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diff --git a/37348-h/37348-h.htm b/37348-h/37348-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c934b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/37348-h/37348-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9969 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> + +<html> + +<head> + + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> + + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Old-fashioned Fairy Book, by Constance Cary Harrison. + </title> + + <style type="text/css"> + + blockquote { + text-align:justify; + } + + body { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + } + + #booktitle { + letter-spacing:3px; + } + + .centered { + text-align:center; + font-weight:bold; + } + + div.centered { + text-align:center; + } + + div.centered table { + margin-left:auto; + margin-right:auto; + text-align:left; + } + + .poem span.i12 { + display: block; + margin-left: 12em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; + } + .poem span.i6 { + display: block; + margin-left: 6em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; + } + + .figcenter { + padding:1em; + text-align:center; + font-size:0.8em; + border:none; + margin:auto; + text-indent:1em; + } + + .h1 { + font-size:2em; + margin:.67em 0; + } + + .h1, + .h2, + .h3, + .h4, + .h5 { + font-weight:bolder; + text-align:center; + text-indent:0; + } + + h1, + h2, + h3, + h4, + h5 { + text-align:center; + } + + .h2 { + font-size:1.5em; + margin:.75em 0; + } + + .h3 { + font-size:1.17em; + margin:.83em 0; + } + + .h4 { + margin:1.12em 0 ; + } + + .h5 { + font-size:.83em; + margin:1.5em 0 ; + } + + h5 { + margin-bottom:1%; + margin-top:1%; + } + + hr.chapter { + margin-top:6em; + margin-bottom:4em; + } + + hr.tb { + margin:2em 25%; + width:50%; + } + + hr.thin { + margin-right:47%; + margin-left:47%; + margin-top:0%; + margin-bottom:0%; + width:6%; + } + + p { + text-align:justify; + margin-top:.75em; + margin-bottom:.75em; + text-indent:0; + } + + p.author { + text-align:right; + margin-right:10%; + } + + p.caption { + text-indent:0; + text-align:center; + font-weight:bold; + margin-bottom:2em; + } + + p.spacer { + margin-top:2em; + margin-bottom:3em; + } + + p.minus { + text-indent:-10px; + } + + .pagenum { +/* visibility:hidden; remove comment out to hide page numbers */ + position:absolute; + right:2%; + font-size:75%; + color:gray; + background-color:inherit; + text-align:right; + text-indent:0; + font-style:normal; + font-weight:normal; + font-variant:normal; + } + + .poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + margin-bottom:1em; + text-align:left; + } + + .poem .stanza { + margin:1em 0em 1em 0em; + } + + .poem br { + display:none; + } + + .poem p { + margin:0; + padding-left:3em; + text-indent:-3em; + } + + .poem p.i6 { + margin-left:3em; + } + + .poem span.i0 { + display:block; + margin-left:0em; + padding-left:3em; + text-indent:-3em; + } + + .smcap { + font-variant:small-caps; + } + + span.hide { + display:none + } + + .split { + float: left; + clear: left; + padding-right: 2%; + padding-left: 0; + padding-top: 0; + padding-bottom: 0; + } + + .splitr { + float: right; + clear: right; + padding-right: 0; + padding-left: 2%; + padding-top: 0; + padding-bottom: 0; + } + + .tdl { + text-align:left; + } + + .tdlsc { + text-align:left; + font-variant:small-caps; + } + + .tdr { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + } + + .tdrsc { + text-align:right; + font-variant:small-caps; + } + + .tdrfirst { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + font-size:80%; + } + + div.i080 {background:url(images/i080.jpg) no-repeat top left} + #i080-1 {width:290px; height:320px;} + #i080-2 {width:377px; height:259px;} + + </style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Old-Fashioned Fairy Book, by Constance Cary Harrison + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Old-Fashioned Fairy Book + +Author: Constance Cary Harrison + +Illustrator: Rosina Emmet + +Release Date: September 8, 2011 [EBook #37348] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD-FASHIONED FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div> + +<h1 id="booktitle">THE <span class="smcap">Old-Fashioned Fairy Book</span></h1> + +<p class="h3">BY</p> + +<P class="h2">MRS. BURTON HARRISON</p> + +<p class="h3">ILLUSTRATED BY</p> + +<p class="h2">MISS ROSINA EMMET</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h3">LONDON +<br> +SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, AND RIVINGTON +<br> +<span class="smcap">Crown Buildings, 188 Fleet Street</span> + +<hr class="thin"> + +<p class="h4">[<i>All rights reserved</i>]</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h3">Dedicated</p> + +<p class="h4">TO</p> + +<p class="h4"><span class="smcap">Fairfax, Frank and Archy</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[vii]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 488px;"> +<img src="images/i001.jpg" width="488" height="125" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="h3">CONTENTS.</p> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdrfirst">PAGE</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#INTRODUCTION">Introduction</a></td> + <td class="tdr">xiii</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_PRINCESS_EGLANTINE">The Princess Eglantine</a></td> + <td class="tdr">1</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#DAME_MARTHAS_STEP-DAUGHTER_OR_THE_GRANDMOTHER_OF_THE_GNOMES">Dame Martha's Step-Daughter; or, The Grandmother of the Gnomes</a></td> + <td class="tdr">19</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_ADVENTURES_OF_HAPENNY_OR_THE_DWARF_THE_WITCH_AND_THE_MAGIC_SLIPPERS">The Adventures of Ha'penny; or, The Dwarf, the Witch, and the Magic Slippers</a></td> + <td class="tdr">47</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#SYBILLA_MYRTILLO_AND_FURIOSO">Sybilla, Myrtillo, and Furioso</a></td> + <td class="tdr">69</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#ANNETTE_OR_THE_MAGIC_COFFEE-MILL">Annette; or, The Magic Coffee-Mill</a></td> + <td class="tdr">81</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#JULIET_OR_THE_LITTLE_WHITE_MOUSE">Juliet; or, The Little White Mouse</a></td> + <td class="tdr">89</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_FAIRIES_AND_THE_FIDDLER">The Fairies and the Fiddler</a></td> + <td class="tdr">107</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#ETHELINDA_OR_THE_ICE_KINGS_BRIDE">Ethelinda; or, The Ice King's Bride</a></td> + <td class="tdr">130</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#DEEP-SEA_VIOLETS">Deep-Sea Violets</a></td> + <td class="tdr">149</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_WILD_WOODSMAN">The Wild Woodsman</a></td> + <td class="tdr">178</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"> + <span class="pagenum">[viii]</span> + <a href="#THE_FROZEN_HEARTH-FAIRY">The Frozen Hearth-Fairy</a></td> + <td class="tdr">185</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#ROSYS_STAY-AT-HOME_PARTIES">Rosy's Stay-at-Home Parties</a></td> + <td class="tdr">189</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#BLONDINA_OR_THE_TURKEY-QUEEN">Blondina; or, The Turkey-Queen</a></td> + <td class="tdr">211</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#TIMID_AGNES">Timid Agnes</a></td> + <td class="tdr">237</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_OGRESS_AND_THE_COOK">The Ogress and the Cook</a></td> + <td class="tdr">244</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#MISS_PEGGY_AND_THE_FROG">Miss Peggy and the Frog</a></td> + <td class="tdr">268</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_LEPERHAUN_A_Legend_of_the_Emerald_Isle">The Leperhaun: A Legend of the Emerald Isle</a></td> + <td class="tdr">276</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td> </td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Romances of the Middle Ages</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td> </td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_TRIALS_OF_SIR_ISUMBRAS">The Trials of Sir Isumbras</a></td> + <td class="tdr">282</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#BISCLAVERET">Bisclaveret</a></td> + <td class="tdr">291</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#ROSWAL_AND_LILIAN">Roswal and Lilian</a></td> + <td class="tdr">297</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#ELIDUC_AND_GUILLIADUN">Eliduc and Guilliadun</a></td> + <td class="tdr">308</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#THE_FALCON-KING">The Falcon-King</a></td> + <td class="tdr">317</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc"><a href="#EGLAMOUR_AND_CRYSTABELL">Sir Eglamour and Crystabell</a></td> + <td class="tdr">329</td> + </tr> + +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[ix]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 569px;"> +<img src="images/i002.jpg" width="569" height="210" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2>FAIRY DAYS.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Beside the old hall-fire—upon my nurse's knee,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Of happy fairy-days—what tales were told to me!<br></span> +<span class="i0">I thought the world was once—all peopled with princésses,<br></span> +<span class="i0">And my heart would beat to hear—their loves and their distresses;<br></span> +<span class="i0">And many a quiet night—in slumber sweet and deep,<br></span> +<span class="i0">The pretty fairy people—would visit me in sleep.<br></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I saw them in my dreams—come flying east and west,<br></span> +<span class="i0">With wondrous fairy gifts—the new-born babe they bless'd;<br></span> +<span class="i0">One has brought a jewel—and one a crown of gold,<br></span> +<span class="i0">And one has brought a curse—but she is wrinkled and old.<br></span> +<span class="i0">The gentle queen turns pale—to hear those words of sin,<br></span> +<span class="i0">But the king he only laughs—and bids the dance begin.<br></span> +<span class="pagenum">[x]</span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The babe has grown to be—the fairest of the land,<br></span> +<span class="i0">And rides the forest green—a hawk upon her hand,<br></span> +<span class="i0">An ambling palfrey white—a golden robe and crown;<br></span> +<span class="i0">I've seen her in my dreams—riding up and down:<br></span> +<span class="i0">And heard the ogre laugh—as she fell into his snare,<br></span> +<span class="i0">At the little tender creature—who wept and tore her hair!<br></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">But ever when it seemed—her need was at the sorest,<br></span> +<span class="i0">A prince—in shining mail—comes prancing through the forest,<br></span> +<span class="i0">A waving ostrich-plume—a buckler burnished bright;<br></span> +<span class="i0">I've seen him in my dreams—good sooth! a gallant knight.<br></span> +<span class="i0">His lips are coral red—beneath a dark moustache;<br></span> +<span class="i0">See how he waves his hand—and how his blue eyes flash!<br></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Come forth, thou Paynim knight!"—he shouts in accents clear.<br></span> +<span class="i0">The giant and the maid—both tremble his voice to hear.<br></span> +<span class="i0">Saint Mary guard him well!—He draws his falchion keen,<br></span> +<span class="i0">The giant and the knight—are fighting on the green;<br></span> +<span class="i0">I see them in my dreams—his blade gives stroke on stroke,<br></span> +<span class="i0">The giant pants and reels—and tumbles like an oak!<br></span> +<span class="pagenum">[xi]</span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">With what a blushing grace—he falls upon his knee<br></span> +<span class="i0">And takes the lady's hand—and whispers, "You are free!"<br></span> +<span class="i0">Ah! happy childish tales—of knight and faërie!<br></span> +<span class="i0">I waken from my dreams—but there's ne'er a knight for me;<br></span> +<span class="i0">I waken from my dreams—and wish that I could be<br></span> +<span class="i0">A child by the old hall-fire—upon my nurse's knee!<br></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i12"><span class="smcap">W. M. Thackeray.</span><br></span> +</div></div> + +<span class="pagenum">[xii]</span> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 253px;"> +<img src="images/i003.jpg" width="253" height="360" alt="The Faithful Comrades." title=""> +<p class="caption">The Faithful Comrades.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum">[xiii]</span> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 526px;"> +<img src="images/i004.jpg" width="526" height="276" alt="Old-Fashioned Fairies." title=""> +<span class="caption">Old-Fashioned Fairies.</span> +</div> + +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a>INTRODUCTION.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><i>To my Young Readers.</i><br></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i6"><i>Children Dear</i>:<br></span> +</div></div> + +<img src="images/drop-n.jpg" width="79" height="82" alt="N" title="N" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">N</span><b>OT</b> long ago two little boys, who shall be nameless +here, came to their mother's side at that pleasant +hour of the twenty-four called by the English +"blind-man's holiday," and by the French, "between +dog and wolf." The lamps had not been lighted, +and the room was full of shadows; but a strip of western +sky, seen through the bay window, hung like a pink +veil behind which a few pale stars were beginning to show<span class="pagenum">[xiv]</span> +above the dark line of hills. All that bright summer's day +long, four little busy feet had been in motion. Directly +after breakfast they had raced down the meadow-path, pursued +by Colin Clout, their faithful Scotch collie, between +grass and daisies so tall that little could be seen of the dog +and his younger master, beyond a brown back and white-tipped +tail curveting around a scarlet fez that bobbed up +and down like a buoy upon the water. Soon the three companions +had reappeared for a moment under a low arch +of fringy boughs at the entrance to the grove, and then had +descended a bank to the edge of a babbling brook, where, +on the grassy margin, the children played every day for +hours, inventing a hundred devices of boats and dams +and waterfalls, whilst Colin lay at ease among the ferns, +and from time to time emitted a bark of pure good fellowship. +For them this shallow streamlet has a charm +hardly to be resisted, even for a summons to drive "over +the hills and far away" through the lovely country-side, or +to assist in the delights of the season when their pretty +meadow grasses are laid low, tossed into fragrant piles, +and carted away by merry haying-folk—though sometimes +these water-elves pause to forage the neighboring woods for +"hocky" sticks and sling-shot crotches, to "shin up" the +tall forest trees, or pluck wild strawberries from the sunny +slopes beyond their favorite haunt.</p> + +<p>On the especial evening of which I write, the faithful +comrades had returned, tired, and scratched by the briers<span class="pagenum">[xv]</span> +of this work-a-day world, from a tramp of some miles in +search of live bait for a fishing excursion projected with +their father at Lily Pond upon the morrow. The doomed +little fishes had been put into a bath-tub full of water, +where they were expected to suppose themselves still in +their native pool. The boys had been washed and fed—an +astonishing supper, even for those cormorants!—and now +had elected to seek rest and refreshment at the maternal +knee. Colin, observing that everybody else was satisfactorily +adjusted in affectionate attitudes, had retired under +the fringe of a table-cover close at hand, and lay where +only his loving eyes and open mouth could be seen, +breathing in short quick pants, or, as the boys called it, +"ha-ha-ha-ing at the company."</p> + +<p>"And now, mamma, until your tea is ready, we know +what you must do," said the children, in a breath. "Tell +us a story—a 'real, truly' fairy tale, about a giant and a +dwarf, lots and lots of fairies, a prince and a beautiful +princess with hair to her very feet, a champion with a +magic sword, a dragon-chariot, a witch dressed in snake-skin—and, +if you can, an ogre. Don't punish anybody +but the witch and the ogre; and <i>please</i> don't have any +moral, only let everybody 'live in peace and die in a pot of +grease,' at the end of it."</p> + +<p>"To be sure, we know most of mamma's stories by +heart," said the sage elder of nine. "If she could only +make up some new ones that aren't in any of our books! Or<span class="pagenum">[xvi]</span> +else, mamma, tell us something you heard a little bit of, +long, long ago, from your nurse, and then make up the rest. +But whatever one you tell, we'll be sure to like it anyhow."</p> + +<p>The stories told, the mother fell to musing, and the +result is the little book here presented to the judgment of +children other than her own—a few new fairy tales, on the +old, old pattern!</p> + +<p>In every country of the habitable globe are found the +same myths, variously dressed and styled. Let the ethnologist +frame what theory he will upon this subject, my +own private belief is that once upon a time a good fairy who +loved mankind put on the wings of a stormy petrel and +flew over many lands, carrying in her hand a sieve full of +tiny seeds, and shaking it upon those spots where there +appeared to be most children. The seeds, falling to earth +after this fashion, sprang up and bore many-colored fairy +tales, to rejoice all hearts for evermore. Since then, the fables +you and I love have been told from father to son among +nations living remote from each other and isolated. The +Hindoo toiling under the tropic sun, and the Lapp in his +smoky hut banked in snow; the English cottar resting in +his ivy-covered porch, and the Russian peasant stretched +at length upon the stove which forms his bed; the Persian +stroking his gray beard beneath the archways of Ispahan, +and the Norwegian carving bits of wood under his rafters +of illuminated pine—all know and repeat versions of our<span class="pagenum">[xvii]</span> +favorite tales. In France, in Spain, in Germany—mother +of myths—in Italy, where they drop red from the wine-press +of Boccaccio—are these stories to be heard. The +North American Indian weaves them with his beads and +wampum; our southern negro croons them over the corn-cake +baking in the spider upon his cabin hearth; the +poetical Chinese envelops them in the language of flowers; +and the distant dweller by the Amazon embalms them in +his legendary lore. So much for the fairy with the sieve!</p> + +<p>But great as is the enjoyment had in perusing the fairy +tales of different nations, to the child of Anglo-Saxon descent +can come no such pleasure so deep as that to be +derived from the old romances of our mother country. To +me this delight was first revealed by a little fat book that +used to be found in our nurseries—the one containing Cinderella, +immortal maid—unprincipled Puss in Boots—and +Jack, the splendid champion!</p> + +<p>Of late years, fairy tales seem to have suffered from +their increase of dignity at the hands of grave scholars, +who have so dressed them in fine language, and hedged +them with innumerable notes and references, that the child +shuns the fruit for fear of thorns about it. For my own +part, I prefer the older specimens of ancient fairy literature +known as chap-books. These were odd little yellow +pamphlets, sprinkled with abundant capital letters +throughout the text, and "Illustrated with many diverting +cutts!" They were carried around the country-side in<span class="pagenum">[xviii]</span> +England by peddlers, who sold +them (with such other catch-penny +wares as ribbons, lace, and trinkets) +indifferently at castle gate or +cottage lattice; and if you wish to +see the sort of fairies your great-grandmothers +believed in, look at +the three pictures that accompany +this preface, copied from a famous +chap-book.</p> + +<img src="images/i005.jpg" width="197" height="646" alt="i005" title="i005" class="split"> + +<p>There, quaintly depicted, first, +appeared Jack in a funny full-bottomed +coat, diligently climbing a +bean-stalk, where the ogre's castle +was perched atop like a bird's +nest; lucky Ali-Baba, too; Bluebeard—mighty +and pitiless—with +Fatima and sister Anne, their back +hair down, pleading to him on dislocated +knees, their brothers, with +drawn swords, galloping to the +rescue; and the husband in The +Three Wishes, standing agape before +his fireside, while his wife +danced a jig of rage in her efforts +to rid her nose of a pudding little +smaller than a feather-bed! There,<span class="pagenum">[xix]</span> +also, was displayed that pushing suitor, the Yellow Dwarf, +who insisted on attaching to his lady-love's finger a ring +made of a single red hair, so fastened that she could not get +it off. There was the Desert Fairy, guarded by two lions +which the wandering queen endeavored to appease with "a +cake made of millet, sugar-candy, and crocodile's eggs." +(How we children yearned to taste that cake!) And there +were the fascinating White Cat, seated side by side with her +enamored prince in a fine calash of blue embossed with +gold, the Sleeping Beauty, the Babes in the Wood—hapless +cherubs—the Girl who dropped pearls and diamonds +when she spoke, dear Graciosa and ready Percinet, gallant +Riquet-with-the-Tuft, and Goody Two Shoes—the +latter a little of a prig, I fear—clever Hop o' my Thumb, +Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding-hood—the long +procession of charmers to whom even now my heart bows +in salutation as I write their familiar names!</p> + +<p>Chap-books of ancient date have been recently reproduced +in England; from one of them, I have taken the +substance of a story I never chanced to see elsewhere, +and under the title of "Juliet; or, the Little White Mouse" +have given it to you in language of my own.</p> + +<p>After the chap-books came other cheap fairy publications, +notably those of Mr. Newberry, a good old gentleman who, +in the last century, sent out numberless sixpenny booklets, +many of them reaching America to give pleasure to the +infants of the colonies. Washington Irving goes so far as<span class="pagenum">[xx]</span> +to say that if George Washington had not read Newberry's +publications in his youth, especially "Whittington and +his Cat," he would not have been the first and greatest +President of the United States! The grave Benjamin +Franklin, while a printer in Philadelphia, emulated Newberry +in publishing nursery tales, and no doubt devoured +them himself with relish.</p> + +<p>Many a pen of the great in history or literature has found +a theme in these favorites of ours. Of Cinderella, the +famous Canning, premier of England, wrote in glowing +rhyme:</p> + +<p> +<span style="padding-left:10em">"Six bobtailed mice transport her to bhe ball,<br></span> +<span style="padding-left:10em">And liveried lizards wait upon her call."</span> +</p> + +<p>And Thackeray has thrown around fairy lore the rays of +his noble genius, not only in the lines already here quoted, +but in a Christmas story so enchanting that, if you are +unfortunate enough not already to have made acquaintance +with Valoroso and Gruffanuff, Bulbo and Angelica, +I urge you to try at once the magician's art and coax "The +Rose and the Ring" out of the pocket of your nearest +relative. By the giant Thackeray, when entangled in +the meshes of Fairydom, one is reminded of Gulliver +under bonds to the Lilliputians, yet wearing his bonds so +easily!<span class="pagenum">[xxi]</span></p> + +<p>And now, I leave my new-old Fairy Book to you, my +little critics. I am sure you will accord a generous welcome +to the pictures. What would our benighted great-grandmothers +have said to Miss Emmet's charming illustrations?</p> + +<p class="author">C. C. H.</p> + +<div style="font-size:125%"> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[1]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 483px;"> +<img src="images/i006.jpg" width="483" height="245" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_PRINCESS_EGLANTINE" id="THE_PRINCESS_EGLANTINE"></a>THE PRINCESS EGLANTINE.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-a.jpg" width="81" height="82" alt="A" title="A" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">A</span><b>CERTAIN</b> queen had twin children, a boy and +a girl, both as beautiful as the dawn of a summer +morning. As the mother was one day +hanging over the double cradle, shaped like two silver +lilies growing on one stem, an old aunt of hers, who +knew a good deal about magic, arrived from the country +to see the babies and to spend the day.</p> + +<p>The old lady took the Princess Eglantine in her arms, +and kissed her, and joggled her, and clucked at her, +after the fashion of all good aunties.</p> + +<p>"That's a girl to be proud of, my dear!" she said,<span class="pagenum">[2]</span> +handing the baby back to her mamma. "And she +looks as good as she is pretty, too."</p> + +<p>"They are both <i>wonderful</i> children, nurse says," +replied the young queen, modestly. "And the doctor +thinks them the <i>finest pair</i> he has ever seen. Only the +boy is <i>a little</i> high-tempered. He kicks and snaps at +his attendants the whole time he is awake; so take +care, aunty dear, and don't disturb him for the world. +We always let him sleep as long as he will."</p> + +<p>"Hoity-toity!" cried aunty, "as if I came out of +the woods to be frightened by an owl. <i>I</i> know how +to manage <i>all</i> children!" and the boy opening his eyes +at that moment, she lifted him from his crib, and laid +him on her lap.</p> + +<p>Sad to say, he behaved like an infant tiger. Never +was there seen such a tempestuous baby. He wriggled, +and howled, and fought, and plunged, until the poor +mother and nurses turned red with mortification. But +the old aunty held on to him bravely, and examined +him from top to toe. Nothing could she find, till she +came to the sole of the right foot, and there was a tiny +red mark like a burning torch. As soon as aunty saw +this she sighed, and whispered a word in the baby's +ear, when he became as quiet as any lamb.<span class="pagenum">[3]</span></p> + +<p>Aunty sent away the nurses, and told the poor +queen there was no doubt about it; her boy was bewitched, +and when he grew up he would try to devour +his sister. The only thing was to keep them apart, +and this the queen told her husband; and he sent +for a wise man, who confirmed what aunty had said. +The wise man added that all would go well so long +as the princess was kept apart from her brother, and +as the brother was the heir of the kingdom, there was +nothing left but to banish the unfortunate princess. +The king built for his daughter, in the remotest corner +of his kingdom, an ivory tower. Around the tower +was a crystal moat full of gold and silver fish. Around +the moat were lovely flower-beds, and around the +flower-beds was a thick and thorny hedge. In this +tower there was a room lined with tufted blue satin, +like the inside of a bonbon box, and all the furniture +was made of fine carved ivory. Here the princess was +shut up for life, under the care of an old dame, Madame +Véloutine by name, who once had kept a boarding-school +for duchesses, and was very respectable indeed. +Poor Eglantine was gradually forgotten at court, and +her cannibal brother grew up without knowing he had +ever had a sister.<span class="pagenum">[4]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 506px;"> +<img src="images/i009.jpg" width="506" height="599" alt="THE PRINCESS EGLANTINE." title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">THE PRINCESS EGLANTINE.</p> + +<p>Like all other captive princesses, past, present, and +to come, Eglantine was beautiful and accomplished. +She could speak in every language, work in silk and +crewels, paint china plaques, make mince-pies, sing +like a nightingale, and play anything on the piano at +sight with her eyes shut! Her skin was milk-white, +with a rosy flush on the cheeks, while her glorious +golden hair never came out of crimp, but rippled from +the roots to her very feet.</p> + +<p>One day a prince, cantering by upon his palfrey, +looked up at the tower window, and there saw this +lovely creature, surrounded by a flock of pretty white +doves. Prince Charming gazed and gazed, and the +longer he stood there, the more enraptured he became. +When he heard from the country people that no one +knew who or what was this mysterious beauty, excepting +that once a year, by night, a grand gentleman and +lady visited her, and looked at her while asleep, the +ardent young prince made a vow to solve the secret +without delay. He engaged his old tutor to make love +to Eglantine's governess, and this plan succeeded so +well that the tutor was, ere long, invited to take a cup +of tea at five o'clock, in the ground floor apartment of +the tower where Madame Véloutine kept house. Madame<span class="pagenum">[5]</span> +Véloutine was very much fluttered by the attentions +of the tutor, a gloomy-looking individual with +savage dark mustache and deep-sunken eyes. The +poor old thing, who had been reading novels without +any intermission for eighteen years, was very sentimental, +and the idea of a suitor coming to woo at +some period of her existence was never wholly absent +from her thoughts. She dressed herself in one of the +Princess Eglantine's white robes, put a blue sash +around her waist, and covering her little red nose with +rice powder, sat in a darkened corner with a guitar +upon her knees. The tutor flattered her, and soon she +grew confidential and told him the story of her charge. +When the tutor took his leave, Madame Véloutine +sighed deeply, and pitied the poor man who had fallen +a victim to her charms. She did not see the fat purse +of gold the prince bestowed on him, upon learning the +true state of the case about the enchanting captive!</p> + +<p>Prince Charming rode, day and night, till he reached +the king's palace. "Give me your daughter for my +wife," he said. The king turned pale at hearing that +the secret was betrayed. "For pity's sake speak +lower, young man," said the anxious father. "Only +suppose her brother should hear of it." With that he<span class="pagenum">[6]</span> +told the whole story to Prince Charming, who forthwith +rode to ask a wise man what he should do to set +the princess free, with safety to herself.</p> + +<p>"Ride as far as you will, and as fast as you will with +her, you may not escape the curse," said the wise man.</p> + +<p>The prince went off heavy hearted, and visited a +witch he knew. She was knitting a stocking, which +ravelled every night as fast as it grew by day.</p> + +<p>"I have been knitting this stocking for fifty years," +said the witch, taking a pinch of snuff out of the soup-tureenful +that she always kept beside her. "I could +as soon make it whole in one night as keep away the +curse from her."</p> + +<p>The prince groaned as he rode away. Across his +path was a green bough, half covered by a huge cobweb. +In this a tiny being, no bigger than a fly, was +entangled, and was making desperate struggles to be +free. Travelling toward it, with tremendous strides, +came an enormous red spider, with white spots and +great protruding eyes. The prince, not without a +shudder, for, like most of us, he hated the nasty things, +killed the spider with a blow, and set free the pretty +captive, who proved to be a fairy. She tidied her +iridescent frock, and thanked him very nicely.<span class="pagenum">[7]</span></p> + +<p>"You have saved my life, dear prince," she said. +"Pray let me do something in return for it."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you can help me," said the prince, eagerly. +"If you can't, never mind," he added, politely, when +he had finished telling her the sad story of his doomed +princess. "I don't expect much of a person of your +size, you know; but really it's the greatest <i>relief</i> to +talk about the dear darling!"</p> + +<p>"A person of my size!" said the little lady, with +a shrill sniff. "I'd have you to know, prince, that +I'm the fairy Buz-fuz, the discoverer of the celebrated +invisibility powder. It is <i>never</i> known to fail, is made +from a fern-seed that <i>I</i> alone can pluck, and is <i>not</i> for +sale at <i>any</i> druggist's! As to lifting the spell from that +poor young creature, the princess, I can't undertake to +do it, on any terms; but with the aid of my powder, +one pinch of which sprinkled on an object will make it +disappear from sight in a moment, I believe you can +manage to keep clear of the cannibal brother."</p> + +<p>The prince thanked the fairy, took the powder, and +galloped off, light-hearted, to his Eglantine. She, poor +thing, had thought of nothing but the prince and his +beauty, and his kind glances and smiles, since he left +her. She wearied of the society of poor old Véloutine,<span class="pagenum">[8]</span> +and sighed for change. Véloutine was in despair. +To comfort the princess she promised to allow her a +single meeting with the prince, should he ever come +that way again. "That I am sure he will!" said the +princess. "If you had only seen his eyes when he +looked at me! They were so kind, so true! Oh! Véloutine! +he <i>will</i> come back!"</p> + +<p>So Eglantine settled down to her embroidery. This +was a gown of white damask with large white satin +flowers outlined with real pearls. She had been at +work on it for several years, and a few stitches more +would finish it. She now wrought busily, until the +last stitch was set, and then, with trembling fingers, +put it on. Around her neck and waist she wrapped +great chains of pearls, and left her long hair rippling +to her knees. When her toilet was complete she went +to the window. It was the sunset of a summer's day. +Around her tower grew vines heavy with deep-red +roses; the shining surface of the moat beneath was +streaked with color from the western clouds. Along +the path beyond the hedge rode a horseman gayly clad +in green and gold, who, smiling, doffed a cap with a +single long white plume, and bowed to his saddle-bow. +Behind him came a splendid cavalcade of courtiers<span class="pagenum">[9]</span> +and knights on horseback, surrounding a golden coach +in which sat the father and mother of Eglantine, who +had given consent to her marriage with the prince. +The poor king and queen were dreadfully frightened +at the rashness of this proceeding. They had sent the +cannibal brother off on a hunting excursion in a distant +part of the country, and had come in fear and +trembling, bringing with them the most trustworthy +of their people. They could not resist Prince Charming, +who, in addition to his other attractions, had +just lost his father, the old king, and was now the +sole owner and ruler of a neighboring kingdom, and +just the match for their lovely daughter. He had +sworn to them that their child should be kept so +securely guarded that her brother could never reach +her.</p> + +<p>Eglantine came down from her bower, to be introduced +to her father, mother, and lover all at once. +The marriage took place without delay, and the new +king started with his bride for the sea-shore, where +they were to embark for his home.</p> + +<p>They set sail in a ship of which the sides were plated +with beaten gold. The sails were of pink satin, and +the ropes golden threads plaited together. The young<span class="pagenum">[10]</span> +king and queen sat upon cushions of velvet on the +deck, and talked of their happy future, when suddenly +the sky was darkened as by a cloud, and, riding upon a +vulture, the cannibal brother came after them. He had +been hunting, and a wandering breeze carried to him +the story of his sister's escape. Although he had +never before heard he possessed a sister, the first +whisper of such a thing was sufficient to rouse in +him the dreadful cannibal instinct to drink her blood. +From where the king and queen sat they could distinctly +hear him smacking his lips with joy at the +prospect of his horrible meal. Queen Eglantine, fearing +she knew not what, shuddered from head to foot, +and closing her eyes cast herself upon the king's breast +for protection.</p> + +<p>The king, bidding her be calm, sprinkled the deck +of the ship with one of the fairy's powders, which he +carried in a little crystal box. At the moment the +huge foul bird of prey hovered above them and gave a +fierce swoop downward, the ship and all its contents +vanished utterly from sight, while the vulture with his +rider plunged into the sea.</p> + +<p>The cannibal prince was a good swimmer, and although +his vulture was immediately drowned, managed<span class="pagenum">[11]</span> +to keep up, until he found a dolphin and got astride +its back.</p> + +<p>"Now, carry me in pursuit of yonder ship, and mind +you swim fast and well," he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Master, I obey," said the dolphin, who recognized +in him a magician. "But, look for yourself—blue sky +above, blue water below, and not a sail upon the +sea."</p> + +<p>The prince looked, and in truth there was no ship +to be seen; so, ordering the dolphin to convey him to +the nearest landing-place, he soon reached the shores +of a beautiful country, where flags were flying, and all +the inhabitants were dressed in holiday clothes. Over +the wharf was an arch of most lovely flowers, and five +hundred little girls were strewing the roads with +orange blossoms.</p> + +<p>"What is taking place?" asked the cannibal brother +of the people around the wharf.</p> + +<p>"Where have <i>you</i> been, pray?" said they scornfully, +"not to know that our king brings home his bride +to-day!"</p> + +<p>Then the ship came in sight and the rejoicings began. +The cannibal brother had no sooner laid eyes +upon his sister than a new longing to drink her blood<span class="pagenum">[12]</span> +came over him; and he set about plotting how he +could get hold of her, no easy matter, since the palace +was guarded night and day by twenty white bull-dogs +of the fiercest sort, besides the usual soldiers and attendants. +So he took service with a butcher near the +town, and made a bag full of little meat-balls, each +one containing a drop of deadly poison. One day his +master sent him to the palace to carry Queen Eglantine's +sweetbreads and mutton-chops. "Now," thought +the brother, "I shall get inside;" but he was mistaken, +for the sweetbreads and mutton-chops were taken from +him at the gate, and passed on through twenty different +hands till they reached the cook. As no outsider +whatever was allowed to penetrate the inner palace +walls, behind which the new queen lived surrounded +by every luxury, the cannibal brother had to wait many +days for an opportunity to get a sight of her. Meantime +his appetite was gaining terribly, and he went to +the blacksmith and had all his teeth framed in iron, +the better to enjoy his horrid meal.</p> + +<p>At last King Charming was summoned to meet a +neighboring monarch about a right of way for his +armies across a certain peninsula; and, with many injunctions +to the queen not to admit any stranger during<span class="pagenum">[13]</span> +his absence, he reluctantly set out. No sooner was +he out of sight than the pretended butcher's boy hastened +to assume his own princely clothing, and, ringing +boldly at the castle gate, told the servants to announce +to the queen that her brother had arrived, bearing +messages from her father and mother. He sent in a +golden locket containing likenesses of both the king +and queen, his parents, which convinced Queen Eglantine +that his tale was true. So, joyfully, she ran +forth to meet him, and would have cast herself upon +his neck, but that the trained bull-dogs rushed between, +growling most horribly.</p> + +<p>"Come here, pretty fellow, nice fellow," said the +cannibal brother, coaxingly; but the dogs only opened +their jaws wider than before and growled defiance.</p> + +<p>"Give them these little dainties, sister," said the +wily prince, producing his poisoned meat-balls. "They +are some that I always carry for my own pets."</p> + +<p>The innocent queen called the dogs one after another +to her side, and fed them with the fatal balls, +which they ate, licking her white hand gratefully. At +once, as the poison began to work, they all lay down in a +row, and became as quiet as they had been before ferocious. +The queen led her brother into an inner room,<span class="pagenum">[14]</span> +and bade him sit upon her silken couch. The prince +laughed to himself, for now, thought he, the hour has +come for my coveted meal. But he was seized with +the notion to go into another room in order to file his +teeth, which were becoming rather dull.</p> + +<p>"Will you not play for me upon the piano, sister?" +he asked lovingly.</p> + +<p>The amiable queen, who never waited to be asked +twice, sat down to play, while her brother hid within +a closet and began to file his teeth. Up jumped the +queen's cat, in great excitement, and sat on her mistress' +lap.</p> + +<p>"Mistress dear," said the affectionate creature, "fly, +fly, as fast as your feet will carry you. Your brother is +at this moment getting ready to make a meal of you, +and as he is a magician no one in the castle is strong +enough to defend you from him. In the stable you +will find the king's gray steed. Jump upon his back, +and be off, while I play the piano in your stead."</p> + +<p>The terrified queen took to her royal heels, weeping +as she stumbled over the dead bodies of her faithful +dogs, and the clever cat sat playing beautifully +so many runs and trills that the prince, admiring +his sister's brilliant execution, made no haste<span class="pagenum">[15]</span> +to leave his task until it was finished to his entire satisfaction.</p> + +<p>And now, mounted upon the good gray steed, away +flew Queen Eglantine in search of her beloved spouse. +Pretty soon she heard footsteps, and there, swifter than +any horse, swifter than wind, on flew the cannibal +brother after her.</p> + +<p>"What shall I do, dear steed?" said the alarmed +queen.</p> + +<p>"Drop your cloak into the road," said the gray +horse, who was the cat's own cousin.</p> + +<p>The queen obeyed, and the cloak became a broad +lake, across which the cannibal brother took a long +time to swim. The gray horse got a good start, but +presently the prince came nearly up with him.</p> + +<p>"What shall I do now, dear steed?" said the queen, +almost ready to fall fainting from his back.</p> + +<p>"Drop the veil from your head," said the horse.</p> + +<p>This was done, and the veil became a thick fog, +causing the cannibal brother to lose his way and +stumble dreadfully. But he got out of it at last, and +came nearly up with them.</p> + +<p>"What shall I do next, dear steed?" said the queen, +trembling in every limb.<span class="pagenum">[16]</span></p> + +<p>"Take your scissors and cut a long lock from your +hair, and throw that behind you."</p> + +<p>The queen lifted the scissors that hung at her girdle, +and in a moment, snip! they went into her beautiful +golden hair. The hair became a jungle of tall reeds, +and through it the cannibal brother had work indeed +to travel. While he was puffing and blowing and +struggling in the reeds, oh, joy! the queen saw her +king riding swiftly to meet her.</p> + +<p>Just as the cannibal brother, by a desperate effort +of magic strength had freed himself from the jungle, +and emerged in swift pursuit, he had the mortification +of seeing the queen rush into her husband's arms. +His dreadful hunger was now increased until it drove +him to desperation. With a roar of baffled rage he +darted toward the royal couple, swearing that both of +them should be his victims; and this no doubt would +have been the case—since the monster was endowed +with the strength of fifty men—but that the king, bidding +his queen have no fear, quickly sprinkled them +both, and their steeds, with a pinch of the fairy fern-seed. +Immediately they disappeared from sight, and +the cannibal brother, coming with full force upon the +spot where they had been, beheld only empty space.<span class="pagenum">[17]</span> +This disappointment, combined with his now really +appalling appetite, made the miserable wretch fall in a +fit upon the ground.</p> + +<p>The king would have killed him where he lay, but +the queen pleaded for her brother's life, so the attendants +bore him, insensible, back to the palace. There, +the queen's clever cat advised that he should be left to +her to deal with. She shut herself up with the patient +in a tower bedroom, and during sixty days and nights +not a morsel of food passed the sufferer's lips, except +the cat's magic castor-oil—a cupful every ten minutes—each +tasting more nauseous than the one before! In +the morning he was lifted from bed, and put into an +ice-cold bath, and then whipped soundly until his circulation +was restored. At the end of the second month +the cat stopped his bath, whipping, and medicines, +offering him instead a handful of parched peas and +a dry crust. This diet seemed to him so delicious that +never again could he be tempted to vary it. Until he +reached a green and virtuous old age this prince was +never known to look upon so much as a rare beefsteak +without shuddering! His father, mother, sister, +and brother-in-law united their tears of joy at this happy +reform, and who should the clever cat turn out to be,<span class="pagenum">[18]</span> +but aunty, who had taken this means of watching over +her favorite Eglantine! The gray steed was aunty's first +cousin upon the mother's side; but when peace was restored +he preferred to go back to his own country to +live, although the grateful King Charming offered him +every inducement to remain, in the way of marble stalls +and silver mangers, rose-water to quench his thirst, and +golden oats to eat. Aunty, too, retired to her own distant +castle, and the reformed cannibal lived quiet and happy +until the time came to reign in his good father's stead.</p> + +<p>As for Eglantine and King Charming, they never +again found use for the fern-seed powder. Even the +faults of one were invisible to the other.</p> + +<p>Nothing occurred to disturb the serenity of their +entire reign but a suit for breach-of-promise of marriage, +brought against the king's former tutor by +the queen's former governess, Madame Véloutine; and +this was settled speedily by the tutor announcing that, +rather than make any fuss about the matter, he would +marry the old lady and be done with it, although he +really could not imagine what there had been in his +past conduct to put such an idea into her venerable +head. So at last Véloutine got a husband, and nobody +could be surprised at anything after that.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[19]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 534px;"> +<img src="images/i007.jpg" width="534" height="123" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="DAME_MARTHAS_STEP-DAUGHTER_OR_THE_GRANDMOTHER_OF_THE_GNOMES" id="DAME_MARTHAS_STEP-DAUGHTER_OR_THE_GRANDMOTHER_OF_THE_GNOMES"></a>DAME MARTHA'S STEP-DAUGHTER;<br>OR,<br>THE GRANDMOTHER OF THE GNOMES.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-d.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="D" title="D" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">D</span><b>AME MARTHA</b> lived at the foot of a high +mountain. Her cottage was large enough to +give shelter only to herself and two young +girls, one of them her own child and the other the +child of Dame Martha's late husband, who, about six +months before this story opens, slipped down a fissure +in the rocks and had nevermore been seen. Dame +Martha did not bear a very good character in the +neighborhood, as she was known to be violent in temper +and dishonest in her dealings. While her husband +lived, she had quarrelled with him from morning till +night, and after he disappeared, people used to hint +that Dame Martha knew better than any one else how<span class="pagenum">[20]</span> +the poor man came to his sudden death. But nothing +was ever proved upon her, and as the dame's cottage +stood in a desolate valley, overshadowed by a frowning +cliff on which grew a single lightning-blasted pine-tree, +children shunned the lonely spot, and few grown +people found anything to attract them in that direction. +Margaret, the dame's own daughter, was a handsome +haughty lass of about nineteen, so spoiled and +self-willed that she bid fair to rival her mother in +temper, in the course of time. Hilda, the step-daughter, +was a fair and gentle little creature, sixteen +years of age, who bore with patient cheerfulness all the +unhappiness of her lot. Sometimes, for days together, +she would be left alone in the house, while Dame +Martha and Margaret dressed themselves up in all +their finery, and went off to fairs and merrymakings +in the neighboring town. Melancholy were the hours +spent in a solitude unbroken save by the rush of the +waterfall leaping from cliff to cliff, or the hootings of +owls after nightfall, and the unceasing wail of the wind +through the forest. But Hilda was at least spared the +sound of Margaret's taunting voice and laugh, and the +cruel scolding tongue of her step-mother. These two +wicked women were heartily tired of Hilda, and cast<span class="pagenum">[21]</span> +about in their minds how they could get rid of her, +and take possession of a little bag of gold pieces +coming to her from her father. Then, thought they, +the old house could be shut up and left to the rats +and bats, while they might set out on their travels and +enjoy life.</p> + +<p>One day, when Hilda was bleaching the linen on a +patch of grass near the brook, her step-mother called +out, "Hilda, the red cow has strayed away, and I hear +her bell over by the old stone quarry. Be quick, and +you may head her off."</p> + +<p>Hilda secured her linen, and with nimble steps, ran +up the steep mountain side. She did not fancy the +idea of going by the old stone quarry, for there it had +been, six months before, that her dear father was last +seen in life. Near that spot his hat and shepherd-staff +had been found. But Hilda was accustomed to +obey without remonstrance, and away she ran, climbing +as lightly as a mountain goat. She too, could hear +the tinkle of the little bell far up among the bushes, +and guided by the sound, she drew near the dreaded +scene of her greatest sorrow. A thick screen of fir +bushes lay between her and the red cow's place of +refuge. Interwoven with evergreens, grew masses of<span class="pagenum">[22]</span> +alpine-rose, whose tough branches became entangled +in Hilda's feet, and hid the path from sight. At last, +she found herself in a dense thicket, not knowing how +to emerge. As she paused for a moment to look +about her, the red cow's bell tinkled again—a strange +uncertain tinkle this—immediately behind the bushes +at her left.</p> + +<p>"There you are, good-for-nothing!" cried Hilda, +struggling bravely forward through the undergrowth +in the direction indicated by the bell. She heard a +low mocking laugh. Surely that laugh could come +only from her step sister! "Margaret!" she called. +No answer, and poor Hilda, uttering a wild shriek for +help, plunged headlong down a hidden opening in the +ground, into a fathomless abyss, where no foot of man +might follow her.</p> + +<p>Wicked Margaret stood on the brink of this treacherous +pit-fall, known only to her mother and herself, +and laughed, holding in her hand the little red cow's +bell, with which she had lured Hilda to her doom.</p> + +<p>"Rest there!" the wretched girl said, kneeling +down to peer into the darkness of the rocky pit. "At +any rate, you have found a burial-place for your bones, +alongside of your father, who was never heard to<span class="pagenum">[23]</span> +groan after my mother and I pushed him over the +brink here, last autumn! And now, I will go home, +and tell the old woman that we are rid of all our burdens. +Ha! ha! Won't we spend the father's gold, +and revel! This very night must we steal away, and +seek our fortune in a distant country."</p> + +<p>Hilda fell, unharmed, upon a hillock of soft green +moss, so far, so far beneath the ledge whence Margaret +had pushed her, that the opening above looked +no bigger than a star. The poor girl was overcome +by her terrible fate, and for a long time she lay weeping +as if her heart would break. Then, looking about +her, she saw the opening to a cavern in the rocks, resembling +an arch of crystal, so bravely did it glitter.