, don't say so,' said the ass, 'we must spread over it heaps of +boughs, and lay between them layers of horseshoe brads and nails, and +set fire to them all, and so we shall be rid of it.' + +"So after a long, long time they came up to where the castle hung in the +air, but the worm lay underneath it and stopped the way. So the lad gave +the dragons a good meal of beeves and salted swine, that they might help +him, and they spread over the worm heaps of boughs and wood, and laid +between them layers of nails and brads, till they had used up the three +hundred chests, and when it was all done they set fire to the pile and +burned up the worm alive, in a fire at white heat. + +"So when they had done with him one dragon flew under the castle and +lifted it up, and the two others went up high, high into the air, and +unloosed the links and hooks by which it hung, and so they lowered it +down and set it on the ground. When that was done Boots went inside, and +there it was grander far than in the silvern castle, but he could see no +folk till he came to the innermost room, and there lay a princess on a +bed of gold. She slept so sound, as though she were dead, but she was +not, though he was not able to wake her up, for her face was as red and +white as milk and blood. And just as Boots stood there gazing at her, +back came the troll tearing along. As soon as he put his first head +through the door he screamed out, + +"'Hu! what a smell of Christian blood there is in here.' + +"'Maybe,' said Boots, 'but you've no need to smell and snort about that; +you shan't suffer long from it.' + +"And with that he cut off all his heads, as though they stood on a kail +stalk. + +"So the dragons took the golden castle on their backs and went home with +it--I fancy they were not long on the way--and set it down side by side +with the silvern castle, so that it shone both far and wide. + +"Now when the princess of the silvern castle came to her window in the +morning, and caught sight of it, she was so glad that she sprang over to +the golden castle at once; but when she saw her sister lying there and +sleeping as though she were dead, she said to Boots that they would +never get life into her before they found the water of life and death, +and that stood in two wells on either side of a golden castle which hung +in the air, nine hundred miles beyond the world's end, and where the +third sister dwelt. + +"Well, Boots thought there was no help for it; he must go and fetch it, +and it was not long before he was on his way. So he travelled far and +farther than far, through many realms, across wood and field, over fell +and firth, along hill and heath, and at last he got to the world's end, +and after that he travelled far, far over crags and wastes and high +rocks. + +"'Do you see anything?' asked the ass one day. + +"'I see naught but heaven and earth,' said the lad. + +"'Do you see anything now?' asked the ass again, when some days were +past. + +"'Yes,' said Boots, 'now I see something that glimmers very high up, +far, far away, like a little star.' + +"'It's not so little for all that,' said the ass. + +"So when they had travelled on a while, the ass asked, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Yes,' said Boots, 'now it shines like the sun.' + +"'That's whither we are bound,' said the ass; 'it's the golden castle +that hangs in the air, and there lives a princess who has been stolen by +a troll with nine heads; but all the wild beasts there are in the world +lie on watch, and stop the way thither.' + +"'Uf,' said Boots, 'I almost think I'm afraid of them.' + +"'Don't say so,' said the ass; and then he told him there was no danger, +if he would only make up his mind not to linger there, but to set off on +his way back as soon as ever he had filled his flasks with the water, +for there was no going thither but during one hour in the day, and that +began at high noon; but if he were not man enough to be ready in time +and to get away, the beasts would tear him into a thousand pieces. + +"Well, Boots said he would be sure to do that, he would not think of +staying too long. + +"At the stroke of twelve they reached the castle, and there lay all the +wild and savage beasts that ever were, as it were a fence before the +gate, and on either side of the way. But they all slumbered like stocks +and stones, and there wasn't one of them that so much as lifted a paw. +So Boots passed between them, and took good heed not to tread on their +toes or the tips of their tails, and he filled his flasks with the +waters of life and death, and while he did that he looked up at the +castle, which was as though it were cast in pure gold. It was the +grandest he had ever seen, and he thought it would be grander still +inside than out. + +"'Stuff,' thought Boots, 'I have time enough, I can always look about me +in half an hour,' and so he opened the door and went in. Well, inside it +was grander than grand itself, and as he went out of one gorgeous room +into another, it was as if it was all made of gold and pearls, and +everything that was costliest in the world. Folk there were none; but at +last he came into a bedroom where there lay another princess on a bed of +gold, just as though she were dead too, but she was as grand as the +grandest queen, and as red and white as blood on snow, and so lovely he +had never seen anything so lovely but her picture; for she it was that +was painted on it. + +"Then Boots forgot both the water he was to fetch, and the wild beasts, +and the castle and everything, and could only gaze at the princess; and +he thought he could never have his fill of looking at her; but all the +while she slept as though she were dead, and he was not able to wake her +up. + +"So when it drew towards evening, the troll came tearing along so that +the wind sung after him, and he rattled and slammed the gates and doors +till the whole castle rang again. + +"'Huf,' he cried; 'what a strong smell of Christian blood there is in +here;' and then he stuck his first head inside the door and snuffed up +the air. + +"'I daresay there is,' said Boots, 'but you've no need to puff and blow +as though you were about to burst, for it shan't vex you long;' and as +he said that he cut off all his nine heads. But when he had done that he +got so weary he couldn't keep his eyes open. So he laid him down on the +bed by the side of the princess, and all the while she slept both night +and day, as though she would never wake again; only at midnight she just +woke up for the twinkling of an eye, and then she told him that he had +set her free, but she must bide there three years still, and if she +didn't come home to him then he must just come and fetch her. + +"When the clock began to go towards one next day, Boots woke for the +first time, and the first thing he heard was the ass braying and +screaming and making a stir, and so he thought he would get up and set +off home, but before he went he cut a breadth out of the princess's +skirt, and took it away with him. And however it was, he had loitered so +long there that the beasts began to wake and stir, and by the time he +had mounted his ass they stood in a ring round him, so that he thought +it had rather a ghastly look. But the ass said he must sprinkle on them +a few drops of the water of death, and he did so, and in a trice they +all fell headlong on the spot, and never stirred a limb more. + +"As they were on their way home, the ass said to Boots,-- + +"'Now when you come to honour and glory, see if you don't forget me and +all I have done for you, so that I shall be broken-kneed for hunger.' + +"'Nay, nay! that should never be,' said the lad. + +"So when he got home to the princess with the water of life, she +sprinkled a few drops over her sister, and woke her up, and then there +was such great joy and they were so happy. Then they travelled home to +the king, and he too was glad and joyful, because he had got those two +back; but still he went about longing and longing that the three years +might pass away, and his youngest daughter come home. + +"As for Boots, who had brought them back, the king made him a mighty +man, so that he was the first in the land after the king himself. But +there were many who were jealous that he should have grown to be such a +man of mark, and one of them was Ritter Red, who they did say wished to +have the eldest princess, and he got her to sprinkle over Boots a little +of the water of death, so that he swooned off and lay as dead. + +"So when the three years were over, and a bit of the fourth was gone, +there came sailing up a strange ship of war, and on board was the third +sister, and with her she had a boy three years old. She sent word up to +the King's Grange, and said she would not set her foot on land till they +had sent him who had been in the golden castle and set her free. So they +sent down to her one of the highest men about the court, the master of +the ceremonies himself; and when he came on board the princess' ship, he +took off his hat and bowed and scraped, and bent himself before her. + +"'Can that be your father? my son,' said the princess to her boy, who +was playing with a golden apple. + +"'No,' said the child, 'my father doesn't crawl about like a +cheesemite.' + +"So they sent another of the same stamp, and this time it was Ritter +Red. But it fared no better with him than with the first one, and the +princess sent word by him, if they didn't make haste and send the right +one, it should go ill with them. When they heard that they were forced +to wake up Boots with the water of life; and so he went down to the ship +to the princess, but he didn't make too low a bow, I should think; he +only nodded his head and brought out the breadth he had cut out of the +skirt of the princess in the golden castle. + +"'That's my father! that's my father!' bawled out the boy, and gave him +the golden apple he was playing with. + +"Then there was great joy and mirth all over the realm, and the old king +was the gladdest of all of them, because he had got his darling back +again. But when what Ritter Red and the eldest princess had done to +Boots came out, the king asked to have them both rolled down a hill, +each in a cask full of spikes and nails; but Boots and the youngest +princess begged hard for them, and so they got off with life. + +"Now it happened one day, as they were about to begin the bridal feast, +that they stood looking out of window,--it was towards spring, just when +they were turning out the horses and cows after the winter--and the last +that came out of the stable was the ass; but it was so starved that it +came out of the stable-door on its knees. + +"Then Boots was cut to the heart because he had forgotten it, and he +went down and did not know how to make it up to the poor beast. But the +ass said the best thing he could do was to cut his head off. That he was +very loath to do, but the ass begged so prettily that he had to yield, +and did it at last; and as soon as ever his head fell in the yard, it +was all over with the shape which had been thrown over him by +witchcraft, and there stood the handsomest prince any one cared to see. +He got the second princess to wife, and they fell to keeping the bridal +feast, so that it was heard and talked of over seven kingdoms. + + 'Then they built themselves houses, + And stitched themselves shoon, + And had so many bairns + They reached up to the moon.'" + + + + +LITTLE FREDDY WITH HIS FIDDLE. + + +"Once on a time there was a cottager who had an only son, and this lad +was weakly, and hadn't much health to speak of; so he couldn't go out to +work in the field. + +"His name was Freddy, and undersized he was, too; and so they called him +Little Freddy. At home there was little either to bite or sup, and so +his father went about the country trying to bind him over as a cowherd +or an errand-boy; but there was no one who would take his son till he +came to the sheriff, and he was ready to take him, for he had just +packed off his errand-boy, and there was no one who would fill his +place, for the story went that he was a skinflint. + +"But the cottager thought it was better there than nowhere: he would get +his food, for all the pay he was to get was his board--there was nothing +said about wages or clothes. So when the lad had served three years he +wanted to leave, and then the sheriff gave him all his wages at one +time. He was to have a penny a year. 'It couldn't well be less,' said +the sheriff. And so he got threepence in all. + +"As for little Freddy, he thought it was a great sum, for he had never +owned so much; but for all that he asked if he wasn't to have something +more. + +"'You have already had more than you ought to have,' said the sheriff. + +"'Sha'n't I have anything, then, for clothes?' asked little Freddy; 'for +those I had on when I came here are worn to rags, and I have had no new +ones.' + +"And, to tell the truth, he was so ragged that the tatters hung and +flapped about him. + +"'When you have got what we agreed on,' said the sheriff, 'and three +whole pennies beside, I have nothing more to do with you. Be off!' + +"But for all that he got leave just to go into the kitchen and get a +little food to put in his scrip; and after that he set off on the road +to buy himself more clothes. He was both merry and glad, for he had +never seen a penny before; and every now and then he felt in his pockets +as he went along to see if he had them all three. So when he had gone +far, and farther than far, he got into a narrow dale, with high fells on +all sides, so that he couldn't tell if there were any way to pass out; +and he began to wonder what there could be on the other side of those +fells, and how he ever should get over them. + +"But up and up he had to go, and on he strode; he was not strong on his +legs, and had to rest every now and then--and then he counted and +counted how many pennies he had got. So when he had got quite up to the +very top, there was nothing but a great plain overgrown with moss. There +he sat him down, and began to see if his money were all right; and +before he was aware of him a beggarman came up to him--and he was so +tall and big that the lad began to scream and screech when he got a good +look of him, and saw his height and length. + +"'Don't you be afraid,' said the beggarman, 'I'll do you no harm; I only +beg for a penny, in God's name.' + +"'Heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I have only three pennies, and with +them I was going to the town to buy clothes.' + +"'It is worse for me than for you,' said the beggarman. "'I have got no +penny, and I am still more ragged than you.' + +"'Well! then you shall have it,' said the lad. + +"So when he had walked on awhile he got weary, and sat down to rest +again. But when he looked up there he saw another beggarman, and he was +still taller and uglier than the first; and so when the lad saw how very +tall and ugly and long he was he fell a-screeching. + +"'Now, don't you be afraid of me,' said the beggar; 'I'll not do you any +harm. I only beg for a penny, in God's name.' + +"'Now, may heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I've only got two pence, and +with them I was going to the town to buy clothes. If I had only met you +sooner, then----' + +"'It's worse for me than for you,' said the beggarman. I have no penny, +and a bigger body and less clothing.' + +"'Well, you may have it,' said the lad. + +"So he went awhile farther, till he got weary, and then he sat down to +rest; but he had scarce sat down than a third beggarman came to him. He +was so tall and ugly and long, that the lad had to look up and up, right +up to the sky. And when he took him all in with his eyes, and saw how +very, very tall and ugly and ragged he was he fell a-screeching and +screaming again. + +"'Now, don't you be afraid of me, my lad,' said the beggarman. 'I'll do +you no harm; for I am only a beggarman, who begs for a penny in God's +name.' + +"'May heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I have only one penny left, and +with it I was going to the town to buy clothes. If I had only met you +sooner, then----' + +"'As for that,' said the beggarman, 'I have no penny at all--that I +haven't, and a bigger body and less clothes, so it is worse for me than +for you.' + +"'Yes!' said little Freddy, he must have the penny then--there was no +help for it; for so each would have what belonged to him, and he would +have nothing. + +"'Well!' said the beggarman, 'since you have such a good heart that you +gave away all that you had in the world, I will give you a wish for each +penny.' For you must know it was the same beggarman who had got them all +three; he had only changed his shape each time, that the lad might not +know him again. + +"'I have always had such a longing to hear a fiddle go, and see folk so +glad and merry that they couldn't help dancing,' said the lad; and so, +if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a fiddle, that +everything that has life must dance to its tune.' + +"'That he might have,' said the beggarman; but it was a sorry wish. 'You +must wish something better for the other two pennies.' + +"'I have always had such a love for hunting and shooting,' said little +Freddy; 'so if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a gun +that I shall hit everything I aim at, were it ever so far off.' + +"'That he might have,' said the beggarman; 'but it was a sorry wish. You +must wish better for the last penny.' + +"'I have always had a longing to be in company with folk who were kind +and good,' said little Freddy; and so, if I could get what I wish, I +would wish it to be so that no one can say 'Nay' to the first thing I +ask.' + +"'That wish was not so sorry,' said the beggarman; and off he strode +between the hills, and he saw him no more. And so the lad laid down to +sleep, and the next day he came down from the fell with his fiddle and +his gun. + +"First he went to the storekeeper and asked for clothes, and at one farm +he asked for a horse, and at another for a sledge; and at this place he +asked for a fur-coat, and no one said him 'Nay,'--even the stingiest +folk, they were all forced to give him what he asked for. At last he +went through the country as a fine gentleman, and had his horse and his +sledge; and so when he had gone a bit he met the sheriff with whom he +had served. + +"'Good-day, master,' said Little Freddy, as he pulled up and took off +his hat. + +"'Good-day,' said the sheriff. And then he went on, 'When was I ever +your master?' + +"'Oh, yes!' said little Freddy. 'Don't you remember how I served you +three years for three pence?' + +"'Heaven help us!' said the sheriff. 'How you have got on all of a +hurry! And pray how was it that you got to be such a fine gentleman?' + +"'Oh, that's telling!' said little Freddy. + +"'And are you full of fun, that you carry a fiddle about with you?' +asked the sheriff. + +"'Yes! yes!' said Freddy. 'I have always had such a longing to get folk +to dance; but the funniest thing of all is this gun, for it brings down +almost anything that I aim at, however far it may be off. Do you see +that magpie yonder, sitting in the spruce fir? What'll you bet I don't +bag it, as we stand here?' + +"On that the sheriff was ready to stake horse and groom, and a hundred +dollars beside, that he couldn't do it; but, as it was, he would bet all +the money he had about him; and he would go to fetch it when it +fell--for he never thought it possible for any gun to carry so far. + +"But as the gun went off down fell the magpie, and into a great bramble +thicket; and away went the sheriff up into the brambles after it, and he +picked it up and showed it to the lad. But in a trice Little Freddy +began to scrape his fiddle, and the sheriff began to dance, and the +thorns to tear him; but still the lad played on, and the sheriff danced, +and cried, and begged till his clothes flew to tatters, and he scarce +had a thread to his back. + +"'Yes!' said Little Freddy; 'now I think you're about as ragged as I was +when I left your service. So now you may get off with what you have +got.' + +"But, first of all, the sheriff had to pay him what he had wagered that +he could not hit the magpie. + +"So when the lad came to the town he turned aside into an inn, and he +began to play, and all who came danced, and he lived merrily and well. +He had no care, for no one could say him 'Nay' to anything he asked. + +"But just as they were all in the midst of their fun up came the +watchmen to drag the lad off to the town-hall: for the sheriff had laid +a charge against him, and said he had waylaid him and robbed him, and +nearly taken his life. And now he was to be hanged--they would not hear +of anything else. But Little Freddy had a cure for all trouble, and that +was his fiddle. He began to play on it, and the watchmen fell a-dancing, +till they lay down and gasped for breath. + +"So they sent soldiers and the guard on their way; but it was no better +with them than with the watchmen. As soon as ever Little Freddy scraped +his fiddle, they were all bound to dance, so long as he could lift a +finger to play a tune; but they were half dead long before he was tired. +At last they stole a march on him, and took him while he lay asleep by +night; and when they had caught him he was doomed to be hanged on the +spot, and away they hurried him to the gallows-tree. + +"There a great crowd of people flocked together to see this wonder, and +the sheriff, he, too, was there; and he was so glad at last at getting +amends for the money and the skin he had lost, and that he might see him +hanged with his own eyes. But they did not get him to the gallows very +fast, for little Freddy was always weak on his legs, and now he made +himself weaker still. His fiddle and his gun he had with him also--it +was hard to part him from them; and so, when he came to the gallows, and +had to mount the steps, he halted on each step; and when he got to the +top he sat down, and asked if they could deny him a wish, and if he +might have leave to do one thing? He had such a longing, he said to +scrape a tune and play a bar on his fiddle before they hanged him. + +"'No! no!' they said. 'It were sin and shame to deny him that.' For, you +know, no one could gainsay what he asked. + +"But the sheriff he begged them, for God's sake, not to let him have +leave to touch a string, else it was all over with them altogether; and +if the lad got leave, he begged them to bind him to the birch that stood +there. + +"So little Freddy was not slow in getting his fiddle to speak, and all +that were there fell a-dancing at once--those who went on two legs, and +those who went on four; both the dean and the parson, and the lawyer, +and the bailiff, and the sheriff; masters and men, dogs and swine, they +all danced and laughed and screeched at one another. Some danced till +they lay for dead; some danced till they fell into a swoon. It went +badly with all of them, but worst of all with the sheriff, for there he +stood bound to the birch, and he danced and scraped great bits off his +back against the trunk. There was not one of them who thought of doing +anything to little Freddy, and away he went with his fiddle and his gun, +just as he chose; and he lived merrily and happily all his days, for +there was no one who could say him 'Nay' to the first thing he asked +for." + + + + +MOTHER ROUNDABOUT'S DAUGHTER. + + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had a son, and he was so lazy and +slow he would never turn his hand to anything that was useful; but +singing and dancing he was very fond of, and so he danced and sang as +long as it was day, and sometimes even some way on in the night. The +longer this lasted the harder it was for the goody, the boy grew, and +meat he must have without stint, and more and more was spent in clothing +as he grew bigger and bigger, and it was soon worn out, I should think; +for he danced and sprang about both in wood and field. + +"At last the goody thought it too bad; so she told the lad that now he +must begin to turn his hand to work, and live steadily, or else there +was nothing before both of them but starving to death. But that the lad +had no mind to do; he said he would far rather woo Mother Roundabout's +daughter, for if he could only get her he would be able to live well and +good all his days, and sing and dance and never do one stroke of work. + +"When his mother heard that, she too thought it would be a very fine +thing, and so she fitted out the lad as well as she could that he might +look tidy when he got to Mother Roundabout's house, and so he set off on +his way. + +"Now when he got out of doors the sun shone warm and bright; but it had +rained the night before, so that the ways were soft and miry, and all +the bog-holes stood full of water. The lad took a short cut to Mother +Roundabout, and he sang and jumped, as was ever his wont, but just as he +sprang and leapt he got to a bog-hole, and over it lay a little bridge, +and from the bridge he had to make a spring across a hole on to a tuft +of grass, that he might not dirty his shoes. But '_plump_,' it said all +at once, and just as he put his foot on the tuft it gave way under him, +and there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty deep dark +hole. At first he could see nothing, but when he had been there a while +he had a glimpse of a rat which came wiggle-waggle up to him with a +bunch of keys at the tip of her tail. + +"'What, you here, my boy?" said the rat. 'Thank yon kindly for coming to +me. I have waited long for you. You come, of course, to woo me, and you +are eager at it, I can very well see; but you must have patience yet +awhile, for I shall have a great dower, and I am not ready for my +wedding just yet, but I'll do my best that it shall be as soon as ever I +can.' + +"When she had said that she brought out ever so many eggshells with all +sorts of bits and scraps, such as rats are wont to eat, and set them +before him, and said, + +"'Now, you must sit down and eat; I am sure you must be both tired and +hungry.' + +"But the lad thought he had no liking for such food. + +"'If I were only well away from this, above ground again,' he thought to +himself, but he said nothing out loud. + +"'Now, I daresay, you'ld be glad to go home again,' said the rat. 'I +know your heart is set on this wedding, and I'll make all the haste I +can, and you must take with you this linen thread, and when you get up +above you must not look round, but go straight home, and on the way you +must mind and say nothing but + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +and as she said this she put the linen thread into his hand. + +"'Heaven be praised!' said the lad, when he got above ground. 'Thither +I'll never come again, if I can help it.' + +"But he still had the thread in his hand, and he sprang and sang as he +was wont; but even though he thought no more of the rat-hole, he had got +his tongue into the tune, and so he sang, + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +"So when he got back home into the porch he turned round, and there lay +many many hundred ells of the whitest linen, so fine that the handiest +weaving girl could not have woven it finer. + +"'Mother! mother! come out,' he cried and roared. Out came the goody in +a bustle, and asked what ever was the matter; but when she saw the linen +woof, which stretched as far back as she could see and a bit beside, she +couldn't believe her eyes, till the lad told her how it had all +happened. And when she had heard it and tried the woof between her +fingers, she got so glad that she too began to dance and sing. + +"So she took the linen and cut it out, and sewed shirts out of it both +for herself and her son, and the rest she took into the town and sold, +and got money for it. And now they both lived well and happily a while; +but when the money was all gone the goody had no more food in the house, +and so she told her son he really must now begin to go to work, and live +like the rest of the world, else there was nothing for it but starving +for them both. + +"But the lad had more mind to go to Mother Roundabout and woo her +daughter. Well, the goody thought that a very fine thing, for now he had +good clothes on his back, and he was not such a bad looking fellow +either. So she made him smart and fitted him out as well as she could, +and he took out his new shoes and brushed them till they were as bright +as glass, and when he had done that off he went. + +"But all happened just as it did before. When he got out of doors the +sun shone warm and bright, but it had rained over night, so that it was +soft and miry, and all the bog-holes were full of water. The lad took +the short cut to Mother Roundabout, and he sang and sprang as he was +ever wont. Now he took another way than the one he went before, but just +as he leaped and jumped he got upon the bridge over the moor again, and +from it he had to jump over a bog-hole on to a tuft that he might not +dirty his shoes. But _plump_ it went, and down it went under him, and +there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty, deep dark hole. +At first he could see nothing, but when he had been there a while he got +a glimpse of a rat with a bunch of keys at the tip of her tail, who came +wiggle-waggle up to him. + +"'What, you here, my boy?' said the rat. 'That was nice of you to wish +to see me so soon again. You are very eager, that I can see; but you +really must wait a while, for there is still something wanting to my +dower, but the next time you come it shall be all right.' + +"When she had said this she set before him all kinds of scraps and bits +in eggshells, such as rats eat and like; but the lad thought it all +looked like meat that had been already eaten once, and he wasn't hungry, +he said; and all the time he thought, 'If I could only once get above +ground, well out of this hole.' But he said nothing out loud. + +"So after a while the rat said, + +"I dare say now you would be glad to get home again; but I'll hasten on +the wedding as fast as ever I can. And now you must take with you this +thread of wool, and when you come above ground you must not look round, +but go straight home, and all the way you must mind and say nothing than + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +and as she said that she gave him a thread of wool into his hand. + +"'Heaven be praised!' said the lad, 'that I got away. Thither I'll never +go again if I can help it;' and so he sang and jumped as he was wont. As +for the rat-hole he thought no more about it, but as he had got his +tongue into tune and he sang, + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +so he kept on the whole way home. + +"So when he had got into the yard at home again he turned and looked +behind him, and there lay the finest cloth more than many hundred ells; +ay! almost above half a mile long, and so fine that no town dandy could +have had finer cloth to his coat. + +"'Mother! mother! come out,' bawled the lad. + +"So the goody came out of doors, and clapped her hands, and was almost +ready to swoon for joy when she saw all that lovely cloth, and then he +had to tell her how he had got it, and how it had all happened from +first to last. Then they had a fine time of it, you may fancy. The lad +got new clothes of the finest sort, and the goody went off to the town +and sold the cloth by little and little, and made heaps of money. Then +she decked out her cottage and got so smart in her old days as though +she had been a born lady. So they lived well and happily, but at last +that money came to an end too, and so the day came when the goody had no +more food in the house, and then she told her son, he really must turn +his hand to work, and live like the rest of the world, else there was +nothing but starving staring both of them in the face. + +"But the lad thought it far better to go to Mother Roundabout and woo +her daughter. This time the goody thought so too, and said not a word +against it, for now he had new clothes of the finest kind, and he looked +so well she thought it quite out of the question that any one could say, +'No!' to so smart a lad. So she smartened him up, and made him as tidy +as she could, and he himself brought out his new shoes and rubbed them +till they shone so he could see his face in them, and when he had done +that off he went. + +"This time he did not take the short cut, but made a great bend, for +down to the rats he would not go if he could help it, he was so tired of +all that wiggle-waggle and that everlasting bridal gossip. As for the +weather and the ways they were just as they had been twice before. The +sun shone, so that it was dazzling on the pools and bog-holes, and the +lad sang and sprang as he was wont; but just as he sang and jumped, +before he knew where he was, he was on the very same bridge across the +bog again. So he was to jump from the bridge over a bog-hole on to a +tuft, that he might not dirty his bright shoes. '_Plump_,' it said, and +it gave way with him, and there was no stopping till he was down in the +same nasty deep dark hole again. At first he was glad, for he could see +nothing, but when he had been there a while he had a glimpse of the ugly +rat, and he was so loath to see her with the bunch of keys at the end of +her tail. + +"'Good day, my boy!' said the rat. 'You shall be heartily welcome again, +for I see you can't bear to be any longer without me. Thank you, thank +you kindly; but now everything is ready for the wedding, and we shall +set off to church at once.' + +"'Something dreadful is going to happen,' thought the lad, but he said +nothing out loud. + +"Then the rat whistled, and there came swarming out such a lot of small +rats and mice out of all the holes and crannies, and six big rats came +harnessed to a frying-pan; two mice got up behind as footmen, and two +got up before and drove; some, too, got into the pan, and the rat with +the bunch of keys at her tail took her seat among them. Then she said to +the lad, + +"'The road is a little narrow here, so you must be good enough to walk +by the side of the carriage, my darling boy, till it gets broader, and +then you shall have leave to sit up in the carriage alongside of me.' + +"'Very fine that will be, I dare say,' thought the lad. 'If I were only +well above ground, I'd run away from the whole pack of you.' That was +what he thought, but he said nothing out loud! + +"So he followed them as well as he could; sometimes he had to creep on +all fours, and sometimes he had to stoop and bend his back well, for the +road was low and narrow in places; but when it got broader he went on in +front, and looked about him how he might best give them the slip and run +away. But as he went forward he heard a clear, sweet voice behind him, +which said, "'Now the road is good. Come, my dear, and get up into the +carriage.' + +"The lad turned round in a trice, and had near lost both nose and ears. +There stood the grandest carriage with six white horses to it, and in +the carriage sat a maiden, as bright and lovely as the sun, and round +her sat others who were as pretty and soft as stars. They were a +princess and her playfellows, who had been bewitched all together. But +now they were free because he had come down to them, and never said a +word against them. + +"'Come now,' said the princess. So the lad stepped up into the carriage, +and they drove to church, and when they drove from church again the +princess said, 'Now, we will drive first to my house, and then we'll +send to fetch your mother.' + +"'That is all very well!' thought the lad, for he still said nothing, +even now; but, for all that, he thought it would be better to go home to +his mother than down into that nasty rat-hole. But just as he thought +that, they came to a grand castle; into it they turned, and there they +were to dwell. And so a grand carriage with six horses was sent to fetch +the goody, and when it came back they set to work at the wedding feast. +It lasted fourteen days, and maybe they are still at it. So let us all +make haste; perhaps, we too may come in time to drink the bride-groom's +health and dance with the bride." + + + + +THE GREEN KNIGHT. + + +"Once on a time there was a king who was a widower, and he had an only +daughter. But it is an old saying, that widower's grief is like knocking +your funny-bone, it hurts, but it soon passes away; and so the king +married a queen who had two daughters. Now, this queen--well! she was no +better than step-mothers are wont to be, snappish and spiteful she +always was to her step-daughter. + +"Well! a long time after, when they were grown up, these three girls, +war broke out, and the king had to go forth to fight for his country and +his kingdom. But before he went the three daughters had leave to say +what the king should buy and bring home for each of them, if he won the +day against the foe. + +"So the step-daughters were to speak first, as you may fancy, and say +what they wished. + +"Well! the first wished for a golden spinning-wheel, so small that it +could stand on a sixpenny-piece; and the second, she begged for a golden +winder, so small that it could stand on a sixpenny-piece; that was what +they wanted to have, and till they had them there was no spinning or +winding to be got out of them. But his own daughter, she would ask for +no other thing than that he would greet the Green Knight in her name. + +"So the king went out to war, and whithersoever he went he won, and +however things turned out he brought the things he had promised his +step-daughters; but he had clean forgotten what his own daughter had +begged him to do, till at last he made a feast because he had won the +day. + +"Then it was that he set eyes on a Green Knight, and all at once his +daughter's words came into his head, and he greeted him in her name. The +Green Knight thanked him for the greeting, and gave him a book which +looked like a hymn-book with parchment clasps. That the king was to take +home and give her; but he was not to unclasp it, or the princess either, +till she was all alone. + +"So, when the king had done fighting and feasting he went home again, +and he had scarce got inside the door before his step-daughters clung +round him to get what he had promised to buy them. 'Yes,' he said, he +had brought them what they wished; but his own daughter, she held back +and asked for nothing, and the king forgot all about it too, till one +day, when he was going out, and he put on the coat he had worn at the +feast, and just as he thrust his hand into his pocket for his +handkerchief, he felt the book and knew what it was. + +"So he gave it to his daughter, and said he was to greet her with it +from the Green Knight, and she mustn't unclasp it till she was all +alone. + +"Well! that evening when she was by herself in her bedroom she unclasped +the book, and as soon as she did so she heard a strain of music, so +sweet she had never heard the like of it, and then, what do you think! +Why, the Green Knight came to her and told her the book was such a book +that whenever she unclasped it he must come to her, and it would be all +the same wherever she might be, and when she clasped it again he would +be off and away again. + +"Well! she unclasped the book often and often in the evenings when she +was alone and at rest, and the knight always came to her and was almost +always there. But her step-mother, who was always thrusting her nose +into everything, she found out there was some one with her in her room, +and she was not long in telling it to the king. But he wouldn't believe +it. 'No!' he said, they must watch first and see if it was so before +they trumped up such stories, and took her to task for them. + +"So one evening they stood outside the door and listened, and it seemed +as though they heard some one talking inside; but when they went in +there was no one. + +"'Who was it you were talking with? asked the step-mother, both sharp +and cross. + +"'It was no one, indeed,' said the princess. + +"'Nay! said she; 'I heard it as plain as day.' + +"'Oh!' said the princess, 'I only lay and read aloud out of a +prayer-book.' + +"'Show it me; said the queen. + +"'Well! then it was only a prayer-book after all, and she must have +leave to read that,' the king said. + +"But the step-mother thought just the same as before, and so she bored a +hole through the wall and stood prying about there. So one evening, when +she heard that the knight was in the room she tore open the door and +came flying into her step-daughter's room like a blast of wind; but she +was not slow in clasping the book either, and he was off and away in a +trice; but however quick she had been, for all that her step-mother +caught a glimpse of him, so that she was sure some one had been there. + +"It happened just then that the king was setting out on a long, long +journey, and while he was away the queen had a deep pit dug down into +the ground, and there she built up a dungeon, and in the stone and +mortar she laid ratsbane and other strong poisons, so that not so much +as a mouse could get through the wall. As for the master-mason he was +well paid, and gave his word to fly the land, but he didn't, for he +stayed where he was. Then the princess was thrown into that dungeon with +her maid, and when they were inside the queen walled up the door and +left only a little hole open at the top to let down food to them. So +there she sat and sorrowed, and the time seemed long, and longer than +long; but at last she remembered she had her book with her, and took it +out and unclasped it. First of all she heard the same sweet strain she +had heard before, and then arose a grievous sound of wailing, and just +then the Green Knight came. + +"'I am at death's door,' he said, and then he told her that her +step-mother bad laid poison in the mortar, and he did not know if he +should ever come out alive. So when she clasped the book up as fast as +she could she heard the same wailing sound. + +"But you must know the maid who was shut up with her had a sweetheart, +and she sent word to him to go to the master-mason, and beg him to make +the hole at top big enough for them to creep out at it. If he would do +that the princess would pay him so well he could live in plenty all his +days. Yes! he did so, and they set out and travelled far, far away in +strange lands, she and her maid, and wherever they came they asked after +the Green Knight. + +"So after a long, long time they came to a castle, which was all hung +with black, and just as they were passing by it a shower of rain fell, +and so the princess stepped into the church porch to wait till the rain +was over. As she stood there, a young man and an old man came by, who +also wished to take shelter; but the princess drew away farther into a +corner, so that they did not see her. + +"'Why is it,' said the young man, 'that the king's castle is hung with +black?' + +"'Don't you know,' said the grey-beard, 'the prince here is sick to +death, he whom they call the Green Knight;' And so he went on telling +him how it had all happened. So when the young man had listened to the +story, he asked if there was anyone who could make him well again. + +"'Nay, nay!' said the other. 'There is but one cure, and that is if the +maiden who was shut up in the dungeon were to come and pluck healing +plants in the fields, and boil them in sweet milk, and wash him with +them thrice.' + +"Then he went on reckoning up the plants that were needful before he +could get well again. + +"All this the princess heard, and she kept it in her head, and when the +rain was over the two men went away, nor did she bide there long either. + +"So when they got home to the house in which they lived, out they went +at once to get all kinds of plants and grasses in the field and wood, +she and the maid, and they plucked and gathered early and late till she +had got all that she was to boil. Then she bought her a doctor's hat and +a doctor's gown, and went to the king's castle, and offered to make the +prince well again. + +"'No, no; it is no good,' said the king. So many had been there and +tried, but he always got worse instead of better. But she would not +yield, and gave her word he should be well, and that soon and happily. +Well, then, she might have leave to try, and so she went into the Green +Knight's bedroom and washed him the first time. And when she came the +next day he was so well he could sit up in bed; the day after he was man +enough to walk about the room, and the third he was as well and lively +as a fish in the water. + +"'Now he may go out hunting,' said the doctor. + +"Then the king was so overjoyed with the doctor as a bird in broad day. +But the doctor said he must go home. + +"Then she threw off her hat and gown, and dressed herself smart, and +made a feast, and then she unclasped the book. Then arose the same +joyful strain as of old, and in a trice the Green Knight was there, and +he wondered much to know how she had got thither. + +"So she told him all about it, and how it had happened, and when they +had eaten and drunk he took her straight up to the castle, and told the +king the whole story from beginning to end. Then there was such a bridal +and such a feast, and when it was over they set off to the bride's home, +and there was great joy in her father's heart, but they took the +step-mother and rolled her down hill in a cask full of spikes." + + + + +BOOTS AND HIS CREW. + + +"Once on a time there was a king, and that king had heard talk of a ship +that went as fast by land as it did by water; so he set his heart on +having such a ship, and he gave his word that the man who could build it +should have the princess and half the kingdom. And this promise he had +given out in every parish church in the realm, and at every parish +meeting. There were many that tried their hands you may fancy, for it +was a nice thing to have half the kingdom, and it was brave to get the +princess into the bargain, but it went ill with most of them. + +"So there were three brothers away in the wood; the eldest was called +Peter, the second Paul, and the youngest Osborn Boots, because he was +for ever sitting and grubbing in the ashes. But it so happened that on +the Sunday, when the king's promise was given out, he was at church too. +So when he got home and told the story, his eldest brother, Peter, +begged his mother for some food, for he was bent on setting off, and +trying his luck, if he couldn't build the ship and win the princess and +half the realm. So when he had got his wallet full he strode off from +the farm, and on the way he met an old, old man, who was so bent and +wretched. + +"'Whither away?' asked the old man. + +"'Oh!' said Peter, 'I'm off to the wood to make a platter for my father, +for he doesn't like to eat out of the same dish with us.' + +"'A platter it shall be,' said the man; 'but what have you in your +knapsack?' + +"'Muck,' said Peter. + +"'Muck it shall be,' said the man, and they parted. + +"So Peter strode on till he came to a grove of oaks, and then he fell to +chopping and carpentering, but for all his hewing and all his +carpentering he could turn out nothing but platter after platter. So +when it got towards mid-day, he was going to take a snack, and opened +his wallet. But there was not a morsel of food in it, and as he had +nothing to eat, and did not get on any better with the carpentering, he +got weary of the work, and took his axe and wallet on his back and +strode off home to his mother again. + +"Next Paul was for setting off to try if he had any luck in +shipbuilding, and could win the king's daughter and half the kingdom. +He, too, begged his mother for food, and when he had got it he threw his +wallet over his shoulder and set off from their farm. On the way he met +an old man who was so bent and wretched. + +"'Whither away?' said the man. + +"'Oh! I'm just going to the wood to make a pig trough for our little +pig,' said Paul. + +"'A pig trough it shall be,' said the man. + +"'What have you got in your wallet?' asked the man. + +"'Muck,' said Paul. + +"'Muck it shall be,' said the man. + +"'So Paul trudged off to the wood, and fell to hewing and carpentering +as hard as he could; but however he hewed and however he carpentered, he +could turn out nothing but pig troughs and pig tubs. Still he wouldn't +give in, but worked till far on in the afternoon before he thought of +taking a little snack; then he got so hungry all at once that he must +take out his knapsack, but when he opened it there was not a morsel of +food in it. Then Paul got so cross that he rolled up the knapsack and +dashed it against a stump, and then he shouldered his axe and trudged +away home from the wood as fast as he could. + +"So when Paul had come home, Boots was all for setting out in his turn, +and begged his mother for food. + +"'May be I might be man enough to get the ship built and win the +princess and half the kingdom.' That was what he said. + +"'Yes! yes! a likely thing,' said his mother. 'You look like winning the +princess and the kingdom, that you do, by my troth; you, who have done +naught else than grub and poke about in the ashes! No! no! you don't get +any food,' said the goody. + +"'But Boots would not give in; he begged so long that at last he got +leave. As for food he got none, was it likely? But he got by stealth two +oat cakes and a drop of stale beer, and with them he trudged off from +the farm. + +"Well! when he had walked a while he met the same old man, who was so +bent and vile and wretched. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"Oh! I'm going into the wood to build me a ship which will go as well on +land as on sea; for you must know that the king has given out that the +man who can build such a ship shall have the princess and half the +realm.' + +"'What have you got in your wallet?' asked the man. + +"'Not much to brag of,' said Boots, 'though it's called travelling +fare.' + +"'If you'll give me some of your food, I'll help you,' said the man. + +"'With all my heart,' said Boots; 'but there's nothing but two oat cakes +and a drop of stale beer.' + +"'It was all the same to him what it was,' said the man, so that he got +something; and he would be sure to help him. + +"So when they got up to the old oak in the wood, the man said to the +lad,-- + +"'Now you must chop out one chip, and you must put it back where it came +from, and when you have done that you may lie down and sleep. + +"Yes! Boots did as he said, he lay him down to sleep, and in his slumber +he thought he heard some one hewing and hammering, and carpentering and +sawing, and planing, but he could not wake up till the man called him, +and then there stood the ship all ready, alongside the oak. + +"'Now you must go aboard her, and every one you meet you must take as +one of your crew,' he said. + +"Yes! Boots thanked him for the ship, and sailed off saying he'd be sure +to do what he said. + +"So when he had sailed a while, he came upon a great, long, thin fellow, +who lay away by the hillside and ate granite. + +"'What kind of chap are you?' said Boots, 'that you lie here eating +granite?' + +"Well! he was so sharp set for meat he could never have his fill, and +that was why he was forced to eat granite. That was what he said; and +then he begged if he might have leave to be one of the ship's company. + +"'Oh, yes,' said Boots, 'if you care to come, step on board.' + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and he took with him a few big granite +boulders as his sea stores. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther they met a man who lay on a sunny +brae and sucked at a tap. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots, and what good is it that +you lie there sucking at that tap?' + +"'Oh!' said he, 'when one hasn't got the cask, one must be thankful for +the tap. I am always so thirsty for ale, that I can never drink enough +ale or wine;' and then he asked if he might have leave to be one of the +ship's company. + +"'If you care to come, step on board,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and he stepped on board and took the tap +with him lest he should be a-thirst. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther they met one who lay with one ear +on the ground, listening. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots 'and what good is it that +you lie there on the ground, listening?' + +"'I am listening to the grass growing,' he said, 'for I am so quick of +hearing that I can hear it grow;' and so he begged that he might be one +of the ship's company. Well, he too did not get 'Nay.' + +"'If you care to come, step on board,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and so up he too stepped into the ship. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they came to a man who stood +aiming and aiming. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' said Boots, 'and why is it that you +stand there aiming and aiming?' + +"'I am so sharp-sighted,' he said, 'that I'm a dead shot up to the +world's end;' and so he too asked if he might have leave to be one of +the ship's company. + +"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and so he stepped up into the ship and +joined Boots and his comrades. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they came on a man who went +about hopping on one leg, and on the other he had seven hundred weight. + +"What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots; 'and what's the good of your +limping and hopping on one leg, with seven hundred weight on the other?' + +"'Oh?' said he, 'I'm as light as a feather, and if I went on both legs I +should be at the world's end in less than five minutes;' and so he too +begged if he might have leave to be one of the ship's company. + +"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and he stepped on board to Boots and his +comrades.' + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they met a man who stood holding +his throat. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots, 'and why in the world do +you stand here holding your throat?' + +"'Oh!' said he, 'you must know I have got seven summers and fifteen +winters inside me, so I've good need to hold my gullet, for if they all +slipped out at once they'd freeze the whole world in a trice.' That was +what he said, and so he begged leave to be with them. + +"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots. Yes, he was willing enough, +and so he too stepped on board the ship to the rest. + +"So when they had sailed a good bit farther, they came to the king's +grange. Then Boots strode straight into the king, and said, that the +ship was ready out in the courtyard, and now he was come to claim the +princess, as the king had given his word. + +"But the king wouldn't hear of it, for Boots did not look very nice; he +was grimy and sooty, and the king was loath to give his daughter to such +a fellow. So he said he must wait a little, he couldn't have the +princess until they cleared a barn which the king had with three hundred +casks of salt meat in it. + +"'All the same,' said the king, 'if you can do it by this time to-morrow +you shall have her.' + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'I may have leave, perhaps, to take one of +my crew with me?' + +"'Yes, he might have leave to do that, even if he took them all six,' +said the king, for he thought it quite beyond his power though he had +six hundred to help him. + +"But Boots only took with him the man who ate granite, and was always so +sharp set; and so when they came next morning and unlocked the barn, if +he hadn't eaten all the casks, so that there was nothing left but half a +dozen spare-ribs, and that was only one for each of his other comrades. +So Boots strode into the king, and said, now the barn was empty, and now +he might have the princess. + +"Then the king went out to the barn, and empty it was, that was plain +enough; but still Boots was so sooty and smutty, that the king thought +it a shame that such a fellow should have his daughter. So he said he +had a cellar full of ale and old wine, three hundred casks of each kind, +which he must have drunk out first, and said the king,-- + +"'All the same, if you are man enough to drink them out by this time +to-morrow, you shall have her.' + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'but I may have leave perhaps, to take one +of my comrades with me.' + +"'With all my heart,' said the king, who thought he had so much ale and +wine that the whole seven of them would soon get more than their skins +could hold. + +"But Boots only took with him the man who sucked the tap, and who had +such a swallow for ale, and then the king locked them both up in the +cellar. + +"So he drank cask after cask as long as there were any left, but at last +he spared a drop or two, about as much as a quart or two, for each of +his comrades. Next morning they unlocked the cellar, and Boots strode +off at once to the king, and said he was done with the ale and wine, and +now he must have his daughter as he had given his word. + +"'Ay, ay, but I must first go down into the cellar and see,' said the +king, for he didn't believe it. But when he got to the cellar, there was +nothing in it but empty casks. But Boots was still black and smutty, and +the king thought he never could bear to have such a fellow for his +son-in-law. So he said, 'No,' but all the same if he could fetch him +water from the world's end, in ten minutes, for the princess's tea, he +should have both her and half the realm, for he thought that quite out +of his power. + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; so he laid hand on him who limped on one +leg, with seven hundred weight on the other, and said he must unbuckle +the weights and use both his legs as fast as ever he could, for he must +have water from the world's end for the princess's tea in ten minutes. + +"So he took off the weights, and got a pail, and set off and was out of +sight in a trice. But time went on and on, for seven lengths and seven +breadths, and yet he did not come back. At last there were no more than +three minutes left till the time was up, and the king was as pleased as +though some one had given him a horse. But just then Boots bawled out to +him who heard the grass grow, and bade him listen and hear what had +become of him. + +"'He has fallen asleep at the well,' he said. 'I can hear him snoring, +and the trolls are combing his hair.' + +"So Boots called him, who could shoot to the world's end, and bade him +put a bullet into the troll. Yes! he did that, and shot him right in the +eye, and the troll set up such a howl that he woke up at once, he that +was to fetch the water for tea; and when he got back to the king's +grange, there was still one minute left of the ten. + +"Then Boots strode into the king, and said there was the water, and now +he must have the princess, there must be no more words about it. But the +king thought him just as sooty and smutty as before, and did not at all +like to have him for a son-in-law. So the king said he had three hundred +fathoms of wood, with which he was about to dry corn in the malt-house, +and 'all the same, if you are man enough to get inside it while I burn +up all that fuel, you shall have her, and I will make no more bones +about it.' + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'but I must have leave to take one of my +crew with me.' + +"'Yes, yes!' said the king, 'all six of them if you like;' for he +thought it would be warm enough in there for all of them. + +"But Boots took with him the man who had fifteen winters and seven +summers inside him, and they trudged off to the malt-house at night. But +the king had laid the fuel on thick, and there was such a pile burning, +it almost melted the stove. Out again they could not come, for they had +scarce set foot inside than the king shot the bolt behind them, and hung +two padlocks on the door besides. Then Boots said,-- + +"'You'd better slip out six or seven winters at once, so that it may be +a nice summer heat.' + +"Then the heat fell, and they could bear it, but on in the night it +began to grow chilly; so Boots said he must make it milder, with two +summers, and then they slept till far on next day. + +"But when they heard the king rattling at the door outside, Boots +said,-- + +"'Now you must let slip two more winters, but lay them so that the last +may go full on his face.' + +"Yes, he did so, and when the king unlocked the malt-house door, and +thought to find them lying there burnt to cinders, there they sat +shivering and shaking till their teeth chattered, and the man with the +fifteen winters let slip the last right into the king's face, so that it +swelled up at once into a big frost-bite. + +"'MAY I HAVE YOUR DAUGHTER NOW?' said Boots. + +"'Yes, yes! Pray take her and keep her, and half the realm besides,' +said the king, for he couldn't say 'No' any longer. + +"So they held the bridal feast, and kept it up and rejoiced and fired +off witch shots, and meanwhile they went looking about for charges, and +then they took me and gave me porridge in a flask, and milk in a basket, +and then they shot me off here to you, that I might tell you all how the +wedding went off." + + + + +THE TOWN-MOUSE AND THE FELL-MOUSE. + + +"Once on a time there was a fell-mouse and a town-mouse, and they met on +a hill brae, where the fell-mouse sat in a hazel thicket and plucked +nuts. + +"'God help you, sister,' said the town-mouse. 'Do I meet my kinsfolk +here so far out in the country?' + +"'Yes! so it is;' said the fell-mouse. + +"'You gather these nuts and carry them to your house?' said the +town-mouse. + +"'Yes; I must do it,' said the fell-mouse, 'if we are to have anything +to live on.' + +"'The husks are long and the kernels full this year,' said the +town-mouse; 'so I dare say they will help to fill out a starveling +body.' + +"'You are quite right,' said the fell-mouse, and then she told her how +well and happily she lived. But the town-mouse thought she was better +off, and the fell-mouse would not give in, but said there was no place +so good as wood and fell, and as for herself, she had far the best of +it. + +"Still the town-mouse said she was sure she had the best of it, and they +could not agree at all. So, at last, they promised to pay one another a +visit at Yule, that they might taste and see which lived best. The +town-mouse was the one that had to pay the first visit, and she went +through woods and deep dales, for though the fell-mouse had come down to +the lowlands for the winter, the road was both long and heavy. It was +up-hill work, and the snow was both deep and soft, so that she was both +weary and hungry by the time she got to her journey's end. + +"'Now I shall be glad to get some food,' she said, when she got there. +As for the fell-mouse, she had scraped together all sorts of good +things. There were kernels of nuts, and liquorish-root and other roots, +and much else that grows in wood and field. All this she had in a hole +deep under ground where it would not freeze, and close by was a spring +which was open all the winter, so that she could drink as much water as +she chose. There was plenty of what was to be had, and they fed both +well and good; but the town-mouse thought it was not more than sorry +fare. + +"'One can keep life together with this,' she said; 'but it isn't choice, +not at all. But now you must be so kind as come to me, and taste what we +have in town.' + +"Well, the fell-mouse was willing, and it was not long before she came. +Then the town-mouse had gathered together something of all the Christmas +fare which the mistress of the house had dropped as she went about, when +she had taken a drop too much at Yule. There were bits of cheese, and +odds and ends of butter and tallow, and cheesecakes and tipsycake, and +much else that was nice. In the jar under the ale-tap she had drink +enough, and the whole room was full of all kinds of dainties. They fed +and lived well, and there was no end to the fell-mouse's greediness. +Such fare she had never tasted. At last, she got thirsty, for the food +was both strong and rich, and now she must have a drink of water. + +"'It is not far off to the ale,' said the town-mouse; 'that's the drink +for us;' and with that she jumped up on the edge of the jar, and drank +her thirst out, but she drank no more than she could carry, for she knew +the Yule ale and how strong it was. But as for the fell-mouse, she +thought it famous drink, for she had never tasted anything but water, +and now she took sip after sip; but she was no judge of strong drink, +and so the end was she got drunk, for she tumbled down and got wild in +her head, and felt her feet tingle, till she began to run and to jump +about from one beer-barrel to the other, and to dance and cut capers on +the shelves among the cups and jugs, and to whistle and whine, just as +though she were tipsy and silly; and tipsy she was, there was no +gainsaying it. + +"'You mustn't behave as though you had just come from the hills,' said +the town-mouse. 'Don't make such a noise, and don't lead us such a life; +we have a hard master here.' + +"But the fell-mouse said: 'She cared not a pin for man or master!' + +"But all this while the cat sat up on the trap-door above the cellar, +and listened and spied both to their talk and pranks. Just then, the +goody came down to draw a mug of ale, and as she lifted the trap-door, +the cat stole into the cellar and fixed her claws into the fell-mouse. +Then there was another dance. The town-mouse crept into her hole, and +sat safe looking on, but the fell-mouse got sober all at once as soon as +she felt the cat's claws. + +"'Oh, my dear master, my dear master; be merciful and spare my life, and +I'll tell you a story.' That was what she said. + +"'Out with it then,' said the cat. + +"'Once on a time there were two small mice,' said the fell-mouse; and +she squeaked so pitifully and slowly, for she wanted to drag the story +out as long as she could. + +"'Then they were not alone,' said the cat, both sharply and drily. + +"'And so we had a steak we were going to cook.' + +"'Then you were not starved,' said the cat. + +"'So we put it up on the roof that it might cool itself well,' said the +fell-mouse. + +"'Then you didn't burn your tongues,' said the cat. + +"'So, then the fox and the crow came and gobbled it up,' said the +fell-mouse. + +"'And so I'll gobble you up,' said the cat. + +"But just then the goody slammed to the trap-door again, so that the cat +got afraid and loosed her hold, and--pop--the fell-mouse was away in the +town-mouse's hole, and from it there was a way out into the snow, and +the fell-mouse was not slow in setting off home. + +"'This you call living well, and you say that you live best?' she said +to the town-mouse. 'Heaven help me to a better mind, for with such a big +house, and such a hawk for a master I could scarce get off with my life." + + + + +SILLY MATT. + + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had a son called Matthew, but he +was so stupid that he had no sense for anything, nor would he do much +either; and the little he did was always topsy-turvy and never right, +and so they never called him anything but 'Silly Matt.' + +"All this the goody thought bad; and it was still worse she thought that +her son idled about and never turned his hand to anything else than +yawning and stretching himself between the four walls. + +"Now close to where they lived ran a great river, and the stream was +strong and bad to cross. So, one day, the goody said to the lad, there +was no lack of timber there, for it grew almost up to the cottage-wall; +he must cut some down and drag it to the bank and try to build a bridge +over the river and take toll, and then he would both have something to +do and something to live upon besides. + +"Yes! Matt thought so too, for his mother had said it; what she begged +him do, he would do. That was safe and sure he said, for what she said +must be so and not otherwise. So he hewed down timber and dragged it +down and built a bridge. It didn't go so awfully fast with the work, but +at any rate he had his hands full while it went on. + +"When the bridge was ready, the lad was to stand down at its end and +take toll of those who wanted to cross, and his mother bade him be sure +not to let any one over unless they paid the toll. It was all the same, +she said, if it were not always in money. Goods and wares were just as +good pay. + +"So the first day came three chaps with each his load of hay, and wanted +to cross the bridge. + +"'No! no!' said the lad; 'you can't go over till I've taken the toll.' + +"'We've nothing to pay it with,' they said. + +"'Well, then! you can't cross; but it's all the same, if it isn't money. +Goods will do just as well.' + +"So they gave him each a wisp of hay, and he had as much as would go on +a little hand-sledge, and then they had leave to pass over the bridge. + +"Next came a pedlar with his pack, who sold needles and thread, and such +like small wares, and he wanted to cross. + +"'You can't cross, till you have paid the toll,' said the lad. + +"'I've nothing to pay it with,' said the pedlar. + +"'You have wares, at any rate.' + +"So the pedlar took out two needles and gave them him, and then he had +leave to cross the bridge. As for the needles, the lad stuck them into +the hay, and soon set off home. + +"So when he got home, he said, 'Now, I have taken the toll, and got +something to live on.' + +"'What did you get?' asked the goody. + +"'Oh!' said he, 'there came three chaps, each with his load of hay. They +each gave me a wisp of hay, so that I got a little sledge-load; and +next, I got two needles from a pedlar.' + +"'What did you do with the hay?' asked the goody. + +"'I tried it between my teeth; but it tasted only of grass, so I threw +into the river.' + +"'You ought to have spread it out on the byre-floor,' said the goody. + +"'Well! I'll do that next time, mother,' he said. + +"'And what then did you do with the needles?' said the goody. + +"'I stuck them in the hay!' + +"'Ah!' said his mother. 'You _are_ a born fool. You should have stuck +them in and out of your cap.' + +"'Well! don't say another word, mother, and I'll be sure to do so next +time.' + +"Next day, when the lad stood down at the foot of the bridge again, +there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and wanted to cross. + +"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad. + +"'I've no pence to pay it with,' said the man. + +"'Well! You can't cross,' said the lad; 'but goods are good pay.' So he +got a pound of meal, and the man had leave to cross. + +"Not long after came a smith, with a horse-pack of smith's work, and +wanted to cross; but it was still the same. + +"'You mustn't cross till you've paid the toll,' said the lad. But he too +had no money either; so he gave the lad a gimlet, and then he had leave +to cross. + +"So when the lad got home to his mother, the toll was the first thing +she asked about. + +"'What did you take for toll to-day?' + +"'Oh! there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and he gave me +a pound of meal; and then came a smith, with a horse-load of +smith's-work, and he gave me a gimlet.' + +"'And pray what did you do with the gimlet?' asked the goody. + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said the lad. 'I stuck it in and out of +my cap.' + +"'Oh! but that was silly,' said the goody; 'you oughtn't to have stuck +it out and in your cap; but you should have stuck it up your +shirt-sleeve.' + +"'Ay! ay! only be still, mother; and I'll be sure to do it next time.' + +"'And what did you do with the meal, I'd like to know?' said the goody. + +"'Oh! I did as you bade me, mother. I spread it over the byre-floor.' + +"'Never heard anything so silly in my born days,' said the goody; 'why, +you ought to have gone home for a pail and put it into it.' + +"'Well! well! only be still, mother,' said the lad; 'and I'll be sure to +do it next time.' + +"Next day the lad was down at the foot of the bridge to take toll, and +so there came a man with a horse-load of brandy, and wanted to cross. + +"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad. + +"'I've got no money,' said the man. + +"'Well, then, you can't cross; but you have goods, of course;' said the +lad. Yes; so he got half a quart of brandy, and that he poured up his +shirt-sleeve. + +"A while after came a man with a drove of goats, and wanted to cross the +bridge. + +"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad. + +"Well! he was no richer than the rest. He had no money; but still he +gave the lad a little billy-goat, and he got over with his drove. But +the lad took the goat and trod it down into a bucket he had brought with +him. So when he got home, the goody asked again-- + +"'What did you take to-day?' + +"'Oh! there came a man with a load of brandy, and from him I got a pint +of brandy.' + +"'And what did you do with it?' + +"'I did as you bade me, mother; I poured it up my shirt-sleeve.' + +"'Ay! but that was silly, my son; you should have come home to fetch a +bottle and poured it into it.' + +"'Well! well! be still this time, mother, and I'll be sure to do what +you say next time,' and then he went on-- + +"'Next came a man with a drove of goats, and he gave me a little +billy-goat, and that I trod down into the bucket.' + +"'Dear me!' said his mother, 'that was silly, and sillier than silly, my +son; you should have twisted a withy round its neck, and led the +billy-goat home by it.' + +"'Well! be still, mother, and see if I don't do as you say next time.' + +"Next day he set off for the bridge again to take toll, and so a man +came with a load of butter, and wanted to cross. But the lad said 'he +couldn't cross unless he paid toll.' + +"'I've nothing to pay it with,' said the man. + +"'Well! then you can't cross,' said the lad; 'but you have goods, and +I'll take them instead of money.' + +"So the man gave him a pat of butter, and then he had leave to cross the +bridge, and the lad strode off to a grove of willows and twisted a +withy, and twined it round the butter, and dragged it home along the +road; but so long as he went he left some of the butter behind him, and +when he got home there was none left. + +"'And what did you take to-day?' asked his mother. + +"'There came a man with a load of butter, and he gave a pat.' + +"'Butter!' said the goody, 'where is it?' + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said the lad. 'I tied a withy round the +pat and led it home; but it was all lost by the way.' + +"'Oh!' said the goody, 'you were born a fool, and you'll die a fool. Now +you are not one bit better off for all your toil; but had you been like +other folk, you might have had both meat and brandy, and both hay and +tools. If you don't know better how to behave, I don't know what's to be +done with you. Maybe, you might be more like the rest of the world, and +get some sense into you if you were married to some one who could settle +things for you, and so I think you had better set off and see about +finding a brave lass; but you must be sure you know how to behave well +on the way and to greet folk prettily when you meet them.' + +"'And pray what shall I say to them?' asked the lad. + +"'To think of your asking that,' said his mother. 'Why, of course, you +must bid them "God's Peace," Don't you know that?' + +"'Yes! yes! I'll do as you bid,' said the lad; and so he set off on his +way to woo him a wife. + +"So, when he had gone a bit of the way, he met Greylegs, the wolf, with +her seven cubs; and when he got so far as to be alongside them, he stood +still and greeted them with 'God's Peace!' and when he had said that, he +went home again. + +"'I said it all as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. + +"'And what was that?' asked his mother. + +"'God's Peace,' said Matt. + +"'And pray whom did you meet?' + +"'A she wolf with seven cubs; that was all I met,' said Matt. + +"'Ay! ay! You are like yourself,' said his mother. 'So it was, and so it +will ever be. Why in the world did you say "God's Peace" to a wolf. You +should have clapped your hands and said--"Huf! huf! you jade of a +she-wolf!" That's what you ought to have said.' + +"'Well! well! be still, mother,' he said. 'I'll be sure to say so +another time;' and with that he strode off from the farm, and when he +had gone a bit on the way, he met a bridal train. So he stood still when +he had got well up to the bride and bridegroom, and clapped his hands +and said: 'Huf! huf! you jade of a she-wolf!' After that he went home to +his mother and said-- + +"'I did as you bade me mother; but I got a good thrashing for it, that I +did.' + +"'What was it you did?' she asked. + +"'Oh! I clapped my hands and called out, "Huf! huf! you jade of a +she-wolf!"' + +"'And what was it you met?' + +"'I met a bridal train.' + +"'Ah! you are a fool, and always will be a fool,' said his mother. 'Why +should you say such things to a bridal train. You should have said, +"Ride happily, bride and bridegroom."' + +"'Well! well! See if I don't say so next time,' said the lad, and off he +went again. + +"So he met a bear, who was taking a ride on a horse, and Matt waited +till he came alongside him, and then he said 'A happy ride to you, bride +and bridegroom,' and then he went back to his mother and told her how he +had said what she bade him. + +"'And pray! what was it you said?' she asked. + +"'I said, 'A happy ride to you both, bride and bridegroom.' + +"'And whom did you meet?' + +"'I met a bear taking a ride on a horse,' said Matt. + +"'My goodness! what a fool you are,' said his mother. 'You ought to have +said, "To the de'il with you." That's what you ought to have said.' + +"'Well! well! mother. I'll be sure to say so next time.' + +"So he set off again, and this time he met a funeral; and when he had +come well up to the coffin, he greeted it and said, 'To the de'il with +you!' and then he ran home to his mother, and told her he had said what +she bade him. + +"'And what was that?' she asked. + +"'Oh! I said, 'To the de'il with you."' + +"'And what was it you met?' + +"'I met a funeral,' said Matt; 'but I got more kicks than halfpence!' + +"'You didn't get half enough,' said the goody. 'Why, of course, you +ought to have said, "May your poor soul have mercy." That's what you +ought to have said.' + +"Ay! ay! mother! so I will next time, only be still,' said Matt, and off +he went again. + +"So when he had gone a bit of the way he fell on two ugly gipsies who +were skinning a dog. So when he came up to them he greeted them and +said, 'May your poor soul have mercy,' and when he had said so he went +home and told his mother he had said what she bade him; but all he got +was such a drubbing he could scarce drag one leg after the other. + +"'But what was it you said?' asked the goody. + +"'May your poor soul have mercy; that was what I said.' + +"'And whom did you meet?' + +"'A pair of gipsies skinning a dog,' he said. + +"'Well! well!' said the goody. 'There's no hope of your changing. You'll +always be a shame and sorrow to us wherever you go. I never heard such +shocking words. But now, you must set out and take no notice of any one +you meet, for you must be off to woo a wife, and see if you can get some +one who knows more of the ways of the world and has a better head on her +shoulders than yours. And now you must behave like other folk, and if +all goes well you may bless your stars, and bawl out, Hurrah!' + +"Yes, the lad did all that his mother bade him. He set off and wooed a +lass, and she thought he couldn't be so bad a fellow after all; and so +she said, 'Yes, she would have him.' + +"When the lad got home the goody wanted to know what his sweetheart's +name was; but he did not know. So the goody got angry and said, he must +just set off again, for she would know what the girl's name was. So when +Matt was going home again he had sense enough to ask her what she was +called. 'Well,' she said, 'my name is Solvy; but I thought you knew it +already.' + +"So Matt ran off home, and as he went he mumbled to himself, + + "'Solvy, Solvy, + Is my darling! + Solvy, Solvy, + Is my darling?' + +"But just as he was running as hard as he could to reach home before he +forgot it, he tripped over a tuft of grass, and forgot the name again. +So when he got on his feet again he began to search all round the +hillock, but all he could find was a spade. So he seized it and began to +dig and search as hard as he could, and as he was hard at it up came an +old man. + +"'What are you digging for?' said the man. 'Have you lost anything +here?' + +"'Oh yes! oh yes! I have lost my sweetheart's name, and I can't find it +again.' + +"'I think her name is Solvy,' said the man. + +"'Oh yes, that's it,' said Matt, and away he ran with the spade in his +hand, bawling out, + + "'Solvy, Solvy, + Is my darling!' + +"But when he had gone a little way he called to mind that he had taken +the spade, and so he threw it behind him, right on to the man's leg. +Then the man began to roar and bemoan himself as though he had a knife +stuck in him, and then Matt forgot the name again, and ran home as fast +as he could, and when he got there, the first thing his mother asked +was-- + +"'What's your sweetheart's name?' + +"But Matt was just as wise as when he set out, for he did not know the +name any better the last than the first time. + +"'You are the same big fool, that you are,' said the goody. 'You won't +do any better this time either. But now I'll just set off myself and +fetch the girl home, and get you married. Meanwhile you must fetch water +up to the fifth plank all round the room, and wash it, and then you must +take a little fat and a little lean, and the greenest thing you can find +in the cabbage garden, and boil them all up together; and when you have +done that you must put yourself into fine feather, and look smart when +your lassie comes, and then you may sit down on the dresser.' + +"Yes, all that Matt thought he could do very well. He fetched water and +dashed it about the room in floods, but he couldn't get it to stand +above the fourth plank, for when it rose higher it ran out. So he had to +leave off that work. But now you must know, they had a dog whose name +was 'Fat,' and a cat whose name was 'Lean;' both these he took and put +into the soup-kettle. As for the greenest thing in the garden, it was a +green gown which the goody had meant for her daughter-in-law; that he +cut up into little bits, and away it went into the pot; but their little +pig, which was called 'All,' he cooked by himself in the brewing tub. +And when Matt had done all this he laid hands on a pot of treacle and +and a feather pillow. Then he first of all rubbed himself all over with +the treacle, and then he tore open the pillow and rolled himself in the +feathers, and then he sat down on the dresser out in the kitchen, till +his mother and the lassie came. + +"Now the first thing the goody missed when she came to her house was the +dog, for it always used to meet her out of doors. The next thing was the +cat, for it always met her in the porch, and when the weather was right +down good and the sun shone, she even came out into the yard, and met +her at the garden gate. Nor could she see the green gown she had meant +for her daughter-in-law either, and her piggy-wiggy, which followed her +grunting wherever she went, he was not there either. So she went in to +see about all this; but as soon as ever she lifted the latch, out poured +the water through the doorway like a waterfall, so that they were almost +borne away by the flood, both the goody and the lassie. + +"So they had to go round by the back door, and when they got inside the +kitchen there sat that figure of fun all befeathered. + +"'What have you done?' said the goody. + +"'I did just as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'I tried to get the +water up to the fifth plank, but as fast as ever I poured it in it ran +out again, and so I could only get up as high as the fourth plank.' + +"'Well! well! but "Fat" and "Lean," said the goody, who wished to turn +it off; 'what have you done with them?' + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'I took and put them into +the soup-kettle. They both scratched and bit, and they mewed and whined, +and Fat was strong and kicked against it; but he had to go in at last +all the same; and as for "All," he's cooking by himself in the brewing +tub in the brew-house, for there wasn't room for him in the +soup-kettle.' + +"'But what have you done with that new green gown I meant for my +daughter-in-law?' said the goody, trying to hide his silliness. + +"'Oh! I did as you bade me, mother. It hung out in the cabbage-garden, +and as it was the greatest thing there, I took it and cut it up small, +and yonder it boils in the soup.' + +"Away ran the goody to the chimney-corner, tore off the pot and turned +it upside down with all that was in it. Then she filled it anew and put +it on to boil. But when she had time to look at Matt she was quite +shocked. + +"'Why is it you are such a figure?' she cried. + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'First I rubbed myself all +over with treacle to make myself sweet for my bride, and then I tore +open the pillow and put myself into fine feathers.' + +"Well, the goody turned it off as well as she could, and picked off the +feathers from her son, and washed him clean, and put fresh clothes on +him. + +"So at last they were to have the wedding, but first Matt was to go to +the town and sell a cow to buy things for the bridal. The goody had told +him what he was to do, and the beginning and end of what she said was, +he was to be sure to get something for the cow. So when he got to the +market with the cow, and they asked what he was to have for her, they +could get no other answer out of him than that he was to have +_something_ for her. So at last came a butcher, who begged him to take +the cow and follow him home, and he'd be sure to give him _something_ +for her. Yes, Matt went off with the cow, and when he got to the +butcher's house the butcher spat into the palm of Matt's hand, and +said-- + +"'There, you have something for your cow, but look sharp after it.' + +"So off went Matt as carefully as if he trode on eggs, holding his hand +shut; but when he had got about as far as the cross-road, which led to +their farm, he met the parson, who came driving along. + +"'Open the gate for me, my lad,' said the parson. + +"So the lad hastened to open the gate, but in doing so he forgot what he +had in his palm, and took the gate by both hands, so that what he got +for the cow was left sticking on the gate. So when he saw it was gone he +got cross, and said, his reverence had taken _something_ from him. + +"But when the parson asked him if he had lost his wits, and said he had +taken nothing from him, Matt got so wrath he killed the parson at a +blow, and buried him in a bog by the wayside. + +"So when he got home he told his mother all about it, and she +slaughtered a billy-goat, and laid it where Matt had laid the parson, +but she buried the parson in another place. And when she had done that +she hung over the fire a pot of brose, and when it was cooked she made +Matt sit down in the ingle and split matches. Meantime she went up on +the roof with the pot and poured the brose down the chimney, so that it +streamed over her son. + +"Next day came the sheriff. So when the sheriff asked him, Matt did not +gainsay that he had slain the parson, and more, he was quite ready to +show the sheriff where he had laid 'his reverence.' But when the sheriff +asked on what day it happened, Matt said 'it was the day when it rained +brose over the whole world.' + +"So when he got to the spot where he had buried the parson the sheriff +pulled out the billy-goat, and asked-- + +"'Had your parson horns?' + +"Now when the judges heard the story, they made up their minds that the +lad was quite out of his wits, and so he got off scot free. + +"So after all the bridal was to stand, and the goody had a long talk +with her son, and bade him be sure to behave prettily when they sat at +table. He was not to look too much at the bride, but to cast an eye at +her now and then. Peas he might eat by himself, but he must share the +eggs with her, and he was not to lay the leg bones by his side on the +table, but to place them tidily on his plate. + +"Yes, Matt would do all that, and he did it well; yes, he did all that +his mother bade him, and nothing else. First, he stole out to the +sheepfold, and plucked the eyes out of all the sheep and goats he could +find, and took them with him. So when they went to dinner he sat with +his back to his bride; but all at once he cast a sheep's eye at her so +that it hit her full in her face; and a little while after he cast +another, and so he went on. As for the eggs he ate them all up to his +own cheek, so that the lassie did not get a taste, but when the peas +came he shared them with her. And when they had eaten a while Matt put +his feet together, and up on his plate went his legs. + +"At night, when they were to go to bed, the lassie was tired and weary, +for she thought it no good to have such a fool for her husband. So she +said she had forgotten something and must go out a little; but she could +not get Matt's leave; he would follow her, for to tell the truth, he was +afraid she would never come back. + +"'No! no! lie still, I say,' said the bride. 'See, here's a long +hair-rope; tie it round me, and I'll leave the door ajar. So if you +think I'm too long away you have only to pull the rope and then you'll +drag me in again.' + +"Yes, Matt was content with that; but as soon as the lassie got out into +the yard she caught a billy-goat and untied the rope and tied it round +him. + +"So when Matt thought she was too long out of doors he began to haul in +the rope, and so he dragged the billy-goat up into bed to him. But when +he had lain a while, he bawled out-- + +"'Mother! mother! my bride has horns like a billy-goat!' + +"'Stuff! silly boy to lie and bewail yourself,' said his mother. 'It's +only her hair-plaits, poor thing, I'm sure.' + +"In a little while Matt called out again-- + +"'Mother! mother! my bride has a beard like a goat.' + +"'Stuff! silly boy to lie there and rave,' said the goody. + +"But there was no rest in that house that night, for in a little while +Matt screeched out that his bride was like a billy-goat all over. So +when it grew towards morning the goody said-- + +"'Jump up, my son, and make a fire.' + +"So Matt climbed up to a shelf under the roof, and set fire to some +straw and chips, and other rubbish that lay there. But then such a smoke +rose, that he couldn't bear it any longer indoors. He was forced to go +out, and just then the day broke. As for the goody, she too had to make +a start of it, and when they got out the house was on fire, so that the +flames came right out at the roof. + +"'Good luck! good luck! Hip, hip, hurrah!' roared out Matt, for he +thought it fine fun to have such an ending to his bridal feast." + + + + +KING VALEMON, THE WHITE BEAR. + + +"Now, once on a time there was, as there well might be, a king. He had +two daughters who were ugly and bad, but the third was as fair and soft +as the bright day, and the king and everyone was glad of her. So one day +she dreamt of a golden wreath that was so lovely she couldn't live until +she had it. But as she could not get it, she grew sullen and wouldn't so +much as talk for grief, and when the king knew it was the wreath she +sorrowed for, he sent out a pattern cut just like the one that the +princess had dreamt of, and sent word to goldsmiths in every land to see +if they could get the like of it. So the goldsmiths worked night and +day; but some of the wreaths she tossed away from her, and the rest she +would not so much as look at. + +"But once when she was in the wood, she set her eyes upon a white bear, +who had the very wreath she had dreamt of between his paws, and played +with it. Then she wanted to buy it. No! it was not for sale for money, +but she might have it, if he might have her. Yes! she said it was never +worth living without it. It was all the same to her whither she went, +and whom she got if she could only have that wreath; and so it was +settled between them that he should fetch her when three days were up, +and that day was a Thursday. + +"So when she went home with the wreath every one was glad because she +was glad again, and the king said, he thought it could never be so hard +to stop a white bear. So the third day he turned out his whole army +round the castle to withstand him. But when the white bear came there +was no one who could stand before him, for no weapon would bite on his +hide, and he hurled them down right and left, so that they lay in heaps +on either side. All this the king thought right down scathe; so he sent +out his eldest daughter, and the white bear took her upon his back and +went off with her. And when they had gone far, and farther than far, the +white bear asked,-- + +"'Have you ever sat softer, and have you ever seen clearer?' + +"'Yes! on my mother's lap I sat softer, and in my father's hall I saw +clearer,' she said. + +"'Oh!' said the white bear, 'then you're not the right one;' and with +that he hunted her home again. + +"The next Thursday he came again, and it all went just the same. The +army went out to withstand the white bear; but neither iron nor steel +bit on his hide, and so he dashed them down like grass till the king +begged him to hold hard, and then he sent out to him his next oldest +daughter, and the white bear took her on his back and went off with her. +So when they had travelled far and farther than far, the white bear +asked,-- + +"'Have you ever seen clearer, and have you ever sat softer?' + +"'Yes!' she said, 'in my father's hall I saw clearer, and on my mother's +lap I sat softer.' + +"Oh! then you are not the right one,' said the white bear, and with that +he hunted her home again. + +"The third Thursday he came again, and then he smote the army harder +than he had done before; so the king thought he couldn't let him slay +his whole army like that, and he gave him his third daughter in God's +name. So he took her up on his back and went away far, and farther than +far, and when they had gone deep, deep, into the wood, he asked her as +he had asked the others, whether she had ever sat softer or seen +clearer? + +"'No! never!' she said. + +"'Ah!' he said, 'you are the right one.' + +"So they came to a castle which was so grand, that the one her father +had was like the poorest place when set against it. There she was to be +and live happily, and she was to have nothing else to do but to see that +the fire never went out. The bear was away by day, but at night he was +with her, and then he was a man. So all went well for three years; but +each year she had a baby, and he took it and carried it off as soon as +ever it came into the world. Then she got more and more dull, and begged +she might have leave to go home and see her parents. Well! there was +nothing to stop that; but first, she had to give her word that she would +listen to what her father said, but not do what her mother wished. So +she went home, and when they were alone with her, and she had told how +she was treated, her mother wanted to give her a light to take back that +she might see what kind of man he was. + +"But her father said, 'No! she mustn't do that, for it will lead to harm +and not to gain.' + +"But however it happened, so it happened; she got a bit of a candle-end +to take with her when she started. + +"So the first thing she did when he was sound asleep, was to light the +candle-end and throw a light on him; and he was so lovely she never +thought she could gaze enough at him; but as she held the candle over +him, a hot drop of tallow dropped on his forehead, and he woke up. + +"'What is this you have done?' he said. 'Now you have made us both +unlucky; there was no more than a month left, and had you lasted it out, +I should have been saved; for a hag of the trolls has bewitched me, and +I am a white bear by day. But now it is all over between us, for now I +must go to her and take her to wife.' + +"She wept and bemoaned herself; but he must set off, and he would set +off. Then she asked if she might not go with him. 'No!' he said, 'there +was no way of doing that.' But for all that, when he set off in his +bear-shape, she took hold of his shaggy hide and threw herself upon his +back, and held on fast. + +"So away they went over crags and hills, and through brakes and briars, +till her clothes were torn off her back, and she was so dead tired, that +she let go her hold and lost her wits. When she came to herself she was +in a great wood, and then she set off again, but she could not tell +whither she was going. So after a long, long, time she came to a hut, +and there she saw two women, an old woman and a pretty little girl. Then +the princess asked, had they seen anything of King Valemon, the white +bear. + +"'Yes!' they said. 'He passed by here this morning early, but he went so +fast you'll never be able to catch him up.' + +"As for the girl, she ran about clipping in the air and playing with a +pair of golden scissors, which were of that kind, that silk and satin +stuffs flew all about her if she only clipped the air with them. Where +they were, there was never any want of clothes. + +"'But this woman,' said the little lass, 'who is to go so far and on +such bad ways, she will suffer much; she may well have more need of +these scissors than I to cut out her clothes with.' + +"And as she said this she begged her mother so hard, that at last she +got leave to give her the scissors. + +"So away travelled the princess through the wood, which seemed never to +come to an end, both day and night, and next morning she came to another +hut. In it there were also two women, an old wife and a young girl. + +"'Good-day!" said the princess. 'Have you seen anything of King Valemon, +the white bear?' That was what she asked them. + +"'Was it you, maybe, who was to have him?' said the old wife. + +"'Yes! it was.' + +"'Well, he passed by yesterday, but he went so fast you'll never be able +to catch him up.' + +"This little girl played about on the floor with a flask, which was of +that kind it poured out every drink any one wished to have. + +"'But this poor wife,' said the girl, 'who has to go so far on such bad +ways, I think she may well be thirsty and suffer much other ill. No +doubt she needs this flask more than I;' and so she asked if she might +have leave to give her the flask. Yes! that leave she might have. + +"So the princess got the flask, and thanked them, and set off again away +through the same wood, both that day and the next night too. The third +morning she came to a hut, where there was also an old wife and a little +girl. + +"'Good-day!' said the princess. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the old wife. + +"'Have you seen anything of King Valemon, the white bear?' she asked. + +"'Maybe it was you who was to have him?' said the old wife. + +"'Yes! it was.' + +"'Well he passed by here the day before yesterday; but he went so fast +you'll never be able to catch him up,' she said. + +"This little girl played about on the floor with a napkin, which was of +that kind that when one said on it, 'Napkin, spread yourself out and be +covered with all dainty dishes,' it did so, and where it was there was +never any want of a good dinner. + +"'But this poor wife,' said the little girl, 'who has to go so far over +such bad ways, she may well be starving and suffering much other ill. I +dare say she has far more need of this napkin than I;' and so she asked +if she might have leave to give her the napkin, and she got it. + +"So the princess took the napkin and thanked them, and set off again far +and farther than far, away through the same murk wood all that day and +night, and in the morning she came to a crossfell which was as steep as +a wall, and so high and broad, she could see no end to it. There was a +hut there too, and as soon as she set her foot inside it, she said,-- + +"'Good-day! Have you seen if King Valemon, the white bear, has passed +this way?' + +"'Good-day to you,' said the old wife. 'It was you, maybe, who was to +have him?' + +"'Yes! it was.' + +"'Well! he passed by and went up over the hill three days ago; but up +that nothing can get that is wingless.' + +"That hut, you must know, was all so full of small bairns, and they all +hung round their mother's skirts and bawled for food. Then the goody put +a pot on the fire full of small round pebbles. When the princess asked +what that was for, the goody said they were so poor they had neither +food nor clothing, and it went to her heart to hear the children +screaming for a morsel of food; but when she put the pot on the fire, +and said-- + +"'The potatoes will soon be ready,' the words dulled their hunger, and +they were patient awhile. + +"It was not long before the princess brought out the napkin and the +flask, that you may be sure, and when the children were all full and +glad, she cut them out clothes with her golden scissors. + +"'Well!' said the goody in the hut, 'since you have been so kind and +good towards me and my bairns, it were a shame if I didn't do all in my +power to try to help you over the hill. My husband is one of the best +smiths in the world, and now you must lie down and rest till he comes +home, and then I'll get him to forge you claws for your hands and feet, +and then you can see if you can crawl and scramble up.' + +"So when the smith came home, he set to work at once at the claws, and +next morning they were ready. She had no time to stay, but said, 'Thank +you,' and then clung close to the rock and crept and crawled with the +steel claws all that day and the next night, and just as she felt so +very very tired that she thought she could scarce lift hand or foot, but +must slip down--there she was all right at the top. There she found a +plain, with tilled fields and meads, so big and broad, she never thought +there could be any land so wide and so flat, and close by was a castle +full of workmen of all kinds, who swarmed like ants on an ant-hill. + +"'What is going on here?' asked the princess. + +"Well! if she must know, there lived the old hag who had bewitched King +Valemon, the white bear, and in three days she was to hold her wedding +feast with him. Then she asked if she mightn't have a word with her. +'No! was it likely? It was quite impossible.' So she sat down under the +window and began to clip in the air with her golden scissors, till the +silks and satins flew about as thick as a snow-drift. + +"But when the old hag saw that, she was all for buying the golden +scissors, for she said, 'All our tailors can do is no good at all, we +have too many to find clothes for.' + +"So the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but she should +have it, if she got leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night.' + +"'Yes!' the old hag said, 'she might have that leave and, welcome, but +she herself must lull him off to sleep and wake him in the morning.' + +"And, so when he went to bed she gave him a sleeping draught, so that he +could not keep an eye open, for all that the princess cried and wept. + +"Next day the princess went under the window again, and began to pour +out drink from her flask. It frothed like a brook with ale and wine, and +it was never empty. So when the old hag saw that, she was all for buying +it, for she said,-- + +"'For all our brewing and stilling, it's no good, we have too many to +find drink for.' + +"But the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but if she might +have leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night, she might have it.' + +"'Well!' the old hag said, 'she might have that leave and welcome, but +she must herself lull him off to sleep and wake him in the morning.' + +"So when he went to bed she gave him another sleeping draught, so that +it went no better that night than the first. He was not able to keep his +eyes open, for all that the princess bawled and wept. + +"But that night, there was one of the workmen who worked in a room next +to theirs. He heard the weeping and knew how things stood, and next day +he told the prince that she must be come, that princess who was to set +him free. + +"That day it was just the same story with the napkin as with the +scissors and the flask. When it was about dinner-time the princess went +outside the castle, took out the napkin and said, 'Napkin, spread +yourself out and be covered with all dainty dishes,' and there was meat +enough, and to spare, for hundreds of men; but the princess sat down to +table by herself. + +"So when the old hag set her eyes on the napkin, she wanted to buy it, +'For all their roasting and boiling is worth nothing, we have too many +mouths to feed.' + +"But the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but if she might +have leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night, she might have it. + +"'Well! she might do so and welcome,' said the old hag; 'but she must +first lull him off to sleep and wake him up in the morning.' + +"So when he was going to bed, she came with the sleeping draught, but +this time he was aware of her and made as though he slept. But the old +hag did not trust him for all that, for she took a pin and stuck it into +his arm to try if he were sound asleep, but for all the pain it gave him +he did not stir a bit, and so the princess got leave to come into him. + +"Then everything was soon set right between them, and if they could only +get rid of the old hag, he would be free. So he got the carpenters to +make him a trap-door on the bridge over which the bridal train had to +pass, for it was the custom there that the bride rode at the head of the +train with her friends. + +"So when they got well on the bridge, the trap-door tipped up with the +bride and all the other old hags who were her bridesmaids. But King +Valemon and the princess, and all the rest of the train, turned back to +the castle and took all they could carry away of the gold and goods of +the old hag, and so they set off for his own land, and were to hold +their real wedding. + +"And on the way King Valemon picked up those three little girls in the +three huts and took them with them, and now she saw why it was he had +taken her babes away and put them out at nurse; it was, that they might +help her to find him out. And so they drank their bridal ale both stiff +and strong." + + + + +THE GOLDEN BIRD. + + +"Once on a time there was a king who had a garden, and in that garden +stood an apple-tree, and on that apple-tree grew one golden apple every +year. But when the time drew on for plucking it, away it went, and there +was no one who could tell who took it or what became of it. It was gone, +and that was all they knew. + +"This king had three sons, and so he said to them one day that he of +them who could get him his apple again or lay hold of the thief should +have the kingdom after him, were he the eldest, or the youngest, or the +midmost. + +"So the eldest set out first on this quest, and sat him down under the +tree, and was to watch for the thief; and when night drew near a golden +bird came flying, and his feathers gleamed a long way off; but when the +king's son saw the bird and his beams he got so afraid he daren't stay +his watch out, but flew back into the palace as fast as ever he could. + +"Next morning the apple was gone. By that time the king's son had got +back his heart into his body, and so he fell to filling his scrip with +food, and was all for setting out to try if lie could find the bird. So +the king fitted him out well, and spared neither money nor clothes, and +when the king's son had gone a bit he got hungry and took out his scrip, +and sat him down to eat his dinner by the wayside. Then out came a fox +from a spruce clump and sat by him and looked on. + +"'Do, dear friend, give me a morsel of food,' said the fox. + +"'I'll give you burnt horn, that I will,' said the king's son. 'I'm like +to need food myself, for no one knows how far and how long I may have to +travel.' + +"'Oh! that's your game, is it?' said the fox, and back he went into the +wood. + +"So when the king's son had eaten and rested awhile he set off on his +way again. After a long, long time he came to a great town, and in that +town was an inn, where there was always mirth and never sorrow; there he +thought it would be good to be, and so he turned in there. But there was +so much dancing and drinking, and fun and jollity, that he forgot the +bird and its feathers, and his father, and his quest, and the whole +kingdom. Away he was and away he stayed. + +"The year after the midmost king's son was to watch for the apple thief +in the garden. Yes, he too sat him down under the tree when it began to +ripen. So all at once one night the golden bird came shining like the +sun, and the lad got so afraid he put his tail between his legs and ran +indoors as fast as ever he could. + +"Next morning the apple was gone; but by that time the king's son had +taken heart again, and was all for setting off to see if he could find +the bird. Yes, he began to put up his travelling fare, and the king +fitted him out well, and spared neither clothes nor money. But just the +same befell him as had befallen his brother. When he had travelled a bit +he got hungry, and opened his scrip, and sat him down to eat his dinner +by the wayside. So out came a fox from a spruce clump and sat up and +looked on. + +"'Dear friend, give me a morsel of food, do?' said the fox. + +"'I'll give you burnt horn, that I will,' said the king's son. 'I may +come to need food myself, for no one knows how far and how long I may +have to go.' + +"'Oh! that's your game, is it?' said the fox, and away he went into the +wood again. + +"So when the king's son had eaten and rested himself awhile he set off +on his way again. And after a long, long time he came to the same town +and the same inn where there was always mirth and never sorrow, and he +too thought it would be good to turn in there, and the very first man he +met was his brother, and so he too stayed there. His brother had feasted +and drunk till he had scarce any clothes to his back; but now they both +began anew, and there was such drinking and dancing, and fun and +jollity, that the second brother also forgot the bird and its feathers, +and his father, the quest, and the whole kingdom. Away he was and away +he stayed, he too. + +"So when the time drew on that the apple was getting ripe again the +youngest king's son was to go out into the garden and watch for the +apple thief. Now he took with him a comrade, who was to help him up into +the tree, and they took with them a keg of ale and a pack of cards to +while away the time, so that they should not fall asleep. All at once +came a blaze as of the sun, and just as the golden bird pounced down and +snapped up the apple the king's son tried to seize it, but he only got a +feather out of his tail. So he went into the king's bedroom and when he +came in with the feather the room was as bright as broad day. + +"So he too would go out into the wide world to try if he could hear any +tidings of his brothers and catch the bird, for after all he had been so +near it that he had put his mark on it and got a feather out of his +tail. Well, the king was long in making up his mind if he should let him +go, for he thought it would not be better with him who was the youngest +than with the eldest, who ought to have had more knowledge of the ways +of the world, and he was afraid he might lose him too. But the king's +son begged so prettily, that he had to give him leave at last. + +"So he began to pack up his travelling fare, and the king fitted him out +well both with clothes and money, and so he set off. So when he had +travelled a bit he got hungry and opened his scrip, and sat him down to +eat his dinner, and just as he put the first bit into his mouth a fox +came out of a spruce clump, and sat down by him and looked on. + +"'Oh! dear friend! give me a morsel of food, do,' said the fox. + +"'I might very well come to need food for myself,' said the king's son; +'for, I'm sure, I can't tell how long I shall have to go; but so much I +know, that I can just give you a little bit.' + +"So when the fox had got a bit of meat to bite at, he asked the king's +son whither he was bound. Well, he told him what he was trying to do. + +"'If you will listen to me,' said the fox, 'I will help you, so that you +shall take luck along with you.' + +"Then the king's son gave his word to listen to him, and so they set off +in company, and when they had travelled awhile they came to the +self-same town and the self-same inn where there was always mirth and +never sorrow. + +"'Now I may just as well stay outside the town,' said the fox. 'Those +dogs are such a bore.' + +"And then he told him what his brothers had done, and what they were +still doing, and he went on. + +"'If you go in there you'll get no farther either. Do you hear?' + +"So the king's son gave his word, and his hand into the bargain, that he +wouldn't go in there, and they each went his way. But when the prince +got to the inn and heard what music and jollity there was inside he +could not help going in, there were not two words about that, and when +he met his brothers, there was such a to-do, that he forgot both the fox +and his quest, and the bird and his father. But when he had been there +awhile the fox came--for he had ventured into the town after all--and +peeped through the door, and winked at the king's son, and said now they +must set off: So the prince came to his senses again, and away they +started for the house. + +"And when they had gone awhile they saw a big fell far far off. Then the +fox said: + +"'Three hundred miles behind yon fell there grows a gilded linden tree +with golden leaves, and in that linden roosts the golden bird whose +feather that is.' + +"So they travelled thither together, and when the king's son was going +off to catch the bird, the fox gave him some fine feathers, which he was +to wave with his hand to lure the bird down, and then it would come +flying and perch on his hand. But the fox told him to mind and not touch +the linden, for there was a big Troll who owned it, and if the king's +son but touched the tiniest twig the Troll would come and slay him on +the spot. + +"Nay! the king's son would be sure not to touch it, he said; but when he +had got the bird on his fist, he thought he just would have a twig of +the linden, that was past praying against, it was so bright and lovely. +So, he took one, just one very tiny little one. But in a trice out came +the Troll. + +"'WHO IS IT THAT STEALS MY LINDEN AND MY BIRD?' he roared, and was so +angry that sparks of fire flashed from him. + +"'Thieves think every man a thief,' said the king's son; 'but none are +hanged but those who don't steal right.' + +"But the Troll said it was all one, and was just going to smite him; but +the lad said he must spare his life. + +"'Well! well!' said the Troll, 'if you can get me again the horse which +my nearest neighbour has stolen from me, you shall get off with your +life.' + +"'But where shall I find him?' asked the king's son. + +"'Oh! he lives three hundred miles beyond yon big fell that looks blue +in the sky.' + +"So the king's son gave his word to do his best. But when he met the +fox, Reynard was not altogether in a soft temper. + +"'Now you have behaved badly,' he said. 'Had you done as I bade you, we +should have been on our way home by this time.' + +"So they had to make a fresh start, as life was at stake, and the prince +had given his word, and after a long, long time they got to the spot. +And when the prince was to go and take the horse, the fox said: + +"'When you come into the stable, you will see many bits hanging on the +stalls, both of silver and gold; them you shall not touch, for then the +Troll will come out and slay you on the spot; but the ugliest and +poorest, that you shall take.' + +"Yes! the king's son gave his word to do that; but when he got into the +stable he thought it was all stuff, for there was enough and to spare of +fine bits; and so he took the brightest he could find, and it shone like +gold; but in a trice out came the Troll, so cross that sparks of fire +flashed from him. + +"'WHO IS IT WHO TRIES TO STEAL MY HORSE AND MY BIT?' he roared out. + +"'Thieves think every man a thief,' said the kings son; 'but none are +hanged but those who don't steal right.' + +"'Well! all the same,' said the Troll, 'I'll kill you on the spot.' + +"But the king's son said he must spare his life. + +"'Well! well!' said the Troll, 'if you can get me back the lovely maiden +my nearest neighbour has stolen from me I'll spare your life.' + +"'Where does he live, then?' said the king's son. + +"'Oh! he lives three hundred miles behind that big fell that is blue, +yonder in the sky,' said the Troll. + +"Yes! the king's son gave his word to fetch the maiden, and then he had +leave to go, and got off with his life. But when he came out of doors +the fox was not in the very best temper, you may fancy. + +"'Now you have behaved badly again. Had you done as I bade you, we might +have been on our way home long ago. Do you know, I almost think now I +won't stay with you any longer.' + +"But the king's son begged and prayed so prettily from the bottom of his +heart, and gave his word never to do anything but what the fox said, if +he would only be his companion. At last the fox yielded, and they became +fast friends again, and so they set off afresh, and after a long, long +time they came to the spot where the lovely maiden was. + +"'Yes!' said the fox, 'you have given your word like a man, but for all +that, I dare not let you go in to the Troll's house this time. I must go +myself.' + +"So he went in, and in a little while he came out with the maiden, and +so they travelled back by the same way that they had come. And when they +came back to the Troll who had the horse, they took both it and the +grandest bit; and when they got to the Troll who owned the linden and +the bird, they took both the linden and the bird, and set off with them. + +"So when they had travelled awhile, they came to a field of rye, and the +fox said: + +"'I hear a noise; now you must ride on alone, and I will bide here +awhile.' + +"So he platted himself a dress of rye-straw, and it looked just like +some one who stood there and preached. And he had scarcely done that +before all three Trolls came flying along, thinking they would overtake +them. + +"'Have you seen any one riding by here with a lovely maiden, and a horse +with a gold bit, and a golden bird and a gilded linden-tree?' they all +roared out to him who stood there preaching. + +"'Yes! I heard that from my grandmother's grandmother, that such a train +passed by here, but Lord bless us, that was in the good old time, when +my grandmother's grandmother baked cakes for a penny, and gave the penny +back again.' + +"Then all the three Trolls burst out into loud fits of laughter, 'HA! +HA! HA! HA!' they cried, and took hold of one another. + +"'If we have slept so long, we may e'en just turn our noses home, and go +to bed,' they said; and so they went back by the way they had come. + +"Then the fox started off after the king's son; but when they got to the +town where the inn and his brothers were, he said: + +"'I dare not go through the town for the dogs. I must take my own way +round about; but now you must take good care that your brothers don't +lay hold of you.' + +"But when the king's son got into the town, he thought it very hard if +he didn't look in on his brothers and have a word with them, and so he +halted a little time. But as soon as his brothers set eyes on him, they +came out and took from him both the maiden and the horse, and the bird +and the linden, and everything; and himself they stuffed into a cask and +cast him into the lake, and so they set off home to the king's palace, +with the maiden and the horse, and the bird and linden, and everything. +But the maiden wouldn't say a word; she got pale and wretched to look +at. The horse got so thin and starved, all his bones scarce clung +together. The bird moped and shone no more, and the linden withered +away. + +"Meanwhile the fox walked about outside the town, where the inn was with +all its jollity, and he listened and waited for the king's son and the +lovely maiden, and wondered why they did not come back. So he went +hither and thither, and waited and longed, and at last he went down to +the strand, and there he saw the cask which lay on the lake drifting, +and called out: + +"'Are you driven about there, you empty cask?' + +"'Oh! it is I,' said the king's son inside the cask. + +"Then the fox swam out into the lake as fast as he could, and got hold +of the cask and drew it on shore. Then he began to gnaw at the hoops, +and when he had got them off the cask, he called out to the king's son, +'Kick and stamp!' + +"So the king's son struck out and stamped and kicked, till every stave +burst asunder, and out he jumped from the cask. Then they went together +to the king's palace, and when they got there the maiden grew lovely, +and began to speak; the horse got so fat and sleek that every hair +beamed; the bird shone and sang; the linden began to bloom and glitter +with its leaves, and at last the maiden said: + +"'Here he is who set us free!' + +"So they planted the linden in the garden and the youngest prince was to +have the princess, for she was one of course; but as for the two elder +brothers, they put them each into his own cask full of nails, and rolled +them down a steep hill. + +"So they made ready for the bridal; but first the fox said to the prince +he must lay him on the chopping-block, and cut his head off, and whether +he thought it good or ill, there was no help for it, he must do it. But +as he dealt the stroke, the fox became a lovely prince, and he was the +princess's brother, whom they had set free from the Trolls. + +"So the bridal came on, and it was so great and grand, that the story of +that feasting spread far and wide, till it reached all the way to this +very spot." + + +THE END. + +[Transcriber's note: Both S[oe]ter and Sæter are used in the text. +S[oe]ter has been changed to Soeter.] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales from the Fjeld, by P. Chr. 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W. Dasent, D.C.L. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales from the Fjeld, by P. Chr. Asbjörnsen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tales from the Fjeld + A Second Series of Popular Tales + +Author: P. Chr. Asbjörnsen + +Translator: G. W. Dasent + +Release Date: June 11, 2011 [EBook #36385] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES FROM THE FJELD *** + + + + +Produced by Delphine Lettau, Clive Pickton, Mary Meehan +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>TALES FROM THE FJELD.</h1> + +<h3>A SECOND SERIES OF POPULAR TALES,</h3> + +<h3>FROM THE NORSE OF</h3> + +<h3>P. <span class="smcap">Chr.</span> ASBJÖRNSEN.</h3> + +<h2>BY G. W. DASENT, D.C.L.</h2> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF "TALES FROM THE NORSE," "ANNALS OF AN EVENTFUL LIFE," ETC.</h3> + + +<h3>LONDON:<br /> +CHAPMAN & HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.<br /> +1874.</h3> + +<h3>[<i>All Rights Reserved.</i>]</h3> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>The Tales contained in this volume form a second series of those +"Popular Tales from the Norse," which have been received with much +favour in this country, and of which a Third Edition will shortly be +published. A part of them appeared some years ago in <i>Once a Week</i>, from +which they are now reprinted by permission of the proprietors, the Norse +originals, from which they were translated, having been communicated by +the translator's friend, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen, to various Christmas books, +published in Christiania. In 1871, Mr. Asbjörnsen collected those +scattered Tales and added some more to them, which he published under +the title "Norske Folke-Eventyr fortalte of P. Chr. Asbjörnsen, Ny +Samling." It is from this new series as revised by the collector that +the present version has been made. In it the translator has trodden in +the path laid down in the first series of "Tales from the Norse," and +tried to turn his Norse original into mother English, which any one that +runs may read.</p> + +<p>That this plan has met with favour abroad as well as at home is proved +by the fact that large editions of the "Tales from the Norse" have been +printed by Messrs. Appleton in New York, by which, no doubt, that +appropriating firm have been great gainers, though the translator's +share in their profits has amounted to nothing. It is more grateful to +him to find that in Norway, the cradle of these beautiful stories, his +efforts have been warmly appreciated by Messrs Asbjörnsen and Moe, who, +in their preface to the Third Edition, Christiania, 1866, speak in the +following terms of his version: "In France and England collections have +appeared in which our Tales have not only been correctly and faultlessly +translated, but even rendered with exemplary truth and care,—nay, with +thorough mastery; the English translation, by George Webbe Dasent, is +the best and happiest rendering of our Tales that has appeared, and it +has in England been more successful and become far more widely known +than the originals here at home." Then speaking of the Introduction, +Messrs. Asbjörnsen and Moe go on to say, "We have here added the end of +this Introduction to show how the translator has understood and grasped +the relation in which these Tales stand to Norse nature and the life of +the people, and how they have sprung out of both."</p> + +<p>The title of this volume, "Tales from the Fjeld," arose out of the form +in which they were published in <i>Once a Week</i>. The translator began by +setting them in a frame formed by the imaginary adventures of English +sportsmen on the Fjeld or Fells in Norway. "Karin and Anders," and +"Edward and I," are therefore the creatures of his imagination, but the +Tales are the Tales of Asbjörnsen. After a while he grew weary of the +setting and framework, and when about a third of the volume had been +thus framed, he resolved to let the Tales speak for themselves and stand +alone as in the first series of "Popular Tales from the Norse."</p> + +<p>With regard to the bearing of these Tales on the question of the +diffusion of race and tradition, much might be said, but as he has +already traversed the same ground in the Introduction to the "Tales from +the Norse," he reserves what he has to say on that point till the Third +Edition of those Tales shall appear. It will be enough here to mention +that several of the Tales now published are variations, though very +interesting ones, from some of those in the first series. Others are +rather the harvest of popular experience than mythical tales, and on the +whole the character of this volume is more jocose and less poetical than +that of its predecessor. In a word, they are, many of them, what the +Germans would call "Schwänke."</p> + +<p>Of this kind are the Tales called "The Charcoal Burner," "Our Parish +Clerk," and "The Parson and the Clerk." In "Goody 'gainst the Stream," +and "Silly Men and Cunning Wives," the reader, skilled in popular +fiction, will find two tales of Indian origin, both of which are +wide-spread in the folklore of the West, and make their appearance in +the Facetiæ of Poggio. The Beast Epic, in which Jacob Grimm so +delighted, is largely represented, and the stories of that kind in this +volume are among the best that have been collected. One of the most +mythical and at the same time one of the most domestic stories of those +now published, is, perhaps, "The Father of the Family," which ought +rather to have been called "The Seventh, the Father of the Family," as +it is not till the wayfarer has inquired seven times from as many +generations of old men that he finds the real father of the family Mr. +Ralston, the accomplished writer and editor of "Russian Popular Tales," +has pointed out in an article on these Norse Tales, which appeared in +<i>Fraser's Magazine</i> for December, 1872, the probable antiquity of this +story, which he classes with the Rigsmal of the Elder Edda. That it was +known in England two centuries ago is proved by the curious fact that it +has got woven into the life of "Old Jenkins," whose mythical age as well +as that of "Old Parr," Mr. Thoms has recently demolished in his book on +the "Longevity of Man." The story as quoted by Mr. Thoms, from +Clarkson's "History and Antiquities of Richmond," in Yorkshire, is so +curious that it is worth while to give it at length. There had been some +legal dispute in which the evidence of Old Jenkins, as confessedly "the +oldest inhabitant" was required, and the agent of Mrs. Wastell, one of +the parties, went to visit the old man. "Previous to Jenkins going to +York," says Mr. Clarkson, "when the agent of Mrs. Wastell went to him to +find out what account he could give of the matter in dispute, he saw an +old man sitting at the door, to whom he told his business. The old man +said 'he could remember nothing about it, but that he would find his +father in the house, who perhaps could satisfy him.' When he went in he +saw another old man sitting over the fire, bowed down with years, to +whom he repeated his former questions. With some difficulty he made him +understand what he had said, and after a little while got the following +answer, which surprised him very much: 'That he knew nothing about it, +but that if he would go into the yard he would meet with his father, who +perhaps could tell him.' The agent upon this thought that he had met +with a race of Antediluvians. However into the yard he went, and to his +no small astonishment found a venerable man with a long beard, and a +broad leathern belt about him, chopping sticks. To this man he again +told his business, and received such information as in the end recovered +the royalty in dispute." "The fact is," adds Mr. Thoms, "that the story +of Jenkins' son and grandson is only a Yorkshire version of the story as +old or older than Jenkins himself, namely, of the very old man who was +seen crying because his father had beaten him for throwing stones at his +grandfather." On which it may be remarked, that however old Old Jenkins +may have been, this story has probably out-lived as many generations as +popular belief gave years to his life. Another old story is "Death and +the Doctor," which centuries ago got entangled with the history of the +family of Bethune, in Scotland, who were supposed to possess an +hereditary gift of leechcraft, derived in the same way. "Friends in Life +and Death," is a Norse variation of Rip van Winkle, which is nothing +more nor less than a Dutch popular tale, while the lassie who won the +prince by fulfilling his conditions of coming to him, "not driving and +not riding, not walking and not carried, not fasting and not full-fed, +not naked and not clad, not by daylight and not by night," has its +variations in many lands. It is no little proof of the wonderful skill +of Hans Christian Andersen, and at the same time of his power to enter +into the spirit of popular fiction, that he has worked the tale of "The +Companion" into one of his most happy stories.</p> + +<p>In this volume, as in the former one, the translator, while striving to +be as truthful as possible, has in the case of some characters adopted +the English equivalent rather than a literal rendering from the Norse. +Thus "Askpot" is still "Boots," the youngest of the family on whom falls +all the dirty work, and not "Cinderbob" or the Scottish "Ashiepet." +"Tyrihans" he has rendered almost literally "Taper Tom," the name +meaning not slender or limber Tom, but Tom who sits in the ingle and +makes tapers or matchwood of resinous fir to be used instead of candles. +Some of the Tales, such as "The Charcoal Burner," "Our Parish Clerk," +and "The Sheep and the Pig who set up House," are filled with proverbs +which it was often very difficult to render. On this and other points it +must be left to others to say whether he has succeeded or not. But if +his readers, young and old, will only remember that things which seem +easiest are often the hardest to do, they will be as gentle readers as +those he desired to find for his first volume, and so long as they are +of that spirit he is sure to be well pleased.</p> + +<p><i>October 18th, 1873.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#PREFACE">PREFACE.</a><br /> +<a href="#OSBORNS_PIPE"><span class="smcap">Osborn's Pipe</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_HAUNTED_MILL_AND_THE_HONEST_PENNY"><span class="smcap">The Haunted Mill, and the Honest Penny.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_DEATH_OF_CHANTICLEER_AND_THE_GREEDY_CAT"><span class="smcap">The Death of Chanticleer, and the Greedy Cat.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#PETER_THE_FORESTER_AND_GRUMBLEGIZZARD"><span class="smcap">Peter the Forester and Grumblegizzard.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#PETERS_THREE_TALES"><span class="smcap">Peter's Three Tales.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_COMPANION"><span class="smcap">The Companion.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_SHOPBOY_AND_HIS_CHEESE_AND_PEIK"><span class="smcap">The Shopboy and his Cheese, and Peik.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#KARINS_THREE_STORIES"><span class="smcap">Karin's Three Stories.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#PETERS_BEAST_STORIES"><span class="smcap">Peter's Beast Stories.</span></a><br /> +<a href="#MASTER_TOBACCO"><span class="smcap">Master Tobacco</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_CHARCOAL-BURNER"><span class="smcap">The Charcoal Burner</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_BOX_WITH_SOMETHING_PRETTY_IN_IT"><span class="smcap">The Box with Something Pretty in it</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_THREE_LEMONS"><span class="smcap">The Three Lemons</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_PRIEST_AND_THE_CLERK"><span class="smcap">The Priest and the Clerk</span></a><br /> +<a href="#FRIENDS_IN_LIFE_AND_DEATH"><span class="smcap">Friends in Life and Death</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_FATHER_OF_THE_FAMILY"><span class="smcap">The Father of the Family</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THREE_YEARS_WITHOUT_WAGES"><span class="smcap">Three Years without Wages</span></a><br /> +<a href="#OUR_PARISH_CLERK"><span class="smcap">Our Parish Clerk</span></a><br /> +<a href="#SILLY_MEN_AND_CUNNING_WIVES"><span class="smcap">Silly Men and Cunning Wives</span>.</a><br /> +<a href="#TAPER_TOM"><span class="smcap">Taper Tom</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_TROLLS_IN_HEDALE_WOOD"><span class="smcap">The Trolls in Hedale Wood</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_SKIPPER_AND_OLD_NICK"><span class="smcap">The Skipper and Old Nick</span></a><br /> +<a href="#GOODY_GAINST-THE-STREAM"><span class="smcap">Goody Gainst-the-Stream</span></a><br /> +<a href="#HOW_TO_WIN_A_PRINCE"><span class="smcap">How to Win a Prince</span></a><br /> +<a href="#BOOTS_AND_THE_BEASTS"><span class="smcap">Boots and the Beasts</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_SWEETHEART_IN_THE_WOOD"><span class="smcap">The Sweetheart in the Wood</span></a><br /> +<a href="#HOW_THEY_GOT_HAIRLOCK_HOME"><span class="smcap">How they got Hairlock Home</span></a><br /> +<a href="#OSBORN_BOOTS_AND_MR_GLIBTONGUE"><span class="smcap">Osborn Boots and Mr. Glibtongue</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THIS_IS_THE_LAD_WHO_SOLD_THE_PIG"><span class="smcap">This is the Lad who Sold the Pig</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_SHEEP_AND_THE_PIG_WHO_SET_UP_HOUSE"><span class="smcap">The Sheep and the Pig who Set Up House</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_GOLDEN_PALACE_THAT_HUNG_IN_THE_AIR"><span class="smcap">The Golden Palace that Hung in the Air</span></a><br /> +<a href="#LITTLE_FREDDY_WITH_HIS_FIDDLE"><span class="smcap">Little Freddy with his Fiddle</span></a><br /> +<a href="#MOTHER_ROUNDABOUTS_DAUGHTER"><span class="smcap">Mother Roundabout's Daughter</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_GREEN_KNIGHT"><span class="smcap">The Green Knight</span></a><br /> +<a href="#BOOTS_AND_HIS_CREW"><span class="smcap">Boots and His Crew</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_TOWN-MOUSE_AND_THE_FELL-MOUSE"><span class="smcap">The Town-Mouse and the Fell-Mouse</span></a><br /> +<a href="#SILLY_MATT"><span class="smcap">Silly Matt</span></a><br /> +<a href="#KING_VALEMON_THE_WHITE_BEAR"><span class="smcap">King Valemon, the White Bear</span></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_GOLDEN_BIRD"><span class="smcap">The Golden Bird</span></a> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>TALES FROM THE FJELD.</h2> + + +<p>We were up on the Fjeld, Edward and I and Anders our guide, in quest of +reindeer. How long ago it was we will not ask; for after all it was not +so very long ago. How did we get there? Well; if you must know we went +up to the head of the Sogne Fjord in a boat, and then we drove up the +valley in carioles till we were tired, and then we took to our legs, +and, now, about three P.M., we were on the Fjeld making for the +<i>Sœter</i> or Shieling, where we were to pass the night. On this our +first day, we did not expect to meet deer, so on we plodded over the +stony soil slanting across the Fjeld which showed its long shoulder +above us, while far off glared the snowy peaks, and the glaciers stooped +down to meet the Fjeld, for as the Norse proverb says, if the dale won't +come to the mountain, the mountain must meet the dale. On we went, +Anders cheering the way by stories of <i>Huldror</i> and Trolls, and running +off hither and thither to fetch us Alpine plants and flowers. All at +once, in one of these flights which had brought him up to the very edge +of the shoulder above us, we saw his tall form stiffen as it were +against the sky, and, in another moment, he had fallen flat, beckoning +us to come cautiously to him. As we reached him stooping and running, he +whispered "There they are, away yonder;" and sure enough, about half a +mile further on, close under the shoulder, which broke off into an +immense circular valley or combe, we could make out two stags, three +hinds, and some fawns, at play. It was a strange sight to see the low, +thick-set stags with their heavy palmated antlers, leaping over one +another and over the hinds, and the hinds and fawns in turn following +their example. "A sure sign of rain and wind," said Anders. "It will +blow a hurricane and pour in torrents to-morrow, mark my words. I never +looked to find them so low down; let us try to get at them." We crept +down then, well under cover of the shoulder, and, led by Anders, went on +till he said we were opposite the spot where the deer were at play. +"But, by all the powers," said he, "be sure to take good aim both of +you, and bring down each a stag. I will take one of the hinds, but I +will not fire before you." And now began the real stalk; we had about +three hundred yards against the wind to crawl on our hands and feet over +stones, and gravel, and dry grass, and brambles, and dwarf willow, +before we could get to the edge of the shoulder, and look down on the +deer. For nearly the whole distance all went well, our bellies clove to +the dust like snakes, as we wormed our way. But, alas! when we were not +ten yards from the edge, Edward uttered a cry and sprang to his feet. +Anders and I did the same without the cry, only to see the deer off at +full speed down the combe, followed by a volley of oaths and a +billetless bullet from the old flint rifle which Anders carried. For +myself I turned to Edward and felt very much as though I should like to +send my bullet through him.</p> + +<p>"Why, in the name of all that is unholy, did you utter that yell and +scare them away."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am very sorry," he said, "but I came across this thing like a +bramble, only the prickles are much sharper, and it tore me so I +couldn't bear it;" and, as he spoke, he pointed to a stout trailing +<i>Rubus arcticus</i> over which he had crawled, and which had taken toll +both of his clothing and flesh.</p> + +<p>Anders looked at him with unutterable scorn. "When the gentleman next +goes after reindeer, he had better take Osborn's Pipe with him. Come +along, no more reindeer for us to-day; no, nor to-morrow either. The +peaks are going to put on their nightcaps; we must try to get to the +<i>Sœter</i> before the storm comes on." After a tough walk, during which +Anders said little or nothing, we got to the shieling, where two girls, +a cousin of Anders and his sister, met us with bright hearty faces. They +had been up there looking after the cattle since June, and it was now +August, and they had made heaps of butter and cheese. There were three +rooms in the <i>Sœter</i>, a living-room in the middle, and on either hand +a room for the men and another for the women. There were outhouses for +the butter, and cheese, and milk, and cream. We had sent up some +creature comforts, and with these and the butter, cream, and cheese, we +made a good supper; and now we are sitting over the fire smoking our +pipes, and listening to the rain as it patters on the roof, and to the +wind as it howls round the building. Under the influence of tobacco and +cognac Anders was more happy, and got even reconciled to Edward, whom he +regarded as a muff. Looking at him mockingly, he said again, "What a +pity you had not Osborn's Pipe."</p> + +<p>"And, pray, what was that?" asked Edward; "was it anything like this?" +holding out his cutty pipe.</p> + +<p>"God forgive us," said Anders; "there are pipes and pipes, and Osborn's +Pipe was not a tobacco-pipe, but a playing pipe or whistle. At least so +my grandmother said, for she said her grandmother knew a very old woman +down at the head of the lake, who had known Osborn and seen his pipe. +But, if you like, I'll tell you the story. The girls are gone to bed, +and so they won't trouble us, though there's a good bit of kissing in +the story, and, when you hear it, you'll both say we should have been +lucky if we had only had Osborn's Pipe when the gentleman scared away +the deer. But here goes."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="OSBORNS_PIPE" id="OSBORNS_PIPE"></a>OSBORN'S PIPE.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a poor tenant farmer who had to give up his +farm to his landlord; but, if he had lost his farm, he had three sons +left, and their names were Peter, Paul, and Osborn Boots. They stayed at +home and sauntered about, and wouldn't do a stroke of work; <i>that</i> they +thought was the right thing to do. They thought, too, they were too good +for everything, and that nothing was good enough for them.</p> + +<p>"At last Peter had got to hear how the king would have a keeper to watch +his hares; so he said to his father that he would be off thither: the +place would just suit him, for he would serve no lower man than the +king; that was what he said. The old father thought there might be work +for which he was better fitted than that; for he that would keep the +king's hares must be light and lissom, and no lazy-bones, and when the +hares began to skip and frisk there would be quite another dance than +loitering about from house to house. Well, it was all no good: Peter +would go, and must go, so he took his scrip on his back, and toddled +away down the hill; and when he had gone far, and farther than far, he +came to an old wife, who stood there with her nose stuck fast in a log +of wood, and pulled and pulled at it; and as soon as he saw how she +stood dragging and pulling to get free he burst into a loud fit of +laughter.</p> + +<p>"'Don't stand there and grin,' said the old wife, 'but come and help an +old cripple; I was to have split asunder a little firewood, and I got my +nose fast down here, and so I have stood and tugged and torn and not +tasted a morsel of food for hundreds of years.' That was what she said.</p> + +<p>"But for all that Peter laughed more and more. He thought it all fine +fun. All he said was, as she had stood so for hundreds of years she +might hold out for hundreds of years still.</p> + +<p>"When he got to the king's grange, they took him for keeper at once. It +was not bad serving there, and he was to have good food and good pay, +and maybe the princess into the bargain; but if one of the king's hares +got lost, they were to cut three red stripes out of his back and cast +him into a pit of snakes.</p> + +<p>"So long as Peter was in the byre and home-field he kept all the hares +in one flock: but as the day wore on, and they got up into the wood, all +the hares began to frisk, and skip, and scuttle away up and down the +hillocks. Peter ran after them this way and that, and nearly burst +himself with running, so long as he could make out that he had one of +them left, and when the last was gone he was almost brokenwinded. And +after that he saw nothing more of them.</p> + +<p>"When it drew towards evening he sauntered along on his way home, and +stood and called and called to them at each fence, but no hares came; +and when he got home to the king's grange, there stood the king all +ready with his knife, and he took and cut three red stripes out of +Peter's back, and then rubbed pepper and salt into them, and cast him +into a pit of snakes.</p> + +<p>"After a time, Paul was for going to the king's grange to keep the +king's hares. The old gaffer said the same thing to him, and even still +more; but he must and would set off; there was no help for it, and +things went neither better nor worse with him than with Peter. The old +wife stood there and tugged and tore at her nose to get it out of the +log; he laughed, and thought it fine fun, and left her standing and +hacking there. He got the place at once; no one said him nay; but the +hares hopped and skipped away from him down all the hillocks, while he +rushed about till he blew and panted like a colley-dog in the dog-days, +and when he got home at night to the king's grange, without a hare, the +king stood ready with his knife in the porch, and took and cut three +broad red stripes out of his back, and rubbed pepper and salt into them, +and so down he went into the pit of snakes.