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diff --git a/37995-8.txt b/37995-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fad2a34 --- /dev/null +++ b/37995-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6943 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Diamond Fairy Book, by Various + +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 Diamond Fairy Book + +Author: Various + +Illustrator: Frank Pape + H. R. Millar + +Release Date: November 12, 2011 [EBook #37995] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DIAMOND FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Eleni Christofaki and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +Some illustrations of this work have been moved from the original +sequence to enable the contents to continue without interruption. +Obvious punctuation errors have been silently repaired and hyphenation +was normalised. A list of the corrections made can be found at the end +of the book. Italics indicated with _underscores_, bold typeface with +=equal signs=. + + + + + THE DIAMOND FAIRY BOOK. + + + + + _UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME_ + + + Each in square 8vo, richly bound in cloth gilt and gilt edges, =3s. 6d.= + + THE RUBY FAIRY BOOK + + With 8 beautiful coloured plates by Frank Papé and 77 drawings by H. + R. Millar. + + THE GOLDEN FAIRY BOOK + + With 8 beautiful coloured plates by Frank Papé and 110 drawings by H. + R. Millar. + + THE SILVER FAIRY BOOK + + With 8 beautiful coloured plates by Norman Little and 83 illustrations + by H. R. Millar. + + + + +[Illustration: "Upon the back of his noble steed the Prince gallantly +lifted his beautiful charge." + +FRONTISPIECE. _page 273_] + + + + +[Illustration: THE DIAMOND FAIRY BOOK + +COMPRISING STORIES BY + + ISABEL BELLERBY + + Z. TOPELIUS. + + MRS. EGERTON EASTWICK. + + CLEMENS BRENTANO. + + XAVIER MARMIER. + + J. JARRY. + + W. HAUFF. + + RICHARD LEANDER. + + K. E. SUTTER. + + SAINT-JUIRS. + + A. GODIN. + + PAULINE SCHANZ.] + + +With 8 Coloured Plates by FRANK PAPÉ and 82 Drawings by H. R. MILLAR + + + LONDON + HUTCHINSON & CO. + PATERNOSTER ROW + + + + + PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., LONDON AND AYLESBURY. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + PRINCESS CRYSTAL, OR THE HIDDEN TREASURE. 1 + _By Isabel Bellerby._ + + THE STORY OF THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM. 15 + _From the German of Richard Leander._ + + HOW SAMPO LAPPELILL SAW THE MOUNTAIN KING. 35 + _From the Swedish of Z. Topelius._ + + THE WITCH-DANCER'S DOOM. 51 + _A Breton Legend._ + + THE THREE VALLEYS. 61 + _From the German._ + + THE SPRING-TIDE OF LOVE. 77 + _By Pleydell North (Mrs. Egerton Eastwick)._ + + RINGFALLA BRIDGE. 97 + _By K. E. Sutter._ + + THE CHILDREN'S FAIRY. 113 + _From the French of Saint-Juirs._ + + WITTYSPLINTER. 127 + _From the German of Clemens Brentano._ + + THE MID-DAY ROCK. 143 + _From the French of J. Jarry._ + + LILLEKORT. 157 + _From the French of Xavier Marmier._ + + THE TEN LITTLE FAIRIES. 169 + _From the French of Georges Mitchell._ + + THE MAGICIAN AND HIS PUPIL. 185 + _From the German of A. Godin._ + + THE STRAWBERRY THIEF. 201 + _From the German of Pauline Schanz._ + + THE ADVENTURES OF SAID. 217 + _From the German of W. Hauff._ + + LITTLE BLUE FLOWER. 241 + _From the German of Miss F. E. Hynam._ + + "THE PRINCESS WHO DESPISED ALL MEN." 257 + _By Charles Smith Cheltnam._ + + THE NECKLACE OF TEARS. 277 + _By Mrs. Egerton Eastwick._ + + THE PRINCE AND THE LIONS. 297 + _From the Persian._ + + + + +Princess Crystal, or the Hidden Treasure. + + + + +[Illustration] + +PRINCESS CRYSTAL OR THE HIDDEN TREASURE. + +A Story by Isabel Bellerby. + + +THERE were the four Kings: the King of the North, the region of +perpetual snow; the King of the South, where the sun shines all the year +round; the King of the East, from whence the cold winds blow; and the +King of the West, where the gentle zephyrs breathe upon the flowers, and +coax them to open their petals while the rest of the world is still +sleeping. + +And there was the great Dragon, who lived on top of a high mountain in +the centre of the universe. He could see everything that happened +everywhere by means of his magic spectacles, which enabled him to look +all ways at once, and to see through solid substances; but he could only +see, not hear, for he was as deaf as a post. + +Now the King of the North had a beautiful daughter called Crystal. Her +eyes were bright like the stars; her hair was black like the sky at +night; and her skin was as white as the snow which covered the ground +outside the palace where she lived, which was built entirely of crystals +clear as the clearest glass. + +And the King of the South had a son who had been named Sunshine on +account of his brightness and warmth of heart. + +The King of the East had a son who, because he was always up early and +was very industrious, had been given the name of Sunrise. + +The King of the West also had a son, perhaps the handsomest of the +three, and always magnificently dressed; but as it took him all day to +make his toilette, so that he was never seen before evening, he received +the name of Sunset. + +All three Princes were in love with the Princess Crystal, each hoping to +win her for his bride. When they had the chance they would go and peep +at her as she wandered up and down in her glass palace. But she liked +Prince Sunshine best, because he stayed longer than the others, and was +always such excellent company. Prince Sunrise was too busy to be able to +spare her more than half an hour or so; and Prince Sunset never came +until she was getting too tired and sleepy to care to see him. + +It was of no use, however, for her to hope that Sunshine would be her +husband just because she happened to prefer him to the others. Her +father--the stern, blusterous old King, with a beard made of icicles so +long that it reached to his waist and kept his heart cold--declared +that he had no patience for such nonsense as likes and dislikes; and one +day he announced, far and wide, in a voice that was heard by the other +three Kings, and which made the earth shake so that the great green +Dragon immediately looked through his spectacles to see what was +happening: + +"He who would win my daughter must first bring me the casket containing +the Hidden Treasure, which is concealed no man knows where!" + +Of course the Dragon was none the wiser for looking through his +spectacles, because the words--loud though they were--could not be heard +by his deaf ears. + +But the other Kings listened diligently; as did the young Princes. And +poor Princess Crystal trembled in her beautiful palace lest Sunrise, who +was always up so early, should find the treasure before Sunshine had a +chance: she was not much afraid of the indolent Sunset, except that it +might occur to him to look in some spot forgotten by his rivals. + +Very early indeed on the following morning did Prince Sunrise set to +work; he glided along the surface of the earth, keeping close to the +ground in his anxiety not to miss a single square inch. He knew he was +not first in the field; for the Northern King's proclamation had been +made towards evening on the previous day, and Prince Sunset had +bestirred himself for once, and had lingered about rather later than +usual, being desirous of finding the treasure and winning the charming +Princess. + +But the early morning was passing, and very soon the cheery, +indefatigable Sunshine had possession of the entire land, and flooded +Crystal's palace with a look from his loving eyes which bade her not +despair. + +Then he talked to the trees and the green fields and the flowers, +begging them to give up the secret in return for the warmth and gladness +he shed so freely on them. But they were silent, except that the trees +sighed their sorrow at not being able to help him, and the long grasses +rustled a whispered regret, and the flowers bowed their heads in grief. + +Not discouraged, however, Prince Sunshine went to the brooks and rivers, +and asked their assistance. But they, too, were helpless. The brooks +gurgled out great tears of woe, which rushed down to the rivers, and so +overcame them--sorry as they were on account of their own inability to +help--that they nearly overflowed their banks, and went tumbling into +the sea, who, of course, wanted to know what was the matter; but, when +told, all the sea could do was to thunder a loud and continuous "No!" on +all its beaches. So Prince Sunshine had to pass on and seek help +elsewhere. + +He tried to make the great Dragon understand; but it could not hear him. +Other animals could, though, and he went from one to another, as +cheerful as ever, in spite of all the "Noes" he had met with; until, at +last, he knew by the twittering of the birds that he was going to be +successful. + +[Illustration: "'MY ROBE IS OF SNOW,' SHE FALTERED" (_p._ 8).] + +"We go everywhere and learn most things," said the swallows, flying up +and down in the air, full of excitement and joy at being able to reward +their beloved Sunshine for all his kindness to them. "And we know this +much, at any rate: the Hidden Treasure can only be found by him who +looks at its hiding-place through the Dragon's magic spectacles." + +Prince Sunshine exclaimed that he would go at once and borrow these +wonderful spectacles; but a solemn-looking old owl spoke up: + +"Be not in such a hurry, most noble Prince! The Dragon will slay any +one--even so exalted a personage as yourself--who attempts to remove +those spectacles while he is awake; and, as is well known, he never +allows himself to sleep, for fear of losing some important sight." + +"Then what is to be done?" asked the Prince, beginning to grow impatient +at last, for the afternoon was now well advanced, and Prince Sunset +would soon be on the war-path again. + +A majestic eagle came swooping down from the clouds. + +"There is only one thing in all the world," said he, "which can send the +Dragon to sleep, and that is a caress from the hand of the Princess +Crystal." + +Sunshine waited to hear no more. Smiling his thanks, he hastened away to +put his dear Crystal's love to the test. She had never yet ventured +outside the covered gardens of her palace. Would she go with him now, +and approach the great Dragon, and soothe its savage watchfulness into +the necessary repose? + +As he made the request, there stole into the Princess's cheeks the first +faint tinge of colour that had ever been seen there. + +[Illustration: "HE LEARNED THE SECRET AT ONCE" (_p._ 11).] + +"My robe is of snow," she faltered; "if I go outside these crystal +walls into your radiant presence it will surely melt." + +"You look as if you yourself would melt at my first caress, you +beautiful, living snowflake," replied the Prince; "but have no fear: +see, I have my own mantle ready to enfold you. Come, Princess, and trust +yourself to me." + +Then, for the first time in her life, Princess Crystal stole out of her +palace, and was immediately wrapped in Prince Sunshine's warm mantle, +which caused her to glow all over; her face grew quite rosy, and she +looked more than usually lovely, so that the Prince longed to kiss her; +but she was not won yet, and she might have been offended at his taking +such a liberty. + +Therefore, he had to be content to have her beside him in his golden +chariot with the fiery horses, which flew through space so quickly that +they soon stood on the high mountain, where the Dragon sat watching them +through his spectacles, wondering what the Princess was doing so far +from home, and what her father would think if he discovered her absence. + +It was no use explaining matters to the Dragon, even had they wished to +do so; but of course nothing was further from their intention. + +Holding Prince Sunshine's hand to give her courage, the Princess +approached the huge beast and timidly laid her fingers on his head. + +"This is very nice and soothing," thought the Dragon, licking his lips; +"very kind of her to come, I'm sure; but--dear me!--this won't do! I'm +actually--going--to--sleep!" + +He tried to rise, but the gentle hand prevented that. A sensation of +drowsiness stole through all his veins, which would have been delightful +but for his determination never to sleep. As it was, he opened his mouth +to give a hiss that would surely have frightened the poor Princess out +of her wits; but he fell asleep before he could so much as begin it; his +mouth remained wide open; but his eyes closed, and his great head began +to nod in a very funny manner. + +Directly they were satisfied that he really slept, Prince Sunshine +helped himself to the Dragon's spectacles, requesting the Princess not +to remove her hand, lest the slumber should not last long enough for +their purpose. + +Then he put on the spectacles, and Princess Crystal exclaimed with fear +and horror when--as though in result of his doing so--she saw her +beloved Prince plunge his right hand into the Dragon's mouth. + +Prince Sunshine had stood facing the huge beast as he transferred the +spectacles to his own nose, and, naturally enough, the first thing he +saw through them was the interior of the Dragon's mouth, with the tongue +raised and shot forward in readiness for the hiss which sleep had +intercepted; and under the tongue was the golden casket containing the +Hidden Treasure! + +The spectacles enabled the Prince to see through the cover; so he +learned the secret at once, and knew why the King of the North was so +anxious to possess himself of it, the great treasure being a pair of +spectacles exactly like those hitherto always worn by the Dragon, and by +him alone--which would keep the King informed of all that was going on +in every corner of his kingdom, so that he could always punish or reward +the right people and never make mistakes; also he could learn a great +deal of his neighbours' affairs, which is pleasant even to a King. + +The Princess was overjoyed when she knew the casket was already found; +she very nearly removed her hand in her eagerness to inspect it; but, +fortunately, she remembered just in time, and kept quite still until +Prince Sunshine had drawn his chariot so close that they could both get +into it without moving out of reach of the Dragon's head. + +Then, placing the spectacles, not in their accustomed place, but on the +ground just beneath, and laying the golden casket on the Princess's lap, +the Prince said, as he gathered up the reins: + +"Now, my dearly beloved Crystal--really mine at last--take away your +hand, and let us fly, without an instant's delay, to the Court of the +King, your royal father." + +It is well they had prepared for immediate departure. Directly the +Princess's hand was raised from the Dragon's head his senses returned to +him, and, finding his mouth open ready for hissing, he hissed with all +his angry might, and looked about for his spectacles that he might +pursue and slay those who had robbed him; for, of course, he missed the +casket at once. + +But he was a prisoner on that mountain and unable to leave it, though he +flapped his great wings in terrible wrath when he saw the Prince and +Princess, instead of driving down the miles and miles of mountain side +as he had hoped, being carried by the fiery horses right through the +air, where he could not reach them. + +They only laughed when they heard the hiss and the noise made by the +useless flapping of wings. Prince Sunshine urged on his willing steeds, +and they arrived at the Court just as the King, Crystal's father, was +going to dinner; and he was so delighted at having the treasure he had +so long coveted, that he ordered the marriage to take place at once. + +Prince Sunset called just in time to be best man, looking exceedingly +gorgeous and handsome, though very disappointed to have lost the +Princess; and the festivities were kept up all night, so that Prince +Sunrise was able to offer his good wishes when he came early in the +morning, flushed with the haste he had made to assure Prince Sunshine +that he bore him no ill-will for having carried off the prize. + +Princess Crystal never returned to her palace, except to peep at it +occasionally. She liked going everywhere with her husband, who, she +found, lived by no means an idle life, but went about doing +good--grumbled at sometimes, of course, for some people will grumble +even at their best friend--but more generally loved and blessed by all +who knew him. + + + + +The Story of the Invisible Kingdom. + + + + +[Illustration] + +The Story of the Invisible Kingdom. + +From the German of Richard Leander. + + +IN a little house half-way up the mountain-side, and about a mile from +the other houses of the village, there lived with his old father a young +man called George. There was just enough land belonging to the house to +enable the father and son to live free from care. + +Immediately behind the house the wood began, the oak trees and beech +trees in which were so old that the grandchildren of the people who had +planted them had been dead for more than a hundred years, but in front +of the house there lay a broken old mill-stone--who knows how it got +there? Any one sitting on the stone would have a wonderful view of the +valley down below, with the river flowing through it, and of the +mountains rising on the other side of the river. In the evening, when he +had finished his work in the fields, George often sat here for hours at +a time dreaming, with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands; +and because he cared little for the villagers, but generally went about +silent and absorbed like one who is thinking of all sorts of things, the +people nicknamed him "George the Dreamer." But he did not mind it at +all. + +The older he grew, the more silent he became, and when at last his old +father died, and he had buried him under a great old oak tree, he became +quite silent. Then, when he sat on the broken mill-stone, as he did more +often than before, and looked down into the lovely valley, and saw how +the evening mists came into the valley at one end and slowly climbed the +mountains, and how it then became darker and darker, until at last the +moon and the stars appeared in the sky in their full glory, a wonderful +feeling came into his heart. The waves of the river began to sing, quite +softly at first, but gradually louder, until they could be heard quite +plainly; and they sang of the mountains, down from which they had come, +and of the sea, to which they wished to go, and of the nixies who lived +far down at the bottom of the river. Then the forest began to rustle, +quite differently from an ordinary forest, and it used to relate the +most wonderful tales. The old oak tree especially, which stood at his +father's grave, knew far more than all the other trees. The stars, high +up in the sky, wanted so much to tumble down into the green forest and +the blue water, that they twinkled and sparkled as if they could not +bear it any longer. But the angels who stand behind the stars held them +firmly in their places, and said: "Stars, stars, don't be foolish! You +are much too old to do silly things--many thousand years old, and more. +Stay quietly in your places." + +[Illustration: "IN THE SWING SAT A CHARMING PRINCESS" (_p._ 20).] + +It was truly a wonderful valley! But it was only George the Dreamer who +heard and saw all that. The people who lived in the valley had not a +suspicion of it, for they were quite ordinary people. Now and then they +hewed down a huge old tree, cut it up into firewood, and made a high +stack, and then they said: "Now we shall be able to make our coffee +again for some time." In the river they washed their clothes; it was +very convenient. And even when the stars sparkled most beautifully, they +only said, "It will be very cold to-night: let us hope our potatoes +won't freeze." Once George the Dreamer tried to bring them to see +differently, but they only laughed at him. They were just quite ordinary +people. + +Now, one day as he was sitting on the mill-stone and thinking that he +was quite alone in the world, he fell asleep. Then he dreamt that he +saw, hanging down from the sky, a golden swing, which was fastened to +two stars by silver ropes. In the swing sat a charming Princess, who was +swinging so high that each time she touched the sky, then the earth, and +then the sky again. Each time the swing came near the earth, the +Princess clapped her hands with joy and threw George the Dreamer a rose. +But suddenly the ropes broke, and the swing, with the Princess, flew far +into the sky, farther and farther, until at last he could see it no +longer. + +Then he woke up, and when he looked round, he saw a great bunch of +roses lying beside him on the mill-stone. + +The next day he went to sleep again, and dreamt the same thing, and when +he woke up the roses were lying on the stone by his side. + +This happened every day for a whole week. Then George said to himself +that some part of the dream must be true, because he always dreamt +exactly the same thing. So he shut up his house, and set out to seek the +Princess. + +After he had travelled for many days, he saw in the distance a country +where the clouds touched the earth. He hastened towards it, but came, on +his way, to a large forest. Here he suddenly heard fearful groans and +cries, and on approaching the place from which they seemed to come, he +saw a venerable old man with a silver-grey beard lying on the ground. +Two horribly ugly, naked fellows were kneeling on him, trying to +strangle him. Then George the Dreamer looked round to see whether he +could find some sort of weapon with which to run the two fellows through +the body; but he could find nothing, so, in mortal terror, he tore down +a huge tree-trunk. He had scarcely seized it when it changed in his +hands into a mighty halberd. Then he rushed at the two monsters, and ran +them through the body, and they let go the old man and ran away howling. + +Then George lifted the old man up and comforted him, and asked him why +the two fellows had wanted to choke him. The old man said that he was +the King of Dreams, and had come by mistake into the kingdom of his +greatest enemy, the King of Realities. The latter, as soon as he noticed +this, had sent two of his servants to lie in wait for him and kill him. + +"Have you then done the King of Realities any harm?" asked George the +Dreamer. + +"God forbid!" the old man assured him. "He is always very easily +provoked, that is his character. And me he hates like poison." + +"But the fellows he sent to strangle you were quite naked!" + +"Yes, indeed," said the King, "stark naked. That is fashion in the land +of Realities; all the people, even the King, go about naked, and are not +at all ashamed. They are an abominable nation. But now, since you have +saved my life, I will prove my gratitude to you by showing you my +country. It is the most glorious country in the whole world, and Dreams +are my subjects." + +Then the Dream-King went on in front and George followed him. When they +came to the place where the clouds touched the earth, the King showed +him a trap-door that was so well hidden in the thicket that not even a +person who knew it was there would have been able to find it. He lifted +it up and led his companion down five hundred steps into a brightly +lighted grotto that stretched for miles in undiminished splendour. It +was unspeakably beautiful. There were castles on islands in the midst of +large lakes, and the islands floated about like ships. If you wished to +go into one of them, all you had to do was to stand on the bank and call +out:-- + + Little castle, swim to me, + That I may get into thee. + +[Illustration: "GEORGE COULD DO NOTHING BUT WONDER AND ADMIRE" (_p._ +24).] + +Then it came to the shore by itself. Farther on were other castles, on +clouds, floating slowly in the air. But if you said:-- + + Float down, little castle in the air, + Take me up to see thy beauties rare, + +they slowly floated down. Besides these, there were gardens with flowers +which gave out a sweet smell by day, and a bright light by night; +beautifully tinted birds, which told stories; and a host of other +wonderful things. George could do nothing but wonder and admire. + +"Now I will show you my subjects, the Dreams," said the King. "I have +three kinds--good Dreams for good people, bad Dreams for bad people, and +also Dream-goblins. With the last I amuse myself now and then, for a +King must sometimes have a joke." + +So he took George into one of the castles, which was so queerly built +that it looked irresistibly comical. + +"Here the Dream-goblins live: they are a tiny, high-spirited, roguish +lot--never do any harm, but love to tease." Then he called to one of the +goblins: "Come here, little man, and be serious a moment for once in +your life. Do you know," he continued, addressing George, "what this +rogue does if I, once in a way, allow him to go down to the earth? He +runs to the next house, drags the first man he comes across, who is +sound asleep, out of bed, carries him to the church tower, and throws +him down, head over heels. Then he rushes down the stairs so as to reach +the bottom first, catches the man, carries him home, and flings him so +roughly into bed that the bedstead creaks horribly. Then the man wakes +up, rubs the sleep out of his eyes, and says: 'Dear me! I thought I was +falling from the church tower. What a good thing it was only a dream.'" + +"Is that the one?" cried George. "Look here, he has been to me before; +but if he comes again, and I catch him, it will be the worse for him." +He had scarcely finished speaking when another goblin sprang out from +under the table. He looked like a little dog, for he had a very ragged +waistcoat on, and he let his tongue hang out of his mouth. + +"He is not much better," said the King. "He barks like a dog, and is as +strong as a giant. When people in their dreams are frightened at +something, he holds their hands and feet so that they cannot move." + +"I know him, too," interrupted George. "When you want to run away, you +feel as stiff and stark as a piece of wood. If you want to move your +arms or your legs, you can't do it. But often it is not a dog, but a +bear, or a robber, or some other horrid thing." + +"I will never allow them to come to you again, George the Dreamer," the +King assured him. "Now come and see the bad Dreams. But don't be afraid, +they won't do you any harm--they are only for bad people." + +Then they passed through a great iron door into a vast space, inclosed +by a high wall. Here the most terrible shapes and most horrible monsters +were crowded together; some looked like men, others like animals, others +were half men and half animals. George was terrified, and made his way +back to the iron door. But the King spoke kindly to him, and persuaded +him to see more closely what wicked people have to dream. Beckoning to a +Dream that stood near--a hideous giant, with a mill-wheel under each +arm--he commanded him to tell them what he was going to do that night. + +Then the monster raised his shoulders, wriggled about with joy, grinned +until his mouth met his ears, and said: "I am going to the rich man, who +has let his father starve. One day, when the old man was sitting on the +stone steps before his son's house, begging for bread, the son came and +said to the servants: 'Drive away that fellow.' So I go to him at night +and pass him through my mill-wheels, until all his bones are broken into +tiny pieces. When he is properly soft and quivering, I take him by the +collar and shake him and say, 'See how you tremble now, you fellow!' +Then he wakes up with his teeth chattering, and calls to his wife to +bring him another blanket, for he is freezing. And when he has fallen +asleep once more, I begin it all again." + +When George the Dreamer heard this, he rushed out through the door, +dragging the King after him, and crying out that he would not stay a +moment longer with the bad Dreams. They were too horrible! + +The King next led him into a lovely garden where the paths were of +silver, the beds of gold, and the flowers, beautifully cut precious +stones. Here the good Dreams were walking up and down. The first he saw +was a pale young woman, with a Noah's Ark under one arm, and a box of +bricks under the other. + +"Who is that?" asked the Dreamer. + +[Illustration: "GEORGE CRIED OUT THAT HE WOULD NOT STAY A MOMENT LONGER" +(_p._ 26).] + +"She goes every evening to a little sick boy, whose mother is dead. He +is quite alone all day, and no one troubles about him, but towards +evening she goes to him, plays with him, and stays the whole night. She +goes early, because he goes to sleep early. The other Dreams go much +later. Let us proceed; if you want to see everything, we must make +haste." + +Then they went farther into the garden, into the midst of the good +Dreams. There were men, women, old men, and children, all with dear, +good faces, and most beautifully dressed. Many of them were carrying all +sorts of things: everything that the heart can possibly wish for. +Suddenly George stood still and cried out so loudly that all the Dreams +turned round to look. + +"What is the matter?" said the King. + +"There is my Princess--she who has so often appeared to me, and who gave +me the roses," George the Dreamer answered, in an ecstasy. + +"Certainly, certainly, it is she," said the King. "Have I not sent you a +very pretty Dream? It is almost the prettiest I have." + +Then George ran up to the Princess, who was sitting swinging in her +little golden swing. As soon as she saw him coming she sprang down into +his arms. But he took her by the hand and led her to a golden bench, on +which they both sat down, telling one another how sweet it was to meet +again! And when they had finished saying so, they began again. The King +of Dreams meanwhile walked up and down the broad path which goes +straight through the garden, with his hands behind his back. Now and +then he took out his watch, to see how the time was getting on; for +George the Dreamer and the Princess never came to an end of what they +had to say to one another. At length he went to them, and said: + +"That's enough, children. You, Dreamer, are far from your home, and I +cannot keep you here over-night, for I have no beds. You see, the Dreams +never sleep, but have to go up every night to men on the earth. And you, +Princess, must make yourself ready; dress yourself all in pink, and then +come to me, so that I may tell you to whom you must appear to-night, and +what you must say." + +When George the Dreamer heard this, he felt more courageous than ever +before in his life. Standing up, he said firmly: "My lord the King, I +will never more leave my Princess. You must either keep me here below or +let her go up with me to the earth: I love her much too much to live +without her." Then a tear big as a hazel-nut came into each of his eyes. + +"But George, George," answered the King, "it is the prettiest dream I +have. Still, you saved my life; so have your own way; take your Princess +up with you. But as soon as you have got on to the earth take off her +silver veil, and throw it down to me through the trap-door. Then she +will be of flesh and blood like every other child of man; now she is +only a Dream." + +George the Dreamer thanked the King most heartily, and then said: "Dear +King, because you are so very good I should like to ask for one thing +more. I have a Princess now--but no kingdom. A Princess without a +kingdom is impossible. Cannot you get me one, if it is only a small +one?" + +Then the King answered: "I have no visible kingdoms to give away, +Dreamer, only invisible ones; one of the latter you shall have, one of +the biggest and best that I possess." + +Then George asked what invisible kingdoms were like. The King told him +he would find that out, and would be amazed at their beauty and +magnificence. + +"You see," he said, "it is often very unpleasant to have anything to do +with ordinary, visible kingdoms. For example: suppose you are an +ordinary King, and early one morning your Minister comes to your bedside +and says: 'Your Majesty, I want a hundred pounds for the kingdom.' Then +you open your treasury and find not even a farthing in it! What are you +to do? Or again, you wage war and lose, and the King who has conquered +you marries your Princess, and shuts you up in a tower. Such things +cannot happen in invisible kingdoms." + +"But if we cannot see it, of what use would our kingdom be to us?" asked +George, still somewhat puzzled. + +"You strange man," said the King, and pointing to his forehead, he +continued: "You and your Princess see it well enough. You see the +castles and gardens, the meadows and forests which belong to your +kingdom. You live in it, walk in it, do what you like with it. It is +only other people who do not see it." + +[Illustration: "THEY LIFTED UP THE CLOTH AND BEGAN TO SPREAD IT OUT" +(_p._ 32).] + +Then the Dreamer was highly delighted, for he was beginning to be afraid +lest the village people should look enviously at him if he came home +with his Princess and was King. He took a very touching leave of the +King of Dreams, climbed the five hundred steps with his Princess, took +the silver veil off her head and threw it down. Then he wanted to shut +the trap-door, but it was so heavy that he could not hold it. So he let +it fall, and the noise it made was as great as the noise of many cannons +shot off at the same time, and for a moment he became unconscious. When +he came to himself again he was sitting in front of his cottage with the +Princess sitting on the mill-stone at his side, and she was of flesh and +blood like any other person. She was holding his hand, stroking it, and +saying: "You dear, good, stupid man, you have not dared tell me how much +you love me for such a long time. Have you been very much afraid of me?" + +And the moon rose and illumined the river, the waves beat against the +banks, and the forest rustled, but they still sat there and talked. +Suddenly it seemed as if a small black cloud was passing over the moon, +and all at once something like a large folded shawl fell at their feet; +then the moon stood out again in her full glory. They lifted up the +cloth and began to spread it out. But they took a long time over this, +for it was very fine and folded many hundred times. When it was quite +spread out, it looked like a large map; in the middle was a river, and +on both sides were towns, forests, and lakes. Then they noticed that it +was a kingdom, and knew that the good Dream-King must have sent it down +to them from the sky. And when they looked at their little cottage it +had become a beautiful castle, with glass stairs, marble walls, velvet +carpets, and pointed blue-tiled towers. Then they took hands and went +into the castle, where their subjects were already assembled. The +servants bowed low, drums and trumpets sounded, and little pages went +before them strewing flowers. They were King and Queen. + +The next morning the news that George the Dreamer had come back, and had +brought a wife with him, ran like wildfire through the village. "She is +probably very clever," the people said. "I saw her early this morning, +when I went into the forest," said a peasant; "she was standing at the +door with him. She is nothing special, quite an ordinary person, small +and delicate-looking, and rather shabbily dressed. What did he see in +her? He has nothing, and she probably has nothing!" + +So the stupid people chattered, for they could not see that she was a +Princess; and in their stupidity they did not see that the house had +changed into a great, wonderful castle--for the kingdom that had come +down from the sky for George the Dreamer was an invisible one. So he did +not trouble about the stupid people, but lived happily and contentedly +in his kingdom with his Princess, who presented him with six children, +each one more beautiful than the other, and they were all six Princes +and Princesses. But no one in the village knew it, for they were quite +ordinary people, and much too silly to notice it. + + + + +How Sampo Lappelill saw the Mountain King. + + + + +[Illustration] + +HOW SAMPO LAPPELILL SAW THE MOUNTAIN KING. + +From the Swedish of Z. Topelius. + + +FAR away in Lapland, at a place called Aïmïo, near the River Jana, there +lived, in a little hut, a Laplander and his wife, with their small son, +Sampo. + +Sampo Lappelill was now between seven and eight years of age. He had +black hair, brown eyes, a snub nose, and a wide mouth, which last is +considered a mark of beauty in curious Lapland. Sampo was a strong child +for his age; he delighted to dance down the hills in his little +snow-shoes, and to drive his own reindeer in his own little sledge. The +snow whirled about him as he passed through the deep drifts, until +nothing of him could be seen except the tuft of his black forelock. + +"I shall never feel comfortable while he is from home!" said the mother. +"He may meet Hisü's reindeer with the golden antlers." + +Sampo overheard these words, and wondered what reindeer it could be that +had golden antlers. "It must be a splendid animal!" said he; "how much I +should like to drive to Rastekaïs with it!" Rastekaïs is a high, dreary +mountain, and can be seen from Aïmïo, from which it is five or six miles +distant. + +"You audacious boy!" exclaimed the mother; "how dare you talk so? +Rastekaïs is the home of the trolls, and Hisü dwells there also." + +"Who is Hisü?" inquired Sampo. + +"What ears that boy has!" thought the Lapp-wife. "But I ought not to +have spoken of such things in his presence; the best thing I can do now +is to frighten him well." Then she said aloud: "Take care, Lappelill, +that you never go near Rastekaïs, for there lives Hisü, the Mountain +King, who can eat a whole reindeer at one mouthful, and who swallows +little boys like flies." + +Upon hearing these words, Sampo could not help thinking what good fun it +would be to have a peep at such a wonderful being--from