</p> + +<p>Around the hillock where she lay was a small courtyard +with turf as smooth as velvet, and upon the +rocky walls encircling it were trained vines of roses, +myrtle and jasmine, covered with lovely blossoms. +Hilda, who knew best the alp-rose and the corn-flower, +the hardy violet and the rock-seeking columbine, had +never seen such rare and radiant flowers as these, and +their rich perfume intoxicated her with delight. Stealing +down the side of the cliff, trickled a sparkling +rivulet, its stream caught in a basin of gleaming pearl.<span class="pagenum">[24]</span> +Hilda, enchanted by the lovely scene, forgot her grief, +and felt a longing desire to follow the path of many-colored +pebbles leading beneath the crystal arch. +Without a token of fear, she tripped along this pretty +path winding through a gallery supported by pillars of +frosted silver. Here and there glowed a lamp of pink, +blue or crimson, fashioned like a flower. Strains of +sweet music were heard in the distance, and at last +Hilda reached a gate of golden trellis-work, beside +which slept a tiny old man, whose beard and hair fell +over his red mantle to the very ground.</p> + +<p>"He is very old, and no doubt needs his rest," said +Hilda; "I won't disturb him, poor old man." So she +sat down on the ground at his feet, and every time his +head nodded to his knees, she would pick up the queer +little red cap that fell off of it, and put it on again. +After a long, comfortable nap, the old fellow woke up, +and saw Hilda sitting at his feet.</p> + +<p>"You are a kind maiden," he said, for he was of a +race that know everything without waiting to be told—the +Gnomes. "Since you have been so good to me, +I will let you pass the wicket. Six months ago your +father came this way, and if you can but make friends +with our mistress, you may be allowed to see him."<span class="pagenum">[25]</span></p> + +<p>"My father! My dear father!" cried Hilda, overjoyed. +"Oh! you good, kind gateman, do lead me to +where he is."</p> + +<p>"Hush! not a sound," said the Gnome, looking +about him in alarm. "Everything has ears and +tongues too in this place. One warning will I give +you. Answer not when spoken to, serve faithfully, +break nothing, show no surprise; and when you can +capture the bird that bathes daily in the fountain of +life, save the drops from off his plumage. Now go on; +and farewell, as no one who passes me comes back this +way."</p> + +<p>Hilda was frightened by the mystery of the warning, +but continued on her way, through a long and winding +passage in the rocks, dimly lighted here and there by +hanging lamps of alabaster. Reaching another little +wicket-gate of golden trellis-work, she summoned all +her courage and rang the bell. Out came a hideous +crone, whose ears, grown to an enormous size, hung +down upon her neck, and who, without asking her +business, opened the gate.</p> + +<p>"If ears grow like this," thought Hilda, "I had, indeed, +better hold my tongue and say nothing to give +offence." So, pretending to be dumb, she curtsied to<span class="pagenum">[26]</span> +the crone, and made signs that she wanted food and +drink. The old woman led Hilda along the path of a +neglected garden, to a house built of gray lichen from +the bark of trees, and thatched with hoary moss. The + +<img src="images/i008.jpg" width="366" height="375" alt="i008" title="i008" class="split"> + +windows were +barred, and in +the open doorway +sat a cross +old dame, at +her knitting. +She had a +hump, ears +larger than +those of the +lodge-keeper, +and claws +hooked like an +eagle's.</p> + +<p>"What! another +of those foolish mortals fallen down our pit!" +she cried, angrily; "I have half a mind to kill her on +the spot." But Hilda looked so meek and imploring, +standing there and saying not a word, that the +Grandmother of the Gnomes relented. "Well, well," +<span class="pagenum">[27]</span>she grunted, "although she is decidedly overgrown, +and has ridiculously small ears, I suppose I may as +well try her for a nurse-maid. If she proves unfaithful, +there will be plenty to tell of it, and she will soon +go the way of all the rest."</p> + +<p>Hilda was pleased at the idea of being a nurse-maid, +for she always got on well with children. She followed +the G. G. (really, if you will excuse me, it will save a +great deal of trouble sometimes to abbreviate the old +lady's title) inside the queer little house, and there was +a room full of owls, bats, toads, mice, and spiders, who +came flocking around the new-comer, with every expression +of delight.</p> + +<p>"Oh! you pretty darlings!" cried the old woman, +kissing them rapturously, "here is a new nurse for +you; and mind you keep her busy."</p> + +<p>When Hilda found that she was expected to bathe, +and clean, and walk out with, and sleep with these +loathsome creatures, she felt that she had rather die. +But fear of the terrible G. G. kept her silent, and setting +about her task, she soon had them ready for an +airing in the garden. Here she beheld many strange +sights, but nothing more curious than to see all the +bushes and plants and trees bearing large ears, which, +<span class="pagenum">[28]</span>as she drew near, became erect and fixed in an attitude +of attention. Remembering the caution of the friendly +gnome to express no surprise, Hilda drove her little +flock before her along the garden path, then returning +to the house, fed them and put them to bed in the +most orderly fashion. For reward, she found, on a +bench outside the door, a nice bowl of milk with fine + +<img src="images/i010_0.jpg" width="170" height="261" alt="i010_0" title="i010_0" class="split"> +<img src="images/i010_1.jpg" width="429" height="116" alt="i010_1" title="i010_1" class="split"> + +white bread and butter, and after +devouring it eagerly, she fell asleep. +When she awoke next day, Hilda +found herself in another garden. +This one was most beautiful. All +the rose-bushes had gold or silver +leaves, and flowers made of jewels. +She longed to twitch off one of the +shining leaves, but dared not, contenting +herself with watering their +roots and +neatly +clearing +up the +paths, as +the Gnome Grandmother had directed her. For reward, +she had a bowl of delicious hot soup, and a cup<span class="pagenum">[29]</span> +of amber jelly, and falling asleep, she awakened next +day in still another garden. Here sported birds of +radiant hue and plumage, singing delightfully, as they +flitted about the brim of a great marble fountain on a +grassy lawn, surrounded by blooming flowers.</p> + +<p>"Here, children, I bring you a new nurse-maid," +said the Gnome Grandmother, presenting her to the +birds; and immediately, the lovely creatures surrounded +Hilda, perching on her arms, her head, her +shoulders, and caressing her with evident pleasure.</p> + +<p>"Now that you have successfully met my three +tests—the first, of your fidelity, by doing your duty +toward the creatures you abhorred; secondly, by passing +through my jewel-garden without plucking a flower +or leaf; thirdly, by showing no surprise at the wonders +you have seen—you have proved yourself worthy to +be the keeper of my birds," said the old woman. "It +is well for you that the ears have heard no grumbling. +And mind you go on as you've begun."</p> + +<p>Hilda thanked her with beaming glances, but would +not venture to speak, although she longed to ask news +of her dear father. "To those who wait, all things +come in time," she remembered her father used to say, +and determined not to break silence yet a while. The<span class="pagenum">[30]</span> +Grandmother of the Gnomes disappeared, and Hilda +set herself to the task of caring for her new and lovely +pets. Around the garden were bowers of sweet-smelling +honeysuckle, and in each of these hung a silver cage. +Hilda's duty was to cover the bottoms of the cages +with sand of broken diamonds, to gather fresh sprays +of flowers to stick between their bars, and to fill the +jewelled drinking-troughs with dew from the cups of +flowers. Day after day passed in attendance upon the +birds, who all became devoted to her, in return. Each +morning the Grandmother of the Gnomes came into +the garden, and sometimes even smiled on Hilda, her +grin making her ugliness and deformity seem to increase, +if possible. Still Hilda dared not speak the +words that were always trembling on her tongue. +When night came, the young girl retired to rest in a +delightful little house shaped from a bush of growing +box, out of which doors and windows had been cut. +Within was a bed of moss like velvet, and a coverlet +made of the woven wings of the butterfly, with blankets +of swansdown. Her meals were served by unseen +hands. Punctually at breakfast, dinner, and tea-time, +there sprang up in the bower house a little table +shaped like a huge mushroom, covered with dainty<span class="pagenum">[31]</span> +food in dishes of gold and silver. New clothes were +prepared for her, and laid across the foot of her couch +while she slept. Among them were gauzy gowns that +seemed to have been cut from the clouds after sunset, +cobweb handkerchiefs, shoes made of mole-skin, and +necklaces of petrified dew-drops. Hilda might have +been quite happy but for the continual thought that +her father was imprisoned somewhere near, and her longing +to find him and tell him she was there. One night, +while she lay thinking, apparently asleep, footsteps +came to the side of her bed, and stopped. Somebody +held a lamp close to her face, but Hilda pretended to +be in a deep slumber, and soon the G. G., for she it +was, went away, pattering about the bower, and talking +to the old lodge-keeper, who followed her.</p> + +<p>"She is sound asleep, so come along. We are already +a little late for our round among the prisoners. +Foolish creatures! Why hadn't they, too, the sense to +restrain themselves as this child did, and they might +all have been working in the gardens, to this day. But +no! Each one must needs twitch off a leaf here, or a +rose there, and stare, and chatter over what they saw, +or else go into convulsions over the work given them +to do for my pretty toads, and bats, and serpents.<span class="pagenum">[32]</span> +That silly father of hers, for example! He seemed an +honest fellow, but what should he do, when he thought +no one was looking, but pluck one of my choicest ruby +roses to carry back to Hilda. Hum! much likelihood +there is that Hilda ever finds out where he is hidden, +after a crime like that!"</p> + +<p>The Grandmother of the Gnomes seemed to have +worked herself up into such an angry state, that Hilda +dared not give any sign of waking. So she lay, still as +a mouse, till the old couple had laid across her couch +the new robe for next day, and trotted off. Then, +gliding swiftly from her bed, the girl followed them, +down a long green alley of the garden, to a grassy +bank she had often noticed. There, putting her hand +upon a trap-door, half hidden from sight by a mass of +vines, the old crone knocked thrice, saying, "Open to +the Grandmother of the Gnomes!"</p> + +<p>The door opened, and behind it was a narrow passage-way +guarded by two dwarfs in red. No one spoke, +and the dwarfs, prostrating themselves upon their +faces, remained motionless while their sovereign lady +passed in. Hilda seized this opportunity to follow, +and crept unnoticed to the mouth of a circular vault +of gray granite, hung with curtains of black velvet<span class="pagenum">[33]</span> +and lighted by swinging lamps of lurid red. In the +centre was a long row of white marble tombs, and on +each one of these tombs lay a human being apparently +asleep, enclosed in a crystal casket. With a thrill of +emotion, Hilda recognized in one of these placid +sleepers her beloved father. The Grandmother of the +Gnomes walked past each bier, sprinkling it with +the liquid from a vial in her hand. At once the +sleepers aroused and sat up, rolling their eyes and extending +their arms to her with a beseeching gesture. +The G. G. sternly shook her head, and proceeded to +open a little door in each casket, through which the +old lodge-keeper gave food and drink to all the prisoners +in turn. The poor wretches ate and drank in +silence, then turning over on their sides, the crone +waved her wand above them, and instantly they fell +again into a trance-like sleep.</p> + +<p>"Sleep now, till this day week!" said the Grandmother +of the Gnomes, solemnly, retiring as she +came. Hilda hid in a nook of the wall of rock, and +followed her guides out, noiselessly and unnoticed by +the prostrate dwarfs in red.</p> + +<p>And now her sole thought was how she might get +possession of the reviving liquid. Alone and unprotected<span class="pagenum">[34]</span> +as she was, at the mercy of her gnome mistress, +Hilda knew not where to turn for help. In the extremity +of her distress, she thought of what the friendly +gnome at the outer gate had said to her. "When you +can capture the bird that bathes in the water of life, +save the drops from off his plumage." But although +Hilda racked her brain for a solution of the mystery, +none could she find. All day long her birds came and +went among the branches of the beautiful garden, and +at night returned to their silver cages in the honeysuckle +bowers. The only bath she had ever seen them +take, was in the wide marble basin on the grass-plot +beneath the fountain. At last, lying down to rest one +day upon a bank of lilies, she fell asleep, and in her +dreams, heard two of the birds talking on the bough +above.</p> + +<p>"To-morrow, our friend, the little brown wren returns +from his travels to the Spring of Life," said one of them.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he has been gone longer than usual, this +time," said the other. "What a lucky creature he is +to have gained our mistress's favor, and to be allowed +to take those baths, which have the power to make him +know everything, live forever, and sing more sweetly +than the nightingale."<span class="pagenum">[35]</span></p> + +<p>"There is something mysterious about that wren, +undoubtedly," sighed the first bird. "Nobody knows +whether it is fear or favor that gains so many more privileges +for him than for the rest of us. Do you know +that if he should ever drop the single golden feather in +his tail, he will become like the rest of us again, a slave +and captive? And the lucky person who finds it, will +be able to see all the hidden treasures of the caves +beneath the mountain, pierce his way through solid +rock and iron, and even defy the authority of our +Sovereign Lady herself!"</p> + +<p>Hilda listened, her heart beating high with hope. +Next day, indeed, there came a new bird among her +charges, a little brown wren, who sat upon the topmost +twig of the highest tree in the garden, and dried and +smoothed his feathers, singing so exquisitely that all +the others gathered around him in delight, while the disconsolate +lark and nightingale, canary, mocking-bird +and wood-robin, retired to a thicket of green leaves, +and wept for jealousy.</p> + +<p>Spite of all Hilda's blandishments and wiles, the +little brown wren would never come near enough for +her to handle him. She could see him, flying amid +the upper branches, the single golden feather in his<span class="pagenum">[36]</span> +tail shining splendidly, but nothing secured his presence +within reach or touch. Even the Grandmother of +the Gnomes was powerless to control the wilful creature.</p> + +<p>Weeks passed and Hilda was always on guard to +follow the Gnome Grandmother and her attendant +upon their expeditions to the crypt where the prisoners +were kept. By means of the stratagem she had first +employed, she never failed to be present when her +father was so mysteriously recalled to life, and then +dismissed again into the shadowy border-land of death. +Although she could not speak to him, or tell him she +was near, it was some comfort to see him arise up +strong and well. Oh! if the day should come, when +she might capture that tantalizing little brown bird! +He had become less shy with her of late, and more inclined +to perch upon the branch above her head, and, +while keeping a safe distance, observe her motions +closely. At last, one evening, quite disheartened, Hilda +went within her own little bowery house, and sat her +down and wept. For the first time since her arrival +in the gnome garden, she spoke aloud.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I can bear it no longer. My heart will +break! My heart will break."<span class="pagenum">[37]</span></p> + +<img src="images/i011.jpg" width="302" height="607" alt="i011" title="i011" class="splitr"> + +<p class="splitr" style="margin-right:20px"><b>Hilda Listens to the Little brown bird.</b></p> + +<p>To Hilda's utter astonishment, +a voice +came from the foliage +around her window, in +reply.</p> + +<p>"Cheer up, dear +maiden; the sound of +a human voice has +broken the spell cast +over me, and I now +see you as you are. I +am he whom you have +known as the little +brown bird, in reality +a mortal prince, bewitched +by that wicked +old woman, the Grandmother +of the Gnomes, +who makes everything +within her kingdom +subservient to her +power. She is my +deadly enemy, because +I once discovered the secret of her fountain of life;<span class="pagenum">[38]</span> +and, when on a journey thither with my followers, I +was captured and changed into my present shape, +while they, poor creatures, were carried prisoners to her +crypt. Should I regain my shape, it can only be done +by the help of a being brave and true like yourself."</p> + +<p>"But why, why did you not make friends with me +at first?" said the joyful Hilda.</p> + +<p>"The spell cast upon me forbade my recognizing +one of my own kind, unless she or he spoke, and you +know how human speech is punished in this place. +For three long years I have lived in solitude, compelled +by the crone to fly back and forth to fetch her the +water of life for her magical incantations; what I receive +upon my own plumage, while drawing the water +for her, has, however, secured my immortality. As +for my golden plume it is the magic blade presented +to me at birth, by a wonderful old wiseman, who said +that it would point me to the treasures beneath the +earth, defy the powers of evil, and pierce its way +through solid rock. This sword, the Grandmother of +the Gnomes was unable, much as she wished to do so, +to deprive me of. The utmost she could accomplish was +to transform it into a golden plume. Should I ever be +so unfortunate as to drop it, the finder will be my<span class="pagenum">[39]</span> +conqueror. See what confidence I have in your goodness +of heart, when I thus give my life into your +hands."</p> + +<p>"Never could I be so base as to betray you, dear +prince," said Hilda joyfully.</p> + +<p>"Oh! speak on, loveliest of maidens," cried the disguised +prince. "Every syllable you utter brings back +life and hope to my sad heart. Strange that I should +have watched you come and go without knowing what +you are. It was the first utterance of your silvery +voice in lamentation that awakened my benumbed +senses. Now, shall we not work together for our deliverance?"</p> + +<p>Gladly did Hilda pour forth all the story of her woes +to her newly found confidant. The prince bade her to +be of good cheer, for it was his intention to set forth +on the morrow upon his monthly journey in search +of the water of life.</p> + +<p>"A week hence I shall return, and although it +would be impossible for me to secrete any of the precious +fluid so that our mistress would fail to find it out, +yet I will take care to saturate my plumage with the +water, so that you can obtain enough to free your +father and the other sufferers. That done, we can proceed<span class="pagenum">[40]</span> +to stronger measures. Only be guided by me, +and obey all I tell you to do, and I promise you release +and happiness."</p> + +<p>Hilda promised and the brown bird took his leave. +Next day he was no longer to be seen in the higher +tree-tops, and after a week's absence, he arrived at +nightfall dripping wet, and perched upon Hilda's +window.</p> + +<p>Carefully did Hilda collect every drop that fell from +his plumage, and when next she followed the Grandmother +of the Gnomes into the fatal crypt, it was with +joyful footsteps, for in her hand she concealed a leaf-cup +full of the elixir of life. Not even Hilda noticed +that the little brown bird also entered the crypt when +she did. On this occasion, she waited as usual to see +the prisoners aroused and fed, then cast again into +sleep; but instead of following the two crones on their +return, she remained concealed in her crevice of the +rock, and saw close upon her the doors of this living +tomb. Now a sudden terror overtook her, and her +knees trembled.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dearest little bird, were you but by my side!" +she whispered imploringly.</p> + +<p>"I am here, Hilda," came in a well-known voice.<span class="pagenum">[41]</span> +"Remember that all depends upon your courage and +obedience. Go up to the crystal caskets and sprinkle +a drop upon each in turn."</p> + +<p>Hilda did so, and in a few moments had the inexpressible +joy of seeing about twenty brave knights and +other captives arise from their couches of marble. +Last of all came her beloved father, who clasped her to +his breast with rapture unspeakable.</p> + +<p>"Now there is not a moment to be lost," said the +brown bird, flying to Hilda. "Here, brave maiden, +pluck the golden feather from my tail."</p> + +<p>Hilda obeyed, and found that she held a shining +sword within her hand.</p> + +<p>"Quick, stab me to the heart!" said the bird.</p> + +<p>Hilda burst into tears and pleaded with him to spare +her; but the brown bird reminded her that, because +of the water of life, he could never really die; so the +young girl, trembling in every limb, plunged the blade +into his breast.</p> + +<p>As the warm blood rushed forth, a cloud of vapor +arose, filling the cave; and blowing presently away, it +revealed to all present the face and figure of a gallant +youth, who, proud and smiling, knelt at Hilda's feet.</p> + +<p>"Now is the enchantment banished!" he cried, as his<span class="pagenum">[42]</span> +friends, recognizing their master, came flocking around +him in delight. "But we must not again venture into +the precincts of the gnome's garden, for who knows +what might befall our lovely lady here? Come, my +brave sword, point us a way of exit."</p> + +<p>Swinging it in the air above his head, he brought +the blade into a horizontal line in front of him. At +once the sword pointed to a fissure in the walls of the +crypt, and as the rescued band approached, it slowly +widened to an opening through which a man might +pass.</p> + +<p>This was not a moment too soon, for the dwarfs on +guard had discovered their attempt to escape, and a +shrill whistle sounded in their ears. Swift as the lightning +flash arrived the Grandmother of the Gnomes, +this time in her worst aspect, fire darting from her +eyes. Behind her came an army of angry little men +in red, with hammers in their uplifted hands, prepared +to do battle to the death. What was their fury +to find the biers empty, and a long line of stalwart +men, led by Hilda, escaping through a doorway in the +solid rock! The last to depart was the prince, and advancing +upon him with a horrible yell and glare of defiance +came the Grandmother of the Gnomes. The<span class="pagenum">[43]</span> +prince met her with extended sword, and the enchanted +blade pierced her to the heart. The frightened +gnomes, surrounding their dead chief, laid her +upon the marble slab from which Hilda's father had +arisen, and then flew in pursuit of the avenger. But +it was too late. The rocky wall had closed upon the +retreating party, and the Grandmother of the Gnomes +arose no more from her final resting-place.</p> + +<p>The divining-sword led Hilda and her companions +straightway to the surface of the earth, taking care, +as they passed it by, to point out sufficient hidden +treasure to enrich every man of the party. As for the +prince, as he was already the owner of one of the +richest kingdoms of the world, all he desired was to +regain it, in company with his beloved Hilda, who by +this time had pledged herself to be his bride. Hilda's +father accompanied them to the palace of the prince, +and was by him ennobled and enriched. The marriage +took place, and just as the guests were enjoying the +festivities, the new queen saw her servants turning +away from the door a miserable-looking pair of beggar +women. Bidding these pitiful creatures draw near to +receive her alms, the queen recognized in them Dame +Martha and her daughter. Such was the generosity of<span class="pagenum">[44]</span> +her nature, that Hilda could not resist disclosing her +self to them, and assuring them that the <i>accident</i> of her +fall had been the means of securing her wonderful +good fortune.</p> + +<p>She ordered fine clothes and fine rooms to be prepared +for the couple, and would have forgiven them entirely, +but that her father and the prince, interfering, +ordered the wicked schemers to be driven from the +house and kingdom.</p> + +<p>Some time after, Dame Martha and Margaret reappeared +in the neighborhood of their old home. They +were very sullen and close-mouthed, and were last +seen hovering around the mountain-side in the direction +of the old stone quarry, after which they were +lost to human view.</p> + +<p>The facts in the case are that Dame Martha's envy +of her step-daughter led her to the desperate resolve +to herself descend into the pit in company with her +amiable child. Upon reaching the dwelling of the +late Grandmother of the Gnomes, they were immediately +seized and made to do duty in the cellar with +the toads, mice, serpents, owls, and bats, where in all +probability they are still enjoying life in congenial +companionship.<span class="pagenum">[45]</span></p> + +<p>Hilda and her prince lived a long and happy life. +The bright sword hung unused upon the wall, as no +enemies appeared against whom to unsheath it, and +the prince never again felt tempted to risk a visit to +the kingdom of the gnomes.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 219px;"> +<img src="images/i012.jpg" width="219" height="155" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum">[47]</span> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 532px;"> +<img src="images/i014.jpg" width="532" height="124" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_ADVENTURES_OF_HAPENNY_OR_THE_DWARF_THE_WITCH_AND_THE_MAGIC_SLIPPERS" id="THE_ADVENTURES_OF_HAPENNY_OR_THE_DWARF_THE_WITCH_AND_THE_MAGIC_SLIPPERS"></a>THE ADVENTURES OF HA'PENNY<br>OR,<br>THE DWARF, THE WITCH, AND THE MAGIC SLIPPERS.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +upon a time lived a poor, little, crooked +dwarf named "Ha'penny." When he was +born he was so small that his nurse exclaimed, +"Why, he is no bigger than a ha'penny!" and +thus the nickname settled upon him, as ugly nicknames +often do upon very worthy people. His father was +not very kind to the unfortunate child, who, finding +himself pitied and avoided by children of his own age, +soon learned to go off to the woods alone, and to spend +the days with birds and animals, over whom he had +extraordinary power. The most beautiful birds of +many-colored plumage would flutter away from their +boughs in the forest to perch upon Ha'penny's finger,<span class="pagenum">[48]</span> +and take sugar from his lips; shy little brown squirrels +would scamper down the trunks of the great trees to +nestle against his cheek; bees buzzed around his +head without offering to sting him; pretty striped +snakes glided from under their stones and stumps at +his call; while all horses, and cows, and dogs, and cats +loved to rub against him, and let themselves be stroked +and petted at his will. This friendship with the world +of animals and insects was Ha'penny's greatest joy, +and during the summer time, when he could live +abroad, the little creature was happy enough, after his +fashion. In winter he had to content himself with +feeding the birds, and visiting the stables to hide in +the hay of the horses' manger, where the grooms would +find him, mouthing and chattering in an unknown +tongue. They would often scold him, and put him +out of the stable, for Ha'penny was no favorite with +his father's people. His mother had died when Ha'penny +was a little fellow of five, and when he reached +the age of fifteen (although looking much younger) +his father married a second wife, who proved a cruel +step-mother.</p> + +<p>"If that ugly, little, twisted fright were out of the +way, I could really enjoy life," the unkind woman<span class="pagenum">[49]</span> +would say to herself; and she lost no opportunity to +make Ha'penny's life a burden to him, by all sorts of +petty tricks and persecutions.</p> + +<p>He bore all in silence, creeping away to his attic +bedroom, and lying for hours on the floor sobbing +bitterly. His only comfort was in his pets, and a queer +lot they were. Among them were a dog, who had had +both fore-paws cut off by the mowing-machine, a +chicken with a cork leg, a blind cat, a land-terrapin, +a dozen white mice, a number of birds which he had +rescued from freezing and starvation, some trained +fleas, a squirrel that had lost its tail—everything that +was maimed, or homeless, or unfortunate. These he +treasured in a little empty chamber opening out of +his, and no one but himself ever approached it. All +the poor dumb creatures loved him, and would swarm +around him when he opened the door; and, in return, +he spent upon them all the passion of love he had +never bestowed on any one of his own kind.</p> + +<p>One day when Ha'penny had gone off to the woods +to search for some ripe partridge-berries for his birds, +the step-mother found her way to his hidden menagerie. +One instant she looked about her, with disgust +and fury in her face, and then calling her maids she<span class="pagenum">[50]</span> +gave them cruel orders. Ha'penny came in from his +walk, opened the door of his treasure-house—and alas! +what a sight met his eyes! In two corners of the +room hung his pet dog and cat, his terrapin was crushed +under a heavy piece of iron, his birds were dead, his +chicken's head was cut off, his mice were drowned in a +pail; not one living thing remained to greet him but the +trained fleas, who had taken refuge in the rafters overhead +after biting the wicked mistress and her maids +until they capered about in their misery!</p> + +<p>Ha'penny gave one glance at his beloved pets thus +wantonly sacrificed, and fell upon the floor sobbing +with helpless rage and despair. He lay there all day +without being inquired for, and when night came he +stole out to the orchard and buried his poor dead +favorites under the light of the stars. He would not +go back to the house, and, forgetful of cold, hunger, +everything but his burning sense of wrong, he wandered +away, away, into the forest. A few berries and +a crust he had carried for the birds were his only +food until the evening of the next day, when he came +in sight of a queer little hut, half hidden from observation +by the trees that grew over it. Starving and +desperate, Ha'penny was gaining courage to knock at<span class="pagenum">[51]</span> +the door. All at once a little lattice window opened, +and an old woman poked her head out saying:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Come and eat, the table's spread<br></span> +<span class="i0">With sweetest milk and whitest bread.<br></span> +<span class="i0">Good cheer, enough for all I've got,<br></span> +<span class="i0">And more is cooking in the pot."<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>At this Ha'penny pricked up his ears and licked +his chaps like a hungry cur; and just then a number +of handsome cats and dogs came running out of the +woods and toward the cottage door, which the dame +had by this time opened. As no animal ever avoided +Ha'penny, these creatures all fawned upon him, refusing +to go in; and the dame, perceiving the new-comer, +asked him, with an angry air, what was his business.</p> + +<p>"A little food and shelter, madam," said poor Ha'penny, +the tears running down his cheeks.</p> + +<p>"Begone, you rascal!" cried the angry woman; "I +don't believe a word you say. I believe you are a spy +sent here to tempt away my pets. See how they hang +around you. You must be a magician, for in general +they will have nothing to do with strangers. Get you +gone, sorcerer!"</p> + +<p>Ha'penny turned meekly away, but the dogs and<span class="pagenum">[52]</span> +cats followed him with every show of affection. Faint +with hunger as he was, his legs tottered under him, +and he soon fell to the ground. Then the cats and +dogs surrounded him, licking his face and hands in +spite of all their mistress's endeavors to coax them +away.</p> + +<p>The old woman's anger ceased when she found the +grotesque-looking little stranger had really fainted +from exhaustion. She lifted him in her arms and +carried him in to the fire, and rubbed his cold limbs, +putting spoonfuls of hot broth between his lips. By +and by, when Ha'penny came to himself, he told her +all his sad story, and when he reached the part about +the killing of his pets, his heavy eyes flashed fire.</p> + +<p>"She is a horrible wicked woman!" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>The dame answered by striking her staff on the +floor. "See here, boy, if you are honest, you may +stay here and mind my animals."</p> + +<p>She took him into the next room, and there—what a +funny spectacle! Twelve cats and twelve dogs lay +upon cushions before the fire. The cushions were +made of satin, and the covers were of velvet worked in +gold. Twenty-four silver bowls stood in a row, and +every cat or dog had its separate comb and brush,<span class="pagenum">[53]</span> +and bath-tub and towels, and sponge and soap, and +perfume bottle, on a shelf. In the middle of the room +played a fountain of rose-water, and at the windows +hung pink silk curtains, which were drawn when the +creatures went to sleep. All in this room was rich and +costly, while the dame's own quarters were as plain as +those of any other cottager. <i>She</i> was content to sleep +in a big feather bed, to be covered by a clean patchwork +quilt, to eat on a deal table off blue crockery, +with a well-scoured pewter spoon. Ha'penny's eyes +sparkled at the idea of waiting on the cats and dogs. +He made friends with them at once. The dame gave +him a clean bedroom under the roof, and every day +after feeding and combing his charges he took them +for a walk in the woods.</p> + +<p>"So long as you wait on my darlings faithfully, and +mind your own business," the dame said, "no trouble +will come to you. But on no account ever go near +the little closet in the peak of the roof. Should you +do so, evil will happen, and your life may pay the +forfeit."</p> + +<p>Ha'penny suspected from this that his mistress was +a witch; but it troubled him very little, as he was an +honest lad and intended never to disobey her.<span class="pagenum">[54]</span></p> + +<p>One day the dame brought home a new cat, a +large, white Angora, a beauty to look at, with pink eyes +and flowing hair, fine and silken as spun glass. From +the moment of that cat's arrival the happy family was +completely upset. Félisette, for so she was named, +proved to be vain, selfish, and greedy; she fought for +the best of everything, ate up her neighbor's bowl of +milk as well as her own, and actually bit and spit at +Ha'penny. Félisette soon became jealous of Ha'penny's +affection for the others, and determined to do +him an evil turn. One day the dame was going to the +Witches' Sabbath, and said to Ha'penny, "Now mind +and take especial care of my lovely darling, Félisette. +If she gets into any trouble I shall hold you to answer +for it, as I see the dear creature is not your favorite."</p> + +<p>The dame went off riding on a broom-stick, and +Félisette invented a thousand spiteful tricks to make +the time pass unpleasantly to the others. At last she +disappeared, and presently Ha'penny heard her crying +pitifully upstairs. He rushed to see what was the matter, +and discovered her with her tail caught in the door +of the forbidden closet, up in the peak of the roof. +She seemed about to die of the pain she was suffering, +and, eager to set her free, the kind lad, without a<span class="pagenum">[55]</span> +moment's hesitation, lifted the latch while stroking +Félisette's fur, when lo! as the door flew open, out +came a skeleton hand, seizing poor Ha'penny in its +grip! Up jumped Félisette, laughing heartily at the +success of her +trick, and ran +away.</p> + +<img src="images/i015.jpg" width="360" height="369" alt="Ha'penny opens the magic closet." title="Ha'penny opens the magic closet." class="splitr"> + +<p class="caption splitr" style="margin-left:90px; margin-right:50px">Ha'penny opens the magic closet.</p> + +<p>Ha'penny +found himself +held close in the +embrace of two +skeleton arms. +In vain he struggled; +the dreadful +clasp only +grew closer. He +knew that this +was a trap the +witch had set to +catch any one +visiting the forbidden closet, so he made up his mind +to die when his mistress should return. While he +was in this sad way, the oldest of the dogs came +up and licked his hands. Tears were running from<span class="pagenum">[56]</span> +its eyes, and to Ha'penny's great surprise the dog +spoke.</p> + +<p>"My poor friend!" said the oldest of the dogs, +"I am afraid your fate is sealed. Know, then, that +there is but one chance left for you to escape the +witch's power. In this closet she keeps the magic +slippers and the magic staff. Wearing the slippers, +you may run faster than the wind; holding the staff, +you may discover all the hidden treasures of the +earth."</p> + +<p>"But how can I get free of this horrible trap?" said +Ha'penny.</p> + +<p>The oldest of the dogs looked around to see that no +one was listening, and then whispered:</p> + +<p>"You must know that we twelve dogs were once +twelve princes, and the twelve cats were princesses—all +of us having turn by turn fallen into the power of +the witch. She is bound to treat us according to our +rank, but there is no hope of ever regaining human +shape, I fear. Still, we may be able to help <i>you</i>, who +have been so good to us."</p> + +<p>He gave a little short bark, and up the stairs came +running all the dogs and cats, who wept when they +saw the sad plight of their friend. Up on a high shelf<span class="pagenum">[57]</span> +over the skeleton's head were the magic staff and slippers, +and the thing was to get them down without +touching the skeleton, which held fast every living +thing that touched it. One of the cats ran nimbly up +the wall and let herself hang; the next cat hung to +her tail, and so on till a bridge was made, over which +the oldest of the dogs scrambled, and got the coveted +treasures. He put the staff in Ha'penny's hand, and +fitted the slippers on his feet. Ha'penny gave a kick, +and struck the ground with his staff. Instantly the +arms of the skeleton relaxed their grip, and he was +free. He bade a fond farewell to his dear friends, +promising to come back to help them whenever he +could. He set out to run from the house, and speedily +the slippers carried him off at such a tremendous rate +of speed that he was faint for want of breath. Vainly +he tried to stop, but no; on, on he went with a fearful +rush. He heard the cries of the old witch, who pursued +him on her broom-stick. On, on, went poor Ha'penny, +more dead than alive, and now the witch +seemed gaining on him. He could hear the gnashing +of her teeth. He struck out with his staff, as he passed +by a rock, and instantly the rock became a mountain +as high as the moon. The witch took some time to<span class="pagenum">[58]</span> +clamber over this, and meantime Ha'penny got far +ahead of her. Reaching a city, he dashed into the +midst of a funeral procession that was going through +the street, and hid himself under the pall of the coffin, +kicking off the slippers as he did so. Immediately he +could walk as other men do, and when the old witch +arrived she saw nothing but the funeral creeping slowly +along—no sign of Ha'penny, who, hidden under the +pall, clasped his magic slippers to his breast, and held +tight to his magic staff. The disappointed witch flew +homeward and whipped the cats and dogs soundly—excepting +Félisette, who, of course, had been the tell-tale +on poor Ha'penny.</p> + +<p>The funeral train reached the cemetery, and Ha'penny +thought it his duty to cry as bitterly as the rest of the +mourners; but after the coffin had been put in the +grave, and as they were turning away, he asked a bystander +whose funeral it was.</p> + +<p>"The king's messenger, to be sure, you simpleton," +said the man.</p> + +<p>"Could I get the place?" asked Ha'penny.</p> + +<p>"You, the king's messenger!" said the man, scornfully. +"Why, he must be the swiftest runner in the +country. Look at your cork-screw legs! Look at<span class="pagenum">[59]</span> +your hump-back and your big head! As well expect +a snail to carry our king's messages."</p> + +<p>Nothing daunted, Ha'penny went to the king's chamberlain, +and proffered his request. The chamberlain +laughed until his head nearly dropped off, and then +called the first Goldstick-in-waiting, who called the +second, and soon the whole court was roaring over the +absurd request of this poor mannikin to be the king's +messenger.</p> + +<p>"All I ask is that you try me," said Ha'penny, +stoutly holding his ground.</p> + +<p>"Stop! An idea occurs to me," said the jolly chamberlain, +holding his aching sides. "To-morrow we +shall have a running-match between this champion and +the swiftest runner of the kingdom. In truth, my +lords, this will be sport worth having," and he looked +around at the courtiers, who all set to laughing anew.</p> + +<p>Next day the match was held in a lovely grassy field. +On a green mound in the centre was pitched a white +satin tent, under which sat the king and queen and their +children. An immense crowd assembled. Two bands +of music kept playing all the time; there were free +Punch and Judy shows on the outskirts of the crowd, +and booths where lemonade was given away, with peppermint<span class="pagenum">[60]</span> +sticks and molasses taffy, to all who asked for +it. Banners waved, trumpets blew, and then the race +began. Side by side with Ha'penny, little and insignificant +and forlorn as he was, started the king's +swiftest runner, a man of beautiful light form and +splendid muscle. Once around the field they ran, the +dwarf lagging; but on the second round Ha'penny +settled his feet well in his magic slippers, when, see! +like an arrow he sped past the athlete, and was in at +the goal so easily that the spectators hardly had time +to wink their astonished eyes! Hurrah! hurrah! A +mighty cheer went up for the successful Ha'penny, and +the king called him to receive the purse of gold, which +was the prize. Ha'penny knelt at the king's feet, and +again asked to be made his messenger.</p> + +<p>"That shall you be, my mannikin!" said the pleased +monarch. So Ha'penny had a gold chain round his +neck, a fine velvet coat to wear every day, and a page +to serve his meals. The king grew so fond of his new +servant that the rest of the courtiers became jealous. +Soon Ha'penny again had no friends but the animals +around the palace. They, as usual, followed him +everywhere, and caressed him fondly.</p> + +<p>Once when the little dwarf was walking in the king's<span class="pagenum">[61]</span> +paddock, accompanied by a train of young deer who +loved to be near him, he felt the staff in his hand give +a loud thump on the ground. At the same time all +the deer formed in a circle round the spot, seeming +by their eyes to implore Ha'penny to remain there. +At first he could not understand this, but at length +occurred to him what the oldest of the dogs had said +about hidden treasure. Ha'penny had no spade to dig +with, but at once the deer went to work with their +hoofs, and soon they had made a deep hole, at the bottom +of which lay a large iron ring fastened to an iron +door.</p> + +<p>Ha'penny was not strong enough to pull this up; +but the magic staff, when passed through the ring, +lifted it easily. Below was a flight of steps, leading to +a gallery. Ha'penny went down the steps, followed +the windings of the gallery, and reached a second +door. Touching this with the magic staff it yielded, +and flying open disclosed to view a lovely garden, +where roamed all sorts of strange shapes—men's and +women's bodies bearing the heads of bears, lions, +wolves, foxes, dogs, cows, horses, and cats. Instantly +these creatures came flocking around Ha'penny, calling +him their deliverer, and telling him that they too<span class="pagenum">[62]</span> +were victims of the witch, although by an accident she +had only had time to change their heads before her +spell expired. To this garden the witch was in the +habit of coming once a week, to see how her victims +were getting on, and to-day was the day of her visit. +Ha'penny took the magic slippers from his pocket and +put them on; and keeping firm hold of his trusty staff +he hid behind a lilac-bush.</p> + +<p>Soon, in came the witch, riding her broom-stick. +Ha'penny had never before seen her in her true witch +dress. It was a black, tight-fitting gown, made of scaly +snake-skin, and she had a necklace of live coals. +Around her high-peaked cap were twined two living +serpents, and a toad formed her brooch. Under one +arm she carried her familiar spirit, in the likeness of +a black cat, with a single emerald eye. She wore a +mantle, made of cobwebs and studded with large +venomous red spiders. Oh! she was a terror to look +upon, and no mistake! Ha'penny's teeth chattered +with fear, and so would yours at sight of her! She +rode sweeping her broom down the garden path, and +instantly all the animals with human bodies came running +to do her homage. She made them kneel before +her, and, with the three-thonged whip of live snakes<span class="pagenum">[63]</span> +she carried, whipped them all cruelly, till they groaned +and cried for mercy. Then, feeling tired, she lay down +on a bank to sleep, guarded by her familiar, who kept +watch with its single eye of flame; and on closely observing +the horrid creature Ha'penny made no doubt +that it was none other than his enemy, Félisette, in her +rightful shape.</p> + +<p>When the witch was fairly snoring, Ha'penny crept +up behind, and summoning all his strength prepared +to smite her with his staff. Suddenly the black cat +spit and hunched her back. The serpents around the +witch's hat began to writhe and uncoil. They knew +an enemy was near.</p> + +<p>Ha'penny saw that he must lose no time, so aiming +a fierce blow at the witch's back, he broke her spinal +column, just as you would break a stick of sugar-candy. +Then the dying witch uttered a shrill command to her +watchers, and instantly Félisette and the two serpents +set upon the audacious Ha'penny. "This time you +shall not escape me!" cried Félisette, spitting fire. +The cat's breath was deadly poison, and the serpents' +fangs no man might feel and live. Ha'penny struck, +swift and sure, right into the middle of the cat's single +eye, and pierced her brain. As Félisette fell dead beside<span class="pagenum">[64]</span> +the groaning witch, the serpents reared their full +length from the ground, and prepared to strangle the +dwarf. The good staff proved true, and cut them both +in two with a single well-aimed blow. What was his +horror to find the mangled remains of the snakes +change into four living ones, stronger than the first. +There was nothing for it but flight, and Ha'penny took +to his heels. The magic slippers carried him on and +away, so swiftly that nothing could catch him. He +passed through the gallery and went out at the iron door, +finding himself safe, but a little out of breath, in +the paddock with the king's deer.</p> + +<p>Ha'penny told nobody of this exciting adventure, +but could not sleep for thinking of all the poor bewitched +people down there in the underground garden +in the power of those dreadful snakes. He now suspected +that these two fighting serpents were of the +multiplication variety. (This means that if they were +cut in two they would become four, from four become +eight, from eight sixteen, from sixteen thirty-two, and +so on indefinitely; and this, we are told, is the very +worst species of snake known to travellers!)</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 516px;"> +<img src="images/i013.jpg" width="516" height="607" alt="Ha'penny Watching the Witch in the Underground Garden." title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">Ha'penny Watching the Witch in the Underground Garden.</p> + +<p>Ha'penny got up early, went out again to the paddock, +and found the deer in a great state of excitement<span class="pagenum">[65]</span> +and agitation. They seemed to be waiting for him to +come, and led the way to the secret passage in the +earth. Ha'penny went down, staff in hand, and easily +passed through the first iron door. As he neared +the second door, he heard a confused noise beyond +it of cries and lamentations. He opened the door +softly, and crept into the garden unobserved. There +he saw the dying witch, who, as witches always require +twenty-four hours to die in, was lying on the +ground writhing horribly, groaning, and shrieking +to her snakes to multiply, which they did until almost +the whole garden was one seething, wriggling mass +of the horrible creatures. The poor people in the +garden had climbed up the trees, and were every +moment expecting to fall to the ground poisoned +by the breath of the serpents, which rose in a thick +vapor.</p> + +<p>In this terrible moment Ha'penny's heart almost +failed him; but, mustering all his courage, he sprang +upon the witch, and tore from her the mantle of cobwebs, +to which he noticed she was clinging. Instantly +the witch set up a shrill shriek.</p> + +<p>"Give me back my mantle," she cried pitifully; "if +I die with that around me, I can be sure of rest in the<span class="pagenum">[66]</span> +grave. If you take it away, I shall have to fly about +like a bat forever."</p> + +<p>"If you order the snakes to shrivel up and die, +and restore all your victims to their natural shapes, I +will give you the mantle," said Ha'penny firmly.</p> + +<p>"Children, come home!" cried the witch, in a failing +voice. Immediately the snakes began rolling and gliding +into each other, and in a short while nothing was left +but the two fiery serpents, who wreathed themselves +quietly around the witch's hat again, as if nothing had +occurred.</p> + +<p>"Children, be dust!" she said again—this time in a +weaker voice—and the snakes curled up and fell away, +leaving behind them only two little shining skins.</p> + +<p>"Be once more men and women, you accursed +things!" she said spitefully, making a sign at the +transformed beings who were now flocking around +Ha'penny with delight and gratitude. As the witch +spoke, the ugly deformities melted away, and in their +place were seen the heads of handsome men and beautiful +women, who wept for joy when they found themselves +restored.</p> + +<p>Ha'penny now threw the cobweb mantle over the +witch, who, clutching it in her arms, gave one long<span class="pagenum">[67]</span> +shudder and expired. They made a grave for her +then and there; and Ha'penny led his companions out +of the magic garden, which they were glad to leave, +into the long passage-way. There they showed him +caverns filled with gold and silver, which it had been +their business to dig out of the earth and to pack away +for the witch. Ha'penny and his friends divided the +spoil, although they told him it was all his by right. +When they got up into the light of day once more, the +bewitched people scattered in all directions to go to +their various homes, and Ha'penny was again alone +in the world, although now very rich. He persuaded +the king to discharge him from the royal service, and +his first thought was to journey to the cabin in the +woods. This, by aid of the magic slippers, he did in very +quick style, and there he found the twelve dogs and +the twelve cats living as before. This distressed Ha'penny, +as he had hoped that the breaking of the +witch's spell would set them also free. "What did I +tell you?" said the oldest of the dogs sadly. "We are +doomed <i>never</i> to regain our shapes; but, now that Félisette +has gone, we are comfortable here and don't repine. +Only, there <i>should</i> be somebody to cook for us, +and our hair has not been decently brushed for a week."