</p> + +<p>"Now, when a little while had passed, Osborn Boots was all for setting +off to keep the king's hares, and he told his mind to the gaffer. He +thought it would be just the right work for him to go into the woods and +fields, and along the wild strawberry brakes, and to drag a flock of +hares with him, and between whiles to lie and sleep and warm himself on +the sunny hillsides.</p> + +<p>"The gaffer thought there might be work which suited him better; if it +didn't go worse, it was sure not to go better with him than with his two +brothers. The man to keep the king's hares must not dawdle about like a +lazy-bones with leaden soles to his stockings, or like a fly in a +tar-pot; for when they fell to frisking and skipping on the sunny +slopes, it would be quite another dance to catching fleas with gloves +on. No; he that would get rid of that work with a whole back had need to +be more than lithe and lissom, and he must fly about faster than a +bladder or a bird's-wing.</p> + +<p>"'Well, well, it was all no good, however bad it might be,' said Osborn +Boots. He would go to the king's grange and serve the king, for no +lesser man would he serve, and he would soon keep the hares. They +couldn't well be worse than the goat and the calf at home. So Boots +threw his scrip on his shoulder, and down the hill he toddled.</p> + +<p>"So when he had gone far, and farther than far, and had begun to get +right down hungry, he too came to the old wife, who stood with her nose +fast in the log, who tugged, and tore, and tried to get loose.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, grandmother,' said Boots. 'Are you standing there whetting +your nose, poor old cripple that you are?'</p> + +<p>"'Now, not a soul has called me "mother" for hundreds of years,' said +the old wife. 'Do come and help me to get free, and give me something to +live on; for I haven't had meat in my mouth all that time. See if I +don't do you a motherly turn afterwards.'</p> + +<p>"Yes; he thought she might well ask for a bit of food and a drop of +drink.</p> + +<p>"So he cleft the log for her, that she might get her nose out of the +split, and sat down to eat and drink with her; and as the old wife had a +good appetite, you may fancy she got the lion's share of the meal.</p> + +<p>"When they were done, she gave Boots a pipe, which was in this wise: +when he blew into one end of it, anything that he wished away was +scattered to the four winds, and when he blew into the other, all things +gathered themselves together again; and if the pipe were lost or taken +from him, he had only to wish for it, and it came back to him.</p> + +<p>"'Something like a pipe, this,' said Osborn Boots.</p> + +<p>"When he got to the king's grange, they chose him for keeper on the +spot. It was no bad service there, and food and wages he should have, +and, if he were man enough to keep the king's hares, he might, perhaps, +get the princess too; but if one of them got away, if it were only a +leveret, they were to cut three red stripes out of his back. And the +king was so sure of this that he went off at once and ground his knife.</p> + +<p>"It would be a small thing to keep these hares, thought Osborn Boots; +for when they set out they were almost as tame as a flock of sheep, and +so long as he was in the lane and in the home-field, he had them all +easily in a flock and following; but when they got upon the hill by the +wood, and it looked towards mid-day, and the sun began to burn and shine +on the slopes and hillsides, all the hares fell to frisking and skipping +about, and away over the hills.</p> + +<p>"'Ho, ho! stop! will you all go? Go, then!' said Boots; and he blew into +one end of the pipe, so that they ran off on all sides, and there was +not one of them left. But as he went on, and came to an old charcoal +pit, he blew into the other end of the pipe; and before he knew where he +was, the hares were all there, and stood in lines and rows, so that he +could take them all in at a glance, just like a troop of soldiers on +parade. 'Something like a pipe, this,' said Osborn Boots; and with that +he laid him down to sleep away under a sunny slope, and the hares +frisked and frolicked about till eventide. Then he piped them all +together again, and came down to the king's grange with them, like a +flock of sheep.</p> + +<p>"The king and the queen, and the princess, too, all stood in the porch, +and wondered what sort of fellow this was who so kept the hares that he +brought them home again; and the king told and reckoned them on his +fingers, and counted them over and over again; but there was not one of +them missing—no! not so much as a leveret.</p> + +<p>"'Something like a lad, this,' said the princess.</p> + +<p>"Next day he went off to the wood, and was to keep the hares again; but +as he lay and rested himself on a strawberry brake, they sent the maid +after him from the grange that she might find out how it was that he was +man enough to keep the king's hares so well.</p> + +<p>"So he took out the pipe and showed it her, and then he blew into one +end and made them fly like the wind over all the hills and dales; and +then he blew into the other end, and they all came scampering back to +the brake, and all stood in row and rank again.</p> + +<p>"'What a pretty pipe,' said the maid. She would willingly give a hundred +dollars for it, if he would sell it, she said.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots; 'and it was not +to be had for money alone; but if she would give him the hundred +dollars, and a kiss for each dollar, she should have it,' he said.</p> + +<p>"Well! why not? of course she would; she would willingly give him two +for each dollar, and thanks besides.</p> + +<p>"So she got the pipe; but when she had got as far as the king's grange, +the pipe was gone, for Osborn Boots had wished for it back, and so, when +it drew towards eventide, home he came with his hares just like any +other flock of sheep; and for all the king's counting or telling, there +was no help,—not a hair of the hares was missing.</p> + +<p>"The third day that he kept the hares, they sent the princess on her way +to try and get the pipe from him. She made herself as blithe as a lark, +and she bade him two hundred dollars if he would sell her the pipe and +tell her how she was to behave to bring it safe home with her.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots; 'and it was +not for sale,' he said, 'but all the same, he would do it for her sake, +if she would give him two hundred dollars, and a kiss into the bargain +for each dollar; then she might have the pipe. If she wished to keep it, +she must look sharp after it. That was her look-out.'</p> + +<p>"'This is a very high price for a hare-pipe,' thought the princess; and +she made mouths at giving him the kisses; 'but, after all,' she said, +'it's far away in the wood, no one can see it or hear it—it can't be +helped; for I must and will have the pipe.'</p> + +<p>"So when Osborn Boots had got all he was to have, she got the pipe, and +off she went, and held it fast with her fingers the whole way; but when +she came to the grange, and was going to take it out, it slipped through +her fingers and was gone!</p> + +<p>"Next day the queen would go herself and fetch the pipe from him. She +made sure she would bring the pipe back with her.</p> + +<p>"Now she was more stingy about the money, and bade no more than fifty +dollars; but she had to raise her price till it came to three hundred. +Boots said it was something like a pipe, and it was no price at all; +still for her sake it might go, if she would give him three hundred +dollars, and a smacking kiss for each dollar into the bargain; then she +might have it. And he got the kisses well paid, for on that part of the +bargain she was not so squeamish.</p> + +<p>"So when she had got the pipe, she both bound it fast, and looked after +it well; but she was not a hair better off than the others, for when she +was going to pull it out at home, the pipe was gone; and at even down +came Osborn Boots, driving the king's hares home for all the world like +a flock of tame sheep.</p> + +<p>"'It is all stuff,' said the king; 'I see I must set off myself, if we +are to get this wretched pipe from him; there's no other help for it, I +can see.' And when Osborn Boots had got well into the woods next day +with the hares, the king stole after him, and found him lying on the +same sunny hillside, where the women had tried their hands on him.</p> + +<p>"Well! they were good friends and very happy; and Osborn Boots showed +him the pipe, and blew first on one end and then on the other, and the +king thought it a pretty pipe, and wanted at last to buy it, even though +he gave a thousand dollars for it.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Boots, 'and it's not to be had +for money; but do you see that white horse yonder down there?' and he +pointed away into the wood.</p> + +<p>"'See it! of course I see it; it's my own horse Whitey,' said the king. +No one had need to tell him that.</p> + +<p>"'Well! if you will give me a thousand dollars, and then go and kiss yon +white horse down in the marsh there, behind the big fir-tree, you shall +have my pipe.'</p> + +<p>"'Isn't it to be had for any other price?' asked the king.</p> + +<p>"'No, it is not,' said Osborn.</p> + +<p>"'Well! but I may put my silken pockethandkerchief between us?' said the +king.</p> + +<p>"Very good; he might have leave to do that. And so he got the pipe, and +put it into his purse. And the purse he put into his pocket, and +buttoned it up tight; and so off he strode to his home. But when he +reached the grange, and was going to pull out his pipe, he fared no +better than the women folk; he hadn't the pipe any more than they, and +there came Osborn Boots driving home the flock of hares, and not a hair +was missing.</p> + +<p>"The king was both spiteful and wroth, to think that he had fooled them +all round, and cheated him out of the pipe as well; and now he said +Boots must lose his life, there was no question of it, and the queen +said the same: it was best to put such a rogue out of the way +red-handed.</p> + +<p>"Osborn thought it neither fair nor right, for he had done nothing but +what they told him to do; and so he had guarded his back and life as +best he might.</p> + +<p>"So the king said there was no help for it; but if he could lie the +great brewing-vat so full of lies that it ran over, then he might keep +his life.</p> + +<p>"That was neither a long nor perilous piece of work: he was quite game +to do that, said Osborn Boots. So he began to tell how it had all +happened from the very first. He told about the old wife and her nose in +the log, and then he went on to say, 'Well, but I must lie faster if the +vat is to be full.' So he went on to tell of the pipe and how he got it; +and of the maid, how she came to him and wanted to buy it for a hundred +dollars, and of all the kisses she had to give besides, away there in +the wood. Then he told of the princess how she came and kissed him so +sweetly for the pipe when no one could see or hear it all away there in +the wood. Then he stopped and said, 'I must lie faster if the vat is +ever to be full.' So he told of the queen, how close she was about the +money and how overflowing she was with her smacks. 'You know I must lie +hard to get the vat full,' said Osborn.</p> + +<p>"'For my part,' said the queen, 'I think it's pretty full already.'</p> + +<p>"'No! no! it isn't,' said the king.</p> + +<p>"So he fell to telling how the king came to him, and about the white +horse down on the marsh, and how if the king was to have the pipe, he +must—'Yes, your majesty, if the vat is ever to be full I must go on and +lie hard,' said Osborn Boots.</p> + +<p>"'Hold! hold, lad! It's full to the brim,' roared out the king; 'don't +you see how it is foaming over?'</p> + +<p>"So both the king and the queen thought it best he should have the +princess to wife and half the kingdom. There was no help for it.</p> + +<p>"'That was something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>That was the story of Osborn's Pipe, and when Anders stopped we all +laughed, and our laughter was re-echoed by the girls, who had listened +with the door ajar, and who now showed their smiling faces through the +opening, and thanked Anders for telling the story so well. "Your own +grandmother couldn't have told it better," said Christine, his +fair-haired cousin.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_HAUNTED_MILL_AND_THE_HONEST_PENNY" id="THE_HAUNTED_MILL_AND_THE_HONEST_PENNY"></a>THE HAUNTED MILL, AND THE HONEST PENNY.</h2> + + +<p>Next morning we woke to find Anders' words too true; the wind still +howled, and the rain still poured, deerstalking was out of the question, +nor could the girls stir out of the doors to look after the kine. There +we were, all house-bound. What was to be done? After breakfast we +smoked, and the girls knitted stockings. Anders, for want of something +better to do, cleaned our guns and admired their make and locks. But all +this was not much towards killing time on the Fjeld, and we had no +books.</p> + +<p>At last Edward, who was rather afraid of Anders and his jokes on his +sportsmanship, whispered to me,</p> + +<p>"Can't you make him tell us some more stories? I'll be bound <i>Osborn's +Pipe</i> is not the only tale he has in his scrip."</p> + +<p>Not a bad thought, but Anders was one of those free spirits who must be +stalked as warily as a reindeer. I felt that if I asked him outright he +might betake him to his Norse pride and say he was no story-teller. "If +I wanted stories I had better ask some of the old women down in the +dales." It was not the first time I had unsealed unwilling lips, and I +knew the way.</p> + +<p>"That was a good story about Osborn's Pipe, and I owe you one for it, +Anders. Come listen to one of mine, and let the lassies listen to it +too. It's not long."</p> + + +<h4>THE HAUNTED MILL.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time, there was a man who had a mill by the side of a force, +and in the mill there was a brownie. Whether the man, as is the custom +in most places, gave the brownie porridge and ale at Yule to bring grist +to the mill, I can't say, but I don't think he did, for every time he +turned the water on the mill, the brownie took hold of the spindle and +stopped the mill, so that he couldn't grind a sack.</p> + +<p>"The man know well enough it was all the brownie's work, and at last one +evening, when he went into the mill, he took a pot full of pitch and +tar, and lit a fire under it. Well! when he turned the water on the +wheel, it went round awhile, but soon after it made a dead stop. So he +turned, and twisted, and put his shoulder to the top of the wheel, but +it was all no good. By this time the pot of pitch was boiling hot, and +then he opened the trap-door which opened on to the ladder that went +down into the wheel, and if he didn't see the brownie standing on the +steps of the ladder with his jaws all a-gape, and he gaped so wide that +his mouth filled up the whole trap-door.</p> + +<p>"'Did you ever see such a wide mouth?' said the brownie.</p> + +<p>"But the man was handy with his pitch. He caught up the pot and threw +it, pitch and all, into the gaping jaws.</p> + +<p>"'Did you ever feel such hot pitch?'</p> + +<p>"Then the brownie let the wheel go, and yelled and howled frightfully. +Since then he has been never known to stop the wheel in that mill, and +there they ground in peace."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Yes! Anders had heard a story something like that, only it was about a +water kelpy, not a brownie. Brownies, he declared, never did folk much +harm, except lazy maids and idle grooms, but kelpies were spiteful, and +hated men. Besides, brownies hated water, they couldn't bear to cross a +running stream; then how could they live in a mill? No, it was a kelpy, +and his grandmother had told him so.</p> + +<p>Then, after a pause, he went on, "But I know another story of a mill +which was not canny, and I'll tell it if you like."</p> + +<p>We were all ears, and Anders began:—</p> + + +<h4>THE HAUNTED MILL.</h4> + +<p>"This story, too, I heard of my grandmother, who knew stories without +end, and more, she believed them. This mill was not in these parts, it +was somewhere up the country; but wherever it was, north of the Fells, +or south of the Fells, it was not canny. No one could grind a grain of +corn in it for weeks together, when something came and haunted it. But +the worst was that, besides haunting it, the trolls, or whatever they +were, took to burning the mill down. Two Whitsun-eves running it had +caught fire and burned to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Well, the third year, as Whitsuntide was drawing on, the man had a +tailor in his house hard by the mill, who was making Sunday clothes for +the miller.</p> + +<p>"'I wonder, now,' said the man on Whitsun-eve, 'whether the mill will +burn down this Whitsuntide, too?'</p> + +<p>"'No, it shan't,' said the tailor. 'Why should it? Give me the keys: +I'll watch the mill.'</p> + +<p>"Well, the man thought that brave, and so, as the evening drew on, he +gave the tailor the keys, and showed him into the mill. It was empty, +you know, for it was just new-built, and so the tailor sat down in the +middle of the floor, and took out his chalk and chalked a great circle +round about him, and outside the ring all round he wrote the Lord's +Prayer, and when he had done that he wasn't afraid—no, not if Old Nick +himself came.</p> + +<p>"So at dead of night the door flew open with a bang, and there came in +such a swarm of black cats you couldn't count them, they were as thick +as ants. They were not long before they had put a big pot on the +fireplace and set light under it, and the pot began to boil and bubble +and as for the broth, it was for all the world like pitch and tar.</p> + +<p>"'Ha! ha!' thought the tailor, 'that's your game, is it!'</p> + +<p>"And he had hardly thought this before one of the cats thrust her paw +under the pot and tried to upset it.</p> + +<p>"'Paws off, pussy,' said the tailor, 'you'll burn your whiskers.'</p> + +<p>"'Hark to the tailor, who says "Paws off, pussy," to me,' said the cat +to the other cats, and in a trice they all ran away from the fireplace, +and began to dance and jump round the circle; and then all at once the +same cat stole off to the fireplace and tried to upset the pot.</p> + +<p>"'Paws off, pussy, you'll burn your whiskers,' bawled out the tailor +again, and again he scared them from the fireplace.</p> + +<p>"'Hark to the tailor, who says "Paws off, pussy"' said the cat to the +others, and again they all began to dance and jump round the circle, and +then all at once they were off again to the pot, trying to upset it.</p> + +<p>"'Paws off, pussy, you'll burn your whiskers,' screamed out the tailor +the third time, and this time he gave them such a fright that they +tumbled head over heels on the floor, and began dancing and jumping as +before.</p> + +<p>"Then they closed round the circle, and danced faster and faster: so +fast at last that the tailor's head began to turn round, and they glared +at him with such big ugly eyes, as though they would swallow him up +alive.</p> + +<p>"Now just as they were at the fastest, the same cat which had tried so +often to upset the pot, stuck her paw inside the circle, as though she +meant to claw the tailor. But as soon as the tailor saw that, he drew +his knife out of the sheath and held it ready; just then the cat thrust +her paw in again, and in a trice the tailor chopped it off, and then, +pop! all the cats took to their heels as fast as they could, with yells +and caterwauls, right out at the door.</p> + +<p>"But the tailor lay down inside his circle, and slept till the sun shone +bright in upon the floor. Then he rose, locked the mill, and went away +to the miller's house.</p> + +<p>"When he got there, both the miller and his wife were still abed, for +you know it was Whitsunday morning.</p> + +<p>"'Good morning,' said the tailor, as he went to the bedside, and held +out his hand to the miller.</p> + +<p>"'Good morning,' said the miller, who was both glad and astonished to +see the tailor safe and sound, you must know.</p> + +<p>"'Good morning, mother!' said the tailor, and held out his hand to the +wife.</p> + +<p>"'Good morning,' said she; but she looked so wan and worried; and as for +her hand, she hid it under the quilt; but at last she stuck out the +left. Then the tailor saw plainly how things stood, but what he said to +the man and what was done to the wife, I never heard."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"But I can tell you, Anders," I broke in: "she was burnt for a witch, +and, do you know, over in Scotland we have the same story; only we have +the end. She tried on the Boot till her feet were crushed, and Morton's +Maiden hugged her till her ribs cracked, and her fingers were fitted to +the thumbscrews till they were all jelly. All this to make her own that +she was a witch, and at last, when she owned it, she was burnt at +Edinburgh, in the days of King James the Sixth, and seven other carlines +with her."</p> + +<p>Having unsealed Anders' lips, I was not going to let him stop, so I told +the story of <i>Whittington and his Cat</i>, and I even got him and the +lassies to understand the awful importance of the Lord Mayor of London. +After Anders and the lassies had crossed and blessed themselves over and +over again at that wonderful story, Anders said,—</p> + +<p>"Heaven help us, we have no Lord Mayors in Norway; the sheriff is good +enough for us, and trouble enough he gives us sometimes; but we have a +story, the end of which is as like your Lord Mayor's story as one pea is +like another, and here it is, only we call it</p> + + +<h4>THE HONEST PENNY.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a poor woman who lived in a tumble-down hut +far away in the wood. Little had she to eat, and nothing at all to burn, +and so she sent a little boy she had out into the wood to gather fuel. +He ran and jumped, and jumped and ran, to keep himself warm, for it was +a cold gray autumn day, and every time he found a bough or a root for +his billet, he had to beat his arms across his breast, for his fists +were as red as the cranberries over which he walked, for very cold. So +when he had got his billet of wood and was off home, he came upon a +clearing of stumps on the hillside, and there he saw a white crooked +stone.</p> + +<p>"'Ah! you poor old stone,' said the boy; 'how white and wan you are! +I'll be bound you are frozen to death;' and with that he took off his +jacket, and laid it on the stone. So when he got home with his billet of +wood his mother asked what it all meant that he walked about in wintry +weather in his shirtsleeves. Then he told her how he had seen an old +crooked stone which was all white and wan for frost, and how he had +given it his jacket.</p> + +<p>"'What a fool you are!' said his mother; 'do you think a stone can +freeze? But even if it froze till it shook again, know this—everyone is +nearest to his own self. It costs quite enough to get clothes to your +back, without your going and hanging them on stones in the clearings,' +and as she said that, she hunted the boy out of the house to fetch his +jacket.</p> + +<p>"So when he came where the stone stood, lo! it had turned itself and +lifted itself up on one side from the ground. 'Yes! yes! this is since +you got the jacket, poor old thing,' said the boy.</p> + +<p>"But, when he looked a little closer at the stone, he saw a money-box, +full of bright silver, under it.</p> + +<p>"'This is stolen money, no doubt,' thought the boy; 'no one puts money, +come by honestly, under a stone away in the wood.'</p> + +<p>"So he took the money-box and bore it down to a tarn hard by and threw +the whole hoard into the tarn; but one silver pennypiece floated on the +top of the water, "'Ah! ah! that is honest,' said the lad; 'for what is +honest never sinks.'</p> + +<p>"So he took the silver penny and went home with it and his jacket. Then +he told his mother how it had all happened, how the stone had turned +itself, and how he had found a money-box full of silver money, which he +had thrown out into the tarn because it was stolen money, and how one +silver penny floated on the top.</p> + +<p>"'That I took,' said the boy, 'because it was honest.'</p> + +<p>"'You are a born fool,' said his mother, for she was very angry; 'were +naught else honest than what floats on water, there wouldn't be much +honesty in the world. And even though the money were stolen ten times +over, still you had found it; and I tell you again what I told you +before, every one is nearest to his own self. Had you only taken that +money we might have lived well and happily all our days. But a +ne'er-do-weel thou art, and a ne'er-do-weel thou wilt be, and now I +won't drag on any longer toiling and moiling for thee. Be off with thee +into the world and earn thine own bread.'"</p> + +<p>"So the lad had to go out into the wide world, and he went both far and +long seeking a place. But wherever he came, folk thought him too little +and weak, and said they could put him to no use. At last he came to a +merchant, and there he got leave to be in the kitchen and carry in wood +and water for the cook. Well, after he had been there a long time, the +merchant had to make a journey into foreign lands, and so he asked all +his servants what he should buy and bring home for each of them. So, +when all had said what they would have, the turn came to the scullion, +too, who brought in wood and water for the cook. Then he held out his +penny.</p> + +<p>"'Well, what shall I buy with this?' asked the merchant; 'there won't be +much time lost over this bargain.'</p> + +<p>"'Buy what I can get for it. It is honest, that I know,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"That his master gave his word to do, and so he sailed away.</p> + +<p>"So when the merchant had unladed his ship and laded her again in +foreign lands, and bought what he had promised his servants to buy, he +came down to his ship, and was just going to shove off from the wharf. +Then all at once it came into his head that the scullion had sent out a +silver penny with him, that he might buy something for him.</p> + +<p>"'Must I go all the way back to the town for the sake of a silver penny? +One would then have small gain in taking such a beggar into one's +house,' thought the merchant.</p> + +<p>"Just then an old wife came walking by with a bag at her back.</p> + +<p>"'What have you got in your bag, mother?' asked the merchant.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! nothing else than a cat. I can't afford to feed it any longer, so +I thought I would throw it into the sea, and make away with it,' +answered the woman.</p> + +<p>"Then the merchant said to himself, 'Didn't the lad say I was to buy +what I could get for his penny?' So he asked the old wife if she would +take four farthings for her cat. Yes! the goody was not slow to say +'done,' and so the bargain was soon struck.</p> + +<p>"Now when the merchant had sailed a bit, fearful weather fell on him, +and such a storm, there was nothing for it but to drive and drive till +he did not know whither he was going. At last he came to a land on which +he had never set foot before, and so up he went into the town.</p> + +<p>"At the inn where he turned in, the board was laid with a rod for each +man who sat at it. The merchant thought it very strange, for he couldn't +at all make out what they were to do with all these rods; but he sate +him down, and thought he would watch well what the others did, and do +like them. Well! as soon as the meat was set on the board, he saw well +enough what the rods meant; for out swarmed mice in thousands, and each +one who sate at the board had to take to his rod and flog and flap about +him, and naught else could be heard than one cut of the rod harder than +the one which went before it. Sometimes they whipped one another in the +face, and just gave themselves time to say, 'Beg pardon,' and then at it +again.</p> + +<p>"'Hard work to dine in this land!' said the merchant. 'But don't folk +keep cats here?'</p> + +<p>"'Cats?' they all asked, for they did not know what cats were.</p> + +<p>"So the merchant sent and fetched the cat he had bought for the +scullion, and as soon as the cat got on the table, off ran the mice to +their holes, and folks had never in the memory of man had such rest at +their meat.</p> + +<p>"Then they begged and prayed the merchant to sell them the cat, and at +last, after a long, long time, he promised to let them have it; but he +would have a hundred dollars for it; and that sum they gave and thanks +besides.</p> + +<p>"So the merchant sailed off again; but he had scarce got good sea-room +before he saw the cat sitting up at the mainmast head, and all at once +again came foul weather and a storm worse than the first, and he drove +and drove till he got to a country where he had never been before. The +merchant went up to an inn, and here, too, the board was spread with +rods; but they were much bigger and longer than the first. And, to tell +the truth, they had need to be; for here the mice were many more, and +every mouse was twice as big as those he had before seen.</p> + +<p>"So he sold the cat again, and this time he got two hundred dollars for +it, and that without any haggling.</p> + +<p>"So when he had sailed away from that land and got a bit out at sea, +there sat Grimalkin again at the masthead; and the bad weather began at +once again, and the end of it was, he was again driven to a land where +he had never been before.</p> + +<p>"He went ashore, up to the town, and turned into an inn. There, too, the +board was laid with rods, but every rod was an ell and a half long, and +as thick as a small broom; and the folk said that to sit at meat was the +hardest trial they had, for there were thousands of big ugly rats, so +that it was only with sore toil and trouble one could get a morsel into +one's mouth, 'twas such hard work to keep off the rats. So the cat had +to be fetched up from the ship once more, and then folks got their food +in peace. Then they all begged and prayed the merchant, for heaven's +sake, to sell them his cat. For a long time he said, 'No;' but at last, +he gave his word to take three hundred dollars for it. That sum they +paid down at once, and thanked him and blessed him for it into the +bargain.</p> + +<p>"Now, when the merchant got out to sea, he fell a-thinking how much the +lad had made out of the penny he had sent out with him.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, yes, some of the money he shall have,' said the merchant to +himself; 'but not all. Me it is that he has to thank for the cat I +bought; and, besides, every man is nearest to his own self.'</p> + +<p>"But as soon as ever the merchant thought this, such a storm and gale +arose that every one thought the ship must founder. So the merchant saw +there was no help for it, and he had to vow that the lad should have +every penny; and, no sooner had he vowed this vow, than the weather +turned good, and he got a snoring breeze fair for home.</p> + +<p>"So, when he got to land, he gave the lad the six hundred dollars, and +his daughter besides; for now the little scullion was just as rich as +his master, the merchant, and even richer; and, after that, the lad +lived all his days in mirth and jollity; and he sent for his mother and +treated her as well as or better than he treated himself; for, said the +lad, 'I don't think that every one is nearest to his own self.'"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_DEATH_OF_CHANTICLEER_AND_THE_GREEDY_CAT" id="THE_DEATH_OF_CHANTICLEER_AND_THE_GREEDY_CAT"></a>THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER, AND THE GREEDY CAT.</h2> + + +<p>All this time Edward and the lassies sat by and listened. It was dull +work for Edward, he knew little Norse, and so could not follow the +stories; sometimes he stared in a dull vacant way at the girls, and +sometimes he consulted Bradshaw's Foreign Guide. Whether he solved any +of the many mysteries of that most mysterious volume, I know not, let us +hope he did. "Bored" is the word which best expressed his looks. But as +for Christine and Karin, they knitted and knitted, and laughed and +sniggered at the story, which Anders, I must say, told in a way which +would have rejoiced his old grandmother's heart. But they were not to +have all the fun and no work. It was now their turn to be amusing, and +help to kill the ancient enemy, time.</p> + +<p>When <i>The Honest Penny</i> was over, Anders, almost without taking breath, +said,—</p> + +<p>"Now, girls, it is my right to call for a tune. You know lots of +stories, and can tell them better than I. So, Christine, do you tell +<i>The Death of Chanticleer</i>; and you, Karin, <i>The Greedy Cat</i>. And mind +you act them as well as tell them. They are nursery tales meant for +children, and mind you tell them well."</p> + +<p>I am bound to say that Christine, who was a very pretty girl, now no +doubt the happy mother of children, told <i>The Death of Chanticleer</i> in a +way which would have gained her in China the post of Own Story-teller to +the Emperor's children. Without a blush, and without even the +stereotyped "unaccustomed as I am to public story-telling," she began. +"This is the story of—</p> + + +<h4>THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there were a Cock and a Hen, who walked out into the +field, and scratched, and scraped, and scrabbled. All at once, +Chanticleer found a burr of hop, and Partlet found a barley-corn; and +they said they would make malt and brew Yule ale.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! I pluck barley, and I malt malt, and I brew ale, and the ale is +good,' cackled dame Partlet.</p> + +<p>"'Is the wort strong enough?' crew Chanticleer; and as he crowed he flew +up on the edge of the cask, and tried to have a taste; but, just as he +bent over to drink a drop, he took to flapping his wings, and so he fell +head over heels into the cask, and was drowned.</p> + +<p>"When dame Partlet saw that, she clean lost her wits, and flew up into +the chimney-corner, and fell a-screaming and screeching out. 'Harm in +the house! harm in the house!' she screeched out all in a breath, and +there was no stopping her.</p> + +<p>"'What ails you, dame Partlet, that you sit there sobbing and sighing?' +said the Handquern.</p> + +<p>"'Why not?' said dame Partlet; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into +the cask and drowned himself, and lies dead? That's why I sigh and sob.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, if I can do naught else, I will grind and groan,' said the +Handquern; and so it fell to grinding as fast as it could.</p> + +<p>"When the Chair heard that, it said—</p> + +<p>"'What ails you, Handquern, that you grind and groan so fast and oft?'</p> + +<p>"'Why not, when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the cask and drowned +himself; and dame Partlet sits in the ingle, and sighs and sobs? That's +why I grind and groan,' said the Handquern.</p> + +<p>"'If I can do naught else, I will crack,' said the Chair; and, with +that, he fell to creaking and cracking.</p> + +<p>"When the Door heard that, it said,—</p> + +<p>"'What's the matter? Why do you creak and crack so, Mr. Chair?'</p> + +<p>"'Why not?' said the Chair; 'goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; and the Handquern grinds and groans. That's why I creak and +crackle, and croak and crack.'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said the Door, 'if I can do naught else, I can rattle and bang, +and whistle and slam;' and, with that, it began to open and shut, and +bang and slam, it deaved one to hear, and all one's teeth chattered.</p> + +<p>"All this the Stove heard, and it opened its mouth and called out—</p> + +<p>"'Door! Door! why all this slamming and banging?'</p> + +<p>"'Why not?' said the Door; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans, and the Chair creaks and +cracks. That's why I bang and slam.'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said the Stove, 'if I can do naught else, I can smoulder and +smoke;' and so it fell a-smoking and steaming till the room was all in a +cloud.</p> + +<p>"The Axe saw this, as it stood outside, and peeped with its shaft +through the window,—</p> + +<p>"'What's all this smoke about, Mrs. Stove?' said the Axe, in a sharp +voice.</p> + +<p>"'Why not? said the Stove; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks and cracks, +and the Door bangs and slams. That's why I smoke and steam.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, if I can do naught else, I can rive and rend,' said the Axe; +and, with that, it fell to riving and rending all round about.</p> + +<p>"This the Aspen stood by and saw.</p> + +<p>"'Why do you rive and rend everything so, Mr. Axe?' said the Aspen.</p> + +<p>"'Goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned himself,' +said the Axe; 'dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and sobbing; the +Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks and cracks; the Door slams +and bangs, and the Stove smokes and steams. That's why I rive and rend +all about.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, if I can do naught else,' said the Aspen, 'I can quiver and +quake in all my leaves;' so it grew all of a quake.</p> + +<p>"The Birds saw this, and twittered out,—</p> + +<p>"'Why do you quiver and quake, Miss Aspen?'</p> + +<p>"'Goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned himself,' +said the Aspen, with a trembling voice; 'dame Partlet sits in the ingle, +sighing and sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks +and cracks; the Door slams and bangs; the Stove steams and smokes; and +the Axe rives and rends. That's why I quiver and quake.'</p> + +<p>"Well, if we can do naught else, we will pluck off all our feathers,' +said the Birds; and, with that, they fell a-pilling and plucking +themselves till the room was full of feathers.</p> + +<p>"This the Master stood by and saw, and, when the feathers flew about +like fun, he asked the Birds,—</p> + +<p>"'Why do you pluck off all your feathers, you Birds?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh! goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned +himself,' twittered out the Birds; 'dame Partlet sits sighing and +sobbing in the ingle; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks +and cracks; the Door slams and bangs; the Stove smokes and steams; the +Axe rives and rends, and the Aspen quivers and quakes. That's why we are +pilling and plucking all our feathers off.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, if I can do nothing else, I can tear the brooms asunder,' said +the man; and, with that, he fell tearing and tossing the brooms till the +birch-twigs flew about east and west.</p> + +<p>"The goody stood cooking porridge for supper, and saw all this.</p> + +<p>"'Why, man!' she called out; 'what are you tearing the brooms to bits +for?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the man, 'goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-vat +and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits sighing and sobbing in the ingle; +the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair cracks and creaks; the Door +slams and bangs; the Stove smokes and steams; the Axe rives and rends; +the Aspen quivers and quakes; the Birds are pilling and plucking all +their feathers off, and that's why I am tearing the besoms to bits.'</p> + +<p>"'So, so!' said the goody; 'then I'll dash the porridge over all the +walls;' and she did it; for she took one spoonful after the other and +dashed it against the walls, so that no one could see what they were +made of for very porridge.</p> + +<p>"That was how they drank the burial ale after goodman Chanticleer, who +fell into the brewing-vat and was drowned; and, if you don't believe it, +you may set off thither and have a taste both of the ale and the +porridge."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>When Christine ended, I did not tell them what I could now tell them, +that this story of <i>The Death of Chanticleer</i> is <i>mutatis mutandis</i>, the +very same story as one in <i>Grimm's Tales</i>, and another in the Scotch +collection of Robert Chambers. But alas! I heard <i>The Death of +Chanticleer</i> up on the Fjeld long before those Scotch Stories appeared +in print, and so, as some of these stories say, I could tell them +nothing about it.</p> + +<p>Karin was not so good a story-teller as Christine, but she still told +her story well. Besides, it was harder to tell, and required an effort +of memory, like that needed in our <i>This is the House that Jack built</i>. +<i>The Greedy Cat</i> has a wildness of its own, and is full of humour. Here +it is—</p> + + +<h4>THE GREEDY CAT.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a man who had a cat, and she was so awfully +big, and such a beast to eat, he couldn't keep her any longer. So she +was to go down to the river with a stone round her neck, but before she +started she was to have a meal of meat. So the goody set before her a +bowl of porridge and a little trough of fat. That she crammed into her, +and ran off and jumped through the window. Outside stood the goodman by +the barn door, threshing.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, goodman,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, pussy,' said the goodman; 'have you had any food to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge and a trough of fat—and, now I think of it, +I'll take you too,' and so she took the goodman and gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"When she had done that, she went into the byre, and there sat the goody +milking.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, goody,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, pussy,' said the goody; 'are you here, and have you eaten up +your food yet?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've eaten a little to-day, but I'm 'most fasting,' said pussy; +'it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the +goodman—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took the +goody and gobbled her up.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you cow at the manger,' said the cat to Daisy the cow.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, pussy,' said the bell-cow; 'have you had any food to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'I've +only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and +the goody—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took +the cow and gobbled her up.</p> + +<p>"Then off she set up into the home-field, and there stood a man picking +up leaves.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you leaf-picker in the field,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' said the +leaf-picker.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman and the +goody, and Daisy the cow—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So +she took the leaf-picker and gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"Then she came to a heap of stones, and there stood a stoat and peeped +out.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker—and, now I think of it, I'll +take you too.' So she took the stoat and gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"When she had gone a bit farther, she came to a hazel-brake, and there +sat a squirrel gathering nuts.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Sir Squirrel of the Brake,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat—and, now I think +of it, I'll take you too.' So she took the squirrel and gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"When she had gone a little farther, she saw Reynard the Fox, who was +prowling about by the woodside.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Reynard Slyboots,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So she took +Reynard and gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"When she had gone a while farther she met Long Ears the Hare.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mr. Hopper the Hare,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So +she took the hare and gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"When she had gone a bit farther, she met a wolf.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you Greedy Greylegs,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox and the hare—and, now I think of it, I may as +well take you too.' So she took and gobbled up Greylegs too.</p> + +<p>"So she went on into the wood, and when she had gone far and farther +than far, o'er hill and dale, she met a bear-cub.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you bare-breeched Bear,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said the bear-cub; 'have you had anything to +eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf—and, now I think of +it, I may as well take you too,' and so she took the bear-cub and +gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"When the cat had gone a bit farther, she met a she-bear, who was +tearing away at a stump till the splinters flew, so angry was she at +having lost her cub.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you Mrs. Bruin,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the +bear-cub—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took +Mrs. Bruin and gobbled her up too.</p> + +<p>"When the cat got still farther on, she met Baron Bruin himself.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you Baron Bruin,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said Bruin; 'have you had anything to eat +to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she +took Bruin and ate him up too.</p> + +<p>"So the cat went on and on, and farther than far, till she came to the +abodes of men again, and there she met a bridal train on the road.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you bridal train on the king's highway,' said she.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear—and, now I think of it, I'll take you +too,' and so she rushed at them, and gobbled up both the bride and +bridegroom, and the whole train, with the cook and the fiddler, and the +horses, and all.</p> + +<p>"When she had gone still farther, she came to a church, and there she +met a funeral.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you funeral train,' said she.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom and the +whole train—and, now, I don't mind if I take you too,' and so she fell +on the funeral train and gobbled up both the body and the bearers.</p> + +<p>"Now when the cat had got the body in her, she was taken up to the sky, +and when she had gone a long, long way, she met the moon.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Moon,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom and the +whole train, and the funeral train—and, now I think of it, I don't mind +if I take you too,' and so she seized hold of the moon, and gobbled her +up, both new and full.</p> + +<p>"So the cat went a long way still, and then she met the sun.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you Sun in heaven.'</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said the sun; 'have you had anything to eat +to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and the +whole train, and the funeral train, and the moon—and, now I think of +it, I don't mind if I take you too,' and so she rushed at the sun in +heaven and gobbled him up.</p> + +<p>"So the cat went far and farther than far, till she came to a bridge, +and on it she met a big Billygoat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, you Billygoat on Broad-bridge,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' said the +Billygoat.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting; I've only had a bowl of +porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody in the +byre, and Daisy the cow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in the +home-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, +and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the Hare, and Greedy Greylegs the +Wolf, and Bare-breech the Bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and +a Bridal train on the king's highway, and a Funeral at the church, and +Lady Moon in the sky, and Lord Sun in heaven, and, now I think of it, +I'll take you too.'</p> + +<p>"'That we'll fight about," said the Billygoat, and butted at the cat +till she fell right over the bridge into the river, and there she burst.</p> + +<p>"So they all crept out one after the other, and went about their +business, and were just as good as ever, all that the cat had gobbled +up. The Goodman of the house, and the Goody in the byre, and Daisy the +cow at the manger, and the Leaf-picker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoat +of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and +Mr. Hopper the Hare, and Greedy Greylegs the Wolf, and Bare-breech the +Bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and the Bridal train on the +highway, and the Funeral train at the church, and Lady Moon in the Sky, +and Lord Sun in heaven."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PETER_THE_FORESTER_AND_GRUMBLEGIZZARD" id="PETER_THE_FORESTER_AND_GRUMBLEGIZZARD"></a>PETER THE FORESTER AND GRUMBLEGIZZARD.</h2> + + +<p>When the girls had ended, we all laughed at the droll turn out of Sun, +Moon, and Co. from the cat's maw; and I was just going to repay them +with a Scotch story, when there came a great knock at the door.</p> + +<p>Who could it be? said the girls. Father and mother would not come up +from the dale in such weather. Who could it be? Perhaps one of the Hill +folk. Perhaps a Huldra.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, lassies!" said Anders; "even if it were anything uncanny, we +have guns enough here to fire a shot over a whole pack of them, and men +enough to fire them too. Don't stand dawdling there, Karin, but open the +door."</p> + +<p>Karin did as she was bid, and drew back the wooden bolt.</p> + +<p>"My!" she cried, "if it isn't Peter the Forester! Come in, Peter. Come +in."</p> + +<p>In strode Peter, a strapping fellow, long past youth, but still hale and +hearty. His tight-fitting breeches and hose showed a well-knit frame; +over his many-buttoned jacket he wore a loose cloak of russet woollen +stuff, "Wadmel," as they call it in the north of Scotland, and "Vadmal," +as they call it in Norway. A broad, flapping wide-awake covered his +head, which on this occasion was tied down across the top, and under the +chin by a red cotton kerchief. On his shoulder was his rifle.</p> + +<p>"Why, Peter," said Anders, "what brought you out in such Deil's +weather?"</p> + +<p>"Well!" said Peter, "the owner of the sawmills down at the end of the +dale on the other side of the Fjeld, sent me up here last night to see +if I could mark down any reindeer for him; and so I came, though I told +him 'twas no use. The poor, silly body fancies the deer are like a pack +of barn-door fowls, that you can count morning and evening, as they go +out and come home to roost. He little thinks that the deer seen to-day +here, are to-morrow fifty miles off, or more; but as I wanted to cross +the Fjeld, and look at the forest on the other side down in the dale, I +said I would come and tell him if I saw any deer; and to make a long +story short, I came, and thought to get here last night; but just on the +edge of the Fjeld it grew dark as pitch, and so I crept into a reft in +the rocks, and spent the night as I best could. Luckily I had fladbrod +and gammelost, and a flask of brandy, else I should have fared badly. +But here I am, drenched to the skin, and nigh starved. Let me have a +pair of dry stockings, and a bowl of milk, and make myself comfortable. +But God's peace! I did not see you had English lords here. Good day! +Good day! After deer, too, no doubt. Did you see the deer yesterday?"</p> + +<p>While Anders told him in a low voice who we were, in which story +Edward's mishap was sure to find a place, Peter took off his shoes and +stockings, and put on dry ones, and then draining off his bowl of milk, +sate before the fire to enjoy his pipe.</p> + +<p>But Anders was not going to let him off so lightly.</p> + +<p>"You must often hear and see strange things in the woods, and on the +Fjeld, Peter!"</p> + +<p>"Aye! aye!" replied Peter, under a cloud of puffs, to this rather +leading question. "Aye, aye, I have both heard and seen many things. +Strange sounds and noises; sometimes for all the world like the sweetest +music."</p> + +<p>"And what made it?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"What made it!" scornfully replied Peter, "why the Huldror—the +fairies."</p> + +<p>"The fairies! then you believe in the Good People?"</p> + +<p>"Good or bad," said Peter, "and I think they are more often bad than +good, by their leave be it spoken; for to tell the truth, they say this +very Sæter was haunted in old days. Good or bad, why shouldn't I believe +in them? Doesn't the Bible speak of evil spirits? and if I believe in +the Bible I must believe in them."</p> + +<p>I was too eager to get out of Peter what he knew about the Hill folk or +Huldror or fairies, to stop to discuss his dictum as to the Bible, so I +said,</p> + +<p>"But do tell us what you saw yourself."</p> + +<p>"Well!" said Peter, "once in August I was sitting on a knoll by the side +of a path, with bushes on each side, so that I could look across the +path down into a little hollow full of heath and ling. I was out calling +birds, for I can call them by their notes, and just then I heard a grey +hen call among the heather, and I called to her and thought, 'If I only +set eyes on you, you shall have gobbled and cackled your last.' Then all +at once I heard something come rustling behind me along the path, and I +turned round and saw an old, old man; he was a strange looking chap +altogether, but the strangest thing about him was that he had—at least +so it seemed to me—three legs; and the third leg hung and dangled +between the other two right down to the ground, and so he walked along +the path. When I say 'walked,' it wasn't walking either, but a sliding, +sloping motion, and so he went along, and I lost sight of him in one of +the darkest hollows of the glen. Now if that were not a fairy I should +like to know what it was?"</p> + +<p>"Why an old gaberlunzie man, who helped himself along going down hill +with his stick behind him," said I. "Come, come, Peter, you must know +better stories than that. Tell us something that you have not seen, but +only heard tell of. Can't you tell us 'Grumblegizzard?'" For that, you +must know, was the name of a Norse tale that I had often heard of but +never yet heard.</p> + +<p>"Yes! yes," said Anders. "Peter knows it, I'll be bound."</p> + +<p>"Well!" said Peter, "it's a queer story, but here it is. This is the +story of</p> + + +<h4>GRUMBLEGIZZARD.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there were five goodies, who were all reaping in a +field; they were all childless, and all wished to have a bairn. All at +once they set eyes on a strangely big goose-egg, almost as big as a +man's head.</p> + +<p>"'I saw it first,' said one.</p> + +<p>"'I saw it just as soon as you,' screamed another.</p> + +<p>"'Heaven help me, but I will have it,' swore the third; 'I was the first +to see it.'</p> + +<p>"So they flocked round it and squabbled so much about the egg that they +were tearing one another's hair. But at last they agreed that they would +own it in common, all five of them, and each was to sit on it in turn +like a goose, and so hatch the gosling. The first lay sitting eight +days, and sat and sat, but nothing came of it; meanwhile the others had +to drag about to find food both for themselves and her. At last one of +them began to scold her.</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said the one that sat, 'you did not chip the egg yourself before +you could cry, not you; but this egg, I think, has something in it, for +it seems to me to mumble, and this is what it says, "Herrings and brose, +porridge and milk, all at once." And now you may come and sit for eight +days too, and we will change and change about and get food for you.'</p> + +<p>"So when all five had sat on it eight days, the fifth heard plainly that +there was a gosling in the egg, which screeched out, 'Herrings and +brose, porridge and milk;' so she picked a hole in it, but instead of a +gosling out came a man child, and awfully ugly it was, with a big head +and little body. And the first thing it bawled out when it chipped the +egg, was 'Herrings and brose, porridge and milk.'</p> + +<p>"So they called it 'Grumblegizzard.'</p> + +<p>"Ugly as it was, they were still glad to have it, at first; but it was +not long before it got so greedy that it ate up all the meat in their +house. When they boiled a kettle of soup or a pot of porridge, which +they thought would be enough for all six, it tossed it all down its own +throat. So they would not keep it any longer.</p> + +<p>"'I've not known what it is to have a full meal since this changeling +crept out of the egg-shell,' said one of them, and when Grumblegizzard +heard that all the rest were of the same mind, he said he was quite +willing to be off. If they did not care for him, he didn't care for +them; and with that he strode off from the farm.</p> + +<p>"After a long time he came to a farmer's house, which lay in a stone +country, and there he asked for a place. Well, they wanted a labourer, +and the goodman set him to pick up stones off the field. Yes! +Grumblegizzard gathered the stones from the field, and he took them so +big that there were many horse-loads in them, and whether they were big +or little, he stuffed them all into his pocket. 'Twas not long before he +was done with that work, and then he wanted to know what he was to do +next.</p> + +<p>"'I've told you to pluck out the stones from the field,' said the +goodman, 'you can't be done before you begin, I trow.'</p> + +<p>"But Grumblegizzard turned out his pockets and threw the stones in a +heap. Then the goodman saw that he had done his work, and felt he ought +to keep a workman who was so strong. He had better come in and have +something to eat, he said. Grumblegizzard thought so too, and he alone +ate all that was ready for the master and mistress and for the servants, +and after all he was not half full.</p> + +<p>"'That was a man and a half to work, but a fearful fellow to eat, too; +there was no stopping him,' said the goodman. 'Such a labourer would eat +a poor farmer out of house and home before one could turn round.'</p> + +<p>"So he told him he had no more work for him. He had best be off to the +king's grange.</p> + +<p>"Then Grumblegizzard strode on to the king, and got a place at once. In +the king's grange there was enough both of work and food. He was to be +odd man, and help the lasses to bring in wood and water and other small +jobs. So he asked what he was to do first.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, if you would be so good as to chop us a little firewood.'</p> + +<p>"Yes. Grumblegizzard fell to chopping and hewing till the splinters flew +about him. 'Twas not long before he had chopped up all that there was, +both of firewood and timber, both planks and beams; and when he had done +he came back and asked what he was to do now.</p> + +<p>"'Go on chopping wood,' they said.</p> + +<p>"'There's no more left to chop,' said he.</p> + +<p>"'That couldn't be true,' said the king's grieve, and he went and looked +out in the wood-yard. But it was quite true; Grumblegizzard had chopped +everything up; he had made firewood both of sawn planks and hewn beams. +That was bad work, the grieve said, and he told him he should not taste +a morsel of food till he had gone into the forest and cut down as much +timber as he had chopped up into firewood.</p> + +<p>"Grumblegizzard went off to the smithy, and got the smith to help him to +make an axe of fifteen pounds of iron; and so he went into the forest +and began to clear it; down toppled tall spruces and firs fit for masts. +Everything went down that he found either on the king's or his +neighbour's ground; he did not stay to top or lop them, and there they +lay like so many windfalls. Then he laid a good load on a sledge, and +put all the horses to it, but they could not stir the load from the +spot, and when he took them by the heads and wished to set them a-going, +he pulled their heads off. Then he tumbled the horses out of the traces +on to the ground, and drew the load home by himself.</p> + +<p>"When he came down to the king's grange the king and his wood-grieve +stood in the gallery to take him to task for having been so wasteful in +the forest—the wood-grieve had been up to see what he was at—but when +Grumblegizzard came along dragging back half a wood of timber, the king +got both angry and afraid, and he thought he must be careful with him, +since he was so strong.</p> + +<p>"'That I call a workman, and no mistake,' said the king; 'but how much +do you eat at once, for now you may well be hungry.'</p> + +<p>"'When he was to have a good meal of porridge, he could do with twelve +barrels of meal,' said Grumblegizzard; 'but when he had got so much +inside him, he could hold out for some time.'</p> + +<p>"It took time to get the porridge boiled, and, meantime, he was to draw +in a little wood for the cook; so he laid the whole pile of wood on a +sledge, but when he was to get through the doorway with it, he got into +a scrape again. The house was so shaken that it gave way at every joist, +and he was within an ace of dragging the whole grange over on end.</p> + +<p>"When the hour drew near for dinner, they sent him out to call home the +folk from the field; he bawled and bellowed so that the rocks and hills +rang again; but they did not come quick enough for him, so he fell out +with them, and slew twelve of them on the spot.</p> + +<p>"'He has slain twelve men,' said the king; 'and he eats for twelve times +twelve. But for how many do you work, I should like to know?'</p> + +<p>"'For twelve times twelve, too,' said Grumblegizzard.</p> + +<p>"When he had eaten his dinner, he was to go out into the barn to thrash, +so he took off the roof-tree and made a flail out of it; and, when the +roof was just about to fall, he took a great spruce fir, branches and +all, and stuck it up for a roof-tree; and then he thrashed the floor and +the straw, and hay, altogether. He did great harm, for the grain and +chaff and beard flew about together, and a cloud arose over the whole +grange.</p> + +<p>"When he was nearly done thrashing, enemies came into the land; and +there was to be war. So the king told him to take folk with him and go +on the way to meet the foe and fight them, for he thought they would put +him to death. 'No! he would have no folk with him to be slain; he would +fight alone, that he would,' said Grumblegizzard.</p> + +<p>"'All the better, I shall be sooner rid of him,' said the king.</p> + +<p>"But he must have a mighty club.</p> + +<p>"They sent off to the smith to forge a club of fifty pounds. 'That might +do very well to crack nuts,' said Grumblegizzard. So they smithied him +one of a hundred pounds. 'That might do well enough to nail shoes with,' +he said. Well, the smith couldn't smithy it any bigger with all his men. +So Grumblegizzard went off to the smithy himself, and forged a club of +fifteen tons, and it took a hundred men to turn it on the anvil. 'That +might do,' said Grumblegizzard.</p> + +<p>"Besides, he must have a scrip for food; and he made one out of fifteen +oxhides, and stuffed it full of food. And so he toddled off down the +hill with his scrip at his back and his club on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"So, when he had got so far that the enemy saw him, they sent out a man +to ask if he were coming against them.</p> + +<p>"'Bide a bit, till I have had my dinner,' said Grumblegizzard, as he +threw himself down on the road, and fell to eating behind his great +scrip.</p> + +<p>"But they couldn't wait, and began to shoot at him at once, so that it +rained and hailed rifle bullets.</p> + +<p>"'These bilberries I don't mind a bit,' said Grumblegizzard, and fell to +eating harder than ever.</p> + +<p>"Neither lead nor iron could touch him, and before him was his scrip, +like a wall, and kept off the fire.</p> + +<p>"So they took to throwing shells at him, and to fire cannons at him; and +he just grinned a little every time they hit him.</p> + +<p>"'Ah! ah! it's all no good,' he said. But, just then, he got a bombshell +right down his throat.</p> + +<p>"'Fie!' he said, and spat it out again; and then came a chain-shot and +made its way into his butter-box, and another took the bit he was just +going to eat from between his fingers. Then he got angry, and rose up, +and took his club, and dashed it on the ground, and asked if they were +going to snatch the bread out of his mouth with their bilberries, which +they puffed out of big peashooters. Then he gave a few more strokes, +till the rocks and hills shook, and the enemy flew into the air like +chaff, and so the war was over."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Having got so far, Peter said he must take breath, and called for +another bowl of milk, and while he refreshed himself, we all waited +open-mouthed for the rest of the story of Grumblegizzard.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"When Grumblegizzard got home again and wanted more work, the king was +in a sad way, for he thought he should have been rid of him that time, +and now he could think of nothing but to send him to hell.</p> + +<p>"'You must be off to Old Nick, and ask for my land-tax.'</p> + +<p>"Grumblegizzard set off from the grange, with his scrip on his back and +his club on his shoulder. He lost no time on the way, but, when he got +there, Old Nick was gone to serve on a jury. There was no one at home +but his mother, and she said she had never in her born days heard talk +of any land-tax; he had better come again another day.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, yes! come to me to-morrow,' said Grumblegizzard. 'That's all +stuff and nonsense, for to-morrow never comes.' Now he was there, he +would stay there. He must and would have the land-tax, and he had lots +of time to wait.</p> + +<p>"But when he had eaten up all his food, the time hung heavy, and so he +went and asked the old dame to give him the land-tax. She must pay it +down.</p> + +<p>"'No,' she said, 'she couldn't do it. That stood as fast as the old +fir-tree,' she said, 'that grew outside the gate of hell, and was so big +that fifteen men could scarcely span it when they held hands.'</p> + +<p>"But Grumblegizzard climbed up to the top of it, and twisted and turned +it about like an osier; and then he asked if she were ready with the +land-tax.</p> + +<p>"Yes, she dared not do anything else, and found so many pence as he +thought he could carry in his scrip.</p> + +<p>"And now he started for home with the land-tax; but, as soon as he was +off, Old Nick came back. When he heard that Grumblegizzard had stridden +off from his house with his big scrip full of money, he first of all +beat and banged his mother, and then ran after him to catch him on the +way.</p> + +<p>"And he caught him up, too, for he ran light, and used his wings, while +Grumblegizzard had to keep to the ground under the weight of the big +scrip; but, just as Old Nick was at his heels, he began to run and jump +as fast as he could; and he held his club behind him to keep Old Nick +off.</p> + +<p>"And so they went along, Grumblegizzard holding the haft, and Old Nick +clawing at the head, till they came to a deep dale; there Grumblegizzard +leapt from one hill-top to the other, and Old Nick was so hot to follow, +that he tripped over the club and fell down into the dale, and broke his +leg, and so there he lay.</p> + +<p>"'Here you have the land-tax,' said Grumblegizzard, as he came to the +king's grange, and dashed down the scripful of money before the king, so +that the whole gallery creaked and cracked.</p> + +<p>"The king thanked him, and put a good face on it, and promised him good +pay and a safe pass home if he cared to have it; but all Grumblegizzard +wanted was more work.</p> + +<p>"'What shall I do now?' he asked. Well, when the king had thought about +it, he said he had better travel to the Hill Troll, who had carried off +his grandfather's sword to that castle he had by the lake, whither no +one dared to go.</p> + +<p>"So Grumblegizzard got several loads of food into his big scrip, and set +off again; and he fared both far and long, over wood and fell, and wild +wastes, till he came to some high hills, where the Troll was said to +dwell, who had taken the king's grandfather's sword.</p> + +<p>"But the Troll was not to be seen under bare sky, and the hill was fast +shut, so that even Grumblegizzard was not man enough to get in.</p> + +<p>"So he joined fellowship with some quarrymen, who were living at a hill +farm, and who lay up there quarrying stone in those hills. Such help +they never yet had, for he beat and battered the fell till the rocks +were rent, and great stones were rolled down as big as houses; but when +he was to rest at noon, and take out one load of food, the whole scrip +was clean eaten out.</p> + +<p>"'I'm a pretty good trencherman myself,' said Grumblegizzard; 'but +whoever has been here, has a sharper tooth, for he has eaten up bones +and all.'</p> + +<p>"That was how things went the first day, and it was no better the next. +The third day he set off to quarry stones again, and took with him the +third meal of food; but he laid down behind it, and shammed sleep.</p> + +<p>"Just then there came out of the hill a Troll with seven heads, and +began to munch and eat his food.</p> + +<p>"'Now the board is laid, and I will eat,' said the Troll.</p> + +<p>"'That we'll have a tussle for,' said Grumblegizzard; and gave him a +blow with his club, and knocked off all his seven heads at once.</p> + +<p>"So he went into the hill, out of which the Troll had come, and in there +stood a horse, which ate out of a tub of glowing coals, and at its heels +stood a tub of oats.</p> + +<p>"'Why don't you eat out of the tub of oats?' said Grumblegizzard.</p> + +<p>"'Because I am not able to turn round,' said the horse.</p> + +<p>"'I'll soon turn you,' said he.</p> + +<p>"'Rather strike off my head,' said the horse.</p> + +<p>"So he struck it off, and then the horse was turned into a handsome man. +He said he had been taken into the hill by the Troll, and turned into a +horse, and then he helped him to find the sword, which the Troll had +hidden at the bottom of his bed, and upon the bed lay the Troll's old +mother, asleep and snoring.</p> + +<p>"Home again they went by water, and when they had got well out, the old +witch came after them; as she could not catch them, she fell to drinking +the lake dry, and she drank and drank, till the water in the lake fell; +but she could not drink the sea dry, and so she burst.</p> + +<p>"When they came to shore, Grumblegizzard sent a message to the king, to +come and fetch his sword. He sent four horses. No! they could not stir +it; he sent eight, and he sent twelve; but the sword stayed where it +was, they could not move it an inch. But Grumblegizzard took it up +alone, and bore it along.</p> + +<p>"The king could not believe his eyes, when he saw Grumblegizzard again; +but he put a good face on it, and promised him gold, and green woods; +and when Grumblegizzard wanted more work, he said he had better set off +for a haunted castle he had, where no one dared to be, and there he must +sleep till he had built a bridge over the Sound, so that folk could pass +over. If he were good to do that he would pay him well; nay, he would be +glad to give him his daughter to wife.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! yes! I am good to do that,' said Grumblegizzard.</p> + +<p>"No man had ever left that castle alive; those who reached it lay there +slain and torn to bits, and the king thought he should never see him +more, if he only got him to go thither.</p> + +<p>"But Grumblegizzard set off; and he took with him his scrip of food, a +very tough and twisted stump of a fir-tree, an axe, a wedge, and a few +matches, and besides, he took the workhouse boy from the king's grange.</p> + +<p>"When they got to the Sound, the river ran full of ice, and was as +headlong as a force; but he stuck his legs fast at the bottom, and waded +on till he got over at last.</p> + +<p>"When he had lighted a fire and warmed himself, and got a bit of food, +he tried to sleep; but it was not long before there was such a noise and +din, as though the whole castle was turned topsy-turvy. The door blew +back against the wall, and he saw nothing but a gaping jaw, from the +threshold up to the lintel.</p> + +<p>"'There, you have a bit, taste that!' said Grumblegizzard, as he threw +the workhouse boy into the gaping maw.</p> + +<p>"'Now let me see you, what kind you are. May be we are old friends.'</p> + +<p>"So it was, for it was Old Nick, who was outside. Then they took to +playing cards, for the Old One wanted to try and win back some of the +land-tax, which Grumblegizzard had squeezed out of his mother, when he +went to ask it for the king; but whichever way they cut the cards, +Grumblegizzard won, for he put a cross on all the court cards, and when +he had won all his ready money, Old Nick was forced to give +Grumblegizzard some of the gold and silver that was in the castle.</p> + +<p>"Just as they were hard at it the fire went out, so that they could not +tell one card from another.</p> + +<p>"'Now we must chop wood,' said Grumblegizzard, and with that he drove +his axe into the fir stump, and thrust the wedge in; but the gnarled +root was tough, and would not split at once, however much he twisted and +turned his axe.</p> + +<p>"'They say you are very strong,' he said to Old Nick; 'spit in your +fists and bear a hand with your claws, and rive and rend, and let me see +the stuff you are made of.'</p> + +<p>"Old Nick did so, and put both his fists into the split, and strove to +rend it with might and main, but, at the same time, Grumblegizzard +struck the wedge out, and Old Nick was caught in a trap; and then +Grumblegizzard tried his back with his axe. Old Nick begged and prayed +so prettily to be let go, but Grumblegizzard was hard of hearing on that +side till he gave his word never to come there again, and make a noise. +And so, he too, had to promise to build a bridge over the Sound, so that +folks could pass over it at all times of the year, and it was to be +ready when the ice was gone.</p> + +<p>"'This is a hard bargain,' said Old Nick. But there was no help for it, +if he wished to get out. He had to give his word; only, he bargained, he +was to have the first soul that passed over the bridge. That was to be +the Sound due.</p> + +<p>"'That he should have,' said Grumblegizzard. So he got loose, and went +home; but Grumblegizzard lay down to sleep, and slept till far on next +day.</p> + +<p>"So, when the king came to see if he was hacked to pieces, or torn to +bits, he had to wade through heaps of money before he could get to the +bed. It lay in piles and sacks high up the wall: but Grumblegizzard lay +in the bed asleep and snoring.</p> + +<p>"'God help both me and my daughter,' said the king when he saw that +Grumblegizzard was alive and rich. Yes, all was good and well done; +there was no gainsaying that. But it was not worth while talking of the +wedding till the bridge was ready.</p> + +<p>"So, one day, the bridge stood ready, and Old Nick stood on it to take +the toll he had bargained for.</p> + +<p>"Now Grumblegizzard wanted to take the king with him to try the bridge, +but he had no mind to do that. So he got up himself on a horse, and +threw the fat milkmaid from the king's grange upon the pommel before +him;—she looked for all the world like a big fir-stump—and then he +rode over till the bridge thundered under him.</p> + +<p>"'Where is the Sound due? Where have you put the soul?' screamed Old +Nick.</p> + +<p>"'It sits inside this stump. If you want it, spit in your fists and take +it,' said Grumblegizzard.</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay! many thanks,' said Old Nick. 'If she doesn't take me, I'll +not take her. You caught me once, and you shan't catch me again in a +cleft stick;' and, with that, he flew off straight home to his old +mother; and, since then, he has never been seen or heard in those parts.</p> + +<p>"But Grumblegizzard went home to the king's grange, and wanted the wages +the king had promised him; and when the king tried to wriggle out of it, +and would not keep his word, Grumblegizzard said he had better pack up a +good scrip of food, for he was going to take his wages himself. Yes, the +king did that: and, when all was ready, Grumblegizzard took the king out +before the door, and gave him a good push and sent him flying up into +the air. As for the scrip, he threw it after him, that he might have +something to eat. And, if he hasn't come down again, there he is still +hanging, with his scrip, between Heaven and Earth, to this very day that +now is."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PETERS_THREE_TALES" id="PETERS_THREE_TALES"></a>PETER'S THREE TALES.</h2> + + +<p>When <i>Grumblegizzard</i> was over, we all laughed so that Peter was quite +in good humour. At first he had not liked the doubt thrown on his vision +of the old fairy man, but our applause soothed his ruffled spirit.</p> + +<p>"As you like stories," he said, "I'll tell you three short ones right +off, and then I'll call on Anders to tell one. The first is<i> Father +Bruin in the Corner</i>, and it shows too what tongues old wives have, and +how there's no stopping them even in a pitfall. Many's the time I've +trapped Bruin, and Graylegs, and Reynard, in a pit; but I never yet +trapped an old woman, and I hope I never shall. It would be like +shearing a pig, 'all cry and no wool.' But here is the story."</p> + + +<h4>FATHER BRUIN IN THE CORNER.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a man who lived far, far away in the wood. He +had many, many goats and sheep, but never a one could he keep for fear +of Graylegs, the wolf.</p> + +<p>"At last he said, 'I'll soon trap Grayboots,' and so he set to work +digging a pitfall. When he had dug it deep enough, he put a polo down in +the midst of the pit, and on the top of the pole he set a board, and on +the board he put a little dog. Over the pit itself he spread boughs and +branches and leaves, and other rubbish, and a-top of all he strewed +snow, so that Graylegs might not see there was a pit underneath.</p> + +<p>"So when it got on in the night, the little dog grew weary of sitting +there: 'Bow-wow, bow-wow,' it said, and bayed at the moon. Just then up +came a fox, slouching and sneaking, and thought here was a fine time for +marketing, and with that gave a jump—head over heels down into the +pitfall.</p> + +<p>"And when it got a little farther on in the night, the little dog got so +weary and so hungry, and it fell to yelping and howling: 'Bow-wow, +bow-wow,' it cried out. Just at that very moment up came Graylegs, +trotting and trotting. He, too, thought he should get a fat steak, and +he too made a spring—head over heels down into the pitfall.</p> + +<p>"When it was getting on towards gray dawn in the morning, down fell +snow, with a north wind, and it grew so cold that the little dog stood +and froze, and shivered and shook; it was so weary and hungry, 'Bow-wow, +bow-wow, bow-wow,' it called out, and barked and yelled and howled. Then +up came a bear, tramping and tramping along, and thought to himself how +he could get a morsel for breakfast at the very top of the morning, and +so he thought and thought among the boughs and branches till he too went +bump—head over heels down into the pitfall.</p> + +<p>"So when it got a little further on in the morning, an old beggar wife +came walking by, who toddled from farm to farm with a bag on her back. +When she set eyes on the little dog that stood there and howled, she +couldn't help going near to look and see if any wild beasts had fallen +into the pit during the night. So she crawled up on her knees and peeped +down into it.</p> + +<p>"'Art thou come into the pit at last, Reynard?' she said to the fox, for +he was the first she saw; 'a very good place, too, for such a hen-roost +robber as thou: and thou, too, Graypaw,' she said to the wolf; 'many a +goat and sheep hast thou torn and rent, and now thou shalt be plagued +and punished to death. Bless my heart! Thou, too, Bruin! art thou, too, +sitting in this room, thou mare-flayer? Thee, too, will we strip, and +thee shall we flay, and thy skull shall be nailed up on the wall.' All +this the old lass screeched out as she bent over towards the bear. But +just then her bag fell over her ears, and dragged her down, and slap! +down went the old crone—head over heels into the pitfall.</p> + +<p>"So there they all four sat and glared at one another, each in a corner. +The fox in one, Graylegs in another, Bruin in a third, and the old crone +in a fourth.</p> + +<p>"But as soon as it was broad daylight, Reynard began to peep and peer, +and to twist and turn about, for he thought he might as well try to get +out. But the old lass cried out,—</p> + +<p>"'Canst thou not sit still, thou whirligig thief, and not go twisting +and turning? Only look at Father Bruin himself in the corner, how he +sits as grave as a judge,' for now she thought she might as well make +friends with the bear. But just then up came the man who owned the +pitfall. First he drew up the old wife, and after that he slew all the +beasts, and neither spared Father Bruin himself in the corner, nor +Graylegs, nor Reynard, the whirligig thief. That night, at least, he +thought he had made a good haul."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"The next story," said Peter, "is also out of the wood. It isn't often +that Reynard gets cheated, but even the wisest folk sometimes get the +worst of it, and so it was with Reynard in this story."</p> + + +<h4>REYNARD AND CHANTICLEER.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a Cock who stood on a dung-heap, and crew, and +flapped his wings. Then the Fox came by.</p> + +<p>"'Good day,' said Reynard, 'I heard you crowing so nicely; but can you +stand on one leg and crow, and wink your eyes?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, yes,' said Chanticleer. 'I can do that very well.' So he stood on +one leg and crew; but he winked only with one eye, and when he had done +that he made himself big and flapped his wings, as though he had done a +great thing.</p> + +<p>"'Very pretty, to be sure,' said Reynard. 'Almost as pretty as when the +parson preaches in church; but can you stand on one leg and wink both +your eyes at once? I hardly think you can.'</p> + +<p>"'Can't I though!' said Chanticleer, and stood on one leg, and winked +both his eyes, and crew. But Reynard caught hold of him, took him by the +throat, and threw him over his back, so that he was off to the wood +before he had crowed his crow out, as fast as Reynard could lay legs to +the ground.</p> + +<p>"When they had come under an old spruce fir, Reynard threw Chanticleer +on the ground, set his paw on his breast, and was going to take a bite!</p> + +<p>"'You are a heathen, Reynard!' said Chanticleer. 'Good Christians say +grace, and ask a blessing before they eat.'</p> + +<p>"But Reynard would be no heathen. God forbid it! So he let go his hold, +and was about to fold his paws over his breast and say grace—but pop! +up flew Chanticleer into a tree.</p> + +<p>"'You sha'n't get off for all that,' said Reynard to himself. So he went +away, and came again with a few chips, which the woodcutters had left. +Chanticleer peeped and peered to see what they could be.</p> + +<p>"'Whatever have you got there?' he asked.</p> + +<p>"'These are letters I have just got,' said Reynard, 'won't you help me +to read them, for I don't know how to read writing.'</p> + +<p>"'I'd be so happy, but I dare not read them now; said Chanticleer; 'for +here comes a hunter, I see him, I see him, as I sit by the tree trunk.'</p> + +<p>"When Reynard heard Chanticleer chattering about a hunter, he took to +his heels as quick as he could.</p> + +<p>"This time it was Reynard who was made game of.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"The third story," said Peter, "is about an old fellow who was as deaf +as a post, and who had a goody who was no better than she should have +been. Where he lived I'm sure I don't know, but I've heard it said he +lived in different parts of the country, both north of Stad and south of +Stad; but at any rate this is the story."</p> + + +<h4>GOODMAN AXEHAFT.</h4> + +<p>"There was once a ferryman who was so hard of hearing he could neither +hear nor catch anything that any one said to him. He had a goody and a +daughter, and they did not care a pin for the goodman, but lived in +mirth and jollity so long as there was aught to live on, and then they +took to running up a bill with the inn-keeper, and gave parties, and had +feasts every day.</p> + +<p>"So when no one would trust them any longer, the sheriff was to come and +seize for what they owed and had wasted. Then the goody and her child +set off for her kinsfolk, and left the deaf husband behind, all alone, +to see the sheriff and the bailiff.</p> + +<p>"Well, there stood the man and pottered about and wondered what the +sheriff wanted to ask, and what he should say when he came.</p> + +<p>"'If I take to doing something,' he said to himself, 'he'll be sure to +ask me something about it. I'll just begin to cut out an axehaft, so +when he asks me what that is to be, I shall answer, "Axehaft." Then +he'll ask how long it is to be, and I'll say, "Up as far as this twig +that sticks out." Then he'll ask, "What's become of the ferry-boat?" and +I'll say, "I am going to tar her; and yonder she lies on the strand, +split at both ends." Then he'll ask, "Where's your grey mare?" and I'll +answer, "She is standing in the stable, big with foal." Then he'll ask, +"Whereabouts is your sheepcote and shieling?" and I'll say, "Not far +off; when you get a bit up the hill you'll soon see them."'</p> + +<p>"All this he thought well-planned.</p> + +<p>"A little while after in came the sheriff; he was true to time, but as +for his man, he had gone another way round by an inn, and there he sat +still drinking.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, sir,' he said.</p> + +<p>"'Axehaft,' said the ferryman.</p> + +<p>"'So, so," said the sheriff. 'How far off is it to the inn?'</p> + +<p>"'Right up to this twig,' said the man, and pointed a little way up the +piece of timber.</p> + +<p>"The sheriff shook his head and stared at him open-mouthed.</p> + +<p>"'Where is your mistress, pray?'</p> + +<p>"'I am just going to tar her,' said the ferryman, 'for yonder she lies +on the strand, split open at both ends.'</p> + +<p>"'Where is your daughter?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, she stands in the stable, big with foal,' answered the man, who +thought he answered very much to the purpose.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, go to hell with you,' said the sheriff.</p> + +<p>"'Very good; 'tis not so far off; when you get a bit up the hill, you'll +soon get there,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"So the sheriff was floored, and went away."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_COMPANION" id="THE_COMPANION"></a>THE COMPANION.</h2> + + +<p>We all thought Peter's three stories first rate, but he was not going to +be put off with praise, and asked Anders if he knew <i>The Companion</i>.</p> + +<p>"Yes," was the answer, "but it's a long story, though a very good one."</p> + +<p>"If it's long, the sooner you begin it the better," said Peter; "and +then it will be sooner over."</p> + +<p>Anders made no more mouths about it, but began:</p> + + +<h4>THE COMPANION.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a farmer's son who dreamt that he was to marry +a princess far, far out in the world. She was as red and white as milk +and blood, and so rich there was no end to her riches. When he awoke he +seemed to see her still standing bright and living before him, and he +thought her so sweet and lovely that his life was not worth having +unless he had her too. So he sold all he had, and set off into the world +to find her out. Well, he went far, and farther than far, and about +winter he came to a land where all the high-roads lay right straight on +end; there wasn't a bend in any of them. When he had wandered on and on +for a quarter of a year he came to a town, and outside the church-door +lay a big block of ice, in which there stood a dead body, and the whole +parish spat on it as they passed by to church. The lad wondered at this, +and when the priest came out of church he asked him what it all meant.</p> + +<p>"'It is a great wrong-doer,' said the priest. 'He has been executed for +his ungodliness, and set up there to be mocked and spat upon.'</p> + +<p>"'But what was his wrong-doing?' asked the lad.</p> + +<p>"'When he was alive here he was a vintner,' said the priest, 'and he +mixed water with his wine.'</p> + +<p>"The lad thought that no such dreadful sin.</p> + +<p>"'Well,' he said, 'after he had atoned for it with his life, you might +as well have let him have Christian burial and peace after death.'</p> + +<p>"But the priest said that could not be in any wise, for there must be +folk to break him out of the ice, and money to buy a grave from the +church; then the grave-digger must be paid for digging the grave, and +the sexton for tolling the bell, and the clerk for singing the hymns, +and the priest for sprinkling dust over him.</p> + +<p>"'Do you think now there would be any one who would be willing to pay +all this for an executed sinner?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' said the lad. 'If he could only get him buried in Christian +earth, he would be sure to pay for his funeral ale out of his scanty +means.'</p> + +<p>"Even after that the priest hemmed and hawed; but when the lad came with +two witnesses, and asked him right out in their hearing if he could +refuse to sprinkle dust over the corpse, he was forced to answer that he +could not.</p> + +<p>"So they broke the vintner out of the block of ice, and laid him in +Christian earth, and they tolled the bell and sang hymns over him, and +the priest sprinkled dust over him, and they drank his funeral ale till +they wept and laughed by turns; but when the lad had paid for the ale he +hadn't many pence left in his pocket.</p> + +<p>"He set off on his way again, but he hadn't got far ere a man overtook +him who asked if he did not think it dull work walking on all alone.</p> + +<p>"No; the lad did not think it dull. 'I have always something to think +about,' he said.</p> + +<p>"Then the man asked if he wouldn't like to have a servant.</p> + +<p>"'No,' said the lad; 'I am wont to be my own servant, therefore I have +need of none; and even if I wanted one ever so much, I have no means to +get one, for I have no money to pay for his food and wages.'</p> + +<p>"'You do need a servant, that I know better than you,' said the man, +'and you have need of one whom you can trust in life and death. If you +won't have me as a servant, you may take me as your companion; I give +you my word I will stand you in good stead, and it shan't cost you a +penny. I will pay my own fare, and as for food and clothing, you shall +have no trouble about them.'</p> + +<p>"Well, on those terms he was willing enough to have him as his +companion; so after that they travelled together, and the man for the +most part went on ahead and showed the lad the way.</p> + +<p>"So after they had travelled on and on from land to land, over hill and +wood, they came to a crossfell that stopped the way. There the companion +went up and knocked, and bade them open the door; and the rock opened +sure enough, and when they got inside the hill up came an old witch with +a chair, and asked them, 'Be so good as to sit down. No doubt ye are +weary.'</p> + +<p>"'Sit on it yourself,' said the man. So she was forced to take her seat, +and as soon as she sat down she stuck fast, for the chair was such that +it let no one loose that came near it. Meanwhile they went about inside +the hill, and the companion looked round till he saw a sword hanging +over the door. That he would have, and if he got it he gave his word to +the old witch that he would let her loose out of the chair.</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay,' she screeched out; 'ask me anything else. Anything else you +may have, but not that, for it is my Three-Sister Sword; we are three +sisters who own it together.'</p> + +<p>"Very well; then you may sit there till the end of the world,' said the +man. But when she heard that, she said he might have it if he would set +her free.</p> + +<p>"So he took the sword and went off with it, and left her still sitting +there.</p> + +<p>"When they had gone far, far away over naked fells and wide wastes, they +came to another crossfell. There, too, the companion knocked and bade +them open the door, and the same thing happened as happened before; the +rock opened, and when they had got a good way into the hill another old +witch came up to them with a chair and begged them to sit down. 'Ye may +well be weary,' she said.</p> + +<p>"'Sit down yourself,' said the companion. And so she fared as her sister +had fared, she did not dare to say nay, and as soon as she came on the +chair she stuck fast. Meanwhile the lad and his companion went about in +the hill, and the man broke open all the chests and drawers till he +found what he sought, and that was a golden ball of yarn. That he set +his heart on, and he promised the old witch to set her free if she would +give him the golden ball. She said he might take all she had, but that +she could not part with; it was her Three-Sister Ball. But when she +heard that she should sit there till Doomsday unless he got it, she said +he might take it all the same if he would only set her free. So the +companion took the golden ball, but he left her sitting where she sat.</p> + +<p>"So on they went for many days, over waste and wood, till they came to a +third crossfell. There all went as it had gone twice before. The +companion knocked, the rock opened, and inside the hill an old witch +came up, and asked them to sit on her chair, they must be tired. But the +companion said again, 'Sit on it yourself,' and there she sat. They had +not gone through many rooms before they saw an old hat which hung on a +peg behind the door. That the companion must and would have; but the old +witch couldn't part with it. It was her Three-Sister Hat, and if she +gave it away, all her luck would be lost. But when she heard that she +would have to sit there till the end of the world unless he got it, she +said he might take it if he would only let her loose. When the companion +had got well hold of the hat, he went off, and bade her sit there still, +like the rest of her sisters.</p> + +<p>"After a long, long time, they came to a Sound; then the companion took +the ball of yarn, and threw it so hard against the rock on the other +side of the stream that it bounded back, and after he had thrown it +backwards and forwards a few times it became a bridge. On that bridge +they went over the Sound, and when they reached the other side, the man +bade the lad to be quick and wind up the yarn again as soon as he could, +for, said he:—</p> + +<p>"'If we don't wind it up quick, all those witches will come after us, +and tear us to bits.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad wound and wound with all his might and main, and when there +was no more to wind than the very last thread, up came the old witches +on the wings of the wind. They flew to the water, so that the spray rose +before them, and snatched at the end of the thread; but they could not +quite get hold of it, and so they were drowned in the Sound.</p> + +<p>"When they had gone on a few days further, the companion said, 'Now we +are soon coming to the castle where she is, the princess of whom you +dreamt, and when we get there, you must go in and tell the king what you +dreamt, and what it is you are seeking.'</p> + +<p>"So when they reached it he did what the man told him, and was very +heartily welcomed. He had a room for himself, and another for his +companion, which they were to live in, and when dinner-time drew near, +he was bidden to dine at the king's own board. As soon as ever he set +eyes on the princess he knew her at once, and saw it was she of whom he +had dreamt as his bride. Then he told her his business, and she answered +that she liked him well enough, and would gladly have him; but first he +must undergo three trials. So when they had dined she gave him a pair of +golden scissors, and said,—</p> + +<p>"'The first proof is that you must take these scissors and keep them, +and give them to me at mid-day to-morrow. It is not so very great a +trial, I fancy,' she said, and made a face; 'but if you can't stand it, +you lose your life; it is the law, and so you will be drawn and +quartered, and your body will be stuck on stakes, and your head over the +gate, just like those lovers of mine, whose skulls and skeletons you see +outside the king's castle.'</p> + +<p>"'That is no such great art,' thought the lad.</p> + +<p>"But the princess was so merry and mad, and flirted so much with him, +that he forgot all about the scissors and himself, and so while they +played and sported, she stole the scissors away from him without his +knowing it. When he went up to his room at night, and told how he had +fared, and what she had said to him, and about the scissors she gave him +to keep, the companion said,—</p> + +<p>"'Of course you have the scissors safe and sure.'</p> + +<p>"Then he searched in all his pockets; but there were no scissors, and +the lad was in a sad way when he found them wanting.</p> + +<p>"'Well! well!' said the companion; 'I'll see if I can't get you them +again.'</p> + +<p>"With that he went down into the stable, and there stood a big, fat +Billygoat, which belonged to the princess, and it was of that breed that +it could fly many times faster through the air than it could run on +land. So he took the Three-Sister Sword, and gave it a stroke between +the horns, and said,—</p> + +<p>"'When rides the princess to see her lover to-night?'</p> + +<p>"The Billygoat baaed, and said it dared not say, but when it had another +stroke, it said the princess was coming at eleven o'clock. Then the +companion put on the Three-Sister Hat, and all at once he became +invisible, and so he waited for her. When she came, she took and rubbed +the Billygoat with an ointment which she had in a great horn, and +said,—</p> + +<p>"'Away, away, o'er roof tree and steeple, o'er land, o'er sea, o'er +hill, o'er dale, to my true love who awaits me in fell this night.'</p> + +<p>"At the very moment that the goat set off, the companion threw himself +on behind, and away they went like a blast through the air. They were +not long on the way, and in a trice they came to a crossfell. There she +knocked, and so the goat passed through the fell to the Troll, who was +her lover.</p> + +<p>"'Now, my dear,' she said, 'a new lover is come, whose heart is set on +having me. He is young and handsome but I will have no other than you,' +and so she coaxed and petted the Troll.</p> + +<p>"'So I set him a trial, and here are the scissors he was to watch and +keep; now do you keep them,' she said.</p> + +<p>"So the two laughed heartily, just as though they had the lad already on +wheel and stake.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! yes!' said the Troll; 'I'll keep them safe enough.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And I shall sleep on the bride's white arm,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While ravens round his skeleton swarm.'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"And so he laid the scissors in an iron chest with three locks; but just +as he dropped them into the chest, the companion snapped them up. +Neither of them could see him, for he had on the Three-Sister Hat; and +so the Troll locked up the chest for naught, and he hid the keys he had +in the hollow eye-tooth in which he had the toothache. There it would be +hard work for any one to find them, the Troll thought.</p> + +<p>"So when midnight was passed she set off home again. The companion got +up behind the goat, and they lost no time on the way back.</p> + +<p>"Next day, about noon, the lad was asked down to the king's board; but +then the princess gave herself such airs, and was so high and mighty, +she would scarce look towards the side where the lad sat. After they had +dined, she dressed her face in holiday garb, and said, as if butter +wouldn't melt in her mouth,—</p> + +<p>"'May be you have those scissors which I begged you to keep, yesterday?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, yes, I have;' said the lad, 'and here they are,' and with that he +pulled them out, and drove them into the board, till it jumped again. +The princess could not have been more vexed had he driven the scissors +into her face; but for all that she made herself soft and gentle, and +said,—</p> + +<p>"'Since you have kept the scissors so well, it won't be any trouble to +you to keep my golden ball of yarn, and take care you give it me +to-morrow at noon; but if you have lost it, you shall lose your life on +the scaffold. It is the law.'</p> + +<p>"The lad thought that an easy thing, so he took and put the golden ball +into his pocket. But she fell a-playing and flirting with him again, so +that he forgot both himself and the golden ball, and while they were at +the height of their games and pranks, she stole it from him, and sent +him off to bed.</p> + +<p>"Then when he came up to his bedroom, and told what they had said and +done, his companion asked,—</p> + +<p>"'Of course you have the golden ball she gave you?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! yes!' said the lad, and felt in his pocket where he had put it; +but no, there was no ball to be found, and he fell again into such an +ill mood, and knew not which way to turn.</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! bear up a bit,' said the companion. 'I'll see if I can't +lay hands on it;' and with that he took the sword and hat and strode off +to a smith, and got twelve pounds of iron welded on to the back of the +sword-blade. Then he went down to the stable, and gave the Billygoat a +stroke between his horns, so that the brute went head over heels, and he +asked,—</p> + +<p>"'When rides the princess to see her lover to-night?'</p> + +<p>"'At twelve o'clock,' baaed the Billygoat.</p> + +<p>"So the companion put on the Three-Sister Hat again, and waited till she +came, tearing along with her horn of ointment, and greased the +Billygoat. Then she said, as she had said the first time,—</p> + +<p>"'Away, away, o'er roof-tree and steeple, o'er land, o'er sea, o'er +hill, o'er dale, to my true love who awaits me in the fell this night.'</p> + +<p>"In a trice they were off, and the companion threw himself on behind the +Billygoat, and away they went like a blast through the air. In the +twinkling of an eye they came to the Troll's hill; and, when she had +knocked three times, they passed through the rock to the Troll, who was +her lover.</p> + +<p>"'Where was it you hid the golden scissors I gave you yesterday, my +darling?' cried out the princess. 'My wooer had it and gave it back to +me.'</p> + +<p>"'That was quite impossible,' said the Troll; 'for he had locked it up +in a chest with three locks and hidden the keys in the hollow of his +eye-tooth;' but, when they unlocked the chest, and looked for it, the +Troll had no scissors in his chest.</p> + +<p>"So the princess told him how she had given her suitor her golden ball.</p> + +<p>"'And here it is,' she said; 'for I took it from him again without his +knowing it. But what shall we hit upon now, since he is master of such +craft!'</p> + +<p>"Well, the Troll hardly knew; but, after they had thought a bit, they +made up their minds to light a large fire and burn the golden ball; and +so they would be cocksure that he could not get at it. But, just as she +tossed it into the fire, the companion stood ready and caught it; and +neither of them saw him, for he had on the Three-Sister Hat.</p> + +<p>"When the princess had been with the Troll a little while, and it began +to grow towards dawn, she set off home again, and the companion got up +behind her on the goat, and they got back fast and safe.</p> + +<p>"Next day, when the lad was bidden down to dinner, the companion gave +him the ball. The princess was even more high and haughty than the day +before, and, after they had dined, she perked up her mouth, and said, in +a dainty voice,—</p> + +<p>"'Perhaps it is too much to look for that you should give me back my +golden ball, which I gave you to keep yesterday?'</p> + +<p>"'Is it?' said the lad. 'You shall soon have it. Here it is, safe +enough;' and, as he said that, he threw it down on the board so hard, +that it shook again; and, as for the king, he gave a jump high up into +the air.</p> + +<p>"The princess got as pale as a corpse, but she soon came to herself +again, and said, in a sweet, small voice,—</p> + +<p>"'Well done, well done!' Now he had only one more trial left, and it was +this:</p> + +<p>"'If you are so clever as to bring me what I am now thinking of by +dinner-time to-morrow, you shall win me, and have me to wife.'</p> + +<p>"That was what she said.</p> + +<p>"The lad felt like one doomed to death, for he thought it quite +impossible to know what she was thinking about, and still harder to +bring it to her; and so, when he went up to his bedroom, it was hard +work to comfort him at all. His companion told him to be easy, he would +see if he could not get the right end of the stick this time too, as he +had done twice before. So the lad at last took heart, and lay down to +sleep.</p> + +<p>"Meanwhile, the companion went to the smith and got twenty-four pounds +of iron welded on to his sword; and, when that was done, he went down to +the stable and let fly at the Billygoat between the horns with such a +blow, that he went right head over heels against the wall.</p> + +<p>"'When rides the princess to her lover to-night?' he asked.</p> + +<p>"'At one o'clock,' baaed the Billygoat.</p> + +<p>"So, when the hour drew near, the companion stood in the stable with his +Three-Sister Hat on; and, when she had greased the goat, and uttered the +same words that they were to fly through the air to her true love, who +was waiting for her in the fell, off they went again, on the wings of +the wind; and, all the while, the companion sat behind.</p> + +<p>"But he was not light-handed this time; for, every now and then, he gave +the princess a slap, so that he almost beat the breath out of her body.</p> + +<p>"And when they came to the wall of rock, she knocked at the door, and it +opened, and they passed on into the fell to her lover.</p> + +<p>"As soon as she got there, she fell to bewailing, and was very cross, +and said she never knew the air could deal such buffets; she almost +thought, indeed, that some one sat behind, who beat both the Billygoat +and herself; she was sure she was black and blue all over her body, such +a hard flight had she had through the air.</p> + +<p>"Then she went on to tell how her lover had brought her the golden ball +too; how it happened, neither she nor the Troll could tell.</p> + +<p>"'But now do you know what I have hit upon?'</p> + +<p>"No; the Troll did not.</p> + +<p>"'Well,' she went on; 'I have told him to bring me what I was then +thinking of by dinner-time to-morrow, and what I thought of was your +head. Do you think he can get that, my darling?' said the princess, and +began to fondle the Troll.</p> + +<p>"'No, I don't think he can,' said the Troll. 'He would take his oath he +couldn't;' and then the Troll burst out laughing, and scunnered worse +than any ghost, and both the princess and the Troll thought the lad +would be drawn and quartered, and that the crows would peck out his +eyes, before he could get the Troll's head.</p> + +<p>"So when it turned towards dawn, she had to set off home again; but she +was afraid, she said, for she thought there was some one behind her, and +so she was afraid to ride home alone. The Troll must go with her on the +way. Yes; the Troll would go with her, and he led out his Billygoat (for +he had one that matched the princess's), and he smeared it and greased +it between the horns. And when the Troll got up, the companion crept on +behind, and so off they set through the air to the king's grange. But +all the way the companion thrashed the Troll and his Billygoat, and gave +them cut and thrust and thrust and cut with his sword, till they got +weaker and weaker, and at last were well on the way to sink down into +the sea over which they passed. Now the Troll thought the weather was so +wild, he went right home with the princess up to the king's grange, and +stood outside to see that she got home safe and well. But just as she +shut the door behind her, the companion struck off the Troll's head and +ran up with it to the lad's bedroom.</p> + +<p>"'Here is what the princess thought of,' said he.</p> + +<p>"Well, they were merry and joyful, one may think, and when the lad was +bidden down to dinner, and they had dined, the princess was as lively as +a lark.</p> + +<p>"'No doubt you have got what I thought of?' said she.</p> + +<p>"'Aye; aye; I have it,' said the lad, and he tore it out from under his +coat, and threw it down on the board with such a thump that the board, +trestles and all, was upset. As for the princess, she was as though she +had been dead and buried; but she could not say that this was not what +she was thinking of, and so now he was to have her to wife as she had +given her word. So they made a bridal feast, and there was drinking and +gladness all over the kingdom.</p> + +<p>"But the companion took the lad on one side, and told him that he might +just shut his eyes and sham sleep on the bridal night; but if he held +his life dear, and would listen to him, he wouldn't let a wink come over +them till he had stripped her of her troll-skin, which had been thrown +over her, but he must flog it off her with a rod made of nine new birch +twigs, and he must tear it off her in three tubs of milk: first he was +to scrub her in a tub of year-old whey, and then he was to scour her in +the tub of buttermilk, and lastly, he was to rub her in a tub of new +milk. The birch twigs lay under the bed, and the tubs he had set in the +corner of the room. Everything was ready to his hand. Yes; the lad gave +his word to do as he was bid and to listen to him. So when they got into +the bridal bed at even, the lad shammed as though he had given himself +up to sleep. Then the princess raised herself up on her elbow and looked +at him to see if he slept, and tickled him under the nose; but the lad +slept on still. Then she tugged his hair and his beard; but he lay like +a log, as she thought. After that she drew out a big butcher's knife +from under the bolster, and was just going to hack off his head; but the +lad jumped up, dashed the knife out of her hand, and caught her by the +hair. Then he flogged her with the birchrods, and wore them out upon her +till there was not a twig left. When that was over he tumbled her into +the tub of whey, and then he got to see what sort of beast she was: she +was black as a raven all over her body; but when he scrubbed her well in +the whey, and scoured her with buttermilk, and rubbed her well in new +milk, her troll-skin dropped off her, and she was fair and lovely and +gentle; so lovely she had never looked before.</p> + +<p>"Next day the companion said they must set off home. Yes; the lad was +ready enough, and the princess too, for her dower had been long waiting. +In the night the companion fetched to the king's grange all the gold and +silver and precious things which the Troll had left behind him in the +Fell, and when they were ready to start in the morning the whole grange +was so full of silver, and gold, and jewels, there was no walking +without treading on them. That dower was worth more than all the king's +land and realm, and they were at their wits' end to know how to carry it +with them. But the companion knew a way out of every strait. The Troll +left behind him six billygoats, who could all fly through the air. Those +he so laded with silver and gold that they were forced to walk along the +ground, and had no strength to mount aloft and fly, and what the +billygoats could not carry had to stay behind in the king's grange. So +they travelled far, and farther than far, but at last the billygoats got +so footsore and tired they could not go another step. The lad and the +princess knew not what to do; but when the companion saw they could not +get on, he took the whole dower on his back, and the billygoats a-top of +it, and bore it all so far on that there was only half a mile left to +the lad's home.</p> + +<p>"Then the companion said: 'Now we must part. I can't stay with you any +longer.'</p> + +<p>"But the lad would not part from him, he would not lose him for much or +little. Well, he went with them a quarter of a mile more; but farther he +could not go and when the lad begged and prayed him to go home and stay +with him altogether, or at least as long as they had drunk his +home-coming ale in his father's house, the companion said, 'No. That +could not be. Now he must part, for he heard heaven's bells ringing for +him.' He was the vintner who had stood in the block of ice outside the +church door, whom all spat upon; and he had been his companion and +helped him because he had given all he had to get him peace and rest in +Christian earth.</p> + +<p>"'I had leave,' he said, 'to follow you a year, and now the year is +out.'</p> + +<p>"When he was gone the lad laid together all his wealth in a safe place, +and went home without any baggage. Then they drank his home-coming ale, +till the news spread far and wide, over seven kingdoms, and when they +had got to the end of the feast, they had carting and carrying all the +winter both with the billygoats and the twelve horses which his father +had before they got all that gold and silver safely carted home."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SHOPBOY_AND_HIS_CHEESE_AND_PEIK" id="THE_SHOPBOY_AND_HIS_CHEESE_AND_PEIK"></a>THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE, AND PEIK.</h2> + + +<p>When Anders had ended <i>The Companion</i>, that strangely wild story, we all +admired it, but he too had his call, and, turning to Karin, he said,</p> + +<p>"Now do you tell <i>The Shopboy and his Cheese</i>. I know you know it, for I +heard you telling it to the children last winter over the stove."</p> + +<p>So Karin began</p> + + +<h4>THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a shopboy who was so well liked by all who +knew him, that they thought him too good to stand behind the counter +with a yard measure, and weights and scales. So they made up their minds +to send him out with a venture to foreign parts, and they let him choose +what he would take out. He chose old cheese, and set off with it to +Turkey. There he sold his cheeses very well; but as he was on his way +home, he met two who had slain a man, and it was not enough that they +had slain him in this life, but they ill-treated his body after he was +dead. This the shopboy could not bear to see, how wickedly they behaved; +so he bought the body of them and got a grave with his money, and buried +it, and then he had spent all he had.</p> + +<p>"After a long, long time, he got safe home, and was both illcome and +welcome. Some of those who had helped and fitted him out thought he had +done a good deed; but others were ill-pleased that he should have so +thrown away his money. But for all that they were ready to try if he +could not do better another time, so they let him choose his lading +again. He chose the same freight, and took the same way, and sold his +cheese even better than before. But, as he was on his way home, he met +two who had stolen a king's daughter, and they had put harness on her, +and had got so far as to drive her; they had stripped off her clothes to +the waist, and one went on either side of her and whipped her. The lad's +heart melted at this, for she was a lovely lass. So he asked if they +would sell her. Yes, if he would pay down her weight in silver he might +have her, and there was no long bargaining: he paid all they asked.</p> + +<p>"After a long, long time, he got safe home; but those who had fitted him +out were one and all so ill-pleased at his dealing, that they banished +him the land. So he had to set off to England. There he stayed for four +years with his sweetheart, and the way they got their living was by her +weaving ribbons, which she wove so well that he sold two shillings' +worth a-day.</p> + +<p>"One day he met two who were foes, and one wished to thrash the other +because he owed him eighteen-pence. That seemed to the lad wrong, and he +paid the debt for him. Another day he met two travellers, who began to +talk with him, and asked if he had anything to sell. 'Nothing but +ribbons,' he said. Well, they would have three shillings' worth, and +asked him where he lived, and fixed a day to come and fetch them; and +when the day came, they came too, and lo! when they came, if one of them +was not the princess's brother, and the other an emperor's son, to whom +she was betrothed. So they got the ribbons for which they had bargained, +and wanted to take her home with them. But she wouldn't go unless they +would let him go with them, and take care of him; for she would not +forsake the man who had freed her, so long as she had breath in her +body. So they had to give way to her if they were to take her at all. +But when they were to go on board ship, the brother and sister went +first into the boat, and when the emperor's son was to get into her, he +shoved her off, and jumped into her himself, and so the lad was left +standing on the shore. The ship lay ready for sea, and they sailed as +soon as ever they came on board. But then up came the man for whom the +lad had paid eighteen-pence, in a boat and put him on board. Then the +princess was so glad, and took a gold ring off her finger and gave it to +him, and made him go down into the cabin where she lay.</p> + +<p>"Well! they sailed many days, till they came to a desert island, where +they landed to look for game, and they settled things so that the +brother, and the Norseman who had saved the princess's life, were to go +each on his side of the island, and the emperor's son in the middle, and +when the lad was well gone, so that they could neither see him, nor he +them, they got on board, and he was left to walk about the island alone. +Then he saw there was no help for it but to stay there; and there he +stayed seven years. He got his food from a fruit-bearing tree which he +found, and when the seven years were up, an old, old man came to him and +said,—</p> + +<p>"'To-day your true-love is to be married. They have not got a kind word +out of her these seven years, since you parted; but for all that the +emperor's son wants to marry her, for that he knows she is wise and +witty, and for that she is so rich.'</p> + +<p>"After that, the man asked if he had not a mind to be at the wedding. So +he said: well! what he said any one can guess, but he saw no way of +getting there. But lo! in a little while there he stood in the palace +where the wedding was to be. Then he wanted to know what kind of man +that was who had brought him thither. He was no man, he said; but a +spirit. He it was whose body he had bought and buried in Turkey.</p> + +<p>"After that, he gave him a glass and a bottle, with wine in it, and told +him to send some one in with a message to the cook to come out to him.</p> + +<p>"'When he comes, you must first pour out a glass and drink it yourself; +and then another, and give it to the cook; and then you must pour out a +third, and send it to the bride; but first of all you must take the ring +off your finger, and put it into the glass which you send her.'</p> + +<p>"So when the cook came in with the glass, they all cried out, 'She +mustn't drink.' But the cook said, 'First he drank, and then I drank, so +she may very safely drink the wine.'</p> + +<p>"And when she drank the glass out, she saw the ring that lay at the +bottom, and ran out, and as soon as she got outside she knew him again, +and fell on his neck and kissed him, all shaggy as he was, for you may +fancy, he had neither lather nor razor on his beard for seven years.</p> + +<p>"But now the king came after, and wanted to know the meaning of all this +fondling between them. So they were brought into a room, and told the +whole story from first to last. Then the king bade them go and fetch a +barber, and scrape the bristles off him, and trim him; and a tailor with +a new court dress; and then the king went into the bridal hall, and +asked the bridegroom, that emperor's son, what doom should be passed on +one who had robbed a man both of life and honour. He answered,—</p> + +<p>"'Such a scoundrel should be first hanged on a gallows and then his body +should be burnt quick.'</p> + +<p>"So he was taken at his word and suffered the doom that he uttered over +himself, and the shopboy was wedded to the king's daughter, and lived +both long and luckily.</p> + +<p>"After that I was no longer with them, and I don't know how they fared; +but this I know, that he who last told this Tale is alive this very day, +and he is Ole Olsen, of Hitli, in Roldale."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>When <i>The Shopboy and his Cheese</i> was over, Anders, who ordered about +his cousins like a Turk, called on Christina for <i>Peik</i>; but nothing +could get the story out of her. There was something in it she did not +like. It was not a girl's story. He had better tell it himself.</p> + +<p>"Well, I will," said Anders; "I'm sure there's no harm in it; but judge +for yourselves."</p> + + +<h4>PEIK.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a man, and he had a wife; they had a son and a +daughter who were twins, and they were so like, no one could tell the +one from the other by anything else than their clothing. The boy they +called Peik. He was of little good while his father and mother lived, +for he had no mood to do aught else than to befool folk, and he was so +full of tricks and pranks that no one could be at peace for him; but +when they were dead it got worse and worse, he wouldn't turn his hand to +anything; all he would do was to squander what they left behind them, +and as for his neighbours he fell out with all of them. His sister +toiled and moiled all she could, but it helped little; so at last she +said to him how silly this was that he would do naught for her house, +and ended by asking him,</p> + +<p>"'What shall we have to live on when you have wasted everything?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I'll go out and befool somebody,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, Peik, I'll be bound you'll do that soon enough,' said his sister.</p> + +<p>"'Well, I'll try,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"So at last they had nothing more, for there was an end of everything; +and Peik trotted off, and walked and walked till he came to the king's +grange. There stood the King in the porch, and as soon as he set eyes on +the lad, he said,—</p> + +<p>"'Whither away to-day, Peik?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I was going out to see if I could befool anybody,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"'Can't you befool me, now?' said the King.</p> + +<p>"'No, I'm sure I can't,' said Peik, 'for I've forgotten my fooling rods +at home.'</p> + +<p>"'Can't you go and fetch them?' said the King, 'for I should be very +glad to see if you are such a trickster as folks say.'</p> + +<p>"'I've no strength to walk,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"'I'll lend you a horse and saddle,' said the King.</p> + +<p>"'But I can't ride either,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"'Then we'll lift you up,' said the King, 'then you'll be able to stick +on.'</p> + +<p>"Well, Peik stood and clawed and scratched his head, as though he would +pull the hair off, and let them lift him up into the saddle, and there +he sat swinging this side and that so long as the King could see him, +and the King laughed till the tears came into his eyes, for such a +tailor on horseback he had never before seen. But when Peik was come +well into the wood behind the hill, so that he was out of the King's +sight, he sat as though he were nailed to the horse, and off he rode as +though he had stolen both steed and bridle, and when he got to the town, +he sold both horse and saddle.</p> + +<p>"All the while the King walked up and down, and loitered and waited for +Peik to come tottering back again with his fooling rods; and every now +and then he laughed when he called to mind how wretched he looked as he +sat swinging about on the horse like a sack of corn, not knowing on +which side to fall off; but this lasted for seven lengths and seven +breadths, and no Peik came, and so at last the King saw that he was +fooled and cheated out of his horse and saddle, even though Peik had not +his fooling rods with him. And so there was another story, for the King +got wroth, and was all for setting off to kill Peik.</p> + +<p>"But Peik had found out the day he was coming, and told his sister she +must put on the big boiler with a drop of water in it. But just as the +King came in Peik dragged the boiler off the fire and ran off with it to +the chopping-block, and so boiled the porridge on the block.</p> + +<p>"The King wondered at that, and wondered on and on so much that he clean +forgot what brought him there.</p> + +<p>"'What do you want for that pot?' said he.</p> + +<p>"'I can't spare it,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"'Why not?' said the King, 'I'll pay what you ask.'</p> + +<p>"'No, no!' said Peik. 'It saves me time and money, woodhire and +choppinghire, carting and carrying.'</p> + +<p>"'Never mind,' said the King, 'I'll give you a hundred dollars. It's +true you've fooled me out of a horse and saddle, and bridle besides, but +all that shall go for nothing if I can only get the pot.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! if you must have it you must,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"When the King got home he asked guests and made a feast, but the meat +was to be boiled in the new pot, and so he took it up and set it in the +middle of the floor. The guests thought the King had lost his wits, and +went about elbowing one another, and laughing at him. But he walked +round and round the pot, and cackled and chattered, saying all in a +breath—</p> + +<p>"'Well, well! bide a bit, bide a bit! 'twill boil in a minute.'</p> + +<p>"But there was no boiling. So he saw that Peik had been out again with +his fooling rods and cheated him, and now he would set off at once and +slay him.</p> + +<p>"When the King came Peik stood out by the barn door. 'Wouldn't it boil?' +he asked.</p> + +<p>"'No! it would not,' said the King; 'but now you shall smart for it,' +and so he was just going to unsheath his knife.</p> + +<p>"'I can well believe that,' said Peik, 'for you did not take the block +too.'</p> + +<p>"'I wish I thought,' said the King, 'you weren't telling me a pack of +lies.'</p> + +<p>"'I tell you it's all because of the block it stands on; it won't boil +without it,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"'Well; what did he want for it?' It was well worth three hundred +dollars; but for the King's sake it should go for two. So he got the +block and travelled home with it, and bade guests again, and made a +feast, and set the pot on the chopping-block in the middle of the room. +The guests thought he was both daft and mad, and they went about making +game of him, while he cackled and chattered round the pot, calling out +'Bide a bit, now it boils! now it boils in a trice.'</p> + +<p>"But it wouldn't boil a bit more on the block than on the bare floor. So +he saw again that Peik had been out with his fooling rods this time too. +Then he fell a-tearing his hair, and swore he would set off at once and +slay him. He wouldn't spare him this time, whether he put a good or a +bad face on it.</p> + +<p>"But Peik had taken steps to meet him again. He slaughtered a wether and +caught the blood in the bladder, and stuffed it into his sister's bosom, +and told her what to say and do.</p> + +<p>"'Where's Peik!' screeched out the King. He was in such a rage that his +tongue faltered.</p> + +<p>"'He is so poorly that he can't stir hand or foot,' she said, 'and now +he's trying to get a nap.'</p> + +<p>"'Wake him up,' said the King.</p> + +<p>"'Nay, I daren't; he is so hasty,' said the sister.</p> + +<p>"'Well! I'm hastier still,' said the King, 'and if you don't wake him, I +will,' and with that he tapped his side where his knife hung.</p> + +<p>"Well! she would go and wake him; but Peik turned hastily in his bed, +drew out a little knife, and ripped open the bladder in her bosom, so +that a stream of blood gushed out, and down she fell on the floor, as +though she were dead.</p> + +<p>"'What a dare devil you are, Peik,' said the King, 'if you haven't +stabbed your sister to death, and here I stood by and saw it with my own +eyes.'</p> + +<p>"'There's no risk with her body so long as there's breath in my +nostrils;' and with that he pulled out a ramshorn, and began to toot +upon it, and when he had tooted a bridal tune, he put the end to her +body, and blew life into her again, and up she rose as though there was +naught the matter with her.</p> + +<p>"'Bless me, Peik! can you kill folk and blow life into them again? Can +you do that?' said the King.</p> + +<p>"'Why!' said Peik, 'how could I get on at all if I couldn't? I'm always +killing everyone I come near; don't you know I'm very hasty.'</p> + +<p>"'So am I hot-tempered,' said the King, 'and that horn I must have; I'll +give you a hundred dollars for it, and besides I'll forgive you for +cheating me out of my horse, and for fooling me about the pot and the +block, and all else.'</p> + +<p>"Peik was very loth to part with it, but for his sake he would let him +have it, and so the King went off home with it, and he had hardly got +back before he must try it. So he fell a-wrangling and quarrelling with +the Queen and his eldest daughter, and they paid him back in the same +coin; but before they knew a word about it he whipped out his knife and +cut their throats, so that they fell down stone dead, and everyone else +ran out of the room, they were so afraid.</p> + +<p>"The King walked and paced about the floor for a while, and kept +chattering that there was no harm done, so long as there was breath in +him, and a pack of such stuff which had flowed out of Peik's mouth, and +then he pulled out the horn and began to blow 'Toot-i-too, Toot-i-too,' +but though he blew and tooted as hard as he could all that day and the +next too, he couldn't blow life into them again. Dead they were, and +dead they stayed, both the Queen and his daughter, and he was forced to +buy graves for them in the churchyard, and to spend money on their +funeral ale into the bargain.</p> + +<p>"So he must and would go and cut Peik off; but Peik had his spies out, +and knew when the King was coming, and then he said to his sister,—</p> + +<p>"'Now you must change clothes with me and set off. If you will do that +you may have all we have got.'</p> + +<p>"Well! she changed clothes with him, and packed up and started off as +fast as she could; but Peik sat all alone in his sister's clothes.</p> + +<p>"'Where is that Peik?' said the King, as he came in a towering rage +through the door.</p> + +<p>"'He has run away,' said Peik.</p> + +<p>"'Ah! had he been at home,' said the King, 'I'd have slain him on the +spot. It's no good sparing the life of such a rogue.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! he knew by his spies that your Majesty was coming, and was going +to take his life for his wicked tricks; but he has left me all alone +without a morsel of bread or a penny in my purse,' said Peik, who made +himself as soft and mealy-mouthed as a young lady.</p> + +<p>"'Come along then to the King's Grange, and you shall have enough to +live on. There's no good sitting here and starving in this cabin by +yourself,' said the King.</p> + +<p>"Yes! he was glad to do that; so the King took him with him, and had him +taught everything, and treated him as his own daughter, and it was +almost as if the King had his three daughters again, for Miss Peik sewed +and stitched, and sung and played with the others, and was with them +early and late.</p> + +<p>"After a time a king's son came to look for a wife.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! I have three daughters,' said the King; 'it rests with you which +you will have?'</p> + +<p>"So he got leave to go up to their bower to make friends with them, and +the end was that he liked Miss Peik best, and threw a silk kerchief into +her lap as a love token. So they set to work to get ready the bridal +feast, and in a little while his kinsfolk came, and the King's men, and +they all fell to feasting and drinking on the bridal eve; but as night +was falling Miss Peik daren't stay longer, but ran away from the King's +Grange, out into the wide world, and the bride was lost; but there was +worse behind, for just then both the other princesses felt very queer, +and all at once two little princes came travelling into the world, and +folk had to break up and go home just as the fun and feasting were +highest.</p> + +<p>"The King got both wroth and sorrowful, and began to wonder if it wasn't +Peik again that had a finger in this pie.</p> + +<p>"So he mounted his horse and rode out, for he thought it dull work +staying at home; but when he got out among the ploughed fields, there +sat Peik on a stone playing on a Jews' harp.</p> + +<p>"'What! are you sitting there, Peik?' said the King.</p> + +<p>"'Here I sit, sure enough,' said Peik. 'Where else should I sit?"</p> + +<p>"'Now you have cheated me foully, time after time,' said the King; 'but +now you must come along home with me, and I'll kill you.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, well,' said Peik, 'if it can't be helped it can't; I suppose I +must go along with you.'</p> + +<p>"When they got home to the King's Grange, they got ready a cask which +Peik was to be put in, and when it was ready they carted it up to a high +fell; there he was to lie three days thinking on all the evil he had +done, then they were to roll him down the fell into the firth.</p> + +<p>"The third day a rich man passed by, but Peik sat inside the cask and +sang,—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'To heaven's bliss and Paradise,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To heaven's bliss and Paradise.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"'I'd sooner far stay here and not be made an angel.'</p> + +<p>"When the man heard that, he asked what he would take to change places +with him.</p> + +<p>"'It ought to be a good sum,' said Peik, 'for there wasn't a coach ready +to start for Paradise every day.'</p> + +<p>"So the man said he would give all he had, and so he knocked out the +head of the cask and crept into it instead of Peik.</p> + +<p>"'A happy journey,' said the King, when he came to roll him down; 'now +you'll go faster to the firth than if you were in a sledge with +reindeer; and now it's all over with you and your fooling rods.'</p> + +<p>"Before the cask was half-way down the fell, there wasn't a whole stave +of it left, nor a limb of him who was inside. But when the King came +back to the Grange, Peik was there before him, and sat in the courtyard +playing on the Jews' harp.</p> + +<p>"'What! you sitting here, you Peik?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! here I sit, sure enough; where else should I sit?' said Peik. +'Maybe I can get house-room here for all my horses and sheep and money.'</p> + +<p>"'But whither was it that I rolled you that you got all this wealth?' +asked the King.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, you rolled me into the firth,' said Peik, 'and when I got to the +bottom there was more than enough and to spare, both of horses and sheep +and of gold and silver. The cattle went about in great flocks, and the +gold and silver lay in large heaps as big as houses.'</p> + +<p>"'What will you take to roll me down the same way?' asked the King.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said Peik, 'it costs little or nothing to do it. Besides, you +took nothing from me, and so I'll take nothing from you either.'</p> + +<p>"So he stuffed the King into a cask and rolled him over, and when he had +given him a ride down to the firth for nothing, he went home to the +King's Grange. Then he began to hold his bridal feast with the youngest +princess, and afterwards he ruled both land and realm, but he kept his +fooling rods to himself, and kept them so well that nothing was ever +afterwards heard of Peik and his tricks, but only of <span class="smcap">OURSELF THE KING</span>."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="KARINS_THREE_STORIES" id="KARINS_THREE_STORIES"></a>KARIN'S THREE STORIES.</h2> + + +<p>"Now," said Karin, "as you have told <i>Peik</i>, which I did not want to +tell, I'll tell you three stories all of a row, <i>Death and the Doctor</i>, +<i>The Way of the World</i>, and <i>The Pancake</i>." So she began with the first.</p> + + +<h4>DEATH AND THE DOCTOR.</h4> + +<p>'Once on a time there was a lad, who had lived as a servant a long time +with a man of the North Country. This man was a master at ale-brewing; +it was so out-of-the-way good the like of it was not to be found. So, +when the lad was to leave his place and the man was to pay him the wages +he had earned, he would take no other pay than a keg of yule-ale. Well! +he got it and set off with it, and he carried it both far and long, but +the longer he carried the keg the heavier it got, and so he began to +look about to see if anyone were coming with whom he might have a drink, +that the ale might lessen, and the keg lighten. And after a long, long +time, he met an old man with a big beard.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day to you,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'I'm looking after some one to drink with, and get my keg lightened,' +said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Can't you drink as well with me as with anyone else?' said the man. 'I +have fared both far and wide, and I am both tired and thirsty.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! why shouldn't I?' said the lad; 'but tell me, whence do you +come, and what sort of man are you?'</p> + +<p>"'I am "Our Lord," and come from Heaven,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Thee will I not drink with,' said the lad; 'for thou makest such +distinction between persons here in the world, and sharest rights so +unevenly that some get so rich and some so poor. No! with thee I will +not drink,' and as he said this he trotted off with his keg again.</p> + +<p>"So, when he had gone a bit farther the keg grew too heavy again; he +thought he never could carry it any longer unless some one came with +whom he might drink, and so lessen the ale in the keg. Yes! he met an +ugly scrawny man who came along fast and furious.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day to you,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! I'm looking for some one to drink with, and get my keg lightened,' +said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Can't you drink with me as well as with any one else?' said the man; +'I have fared both far and wide, and I am tired and thirsty.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! why not?' said the lad; 'but who are you, and whence do you +come?'</p> + +<p>"'Who am I? I am the De'il, and I come from Hell; that's where I come +from,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'No!' said the lad; 'thou only pinest and plaguest poor folk, and if +there is any unhappiness a-stir, they always say it is thy fault. Thee I +will not drink with.'</p> + +<p>"So he went far and farther than far again with his ale-keg on his back, +till he thought it grew so heavy there was no carrying it any farther. +He began to look round again if any one were coming with whom he could +drink and lighten his keg. So after a long, long time, another man came, +and he was so dry and lean 'twas a wonder his bones hung together.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day to you,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I was only looking about to see if I could find some one to drink +with, that my keg might be lightened a little, it is so heavy to carry.'</p> + +<p>"'Can't you drink as well with me as with anyone else?' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Yes; why not?' said the lad. 'But what sort of man are you?'</p> + +<p>"'They call me Death,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'The very man for my money,' said the lad. 'Thee I am glad to drink +with,' and as he said this he put down his keg, and began to tap the ale +into a bowl. 'Thou art an honest, trustworthy man, for thou treatest all +alike, both rich and poor.'</p> + +<p>"So he drank his health, and Death drank his health, and Death said he +had never tasted such drink, and as the lad was fond of him, they drank +bowl and bowl about, till the ale was lessened, and the keg grew light.</p> + +<p>"At last, Death said, 'I have never known drink which smacked better, or +did me so much good as this ale that you have given me, and I scarce +know what to give you in return.' But after he had thought a while, he +said the keg should never get empty, however much they drank out of it, +and the ale that was in it should become a healing drink, by which the +lad could make the sick whole again better than any doctor. And he also +said that when the lad came into the sick man's room Death would always +be there, and show himself to him, and it should be to him for a sure +token if he saw Death at the foot of the bed that he could cure the sick +with a draught from the keg; but if he sate by the pillow, there was no +healing nor medicine, for then the sick belonged to Death.</p> + +<p>"Well, the lad soon grew famous, and was called in far and near, and he +helped many to health again, who had been given over. When he came in +and saw how Death sate by the sick man's bed, he foretold either life or +death, and his foretelling was never wrong. He got both a rich and +powerful man, and at last he was called in to a king's daughter far, far +away in the world. She was so dangerously ill no doctor thought he could +do her any good, and so they promised him all that he cared either to +ask or have if he would only save her life.</p> + +<p>"Now, when he came into the princess's room, there sate Death at her +pillow; but as he sate he dozed and nodded, and while he did this she +felt herself better.</p> + +<p>"'Now, life or death is at stake,' said the doctor; 'and I fear, from +what I see, there is no hope.'</p> + +<p>"But they said he <i>must</i> save her, if it cost land and realm. So he +looked at Death, and while he sate there and dozed again, he made a sign +to the servants to turn the bed round so quickly that Death was left +sitting at the foot, and at the very moment they turned the bed, the +doctor gave her the draught, and her life was saved.</p> + +<p>"'Now you have cheated me,' said Death, 'and we are quits.'</p> + +<p>"'I was forced to do it,' said the doctor, 'unless I wished to lose land +and realm.'</p> + +<p>"'That shan't help you much,' said Death; 'your time is up, for now you +belong to me.'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said the lad, 'what must be, must be; but you'll let me have +time to read the Lord's Prayer first.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, he might have leave to do that; but he took very good care not to +read the Lord's Prayer; everything else he read; but the Lord's Prayer +never crossed his lips, and at last he thought he had cheated Death for +good and all. But when Death thought he had really waited too long, he +went to the lad's house one night, and hung up a great tablet with the +Lord's Prayer painted on it over against his bed. So when the lad woke +in the morning he began to read the tablet, and did not quite see what +he was about till he came to <span class="smcap">Amen</span>; but then it was just too late, and +Death had him."</p> + + +<h4>THE WAY OF THE WORLD.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time, there was a man who went into the wood to cut +hop-poles, but he could find no trees so long and straight, and slender, +as he wanted, till he came high up under a great heap of stones. There +he heard groans and moans as though some one were at Death's door. So he +went up to see who it was that needed help, and then he heard that the +noise came from under a great flat stone which lay upon the heap. It was +so heavy it would have taken many a man to lift it. But the man went +down again into the wood and cut down a tree, which he turned into a +lever, and with that he tilted up the stone, and lo! out from under it +crawled a Dragon, and made at the man to swallow him up. But the man +said he had saved the Dragon's life, and it was shameful thanklessness +in him to want to eat him up.