a safe distance, +of course! + +Three or four weeks had elapsed since Christmas, and darkness brooded +still over Lapland. There was no morning, noon, or evening; it was +always night. Sampo was feeling dull. It was so long since he had seen +the sun that he had nearly forgotten what it was like. Yet he did not +desire the return of summer, for the only thing he remembered about that +season was that it was a time when the gnats stung very severely. His +one wish was that it might soon become light enough for him to use his +snow-shoes. + +One day, at noon (although it was dark), Sampo's father said: "Come +here! I have something to show you." + +Sampo came out of the hut. His father pointed towards the south. + +"Do you know what that is?" asked he. + +"A southern light," replied the boy. + +"No," said his father, "it is the herald of the sun. To-morrow, maybe, +or the day after that, we shall see the sun himself. Look, Sampo, how +weirdly the red light glows on the top of Rastekaïs!" + +Sampo perceived that the snow upon the gloomy summit, which had been so +long shrouded in darkness, was coloured red. Again the idea flashed into +his mind what a grand sight the terrible Mountain King would be--from a +distance. The boy brooded on this for the remainder of the day, and +throughout half the night, when he should have been asleep. + +He thought, and thought, until at length he crept silently out of the +reindeer skins which formed his bed, and then through the door-hole. The +cold was intense. Far above him the stars were shining, the snow +scrunched beneath his feet. Sampo Lappelill was a brave boy, who did not +fear the cold. He was, moreover, well wrapped up in fur. He stood gazing +at the stars, considering what to do next. + +Then he heard a suggestive sound. His little reindeer pawed the ground +with its feet. "Why should I not take a drive?" thought Sampo, and +proceeded straightway to put his thought into action. He harnessed the +reindeer to the sledge, and drove forth into the wilderness of snow. + +"I will drive only a little way towards Rastekaïs," said Sampo to +himself, and off he went, crossing the frozen River Jana to the opposite +shore, which--although the child was unaware of this fact--belonged to +the kingdom of Norway. + +As Sampo drove, he sang a bright little song. The wolves were running +round his sledge like grey dogs, but he did not mind them. He knew well +that no wolf could keep pace with his dear, swift little reindeer. Up +hill and down dale he drove on, with the wind whistling in his ears. The +moon seemed to be racing with him, and the rocks to be running +backwards. It was thoroughly delightful! + +Alas! at a sudden turning upon the downward slope of a hill the sledge +overturned, and Sampo was pitched into a snow-drift. The reindeer did +not observe this, and, in the belief that its master was still sitting +behind it, it ran on. Sampo could not cry "Stop!" for his mouth was +stuffed with snow. + +He lay there in the darkness, in the midst of the vast snowy wilderness, +in which was no human habitation for miles around. + +At first, he naturally felt somewhat bewildered. He scrambled unhurt out +of the big snow-drift. Then, by the wan moonlight, he saw that he was +surrounded on all sides by snow-drifts and huge mountains. One mountain +towered above the others, and this he knew must be Rastekaïs, the home +of the fierce Mountain King, who swallowed little boys like flies! + +[Illustration: "THEY WENT OFF AT A GALLOP" (_p._ 42).] + +Sampo Lappelill was frightened now, and heartily wished himself safe at +home. But how was he to get there? + +There sat the poor child, alone in the darkness, amongst the desolate, +snow-covered rocks, with the big, black shadow of Rastekaïs frowning +down upon him. As he wept his tears froze immediately, and rolled down +over his jacket in little round lumps like peas; so Sampo thought that +he had better leave off crying, and run about in order to keep himself +warm. + +"Rather than freeze to death here," he said to himself, "I would go +straight to the Mountain King. If he has a mind to swallow me, he must +do so, I suppose; but I shall advise him to eat instead some of the +wolves in this neighbourhood. They are much fatter than I, and their fur +would not be so difficult to swallow." + +Sampo began to ascend the mountain. Before he had gone far, he heard the +trotting of some creature behind him, and a moment after a large wolf +overtook him. Although inwardly trembling, Sampo would not betray his +fear. He shouted: + +"Keep out of my way! I am the bearer of a message to the King, and you +hinder me at your peril!" + +"Dear me!" said the wolf (on Rastekaïs all the animals can speak). "And, +pray, what little shrimp are you, wriggling through the snow?" + +"My name is Sampo Lappelill," replied the boy. "Who are you?" + +"I," answered the wolf, "am first gentleman-usher to the Mountain King. +I have just been all over the kingdom to call together his subjects for +the great sun festival. As you are going my way, you may, if you please, +get upon my back, and so ride up the mountain." + +Sampo instantly accepted the invitation. He climbed upon the shaggy back +of the wolf, and they went off at a gallop. + +"What do you mean by the sun festival?" inquired Sampo. + +"Don't you know _that_?" said the wolf. "We celebrate the sun's feast +the day he first appears on the horizon after the long night of winter. +All trolls, goblins, and animals in the north then assemble on +Rastekaïs, and on that day they are not permitted to hurt each other. +Lucky it was for you, my boy, that you came here to-day. On any other +day, I should have devoured you long ago." + +"Is the King bound by the same law?" asked Sampo anxiously. + +"Of course he is," answered the wolf. "From one hour before sunrise +until one hour after sunset he will not dare to harm you. If, however, +you are on the mountain when the time expires, you will be in great +danger. For the King will then seize whoever comes first, and a thousand +bears and a hundred thousand wolves will also be ready to rush upon you. +There will soon be an end of Sampo Lappelill!" + +"But perhaps, sir," said Sampo timidly, "you would be so kind as to help +me back again before the danger begins?" + +The wolf laughed. "Don't count on any such thing, my dear Sampo; on the +contrary, I mean to seize you first myself. You are such a very nice, +plump little boy! I see that you have been fattened on reindeer milk and +cheese. You will be splendid for breakfast to-morrow morning!" + +Sampo began to think that his best course might be to jump off the +wolf's back at once. But it was too late. They had now arrived at the +top of Rastekaïs. Many curious and marvellous things were there to be +seen. There sat the terrible Mountain King on his throne of cloudy +rocks, gazing out over the snow-fields. He wore on his head a cap of +white snow-clouds; his eyes were like a full moon; his nose resembled a +mountain-ridge. His mouth was an abyss; his beard was like tufts of +immense icicles; his arms were as thick and strong as fir trees; his +coat was like an enormous snow-mountain. Sampo Lappelill had a good view +of the King and his subjects, for a bow of dazzling northern lights +shone in the sky and illuminated the scene. + +All around the King stood millions of goblins, trolls, and brownies; +tiny, grey creatures, who had come from remotest parts of the world to +worship the sun. This they did from fear, not from love; for trolls and +goblins hate the sun, and always hope that he will never return when +they see him disappear at the end of summer. + +Farther off stood all the animals of Lapland, thousands and thousands of +them of all sizes; from the bear, the wolf, and the glutton, to the +little mountain-rat, and the brisk, tiny reindeer-flea. No gnats +appeared, however; _they_ had all been frozen. + +Sampo was greatly astonished at what he saw. Unobserved, he slipped from +the wolf's back, and hid behind a ponderous stone, to watch the +proceedings. + +[Illustration: "THE TERRIBLE MOUNTAIN KING" (_p._ 44).] + +The Mountain King shook his head, and the snow whirled about him. The +northern lights shone around his head like a crown of glory, sending +long, red streamers across the deep blue sky; they whizzed and sparkled, +expanded and drew together, fading sometimes, then again darting out +like lightning over the snow-clad mountains. This performance amused the +King. He clapped with his icy hands until the sound echoed like thunder, +causing the trolls to scream with joy, and the animals to howl with +fear. At this the King was still more delighted, and he shouted across +the desert: + +"This is to my mind! Eternal darkness! Eternal night! May they never +end!" + +"May they never end!" repeated all the trolls at the top of their +voices. Then arose a dispute amongst the animals. All the beasts of prey +agreed with the trolls, but the reindeer and other gentle creatures felt +that they should like to have summer back again, although they disliked +the gnats that would certainly return with it. One creature alone was +ready to welcome summer quite unreservedly. This was the reindeer-flea. +She piped out as loudly as she could: + +"If you please, your Majesty, have we not come here to worship the sun, +and to watch for his coming?" + +"Nonsense!" growled a polar bear. "Our meeting here springs from a +stupid old custom. The sooner it ends the better! In my opinion, the sun +has set for ever; he is dead!" + +At these words the animals shuddered, but the trolls and goblins were +much pleased with them, and reiterated them gaily, shaking with laughter +to such an extent that their tiny caps fell off their heads. Then the +King roared, in a voice of thunder: + +"Yea! Dead is the sun! Now must the whole world worship me, the King of +Eternal Night and Eternal Winter!" + +Sampo, sitting behind the stone, was so greatly enraged by this speech +that he came forth from his hiding-place, exclaiming: + +"That, O King, is a lie as big as yourself! The sun is _not_ dead, for +only yesterday I saw his forerunner. He will be here very shortly, +bringing sweet summer with him, and thawing the icicles in your funny, +frozen beard!" + +[Illustration: "'That, O King, is a lie as big as yourself!' exclaimed +Sampo." _page 46_] + +The King's brow grew black as a thunder-cloud. Forgetful of the law, he +lifted his tremendous arm to strike Sampo; but at that moment the +northern light faded. A red streak shot suddenly across the sky, shining +with such brilliancy into the King's face that it entirely dazzled him. +His arm fell useless at his side. Then the golden sun rose in slow +stateliness on the horizon, and that flood of glorious light caused even +those who had rejoiced in his supposed death to welcome his +re-appearance. + +But the goblins were considerably astonished. From under their red caps +they stared at the sun with their little grey eyes, and grew so excited +that they stood on their heads in the snow. The beard of the +Mountain King began to melt and drip, until it was flowing down his +jacket like a running stream. + +By-and-by, Sampo heard a reindeer say to her little one: + +"Come, my child, we must be going, or we shall be eaten by the wolves." + +"Such will be _my_ fate also if I linger longer," thought Sampo. So he +sprang upon the back of a beautiful reindeer with golden antlers, which +started off with him at once, darting down the rocks with lightning +speed. + +"What is that rustling sound that I hear behind us?" asked the boy +presently. + +"It is made by the thousand bears; they are pursuing us in order to eat +us up," replied the reindeer. "You need not fear, however, for I am the +King's own enchanted reindeer, and no bear has ever been able as yet to +nibble my heels!" + +They went on in silence for a time, then Sampo put another question. + +"What," asked he, "is that strange panting I hear behind us?" + +"That," returned the reindeer, "is made by the hundred thousand wolves; +they are at full gallop behind us, and wish to tear us in pieces. But +fear nothing from them! No wolf has ever beaten me in a race yet!" + +Again Sampo spoke: + +"Is it not thundering over there amongst the rocky mountains?" + +"No," answered the now trembling reindeer; "that noise is made by the +King, who is chasing us. Now, indeed, all hope has fled, for no one can +escape _him_!" + +"Can we do nothing?" asked Sampo. + +"There is no safety to be found here," said the reindeer, "but there is +just one chance for us. We must try to reach the priest's house over +yonder by Lake Enare. Once there, we shall be safe, for the King has no +power over Christians." + +"Oh, make haste! make haste! dear reindeer!" cried Sampo, "and you shall +feed on golden oats, and out of a silver manger." + +On sped the reindeer. As they entered the priest's house, the Mountain +King crossed the courtyard, and knocked at the door with such violence +that it is a wonder he did not knock the house down. + +"Who is there?" called the priest from within. + +[Illustration] + +"It is I!" answered a thundering voice; "it is the mighty Mountain +King! Open the door! You have there a child, whom I claim as my prey." + +"Wait a moment!" cried the priest. "Permit me to robe myself, in order +that I may give your Majesty a worthier reception." + +"All right!" roared the King; "but be quick about it, or I may break +down your walls!" A moment later he raised his enormous foot for a kick, +yelling: "Are you not ready yet?" + +Then the priest opened the door, and said solemnly, "Begone, King of +Night and Winter! Sampo Lappelill is under my protection, and he shall +never be yours!" + +Upon this, the King flew into such a violent passion that he exploded in +a great storm of snow and wind. The flakes fell and fell, until the snow +reached the roof of the priest's house, so that every one inside it +expected to be buried alive. But as soon as the sun rose, the snow began +to melt, and all was well. The Mountain King had completely vanished, +and no one knows exactly what became of him, although some think that he +is still reigning on Rastekaïs. + +Sampo thanked the priest heartily for his kindness, and begged, as an +additional favour, the loan of a sledge. To this sledge the boy +harnessed the golden-antlered reindeer, and drove home to his parents, +who were exceedingly glad to see him. + +How Sampo became a great man, who fed his reindeer with golden oats out +of a silver manger, is too lengthy a story to tell now. + + + + +The Witch-Dancer's Doom. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE WITCH-DANCER'S DOOM. + +A BRETON LEGEND. + + +I. + +LONG, long ago, in the days of good King Arthur, Count Morriss dwelt in +the old château of La Roche Morice, near Landerneau, in Brittany. With +him lived his beautiful niece, Katel. Although charming in face and +figure, this maiden had a somewhat uncanny reputation. For it was +said--and with reason--that she was a witch. + +The Count had often urged Katel to marry, but in vain. The lady had no +mind to lose her freedom. Dancing was the one passion of her life. +"When," said she, "I can find a knight who shall be able to dance +continuously with me for twelve hours, with no break, to him I promise +to give my hand!" + +This scornful challenge was proclaimed by heralds in every neighbouring +town and hamlet. In response came many wooers to attempt the impossible +task. Those whom Katel favoured she made her partners at the rustic +fêtes and open-air dances which were then in vogue. In the soft-swarded +meadows, by sunlight or starlight, the dancers would meet, and, to the +dreamy music of the pipes, eager couples would whirl until the hills +around began to blush in the light of the early dawn. The wildest, +giddiest, yet most graceful of the throng was Katel, who danced madly on +until one by one her partners sank fainting upon the ground, and death +released them from the heartless sorceress who had lured them into her +toils. + +Thus perished many suitors, until the cruel maiden became an object of +general hatred and horror. When her doings came to the ears of the +Count, he sternly forbade her to attend any more of the dances. In order +to enforce her obedience, he shut her up in a tower, where, said he, she +was to remain until she should choose a husband from among such suitors +as still persisted in offering her marriage. + +Now, Katel had a wizened little page, no bigger than a leveret, and as +black as a raven's wing. This creature she summoned to her one morning +before dawn, and, with her finger at her lips, she said to him: "Be +swift and silent! My uncle still slumbers. Get thee gone by the ladder, +and his thee to the castle of Salaün, who is waiting for a message from +her he loves. The guards will allow thee to pass; take horse, ride like +the wind, and tell Salaün that Katel calls him to deliver her from this +tower before the day dawns." + +[Illustration: "KATEL TURNED COLDLY AWAY" (_p._ 57).] + +The infatuated young knight obeyed the summons immediately. In an +hour's time he was assisting the lady to mount his horse, after having +got her in safety down the rope-ladder. As, from the window of the +donjon, the dwarf watched them ride away, he chuckled to himself: + +"Ha! ha! And so they are off to the great ball held to-day in the +Martyrs' Meadow! Ah, my dear Salaün! before another sun shall rise your +death-knell will be tolled!" + + +II. + +When Katel and her gallant cavalier arrived at the Martyrs' Meadow, they +excited general surprise and admiration. Some, however, shook their +heads forebodingly, as they heard that Salaün, now Katel's affianced +lover, was to be her partner, for they knew that the brave young knight +must needs fall a victim to her spell. + +The ball began. Some of the most skilful pipers in the land had been +engaged for the occasion, and they played gavottes, rondes, courantes, +and many other dances, without intermission. But Katel waited until +night came and the torches were lit. Then she took Salaün's hand and +they began to dance together. + +"Round again! Once more! Ha! ha!" laughed the witch-maiden, as they spun +along. "What! are you tired already? Do you give in so soon as this?" + +"Never--while I am with _you_!" was the fervent reply. The fatal spell +had begun to work. + +Thus on they whirled, yet more swiftly than before, so that the other +dancers stood aside to watch them. After a time, however, Katel observed +that her partner was gradually becoming weaker, and that he would soon +be unable to keep pace with her. + +"Courage!" exclaimed she, in a bantering tone. "We cannot stop yet; it +wants but a very short time to midnight, and then I shall be yours!" + +Salaün, although almost exhausted, strained every nerve and muscle in a +frantic, final effort to continue the dance. Round the field they flew, +at lightning speed; but it was for the last time. The knight's knees +shook--his breath came more quickly--then with difficulty he gasped out +the words: + +"Oh, Katel! have mercy! I can do no more! Katel, my love, have I not won +you yet?" + +But as he sank lifeless upon the grass Katel turned coldly away. His +fate was nothing to her. At that moment the clock in a neighbouring +tower struck twelve. All the lights flickered and expired; darkness +reigned supreme. And through the darkness, shrilling high above every +other sound, rang the mocking laugh of the impish dwarf. + + +III. + +"What!" exclaimed Katel derisively, glancing angrily at the worn-out +pipers, who had at last paused in their wild music, "exhausted already +by such slight exertions? I wish the Evil One would send me some +musicians and dancers worthy of me! Of what use are these miserable, +puny creatures?" + +As she uttered the words, stamping her foot in her fury, a weird, red +light gleamed in the sky; there was a terrible peal of thunder, and a +strange stir in the trees. Then suddenly, in the centre of the field, +appeared two phantom forms, at the sight of whom the panic-stricken +by-standers would fain have fled. To their horror, however, they found +flight impossible; they were rooted to the spot! + +One of the phantoms was attired in a red garment, covered with a black +cloak. Beneath his arm he held a large double pipe, coiled around which +were five hissing, writhing serpents. The other stranger, who was +exceedingly tall, was dressed in a tightly fitting black suit, and +heavy, red mantle, while upon his head waved an imposing tuft of +vultures' plumes. + +The ghostly piper began at once to play an unearthly dance-tune, so wild +and maddening that it made all the hearers tremble. His tall, grim +companion seized Katel by the waist, and the couple whirled round to the +mad measure, which grew ever faster and more furious. In an instant the +torches were relit. A few others joined in the dance; not for long, +however. Katel and her phantom were soon the only dancers. Shriller +still shrieked the pipes, faster yet grew the music, more and more +swiftly spun the feet. Ere long the witch-maiden felt that her strength +was deserting her; the torches swam before her eyes, and, in the last +extremity of terror, she struggled to release herself from the iron grip +which held her so relentlessly. + +"What! so soon tired?" cried the spectre, jeering at her. "Do you give +in so soon as this? Come! round once more! Ha! ha!" + +[Illustration: "THE COUPLE WHIRLED ROUND TO THE MAD MEASURE" (_p._ 58).] + +Thus was Katel treated as she had treated others. She had no breath +left wherewith to answer; her last hour had come. She made one more +wild, despairing bound, then fell to the ground in the throes of death. +At the same moment, the phantoms vanished. There was a vivid +lightning-blaze, a terrific crash of thunder; then fell black darkness +hiding everything. A tempestuous wind arose, and rain fell in torrents. + + * * * * * + +When the storm had cleared, and the morning sun shone out, those who +found courage to visit the spot beheld the forms of Katel and her lover +Salaün lying dead upon the shrivelled turf. + +Ever since that time, the spot has been shunned by all, and still, by +their firesides on the winter nights, the peasants tell the tale of +Katel, the witch-dancer, and her fearful fate. + + + + +The Three Valleys. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE THREE VALLEYS. + +From the German. + + +IN olden days there lived a Count, who had many castles and estates, and +a most beautiful daughter, but no one would associate with him, for it +was rumoured he was in league with the Evil One; indeed, from time to +time one or other of his servants most mysteriously disappeared. + +The last who disappeared was the shepherd. One evening he did not return +to the castle. Search was made for him throughout the village, but in +vain; no trace of him could be found. After this no one would enter the +Count's service as shepherd; but at last, a bold, handsome youth +presented himself; he had travelled far as a soldier, and cared nothing +for evil spirits. The Count immediately engaged him, and said he could +take the sheep to feed wherever he liked, only he must never go into the +three valleys to the east of the castle. For a time all went well; the +young man drove the sheep into the rich meadows around the castle as +his master had ordered, and led a very comfortable life. But he was +always thinking of the three valleys, and being a brave youth who did +not fear evil spirits, he one day took the cross-bow and bolts he had +used when soldiering, put a new string to his bow, and said, as he +struck his rusty spear against the ground: + +"I will see who will venture to harm me in the three valleys; it will +fare badly with him, I think." + +Going towards the east, he soon arrived with his sheep in the first +valley, where he found beautiful meadows in which he could safely leave +his flock. He looked carefully around, but, except the butterflies +fluttering to and fro, and the humming of the bees, there was neither +sound nor movement. Then he sat down beneath an oak and began to play on +his pipe; suddenly, in the wood near, arose a crashing and cracking as +if some mighty animal were breaking through the bushes, and, before our +shepherd could fix a bolt in his cross-bow, a powerful giant stood +before him and cried: + +"What are you doing here with your grass-eaters, destroying my meadows, +you insolent fellow? You shall answer for this." + +[Illustration: "A WELL-DIRECTED THRUST SOON QUIETED HIM" (_p._ 67).] + +He did not wait for an answer, but threw his spear with fearful force at +the shepherd, who saved himself by springing behind the oak, into which +the spear sank so deep that the point stuck out on the other side. Then, +fixing a bolt into his cross-bow, the shepherd took aim, and struck the +giant so skilfully in the centre of the forehead that he fell with a +deep groan to the earth. Before he had time to rise, the shepherd +bounded forward and ran his spear through his adversary's neck, nailing +him to the ground, and his spirit soon fled. The shepherd took the +giant's sword and armour, and was about to return home, when in an +opening of the forest he saw a stately castle. The doors were wide open; +he entered. In the spacious hall stood a stone table on which was a cup +covered with a silver plate bearing these words:-- + + Who drinks of this cup + Shall overcome the Evil One. + +The young man had no confidence in the words or the drink, and left the +cup untouched. He laid the dead giant's armour in the hall; then, taking +the key of the door with him, he returned home with his flock, and went +to rest without mentioning his adventure to any one. The next day he +tended his sheep on the mountain slopes surrounding the castle, but the +second day he could not rest; so, girding on the sword he had taken from +the dead giant, he started with his flock for the second valley, in +hopes of fresh adventure. Here also were beautiful pastures, if possible +richer and more luxuriant than in the first valley; the flowers breathed +forth their fragrance, the birds sang sweetly, and through the meadows +meandered a stream clear as crystal, by whose bank the shepherd lay down +to rest. He was just thinking that all adventure and danger were past +when an enormous block of rock fell on the ground near him, and a voice +rough and wild, like that of a bear, said: "What are you doing here with +your grass-eaters, you insolent fellow?" And from behind a wall of rock +stepped a mighty giant, brandishing a ponderous stone club. He aimed a +blow at the shepherd, who ducked behind the rock which the giant had +thrown as his first greeting, and the club descending on the stone, it +broke in pieces from the force of the blow. + +Quick as lightning the youth drew his sword, and with one stroke cut +through the sinews in the bend of the giant's knee, who fell to the +earth with a loud roar. He struck out wildly with his fists, but a +well-directed thrust through the heart soon quieted him. The shepherd +left him lying there, and turned towards the wall of rock; here he found +a massive door concealed amongst the thicket. Through this he passed, +and entered a hall-like cavern, in which, at a stone manger, stood a +snow-white horse ready saddled, and over the manger was engraved this +saying:-- + + Who springs on this white horse + Shall overcome the Evil One. + +Now, the shepherd thought: "I am strong enough to take care of myself, +and I do not want to overcome the Evil One, he has always left me in +peace; but I will remember that here stands a fine horse on which I can +ride forth into the wide world." He threw fresh oats into the manger, +shut the door, and returned home. The next few days he remained very +quiet, lest his movements might have been observed; then, as no one +questioned him, he one fine morning drove his sheep into the third +valley. Beautiful meadows glittered in the sunshine; from a hill of rock +a waterfall plashed down, forming a small sea in which sported +innumerable fish. The shepherd looked carefully around, searched under +every bush, but found nothing. No sound was heard save the continued +plash, plash, of the cool water. The day was very sultry, and the +shepherd was just preparing for a bathe in the fresh, clear water, when +from out a ravine near the sea appeared a horrible human head, with one +eye, as large as a plate, in the centre of the forehead, and a voice +loud as the roll of thunder shouted: "What do you want here, you +insolent earth-worm?" + +The head rose higher and higher, until a giant as high as a tower stood +before the shepherd, who with a sure aim sent his lance into the eye of +his adversary. The monster, thus blinded, groped wildly about with his +hands, in hopes to strangle his enemy, but he only seized an oak, which +he tore up by the roots and threw it high into the air. Now the victory +was easy, for though the giant could no longer be hurt by cuts and +thrusts, which slipped off from his body as from a mossy stone, the +shepherd soon found other means. He mocked and insulted the blind giant, +and by the sound of his voice drew him ever nearer and nearer to the +sea, at the side where the cliff overhung the water. At last he sprang +for a moment on the edge of the precipice, and gave a loud, mocking cry, +then silently concealed himself behind a tree. The giant, deceived by +the shout, pursued him eagerly, lost his footing, and fell heavily into +the sea. + +Then the shepherd went down into the ravine from which the monster had +appeared. Here lay a meadow full of beautiful flowers, in the midst of +which rose a spacious mansion, built of the trunks of trees. The +shepherd entered the hall and saw a mighty spear, on whose shaft these +words were cut:-- + + Who throws this lance + Shall overcome the Evil One. + +He seized the spear, but his arms were too weak to raise it, and he +wearily laid the mighty weapon back in the corner; at the same time he +thought, since he had conquered three giants, he could surely overcome +the Evil One without this lance. As the day drew to a close he gathered +his sheep together and returned to the castle. Arrived there, he was +immediately summoned before the Count, who asked him angrily where he +had been. The shepherd then truthfully related all that had happened in +the three valleys, and how he had that day slain the giant as tall as a +tower. + +[Illustration: "'WHAT DO YOU WANT HERE?'" (_p._ 68).] + +"Woe to you and to me," replied the Count, with pale lips. "I heard the +giants' cries of rage, and hoped you were paying for your disobedience +with your life. But it has happened otherwise, and now I and my daughter +must suffer because you, you insolent fellow, disobeyed my commands and +entered the giants' territories; for it has been made known to me that +to-morrow the mighty lord of the giants, the Prince of the Infernal +Regions, will appear, and demand my daughter or me as a sacrifice; but +before that you, you miserable fellow, shall suffer all the agonies of +torture, as a punishment for bringing me into this trouble. + +"Seize him!" he cried to the servants who were standing in the +entrance-hall. His command was at once obeyed, when the Count's +daughter, who had listened with glowing cheeks to the shepherd's story, +threw herself on her knees and implored for delay. + +"Dearest father," she cried, "should you not rather endeavour to make +use of this brave youth for our deliverance than put him to the torture? +He has overcome three giants; surely he will be able to vanquish the +Prince of the Infernal Regions." + +[Illustration: "SHE IMPLORED FOR DELAY" (_p._ 70).] + +The Count remained for a few moments in deep thought, and then +acknowledged that his daughter's suggestion was both good and clever. He +asked the shepherd if he were willing to expiate his crime by a combat +with the Evil One, and the young man, with a grateful look at his +deliverer, at once agreed. With the first dawn of morning he rose from +his couch, for he now recalled the words about overcoming the Evil +One, and hastened to the first valley, where in the castle stood the +cup with the inscription:-- + + Who drinks of this cup + Shall overcome the Evil One. + +He seized the cup and emptied it at one draught, and--wonderful--the +magic draught flowed through his veins like fire, and he felt courage +and strength enough to combat a whole army. With sparkling eyes he +hastened to the second valley, mounted the white horse, who greeted him +with a joyful neigh, and then galloped as if in flight to the third +valley, in which stood the mighty lance. Yesterday he could scarcely +move it; to-day, with one hand, he swung it high over his head, as if it +had been a small arrow. + +By sunrise he was again at the Count's castle, waiting eagerly for what +would happen, but the day passed and no one appeared. The sun had sunk +to rest, and the moon had just risen in all her splendour, when in the +north of the heavens was seen what appeared to be a dark storm-cloud. +With the speed of lightning it approached the castle, and a voice, as of +a bassoon, sounded from out the cloud: "Where are my propitiatory +sacrifices?" At the same time a gigantic eagle, with greenish-grey +wings, like the storm-cloud, hovered high over the castle, ready to +swoop down on his prey. Then the young man set spurs into his white +horse, and shaking his lance high above his head, cried with a loud +voice: "There are no sacrifices here for you, you robber! Begone +instantly, or you shall feel my arrows!" On hearing these words, the +eagle swooped down with a wild cry, before the shepherd could take his +cross-bow, and the young man would certainly have perished had it not +been for his presence of mind and the strength and activity of his +steed. A touch with the spur, and it flew swift as the wind under a very +old and thickly leaved linden tree, whose branches hung down almost to +the ground, so that the eagle could only break in through the side. + +[Illustration: "The eagle swooped down with a wild cry." _page 72_] + +This the bird at once attempted, and it caused his death, for his +outspread wings became entangled in the branches, and the brave rider, +with one powerful blow of his sword, severed the head from the body. +But, oh, horror! instead of blood there came forth from the headless +body of the eagle a huge serpent, who, with wide-open jaws, approached +the shepherd and tried to enfold him in the rings of its flexible body. +By a skilful movement, it encircled the horse and rider, and crushed +them until the young man thought he should be forced into the body of +his steed; but the horse pressed himself so close against the tree that +the head of the serpent came round on the other side of the trunk, and +thus it was hindered from harming the shepherd with its poisonous bite +or breath. One stroke of the shepherd's sharp dagger, and the body of +the serpent fell in two pieces to the ground; the horse immediately +trampled on the head. But the hinder part of the serpent swelled and +swelled, the cut became a frightful mouth, which spurted out smoke and +flames, while from the rings of the serpent's body grew forth claws and +wings, and at last a horrible monster in the form of a dragon threw +itself on the shepherd, whose strength had already begun to fail +through the dreadful pressing of the serpent. But in his greatest need a +saving thought occurred to him--he turned his horse round: it broke +through the branches of the linden tree into the open field, and sped +with its rider to the nearest stream, in whose waters they both cooled +themselves. The dragon snorted after them, spitting forth fire and +smoke. But as the head of the serpent, from whose body the dragon had +grown, had been destroyed, there was no deadly poison in its breath, and +the rider was safe from the flames through bathing in the stream. So he +rode boldly towards the approaching dragon with lance in rest, and tried +to approach it from the side; but all his blows glanced off from its +scaly body as from a coat of mail. Suddenly it occurred to him to thrust +his lance down the monster's throat. He turned his horse and spurred him +straight towards the dragon, and thrusting his lance through the smoke +and flame, stuck it right into the creature's throat. He was obliged to +leave his lance, for his horse, singed by the fiery breath of the +dragon, bounded far to one side; but the monster did not attempt to +follow them, the lance had stuck deep into its body. It struck wildly +with its tail on the ground, until the earth burst, then it shivered and +fell over, first on its side, then on its back, a stream of fire poured +forth from its wide-open jaws, and with the flames its life passed away. + +Thus was the combat ended and the Evil One subdued. Joyfully the +shepherd rode back to the Count and his daughter, and told them all that +had happened. The Count, embracing him, said: "You are our deliverer, +to you I owe my life and all that I possess: take the half of whatever +is mine, or choose from it whatever pleases you." + +[Illustration: "WITH THE FLAMES ITS LIFE PASSED AWAY" (_p._ 74).] + +The shepherd gazed earnestly into the eyes of the Count's lovely +daughter, and replied: + +"I know of nothing, Sir Count, in the whole world which is dearer to me +than your daughter. Give her to me for my wife, if she be willing." + +The Count smiled. "Are you willing, my child?" + +"I love him more than words can express," said the maiden, and sank on +the breast of the shepherd. + +The next day the marriage was celebrated with great splendour, and when +Heaven had blessed their union with children, and these were grown up, +the hero of this story, a shepherd no longer, used to say to his sons +when telling them of his adventures: "There are three things by which +one can subdue giants and evil spirits, and become great: courage, +perseverance, and presence of mind." + + + + +The Spring-tide of Love. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE SPRING-TIDE OF LOVE. + +By Pleydell North (Mrs. Egerton Eastwick). + + +THE mists of the early twilight were falling, and Elsa, the little girl +who lived at the woodman's cottage, was still far from home. She had +wandered out in the spring sunshine in search of the bluebells and wild +anemones with which the wood abounded, for the child loved the company +of the birds and flowers better than the rough play of the boys who were +called her brothers. + +The woodman and his wife said she was strange and dreamy, full of +curious fancies which they found it hard to understand; but, then, they +were not Elsa's real parents, which might account for their difficulty. +They were kind to her, however, in their fashion, and Elsa always tried +to remember to obey them; but sometimes she forgot. She had forgotten +to-day--for although the good wife had told her to remain near the +cottage, the eagerness of her search for the flowers she loved had led +her farther into the wood than she had ever been before. + +The sunlight disappeared, and the darkness seemed to come quite suddenly +under the thick branches of the trees; the birds had chanted their last +evening song and gone to their nests--only a solitary thrush sang loudly +just overhead; Elsa thought it was warning her to hurry homewards. She +turned quickly, taking as she thought the direction of the cottage; but +as she was barely seven years old, and felt a little frightened, it is +not surprising that she only plunged deeper into the wood. + +Now she found herself in the midst of a great silence; the beautiful +tracery of young green leaves through which she had hitherto caught +glimpses of the sky had disappeared, and over her head stretched only +bare brown branches, between which she saw the shining stars, clear as +on a frosty winter's night. The stars looked friendly, and she was glad +to see them, but it was growing dreadfully cold. The plucked flowers +withered and fell from her poor little numbed hands, and she shivered in +her thin cotton frock. + +Ah! what would she not have given for a sight of the open door and the +fire in the woodman's cottage, and a basin of warm bread and milk, even +though it was given with a scolding from the woodman's wife! She +struggled on, with her poor little tired feet, for it seemed to her that +the wood was growing thinner--perhaps there might be a house hereabouts. + +But, oh! how terribly cold. Now there was frost upon the ground at her +feet, frost upon dead leaves and blades of grass, frost upon the bare +tree branches. The moon had risen, and she could see that all the world +around her was white and chill and dead. Surely she had wandered back +into the cruel bitter winter, frost-bound and hard. + +It was strange that she had strength to go on, but she looked up at the +stars, and thought that they were guiding her. At length she came to the +border of the wood, and there stretched before her a wide, open space, +with only a few trees scattered here and there, and through an opening +of the trees the cold moon shone down upon a white, silent house. + +The house looked as dead and winter-bound as everything else; but still +it _was_ a house, and Elsa said to herself that surely some one must +live in it. So she thanked the friendly stars for leading her aright, +and with what remaining strength she had, dragged her poor little numbed +feet up the broad path or road between the trees. At the end of the road +an iron gate hung open upon its hinges, and Elsa found herself in what +once had been a garden. Now the lawns and flower-beds were all alike one +blinding sheet of ice and frozen snow. + +But, oh, joy! there was the great white house, and from one window shone +a light, surely the light of a fire. All the rest was dark. Up a flight +of stone steps the child dragged her weary feet, across a terrace that +had surely once been gay with flowers, until she stood before a huge +door, brown and black, except where the frost gleamed, closed and +barred with iron bars. The great knocker hung high above her reach; but +with her poor little hands she beat against the woodwork. Surely, if +some one did not let her in soon, she must fall down there and sleep and +die upon the step. But at the sound of her faint knocking there came +from within the deep baying of a hound, and Elsa was terrified anew, but +could not run away; then in a few moments a heavy bar seemed to be +withdrawn and the great door opened slowly. + +A tall man stood within--a man in the dress of a hunter, pale-faced in +the moonlight, but strong and powerful, and wearing a long, dark beard +that reached almost to his waist. His was a figure to fill any child +with fear, but Elsa saw only the scene behind him. A great blazing wood +fire upon an open hearth, with rugs in front of it upon which were +stretched two large hounds; a third, shaking himself slowly, had +followed his master to the door. Elsa stretched out her little hands to +the blazing warmth, with the cry of a perishing child. + +"Take me in--oh! take me in!" she pleaded. "Please let me come in!" + +She ran forward. Then with a strange hoarse sound, that she did not +understand, the man stooped and lifted her in his arms, and carried her +forward and laid her gently down upon the rugs in the grateful warmth, +and the hounds sniffed round her and seemed well pleased, and ready to +welcome her--and--for a little while she remembered no more. + +When Elsa came to herself (she thought she must have been asleep, but +the waking was a little strange and difficult) she found that she was +propped up among soft cushions still upon the rugs; the dogs now lay at +a respectful distance, each with his forepaws stretched out and his nose +held between them, while with gleaming eyes he watched with keenest +interest all that going was on. + +[Illustration: "HER NEW FRIEND WAS OBLIGED TO FEED HER" (_p._ 84).] + +The rough-looking man with the long, dark beard and the pale face knelt +beside her, holding a basin of warm, steaming broth. Then Elsa sat up +and tried to drink, but she was so weak with fatigue and cold that her +new friend was obliged to feed her with a spoon, which he did rather +awkwardly. After she had swallowed the broth, the warm blood flowed once +more freely through her veins, and she sank into a deep, sweet sleep, +her little head falling serenely against the stranger's breast and her +hair spreading out in golden waves over the arm that held her. + +When Elsa once more opened her eyes, the cold grey light of morning fell +through the uncurtained windows into the hall. She found herself lying +on a couch covered with rugs of warm fur, at the side of the hearth, +where logs of pine wood, newly kindled, leapt and blazed, filling the +air with sweet, pungent odours. + +For a while she was bewildered, wondering how she came to be there, +instead of in her little room at the woodman's cottage. Then she saw her +friend of the night before kneeling in front of the fire, evidently +preparing food, while the dogs, grouped around, sat on their haunches +with ears erect, keen and observant, watching his movements. Then Elsa +remembered; and she clapped her hands with a merry laugh, the laugh of a +happy, waking child. The man kneeling by the fire started at the sound, +and then turned his grave face towards her with a wistful expression +strange to see. + +"I want to get up," said Elsa promptly. "If you please, I can wash and +dress myself; I've been taught how." + +"Wait a few minutes, little lady, then you shall have all you want." + +The voice sounded strangely, and the man seemed listening to its tones +as though surprised to hear himself speak. But the rough, halting +accents seemed less out of keeping with the old house than Elsa's laugh. +The dogs came and licked her hands, and she played with them until the +man rose from his place before the fire, and lifting her up bade her +come with him. + +He led her to a small room off the hall, which was indeed curious in its +arrangements. A toilet-table stood there with most costly fittings; +brushes with silver and ivory handles were lying upon the faded silk; a +little pair of satin shoes had been thrown carelessly upon the floor; a +cloak of crimson satin was flung over a chair. All these things looked +as though a hand had cast them aside but yesterday--yet all were faded +and soiled, and the dust lay thick as though that yesterday had been +many years ago. + +And among these relics of an unknown past the child made her simple +toilet. She had never seen such magnificence, or felt, she thought, so +sad. But when she returned to the hall ten minutes later, the sadness +was forgotten. + +She looked a quaint little figure, indeed, clad in a silken wrapper +provided by her host, which trailed far behind on the ground, greatly to +her delight; her little feet were cased in dainty slippers which, small +as they were, yet were many sizes too large. In spite of misfits, +however, she contrived to walk with a stately grandeur quite amazing to +behold, until the dogs jumped and fawned upon her, when she forgot her +finery in a game of play and lost her slippers in the rug. + +On the table, a breakfast was rudely spread: cold meats for the master +of the house, who fed his dogs from his own plate, while for Elsa was +provided a bowl of goat's milk and some crisp cakes, which she thought +delicious. + +When the meal was over, Elsa pleaded to be allowed to do for her new +friend the household duties she had been taught to fulfil by the +woodman's wife; and soon, with the wrapper deftly pinned about her +waist, and the silken sleeves tucked up from bare and dimpled arms, she +stood before a bowl of steaming water, washing plates and dishes. Only +the table was rather high, and she was forced to stand upon a stool. + +From that day a strange new life began for little Elsa. + +The rough-looking man who had given her shelter seemed to be living +quite alone with his dogs. Every morning he went out with them and his +gun, apparently to hunt and shoot in the forest, for he usually returned +laden with game, which served to keep the larder stocked. + +Of other kinds of provisions there seemed to be a plentiful supply on +the premises; the granaries were well stocked with corn, which the +master ground himself, while some goats tethered in the outhouses gave a +sufficient quantity of milk for the daily needs of the little household. + +Of Elsa's return to the woodman's cottage there seemed to be no +question. She was terrified at the thought of being again lost in the +wood, and pleaded hard to remain with her new friend, who, on his side, +was equally loth to part with her. + +[Illustration: "SHE LOOKED A QUAINT LITTLE FIGURE" (_p._ 85).] + +Soon, having learned many useful ways from the woodman's wife, she +became a clever little housekeeper, and could make a good stew, while +Ulric, as the master of the house bade her call him, was out with his +dogs in the forest, though now only two of the hounds accompanied him in +his expeditions; one was always left as Elsa's companion and guardian. +Then, too, she could milk and feed the goats, and keep the house-place +clean and tidy. But all the day was not given to such work as this. + +When Ulric had returned, and they had dined together, he would bring the +great carved wooden chair with the huge back up to the fire, and Elsa +would fetch a stool to his side and busy herself with needle and thread, +while he told her strange stories; or sometimes he would fetch a +ponderous volume from a library the house contained and read, either to +himself or aloud to her, such things as she could understand. + +Now, if you wonder where Elsa found the needle and thread which I have +mentioned, I must tell you that Ulric had given her a little work-basket +neatly fitted, but the silk lining of which was much faded, and some of +the needles were rusty. There was in it also a golden thimble, which +Elsa found a little too large. + +And as for the clothes she worked at, one day he brought her a quantity +of beautiful garments, some of silk and satin, and some of fine cloth, +and in these, having nothing of her own but her one poor little cotton +frock, the child managed to dress herself, till she looked like a quaint +little fairy princess. Her stitches were awkward and badly done at +first, but as time went on, instinct helped her small knowledge, and she +grew handy with her needle. + +When she was cooking and feeding the goats, she wore a woollen +petticoat and an apron, a costume more suited to the occasion. + +[Illustration: "HE WOULD READ ALOUD TO HER" (_p._ 88).] + +In the evenings Ulric taught her many things: to read and to write, and +even to speak in strange languages, so that her education was by no +means neglected. He let her wander over the great mansion where she +would, and showed her many of the rooms himself. All bore signs of +having been used quite recently, and yet a long time ago. Dust was thick +everywhere, and soon Elsa grew to understand that the dust must remain +and accumulate; no hand was to be allowed to touch anything in that +strange, silent house beyond the hall and the little room which Ulric +had arranged for her sleeping apartment. One part of the mansion, +however, she never penetrated. At the end of a long passage hung a heavy +velvet curtain, and behind this was a door, always securely locked. Only +Ulric passed beyond it, at stated times, and when he returned from these +visits he was more than usually sad for many hours. + +The weeks slipped into months, and Elsa dwelt on in this strange home. +Every day at first she looked eagerly for the breaking of the frost--for +the promise of the sunshine and flowers she had left behind her in the +wood. But the spring never came. The bitter cold and the frost +continued, and in time the child's heart must have frozen too, but for +the strong, warm love which had sprung up within it for Ulric. + +Old and thoughtful she grew, beyond her years, but never unhappy. Ulric +needed her, was glad of her presence; she could minister to his wants +and brighten his sad life. + +So Ulric's love grew more to her than the flowers and sunshine of the +outer world; to think of leaving him now would break her heart, but she +wondered often over the mystery that shadowed his life and hers. And +the months grew to years, and Elsa was twelve years old. + +Then one evening Ulric came in from one of his visits to the closed +chamber, more sad and thoughtful even than usual, and taking Elsa's hand +in his, bade her sit beside him for a little while and put aside her +work. She came obediently, looking anxiously into his face. + +"Little Elsa," he said, "I have counted the time, and it is now five +years since you came to me. You told me then you were seven years old, +now you are therefore twelve, and will soon be growing into a maiden. +The time has come----" + +Instinctively the child clasped his hand closer. + +"Not to part us, father?" (for so she had learned to call him.) + +"That, my child, must rest with you." + +"Then it is soon settled," said Elsa, trying to laugh, "for I will never +leave you." + +Something like the light of hope shone in the man's clouded eyes--eyes +in which Elsa had never seen a smile, although his lips had smiled at +her often. + +"Listen," he said; "before you speak rash words, I must tell you all. +Then you shall decide. + +"It is a little more than eleven years since the curse fell upon me. I +was a hard man then, Elsa--hard and cruel and strong--it was my boast +that I never forgave a debt, or pardoned an enemy. + +"I had married a young and beautiful wife, and her I loved passionately, +but in my own hard and selfish fashion. Often I refused to heed even +her gentle pleadings for the suffering, the sinful, and the poor. And we +had one child--a girl--then only a few months old. + +"It was a New Year's Eve that I decided upon giving a great +entertainment to all the country round. I did it for my own +glorification. Among the rich I was disliked, but tolerated on account +of my position; by the poor far and wide I was feared and hated. + +"Every one invited came to my ball. My wife looked exquisitely lovely, +more lovely I thought than on our bridal day--everything ministered to +my pride and satisfaction. + +"We had mustered here, here in this hall, to drink the health of the +dying year and welcome the incoming of the new, when above the sounds of +laughter and good cheer was heard from without a pitiful, feeble +wail--the wail of a child in pain. That feeble cry rang then above every +other sound--it rings in my heart still. + +"Before I could interfere, my wife, with her own hands, had flung wide +the great barred door, and I saw a sight which I alone could explain. + +"Upon the step was huddled a woman, with a child in her arms. A man, +gaunt and hunger-stricken, towered behind her in the darkness; two other +children clung to her, shivering and weeping. We were in the midst of +the cruel, bitter winter; the earth was frost-bound, hard and cold, even +as now. That day I had given orders that these people, poor and starving +as they were, should be turned from their home. The man I had suspected +of being a poacher, and he was doing no work--a good-for-nothing--but +_she_, my wife, had pleaded for them that I would wait, at least, until +the summer. Now she bent down to that poor creature on the step, who was +striving to nurse and warm her babe in her chill arms, and whispered +something--I guessed it was a promise of shelter. + +[Illustration: "'MOTHER, AWAKE!' SHE SAID" (_p._ 95).] + +"In my fierce pride and anger I laid my hand upon her arm, and with a +strong grip drew her back--then without a word I closed the door and +barred it. But within there was no more laughter. A voice rose upon the +still night air--the sound of a bitter curse--a curse that should rest +upon me and mine, the chill of winter and of death, of pitiless +desolation and remorse, until human love should win me back to human +pity and God's forgiveness. + +"One by one, with cold good-nights, my guests departed. My wife stole +away to her own apartments without a word; upon her arm I saw the mark +of my cruel hand. + +"In the morning the curse had fallen. The woman I had turned away had +been found at my gates, dead, her child still clasped to her breast. + +"The servants fled and left me alone, taking with them our child; my +wife--that night--she, too--died--to me." + +The man's head drooped upon his hands. For a moment there was silence in +the hall. + +Elsa stood--her child's heart grieved at the terrible story, her whole +nature sorrowing, pitiful, shocked. + +Presently Ulric recovered himself and continued: "Now, Elsa, you know +all. My child, if you will return to the world and leave me to work out +my fate, you shall not go penniless. I have wealth. For your sake I will +venture once more among the haunts of men and see you placed in a safe +home, then--I will try to forget. It is right that you should shrink." + +"Father, dear father, I love you--you are sorry--I will not leave +you--do not send me away." + +A look almost of rapture changed the worn and tear-stained face of the +man who had owned his sin--and the child's arms closed once more around +his neck, and her golden head nestled to his breast. A few minutes later +he led her to the closed chamber. Together they passed beyond it, and +Elsa found herself standing in a richly furnished room. + +Near a window was a couch covered with dark velvet, and upon the couch a +figure lay stretched as if in quiet, death-like sleep, or carved in +marble. The figure was that of a young and very fair woman. Her dress of +white satin had yellowed with time; her hands were clasped upon her +breast as though in prayer; her golden hair lay unbound upon the pillow. + +"It is fitting now," said Ulric, "that you should come here." + +Softly Elsa advanced. She stood beside the couch, gazing down upon the +still, white face, so sweet in its settled grief, but which in this long +silence seemed to have lost its first youth. Elsa bent lower, lower. +What new instinct filled her warm, young heart, and made her speak? + +"Mother, awake!" she said. "Mother!" and kissed the cold, quiet lips. + +Was it a ray of sunlight that stole through the open window and trembled +upon the mouth, curving it into a smile? Slowly the dark eyes opened and +rested with a look of ineffable love upon Elsa's face. + +And so the curse and the shadows of eternal winter passed away from the +house of Ulric, and his young bride came back from her long slumber. In +due time the garden, too, awoke to the touch of spring, and the flowers +bloomed, and the birds mated once more and sang in budding trees, and +the sun shone. And Elsa's love bound closely together the hearts of her +father and mother; for perhaps you have been clever enough to find out +that the woodman's wife was the nurse who had carried away with her in +her flight Ulric's little daughter on the night of the New Year's ball. + + + + +Ringfalla Bridge. + + + + +[Illustration] + +RINGFALLA BRIDGE. + +By K. E. Sutter. + + +ONCE upon a time there lived a King who had two kingdoms to govern--his +own always the perfection of law and order, while the other was given +over to confusion and rebellion, which, strive as he would, got ever +worse instead of better. + +It had been the worry of his life ever since he began to reign--and as +he had no son to help him, he was obliged to find a ruler for it among +his Ministers, but not one of them, however clever, could manage to +control its unruly inhabitants. + +Sometimes, at long intervals, he even went to live there himself, on +which occasions his troubles in regard to it multiplied so exceedingly +that he swore they were half demons, as the name of their kingdom, +Nokkëland, proved, and for his part he wished they could find an evil +spirit like themselves to govern them in his stead, as no mere mortal +could. And then, as he could think of nothing else, he called a council +of his most trusted chiefs, and conferred with them; but as they had all +given their best consideration to the subject many times before, none of +them could come to any more brilliant conclusion than formerly. + +Therefore King Kaftan said he would hunt on the morrow to distract his +mind, so a great party set forth at daybreak, and scoured the woods far +and near, but no sport could they get; no fourfooted beast could they +find excepting rabbits, and they were everywhere. + +Unwilling to return empty-handed, and hoping for better luck on the +morrow, the King gave the order to camp in the wood. Some of the men +were catching rabbits for supper, whilst others were making fires to +cook them, when just as the last rim of the sinking sun disappeared +below the horizon, a beautiful hart as white as snow with antlers and +hoofs of gold, suddenly appeared, and walked leisurely down the glade +towards the sunset. + +Instantly, with one accord, King, courtiers, huntsmen, and servants +rushed off in hot pursuit, helter-skelter over each other, on foot, on +horseback, armed or unarmed, just as they found themselves when it first +appeared. The King, who had not dismounted, was ahead of the others, and +urged his steed with whip and spur; but poor Rolf was very weary, and do +as he would, his master could get no nearer to his quarry. + +Night was rapidly closing in when the King found himself far ahead of +his attendants, and alone with a spent horse in a part of the forest +where he had never been before, and miles from any human habitation. + +More and more faltering grew Rolf's jaded pace, and in proportion as it +slackened, slower went the hart. The King's pulses quivered with +excitement. He leapt from the saddle, drew his dagger, and prepared to +follow on foot; but, to his astonishment, the beast had turned and was +coming slowly towards him, the moonlight turning his antlers to silver, +and gleaming on his milk-white coat. + +Half instinctively, the King had raised his dagger, when the hart +stopped and spoke in courteous, but authoritative tones. + +"Stay thy hand and know that I also am a King in my own country. I have +much to say to thee, therefore follow me and fear nothing." + +So King Kaftan followed, wondering, until the hart stopped before a +great rock, overhung with a tangle of eglantine and honeysuckle--and +pushing aside the fragrant curtain dexterously with his horns, disclosed +what appeared to be the mouth of a cave. Entering this, closely followed +by the King, they proceeded for some way in almost total darkness. +Gradually it grew lighter and the path wider, when the King perceived, +to his amazement, that the illumination proceeded from countless numbers +of bats, ridden by small imps carrying lighted glow-worms. + +Presently they came to a spacious garden, where all the trees were +lighted by coloured lamps hanging among the branches, and the air was +filled with music and perfume. + +Within the garden was a great pavilion of purple silk, most gorgeously +emblazoned with scarlet and gold, and having a Royal banner floating +from the roof. + +Within was a table, covered with every variety of food and wine, +lavishly decorated with flowers and gold plate, and laid for two. Here +the hart entertained his Royal guest to supper, and after he was +completely refreshed and rested, handed him an enamelled box, which, on +being opened, disclosed a clay pipe, blackened with much use, a tinder, +and a flint. + +"Smoke, O King!" said the host; "unfortunately I cannot join you; and +now to explain why I have lured you from your own people to my enchanted +land. + +"I know your difficulties in Nokkëland, because for one reason we are +very near neighbours, though probably you are unaware of it. The people +who inhabit that kingdom are descended from a water fiend, and the +turbulent instincts inherited from him can never be quelled until the +power of the Neck, who rules the river between your kingdom and theirs, +is broken. Now, the Neck is my enemy as well as yours, and if you will +ally yourself with me and follow my counsels, you will have peace, +honour, and happiness for the rest of your life in all probability." + +"I am ready," said the King, "only tell me what to do; the Klavs are the +plague of my life, but from what you say success even then is by no +means a certainty." + +"Much depends on luck," said the hart, "and to neither your Majesty nor +myself is it given to do much. You have three daughters, Solveig, Ulva, +and little Kirsten; one of them must go over Ringfalla Bridge without +stumbling and without speaking one word. This done, your troubles and my +own are at an end." + +[Illustration: "AN ENAMELLED BOX" (_p._ 102).] + +Now, Ringfalla Bridge it was that spanned the river between King +Kaftan's own territory and that of the Klavs, and what between the Klavs +themselves and the Neck who inhabited the river, it had a very evil +reputation indeed. + +The King looked grave, and then he laughed rather grimly. "There won't +be much difficulty about that," he said. "To cross it has been the +desire of their hearts ever since they were babies; it is only my strict +orders that keep them from it." + +"She who undertakes it must go of her own free will, and if she +accomplishes it without stumbling and without speaking, the kingdom is +saved." Those were the last words of the hart ere bidding the King +good-night, and they were ringing in his ears when he awoke in the +morning. But he was no longer lying on the silken cushions on which he +had rested the night before. Pavilion, garden, and hart had vanished, +the sun was high in the heavens, he was lying on a heap of moss and +ferns in the wood, with Rolf standing over him and thrusting his soft +nozzle into his face. + +The King was greatly perplexed as to whether all the events of the +preceding night had actually happened, or if he had only dreamt them, +and was rather inclined to the latter belief. Mounting Rolf, and leaving +that good steed to find his own way back to the camp, he pondered deeply +over all the hart had told him, and resolved at least to try what he had +suggested. + +When at last he came to the camp it was nearly deserted, as most of the +party had gone to hunt for the King, but after much blowing of horns the +company was collected, and, abandoning all further idea of sport, rode +back to the capital. + +There they found everything silent, except that the bells were +mournfully tolling, and the flag over the palace hanging half-mast high. +"What is this? Who is dead?" asked the King, but no one seemed inclined +to explain. + +At last the captain of the guard, who could not run away, was forced to +salute and answer the King. + +"Sire," he said, "your Majesty's daughter, the Princess Solveig, was +drowned yesterday in trying to cross Ringfalla Bridge." + +Greatly to the captain's surprise, however, the King inquired no further +on the subject, but went straight up to the tower where the apartments +of the three Princesses were situated. + +There he found the two youngest overwhelmed with grief for their +sister's loss, but overjoyed to see him and give an account of the +catastrophe. + +On the previous day, after seeing the King start at the head of a great +cavalcade on his hunting expedition, the three Princesses cast about in +their minds how they might amuse themselves, and finally agreed to go +down and picnic by the river. Now, although the river itself was not +absolutely forbidden, they were quite aware that the King disapproved of +their going there, but they pacified their consciences by taking a +strong escort, their old nurse, and a very large variety of hampers +containing lunch. + +Poor old Nurse Gerda was as much averse to the expedition as King Kaftan +himself could have been, and told gruesome tales of the evil water +spirit and his doings; but the Princesses only laughed, and enjoyed +preparing their own lunch, and eating it afterwards, extremely. Then +they wandered along the banks, gathering primroses and long grasses, all +the while drawing near to the forbidden bridge; but it looked so +inviting with its stone parapet and curious wooden pavement, and the +water flowed so peacefully beneath the arches, that they there and then +made up their minds to cross it, and drew lots to decide which should +venture first. The lot fell to Solveig, the eldest, and she set out +boldly with six archers to guard her--three before and three behind, +walking abreast--a last precaution insisted upon by Gerda, the nurse, +who watched the proceeding in terror. + +All went well till they had almost reached the middle, then she tripped, +and in falling touched the parapet, which instantly gave way, and the +Princess fell into the river. As she touched the water a great pair of +hairy arms caught and drew her under, so that she was seen no more. +"And," continued Ulva, who up till now had done most of the talking, +"the wall closed up again, with no sign of a break, directly she +disappeared, and though two of the guard jumped in after her, the Neck +took no notice of them, and they swam ashore in the end quite safely." + +"The bridge is enchanted," said the King gloomily; and then he told them +his adventure with the white hart. + +"Then," said Ulva, with great decision, "I will go: it is very simple. +Solveig talked to Ulf, the archer, all the time, and was looking at the +river when she stumbled. Now, I know what is required of me: I will look +at my feet and say nothing, not a word. Do, father, let me go." And she +gave the King no peace till he consented; but she fared no better than +her sister. + +[Illustration: "A GREAT PAIR OF HAIRY ARMS CAUGHT AND DREW HER UNDER" +(_p._ 106).] + +Boldly and silently she marched in the very centre of the fatal bridge, +till suddenly she saw in front of her an enormous serpent with fiery +eyes and forked tongue, with head up ready to spring. Poor Ulva's chief +fear in life was a snake. She recoiled in terror, calling to warn the +archers, who had seen nothing. And then the flooring gave way beneath +her, and she too sank into the flood, a great pair of hairy hands +clutching her as she fell. + +Then there was great mourning throughout the land. The people clothed +themselves in black, and the King reviled the hart and his own folly in +acting on his advice, and refused to be comforted. + +Then little Kirsten, the youngest sister, and the fairest maiden in the +land, put her white arms about his neck and told him to be of good +cheer; "for I will ride across," she said, "and if Freyja my mare +stumble, it will be her fault, not mine, and I will neither speak nor +scream, for they will tie a scarf over my lips so that I cannot. So, +father, let me go, for it is I who will save the kingdom." + +But the King swore a great oath, and vowed she should not, and for three +days nothing could move him. Then, the Princess prevailed, and the whole +city came out to see her ride over Ringfalla Bridge. + +This time neither guards nor soldiers attempted to cross--a dozen +courtiers, richly apparelled and mounted, accompanied the youngest +Princess, who, dressed in white and all her pet jewels, with diamond +fireflies glistening in the golden hair that floated to her little +shoes, and her small, red mouth bound fast with a silken scarf, rode +gaily upon Freyja till she had crossed the middle of the bridge, when, +once again, appeared a wonder on the verge of the forest--a great white +hart, with horns and hoofs of burnished gold. And straightway all the +courtiers were tearing after it helter-skelter in hot haste, entirely +forgetful of the poor little Princess and everything else. + +[Illustration: "THE YOUNGEST PRINCESS RODE GAILY UPON FREYJA" (_p._ +108).] + +And Freyja that morning was very frisky; she minced along sideways on +her golden shoes, coquetting with her own shadow, and making little +playful snaps at her bridle. So she, too, stumbled at last on the +treacherous planks, throwing her mistress over the parapet into the +swiftly running stream; but this time no demon hands were stretched out +to receive their prey--only a flash of white and gold ere the water +closed over her head, and then all was still. + +Meantime the white hart was giving the truant courtiers a lively time of +it; he bounded, trotted, and doubled, keeping all the time close to the +bridge, but eluding all their efforts to come near him. When, however, +the maiden fell, a marvellous thing chanced--the beautiful beast +vanished, and in his place stood the handsomest knight that had ever +been seen in that or any other land. His armour was of gold, curiously +inlaid with silver; on his helmet was a crown of emeralds, and his long +purple mantle was lined with ermine, so there could be no doubt about +his being a King. + +Then all the courtiers doffed their plumed caps, and did obeisance to +him; but the stranger, after acknowledging their homage, called aloud +for "Asaph," and out of the wood, running as fast as he could, came a +beautiful little page, clothed in green, and carrying a golden harp. + +Then the strange knight crossed the bridge and saluted King Kaftan, who +was standing on the bank looking at the river like one dazed. + +"Be of good cheer, Sir King," he cried; "the Princess Kirsten has broken +the charm, and I am no longer the white hart, but the rightful King of +your troublesome Klavs--me they obey and no other; and now, thanks for +your courtesy." So saying, he took the harp from his little foot-page, +and, seating himself on the bank, began to play. + +[Illustration: "And then little Kirsten came smiling out of the water." +_page 111_] + +Very softly at first, but so wondrous were the magic notes that all the +assembled people listened silent and motionless, for never before had +they heard the like. First the sound was like the distant echo of silver +trumpets when they welcomed the host back from battle; and then coming, +as it were, nearer, like the ripple of waves on a pebbly beach, and all +the fishes swam up to listen, while out of the wood flocked bird and +beast also. So wondrous was the strain. + +And then little Kirsten came smiling out of the water and sat upon the +harper's knee, and one arm he put about her to hold her fast, but still +he kept on playing. And now the music waxed fierce and terrible, like +the roll of thunder among the mountains, or the crash of armies when +they meet in battle. And the waves grew black and angry and lashed +themselves into foam, for the Neck, the evil water spirit, was furious, +but he could not fight against his master, and so at the last he also +came forth, black and hideous, but subdued, leading the two Princesses +Solveig and Ulva, who looked more beautiful than ever, and none the +worse for their sojourn below the river. + +So there were great rejoicings in both kingdoms, for the youngest +Princess had broken the spell laid on Sir Sigurd by the Neck, who caught +him in the forest alone without his harp, and condemned him to wander as +a white hart until a Royal Princess should of her own free will cross +Ringfalla Bridge without stumbling and without talking. + +This little Kirsten did, and she had her reward, for she married Sigurd +and reigned over the Klavs, who were turbulent no more, because their +King and Queen had been born for the special purpose of ruling over +them. + + + + +The Children's Fairy. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE CHILDREN'S FAIRY. + +FROM THE FRENCH of SAINT-JUIRS. + + +IT was a dull, heavy afternoon, and the long, dusty road looked quite +deserted, not a horse or even a foot-passenger in sight. The birds were +taking their afternoon siesta, and the leaves were hanging down +languidly from the poor trees, which were dying with thirst. There were +three solitary-looking, tumble-down cottages on one side of the road, +and presently the door of one of them opened, and a woman's voice called +out: + +"Come, Yvette, come, go out and play." + +In answer to this summons a little girl of some three or four years old +soon appeared, and with great difficulty on all fours began to descend +the steep steps from the house to the footpath. It was quite a piece of +work, that perilous descent, and it was accomplished slowly, carefully, +and very awkwardly by what looked like nothing but a bundle of clothes. + +The child had on a little bonnet made of two pieces of figured muslin +sewn together, and from which a few tresses of fair hair which had +escaped fell over her forehead and down the back of her neck. Her little +frock had been lengthened many times, and, consequently, the waist was +now up under the arms, like one sees in the Empire dresses. As to shoes +and stockings--well, it was not very cold, and so they were put away for +a future occasion. + +When once she had reached the bottom of the steps, the child stood +upright and looked round for a minute or two, evidently deep in thought, +with her little finger pressed against her face. Play! Yes, it was all +very well, but what should she play at? + +At the very time when the poor little mite was turning this question +over in her mind, hundreds of other children, accompanied by their +mother or by their nurse, would be all out in the gardens or parks, and +they would have with them all kinds of games and toys, from the +favourite spade and bucket to a real little steam-boat, which would sail +along on the ponds. They would have cannons, skipping-ropes, reins (all +covered with little bells), hoops, battledores and shuttlecocks, bowls, +marbles, balls, balloons, dolls of every description, pistols, guns, +swords, and, in fact, everything that the heart of a child can desire. + +Then, too, those other children nearly always had little playmates, so +that it was easy enough to organise a game. + +But, Yvette--on that deserted road, what could she do? Her father, a +poor road-mender, earned only just enough to make a bare living for his +wife and child, and certainly not a halfpenny could be spared for toys. + +[Illustration: "DEEP IN THOUGHT" (_p._ 116).] + +Yvette sat down just near a great heap of stones, which her father had +to break into small pieces in order to fill in the ruts. When she was +comfortably installed, she began to fumble in her pocket, and there she +certainly found all kinds of wonderful things: two cherry-stones, a +piece of string, a small carrot, a shoe-button, a small penny knife, a +little bit of blue braid and some crumbs of bread. Now, these were all +very nice in their way, and were indeed very valuable articles, but +somehow they did not appeal to Yvette at all just then. She put them +all very carefully back one by one in her pocket. + +Then there was a profound silence. Yvette was not happy. The little face +puckered itself up into a significant grimace--the little nose was all +screwed up, and the mouth was just opening--tears were surely on the +way! Just at that moment, fortunately, the Children's Fairy was passing +by. + +Now you, perhaps, do not know about this Fairy, for no one ever sees +her, but it is the very one which makes children smile in their dreams, +and gives them all kinds of pretty thoughts. There is no limit to the +power of this Fairy, for, with a stroke of her magic wand, she can +transform things just as she wishes. She is very good and kind-hearted, +and the proof is that she bestows her favours more generally on the poor +and unfortunate than on others. + +Well, this good Fairy saw that Yvette was just going to cry. She +stretched her golden wand out over the heap of stones and then flew away +again, laughing, for she was just as light and as gay as a ray of +sunshine. + +Now, directly the Fairy had gone, it seemed to the road-mender's little +daughter that one of the big stones near her had a face, and that it was +dressed just like a little baby. Oh, it was really just like a little +baby! Yvette stretched out her hand, took the stone up, and immediately +began to feel for it all the love which a mother feels for her child. + +[Illustration: "SHE STRETCHED HER GOLDEN WAND OVER THE HEAP OF STONES" +(_p._ 118).] + +"Ah!" she said to it, cuddling it up in her arms; "do you want to be my +little girl? You don't speak--oh! but that is because you are too +young--but I see you would like to. Very well, then; I will be your +mother, and I shall love you and never whip you. You must be good, +though, and then I shall never scold you. Oh! but if you are not +good--you know, I've got a birch rod. Now, come, I'm going to dress you +better: you look dreadful in that frock." Hereupon Yvette rolled her +child up in her pinafore, so that there was nothing to be seen of the +stone but what was supposed to be the baby's head. + +"Oh! how pretty she is, dear little thing. There, now, she shall have +something to eat. Ah! you are crying--but you must not cry, my pretty +one--there, there." And the hard stone was rocked gently in the soft +little arms of its fond mother. + +"Bye-bye, baby--bye-bye-bye." Yvette sang with all her might, tapping +her little daughter's back energetically, but evidently all to no +purpose, for the stone refused to go to sleep. "Ah! naughty girl; you +won't go to sleep? Oh no, I won't tell you any more stories. I have told +you Tom Thumb, and that's quite enough for to-night. Go to +sleep--quick--quick, I say. Oh, dear, dear, naughty child--I've got a +knife--what! you are crying again! If you only knew how ugly you are +when you cry! There! now I'm going to slap you--take that, and that, and +that, to make you quiet. Oh dear, how dreadful it is to have such a +child. I believe I'll change you, and have a boy. Now, just say you are +sorry for being so naughty----What! you won't? I'll give you another +chance. Now--one--two--three. Oh, very well. I know what I shall do. I +shall just go and take you back. I shall say: 'If you please, I've got a +dreadful little girl, and I want to change her for a nice little boy, +named Eugene.' And then they'll say: 'Yes, ma'am; will you have him with +light hair or dark?' 'Oh,' I shall say, 'I don't mind, as long as he is +good.' 'He'll be very dear, though, ma'am,' they'll say; 'good little +boys are very rare, and they cost a great deal.' 'How much?' I shall +ask. 'Why, one penny, ma'am.' And then I shall think about it----Now, +then, are you going to be good, and say you are sorry? No? Oh! very +well--it's too late now--I've changed you. I have no little girl now, +but a very pretty little boy, named Zizi." + +[Illustration: "OH! HOW PRETTY SHE IS" (_p._ 120).] + +The stone immediately underwent a complete transformation. Just now, +when it was a little girl, it had been very quiet and gentle, and had +kept quite still on Yvette's lap. Now that it was a boy there was no +more peace: it would jump about, and it would try to get away, for boys +are always so restless. + +"Zizi, will you be still, and will you stay on my lap instead of +tumbling about in the road? There, let me lift you up! Oh, dear! how +heavy boys are. There, now, don't you stir, but just eat your bread and +milk. It will make you grow, and then when you are big you'll have +beautiful grey whiskers, like father. You shall have a sword, too, and +perhaps you shall be a policeman. It's very nice to be a policeman, you +know, because they are never put in prison--they take other people there +if the people make a noise in the street. Oh, Zizi, do keep still. If +you don't, I'll call the wolf--you know, the big wolf that runs off with +little children and takes them into the woods to eat them up. Wolf, +wolf, where are you?" + +Just at that moment a dog appeared--a large, well-fed, happy-looking +dog, impudent too, and full of fun. He belonged to a carrier who was +always moving about from place to place, and the dog, accustomed as he +was to these constant journeys, had got rather familiar, like certain +commercial travellers, who, no matter where they are, always make +themselves quite at home. + +Now, the dog had got tired of following his master's cart, and when he +saw something in the distance which was moving about, he bounded off to +discover what it was. This something was Yvette and her little boy. + +"Look, look!" exclaimed the small mother, and there was a tremor in her +voice. "You see, he is coming--the big wolf!" + +He _was_ coming, there was no doubt about that, for he was tearing +along, and his tongue was hanging out and his ears were pricked up. + +The little stone boy was not at all frightened, but Yvette began to +regret having called the dreadful animal. Oh! if she could only get away +now; but, alas! she did not dare to move or even to speak. + +[Illustration: "THE IMPERTINENT DOG CAME STRAIGHT TO THEM" (_p._ 123).] + +The impertinent dog came straight to them. Poor Yvette, half frightened +to death, threw away the precious stone baby she had been fondling, and, +picking herself up, began to run, calling out: "Mother! Mother!" + +The dog was quite near her, jumping up at her, and then suddenly he +turned to go and sniff at the little stone boy. He probably thought it +was a bone or a piece of bread, but he was soon undeceived, and then he +rushed to the hedge to bark and wake up all the birds. + +As to Yvette, she was hurrying along as fast as her little legs could +carry her, for she was in despair, as she thought the wolf was just +behind her, and she imagined that she still felt his hot breath on her +little hand. She stopped when she got to the steps of her home, for she +was out of breath and all trembling with terror, and she felt sure that +if she tried to scramble up the steps the wolf would bite her legs. +Suddenly the inspiration, which the ostrich once had, came to her, and +she rushed into the corner which was formed by the front of the house +and the stone steps, and holding her face close to the wall, so that she +could not see the dreadful animal, she was convinced that she too was +out of his sight. + +She stayed there some minutes in perfect anguish, thinking: "Oh! if I +move, he'll eat me up!" She was quite surprised even that he did not +find her, and that his great teeth did not bite her, for she always +thought wolves were so quick to eat up little girls. Whatever could he +be doing? And then, not hearing any sound of him, she thought she would +risk one peep round. Very slowly she turned her head, and then, as +nothing dreadful happened, she grew bolder and bolder. + +The wolf was not in sight, and instead of the barking which had +terrified her, she now heard a lot of little bells tinkling, and in the +distance she saw a waggon with four horses coming along. + +The sound of the bells was so fascinating that Yvette forgot her duty as +a mother, and stood there watching the waggon as it approached. + +The horses were all grey, and they were coming so fast. Suddenly the +child uttered an awe-struck cry. + +Her child, her little son, was under the heavy wheels! Crunch! crunch! +and it had gone by, the horrible waggon. Yvette went on to the +horse-road, and her little heart was very full; for there, where poor +Zizi had been lying, there was only some yellowish crunched stone. Zizi +had been ground into powder by the huge wheels. The poor child was in +despair, and, with tears in her eyes, she shook her little fists at the +carrier, who was whipping up his horses. + +[Illustration: "HER CHILD, HER LITTLE SON, WAS UNDER THE HEAVY WHEELS!"] + +"Cruel, wicked man!" she cried, and then her eyes happening to fall on +the heap of stones which had supplied her with a family, she saw another +stone smiling at her now. She ran quickly to it, picked it up and kissed +it affectionately, and then, happy in her new treasure, she cried out +defiantly to the carrier, whom she could still see in the distance: "Ah! +I don't care! I've got another--there, then! and it's a girl this time. +I won't have any more dreadful boys to be afraid of wolves, and to go +and get themselves killed just to make their poor mother unhappy." + + * * * * * + +Oh! kind, good Fairy, you who watch over the children, and who give them +their happiness and console them in sorrow when they are playing at +life--oh, good Fairy, do not forget your big children. + +Older men tell me that I am young, but the younger ones do not think so; +and I, myself, saw, only this morning, a silver thread in my hairs. Oh, +kind Fairy, Fairy of the children, help me, too, to believe that the +moon is made of green cheese; for, after all, our happiness here below +consists in our faith and in our illusions. + + + + +"Wittysplinter." + + + + +[Illustration] + +"WITTYSPLINTER." + +From the German of Clemens Brentano. + + +ONCE upon a time there was a King of Roundabout who had, among many +other servants, a page-boy who was called Wittysplinter, and he +preferred him above all the others, and showered upon him honours and +presents, because of his uncommon skill and cleverness, and because +everything the King gave him to do he always accomplished successfully. +Now, because of the great favour which the King showed to Wittysplinter, +all the other page-boys and servants were jealous of him; for, if his +cleverness were rewarded with money, they generally received nothing but +scoldings for their stupidity; if Wittysplinter received praise from the +King, they generally received a blowing-up; when Wittysplinter got a new +coat to his back, they got instead the application of a stick to theirs; +and if Wittysplinter were permitted to kiss the King's hand, they were +only allowed to touch it when they got a smack from it. + +On account of all these things, therefore, they got very angry with +Wittysplinter, and went about murmuring and whispering the whole day +long, and putting their heads together and plotting how best they could +deprive Wittysplinter of the love of the King. One of them scattered a +lot of peas on the steps up to the throne, so that Wittysplinter might +stumble and break the glass sceptre which he always had to present to +the King; another nailed pieces of melon skin to his shoes, so that he +might slide along and make a dreadful mess of the King's gown when he +was handing him the soup; a third put all sorts of horrid flies in a +straw, and blew them into the King's wig when Wittysplinter was dressing +it; a fourth played some other nasty trick, and every one sought to do +something to deprive Wittysplinter of the King's favour. Wittysplinter +was so cautious, however, and so clever and watchful, that everything +they did was in vain, and he brought all the commands of the King to a +successful issue. + +Well, when they found that all these manoeuvres were quite useless, they +determined to try something else. Now, the King had an enemy, whom he +could never get the better of, and who was always doing him some +mischief. This was a giant who was called Sleepyhead, and who lived in a +large mountain, where he had a splendid palace surrounded by a thick, +gloomy wood; and with the exception of his wife, Thickasmud, no human +being lived with him; but a lion who was called Hendread, and a bear +called Honeybeard, and a wolf called Lambsnapper, and a dog called +Harescare, acted as his servants. He had also in the stables a horse +called Flyinglegs. + +Now, there dwelt in the neighbourhood of Roundabout a very beautiful +Queen, Madam Flosk, who had a daughter, Miss Flink, and the King of +Roundabout, who wanted to possess all the land adjoining his own, was +very anxious to marry Madam Flosk. But she was proud, and let him know +that many other Kings were also anxious to marry her, and that she would +accept in marriage that King only who was most expeditious, and that he +who was first by her side when she went into church next Monday morning +at half-past ten should have her as his wife, and all her possessions +into the bargain. + +Thereupon the King summoned all his household, and put the question to +them: "How am I to manage to be first in the church on Monday morning +next, and so gain Queen Flosk for my wife?" + +Then his servants answered him, and said: "You must gain possession of +the horse Flyinglegs, belonging to the giant Sleepyhead; if you once get +astride of it, no one can possibly get there before you; and to get this +horse for you no one is more suited than Wittysplinter, who is so +successful in all he undertakes." + +Thus spoke the wicked servants, in the hope that the Giant Sleepyhead +would kill Wittysplinter. The King, accordingly, commanded Wittysplinter +to bring the horse Flyinglegs to him. + +Wittysplinter got a hand-barrow, and placed a bees hive on it, then a +sack into which he thrust a cock, a hare, and a lamb, and laid it on the +barrow; he took with him, also, a long piece of rope, and a large box +full of snuff; slung round him a riding whip, fastened a pair of good +spurs to his boots, and quietly set off, pushing his barrow in front of +him. + +Towards evening he had reached the summit of the high mountain, and when +he had traversed the wood he saw before him the castle of the giant +Sleepyhead. Night drew on, and very soon he heard the giant Sleepyhead +and his wife, Thickasmud, and his lion, Hendread, and his bear, +Honeybeard, and his wolf, Lambsnapper, and his dog, Harescare, all +snoring loudly; only the horse, Flyinglegs, was still awake, and +stamping the floor of the stable with its hoofs. + +Then Wittysplinter took the long piece of rope very quietly from the +sack, and stretched it across in front of the door of the castle from +one tree to another, and placed the box of snuff in the middle; next he +took the beehive and placed it in a tree by the side of the path, and +then went into the stable and undid the fastenings of Flyinglegs. He +placed the sack with the lamb, the hare, and the cock on its back, and +jumping up himself and using his spurs, he rode out of the stable. + +But the horse Flyinglegs could speak, and screamed out quite loudly:-- + + "Thickasmud and Sleepyhead! + Honeybeard and Hendread! + Lambsnapper and Harescare! + I'm being stolen, so pray beware!" + +and then it galloped off as hard as it could, because, with +Wittysplinter on its back, it couldn't help itself. Then Thickasmud and +Sleepyhead woke up and heard the cry of the horse Flyinglegs. Quickly +they awakened the bear Honeybeard, the lion Hendread, the wolf +Lambsnapper, and the dog Harescare, and all together they rushed +pell-mell out of the house, to try and catch Wittysplinter with the +horse Flyinglegs. + +[Illustration: "THEY RUSHED PELL-MELL OUT OF THE HOUSE."] + +But in the darkness the giant Sleepyhead and his wife Thickasmud +stumbled over the rope which Wittysplinter had tied in front of the +castle door, and, splosh!--they fell with their eyes and noses right +into the box of snuff which he had placed there. They rubbed their eyes +and sneezed one time after another, and Sleepyhead said: "Your good +health,[1] Thickasmud." "I thank you," answered Thickasmud, and then +said: "Good health to you, Sleepyhead." "I thank you," answered he; and +so on, until they had wept the snuff out of their eyes and sneezed it +out of their noses, and by the time this had happened Wittysplinter was +clear of the wood. + +The bear Honeybeard was the first after him, but when he came to the +bees' hive the smell of the honey enticed him, and he wanted to eat it; +then the bees came buzzing out, and stung him all over the face to such +an extent that he ran back half blind to the castle. Wittysplinter had +already got some distance out of the wood when he heard the lion +Hendread coming bounding after him, so he quickly took the cock out of +his sack, and when it flew up into a tree and began to crow, the lion +got so dreadfully frightened that it ran back again. + +Now Wittysplinter heard the wolf Lambsnapper behind him. He quickly let +loose the lamb out of his sack, and the wolf galloped after it, and let +him ride off in safety. He was by this time quite near the town when he +heard a bark behind him, and looking round, saw the dog Harescare +coming tearing after him. Quickly he let loose the hare out of the sack, +and the dog ran after it, and he arrived safely in the town. + +The King thanked Wittysplinter very much for the horse, but the wicked +servants of the Court were very much annoyed that he had come off with a +whole skin. On the following Monday the King mounted upon his horse +Flyinglegs and rode off to Queen Flosk, and the horse galloped so +quickly that he was there long before any of the other Kings, and had +already danced several of his wedding dances when they arrived. Just +when he was about to start off home with his Queen, his servants said to +him: "Your Majesty has indeed the giant Sleepyhead's horse, but how much +more splendid it would be if you had his clothes as well, which are said +to surpass anything that man has ever seen. The clever Wittysplinter +would, no doubt, very soon bring them to you if you commanded him to do +so." + +The King was at once possessed with a great desire for Sleepyhead's +clothes, and again gave the commission to Wittysplinter. When the latter +had started off upon the road the wicked servants rejoiced, and thought +that this time he would surely not escape the clutches of the giant +Sleepyhead. + +On this occasion Wittysplinter took nothing with him but a few good +strong sacks. On arriving at the giant's castle he climbed up into a +tree, and lay hid until every one was in bed. When everything had become +quiet he climbed down again. Just then he heard Madam Thickasmud calling +out: "Sleepyhead, my pillow is very low; fetch me a bundle of straw +from outside." Thereupon Wittysplinter quickly slipped into a bundle of +straw, and Sleepyhead carried him, along with the straw, into his room, +shoved him under the pillow, and then lay down in bed again. + +As soon as they had fallen asleep Wittysplinter packed all Sleepyhead's +and Thickasmud's clothes into his sack, and very quietly and very +carefully tied it to the tail of the lion Hendread; then he tied the +wolf Lambsnapper, and the bear Honeybeard, and the dog Harescare, who +were lying about asleep, fast to the giant's bed, and opened the door +very wide. So far he had managed everything just as he would have +wished, but he wanted to take away the giant's beautiful bed-cover as +well. So he gave the corner of it a slight tug, then another, and +another, and so on, until it fell on the floor. He immediately wrapped +himself up in it, and seated himself on the sack containing the giant's +clothes, which he had tied to the lion's tail. Soon the cool night wind +began to blow through the open door and over Thickasmud's legs, and +waking up, she cried, "Sleepyhead, you've pulled all the bed-clothes off +me. I've nothing at all over me." "Thickasmud, _you've_ pulled all the +clothes off _me_," and thereupon they began to belabour each other, so +that Wittysplinter began to laugh loudly at them. As soon as they heard +this they called out "Thieves, thieves! Up, Hendread! Up, Lambsnapper! +Up, Honeybeard and Harescare! Thieves, thieves!" At this all the animals +woke up, and the lion sprang forth out of the door. Now Wittysplinter, +wrapped up in the bed-cover, was sitting on the bundle of clothes tied +to the lion's tail; and as soon as the lion began to run, he was driven +along just as if he was in a carriage. He began to cry out several times +"kikriki-ki-kri-ki,' just like a cock, and the lion got such a fright at +this that he ran in mad terror right up to the gates of the city. When +quite near to the gates, Wittysplinter took out his knife and cut the +string, and the lion, who was going at such a rate that he couldn't stop +himself, ran his head full bang against the gates and fell down dead. + +[Illustration: "HE COULDN'T STOP HIMSELF" (_p._ 138).] + +The other animals, who had been bound to the bedstead of Sleepyhead and +Thickasmud, could not get it out of the door because it was too wide, +and they dragged it and pulled it about the room so much that both +Sleepyhead and Thickasmud fell out, and became so angry that they beat +the wolf, the bear, and the dog to death, although the poor animals +really couldn't help it. + +When the watch in the city heard the noise of the great blow which the +lion had given to the gates, they opened them, and Wittysplinter carried +the clothes of Sleepyhead and Thickasmud in triumph to the King, who +nearly jumped out of his skin with joy, for such clothes had never +before been seen. There was, among other things, a hunting-coat, made of +the skins of all the fourfooted animals, and so beautifully sewn +together that one could see the whole story of Reynard the Fox depicted +on it. Also a bird-catcher's coat, made of feathers from all the birds +in the world, an eagle in front and an owl behind; and in the pockets +there were a musical box and a peal of bells, which made music just like +all kinds of birds singing together. Further, there was a bathing-dress +and a fisher's-dress, made from the skins of all the fish in the world, +sewn together so that one saw a whale-hunt and a great catch of herrings +on it. Then a garden-dress of Madam Thickasmud's, on which all sorts of +flowers and fruits, salads and vegetables, were embroidered. But what +surpassed everything else was the bed-cover; it was made entirely of the +skins of bats, and all the stars of heaven were represented on it by +means of diamonds. + +The Royal family were quite dumb with astonishment and wonder. +Wittysplinter was kissed and embraced, and his enemies nearly exploded +with rage to see that he had again escaped without hurt from the hands +of Sleepyhead. + +Even yet they did not despair, and put the idea into the King's head +that nothing was now wanting to his dignity but that he should possess +the castle of Sleepyhead itself, and the King, who was a very child in +these matters and always wanted to have whatever took his fancy, said +immediately to Wittysplinter that he wanted Sleepyhead's castle, and +that as soon as he got it for him he would be rewarded. + +Wittysplinter did not take much time to think about it, and for the +third time ran off to the abode of Sleepyhead. When he arrived there, +the giant was not at home, and he heard something in the room crying +like a calf. Then he looked through the window, and saw Dame Thickasmud +chopping wood, and at the same time nursing a little giant on her arm, +who was showing his teeth and bleating like a calf. + +Wittysplinter went in, and said: "Good-day, my great and beautiful, +broad and portly dame! How is it that you have got to do so much work +and have to nurse your child at the same time? Have you no maids or +grooms? Where is your husband, then?" + +"Ach," said Madam Thickasmud, "my husband has gone out to invite all +his relations to a feast we are going to hold. And I have to cook +everything for myself now, for my husband killed the bear, and the wolf, +and the dog, that used to help us; and the lion has run off, too." + +"That is certainly very hard lines on you," said Wittysplinter. "If I +could do anything to help you, I should be only too glad." + +Then Thickasmud asked him to chop up four logs of wood into small pieces +for her; and Wittysplinter took the axe and said to the giantess: "You +might hold the wood for me a moment, please," and the giantess bent down +and caught hold of the wood. Wittysplinter raised the axe in the air, +and swish! down it came, and cut Thickasmud's head off and Mollakopp's +at the same time, and there they lay. + +The next thing he proceeded to do was to dig a large, deep hole right in +front of the castle door, into which he threw Thickasmud and Mollakopp, +and then covered over the opening with a thin layer of branches and +leaves. Then he proceeded to light up all the rooms of the castle with +candles and torches, and took a large copper kettle, and beat upon it +with soup ladles. Then he got a tin funnel, and blew a blast on it just +like a trumpet, and between each performance he shouted, "Hurrah! Long +live His Majesty the King of Roundabout." + +When Sleepyhead was returning home towards evening, and saw all the +lights in the windows and heard the shouting, he was mad with rage, and +ran with such fury against the door that he fell through the hole +covered with branches and lay there a prisoner, shouting and making a +great noise. Wittysplinter immediately ran down and threw large stones +on him, until he had filled up the hole. + +[Illustration: "WITTYSPLINTER THREW LARGE STONES ON HIM."] + +And now Wittysplinter took the key of the castle and ran with it to King +Roundabout, who immediately betook himself to the castle, along with his +wife Flosk and her daughter Flink and Wittysplinter, and inspected all +there was to be seen there. After they had spent fourteen whole days in +looking at an immense number of rooms, chambers, cellars, look-out +towers, bakeries, furnaces, kitchens, wood-stove houses, dining-rooms, +smoking-rooms, wash-houses, etc., the King asked Wittysplinter what he +would like as a reward for his faithful services. And Wittysplinter +replied that he would like to marry the Princess Flink, if it were +agreeable to her. The Princess very readily consented, and they were +married and lived in the giant's castle, where they are to be found to +this day. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] The custom of wishing one "Good Health" after a sneeze, prevalent +in Germany and other European countries, is supposed to have origin in +the fact that the crisis, or turning-point for better or worse of a +certain fever, is indicated by a sneeze from the patient, and hence the +natural expression of a hope for a favourable recovery. + + + + +The Mid-day Rock. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE MID-DAY ROCK. + +FROM THE FRENCH of J. JARRY. + + +ONCE upon a time there was a poor man, who lived somewhere in the middle +of the woods near a place called Gâtines de Treigny. Everybody called +him Father Rameau. Not that he had any children--he had not even ever +been married; nor that he was very old, for he was barely fifty; but he +had always had such a hard time of it that his hair had grown grey very +early, and his back had been bent and bowed long before its time. + +He was generally to be seen toiling along under a big bundle of brooms, +which he made with the greatest skill from young birch branches, selling +them on market days to the housewives of Saint-Amand or Saint-Sauveur. + +Father Rameau was not ambitious, far from it; if he had been alone in +the world, without relations depending on him, he would have been quite +content to live on black bread every day of the week, with an occasional +glass of wine from the charitable folk of the neighbourhood. But Father +Rameau had a younger sister married to a vine-dresser of Perreuse, and +he was god-father to their daughter; she was just growing up into a +woman, and was so pretty and modest and intelligent, that every one had +a good word for her, and now she was engaged to be married to a young +man called George, a capital worker, but without a penny in the world. +The wedding was to take place as soon as she was twenty; and they had +given each other engagement rings--common leaden rings, bought from one +of the pedlars who visit the hamlets of the district. + +Humble as he was where he himself only was concerned, Father Rameau was +proud indeed in matters connected with his niece. + +"A leaden ring," he murmured, "when so many other girls, not half as +good as my god-daughter, have a gold one! How I wish Madeleine could +choose the one she liked best from the jeweller's shop in Saint-Sauveur! +Ah, it's not much use wishing. If I put by every penny I could spare for +years and years I could never afford it. Madeleine's poor, George is +poor, I am poor, and always shall be. Well, we're honest, that's one +comfort, and we needn't be jealous, at any rate." + +As the old broomseller was thinking all this, he met George, who was +driving a pair of oxen, their nostrils steaming in the first rays of the +morning sun. "Good-day, lad," said he. + +"Good-day, Father Rameau." + +"Off to work already?" + +"Yes, father. I'm just going over the master's fields for the last time +before seed sowing; we shall begin next week. We're rather behind hand +you know." + +"So you are; October's nearly over." + +"Can you guess what I was thinking of as I came along?" + +"_What_ you were thinking of? You mean _who_," said Father Rameau, +rather crossly. + +"Well, yes, you're right. Madeleine is never out of my mind," answered +George thoughtfully. "I was saying to myself that, if there are plenty +of weeds over there" (and he pointed to the uncultivated moor with his +goad), "there is good soil as well, and that any one who had time to +clear even a corner of it might buy the girl he was engaged to----" + +"A gold ring!" + +"How _did_ you guess what I meant? You don't come from Chêneau, where +all the wizards live," laughed George. + +"No witchcraft in that, nephew. The other day I saw how unhappy you were +that you could only give Madeleine a leaden ring, and I was just as +sorry myself that I couldn't buy her a better one ... and ever since +I've been trying to think of a way...." + +"And have you found one, father?" + +"_You've_ found it for me, lad. I shall make a clearing of a bit of the +moor." + +Even at the risk of offending his future uncle, the young labourer could +not help smiling. + +"That's a task for stronger arms than yours, father," he said. "No one +can beat you at cutting birch branches and making them into brooms. But +that doesn't need so much muscle as digging up soil like this, pulling +up the great roots out of it, or smashing and carrying away huge +boulders of rock. Ah, if only I had not given my word to stay with my +master till I am married!" + +"You may laugh at me, lad, but I won't bear malice," said the old man. +"If the old are not so strong as the young, they are more persevering. I +shall clear a bit of the moor, and with the money from my first harvest +we will go and buy the ring. Good-bye, lad." + +"Good-bye, father; we shall see you doing wonders before long, I know." + +"I shall be working for Madeleine," he said, "and your patron saint +(George means cultivator of the soil) will help me." + +At twelve precisely, Father Rameau came back to the moor with a heavy +pick on his shoulder; he meant to set to work without delay. + +Bang went the first stroke of the pick, accompanied with the significant +grunt diggers, woodmen, and such folk give over their work. But just as +he was raising his arm for another try, he stood suddenly stock-still, +with eyes staring wide in a white, terrified face. + +From the midst of the boulders scattered about, which were trembling +like Celtic monuments, had arisen an apparition, which the old man knew +was supernatural and divine, though its form was human. + +Imagine a tiny little lady, ethereal rather than thin, youthfully lovely +and dainty, a kind of dream beauty, attired in a silvery tunic +embroidered with gorse blossoms. On her head a wreath of heather; in her +hand a wand of the broom plant in blossom; all around the holly, ferns, +and junipers, all the wild plants and shrubs, were bowing down as if in +homage to a Sovereign. A ray of sunlight was playing round her head like +an aureole. She was the Fairy of the Moor. + +"You are a bold man," she said to the old workman, "to dare thus to +encroach on my domains." There was a thrill of anger in her clear voice, +and her blue eyes sparkled. + +[Illustration: "HE STOOD SUDDENLY STOCK-STILL" (_p._ 148).] + +"Lady Fairy," stammered the old man, "be merciful to a wretched labourer +who never meant to wrong you. Your domains are so vast, I hoped there +would be no harm if I took the liberty of borrowing just a little corner +from you." + +"What do you want it for?" + +"To cultivate it," answered old Rameau, who was beginning to feel less +frightened. + +"To cultivate it!" cried the fairy. "You mean to dig it up, turn it +over, and upset it all round! Do you not see how lovely it is now, and +are you so presumptuous as to think you can do better for it than Nature +has done already?" Her voice grew softer as she went on: "What could you +find anywhere that is as beautiful as this spot in spring-time, when, +under a sky of the tenderest blue, the little leaves are beginning to +bud on the branches, the tufts of narcissus are opening among the +marshes, and everywhere in the woods around the blackbirds are beginning +to whistle their first notes, the doves keep up a gentle cooing, and the +jays are chattering like parrots?" + +"A couple of partridges calling to each other," answered the old man, "a +quail uttering its three sonorous cries, or a lark soaring into the sky +with its breathless melody, make a pleasanter sound, to my way of +thinking. But these are birds that like to build their nests among the +corn. They are not found near your kingdom." + +"In summer," went on the fairy, "when the moors are flooded with +sunshine, and the heat brings out a delicious odour of resin from my +favourite shrubs, I love to look on the purple of the heather, and the +gold of gorse and broom." + +"I prefer the pink clover with the drowsy bees humming over it," +answered the old man, "and the ripening harvest, yellow like your +beautiful hair, Lady Fairy." + +Fairy as she was, the queen of the moors was not displeased at the +compliment. Father Rameau saw this from her face, and said to himself +his cause was half won. + +"In autumn," she retorted, though, "even here, there comes to me, out +of the depths of the thickets near, the baying of the pack when the hunt +is out, and often they traverse my domains to get from one part of the +forest to another. The poor, hunted stag, whose tongue is hanging out of +his mouth with weariness, makes for this very heap of rocks sometimes; +then I help him to elude his cruel foes and to get away safely." + +"Yes," said the old man, as if he liked this idea, "the dogs get their +noses pricked on the thorn-bushes and lose trace of their prey. That is +indeed a kind action. I, too, like to put the pack on a wrong scent. The +stags are such dear things, with their soft brown eyes. Those in this +neighbourhood know me, and when I