<span class="pagenum">[68]</span></p> + +<p>Ha'penny felt a sudden thrill of joy. Here, at last, +was something to depend on him, something that he +might live and care for. He warmed the water forthwith, +and gave all the dogs and cats a bath apiece, +and then he combed and brushed them nicely. He +made the fire and heated their broth, and fetched +fresh cream and white bread for their breakfast. +Nothing was heard but little barks and purrs of enjoyment. +Ha'penny waited till all were asleep on +their cushions, and then he mounted the stairs and +nailed up the skeleton cupboard, so that it might +never again be opened. He could not take it quite +away, you see, as every one must have a skeleton of +some kind in his closet, and this was the only one he +had. Ha'penny had never felt so happy and light-hearted +as now. He had found friends, and might +remain alone with them in peace.</p> + +<p>So there he continued to live, and I am almost sure +that if you would visit that forest, you might, even +now, succeed in finding the cottage, the cats, and Ha'penny +himself!</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[69]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 537px;"> +<img src="images/i016.jpg" width="537" height="119" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="SYBILLA_MYRTILLO_AND_FURIOSO" id="SYBILLA_MYRTILLO_AND_FURIOSO"></a>SYBILLA, MYRTILLO, AND FURIOSO.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-a.jpg" width="81" height="82" alt="A" title="A" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">A</span><b>CERTAIN</b> + +king had a beautiful golden-haired +daughter named Sybilla, whose suitors came +from every country, though with small success, +since the princess had vowed to remain single +until one proving to be the mightiest hero of the world +should appear.</p> + +<p>At no great distance from her father's country lived +a horrible giant, every hair of whose head could +change, at will, into a fiery serpent. He had one eye, +the size of a mill-wheel, and his teeth looked like rocks +in a mighty cavern. His name was Furioso, and his +strength was known to surpass that of an army of ordinary +men. What was the dismay of Sybilla's father +when this monster sent to request the lovely princess +for his wife! The king turned pale, and walked up +and down his palace floor all night, for he knew what<span class="pagenum">[70]</span> +it meant to refuse the request of Furioso, who, up to +this time, had lived at peace with his neighbor's country. +The queen-mother, hearing of the giant's offer, +took to her royal bed in kicking hysterics. As to the +proud little princess, she curled her pretty red lips +scornfully and tossed her head. "I'd like to see him +do it, the fright!" was what she said.</p> + +<p>In a few days what the king feared had come to +pass. The giant Furioso, on receiving the beautiful +diplomatic letter the king's secretary had written him +(after consultation with all the lords and lawyers of the +realm), frowned, scratched his head, which instantly +bristled all over with flaming serpents, and opening his +mouth sent forth a blood-curdling yell of defiance that +resounded in the farthest part of the king's dominions. +Without a moment's delay he changed himself into a +fearful hurricane, and swept over the country and the +palace of the Princess Sybilla. Fences and iron gates, +stone walls and marble palaces fell to the ground +like card-houses. Forests were uprooted, suspension +bridges snapped like cobwebs, villages entire rose up +into the clouds and disappeared, with their inhabitants +looking in astonishment out of the windows! Cows +and horses, dogs and elephants were seen whirling<span class="pagenum">[71]</span> +about in the air like Japanese day-fireworks. The +king and queen found the roof lifted from above their +heads, and went sailing out the open space in their +nightcaps. They met all the court blowing wildly about +up there, and for some time it was like a mad dance +without any bottom to it. Dizzy and terrified, the +royal couple at last fell down to earth again, the +queen lighting on the fat cook, so that she was not +seriously injured—the king falling on a tennis net, +which the force of the wind kept suspended like a +hammock without any ropes.</p> + +<p>Picking themselves up, the first thought of the royal +couple was for their beloved princess. As fast as different +members of the court and household fell down +from the clouds, which they continued to do all the +evening and night, the king sent them in search of the +princess. Nobody remembered having seen Sybilla +anywhere in the air, and her waiting-maid, who dropped +somewhere about nine o'clock <span class="smcap">A.M.</span>, next day, wept +as she told how she was combing the princess' golden +hair with the ivory comb she still held in her hand, +when the breeze came which separated them. One +thing was certain, the princess had disappeared. When +things settled down a little, and people began taking<span class="pagenum">[72]</span> + +<img src="images/i017.jpg" width="269" height="594" alt="i017" title="i017" class="split"> + +their breath, a peasant +turned up who reported +seeing the princess flying +along at a fearful rate of +speed in the arms of a +tall, white-haired man +wrapped in a mantle, who +hid his face as he passed. +"It were just at that moment, +your honors," said +the peasant, overwhelmed +by the questions that +rained on him, "I were +myself tooken, unexpected-like, +and turned upside +down by the wind; and +when I cum to, there I +were atop a haystack in +Farmer Grimes' field, five +miles from home as the +crow flies, a-standing on +my head."</p> + +<p>The king and queen exchanged +horrified glances.<span class="pagenum">[73]</span></p> + +<p>Each remembered to have heard that one of the tricks +of Giant Furioso, when he wished to be particularly +wicked, was to change to the semblance of a venerable +white-haired man. No doubt about it, the whole +calamity to court and nation was the work of Furioso, +and <i>he</i> had got the princess.</p> + +<p>The distracted king set out at the head of his army +to visit Furioso's castle. To his surprise, under the +giant's name, upon a visiting card inserted above the +speaking-trumpet at the gate, were pencilled these +words: "Out of town till further notice." The windows +were closed, and green shades hung behind them. +No smoke came out of the chimneys, and the doors +were chained. Evidently the giant had retired to +some one of his retreats, where he could not be followed. +The king and his army marched back again +in gloomy silence.</p> + +<p>For six months nothing was heard of the unfortunate +Sybilla, till one day three young princes, travelling +from a distant country in search of adventure, found a +wounded carrier-pigeon on the road. Under its wing +was a note, written in pale red ink, on a bit of torn +linen cambric. The note gave them considerable trouble +to read it, but, at last, the youngest prince, Myrtillo,<span class="pagenum">[74]</span> +who had always been the cleverest at school, managed +to decipher these words:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"I write this with blood taken from my finger, on +a fragment of my only pocket-handkerchief. I am the +wretched Princess Sybilla, daughter of the King Rolando, +and I pray any kind mortal who finds this to come +to my aid, in the dungeon of Furioso, under the fifth +mountain of the Impassable Range. Once in twenty-four +hours this mountain cleaves asunder to let my +oppressor take the air. Watch, and rescue me, in the +name of humanity."</p></blockquote> + +<p>The Impassable Range was far away, but the princes +journeyed thither without delay. They found the fifth +mountain easily, and hid under the rocks at its base, +to await developments. Exactly at sunrise a rumbling +sound was heard, and the cliffs shook. The +mountain split apart from summit to base, and between +two yawning jaws of rock issued forth, first, a +head covered with flaming serpents, then a frightful +purple face, and lastly, the gigantic form of Furioso. +Following him came the wails and shrieks of his captives +within the mountain, to which Furioso paid no +attention; he only turned his back and shouted:<span class="pagenum">[75]</span></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Close you, mountain, fierce and grim,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Open but to Banbedrim!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The princes fancied that this last was the password, +and when the giant had disappeared they tried to +make the mountain open by repeating it; but in his +excitement each one forgot how to pronounce the +magic syllables. So there they stayed till sunset, when +the giant came home from his hunting expedition. He +had a pouch slung over his shoulder, and in it were +crowded the new men, women, and children he had +caught. The poor creatures were half dead with terror +and rough treatment. The princes watched the +giant, and listened with all their ears for the password. +"Banbedrim!" thundered Furioso, and instantly the +mountain yawned to let him and his miserable prisoners +pass in, when it closed, as before.</p> + +<p>The three princes laid each his hand on his sword, +and swore to be avenged of the brutal treatment of their +fellow-beings. Next morning when the giant issued +forth, hurling the password at the mountain, then disappeared +from sight, the oldest prince declared that +he should be the first to enter the mountain, that his +brothers should wait twenty-four hours for his reappearance,<span class="pagenum">[76]</span> +and that should he fail to come back the +second brother might come to his assistance.</p> + +<p>Bravely the young man sprang up the mountain-side, +and called aloud the password. Instantly amid thunderings +and lightnings the ground split at his feet and +swallowed him from sight. They could see the tip of +his bright sword held aloft, as he sank into the gloomy +abyss.</p> + +<p>Twenty-four hours passed, and the oldest prince +failed to return. Then the second brother set forth, +and he, too, vanished from sight. A long day and night +of waiting had the youngest prince. Then he ascended +the mountain where there was every reason to +fear his brothers had found a horrible fate. Uttering +the password, Myrtillo saw, through the opening earth +at his feet, a pit whence came fire and smoke; and he +plainly heard the cries for help of many human voices.</p> + +<p>Myrtillo fell a great distance, landing on his feet in +a desolate cavern. The smoke cleared away and he +beheld a huge iron door before which were four trumpets—one +of copper, one of silver, one of gold, and +one of brass. Over them these words: "He who +would enter here, choose between us four."</p> + +<p>At the foot of the golden trumpet lay the mangled<span class="pagenum">[77]</span> +remains of his oldest brother, who had perished in +trying to blow it. At the foot of the silver trumpet +the corpse of the second prince had fallen; and now +Myrtillo must choose between the two remaining trumpets! +Without a moment's hesitation he put his lips +to the copper trumpet, and gave a loud, clear blast. +At once the iron door flew open, and he was in a hall +surrounded by dungeons, through whose gratings he +could see prisoners in every stage of misery. They +called to him frantically, and hailed him as their deliverer. +Alas! what could the poor prince do to save +them. He looked about and saw a long tunnel, ending +in a massive gate of stone and iron. As he gazed +into the darkness of the tunnel something coiled up +at the end of it seemed to stir, and a hideous snake +darted toward him, opening a pair of jaws as wide +as an ordinary fireplace, and sending out a flaming +tongue. Myrtillo charged upon the beast, and after a +desperate fight drove his sword down its throat, the +point coming out at the back of the neck. As he +stooped to free his sword the serpent gave a convulsive +struggle and died. Myrtillo found a chain around its +neck on which was fastened a golden key. He took +the key and put it in the great key-hole of the iron<span class="pagenum">[78]</span> +door before him, and to his joy the door opened. +There, in a dismal dungeon within, lay a beautiful +maiden in chains. Myrtillo set her free, and found +that she was the Princess Sybilla, whom the giant +treated with especial cruelty because she persisted in +refusing his love. She told him that the little pigeon +was one of many kept for the serpent's food, and +that she had hidden it, and helped it to fly out one +day when the giant left her cell. "And now," said the +princess, when Myrtillo had in turn told her his story, +"let us be quick, and lose no time. In the court beyond +my cell are two fountains. One of them contains +the water of strength, the other the water of +weakness. From the former fountain Furioso gains +all his power. A little of its water sprinkled upon the +dead recalls them to life, and we may save your poor +brothers yet."</p> + +<p>Myrtillo and the lady hastened to the fountains; but +to their dismay a roaring noise and the groans of the +wretched prisoners, who were chastised daily upon his +return, announced the arrival of the giant. "Quick!" +said the lady, pointing to the water of strength; "drink +once of this, and you will be strong enough to change +the fountains, putting each in the place of the other."<span class="pagenum">[79]</span></p> + +<p>Myrtillo obeyed, and at once felt able to move a +mountain at command. He seized the solid stone +basins and changed them, and hardly had he done so +when the giant came rushing in. "Where is that insolent +whipper-snapper of a prince who has dared to +kill my faithful serpent?" roared he.</p> + +<p>"Here he is, at your service," said Myrtillo, stepping +forth with a gallant bow, and holding his glittering +sword in hand.</p> + +<p>"Just wait till I quench my thirst," said the giant +disdainfully, as he stooped down to what he supposed +to be his fountain of strength, and drank a long, deep +draught. Suddenly a strange trembling came over the +monster's huge bulk. His face turned pale, his eyes +stared, his jaw dropped, he sank to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Why, this is the water of weakness my prisoners +drink," he cried. "What trick have you been playing +me, you scoundrel?"</p> + +<p>Myrtillo again drank of the water of strength, and +now he felt as if he could defy an army, single-handed. +Swift as a lightning flash he descended upon the giant, +and severed his wicked head from his body. The +Princess Sybilla uttered a wild shriek of delight, which +was heard and understood by all her fellow-captives,<span class="pagenum">[80]</span> +and the dungeons echoed with sobs and cries of joy. +Myrtillo and the princess filled goblets with the water +of strength, and hastened to sprinkle all the prisoners, +who, paralyzed by their chains and wasted with hunger, +could in many cases barely stir upon the ground +where they lay. Soon, a host of strong men and women +filled the main hall of the dungeon, and then Myrtillo +had the joy of seeing his two brothers return to +life under the action of the magic water, in which he +bathed their limbs. As Myrtillo only had <i>drank</i> of +the water of strength, he remained the strongest champion +in the world; and when Sybilla was taken back +to her father and mother, she told them that she had +promised to take the Prince Myrtillo for her husband. +From the giant's stronghold Myrtillo brought away +gems and gold enough to enrich him for a lifetime, +even after all the giant's victims had been sent home +with a bag of gold apiece. His brothers found brides +in two lovely fellow-sufferers they had led out of the +giant's cavern to the light of day; and so all were satisfied, +and in a short time the Giant Furioso was forgotten. +No more hurricanes visited the kingdom of +Sybilla's father, where things continued to jog along in +the old-time peaceful fashion.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[81]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 541px;"> +<img src="images/i018.jpg" width="541" height="117" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="ANNETTE_OR_THE_MAGIC_COFFEE-MILL" id="ANNETTE_OR_THE_MAGIC_COFFEE-MILL"></a>ANNETTE;<br>OR,<br>THE MAGIC COFFEE-MILL.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-a.jpg" width="81" height="82" alt="A" title="A" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">A</span><b>POOR</b> +woman and her daughter, who were +on the verge of starvation, saw a little green +bud of a plant growing through their cottage +floor. They watered it, and in a day or two it +sent forth long shoots, and became a vine, fine and +delicate to look at, but tough as an iron wire. The +vine put forth leaves, soon covering the inner walls +of the cottage. The tendrils waved longingly toward +the sun, and so the mother and daughter set their +lattice window open, when, lo! the vine escaped as if +it had wings and grew quickly heavenward. Lovely +flowers bloomed on it, in shape like morning-glories, +and rare birds came to drink the honey of their +chalices. The maiden leaned out of her window and +looked up. Higher, higher climbed the vine, till it +was lost in the blue sky above them. The girl was +seized with a yearning desire to climb up and see what<span class="pagenum">[82]</span> +could be seen. Her mother gave her leave, and she +set out. Up, up, she went, and the mother watched +below till the clustering green and many-colored bells +hid her child from sight. At last the girl reached a +wonderful new country, and stepped off the vine upon +a shining silver path, which she followed through a +green meadow till she came to a house made of honey-comb +that glittered, oh! so beautifully. The columns +of the porch were sticks of lemon-candy, and there +were little benches to rest yourself upon, made of +maple-sugar and cushioned with gingerbread. Annette, +for so the girl was called, ventured to open the +door of the house and peep in. There she found +more beautiful things than I can tell you of—toys and +books and pictures—and all the furniture was made of +cake with raisins in it, so that, if one sat down to read, +one need only turn around and nibble a knob off the +chair, or pick raisins out of the arm of the sofa. Annette +played a little and read a story-book, then she +fell asleep on a couch made of apple-dumplings. Suddenly +in came three goats, who were the servants of +the fairy to whom this house belonged. "Let us butt +her to death," said the oldest goat. "Let us trample +on her, and bite her," said the second goat. "Let her<span class="pagenum">[83]</span> +alone," said the third goat, who was a kind little fellow +with golden horns. "If she holds her tongue, and if she +don't find out the secret of the golden coffee-mill, our +mistress will let her stay here and work for her."</p> + +<p>Annette heard this while pretending to be asleep, +and when the fairy came home, she jumped up and +made a nice little courtesy, begging to be allowed to do +the housework. "Well," said the fairy, after looking +at her sharply, "I will try you; only don't undertake +to grind my coffee for me, and don't gossip with the +goats."</p> + +<p>Annette lived there for six months, and learned to +make all kinds of goodies; for the fairy was the queen's +confectioner in that country. You might eat all you +pleased, provided you didn't talk; and not a word +spoke Annette, and not a word spoke the goats. +Every day the fairy went into a pantry and there +ground her coffee; and every day she carried two +or three bags full of something heavy, and put them +in her chariot, and drove off with them. The coffee-mill +looked like any other one, and Annette wondered +vainly what its secret was. At last curiosity overcame +her, and she stole into the pantry and began to grind +the mill. Down fell a stream of pure gold-dust,<span class="pagenum">[84]</span> +and it powdered Annette all over till she looked like +a golden image. "How shall I get rid of this?" +she said, trying to shake it off, but the gold dust stuck +fast. She cried and sobbed, for she knew that now +the fairy would certainly find her out. In came the +friendly goat. "Cheer up," said he. "That was the +way my horns came to be gilded, because I yielded to +my curiosity about the mill, when I first came here to +live. The fairy wanted to kill me, but she let me off +when I vowed to serve her faithfully for seven years. +The time is just up, and so I propose that we escape +together. Take the magic mill under your arm and +get upon my back, and we will go down to your +world."</p> + +<img src="images/i019.jpg" width="208" height="634" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +<p>Annette joyfully obeyed the friendly goat, and carrying +the coffee-mill they set off from the fairy's house. +Unfortunately she did not know how to stop the mill +from grinding, and it left a path of gold-dust behind +them as they fled, which showed the way to the +fairy. The fairy followed them, riding on a silver +broom-stick; but the goat was swift as the wind, and +Annette clung to his golden horns, and held the magic +mill tight under her arm. By good luck they reached +the opening, near which the vine was growing, and,<span class="pagenum">[85]</span> + +just as the furious fairy got near +enough to stretch out her long +arm after them, down went +Annette, goat, and coffee-mill, +through a rift in the clouds, to +a land where their enemy could +not follow them. The faithful +vine caught them as they fell, +and held them up stoutly. +When they had climbed down, +and touched the earth in safety, +Annette was astonished to see +her goat turn into a handsome +young prince, with curling golden +locks and kind blue eyes.</p> + +<p>"You have freed me from my +enchantment, beautiful maiden," +he said, kneeling upon the grass +at her feet. "Long years ago +I and my wicked brothers were +captured by the fairy and became +her slaves under the form of +goats, as you saw. For fear that +they may find out some way to<span class="pagenum">[86]</span> +follow us, we must cut down this vine, and then we +shall be free forever from all dread of disturbance."</p> + +<p>Annette's mother came running out, kissed her child, +and listened with wonder to the tale of her adventures. +All this while the mill had gone on grinding, and before +they knew it the cottage floor was knee-deep in +gold-dust. "We shall be smothered at this rate," cried +the prince laughing, and he hastened to make a magic +sign he had learned from the fairy. The mill ceased +to flow, and then the prince took an axe and cut the +beautiful vine at its root. Annette wept to see the +lovely leaves and blossoms shrivel up, but in a short +time they vanished entirely from sight. The prince +married Annette, and every day the mill ground gold +enough to pay all the expenses of their palace and +servants and horses, and also the expenses of Annette's +mother, who had a separate palace for herself over +the way.</p> + +<p>The country people, for years after the time when +Annette and the prince came down the magic vine, +showering gold-dust along their way, continued to +talk about the wonderful rain of stars they had seen in +the sky that moon-lit night.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[89]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 534px;"> +<img src="images/i021.jpg" width="534" height="117" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="JULIET_OR_THE_LITTLE_WHITE_MOUSE" id="JULIET_OR_THE_LITTLE_WHITE_MOUSE"></a>JULIET;<br>OR,<br>THE LITTLE WHITE MOUSE.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +upon a time there lived a king and queen +who loved each other so dearly that they +were an example to all the married couples +in their kingdom. In an adjoining country lived a +wicked king, who spent his life in envying the happiness +of his neighbors. He was a sworn enemy to all +good and charitable people, and his chosen companions +were robbers and murderers. His air was stern and +forbidding. He was lean and withered, dressed always +in black, and his hair hung in long elf-locks over his +fiery eyes. This wicked wretch, determined to end the +happiness of his neighbor, raised an immense army +and marched to attack the kingdom of the Land of +Sweet Content, for so the good king's country was +called.</p> + +<p>The king of Sweet Content made a brave defence, +but it was all in vain. The immense numbers of the<span class="pagenum">[90]</span> +adversary overpowered him and his troops. One day +when his poor queen was sitting with her infant +daughter in her arms, waiting for news from the battle-field, +a messenger on horseback galloped up to the +door, and entered the room where she was, with every +sign of terror.</p> + +<p>"Oh! madam," he cried, "all is lost. The king is +slain, the army defeated, and the ferocious King Grimgouger +is even now marching to take you prisoner."</p> + +<p>The queen fell senseless on the floor; and while her +attendants were making every effort to provide a means +of flight for her and the little princess, the army of +the foe, with banners flying and with music playing, +marched into the city. Surrounding the palace, they +called on the queen to surrender. No answer was +given, and the horrid King Grimgouger instantly +ordered a file of his most blood-thirsty soldiers to +march through the palace and to kill everybody they +met, except the queen and princess.</p> + +<p>Now nothing was heard but shrieks and lamentations +from the doomed attendants of the queen. When +all were sacrificed, the tyrant Grimgouger walked into +the apartment where the terrified queen stood, clasping +her child in her arms, and prepared for death.<span class="pagenum">[91]</span></p> + +<p>"You won't die now, madam," he thundered, +seizing her by the long hair, and dragging her after +him down the stairs and over the stones of the courtyard +to his chariot. She was all bruised and bleeding, +and knew nothing more till she found herself in a +tower-room, where dampness dripped from the walls, +and the light of day could scarcely reach through a +small grated window. She lay upon a little heap of +mouldy straw, and her child cried for food beside her, +while over her stood a wicked fairy to whom King +Grimgouger had given the prisoners in charge. The +fairy threw her a few crusts without any butter on them, +and the baby seized one eagerly, and stopped crying +as she sucked it.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 508px;"> +<img src="images/i020.jpg" width="508" height="600" alt="The Queen & the Princess in prison." title=""> +<p class="caption">The Queen & the Princess in prison.</p> +</div> + +<p>"That is all either of you shall have to-day," said the +fairy. "To-morrow they will decide what to do with +you. Probably you, queen, will be hanged, and your +daughter be saved to marry the son of our good King +Grimgouger."</p> + +<p>"What! That ugly little reptile of a prince!" +screamed the queen. "Hang me, if you will, but don't +give my beautiful angel to a husband like that!"</p> + +<p>"Then she, too, will be hanged," said the fairy, +grinning maliciously, and flying away with a fizz of<span class="pagenum">[92]</span> +flame, leaving behind her the smell of sulphur +matches.</p> + +<p>Next day the fairy gave the queen three boiled +peas, and a small bit of black bread, and the next, and +the next, until the poor queen wasted to skin and +bone, and the baby looked like a wax doll that had +been left out in the rain all night.</p> + +<p>"In a few days it will be over," thought the poor +queen. "We shall be starved +to death."</p> + +<img src="images/i022.jpg" width="224" height="165" alt="" title="" class="split"> + +<p>She fell to spinning with +what strength remained to +her (for the fairy made her +work, to pay her board, she +said), and just then she saw, +entering at a small hole, a pretty little mouse as white +as snow.</p> + +<p>"Ah! pretty creature," cried the queen, "you have +come to a poor place for food. I have only three peas, +which are to last me and my child all day. Begone, +if you, too, would not starve."</p> + +<p>The little mouse ran about, here and there, skipping +so like a little monkey that the baby smiled, and gave +it the pea she had for her supper.<span class="pagenum">[93]</span></p> + +<p>The instant she had fed the mouse, what was the +queen's surprise to see, start out of the prison floor, +a neat little table, covered with a white cloth, having +on it silver dishes, containing a roast partridge, a lovely +cake, some raspberry jam, and for the baby a big +bowl of fresh bread and milk, with a silver spoon! +How they did eat! I leave you to imagine it!</p> + +<p>Next day the mouse came again, and devoured the +queen's three peas, her whole day's supply. The queen +sighed, for she did not know where anything else was +to come from. She stroked the little mouse, and said +gently, "Pretty creature, you are welcome." Immediately +the same little table sprang up out of the floor. +This time there was broiled chicken and ice-cream, +green peas, marsh-mallows and custard, with a fresh +bowl of bread and milk for the baby. "Oh! you dear +little mouse," said the queen. "This must be your +work! If you could only help me to get my baby out +of this dreadful place, I would thank you forever."</p> + +<p>The mouse ran up to her with some straws in its +mouth. This gave the queen an idea, and taking them +she began to weave a basket, for she was a clever queen, +and knew how to use her pretty white hands in a +variety of useful ways. The mouse understood her,<span class="pagenum">[94]</span> +and brought her more straws, until she had made a +nice covered basket large enough to hold the baby. +Then the queen cut her petticoat into strips, and +plaited them, till she had a long and strong cord. +She tied the basket to this, and wrapping the beautiful +little smiling princess in the only covering she had, +laid her in the basket, crying all the time as if her +heart would break. Then she climbed up to the window, +and (the little white mouse watching her with +a very friendly air) looked down to see if she could attract +the attention of any charitable person who might +be passing in the street below.</p> + +<p>There she saw an old woman leaning upon a stick +and looking up at her.</p> + +<p>"Pray, goody," said the queen, "have pity on an +innocent babe, and save it from destruction. Feed and +nurse her, and heaven will reward you, if I cannot."</p> + +<p>"I don't want money," said the old woman; "but I +am very nice in my eating, and I have a positive longing +for a nice, little, fat, white mouse. If you can find +such an one in your prison, kill it and throw it out to +me. Then, right willingly, will I take your pretty +babe and nurse it carefully."</p> + +<p>When the queen heard this, she exclaimed to herself,<span class="pagenum">[95]</span> +"Oh! the dreadful old thing!" and began to cry. +"There is only one mouse here, madam," she said +aloud, "and that is so pretty and engaging that I can't +find it in my heart to kill it, even to save my child."</p> + +<p>"Hoity-toity!" said the angry old creature, thumping +her stick on the ground below. "If you think +more of a miserable little mouse than of your child, +keep them both, and be hanged to you!"</p> + +<p>So saying, her staff changed to a broom-stick, and +with a fizz and a bang the old hag shot up into the +sky like a rocket. And there was again a strong +smell of sulphur matches in the air!</p> + +<p>The queen, seeing that this was, without doubt, the +wicked fairy come to try her, gave way to new grief. +She kissed her hapless little one, and just then the +mouse jumped into the basket. The baby's rough +clothes changed to finest linen and lace, and a pillow +of down was under her head, while a gay silver rattle +was put into her hand.</p> + +<p>More surprises! As the queen watched, the mouse's +paws changed to tiny hands with jewelled rings upon +them. The little face grew into the image of a smiling +old woman's, and a figure of a pretty old-time fairy +stood before her. As these fairies have been rather<span class="pagenum">[96]</span> +out of fashion lately, I will tell you just how she was +dressed. She wore a chintz gown, looped up over a +blue silk quilted petticoat. A lace ruff was around +her throat, and her long-pointed bodice was laced +with silver. Over her mob-cap she had a high sugar-loaf +hat tied on with pink ribbons, and her feet were +clad in the prettiest black silk stockings and high-heeled +black satin slippers, with big diamond buckles. +When you remember that she was just of a size with +the baby princess, you will agree that you would have +liked to see her.</p> + +<p>"What is the baby's name?" said the fairy.</p> + +<p>"Oh—Juliet; I thought I had mentioned it," said +the queen, apologetically.</p> + +<p>"I have never heard anything but 'pecious wecious,' +and 'mother's blessing,' and things like that," +said the fairy. "You may stop crying now, for I +will save Juliet. If you had given me to the wicked +fairy, she would have gobbled me up in a minute, so +you see I owe my life to you. Henceforth I will take +Juliet under my protection. She shall live to be an +hundred years old, and never have an illness or a +wrinkle."</p> + +<p>Fancy it, children! No mumps, no measles, no<span class="pagenum">[97]</span> +whooping-cough, no castor-oil! What rapture in the +thought!</p> + +<img src="images/i023.jpg" width="130" height="227" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +<p>The queen kissed the fairy's little hand, and begged +that Juliet should at once be taken away. So the weeping +princess was put into the basket, and carefully let +down to the bottom of the tower. Then the fairy resumed +the shape of a mouse and ran +after her down the string, which the +queen still held in her hands. Suddenly +she came running back again. +"Alas! alas!" she cried to the terrified +queen, "our enemy, the fairy Cancaline, +was hidden below, and seized upon +the child, and flew away with it. Unfortunately +she is older and more powerful +than I am, and I don't know how to rescue Juliet +from her hands."</p> + +<p>At these words the queen uttered a loud cry, and +in came running the jailer of the tower, his men, some +soldiers, and after them, gnashing his teeth with rage, +the horrid Grimgouger himself.</p> + +<p>"Where is the child?" he said, stamping.</p> + +<p>"Alas, I know not, king," said the mother. "A +fairy has taken it off."<span class="pagenum">[98]</span></p> + +<p>"Then you shall be hanged at once," he cried in a +fury. "Seize her, guards."</p> + +<p>They dragged the poor queen by the hair of her +head to the gallows. Just as the executioner was +about to tie the rope around her neck, the gallows fell +down beneath him and knocked out all his front +teeth, while invisible hands carried the queen through +the air to a safe retreat in the mountains. She found +herself in a beautiful castle, where all her attendants +were white mice. Here the queen lived for eighteen +years, surrounded by luxury and tender care. But she +always thought of her little daughter, and dreamed of +her by day and night. The mouse fairy made every +attempt to find news of the lost princess, but failed to +do so.</p> + +<p>At this period the son of the wicked King Grimgouger +had grown up, and everybody was talking +about his strange fancy for a poultry-woman's maid-servant, +who had refused to marry him in spite of his +rank and fine clothes. The story went that the prince +sent her, every day, a new gown of silk or velvet, and +that the girl would not look at them. So the little +white mouse fairy determined, through curiosity, to +have a peep at this strange damsel. Accordingly she<span class="pagenum">[99]</span> +visited King Grimgouger's capital, and entering the +poultry-yard found there an extremely beautiful +young creature dressed in a coarse woollen gown, with +her feet bare, and a cap of goat-skin on her head. +Lying by her side were magnificent dresses, embroidered +with gold and silver and ornamented with precious +stones; the turkeys and other fowls that surrounded +her trampled on them and spoiled them. +The poultry-girl sat upon a stone in the yard when +the king's son arrived; he was crooked, and hump-backed, +and horrible to look upon.</p> + +<p>"Do you still refuse to marry me, fair maiden?" he +asked. "If so, I shall have you put to death immediately."</p> + +<p>"I am not afraid of you, prince," the girl replied, +modestly. "I certainly should prefer death to marriage +with you. And I like the society of my chickens and +turkeys better than yours, if it please your highness."</p> + +<p>The prince went off in a rage, and the mouse fairy +appeared, in her real shape as a little old lady.</p> + +<p>"Good-day, fair damsel," she said. "I respect you +and admire you—let me be your friend."</p> + +<p>"Willingly, good madam," said the girl. "I am +greatly in need of friends, as you may see."<span class="pagenum">[100]</span></p> + +<p>"Have you, then, no father or mother, my child?"</p> + +<p>"None, madam; I am an orphan, and this poultry-yard +is my refuge from the cruelty of the only protector +I have ever known. The fairy Cancaline, who +had charge of me, used to beat me until I was nearly +killed. Weary of suffering I ran away from her at +last; and while wandering in a wood I met the prince, +who promised to befriend me, and placed me here as +poultry-girl. Alas! now that I find he is in love with +me, I must leave this place, and where to go I know +not."</p> + +<p>"And what is your name, my dear?" asked the +mouse fairy, affectionately.</p> + +<p>"Juliet, madam."</p> + +<p>"Then, kiss me, my dear; I knew you before you +knew yourself," the fairy cried, joyfully. "I am delighted +to see you so sensible. But your complexion +is a little dark. Bathe in yonder fountain. And you +should be better dressed. Put on one of these dresses, +and then let me see you."</p> + +<p>The girl obeyed. On taking off her cap of goat-skin +her long golden curls fell nearly to her knees. +After bathing in the fountain she revealed a complexion +more bright and transparent than the choicest<span class="pagenum">[101]</span> +pearls of India. Roses bloomed in her cheeks, and +her eyes shone like the brightest diamonds. Her figure +was light and graceful as a young fir-tree. The fairy +gazed at her in wonder and delight. Her next thought +was to restore the lost child to her mother.</p> + +<p>"Stay here one moment," she said, "while I fly back +to your mother, and prepare her for this happiness, +lest she should die of joy."</p> + +<p>The son of the wicked King Grimgouger went back +to his father, and cried and groaned dreadfully. His +boo-hoo might have been heard for miles, and the +king naturally desired to stop it.</p> + +<p>"What in the world are you roaring about?" asked +the father.</p> + +<p>"I'll roar as much as I like," said the spoiled prince. +"If I can't marry the poultry-girl, I'll roar for a week +without stopping."</p> + +<p>"Good gracious!" cried the alarmed king; "guards, +go and fetch her here at once."</p> + +<p>The guards went to the poultry-yard, and found the +princess Juliet, dressed in gorgeous attire, and looking +more beautiful than the new moon.</p> + +<p>"Whom do you seek, my good men?" she said in a +soft voice.<span class="pagenum">[102]</span></p> + +<p>"Madam," they answered humbly, "we are looking +for a vile creature named Juliet; but you would never +have stooped to notice her."</p> + +<p>"I am she," the princess said, proudly.</p> + +<p>Upon this the guards seized her, bound her hands +and feet, and roughly carried her into the presence of +the king.</p> + +<p>"So you won't have my son, miss," shouted the king. +"Don't love him, hey? Stuff and nonsense! Love! +Gammon and spinach! Marry him at once, or I'll +have you flayed alive! Here, you rascal (addressing +his son, who had now roared himself quite black in the +face), stop that racket, for goodness' sake, or you'll +split my head."</p> + +<p>But the princess held out firmly. They sent for a +chaplain, but the princess said "no," instead of "yes," +and when they shook her till she couldn't utter a +syllable, she nodded her head from side to side. So, +finding it quite a hopeless matter, the king ordered +the prince put to bed with ice upon his head, and the +princess to be shut up for life in a high tower, where +she would never more see the light of day.</p> + +<p>At this moment the good mouse fairy returned in +her flying chariot, and with her was the queen mother,<span class="pagenum">[103]</span> +who was almost crazy with delight at the prospect of +embracing her child. When they heard the sad fate +of Juliet, the queen wrung her hands in agony; but +the fairy bade her cheer up, as she would find a way +to help the captive.</p> + +<p>King Grimgouger had gone to bed in a rage, and +the little white mouse ran up on his pillow. First she +bit one ear, and made him turn over in his sleep. Then +she bit the other, and made him turn back again. Now +the king woke up, and howled for his attendants. +They came running in, and while they sought to stanch +the blood that flowed from his royal ears, the little +white mouse ran to the chamber of the sleeping prince, +and served him exactly the same way. The prince, +who, to the great relief of the household, had fallen +asleep in the very act of crying, now woke up and began +again, this time with a vengeance.</p> + +<p>"Confound that fellow, he's at it again," said the +king, smarting from his wounds. "Stop him, somebody; +and get me the court-plaster, and the arnica, and +the Pond's extract, and the chloroform; and send for +all the surgeons."</p> + +<p>While the attendants ran hither and thither the +mouse returned to visit the king. She bit his nose,<span class="pagenum">[104]</span> +and bit his toes, and bit his fingers; and when he +opened his mouth to scold and yell, she bit a piece of +his tongue off, so that he could not articulate, but +could only make absurd mouthings, at which everybody +wanted to laugh, yet dared not.</p> + +<p>Then she ran back to the prince, and ate out both +of his eyes, which sent him flying out of bed. He +seized his sword, and ran storming and swearing into +the apartment of his father, who, on his side, had +taken a sword, and vowed to kill everybody around +him if they did not catch the mouse who had done +this mischief.</p> + +<p>The prince could not understand what his father +said, and as he was blind, attacked the king furiously. +The king made a violent cut back at him, and in ten +minutes they were in the thick of an awful fight, +which ended in both being mortally wounded at exactly +the same moment. Seeing them fall, their attendants, +who hated the wicked tyrants, made haste to tie +them hands and feet, and tumbled them into the swiftly +flowing river.</p> + +<p>Thus ended the horrible King Grimgouger and his +son. The good fairy now took her own shape, and, +leading the queen by the hand, opened the door of the<span class="pagenum">[105]</span> +tower where Juliet was confined. Juliet flew into her +mother's arms, and all was happiness.</p> + +<p>The kingdom of Grimgouger and that of Sweet +Content, which he had joined to his, were now without +a sovereign, and the people, by universal consent, +chose Juliet to reign over them. Juliet became their +queen, and in due time married a young king, who +was rich and handsome, and wise and witty, and brave +and modest—all that a young husband ought to be. +The little white mouse continued to be their chief +friend and counsellor.<span class="pagenum">[106]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 504px;"> +<img src="images/i024.jpg" width="504" height="600" alt="Simon's Benefactor." title=""> +<p class="caption">Simon's Benefactor.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[107]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 539px;"> +<img src="images/i025.jpg" width="539" height="122" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_FAIRIES_AND_THE_FIDDLER" id="THE_FAIRIES_AND_THE_FIDDLER"></a>THE FAIRIES AND THE FIDDLER.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-i.jpg" width="73" height="74" alt="I" title="I" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">I</span><b>N</b> +In the pretty little village of Hayfield, not far +from the borders of a thick forest, lived a +good-natured, idle fellow, named Simon, who +supported his wife and two children by trapping or +shooting in winter, and by fishing or doing odd jobs +of harvest work in summer. Simon could play upon +the fiddle in a way to make the tears come into your +eyes; or if he chose to be merry, his tunes would set +every foot in motion, as the wind starts the leaves upon +an aspen tree. This accomplishment caused him to +be much in demand among the young people of the +village, who dropped many a bit of silver into his worn +old hat; and at all the weddings and barn-dances, +Simon might be seen with a huge bunch of flowers in +his buttonhole, and his fiddle under his arm, footing it +in the procession. Then, too, Simon was the best man<span class="pagenum">[108]</span> +in the village to coax stories from, especially the old-time +gossip about the little folk in green, for whom in +former days Hayfield had been famous. Simon knew +how the fairies dressed, what they ate and drank, how +they punished saucy human beings who offended +them; and could point out the smooth rings of short +fine grass where they had held their midnight revels. +That the fairies really had haunted Hayfield and its +surrounding woods, nobody in the village doubted. +They had heard too many things to prove it from their +grandparents, whose parents were said to have lived +on the best of terms with the little people—setting pans +of cream by the hearth-stone at night for them to skim—leaving, +when the holidays came around, a cheese and +bag of nuts in a hollow tree at the entrance of the +wood—and getting all sorts of kind offices from the +fairies back again. Although it had now been a long +time since any one could testify to having actually +seen a fairy (as it was well known that the band were +frightened out of Hayfield when the first stage-coach, +with its noise and clatter, took to dashing along the +village street), many people believed the men in green +to be still lurking in the neighborhood. What else +could account for the trouble some of the good wives<span class="pagenum">[109]</span> +had with their butter and their bees? What could + +<img src="images/i026.jpg" width="285" height="582" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +it be but fairy thumps +and pinches that kept +the lazy folk from sleeping +soundly, when their +houses were not to +rights before they went +to bed. And what could +explain the silver penny +often found in the shoe +of a tidy housekeeper, +when up she jumped at +break of day to set her +maids to work? For +fairies never show by +day, and it is only when +the people of a house +are fast asleep and snoring, +that they glide in +by key-holes, through +cracks and broken panes +of glass, and swarm over +the rooms, spying out +everything amiss, and leaving tracks on the dust of<span class="pagenum">[110]</span> +shelves or tables, scattering the ashes of an unswept +hearth, and bewitching the inside of a dirty iron pot, +so that it never more may cook sweet porridge!</p> + +<p>Of all the villagers, as I have said, Simon alone professed + +<img src="images/i027.jpg" width="326" height="389" alt="" title="" class="split"> + +to have any +recent acquaintance +with the little +folk, and the wonder +was how they, +who were known +to be sworn enemies +to idleness, +could keep him in +their favor.</p> + +<p>Simon's house +was a poor little +cottage on the outskirts +of the town. +His wife, once a +pretty, rosy lass, +had taken to drink, and the husband and children led +a dog's life within doors. Consequently, their one +pleasure was to roam the woods and fields, and the +children were growing up brown and barefoot as two<span class="pagenum">[111]</span> +young gypsies. They were a boy named Timothy and +a girl named Bess, of whom Simon was very proud, +their fresh young faces making a strong contrast with +his wizened visage, crossed with a hundred lines, and +topped with a sunburned mop of hair. As they grew +old enough to understand, their father instructed them +in all the arts of woodcraft. There was no tree or +plant for which he had not a name or a virtue. The +habits of all birds and fishes and animals were as familiar +to him as their haunts. In this way, the vast green +forest, with its great tree-boles and twisted boughs, its +verdant moss-carpet and hidden streams, became to +them an enchanted world, through which the children +strayed like a sylvan king and queen. A sad change it +was to come back to the dirt and confusion of their +miserable home, where the mother received them +either with grudging welcome if they brought berries +or a string of brook trout, or with blows and drunken +curses if they came empty-handed. As his wife's intemperance +increased, Simon stayed less and less at +home, and the children dreaded lest some day their +poor father would be driven to desert them altogether. +So they resolved to keep a close watch on his movements, +and to follow him should he go away.<span class="pagenum">[112]</span></p> + +<p>One night the harvest moon was riding her glorious +way across the heavens, and the little village of Hayfield +lay steeped in silver light. Not a lamp or a taper +glimmered in the hamlet, and every one of the brown +thatched cottages was buried in profound repose. + +<img src="images/i028.jpg" width="336" height="327" alt="" title="" class="split"> + +Not even a watch-dog +barked; and +the forest-leaves +yielded to the universal +spell, and +ceased to rustle.</p> + +<p>There had been +held a harvest-home +that day, +and Simon had +been hard at work +with his fiddle, +playing jigs and +reels for the dance in the squire's great barn. Between +every dance, he had quenched his thirst at the +cider-barrel, or quaffed the big brown mug of beer +they kept brimming at his side. Naturally, Simon's +brain was a little the worse for such free potations; +and when the last strains of the "Wind that Shakes<span class="pagenum">[113]</span> +the Barley" had died upon his fiddle-strings, and all the +gay company had gone their homeward way, Simon +with his pocket full of silver pennies staggered out into +the field, and lay down under a haystack to take his +well-earned rest.</p> + +<p>There, just before midnight, his two children, who +had come in search of him, found their father peacefully +sleeping, his fiddle on his breast. Not wishing +to disturb him, the children decided to have their own +night's sleep in the same fragrant nest of hay; and +curling up at some little distance from the slumbering +fiddler, they whispered together for a while, and then +were about to drop asleep. Just as their eyes were +closing they heard an odd sound, as of hundreds of +little pattering feet, and out from the shadow of the<span class="pagenum">[114]</span> +wood came into the unbroken argent of the field a long +train of little men, women, and children, dressed magnificently +in cobweb gauze and green, bespangled with +glittering gems, and wearing each a tiny crimson cap +with a golden bell upon its peak. The two children +were broad awake in a moment, for they knew that +these were the fairies they had so longed to see, all +dressed in holiday costume, and proceeding to their +famous midsummer festival. The procession wavered +like a gleaming snake across the field, and, when passing +near the haystack, came to a halt. To the children's +surprise, two queer little old men, holding carved +ivory wands, came straight up, and tapped the sleeping +fiddler across the bridge of his nose.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 517px;"> +<img src="images/i029.jpg" width="517" height="207" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p>"Nay, I will play no more for you, you light-of-head +and light-of-heel," said sleepy Simon, believing +himself to be still perched upon the barrel that served +as the fiddler's throne.</p> + +<p>"Aye, but play you shall, at his Majesty's command," +said the little old man, thumping him more sharply. +"Isn't that part of your bargain with us, if we allow +the trout to haunt your brook, and the hares to run +into your traps? Come, mortal! Up with you and +follow. Here's the bandage to blindfold your eyes, as<span class="pagenum">[115]</span> +usual; and remember that, if you peep, you are our +prisoner for life."</p> + +<p>By this time thoroughly awakened, Simon stumbled +upon his feet, and stood making abject bows before +the angry little fairy chamberlains. He let his eyes be +bound with a green silk ribbon, and leading-strings +were passed around his waist. At the blast of a golden +trumpet, the procession moved forward with a sound +of tripping feet and whirring gauzy wings and tinkling +bells most lovely to the ear.