</p> + +<p>"'May be,' said the Dragon; 'but you might very well know I must be +starved when I have been here hundreds of years and never tasted meat. +Besides, it's the way of the world,—that's how it pays its debts.'</p> + +<p>"The man pleaded his cause stoutly, and begged prettily for his life; +and at last they agreed to take the first living thing that came for a +daysman, and if his doom went the other way the man should not lose his +life, but if he said the same as the Dragon, the Dragon should eat the +man.</p> + +<p>"The first thing that came was an old hound, who ran along the road down +below under the hillside. Him they spoke to, and begged him to be judge.</p> + +<p>"'God knows,' said the hound, 'I have served my master truly ever since +I was a little whelp. I have watched and watched many and many a night +through, while he lay warm asleep on his ear, and I have saved house and +home from fire and thieves more than once; but now I can neither see nor +hear any more, and he wants to shoot me. And so I must run away, and +slink from house to house, and beg for my living till I die of hunger. +No! it's the way of the world,' said the hound; 'that's how it pays its +debts.'</p> + +<p>"'Now I am coming to eat you up,' said the Dragon, and tried to swallow +the man again. But the man begged and prayed hard for his life, till +they agreed to take the next comer for a judge; and if he said the same +as the Dragon and the Hound, the Dragon was to eat him, and get a meal +of man's meat; but if he did not say so, the man was to get off with his +life.</p> + +<p>"So there came an old horse limping down along the road which ran under +the hill. Him they called out to come and settle the dispute. Yes; he +was quite ready to do that.</p> + +<p>"'Now, I have served my master,' said the horse, 'as long as I could +draw or carry. I have slaved and striven for him till the sweat trickled +from every hair, and I have worked till I have grown lame, and halt, and +worn out with toil and age; now I am fit for nothing. I am not worth my +food, and so I am to have a bullet through me, he says. Nay! nay! It's +the way of the world. That's how the world pays its debts.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, now I'm coming to eat you,' said the Dragon, who gaped wide, and +wanted to swallow the man. But he begged again hard for his life.</p> + +<p>"But the Dragon said he must have a mouthful of man's meat; he was so +hungry, he couldn't bear it any longer.</p> + +<p>"'See, yonder comes one who looks as if he was sent to be a judge +between us,' said the man, as he pointed to Reynard the fox, who came +stealing between the stones of the heap.</p> + +<p>"'All good things are three,' said the man; 'let me ask him, too, and if +he gives doom like the others, eat me up on the spot.'</p> + +<p>"'Very well,' said the Dragon. He, too, had heard that all good things +were three, and so it should be a bargain. So the man talked to the fox +as he had talked to the others.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, yes,' said Reynard; 'I see how it all is;' but as he said this he +took the man a little on one side.</p> + +<p>"'What will you give me if I free you from the Dragon?' he whispered +into the man's ear.</p> + +<p>"'You shall be free to come to my house, and to be lord and master over +my hens and geese, every Thursday night,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Well, my dear Dragon,' said Reynard, 'this is a very hard nut to +crack. I can't get it into my head how you, who are so big and mighty a +beast, could find room to lie under yon stone.'</p> + +<p>"'Can't you,' said the Dragon; 'well, I lay under the hillside, and +sunned myself, and down came a landslip, and hurled the stone over me.'</p> + +<p>"'All very likely, I dare say,' said Reynard; 'but still I can't +understand it, and what's more, I won't believe it till I see it.'</p> + +<p>"So the man said they had better prove it, and the Dragon crawled down +into the hole again; but in the twinkling of an eye they whipped out the +lever, and down the stone crashed again on the Dragon.</p> + +<p>"'Lie now there till Doomsday,' said the fox. 'You would eat the man, +would you, who saved your life?'</p> + +<p>"The Dragon groaned, and moaned, and begged hard to come out; but the +two went their way, and left him alone.</p> + +<p>"The very first Thursday night Reynard came to be lord and master over +the hen-roost, and hid himself behind a great pile of wood hard by. When +the maid went to feed the fowls, in stole Reynard. She neither saw nor +heard anything of him; but her back was scarce turned before he had +sucked blood enough for a week, and stuffed himself so that he couldn't +stir. So when she came again in the morning, there Reynard lay and +snored, and slept in the morning sun, with all four legs stretched +straight; and he was as sleek and round as a German sausage.</p> + +<p>"Away ran the lassie for the goody, and she came, and all the lassies +with her, with sticks and brooms to beat Reynard; and, to tell the +truth, they nearly banged the life out of him; but, just as it was +almost all over with him, and he thought his last hour was come, he +found a hole in the floor, and so he crept out, and limped and hobbled +off to the wood.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, oh,' said Reynard; 'how true it is. 'Tis the way of the world; and +this is how it pays its debts.'"</p> + + +<h4>THE PANCAKE.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a goody who had seven hungry bairns, and she +was frying a pancake for them. It was a sweet-milk pancake, and there it +lay in the pan bubbling and frizzling so thick and good, it was a sight +for sore eyes to look at. And the bairns stood round about, and the +goodman sat by and looked on.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, give me a bit of pancake, mother, dear; I am so hungry,' said one +bairn.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, darling mother,' said the second.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, darling, good mother,' said the third.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, darling, good, nice mother,' said the fourth.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice mother,' said the fifth.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice, clever mother,' said the sixth.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice, clever, sweet mother,' said the +seventh.</p> + +<p>"So they begged for the pancake all round, the one more prettily than +the other; for they were so hungry and so good.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, yes, bairns, only bide a bit till it turns itself,'—she ought to +have said 'till I can get it turned,'—'and then you shall all have +some—a lovely sweet-milk pancake; only look how fat and happy it lies +there.'</p> + +<p>"When the pancake heard that, it got afraid, and in a trice it turned +itself all of itself, and tried to jump out of the pan; but it fell back +into it again t'other side up, and so when it had been fried a little on +the other side too, till it got firmer in its flesh, it sprang out on +the floor, and rolled off like a wheel through the door and down the +hill.</p> + +<p>"'Holloa! Stop, pancake!' and away went the goody after it, with the +frying-pan in one hand, and the ladle in the other, as fast as she +could, and her bairns behind her, while the goodman limped after them +last of all.</p> + +<p>"'Hi! won't you stop? Seize it. Stop, pancake, they all screamed out, +one after the other, and tried to catch it on the run and hold it; but +the pancake rolled on and on, and in the twinkling of an eye it was so +far ahead that they couldn't see it, for the pancake was faster on its +feet than any of them.</p> + +<p>"So when it had rolled awhile it met a man.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, pancake,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'God bless you, Manny Panny!' said the pancake.</p> + +<p>"'Dear pancake,' said the man, 'don't roll so fast; stop a little and +let me eat you.'</p> + +<p>"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, I may well slip through your fingers, Manny Panny,' +said the pancake, and rolled on and on till it met a hen.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, pancake,' said the hen.</p> + +<p>"'The same to you, Henny Penny,' said the pancake.</p> + +<p>"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast, bide a bit and let me eat you up,' +said the hen.</p> + +<p>"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, I may well slip through your claws, +Henny Penny,' said the pancake, and so it rolled on like a wheel down +the road.</p> + +<p>"Just then it met a cock.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, pancake,' said the cock.</p> + +<p>"'The same to you, Cocky Locky,' said the pancake.</p> + +<p>"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast, but bide a bit and let me eat you +up.'</p> + +<p>"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and to Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, I may well slip +through your claws, Cocky Locky,' said the pancake, and off it set +rolling away as fast as it could; and when it had rolled a long way it +met a duck.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, pancake,' said the duck.</p> + +<p>"'The same to you, Ducky Lucky.'</p> + +<p>"'Pancake, dear, don't roll away so fast; bide a bit and let me eat you +up.'</p> + +<p>"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, I +may well slip through your fingers, Ducky Lucky,' said the pancake, and +with that it took to rolling and rolling faster than ever; and when it +had rolled a long, long while, it met a goose.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, pancake,' said the goose.</p> + +<p>"'The same to you, Goosey Poosey.'</p> + +<p>"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast; bide a bit and let me eat you up.'</p> + +<p>"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, +and Ducky Lucky, I can well slip through your feet, Goosey Poosey,' said +the pancake, and off it rolled.</p> + +<p>"So when it had rolled a long, long way farther, it met a gander.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, pancake,' said the gander.</p> + +<p>"'The same to you, Gander Pander,' said the pancake.</p> + +<p>"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast: bide a bit and let me eat you up.'</p> + +<p>"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, +and Ducky Lucky, and Goosey Poosey, I may well slip through your feet, +Gander Pander,' said the pancake, which rolled off as fast as ever.</p> + +<p>"So when it had rolled a long, long time, it met a pig.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, pancake,' said the pig.</p> + +<p>"'The same to you, Piggy Wiggy,' said the pancake, which, without a word +more, began to roll and roll like mad.</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay,' said the pig, 'you needn't be in such a hurry; we two can +then go side by side and see one another over the wood; they say it is +not too safe in there.'</p> + +<p>"The pancake thought there might be something in that, and so they kept +company. But when they had gone awhile, they came to a brook. As for +piggy, he was so fat he swam safe across, it was nothing to him; but the +poor pancake couldn't get over.</p> + +<p>"'Seat yourself on my snout,' said the pig, 'and I'll carry you over.'</p> + +<p>"So the pancake did that.</p> + +<p>"'Ouf, ouf,' said the pig, and swallowed the pancake at one gulp; and +then, as the poor pancake could go no farther, why—this story can go no +farther either."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PETERS_BEAST_STORIES" id="PETERS_BEAST_STORIES"></a>PETER'S BEAST STORIES.</h2> + + +<p>"Now," said Peter, "I'll tell you another lot of stories right out of +the wood, as fresh as a spruce fir or a juniper. Here they are:—</p> + + +<h4>PORK AND HONEY.</h4> + +<p>"At dawn the other day, when Bruin came tramping over the bog with a fat +pig, Reynard sat up on a stone by the moorside.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, grandsire,' said the fox, 'what's that so nice that you have +there?'</p> + +<p>"'Pork,' said Bruin.</p> + +<p>"'Well! I have got a dainty bit, too,' said Reynard.</p> + +<p>"'What is that?' asked the bear.</p> + +<p>"'The biggest wild bees-comb I ever saw in my life,' said Reynard.</p> + +<p>"'Indeed, you don't say so,' said Bruin, who grinned and licked his +lips. He thought it would be so nice to taste a little honey. At last he +said, 'Shall we swop our fare?'</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay!' said Reynard, 'I can't do that.'</p> + +<p>"The end was that they made a bet, and agreed to name three trees. If +the fox could say them off faster than the bear he was to have leave to +take one bite off the bacon; but if the bear could say them faster he +was to have leave to take one sup out of the comb. Greedy Bruin thought +he was sure to sup out all the honey at one breath.</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said Reynard, 'it's all fair and right no doubt, but all I say +is, if I win, you shall be bound "to tear" off the bristles where I am +to bite.'</p> + +<p>"'Of course,' said Bruin, 'I'll help you as you can't help yourself.'</p> + +<p>"So they were to begin and name the trees.</p> + +<p>"'<span class="smcap">Fir</span>, <span class="smcap">Scotch Fir</span>, <span class="smcap">Spruce</span>,' growled out Bruin, for he was gruff in his +tongue, that he was. But for all that he only named two trees, for Fir +and Scotch Fir are both the same.</p> + +<p>"'<i>Ash</i>, <i>Aspen</i>, <i>Oak</i>,' screamed Reynard, so that the wood rang again!</p> + +<p>"So he had won the wager, and down he ran and took the heart out of the +pig at one bite, and was just running off with it. But Bruin was angry +because he had taken the best bit out of the whole pig, and so he laid +hold of his tail and held him fast.</p> + +<p>"'Stop a bit, stop a bit,' he said, and was wild with rage.</p> + +<p>"'Never mind,' said the fox, 'it's all right; let me go, grandsire, and +I'll give you a taste of my honey.'</p> + +<p>"When Bruin heard that, he let go his hold, and away went Reynard after +the honey.</p> + +<p>"'Here, on this honeycomb,' said Reynard, 'lies a leaf, and under this +leaf is a hole, and that hole you are to suck.'</p> + +<p>"As he said this he held up the comb under the Bear's nose, took off the +leaf, jumped up on a stone, and began to gibber and laugh, for there was +neither honey nor honeycomb, but a wasp's nest, as big as a man's head, +full of wasps, and out swarmed the wasps and settled on Bruin's head, +and stung him in his eyes and ears, and mouth and snout. And he had such +hard work to rid himself of them that he had no time to think of +Reynard.</p> + +<p>"And that's why, ever since that day, Bruin is so afraid of wasps."</p> + + +<h4>THE HARE AND THE HEIRESS.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a hare, who was frisking up and down under the +greenwood tree.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! hurrah! hip, hip, hurrah!' he cried, and leapt and sprang, and all +at once he threw a somersault, and stood upon his hind legs. Just then a +fox came slouching by.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, good-day,' said the hare; 'I'm so merry to-day, for you must +know I was married this morning.'</p> + +<p>"'Lucky fellow you,' said the fox.</p> + +<p>"'Ah, no! not so lucky after all,' said the hare, 'for she was very +heavy handed, and it was an old witch I got to wife.</p> + +<p>"'Then you were an unlucky fellow,' said the fox.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, not so unlucky either,' said the hare, 'for she was an heiress. +She had a cottage of her own.'</p> + +<p>"'Then you were lucky after all,' said the fox.</p> + +<p>"'No, no! not so lucky either,' said the hare, 'for the cottage caught +fire and was burnt, and all we had with it.'</p> + +<p>"'That I call downright unlucky,' said the fox.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, no; not so very unlucky after all,' said the hare, 'for my witch +of a wife was burnt along with her cottage.'"</p> + + +<h4>SLIP ROOT, CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a bear, who sat on a hillside in the sun and +slept. Just then Reynard came slouching by and caught sight of him.</p> + +<p>"'There you sit taking your ease, grandsire,' said the fox. 'Now see if +I don't play you a trick.' So he went and caught three field mice and +laid them on a stump close under Bruin's nose, and then he bawled out, +into his ear, 'Bo! Bruin, here's Peter the Hunter, just behind this +stump;' and as he bawled this out he ran off through the wood as fast as +ever he could.</p> + +<p>"Bruin woke up with a start, and when he saw the three little mice, he +was as mad as a March hare, and was going to lift up his paw and crush +them, for he thought it was they who had bellowed in his ear.</p> + +<p>"But just as he lifted it he caught sight of Reynard's tail among the +bushes by the woodside, and away he set after him, so that the underwood +crackled as he went, and, to tell the truth, Bruin was so close upon +Reynard, that he caught hold of his off-hind foot just as he was +crawling into an earth under a pine-root. So there was Reynard in a +pinch, but for all that he had his wits about him, for he screeched out, +'<span class="smcap">Slip the pine-root and catch Reynard's foot</span>,' and so the silly bear let +his foot slip and laid hold of the root instead. But by that time +Reynard was safe inside the earth, and called out—</p> + +<p>"'I cheated you that time, too, didn't I, grandsire!'</p> + +<p>"'Out of sight isn't out of mind,' growled Bruin down the earth, and was +wild with rage."</p> + + +<h4>BRUIN GOODFELLOW.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a husbandman who travelled ever so far up to +the Fells to fetch a load of leaves for litter for his cattle in winter. +So when he got to where the litter lay he backed the sledge close up to +the heap, and began to roll down the leaves on to the sledge. But under +the heap lay a bear who had made his winter lair there, and when he felt +the man trampling about he jumped out right down on to the sledge.</p> + +<p>"As soon as the horse got wind of Bruin, he was afraid, and ran off as +though he had stolen both bear and sledge, and he went back faster by +many times than he had come up.</p> + +<p>"Bruin, they say, is a brave fellow, but even he was not quite pleased +with his drive this time. So there he sat, holding fast, as well as he +could, and he glared and grinned on all sides, and he thought of +throwing himself off, but he was not used to sledge travelling, and so +he made up his mind to sit still where he was.</p> + +<p>"So when he had driven a good bit, he met a pedlar.</p> + +<p>"'Whither in heaven's name is the sheriff bound to-day? He has surely +little time, and a long way; he drives so fast.'</p> + +<p>"But Bruin said never a word, for all he could do was to stick fast.</p> + +<p>"A little further on a beggar-woman met him. She nodded to him and +greeted him, and begged for a penny, in God's name. But Bruin said never +a word, but stuck fast and drove on faster than ever.</p> + +<p>"So when he had gone a bit further, Reynard the fox met him.</p> + +<p>"'Ho! ho!' said Reynard, 'are you out taking a drive. Stop a bit, and +let me get up behind and be your post-boy.'</p> + +<p>"But still Bruin said never a word, but held on like grim death, and +drove on as fast as the horse could lay legs to the ground.</p> + +<p>"'Well, well,' screamed Reynard, after him, 'if you won't take me with +you I'll spae your fortune; and that is, though you drive like a +dare-devil to-day, you'll be hanging up to-morrow with the hide off your +back.'</p> + +<p>"But Bruin never heard a word that Reynard said. On and on he drove just +as fast; but when the horse got to the farm, he galloped into the open +stable door at full speed, so that he tore off both sledge and harness, +and as for poor Bruin, he knocked his skull against the lintel, and +there he lay dead on the spot.</p> + +<p>"All this time the man knew nothing of what had happened. He rolled down +bundle after bundle of leaves, and when he thought he had enough to load +his sledge, and went down to bind on the bundles, he could find neither +horse nor sledge.</p> + +<p>"So he had to tramp along the road to find his horse again, and, after a +while, he met the pedlar.</p> + +<p>"'Have you met my horse and sledge?' he asked.</p> + +<p>"'No,' said the pedlar; 'but lower down along the road I met the +sheriff; he drove so fast, he was surely going to lay some one by the +heels.'</p> + +<p>"A while after he met the beggar-woman.</p> + +<p>"'Have you seen my horse and sledge?' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'No,' said the beggar-woman, 'but I met the parson lower down yonder; +he was surely going to a parish meeting, he drove so fast, and he had a +borrowed horse.'</p> + +<p>"A while after, the man met the fox.</p> + +<p>"'Have you seen my horse and sledge?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! I have,' said the fox, 'and Bruin Goodfellow sat on it and drove +just as though he had stolen both horse and harness.'</p> + +<p>"'De'il take him,' said the man, 'I'll be bound he'll drive my horse to +death.'</p> + +<p>"'If he does, flay him,' said Reynard, 'and roast him before the fire! +But if you get your horse again you may give me a lift over the Fell, +for I can ride well, and besides, I have a fancy to see how it feels +when one has four legs before one.'</p> + +<p>"'What will you give for the lift?' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'You can have what you like,' said Reynard; 'either wet or dry. You may +be sure you'll always get more out of me than out of Bruin Goodfellow, +for he is a rough carle to pay off when he takes a fancy to riding and +hangs on a horse's back.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! you shall have a lift over the Fell,' said the man, 'if you will +only meet me at this spot to-morrow.'</p> + +<p>"But he knew that Reynard was only playing off some of his tricks upon +him, and so he took with him a loaded gun on the sledge, and when +Reynard came, thinking to get a lift for nothing, he got, instead, a +charge of shot in his body, and so the husbandman flayed the coat off +him too, and then he had gotten both Bruin's hide and Reynard's skin."</p> + + +<h4>BRUIN AND REYNARD PARTNERS.</h4> + +<p>"Once on a time Bruin and Reynard were to own a field in common. They +had a little clearing up in the wood, and the first year they sowed rye.</p> + +<p>"'Now we must share the crop as is fair and right,' said Reynard. 'If +you like to have the root, I'll take the top.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, Bruin was ready to do that; but when they had threshed out the +crop, Reynard got all the corn, but Bruin got nothing but roots and +rubbish. He did not like that at all; but Reynard said it was how they +had agreed to share it.</p> + +<p>"'This year I have the gain,' said Reynard; 'next year it will be your +turn. Then you shall have the top, and I shall have to put up with the +root.'</p> + +<p>"But when spring came, and it was time to sow, Reynard asked Bruin what +he thought of turnips.</p> + +<p>"'Aye, aye!' said Bruin, 'that's better food than corn;' and so Reynard +thought also. But when harvest came Reynard got the roots, while Bruin +got the turnip-tops. And then Bruin was so angry with Reynard that he +put an end at once to his partnership with him."</p> + + +<h4>REYNARD WANTS TO TASTE HORSE-FLESH.</h4> + +<p>"One day as Bruin lay by a horse which he had slain, and was hard at +work eating it, Reynard was out that day too, and came up spying about +and licking his lips, if he might get a taste of the horse-flesh. So he +doubled and turned till he got just behind Bruin's back, and then he +jumped on the other side of the carcass and snapped a mouthful as he ran +by. Bruin was not slow either, for he made a grab at Reynard and caught +the tip of his red brush in his paw; and ever since then Reynard's brush +is white at the tip, as any one may see.</p> + +<p>"But that day Bruin was merry, and called out, "'Bide a bit, Reynard; +and come hither, and I'll tell you how to catch a horse for yourself.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, Reynard was ready enough to learn, but he did not for all that +trust himself to go very close to Bruin.</p> + +<p>"'Listen,' said Bruin, 'when you see a horse asleep, sunning himself in +the sunshine, you must mind and bind yourself fast by the hair of his +tail to your brush, and then you must make your teeth meet in the flesh +of his thigh.'</p> + +<p>"As you may fancy, it was not long before Reynard found out a horse that +lay asleep in the sunshine, and then he did as Bruin had told him; for +he knotted and bound himself well into the hair of his tail, and made +his teeth meet in the horse's thigh.</p> + +<p>"Up sprang the horse, and began to kick and rear and gallop, so that +Reynard was dashed against stock and stone, and got battered black and +blue, so that he was not far off losing both wit and sense. And while +the horse galloped, they passed Jack Longears, the Hare.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away so fast, Reynard?' cried Jack Longears.</p> + +<p>"'Post haste, on business of life and death, dear Jack,' cried Reynard.</p> + +<p>"And with that Jack stood up on his hind legs, and laughed till his +sides ached and his jaws split right up to his ears. It was so funny to +see Reynard ride post haste.</p> + +<p>"But you must know, since that ride Reynard has never thought of +catching a horse for himself. For that once at least it was Bruin who +had the best of it in wit, though they do say he is most often as +simple-minded as the Trolls."</p> + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Many other stories Edward and I heard that season up on the Fjeld, +either from the girls, or Peter, or Anders; and here some of them follow +standing by themselves, and not set in a frame.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MASTER_TOBACCO" id="MASTER_TOBACCO"></a>MASTER TOBACCO</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>MASTER TOBACCO.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"Once on a time there was a poor woman who went about begging with her +son; for at home she had neither a morsel to eat nor a stick to burn. +First she tried the country, and went from parish to parish; but it was +poor work, and so she came into the town. There she went about from +house to house for a while, and at last she came to the lord mayor. He +was both open-hearted and open-handed, and he was married to the +daughter of the richest merchant in the town, and they had one little +daughter. As they had no more children, you may fancy she was sugar and +spice and all that's nice, and in a word there was nothing too good for +her. This little girl soon came to know the beggar boy as he went about +with his mother; and as the lord mayor was a wise man, as soon as he saw +what friends the two were, he took the boy into his house, that he might +be his daughter's playmate. Yes, they played and read and went to school +together, and never had so much as one quarrel.</p> + +<p>"One day the lady mayoress stood at the window, and watched the children +as they were trudging off to school. There had been a shower of rain, +and the street was flooded, and she saw how the boy first carried the +basket with their dinner over the stream, and then he went back and +lifted the little girl over, and when he set her down he gave her a +kiss.</p> + +<p>"When the lady mayoress saw this, she got very angry. 'To think of such +a ragamuffin kissing our daughter—we, who are the best people in the +place!' That was what she said. Her husband did his best to stop her +tongue. 'No one knew,' he said, 'how children would turn out in life, or +what might befall his own: the boy was a clever, handy lad, and often +and often a great tree sprang from a slender plant.'</p> + +<p>"But no! it was all the same whatever he said, and whichever way he put +it. The lady mayoress held her own, and said, beggars on horseback +always rode their cattle to death, and that no one had ever heard of a +silk purse being made out of a sow's ear; adding, that a penny would +never turn into a shilling, even though it glittered like a guinea. The +end of it all was that the poor lad was turned out of the house, and had +to pack up his rags and be off.</p> + +<p>"When the lord mayor saw there was no help for it, he sent him away with +a trader who had come thither with a ship, and he was to be cabin-boy on +board her. He told his wife he had sold the boy for a roll of tobacco.</p> + +<p>"But before he went the lord mayor's daughter broke her ring into two +bits, and gave the boy one bit, that it might be a token to know him by +if they ever met again; and so the ship sailed away, and the lad came to +a town, far, far off in the world, and to that town a priest had just +come who was so good a preacher that every one went to church to hear +him, and the crew of the ship went with the rest the Sunday after to +hear the sermon. As for the lad, he was left behind to mind the ship and +to cook the dinner. So while he was hard at work he heard some one +calling out across the water on an island. So he took the boat and rowed +across, and there he saw an old hag, who called and roared.</p> + +<p>"'Aye,' she said, 'you have come at last! Here have I stood a hundred +years calling and bawling, and thinking how I should ever get over this +water; but no one has ever heard or heeded but you, and you shall be +well paid, if you will put me over to the other side.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad had to row her to her sister's house, who lived on a hill on +the other side, close by; and when they got there, she told him to beg +for the old table-cloth which lay on the dresser. Yes! he begged for it, +and when the old witch who lived there knew that he had helped her +sister over the water, she said he might have whatever he chose to ask.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said the boy, 'then I won't have anything else than that old +table-cloth on the dresser yonder.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said the old witch, 'that you never asked out of your own wits.'</p> + +<p>"'Now I must be off,' said the lad, 'to cook the Sunday dinner for the +church-goers.'</p> + +<p>"'Never mind that,' said the first old hag; 'it will cook itself while +you are away. Stop with me, and I will pay you better still. Here have I +stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, but no one has ever +heeded me but you.'</p> + +<p>"The end was he had to go with her to another sister, and when he got +there the old hag said he was to be sure and ask for the old sword, +which was such that he could put it into his pocket and it became a +knife, and when he drew it out it was a long sword again. One edge was +black and the other white; and if he smote with the black edge +everything fell dead, and if with the white everything came to life +again. So when they came over, and the second old witch heard how he had +helped her sister across, she said he might have anything he chose to +ask for her fare.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said the lad, 'then I will have nothing else but that old sword +which hangs up over the cupboard.'</p> + +<p>"'That you never asked out of your own wits,' said the old witch; but +for all that he got the sword.</p> + +<p>"Then the old hag said again, 'Come on with me to my third sister. Here +have I stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, and no one has +heeded me but you. Come on to my third sister, and you shall have better +pay still.'</p> + +<p>"So he went with her, and on the way she told him he was to ask for the +old hymn-book; and that was such a book that when any one was sick and +the nurse sang one of the hymns, the sickness passed away, and they were +well again. Well! when they got across, and the third old witch heard he +had helped her sister across, she said he was to have whatever he chose +to ask for his fare.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said the lad, 'then I won't have anything else but granny's old +hymn-book.'</p> + +<p>"'That,' said the old hag, 'you never asked out of your own wits.'</p> + +<p>"When he got back to the ship the crew were still at church, so he tried +his table-cloth, and spread just a little bit of it out, for he wanted +to see what good it was before he laid it on the table. Yes! in a trice, +it was covered with good food and strong drink; enough, and to spare. So +he just took a little snack, and then he gave the ship's dog as much as +it could eat.</p> + +<p>"When the church-goers came on board, the captain said, 'Wherever did +you get all that food for the dog? Why, he's as round as a sausage, and +as lazy as a snail.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, if you must know,' said the lad, 'I gave him the bones.'</p> + +<p>"'Good boy,' said the captain, 'to think of the dog.'</p> + +<p>"So he spread out the cloth, and at once the whole table was covered all +over with such brave meat and drink as they had never before seen in all +their born days.</p> + +<p>"Now when the boy was again alone with the dog, he wanted to try the +sword, so he smote at the dog with the black edge, and it fell dead on +the deck; but when he turned the blade and smote with the white edge, +the dog came to life again and wagged his tail and fawned on his +playmate. But the book,—that he could not get tried just then.</p> + +<p>"Then they sailed well and far till a storm overtook them, which lasted +many days; so they lay to and drove till they were quite out of their +course, and could not tell where they were. At last the wind fell, and +then they came to a country far, far off, that none of them knew; but +they could easily see there was great grief there, as well there might +be, for the king's daughter was a leper. The king came down to the +shore, and asked was there any one on board who could cure her and make +her well again.</p> + +<p>"'No, there was not.' That was what they all said who were on deck.</p> + +<p>"'Is there no one else on board the ship than those I see?' asked the +king.</p> + +<p>"'Yes; there's a little beggar boy.'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said the king, 'let him come on deck.'</p> + +<p>"So when he came, and heard what the king wanted, he said he thought he +might cure her; and then the captain got so wrath and mad with rage that +he ran round and round like a squirrel in a cage, for he thought the boy +was only putting himself forward to do something in which he was sure to +fail, and he told the king not to listen to such childish chatter.</p> + +<p>"But the king only said that wit came as children grew, and that there +was the making of a man in every bairn. The boy had said he could do it, +and he might as well try. After all, there were many who had tried and +failed before him. So he took him home to his daughter, and the lad sang +an hymn once. Then the princess could lift her arm. Once again he sang +it, and she could sit up in bed. And when he had sung it thrice the +king's daughter was as well as you and I are.</p> + +<p>"The king was so glad, he wanted to give him half his kingdom and the +princess to wife.</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' said the lad, 'land and power were fine things to have half of, +and was very grateful; but as for the princess, he was betrothed to +another,' he said, 'and he could not take her to wife.'</p> + +<p>"So he stayed there awhile, and got half the kingdom; and when he had +not been very long there, war broke out, and the lad went out to battle +with the rest, and you may fancy he did not spare the black edge of his +sword. The enemy's soldiers fell before him like flies, and the king won +the day. But when they had conquered, he turned the white edge, and they +all rose up alive and became the king's soldiers, who had granted them +their lives. But then there were so many of them that they were badly +off for food, though the king wished to send them away full, both of +meat and drink. So the lad had to bring out his table-cloth, and then +there was not a man that lacked anything.</p> + +<p>"Now when he had lived a little longer with the king, he began to long +to see the lord mayor's daughter. So he fitted out four ships of war and +set sail; and when he came off the town where the lord mayor lived, he +fired off his cannon like thunder, till half the panes of glass in the +town were shivered. On board those ships everything was as grand as in a +king's palace; and as for himself, he had gold on every seam of his +coat, so fine he was. It was not long before the lord mayor came down to +the shore and asked if the foreign lord would not be so good as to come +up and dine with him. 'Yes, he would go,' he said; and so he went up to +the mansion-house where the lord mayor lived, and there he took his seat +between the lady mayoress and her daughter.</p> + +<p>"So as they sat there in the greatest state, and ate and drank and were +merry, he threw the half of the ring into the daughter's glass, and no +one saw it; but she was not slow to find out what he meant, and excused +herself from the feast and went out and fitted his half to her half. Her +mother saw there was something in the wind and hurried after her as fast +as she could.</p> + +<p>"'Do you know who that is in there, mother?' said the daughter.</p> + +<p>"'No!' said the lady mayoress.</p> + +<p>"'He whom papa sold for a roll of tobacco,' said the daughter.</p> + +<p>"At these words the lady mayoress fainted, and fell down flat on the +floor.</p> + +<p>"In a little while the lord mayor came out to see what was the matter, +and when he heard how things stood he was almost as uneasy as his wife.</p> + +<p>"'There is nothing to make a fuss about,' said Master Tobacco. 'I have +only come to claim the little girl I kissed as we were going to school.'</p> + +<p>"But to the lady mayoress, he said, 'You should never despise the +children of the poor and needy, for none can tell how they may turn out; +for there is the making of a man in every child of man, and wit and +wisdom come with growth and strength.'"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_CHARCOAL-BURNER" id="THE_CHARCOAL-BURNER"></a>THE CHARCOAL-BURNER.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a charcoal-burner, who had a son, who was a +charcoal-burner too. When the father was dead, the son took him a wife; +but he was lazy and would turn his hand to nothing. He was careless in +minding his pits too, and the end was no one would have him to burn +charcoal for them.</p> + +<p>"It so fell out that one day he had burned a pit full for himself, and +set off to the town with a few loads and sold them; and when he had done +selling, he loitered in the street and looked about him. On his way home +he fell in with townsmen and neighbours, and made merry, and drank, and +chattered of all he had seen in the town. 'The prettiest thing I saw,' +he said, 'was a great crowd of priests, and all the folks greeted them +and took off their hats to them. I only wish I were a priest myself; +then maybe they would take off their hats to me too. As it was they +looked as though they did not even see me at all.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, well!' said his friends, 'if you are nothing else, you can't say +you're not as black as a priest. And now we are about it, we can go to +the sale of the old priest, who is dead, and have a glass, and meanwhile +you can buy his gown and hood.' That was what the neighbours said; and +what they said he did, and when he got home he had not so much as a +penny left.</p> + +<p>"'Now you have both means and money, I dare say,' said his goody, when +she heard he had sold his charcoal.</p> + +<p>"'I should think so. Means, indeed!' said the charcoal-burner, 'for you +must know I have been ordained priest. Here you see both gown and hood.'</p> + +<p>"'Nay, I'll never believe that,' said the goody, 'strong ale makes big +words. You are just as bad, whichever end of you turns up. That you +are,' she said.</p> + +<p>"'You shall neither scold nor sorrow for the pit, for its last coal is +quenched and cold,' said the charcoal-burner.</p> + +<p>"It fell out one day that many people in priests' robes passed by the +charcoal-burner's cottage on their way to the king's palace, so that it +was easy to see there was something in the wind there. Yes! the +charcoal-burner would go too, and so he put on his gown and hood.</p> + +<p>"His goody thought it would be far better to stay at home; for even if +he chanced to hold a horse for some great man, the drink-money he got +would only go down his throat like so many before it.</p> + +<p>"'There are many, mother, who talk of drink,' said the man, 'who never +think of thirst. All I know is, the more one drinks the more one +thirsts;' and with that he set off for the palace. When he got there, +all the strangers were bidden to come in, and the charcoal-burner +followed with the rest. So the king made them a speech, and said he had +lost his costliest ring, and was quite sure it had been stolen. That was +why he had summoned all the learned priests in the land, to see if there +were one of them who could tell him who the thief was. And he made a vow +there and then, and said what reward he would give to the man who found +out the thief. If he were a curate, he should have a living; if he was a +rector, he should be made a dean; if he were a dean, he should be made a +bishop; and if he were a bishop, he should become the first man in the +kingdom after the king.</p> + +<p>"So the king went round and round among them all, from one to the other, +asking them if they could find the thief; and when he came to the +charcoal-burner, he said,</p> + +<p>"'Who are you?'</p> + +<p>"'I am the wise priest and the true prophet,' said the charcoal-burner.</p> + +<p>"'Then you can tell me,' said the king, 'who has taken my ring?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' said the charcoal-burner; 'it isn't so right against rhyme and +reason that what has happened in darkness should come to light; but it +isn't every year that salmon spawn in fir-tree tops. Here have I been a +curate for seven years, trying to feed myself and my children, and I +haven't got a living yet. If that thief is to be found out, I must have +lots of time and reams of paper; for I must write and reckon, and track +him out through many lands.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! he should have as much time and paper as he chose, if he would +only lay his finger on the thief.'</p> + +<p>"So they shut him up by himself in a room in the king's palace, and it +was not long before they found out that he must know much more than his +Lord's Prayer; for he scribbled over so much paper that it lay in great +heaps and rolls, and yet there was not a man who could make out a word +of what he wrote, for it looked like nothing else than pot-hooks and +hangers. But, as he did this, time went on, and still there was not a +trace of the thief. At last the king got weary, and so he said, if the +priest couldn't find the thief in three days he should lose his life.</p> + +<p>"'More haste, worse speed. You can't cart coal till the pit is cool,' +said the charcoal-burner. But the king stuck to his word—that he did; +and the charcoal-burner felt his life wasn't worth much.</p> + +<p>"Now there were three of the king's servants who waited on the +charcoal-burner day by day, in turn, and these three fellows had stolen +the ring between them. So when one of these servants came into the room +and cleared the table when he had eaten his supper, and was going out +again, the charcoal-burner heaved a deep sigh as he looked after him, +and said,</p> + +<p>"'<span class="smcap">There goes the first of them!</span>' but he only meant the first of the +three days he had still to live.</p> + +<p>"'That priest knows more than how to fill his mouth,' said the servant, +when he was alone with his fellows; for he said, I was the first of +them.'</p> + +<p>"The next day, the second servant was to mark what the prisoner said +when he waited on him, and sure enough when he went out, after clearing +the table, the charcoal-burner stared him full in the face and fetched a +deep sigh, and said,</p> + +<p>"'<span class="smcap">There goes the second of them!</span>'</p> + +<p>"So the third was to take heed to what the charcoal-burner said on the +third day, and it was all worse and no better; for when the servant had +his hand on the door as he went out with the plates and dishes, the +charcoal-burner clasped his hands together, and said, with a sigh as +though his heart would break,</p> + +<p>"'<span class="smcap">There goes the third of them!</span>'</p> + +<p>"So the man went down to his fellows with his heart in his throat, and +said it was clear as day the priest knew all about it; and so they all +three went into his room and fell on their knees before him, and begged +and prayed he would not say it was they who had stolen the ring. If he +would do this, they were ready to give him, each of them, a hundred +dollars, if he would not bring them into trouble.</p> + +<p>"Well, he gave his word, like a man, to do that and keep them harmless, +if they would only give him the money and the ring and a great bowl of +porridge. And what do you think he did with the ring when he got it? +Why, he stuffed it well down into the porridge, and bade them go and +give it to the biggest pig in the king's stye.</p> + +<p>"Next morning the king came, and was in no mood for jokes, and said he +must know all about the thief.</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! now I have written and reckoned all the world round,' said +the charcoal-burner, 'but it is no child of man that stole your +majesty's ring.'</p> + +<p>"'Pooh!' said the king; 'who was it, then?'</p> + +<p>"'It was the biggest pig in your stye,' said the charcoal-burner.</p> + +<p>"Yes! they killed the pig, and there the ring was inside it; there was +no mistake about that; and so the charcoal-burner got a living, and the +king was so glad he gave him a farm and a horse, and a hundred dollars +into the bargain.</p> + +<p>"You may fancy the charcoal-burner was not slow in flitting to the +living, and the first Sunday after he got there he was going to church +to read himself in; but before he left his house he was to have his +breakfast, and so he took the king's letter and laid it on a bit of dry +toast and then, by mistake, he dipped both toast and letter into his +brose, and when he found it tough to chew, he gave the whole morsel to +his dog Tray, and Tray gobbled up both toast and letter.</p> + +<p>"And now he scarce knew what to do, or how to turn. To church he must, +for the people were waiting; and when he got there, he went straight up +into the pulpit. In the pulpit he put on such a grave face that all +thought he was a grand priest; but as the service went on, it was not so +good after all. This was how he began:</p> + +<p>"'The words, my brethren, which you should have heard this day have +gone, alas! to the dogs; but come next Sunday, dear parishioners, and +you shall hear something else; and so this sermon comes to an end. +Amen!'</p> + +<p>"All the parish thought they had got a strange priest, for they had +never heard such a funny sermon before; but still they said to +themselves, 'He'll be better perhaps by-and-by, and if he isn't better +we shall know how to deal with him.'</p> + +<p>"Next Sunday, when there was service again, the church was so crowded +full with folk who wished to hear the new priest that there was scarce +standing-room. Well, he came again, and went straight up into the +pulpit, and there he stood awhile and said never a word. But all at once +he burst out, and bawled at the top of his voice—</p> + +<p>"'Hearken to me, old Nannygoat Bridget! Why in the world do you sit so +far back in the church?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, your reverence,' said she, 'if you must know, it's because my +shoes are all in holes.'</p> + +<p>"'That's no reason; for you might take an old bit of pig-skin and stitch +yourself new shoes, and then you could also come far forward in the +church, like the other fine ladies. For the rest, you all ought to +bethink yourselves of the way you are going; for I see when ye come to +church, some of you come from the north and some from the south, and it +is the same when you go from church again. But sometimes ye stand and +loiter on the way, and then it may well be asked, What will become of +you? Yea! who can tell what will become of every one of us? By the way, +I have to give notice of a black mare which has strayed from the old +priest's widow. She has hair on her fetlocks and a falling mane, and +other marks which I will not name in this place. Besides, I may tell +you, I have a hole in my old breeches-pocket, and I know it, but you do +not know it; and another thing you do not know, and which I do not know, +is whether any of you has a bit of cloth to patch that hole. Amen.'</p> + +<p>"Some few of the hearers were very well pleased with this sermon. They +thought it sure he would make a brave priest in time; but, to tell the +truth, most of them thought it too bad, and when the dean came they +complained of the priest, and said no one had ever heard such sermons +before, and there was even one of them who knew the last by heart, and +wrote it down and read it to the dean.</p> + +<p>"'I call it a very good sermon,' said the dean, 'for it was likely that +he spoke in parables as to seeking light and shunning darkness and its +deeds, and as to those who were walking either on the broad or the +strait path; but most of all,' he said, 'that was a grand parable when +he gave that notice about the priest's black mare, and how it would fare +with us all at the last. The pocket with the hole in it was to show the +need of the church, and the piece of cloth to patch it was the gifts and +offerings of the congregation.' That was what the dean said.</p> + +<p>"As for the parish, what they said was, 'Ay! ay!' so much we could +understand that it was to go into the priest's pocket.</p> + +<p>"The end was, the dean said, he thought the parish had got such a good +and understanding priest, there was no fault to find with him, and so +they had to make the best of him; but after a while, as he got worse +instead of better, they complained of him to the bishop.</p> + +<p>"Well! sooner or later the bishop came, and there was to be a +visitation. But, the day before, the priest had gone into the church, +unbeknown to anybody, and sawed the props of the pulpit all but in two, +so that it would only just hang together if one went up into it very +carefully. So when the people were gathered together and he was to +preach before the bishop, he crept up into the pulpit and began to +expound, as he was wont; and when he had gone on a while, he got more in +earnest, threw his arms about and bawled out,</p> + +<p>"'If there be any here who is wicked or given to ill deeds, it were +better he left this place; for this very day there shall be a fall, such +as hath not been seen since the world began.'</p> + +<p>"With that he struck the reading-desk like thunder, and lo! the desk and +the priest and the whole pulpit tumbled down on the floor of the church +with such a crash that the whole congregation ran out of church, as if +Doomsday were at their heels.</p> + +<p>"But then the bishop told the fault-finders he was amazed that they +dared to complain of a priest who had such gifts in the pulpit, and so +much wisdom that he could foresee things about to happen. For his part, +he thought he ought to be a dean at least, and it was not long either +before he was a dean. So there was no help for it; they had to put up +with him.</p> + +<p>"Now it so happened that the king and queen had no children; but when +the king heard that, perhaps, there was one coming, he was eager to know +if it would be an heir to his crown and realm, or if it would only be a +princess. So all the wise men in the land were gathered to the palace, +that they might say beforehand what it would be. But when there was not +a man of them that could say that, both the king and the bishop thought +of the charcoal-burner, and it was not long before they got him between +them, and asked him about it. 'No!' he said, 'that was past his power, +for it was not good to guess at what no man alive could know.'</p> + +<p>"'All very fine, I dare say,' said the king. 'It's all the same to me, +of course, if you know it or if you don't know it; but, you know, you +are the wise priest and the true prophet who can foretell things to +come; and all I can say is if you don't tell it me, you shall lose your +gown. And now I think of it, I'll try you first.'</p> + +<p>"So he took the biggest silver tankard he had and went down to the +sea-shore, and, in a little while, called the priest.</p> + +<p>"'If you can tell me now what there is in this tankard,' said the king, +'you will be able to tell me the other also;' and as he said this, he +held the lid of the tankard tight.</p> + +<p>"The charcoal-burner only wrung his hands and bemoaned himself.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! you most wretched crab and cripple on this earth,' he cried out, +'this is what all your backslidings and sidelong tricks have brought on +you.'</p> + +<p>"'Ah!' cried out the king, 'how could you say you did not know?' for you +must know he had a crab in the tankard. So the charcoal-burner had to go +into the parlour to the queen. He took a chair and sat down in the +middle of the floor, while the queen walked up and down in the room.</p> + +<p>"'One should never count one's chickens before they are hatched, and +never quarrel about a baby's name before it is born,' said the +charcoal-burner; 'but I never heard or saw such a thing before! When the +queen comes toward me, I almost think it will be a prince, and when she +goes away from me it looks as if it would be a princess.'</p> + +<p>"Lo! when the time came, it was both a prince and a princess, for twins +were born; and so the charcoal-burner had hit the mark that time too. +And because he could tell that which no man could know, he got money in +carts full, and was the next man to the king in the realm.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Trip, trap, trill,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A man is often more than he will."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_BOX_WITH_SOMETHING_PRETTY_IN_IT" id="THE_BOX_WITH_SOMETHING_PRETTY_IN_IT"></a>THE BOX WITH SOMETHING PRETTY IN IT.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a little boy who was out walking on the road, +and when he had walked a bit he found a box.</p> + +<p>"'I am sure there must be something pretty in this box,' he said to +himself; but however much he turned it, and however much he twisted it, +he was not able to get it open.</p> + +<p>"But when he had walked a bit farther, he found a little tiny key. Then +he got tired and sat down, and all at once he thought what fun it would +be if the key fitted the box, for it had a little key-hole in it. So he +took the little key out of his pocket, and then he blew first into the +pipe of the key, and afterwards into the key-hole, and then he put the +key into the key-hole and turned it. 'Snap' it went within the lock; and +when he tried the hasp, the box was open.</p> + +<p>"But can you guess what there was in the box? Why a cow's tail; and if +the cow's tail had been longer, this story would have been longer too."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_THREE_LEMONS" id="THE_THREE_LEMONS"></a>THE THREE LEMONS.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there were three brothers, who had lost their parents; +and as they had left nothing behind them on which the lads could live, +they had to go out into the world to try their luck. The two elder +fitted themselves out as well as they could; but the youngest, whom they +called Taper Tom, because he always sat in the chimney-corner and held +tapers of pine wood, him they would not have with them.</p> + +<p>"The two set out early in the grey dawn; but, however fast they went, or +did not go, Taper Tom came just as soon as the others to the king's +palace. So when they got there, they asked for work. The king said he +had nothing for them to do; but as they were so pressing, he'd see if he +could not find them something,—there must be always something to do in +such a big house. Yes! they might drive nails into the wall; and when +they had done driving them in, they might pull them out again. When they +had done that, they might carry wood and water into the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"Taper Tom was the handiest in driving nails into the wall and in +pulling them out again and he was the handiest also in carrying wood and +water. So his brothers were jealous of him, and said he had given out +that he was good enough to get the king the prettiest princess who was +to be found in twelve kingdoms; for you must know the king had lost his +old dame, and was a widower. When the king heard that, he told Taper Tom +he must do what he had said, or else he would make them lay him on the +block and chop his head off.</p> + +<p>"Taper Tom answered, he had never said nor thought anything of the kind; +but, as the king was so stern, he would try what he could do. So he got +him a scrip of food over his shoulders, and set off from the palace; but +he had not gone far on the road before he grew hungry, and wanted to +taste the food they had given him when he set out. So when he had seated +himself to rest at his ease, under a spruce by the roadside, up came an +old hag hobbling, who asked what he had in his scrip.</p> + +<p>"'Salt meat and fresh meat,' said the lad. 'If you are hungry, granny, +come and take a snack with me.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! She thanked him, and then she said, might be she would do him a +good turn herself; and away she hobbled through the wood. So when Taper +Tom had eaten his full, and had rested, he threw his scrip over his +shoulder and set off again; but he had not gone far before he found a +pipe. That, he thought, would be nice to have with him and play on by +the way; and it was not long before he brought the sound out of it, you +may fancy. But then there came about him such a swarm of little Trolls, +and each asked the other in full cry,—</p> + +<p>"'What has my lord to order? What has my lord to order?'</p> + +<p>"Taper Tom said he never knew he was lord over them; but if he was to +order anything, he wished they would fetch him the prettiest princess to +be found in twelve kingdoms. Yes! that was no great thing, the little +Trolls thought; they knew well enough where she was, and they could show +him the way, and then he might go and get her for himself, for they had +no power to touch her.</p> + +<p>"Then they showed him the way, and he got to the end of his journey well +and happily. There was not anyone who laid so much as two sticks across +in his way. It was a Troll's castle, and in it sat three lovely +princesses; but as soon as ever Taper Tom came in, they all lost their +wits for fear, and ran about like scared lambs, and all at once they +were turned into three lemons that lay in the window. Taper Tom was so +sorry and unhappy at that, he scarce knew which way to turn. But when he +had thought a little, he took and put the lemons into his pocket, for he +thought they would be good to have if he got thirsty by the way, for he +had heard say lemons were sour.</p> + +<p>"So when he had gone a bit of the way, he got so hot and thirsty; water +was not to be had, and he did not know what he should do to quench his +thirst. So he fell to thinking of the lemons, and took one of them out +and bit a hole in it. But, lo! inside sat the princess as far as her +armpits, and screamed out—</p> + +<p>"'Water!—water!' Unless she got water, she must die, she said.</p> + +<p>"Yes! the lad ran about looking for water as though he were a mad thing; +but there was no water to be got, and all at once the princess was dead.</p> + +<p>"So when he had gone a bit further, he got still hotter and thirstier; +and as he could find nothing to quench his thirst, he pulled out the +second lemon and bit a hole in it. Inside it was also a princess, +sitting as far as her armpits, and she was still lovelier than the +first. She, too, screamed for water, and said, if she could not get it +she must die outright. So Taper Tom hunted under stone and moss, but he +could find no water; and so the end was the second Princess died too.</p> + +<p>"Taper Tom thought things got worse and worse, and so it was, for the +farther he went the hotter it got. The earth was so dry and burnt up, +there was not a drop of water to be found, and he was not far off being +half dead of thirst. He kept himself as long as he could from biting a +hole in the lemon he still had, but at last there was no help for it. So +when he had bitten the hole, there sat a princess inside it also; she +was the loveliest in twelve kingdoms, and she screamed out if she could +not get water she must die at once. So Taper Tom ran about hunting for +water; and this time he fell upon the king's miller, and he showed him +the way to the mill-dam. So when he came to the dam with her and gave +her some water, she came quite out of the lemon, and was stark naked. So +Taper Tom had to let her have the wrap he had to throw over her, and +then she hid herself up a tree while he went up to the king's palace to +fetch her clothes, and tell the king how he had got her, and, in a word, +told him the whole story.</p> + +<p>"But while this was going on, the cook came down to the mill-dam to +fetch water; and when she saw the lovely face which played on the water, +she thought it was her own, and grew so glad she fell a-dancing and +jumping because she had grown so pretty.</p> + +<p>"'The deil carry water,' she cried, 'since I am so pretty;' and away she +threw the water-buckets. But in a little while she got to see that the +face in the mill-dam belonged to the princess who sat up in the tree; +and then she got so cross, that she tore her down from the tree, and +threw her out into the dam. But she herself put on Taper Tom's cloak, +and crept up into the tree.</p> + +<p>"So when the king came and set eyes on the ugly swarthy kitchen-maid, he +turned white and red; but when he heard how they said she was the +loveliest in twelve kingdoms, he thought he could not help believing +there must be something in it; and besides he felt for poor Taper Tom, +who had taken so much pains to get her for him.</p> + +<p>"'She'll get better, perhaps, as time goes on,' he thought, 'when she is +dressed smartly, and wears fine clothes;' and so he took her home with +him.</p> + +<p>"Then they sent for all the wig-makers and needlewomen, and she was +dressed and clad like a princess; but for all they washed and dressed +her, she was still as ugly and black as ever.</p> + +<p>"After a while the kitchen-maid was to go to the dam to fetch water, and +then she caught a great silver fish in her bucket. She bore it up to the +palace, and showed it to the king, and he thought it grand and fine; but +the ugly princess said it was some witchcraft, and they must burn it, +for she soon saw what it was. Well! the fish was burnt, and next morning +they found a lump of silver in the ashes. So the cook came and told it +to the king, and he thought it passing strange; but the princess said it +was all witchcraft, and bade them bury it in the dung-heap. The king was +much against it; but she left him neither rest nor peace, and so he said +at last they might do it.</p> + +<p>"But lo! next day stood a tall lovely linden tree on the spot where they +had buried the lump of silver, and that linden had leaves which gleamed +like silver. So when they told the king that, he thought it passing +strange; but the princess said it was nothing but witchcraft, and they +must cut down the linden at once. The king was against that; but the +princess plagued him so long that at last he had to give way to her in +this also.</p> + +<p>"But lo! when the lasses went out to gather the chips of the linden to +light the fires, they were pure silver.</p> + +<p>"'It isn't worth while,' one of them said, 'to say anything about this +to the king or the princess, or else they, too, will be burnt and +melted. It is better to hide them in our drawers. They will be good to +have when a lover comes, and we are going to marry.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! They were all of one mind as to that; but when they had borne the +chips a while, they grew so fearfully heavy that they could not help +looking to see what it was; and then they found the chips had been +changed into a child, and it was not long before it grew into the +loveliest princess you ever set eyes on.</p> + +<p>"The lasses could see very well that something wrong lay under all this. +So they got her clothes, and flew off to find the lad, who was to fetch +the loveliest princess in twelve kingdoms, and told him their story.</p> + +<p>"So when Taper Tom came, the princess told him her story, and how the +cook had come and torn her from the tree and thrown her into the dam; +and how she had been the silver fish, and the silver lump, and the +linden, and the chips, and how she was the true princess.</p> + +<p>"It was not so easy to get the king's ear, for the ugly black cook hung +over him early and late; but at last they made out a story, and said +that a challenge had come from a neighbour king, and so they got him +out; and when he came to see the lovely princess, he was so taken with +her, he was for holding the bridal feast on the spot; and when he heard +how badly the ugly black cook had behaved to her, he said they should +take her and roll her down hill in a cask full of nails. Then they kept +the bridal feast at such a rate that it was heard and talked of over +twelve kingdoms."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PRIEST_AND_THE_CLERK" id="THE_PRIEST_AND_THE_CLERK"></a>THE PRIEST AND THE CLERK.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a priest, who was such a bully, that he bawled +out, ever so far off, whenever he met anyone driving on the king's +highway,—</p> + +<p>"'Out of the way, out of the way! Here comes the priest!'</p> + +<p>"One day when he was driving along and behaving so, he met the king +himself.</p> + +<p>"'Out of the way, out of the way,' he bawled a long way off. But the +king drove on and kept his own; so that time it was the priest who had +to turn his horse aside, and when the king came alongside him, he said, +'To-morrow you shall come to me to the palace, and if you can't answer +three questions which I will set you, you shall lose hood and gown for +your pride's sake.'</p> + +<p>"This was something else than the priest was wont to hear. He could bawl +and bully, shout, and behave worse than badly. All <span class="smcap">THAT</span> he could do, but +question and answer was out of his power. So he set off to the clerk who +was said to be better in a gown than the priest himself, and told him he +had no mind to go to the king.</p> + +<p>"'For one fool can ask more than ten wise men can answer;' and the end +was, he got the clerk to go in his stead.</p> + +<p>"Yes! The clerk set off, and came to the palace in the priest's gown and +hood. There the king met him out in the porch with crown and sceptre, +and was so grand it glittered and gleamed from him.</p> + +<p>"'Well! Are you there?' said the king.</p> + +<p>"Yes; he was there, sure enough.</p> + +<p>"'Tell me first,' said the king; 'how far the east is from the west?'</p> + +<p>"'Just a day's journey,' said the clerk.</p> + +<p>"'How is that?' asked the king.</p> + +<p>"'Don't you know,' said the clerk, 'that the sun rises in the east and +sets in the west, and he does it just nicely in one day.'</p> + +<p>"'Very well!' said the king; 'but tell me now what you think I am worth, +as you see me stand here?'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said the clerk; 'Our Lord was valued at thirty pieces of +silver, so I don't think I can set your price higher than twenty-nine.'</p> + +<p>"'All very fine!' said the king; 'but as you are so wise, perhaps you +can tell me what I am thinking about now?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the clerk; 'you are thinking it's the priest who stands +before you, but so help me, if you don't think wrong, for I am the +clerk.'</p> + +<p>"'Be off home with you,' said the king, 'and be you priest, and let him +be clerk,' and so it was."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="FRIENDS_IN_LIFE_AND_DEATH" id="FRIENDS_IN_LIFE_AND_DEATH"></a>FRIENDS IN LIFE AND DEATH.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there were two young men who were such great friends +that they swore to one another they would never part, either in life or +death. One of them died before he was at all old, and a little while +after the other wooed a farmer's daughter, and was to be married to her. +So when they were bidding guests to the wedding the bridegroom went +himself to the churchyard where his friend lay, and knocked at his +grave, and called him by name. No! he neither answered nor came. He +knocked again, and he called again, but no one came. A third time he +knocked louder and called louder to him, to come that he might talk to +him. So, after a long, long time, he heard a rustling, and at last the +dead man came up out of the grave.</p> + +<p>"'It was well you came at last,' said the bridegroom, 'for I have been +standing here ever so long, knocking and calling for you.'</p> + +<p>"'I was a long way off,' said the dead man, 'so that I did not quite +hear you till the last time you called.'</p> + +<p>"'All right,' said the bridegroom; 'but I am going to stand bridegroom +to-day, and you mind well, I dare say, what we used to talk about, and +how we were to stand by each other at our weddings as best man.'</p> + +<p>"'I mind it well,' said the dead man, 'but you must wait a bit till I +have made myself a little smart; and, after all, no one can say I have +on a wedding garment.'</p> + +<p>"The lad was hard put to it for time, for he was overdue at home to meet +the guests, and it was all but time to go to church; but still he had to +wait awhile and let the dead man go into a room by himself, as he +begged, so that he might brush himself up a bit, and come smart to +church like the rest, for, of course, he was to go with the bridal train +to church.</p> + +<p>"Yes! the dead man went with him both to church and from church, but +when they had got so far on with the wedding that they had taken off the +bride's crown, he said he must go. So, for old friendship's sake, the +bridegroom said he would go with him to the grave again. And as they +walked to the churchyard the bridegroom asked his friend if he had seen +much that was wonderful, or heard anything that was pleasant to know.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! that I have,' said the dead man. 'I have seen much, and heard +many strange things.'</p> + +<p>"'That must be fine to see,' said the bridegroom. 'Do you know I have a +mind to go along with you, and see all that with my own eyes.'</p> + +<p>"'You are quite welcome,' said the dead man; 'but it may chance that you +may be away some time.'</p> + +<p>"'So it might,' said the bridegroom; but for all that he would go down +into the grave.</p> + +<p>"But before they went down the dead man took and cut up a turf out of +the graveyard and put it on the young man's head. Down and down they +went, far and far away, through dark, silent wastes, across wood, and +moor, and bog, till they came to a great, heavy gate, which opened to +them as soon as the dead man touched it. Inside it began to grow +lighter, first as though it were moonshine, and the further they went +the lighter it got. At last they got to a spot where there were such +green hills, knee-deep in grass, and on them fed a large herd of kine, +who grazed as they went; but for all they ate those kine looked poor, +and thin, and wretched.</p> + +<p>"'What's all this?' said the lad who had been bridegroom; 'why are they +so thin, and in such bad case, though they eat, every one of them, as +though they were well paid to eat?'</p> + +<p>"'This is a likeness of those who never can have enough, though they +rake and scrape it together ever so much,' said the dead man.</p> + +<p>"So they journeyed on far and farther than far, till they came to some +hill pastures, where there was naught but bare rocks and stones, with +here and there a blade of grass. Here was grazing another herd of kine, +which were so sleek, and fat, and smooth that their coats shone again.</p> + +<p>"'What are these,' asked the bridegroom, 'who have so little to live on, +and yet are in such good plight? I wonder what they can be.'</p> + +<p>"'This,' said the dead man, 'is a likeness of those who are content with +the little they have, however poor it be.'</p> + +<p>"So they went farther and farther on till they came to a great lake, and +it and all about it was so bright and shining that the bridegroom could +scarce bear to look at it—it was so dazzling.</p> + +<p>"'Now, you must sit down here,' said the dead man, 'till I come back. I +shall be away a little while.'</p> + +<p>"With that he set off, and the bridegroom sat down, and as he sat sleep +fell on him, and he forgot everything in sweet deep slumber. After a +while the dead man came back.</p> + +<p>"'It was good of you to sit still here, so that I could find you again.'</p> + +<p>"But when the bridegroom tried to get up he was all overgrown with moss +and bushes, so that he found himself sitting in a thicket of thorns and +brambles.</p> + +<p>"So when he had made his way out of it they journeyed back again, and +the dead man led him by the same way to the brink of the grave. There +they parted and said farewell, and as soon as the bridegroom got out of +the grave he went straight home to the house where the wedding was.</p> + +<p>"But when he got where he thought the house stood, he could not find his +way. Then he looked about on all sides, and asked every one he met, but +he could neither hear nor learn anything of the bride, or the wedding, +or his kindred, or his father and mother; nay, he could not so much as +find any one whom he knew. And all he met wondered at the strange shape, +who went about and looked for all the world like a scarecrow.</p> + +<p>"Well! as he could find no one he knew, he made his way to the priest, +and told him of his kinsmen and all that had happened up to the time he +stood bridegroom, and how he had gone away in the midst of his wedding. +But the priest knew nothing at all about it at first; but when he had +hunted in his old registers he found out that the marriage he spoke of +had happened a long, long time ago, and that all the folk he talked of +had lived four hundred years before.</p> + +<p>"In that time there had grown up a great stout oak in the priest's yard, +and when he saw it he clambered up into it, that he might look about +him. But the grey-beard who had sat in Heaven and slumbered for four +hundred years, and had now at last come back, did not come down from the +oak as well as he went up. He was stiff and gouty, as was likely enough; +and so when he was coming down he made a false step, fell down, broke +his neck, and that was the end of him."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_FATHER_OF_THE_FAMILY" id="THE_FATHER_OF_THE_FAMILY"></a>THE FATHER OF THE FAMILY.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a man who was out on a journey; so at last he +came to a big and a fine farm, and there was a house so grand that it +might well have been a little palace.</p> + +<p>"'Here it would be good to get leave to spend the night,' said the man +to himself, as he went inside the gate. Hard by stood an old man with +grey hair and beard, who was hewing wood.</p> + +<p>"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I have house-room here +to-night?'</p> + +<p>"'I'm not father in the house,' said the grey-beard. 'Go into the +kitchen, and talk to my father.'</p> + +<p>"The wayfarer went into the kitchen, and there he met a man who was +still older, and he lay on his knees before the hearth, and was blowing +up the fire.</p> + +<p>"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I get house-room +to-night?'</p> + +<p>"I'm not father in the house,' said the old man; 'but go in and talk to +my father. You'll find him sitting at the table in the parlour.'</p> + +<p>"So the wayfarer went into the parlour, and talked to him who sat at the +table. He was much older than either of the other two, and there he sat, +with his teeth chattering, and shivered and shook, and read out of a big +book, almost like a little child.</p> + +<p>"'Good evening, father,' said the man. 'Will you let me have house-room +here to-night?'</p> + +<p>"'I'm not father in the house,' said the man who sat at the table, whose +teeth chattered, and who shivered and shook; 'but speak to my father +yonder—he who sits on the bench.'</p> + +<p>"So the wayfarer went to him who sat on the bench, and he was trying to +fill himself a pipe of tobacco; but he was so withered up and his hands +shook so with the palsy that he could scarce hold the pipe.</p> + +<p>"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer again. 'Can I get house-room +here to-night?'</p> + +<p>"'I'm not father in the house,' said the old withered fellow; 'but speak +to my father, who lies in bed yonder.'</p> + +<p>"So the wayfarer went to the bed, and there lay an old, old man, who but +for his pair of big staring eyes scarcely looked alive.</p> + +<p>"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I get house-room here +to-night?'</p> + +<p>"'I'm not father in the house,' said the old carle with the big eyes; +'but go and speak to my father, who lies yonder in the cradle.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, the wayfarer went to the cradle, and there lay a carle as old as +the hills, so withered and shrivelled he was no bigger than a baby, and +it was hard to tell that there was any life in him, except that there +was a sound of breathing every now and then in his throat.</p> + +<p>"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'May I have house-room here +to-night?'</p> + +<p>"It was long before he got an answer, and still longer before the carle +brought it out; but the end was he said, as all the rest, that he was +not father in the house. 'But go,' said he, 'and speak to my +father—you'll find him hanging up in the horn yonder against the wall.'</p> + +<p>"So the wayfarer stared about round the walls, and at last he caught +sight of the horn; but when he looked for him who hung in it he looked +more like a film of ashes that had the likeness of a man's face. Then he +was so frightened that he screamed out,—</p> + +<p>"'Good evening, father! will you let me have house-room here to-night?'</p> + +<p>"Then a chirping came out of the horn like a little tom-tit, and it +was-all he could do to make out that the chirping meant, '<span class="smcap">Yes, my +Child</span>.'</p> + +<p>"And now a table came in which was covered with the costliest dishes, +and with ale and brandy; and when he had eaten and drank there came in a +good bed, with reindeer skins; and the wayfarer was so very glad because +he had at last found the right father in the house."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THREE_YEARS_WITHOUT_WAGES" id="THREE_YEARS_WITHOUT_WAGES"></a>THREE YEARS WITHOUT WAGES.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a poor householder, who had an only son, but +he was so lazy and unhandy, this son, that he would neither mix with +folk nor turn his hand to anything in the world. So the father said:</p> + +<p>"'If I'm not to go on for ever feeding this long lazy fellow, I must +pack him off a long way, where no one knows him. If he runs away then it +won't be so easy for him to come home.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! the man took his son with him, and went about far and wide +offering him as a serving man; but there was no one who would have him.</p> + +<p>"So last of all they came to a rich man, of whom the story went that he +turned a penny over seven times before he let it go. He was to take the +lad as a ploughboy, and there he was to serve three years without wages. +But when the three years were over the man was to go to the town two +mornings, and buy the first thing he met that was for sale, but the +third morning the lad was to go himself to the town, and buy the first +thing he met, and these three things he was to have instead of wages.</p> + +<p>"Well! the lad served his three years out, and behaved better than any +one would have believed. He was not the best ploughboy in the world, +sure enough; but then his master was not of the best sort either, for he +let him go the whole time with the same clothes he had when he came, so +that at last they were nothing else but patch on patch and mend on mend. +Now, when the man was to set off and buy he was up and away at cockcrow, +long before dawn.</p> + +<p>"'Dear wares must be seen by daylight,' he said; 'they are not to be +found on the road to town so early. Still, they may be dear enough, for +after all it's all risk and chance what I find.'</p> + +<p>"Well! the first person he found in the street was an old hag, and she +carried a basket with a cover.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, granny,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Good day to you, father,' said the old hag.</p> + +<p>"'What have you got in your basket?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Do you mean business?' said the old hag.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, I do, for I was to buy the first thing I met.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, if you want to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag.</p> + +<p>"'But what does it cost?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"Yes! she must have fourpence.</p> + +<p>"The man thought that no such very high price after all. He couldn't do +better, and lifted the lid, and it was a puppy that lay in the basket.</p> + +<p>"When the man came home from his trip to town the lad stood out in the +yard, and wondered what he should get for his wages for the first year.</p> + +<p>"'So soon home, master?' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he was.</p> + +<p>"'What was it you bought?' he asked.</p> + +<p>"'What I bought,' said the man, 'was not worth much. I scarcely know if +I ought to show it; but I bought the first thing that was to be had, and +it was a puppy.'</p> + +<p>"'Now, thank you so much,' said the lad. 'I have always been so fond of +dogs.'</p> + +<p>"Next morning things went no better. The man was up at dawn again, and +he had not got well into the town before he saw the old hag with her +basket.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, granny,' he said.</p> + +<p>"'Good day to you, sir,' she said.</p> + +<p>"'What have you got in your basket to-day?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'If you wish to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag.</p> + +<p>"'What does it cost?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! she must have fourpence; she never had more than one price,' she +said.</p> + +<p>"So the man said he would take it; it would be hard to find anything +cheaper. When he lifted the lid this time there lay a kitten in it.</p> + +<p>"When he got home the lad stood out in the yard, waiting and wondering +what he should get for his wages the second year.</p> + +<p>"'Is that you, master?' he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, there he was.</p> + +<p>"'What did you buy to-day now?' asked the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! it was worse, and no better,' said the man; 'but it was just as we +bargained. I bought the first thing I met, and it was nothing else than +this kitten.'</p> + +<p>"'You could not have met anything better,' said the lad; 'I have been as +fond of cats all my life as of dogs.'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' thought the man, 'I did not get so badly out of that after all; +but there's another day to come, when he is to go to town himself.'</p> + +<p>"The third morning the lad set off, and just as he got into the town he +met the same old hag with her basket on her arm.</p> + +<p>"'Good morning, granny!' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Good morning to you, my son,' said the old hag.</p> + +<p>"'What have you got in your basket?'</p> + +<p>"'If you want to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag.</p> + +<p>"'Will you sell it then?' asked the lad.</p> + +<p>"Yes, she would; and fourpence was her price.</p> + +<p>"'That was cheap enough,' said the lad, 'and he would have it, for he +was to buy the first thing he met.'</p> + +<p>"'Now you may take it, basket and all,' said the old hag; 'but mind you +don't look inside it before you get home. Do you hear what I say?'</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay, never fear, he wouldn't look inside it; was it likely?' But +for all that he walked and wondered what there could be inside the +basket, and whether he would or no he could not help just lifting the +lid and peeping in. In the twinkling of an eye out popped a little +lizard, and ran away so fast along the street that the air whistled +after it. There was nothing else in the basket.</p> + +<p>"'Nay! nay!' cried the lad, 'stop a bit, and don't run off so. You know +I have bought you.'</p> + +<p>"'Stick me in the tail—stick me in the tail!' bawled the lizard.</p> + +<p>"Well, the lad was not slow in running after it and sticking his knife +into its tail just as it was crawling into a hole in the wall, and that +very minute it was turned into a young man as fine and handsome as the +grandest prince, and a prince he was indeed.</p> + +<p>"'Now you have saved me,' said the prince, 'for that old hag with whom +you and your master have dealt is a witch, and me she has changed into a +lizard, and my brother and sister into a puppy and kitten.'</p> + +<p>"'A pretty story!' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' said the prince; 'and now she was on her way to cast us into the +fjord and kill us; but if any one came and wanted to buy us she must +sell us for fourpence each; that was settled, and that was all my father +could do. Now you must come home to him and get the meed for what you +have done.'</p> + +<p>"'I dare say,' said the lad, 'it's a long way off?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said the prince, 'not so far after all. There it is yonder,' he +said, as he pointed to a great hill in the distance.</p> + +<p>"So they set off as fast as they could, but as was to be weened it was +farther off than it looked, and so they did not reach the hill till far +on in the night.</p> + +<p>"Then the prince began to knock and knock.</p> + +<p>"'WHO IS THAT,' said some one inside the hill, 'that knocks at my door, +and spoils my rest?' and that some one was so loud of speech that the +earth quaked.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! open the door, father, there's a dear,' said the prince. 'It is +your son who has come home again.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! he opened the door fast and well.</p> + +<p>"'I almost thought you lay at the bottom of the sea,' said the +grey-beard. 'But you are not alone, I see,' he said.</p> + +<p>"'This is the lad who saved me,' said the prince. 'I have asked him +hither that you may give him his meed.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, he would see to that, said the old fellow.</p> + +<p>"'But now you must step in,' he said; 'I am sure you have need of rest."</p> + +<p>"Yes! they went in and sat down, and the old man threw on the fire an +armful of dry fuel and one or two logs, so that the fire blazed up and +shone as clear as the day in every corner, and whichever way they looked +it was grander than grand. Anything like it the lad had never seen +before, and such meat and drink as the grey-beard set before them he had +never tasted either; and all the plates, and cups, and stoops, and +tankards were all of pure silver or real gold.</p> + +<p>"It was not easy to stop the lads. They ate and drank and were merry, +and afterwards they slept till far on next morning. But the lad was +scarcely awake before the grey-beard came with a morning draught in a +tumbler of gold.</p> + +<p>"So when he had huddled on his clothes and broken his fast, the old man +took him round with him and showed him everything that he might choose +something that he would like to have as his meed for saving his son. +There was much to see and to choose from you may fancy.</p> + +<p>"'Now what will you have?' said the king; 'you see there is plenty of +choice, you can have what you please.'</p> + +<p>"But the lad said, he would think it over and ask the prince. Yes! the +king was willing he should do that.</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the prince, 'you have seen many grand things.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, I have, as was likely,' said the lad; 'but tell me, what shall I +choose of all the wealth. Do tell me, for your father says I may choose +what I please.'</p> + +<p>"'Do not take anything of all you have seen,' said the prince; 'but he +has a little ring on his finger, that you must ask for.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! he did so, and begged for the little ring which he had on his +finger.</p> + +<p>"'Why! it is the dearest thing I have,' said the king; 'but, after all, +my son is just as dear and so you shall have it all the same. Do you +know now what it is good for?'</p> + +<p>"No! he knew nothing about it.</p> + +<p>"'When you have this ring on your finger,' said the king, 'you can have +anything you wish for."</p> + +<p>"So the lad thanked the king, and the king and the prince bade him God +speed home, and told him to be sure and take care of the ring.</p> + +<p>"So he had not gone far on his way before he thought he would prove what +the ring was worth, and so he wished himself a new suit of clothes, and +he had scarce wished for them before he had them on him. And now he was +as grand and bright as a new-struck penny. So he thought it would be +fine fun to play his father a trick.</p> + +<p>"'He was not so very nice all the time I was at home;' and so he wished +he was standing before his father's door, just as ragged as he was of +old, and in a second he stood at the door.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, father, and thank you for our last meal,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"But when the father saw that he had come back still more ragged and +tattered than when he set out, he began to bellow and to bemoan himself.</p> + +<p>"'There's no helping you,' he said. 'You have not so much as earned +clothes to your back all the time you have been away.'</p> + +<p>"'Don't be in such a way, father,' said the lad, 'you ought never to +judge a man by his clothes; and now you shall be my spokesman, and go up +to the palace and woo the king's daughter for me.' That was what the lad +said.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, fie, fie,' said the father, 'this is only gibing and jeering.'</p> + +<p>"But the lad said it was the right down earnest, and so he took a birch +cudgel and drove his father up to the gate of the palace, and there he +came hobbling right up to the king with his eyes full of tears.</p> + +<p>"'Now, now!' said the king, 'what's the matter my man. If you have +suffered wrong, I will see you righted.'</p> + +<p>"No, it wasn't that, he said, but he had a son who had brought him great +sorrow, for he could never make a man of him, and now he must say he had +gone clean out of the little wit he had before, and then he went on,—</p> + +<p>"'For now he has hunted me up to the palace gate with a big birch +cudgel, and forced me to ask for the king's daughter to wife.'</p> + +<p>"'Hold your tongue, my man,' said the king; 'and as for this son of +yours, go and ask him to come here indoors to me, and then we will see +what to make of him.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad ran in before the king till his rags fluttered behind him.</p> + +<p>"'Am I to have your daughter?'</p> + +<p>"'That was just what we were to talk about,' said the king; 'perhaps she +mayn't suit you, and perhaps you mayn't suit her either.'</p> + +<p>"'That was very likely!' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"Now you must know there had just come a big ship from over the sea, and +she could be seen from the palace windows.</p> + +<p>"'All the same!' said the King. 'If you are good to make a ship in an +hour or two like that lying yonder in the fjord and looking so brave, +you may perhaps have her.' That was what the king said.</p> + +<p>"'Nothing worse than that!' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"So he went down to the strand and sat down on a sandhill, and when he +had sat there long enough, he wished that a ship might be out on the +fjord fully furnished with masts, and sails and rigging, the very match +of that which lay there already. And as he wished for it there it lay, +and when the king saw there were two ships for one, he came down to the +strand to see the rights of it, and there he saw the lad standing out in +a boat with a brush in his hand as though he were painting out spots and +making blisters in the paint good—but as soon as he saw the king down +on the shore he threw away the brush and said,—</p> + +<p>"'Now the ship is ready, may I have your daughter?'</p> + +<p>"'This is all very well,' said the king, 'but you try your hand at +another masterpiece first. If you can build a palace, a match to my +palace in one or two hours, we will see about it.' That was what the +king said.</p> + +<p>"'Nothing worse than that,' bawled out the lad and strode off. So when +he had sauntered about so long, that the time was nearly up, he wished +that a palace might stand there the very match of that which stood there +already. It was not long, I trow, before it stood there, and it was not +long either before the king came, both with queen and princess to look +about him in the new palace. There stood the lad again with his broom +and swept.</p> + +<p>"'Here's the palace right and ready,' he called out 'may I have her +now?'</p> + +<p>"'Very well, very well,' said the king, 'you may come in and we will +talk it over,' for he saw clearly the lad could do more than eat his +meat, and so he walked up and down, and thought and thought how he might +be rid of him. Yes! there they walked, the king first and foremost, and +after him the queen, and then the princess next before the lad. So as +they walked along, all at once the lad wished that he might become the +handsomest man in all the world, and so he was in a trice. When the +princess saw how handsome he had grown in no time, she gave the queen a +nudge, and the queen passed it on to the king, and when they had all +stared their full, they saw still more plainly, the lad was more than he +seemed to be when he first came in all tattered and torn. So they +settled it among them, that the princess should go daintily to work till +she had found out all about him. Yes! the princess made herself as sweet +and as soft as a whole firkin of butter, and coaxed and hoaxed the lad, +telling him she could not bear him out of her eyes, day or night. So +when the first evening was coming to an end, she said,—</p> + +<p>"'As we are to have one another, you and I, you must keep nothing back +from me, dearest, and so you will tell me, I am sure, how you came to +make all these grand things.'</p> + +<p>"'Aye, aye,' then said the lad, 'all that you'll come to know in good +time. Only let us be man and wife; there's no good talking about it till +then.' That was what he said.</p> + +<p>"The next evening the princess was rather put out. She could see with +half an eye, she said, 'that he couldn't care very much for his +sweetheart, when he wouldn't tell her what she asked him. So it would be +with all the rest of his love-making, when he wouldn't meet her wishes +in such a little thing.'</p> + +<p>"Now the lad was quite cut to the heart, and that they might be friends +again he told her the whole story from beginning to end. She was not +slow in telling it to the king and queen, and so they laid their heads +together how they might get the ring from the lad, and when they had +done that they thought it would be no such hard thing to be rid of him.</p> + +<p>"At night the princess came with some sleeping-drops, and said, now she +would pour out a little philtre for her own true love, for she was sure +he did not care enough for her; that was what she said. Yes! he thought +no harm could come of it, and so he drained off the drink like a man, +and in a trice he fell so sound asleep, they might have pulled the house +down over his head without waking him. So the princess took the ring off +his finger and put it on her own, and wished the lad might lie on the +dung-heap outside in the street, just as tattered and beggarly as he was +when he came in, and in his place she wished for the handsomest prince +in the world. In the twinkling of an eye it all happened. As the night +wore on the lad woke up on the dunghill, and at first he thought it was +only a dream, but when he found the ring was gone he knew how it had all +happened, and then he got so bewildered that he set off and was just +going to jump into the lake and drown himself.</p> + +<p>"But just then he met the cat which his master had bought for him.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away?' asked the cat.</p> + +<p>"'To the lake to drown myself,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Don't think of it,' said the cat; 'you shall get your ring back again, +never fear.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, shall I, shall I?' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"By this time the cat was already off, and as she started she met a rat.</p> + +<p>"'Now I'll take and gobble you up,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! pray don't,' said the rat, 'and I'll get you the ring again.'</p> + +<p>"'If so, be quick about it,' said the cat, 'or——'</p> + +<p>"So after they had taken up their abode in the palace, the rat ran about +poking his nose into everything, trying to get into the prince and +princess's bedroom. At last he found a little hole and crept through it. +Then he heard how they lay awake talking, and the rat could tell that +the prince had the ring on his finger, for the princess said, 'Mind you +take great care of my ring, dear.' That was what she said; but what the +prince said was,—</p> + +<p>"'Pooh, no one will come in hither after the ring through stone and +mortar; but, for all that, if you think it isn't safe on my finger, I +can just as well put it into my mouth.'</p> + +<p>"In a little while the prince turned over on his back, and tried to go to +sleep, and as he did so the ring was just slipping down into his throat, +and then he coughed it up, so that it shot out of his mouth and rolled +away over the floor—Pop!—up the rat snapped it and crept off with it +to the cat who sat outside watching at the rat-hole.</p> + +<p>"All this while the king had laid hands on the lad and put him into a +strong tower and doomed him to lose his life, for that he had made jeers +and gibes at him and his daughter, and there he was to stay till the day +of his death. Now, as the cat was hard at work prowling about trying to +steal into the tower with the ring to the lad, a great eagle came flying +and pounced down on her and caught her up in his claws and flew away +with her over the sea. But just in the nick of time came a falcon and +struck at the eagle, so that he let the cat fall into the sea; but when +the cat felt the cold water, she got so frightened she dropped the ring +and swam to shore. She had not shaken the water off her, and smoothed +her coat, before she met the dog which his master had bought for the +lad.</p> + +<p>"'Nay! nay!' said the cat, and purred and was in a sad way, 'what's to +be done now? the ring is gone and they will take the lad's life.'</p> + +<p>"'I'm sure I don't know,' said the dog, 'all I know is that something is +riving and rending my inside. It couldn't be worse, if I were going to +turn inside out.'</p> + +<p>"'Now you see what comes of over-eating yourself,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'I never eat more than I can carry,' said the dog; 'and this time I +have eaten nothing but a dead fish which lay floating up and down on the +ebb.'</p> + +<p>"'May be that fish had swallowed the ring,' said the cat. 'And now I +dare say you are going to pay for it too, for you know you can't digest +gold.'</p> + +<p>"'It may well be,' said the dog. 'It's much the same whether one loses +life first or last. Perhaps, the lad's life might then be saved.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the rat, for he was there too, 'don't say that. I don't want +much of a hole to creep into, and if the ring is there may I never tell +the truth, if I don't poke it out.'</p> + +<p>"Well! the rat crept down the dog's throat, and it was not long before +he came out again with the ring. Then the cat set off to the tower and +clambered up about it, till she found a hole into which she could put +her paw, and so she gave back his ring to the lad.</p> + +<p>"The lad no sooner got it on his finger than he wished the tower might +rend asunder, and at the same moment he stood in the doorway and scolded +both the king and queen and the princess as a pack of rogues. The king +was not slow in calling out his warriors, and bade them throw a ring +round the tower and seize the lad and settle him whether they took him +dead or alive. But the lad only wished that all the soldiers might stand +up to the armpits in the big moss up in the fjeld, and then they had +more than enough to get out again, all that were not left sticking +there. After that he began again where he left off with the king and his +folk, and when he had got his mouth to say all the bad of them that he +knew and willed, he wished they might be shut up all their days in the +tower into which they had thrown him. And when they were safe shut up +there, he took the land and realm as his own. Then the dog became a +prince and the cat a princess again, her he took and married, and the +last I heard of them, was, that they kept it up at the bridal both well +and long."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="OUR_PARISH_CLERK" id="OUR_PARISH_CLERK"></a>OUR PARISH CLERK.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a clerk in our parish, who was very sharp set +after all that was nice and good. All the parish said his brains were in +his belly, for though he was very fond of pretty girls and buxom wives, +still he liked good meat and drink even better.</p> + +<p>"'Aye, aye,' said our clerk; 'one can't live long on love and the south +wind.' That was his motto, and that was why he kept company most with +well-to-do-house-wives, with those who were new wedded, or with pretty +lasses who were sure to marry rich husbands, for there you were sure to +find titbits both of beauty and food. That was what our clerk thought. +It wasn't every one, indeed, who thought it so fine to have such a +cupboard lover, but yet there were some who looked on it as fine enough +for them, for, after all, a parish clerk stands a little higher than a +farmer.</p> + +<p>"Now it fell out there was a rich young lass who had married our clerk's +next-door neighbour. There he crept in and out, and soon got good +friends with the husband, and better friends still with his wife. When +the husband was at home all went well between them, but as soon as he +was away at the mill, or in the wood, or at floating timber, or at a +meeting, the goody sent word to the clerk, and then the two spent the +day in revelling and mirth. There was no one who found this out, before +the ploughboy got wind of it, and he thought he would just speak of it +to his master; but, somehow or other, he couldn't find a fitting time +till one day when they were together in the outfield gathering leaves +for litter. There they chatted this and that about lasses and wives, and +the master thought he had made a lucky hit in marrying such a rich and +pretty wife, and he said as much outright.</p> + +<p>"'Thank God, she is both good and clever.'</p> + +<p>"'Aye, aye,' said the lad; 'every man is welcome to believe what he +likes, but if you knew her as well as I do, you wouldn't say such words +at random. Pretty women are like wind in warm summer weather.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'And love is such that, willy, nilly,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It takes up with a clerk as well as a lily.'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"'What's that you say?' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'I have long thought I would tell you that there's a black bull that +walks hoof to hoof and horn to horn with that milk-white cow in your +mead, master—that's what I wanted to say.'</p> + +<p>"'One can say much in a summer day,' said the man; 'but I can't +understand what this points to.'</p> + +<p>"'Is it so?' said the lad. 'Well, I have long thought of telling you +that our clerk is often and ever in our house with the mistress, and how +they lived as though there was a bridal every day, while we scarce get +so much as the leavings of their good cheer.'</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'He who will ever taste and try,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Will burn his fingers in the pie,'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>said his master. 'I don't believe a word of what you say.'</p> + +<p>"'It's a strange ear that will never hear,' said the lad; 'but seeing is +believing, and if you will listen to me, I'm ready to wager ten dollars +that you shall soon have the proof in your own hands.'</p> + +<p>"'Done,' said the master; 'he would bet ten dollars; nay, for that +matter, he would bet horse and farm, and a hundred dollars into the +bargain.'</p> + +<p>"Well, that wager was to stand. 'But an old fox is hard to hunt,' said +the lad, and so his master must say and do all that his ploughboy +wished. When they got home he was to say they must set off for the river +and land timber, and his wife must put up some food for them in hot +haste; it was best to look out while the weather was fine, it might turn +to storm in a trice. Yes! That was what the husband said, and the food +was ready to the minute. The lad put the horses to the timber drags, and +off they went, but no farther than half a mile; there they put the +horses up at a farm, and turned in themselves. As the night came on they +went back, and when they got home, the door was locked fast.</p> + +<p>"'Now we have him,' said the lad; 'it's hard to keep off the field to +which one is wont.'</p> + +<p>"So they went by the back way from the garden, and so through a +trap-door in the cellar into the kitchen. Then they struck a light and +went into the parlour, and saw what they saw. Well! our clerk had eaten +so well that he lay snoring with his mouth open and his nose in the air; +as for the goody, she was not awake either.</p> + +<p>"'Now you see I was right; seeing is believing, master,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'May I never speak the truth again,' said the man, 'if I would have +believed ten men telling it.'</p> + +<p>"'Hush, be still,' said the lad, and took him out again.</p> + +<p>"'Man's law is not land's law,' said the lad; 'but even a bear can be +tamed if you know how to deal with him. Have you any lead, master?</p> + +<p>"Yes! He had, he was sure, more than seventy bullets in his pouch. Then +it was all right. They took a sauce-pan, and melted the lead on the +spot, and ran it down our clerk's throat.</p> + +<p>"'Every man has his own taste,' said the lad, 'and that's why all meat +is eaten,' as he heard the molten lead bubbling and frizzling in our +clerk's throat.</p> + +<p>"Then they went out by the way they got in, and began to knock and +thunder at the front door. The wife woke up and asked who was there.</p> + +<p>"'It is I, open the door, I say,' said the husband.</p> + +<p>"Then she gave our clerk a nudge in the ribs. 'It is the master; the +master is back,' she said. But no! he did not mind her, and never so +much as stirred. Then she put her knees to his side, and tumbled him on +to the floor, and jumped up and took him by the legs, and dragged him to +the heap of wood behind the stove, and there she hid him. Till she had +done that she had no time to open the door to her husband.</p> + +<p>"'Were you gone after christening water, that you were gone so long?' +asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' she answered; 'I dozed off again to sleep, and I did not think it +could ever be you either.'</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said her husband; 'now you must bring out some food, for me and +the boy, we are a'most starved.'</p> + +<p>"'I've got no food ready,' said the goody. 'How can you think of such a +thing? I never thought you would be back either to-day or to-morrow. Why +you know you were to go to the river to land timber.'</p> + +<p>"'One can't hang a hungry man up on the wall like a clock,' said the +lad; 'and self-help is the best help; shall I bring in the food we +packed up, master.'</p> + +<p>"Yes; they did that, and they sat down to eat out of the knapsack; but +when they got up to put a log or two on the fire, there lay our clerk +among the pile of wood.</p> + +<p>"'Why who in the world is this?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! oh! It's only a beggar man who came here so late and begged for +house-room; he was quite content if he might only lie among the +firewood,' said the goody.</p> + +<p>"'A pretty beggar,' said the man; 'why he has got silver buckles to his +shoes, and silver buttons at his knees.'</p> + +<p>"'All are not beggars who are tattered and torn,' said the lad; 'but I'm +blessed if this isn't our parish clerk.'</p> + +<p>"'What was he doing here, mistress,' asked her husband, who all the +while kept on pulling and kicking at him. But our clerk never so much as +stirred or lifted a finger, There stood the goody fumbling and +stammering, and not knowing what to say. All she could do was to bite +her thumb.</p> + +<p>"'I see it in your face, what you have done, mistress,' said her +husband. 'But life is hard to lose, and, after all, he was our parish +clerk. If I did what was right, I should send off at once for the +sheriff.'</p> + +<p>"'Heaven help us,' said his wife; 'only get our clerk out of the way.'</p> + +<p>"'This is your matter, and not mine,' said the man. 'I never asked him +hither, nor sent for him; but if you can get any one to help you to get +rid of him, I won't stand in your way.'</p> + +<p>"Then she took the lad on one side, and said,—</p> + +<p>"'I've laid up some woollen stuff for my husband, but I'll give it to +you for clothes, if you'll only get our clerk buried, so that he shall +never be seen or heard of again.'</p> + +<p>"'There's no saying what one can do till one tries. If we drive in the +frost, we shall find it slippery, to our cost. Have you ropes and cord, +master? if so, I'll see if I can't cure this.'</p> + +<p>"Well! he got our clerk fast in a slipknot, threw him on his back, +caught up his hat as well, and away he went. But he hadn't gone far +along the path in the meadow when he met some horses; so he caught one +of these, and tied and bound our clerk fast on his back. He put his hat, +too, on his head, and his hand down on his thigh, and there he sat +upright, and jogged up and down just as a man on horseback.</p> + +<p>"'One may kill trolls at any time of night,' said the lad, when he got +home; 'who can say when a man is 'fey.' But he will never rise up who is +safe buried under ground, and the cock that is slain crows never again.'</p> + +<p>"Now, whether all this were true or no, there was a way from the meadow +across the fields to a barn, and along it they had carted hay, and +dropped it as they went along; so the horse went that way, picking up +the hay as he went, and out in that barn were two men watching for +thieves who used to steal the hay, for it had been a bad year for +fodder.</p> + +<p>"'Here comes the thief,' they said, when they heard the horse's hoofs; +'now we shall catch him.'</p> + +<p>"'Who's there,' they called out, so that it rang against the hillside. +No! there was no answer, the horse paid little heed, and our clerk less.</p> + +<p>"'If you don't answer I'll send a bullet through your brains, you +horse-thief,' they both called out, and then off went the gun, at which +the horse gave such a sudden jump, that our clerk gave a bob, and fell +bump on the ground.</p> + +<p>"'I think,' said one of the watchers, as he jumped up to look, 'I think +you've shot him dead as mutton;' and then, when he saw who it was, 'Oh +Lord!' he said, 'if it ain't our parish clerk. You ought to have aimed +at his legs, and not killed him outright.'</p> + +<p>"'What's done is done, and can't be helped,' said the other. 'Least said +soonest mended. We must keep our ears close, and bury him for a little +while among the hay in the barn.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! They did that, and when it was over, they lay them down to rest. +In a little while came some one puffing and stamping, that the field +shook again. The two who lay among the hay nudged one another, for they +thought it was thieves again. Close to the barn was a stepping-stone, +and there the new-comer sat down with his load, and began to talk to +himself. He had been killing pigs at a farm a few days before, and +thought he had been paid too little for his work, too little pay and too +little board, and so he had set off and stolen the biggest porker. 'He +that swaps with a bear always comes worst off,' he said; 'and so it's +best to help one's self to what is right, and a little share is better +than a long law-suit. But, bitter death! If I haven't forgotten my +gloves; if they find them at the farm, they'll soon find out who has +inherited their porker.' And, as he said this, he bolted back after his +gloves.</p> + +<p>"The two who were in the barn lay and listened to all this.</p> + +<p>"'He who lays traps for others, comes into the trap himself,' said one.</p> + +<p>"'There's no sin in stealing from a thief,' said the other; 'and no one +is hanged, save those who can't steal right. It would be fine fun to get +rid of our clerk in an easy way, and get a fat pig instead. I think, old +chap, we had better make a swap.'</p> + +<p>"The other burst out laughing at this, and so they tumbled the pig out +of the sack and tossed in our clerk, head foremost, hat and all, and +tied up the mouth of the sack as tight as they could.</p> + +<p>"Just as they had done, back came the thief flying with his gloves, +snatched up the sack, and strode off home. There he cast the sack down +on the floor at his goody's feet.</p> + +<p>"'Here's what I call a porker, old lass,' he said.</p> + +<p>"'How grand!' said the goody. 'Nothing is all very fine to the eye, but +not to the mouth. One can't get on without meat, for meat is man's +strength. Thank Heaven we have now a bit of meat in the house, and shall +be able to live well awhile.'</p> + +<p>"'I took the biggest I could,' said the man, who sat down in his +armchair, and puffed and wiped the sweat off his brow. 'He had both +breeches and drawers, he was well covered, that he was.' By which he +meant the pig was well fed and fat. Then he went on, 'Have you any meat +in the house, old lass?'</p> + +<p>"'No,' she said; 'meat! where should I get meat?'</p> + +<p>"'Make up the fire then,' said the man; 'and sharpen your knife, and cut +off a wee bit, and fry it with salt, and let's have a pork chop.'</p> + +<p>"She did as he bade, and tore open the mouth of the sack, and was just +going to cut off a steak.</p> + +<p>"'What's all this?' she cried. 'He has got his trotters on,' when she +saw his shoes; 'and he's as black as a coal.'</p> + +<p>"'Don't you know,' said her husband; 'all cats are grey in the dark, and +all pigs black.'</p> + +<p>"'I dare say,' she said; 'but black or white is always bright, and a fog +is not like a bilberry. This pig has got breeches on.'</p> + +<p>"'Plague take him!' said the man. 'I know well enough he is covered with +fat all down his legs. Haven't I carried him till the sweat ran down my +face?'</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay!' said the goody. 'He has silver buckles in his shoes, and +silver buttons at his knees. My! if it isn't our Parish Clerk!' she +screamed out.</p> + +<p>"'I tell you it was a fat pig I took,' said the man, as he jumped up to +see how things stood. 'Well! Well! Seeing is believing.' It was our +clerk, both with shoes and buckles; but, for all, he stuck to it, it was +the fattest pig he had put into the sack.</p> + +<p>"'But what's done can't be undone,' he said; 'the best servant is one's +own self; but, for all that, help is good, even if it comes out of the +porridge-pot; wake up our Mary, old girl.'</p> + +<p>"Now you must know Mary was their daughter, a ready and trusty lass; she +had the strength of a man too, and always had her wits about her. So she +was to take our clerk and bury him in an out-of-the-way dale, so that +nothing should ever be heard of him. If she did this, she was to have a +new suit of working clothes, which were meant for her mother.</p> + +<p>"Well! The lassie took our clerk round the body, tossed him on her back, +and strode off from the farm, not forgetting to take his hat. But when +she had gone a bit of the way, she heard a fiddle going, for there was a +dance at a farm near the road, and so she crept in and set our clerk +down upright behind the back-stairs. There he sat with his hat between +his hands, just as though he were begging an alms, and leaning against +the wall and a post.</p> + +<p>"After a while came a girl in a flurry.</p> + +<p>"'I wonder whoever this can be,' she said. 'The master of the house is +as grey as a goose, but this fellow is black as a raven. Halloa, you +sir, why are you sitting there, blocking up the way? One can scarce get +by.'</p> + +<p>"But our clerk said never a word.</p> + +<p>"'Are you poor? Do you beg for a penny for Heaven's sake? Ah! poor +fellow! Here's two pence for you,' and as she said this she tossed them +into his hat. Still our clerk said never a word. She waited a little, +for she thought he would say 'Thank you,' but our clerk did not so much +as nod his head.</p> + +<p>"'No, I never,' said the girl, when she went back into the ball-room. 'I +never did see the like of a beggar who sits out yonder by the staircase. +He isn't at all like a starling on a fence,' she went on; 'for he won't +answer, and he won't say "Thank you," and won't so much as lift a +finger, though I did give him two pence.'</p> + +<p>"'The least a beggar can do is to say "Thank you,"' cried a young +sheriff's clerk who was of the party. 'He must be a pretty fellow whom I +cannot get to speak, for I've made thieves and stiff-necked folk open +their mouths wide before this.'</p> + +<p>"As he said this he ran out to the stairs, and bawled out in our clerk's +ear, for he thought he was hard of hearing.</p> + +<p>"'What do you sit here for, you sir?' And then again, 'Are you poor? Do +you beg?'</p> + +<p>"No, our clerk said never a word. So he took out half-a-dollar, and +threw it into his hat, saying, 'There's something for you.' But our +clerk was still silent, and made no sign. So when he could get no thanks +out of him, the sheriff's officer gave him a blow under the ear, as hard +as he could, and down fell our clerk head over heels across the +staircase. And you may be sure the girl Mary was not slow in running to +the spot.</p> + +<p>"'Are you in a swoon, or are you dead, father,' she screeched out, and +then she went on screaming and bewailing herself.</p> + +<p>"'It's quite true,' she said; 'there's no peace for the poor after all, +but I never yet heard of any one laying themselves out to strike beggars +dead.'</p> + +<p>"'Hush! Hold your tongue,' said the sheriff's officer. 'Don't make a +fuss. Here you have ten dollars, keep your peace and take him away. I +only gave him a blow that made him swoon.'</p> + +<p>"Well! She was glad enough. 'Money brings money,' she thought; 'with +fair words and money, one can go far in a day, and one need never care +for food with a purse full of pence.' So she took our clerk on her back +again, and strode off to the nearest farm, and there she put him athwart +the brink of the well. When our Mary got home she said she had borne him +off to the wood, and buried him far far away in a side dale.</p> + +<p>"'Thank Heaven,' said the goody. 'Now we are well quit of him, you shall +have all I promised, and more besides. Be sure of that.'</p> + +<p>"So there lay our clerk, as though he were peering down into the well, +till at dawn of day the ploughboy came running up to draw water.</p> + +<p>"'Why are you lying there, and what are you gazing at? Out of the way. I +want some water,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"No! He neither stirred hand or foot. Then the lad let drive at him, so +that it went <i>plump</i>, and there lay our clerk in the well. Then he must +have help to get him out, but there was no help for it till the hind +came with a boat-hook and dragged him out.</p> + +<p>"'Why! it's our Parish Clerk!' they all bawled out, and they all thought +he had eaten and drank so much at some feast, that he had fallen asleep +by the well-side.</p> + +<p>"But when the master of the house came and saw our clerk, and heard how +it had all happened, he said,—</p> + +<p>"'Harm watches while men sleep; but man's scathe is the worst scathe. +When one pot strikes against another, both break. Take the saddle and +lay it on Blackie, and ride to fetch the sheriff, my lad, and then we +shall be out of harm's way, for our clerk's sake. Mishaps never come +single, but it's hard to drown on dry land.' That was what the master +said.</p> + +<p>"Yes! The lad rode off to the sheriff, and after a while the sheriff +came. But, as the saying is, more haste, worse speed, and work done in +haste will never last. So it took time before they got the doctor and +witnesses to come. Now you all know we owe a death to God; but then it +was made as plain as day that our clerk had been killed three times +before he tumbled into the well. First the ladle of lead had taken away +his breath, next he had a bullet through his forehead, and third and +last his neck was broken. Surely he was 'fey' when he set out to see the +goody. It is hard to tell how all this was found out at last; but +tongues will clack behind a man's back, and hard things are said of a +man when he's dead."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SILLY_MEN_AND_CUNNING_WIVES" id="SILLY_MEN_AND_CUNNING_WIVES"></a>SILLY MEN AND CUNNING WIVES.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there were two Goodies, who quarrelled, as women often +will; and when they had nothing else to quarrel about, they fell to +fighting about their husbands, as to which was the silliest of them. The +longer they strove the worse they got, and at last they had almost come +to pulling caps about it, for, as every one knows, it is easier to begin +than to end, and it is a bad look out when wit is wanting. At last, one +of them said there was nothing she could not get her husband to believe, +if she only said it, for he was as easy as a Troll. Then the other said +there was nothing so silly that she could not get her husband to do, if +she only said it must be done, for he was such a fool, he could not tell +B from a bull's foot.</p> + +<p>"'Well! let us put it to the proof, which of us can fool them best, and +then we'll see which is the silliest.' That was what they said once, and +so it was settled.</p> + +<p>"Now when the first husband, Master Northgrange came home from the wood, +his goody said—</p> + +<p>"'Heaven help us both! what is the matter! you are surely ill, if you +are not at death's door?'</p> + +<p>"'Nothing ails me but want of meat and drink,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Now, Heaven be my witness!' screamed out the wife, 'it gets worse and +worse. You look just like a corpse in face; you must go to bed! Dear! +dear! this never can last long!' And so she went on till she got her +husband to believe he was hard at death's door, and she put him to bed; +and then she made him fold his hands on his breast, and shut his eyes; +and so she stretched his limbs, and laid him out, and put him into a +coffin; but that he might not be smothered while he lay there, she had +some holes made in the sides, so that he could breathe and peep out.</p> + +<p>"The other goody, she took a pair of carding combs, and began to card +wool; but she had no wool on them. In came the man, and saw this +tomfoolery.</p> + +<p>"'There's no use,' he said, 'in a wheel without wool; but carding combs, +without wool, is work for a fool.'</p> + +<p>"'Without wool!' said the goody; 'I have wool, only you can't see it; +it's of the fine sort.' So, when she had carded it all, she took her +wheel, and fell a-spinning.</p> + +<p>"'Nay! nay! this is all labour lost!" said the man. 'There you sit, +wearing out your wheel, as it spins and hums, and all the while you've +nothing on it.'</p> + +<p>"'Nothing on it!' said the goody; 'the thread is so fine, it takes +better eyes than yours to see it, that's all.'</p> + +<p>"So, when her spinning was over, she set up her loom, and put the woof +in, and threw the shuttle, and wove cloth. Then she took it out of the +loom and pressed it and cut it out, and sewed a new suit of clothes for +her husband out of it, and when it was ready, she hung the suit up in +the linen closet. As for the man, he could see neither cloth nor +clothes; but as he had once for all got it into his head that it was too +fine for him to see, he went on saying, 'Aye, aye, I understand it all, +it is so fine because it is so fine.'</p> + +<p>"Well! in a day or two his goody said to him,</p> + +<p>"'To-day you must go to a funeral. Farmer Northgrange is dead, and they +bury him to-day, and so you had better put on your new clothes.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, very true, he must go to the funeral;' and she helped him on with +his new suit, for it was so fine, he might tear it asunder if he put it +on alone.</p> + +<p>"So when he came up to the farm, where the funeral was to be, they had +all drank hard and long, and you may fancy their grief was not greater +when they saw him come in in his new suit. But when the train set off +for the churchyard, and the dead man peeped through the breathing holes, +he burst out into a loud fit of laughter.</p> + +<p>"'Nay! nay!' he said, 'I can't help laughing, though it is my funeral, +for if there isn't Olof Southgrange walking to my funeral stark naked!'</p> + +<p>"When the bearers heard that, they were not slow in taking the lid off +the coffin, and the other husband, he in the new suit, asked how it was +that he, over whom they had just drank his funeral ale, lay there in his +coffin and chatted and laughed, when it would be more seemly if he wept.</p> + +<p>"'Ah!' said the other; 'you know tears never yet dug up any one out of +his grave—that's why I laughed myself to life again.'</p> + +<p>"But the end of all their talk was that it came out that their goodies +had played them those tricks. So the husbands went home, and did the +wisest thing either of them had done for a long time; and if any one +wishes to know what it was, he had better go and ask the birch cudgel."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="TAPER_TOM" id="TAPER_TOM"></a>TAPER TOM.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a King, who had a daughter, and she was so +lovely, that her good looks were well known far and near; but she was so +sad and serious, she could never be got to laugh; and, besides, she was +so high and mighty, that she said 'No' to all who wooed her to wife, and +she would have none of them, were they ever so grand—lords and princes, +it was all the same. The king had long ago got tired of this, for he +thought she might just as well marry, she, too, like the rest of the +world. There was no good waiting; she was quite old enough, nor would +she be any richer, for she was to have half the kingdom, that came to +her as her mother's heir.</p> + +<p>"So he had it given out at the church door both quick and soon, that any +one who could get his daughter to laugh should have her and half the +kingdom. But if there were any one who tried and could not, he was to +have three red stripes cut out of his back, and salt rubbed in; and sure +it was that there were many sore backs in that kingdom, for lovers and +wooers came from north and south, and east and west, thinking it nothing +at all to make a king's daughter laugh; and brave fellows they were, +some of them, too; but for all their tricks and capers, there sat the +princess, just as sad and serious as she had been before.</p> + +<p>"Now, hard by the Palace lived a man who had three sons, and they too +had heard how the king had given it out that the man who could make the +princess laugh was to have her to wife and half the kingdom.</p> + +<p>"The eldest, he was for setting off first; so he strode off; and when he +came to the king's grange, he told the king he would be glad to try to +make the princess laugh.</p> + +<p>"'All very well, my man,' said the king; 'but it's sure to be no good, +for so many have been here and tried. My daughter is so sorrowful, it's +no use trying, and I don't at all wish that any one should come to +grief.'</p> + +<p>"But he thought there was use. It couldn't be such a very hard thing for +him to get a princess to laugh, for so many had laughed at him, both +gentle and simple, when he listed for a soldier, and learnt his drill +under Corporal Jack. So he went off to the courtyard, under the +princess's window, and began to go through his drill as Corporal Jack +had taught him. But it was no good, the princess was just as sad and +serious, and did not so much as smile at him once. So they took him, and +cut three broad red stripes out of his back, and sent him home again.</p> + +<p>"Well! he had hardly got home before his second brother wanted to set +off. He was a schoolmaster, and a wonderful figure of fun besides; he +was lop-sided, for he had one leg shorter than the other, and one moment +he was as little as a boy, and in another, when he stood on his long +leg, he was as tall and long as a Troll. Besides this, he was a powerful +preacher.</p> + +<p>"So when he came to the king's grange, and said he wished to make the +princess laugh, the king thought it might not be so unlikely after all. +'But Heaven help you!' he said, 'if you don't make her laugh. We are for +cutting the stripes broader and broader for every one that tries.'</p> + +<p>"Then the schoolmaster strode off to the courtyard, and put himself +before the princess's window, and read and preached like seven parsons, +and sang and chanted like seven clerks, as loud as all the parsons and +clerks in the country round. The king laughed loud at him, and was +forced to hold the posts in the gallery, and the princess was just going +to put a smile on her lips, but all at once she got as sad and serious +as ever; and so it fared no better with Paul the schoolmaster than with +Peter the soldier—for you must know one was called Peter and the other +Paul. So they took him and cut three red stripes out of his back, and +rubbed the salt well in, and then they sent him home again.</p> + +<p>"Then the youngest was all for setting out, and his name was Taper Tom; +but his brothers laughed and jeered at him, and showed him their sore +backs, and his father would not give him leave, for he said, how could +it be of any use to him, when he had no sense, for, wasn't it true that +he neither knew anything or could do anything? There he sat in the ingle +by the chimney corner, like a cat, and grubbed in the ashes and split +fir tapers. That was why they called him 'Taper Tom.' But Taper Tom +wouldn't give in, for he growled and grizzled so long, that they got +tired of his growling, and so, at last, he too got leave to go to the +king's grange, and try his luck.</p> + +<p>"When he got to the king's grange he did not say he wished to try to +make the princess laugh, but asked if he could get a place there. 'No,' +they had no place for him; but for all that Taper Tom wouldn't take an +answer; they must want some one, he said, to carry wood and water for +the kitchen-maid, in such a big grange as that—that was what he said; +and the king thought it might very well be, for he, too, got tired of +his worry, and the end was, Taper Tom got leave to stay there and carry +wood and water for the kitchen-maid.</p> + +<p>"So, one day, when he was going to fetch water from the beck, he set +eyes on a big fish, which lay under an old fir stump, where the water +had eaten into the bank, and he put his bucket so softly under the fish, +and caught it. But as he was going home to the grange he met an old +woman who led a golden goose by a string.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, godmother,' said Taper Tom; 'that's a pretty bird you have +got; and what fine feathers!—they dazzle one a long way off. If one +only had such feathers one might leave off splitting fir tapers.'</p> + +<p>"The goody was just as pleased with the fish Tom had in his bucket, and +said, if he would give her the fish, he might have the golden goose; and +it was such a goose, that when any one touched it, he stuck fast to it, +if Tom only said, 'Hang on, if you care to come with us.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! that swap Taper Tom was willing enough to make.</p> + +<p>"'A bird is as good as a fish, any day,' he said to himself; and if it's +such a bird as you say, I can use it as a fish-hook.' That was what he +said to the goody, and was so pleased with the goose. Now, he hadn't +gone far before he met another old woman, and as soon as she saw the +lovely gold goose she was all for running up to it and patting it; and +she spoke so prettily, and coaxed him so, and begged him give her leave +to stroke his lovely golden goose.</p> + +<p>"'With all my heart,' said Taper Tom; 'but, mind you don't pluck out any +of its feathers.'</p> + +<p>"Just as she stroked the goose, he said,</p> + +<p>"'Hang on, if you care to come with us!'</p> + +<p>"The goody pulled and tore, but she was forced to hang on, whether she +would or no, and Taper Tom went before, as though he alone were with the +golden goose. So when he had gone a bit further, he met a man who had a +thorn in his side against the goody for a trick she had played him. So, +when he saw how hard she struggled and strove to get free, and how fast +she stuck, he thought he would be quite safe in giving her one for her +nob, to pay off the old grudge, and so he just gave her a kick with his +foot.</p> + +<p>"'Hang on, if you care to come with us!' called out Tom, and then the +man had to limp along on one leg, whether he would or no, and when he +jibbed and jibed, and tried to break loose, it was still worse for him, +for he was all but falling flat on his back every step he took.</p> + +<p>"So they went on a good bit till they had about come to the king's +grange. There they met the king's smith, who was going to the smithy, +and had a great pair of tongs in his hand. Now you must know this smith +was a merry fellow, who was as full of tricks and pranks as an egg is +full of meat, and when he saw this string come hobbling and limping +along, he laughed so that he was almost bent in two, and then he bawled +out, 'Surely this is a new flock of geese the princess is going to have; +who can tell which is goose and which gander! Ah! I see, this must be +the gander that toddles in front. Goosey! goosey! goosey!' he called +out; and with that he coaxed them to him, and threw his hands about as +though he were scattering corn for the geese.</p> + +<p>"But the flock never stopped—on it went, and all that the goody and the +man did was to look daggers at the smith for making game of them. Then +the smith went on,</p> + +<p>"'It would be fine fun to see if I could hold the whole flock, so many +as they are;' for he was a stout strong fellow, and so he took hold, +with his big tongs, by the old man's coat tail, and the man all the +while bellowed and wriggled; but Taper Tom only said,</p> + +<p>"'Hang on, if you care to come with us.'</p> + +<p>"So the smith had to go along too. He bent his back and stuck his heels +into the hill, and tried to get loose; but it was all no good, he stuck +fast, as though he had been screwed tight with his own anvil, and, +whether he would or no, he had to dance along with the rest.</p> + +<p>"So, when they came near to the king's grange, the mastiff ran out and +began to bay and bark as though they were wolves or beggars; and when +the princess looked out of the window to see what was the matter, and +set eyes on this strange pack, she laughed inwardly. But Taper Tom was +not content with that.</p> + +<p>"'Bide a bit,' he said, 'she'll soon have to open the door of her mouth +wider;' and as he said that he turned off with his band to the back of +the grange.</p> + +<p>"So, when they passed by the kitchen, the door stood open, and the cook +was just beating the porridge; but when she saw Taper Tom and his pack +she came running out at the door, with her brush in one hand, and a +wooden ladle full of smoking porridge in the other, and she laughed as +though her sides would split; and when she saw the smith there too, she +slapped her thigh and went off again in a loud peal. But when she had +laughed her laugh out, she too thought the golden goose so lovely she +must just stroke it.</p> + +<p>"'Taper Tom! Taper Tom!' she bawled out, and came running out with the +ladle of porridge in her fist, 'may I have leave to stroke that pretty +bird of yours?'</p> + +<p>"'Better let her stroke me,' said the smith.</p> + +<p>"'I daresay,' said Taper Tom.</p> + +<p>"But when the cook heard that she got angry.</p> + +<p>"'What is that you say!' she cried, and let fly at the smith with the +ladle.</p> + +<p>"'Hang on, if you care to come with us,' said Taper Tom. So she stuck +fast, she, too; and for all her kicks and plunges, and all her scolding +and screaming, and all her riving and striving, and all her rage, she +too had to limp along with them.</p> + +<p>"But when they came outside the window of the princess, there she stood, +waiting for them; and when she saw they had taken the cook too, with her +ladle and brush, she opened her mouth wide, and laughed loud, so that +the king had to hold her upright. So Taper Tom got the princess and half +the kingdom; and they had such a merry wedding, it was heard and talked +of far and wide."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_TROLLS_IN_HEDALE_WOOD" id="THE_TROLLS_IN_HEDALE_WOOD"></a>THE TROLLS IN HEDALE WOOD.</h2> + + +<p>"Up at a place in Vaage, in Gudbrandsdale, there lived once on a time in +the days of old a poor couple. They had many children, and two of the +sons who were about half grown up had to be always roaming about the +country begging. So it was that they were well known with all the +highways and by-ways, and they also knew the short cut into Hedale.</p> + +<p>"It happened once that they wanted to get thither, but at the same time +they heard that some falconers had built themselves a hut at Mæla, and +so they wished to kill two birds with one stone, and see the birds, and +how they are taken, and so they took the cut across Longmoss. But you +must know it was far on towards autumn, and so the milkmaids had all +gone home from the shielings, and they could neither get shelter nor +food. Then they had to keep straight on for Hedale, but the path was a +mere track, and when night fell they lost it; and, worse still, they +could not find the falconers' hut either, and before they knew where +they were, they found themselves in the very depths of the forest. As +soon as they saw they could not get on, they began to break boughs, lit +a fire, and built themselves a bower of branches, for they had a +hand-axe with them; and, after that, they plucked heather and moss and +made themselves a bed. So a little while after they had lain down, they +heard something which sniffed and snuffed so with its nose; then the +boys pricked up their ears and listened sharp to hear whether it were +wild beasts or wood trolls, and just then something snuffed up the air +louder than ever, and said—</p> + +<p>"'There's a smell of Christian blood here!'</p> + +<p>"At the same time they heard such a heavy foot-fall that the earth shook +under it, and then they knew well enough the trolls must be about.</p> + +<p>"'Heaven help us! what shall we do?' said the younger boy to his +brother.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! you must stand as you are under the fir, and be ready to take our +bags and run away when you see them coming; as for me, I will take the +hand-axe,' said the other.</p> + +<p>"All at once they saw the trolls coming at them like mad, and they were +so tall and stout, their heads were just as high as the fir-tops; but it +was a good thing they had only one eye between them all three, and that +they used turn and turn about. They had a hole in their foreheads into +which they put it, and turned and twisted it with their hands. The one +that went first, he must have it to see his way, and the others went +behind and took hold of the first.</p> + +<p>"'Take up the traps,' said the elder of the boys, 'but don't run away +too far, but see how things go; as they carry their eye so high aloft +they'll find it hard to see me when I get behind them.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! the brother ran before and the trolls after him, meanwhile the +elder got behind them and chopped the hindmost troll with his axe on the +ankle, so that the troll gave an awful shriek, and the foremost troll +got so afraid he was all of a shake and dropped the eye. But the boy was +not slow to snap it up. It was bigger than two quart pots put together, +and so clear and bright, that though it was pitch dark, everything was +as clear as day as soon as he looked through it.</p> + +<p>"When the trolls saw he had taken their eye and done one of them harm, +they began to threaten him with all the evil in the world if he didn't +give back the eye at once.</p> + +<p>"'I don't care a farthing for trolls and threats,' said the boy, 'now +I've got three eyes to myself and you three have got none, and besides +two of you have to carry the third.'</p> + +<p>"If we don't get our eye back this minute, you shall be both turned to +stocks and stones,' screeched the trolls.</p> + +<p>"But the boy thought things needn't go so fast; he was not afraid for +witchcraft or hard words. If they didn't leave him in peace he'd chop +them all three, so that they would have to creep and crawl along the +earth like cripples and crabs.</p> + +<p>"When the trolls heard that, they got still more afraid and began to use +soft words. They begged so prettily that he would give them their eye +back, and then he should have both gold and silver and all that he +wished to ask. Yes! that seemed all very fine to the lad, but he must +have the gold and silver first, and so he said, if one of them would go +home and fetch as much gold and silver as would fill his and his +brother's bags, and give them two good cross-bows beside, they might +have their eye, but he should keep it until they did what he said.</p> + +<p>"The trolls were very put out, and said none of them could go when he +hadn't his eye to see with, but all at once one of them began to bawl +out for their goody, for you must know they had a goody between them all +three as well as an eye. After a while an answer came from a knoll a +long way off to the north. So the trolls said she must come with two +steel cross-bows and two buckets full of gold and silver, and then it +was not long, you may fancy, before she was there. And when she heard +what had happened, she too began to threaten them with witchcraft. But +the trolls got so afraid, and begged her beware of the little wasp, for +she couldn't be sure he would not take away her eye too. So she threw +them the cross-bows and the buckets and the gold and the silver, and +strode off to the knoll with the trolls; and since that time no one has +ever heard that the trolls have walked in Hedale wood snuffing after +Christian blood."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SKIPPER_AND_OLD_NICK" id="THE_SKIPPER_AND_OLD_NICK"></a>THE SKIPPER AND OLD NICK.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a skipper who was so wonderfully lucky in +everything he undertook; there was no one who got such freights, and no +one who earned so much money, for it rolled in upon him on all sides, +and, in a word, there was no one who was good to make such voyages as +he, for whithersoever he sailed he took the wind with him;—nay! men did +say he had only to turn his hat and the wind turned the way he wished it +to blow.