sit down to make my brooms right in +the middle of a copse, as I do sometimes, they come quite close up to +me. If only there were wheat growing on your moor, you would be able to +protect the hares, too, for they would then take refuge in the shelter +of your park." + +"But when you have pulled up my holly and junipers and broom-bushes, how +shall I be able to make fires for the long winter evenings? I shall die, +pierced by the cruel breath of the keen north wind, and be buried under +a shroud of white snow." + +"Oh, gracious fay, if you fear the cold, will there not always be the +place of honour kept for you by our chimney-corner, in the little home I +mean to build on the moor? You will come and get warm whenever you like +by our fireside. My god-daughter, Madeleine, will keep you company, and +some day, perhaps, I shall entreat you to be god-mother to her first +baby." + +Thus Father Rameau had his answer ready for all her objections. These +last words of his touched the fairy, and the expression of her face +became very soft and kind. "I know Madeleine well," she said; "I know +how fair she is to see, in her snowy white caps. I know how her goodness +is spoken of far and wide; and I have even heard that she is to marry +that hard-working lad I saw talking with you this morning. They will be +a charming pair, and their home will be a delightful place. And you, +dear old man, who have no ambition for yourself, but only care for your +dear ones, you will have your reward for your cheerful faith in the +future. Take up your pick and have courage over your digging. I grant +you this corner of my domain. The rest I am sure you will respect, for +you are not greedy; will the others who come after you spare it, too? +Alas, when once the moor has been cleared all over and cultivated, I +shall have to die! But we will only think of the happiness of your young +folk; and, silence! not a word of all this to any one!" + +And with a finger on her lips, she vanished. + +By the end of October Father Rameau had dug over, cleared, and prepared +two acres of ground. All by himself? With his pickaxe and spade? Yes, +quite by himself, and with his pickaxe and spade. He had worked as if by +magic, for the fairy, always present and always invisible, had endowed +him with some of her magic power. She helped him to split the hardest +boulders, to haul up the most tenacious roots, to collect in bundles the +old tree-stumps and weeds, and every kind of rubbish, and set fire to +it, and so make the very first dressing the soil had ever had on it. +Will you believe it? By seed-sowing time the ground was ready, and was +sown with oats, which began to grow in no time, came well through all +the frosts, and by the following April was waving abroad in a luxuriant +mass of green. A lark built its nest in it, and every morning nodded its +little tufted head at Father Rameau, who was watching over its nest, as +if out of gratitude for what he had done. + +[Illustration: FATHER RAMEAU CLEARS THE PATCH.] + +The harvest was splendid, and fetched a high price. + +George could no longer smile at Father Rameau's old arms, and had to +confess he had found his master: Father Rameau smiled slily when he +said, "After all, nephew, we shall have a gold ring for Madeleine." But +when the time came for getting it, Madeleine would not allow it. "No, +father," she said, "you have toiled and moiled this year at your +digging; buy a plough: any one will lend you a plough-horse for a few +days, and it won't be nearly such hard work for you." + +So when autumn came again, the old man cleared another two acres, and +next summer his harvest was twice as big--and so were his profits. + +Madeleine still refused the precious ring. "Buy a pair of oxen," she +said; "you will be independent then of every one." + +Next year the old man's field was bigger than ever; and Madeleine +advised him to use the profit of his harvest for building a little +house. Her modest, sensible advice was acted upon every time, and, in +fact, when the wedding-day arrived, the gold ring had still not been +bought and at the marriage ceremony, in the church at Treigny, it was +over the old leaden rings of their betrothal that the curé pronounced +his blessing. "We have given our hearts to each other," said the young +wife; "what do we want with gold rings after that? What do you think, +George?" + +"I mean to spend the money on a christening robe, then," said Father +Rameau gaily. "Bless me, things'll have to be just so then, if ever they +are! If you only knew what kind of a god-mother----" + +But he stopped short just in time, remembering the fairy's injunction +about silence; and Madeleine, whom he had made very inquisitive, could +not get another word out of him. She never found out what he meant till +her first baby was born, when on the day of the christening there +stepped into the cottage, surrounded by a circle of bright light, the +marvellous god-mother, the Fairy of the Moor. + +[Illustration: "THE FAIRY OF THE MOOR."] + +Many tried to follow Father Rameau's example and cultivate a portion of +the moor; but very few succeeded, because the fairy could see into the +very bottom of their hearts, and would only help the true-hearted--rare +folk, alas! in this world. There is much left still to be cleared. And +she yet lives on, the little fairy of the silvery tunic embroidered with +gorse blossoms, with her crown of heather bells, and her wand a verdant +broom branch. But if ever you want to see her, as old Father Rameau did, +you must arrive at the Mid-day Rock on the first stroke of twelve, and +have a conscience perfectly clear; two conditions which seem easy +enough, and which are really very difficult of fulfilment. + + + + +Lillekort. + + + + +[Illustration] + +Lillekort. + +From the French of Xavier Marmier. + + +THERE was once a man and his wife who were very, very poor, and had a +great many children. Each year added one to the number. One day the wife +gave birth to a beautiful boy, who, on opening his eyes, cried: + +"Dearest mother, give me some of my brother's old clothes, and food for +two days, and I will go into the world and seek my fortune, for I see +you have enough children here without me." + +"Heaven forbid, my child!" exclaimed the mother. "You are much too young +to leave the house." + +But the little one insisted; so at length his mother gave him some +clothes and some food, and he departed, full of joy. Lillekort (for so +he named himself) travelled towards the east. Presently he met an old, +one-eyed woman, and took away her eye. + +"Alas!" she cried, "I can no longer see. What will become of me?" + +"What will you give me for your eye?" asked Lillekort. + +"A sword that will slay a whole army, no matter how numerous." + +"So be it." + +Lillekort took the sword and continued his journey. A little farther on +he met another old, one-eyed woman, took away her eye, and asked what +she would give him for returning it. + +The old woman said she would give him a ship that would sail over land +and sea, over mountains and valleys, and on his agreeing, she gave him a +little ship so small and light that he could carry it about in his +pocket. + +As soon as he was quite alone Lillekort stopped to examine his little +vessel. He drew it from his pocket and put one foot in it. Immediately +it grew larger. He put in the second foot. It grew yet larger. He sat +down in it. It increased yet more. Then he said: + +"Go over the waves of the ocean, over mountains and through valleys, +until you reach the palace of the King." + +The ship immediately sped through space with the rapidity of a bird, and +stopped in front of a magnificent palace. From one of the windows of +this palace several persons beheld, with astonishment and interest, this +boy who travelled in a manner so strange, and they hastened out to +obtain a nearer view of the wonder. But Lillekort had already put his +ship in his pocket. They asked who he was and whence he came. To these +different questions he knew not how to reply; but in a firm voice said +he wished to enter the service of the King, no matter in what capacity; +if need be, as a servant of the servants. + +His humble request was granted. He was ordered to fetch wood and water +for the kitchen. Arriving at the palace he saw with surprise that all +the walls were hung with black, both without and within. + +"Wherefore," he asked the cook, "this appearance of mourning?" + +"Alas!" she replied, "the only daughter of our King has been promised to +three trolls, enormous ogres, and Thursday next the first comes to claim +her. A knight, whose name is Rend, has undertaken to defend her. But how +should he succeed? In the meantime we are all plunged in anguish and +affliction." + +Thursday evening Rend led the Princess to the sea-shore. It was here he +had to defend her. But he was not very brave, so instead of waiting near +her he climbed a tree and hid among the branches. In vain the Princess +begged him to assist her. + +"No, no," said he; "why two victims? One is sufficient." + +At that moment Lillekort asked the cook's permission to go to the +sea-shore. + +"Go," said she, "but be sure you return by the time I prepare supper, +and do not forget to bring me a good load of wood." + +Lillekort promised, and ran toward the beach. At the same time the +troll appeared, making a noise like thunder. His body was of enormous +dimensions and he had five frightful heads. + +"Madman!" he cried, on seeing the little kitchen-boy. + +"Madman!" repeated Lillekort. + +"Do you know how to fight?" + +"If I do not know I will learn." + +The troll then threw a bar of iron at Lillekort, which, falling on the +ground, raised a pile of sand and dust. + +"A beautiful tower of strength," cried Lillekort. "Now, see mine." + +With these words he drew his sword, and with one blow smote off the +monster's five heads. + +Finding herself delivered, the Princess began to dance and sing gaily, +then she said to the young boy: "Rest, lay your head on my knees." + +Whilst he thus rested she placed on him a suit of golden armour. + +All danger being over, Rend came down from the tree, took the tongues +and lungs of the monster, and then told the Princess he would kill her +unless she promised to acknowledge him publicly as her deliverer. She +yielded to his threats, and he returned with her in triumph to the +palace. The King loaded him with honours, and at supper seated him at +his right hand. Meanwhile, Lillekort entered the giant's ship, and +brought from thence a quantity of gold and silver trinkets. + +"From whence all these riches?" asked the cook anxiously, for she feared +he had stolen them. + +"Reassure yourself," he replied. "I went home for a moment; these +trinkets fell from an old piece of furniture, so I brought them back for +you." + +"What beautiful things! A thousand thanks!" + +[Illustration: "WHILST HE THUS RESTED SHE PLACED ON HIM A SUIT OF GOLDEN +ARMOUR" (_p._ 162).] + +The Thursday following, fresh grief, fresh anguish. However, Rend said +as he had vanquished the first troll, he reckoned he could conquer the +second. But this time also he took refuge among the branches of a tree, +saying: "Why two victims? One is surely sufficient." + +Lillekort again obtained the cook's permission to go out, he said to +play with some children on the sea-shore; so he hastened forth, after +promising to return by the time she prepared supper, and bring a good +load of wood. + +As he reached the shore he saw the troll approaching. He was twice as +colossal as the first, and had ten heads. + +"Madman!" exclaimed the troll, on seeing Lillekort. + +"Madman!" repeated the valiant boy, and on the troll asking if he could +fight, replied, as on the former occasion, that he could learn. + +The giant then threw a bar of iron at him, which, falling on the ground, +raised a column of dust thirty feet high. + +"A beautiful tower of strength," said the boy. "Now, see mine." And +drawing his sword, he, with one blow, smote off the monster's ten heads. + +Again the Princess desired him to rest his head on her knees, and this +time she placed on him a suit of silver armour. + +Rend now came down from the tree, took the tongues and lungs of the +troll, and returned with the Princess in triumph to the palace, after +having declared he would kill her if she did not acknowledge him +publicly as her deliverer. The King received him with enthusiasm, and +knew not how to show his gratitude. + +Lillekort returned to the kitchen, carrying a quantity of gold and +silver he had taken from the troll's ship. + +[Illustration: "HE HAD FIFTEEN HEADS" (_p._ 166).] + +The third Thursday, the palace was again hung with black, and the people +were plunged in grief. But Rend said he had already conquered two +formidable monsters and would overcome the third. But, as on the +preceding Thursdays, he hid in the tree, and when the Princess implored +him to remain with her, said one victim was sufficient. + +Lillekort, who had again obtained the cook's permission to go out, +reached the shore at the same time as the monster, who was much more +terrible than either of the two former. He had fifteen heads, and the +bar of iron he threw at his brave little adversary raised a column of +earth forty feet high. Lillekort, however, with his magic sword, struck +off the fifteen heads at one blow. + +"Rest," said the Princess; "rest your head on my knees." + +Whilst he thus rested, she put on him a suit of bronze armour, and said: + +"How can we make it known that it is you who saved me?" + +"Listen," replied Lillekort, "this is my idea. Rend will go without +scruple to claim the reward promised to your deliverer: your hand and +the half of your father's kingdom. When the day for your marriage +arrives say you wish to be served at table by the boy who carries wood +and water to the kitchen. I will let a few drops of wine fall on Rend's +plate. He will strike me. A second and a third time I will do the same, +and again he will strike me; then you shall say: 'For shame to strike +him whom I love--he who saved me--he whom I should wed!'" + +Seeing the troll was dead, Rend came down from the tree and led the +Princess back to the palace, after having made her swear a third time +to proclaim him as her deliverer. + +[Illustration: "Lillekort with his magic sword struck off the fifteen +heads at one blow." _page 166_] + +The King announced that his daughter's deliverer should receive in the +most splendid manner the reward he had so well deserved. The cowardly +knight was betrothed to the Princess, and half the kingdom was given +him. The day of the Princess's marriage she would be served by the boy +who carried wood and water to the kitchen. + +[Illustration: "IN ARMOUR OF GLITTERING GOLD" (_p._ 168).] + +"What!" exclaimed Rend, in disgust, "you wish that dirty, hideous little +varlet to come near you?" + +"Yes, I wish it." + +Lillekort was summoned, and, as he had said, he once, twice, thrice let +some drops of wine fall in Rend's plate. + +The first time he was struck the coarse garments he wore fell off, and +the valiant boy appeared in a suit of bronze armour, the second time in +silver armour, and the third time in armour of glittering gold. + +Then the Princess cried: "For shame to strike him whom I love--he who +saved me--he whom I should wed!" + +Rend swore loudly that it was he who had saved her. + +"Let us see the proofs of the victors," said the King. + +The knight immediately showed the tongues and lungs of the trolls. + +Lillekort fetched the treasures he had taken from the monsters' ships. +At the sight of the gold, silver, and diamonds, no one had the slightest +doubt. + +"The trolls alone have such treasures," said the King, "and only he who +kills them can obtain possession of their riches." + +Rend, the coward and impostor, was thrown into a ditch full of serpents, +and the Princess's hand was given to Lillekort, together with half of +the kingdom. + + + + +The Ten Little Fairies. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE TEN LITTLE FAIRIES. + +FROM THE FRENCH of GEORGES MITCHELL. + + +VAINLY I try to recall from my recollections of yesterday, still vividly +remembered, and from those of the long past, grown tenderly dim in the +mists of intervening time, from whom I learned the powerfully moral +story I am here going to repeat to children great and small, to men and +their companions: I cannot determine from whom it was I learned it. + +Did I first read it in some old book laden with the dust of ages? Was it +told to me by my mother, by my nurse, one evening when I would not go to +sleep--or one night when, sleeping soundly, a fairy came and sang it to +me in my slumber? I cannot tell. I cannot remember. I have forgotten +all the details, of which there only remains with me the subtle +perfume--too fine and evanescent for me to seize it in its passage +through my mind. But I retain--perfectly retain--the moral, which is the +daughter of all things healthy and strong. + +The things which I am going to recount happened in a charming +country--one of those bright lands which we see only in delightful +dreams, where the men are all good and the women all as amiable as they +are beautiful. + +In that happy country there lived a great nobleman who, left a widower +early in life, had an only daughter whom he loved more than anything in +the whole world. + +Rosebelle was seventeen years old--a pure marvel of grace and beauty; +gay as a joyous heart, good as a happy one. For ten leagues round she +was known to be the most beautiful and best. She was simple and gentle, +and her exquisite ingenuousness caused her everywhere--in the mansion +and the cottage--to be beloved. + +Her father, fearful lest the least of the distresses of our poor +existence should overtake her, watched over her with jealous care, so +that no harm should come to her; while she passed her days in calmly +thinking of the time before her, sure that it would not be other than +delightful. + +When she was eighteen, her father consented to her being betrothed to +the son of a Prince--to Greatheart, a handsome youth, who had been +carefully reared, and detested the false excitements and factitious +pleasures of cities loving enthusiastically the fresh charms of +Nature--of the common mother who claims us all, the Earth. + +Rosebelle loved her _fiancé_, married, and adored him. + +With him she went to live in the admirable calm of the country, in the +midst of great trees that gave back the plaint of winds, by a river with +its ever-flowing song, winding under willowy banks, and overshadowed by +tall poplars. + +She lived in a very old, old castle, where the sires of her husband had +been born--a great castle reached by roads hewn out of the solid rock; a +great castle, with immense, cold halls, where echo answered echo +mysteriously; where the night-owl drearily replied to the early thrush's +song to the rising sun, and the other awakened birds singing and +chirping on the borders of the deep woods, where the sun enters +timidly--almost with the hesitation of a trespasser. + +When the time for parting came, her father had said to her, through his +tears: + +"You are going from me--your happiness claims that I should let you go: +go, therefore, but take all care of yourself for love of me, who have +only you in the world to love." + +To his son-in-law he said: + +"Watch over her, I intrust her to you. Surround her with a thousand +safeguards; screen her from the least chance of harm or pain. Remember +that even in stooping to pluck a flower she may fall and wound herself, +that in gathering a fruit she may tear her hand. See that all is done +for her that can be done, keep her for me ever beautiful." + +Absorbed in her love for her husband, Rosebelle realised the sweet +dreams of her young girlhood. Then she dreamed--languorously--Heaven +knows what! The delightful future which she had seen in the visions of +the past was still present with her, however. + +Her husband, tender and good, wished that she should do nothing but live +and love. He had surrounded her with numerous servants, all ready to +obey the least of her desires, the slightest of her fancies, to +comprehend the most trivial of her wants. She had nothing to do but to +let time glide slowly by her. + +At length she wearied--languished mysteriously. + +Her father, to whom she communicated this strange experience, was +astounded. He reminded her of all the sources of happiness which ought +to have existed in her case. He took her in his arms and said all he +could think of in laudation of the husband who so greatly loved her; +gave her innumerable reasons why her happiness ought to have been +unparalleled; offered money--more money--wishful to give all the +felicities in the world. + +She wished for nothing of all that; it only tired, enervated her. + +He besought her to be happy; she replied: + +"I wish I could be so, for your sake and for that of my husband, whom I +love so dearly." + +And she struggled against the strange evil which so weighed upon her, +against the deadly _ennui_ that was sapping her young life. But the +mysterious ill which tormented her soul grew and grew until it became +overwhelming. + +Greatheart speedily detected her distress, and sought to discover its +cause, but ineffectually; and from alarm he passed into despair. + +[Illustration: "SHE VOWED FOR HIM A BOUNDLESS LOVE" (_p._ 176).] + +Now, when he returned from the plain, the fields, or the camp, when he +embraced her he pressed against his bosom a bosom cold and filled with +sadness and tears--a bosom so cold that it might have been thought to +contain a block of ice in place of a heart--and he redoubled his +tenderness towards her. Seeing how much he was suffering on her account, +she vowed for him a boundless love. + +Courageous, energetic even, she tried to shake off the languor which +possessed her, endeavouring to intoxicate her soul and drown her +self-consciousness in the love of her adored husband; but all her +efforts were made in vain; she became more and more oppressed with +weariness, and the crowd of servants about her, all eager to realise her +wishes, were utterly unable to mitigate her condition by anything they +could do. + +At last she fell into a state of the deepest melancholy. The rose-tints +faded from her cheeks, her beauty paled like that of a languishing +flower; the light in her eyes grew each day more dim. She was very ill. + +The most learned doctors in the healing art were called to her, brought, +regardless of cost, from the most distant countries, only to confess +their complete inability; excusing themselves by affirming that there +was no remedy for an indefinable ailment--an ailment impalpable, +incomprehensible. + +Then, one day, an old, white-haired shepherd, with a long, snowy beard, +who had learned to understand men from having always lived alone with +his sheep and thinking, thinking, while he led them to their pasture--an +old philosopher--came to Greatheart, of whom he was one of the vassals, +and said to him: + +"I know where there lives, close by here, an old grand-dame, with one +foot in the grave, she is so old People call her a sorceress; but never +mind that; she, and she alone, can cure our lady, our mistress, whom you +love so well." + +Knowing not what to do in his suffering, Greatheart believed what the +old shepherd told him. + +He took Rosebelle far away from the castle along the bank of the river, +to a spot where the path ran between high rocks, leading to a deep and +profoundly dark cavity, within which they found the old, old woman of +whom the shepherd had spoken, crouching by the side of a scanty fire of +pine-branches, warming herself in their fitful light, in the midst of +owls and ravens, cats and rats with phosphorescent eyes, showing green +in the obscurity when lit by the intermittent sparkle of the crackling +branches on the hearth. + +"Ho, there! sorceress!" cried the young Prince. "Cure my wife, and I +will give you the half of all I possess!" + +The very old woman looked for a long time at Rosebelle out of her little +bright eyes, meeting those of the young Princess, and holding her as if +by a spell. For awhile longer she remained silent, as if in +contemplation; then, suddenly, she rose to her feet, raised her long +arms towards the herbs suspended from the rocky roof of her +dwelling-place, spread out her fleshless fingers and cried: + +"I see! I see! I understand it all! Yes, my lord, I will cure your wife, +your adored one; and presently in your arms, on your heart, shall sleep +a heart beating with great joy for love of you!" + +As they both sprang nearer to her, the better to hear her wonderful +words, the old woman retreated, saying: + +"Yes, I will cure her; but to aid me in the task, I need the assistance +of ten little fairies--ten friends who have ever been dear to me, ever +faithful to me, and who, by an unfortunate chance, have not visited me +to-day. To-morrow I shall be sure to have them with me, my tiny +comrades; so come back to me to-morrow, my dear, when I will detain them +until you arrive, and will take measures for enabling them to cure you." + +The sun, next day, had hardly risen, hardly caressed the earth with its +earliest beam, when Rosebelle re-entered the old sorceress's murky +dwelling-place. + +Over the still crackling fire of pine-branches she extended her white +hands by direction of the old woman, who raised her arms and uttered +some curious words, accompanied by some strange gestures. + +Then, from a small cavity in the rocky wall she appeared to draw forth +an invisible something, which she carefully conveyed to the shelter of +her bare bosom. And when she had repeated these actions ten times, she +cried: + +"I have them!--I have them all!--all warm in my bosom--my faithful +little fairies! Oh!--do not attempt to see them, or they will at once +fly away. They desire to serve you--to cure you. Here they are!" + +[Illustration: THE SORCERESS.] + +And laughing, dancing, and singing, the old, old woman tapped with the +crooked thumb of her right hand the young Princess's ten extended +fingers, while the quaint song she sang was gaily given back by the echo +of the rocky vault above her. This was the song she sang, holding the +Princess's delicate fingers caressingly in her left hand:-- + + "Ten good little fairies hie, + To these ten good fingers nigh: + Each of you reside in one + Until your kindly task is done, + Until by certain signs you're sure + That you have made a perfect cure. + Potent fairies, from this hour + Exercise your utmost pow'r; + Drive away the evil spell + Cast on one who'll love you well!" + +Then, still laughing heartily, she pressed Rosebelle's fingers tightly, +and went on: + +"They are all here, the wonderful little doctors! Guard them preciously; +do not weary them; keep them by you and, to do all that, never give them +a moment's rest so long as the sun shines in the sky. Keep on moving +them--actively, rapidly--so long as you are awake. Now go, and come back +to me when you are quite cured, returning me my trusty little fairies." + +With her hands filled with this precious load, Rosebelle hurried home, +and told Greatheart of her dear hope of a renewal of life. + +Of an evening, thenceforth, for a long time, she would even refrain from +eating, so as to leave herself more time to exercise her unresting +fingers, in which the ten little fairies were tenderly housed. As soon +as the sun had sunk beneath the earth she went to sleep, and as soon as +daylight returned, she at once rose and began once again to move her +fairy-laden fingers. + +During many, many days she continued to move her fingers in every way +she could devise; but at length, growing tired of this useless play, she +went back to her old friend the sorceress. + +[Illustration: "ROSEBELLE DREW HER HARP FORM ITS CASE AND PLAYED ON IT" +(_p._ 182).] + +"Nobody ever taught you to use your fingers usefully?" replied the old +woman. "Go on moving them, still moving them, but in some employment +that interests you. Don't let my fairies go to sleep--that is all they +desire in their imprisonment." + +On returning home, Rosebelle drew her long-neglected harp from its case +and played on it. Then, to occupy her fingers more usefully, she had +needles brought to her and employed them in dainty sewing. + +But, growing weary of the dull monotony of these labours, she sought +more varied employment for her fingers--gathered flowers in the garden +and arranged them in charming bouquets; plucked fruit from the trees in +the orchard; attended to the sick and ailing; consoled the +poor--exercising her fingers constantly by slipping gold pieces into +their grateful hands. + +One by one, she sent away her crowd of obsequious servants, who had now +nothing left for them to do but to go to sleep at their posts. + +She would not allow anybody to do anything for her which she could do +for herself, but threw her whole soul and being into the things God +intended to be done by them. + +Every day, and all the while the sun shone in the sky, she found active +employment for her beautiful fingers. And the roses came back to her +cheeks and health to all her being, and songs and laughter to her lips; +and she could, once again, give to her beloved one a heart filled with +ineffable tenderness. + +Perfectly cured, she went to the sorceress and gave her back her +wonderful little fairy doctors. + +"Ah, my child!" said the old dame, "they are very proud of having saved +you. Give them to me, for I have every day great need of them--can +never have too much of them. Indeed, if I had enough of them to serve +all the idlers in the world, I should want as many as there are stars in +the heavens at night. But I will keep those I have for the service of +those who are pining from _ennui_--and there are enough of _them_, +goodness knows!" + + + + +The Magician and his Pupil. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE MAGICIAN AND HIS PUPIL + +From the German of A. Godin. + + +THERE was once a poor shoemaker renowned far and wide as a drunkard. He +had a good wife and many daughters, but only one son. As soon as this +son was old enough his mother dressed him in his best clothes, combed +his hair until it shone, and then led him far, far away; for she wished +to take him to the capital, and there apprentice him to a master who +would teach him a really good trade. + +When they had accomplished about half their journey they met a man in +black, who asked whither they were going and the object of their +journey. On being told, he offered to take the boy as his apprentice, +but as he had not given the customary Christian greeting, and would not +mention the name of his trade, also because the mother thought there +was a wicked gleam in his eyes, she declined to trust him with her son. +As he persisted in his offer they were rude, then he troubled them no +further. + +Shortly after leaving the old man they came to a wide stretch of land, +solitary and barren as a desert, over which they journeyed until hunger, +thirst, and fatigue compelled them to rest. Exhausted, they sank on the +sandy ground and wept bitterly. Suddenly, at a short distance from them +arose a large stone, on whose surface stood a dish of smoking roast +beef, a loaf of white bread, and a jug of foaming ale. + +Eagerly the weary travellers hastened forward. Alas! the moment they +moved, meat and drink vanished, leaving the stone bare and barren; but +as soon as they stepped back, the food again made its appearance. After +this had happened several times the shoemaker's son guessed what was at +the bottom of it. Pointing his stick of aspen wood--a wood, by the way, +very powerful against enchantment--he cautiously approached the stone, +and thrust his stick into that place on the earth where the shadow of +the stone rested. + +Immediately the stone with everything on it disappeared, and in the +place where the shadow had lain stood the stranger in black who had met +them earlier in the day. He bowed politely to the youth and requested +him to remove his stick. + +"No, that I will not do! This time the stone has met its match! You are +a magician, or at least a necromancer. You locked us in this desert and +amused yourself with our misery. Now you shall be treated as you +deserve. You shall stand here for a year and six weeks, until you are as +dry as the stick with which I have nailed you to the earth." + +"Loose me, I entreat you." + +"Yes, on certain conditions! First, you must once more become a stone, +and on the stone must appear everything we have already seen." + +The magician immediately vanished, and in his stead appeared the stone +covered with a white cloth, and bearing the hot roast beef, white bread, +and foaming ale, of which the travellers ate and drank to their hearts' +content. When they had finished the stone became the man in black, who +entreated piteously to be unnailed. + +"I will unnail you directly," said the youth, "but only on one +condition. You must take me as apprentice for three years, as you +yourself formerly proposed, and give me a pledge that you will really +teach me all your art." + +The magician bowed himself to the earth, dug his fingers into the sand, +and drew forth a handful of ducats, which he threw into the boy's cap. + +"Thanks," replied the youth; "this money will be very useful to my +mother, but you must give me a better pledge than that. I must have a +piece of your ear." + +"Will nothing else serve?" + +"Nothing!" + +"Well, then," said the magician, "take your knife." + +"I have no knife with me," replied the youth; "you must lend me yours." + +The magician obediently lent his knife, and bent his right ear towards +the youth. + +"No, no, I want the left ear; you offer the right far too willingly." + +The magician then offered his left ear; and the youth cut off a slant +piece, laid it in his wallet, and then drew his stick out of the ground. +The magician groaned, rubbed his mutilated ear, then, turning a +somersault, changed himself into a black cock, ordered the youth to take +his mother back, and return at midnight and await his arrival at the +cross-road where they now stood, when he would take him home and teach +him for three years. The cock then flapped his wings, changed into a +magpie, and flew away. + +When the youth had accompanied his mother to the next village he kissed +her hands and feet, shook the gold into her apron, and begged her to +call for him in three years at the place where he had made his agreement +with the magician. He then hastened back and reached the cross-road just +at midnight. + +Being very tired he leaned against the mile-stone to await the arrival +of his master. He waited long, then as no one came, he drew the piece of +the magician's ear from his wallet and bit it hard. At this the +mile-stone staggered, cracked, and roared. The youth sprang quickly +aside, looked at the inscription, and cried: "Ho! ho! Is that you, +master?" + +"Of course, it is! But why did you bite me?" asked the magician. + +"Take human form instantly!" replied the youth. + +"I have done so!" With this the man in black stood on the cross-road. +"Now we will go home," said he. "I take you as my pupil, but remember, +from this moment you remain my pupil and servant, until, the three years +ended, your mother fetches you away." + +[Illustration: "THE MILE-STONE STAGGERED, CRACKED, AND ROARED" (_p._ +190).] + +Thus the youth became the magician's pupil. You wish to know how he +taught him his art? Well, so be it. He stretched his hands and feet, +turned him into a paper bag, and then left him to return to his proper +shape as best he could. Or else, he thrust his hand and arm up to the +shoulder down the youth's throat, turned him inside out, and left him to +turn himself right. + +The youth learnt so well, that at the end of the three years his skill +in magic surpassed even that of his master. During this time many +parents had come to fetch their children, for the magician had quite a +crowd of pupils; but the cunning old man always contrived that they went +away without them. Three days before the time appointed for the +shoemaker's wife to fetch her son, the youth met her on the road and +told her how to recognise him. + +"Remember, dearest mother," said he, "when the magician calls his horses +together, a fly will buzz over my ear; when the doves fly down, I shall +not eat of the peas; and when the maidens stand around you, a brown mole +will make its appearance above my eyebrow! Be sure you remember this, or +you will destroy us both." + +When the shoemaker's wife demanded her son of the magician, he blew a +brazen trumpet towards all four corners of the world. Immediately a +crowd of coal-black horses rushed forward; they were not, however, real +horses, but enchanted scholars. + +"Find your son--then you can take him with you!" said the magician. + +The mother went from horse to horse, trying hard to recognise her son; +she trembled at the mere thought that she might make a mistake, and thus +destroy both herself and her beloved child. At length she noted a fly +buzzing over the ear of one of the horses, and cried joyfully: "That is +my son!" + +"Right," said the magician; "now guess again." So saying he blew a +silver trumpet towards the corners of the earth, and threw on the ground +half a bushel of peas. Then like some vast cloud down flew a flock of +doves, and began eagerly picking up the peas. The shoemaker's wife +looked at dove after dove, until she found one that only appeared to +eat. "That is my son!" said she. + +"Right again! Now comes the third and last trial. Guess right, and your +son goes with you; guess wrong, and he remains with me for ever." The +magician then blew his trumpet, and immediately beautiful songs +resounded through the air. At the same time lovely maidens approached +and surrounded the shoemaker's wife. They were all crowned with +cornflowers, and wore white robes with rose-coloured girdles. + +The shoemaker's wife examined each carefully, and saw a brown mole over +the right eye