</p> + +<p>Last of all came Simon, in fairy leading-strings, and +the two children, unable to resist the impulse, followed +noiselessly.</p> + +<p>Their way led again into the forest, through the +dense underwood, to a smooth circle of velvet sward, +set around with hundreds of little mushrooms, on +which the fairies took their seats. In the centre was a +hammock of silver cobweb, swinging by jewelled chains +from the crossed stems of two tall white lilies, under a +bower of maiden-hair ferns. Sweet blue violets were +sprinkled in the grass, making a path where the king +and queen of the fairies marched to take their places +on the cobweb-throne. Dew was handed around in +acorn-cups, of which the fairy guests sipped daintily,<span class="pagenum">[116]</span> +followed by bark trays containing every variety of +fairy refreshment. There were delicate fried butterflies, +marrow-bones of a field-mouse, snail soup served +in nutshells, and wild strawberries in baskets made +of moss.</p> + +<p>When the banquet was at an end, the chamberlains +gave notice to Simon, who had been bound with +ropes made of plaited grass to the trunk of a wide-spreading +oak; the fiddle struck up a tune, and at once +the dance began. Such a mad and merry dance the +wondering children had never seen before! Old and +young joined hands and trod a circle, then, breaking +the chain, formed into a hundred fantastic figures; and +at each touch of a light footstep, the earth opened to +give birth to a flower, until the entire fairy ring was +enamelled with fragrant blossoms. Fast flew the fiddle-bow, +but faster flew the tiny feet; and when the mirth +was at its height, Simon who, as we know, had taken +a drop too much, was suddenly inspired to tear the +bandage from his eyes, and crying, "It's my turn now," +capered right into the middle of the magic ring.</p> + +<p>The honest fellow had meant no harm, but his offence +was a mortal one!</p> + +<p>Instantly, he was surrounded by a swarm of the<span class="pagenum">[117]</span> +furious little men in green, who, without waiting for +an excuse, stabbed out both his eyes, and taking away +his fiddle and bow, bound his arms behind his back. +Again the procession—this time sad and silent—was +formed, and the king striking the nearest tree with his +wand, it flew open; the whole party, leading Simon +behind them, entered the aperture, and before the +children knew where to turn, it had closed upon their +father.</p> + +<p>And now, in what a distressing condition were the +unhappy Timothy and Bess! Not knowing what better +to do, they sat down at the foot of the great oak-tree +which had swallowed up their father, and from +sheer weariness fell asleep. When morning came, +and the birds piped upon the boughs, the children +awoke and looked in wonder about them. All was +dewy, green, and fragrant in the deep woods, but no +sign remained of the fairy revel, except a fine fringe +of newly sprung grass, growing in a circle where +their ring had been.</p> + +<p>The bark of the great oak tree was unbroken, and +above stretched a broad canopy of dark-green leaves, +which whispered in the morning breeze, but told no +tales of what the children longed to know. Hunger<span class="pagenum">[118]</span> +drove them to retrace their steps homeward; and when +they reached the cottage, their mother was so cross at +her husband's failure to fetch her the usual stock of +silver pennies earned at the harvest-home, that she +beat them both soundly, and gave them but a dry +crust apiece for breakfast.</p> + +<p>Still the children hoped their father might return; +and, not knowing to whom to confide their +wonderful tale, they kept silence. When it was found +Simon had disappeared in earnest, all the wise heads +in Hayfield decided that he had run away to escape +from his good wife's tongue, an act of independence +which had the bad effect of making more than one +married man in the village unduly restless.</p> + +<p>A month passed, and the two children were again +wandering in the forest trying to find a few berries to +appease their hunger (for things at home were now +worse than before), when they fancied they heard a +child crying close at hand. They searched everywhere, +and at length the sound was renewed, seeming to come +from a thicket of tall ferns. Falling on their knees, +the children worked their way under the bushes and +through the brakes, until they came in view of a lovely +chubby elf sitting forlorn upon a mushroom on a<span class="pagenum">[119]</span> +hillock of soft green moss, beneath a screen of ferns +and wild flowers, and letting fall a flood of tears from +his big blue eyes. He wore no clothing, if we may +except a pair of drooping wings, and in his hand he +held a stalk of snowy lilies.</p> + +<p>"Who are you, dear little one, and how came you +here?" they asked.</p> + +<p>"I am a fairy," the tiny creature sobbed. "Last +night was the monthly revel, and we sported till the +moon set. But I saw these lilies growing over in +yonder swamp, and I wanted them so; and as I ran, +they seemed to run too. I had such hard work to +gather them; when at last I succeeded, my red cap +dropped off; and without it I am as helpless as a mere +mortal. While searching for the cap, which I have not +found, a cock in the village crowed, and the fairies all +fled away and left me. The door of the mound is +closed, and for a whole long month there is no hope of +my getting in again. Oh! I wish I could find my +cap."</p> + +<p>"If we help you to find the cap, will you stop crying?" +said the children.</p> + +<p>The shivering sprite wiped his eyes and promised +that he would weep no more. The girl wrapped him<span class="pagenum">[120]</span> +in her apron, and then all three of them set out in +search of the missing treasure. At last Timothy saw +in the water around some reeds a red object which a +bull-frog was opening his mouth to swallow; and, wading +into the stream, he was able to rescue the magic +cap, dry it in the sun, and restore it to its happy little +owner.</p> + +<p>"And now," said the smiling elf, who appeared to +have suddenly grown old and wise, "as for a whole long +month I am without a home, what do you say to taking +me to yours? You will never regret it, that I +promise you."</p> + +<p>The children told their new friend what a poor place +their home was, but the elf smiled and shook his head +as if he knew what he was about. He bade the children +lead him to their cottage, and once across the +threshold of the wretched place, where the drunken +mother was sleeping heavily on a pallet of straw in the +loft above, the elf took his perch upon the mantel-shelf.</p> + +<p>"Next, since I am obliged to live with mortals, let +me see what the magic cap can do."</p> + +<p>He put on the cap and immediately disappeared from +the children's sight. When night came, Timothy fell +asleep, but Bess watched; and at midnight she saw<span class="pagenum">[121]</span> +her new friend appear upon the hearth, conducting a +perfect army of little workmen and workwomen. He +waved his cap thrice around his head, and at once +little carpenters set to building up the cottage-walls, +little whitewashers made the ceilings wholesome, little +painters covered all the woodwork with a coat +of yellow. By sunrise what a change! The broken +bricks of the floor were transformed into pretty blue +and white tiles, lattice windows took the place of their +old and dim ones, the pots and pans were scoured until +they shone, roses looked in at the outer door, where +rows of larkspur and of gillyflower, of bachelor's-button +and "Love-in-a-mist" were growing on either side +of a neat flagged walk to the garden gate. Instead of +Timothy's old straw mattress, the boy lay on a clean +white bed; and his sister, who had kept awake all night +in utter wonderment, falling asleep at dawn, because +her eyes refused to stay open any longer, found him +shaking her arm, and begging her to come and share +in the nice hot breakfast that—wonder of wonders!—their +mother, sober, and clean, and smiling, had made +ready at the fire.</p> + +<p>It was a day of marvels! The mother seemed to +have entirely forgotten her past degraded life, and<span class="pagenum">[122]</span> +was once more the brisk and rosy woman Simon had +fallen in love with. A dozen times a day she paused +in her spinning, or weaving, or baking, to run to the +gate and wonder when dear father would come back. +Timothy worked in the garden, Bess sewed and helped +her mother, not daring to tell what she alone knew of +the magic change. That night Bess slept, and Timothy +kept watch. At midnight the fairy appeared upon the +hearth, leading a dozen little bakers in white caps and +aprons.</p> + +<p>"Now make ready fifty loaves of your best white +bread, that the goodwife may sell them on the morrow!" +the fairy ordered; and at once the tiny men set +to work mixing and kneading and baking, and at daybreak +there were fifty of the sweetest white loaves +money could buy. The fame of Simon's widow soon +spread through the village, and every one was eager to +see the wonderful reform worked in her, no less than +in her cottage. Her bread was bought up as fast as +she could furnish it, and next night Bess watched +while Timothy slept. Then Bess saw the fairy appear +at midnight, followed by a swarm of bees like a cloud.</p> + +<p>"Make fifty pounds of your clearest honey, that the +goodwife may sell it on the morrow."<span class="pagenum">[123]</span></p> + +<p>The bees flew out of the door, and next morning +the hives were found overflowing with luscious honey +that smelt like a bed of clover all a-blow.</p> + +<p>Next night came the bakers, and next night again +the bees. Money flowed into the widow's purse as +rapidly as it had once flowed out. Now was there lacking +but one thing to complete their happiness, and that +was the return of Simon to his family. Bess and Timothy +together planned what they should do, and when +the month had passed away, and the night of the full +moon had come once more, neither went to bed, but +both hid, watching for the coming of the sprite. Exactly +at twelve o'clock, their kind little friend made his +appearance, and summoning cooks and bees, ordered +them to keep up their service on alternate nights, until +the dame's coffers should be full to last a lifetime. Seeing +him about to take leave, out rushed Timothy and +Bess, threw themselves on their knees before the fairy, +and, thanking him a thousand times over for his goodness, +begged for one more act of grace—their father's +release and restoration to his family. The fairy looked +graver than they had ever seen him, and his brows +puckered in a frown.</p> + +<p>"Your father has committed an offence we never<span class="pagenum">[124]</span> +pardon," he said, after a short silence. "He has been +punished according to our laws, and must abide by the +sentence, which is imprisonment for life."</p> + +<p>The children burst into tears at this, and cried so +that the fairy sneezed several times.</p> + +<p>"I believe I am taking cold in all this dampness," +he said, shivering slightly. "Come, dry up that deluge, +and say good-by to me. The utmost I can do +is to look up your father when I get back again, and +tell him you are well and happy. I suppose you do +not know that for some years past he has been attending +our holiday frolics as musician, since our own best +player broke his arm. Simon was under oath never to +look at us, or to betray us, and this was the first time +he transgressed. But our laws are very strict, and I +am afraid to bid you even hope to see him again. One +thing I may tell you. The king's chief counsellor has +a mantle of red, worked with a device of six golden +birds flying into a serpent's open jaws. If you should +ever find that mantle, walk boldly to the oak-tree in +the forest, knock three times, and cry, 'The King's +Chief Counsellor!' Then you may be able to secure +your father's freedom, but not else. And now, good-by +to you."<span class="pagenum">[125]</span></p> + +<p>The good elf vanished, and Timothy and Bess spent +more time than ever in the forest. They had now +taken their mother into the secret, for she, poor woman, +had become as gentle and loving as she had before +been hard and cruel. The one desire of the entire +family was to get possession of the chief counsellor's +mantle, but nothing seemed more unlikely.</p> + +<p>A year passed, and Timothy had gone out to look at +his rabbit-trap without particularly thinking of what +it might contain, when a tremendous bustle inside +attracted his attention. Cautiously he lifted the +door, and up sprang an angry little man in green, +having a long white beard, and a hump upon his back, +who vanished from sight as quickly as he had appeared. +Timothy lamented the loss of such unusual game, and +then espied at the bottom of the trap nothing less +than a tiny cloak of red, embroidered with six golden +birds flying into a serpent's open jaws!</p> + +<p>He made a joyful dive after the little garment, +but, strange to say, it stuck tight to the fingers of his +right hand, dragging after it the trap. Timothy shook +it and pulled at it in vain; there it was, and not to be +dislodged.</p> + +<p>He ran home and called Bess to his assistance. The<span class="pagenum">[126]</span> +little girl came out, and no sooner had she touched +her brother than she stuck fast to him. The mother +flew to the rescue, and became fastened to her daughter; +and there they all were, in a long string, not +knowing whether to laugh or cry at their strange predicament. +The only thing was to make a pilgrimage to +the oak-tree in the forest. Timothy's dog followed them, +and rubbed against his master's coat. He, too, stuck +fast, and so did Bessy's cat. Everybody they passed +upon the way was attracted to the queer family party, +and before long a little army of curious people were +compelled to walk along in the direction of the +forest.</p> + +<p>Timothy did not know the secret of the little cloak, +which had power to attract everything to it, drawing +even people's thoughts out of their hearts, as a magnet +draws the needle. Only in fairy-land could the objects +so attracted be set free.</p> + +<p>When they reached the oak-tree in the forest, Timothy +struck upon it three times and called with a bold +voice, though not without a trembling of the legs, for +the king's chief counsellor. The bark of the great tree +cleft slowly open, and out came the same old white-bearded +fairy he had captured in the rabbit-trap. Bowing<span class="pagenum">[127]</span> +with mock humility, the old fellow asked what his +visitors would be pleased to have.</p> + +<p>"I demand my father, and also to be rid of this +wretched little rag," said Timothy hotly.</p> + +<p>"Step inside, step inside," said the elf with a malicious +smile, for he knew that, once within, he might +get the audacious mortals in his power, and force them +to work his gold mines.</p> + +<p>"Not a step will I go inside until I see my father," +said Timothy firmly.</p> + +<p>"Then here may you abide!" cried the old man, +turning white with rage.</p> + +<p>Timothy put one hand <i>within</i> the tree, holding the +magic mantle at arm's-length.</p> + +<p>"I demand my father," he cried in a loud voice.</p> + +<p>The power of the mantle did not fail, for, rising from +the darkness within, came poor blind Simon, stretching +his arms toward his child, but holding tight his fiddle. +At the moment Timothy's hand had come inside the +fairy kingdom, the spell of enchantment was broken, +and all of the strangely linked people were set free. +Simon's wife and children threw their arms around +him, and welcomed his return, while his neighbors +shook his hand in warm congratulation. As for the<span class="pagenum">[128]</span> +old fairy, he fairly danced with rage. With the mantle +in Timothy's possession, half the chief counsellor's +power and reputation for wisdom would pass away. +He offered rich bribes of gold and jewels, he threatened, +he howled, he grinned, he hurled curses on their +heads, but Timothy was firm.</p> + +<p>"Then name your price, you wretch!" cried the +angry fairy.</p> + +<p>"It is that you shall restore my father's eye-sight," +said Timothy.</p> + +<p>This went very hard with the wicked old elf, who +had been congratulating himself that Simon would +bear away at least one mark of fairy vengeance. But +he had met his match in Timothy, and there was no +escape for the chief counsellor, who, diving down into +the cavern beneath the hollow tree, reappeared fetching +a box of magic ointment, which, rubbed upon +Simon's eyes, made them better than ever.</p> + +<p>When Simon saw not only the light of day, but his +two dear children, and his wife looking as he had +known her in her blooming youth, he uttered a cry of +delight.</p> + +<p>Then, to relieve his feelings, he struck up the old +"Wind that Shakes the Barley," when, behold, not only<span class="pagenum">[129]</span> +all the people there assembled, but a score of little +green folk, who had been in hiding, enjoying the discomfiture +of the cross old counsellor, began to foot it +on the greensward. Simon himself danced, and the old +counsellor, sorely against his will, was forced to skip +until his legs ached, for Timothy still held the mantle +in his hand.</p> + +<p>At last, when all were out of breath, the elf received +his mantle. With a storm of angry words, he disappeared +from sight. Immediately the sky darkened, a +cold wind blew, and a shower of hail-stones fell upon +our friends, sending them scampering and laughing +away from the region where the fairy's spite prevailed.</p> + +<p>Under the spell of the kind little sprite who had been +their guest, the cottage was never approached by any +unkind visitors. Simon fiddled and grew fat, his wife +remained as sweet as fresh cream to the last day of her +life, and their children came to be the pride of all the +village.</p> + +<p>So far as I have heard, that is the last visit Hayfield +has had from the little men in green.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[130]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 526px;"> +<img src="images/i030.jpg" width="526" height="117" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="ETHELINDA_OR_THE_ICE_KINGS_BRIDE" id="ETHELINDA_OR_THE_ICE_KINGS_BRIDE"></a>ETHELINDA<br>OR,<br>THE ICE KING'S BRIDE.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-e.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="E" title="E" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">E</span><b>THELINDA</b> +lived alone with her father, Count +Constant, in a quiet country place, which had +always been her home. Her mother was +dead, and her father had long before fallen under +the displeasure of his king, and was sentenced to exile +for life in this lonely spot. Their castle was gray and +venerable, half of it in ruins, and near by grew a grove +of melancholy pine-trees; while only some stunted +rose-bushes, and a black pool of water, in which swam +a few antiquated carp, relieved the monotony of the +grounds within the broken walls surrounding their +dwelling.</p> + +<p>One day a train of liveried servants on horseback, +escorting a splendid carriage, stopped on the road +near the castle.</p> + +<p>Some accident had happened to the springs of the<span class="pagenum">[131]</span> +vehicle, and the two passengers inside were forced to +take refuge in the house of Ethelinda's father.</p> + +<p>Count Constant himself, dressed in a faded court +costume, but looking handsome and stately, came +forth to receive his unexpected guests. He aided first +a tall thin girl to descend from the broken carriage, +and then, an elderly dame, richly dressed, who, throwing +back her veil, revealed to him the face of his +greatest enemy—the vindictive Duchess Amoretta. +This person, whom he had not seen for years, had +once been in love with Count Constant, and it was because +he preferred to her the young lady who afterward +became his wife, that the Duchess had poisoned +the mind of his sovereign against him. To her he +owed his banishment from court, and the loss of his +estates. During his wife's lifetime he had heard nothing +of the Duchess, and now to have to give her the +shelter of his roof was a terrible ordeal.</p> + +<p>The Duchess, however, was very kind and considerate +in her manner to him. She made many apologies +for the accident which had brought her there, and introduced +to him her only child, the Lady Finella, who +was, truth to tell, the most ill-tempered, pert minx ever +seen, and a complete contrast to lovely Ethelinda.<span class="pagenum">[132]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 374px;"> +<img src="images/i031.jpg" width="374" height="484" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p>During supper, which the poor Count's servants +tried to make presentable with a few eggs cooked in +an omelette, a bottle of good wine, and a dish of stewed +pigeons, the Duchess Amoretta was pleased with everything. +She praised the cookery, she praised the tattered<span class="pagenum">[133]</span> +tapestries on the wall, she praised the Count's +youthful looks, and she praised Ethelinda, till that +modest maiden was quite overwhelmed.</p> + +<p>When the two young ladies had retired (Ethelinda +giving up her own little tower bedroom to her visitor, +and creeping off somewhere to lie on a threadbare +couch), the Duchess became confidential. She implored +the Count to believe that enemies had come between +them. She said that slanderers had arisen to +tell him the wicked stories he had heard. She told +him that her one desire was to see him restored to +rank and fortune. And at last she drew from her +pocket a paper signed by the King, in which the +Count Constant was promised a free pardon on condition +of his immediate marriage with the Duchess +Amoretta.</p> + +<p>The wily Duchess had planned the whole affair to +get possession of her old lover again, and at first the +Count, seeing himself caught in a trap as it were, was +very angry.</p> + +<p>Then the Duchess told him to think of his lovely +young daughter, wasting her youth in this desolate +spot. She promised to Ethelinda a life of happiness +and prosperity. She worked upon the poor father with<span class="pagenum">[134]</span> +such artful words and lying promises, that, at last, +Count Constant signed the contract, engaging to follow +her in a few days to the capital, and there to give her +his hand in marriage.</p> + +<p>Ethelinda watched the fine chariot roll away with +their unwelcome guests, next morning, and when it +was out of sight, turned and threw herself upon her +father's neck and kissed him fondly.</p> + +<p>"How glad I am to get rid of them, papa!" she cried. +"The daughter was so spoilt and haughty, and the +mother was even worse; somehow I could only shudder +when she kissed me, in spite of the beautiful bracelet +she put upon my arm on taking leave."</p> + +<p>"The Duchess means to be your best friend, my +dear," her father said gravely, and went off to his study +with a care-worn face. In a few days, he set out upon +his journey to the capital, giving Ethelinda no idea of +what he meant to do there.</p> + +<p>Winter had set in, and a great snow fell. All the +country-side was covered with a mantle of purest white. +Ethelinda loved the frost and snow, and every day she +put on her little brown hood and cloak with the scarlet +lining, and set out for a walk in the forest, carrying a +bagful of crumbs, which she would scatter for her<span class="pagenum">[135]</span> +favorite little birds. One day, while thus employed, +she met an old woodman gathering sticks.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, daddy," said the girl in a pleasant +tone.</p> + +<p>"It's not a good morning with me, girl," the old +man answered, crossly. "I'm frozen and starving too, +thanks to this accursed snow."</p> + +<p>"Don't speak ill of my dear snow," said Ethelinda, +helping him to make his fagot. "Isn't it keeping the +ground warm, and sheltering our roots and seeds for +the spring-time? Come to the castle, if you will, and +you shall have hot soup and a corner of the kitchen-fire. +But you won't be allowed to abuse the beautiful +work of the frost, in my hearing, that I'll promise +you."</p> + +<p>"Bravely said, fair maiden!" the old man exclaimed, +dropping his bundle of sticks, and vanishing behind a +screen of closely woven fir-trees. A moment later +Ethelinda saw a sleigh containing a solitary traveller, +drawn by a fleet black horse, dash by her like the +wind. The sleigh was shaped like a silver swan and +the bridle of the horse glittered with gems. The +traveller appeared to be a tall and stately youth, with +long fair locks and glowing cheeks. He was half hidden<span class="pagenum">[136]</span> +behind robes of snowy down, and as he shot swiftly +by, leaving in his wake a breath of icy wind, Ethelinda +fancied she heard him say, "We will meet again, dear +lady, we will meet again!"</p> + +<p>When, wondering over this incident, she reached +the castle, it was to find there a letter from her father, +commanding her immediate attendance at court, and +announcing to her his marriage, which had already +taken place.</p> + +<p>Poor Ethelinda, full of astonishment, and fearing she +knew not what, bade farewell to her dear home and +journeyed to the castle of the Duchess Amoretta. Here +she was received with tenderness by her father, who +commended her in loving accents to the care of her +new mother. Ethelinda could not help shuddering +more than before when the dreadful, painted old Duchess +stooped down to kiss her. She dared not look her +father in the face, but it was easy to see that he was +more unhappy in his new splendor than ever he had +been in exile and in poverty. Ethelinda sighed deeply, +and, looking around, encountered the snaky eyes of her +new step-sister, fixed on her with wicked triumph.</p> + +<p>And now, how changed was Ethelinda's life. Little +by little, her father's companionship was withdrawn<span class="pagenum">[137]</span> +from her; his time was spent away from home, and +soon, a war breaking out, Count Constant made haste +to draw his sword in his king's service. A great battle +ensued, and one of the first to fall, while gallantly +fighting, was Ethelinda's father. He murmured a blessing +on his child, and saying he was glad to go, died +upon the battle-field, in the arms of his attendant.</p> + +<p>The Duchess Amoretta, who by this time was +heartily tired of having Ethelinda on her hands, now +treated the poor girl with positive cruelty. A few +months after the Count's death, she made up her mind +to marry again, and in order to rid herself of her +troublesome step-daughter, consulted with her own +child, who was skilled in all sorts of wicked devices.</p> + +<p>They built a summer-house extending over the river, +and made in the floor of it a trap-door covered with +moss and flowers, while beautiful vines grew around +the pillars, and a fountain played in the centre. Into +this pretty spot they invited Ethelinda to wander when +ever she wished to be alone.</p> + +<p>One day the poor girl went inside the summer-house, +and began to weep for her father. Suddenly, a hand +was extended by some one concealed behind the +trellis-work of vines, and she was rudely pushed, so<span class="pagenum">[138]</span> +that she fell with all her weight upon the concealed +trap-door, and instantly plunged into the rushing +river below. One cry she uttered, and then to her astonishment, +although it was the morning of a balmy +summer's day, an icy breath blew over her, and above +the surface of the river there arose a bridge of glittering +ice, which she was enabled to cross in safety to +the bank.</p> + +<p>Making her way back to the house of her step-mother, +Ethelinda was received with anger and astonishment. +How she could have escaped, neither of +her enemies could imagine. Ethelinda told nobody +of the wonderful ice-bridge, which at the moment of +her setting foot on shore had vanished like frost before +the sun. A few days after, she desired to take her +usual bath in the marble bath-room assigned to her +use. No sooner had she entered the door than two +strong women flew out from behind a curtain, and, +seizing her by the shoulders, thrust her into a tank of +boiling water they had prepared for the unfortunate +girl.</p> + +<p>Ethelinda saw that she was about to die a terrible +death, and gave herself up for lost, when suddenly the +icy wind she had twice felt before, blew over her. As<span class="pagenum">[139]</span> +the two furies plunged her into the tank, and rushed +away, leaving her to her fate, she felt, instead of the +scalding heat she expected, the delicious warmth of a +tepid bath close round her limbs.</p> + +<p>Again was she saved from evil by some unseen power; +but now she knew what a terrible enemy was in pursuit +of her, and determined to fly from the castle that +very night. She hid in a little closet on the staircase, +and, when night came, glided past the sleepy servants +on guard, and escaped through the great gate into the +open country.</p> + +<p>Swift as her feet could carry her, Ethelinda fled. +Out of the city, into the deep woods, under the cold +glitter of the watching stars, the poor girl ran, every +moment fancying that she heard the messengers of the +cruel Duchess behind her. At last she fell down exhausted, +saying to herself, "Better to die here from +cold and starvation, than to be foully murdered by +that wicked woman." She lay for a moment resting +upon a bank of soft moss, and felt a sudden blast of +icy wind.</p> + +<p>Then was heard the cracking of a whip, and out of +the woods came a sleigh driven by a solitary traveller.</p> + +<p>Ethelinda had a vague idea that she had seen him<span class="pagenum">[140]</span> +once before, but fainted away, and knew nothing more +until she awoke to find herself in the sleigh, gliding +swiftly along, wrapped in warmest robes of snowy fur.</p> + +<p>"Save me, save me from the Duchess!" she murmured +in a terrified voice.</p> + +<p>"Sleep, poor child, you are safe now," a kind voice +sounded in her ear. "Are you warm? Are you comfortable?"</p> + +<p>"Very warm, very comfortable," Ethelinda answered, +a strange drowsiness coming over her.</p> + +<p>She slept again, and the black horse harnessed to +the sleigh bounded forward like the wind. And now +they passed through vast forests of pine and fir, into +the regions of perpetual snow. For Ethelinda's guide +was the young monarch of the frozen zone, and ruler +of all ice and frost. Long had he loved the young girl +secretly, and long had he vowed to make her his bride.</p> + +<p>They stopped once, and now the sleigh was drawn +by a span of magnificent reindeer, pure white, with +collars of jewels, having their great antlers tipped with +sparkling gems. Over snowy mountain peaks they +glided, past chains of icebergs, with many a frozen sea +shining far below like a sapphire. It was piercingly +cold, and yet Ethelinda did not suffer. The only thing<span class="pagenum">[141]</span> +she could not control was her power of speech. Not a +word could she utter, and the stranger, too, spoke no +more, but smiled on her kindly, from time to time, as +he drove ahead.</p> + +<p>At last they reached a superb palace, built of ice, +the roof fringed with icicles. An arch of many-colored +lights spanned the roof, and from every door and +window streamed forth a brilliant illumination.</p> + +<p>"Welcome home!" said the stranger. "This is my +palace, and you shall be my queen, fair maiden; for I +am the King of the North Pole, and never, till now, +have I seen one worthy to share my throne."</p> + +<p>A train of milk-white bears with golden chains +around their necks came out to receive the king and +Ethelinda. They entered the palace, which blazed +with splendid jewels on roof and walls. The throne +was made of a single opal, and the queen's crown, which +was immediately placed on Ethelinda's head, was composed +of a circlet of diamonds, each one as large as a +robin's egg.</p> + +<p>The marriage took place at once; and Ethelinda's +husband proved so kind and loving, that she soon forgot +her early sorrows, and became as happy as all +queens are supposed to be. Her fame spread into<span class="pagenum">[142]</span> +many countries; and after a time, some celebrated +traveller, who visited her court, went back to the city +where Ethelinda's wicked step-mother still lived and +flourished, and gave the Duchess a message from the +beautiful Queen of the North Pole.</p> + +<p>"Tell her that I forgive her all her unkindness to +me," Ethelinda had charged him to say, "since it was +the means of securing to me my present joy, and the +love of my dearest husband."</p> + +<p>Ethelinda even sent gifts to her step-mother and sister; +to each a jewelled necklace of immense value, and a +robe woven from the down of the King's own eider-ducks, +which only sovereigns might wear. The Duchess +and Finella eagerly seized the presents, but they almost +died of spite to hear of Ethelinda's good luck. Night +and day they wondered how they, too, might have +similar fortune; and at length the Duchess determined +to dress her daughter in coarse clothes like those Ethelinda +had worn when found by the King of the North +Pole, and to make her sally forth to the border of the +forest.</p> + +<p>Snow was falling fast when the young woman +reached the wood. She was dreadfully cold, and began +complaining and quarrelling, as usual. She did<span class="pagenum">[143]</span> +not hear the approach of a sleigh until it was close beside +her. There sat a handsome youth, driving a fleet +coal-black steed. He politely invited her to take a +drive, and, with many groans over her stiff limbs, she +got in. They flew over the ground, and for not a single +minute did Finella cease finding fault with everything. +She abused her mother for exposing her to +this dreadful cold, and vowed she should have rheumatism +and lumbago and pleurisy and influenza, all +together, next day. Her feet had chilblains already, +and her hands were so chapped they would never be fit +to be seen. In this agreeable strain, she went on till her +companion, growing impatient of her whining tones, +blew a sudden breath upon her—when, behold! all the +girl's conversation was frozen on her tongue, a few cross +words, like icicles, clinging to the tip of it!</p> + +<p>When they stopped at the palace door, the King of the +North Pole (for he it was who had picked up Ethelinda's +step-sister), instead of having her conducted in state to +her apartments by a train of snow-white bears with +golden chains about their necks, gave the cross girl in +charge to an old brown bear of a housekeeper, with +instructions to keep her locked up until the Queen +should choose to set her free.<span class="pagenum">[144]</span></p> + +<p>Ethelinda's kind heart softened toward her step-sister; +and, begging the King to forgive her, the Queen +hastened to set the prisoner at liberty. Finella, dressed +in the Queen's own robes, was taken into the royal +nurseries to see two splendid rosy babies, rolling upon +soft furs, and romping with a gentle little bear-cub, +who was their playmate.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 459px;"> +<img src="images/i032.jpg" width="459" height="276" alt="The princes & their playmate." title=""> +<p class="caption">The princes & their playmate.</p> +</div> + +<p>When the step-sister saw these treasures, she conceived +a wicked scheme of punishing Ethelinda through +her love for them. So, pretending to repent of her past +follies and unkindness, Finella was allowed by the King +and Queen to live in comfort in their home.</p> + +<p>On the night of some festivity (I believe it was a<span class="pagenum">[145]</span> +special illumination by the Northern Lights), the King +and Queen went off sleighing in style, through their +dominions, leaving the babies in charge of their deceitful +step-aunt, who always kissed them and caressed +them, before folks, as though she loved them fondly.</p> + +<p>As soon as the parents had disappeared, Finella +ordered another sleigh to be harnessed, and taking +the babies in her arms set forth. She attempted to +guide the reindeer, but, in an instant, the great creatures +were off like the wind, and soared up into the +air, as the King himself had trained them to do. And +now, how terrified was the wicked Finella! She knew +no words with which to stop her fiery steeds, and +presently sank, breathless and giddy, into the bottom +of the sleigh. Higher, faster they went; the babies, +like true sons of the frozen North, crowing with delight +in the piercing atmosphere.</p> + +<p>The sleigh stopped upon an iceberg, and there in +the centre of the glittering blue pyramid sat the imprisoned +older brother of the King of the North Pole. +This wretch had been sentenced to be shut up there, +because he had tried to kill his father, the late King. +All of his body was changed to ice, excepting his heart, +which burnt like fire. The reindeer Finella had taken<span class="pagenum">[146]</span> +were those accustomed to be driven by the King whenever +he went to visit his wicked brother, whose eyes +sparkled as he saw the little princes within his power. +At last, he thought, he had a chance to be even with + +<img src="images/i033.jpg" width="345" height="407" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +his enemies. He +gnashed his teeth, +shook his chains, +and stretched out +his long arms, inviting +the travellers +to come into +his castle.</p> + +<p>"I have golden +apples and many +pretty things for +boys in here," he +said deceitfully; +but just as Finella, +seeing her opportunity, +was pushing +the children out of the sleigh into the grasp of +their cruel uncle, the reindeer set up a peculiar cry +which could be heard half round the globe.</p> + +<p>Instantly a chill wind blew, and riding on the wings<span class="pagenum">[147]</span> +of a mighty sea-gull came the King of the North +Pole. Fire flashed from his angry eyes, and his face +was so terrible that the wicked sister and brother +cowered and cringed before it. Snatching his babies +in his arms, he replaced them unharmed in the sleigh. +For a moment, he seemed about to crush both culprits +to fragments in his wrath; but, relenting, he pronounced +their sentence—and Finella was condemned +to be the bride of the imprisoned brother. "Your fate +is just," said the King of the North Pole, to the wretch +within the iceberg; "I could not, if I tried, think of +any worse punishment than to give you a complaining +woman to share your exile."</p> + +<p>And so Ethelinda was rid of her false step-sister, +and from that day forth nothing occurred to disturb +the serenity of the King's household.</p> + +<p>As for the old Duchess (whose daughter had got a +bridegroom she had not reckoned on in the northern +country), she, like her hopeful child, lived and scolded +forever and a day.<span class="pagenum">[148]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 595px;"> +<img src="images/i034.jpg" width="595" height="528" alt="Emma Carried Off by the Sea-King." title=""> +<p class="caption">Emma Carried Off by the Sea-King.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[149]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 529px;"> +<img src="images/i035.jpg" width="529" height="120" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="DEEP-SEA_VIOLETS" id="DEEP-SEA_VIOLETS"></a>DEEP-SEA VIOLETS.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-i.jpg" width="73" height="74" alt="I" title="I" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">I</span><b>N</b> +a modest hut upon the sea-shore, half-hidden +from sight by an enormous bank of drifted +sand, lived a fisherman and his wife, with +their twin-children, John and Emma. Theirs was a +hard life, and full of privations; but the husband and +wife loved each other tenderly and did everything +they could to provide for the little ones, who grew up, +spite of their poverty, tall and beautiful, and happy as +the day was long. Emma and John had a thousand +pleasures that town-bred children covet. They chased +each other continually up and down the sandy beach, +hard as marble and glittering like silver in the beautiful +patterns traced on it by the tide. They ran barefoot +into the surf, defying the mad onslaught of the merry +breakers, and dived fearlessly beneath the crested arch +of green waters to seize a bit of floating seaweed. They<span class="pagenum">[150]</span> +discovered endless treasures in the rock-pools along the +beach, and built with them pretty grottoes, and mysterious +caves, that none but themselves knew where to +find. Often their father would take them out in the +fishing-boat; for John had learned to manage the sail +and the nets almost as well as the fisherman himself. +The two children thought it was grand to feel the little +boat answer to the wind, as a horse answers to voice +or whip. They liked to bound forward across the +great green billows, and to see the spray dash over +them like a shower of jewels. They would help their +father to set his nets or lines, and wait patiently till it +was time to haul in the big shining fish that sometimes +lined the bottom of the boat, whiling away the hours by +munching bits of brown bread that served for lunch, +and by telling each other fanciful stories of the sea.</p> + +<p>The ocean did not always smile upon them, for +there were days of heavy fog, of raw east wind, when +the beautiful water ceased to sparkle, while the surf +boomed as if in warning of danger or sorrow to come. +Then the children would run inside the cottage, and +pile on drift-wood till the fire burnt cheerily. This +was their time for taking down from the mantel-shelf +their stores of shells, corals, and other sea-wonders.<span class="pagenum">[151]</span> +John and Emma had polished these shells until they +shone beautifully, and some tiny disks of orange and +gold were strung in long garlands, to loop around the +brown walls and above the little looking-glass. Their +mother kept the inside of the cottage as neat as a +ship's cabin, which, in truth, it much resembled, the +children's beds being nothing more than broad shelves +in a cupboard, with doors to close by day; while every +corner of the tidy place was made to do duty for some +household implement, tucked away in the oddest fashion, +until it should be needed.</p> + +<p>So the days passed on until the twins were about sixteen +years old, John a fine manly fellow, looking much +older, and Emma a slender slip of a girl, with floating +locks of purest gold, and a voice in singing like a carol +of birds in a Maybush. Oftentimes when her father +was steering his boat homeward, after a day of toil, he +would hear the piercing strain of Emma's song come +floating over the water from the rock where she stood +against the western sky, awaiting him. And he rightly +thought this the sweetest sound he was likely to hear +before the angels should sing for him in Paradise!</p> + +<p>One day the fisherman did not come home. A storm +arose, and all that evening the wind howled madly<span class="pagenum">[152]</span> +<span class="pagenum">[153]</span>above the beating of the angry surf. The sky was +pitch-black, and the wife and children walked the shore +in silent fear. When darkness fell, they lighted a +huge bonfire upon the rocks, and John, begging his +mother and Emma to go home to rest, stayed feeding +the flames with drift-wood, till morning broke over the +sullen waste of waters. Still no sign of his father, and +at midday the familiar boat drifted ashore, bottom upward. +Then great sorrow darkened this happy little +home; and nevermore the sea gave up her dead.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 514px;"> +<img src="images/i036.jpg" width="514" height="671" alt="Emma Singing on the Rocks." title=""> +<p class="caption">Emma Singing on the Rocks.</p> +</div> + +<p>The fisherman's wife did not long survive him—dying, +she told her children, because she could not +live without her beloved husband. John followed his +father's calling, and Emma kept the house, as her +mother had done. She was very sad and solitary in +the changed life, but people who work hard have not +much time to give way to grief. The busy maiden +toiled all day over her duties in-doors, and when evening +came, would go out on the rocks to await John's +return. The greatest pleasure she now had was in +singing. Her voice grew strong and firm, and every +day at sunset it might be heard, in waves of melody, +mingling with the sound of the breakers on the shore.</p> + +<p>One day, when John was later than usual in returning<span class="pagenum">[154]</span> +to his supper, Emma wandered along the sands. +It was a beautiful summer evening, the sky painted +with radiant colors, the sea reflecting them. Here and +there a sail dotted the horizon, but the shore was completely +deserted. The girl saw before her a rock-pool +filled with sea-anemones and star-fish; and, sitting +down on the edge of it to study the lovely creatures, she +began, as usual, to sing, without knowing that she did +so.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, over the water came rolling toward her +a wonderful chariot formed of a single conch-shell all +rainbow-hued within. It was drawn by two dolphins, +and the driver was a handsome young man, whose long +floating locks were of a changeable green color, tipped +with curling white. Before Emma could recover from +her astonishment, the youth spoke to her gently, +thanking her for the song that had wooed him from +his home beneath the sea.</p> + +<p>"I am the king of a wonderful country down there," +he said, "and if you will but sing for me once more, I +shall give you gems and flowers from my own garden, +such as never an earth-born maiden owned."</p> + +<p>Dipping one hand carelessly over the chariot's edge, +the king brought up a string of rare carved coral<span class="pagenum">[155]</span> +with a jewelled clasp, and, smiling at Emma's wonder, +dipped his hand a second time, when out came a garland +of exquisite flowers. Sea-lilies, sea-roses, sea-narcissus, +sea-violets there were, larger and more beautiful +than any upon land, and all glittering with the ocean +brine. Emma stretched out both hands for the pretty +things, while a song of joy burst from her lips.</p> + +<p>"May I crown your brow with my garland?" said +the king. "For truly, I have heard no voice to equal +yours."</p> + +<p>"Thanks—thanks," cried the innocent girl, her eyes +sparkling with delight. She leant forward to receive +the chain which the king threw around her neck, at +the same time laying the garland on her hair. At once, +Emma fell into a deep sleep, and the crafty sea-king, +with a look of triumph, lifted her into the seat at his +side and urged forward his chafing steeds; the chariot +flew like a stormy petrel across the sea, disappearing +beneath the arch of a gigantic wave!</p> + +<p>John sought in vain for his cherished sister. The +only trace of her, he and the neighbors who helped him +in the search, could find, was a little gold cross, once +her mother's, that Emma always wore. This lay in a +crevice of the rock, whence the sea-king had carried<span class="pagenum">[156]</span> +her away. The neighbors believed her dead, but something +within John convinced him that he should see +her yet again. Long and dreary were the winter +months without her. John forever wondered about +Emma's disappearance; and, when summer came once +more, it was to find the youth still possessed of a longing +desire to go somewhere in search of her.</p> + +<p>Sad and solitary, John was sailing his little fishing-smack +along the coast one day, intending to go out to +the usual fishing-ground, when, tempted by a creek he +noticed now, as if for the first time, a fancy took him to +follow up the windings of this silver inlet from the sea, +running between banks as green as emerald. Looking +into the water, as a light breeze carried him along, +John saw a bed of weed and kelp starred with shells, +where crabs of an unusual size passed in and out of a +circular opening. Determined to fill a basket with +these desirable dainties, which would fetch a high price +in market, John fished for them so skilfully as to haul +up a hand-net brimful, at the first attempt. These +were no common crabs he discovered, one of them in +particular, having its flippers set with rings of beaten +gold, and a gold chain around its body bearing a +golden key.<span class="pagenum">[157]</span></p> + +<p>"My good sir," said the crab, speaking in a plaintive +voice, "you probably don't know that I am the keeper +of the sea-king's summer grotto, and these are my attendants. +Only to-day, his majesty sent us word to +have all in readiness for a visit from him and his bride-betrothed. +We are in the greatest possible hurry, and +if it is quite the same to you, would take it as a friendly +favor, if you will let us go without delay."</p> + +<p>"My good Mr. Crab," said John, laughing, "I should +like to oblige such an important person, but really my +circumstances are almost as particular as yours. I am +in the greatest possible need of funds, and the price +you and your friends would fetch at the present market +rates is most desirable to me."</p> + +<p>"Oh! if it is only gold and silver," said the crab, +disdainfully, "you should see his majesty's dominions. +Our streets are paved with it."</p> + +<p>John became interested at this, and entered into a +long conversation with the crab, who was a gossipy +old soul and told him of so many wonders of the sea-king's +kingdom that the lad could scarcely contain his +astonishment.</p> + +<p>What startled him more than all, was to hear of +a sweet singing maiden, from the upper world, his<span class="pagenum">[158]</span> +majesty had kept for a year past imprisoned in a crystal +cavern! His heart beat fast with excitement, as the +crab described Emma so exactly that it was impossible +to mistake her.</p> + +<p>"Until the present time," the crab went on, with importance, +"his majesty has not told the earth-maiden +of his intention to make her his bride. By the laws of +our kingdom, no one of us can marry a mortal, until she +has lived for a year contentedly below, without uttering +the name of any friend she knew in her former estate. +But the year is up to-day, and they are to make a grand +tour of his majesty's possessions. I should not wonder +if the wedding were to take place in our grotto, for +that is the king's favorite palace, although only one of +the many he calls his own."</p> + +<p>"One thing is false! Emma will never marry him, +if she is to do it by forgetting those who loved her +so tenderly," broke in John, furiously.</p> + +<p>"You are very rough, my dear friend," said the +crab, fanning himself with his flipper. "I think you +forget you are addressing a courtier. What I tell you +about the Lady Emma is undoubtedly true, since I +have it from my cousin the clam. He is a close-mouthed +creature, little likely to spread a false report.<span class="pagenum">[159]</span> +Lady Emma is happy as a queen in swansdown. +Once a day she sings, and then his majesty always presents +her with a bunch of fresh sea-violets, her favorite +flowers. Under the circumstances, it is hardly possible +she would keep up any of the foolish fancies for +earth-born folk she may have brought there."</p> + +<p>John pondered awhile, and finally promised the crab, +who was growing very impatient, to release that functionary +and his companions, if they would permit him +to visit the wonders of the sea-king's grotto. The +crab, since he could not well help himself, said yes, +and instructed John how to dive into the round green +hole, so like the nest of some strange fish, he saw at +the bottom of the stream.