</p> + +<p>"So he sailed for many years, both in the timber trade and to China, and +he had gathered money together like grass. But it so happened that once +he was coming home across the North sea with every sail set, as though +he had stolen both ship and lading; but he who wanted to lay hold on him +went faster still. It was Old Nick, for with him he had made a bargain, +as one may well fancy, and that very day the time was up, and he might +look any moment that Old Nick would come and fetch him.</p> + +<p>"Well! the skipper came up on deck out of the cabin and looked at the +weather; then he called for the carpenter and some others of the crew, +and said they must go down into the hold and hew two holes in the ship's +bottom, and when they had done that they were to lift the pumps out of +their beds and drive them down tight into the holes they had made, so +that the sea might rise high up into the pumps.</p> + +<p>"The crew wondered at all this, and thought it a funny bit of work, but +they did as the skipper ordered; they hewed holes in the ship's bottom +and drove the pumps in so tight that never a drop of water could come to +the cargo, but up in the pump itself the North sea stood seven feet +high.</p> + +<p>"They had only just thrown the chips overboard after their piece of work +when Old Nick came on board in a gust of wind and caught the skipper by +the throat.</p> + +<p>"'Stop, father!' said the skipper, 'there's no need to be in such a +hurry,' and as he said that he began to defend himself and to loose the +claws which Old Nick had stuck into him by the help of a marling-spike.</p> + +<p>"'Haven't you made a bargain that you would always keep the ship dry and +tight?' asked the skipper. 'Yes! you're a pretty fellow; look down the +pumps, there's the water standing seven feet high in the pipe. Pump, +devil, pump! and pump the ship dry, and then you may take me and have me +as soon and as long as you choose.'</p> + +<p>"Old Nick was not so clever that he was not taken in; he pumped and +strove, and the sweat ran down his back like a brook, so that you might +have turned a mill at the end of his backbone, but he only pumped out of +the North sea and into the North sea again. At last he got tired of that +work, and when he could not pump a stroke more, he set off in a sad +temper home to his grandmother to take a rest. As for the skipper, he +let him stay a skipper as long as he chose, and if he isn't dead, he is +still perhaps sailing on his voyages whithersoever he will, and twisting +the wind as he chooses only by turning his hat."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="GOODY_GAINST-THE-STREAM" id="GOODY_GAINST-THE-STREAM"></a>GOODY GAINST-THE-STREAM.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a man who had a goody who was so cross-grained +that there was no living with her. As for her husband he could not get +on with her at all, for whatever he wished she set her face right +against it.</p> + +<p>"So it fell one Sunday in summer that the man and his wife went out into +the field to see how the crop looked; and when they came to a field of +rye on the other side of the river, the man said—</p> + +<p>"'Ay! now it is ripe. To-morrow we must set to work and reap it.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' said his wife, 'to-morrow we can set to work and shear it.'</p> + +<p>"'What do you say,' said the man; 'shall we shear it? Mayn't we just as +well reap it?'</p> + +<p>"'No,' said the goody, 'It shall be shorn.'</p> + +<p>"'There is nothing so bad as a little knowledge,' said the man, 'but you +must have lost the little wit you had. When did you ever hear of +shearing a field?'</p> + +<p>"'I know little, and I care to know little, I dare say,' said the goody, +'but I know very well that this field shall be shorn and not reaped.'</p> + +<p>"That was what she said, and there was no help for it; it must and +should be shorn.</p> + +<p>"So they walked about and quarrelled and strove till they came to the +bridge across the river, just above a deep hole.</p> + +<p>"''Tis an old saying,' said the man, 'that good tools make good work, +but I fancy it will be a fine swathe that is shorn with a pair of +shears. Mayn't we just as well reap the field after all?' he asked.</p> + +<p>"'No! no! shear, shear,' bawled out the goody, who jumped about and +clipped like a pair of scissors under her husband's nose. In her +shrewishness she took such little heed that she tripped over a beam on +the bridge, and down she went <i>plump</i> into the stream.</p> + +<p>"''Tis hard to wean any one from bad ways,' said the man, 'but it were +strange if I were not sometimes in the right, I too.'</p> + +<p>"Then he swam out into the hole and caught his wife by the hair of her +head, and so got her head above water.</p> + +<p>"'Shall we reap the field now?' were the first words he said.</p> + +<p>"'Shear! shear! shear!' screeched the goody.</p> + +<p>"'I'll teach you to shear,' said the man, as he ducked her under the +water; but it was no good, they must shear it, she said, as soon as ever +she came up again.</p> + +<p>"'I can't think anything else than that the goody is mad,' said the man +to himself. 'Many are mad and never know it; many have wit and never +show it; but all the same, I'll try her once more.'</p> + +<p>"But as soon as ever he ducked her under the water again, she held her +hands up out of the water and began to clip with her fingers like a pair +of shears. Then the man fell into a great rage and ducked her down both +well and long; but while he was about it, the goody's head fell down +below the water, and she got so heavy all at once, that he had to let +her go.</p> + +<p>"'No! no!' he said, 'you wish to drag me down with you into the hole, +but you may lie there by yourself.'</p> + +<p>"So the goody was left in the river.</p> + +<p>"But after a while the man thought it was ill she should lie there and +not get Christian burial, and so he went down the course of the stream +and hunted and searched for her, but for all his pains he could not find +her. Then he came with all his men and brought his neighbours with him, +and they all in a body began to drag the stream and to search for her +all along it. But for all their searching they found no goody.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the man, 'I have it. All this is no good, we search in the +wrong place. This goody was a sort by herself; there was not such +another in the world while she was alive. She was so cross and contrary, +and I'll be bound it is just the same now she is dead. We had better +just go and hunt for her up stream, and drag for her above the force,<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> +maybe she has floated up thither.'</p> + +<p>"And so it was. They went up stream and sought for her above the force, +and there lay the goody, sure enough! Yes! She was well called <span class="smcap">Goody +gainst-the-Stream</span>."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="HOW_TO_WIN_A_PRINCE" id="HOW_TO_WIN_A_PRINCE"></a>HOW TO WIN A PRINCE.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a king's son who made love to a lass, but +after they had become great friends and were as good as betrothed, the +prince began to think little of her, and he got it into his head that +she wasn't clever enough for him, and so he wouldn't have her.</p> + +<p>"So he thought how he might be rid of her; and at last he said he would +take her to wife all the same, if she could come to him—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Not driving,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And not riding;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not walking,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And not carried;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not fasting,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And not full-fed;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not naked,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And not clad;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not in the daylight,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And not by night.'<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>"For all that he fancied she could never do.</p> + +<p>"So she took three barleycorns and swallowed them, and then she was not +fasting, and yet not full-fed; and next she threw a net over her, and so +she was</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Not naked,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And yet not clad.'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Next she got a ram and sat on him, so that her feet touched the ground; +and so she waddled along, and was</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Not driving,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And not riding;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not walking,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And not carried.'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>And all this happened in the twilight, betwixt night and day.</p> + +<p>"So when she came to the guard at the palace, she begged that she might +have leave to speak with the prince; but they wouldn't open the gate, +she looked such a figure of fun.</p> + +<p>"But for all that the noise woke up the prince, and he went to the +window to see what it was.</p> + +<p>"So she waddled up to the window, and twisted off one of the ram's +horns, and took it and rapped with it against the window.</p> + +<p>"And so they had to let her in, and have her for their princess."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="BOOTS_AND_THE_BEASTS" id="BOOTS_AND_THE_BEASTS"></a>BOOTS AND THE BEASTS.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a man who had an only son, but he lived in +need and wretchedness, and when he lay on his death-bed, he told his son +he had nothing in the world but a sword, a bit of coarse linen, and a +few crusts of bread—that was all he had to leave him. Well! when the +man was dead, the lad made up his mind to go out into the world to try +his luck; so he girded the sword about him, and took the crusts and laid +them in the bit of linen for his travelling fare; for you must know they +lived far away up on a hillside in the wood, far from folk. Now the way +he went took him over a fell, and when he had got up so high that he +could look over the country, he set his eyes on a lion, a falcon, and an +ant, who stood there quarrelling over a dead horse. The lad was sore +afraid when he saw the lion, but he called out to him and said he must +come and settle the strife between them and share the horse, so that +each should get what he ought to have.</p> + +<p>"So the lad took his sword and shared the horse, as well as he could. To +the lion he gave the carcass and the greater portion; the falcon got +some of the entrails and other titbits; and the ant got the head. When +he had done, he said,—</p> + +<p>"'Now I think it is fairly shared. The lion shall have most, because he +is biggest and strongest; the falcon shall have the best, because he is +nice and dainty; and the ant shall have the skull, because he loves to +creep about in holes and crannies.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! they were all well pleased with his sharing; and so they asked him +what he would like to have for sharing the horse so well.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' he said, 'if I have done you a service, and you are pleased with +it, I am also pleased; but I won't be paid.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes; but he must have something,' they said.</p> + +<p>"'If you won't have anything else,' said the lion, 'you shall have three +wishes.'</p> + +<p>"But the lad knew not what to wish for; and so the lion asked him if he +wouldn't wish that he might be able to turn himself into a lion; and the +two others asked him if he wouldn't wish to be able to turn himself into +a falcon and an ant. Yes! all that seemed to him good and right; and so +he wished these three wishes.</p> + +<p>"Then he threw aside his sword and wallet, turned himself into a falcon, +and began to fly. So he flew on and on, till he came over a great lake; +but when he had almost flown across it he got so tired and sore on the +wing he couldn't fly any longer; and as he saw a steep rock that rose +out of the water, he perched on it and rested himself. He thought it a +wondrous strong rock, and walked about it for a while; but when he had +taken a good rest, he turned himself again into a little falcon, and +flew away till he came to the king's grange. There he perched on a tree, +just before the princess's windows. When she saw the falcon she set her +heart on catching it. So she lured it to her; and as soon as the falcon +came under the casement she was ready, and pop! she shut to the window, +and caught the bird and put him into a cage.</p> + +<p>"In the night the lad turned himself into an ant and crept out of the +cage; and then he turned himself into his own shape, and went up and sat +down by the princess's bed. Then she got so afraid that she fell to +screeching out and awoke the king, who came into her room and asked +whatever was the matter.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the princess, 'there is some one here.'</p> + +<p>"But in a trice the lad became an ant, crept into the cage, and turned +himself into a falcon. The king could see nothing for her to be afraid +of; so he said to the princess it must have been the nightmare riding +her. But he was hardly out of the door before it was all the same story +over again. The lad crept out of the cage as an ant, and then became his +own self, and sat down by the bedside of the princess.</p> + +<p>"Then she screamed loud, and the king came again to see what was the +matter.</p> + +<p>"'There is some one here,' screamed the princess. But the lad crept into +the cage again, and sat perched up there like a falcon. The king looked +and hunted high and low; and when he could see nothing he got cross that +his rest was broken, and said it was all a trick of the princess.</p> + +<p>"'If you scream like that again,' he said, 'you shall soon know that +your father is the king.'</p> + +<p>"But for all that, the king's back was scarcely turned before the lad +was by the princess's side again. This time she did not scream, although +she was so afraid she did not know which way to turn.</p> + +<p>"So the lad asked why she was so afraid.</p> + +<p>"Didn't he know? She was promised to a hill-ogre, and the very first +time she came under bare sky he was to come and take her; and so when +the lad came she thought it was the hill-ogre. And, besides, every +Thursday morning came a messenger from the hill-ogre, and that was a +dragon, to whom the king had to give nine fat pigs every time he came; +and that was why he had given it out that the man who could free him +from the dragon should have the princess and half the kingdom.</p> + +<p>"The lad said he would soon do that; and as soon as it was daybreak the +princess went to the king and said there was a man in there who would +free him from the dragon and the tax of pigs. As soon as the king heard +that, he was very glad, for the dragon had eaten up so many pigs, there +would soon have been no more left in the whole kingdom. It happened that +day was just a Thursday morning, and so the lad strode off to the spot +where the dragon used to come to eat the pigs, and the shoeblack in the +king's grange showed him the way.</p> + +<p>"Yes! the dragon came; and he had nine heads, and he was so wild and +wroth that fire and flame flared out of his nostrils when he did not see +his feast of pigs; and he flew upon the lad as though he would gobble +him up alive. But, pop! he turned himself into a lion and fought with +the dragon, and tore one head off him after another. The dragon was +strong, that he was; and he spat fire and venom. But as the fight went +on he hadn't more than one head left, though that was the toughest. At +last the lad got that torn off, too; and then it was all over with the +dragon.</p> + +<p>"So he went to the king, and there was great joy all over the palace; +and the lad was to have the princess. But once on a time, as they were +walking in the garden, the hill-ogre came flying at them himself, and +caught up the princess and bore her off through the air.</p> + +<p>"As for the lad, he was for going after her at once; but the king said +he mustn't do that, for he had no one else to lean on now he had lost +his daughter. But for all that, neither prayers nor preaching were any +good: the lad turned himself into a falcon and flew off. But when he +could not see them anywhere, he called to mind that wonderful rock in +the lake, where he had rested the first time he ever flew. So he settled +there, and after he had done that he turned himself into an ant, and +crept down through a crack in the rock. So when he had crept about +awhile, he came to a door which was locked. But he knew a way how to get +in, for he crept through the key-hole, and what do you think he saw +there? Why, a strange princess, combing a hill-ogre's hair that had +three heads.</p> + +<p>"'I have come all right,' said the lad to himself; for he had heard how +the king had lost two daughters before, whom the trolls had taken.</p> + +<p>"'Maybe, I shall find the second also,' he said to himself, as he crept +through the key-hole of a second door. There sat a strange princess +combing a hill-ogre's hair who had six heads. So he crept through a +third key-hole still, and there sat the youngest princess, combing a +hill-ogre's hair with nine heads. Then he crept up her leg and stung +her, and so she knew it was the lad who wished to talk to her; and then +she begged leave of the hill-ogre to go out.</p> + +<p>"When she came out the lad was himself again, and so he told her she +must ask the hill-ogre whether she would never get away and go home to +her father. Then he turned himself into an ant and sat on her foot, and +so the princess went into the house again, and fell to combing the +hill-ogre's hair.</p> + +<p>"So when she had done this awhile, she fell a-thinking.</p> + +<p>"'You're forgetting to comb me,' said the hill-ogre. 'What is it you're +thinking of?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I am doubting whether I shall ever get away from this place, and +home to my father's grange,' said the princess.</p> + +<p>"'Nay! nay! that you'll never do!' said the hill-ogre; 'not unless you +can find the grain of sand which lies under the ninth tongue of the +ninth head of the dragon to which your father paid tax; but that no one +will ever find, for if that grain of sand came over the rock all the +hill-ogres would burst, and the rock itself would become a gilded +palace, and the lake green meadows.'</p> + +<p>"As soon as the lad heard that he crept out through the keyholes, and +through the crack in the rock, till he got outside. Then he turned +himself into a falcon, and flew whither the dragon lay. Then he hunted +till he found the grain of sand under the ninth tongue of the ninth +head, and flew off with it; but when he came to the lake he got so +tired, so tired, that he had to sink down and perch on a stone by the +strand. And just as he sat there he dozed and nodded for the twinkling +of an eye; and, meantime, the grain of sand fell out of his bill down +among the sand on the shore. So he searched for it three days before he +found it again. But as soon as he had found it he flew straight off to +the steep rock with it, and dropped it down the crack. Then all the +hill-ogres burst, and the rock was rent, and there stood a gilded +castle, which was the grandest castle in all the world; and the lake +became the loveliest fields and the greenest meads any one ever saw.</p> + +<p>"So they travelled back to the king's grange, and there arose, as you +may fancy, joy and gladness. The lad and the youngest princess were to +have one another; and they kept up the bridal feast over the whole +kingdom for seven full weeks. And if they did not fare well, I only hope +you may fare better still."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SWEETHEART_IN_THE_WOOD" id="THE_SWEETHEART_IN_THE_WOOD"></a>THE SWEETHEART IN THE WOOD.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a man who had a daughter, and she was so +pretty her name was spread over many kingdoms, and lovers came to her as +thick as autumn leaves. One of these made out that he was richer than +all the rest; and grand and handsome he was too; so he was to have her, +and after that he came over and over again to see her.</p> + +<p>"As time went on, he said he should like her to come to his house and +see how he lived; he was sorry he could not fetch her and go with her, +but the day she came he would strew peas all along the path right up to +his house door; but somehow or other it fell out that he strewed the +peas a day too early.</p> + +<p>"She set out and walked a long way, through wood and waste, and at last +she came to a big grand house, which stood in a green field in the midst +of the wood; but her lover was not at home, nor was there a soul in the +house either. First, she went into the kitchen, and there she saw +nothing but a strange bird which hung in a cage from the roof. Next she +went into the parlour, and there everything was so fine it was beyond +belief. But as she went into it, the bird called after her,—</p> + +<p>"'Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.'</p> + +<p>"When she passed on into an inner room, the bird called out the same +words. There she saw ever so many chests of drawers, and when she pulled +open the drawers, they were filled with gold and silver, and everything +that was rich and rare. When she went on into a second room the bird +called out again,—</p> + +<p>"'Pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold.'</p> + +<p>"In that room the walls were all hung round with women's dresses, till +the room was crammed full. She went on into a third room, and then the +bird screamed out,—</p> + +<p>"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.'</p> + +<p>"And what do you think she saw there? Why! ever so many pails full of +blood.</p> + +<p>"So she passed on to a fourth room, and then the bird screamed and +screeched after her,—</p> + +<p>"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.'</p> + +<p>"'That room was full of heaps of dead bodies, and skeletons of slain +women, and the girl got so afraid that she was going to run away out of +the house, but she had only got as far as the next room, where the pails +of blood stood, when the bird called out to her,—</p> + +<p>"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden! Jump under the bed, jump under the bed, +for now he's coming.'</p> + +<p>"She was not slow to give heed to the bird, and to hide under the bed. +She crept as far back close to the wall as she could, for she was so +afraid she would have crept into the wall itself, had she been able!</p> + +<p>"So in came her lover with another girl; and she begged so prettily and +so hard he would only spare her life, and then she would never say a +word against him, but it was all no good. He tore off all her clothes +and jewels, down to a ring which she had on her finger. That he pulled +and tore at, but when he couldn't get it off he hacked off her finger, +and it rolled away under the bed to the girl who lay there, and she took +it up and kept it. Her sweetheart told a little boy who was with him, to +creep under the bed and bring out the finger. Yes! he bent down and +crept under, and saw the girl lying there; but she squeezed his hand +hard, and then he saw what she meant.</p> + +<p>"'It lies so far under, I can't reach it,' he cried. 'Let it bide there +till to-morrow, and then I'll fetch it out.'</p> + +<p>"Early next morning the robber went out, and the boy was left behind to +mind the house, and he then went to meet the girl to whom his master was +betrothed, and who had come, as you know, by mistake the day before. But +before he went, the robber told him to be sure not to let her go into +the two farthermost bed-rooms.</p> + +<p>"So when he was well off in the wood, the boy went and said she might +come out now.</p> + +<p>"'You were lucky, that you were,' he said, 'in coming so soon, else he +would have killed you like all the others.'</p> + +<p>"She did not stay there long, you may fancy, but hurried back home as +quick as ever she could, and when her father asked her why she had come +so soon, she told him what sort of a man her sweetheart was, and all +that she had heard and seen.</p> + +<p>"A short time after her lover came passing by that way, and he looked so +grand that his raiment shone again, and he came to ask, he said, why she +had never paid him that visit as she had promised.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said her father; 'there came a man in the way with a sledge and +scattered the peas, and she couldn't find her way; but now you must just +put up with our poor house, and stay the night, for you must know we +have guests coming, and it will be just a betrothal feast.'</p> + +<p>"So when they had all eaten and drunk, and still sat round the table, +the daughter of the house said she had dreamt such a strange dream a few +nights before. If they cared to hear it she would tell it them, but they +must all promise to sit quite still till she came to the end.</p> + +<p>"Yes! They were all ready to hear, and they all promised to sit still, +and her sweetheart as well.</p> + +<p>"'I dreamt I was walking along a broad path, and it was strewn with +peas.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! Yes!' said her sweetheart; 'just as it will be when you go to my +house, my love.'</p> + +<p>"'Then the path got narrower and narrower, and it went far, far away +through wood and waste.'</p> + +<p>"'Just like the way to my house, my love,' said her sweetheart.</p> + +<p>"'And so I came to a green field, in which stood a big grand house.'</p> + +<p>"'Just like my house, my love,' said her sweetheart.</p> + +<p>"'So I went into the kitchen, but I saw no living soul, and from the +roof hung a strange bird in a cage, and as I passed on into the parlour, +it called after me, "Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold."'</p> + +<p>"'Just like my house that too, my love!' said her sweetheart.</p> + +<p>"'So I passed on into a bedroom, and the bird bawled after me the same +words, and in there were so many chests of drawers, and when I pulled +the drawers out and looked into them, they were filled with gold and +silver stuffs, and everything that was grand.'</p> + +<p>"'That is just like it is at my house, my love,' said her sweetheart. +'I, too, have many drawers full of gold and silver, and costly things.'</p> + +<p>"'So I went on into another bedroom, and the bird screeched out to me +the very same words; and that room was all hung round on the walls with +fine dresses of women.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, that too, is just as it is in my house,' he said; 'there are +dresses and finery there both of silk and satin.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! when I passed on to the next bedroom, the bird began to screech +and scream—pretty maiden, pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold; and +in this room were casks and pails all round the walls, and they were +full of blood.'</p> + +<p>"'Fie,' said her sweetheart, 'how nasty. It isn't at all like that in my +house, my love,' for now he began to grow uneasy and wished to be off.</p> + +<p>"'Why!' said the daughter, 'it's only a dream, you know, that I am +telling. Sit still. The least you can do is to hear my dream out.' Then +she went on,</p> + +<p>"'When I went on into the next bedroom the bird began to scream out as +loudly as before, the same words—pretty maiden, pretty maiden! be bold, +but not too bold. And there lay many dead bodies and skeletons of slain +folk.'</p> + +<p>"'No! no,' said her sweetheart, 'there's nothing like that in my house,' +and again he tried to run out.</p> + +<p>"'Sit still, I say,' she said, 'it is nothing else than a dream, and you +may very well hear it out. I, too, thought it dreadful, and ran back +again, but I had not got farther than the next room where all those +pails of blood stood, when the bird screeched out that I must jump under +the bed and hide, for now <i>He</i> was coming; and so he came, and with him +he had a girl who was so lovely I thought I had never seen her like +before. She prayed and begged so prettily that he would spare her life. +But he did not care a pin for all her tears and prayers; he tore off her +clothes, and took all she had, and he neither spared her life nor aught +else; but on her left hand she had a ring, which he could not tear off, +so he hacked off her finger, and it rolled away under the bed to me.'</p> + +<p>"'Indeed! my love,' said her sweetheart, 'there's nothing like that in +my house.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, it was in your house,' she said, 'and here is the finger and the +ring, and you are the man who hacked it off.'</p> + +<p>"So they laid hands on him, and put him to death, and burnt both his +body and his house in the wood."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="HOW_THEY_GOT_HAIRLOCK_HOME" id="HOW_THEY_GOT_HAIRLOCK_HOME"></a>HOW THEY GOT HAIRLOCK HOME.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a goody who had three sons. The first was +called Peter, the second Paul, and the third Osborn Boots. One single +nanny-goat she had who was called Hairlock and she never would come home +in time for tea.</p> + +<p>"Peter and Paul both went out to get her home, but they found no +nanny-goat, so Boots had to set off, and when he had walked a while he +saw Hairlock high, high upon a crag.</p> + +<p>"'Dear Hairlock, pretty Hairlock,' he cried, 'you can't stand any longer +on yon crag, for you must come home in good time for tea, to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No, no, that I shan't,' said Hairlock, 'I won't wet my socks for any +one, and if you want me you must carry me.'</p> + +<p>"But Osborn Boots would not do that, so he went and told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said his mother, 'go to the fox and beg him to bite Hairlock.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad went to the fox.</p> + +<p>"'My dear fox, bite Hairlock, for Hairlock won't come home in good time +for tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No,' said the fox, 'I won't blunt my snout on pig's bristles and +goat's beards.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad went and told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well, then!' she said, 'go to Graylegs, the wolf.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to Graylegs,—</p> + +<p>"'Dear Graylegs! do, Graylegs, tear the fox, for the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time for tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No,' said Graylegs, 'I won't wear out my paws and teeth on a dry fox's +carcass.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad went and told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then, go to the bear,' said his mother, 'and beg him to slay +Graylegs.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the bear,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear bear, do, bear, slay Graylegs, for Graylegs won't tear the +fox, and the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in +good time for tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No, I won't,' said the bear, 'I won't blunt my claws in that work, +that I won't.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the Finn and beg him shoot the bear.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the Finn,—</p> + +<p>"'Dear Finn! do, Finn, shoot the bear, the bear won't slay Graylegs, +Graylegs won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock +won't come home in good time for tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No! that I won't,' said the Finn, 'I'm not going to shoot away my +bullets for that.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the fir, and beg him fall on the Finn.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the fir,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear fir! fir, do fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, +the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No! that I won't,' said the fir, 'I'm not going to break off my boughs +for that.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' said she, 'go to the fire and beg it to burn the fir.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the fire, 'My dear fire! do, fire, burn the fir, the +fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear +won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No! that I won't,' said the fire, 'I'm not going to burn myself out +for that, that I won't.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the water and beg it to quench the fire.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the water,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear water! do, water, quench the fire, the fire won't burn the +fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the +bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"No, I won't,' said the water, 'I'm not going to run to waste for that, +be sure.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the ox, and beg him to drink up the +water.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the ox,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear ox! do, ox, drink up the water, for the water won't quench the +fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the +Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't +tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home +in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No! I won't,' said the ox, 'I'm not going to burst asunder in doing +that, I trow.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' said she, 'you must go to the yoke, and beg him to pinch +the ox.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the yoke,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear yoke! yoke, do pinch the ox, for the ox won't drink up the +water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the +fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear +won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No, that I won't,' said the yoke, 'I'm not going to break myself in +two in doing that.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the axe, and beg him to chop the +yoke.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the axe,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear axe, do, axe, chop the yoke, for the yoke won't pinch the ox, +the ox won't drink up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the +fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't +shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the +fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good +time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No, that I won't,' said the axe, 'I'm not going to spoil my edge for +that, that I won't.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the smith, and beg him to hammer the +axe.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the smith,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear smith! do, smith, hammer the axe, for the axe won't chop the +yoke, the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink up the water, the +water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't +fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the +wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and +Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No, I won't,' said the smith, 'I'm not going to burn up my coal, and +wear out my sledge hammer for that,' he said.</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the rope, and beg it to hang the +smith.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the rope,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear rope! do, rope, hang the smith, for the smith won't hammer the +axe, the axe won't chop the yoke, the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox +won't drink up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire +won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot +the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the +fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to +tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No!' said the rope, 'that I won't, I'm not going to fray myself out +for that.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then!' she said, 'you must go to the mouse, and beg him to gnaw +the rope.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the mouse,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear mouse! do, mouse, gnaw the rope, for the rope won't hang the +smith, the smith won't hammer the axe, the axe won't chop the yoke, the +yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink up the water, the water +won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall +on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the +wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and +Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'No! I won't,' said the mouse, 'I'm not going to wear down my teeth for +that.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother.</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the cat, and beg her to catch +the mouse.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad said to the cat,—</p> + +<p>"'My dear cat! do, cat, catch the mouse, for the mouse won't gnaw the +rope, the rope won't hang the smith, the smith won't hammer the axe, the +axe won't chop the yoke the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink +up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the +fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the +bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the cat, 'just give me a drop of milk for my kittens and +then——' that's what the cat said, and the lad said, 'yes, she should +have it.'</p> + +<p>"So the cat bit mouse, and mouse gnawed rope, and rope hanged smith, and +smith hammered axe, and axe chopped yoke, and yoke pinched ox, and ox +drank water, and water quenched fire, and fire burnt fir, and fir felled +Finn, and Finn shot bear, and bear slew graylegs, and graylegs tore fox, +and fox bit Hairlock, so that she sprang home and knocked off one of her +hind legs against the barn wall.</p> + +<p>"So there lay the nanny-goat, and if she's not dead she limps about on +three legs.</p> + +<p>"But as for Osborn Boots, he said it served her just right, because she +would not come home in good time for tea that very day."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="OSBORN_BOOTS_AND_MR_GLIBTONGUE" id="OSBORN_BOOTS_AND_MR_GLIBTONGUE"></a>OSBORN BOOTS AND MR. GLIBTONGUE.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a king who had many hundred sheep, and many +hundred goats and kine; and many hundred horses he had too, and silver +and gold in great heaps. But for all that he was so given to grief, that +he seldom or ever saw folk, and much less say a word to them. Such he +had been ever since his youngest daughter was lost, and if he had never +lost her it would still have been bad enough, for there was a troll who +was for ever making such waste and worry there that folk could hardly +pass to the king's grange in peace. Now the troll let all the horses +loose, and they trampled down mead and corn-field, and ate up the crops; +now he tore the heads off the king's ducks and geese; sometimes he +killed the king's kine in the byre, sometimes he drove the king's sheep +and goats down the rocks and broke their necks, and every time they went +to fish in the mill-dam he had hunted all the fish to land and left them +lying there dead.</p> + +<p>"Well! there was a couple of old folk who had three sons, the first was +called Peter, the second Paul, and the third Osborn Boots, for he always +lay and grubbed about in the ashes.</p> + +<p>"They were hopeful youths, but Peter, who was the eldest, was said to be +the hopefullest, and so he asked his father if he might have leave to go +out into the world and try his luck.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! you shall have it,' said the old fellow. 'Better late than never, +my boy.'</p> + +<p>"So he got brandy in a flask, and food in his wallet, and then he threw +his fare on his back and toddled down the hill. And when he had walked a +while, he fell upon an old wife who lay by the road side.</p> + +<p>"'Ah! my dear boy, give me a morsel of food to-day,' said the old wife.</p> + +<p>"But Peter hardly so much as looked on one side, and then he held his +head straight and went on his way.</p> + +<p>"'Ay, ay,' said the old wife, 'go along, and you shall see what you +shall see.'</p> + +<p>"So Peter went far and farther than far, till he came at last to the +king's grange. There stood the king in the gallery, feeding the cocks +and hens.</p> + +<p>"'Good evening and God bless your majesty," said Peter.</p> + +<p>"'Chick-a-biddy! chick-a-biddy!' said the king, and scattered corn both +east and west, and took no heed of Peter.</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said Peter to himself, 'you may just stand there and scatter +corn and cackle chicken-tongue till you turn into a bear,' and so he +went into the kitchen and sat down on the bench as though he were a +great man.</p> + +<p>"'What sort of a stripling are you,' said the cook, for Peter had not +yet got his beard. That he thought jibes and mocking, and so he fell to +beating and banging the kitchen-maid. But while he was hard at it, in +came the king, and made them cut three red stripes out of his back, and +then they rubbed salt into the wound, and sent him home again the same +way he came.</p> + +<p>"Now as soon as Peter was well home, Paul must set off in his turn. +Well! well! he too got brandy in his flask and food in his wallet, and +he threw his fare over his back and toddled down the hill. When he had +got on his way he, too, met the old wife, who begged for food, but he +strode past her and made no answer; and at the king's grange he did not +fare a pin better than Peter. The king called 'chick-a-biddy,' and the +kitchen-maid called him a clumsy boy, and when he was going to bang and +beat her for that, in came the king with a butcher's knife, and cut +three red stripes out of him, and rubbed hot embers in, and sent him +home again with a sore back.</p> + +<p>"Then Boots crept out the cinders, and fell to shaking himself. The +first day he shook all the ashes off him, the second he washed and +combed himself, and the third he dressed himself in his Sunday best.</p> + +<p>"'Nay! nay! just look at him,' said Peter. 'Now we have got a new sun +shining here. I'll be bound you are off to the king's grange to win his +daughter and half the kingdom. Far better bide in the dusthole and lie +in the ashes, that you had.'</p> + +<p>"But Boots was deaf in that ear, and he went in to his father and asked +leave to go out a little into the world.</p> + +<p>"'What are you to do out in the world?' said the grey-beard. 'It did not +fare so well either with Peter or Paul, and what do you think will +become of you?'</p> + +<p>"But Boots would not give way, and so at last he had leave to go.</p> + +<p>"His brothers were not for letting him have a morsel of food with him, +but his mother gave him a cheese rind and a bone with very little meat +on it, and with them he toddled away from the cottage. As he went he +took his time. 'You'll be there soon enough,' he said to himself. 'You +have all the day before you, and afterwards the moon will rise, if you +have any luck.' So he put his best foot foremost, and puffed up the +hills, and all the while looked about him on the road.</p> + +<p>"After a long, long way he met the old wife, who lay by the road side.</p> + +<p>"'The poor old cripple,' said Boots, 'I'll be bound you are starving.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! she was,' said the old wife.</p> + +<p>"'Are you? then I'll go shares with you,' said Osborn Boots, and as he +said that he gave her the rind of cheese.</p> + +<p>"'You're freezing too,' he said, as he saw how her teeth chattered. 'You +must take this old jacket of mine. It's not good in the arms, and thin +in the back, but once on a time, when it was new, it was a good wrap.'</p> + +<p>"'Bide a bit,' said the old wife, as she fumbled down in her big pocket, +'Here you have an old key, I have nothing better or worse to give you, +but when you look through the ring at the top, you can see whatever you +choose to see.'</p> + +<p>"So when he got to the king's grange the cook was hard at work drawing +water, and that was great toil to her.</p> + +<p>"'It's too heavy for you,' said Boots, 'but it's just what I am fit to +do.'</p> + +<p>"The one that was glad then, you may fancy, was the kitchen-maid, and +from that day she always let Boots scrape the porridge-pot; but it was +not long before he got so many enemies by that, that they told lies of +him to the king, and said he had told them he was man enough to do this +and that.</p> + +<p>"So one day the king came and asked Boots if it were true that he was +man enough to keep the fish in the mill-dam, so that the troll could not +harm them, 'for that's what they tell me you have said,' spoke the king.</p> + +<p>"'I have not said so,' said Boots, 'but if I had said it I would have +been as good as my word.'</p> + +<p>"Well, however it was, whether he had said it or not, he must try, if he +wished to keep a whole skin on his back; that was what the king said.</p> + +<p>"'Well, if he must he must,' said Boots, for he said he had no need to +go about with red stripes under his jacket.</p> + +<p>"In the evening Boots peeped through his key ring, and then he saw that +the troll was afraid of thyme. So he fell to plucking all the thyme he +could find, and some of it he strewed in the water, and some on land, +and the rest he spread over the brink of the dam.</p> + +<p>"So the troll had to leave the fish in peace, but now the sheep had to +pay for it, for the troll was chasing them over all the cliffs and crags +the whole night.</p> + +<p>"Then one of the other servants came and said again that Boots knew a +cure for the stock as well, if he only chose, for that he had said he +was man enough to do it, was the very truth.</p> + +<p>"Well! the king went out to him and spoke to him as he had spoken the +first time, and threatened that he would cut three broad stripes out of +his back if he did not do what he had said.</p> + +<p>"So there was no help for it. Boots thought, I dare say it would be very +fine to go about in the king's livery and a red jacket, but he thought +he would rather be without it, if he himself had to find the cloth for +it out of the skin of his back. That was what he thought and said.</p> + +<p>"So he betook himself to his thyme again, but there was no end to his +work, for as soon as he bound thyme on the sheep they ate it off one +another's backs, and as he went on binding they went on eating, and they +ate faster than he could bind. But at last he made an ointment of thyme +and tar, and rubbed it well into them, and then they left off eating it. +Then the kine and the horses got the same ointment, and so they had +peace from the troll.</p> + +<p>"But one day when the king was out hunting he trod upon wild grass and +got bewildered, and lost his way in the wood; so he rode round and round +for many days, and had nothing either to eat or drink, and his clothing +fared so ill in the thorns and thickets that at last he had scarce a rag +to his back. So the troll came to him and said if he might have the +first thing the king set eyes on when he got on his own land, he would +let him go home to his grange. Yes! he should have that, for the king +thought it would be sure to be his little dog, which always came +frisking and fawning to meet him. But just as he got near his grange, +that they could see him, out came his eldest daughter at the head of all +the court, to meet the king, and to welcome him back safe and sound.</p> + +<p>"So when he saw that she was the first to meet him, he was so cut to the +heart he fell to the ground on the spot, and since that time had been +almost half-witted.</p> + +<p>"One evening the troll was to come and fetch the princess, and she was +dressed out in her best, and sat in a field out by the tarn, and wept +and bewailed. There was a man called Glibtongue, who was to go with her, +but he was so afraid he clomb up into a tall spruce fir, and there he +stuck. Just then up came Boots, and sat down on the ground by the side +of the princess. And she was so glad, as you may fancy, when she saw +there were still Christian folk who dared to stay by her after all.</p> + +<p>"'Lay your head on my lap,' she said, 'and I'll comb your hair;' so +Osborn Boots did as she bade him, and while she combed his hair he fell +asleep, and she took a gold ring off her finger and knitted it into his +hair. Just then up came the troll puffing and blowing. He was so heavy +footed that all the wood groaned and cracked a whole mile round.</p> + +<p>"And when the troll saw Glibtongue sitting up in the tree-top, like a +little black cock, he spat at him.</p> + +<p>"'Pish,' he said, that was all, and down toppled Glibtongue and the +spruce fir to the ground, and there he lay sprawling like a fish out of +water.</p> + +<p>"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'are you sitting here combing Christian +folk's hair? Now I'll gobble you up.'</p> + +<p>"'Stuff,' said Boots, as soon as he woke up, and then he fell to peering +at the troll through the ring on his key.</p> + +<p>"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'what are you staring at? Hu! hu!'</p> + +<p>"And as he said that he hurled his iron club at him, so that it stood +fifteen ells deep in the rock; but Boots was so quick and ready on his +feet that he got on one side of the club, just as the troll hurled it.</p> + +<p>"'Stuff! for such old wives' tricks,' said Boots, 'out with your +toothpick, and you shall see something like a throw.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! the troll plucked out the club at one pull, and it was as big as +three weaver's beams. Meanwhile Boots stared up at the sky, both south +and north.</p> + +<p>"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'what are you gazing at now?'</p> + +<p>"'I'm looking out for a star at which to throw,' said Boots. 'Do you see +that tiny little one due north, that's the one I choose.'</p> + +<p>"'Nay! nay!' said the troll, 'let it bide as it is. You mustn't throw +away my iron club.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! well!' said Boots, 'you may have it again then, but perhaps you +wouldn't mind if I tossed you up to the moon just for once.'</p> + +<p>"No! the troll would have nothing to say to that either.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! but blindman's buff,' said Boots, 'haven't you a mind to play +blindman's buff?'</p> + +<p>"Yes, that would be fine fun, the troll thought; 'but you shall be +blindfold first,' said the troll to Boots.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, yes, with all my heart,' said the lad, 'but the fairest way is +that we draw lots, and then we shan't have anything to quarrel about.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! yes! that was best, and then you may fancy Boots took care the +troll should be the first to have the handkerchief over his eyes, and +was the first 'buff.'</p> + +<p>"But that just was a game. My! how they went in and out of the wood, and +how the troll ran and stumbled over the stumps, so that the dust flew +and the wood rang.</p> + +<p>"'Haw! haw!' bawled the troll at last, 'the deil take me if I'll be buff +any longer,' for he was in a great rage.</p> + +<p>"'Bide a bit,' said Boots, 'and I'll stand still and call till you come +and catch me.'</p> + +<p>"Meanwhile he took a hemp-comb and ran round to the other side of the +tarn, which was so deep it had no bottom.</p> + +<p>"'Now come, here I stand,' bawled out Boots.</p> + +<p>"'I dare say there are logs and stumps in the way,' said the troll.</p> + +<p>"'Your ears can tell you there is no wood here,' said Boots, and then he +swore to him there were no stumps or stocks.</p> + +<p>"'Now come along.'</p> + +<p>"So the troll set off again, but 'squash' it said, and there lay the +troll in the tarn, and Boots hacked at his eyes with the hemp-comb every +time he got his head above water.</p> + +<p>"Now the troll begged so prettily for his life, that Boots thought it +was a shame to take it, but first he had to give up the princess, and to +bring back the other whom he had stolen before. And besides he had to +promise that folk and flock should have peace, and then he let the troll +out, and he took himself off home to his hill.</p> + +<p>"But now Glibtongue became a man again, and came down out of the +tree-top, and carried off the princess to the grange, as though he had +set her free. And then he stole down and gave his arm to the other also, +when Boots had brought her as far as the garden. And now there was such +joy in the king's grange, that it was heard and talked of over land and +realm, and Glibtongue was to be married to the youngest daughter.</p> + +<p>"Well, it was all good and right, but after all it was not so well, for +just as they were to have the feast, if that old troll had not gone down +under earth and stopped all the springs of water.</p> + +<p>"'If I can't do them any other harm,' he said, 'they sha'n't have water +to boil their bridal brose.'</p> + +<p>"So there was no help for it but to send for Boots again. Then he got +him an iron bar, which was to be fifteen ells long, and six smiths were +to make it red hot. Then he peeped through his key ring, and saw where +the troll was, just as well underground as above it, and then he drove +the bar down through the ground, and into the troll's backbone, and all +I can say was, there was a smell of burnt horn fifteen miles round.</p> + +<p>"'Haw! haw!' bellowed out the troll, 'let me out,' and in a trice he +came tearing up through the hole, and all his back was burnt and singed +up to the nape of his neck.</p> + +<p>"But Boots was not slow, for he caught the troll and laid him on a stake +that had thyme twisted round it, and there he had to be till he told him +where he had got eyes from after those had been hacked out with the +hemp-comb.</p> + +<p>"'If you must know,' said the troll, 'I stole a turnip, and rubbed it +well over with ointment, and then I cut it to the sizes I needed, and +nailed them in tight with ten-penny nails, and better eyes I hope no +Christian man will ever have.'</p> + +<p>"Then the king came with the two princesses, and wanted to see the +troll, and Glibtongue walked so bent and bowed, his coat tails were +higher than his neck. But then the king caught sight of something +glistening in the hair of Boots.</p> + +<p>"'What have you got there?' he said.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said Boots, 'nothing but the ring your daughter gave me when I +freed her from the troll.'</p> + +<p>"And now it came out how it had all happened. Glibtongue begged and +prayed for himself, but for all his trying and all his crying there was +no help for it, down he had to go into a pit full of snakes, and there +he lay till he burst.</p> + +<p>"Then they put an end to the troll, and then they began to be noisy and +merry, and to drink and dance at the bridal of Boots, for now he was +king of that company, and he got the youngest princess and half the +kingdom.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"And here I lay my tale upon a sledge,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And send it thee whose tongue hath sharper edge,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But if thy tongue in wit is not so fine,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then shame on thee that throwest blame on mine."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THIS_IS_THE_LAD_WHO_SOLD_THE_PIG" id="THIS_IS_THE_LAD_WHO_SOLD_THE_PIG"></a>THIS IS THE LAD WHO SOLD THE PIG.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a widow who had a son and he had set his heart +on being nothing else than a tradesman. But you must know they were so +poor that they had nothing that he could begin his trading with. The +only thing his mother owned in the world was a sow pig, and he begged +and prayed so long and so prettily for that, at last she was forced to +let him have it.</p> + +<p>"When he had got it he was to set off to sell it, that he might have +some money to begin his trading. So he offered it to this man and that, +good and bad alike; but there was no one who just then cared to buy a +pig. At last he came to a rich old hunks; but you know much will always +have more, and that man was one of the sort that never can have enough.</p> + +<p>"'Will you buy a pig to-day?' said the lad; 'a good pig, and a long pig, +and a fine fat pig.' That was what he said.</p> + +<p>"The old hunks asked what he would have for it. It was at least worth +six dollars, even between brothers, said the lad; but the times were so +hard, and money so scarce, he didn't mind selling it for four dollars. +And that was as good as giving it away.</p> + +<p>"No, that the old hunks would not do—he wouldn't give so much as a +dollar even; he had more pigs already than he wanted, and was well off +for pigs of that sort. But as the lad was so eager to sell, he would be +willing to do him a turn, and deal with him; but the most he could give +for the whole pig, every inch of it, was fourpence. If he would take +that down, he might turn his pig into the sty with the rest. That was +what the old hunks said.</p> + +<p>"The lad thought it shameful that he should not get more for his pig; +but then he thought that something was better than nothing, and so he +took the fourpence and turned in the pig. And then he fingered the money +and went about his business. But when he got out into the road, he could +not get it out of his head that he had been cheated out of his pig, and +that he was not much better off with fourpence than with nothing. The +longer he went and thought of this the angrier he got, and at last he +thought to himself,—</p> + +<p>"'If I could only play him a pretty trick, I wouldn't care either for +the pig or the pence.'</p> + +<p>"So he went away and got him a pair of stout thongs and a +cat-o'-nine-tails, and then he threw over him a big cloak, and put on a +billygoat's beard; and so he went back to the skinflint and said he was +from outlandish parts, where he had learnt to be a master builder—for +you must know he had heard the old hunks was going to build a house.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he would gladly take him as master builder, he said; for +thereabouts there were none but home-taught carpenters. So off they went +to look at the timber, and it was the finest heart of pine that any one +would wish to have in the wall of his house: and even the lad said it +was brave timber—he couldn't say otherwise; but in outlandish parts +they had got a new fashion, which was far better than the old. They did +not take long beams and fit them into the wall, but they cut the beams +up into nice small logs, and then they baked them in the sun and +fastened them together again; and so they wore both stronger and +prettier than an old-fashioned timber building.</p> + +<p>"'That's how they build all the houses now-a-days in outlandish parts,' +said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'If it must be so, it must,' said the hunks. With that he set all the +carpenters and woodmen who were to be found round about to chop and hew +all his beams up into small logs.</p> + +<p>"'But,' said the lad, 'we still want some big trees—some of the real +mast-firs—for our sill-beams; maybe, there are no such big trees in +your wood?'</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the man; 'if they're not to be found in my wood, it will +be hard to find them anywhere else.'</p> + +<p>"And so they strode off to the wood, both of them; and a little way up +the hill they came to a big tree.</p> + +<p>"'I should think that's big enough,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'No, it isn't big enough,' said the lad. 'If you haven't bigger trees, +we sha'n't make much way with our building after the new fashion.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! I have bigger ones,' said the man. 'You shall soon see; but we +must go further on.'</p> + +<p>"So they went a long way over the hill, and at last they came to a big +tree, one of the finest trees for a mast in all the wood.</p> + +<p>"'Do you think this is big enough?' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'I almost think it is,' said the lad. 'We will fathom it, and then we +shall soon see. You go on the other side of the fir, and I will stand +here. If we are not good enough to make our hands meet, it will be big +enough; but mind you stretch out well. Stretch out well, do you hear?' +said the lad, as he took out his thongs. As for the man, he did all the +lad told him.</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' said the lad, 'we shall meet nicely, I can see. But stop a bit, +and I'll stretch your hands better,' he said, as he slipped a running +knot over his wrists and drew it tight and bound him fast to the tree; +then out came the cat-o'-nine-tails, and he fell to flogging the old +hunks as fast as he could, and all the while he cried out,—</p> + +<p>"'This is the lad who sold the pig, and this is the lad who sold the +pig.'</p> + +<p>"Nor did he leave off till he thought the old hunks had enough, and that +he had got his rights for the pig; and then he loosed him, and left him +lying under the tree.</p> + +<p>"Now when the man did not come home they made a hue and cry for him over +the neighbourhood, and searched the country round; and at last they +found him under the fir-tree, more dead than alive.</p> + +<p>"So when they had got him home the lad came, and had dressed himself up +as a doctor, and said he had come from foreign parts, and knew a cure +for all kinds of hurt. And when the man heard that, he was all for +having him to doctor him, and the lad said he would not be long in +curing him; but he must have him all alone in a room by himself, and no +one must be by.</p> + +<p>"'If you hear him screech and cry out,' he said, 'you must not mind it; +for the more he screeches, the sooner he will be well again.'</p> + +<p>"So when they were alone, he said,—</p> + +<p>"'First of all I must bleed you.' And so he threw the man roughly down +on a bench and bound him fast with the thongs; and then out came the +cat-o'-nine-tails, and he fell to flogging him as fast as he could. The +man screeched and screamed, for his back was sore, and every lash went +into the bare flesh; and the lad flogged and flogged as though there +were no end to it and all the while he bawled out,—</p> + +<p>"'This is the lad who sold the pig. This is the lad who sold the pig.'</p> + +<p>"The old hunks bellowed as though a knife were being stuck into him; but +there was not a soul that cared about it, for the more he screeched the +sooner he would be well, they thought.</p> + +<p>"So when the lad had done his doctoring, he set off from the farm as +fast as he could; but they followed fast on his heels, and overtook him +and threw him into prison, and the end was he was doomed to be hanged.</p> + +<p>"And the old hunks was so angry with him, even then, that he would not +have him hanged till he was quite well, so that he might hang him with +his own hands.</p> + +<p>"So while the lad sat there in prison waiting to be hanged, one of the +serving-men came out by night and stole kail in the garden of the old +hunks, and the lad saw him.</p> + +<p>"'So, so!' said he to himself; 'master thief, it will be odd if I don't +play off a trick or two with you before I am hanged.'</p> + +<p>"And so when time went on, and the man was so well he thought he had +strength enough to hang him, he made them set up a gallows down by the +way to the mill, so that he might see the body hanging every time he +went to the mill. So they set out to hang the lad, and when they had +gone a bit of the way, the lad said,—</p> + +<p>"'You will not refuse to let me talk alone with your servant who grinds +down yonder at the mill? I did him a bad turn once, and I wish now to +confess it, and beg him for forgiveness before I die.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! he might have leave to do that.</p> + +<p>"'Heaven help you!' he said to the miller's man. 'Now your master is +coming to hang you because you stole kail in his garden.'</p> + +<p>"As soon as the miller's man heard that, he was so taken aback he did +not know which way to turn; and so he asked the lad what he should do.</p> + +<p>"'Take and change clothes with me and hide yourself behind the door,' +said the lad; 'and then he will not know that it isn't me. And if he +lays hands on any one, then it will not be you, but me.'</p> + +<p>"It was some time before they had changed clothes and dressed again, and +the old hunks began to be afraid lest the lad should have run away. So +he posted down to the mill door.</p> + +<p>"'Where is he?' he said to the lad, who stood there as white as a +miller.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, he was here just now,' said the lad. 'I think he went and hid +himself behind the door.'</p> + +<p>"'I'll teach you to hide behind the door, you rogue,' said the old +hunks, as he seized the man in a great rage, and hurried him off to the +gallows and hanged him in a breath; and all the while he never knew it +was not the lad that he hanged.</p> + +<p>"After that was done, he wanted to go into the mill to talk to his man, +who was busy grinding. Meantime the lad had wedged up the upper +millstone, and was feeling under it with his hands.</p> + +<p>"Come here, come here,' he called out as soon as he saw the old hunks; +'and you shall feel what a wonderful millstone this is.'</p> + +<p>"So the man went and felt the millstone with one hand.</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay,' said the lad; 'you'll never feel it unless you take hold of +it with both hands.'</p> + +<p>"Well, he did so; and just then the lad snatched out the wedge and let +the upper millstone down on him, so that he was caught fast by the hands +between the stones. Then out came the cat-o'-nine-tails again, and he +fell to flogging him as fast as he could.</p> + +<p>"'This is the lad who sold the pig,' he cried out, till he was hoarse.</p> + +<p>"And when he had flogged him as much as he could he went home to his +mother; and as time went on, and he thought the man had come to himself +again, he said to her,—</p> + +<p>"'Yes! now I daresay that man will be coming to whom I sold the pig; and +now I know no other trick to screen me any longer from him, unless I dig +a hole here south of the house, and there I will lie all day; and you +must mind and say to him just what I tell you.'</p> + +<p>"So the lad told his mother all she was to say and do.</p> + +<p>"Then he dug such a hole as he had said, and took with him a long +butcher's knife, and lay down in it; and his mother covered him over +with boughs, and leaves, and moss, so that he was quite hidden! There he +lay by day; and after a while the man came travelling along and asked +for the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Ay, ay,' said his mother. 'He was a man, that he was; though he never +got from me more than one sow pig. For he became both a doctor and a +master builder, and he was hanged after that, and rose again from the +dead; and yet I never heard anything but ill of him. Here he came flying +home the other day, and then he gave me the greatest joy I ever had of +him, for he laid him down and died. As for me, I did not care enough for +him to spend money on a priest and Christian earth; but I just buried +him yonder, south of the house, and raked over him boughs and leaves.'</p> + +<p>"'See now,' said the old hunks; 'if he hasn't cheated me after all, and +slipped through my fingers. But though I have not been avenged on him +living, I will do him a dishonour in his grave.'</p> + +<p>"As he said this he strode away south to the grave, and stooped down to +spit into it; but at that very moment the lad stuck the knife into him +up to the handle, and bawled out,—</p> + +<p>"'This is the lad who sold the pig! This is the lad who sold the pig!'</p> + +<p>"Away flew the man with the knife sticking in him, and he was so scared +and afraid, that nothing has ever been heard or seen of him since."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SHEEP_AND_THE_PIG_WHO_SET_UP_HOUSE" id="THE_SHEEP_AND_THE_PIG_WHO_SET_UP_HOUSE"></a>THE SHEEP AND THE PIG WHO SET UP HOUSE.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a sheep who stood in the pen to be fattened; +so he lived well, and was stuffed and crammed with everything that was +good. So it went on, till, one day, the dairymaid came and gave him +still more food, and then she said,</p> + +<p>"'Eat away, sheep; you won't be much longer here; we are going to kill +you to-morrow.'</p> + +<p>"It is an old saying, that women's counsel is always worth having, and +that there is a cure and physic for everything but death. 'But, after +all,' said the sheep to himself, 'there may be a cure even for death +this time.'</p> + +<p>"So he ate till he was ready to burst; and when he was crammed full, he +butted out the door of the pen, and took his way to the neighbouring +farm. There he went to the pigsty to a pig whom he had known out on the +common, and ever since had been the best friends with.</p> + +<p>"'Good day!' said the sheep, 'and thanks for our last merry meeting.'</p> + +<p>"'Good day!' answered the pig, 'and the same to you.'</p> + +<p>"'Do you know,' said the sheep, 'why it is you are so well off, and why +it is they fatten you and take such pains with you?'</p> + +<p>"'No, I don't,' said the pig.</p> + +<p>"'Many a flask empties the cask; I suppose you know that,' said the +sheep. 'They are going to kill and eat you.'</p> + +<p>"'Are they?' said the pig; 'well, I hope they'll say grace after meat.'</p> + +<p>"'If you will do as I do,' said the sheep, 'we'll go off to the wood, +build us a house, and set up for ourselves. A home is a home be it ever +so homely.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! the pig was willing enough. 'Good company is such a comfort,' he +said, and so the two set off.</p> + +<p>"So, when they had gone a bit they met a goose.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, good sirs, and thanks for our last merry meeting,' said the +goose; 'whither away so fast to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep; 'you must know we were +too well off at home, and so we are going to set up for ourselves in the +wood, for you know every man's house is his castle.'</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the goose, 'it's much the same with me where I am. Can't I +go with you too, for it's child's play when three share the day.'</p> + +<p>"'With gossip and gabble is built neither house nor stable,' said the +pig, 'let us know what you can do.'</p> + +<p>"'By cunning and skill a cripple can do what he will,' said the goose. +'I can pluck moss and stuff it into the seams of the planks, and your +house will be tight and warm.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! they would give him leave, for, above all things piggy wished to +be warm and comfortable.</p> + +<p>"So, when they had gone a bit farther—the goose had hard work to walk +so fast—they met a hare, who came frisking out of the wood.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, good sirs, and thanks for our last merry meeting,' she said, +'how far are you trotting to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep; 'we were far too well +off at home, and so we're going to the wood, to build us a house, and +set up for ourselves, for you know, try all the world round, there's +nothing like home.'</p> + +<p>"'As for that,' said the hare, 'I have a house in every bush—yes, a +house in every bush; but, yet, I have often said, in winter, 'if I only +live till summer, I'll build me a house;' and so I have half a mind to +go with you and build one up, after all.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' said the pig, 'if we ever get into a scrape, we might use you to +scare away the dogs, for you don't fancy you could help us in house +building.'</p> + +<p>"'He who lives long enough always finds work enough to do,' said the +hare. 'I have teeth to gnaw pegs, and paws to drive them into the wall, +so I can very well set up to be a carpenter, for "good tools make good +work," as the man said, when he flayed the mare with a gimlet.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! he too got leave to go with them and build their house, there was +nothing more to be said about it.</p> + +<p>"When they had gone a bit farther they met a cock.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, good sirs,' said the cock, 'and thanks for our last merry +meeting; whither are ye going to-day, gentlemen?'</p> + +<p>"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep. 'At home we were too +well off, and so we are going off to the wood to build us a house, and +set up for ourselves; for he who out of doors shall bake, loses at last +both coal and cake.'</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the cock, 'that's just my case; but it's better to sit on +one's own perch, for then one can never be left in the lurch, and, +besides, all cocks crow loudest at home. Now, if I might have leave to +join such a gallant company, I also would like to go to the wood and +build a house.'</p> + +<p>"'Ay! ay!' said the pig, 'flapping and crowing sets tongues a-going; but +a jaw on a stick never yet laid a brick. How can you ever help us to +build a house?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the cock, 'that house will never have a clock, where there +is neither dog nor cock. I am up early, and I wake every one.'</p> + +<p>"'Very true,' said the pig, 'the morning hour has a golden dower; let +him come with us;' for, you must know, piggy was always the soundest +sleeper. 'Sleep is the biggest thief,' he said; 'he thinks nothing of +stealing half one's life.'</p> + +<p>"So they all set off to the wood, as a band and brotherhood, and built +the house. The pig hewed the timber, and the sheep drew it home; the +hare was carpenter, and gnawed pegs and bolts, and hammered them into +the walls and roof; the goose plucked moss and stuffed it into the +seams; the cock crew, and looked out that they did not oversleep +themselves in the morning; and when the house was ready, and the roof +lined with birch bark, and thatched with turf; there they lived by +themselves, and were merry and well. ''Tis good to travel east and +west,' said the sheep, 'but after all a home is best.'</p> + +<p>"But you must know that a bit farther on in the wood was a wolf's den, +and there lived two graylegs. So when they saw that a new house had +risen up hard by, they wanted to know what sort of folk their neighbours +were, for they thought to themselves that a good neighbour was better +than a brother in a foreign land, and that it was better to live in a +good neighbourhood than to know many people miles and miles off.</p> + +<p>"So one of them made up an errand, and went into the new house and asked +for a light for his pipe. But as soon as ever he got inside the door, +the sheep gave him such a butt that he fell head foremost into the +stove. Then the pig began to gore and bite him, the goose to nip and +peck him, the cock upon the roost to crow and chatter; and as for the +hare he was so frightened out of his wits, that he ran about aloft and +on the floor, and scratched and scrambled in every corner of the house.</p> + +<p>"So after a long time the wolf came out.</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the one who waited for him outside, 'neighbourhood makes +brotherhood. You must have come into a perfect paradise on bare earth, +since you stayed so long. But what became of the light, for you have +neither pipe nor smoke.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, yes!' said the other; 'it was just a nice light and a pleasant +company. Such manners I never saw in all my life. But then you know we +can't pick and choose in this wicked world, and an unbidden guest gets +bad treatment. As soon as I got inside the door, the shoe-maker let fly +at me with his last, so that I fell head foremost into the stithy fire; +and there sat two smiths who blew the bellows and made the sparks fly, +and beat and punched me with red hot tongs and pincers, so that they +tore whole pieces out of my body. As for the hunter he went scrambling +about looking for his gun, and it was good luck he did not find it. And +all the while there was another who sat up under the roof, and slapped +his arms and sang out,</p> + +<p>"'Put a hook into him, and drag him hither, drag him hither.' That was +what he screamed, and if he had only got hold of me, I should never have +come out alive."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_GOLDEN_PALACE_THAT_HUNG_IN_THE_AIR" id="THE_GOLDEN_PALACE_THAT_HUNG_IN_THE_AIR"></a>THE GOLDEN PALACE THAT HUNG IN THE AIR.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a poor man who had three sons. When he died +the two eldest were to go out into the world to try their luck; but as +for the youngest they would not have him at any price.</p> + +<p>"'As for you,' they said, 'you are fit for nothing but to sit and hold +fir tapers, and grub in the ashes and blow up the embers. That's what +you are fit for.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, well,' said Boots, 'then I must e'en go alone by myself: at any +rate I shan't fall out with my company.'</p> + +<p>"So the two went their way, and when they had travelled some days they +came to a great wood. There they sat down to rest, and were just going +to take out a meal from their knapsack, for they were both tired and +hungry. So as they sat there up came an old hag out of a hillock, and +begged for a morsel of meat. She was so old and feeble that her nose and +mouth met, and she nodded with her head, and could only walk with a +stick. As for meat she had not had, she said, a morsel in her mouth +these hundred years. But the lads only laughed at her, and ate on and +told her as she had lived so long on nothing, she might very well hold +out the rest of her life, even though she did not eat up their scanty +fare, for they had little to eat and nothing to spare.</p> + +<p>"So when they had eaten their fill and could eat no more, and were quite +rested, they went on their way again, and, sooner or later, they came to +the King's Grange, and there they each of them got a place.</p> + +<p>"A while after they had started from home, Boots gathered together the +crumbs which his brothers had thrown on one side, and put them into his +little scrip, and he took with him the old gun which had no lock, for he +thought it might be some good on the way; and so he set off. So when he +had wandered some days, he too came into the big wood, through which his +brothers had passed, and as he got tired and hungry, he sat down under a +tree that he might rest and eat; but he had his eyes about him for all +that, and as he opened his scrip he saw a picture hanging on a tree, and +on it was painted the likeness of a young girl or princess, whom he +thought so lovely he couldn't keep his eyes off her. So he forgot both +food and scrip, and took down the painting and lay and stared at it. +Just then came up the old hag out of the hillock, who hobbled along with +her stick, whose nose and mouth met, and whose head nodded. Then she +begged for a little food, for she hadn't had a morsel of bread in her +mouth for a hundred years. That was what she said.</p> + +<p>"'Then it's high time you had a little to live on, granny,' said the +lad; and with that he gave her some of the crumbs he had. The old hag +said no one had ever called her 'granny' these hundred years, and she +would be as a mother to him in her turn. Then she gave him a grey ball +of wool, which he had only to roll on before him and he would come to +whatever place he wished; but as for the painting she said he mustn't +bother himself about that, he would only fall into ill luck if he did. +As for Boots, he thought it was very kind of her to say that, but he +could not bear to be without the painting, so he took it under his arm +and rolled the ball of wool before him, and it was not long before he +came to the King's Grange, where his brothers served. There he too +begged for a place, but all the answer he got was they had nothing to +put him to, for they had just got two new serving men. But as he begged +so prettily, at last he got leave to be with the coachman, and learn how +to groom and handle horses. That he was right glad to do, for he was +fond of horses, and he was both quick and ready, so that he soon learnt +how to bed and rub them down, and it was not long before every one in +the King's Grange was fond of him; but every hour he had to himself he +was up in the loft looking at the picture, for he had hung it up in a +corner of the hay-loft.</p> + +<p>"As for his brothers, they were dull and lazy, and so they often got +scolding and stripes, and when they saw that Boots fared better than +they, they got jealous of him, and told the coachman he was a worshipper +of false gods, for he prayed to a picture and not to Our Lord. Now, even +though the coachman thought well of the lad, still he wasn't long before +he told the king what he had heard. But the king only swore and snapped +at him, for he had grown very sad and sorrowful since his daughters had +been carried off by trolls. But they so dinned it into the king's ears, +that at last he must and would know what it was that the lad did. But +when he went up into the hay-loft and set his eyes on the picture, he +saw it was his youngest daughter who was painted on it. But when the +brothers of Boots heard that, they were ready with an answer, and said +to the coachman,</p> + +<p>"'If our brother only would, he has said he was good to get the king's +daughter back.'</p> + +<p>"You may fancy it was not long before the coachman went to the king with +this story, and when the king heard it, he called for Boots, and said,</p> + +<p>"'Your brothers say you can bring back my daughter again, and now you +must do it.'</p> + +<p>"Boots answered, he had never known it was the king's daughter till the +king said so himself, and if he could free her and fetch her he would be +sure to do his best; but two days he must have to think over it and fit +himself out. Yes, he might have two days.</p> + +<p>"So Boots took the grey ball of wool and threw it down on the road, and +it rolled and rolled before him, and he followed it till he came to the +old hag, from whom he had got it. Her he asked what he must do, and she +said he must take with him that old gun of his and three hundred chests +of nails and horseshoe brads, and three hundred barrels of barley, and +three hundred barrels of grits, and three hundred carcases of pigs, and +three hundred beeves, and then he was to roll the ball of wool before +him till he met a raven and a baby troll, and then he would be all +right, for they were both of her stock. Yes, the lad did as she bade +him; he went right on to the King's Grange, and took his old gun with +him, and he asked the king for the nails and the brads, and meat and +flesh, and grain, and for horses and men, and carts to carry them in. +The king thought it was a good deal to ask, but if he could only get his +daughter back, he might have whatever he chose, even to the half of his +kingdom.</p> + +<p>"So when the lad had fitted himself out, he rolled the ball of wool +before him again, and he hadn't gone many days before he came to a high +hill, and there sat a raven, up in a fir tree. So Boots went on till he +came close under the tree, and then he began to aim and point at the +raven with his gun.</p> + +<p>"'No, no,' cried the raven, 'don't shoot me, don't shoot me, and I'll +help you.'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said Boots, 'I never heard of anyone who boasted he had eaten +roast raven, and since you are so eager to save your life, I may just as +well spare it.'</p> + +<p>"So he threw down his gun, and the raven came flying down to him, and +said,</p> + +<p>"'Here, up on this fell there is a baby troll walking up and down, for +he has lost his way and can't get down again. I will help you up, and +then you can lead him home, and ask a boon which will stand you in good +stead. When you get to the troll's house he will offer you all the +grandest things he has, but you should not heed them a pin. Mind you +take nothing else but the little grey ass which stands behind the stable +door.'</p> + +<p>"Then the raven took Boots on his back and flew up on the hill with him, +and put him off there. When he had gone about on it a bit, he heard the +baby troll howling and whining, because it couldn't get down again. So +the lad talked kindly to it, and they got the best friends in the world, +and he said he would help it down and guide it to the old troll's house, +that it mightn't lose itself on the way back. Then they went to the +raven, and he took them both on his back, and carried them off the hill +troll's house.</p> + +<p>"And when the old troll saw his baby, he was so glad he was beside +himself, and told Boots he might come indoors and take whatever he +chose, because he had freed his child. Then they offered him both gold +and silver, and all that was rare and costly; but the lad said he would +rather have a horse than anything else. Yes, he should have a horse, the +troll said, and off they went to the stable. It was full of the grandest +horses, whose coats shone like the sun and moon; but Boots thought they +were all too big for him. So he peeped behind the stable door, and when +he set eyes on the little grey ass that stood there, he said,</p> + +<p>"'I'll take this one. It will suit me to a T, and if I fall off I shall +be no farther from the ground than that —— high.'</p> + +<p>"The old troll did not at all like to part with his ass, but as he had +given his word he had to stand by it. So Boots got the ass, and saddle, +and bridle, and all that belonged to it, and then he set off. They +travelled through wood and field, and over fells and wide wastes. So +when they had gone farther than far, the ass asked Boots if he saw +anything.</p> + +<p>"'No, I see naught else than a hill, which looks blue in the distance,' +said Boots.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said the ass, 'that hill we have to pass through.'</p> + +<p>"'All very fine, I daresay,' said Boots, for he didn't believe a word of +it.</p> + +<p>"So when they got close to the hill, an unicorn came tearing along at +them, just as if he were going to eat them up all alive.</p> + +<p>"'I almost think now I'm afraid,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said the ass, 'don't say so; just throw it a score or so of +beeves, and beg it to bore a hole, and break a way for us through the +hill.'</p> + +<p>"So Boots did as he was told, and when the unicorn had eaten his fill, +they said they would give him a score or two of pigs' carcasses, if he +would go before them and bore a hole in the hill, so that they might get +through it. So when he heard that he set to work and bored the hole, and +broke a way so fast that they had hard work to keep up with him, and +when he had done his work they threw him two score of pigs.</p> + +<p>"So when they had got well out of that they travelled far away, until +they passed again through woods and fields and across fells and wide +wastes.</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?' asked the ass.</p> + +<p>"'Now I see naught but the bare sky and wild fells,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"So they travelled on far and farther than far, and the higher up they +came the fell got smoother and flatter, so that they could see farther +about them.</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?' said the ass.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, I see something far, far away,' said Boots, 'and it gleams and +twinkles like a little star.'</p> + +<p>"'It's not so very little for all that,' said the ass.</p> + +<p>"So when they had gone on farther and farther than far again, the ass +asked again,</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' said Boots, 'I see something a long way off, that shines like a +moon.'</p> + +<p>"'It is no moon,' said the ass, 'but the silver castle we are bound for. +Now, when we get there you will see three dragons lying on the watch +before the gate. They have not been awakened for hundreds of years, and +so the moss has grown over their eyes.'</p> + +<p>"'I almost think I shall be afraid of them,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, don't say that,' said the ass, 'you've only got to wake up the +youngest, and throw it a score or so of beeves and swine, and then it +will talk to the others, and so you'll come into the castle.'</p> + +<p>"So on they travelled far and farther than far again before they came up +to the castle, but when they reached it it was both grand and great, and +everything they saw was cast in silver, and outside the gate lay the +dragons, and blocked up the way so that no one could get in; but they +had a nice easy time of it, and had not been much troubled in their +watch; for they were so overgrown with moss that no one could tell what +they were made of, and at their sides underwood was springing up between +the tufts of moss. So Boots woke up the youngest of them, and it began +to rub its eyes and clear the moss out of them. But when the dragon saw +there was folk there, he came at them with his maw wide a-gape; but then +the lad stood ready, and tossed into it the carcasses of beeves, and +swung after them salted swine, till the dragon had got his fill, and +grew a little more sensible to talk to. Then the lad begged he would +wake up his fellows, and ask them to be so good as to get out of the +way, so that he might get into the castle; but the dragon neither would +nor dared to do that at first, for he said, as they had not been awake +or tasted anything for hundreds of years, he was afraid lest they should +get raving mad, and swallow up everything alive or dead.</p> + +<p>"But Boots thought there was no need to fear that, for they could leave +behind them a hundred carcasses of beeves, and a hundred salt swine, and +go a little way off and then the dragons would have time to eat their +fill, and to come to themselves before the others came back to the +castle.</p> + +<p>"Yes, the dragon was ready to do that, and so they did it; but before +the dragons were well awake, and got the moss rubbed off their eyes; +they went about roaring and raving, and riving and rending at everything +alive or dead, so that the youngest dragon had enough to do to shield +himself from them till they had snuffed up the smell of flesh. Then they +swallowed down whole oxen and swine, and ate and ate till they were +full. And after that they were just as tame and buxom as the youngest, +and let Boots pass between them into the castle.</p> + +<p>"When he got inside it was all so grand he never could have thought +anything could be so good anywhere; but there was not a soul in it, for +he went from room to room, and opened all the doors, but he could see no +one. Well, at last he peeped through a door that led to a bedroom, which +he had not seen before, and in there sat a princess, spinning, and she +was so glad and happy when she saw him.</p> + +<p>"'No, no,' she cried, 'can it be that Christian folk dare to come +hither? but it will be best for you to be off again, else the troll +might kill you, for you must know a troll lives with three heads.'</p> + +<p>"But Boots said he would not fly even if he had seven heads. When the +princess heard that, she said she wished him to try if he could brandish +the great rusty sword that hung behind the door. No, he could not +brandish it, he could not so much as even lift it.</p> + +<p>"'Ah,' said the princess, 'if you can't do that you must take a drink of +that flask yonder, that hangs by the side of the sword, for that's what +the troll does when he goes out to use it.'</p> + +<p>"So Boots took two or three drinks, and then he could brandish the sword +as though it were a rolling pin.</p> + +<p>"Just then came the troll, so that the wind sung after him.</p> + +<p>"'Hu!' he screeched out, 'what a smell of Christian blood there is in +here.'</p> + +<p>"'I know there is,' said Boots, 'but you needn't blow and snort so at +it; you shan't suffer long from that smell,' and in a trice he cut off +all his heads.</p> + +<p>"The princess was so glad, just as if she had got something so good; but +in a little while she got heavy-hearted, for she pined for her sister, +who had been stolen by a troll with six heads, and lived in a golden +castle three hundred miles on this side of the world's end. Boots +thought that was not so very bad, for he could go and fetch both the +princess and the castle; and so he took the sword and the flask, and got +on the ass, and bade the dragons follow him, and carry the meat, and +grain, and nails which he had.</p> + +<p>"So when they had been a while on the way, and had travelled far, far +away over land and strand, the ass said one day,</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything?'</p> + +<p>"'I see naught,' said Boots, 'but land and water and bare sky and high +crags.'</p> + +<p>"So they went on far and farther than far, and then the ass said again,</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' when he had looked well before him, he saw something a long, +long way off, that shone like a little star.</p> + +<p>"'It will be big enough by-and-by,' said the ass.</p> + +<p>"When they had gone a good bit still, the ass asked,</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?'</p> + +<p>"'Now I see it shining like a moon,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Ay, ay,' said the ass, and on they went.</p> + +<p>"So when they had gone far, and farther than far away, over land and +strand, and hill and heath, the ass asked,</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?'</p> + +<p>"'Now, methinks,' said Boots, 'it shines most like the sun.'</p> + +<p>"'Ay,' said the ass, 'that's the golden castle for which we are bound; +but outside it lives a worm, which stops the way and keeps watch and +ward.'</p> + +<p>"'I think I shall be afraid of it,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, don't say so,' said the ass, 'we must spread over it heaps of +boughs, and lay between them layers of horseshoe brads and nails, and +set fire to them all, and so we shall be rid of it.'</p> + +<p>"So after a long, long time they came up to where the castle hung in the +air, but the worm lay underneath it and stopped the way. So the lad gave +the dragons a good meal of beeves and salted swine, that they might help +him, and they spread over the worm heaps of boughs and wood, and laid +between them layers of nails and brads, till they had used up the three +hundred chests, and when it was all done they set fire to the pile and +burned up the worm alive, in a fire at white heat.</p> + +<p>"So when they had done with him one dragon flew under the castle and +lifted it up, and the two others went up high, high into the air, and +unloosed the links and hooks by which it hung, and so they lowered it +down and set it on the ground. When that was done Boots went inside, and +there it was grander far than in the silvern castle, but he could see no +folk till he came to the innermost room, and there lay a princess on a +bed of gold. She slept so sound, as though she were dead, but she was +not, though he was not able to wake her up, for her face was as red and +white as milk and blood. And just as Boots stood there gazing at her, +back came the troll tearing along. As soon as he put his first head +through the door he screamed out,</p> + +<p>"'Hu! what a smell of Christian blood there is in here.'</p> + +<p>"'Maybe,' said Boots, 'but you've no need to smell and snort about that; +you shan't suffer long from it.'</p> + +<p>"And with that he cut off all his heads, as though they stood on a kail +stalk.</p> + +<p>"So the dragons took the golden castle on their backs and went home with +it—I fancy they were not long on the way—and set it down side by side +with the silvern castle, so that it shone both far and wide.</p> + +<p>"Now when the princess of the silvern castle came to her window in the +morning, and caught sight of it, she was so glad that she sprang over to +the golden castle at once; but when she saw her sister lying there and +sleeping as though she were dead, she said to Boots that they would +never get life into her before they found the water of life and death, +and that stood in two wells on either side of a golden castle which hung +in the air, nine hundred miles beyond the world's end, and where the +third sister dwelt.</p> + +<p>"Well, Boots thought there was no help for it; he must go and fetch it, +and it was not long before he was on his way. So he travelled far and +farther than far, through many realms, across wood and field, over fell +and firth, along hill and heath, and at last he got to the world's end, +and after that he travelled far, far over crags and wastes and high +rocks.</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything?' asked the ass one day.</p> + +<p>"'I see naught but heaven and earth,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?' asked the ass again, when some days were +past.</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' said Boots, 'now I see something that glimmers very high up, +far, far away, like a little star.'</p> + +<p>"'It's not so little for all that,' said the ass.</p> + +<p>"So when they had travelled on a while, the ass asked,</p> + +<p>"'Do you see anything now?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' said Boots, 'now it shines like the sun.'</p> + +<p>"'That's whither we are bound,' said the ass; 'it's the golden castle +that hangs in the air, and there lives a princess who has been stolen by +a troll with nine heads; but all the wild beasts there are in the world +lie on watch, and stop the way thither.'</p> + +<p>"'Uf,' said Boots, 'I almost think I'm afraid of them.'</p> + +<p>"'Don't say so,' said the ass; and then he told him there was no danger, +if he would only make up his mind not to linger there, but to set off on +his way back as soon as ever he had filled his flasks with the water, +for there was no going thither but during one hour in the day, and that +began at high noon; but if he were not man enough to be ready in time +and to get away, the beasts would tear him into a thousand pieces.</p> + +<p>"Well, Boots said he would be sure to do that, he would not think of +staying too long.</p> + +<p>"At the stroke of twelve they reached the castle, and there lay all the +wild and savage beasts that ever were, as it were a fence before the +gate, and on either side of the way. But they all slumbered like stocks +and stones, and there wasn't one of them that so much as lifted a paw. +So Boots passed between them, and took good heed not to tread on their +toes or the tips of their tails, and he filled his flasks with the +waters of life and death, and while he did that he looked up at the +castle, which was as though it were cast in pure gold. It was the +grandest he had ever seen, and he thought it would be grander still +inside than out.</p> + +<p>"'Stuff,' thought Boots, 'I have time enough, I can always look about me +in half an hour,' and so he opened the door and went in. Well, inside it +was grander than grand itself, and as he went out of one gorgeous room +into another, it was as if it was all made of gold and pearls, and +everything that was costliest in the world. Folk there were none; but at +last he came into a bedroom where there lay another princess on a bed of +gold, just as though she were dead too, but she was as grand as the +grandest queen, and as red and white as blood on snow, and so lovely he +had never seen anything so lovely but her picture; for she it was that +was painted on it.</p> + +<p>"Then Boots forgot both the water he was to fetch, and the wild beasts, +and the castle and everything, and could only gaze at the princess; and +he thought he could never have his fill of looking at her; but all the +while she slept as though she were dead, and he was not able to wake her +up.</p> + +<p>"So when it drew towards evening, the troll came tearing along so that +the wind sung after him, and he rattled and slammed the gates and doors +till the whole castle rang again.</p> + +<p>"'Huf,' he cried; 'what a strong smell of Christian blood there is in +here;' and then he stuck his first head inside the door and snuffed up +the air.</p> + +<p>"'I daresay there is,' said Boots, 'but you've no need to puff and blow +as though you were about to burst, for it shan't vex you long;' and as +he said that he cut off all his nine heads. But when he had done that he +got so weary he couldn't keep his eyes open. So he laid him down on the +bed by the side of the princess, and all the while she slept both night +and day, as though she would never wake again; only at midnight she just +woke up for the twinkling of an eye, and then she told him that he had +set her free, but she must bide there three years still, and if she +didn't come home to him then he must just come and fetch her.</p> + +<p>"When the clock began to go towards one next day, Boots woke for the +first time, and the first thing he heard was the ass braying and +screaming and making a stir, and so he thought he would get up and set +off home, but before he went he cut a breadth out of the princess's +skirt, and took it away with him. And however it was, he had loitered so +long there that the beasts began to wake and stir, and by the time he +had mounted his ass they stood in a ring round him, so that he thought +it had rather a ghastly look. But the ass said he must sprinkle on them +a few drops of the water of death, and he did so, and in a trice they +all fell headlong on the spot, and never stirred a limb more.</p> + +<p>"As they were on their way home, the ass said to Boots,—</p> + +<p>"'Now when you come to honour and glory, see if you don't forget me and +all I have done for you, so that I shall be broken-kneed for hunger.'</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay! that should never be,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"So when he got home to the princess with the water of life, she +sprinkled a few drops over her sister, and woke her up, and then there +was such great joy and they were so happy. Then they travelled home to +the king, and he too was glad and joyful, because he had got those two +back; but still he went about longing and longing that the three years +might pass away, and his youngest daughter come home.</p> + +<p>"As for Boots, who had brought them back, the king made him a mighty +man, so that he was the first in the land after the king himself. But +there were many who were jealous that he should have grown to be such a +man of mark, and one of them was Ritter Red, who they did say wished to +have the eldest princess, and he got her to sprinkle over Boots a little +of the water of death, so that he swooned off and lay as dead.</p> + +<p>"So when the three years were over, and a bit of the fourth was gone, +there came sailing up a strange ship of war, and on board was the third +sister, and with her she had a boy three years old. She sent word up to +the King's Grange, and said she would not set her foot on land till they +had sent him who had been in the golden castle and set her free. So they +sent down to her one of the highest men about the court, the master of +the ceremonies himself; and when he came on board the princess' ship, he +took off his hat and bowed and scraped, and bent himself before her.</p> + +<p>"'Can that be your father? my son,' said the princess to her boy, who +was playing with a golden apple.</p> + +<p>"'No,' said the child, 'my father doesn't crawl about like a +cheesemite.'</p> + +<p>"So they sent another of the same stamp, and this time it was Ritter +Red. But it fared no better with him than with the first one, and the +princess sent word by him, if they didn't make haste and send the right +one, it should go ill with them. When they heard that they were forced +to wake up Boots with the water of life; and so he went down to the ship +to the princess, but he didn't make too low a bow, I should think; he +only nodded his head and brought out the breadth he had cut out of the +skirt of the princess in the golden castle.</p> + +<p>"'That's my father! that's my father!' bawled out the boy, and gave him +the golden apple he was playing with.</p> + +<p>"Then there was great joy and mirth all over the realm, and the old king +was the gladdest of all of them, because he had got his darling back +again. But when what Ritter Red and the eldest princess had done to +Boots came out, the king asked to have them both rolled down a hill, +each in a cask full of spikes and nails; but Boots and the youngest +princess begged hard for them, and so they got off with life.</p> + +<p>"Now it happened one day, as they were about to begin the bridal feast, +that they stood looking out of window,—it was towards spring, just when +they were turning out the horses and cows after the winter—and the last +that came out of the stable was the ass; but it was so starved that it +came out of the stable-door on its knees.</p> + +<p>"Then Boots was cut to the heart because he had forgotten it, and he +went down and did not know how to make it up to the poor beast. But the +ass said the best thing he could do was to cut his head off. That he was +very loath to do, but the ass begged so prettily that he had to yield, +and did it at last; and as soon as ever his head fell in the yard, it +was all over with the shape which had been thrown over him by +witchcraft, and there stood the handsomest prince any one cared to see. +He got the second princess to wife, and they fell to keeping the bridal +feast, so that it was heard and talked of over seven kingdoms.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Then they built themselves houses,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And stitched themselves shoon,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And had so many bairns<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They reached up to the moon.'"<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="LITTLE_FREDDY_WITH_HIS_FIDDLE" id="LITTLE_FREDDY_WITH_HIS_FIDDLE"></a>LITTLE FREDDY WITH HIS FIDDLE.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a cottager who had an only son, and this lad +was weakly, and hadn't much health to speak of; so he couldn't go out to +work in the field.</p> + +<p>"His name was Freddy, and undersized he was, too; and so they called him +Little Freddy. At home there was little either to bite or sup, and so +his father went about the country trying to bind him over as a cowherd +or an errand-boy; but there was no one who would take his son till he +came to the sheriff, and he was ready to take him, for he had just +packed off his errand-boy, and there was no one who would fill his +place, for the story went that he was a skinflint.</p> + +<p>"But the cottager thought it was better there than nowhere: he would get +his food, for all the pay he was to get was his board—there was nothing +said about wages or clothes. So when the lad had served three years he +wanted to leave, and then the sheriff gave him all his wages at one +time. He was to have a penny a year. 'It couldn't well be less,' said +the sheriff. And so he got threepence in all.</p> + +<p>"As for little Freddy, he thought it was a great sum, for he had never +owned so much; but for all that he asked if he wasn't to have something +more.</p> + +<p>"'You have already had more than you ought to have,' said the sheriff.</p> + +<p>"'Sha'n't I have anything, then, for clothes?' asked little Freddy; 'for +those I had on when I came here are worn to rags, and I have had no new +ones.'</p> + +<p>"And, to tell the truth, he was so ragged that the tatters hung and +flapped about him.</p> + +<p>"'When you have got what we agreed on,' said the sheriff, 'and three +whole pennies beside, I have nothing more to do with you. Be off!'</p> + +<p>"But for all that he got leave just to go into the kitchen and get a +little food to put in his scrip; and after that he set off on the road +to buy himself more clothes. He was both merry and glad, for he had +never seen a penny before; and every now and then he felt in his pockets +as he went along to see if he had them all three. So when he had gone +far, and farther than far, he got into a narrow dale, with high fells on +all sides, so that he couldn't tell if there were any way to pass out; +and he began to wonder what there could be on the other side of those +fells, and how he ever should get over them.</p> + +<p>"But up and up he had to go, and on he strode; he was not strong on his +legs, and had to rest every now and then—and then he counted and +counted how many pennies he had got. So when he had got quite up to the +very top, there was nothing but a great plain overgrown with moss. There +he sat him down, and began to see if his money were all right; and +before he was aware of him a beggarman came up to him—and he was so +tall and big that the lad began to scream and screech when he got a good +look of him, and saw his height and length.</p> + +<p>"'Don't you be afraid,' said the beggarman, 'I'll do you no harm; I only +beg for a penny, in God's name.'</p> + +<p>"'Heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I have only three pennies, and with +them I was going to the town to buy clothes.'</p> + +<p>"'It is worse for me than for you,' said the beggarman. "'I have got no +penny, and I am still more ragged than you.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! then you shall have it,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"So when he had walked on awhile he got weary, and sat down to rest +again. But when he looked up there he saw another beggarman, and he was +still taller and uglier than the first; and so when the lad saw how very +tall and ugly and long he was he fell a-screeching.</p> + +<p>"'Now, don't you be afraid of me,' said the beggar; 'I'll not do you any +harm. I only beg for a penny, in God's name.'</p> + +<p>"'Now, may heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I've only got two pence, and +with them I was going to the town to buy clothes. If I had only met you +sooner, then——'</p> + +<p>"'It's worse for me than for you,' said the beggarman. I have no penny, +and a bigger body and less clothing.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, you may have it,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"So he went awhile farther, till he got weary, and then he sat down to +rest; but he had scarce sat down than a third beggarman came to him. He +was so tall and ugly and long, that the lad had to look up and up, right +up to the sky. And when he took him all in with his eyes, and saw how +very, very tall and ugly and ragged he was he fell a-screeching and +screaming again.</p> + +<p>"'Now, don't you be afraid of me, my lad,' said the beggarman. 'I'll do +you no harm; for I am only a beggarman, who begs for a penny in God's +name.'</p> + +<p>"'May heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I have only one penny left, and +with it I was going to the town to buy clothes. If I had only met you +sooner, then——'</p> + +<p>"'As for that,' said the beggarman, 'I have no penny at all—that I +haven't, and a bigger body and less clothes, so it is worse for me than +for you.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' said little Freddy, he must have the penny then—there was no +help for it; for so each would have what belonged to him, and he would +have nothing.</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the beggarman, 'since you have such a good heart that you +gave away all that you had in the world, I will give you a wish for each +penny.' For you must know it was the same beggarman who had got them all +three; he had only changed his shape each time, that the lad might not +know him again.</p> + +<p>"'I have always had such a longing to hear a fiddle go, and see folk so +glad and merry that they couldn't help dancing,' said the lad; and so, +if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a fiddle, that +everything that has life must dance to its tune.'</p> + +<p>"'That he might have,' said the beggarman; but it was a sorry wish. 'You +must wish something better for the other two pennies.'</p> + +<p>"'I have always had such a love for hunting and shooting,' said little +Freddy; 'so if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a gun +that I shall hit everything I aim at, were it ever so far off.'</p> + +<p>"'That he might have,' said the beggarman; 'but it was a sorry wish. You +must wish better for the last penny.'</p> + +<p>"'I have always had a longing to be in company with folk who were kind +and good,' said little Freddy; and so, if I could get what I wish, I +would wish it to be so that no one can say 'Nay' to the first thing I +ask.'</p> + +<p>"'That wish was not so sorry,' said the beggarman; and off he strode +between the hills, and he saw him no more. And so the lad laid down to +sleep, and the next day he came down from the fell with his fiddle and +his gun.</p> + +<p>"First he went to the storekeeper and asked for clothes, and at one farm +he asked for a horse, and at another for a sledge; and at this place he +asked for a fur-coat, and no one said him 'Nay,'—even the stingiest +folk, they were all forced to give him what he asked for. At last he +went through the country as a fine gentleman, and had his horse and his +sledge; and so when he had gone a bit he met the sheriff with whom he +had served.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day, master,' said Little Freddy, as he pulled up and took off +his hat.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day,' said the sheriff. And then he went on, 'When was I ever +your master?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, yes!' said little Freddy. 'Don't you remember how I served you +three years for three pence?'</p> + +<p>"'Heaven help us!' said the sheriff. 'How you have got on all of a +hurry! And pray how was it that you got to be such a fine gentleman?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, that's telling!' said little Freddy.</p> + +<p>"'And are you full of fun, that you carry a fiddle about with you?' +asked the sheriff.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! yes!' said Freddy. 'I have always had such a longing to get folk +to dance; but the funniest thing of all is this gun, for it brings down +almost anything that I aim at, however far it may be off. Do you see +that magpie yonder, sitting in the spruce fir? What'll you bet I don't +bag it, as we stand here?'</p> + +<p>"On that the sheriff was ready to stake horse and groom, and a hundred +dollars beside, that he couldn't do it; but, as it was, he would bet all +the money he had about him; and he would go to fetch it when it +fell—for he never thought it possible for any gun to carry so far.</p> + +<p>"But as the gun went off down fell the magpie, and into a great bramble +thicket; and away went the sheriff up into the brambles after it, and he +picked it up and showed it to the lad. But in a trice Little Freddy +began to scrape his fiddle, and the sheriff began to dance, and the +thorns to tear him; but still the lad played on, and the sheriff danced, +and cried, and begged till his clothes flew to tatters, and he scarce +had a thread to his back.</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' said Little Freddy; 'now I think you're about as ragged as I was +when I left your service. So now you may get off with what you have +got.'</p> + +<p>"But, first of all, the sheriff had to pay him what he had wagered that +he could not hit the magpie.</p> + +<p>"So when the lad came to the town he turned aside into an inn, and he +began to play, and all who came danced, and he lived merrily and well. +He had no care, for no one could say him 'Nay' to anything he asked.</p> + +<p>"But just as they were all in the midst of their fun up came the +watchmen to drag the lad off to the town-hall: for the sheriff had laid +a charge against him, and said he had waylaid him and robbed him, and +nearly taken his life. And now he was to be hanged—they would not hear +of anything else. But Little Freddy had a cure for all trouble, and that +was his fiddle. He began to play on it, and the watchmen fell a-dancing, +till they lay down and gasped for breath.</p> + +<p>"So they sent soldiers and the guard on their way; but it was no better +with them than with the watchmen. As soon as ever Little Freddy scraped +his fiddle, they were all bound to dance, so long as he could lift a +finger to play a tune; but they were half dead long before he was tired. +At last they stole a march on him, and took him while he lay asleep by +night; and when they had caught him he was doomed to be hanged on the +spot, and away they hurried him to the gallows-tree.</p> + +<p>"There a great crowd of people flocked together to see this wonder, and +the sheriff, he, too, was there; and he was so glad at last at getting +amends for the money and the skin he had lost, and that he might see him +hanged with his own eyes. But they did not get him to the gallows very +fast, for little Freddy was always weak on his legs, and now he made +himself weaker still. His fiddle and his gun he had with him also—it +was hard to part him from them; and so, when he came to the gallows, and +had to mount the steps, he halted on each step; and when he got to the +top he sat down, and asked if they could deny him a wish, and if he +might have leave to do one thing? He had such a longing, he said to +scrape a tune and play a bar on his fiddle before they hanged him.</p> + +<p>"'No! no!' they said. 'It were sin and shame to deny him that.' For, you +know, no one could gainsay what he asked.</p> + +<p>"But the sheriff he begged them, for God's sake, not to let him have +leave to touch a string, else it was all over with them altogether; and +if the lad got leave, he begged them to bind him to the birch that stood +there.</p> + +<p>"So little Freddy was not slow in getting his fiddle to speak, and all +that were there fell a-dancing at once—those who went on two legs, and +those who went on four; both the dean and the parson, and the lawyer, +and the bailiff, and the sheriff; masters and men, dogs and swine, they +all danced and laughed and screeched at one another. Some danced till +they lay for dead; some danced till they fell into a swoon. It went +badly with all of them, but worst of all with the sheriff, for there he +stood bound to the birch, and he danced and scraped great bits off his +back against the trunk. There was not one of them who thought of doing +anything to little Freddy, and away he went with his fiddle and his gun, +just as he chose; and he lived merrily and happily all his days, for +there was no one who could say him 'Nay' to the first thing he asked +for."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MOTHER_ROUNDABOUTS_DAUGHTER" id="MOTHER_ROUNDABOUTS_DAUGHTER"></a>MOTHER ROUNDABOUT'S DAUGHTER.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a goody who had a son, and he was so lazy and +slow he would never turn his hand to anything that was useful; but +singing and dancing he was very fond of, and so he danced and sang as +long as it was day, and sometimes even some way on in the night. The +longer this lasted the harder it was for the goody, the boy grew, and +meat he must have without stint, and more and more was spent in clothing +as he grew bigger and bigger, and it was soon worn out, I should think; +for he danced and sprang about both in wood and field.</p> + +<p>"At last the goody thought it too bad; so she told the lad that now he +must begin to turn his hand to work, and live steadily, or else there +was nothing before both of them but starving to death. But that the lad +had no mind to do; he said he would far rather woo Mother Roundabout's +daughter, for if he could only get her he would be able to live well and +good all his days, and sing and dance and never do one stroke of work.</p> + +<p>"When his mother heard that, she too thought it would be a very fine +thing, and so she fitted out the lad as well as she could that he might +look tidy when he got to Mother Roundabout's house, and so he set off on +his way.</p> + +<p>"Now when he got out of doors the sun shone warm and bright; but it had +rained the night before, so that the ways were soft and miry, and all +the bog-holes stood full of water. The lad took a short cut to Mother +Roundabout, and he sang and jumped, as was ever his wont, but just as he +sprang and leapt he got to a bog-hole, and over it lay a little bridge, +and from the bridge he had to make a spring across a hole on to a tuft +of grass, that he might not dirty his shoes. But '<i>plump</i>,' it said all +at once, and just as he put his foot on the tuft it gave way under him, +and there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty deep dark +hole. At first he could see nothing, but when he had been there a while +he had a glimpse of a rat which came wiggle-waggle up to him with a +bunch of keys at the tip of her tail.</p> + +<p>"'What, you here, my boy?" said the rat. 'Thank yon kindly for coming to +me. I have waited long for you. You come, of course, to woo me, and you +are eager at it, I can very well see; but you must have patience yet +awhile, for I shall have a great dower, and I am not ready for my +wedding just yet, but I'll do my best that it shall be as soon as ever I +can.'</p> + +<p>"When she had said that she brought out ever so many eggshells with all +sorts of bits and scraps, such as rats are wont to eat, and set them +before him, and said,</p> + +<p>"'Now, you must sit down and eat; I am sure you must be both tired and +hungry.'</p> + +<p>"But the lad thought he had no liking for such food.</p> + +<p>"'If I were only well away from this, above ground again,' he thought to +himself, but he said nothing out loud.</p> + +<p>"'Now, I daresay, you'ld be glad to go home again,' said the rat. 'I +know your heart is set on this wedding, and I'll make all the haste I +can, and you must take with you this linen thread, and when you get up +above you must not look round, but go straight home, and on the way you +must mind and say nothing but</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Short before, and long back,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Short before, and long back;'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>and as she said this she put the linen thread into his hand.</p> + +<p>"'Heaven be praised!' said the lad, when he got above ground. 'Thither +I'll never come again, if I can help it.'</p> + +<p>"But he still had the thread in his hand, and he sprang and sang as he +was wont; but even though he thought no more of the rat-hole, he had got +his tongue into the tune, and so he sang,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Short before, and long back,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Short before, and long back;'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"So when he got back home into the porch he turned round, and there lay +many many hundred ells of the whitest linen, so fine that the handiest +weaving girl could not have woven it finer.</p> + +<p>"'Mother! mother! come out,' he cried and roared. Out came the goody in +a bustle, and asked what ever was the matter; but when she saw the linen +woof, which stretched as far back as she could see and a bit beside, she +couldn't believe her eyes, till the lad told her how it had all +happened. And when she had heard it and tried the woof between her +fingers, she got so glad that she too began to dance and sing.</p> + +<p>"So she took the linen and cut it out, and sewed shirts out of it both +for herself and her son, and the rest she took into the town and sold, +and got money for it. And now they both lived well and happily a while; +but when the money was all gone the goody had no more food in the house, +and so she told her son he really must now begin to go to work, and live +like the rest of the world, else there was nothing for it but starving +for them both.</p> + +<p>"But the lad had more mind to go to Mother Roundabout and woo her +daughter. Well, the goody thought that a very fine thing, for now he had +good clothes on his back, and he was not such a bad looking fellow +either. So she made him smart and fitted him out as well as she could, +and he took out his new shoes and brushed them till they were as bright +as glass, and when he had done that off he went.</p> + +<p>"But all happened just as it did before. When he got out of doors the +sun shone warm and bright, but it had rained over night, so that it was +soft and miry, and all the bog-holes were full of water. The lad took +the short cut to Mother Roundabout, and he sang and sprang as he was +ever wont. Now he took another way than the one he went before, but just +as he leaped and jumped he got upon the bridge over the moor again, and +from it he had to jump over a bog-hole on to a tuft that he might not +dirty his shoes. But <i>plump</i> it went, and down it went under him, and +there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty, deep dark hole. +At first he could see nothing, but when he had been there a while he got +a glimpse of a rat with a bunch of keys at the tip of her tail, who came +wiggle-waggle up to him.</p> + +<p>"'What, you here, my boy?' said the rat. 'That was nice of you to wish +to see me so soon again. You are very eager, that I can see; but you +really must wait a while, for there is still something wanting to my +dower, but the next time you come it shall be all right.'</p> + +<p>"When she had said this she set before him all kinds of scraps and bits +in eggshells, such as rats eat and like; but the lad thought it all +looked like meat that had been already eaten once, and he wasn't hungry, +he said; and all the time he thought, 'If I could only once get above +ground, well out of this hole.' But he said nothing out loud.</p> + +<p>"So after a while the rat said,</p> + +<p>"I dare say now you would be glad to get home again; but I'll hasten on +the wedding as fast as ever I can. And now you must take with you this +thread of wool, and when you come above ground you must not look round, +but go straight home, and all the way you must mind and say nothing than</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Short before, and long back,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Short before, and long back;'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>and as she said that she gave him a thread of wool into his hand.</p> + +<p>"'Heaven be praised!' said the lad, 'that I got away. Thither I'll never +go again if I can help it;' and so he sang and jumped as he was wont. As +for the rat-hole he thought no more about it, but as he had got his +tongue into tune and he sang,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Short before, and long back,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Short before, and long back;'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>so he kept on the whole way home.</p> + +<p>"So when he had got into the yard at home again he turned and looked +behind him, and there lay the finest cloth more than many hundred ells; +ay! almost above half a mile long, and so fine that no town dandy could +have had finer cloth to his coat.</p> + +<p>"'Mother! mother! come out,' bawled the lad.</p> + +<p>"So the goody came out of doors, and clapped her hands, and was almost +ready to swoon for joy when she saw all that lovely cloth, and then he +had to tell her how he had got it, and how it had all happened from +first to last. Then they had a fine time of it, you may fancy. The lad +got new clothes of the finest sort, and the goody went off to the town +and sold the cloth by little and little, and made heaps of money. Then +she decked out her cottage and got so smart in her old days as though +she had been a born lady. So they lived well and happily, but at last +that money came to an end too, and so the day came when the goody had no +more food in the house, and then she told her son, he really must turn +his hand to work, and live like the rest of the world, else there was +nothing but starving staring both of them in the face.</p> + +<p>"But the lad thought it far better to go to Mother Roundabout and woo +her daughter. This time the goody thought so too, and said not a word +against it, for now he had new clothes of the finest kind, and he looked +so well she thought it quite out of the question that any one could say, +'No!' to so smart a lad. So she smartened him up, and made him as tidy +as she could, and he himself brought out his new shoes and rubbed them +till they shone so he could see his face in them, and when he had done +that off he went.</p> + +<p>"This time he did not take the short cut, but made a great bend, for +down to the rats he would not go if he could help it, he was so tired of +all that wiggle-waggle and that everlasting bridal gossip. As for the +weather and the ways they were just as they had been twice before. The +sun shone, so that it was dazzling on the pools and bog-holes, and the +lad sang and sprang as he was wont; but just as he sang and jumped, +before he knew where he was, he was on the very same bridge across the +bog again. So he was to jump from the bridge over a bog-hole on to a +tuft, that he might not dirty his bright shoes. '<i>Plump</i>,' it said, and +it gave way with him, and there was no stopping till he was down in the +same nasty deep dark hole again. At first he was glad, for he could see +nothing, but when he had been there a while he had a glimpse of the ugly +rat, and he was so loath to see her with the bunch of keys at the end of +her tail.</p> + +<p>"'Good day, my boy!' said the rat. 'You shall be heartily welcome again, +for I see you can't bear to be any longer without me. Thank you, thank +you kindly; but now everything is ready for the wedding, and we shall +set off to church at once.'</p> + +<p>"'Something dreadful is going to happen,' thought the lad, but he said +nothing out loud.</p> + +<p>"Then the rat whistled, and there came swarming out such a lot of small +rats and mice out of all the holes and crannies, and six big rats came +harnessed to a frying-pan; two mice got up behind as footmen, and two +got up before and drove; some, too, got into the pan, and the rat with +the bunch of keys at her tail took her seat among them. Then she said to +the lad,</p> + +<p>"'The road is a little narrow here, so you must be good enough to walk +by the side of the carriage, my darling boy, till it gets broader, and +then you shall have leave to sit up in the carriage alongside of me.'</p> + +<p>"'Very fine that will be, I dare say,' thought the lad. 'If I were only +well above ground, I'd run away from the whole pack of you.' That was +what he thought, but he said nothing out loud!</p> + +<p>"So he followed them as well as he could; sometimes he had to creep on +all fours, and sometimes he had to stoop and bend his back well, for the +road was low and narrow in places; but when it got broader he went on in +front, and looked about him how he might best give them the slip and run +away. But as he went forward he heard a clear, sweet voice behind him, +which said, "'Now the road is good. Come, my dear, and get up into the +carriage.'</p> + +<p>"The lad turned round in a trice, and had near lost both nose and ears. +There stood the grandest carriage with six white horses to it, and in +the carriage sat a maiden, as bright and lovely as the sun, and round +her sat others who were as pretty and soft as stars. They were a +princess and her playfellows, who had been bewitched all together. But +now they were free because he had come down to them, and never said a +word against them.</p> + +<p>"'Come now,' said the princess. So the lad stepped up into the carriage, +and they drove to church, and when they drove from church again the +princess said, 'Now, we will drive first to my house, and then we'll +send to fetch your mother.'</p> + +<p>"'That is all very well!' thought the lad, for he still said nothing, +even now; but, for all that, he thought it would be better to go home to +his mother than down into that nasty rat-hole. But just as he thought +that, they came to a grand castle; into it they turned, and there they +were to dwell. And so a grand carriage with six horses was sent to fetch +the goody, and when it came back they set to work at the wedding feast. +It lasted fourteen days, and maybe they are still at it. So let us all +make haste; perhaps, we too may come in time to drink the bride-groom's +health and dance with the bride."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_GREEN_KNIGHT" id="THE_GREEN_KNIGHT"></a>THE GREEN KNIGHT.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a king who was a widower, and he had an only +daughter. But it is an old saying, that widower's grief is like knocking +your funny-bone, it hurts, but it soon passes away; and so the king +married a queen who had two daughters. Now, this queen—well! she was no +better than step-mothers are wont to be, snappish and spiteful she +always was to her step-daughter.</p> + +<p>"Well! a long time after, when they were grown up, these three girls, +war broke out, and the king had to go forth to fight for his country and +his kingdom. But before he went the three daughters had leave to say +what the king should buy and bring home for each of them, if he won the +day against the foe.</p> + +<p>"So the step-daughters were to speak first, as you may fancy, and say +what they wished.</p> + +<p>"Well! the first wished for a golden spinning-wheel, so small that it +could stand on a sixpenny-piece; and the second, she begged for a golden +winder, so small that it could stand on a sixpenny-piece; that was what +they wanted to have, and till they had them there was no spinning or +winding to be got out of them. But his own daughter, she would ask for +no other thing than that he would greet the Green Knight in her name.</p> + +<p>"So the king went out to war, and whithersoever he went he won, and +however things turned out he brought the things he had promised his +step-daughters; but he had clean forgotten what his own daughter had +begged him to do, till at last he made a feast because he had won the +day.</p> + +<p>"Then it was that he set eyes on a Green Knight, and all at once his +daughter's words came into his head, and he greeted him in her name. The +Green Knight thanked him for the greeting, and gave him a book which +looked like a hymn-book with parchment clasps. That the king was to take +home and give her; but he was not to unclasp it, or the princess either, +till she was all alone.</p> + +<p>"So, when the king had done fighting and feasting he went home again, +and he had scarce got inside the door before his step-daughters clung +round him to get what he had promised to buy them. 'Yes,' he said, he +had brought them what they wished; but his own daughter, she held back +and asked for nothing, and the king forgot all about it too, till one +day, when he was going out, and he put on the coat he had worn at the +feast, and just as he thrust his hand into his pocket for his +handkerchief, he felt the book and knew what it was.</p> + +<p>"So he gave it to his daughter, and said he was to greet her with it +from the Green Knight, and she mustn't unclasp it till she was all +alone.</p> + +<p>"Well! that evening when she was by herself in her bedroom she unclasped +the book, and as soon as she did so she heard a strain of music, so +sweet she had never heard the like of it, and then, what do you think! +Why, the Green Knight came to her and told her the book was such a book +that whenever she unclasped it he must come to her, and it would be all +the same wherever she might be, and when she clasped it again he would +be off and away again.</p> + +<p>"Well! she unclasped the book often and often in the evenings when she +was alone and at rest, and the knight always came to her and was almost +always there. But her step-mother, who was always thrusting her nose +into everything, she found out there was some one with her in her room, +and she was not long in telling it to the king. But he wouldn't believe +it. 'No!' he said, they must watch first and see if it was so before +they trumped up such stories, and took her to task for them.</p> + +<p>"So one evening they stood outside the door and listened, and it seemed +as though they heard some one talking inside; but when they went in +there was no one.</p> + +<p>"'Who was it you were talking with? asked the step-mother, both sharp +and cross.</p> + +<p>"'It was no one, indeed,' said the princess.</p> + +<p>"'Nay! said she; 'I heard it as plain as day.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the princess, 'I only lay and read aloud out of a +prayer-book.'</p> + +<p>"'Show it me; said the queen.</p> + +<p>"'Well! then it was only a prayer-book after all, and she must have +leave to read that,' the king said.</p> + +<p>"But the step-mother thought just the same as before, and so she bored a +hole through the wall and stood prying about there. So one evening, when +she heard that the knight was in the room she tore open the door and +came flying into her step-daughter's room like a blast of wind; but she +was not slow in clasping the book either, and he was off and away in a +trice; but however quick she had been, for all that her step-mother +caught a glimpse of him, so that she was sure some one had been there.</p> + +<p>"It happened just then that the king was setting out on a long, long +journey, and while he was away the queen had a deep pit dug down into +the ground, and there she built up a dungeon, and in the stone and +mortar she laid ratsbane and other strong poisons, so that not so much +as a mouse could get through the wall. As for the master-mason he was +well paid, and gave his word to fly the land, but he didn't, for he +stayed where he was. Then the princess was thrown into that dungeon with +her maid, and when they were inside the queen walled up the door and +left only a little hole open at the top to let down food to them. So +there she sat and sorrowed, and the time seemed long, and longer than +long; but at last she remembered she had her book with her, and took it +out and unclasped it. First of all she heard the same sweet strain she +had heard before, and then arose a grievous sound of wailing, and just +then the Green Knight came.</p> + +<p>"'I am at death's door,' he said, and then he told her that her +step-mother bad laid poison in the mortar, and he did not know if he +should ever come out alive. So when she clasped the book up as fast as +she could she heard the same wailing sound.</p> + +<p>"But you must know the maid who was shut up with her had a sweetheart, +and she sent word to him to go to the master-mason, and beg him to make +the hole at top big enough for them to creep out at it. If he would do +that the princess would pay him so well he could live in plenty all his +days. Yes! he did so, and they set out and travelled far, far away in +strange lands, she and her maid, and wherever they came they asked after +the Green Knight.</p> + +<p>"So after a long, long time they came to a castle, which was all hung +with black, and just as they were passing by it a shower of rain fell, +and so the princess stepped into the church porch to wait till the rain +was over. As she stood there, a young man and an old man came by, who +also wished to take shelter; but the princess drew away farther into a +corner, so that they did not see her.</p> + +<p>"'Why is it,' said the young man, 'that the king's castle is hung with +black?'</p> + +<p>"'Don't you know,' said the grey-beard, 'the prince here is sick to +death, he whom they call the Green Knight;' And so he went on telling +him how it had all happened. So when the young man had listened to the +story, he asked if there was anyone who could make him well again.</p> + +<p>"'Nay, nay!' said the other. 'There is but one cure, and that is if the +maiden who was shut up in the dungeon were to come and pluck healing +plants in the fields, and boil them in sweet milk, and wash him with +them thrice.'</p> + +<p>"Then he went on reckoning up the plants that were needful before he +could get well again.</p> + +<p>"All this the princess heard, and she kept it in her head, and when the +rain was over the two men went away, nor did she bide there long either.</p> + +<p>"So when they got home to the house in which they lived, out they went +at once to get all kinds of plants and grasses in the field and wood, +she and the maid, and they plucked and gathered early and late till she +had got all that she was to boil. Then she bought her a doctor's hat and +a doctor's gown, and went to the king's castle, and offered to make the +prince well again.</p> + +<p>"'No, no; it is no good,' said the king. So many had been there and +tried, but he always got worse instead of better. But she would not +yield, and gave her word he should be well, and that soon and happily. +Well, then, she might have leave to try, and so she went into the Green +Knight's bedroom and washed him the first time. And when she came the +next day he was so well he could sit up in bed; the day after he was man +enough to walk about the room, and the third he was as well and lively +as a fish in the water.</p> + +<p>"'Now he may go out hunting,' said the doctor.</p> + +<p>"Then the king was so overjoyed with the doctor as a bird in broad day. +But the doctor said he must go home.</p> + +<p>"Then she threw off her hat and gown, and dressed herself smart, and +made a feast, and then she unclasped the book. Then arose the same +joyful strain as of old, and in a trice the Green Knight was there, and +he wondered much to know how she had got thither.</p> + +<p>"So she told him all about it, and how it had happened, and when they +had eaten and drunk he took her straight up to the castle, and told the +king the whole story from beginning to end. Then there was such a bridal +and such a feast, and when it was over they set off to the bride's home, +and there was great joy in her father's heart, but they took the +step-mother and rolled her down hill in a cask full of spikes."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="BOOTS_AND_HIS_CREW" id="BOOTS_AND_HIS_CREW"></a>BOOTS AND HIS CREW.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a king, and that king had heard talk of a ship +that went as fast by land as it did by water; so he set his heart on +having such a ship, and he gave his word that the man who could build it +should have the princess and half the kingdom. And this promise he had +given out in every parish church in the realm, and at every parish +meeting. There were many that tried their hands you may fancy, for it +was a nice thing to have half the kingdom, and it was brave to get the +princess into the bargain, but it went ill with most of them.</p> + +<p>"So there were three brothers away in the wood; the eldest was called +Peter, the second Paul, and the youngest Osborn Boots, because he was +for ever sitting and grubbing in the ashes. But it so happened that on +the Sunday, when the king's promise was given out, he was at church too. +So when he got home and told the story, his eldest brother, Peter, +begged his mother for some food, for he was bent on setting off, and +trying his luck, if he couldn't build the ship and win the princess and +half the realm. So when he had got his wallet full he strode off from +the farm, and on the way he met an old, old man, who was so bent and +wretched.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away?' asked the old man.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said Peter, 'I'm off to the wood to make a platter for my father, +for he doesn't like to eat out of the same dish with us.'</p> + +<p>"'A platter it shall be,' said the man; 'but what have you in your +knapsack?'</p> + +<p>"'Muck,' said Peter.</p> + +<p>"'Muck it shall be,' said the man, and they parted.</p> + +<p>"So Peter strode on till he came to a grove of oaks, and then he fell to +chopping and carpentering, but for all his hewing and all his +carpentering he could turn out nothing but platter after platter. So +when it got towards mid-day, he was going to take a snack, and opened +his wallet. But there was not a morsel of food in it, and as he had +nothing to eat, and did not get on any better with the carpentering, he +got weary of the work, and took his axe and wallet on his back and +strode off home to his mother again.</p> + +<p>"Next Paul was for setting off to try if he had any luck in +shipbuilding, and could win the king's daughter and half the kingdom. +He, too, begged his mother for food, and when he had got it he threw his +wallet over his shoulder and set off from their farm. On the way he met +an old man who was so bent and wretched.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away?' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! I'm just going to the wood to make a pig trough for our little +pig,' said Paul.</p> + +<p>"'A pig trough it shall be,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'What have you got in your wallet?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Muck,' said Paul.