of the most beautiful. "This is my son!" she exclaimed. + +Scarcely had she spoken than the maiden changed into her son, threw +himself into her arms, and thanked her for his deliverance. The other +maidens flew away, and the mother and son returned home. + +The student of magic had not been long at home before he discovered that +in his father's house Want was a constant guest. The money given by the +magician had long since come to an end, for the shoemaker had spent it +all in drink. + +"What have you learnt in foreign parts?" he asked his son. "What help am +I to expect from you." + +"I have learned magic, and will give you help enough. I can at your wish +change myself into all possible shapes, to-day into a falcon, to-morrow +into a greyhound, a nightingale, a sheep, or any other form. Lead me as +an animal to market, and there sell me, but be sure always to bring +back the rope with which you led me thither, and never desire me to +become a horse: the money thus acquired would be useless to you, and you +would make me, and through me yourself, unhappy." + +Thereupon the shoemaker demanded a falcon for sale; his son at once +disappeared, and a splendid falcon sat on the father's shoulder. The +shoemaker took the bird to market, where he sold it to a hunter for a +good price, but on returning home, he found his son seated at the table +enjoying a good dinner. + +When the money thus gained had been spent to the last farthing, the +shoemaker required a greyhound, which he again sold to a hunter, and on +his return home found his son had arrived there before him. + +Thus the father led his son to market again and again, as an ox, a cow, +a sheep, a goose, a turkey, and in many other animal forms. One day he +thought: "I should very much like to know why my son does not wish to +become a horse! Surely he takes me for a fool, and grudges me the best +prize!" He was half drunk when he thought this, and then and there +desired his son to become a horse. Hardly had he spoken than his wish +was gratified: a splendid horse stood before the window; he dug his +hoofs deep into the ground, whilst his eyes shot forth lightning, and +flames issued from his nostrils. + +The shoemaker mounted and rode into the town. Here a merchant stopped +him, admired the horse, and offered to give the animal's weight in gold +if his master would only sell him. They went together to a pair of +scales: the merchant shook gold from a sack on one of the wooden +scales, whilst the shoemaker made his horse mount on the other. As he +was staring in amazement at the heap of gold in the scales, one of the +chains broke, and the gold pieces rolled over the street. The shoemaker +threw himself on the ground to pick them up, and forgot both the horse +and bridle. + +[Illustration: "THE SHOEMAKER'S WIFE LOOKED AT DOVE AFTER DOVE" (_p._ +193).] + +The merchant meanwhile mounted the horse, and galloped out of the town, +digging his spurs into the poor animal's sides until the blood flowed, +and beating him cruelly with a steel riding-whip; for this merchant was +none other than the magician, who thus revenged himself for the piece +cut from his ear. + +The poor horse was quite exhausted when the magician arrived with him at +his invisible dwelling; this house, it is true, stood in an open field, +yet no one could see it. The horse was then led to the stable, whilst +the magician considered how he might best torture him. + +But while the magician was considering, the horse, who knew what a +terrible fate awaited him, succeeded in throwing the bridle over a nail, +on which it remained hanging, thus enabling him to draw his head out. He +fled across the field, and changing into a gold ring, threw himself +before the feet of a beauteous Princess just returning from bathing. + +The Princess stooped, picked up the gold circle, slipped it on her +finger, and then looked around in wonder. In the meantime, the +magician--changed into a Grecian merchant--came up and courteously asked +the Princess to return the gold ring he had lost. Terrified at the sight +of his black beard and gleaming eyes, the Princess screamed aloud, and +pressed the ring to her breast. + +Alarmed by her cries, her attendants and playmates, who were waiting +near, hastened up and formed a circle round their beloved Princess. But +as soon as they understood the cause of her distress, they threw +themselves on the importunate stranger, and began tickling him in such a +manner that he laughed, cried, giggled, coughed, and at length danced +over the ground like a maniac, forgetting through sheer distress that he +was still a magician. + +When, however, he did remember it, he changed himself into a hedgehog, +and stuck his bristles into the maidens until their blood flowed, and +they were glad to leave him alone. + +[Illustration: "HE DANCED OVER THE GROUND LIKE A MANIAC" (_p._ 196).] + +Meanwhile the Princess hastened home and showed her father the ring, +which pleased her so much that she wore it on her heart-finger night and +day. Once when playing with it, the ring slipped from her hand, fell to +the ground and sprang in pieces, when, oh, wonder! before her stood a +handsome youth, the magician's pupil. + +At first the Princess was very troubled, and did not venture to raise +her eyes, but when the scholar had told her everything she was +satisfied, conversed with him a long while, and promised to ask her +father to have the magician driven away by the dogs should he ever come +to demand the ring. When in the course of the day the magician came, the +King, in spite of all his daughter's entreaties, ordered the ring to be +given up. + +With tears in her eyes the Princess took the ring (the scholar had +resumed this form immediately after relating his adventures) and threw +it at the merchant's feet. It shivered into little pearls. + +Trembling with rage, the merchant threw himself on the ground in the +shape of a hen, picked up the pearls, and when he saw no more, flew out +of the window, flapped his wings, cried, "Kikeriki! Scholar, are you +here?" and then soared into the air. + +Having been told by the scholar what to do should she be compelled to +return the ring, the Princess had let her handkerchief fall at the same +moment she threw the ring on the ground, and two of the largest pearls +had rolled beneath it. She now took out these pearls, and they +immediately called, in mocking imitation of the hen's voice: + +"Kikeriki! I am here!" + +They then changed into a hawk and chased after the hen. Seizing it with +his sharp talons, he bit its left wing with such force that all the +feathers cracked, and the hen fell like a stone into the water, where it +was drowned. + +The hawk then returned to the Princess, perched on her shoulder, gazed +fondly into her eyes, and then became once more the young and handsome +scholar. The Princess had grown so fond of him that she chose him as +her husband, and from that moment he gave up magic for ever. In his +prosperity he did not forget his relations--his mother lived with him +and the Princess in their magnificent palace, his sisters married +wealthy merchants, and even his father was content. + +When the old King died the magician's pupil became King over the land, +and lived so happily with his wife and children, and all his subjects, +that no pen can write, no song sing, and no story tell of half their +happiness. + + + + +The Strawberry Thief. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE STRAWBERRY THIEF. + +FROM THE GERMAN BY PAULINE SCHANZ. + + +THE mid-day sun was shining brightly as two children ran merrily down +the steep grassy slope leading from the little village to the +neighbouring forest. Their loose, scanty clothing left head, neck, and +feet bare. But this did not trouble them, for the sun's rays kissed +their little round limbs, and the children liked to feel their warm +kisses. + +They were brother and sister; each carried a small jar to fill with +strawberries, which their mother would sell in the town on the morrow. +They were very poor, almost the poorest people in the village. Their +mother, a widow, had to work hard to procure bread for herself and +children. + +When strawberries or nuts were in season, or even the early violets, the +children went into the forest to seek them, and by the fruit or flowers +they gathered helped to earn many a groschen. The happy children ran +joyously along as though they were the rulers of the beautiful world +that stretched so seductively before them. The forest berries were +still scarce, and would fetch a high price in the town; this is why they +started so early in the afternoon, whilst other people still rested in +their cool rooms. + +Deep in the forest was many a spot, well known to the children, where +large masses of strawberry plants flourished and bloomed, covering the +ground with a luxurious carpet. White star-like blossoms in profusion +looked roguishly out from the ample foliage; the little green and +bright-red berries were there in crowds, but the ripe, dark-red fruit +was difficult to find. + +Very slowly the work proceeded, and as the gathered treasures in their +small jars grew higher and higher the sun sank lower and lower. Busy +with their task, the children forgot laughter and chattering; they +tasted none of the lovely berries, scarcely looked at the violets and +anemones; the sun's rays peeping through the branches the cock-chafers +and butterflies were alike unheeded. + +"Lorchen," cried Fried, at length, throwing back his sunburnt, heated +face; "look, Lorchen, my jar is full!" + +Lorchen looked up, her face flushed with toil; her poor little jar was +scarcely half-full. Oh, how she envied her brother his full jar! Fried +was a good boy--he loved his little sister dearly. He made her sit down +on the soft grass, placed his jar beside her, and did not cease his work +until Lorchen's jar was likewise filled. Their day's work was now ended. +But it was so beautiful in the forest. The birds sang so joyfully among +the leaves, everything exhaled the fragrance of the dewy evening that +crept slowly between the trembling branches. + +At a little distance a small stretch of meadow shimmered through the +trees. The bright sunshine still rested on the fresh, green grass, and +thousands of daffodils, bluebells, pinks, and forget-me-nots unfolded +there their varied beauties. It was a delightful play-place for the +children. They hastened thither, placed their jars carefully behind a +large tree-trunk, and soon forgot their hard afternoon's work in a merry +game. Greyer grew the shadows, closer the dusk of evening veiled the +lonely forest. Then the brother and sister thought of returning--the +rest had strengthened their weary limbs, and their game in the flowery +meadow had made them cheerful and merry. + +Now the dew that wetted their bare feet, and hunger that began to make +itself felt, urged them to return home. They ran to the tree behind +which they had placed their jars, but oh, horror! the jars had vanished. +At first the children thought they had mistaken the place; they searched +farther, behind every trunk, behind every bush, but no trace of the jars +could they find. + +They had vanished, together with the precious fruit. What would their +mother say when they returned home, their task unfulfilled? With the +price of the berries she intended to buy meal to make bread. They had +been almost without bread for several days, and now they had not even +the jars in which to gather other berries. + +Lorchen began to sob loudly; Fried's face grew crimson with rage, and +his eyes sparkled, he did not weep. The darkness increased, the +tree-trunks looked black and spectral, the wind rustled in the branches. +Who could have stolen their berries? No one had come near the meadow. +Squirrels and lizards could not carry away jars. The poor children stood +helpless beside the old tree-trunk. They could not return to their +mother empty-handed; they feared she would reproach them for losing +sight of their jars. + +The little maiden shivered in her thin frock, and wept with fear, +hunger, and fatigue. Fried took his little sister's hand, and said: +"Listen, Lorchen: you must run home, it is night now in the forest. Tell +mother our jars have disappeared, eat your supper, and go to bed and to +sleep. I will remain here and search behind every tree and everywhere, +until I find the jars. I am neither hungry nor tired, and am not afraid +to pass the night alone in the forest, in spite of all the stories our +grand-mother used to tell of wicked spirits in the forest, hobgoblins +who tease children, will-o'-the-wisps, and mountain-demons who store +their treasures beneath the earth." + +Lorchen shuddered and looked fearfully around--she was a timid, weakly +child. Wrapping her little arms in her apron, she wept bitterly. + +"Come home with me, Fried," she pleaded. "I am afraid to go through the +gloomy forest alone!" + +Fried took her hand and went with her until they saw the lights of the +village. Then he stopped and said: "Now run along alone; see, there is +the light burning in our mother's window. I shall turn back, I cannot go +home empty-handed." + +He turned quickly into the forest. Lorchen waited a moment, and cried, +"Fried, Fried!" Then, receiving no answer, she fled swiftly up the +grassy slope she had descended so merrily a few hours previously. + +Their mother, who had grown uneasy at their prolonged absence, was +standing at the door when Lorchen returned, weeping and breathless. Poor +child, she had scarcely strength enough left to tell that they had lost +strawberries and jars, and that Fried had remained behind. + +[Illustration: "LORCHEN BEGAN TO SOB" (_p._ 205).] + +The mother grew sad as she listened--she had scarcely any bread left, +and knew not whence to procure more; but Fried remaining in the forest +was worse than all, for she, like all the villagers, firmly believed in +hobgoblins. Sadly she lay down to rest beside her little daughter. + +Fried ran ever farther and farther into the forest, through whose thick +foliage the stars looked down timidly. He said his evening prayer, and +no longer feared the rustling of the leaves, the cracking of the +branches, or the whisper of the night wind in the trees. + +Soon the moon arose, and it was light enough for Fried to seek his jars. +In vain his search--the hours passed and he found nothing. At length he +saw a small mountain overgrown with shrubs. Then the moon crept behind a +thick cloud, and all was dark. Tired out, Fried sank down behind a tree +and almost fell asleep. Suddenly he saw a bright light moving about +close to the mountain, He sprang up and hastened towards it. + +Coming closer, he heard a peculiar noise, as of groans uttered by a man +engaged in heavy toil. He crept softly forward, and beheld, to his +astonishment, a little dwarf, who was trying to push some heavy object +into a hole, that apparently led into the mountain. The little man wore +a silver coat and a red cap with points, to which the wonderful light, a +large, sparkling precious stone, was fastened. + +Fried soon stood close behind the dwarf, who in his eagerness had not +observed the boy's approach, and saw with indignation that the object +the little man was striving so hard to push into the hole was his jar of +strawberries. In great wrath Fried seized a branch that lay near, and +gave the little man a mighty blow. Thereupon the dwarf uttered a cry +very like the squeak of a small mouse, and tried to creep into the hole. + +[Illustration: "But Fried held him fast." _page 209_] + +But Fried held him fast by his silver coat, and angrily demanded where +he had put his other jar of strawberries. The dwarf replied he had no +other jar, and strove to free himself from the grasp of the little +giant. + +Fried again seized his branch, which so terrified the dwarf that he +cried: "The other jar is inside; I will fetch it for you." + +"I should wait a long time," said Fried, "if I once let you escape; no, +I will go with you and fetch my own jar." + +The dwarf stepped forward, the light in his cap shining brighter than +the brightest candle. Fried followed, his jar in one hand, and the +branch in the other. Thus they journeyed far into the mountain. The +dwarf crept along like a lizard, but Fried, whose head almost touched +the roof, could scarcely get along. + +At length strains of lovely music resounded through the vaulted +passages: a little farther on their journey was stopped by a grey stone +wall. Taking a silver hammer from his doublet, the little dwarf gave +three sounding knocks on the wall; it sprang asunder, and as it opened +such a flood of light streamed forth that Fried was obliged to close his +eyes. Half-blinded, with hand shading his face, he followed the dwarf, +the stone door closed behind them, and Fried was in the secret dwellings +of the gnomes. + +A murmur of soft voices, mingled with the sweet strains of the music, +sounded in his ears. When at length he was able to remove his hand from +his eyes, he saw a wondrous sight. A beauteous, lofty hall, hewn out of +the rock, lay before him; on the walls sparkled thousands of precious +stones such as his guide had worn in his cap. They served instead of +candles, and shed forth a radiance that almost blinded human eyes. + +Between them hung wreaths and sprays of flowers such as Fried had never +before seen. All around crowds of wonderful little dwarfs stood gazing +at him full of curiosity. + +In the centre of the hall stood a throne of green transparent stone, +with cushions of soft mushrooms. On this sat the gnome-King; around him +was thrown a golden mantle, and on his head was a crown cut from a +flaming carbuncle. Before the throne the dwarf, Fried's guide, stood +relating his adventure. + +When the dwarf ceased speaking, the King rose, approached the boy, who +still stood by the door, surrounded by the gnomes, and said: "You human +child, what has brought you to my secret dwelling?" + +"My Lord Dwarf," replied Fried politely, "I desire my strawberries which +yonder dwarf has stolen. I pray you order them to be restored to me, and +then suffer me to return to my mother." + +The King thought for a few moments, then he said: "Listen, to-day we +hold a great feast, for which your strawberries are necessary. I will, +therefore, buy them. I will also allow you to remain with us a short +time, then my servants shall lead you back to the entrance of the +mountain." + +"Have you money to buy my strawberries?" asked the boy. + +"Foolish child, know you not that the gold, silver, and copper come out +of the earth? Come with me and see my treasure-chambers." + +[Illustration: "I WILL GO WITH YOU" (_p._ 209).] + +So saying, the King led him from the hall through long rooms, in which +mountains of gold, silver, and copper were piled; in other rooms lay +like masses of precious stones. Presently they came to a grotto, in the +centre of which stood a large vase. From out this vase poured three +sparkling streams, each of a different colour: they flowed out of the +grotto and discharged themselves into the veins of the rocks. + +Beside these streams knelt dwarfs, filling buckets with the flowing +gold, silver, and copper, which other dwarfs carried away and stored in +the King's treasure-chambers. But the greatest quantity flowed into the +crevices of the mountain, from whence men dig it out with much toil. + +Fried would have liked to fill his pockets with the precious metals, but +did not dare ask the gnome-King's permission. They soon returned to the +hall where the feast was prepared. On a long white marble table stood +rows of golden dishes filled with various dainties, prepared from +Fried's strawberries. In the background sat the musicians, bees and +grasshoppers, that the dwarfs had caught in the forest. The dwarfs ate +off little gold plates, and Fried ate with them. But the pieces were so +tiny, they melted on his tongue before he could taste them. + +After the feast came dancing. The gnome-men were old and shrivelled, +with faces like roots of trees; all wore silver coats and red caps. The +gnome-maidens were tall and stately, and wore on their heads wreaths of +flowers that sparkled as though wet with dew. Fried danced with them, +but because his clothes were so poor, his partner took a wreath of +flowers from the wall and placed it on his head. Very pretty it looked +on his bright, brown hair--but he could not see this, for the dwarfs +have no looking-glasses. The bees buzzed and hummed like flutes and +trombones, the grasshoppers chirped like fiddles. + +The dancing ended, Fried approached the King, who was resting on his +green throne, and said: "My Lord King, be so good as to pay for my +berries, and have me guided out of the mountain, for it is time I +returned to my mother." + +[Illustration: "IT IS TIME I RETURNED TO MY MOTHER."] + +The King nodded his carbuncle crown, and wrapping his golden mantle +around him, departed to fetch the money. How Fried rejoiced at the +thought of taking that money home! Being very tired, he mounted the +throne, seated himself on the soft mushroom cushion from which the +gnome-King had just risen, and, ere that monarch returned, Fried was +sleeping sound as a dormouse. + +Day was dawning in the forest when he awoke. His limbs were stiff, and +his bare feet icy cold. He rubbed his eyes and stretched himself. He +still sat beneath the tree from whence, on the previous evening, he had +seen the light moving. "Where am I?" he muttered; then he remembered +falling asleep on the gnome-King's mushroom cushion. He also remembered +the money he had been promised, and felt in his pockets--they were +empty. Yes, he remembered it all. This was the morning his mother should +have gone to town, and he had neither berries nor money. Tears flowed +from his eyes, and he reviled the dwarfs who had carried him sleeping +from the mountain, and cheated him out of his money. Rising sorrowfully, +he went to the mountain, but though he searched long and carefully, no +opening could he find. + +There was nothing for it but to return home, and this he did with a +heavy heart. No one was stirring when he reached the village. Gently he +knocked on the shutter of the room where his mother slept. "Wake up, +mother," he cried. "It is I, your Fried." + +Quickly the door of the little house opened. + +"Thank Heaven you have returned," said his mother, embracing him. "But +has nothing happened to you all night alone in the forest?" + +"Nothing, mother," he replied; "I only had a foolish dream about the +gnomes who dwell in the mountain." + +And whilst his mother lit the stove, Fried related his dream. She shook +her head on hearing it, for she believed her boy had really seen and +heard these wonderful things. + +Then Lorchen came in, and her mother told her to unfasten the shutters. +The child obeyed, but on re-entering the room, she cried aloud, and +placed her hands on her brother's head. + +Something heavy and sparkling fell to the ground. They picked it up. It +was the wreath of many-coloured flowers Fried's partner had given him at +the dance. But the flowers were not like those that grow in the fields +and meadows: they were cold, and sparkling, like those that adorned the +walls of the mountain hall, and which the gnome-maidens wore in their +hair. + +It was now clear that Fried had really spent the night with the dwarfs. +They all thought the flowers were only coloured glass; but as they +sparkled so brilliantly, and filled the cottage with indescribable +splendour, the mother determined to ask advice about them. She therefore +broke a tiny branch from the wreath and took it to the town to a +goldsmith, who told her, to her great astonishment, that the branch was +composed of the most costly gems, rubies, diamonds, and sapphires. In +exchange for it, he gave her a sack of gold so heavy she could scarcely +carry it home. + +Want was now at an end for ever, for the wreath was a hundred times +more valuable than the tiny branch. Great excitement prevailed in the +village when the widow's good fortune was made known, and all the +villagers ran into the forest to search for the wonderful hole. But +their searching was vain--none ever found the entrance to the mountain. +From henceforth the widow and her children lived very happily; they +remained pious and industrious in spite of their wealth, did good to the +poor, and were contented to the end of their lives. + + + + +The Adventures of Said. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE ADVENTURES OF SAID. + +From the German of W. Hauff. + + +IN the time of Haroun Al-Raschid, ruler of Bagdad, there lived in +Balsora a man Benezar by name. His means enabled him to live quietly and +comfortably, without carrying on a business or trade; and when a son was +born to him he made no change in his manner of living, "For," said he, +"what will feed two will feed three." Said, for so they called the boy, +soon made a name for himself among his playmates as a lusty fighter, and +was surpassed by none in riding or swimming. + +When he was eighteen, his father sent him on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and +before he started gave him much good advice, and provided him with money +for his journey. Lastly he said: + +"There is something more I must tell you, my boy. I am not the man to +believe that fairies and enchanters, whatever they may be, have any +influence over the fate of mankind; that sort of nonsense is only good +for whiling away the time; but your mother believed in them as firmly as +in the Koran. She even told me, after making me swear never to reveal +the secret except to her child, that she herself was under the +protection of a fairy. I always laughed at her, but still I must confess +that some very strange events happened at your birth. It rained and +thundered all day, and the heavens were black with clouds. + +"When they told me that I had a little son, I hastened to see and bless +my first-born, but I found my wife's door shut, and all her attendants +standing outside. I knocked, but with no result. While I was waiting +there, the sky cleared just over Balsora, although the lightning still +flashed and writhed round the blue expanse. As I was gazing in +astonishment at this spectacle, your mother's door flew open and I went +in alone. On entering the room, I perceived a delicious odour of roses, +carnations, and hyacinths. Your mother Zemira showed me a tiny silver +whistle, that was hanging round your neck by a gold chain as fine as +silk. 'This is the fairy's gift to our boy,' she said. 'Well,' I +laughed, 'I think she might have given him something better than that--a +purse of gold, for instance, or a horse.' + +"But Zemira begged me not to anger the good fairy, for fear she might +turn her blessing to a curse; so, to please her, the matter was never +mentioned again till she was dying. Then she gave me the whistle, +telling me never to part with you till you were twenty, when the whistle +was to be yours. But I see no objection to your going away now. You have +common sense, and can defend yourself as well as any man of +four-and-twenty. Go in peace, my son. Think ever of your father in good +fortune or in ill, and may Heaven defend you from that last." + +Said took an affectionate farewell of his father, and placing the chain +round his neck, sprang lightly into his saddle, and went off to join the +caravan for Mecca. At last they were all assembled, and Said rode gaily +out of Balsora. Just at first the novelty of his position and +surroundings occupied his thoughts, but as they drew near to the desert +he began to consider his father's words. He drew out the whistle and put +it to his lips, but wonder of wonders, no matter how hard he blew, not a +sound came out! This was disappointing, and Said impatiently thrust the +whistle back into his girdle; still the marvellous had a strange +attraction for him, and he spent the whole day in building his airy +castles. + +Said was a fine-looking fellow, with a distinguished face, and a bearing +which, young as he was, marked him out as one born to command. Every one +was attracted to him, and especially was this the case with an elderly +man, who rode near him. They entered into conversation, and it was not +long before the mysterious power of fairies was mentioned. + +"Do you believe in fairies?" asked Said, at last. + +"Well," replied the other, stroking his beard thoughtfully, "I should +not like to say that there are no such beings, although I have never +seen one." And then he began to relate such wonderful stories, that Said +felt that his mother's words must have been true, and when he went to +sleep was transported to a veritable fairyland. + +The next day the travellers were dismayed to see a band of robbers +swooping down on them. All was confusion in an instant, and they had +scarcely had time to place the women and children in the centre, when +the Arabs were upon them. Bravely as the men acquitted themselves, all +was in vain, for the robbers were more than four hundred strong. At this +dreadful moment Said bethought him of his whistle; but, alas! it +remained dumb as before, and poor Said, dropping it hastily, fired on a +man, who seemed from his dress to be of some importance. + +"What have you done?" cried the old man, who was fighting at his side. +"There is no hope for us now." + +And so, indeed, it seemed--for the robbers, maddened by the death of the +man, pressed so closely on the youth that they broke down even his +sturdy resistance. The others were soon overcome or slain, and Said +found himself on horseback, bound and guarded by armed men. These +treated him with roughness, and the only drop of comfort in his cup was +that his old friend was riding near. You may be sure his thoughts were +not very pleasant--slavery or death was all he had to look forward to. + +After riding for some time, they saw in the far distance trees and +tents, and in a short time they were met by bands of women and children, +who had no sooner heard the news than they began to throw sticks and +clods of earth at Said, shrieking, "That is the man who killed the +great Almansor, bravest of men; he must die, and we will throw his body +to the jackals." + +[Illustration: "AFTER SEVERAL HOURS HE AWOKE" (_p._ 225).] + +They became so threatening that the bandits interfered and, bearing off +their prisoner, led him bound into one of the tents. Here was seated an +old man, evidently the leader of the band. His head was bent. + +"The weeping of the women has told me all--Almansor is dead," said he. + +"Almansor is dead," answered the robbers, "O Mighty One of the Desert, +but here is his murderer. Only speak the word. Shall his doom be to be +shot, or to be hanged from the nearest tree?" + +But the aged Selim questioned Said, and found that his son had been +slain in fair fight. "He has done, then, no more than we ourselves +should have done. Loose his bonds. The innocent shall not die," cried +Selim, in his sternest tones, seeing his men's reluctance and +discontent. As for Said, the very fulness of his heart closed his lips, +and he could not find words in which to thank his deliverer. From this +time he lived in Selim's tent, almost taking the place of that son whose +death he had caused. + +But sedition was rife among the robbers. Their beloved Prince had been +murdered, and his murderer was shielded by the father! Many were the +execrations hurled at Said, as he walked in the camp; indeed, several +attempts were made on his life. At length Selim perceived that soon even +his influence would not be sufficient to guard the young man, and so he +sent him away with an escort, saying that his ransom had been paid. But +before they started he bound the robbers by a dreadful oath that they +would not kill Said. + +It was indeed a terrible ride! Said saw that his guides were performing +their task with great reluctance, and soon they began to whisper +together. He nerved himself to listen, and what he heard did not tend +to reassure him. + +"This is the very spot," said one. "I shall never forget it." + +"And to think that his murderer still lives!" + +"Ah! if his father had not made us take that oath!" + +"Stay," cried the most forbidding-looking of all, "we have not sworn to +bring this fellow to the end of his journey. We will leave him his life, +but the scorching sun and the sharp teeth of the jackal shall perform +our vengeance. Let us bind him and leave him here." + +Said, hearing this brutal suggestion, made a desperate effort for his +life. Spurring his horse, he rode off at full speed; but the bandits +soon recovered from their amazement, and, giving chase, had him at their +mercy. Tears, prayers, even bribes were of no avail, and the wretched +Said was left to face death in its most painful form. Higher and higher +mounted the sun, and Said tried to roll over to obtain some small +relief. In doing this the whistle attracted his notice, and he contrived +to get it between his lips; but for the third time it refused its +office, and Said, overcome by the heat and the horror of his situation, +fainted. After several hours he awoke to see, not the dreaded beast of +prey but a human being. + +This was a little man with small eyes and a long beard, who informed +Said, when the latter had somewhat recovered, that he was Kalum Bek, a +merchant, and that he was on a business expedition when he found him +lying half dead in the sand. Said thanked the little man, and gratefully +accepted a seat on his camel. As they were journeying the merchant +related many stories in praise of the justice and acuteness of the +Father of the Faithful. + +"My cousin Messour," he said, "is his Lord Chamberlain, and he has often +told me how the Caliph is wont to sally forth at night, attended by +himself alone, to see how his people are cared for. And so, when we go +about the streets at night, we have to be polite to every idiot we meet, +for it is as likely to be the Caliph as some dog of an Arab from the +desert." + +Hearing such accounts as these, Said thought himself a lucky fellow to +have the chance of seeing Bagdad and the renowned Al-Raschid. When they +arrived in the city, Kalum invited Said to accompany him home. The next +day the youth had just dressed himself in his most magnificent clothes, +thinking of the sensation he would cause, when the merchant entered, +and, looking at him scornfully, said: "That is all very fine, my young +sir, but it seems to me you are a great dreamer. Have you the money to +keep up that style?" + +"It is true, sir," said Said, blushing, "that I have no money; but +perhaps you will be kind enough to lend me sufficient to travel home +with, for my father is sure to repay you." + +"Your father, boy," laughed the merchant. "I really think the sun must +have affected your brain. You don't suppose, do you, that I believe the +fable you made up for my benefit? I know all the rich men in Balsora, +but no Benezar. Besides, do you think the disappearance of a whole +caravan would pass unnoticed? And then, you bare-faced liar, that story +about Selim! Why, that man is noted for his cruelty; and do you mean to +tell me that he allowed the murderer of his son to go free--and that, +too, without ransom? Oh, you shameless liar!" + +"Indeed, I have spoken the truth," cried Said. "I have no proof of my +words, and can only swear to you that I have spoken no falsehood. If you +will not help me then I must appeal to the Caliph." + +"Really!" scoffed the little man; "you will beg, then, from no less +exalted a person than our gracious ruler! Just consider that the Caliph +can only be approached through my cousin Messour, and that with a word I +could----But I pity your youth. You are not too old yet for reformation. +You shall serve in my shop for a year, and then, if you wish to leave +me, I will pay you your wages, and let you go whither you will. I give +you till mid-day to think over it. If you refuse, I will seize your +clothes and possessions to pay myself for your passage, and throw you on +the streets." + +Said was indeed in difficulties; bad luck seemed to press upon him at +every turn. There was no escaping from the room, for the windows were +barred and the door locked. After cudgelling his brains for some time, +he saw that he must submit to the indignity imposed upon him by the +villainous little man, and so the next day he followed him to the shop +in the bazaar. His duty was to stand (his gallant attire a thing of the +past) in the doorway, a veil or a shawl in either hand, and cry his +wares to the passers-by. + +Said soon saw why Kalum had been so anxious to retain him as a servant. +No one wished to do business with the hateful old man, but when the +salesman was a handsome youth it was a different matter altogether. One +especially busy day all the porters were employed, when an elderly lady +entered and made some purchases. After she had bought all she wanted she +demanded some one to carry her parcels home for her. In vain did the +merchant promise to send them in half an hour--she would have them then +or never; and her eye falling on Said, she wanted to know why he should +not accompany her. After much remonstrance Kalum had to give in, and +Said found himself following in the wake of the lady, who stopped at +last before a magnificent house. She knocked and they were admitted, and +after mounting a wide marble staircase, Said found himself in a lofty +hall, far grander than he had ever seen before. Here he was relieved of +his burden, and was just going out at the door, when-- + +"Said," cried a sweet voice behind him. He turned round quickly, and saw +to his amazement a daintily beautiful lady surrounded by attendants, +instead of the old lady he had followed. + +"Said, my dear boy," she said, "it is a great misfortune that you left +Balsora before you were twenty; but here in Bagdad there is some chance +for you. Have you still your little whistle?" + +"Indeed I have," he cried gladly; "perhaps you are the kindly fairy who +befriended my mother?" + +[Illustration: "A DAINTILY BEAUTIFUL LADY" (_p._ 