</p> + +<p>John made fast his boat, and sprang overboard, +having first emptied the net full of captives, who went +scuttling to the bottom in very undignified haste. So +sure was his aim, that he reached without difficulty +the passage-way indicated, which widened from its +mouth into a funnel-shaped cavern, lined with seaweed +and ferns of the rarest varieties. Following the +crab procession, John swam along a crystal streamlet, +reaching at length a second opening, larger than the +first. Within this was a door formed of a single sap<span class="pagenum">[160]</span>phire. +The crab put his golden key into the key-hole, +and admitted John into a large and brilliant grotto, +the sides lined with the iridescent scales of fish. The +roof was encrusted with jewels, through which streamed +many colored lights, and clusters of phosphorescent +flame gleamed at intervals between pillars of glittering +spar. Beneath an arch of blooming sea-flowers, stood + +<img src="images/i037.jpg" width="214" height="215" alt="" title="" class="split"> + +a throne made of snowy coral +branches, and cushioned with +velvet moss. At its foot was a +pillow of blue violets, another +one hanging at the back. A +tiny stream of clear water ran +down the cavern's side, and shot +up in a fountain in the centre. +John's eyes blinked with pleasure +when he came into the pretty place, but the sound +of approaching music made the crab hurry him into +hiding, with the order on no account to risk showing +himself in the presence of the king, who would instantly +have him hugged to death by a giant devil-fish. +John kept quiet, you may be sure. The crabs formed +into double rows, bowing and scraping, in token of +their deep reverence for the king (they had been<span class="pagenum">[161]</span> +selected to be courtiers in consequence of their facility +in walking backward), and the sight almost made John +laugh aloud; but he was soon reduced to silence, not +only by the imposing entry of the monarch of the seas, +but because, in the bride-betrothed, he saw indeed his +own dear Emma.</p> + +<p>Emma was greatly changed in appearance. She +now wore a splendid robe of some clinging white stuff, +worked with little coral branches and sprays of silver seaweed +around the hem, and her neck, arms, and hair were +wreathed with row upon row of priceless pearls. She +was pale, but more beautiful than ever, and on her +breast John saw a knot of big blue violets. Emma +was seated at the king's right hand, and lovely sea-nymphs +danced before her, to the music of unseen +orchestras. Then his majesty asked Emma to sing, +pledging her health in a shell full of wine, that shone +and sparkled beautifully. Emma made no resistance, +doing all that she was bid, like a person walking in her +sleep. Her eyes had a far-away look and her voice, in +singing, so unearthly a thrill, that John's affectionate +heart ached to seize her in his arms and tear her from +the spot. When Emma had finished singing, she appeared +to be fatigued, and two sea-nymphs bore her to<span class="pagenum">[162]</span> +a couch of pearl, laid her on purple cushions, and +combed her long hair with a golden comb, while other +sea-maidens interlaced their white arms above the girl's +head, soothing her to sleep.</p> + +<p>"Let her sleep here till this day week," said his +majesty. "Then I will summon my subjects and relations +to the wedding. All of you present withdraw, +now, and on no account disturb her slumber."</p> + +<p>When the coast was clear, John seized his opportunity, +and stealing forth, knelt beside his sleeping sister, and +whispered in her ear. Emma moved, her eyes opened +slowly, and uttering a deep sigh, she looked her brother +full in the face. But alas! she did not recognize him. +In despair, John seized her hand, and tried to urge +her to fly with him. He reminded her of her home, +of their happy childhood, of their dead parents, of +everything that could touch the heart. All in vain! +Emma smiled sweetly, and stroked his head as, shedding +bitter tears of disappointment, he bent it upon +her knees; but she knew him not.</p> + +<p>"Leave me in peace," she said, "I am the sea-king's +bride-betrothed, and you are but a poor fisher's lad. +What you say to me of earth and home I do not understand. +This is my home, and if the king should find<span class="pagenum">[163]</span> +you here, he would take your head off. If you love +me as you say, please go."</p> + +<p>Emma lifted to her face the cluster of purple violets, +and at once her lids drooped; and, sinking back upon +her purple cushions, she slept again.</p> + +<p>In bitter disappointment, John retraced his way along +the vestibule of the king's grotto and emerged into +the inlet where his boat was moored. Carefully marking +the spot, he returned to it the next night, but no +trace could he find of the submarine opening. The +old crab had taken good care to prevent another visit +from a marauder, who might cost him his life. John +felt ready to abandon all hopes, when, leaning over the +edge of the boat, and dragging the water through +habit, he felt a violent struggling and fluttering within +the net. Hauling it quickly in, a swarm of silver-bright +little fishes, each one wearing a pretty maiden's +head, escaped from the meshes, leaving behind but a +single token, and that John found to be a tiny golden +harp. He drew his fingers across the strings, and the +sweet sound it gave out was echoed by a sob from beneath +a rock ledge close at hand.</p> + +<p>"Who is there?" cried John.</p> + +<p>"It is I—chief of the sea-king's minstrels," said a<span class="pagenum">[164]</span> +voice. "This evening, I and my band were amusing +ourselves by the light of the moon, when your cruel +net almost frightened us to death. Oh! what shall I +do? It's nearly time for the king's visit to his bride-betrothed +in the grotto; and if you will not restore to +me my harp, I shall be behind-hand, and in disgrace. +Oh! if you only knew how strict the leader of the +court orchestra is!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 429px;"> +<img src="images/i038.jpg" width="429" height="377" alt="" title=""> +</div><span class="pagenum">[165]</span> + +<p>"Will you take me into the grotto, if I give the +harp to you?" said John, firmly.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I dare not," cried the little mermaid, shivering. +"Only yesterday, his majesty found out that +some rude outsider had found his way into the grotto, +and he has placed on either side of the entrance a +double-headed shark. For you to attempt to pass +them would be certain death! Pray, pray ask something +easier; for every moment is precious to me, now."</p> + +<p>"Then tell me what has caused Emma to forget all +her life on earth?"</p> + +<p>"That I can do, right easily," said the mermaid, coquettishly; +"for I have a sister in the band of especial +hand-maidens set apart by the king to wait on the +bride-betrothed. The fresh violets sent every day +to Lady Emma by his majesty, have the power to make +her forgetful, and indifferent to all save her present +surroundings."</p> + +<p>"I knew she had not really grown cold," cried John, +in a burst of gratitude. "Here is your harp, pretty +one, but answer me one question more. How can I +find the entrance to the grotto?"</p> + +<p>The little mermaid stood on tip-tail to receive her +harp, and, as she once more clasped it in her arms,<span class="pagenum">[166]</span> +whispered, in a frightened tone: "When the moon is +at the full, its rays strike a white cliff over against +yonder dark coast-line. Steer your boat evenly along +the path traced by those rays upon the water, and you +may see the wedding procession go in at the state entrance. +But, of all things, take care not to let yourself +be perceived, for on this occasion all the monsters +of the deep will be on guard, and your life would not +be worth a broken clam-shell."</p> + +<p>John bade the mermaid good-by, and from that +moment all his thoughts turned upon how he might +obtain admission to the wedding festival. He cast his +nets diligently, but with no success. All the fishes +seemed to have deserted their usual haunts; and no +wonder, for the entire population of the sea was in a +state of preparation for the great event.</p> + +<p>At last the night of the full moon came, and you may +be sure John was abroad and watchful, as he cast his +nets in feverish anxiety. A sudden pull made him +haul in rapidly, and this time he was rewarded by a +catch that cost him the most tremendous struggle. +What was his surprise to drag into the boat a huge +fish, six feet long, with a tall fin nearly the length of its +body. The most curious part of it was that the tips<span class="pagenum">[167]</span> +of this fin, and also a patch on the creature's head, +shone with imprisoned fire. Along the sides of the +body were a double row of luminous spots. The fish +made no further fight, and John gazed at him in admiration.</p> + +<p>"In the name of wonder, what have we here?" he +said.</p> + +<p>"My good sir," answered the fiery fish, "if you +had the least idea of the nature of my business, I am +sure you would not interrupt me for a moment. I am +one of his majesty's torch-bearers, and the procession +is already forming to go to the grotto of the bride-betrothed."</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" said John. "If you will manage to +take me with you, I will let you go, but not else."</p> + +<p>In vain the torch-bearer protested and begged. +John was inexorable. In the end, the torch-bearer +demanded time for reflection, and at last spoke as +follows:</p> + +<p>"I and four of my brothers lead the way, and by +going with me you would certainly be seen and punished. +But at the very tail-end of the procession, my +old father and mother will jog along, accompanied by a +swarm of their younger grandchildren. These pretty<span class="pagenum">[168]</span> +little creatures, as you may not know, are called Bombay +ducks, and their whole bodies glow with light. +They are very good-natured, and if we can but win over +the other family who help to light the court festivals, +the Chiasmodos, I believe we might smuggle you in +unobserved between the old people."</p> + +<p>"Who are the Chiasmodos?" asked John.</p> + +<p>"They are a tribe of deep-sea light-givers," said the +torch-bearer, "who consist entirely of a mouth and +a stomach. The latter organ swells to an enormous +size, and floats beneath like a transparent balloon, +while above their great, wide-grinning mouth is worn +a crown of light. They are rather snappishly inclined, +these Chiasmodos, and may give us trouble; but we +must run the risk, if you insist. So, come along, young +man, there's no time to waste in talking."</p> + +<p>John did not hesitate, but overboard he went, swimming +after the released torch-bearer, who proved a +friendly fellow after all. It was a beautiful summer's +night, and the moon shed a path of radiant light upon +the ocean, lying calm and serene beneath her spell. +John and the torch-bearer swam along a track of liquid +silver, and opposite the white cliff they saw a marvellous +array.<span class="pagenum">[169]</span></p> + +<p>The procession was formed, and about to take up its +line of march. The drum-fishes were already beating +a roll-call; the fiddler crabs fiddled wildly; while +the sea-lions roared and rumbled, the whales blew +their trumpets, the porpoise puffed, and the electric +eel, who was the court jester, wriggled along the +line, playing foolish tricks and giving unexpected +shocks to those who did not pay attention. Such a +multitude! To describe them all would fill many +pages of this book; and besides, you would never be +able to remember the hard names. The pilot-fish +cruised around in front, the torch-bearers came next, +then the mermaid musicians, and a host of sea politicians +with banners, preceding the whales who sailed +majestically ahead of the king's chariot of pearl, drawn +by twelve milk-white dolphins with jewelled harness.</p> + +<p>After them, every conceivable kind of fish, in regular +order, according to their dignity. The octopus party +was a sight to make one shudder, but they were in a +good humor for once, and comparatively beaming. +The sea-serpent swam alone, considering himself too +much of a rarity to associate with every-day folk. The +sword-fish saluted, and the skates tried to smile, but +only succeeded in looking more hideous than before,<span class="pagenum">[170]</span> +very much as if they had pains under their waistcoats. +The brilliant angel-fishes and the fairy nautilus made +the most lovely show it is possible to imagine; though +it is hardly fair to single out one or two for praise, +when all did so well. Even the herrings from the public +schools, and the vulgar little porgies, had clean faces +and were allowed to tag after the procession. And, last +of all, came the cross Chiasmodos, fortunately swimming +before the old father and mother torch-bearers, who, +between them, carried John along, and were followed +by a gleaming myriad of little Bombay ducks, true +glow-worms of the sea.</p> + +<p>Led by the moon rays to the white cliff on the coast, +the procession came to a halt; and immediately a pair +of hidden doors flew back and revealed a long tunnel +glittering with lights, which opened directly into John's +well-remembered grotto.</p> + +<p>There, within, stood Emma, decked in bridal lace, +worked by ancient mermaids thousands of years before, +to be worn by the queen at her bridal; and on her head +was a fragrant crown of violets. She smiled as the king +approached, and gave him her hand; the wedding at +once began. John, hidden behind a projecting crag, +saw, with despair in his heart, the ceremony go on.<span class="pagenum">[171]</span></p> + +<p>The entire walls were lined with ranks of octopi and +sharks on guard. To defy them would be death to +Emma and himself. He leaned further forward than +he intended, and was seen by one of the Chiasmodos, +who, flashing her lantern in his face, at once informed +on him to her neighbor. Immediately a new monster +swam toward John. This was another of the deep-sea +torch-bearers, the Chanliodus, appointed to act as chief +sentry to the cave. A more ferocious countenance cannot +be imagined than was his. The wide mouth bristled +with sharp fangs, and his fins were tipped with flame, +while all along his sides extended a row of spots like +little windows in a ship, through which light was +shining.</p> + +<p>John saw that in another moment he would be lost. +So long as the bridal procession was going on, no one +dared to speak; and, beckoning the fierce creature to +come behind the rock, John met it with an open knife, +aiming so skilfully as to cut the fish open its entire +length. The idea now occurred to him to place himself +within the body of his dead enemy, which he +promptly did, and to his joy, could swim out unobserved, +and take his place at the bride's right hand. +Just as Emma was about to say "I will," the sentry-fish<span class="pagenum">[172]</span> +managed to place in her hand the little gold cross +that was once her mother's. The queen-elect looked +at the cross in surprise, and as all had passed so quickly, +not even the king understood why her head +drooped forward, and she seemed about to faint. The +sentry-fish whispered in her ear:</p> + +<p>"It is I—John—your brother; be brave, and find +some excuse for putting off the wedding, and we may +yet be saved."</p> + +<p>So long as Emma wore the crown of violets, she was +unable entirely to break the charm they cast over her. +But the little cross was a powerful reminder of her +life on earth; and while she held it, she appeared to be +awakening from a trance. Excusing herself to the +king on the ground of illness, she was supported to her +coral couch, and was surrounded by her mermaidens. +The king ordered the crowd to withdraw, and soon +the disappointed revellers went away, feeling blue and +cross, while his majesty himself was in a terrible way, +tramping up and down, tearing his green locks, and +casting himself on his knees beside Emma, imploring +her to speak to him once more.</p> + +<p>In vain! Emma's eyes were now obstinately closed, +and her cheeks were like marble. The faithful sentry-fish,<span class="pagenum">[173]</span> +whose duty it was to patrol the grotto, swam +up and down before the couch, and every time he +passed near Emma he whispered, "Be brave. I am +here. Soon I will rescue you. Give no sign of life."</p> + +<p>At last the king took the advice of an old dowager +mermaid, and left Emma to herself, consenting to go +outside the grotto and smoke a seaweed cigarette, until +his bride should be ready to go on with the interrupted +wedding.</p> + +<p>John spied in the train of mermaidens the little +creature whose harp he had restored, and very cautiously, +for fear of alarming her, he made himself known. +The pretty mermaid laughed and cried hysterically, +when she heard his story, and consented to aid him +still further by removing the crown of violets from +Emma's head. Soon there was heard a great whispering +among the mermaid band, and one of the boldest +of them ventured to suggest to the dowager lady-in-waiting, +that one reason for her majesty's continued +swoon might be that her hair was plaited too tight. +The dowager, for a wonder, took the suggestion in good +part. She ordered the attendants to unpin her majesty's +long golden braids, and in so doing the fatal +crown fell to the ground unnoticed.<span class="pagenum">[174]</span></p> + +<p>The blood rushed into Emma's face; she sighed, +and opening her eyes, looked about her. There was +the band of anxious mermaids, and a solitary sentry-fish +swimming up and down. In next passing her, he +whispered, "Order your attendants to withdraw." This +was soon done, only the friendly little mermaid remaining +at Emma's side. John, throwing off his disguise, +clasped his sister in his arms, and warm tears +of human happiness rushed from Emma's eyes. Trampling +under foot the crown of violets, and keeping firm +hold of her mother's cross, she begged John to bear +her back to their own world without delay. Cautiously +putting on his fish garb, John swam to the door to reconnoitre +the situation. He found there, on guard, +only one of the shark sentries, who had taken so much +sea-beer, in honor of the king's wedding-day, that John's +knife made quick work in despatching him.</p> + +<p>And now the way seemed open for their flight. +The brother and sister bade farewell to the friendly +mermaid, who pledged herself never to reveal the secret +of Emma's escape, and started to leave the grotto. +Suddenly, lashing the sea in his wrath and fury, both +of his fierce mouths spiked with rows of terrible teeth, +came the other double-headed shark! John still wore his<span class="pagenum">[175]</span> +Chanliodus disguise, and, without a moment's hesitation, +dashed bravely to meet the foe. Wielding his trusty +knife, he stabbed the shark again and again through +the body, darting aside before the monster could get +the advantage of him. The shark, wounded mortally +and mad with rage, darted forward in a final effort, +but John planted his knife in its open jaws. Uttering +a horrid death-shriek, the creature lay without +motion upon the threshold of the cave.</p> + +<p>John lost no time, for the noise of the conflict had +already attracted to the scene a number of curious +loungers; and, as he feared, the king himself, attended +by his body-guard of monsters, now came in sight. +Darting swiftly through the waves, with Emma clinging +bravely to his shoulders, the assumed Chanliodus +drove his sharp fin abruptly into the middle of a party +of squids. These poor fellows were the disappointed +reporters of a submarine newspaper, going home <i>without</i> +an account of the wedding for their journals! The +suddenness of the attack caused the squids promptly to +spill the contents of the ink-pots they always carry with +them, forming a dense black cloud, under cover of which +the fugitives safely reached the surface of the sea.</p> + +<p>The sun was rising, its rosy light lying upon the<span class="pagenum">[176]</span> +bright ocean like a veil. Now, they knew they were +secure, for so long as the sun rules in heaven, the sea-king +dares not show himself above the waves. John +and Emma gazed upon the shore, finding themselves +but a little distance from their boat at anchor, and +wept tears of joy and thanksgiving for their deliverance +from the horrors of the deep. When they had clambered +into the boat, John begged his sister to cast +away the embroideries and the ropes of pearl she had +brought from the sea-king's dominion. Even as he +spoke, they saw Emma's finery vanishing like a wisp +of burnt paper, while her lovely pearls had turned into +strings of common pebbles. Of all her ornaments only +the little golden cross remained, and that shone with +new lustre. With the full force of his stalwart arm, +John cast the sea-king's tokens far into the water; and +as they sank, both brother and sister fancied they saw +a huge hand arise to seize them with an angry grasp, +and heard a growl of baffled rage beneath the waves. +Wrapping his sister in his fisherman's cloak, John +hastened to sail back to the humble hut beneath the +sand-drift, which had never looked so lovely in their +eyes.</p> + +<p>There they dwelt, loving and serene, until in due<span class="pagenum">[177]</span> +time a good husband came for Emma, and John took +to himself a fair young wife. From that day forth, +prosperity attended them, and John sailed his own +ships across the ocean, while Emma lived in a beautiful +home near the shore. Strangely enough, never +again did John succeed in entrapping one of the talking +creatures of which, as we have clearly seen, there +are plenty in the sea, if one has luck to find them! +And another curious thing is, that never again was +Emma able to lift her voice in song. The beautiful +gift which had brought about her strange adventure, +and had well-nigh proved so fatal to them both, had +been lost forever!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 322px;"> +<img src="images/i039.jpg" width="322" height="272" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[178]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 504px;"> +<img src="images/i040.jpg" width="504" height="187" alt="THE WILD WOODSMAN DISGUISED AS A TRAVELLER." title=""> +<p class="caption">THE WILD WOODSMAN DISGUISED AS A TRAVELLER.</p> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_WILD_WOODSMAN" id="THE_WILD_WOODSMAN"></a>THE WILD WOODSMAN.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +there lived a peasant whose only daughter, +Martha, had eyes as blue as corn-flowers and +long hair like the silk around an ear of corn. +All the lads of the village were after her, but she cared +only for John, a young huntsman, who was called by +her father an idle vagabond, and sent away from his +cottage in disdain. Now, the village where they lived +was at the foot of a high mountain covered with a +dense forest, into certain portions of which few were +found to venture, so wild and lonely they were. One +day Martha went, unknown to her father and mother, +to ramble in the forest. She said to some of her friends +that she meant to gather flowers and pick berries, to +sell to a rich lady who lived near them; but the truth<span class="pagenum">[179]</span> +was, that a week had passed without John having set +foot in the village, and she was anxious and uneasy, +and wished to visit some of her lover's favorite haunts, +to see if he might be there. It was no uncommon +thing for John to be absent for several days, while +trapping and hunting. He could sleep as well on a +bank of moss as on his pallet at home, and he loved to +go to rest under the broad canopy of the sky, studded +with bright stars, and to be lulled by the music of +falling waters.</p> + +<p>Martha, dressed in her brown cotton frock, with +the scarlet handkerchief knotted over her fair hair, +was seen to go up a rocky pathway on the mountain-side, +where the firs and larches made a bower overhead; +but that night she did not come home, and +next day, when John came into the village with a +splendid string of birds he had shot miles away from +there, in an opposite direction to the one Martha had +taken, it was to hear the sad news of the poor girl's +disappearance.</p> + +<p>John's face grew pale and his stout heart grew faint; +he thought of what all the others were thinking of—the +Wild Woodsman, against whose magic his gun and +staff might avail nothing!<span class="pagenum">[180]</span></p> + +<p>The mountain above was believed to be the haunt +of a mysterious being, half man, half brute, fierce and +cruel, from whose den no living creature might ever +be rescued. The Wild Woodsman, for so the natives +called him, took many a shape to trap unwary travellers, +and a fair young girl like Martha would be a +rich prize for him. John had long vowed to capture +the Wild Woodsman; and now he was filled with a +mad thirst to seek him at once. Without stopping to +hear more, the young man rushed off up the steep +mountain path, bounding like a chamois from rock to +rock, as the villagers, awe-struck and tearful, gazed +after him and crossed themselves in superstitious fear.</p> + +<p>Through brake and brier, John darted on; he was +soon in the dark recesses of the forest, where the +undergrowth was like a jungle. His fleet foot never +tired in the chase, and, erelong, he spied a little red +handkerchief upon the ground. Recognizing this to +be Martha's, he gazed about him, and saw, by the token +of broken bushes, that the girl had been dragged away +from that spot up a rocky wall, which it seemed to him +no foot could scale.</p> + +<p>Struggling to keep down his sickening dread, John +determined to follow. He began to climb the steep<span class="pagenum">[181]</span> +rock. His faithful dog, who had kept close beside him, +suddenly gave a low fierce growl, and the hair on its +back bristled up in fury. John was already half-way +up the cliff, when, on looking down, there, just where + +<img src="images/i041.jpg" width="319" height="424" alt="" title="" class="split"> + +he had picked up the +handkerchief, he saw +a queer little old fellow, +making shoes as +quietly as if nothing +at all had happened.</p> + +<p>"Hallo, there!" +roared John, for he +suspected mischief.</p> + +<p>The old man +looked up, and John +saw that he had a +young and rosy face +with hair as gray as +a badger's. The odd +creature made signs +that he was stone deaf, and beckoned John to come +down. All this time, the dog was growling fearfully, +and John took warning from the sign. He levelled +his gun without more ado, and said:<span class="pagenum">[182]</span></p> + +<p>"Answer, you fellow. Who are you that have cheeks +so fair, and an old man's locks?"</p> + +<p>"I?" said the old man, hopping up with a dreadful +grin, "you will know me soon enough, sirrah, for I am +the devil's grandfather."</p> + +<p>He stretched out an arm that grew longer every +minute, and his hands changed to the claws of a beast. +John lost no time, but taking aim fired at the Wild +Woodsman, for he it was, and none other. Bang! +The friendly bullet made straight for the creature's +heart, and though it did not kill him outright, the Wild +Woodsman was sorely wounded. He fell over a log, +groaning pitifully, and prayed John to come to the aid +of a poor old man. John said, "That I will with another +bullet," when the Wild Woodsman darted from +the spot, and was lost in the thicket.</p> + +<p>After him went the dog, after the dog went John. +Such a hunt there never was! Through spots in the +woods where man's foot had never penetrated, into bogs, +and into serpents' lairs, past the caves where bears were +lurking; but no animal would touch John, for the Wild +Woodsman was their deadly enemy.</p> + +<p>At last they came to a cleft in a little green hillock. +Here was a hut covered with moss, and the Wild Woodsman,<span class="pagenum">[183]</span> +uttering a frantic yell, fell dead upon the threshold. +John heard a shriek within the hut, and, dashing +down the door, saw Martha, lying, bound with ropes +made of plaited willow, in a corner.</p> + +<p>He flew to set her free; but, to his surprise, Martha +did not appear to know him. She let him take her +by the hand and lead her from the fearful spot where +the inner walls were built of the bones of the Wild +Woodsman's victims. She looked up into his face +and smiled, and John saw she had lost her reason. +He did not stop to pick up the jewels and gold, stolen +from murdered travellers, with which the hut was +strewn, but made all speed to leave behind the horrid +place. He lifted Martha in his strong arms and carried +her down a path along the far side of the mountain. +A great storm arose, and the earth trembled under his +feet; but he kept bravely on his way, and looking back +saw the cleft in the hills widen; then a great gulf +opened, fire and smoke burst forth, and the hut of the +Wild Woodsman was swallowed forever from sight.</p> + +<p>John gave a shout of joy, and began singing a hymn +in his clear young voice. The storm ceased. The clouds +parted. Down in the valley below was their own +peaceful village, and the sound of the evening bells<span class="pagenum">[184]</span> +came floating up to him. Martha, who had lain in his +arms as if asleep, stirred, and recognized him. Her +strength returned, and she asked to walk beside him. +Strangely enough, she said nothing of her late adventure, +then or ever afterward. Not a trace of it remained +in her memory.</p> + +<p>When they reached the village, all the people came +out to meet them, rejoicing. John told them he had +rescued the lost girl, but the true history of his chase +of the Wild Woodsman he kept to himself. Martha's +father and mother greeted her with tears of thankfulness; +and before another year had gone by John and +Martha were married in the village church. From +that day forth, peace reigned upon the mountain-side; +but when stories of the Wild Woodsman were told to +Martha's grandchildren, they little knew the share their +hale old grandsire had in ridding the country-side of +such a scourge.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[185]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 532px;"> +<img src="images/i042.jpg" width="532" height="122" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_FROZEN_HEARTH-FAIRY" id="THE_FROZEN_HEARTH-FAIRY"></a>THE FROZEN HEARTH-FAIRY.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +upon a time, there were a poor couple +who lived in a little cottage overgrown with +vines. From roof-tree to cellar, their home +was as clean as hands could make it, and the table and +chairs were scoured every day till they were as white +as snow. The man went out into the woods to tie up +fagots, and the woman kept a few bees, and sold the +honey. In this way they managed to live, and were +happy, till a great storm came, and swept off the roof +of their house; then the lightning set it on fire, and +it was soon burned to the ground. The man came +running from the forest, and found his wife crying as +if her heart would break, beside her bee-hives, which +the wind had upset, scattering all their busy inmates, +and destroying the honey.</p> + +<p>"Where shall we sleep to-night?" said the wife.<span class="pagenum">[186]</span></p> + +<p>"Let us search till we find," answered the husband. +So they set off and wandered into the woods, while +the storm raged over them. Long did they stray, until +night came. At last they saw a ruined hut, left +by some charcoal-burners, and thankfully entered it. +There was dry straw in one corner, and here the poor +woman laid down, half dead with fright and fatigue. +Both of them were hungry, and the man putting his +hand in his pouch was glad to find there a bit of bread, +which he was about to give to his wife, when a queer +little black object sprang down the wall and seized the +crust, running nimbly off with it.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" cried the poor man.</p> + +<p>"I'm a lost hearth-fairy," said the little creature, in +a piping voice. "If you had made me a fire to warm +my poor bones, I should not have taken your food."</p> + +<p>The hearth-fairy's teeth were chattering, and the +man pulled together some sticks and straw, and lighted +them with his flint and steel. The smoke curled up, +the flames sparkled merrily. The hearth-fairy slid +down and warmed himself.</p> + +<p>"Hallo there! give me back my crust," said the poor +man, whose wife kept pulling him by the sleeve, to remind +him of her hunger.<span class="pagenum">[187]</span></p> + +<p>"Now that I think of it, I want this crust myself," +said the hearth-fairy. "I am off on a journey to seek a +warm fireside, and I need something to strengthen me. + +<img src="images/i043.jpg" width="259" height="464" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +But here is a duck instead, +only you had better not kill +her!"</p> + +<p>A fine fat duck tumbled +at the poor man's feet. The +hearth-fairy vanished in the +smoke. Oh! how the poor +couple longed to kill and +eat that duck. Their mouths +watered as they thought of +onion-sauce, and of breadcrumbs, +and of sage. Faint +and starving, they fell asleep +in a corner of the hut. +When day broke the poor +man rose up, and went to +the door. The storm had +ceased and the duck was +quacking on the door-sill. She waddled away, and +left behind her a large egg of purest gold. Just then +the lord of the forest rode by with his huntsman.<span class="pagenum">[188]</span> +They saw the shining prize in the poor man's hand, +and offered to buy it of him.</p> + +<p>"I will give it for a loaf of brown bread and a sausage," +he said, "for my wife lies starving, within."</p> + +<p>The huntsman gave him food and drink; and the +lord of the forest, after hearing his story, had the poor +couple taken to a nice empty cottage near by, and told +them they should have it for their own. The golden +egg was sold, and the man and his wife lived in comfort +all their days from the money it fetched. They +never saw either the hearth-fairy or the magic duck +again, but the good wife soon went to bee-keeping, +which made her very happy.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[189]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 534px;"> +<img src="images/i044.jpg" width="534" height="120" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="ROSYS_STAY-AT-HOME_PARTIES" id="ROSYS_STAY-AT-HOME_PARTIES"></a>ROSY'S STAY-AT-HOME PARTIES.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>H!</b> +dear, oh! dear," sighed Rosy, "I'm the +most unhappy little girl in all the world."</p> + +<p>She was kneeling in a chair, gazing through +the drawing-room window. In the street outside +was drawn up a carriage, into which Nurse was packing +all of Rosy's brothers and sisters. Clover was +there, a boy of twelve, looking rather disgusted with +his surroundings, and having his head nearly cut off +by his first upright collar. Violet, Rosy's twin sister, +was there, dressed in the sweetest new pale blue +camel's-hair, and taking great care to turn the skirt +of it up over her shoulders as she nestled into her +corner of the landau. (Rosy thought with a pang +of her own new dress, the double of Violet's, hanging +upstairs in the wardrobe, in a melancholy way!) Jonquil +was there, the chubby, golden-haired, big-eyed<span class="pagenum">[190]</span> +brother, aged three. And last of all was dear wee +Honeysuckle, like a bundle of lace and flannel in +Marie's arms; while old Nurse's spectacles could +hardly be seen through the mass of sash-ends and +fluted petticoats, and scarlet stockings, and velvet +breeches, and flying locks of hair completely filling the +roomy carriage. No one could doubt that the children +were going to a party, even if they had not announced +that fact to everybody within ear-shot by the chatter +of their busy little tongues!</p> + +<p>At last all were settled, and the carriage rolled away. +"Good-by, Rosy," "Good-by, Rosy!" came up in a +shrill chorus; and, the last Rosy's tear-dimmed eyes +could see of them, hands and handkerchiefs were waving +a farewell to the sister left behind.</p> + +<p>Then it was that Rosy's fortitude completely forsook +her, and she dropped sobbing into the chair. It +was a bitter disappointment, for the party was to be +given by their aunt in honor of these children, and, in +addition to Punch and Judy, magic, and a candy-bag, +they were promised a huge bran-pie, full of delightful +hidden presents. Rosy had suffered from a pretty +bad sore-throat the night before, and the doctor had +forbidden her going out. It is no use for grown<span class="pagenum">[191]</span> +people to say, dear children, these disappointments +of yours don't matter much, for they <i>do</i>. They seem +as high as mountains in your path, and I fully sympathize +with you all, and especially with little weeping +Rosy.</p> + +<p>So thought her mamma, evidently, for she came +into the room just then, and picked the little bunch of +blue serge and cardinal ribbons up in +her arms, and sat down with it in a +low chair by the fire.</p> + +<img src="images/i045.jpg" width="160" height="194" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +<p>"Boo-hoo!" said Rosy, breaking +out afresh when she felt mamma's +kisses on her hair and wet cheeks. +Mamma said very little, but by and +by the little girl began to feel comforted, +in spite of herself. You know how it is, dears! +First, you stop roaring and moan, then your eyes are +kissed dry, then you burrow your heads down and +sigh, then you lie quite still for a little while—and at +last, after blowing your noses in an heroic way, you are +ready to laugh again!</p> + +<p>All this happened in Rosy's case, and for awhile she +sat talking, until her mamma was called away to attend +to some household matter. By that time Rosy<span class="pagenum">[192]</span> +was quite content to be tucked into a corner of the +comfortable sofa, covered with a down quilt, and left +to gaze into the depths of a woodfire, burning gently +(for it had passed the spitting, spluttering stage), upon +two great old-fashioned brass andirons with claw-feet +and queer round bald heads.</p> + +<p>Around Rosy's couch was drawn a gay Japanese +screen; before the fire was spread a great black bear-skin +rug, and on either side of it stood a tall green +porcelain jar. Clover always said these vases were +like the ones in which Morgiana hid the Forty Thieves, +and the children had more than once stuffed baby +Honeysuckle into one of them to keep her out of mischief +during what Nurse called their "rampagin's to +split one's head."</p> + +<p>Over her mamma's writing-table, low enough for +Rosy to look into the very heart of it, hung a picture +in a broad gold frame. The picture was of a chestnut +wood in Brittany, and standing in the shadow of a +drooping bough was a little girl of about ten, her own +age. One of the little peasant maiden's arms was +clasped around the neck of a big dog, harnessed to a +cart of vegetables. Under the other arm she held a +fat goose with a dangling neck. Overhead, the sky<span class="pagenum">[193]</span> +was blue and the leaves seemed to be rustling in a +summer wind. Around the feet of the tiny nut-brown +maiden, with her odd high cap, grew tall heather and +feathery ferns, with here and there a clump of flame-shaped +lilies. When snow was on the ground outside +Rosy always loved to gaze at this pretty scene, and to +fancy herself stepping over the frame to have a chat +about vegetables, and a ramble in the forest with Annette.</p> + +<p>Rosy's eyes wandered from one object to another in +this pleasant room. Fluff, her mother's Skye terrier, +curled up on her feet and fell asleep. The clock upon +the mantel ticked softly, Fluff snored contentedly, +little particles of burning wood pattered into the bed +of glowing embers below. Even the familiar rumble +of the street cars along the thoroughfare at the end of +their block seemed more subdued than usual; and +Rosy lay, never stirring, until—she found herself, without +the least warning, slipping down through one of +her mother's great porcelain jars, into Japan! Fluff +woke up, and dashed to the rescue, with his fierce +little "Rah!" of a bark; but there was nothing to be +seen of Miss Rosy except the tip of a scarlet bow, with +which Nurse was wont to adorn the summit of her<span class="pagenum">[194]</span> + +<img src="images/i046.jpg" width="332" height="611" alt="" title="" class="split"> + +young lady's head. +She felt the rustle +of the dried rose-leaves +at the bottom +of the jar falling +over her in a +fragrant shower, as +she fell through +space, pulling up, +decidedly out of +breath, in a very +queer locality.</p> + +<p>It was a town +where the houses +looked as if they +had been built for +big dolls to live in. +Houses with sliding +walls, doors, +and galleries made +all of paper, that in +two minutes you +could take apart +and pack up as you<span class="pagenum">[195]</span> +do a box of Crandall's blocks. The streets were +honeycombed with quaint booths, and crowded with +human beings going in and out of them like bees. +The carriages were babies' perambulators, drawn by a +tandem team of brown-skinned men, wearing a single +garment each, and umbrella hats.</p> + +<p>There were no horses to be seen, but the cows wore +blue cotton wrappers and shoes made of straw. Men, +women, and children, at first sight, seemed to be dressed +alike, all clattering around on high clogs, stooping +painfully; and the funny little bald-headed babies were +either carried pick-a-back by their mammas, or else +were tucked in the breast of their fathers' loose wrappers, +together with pipes, tobacco pouches, books, +and a variety of other useful articles.</p> + +<p>Rosy looked about her in astonishment, till a girl +came up and saluted her with solemn politeness, inviting +her to a party, which was just about to begin. +"You had better have your hair dressed first," the +girl said, "and I will lend you a decent frock."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Rosy, thinking fondly of the blue +camel's-hair in the wardrobe at home; "of course, +this old every-day serge won't do for a party."</p> + +<p>The girl took her to the shop of a female barber,<span class="pagenum">[196]</span> +who made Rosy kneel down before a mirror of polished +steel, and parted her hair in two or three long manes, +which were stiffened with bandoline, and tied with + +<img src="images/i047.jpg" width="237" height="464" alt="" title="" class="split"> + +paper twine in a wonderful +bow-knot on top. A fine tortoise-shell +skewer was added, +and the barberess, stepping +back to survey her work, +caught sight of Rosy's eyebrows.</p> + +<p>"Tut, tut," she said, angrily; +"what were her parents +thinking of to let them +grow like this?" And without +more ado Rosy's eyebrows +were shaved off, and her face +and neck were daubed with a +thick white paste. Her under +lip had a patch of red paint, +and her teeth were stained +with some horrid black mixture. +Then she went with the Japanese girl into a +paper house, where the party was to be held, and the +girl lent her a loose silk gown, tied round the waist by<span class="pagenum">[197]</span> +a wide sash of pink crêpe. On her feet were put foot +mittens of white cloth, with a separate place for the +big toe, and high lacquered clogs.</p> + +<p>"How can I walk?" said Rosy, tottering around +when she was finally equipped in her narrow uncomfortable +garments.</p> + +<p>"Sh-h! the company is arriving!" said her hostess; +and as there was no furniture, not even a chair, Rosy +wondered where the company would sit. The company +solved this difficulty by sitting on the floor; and +then trays were handed around, containing all sorts +of wonderful sweetmeats, flowers and fruits in lovely +colors, with conserved fruits, sugared beans, and candy +fish, animals, and birds. Each dainty was more tempting +than the one before, and Rosy found the loose +front of her Japanese gown the very thing for a "party-pocket," +if any of you know what that means!</p> + +<p>Next came games; "Lady-go-to-see," "Sick man-and-doctor," +Alphabet-cards, and Proverbs; and then, +more sweetmeats. Pleasant as it was, a sudden stop +was put to the entertainment, by a commotion, everybody +seizing hold of another, all with frightened faces. +Without warning, an earthquake came and turned +the house upside down. Everybody fell out on the<span class="pagenum">[198]</span> +ground but Rosy, who flew up in the air, becoming +entangled in the tail of a huge man-kite, carried along +by the wind at a fearful rate of speed.</p> + +<p>Rosy thought this much more exciting than any +coasting down hill she had ever tried; and she flew up, +up, until the tail of the kite gave a flop, tossing her +through a rift in the clouds. There she was, passing +again through the bottom of the porcelain-jar, and in +another moment she had landed in the very centre +of the bear-skin hearth-rug.</p> + +<p>Rosy was just getting her breath, and wondering +how she came to have her hair hanging in the usual +tawny stream, when, to her great surprise, the bear-skin +began to move.</p> + +<p>"Hold on tight there. We are off," it said, in a low +growling tone, though not unkindly. "Want to go to +a party, hey? Well, I'll see what we can do for you +in my part of the world."</p> + +<p>"Really you take one so unpleasantly by surprise," +exclaimed poor Rosy, as she felt herself again setting +forth on an airy journey. "It is so cold here, I wish +you had let me stop for my seal-skin jacket."</p> + +<p>"Don't talk about seal-skins, child. We are going +where you will see enough of them. Ho! but it's<span class="pagenum">[199]</span> +grand there, up among the icebergs and the everlasting +snow-drifts, where the frozen lakes gleam like +red jewels in the light of the sun that never sets! +Merry sports you'll see between my brothers and +sisters!"</p> + +<p>"But I should be dreadfully afraid of them," began +Rosy, trembling. "I have never met any bears outside +of cages;" but the words were frozen on her +tongue, and some tears coming into her eyes rolled in +little round icicles into her lap.</p> + +<p>Now they came to a world of ice and snow. Even +the fir-trees were no longer seen. Clinging to the +rocks was a little rough moss, which served for reindeers' +food. All else was chill and glittering—the +sky arched with radiant pink that seemed to palpitate. +Far below them was a polar sea, locking in chill embrace +a lonely ship, her shrouds sheathed in ice, her +ribs cracked against the huge silvery bulk of an iceberg, +on whose jagged side she leaned despairingly—no +sign of life on board. Rosy shuddered and shut +her eyes, only opening them again when the bear-skin +set her down at the side of an odd little hut, built on +a barren point of land above the ice-bound water.</p> + +<p>This hut was made of blocks of ice, the chinks filled<span class="pagenum">[200]</span> +in with moss, and snow-caked over all. On top was +a hole whence issued a faint curl of smoke, and out of +an opening, somewhere, crawled a funny Esquimaux +lady, apparently as broad as she was long. She welcomed +Rosy politely, and took her in to the fire, a +civility Rosy thought she could have done without. +The whole family was collected there, with some +guests invited in Rosy's honor, who had come in +sledges drawn by dogs over the snow. The dogs +also were within, and half a dozen children. It made +Rosy think of the worms in Clover's can the days +when her brother went a-fishing, so closely packed and +squirming were her new-found friends. The place +was full of smoke, and smelled of fish oil. The feast +consisted of frozen whale's blubber, handed around to +be gnawed by the company, and of salt fish dried without +cooking, with strips of reindeer meat. Rosy tried +to be very agreeable to everybody present, but when +they brought her the baby to kiss, she almost fainted! +It was the greasiest little thing, without a stitch of +clothes on! By-and-by, sleep overpowered the traveller, +and Mrs. Esquimaux laid a skin before the fire, +offering her, for a pillow, what <i>do</i> you think? that +self-same greasy baby!<span class="pagenum">[201]</span></p> + +<p>As this ceremony is an especial compliment to a +stranger among the Esquimaux, no one can refuse it; +and Rosy, with much compunction, laid her head down +on the poor little thing, who took it all as cheerfully +as possible.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had the weary traveller closed her eyes, +when she opened them again on the lounge in the drawing-room +at home!</p> + +<p>There, looking down on her with a friendly smile, +was the little Breton maiden in the chestnut wood.</p> + +<p>"Come to my party," Rosy heard her whisper; and, +charmed with such a pretty new playmate, she stretched +out her hands. The little French girl dropped the +goose from under her arm, and leaned out of her gold +frame to help Rosy, who, in two or three steps was +safely beside her, treading down the tall heather, and +stirring the butterflies from their haunts among the +flowers. How green, and cool, and sweet it was, under +the arching boughs. Far as the eye could reach, on +every side, were leaves rustling in the fragrant air; and +the trunks of the ancient trees were gray and hoar as +the beards of the old Druids who once haunted them. +Annette, for so the peasant maid was called, told Rosy +many strange and interesting tales about this forest as<span class="pagenum">[202]</span> +they walked on, followed by the faithful dog dragging +his cart of vegetables so carefully that he did not need +a word or look to guide him.</p> + +<p>"Ours is one of the oldest inhabited parts of France," +said the girl, proudly; "I can tell you stories about +every tree and rock and hill in the country-side, and I +will, if you like to hear them; but we must make +haste to reach the market now, before the sun rises high +enough to drink the dew from my vegetables. I was +up before day to pick them, and my father has promised +me that, if I sell all, I shall have a party in the glen. +Only think! Not to work in the field all the afternoon—and +to have as many chestnuts as we choose, a whole +loaf of brown bread, and perhaps—if the step-mother +is good humored—a slice of seed-cake!"</p> + +<p>Rosy thought this a very poor sort of a party; but +she found Annette such good company that it seemed +no hardship to trudge along the hot and dusty road +beside her, when they emerged from the shelter of the +wood. The two girls laughed and made merry until +they reached the market town, and there the good dog +came to a halt, while Annette arranged her cress and +lettuces and beans and potatoes in tempting rows +upon the stall—standing beside them with such a<span class="pagenum">[203]</span> +patient smiling face, that many passers-by were induced +to buy of her. The fat goose went home +in the basket of a fat housekeeper, and left in his +place a pile of silver pieces. So, Annette and Rosy +soon turned back to trudge again the dusty high-road, +talking of the party they were to have in the glen that +afternoon.</p> + +<p>Annette's home, which the two tired little travellers +reached at last, was a quaint cottage, the steep moss-grown +roof looking twice the height of its walls. Over +the door grew a twisted pear-tree, and all the ground +around it, excepting the garden patch in a sheltered +spot behind, was one waving mass of heather, strewn +with gray boulders of mossy rock. Rosy gave a little +cry of delight.</p> + +<p>"Why, it is the <i>sweetest</i> place," she cried. "It is +like a bird's nest, Annette. How happy you must be +here."</p> + +<p>Annette was about to answer, when out of the door +came a cross step-mother, who began scolding as soon +as she saw the girls, snatched the pouch of silver money +from Annette's side, ordered her to the right and left, +and then, tired as the poor child was, harnessed her +to the cart beside the dog, and made her draw a heavy<span class="pagenum">[204]</span> +pile of linen to the brook, where she was at once set to +work to help her step-mother in the family washing. +Rosy, half-starved by her long fast, was glad to share +Annette's meagre dinner of brown bread and a handful +of boiled chestnuts, eaten under a tree by the +brookside. Annette ventured to remind her step-mother +of the promised party, and, for answer, received +a smart box on the ear.</p> + +<p>"Is it a princess I have got to do my work, perchance?" +said the cross old thing. "Thy father is far +enough off in the field, not here to spoil thee, by luck; +so do thou and that idle girl yonder set to work and +finish washing the linen. That's party enough for +trapesing girls, in <i>my</i> mind!"</p> + +<p>So Rosy, too, was forced into service, and all through +the long afternoon she toiled with aching limbs. +When night came, she and Annette were glad to seek +a straw bed in a tiny roof-chamber and cry themselves +to sleep.</p> + +<p>"Never mind," said Annette, patiently; "to-morrow, +perhaps, she may be kinder, and after we have +worked all the forenoon in the field, who knows but +we may have our party yet?"</p> + +<p>Rosy remembered nothing more, except opening<span class="pagenum">[205]</span> +her eyes full upon the hearth in her mother's drawing-room, +where she was immediately addressed by one +of the old-fashioned brass andirons.