</p> + +<p>"'Muck it shall be,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'So Paul trudged off to the wood, and fell to hewing and carpentering +as hard as he could; but however he hewed and however he carpentered, he +could turn out nothing but pig troughs and pig tubs. Still he wouldn't +give in, but worked till far on in the afternoon before he thought of +taking a little snack; then he got so hungry all at once that he must +take out his knapsack, but when he opened it there was not a morsel of +food in it. Then Paul got so cross that he rolled up the knapsack and +dashed it against a stump, and then he shouldered his axe and trudged +away home from the wood as fast as he could.</p> + +<p>"So when Paul had come home, Boots was all for setting out in his turn, +and begged his mother for food.</p> + +<p>"'May be I might be man enough to get the ship built and win the +princess and half the kingdom.' That was what he said.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! yes! a likely thing,' said his mother. 'You look like winning the +princess and the kingdom, that you do, by my troth; you, who have done +naught else than grub and poke about in the ashes! No! no! you don't get +any food,' said the goody.</p> + +<p>"'But Boots would not give in; he begged so long that at last he got +leave. As for food he got none, was it likely? But he got by stealth two +oat cakes and a drop of stale beer, and with them he trudged off from +the farm.</p> + +<p>"Well! when he had walked a while he met the same old man, who was so +bent and vile and wretched.</p> + +<p>"'Whither away?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I'm going into the wood to build me a ship which will go as well on +land as on sea; for you must know that the king has given out that the +man who can build such a ship shall have the princess and half the +realm.'</p> + +<p>"'What have you got in your wallet?' asked the man.</p> + +<p>"'Not much to brag of,' said Boots, 'though it's called travelling +fare.'</p> + +<p>"'If you'll give me some of your food, I'll help you,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'With all my heart,' said Boots; 'but there's nothing but two oat cakes +and a drop of stale beer.'</p> + +<p>"'It was all the same to him what it was,' said the man, so that he got +something; and he would be sure to help him.</p> + +<p>"So when they got up to the old oak in the wood, the man said to the +lad,—</p> + +<p>"'Now you must chop out one chip, and you must put it back where it came +from, and when you have done that you may lie down and sleep.</p> + +<p>"Yes! Boots did as he said, he lay him down to sleep, and in his slumber +he thought he heard some one hewing and hammering, and carpentering and +sawing, and planing, but he could not wake up till the man called him, +and then there stood the ship all ready, alongside the oak.</p> + +<p>"'Now you must go aboard her, and every one you meet you must take as +one of your crew,' he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes! Boots thanked him for the ship, and sailed off saying he'd be sure +to do what he said.</p> + +<p>"So when he had sailed a while, he came upon a great, long, thin fellow, +who lay away by the hillside and ate granite.</p> + +<p>"'What kind of chap are you?' said Boots, 'that you lie here eating +granite?'</p> + +<p>"Well! he was so sharp set for meat he could never have his fill, and +that was why he was forced to eat granite. That was what he said; and +then he begged if he might have leave to be one of the ship's company.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, yes,' said Boots, 'if you care to come, step on board.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, he was willing enough, and he took with him a few big granite +boulders as his sea stores.</p> + +<p>"So when they had sailed a bit farther they met a man who lay on a sunny +brae and sucked at a tap.</p> + +<p>"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots, and what good is it that +you lie there sucking at that tap?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said he, 'when one hasn't got the cask, one must be thankful for +the tap. I am always so thirsty for ale, that I can never drink enough +ale or wine;' and then he asked if he might have leave to be one of the +ship's company.</p> + +<p>"'If you care to come, step on board,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he was willing enough, and he stepped on board and took the tap +with him lest he should be a-thirst.</p> + +<p>"So when they had sailed a bit farther they met one who lay with one ear +on the ground, listening.</p> + +<p>"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots 'and what good is it that +you lie there on the ground, listening?'</p> + +<p>"'I am listening to the grass growing,' he said, 'for I am so quick of +hearing that I can hear it grow;' and so he begged that he might be one +of the ship's company. Well, he too did not get 'Nay.'</p> + +<p>"'If you care to come, step on board,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he was willing enough, and so up he too stepped into the ship.</p> + +<p>"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they came to a man who stood +aiming and aiming.</p> + +<p>"'What sort of a chap are you?' said Boots, 'and why is it that you +stand there aiming and aiming?'</p> + +<p>"'I am so sharp-sighted,' he said, 'that I'm a dead shot up to the +world's end;' and so he too asked if he might have leave to be one of +the ship's company.</p> + +<p>"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he was willing enough, and so he stepped up into the ship and +joined Boots and his comrades.</p> + +<p>"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they came on a man who went +about hopping on one leg, and on the other he had seven hundred weight.</p> + +<p>"What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots; 'and what's the good of your +limping and hopping on one leg, with seven hundred weight on the other?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh?' said he, 'I'm as light as a feather, and if I went on both legs I +should be at the world's end in less than five minutes;' and so he too +begged if he might have leave to be one of the ship's company.</p> + +<p>"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he was willing enough, and he stepped on board to Boots and his +comrades.'</p> + +<p>"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they met a man who stood holding +his throat.</p> + +<p>"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots, 'and why in the world do +you stand here holding your throat?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said he, 'you must know I have got seven summers and fifteen +winters inside me, so I've good need to hold my gullet, for if they all +slipped out at once they'd freeze the whole world in a trice.' That was +what he said, and so he begged leave to be with them.</p> + +<p>"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots. Yes, he was willing enough, +and so he too stepped on board the ship to the rest.</p> + +<p>"So when they had sailed a good bit farther, they came to the king's +grange. Then Boots strode straight into the king, and said, that the +ship was ready out in the courtyard, and now he was come to claim the +princess, as the king had given his word.</p> + +<p>"But the king wouldn't hear of it, for Boots did not look very nice; he +was grimy and sooty, and the king was loath to give his daughter to such +a fellow. So he said he must wait a little, he couldn't have the +princess until they cleared a barn which the king had with three hundred +casks of salt meat in it.</p> + +<p>"'All the same,' said the king, 'if you can do it by this time to-morrow +you shall have her.'</p> + +<p>"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'I may have leave, perhaps, to take one of +my crew with me?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, he might have leave to do that, even if he took them all six,' +said the king, for he thought it quite beyond his power though he had +six hundred to help him.</p> + +<p>"But Boots only took with him the man who ate granite, and was always so +sharp set; and so when they came next morning and unlocked the barn, if +he hadn't eaten all the casks, so that there was nothing left but half a +dozen spare-ribs, and that was only one for each of his other comrades. +So Boots strode into the king, and said, now the barn was empty, and now +he might have the princess.</p> + +<p>"Then the king went out to the barn, and empty it was, that was plain +enough; but still Boots was so sooty and smutty, that the king thought +it a shame that such a fellow should have his daughter. So he said he +had a cellar full of ale and old wine, three hundred casks of each kind, +which he must have drunk out first, and said the king,—</p> + +<p>"'All the same, if you are man enough to drink them out by this time +to-morrow, you shall have her.'</p> + +<p>"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'but I may have leave perhaps, to take one +of my comrades with me.'</p> + +<p>"'With all my heart,' said the king, who thought he had so much ale and +wine that the whole seven of them would soon get more than their skins +could hold.</p> + +<p>"But Boots only took with him the man who sucked the tap, and who had +such a swallow for ale, and then the king locked them both up in the +cellar.</p> + +<p>"So he drank cask after cask as long as there were any left, but at last +he spared a drop or two, about as much as a quart or two, for each of +his comrades. Next morning they unlocked the cellar, and Boots strode +off at once to the king, and said he was done with the ale and wine, and +now he must have his daughter as he had given his word.</p> + +<p>"'Ay, ay, but I must first go down into the cellar and see,' said the +king, for he didn't believe it. But when he got to the cellar, there was +nothing in it but empty casks. But Boots was still black and smutty, and +the king thought he never could bear to have such a fellow for his +son-in-law. So he said, 'No,' but all the same if he could fetch him +water from the world's end, in ten minutes, for the princess's tea, he +should have both her and half the realm, for he thought that quite out +of his power.</p> + +<p>"'I can but try,' said Boots; so he laid hand on him who limped on one +leg, with seven hundred weight on the other, and said he must unbuckle +the weights and use both his legs as fast as ever he could, for he must +have water from the world's end for the princess's tea in ten minutes.</p> + +<p>"So he took off the weights, and got a pail, and set off and was out of +sight in a trice. But time went on and on, for seven lengths and seven +breadths, and yet he did not come back. At last there were no more than +three minutes left till the time was up, and the king was as pleased as +though some one had given him a horse. But just then Boots bawled out to +him who heard the grass grow, and bade him listen and hear what had +become of him.</p> + +<p>"'He has fallen asleep at the well,' he said. 'I can hear him snoring, +and the trolls are combing his hair.'</p> + +<p>"So Boots called him, who could shoot to the world's end, and bade him +put a bullet into the troll. Yes! he did that, and shot him right in the +eye, and the troll set up such a howl that he woke up at once, he that +was to fetch the water for tea; and when he got back to the king's +grange, there was still one minute left of the ten.</p> + +<p>"Then Boots strode into the king, and said there was the water, and now +he must have the princess, there must be no more words about it. But the +king thought him just as sooty and smutty as before, and did not at all +like to have him for a son-in-law. So the king said he had three hundred +fathoms of wood, with which he was about to dry corn in the malt-house, +and 'all the same, if you are man enough to get inside it while I burn +up all that fuel, you shall have her, and I will make no more bones +about it.'</p> + +<p>"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'but I must have leave to take one of my +crew with me.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, yes!' said the king, 'all six of them if you like;' for he +thought it would be warm enough in there for all of them.</p> + +<p>"But Boots took with him the man who had fifteen winters and seven +summers inside him, and they trudged off to the malt-house at night. But +the king had laid the fuel on thick, and there was such a pile burning, +it almost melted the stove. Out again they could not come, for they had +scarce set foot inside than the king shot the bolt behind them, and hung +two padlocks on the door besides. Then Boots said,—</p> + +<p>"'You'd better slip out six or seven winters at once, so that it may be +a nice summer heat.'</p> + +<p>"Then the heat fell, and they could bear it, but on in the night it +began to grow chilly; so Boots said he must make it milder, with two +summers, and then they slept till far on next day.</p> + +<p>"But when they heard the king rattling at the door outside, Boots +said,—</p> + +<p>"'Now you must let slip two more winters, but lay them so that the last +may go full on his face.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, he did so, and when the king unlocked the malt-house door, and +thought to find them lying there burnt to cinders, there they sat +shivering and shaking till their teeth chattered, and the man with the +fifteen winters let slip the last right into the king's face, so that it +swelled up at once into a big frost-bite.</p> + +<p>"'MAY I HAVE YOUR DAUGHTER NOW?' said Boots.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, yes! Pray take her and keep her, and half the realm besides,' +said the king, for he couldn't say 'No' any longer.</p> + +<p>"So they held the bridal feast, and kept it up and rejoiced and fired +off witch shots, and meanwhile they went looking about for charges, and +then they took me and gave me porridge in a flask, and milk in a basket, +and then they shot me off here to you, that I might tell you all how the +wedding went off."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_TOWN-MOUSE_AND_THE_FELL-MOUSE" id="THE_TOWN-MOUSE_AND_THE_FELL-MOUSE"></a>THE TOWN-MOUSE AND THE FELL-MOUSE.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a fell-mouse and a town-mouse, and they met on +a hill brae, where the fell-mouse sat in a hazel thicket and plucked +nuts.</p> + +<p>"'God help you, sister,' said the town-mouse. 'Do I meet my kinsfolk +here so far out in the country?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! so it is;' said the fell-mouse.</p> + +<p>"'You gather these nuts and carry them to your house?' said the +town-mouse.</p> + +<p>"'Yes; I must do it,' said the fell-mouse, 'if we are to have anything +to live on.'</p> + +<p>"'The husks are long and the kernels full this year,' said the +town-mouse; 'so I dare say they will help to fill out a starveling +body.'</p> + +<p>"'You are quite right,' said the fell-mouse, and then she told her how +well and happily she lived. But the town-mouse thought she was better +off, and the fell-mouse would not give in, but said there was no place +so good as wood and fell, and as for herself, she had far the best of +it.</p> + +<p>"Still the town-mouse said she was sure she had the best of it, and they +could not agree at all. So, at last, they promised to pay one another a +visit at Yule, that they might taste and see which lived best. The +town-mouse was the one that had to pay the first visit, and she went +through woods and deep dales, for though the fell-mouse had come down to +the lowlands for the winter, the road was both long and heavy. It was +up-hill work, and the snow was both deep and soft, so that she was both +weary and hungry by the time she got to her journey's end.</p> + +<p>"'Now I shall be glad to get some food,' she said, when she got there. +As for the fell-mouse, she had scraped together all sorts of good +things. There were kernels of nuts, and liquorish-root and other roots, +and much else that grows in wood and field. All this she had in a hole +deep under ground where it would not freeze, and close by was a spring +which was open all the winter, so that she could drink as much water as +she chose. There was plenty of what was to be had, and they fed both +well and good; but the town-mouse thought it was not more than sorry +fare.</p> + +<p>"'One can keep life together with this,' she said; 'but it isn't choice, +not at all. But now you must be so kind as come to me, and taste what we +have in town.'</p> + +<p>"Well, the fell-mouse was willing, and it was not long before she came. +Then the town-mouse had gathered together something of all the Christmas +fare which the mistress of the house had dropped as she went about, when +she had taken a drop too much at Yule. There were bits of cheese, and +odds and ends of butter and tallow, and cheesecakes and tipsycake, and +much else that was nice. In the jar under the ale-tap she had drink +enough, and the whole room was full of all kinds of dainties. They fed +and lived well, and there was no end to the fell-mouse's greediness. +Such fare she had never tasted. At last, she got thirsty, for the food +was both strong and rich, and now she must have a drink of water.</p> + +<p>"'It is not far off to the ale,' said the town-mouse; 'that's the drink +for us;' and with that she jumped up on the edge of the jar, and drank +her thirst out, but she drank no more than she could carry, for she knew +the Yule ale and how strong it was. But as for the fell-mouse, she +thought it famous drink, for she had never tasted anything but water, +and now she took sip after sip; but she was no judge of strong drink, +and so the end was she got drunk, for she tumbled down and got wild in +her head, and felt her feet tingle, till she began to run and to jump +about from one beer-barrel to the other, and to dance and cut capers on +the shelves among the cups and jugs, and to whistle and whine, just as +though she were tipsy and silly; and tipsy she was, there was no +gainsaying it.</p> + +<p>"'You mustn't behave as though you had just come from the hills,' said +the town-mouse. 'Don't make such a noise, and don't lead us such a life; +we have a hard master here.'</p> + +<p>"But the fell-mouse said: 'She cared not a pin for man or master!'</p> + +<p>"But all this while the cat sat up on the trap-door above the cellar, +and listened and spied both to their talk and pranks. Just then, the +goody came down to draw a mug of ale, and as she lifted the trap-door, +the cat stole into the cellar and fixed her claws into the fell-mouse. +Then there was another dance. The town-mouse crept into her hole, and +sat safe looking on, but the fell-mouse got sober all at once as soon as +she felt the cat's claws.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, my dear master, my dear master; be merciful and spare my life, and +I'll tell you a story.' That was what she said.</p> + +<p>"'Out with it then,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'Once on a time there were two small mice,' said the fell-mouse; and +she squeaked so pitifully and slowly, for she wanted to drag the story +out as long as she could.</p> + +<p>"'Then they were not alone,' said the cat, both sharply and drily.</p> + +<p>"'And so we had a steak we were going to cook.'</p> + +<p>"'Then you were not starved,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'So we put it up on the roof that it might cool itself well,' said the +fell-mouse.</p> + +<p>"'Then you didn't burn your tongues,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"'So, then the fox and the crow came and gobbled it up,' said the +fell-mouse.</p> + +<p>"'And so I'll gobble you up,' said the cat.</p> + +<p>"But just then the goody slammed to the trap-door again, so that the cat +got afraid and loosed her hold, and—pop—the fell-mouse was away in the +town-mouse's hole, and from it there was a way out into the snow, and +the fell-mouse was not slow in setting off home.</p> + +<p>"'This you call living well, and you say that you live best?' she said +to the town-mouse. 'Heaven help me to a better mind, for with such a big +house, and such a hawk for a master I could scarce get off with my life."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SILLY_MATT" id="SILLY_MATT"></a>SILLY MATT.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a goody who had a son called Matthew, but he +was so stupid that he had no sense for anything, nor would he do much +either; and the little he did was always topsy-turvy and never right, +and so they never called him anything but 'Silly Matt.'</p> + +<p>"All this the goody thought bad; and it was still worse she thought that +her son idled about and never turned his hand to anything else than +yawning and stretching himself between the four walls.</p> + +<p>"Now close to where they lived ran a great river, and the stream was +strong and bad to cross. So, one day, the goody said to the lad, there +was no lack of timber there, for it grew almost up to the cottage-wall; +he must cut some down and drag it to the bank and try to build a bridge +over the river and take toll, and then he would both have something to +do and something to live upon besides.</p> + +<p>"Yes! Matt thought so too, for his mother had said it; what she begged +him do, he would do. That was safe and sure he said, for what she said +must be so and not otherwise. So he hewed down timber and dragged it +down and built a bridge. It didn't go so awfully fast with the work, but +at any rate he had his hands full while it went on.</p> + +<p>"When the bridge was ready, the lad was to stand down at its end and +take toll of those who wanted to cross, and his mother bade him be sure +not to let any one over unless they paid the toll. It was all the same, +she said, if it were not always in money. Goods and wares were just as +good pay.</p> + +<p>"So the first day came three chaps with each his load of hay, and wanted +to cross the bridge.</p> + +<p>"'No! no!' said the lad; 'you can't go over till I've taken the toll.'</p> + +<p>"'We've nothing to pay it with,' they said.</p> + +<p>"'Well, then! you can't cross; but it's all the same, if it isn't money. +Goods will do just as well.'</p> + +<p>"So they gave him each a wisp of hay, and he had as much as would go on +a little hand-sledge, and then they had leave to pass over the bridge.</p> + +<p>"Next came a pedlar with his pack, who sold needles and thread, and such +like small wares, and he wanted to cross.</p> + +<p>"'You can't cross, till you have paid the toll,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'I've nothing to pay it with,' said the pedlar.</p> + +<p>"'You have wares, at any rate.'</p> + +<p>"So the pedlar took out two needles and gave them him, and then he had +leave to cross the bridge. As for the needles, the lad stuck them into +the hay, and soon set off home.</p> + +<p>"So when he got home, he said, 'Now, I have taken the toll, and got +something to live on.'</p> + +<p>"'What did you get?' asked the goody.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said he, 'there came three chaps, each with his load of hay. They +each gave me a wisp of hay, so that I got a little sledge-load; and +next, I got two needles from a pedlar.'</p> + +<p>"'What did you do with the hay?' asked the goody.</p> + +<p>"'I tried it between my teeth; but it tasted only of grass, so I threw +into the river.'</p> + +<p>"'You ought to have spread it out on the byre-floor,' said the goody.</p> + +<p>"'Well! I'll do that next time, mother,' he said.</p> + +<p>"'And what then did you do with the needles?' said the goody.</p> + +<p>"'I stuck them in the hay!'</p> + +<p>"'Ah!' said his mother. 'You <i>are</i> a born fool. You should have stuck +them in and out of your cap.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! don't say another word, mother, and I'll be sure to do so next +time.'</p> + +<p>"Next day, when the lad stood down at the foot of the bridge again, +there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and wanted to cross.</p> + +<p>"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'I've no pence to pay it with,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Well! You can't cross,' said the lad; 'but goods are good pay.' So he +got a pound of meal, and the man had leave to cross.</p> + +<p>"Not long after came a smith, with a horse-pack of smith's work, and +wanted to cross; but it was still the same.</p> + +<p>"'You mustn't cross till you've paid the toll,' said the lad. But he too +had no money either; so he gave the lad a gimlet, and then he had leave +to cross.</p> + +<p>"So when the lad got home to his mother, the toll was the first thing +she asked about.</p> + +<p>"'What did you take for toll to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh! there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and he gave me +a pound of meal; and then came a smith, with a horse-load of +smith's-work, and he gave me a gimlet.'</p> + +<p>"'And pray what did you do with the gimlet?' asked the goody.</p> + +<p>"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said the lad. 'I stuck it in and out of +my cap.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh! but that was silly,' said the goody; 'you oughtn't to have stuck +it out and in your cap; but you should have stuck it up your +shirt-sleeve.'</p> + +<p>"'Ay! ay! only be still, mother; and I'll be sure to do it next time.'</p> + +<p>"'And what did you do with the meal, I'd like to know?' said the goody.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! I did as you bade me, mother. I spread it over the byre-floor.'</p> + +<p>"'Never heard anything so silly in my born days,' said the goody; 'why, +you ought to have gone home for a pail and put it into it.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! only be still, mother,' said the lad; 'and I'll be sure to +do it next time.'</p> + +<p>"Next day the lad was down at the foot of the bridge to take toll, and +so there came a man with a horse-load of brandy, and wanted to cross.</p> + +<p>"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"'I've got no money,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Well, then, you can't cross; but you have goods, of course;' said the +lad. Yes; so he got half a quart of brandy, and that he poured up his +shirt-sleeve.</p> + +<p>"A while after came a man with a drove of goats, and wanted to cross the +bridge.</p> + +<p>"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad.</p> + +<p>"Well! he was no richer than the rest. He had no money; but still he +gave the lad a little billy-goat, and he got over with his drove. But +the lad took the goat and trod it down into a bucket he had brought with +him. So when he got home, the goody asked again—</p> + +<p>"'What did you take to-day?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh! there came a man with a load of brandy, and from him I got a pint +of brandy.'</p> + +<p>"'And what did you do with it?'</p> + +<p>"'I did as you bade me, mother; I poured it up my shirt-sleeve.'</p> + +<p>"'Ay! but that was silly, my son; you should have come home to fetch a +bottle and poured it into it.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! be still this time, mother, and I'll be sure to do what +you say next time,' and then he went on—</p> + +<p>"'Next came a man with a drove of goats, and he gave me a little +billy-goat, and that I trod down into the bucket.'</p> + +<p>"'Dear me!' said his mother, 'that was silly, and sillier than silly, my +son; you should have twisted a withy round its neck, and led the +billy-goat home by it.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! be still, mother, and see if I don't do as you say next time.'</p> + +<p>"Next day he set off for the bridge again to take toll, and so a man +came with a load of butter, and wanted to cross. But the lad said 'he +couldn't cross unless he paid toll.'</p> + +<p>"'I've nothing to pay it with,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Well! then you can't cross,' said the lad; 'but you have goods, and +I'll take them instead of money.'</p> + +<p>"So the man gave him a pat of butter, and then he had leave to cross the +bridge, and the lad strode off to a grove of willows and twisted a +withy, and twined it round the butter, and dragged it home along the +road; but so long as he went he left some of the butter behind him, and +when he got home there was none left.</p> + +<p>"'And what did you take to-day?' asked his mother.</p> + +<p>"'There came a man with a load of butter, and he gave a pat.'</p> + +<p>"'Butter!' said the goody, 'where is it?'</p> + +<p>"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said the lad. 'I tied a withy round the +pat and led it home; but it was all lost by the way.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the goody, 'you were born a fool, and you'll die a fool. Now +you are not one bit better off for all your toil; but had you been like +other folk, you might have had both meat and brandy, and both hay and +tools. If you don't know better how to behave, I don't know what's to be +done with you. Maybe, you might be more like the rest of the world, and +get some sense into you if you were married to some one who could settle +things for you, and so I think you had better set off and see about +finding a brave lass; but you must be sure you know how to behave well +on the way and to greet folk prettily when you meet them.'</p> + +<p>"'And pray what shall I say to them?' asked the lad.</p> + +<p>"'To think of your asking that,' said his mother. 'Why, of course, you +must bid them "God's Peace," Don't you know that?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! yes! I'll do as you bid,' said the lad; and so he set off on his +way to woo him a wife.</p> + +<p>"So, when he had gone a bit of the way, he met Greylegs, the wolf, with +her seven cubs; and when he got so far as to be alongside them, he stood +still and greeted them with 'God's Peace!' and when he had said that, he +went home again.</p> + +<p>"'I said it all as you bade me, mother,' said Matt.</p> + +<p>"'And what was that?' asked his mother.</p> + +<p>"'God's Peace,' said Matt.</p> + +<p>"'And pray whom did you meet?'</p> + +<p>"'A she wolf with seven cubs; that was all I met,' said Matt.</p> + +<p>"'Ay! ay! You are like yourself,' said his mother. 'So it was, and so it +will ever be. Why in the world did you say "God's Peace" to a wolf. You +should have clapped your hands and said—"Huf! huf! you jade of a +she-wolf!" That's what you ought to have said.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! be still, mother,' he said. 'I'll be sure to say so +another time;' and with that he strode off from the farm, and when he +had gone a bit on the way, he met a bridal train. So he stood still when +he had got well up to the bride and bridegroom, and clapped his hands +and said: 'Huf! huf! you jade of a she-wolf!' After that he went home to +his mother and said—</p> + +<p>"'I did as you bade me mother; but I got a good thrashing for it, that I +did.'</p> + +<p>"'What was it you did?' she asked.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! I clapped my hands and called out, "Huf! huf! you jade of a +she-wolf!"'</p> + +<p>"'And what was it you met?'</p> + +<p>"'I met a bridal train.'</p> + +<p>"'Ah! you are a fool, and always will be a fool,' said his mother. 'Why +should you say such things to a bridal train. You should have said, +"Ride happily, bride and bridegroom."'</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! See if I don't say so next time,' said the lad, and off he +went again.</p> + +<p>"So he met a bear, who was taking a ride on a horse, and Matt waited +till he came alongside him, and then he said 'A happy ride to you, bride +and bridegroom,' and then he went back to his mother and told her how he +had said what she bade him.</p> + +<p>"'And pray! what was it you said?' she asked.</p> + +<p>"'I said, 'A happy ride to you both, bride and bridegroom.'</p> + +<p>"'And whom did you meet?'</p> + +<p>"'I met a bear taking a ride on a horse,' said Matt.</p> + +<p>"'My goodness! what a fool you are,' said his mother. 'You ought to have +said, "To the de'il with you." That's what you ought to have said.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! mother. I'll be sure to say so next time.'</p> + +<p>"So he set off again, and this time he met a funeral; and when he had +come well up to the coffin, he greeted it and said, 'To the de'il with +you!' and then he ran home to his mother, and told her he had said what +she bade him.</p> + +<p>"'And what was that?' she asked.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! I said, 'To the de'il with you."'</p> + +<p>"'And what was it you met?'</p> + +<p>"'I met a funeral,' said Matt; 'but I got more kicks than halfpence!'</p> + +<p>"'You didn't get half enough,' said the goody. 'Why, of course, you +ought to have said, "May your poor soul have mercy." That's what you +ought to have said.'</p> + +<p>"Ay! ay! mother! so I will next time, only be still,' said Matt, and off +he went again.</p> + +<p>"So when he had gone a bit of the way he fell on two ugly gipsies who +were skinning a dog. So when he came up to them he greeted them and +said, 'May your poor soul have mercy,' and when he had said so he went +home and told his mother he had said what she bade him; but all he got +was such a drubbing he could scarce drag one leg after the other.</p> + +<p>"'But what was it you said?' asked the goody.</p> + +<p>"'May your poor soul have mercy; that was what I said.'</p> + +<p>"'And whom did you meet?'</p> + +<p>"'A pair of gipsies skinning a dog,' he said.</p> + +<p>"'Well! well!' said the goody. 'There's no hope of your changing. You'll +always be a shame and sorrow to us wherever you go. I never heard such +shocking words. But now, you must set out and take no notice of any one +you meet, for you must be off to woo a wife, and see if you can get some +one who knows more of the ways of the world and has a better head on her +shoulders than yours. And now you must behave like other folk, and if +all goes well you may bless your stars, and bawl out, Hurrah!'</p> + +<p>"Yes, the lad did all that his mother bade him. He set off and wooed a +lass, and she thought he couldn't be so bad a fellow after all; and so +she said, 'Yes, she would have him.'</p> + +<p>"When the lad got home the goody wanted to know what his sweetheart's +name was; but he did not know. So the goody got angry and said, he must +just set off again, for she would know what the girl's name was. So when +Matt was going home again he had sense enough to ask her what she was +called. 'Well,' she said, 'my name is Solvy; but I thought you knew it +already.'</p> + +<p>"So Matt ran off home, and as he went he mumbled to himself,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'Solvy, Solvy,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is my darling!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Solvy, Solvy,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is my darling?'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"But just as he was running as hard as he could to reach home before he +forgot it, he tripped over a tuft of grass, and forgot the name again. +So when he got on his feet again he began to search all round the +hillock, but all he could find was a spade. So he seized it and began to +dig and search as hard as he could, and as he was hard at it up came an +old man.</p> + +<p>"'What are you digging for?' said the man. 'Have you lost anything +here?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh yes! oh yes! I have lost my sweetheart's name, and I can't find it +again.'</p> + +<p>"'I think her name is Solvy,' said the man.</p> + +<p>"'Oh yes, that's it,' said Matt, and away he ran with the spade in his +hand, bawling out,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'Solvy, Solvy,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is my darling!'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"But when he had gone a little way he called to mind that he had taken +the spade, and so he threw it behind him, right on to the man's leg. +Then the man began to roar and bemoan himself as though he had a knife +stuck in him, and then Matt forgot the name again, and ran home as fast +as he could, and when he got there, the first thing his mother asked +was—</p> + +<p>"'What's your sweetheart's name?'</p> + +<p>"But Matt was just as wise as when he set out, for he did not know the +name any better the last than the first time.</p> + +<p>"'You are the same big fool, that you are,' said the goody. 'You won't +do any better this time either. But now I'll just set off myself and +fetch the girl home, and get you married. Meanwhile you must fetch water +up to the fifth plank all round the room, and wash it, and then you must +take a little fat and a little lean, and the greenest thing you can find +in the cabbage garden, and boil them all up together; and when you have +done that you must put yourself into fine feather, and look smart when +your lassie comes, and then you may sit down on the dresser.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, all that Matt thought he could do very well. He fetched water and +dashed it about the room in floods, but he couldn't get it to stand +above the fourth plank, for when it rose higher it ran out. So he had to +leave off that work. But now you must know, they had a dog whose name +was 'Fat,' and a cat whose name was 'Lean;' both these he took and put +into the soup-kettle. As for the greenest thing in the garden, it was a +green gown which the goody had meant for her daughter-in-law; that he +cut up into little bits, and away it went into the pot; but their little +pig, which was called 'All,' he cooked by himself in the brewing tub. +And when Matt had done all this he laid hands on a pot of treacle and +and a feather pillow. Then he first of all rubbed himself all over with +the treacle, and then he tore open the pillow and rolled himself in the +feathers, and then he sat down on the dresser out in the kitchen, till +his mother and the lassie came.</p> + +<p>"Now the first thing the goody missed when she came to her house was the +dog, for it always used to meet her out of doors. The next thing was the +cat, for it always met her in the porch, and when the weather was right +down good and the sun shone, she even came out into the yard, and met +her at the garden gate. Nor could she see the green gown she had meant +for her daughter-in-law either, and her piggy-wiggy, which followed her +grunting wherever she went, he was not there either. So she went in to +see about all this; but as soon as ever she lifted the latch, out poured +the water through the doorway like a waterfall, so that they were almost +borne away by the flood, both the goody and the lassie.</p> + +<p>"So they had to go round by the back door, and when they got inside the +kitchen there sat that figure of fun all befeathered.</p> + +<p>"'What have you done?' said the goody.</p> + +<p>"'I did just as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'I tried to get the +water up to the fifth plank, but as fast as ever I poured it in it ran +out again, and so I could only get up as high as the fourth plank.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! well! but "Fat" and "Lean," said the goody, who wished to turn +it off; 'what have you done with them?'</p> + +<p>"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'I took and put them into +the soup-kettle. They both scratched and bit, and they mewed and whined, +and Fat was strong and kicked against it; but he had to go in at last +all the same; and as for "All," he's cooking by himself in the brewing +tub in the brew-house, for there wasn't room for him in the +soup-kettle.'</p> + +<p>"'But what have you done with that new green gown I meant for my +daughter-in-law?' said the goody, trying to hide his silliness.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! I did as you bade me, mother. It hung out in the cabbage-garden, +and as it was the greatest thing there, I took it and cut it up small, +and yonder it boils in the soup.'</p> + +<p>"Away ran the goody to the chimney-corner, tore off the pot and turned +it upside down with all that was in it. Then she filled it anew and put +it on to boil. But when she had time to look at Matt she was quite +shocked.</p> + +<p>"'Why is it you are such a figure?' she cried.</p> + +<p>"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'First I rubbed myself all +over with treacle to make myself sweet for my bride, and then I tore +open the pillow and put myself into fine feathers.'</p> + +<p>"Well, the goody turned it off as well as she could, and picked off the +feathers from her son, and washed him clean, and put fresh clothes on +him.</p> + +<p>"So at last they were to have the wedding, but first Matt was to go to +the town and sell a cow to buy things for the bridal. The goody had told +him what he was to do, and the beginning and end of what she said was, +he was to be sure to get something for the cow. So when he got to the +market with the cow, and they asked what he was to have for her, they +could get no other answer out of him than that he was to have +<i>something</i> for her. So at last came a butcher, who begged him to take +the cow and follow him home, and he'd be sure to give him <i>something</i> +for her. Yes, Matt went off with the cow, and when he got to the +butcher's house the butcher spat into the palm of Matt's hand, and +said—</p> + +<p>"'There, you have something for your cow, but look sharp after it.'</p> + +<p>"So off went Matt as carefully as if he trode on eggs, holding his hand +shut; but when he had got about as far as the cross-road, which led to +their farm, he met the parson, who came driving along.</p> + +<p>"'Open the gate for me, my lad,' said the parson.</p> + +<p>"So the lad hastened to open the gate, but in doing so he forgot what he +had in his palm, and took the gate by both hands, so that what he got +for the cow was left sticking on the gate. So when he saw it was gone he +got cross, and said, his reverence had taken <i>something</i> from him.</p> + +<p>"But when the parson asked him if he had lost his wits, and said he had +taken nothing from him, Matt got so wrath he killed the parson at a +blow, and buried him in a bog by the wayside.</p> + +<p>"So when he got home he told his mother all about it, and she +slaughtered a billy-goat, and laid it where Matt had laid the parson, +but she buried the parson in another place. And when she had done that +she hung over the fire a pot of brose, and when it was cooked she made +Matt sit down in the ingle and split matches. Meantime she went up on +the roof with the pot and poured the brose down the chimney, so that it +streamed over her son.</p> + +<p>"Next day came the sheriff. So when the sheriff asked him, Matt did not +gainsay that he had slain the parson, and more, he was quite ready to +show the sheriff where he had laid 'his reverence.' But when the sheriff +asked on what day it happened, Matt said 'it was the day when it rained +brose over the whole world.'</p> + +<p>"So when he got to the spot where he had buried the parson the sheriff +pulled out the billy-goat, and asked—</p> + +<p>"'Had your parson horns?'</p> + +<p>"Now when the judges heard the story, they made up their minds that the +lad was quite out of his wits, and so he got off scot free.</p> + +<p>"So after all the bridal was to stand, and the goody had a long talk +with her son, and bade him be sure to behave prettily when they sat at +table. He was not to look too much at the bride, but to cast an eye at +her now and then. Peas he might eat by himself, but he must share the +eggs with her, and he was not to lay the leg bones by his side on the +table, but to place them tidily on his plate.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Matt would do all that, and he did it well; yes, he did all that +his mother bade him, and nothing else. First, he stole out to the +sheepfold, and plucked the eyes out of all the sheep and goats he could +find, and took them with him. So when they went to dinner he sat with +his back to his bride; but all at once he cast a sheep's eye at her so +that it hit her full in her face; and a little while after he cast +another, and so he went on. As for the eggs he ate them all up to his +own cheek, so that the lassie did not get a taste, but when the peas +came he shared them with her. And when they had eaten a while Matt put +his feet together, and up on his plate went his legs.</p> + +<p>"At night, when they were to go to bed, the lassie was tired and weary, +for she thought it no good to have such a fool for her husband. So she +said she had forgotten something and must go out a little; but she could +not get Matt's leave; he would follow her, for to tell the truth, he was +afraid she would never come back.</p> + +<p>"'No! no! lie still, I say,' said the bride. 'See, here's a long +hair-rope; tie it round me, and I'll leave the door ajar. So if you +think I'm too long away you have only to pull the rope and then you'll +drag me in again.'</p> + +<p>"Yes, Matt was content with that; but as soon as the lassie got out into +the yard she caught a billy-goat and untied the rope and tied it round +him.</p> + +<p>"So when Matt thought she was too long out of doors he began to haul in +the rope, and so he dragged the billy-goat up into bed to him. But when +he had lain a while, he bawled out—</p> + +<p>"'Mother! mother! my bride has horns like a billy-goat!'</p> + +<p>"'Stuff! silly boy to lie and bewail yourself,' said his mother. 'It's +only her hair-plaits, poor thing, I'm sure.'</p> + +<p>"In a little while Matt called out again—</p> + +<p>"'Mother! mother! my bride has a beard like a goat.'</p> + +<p>"'Stuff! silly boy to lie there and rave,' said the goody.</p> + +<p>"But there was no rest in that house that night, for in a little while +Matt screeched out that his bride was like a billy-goat all over. So +when it grew towards morning the goody said—</p> + +<p>"'Jump up, my son, and make a fire.'</p> + +<p>"So Matt climbed up to a shelf under the roof, and set fire to some +straw and chips, and other rubbish that lay there. But then such a smoke +rose, that he couldn't bear it any longer indoors. He was forced to go +out, and just then the day broke. As for the goody, she too had to make +a start of it, and when they got out the house was on fire, so that the +flames came right out at the roof.</p> + +<p>"'Good luck! good luck! Hip, hip, hurrah!' roared out Matt, for he +thought it fine fun to have such an ending to his bridal feast."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="KING_VALEMON_THE_WHITE_BEAR" id="KING_VALEMON_THE_WHITE_BEAR"></a>KING VALEMON, THE WHITE BEAR.</h2> + + +<p>"Now, once on a time there was, as there well might be, a king. He had +two daughters who were ugly and bad, but the third was as fair and soft +as the bright day, and the king and everyone was glad of her. So one day +she dreamt of a golden wreath that was so lovely she couldn't live until +she had it. But as she could not get it, she grew sullen and wouldn't so +much as talk for grief, and when the king knew it was the wreath she +sorrowed for, he sent out a pattern cut just like the one that the +princess had dreamt of, and sent word to goldsmiths in every land to see +if they could get the like of it. So the goldsmiths worked night and +day; but some of the wreaths she tossed away from her, and the rest she +would not so much as look at.</p> + +<p>"But once when she was in the wood, she set her eyes upon a white bear, +who had the very wreath she had dreamt of between his paws, and played +with it. Then she wanted to buy it. No! it was not for sale for money, +but she might have it, if he might have her. Yes! she said it was never +worth living without it. It was all the same to her whither she went, +and whom she got if she could only have that wreath; and so it was +settled between them that he should fetch her when three days were up, +and that day was a Thursday.</p> + +<p>"So when she went home with the wreath every one was glad because she +was glad again, and the king said, he thought it could never be so hard +to stop a white bear. So the third day he turned out his whole army +round the castle to withstand him. But when the white bear came there +was no one who could stand before him, for no weapon would bite on his +hide, and he hurled them down right and left, so that they lay in heaps +on either side. All this the king thought right down scathe; so he sent +out his eldest daughter, and the white bear took her upon his back and +went off with her. And when they had gone far, and farther than far, the +white bear asked,—</p> + +<p>"'Have you ever sat softer, and have you ever seen clearer?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! on my mother's lap I sat softer, and in my father's hall I saw +clearer,' she said.</p> + +<p>"'Oh!' said the white bear, 'then you're not the right one;' and with +that he hunted her home again.</p> + +<p>"The next Thursday he came again, and it all went just the same. The +army went out to withstand the white bear; but neither iron nor steel +bit on his hide, and so he dashed them down like grass till the king +begged him to hold hard, and then he sent out to him his next oldest +daughter, and the white bear took her on his back and went off with her. +So when they had travelled far and farther than far, the white bear +asked,—</p> + +<p>"'Have you ever seen clearer, and have you ever sat softer?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' she said, 'in my father's hall I saw clearer, and on my mother's +lap I sat softer.'</p> + +<p>"Oh! then you are not the right one,' said the white bear, and with that +he hunted her home again.</p> + +<p>"The third Thursday he came again, and then he smote the army harder +than he had done before; so the king thought he couldn't let him slay +his whole army like that, and he gave him his third daughter in God's +name. So he took her up on his back and went away far, and farther than +far, and when they had gone deep, deep, into the wood, he asked her as +he had asked the others, whether she had ever sat softer or seen +clearer?</p> + +<p>"'No! never!' she said.</p> + +<p>"'Ah!' he said, 'you are the right one.'</p> + +<p>"So they came to a castle which was so grand, that the one her father +had was like the poorest place when set against it. There she was to be +and live happily, and she was to have nothing else to do but to see that +the fire never went out. The bear was away by day, but at night he was +with her, and then he was a man. So all went well for three years; but +each year she had a baby, and he took it and carried it off as soon as +ever it came into the world. Then she got more and more dull, and begged +she might have leave to go home and see her parents. Well! there was +nothing to stop that; but first, she had to give her word that she would +listen to what her father said, but not do what her mother wished. So +she went home, and when they were alone with her, and she had told how +she was treated, her mother wanted to give her a light to take back that +she might see what kind of man he was.</p> + +<p>"But her father said, 'No! she mustn't do that, for it will lead to harm +and not to gain.'</p> + +<p>"But however it happened, so it happened; she got a bit of a candle-end +to take with her when she started.</p> + +<p>"So the first thing she did when he was sound asleep, was to light the +candle-end and throw a light on him; and he was so lovely she never +thought she could gaze enough at him; but as she held the candle over +him, a hot drop of tallow dropped on his forehead, and he woke up.</p> + +<p>"'What is this you have done?' he said. 'Now you have made us both +unlucky; there was no more than a month left, and had you lasted it out, +I should have been saved; for a hag of the trolls has bewitched me, and +I am a white bear by day. But now it is all over between us, for now I +must go to her and take her to wife.'</p> + +<p>"She wept and bemoaned herself; but he must set off, and he would set +off. Then she asked if she might not go with him. 'No!' he said, 'there +was no way of doing that.' But for all that, when he set off in his +bear-shape, she took hold of his shaggy hide and threw herself upon his +back, and held on fast.</p> + +<p>"So away they went over crags and hills, and through brakes and briars, +till her clothes were torn off her back, and she was so dead tired, that +she let go her hold and lost her wits. When she came to herself she was +in a great wood, and then she set off again, but she could not tell +whither she was going. So after a long, long, time she came to a hut, +and there she saw two women, an old woman and a pretty little girl. Then +the princess asked, had they seen anything of King Valemon, the white +bear.</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' they said. 'He passed by here this morning early, but he went so +fast you'll never be able to catch him up.'</p> + +<p>"As for the girl, she ran about clipping in the air and playing with a +pair of golden scissors, which were of that kind, that silk and satin +stuffs flew all about her if she only clipped the air with them. Where +they were, there was never any want of clothes.</p> + +<p>"'But this woman,' said the little lass, 'who is to go so far and on +such bad ways, she will suffer much; she may well have more need of +these scissors than I to cut out her clothes with.'</p> + +<p>"And as she said this she begged her mother so hard, that at last she +got leave to give her the scissors.</p> + +<p>"So away travelled the princess through the wood, which seemed never to +come to an end, both day and night, and next morning she came to another +hut. In it there were also two women, an old wife and a young girl.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day!" said the princess. 'Have you seen anything of King Valemon, +the white bear?' That was what she asked them.</p> + +<p>"'Was it you, maybe, who was to have him?' said the old wife.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! it was.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, he passed by yesterday, but he went so fast you'll never be able +to catch him up.'</p> + +<p>"This little girl played about on the floor with a flask, which was of +that kind it poured out every drink any one wished to have.</p> + +<p>"'But this poor wife,' said the girl, 'who has to go so far on such bad +ways, I think she may well be thirsty and suffer much other ill. No +doubt she needs this flask more than I;' and so she asked if she might +have leave to give her the flask. Yes! that leave she might have.</p> + +<p>"So the princess got the flask, and thanked them, and set off again away +through the same wood, both that day and the next night too. The third +morning she came to a hut, where there was also an old wife and a little +girl.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day!' said the princess.</p> + +<p>"'Good-day to you,' said the old wife.</p> + +<p>"'Have you seen anything of King Valemon, the white bear?' she asked.</p> + +<p>"'Maybe it was you who was to have him?' said the old wife.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! it was.'</p> + +<p>"'Well he passed by here the day before yesterday; but he went so fast +you'll never be able to catch him up,' she said.</p> + +<p>"This little girl played about on the floor with a napkin, which was of +that kind that when one said on it, 'Napkin, spread yourself out and be +covered with all dainty dishes,' it did so, and where it was there was +never any want of a good dinner.</p> + +<p>"'But this poor wife,' said the little girl, 'who has to go so far over +such bad ways, she may well be starving and suffering much other ill. I +dare say she has far more need of this napkin than I;' and so she asked +if she might have leave to give her the napkin, and she got it.</p> + +<p>"So the princess took the napkin and thanked them, and set off again far +and farther than far, away through the same murk wood all that day and +night, and in the morning she came to a crossfell which was as steep as +a wall, and so high and broad, she could see no end to it. There was a +hut there too, and as soon as she set her foot inside it, she said,—</p> + +<p>"'Good-day! Have you seen if King Valemon, the white bear, has passed +this way?'</p> + +<p>"'Good-day to you,' said the old wife. 'It was you, maybe, who was to +have him?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes! it was.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! he passed by and went up over the hill three days ago; but up +that nothing can get that is wingless.'</p> + +<p>"That hut, you must know, was all so full of small bairns, and they all +hung round their mother's skirts and bawled for food. Then the goody put +a pot on the fire full of small round pebbles. When the princess asked +what that was for, the goody said they were so poor they had neither +food nor clothing, and it went to her heart to hear the children +screaming for a morsel of food; but when she put the pot on the fire, +and said—</p> + +<p>"'The potatoes will soon be ready,' the words dulled their hunger, and +they were patient awhile.</p> + +<p>"It was not long before the princess brought out the napkin and the +flask, that you may be sure, and when the children were all full and +glad, she cut them out clothes with her golden scissors.</p> + +<p>"'Well!' said the goody in the hut, 'since you have been so kind and +good towards me and my bairns, it were a shame if I didn't do all in my +power to try to help you over the hill. My husband is one of the best +smiths in the world, and now you must lie down and rest till he comes +home, and then I'll get him to forge you claws for your hands and feet, +and then you can see if you can crawl and scramble up.'</p> + +<p>"So when the smith came home, he set to work at once at the claws, and +next morning they were ready. She had no time to stay, but said, 'Thank +you,' and then clung close to the rock and crept and crawled with the +steel claws all that day and the next night, and just as she felt so +very very tired that she thought she could scarce lift hand or foot, but +must slip down—there she was all right at the top. There she found a +plain, with tilled fields and meads, so big and broad, she never thought +there could be any land so wide and so flat, and close by was a castle +full of workmen of all kinds, who swarmed like ants on an ant-hill.</p> + +<p>"'What is going on here?' asked the princess.</p> + +<p>"Well! if she must know, there lived the old hag who had bewitched King +Valemon, the white bear, and in three days she was to hold her wedding +feast with him. Then she asked if she mightn't have a word with her. +'No! was it likely? It was quite impossible.' So she sat down under the +window and began to clip in the air with her golden scissors, till the +silks and satins flew about as thick as a snow-drift.</p> + +<p>"But when the old hag saw that, she was all for buying the golden +scissors, for she said, 'All our tailors can do is no good at all, we +have too many to find clothes for.'</p> + +<p>"So the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but she should +have it, if she got leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' the old hag said, 'she might have that leave and, welcome, but +she herself must lull him off to sleep and wake him in the morning.'</p> + +<p>"And, so when he went to bed she gave him a sleeping draught, so that he +could not keep an eye open, for all that the princess cried and wept.</p> + +<p>"Next day the princess went under the window again, and began to pour +out drink from her flask. It frothed like a brook with ale and wine, and +it was never empty. So when the old hag saw that, she was all for buying +it, for she said,—</p> + +<p>"'For all our brewing and stilling, it's no good, we have too many to +find drink for.'</p> + +<p>"But the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but if she might +have leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night, she might have it.'</p> + +<p>"'Well!' the old hag said, 'she might have that leave and welcome, but +she must herself lull him off to sleep and wake him in the morning.'</p> + +<p>"So when he went to bed she gave him another sleeping draught, so that +it went no better that night than the first. He was not able to keep his +eyes open, for all that the princess bawled and wept.</p> + +<p>"But that night, there was one of the workmen who worked in a room next +to theirs. He heard the weeping and knew how things stood, and next day +he told the prince that she must be come, that princess who was to set +him free.</p> + +<p>"That day it was just the same story with the napkin as with the +scissors and the flask. When it was about dinner-time the princess went +outside the castle, took out the napkin and said, 'Napkin, spread +yourself out and be covered with all dainty dishes,' and there was meat +enough, and to spare, for hundreds of men; but the princess sat down to +table by herself.</p> + +<p>"So when the old hag set her eyes on the napkin, she wanted to buy it, +'For all their roasting and boiling is worth nothing, we have too many +mouths to feed.'</p> + +<p>"But the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but if she might +have leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night, she might have it.</p> + +<p>"'Well! she might do so and welcome,' said the old hag; 'but she must +first lull him off to sleep and wake him up in the morning.'</p> + +<p>"So when he was going to bed, she came with the sleeping draught, but +this time he was aware of her and made as though he slept. But the old +hag did not trust him for all that, for she took a pin and stuck it into +his arm to try if he were sound asleep, but for all the pain it gave him +he did not stir a bit, and so the princess got leave to come into him.</p> + +<p>"Then everything was soon set right between them, and if they could only +get rid of the old hag, he would be free. So he got the carpenters to +make him a trap-door on the bridge over which the bridal train had to +pass, for it was the custom there that the bride rode at the head of the +train with her friends.</p> + +<p>"So when they got well on the bridge, the trap-door tipped up with the +bride and all the other old hags who were her bridesmaids. But King +Valemon and the princess, and all the rest of the train, turned back to +the castle and took all they could carry away of the gold and goods of +the old hag, and so they set off for his own land, and were to hold +their real wedding.</p> + +<p>"And on the way King Valemon picked up those three little girls in the +three huts and took them with them, and now she saw why it was he had +taken her babes away and put them out at nurse; it was, that they might +help her to find him out. And so they drank their bridal ale both stiff +and strong."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_GOLDEN_BIRD" id="THE_GOLDEN_BIRD"></a>THE GOLDEN BIRD.</h2> + + +<p>"Once on a time there was a king who had a garden, and in that garden +stood an apple-tree, and on that apple-tree grew one golden apple every +year. But when the time drew on for plucking it, away it went, and there +was no one who could tell who took it or what became of it. It was gone, +and that was all they knew.</p> + +<p>"This king had three sons, and so he said to them one day that he of +them who could get him his apple again or lay hold of the thief should +have the kingdom after him, were he the eldest, or the youngest, or the +midmost.</p> + +<p>"So the eldest set out first on this quest, and sat him down under the +tree, and was to watch for the thief; and when night drew near a golden +bird came flying, and his feathers gleamed a long way off; but when the +king's son saw the bird and his beams he got so afraid he daren't stay +his watch out, but flew back into the palace as fast as ever he could.</p> + +<p>"Next morning the apple was gone. By that time the king's son had got +back his heart into his body, and so he fell to filling his scrip with +food, and was all for setting out to try if lie could find the bird. So +the king fitted him out well, and spared neither money nor clothes, and +when the king's son had gone a bit he got hungry and took out his scrip, +and sat him down to eat his dinner by the wayside. Then out came a fox +from a spruce clump and sat by him and looked on.</p> + +<p>"'Do, dear friend, give me a morsel of food,' said the fox.</p> + +<p>"'I'll give you burnt horn, that I will,' said the king's son. 'I'm like +to need food myself, for no one knows how far and how long I may have to +travel.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh! that's your game, is it?' said the fox, and back he went into the +wood.</p> + +<p>"So when the king's son had eaten and rested awhile he set off on his +way again. After a long, long time he came to a great town, and in that +town was an inn, where there was always mirth and never sorrow; there he +thought it would be good to be, and so he turned in there. But there was +so much dancing and drinking, and fun and jollity, that he forgot the +bird and its feathers, and his father, and his quest, and the whole +kingdom. Away he was and away he stayed.</p> + +<p>"The year after the midmost king's son was to watch for the apple thief +in the garden. Yes, he too sat him down under the tree when it began to +ripen. So all at once one night the golden bird came shining like the +sun, and the lad got so afraid he put his tail between his legs and ran +indoors as fast as ever he could.</p> + +<p>"Next morning the apple was gone; but by that time the king's son had +taken heart again, and was all for setting off to see if he could find +the bird. Yes, he began to put up his travelling fare, and the king +fitted him out well, and spared neither clothes nor money. But just the +same befell him as had befallen his brother. When he had travelled a bit +he got hungry, and opened his scrip, and sat him down to eat his dinner +by the wayside. So out came a fox from a spruce clump and sat up and +looked on.</p> + +<p>"'Dear friend, give me a morsel of food, do?' said the fox.</p> + +<p>"'I'll give you burnt horn, that I will,' said the king's son. 'I may +come to need food myself, for no one knows how far and how long I may +have to go.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh! that's your game, is it?' said the fox, and away he went into the +wood again.</p> + +<p>"So when the king's son had eaten and rested himself awhile he set off +on his way again. And after a long, long time he came to the same town +and the same inn where there was always mirth and never sorrow, and he +too thought it would be good to turn in there, and the very first man he +met was his brother, and so he too stayed there. His brother had feasted +and drunk till he had scarce any clothes to his back; but now they both +began anew, and there was such drinking and dancing, and fun and +jollity, that the second brother also forgot the bird and its feathers, +and his father, the quest, and the whole kingdom. Away he was and away +he stayed, he too.</p> + +<p>"So when the time drew on that the apple was getting ripe again the +youngest king's son was to go out into the garden and watch for the +apple thief. Now he took with him a comrade, who was to help him up into +the tree, and they took with them a keg of ale and a pack of cards to +while away the time, so that they should not fall asleep. All at once +came a blaze as of the sun, and just as the golden bird pounced down and +snapped up the apple the king's son tried to seize it, but he only got a +feather out of his tail. So he went into the king's bedroom and when he +came in with the feather the room was as bright as broad day.</p> + +<p>"So he too would go out into the wide world to try if he could hear any +tidings of his brothers and catch the bird, for after all he had been so +near it that he had put his mark on it and got a feather out of his +tail. Well, the king was long in making up his mind if he should let him +go, for he thought it would not be better with him who was the youngest +than with the eldest, who ought to have had more knowledge of the ways +of the world, and he was afraid he might lose him too. But the king's +son begged so prettily, that he had to give him leave at last.</p> + +<p>"So he began to pack up his travelling fare, and the king fitted him out +well both with clothes and money, and so he set off. So when he had +travelled a bit he got hungry and opened his scrip, and sat him down to +eat his dinner, and just as he put the first bit into his mouth a fox +came out of a spruce clump, and sat down by him and looked on.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! dear friend! give me a morsel of food, do,' said the fox.</p> + +<p>"'I might very well come to need food for myself,' said the king's son; +'for, I'm sure, I can't tell how long I shall have to go; but so much I +know, that I can just give you a little bit.'</p> + +<p>"So when the fox had got a bit of meat to bite at, he asked the king's +son whither he was bound. Well, he told him what he was trying to do.</p> + +<p>"'If you will listen to me,' said the fox, 'I will help you, so that you +shall take luck along with you.'</p> + +<p>"Then the king's son gave his word to listen to him, and so they set off +in company, and when they had travelled awhile they came to the +self-same town and the self-same inn where there was always mirth and +never sorrow.</p> + +<p>"'Now I may just as well stay outside the town,' said the fox. 'Those +dogs are such a bore.'</p> + +<p>"And then he told him what his brothers had done, and what they were +still doing, and he went on.</p> + +<p>"'If you go in there you'll get no farther either. Do you hear?'</p> + +<p>"So the king's son gave his word, and his hand into the bargain, that he +wouldn't go in there, and they each went his way. But when the prince +got to the inn and heard what music and jollity there was inside he +could not help going in, there were not two words about that, and when +he met his brothers, there was such a to-do, that he forgot both the fox +and his quest, and the bird and his father. But when he had been there +awhile the fox came—for he had ventured into the town after all—and +peeped through the door, and winked at the king's son, and said now they +must set off: So the prince came to his senses again, and away they +started for the house.</p> + +<p>"And when they had gone awhile they saw a big fell far far off. Then the +fox said:</p> + +<p>"'Three hundred miles behind yon fell there grows a gilded linden tree +with golden leaves, and in that linden roosts the golden bird whose +feather that is.'</p> + +<p>"So they travelled thither together, and when the king's son was going +off to catch the bird, the fox gave him some fine feathers, which he was +to wave with his hand to lure the bird down, and then it would come +flying and perch on his hand. But the fox told him to mind and not touch +the linden, for there was a big Troll who owned it, and if the king's +son but touched the tiniest twig the Troll would come and slay him on +the spot.</p> + +<p>"Nay! the king's son would be sure not to touch it, he said; but when he +had got the bird on his fist, he thought he just would have a twig of +the linden, that was past praying against, it was so bright and lovely. +So, he took one, just one very tiny little one. But in a trice out came +the Troll.</p> + +<p>"'WHO IS IT THAT STEALS MY LINDEN AND MY BIRD?' he roared, and was so +angry that sparks of fire flashed from him.</p> + +<p>"'Thieves think every man a thief,' said the king's son; 'but none are +hanged but those who don't steal right.'</p> + +<p>"But the Troll said it was all one, and was just going to smite him; but +the lad said he must spare his life.</p> + +<p>"'Well! well!' said the Troll, 'if you can get me again the horse which +my nearest neighbour has stolen from me, you shall get off with your +life.'</p> + +<p>"'But where shall I find him?' asked the king's son.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! he lives three hundred miles beyond yon big fell that looks blue +in the sky.'</p> + +<p>"So the king's son gave his word to do his best. But when he met the +fox, Reynard was not altogether in a soft temper.</p> + +<p>"'Now you have behaved badly,' he said. 'Had you done as I bade you, we +should have been on our way home by this time.'</p> + +<p>"So they had to make a fresh start, as life was at stake, and the prince +had given his word, and after a long, long time they got to the spot. +And when the prince was to go and take the horse, the fox said:</p> + +<p>"'When you come into the stable, you will see many bits hanging on the +stalls, both of silver and gold; them you shall not touch, for then the +Troll will come out and slay you on the spot; but the ugliest and +poorest, that you shall take.'</p> + +<p>"Yes! the king's son gave his word to do that; but when he got into the +stable he thought it was all stuff, for there was enough and to spare of +fine bits; and so he took the brightest he could find, and it shone like +gold; but in a trice out came the Troll, so cross that sparks of fire +flashed from him.</p> + +<p>"'WHO IS IT WHO TRIES TO STEAL MY HORSE AND MY BIT?' he roared out.</p> + +<p>"'Thieves think every man a thief,' said the kings son; 'but none are +hanged but those who don't steal right.'</p> + +<p>"'Well! all the same,' said the Troll, 'I'll kill you on the spot.'</p> + +<p>"But the king's son said he must spare his life.</p> + +<p>"'Well! well!' said the Troll, 'if you can get me back the lovely maiden +my nearest neighbour has stolen from me I'll spare your life.'</p> + +<p>"'Where does he live, then?' said the king's son.</p> + +<p>"'Oh! he lives three hundred miles behind that big fell that is blue, +yonder in the sky,' said the Troll.</p> + +<p>"Yes! the king's son gave his word to fetch the maiden, and then he had +leave to go, and got off with his life. But when he came out of doors +the fox was not in the very best temper, you may fancy.</p> + +<p>"'Now you have behaved badly again. Had you done as I bade you, we might +have been on our way home long ago. Do you know, I almost think now I +won't stay with you any longer.'</p> + +<p>"But the king's son begged and prayed so prettily from the bottom of his +heart, and gave his word never to do anything but what the fox said, if +he would only be his companion. At last the fox yielded, and they became +fast friends again, and so they set off afresh, and after a long, long +time they came to the spot where the lovely maiden was.</p> + +<p>"'Yes!' said the fox, 'you have given your word like a man, but for all +that, I dare not let you go in to the Troll's house this time. I must go +myself.'</p> + +<p>"So he went in, and in a little while he came out with the maiden, and +so they travelled back by the same way that they had come. And when they +came back to the Troll who had the horse, they took both it and the +grandest bit; and when they got to the Troll who owned the linden and +the bird, they took both the linden and the bird, and set off with them.</p> + +<p>"So when they had travelled awhile, they came to a field of rye, and the +fox said:</p> + +<p>"'I hear a noise; now you must ride on alone, and I will bide here +awhile.'</p> + +<p>"So he platted himself a dress of rye-straw, and it looked just like +some one who stood there and preached. And he had scarcely done that +before all three Trolls came flying along, thinking they would overtake +them.</p> + +<p>"'Have you seen any one riding by here with a lovely maiden, and a horse +with a gold bit, and a golden bird and a gilded linden-tree?' they all +roared out to him who stood there preaching.</p> + +<p>"'Yes! I heard that from my grandmother's grandmother, that such a train +passed by here, but Lord bless us, that was in the good old time, when +my grandmother's grandmother baked cakes for a penny, and gave the penny +back again.'</p> + +<p>"Then all the three Trolls burst out into loud fits of laughter, 'HA! +HA! HA! HA!' they cried, and took hold of one another.</p> + +<p>"'If we have slept so long, we may e'en just turn our noses home, and go +to bed,' they said; and so they went back by the way they had come.</p> + +<p>"Then the fox started off after the king's son; but when they got to the +town where the inn and his brothers were, he said:</p> + +<p>"'I dare not go through the town for the dogs. I must take my own way +round about; but now you must take good care that your brothers don't +lay hold of you.'</p> + +<p>"But when the king's son got into the town, he thought it very hard if +he didn't look in on his brothers and have a word with them, and so he +halted a little time. But as soon as his brothers set eyes on him, they +came out and took from him both the maiden and the horse, and the bird +and the linden, and everything; and himself they stuffed into a cask and +cast him into the lake, and so they set off home to the king's palace, +with the maiden and the horse, and the bird and linden, and everything. +But the maiden wouldn't say a word; she got pale and wretched to look +at. The horse got so thin and starved, all his bones scarce clung +together. The bird moped and shone no more, and the linden withered +away.</p> + +<p>"Meanwhile the fox walked about outside the town, where the inn was with +all its jollity, and he listened and waited for the king's son and the +lovely maiden, and wondered why they did not come back. So he went +hither and thither, and waited and longed, and at last he went down to +the strand, and there he saw the cask which lay on the lake drifting, +and called out:</p> + +<p>"'Are you driven about there, you empty cask?'</p> + +<p>"'Oh! it is I,' said the king's son inside the cask.</p> + +<p>"Then the fox swam out into the lake as fast as he could, and got hold +of the cask and drew it on shore. Then he began to gnaw at the hoops, +and when he had got them off the cask, he called out to the king's son, +'Kick and stamp!'</p> + +<p>"So the king's son struck out and stamped and kicked, till every stave +burst asunder, and out he jumped from the cask. Then they went together +to the king's palace, and when they got there the maiden grew lovely, +and began to speak; the horse got so fat and sleek that every hair +beamed; the bird shone and sang; the linden began to bloom and glitter +with its leaves, and at last the maiden said:</p> + +<p>"'Here he is who set us free!'</p> + +<p>"So they planted the linden in the garden and the youngest prince was to +have the princess, for she was one of course; but as for the two elder +brothers, they put them each into his own cask full of nails, and rolled +them down a steep hill.</p> + +<p>"So they made ready for the bridal; but first the fox said to the prince +he must lay him on the chopping-block, and cut his head off, and whether +he thought it good or ill, there was no help for it, he must do it. But +as he dealt the stroke, the fox became a lovely prince, and he was the +princess's brother, whom they had set free from the Trolls.</p> + +<p>"So the bridal came on, and it was so great and grand, that the story of +that feasting spread far and wide, till it reached all the way to this +very spot."</p> + + +<h3>THE END.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Waterfall.</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>[Transcriber's note: Both Sœter and Sæter are used in the text.]</p> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales from the Fjeld, by P. Chr. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/36385-h/images/illus.jpg b/36385-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6585340 --- /dev/null +++ b/36385-h/images/illus.jpg diff --git a/36385.txt b/36385.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..39c02ed --- /dev/null +++ b/36385.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11307 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales from the Fjeld, by P. Chr. Asbjoernsen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tales from the Fjeld + A Second Series of Popular Tales + +Author: P. Chr. Asbjoernsen + +Translator: G. W. Dasent + +Release Date: June 11, 2011 [EBook #36385] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES FROM THE FJELD *** + + + + +Produced by Delphine Lettau, Clive Pickton, Mary Meehan +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + TALES FROM THE FJELD. + + A SECOND SERIES OF POPULAR TALES, + + FROM THE NORSE OF + + P. CHR. ASBJOeRNSEN. + + BY G. W. DASENT, D.C.L. + + AUTHOR OF "TALES FROM THE NORSE," "ANNALS OF AN EVENTFUL LIFE," ETC. + + + LONDON: + CHAPMAN & HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. + 1874. + + [_All Rights Reserved._] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The Tales contained in this volume form a second series of those +"Popular Tales from the Norse," which have been received with much +favour in this country, and of which a Third Edition will shortly be +published. A part of them appeared some years ago in _Once a Week_, from +which they are now reprinted by permission of the proprietors, the Norse +originals, from which they were translated, having been communicated by +the translator's friend, P. Chr. Asbjoernsen, to various Christmas books, +published in Christiania. In 1871, Mr. Asbjoernsen collected those +scattered Tales and added some more to them, which he published under +the title "Norske Folke-Eventyr fortalte of P. Chr. Asbjoernsen, Ny +Samling." It is from this new series as revised by the collector that +the present version has been made. In it the translator has trodden in +the path laid down in the first series of "Tales from the Norse," and +tried to turn his Norse original into mother English, which any one that +runs may read. + +That this plan has met with favour abroad as well as at home is proved +by the fact that large editions of the "Tales from the Norse" have been +printed by Messrs. Appleton in New York, by which, no doubt, that +appropriating firm have been great gainers, though the translator's +share in their profits has amounted to nothing. It is more grateful to +him to find that in Norway, the cradle of these beautiful stories, his +efforts have been warmly appreciated by Messrs Asbjoernsen and Moe, who, +in their preface to the Third Edition, Christiania, 1866, speak in the +following terms of his version: "In France and England collections have +appeared in which our Tales have not only been correctly and faultlessly +translated, but even rendered with exemplary truth and care,--nay, with +thorough mastery; the English translation, by George Webbe Dasent, is +the best and happiest rendering of our Tales that has appeared, and it +has in England been more successful and become far more widely known +than the originals here at home." Then speaking of the Introduction, +Messrs. Asbjoernsen and Moe go on to say, "We have here added the end of +this Introduction to show how the translator has understood and grasped +the relation in which these Tales stand to Norse nature and the life of +the people, and how they have sprung out of both." + +The title of this volume, "Tales from the Fjeld," arose out of the form +in which they were published in _Once a Week_. The translator began by +setting them in a frame formed by the imaginary adventures of English +sportsmen on the Fjeld or Fells in Norway. "Karin and Anders," and +"Edward and I," are therefore the creatures of his imagination, but the +Tales are the Tales of Asbjoernsen. After a while he grew weary of the +setting and framework, and when about a third of the volume had been +thus framed, he resolved to let the Tales speak for themselves and stand +alone as in the first series of "Popular Tales from the Norse." + +With regard to the bearing of these Tales on the question of the +diffusion of race and tradition, much might be said, but as he has +already traversed the same ground in the Introduction to the "Tales from +the Norse," he reserves what he has to say on that point till the Third +Edition of those Tales shall appear. It will be enough here to mention +that several of the Tales now published are variations, though very +interesting ones, from some of those in the first series. Others are +rather the harvest of popular experience than mythical tales, and on the +whole the character of this volume is more jocose and less poetical than +that of its predecessor. In a word, they are, many of them, what the +Germans would call "Schwaenke." + +Of this kind are the Tales called "The Charcoal Burner," "Our Parish +Clerk," and "The Parson and the Clerk." In "Goody 'gainst the Stream," +and "Silly Men and Cunning Wives," the reader, skilled in popular +fiction, will find two tales of Indian origin, both of which are +wide-spread in the folklore of the West, and make their appearance in +the Facetiae of Poggio. The Beast Epic, in which Jacob Grimm so +delighted, is largely represented, and the stories of that kind in this +volume are among the best that have been collected. One of the most +mythical and at the same time one of the most domestic stories of those +now published, is, perhaps, "The Father of the Family," which ought +rather to have been called "The Seventh, the Father of the Family," as +it is not till the wayfarer has inquired seven times from as many +generations of old men that he finds the real father of the family Mr. +Ralston, the accomplished writer and editor of "Russian Popular Tales," +has pointed out in an article on these Norse Tales, which appeared in +_Fraser's Magazine_ for December, 1872, the probable antiquity of this +story, which he classes with the Rigsmal of the Elder Edda. That it was +known in England two centuries ago is proved by the curious fact that it +has got woven into the life of "Old Jenkins," whose mythical age as well +as that of "Old Parr," Mr. Thoms has recently demolished in his book on +the "Longevity of Man." The story as quoted by Mr. Thoms, from +Clarkson's "History and Antiquities of Richmond," in Yorkshire, is so +curious that it is worth while to give it at length. There had been some +legal dispute in which the evidence of Old Jenkins, as confessedly "the +oldest inhabitant" was required, and the agent of Mrs. Wastell, one of +the parties, went to visit the old man. "Previous to Jenkins going to +York," says Mr. Clarkson, "when the agent of Mrs. Wastell went to him to +find out what account he could give of the matter in dispute, he saw an +old man sitting at the door, to whom he told his business. The old man +said 'he could remember nothing about it, but that he would find his +father in the house, who perhaps could satisfy him.' When he went in he +saw another old man sitting over the fire, bowed down with years, to +whom he repeated his former questions. With some difficulty he made him +understand what he had said, and after a little while got the following +answer, which surprised him very much: 'That he knew nothing about it, +but that if he would go into the yard he would meet with his father, who +perhaps could tell him.' The agent upon this thought that he had met +with a race of Antediluvians. However into the yard he went, and to his +no small astonishment found a venerable man with a long beard, and a +broad leathern belt about him, chopping sticks. To this man he again +told his business, and received such information as in the end recovered +the royalty in dispute." "The fact is," adds Mr. Thoms, "that the story +of Jenkins' son and grandson is only a Yorkshire version of the story as +old or older than Jenkins himself, namely, of the very old man who was +seen crying because his father had beaten him for throwing stones at his +grandfather." On which it may be remarked, that however old Old Jenkins +may have been, this story has probably out-lived as many generations as +popular belief gave years to his life. Another old story is "Death and +the Doctor," which centuries ago got entangled with the history of the +family of Bethune, in Scotland, who were supposed to possess an +hereditary gift of leechcraft, derived in the same way. "Friends in Life +and Death," is a Norse variation of Rip van Winkle, which is nothing +more nor less than a Dutch popular tale, while the lassie who won the +prince by fulfilling his conditions of coming to him, "not driving and +not riding, not walking and not carried, not fasting and not full-fed, +not naked and not clad, not by daylight and not by night," has its +variations in many lands. It is no little proof of the wonderful skill +of Hans Christian Andersen, and at the same time of his power to enter +into the spirit of popular fiction, that he has worked the tale of "The +Companion" into one of his most happy stories. + +In this volume, as in the former one, the translator, while striving to +be as truthful as possible, has in the case of some characters adopted +the English equivalent rather than a literal rendering from the Norse. +Thus "Askpot" is still "Boots," the youngest of the family on whom falls +all the dirty work, and not "Cinderbob" or the Scottish "Ashiepet." +"Tyrihans" he has rendered almost literally "Taper Tom," the name +meaning not slender or limber Tom, but Tom who sits in the ingle and +makes tapers or matchwood of resinous fir to be used instead of candles. +Some of the Tales, such as "The Charcoal Burner," "Our Parish Clerk," +and "The Sheep and the Pig who set up House," are filled with proverbs +which it was often very difficult to render. On this and other points it +must be left to others to say whether he has succeeded or not. But if +his readers, young and old, will only remember that things which seem +easiest are often the hardest to do, they will be as gentle readers as +those he desired to find for his first volume, and so long as they are +of that spirit he is sure to be well pleased. + +_October 18th, 1873._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +OSBORN'S PIPE + +THE HAUNTED MILL, AND THE HONEST PENNY. + THE HAUNTED MILL + THE HONEST PENNY + +THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER, AND THE GREEDY CAT. + THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER + THE GREEDY CAT + +PETER THE FORESTER AND GRUMBLEGIZZARD. + GRUMBLEGIZZARD + +PETER'S THREE TALES. + FATHER BRUIN IN THE CORNER + REYNARD AND CHANTICLEER + GOODMAN AXEHAFT + +THE COMPANION. + THE COMPANION + +THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE, AND PEIK. + THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE + PEIK + +KARIN'S THREE STORIES. + DEATH AND THE DOCTOR + THE WAY OF THE WORLD + THE PANCAKE + +PETER'S BEAST STORIES. + PORK AND HONEY + THE HARE AND THE HEIRESS + SLIP ROOT, CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT + BRUIN GOODFELLOW + BRUIN AND REYNARD PARTNERS + REYNARD WANTS TO TASTE HORSE-FLESH + +MASTER TOBACCO + +THE CHARCOAL BURNER + +THE BOX WITH SOMETHING PRETTY IN IT + +THE THREE LEMONS + +THE PRIEST AND THE CLERK + +FRIENDS IN LIFE AND DEATH + +THE FATHER OF THE FAMILY + +THREE YEARS WITHOUT WAGES + +OUR PARISH CLERK + +SILLY MEN AND CUNNING WIVES + +TAPER TOM + +THE TROLLS IN HEDALE WOOD + +THE SKIPPER AND OLD NICK + +GOODY GAINST-THE-STREAM + +HOW TO WIN A PRINCE + +BOOTS AND THE BEASTS + +THE SWEETHEART IN THE WOOD + +HOW THEY GOT HAIRLOCK HOME + +OSBORN BOOTS AND MR. GLIBTONGUE + +THIS IS THE LAD WHO SOLD THE PIG + +THE SHEEP AND THE PIG WHO SET UP HOUSE + +THE GOLDEN PALACE THAT HUNG IN THE AIR + +LITTLE FREDDY WITH HIS FIDDLE + +MOTHER ROUNDABOUT'S DAUGHTER + +THE GREEN KNIGHT + +BOOTS AND HIS CREW + +THE TOWN-MOUSE AND THE FELL-MOUSE + +SILLY MATT + +KING VALEMON, THE WHITE BEAR + +THE GOLDEN BIRD + + + + +TALES FROM THE FJELD. + + +We were up on the Fjeld, Edward and I and Anders our guide, in quest of +reindeer. How long ago it was we will not ask; for after all it was not +so very long ago. How did we get there? Well; if you must know we went +up to the head of the Sogne Fjord in a boat, and then we drove up the +valley in carioles till we were tired, and then we took to our legs, +and, now, about three P.M., we were on the Fjeld making for the +_Soeter_ or Shieling, where we were to pass the night. On this our +first day, we did not expect to meet deer, so on we plodded over the +stony soil slanting across the Fjeld which showed its long shoulder +above us, while far off glared the snowy peaks, and the glaciers stooped +down to meet the Fjeld, for as the Norse proverb says, if the dale won't +come to the mountain, the mountain must meet the dale. On we went, +Anders cheering the way by stories of _Huldror_ and Trolls, and running +off hither and thither to fetch us Alpine plants and flowers. All at +once, in one of these flights which had brought him up to the very edge +of the shoulder above us, we saw his tall form stiffen as it were +against the sky, and, in another moment, he had fallen flat, beckoning +us to come cautiously to him. As we reached him stooping and running, he +whispered "There they are, away yonder;" and sure enough, about half a +mile further on, close under the shoulder, which broke off into an +immense circular valley or combe, we could make out two stags, three +hinds, and some fawns, at play. It was a strange sight to see the low, +thick-set stags with their heavy palmated antlers, leaping over one +another and over the hinds, and the hinds and fawns in turn following +their example. "A sure sign of rain and wind," said Anders. "It will +blow a hurricane and pour in torrents to-morrow, mark my words. I never +looked to find them so low down; let us try to get at them." We crept +down then, well under cover of the shoulder, and, led by Anders, went on +till he said we were opposite the spot where the deer were at play. +"But, by all the powers," said he, "be sure to take good aim both of +you, and bring down each a stag. I will take one of the hinds, but I +will not fire before you." And now began the real stalk; we had about +three hundred yards against the wind to crawl on our hands and feet over +stones, and gravel, and dry grass, and brambles, and dwarf willow, +before we could get to the edge of the shoulder, and look down on the +deer. For nearly the whole distance all went well, our bellies clove to +the dust like snakes, as we wormed our way. But, alas! when we were not +ten yards from the edge, Edward uttered a cry and sprang to his feet. +Anders and I did the same without the cry, only to see the deer off at +full speed down the combe, followed by a volley of oaths and a +billetless bullet from the old flint rifle which Anders carried. For +myself I turned to Edward and felt very much as though I should like to +send my bullet through him. + +"Why, in the name of all that is unholy, did you utter that yell and +scare them away." + +"Oh, I am very sorry," he said, "but I came across this thing like a +bramble, only the prickles are much sharper, and it tore me so I +couldn't bear it;" and, as he spoke, he pointed to a stout trailing +_Rubus arcticus_ over which he had crawled, and which had taken toll +both of his clothing and flesh. + +Anders looked at him with unutterable scorn. "When the gentleman next +goes after reindeer, he had better take Osborn's Pipe with him. Come +along, no more reindeer for us to-day; no, nor to-morrow either. The +peaks are going to put on their nightcaps; we must try to get to the +_Soeter_ before the storm comes on." After a tough walk, during which +Anders said little or nothing, we got to the shieling, where two girls, +a cousin of Anders and his sister, met us with bright hearty faces. They +had been up there looking after the cattle since June, and it was now +August, and they had made heaps of butter and cheese. There were three +rooms in the _Soeter_, a living-room in the middle, and on either hand +a room for the men and another for the women. There were outhouses for +the butter, and cheese, and milk, and cream. We had sent up some +creature comforts, and with these and the butter, cream, and cheese, we +made a good supper; and now we are sitting over the fire smoking our +pipes, and listening to the rain as it patters on the roof, and to the +wind as it howls round the building. Under the influence of tobacco and +cognac Anders was more happy, and got even reconciled to Edward, whom he +regarded as a muff. Looking at him mockingly, he said again, "What a +pity you had not Osborn's Pipe." + +"And, pray, what was that?" asked Edward; "was it anything like this?" +holding out his cutty pipe. + +"God forgive us," said Anders; "there are pipes and pipes, and Osborn's +Pipe was not a tobacco-pipe, but a playing pipe or whistle. At least so +my grandmother said, for she said her grandmother knew a very old woman +down at the head of the lake, who had known Osborn and seen his pipe. +But, if you like, I'll tell you the story. The girls are gone to bed, +and so they won't trouble us, though there's a good bit of kissing in +the story, and, when you hear it, you'll both say we should have been +lucky if we had only had Osborn's Pipe when the gentleman scared away +the deer. But here goes." + + + + +OSBORN'S PIPE. + + +"Once on a time there was a poor tenant farmer who had to give up his +farm to his landlord; but, if he had lost his farm, he had three sons +left, and their names were Peter, Paul, and Osborn Boots. They stayed at +home and sauntered about, and wouldn't do a stroke of work; _that_ they +thought was the right thing to do. They thought, too, they were too good +for everything, and that nothing was good enough for them. + +"At last Peter had got to hear how the king would have a keeper to watch +his hares; so he said to his father that he would be off thither: the +place would just suit him, for he would serve no lower man than the +king; that was what he said. The old father thought there might be work +for which he was better fitted than that; for he that would keep the +king's hares must be light and lissom, and no lazy-bones, and when the +hares began to skip and frisk there would be quite another dance than +loitering about from house to house. Well, it was all no good: Peter +would go, and must go, so he took his scrip on his back, and toddled +away down the hill; and when he had gone far, and farther than far, he +came to an old wife, who stood there with her nose stuck fast in a log +of wood, and pulled and pulled at it; and as soon as he saw how she +stood dragging and pulling to get free he burst into a loud fit of +laughter. + +"'Don't stand there and grin,' said the old wife, 'but come and help an +old cripple; I was to have split asunder a little firewood, and I got my +nose fast down here, and so I have stood and tugged and torn and not +tasted a morsel of food for hundreds of years.' That was what she said. + +"But for all that Peter laughed more and more. He thought it all fine +fun. All he said was, as she had stood so for hundreds of years she +might hold out for hundreds of years still. + +"When he got to the king's grange, they took him for keeper at once. It +was not bad serving there, and he was to have good food and good pay, +and maybe the princess into the bargain; but if one of the king's hares +got lost, they were to cut three red stripes out of his back and cast +him into a pit of snakes. + +"So long as Peter was in the byre and home-field he kept all the hares +in one flock: but as the day wore on, and they got up into the wood, all +the hares began to frisk, and skip, and scuttle away up and down the +hillocks. Peter ran after them this way and that, and nearly burst +himself with running, so long as he could make out that he had one of +them left, and when the last was gone he was almost brokenwinded. And +after that he saw nothing more of them. + +"When it drew towards evening he sauntered along on his way home, and +stood and called and called to them at each fence, but no hares came; +and when he got home to the king's grange, there stood the king all +ready with his knife, and he took and cut three red stripes out of +Peter's back, and then rubbed pepper and salt into them, and cast him +into a pit of snakes. + +"After a time, Paul was for going to the king's grange to keep the +king's hares. The old gaffer said the same thing to him, and even still +more; but he must and would set off; there was no help for it, and +things went neither better nor worse with him than with Peter. The old +wife stood there and tugged and tore at her nose to get it out of the +log; he laughed, and thought it fine fun, and left her standing and +hacking there. He got the place at once; no one said him nay; but the +hares hopped and skipped away from him down all the hillocks, while he +rushed about till he blew and panted like a colley-dog in the dog-days, +and when he got home at night to the king's grange, without a hare, the +king stood ready with his knife in the porch, and took and cut three +broad red stripes out of his back, and rubbed pepper and salt into them, +and so down he went into the pit of snakes. + +"Now, when a little while had passed, Osborn Boots was all for setting +off to keep the king's hares, and he told his mind to the gaffer. He +thought it would be just the right work for him to go into the woods and +fields, and along the wild strawberry brakes, and to drag a flock of +hares with him, and between whiles to lie and sleep and warm himself on +the sunny hillsides. + +"The gaffer thought there might be work which suited him better; if it +didn't go worse, it was sure not to go better with him than with his two +brothers. The man to keep the king's hares must not dawdle about like a +lazy-bones with leaden soles to his stockings, or like a fly in a +tar-pot; for when they fell to frisking and skipping on the sunny +slopes, it would be quite another dance to catching fleas with gloves +on. No; he that would get rid of that work with a whole back had need to +be more than lithe and lissom, and he must fly about faster than a +bladder or a bird's-wing. + +"'Well, well, it was all no good, however bad it might be,' said Osborn +Boots. He would go to the king's grange and serve the king, for no +lesser man would he serve, and he would soon keep the hares. They +couldn't well be worse than the goat and the calf at home. So Boots +threw his scrip on his shoulder, and down the hill he toddled. + +"So when he had gone far, and farther than far, and had begun to get +right down hungry, he too came to the old wife, who stood with her nose +fast in the log, who tugged, and tore, and tried to get loose. + +"'Good-day, grandmother,' said Boots. 'Are you standing there whetting +your nose, poor old cripple that you are?' + +"'Now, not a soul has called me "mother" for hundreds of years,' said +the old wife. 'Do come and help me to get free, and give me something to +live on; for I haven't had meat in my mouth all that time. See if I +don't do you a motherly turn afterwards.' + +"Yes; he thought she might well ask for a bit of food and a drop of +drink. + +"So he cleft the log for her, that she might get her nose out of the +split, and sat down to eat and drink with her; and as the old wife had a +good appetite, you may fancy she got the lion's share of the meal. + +"When they were done, she gave Boots a pipe, which was in this wise: +when he blew into one end of it, anything that he wished away was +scattered to the four winds, and when he blew into the other, all things +gathered themselves together again; and if the pipe were lost or taken +from him, he had only to wish for it, and it came back to him. + +"'Something like a pipe, this,' said Osborn Boots. + +"When he got to the king's grange, they chose him for keeper on the +spot. It was no bad service there, and food and wages he should have, +and, if he were man enough to keep the king's hares, he might, perhaps, +get the princess too; but if one of them got away, if it were only a +leveret, they were to cut three red stripes out of his back. And the +king was so sure of this that he went off at once and ground his knife. + +"It would be a small thing to keep these hares, thought Osborn Boots; +for when they set out they were almost as tame as a flock of sheep, and +so long as he was in the lane and in the home-field, he had them all +easily in a flock and following; but when they got upon the hill by the +wood, and it looked towards mid-day, and the sun began to burn and shine +on the slopes and hillsides, all the hares fell to frisking and skipping +about, and away over the hills. + +"'Ho, ho! stop! will you all go? Go, then!' said Boots; and he blew into +one end of the pipe, so that they ran off on all sides, and there was +not one of them left. But as he went on, and came to an old charcoal +pit, he blew into the other end of the pipe; and before he knew where he +was, the hares were all there, and stood in lines and rows, so that he +could take them all in at a glance, just like a troop of soldiers on +parade. 'Something like a pipe, this,' said Osborn Boots; and with that +he laid him down to sleep away under a sunny slope, and the hares +frisked and frolicked about till eventide. Then he piped them all +together again, and came down to the king's grange with them, like a +flock of sheep. + +"The king and the queen, and the princess, too, all stood in the porch, +and wondered what sort of fellow this was who so kept the hares that he +brought them home again; and the king told and reckoned them on his +fingers, and counted them over and over again; but there was not one of +them missing--no! not so much as a leveret. + +"'Something like a lad, this,' said the princess. + +"Next day he went off to the wood, and was to keep the hares again; but +as he lay and rested himself on a strawberry brake, they sent the maid +after him from the grange that she might find out how it was that he was +man enough to keep the king's hares so well. + +"So he took out the pipe and showed it her, and then he blew into one +end and made them fly like the wind over all the hills and dales; and +then he blew into the other end, and they all came scampering back to +the brake, and all stood in row and rank again. + +"'What a pretty pipe,' said the maid. She would willingly give a hundred +dollars for it, if he would sell it, she said. + +"'Yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots; 'and it was not +to be had for money alone; but if she would give him the hundred +dollars, and a kiss for each dollar, she should have it,' he said. + +"Well! why not? of course she would; she would willingly give him two +for each dollar, and thanks besides. + +"So she got the pipe; but when she had got as far as the king's grange, +the pipe was gone, for Osborn Boots had wished for it back, and so, when +it drew towards eventide, home he came with his hares just like any +other flock of sheep; and for all the king's counting or telling, there +was no help,--not a hair of the hares was missing. + +"The third day that he kept the hares, they sent the princess on her way +to try and get the pipe from him. She made herself as blithe as a lark, +and she bade him two hundred dollars if he would sell her the pipe and +tell her how she was to behave to bring it safe home with her. + +"'Yes! yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots; 'and it was +not for sale,' he said, 'but all the same, he would do it for her sake, +if she would give him two hundred dollars, and a kiss into the bargain +for each dollar; then she might have the pipe. If she wished to keep it, +she must look sharp after it. That was her look-out.' + +"'This is a very high price for a hare-pipe,' thought the princess; and +she made mouths at giving him the kisses; 'but, after all,' she said, +'it's far away in the wood, no one can see it or hear it--it can't be +helped; for I must and will have the pipe.' + +"So when Osborn Boots had got all he was to have, she got the pipe, and +off she went, and held it fast with her fingers the whole way; but when +she came to the grange, and was going to take it out, it slipped through +her fingers and was gone! + +"Next day the queen would go herself and fetch the pipe from him. She +made sure she would bring the pipe back with her. + +"Now she was more stingy about the money, and bade no more than fifty +dollars; but she had to raise her price till it came to three hundred. +Boots said it was something like a pipe, and it was no price at all; +still for her sake it might go, if she would give him three hundred +dollars, and a smacking kiss for each dollar into the bargain; then she +might have it. And he got the kisses well paid, for on that part of the +bargain she was not so squeamish. + +"So when she had got the pipe, she both bound it fast, and looked after +it well; but she was not a hair better off than the others, for when she +was going to pull it out at home, the pipe was gone; and at even down +came Osborn Boots, driving the king's hares home for all the world like +a flock of tame sheep. + +"'It is all stuff,' said the king; 'I see I must set off myself, if we +are to get this wretched pipe from him; there's no other help for it, I +can see.' And when Osborn Boots had got well into the woods next day +with the hares, the king stole after him, and found him lying on the +same sunny hillside, where the women had tried their hands on him. + +"Well! they were good friends and very happy; and Osborn Boots showed +him the pipe, and blew first on one end and then on the other, and the +king thought it a pretty pipe, and wanted at last to buy it, even though +he gave a thousand dollars for it. + +"'Yes! it is something like a pipe,' said Boots, 'and it's not to be had +for money; but do you see that white horse yonder down there?' and he +pointed away into the wood. + +"'See it! of course I see it; it's my own horse Whitey,' said the king. +No one had need to tell him that. + +"'Well! if you will give me a thousand dollars, and then go and kiss yon +white horse down in the marsh there, behind the big fir-tree, you shall +have my pipe.' + +"'Isn't it to be had for any other price?' asked the king. + +"'No, it is not,' said Osborn. + +"'Well! but I may put my silken pockethandkerchief between us?' said the +king. + +"Very good; he might have leave to do that. And so he got the pipe, and +put it into his purse. And the purse he put into his pocket, and +buttoned it up tight; and so off he strode to his home. But when he +reached the grange, and was going to pull out his pipe, he fared no +better than the women folk; he hadn't the pipe any more than they, and +there came Osborn Boots driving home the flock of hares, and not a hair +was missing. + +"The king was both spiteful and wroth, to think that he had fooled them +all round, and cheated him out of the pipe as well; and now he said +Boots must lose his life, there was no question of it, and the queen +said the same: it was best to put such a rogue out of the way +red-handed. + +"Osborn thought it neither fair nor right, for he had done nothing but +what they told him to do; and so he had guarded his back and life as +best he might. + +"So the king said there was no help for it; but if he could lie the +great brewing-vat so full of lies that it ran over, then he might keep +his life. + +"That was neither a long nor perilous piece of work: he was quite game +to do that, said Osborn Boots. So he began to tell how it had all +happened from the very first. He told about the old wife and her nose in +the log, and then he went on to say, 'Well, but I must lie faster if the +vat is to be full.' So he went on to tell of the pipe and how he got it; +and of the maid, how she came to him and wanted to buy it for a hundred +dollars, and of all the kisses she had to give besides, away there in +the wood. Then he told of the princess how she came and kissed him so +sweetly for the pipe when no one could see or hear it all away there in +the wood. Then he stopped and said, 'I must lie faster if the vat is +ever to be full.' So he told of the queen, how close she was about the +money and how overflowing she was with her smacks. 'You know I must lie +hard to get the vat full,' said Osborn. + +"'For my part,' said the queen, 'I think it's pretty full already.' + +"'No! no! it isn't,' said the king. + +"So he fell to telling how the king came to him, and about the white +horse down on the marsh, and how if the king was to have the pipe, he +must--'Yes, your majesty, if the vat is ever to be full I must go on and +lie hard,' said Osborn Boots. + +"'Hold! hold, lad! It's full to the brim,' roared out the king; 'don't +you see how it is foaming over?' + +"So both the king and the queen thought it best he should have the +princess to wife and half the kingdom. There was no help for it. + +"'That was something like a pipe,' said Osborn Boots." + + * * * * * + +That was the story of Osborn's Pipe, and when Anders stopped we all +laughed, and our laughter was re-echoed by the girls, who had listened +with the door ajar, and who now showed their smiling faces through the +opening, and thanked Anders for telling the story so well. "Your own +grandmother couldn't have told it better," said Christine, his +fair-haired cousin. + + + + +THE HAUNTED MILL, AND THE HONEST PENNY. + + +Next morning we woke to find Anders' words too true; the wind still +howled, and the rain still poured, deerstalking was out of the question, +nor could the girls stir out of the doors to look after the kine. There +we were, all house-bound. What was to be done? After breakfast we +smoked, and the girls knitted stockings. Anders, for want of something +better to do, cleaned our guns and admired their make and locks. But all +this was not much towards killing time on the Fjeld, and we had no +books. + +At last Edward, who was rather afraid of Anders and his jokes on his +sportsmanship, whispered to me, + +"Can't you make him tell us some more stories? I'll be bound _Osborn's +Pipe_ is not the only tale he has in his scrip." + +Not a bad thought, but Anders was one of those free spirits who must be +stalked as warily as a reindeer. I felt that if I asked him outright he +might betake him to his Norse pride and say he was no story-teller. "If +I wanted stories I had better ask some of the old women down in the +dales." It was not the first time I had unsealed unwilling lips, and I +knew the way. + +"That was a good story about Osborn's Pipe, and I owe you one for it, +Anders. Come listen to one of mine, and let the lassies listen to it +too. It's not long." + + +THE HAUNTED MILL. + +"Once on a time, there was a man who had a mill by the side of a force, +and in the mill there was a brownie. Whether the man, as is the custom +in most places, gave the brownie porridge and ale at Yule to bring grist +to the mill, I can't say, but I don't think he did, for every time he +turned the water on the mill, the brownie took hold of the spindle and +stopped the mill, so that he couldn't grind a sack. + +"The man know well enough it was all the brownie's work, and at last one +evening, when he went into the mill, he took a pot full of pitch and +tar, and lit a fire under it. Well! when he turned the water on the +wheel, it went round awhile, but soon after it made a dead stop. So he +turned, and twisted, and put his shoulder to the top of the wheel, but +it was all no good. By this time the pot of pitch was boiling hot, and +then he opened the trap-door which opened on to the ladder that went +down into the wheel, and if he didn't see the brownie standing on the +steps of the ladder with his jaws all a-gape, and he gaped so wide that +his mouth filled up the whole trap-door. + +"'Did you ever see such a wide mouth?' said the brownie. + +"But the man was handy with his pitch. He caught up the pot and threw +it, pitch and all, into the gaping jaws. + +"'Did you ever feel such hot pitch?' + +"Then the brownie let the wheel go, and yelled and howled frightfully. +Since then he has been never known to stop the wheel in that mill, and +there they ground in peace." + + * * * * * + +Yes! Anders had heard a story something like that, only it was about a +water kelpy, not a brownie. Brownies, he declared, never did folk much +harm, except lazy maids and idle grooms, but kelpies were spiteful, and +hated men. Besides, brownies hated water, they couldn't bear to cross a +running stream; then how could they live in a mill? No, it was a kelpy, +and his grandmother had told him so. + +Then, after a pause, he went on, "But I know another story of a mill +which was not canny, and I'll tell it if you like." + +We were all ears, and Anders began:-- + + +THE HAUNTED MILL. + +"This story, too, I heard of my grandmother, who knew stories without +end, and more, she believed them. This mill was not in these parts, it +was somewhere up the country; but wherever it was, north of the Fells, +or south of the Fells, it was not canny. No one could grind a grain of +corn in it for weeks together, when something came and haunted it. But +the worst was that, besides haunting it, the trolls, or whatever they +were, took to burning the mill down. Two Whitsun-eves running it had +caught fire and burned to the ground. + +"Well, the third year, as Whitsuntide was drawing on, the man had a +tailor in his house hard by the mill, who was making Sunday clothes for +the miller. + +"'I wonder, now,' said the man on Whitsun-eve, 'whether the mill will +burn down this Whitsuntide, too?' + +"'No, it shan't,' said the tailor. 'Why should it? Give me the keys: +I'll watch the mill.' + +"Well, the man thought that brave, and so, as the evening drew on, he +gave the tailor the keys, and showed him into the mill. It was empty, +you know, for it was just new-built, and so the tailor sat down in the +middle of the floor, and took out his chalk and chalked a great circle +round about him, and outside the ring all round he wrote the Lord's +Prayer, and when he had done that he wasn't afraid--no, not if Old Nick +himself came. + +"So at dead of night the door flew open with a bang, and there came in +such a swarm of black cats you couldn't count them, they were as thick +as ants. They were not long before they had put a big pot on the +fireplace and set light under it, and the pot began to boil and bubble +and as for the broth, it was for all the world like pitch and tar. + +"'Ha! ha!' thought the tailor, 'that's your game, is it!' + +"And he had hardly thought this before one of the cats thrust her paw +under the pot and tried to upset it. + +"'Paws off, pussy,' said the tailor, 'you'll burn your whiskers.' + +"'Hark to the tailor, who says "Paws off, pussy," to me,' said the cat +to the other cats, and in a trice they all ran away from the fireplace, +and began to dance and jump round the circle; and then all at once the +same cat stole off to the fireplace and tried to upset the pot. + +"'Paws off, pussy, you'll burn your whiskers,' bawled out the tailor +again, and again he scared them from the fireplace. + +"'Hark to the tailor, who says "Paws off, pussy"' said the cat to the +others, and again they all began to dance and jump round the circle, and +then all at once they were off again to the pot, trying to upset it. + +"'Paws off, pussy, you'll burn your whiskers,' screamed out the tailor +the third time, and this time he gave them such a fright that they +tumbled head over heels on the floor, and began dancing and jumping as +before. + +"Then they closed round the circle, and danced faster and faster: so +fast at last that the tailor's head began to turn round, and they glared +at him with such big ugly eyes, as though they would swallow him up +alive. + +"Now just as they were at the fastest, the same cat which had tried so +often to upset the pot, stuck her paw inside the circle, as though she +meant to claw the tailor. But as soon as the tailor saw that, he drew +his knife out of the sheath and held it ready; just then the cat thrust +her paw in again, and in a trice the tailor chopped it off, and then, +pop! all the cats took to their heels as fast as they could, with yells +and caterwauls, right out at the door. + +"But the tailor lay down inside his circle, and slept till the sun shone +bright in upon the floor. Then he rose, locked the mill, and went away +to the miller's house. + +"When he got there, both the miller and his wife were still abed, for +you know it was Whitsunday morning. + +"'Good morning,' said the tailor, as he went to the bedside, and held +out his hand to the miller. + +"'Good morning,' said the miller, who was both glad and astonished to +see the tailor safe and sound, you must know. + +"'Good morning, mother!' said the tailor, and held out his hand to the +wife. + +"'Good morning,' said she; but she looked so wan and worried; and as for +her hand, she hid it under the quilt; but at last she stuck out the +left. Then the tailor saw plainly how things stood, but what he said to +the man and what was done to the wife, I never heard." + + * * * * * + +"But I can tell you, Anders," I broke in: "she was burnt for a witch, +and, do you know, over in Scotland we have the same story; only we have +the end. She tried on the Boot till her feet were crushed, and Morton's +Maiden hugged her till her ribs cracked, and her fingers were fitted to +the thumbscrews till they were all jelly. All this to make her own that +she was a witch, and at last, when she owned it, she was burnt at +Edinburgh, in the days of King James the Sixth, and seven other carlines +with her." + +Having unsealed Anders' lips, I was not going to let him stop, so I told +the story of _Whittington and his Cat_, and I even got him and the +lassies to understand the awful importance of the Lord Mayor of London. +After Anders and the lassies had crossed and blessed themselves over and +over again at that wonderful story, Anders said,-- + +"Heaven help us, we have no Lord Mayors in Norway; the sheriff is good +enough for us, and trouble enough he gives us sometimes; but we have a +story, the end of which is as like your Lord Mayor's story as one pea is +like another, and here it is, only we call it + + +THE HONEST PENNY. + +"Once on a time there was a poor woman who lived in a tumble-down hut +far away in the wood. Little had she to eat, and nothing at all to burn, +and so she sent a little boy she had out into the wood to gather fuel. +He ran and jumped, and jumped and ran, to keep himself warm, for it was +a cold gray autumn day, and every time he found a bough or a root for +his billet, he had to beat his arms across his breast, for his fists +were as red as the cranberries over which he walked, for very cold. So +when he had got his billet of wood and was off home, he came upon a +clearing of stumps on the hillside, and there he saw a white crooked +stone. + +"'Ah! you poor old stone,' said the boy; 'how white and wan you are! +I'll be bound you are frozen to death;' and with that he took off his +jacket, and laid it on the stone. So when he got home with his billet of +wood his mother asked what it all meant that he walked about in wintry +weather in his shirtsleeves. Then he told her how he had seen an old +crooked stone which was all white and wan for frost, and how he had +given it his jacket. + +"'What a fool you are!' said his mother; 'do you think a stone can +freeze? But even if it froze till it shook again, know this--everyone is +nearest to his own self. It costs quite enough to get clothes to your +back, without your going and hanging them on stones in the clearings,' +and as she said that, she hunted the boy out of the house to fetch his +jacket. + +"So when he came where the stone stood, lo! it had turned itself and +lifted itself up on one side from the ground. 'Yes! yes! this is since +you got the jacket, poor old thing,' said the boy. + +"But, when he looked a little closer at the stone, he saw a money-box, +full of bright silver, under it. + +"'This is stolen money, no doubt,' thought the boy; 'no one puts money, +come by honestly, under a stone away in the wood.' + +"So he took the money-box and bore it down to a tarn hard by and threw +the whole hoard into the tarn; but one silver pennypiece floated on the +top of the water, "'Ah! ah! that is honest,' said the lad; 'for what is +honest never sinks.' + +"So he took the silver penny and went home with it and his jacket. Then +he told his mother how it had all happened, how the stone had turned +itself, and how he had found a money-box full of silver money, which he +had thrown out into the tarn because it was stolen money, and how one +silver penny floated on the top. + +"'That I took,' said the boy, 'because it was honest.' + +"'You are a born fool,' said his mother, for she was very angry; 'were +naught else honest than what floats on water, there wouldn't be much +honesty in the world. And even though the money were stolen ten times +over, still you had found it; and I tell you again what I told you +before, every one is nearest to his own self. Had you only taken that +money we might have lived well and happily all our days. But a +ne'er-do-weel thou art, and a ne'er-do-weel thou wilt be, and now I +won't drag on any longer toiling and moiling for thee. Be off with thee +into the world and earn thine own bread.'" + +"So the lad had to go out into the wide world, and he went both far and +long seeking a place. But wherever he came, folk thought him too little +and weak, and said they could put him to no use. At last he came to a +merchant, and there he got leave to be in the kitchen and carry in wood +and water for the cook. Well, after he had been there a long time, the +merchant had to make a journey into foreign lands, and so he asked all +his servants what he should buy and bring home for each of them. So, +when all had said what they would have, the turn came to the scullion, +too, who brought in wood and water for the cook. Then he held out his +penny. + +"'Well, what shall I buy with this?' asked the merchant; 'there won't be +much time lost over this bargain.' + +"'Buy what I can get for it. It is honest, that I know,' said the lad. + +"That his master gave his word to do, and so he sailed away. + +"So when the merchant had unladed his ship and laded her again in +foreign lands, and bought what he had promised his servants to buy, he +came down to his ship, and was just going to shove off from the wharf. +Then all at once it came into his head that the scullion had sent out a +silver penny with him, that he might buy something for him. + +"'Must I go all the way back to the town for the sake of a silver penny? +One would then have small gain in taking such a beggar into one's +house,' thought the merchant. + +"Just then an old wife came walking by with a bag at her back. + +"'What have you got in your bag, mother?' asked the merchant. + +"'Oh! nothing else than a cat. I can't afford to feed it any longer, so +I thought I would throw it into the sea, and make away with it,' +answered the woman. + +"Then the merchant said to himself, 'Didn't the lad say I was to buy +what I could get for his penny?' So he asked the old wife if she would +take four farthings for her cat. Yes! the goody was not slow to say +'done,' and so the bargain was soon struck. + +"Now when the merchant had sailed a bit, fearful weather fell on him, +and such a storm, there was nothing for it but to drive and drive till +he did not know whither he was going. At last he came to a land on which +he had never set foot before, and so up he went into the town. + +"At the inn where he turned in, the board was laid with a rod for each +man who sat at it. The merchant thought it very strange, for he couldn't +at all make out what they were to do with all these rods; but he sate +him down, and thought he would watch well what the others did, and do +like them. Well! as soon as the meat was set on the board, he saw well +enough what the rods meant; for out swarmed mice in thousands, and each +one who sate at the board had to take to his rod and flog and flap about +him, and naught else could be heard than one cut of the rod harder than +the one which went before it. Sometimes they whipped one another in the +face, and just gave themselves time to say, 'Beg pardon,' and then at it +again. + +"'Hard work to dine in this land!' said the merchant. 'But don't folk +keep cats here?' + +"'Cats?' they all asked, for they did not know what cats were. + +"So the merchant sent and fetched the cat he had bought for the +scullion, and as soon as the cat got on the table, off ran the mice to +their holes, and folks had never in the memory of man had such rest at +their meat. + +"Then they begged and prayed the merchant to sell them the cat, and at +last, after a long, long time, he promised to let them have it; but he +would have a hundred dollars for it; and that sum they gave and thanks +besides. + +"So the merchant sailed off again; but he had scarce got good sea-room +before he saw the cat sitting up at the mainmast head, and all at once +again came foul weather and a storm worse than the first, and he drove +and drove till he got to a country where he had never been before. The +merchant went up to an inn, and here, too, the board was spread with +rods; but they were much bigger and longer than the first. And, to tell +the truth, they had need to be; for here the mice were many more, and +every mouse was twice as big as those he had before seen. + +"So he sold the cat again, and this time he got two hundred dollars for +it, and that without any haggling. + +"So when he had sailed away from that land and got a bit out at sea, +there sat Grimalkin again at the masthead; and the bad weather began at +once again, and the end of it was, he was again driven to a land where +he had never been before. + +"He went ashore, up to the town, and turned into an inn. There, too, the +board was laid with rods, but every rod was an ell and a half long, and +as thick as a small broom; and the folk said that to sit at meat was the +hardest trial they had, for there were thousands of big ugly rats, so +that it was only with sore toil and trouble one could get a morsel into +one's mouth, 'twas such hard work to keep off the rats. So the cat had +to be fetched up from the ship once more, and then folks got their food +in peace. Then they all begged and prayed the merchant, for heaven's +sake, to sell them his cat. For a long time he said, 'No;' but at last, +he gave his word to take three hundred dollars for it. That sum they +paid down at once, and thanked him and blessed him for it into the +bargain. + +"Now, when the merchant got out to sea, he fell a-thinking how much the +lad had made out of the penny he had sent out with him. + +"'Yes, yes, some of the money he shall have,' said the merchant to +himself; 'but not all. Me it is that he has to thank for the cat I +bought; and, besides, every man is nearest to his own self.' + +"But as soon as ever the merchant thought this, such a storm and gale +arose that every one thought the ship must founder. So the merchant saw +there was no help for it, and he had to vow that the lad should have +every penny; and, no sooner had he vowed this vow, than the weather +turned good, and he got a snoring breeze fair for home. + +"So, when he got to land, he gave the lad the six hundred dollars, and +his daughter besides; for now the little scullion was just as rich as +his master, the merchant, and even richer; and, after that, the lad +lived all his days in mirth and jollity; and he sent for his mother and +treated her as well as or better than he treated himself; for, said the +lad, 'I don't think that every one is nearest to his own self.'" + + + + +THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER, AND THE GREEDY CAT. + + +All this time Edward and the lassies sat by and listened. It was dull +work for Edward, he knew little Norse, and so could not follow the +stories; sometimes he stared in a dull vacant way at the girls, and +sometimes he consulted Bradshaw's Foreign Guide. Whether he solved any +of the many mysteries of that most mysterious volume, I know not, let us +hope he did. "Bored" is the word which best expressed his looks. But as +for Christine and Karin, they knitted and knitted, and laughed and +sniggered at the story, which Anders, I must say, told in a way which +would have rejoiced his old grandmother's heart. But they were not to +have all the fun and no work. It was now their turn to be amusing, and +help to kill the ancient enemy, time. + +When _The Honest Penny_ was over, Anders, almost without taking breath, +said,-- + +"Now, girls, it is my right to call for a tune. You know lots of +stories, and can tell them better than I. So, Christine, do you tell +_The Death of Chanticleer_; and you, Karin, _The Greedy Cat_. And mind +you act them as well as tell them. They are nursery tales meant for +children, and mind you tell them well." + +I am bound to say that Christine, who was a very pretty girl, now no +doubt the happy mother of children, told _The Death of Chanticleer_ in a +way which would have gained her in China the post of Own Story-teller to +the Emperor's children. Without a blush, and without even the +stereotyped "unaccustomed as I am to public story-telling," she began. +"This is the story of-- + + +THE DEATH OF CHANTICLEER. + +"Once on a time there were a Cock and a Hen, who walked out into the +field, and scratched, and scraped, and scrabbled. All at once, +Chanticleer found a burr of hop, and Partlet found a barley-corn; and +they said they would make malt and brew Yule ale. + +"'Oh! I pluck barley, and I malt malt, and I brew ale, and the ale is +good,' cackled dame Partlet. + +"'Is the wort strong enough?' crew Chanticleer; and as he crowed he flew +up on the edge of the cask, and tried to have a taste; but, just as he +bent over to drink a drop, he took to flapping his wings, and so he fell +head over heels into the cask, and was drowned. + +"When dame Partlet saw that, she clean lost her wits, and flew up into +the chimney-corner, and fell a-screaming and screeching out. 'Harm in +the house! harm in the house!' she screeched out all in a breath, and +there was no stopping her. + +"'What ails you, dame Partlet, that you sit there sobbing and sighing?' +said the Handquern. + +"'Why not?' said dame Partlet; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into +the cask and drowned himself, and lies dead? That's why I sigh and sob.' + +"'Well, if I can do naught else, I will grind and groan,' said the +Handquern; and so it fell to grinding as fast as it could. + +"When the Chair heard that, it said-- + +"'What ails you, Handquern, that you grind and groan so fast and oft?' + +"'Why not, when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the cask and drowned +himself; and dame Partlet sits in the ingle, and sighs and sobs? That's +why I grind and groan,' said the Handquern. + +"'If I can do naught else, I will crack,' said the Chair; and, with +that, he fell to creaking and cracking. + +"When the Door heard that, it said,-- + +"'What's the matter? Why do you creak and crack so, Mr. Chair?' + +"'Why not?' said the Chair; 'goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; and the Handquern grinds and groans. That's why I creak and +crackle, and croak and crack.' + +"'Well,' said the Door, 'if I can do naught else, I can rattle and bang, +and whistle and slam;' and, with that, it began to open and shut, and +bang and slam, it deaved one to hear, and all one's teeth chattered. + +"All this the Stove heard, and it opened its mouth and called out-- + +"'Door! Door! why all this slamming and banging?' + +"'Why not?' said the Door; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans, and the Chair creaks and +cracks. That's why I bang and slam.' + +"'Well,' said the Stove, 'if I can do naught else, I can smoulder and +smoke;' and so it fell a-smoking and steaming till the room was all in a +cloud. + +"The Axe saw this, as it stood outside, and peeped with its shaft +through the window,-- + +"'What's all this smoke about, Mrs. Stove?' said the Axe, in a sharp +voice. + +"'Why not? said the Stove; 'when goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the +cask and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and +sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks and cracks, +and the Door bangs and slams. That's why I smoke and steam.' + +"'Well, if I can do naught else, I can rive and rend,' said the Axe; +and, with that, it fell to riving and rending all round about. + +"This the Aspen stood by and saw. + +"'Why do you rive and rend everything so, Mr. Axe?' said the Aspen. + +"'Goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned himself,' +said the Axe; 'dame Partlet sits in the ingle, sighing and sobbing; the +Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks and cracks; the Door slams +and bangs, and the Stove smokes and steams. That's why I rive and rend +all about.' + +"'Well, if I can do naught else,' said the Aspen, 'I can quiver and +quake in all my leaves;' so it grew all of a quake. + +"The Birds saw this, and twittered out,-- + +"'Why do you quiver and quake, Miss Aspen?' + +"'Goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned himself,' +said the Aspen, with a trembling voice; 'dame Partlet sits in the ingle, +sighing and sobbing; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks +and cracks; the Door slams and bangs; the Stove steams and smokes; and +the Axe rives and rends. That's why I quiver and quake.' + +"Well, if we can do naught else, we will pluck off all our feathers,' +said the Birds; and, with that, they fell a-pilling and plucking +themselves till the room was full of feathers. + +"This the Master stood by and saw, and, when the feathers flew about +like fun, he asked the Birds,-- + +"'Why do you pluck off all your feathers, you Birds?' + +"'Oh! goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-cask and drowned +himself,' twittered out the Birds; 'dame Partlet sits sighing and +sobbing in the ingle; the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair creaks +and cracks; the Door slams and bangs; the Stove smokes and steams; the +Axe rives and rends, and the Aspen quivers and quakes. That's why we are +pilling and plucking all our feathers off.' + +"'Well, if I can do nothing else, I can tear the brooms asunder,' said +the man; and, with that, he fell tearing and tossing the brooms till the +birch-twigs flew about east and west. + +"The goody stood cooking porridge for supper, and saw all this. + +"'Why, man!' she called out; 'what are you tearing the brooms to bits +for?' + +"'Oh!' said the man, 'goodman Chanticleer has fallen into the ale-vat +and drowned himself; dame Partlet sits sighing and sobbing in the ingle; +the Handquern grinds and groans; the Chair cracks and creaks; the Door +slams and bangs; the Stove smokes and steams; the Axe rives and rends; +the Aspen quivers and quakes; the Birds are pilling and plucking all +their feathers off, and that's why I am tearing the besoms to bits.' + +"'So, so!' said the goody; 'then I'll dash the porridge over all the +walls;' and she did it; for she took one spoonful after the other and +dashed it against the walls, so that no one could see what they were +made of for very porridge. + +"That was how they drank the burial ale after goodman Chanticleer, who +fell into the brewing-vat and was drowned; and, if you don't believe it, +you may set off thither and have a taste both of the ale and the +porridge." + + * * * * * + +When Christine ended, I did not tell them what I could now tell them, +that this story of _The Death of Chanticleer_ is _mutatis mutandis_, the +very same story as one in _Grimm's Tales_, and another in the Scotch +collection of Robert Chambers. But alas! I heard _The Death of +Chanticleer_ up on the Fjeld long before those Scotch Stories appeared +in print, and so, as some of these stories say, I could tell them +nothing about it. + +Karin was not so good a story-teller as Christine, but she still told +her story well. Besides, it was harder to tell, and required an effort +of memory, like that needed in our _This is the House that Jack built_. +_The Greedy Cat_ has a wildness of its own, and is full of humour. Here +it is-- + + +THE GREEDY CAT. + +"Once on a time there was a man who had a cat, and she was so awfully +big, and such a beast to eat, he couldn't keep her any longer. So she +was to go down to the river with a stone round her neck, but before she +started she was to have a meal of meat. So the goody set before her a +bowl of porridge and a little trough of fat. That she crammed into her, +and ran off and jumped through the window. Outside stood the goodman by +the barn door, threshing. + +"'Good day, goodman,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, pussy,' said the goodman; 'have you had any food to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge and a trough of fat--and, now I think of it, +I'll take you too,' and so she took the goodman and gobbled him up. + +"When she had done that, she went into the byre, and there sat the goody +milking. + +"'Good day, goody,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, pussy,' said the goody; 'are you here, and have you eaten up +your food yet?' + +"'Oh, I've eaten a little to-day, but I'm 'most fasting,' said pussy; +'it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the +goodman--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took the +goody and gobbled her up. + +"'Good day, you cow at the manger,' said the cat to Daisy the cow. + +"'Good day, pussy,' said the bell-cow; 'have you had any food to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'I've +only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and +the goody--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took +the cow and gobbled her up. + +"Then off she set up into the home-field, and there stood a man picking +up leaves. + +"'Good day, you leaf-picker in the field,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' said the +leaf-picker. + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman and the +goody, and Daisy the cow--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So +she took the leaf-picker and gobbled him up. + +"Then she came to a heap of stones, and there stood a stoat and peeped +out. + +"'Good day, Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker--and, now I think of it, I'll +take you too.' So she took the stoat and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a bit farther, she came to a hazel-brake, and there +sat a squirrel gathering nuts. + +"'Good day, Sir Squirrel of the Brake,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat--and, now I think +of it, I'll take you too.' So she took the squirrel and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a little farther, she saw Reynard the Fox, who was +prowling about by the woodside. + +"'Good day, Reynard Slyboots,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So she took +Reynard and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a while farther she met Long Ears the Hare. + +"'Good day, Mr. Hopper the Hare,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So +she took the hare and gobbled him up. + +"When she had gone a bit farther, she met a wolf. + +"'Good day, you Greedy Greylegs,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox and the hare--and, now I think of it, I may as +well take you too.' So she took and gobbled up Greylegs too. + +"So she went on into the wood, and when she had gone far and farther +than far, o'er hill and dale, she met a bear-cub. + +"'Good day, you bare-breeched Bear,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said the bear-cub; 'have you had anything to +eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf--and, now I think of +it, I may as well take you too,' and so she took the bear-cub and +gobbled him up. + +"When the cat had gone a bit farther, she met a she-bear, who was +tearing away at a stump till the splinters flew, so angry was she at +having lost her cub. + +"'Good day, you Mrs. Bruin,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the +bear-cub--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she took +Mrs. Bruin and gobbled her up too. + +"When the cat got still farther on, she met Baron Bruin himself. + +"'Good day, you Baron Bruin,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said Bruin; 'have you had anything to eat +to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear--and, now I think of it, I'll take you too,' and so she +took Bruin and ate him up too. + +"So the cat went on and on, and farther than far, till she came to the +abodes of men again, and there she met a bridal train on the road. + +"'Good day, you bridal train on the king's highway,' said she. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear--and, now I think of it, I'll take you +too,' and so she rushed at them, and gobbled up both the bride and +bridegroom, and the whole train, with the cook and the fiddler, and the +horses, and all. + +"When she had gone still farther, she came to a church, and there she +met a funeral. + +"'Good day, you funeral train,' said she. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom and the +whole train--and, now, I don't mind if I take you too,' and so she fell +on the funeral train and gobbled up both the body and the bearers. + +"Now when the cat had got the body in her, she was taken up to the sky, +and when she had gone a long, long way, she met the moon. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Moon,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom and the +whole train, and the funeral train--and, now I think of it, I don't mind +if I take you too,' and so she seized hold of the moon, and gobbled her +up, both new and full. + +"So the cat went a long way still, and then she met the sun. + +"'Good day, you Sun in heaven.' + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy,' said the sun; 'have you had anything to eat +to-day?' + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was +only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the +goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the +squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and +the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and the +whole train, and the funeral train, and the moon--and, now I think of +it, I don't mind if I take you too,' and so she rushed at the sun in +heaven and gobbled him up. + +"So the cat went far and farther than far, till she came to a bridge, +and on it she met a big Billygoat. + +"'Good day, you Billygoat on Broad-bridge,' said the cat. + +"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' said the +Billygoat. + +"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting; I've only had a bowl of +porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody in the +byre, and Daisy the cow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in the +home-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, +and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the Hare, and Greedy Greylegs the +Wolf, and Bare-breech the Bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and +a Bridal train on the king's highway, and a Funeral at the church, and +Lady Moon in the sky, and Lord Sun in heaven, and, now I think of it, +I'll take you too.' + +"'That we'll fight about," said the Billygoat, and butted at the cat +till she fell right over the bridge into the river, and there she burst. + +"So they all crept out one after the other, and went about their +business, and were just as good as ever, all that the cat had gobbled +up. The Goodman of the house, and the Goody in the byre, and Daisy the +cow at the manger, and the Leaf-picker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoat +of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and +Mr. Hopper the Hare, and Greedy Greylegs the Wolf, and Bare-breech the +Bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and the Bridal train on the +highway, and the Funeral train at the church, and Lady Moon in the Sky, +and Lord Sun in heaven." + + + + +PETER THE FORESTER AND GRUMBLEGIZZARD. + + +When the girls had ended, we all laughed at the droll turn out of Sun, +Moon, and Co. from the cat's maw; and I was just going to repay them +with a Scotch story, when there came a great knock at the door. + +Who could it be? said the girls. Father and mother would not come up +from the dale in such weather. Who could it be? Perhaps one of the Hill +folk. Perhaps a Huldra. + +"Nonsense, lassies!" said Anders; "even if it were anything uncanny, we +have guns enough here to fire a shot over a whole pack of them, and men +enough to fire them too. Don't stand dawdling there, Karin, but open the +door." + +Karin did as she was bid, and drew back the wooden bolt. + +"My!" she cried, "if it isn't Peter the Forester! Come in, Peter. Come +in." + +In strode Peter, a strapping fellow, long past youth, but still hale and +hearty. His tight-fitting breeches and hose showed a well-knit frame; +over his many-buttoned jacket he wore a loose cloak of russet woollen +stuff, "Wadmel," as they call it in the north of Scotland, and "Vadmal," +as they call it in Norway. A broad, flapping wide-awake covered his +head, which on this occasion was tied down across the top, and under the +chin by a red cotton kerchief. On his shoulder was his rifle. + +"Why, Peter," said Anders, "what brought you out in such Deil's +weather?" + +"Well!" said Peter, "the owner of the sawmills down at the end of the +dale on the other side of the Fjeld, sent me up here last night to see +if I could mark down any reindeer for him; and so I came, though I told +him 'twas no use. The poor, silly body fancies the deer are like a pack +of barn-door fowls, that you can count morning and evening, as they go +out and come home to roost. He little thinks that the deer seen to-day +here, are to-morrow fifty miles off, or more; but as I wanted to cross +the Fjeld, and look at the forest on the other side down in the dale, I +said I would come and tell him if I saw any deer; and to make a long +story short, I came, and thought to get here last night; but just on the +edge of the Fjeld it grew dark as pitch, and so I crept into a reft in +the rocks, and spent the night as I best could. Luckily I had fladbrod +and gammelost, and a flask of brandy, else I should have fared badly. +But here I am, drenched to the skin, and nigh starved. Let me have a +pair of dry stockings, and a bowl of milk, and make myself comfortable. +But God's peace! I did not see you had English lords here. Good day! +Good day! After deer, too, no doubt. Did you see the deer yesterday?" + +While Anders told him in a low voice who we were, in which story +Edward's mishap was sure to find a place, Peter took off his shoes and +stockings, and put on dry ones, and then draining off his bowl of milk, +sate before the fire to enjoy his pipe. + +But Anders was not going to let him off so lightly. + +"You must often hear and see strange things in the woods, and on the +Fjeld, Peter!" + +"Aye! aye!" replied Peter, under a cloud of puffs, to this rather +leading question. "Aye, aye, I have both heard and seen many things. +Strange sounds and noises; sometimes for all the world like the sweetest +music." + +"And what made it?" I asked. + +"What made it!" scornfully replied Peter, "why the Huldror--the +fairies." + +"The fairies! then you believe in the Good People?" + +"Good or bad," said Peter, "and I think they are more often bad than +good, by their leave be it spoken; for to tell the truth, they say this +very Saeter was haunted in old days. Good or bad, why shouldn't I believe +in them? Doesn't the Bible speak of evil spirits? and if I believe in +the Bible I must believe in them." + +I was too eager to get out of Peter what he knew about the Hill folk or +Huldror or fairies, to stop to discuss his dictum as to the Bible, so I +said, + +"But do tell us what you saw yourself." + +"Well!" said Peter, "once in August I was sitting on a knoll by the side +of a path, with bushes on each side, so that I could look across the +path down into a little hollow full of heath and ling. I was out calling +birds, for I can call them by their notes, and just then I heard a grey +hen call among the heather, and I called to her and thought, 'If I only +set eyes on you, you shall have gobbled and cackled your last.' Then all +at once I heard something come rustling behind me along the path, and I +turned round and saw an old, old man; he was a strange looking chap +altogether, but the strangest thing about him was that he had--at least +so it seemed to me--three legs; and the third leg hung and dangled +between the other two right down to the ground, and so he walked along +the path. When I say 'walked,' it wasn't walking either, but a sliding, +sloping motion, and so he went along, and I lost sight of him in one of +the darkest hollows of the glen. Now if that were not a fairy I should +like to know what it was?" + +"Why an old gaberlunzie man, who helped himself along going down hill +with his stick behind him," said I. "Come, come, Peter, you must know +better stories than that. Tell us something that you have not seen, but +only heard tell of. Can't you tell us 'Grumblegizzard?'" For that, you +must know, was the name of a Norse tale that I had often heard of but +never yet heard. + +"Yes! yes," said Anders. "Peter knows it, I'll be bound." + +"Well!" said Peter, "it's a queer story, but here it is. This is the +story of + + +GRUMBLEGIZZARD. + +"Once on a time there were five goodies, who were all reaping in a +field; they were all childless, and all wished to have a bairn. All at +once they set eyes on a strangely big goose-egg, almost as big as a +man's head. + +"'I saw it first,' said one. + +"'I saw it just as soon as you,' screamed another. + +"'Heaven help me, but I will have it,' swore the third; 'I was the first +to see it.' + +"So they flocked round it and squabbled so much about the egg that they +were tearing one another's hair. But at last they agreed that they would +own it in common, all five of them, and each was to sit on it in turn +like a goose, and so hatch the gosling. The first lay sitting eight +days, and sat and sat, but nothing came of it; meanwhile the others had +to drag about to find food both for themselves and her. At last one of +them began to scold her. + +"'Well,' said the one that sat, 'you did not chip the egg yourself before +you could cry, not you; but this egg, I think, has something in it, for +it seems to me to mumble, and this is what it says, "Herrings and brose, +porridge and milk, all at once." And now you may come and sit for eight +days too, and we will change and change about and get food for you.' + +"So when all five had sat on it eight days, the fifth heard plainly that +there was a gosling in the egg, which screeched out, 'Herrings and +brose, porridge and milk;' so she picked a hole in it, but instead of a +gosling out came a man child, and awfully ugly it was, with a big head +and little body. And the first thing it bawled out when it chipped the +egg, was 'Herrings and brose, porridge and milk.' + +"So they called it 'Grumblegizzard.' + +"Ugly as it was, they were still glad to have it, at first; but it was +not long before it got so greedy that it ate up all the meat in their +house. When they boiled a kettle of soup or a pot of porridge, which +they thought would be enough for all six, it tossed it all down its own +throat. So they would not keep it any longer. + +"'I've not known what it is to have a full meal since this changeling +crept out of the egg-shell,' said one of them, and when Grumblegizzard +heard that all the rest were of the same mind, he said he was quite +willing to be off. If they did not care for him, he didn't care for +them; and with that he strode off from the farm. + +"After a long time he came to a farmer's house, which lay in a stone +country, and there he asked for a place. Well, they wanted a labourer, +and the goodman set him to pick up stones off the field. Yes! +Grumblegizzard gathered the stones from the field, and he took them so +big that there were many horse-loads in them, and whether they were big +or little, he stuffed them all into his pocket. 'Twas not long before he +was done with that work, and then he wanted to know what he was to do +next. + +"'I've told you to pluck out the stones from the field,' said the +goodman, 'you can't be done before you begin, I trow.' + +"But Grumblegizzard turned out his pockets and threw the stones in a +heap. Then the goodman saw that he had done his work, and felt he ought +to keep a workman who was so strong. He had better come in and have +something to eat, he said. Grumblegizzard thought so too, and he alone +ate all that was ready for the master and mistress and for the servants, +and after all he was not half full. + +"'That was a man and a half to work, but a fearful fellow to eat, too; +there was no stopping him,' said the goodman. 'Such a labourer would eat +a poor farmer out of house and home before one could turn round.' + +"So he told him he had no more work for him. He had best be off to the +king's grange. + +"Then Grumblegizzard strode on to the king, and got a place at once. In +the king's grange there was enough both of work and food. He was to be +odd man, and help the lasses to bring in wood and water and other small +jobs. So he asked what he was to do first. + +"'Oh, if you would be so good as to chop us a little firewood.' + +"Yes. Grumblegizzard fell to chopping and hewing till the splinters flew +about him. 'Twas not long before he had chopped up all that there was, +both of firewood and timber, both planks and beams; and when he had done +he came back and asked what he was to do now. + +"'Go on chopping wood,' they said. + +"'There's no more left to chop,' said he. + +"'That couldn't be true,' said the king's grieve, and he went and looked +out in the wood-yard. But it was quite true; Grumblegizzard had chopped +everything up; he had made firewood both of sawn planks and hewn beams. +That was bad work, the grieve said, and he told him he should not taste +a morsel of food till he had gone into the forest and cut down as much +timber as he had chopped up into firewood. + +"Grumblegizzard went off to the smithy, and got the smith to help him to +make an axe of fifteen pounds of iron; and so he went into the forest +and began to clear it; down toppled tall spruces and firs fit for masts. +Everything went down that he found either on the king's or his +neighbour's ground; he did not stay to top or lop them, and there they +lay like so many windfalls. Then he laid a good load on a sledge, and +put all the horses to it, but they could not stir the load from the +spot, and when he took them by the heads and wished to set them a-going, +he pulled their heads off. Then he tumbled the horses out of the traces +on to the ground, and drew the load home by himself. + +"When he came down to the king's grange the king and his wood-grieve +stood in the gallery to take him to task for having been so wasteful in +the forest--the wood-grieve had been up to see what he was at--but when +Grumblegizzard came along dragging back half a wood of timber, the king +got both angry and afraid, and he thought he must be careful with him, +since he was so strong. + +"'That I call a workman, and no mistake,' said the king; 'but how much +do you eat at once, for now you may well be hungry.' + +"'When he was to have a good meal of porridge, he could do with twelve +barrels of meal,' said Grumblegizzard; 'but when he had got so much +inside him, he could hold out for some time.' + +"It took time to get the porridge boiled, and, meantime, he was to draw +in a little wood for the cook; so he laid the whole pile of wood on a +sledge, but when he was to get through the doorway with it, he got into +a scrape again. The house was so shaken that it gave way at every joist, +and he was within an ace of dragging the whole grange over on end. + +"When the hour drew near for dinner, they sent him out to call home the +folk from the field; he bawled and bellowed so that the rocks and hills +rang again; but they did not come quick enough for him, so he fell out +with them, and slew twelve of them on the spot. + +"'He has slain twelve men,' said the king; 'and he eats for twelve times +twelve. But for how many do you work, I should like to know?' + +"'For twelve times twelve, too,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"When he had eaten his dinner, he was to go out into the barn to thrash, +so he took off the roof-tree and made a flail out of it; and, when the +roof was just about to fall, he took a great spruce fir, branches and +all, and stuck it up for a roof-tree; and then he thrashed the floor and +the straw, and hay, altogether. He did great harm, for the grain and +chaff and beard flew about together, and a cloud arose over the whole +grange. + +"When he was nearly done thrashing, enemies came into the land; and +there was to be war. So the king told him to take folk with him and go +on the way to meet the foe and fight them, for he thought they would put +him to death. 'No! he would have no folk with him to be slain; he would +fight alone, that he would,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"'All the better, I shall be sooner rid of him,' said the king. + +"But he must have a mighty club. + +"They sent off to the smith to forge a club of fifty pounds. 'That might +do very well to crack nuts,' said Grumblegizzard. So they smithied him +one of a hundred pounds. 'That might do well enough to nail shoes with,' +he said. Well, the smith couldn't smithy it any bigger with all his men. +So Grumblegizzard went off to the smithy himself, and forged a club of +fifteen tons, and it took a hundred men to turn it on the anvil. 'That +might do,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"Besides, he must have a scrip for food; and he made one out of fifteen +oxhides, and stuffed it full of food. And so he toddled off down the +hill with his scrip at his back and his club on his shoulder. + +"So, when he had got so far that the enemy saw him, they sent out a man +to ask if he were coming against them. + +"'Bide a bit, till I have had my dinner,' said Grumblegizzard, as he +threw himself down on the road, and fell to eating behind his great +scrip. + +"But they couldn't wait, and began to shoot at him at once, so that it +rained and hailed rifle bullets. + +"'These bilberries I don't mind a bit,' said Grumblegizzard, and fell to +eating harder than ever. + +"Neither lead nor iron could touch him, and before him was his scrip, +like a wall, and kept off the fire. + +"So they took to throwing shells at him, and to fire cannons at him; and +he just grinned a little every time they hit him. + +"'Ah! ah! it's all no good,' he said. But, just then, he got a bombshell +right down his throat. + +"'Fie!' he said, and spat it out again; and then came a chain-shot and +made its way into his butter-box, and another took the bit he was just +going to eat from between his fingers. Then he got angry, and rose up, +and took his club, and dashed it on the ground, and asked if they were +going to snatch the bread out of his mouth with their bilberries, which +they puffed out of big peashooters. Then he gave a few more strokes, +till the rocks and hills shook, and the enemy flew into the air like +chaff, and so the war was over." + + * * * * * + +Having got so far, Peter said he must take breath, and called for +another bowl of milk, and while he refreshed himself, we all waited +open-mouthed for the rest of the story of Grumblegizzard. + + * * * * * + +"When Grumblegizzard got home again and wanted more work, the king was +in a sad way, for he thought he should have been rid of him that time, +and now he could think of nothing but to send him to hell. + +"'You must be off to Old Nick, and ask for my land-tax.' + +"Grumblegizzard set off from the grange, with his scrip on his back and +his club on his shoulder. He lost no time on the way, but, when he got +there, Old Nick was gone to serve on a jury. There was no one at home +but his mother, and she said she had never in her born days heard talk +of any land-tax; he had better come again another day. + +"'Yes, yes! come to me to-morrow,' said Grumblegizzard. 'That's all +stuff and nonsense, for to-morrow never comes.' Now he was there, he +would stay there. He must and would have the land-tax, and he had lots +of time to wait. + +"But when he had eaten up all his food, the time hung heavy, and so he +went and asked the old dame to give him the land-tax. She must pay it +down. + +"'No,' she said, 'she couldn't do it. That stood as fast as the old +fir-tree,' she said, 'that grew outside the gate of hell, and was so big +that fifteen men could scarcely span it when they held hands.' + +"But Grumblegizzard climbed up to the top of it, and twisted and turned +it about like an osier; and then he asked if she were ready with the +land-tax. + +"Yes, she dared not do anything else, and found so many pence as he +thought he could carry in his scrip. + +"And now he started for home with the land-tax; but, as soon as he was +off, Old Nick came back. When he heard that Grumblegizzard had stridden +off from his house with his big scrip full of money, he first of all +beat and banged his mother, and then ran after him to catch him on the +way. + +"And he caught him up, too, for he ran light, and used his wings, while +Grumblegizzard had to keep to the ground under the weight of the big +scrip; but, just as Old Nick was at his heels, he began to run and jump +as fast as he could; and he held his club behind him to keep Old Nick +off. + +"And so they went along, Grumblegizzard holding the haft, and Old Nick +clawing at the head, till they came to a deep dale; there Grumblegizzard +leapt from one hill-top to the other, and Old Nick was so hot to follow, +that he tripped over the club and fell down into the dale, and broke his +leg, and so there he lay. + +"'Here you have the land-tax,' said Grumblegizzard, as he came to the +king's grange, and dashed down the scripful of money before the king, so +that the whole gallery creaked and cracked. + +"The king thanked him, and put a good face on it, and promised him good +pay and a safe pass home if he cared to have it; but all Grumblegizzard +wanted was more work. + +"'What shall I do now?' he asked. Well, when the king had thought about +it, he said he had better travel to the Hill Troll, who had carried off +his grandfather's sword to that castle he had by the lake, whither no +one dared to go. + +"So Grumblegizzard got several loads of food into his big scrip, and set +off again; and he fared both far and long, over wood and fell, and wild +wastes, till he came to some high hills, where the Troll was said to +dwell, who had taken the king's grandfather's sword. + +"But the Troll was not to be seen under bare sky, and the hill was fast +shut, so that even Grumblegizzard was not man enough to get in. + +"So he joined fellowship with some quarrymen, who were living at a hill +farm, and who lay up there quarrying stone in those hills. Such help +they never yet had, for he beat and battered the fell till the rocks +were rent, and great stones were rolled down as big as houses; but when +he was to rest at noon, and take out one load of food, the whole scrip +was clean eaten out. + +"'I'm a pretty good trencherman myself,' said Grumblegizzard; 'but +whoever has been here, has a sharper tooth, for he has eaten up bones +and all.' + +"That was how things went the first day, and it was no better the next. +The third day he set off to quarry stones again, and took with him the +third meal of food; but he laid down behind it, and shammed sleep. + +"Just then there came out of the hill a Troll with seven heads, and +began to munch and eat his food. + +"'Now the board is laid, and I will eat,' said the Troll. + +"'That we'll have a tussle for,' said Grumblegizzard; and gave him a +blow with his club, and knocked off all his seven heads at once. + +"So he went into the hill, out of which the Troll had come, and in there +stood a horse, which ate out of a tub of glowing coals, and at its heels +stood a tub of oats. + +"'Why don't you eat out of the tub of oats?' said Grumblegizzard. + +"'Because I am not able to turn round,' said the horse. + +"'I'll soon turn you,' said he. + +"'Rather strike off my head,' said the horse. + +"So he struck it off, and then the horse was turned into a handsome man. +He said he had been taken into the hill by the Troll, and turned into a +horse, and then he helped him to find the sword, which the Troll had +hidden at the bottom of his bed, and upon the bed lay the Troll's old +mother, asleep and snoring. + +"Home again they went by water, and when they had got well out, the old +witch came after them; as she could not catch them, she fell to drinking +the lake dry, and she drank and drank, till the water in the lake fell; +but she could not drink the sea dry, and so she burst. + +"When they came to shore, Grumblegizzard sent a message to the king, to +come and fetch his sword. He sent four horses. No! they could not stir +it; he sent eight, and he sent twelve; but the sword stayed where it +was, they could not move it an inch. But Grumblegizzard took it up +alone, and bore it along. + +"The king could not believe his eyes, when he saw Grumblegizzard again; +but he put a good face on it, and promised him gold, and green woods; +and when Grumblegizzard wanted more work, he said he had better set off +for a haunted castle he had, where no one dared to be, and there he must +sleep till he had built a bridge over the Sound, so that folk could pass +over. If he were good to do that he would pay him well; nay, he would be +glad to give him his daughter to wife. + +"'Yes! yes! I am good to do that,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"No man had ever left that castle alive; those who reached it lay there +slain and torn to bits, and the king thought he should never see him +more, if he only got him to go thither. + +"But Grumblegizzard set off; and he took with him his scrip of food, a +very tough and twisted stump of a fir-tree, an axe, a wedge, and a few +matches, and besides, he took the workhouse boy from the king's grange. + +"When they got to the Sound, the river ran full of ice, and was as +headlong as a force; but he stuck his legs fast at the bottom, and waded +on till he got over at last. + +"When he had lighted a fire and warmed himself, and got a bit of food, +he tried to sleep; but it was not long before there was such a noise and +din, as though the whole castle was turned topsy-turvy. The door blew +back against the wall, and he saw nothing but a gaping jaw, from the +threshold up to the lintel. + +"'There, you have a bit, taste that!' said Grumblegizzard, as he threw +the workhouse boy into the gaping maw. + +"'Now let me see you, what kind you are. May be we are old friends.' + +"So it was, for it was Old Nick, who was outside. Then they took to +playing cards, for the Old One wanted to try and win back some of the +land-tax, which Grumblegizzard had squeezed out of his mother, when he +went to ask it for the king; but whichever way they cut the cards, +Grumblegizzard won, for he put a cross on all the court cards, and when +he had won all his ready money, Old Nick was forced to give +Grumblegizzard some of the gold and silver that was in the castle. + +"Just as they were hard at it the fire went out, so that they could not +tell one card from another. + +"'Now we must chop wood,' said Grumblegizzard, and with that he drove +his axe into the fir stump, and thrust the wedge in; but the gnarled +root was tough, and would not split at once, however much he twisted and +turned his axe. + +"'They say you are very strong,' he said to Old Nick; 'spit in your +fists and bear a hand with your claws, and rive and rend, and let me see +the stuff you are made of.' + +"Old Nick did so, and put both his fists into the split, and strove to +rend it with might and main, but, at the same time, Grumblegizzard +struck the wedge out, and Old Nick was caught in a trap; and then +Grumblegizzard tried his back with his axe. Old Nick begged and prayed +so prettily to be let go, but Grumblegizzard was hard of hearing on that +side till he gave his word never to come there again, and make a noise. +And so, he too, had to promise to build a bridge over the Sound, so that +folks could pass over it at all times of the year, and it was to be +ready when the ice was gone. + +"'This is a hard bargain,' said Old Nick. But there was no help for it, +if he wished to get out. He had to give his word; only, he bargained, he +was to have the first soul that passed over the bridge. That was to be +the Sound due. + +"'That he should have,' said Grumblegizzard. So he got loose, and went +home; but Grumblegizzard lay down to sleep, and slept till far on next +day. + +"So, when the king came to see if he was hacked to pieces, or torn to +bits, he had to wade through heaps of money before he could get to the +bed. It lay in piles and sacks high up the wall: but Grumblegizzard lay +in the bed asleep and snoring. + +"'God help both me and my daughter,' said the king when he saw that +Grumblegizzard was alive and rich. Yes, all was good and well done; +there was no gainsaying that. But it was not worth while talking of the +wedding till the bridge was ready. + +"So, one day, the bridge stood ready, and Old Nick stood on it to take +the toll he had bargained for. + +"Now Grumblegizzard wanted to take the king with him to try the bridge, +but he had no mind to do that. So he got up himself on a horse, and +threw the fat milkmaid from the king's grange upon the pommel before +him;--she looked for all the world like a big fir-stump--and then he +rode over till the bridge thundered under him. + +"'Where is the Sound due? Where have you put the soul?' screamed Old +Nick. + +"'It sits inside this stump. If you want it, spit in your fists and take +it,' said Grumblegizzard. + +"'Nay, nay! many thanks,' said Old Nick. 'If she doesn't take me, I'll +not take her. You caught me once, and you shan't catch me again in a +cleft stick;' and, with that, he flew off straight home to his old +mother; and, since then, he has never been seen or heard in those parts. + +"But Grumblegizzard went home to the king's grange, and wanted the wages +the king had promised him; and when the king tried to wriggle out of it, +and would not keep his word, Grumblegizzard said he had better pack up a +good scrip of food, for he was going to take his wages himself. Yes, the +king did that: and, when all was ready, Grumblegizzard took the king out +before the door, and gave him a good push and sent him flying up into +the air. As for the scrip, he threw it after him, that he might have +something to eat. And, if he hasn't come down again, there he is still +hanging, with his scrip, between Heaven and Earth, to this very day that +now is." + + + + +PETER'S THREE TALES. + + +When _Grumblegizzard_ was over, we all laughed so that Peter was quite +in good humour. At first he had not liked the doubt thrown on his vision +of the old fairy man, but our applause soothed his ruffled spirit. + +"As you like stories," he said, "I'll tell you three short ones right +off, and then I'll call on Anders to tell one. The first is_ Father +Bruin in the Corner_, and it shows too what tongues old wives have, and +how there's no stopping them even in a pitfall. Many's the time I've +trapped Bruin, and Graylegs, and Reynard, in a pit; but I never yet +trapped an old woman, and I hope I never shall. It would be like +shearing a pig, 'all cry and no wool.' But here is the story." + + +FATHER BRUIN IN THE CORNER. + +"Once on a time there was a man who lived far, far away in the wood. He +had many, many goats and sheep, but never a one could he keep for fear +of Graylegs, the wolf. + +"At last he said, 'I'll soon trap Grayboots,' and so he set to work +digging a pitfall. When he had dug it deep enough, he put a polo down in +the midst of the pit, and on the top of the pole he set a board, and on +the board he put a little dog. Over the pit itself he spread boughs and +branches and leaves, and other rubbish, and a-top of all he strewed +snow, so that Graylegs might not see there was a pit underneath. + +"So when it got on in the night, the little dog grew weary of sitting +there: 'Bow-wow, bow-wow,' it said, and bayed at the moon. Just then up +came a fox, slouching and sneaking, and thought here was a fine time for +marketing, and with that gave a jump--head over heels down into the +pitfall. + +"And when it got a little farther on in the night, the little dog got so +weary and so hungry, and it fell to yelping and howling: 'Bow-wow, +bow-wow,' it cried out. Just at that very moment up came Graylegs, +trotting and trotting. He, too, thought he should get a fat steak, and +he too made a spring--head over heels down into the pitfall. + +"When it was getting on towards gray dawn in the morning, down fell +snow, with a north wind, and it grew so cold that the little dog stood +and froze, and shivered and shook; it was so weary and hungry, 'Bow-wow, +bow-wow, bow-wow,' it called out, and barked and yelled and howled. Then +up came a bear, tramping and tramping along, and thought to himself how +he could get a morsel for breakfast at the very top of the morning, and +so he thought and thought among the boughs and branches till he too went +bump--head over heels down into the pitfall. + +"So when it got a little further on in the morning, an old beggar wife +came walking by, who toddled from farm to farm with a bag on her back. +When she set eyes on the little dog that stood there and howled, she +couldn't help going near to look and see if any wild beasts had fallen +into the pit during the night. So she crawled up on her knees and peeped +down into it. + +"'Art thou come into the pit at last, Reynard?' she said to the fox, for +he was the first she saw; 'a very good place, too, for such a hen-roost +robber as thou: and thou, too, Graypaw,' she said to the wolf; 'many a +goat and sheep hast thou torn and rent, and now thou shalt be plagued +and punished to death. Bless my heart! Thou, too, Bruin! art thou, too, +sitting in this room, thou mare-flayer? Thee, too, will we strip, and +thee shall we flay, and thy skull shall be nailed up on the wall.' All +this the old lass screeched out as she bent over towards the bear. But +just then her bag fell over her ears, and dragged her down, and slap! +down went the old crone--head over heels into the pitfall. + +"So there they all four sat and glared at one another, each in a corner. +The fox in one, Graylegs in another, Bruin in a third, and the old crone +in a fourth. + +"But as soon as it was broad daylight, Reynard began to peep and peer, +and to twist and turn about, for he thought he might as well try to get +out. But the old lass cried out,-- + +"'Canst thou not sit still, thou whirligig thief, and not go twisting +and turning? Only look at Father Bruin himself in the corner, how he +sits as grave as a judge,' for now she thought she might as well make +friends with the bear. But just then up came the man who owned the +pitfall. First he drew up the old wife, and after that he slew all the +beasts, and neither spared Father Bruin himself in the corner, nor +Graylegs, nor Reynard, the whirligig thief. That night, at least, he +thought he had made a good haul." + + * * * * * + +"The next story," said Peter, "is also out of the wood. It isn't often +that Reynard gets cheated, but even the wisest folk sometimes get the +worst of it, and so it was with Reynard in this story." + + +REYNARD AND CHANTICLEER. + +"Once on a time there was a Cock who stood on a dung-heap, and crew, and +flapped his wings. Then the Fox came by. + +"'Good day,' said Reynard, 'I heard you crowing so nicely; but can you +stand on one leg and crow, and wink your eyes?' + +"'Oh, yes,' said Chanticleer. 'I can do that very well.' So he stood on +one leg and crew; but he winked only with one eye, and when he had done +that he made himself big and flapped his wings, as though he had done a +great thing. + +"'Very pretty, to be sure,' said Reynard. 'Almost as pretty as when the +parson preaches in church; but can you stand on one leg and wink both +your eyes at once? I hardly think you can.' + +"'Can't I though!' said Chanticleer, and stood on one leg, and winked +both his eyes, and crew. But Reynard caught hold of him, took him by the +throat, and threw him over his back, so that he was off to the wood +before he had crowed his crow out, as fast as Reynard could lay legs to +the ground. + +"When they had come under an old spruce fir, Reynard threw Chanticleer +on the ground, set his paw on his breast, and was going to take a bite! + +"'You are a heathen, Reynard!' said Chanticleer. 'Good Christians say +grace, and ask a blessing before they eat.' + +"But Reynard would be no heathen. God forbid it! So he let go his hold, +and was about to fold his paws over his breast and say grace--but pop! +up flew Chanticleer into a tree. + +"'You sha'n't get off for all that,' said Reynard to himself. So he went +away, and came again with a few chips, which the woodcutters had left. +Chanticleer peeped and peered to see what they could be. + +"'Whatever have you got there?' he asked. + +"'These are letters I have just got,' said Reynard, 'won't you help me +to read them, for I don't know how to read writing.' + +"'I'd be so happy, but I dare not read them now; said Chanticleer; 'for +here comes a hunter, I see him, I see him, as I sit by the tree trunk.' + +"When Reynard heard Chanticleer chattering about a hunter, he took to +his heels as quick as he could. + +"This time it was Reynard who was made game of. + + * * * * * + +"The third story," said Peter, "is about an old fellow who was as deaf +as a post, and who had a goody who was no better than she should have +been. Where he lived I'm sure I don't know, but I've heard it said he +lived in different parts of the country, both north of Stad and south of +Stad; but at any rate this is the story." + + +GOODMAN AXEHAFT. + +"There was once a ferryman who was so hard of hearing he could neither +hear nor catch anything that any one said to him. He had a goody and a +daughter, and they did not care a pin for the goodman, but lived in +mirth and jollity so long as there was aught to live on, and then they +took to running up a bill with the inn-keeper, and gave parties, and had +feasts every day. + +"So when no one would trust them any longer, the sheriff was to come and +seize for what they owed and had wasted. Then the goody and her child +set off for her kinsfolk, and left the deaf husband behind, all alone, +to see the sheriff and the bailiff. + +"Well, there stood the man and pottered about and wondered what the +sheriff wanted to ask, and what he should say when he came. + +"'If I take to doing something,' he said to himself, 'he'll be sure to +ask me something about it. I'll just begin to cut out an axehaft, so +when he asks me what that is to be, I shall answer, "Axehaft." Then +he'll ask how long it is to be, and I'll say, "Up as far as this twig +that sticks out." Then he'll ask, "What's become of the ferry-boat?" and +I'll say, "I am going to tar her; and yonder she lies on the strand, +split at both ends." Then he'll ask, "Where's your grey mare?" and I'll +answer, "She is standing in the stable, big with foal." Then he'll ask, +"Whereabouts is your sheepcote and shieling?" and I'll say, "Not far +off; when you get a bit up the hill you'll soon see them."' + +"All this he thought well-planned. + +"A little while after in came the sheriff; he was true to time, but as +for his man, he had gone another way round by an inn, and there he sat +still drinking. + +"'Good-day, sir,' he said. + +"'Axehaft,' said the ferryman. + +"'So, so," said the sheriff. 'How far off is it to the inn?' + +"'Right up to this twig,' said the man, and pointed a little way up the +piece of timber. + +"The sheriff shook his head and stared at him open-mouthed. + +"'Where is your mistress, pray?' + +"'I am just going to tar her,' said the ferryman, 'for yonder she lies +on the strand, split open at both ends.' + +"'Where is your daughter?' + +"'Oh, she stands in the stable, big with foal,' answered the man, who +thought he answered very much to the purpose. + +"'Oh, go to hell with you,' said the sheriff. + +"'Very good; 'tis not so far off; when you get a bit up the hill, you'll +soon get there,' said the man. + +"So the sheriff was floored, and went away." + + + + +THE COMPANION. + + +We all thought Peter's three stories first rate, but he was not going to +be put off with praise, and asked Anders if he knew _The Companion_. + +"Yes," was the answer, "but it's a long story, though a very good one." + +"If it's long, the sooner you begin it the better," said Peter; "and +then it will be sooner over." + +Anders made no more mouths about it, but began: + + +THE COMPANION. + +"Once on a time there was a farmer's son who dreamt that he was to marry +a princess far, far out in the world. She was as red and white as milk +and blood, and so rich there was no end to her riches. When he awoke he +seemed to see her still standing bright and living before him, and he +thought her so sweet and lovely that his life was not worth having +unless he had her too. So he sold all he had, and set off into the world +to find her out. Well, he went far, and farther than far, and about +winter he came to a land where all the high-roads lay right straight on +end; there wasn't a bend in any of them. When he had wandered on and on +for a quarter of a year he came to a town, and outside the church-door +lay a big block of ice, in which there stood a dead body, and the whole +parish spat on it as they passed by to church. The lad wondered at this, +and when the priest came out of church he asked him what it all meant. + +"'It is a great wrong-doer,' said the priest. 'He has been executed for +his ungodliness, and set up there to be mocked and spat upon.' + +"'But what was his wrong-doing?' asked the lad. + +"'When he was alive here he was a vintner,' said the priest, 'and he +mixed water with his wine.' + +"The lad thought that no such dreadful sin. + +"'Well,' he said, 'after he had atoned for it with his life, you might +as well have let him have Christian burial and peace after death.' + +"But the priest said that could not be in any wise, for there must be +folk to break him out of the ice, and money to buy a grave from the +church; then the grave-digger must be paid for digging the grave, and +the sexton for tolling the bell, and the clerk for singing the hymns, +and the priest for sprinkling dust over him. + +"'Do you think now there would be any one who would be willing to pay +all this for an executed sinner?' + +"'Yes,' said the lad. 'If he could only get him buried in Christian +earth, he would be sure to pay for his funeral ale out of his scanty +means.' + +"Even after that the priest hemmed and hawed; but when the lad came with +two witnesses, and asked him right out in their hearing if he could +refuse to sprinkle dust over the corpse, he was forced to answer that he +could not. + +"So they broke the vintner out of the block of ice, and laid him in +Christian earth, and they tolled the bell and sang hymns over him, and +the priest sprinkled dust over him, and they drank his funeral ale till +they wept and laughed by turns; but when the lad had paid for the ale he +hadn't many pence left in his pocket. + +"He set off on his way again, but he hadn't got far ere a man overtook +him who asked if he did not think it dull work walking on all alone. + +"No; the lad did not think it dull. 'I have always something to think +about,' he said. + +"Then the man asked if he wouldn't like to have a servant. + +"'No,' said the lad; 'I am wont to be my own servant, therefore I have +need of none; and even if I wanted one ever so much, I have no means to +get one, for I have no money to pay for his food and wages.' + +"'You do need a servant, that I know better than you,' said the man, +'and you have need of one whom you can trust in life and death. If you +won't have me as a servant, you may take me as your companion; I give +you my word I will stand you in good stead, and it shan't cost you a +penny. I will pay my own fare, and as for food and clothing, you shall +have no trouble about them.' + +"Well, on those terms he was willing enough to have him as his +companion; so after that they travelled together, and the man for the +most part went on ahead and showed the lad the way. + +"So after they had travelled on and on from land to land, over hill and +wood, they came to a crossfell that stopped the way. There the companion +went up and knocked, and bade them open the door; and the rock opened +sure enough, and when they got inside the hill up came an old witch with +a chair, and asked them, 'Be so good as to sit down. No doubt ye are +weary.' + +"'Sit on it yourself,' said the man. So she was forced to take her seat, +and as soon as she sat down she stuck fast, for the chair was such that +it let no one loose that came near it. Meanwhile they went about inside +the hill, and the companion looked round till he saw a sword hanging +over the door. That he would have, and if he got it he gave his word to +the old witch that he would let her loose out of the chair. + +"'Nay, nay,' she screeched out; 'ask me anything else. Anything else you +may have, but not that, for it is my Three-Sister Sword; we are three +sisters who own it together.' + +"Very well; then you may sit there till the end of the world,' said the +man. But when she heard that, she said he might have it if he would set +her free. + +"So he took the sword and went off with it, and left her still sitting +there. + +"When they had gone far, far away over naked fells and wide wastes, they +came to another crossfell. There, too, the companion knocked and bade +them open the door, and the same thing happened as happened before; the +rock opened, and when they had got a good way into the hill another old +witch came up to them with a chair and begged them to sit down. 'Ye may +well be weary,' she said. + +"'Sit down yourself,' said the companion. And so she fared as her sister +had fared, she did not dare to say nay, and as soon as she came on the +chair she stuck fast. Meanwhile the lad and his companion went about in +the hill, and the man broke open all the chests and drawers till he +found what he sought, and that was a golden ball of yarn. That he set +his heart on, and he promised the old witch to set her free if she would +give him the golden ball. She said he might take all she had, but that +she could not part with; it was her Three-Sister Ball. But when she +heard that she should sit there till Doomsday unless he got it, she said +he might take it all the same if he would only set her free. So the +companion took the golden ball, but he left her sitting where she sat. + +"So on they went for many days, over waste and wood, till they came to a +third crossfell. There all went as it had gone twice before. The +companion knocked, the rock opened, and inside the hill an old witch +came up, and asked them to sit on her chair, they must be tired. But the +companion said again, 'Sit on it yourself,' and there she sat. They had +not gone through many rooms before they saw an old hat which hung on a +peg behind the door. That the companion must and would have; but the old +witch couldn't part with it. It was her Three-Sister Hat, and if she +gave it away, all her luck would be lost. But when she heard that she +would have to sit there till the end of the world unless he got it, she +said he might take it if he would only let her loose. When the companion +had got well hold of the hat, he went off, and bade her sit there still, +like the rest of her sisters. + +"After a long, long time, they came to a Sound; then the companion took +the ball of yarn, and threw it so hard against the rock on the other +side of the stream that it bounded back, and after he had thrown it +backwards and forwards a few times it became a bridge. On that bridge +they went over the Sound, and when they reached the other side, the man +bade the lad to be quick and wind up the yarn again as soon as he could, +for, said he:-- + +"'If we don't wind it up quick, all those witches will come after us, +and tear us to bits.' + +"So the lad wound and wound with all his might and main, and when there +was no more to wind than the very last thread, up came the old witches +on the wings of the wind. They flew to the water, so that the spray rose +before them, and snatched at the end of the thread; but they could not +quite get hold of it, and so they were drowned in the Sound. + +"When they had gone on a few days further, the companion said, 'Now we +are soon coming to the castle where she is, the princess of whom you +dreamt, and when we get there, you must go in and tell the king what you +dreamt, and what it is you are seeking.' + +"So when they reached it he did what the man told him, and was very +heartily welcomed. He had a room for himself, and another for his +companion, which they were to live in, and when dinner-time drew near, +he was bidden to dine at the king's own board. As soon as ever he set +eyes on the princess he knew her at once, and saw it was she of whom he +had dreamt as his bride. Then he told her his business, and she answered +that she liked him well enough, and would gladly have him; but first he +must undergo three trials. So when they had dined she gave him a pair of +golden scissors, and said,-- + +"'The first proof is that you must take these scissors and keep them, +and give them to me at mid-day to-morrow. It is not so very great a +trial, I fancy,' she said, and made a face; 'but if you can't stand it, +you lose your life; it is the law, and so you will be drawn and +quartered, and your body will be stuck on stakes, and your head over the +gate, just like those lovers of mine, whose skulls and skeletons you see +outside the king's castle.' + +"'That is no such great art,' thought the lad. + +"But the princess was so merry and mad, and flirted so much with him, +that he forgot all about the scissors and himself, and so while they +played and sported, she stole the scissors away from him without his +knowing it. When he went up to his room at night, and told how he had +fared, and what she had said to him, and about the scissors she gave him +to keep, the companion said,-- + +"'Of course you have the scissors safe and sure.' + +"Then he searched in all his pockets; but there were no scissors, and +the lad was in a sad way when he found them wanting. + +"'Well! well!' said the companion; 'I'll see if I can't get you them +again.' + +"With that he went down into the stable, and there stood a big, fat +Billygoat, which belonged to the princess, and it was of that breed that +it could fly many times faster through the air than it could run on +land. So he took the Three-Sister Sword, and gave it a stroke between +the horns, and said,-- + +"'When rides the princess to see her lover to-night?' + +"The Billygoat baaed, and said it dared not say, but when it had another +stroke, it said the princess was coming at eleven o'clock. Then the +companion put on the Three-Sister Hat, and all at once he became +invisible, and so he waited for her. When she came, she took and rubbed +the Billygoat with an ointment which she had in a great horn, and +said,-- + +"'Away, away, o'er roof tree and steeple, o'er land, o'er sea, o'er +hill, o'er dale, to my true love who awaits me in fell this night.' + +"At the very moment that the goat set off, the companion threw himself +on behind, and away they went like a blast through the air. They were +not long on the way, and in a trice they came to a crossfell. There she +knocked, and so the goat passed through the fell to the Troll, who was +her lover. + +"'Now, my dear,' she said, 'a new lover is come, whose heart is set on +having me. He is young and handsome but I will have no other than you,' +and so she coaxed and petted the Troll. + +"'So I set him a trial, and here are the scissors he was to watch and +keep; now do you keep them,' she said. + +"So the two laughed heartily, just as though they had the lad already on +wheel and stake. + +"'Yes! yes!' said the Troll; 'I'll keep them safe enough. + + And I shall sleep on the bride's white arm, + While ravens round his skeleton swarm.' + +"And so he laid the scissors in an iron chest with three locks; but just +as he dropped them into the chest, the companion snapped them up. +Neither of them could see him, for he had on the Three-Sister Hat; and +so the Troll locked up the chest for naught, and he hid the keys he had +in the hollow eye-tooth in which he had the toothache. There it would be +hard work for any one to find them, the Troll thought. + +"So when midnight was passed she set off home again. The companion got +up behind the goat, and they lost no time on the way back. + +"Next day, about noon, the lad was asked down to the king's board; but +then the princess gave herself such airs, and was so high and mighty, +she would scarce look towards the side where the lad sat. After they had +dined, she dressed her face in holiday garb, and said, as if butter +wouldn't melt in her mouth,-- + +"'May be you have those scissors which I begged you to keep, yesterday?' + +"'Oh, yes, I have;' said the lad, 'and here they are,' and with that he +pulled them out, and drove them into the board, till it jumped again. +The princess could not have been more vexed had he driven the scissors +into her face; but for all that she made herself soft and gentle, and +said,-- + +"'Since you have kept the scissors so well, it won't be any trouble to +you to keep my golden ball of yarn, and take care you give it me +to-morrow at noon; but if you have lost it, you shall lose your life on +the scaffold. It is the law.' + +"The lad thought that an easy thing, so he took and put the golden ball +into his pocket. But she fell a-playing and flirting with him again, so +that he forgot both himself and the golden ball, and while they were at +the height of their games and pranks, she stole it from him, and sent +him off to bed. + +"Then when he came up to his bedroom, and told what they had said and +done, his companion asked,-- + +"'Of course you have the golden ball she gave you?' + +"'Yes! yes!' said the lad, and felt in his pocket where he had put it; +but no, there was no ball to be found, and he fell again into such an +ill mood, and knew not which way to turn. + +"'Well! well! bear up a bit,' said the companion. 'I'll see if I can't +lay hands on it;' and with that he took the sword and hat and strode off +to a smith, and got twelve pounds of iron welded on to the back of the +sword-blade. Then he went down to the stable, and gave the Billygoat a +stroke between his horns, so that the brute went head over heels, and he +asked,-- + +"'When rides the princess to see her lover to-night?' + +"'At twelve o'clock,' baaed the Billygoat. + +"So the companion put on the Three-Sister Hat again, and waited till she +came, tearing along with her horn of ointment, and greased the +Billygoat. Then she said, as she had said the first time,-- + +"'Away, away, o'er roof-tree and steeple, o'er land, o'er sea, o'er +hill, o'er dale, to my true love who awaits me in the fell this night.' + +"In a trice they were off, and the companion threw himself on behind the +Billygoat, and away they went like a blast through the air. In the +twinkling of an eye they came to the Troll's hill; and, when she had +knocked three times, they passed through the rock to the Troll, who was +her lover. + +"'Where was it you hid the golden scissors I gave you yesterday, my +darling?' cried out the princess. 'My wooer had it and gave it back to +me.' + +"'That was quite impossible,' said the Troll; 'for he had locked it up +in a chest with three locks and hidden the keys in the hollow of his +eye-tooth;' but, when they unlocked the chest, and looked for it, the +Troll had no scissors in his chest. + +"So the princess told him how she had given her suitor her golden ball. + +"'And here it is,' she said; 'for I took it from him again without his +knowing it. But what shall we hit upon now, since he is master of such +craft!' + +"Well, the Troll hardly knew; but, after they had thought a bit, they +made up their minds to light a large fire and burn the golden ball; and +so they would be cocksure that he could not get at it. But, just as she +tossed it into the fire, the companion stood ready and caught it; and +neither of them saw him, for he had on the Three-Sister Hat. + +"When the princess had been with the Troll a little while, and it began +to grow towards dawn, she set off home again, and the companion got up +behind her on the goat, and they got back fast and safe. + +"Next day, when the lad was bidden down to dinner, the companion gave +him the ball. The princess was even more high and haughty than the day +before, and, after they had dined, she perked up her mouth, and said, in +a dainty voice,-- + +"'Perhaps it is too much to look for that you should give me back my +golden ball, which I gave you to keep yesterday?' + +"'Is it?' said the lad. 'You shall soon have it. Here it is, safe +enough;' and, as he said that, he threw it down on the board so hard, +that it shook again; and, as for the king, he gave a jump high up into +the air. + +"The princess got as pale as a corpse, but she soon came to herself +again, and said, in a sweet, small voice,-- + +"'Well done, well done!' Now he had only one more trial left, and it was +this: + +"'If you are so clever as to bring me what I am now thinking of by +dinner-time to-morrow, you shall win me, and have me to wife.' + +"That was what she said. + +"The lad felt like one doomed to death, for he thought it quite +impossible to know what she was thinking about, and still harder to +bring it to her; and so, when he went up to his bedroom, it was hard +work to comfort him at all. His companion told him to be easy, he would +see if he could not get the right end of the stick this time too, as he +had done twice before. So the lad at last took heart, and lay down to +sleep. + +"Meanwhile, the companion went to the smith and got twenty-four pounds +of iron welded on to his sword; and, when that was done, he went down to +the stable and let fly at the Billygoat between the horns with such a +blow, that he went right head over heels against the wall. + +"'When rides the princess to her lover to-night?' he asked. + +"'At one o'clock,' baaed the Billygoat. + +"So, when the hour drew near, the companion stood in the stable with his +Three-Sister Hat on; and, when she had greased the goat, and uttered the +same words that they were to fly through the air to her true love, who +was waiting for her in the fell, off they went again, on the wings of +the wind; and, all the while, the companion sat behind. + +"But he was not light-handed this time; for, every now and then, he gave +the princess a slap, so that he almost beat the breath out of her body. + +"And when they came to the wall of rock, she knocked at the door, and it +opened, and they passed on into the fell to her lover. + +"As soon as she got there, she fell to bewailing, and was very cross, +and said she never knew the air could deal such buffets; she almost +thought, indeed, that some one sat behind, who beat both the Billygoat +and herself; she was sure she was black and blue all over her body, such +a hard flight had she had through the air. + +"Then she went on to tell how her lover had brought her the golden ball +too; how it happened, neither she nor the Troll could tell. + +"'But now do you know what I have hit upon?' + +"No; the Troll did not. + +"'Well,' she went on; 'I have told him to bring me what I was then +thinking of by dinner-time to-morrow, and what I thought of was your +head. Do you think he can get that, my darling?' said the princess, and +began to fondle the Troll. + +"'No, I don't think he can,' said the Troll. 'He would take his oath he +couldn't;' and then the Troll burst out laughing, and scunnered worse +than any ghost, and both the princess and the Troll thought the lad +would be drawn and quartered, and that the crows would peck out his +eyes, before he could get the Troll's head. + +"So when it turned towards dawn, she had to set off home again; but she +was afraid, she said, for she thought there was some one behind her, and +so she was afraid to ride home alone. The Troll must go with her on the +way. Yes; the Troll would go with her, and he led out his Billygoat (for +he had one that matched the princess's), and he smeared it and greased +it between the horns. And when the Troll got up, the companion crept on +behind, and so off they set through the air to the king's grange. But +all the way the companion thrashed the Troll and his Billygoat, and gave +them cut and thrust and thrust and cut with his sword, till they got +weaker and weaker, and at last were well on the way to sink down into +the sea over which they passed. Now the Troll thought the weather was so +wild, he went right home with the princess up to the king's grange, and +stood outside to see that she got home safe and well. But just as she +shut the door behind her, the companion struck off the Troll's head and +ran up with it to the lad's bedroom. + +"'Here is what the princess thought of,' said he. + +"Well, they were merry and joyful, one may think, and when the lad was +bidden down to dinner, and they had dined, the princess was as lively as +a lark. + +"'No doubt you have got what I thought of?' said she. + +"'Aye; aye; I have it,' said the lad, and he tore it out from under his +coat, and threw it down on the board with such a thump that the board, +trestles and all, was upset. As for the princess, she was as though she +had been dead and buried; but she could not say that this was not what +she was thinking of, and so now he was to have her to wife as she had +given her word. So they made a bridal feast, and there was drinking and +gladness all over the kingdom. + +"But the companion took the lad on one side, and told him that he might +just shut his eyes and sham sleep on the bridal night; but if he held +his life dear, and would listen to him, he wouldn't let a wink come over +them till he had stripped her of her troll-skin, which had been thrown +over her, but he must flog it off her with a rod made of nine new birch +twigs, and he must tear it off her in three tubs of milk: first he was +to scrub her in a tub of year-old whey, and then he was to scour her in +the tub of buttermilk, and lastly, he was to rub her in a tub of new +milk. The birch twigs lay under the bed, and the tubs he had set in the +corner of the room. Everything was ready to his hand. Yes; the lad gave +his word to do as he was bid and to listen to him. So when they got into +the bridal bed at even, the lad shammed as though he had given himself +up to sleep. Then the princess raised herself up on her elbow and looked +at him to see if he slept, and tickled him under the nose; but the lad +slept on still. Then she tugged his hair and his beard; but he lay like +a log, as she thought. After that she drew out a big butcher's knife +from under the bolster, and was just going to hack off his head; but the +lad jumped up, dashed the knife out of her hand, and caught her by the +hair. Then he flogged her with the birchrods, and wore them out upon her +till there was not a twig left. When that was over he tumbled her into +the tub of whey, and then he got to see what sort of beast she was: she +was black as a raven all over her body; but when he scrubbed her well in +the whey, and scoured her with buttermilk, and rubbed her well in new +milk, her troll-skin dropped off her, and she was fair and lovely and +gentle; so lovely she had never looked before. + +"Next day the companion said they must set off home. Yes; the lad was +ready enough, and the princess too, for her dower had been long waiting. +In the night the companion fetched to the king's grange all the gold and +silver and precious things which the Troll had left behind him in the +Fell, and when they were ready to start in the morning the whole grange +was so full of silver, and gold, and jewels, there was no walking +without treading on them. That dower was worth more than all the king's +land and realm, and they were at their wits' end to know how to carry it +with them. But the companion knew a way out of every strait. The Troll +left behind him six billygoats, who could all fly through the air. Those +he so laded with silver and gold that they were forced to walk along the +ground, and had no strength to mount aloft and fly, and what the +billygoats could not carry had to stay behind in the king's grange. So +they travelled far, and farther than far, but at last the billygoats got +so footsore and tired they could not go another step. The lad and the +princess knew not what to do; but when the companion saw they could not +get on, he took the whole dower on his back, and the billygoats a-top of +it, and bore it all so far on that there was only half a mile left to +the lad's home. + +"Then the companion said: 'Now we must part. I can't stay with you any +longer.' + +"But the lad would not part from him, he would not lose him for much or +little. Well, he went with them a quarter of a mile more; but farther he +could not go and when the lad begged and prayed him to go home and stay +with him altogether, or at least as long as they had drunk his +home-coming ale in his father's house, the companion said, 'No. That +could not be. Now he must part, for he heard heaven's bells ringing for +him.' He was the vintner who had stood in the block of ice outside the +church door, whom all spat upon; and he had been his companion and +helped him because he had given all he had to get him peace and rest in +Christian earth. + +"'I had leave,' he said, 'to follow you a year, and now the year is +out.' + +"When he was gone the lad laid together all his wealth in a safe place, +and went home without any baggage. Then they drank his home-coming ale, +till the news spread far and wide, over seven kingdoms, and when they +had got to the end of the feast, they had carting and carrying all the +winter both with the billygoats and the twelve horses which his father +had before they got all that gold and silver safely carted home." + + + + +THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE, AND PEIK. + + +When Anders had ended _The Companion_, that strangely wild story, we all +admired it, but he too had his call, and, turning to Karin, he said, + +"Now do you tell _The Shopboy and his Cheese_. I know you know it, for I +heard you telling it to the children last winter over the stove." + +So Karin began + + +THE SHOPBOY AND HIS CHEESE. + +"Once on a time there was a shopboy who was so well liked by all who +knew him, that they thought him too good to stand behind the counter +with a yard measure, and weights and scales. So they made up their minds +to send him out with a venture to foreign parts, and they let him choose +what he would take out. He chose old cheese, and set off with it to +Turkey. There he sold his cheeses very well; but as he was on his way +home, he met two who had slain a man, and it was not enough that they +had slain him in this life, but they ill-treated his body after he was +dead. This the shopboy could not bear to see, how wickedly they behaved; +so he bought the body of them and got a grave with his money, and buried +it, and then he had spent all he had. + +"After a long, long time, he got safe home, and was both illcome and +welcome. Some of those who had helped and fitted him out thought he had +done a good deed; but others were ill-pleased that he should have so +thrown away his money. But for all that they were ready to try if he +could not do better another time, so they let him choose his lading +again. He chose the same freight, and took the same way, and sold his +cheese even better than before. But, as he was on his way home, he met +two who had stolen a king's daughter, and they had put harness on her, +and had got so far as to drive her; they had stripped off her clothes to +the waist, and one went on either side of her and whipped her. The lad's +heart melted at this, for she was a lovely lass. So he asked if they +would sell her. Yes, if he would pay down her weight in silver he might +have her, and there was no long bargaining: he paid all they asked. + +"After a long, long time, he got safe home; but those who had fitted him +out were one and all so ill-pleased at his dealing, that they banished +him the land. So he had to set off to England. There he stayed for four +years with his sweetheart, and the way they got their living was by her +weaving ribbons, which she wove so well that he sold two shillings' +worth a-day. + +"One day he met two who were foes, and one wished to thrash the other +because he owed him eighteen-pence. That seemed to the lad wrong, and he +paid the debt for him. Another day he met two travellers, who began to +talk with him, and asked if he had anything to sell. 'Nothing but +ribbons,' he said. Well, they would have three shillings' worth, and +asked him where he lived, and fixed a day to come and fetch them; and +when the day came, they came too, and lo! when they came, if one of them +was not the princess's brother, and the other an emperor's son, to whom +she was betrothed. So they got the ribbons for which they had bargained, +and wanted to take her home with them. But she wouldn't go unless they +would let him go with them, and take care of him; for she would not +forsake the man who had freed her, so long as she had breath in her +body. So they had to give way to her if they were to take her at all. +But when they were to go on board ship, the brother and sister went +first into the boat, and when the emperor's son was to get into her, he +shoved her off, and jumped into her himself, and so the lad was left +standing on the shore. The ship lay ready for sea, and they sailed as +soon as ever they came on board. But then up came the man for whom the +lad had paid eighteen-pence, in a boat and put him on board. Then the +princess was so glad, and took a gold ring off her finger and gave it to +him, and made him go down into the cabin where she lay. + +"Well! they sailed many days, till they came to a desert island, where +they landed to look for game, and they settled things so that the +brother, and the Norseman who had saved the princess's life, were to go +each on his side of the island, and the emperor's son in the middle, and +when the lad was well gone, so that they could neither see him, nor he +them, they got on board, and he was left to walk about the island alone. +Then he saw there was no help for it but to stay there; and there he +stayed seven years. He got his food from a fruit-bearing tree which he +found, and when the seven years were up, an old, old man came to him and +said,-- + +"'To-day your true-love is to be married. They have not got a kind word +out of her these seven years, since you parted; but for all that the +emperor's son wants to marry her, for that he knows she is wise and +witty, and for that she is so rich.' + +"After that, the man asked if he had not a mind to be at the wedding. So +he said: well! what he said any one can guess, but he saw no way of +getting there. But lo! in a little while there he stood in the palace +where the wedding was to be. Then he wanted to know what kind of man +that was who had brought him thither. He was no man, he said; but a +spirit. He it was whose body he had bought and buried in Turkey. + +"After that, he gave him a glass and a bottle, with wine in it, and told +him to send some one in with a message to the cook to come out to him. + +"'When he comes, you must first pour out a glass and drink it yourself; +and then another, and give it to the cook; and then you must pour out a +third, and send it to the bride; but first of all you must take the ring +off your finger, and put it into the glass which you send her.' + +"So when the cook came in with the glass, they all cried out, 'She +mustn't drink.' But the cook said, 'First he drank, and then I drank, so +she may very safely drink the wine.' + +"And when she drank the glass out, she saw the ring that lay at the +bottom, and ran out, and as soon as she got outside she knew him again, +and fell on his neck and kissed him, all shaggy as he was, for you may +fancy, he had neither lather nor razor on his beard for seven years. + +"But now the king came after, and wanted to know the meaning of all this +fondling between them. So they were brought into a room, and told the +whole story from first to last. Then the king bade them go and fetch a +barber, and scrape the bristles off him, and trim him; and a tailor with +a new court dress; and then the king went into the bridal hall, and +asked the bridegroom, that emperor's son, what doom should be passed on +one who had robbed a man both of life and honour. He answered,-- + +"'Such a scoundrel should be first hanged on a gallows and then his body +should be burnt quick.' + +"So he was taken at his word and suffered the doom that he uttered over +himself, and the shopboy was wedded to the king's daughter, and lived +both long and luckily. + +"After that I was no longer with them, and I don't know how they fared; +but this I know, that he who last told this Tale is alive this very day, +and he is Ole Olsen, of Hitli, in Roldale." + + * * * * * + +When _The Shopboy and his Cheese_ was over, Anders, who ordered about +his cousins like a Turk, called on Christina for _Peik_; but nothing +could get the story out of her. There was something in it she did not +like. It was not a girl's story. He had better tell it himself. + +"Well, I will," said Anders; "I'm sure there's no harm in it; but judge +for yourselves." + + +PEIK. + +"Once on a time there was a man, and he had a wife; they had a son and a +daughter who were twins, and they were so like, no one could tell the +one from the other by anything else than their clothing. The boy they +called Peik. He was of little good while his father and mother lived, +for he had no mood to do aught else than to befool folk, and he was so +full of tricks and pranks that no one could be at peace for him; but +when they were dead it got worse and worse, he wouldn't turn his hand to +anything; all he would do was to squander what they left behind them, +and as for his neighbours he fell out with all of them. His sister +toiled and moiled all she could, but it helped little; so at last she +said to him how silly this was that he would do naught for her house, +and ended by asking him, + +"'What shall we have to live on when you have wasted everything?' + +"'Oh, I'll go out and befool somebody,' said Peik. + +"'Yes, Peik, I'll be bound you'll do that soon enough,' said his sister. + +"'Well, I'll try,' said Peik. + +"So at last they had nothing more, for there was an end of everything; +and Peik trotted off, and walked and walked till he came to the king's +grange. There stood the King in the porch, and as soon as he set eyes on +the lad, he said,-- + +"'Whither away to-day, Peik?' + +"'Oh, I was going out to see if I could befool anybody,' said Peik. + +"'Can't you befool me, now?' said the King. + +"'No, I'm sure I can't,' said Peik, 'for I've forgotten my fooling rods +at home.' + +"'Can't you go and fetch them?' said the King, 'for I should be very +glad to see if you are such a trickster as folks say.' + +"'I've no strength to walk,' said Peik. + +"'I'll lend you a horse and saddle,' said the King. + +"'But I can't ride either,' said Peik. + +"'Then we'll lift you up,' said the King, 'then you'll be able to stick +on.' + +"Well, Peik stood and clawed and scratched his head, as though he would +pull the hair off, and let them lift him up into the saddle, and there +he sat swinging this side and that so long as the King could see him, +and the King laughed till the tears came into his eyes, for such a +tailor on horseback he had never before seen. But when Peik was come +well into the wood behind the hill, so that he was out of the King's +sight, he sat as though he were nailed to the horse, and off he rode as +though he had stolen both steed and bridle, and when he got to the town, +he sold both horse and saddle. + +"All the while the King walked up and down, and loitered and waited for +Peik to come tottering back again with his fooling rods; and every now +and then he laughed when he called to mind how wretched he looked as he +sat swinging about on the horse like a sack of corn, not knowing on +which side to fall off; but this lasted for seven lengths and seven +breadths, and no Peik came, and so at last the King saw that he was +fooled and cheated out of his horse and saddle, even though Peik had not +his fooling rods with him. And so there was another story, for the King +got wroth, and was all for setting off to kill Peik. + +"But Peik had found out the day he was coming, and told his sister she +must put on the big boiler with a drop of water in it. But just as the +King came in Peik dragged the boiler off the fire and ran off with it to +the chopping-block, and so boiled the porridge on the block. + +"The King wondered at that, and wondered on and on so much that he clean +forgot what brought him there. + +"'What do you want for that pot?' said he. + +"'I can't spare it,' said Peik. + +"'Why not?' said the King, 'I'll pay what you ask.' + +"'No, no!' said Peik. 'It saves me time and money, woodhire and +choppinghire, carting and carrying.' + +"'Never mind,' said the King, 'I'll give you a hundred dollars. It's +true you've fooled me out of a horse and saddle, and bridle besides, but +all that shall go for nothing if I can only get the pot.' + +"'Well! if you must have it you must,' said Peik. + +"When the King got home he asked guests and made a feast, but the meat +was to be boiled in the new pot, and so he took it up and set it in the +middle of the floor. The guests thought the King had lost his wits, and +went about elbowing one another, and laughing at him. But he walked +round and round the pot, and cackled and chattered, saying all in a +breath-- + +"'Well, well! bide a bit, bide a bit! 'twill boil in a minute.' + +"But there was no boiling. So he saw that Peik had been out again with +his fooling rods and cheated him, and now he would set off at once and +slay him. + +"When the King came Peik stood out by the barn door. 'Wouldn't it boil?' +he asked. + +"'No! it would not,' said the King; 'but now you shall smart for it,' +and so he was just going to unsheath his knife. + +"'I can well believe that,' said Peik, 'for you did not take the block +too.' + +"'I wish I thought,' said the King, 'you weren't telling me a pack of +lies.' + +"'I tell you it's all because of the block it stands on; it won't boil +without it,' said Peik. + +"'Well; what did he want for it?' It was well worth three hundred +dollars; but for the King's sake it should go for two. So he got the +block and travelled home with it, and bade guests again, and made a +feast, and set the pot on the chopping-block in the middle of the room. +The guests thought he was both daft and mad, and they went about making +game of him, while he cackled and chattered round the pot, calling out +'Bide a bit, now it boils! now it boils in a trice.' + +"But it wouldn't boil a bit more on the block than on the bare floor. So +he saw again that Peik had been out with his fooling rods this time too. +Then he fell a-tearing his hair, and swore he would set off at once and +slay him. He wouldn't spare him this time, whether he put a good or a +bad face on it. + +"But Peik had taken steps to meet him again. He slaughtered a wether and +caught the blood in the bladder, and stuffed it into his sister's bosom, +and told her what to say and do. + +"'Where's Peik!' screeched out the King. He was in such a rage that his +tongue faltered. + +"'He is so poorly that he can't stir hand or foot,' she said, 'and now +he's trying to get a nap.' + +"'Wake him up,' said the King. + +"'Nay, I daren't; he is so hasty,' said the sister. + +"'Well! I'm hastier still,' said the King, 'and if you don't wake him, I +will,' and with that he tapped his side where his knife hung. + +"Well! she would go and wake him; but Peik turned hastily in his bed, +drew out a little knife, and ripped open the bladder in her bosom, so +that a stream of blood gushed out, and down she fell on the floor, as +though she were dead. + +"'What a dare devil you are, Peik,' said the King, 'if you haven't +stabbed your sister to death, and here I stood by and saw it with my own +eyes.' + +"'There's no risk with her body so long as there's breath in my +nostrils;' and with that he pulled out a ramshorn, and began to toot +upon it, and when he had tooted a bridal tune, he put the end to her +body, and blew life into her again, and up she rose as though there was +naught the matter with her. + +"'Bless me, Peik! can you kill folk and blow life into them again? Can +you do that?' said the King. + +"'Why!' said Peik, 'how could I get on at all if I couldn't? I'm always +killing everyone I come near; don't you know I'm very hasty.' + +"'So am I hot-tempered,' said the King, 'and that horn I must have; I'll +give you a hundred dollars for it, and besides I'll forgive you for +cheating me out of my horse, and for fooling me about the pot and the +block, and all else.' + +"Peik was very loth to part with it, but for his sake he would let him +have it, and so the King went off home with it, and he had hardly got +back before he must try it. So he fell a-wrangling and quarrelling with +the Queen and his eldest daughter, and they paid him back in the same +coin; but before they knew a word about it he whipped out his knife and +cut their throats, so that they fell down stone dead, and everyone else +ran out of the room, they were so afraid. + +"The King walked and paced about the floor for a while, and kept +chattering that there was no harm done, so long as there was breath in +him, and a pack of such stuff which had flowed out of Peik's mouth, and +then he pulled out the horn and began to blow 'Toot-i-too, Toot-i-too,' +but though he blew and tooted as hard as he could all that day and the +next too, he couldn't blow life into them again. Dead they were, and +dead they stayed, both the Queen and his daughter, and he was forced to +buy graves for them in the churchyard, and to spend money on their +funeral ale into the bargain. + +"So he must and would go and cut Peik off; but Peik had his spies out, +and knew when the King was coming, and then he said to his sister,-- + +"'Now you must change clothes with me and set off. If you will do that +you may have all we have got.' + +"Well! she changed clothes with him, and packed up and started off as +fast as she could; but Peik sat all alone in his sister's clothes. + +"'Where is that Peik?' said the King, as he came in a towering rage +through the door. + +"'He has run away,' said Peik. + +"'Ah! had he been at home,' said the King, 'I'd have slain him on the +spot. It's no good sparing the life of such a rogue.' + +"'Yes! he knew by his spies that your Majesty was coming, and was going +to take his life for his wicked tricks; but he has left me all alone +without a morsel of bread or a penny in my purse,' said Peik, who made +himself as soft and mealy-mouthed as a young lady. + +"'Come along then to the King's Grange, and you shall have enough to +live on. There's no good sitting here and starving in this cabin by +yourself,' said the King. + +"Yes! he was glad to do that; so the King took him with him, and had him +taught everything, and treated him as his own daughter, and it was +almost as if the King had his three daughters again, for Miss Peik sewed +and stitched, and sung and played with the others, and was with them +early and late. + +"After a time a king's son came to look for a wife. + +"'Yes! I have three daughters,' said the King; 'it rests with you which +you will have?' + +"So he got leave to go up to their bower to make friends with them, and +the end was that he liked Miss Peik best, and threw a silk kerchief into +her lap as a love token. So they set to work to get ready the bridal +feast, and in a little while his kinsfolk came, and the King's men, and +they all fell to feasting and drinking on the bridal eve; but as night +was falling Miss Peik daren't stay longer, but ran away from the King's +Grange, out into the wide world, and the bride was lost; but there was +worse behind, for just then both the other princesses felt very queer, +and all at once two little princes came travelling into the world, and +folk had to break up and go home just as the fun and feasting were +highest. + +"The King got both wroth and sorrowful, and began to wonder if it wasn't +Peik again that had a finger in this pie. + +"So he mounted his horse and rode out, for he thought it dull work +staying at home; but when he got out among the ploughed fields, there +sat Peik on a stone playing on a Jews' harp. + +"'What! are you sitting there, Peik?' said the King. + +"'Here I sit, sure enough,' said Peik. 'Where else should I sit?" + +"'Now you have cheated me foully, time after time,' said the King; 'but +now you must come along home with me, and I'll kill you.' + +"'Well, well,' said Peik, 'if it can't be helped it can't; I suppose I +must go along with you.' + +"When they got home to the King's Grange, they got ready a cask which +Peik was to be put in, and when it was ready they carted it up to a high +fell; there he was to lie three days thinking on all the evil he had +done, then they were to roll him down the fell into the firth. + +"The third day a rich man passed by, but Peik sat inside the cask and +sang,-- + + 'To heaven's bliss and Paradise, + To heaven's bliss and Paradise. + +"'I'd sooner far stay here and not be made an angel.' + +"When the man heard that, he asked what he would take to change places +with him. + +"'It ought to be a good sum,' said Peik, 'for there wasn't a coach ready +to start for Paradise every day.' + +"So the man said he would give all he had, and so he knocked out the +head of the cask and crept into it instead of Peik. + +"'A happy journey,' said the King, when he came to roll him down; 'now +you'll go faster to the firth than if you were in a sledge with +reindeer; and now it's all over with you and your fooling rods.' + +"Before the cask was half-way down the fell, there wasn't a whole stave +of it left, nor a limb of him who was inside. But when the King came +back to the Grange, Peik was there before him, and sat in the courtyard +playing on the Jews' harp. + +"'What! you sitting here, you Peik?' + +"'Yes! here I sit, sure enough; where else should I sit?' said Peik. +'Maybe I can get house-room here for all my horses and sheep and money.' + +"'But whither was it that I rolled you that you got all this wealth?' +asked the King. + +"'Oh, you rolled me into the firth,' said Peik, 'and when I got to the +bottom there was more than enough and to spare, both of horses and sheep +and of gold and silver. The cattle went about in great flocks, and the +gold and silver lay in large heaps as big as houses.' + +"'What will you take to roll me down the same way?' asked the King. + +"'Oh,' said Peik, 'it costs little or nothing to do it. Besides, you +took nothing from me, and so I'll take nothing from you either.' + +"So he stuffed the King into a cask and rolled him over, and when he had +given him a ride down to the firth for nothing, he went home to the +King's Grange. Then he began to hold his bridal feast with the youngest +princess, and afterwards he ruled both land and realm, but he kept his +fooling rods to himself, and kept them so well that nothing was ever +afterwards heard of Peik and his tricks, but only of OURSELF THE KING." + + + + +KARIN'S THREE STORIES. + + +"Now," said Karin, "as you have told _Peik_, which I did not want to +tell, I'll tell you three stories all of a row, _Death and the Doctor_, +_The Way of the World_, and _The Pancake_." So she began with the first. + + +DEATH AND THE DOCTOR. + +'Once on a time there was a lad, who had lived as a servant a long time +with a man of the North Country. This man was a master at ale-brewing; +it was so out-of-the-way good the like of it was not to be found. So, +when the lad was to leave his place and the man was to pay him the wages +he had earned, he would take no other pay than a keg of yule-ale. Well! +he got it and set off with it, and he carried it both far and long, but +the longer he carried the keg the heavier it got, and so he began to +look about to see if anyone were coming with whom he might have a drink, +that the ale might lessen, and the keg lighten. And after a long, long +time, he met an old man with a big beard. + +"'Good-day,' said the man. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the lad. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"'I'm looking after some one to drink with, and get my keg lightened,' +said the lad. + +"'Can't you drink as well with me as with anyone else?' said the man. 'I +have fared both far and wide, and I am both tired and thirsty.' + +"'Well! why shouldn't I?' said the lad; 'but tell me, whence do you +come, and what sort of man are you?' + +"'I am "Our Lord," and come from Heaven,' said the man. + +"'Thee will I not drink with,' said the lad; 'for thou makest such +distinction between persons here in the world, and sharest rights so +unevenly that some get so rich and some so poor. No! with thee I will +not drink,' and as he said this he trotted off with his keg again. + +"So, when he had gone a bit farther the keg grew too heavy again; he +thought he never could carry it any longer unless some one came with +whom he might drink, and so lessen the ale in the keg. Yes! he met an +ugly scrawny man who came along fast and furious. + +"'Good-day,' said the man. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the lad. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"'Oh! I'm looking for some one to drink with, and get my keg lightened,' +said the lad. + +"'Can't you drink with me as well as with any one else?' said the man; +'I have fared both far and wide, and I am tired and thirsty.' + +"'Well! why not?' said the lad; 'but who are you, and whence do you +come?' + +"'Who am I? I am the De'il, and I come from Hell; that's where I come +from,' said the man. + +"'No!' said the lad; 'thou only pinest and plaguest poor folk, and if +there is any unhappiness a-stir, they always say it is thy fault. Thee I +will not drink with.' + +"So he went far and farther than far again with his ale-keg on his back, +till he thought it grew so heavy there was no carrying it any farther. +He began to look round again if any one were coming with whom he could +drink and lighten his keg. So after a long, long time, another man came, +and he was so dry and lean 'twas a wonder his bones hung together. + +"'Good-day,' said the man. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the lad. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"'Oh, I was only looking about to see if I could find some one to drink +with, that my keg might be lightened a little, it is so heavy to carry.' + +"'Can't you drink as well with me as with anyone else?' said the man. + +"'Yes; why not?' said the lad. 'But what sort of man are you?' + +"'They call me Death,' said the man. + +"'The very man for my money,' said the lad. 'Thee I am glad to drink +with,' and as he said this he put down his keg, and began to tap the ale +into a bowl. 'Thou art an honest, trustworthy man, for thou treatest all +alike, both rich and poor.' + +"So he drank his health, and Death drank his health, and Death said he +had never tasted such drink, and as the lad was fond of him, they drank +bowl and bowl about, till the ale was lessened, and the keg grew light. + +"At last, Death said, 'I have never known drink which smacked better, or +did me so much good as this ale that you have given me, and I scarce +know what to give you in return.' But after he had thought a while, he +said the keg should never get empty, however much they drank out of it, +and the ale that was in it should become a healing drink, by which the +lad could make the sick whole again better than any doctor. And he also +said that when the lad came into the sick man's room Death would always +be there, and show himself to him, and it should be to him for a sure +token if he saw Death at the foot of the bed that he could cure the sick +with a draught from the keg; but if he sate by the pillow, there was no +healing nor medicine, for then the sick belonged to Death. + +"Well, the lad soon grew famous, and was called in far and near, and he +helped many to health again, who had been given over. When he came in +and saw how Death sate by the sick man's bed, he foretold either life or +death, and his foretelling was never wrong. He got both a rich and +powerful man, and at last he was called in to a king's daughter far, far +away in the world. She was so dangerously ill no doctor thought he could +do her any good, and so they promised him all that he cared either to +ask or have if he would only save her life. + +"Now, when he came into the princess's room, there sate Death at her +pillow; but as he sate he dozed and nodded, and while he did this she +felt herself better. + +"'Now, life or death is at stake,' said the doctor; 'and I fear, from +what I see, there is no hope.' + +"But they said he _must_ save her, if it cost land and realm. So he +looked at Death, and while he sate there and dozed again, he made a sign +to the servants to turn the bed round so quickly that Death was left +sitting at the foot, and at the very moment they turned the bed, the +doctor gave her the draught, and her life was saved. + +"'Now you have cheated me,' said Death, 'and we are quits.' + +"'I was forced to do it,' said the doctor, 'unless I wished to lose land +and realm.' + +"'That shan't help you much,' said Death; 'your time is up, for now you +belong to me.' + +"'Well,' said the lad, 'what must be, must be; but you'll let me have +time to read the Lord's Prayer first.' + +"Yes, he might have leave to do that; but he took very good care not to +read the Lord's Prayer; everything else he read; but the Lord's Prayer +never crossed his lips, and at last he thought he had cheated Death for +good and all. But when Death thought he had really waited too long, he +went to the lad's house one night, and hung up a great tablet with the +Lord's Prayer painted on it over against his bed. So when the lad woke +in the morning he began to read the tablet, and did not quite see what +he was about till he came to AMEN; but then it was just too late, and +Death had him." + + +THE WAY OF THE WORLD. + +"Once on a time, there was a man who went into the wood to cut +hop-poles, but he could find no trees so long and straight, and slender, +as he wanted, till he came high up under a great heap of stones. There +he heard groans and moans as though some one were at Death's door. So he +went up to see who it was that needed help, and then he heard that the +noise came from under a great flat stone which lay upon the heap. It was +so heavy it would have taken many a man to lift it. But the man went +down again into the wood and cut down a tree, which he turned into a +lever, and with that he tilted up the stone, and lo! out from under it +crawled a Dragon, and made at the man to swallow him up. But the man +said he had saved the Dragon's life, and it was shameful thanklessness +in him to want to eat him up. + +"'May be,' said the Dragon; 'but you might very well know I must be +starved when I have been here hundreds of years and never tasted meat. +Besides, it's the way of the world,--that's how it pays its debts.' + +"The man pleaded his cause stoutly, and begged prettily for his life; +and at last they agreed to take the first living thing that came for a +daysman, and if his doom went the other way the man should not lose his +life, but if he said the same as the Dragon, the Dragon should eat the +man. + +"The first thing that came was an old hound, who ran along the road down +below under the hillside. Him they spoke to, and begged him to be judge. + +"'God knows,' said the hound, 'I have served my master truly ever since +I was a little whelp. I have watched and watched many and many a night +through, while he lay warm asleep on his ear, and I have saved house and +home from fire and thieves more than once; but now I can neither see nor +hear any more, and he wants to shoot me. And so I must run away, and +slink from house to house, and beg for my living till I die of hunger. +No! it's the way of the world,' said the hound; 'that's how it pays its +debts.' + +"'Now I am coming to eat you up,' said the Dragon, and tried to swallow +the man again. But the man begged and prayed hard for his life, till +they agreed to take the next comer for a judge; and if he said the same +as the Dragon and the Hound, the Dragon was to eat him, and get a meal +of man's meat; but if he did not say so, the man was to get off with his +life. + +"So there came an old horse limping down along the road which ran under +the hill. Him they called out to come and settle the dispute. Yes; he +was quite ready to do that. + +"'Now, I have served my master,' said the horse, 'as long as I could +draw or carry. I have slaved and striven for him till the sweat trickled +from every hair, and I have worked till I have grown lame, and halt, and +worn out with toil and age; now I am fit for nothing. I am not worth my +food, and so I am to have a bullet through me, he says. Nay! nay! It's +the way of the world. That's how the world pays its debts.' + +"'Well, now I'm coming to eat you,' said the Dragon, who gaped wide, and +wanted to swallow the man. But he begged again hard for his life. + +"But the Dragon said he must have a mouthful of man's meat; he was so +hungry, he couldn't bear it any longer. + +"'See, yonder comes one who looks as if he was sent to be a judge +between us,' said the man, as he pointed to Reynard the fox, who came +stealing between the stones of the heap. + +"'All good things are three,' said the man; 'let me ask him, too, and if +he gives doom like the others, eat me up on the spot.' + +"'Very well,' said the Dragon. He, too, had heard that all good things +were three, and so it should be a bargain. So the man talked to the fox +as he had talked to the others. + +"'Yes, yes,' said Reynard; 'I see how it all is;' but as he said this he +took the man a little on one side. + +"'What will you give me if I free you from the Dragon?' he whispered +into the man's ear. + +"'You shall be free to come to my house, and to be lord and master over +my hens and geese, every Thursday night,' said the man. + +"'Well, my dear Dragon,' said Reynard, 'this is a very hard nut to +crack. I can't get it into my head how you, who are so big and mighty a +beast, could find room to lie under yon stone.' + +"'Can't you,' said the Dragon; 'well, I lay under the hillside, and +sunned myself, and down came a landslip, and hurled the stone over me.' + +"'All very likely, I dare say,' said Reynard; 'but still I can't +understand it, and what's more, I won't believe it till I see it.' + +"So the man said they had better prove it, and the Dragon crawled down +into the hole again; but in the twinkling of an eye they whipped out the +lever, and down the stone crashed again on the Dragon. + +"'Lie now there till Doomsday,' said the fox. 'You would eat the man, +would you, who saved your life?' + +"The Dragon groaned, and moaned, and begged hard to come out; but the +two went their way, and left him alone. + +"The very first Thursday night Reynard came to be lord and master over +the hen-roost, and hid himself behind a great pile of wood hard by. When +the maid went to feed the fowls, in stole Reynard. She neither saw nor +heard anything of him; but her back was scarce turned before he had +sucked blood enough for a week, and stuffed himself so that he couldn't +stir. So when she came again in the morning, there Reynard lay and +snored, and slept in the morning sun, with all four legs stretched +straight; and he was as sleek and round as a German sausage. + +"Away ran the lassie for the goody, and she came, and all the lassies +with her, with sticks and brooms to beat Reynard; and, to tell the +truth, they nearly banged the life out of him; but, just as it was +almost all over with him, and he thought his last hour was come, he +found a hole in the floor, and so he crept out, and limped and hobbled +off to the wood. + +"'Oh, oh,' said Reynard; 'how true it is. 'Tis the way of the world; and +this is how it pays its debts.'" + + +THE PANCAKE. + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had seven hungry bairns, and she +was frying a pancake for them. It was a sweet-milk pancake, and there it +lay in the pan bubbling and frizzling so thick and good, it was a sight +for sore eyes to look at. And the bairns stood round about, and the +goodman sat by and looked on. + +"'Oh, give me a bit of pancake, mother, dear; I am so hungry,' said one +bairn. + +"'Oh, darling mother,' said the second. + +"'Oh, darling, good mother,' said the third. + +"'Oh, darling, good, nice mother,' said the fourth. + +"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice mother,' said the fifth. + +"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice, clever mother,' said the sixth. + +"'Oh, darling, pretty, good, nice, clever, sweet mother,' said the +seventh. + +"So they begged for the pancake all round, the one more prettily than +the other; for they were so hungry and so good. + +"'Yes, yes, bairns, only bide a bit till it turns itself,'--she ought to +have said 'till I can get it turned,'--'and then you shall all have +some--a lovely sweet-milk pancake; only look how fat and happy it lies +there.' + +"When the pancake heard that, it got afraid, and in a trice it turned +itself all of itself, and tried to jump out of the pan; but it fell back +into it again t'other side up, and so when it had been fried a little on +the other side too, till it got firmer in its flesh, it sprang out on +the floor, and rolled off like a wheel through the door and down the +hill. + +"'Holloa! Stop, pancake!' and away went the goody after it, with the +frying-pan in one hand, and the ladle in the other, as fast as she +could, and her bairns behind her, while the goodman limped after them +last of all. + +"'Hi! won't you stop? Seize it. Stop, pancake, they all screamed out, +one after the other, and tried to catch it on the run and hold it; but +the pancake rolled on and on, and in the twinkling of an eye it was so +far ahead that they couldn't see it, for the pancake was faster on its +feet than any of them. + +"So when it had rolled awhile it met a man. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the man. + +"'God bless you, Manny Panny!' said the pancake. + +"'Dear pancake,' said the man, 'don't roll so fast; stop a little and +let me eat you.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, I may well slip through your fingers, Manny Panny,' +said the pancake, and rolled on and on till it met a hen. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the hen. + +"'The same to you, Henny Penny,' said the pancake. + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast, bide a bit and let me eat you up,' +said the hen. + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, I may well slip through your claws, +Henny Penny,' said the pancake, and so it rolled on like a wheel down +the road. + +"Just then it met a cock. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the cock. + +"'The same to you, Cocky Locky,' said the pancake. + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast, but bide a bit and let me eat you +up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and to Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, I may well slip +through your claws, Cocky Locky,' said the pancake, and off it set +rolling away as fast as it could; and when it had rolled a long way it +met a duck. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the duck. + +"'The same to you, Ducky Lucky.' + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll away so fast; bide a bit and let me eat you +up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, I +may well slip through your fingers, Ducky Lucky,' said the pancake, and +with that it took to rolling and rolling faster than ever; and when it +had rolled a long, long while, it met a goose. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the goose. + +"'The same to you, Goosey Poosey.' + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast; bide a bit and let me eat you up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, +and Ducky Lucky, I can well slip through your feet, Goosey Poosey,' said +the pancake, and off it rolled. + +"So when it had rolled a long, long way farther, it met a gander. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the gander. + +"'The same to you, Gander Pander,' said the pancake. + +"'Pancake, dear, don't roll so fast: bide a bit and let me eat you up.' + +"'When I have given the slip to Goody Poody, and the goodman, and seven +squalling children, and Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, +and Ducky Lucky, and Goosey Poosey, I may well slip through your feet, +Gander Pander,' said the pancake, which rolled off as fast as ever. + +"So when it had rolled a long, long time, it met a pig. + +"'Good-day, pancake,' said the pig. + +"'The same to you, Piggy Wiggy,' said the pancake, which, without a word +more, began to roll and roll like mad. + +"'Nay, nay,' said the pig, 'you needn't be in such a hurry; we two can +then go side by side and see one another over the wood; they say it is +not too safe in there.' + +"The pancake thought there might be something in that, and so they kept +company. But when they had gone awhile, they came to a brook. As for +piggy, he was so fat he swam safe across, it was nothing to him; but the +poor pancake couldn't get over. + +"'Seat yourself on my snout,' said the pig, 'and I'll carry you over.' + +"So the pancake did that. + +"'Ouf, ouf,' said the pig, and swallowed the pancake at one gulp; and +then, as the poor pancake could go no farther, why--this story can go no +farther either." + + + + +PETER'S BEAST STORIES. + + +"Now," said Peter, "I'll tell you another lot of stories right out of +the wood, as fresh as a spruce fir or a juniper. Here they are:-- + + +PORK AND HONEY. + +"At dawn the other day, when Bruin came tramping over the bog with a fat +pig, Reynard sat up on a stone by the moorside. + +"'Good day, grandsire,' said the fox, 'what's that so nice that you have +there?' + +"'Pork,' said Bruin. + +"'Well! I have got a dainty bit, too,' said Reynard. + +"'What is that?' asked the bear. + +"'The biggest wild bees-comb I ever saw in my life,' said Reynard. + +"'Indeed, you don't say so,' said Bruin, who grinned and licked his +lips. He thought it would be so nice to taste a little honey. At last he +said, 'Shall we swop our fare?' + +"'Nay, nay!' said Reynard, 'I can't do that.' + +"The end was that they made a bet, and agreed to name three trees. If +the fox could say them off faster than the bear he was to have leave to +take one bite off the bacon; but if the bear could say them faster he +was to have leave to take one sup out of the comb. Greedy Bruin thought +he was sure to sup out all the honey at one breath. + +"'Well,' said Reynard, 'it's all fair and right no doubt, but all I say +is, if I win, you shall be bound "to tear" off the bristles where I am +to bite.' + +"'Of course,' said Bruin, 'I'll help you as you can't help yourself.' + +"So they were to begin and name the trees. + +"'FIR, SCOTCH Fir, SPRUCE,' growled out Bruin, for he was gruff in his +tongue, that he was. But for all that he only named two trees, for Fir +and Scotch Fir are both the same. + +"'_Ash_, _Aspen_, _Oak_,' screamed Reynard, so that the wood rang again! + +"So he had won the wager, and down he ran and took the heart out of the +pig at one bite, and was just running off with it. But Bruin was angry +because he had taken the best bit out of the whole pig, and so he laid +hold of his tail and held him fast. + +"'Stop a bit, stop a bit,' he said, and was wild with rage. + +"'Never mind,' said the fox, 'it's all right; let me go, grandsire, and +I'll give you a taste of my honey.' + +"When Bruin heard that, he let go his hold, and away went Reynard after +the honey. + +"'Here, on this honeycomb,' said Reynard, 'lies a leaf, and under this +leaf is a hole, and that hole you are to suck.' + +"As he said this he held up the comb under the Bear's nose, took off the +leaf, jumped up on a stone, and began to gibber and laugh, for there was +neither honey nor honeycomb, but a wasp's nest, as big as a man's head, +full of wasps, and out swarmed the wasps and settled on Bruin's head, +and stung him in his eyes and ears, and mouth and snout. And he had such +hard work to rid himself of them that he had no time to think of +Reynard. + +"And that's why, ever since that day, Bruin is so afraid of wasps." + + +THE HARE AND THE HEIRESS. + +"Once on a time there was a hare, who was frisking up and down under the +greenwood tree. + +"'Oh! hurrah! hip, hip, hurrah!' he cried, and leapt and sprang, and all +at once he threw a somersault, and stood upon his hind legs. Just then a +fox came slouching by. + +"'Good-day, good-day,' said the hare; 'I'm so merry to-day, for you must +know I was married this morning.' + +"'Lucky fellow you,' said the fox. + +"'Ah, no! not so lucky after all,' said the hare, 'for she was very +heavy handed, and it was an old witch I got to wife. + +"'Then you were an unlucky fellow,' said the fox. + +"'Oh, not so unlucky either,' said the hare, 'for she was an heiress. +She had a cottage of her own.' + +"'Then you were lucky after all,' said the fox. + +"'No, no! not so lucky either,' said the hare, 'for the cottage caught +fire and was burnt, and all we had with it.' + +"'That I call downright unlucky,' said the fox. + +"'Oh, no; not so very unlucky after all,' said the hare, 'for my witch +of a wife was burnt along with her cottage.'" + + +SLIP ROOT, CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT. + +"Once on a time there was a bear, who sat on a hillside in the sun and +slept. Just then Reynard came slouching by and caught sight of him. + +"'There you sit taking your ease, grandsire,' said the fox. 'Now see if +I don't play you a trick.' So he went and caught three field mice and +laid them on a stump close under Bruin's nose, and then he bawled out, +into his ear, 'Bo! Bruin, here's Peter the Hunter, just behind this +stump;' and as he bawled this out he ran off through the wood as fast as +ever he could. + +"Bruin woke up with a start, and when he saw the three little mice, he +was as mad as a March hare, and was going to lift up his paw and crush +them, for he thought it was they who had bellowed in his ear. + +"But just as he lifted it he caught sight of Reynard's tail among the +bushes by the woodside, and away he set after him, so that the underwood +crackled as he went, and, to tell the truth, Bruin was so close upon +Reynard, that he caught hold of his off-hind foot just as he was +crawling into an earth under a pine-root. So there was Reynard in a +pinch, but for all that he had his wits about him, for he screeched out, +'SLIP THE PINE-ROOT AND CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT,' and so the silly bear let +his foot slip and laid hold of the root instead. But by that time +Reynard was safe inside the earth, and called out-- + +"'I cheated you that time, too, didn't I, grandsire!' + +"'Out of sight isn't out of mind,' growled Bruin down the earth, and was +wild with rage." + + +BRUIN GOODFELLOW. + +"Once on a time there was a husbandman who travelled ever so far up to +the Fells to fetch a load of leaves for litter for his cattle in winter. +So when he got to where the litter lay he backed the sledge close up to +the heap, and began to roll down the leaves on to the sledge. But under +the heap lay a bear who had made his winter lair there, and when he felt +the man trampling about he jumped out right down on to the sledge. + +"As soon as the horse got wind of Bruin, he was afraid, and ran off as +though he had stolen both bear and sledge, and he went back faster by +many times than he had come up. + +"Bruin, they say, is a brave fellow, but even he was not quite pleased +with his drive this time. So there he sat, holding fast, as well as he +could, and he glared and grinned on all sides, and he thought of +throwing himself off, but he was not used to sledge travelling, and so +he made up his mind to sit still where he was. + +"So when he had driven a good bit, he met a pedlar. + +"'Whither in heaven's name is the sheriff bound to-day? He has surely +little time, and a long way; he drives so fast.' + +"But Bruin said never a word, for all he could do was to stick fast. + +"A little further on a beggar-woman met him. She nodded to him and +greeted him, and begged for a penny, in God's name. But Bruin said never +a word, but stuck fast and drove on faster than ever. + +"So when he had gone a bit further, Reynard the fox met him. + +"'Ho! ho!' said Reynard, 'are you out taking a drive. Stop a bit, and +let me get up behind and be your post-boy.' + +"But still Bruin said never a word, but held on like grim death, and +drove on as fast as the horse could lay legs to the ground. + +"'Well, well,' screamed Reynard, after him, 'if you won't take me with +you I'll spae your fortune; and that is, though you drive like a +dare-devil to-day, you'll be hanging up to-morrow with the hide off your +back.' + +"But Bruin never heard a word that Reynard said. On and on he drove just +as fast; but when the horse got to the farm, he galloped into the open +stable door at full speed, so that he tore off both sledge and harness, +and as for poor Bruin, he knocked his skull against the lintel, and +there he lay dead on the spot. + +"All this time the man knew nothing of what had happened. He rolled down +bundle after bundle of leaves, and when he thought he had enough to load +his sledge, and went down to bind on the bundles, he could find neither +horse nor sledge. + +"So he had to tramp along the road to find his horse again, and, after a +while, he met the pedlar. + +"'Have you met my horse and sledge?' he asked. + +"'No,' said the pedlar; 'but lower down along the road I met the +sheriff; he drove so fast, he was surely going to lay some one by the +heels.' + +"A while after he met the beggar-woman. + +"'Have you seen my horse and sledge?' said the man. + +"'No,' said the beggar-woman, 'but I met the parson lower down yonder; +he was surely going to a parish meeting, he drove so fast, and he had a +borrowed horse.' + +"A while after, the man met the fox. + +"'Have you seen my horse and sledge?' + +"'Yes! I have,' said the fox, 'and Bruin Goodfellow sat on it and drove +just as though he had stolen both horse and harness.' + +"'De'il take him,' said the man, 'I'll be bound he'll drive my horse to +death.' + +"'If he does, flay him,' said Reynard, 'and roast him before the fire! +But if you get your horse again you may give me a lift over the Fell, +for I can ride well, and besides, I have a fancy to see how it feels +when one has four legs before one.' + +"'What will you give for the lift?' said the man. + +"'You can have what you like,' said Reynard; 'either wet or dry. You may +be sure you'll always get more out of me than out of Bruin Goodfellow, +for he is a rough carle to pay off when he takes a fancy to riding and +hangs on a horse's back.' + +"'Well! you shall have a lift over the Fell,' said the man, 'if you will +only meet me at this spot to-morrow.' + +"But he knew that Reynard was only playing off some of his tricks upon +him, and so he took with him a loaded gun on the sledge, and when +Reynard came, thinking to get a lift for nothing, he got, instead, a +charge of shot in his body, and so the husbandman flayed the coat off +him too, and then he had gotten both Bruin's hide and Reynard's skin." + + +BRUIN AND REYNARD PARTNERS. + +"Once on a time Bruin and Reynard were to own a field in common. They +had a little clearing up in the wood, and the first year they sowed rye. + +"'Now we must share the crop as is fair and right,' said Reynard. 'If +you like to have the root, I'll take the top.' + +"Yes, Bruin was ready to do that; but when they had threshed out the +crop, Reynard got all the corn, but Bruin got nothing but roots and +rubbish. He did not like that at all; but Reynard said it was how they +had agreed to share it. + +"'This year I have the gain,' said Reynard; 'next year it will be your +turn. Then you shall have the top, and I shall have to put up with the +root.' + +"But when spring came, and it was time to sow, Reynard asked Bruin what +he thought of turnips. + +"'Aye, aye!' said Bruin, 'that's better food than corn;' and so Reynard +thought also. But when harvest came Reynard got the roots, while Bruin +got the turnip-tops. And then Bruin was so angry with Reynard that he +put an end at once to his partnership with him." + + +REYNARD WANTS TO TASTE HORSE-FLESH. + +"One day as Bruin lay by a horse which he had slain, and was hard at +work eating it, Reynard was out that day too, and came up spying about +and licking his lips, if he might get a taste of the horse-flesh. So he +doubled and turned till he got just behind Bruin's back, and then he +jumped on the other side of the carcass and snapped a mouthful as he ran +by. Bruin was not slow either, for he made a grab at Reynard and caught +the tip of his red brush in his paw; and ever since then Reynard's brush +is white at the tip, as any one may see. + +"But that day Bruin was merry, and called out, "'Bide a bit, Reynard; +and come hither, and I'll tell you how to catch a horse for yourself.' + +"Yes, Reynard was ready enough to learn, but he did not for all that +trust himself to go very close to Bruin. + +"'Listen,' said Bruin, 'when you see a horse asleep, sunning himself in +the sunshine, you must mind and bind yourself fast by the hair of his +tail to your brush, and then you must make your teeth meet in the flesh +of his thigh.' + +"As you may fancy, it was not long before Reynard found out a horse that +lay asleep in the sunshine, and then he did as Bruin had told him; for +he knotted and bound himself well into the hair of his tail, and made +his teeth meet in the horse's thigh. + +"Up sprang the horse, and began to kick and rear and gallop, so that +Reynard was dashed against stock and stone, and got battered black and +blue, so that he was not far off losing both wit and sense. And while +the horse galloped, they passed Jack Longears, the Hare. + +"'Whither away so fast, Reynard?' cried Jack Longears. + +"'Post haste, on business of life and death, dear Jack,' cried Reynard. + +"And with that Jack stood up on his hind legs, and laughed till his +sides ached and his jaws split right up to his ears. It was so funny to +see Reynard ride post haste. + +"But you must know, since that ride Reynard has never thought of +catching a horse for himself. For that once at least it was Bruin who +had the best of it in wit, though they do say he is most often as +simple-minded as the Trolls." + + + * * * * * + +Many other stories Edward and I heard that season up on the Fjeld, +either from the girls, or Peter, or Anders; and here some of them follow +standing by themselves, and not set in a frame. + + + + +MASTER TOBACCO + + +[Illustration: MASTER TOBACCO.] + +"Once on a time there was a poor woman who went about begging with her +son; for at home she had neither a morsel to eat nor a stick to burn. +First she tried the country, and went from parish to parish; but it was +poor work, and so she came into the town. There she went about from +house to house for a while, and at last she came to the lord mayor. He +was both open-hearted and open-handed, and he was married to the +daughter of the richest merchant in the town, and they had one little +daughter. As they had no more children, you may fancy she was sugar and +spice and all that's nice, and in a word there was nothing too good for +her. This little girl soon came to know the beggar boy as he went about +with his mother; and as the lord mayor was a wise man, as soon as he saw +what friends the two were, he took the boy into his house, that he might +be his daughter's playmate. Yes, they played and read and went to school +together, and never had so much as one quarrel. + +"One day the lady mayoress stood at the window, and watched the children +as they were trudging off to school. There had been a shower of rain, +and the street was flooded, and she saw how the boy first carried the +basket with their dinner over the stream, and then he went back and +lifted the little girl over, and when he set her down he gave her a +kiss. + +"When the lady mayoress saw this, she got very angry. 'To think of such +a ragamuffin kissing our daughter--we, who are the best people in the +place!' That was what she said. Her husband did his best to stop her +tongue. 'No one knew,' he said, 'how children would turn out in life, or +what might befall his own: the boy was a clever, handy lad, and often +and often a great tree sprang from a slender plant.' + +"But no! it was all the same whatever he said, and whichever way he put +it. The lady mayoress held her own, and said, beggars on horseback +always rode their cattle to death, and that no one had ever heard of a +silk purse being made out of a sow's ear; adding, that a penny would +never turn into a shilling, even though it glittered like a guinea. The +end of it all was that the poor lad was turned out of the house, and had +to pack up his rags and be off. + +"When the lord mayor saw there was no help for it, he sent him away with +a trader who had come thither with a ship, and he was to be cabin-boy on +board her. He told his wife he had sold the boy for a roll of tobacco. + +"But before he went the lord mayor's daughter broke her ring into two +bits, and gave the boy one bit, that it might be a token to know him by +if they ever met again; and so the ship sailed away, and the lad came to +a town, far, far off in the world, and to that town a priest had just +come who was so good a preacher that every one went to church to hear +him, and the crew of the ship went with the rest the Sunday after to +hear the sermon. As for the lad, he was left behind to mind the ship and +to cook the dinner. So while he was hard at work he heard some one +calling out across the water on an island. So he took the boat and rowed +across, and there he saw an old hag, who called and roared. + +"'Aye,' she said, 'you have come at last! Here have I stood a hundred +years calling and bawling, and thinking how I should ever get over this +water; but no one has ever heard or heeded but you, and you shall be +well paid, if you will put me over to the other side.' + +"So the lad had to row her to her sister's house, who lived on a hill on +the other side, close by; and when they got there, she told him to beg +for the old table-cloth which lay on the dresser. Yes! he begged for it, +and when the old witch who lived there knew that he had helped her +sister over the water, she said he might have whatever he chose to ask. + +"'Oh,' said the boy, 'then I won't have anything else than that old +table-cloth on the dresser yonder.' + +"'Oh,' said the old witch, 'that you never asked out of your own wits.' + +"'Now I must be off,' said the lad, 'to cook the Sunday dinner for the +church-goers.' + +"'Never mind that,' said the first old hag; 'it will cook itself while +you are away. Stop with me, and I will pay you better still. Here have I +stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, but no one has ever +heeded me but you.' + +"The end was he had to go with her to another sister, and when he got +there the old hag said he was to be sure and ask for the old sword, +which was such that he could put it into his pocket and it became a +knife, and when he drew it out it was a long sword again. One edge was +black and the other white; and if he smote with the black edge +everything fell dead, and if with the white everything came to life +again. So when they came over, and the second old witch heard how he had +helped her sister across, she said he might have anything he chose to +ask for her fare. + +"'Oh,' said the lad, 'then I will have nothing else but that old sword +which hangs up over the cupboard.' + +"'That you never asked out of your own wits,' said the old witch; but +for all that he got the sword. + +"Then the old hag said again, 'Come on with me to my third sister. Here +have I stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, and no one has +heeded me but you. Come on to my third sister, and you shall have better +pay still.' + +"So he went with her, and on the way she told him he was to ask for the +old hymn-book; and that was such a book that when any one was sick and +the nurse sang one of the hymns, the sickness passed away, and they were +well again. Well! when they got across, and the third old witch heard he +had helped her sister across, she said he was to have whatever he chose +to ask for his fare. + +"'Oh,' said the lad, 'then I won't have anything else but granny's old +hymn-book.' + +"'That,' said the old hag, 'you never asked out of your own wits.' + +"When he got back to the ship the crew were still at church, so he tried +his table-cloth, and spread just a little bit of it out, for he wanted +to see what good it was before he laid it on the table. Yes! in a trice, +it was covered with good food and strong drink; enough, and to spare. So +he just took a little snack, and then he gave the ship's dog as much as +it could eat. + +"When the church-goers came on board, the captain said, 'Wherever did +you get all that food for the dog? Why, he's as round as a sausage, and +as lazy as a snail.' + +"'Oh, if you must know,' said the lad, 'I gave him the bones.' + +"'Good boy,' said the captain, 'to think of the dog.' + +"So he spread out the cloth, and at once the whole table was covered all +over with such brave meat and drink as they had never before seen in all +their born days. + +"Now when the boy was again alone with the dog, he wanted to try the +sword, so he smote at the dog with the black edge, and it fell dead on +the deck; but when he turned the blade and smote with the white edge, +the dog came to life again and wagged his tail and fawned on his +playmate. But the book,--that he could not get tried just then. + +"Then they sailed well and far till a storm overtook them, which lasted +many days; so they lay to and drove till they were quite out of their +course, and could not tell where they were. At last the wind fell, and +then they came to a country far, far off, that none of them knew; but +they could easily see there was great grief there, as well there might +be, for the king's daughter was a leper. The king came down to the +shore, and asked was there any one on board who could cure her and make +her well again. + +"'No, there was not.' That was what they all said who were on deck. + +"'Is there no one else on board the ship than those I see?' asked the +king. + +"'Yes; there's a little beggar boy.' + +"'Well,' said the king, 'let him come on deck.' + +"So when he came, and heard what the king wanted, he said he thought he +might cure her; and then the captain got so wrath and mad with rage that +he ran round and round like a squirrel in a cage, for he thought the boy +was only putting himself forward to do something in which he was sure to +fail, and he told the king not to listen to such childish chatter. + +"But the king only said that wit came as children grew, and that there +was the making of a man in every bairn. The boy had said he could do it, +and he might as well try. After all, there were many who had tried and +failed before him. So he took him home to his daughter, and the lad sang +an hymn once. Then the princess could lift her arm. Once again he sang +it, and she could sit up in bed. And when he had sung it thrice the +king's daughter was as well as you and I are. + +"The king was so glad, he wanted to give him half his kingdom and the +princess to wife. + +"'Yes,' said the lad, 'land and power were fine things to have half of, +and was very grateful; but as for the princess, he was betrothed to +another,' he said, 'and he could not take her to wife.' + +"So he stayed there awhile, and got half the kingdom; and when he had +not been very long there, war broke out, and the lad went out to battle +with the rest, and you may fancy he did not spare the black edge of his +sword. The enemy's soldiers fell before him like flies, and the king won +the day. But when they had conquered, he turned the white edge, and they +all rose up alive and became the king's soldiers, who had granted them +their lives. But then there were so many of them that they were badly +off for food, though the king wished to send them away full, both of +meat and drink. So the lad had to bring out his table-cloth, and then +there was not a man that lacked anything. + +"Now when he had lived a little longer with the king, he began to long +to see the lord mayor's daughter. So he fitted out four ships of war and +set sail; and when he came off the town where the lord mayor lived, he +fired off his cannon like thunder, till half the panes of glass in the +town were shivered. On board those ships everything was as grand as in a +king's palace; and as for himself, he had gold on every seam of his +coat, so fine he was. It was not long before the lord mayor came down to +the shore and asked if the foreign lord would not be so good as to come +up and dine with him. 'Yes, he would go,' he said; and so he went up to +the mansion-house where the lord mayor lived, and there he took his seat +between the lady mayoress and her daughter. + +"So as they sat there in the greatest state, and ate and drank and were +merry, he threw the half of the ring into the daughter's glass, and no +one saw it; but she was not slow to find out what he meant, and excused +herself from the feast and went out and fitted his half to her half. Her +mother saw there was something in the wind and hurried after her as fast +as she could. + +"'Do you know who that is in there, mother?' said the daughter. + +"'No!' said the lady mayoress. + +"'He whom papa sold for a roll of tobacco,' said the daughter. + +"At these words the lady mayoress fainted, and fell down flat on the +floor. + +"In a little while the lord mayor came out to see what was the matter, +and when he heard how things stood he was almost as uneasy as his wife. + +"'There is nothing to make a fuss about,' said Master Tobacco. 'I have +only come to claim the little girl I kissed as we were going to school.' + +"But to the lady mayoress, he said, 'You should never despise the +children of the poor and needy, for none can tell how they may turn out; +for there is the making of a man in every child of man, and wit and +wisdom come with growth and strength.'" + + + + +THE CHARCOAL-BURNER. + + +"Once on a time there was a charcoal-burner, who had a son, who was a +charcoal-burner too. When the father was dead, the son took him a wife; +but he was lazy and would turn his hand to nothing. He was careless in +minding his pits too, and the end was no one would have him to burn +charcoal for them. + +"It so fell out that one day he had burned a pit full for himself, and +set off to the town with a few loads and sold them; and when he had done +selling, he loitered in the street and looked about him. On his way home +he fell in with townsmen and neighbours, and made merry, and drank, and +chattered of all he had seen in the town. 'The prettiest thing I saw,' +he said, 'was a great crowd of priests, and all the folks greeted them +and took off their hats to them. I only wish I were a priest myself; +then maybe they would take off their hats to me too. As it was they +looked as though they did not even see me at all.' + +"'Well, well!' said his friends, 'if you are nothing else, you can't say +you're not as black as a priest. And now we are about it, we can go to +the sale of the old priest, who is dead, and have a glass, and meanwhile +you can buy his gown and hood.' That was what the neighbours said; and +what they said he did, and when he got home he had not so much as a +penny left. + +"'Now you have both means and money, I dare say,' said his goody, when +she heard he had sold his charcoal. + +"'I should think so. Means, indeed!' said the charcoal-burner, 'for you +must know I have been ordained priest. Here you see both gown and hood.' + +"'Nay, I'll never believe that,' said the goody, 'strong ale makes big +words. You are just as bad, whichever end of you turns up. That you +are,' she said. + +"'You shall neither scold nor sorrow for the pit, for its last coal is +quenched and cold,' said the charcoal-burner. + +"It fell out one day that many people in priests' robes passed by the +charcoal-burner's cottage on their way to the king's palace, so that it +was easy to see there was something in the wind there. Yes! the +charcoal-burner would go too, and so he put on his gown and hood. + +"His goody thought it would be far better to stay at home; for even if +he chanced to hold a horse for some great man, the drink-money he got +would only go down his throat like so many before it. + +"'There are many, mother, who talk of drink,' said the man, 'who never +think of thirst. All I know is, the more one drinks the more one +thirsts;' and with that he set off for the palace. When he got there, +all the strangers were bidden to come in, and the charcoal-burner +followed with the rest. So the king made them a speech, and said he had +lost his costliest ring, and was quite sure it had been stolen. That was +why he had summoned all the learned priests in the land, to see if there +were one of them who could tell him who the thief was. And he made a vow +there and then, and said what reward he would give to the man who found +out the thief. If he were a curate, he should have a living; if he was a +rector, he should be made a dean; if he were a dean, he should be made a +bishop; and if he were a bishop, he should become the first man in the +kingdom after the king. + +"So the king went round and round among them all, from one to the other, +asking them if they could find the thief; and when he came to the +charcoal-burner, he said, + +"'Who are you?' + +"'I am the wise priest and the true prophet,' said the charcoal-burner. + +"'Then you can tell me,' said the king, 'who has taken my ring?' + +"'Yes!' said the charcoal-burner; 'it isn't so right against rhyme and +reason that what has happened in darkness should come to light; but it +isn't every year that salmon spawn in fir-tree tops. Here have I been a +curate for seven years, trying to feed myself and my children, and I +haven't got a living yet. If that thief is to be found out, I must have +lots of time and reams of paper; for I must write and reckon, and track +him out through many lands.' + +"'Yes! he should have as much time and paper as he chose, if he would +only lay his finger on the thief.' + +"So they shut him up by himself in a room in the king's palace, and it +was not long before they found out that he must know much more than his +Lord's Prayer; for he scribbled over so much paper that it lay in great +heaps and rolls, and yet there was not a man who could make out a word +of what he wrote, for it looked like nothing else than pot-hooks and +hangers. But, as he did this, time went on, and still there was not a +trace of the thief. At last the king got weary, and so he said, if the +priest couldn't find the thief in three days he should lose his life. + +"'More haste, worse speed. You can't cart coal till the pit is cool,' +said the charcoal-burner. But the king stuck to his word--that he did; +and the charcoal-burner felt his life wasn't worth much. + +"Now there were three of the king's servants who waited on the +charcoal-burner day by day, in turn, and these three fellows had stolen +the ring between them. So when one of these servants came into the room +and cleared the table when he had eaten his supper, and was going out +again, the charcoal-burner heaved a deep sigh as he looked after him, +and said, + +"'THERE GOES THE FIRST OF THEM!' but he only meant the first of the +three days he had still to live. + +"'That priest knows more than how to fill his mouth,' said the servant, +when he was alone with his fellows; for he said, I was the first of +them.' + +"The next day, the second servant was to mark what the prisoner said +when he waited on him, and sure enough when he went out, after clearing +the table, the charcoal-burner stared him full in the face and fetched a +deep sigh, and said, + +"'THERE GOES THE SECOND OF THEM!' + +"So the third was to take heed to what the charcoal-burner said on the +third day, and it was all worse and no better; for when the servant had +his hand on the door as he went out with the plates and dishes, the +charcoal-burner clasped his hands together, and said, with a sigh as +though his heart would break, + +"'THERE GOES THE THIRD OF THEM!' + +"So the man went down to his fellows with his heart in his throat, and +said it was clear as day the priest knew all about it; and so they all +three went into his room and fell on their knees before him, and begged +and prayed he would not say it was they who had stolen the ring. If he +would do this, they were ready to give him, each of them, a hundred +dollars, if he would not bring them into trouble. + +"Well, he gave his word, like a man, to do that and keep them harmless, +if they would only give him the money and the ring and a great bowl of +porridge. And what do you think he did with the ring when he got it? +Why, he stuffed it well down into the porridge, and bade them go and +give it to the biggest pig in the king's stye. + +"Next morning the king came, and was in no mood for jokes, and said he +must know all about the thief. + +"'Well! well! now I have written and reckoned all the world round,' said +the charcoal-burner, 'but it is no child of man that stole your +majesty's ring.' + +"'Pooh!' said the king; 'who was it, then?' + +"'It was the biggest pig in your stye,' said the charcoal-burner. + +"Yes! they killed the pig, and there the ring was inside it; there was +no mistake about that; and so the charcoal-burner got a living, and the +king was so glad he gave him a farm and a horse, and a hundred dollars +into the bargain. + +"You may fancy the charcoal-burner was not slow in flitting to the +living, and the first Sunday after he got there he was going to church +to read himself in; but before he left his house he was to have his +breakfast, and so he took the king's letter and laid it on a bit of dry +toast and then, by mistake, he dipped both toast and letter into his +brose, and when he found it tough to chew, he gave the whole morsel to +his dog Tray, and Tray gobbled up both toast and letter. + +"And now he scarce knew what to do, or how to turn. To church he must, +for the people were waiting; and when he got there, he went straight up +into the pulpit. In the pulpit he put on such a grave face that all +thought he was a grand priest; but as the service went on, it was not so +good after all. This was how he began: + +"'The words, my brethren, which you should have heard this day have +gone, alas! to the dogs; but come next Sunday, dear parishioners, and +you shall hear something else; and so this sermon comes to an end. +Amen!' + +"All the parish thought they had got a strange priest, for they had +never heard such a funny sermon before; but still they said to +themselves, 'He'll be better perhaps by-and-by, and if he isn't better +we shall know how to deal with him.' + +"Next Sunday, when there was service again, the church was so crowded +full with folk who wished to hear the new priest that there was scarce +standing-room. Well, he came again, and went straight up into the +pulpit, and there he stood awhile and said never a word. But all at once +he burst out, and bawled at the top of his voice-- + +"'Hearken to me, old Nannygoat Bridget! Why in the world do you sit so +far back in the church?' + +"'Oh, your reverence,' said she, 'if you must know, it's because my +shoes are all in holes.' + +"'That's no reason; for you might take an old bit of pig-skin and stitch +yourself new shoes, and then you could also come far forward in the +church, like the other fine ladies. For the rest, you all ought to +bethink yourselves of the way you are going; for I see when ye come to +church, some of you come from the north and some from the south, and it +is the same when you go from church again. But sometimes ye stand and +loiter on the way, and then it may well be asked, What will become of +you? Yea! who can tell what will become of every one of us? By the way, +I have to give notice of a black mare which has strayed from the old +priest's widow. She has hair on her fetlocks and a falling mane, and +other marks which I will not name in this place. Besides, I may tell +you, I have a hole in my old breeches-pocket, and I know it, but you do +not know it; and another thing you do not know, and which I do not know, +is whether any of you has a bit of cloth to patch that hole. Amen.' + +"Some few of the hearers were very well pleased with this sermon. They +thought it sure he would make a brave priest in time; but, to tell the +truth, most of them thought it too bad, and when the dean came they +complained of the priest, and said no one had ever heard such sermons +before, and there was even one of them who knew the last by heart, and +wrote it down and read it to the dean. + +"'I call it a very good sermon,' said the dean, 'for it was likely that +he spoke in parables as to seeking light and shunning darkness and its +deeds, and as to those who were walking either on the broad or the +strait path; but most of all,' he said, 'that was a grand parable when +he gave that notice about the priest's black mare, and how it would fare +with us all at the last. The pocket with the hole in it was to show the +need of the church, and the piece of cloth to patch it was the gifts and +offerings of the congregation.' That was what the dean said. + +"As for the parish, what they said was, 'Ay! ay!' so much we could +understand that it was to go into the priest's pocket. + +"The end was, the dean said, he thought the parish had got such a good +and understanding priest, there was no fault to find with him, and so +they had to make the best of him; but after a while, as he got worse +instead of better, they complained of him to the bishop. + +"Well! sooner or later the bishop came, and there was to be a +visitation. But, the day before, the priest had gone into the church, +unbeknown to anybody, and sawed the props of the pulpit all but in two, +so that it would only just hang together if one went up into it very +carefully. So when the people were gathered together and he was to +preach before the bishop, he crept up into the pulpit and began to +expound, as he was wont; and when he had gone on a while, he got more in +earnest, threw his arms about and bawled out, + +"'If there be any here who is wicked or given to ill deeds, it were +better he left this place; for this very day there shall be a fall, such +as hath not been seen since the world began.' + +"With that he struck the reading-desk like thunder, and lo! the desk and +the priest and the whole pulpit tumbled down on the floor of the church +with such a crash that the whole congregation ran out of church, as if +Doomsday were at their heels. + +"But then the bishop told the fault-finders he was amazed that they +dared to complain of a priest who had such gifts in the pulpit, and so +much wisdom that he could foresee things about to happen. For his part, +he thought he ought to be a dean at least, and it was not long either +before he was a dean. So there was no help for it; they had to put up +with him. + +"Now it so happened that the king and queen had no children; but when +the king heard that, perhaps, there was one coming, he was eager to know +if it would be an heir to his crown and realm, or if it would only be a +princess. So all the wise men in the land were gathered to the palace, +that they might say beforehand what it would be. But when there was not +a man of them that could say that, both the king and the bishop thought +of the charcoal-burner, and it was not long before they got him between +them, and asked him about it. 'No!' he said, 'that was past his power, +for it was not good to guess at what no man alive could know.' + +"'All very fine, I dare say,' said the king. 'It's all the same to me, +of course, if you know it or if you don't know it; but, you know, you +are the wise priest and the true prophet who can foretell things to +come; and all I can say is if you don't tell it me, you shall lose your +gown. And now I think of it, I'll try you first.' + +"So he took the biggest silver tankard he had and went down to the +sea-shore, and, in a little while, called the priest. + +"'If you can tell me now what there is in this tankard,' said the king, +'you will be able to tell me the other also;' and as he said this, he +held the lid of the tankard tight. + +"The charcoal-burner only wrung his hands and bemoaned himself. + +"'Oh! you most wretched crab and cripple on this earth,' he cried out, +'this is what all your backslidings and sidelong tricks have brought on +you.' + +"'Ah!' cried out the king, 'how could you say you did not know?' for you +must know he had a crab in the tankard. So the charcoal-burner had to go +into the parlour to the queen. He took a chair and sat down in the +middle of the floor, while the queen walked up and down in the room. + +"'One should never count one's chickens before they are hatched, and +never quarrel about a baby's name before it is born,' said the +charcoal-burner; 'but I never heard or saw such a thing before! When the +queen comes toward me, I almost think it will be a prince, and when she +goes away from me it looks as if it would be a princess.' + +"Lo! when the time came, it was both a prince and a princess, for twins +were born; and so the charcoal-burner had hit the mark that time too. +And because he could tell that which no man could know, he got money in +carts full, and was the next man to the king in the realm. + + "Trip, trap, trill, + A man is often more than he will." + + + + +THE BOX WITH SOMETHING PRETTY IN IT. + + +"Once on a time there was a little boy who was out walking on the road, +and when he had walked a bit he found a box. + +"'I am sure there must be something pretty in this box,' he said to +himself; but however much he turned it, and however much he twisted it, +he was not able to get it open. + +"But when he had walked a bit farther, he found a little tiny key. Then +he got tired and sat down, and all at once he thought what fun it would +be if the key fitted the box, for it had a little key-hole in it. So he +took the little key out of his pocket, and then he blew first into the +pipe of the key, and afterwards into the key-hole, and then he put the +key into the key-hole and turned it. 'Snap' it went within the lock; and +when he tried the hasp, the box was open. + +"But can you guess what there was in the box? Why a cow's tail; and if +the cow's tail had been longer, this story would have been longer too." + + + + +THE THREE LEMONS. + + +"Once on a time there were three brothers, who had lost their parents; +and as they had left nothing behind them on which the lads could live, +they had to go out into the world to try their luck. The two elder +fitted themselves out as well as they could; but the youngest, whom they +called Taper Tom, because he always sat in the chimney-corner and held +tapers of pine wood, him they would not have with them. + +"The two set out early in the grey dawn; but, however fast they went, or +did not go, Taper Tom came just as soon as the others to the king's +palace. So when they got there, they asked for work. The king said he +had nothing for them to do; but as they were so pressing, he'd see if he +could not find them something,--there must be always something to do in +such a big house. Yes! they might drive nails into the wall; and when +they had done driving them in, they might pull them out again. When they +had done that, they might carry wood and water into the kitchen. + +"Taper Tom was the handiest in driving nails into the wall and in +pulling them out again and he was the handiest also in carrying wood and +water. So his brothers were jealous of him, and said he had given out +that he was good enough to get the king the prettiest princess who was +to be found in twelve kingdoms; for you must know the king had lost his +old dame, and was a widower. When the king heard that, he told Taper Tom +he must do what he had said, or else he would make them lay him on the +block and chop his head off. + +"Taper Tom answered, he had never said nor thought anything of the kind; +but, as the king was so stern, he would try what he could do. So he got +him a scrip of food over his shoulders, and set off from the palace; but +he had not gone far on the road before he grew hungry, and wanted to +taste the food they had given him when he set out. So when he had seated +himself to rest at his ease, under a spruce by the roadside, up came an +old hag hobbling, who asked what he had in his scrip. + +"'Salt meat and fresh meat,' said the lad. 