228).] + +"Yes, and as long as you are good I will help you. But, alas! I cannot +even deliver you from that wretch, Kalum Bek, for he is protected by +your most powerful enemy." + +"But can we do nothing? Can I not go to the Caliph? He is a just man and +will help me." + +"Haroun is indeed just, but he is greatly influenced by Messour, who, a +model of uprightness himself, has been already primed by Kalum with his +version of your story. But there are other ways of getting at the +Caliph, and it is written in the stars that you will obtain his favour." + +"I am to be pitied if I have to stay much longer with that rascal of a +shopkeeper. But there is one favour I beg of you, most gracious of +fairies. Jousts are held every week, but only for the freeborn. Couldn't +you manage to give me equipments, and make my face so that no one would +know me?" + +"That is a wish worthy of a brave man, and I will grant it. Come here +each week, and you will find everything you want. And now, farewell. Be +cautious and virtuous. In six months your whistle will sound, and Zulima +will answer its appeal." + +Said took leave of his protectress, and, taking note of the position of +the house, made his way back to the shop. He arrived there in the very +nick of time, for Kalum was surrounded by a crowd of jeering neighbours, +and was literally dancing with rage. This was what had happened. Two men +had asked the merchant if he could direct them to the shop of the +handsome salesman. + +"Well! well!" said the old man, smiling, "Heaven has guided you to the +right place this time. What do you want, a shawl or a veil?" + +This to the men seemed nothing short of insolence, and they fell upon +him tooth and nail, the neighbours refusing to help the old skinflint. +But Said, seeing his master in such distress, strode to the rescue, and +one of the assailants soon found himself on the ground. Under the +influence of his flashing eyes the crowd soon melted away, for violence +on the wrong side was not to their taste. + +"Oh, you prince of shopmen, that is what I call interfering to some +purpose! Didn't he lie on the ground as if he had never used his legs? I +should have lost my beard for ever if you had not come up. How shall I +reward you?" + +Said had only acted upon the impulse of the moment; indeed, he now felt +rather sorry that he had deprived the scoundrel of a well-deserved +thrashing. He seized the opportunity, however, and asked for an evening +a week in which to take a walk. This was granted him, and the next +Wednesday he set out for the fairy's house. Here he found everything as +Zulima had promised. First the servants gave him a wash, which changed +him from a stripling to a black-bearded man, whose face was bronzed by +exposure to the sun. Then he was led into a second room, where he saw a +dress that would not have been put to shame by the State robes of the +Caliph. He hastily donned this, and, magnificently equipped, descended +the stairs. As he reached the door, a servant handed him a silk +handkerchief with which to wipe his face when he wished to rid himself +of his disguise. In the court were standing three horses; two were +ridden by squires, but the most magnificent was for his own use. When +Said arrived on the plain set apart for the jousts, all eyes turned on +him, and curiosity was rife as to who the unknown knight could be; that +he was distinguished and of high family none doubted. + +When Said entered the lists he gave his name as Almansor of Cairo, and +said that he had come to Bagdad because of the fame of the youths of +that city. The sides were chosen, and the opposing parties charged. +Said's horse was as swift as an eagle, and his prowess with the sword +was so great that even the bravest shunned meeting him, and the Caliph's +brother, who had been on his side, challenged him to single combat. The +two fought, but were so equal that the contest had to be postponed till +the next meeting. On the following day all Bagdad was ringing with the +praises of the gallant young knight; and little did the people guess +that he was then serving in a shop in the bazaar. + +At the next tournament Said carried all before him, and received from +the Caliph a golden medallion hanging from a gold chain. This aroused +the envy of the other youths. Was a stranger to come to Bagdad and rob +them of their honour? Said noticed the signs of discontent, and observed +that all viewed him askance, except the brother and son of the Caliph. +By a strange chance the one most bitter against him was the man he had +knocked down before Kalum Bek's shop. Led by this man, the others made a +sudden attack on Said, who must have fallen if the Royal combatants had +not rushed to his aid. + +For more than four months he continued to fight in the lists, but one +night as he was going home he noticed four men who were walking slowly +before him. To his astonishment, he found they were speaking in the +dialect used by Selim's band. He suspected that they were after no good, +and so he crept nearer to hear what they were saying. + +[Illustration: "THE TWO FOUGHT" (_p._ 232).] + +"He will be in the street to the right of the bazaar to-night, attended +by the Grand Vizier," said one. + +"That is good," answered the other; "there is no fear of the Grand +Vizier, but I am not so sure of the Caliph--there might be some of his +guard near." + +"No, there won't," broke in a third; "he is always alone at night." + +"I think it would be best to throw a lasso over his head," said the +first. + +"Very well, an hour after midnight;" and with these words they +separated. + +"Well, I have discovered a pretty plot," thought Said, and his first +idea was to go at once to the Caliph; but he remembered how Kalum had +maligned him to Messour, and stopped. No, the only way was for him to +defend the Caliph in person. Accordingly, when night came on, he betook +himself to the appointed street, and waited to see what was going to +happen. Soon the men came and concealed themselves in different parts of +the street. All was quiet for half an hour, and at the end of that time +one of the robbers gave a sign, for the Caliph was in sight. With one +accord the band rushed upon him, but Said rose from his hiding-place, +and laid about him with such hearty goodwill that they were soon glad to +take to their heels with all speed. + +"My rescue," said the Caliph, "is no less wonderful than the attack made +upon me. How did you know who I was? How did you get to know of the +plot?" + +Said then told how he had followed the men, and, hearing their plans, +determined to frustrate their villainous intention. + +"Receive my thanks," said the Caliph, "and accept this ring. Present it +to-morrow at the palace, and we will see what can be done for you." + +The Vizier, too, gave him a ring, together with a heavy purse. + +Mad with joy, Said hurried home, but here Kalum was awaiting him, +anxious lest he should have lost his handsome servant. The little man +raved at Said, but the latter had seen that his purse was full of money, +and told him flatly that he would stay there no longer. He strode out at +the door, leaving Kalum staring after him in open-mouthed astonishment. +The next morning the merchant set the police on his track, and they +brought him word that his quondam servant, dressed in a most magnificent +fashion, was just setting out with a caravan. + +"He has stolen money from me, the thief!" Kalum shrieked, and ordered +the constable to arrest Said. As Kalum was known to be related to +Messour, his commands were promptly attended to, and poor Said found +himself condemned, unheard, as having stolen the purse from his master. +He was sentenced to life-long banishment on a desert island, and all his +protestations of innocence were of no avail. The poor fellow was in +despair, and even the stony-hearted merchant put in a plea for him. He +was thrown into a filthy dungeon, together with nineteen others. He +comforted himself with the thought that his life would be more endurable +on board ship, but here he was mistaken. The atmosphere was foul, and +the men fought like wild beasts for the best places. Food and water were +handed out to them once a day, and at the same time the men who had died +were hauled out. + +A fortnight was passed in this misery, but one day they felt the ship +was tossing more than usual, and their discomfort was increased. At last +the survivors burst the hatches open, but to their despair they saw that +the ship had been deserted by all the crew. The storm raged even more +wildly, the ship rocked and settled deeper into the water. At last it +went to pieces, and Said managed to cling to the mast. After he had +floated for about half an hour, he suddenly remembered his whistle. It +still hung round his neck, and holding on well with one hand to the +mast, he put it to his mouth, and this time it did not fail him. At the +sound of the clear, sweet note, the storm ceased as if by magic, and the +sea became like glass, and, what was more wonderful still, the mast by +which Said was supported was changed into a huge dolphin, to his no +small terror. But he soon found there was no need for him to be afraid, +for the fish bore him as swiftly as an arrow through the water. + +After some time Said, remembering tales of enchanters, drew out his +whistle, and blowing a shrill blast, wished for a meal. At once a table +rose from the depths of the sea, and Said enjoyed the much-needed +refreshment. The sun was just sinking, when he saw a large town in the +distance which reminded him of Bagdad. The thought of Bagdad was not so +very pleasant, but still he trusted that the fairy, who had guarded him +so far, would not let him fall into the hands of Kalum Bek. As he drew +nearer he noticed a large house on the bank of the river, the roof of +which was crowded with men, who were all gazing in astonishment at +himself. No sooner had Said set foot on the land, than the fish +vanished, and at the same time the servants appeared to lead him before +their master. On the roof were standing three men, who questioned him in +a friendly way. Said at once began to relate his story, from the time +when he left Balsora, and his listeners declared that they believed him; +still, they asked if he could produce the golden chain and the rings of +which he had spoken. + +[Illustration: "A TABLE ROSE FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA" (_p._ 236).] + +"Here they are," said Said. "I determined not to part with them while I +had life to defend them." + +"By the beard of the Prophet, this is my ring, Grand Vizier--our +deliverer stands before us!" + +Said was overcome by finding in whose presence he was, and flung himself +at the Caliph's feet. But Haroun raised him, and overwhelmed him with +praise and thanks. Nothing would do but that Said must return with them +to the palace, where they would conceive some plan to bring the merchant +Kalum to book. On the next day Kalum himself begged for admittance to +the presence of Haroun. A dispute had arisen between himself and a man +of Balsora, and he asked for judgment. + +"I will hear him," said the Caliph. "Said," turning to the youth as the +servant left the room, "this is no other than your father. Do you hide +behind that curtain, and you, Grand Vizier, fetch the magistrate who +condemned Said." + +In a short time Kalum entered, accompanied by Benezar, and, after the +Caliph had mounted his throne, began his complaint. + +"I was standing at my door a few days ago, when this man Benezar came +down the street, offering a purse of gold for news of Said. I at once +claimed the money, and told him how his son, for so I found him to be, +had suffered the penalty for stealing a purse from me. Then the madman +demanded his money back, and wanted to make me responsible for his +rascal of a son." + +"Bring the magistrate who condemned the youth," commanded Haroun. He +was produced as if by magic. After much questioning, the justice +confessed that no witness had been brought forward except the purse. + +"Why," shouted the Grand Vizier, "that is my purse, you scoundrel; and I +gave it to the gallant youth who saved me." + +"Then," thundered the Caliph, "you swore falsely, Kalum Bek. What was +done to Said?" + +"I sent him to a desert island," stammered the magistrate. + +"Oh, Said, my son, my son!" wept the unhappy father. + +"Stand forth, Said," said the Caliph. + +Confronted by this apparition, Kalum and the justice flung themselves on +their knees, crying, "Mercy! mercy!" + +"Did you have mercy on the misfortunes of this unhappy boy? You, my best +of judges, shall retire to a desert island, so that you may have an +opportunity of studying justice. But, Kalum Bek, what am I to say to +you? You shall pay Said for all the time he has served you, and," as +Kalum was beginning to congratulate himself on coming so well out of the +business, "for the perjury you shall receive a hundred strokes on the +soles of your feet. Take the men away and carry out their sentence." + +The wretched beings were led away, and the Caliph took Said and his +father into another apartment. Here their conversation was interrupted +by the yells of Kalum, who was undergoing punishment in the court +outside. The Caliph invited Benezar to bring his goods and settle in +Bagdad. He gladly consented, and Said spent his life in the palace built +for him by the grateful Caliph--indeed, the proverb ran in Bagdad, "May +I be as good and fortunate as Said, the son of Benezar." + + + + +Little Blue Flower. + + + + +[Illustration] + +LITTLE BLUE FLOWER. + +FROM THE GERMAN BY MISS F. E. HYNAM. + + +A STORK swept high over the Bohemian forest. It was a most important +duty that had brought him from his own marshes into this mountainous +region, where far and wide no croak of frog could be heard. In his beak +he carried two little children, a boy and a girl, both intended for the +knight who dwelt in the gloomy fortress below. Smaller and smaller grew +the circles made by the stork in his flight. Lower and lower he sank +towards the earth, until at length he rested on the highest chimney of +the castle. + +But before letting the children slip down the narrow black hole he +paused and looked carefully around. While in the air, this old castle, +with its round turrets glittering in the rising sun, had appeared to him +a most stately edifice. But now, when quite close, the stork discovered +many things that did not please him. The walls were sadly out of repair, +there were holes in the roof, whilst the courtyard was overgrown with +weeds. + +"I do not like this," said the stork, looking thoughtfully down his +long, red beak. "This place seems to have a very bad landlord. A knight +who cannot keep his castle in proper repair certainly does not deserve +two children. I will take one away with me." + +"Which should he have now, the boy or the girl?" thought the stork. He +looked once more thoughtfully down his long beak, and on the two +children smiling happily in their dreams. "I think I will give him the +boy," he said at length. "He will push his way in this wretched place +better than the girl." With these words he made a movement to throw the +little boy down the chimney. + +This, however, was not so easy as the stork had thought. In their sleep +the little ones had embraced each other, and would not let go. "I have +never had two such obstinate little creatures in my beak before," +exclaimed the stork angrily. Then he began to shake them, at first +gently, then harder, and at last so roughly that the children half awoke +from their dreams, and looked at each other with blinking eyes. After +this the boy would not let go his companion, and no wonder, for the +little girl had shown him a pair of blue eyes of such wondrous beauty, +that there were not many like them in the world. But the stork, now +thoroughly angry, gave the poor little fellow a kick that sent him head +first down the castle chimney. + +"Now, what shall I do with the other little thing?" said the stork +thoughtfully, scratching the back of his ear. "Ah! I have it," he +cried--the little girl had kept on blinking her eyes, and the stork had +also seen their beautiful blue--"I have it!" he repeated. "Such eyes can +only belong to Norway." + +High overhead soared the stork. Powerfully his wings clove the air as +he sailed away towards the north. + +In the midst of the blue Baltic Sea a little wooded island lay sparkling +like a green jewel. Here dwelt Bjorn, a grim old sea-king of Norwegian +blood. Every year he and his men ploughed the sea with their swift +ships, and very rich was the spoil he brought home to his strong castle +that stood in the centre of the island, defended by wall and moat. + +To this castle the stork bore the little maiden on his strong wings. + +Bjorn and his men were sitting in the spacious hall, quaffing from +golden cups the sweet wine they had brought back in their ships from the +sunny land of Greece. Very wild was their joy when the little maiden +came down the chimney, and throughout the whole night their boisterous +songs could be heard far across the wide sea. + +And the little, sparkling waves sang in reply a rushing murmuring song, +to celebrate the arrival of the young child. "To our sea-king a little +daughter has been born," they sang. "A beauteous little maiden, with +eyes blue as the sea, locks fair as the sea foam, and lips rosy as the +morning red when it gilds the crests of the waves." Even the stupid +fishes rejoiced, but as they could not sing they leapt into the air, +high up out of the waves, and their scales glittered in the moonlight +like gold and silver. + +Many days and many nights Bjorn and his crew drank of the pearly wine. +Then he could rest at home no longer, so ordered his ships and sailed +away, leaving the child, to whom he had given the name of Swanhild, in +charge of a faithful nurse. + +On this voyage Bjorn encountered more storms and enemies than he had +ever done before. Often, whilst on the tossing billows, he thought with +longing of the little one at home. Yet many long years passed ere he +could at length return home laden with rich spoil. + +As he set foot on the little island he was greeted by a beautiful +maiden, with deep blue eyes, rosy lips, and the fair hair of Norway. +Full of joy, Bjorn clasped his lovely child to his heart. Then he sat +with his men in the castle hall, feasting and quaffing the costly +Grecian wine. + +Swanhild had never before seen such noisy feasts. Often, on moonlight +nights, she would leave the castle and wander alone on the sea-shore. + +But one evening, as she thus wandered, clad in her white garments, and +with her fair head bent towards the waves, she was seen by a wicked +magician, who had flown thither through the air on a black goat. He came +from the cliffs of Norway, where he had been sent to seize the soul of a +poor Laplander who had stolen his neighbour's reindeer, and he was now +travelling to Blocksberg to take this soul to his master, a powerful +evil spirit. + +When the magician saw Swanhild he was much delighted. He had never +before beheld any one so lovely. But alas! while he was lost in +contemplation of her beauty the soul of the little Laplander escaped, +and flew away. He let it go. Seeking a secluded spot, he at once +summoned a number of crabs and water-beetles, which he placed in three +shining mussel-shells. One touch of his staff changed these shells +filled with crabs and water-beetles into magnificent vessels full of +well-armed men. His black goat became a skald, and played the harp. Then +transforming himself into a handsome young Viking, he ordered the sails +to be hoisted, and rounding a wooded promontory, sailed into the bay +where Bjorn's vessel lay. + +[Illustration: "WHEN THE MAGICIAN SAW SWANHILD HE WAS MUCH DELIGHTED" +(_p._ 246).] + +Loudly the sentries on Bjorn's ship blew their horns. Louder yet rang +out the answering blast from the castle. Wildly Bjorn and his men broke +through the forest. Furious was their war-cry, shrilly clanged their +weapons. + +The strange Viking stepped forward boldly, and extending his hand to +Bjorn in token of friendship, besought hospitality for himself and his +men. + +Bjorn let himself be persuaded. He led the strangers into his splendid +halls, and drank and feasted with them many days and many nights. Then +the strange hero ordered rich presents to be brought from his ships: +garments studded with gold, gold ornaments, and shining swords. This +completely deceived Bjorn and his followers, and when the stranger asked +for Swanhild in marriage, the Viking readily gave his consent. That +Swanhild turned pale no one heeded. Nor did they heed that she wept +nightly in the solitude of her chamber. + +The marriage day at length arrived. But when everything was ready, and +Swanhild, in glittering array, was being led towards the stranger, she, +with a quick movement, turned her back on him and fled to her chamber. + +Loudly raged the father, his eyes glowing with fury. But wilder still +rolled the eyes of the stranger. He broke into a laugh, and cried, with +mocking voice, "You shall all pay for this." + +One look from those fierce eyes, and his men became a crowd of crabs +and water-beetles. The skald threw away his harp, and stood there a +black goat with fiery eyes. The stranger shook off his armour, and was a +horrible old man. + +Bjorn grew pale with terror, his followers began to tremble and shake. +Another look from the magician: they all shrank together, and a crawling +mass of frogs covered the floor. Bjorn was the largest of them all. Then +opening door and gate, the magician drove them out into the marshy moat. +Here they dived. + +The magician then locked the door and threw the key into the moat. At +her chamber windows Swanhild sat weeping. He looked up at her furiously, +but she was so good and pure, his glance had no power over her. He shook +his fist threateningly. + +"Now sit there all alone," he cried, "since you will not marry me. You +cannot escape, and no one can deliver you, for my goat keeps guard." + +He flew away whistling. The black goat walked round and round the moat, +his eyes gleaming like living coals. The frogs croaked in the evening +light, and above, in her chamber, Swanhild wept solitary and forsaken. + +In the meantime, the boy left by the stork at the gloomy castle in the +Bohemian forest had become a valiant knight, who knew well how to use +his sword. Yet so strange a knight as he had never before sat in +Walnut-tree Castle. This was the name of his ancestral home. + +Since his father's death Wulf had lived quite alone in the ruined +castle, for none of the servants would stay after the old knight died. +But this did not trouble Wulf. He did not care to hunt the wild boar +through the thicket, or kill the frightened stag. His chief pleasure was +to stretch himself on the thick, soft moss, and gaze through the green +branches of the forest trees at the blue heavens that smiled here and +there in little flocks through the thick foliage. He also loved to seek +for forest flowers--the blue were his favourites. Whence this preference +he knew not, but he dreamt he had once looked into Swanhild's blue eyes. +Or, when tired of these things, he would stand at one of the castle +windows, gazing thoughtfully out into the blue distance. "Far away +yonder," so ran his thoughts at these times, "where the blue heaven +bends down to touch the earth, should I not find happiness there? Were +it not better to journey abroad in search of happiness than to remain +alone in this solitary castle, through whose walls the wind whistles, +whilst owls and bats are now the only occupants of its once stately +halls?" + +But though longing to go out into the world, Wulf remained in the ruined +castle, in obedience to an old command of one of his ancestors. + +In the middle of the castle court there grew in the cleft of a rock a +gigantic walnut tree. From it the castle had received its name. The nut +from which this tree had sprung had been planted in olden times by one +of Wulf's ancestors, who at the same time had carved these words on the +rock:-- + + Where flourishes this tree, there shall my house remain. + While it stands, forsake it not to search abroad for fame; + But should the ancient glory from these halls e'er disappear, + Life from this tree shall make it shine once more quite bright and + clear. + +Their splendour had long since disappeared, and how the tree could +restore it Wulf could not imagine; still, he remained obedient to the +command. + +[Illustration: "A CRAWLING MASS OF FROGS COVERED THE FLOOR" (_p._ 249).] + +One evening a mighty storm arose. Black clouds obscured the sky. The +lightning flashed; the thunder rolled. The storm raged through the +forest. The mouldering stones of the old castle slipped from their +places, and the wind whistled through the gaps, and raged through the +old rooms and passages. Then a flash of lightning! a clap of thunder! +The castle was in ruins! Wulf escaped into the open air; before him lay +the walnut tree, shivered by the lightning. + +He immediately saddled his horse. What need to remain here longer? +Hastily snatching a few ripe nuts that lay among the shattered branches, +he concealed them in his doublet as a remembrance, and then rode away +through the gloomy forest. + +Far and wide, Wulf wandered over the green earth beneath the blue +heavens, encountering many enemies. But in spite of all he kept +courageously on his way. + +One day his path led through a thick forest of beech trees. He looked +around thoughtfully as his horse scattered the fallen leaves at every +step. Suddenly he looked up. What was it that shimmered so blue through +the trees? Wulf urged his horse forward, but beneath a giant beech at +the edge of the forest he halted; the endless sea lay before him. + +"Here is blue heaven above and beneath, surely I shall find happiness +here?" thought Wulf, as he swung himself to earth. Without a thought he +left his horse, and hastened to the shore. On the soft waves a small +bark was rocking. Wulf sprang in and loosed the chain. Lightly the waves +bore the boat out into the blue distance. + +For a long time Wulf lay contentedly in the bottom of the boat. He felt +as though he were a little child folded into his mother's arms, safe +from all want and danger. And he thought the waves wished to tell him +something, but he could not understand their language. Yet he saw that +they bore his bark ever more swiftly forward, and he rejoiced at the +increasing speed. + +There was a grating sound under the keel: Wulf had reached land at last. +Before him lay a wooded island. Above the tops of the trees rose the +turrets of a stately castle. He hastened forward and arrived at the +castle moat. An unearthly stillness reigned over all around. Nothing +moved save a swarm of frogs. These swam round and round in the moat, or +sat on the leaves of the water-lilies, and croaked in what seemed to +Wulf most sorrowful tones. But the largest amongst them behaved in a +most extraordinary manner. He was for ever trying to climb up the castle +wall, but if after much trouble he managed to get up a little way, he +always fell back again. Then he would seat himself on a water-lily, look +upwards, and wipe his eyes as though he were weeping. + +Wulf also looked up. + +"Happiness at last!" he exclaimed. "The blue eyes!" But he got no +further. A violent push from an angry goat sent him flying into the +middle of the moat. + +Wulf felt himself sinking fast. His feet got entangled among the twisted +roots of the water-lilies. With great difficulty he managed to keep his +head above the water. + +"And here I must die," said he in anguish. + +Then from out his doublet sounded soft little voices:-- + + "The blessing of Urahn to you is near. + Do not despair, for help is present here." + +And behold! all around him now began a wonderful rustling and moving. He +groped about with his hands, and felt that tender little roots had +forced their way through his doublet and were taking root in the slime. +And all around him he saw little green walnut tree leaves rising out of +the water. Twigs followed the leaves, and these again became branches. +Wulf felt he was being forced upwards; soon he was safely out of the +water. Looking up, he saw Swanhild's blue eyes. He stretched out his +arms towards her and she smiled. + +Higher and higher Wulf was borne. Five strong walnut trees grew beneath +him, and bore him up on their branches. Now he could reach up and touch +Swanhild's hands. Now he sat by her at the window, and gazed into her +blue eyes. + +"What is your name?" he asked. + +"Swanhild," she replied. + +"It is a very beautiful name," said Wulf. "But for my sake you must now +be called Little Blue Flower. When I was quite a child I saw your eyes +in my dreams. They appeared to me like little blue flowers, and every +day I searched for these flowers in the forest, but they were never +sufficiently beautiful. Now you shall be my Little Blue Flower." And +then he gave her a kiss. + +But now a fresh movement began in the moat below. The stout frog was +able to scramble up the crooked, rough stems of the walnut tree, better +than up the smooth castle wall. Boldly he climbed, and the whole army of +frogs followed him. At length he reached the top. Swanhild gently laid +her hand on his head, and instead of the frog old Bjorn sat on one of +the branches of the walnut tree, and embraced and kissed both his +daughter and Wulf. Then the other frogs came, and Swanhild laid her +hand on them all. Soon all Bjorn's followers were sitting in crowds on +the branches, dangling their legs for joy. Full of anger, the black goat +ran round and round the castle moat, rolling his great fiery eyes. + +[Illustration: "Now he could reach up and touch Swanhild's hands." _Page +254_] + +[Illustration: "SOON ALL BJORN'S FOLLOWERS WERE SITTING ON THE BRANCHES" +(_p._ 256).] + +Just as the last frog was changed, a mighty rushing noise was heard. The +magician flew raging through the air. With his magic staff he struck the +poor goat a fierce blow, and then rode back on him to Blocksberg. Here +it went very badly with him, because he came without the soul of the +little Laplander, and he was severely punished. + +Bjorn, with Wulf and all his men, joyfully entered the castle through +Swanhild's window. A few days later Swanhild's marriage with Wulf was +celebrated with great splendour, and they lived together in peace and +happiness to the end of their days. + + + + +"The Princess Who Despised all Men." + + + + +[Illustration] + +"THE PRINCESS WHO DESPISED ALL MEN." + +By Charles Smith Cheltnam. + + +THERE was once a King and Queen who, having everything a King and Queen +could reasonably desire, might have been as happy as the day was +long--if they had only taken the right means for making the best of +their good fortune. + +The King was a pattern of amiability, and, as to wisdom, could have held +his own in comparison with any crowned potentate on earth; but of the +Queen not half as much could be said in praise. As a girl, her beauty +had been renowned, and had brought to her Princes by the score as +wooers; but to their suits she had, as the phrase is, turned a deaf ear, +regarding men as creatures made wholly of ill qualities, and marriage +with them a debasement of herself in every sense; and it was not until +her father threatened to imprison her for the rest of her life in a town +built of steel and adamant, that she could be induced to accept a +husband. + +The amiability of her spouse was often sorely tried by her constant +disparagement of men; but, being founded upon exceptional goodness of +character, he did not allow it to be overcome, and schooled himself to +bear with her fantastic ideas, rewarding himself for his leniency by +sometimes laughing in his sleeve at the more preposterous of her +pretensions. + +A great many years passed without their having any family until, one +day, the Queen had a baby girl, and consoled herself by reflecting that +that, at least, was better than having a boy, "to grow up into a horrid +man," as she expressed herself. + +It happened that, at the moment of the little Princess's birth, the +fairy Gaieia was passing the palace, and, as she had no particularly +pressing business on hand, slipped in, and, after congratulating the +Queen on the beauty of her offspring, constituted herself the infant's +god-mother--as was the fairy custom at that period--at the same time +laughingly predicting that she would prove to be "the joy of her +parents." + +It hardly needs to be recorded that, with her very peculiar views as to +what a woman's conduct in life ought to be, the Queen did not permit her +daughter to receive instruction of any kind from anybody but herself; +the King, consequently, rarely saw his child, and knew nothing of the +character which had been made for her by her mother, rather than allowed +to come to her and develop itself in the natural order of things. In +this way the Princess Disdainana--so her mother had insisted on naming +her--was brought up until she had reached her seventeenth year. If the +youthful beauty of her mother had been renowned, that of the Princess +was celebrated far and near as being nothing less than marvellous, and a +hundred of the richest and handsomest Kings and Princes in the world +vied with each other in their endeavours to obtain her hand; but to not +one of them would she deign to listen even for a moment, regarding all +men as a sort of natural excrescence, whose only fitting place in the +world was in companionship with the horses and dogs, or, at most, as +ugly and repulsive creatures necessary for the performance of the most +unpleasant labours. It was on this account that she had become +universally known as "The Princess Who Despised All Men." + +This state of things became, at last, a cause of extreme uneasiness to +the King. By the time she had arrived at a marriageable age, the fact +that he, too, was year by year growing older began to recur to his mind +with disquieting persistency; for, having no son to succeed him, he saw +that, if his daughter's disinclination to marry were maintained, his +dynasty was in danger of coming to an end--and that is a prospect which +no King can be expected to contemplate with equanimity. + +One day, therefore, when the subject was worrying him very much, he sent +for his wife and daughter and explained to them the extreme discomforts +of the situation which had been brought about by the obduracy of the +Princess. + +"My daughter, I am happy to say, knows her duty to herself," replied +the Queen proudly. + +The King was about to retort, "But she does not appear to know anything +whatever about her duty to her father;" but, as it was a rule of conduct +with him never to use that form of contradiction in any discussion he +had with his wife, he held his peace. + +"Rather than become the wife of an ugly, coarse, bearded man, I would +die a hundred deaths!" cried the Princess vehemently. + +As the last syllable left her lips, a gay laugh rippled through the air +of the room. + +"May I ask what you find to laugh at in what my daughter has said?" +demanded the Queen of her husband, indignantly. + +"Nothing whatever, my dear--and, consequently, I did not laugh," replied +the King mildly. + +"What! Perhaps you will say that it was _I_ who uttered that insolent +sound?" cried the Queen. + +"Now I come to recall the fact, I don't think I ever heard you laugh, my +dear; but I am sure the voice that laughed a moment ago was not in the +least like yours," said the King. + +"It was more like my daughter's, perhaps you will say?" remarked the +Queen sarcastically. + +"Not in the least--I should imagine, for I never had the advantage of +hearing her laugh any more than yourself," replied the King. + +Again the gay sound of a musical voice, laughing lightly, rang through +the room. + +"Oh! This is too insulting!" cried the Queen. "Come with me, my +love--out of such an unendurable atmosphere of coarseness." + +And, without deigning to listen to a word of remonstrance from the King, +she hurried the Princess back to her own apartment--followed by another +silvery peal of laughter. + +[Illustration: "SHE HURRIED THE PRINCESS BACK TO HER OWN APARTMENT."] + +The King was equally puzzled and vexed by the abrupt termination of what +he had hoped would have been a conference resulting in relief to himself +from pressing anxieties. Now--knowing his wife's absolute and unyielding +temper, and the complete control she exercised over her daughter--he +saw no way but one (that of using his extreme parental authority) to +bring the Princess to obedience; but that measure he was too +kind-hearted to resolve upon applying. + +In the utmost perplexity of mind he had paced his study for several +minutes, without noticing that he was grasping in his right hand a +scroll of parchment. On becoming aware of this fact, he stopped suddenly +and gazed on the document with bewildered astonishment. It was +absolutely certain that he had never seen it before, that it was not in +his hand when the Queen and Princess quitted his presence, and that +nobody else had entered the room. + +While he was thinking of all this, the gay laugh, which had been heard +three times before, rang through the study again, only more gaily than +ever--for a moment angering the King, though he was one of the most +placable of Sovereigns, and causing him to ferret in every possible +hiding-place in his study in search of the daring jester. But not a +trace of an intruder was discoverable. When he had perfectly assured +himself of this, he unfolded the mysteriously conveyed parchment. + +The opening words of the document caused him to turn pale, and the sight +of the signature at the end of it sent a thrill of terror through his +frame. It was nothing less than a formal demand for the hand of the +Princess Disdainana, on the part of Kloxoxskin the Ninety-ninth--one of +the ugliest and most belligerent monarchs in the world--the document +being drawn in the form of an ultimatum, calling upon the King to give +his daughter to the said Kloxoxskin in marriage, within two hours of +the receipt of this demand, or, failing compliance therewith, to +surrender his throne to the said Kloxoxskin, who would, at the time +specified, come, supported by his invincible army of one million nine +hundred and ninety-nine veteran warriors, to receive the said King's +answer. + +In his moments of worst apprehension, the King had never thought of +anything so terrible as this. He called his wife and daughter back to +him, and made them clearly understand the crisis that had come to him +and them; but though the Queen was inclined to save her share of the +throne by submission, the Princess declared that no consideration would +induce her to give herself to any man--to such a human monster as +Kloxoxskin least of all. + +From that resolution her father tried to move her, but she was +inflexible against all his arguments and prayers; and when the two +hours' grace was spent, the King found himself in the presence of the +redoubtable Kloxoxskin the Ninety-ninth, a prisoner in his palace, and +wholly at the mercy of his all-powerful conqueror. + +Realising the peril in which she stood, the Queen did her best to +persuade her daughter to submit to the inevitable; but the Princess +quickly silenced her by giving her back the arguments that had all her +life been used in the cultivation of her detestation of all men. + +But though she had no misgiving as to her moral strength, the Princess +could not but contemplate with alarm the danger of a personal encounter +with King Kloxoxskin, so she determined to seek safety in flight and, +as soon as dusk came, contrived to slip unperceived from the palace into +a dense forest which grew at no great distance from the walls of her +father's capital. + +For a long time she pressed farther and farther into the depths of the +forest, growing every moment more and more relieved from the +apprehension that she might be pursued. + +Pausing at length to rest, she noticed that night had thoroughly set in, +and that it would be impossible for her to go any farther in the +darkness. At the same moment a terrible sound fell upon her ears--the +roaring of wild beasts of some kind, coming rapidly nearer and nearer. +For an instant her heart stood still, but she was not wanting in courage +or resource, and, observing that she was at the foot of a giant oak +tree, she lost not a moment in climbing to the shelter of its spreading +boughs. + +Choosing the securest position she could find, her alarm of the moment +subsided; but though she was greatly fatigued, the memory of the peril +from which she was endeavouring to escape, coupled with anxiety as to +the trials which might be awaiting her all night, prevented her from +going to sleep; and, when morning dawned, she prepared, tired and +hungry, to descend to the ground and continue her undefined journey. + +But she found that climbing was a far easier matter than descending from +her place of refuge; for she now observed that the tree sent out, on +nearly all sides of its gnarled trunk, the remains of huge jagged and +lifeless branches, to avoid which would require a skill which she did +not possess. She had no choice, however, but to make an attempt to get +down, and had nearly succeeded in reaching the ground when, to her +consternation, the full skirt of her splendid dress caught upon an +enormous splinter, and held her hanging helpless some feet in the air, +all her efforts to free herself proving unavailing. + +[Illustration: "AT THE MERCY OF HIS ALL-POWERFUL CONQUEROR" (_p._ 265).] + +Hours passed by. The sunlight pierced some of the neighbouring +tree-tops; but the return of day brought her neither comfort nor the +hope of release, and she was giving way to the horrible idea that she +would have to endure all the torments of a lingering death, when she +heard the voice of a woodman, whistling on his way to his work, and +called to him. + +The man came towards her out of the underwood. + +"Assist me down," said the Princess, in her habitual tone of disdain. + +"Not I," replied the woodman. "I recognise you: you are the Princess Who +Despises All Men! Ho! ho!