</p> + +<p>"I should just like to show you what a party was in +<i>my</i> time," it said, in a cracked, high-pitched voice. +"We, sister Peggy and I, belonged, as you know, to +your mother's grandmother—a good old Revolutionary +stock—and we lived in the old house up yonder in +Salem, Massachusetts, until your mother took it into +her fanciful head to fetch us here. I should like to +know what we have in common with that little fiddle-faddle +Dresden china clock and shepherdesses upon the +mantel-piece! However, I won't talk about my grievances, +for sister Peggy always says that it is in very +bad taste, and sister Peggy knows. We lived in the +room where your grandmother was born, my dear, and +her first cap was fitted upon sister Peggy's knob——"</p> + +<p>"Will she never stop to take breath," Rosy wondered. +"I am dying to ask her a question. What's +your name?" she suddenly called out, so abruptly as +to make the old andiron jump, and let fall a broken +brand upon the hearth.</p> + +<p>"Dear me, child, how you fluttered me!" it said, +reprovingly. "I am sister Polly, of course, as you<span class="pagenum">[206]</span> +would have heard in due time. Sister Peggy always +says that little girls should be seen and not heard, and +sister Peggy knows—Where was I—Oh! when your +grandmother grew old enough to invite her little friends +to share her hospitality, the boys and girls would +arrive at about three o'clock in the afternoon. The +girls wore plain print gowns, and muslin aprons edged +with tambour work. Instead of that insane mop of +hair you sport, with a bow in the middle, looking for +the world and all like your terrier, Fluff, they had +decent mob caps. Their hands were covered with +mittens, and each one earned a bag with a piece of +white seam (or plain stitching), or else a sampler frame. +How pretty it was to see them sitting down to their +work for awhile! Then the tea-table was spread, with +flowered china cups and plates, and shining silver, +muffins, crumpets, sliced ham, home-made preserves +and cream, and waffles strewn with cinnamon and +sugar——"</p> + +<p>"You make my mouth water," said Rosy.</p> + +<p>"All this took place by five o'clock," said sister +Polly, "and afterward the children had a good game +of 'blind-man's-buff,' or 'hunt-the-slipper'—and a +handful of nuts with a big red apple, to stuff in each<span class="pagenum">[207]</span> +of their pockets upon going home. I remember a +very little party your mamma had once, when she was +a child——"</p> + +<p>"Do you? Tell me about it, please," said Rosy, +eagerly, for nothing was ever so enchanting to those +children as stories about their mamma in her youth.</p> + +<p>"She was just getting over the measles, and had been +very much petted during her convalescence. Your +grandmother promised her, in reward for taking a +rather nasty dose of medicine, that she should have +her little cousins from next door, to drink tea on a +trunk. This was an especial treat to your mamma. +A large flat-topped trunk served as table for the little +girls and their dollies. On it were spread the china +doll tea-things, and when they did not suffice in size or +numbers, leaves from the grape-vine above the dining-room +porch, were also heaped with goodies. Those +children were satisfied with broken bits of peppermint +stick, ginger-nuts, wee biscuit, lemonade for tea, and +in the centre of the table a dish of horse-cakes."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know!" said Rosy, with much interest. +"Mamma has often told us about horse-cakes, and +the funny little old shop where she used to buy them +for a cent apiece. They had currants for eyes, and the<span class="pagenum">[208]</span> +children never knew whether to begin to eat at the +head first or the tail——"</p> + +<p>"Exactly," said sister Polly. "Well, as I was saying, +four little girls in clean white birds'-eye pinafores +assembled around the trunk-party, your mamma at the +head, to pour out the lemonade tea. Each guest had +a dolly in her lap, and your mamma had twins on +hers. I think the difficulty began by her insisting +that the twins should have a double share of all the +good things, which the guests, with some warmth, disputed. +At any rate, it is a sad tale to tell you, but a +true one; a quarrel set in, and what should the hostess +do, but burst into tears, declare that her company were +mean horrid things, and then, dragging at the table-cloth, +whisk the entire contents of the tea-table upon +the floor!"</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said Rosy, "did my mamma do that? I +don't believe a word of it! You are nothing but an +old tattle-tale, sister Polly, and I don't believe sister +Peggy is any better!"</p> + +<p>Scarcely had Rosy uttered these disrespectful words, +when the enraged sister Polly and sister Peggy flew out +upon her from the fireplace. Seizing her in their +brassy claws, they shook the little girl fiercely, bumping<span class="pagenum">[209]</span> +her head first on one side, then on the other, between +their knobs.</p> + +<p>Rosy screamed for help, and heard in return a +merry peal of laughter. She felt a warm shower of +kisses on her face; and, opening her eyes, saw Clover +and Violet, Jonquil and the baby, mamma and the +nurses, standing in a laughing circle around her +couch, while Fluff nearly barked his head off in the +general excitement.</p> + +<p>"Rosy, you had the funniest nightmare!" said +Violet; "see here, what a lovely bracelet was in the +bran-pie for you, and we've all saved you some of our +bonbons."</p> + +<p>"It was rather a bully Punch and Judy," remarked +Clover, patronizingly. "That is, for the little ones, +you know; <i>I've</i> seen such lots of 'em."</p> + +<p>"Punch said, 'Doody, Doody, bing up de baby,'" +squeaked happy little Jonquil, capering about.</p> + +<p>Baby Honeysuckle had gone to sleep, after her first +party.</p> + +<p>Rosy jumped up, and kissed everybody around +twice.</p> + +<p>"Dear knows I've had enough of parties," she declared +joyfully; but nobody knew what she meant!</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[211]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 539px;"> +<img src="images/i049.jpg" width="539" height="125" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="BLONDINA_OR_THE_TURKEY-QUEEN" id="BLONDINA_OR_THE_TURKEY-QUEEN"></a>BLONDINA;<BR>OR,<BR>THE TURKEY-QUEEN.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-a.jpg" width="81" height="82" alt="A" title="A" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">A</span><b>CERTAIN</b> +king had two daughters, one of +them lovely and accomplished, and the other +an ugly, cross-tempered personage, who early +in life took to meddling with the black arts, and learned +a great deal more of magic than she did of any thing +else. Blondina, on the contrary—for so the pretty +princess was named—was the joy of all her nurses, and +governesses, and tutors, and music masters, from earliest +infancy. Her one fault was a tendency to laugh +aloud on the slightest provocation. At ten years old +she could speak many languages, play on all known +instruments, write essays and sermons, dance like a +sylph, sing like a nightingale, and make chocolate caramel. +Vixetta, the elder of the two sisters, before she +had reached the same age, had made short work of <i>her</i> +instructors, wearing out the health and spirits of a<span class="pagenum">[212]</span> +governess in a week, and driving twenty-four tutors into +the lunatic asylum, while her head-nurse was speedily +reduced to skin and bone, and took a permanent +situation as the living +skeleton in a dime-museum. + +<img src="images/i050.jpg" width="267" height="387" alt="Vixetta" title="" class="split"> + +<p class="caption split">Vixetta</p> + +<p>The poor king +remonstrated in vain +with his headstrong elder +daughter. Ordinary +scolding had not the +slightest effect upon her; +black marks and crosses +against her name in the +report-book only made +her laugh scornfully; and +any attempt at bodily +punishment ended in the +Princess Vixetta throwing +herself flat upon the +ground, turning purple in +the face, and foaming at the mouth with rage in a way +to daunt the stoutest spirit. So, for this reason, the +unfortunate girl was allowed to follow her own fancies, +stealing off at dusk nobody knew whither, although it<span class="pagenum">[213]</span> +was suspected that her favorite haunts were the black +depths of a pine forest near the palace—where the country +folk never cared to ramble, even in broad daylight—or +a certain ruined tower, filled with bats and owls and +serpents. One night a peasant, who approached this +tower in search of a lost cow, saw green lights dancing +madly around the broken walls, heard wild shrieks +of laughter issue from within, and, on venturing to +insert his inquisitive nose into a chink, had it tweaked +by two red-hot fingers; immediately afterward, he +averred, he had seen the Princess Vixetta, in true +witch-dress, shoot by him on a broom-stick, leaving a +trail of brimstone in her wake. On reaching home he +found his sheep dead, his best cows gone dry, and his +children ill of a fever. Such tales as these, of which +there were many current in the country-side, came from +time to time to the king's ears, and not being able to +gainsay them, <i>because of information he had got on his +own private account</i>, the unfortunate parent resigned +himself to sink slowly to the tomb. In fact he courted +death rather than shunned it. Whenever he took cold, +he would sit all night long, in wet shoes, in the draft +of two open windows; and if that did not make him +worse, would send away the doctors, refuse medicine,<span class="pagenum">[214]</span> +and try to beat his brains out on the marble floor of +the palace bedroom. At last, one day, he choked, on +too large a mouthful of beefsteak, and when the physicians +endeavored to relieve him, waved them away, +and cheerfully expired!</p> + +<img src="images/i051.jpg" width="381" height="374" alt="Blondina." title="" class="split"> + +<p class="caption split">Blondina.</p> + +<p>The Princess Blondina was immediately proclaimed +queen in her father's stead. Nothing was heard but +praises of the charming new sovereign, who, after the<span class="pagenum">[215]</span> +period of mourning had passed away, ascended the +throne with much pomp and ceremony. All of this +was gall and worm-wood to the envious Vixetta, who, +but for the kindness of her sister, would have been +sent, by a vote of all the people, into exile in a +distant land. Blondina announced that the Princess +Vixetta should remain in her palace, and be offered an +opportunity to reform her bad ways. Vixetta, thereupon, +pretending to weep, promised to do better, and +to give up associating with her evil favorites, the +witches, warlocks, and magicians; but, in secret, her +time was spent in conjuring a method to get rid of her +beautiful sister, and to mount the throne in her stead.</p> + +<p>One warm summer day, Queen Blondina had just +come in from rowing in her silver barge along the +windings of the little river which watered the palace +grounds. She rested for a while in the garden upon a +bank of roses, myrtles, jasmine, and lilies-of-the-valley, +while allowing her maids-of-honor to fan her with huge +fans of white ostrich plumes, and listening to the drip +of fountains of orange-flower water, and eau-de-cologne. +Suddenly, she espied a poor old tattered crone, carrying +a basket of luscious fruit, such as none of the +queen's own gardens or green-houses could produce.<span class="pagenum">[216]</span> +Pomegranates there were, dropping sweetest juices +when cleft in twain, purple figs that melted upon the +tongue, rosy nectarines, crimson plums frosted with +silvery dew, and bunches of grapes glowing like jewels +where the sunbeams touched their clusters. Queen +Blondina sat up, and exclaimed with delight, "Oh! Goody, pray set your basket down. My servants +will pay you handsomely for your lovely fruit."</p> + +<p>"Willingly, your Majesty," said the old woman. +"You are welcome to the contents of my basket, if +you will but leave me the single hazel-nut at the very +bottom of it."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i048.jpg" width="600" height="386" alt="Queen Blondina Resting in her Garden." title=""> +<p class="caption">Queen Blondina Resting in her Garden.</p> +</div> + +<p>The queen consented, with a laugh at the absurdity +of her wanting that one insignificant little hazel-nut, +when such a delightful treat was at her service. Her +servants unpacked the basket, and there, sure enough, +at the bottom, was a tiny brown nut.</p> + +<p>"Queer, that she should desire to keep back that one +little nut," thought the queen. "I wonder why? Can +it be so very delicious to the taste, or what? I wish I +could see its inside."</p> + +<p>And so she went on, wondering, and exciting her +own imagination, till, pretty soon, Blondina would +have given all the rest of the basketful for the possession<span class="pagenum">[217]</span> +of that single mysterious nut! She began by offering +one gold piece, then another, till a glittering pile +lay at the crone's feet, but still the old woman held +out against parting with her treasure.</p> + +<p>At last, Blondina burst into tears, when the crone +appeared to be melted by her sorrow, and, advancing, +whispered in her ear.</p> + +<p>"If I give you this nut," she said, "it shall be on +one condition, only, your Majesty; and that is, that +you crack it in the presence of your prime minister +alone, in some remote corner of your palace."</p> + +<p>Blondina gladly consented, and sending away her +attendants, took possession of the nut, and summoned +her prime minister to her side. This functionary was +a very stern and important officer of State, who had +been foremost in the movement to banish the Princess +Vixetta from the court. He arrived all breathless, at +the queen's behest, and in the meantime the old crone +had disappeared as mysteriously as she came. Blondina +ordered the prime minister to follow her to a +secluded summer-house, where, eagerly cracking the +nut with her royal high-heeled shoe, she found inside +only a few pinches of white powder, and a scroll containing +some fine writing in an unknown tongue.<span class="pagenum">[218]</span></p> + +<p>"Thanks to my love of study, your Majesty," modestly +suggested the prime minister, "I have mastered +the only language you have left unacquired, which happens +to be Arabic. On this bit of paper, I can decipher +certain instructions to the finder."</p> + +<p>"Tell me them, quickly, my dear lord," said the enchanted +princess, "and I will apply myself to the study +of Arabic to-morrow. So much for a neglected education," +she added, with a sigh that she had left anything +so important undone; for, as I have said before, +this princess had a passion for acquiring languages.</p> + +<p>"If the finder of this treasure desires to acquaint +himself with the language of the animal world, and to +take the form of any other living thing, he has only to +snuff up a pinch of the enclosed powder, bow to the +earth three times, and cry the name of the creature he +desires to become, followed by these exact words:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Kurri-kuree,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Changed would I be.'<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"At once he will assume the likeness of the thing +named, and will understand all he hears going on +around him, remaining in that shape as long as he +may choose. Whenever he wishes to resume his own<span class="pagenum">[219]</span> +natural form, he has only to bow himself again three +times to the earth, and repeat the formula already +given. But let him, during the period of transformation, +especially beware of laughing aloud—or he will +inevitably forget the formula, and run the risk of remaining +as he has chosen to be."</p> + +<p>"This is the most delightful thing I ever had happen +to me," said the merry young queen, clapping her +hands. "Come, my lord, I am dying to try the experiment. +Suppose we become two turkeys, and +wander into the barn-yard. Nothing could please me +more than a little adventure of that kind. Besides, +you forget I have never studied Turkish, and this will +be an excellent opportunity."</p> + +<p>The prime minister, who was a man of sober years, +beyond the taste for such mad-cap frolics, remonstrated +in vain with his wilful mistress. Blondina would have +her way; and, in a short time, behold both queen and +minister indulging in a solemn pinch of white snuff, +and pronouncing distinctly the magic formula, while +inclining themselves humbly to the earth!</p> + +<p>At once, Blondina's gown of silken tissue was exchanged +for a suit of neat brown mottled feathers, while +the prime minister became just such a huge and unwieldy<span class="pagenum">[220]</span> +gobbler as would take first prize in a Christmas +poultry show!</p> + +<p>"Oh! what splendid fun!" the queen began, dying +to laugh at her companion. But reflecting upon the +possible consequences of this indiscretion, she became +grave and silent, while the humiliated prime minister +waddled after her into the barn-yard, whither his perverse +little sovereign now took her way, leaving the +hazel-nut securely hidden in a corner of the summer-house.</p> + +<p>In the multitude of feathered folk assembled in the +enclosure, our two turkeys passed almost unnoticed at +first. They were surprised to find very much the +same sort of talk going on among their new friends, +as among those they had left. The same struggle for +prizes and for place, the same greedy rapacity, the +same love of gossip and display. Two new peacocks +had that day been added to the collection, and were +strutting up and down like fashionable loungers, discussing +all the affairs of the nation and the conduct of +the rulers; and, in listening to their discourse, the queen +found herself much enlightened about many of her +subjects, and their doings.</p> + +<p>"As to her Majesty, Queen Blondina," said one of<span class="pagenum">[221]</span> +the peacocks, sending his tail up in a magnificent fan +when he saw the admiring gaze of two young guinea +hens bent upon him, "I have reason to believe that this +unfortunate young woman is doomed soon to fall a +victim to the wiles of that powerful enchantress, her +sister, who, as is well known to all of us, has just become +the sovereign of the underground fraternity of +magicians, against whose spells all other witches and +warlocks can do nothing."</p> + +<p>Blondina strained her ears to catch the answer; but +the two talkers had passed on, and she heard a sharp +voice say close beside her, "Come now, no struggling, if you please, Mr. Mole. +I have not tasted so much as a mouse to-day, and you +have crossed my path in the nick of time."</p> + +<p>"Dear Miss Tame Owl," pleaded the little velvet-coated +victim, held tight in the claws of a spinster-owl, domesticated +in the barn-yard by Blondina's special +orders, "I must entreat you to let me off this time; +I was hurrying to my daughter's wedding, and mistook +the way, straying into this dreadful place by the +most unfortunate mischance. Consider the feelings +of my family, who are all assembled and expecting +me."<span class="pagenum">[222]</span></p> + +<p>"Come now, no nonsense," said the cross old thing. +"My mouth is fairly watering for you."</p> + +<p>She was about to cut short the victim's observations +in the most abrupt manner by taking him bodily into +her crop, when Blondina interposed, and flying at the +owl, boxed her ears soundly. At this, the venerable +lady was so unpleasantly taken by surprise, that she +opened her mouth to gasp, and out fell the mole, who +instantly scuttled away, but not without bestowing +upon his turkey benefactress the most ardent thanks. +After this little incident, Blondina's attention was distracted +by a variety of curious studies in fowl-life, and +she forgot all about her companion, the prime minister, +until, chancing to look around, she beheld him the +centre of an admiring throng of ducks, geese, and +chickens, whose numbers were constantly increasing. +"How grand he is!" "How big!" "How noble!" +echoed on every side; and the prime minister, who +was very vain, drooped his wings, set up his tail, and +puffed himself into a magnificent fluffy ball. "Never +have we beheld a turkey of so majestic a bearing!" +cried a gushing goose-widow, and a pair of young lady +ducklings rolled up their eyes in rapture and nodded +assent. The prime minister was in his glory.<span class="pagenum">[223]</span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I am indeed the champion," he said, swelling +into a balloon of feathers. Just then, Queen Blondina's +own pet kitten, Floss, wandered across the yard, +and having no especial occupation in view, charged at +full scamper upon the prime minister, who, alas! for +his boasted dignity, subsided ingloriously, and, shutting +himself up tight, fairly turned tail and ran away, +looking so excessively crest-fallen and foolish that +Blondina could not resist bursting into a long and +merry peal of laughter.</p> + +<p>"What have you done, your Majesty?" cried the +alarmed prime minister, now remembering himself, as +together they took refuge in a neighboring field. "Is +it possible you can have forgotten; and, for my part, I +saw nothing to laugh about. I never imagined a more +dreadful beast than that unmannerly little pet of yours +which attacked me."</p> + +<p>The queen broke out afresh into laughter, and +laughed until she cried. Then, seeing the discomfiture +of the prime minister, she decided that she had for +to-day had enough of the animal world, and would indulge +no more in such amusements until to-morrow.</p> + +<p>"I beg ten thousand pardons, my dear lord," she +said, shaking with suppressed laughter. "But if you<span class="pagenum">[224]</span> +could only have seen yourself! Ha, ha! However, +we have nothing now to do but bow three times, thus"—suiting +the action to the word, "and say—Kik-kuk-kik! +Dear me, what is it we must say? I can't +for the life of me remember it."</p> + +<p>The prime minister was as much at a loss.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps your Majesty has forgotten <i>the price you +were to pay for a laugh</i>," he observed, bitterly.</p> + +<p>Blondina looked at him in blank horror. Too truly +had she forgotten the formula, and turkeys they must +remain!</p> + +<p>And now, how sad their plight! In the midst of +their other tribulations, hunger assailed them, and +they could not eat the food provided for the rest. So +they wandered into the fields and forest, picking at +berries here and there; though, when evening came, +footsore and weary, they determined to go back into the +palace barn-yard, and see what was taking place there.</p> + +<p>They found all the animals and fowls excited over +the events of the day, and soon heard the news that +Queen Blondina had died suddenly that morning, +leaving a will appointing her sister to reign in her +stead.</p> + +<p>Next day a funeral took place, when the coffin was<span class="pagenum">[225]</span> +filled by a lovely waxen image of the late queen, and +was placed in the vault beside her father. The false +Vixetta, dressed in mourning, had followed weeping +after it.</p> + +<p>Blondina and the prime minister now saw that they +were indeed under the spell of a powerful enchantress, +and resolved to travel to the dwelling of a certain +wise woman in search of advice.</p> + +<p>After a long journey, the two turkeys reached the +hut of the wise woman, and told her their pitiful +tale.</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately, I have no power against Queen +Vixetta since she has become the sovereign of the underground +band," said the wise woman. "But, if you +could gain an entrance to one of their Friday councils, +you might pick up something to your advantage there." +And then, as wise women speak but once in twenty-four +hours, she shut the door in their faces, and left them +to their fate.</p> + +<p>Blondina and the prime minister repaired to the +ruined tower whither Vixetta was wont to go on Fridays; +and there, hiding behind a wall, they saw the wicked +sorceress arrive and, lifting a trap-door in the cellar, +disappear from sight. While they remained above,<span class="pagenum">[226]</span> +lamenting their hard fate, Blondina saw a tiny black +object emerge from the ground at her feet, then another +and another, till a troop of them were assembled. +These were moles, and their leader, addressing the +queen, informed her that he it was she had saved from +the crop of the owl.</p> + +<p>"We have heard of your distressing predicament, +your Majesty," the mole added, with deep respect; +"and hasten to offer our services to conduct you to the +council chamber of the underground band."</p> + +<p>Blondina thanked the mole fervently, and found, +upon following him, that with his companions he had +burrowed a long and beautifully smooth tunnel. Glow-worms +were ranged along the sides to light the way, +and every thing was arranged for her comfort. After a +considerable time had elapsed, the travellers reached a +gallery leading directly into a vaulted chamber where +the witches and warlocks sat, each upon a cushion +formed of a huge and swollen toad. In their midst, +upon a throne made of serpents intertwined, sat the +Queen Vixetta, around whose brow flickered a wreath +of blue flames. Ah! she was a terrible witch to look +upon. Blondina shuddered to remember the kisses +she had often innocently pressed upon that skinny<span class="pagenum">[227]</span> +forehead and those lips of +lurid red. Vixetta was in +high spirits; she and her +familiars hatched mischief +together, and gloated over +their evil doings in fiendish +glee. Then Vixetta listened +to the reports of each of the +wicked creatures in turn; +and, to Blondina's astonishment, +in the narrators of +these tales of witchcraft she +recognized more than one +of the most respected of +her own subjects. Some of +them were crones ancient +and palsied, others were +young and blooming girls +Vixetta had led astray; +among the warlocks were +the gray-haired miller, the +good sexton, and a courtier +in whom the queen had +placed peculiar confidence. All were attended by<span class="pagenum">[228]</span> +black deformed creatures, half cat, half human being. +In the centre of the circle was a fire, and before it they +set up the very waxen image of the queen which had +been buried in her stead. Into this little imps were +ordered to thrust sharp blades and needles in the region +of the heart, while Vixetta pronounced a spell, at +which all the others laughed rejoicingly.</p> + +<img src="images/i052.jpg" width="242" height="611" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +<p>"I'll warrant my lady Blondina will be cured of her +love of laughing, after this—as well as of her curiosity. +Long may she wander in her present shape," said the +sorceress. "It was a merry trick I played her and +that audacious old prime minister, who sought to do +me harm."</p> + +<p>"And what, pray, was the rhyme your Majesty bid +them recall?" asked the courtier warlock, grinning maliciously.</p> + +<p>"A simple one," replied the sorceress, "and you will +remember it was once a password in our band,—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Kurri-kuree,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Changed would I be.'"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Blondina almost betrayed herself in her delight. She +repeated the words again and again, in mind, keeping +profoundly silent until the witch-revels were at an end;<span class="pagenum">[229]</span> +and at cock-crow the unholy gang broke up, vanishing +like smoke through a trap-door in the ceiling of the vault.</p> + +<p>"And now, dear little mole, take us back again," +said the turkey-queen, who longed to breathe the free +air of heaven and to break her awful spell.</p> + +<p>"May it please your Majesty," said the mole, looking +very unhappy, "there is a new difficulty. Yonder +image of you which they consumed in the fire, is a +fresh enchantment that dooms you to remain perpetually +in the place where you now are; and I find by +consultation with a friend of mine, a bat who lives in +this cave, and who is the most kind and obliging person, +that on only one condition can you now leave +this spot, and that, I hardly dare name to you."</p> + +<p>"Summon this bat to appear before me immediately," +cried the wretched queen, who, finding that +her feet were stuck fast to the earth, was truly overwhelmed, +while the prime minister gave himself up to +complete despair.</p> + +<p>The bat appeared, and a more repulsive huge creature +it is impossible to picture; but his voice was gentle +and his manner most humble and conciliatory. He +began to apologize for presenting himself before the +queen, when she interrupted him impetuously.<span class="pagenum">[230]</span></p> + +<p>"Quick—quick! tell me the condition on which I +may leave this horrible place, where I shall die if I remain +a moment longer. Who are you? why are you +here? and why should we trust in you when every +living thing in this foul spot is devoted to the service +of the evil one?"</p> + +<p>"I, like yourself, am a victim of, not a partner in, +crime, your Majesty," said the bat, with dignity. "If +you will permit——"</p> + +<p>"But I can't stop to listen to anything," sobbed the +poor little turkey-queen. "Get me into the daylight +somehow or other, and then I will hear you gladly. +Oh! kind Mr. Bat, forgive my unkind words; only free +me from this living tomb, if it be possible."</p> + +<p>"You have been told that it is possible, lady," said +the bat, pathetically; "but, to be brief, since you insist +upon it—only by promising your fair hand in marriage +to——"</p> + +<p>"To whom?" cried Blondina, in astonishment</p> + +<p>"To me," said the bat, withdrawing more into the +shadows of the vault.</p> + +<p>Blondina screamed with horror.</p> + +<p>"Oh! never, never," she exclaimed, bursting again +into tears of anguish.<span class="pagenum">[231]</span></p> + +<p>The mole, the bat and the turkey prime minister +consulted together in low whispers; and the last-named +gentleman, addressing the queen, set before her the +hopeless situation in which she now was, and urged her +to accept the proposition of the bat.</p> + +<p>"Hear me, too, fair queen," said the voice of the +bat. "I swear that if you consent, you shall never regret +it. Only trust me, and all will go well. In consigning +me to this spot, your wicked sister, who, in +my former estate desired to marry me herself, in spite +of my aversion for her, swore that never should I be +free from her enchantment, until a beautiful young +bride should come to the rescue and promise to marry +me, as I am, without asking any questions. Then, and +then only, I might escape, taking my bride and her +attendants with me."</p> + +<p>"But your appearance—pardon me," said poor +Blondina; "it is too dreadful for anything."</p> + +<p>"Trust me," repeated the bat; and, in desperation, +Blondina murmured a promise to be his bride.</p> + +<p>Instantly the bat flew with alacrity into a corner +of the vault, and, bringing thence a bunch of mistletoe, +angelica, and mountain-ash, waved it thrice in a +circle around Blondina, who up to that moment had<span class="pagenum">[232]</span> +remained as if rooted to the spot where she stood. +The spell broke, and Blondina, starting joyfully forward, +repeated, at his request, the same ceremony of +disenchantment for the bat, as also for the prime minister; +and all three of them, accompanied by the faithful +mole, took their way to the upper regions without +delay. Upon reaching the meadow where they had +entered the underground passage, Blondina and the +prime minister lost no time in running back to the +summer-house, where, regaining the hidden hazel nut, +they safely and joyfully resumed their own true shapes.</p> + +<p>"And now, gentle lady," said the bat, who had flown +after them, keeping his distance modestly, "I pray +you to perform for me another kindly action. Close +your eyes, and sprinkle me with this powder, at the +same time touching my head with the witch-defying +plants. Then, kindle a fire with these fagots of wood +left here by your gardener, and cast me into the hottest +portion of it."</p> + +<p>Blondina shrank from the task, but, finding the bat +as determined as he was calm and dignified, obeyed him +without another word of protest. Aided by the now +alert and cheerful prime minister, she kindled a fire +upon the hearth of the little summer-house; and when<span class="pagenum">[233]</span> +it blazed high, and hot coals fell into the centre, she +followed the bat's directions to the letter. Immediately +there was a loud explosion; the hideous bat skin +split asunder and shrivelled up, revealing a beautiful +young prince, who stepped unsinged from the ring of +flame, and bent his knee before the Queen Blondina. +She recognized in him a playmate of her childhood, +Prince Florizel, son of a neighboring monarch, who +years before had disappeared from his father's court, +and had been mourned as dead by his sorrowing relatives. +To enchant him, in punishment for his scorn +of her, had been one of the first acts of Vixetta's acquired +magic; and to accomplish it, the wretched girl +had bargained away her entire life to the service of +the Evil One.</p> + +<p>Blondina greeted Florizel with the utmost pleasure +and assured him of her willingness to fulfil the pledge +she had made to the dreaded bat-lover. They returned +to the palace, and on being observed by the +attendants, who, believing them to be ghosts, ran terrified +away, had some difficulty in persuading people +that they were alive and in the flesh. Then, what joy +reigned over the palace. Quickly the news spread +through the city and kingdom. The indignant people<span class="pagenum">[234]</span> +flocked around the apartments of Vixetta, who was +still asleep after her orgies of the previous night, and, +summoning her to come forth, declared that she should +instantly be put to death in the presence of her victims. +The miserable sorceress fell upon her knees, and +begged for her life. Again the generous Blondina +entreated that her sister might be spared; but Prince +Florizel interfered, and insisted that, for the future +safety of his queen, Vixetta should then and there be +compelled to take a pinch of the magic powder and +change herself into a bat. This was done, and the +sorceress, flying from the window, was never heard of +more.</p> + +<p>Blondina gave her hand and heart to Prince Florizel, +as soon as he returned from a visit to his parents, who +were overjoyed to regain their long-lost son and heir. +The marriage took place with great magnificence, and +the royal couple lived in peace for the remainder of +their long and useful lives. They would often walk +in the direction of the poultry-yard, and Blondina loved +to tell her husband of all the things she had heard and +seen there when in her turkey shape.</p> + +<p>But the prime minister, after he had weeded out +of the kingdom certain obnoxious individuals strongly<span class="pagenum">[235]</span> +resembling the warlocks seen at the underground +council, preferred to assume a dignified forgetfulness +of all that had passed during his enforced experience +as a feathered biped. To the latest day of his life +he would always cross the road to avoid meeting a +turkey-gobbler, and for the race of pet kittens he continued +to maintain the most unconquerable dislike.</p> + +<p>By the laws of the kingdom, to kill or injure a mole +was made a capital offence; and once every year a little +blind gentleman in a fine black velvet coat arrived at +the palace to pay his respects to their majesties, who +received him with every mark of favor and affection.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 197px;"> +<img src="images/i053.jpg" width="197" height="254" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[237]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 529px;"> +<img src="images/i055.jpg" width="529" height="117" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="TIMID_AGNES" id="TIMID_AGNES"></a>TIMID AGNES.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +there lived a poor girl whose wicked aunt +treated her very cruelly. One morning, the +aunt set out for a day of shopping and visiting +to the neighboring town, after whipping her niece +soundly (as she was in the habit of doing for exercise, +every morning), and shutting up the poor girl in the +garret, where a barrel of white sand had been spilt +upon the floor.</p> + +<p>"Pick up every grain of this sand before bedtime, +or I will imprison you in the dark closet for a week," +said the aunt as she went away.</p> + +<p>The poor child cried so that she could not see the +tiny particles; and as she sat, crying and picking up +what she could feel, she heard a little scratching under +the lid of the old wedding-chest in the corner. Presently, +a pretty blue mouse with topaz eyes ran down +the side of the chest, and came up to her. Now, if<span class="pagenum">[238]</span> +there was anything poor Agnes feared more than +death, it was a mouse. The very sight of one had +always made her shudder and scream and clutch at her +petticoats, and climb up on chairs or tables or anything +convenient.</p> + +<p>So when she saw her visitor she gave a cry of terror, +and climbed nimbly up to the top of a broken chest +of drawers in the corner of the garret.</p> + +<p>"Don't mind me," said the mouse, politely.</p> + +<p>"I <i>beg</i> your pardon, but I'm so awfully afraid of +you," said Agnes, shuddering to her toes. "I think I +could endure you if it were not for your horrid tail! +But you really make me creep all over, don't you +see?"</p> + +<p>"If you would only take that apron off your head, +and exercise a little self-control," said the mouse, with +a shade of impatience in its manner, "you would soon +see that I am a very superior kind of a mouse. Come, +Miss Agnes, I have watched you very often at your +work here, and I have a great desire to be of service +to you. But there is really no talking reason to a person +hunched up on top of a chest of drawers with a +pink apron over her head; is there, now?"</p> + +<p>Agnes, hearing the mouse talk so pleasantly, made +a desperate effort to come down from her perch and +converse with the little creature.</p> + +<span class="pagenum">[239]</span> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 379px;"> +<img src="images/i056.jpg" width="379" height="544" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p>After a while the +blue mouse's eloquence proved sufficient to induce her<span class="pagenum">[240]</span> +to follow it near a crack in the wall, and to peep between +the boards, as directed.</p> + +<p>There she saw a secret room, full of beautiful things—clothes +and jewels—scattered on the floor.</p> + +<p>"All these shall be yours, fair Agnes," said the +mouse, "if you will carry me in your pocket for a +day."</p> + +<p>Agnes trembled with horror so that she could hardly +bring herself to say, "Thank you kindly, good Mr. Blue Mouse, but I +hardly need anything new in the way of clothes, going +out as little as I do. O—o—oh!" she exclaimed, +catching her breath, as the mouse seemed to scuttle +toward her.</p> + +<p>"Do not fear! I am entirely too proud to obtrude +my company where it is so little desired. Farewell, +Miss Agnes; I leave you. But before I go, allow +me to arrange this little difficulty for you."</p> + +<p>The gallant little mouse whisked his tail (that hateful +tail!), twice over the pile of sand, and at once, +every grain of the shining heap, and all that lay scattered +over the garret floor, flew back into the barrel.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, kind Mr. Blue Mouse," cried the grateful +Agnes; but no answer came. Her benefactor was<span class="pagenum">[241]</span> +nowhere to be seen. She looked in vain for the crack +in the wall he had led her to; it was no longer in view.</p> + +<p>When the wicked aunt found that Agnes had completed +her task, she flew into a violent rage, and determined +to rid herself forever of the girl. So, taking +her again into the garret, she bound her hand-and-foot, +tied a handkerchief across her mouth to still her +cries, and, opening the old wedding-chest in the corner, +thrust poor Agnes bodily into it, closing the lid with a +vicious bang, and locking it with the great iron key.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 519px;"> +<img src="images/i054.jpg" width="519" height="619" alt="Shutting Agnes into the Chest." title=""> +<p class="caption">Shutting Agnes into the Chest.</p> +</div> + +<p>"Lie there till doomsday, you tiresome thing!" +said the wicked aunt, going down-stairs to eat her supper.</p> + +<p>Poor Agnes thought she must soon die of suffocation, +but just then she heard a scratching noise; four +little feet scuttled over her face, and a long smooth +tail whisked by her ear.</p> + +<p>"Ugh!" groaned poor Agnes. "It's a mouse shut +up here with me! Oh! why didn't she kill me, outright?"</p> + +<p>Then little teeth began gnawing at her bandages +and at the ropes that bound her, and in a few moments +she was free.</p> + +<p>"I am here, Miss Agnes; though, indeed, I won't<span class="pagenum">[242]</span> +touch you again!" said the familiar voice of the Blue +Mouse. "But if you would only trust me, and carry +me in your pocket, how much I could do for you!"</p> + +<p>At last Agnes consented to grant his wish and, +trembling in every limb, she let the mouse run into +her pocket. Without a moment's delay, the bottom +of the chest gave way, and Agnes felt herself sinking, +sinking. When she recovered her wits, which in that +moment of terror seemed fairly to forsake her, there +she was in a beautiful garden, filled with ladies and +gentlemen walking two and two in a grand procession +along a bowery path strewn with roses and carnations. +Fountains played in the sunshine, birds sang on the +boughs. It was a scene so gay and beautiful, that +Agnes clapped her hands for joy.</p> + +<p>"How happy I am here!" she cried.</p> + +<p>"And happy you shall always be here," said a voice +behind her.</p> + +<p>Agnes, turning, saw a young gentleman dressed in +a blue court costume with topaz buttons, and wearing +in his cap a long smooth plume of blue, caught by a +brilliant brooch of the same gems.</p> + +<p>He explained to her that he was none other than the +mouse she had so much feared. Condemned from<span class="pagenum">[243]</span> +childhood to remain a mouse until some fair maiden +should, of her own free will, allow him to run into her +pocket, the unfortunate prince had only now been released +from his long imprisonment. This garden belonged +to his own palace, and the ladies and gentlemen +coming to meet him were his friends and courtiers.</p> + +<p>Agnes, shedding tears of penitence over the blindness +of her former prejudice, bestowed her hand upon +the prince, and was happy evermore.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[244]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 529px;"> +<img src="images/i057.jpg" width="529" height="157" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_OGRESS_AND_THE_COOK" id="THE_OGRESS_AND_THE_COOK"></a>THE OGRESS AND THE COOK.</h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NE</b> +summer afternoon, a young girl sat upon +the door-stone of her cottage home, awaiting +the return of her father from the mill. Her +day's work was neatly done, and the tiny house, both +within and without, was as tidy as hands could make +it; hollyhocks and sweet-peas grew beneath the windows; +the plates on the cupboard shelf glittered; and +a little fire sparkled upon the hearth, where a pot of +savory broth was bubbling cheerfully. On the table +was set a brown loaf, light as a feather and sweet as a +nut, with a bunch of grapes from the trellis above the +door, and a pewter mug ready to be filled with frothing +ale at the moment when the good man should sit +down. Dimple, whose fingers rarely rested, plied her +knitting-needles as she watched the bridge upon the +road where the first glimpse of her father might be<span class="pagenum">[245]</span> +caught. By-and-by, up came an old crone, dusty and +way-worn.</p> + +<p>"Pray, my kind little maiden, give me a bit of food, +and a sup of drink, for sweet charity's sake," begged +the wayfarer, who looked as if she were ready to drop +from fatigue.</p> + +<p>"Willingly, dame," said pretty little Dimple; and +bidding the crone be seated, she ladled out for her a +generous portion of the fragrant broth.</p> + +<p>The crone's eyes sparkled; and, seizing a great horn +spoon, she despatched the broth in two or three mouthfuls, +then asked for more. Dimple supplied her; and +in a little while, all the broth in the iron pot had disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Never mind," sighed Dimple to herself. "The +good father will have to put up with a rasher of bacon +and some eggs, to-night."</p> + +<p>As if reading her thoughts, the crone, displaying a +pair of jaws opening as wide as a cavern and garnished +with ferocious teeth, said:</p> + +<p>"I am just beginning to feel a little refreshed. If +there were only such a thing as a couple of fat slices +of home-cured bacon, and a brace of new-laid eggs to +help a poor old creature on her way."<span class="pagenum">[246]</span></p> + +<p>Dimple ran to fetch the eggs, over the laying of +which her fowls had scarcely ceased to cackle in the +barn. Quickly and cheerfully, she prepared a delicious +dish, which the crone despatched as before. The loaf +of bread followed the bacon, and a gallon of ale followed +the bread. All of the grapes, plucked and arranged +in a basket for market next morning, were +consumed; and, when Dimple had just begun to tremble +with apprehension lest her voracious visitor should +devour <i>her</i> in conclusion, the crone pushed back her +chair, jumped up with surprising agility and, running +to the door, blew a shrill whistle.</p> + +<p>Instantly, there came flying through the air a pair +of huge vampires harnessed to a blood-red chariot. +They halted at the cottage gate; and, before Dimple +had time to cry out in her terror, the crone whisked +her into the chariot, held her in place with a grasp of +iron, and ordered the foul creatures to be off. Dimple +fainted away and, when she came to herself, found +that they were high above the earth, travelling with +frightful speed through a thunder cloud. In vain she +cried for mercy, and entreated to be restored to her +father's house.</p> + +<p>"Be silent, brat," said the furious crone, who was,<span class="pagenum">[247]</span> +in reality, an ogress. "Know that I have for a long +time been in search of just such a trig little cook-maid +as you are. Ever since my husband ate up the two +last, I have had the greatest trouble to induce my servants +to stay with me. Besides, we are particular +about our table, and rather hard to suit. I dare say, +now, you understand cooking a nice plump baby's +thigh to perfection, and how to prepare a dish of rosy +cheeks smothered in cream, hey? But it isn't every +day we are in such luck as to get fare like that. Many's +the time I've had to palm off lamb chops for baby +cutlets, and to swear that the pig's tails I served up +were boy's fingers. Now, stop that ridiculous shuddering +and crying, and listen to reason. If you promise +to serve me faithfully for seven years, I'll engage to +keep you out of his way, and to send you home with +a fortune in your pocket."</p> + +<p>Dimple's fright and horror had by this time completely +taken away her power of speech. She sank +upon the floor of the chariot in silent despair; and when +they reached the ogre's castle, situated on a frowning +peak of rocks, where not the most daring human foot +could climb, she allowed herself without resistance +to be lifted out, and thrust into a dark cavernous<span class="pagenum">[248]</span> +kitchen. There she was ordered to prepare a large +pie, made of rats and bats, for the ogre's supper. +While poor Dimple was thus engaged, a monstrous +giant came home, and angrily asked for food. The +ogress greeted him +affectionately, and +nine young ogresses +ran to meet him and +would have jumped +upon his knees, but +that he pushed them +away and fell to +scolding everybody, +every syllable of his +speech sounding +like the loudest +thunder-peal. Dimple +finished her +hateful task, and +such was her skill in cooking that the pastry on coming +out of the oven looked and smelt delicious. The giant +ceased to frown as he devoured it, and smiled when he +laid down his knife and fork.</p> + +<img src="images/i058.jpg" width="316" height="327" alt="Dimple makes rat pie." title="" class="split"> + +<p class="caption split">Dimple makes rat pie.</p> + +<p>"Come here, lasses, and I'll kiss you all," he said,<span class="pagenum">[249]</span> +with rare amiability—actually bestowing on his wife's +shoulder a pat of approval that would have felled +Jumbo to the earth.</p> + +<p>The young ogresses were tall and spindling creatures, +as slim as young giraffes. They had pasty complexions, +pink eyes, and long glistening white teeth. +Dimple's business was, after she had set her kitchen in +order, to go up into the nursery and put these frights +to bed, each requiring to be rocked to sleep in a cradle +nine feet long, and all howling like an army of +pinched cats until slumber overtook them. Late at +night, when all was quiet, poor Dimple would creep up +to bed in a little turret room, where the wind moaned +around the windows and owls hooted in the ivy so +that sleep was impossible. She lay on her wretched +bed and cried all night; and when day broke, she +would scramble into her clothes again, and steal down +stairs to her work in trembling, for she never knew at +what moment the ogre might be prowling around in +his stocking feet, and pounce upon her for a tid-bit. +Months passed on, and one day the ogre came home in +high good humor, carrying upon his back a living +human being, whose feet and hands were tied and his +eyes securely bandaged, while a gag in his mouth prevented<span class="pagenum">[250]</span> +the unfortunate victim from making a sound of +remonstrance.</p> + +<p>"Take this fellow to the kitchen," thundered the +ogre, throwing his victim down upon the stone floor +of the entrance hall with a violent bang; "see that he +is in good condition for my table, and then serve him +with plenty of onions in the sauce. Just as I was beginning +to hanker after a young and tender morsel +of human flesh, I came across this boy, following the +plough. I'll warrant, I stopped his whistle quickly, +when I grabbed him up! Now mind, wife, supper at +sharp twelve, and don't forget the onions!"</p> + +<p>The ogress lifted the prisoner as unconcernedly as +one would handle a dead turkey and, carrying him below, +threw him down upon the kitchen table, repeating +her lord's directions to the cook. When Dimple recognized +in the fainting prisoner an old schoolmate +and neighbor of her own, Jim Hardy by name, she +could scarcely refrain from a scream of rapture. But, +pretending to be indifferent, she merely felt the poor +youth's arms, as a cook examines the condition of her +fowls for the table.</p> + +<p>"Dear me, madam," she said, "surely you don't +mean to cook this tough creature to-night? Why, I<span class="pagenum">[251]</span> +wouldn't dare to send up such a dish to my master. +He would be in a fearful rage, and small blame to him. +At least, allow me to fatten the bumpkin a bit."</p> + +<p>"But what shall we serve my husband?" said the +alarmed ogress. "He has set his heart on a dish of +boy with onion sauce, and I dare not disappoint him."</p> + +<img src="images/i059.jpg" width="282" height="264" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +<p>"Leave that to me," +said clever Dimple.</p> + +<p>So she killed a lamb, +and smothered it with +onions, and the ogre +knew no difference. The +poor youth was set free, +and great was his joy to +find a friend in his proposed +executioner. Dimple +told him her story, +and heard from him how long and sorrowfully her +father had mourned her disappearance. Jim vowed +to deliver her from the ogre; but both saw it was +necessary to act with caution, at first. She was +obliged to shut him up in an iron coop in the courtyard +near the kitchen; and every time the old crone +came into the kitchen, she went to the coop and felt<span class="pagenum">[252]</span> +and pinched the poor lad's legs and breast unmercifully.</p> + +<p>"Surely he is tender enough to serve to-night, +cook," she would say, impatiently. "Your master has +an attack of the gout, and I am at my wit's end to keep +him in good humor. Nothing would please him so +much as a slice or two of the breast, grilled with +pepper and mustard."</p> + +<p>"Leave that to me," Dimple would answer; and she +forthwith killed a pig, and served a dish so deliciously +seasoned that the ogre forgot to growl, for at least an +hour after eating it.