'If you are hungry, granny, +come and take a snack with me.' + +"Yes! She thanked him, and then she said, might be she would do him a +good turn herself; and away she hobbled through the wood. So when Taper +Tom had eaten his full, and had rested, he threw his scrip over his +shoulder and set off again; but he had not gone far before he found a +pipe. That, he thought, would be nice to have with him and play on by +the way; and it was not long before he brought the sound out of it, you +may fancy. But then there came about him such a swarm of little Trolls, +and each asked the other in full cry,-- + +"'What has my lord to order? What has my lord to order?' + +"Taper Tom said he never knew he was lord over them; but if he was to +order anything, he wished they would fetch him the prettiest princess to +be found in twelve kingdoms. Yes! that was no great thing, the little +Trolls thought; they knew well enough where she was, and they could show +him the way, and then he might go and get her for himself, for they had +no power to touch her. + +"Then they showed him the way, and he got to the end of his journey well +and happily. There was not anyone who laid so much as two sticks across +in his way. It was a Troll's castle, and in it sat three lovely +princesses; but as soon as ever Taper Tom came in, they all lost their +wits for fear, and ran about like scared lambs, and all at once they +were turned into three lemons that lay in the window. Taper Tom was so +sorry and unhappy at that, he scarce knew which way to turn. But when he +had thought a little, he took and put the lemons into his pocket, for he +thought they would be good to have if he got thirsty by the way, for he +had heard say lemons were sour. + +"So when he had gone a bit of the way, he got so hot and thirsty; water +was not to be had, and he did not know what he should do to quench his +thirst. So he fell to thinking of the lemons, and took one of them out +and bit a hole in it. But, lo! inside sat the princess as far as her +armpits, and screamed out-- + +"'Water!--water!' Unless she got water, she must die, she said. + +"Yes! the lad ran about looking for water as though he were a mad thing; +but there was no water to be got, and all at once the princess was dead. + +"So when he had gone a bit further, he got still hotter and thirstier; +and as he could find nothing to quench his thirst, he pulled out the +second lemon and bit a hole in it. Inside it was also a princess, +sitting as far as her armpits, and she was still lovelier than the +first. She, too, screamed for water, and said, if she could not get it +she must die outright. So Taper Tom hunted under stone and moss, but he +could find no water; and so the end was the second Princess died too. + +"Taper Tom thought things got worse and worse, and so it was, for the +farther he went the hotter it got. The earth was so dry and burnt up, +there was not a drop of water to be found, and he was not far off being +half dead of thirst. He kept himself as long as he could from biting a +hole in the lemon he still had, but at last there was no help for it. So +when he had bitten the hole, there sat a princess inside it also; she +was the loveliest in twelve kingdoms, and she screamed out if she could +not get water she must die at once. So Taper Tom ran about hunting for +water; and this time he fell upon the king's miller, and he showed him +the way to the mill-dam. So when he came to the dam with her and gave +her some water, she came quite out of the lemon, and was stark naked. So +Taper Tom had to let her have the wrap he had to throw over her, and +then she hid herself up a tree while he went up to the king's palace to +fetch her clothes, and tell the king how he had got her, and, in a word, +told him the whole story. + +"But while this was going on, the cook came down to the mill-dam to +fetch water; and when she saw the lovely face which played on the water, +she thought it was her own, and grew so glad she fell a-dancing and +jumping because she had grown so pretty. + +"'The deil carry water,' she cried, 'since I am so pretty;' and away she +threw the water-buckets. But in a little while she got to see that the +face in the mill-dam belonged to the princess who sat up in the tree; +and then she got so cross, that she tore her down from the tree, and +threw her out into the dam. But she herself put on Taper Tom's cloak, +and crept up into the tree. + +"So when the king came and set eyes on the ugly swarthy kitchen-maid, he +turned white and red; but when he heard how they said she was the +loveliest in twelve kingdoms, he thought he could not help believing +there must be something in it; and besides he felt for poor Taper Tom, +who had taken so much pains to get her for him. + +"'She'll get better, perhaps, as time goes on,' he thought, 'when she is +dressed smartly, and wears fine clothes;' and so he took her home with +him. + +"Then they sent for all the wig-makers and needlewomen, and she was +dressed and clad like a princess; but for all they washed and dressed +her, she was still as ugly and black as ever. + +"After a while the kitchen-maid was to go to the dam to fetch water, and +then she caught a great silver fish in her bucket. She bore it up to the +palace, and showed it to the king, and he thought it grand and fine; but +the ugly princess said it was some witchcraft, and they must burn it, +for she soon saw what it was. Well! the fish was burnt, and next morning +they found a lump of silver in the ashes. So the cook came and told it +to the king, and he thought it passing strange; but the princess said it +was all witchcraft, and bade them bury it in the dung-heap. The king was +much against it; but she left him neither rest nor peace, and so he said +at last they might do it. + +"But lo! next day stood a tall lovely linden tree on the spot where they +had buried the lump of silver, and that linden had leaves which gleamed +like silver. So when they told the king that, he thought it passing +strange; but the princess said it was nothing but witchcraft, and they +must cut down the linden at once. The king was against that; but the +princess plagued him so long that at last he had to give way to her in +this also. + +"But lo! when the lasses went out to gather the chips of the linden to +light the fires, they were pure silver. + +"'It isn't worth while,' one of them said, 'to say anything about this +to the king or the princess, or else they, too, will be burnt and +melted. It is better to hide them in our drawers. They will be good to +have when a lover comes, and we are going to marry.' + +"Yes! They were all of one mind as to that; but when they had borne the +chips a while, they grew so fearfully heavy that they could not help +looking to see what it was; and then they found the chips had been +changed into a child, and it was not long before it grew into the +loveliest princess you ever set eyes on. + +"The lasses could see very well that something wrong lay under all this. +So they got her clothes, and flew off to find the lad, who was to fetch +the loveliest princess in twelve kingdoms, and told him their story. + +"So when Taper Tom came, the princess told him her story, and how the +cook had come and torn her from the tree and thrown her into the dam; +and how she had been the silver fish, and the silver lump, and the +linden, and the chips, and how she was the true princess. + +"It was not so easy to get the king's ear, for the ugly black cook hung +over him early and late; but at last they made out a story, and said +that a challenge had come from a neighbour king, and so they got him +out; and when he came to see the lovely princess, he was so taken with +her, he was for holding the bridal feast on the spot; and when he heard +how badly the ugly black cook had behaved to her, he said they should +take her and roll her down hill in a cask full of nails. Then they kept +the bridal feast at such a rate that it was heard and talked of over +twelve kingdoms." + + + + +THE PRIEST AND THE CLERK. + + +"Once on a time there was a priest, who was such a bully, that he bawled +out, ever so far off, whenever he met anyone driving on the king's +highway,-- + +"'Out of the way, out of the way! Here comes the priest!' + +"One day when he was driving along and behaving so, he met the king +himself. + +"'Out of the way, out of the way,' he bawled a long way off. But the +king drove on and kept his own; so that time it was the priest who had +to turn his horse aside, and when the king came alongside him, he said, +'To-morrow you shall come to me to the palace, and if you can't answer +three questions which I will set you, you shall lose hood and gown for +your pride's sake.' + +"This was something else than the priest was wont to hear. He could bawl +and bully, shout, and behave worse than badly. All THAT he could do, but +question and answer was out of his power. So he set off to the clerk who +was said to be better in a gown than the priest himself, and told him he +had no mind to go to the king. + +"'For one fool can ask more than ten wise men can answer;' and the end +was, he got the clerk to go in his stead. + +"Yes! The clerk set off, and came to the palace in the priest's gown and +hood. There the king met him out in the porch with crown and sceptre, +and was so grand it glittered and gleamed from him. + +"'Well! Are you there?' said the king. + +"Yes; he was there, sure enough. + +"'Tell me first,' said the king; 'how far the east is from the west?' + +"'Just a day's journey,' said the clerk. + +"'How is that?' asked the king. + +"'Don't you know,' said the clerk, 'that the sun rises in the east and +sets in the west, and he does it just nicely in one day.' + +"'Very well!' said the king; 'but tell me now what you think I am worth, +as you see me stand here?' + +"'Well,' said the clerk; 'Our Lord was valued at thirty pieces of +silver, so I don't think I can set your price higher than twenty-nine.' + +"'All very fine!' said the king; 'but as you are so wise, perhaps you +can tell me what I am thinking about now?' + +"'Oh!' said the clerk; 'you are thinking it's the priest who stands +before you, but so help me, if you don't think wrong, for I am the +clerk.' + +"'Be off home with you,' said the king, 'and be you priest, and let him +be clerk,' and so it was." + + + + +FRIENDS IN LIFE AND DEATH. + + +"Once on a time there were two young men who were such great friends +that they swore to one another they would never part, either in life or +death. One of them died before he was at all old, and a little while +after the other wooed a farmer's daughter, and was to be married to her. +So when they were bidding guests to the wedding the bridegroom went +himself to the churchyard where his friend lay, and knocked at his +grave, and called him by name. No! he neither answered nor came. He +knocked again, and he called again, but no one came. A third time he +knocked louder and called louder to him, to come that he might talk to +him. So, after a long, long time, he heard a rustling, and at last the +dead man came up out of the grave. + +"'It was well you came at last,' said the bridegroom, 'for I have been +standing here ever so long, knocking and calling for you.' + +"'I was a long way off,' said the dead man, 'so that I did not quite +hear you till the last time you called.' + +"'All right,' said the bridegroom; 'but I am going to stand bridegroom +to-day, and you mind well, I dare say, what we used to talk about, and +how we were to stand by each other at our weddings as best man.' + +"'I mind it well,' said the dead man, 'but you must wait a bit till I +have made myself a little smart; and, after all, no one can say I have +on a wedding garment.' + +"The lad was hard put to it for time, for he was overdue at home to meet +the guests, and it was all but time to go to church; but still he had to +wait awhile and let the dead man go into a room by himself, as he +begged, so that he might brush himself up a bit, and come smart to +church like the rest, for, of course, he was to go with the bridal train +to church. + +"Yes! the dead man went with him both to church and from church, but +when they had got so far on with the wedding that they had taken off the +bride's crown, he said he must go. So, for old friendship's sake, the +bridegroom said he would go with him to the grave again. And as they +walked to the churchyard the bridegroom asked his friend if he had seen +much that was wonderful, or heard anything that was pleasant to know. + +"'Yes! that I have,' said the dead man. 'I have seen much, and heard +many strange things.' + +"'That must be fine to see,' said the bridegroom. 'Do you know I have a +mind to go along with you, and see all that with my own eyes.' + +"'You are quite welcome,' said the dead man; 'but it may chance that you +may be away some time.' + +"'So it might,' said the bridegroom; but for all that he would go down +into the grave. + +"But before they went down the dead man took and cut up a turf out of +the graveyard and put it on the young man's head. Down and down they +went, far and far away, through dark, silent wastes, across wood, and +moor, and bog, till they came to a great, heavy gate, which opened to +them as soon as the dead man touched it. Inside it began to grow +lighter, first as though it were moonshine, and the further they went +the lighter it got. At last they got to a spot where there were such +green hills, knee-deep in grass, and on them fed a large herd of kine, +who grazed as they went; but for all they ate those kine looked poor, +and thin, and wretched. + +"'What's all this?' said the lad who had been bridegroom; 'why are they +so thin, and in such bad case, though they eat, every one of them, as +though they were well paid to eat?' + +"'This is a likeness of those who never can have enough, though they +rake and scrape it together ever so much,' said the dead man. + +"So they journeyed on far and farther than far, till they came to some +hill pastures, where there was naught but bare rocks and stones, with +here and there a blade of grass. Here was grazing another herd of kine, +which were so sleek, and fat, and smooth that their coats shone again. + +"'What are these,' asked the bridegroom, 'who have so little to live on, +and yet are in such good plight? I wonder what they can be.' + +"'This,' said the dead man, 'is a likeness of those who are content with +the little they have, however poor it be.' + +"So they went farther and farther on till they came to a great lake, and +it and all about it was so bright and shining that the bridegroom could +scarce bear to look at it--it was so dazzling. + +"'Now, you must sit down here,' said the dead man, 'till I come back. I +shall be away a little while.' + +"With that he set off, and the bridegroom sat down, and as he sat sleep +fell on him, and he forgot everything in sweet deep slumber. After a +while the dead man came back. + +"'It was good of you to sit still here, so that I could find you again.' + +"But when the bridegroom tried to get up he was all overgrown with moss +and bushes, so that he found himself sitting in a thicket of thorns and +brambles. + +"So when he had made his way out of it they journeyed back again, and +the dead man led him by the same way to the brink of the grave. There +they parted and said farewell, and as soon as the bridegroom got out of +the grave he went straight home to the house where the wedding was. + +"But when he got where he thought the house stood, he could not find his +way. Then he looked about on all sides, and asked every one he met, but +he could neither hear nor learn anything of the bride, or the wedding, +or his kindred, or his father and mother; nay, he could not so much as +find any one whom he knew. And all he met wondered at the strange shape, +who went about and looked for all the world like a scarecrow. + +"Well! as he could find no one he knew, he made his way to the priest, +and told him of his kinsmen and all that had happened up to the time he +stood bridegroom, and how he had gone away in the midst of his wedding. +But the priest knew nothing at all about it at first; but when he had +hunted in his old registers he found out that the marriage he spoke of +had happened a long, long time ago, and that all the folk he talked of +had lived four hundred years before. + +"In that time there had grown up a great stout oak in the priest's yard, +and when he saw it he clambered up into it, that he might look about +him. But the grey-beard who had sat in Heaven and slumbered for four +hundred years, and had now at last come back, did not come down from the +oak as well as he went up. He was stiff and gouty, as was likely enough; +and so when he was coming down he made a false step, fell down, broke +his neck, and that was the end of him." + + + + +THE FATHER OF THE FAMILY. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who was out on a journey; so at last he +came to a big and a fine farm, and there was a house so grand that it +might well have been a little palace. + +"'Here it would be good to get leave to spend the night,' said the man +to himself, as he went inside the gate. Hard by stood an old man with +grey hair and beard, who was hewing wood. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I have house-room here +to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the grey-beard. 'Go into the +kitchen, and talk to my father.' + +"The wayfarer went into the kitchen, and there he met a man who was +still older, and he lay on his knees before the hearth, and was blowing +up the fire. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I get house-room +to-night?' + +"I'm not father in the house,' said the old man; 'but go in and talk to +my father. You'll find him sitting at the table in the parlour.' + +"So the wayfarer went into the parlour, and talked to him who sat at the +table. He was much older than either of the other two, and there he sat, +with his teeth chattering, and shivered and shook, and read out of a big +book, almost like a little child. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the man. 'Will you let me have house-room +here to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the man who sat at the table, whose +teeth chattered, and who shivered and shook; 'but speak to my father +yonder--he who sits on the bench.' + +"So the wayfarer went to him who sat on the bench, and he was trying to +fill himself a pipe of tobacco; but he was so withered up and his hands +shook so with the palsy that he could scarce hold the pipe. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer again. 'Can I get house-room +here to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the old withered fellow; 'but speak +to my father, who lies in bed yonder.' + +"So the wayfarer went to the bed, and there lay an old, old man, who but +for his pair of big staring eyes scarcely looked alive. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'Can I get house-room here +to-night?' + +"'I'm not father in the house,' said the old carle with the big eyes; +'but go and speak to my father, who lies yonder in the cradle.' + +"Yes, the wayfarer went to the cradle, and there lay a carle as old as +the hills, so withered and shrivelled he was no bigger than a baby, and +it was hard to tell that there was any life in him, except that there +was a sound of breathing every now and then in his throat. + +"'Good evening, father,' said the wayfarer. 'May I have house-room here +to-night?' + +"It was long before he got an answer, and still longer before the carle +brought it out; but the end was he said, as all the rest, that he was +not father in the house. 'But go,' said he, 'and speak to my +father--you'll find him hanging up in the horn yonder against the wall.' + +"So the wayfarer stared about round the walls, and at last he caught +sight of the horn; but when he looked for him who hung in it he looked +more like a film of ashes that had the likeness of a man's face. Then he +was so frightened that he screamed out,-- + +"'Good evening, father! will you let me have house-room here to-night?' + +"Then a chirping came out of the horn like a little tom-tit, and it +was-all he could do to make out that the chirping meant, 'YES, MY +CHILD.' + +"And now a table came in which was covered with the costliest dishes, +and with ale and brandy; and when he had eaten and drank there came in a +good bed, with reindeer skins; and the wayfarer was so very glad because +he had at last found the right father in the house." + + + + +THREE YEARS WITHOUT WAGES. + + +"Once on a time there was a poor householder, who had an only son, but +he was so lazy and unhandy, this son, that he would neither mix with +folk nor turn his hand to anything in the world. So the father said: + +"'If I'm not to go on for ever feeding this long lazy fellow, I must +pack him off a long way, where no one knows him. If he runs away then it +won't be so easy for him to come home.' + +"Yes! the man took his son with him, and went about far and wide +offering him as a serving man; but there was no one who would have him. + +"So last of all they came to a rich man, of whom the story went that he +turned a penny over seven times before he let it go. He was to take the +lad as a ploughboy, and there he was to serve three years without wages. +But when the three years were over the man was to go to the town two +mornings, and buy the first thing he met that was for sale, but the +third morning the lad was to go himself to the town, and buy the first +thing he met, and these three things he was to have instead of wages. + +"Well! the lad served his three years out, and behaved better than any +one would have believed. He was not the best ploughboy in the world, +sure enough; but then his master was not of the best sort either, for he +let him go the whole time with the same clothes he had when he came, so +that at last they were nothing else but patch on patch and mend on mend. +Now, when the man was to set off and buy he was up and away at cockcrow, +long before dawn. + +"'Dear wares must be seen by daylight,' he said; 'they are not to be +found on the road to town so early. Still, they may be dear enough, for +after all it's all risk and chance what I find.' + +"Well! the first person he found in the street was an old hag, and she +carried a basket with a cover. + +"'Good day, granny,' said the man. + +"'Good day to you, father,' said the old hag. + +"'What have you got in your basket?' asked the man. + +"'Do you mean business?' said the old hag. + +"'Yes, I do, for I was to buy the first thing I met.' + +"'Well, if you want to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag. + +"'But what does it cost?' asked the man. + +"Yes! she must have fourpence. + +"The man thought that no such very high price after all. He couldn't do +better, and lifted the lid, and it was a puppy that lay in the basket. + +"When the man came home from his trip to town the lad stood out in the +yard, and wondered what he should get for his wages for the first year. + +"'So soon home, master?' said the lad. + +"Yes, he was. + +"'What was it you bought?' he asked. + +"'What I bought,' said the man, 'was not worth much. I scarcely know if +I ought to show it; but I bought the first thing that was to be had, and +it was a puppy.' + +"'Now, thank you so much,' said the lad. 'I have always been so fond of +dogs.' + +"Next morning things went no better. The man was up at dawn again, and +he had not got well into the town before he saw the old hag with her +basket. + +"'Good day, granny,' he said. + +"'Good day to you, sir,' she said. + +"'What have you got in your basket to-day?' asked the man. + +"'If you wish to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag. + +"'What does it cost?' asked the man. + +"'Yes! she must have fourpence; she never had more than one price,' she +said. + +"So the man said he would take it; it would be hard to find anything +cheaper. When he lifted the lid this time there lay a kitten in it. + +"When he got home the lad stood out in the yard, waiting and wondering +what he should get for his wages the second year. + +"'Is that you, master?' he said. + +"Yes, there he was. + +"'What did you buy to-day now?' asked the lad. + +"'Oh! it was worse, and no better,' said the man; 'but it was just as we +bargained. I bought the first thing I met, and it was nothing else than +this kitten.' + +"'You could not have met anything better,' said the lad; 'I have been as +fond of cats all my life as of dogs.' + +"'Well,' thought the man, 'I did not get so badly out of that after all; +but there's another day to come, when he is to go to town himself.' + +"The third morning the lad set off, and just as he got into the town he +met the same old hag with her basket on her arm. + +"'Good morning, granny!' said the lad. + +"'Good morning to you, my son,' said the old hag. + +"'What have you got in your basket?' + +"'If you want to know you had better buy it,' said the old hag. + +"'Will you sell it then?' asked the lad. + +"Yes, she would; and fourpence was her price. + +"'That was cheap enough,' said the lad, 'and he would have it, for he +was to buy the first thing he met.' + +"'Now you may take it, basket and all,' said the old hag; 'but mind you +don't look inside it before you get home. Do you hear what I say?' + +"'Nay, nay, never fear, he wouldn't look inside it; was it likely?' But +for all that he walked and wondered what there could be inside the +basket, and whether he would or no he could not help just lifting the +lid and peeping in. In the twinkling of an eye out popped a little +lizard, and ran away so fast along the street that the air whistled +after it. There was nothing else in the basket. + +"'Nay! nay!' cried the lad, 'stop a bit, and don't run off so. You know +I have bought you.' + +"'Stick me in the tail--stick me in the tail!' bawled the lizard. + +"Well, the lad was not slow in running after it and sticking his knife +into its tail just as it was crawling into a hole in the wall, and that +very minute it was turned into a young man as fine and handsome as the +grandest prince, and a prince he was indeed. + +"'Now you have saved me,' said the prince, 'for that old hag with whom +you and your master have dealt is a witch, and me she has changed into a +lizard, and my brother and sister into a puppy and kitten.' + +"'A pretty story!' said the lad. + +"'Yes,' said the prince; 'and now she was on her way to cast us into the +fjord and kill us; but if any one came and wanted to buy us she must +sell us for fourpence each; that was settled, and that was all my father +could do. Now you must come home to him and get the meed for what you +have done.' + +"'I dare say,' said the lad, 'it's a long way off?' + +"'Oh,' said the prince, 'not so far after all. There it is yonder,' he +said, as he pointed to a great hill in the distance. + +"So they set off as fast as they could, but as was to be weened it was +farther off than it looked, and so they did not reach the hill till far +on in the night. + +"Then the prince began to knock and knock. + +"'WHO IS THAT,' said some one inside the hill, 'that knocks at my door, +and spoils my rest?' and that some one was so loud of speech that the +earth quaked. + +"'Oh! open the door, father, there's a dear,' said the prince. 'It is +your son who has come home again.' + +"Yes! he opened the door fast and well. + +"'I almost thought you lay at the bottom of the sea,' said the +grey-beard. 'But you are not alone, I see,' he said. + +"'This is the lad who saved me,' said the prince. 'I have asked him +hither that you may give him his meed.' + +"Yes, he would see to that, said the old fellow. + +"'But now you must step in,' he said; 'I am sure you have need of rest." + +"Yes! they went in and sat down, and the old man threw on the fire an +armful of dry fuel and one or two logs, so that the fire blazed up and +shone as clear as the day in every corner, and whichever way they looked +it was grander than grand. Anything like it the lad had never seen +before, and such meat and drink as the grey-beard set before them he had +never tasted either; and all the plates, and cups, and stoops, and +tankards were all of pure silver or real gold. + +"It was not easy to stop the lads. They ate and drank and were merry, +and afterwards they slept till far on next morning. But the lad was +scarcely awake before the grey-beard came with a morning draught in a +tumbler of gold. + +"So when he had huddled on his clothes and broken his fast, the old man +took him round with him and showed him everything that he might choose +something that he would like to have as his meed for saving his son. +There was much to see and to choose from you may fancy. + +"'Now what will you have?' said the king; 'you see there is plenty of +choice, you can have what you please.' + +"But the lad said, he would think it over and ask the prince. Yes! the +king was willing he should do that. + +"'Well!' said the prince, 'you have seen many grand things.' + +"'Yes, I have, as was likely,' said the lad; 'but tell me, what shall I +choose of all the wealth. Do tell me, for your father says I may choose +what I please.' + +"'Do not take anything of all you have seen,' said the prince; 'but he +has a little ring on his finger, that you must ask for.' + +"Yes! he did so, and begged for the little ring which he had on his +finger. + +"'Why! it is the dearest thing I have,' said the king; 'but, after all, +my son is just as dear and so you shall have it all the same. Do you +know now what it is good for?' + +"No! he knew nothing about it. + +"'When you have this ring on your finger,' said the king, 'you can have +anything you wish for." + +"So the lad thanked the king, and the king and the prince bade him God +speed home, and told him to be sure and take care of the ring. + +"So he had not gone far on his way before he thought he would prove what +the ring was worth, and so he wished himself a new suit of clothes, and +he had scarce wished for them before he had them on him. And now he was +as grand and bright as a new-struck penny. So he thought it would be +fine fun to play his father a trick. + +"'He was not so very nice all the time I was at home;' and so he wished +he was standing before his father's door, just as ragged as he was of +old, and in a second he stood at the door. + +"'Good day, father, and thank you for our last meal,' said the lad. + +"But when the father saw that he had come back still more ragged and +tattered than when he set out, he began to bellow and to bemoan himself. + +"'There's no helping you,' he said. 'You have not so much as earned +clothes to your back all the time you have been away.' + +"'Don't be in such a way, father,' said the lad, 'you ought never to +judge a man by his clothes; and now you shall be my spokesman, and go up +to the palace and woo the king's daughter for me.' That was what the lad +said. + +"'Oh, fie, fie,' said the father, 'this is only gibing and jeering.' + +"But the lad said it was the right down earnest, and so he took a birch +cudgel and drove his father up to the gate of the palace, and there he +came hobbling right up to the king with his eyes full of tears. + +"'Now, now!' said the king, 'what's the matter my man. If you have +suffered wrong, I will see you righted.' + +"No, it wasn't that, he said, but he had a son who had brought him great +sorrow, for he could never make a man of him, and now he must say he had +gone clean out of the little wit he had before, and then he went on,-- + +"'For now he has hunted me up to the palace gate with a big birch +cudgel, and forced me to ask for the king's daughter to wife.' + +"'Hold your tongue, my man,' said the king; 'and as for this son of +yours, go and ask him to come here indoors to me, and then we will see +what to make of him.' + +"So the lad ran in before the king till his rags fluttered behind him. + +"'Am I to have your daughter?' + +"'That was just what we were to talk about,' said the king; 'perhaps she +mayn't suit you, and perhaps you mayn't suit her either.' + +"'That was very likely!' said the lad. + +"Now you must know there had just come a big ship from over the sea, and +she could be seen from the palace windows. + +"'All the same!' said the King. 'If you are good to make a ship in an +hour or two like that lying yonder in the fjord and looking so brave, +you may perhaps have her.' That was what the king said. + +"'Nothing worse than that!' said the lad. + +"So he went down to the strand and sat down on a sandhill, and when he +had sat there long enough, he wished that a ship might be out on the +fjord fully furnished with masts, and sails and rigging, the very match +of that which lay there already. And as he wished for it there it lay, +and when the king saw there were two ships for one, he came down to the +strand to see the rights of it, and there he saw the lad standing out in +a boat with a brush in his hand as though he were painting out spots and +making blisters in the paint good--but as soon as he saw the king down +on the shore he threw away the brush and said,-- + +"'Now the ship is ready, may I have your daughter?' + +"'This is all very well,' said the king, 'but you try your hand at +another masterpiece first. If you can build a palace, a match to my +palace in one or two hours, we will see about it.' That was what the +king said. + +"'Nothing worse than that,' bawled out the lad and strode off. So when +he had sauntered about so long, that the time was nearly up, he wished +that a palace might stand there the very match of that which stood there +already. It was not long, I trow, before it stood there, and it was not +long either before the king came, both with queen and princess to look +about him in the new palace. There stood the lad again with his broom +and swept. + +"'Here's the palace right and ready,' he called out 'may I have her +now?' + +"'Very well, very well,' said the king, 'you may come in and we will +talk it over,' for he saw clearly the lad could do more than eat his +meat, and so he walked up and down, and thought and thought how he might +be rid of him. Yes! there they walked, the king first and foremost, and +after him the queen, and then the princess next before the lad. So as +they walked along, all at once the lad wished that he might become the +handsomest man in all the world, and so he was in a trice. When the +princess saw how handsome he had grown in no time, she gave the queen a +nudge, and the queen passed it on to the king, and when they had all +stared their full, they saw still more plainly, the lad was more than he +seemed to be when he first came in all tattered and torn. So they +settled it among them, that the princess should go daintily to work till +she had found out all about him. Yes! the princess made herself as sweet +and as soft as a whole firkin of butter, and coaxed and hoaxed the lad, +telling him she could not bear him out of her eyes, day or night. So +when the first evening was coming to an end, she said,-- + +"'As we are to have one another, you and I, you must keep nothing back +from me, dearest, and so you will tell me, I am sure, how you came to +make all these grand things.' + +"'Aye, aye,' then said the lad, 'all that you'll come to know in good +time. Only let us be man and wife; there's no good talking about it till +then.' That was what he said. + +"The next evening the princess was rather put out. She could see with +half an eye, she said, 'that he couldn't care very much for his +sweetheart, when he wouldn't tell her what she asked him. So it would be +with all the rest of his love-making, when he wouldn't meet her wishes +in such a little thing.' + +"Now the lad was quite cut to the heart, and that they might be friends +again he told her the whole story from beginning to end. She was not +slow in telling it to the king and queen, and so they laid their heads +together how they might get the ring from the lad, and when they had +done that they thought it would be no such hard thing to be rid of him. + +"At night the princess came with some sleeping-drops, and said, now she +would pour out a little philtre for her own true love, for she was sure +he did not care enough for her; that was what she said. Yes! he thought +no harm could come of it, and so he drained off the drink like a man, +and in a trice he fell so sound asleep, they might have pulled the house +down over his head without waking him. So the princess took the ring off +his finger and put it on her own, and wished the lad might lie on the +dung-heap outside in the street, just as tattered and beggarly as he was +when he came in, and in his place she wished for the handsomest prince +in the world. In the twinkling of an eye it all happened. As the night +wore on the lad woke up on the dunghill, and at first he thought it was +only a dream, but when he found the ring was gone he knew how it had all +happened, and then he got so bewildered that he set off and was just +going to jump into the lake and drown himself. + +"But just then he met the cat which his master had bought for him. + +"'Whither away?' asked the cat. + +"'To the lake to drown myself,' said the lad. + +"'Don't think of it,' said the cat; 'you shall get your ring back again, +never fear.' + +"'Oh, shall I, shall I?' said the lad. + +"By this time the cat was already off, and as she started she met a rat. + +"'Now I'll take and gobble you up,' said the cat. + +"'Oh! pray don't,' said the rat, 'and I'll get you the ring again.' + +"'If so, be quick about it,' said the cat, 'or----' + +"So after they had taken up their abode in the palace, the rat ran about +poking his nose into everything, trying to get into the prince and +princess's bedroom. At last he found a little hole and crept through it. +Then he heard how they lay awake talking, and the rat could tell that +the prince had the ring on his finger, for the princess said, 'Mind you +take great care of my ring, dear.' That was what she said; but what the +prince said was,-- + +"'Pooh, no one will come in hither after the ring through stone and +mortar; but, for all that, if you think it isn't safe on my finger, I +can just as well put it into my mouth.' + +"In a little while the prince turned over on his back, and tried to go to +sleep, and as he did so the ring was just slipping down into his throat, +and then he coughed it up, so that it shot out of his mouth and rolled +away over the floor--Pop!--up the rat snapped it and crept off with it +to the cat who sat outside watching at the rat-hole. + +"All this while the king had laid hands on the lad and put him into a +strong tower and doomed him to lose his life, for that he had made jeers +and gibes at him and his daughter, and there he was to stay till the day +of his death. Now, as the cat was hard at work prowling about trying to +steal into the tower with the ring to the lad, a great eagle came flying +and pounced down on her and caught her up in his claws and flew away +with her over the sea. But just in the nick of time came a falcon and +struck at the eagle, so that he let the cat fall into the sea; but when +the cat felt the cold water, she got so frightened she dropped the ring +and swam to shore. She had not shaken the water off her, and smoothed +her coat, before she met the dog which his master had bought for the +lad. + +"'Nay! nay!' said the cat, and purred and was in a sad way, 'what's to +be done now? the ring is gone and they will take the lad's life.' + +"'I'm sure I don't know,' said the dog, 'all I know is that something is +riving and rending my inside. It couldn't be worse, if I were going to +turn inside out.' + +"'Now you see what comes of over-eating yourself,' said the cat. + +"'I never eat more than I can carry,' said the dog; 'and this time I +have eaten nothing but a dead fish which lay floating up and down on the +ebb.' + +"'May be that fish had swallowed the ring,' said the cat. 'And now I +dare say you are going to pay for it too, for you know you can't digest +gold.' + +"'It may well be,' said the dog. 'It's much the same whether one loses +life first or last. Perhaps, the lad's life might then be saved.' + +"'Oh!' said the rat, for he was there too, 'don't say that. I don't want +much of a hole to creep into, and if the ring is there may I never tell +the truth, if I don't poke it out.' + +"Well! the rat crept down the dog's throat, and it was not long before +he came out again with the ring. Then the cat set off to the tower and +clambered up about it, till she found a hole into which she could put +her paw, and so she gave back his ring to the lad. + +"The lad no sooner got it on his finger than he wished the tower might +rend asunder, and at the same moment he stood in the doorway and scolded +both the king and queen and the princess as a pack of rogues. The king +was not slow in calling out his warriors, and bade them throw a ring +round the tower and seize the lad and settle him whether they took him +dead or alive. But the lad only wished that all the soldiers might stand +up to the armpits in the big moss up in the fjeld, and then they had +more than enough to get out again, all that were not left sticking +there. After that he began again where he left off with the king and his +folk, and when he had got his mouth to say all the bad of them that he +knew and willed, he wished they might be shut up all their days in the +tower into which they had thrown him. And when they were safe shut up +there, he took the land and realm as his own. Then the dog became a +prince and the cat a princess again, her he took and married, and the +last I heard of them, was, that they kept it up at the bridal both well +and long." + + + + +OUR PARISH CLERK. + + +"Once on a time there was a clerk in our parish, who was very sharp set +after all that was nice and good. All the parish said his brains were in +his belly, for though he was very fond of pretty girls and buxom wives, +still he liked good meat and drink even better. + +"'Aye, aye,' said our clerk; 'one can't live long on love and the south +wind.' That was his motto, and that was why he kept company most with +well-to-do-house-wives, with those who were new wedded, or with pretty +lasses who were sure to marry rich husbands, for there you were sure to +find titbits both of beauty and food. That was what our clerk thought. +It wasn't every one, indeed, who thought it so fine to have such a +cupboard lover, but yet there were some who looked on it as fine enough +for them, for, after all, a parish clerk stands a little higher than a +farmer. + +"Now it fell out there was a rich young lass who had married our clerk's +next-door neighbour. There he crept in and out, and soon got good +friends with the husband, and better friends still with his wife. When +the husband was at home all went well between them, but as soon as he +was away at the mill, or in the wood, or at floating timber, or at a +meeting, the goody sent word to the clerk, and then the two spent the +day in revelling and mirth. There was no one who found this out, before +the ploughboy got wind of it, and he thought he would just speak of it +to his master; but, somehow or other, he couldn't find a fitting time +till one day when they were together in the outfield gathering leaves +for litter. There they chatted this and that about lasses and wives, and +the master thought he had made a lucky hit in marrying such a rich and +pretty wife, and he said as much outright. + +"'Thank God, she is both good and clever.' + +"'Aye, aye,' said the lad; 'every man is welcome to believe what he +likes, but if you knew her as well as I do, you wouldn't say such words +at random. Pretty women are like wind in warm summer weather. + + 'And love is such that, willy, nilly, + It takes up with a clerk as well as a lily.' + +"'What's that you say?' said the man. + +"'I have long thought I would tell you that there's a black bull that +walks hoof to hoof and horn to horn with that milk-white cow in your +mead, master--that's what I wanted to say.' + +"'One can say much in a summer day,' said the man; 'but I can't +understand what this points to.' + +"'Is it so?' said the lad. 'Well, I have long thought of telling you +that our clerk is often and ever in our house with the mistress, and how +they lived as though there was a bridal every day, while we scarce get +so much as the leavings of their good cheer.' + + "'He who will ever taste and try, + Will burn his fingers in the pie,' + +said his master. 'I don't believe a word of what you say.' + +"'It's a strange ear that will never hear,' said the lad; 'but seeing is +believing, and if you will listen to me, I'm ready to wager ten dollars +that you shall soon have the proof in your own hands.' + +"'Done,' said the master; 'he would bet ten dollars; nay, for that +matter, he would bet horse and farm, and a hundred dollars into the +bargain.' + +"Well, that wager was to stand. 'But an old fox is hard to hunt,' said +the lad, and so his master must say and do all that his ploughboy +wished. When they got home he was to say they must set off for the river +and land timber, and his wife must put up some food for them in hot +haste; it was best to look out while the weather was fine, it might turn +to storm in a trice. Yes! That was what the husband said, and the food +was ready to the minute. The lad put the horses to the timber drags, and +off they went, but no farther than half a mile; there they put the +horses up at a farm, and turned in themselves. As the night came on they +went back, and when they got home, the door was locked fast. + +"'Now we have him,' said the lad; 'it's hard to keep off the field to +which one is wont.' + +"So they went by the back way from the garden, and so through a +trap-door in the cellar into the kitchen. Then they struck a light and +went into the parlour, and saw what they saw. Well! our clerk had eaten +so well that he lay snoring with his mouth open and his nose in the air; +as for the goody, she was not awake either. + +"'Now you see I was right; seeing is believing, master,' said the lad. + +"'May I never speak the truth again,' said the man, 'if I would have +believed ten men telling it.' + +"'Hush, be still,' said the lad, and took him out again. + +"'Man's law is not land's law,' said the lad; 'but even a bear can be +tamed if you know how to deal with him. Have you any lead, master? + +"Yes! He had, he was sure, more than seventy bullets in his pouch. Then +it was all right. They took a sauce-pan, and melted the lead on the +spot, and ran it down our clerk's throat. + +"'Every man has his own taste,' said the lad, 'and that's why all meat +is eaten,' as he heard the molten lead bubbling and frizzling in our +clerk's throat. + +"Then they went out by the way they got in, and began to knock and +thunder at the front door. The wife woke up and asked who was there. + +"'It is I, open the door, I say,' said the husband. + +"Then she gave our clerk a nudge in the ribs. 'It is the master; the +master is back,' she said. But no! he did not mind her, and never so +much as stirred. Then she put her knees to his side, and tumbled him on +to the floor, and jumped up and took him by the legs, and dragged him to +the heap of wood behind the stove, and there she hid him. Till she had +done that she had no time to open the door to her husband. + +"'Were you gone after christening water, that you were gone so long?' +asked the man. + +"'Oh!' she answered; 'I dozed off again to sleep, and I did not think it +could ever be you either.' + +"'Well!' said her husband; 'now you must bring out some food, for me and +the boy, we are a'most starved.' + +"'I've got no food ready,' said the goody. 'How can you think of such a +thing? I never thought you would be back either to-day or to-morrow. Why +you know you were to go to the river to land timber.' + +"'One can't hang a hungry man up on the wall like a clock,' said the +lad; 'and self-help is the best help; shall I bring in the food we +packed up, master.' + +"Yes; they did that, and they sat down to eat out of the knapsack; but +when they got up to put a log or two on the fire, there lay our clerk +among the pile of wood. + +"'Why who in the world is this?' asked the man. + +"'Oh! oh! It's only a beggar man who came here so late and begged for +house-room; he was quite content if he might only lie among the +firewood,' said the goody. + +"'A pretty beggar,' said the man; 'why he has got silver buckles to his +shoes, and silver buttons at his knees.' + +"'All are not beggars who are tattered and torn,' said the lad; 'but I'm +blessed if this isn't our parish clerk.' + +"'What was he doing here, mistress,' asked her husband, who all the +while kept on pulling and kicking at him. But our clerk never so much as +stirred or lifted a finger, There stood the goody fumbling and +stammering, and not knowing what to say. All she could do was to bite +her thumb. + +"'I see it in your face, what you have done, mistress,' said her +husband. 'But life is hard to lose, and, after all, he was our parish +clerk. If I did what was right, I should send off at once for the +sheriff.' + +"'Heaven help us,' said his wife; 'only get our clerk out of the way.' + +"'This is your matter, and not mine,' said the man. 'I never asked him +hither, nor sent for him; but if you can get any one to help you to get +rid of him, I won't stand in your way.' + +"Then she took the lad on one side, and said,-- + +"'I've laid up some woollen stuff for my husband, but I'll give it to +you for clothes, if you'll only get our clerk buried, so that he shall +never be seen or heard of again.' + +"'There's no saying what one can do till one tries. If we drive in the +frost, we shall find it slippery, to our cost. Have you ropes and cord, +master? if so, I'll see if I can't cure this.' + +"Well! he got our clerk fast in a slipknot, threw him on his back, +caught up his hat as well, and away he went. But he hadn't gone far +along the path in the meadow when he met some horses; so he caught one +of these, and tied and bound our clerk fast on his back. He put his hat, +too, on his head, and his hand down on his thigh, and there he sat +upright, and jogged up and down just as a man on horseback. + +"'One may kill trolls at any time of night,' said the lad, when he got +home; 'who can say when a man is 'fey.' But he will never rise up who is +safe buried under ground, and the cock that is slain crows never again.' + +"Now, whether all this were true or no, there was a way from the meadow +across the fields to a barn, and along it they had carted hay, and +dropped it as they went along; so the horse went that way, picking up +the hay as he went, and out in that barn were two men watching for +thieves who used to steal the hay, for it had been a bad year for +fodder. + +"'Here comes the thief,' they said, when they heard the horse's hoofs; +'now we shall catch him.' + +"'Who's there,' they called out, so that it rang against the hillside. +No! there was no answer, the horse paid little heed, and our clerk less. + +"'If you don't answer I'll send a bullet through your brains, you +horse-thief,' they both called out, and then off went the gun, at which +the horse gave such a sudden jump, that our clerk gave a bob, and fell +bump on the ground. + +"'I think,' said one of the watchers, as he jumped up to look, 'I think +you've shot him dead as mutton;' and then, when he saw who it was, 'Oh +Lord!' he said, 'if it ain't our parish clerk. You ought to have aimed +at his legs, and not killed him outright.' + +"'What's done is done, and can't be helped,' said the other. 'Least said +soonest mended. We must keep our ears close, and bury him for a little +while among the hay in the barn.' + +"Yes! They did that, and when it was over, they lay them down to rest. +In a little while came some one puffing and stamping, that the field +shook again. The two who lay among the hay nudged one another, for they +thought it was thieves again. Close to the barn was a stepping-stone, +and there the new-comer sat down with his load, and began to talk to +himself. He had been killing pigs at a farm a few days before, and +thought he had been paid too little for his work, too little pay and too +little board, and so he had set off and stolen the biggest porker. 'He +that swaps with a bear always comes worst off,' he said; 'and so it's +best to help one's self to what is right, and a little share is better +than a long law-suit. But, bitter death! If I haven't forgotten my +gloves; if they find them at the farm, they'll soon find out who has +inherited their porker.' And, as he said this, he bolted back after his +gloves. + +"The two who were in the barn lay and listened to all this. + +"'He who lays traps for others, comes into the trap himself,' said one. + +"'There's no sin in stealing from a thief,' said the other; 'and no one +is hanged, save those who can't steal right. It would be fine fun to get +rid of our clerk in an easy way, and get a fat pig instead. I think, old +chap, we had better make a swap.' + +"The other burst out laughing at this, and so they tumbled the pig out +of the sack and tossed in our clerk, head foremost, hat and all, and +tied up the mouth of the sack as tight as they could. + +"Just as they had done, back came the thief flying with his gloves, +snatched up the sack, and strode off home. There he cast the sack down +on the floor at his goody's feet. + +"'Here's what I call a porker, old lass,' he said. + +"'How grand!' said the goody. 'Nothing is all very fine to the eye, but +not to the mouth. One can't get on without meat, for meat is man's +strength. Thank Heaven we have now a bit of meat in the house, and shall +be able to live well awhile.' + +"'I took the biggest I could,' said the man, who sat down in his +armchair, and puffed and wiped the sweat off his brow. 'He had both +breeches and drawers, he was well covered, that he was.' By which he +meant the pig was well fed and fat. Then he went on, 'Have you any meat +in the house, old lass?' + +"'No,' she said; 'meat! where should I get meat?' + +"'Make up the fire then,' said the man; 'and sharpen your knife, and cut +off a wee bit, and fry it with salt, and let's have a pork chop.' + +"She did as he bade, and tore open the mouth of the sack, and was just +going to cut off a steak. + +"'What's all this?' she cried. 'He has got his trotters on,' when she +saw his shoes; 'and he's as black as a coal.' + +"'Don't you know,' said her husband; 'all cats are grey in the dark, and +all pigs black.' + +"'I dare say,' she said; 'but black or white is always bright, and a fog +is not like a bilberry. This pig has got breeches on.' + +"'Plague take him!' said the man. 'I know well enough he is covered with +fat all down his legs. Haven't I carried him till the sweat ran down my +face?' + +"'Nay, nay!' said the goody. 'He has silver buckles in his shoes, and +silver buttons at his knees. My! if it isn't our Parish Clerk!' she +screamed out. + +"'I tell you it was a fat pig I took,' said the man, as he jumped up to +see how things stood. 'Well! Well! Seeing is believing.' It was our +clerk, both with shoes and buckles; but, for all, he stuck to it, it was +the fattest pig he had put into the sack. + +"'But what's done can't be undone,' he said; 'the best servant is one's +own self; but, for all that, help is good, even if it comes out of the +porridge-pot; wake up our Mary, old girl.' + +"Now you must know Mary was their daughter, a ready and trusty lass; she +had the strength of a man too, and always had her wits about her. So she +was to take our clerk and bury him in an out-of-the-way dale, so that +nothing should ever be heard of him. If she did this, she was to have a +new suit of working clothes, which were meant for her mother. + +"Well! The lassie took our clerk round the body, tossed him on her back, +and strode off from the farm, not forgetting to take his hat. But when +she had gone a bit of the way, she heard a fiddle going, for there was a +dance at a farm near the road, and so she crept in and set our clerk +down upright behind the back-stairs. There he sat with his hat between +his hands, just as though he were begging an alms, and leaning against +the wall and a post. + +"After a while came a girl in a flurry. + +"'I wonder whoever this can be,' she said. 'The master of the house is +as grey as a goose, but this fellow is black as a raven. Halloa, you +sir, why are you sitting there, blocking up the way? One can scarce get +by.' + +"But our clerk said never a word. + +"'Are you poor? Do you beg for a penny for Heaven's sake? Ah! poor +fellow! Here's two pence for you,' and as she said this she tossed them +into his hat. Still our clerk said never a word. She waited a little, +for she thought he would say 'Thank you,' but our clerk did not so much +as nod his head. + +"'No, I never,' said the girl, when she went back into the ball-room. 'I +never did see the like of a beggar who sits out yonder by the staircase. +He isn't at all like a starling on a fence,' she went on; 'for he won't +answer, and he won't say "Thank you," and won't so much as lift a +finger, though I did give him two pence.' + +"'The least a beggar can do is to say "Thank you,"' cried a young +sheriff's clerk who was of the party. 'He must be a pretty fellow whom I +cannot get to speak, for I've made thieves and stiff-necked folk open +their mouths wide before this.' + +"As he said this he ran out to the stairs, and bawled out in our clerk's +ear, for he thought he was hard of hearing. + +"'What do you sit here for, you sir?' And then again, 'Are you poor? Do +you beg?' + +"No, our clerk said never a word. So he took out half-a-dollar, and +threw it into his hat, saying, 'There's something for you.' But our +clerk was still silent, and made no sign. So when he could get no thanks +out of him, the sheriff's officer gave him a blow under the ear, as hard +as he could, and down fell our clerk head over heels across the +staircase. And you may be sure the girl Mary was not slow in running to +the spot. + +"'Are you in a swoon, or are you dead, father,' she screeched out, and +then she went on screaming and bewailing herself. + +"'It's quite true,' she said; 'there's no peace for the poor after all, +but I never yet heard of any one laying themselves out to strike beggars +dead.' + +"'Hush! Hold your tongue,' said the sheriff's officer. 'Don't make a +fuss. Here you have ten dollars, keep your peace and take him away. I +only gave him a blow that made him swoon.' + +"Well! She was glad enough. 'Money brings money,' she thought; 'with +fair words and money, one can go far in a day, and one need never care +for food with a purse full of pence.' So she took our clerk on her back +again, and strode off to the nearest farm, and there she put him athwart +the brink of the well. When our Mary got home she said she had borne him +off to the wood, and buried him far far away in a side dale. + +"'Thank Heaven,' said the goody. 'Now we are well quit of him, you shall +have all I promised, and more besides. Be sure of that.' + +"So there lay our clerk, as though he were peering down into the well, +till at dawn of day the ploughboy came running up to draw water. + +"'Why are you lying there, and what are you gazing at? Out of the way. I +want some water,' said the lad. + +"No! He neither stirred hand or foot. Then the lad let drive at him, so +that it went _plump_, and there lay our clerk in the well. Then he must +have help to get him out, but there was no help for it till the hind +came with a boat-hook and dragged him out. + +"'Why! it's our Parish Clerk!' they all bawled out, and they all thought +he had eaten and drank so much at some feast, that he had fallen asleep +by the well-side. + +"But when the master of the house came and saw our clerk, and heard how +it had all happened, he said,-- + +"'Harm watches while men sleep; but man's scathe is the worst scathe. +When one pot strikes against another, both break. Take the saddle and +lay it on Blackie, and ride to fetch the sheriff, my lad, and then we +shall be out of harm's way, for our clerk's sake. Mishaps never come +single, but it's hard to drown on dry land.' That was what the master +said. + +"Yes! The lad rode off to the sheriff, and after a while the sheriff +came. But, as the saying is, more haste, worse speed, and work done in +haste will never last. So it took time before they got the doctor and +witnesses to come. Now you all know we owe a death to God; but then it +was made as plain as day that our clerk had been killed three times +before he tumbled into the well. First the ladle of lead had taken away +his breath, next he had a bullet through his forehead, and third and +last his neck was broken. Surely he was 'fey' when he set out to see the +goody. It is hard to tell how all this was found out at last; but +tongues will clack behind a man's back, and hard things are said of a +man when he's dead." + + + + +SILLY MEN AND CUNNING WIVES. + + +"Once on a time there were two Goodies, who quarrelled, as women often +will; and when they had nothing else to quarrel about, they fell to +fighting about their husbands, as to which was the silliest of them. The +longer they strove the worse they got, and at last they had almost come +to pulling caps about it, for, as every one knows, it is easier to begin +than to end, and it is a bad look out when wit is wanting. At last, one +of them said there was nothing she could not get her husband to believe, +if she only said it, for he was as easy as a Troll. Then the other said +there was nothing so silly that she could not get her husband to do, if +she only said it must be done, for he was such a fool, he could not tell +B from a bull's foot. + +"'Well! let us put it to the proof, which of us can fool them best, and +then we'll see which is the silliest.' That was what they said once, and +so it was settled. + +"Now when the first husband, Master Northgrange came home from the wood, +his goody said-- + +"'Heaven help us both! what is the matter! you are surely ill, if you +are not at death's door?' + +"'Nothing ails me but want of meat and drink,' said the man. + +"'Now, Heaven be my witness!' screamed out the wife, 'it gets worse and +worse. You look just like a corpse in face; you must go to bed! Dear! +dear! this never can last long!' And so she went on till she got her +husband to believe he was hard at death's door, and she put him to bed; +and then she made him fold his hands on his breast, and shut his eyes; +and so she stretched his limbs, and laid him out, and put him into a +coffin; but that he might not be smothered while he lay there, she had +some holes made in the sides, so that he could breathe and peep out. + +"The other goody, she took a pair of carding combs, and began to card +wool; but she had no wool on them. In came the man, and saw this +tomfoolery. + +"'There's no use,' he said, 'in a wheel without wool; but carding combs, +without wool, is work for a fool.' + +"'Without wool!' said the goody; 'I have wool, only you can't see it; +it's of the fine sort.' So, when she had carded it all, she took her +wheel, and fell a-spinning. + +"'Nay! nay! this is all labour lost!" said the man. 'There you sit, +wearing out your wheel, as it spins and hums, and all the while you've +nothing on it.' + +"'Nothing on it!' said the goody; 'the thread is so fine, it takes +better eyes than yours to see it, that's all.' + +"So, when her spinning was over, she set up her loom, and put the woof +in, and threw the shuttle, and wove cloth. Then she took it out of the +loom and pressed it and cut it out, and sewed a new suit of clothes for +her husband out of it, and when it was ready, she hung the suit up in +the linen closet. As for the man, he could see neither cloth nor +clothes; but as he had once for all got it into his head that it was too +fine for him to see, he went on saying, 'Aye, aye, I understand it all, +it is so fine because it is so fine.' + +"Well! in a day or two his goody said to him, + +"'To-day you must go to a funeral. Farmer Northgrange is dead, and they +bury him to-day, and so you had better put on your new clothes.' + +"'Yes, very true, he must go to the funeral;' and she helped him on with +his new suit, for it was so fine, he might tear it asunder if he put it +on alone. + +"So when he came up to the farm, where the funeral was to be, they had +all drank hard and long, and you may fancy their grief was not greater +when they saw him come in in his new suit. But when the train set off +for the churchyard, and the dead man peeped through the breathing holes, +he burst out into a loud fit of laughter. + +"'Nay! nay!' he said, 'I can't help laughing, though it is my funeral, +for if there isn't Olof Southgrange walking to my funeral stark naked!' + +"When the bearers heard that, they were not slow in taking the lid off +the coffin, and the other husband, he in the new suit, asked how it was +that he, over whom they had just drank his funeral ale, lay there in his +coffin and chatted and laughed, when it would be more seemly if he wept. + +"'Ah!' said the other; 'you know tears never yet dug up any one out of +his grave--that's why I laughed myself to life again.' + +"But the end of all their talk was that it came out that their goodies +had played them those tricks. So the husbands went home, and did the +wisest thing either of them had done for a long time; and if any one +wishes to know what it was, he had better go and ask the birch cudgel." + + + + +TAPER TOM. + + +"Once on a time there was a King, who had a daughter, and she was so +lovely, that her good looks were well known far and near; but she was so +sad and serious, she could never be got to laugh; and, besides, she was +so high and mighty, that she said 'No' to all who wooed her to wife, and +she would have none of them, were they ever so grand--lords and princes, +it was all the same. The king had long ago got tired of this, for he +thought she might just as well marry, she, too, like the rest of the +world. There was no good waiting; she was quite old enough, nor would +she be any richer, for she was to have half the kingdom, that came to +her as her mother's heir. + +"So he had it given out at the church door both quick and soon, that any +one who could get his daughter to laugh should have her and half the +kingdom. But if there were any one who tried and could not, he was to +have three red stripes cut out of his back, and salt rubbed in; and sure +it was that there were many sore backs in that kingdom, for lovers and +wooers came from north and south, and east and west, thinking it nothing +at all to make a king's daughter laugh; and brave fellows they were, +some of them, too; but for all their tricks and capers, there sat the +princess, just as sad and serious as she had been before. + +"Now, hard by the Palace lived a man who had three sons, and they too +had heard how the king had given it out that the man who could make the +princess laugh was to have her to wife and half the kingdom. + +"The eldest, he was for setting off first; so he strode off; and when he +came to the king's grange, he told the king he would be glad to try to +make the princess laugh. + +"'All very well, my man,' said the king; 'but it's sure to be no good, +for so many have been here and tried. My daughter is so sorrowful, it's +no use trying, and I don't at all wish that any one should come to +grief.' + +"But he thought there was use. It couldn't be such a very hard thing for +him to get a princess to laugh, for so many had laughed at him, both +gentle and simple, when he listed for a soldier, and learnt his drill +under Corporal Jack. So he went off to the courtyard, under the +princess's window, and began to go through his drill as Corporal Jack +had taught him. But it was no good, the princess was just as sad and +serious, and did not so much as smile at him once. So they took him, and +cut three broad red stripes out of his back, and sent him home again. + +"Well! he had hardly got home before his second brother wanted to set +off. He was a schoolmaster, and a wonderful figure of fun besides; he +was lop-sided, for he had one leg shorter than the other, and one moment +he was as little as a boy, and in another, when he stood on his long +leg, he was as tall and long as a Troll. Besides this, he was a powerful +preacher. + +"So when he came to the king's grange, and said he wished to make the +princess laugh, the king thought it might not be so unlikely after all. +'But Heaven help you!' he said, 'if you don't make her laugh. We are for +cutting the stripes broader and broader for every one that tries.' + +"Then the schoolmaster strode off to the courtyard, and put himself +before the princess's window, and read and preached like seven parsons, +and sang and chanted like seven clerks, as loud as all the parsons and +clerks in the country round. The king laughed loud at him, and was +forced to hold the posts in the gallery, and the princess was just going +to put a smile on her lips, but all at once she got as sad and serious +as ever; and so it fared no better with Paul the schoolmaster than with +Peter the soldier--for you must know one was called Peter and the other +Paul. So they took him and cut three red stripes out of his back, and +rubbed the salt well in, and then they sent him home again. + +"Then the youngest was all for setting out, and his name was Taper Tom; +but his brothers laughed and jeered at him, and showed him their sore +backs, and his father would not give him leave, for he said, how could +it be of any use to him, when he had no sense, for, wasn't it true that +he neither knew anything or could do anything? There he sat in the ingle +by the chimney corner, like a cat, and grubbed in the ashes and split +fir tapers. That was why they called him 'Taper Tom.' But Taper Tom +wouldn't give in, for he growled and grizzled so long, that they got +tired of his growling, and so, at last, he too got leave to go to the +king's grange, and try his luck. + +"When he got to the king's grange he did not say he wished to try to +make the princess laugh, but asked if he could get a place there. 'No,' +they had no place for him; but for all that Taper Tom wouldn't take an +answer; they must want some one, he said, to carry wood and water for +the kitchen-maid, in such a big grange as that--that was what he said; +and the king thought it might very well be, for he, too, got tired of +his worry, and the end was, Taper Tom got leave to stay there and carry +wood and water for the kitchen-maid. + +"So, one day, when he was going to fetch water from the beck, he set +eyes on a big fish, which lay under an old fir stump, where the water +had eaten into the bank, and he put his bucket so softly under the fish, +and caught it. But as he was going home to the grange he met an old +woman who led a golden goose by a string. + +"'Good day, godmother,' said Taper Tom; 'that's a pretty bird you have +got; and what fine feathers!--they dazzle one a long way off. If one +only had such feathers one might leave off splitting fir tapers.' + +"The goody was just as pleased with the fish Tom had in his bucket, and +said, if he would give her the fish, he might have the golden goose; and +it was such a goose, that when any one touched it, he stuck fast to it, +if Tom only said, 'Hang on, if you care to come with us.' + +"Yes! that swap Taper Tom was willing enough to make. + +"'A bird is as good as a fish, any day,' he said to himself; and if it's +such a bird as you say, I can use it as a fish-hook.' That was what he +said to the goody, and was so pleased with the goose. Now, he hadn't +gone far before he met another old woman, and as soon as she saw the +lovely gold goose she was all for running up to it and patting it; and +she spoke so prettily, and coaxed him so, and begged him give her leave +to stroke his lovely golden goose. + +"'With all my heart,' said Taper Tom; 'but, mind you don't pluck out any +of its feathers.' + +"Just as she stroked the goose, he said, + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us!' + +"The goody pulled and tore, but she was forced to hang on, whether she +would or no, and Taper Tom went before, as though he alone were with the +golden goose. So when he had gone a bit further, he met a man who had a +thorn in his side against the goody for a trick she had played him. So, +when he saw how hard she struggled and strove to get free, and how fast +she stuck, he thought he would be quite safe in giving her one for her +nob, to pay off the old grudge, and so he just gave her a kick with his +foot. + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us!' called out Tom, and then the +man had to limp along on one leg, whether he would or no, and when he +jibbed and jibed, and tried to break loose, it was still worse for him, +for he was all but falling flat on his back every step he took. + +"So they went on a good bit till they had about come to the king's +grange. There they met the king's smith, who was going to the smithy, +and had a great pair of tongs in his hand. Now you must know this smith +was a merry fellow, who was as full of tricks and pranks as an egg is +full of meat, and when he saw this string come hobbling and limping +along, he laughed so that he was almost bent in two, and then he bawled +out, 'Surely this is a new flock of geese the princess is going to have; +who can tell which is goose and which gander! Ah! I see, this must be +the gander that toddles in front. Goosey! goosey! goosey!' he called +out; and with that he coaxed them to him, and threw his hands about as +though he were scattering corn for the geese. + +"But the flock never stopped--on it went, and all that the goody and the +man did was to look daggers at the smith for making game of them. Then +the smith went on, + +"'It would be fine fun to see if I could hold the whole flock, so many +as they are;' for he was a stout strong fellow, and so he took hold, +with his big tongs, by the old man's coat tail, and the man all the +while bellowed and wriggled; but Taper Tom only said, + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us.' + +"So the smith had to go along too. He bent his back and stuck his heels +into the hill, and tried to get loose; but it was all no good, he stuck +fast, as though he had been screwed tight with his own anvil, and, +whether he would or no, he had to dance along with the rest. + +"So, when they came near to the king's grange, the mastiff ran out and +began to bay and bark as though they were wolves or beggars; and when +the princess looked out of the window to see what was the matter, and +set eyes on this strange pack, she laughed inwardly. But Taper Tom was +not content with that. + +"'Bide a bit,' he said, 'she'll soon have to open the door of her mouth +wider;' and as he said that he turned off with his band to the back of +the grange. + +"So, when they passed by the kitchen, the door stood open, and the cook +was just beating the porridge; but when she saw Taper Tom and his pack +she came running out at the door, with her brush in one hand, and a +wooden ladle full of smoking porridge in the other, and she laughed as +though her sides would split; and when she saw the smith there too, she +slapped her thigh and went off again in a loud peal. But when she had +laughed her laugh out, she too thought the golden goose so lovely she +must just stroke it. + +"'Taper Tom! Taper Tom!' she bawled out, and came running out with the +ladle of porridge in her fist, 'may I have leave to stroke that pretty +bird of yours?' + +"'Better let her stroke me,' said the smith. + +"'I daresay,' said Taper Tom. + +"But when the cook heard that she got angry. + +"'What is that you say!' she cried, and let fly at the smith with the +ladle. + +"'Hang on, if you care to come with us,' said Taper Tom. So she stuck +fast, she, too; and for all her kicks and plunges, and all her scolding +and screaming, and all her riving and striving, and all her rage, she +too had to limp along with them. + +"But when they came outside the window of the princess, there she stood, +waiting for them; and when she saw they had taken the cook too, with her +ladle and brush, she opened her mouth wide, and laughed loud, so that +the king had to hold her upright. So Taper Tom got the princess and half +the kingdom; and they had such a merry wedding, it was heard and talked +of far and wide." + + + + +THE TROLLS IN HEDALE WOOD. + + +"Up at a place in Vaage, in Gudbrandsdale, there lived once on a time in +the days of old a poor couple. They had many children, and two of the +sons who were about half grown up had to be always roaming about the +country begging. So it was that they were well known with all the +highways and by-ways, and they also knew the short cut into Hedale. + +"It happened once that they wanted to get thither, but at the same time +they heard that some falconers had built themselves a hut at Maela, and +so they wished to kill two birds with one stone, and see the birds, and +how they are taken, and so they took the cut across Longmoss. But you +must know it was far on towards autumn, and so the milkmaids had all +gone home from the shielings, and they could neither get shelter nor +food. Then they had to keep straight on for Hedale, but the path was a +mere track, and when night fell they lost it; and, worse still, they +could not find the falconers' hut either, and before they knew where +they were, they found themselves in the very depths of the forest. As +soon as they saw they could not get on, they began to break boughs, lit +a fire, and built themselves a bower of branches, for they had a +hand-axe with them; and, after that, they plucked heather and moss and +made themselves a bed. So a little while after they had lain down, they +heard something which sniffed and snuffed so with its nose; then the +boys pricked up their ears and listened sharp to hear whether it were +wild beasts or wood trolls, and just then something snuffed up the air +louder than ever, and said-- + +"'There's a smell of Christian blood here!' + +"At the same time they heard such a heavy foot-fall that the earth shook +under it, and then they knew well enough the trolls must be about. + +"'Heaven help us! what shall we do?' said the younger boy to his +brother. + +"'Oh! you must stand as you are under the fir, and be ready to take our +bags and run away when you see them coming; as for me, I will take the +hand-axe,' said the other. + +"All at once they saw the trolls coming at them like mad, and they were +so tall and stout, their heads were just as high as the fir-tops; but it +was a good thing they had only one eye between them all three, and that +they used turn and turn about. They had a hole in their foreheads into +which they put it, and turned and twisted it with their hands. The one +that went first, he must have it to see his way, and the others went +behind and took hold of the first. + +"'Take up the traps,' said the elder of the boys, 'but don't run away +too far, but see how things go; as they carry their eye so high aloft +they'll find it hard to see me when I get behind them.' + +"Yes! the brother ran before and the trolls after him, meanwhile the +elder got behind them and chopped the hindmost troll with his axe on the +ankle, so that the troll gave an awful shriek, and the foremost troll +got so afraid he was all of a shake and dropped the eye. But the boy was +not slow to snap it up. It was bigger than two quart pots put together, +and so clear and bright, that though it was pitch dark, everything was +as clear as day as soon as he looked through it. + +"When the trolls saw he had taken their eye and done one of them harm, +they began to threaten him with all the evil in the world if he didn't +give back the eye at once. + +"'I don't care a farthing for trolls and threats,' said the boy, 'now +I've got three eyes to myself and you three have got none, and besides +two of you have to carry the third.' + +"If we don't get our eye back this minute, you shall be both turned to +stocks and stones,' screeched the trolls. + +"But the boy thought things needn't go so fast; he was not afraid for +witchcraft or hard words. If they didn't leave him in peace he'd chop +them all three, so that they would have to creep and crawl along the +earth like cripples and crabs. + +"When the trolls heard that, they got still more afraid and began to use +soft words. They begged so prettily that he would give them their eye +back, and then he should have both gold and silver and all that he +wished to ask. Yes! that seemed all very fine to the lad, but he must +have the gold and silver first, and so he said, if one of them would go +home and fetch as much gold and silver as would fill his and his +brother's bags, and give them two good cross-bows beside, they might +have their eye, but he should keep it until they did what he said. + +"The trolls were very put out, and said none of them could go when he +hadn't his eye to see with, but all at once one of them began to bawl +out for their goody, for you must know they had a goody between them all +three as well as an eye. After a while an answer came from a knoll a +long way off to the north. So the trolls said she must come with two +steel cross-bows and two buckets full of gold and silver, and then it +was not long, you may fancy, before she was there. And when she heard +what had happened, she too began to threaten them with witchcraft. But +the trolls got so afraid, and begged her beware of the little wasp, for +she couldn't be sure he would not take away her eye too. So she threw +them the cross-bows and the buckets and the gold and the silver, and +strode off to the knoll with the trolls; and since that time no one has +ever heard that the trolls have walked in Hedale wood snuffing after +Christian blood." + + + + +THE SKIPPER AND OLD NICK. + + +"Once on a time there was a skipper who was so wonderfully lucky in +everything he undertook; there was no one who got such freights, and no +one who earned so much money, for it rolled in upon him on all sides, +and, in a word, there was no one who was good to make such voyages as +he, for whithersoever he sailed he took the wind with him;--nay! men did +say he had only to turn his hat and the wind turned the way he wished it +to blow. + +"So he sailed for many years, both in the timber trade and to China, and +he had gathered money together like grass. But it so happened that once +he was coming home across the North sea with every sail set, as though +he had stolen both ship and lading; but he who wanted to lay hold on him +went faster still. It was Old Nick, for with him he had made a bargain, +as one may well fancy, and that very day the time was up, and he might +look any moment that Old Nick would come and fetch him. + +"Well! the skipper came up on deck out of the cabin and looked at the +weather; then he called for the carpenter and some others of the crew, +and said they must go down into the hold and hew two holes in the ship's +bottom, and when they had done that they were to lift the pumps out of +their beds and drive them down tight into the holes they had made, so +that the sea might rise high up into the pumps. + +"The crew wondered at all this, and thought it a funny bit of work, but +they did as the skipper ordered; they hewed holes in the ship's bottom +and drove the pumps in so tight that never a drop of water could come to +the cargo, but up in the pump itself the North sea stood seven feet +high. + +"They had only just thrown the chips overboard after their piece of work +when Old Nick came on board in a gust of wind and caught the skipper by +the throat. + +"'Stop, father!' said the skipper, 'there's no need to be in such a +hurry,' and as he said that he began to defend himself and to loose the +claws which Old Nick had stuck into him by the help of a marling-spike. + +"'Haven't you made a bargain that you would always keep the ship dry and +tight?' asked the skipper. 'Yes! you're a pretty fellow; look down the +pumps, there's the water standing seven feet high in the pipe. Pump, +devil, pump! and pump the ship dry, and then you may take me and have me +as soon and as long as you choose.' + +"Old Nick was not so clever that he was not taken in; he pumped and +strove, and the sweat ran down his back like a brook, so that you might +have turned a mill at the end of his backbone, but he only pumped out of +the North sea and into the North sea again. At last he got tired of that +work, and when he could not pump a stroke more, he set off in a sad +temper home to his grandmother to take a rest. As for the skipper, he +let him stay a skipper as long as he chose, and if he isn't dead, he is +still perhaps sailing on his voyages whithersoever he will, and twisting +the wind as he chooses only by turning his hat." + + + + +GOODY GAINST-THE-STREAM. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who had a goody who was so cross-grained +that there was no living with her. As for her husband he could not get +on with her at all, for whatever he wished she set her face right +against it. + +"So it fell one Sunday in summer that the man and his wife went out into +the field to see how the crop looked; and when they came to a field of +rye on the other side of the river, the man said-- + +"'Ay! now it is ripe. To-morrow we must set to work and reap it.' + +"'Yes,' said his wife, 'to-morrow we can set to work and shear it.' + +"'What do you say,' said the man; 'shall we shear it? Mayn't we just as +well reap it?' + +"'No,' said the goody, 'It shall be shorn.' + +"'There is nothing so bad as a little knowledge,' said the man, 'but you +must have lost the little wit you had. When did you ever hear of +shearing a field?' + +"'I know little, and I care to know little, I dare say,' said the goody, +'but I know very well that this field shall be shorn and not reaped.' + +"That was what she said, and there was no help for it; it must and +should be shorn. + +"So they walked about and quarrelled and strove till they came to the +bridge across the river, just above a deep hole. + +"''Tis an old saying,' said the man, 'that good tools make good work, +but I fancy it will be a fine swathe that is shorn with a pair of +shears. Mayn't we just as well reap the field after all?' he asked. + +"'No! no! shear, shear,' bawled out the goody, who jumped about and +clipped like a pair of scissors under her husband's nose. In her +shrewishness she took such little heed that she tripped over a beam on +the bridge, and down she went _plump_ into the stream. + +"''Tis hard to wean any one from bad ways,' said the man, 'but it were +strange if I were not sometimes in the right, I too.' + +"Then he swam out into the hole and caught his wife by the hair of her +head, and so got her head above water. + +"'Shall we reap the field now?' were the first words he said. + +"'Shear! shear! shear!' screeched the goody. + +"'I'll teach you to shear,' said the man, as he ducked her under the +water; but it was no good, they must shear it, she said, as soon as ever +she came up again. + +"'I can't think anything else than that the goody is mad,' said the man +to himself. 'Many are mad and never know it; many have wit and never +show it; but all the same, I'll try her once more.' + +"But as soon as ever he ducked her under the water again, she held her +hands up out of the water and began to clip with her fingers like a pair +of shears. Then the man fell into a great rage and ducked her down both +well and long; but while he was about it, the goody's head fell down +below the water, and she got so heavy all at once, that he had to let +her go. + +"'No! no!' he said, 'you wish to drag me down with you into the hole, +but you may lie there by yourself.' + +"So the goody was left in the river. + +"But after a while the man thought it was ill she should lie there and +not get Christian burial, and so he went down the course of the stream +and hunted and searched for her, but for all his pains he could not find +her. Then he came with all his men and brought his neighbours with him, +and they all in a body began to drag the stream and to search for her +all along it. But for all their searching they found no goody. + +"'Oh!' said the man, 'I have it. All this is no good, we search in the +wrong place. This goody was a sort by herself; there was not such +another in the world while she was alive. She was so cross and contrary, +and I'll be bound it is just the same now she is dead. We had better +just go and hunt for her up stream, and drag for her above the force,[1] +maybe she has floated up thither.' + +[Footnote 1: Waterfall.] + +"And so it was. They went up stream and sought for her above the force, +and there lay the goody, sure enough! Yes! She was well called GOODY +GAINST-THE-STREAM." + + + + +HOW TO WIN A PRINCE. + + +"Once on a time there was a king's son who made love to a lass, but +after they had become great friends and were as good as betrothed, the +prince began to think little of her, and he got it into his head that +she wasn't clever enough for him, and so he wouldn't have her. + +"So he thought how he might be rid of her; and at last he said he would +take her to wife all the same, if she could come to him-- + + 'Not driving, + And not riding; + Not walking, + And not carried; + Not fasting, + And not full-fed; + Not naked, + And not clad; + Not in the daylight, + And not by night.' + +"For all that he fancied she could never do. + +"So she took three barleycorns and swallowed them, and then she was not +fasting, and yet not full-fed; and next she threw a net over her, and so +she was + + 'Not naked, + And yet not clad.' + +Next she got a ram and sat on him, so that her feet touched the ground; +and so she waddled along, and was + + 'Not driving, + And not riding; + Not walking, + And not carried.' + +And all this happened in the twilight, betwixt night and day. + +"So when she came to the guard at the palace, she begged that she might +have leave to speak with the prince; but they wouldn't open the gate, +she looked such a figure of fun. + +"But for all that the noise woke up the prince, and he went to the +window to see what it was. + +"So she waddled up to the window, and twisted off one of the ram's +horns, and took it and rapped with it against the window. + +"And so they had to let her in, and have her for their princess." + + + + +BOOTS AND THE BEASTS. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who had an only son, but he lived in +need and wretchedness, and when he lay on his death-bed, he told his son +he had nothing in the world but a sword, a bit of coarse linen, and a +few crusts of bread--that was all he had to leave him. Well! when the +man was dead, the lad made up his mind to go out into the world to try +his luck; so he girded the sword about him, and took the crusts and laid +them in the bit of linen for his travelling fare; for you must know they +lived far away up on a hillside in the wood, far from folk. Now the way +he went took him over a fell, and when he had got up so high that he +could look over the country, he set his eyes on a lion, a falcon, and an +ant, who stood there quarrelling over a dead horse. The lad was sore +afraid when he saw the lion, but he called out to him and said he must +come and settle the strife between them and share the horse, so that +each should get what he ought to have. + +"So the lad took his sword and shared the horse, as well as he could. To +the lion he gave the carcass and the greater portion; the falcon got +some of the entrails and other titbits; and the ant got the head. When +he had done, he said,-- + +"'Now I think it is fairly shared. The lion shall have most, because he +is biggest and strongest; the falcon shall have the best, because he is +nice and dainty; and the ant shall have the skull, because he loves to +creep about in holes and crannies.' + +"Yes! they were all well pleased with his sharing; and so they asked him +what he would like to have for sharing the horse so well. + +"'Oh,' he said, 'if I have done you a service, and you are pleased with +it, I am also pleased; but I won't be paid.' + +"'Yes; but he must have something,' they said. + +"'If you won't have anything else,' said the lion, 'you shall have three +wishes.' + +"But the lad knew not what to wish for; and so the lion asked him if he +wouldn't wish that he might be able to turn himself into a lion; and the +two others asked him if he wouldn't wish to be able to turn himself into +a falcon and an ant. Yes! all that seemed to him good and right; and so +he wished these three wishes. + +"Then he threw aside his sword and wallet, turned himself into a falcon, +and began to fly. So he flew on and on, till he came over a great lake; +but when he had almost flown across it he got so tired and sore on the +wing he couldn't fly any longer; and as he saw a steep rock that rose +out of the water, he perched on it and rested himself. He thought it a +wondrous strong rock, and walked about it for a while; but when he had +taken a good rest, he turned himself again into a little falcon, and +flew away till he came to the king's grange. There he perched on a tree, +just before the princess's windows. When she saw the falcon she set her +heart on catching it. So she lured it to her; and as soon as the falcon +came under the casement she was ready, and pop! she shut to the window, +and caught the bird and put him into a cage. + +"In the night the lad turned himself into an ant and crept out of the +cage; and then he turned himself into his own shape, and went up and sat +down by the princess's bed. Then she got so afraid that she fell to +screeching out and awoke the king, who came into her room and asked +whatever was the matter. + +"'Oh!' said the princess, 'there is some one here.' + +"But in a trice the lad became an ant, crept into the cage, and turned +himself into a falcon. The king could see nothing for her to be afraid +of; so he said to the princess it must have been the nightmare riding +her. But he was hardly out of the door before it was all the same story +over again. The lad crept out of the cage as an ant, and then became his +own self, and sat down by the bedside of the princess. + +"Then she screamed loud, and the king came again to see what was the +matter. + +"'There is some one here,' screamed the princess. But the lad crept into +the cage again, and sat perched up there like a falcon. The king looked +and hunted high and low; and when he could see nothing he got cross that +his rest was broken, and said it was all a trick of the princess. + +"'If you scream like that again,' he said, 'you shall soon know that +your father is the king.' + +"But for all that, the king's back was scarcely turned before the lad +was by the princess's side again. This time she did not scream, although +she was so afraid she did not know which way to turn. + +"So the lad asked why she was so afraid. + +"Didn't he know? She was promised to a hill-ogre, and the very first +time she came under bare sky he was to come and take her; and so when +the lad came she thought it was the hill-ogre. And, besides, every +Thursday morning came a messenger from the hill-ogre, and that was a +dragon, to whom the king had to give nine fat pigs every time he came; +and that was why he had given it out that the man who could free him +from the dragon should have the princess and half the kingdom. + +"The lad said he would soon do that; and as soon as it was daybreak the +princess went to the king and said there was a man in there who would +free him from the dragon and the tax of pigs. As soon as the king heard +that, he was very glad, for the dragon had eaten up so many pigs, there +would soon have been no more left in the whole kingdom. It happened that +day was just a Thursday morning, and so the lad strode off to the spot +where the dragon used to come to eat the pigs, and the shoeblack in the +king's grange showed him the way. + +"Yes! the dragon came; and he had nine heads, and he was so wild and +wroth that fire and flame flared out of his nostrils when he did not see +his feast of pigs; and he flew upon the lad as though he would gobble +him up alive. But, pop! he turned himself into a lion and fought with +the dragon, and tore one head off him after another. The dragon was +strong, that he was; and he spat fire and venom. But as the fight went +on he hadn't more than one head left, though that was the toughest. At +last the lad got that torn off, too; and then it was all over with the +dragon. + +"So he went to the king, and there was great joy all over the palace; +and the lad was to have the princess. But once on a time, as they were +walking in the garden, the hill-ogre came flying at them himself, and +caught up the princess and bore her off through the air. + +"As for the lad, he was for going after her at once; but the king said +he mustn't do that, for he had no one else to lean on now he had lost +his daughter. But for all that, neither prayers nor preaching were any +good: the lad turned himself into a falcon and flew off. But when he +could not see them anywhere, he called to mind that wonderful rock in +the lake, where he had rested the first time he ever flew. So he settled +there, and after he had done that he turned himself into an ant, and +crept down through a crack in the rock. So when he had crept about +awhile, he came to a door which was locked. But he knew a way how to get +in, for he crept through the key-hole, and what do you think he saw +there? Why, a strange princess, combing a hill-ogre's hair that had +three heads. + +"'I have come all right,' said the lad to himself; for he had heard how +the king had lost two daughters before, whom the trolls had taken. + +"'Maybe, I shall find the second also,' he said to himself, as he crept +through the key-hole of a second door. There sat a strange princess +combing a hill-ogre's hair who had six heads. So he crept through a +third key-hole still, and there sat the youngest princess, combing a +hill-ogre's hair with nine heads. Then he crept up her leg and stung +her, and so she knew it was the lad who wished to talk to her; and then +she begged leave of the hill-ogre to go out. + +"When she came out the lad was himself again, and so he told her she +must ask the hill-ogre whether she would never get away and go home to +her father. Then he turned himself into an ant and sat on her foot, and +so the princess went into the house again, and fell to combing the +hill-ogre's hair. + +"So when she had done this awhile, she fell a-thinking. + +"'You're forgetting to comb me,' said the hill-ogre. 'What is it you're +thinking of?' + +"'Oh, I am doubting whether I shall ever get away from this place, and +home to my father's grange,' said the princess. + +"'Nay! nay! that you'll never do!' said the hill-ogre; 'not unless you +can find the grain of sand which lies under the ninth tongue of the +ninth head of the dragon to which your father paid tax; but that no one +will ever find, for if that grain of sand came over the rock all the +hill-ogres would burst, and the rock itself would become a gilded +palace, and the lake green meadows.' + +"As soon as the lad heard that he crept out through the keyholes, and +through the crack in the rock, till he got outside. Then he turned +himself into a falcon, and flew whither the dragon lay. Then he hunted +till he found the grain of sand under the ninth tongue of the ninth +head, and flew off with it; but when he came to the lake he got so +tired, so tired, that he had to sink down and perch on a stone by the +strand. And just as he sat there he dozed and nodded for the twinkling +of an eye; and, meantime, the grain of sand fell out of his bill down +among the sand on the shore. So he searched for it three days before he +found it again. But as soon as he had found it he flew straight off to +the steep rock with it, and dropped it down the crack. Then all the +hill-ogres burst, and the rock was rent, and there stood a gilded +castle, which was the grandest castle in all the world; and the lake +became the loveliest fields and the greenest meads any one ever saw. + +"So they travelled back to the king's grange, and there arose, as you +may fancy, joy and gladness. The lad and the youngest princess were to +have one another; and they kept up the bridal feast over the whole +kingdom for seven full weeks. And if they did not fare well, I only hope +you may fare better still." + + + + +THE SWEETHEART IN THE WOOD. + + +"Once on a time there was a man who had a daughter, and she was so +pretty her name was spread over many kingdoms, and lovers came to her as +thick as autumn leaves. One of these made out that he was richer than +all the rest; and grand and handsome he was too; so he was to have her, +and after that he came over and over again to see her. + +"As time went on, he said he should like her to come to his house and +see how he lived; he was sorry he could not fetch her and go with her, +but the day she came he would strew peas all along the path right up to +his house door; but somehow or other it fell out that he strewed the +peas a day too early. + +"She set out and walked a long way, through wood and waste, and at last +she came to a big grand house, which stood in a green field in the midst +of the wood; but her lover was not at home, nor was there a soul in the +house either. First, she went into the kitchen, and there she saw +nothing but a strange bird which hung in a cage from the roof. Next she +went into the parlour, and there everything was so fine it was beyond +belief. But as she went into it, the bird called after her,-- + +"'Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.' + +"When she passed on into an inner room, the bird called out the same +words. There she saw ever so many chests of drawers, and when she pulled +open the drawers, they were filled with gold and silver, and everything +that was rich and rare. When she went on into a second room the bird +called out again,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold.' + +"In that room the walls were all hung round with women's dresses, till +the room was crammed full. She went on into a third room, and then the +bird screamed out,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.' + +"And what do you think she saw there? Why! ever so many pails full of +blood. + +"So she passed on to a fourth room, and then the bird screamed and +screeched after her,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold.' + +"'That room was full of heaps of dead bodies, and skeletons of slain +women, and the girl got so afraid that she was going to run away out of +the house, but she had only got as far as the next room, where the pails +of blood stood, when the bird called out to her,-- + +"'Pretty maiden! Pretty maiden! Jump under the bed, jump under the bed, +for now he's coming.' + +"She was not slow to give heed to the bird, and to hide under the bed. +She crept as far back close to the wall as she could, for she was so +afraid she would have crept into the wall itself, had she been able! + +"So in came her lover with another girl; and she begged so prettily and +so hard he would only spare her life, and then she would never say a +word against him, but it was all no good. He tore off all her clothes +and jewels, down to a ring which she had on her finger. That he pulled +and tore at, but when he couldn't get it off he hacked off her finger, +and it rolled away under the bed to the girl who lay there, and she took +it up and kept it. Her sweetheart told a little boy who was with him, to +creep under the bed and bring out the finger. Yes! he bent down and +crept under, and saw the girl lying there; but she squeezed his hand +hard, and then he saw what she meant. + +"'It lies so far under, I can't reach it,' he cried. 'Let it bide there +till to-morrow, and then I'll fetch it out.' + +"Early next morning the robber went out, and the boy was left behind to +mind the house, and he then went to meet the girl to whom his master was +betrothed, and who had come, as you know, by mistake the day before. But +before he went, the robber told him to be sure not to let her go into +the two farthermost bed-rooms. + +"So when he was well off in the wood, the boy went and said she might +come out now. + +"'You were lucky, that you were,' he said, 'in coming so soon, else he +would have killed you like all the others.' + +"She did not stay there long, you may fancy, but hurried back home as +quick as ever she could, and when her father asked her why she had come +so soon, she told him what sort of a man her sweetheart was, and all +that she had heard and seen. + +"A short time after her lover came passing by that way, and he looked so +grand that his raiment shone again, and he came to ask, he said, why she +had never paid him that visit as she had promised. + +"'Oh!' said her father; 'there came a man in the way with a sledge and +scattered the peas, and she couldn't find her way; but now you must just +put up with our poor house, and stay the night, for you must know we +have guests coming, and it will be just a betrothal feast.' + +"So when they had all eaten and drunk, and still sat round the table, +the daughter of the house said she had dreamt such a strange dream a few +nights before. If they cared to hear it she would tell it them, but they +must all promise to sit quite still till she came to the end. + +"Yes! They were all ready to hear, and they all promised to sit still, +and her sweetheart as well. + +"'I dreamt I was walking along a broad path, and it was strewn with +peas.' + +"'Yes! Yes!' said her sweetheart; 'just as it will be when you go to my +house, my love.' + +"'Then the path got narrower and narrower, and it went far, far away +through wood and waste.' + +"'Just like the way to my house, my love,' said her sweetheart. + +"'And so I came to a green field, in which stood a big grand house.' + +"'Just like my house, my love,' said her sweetheart. + +"'So I went into the kitchen, but I saw no living soul, and from the +roof hung a strange bird in a cage, and as I passed on into the parlour, +it called after me, "Pretty maiden, be bold, but not too bold."' + +"'Just like my house that too, my love!' said her sweetheart. + +"'So I passed on into a bedroom, and the bird bawled after me the same +words, and in there were so many chests of drawers, and when I pulled +the drawers out and looked into them, they were filled with gold and +silver stuffs, and everything that was grand.' + +"'That is just like it is at my house, my love,' said her sweetheart. +'I, too, have many drawers full of gold and silver, and costly things.' + +"'So I went on into another bedroom, and the bird screeched out to me +the very same words; and that room was all hung round on the walls with +fine dresses of women.' + +"'Yes, that too, is just as it is in my house,' he said; 'there are +dresses and finery there both of silk and satin.' + +"'Well! when I passed on to the next bedroom, the bird began to screech +and scream--pretty maiden, pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold; and +in this room were casks and pails all round the walls, and they were +full of blood.' + +"'Fie,' said her sweetheart, 'how nasty. It isn't at all like that in my +house, my love,' for now he began to grow uneasy and wished to be off. + +"'Why!' said the daughter, 'it's only a dream, you know, that I am +telling. Sit still. The least you can do is to hear my dream out.' Then +she went on, + +"'When I went on into the next bedroom the bird began to scream out as +loudly as before, the same words--pretty maiden, pretty maiden! be bold, +but not too bold. And there lay many dead bodies and skeletons of slain +folk.' + +"'No! no,' said her sweetheart, 'there's nothing like that in my house,' +and again he tried to run out. + +"'Sit still, I say,' she said, 'it is nothing else than a dream, and you +may very well hear it out. I, too, thought it dreadful, and ran back +again, but I had not got farther than the next room where all those +pails of blood stood, when the bird screeched out that I must jump under +the bed and hide, for now _He_ was coming; and so he came, and with him +he had a girl who was so lovely I thought I had never seen her like +before. She prayed and begged so prettily that he would spare her life. +But he did not care a pin for all her tears and prayers; he tore off her +clothes, and took all she had, and he neither spared her life nor aught +else; but on her left hand she had a ring, which he could not tear off, +so he hacked off her finger, and it rolled away under the bed to me.' + +"'Indeed! my love,' said her sweetheart, 'there's nothing like that in +my house.' + +"'Yes, it was in your house,' she said, 'and here is the finger and the +ring, and you are the man who hacked it off.' + +"So they laid hands on him, and put him to death, and burnt both his +body and his house in the wood." + + + + +HOW THEY GOT HAIRLOCK HOME. + + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had three sons. The first was +called Peter, the second Paul, and the third Osborn Boots. One single +nanny-goat she had who was called Hairlock and she never would come home +in time for tea. + +"Peter and Paul both went out to get her home, but they found no +nanny-goat, so Boots had to set off, and when he had walked a while he +saw Hairlock high, high upon a crag. + +"'Dear Hairlock, pretty Hairlock,' he cried, 'you can't stand any longer +on yon crag, for you must come home in good time for tea, to-day.' + +"'No, no, that I shan't,' said Hairlock, 'I won't wet my socks for any +one, and if you want me you must carry me.' + +"But Osborn Boots would not do that, so he went and told his mother. + +"'Well!' said his mother, 'go to the fox and beg him to bite Hairlock.' + +"So the lad went to the fox. + +"'My dear fox, bite Hairlock, for Hairlock won't come home in good time +for tea to-day.' + +"'No,' said the fox, 'I won't blunt my snout on pig's bristles and +goat's beards.' + +"So the lad went and told his mother. + +"'Well, then!' she said, 'go to Graylegs, the wolf.' + +"So the lad said to Graylegs,-- + +"'Dear Graylegs! do, Graylegs, tear the fox, for the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time for tea to-day.' + +"'No,' said Graylegs, 'I won't wear out my paws and teeth on a dry fox's +carcass.' + +"So the lad went and told his mother. + +"'Well then, go to the bear,' said his mother, 'and beg him to slay +Graylegs.' + +"So the lad said to the bear,-- + +"'My dear bear, do, bear, slay Graylegs, for Graylegs won't tear the +fox, and the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in +good time for tea to-day.' + +"'No, I won't,' said the bear, 'I won't blunt my claws in that work, +that I won't.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the Finn and beg him shoot the bear.' + +"So the lad said to the Finn,-- + +"'Dear Finn! do, Finn, shoot the bear, the bear won't slay Graylegs, +Graylegs won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock +won't come home in good time for tea to-day.' + +"'No! that I won't,' said the Finn, 'I'm not going to shoot away my +bullets for that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the fir, and beg him fall on the Finn.' + +"So the lad said to the fir,-- + +"'My dear fir! fir, do fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, +the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! that I won't,' said the fir, 'I'm not going to break off my boughs +for that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' said she, 'go to the fire and beg it to burn the fir.' + +"So the lad said to the fire, 'My dear fire! do, fire, burn the fir, the +fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear +won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! that I won't,' said the fire, 'I'm not going to burn myself out +for that, that I won't.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the water and beg it to quench the fire.' + +"So the lad said to the water,-- + +"'My dear water! do, water, quench the fire, the fire won't burn the +fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the +bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"No, I won't,' said the water, 'I'm not going to run to waste for that, +be sure.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the ox, and beg him to drink up the +water.' + +"So the lad said to the ox,-- + +"'My dear ox! do, ox, drink up the water, for the water won't quench the +fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the +Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't +tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home +in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! I won't,' said the ox, 'I'm not going to burst asunder in doing +that, I trow.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' said she, 'you must go to the yoke, and beg him to pinch +the ox.' + +"So the lad said to the yoke,-- + +"'My dear yoke! yoke, do pinch the ox, for the ox won't drink up the +water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the +fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear +won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite +Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No, that I won't,' said the yoke, 'I'm not going to break myself in +two in doing that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the axe, and beg him to chop the +yoke.' + +"So the lad said to the axe,-- + +"'My dear axe, do, axe, chop the yoke, for the yoke won't pinch the ox, +the ox won't drink up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the +fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't +shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the +fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good +time to tea to-day.' + +"'No, that I won't,' said the axe, 'I'm not going to spoil my edge for +that, that I won't.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the smith, and beg him to hammer the +axe.' + +"So the lad said to the smith,-- + +"'My dear smith! do, smith, hammer the axe, for the axe won't chop the +yoke, the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink up the water, the +water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't +fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the +wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and +Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No, I won't,' said the smith, 'I'm not going to burn up my coal, and +wear out my sledge hammer for that,' he said. + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the rope, and beg it to hang the +smith.' + +"So the lad said to the rope,-- + +"'My dear rope! do, rope, hang the smith, for the smith won't hammer the +axe, the axe won't chop the yoke, the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox +won't drink up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire +won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot +the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the +fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to +tea to-day.' + +"'No!' said the rope, 'that I won't, I'm not going to fray myself out +for that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then!' she said, 'you must go to the mouse, and beg him to gnaw +the rope.' + +"So the lad said to the mouse,-- + +"'My dear mouse! do, mouse, gnaw the rope, for the rope won't hang the +smith, the smith won't hammer the axe, the axe won't chop the yoke, the +yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink up the water, the water +won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall +on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the +wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and +Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'No! I won't,' said the mouse, 'I'm not going to wear down my teeth for +that.' + +"So the lad told his mother. + +"'Well then,' she said, 'you must go to the cat, and beg her to catch +the mouse.' + +"So the lad said to the cat,-- + +"'My dear cat! do, cat, catch the mouse, for the mouse won't gnaw the +rope, the rope won't hang the smith, the smith won't hammer the axe, the +axe won't chop the yoke the yoke won't pinch the ox, the ox won't drink +up the water, the water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the +fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the +bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't +bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.' + +"'Well!' said the cat, 'just give me a drop of milk for my kittens and +then----' that's what the cat said, and the lad said, 'yes, she should +have it.' + +"So the cat bit mouse, and mouse gnawed rope, and rope hanged smith, and +smith hammered axe, and axe chopped yoke, and yoke pinched ox, and ox +drank water, and water quenched fire, and fire burnt fir, and fir felled +Finn, and Finn shot bear, and bear slew graylegs, and graylegs tore fox, +and fox bit Hairlock, so that she sprang home and knocked off one of her +hind legs against the barn wall. + +"So there lay the nanny-goat, and if she's not dead she limps about on +three legs. + +"But as for Osborn Boots, he said it served her just right, because she +would not come home in good time for tea that very day." + + + + +OSBORN BOOTS AND MR. GLIBTONGUE. + + +"Once on a time there was a king who had many hundred sheep, and many +hundred goats and kine; and many hundred horses he had too, and silver +and gold in great heaps. But for all that he was so given to grief, that +he seldom or ever saw folk, and much less say a word to them. Such he +had been ever since his youngest daughter was lost, and if he had never +lost her it would still have been bad enough, for there was a troll who +was for ever making such waste and worry there that folk could hardly +pass to the king's grange in peace. Now the troll let all the horses +loose, and they trampled down mead and corn-field, and ate up the crops; +now he tore the heads off the king's ducks and geese; sometimes he +killed the king's kine in the byre, sometimes he drove the king's sheep +and goats down the rocks and broke their necks, and every time they went +to fish in the mill-dam he had hunted all the fish to land and left them +lying there dead. + +"Well! there was a couple of old folk who had three sons, the first was +called Peter, the second Paul, and the third Osborn Boots, for he always +lay and grubbed about in the ashes. + +"They were hopeful youths, but Peter, who was the eldest, was said to be +the hopefullest, and so he asked his father if he might have leave to go +out into the world and try his luck. + +"'Yes! you shall have it,' said the old fellow. 'Better late than never, +my boy.' + +"So he got brandy in a flask, and food in his wallet, and then he threw +his fare on his back and toddled down the hill. And when he had walked a +while, he fell upon an old wife who lay by the road side. + +"'Ah! my dear boy, give me a morsel of food to-day,' said the old wife. + +"But Peter hardly so much as looked on one side, and then he held his +head straight and went on his way. + +"'Ay, ay,' said the old wife, 'go along, and you shall see what you +shall see.' + +"So Peter went far and farther than far, till he came at last to the +king's grange. There stood the king in the gallery, feeding the cocks +and hens. + +"'Good evening and God bless your majesty," said Peter. + +"'Chick-a-biddy! chick-a-biddy!' said the king, and scattered corn both +east and west, and took no heed of Peter. + +"'Well!' said Peter to himself, 'you may just stand there and scatter +corn and cackle chicken-tongue till you turn into a bear,' and so he +went into the kitchen and sat down on the bench as though he were a +great man. + +"'What sort of a stripling are you,' said the cook, for Peter had not +yet got his beard. That he thought jibes and mocking, and so he fell to +beating and banging the kitchen-maid. But while he was hard at it, in +came the king, and made them cut three red stripes out of his back, and +then they rubbed salt into the wound, and sent him home again the same +way he came. + +"Now as soon as Peter was well home, Paul must set off in his turn. +Well! well! he too got brandy in his flask and food in his wallet, and +he threw his fare over his back and toddled down the hill. When he had +got on his way he, too, met the old wife, who begged for food, but he +strode past her and made no answer; and at the king's grange he did not +fare a pin better than Peter. The king called 'chick-a-biddy,' and the +kitchen-maid called him a clumsy boy, and when he was going to bang and +beat her for that, in came the king with a butcher's knife, and cut +three red stripes out of him, and rubbed hot embers in, and sent him +home again with a sore back. + +"Then Boots crept out the cinders, and fell to shaking himself. The +first day he shook all the ashes off him, the second he washed and +combed himself, and the third he dressed himself in his Sunday best. + +"'Nay! nay! just look at him,' said Peter. 'Now we have got a new sun +shining here. I'll be bound you are off to the king's grange to win his +daughter and half the kingdom. Far better bide in the dusthole and lie +in the ashes, that you had.' + +"But Boots was deaf in that ear, and he went in to his father and asked +leave to go out a little into the world. + +"'What are you to do out in the world?' said the grey-beard. 'It did not +fare so well either with Peter or Paul, and what do you think will +become of you?' + +"But Boots would not give way, and so at last he had leave to go. + +"His brothers were not for letting him have a morsel of food with him, +but his mother gave him a cheese rind and a bone with very little meat +on it, and with them he toddled away from the cottage. As he went he +took his time. 'You'll be there soon enough,' he said to himself. 'You +have all the day before you, and afterwards the moon will rise, if you +have any luck.' So he put his best foot foremost, and puffed up the +hills, and all the while looked about him on the road. + +"After a long, long way he met the old wife, who lay by the road side. + +"'The poor old cripple,' said Boots, 'I'll be bound you are starving.' + +"'Yes! she was,' said the old wife. + +"'Are you? then I'll go shares with you,' said Osborn Boots, and as he +said that he gave her the rind of cheese. + +"'You're freezing too,' he said, as he saw how her teeth chattered. 'You +must take this old jacket of mine. It's not good in the arms, and thin +in the back, but once on a time, when it was new, it was a good wrap.' + +"'Bide a bit,' said the old wife, as she fumbled down in her big pocket, +'Here you have an old key, I have nothing better or worse to give you, +but when you look through the ring at the top, you can see whatever you +choose to see.' + +"So when he got to the king's grange the cook was hard at work drawing +water, and that was great toil to her. + +"'It's too heavy for you,' said Boots, 'but it's just what I am fit to +do.' + +"The one that was glad then, you may fancy, was the kitchen-maid, and +from that day she always let Boots scrape the porridge-pot; but it was +not long before he got so many enemies by that, that they told lies of +him to the king, and said he had told them he was man enough to do this +and that. + +"So one day the king came and asked Boots if it were true that he was +man enough to keep the fish in the mill-dam, so that the troll could not +harm them, 'for that's what they tell me you have said,' spoke the king. + +"'I have not said so,' said Boots, 'but if I had said it I would have +been as good as my word.' + +"Well, however it was, whether he had said it or not, he must try, if he +wished to keep a whole skin on his back; that was what the king said. + +"'Well, if he must he must,' said Boots, for he said he had no need to +go about with red stripes under his jacket. + +"In the evening Boots peeped through his key ring, and then he saw that +the troll was afraid of thyme. So he fell to plucking all the thyme he +could find, and some of it he strewed in the water, and some on land, +and the rest he spread over the brink of the dam. + +"So the troll had to leave the fish in peace, but now the sheep had to +pay for it, for the troll was chasing them over all the cliffs and crags +the whole night. + +"Then one of the other servants came and said again that Boots knew a +cure for the stock as well, if he only chose, for that he had said he +was man enough to do it, was the very truth. + +"Well! the king went out to him and spoke to him as he had spoken the +first time, and threatened that he would cut three broad stripes out of +his back if he did not do what he had said. + +"So there was no help for it. Boots thought, I dare say it would be very +fine to go about in the king's livery and a red jacket, but he thought +he would rather be without it, if he himself had to find the cloth for +it out of the skin of his back. That was what he thought and said. + +"So he betook himself to his thyme again, but there was no end to his +work, for as soon as he bound thyme on the sheep they ate it off one +another's backs, and as he went on binding they went on eating, and they +ate faster than he could bind. But at last he made an ointment of thyme +and tar, and rubbed it well into them, and then they left off eating it. +Then the kine and the horses got the same ointment, and so they had +peace from the troll. + +"But one day when the king was out hunting he trod upon wild grass and +got bewildered, and lost his way in the wood; so he rode round and round +for many days, and had nothing either to eat or drink, and his clothing +fared so ill in the thorns and thickets that at last he had scarce a rag +to his back. So the troll came to him and said if he might have the +first thing the king set eyes on when he got on his own land, he would +let him go home to his grange. Yes! he should have that, for the king +thought it would be sure to be his little dog, which always came +frisking and fawning to meet him. But just as he got near his grange, +that they could see him, out came his eldest daughter at the head of all +the court, to meet the king, and to welcome him back safe and sound. + +"So when he saw that she was the first to meet him, he was so cut to the +heart he fell to the ground on the spot, and since that time had been +almost half-witted. + +"One evening the troll was to come and fetch the princess, and she was +dressed out in her best, and sat in a field out by the tarn, and wept +and bewailed. There was a man called Glibtongue, who was to go with her, +but he was so afraid he clomb up into a tall spruce fir, and there he +stuck. Just then up came Boots, and sat down on the ground by the side +of the princess. And she was so glad, as you may fancy, when she saw +there were still Christian folk who dared to stay by her after all. + +"'Lay your head on my lap,' she said, 'and I'll comb your hair;' so +Osborn Boots did as she bade him, and while she combed his hair he fell +asleep, and she took a gold ring off her finger and knitted it into his +hair. Just then up came the troll puffing and blowing. He was so heavy +footed that all the wood groaned and cracked a whole mile round. + +"And when the troll saw Glibtongue sitting up in the tree-top, like a +little black cock, he spat at him. + +"'Pish,' he said, that was all, and down toppled Glibtongue and the +spruce fir to the ground, and there he lay sprawling like a fish out of +water. + +"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'are you sitting here combing Christian +folk's hair? Now I'll gobble you up.' + +"'Stuff,' said Boots, as soon as he woke up, and then he fell to peering +at the troll through the ring on his key. + +"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'what are you staring at? Hu! hu!' + +"And as he said that he hurled his iron club at him, so that it stood +fifteen ells deep in the rock; but Boots was so quick and ready on his +feet that he got on one side of the club, just as the troll hurled it. + +"'Stuff! for such old wives' tricks,' said Boots, 'out with your +toothpick, and you shall see something like a throw.' + +"Yes! the troll plucked out the club at one pull, and it was as big as +three weaver's beams. Meanwhile Boots stared up at the sky, both south +and north. + +"'Hu! hu!' said the troll, 'what are you gazing at now?' + +"'I'm looking out for a star at which to throw,' said Boots. 'Do you see +that tiny little one due north, that's the one I choose.' + +"'Nay! nay!' said the troll, 'let it bide as it is. You mustn't throw +away my iron club.' + +"'Well! well!' said Boots, 'you may have it again then, but perhaps you +wouldn't mind if I tossed you up to the moon just for once.' + +"No! the troll would have nothing to say to that either. + +"'Oh! but blindman's buff,' said Boots, 'haven't you a mind to play +blindman's buff?' + +"Yes, that would be fine fun, the troll thought; 'but you shall be +blindfold first,' said the troll to Boots. + +"'Oh, yes, with all my heart,' said the lad, 'but the fairest way is +that we draw lots, and then we shan't have anything to quarrel about.' + +"Yes! yes! that was best, and then you may fancy Boots took care the +troll should be the first to have the handkerchief over his eyes, and +was the first 'buff.' + +"But that just was a game. My! how they went in and out of the wood, and +how the troll ran and stumbled over the stumps, so that the dust flew +and the wood rang. + +"'Haw! haw!' bawled the troll at last, 'the deil take me if I'll be buff +any longer,' for he was in a great rage. + +"'Bide a bit,' said Boots, 'and I'll stand still and call till you come +and catch me.' + +"Meanwhile he took a hemp-comb and ran round to the other side of the +tarn, which was so deep it had no bottom. + +"'Now come, here I stand,' bawled out Boots. + +"'I dare say there are logs and stumps in the way,' said the troll. + +"'Your ears can tell you there is no wood here,' said Boots, and then he +swore to him there were no stumps or stocks. + +"'Now come along.' + +"So the troll set off again, but 'squash' it said, and there lay the +troll in the tarn, and Boots hacked at his eyes with the hemp-comb every +time he got his head above water. + +"Now the troll begged so prettily for his life, that Boots thought it +was a shame to take it, but first he had to give up the princess, and to +bring back the other whom he had stolen before. And besides he had to +promise that folk and flock should have peace, and then he let the troll +out, and he took himself off home to his hill. + +"But now Glibtongue became a man again, and came down out of the +tree-top, and carried off the princess to the grange, as though he had +set her free. And then he stole down and gave his arm to the other also, +when Boots had brought her as far as the garden. And now there was such +joy in the king's grange, that it was heard and talked of over land and +realm, and Glibtongue was to be married to the youngest daughter. + +"Well, it was all good and right, but after all it was not so well, for +just as they were to have the feast, if that old troll had not gone down +under earth and stopped all the springs of water. + +"'If I can't do them any other harm,' he said, 'they sha'n't have water +to boil their bridal brose.' + +"So there was no help for it but to send for Boots again. Then he got +him an iron bar, which was to be fifteen ells long, and six smiths were +to make it red hot. Then he peeped through his key ring, and saw where +the troll was, just as well underground as above it, and then he drove +the bar down through the ground, and into the troll's backbone, and all +I can say was, there was a smell of burnt horn fifteen miles round. + +"'Haw! haw!' bellowed out the troll, 'let me out,' and in a trice he +came tearing up through the hole, and all his back was burnt and singed +up to the nape of his neck. + +"But Boots was not slow, for he caught the troll and laid him on a stake +that had thyme twisted round it, and there he had to be till he told him +where he had got eyes from after those had been hacked out with the +hemp-comb. + +"'If you must know,' said the troll, 'I stole a turnip, and rubbed it +well over with ointment, and then I cut it to the sizes I needed, and +nailed them in tight with ten-penny nails, and better eyes I hope no +Christian man will ever have.' + +"Then the king came with the two princesses, and wanted to see the +troll, and Glibtongue walked so bent and bowed, his coat tails were +higher than his neck. But then the king caught sight of something +glistening in the hair of Boots. + +"'What have you got there?' he said. + +"'Oh!' said Boots, 'nothing but the ring your daughter gave me when I +freed her from the troll.' + +"And now it came out how it had all happened. Glibtongue begged and +prayed for himself, but for all his trying and all his crying there was +no help for it, down he had to go into a pit full of snakes, and there +he lay till he burst. + +"Then they put an end to the troll, and then they began to be noisy and +merry, and to drink and dance at the bridal of Boots, for now he was +king of that company, and he got the youngest princess and half the +kingdom. + + "And here I lay my tale upon a sledge, + And send it thee whose tongue hath sharper edge, + But if thy tongue in wit is not so fine, + Then shame on thee that throwest blame on mine." + + + + +THIS IS THE LAD WHO SOLD THE PIG. + + +"Once on a time there was a widow who had a son and he had set his heart +on being nothing else than a tradesman. But you must know they were so +poor that they had nothing that he could begin his trading with. The +only thing his mother owned in the world was a sow pig, and he begged +and prayed so long and so prettily for that, at last she was forced to +let him have it. + +"When he had got it he was to set off to sell it, that he might have +some money to begin his trading. So he offered it to this man and that, +good and bad alike; but there was no one who just then cared to buy a +pig. At last he came to a rich old hunks; but you know much will always +have more, and that man was one of the sort that never can have enough. + +"'Will you buy a pig to-day?' said the lad; 'a good pig, and a long pig, +and a fine fat pig.' That was what he said. + +"The old hunks asked what he would have for it. It was at least worth +six dollars, even between brothers, said the lad; but the times were so +hard, and money so scarce, he didn't mind selling it for four dollars. +And that was as good as giving it away. + +"No, that the old hunks would not do--he wouldn't give so much as a +dollar even; he had more pigs already than he wanted, and was well off +for pigs of that sort. But as the lad was so eager to sell, he would be +willing to do him a turn, and deal with him; but the most he could give +for the whole pig, every inch of it, was fourpence. If he would take +that down, he might turn his pig into the sty with the rest. That was +what the old hunks said. + +"The lad thought it shameful that he should not get more for his pig; +but then he thought that something was better than nothing, and so he +took the fourpence and turned in the pig. And then he fingered the money +and went about his business. But when he got out into the road, he could +not get it out of his head that he had been cheated out of his pig, and +that he was not much better off with fourpence than with nothing. The +longer he went and thought of this the angrier he got, and at last he +thought to himself,-- + +"'If I could only play him a pretty trick, I wouldn't care either for +the pig or the pence.' + +"So he went away and got him a pair of stout thongs and a +cat-o'-nine-tails, and then he threw over him a big cloak, and put on a +billygoat's beard; and so he went back to the skinflint and said he was +from outlandish parts, where he had learnt to be a master builder--for +you must know he had heard the old hunks was going to build a house. + +"Yes, he would gladly take him as master builder, he said; for +thereabouts there were none but home-taught carpenters. So off they went +to look at the timber, and it was the finest heart of pine that any one +would wish to have in the wall of his house: and even the lad said it +was brave timber--he couldn't say otherwise; but in outlandish parts +they had got a new fashion, which was far better than the old. They did +not take long beams and fit them into the wall, but they cut the beams +up into nice small logs, and then they baked them in the sun and +fastened them together again; and so they wore both stronger and +prettier than an old-fashioned timber building. + +"'That's how they build all the houses now-a-days in outlandish parts,' +said the lad. + +"'If it must be so, it must,' said the hunks. With that he set all the +carpenters and woodmen who were to be found round about to chop and hew +all his beams up into small logs. + +"'But,' said the lad, 'we still want some big trees--some of the real +mast-firs--for our sill-beams; maybe, there are no such big trees in +your wood?' + +"'Well!' said the man; 'if they're not to be found in my wood, it will +be hard to find them anywhere else.' + +"And so they strode off to the wood, both of them; and a little way up +the hill they came to a big tree. + +"'I should think that's big enough,' said the man. + +"'No, it isn't big enough,' said the lad. 'If you haven't bigger trees, +we sha'n't make much way with our building after the new fashion.' + +"'Yes! I have bigger ones,' said the man. 'You shall soon see; but we +must go further on.' + +"So they went a long way over the hill, and at last they came to a big +tree, one of the finest trees for a mast in all the wood. + +"'Do you think this is big enough?' said the man. + +"'I almost think it is,' said the lad. 'We will fathom it, and then we +shall soon see. You go on the other side of the fir, and I will stand +here. If we are not good enough to make our hands meet, it will be big +enough; but mind you stretch out well. Stretch out well, do you hear?' +said the lad, as he took out his thongs. As for the man, he did all the +lad told him. + +"'Yes!' said the lad, 'we shall meet nicely, I can see. But stop a bit, +and I'll stretch your hands better,' he said, as he slipped a running +knot over his wrists and drew it tight and bound him fast to the tree; +then out came the cat-o'-nine-tails, and he fell to flogging the old +hunks as fast as he could, and all the while he cried out,-- + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig, and this is the lad who sold the +pig.' + +"Nor did he leave off till he thought the old hunks had enough, and that +he had got his rights for the pig; and then he loosed him, and left him +lying under the tree. + +"Now when the man did not come home they made a hue and cry for him over +the neighbourhood, and searched the country round; and at last they +found him under the fir-tree, more dead than alive. + +"So when they had got him home the lad came, and had dressed himself up +as a doctor, and said he had come from foreign parts, and knew a cure +for all kinds of hurt. And when the man heard that, he was all for +having him to doctor him, and the lad said he would not be long in +curing him; but he must have him all alone in a room by himself, and no +one must be by. + +"'If you hear him screech and cry out,' he said, 'you must not mind it; +for the more he screeches, the sooner he will be well again.' + +"So when they were alone, he said,-- + +"'First of all I must bleed you.' And so he threw the man roughly down +on a bench and bound him fast with the thongs; and then out came the +cat-o'-nine-tails, and he fell to flogging him as fast as he could. The +man screeched and screamed, for his back was sore, and every lash went +into the bare flesh; and the lad flogged and flogged as though there +were no end to it and all the while he bawled out,-- + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig. This is the lad who sold the pig.' + +"The old hunks bellowed as though a knife were being stuck into him; but +there was not a soul that cared about it, for the more he screeched the +sooner he would be well, they thought. + +"So when the lad had done his doctoring, he set off from the farm as +fast as he could; but they followed fast on his heels, and overtook him +and threw him into prison, and the end was he was doomed to be hanged. + +"And the old hunks was so angry with him, even then, that he would not +have him hanged till he was quite well, so that he might hang him with +his own hands. + +"So while the lad sat there in prison waiting to be hanged, one of the +serving-men came out by night and stole kail in the garden of the old +hunks, and the lad saw him. + +"'So, so!' said he to himself; 'master thief, it will be odd if I don't +play off a trick or two with you before I am hanged.' + +"And so when time went on, and the man was so well he thought he had +strength enough to hang him, he made them set up a gallows down by the +way to the mill, so that he might see the body hanging every time he +went to the mill. So they set out to hang the lad, and when they had +gone a bit of the way, the lad said,-- + +"'You will not refuse to let me talk alone with your servant who grinds +down yonder at the mill? I did him a bad turn once, and I wish now to +confess it, and beg him for forgiveness before I die.' + +"Yes! he might have leave to do that. + +"'Heaven help you!' he said to the miller's man. 'Now your master is +coming to hang you because you stole kail in his garden.' + +"As soon as the miller's man heard that, he was so taken aback he did +not know which way to turn; and so he asked the lad what he should do. + +"'Take and change clothes with me and hide yourself behind the door,' +said the lad; 'and then he will not know that it isn't me. And if he +lays hands on any one, then it will not be you, but me.' + +"It was some time before they had changed clothes and dressed again, and +the old hunks began to be afraid lest the lad should have run away. So +he posted down to the mill door. + +"'Where is he?' he said to the lad, who stood there as white as a +miller. + +"'Oh, he was here just now,' said the lad. 'I think he went and hid +himself behind the door.' + +"'I'll teach you to hide behind the door, you rogue,' said the old +hunks, as he seized the man in a great rage, and hurried him off to the +gallows and hanged him in a breath; and all the while he never knew it +was not the lad that he hanged. + +"After that was done, he wanted to go into the mill to talk to his man, +who was busy grinding. Meantime the lad had wedged up the upper +millstone, and was feeling under it with his hands. + +"Come here, come here,' he called out as soon as he saw the old hunks; +'and you shall feel what a wonderful millstone this is.' + +"So the man went and felt the millstone with one hand. + +"'Nay, nay,' said the lad; 'you'll never feel it unless you take hold of +it with both hands.' + +"Well, he did so; and just then the lad snatched out the wedge and let +the upper millstone down on him, so that he was caught fast by the hands +between the stones. Then out came the cat-o'-nine-tails again, and he +fell to flogging him as fast as he could. + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig,' he cried out, till he was hoarse. + +"And when he had flogged him as much as he could he went home to his +mother; and as time went on, and he thought the man had come to himself +again, he said to her,-- + +"'Yes! now I daresay that man will be coming to whom I sold the pig; and +now I know no other trick to screen me any longer from him, unless I dig +a hole here south of the house, and there I will lie all day; and you +must mind and say to him just what I tell you.' + +"So the lad told his mother all she was to say and do. + +"Then he dug such a hole as he had said, and took with him a long +butcher's knife, and lay down in it; and his mother covered him over +with boughs, and leaves, and moss, so that he was quite hidden! There he +lay by day; and after a while the man came travelling along and asked +for the lad. + +"'Ay, ay,' said his mother. 'He was a man, that he was; though he never +got from me more than one sow pig. For he became both a doctor and a +master builder, and he was hanged after that, and rose again from the +dead; and yet I never heard anything but ill of him. Here he came flying +home the other day, and then he gave me the greatest joy I ever had of +him, for he laid him down and died. As for me, I did not care enough for +him to spend money on a priest and Christian earth; but I just buried +him yonder, south of the house, and raked over him boughs and leaves.' + +"'See now,' said the old hunks; 'if he hasn't cheated me after all, and +slipped through my fingers. But though I have not been avenged on him +living, I will do him a dishonour in his grave.' + +"As he said this he strode away south to the grave, and stooped down to +spit into it; but at that very moment the lad stuck the knife into him +up to the handle, and bawled out,-- + +"'This is the lad who sold the pig! This is the lad who sold the pig!' + +"Away flew the man with the knife sticking in him, and he was so scared +and afraid, that nothing has ever been heard or seen of him since." + + + + +THE SHEEP AND THE PIG WHO SET UP HOUSE. + + +"Once on a time there was a sheep who stood in the pen to be fattened; +so he lived well, and was stuffed and crammed with everything that was +good. So it went on, till, one day, the dairymaid came and gave him +still more food, and then she said, + +"'Eat away, sheep; you won't be much longer here; we are going to kill +you to-morrow.' + +"It is an old saying, that women's counsel is always worth having, and +that there is a cure and physic for everything but death. 