</p> + +<p>Once, while the supper was going on, Dimple and +Jim crept up to listen at the dining-room door. After +the ogre had drank a gallon or two of wine, he began +to talk freely to his wife.</p> + +<p>"Such a dainty dish as this you have served me deserves +a reward, my dear," he said in a greasy voice, +while the ogress meekly dipped some bread in the +gravy as her share of the feast. "Open the closet in +the corner yonder, and get me out my birdling."</p> + +<p>What should the birdling prove to be but a tiny +nightingale shining like gold! When its mouth +opened at the ogre's command, "Sing, birdling, sing!"<span class="pagenum">[253]</span> +out poured a rain of sapphires, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, +and amethysts, that lay in a glittering stream +upon the table-cloth.</p> + +<p>"Take these for a bracelet," said the ogre, gathering +them up in his hand, and tossing them to his wife; +"and then put away my birdling, that no covetous eye +may look upon this wonder of the world."</p> + +<p>Dimple and Jim exchanged glances of astonishment, +but dared not speak, as they crept silently down the +flight of stairs.</p> + +<p>Next day, the ogress came again into the kitchen to +see about the supper dish for the evening, and in her +zeal to prove that Jim was really ready for cooking, +she bit his ear so that he could not help uttering a +little squeal.</p> + +<p>"See what you have done!" cried Dimple. "Now +that the blood flows, he will not be fit for eating for +another day or two. Certainly, <i>I</i> won't engage to make +a savory dish of him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't be vexed, cook," said the ogress, who by +this time had grown to depend absolutely upon Dimple's +word in such matters. "I have a salve here +that will heal all wounds, and will even cause a limb +that has been cut off to grow again to the body."<span class="pagenum">[254]</span></p> + +<p>So saying, she whipped out of her pocket a little +box of ointment, and rubbed some of it on the +wounded place, which at once ceased to bleed, becoming +whole as before.</p> + +<p>"What did I tell you?" asked the crone, triumphantly. +"This salve is one of the wonders of the world, and the +recipe is handed down only in our family." So saying, +she carefully put away the box again in her pocket.</p> + +<p>Day after day passed, Dimple continuing to make +excuses for failing to serve the coveted dainty, and exerting +all her skill to cook such dishes as might make +the ogress forget her disappointment. Meantime, Jim +occupied his time in the coop by weaving a rope long +enough and strong enough to support his weight and +Dimple's while making their proposed escape down +the rocky precipice on which the castle stood. Once +on the sea-shore beneath, they hoped to hide in some +fisherman's hut until a ship might be found sailing to +their own country.</p> + +<p>"One thing is certain, Dimple," said Jim, who was +a bold and fearless fellow; "we shall not leave this +place without carrying off that wonderful bird of his. +Why, just to remember the dazzling stream that poured +from its mouth, makes my eyes wink."<span class="pagenum">[255]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh! Jim," answered Dimple, trembling. "Please, +please, don't attempt such a thing. It will make our +punishment ten times worse if we are caught. Besides, +what hope have you of getting inside the iron closet? +It is madness to talk about it. For my part, what I +would like to take, is a little of that marvellous salve. +Then, if we are bruised or our bones are broken on the +rocks, we can make all right again——"</p> + +<p>"Why should you forever be talking to yourself, +cook?" exclaimed the ogress, at that moment bursting +in, carrying a bunch of keys that clanked like fetters. +"See here! No more nonsense! I'd just like to know +when you propose to give us that chap in yonder, who +must have eaten more than his weight in good food +since he came here?"</p> + +<p>"Very soon, very soon, madam," said Dimple, with +a palpitating heart; "in a very few days he should be +fit for my master's table. You know that kind of a +creature takes uncommonly long to fatten."</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue!" cried the ogress, exploding in +sudden fury, like a mine of fire-crackers, and hurling +at Dimple's unfortunate head a few convenient saucepans, +skewers, flat-irons, and dish-covers. Happily the +thrower was of the feminine gender, and so the projectiles<span class="pagenum">[256]</span> +missed their aim; but, as Dimple dodged +around in a dark corner of the kitchen, the ogress continued +to scold her angrily.</p> + +<p>"I know this," she exclaimed, "that for only one +single day longer will I consent to be put off by your +palavering promises and excuses. The lad is fit to +kill now, if he is ever going to be; and as day after +to-morrow is my lord's two thousand and tenth birthday, +you must prepare a dish that shall be better than +all that have gone before it. Everything is arranged +for a night of celebration. Exactly at midnight to-morrow, +we proceed in the vampire chariot to visit our +neighbor, the King of the Ghouls, and, returning, shall +expect to find the feast served punctually at cock-crow; +the dear children may sit up for it, and my +brother, the Ogre of the Seven Mountains, is invited +to partake."</p> + +<p>During this speech Dimple's blood ran cold, but, +summoning up all her resolution, she answered calmly, +"All shall be ready, madam;" and when the appeased +ogress took her leave, Dimple flew to the iron coop, +and asked Jim if he had heard the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, did I, my lass," said Jim, trying to put a +bold face on the matter. Then, they fell to consulting,<span class="pagenum">[257]</span> +and it was decided that the escape should be attempted +that very night, as soon as the household was +at rest. Midnight came, and not a sound save the +thunderous snoring of the ogre family was heard within +the castle. Dimple waited upon the landing, while +Jim glided up to the cupboard where the nightingale +was kept. As no one dared so much as lay a finger +upon the giant's treasure without his leave, the door +had been left unlocked. There sat the lovely birdling +upon a jewelled spray, glittering so brilliantly that it +shone like a lamp in the darkness. As Jim laid his +hand upon it, the bird sent forth a note of silver +sweetness, warning her captor to fly with all speed, if +he would escape with his life from the vengeance of +the ogre.</p> + +<p>"I humbly beg your pardon," said Jim, respectfully; +"I had no idea that you are a talking creature."</p> + +<p>"Oh! I am glad of anything for a change! You +must know that I am a fairy, unfortunate enough to +have been imprisoned in a shape assumed for a frolic," +the bird continued, greatly to Jim's astonishment. +"And tired enough I am, of being a plaything for that +horrid old monster, who captured me when I had just +dressed for a masquerade party, in the plumage<span class="pagenum">[258]</span> +that you see. Unluckily, it is my doom to remain a +slave to whosoever shall make a prisoner of me whilst +I am thus attired and, also, to have to pour forth jewels +at his command. You will be a different sort of a +master, I am sure."</p> + +<p>Jim hurriedly promised the fairy-bird to treat her +with kindness, and hastened to place her in Dimple's +keeping. They stole past the giant's chamber-door, +but the creaking of a board aroused the tyrant, who +sprang out of bed, roaring, "Who is there? Answer, +or I will grind you to dust beneath my heel!"</p> + +<p>Jim made no reply, and lifting in both hands a +heavy iron bar with which he had provided himself, +hid in an angle of the stairs.</p> + +<p>Out rushed the giant, sputtering ferociously, fire +shooting from his eyes and nostrils. Jim, under cover +of the darkness, dealt him a tremendous blow upon the +skull. The monster tottered, and fell crashing down +the long flight of stairs, carrying Jim with him to the +bottom. Dimple heard a terrible groan, and then all +was silent. Feeling her way to the spot, she whispered +imploringly, "Jim, dear Jim, speak to me!"</p> + +<p>"I'm here, Dimple," said a stifled voice, in reply;<span class="pagenum">[259]</span> +"but this old wretch (who is as dead as a door-nail, +by-the-way), has fallen atop of me, and I believe he +has broken both of my legs. Ha! there, I have freed +myself, but it's no use. I can't walk a step. Don't +waste time on a cripple like me, lass; but make haste +to slip down the rope and escape, before the ogress +finds out what has happened."</p> + +<p>"Never, dear Jim," cried Dimple, fervently. Just +then a sleepy voice was heard above in the chamber of +the ogress, inquiring of her husband what was going +on below. Quick as thought, Dimple ran up to her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, madam!" she said, "such an accident! His +lordship has slipped upon the stairs, and sprained his +ankle. You are on no account to disturb yourself to +come down; but I beg that you will send him the box +of magic salve without delay."</p> + +<p>In her sleepy state, it did not occur to the ogress to +wonder how Dimple, whose presence in the castle had +so long been hidden from the giant, should have been +chosen as his messenger. She was so anxious to enjoy +her nap in peace, that, grunting out an order to +Dimple to take the box from the pocket of a gown +hanging upon the bed, she turned upon her pillow +and was soon snoring as before.<span class="pagenum">[260]</span></p> + +<p>Seizing the magic salve with joyful fingers, Dimple +flew back to Jim, and applied it freely to his broken +legs. Instantly, Jim sprang to his feet, stronger than +before, and the friends prepared for flight. Unfortunately, +in the darkness, Dimple had also anointed the +dead giant's head, and to their dismay it now began +to roar most frightfully.</p> + +<p>"Wife, wife, wife, come down and seize these vagabonds!"</p> + +<p>The ogress, turning in her sleep, exclaimed,</p> + +<p>"Goodness! I know what that means. My husband +has got into the pantry, in one of his hungry fits, and +can't find enough to satisfy him. Dear me! Suppose +he should devour the cook. That would be inconvenient. +Coming, my dear, coming!" And springing +nervously out of bed, she began to look for her dressing +gown and slippers.</p> + +<p>"Oh, madam," said Dimple, bursting again into the +room. "His lordship is in haste to butcher the nice +fat prisoner he has found below, and I beg that you will +send him his hunting-knife, which lies upon the table."</p> + +<p>"Is that all?" said the ogress, sinking back upon +her pillow, greatly relieved. "Take the knife, child; +you will find it at my elbow."<span class="pagenum">[261]</span></p> + +<p>Armed with this formidable weapon, a blade so keen +that it could split a hair with ease, Dimple returned to +Jim, who forthwith pierced his howling enemy through +the tongue, nailing him securely to the floor. This +was the end of the most wicked monster who had for +many grievous years afflicted mankind. All was still, +at last, within the castle, when Dimple and Jim, holding +fast their well-earned trophies, climbed out of the +narrow window and began their perilous descent. +The rope hung over the jagged rocks of a precipice +rising abruptly from the sea. The sky was dark, and +the sound of the hungry waves beneath was far from +comforting to the fugitives. When half-way down, +they were discovered by one of the vampires keeping +watch upon the rampart. Uttering a discordant shriek, +the vampire flew straight to the window of his mistress, +and gave the alarm.</p> + +<p>As soon as the ogress found out the escape of her +treacherous cook, her anger knew no bounds. Tearing +madly down toward the kitchen, she stumbled over +the dead body of her lord, who lay pinned by his own +hunting-knife to the floor. Her shrill cries now rent +the air, and were echoed by those of the nine young +ogresses, who ran out in their night-gowns, looking<span class="pagenum">[262]</span> +truly hideous, and cast themselves upon the body of +their father.</p> + +<p>"My salve, my magic salve, quick!" cried the ogress +to her oldest daughter. Then, remembering to whom +she had consigned the treasure, she rushed wildly off +and, leaning out of the window, seized the rope with a +ferocious jerk.</p> + +<p>"Fly, my good vampires!" yelled the horrid creature, +"and tear me those wretches to shreds before +my eyes!"</p> + +<p>Now, indeed, the fate of the fugitives seemed sealed. +Dimple, clinging to Jim, uttered a cry of terror. But +suddenly, a silvery voice came from the bird-fairy hidden +in her dress.</p> + +<p>"Have no fear, maiden. Set me free, and I promise +to save you both from this awful fate."</p> + +<p>Dimple gladly complied with the fairy's request. +What was their surprise to see this tiny creature, no +larger than a veritable nightingale, transform herself +into a mighty eagle upon whose outstretched wings +the fugitives, seating themselves securely, were at once +carried with astonishing speed over sea and land, never +slackening until they came in sight of their own beloved +country! Rapid as was the flight of the vam<span class="pagenum">[263]</span>pires +in pursuit, that of the enchanted eagle was far +more rapid. The cruel foes were completely distanced, +and it may be a satisfaction to you to learn that, flying +homeward, in their blind rage and spite, to tell the +ogress of the failure of their chase, the vampires ran +headlong into a passing thunderbolt, and were instantly +killed, their bodies falling upon the castle wall +under the very eye of their despairing mistress. As +it was impossible to get away from her eyrie except in +the vampire chariot, the ogress and her nine daughters +lived there for a year and a day, gnashing their teeth +over their changed lot; and then they slowly starved +to death. Her last moments in life were haunted by +memories of Dimple, and the scent of imagined sauces +compounded by her clever cook arose tantalizingly to<span class="pagenum">[264]</span> +her nostrils. At the very end, a fit of unwonted weakness +took possession of the dying ogress, and she was +heard to murmur, as if dreaming, "She was the best I +ever had. Dear girl! I feel now that I could forgive +her everything—my husband's death—her treachery—my +children's untimely fate—my own approaching end—could +I but taste her batter-pudding ere I die!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 529px;"> +<img src="images/i060.jpg" width="529" height="180" alt="THE NINE YOUNG OGRESSES" title=""> +<p class="caption">THE NINE YOUNG OGRESSES</p> +</div> + +<p>Happily for Dimple, who was a tender and sympathetic +soul, she knew nothing of the pangs that rent +the spirit of her ancient foe. Our hero and heroine had +been set down by the obliging fairy-bird at some little +distance from their native village. There, after giving +her their thanks, they at once offered to set their captive +free without conditions. The fairy-bird, overjoyed +at her good fortune, insisted upon singing for them a +whole day, and a pile of precious gems then lay heaped +at Dimple's feet, far surpassing in value those in the +king's own treasury. Dimple and Jim were now rolling +in wealth and, being also in possession of the magic +salve which cures all maladies, felt reasonably secure +of a prosperous future. Bidding the fairy good-by, +they proceeded on foot toward the neighboring town, +carrying their treasures in some old potato sacks +begged from a roadside hut.<span class="pagenum">[265]</span></p> + +<p>Jim sold a few of the stones, and with the proceeds +purchased magnificent garments for Dimple and himself; + +<img src="images/i061.jpg" width="340" height="499" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +then, hiring +a train of servants +to attend them, +the two travellers +returned to their +own village, seated +upon cushions +of pale blue velvet +in a crystal +chariot drawn by +six milk-white +horses, with gold +and silver harness.</p> + +<p>At the approach +of this splendid +procession, all the +people of the +neighborhood +came flocking +from their houses to see the grand prince and princess, +who had done them so much honor. To their astonishment,<span class="pagenum">[266]</span> +the chariot stopped directly in front of the +miller's cottage, and out sprang the beautiful princess, +trailing her silks and satins along the garden path, and, +with a scream of delight, throwing her fair arms around +the poor old dusty miller, who sat mournfully upon his +deserted door-stone, rapt in thought. In a voice that +all recognized, Dimple cried:</p> + +<p>"Father, don't you know me? I am your loving +child."</p> + +<p>Next to be astonished was Jim's mother, a lone +widow, who sat at her spinning-wheel as usual, thinking +of the boy she had lost so many months before. When +Jim appeared before her in all his bravery, the poor +old thing nearly went into hysterics of delight—she +had not hesitated for one moment in recognizing the +face that had never left her thoughts.</p> + +<p>Directly afterward, all the villagers were requested +to proceed in a body to the church, where a splendid +wedding was held. Everyone agreed that Dimple +made the prettiest bride that had ever stepped from +the old church porch, and no one could dispute the +fact that Jim was the proudest of bridegrooms.</p> + +<p>The newly married pair built a superb palace in a +park near their native village, and also two smaller<span class="pagenum">[267]</span> +palaces for Jim's mother and Dimple's father. A large +share of their wealth was spent in beautifying the +homes of their friends; and, in time, the hamlet +came to be known as the "Happy Valley," so prosperous +and fertile had it grown. No sickness came +near these fortunate villagers; and none of them ever +died—thanks to the free use made by Dimple of her +inexhaustible ointment.</p> + +<p>At last reports, neither Jim nor Dimple had confided +to anyone the true story of their life in the giant's +castle. When people expressed curiosity as to the +source of such wonderful wealth, Jim always roguishly +said that Dimple had made it all by good cooking. +This report, getting abroad, had the effect of inducing +the girls of that country, far and wide, to go into their +kitchens and learn all they could of the most useful of +arts; which, perhaps, had as much as Dimple's magic +salve to do with the health and contentment of the inhabitants +of Happy Valley!</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[268]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 534px;"> +<img src="images/i062.jpg" width="534" height="122" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="MISS_PEGGY_AND_THE_FROG" id="MISS_PEGGY_AND_THE_FROG"></a>MISS PEGGY AND THE FROG.</h2> + +<p>(<i>An old nursery tale told from memory.</i>)</p> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +there lived a widow, whose only child was +a pretty girl named Peggy. Peggy loved +to play by the water-side with her young +companions, and one day a large frog hopped out of the +water and sat gazing at her with a loving smile.</p> + +<p>"What a queer frog!" cried Peggy.</p> + +<img src="images/i062-b.jpg" width="327" height="147" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +<p>"I <i>am</i> a queer +frog," he remarked, +to her surprise. +"Go back, Miss +Peggy, and tell +your mother that I +want to marry you."</p> + +<p>Peggy ran to fetch her mother to see the talking +frog. When the mother came, the frog dived down<span class="pagenum">[269]</span> +into the water and brought up in his mouth a rich +gold chain and a jewelled ring.</p> + +<p>"This will I give the mother, and much beside," he +said, laying the chain at the mother's feet; "and this +ring with many like it is for my bride, if Peggy will +marry me."</p> + +<p>"Say yes, Peggy," whispered the mother, who was +a covetous woman. "Of course you can't marry a +frog, but you may get the gold and jewels all the +same."</p> + +<p>Peggy burst out crying, but her mother nudged and +poked her in the side till she said "yes," in a very sobbing +voice.</p> + +<p>The frog bowed politely, laid the gold chain and the +ring at their feet, dived down, and immediately brought +up gold cups and silver dishes, with many rare jewels +set into them. Peggy's mother gasped for joy as he +heaped all these riches on the grassy bank. She ran up +to the house, and found a basket which would hold +them. While she was gone, the frog said nothing, but +stood looking at Peggy and sighing from time to time. +Peggy sat under a tree, and cried and sobbed. At +last the frog spoke:</p> + +<p>"Don't forget your bridegroom, Miss Peggy. This<span class="pagenum">[270]</span> +day year I shall come to fetch you," and he hopped +into the water with a splash.</p> + +<p>Peggy's mother sold one of the cups for a large sum +of money, and furnished their house all new. She +bought gay clothes for herself and Peggy, and went to +church quite regularly, since she had so much finery to +show. Peggy forgot all about her promise to the frog, +and the year passed by rapidly.</p> + +<p>On the appointed day, however, the widow and Peggy +were sitting at the table when they heard a knock at +the door. They peeped out, and saw, to their dismay, +the frog, dressed in a green and gold suit, and carrying +a jewelled sword. Peggy gave a scream, and ran +and hid in the cupboard, while the mother tripped +to the door, and bade her strange guest good morning.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry, but Peggy is from home to-day," she +said.</p> + +<p>"Oh! never mind. I will come in and wait awhile," +answered the frog; and in he hopped cheerfully, and +took a seat at the table. Peggy's mother was too angry +to offer him food, but the frog helped himself and ate +out of Peggy's plate. He stayed and he stayed, and all +the time Peggy crouched in the cupboard, cramped and +hungry. He stayed till night came; and at last poor<span class="pagenum">[271]</span> +Peggy, falling asleep, burst open the cupboard door, +and tumbled out upon the floor.</p> + +<p>The frog ran to pick her up, before her mother +could get there.</p> + +<p>"You are a little late, my dear," he said politely. +"But I can see very well in the dark, so we may set +out at once, for my palace in the pond."</p> + +<p>In vain did the widow beg and plead. The frog +would not give Peggy up, until the poor girl herself +went down on her knees and implored him to let her +off for another year. At length he promised to go, if +she would be ready to marry him that day year. Peggy +said "yes," and off went her suitor, after having laid +a purse of gold in the widow's lap.</p> + +<p>"It might have been worse, Peggy, so cheer up," +said the woman, clapping the purse in her pocket. "A +year is a long time, and perhaps he will forget you."</p> + +<p>Vain hope! That day year, Peggy was spinning beside +her mother, when the frog knocked at the door. +This time, he was dressed in blue and silver, and his +hat had a waving plume; but he looked more hideous +than before.</p> + +<p>Peggy gave a jump, and ran up the garret stairs, +and thence out upon the roof of the cottage, where<span class="pagenum">[272]</span> +she clung to the chimney in despair. The mother +opened the door, and said she was sorry Peggy was +from home. The frog replied that he did not mind, +but would wait for Miss Peggy to return.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 507px;"> +<img src="images/i063.jpg" width="507" height="374" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p>He sat in Peggy's chair; and this time he would not +eat, but only sighed and sighed. Presently it began +to rain and hail, and thunder and lighten dreadfully; +and poor Peggy on the roof was frightened out of her +life. She crept into the chimney, and soon a great<span class="pagenum">[273]</span> +clap of thunder sent her flying down into the room +where her frog-lover sat.</p> + +<p>"You have an odd way of coming into the house, +my dear," the frog said; "but I don't mind, if you are +ready to go now. It rains hard, but I am used to +water, and you must become so; so come along."</p> + +<p>He offered her his arm, but Peggy cried and implored +to be let off. She went down on her knees to +him, and at last he went away, giving her another purse +and another year of freedom.</p> + +<p>Next year, the widow and Peggy barred and double-locked +their doors. The frog appeared, dressed in +white and gold, but it was of no use for him to knock +and call. No answer came, and he went off sadly. +Peggy and her mother rejoiced at getting rid of the +persistent suitor, and sat down to supper merrily, +without, however, unlocking their door.</p> + +<p>Presently, they heard a noise, and looking out saw +a great army of frogs coming up the hill, The frogs +formed themselves into a column and, aiming for the +window, jumped through the glass, and landed on the +floor. They seized Peggy, and very gently carried her +out of the door and down the hill. Peggy fainted, and +knew nothing till they stopped on the edge of the pond.<span class="pagenum">[274]</span> +The widow came running down the hill just in time +to see the frogs plunge into the water with her child.</p> + +<p>Peggy sank—down, down—until she reached a beautiful +grotto, where, on a throne of coral and shells, sat +her frog-lover. He looked at her reproachfully, and +said:</p> + +<p>"If you had not three times deceived me, Peggy, I +should not have carried you off in this way. Now +that you are here, try to be resigned to me, and say +that you will be my wife."</p> + +<p>"Never, never," screamed Peggy; "you are so horrible +to look at with your goggle eyes."</p> + +<p>The goggle eyes filled with tears as Peggy spoke, +and the frog shook his head mournfully.</p> + +<p>"I see that it is of no use," he said sorrowfully, and +ordered Peggy to be taken to a beautiful sea-garden, +where she lived and amused herself for a long time, +gradually forgetting all about her home on land. +Every evening the frog came and talked to Peggy +through a wall of white coral; and in time, she grew +so fond of listening to his voice, that if he was a minute +late she would cry for him to come.</p> + +<p>Once when it was rather dark, the frog asked Peggy +if she could bear to look at him again. Peggy said<span class="pagenum">[275]</span> +yes, and he appeared before her. Somehow he did +not seem so ugly as before, and when, in a trembling +voice, he invited her to sit upon his knee, she at once +did so. Instantly his leg broke with a loud snap; +and, as poor Peggy sprang to her feet in great remorse, +she beheld, instead of her frog suitor, a beautiful +young prince, holding out his arms to her!</p> + +<p>The prince told her he had been bewitched by a +frog godmother, who condemned him to remain in +that horrid shape until a young girl could be found +who would either consent to marry him or sit upon +his knee. Peggy was very glad to have such an ending +of her adventure. So they were married at once, +and were then very happy. When they went back for +a wedding visit to Peggy's mother, they found she had +taken all the gold and silver and moved away to a distant +country; and they never saw the wicked woman +more.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[276]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 531px;"> +<img src="images/i064.jpg" width="531" height="122" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_LEPERHAUN_A_Legend_of_the_Emerald_Isle" id="THE_LEPERHAUN_A_Legend_of_the_Emerald_Isle"></a>THE LEPERHAUN: <i>A Legend of the Emerald Isle.</i></h2> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +upon a time, by the glimmer of the nursery-fire, +a little girl sat listening to the +tales told by her buxom Irish nurse. The +details of most of these—notably of one very thrilling +legend of the Banshee, who has ever since seemed to +float upon the wind that blows after nightfall—have +passed from memory; but the good old story of Molly +Jones and the Leperhaun remains, and, as best I can, +I reproduce it here.</p> + +<p>In a comfortable farm-house upon the outskirts of a +small village in Ireland, lived a farmer with his six sons. +He was a prosperous man, and, besides having better +cows, pigs, and potatoes than any other man in the +county, was said to keep a tidy bit of money laid away +in bank. Only one maid-servant did the work of the<span class="pagenum">[277]</span> +house, and she had lived there for many a year. At +last she died, and the farmer looked about him for a +girl to take her place. The wages were high, and a +strapping lass named Mary Jones made up her mind +that she was the right person for the situation. The +farmer liked her looks, and engaged her on the spot.</p> + +<p>"Now, Molly, lass," said the master, when he had +finished taking her around the house, and showing her +how neat and convenient everything was; "you see +what you've got to do, and that's the end of it. Nobody +in this house, who works well, has ever cause to +want for encouragement, for <i>there's hands to help them +that aren't too curious</i>! The main thing you'd better +guard against is takin' notes and askin' questions."</p> + +<p>Molly protested that she was innocent of the inheritance +of Mother Eve; and the farmer went on with his +directions.</p> + +<p>"On the first night of every month the family goes +early to bed, and it will be your business to see that the +hearth is well swept, and fresh turf laid upon the fire, +and to collect around it all the worn or broken shoes +about the house. The last thing before you leave the +room, be sure to set before the fire a nice bowl of mealy +potatoes bursting from their jackets, a couple of herrings<span class="pagenum">[278]</span> +broiled to a turn, and a jug of sweet buttermilk—and, +whatever you do, never forget the salt!"</p> + +<p>Molly, though burning with curiosity, courtesied, +and said nothing. All went well till the first night +of the coming month. "When the family was retiring, +the farmer whispered:</p> + +<p>"Remember, Molly! Be abed and asleep before +the clock strikes twelve; and <i>don't forget the salt</i>."</p> + +<p>Molly tidied her kitchen, swept the hearth, arranged +around it all the worn and broken shoes in the house, +her own Sunday pair included; and, after setting a nice +little meal, covered with a white cloth, near the fire, +wound up the clock and went to bed. Next morning +what was her surprise to find not only all the boots +and shoes neatly mended, but the empty jug and +platter washed and restored to their places, while a +beautiful fire was blazing merrily! She dared not +ask any questions of the farmer or his sons, and no one +appeared in the least surprised by what had occurred. +That month her work went so easily that Molly thought +it child's play. Her bread was baked brown and light, +her potatoes were a triumph, her churning was done +sooner than anybody's in the place, and her linen was +hung out to dry by sunrise on Monday mornings. For<span class="pagenum">[279]</span> +a month or two Molly never failed to set her kitchen in +order, as before, for the mysterious guest. But one +night she was in a hurry, and forgot the salt. Next +morning the boots were mended, but the fire was +scattered on the hearth, ashes lay all about her neat +kitchen, and the dishes were left unwashed. This excited +Molly's curiosity anew and, when the next time +came, she did everything as usual, but, instead of going<span class="pagenum">[280]</span> +to bed, hid behind the kitchen clock. Punctually as +the clock struck twelve, out popped from behind a big +stone in the chimney-place a queer little dwarf dressed +all in red. Apparently he suspected something, for +he sniffed and peered into the darkness of the kitchen. +Molly held her breath through fear, and the dwarf proceeded +to blow up the fire and warm himself before sitting +down to supper. Then, uncovering his cup and platter, +and finding that all was to his taste, he smacked his +lips, and made an excellent repast. When it was over, +he whipped out of his bag some shoemaker's tools, and +went to work to patch and mend the shoes, with twinkling +fingers. In an hour's time all was finished and, +after putting the room to rights, the dwarf took his leave.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 531px;"> +<img src="images/i065.jpg" width="531" height="414" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p>Molly told nobody that she had seen the veritable +Leperhaun, the famous shoemaking fairy; but the next +month she happened to be in an ill humor and hungry; +so, without stopping to think of the consequences, +she ate his supper herself—leaving upon the platter +only a heap of potato-skins and the bones of the well-picked +herrings.</p> + +<p>That night, while all the world was asleep, in came +the Leperhaun and, finding the trick that had been +played on him, flew into a terrible rage, scattered the<span class="pagenum">[281]</span> +boots and shoes over the floor, broke the crockery +and, seizing a broom, swept all the ashes out upon the +kitchen floor. Molly, who was watching, ran up to +the garret and, jumping into bed, pulled the clothes +over her head in a cold perspiration with terror. But +hark! on the steps outside came the pit-pat of little +feet. In rushed the offended house-fairy. He seized +Molly by the hair of her head, and dragged her down +the stairs, and over the flags of the yard, saying,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Molly Jones! Molly Jones!<br></span> +<span class="i0">Potato-skins and herring-bones!<br></span> +<span class="i0">I'll break your bones upon the stones,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Molly Jones, oh! Molly Jones!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>In vain Molly cried for mercy. The farmer and his +sons were fast asleep, and not a soul heard her. All +night long the Leperhaun dragged her about; and +when the cock crowed he vanished, leaving her bruised +and sore upon the threshold of the door. More dead +than alive, Molly crawled up to her bed, where she lay +black and blue for many a day.</p> + +<p>The farmer, suspecting what lesson had been taught +her, said nothing; and we may be sure that, when the +next time came for the visit of the Leperhaun, the +little red dwarf had no fault to find with Molly.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[282]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2>ROMANCES OF THE MIDDLE AGES</h2> + +<p>[<i>The stories here following are, it is hoped, so rendered, from +metrical romances of the Middle Ages, as to be adapted to the taste +and understanding of youthful readers.</i>]</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 531px;"> +<img src="images/i066.jpg" width="531" height="120" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_TRIALS_OF_SIR_ISUMBRAS" id="THE_TRIALS_OF_SIR_ISUMBRAS"></a>THE TRIALS OF SIR ISUMBRAS.</h2> + +<p class="h5">(<i>From Ellis' Abridgment of the MS. in Caius College.</i>)</p> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +upon a time there lived a knight so handsome, +so rich, and so valiant that all eyes +were turned upon him. His name was Isumbras, +and fortune had given him everything that the +heart of man could wish for. He had a splendid castle, +surrounded by vast forests, where every day he went +hunting or hawking; and so generous he was with his +wealth that the poor flocked to him from every quarter +and never went away empty-handed.</p> + +<p>Sir Isumbras had a beautiful wife and three lovely<span class="pagenum">[283]</span> +sons to share the blessings of his lot; but one thing he +had not, and that was an humble spirit. He forgot to +own the Giver of good things, and took it as a matter +of course that his life should flow on in ease and luxury.</p> + +<p>One day when mounted on his favorite steed, surrounded +by his dogs, and having his hawk on fist, Sir +Isumbras cast up his eyes to the sky, and there saw an +angel, who reproached him with his pride, announcing +that Heaven had in store for him a speedy punishment.</p> + +<p>Sir Isumbras fell to his knees in prayer; but hardly +had the angel vanished from his sight when, on remounting +his horse, the noble creature fell dead beneath +him; the hawk dropped lifeless from his fist; and the +faithful hounds expired in agonies at his feet. Hastening +on foot to his castle, he was met by a servant, +who informed him his horses and oxen had been suddenly +struck dead by lightning, and that his fowls had +all been stung to death by adders. Next came forward +a page, who told him the castle was burned to +the ground, many of his servants had perished, and +that his wife and children had taken refuge, half +naked, in a thorn-bush close at hand. Sir Isumbras +hastened to the aid of his beloved family, stripping +himself of his scarlet mantle and his surcoat to clothe<span class="pagenum">[284]</span> +them. He embraced them fondly, and thanked heaven +that, though all the rest of his treasures were taken, +these remained. He then proposed to his wife that, as +a sign of repentance for their sins, they should all go +on foot to the holy city, Jerusalem, begging their +bread from land to land. He cut with his knife upon +his bare shoulder the pilgrim's sign of the cross, and +then the afflicted family set forth on their travels.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 417px;"> +<img src="images/i067.jpg" width="417" height="379" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p>Long they journeyed, eating crusts when they could<span class="pagenum">[285]</span> +beg them, or berries from wayside bushes, until, faint +and weary, they reached a broad but shallow stream. +Taking his eldest son in his arms, Sir Isumbras bore +him across the river, and placed him beneath a bush +of broom-plant, bidding him play with the blossoms +until his father's return. Scarcely had the knight left +his son, when an enormous lion burst from a neighboring +thicket and bore away the child. In like manner the +second son became the prey of a fierce leopard; and +the poor mother, who saw them so cruelly torn from +her sight, fainted away, with her baby on her breast. +Sir Isumbras bowed to the will of God; and when his +wife revived they journeyed on to the shore of the +Greek sea. Here they stood, and, through eyes that +were full of tears, saw a great fleet of three hundred +ships coming toward them. This was the navy of a +famous heathen king, and no sooner had he landed +than the travellers, who had not touched bread or meat +for seven days, hastened to implore his charity. The +king soon observed the robust limbs and tall stature +of the husband; and perceived he was a knight in disguise, +and that the wife, whose beauty was as "bright as +blossoms upon tree," was, in spite of her ragged clothes, +a lady of high degree. So, affecting to treat the poor<span class="pagenum">[286]</span> +couple with respect, he offered them gold and treasure +if the knight would renounce Christianity and consent +to fight under the Saracen banners. This offer +was at once declined, and the angry king made up his +mind to revenge himself by carrying away the knight's +wife. So, upon an order to the attendants, a purse of +gold was pressed into the knight's hand, his infant son +was put into his arms, he was hurried ashore, cruelly +beaten by the king's servants, and, when he recovered +himself, saw a heathen ship, with his wife on board, +set sail for Africa.</p> + +<p>Sir Isumbras clasped his only remaining treasure to +his heart, and followed the vessel with his eyes until it +vanished from sight. Night found him still there, until +father and babe fell asleep upon the bare ground, +too weary to keep awake. Sir Isumbras had laid the +fatal present of the heathen king, the purse of gold, +in the scarlet mantle which he wrapped around his +child. Scarcely had the next day's sun risen upon the +earth, when an eagle, attracted by the red cloth, darted +down, carrying off mantle, child, and purse in his talons.</p> + +<p>The poor knight was at last in utter despair. He +fell on his knees, and offered what remained of his life +to the God he had offended. Just then he heard the<span class="pagenum">[287]</span> +noise of a blacksmith's forge, and saw, not far off, some +men at work. They took pity on him and fed him. +He entered their service, and bound himself for seven +long years to learn their trade. During this time he +forged a complete suit of armor for himself, being +determined at the first opportunity to take up arms +against the Saracens, whose king had not only done him +such a cruel wrong, but was oppressing God's people.</p> + +<p>At length his opportunity came. The Christian army +was to fight the Saracens on a field not far from the +forge. Sir Isumbras buckled on his awkward armor +and, mounting a horse that had been used by the smith +to carry coals, proceeded to the field of battle.</p> + +<p>His heart beat with wild joy when he saw the foe +before him. Uttering a fervent prayer, he dashed into +the thick of the combat, attracting all eyes at first by +his sorry steed and rough armor, and again by the +splendid skill and courage of his charge. Early in the +action his horse was killed under him, and the Christian +chiefs made haste to present him another one, +also a suit of armor more worthy of the heroic soldier +he had proved himself to be. All that day the battle +raged.</p> + +<p>By nightfall Sir Isumbras, single-handed, had killed<span class="pagenum">[288]</span> +the heathen king and many of his followers. But he +was himself sorely wounded, and when brought for reward +before the Christian king, and asked his name, +could hardly falter out, "I am a smith's man, sire." The +king swore a great oath to make a knight of this valiant +"smith's man"; and, with all honor and tenderness, +Sir Isumbras was carried into a nunnery, where the +good sisters nursed him until he recovered from his +many wounds.</p> + +<p>Sir Isumbras was not satisfied to remain quiet long, +though he had slain the heathen king. He went to +the Holy Land, and for seven years wandered about a +pilgrim, as before, sleeping upon the ground by night, +and vainly seeking tidings of his wife by day. Once, +during this time, when he was starving upon the banks +of a stream, there appeared to him a cheering visitor.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And as he sat, about midnight,<br></span> +<span class="i0">There came angel fair and bright,<br></span> +<span class="i0">And brought him bread and wine.<br></span> +<span class="i0">He said, "Palmer, well thou be!<br></span> +<span class="i0">The King of Heaven greeteth well thee;<br></span> +<span class="i0">Forgiven is sin thine."<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Very soon after this miraculous event Sir Isumbras +found his wife, who had dwelt, holy and charitable, in a<span class="pagenum">[289]</span> +secluded castle, where she had been shut up by the +Saracen king. She welcomed him with rapture, and +together they shed many tears over their lost children. +They lived together for some years, until Sir Isumbras +was again summoned to do battle with the Saracens, +who had determined at all cost to kill him. The fight +was again hot and long, and just when Sir Isumbras +was about to be overpowered by numbers of the enemy, +three new champions appeared in the field, declaring +themselves on the side of the Christians. These were +three splendid knights, the first mounted upon a lion, +the second upon a leopard, and the third upon an eagle. +The Saracen cavalry, terror-stricken at sight of them, +dispersed in all directions. But flight was in vain; +three and twenty thousand unbelievers were soon laid +dead upon the plain by the lion, leopard, and eagle, +fighting with tireless fury, and driving all before them, +until the entire heathen army was utterly put to rout. +Then, coming back to Sir Isumbras, the three champions +knelt before him, announcing themselves his +long lost sons, mercifully protected and befriended by +the savage creatures by whom they had been carried +off. Sir Isumbras embraced his valiant sons, and led +them to their mother. The Christian king enriched<span class="pagenum">[290]</span> +the entire family, restoring them to their former rank. +And now wealth, titles, honors, and all that he had lost, +came back to Sir Isumbras, and the remainder of his +days was spent in blessed peace.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"They lived and died in good intent;<br></span> +<span class="i0">Unto heaven their souls went,<br></span> +<span class="i0">When that they dead were.<br></span> +<span class="i0">Jesu Christ, heaven's king,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Give us, aye, his blessing,<br></span> +<span class="i0">And shield us from care!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 352px;"> +<img src="images/i068.jpg" width="352" height="245" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[291]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 531px;"> +<img src="images/i069.jpg" width="531" height="119" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="BISCLAVERET" id="BISCLAVERET"></a>BISCLAVERET.</h2> + +<p class="h5">(<i>From one of Marie's Lays.</i>)</p> + +<img src="images/drop-o.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="O" title="O" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">O</span><b>NCE</b> +upon a time there lived in Brittany a +baron who was handsome, wise, courteous, +and brave. Although admired and beloved +by his neighbors, he remained single until late in life, +when he fell desperately in love with a young lady, who +did not hesitate long in accepting the offer of so distinguished +a suitor for her hand. They were married, +and the bride returned from her honeymoon to take +up her abode in her husband's fine castle.</p> + +<p>For a little while all went well, until the lady discovered +that her husband was regularly absent from +home during three days of every week. Overwhelmed +with curiosity to know where he went, and how he +was occupied during this time, she used every means +in her power to coax the secret from him.<span class="pagenum">[292]</span></p> + +<p>"Do not ask me," said her kind lord; "rest assured +that I have good reasons for my conduct. If +you know what takes me from you, it will only be to +hate and scorn your husband, and to ruin the happiness +of our life."</p> + +<p>The lady persisted, going from coaxings to prayers +and tears. At last the poor baron gave way, and confided +to her that, owing to a cruel spell cast on him +at birth, he was during half the week a Bisclaveret, or +Man-Wolf, taking on the body of a wolf, but keeping +his own feelings and intelligence as a man. Upon +hearing this dreadful story, the lady fainted away. +Henceforth, although her husband was more loving +than ever, she was filled with horror and loathing of +him; and soon she secretly resolved to destroy the +monster and enjoy his wealth.</p> + +<p>By watching his movements she ascertained that +when the baron became a wolf he left his clothing in a +deserted chapel on the edge of a certain wood; and +she formed a plan to seize and hide the garments. +So long as the Bisclaveret was without his man's clothes, +he was condemned to remain a brute.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, when, after his melancholy ramble +through the woods, the Bisclaveret went one night to<span class="pagenum">[293]</span> +resume his clothes, they were gone; and, in agony of +spirit, he knew that he was betrayed by his wife. He +took himself off to the forest, and was there lost to +human sight.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the wicked wife, announcing that her +husband had died while on a journey to some foreign +land, enjoyed his wealth and his castle. A year later, + +<img src="images/i070.jpg" width="183" height="212" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +the king went hunting in the +forest, and, after a stout chase, +had nearly run down the unhappy +Bisclaveret, when that persecuted +beast, bounding from his thicket, +fawned upon the king's feet, shedding +real tears and uttering +almost human cries for mercy. +The king, struck with compassion, +ordered his dogs to be whipped off, and had the strange +animal conveyed with care to his palace. Bisclaveret +soon became the royal favorite. He slept on a couch of +soft furs, ate from a golden dish, and returned with +gratitude the caresses of all who noticed him.</p> + +<p>His gentleness and sagacity won for the man-wolf +the right to roam wherever he desired to go, unchained. +One day the king gave a splendid entertainment, to<span class="pagenum">[294]</span> +which were invited all the lords and ladies of the land. +Among them, dressed in silks and satins, and sparkling +with jewels, came the false wife. No sooner did Bisclaveret +espy her chatting with the king's guests, than, +to the surprise of all present, the usually mild creature +rose up, growling horribly and, springing upon the +lady, bit off her nose. Bisclaveret was seized, and +would have been speedily killed, but that he again +fawned upon the king's feet, moaning and weeping as +though he longed to speak. The king ordered him to +be put into a cage, and consulted with the oldest and +wisest man in his kingdom, as to what could be the +meaning of the wolf's sudden fury toward this lady.</p> + +<p>"Brittany is a land of wonders, sire," said the aged +man. "The lady who was attacked is as well known +for a bad name as your favorite animal is for a good +one. Who knows what became of her late husband, +the baron? Perhaps this poor brute was beloved by +that gentleman, and has some secret wrong to avenge. +At any rate, you should at once shut the lady in prison +until she is made to tell all <i>she</i> knows about the matter. +Mayhap it is more than we suspect."</p> + +<p>The king followed his counsellor's advice; and, when +the lady found herself likely to be kept a prisoner, she<span class="pagenum">[295]</span> +preferred speech to silence. With tears of professed +penitence, she confessed all, and the king lost no time +in sending for the clothes of the late baron, and placing +them in the cage of Bisclaveret. At first the animal +seemed indifferent, and surveyed them listlessly. +"Leave him to himself, sire," said the wise man. +"Above all, set him at liberty in a chamber suitable to +his rank. Then we shall see a wonderful change, I +promise you."</p> + +<p>This was done, and in the morning the king ran +impatiently to the chamber of Bisclaveret. There, +on the bed, dressed in his clothes and sleeping sweetly, +lay the baron. When his royal master entered, the +sleeper woke and, bending his knee before his sovereign, +poured forth his joy and gratitude.</p> + +<p>As for the wicked wife, her estates were taken from +her and restored to her husband, while she herself was +sent into perpetual banishment. Most people would +think she had been sufficiently punished by the loss of +her nose, which never grew again!<span class="pagenum">[296]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum">[297]</span> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 536px;"> +<img src="images/i072.jpg" width="536" height="123" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="ROSWAL_AND_LILIAN" id="ROSWAL_AND_LILIAN"></a>ROSWAL AND LILIAN.</h2> + +<p class="h5">(<i>From a Scottish Romance of the XVIth Century.</i>)</p> + +<img src="images/drop-t.jpg" width="75" height="78" alt="T" title="T" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">T</span><b>HERE</b> +lived once, at Naples, a king and queen +whose only son, Roswal, was a paragon of +beauty and of valor. The boy, who was as +generous as the day was long, did not at all resemble +his father, for the king was harsh and cruel, and slow +to forgive his enemies.</p> + +<p>In the prison of the king's palace were confined three +noblemen, who, having been suspected of plotting +against the crown, were doomed to be imprisoned for +life, and had the most cruel treatment lavished upon +them every day. Roswal could not bear to hear their +groans and sighs arising from the dungeon, and one +day conceived the bold project of taking the prison +keys from under the king's pillow while he slept, and<span class="pagenum">[298]</span> +setting the three poor sufferers at liberty. This was +done, and Roswal restored the keys to their place +without having been detected.</p> + +<p>When it was found that the prisoners had escaped, +the king grew furiously angry. In vain the head jailor +and his assistants declared their innocence in the +matter. Their lives would have been instantly sacrificed +to the king's wrath, had not Roswal boldly come +forward and confessed that he alone had freed the prisoners.