'But, after +all,' said the sheep to himself, 'there may be a cure even for death +this time.' + +"So he ate till he was ready to burst; and when he was crammed full, he +butted out the door of the pen, and took his way to the neighbouring +farm. There he went to the pigsty to a pig whom he had known out on the +common, and ever since had been the best friends with. + +"'Good day!' said the sheep, 'and thanks for our last merry meeting.' + +"'Good day!' answered the pig, 'and the same to you.' + +"'Do you know,' said the sheep, 'why it is you are so well off, and why +it is they fatten you and take such pains with you?' + +"'No, I don't,' said the pig. + +"'Many a flask empties the cask; I suppose you know that,' said the +sheep. 'They are going to kill and eat you.' + +"'Are they?' said the pig; 'well, I hope they'll say grace after meat.' + +"'If you will do as I do,' said the sheep, 'we'll go off to the wood, +build us a house, and set up for ourselves. A home is a home be it ever +so homely.' + +"Yes! the pig was willing enough. 'Good company is such a comfort,' he +said, and so the two set off. + +"So, when they had gone a bit they met a goose. + +"'Good day, good sirs, and thanks for our last merry meeting,' said the +goose; 'whither away so fast to-day?' + +"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep; 'you must know we were +too well off at home, and so we are going to set up for ourselves in the +wood, for you know every man's house is his castle.' + +"'Well!' said the goose, 'it's much the same with me where I am. Can't I +go with you too, for it's child's play when three share the day.' + +"'With gossip and gabble is built neither house nor stable,' said the +pig, 'let us know what you can do.' + +"'By cunning and skill a cripple can do what he will,' said the goose. +'I can pluck moss and stuff it into the seams of the planks, and your +house will be tight and warm.' + +"Yes! they would give him leave, for, above all things piggy wished to +be warm and comfortable. + +"So, when they had gone a bit farther--the goose had hard work to walk +so fast--they met a hare, who came frisking out of the wood. + +"'Good day, good sirs, and thanks for our last merry meeting,' she said, +'how far are you trotting to-day?' + +"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep; 'we were far too well +off at home, and so we're going to the wood, to build us a house, and +set up for ourselves, for you know, try all the world round, there's +nothing like home.' + +"'As for that,' said the hare, 'I have a house in every bush--yes, a +house in every bush; but, yet, I have often said, in winter, 'if I only +live till summer, I'll build me a house;' and so I have half a mind to +go with you and build one up, after all.' + +"'Yes!' said the pig, 'if we ever get into a scrape, we might use you to +scare away the dogs, for you don't fancy you could help us in house +building.' + +"'He who lives long enough always finds work enough to do,' said the +hare. 'I have teeth to gnaw pegs, and paws to drive them into the wall, +so I can very well set up to be a carpenter, for "good tools make good +work," as the man said, when he flayed the mare with a gimlet.' + +"Yes! he too got leave to go with them and build their house, there was +nothing more to be said about it. + +"When they had gone a bit farther they met a cock. + +"'Good day, good sirs,' said the cock, 'and thanks for our last merry +meeting; whither are ye going to-day, gentlemen?' + +"'Good day, and the same to you,' said the sheep. 'At home we were too +well off, and so we are going off to the wood to build us a house, and +set up for ourselves; for he who out of doors shall bake, loses at last +both coal and cake.' + +"'Well!' said the cock, 'that's just my case; but it's better to sit on +one's own perch, for then one can never be left in the lurch, and, +besides, all cocks crow loudest at home. Now, if I might have leave to +join such a gallant company, I also would like to go to the wood and +build a house.' + +"'Ay! ay!' said the pig, 'flapping and crowing sets tongues a-going; but +a jaw on a stick never yet laid a brick. How can you ever help us to +build a house?' + +"'Oh!' said the cock, 'that house will never have a clock, where there +is neither dog nor cock. I am up early, and I wake every one.' + +"'Very true,' said the pig, 'the morning hour has a golden dower; let +him come with us;' for, you must know, piggy was always the soundest +sleeper. 'Sleep is the biggest thief,' he said; 'he thinks nothing of +stealing half one's life.' + +"So they all set off to the wood, as a band and brotherhood, and built +the house. The pig hewed the timber, and the sheep drew it home; the +hare was carpenter, and gnawed pegs and bolts, and hammered them into +the walls and roof; the goose plucked moss and stuffed it into the +seams; the cock crew, and looked out that they did not oversleep +themselves in the morning; and when the house was ready, and the roof +lined with birch bark, and thatched with turf; there they lived by +themselves, and were merry and well. ''Tis good to travel east and +west,' said the sheep, 'but after all a home is best.' + +"But you must know that a bit farther on in the wood was a wolf's den, +and there lived two graylegs. So when they saw that a new house had +risen up hard by, they wanted to know what sort of folk their neighbours +were, for they thought to themselves that a good neighbour was better +than a brother in a foreign land, and that it was better to live in a +good neighbourhood than to know many people miles and miles off. + +"So one of them made up an errand, and went into the new house and asked +for a light for his pipe. But as soon as ever he got inside the door, +the sheep gave him such a butt that he fell head foremost into the +stove. Then the pig began to gore and bite him, the goose to nip and +peck him, the cock upon the roost to crow and chatter; and as for the +hare he was so frightened out of his wits, that he ran about aloft and +on the floor, and scratched and scrambled in every corner of the house. + +"So after a long time the wolf came out. + +"'Well!' said the one who waited for him outside, 'neighbourhood makes +brotherhood. You must have come into a perfect paradise on bare earth, +since you stayed so long. But what became of the light, for you have +neither pipe nor smoke.' + +"'Yes, yes!' said the other; 'it was just a nice light and a pleasant +company. Such manners I never saw in all my life. But then you know we +can't pick and choose in this wicked world, and an unbidden guest gets +bad treatment. As soon as I got inside the door, the shoe-maker let fly +at me with his last, so that I fell head foremost into the stithy fire; +and there sat two smiths who blew the bellows and made the sparks fly, +and beat and punched me with red hot tongs and pincers, so that they +tore whole pieces out of my body. As for the hunter he went scrambling +about looking for his gun, and it was good luck he did not find it. And +all the while there was another who sat up under the roof, and slapped +his arms and sang out, + +"'Put a hook into him, and drag him hither, drag him hither.' That was +what he screamed, and if he had only got hold of me, I should never have +come out alive." + + + + +THE GOLDEN PALACE THAT HUNG IN THE AIR. + + +"Once on a time there was a poor man who had three sons. When he died +the two eldest were to go out into the world to try their luck; but as +for the youngest they would not have him at any price. + +"'As for you,' they said, 'you are fit for nothing but to sit and hold +fir tapers, and grub in the ashes and blow up the embers. That's what +you are fit for.' + +"'Well, well,' said Boots, 'then I must e'en go alone by myself: at any +rate I shan't fall out with my company.' + +"So the two went their way, and when they had travelled some days they +came to a great wood. There they sat down to rest, and were just going +to take out a meal from their knapsack, for they were both tired and +hungry. So as they sat there up came an old hag out of a hillock, and +begged for a morsel of meat. She was so old and feeble that her nose and +mouth met, and she nodded with her head, and could only walk with a +stick. As for meat she had not had, she said, a morsel in her mouth +these hundred years. But the lads only laughed at her, and ate on and +told her as she had lived so long on nothing, she might very well hold +out the rest of her life, even though she did not eat up their scanty +fare, for they had little to eat and nothing to spare. + +"So when they had eaten their fill and could eat no more, and were quite +rested, they went on their way again, and, sooner or later, they came to +the King's Grange, and there they each of them got a place. + +"A while after they had started from home, Boots gathered together the +crumbs which his brothers had thrown on one side, and put them into his +little scrip, and he took with him the old gun which had no lock, for he +thought it might be some good on the way; and so he set off. So when he +had wandered some days, he too came into the big wood, through which his +brothers had passed, and as he got tired and hungry, he sat down under a +tree that he might rest and eat; but he had his eyes about him for all +that, and as he opened his scrip he saw a picture hanging on a tree, and +on it was painted the likeness of a young girl or princess, whom he +thought so lovely he couldn't keep his eyes off her. So he forgot both +food and scrip, and took down the painting and lay and stared at it. +Just then came up the old hag out of the hillock, who hobbled along with +her stick, whose nose and mouth met, and whose head nodded. Then she +begged for a little food, for she hadn't had a morsel of bread in her +mouth for a hundred years. That was what she said. + +"'Then it's high time you had a little to live on, granny,' said the +lad; and with that he gave her some of the crumbs he had. The old hag +said no one had ever called her 'granny' these hundred years, and she +would be as a mother to him in her turn. Then she gave him a grey ball +of wool, which he had only to roll on before him and he would come to +whatever place he wished; but as for the painting she said he mustn't +bother himself about that, he would only fall into ill luck if he did. +As for Boots, he thought it was very kind of her to say that, but he +could not bear to be without the painting, so he took it under his arm +and rolled the ball of wool before him, and it was not long before he +came to the King's Grange, where his brothers served. There he too +begged for a place, but all the answer he got was they had nothing to +put him to, for they had just got two new serving men. But as he begged +so prettily, at last he got leave to be with the coachman, and learn how +to groom and handle horses. That he was right glad to do, for he was +fond of horses, and he was both quick and ready, so that he soon learnt +how to bed and rub them down, and it was not long before every one in +the King's Grange was fond of him; but every hour he had to himself he +was up in the loft looking at the picture, for he had hung it up in a +corner of the hay-loft. + +"As for his brothers, they were dull and lazy, and so they often got +scolding and stripes, and when they saw that Boots fared better than +they, they got jealous of him, and told the coachman he was a worshipper +of false gods, for he prayed to a picture and not to Our Lord. Now, even +though the coachman thought well of the lad, still he wasn't long before +he told the king what he had heard. But the king only swore and snapped +at him, for he had grown very sad and sorrowful since his daughters had +been carried off by trolls. But they so dinned it into the king's ears, +that at last he must and would know what it was that the lad did. But +when he went up into the hay-loft and set his eyes on the picture, he +saw it was his youngest daughter who was painted on it. But when the +brothers of Boots heard that, they were ready with an answer, and said +to the coachman, + +"'If our brother only would, he has said he was good to get the king's +daughter back.' + +"You may fancy it was not long before the coachman went to the king with +this story, and when the king heard it, he called for Boots, and said, + +"'Your brothers say you can bring back my daughter again, and now you +must do it.' + +"Boots answered, he had never known it was the king's daughter till the +king said so himself, and if he could free her and fetch her he would be +sure to do his best; but two days he must have to think over it and fit +himself out. Yes, he might have two days. + +"So Boots took the grey ball of wool and threw it down on the road, and +it rolled and rolled before him, and he followed it till he came to the +old hag, from whom he had got it. Her he asked what he must do, and she +said he must take with him that old gun of his and three hundred chests +of nails and horseshoe brads, and three hundred barrels of barley, and +three hundred barrels of grits, and three hundred carcases of pigs, and +three hundred beeves, and then he was to roll the ball of wool before +him till he met a raven and a baby troll, and then he would be all +right, for they were both of her stock. Yes, the lad did as she bade +him; he went right on to the King's Grange, and took his old gun with +him, and he asked the king for the nails and the brads, and meat and +flesh, and grain, and for horses and men, and carts to carry them in. +The king thought it was a good deal to ask, but if he could only get his +daughter back, he might have whatever he chose, even to the half of his +kingdom. + +"So when the lad had fitted himself out, he rolled the ball of wool +before him again, and he hadn't gone many days before he came to a high +hill, and there sat a raven, up in a fir tree. So Boots went on till he +came close under the tree, and then he began to aim and point at the +raven with his gun. + +"'No, no,' cried the raven, 'don't shoot me, don't shoot me, and I'll +help you.' + +"'Well,' said Boots, 'I never heard of anyone who boasted he had eaten +roast raven, and since you are so eager to save your life, I may just as +well spare it.' + +"So he threw down his gun, and the raven came flying down to him, and +said, + +"'Here, up on this fell there is a baby troll walking up and down, for +he has lost his way and can't get down again. I will help you up, and +then you can lead him home, and ask a boon which will stand you in good +stead. When you get to the troll's house he will offer you all the +grandest things he has, but you should not heed them a pin. Mind you +take nothing else but the little grey ass which stands behind the stable +door.' + +"Then the raven took Boots on his back and flew up on the hill with him, +and put him off there. When he had gone about on it a bit, he heard the +baby troll howling and whining, because it couldn't get down again. So +the lad talked kindly to it, and they got the best friends in the world, +and he said he would help it down and guide it to the old troll's house, +that it mightn't lose itself on the way back. Then they went to the +raven, and he took them both on his back, and carried them off the hill +troll's house. + +"And when the old troll saw his baby, he was so glad he was beside +himself, and told Boots he might come indoors and take whatever he +chose, because he had freed his child. Then they offered him both gold +and silver, and all that was rare and costly; but the lad said he would +rather have a horse than anything else. Yes, he should have a horse, the +troll said, and off they went to the stable. It was full of the grandest +horses, whose coats shone like the sun and moon; but Boots thought they +were all too big for him. So he peeped behind the stable door, and when +he set eyes on the little grey ass that stood there, he said, + +"'I'll take this one. It will suit me to a T, and if I fall off I shall +be no farther from the ground than that ---- high.' + +"The old troll did not at all like to part with his ass, but as he had +given his word he had to stand by it. So Boots got the ass, and saddle, +and bridle, and all that belonged to it, and then he set off. They +travelled through wood and field, and over fells and wide wastes. So +when they had gone farther than far, the ass asked Boots if he saw +anything. + +"'No, I see naught else than a hill, which looks blue in the distance,' +said Boots. + +"'Oh,' said the ass, 'that hill we have to pass through.' + +"'All very fine, I daresay,' said Boots, for he didn't believe a word of +it. + +"So when they got close to the hill, an unicorn came tearing along at +them, just as if he were going to eat them up all alive. + +"'I almost think now I'm afraid,' said Boots. + +"'Oh,' said the ass, 'don't say so; just throw it a score or so of +beeves, and beg it to bore a hole, and break a way for us through the +hill.' + +"So Boots did as he was told, and when the unicorn had eaten his fill, +they said they would give him a score or two of pigs' carcasses, if he +would go before them and bore a hole in the hill, so that they might get +through it. So when he heard that he set to work and bored the hole, and +broke a way so fast that they had hard work to keep up with him, and +when he had done his work they threw him two score of pigs. + +"So when they had got well out of that they travelled far away, until +they passed again through woods and fields and across fells and wide +wastes. + +"'Do you see anything now?' asked the ass. + +"'Now I see naught but the bare sky and wild fells,' said Boots. + +"So they travelled on far and farther than far, and the higher up they +came the fell got smoother and flatter, so that they could see farther +about them. + +"'Do you see anything now?' said the ass. + +"'Yes, I see something far, far away,' said Boots, 'and it gleams and +twinkles like a little star.' + +"'It's not so very little for all that,' said the ass. + +"So when they had gone on farther and farther than far again, the ass +asked again, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Yes,' said Boots, 'I see something a long way off, that shines like a +moon.' + +"'It is no moon,' said the ass, 'but the silver castle we are bound for. +Now, when we get there you will see three dragons lying on the watch +before the gate. They have not been awakened for hundreds of years, and +so the moss has grown over their eyes.' + +"'I almost think I shall be afraid of them,' said Boots. + +"'Oh, don't say that,' said the ass, 'you've only got to wake up the +youngest, and throw it a score or so of beeves and swine, and then it +will talk to the others, and so you'll come into the castle.' + +"So on they travelled far and farther than far again before they came up +to the castle, but when they reached it it was both grand and great, and +everything they saw was cast in silver, and outside the gate lay the +dragons, and blocked up the way so that no one could get in; but they +had a nice easy time of it, and had not been much troubled in their +watch; for they were so overgrown with moss that no one could tell what +they were made of, and at their sides underwood was springing up between +the tufts of moss. So Boots woke up the youngest of them, and it began +to rub its eyes and clear the moss out of them. But when the dragon saw +there was folk there, he came at them with his maw wide a-gape; but then +the lad stood ready, and tossed into it the carcasses of beeves, and +swung after them salted swine, till the dragon had got his fill, and +grew a little more sensible to talk to. Then the lad begged he would +wake up his fellows, and ask them to be so good as to get out of the +way, so that he might get into the castle; but the dragon neither would +nor dared to do that at first, for he said, as they had not been awake +or tasted anything for hundreds of years, he was afraid lest they should +get raving mad, and swallow up everything alive or dead. + +"But Boots thought there was no need to fear that, for they could leave +behind them a hundred carcasses of beeves, and a hundred salt swine, and +go a little way off and then the dragons would have time to eat their +fill, and to come to themselves before the others came back to the +castle. + +"Yes, the dragon was ready to do that, and so they did it; but before +the dragons were well awake, and got the moss rubbed off their eyes; +they went about roaring and raving, and riving and rending at everything +alive or dead, so that the youngest dragon had enough to do to shield +himself from them till they had snuffed up the smell of flesh. Then they +swallowed down whole oxen and swine, and ate and ate till they were +full. And after that they were just as tame and buxom as the youngest, +and let Boots pass between them into the castle. + +"When he got inside it was all so grand he never could have thought +anything could be so good anywhere; but there was not a soul in it, for +he went from room to room, and opened all the doors, but he could see no +one. Well, at last he peeped through a door that led to a bedroom, which +he had not seen before, and in there sat a princess, spinning, and she +was so glad and happy when she saw him. + +"'No, no,' she cried, 'can it be that Christian folk dare to come +hither? but it will be best for you to be off again, else the troll +might kill you, for you must know a troll lives with three heads.' + +"But Boots said he would not fly even if he had seven heads. When the +princess heard that, she said she wished him to try if he could brandish +the great rusty sword that hung behind the door. No, he could not +brandish it, he could not so much as even lift it. + +"'Ah,' said the princess, 'if you can't do that you must take a drink of +that flask yonder, that hangs by the side of the sword, for that's what +the troll does when he goes out to use it.' + +"So Boots took two or three drinks, and then he could brandish the sword +as though it were a rolling pin. + +"Just then came the troll, so that the wind sung after him. + +"'Hu!' he screeched out, 'what a smell of Christian blood there is in +here.' + +"'I know there is,' said Boots, 'but you needn't blow and snort so at +it; you shan't suffer long from that smell,' and in a trice he cut off +all his heads. + +"The princess was so glad, just as if she had got something so good; but +in a little while she got heavy-hearted, for she pined for her sister, +who had been stolen by a troll with six heads, and lived in a golden +castle three hundred miles on this side of the world's end. Boots +thought that was not so very bad, for he could go and fetch both the +princess and the castle; and so he took the sword and the flask, and got +on the ass, and bade the dragons follow him, and carry the meat, and +grain, and nails which he had. + +"So when they had been a while on the way, and had travelled far, far +away over land and strand, the ass said one day, + +"'Do you see anything?' + +"'I see naught,' said Boots, 'but land and water and bare sky and high +crags.' + +"So they went on far and farther than far, and then the ass said again, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Yes,' when he had looked well before him, he saw something a long, +long way off, that shone like a little star. + +"'It will be big enough by-and-by,' said the ass. + +"When they had gone a good bit still, the ass asked, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Now I see it shining like a moon,' said the lad. + +"'Ay, ay,' said the ass, and on they went. + +"So when they had gone far, and farther than far away, over land and +strand, and hill and heath, the ass asked, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Now, methinks,' said Boots, 'it shines most like the sun.' + +"'Ay,' said the ass, 'that's the golden castle for which we are bound; +but outside it lives a worm, which stops the way and keeps watch and +ward.' + +"'I think I shall be afraid of it,' said Boots. + +"'Oh, don't say so,' said the ass, 'we must spread over it heaps of +boughs, and lay between them layers of horseshoe brads and nails, and +set fire to them all, and so we shall be rid of it.' + +"So after a long, long time they came up to where the castle hung in the +air, but the worm lay underneath it and stopped the way. So the lad gave +the dragons a good meal of beeves and salted swine, that they might help +him, and they spread over the worm heaps of boughs and wood, and laid +between them layers of nails and brads, till they had used up the three +hundred chests, and when it was all done they set fire to the pile and +burned up the worm alive, in a fire at white heat. + +"So when they had done with him one dragon flew under the castle and +lifted it up, and the two others went up high, high into the air, and +unloosed the links and hooks by which it hung, and so they lowered it +down and set it on the ground. When that was done Boots went inside, and +there it was grander far than in the silvern castle, but he could see no +folk till he came to the innermost room, and there lay a princess on a +bed of gold. She slept so sound, as though she were dead, but she was +not, though he was not able to wake her up, for her face was as red and +white as milk and blood. And just as Boots stood there gazing at her, +back came the troll tearing along. As soon as he put his first head +through the door he screamed out, + +"'Hu! what a smell of Christian blood there is in here.' + +"'Maybe,' said Boots, 'but you've no need to smell and snort about that; +you shan't suffer long from it.' + +"And with that he cut off all his heads, as though they stood on a kail +stalk. + +"So the dragons took the golden castle on their backs and went home with +it--I fancy they were not long on the way--and set it down side by side +with the silvern castle, so that it shone both far and wide. + +"Now when the princess of the silvern castle came to her window in the +morning, and caught sight of it, she was so glad that she sprang over to +the golden castle at once; but when she saw her sister lying there and +sleeping as though she were dead, she said to Boots that they would +never get life into her before they found the water of life and death, +and that stood in two wells on either side of a golden castle which hung +in the air, nine hundred miles beyond the world's end, and where the +third sister dwelt. + +"Well, Boots thought there was no help for it; he must go and fetch it, +and it was not long before he was on his way. So he travelled far and +farther than far, through many realms, across wood and field, over fell +and firth, along hill and heath, and at last he got to the world's end, +and after that he travelled far, far over crags and wastes and high +rocks. + +"'Do you see anything?' asked the ass one day. + +"'I see naught but heaven and earth,' said the lad. + +"'Do you see anything now?' asked the ass again, when some days were +past. + +"'Yes,' said Boots, 'now I see something that glimmers very high up, +far, far away, like a little star.' + +"'It's not so little for all that,' said the ass. + +"So when they had travelled on a while, the ass asked, + +"'Do you see anything now?' + +"'Yes,' said Boots, 'now it shines like the sun.' + +"'That's whither we are bound,' said the ass; 'it's the golden castle +that hangs in the air, and there lives a princess who has been stolen by +a troll with nine heads; but all the wild beasts there are in the world +lie on watch, and stop the way thither.' + +"'Uf,' said Boots, 'I almost think I'm afraid of them.' + +"'Don't say so,' said the ass; and then he told him there was no danger, +if he would only make up his mind not to linger there, but to set off on +his way back as soon as ever he had filled his flasks with the water, +for there was no going thither but during one hour in the day, and that +began at high noon; but if he were not man enough to be ready in time +and to get away, the beasts would tear him into a thousand pieces. + +"Well, Boots said he would be sure to do that, he would not think of +staying too long. + +"At the stroke of twelve they reached the castle, and there lay all the +wild and savage beasts that ever were, as it were a fence before the +gate, and on either side of the way. But they all slumbered like stocks +and stones, and there wasn't one of them that so much as lifted a paw. +So Boots passed between them, and took good heed not to tread on their +toes or the tips of their tails, and he filled his flasks with the +waters of life and death, and while he did that he looked up at the +castle, which was as though it were cast in pure gold. It was the +grandest he had ever seen, and he thought it would be grander still +inside than out. + +"'Stuff,' thought Boots, 'I have time enough, I can always look about me +in half an hour,' and so he opened the door and went in. Well, inside it +was grander than grand itself, and as he went out of one gorgeous room +into another, it was as if it was all made of gold and pearls, and +everything that was costliest in the world. Folk there were none; but at +last he came into a bedroom where there lay another princess on a bed of +gold, just as though she were dead too, but she was as grand as the +grandest queen, and as red and white as blood on snow, and so lovely he +had never seen anything so lovely but her picture; for she it was that +was painted on it. + +"Then Boots forgot both the water he was to fetch, and the wild beasts, +and the castle and everything, and could only gaze at the princess; and +he thought he could never have his fill of looking at her; but all the +while she slept as though she were dead, and he was not able to wake her +up. + +"So when it drew towards evening, the troll came tearing along so that +the wind sung after him, and he rattled and slammed the gates and doors +till the whole castle rang again. + +"'Huf,' he cried; 'what a strong smell of Christian blood there is in +here;' and then he stuck his first head inside the door and snuffed up +the air. + +"'I daresay there is,' said Boots, 'but you've no need to puff and blow +as though you were about to burst, for it shan't vex you long;' and as +he said that he cut off all his nine heads. But when he had done that he +got so weary he couldn't keep his eyes open. So he laid him down on the +bed by the side of the princess, and all the while she slept both night +and day, as though she would never wake again; only at midnight she just +woke up for the twinkling of an eye, and then she told him that he had +set her free, but she must bide there three years still, and if she +didn't come home to him then he must just come and fetch her. + +"When the clock began to go towards one next day, Boots woke for the +first time, and the first thing he heard was the ass braying and +screaming and making a stir, and so he thought he would get up and set +off home, but before he went he cut a breadth out of the princess's +skirt, and took it away with him. And however it was, he had loitered so +long there that the beasts began to wake and stir, and by the time he +had mounted his ass they stood in a ring round him, so that he thought +it had rather a ghastly look. But the ass said he must sprinkle on them +a few drops of the water of death, and he did so, and in a trice they +all fell headlong on the spot, and never stirred a limb more. + +"As they were on their way home, the ass said to Boots,-- + +"'Now when you come to honour and glory, see if you don't forget me and +all I have done for you, so that I shall be broken-kneed for hunger.' + +"'Nay, nay! that should never be,' said the lad. + +"So when he got home to the princess with the water of life, she +sprinkled a few drops over her sister, and woke her up, and then there +was such great joy and they were so happy. Then they travelled home to +the king, and he too was glad and joyful, because he had got those two +back; but still he went about longing and longing that the three years +might pass away, and his youngest daughter come home. + +"As for Boots, who had brought them back, the king made him a mighty +man, so that he was the first in the land after the king himself. But +there were many who were jealous that he should have grown to be such a +man of mark, and one of them was Ritter Red, who they did say wished to +have the eldest princess, and he got her to sprinkle over Boots a little +of the water of death, so that he swooned off and lay as dead. + +"So when the three years were over, and a bit of the fourth was gone, +there came sailing up a strange ship of war, and on board was the third +sister, and with her she had a boy three years old. She sent word up to +the King's Grange, and said she would not set her foot on land till they +had sent him who had been in the golden castle and set her free. So they +sent down to her one of the highest men about the court, the master of +the ceremonies himself; and when he came on board the princess' ship, he +took off his hat and bowed and scraped, and bent himself before her. + +"'Can that be your father? my son,' said the princess to her boy, who +was playing with a golden apple. + +"'No,' said the child, 'my father doesn't crawl about like a +cheesemite.' + +"So they sent another of the same stamp, and this time it was Ritter +Red. But it fared no better with him than with the first one, and the +princess sent word by him, if they didn't make haste and send the right +one, it should go ill with them. When they heard that they were forced +to wake up Boots with the water of life; and so he went down to the ship +to the princess, but he didn't make too low a bow, I should think; he +only nodded his head and brought out the breadth he had cut out of the +skirt of the princess in the golden castle. + +"'That's my father! that's my father!' bawled out the boy, and gave him +the golden apple he was playing with. + +"Then there was great joy and mirth all over the realm, and the old king +was the gladdest of all of them, because he had got his darling back +again. But when what Ritter Red and the eldest princess had done to +Boots came out, the king asked to have them both rolled down a hill, +each in a cask full of spikes and nails; but Boots and the youngest +princess begged hard for them, and so they got off with life. + +"Now it happened one day, as they were about to begin the bridal feast, +that they stood looking out of window,--it was towards spring, just when +they were turning out the horses and cows after the winter--and the last +that came out of the stable was the ass; but it was so starved that it +came out of the stable-door on its knees. + +"Then Boots was cut to the heart because he had forgotten it, and he +went down and did not know how to make it up to the poor beast. But the +ass said the best thing he could do was to cut his head off. That he was +very loath to do, but the ass begged so prettily that he had to yield, +and did it at last; and as soon as ever his head fell in the yard, it +was all over with the shape which had been thrown over him by +witchcraft, and there stood the handsomest prince any one cared to see. +He got the second princess to wife, and they fell to keeping the bridal +feast, so that it was heard and talked of over seven kingdoms. + + 'Then they built themselves houses, + And stitched themselves shoon, + And had so many bairns + They reached up to the moon.'" + + + + +LITTLE FREDDY WITH HIS FIDDLE. + + +"Once on a time there was a cottager who had an only son, and this lad +was weakly, and hadn't much health to speak of; so he couldn't go out to +work in the field. + +"His name was Freddy, and undersized he was, too; and so they called him +Little Freddy. At home there was little either to bite or sup, and so +his father went about the country trying to bind him over as a cowherd +or an errand-boy; but there was no one who would take his son till he +came to the sheriff, and he was ready to take him, for he had just +packed off his errand-boy, and there was no one who would fill his +place, for the story went that he was a skinflint. + +"But the cottager thought it was better there than nowhere: he would get +his food, for all the pay he was to get was his board--there was nothing +said about wages or clothes. So when the lad had served three years he +wanted to leave, and then the sheriff gave him all his wages at one +time. He was to have a penny a year. 'It couldn't well be less,' said +the sheriff. And so he got threepence in all. + +"As for little Freddy, he thought it was a great sum, for he had never +owned so much; but for all that he asked if he wasn't to have something +more. + +"'You have already had more than you ought to have,' said the sheriff. + +"'Sha'n't I have anything, then, for clothes?' asked little Freddy; 'for +those I had on when I came here are worn to rags, and I have had no new +ones.' + +"And, to tell the truth, he was so ragged that the tatters hung and +flapped about him. + +"'When you have got what we agreed on,' said the sheriff, 'and three +whole pennies beside, I have nothing more to do with you. Be off!' + +"But for all that he got leave just to go into the kitchen and get a +little food to put in his scrip; and after that he set off on the road +to buy himself more clothes. He was both merry and glad, for he had +never seen a penny before; and every now and then he felt in his pockets +as he went along to see if he had them all three. So when he had gone +far, and farther than far, he got into a narrow dale, with high fells on +all sides, so that he couldn't tell if there were any way to pass out; +and he began to wonder what there could be on the other side of those +fells, and how he ever should get over them. + +"But up and up he had to go, and on he strode; he was not strong on his +legs, and had to rest every now and then--and then he counted and +counted how many pennies he had got. So when he had got quite up to the +very top, there was nothing but a great plain overgrown with moss. There +he sat him down, and began to see if his money were all right; and +before he was aware of him a beggarman came up to him--and he was so +tall and big that the lad began to scream and screech when he got a good +look of him, and saw his height and length. + +"'Don't you be afraid,' said the beggarman, 'I'll do you no harm; I only +beg for a penny, in God's name.' + +"'Heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I have only three pennies, and with +them I was going to the town to buy clothes.' + +"'It is worse for me than for you,' said the beggarman. "'I have got no +penny, and I am still more ragged than you.' + +"'Well! then you shall have it,' said the lad. + +"So when he had walked on awhile he got weary, and sat down to rest +again. But when he looked up there he saw another beggarman, and he was +still taller and uglier than the first; and so when the lad saw how very +tall and ugly and long he was he fell a-screeching. + +"'Now, don't you be afraid of me,' said the beggar; 'I'll not do you any +harm. I only beg for a penny, in God's name.' + +"'Now, may heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I've only got two pence, and +with them I was going to the town to buy clothes. If I had only met you +sooner, then----' + +"'It's worse for me than for you,' said the beggarman. I have no penny, +and a bigger body and less clothing.' + +"'Well, you may have it,' said the lad. + +"So he went awhile farther, till he got weary, and then he sat down to +rest; but he had scarce sat down than a third beggarman came to him. He +was so tall and ugly and long, that the lad had to look up and up, right +up to the sky. And when he took him all in with his eyes, and saw how +very, very tall and ugly and ragged he was he fell a-screeching and +screaming again. + +"'Now, don't you be afraid of me, my lad,' said the beggarman. 'I'll do +you no harm; for I am only a beggarman, who begs for a penny in God's +name.' + +"'May heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I have only one penny left, and +with it I was going to the town to buy clothes. If I had only met you +sooner, then----' + +"'As for that,' said the beggarman, 'I have no penny at all--that I +haven't, and a bigger body and less clothes, so it is worse for me than +for you.' + +"'Yes!' said little Freddy, he must have the penny then--there was no +help for it; for so each would have what belonged to him, and he would +have nothing. + +"'Well!' said the beggarman, 'since you have such a good heart that you +gave away all that you had in the world, I will give you a wish for each +penny.' For you must know it was the same beggarman who had got them all +three; he had only changed his shape each time, that the lad might not +know him again. + +"'I have always had such a longing to hear a fiddle go, and see folk so +glad and merry that they couldn't help dancing,' said the lad; and so, +if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a fiddle, that +everything that has life must dance to its tune.' + +"'That he might have,' said the beggarman; but it was a sorry wish. 'You +must wish something better for the other two pennies.' + +"'I have always had such a love for hunting and shooting,' said little +Freddy; 'so if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a gun +that I shall hit everything I aim at, were it ever so far off.' + +"'That he might have,' said the beggarman; 'but it was a sorry wish. You +must wish better for the last penny.' + +"'I have always had a longing to be in company with folk who were kind +and good,' said little Freddy; and so, if I could get what I wish, I +would wish it to be so that no one can say 'Nay' to the first thing I +ask.' + +"'That wish was not so sorry,' said the beggarman; and off he strode +between the hills, and he saw him no more. And so the lad laid down to +sleep, and the next day he came down from the fell with his fiddle and +his gun. + +"First he went to the storekeeper and asked for clothes, and at one farm +he asked for a horse, and at another for a sledge; and at this place he +asked for a fur-coat, and no one said him 'Nay,'--even the stingiest +folk, they were all forced to give him what he asked for. At last he +went through the country as a fine gentleman, and had his horse and his +sledge; and so when he had gone a bit he met the sheriff with whom he +had served. + +"'Good-day, master,' said Little Freddy, as he pulled up and took off +his hat. + +"'Good-day,' said the sheriff. And then he went on, 'When was I ever +your master?' + +"'Oh, yes!' said little Freddy. 'Don't you remember how I served you +three years for three pence?' + +"'Heaven help us!' said the sheriff. 'How you have got on all of a +hurry! And pray how was it that you got to be such a fine gentleman?' + +"'Oh, that's telling!' said little Freddy. + +"'And are you full of fun, that you carry a fiddle about with you?' +asked the sheriff. + +"'Yes! yes!' said Freddy. 'I have always had such a longing to get folk +to dance; but the funniest thing of all is this gun, for it brings down +almost anything that I aim at, however far it may be off. Do you see +that magpie yonder, sitting in the spruce fir? What'll you bet I don't +bag it, as we stand here?' + +"On that the sheriff was ready to stake horse and groom, and a hundred +dollars beside, that he couldn't do it; but, as it was, he would bet all +the money he had about him; and he would go to fetch it when it +fell--for he never thought it possible for any gun to carry so far. + +"But as the gun went off down fell the magpie, and into a great bramble +thicket; and away went the sheriff up into the brambles after it, and he +picked it up and showed it to the lad. But in a trice Little Freddy +began to scrape his fiddle, and the sheriff began to dance, and the +thorns to tear him; but still the lad played on, and the sheriff danced, +and cried, and begged till his clothes flew to tatters, and he scarce +had a thread to his back. + +"'Yes!' said Little Freddy; 'now I think you're about as ragged as I was +when I left your service. So now you may get off with what you have +got.' + +"But, first of all, the sheriff had to pay him what he had wagered that +he could not hit the magpie. + +"So when the lad came to the town he turned aside into an inn, and he +began to play, and all who came danced, and he lived merrily and well. +He had no care, for no one could say him 'Nay' to anything he asked. + +"But just as they were all in the midst of their fun up came the +watchmen to drag the lad off to the town-hall: for the sheriff had laid +a charge against him, and said he had waylaid him and robbed him, and +nearly taken his life. And now he was to be hanged--they would not hear +of anything else. But Little Freddy had a cure for all trouble, and that +was his fiddle. He began to play on it, and the watchmen fell a-dancing, +till they lay down and gasped for breath. + +"So they sent soldiers and the guard on their way; but it was no better +with them than with the watchmen. As soon as ever Little Freddy scraped +his fiddle, they were all bound to dance, so long as he could lift a +finger to play a tune; but they were half dead long before he was tired. +At last they stole a march on him, and took him while he lay asleep by +night; and when they had caught him he was doomed to be hanged on the +spot, and away they hurried him to the gallows-tree. + +"There a great crowd of people flocked together to see this wonder, and +the sheriff, he, too, was there; and he was so glad at last at getting +amends for the money and the skin he had lost, and that he might see him +hanged with his own eyes. But they did not get him to the gallows very +fast, for little Freddy was always weak on his legs, and now he made +himself weaker still. His fiddle and his gun he had with him also--it +was hard to part him from them; and so, when he came to the gallows, and +had to mount the steps, he halted on each step; and when he got to the +top he sat down, and asked if they could deny him a wish, and if he +might have leave to do one thing? He had such a longing, he said to +scrape a tune and play a bar on his fiddle before they hanged him. + +"'No! no!' they said. 'It were sin and shame to deny him that.' For, you +know, no one could gainsay what he asked. + +"But the sheriff he begged them, for God's sake, not to let him have +leave to touch a string, else it was all over with them altogether; and +if the lad got leave, he begged them to bind him to the birch that stood +there. + +"So little Freddy was not slow in getting his fiddle to speak, and all +that were there fell a-dancing at once--those who went on two legs, and +those who went on four; both the dean and the parson, and the lawyer, +and the bailiff, and the sheriff; masters and men, dogs and swine, they +all danced and laughed and screeched at one another. Some danced till +they lay for dead; some danced till they fell into a swoon. It went +badly with all of them, but worst of all with the sheriff, for there he +stood bound to the birch, and he danced and scraped great bits off his +back against the trunk. There was not one of them who thought of doing +anything to little Freddy, and away he went with his fiddle and his gun, +just as he chose; and he lived merrily and happily all his days, for +there was no one who could say him 'Nay' to the first thing he asked +for." + + + + +MOTHER ROUNDABOUT'S DAUGHTER. + + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had a son, and he was so lazy and +slow he would never turn his hand to anything that was useful; but +singing and dancing he was very fond of, and so he danced and sang as +long as it was day, and sometimes even some way on in the night. The +longer this lasted the harder it was for the goody, the boy grew, and +meat he must have without stint, and more and more was spent in clothing +as he grew bigger and bigger, and it was soon worn out, I should think; +for he danced and sprang about both in wood and field. + +"At last the goody thought it too bad; so she told the lad that now he +must begin to turn his hand to work, and live steadily, or else there +was nothing before both of them but starving to death. But that the lad +had no mind to do; he said he would far rather woo Mother Roundabout's +daughter, for if he could only get her he would be able to live well and +good all his days, and sing and dance and never do one stroke of work. + +"When his mother heard that, she too thought it would be a very fine +thing, and so she fitted out the lad as well as she could that he might +look tidy when he got to Mother Roundabout's house, and so he set off on +his way. + +"Now when he got out of doors the sun shone warm and bright; but it had +rained the night before, so that the ways were soft and miry, and all +the bog-holes stood full of water. The lad took a short cut to Mother +Roundabout, and he sang and jumped, as was ever his wont, but just as he +sprang and leapt he got to a bog-hole, and over it lay a little bridge, +and from the bridge he had to make a spring across a hole on to a tuft +of grass, that he might not dirty his shoes. But '_plump_,' it said all +at once, and just as he put his foot on the tuft it gave way under him, +and there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty deep dark +hole. At first he could see nothing, but when he had been there a while +he had a glimpse of a rat which came wiggle-waggle up to him with a +bunch of keys at the tip of her tail. + +"'What, you here, my boy?" said the rat. 'Thank yon kindly for coming to +me. I have waited long for you. You come, of course, to woo me, and you +are eager at it, I can very well see; but you must have patience yet +awhile, for I shall have a great dower, and I am not ready for my +wedding just yet, but I'll do my best that it shall be as soon as ever I +can.' + +"When she had said that she brought out ever so many eggshells with all +sorts of bits and scraps, such as rats are wont to eat, and set them +before him, and said, + +"'Now, you must sit down and eat; I am sure you must be both tired and +hungry.' + +"But the lad thought he had no liking for such food. + +"'If I were only well away from this, above ground again,' he thought to +himself, but he said nothing out loud. + +"'Now, I daresay, you'ld be glad to go home again,' said the rat. 'I +know your heart is set on this wedding, and I'll make all the haste I +can, and you must take with you this linen thread, and when you get up +above you must not look round, but go straight home, and on the way you +must mind and say nothing but + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +and as she said this she put the linen thread into his hand. + +"'Heaven be praised!' said the lad, when he got above ground. 'Thither +I'll never come again, if I can help it.' + +"But he still had the thread in his hand, and he sprang and sang as he +was wont; but even though he thought no more of the rat-hole, he had got +his tongue into the tune, and so he sang, + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +"So when he got back home into the porch he turned round, and there lay +many many hundred ells of the whitest linen, so fine that the handiest +weaving girl could not have woven it finer. + +"'Mother! mother! come out,' he cried and roared. Out came the goody in +a bustle, and asked what ever was the matter; but when she saw the linen +woof, which stretched as far back as she could see and a bit beside, she +couldn't believe her eyes, till the lad told her how it had all +happened. And when she had heard it and tried the woof between her +fingers, she got so glad that she too began to dance and sing. + +"So she took the linen and cut it out, and sewed shirts out of it both +for herself and her son, and the rest she took into the town and sold, +and got money for it. And now they both lived well and happily a while; +but when the money was all gone the goody had no more food in the house, +and so she told her son he really must now begin to go to work, and live +like the rest of the world, else there was nothing for it but starving +for them both. + +"But the lad had more mind to go to Mother Roundabout and woo her +daughter. Well, the goody thought that a very fine thing, for now he had +good clothes on his back, and he was not such a bad looking fellow +either. So she made him smart and fitted him out as well as she could, +and he took out his new shoes and brushed them till they were as bright +as glass, and when he had done that off he went. + +"But all happened just as it did before. When he got out of doors the +sun shone warm and bright, but it had rained over night, so that it was +soft and miry, and all the bog-holes were full of water. The lad took +the short cut to Mother Roundabout, and he sang and sprang as he was +ever wont. Now he took another way than the one he went before, but just +as he leaped and jumped he got upon the bridge over the moor again, and +from it he had to jump over a bog-hole on to a tuft that he might not +dirty his shoes. But _plump_ it went, and down it went under him, and +there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty, deep dark hole. +At first he could see nothing, but when he had been there a while he got +a glimpse of a rat with a bunch of keys at the tip of her tail, who came +wiggle-waggle up to him. + +"'What, you here, my boy?' said the rat. 'That was nice of you to wish +to see me so soon again. You are very eager, that I can see; but you +really must wait a while, for there is still something wanting to my +dower, but the next time you come it shall be all right.' + +"When she had said this she set before him all kinds of scraps and bits +in eggshells, such as rats eat and like; but the lad thought it all +looked like meat that had been already eaten once, and he wasn't hungry, +he said; and all the time he thought, 'If I could only once get above +ground, well out of this hole.' But he said nothing out loud. + +"So after a while the rat said, + +"I dare say now you would be glad to get home again; but I'll hasten on +the wedding as fast as ever I can. And now you must take with you this +thread of wool, and when you come above ground you must not look round, +but go straight home, and all the way you must mind and say nothing than + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +and as she said that she gave him a thread of wool into his hand. + +"'Heaven be praised!' said the lad, 'that I got away. Thither I'll never +go again if I can help it;' and so he sang and jumped as he was wont. As +for the rat-hole he thought no more about it, but as he had got his +tongue into tune and he sang, + + 'Short before, and long back, + Short before, and long back;' + +so he kept on the whole way home. + +"So when he had got into the yard at home again he turned and looked +behind him, and there lay the finest cloth more than many hundred ells; +ay! almost above half a mile long, and so fine that no town dandy could +have had finer cloth to his coat. + +"'Mother! mother! come out,' bawled the lad. + +"So the goody came out of doors, and clapped her hands, and was almost +ready to swoon for joy when she saw all that lovely cloth, and then he +had to tell her how he had got it, and how it had all happened from +first to last. Then they had a fine time of it, you may fancy. The lad +got new clothes of the finest sort, and the goody went off to the town +and sold the cloth by little and little, and made heaps of money. Then +she decked out her cottage and got so smart in her old days as though +she had been a born lady. So they lived well and happily, but at last +that money came to an end too, and so the day came when the goody had no +more food in the house, and then she told her son, he really must turn +his hand to work, and live like the rest of the world, else there was +nothing but starving staring both of them in the face. + +"But the lad thought it far better to go to Mother Roundabout and woo +her daughter. This time the goody thought so too, and said not a word +against it, for now he had new clothes of the finest kind, and he looked +so well she thought it quite out of the question that any one could say, +'No!' to so smart a lad. So she smartened him up, and made him as tidy +as she could, and he himself brought out his new shoes and rubbed them +till they shone so he could see his face in them, and when he had done +that off he went. + +"This time he did not take the short cut, but made a great bend, for +down to the rats he would not go if he could help it, he was so tired of +all that wiggle-waggle and that everlasting bridal gossip. As for the +weather and the ways they were just as they had been twice before. The +sun shone, so that it was dazzling on the pools and bog-holes, and the +lad sang and sprang as he was wont; but just as he sang and jumped, +before he knew where he was, he was on the very same bridge across the +bog again. So he was to jump from the bridge over a bog-hole on to a +tuft, that he might not dirty his bright shoes. '_Plump_,' it said, and +it gave way with him, and there was no stopping till he was down in the +same nasty deep dark hole again. At first he was glad, for he could see +nothing, but when he had been there a while he had a glimpse of the ugly +rat, and he was so loath to see her with the bunch of keys at the end of +her tail. + +"'Good day, my boy!' said the rat. 'You shall be heartily welcome again, +for I see you can't bear to be any longer without me. Thank you, thank +you kindly; but now everything is ready for the wedding, and we shall +set off to church at once.' + +"'Something dreadful is going to happen,' thought the lad, but he said +nothing out loud. + +"Then the rat whistled, and there came swarming out such a lot of small +rats and mice out of all the holes and crannies, and six big rats came +harnessed to a frying-pan; two mice got up behind as footmen, and two +got up before and drove; some, too, got into the pan, and the rat with +the bunch of keys at her tail took her seat among them. Then she said to +the lad, + +"'The road is a little narrow here, so you must be good enough to walk +by the side of the carriage, my darling boy, till it gets broader, and +then you shall have leave to sit up in the carriage alongside of me.' + +"'Very fine that will be, I dare say,' thought the lad. 'If I were only +well above ground, I'd run away from the whole pack of you.' That was +what he thought, but he said nothing out loud! + +"So he followed them as well as he could; sometimes he had to creep on +all fours, and sometimes he had to stoop and bend his back well, for the +road was low and narrow in places; but when it got broader he went on in +front, and looked about him how he might best give them the slip and run +away. But as he went forward he heard a clear, sweet voice behind him, +which said, "'Now the road is good. Come, my dear, and get up into the +carriage.' + +"The lad turned round in a trice, and had near lost both nose and ears. +There stood the grandest carriage with six white horses to it, and in +the carriage sat a maiden, as bright and lovely as the sun, and round +her sat others who were as pretty and soft as stars. They were a +princess and her playfellows, who had been bewitched all together. But +now they were free because he had come down to them, and never said a +word against them. + +"'Come now,' said the princess. So the lad stepped up into the carriage, +and they drove to church, and when they drove from church again the +princess said, 'Now, we will drive first to my house, and then we'll +send to fetch your mother.' + +"'That is all very well!' thought the lad, for he still said nothing, +even now; but, for all that, he thought it would be better to go home to +his mother than down into that nasty rat-hole. But just as he thought +that, they came to a grand castle; into it they turned, and there they +were to dwell. And so a grand carriage with six horses was sent to fetch +the goody, and when it came back they set to work at the wedding feast. +It lasted fourteen days, and maybe they are still at it. So let us all +make haste; perhaps, we too may come in time to drink the bride-groom's +health and dance with the bride." + + + + +THE GREEN KNIGHT. + + +"Once on a time there was a king who was a widower, and he had an only +daughter. But it is an old saying, that widower's grief is like knocking +your funny-bone, it hurts, but it soon passes away; and so the king +married a queen who had two daughters. Now, this queen--well! she was no +better than step-mothers are wont to be, snappish and spiteful she +always was to her step-daughter. + +"Well! a long time after, when they were grown up, these three girls, +war broke out, and the king had to go forth to fight for his country and +his kingdom. But before he went the three daughters had leave to say +what the king should buy and bring home for each of them, if he won the +day against the foe. + +"So the step-daughters were to speak first, as you may fancy, and say +what they wished. + +"Well! the first wished for a golden spinning-wheel, so small that it +could stand on a sixpenny-piece; and the second, she begged for a golden +winder, so small that it could stand on a sixpenny-piece; that was what +they wanted to have, and till they had them there was no spinning or +winding to be got out of them. But his own daughter, she would ask for +no other thing than that he would greet the Green Knight in her name. + +"So the king went out to war, and whithersoever he went he won, and +however things turned out he brought the things he had promised his +step-daughters; but he had clean forgotten what his own daughter had +begged him to do, till at last he made a feast because he had won the +day. + +"Then it was that he set eyes on a Green Knight, and all at once his +daughter's words came into his head, and he greeted him in her name. The +Green Knight thanked him for the greeting, and gave him a book which +looked like a hymn-book with parchment clasps. That the king was to take +home and give her; but he was not to unclasp it, or the princess either, +till she was all alone. + +"So, when the king had done fighting and feasting he went home again, +and he had scarce got inside the door before his step-daughters clung +round him to get what he had promised to buy them. 'Yes,' he said, he +had brought them what they wished; but his own daughter, she held back +and asked for nothing, and the king forgot all about it too, till one +day, when he was going out, and he put on the coat he had worn at the +feast, and just as he thrust his hand into his pocket for his +handkerchief, he felt the book and knew what it was. + +"So he gave it to his daughter, and said he was to greet her with it +from the Green Knight, and she mustn't unclasp it till she was all +alone. + +"Well! that evening when she was by herself in her bedroom she unclasped +the book, and as soon as she did so she heard a strain of music, so +sweet she had never heard the like of it, and then, what do you think! +Why, the Green Knight came to her and told her the book was such a book +that whenever she unclasped it he must come to her, and it would be all +the same wherever she might be, and when she clasped it again he would +be off and away again. + +"Well! she unclasped the book often and often in the evenings when she +was alone and at rest, and the knight always came to her and was almost +always there. But her step-mother, who was always thrusting her nose +into everything, she found out there was some one with her in her room, +and she was not long in telling it to the king. But he wouldn't believe +it. 'No!' he said, they must watch first and see if it was so before +they trumped up such stories, and took her to task for them. + +"So one evening they stood outside the door and listened, and it seemed +as though they heard some one talking inside; but when they went in +there was no one. + +"'Who was it you were talking with? asked the step-mother, both sharp +and cross. + +"'It was no one, indeed,' said the princess. + +"'Nay! said she; 'I heard it as plain as day.' + +"'Oh!' said the princess, 'I only lay and read aloud out of a +prayer-book.' + +"'Show it me; said the queen. + +"'Well! then it was only a prayer-book after all, and she must have +leave to read that,' the king said. + +"But the step-mother thought just the same as before, and so she bored a +hole through the wall and stood prying about there. So one evening, when +she heard that the knight was in the room she tore open the door and +came flying into her step-daughter's room like a blast of wind; but she +was not slow in clasping the book either, and he was off and away in a +trice; but however quick she had been, for all that her step-mother +caught a glimpse of him, so that she was sure some one had been there. + +"It happened just then that the king was setting out on a long, long +journey, and while he was away the queen had a deep pit dug down into +the ground, and there she built up a dungeon, and in the stone and +mortar she laid ratsbane and other strong poisons, so that not so much +as a mouse could get through the wall. As for the master-mason he was +well paid, and gave his word to fly the land, but he didn't, for he +stayed where he was. Then the princess was thrown into that dungeon with +her maid, and when they were inside the queen walled up the door and +left only a little hole open at the top to let down food to them. So +there she sat and sorrowed, and the time seemed long, and longer than +long; but at last she remembered she had her book with her, and took it +out and unclasped it. First of all she heard the same sweet strain she +had heard before, and then arose a grievous sound of wailing, and just +then the Green Knight came. + +"'I am at death's door,' he said, and then he told her that her +step-mother bad laid poison in the mortar, and he did not know if he +should ever come out alive. So when she clasped the book up as fast as +she could she heard the same wailing sound. + +"But you must know the maid who was shut up with her had a sweetheart, +and she sent word to him to go to the master-mason, and beg him to make +the hole at top big enough for them to creep out at it. If he would do +that the princess would pay him so well he could live in plenty all his +days. Yes! he did so, and they set out and travelled far, far away in +strange lands, she and her maid, and wherever they came they asked after +the Green Knight. + +"So after a long, long time they came to a castle, which was all hung +with black, and just as they were passing by it a shower of rain fell, +and so the princess stepped into the church porch to wait till the rain +was over. As she stood there, a young man and an old man came by, who +also wished to take shelter; but the princess drew away farther into a +corner, so that they did not see her. + +"'Why is it,' said the young man, 'that the king's castle is hung with +black?' + +"'Don't you know,' said the grey-beard, 'the prince here is sick to +death, he whom they call the Green Knight;' And so he went on telling +him how it had all happened. So when the young man had listened to the +story, he asked if there was anyone who could make him well again. + +"'Nay, nay!' said the other. 'There is but one cure, and that is if the +maiden who was shut up in the dungeon were to come and pluck healing +plants in the fields, and boil them in sweet milk, and wash him with +them thrice.' + +"Then he went on reckoning up the plants that were needful before he +could get well again. + +"All this the princess heard, and she kept it in her head, and when the +rain was over the two men went away, nor did she bide there long either. + +"So when they got home to the house in which they lived, out they went +at once to get all kinds of plants and grasses in the field and wood, +she and the maid, and they plucked and gathered early and late till she +had got all that she was to boil. Then she bought her a doctor's hat and +a doctor's gown, and went to the king's castle, and offered to make the +prince well again. + +"'No, no; it is no good,' said the king. So many had been there and +tried, but he always got worse instead of better. But she would not +yield, and gave her word he should be well, and that soon and happily. +Well, then, she might have leave to try, and so she went into the Green +Knight's bedroom and washed him the first time. And when she came the +next day he was so well he could sit up in bed; the day after he was man +enough to walk about the room, and the third he was as well and lively +as a fish in the water. + +"'Now he may go out hunting,' said the doctor. + +"Then the king was so overjoyed with the doctor as a bird in broad day. +But the doctor said he must go home. + +"Then she threw off her hat and gown, and dressed herself smart, and +made a feast, and then she unclasped the book. Then arose the same +joyful strain as of old, and in a trice the Green Knight was there, and +he wondered much to know how she had got thither. + +"So she told him all about it, and how it had happened, and when they +had eaten and drunk he took her straight up to the castle, and told the +king the whole story from beginning to end. Then there was such a bridal +and such a feast, and when it was over they set off to the bride's home, +and there was great joy in her father's heart, but they took the +step-mother and rolled her down hill in a cask full of spikes." + + + + +BOOTS AND HIS CREW. + + +"Once on a time there was a king, and that king had heard talk of a ship +that went as fast by land as it did by water; so he set his heart on +having such a ship, and he gave his word that the man who could build it +should have the princess and half the kingdom. And this promise he had +given out in every parish church in the realm, and at every parish +meeting. There were many that tried their hands you may fancy, for it +was a nice thing to have half the kingdom, and it was brave to get the +princess into the bargain, but it went ill with most of them. + +"So there were three brothers away in the wood; the eldest was called +Peter, the second Paul, and the youngest Osborn Boots, because he was +for ever sitting and grubbing in the ashes. But it so happened that on +the Sunday, when the king's promise was given out, he was at church too. +So when he got home and told the story, his eldest brother, Peter, +begged his mother for some food, for he was bent on setting off, and +trying his luck, if he couldn't build the ship and win the princess and +half the realm. So when he had got his wallet full he strode off from +the farm, and on the way he met an old, old man, who was so bent and +wretched. + +"'Whither away?' asked the old man. + +"'Oh!' said Peter, 'I'm off to the wood to make a platter for my father, +for he doesn't like to eat out of the same dish with us.' + +"'A platter it shall be,' said the man; 'but what have you in your +knapsack?' + +"'Muck,' said Peter. + +"'Muck it shall be,' said the man, and they parted. + +"So Peter strode on till he came to a grove of oaks, and then he fell to +chopping and carpentering, but for all his hewing and all his +carpentering he could turn out nothing but platter after platter. So +when it got towards mid-day, he was going to take a snack, and opened +his wallet. But there was not a morsel of food in it, and as he had +nothing to eat, and did not get on any better with the carpentering, he +got weary of the work, and took his axe and wallet on his back and +strode off home to his mother again. + +"Next Paul was for setting off to try if he had any luck in +shipbuilding, and could win the king's daughter and half the kingdom. +He, too, begged his mother for food, and when he had got it he threw his +wallet over his shoulder and set off from their farm. On the way he met +an old man who was so bent and wretched. + +"'Whither away?' said the man. + +"'Oh! I'm just going to the wood to make a pig trough for our little +pig,' said Paul. + +"'A pig trough it shall be,' said the man. + +"'What have you got in your wallet?' asked the man. + +"'Muck,' said Paul. + +"'Muck it shall be,' said the man. + +"'So Paul trudged off to the wood, and fell to hewing and carpentering +as hard as he could; but however he hewed and however he carpentered, he +could turn out nothing but pig troughs and pig tubs. Still he wouldn't +give in, but worked till far on in the afternoon before he thought of +taking a little snack; then he got so hungry all at once that he must +take out his knapsack, but when he opened it there was not a morsel of +food in it. Then Paul got so cross that he rolled up the knapsack and +dashed it against a stump, and then he shouldered his axe and trudged +away home from the wood as fast as he could. + +"So when Paul had come home, Boots was all for setting out in his turn, +and begged his mother for food. + +"'May be I might be man enough to get the ship built and win the +princess and half the kingdom.' That was what he said. + +"'Yes! yes! a likely thing,' said his mother. 'You look like winning the +princess and the kingdom, that you do, by my troth; you, who have done +naught else than grub and poke about in the ashes! No! no! you don't get +any food,' said the goody. + +"'But Boots would not give in; he begged so long that at last he got +leave. As for food he got none, was it likely? But he got by stealth two +oat cakes and a drop of stale beer, and with them he trudged off from +the farm. + +"Well! when he had walked a while he met the same old man, who was so +bent and vile and wretched. + +"'Whither away?' asked the man. + +"Oh! I'm going into the wood to build me a ship which will go as well on +land as on sea; for you must know that the king has given out that the +man who can build such a ship shall have the princess and half the +realm.' + +"'What have you got in your wallet?' asked the man. + +"'Not much to brag of,' said Boots, 'though it's called travelling +fare.' + +"'If you'll give me some of your food, I'll help you,' said the man. + +"'With all my heart,' said Boots; 'but there's nothing but two oat cakes +and a drop of stale beer.' + +"'It was all the same to him what it was,' said the man, so that he got +something; and he would be sure to help him. + +"So when they got up to the old oak in the wood, the man said to the +lad,-- + +"'Now you must chop out one chip, and you must put it back where it came +from, and when you have done that you may lie down and sleep. + +"Yes! Boots did as he said, he lay him down to sleep, and in his slumber +he thought he heard some one hewing and hammering, and carpentering and +sawing, and planing, but he could not wake up till the man called him, +and then there stood the ship all ready, alongside the oak. + +"'Now you must go aboard her, and every one you meet you must take as +one of your crew,' he said. + +"Yes! Boots thanked him for the ship, and sailed off saying he'd be sure +to do what he said. + +"So when he had sailed a while, he came upon a great, long, thin fellow, +who lay away by the hillside and ate granite. + +"'What kind of chap are you?' said Boots, 'that you lie here eating +granite?' + +"Well! he was so sharp set for meat he could never have his fill, and +that was why he was forced to eat granite. That was what he said; and +then he begged if he might have leave to be one of the ship's company. + +"'Oh, yes,' said Boots, 'if you care to come, step on board.' + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and he took with him a few big granite +boulders as his sea stores. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther they met a man who lay on a sunny +brae and sucked at a tap. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots, and what good is it that +you lie there sucking at that tap?' + +"'Oh!' said he, 'when one hasn't got the cask, one must be thankful for +the tap. I am always so thirsty for ale, that I can never drink enough +ale or wine;' and then he asked if he might have leave to be one of the +ship's company. + +"'If you care to come, step on board,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and he stepped on board and took the tap +with him lest he should be a-thirst. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther they met one who lay with one ear +on the ground, listening. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots 'and what good is it that +you lie there on the ground, listening?' + +"'I am listening to the grass growing,' he said, 'for I am so quick of +hearing that I can hear it grow;' and so he begged that he might be one +of the ship's company. Well, he too did not get 'Nay.' + +"'If you care to come, step on board,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and so up he too stepped into the ship. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they came to a man who stood +aiming and aiming. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' said Boots, 'and why is it that you +stand there aiming and aiming?' + +"'I am so sharp-sighted,' he said, 'that I'm a dead shot up to the +world's end;' and so he too asked if he might have leave to be one of +the ship's company. + +"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and so he stepped up into the ship and +joined Boots and his comrades. + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they came on a man who went +about hopping on one leg, and on the other he had seven hundred weight. + +"What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots; 'and what's the good of your +limping and hopping on one leg, with seven hundred weight on the other?' + +"'Oh?' said he, 'I'm as light as a feather, and if I went on both legs I +should be at the world's end in less than five minutes;' and so he too +begged if he might have leave to be one of the ship's company. + +"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots. + +"Yes, he was willing enough, and he stepped on board to Boots and his +comrades.' + +"So when they had sailed a bit farther, they met a man who stood holding +his throat. + +"'What sort of a chap are you?' asked Boots, 'and why in the world do +you stand here holding your throat?' + +"'Oh!' said he, 'you must know I have got seven summers and fifteen +winters inside me, so I've good need to hold my gullet, for if they all +slipped out at once they'd freeze the whole world in a trice.' That was +what he said, and so he begged leave to be with them. + +"'If you care to come, step in,' said Boots. Yes, he was willing enough, +and so he too stepped on board the ship to the rest. + +"So when they had sailed a good bit farther, they came to the king's +grange. Then Boots strode straight into the king, and said, that the +ship was ready out in the courtyard, and now he was come to claim the +princess, as the king had given his word. + +"But the king wouldn't hear of it, for Boots did not look very nice; he +was grimy and sooty, and the king was loath to give his daughter to such +a fellow. So he said he must wait a little, he couldn't have the +princess until they cleared a barn which the king had with three hundred +casks of salt meat in it. + +"'All the same,' said the king, 'if you can do it by this time to-morrow +you shall have her.' + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'I may have leave, perhaps, to take one of +my crew with me?' + +"'Yes, he might have leave to do that, even if he took them all six,' +said the king, for he thought it quite beyond his power though he had +six hundred to help him. + +"But Boots only took with him the man who ate granite, and was always so +sharp set; and so when they came next morning and unlocked the barn, if +he hadn't eaten all the casks, so that there was nothing left but half a +dozen spare-ribs, and that was only one for each of his other comrades. +So Boots strode into the king, and said, now the barn was empty, and now +he might have the princess. + +"Then the king went out to the barn, and empty it was, that was plain +enough; but still Boots was so sooty and smutty, that the king thought +it a shame that such a fellow should have his daughter. So he said he +had a cellar full of ale and old wine, three hundred casks of each kind, +which he must have drunk out first, and said the king,-- + +"'All the same, if you are man enough to drink them out by this time +to-morrow, you shall have her.' + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'but I may have leave perhaps, to take one +of my comrades with me.' + +"'With all my heart,' said the king, who thought he had so much ale and +wine that the whole seven of them would soon get more than their skins +could hold. + +"But Boots only took with him the man who sucked the tap, and who had +such a swallow for ale, and then the king locked them both up in the +cellar. + +"So he drank cask after cask as long as there were any left, but at last +he spared a drop or two, about as much as a quart or two, for each of +his comrades. Next morning they unlocked the cellar, and Boots strode +off at once to the king, and said he was done with the ale and wine, and +now he must have his daughter as he had given his word. + +"'Ay, ay, but I must first go down into the cellar and see,' said the +king, for he didn't believe it. But when he got to the cellar, there was +nothing in it but empty casks. But Boots was still black and smutty, and +the king thought he never could bear to have such a fellow for his +son-in-law. So he said, 'No,' but all the same if he could fetch him +water from the world's end, in ten minutes, for the princess's tea, he +should have both her and half the realm, for he thought that quite out +of his power. + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; so he laid hand on him who limped on one +leg, with seven hundred weight on the other, and said he must unbuckle +the weights and use both his legs as fast as ever he could, for he must +have water from the world's end for the princess's tea in ten minutes. + +"So he took off the weights, and got a pail, and set off and was out of +sight in a trice. But time went on and on, for seven lengths and seven +breadths, and yet he did not come back. At last there were no more than +three minutes left till the time was up, and the king was as pleased as +though some one had given him a horse. But just then Boots bawled out to +him who heard the grass grow, and bade him listen and hear what had +become of him. + +"'He has fallen asleep at the well,' he said. 'I can hear him snoring, +and the trolls are combing his hair.' + +"So Boots called him, who could shoot to the world's end, and bade him +put a bullet into the troll. Yes! he did that, and shot him right in the +eye, and the troll set up such a howl that he woke up at once, he that +was to fetch the water for tea; and when he got back to the king's +grange, there was still one minute left of the ten. + +"Then Boots strode into the king, and said there was the water, and now +he must have the princess, there must be no more words about it. But the +king thought him just as sooty and smutty as before, and did not at all +like to have him for a son-in-law. So the king said he had three hundred +fathoms of wood, with which he was about to dry corn in the malt-house, +and 'all the same, if you are man enough to get inside it while I burn +up all that fuel, you shall have her, and I will make no more bones +about it.' + +"'I can but try,' said Boots; 'but I must have leave to take one of my +crew with me.' + +"'Yes, yes!' said the king, 'all six of them if you like;' for he +thought it would be warm enough in there for all of them. + +"But Boots took with him the man who had fifteen winters and seven +summers inside him, and they trudged off to the malt-house at night. But +the king had laid the fuel on thick, and there was such a pile burning, +it almost melted the stove. Out again they could not come, for they had +scarce set foot inside than the king shot the bolt behind them, and hung +two padlocks on the door besides. Then Boots said,-- + +"'You'd better slip out six or seven winters at once, so that it may be +a nice summer heat.' + +"Then the heat fell, and they could bear it, but on in the night it +began to grow chilly; so Boots said he must make it milder, with two +summers, and then they slept till far on next day. + +"But when they heard the king rattling at the door outside, Boots +said,-- + +"'Now you must let slip two more winters, but lay them so that the last +may go full on his face.' + +"Yes, he did so, and when the king unlocked the malt-house door, and +thought to find them lying there burnt to cinders, there they sat +shivering and shaking till their teeth chattered, and the man with the +fifteen winters let slip the last right into the king's face, so that it +swelled up at once into a big frost-bite. + +"'MAY I HAVE YOUR DAUGHTER NOW?' said Boots. + +"'Yes, yes! Pray take her and keep her, and half the realm besides,' +said the king, for he couldn't say 'No' any longer. + +"So they held the bridal feast, and kept it up and rejoiced and fired +off witch shots, and meanwhile they went looking about for charges, and +then they took me and gave me porridge in a flask, and milk in a basket, +and then they shot me off here to you, that I might tell you all how the +wedding went off." + + + + +THE TOWN-MOUSE AND THE FELL-MOUSE. + + +"Once on a time there was a fell-mouse and a town-mouse, and they met on +a hill brae, where the fell-mouse sat in a hazel thicket and plucked +nuts. + +"'God help you, sister,' said the town-mouse. 'Do I meet my kinsfolk +here so far out in the country?' + +"'Yes! so it is;' said the fell-mouse. + +"'You gather these nuts and carry them to your house?' said the +town-mouse. + +"'Yes; I must do it,' said the fell-mouse, 'if we are to have anything +to live on.' + +"'The husks are long and the kernels full this year,' said the +town-mouse; 'so I dare say they will help to fill out a starveling +body.' + +"'You are quite right,' said the fell-mouse, and then she told her how +well and happily she lived. But the town-mouse thought she was better +off, and the fell-mouse would not give in, but said there was no place +so good as wood and fell, and as for herself, she had far the best of +it. + +"Still the town-mouse said she was sure she had the best of it, and they +could not agree at all. So, at last, they promised to pay one another a +visit at Yule, that they might taste and see which lived best. The +town-mouse was the one that had to pay the first visit, and she went +through woods and deep dales, for though the fell-mouse had come down to +the lowlands for the winter, the road was both long and heavy. It was +up-hill work, and the snow was both deep and soft, so that she was both +weary and hungry by the time she got to her journey's end. + +"'Now I shall be glad to get some food,' she said, when she got there. +As for the fell-mouse, she had scraped together all sorts of good +things. There were kernels of nuts, and liquorish-root and other roots, +and much else that grows in wood and field. All this she had in a hole +deep under ground where it would not freeze, and close by was a spring +which was open all the winter, so that she could drink as much water as +she chose. There was plenty of what was to be had, and they fed both +well and good; but the town-mouse thought it was not more than sorry +fare. + +"'One can keep life together with this,' she said; 'but it isn't choice, +not at all. But now you must be so kind as come to me, and taste what we +have in town.' + +"Well, the fell-mouse was willing, and it was not long before she came. +Then the town-mouse had gathered together something of all the Christmas +fare which the mistress of the house had dropped as she went about, when +she had taken a drop too much at Yule. There were bits of cheese, and +odds and ends of butter and tallow, and cheesecakes and tipsycake, and +much else that was nice. In the jar under the ale-tap she had drink +enough, and the whole room was full of all kinds of dainties. They fed +and lived well, and there was no end to the fell-mouse's greediness. +Such fare she had never tasted. At last, she got thirsty, for the food +was both strong and rich, and now she must have a drink of water. + +"'It is not far off to the ale,' said the town-mouse; 'that's the drink +for us;' and with that she jumped up on the edge of the jar, and drank +her thirst out, but she drank no more than she could carry, for she knew +the Yule ale and how strong it was. But as for the fell-mouse, she +thought it famous drink, for she had never tasted anything but water, +and now she took sip after sip; but she was no judge of strong drink, +and so the end was she got drunk, for she tumbled down and got wild in +her head, and felt her feet tingle, till she began to run and to jump +about from one beer-barrel to the other, and to dance and cut capers on +the shelves among the cups and jugs, and to whistle and whine, just as +though she were tipsy and silly; and tipsy she was, there was no +gainsaying it. + +"'You mustn't behave as though you had just come from the hills,' said +the town-mouse. 'Don't make such a noise, and don't lead us such a life; +we have a hard master here.' + +"But the fell-mouse said: 'She cared not a pin for man or master!' + +"But all this while the cat sat up on the trap-door above the cellar, +and listened and spied both to their talk and pranks. Just then, the +goody came down to draw a mug of ale, and as she lifted the trap-door, +the cat stole into the cellar and fixed her claws into the fell-mouse. +Then there was another dance. The town-mouse crept into her hole, and +sat safe looking on, but the fell-mouse got sober all at once as soon as +she felt the cat's claws. + +"'Oh, my dear master, my dear master; be merciful and spare my life, and +I'll tell you a story.' That was what she said. + +"'Out with it then,' said the cat. + +"'Once on a time there were two small mice,' said the fell-mouse; and +she squeaked so pitifully and slowly, for she wanted to drag the story +out as long as she could. + +"'Then they were not alone,' said the cat, both sharply and drily. + +"'And so we had a steak we were going to cook.' + +"'Then you were not starved,' said the cat. + +"'So we put it up on the roof that it might cool itself well,' said the +fell-mouse. + +"'Then you didn't burn your tongues,' said the cat. + +"'So, then the fox and the crow came and gobbled it up,' said the +fell-mouse. + +"'And so I'll gobble you up,' said the cat. + +"But just then the goody slammed to the trap-door again, so that the cat +got afraid and loosed her hold, and--pop--the fell-mouse was away in the +town-mouse's hole, and from it there was a way out into the snow, and +the fell-mouse was not slow in setting off home. + +"'This you call living well, and you say that you live best?' she said +to the town-mouse. 'Heaven help me to a better mind, for with such a big +house, and such a hawk for a master I could scarce get off with my life." + + + + +SILLY MATT. + + +"Once on a time there was a goody who had a son called Matthew, but he +was so stupid that he had no sense for anything, nor would he do much +either; and the little he did was always topsy-turvy and never right, +and so they never called him anything but 'Silly Matt.' + +"All this the goody thought bad; and it was still worse she thought that +her son idled about and never turned his hand to anything else than +yawning and stretching himself between the four walls. + +"Now close to where they lived ran a great river, and the stream was +strong and bad to cross. So, one day, the goody said to the lad, there +was no lack of timber there, for it grew almost up to the cottage-wall; +he must cut some down and drag it to the bank and try to build a bridge +over the river and take toll, and then he would both have something to +do and something to live upon besides. + +"Yes! Matt thought so too, for his mother had said it; what she begged +him do, he would do. That was safe and sure he said, for what she said +must be so and not otherwise. So he hewed down timber and dragged it +down and built a bridge. It didn't go so awfully fast with the work, but +at any rate he had his hands full while it went on. + +"When the bridge was ready, the lad was to stand down at its end and +take toll of those who wanted to cross, and his mother bade him be sure +not to let any one over unless they paid the toll. It was all the same, +she said, if it were not always in money. Goods and wares were just as +good pay. + +"So the first day came three chaps with each his load of hay, and wanted +to cross the bridge. + +"'No! no!' said the lad; 'you can't go over till I've taken the toll.' + +"'We've nothing to pay it with,' they said. + +"'Well, then! you can't cross; but it's all the same, if it isn't money. +Goods will do just as well.' + +"So they gave him each a wisp of hay, and he had as much as would go on +a little hand-sledge, and then they had leave to pass over the bridge. + +"Next came a pedlar with his pack, who sold needles and thread, and such +like small wares, and he wanted to cross. + +"'You can't cross, till you have paid the toll,' said the lad. + +"'I've nothing to pay it with,' said the pedlar. + +"'You have wares, at any rate.' + +"So the pedlar took out two needles and gave them him, and then he had +leave to cross the bridge. As for the needles, the lad stuck them into +the hay, and soon set off home. + +"So when he got home, he said, 'Now, I have taken the toll, and got +something to live on.' + +"'What did you get?' asked the goody. + +"'Oh!' said he, 'there came three chaps, each with his load of hay. They +each gave me a wisp of hay, so that I got a little sledge-load; and +next, I got two needles from a pedlar.' + +"'What did you do with the hay?' asked the goody. + +"'I tried it between my teeth; but it tasted only of grass, so I threw +into the river.' + +"'You ought to have spread it out on the byre-floor,' said the goody. + +"'Well! I'll do that next time, mother,' he said. + +"'And what then did you do with the needles?' said the goody. + +"'I stuck them in the hay!' + +"'Ah!' said his mother. 'You _are_ a born fool. You should have stuck +them in and out of your cap.' + +"'Well! don't say another word, mother, and I'll be sure to do so next +time.' + +"Next day, when the lad stood down at the foot of the bridge again, +there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and wanted to cross. + +"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad. + +"'I've no pence to pay it with,' said the man. + +"'Well! You can't cross,' said the lad; 'but goods are good pay.' So he +got a pound of meal, and the man had leave to cross. + +"Not long after came a smith, with a horse-pack of smith's work, and +wanted to cross; but it was still the same. + +"'You mustn't cross till you've paid the toll,' said the lad. But he too +had no money either; so he gave the lad a gimlet, and then he had leave +to cross. + +"So when the lad got home to his mother, the toll was the first thing +she asked about. + +"'What did you take for toll to-day?' + +"'Oh! there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and he gave me +a pound of meal; and then came a smith, with a horse-load of +smith's-work, and he gave me a gimlet.' + +"'And pray what did you do with the gimlet?' asked the goody. + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said the lad. 'I stuck it in and out of +my cap.' + +"'Oh! but that was silly,' said the goody; 'you oughtn't to have stuck +it out and in your cap; but you should have stuck it up your +shirt-sleeve.' + +"'Ay! ay! only be still, mother; and I'll be sure to do it next time.' + +"'And what did you do with the meal, I'd like to know?' said the goody. + +"'Oh! I did as you bade me, mother. I spread it over the byre-floor.' + +"'Never heard anything so silly in my born days,' said the goody; 'why, +you ought to have gone home for a pail and put it into it.' + +"'Well! well! only be still, mother,' said the lad; 'and I'll be sure to +do it next time.' + +"Next day the lad was down at the foot of the bridge to take toll, and +so there came a man with a horse-load of brandy, and wanted to cross. + +"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad. + +"'I've got no money,' said the man. + +"'Well, then, you can't cross; but you have goods, of course;' said the +lad. Yes; so he got half a quart of brandy, and that he poured up his +shirt-sleeve. + +"A while after came a man with a drove of goats, and wanted to cross the +bridge. + +"'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad. + +"Well! he was no richer than the rest. He had no money; but still he +gave the lad a little billy-goat, and he got over with his drove. But +the lad took the goat and trod it down into a bucket he had brought with +him. So when he got home, the goody asked again-- + +"'What did you take to-day?' + +"'Oh! there came a man with a load of brandy, and from him I got a pint +of brandy.' + +"'And what did you do with it?' + +"'I did as you bade me, mother; I poured it up my shirt-sleeve.' + +"'Ay! but that was silly, my son; you should have come home to fetch a +bottle and poured it into it.' + +"'Well! well! be still this time, mother, and I'll be sure to do what +you say next time,' and then he went on-- + +"'Next came a man with a drove of goats, and he gave me a little +billy-goat, and that I trod down into the bucket.' + +"'Dear me!' said his mother, 'that was silly, and sillier than silly, my +son; you should have twisted a withy round its neck, and led the +billy-goat home by it.' + +"'Well! be still, mother, and see if I don't do as you say next time.' + +"Next day he set off for the bridge again to take toll, and so a man +came with a load of butter, and wanted to cross. But the lad said 'he +couldn't cross unless he paid toll.' + +"'I've nothing to pay it with,' said the man. + +"'Well! then you can't cross,' said the lad; 'but you have goods, and +I'll take them instead of money.' + +"So the man gave him a pat of butter, and then he had leave to cross the +bridge, and the lad strode off to a grove of willows and twisted a +withy, and twined it round the butter, and dragged it home along the +road; but so long as he went he left some of the butter behind him, and +when he got home there was none left. + +"'And what did you take to-day?' asked his mother. + +"'There came a man with a load of butter, and he gave a pat.' + +"'Butter!' said the goody, 'where is it?' + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said the lad. 'I tied a withy round the +pat and led it home; but it was all lost by the way.' + +"'Oh!' said the goody, 'you were born a fool, and you'll die a fool. Now +you are not one bit better off for all your toil; but had you been like +other folk, you might have had both meat and brandy, and both hay and +tools. If you don't know better how to behave, I don't know what's to be +done with you. Maybe, you might be more like the rest of the world, and +get some sense into you if you were married to some one who could settle +things for you, and so I think you had better set off and see about +finding a brave lass; but you must be sure you know how to behave well +on the way and to greet folk prettily when you meet them.' + +"'And pray what shall I say to them?' asked the lad. + +"'To think of your asking that,' said his mother. 'Why, of course, you +must bid them "God's Peace," Don't you know that?' + +"'Yes! yes! I'll do as you bid,' said the lad; and so he set off on his +way to woo him a wife. + +"So, when he had gone a bit of the way, he met Greylegs, the wolf, with +her seven cubs; and when he got so far as to be alongside them, he stood +still and greeted them with 'God's Peace!' and when he had said that, he +went home again. + +"'I said it all as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. + +"'And what was that?' asked his mother. + +"'God's Peace,' said Matt. + +"'And pray whom did you meet?' + +"'A she wolf with seven cubs; that was all I met,' said Matt. + +"'Ay! ay! You are like yourself,' said his mother. 'So it was, and so it +will ever be. Why in the world did you say "God's Peace" to a wolf. You +should have clapped your hands and said--"Huf! huf! you jade of a +she-wolf!" That's what you ought to have said.' + +"'Well! well! be still, mother,' he said. 'I'll be sure to say so +another time;' and with that he strode off from the farm, and when he +had gone a bit on the way, he met a bridal train. So he stood still when +he had got well up to the bride and bridegroom, and clapped his hands +and said: 'Huf! huf! you jade of a she-wolf!' After that he went home to +his mother and said-- + +"'I did as you bade me mother; but I got a good thrashing for it, that I +did.' + +"'What was it you did?' she asked. + +"'Oh! I clapped my hands and called out, "Huf! huf! you jade of a +she-wolf!"' + +"'And what was it you met?' + +"'I met a bridal train.' + +"'Ah! you are a fool, and always will be a fool,' said his mother. 'Why +should you say such things to a bridal train. You should have said, +"Ride happily, bride and bridegroom."' + +"'Well! well! See if I don't say so next time,' said the lad, and off he +went again. + +"So he met a bear, who was taking a ride on a horse, and Matt waited +till he came alongside him, and then he said 'A happy ride to you, bride +and bridegroom,' and then he went back to his mother and told her how he +had said what she bade him. + +"'And pray! what was it you said?' she asked. + +"'I said, 'A happy ride to you both, bride and bridegroom.' + +"'And whom did you meet?' + +"'I met a bear taking a ride on a horse,' said Matt. + +"'My goodness! what a fool you are,' said his mother. 'You ought to have +said, "To the de'il with you." That's what you ought to have said.' + +"'Well! well! mother. I'll be sure to say so next time.' + +"So he set off again, and this time he met a funeral; and when he had +come well up to the coffin, he greeted it and said, 'To the de'il with +you!' and then he ran home to his mother, and told her he had said what +she bade him. + +"'And what was that?' she asked. + +"'Oh! I said, 'To the de'il with you."' + +"'And what was it you met?' + +"'I met a funeral,' said Matt; 'but I got more kicks than halfpence!' + +"'You didn't get half enough,' said the goody. 'Why, of course, you +ought to have said, "May your poor soul have mercy." That's what you +ought to have said.' + +"Ay! ay! mother! so I will next time, only be still,' said Matt, and off +he went again. + +"So when he had gone a bit of the way he fell on two ugly gipsies who +were skinning a dog. So when he came up to them he greeted them and +said, 'May your poor soul have mercy,' and when he had said so he went +home and told his mother he had said what she bade him; but all he got +was such a drubbing he could scarce drag one leg after the other. + +"'But what was it you said?' asked the goody. + +"'May your poor soul have mercy; that was what I said.' + +"'And whom did you meet?' + +"'A pair of gipsies skinning a dog,' he said. + +"'Well! well!' said the goody. 'There's no hope of your changing. You'll +always be a shame and sorrow to us wherever you go. I never heard such +shocking words. But now, you must set out and take no notice of any one +you meet, for you must be off to woo a wife, and see if you can get some +one who knows more of the ways of the world and has a better head on her +shoulders than yours. And now you must behave like other folk, and if +all goes well you may bless your stars, and bawl out, Hurrah!' + +"Yes, the lad did all that his mother bade him. He set off and wooed a +lass, and she thought he couldn't be so bad a fellow after all; and so +she said, 'Yes, she would have him.' + +"When the lad got home the goody wanted to know what his sweetheart's +name was; but he did not know. So the goody got angry and said, he must +just set off again, for she would know what the girl's name was. So when +Matt was going home again he had sense enough to ask her what she was +called. 'Well,' she said, 'my name is Solvy; but I thought you knew it +already.' + +"So Matt ran off home, and as he went he mumbled to himself, + + "'Solvy, Solvy, + Is my darling! + Solvy, Solvy, + Is my darling?' + +"But just as he was running as hard as he could to reach home before he +forgot it, he tripped over a tuft of grass, and forgot the name again. +So when he got on his feet again he began to search all round the +hillock, but all he could find was a spade. So he seized it and began to +dig and search as hard as he could, and as he was hard at it up came an +old man. + +"'What are you digging for?' said the man. 'Have you lost anything +here?' + +"'Oh yes! oh yes! I have lost my sweetheart's name, and I can't find it +again.' + +"'I think her name is Solvy,' said the man. + +"'Oh yes, that's it,' said Matt, and away he ran with the spade in his +hand, bawling out, + + "'Solvy, Solvy, + Is my darling!' + +"But when he had gone a little way he called to mind that he had taken +the spade, and so he threw it behind him, right on to the man's leg. +Then the man began to roar and bemoan himself as though he had a knife +stuck in him, and then Matt forgot the name again, and ran home as fast +as he could, and when he got there, the first thing his mother asked +was-- + +"'What's your sweetheart's name?' + +"But Matt was just as wise as when he set out, for he did not know the +name any better the last than the first time. + +"'You are the same big fool, that you are,' said the goody. 'You won't +do any better this time either. But now I'll just set off myself and +fetch the girl home, and get you married. Meanwhile you must fetch water +up to the fifth plank all round the room, and wash it, and then you must +take a little fat and a little lean, and the greenest thing you can find +in the cabbage garden, and boil them all up together; and when you have +done that you must put yourself into fine feather, and look smart when +your lassie comes, and then you may sit down on the dresser.' + +"Yes, all that Matt thought he could do very well. He fetched water and +dashed it about the room in floods, but he couldn't get it to stand +above the fourth plank, for when it rose higher it ran out. So he had to +leave off that work. But now you must know, they had a dog whose name +was 'Fat,' and a cat whose name was 'Lean;' both these he took and put +into the soup-kettle. As for the greenest thing in the garden, it was a +green gown which the goody had meant for her daughter-in-law; that he +cut up into little bits, and away it went into the pot; but their little +pig, which was called 'All,' he cooked by himself in the brewing tub. +And when Matt had done all this he laid hands on a pot of treacle and +and a feather pillow. Then he first of all rubbed himself all over with +the treacle, and then he tore open the pillow and rolled himself in the +feathers, and then he sat down on the dresser out in the kitchen, till +his mother and the lassie came. + +"Now the first thing the goody missed when she came to her house was the +dog, for it always used to meet her out of doors. The next thing was the +cat, for it always met her in the porch, and when the weather was right +down good and the sun shone, she even came out into the yard, and met +her at the garden gate. Nor could she see the green gown she had meant +for her daughter-in-law either, and her piggy-wiggy, which followed her +grunting wherever she went, he was not there either. So she went in to +see about all this; but as soon as ever she lifted the latch, out poured +the water through the doorway like a waterfall, so that they were almost +borne away by the flood, both the goody and the lassie. + +"So they had to go round by the back door, and when they got inside the +kitchen there sat that figure of fun all befeathered. + +"'What have you done?' said the goody. + +"'I did just as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'I tried to get the +water up to the fifth plank, but as fast as ever I poured it in it ran +out again, and so I could only get up as high as the fourth plank.' + +"'Well! well! but "Fat" and "Lean," said the goody, who wished to turn +it off; 'what have you done with them?' + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'I took and put them into +the soup-kettle. They both scratched and bit, and they mewed and whined, +and Fat was strong and kicked against it; but he had to go in at last +all the same; and as for "All," he's cooking by himself in the brewing +tub in the brew-house, for there wasn't room for him in the +soup-kettle.' + +"'But what have you done with that new green gown I meant for my +daughter-in-law?' said the goody, trying to hide his silliness. + +"'Oh! I did as you bade me, mother. It hung out in the cabbage-garden, +and as it was the greatest thing there, I took it and cut it up small, +and yonder it boils in the soup.' + +"Away ran the goody to the chimney-corner, tore off the pot and turned +it upside down with all that was in it. Then she filled it anew and put +it on to boil. But when she had time to look at Matt she was quite +shocked. + +"'Why is it you are such a figure?' she cried. + +"'I did as you bade me, mother,' said Matt. 'First I rubbed myself all +over with treacle to make myself sweet for my bride, and then I tore +open the pillow and put myself into fine feathers.' + +"Well, the goody turned it off as well as she could, and picked off the +feathers from her son, and washed him clean, and put fresh clothes on +him. + +"So at last they were to have the wedding, but first Matt was to go to +the town and sell a cow to buy things for the bridal. The goody had told +him what he was to do, and the beginning and end of what she said was, +he was to be sure to get something for the cow. So when he got to the +market with the cow, and they asked what he was to have for her, they +could get no other answer out of him than that he was to have +_something_ for her. So at last came a butcher, who begged him to take +the cow and follow him home, and he'd be sure to give him _something_ +for her. Yes, Matt went off with the cow, and when he got to the +butcher's house the butcher spat into the palm of Matt's hand, and +said-- + +"'There, you have something for your cow, but look sharp after it.' + +"So off went Matt as carefully as if he trode on eggs, holding his hand +shut; but when he had got about as far as the cross-road, which led to +their farm, he met the parson, who came driving along. + +"'Open the gate for me, my lad,' said the parson. + +"So the lad hastened to open the gate, but in doing so he forgot what he +had in his palm, and took the gate by both hands, so that what he got +for the cow was left sticking on the gate. So when he saw it was gone he +got cross, and said, his reverence had taken _something_ from him. + +"But when the parson asked him if he had lost his wits, and said he had +taken nothing from him, Matt got so wrath he killed the parson at a +blow, and buried him in a bog by the wayside. + +"So when he got home he told his mother all about it, and she +slaughtered a billy-goat, and laid it where Matt had laid the parson, +but she buried the parson in another place. And when she had done that +she hung over the fire a pot of brose, and when it was cooked she made +Matt sit down in the ingle and split matches. Meantime she went up on +the roof with the pot and poured the brose down the chimney, so that it +streamed over her son. + +"Next day came the sheriff. So when the sheriff asked him, Matt did not +gainsay that he had slain the parson, and more, he was quite ready to +show the sheriff where he had laid 'his reverence.' But when the sheriff +asked on what day it happened, Matt said 'it was the day when it rained +brose over the whole world.' + +"So when he got to the spot where he had buried the parson the sheriff +pulled out the billy-goat, and asked-- + +"'Had your parson horns?' + +"Now when the judges heard the story, they made up their minds that the +lad was quite out of his wits, and so he got off scot free. + +"So after all the bridal was to stand, and the goody had a long talk +with her son, and bade him be sure to behave prettily when they sat at +table. He was not to look too much at the bride, but to cast an eye at +her now and then. Peas he might eat by himself, but he must share the +eggs with her, and he was not to lay the leg bones by his side on the +table, but to place them tidily on his plate. + +"Yes, Matt would do all that, and he did it well; yes, he did all that +his mother bade him, and nothing else. First, he stole out to the +sheepfold, and plucked the eyes out of all the sheep and goats he could +find, and took them with him. So when they went to dinner he sat with +his back to his bride; but all at once he cast a sheep's eye at her so +that it hit her full in her face; and a little while after he cast +another, and so he went on. As for the eggs he ate them all up to his +own cheek, so that the lassie did not get a taste, but when the peas +came he shared them with her. And when they had eaten a while Matt put +his feet together, and up on his plate went his legs. + +"At night, when they were to go to bed, the lassie was tired and weary, +for she thought it no good to have such a fool for her husband. So she +said she had forgotten something and must go out a little; but she could +not get Matt's leave; he would follow her, for to tell the truth, he was +afraid she would never come back. + +"'No! no! lie still, I say,' said the bride. 'See, here's a long +hair-rope; tie it round me, and I'll leave the door ajar. So if you +think I'm too long away you have only to pull the rope and then you'll +drag me in again.' + +"Yes, Matt was content with that; but as soon as the lassie got out into +the yard she caught a billy-goat and untied the rope and tied it round +him. + +"So when Matt thought she was too long out of doors he began to haul in +the rope, and so he dragged the billy-goat up into bed to him. But when +he had lain a while, he bawled out-- + +"'Mother! mother! my bride has horns like a billy-goat!' + +"'Stuff! silly boy to lie and bewail yourself,' said his mother. 'It's +only her hair-plaits, poor thing, I'm sure.' + +"In a little while Matt called out again-- + +"'Mother! mother! my bride has a beard like a goat.' + +"'Stuff! silly boy to lie there and rave,' said the goody. + +"But there was no rest in that house that night, for in a little while +Matt screeched out that his bride was like a billy-goat all over. So +when it grew towards morning the goody said-- + +"'Jump up, my son, and make a fire.' + +"So Matt climbed up to a shelf under the roof, and set fire to some +straw and chips, and other rubbish that lay there. But then such a smoke +rose, that he couldn't bear it any longer indoors. He was forced to go +out, and just then the day broke. As for the goody, she too had to make +a start of it, and when they got out the house was on fire, so that the +flames came right out at the roof. + +"'Good luck! good luck! Hip, hip, hurrah!' roared out Matt, for he +thought it fine fun to have such an ending to his bridal feast." + + + + +KING VALEMON, THE WHITE BEAR. + + +"Now, once on a time there was, as there well might be, a king. He had +two daughters who were ugly and bad, but the third was as fair and soft +as the bright day, and the king and everyone was glad of her. So one day +she dreamt of a golden wreath that was so lovely she couldn't live until +she had it. But as she could not get it, she grew sullen and wouldn't so +much as talk for grief, and when the king knew it was the wreath she +sorrowed for, he sent out a pattern cut just like the one that the +princess had dreamt of, and sent word to goldsmiths in every land to see +if they could get the like of it. So the goldsmiths worked night and +day; but some of the wreaths she tossed away from her, and the rest she +would not so much as look at. + +"But once when she was in the wood, she set her eyes upon a white bear, +who had the very wreath she had dreamt of between his paws, and played +with it. Then she wanted to buy it. No! it was not for sale for money, +but she might have it, if he might have her. Yes! she said it was never +worth living without it. It was all the same to her whither she went, +and whom she got if she could only have that wreath; and so it was +settled between them that he should fetch her when three days were up, +and that day was a Thursday. + +"So when she went home with the wreath every one was glad because she +was glad again, and the king said, he thought it could never be so hard +to stop a white bear. So the third day he turned out his whole army +round the castle to withstand him. But when the white bear came there +was no one who could stand before him, for no weapon would bite on his +hide, and he hurled them down right and left, so that they lay in heaps +on either side. All this the king thought right down scathe; so he sent +out his eldest daughter, and the white bear took her upon his back and +went off with her. And when they had gone far, and farther than far, the +white bear asked,-- + +"'Have you ever sat softer, and have you ever seen clearer?' + +"'Yes! on my mother's lap I sat softer, and in my father's hall I saw +clearer,' she said. + +"'Oh!' said the white bear, 'then you're not the right one;' and with +that he hunted her home again. + +"The next Thursday he came again, and it all went just the same. The +army went out to withstand the white bear; but neither iron nor steel +bit on his hide, and so he dashed them down like grass till the king +begged him to hold hard, and then he sent out to him his next oldest +daughter, and the white bear took her on his back and went off with her. +So when they had travelled far and farther than far, the white bear +asked,-- + +"'Have you ever seen clearer, and have you ever sat softer?' + +"'Yes!' she said, 'in my father's hall I saw clearer, and on my mother's +lap I sat softer.' + +"Oh! then you are not the right one,' said the white bear, and with that +he hunted her home again. + +"The third Thursday he came again, and then he smote the army harder +than he had done before; so the king thought he couldn't let him slay +his whole army like that, and he gave him his third daughter in God's +name. So he took her up on his back and went away far, and farther than +far, and when they had gone deep, deep, into the wood, he asked her as +he had asked the others, whether she had ever sat softer or seen +clearer? + +"'No! never!' she said. + +"'Ah!' he said, 'you are the right one.' + +"So they came to a castle which was so grand, that the one her father +had was like the poorest place when set against it. There she was to be +and live happily, and she was to have nothing else to do but to see that +the fire never went out. The bear was away by day, but at night he was +with her, and then he was a man. So all went well for three years; but +each year she had a baby, and he took it and carried it off as soon as +ever it came into the world. Then she got more and more dull, and begged +she might have leave to go home and see her parents. Well! there was +nothing to stop that; but first, she had to give her word that she would +listen to what her father said, but not do what her mother wished. So +she went home, and when they were alone with her, and she had told how +she was treated, her mother wanted to give her a light to take back that +she might see what kind of man he was. + +"But her father said, 'No! she mustn't do that, for it will lead to harm +and not to gain.' + +"But however it happened, so it happened; she got a bit of a candle-end +to take with her when she started. + +"So the first thing she did when he was sound asleep, was to light the +candle-end and throw a light on him; and he was so lovely she never +thought she could gaze enough at him; but as she held the candle over +him, a hot drop of tallow dropped on his forehead, and he woke up. + +"'What is this you have done?' he said. 'Now you have made us both +unlucky; there was no more than a month left, and had you lasted it out, +I should have been saved; for a hag of the trolls has bewitched me, and +I am a white bear by day. But now it is all over between us, for now I +must go to her and take her to wife.' + +"She wept and bemoaned herself; but he must set off, and he would set +off. Then she asked if she might not go with him. 'No!' he said, 'there +was no way of doing that.' But for all that, when he set off in his +bear-shape, she took hold of his shaggy hide and threw herself upon his +back, and held on fast. + +"So away they went over crags and hills, and through brakes and briars, +till her clothes were torn off her back, and she was so dead tired, that +she let go her hold and lost her wits. When she came to herself she was +in a great wood, and then she set off again, but she could not tell +whither she was going. So after a long, long, time she came to a hut, +and there she saw two women, an old woman and a pretty little girl. Then +the princess asked, had they seen anything of King Valemon, the white +bear. + +"'Yes!' they said. 'He passed by here this morning early, but he went so +fast you'll never be able to catch him up.' + +"As for the girl, she ran about clipping in the air and playing with a +pair of golden scissors, which were of that kind, that silk and satin +stuffs flew all about her if she only clipped the air with them. Where +they were, there was never any want of clothes. + +"'But this woman,' said the little lass, 'who is to go so far and on +such bad ways, she will suffer much; she may well have more need of +these scissors than I to cut out her clothes with.' + +"And as she said this she begged her mother so hard, that at last she +got leave to give her the scissors. + +"So away travelled the princess through the wood, which seemed never to +come to an end, both day and night, and next morning she came to another +hut. In it there were also two women, an old wife and a young girl. + +"'Good-day!" said the princess. 'Have you seen anything of King Valemon, +the white bear?' That was what she asked them. + +"'Was it you, maybe, who was to have him?' said the old wife. + +"'Yes! it was.' + +"'Well, he passed by yesterday, but he went so fast you'll never be able +to catch him up.' + +"This little girl played about on the floor with a flask, which was of +that kind it poured out every drink any one wished to have. + +"'But this poor wife,' said the girl, 'who has to go so far on such bad +ways, I think she may well be thirsty and suffer much other ill. No +doubt she needs this flask more than I;' and so she asked if she might +have leave to give her the flask. Yes! that leave she might have. + +"So the princess got the flask, and thanked them, and set off again away +through the same wood, both that day and the next night too. The third +morning she came to a hut, where there was also an old wife and a little +girl. + +"'Good-day!' said the princess. + +"'Good-day to you,' said the old wife. + +"'Have you seen anything of King Valemon, the white bear?' she asked. + +"'Maybe it was you who was to have him?' said the old wife. + +"'Yes! it was.' + +"'Well he passed by here the day before yesterday; but he went so fast +you'll never be able to catch him up,' she said. + +"This little girl played about on the floor with a napkin, which was of +that kind that when one said on it, 'Napkin, spread yourself out and be +covered with all dainty dishes,' it did so, and where it was there was +never any want of a good dinner. + +"'But this poor wife,' said the little girl, 'who has to go so far over +such bad ways, she may well be starving and suffering much other ill. I +dare say she has far more need of this napkin than I;' and so she asked +if she might have leave to give her the napkin, and she got it. + +"So the princess took the napkin and thanked them, and set off again far +and farther than far, away through the same murk wood all that day and +night, and in the morning she came to a crossfell which was as steep as +a wall, and so high and broad, she could see no end to it. There was a +hut there too, and as soon as she set her foot inside it, she said,-- + +"'Good-day! Have you seen if King Valemon, the white bear, has passed +this way?' + +"'Good-day to you,' said the old wife. 'It was you, maybe, who was to +have him?' + +"'Yes! it was.' + +"'Well! he passed by and went up over the hill three days ago; but up +that nothing can get that is wingless.' + +"That hut, you must know, was all so full of small bairns, and they all +hung round their mother's skirts and bawled for food. Then the goody put +a pot on the fire full of small round pebbles. When the princess asked +what that was for, the goody said they were so poor they had neither +food nor clothing, and it went to her heart to hear the children +screaming for a morsel of food; but when she put the pot on the fire, +and said-- + +"'The potatoes will soon be ready,' the words dulled their hunger, and +they were patient awhile. + +"It was not long before the princess brought out the napkin and the +flask, that you may be sure, and when the children were all full and +glad, she cut them out clothes with her golden scissors. + +"'Well!' said the goody in the hut, 'since you have been so kind and +good towards me and my bairns, it were a shame if I didn't do all in my +power to try to help you over the hill. My husband is one of the best +smiths in the world, and now you must lie down and rest till he comes +home, and then I'll get him to forge you claws for your hands and feet, +and then you can see if you can crawl and scramble up.' + +"So when the smith came home, he set to work at once at the claws, and +next morning they were ready. She had no time to stay, but said, 'Thank +you,' and then clung close to the rock and crept and crawled with the +steel claws all that day and the next night, and just as she felt so +very very tired that she thought she could scarce lift hand or foot, but +must slip down--there she was all right at the top. There she found a +plain, with tilled fields and meads, so big and broad, she never thought +there could be any land so wide and so flat, and close by was a castle +full of workmen of all kinds, who swarmed like ants on an ant-hill. + +"'What is going on here?' asked the princess. + +"Well! if she must know, there lived the old hag who had bewitched King +Valemon, the white bear, and in three days she was to hold her wedding +feast with him. Then she asked if she mightn't have a word with her. +'No! was it likely? It was quite impossible.' So she sat down under the +window and began to clip in the air with her golden scissors, till the +silks and satins flew about as thick as a snow-drift. + +"But when the old hag saw that, she was all for buying the golden +scissors, for she said, 'All our tailors can do is no good at all, we +have too many to find clothes for.' + +"So the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but she should +have it, if she got leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night.' + +"'Yes!' the old hag said, 'she might have that leave and, welcome, but +she herself must lull him off to sleep and wake him in the morning.' + +"And, so when he went to bed she gave him a sleeping draught, so that he +could not keep an eye open, for all that the princess cried and wept. + +"Next day the princess went under the window again, and began to pour +out drink from her flask. It frothed like a brook with ale and wine, and +it was never empty. So when the old hag saw that, she was all for buying +it, for she said,-- + +"'For all our brewing and stilling, it's no good, we have too many to +find drink for.' + +"But the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but if she might +have leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night, she might have it.' + +"'Well!' the old hag said, 'she might have that leave and welcome, but +she must herself lull him off to sleep and wake him in the morning.' + +"So when he went to bed she gave him another sleeping draught, so that +it went no better that night than the first. He was not able to keep his +eyes open, for all that the princess bawled and wept. + +"But that night, there was one of the workmen who worked in a room next +to theirs. He heard the weeping and knew how things stood, and next day +he told the prince that she must be come, that princess who was to set +him free. + +"That day it was just the same story with the napkin as with the +scissors and the flask. When it was about dinner-time the princess went +outside the castle, took out the napkin and said, 'Napkin, spread +yourself out and be covered with all dainty dishes,' and there was meat +enough, and to spare, for hundreds of men; but the princess sat down to +table by herself. + +"So when the old hag set her eyes on the napkin, she wanted to buy it, +'For all their roasting and boiling is worth nothing, we have too many +mouths to feed.' + +"But the princess said, 'It was not for sale for money, but if she might +have leave to sleep with her sweetheart that night, she might have it. + +"'Well! she might do so and welcome,' said the old hag; 'but she must +first lull him off to sleep and wake him up in the morning.' + +"So when he was going to bed, she came with the sleeping draught, but +this time he was aware of her and made as though he slept. But the old +hag did not trust him for all that, for she took a pin and stuck it into +his arm to try if he were sound asleep, but for all the pain it gave him +he did not stir a bit, and so the princess got leave to come into him. + +"Then everything was soon set right between them, and if they could only +get rid of the old hag, he would be free. So he got the carpenters to +make him a trap-door on the bridge over which the bridal train had to +pass, for it was the custom there that the bride rode at the head of the +train with her friends. + +"So when they got well on the bridge, the trap-door tipped up with the +bride and all the other old hags who were her bridesmaids. But King +Valemon and the princess, and all the rest of the train, turned back to +the castle and took all they could carry away of the gold and goods of +the old hag, and so they set off for his own land, and were to hold +their real wedding. + +"And on the way King Valemon picked up those three little girls in the +three huts and took them with them, and now she saw why it was he had +taken her babes away and put them out at nurse; it was, that they might +help her to find him out. And so they drank their bridal ale both stiff +and strong." + + + + +THE GOLDEN BIRD. + + +"Once on a time there was a king who had a garden, and in that garden +stood an apple-tree, and on that apple-tree grew one golden apple every +year. But when the time drew on for plucking it, away it went, and there +was no one who could tell who took it or what became of it. It was gone, +and that was all they knew. + +"This king had three sons, and so he said to them one day that he of +them who could get him his apple again or lay hold of the thief should +have the kingdom after him, were he the eldest, or the youngest, or the +midmost. + +"So the eldest set out first on this quest, and sat him down under the +tree, and was to watch for the thief; and when night drew near a golden +bird came flying, and his feathers gleamed a long way off; but when the +king's son saw the bird and his beams he got so afraid he daren't stay +his watch out, but flew back into the palace as fast as ever he could. + +"Next morning the apple was gone. By that time the king's son had got +back his heart into his body, and so he fell to filling his scrip with +food, and was all for setting out to try if lie could find the bird. So +the king fitted him out well, and spared neither money nor clothes, and +when the king's son had gone a bit he got hungry and took out his scrip, +and sat him down to eat his dinner by the wayside. Then out came a fox +from a spruce clump and sat by him and looked on. + +"'Do, dear friend, give me a morsel of food,' said the fox. + +"'I'll give you burnt horn, that I will,' said the king's son. 'I'm like +to need food myself, for no one knows how far and how long I may have to +travel.' + +"'Oh! that's your game, is it?' said the fox, and back he went into the +wood. + +"So when the king's son had eaten and rested awhile he set off on his +way again. After a long, long time he came to a great town, and in that +town was an inn, where there was always mirth and never sorrow; there he +thought it would be good to be, and so he turned in there. But there was +so much dancing and drinking, and fun and jollity, that he forgot the +bird and its feathers, and his father, and his quest, and the whole +kingdom. Away he was and away he stayed. + +"The year after the midmost king's son was to watch for the apple thief +in the garden. Yes, he too sat him down under the tree when it began to +ripen. So all at once one night the golden bird came shining like the +sun, and the lad got so afraid he put his tail between his legs and ran +indoors as fast as ever he could. + +"Next morning the apple was gone; but by that time the king's son had +taken heart again, and was all for setting off to see if he could find +the bird. Yes, he began to put up his travelling fare, and the king +fitted him out well, and spared neither clothes nor money. But just the +same befell him as had befallen his brother. When he had travelled a bit +he got hungry, and opened his scrip, and sat him down to eat his dinner +by the wayside. So out came a fox from a spruce clump and sat up and +looked on. + +"'Dear friend, give me a morsel of food, do?' said the fox. + +"'I'll give you burnt horn, that I will,' said the king's son. 'I may +come to need food myself, for no one knows how far and how long I may +have to go.' + +"'Oh! that's your game, is it?' said the fox, and away he went into the +wood again. + +"So when the king's son had eaten and rested himself awhile he set off +on his way again. And after a long, long time he came to the same town +and the same inn where there was always mirth and never sorrow, and he +too thought it would be good to turn in there, and the very first man he +met was his brother, and so he too stayed there. His brother had feasted +and drunk till he had scarce any clothes to his back; but now they both +began anew, and there was such drinking and dancing, and fun and +jollity, that the second brother also forgot the bird and its feathers, +and his father, the quest, and the whole kingdom. Away he was and away +he stayed, he too. + +"So when the time drew on that the apple was getting ripe again the +youngest king's son was to go out into the garden and watch for the +apple thief. Now he took with him a comrade, who was to help him up into +the tree, and they took with them a keg of ale and a pack of cards to +while away the time, so that they should not fall asleep. All at once +came a blaze as of the sun, and just as the golden bird pounced down and +snapped up the apple the king's son tried to seize it, but he only got a +feather out of his tail. So he went into the king's bedroom and when he +came in with the feather the room was as bright as broad day. + +"So he too would go out into the wide world to try if he could hear any +tidings of his brothers and catch the bird, for after all he had been so +near it that he had put his mark on it and got a feather out of his +tail. Well, the king was long in making up his mind if he should let him +go, for he thought it would not be better with him who was the youngest +than with the eldest, who ought to have had more knowledge of the ways +of the world, and he was afraid he might lose him too. But the king's +son begged so prettily, that he had to give him leave at last. + +"So he began to pack up his travelling fare, and the king fitted him out +well both with clothes and money, and so he set off. So when he had +travelled a bit he got hungry and opened his scrip, and sat him down to +eat his dinner, and just as he put the first bit into his mouth a fox +came out of a spruce clump, and sat down by him and looked on. + +"'Oh! dear friend! give me a morsel of food, do,' said the fox. + +"'I might very well come to need food for myself,' said the king's son; +'for, I'm sure, I can't tell how long I shall have to go; but so much I +know, that I can just give you a little bit.' + +"So when the fox had got a bit of meat to bite at, he asked the king's +son whither he was bound. Well, he told him what he was trying to do. + +"'If you will listen to me,' said the fox, 'I will help you, so that you +shall take luck along with you.' + +"Then the king's son gave his word to listen to him, and so they set off +in company, and when they had travelled awhile they came to the +self-same town and the self-same inn where there was always mirth and +never sorrow. + +"'Now I may just as well stay outside the town,' said the fox. 'Those +dogs are such a bore.' + +"And then he told him what his brothers had done, and what they were +still doing, and he went on. + +"'If you go in there you'll get no farther either. Do you hear?' + +"So the king's son gave his word, and his hand into the bargain, that he +wouldn't go in there, and they each went his way. But when the prince +got to the inn and heard what music and jollity there was inside he +could not help going in, there were not two words about that, and when +he met his brothers, there was such a to-do, that he forgot both the fox +and his quest, and the bird and his father. But when he had been there +awhile the fox came--for he had ventured into the town after all--and +peeped through the door, and winked at the king's son, and said now they +must set off: So the prince came to his senses again, and away they +started for the house. + +"And when they had gone awhile they saw a big fell far far off. Then the +fox said: + +"'Three hundred miles behind yon fell there grows a gilded linden tree +with golden leaves, and in that linden roosts the golden bird whose +feather that is.' + +"So they travelled thither together, and when the king's son was going +off to catch the bird, the fox gave him some fine feathers, which he was +to wave with his hand to lure the bird down, and then it would come +flying and perch on his hand. But the fox told him to mind and not touch +the linden, for there was a big Troll who owned it, and if the king's +son but touched the tiniest twig the Troll would come and slay him on +the spot. + +"Nay! the king's son would be sure not to touch it, he said; but when he +had got the bird on his fist, he thought he just would have a twig of +the linden, that was past praying against, it was so bright and lovely. +So, he took one, just one very tiny little one. But in a trice out came +the Troll. + +"'WHO IS IT THAT STEALS MY LINDEN AND MY BIRD?' he roared, and was so +angry that sparks of fire flashed from him. + +"'Thieves think every man a thief,' said the king's son; 'but none are +hanged but those who don't steal right.' + +"But the Troll said it was all one, and was just going to smite him; but +the lad said he must spare his life. + +"'Well! well!' said the Troll, 'if you can get me again the horse which +my nearest neighbour has stolen from me, you shall get off with your +life.' + +"'But where shall I find him?' asked the king's son. + +"'Oh! he lives three hundred miles beyond yon big fell that looks blue +in the sky.' + +"So the king's son gave his word to do his best. But when he met the +fox, Reynard was not altogether in a soft temper. + +"'Now you have behaved badly,' he said. 'Had you done as I bade you, we +should have been on our way home by this time.' + +"So they had to make a fresh start, as life was at stake, and the prince +had given his word, and after a long, long time they got to the spot. +And when the prince was to go and take the horse, the fox said: + +"'When you come into the stable, you will see many bits hanging on the +stalls, both of silver and gold; them you shall not touch, for then the +Troll will come out and slay you on the spot; but the ugliest and +poorest, that you shall take.' + +"Yes! the king's son gave his word to do that; but when he got into the +stable he thought it was all stuff, for there was enough and to spare of +fine bits; and so he took the brightest he could find, and it shone like +gold; but in a trice out came the Troll, so cross that sparks of fire +flashed from him. + +"'WHO IS IT WHO TRIES TO STEAL MY HORSE AND MY BIT?' he roared out. + +"'Thieves think every man a thief,' said the kings son; 'but none are +hanged but those who don't steal right.' + +"'Well! all the same,' said the Troll, 'I'll kill you on the spot.' + +"But the king's son said he must spare his life. + +"'Well! well!' said the Troll, 'if you can get me back the lovely maiden +my nearest neighbour has stolen from me I'll spare your life.' + +"'Where does he live, then?' said the king's son. + +"'Oh! he lives three hundred miles behind that big fell that is blue, +yonder in the sky,' said the Troll. + +"Yes! the king's son gave his word to fetch the maiden, and then he had +leave to go, and got off with his life. But when he came out of doors +the fox was not in the very best temper, you may fancy. + +"'Now you have behaved badly again. Had you done as I bade you, we might +have been on our way home long ago. Do you know, I almost think now I +won't stay with you any longer.' + +"But the king's son begged and prayed so prettily from the bottom of his +heart, and gave his word never to do anything but what the fox said, if +he would only be his companion. At last the fox yielded, and they became +fast friends again, and so they set off afresh, and after a long, long +time they came to the spot where the lovely maiden was. + +"'Yes!' said the fox, 'you have given your word like a man, but for all +that, I dare not let you go in to the Troll's house this time. I must go +myself.' + +"So he went in, and in a little while he came out with the maiden, and +so they travelled back by the same way that they had come. And when they +came back to the Troll who had the horse, they took both it and the +grandest bit; and when they got to the Troll who owned the linden and +the bird, they took both the linden and the bird, and set off with them. + +"So when they had travelled awhile, they came to a field of rye, and the +fox said: + +"'I hear a noise; now you must ride on alone, and I will bide here +awhile.' + +"So he platted himself a dress of rye-straw, and it looked just like +some one who stood there and preached. And he had scarcely done that +before all three Trolls came flying along, thinking they would overtake +them. + +"'Have you seen any one riding by here with a lovely maiden, and a horse +with a gold bit, and a golden bird and a gilded linden-tree?' they all +roared out to him who stood there preaching. + +"'Yes! I heard that from my grandmother's grandmother, that such a train +passed by here, but Lord bless us, that was in the good old time, when +my grandmother's grandmother baked cakes for a penny, and gave the penny +back again.' + +"Then all the three Trolls burst out into loud fits of laughter, 'HA! +HA! HA! HA!' they cried, and took hold of one another. + +"'If we have slept so long, we may e'en just turn our noses home, and go +to bed,' they said; and so they went back by the way they had come. + +"Then the fox started off after the king's son; but when they got to the +town where the inn and his brothers were, he said: + +"'I dare not go through the town for the dogs. I must take my own way +round about; but now you must take good care that your brothers don't +lay hold of you.' + +"But when the king's son got into the town, he thought it very hard if +he didn't look in on his brothers and have a word with them, and so he +halted a little time. But as soon as his brothers set eyes on him, they +came out and took from him both the maiden and the horse, and the bird +and the linden, and everything; and himself they stuffed into a cask and +cast him into the lake, and so they set off home to the king's palace, +with the maiden and the horse, and the bird and linden, and everything. +But the maiden wouldn't say a word; she got pale and wretched to look +at. The horse got so thin and starved, all his bones scarce clung +together. The bird moped and shone no more, and the linden withered +away. + +"Meanwhile the fox walked about outside the town, where the inn was with +all its jollity, and he listened and waited for the king's son and the +lovely maiden, and wondered why they did not come back. So he went +hither and thither, and waited and longed, and at last he went down to +the strand, and there he saw the cask which lay on the lake drifting, +and called out: + +"'Are you driven about there, you empty cask?' + +"'Oh! it is I,' said the king's son inside the cask. + +"Then the fox swam out into the lake as fast as he could, and got hold +of the cask and drew it on shore. Then he began to gnaw at the hoops, +and when he had got them off the cask, he called out to the king's son, +'Kick and stamp!' + +"So the king's son struck out and stamped and kicked, till every stave +burst asunder, and out he jumped from the cask. Then they went together +to the king's palace, and when they got there the maiden grew lovely, +and began to speak; the horse got so fat and sleek that every hair +beamed; the bird shone and sang; the linden began to bloom and glitter +with its leaves, and at last the maiden said: + +"'Here he is who set us free!' + +"So they planted the linden in the garden and the youngest prince was to +have the princess, for she was one of course; but as for the two elder +brothers, they put them each into his own cask full of nails, and rolled +them down a steep hill. + +"So they made ready for the bridal; but first the fox said to the prince +he must lay him on the chopping-block, and cut his head off, and whether +he thought it good or ill, there was no help for it, he must do it. But +as he dealt the stroke, the fox became a lovely prince, and he was the +princess's brother, whom they had set free from the Trolls. + +"So the bridal came on, and it was so great and grand, that the story of +that feasting spread far and wide, till it reached all the way to this +very spot." + + +THE END. + +[Transcriber's note: Both S[oe]ter and Saeter are used in the text. +S[oe]ter has been changed to Soeter.] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales from the Fjeld, by P. Chr. 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