</p> + +<p>At first, the king vowed that Roswal should die for +having defied him; but the prayers of the queen, and +perhaps the cool bravery of his son in confronting him, +moved him to relent. He decided to change Roswal's +sentence to banishment for life to a distant court, +where he was to be placed at the service of the King of +Bealm, with recommendation to make a soldier of the +lad, henceforth a stranger to his home.</p> + +<p>Roswal set out on his journey to the court of Bealm, +attended only by the high-steward, an envious and +ambitious man, who hated the prince and would gladly +have done him evil.</p> + +<p>The king, at parting with his son, had given him +a letter of introduction to the King of Bealm; and<span class="pagenum">[299]</span> +the fond mother had come secretly to press all the +gold and jewels she had, a fortune in themselves, upon +her beloved Roswal. Except for parting with his +mother, Roswal did not feel very sorry to set out thus +from home. He longed to see what marvels the wide +world contained, and the memory of the three brave +men he had loosed from their vile bondage cheered +him in spite of his father's anger.</p> + +<p>The high-steward was full of projects of his own; +and one night, when they had stopped to rest by the +side of a rushing torrent, and Roswal had plunged into +the crystal stream, as he loved to do, the wicked steward +seized him unawares, held him under water till he was +half strangled, and spared his life only on condition +that Roswal would pledge himself to give up all the +money and jewels, his letter, his horse and sword, and +furthermore swear never to reveal the affair to mortal +man or woman. Roswal, seeing that he could not +help himself, submitted, and the false steward, laughing +maliciously, put spurs to his horse, leading Roswal's +steed behind him, and soon disappeared from +view with all the treasures.</p> + +<p>Roswal found himself alone at nightfall in the forest, +as hungry as a hawk, and very much at a loss where to<span class="pagenum">[300]</span> +find food and shelter. He wandered along till he saw a +little brown hut, under the branches of a wide-spreading +oak-tree. Here, in the door, sat an old woman knitting, +and Roswal's youth and beauty soon won his way +into her affections. She led him into her house, gave +him a good meal of brown bread, eggs, honey and +milk, and a bed of clean straw. Roswal slept as +sweetly as ever he had done on his golden bedstead +and his pillow of down at home. Next day, he offered +to work for the old woman, and set to cutting up wood +and binding fagots cheerfully. For several months he +lived thus, until the chamberlain of the King of Bealm +chanced to pass that way. Taking a fancy to the +handsome youth, he carried him off to court, where +Roswal was appointed cup-bearer to the king's lovely +daughter. His duties were light, and the princess was +kind; so Roswal had little to complain of, until one day +he heard it announced that Prince Roswal, of Naples, +was about to wait upon the King of Bealm and demand +his daughter's hand in marriage.</p> + +<p>Roswal pricked up his ears at this, and immediately +suspected the supposed Prince of Naples to be none +other than his late travelling companion, the wicked +steward; though, when he heard the princess say to her<span class="pagenum">[301]</span> +maidens that this Prince Roswal was remarkably pushing, +considering that he had only recently presented +a letter of introduction to them, and that, for her part, + +<img src="images/i073.jpg" width="182" height="439" alt="" title="" class="splitr"> + +she could not see what her papa +found to fancy in the young man, +Roswal rejoiced. He was delighted +to find that the princess did not +care for the impostor. Then he +remembered his oath, never to reveal +what the steward had done to +him, and his spirits fell again.</p> + +<p>In a day or two, the King of +Bealm announced to his daughter +that he had accepted the offer of +the King of Naples' son, and that +preparations for their marriage +would immediately begin. The +princess was very unhappy, for she +had taken a great dislike to the +pretended prince. Roswal met his +late servant face to face at one +of the bridal feasts, and the eyes of the steward +fell before his scornful gaze. But he knew that he +was safe in trusting Roswal's honor not to tell<span class="pagenum">[302]</span> +the secret, and so carried on his impudent pretence.</p> + +<p>A tournament, lasting three days, was announced in +honor of the wedding, which was soon to come off. +Roswal found the Princess Lilian in tears about that +time and, while endeavoring to console her, let her +know, without intending it, that he, too, had fallen in +love with her. This made the pretty princess so happy, +that she confessed to Roswal she had loved him secretly +ever since he was chosen to be her cup-bearer. She +was sure he was of noble birth from his manners and +appearance; and she urged him to admit that he was +as worthy of her rank as of her love.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i071.jpg" width="600" height="397" alt="Tournament in honor of the Princess of Bealm." title=""> +<p class="caption">Tournament in honor of the Princess of Bealm.</p> +</div> + +<p>Roswal was never so sorely tempted to reveal himself! +He restrained the impulse to confess by a strong +effort, and, alone and melancholy, wandered out into +the forest—longing for an opportunity to enter the +lists of the tournament and prove his knightly skill +before the king and princess; and while he sat musing +thus, there approached him a knight leading a magnificent +white war-horse, on whose saddle was suspended +a suit of splendid armor.</p> + +<p>"Prince," said the strange knight, bowing low before +him, "put on this armor, and mount this steed.<span class="pagenum">[303]</span> +The tournament has begun, and thou wilt be in time to +prove thy prowess. I await here thy return."</p> + +<p>Roswal said he had led his hounds to the forest, intending +to hunt a deer; and so the knight offered to +hunt in his absence and keep the game for him. How +his heart beat with joy and pride when he found himself +once more mounted on a noble steed, and clad in +knightly armor! Thanking the stranger fervently, he +put spurs to his horse, and galloped off.</p> + +<p>Entering the barriers, Roswal overset all who opposed +him, and then, with a tremendous rush, charged at +full speed upon the false prince, who was riding up +and down with a great show in the presence of his +lady. The steward recoiled in terror; but the unknown +knight as suddenly checked his horse, turned around, +saluted the company with the utmost grace, and vanished, +as he had come, like a meteor.</p> + +<p>The company applauded, and the old King of Bealm +cried out that he would give an earldom to find out +who was the unknown knight.</p> + +<p>That evening, while all the palace was ringing with +accounts of the brave stranger, Roswal came home +from the forest, laden with venison and followed by +his hounds.<span class="pagenum">[304]</span></p> + +<p>The Princess Lilian called him to her side, and told +him of the events of the day. It was evident that she +wished to inspire Roswal with a desire to break a lance +in her behalf; but he appeared to be indifferent, and +she ended in a burst of tears.</p> + +<p>Next day, when Roswal went again with his hounds +to the forest, a second knight, leading a silver-gray +war-horse laden with armor, appeared and repeated +the kind offer of the day before. Roswal again entered +the lists, and found the steward impudently advancing +to meet him. Roswal unhorsed half a dozen of the +bravest riders, then, with all possible ease, sent the +steward to the ground with such a terrible crash, that +the miserable impostor lay as if dead for some time. +The unknown knight glanced up at the Princess Lilian, +and saw a look in her face as if she suspected him. +Then, quickly retiring from the ring, Roswal reappeared +as before, at evening, with the spoils of the +day of hunting. Lilian, who was ready to declare that +none other than her handsome young lover could have +been the stranger knight, was much perplexed when +she found Roswal quietly at home engaged in his usual +occupations.</p> + +<p>On the third day, Roswal was mounted and equipped<span class="pagenum">[305]</span> +in a similar manner. He had a bay horse, a red shield, +green armor, and a golden helmet. He cast down all +of the other competitors, broke two of the steward's +ribs, threw a gold ring into the lap of his lady-love, +and rode away like a flash. Returning to the wood, +he was met by all three of his friends, the knights who +had helped him. They revealed themselves, and Roswal +found to his delight that they were the three +noblemen he had released from his father's dungeon. +They told him they were well aware of all he +had suffered for their sakes, and were prepared to befriend +him still farther.</p> + +<p>Next day had been fixed upon for the wedding, and +all the court was called together in a magnificent hall, +to see their king bestow their princess' hand upon the +Prince of Naples. Pale and tearful, for she had cried +all night, appeared the princess. She was dressed in +white satin, with a silver train, carried by ten little +pages in blue, and on her head she wore a diadem of +immense diamonds. The bridegroom, who had been +patched up by the doctors, sat, anything but cheerful, +in a golden chair beside the king. Behind a +group of court ladies and gentlemen stood Roswal, +handsomer than any one present, and looking every<span class="pagenum">[306]</span> +inch a prince, though he wore a plain brown velvet suit, +with a gold chain round his neck, the livery of Princess +Lilian's household. Suddenly visitors were announced, +and in came three richly clad strangers, scattering +money among the servants, which made it an +easy matter for them to move along.</p> + +<p>The king received them courteously, for he recognized +three noblemen of the kingdom of Naples he +had known long before.</p> + +<p>"You will be glad to salute your prince," the king +said, when he had greeted them, "and to be present at +his nuptials."</p> + +<p>The noblemen refused to notice the steward, whose +knees knocked together with fear, for he saw he was +on the brink of exposure. The three strangers looked +about them and, espying Roswal, ran up to him, fell +on their knees and kissed his hand, hailing him as the +true Prince of Naples. The steward, in terror, dropped +upon his knees before Roswal and confessed all, drawing +from his pocket the casket containing the queen's +jewels, which he had been about to present to his +bride. Roswal would have dealt gently with the contemptible +wretch, but the angry old King of Bealm +declared that he and his daughter should not be made<span class="pagenum">[307]</span> +sport of, and the offender live to tell it. So the steward +was hanged forthwith, and Roswal, owning his love +for Lilian, was made happy by promise of her hand—he +had already won her heart, as you know.</p> + +<p>That same day arrived news of the death of the +King of Naples, and the recall of Roswal to the throne. +He was married to Lilian; and it is certain that no +one who had befriended him in his days of poverty +was ever forgotten by King Roswal. The good old +woman in the forest was enriched, the three noblemen +were restored to their estates and fortunes, and Roswal's +mother was made happy by a speedy reunion +with her son.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"So Roswal and Lilian sheen,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Lived many years in good liking.<br></span> +<span class="i0">I pray to Jesu, heaven's king,<br></span> +<span class="i0">To grant us heaven to our ending.<br></span> +<span class="i0">Of them I have no more to say:<br></span> +<span class="i0">God send them rest until doom's day!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[308]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 534px;"> +<img src="images/i074.jpg" width="534" height="209" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="ELIDUC_AND_GUILLIADUN" id="ELIDUC_AND_GUILLIADUN"></a>ELIDUC AND GUILLIADUN.</h2> + +<p class="h5">(<i>From one of Marie's Lays.</i>)</p> + +<img src="images/drop-e.jpg" width="74" height="74" alt="E" title="E" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">E</span><b>LIDUC</b> +was a knight of Brittany who, through +the cabals of enemies, fell under the displeasure +of the king and was banished from +his dominions. Sir Eliduc did not wish to forsake his +country, still less did he wish to part with the fair +Lady Guildeluec, to whom he was solemnly betrothed. +But the king's order was law; and, taking a fond leave +of his promised wife, while vowing ever to be faithful, +Sir Eliduc called to him ten of the bravest of his followers, +and set sail for the English coast. They had a short +voyage with fair winds, landing at Totness, in Devonshire,<span class="pagenum">[309]</span> +and proceeded at once to Exeter. The King of +Exeter was at that time plunged into a most distressful +war with a neighboring province, to whose prince +he had refused to marry his only daughter and heiress. +Sir Eliduc offered his services to the king, which +were gladly accepted. After a few days a battle was +fought, in which Eliduc's knowledge of the art of war +and his bravery, as well as that of his ten followers, +helped to decide the fortunes of the King of Exeter, +who had the satisfaction of seeing the foe put to +flight. As a reward for his aid, the king made Eliduc +the supreme commander of all his armies. Eliduc +was the idol of the people, and soon the fair Princess +Guilliadun fell in love with him, confiding to the +king, her father, that she would have no other husband +than this valiant stranger. The king thought +he could do no better than secure such a noble successor +to his throne, and sent his chamberlain to inform +Eliduc of the honor in store for him. Eliduc was now +in a sad plight. He thought of his absent Guildeluec, +who was no doubt, even then, waiting and weeping for +his return, and his heart grew heavy within him. On +the other hand, the Princess Guilliadun was by far the +most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and her love<span class="pagenum">[310]</span> +for him was strong. To refuse her offered hand would +bring down on him the fierce wrath of a great king, to +whom no man said nay.</p> + +<p>While Sir Eliduc was in this dilemma, a message +came to him from his former master, the Breton king, +ordering his immediate return to protect their country +from invasion. All Sir Eliduc's love for his own land +stirred within him. To defend her borders he was +ready to sacrifice his present rank and wealth, and be +a simple knight again. The image of his promised +wife arose clear and bright before him, and he forgot +the lovely Guilliadun, who, for a time, had so dazzled +his imagination with her charms.</p> + +<p>Laying down his sword before the sovereign, he resigned +command of the Exeter troops, and, in spite of +the king's rich offers and temptations, hurried to take +ship for France. Among his attendants was a youth +muffled in a long mantle, who, when they were fairly +out at sea, revealed to the knight's astonished gaze the +face and form of the wilful Guilliadun.</p> + +<p>She had thus disguised herself to follow him, and +now vowed that unless he took her to be his wife, +she would die by her own fair hand. There was no +time for discussion, for, at that moment, arose a mighty<span class="pagenum">[311]</span> +tempest which threatened to engulf the ship. In +vain were the efforts of the sailors to manage the +vessel, and all prepared for immediate death, as wind +and waves beat furiously upon them. Suddenly, one +of the sailors spoke up for the rest, and, in the hearing +of Guilliadun, warned Sir Eliduc that Heaven was +angry with him for carrying off the princess in disguise, +when he was already promised in marriage to +another woman. Guilliadun hearing these words, fell +lifeless to the deck. She appeared so like a dead person +that the crew offered to throw her overboard, +but Eliduc, seizing an oar, struck down the sailor who +had spoken, and, himself grasping the helm, drove the +ship through foam and boiling waves safely to port. +In a few hours he might hope to reach the court of his +king; but what, meantime, should he do with the body +of the unfortunate princess? In this emergency, he +remembered that in a forest near by had once lived an +aged hermit, in whose cell he might possibly leave the +corpse of the princess, until he should be able to dispose +of it in a style suited to her rank. He mounted his palfrey, +took the body in his arms, rode to the hermit's +retreat, and, gaining entrance to a little chapel, laid +on a slab in the centre of it the unhappy Guilliadun.<span class="pagenum">[312]</span> +She was beautiful as ever, and looked like a waxen +image. The knight, kneeling beside her, shed many +bitter tears, and then, springing to his saddle, galloped +off to place himself at the service of his king.</p> + +<p>He found the affairs of his country in a bad way, +but the mere mention of his name sufficed to inspire +the Breton soldiers with new courage. Marching +at the head of the king's troops, he led them to +battle, and in a short time had put the foe to confusion +and rout. Covered with glory, Eliduc rode back to +receive the king's congratulations and thanks. There, +among the ladies attending the queen, was his faithful +Guildeluec; but when she came forward with open +arms to greet him, a thought of the Lady Guilliadun, +who had died for love of him, shot into his heart like +an arrow. Guildeluec quickly saw that something was +amiss; but, hiding the anguish she felt, she resolved +to keep close watch upon her lover, and, if possible, +discover the cause of his coldness.</p> + +<p>For some days the court was given up to gaiety and +festivals of all kinds. Guildeluec noticed that every +day her knight would steal away to the forest and remain +there for some hours, returning to the palace +more melancholy than before. She set a little page to<span class="pagenum">[313]</span> +follow Eliduc, and the boy traced his master to a retreat +all overgrown with trees, where the knight entered +and was lost to sight.</p> + +<p>Dismissing the boy with a piece of gold, the lady +resolved herself to unravel the mystery. Wrapped in +a long veil, she stole along the green alleys of the +wood, and soon reached the little hermitage. Lifting +up a curtain of closely woven vines which drooped before +it, she entered the chapel door. There, on a bier +richly hung with velvet, lay a young and lovely maiden, +apparently dead, save that her cheeks bloomed like a +new-blown rose. Guildeluec gazed for a while upon +this sad sight, when a noise of approaching footsteps +startled her, and she hid behind a tomb. The new-comer +was none other than the brave knight Eliduc, +who, casting himself on the ground beside the bier, +gave way to bitter grief, calling the saints above to +witness that he had been true to his pledge to Guildeluec, +even to hastening to an untimely end the fair +maiden before him. Guildeluec heard all, and understood +what had taken his love from her. Just then a +weasel, running from behind the altar, passed near the +bier, which angered the knight, who, at one blow, +struck the little animal dead upon the ground. When<span class="pagenum">[314]</span> +Eliduc had gone, the watching lady saw another +weasel run up to his slaughtered companion, attempt +to play with her, and on finding her without life, go +away with every appearance of grief. Directly the +weasel came back again, carrying a beautiful red +flower from the wood, which was carefully inserted in +the mouth of his companion. The effect was magical. +Instantly, the dead weasel sprang up, dropped the +flower, and scampered off with her happy little comrade.</p> + +<p>Guildeluec stooped to pick up the fallen blossom. +For a moment she hesitated, for her love for the +knight was very great. Then she bent forward, and +laid the stem of the flower between the rosy lips of +the entranced Guilliadun. Immediately there were +signs of life. The girl stirred, a blush came into her +cheeks, and her lips parted. When her eyes opened, +Guildeluec sighed and said, "Truly, never was there +seen so fair a creature."</p> + +<p>Guildeluec soon explained to the awakened princess +where she was, and received her fervent thanks for +delivery from so strange a spell. With many tears, +Guilliadun confessed to her unknown friend her love +for the knight Eliduc, and the way she had followed +him from her father's court. Guildeluec heard her<span class="pagenum">[315]</span> +<span class="pagenum">[316]</span>tale in silence, and when it was at an end, led her away +from the hermitage to the palace, where the queen +took the princess under her charge, and in the evening +presented her with much pomp to the members +of her court. When Eliduc saw Guilliadun alive and +well, richly clad and lovelier than before, his heart +rejoiced, but he turned away from her. Then came +forward Guildeluec, who, with the queen's permission, +released him from his pledge to her, and gave him +back his ring, saying she had determined to retire to a +convent and devote her days to holy works.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i075.jpg" width="600" height="316" alt="Guildeluec Reviving Guilliadun." title=""> +<p class="caption">Guildeluec Reviving Guilliadun.</p> +</div> + +<p>The queen then placed Guilliadun's hand in that of +Eliduc. They were married with great rejoicings; but +when the blessing was said over them by the priest, +the knight fancied he heard a sigh breathed close in +his ear. He looked around; there was no one in +sight, save the group of nuns behind a grating, whose +voices rose pure and clear in the strains of the bridal +hymn.</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[317]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 532px;"> +<img src="images/i076.jpg" width="532" height="162" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THE_FALCON-KING" id="THE_FALCON-KING"></a>THE FALCON-KING.</h2> + +<p class="h5">(<i>From one of Marie's Lays.</i>)</p> + +<img src="images/drop-t.jpg" width="75" height="78" alt="T" title="T" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">T</span><b>HERE</b> +lived once, in Britain, an old knight who +was lord of Caerwent, a city situated on the +River Douglas. He was wealthy and avaricious, +and the sole heir to his possessions, a lovely +daughter, he kept locked up in a high tower, under the +care of a cross governess. His one fear was that this +daughter would marry, and thus give some one the +right to lay claim to the gold that was dearer to him +than life itself. To prevent her from getting a husband, +the old knight used every method he could +think of to keep off visitors; and any stray caller at +the castle was set upon by fierce dogs, who would tear +one to pieces as soon as gnaw a beef-bone!<span class="pagenum">[318]</span></p> + +<p>Day after day the father rode off to the hunt, the +governess told her beads, and the damsel moped within +the tower. One morning she was at her wheel, singing +a mournful ditty, and sighing from time to time, +as she glanced over the tree-tops at the roofs and spires +of the distant city, when suddenly the sky above her +window was darkened, and she heard a whirring noise, +as of mighty wings astir. A falcon of huge size and +noble mien flew in at the casement, and lit submissively +at her feet. The maiden stroked his proud head, +and at once the bird changed to a beautiful young +man, who, in a gentle voice, begged her to have no +fear of him, as he was not only a devoted lover but the +humblest of her slaves.</p> + +<p>"Bid me go if you will," said the prince, "and +deeply as I should regret your command, you will see +how quickly I shall obey it. Long have I watched you +from afar, and dearly I love you. For your sake, I +have acquired the art of magic, enabling me to assume +this shape in order to reach your prison."</p> + +<p>"Oh! but I <i>don't</i> want you to go!" cried the poor +little mewed-up damsel, who was tired to death of +having nobody to talk to.</p> + +<p>As she had never seen a man younger than her<span class="pagenum">[319]</span> +father, it was a great astonishment to her to find that +the prince's hair was dark and his cheek unwrinkled +and rosy as a ripe peach.</p> + +<p>What he meant by being a lover, she did not in the +least understand. Only, it was pleasant to hear him +talk in his kind, low voice; and praises were so rare to +her, that they sounded sweet as honey dropping from +his lips.</p> + +<p>As a matter of course, the afternoon passed quickly; +but at last, startled by the noise of a key grating in +the lock of the door, the prince quickly assumed his +bird-shape, and promising to come again upon the +morrow, flew out of the window. The governess could +not imagine what had put her prisoner in such a silly +state of cheerfulness, as she thought it; and, boxing +the poor girl's ears for smiling, gave her a long piece +of poetry to learn by heart, and allowed her nothing +but bread and water for her tea.</p> + +<p>Next day the falcon came again, and for many days +he continued his visits, until the girl grew to love him +as he loved her, and promised to be his wife. Once a +month the chaplain was accustomed to come to see +her, and to make her say a catechism the longest ever +heard of. When next the day came around for his<span class="pagenum">[320]</span> +visit, what was her surprise, instead of the stern chaplain, +to find a gentle and kind old priest, who, when +left alone with her, avowed himself to be a friend of +the falcon-prince.</p> + +<p>"As your father is a wicked and unworthy son of +the church, and the prince a noble and devoted one, I +cannot but approve of the marriage between you and +your beloved," the old man said. "The ceremony will +now be performed, and may heaven's blessing rest upon +you both."</p> + +<p>The falcon-prince arrived at the same moment, bearing +in his beak a wedding-ring of large bright diamonds. +The couple were married, and the prince +told his wife that, very soon, he would be able to furnish +her also with wings to leave the tower.</p> + +<p>One day the governess, coming in unexpectedly, +found the girl toying with a beautiful ring, which she +hurriedly concealed in her mattress. Spite of all the +governess' efforts, she could not find the jewel; nor +could she succeed in drawing from her captive any explanation +of how she had come by it. The governess +told the father, who redoubled his precautions and set +spies to watch upon the outside of the tower. In a +few days, the spies reported to him that they had seen<span class="pagenum">[321]</span> +a bird of the largest size fly in at the maiden's window, +remain there for some hours, and then fly out again.</p> + +<p>"I'll be a match for this carrier-pigeon of hers!" +said the old knight with malicious glee. That night a +trap was set upon the outside of the window, surrounded +by sharp knives, so that anything passing through it +would inevitably be caught or wounded grievously. +The young wife awaited her husband anxiously, for it +was the day fixed for her escape. Soon he arrived; +but as he touched the window the trap fell, and although +he managed to pass in, a long trail of blood was +left behind him.</p> + +<p>"Lose no time, my beloved!" he said, in a voice +altered by pain. "Our enemies are upon us. Put +this bracelet on your arm, and spring into the air after +me, without fear."</p> + +<p>She obeyed, and found herself upborne by magic +wings, which carried her more swiftly than the wind +over forest tops, shining river, and city spires and +domes. Glorious as was her airy flight, she could see +that her companion grew weaker. They arrived in a +country adjoining the one in which she had lived, and +stopped immediately above a splendid palace—alighting +in the marble balcony of a chamber furnished<span class="pagenum">[322]</span> +with the utmost magnificence. Here the falcon regained +his man's shape, and, with despair, his wife +saw that he was deathly pale, while the blood poured +from a wound beneath his heart.</p> + +<p>"I am dying," he exclaimed. "Help me to my bed +yonder, and may heaven grant me strength to tell my +people that you are their lawful queen."</p> + +<p>The poor wife aided her husband to lie down, but +when he would have spoken to her again, his voice +was gone—a moment more, and he was dead.</p> + +<p>And now in what a mournful plight the pretty new +queen found herself! Soon the attendants would, no +doubt, come flocking into the room, to discover their +sovereign murdered in his bed, and a stranger cowering +by his side. Terror lent speed to her feet, and +hastening back to the balcony, she ran down a long +flight of stairs communicating with the outer court +and garden of the palace. Thence she escaped to +wander into the forest, and until day broke again she +never ceased to walk. For some days she remained +concealed in the forest, living upon fruit and berries, +until at last hunger drove her to the cottage of +a poor laborer. The wife of this man was very ill, +and the queen offered to stay and nurse her, which<span class="pagenum">[323]</span> +was gratefully accepted. So faithful and devoted an +attendant she proved that, when the woman of the +house got well, both husband and wife insisted their +stranger guest should make her home with them. +In this secluded retreat, where only a stray huntsman +now and then passed by, the queen remained until a +beautiful son was born to her. And now, she felt a +burning desire to have her boy educated in a manner +worthy of his father's rank; and poverty, that had +seemed so light a burden to herself, grew heavy when +it weighed on him. When the baby was three years +old, a gay hunting-party passed that way, among them +a rich and childless lady, who, charmed with the +beauty of the boy, offered to adopt him on the spot.</p> + +<p>The poor queen wept so bitterly at thought of parting +with her treasure, that the lady, who was a kind-hearted +person, proposed she should accompany them +and serve in the capacity of the boy's governess.</p> + +<p>To this plan the queen made no objection; and, +bidding an affectionate farewell to her humble friends, +she took her place with the boy in a travelling carriage +sent to fetch them.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Years rolled on, and the child born in the forest had<span class="pagenum">[324]</span> +reached the age of twenty-one. He was a handsome, +manly youth, and skilled in all athletic exercises. +About this time, the family of his adopted mother was +invited to be present at a great religious ceremony in +an abbey upon the borders of a neighboring kingdom. +Among the many attendants of the nobles summoned +for the occasion, was the real mother, who came dressed +in deep mourning and wearing a veil over her face; +and one of the guests was the wicked old knight, her +father. The abbot of the monastery threw open the +doors of the chapel, that had long been sealed, and all +flocked into it. There, in the centre, stood a bier +covered with cloth of gold and surrounded by blazing +wax-lights, while about it knelt an hundred priests, at +prayer. After a mass had been sung, the abbot announced +that in yonder bier lay the remains of the late +king, their master, who, as all his faithful subjects +knew, was foully murdered twenty-one years before; +and that, by the terms of the king's will, found some +time after his death, the throne rightfully belonged to +a lady who had been married in secret by their sovereign, +and was by him commended to their truest love +and honor. "For many long years," added the good +abbot, "we have sought vainly for the widow of our<span class="pagenum">[325]</span> +lamented ruler; not the faintest trace of her has ever +been found, and we have resolved to meet here and +choose to-day a successor to our king."</p> + +<p>"Here is a worthy successor to your king!" cried a +voice from the throng; and the unfortunate queen, +throwing back her veil, pointed to her astonished son. +"Behold the rightful heir! Who dares to say that he +is not the image of his father? <i>I</i> am the queen you +have so long sought, and this youth is, unknown to +himself, my son. In proof of it, here is the marriage +ring given me by the king."</p> + +<p>"And in proof of it," exclaimed a venerable priest, +coming forward, "I attest that <i>I</i> performed the marriage +ceremony between our king and this poor lady. +Her appearance and her claim remove the seal from my +promise of secresy, and I unhesitatingly declare this +youth to be our lawful sovereign."</p> + +<p>All eyes turned upon the young man, and all tongues +proclaimed his marvellous resemblance to the king. +The abbot knelt at the young man's feet and offered +him a golden crown carried on a velvet cushion. Loud +cries of joy and cheers filled the air, when suddenly +the unfortunate queen was seen to totter toward the +bier of her husband.<span class="pagenum">[326]</span></p> + +<p>"I am glad to die on this spot," she said, snatching +up the sword that lay upon the tomb and placing it in +her son's hand; then, bidding him avenge the sad fate +of his parents, she immediately expired. At the same +moment, a white-haired knight tried to steal away from +the church; but when the ancient priest perceived him, +the fugitive was denounced as the murderer of their +king. Seized by the populace, the wretched old miser +was hurried to instant death; his grandson was carried +in triumph to the palace, and there installed as king.</p> + +<p>The new monarch reigned long and wisely—an example +for all future sovereigns.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 529px;"> +<img src="images/i077.jpg" width="529" height="320" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[329]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 536px;"> +<img src="images/i079.jpg" width="536" height="120" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<h2><a name="EGLAMOUR_AND_CRYSTABELL" id="EGLAMOUR_AND_CRYSTABELL"></a>EGLAMOUR AND CRYSTABELL.</h2> + +<p class="h5">(<i>From Ellis' Abstract of Copy in Garrick Collection.</i>)</p> + +<img src="images/drop-c.jpg" width="72" height="69" alt="C" title="C" class="split"> + +<p class="minus"><span class="hide">C</span><b>OUNT</b> +Prinsamour, an independent sovereign +of Artois, was famed for his skill in +training young men in the courtesy and accomplishments +of chivalry. His court was the resort +of all youths who wished to excel in those important +arts. His daughter Crystabell, the heiress of Count +Prinsamour's dominions, was very beautiful and accomplished, +and her father designed to marry her to some +powerful monarch. The tournaments instituted at his +court were in her honor, and for her sake all the +hotheaded young knights in training broke their +lances.</p> + +<p>Crystabell herself had no desire to leave her own +country to become the wife of a foreign monarch. +She loved the free and stirring air around her father's<span class="pagenum">[330]</span> +castle, and had, unknown to the count, fallen in love +with a young knight, Sir Eglamour, who was ever +victorious in the numerous tournaments ridden in +her name.</p> + +<p>Eglamour, on his side, looked up to the young +countess as to a star. He never dreamed of winning +her love, because he was only a knight, without wealth +or lands, depending upon his sword alone to make his +way through life. At last, one day, something that +Crystabell said made him think that she cared for him +more than for the rest of her followers. Sorely +troubled, and yet strangely happy, the young man +wandered off to think it over. He finally resolved to +ask advice of the chamberlain, who had always stood +his friend. That personage counselled him to give up +all thoughts of the countess, who, he said, was destined +by her father to be the bride of a rich and great king. +Eglamour sighed, and admitted that his friend was +right. But that night, in the solitude of his chamber, +he addressed a prayer to God:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Lord," he said, "grant me a boon,<br></span> +<span class="i0">As thou on rood me bought!<br></span> +<span class="i0">The erle's daughter, fair and free,<br></span> +<span class="i0">That she may my wife be!<br></span> +<span class="pagenum">[331]</span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">For she is most in my thought:<br></span> +<span class="i0">That I may wed her to my wife,<br></span> +<span class="i0">And in joy to lead our life!<br></span> +<span class="i0">From care then were I brought."<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>In those days a true knight thought it no shame to +his manhood to take the burden of his every-day cares +and lay it in all simplicity at the feet of his Maker. +When his devotions were at an end, Sir Eglamour slept +soundly, and awoke in better heart.</p> + +<p>After a while, Sir Eglamour fell ill, and the count +desired his daughter, who was skilled in medicine, as +were all great ladies of the time, to attend upon the +invalid. Crystabell, followed by her damsels, went at +once into the sick-room. She found Sir Eglamour +feverish and unhappy, and on bending down to minister +to him, his pulse throbbed so violently at her +touch, that the tears of sympathy came into her eyes. +"I have betrayed my love," thought Sir Eglamour; but +what was his happiness when the lady bent down to +kiss his lips, confessing that the chamberlain had told +her what was the real cause of his malady; and, to +comfort Eglamour, she bid him live for her sake.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 562px;"> +<img src="images/i078.jpg" width="562" height="764" alt="Eglamour & Crystabell." title=""> +<p class="caption">Eglamour & Crystabell.</p> +</div> + +<p>After this, Eglamour got well rapidly; but he felt it +right and honorable to inform the count, at once, how<span class="pagenum">[332]</span> +matters stood between the two young people. The +count, who, although a brave knight, was largely governed +by selfish ambition, refused Sir Eglamour with +scorn. Then, after thinking a while, he told the youth +that he would only bestow his daughter upon the +champion who might accomplish three perilous feats +of arms, each one of which would expose the candidate +to the most imminent danger; and that the victor +should not only receive the hand of Crystabell, +but in time inherit the whole territory of Artois.</p> + +<p>Overjoyed, Sir Eglamour accepted the conditions +without delay. He declared he was ready to set off +that day or the next upon the enterprise. He did not +suspect the count's real purpose in setting him this +task, which was to destroy the rash knight who presumed +to love his daughter.</p> + +<p>"At a little distance to the westward," said the +count, "there is a forest of noble trees belonging to a +most terrible giant, named Maroke. In a part of the +forest shut off for the giant's own hunting ground, are +three deer, famed for their size and speed. To hunt +one of these celebrated animals is, of course, to challenge +an encounter with their owner. Consider whether +you have courage enough for such an enterprise."<span class="pagenum">[333]</span></p> + +<p>Sir Eglamour smiled, promised to kill the giant, and +hurried off to tell his lady-love. Crystabell trembled +and wept, but bid her lover God-speed. She told him +that no man ever set forth upon a more arduous journey +in a Christian country, but that she gloried in his +brave spirit. She gave him a good greyhound, from +whom no deer that ever ran had yet escaped—also a +sword, once found in the sea, the only one of the kind +in the world, and which could carve in two any helmet +of steel or iron. Eglamour kissed her farewell, +as he received these gifts, and set out with a light +heart.</p> + +<p>Reaching the giant's park, he followed the wall to +a massive gate, burst it open, and entered the wood. +This forest was of huge cypress trees, and Eglamour +had the luck soon to come upon the three +deer grazing quietly. They were the most immense +creatures he had ever seen; and singling out the largest, +he attacked it. With the help of the dun greyhound, +he brought the stag to earth, and set to work +to carve his spoil. Laden with venison, he then approached +the giant's castle, blowing his horn at intervals; +and, when arrived there, he sounded a wild and +merry blast, which roused Maroke from sleep and +brought him in fury to +the gate.</p> + +<span class="pagenum">[334]</span> + +<div class="i080"> + <div class="split" id="i080-1"> </div> + <div class="split" id="i080-2"> </div> + +<p>Sir Eglamour +politely asked the monster +to give him leave +to pass through the +grounds with his prey.</p> + +<p>The giant, gnashing +his teeth in rage, answered +by aiming a blow +with his club at the +saucy young knight's +head. Sir Eglamour, at +the same moment, drew +Crystabell's +sword, which +shone so brightly +as to dazzle +the eyes of Maroke, +striking +him stone-blind +where he +stood. Then +followed a +mighty combat. Blind as the giant was, he fought<span class="pagenum">[335]</span> +well and skilfully for three entire days. At the end of +the third day, Sir Eglamour rallied all his strength and +drove his sword into the giant's heart, a thrust which +sent Maroke crashing like a forest tree to earth.</p> + +<p>Sir Eglamour, having cut off his enemy's head, carried +it, together with the slaughtered stag, back to the +court of his sovereign. The count received him ruefully; +but fair Crystabell laughed and rejoiced, while +the courtiers covered their champion with praises. +After Eglamour was rested and refreshed, the count +hurried him off again. This time he was to journey to +the distant land of Satyn, where his task was to fetch +away the head of a prodigious boar, the terror of that +ill-fated country, half of whose inhabitants the creature +had already eaten up.</p> + +<p>To reach the land of Satyn, Sir Eglamour had to +travel a fortnight by sea, a fortnight by land. Arriving +there at nightfall, he thought it prudent to spend +the night in resting on the borders of the forest. At +sunrise next day he approached the den of the horrible +boar, who had just come back from taking his morning +drink in the sea. The animal was a terror to look +upon, having flaming eyes and tusks a yard long. He +lay gnawing some human bones and growling frightfully,<span class="pagenum">[336]</span> +surrounded by dead bodies, many of which were +clad in knightly armor. At once Sir Eglamour dashed +at him with a shout—"For God and Crystabell!" The +boar whetted his long tusks and set upon his adversary, +killing at the first blow Sir Eglamour's noble horse, +his own tough hide remaining unhurt by the spear. +Sir Eglamour now had recourse to his magic sword, +and found to his joy that, wherever he struck, the boar's +hide was cut; although the length of the animal's tusks +made it difficult to close with him. This combat, +like that with the giant, lasted three days, and at the +end Sir Eglamour, by a sudden swift movement, made +a terrible blow at the creature's neck, severing the +head from his body.</p> + +<p>Long before the close of this memorable fight, the +boar's snorts of rage and defiance had attracted to the +spot the King of Satyn and fifteen of his knights, who +happened to be hunting in the forest. When the boar +dropped dead, Sir Eglamour fell over him, and lay +there completely exhausted. The king and his men +drew near, showered compliments on the strange +knight's bravery, and told him that the wicked beast +of whom he had rid them had sometimes destroyed as +many as forty men in one day.<span class="pagenum">[337]</span></p> + +<p>The king ordered a cloth to be laid upon the grass, +and Sir Eglamour was regaled with venison and rich +wine, which brought strength back to his arm and +hope to his heart. The king's men then attempted +to cut up the boar, but failed, owing to the toughness +of his hide. The sword of Sir Eglamour was put into +requisition, and in a moment the beast was cleft asunder +along the back bone. The meat was distributed +among the knights and men-at-arms, Sir Eglamour +claiming the head alone. The King of Satyn afterward +ordered for the champion a warm bath of certain +sweet-scented herbs that healed his wounds and +in which he rested pleasantly till break of day. Then +the party went on to the king's palace, where Sir Eglamour +was asked to stay and recover from his fatigue.</p> + +<p>Now it happened that the boar just slain was an intimate +friend of Manas, a huge and frightful giant, own +brother to Maroke. Manas had fallen in love with the +King of Satyn's daughter, and had vowed to carry her +off. When Manas came prowling around the castle +that evening, and beheld on the point of a spear over +the gateway the head of his friend the boar, he flew +into an awful passion, foaming at the mouth; and as +he looked on that head<span class="pagenum">[338]</span>—</p> + +</div> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Alas!" he cried, "art thou dead?<br></span> +<span class="i0">My trust was all in thee!<br></span> +<span class="i0">Now, by the law that I live in,<br></span> +<span class="i0">My little speckled hoglin,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Dear bought shall thy death be!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 539px;"> +<img src="images/i081.jpg" width="539" height="382" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p>Manas beat upon the door and walls of the castle in a +fury, demanding the surrender of the murderer of his +dear little speckled hoglin. Presently, Sir Eglamour,<span class="pagenum">[339]</span> +fully armed and equipped, mounted on a fiery courser, +and with lance in rest, attacked the giant at full speed.</p> + +<p>Manas resisted vigorously, and in an instant overthrew +man and horse. The king, the princess, and +the court, who had assembled on the walls of the +castle, began to tremble for the safety of their champion. +But Sir Eglamour, lightly springing to his feet, +drew his invincible sword, and closing with the giant, +cut off his right arm. The monster roared with pain, +but continued to fight, though yelling at intervals as +loudly as ever, till near sunset, when the patient +knight, who had hitherto suffered him to exhaust himself +by his own efforts, suddenly rushed forward and +completed the victory! The boar and Manas being +dead, Eglamour now took his leave of the grateful +King of Satyn and his court, who rejoiced greatly +over the death of their two adversaries. The heads of +the boar and the giant Manas were carefully packed +up, and in due time Eglamour laid them at the feet of +his faithful Crystabell.</p> + +<p>Count Prinsamour, secretly disgusted at his knight's +success, at once sent him off on another enterprise, +more dangerous than the two preceding ones. Eglamour +and Crystabell, now seeing that the false count<span class="pagenum">[340]</span> +was determined to prevent their marriage, parted from +each other with many tears. But Crystabell vowed to +marry him, with or without her father's leave, so soon as +he should return, if ever he did, from the present journey.</p> + +<p>The third mission was to kill a tremendous dragon, at +that time desolating the country around the gates of +Rome. After sundry adventures by the way, Eglamour +encountered the beast, and fought it long and valiantly. +He succeeded in cutting off its wings, tail, and head; +but at last he fell himself, exhausted by his wounds +and poisoned by the dragon's sting, and was carried +from the field.</p> + +<p>When Crystabell heard that her brave lover was +lying at the point of death in Rome, she left her father +and journeyed to the knight's bedside, where, to make +him happy before he died, she consented to marry +him on the spot.</p> + +<p>Eglamour rallied under the care of his beloved Crystabell; +but, after they had spent some happy months +together, Count Prinsamour found out his daughter's +place of retreat, and carried her off from her husband, +abusing him as a vile thief and imposter.</p> + +<p>Crystabell cried and lamented continually for her +lost husband. After a while, a son was born to her,<span class="pagenum">[341]</span> +which made the count more angry than before. He +took the unfortunate mother and child, put them, without +food, into an open boat, and set them adrift upon +the sea. The boat drifted for five days, and at last +reached the shores of a country whose king proved to +be the brother of Crystabell's own mother. He took +the wayfarers under his care, and devoted himself to +bringing up the boy, named Degrabell, to be a valiant +knight.</p> + +<p>After a time, Eglamour travelled to Artois, and +entering the count's hall by force, confronted his cruel +father-in-law in the presence of all the knights and +squires. He had heard of the fate of his wife and +child, and his wrath was terrible to see. He cast the +dragon's head, wings, and tail before the count, reminded +him that his daughter had been fairly won, +and called down God's judgment upon the unnatural +father who had bereaved Eglamour of all he held dear +in life. The count retreated to his strongest citadel in +fear before the righteous anger of this mighty champion; +but Eglamour seized the property of his late +master, divided it among the count's worthy and needy +subjects, and ordering masses to be sung in all the +churches for the soul of his lost Crystabell, departed<span class="pagenum">[342]</span> +for the Holy Land, where, during many years, he distinguished +himself both in battle and in tournament +against the Saracens.</p> + +<p>When her son, Sir Degrabell, had reached the age of +eighteen, Crystabell was more beautiful than ever, and +the king, her uncle, resolved to marry her to some +knight who might make happy the remainder of her +days. Crystabell, who still cherished the memory of +her lost Sir Eglamour, begged her son to help her in +this emergency. Sir Degrabell went to the king and +insisted that all of the knights aspiring to his mother's +hand should first meet him in the lists, and that only +the one who should overthrow him might claim the +princess as a wife.</p> + +<p>The king smiled at the pretentions of this beardless +youth, and gave his consent. A tournament was announced, +and to it came from all parts of the country +persons of high rank seeking adventure. Knight +after knight presented himself in the lists, and was +swiftly unhorsed by the gallant Degrabell. At length +the boy, flushed with conquest, turned to a stranger +of distinguished appearance who stood gazing at the +spectacle, without seeming to take any great interest +in it, and asked if he too had a mind to break a lance.<span class="pagenum">[343]</span> +The stranger knight hesitated, then said that, to amuse +himself, he would do so. Mounting his horse, he +rode with the speed of a lightning flash against Degrabell, +who was borne to the earth on the spot. +Princess Crystabell had been watching the tourney +with pride, but screamed aloud at her son's overthrow, +and rushed into the arena, throwing herself on her +knees before the stranger and imploring him to spare +her boy. Trembling, she looked upon the victor's +shield, and there saw depicted a rude device of a +golden boat containing a lady and a child about to +perish in the waves.</p> + +<p>On his side, the knight gazed at the lady in trembling, +then bending his knee before her, revealed himself +the long-lost Eglamour. Crystabell would have +swooned for joy, had not her husband caught her in +his arms. Eglamour, equally astonished and delighted, +had still in store for him the rapture of recognizing in +his brave young antagonist the son so worthy of his sire.</p> + +<p>Sir Eglamour and Lady Crystabell, thus happily +reunited, lived together for the remainder of their +days in prosperity. Degrabell became a famous +champion. The old Count Prinsamour broke his neck +by falling from his tower; and so, my tale is told!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 249px;"> +<img src="images/i082.jpg" width="249" height="344" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +</div> + +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old-Fashioned Fairy Book, by +Constance Cary Harrison + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD-FASHIONED FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 37348-h.htm or 37348-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/3/4/37348/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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