--_I'm_ a man, remember!" + +That said, he went on his way, whistling cheerfully, leaving the +Princess to think, for a moment, that her rooted antipathy to men was +amply justified by the brutal conduct of this coarse and ugly wretch. + +But the distress of her position became every moment more and more +acute, and, seeing that it was hopeless to anticipate the assistance of +any chance passer, she made one more effort to free herself, and by +exerting all her remaining strength, succeeded in tearing herself from +the offensive bough--at the cost of a great rent in her beautiful dress +and a fall, which left her for a few minutes lying insensible on the +ground at the foot of the tree. + +After returning to consciousness, and sitting for a while to recover her +presence of mind, she rose and continued her blind way through the +forest, always hungry and many times faint with fatigue, all day long, +until once again she found the shades of evening closing about her. + +Just before night had actually come, she reached a spot at which a party +of charcoal-burners were seated about a cheerful fire in front of their +hut, eating their supper of bread and potatoes, roasted in the embers +at their feet. The appetising scents of these well-cooked roots provoked +the starving Princess's hunger in an almost unendurable degree. + +"Give me one of your potatoes," she said, still unable to modify the +disdainful tone of her voice. + +"Not we!" replied the head charcoal-burner. "I recognise you: you are +the Princess Who Despises All Men! Ho! ho! _We_ are men, remember!" + +More than ever disgusted with men, the Princess wandered all night +through the forest, afraid to lie down, lest she might fall asleep and +become a prey to some prowling wild beast. + +As the dawn of another day was becoming visible, she found herself on +the border of a meadow, and saw a young farmer drawing water from a well +for some horses which were waiting near him. + +"Give me some of that water--I'm thirsty!" she said imperiously. + +"Aha," said the young farmer, "I recognise you: you are the Princess Who +Despises All Men! If you want water, dig a well for yourself, as I have +had to do." + +"Loathsome creatures, one and all!" the Princess said to herself, as she +turned away from the spot. "My good mother was right in teaching me to +despise them." + +She presently reached a more open part of the country, though she was +still near the forest through which she had passed, and, towards noon, +when she was almost overcome by the sun's heat, she came upon a rising +ground, whence she beheld, afar off, a great stretch of water, and, on +what seemed its most distant reach, an opalesque haze. + +Then there suddenly came to her mind a story she had heard of the +existence of an island-kingdom peopled by women who, like herself, held +all men in disdain, and would never permit one of them to set foot where +they were. And she was overtaken by a burning desire to reach that +island, which she fancied must be hidden in the midst of the opalesque +haze on which she was gazing. + +So she hurried on and on, sustained wholly by the intensity of her +desire, till she came upon the sea-shore--for the great water she had +looked upon was the wide ocean. + +Alongside his boat, and busy with his nets, she found a fisherman, and +at once accosted him. + +"Is yonder mist-enveloped island the kingdom of Diaphanosia?" she asked +him. + +"Yes," he answered. + +"Then row me over to it in your boat," she said eagerly. + +"Not I," he replied. "I recognise you: you are the Princess Who Despises +All men, and _I_ am a man, you know. If you want a boat, make one for +yourself, as I had to do. Over there, in the forest, you will find +plenty of wood for your purpose, only you will have to cut it down." + +To get out of the sun's burning rays, and to give herself time for +reflection, the Princess retired into the forest and sat down at the +foot of a hollow tree, by the side of which a rusty axe was lying, as +if it had been left there by some woodman and forgotten. + +[Illustration: "THE DISTRESS OF HER POSITION BECAME EVERY MOMENT MORE +ACUTE" (_p._ 268).] + +Strange! A merry laugh came out of the thicket near to her; but though +she searched with her eyes in every direction she could discover nobody +who could have given it utterance. + +Strange again! It flashed upon her mind that the mere expression of +disdain for men was wanting in force if it were not emphasised by the +demonstration of woman's power to do absolutely without them. + +Upon the strength of this reasoning, she at once seized the axe, and +after many days of hard work, succeeded in felling the hollow tree and +giving to it something of the shape of a boat, in which, by the aid of a +roughly fashioned pair of oars, she rowed herself across to the +island-kingdom, where she hoped to find the realisation of all her +aspirations for a state of existence in which men were wholly ignored. + +Not once or twice, but over and over again, she succeeded in reaching +the border of the opalesque haze in which the kingdom of Diaphanosia was +perpetually veiled; but she was as often beaten back by an irresistible +current which set towards the shore from which she had started. + +On one of these fruitless voyages her strength utterly left her, and she +sank down in the bottom of her boat insensible, the oars dropping from +her nerveless hands and drifting away; so that, even if she had +immediately returned to consciousness, she would have found herself +helplessly at the mercy of the sea. + +When she _did_ recover from her state of insensibility, it was to +discover herself lying upon a mossy bank on the skirt of the forest, a +handsome and superbly dressed young man tending her with delicately +eager solicitude. + +She did not attempt to rise or to speak; she thought she was sleeping +and dreaming--the only thing strange in her state of feeling being that +the near presence of a man provoked no sense of repugnance or +resentment. + +"Thank Heaven!" said the young gentleman, in a tone of intense relief, +as he saw her open her eyes. "For awhile I have been terribly afraid +that my efforts to rescue you had been unavailing." + +Still held by the idea that she was dreaming, the Princess only +continued to look into his face without replying to his words. + +"Rest here for a short time, and sleep if you can, while I watch over +you," he continued. "When you have become strong enough to travel, my +horse shall carry you to my father's palace, which stands not very far +from this spot: once there, my mother will be delighted to tend upon you +as if you were her own daughter." + +"Take me to your kind mother," she said, rising, the soft tones of her +own voice sounding in her ears as if they came from the lips of some +other person than herself. + +The handsome young Prince--for he was no less--blew a golden whistle +suspended to his neck by a jewelled chain, and in a few moments a +splendidly caparisoned horse came to him from out the forest. + +Upon the back of this noble steed the Prince gallantly lifted his +beautiful charge, and taking the bridle on his hand, led him through the +forest openings, walking by the Princess's side and relating to her how, +while hunting, it had been his blest fortune to see her helpless +condition in her boat, and, by swimming out to her, rescue her at the +moment when her rude vessel was on the point of sinking with her beneath +the waves. + +She listened silently to all he said to her, filled with an inexplicable +sense of wonder at herself in finding that ever the voice of a man could +fall sympathetically on her ears! "I _must_ be dreaming!" she said to +herself again and again. + +At last, on reaching an eminence, the Prince pointed to a noble pile of +buildings on the outskirts of a great city, and said--something of +sadness coming into the tone of his voice: + +"Yonder is my father's palace; we shall reach it in a very little +time--and then the happy privilege of these delightful moments will +cease to be mine, never to be renewed, perhaps." + +All things about her seemed, at the sound of those words, to melt into a +roseate mist, carrying with them all sense of herself. Apart from her +will, unconsciously, she held out her hand to her preserver, who pressed +it to his lips with tender gratitude. + +Clearly and with wonderful sweetness of intonation, the gay laugh which +had greeted her on so many eventful moments of her life once more rang +in the Princess's ears. + +"Ah! I recognise it now!" she cried--"the sweet voice of my fairy +god-mother! Oh, wise and kind Gaieia, still be my guardian, as you have +ever been, and make me in the future all that I have failed to make +myself in the past!" + +The laugh that answered her entreaty was as gay and sweet as ever, but +came from afar; for, in fact, the good fairy had sped away, having a +great deal still to do for her froward godchild, and that without delay: +amongst other things to make King Kloxoxskin immediately evacuate the +palace and dominions of the Princess's father, under the idea that he +was escaping from a great peril which would certainly have overwhelmed +him if he had persisted in forcing the Princess Disdainana to marry him. + +[Illustration: "HER RUDE VESSEL WAS ON THE POINT OF SINKING" (_p._ +274).] + +More than that--a task much more difficult to accomplish--the merry +fairy had to overcome the prejudice of the Queen, whose obstinacy had +returned in full force as soon as she was once again able to exercise it +on the side of her anti-matrimonial fancies. But, as everybody knows, +nothing can permanently withstand the power and strategy of a good +fairy; so it came about--really as a matter of course--that, her +daughter having accepted for her husband the charming Prince who had +saved her life, the Queen consented to receive him as her son-in-law; +and it is a well-attested matter of history, that nobody ever heard her +utter a single word in dissent from her husband's freely-expressed +delight at the saving of his dynasty from what had, for awhile, seemed +its inevitable extinction. + + + + +The Necklace of Tears. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE NECKLACE _of_ TEARS. + +By Mrs. Egerton Eastwick. + + +ONCE, many years ago, there lived in Ombrelande a most beautiful +Princess. Now, Ombrelande is a country which still exists, and in which +many strange things still happen, although it is not to be found in any +map of the world that I know of. + +The Princess, at the time the story begins, was little more than a +child, and while her growing beauty was everywhere spoken of, she was +unfortunately still more noted for her selfish and disagreeable nature. +She cared for nothing but her own amusement and pleasure, and gave no +thought to the pain she sometimes inflicted on others in order to +gratify her whims. It must be mentioned, however, as an excuse for her +heartlessness, that, being an only child, she had been spoilt from her +babyhood, and always allowed to have her own way, while those who +thwarted her were punished. + +One day the Princess Olga, that was her name, escaped from her governess +and attendants, and wandered into the wood which joined the gardens of +the palace. It was her fancy to be alone; she would not even allow her +faithful dachshund to bear her company. + +The air was soft with the coming of spring; the sun was shining, the +songs of the birds were full of gratitude and joy; the most lovely +flowers, in all imaginable hues, turned the earth into a jewelled nest +of verdure. + +Olga threw herself down on a bank, bright with green moss and soft as a +downy pillow. The warmth and her wanderings had already wearied her. She +had neglected her morning studies, and left her singing-master waiting +for her in despair in the music-room of the palace, that she might +wander into the wood, and already the pleasure was gone. + +She threw herself down on the bank and wished she was at home. There was +one thing, however, of which she never tired, and that was her own +beauty; so now, having nothing to do, and finding the world and the +morning exceedingly tiresome and tame and dull, she unbound her long +golden hair, and spread it all around her like a carpet over the moss +and the flowers, that she might admire its softness and luxuriance, by +way of a change. + +She held up the yellow meshes in her hands and drew them through her +fingers, laughing to see the golden lights that played among the silky +waves in the sunlight; then she fell to admiring the small white hands +which held the treasure, holding them up against the light to see their +almost transparent delicacy, and the pretty rose-pink lines where the +fingers met. Certainly she made a charming picture, there in the +sunshine among the flowers: the picture of a lovely innocent child, if +she had been less vain and self-conscious. + +Presently she heard a slight rustle of boughs behind her, and looking +round she saw that she was no longer alone. Not many paces away, gazing +at her with admiring wonder, stood a youth in the dress of a beggar, and +over his shoulder looked the face of a young girl, which Olga was forced +to acknowledge as lovely as her own. Now, the forest was the private +property of the King, and the presence of these poor-looking people was +certainly an intrusion. + +"What are you doing here?" said Olga haughtily. "Don't you know that you +are trespassing? This wood belongs to the King, and is forbidden to +tramps and beggars." + +"We are no beggars, lady," said the youth. He spoke with great +gentleness, but his voice was strong and sweet as a deep-toned bell. "To +us no land is forbidden--and we own allegiance to no one." + +"My father will have you put in prison," said Olga angrily. "What is +your name?" + +"My name is Kasih." + +"And that girl behind you--she is hiding--why does she not come +forward?" + +"It is Kasukah--my sister," he said, looking round with a smile; "she is +shy, and frightened, perhaps." + +"What outlandish names! You must be gypsies," said Olga rudely, "and +perhaps thieves." + +"Indeed, lady, you are mistaken; on the contrary, it is in our power to +bestow upon you many priceless gifts. But we have travelled far to find +you, and are weary; only bid us welcome--let us go with you to the +castle to rest--Kasukah----" + +"How dare you speak so to me?" interrupted Olga, in a fury. "To the +castle, indeed--what are you thinking of? There is a poor-house +somewhere, I have heard the people say, maintained by my father's bounty +out of the taxes, you can go there. Go at once--or----" + +She raised the little silver-handled dog-whip which hung at her girdle. +To do her justice, she was no coward. Kasukah had quite disappeared; the +boy stood alone looking at Olga with sad, reproachful eyes. For a +moment, she thought what a pity he was so poor and shabby; he had the +face and bearing of a king. But she was too proud to change her tone. + +"Or what?" he said. + +"I will drive you away," she said defiantly. Still Kasih did not move, +and the next moment she had struck him smartly across the cheek with the +whip. + +He made no effort at self-defence or retaliation, only it seemed to her +that she herself felt the pain of the wound. For a few instants she saw +his sorrowful face grown white and stern, and the red, glowing scar +which her whip had caused; then, like Kasukah, he seemed to vanish, and +disappeared among the trees, while where he had stood a sunbeam crossed +the grass. + +Olga felt rather scared. She had been certainly very audacious, and it +was odd that the boy should have shown no resentment. After all, she +rather wished she had asked both him and his sister to stay, they might +have proved amusing. + +[Illustration: "GO AT ONCE" (_p._ 282).] + +However, it was too late now; she could not call them back; so she +thought she would return to the castle; she was beginning to feel +hungry. So she went leisurely home, and, for the remainder of the day, +proved a little more tractable than usual. She did not forget Kasih and +his sister, and for a time wondered if they would ever seek her again; +but the months went by and she saw them no more. + + * * * * * + +Now, as Olga grew older, of course the question arose of finding for her +a desirable husband. And one suitor came and another, but none pleased +her; and, indeed, more than one highly eligible young Prince was +frightened away by her haughty manners and violent temper. + +The truth was, that in secret she had not forgotten the face of Kasih, +and she sometimes told herself that if she could find among her suitors +one who was at all like him, and was also rich and powerful enough to +give her all she desired in other ways, him she would choose. Kasih was +certainly very handsome, in spite of his beggar's clothes; and, suitably +dressed, he would have been quite adorable. Also, it would be delightful +to find a husband with such a gentle, yielding disposition, who never +thought of resenting anything she said or did. + +And one day a suitor came to the palace who really made her heart beat a +little faster than usual at first; he was so like the lost Kasih. But +unfortunately he was only the younger son of a Royal Duke, and could +offer her nothing better than a small, insignificant Principality and an +income hardly sufficient to pay her dressmaker's bills. So it was no use +thinking about him, and he was dismissed with the others. Olga's father +began to think his daughter would never find all she required in a +husband, but would remain for ever in the ancestral castle: as every +year she grew more disagreeable, the prospect did not afford him entire +satisfaction. + +At length, however, appeared a very powerful Prince, who peremptorily +demanded her hand. He was a big, strong man, and carried on his wooing +in such a masterful manner that even Olga was a little afraid of him. At +the same time he loaded her with jewels and beautiful presents of all +kinds, brought from his own country. He was said to possess fabulous +wealth; and, partly because she feared him, and partly because of her +pride and ambition, haughty Olga surrendered and promised to become his +wife. Having once gained her consent, Hazil would brook no delay. + +The date was immediately fixed, and the grandest possible preparations +made for the wedding. No expense was spared, innumerable guests were +invited, while those less favoured among the people came from far and +near to see the bride's wedding clothes and to bring her presents. +Indeed, the King of Ombrelande was forced to add a new suite of rooms to +the castle to contain the wedding gifts and display them to the best +advantage. + +Such a sight as the bridal train had never been seen before, for it was +spangled all over with diamonds so closely that Olga when she moved +looked like a living jewel--and her veil was sprinkled with diamond +dust, which sparkled like myriads of tiny stars. + +The evening before the wedding day Olga sat alone in her chamber, +thinking of the magnificence that awaited her, also a little of Hazil, +the bridegroom. She had that day seen Hazil, in a passion, punish, with +his own hands, a servant for disobedience, and the sight had displeased +her. It had been an ugly and unpleasant exhibition, but worse than all, +the sight of the poor man's wounds had recalled that livid mark across +the fair cheek of Kasih which she herself had wrought. The boy's gentle +face, which had become so stern when they parted, the laughing eyes of +Kasukah, quite haunted her to-night. She thought she would like to make +amends for her rudeness; if she knew where they were, she would ask +brother and sister to her wedding. And just as she was so thinking, a +soft tap sounded at the door, and before she could ask who was there +(she thought it must surely be the Queen, her mother, come to bid her a +last good-night, and felt rather displeased at the interruption) the +door opened, and a stranger entered the room. + +Olga saw a tall figure, draped from head to foot in a soft darkness that +shrouded her like a cloud, obscuring even her face. + +"Who are you?" said Olga, "and what do you want in my private +apartments? Who dared admit you without my leave?" + +"I asked admittance of no one, for none can refuse me or bar my way," +answered the stranger, in a voice like the sighing of soft winds at +night. "My name is Kasuhama--I am the foster-sister of Kasukah and +Kasih, of whom you were just now thinking, and I come to bring you a +wedding gift." + +She withdrew her veil slightly as she spoke, and Olga saw a pale, +serene face, sorrowful in expression, and framed with snow-white hair, +but yet bearing a likeness, that was like a memory, to Kasih and +Kasukah. + +[Illustration: "I COME TO BRING YOU A WEDDING GIFT" (_p._ 286).] + +"I wish," said Olga petulantly, "that Kasih had brought it to-morrow and +been present at our feast. I would have seen that he was properly +attired for the occasion. Your sad face is hardly suitable for a +wedding feast. Shall I ever see him again?" + +"As to that, I cannot answer," said Kasuhama gravely; "but your wedding +is no place either for him or Kasukah. As for me--I go everywhere. I am +older in appearance than the others, you see, though, in reality, it is +not so. But that is because they have immortal souls and I have none. +The time will come when I must bid them farewell. We but journey +together for a time." + +The air of the room seemed to have become strangely chill and cold, and +Olga shivered. "I am tired," she said, "and I wish to rest. Will you +state your business and leave me?" + +Experience had made her less abruptly rude than when she dismissed Kasih +in the wood; also this cold, pale, soulless woman struck her with +something like awe. + +"Yes,--I will say farewell to you now. In the future you will know me +better and perhaps learn not to fear me--but I will leave with you the +present I came to bring." + +She held out a necklace of pearls more wonderful than even Olga had ever +seen. They were large and round, lustrous and fair; but as Olga took +them in her hands it seemed to her that, in their mysterious depths, +each jewel held imprisoned a living soul. + +"Wear them," said Kasuhama; "by them you will remember me." + +Almost involuntarily Olga raised her hands and fastened the necklace +around her slender throat. The clasps just met, and the pearls glistened +like dewdrops on her bosom--or were they tears? + +But in the centre of the necklace was a vacant space. + +"There is one lost!" she said. + +"Not lost, but missing," answered Kasuhama softly. "One day the place +will be filled, and the necklace will be complete." And with these words +she waved her hand to Olga, and, drawing her dusky veil around her, +quitted the room as quietly as she had entered. + +The ceremonies of the following day passed off without let or hindrance, +and Olga, dazzled by her grandeur, would have thought little of her +visitor of the previous night--would indeed have believed the incident a +dream, a trick of the imagination--but for the necklace. It still +encircled her throat, for her utmost efforts proved unavailing to +unfasten the clasps, and every one stared and marvelled at the wonderful +pearls which seemed endowed with a curious fascination. + +Only Prince Hazil was displeased; for he could not bear his bride to +wear jewels not his gift, and that outshone by their lustre any he could +produce; also, he was jealous of the unknown giver. When the wedding was +over, and they were travelling away to the distant castle where the +first weeks of Olga's new life were to be spent, he tried to take the +jewels from their resting-place. Olga smiled, for she knew that even his +great strength would be unavailing, and so it proved; and although on +reaching their destination Hazil sent for all the Court jewellers, +neither then nor at any other time could the most experienced among them +loosen Kasuhama's magic gift from its place. + +The months rolled by, and Olga reigned a Queen in her husband's country, +but her life was a sad one. Hazil was often cruel, and it seemed as +though he were bent upon heaping upon her all the contumely and +harshness she had shown to others. Still her proud spirit refused to +yield. She met him with defiance in secret, and openly bore herself with +so much cold haughtiness that no one dared to hint at her trouble, much +less to offer her any sympathy. + +But when alone in her chamber she saw again the faces of Kasih and +Kasukah; but more often that of Kasuhama. For the necklace was still +there to remind her; the pearls still shone with mysterious, undimmed +lustre; indeed, they seemed to grow more numerous, and to be woven into +more delicate and intricate designs, as time went on. Still, however, +the place for the central jewel remained unfilled. Often Olga herself +tried with passionate, almost agonising, effort to break their fatal +chain, for every day their weight grew heavier, until she seemed to bear +fetters of iron about her fair throat, and when the pearls touched her +they burned as though the iron were molten. + +Still, in public, they were universally admired, and gratified vanity +enabled her to bear the pain and inconvenience without open complaint. + +But one day was placed in her arms another treasure--a beautiful living +child, and she was so fair that they called her Pearl, but the Queen +hated the name. The child, however, found a soft place in Hazil's rough +nature; indeed, he idolised her; but Olga rarely saw her little +daughter, and left her altogether to the care of the nurses and +attendants. + +[Illustration: "HE TRIED TO TAKE THE JEWELS FROM THEIR RESTING-PLACE" +(_p._ 289).] + +So little Pearl grew very fragile, and had a wistful look in her blue +eyes, as though waiting for something that never came; for in her +grand nurseries and among all her beautiful playthings she found no +mother-love to perfect and nourish her life. + +And all this time Olga had seen no more of Kasih or Kasukah; had, +indeed, almost forgotten what their faces were like. But one night, at +the close of a grand entertainment, she was summoned in haste to the +nursery. The Court physician came to tell her that little Pearl was ill. + +Olga was very weary. Never had the necklace seemed so heavy a burden as +that night, or the Court functions so endless. She rose, however, and +followed the physician at once. Hazil, the King, was far away, visiting +a distant part of his great territory; he would be terribly angry if +anything went wrong with little Pearl during his absence. + +She reached the room where the child lay on her lace-covered pillows, +very white and small, but with a happy smile on her tiny face, a happy +light in her blue eyes, which looked satisfied at last. But Olga knew +that the smile was not for her, that the child did not recognise her, +would never know her any more. + +Some one else stood beside the couch: a stranger with bent head and +loving, out-stretched arms, and little Pearl prattled in baby language +of playthings and flowers and sunlight and green fields. Olga drew near +and watched, helpless and terrified, with a strange despair at her +heart. And soon the little voice grew weaker--but the happy smile +deepened as the blue eyes closed. + + * * * * * + +And there was a great silence in the nursery. The stranger lifted the +little form in his arms, and as he raised his head Olga saw his face, +and she knew that it was Kasih come at last, for across his cheek still +glowed the red line of the wound which her hand had dealt many years +before. His eyes met hers with the same stern sadness of reproach as +when they had parted--then she remembered no more. + +[Illustration: "THE STRANGER LIFTED THE LITTLE FORM IN HIS ARMS" (_p._ +292).] + +When the Queen recovered from her swoon they told her that her little +daughter was dead; but she knew that Kasih had taken her. She said no +word and showed few signs of grief, but remained outwardly proud and +cold, though her heart was wrung with a pain and fear she could not +understand. She was full of wrath against Kasih, who, she thought, had +taken this way of avenging the old insult she had offered him. Yet the +sorrowful look in his eyes haunted her. + +The pearls about her neck pressed upon her with a heavier weight, and in +her sleep she saw them as in a vision, and in their depths she discerned +strange pictures: faces she had known years ago and long since +forgotten, the faces of those whom her pride and harshness had caused to +suffer, who had appealed to her for love and pity and were denied. + +And then in her dream she understood that the pearls were in truth the +tears of those she had made sorrowful, kept and guarded by Kasih in his +treasure-house, but given to her by Kasuhama to be her punishment. + +Before many days had passed, the King Hazil returned, and when he +learned that his little daughter was dead, he summoned the Queen to his +presence. Olga went haughtily, for she dared not altogether disobey. +Then Hazil loaded her with reproaches, and in his anger he told her +many, many hard things, and the words sank deep into her heart. It +seemed, presently, that she could bear no more, and hardly knowing what +she did, she cast herself at his feet and prayed for mercy. + +She asked him to remember that the child had been hers also--that she +had loved it. But Hazil, in his bitterness, laughed in her face and told +her she was a monster, that it was for lack of her love that the child +had died, that she had never loved anything--not even herself. He +turned away to nurse his own grief, and Olga dragged herself up and went +away to the silent room, and knelt by the little couch where she had +seen Kasih take away her child. + +And there at length the blessed tears fell, for she was humbled at last, +and sorry, and quite desolate and alone. And it seemed to her that +through her tears she once more saw Kasih, and that he held towards her +the little Pearl, more beautiful than ever, and the child put its arms +about her neck, and she was comforted. + +Well, from that day the life of the Queen was changed. When next she +looked at the pearl necklace she found that a jewel, more beautiful than +any of the others, had been added to it; and she knew that the tear of +her humiliation had filled the vacant place. + +And henceforth she often saw the face of Kasih: near the bed of the +dying, beside all who needed consolation, kindness, and love, there she +met him constantly. Near him sometimes she caught a glimpse of bright +Kasukah, but for a while, more often of Kasuhama. + +The face of the white-haired sister, however, had grown very gentle and +kind, and she whispered of a time when Kasukah should take her place for +ever--for Love and Joy are eternal, but Sorrow has an end. And with +every act of unselfish kindness and love that the Queen Olga performed +the weight and burden of the necklace grew less, until the day that it +fell from her of its own accord, and she was able to give it back to +Kasuhama. And Hazil, the King, seeing how greatly Olga was changed, in +time grew gentle towards her, and loved her; for Kasuhama softened his +heart. + + + + +The Prince and the Lions. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE PRINCE and THE LIONS. + +From the Persian. + + +IN an Eastern city there once lived a young Prince named Azgid. He was +virtuous and accomplished, but had one fault--he was a bit of a coward! + +Prince Azgid's father had recently died, and he was looking forward to +his coronation. A few days before the day fixed for the ceremony, the +old Vizier called upon the Prince and informed His Royal Highness that +before he could ascend the throne he must in accordance with an ancient +custom, fight a certain huge red lion which was kept in a den within the +precincts of the palace. + +The Prince, upon hearing this, was so frightened that he made up his +mind to run away. He rose in the night, dressed himself hastily, +mounted his horse, and left the city. Thus he journeyed for three days. + +In the course of the third day, as he rode through a beautiful +thickly-wooded country, he heard the sound of exquisite music, and +presently overtook a handsome youth, who was leading a few sheep, and +playing upon a flute. + +The young man having courteously saluted the stranger, Prince Azgid +begged him to go on playing, for never in his life before, said the +Prince, had he listened to such enchanting strains. + +The player then told Azgid that he was the slave of the wealthy shepherd +named Oaxus, to whose abode, which was close at hand, he offered to +conduct the traveller. + +The Prince gladly accepted this invitation, and in a few moments was +entering the house of Oaxus, who accorded him a hearty welcome, and +placed food and drink before him. When Azgid had finished his meal, he +felt it incumbent upon him to make some sort of explanation to his host. + +"Doubtless," said he, "you wonder who I am, and what is my errand in +coming hither? I can tell you this much--that I am a Prince whom trouble +has driven from home. Pardon me if I do not divulge my name; that is a +secret which must be securely locked within my own breast. If convenient +to you, I would gladly remain in this delightsome spot. I have ample +means, and can remunerate you for your kindness." + +Oaxus assured his guest that nothing would give him greater pleasure +than to entertain him for as long a period as he cared to stay, and he +begged him not to think of offering any remuneration. + +"And now, Isdril," added Oaxus, addressing his slave, "show the Prince +our fountains and waterfalls, our rocks and vales, for I perceive that +he is one who can appreciate Nature's beauties." + +The youth took up his flute and went out with the Prince. + +After wandering awhile amidst romantic scenery, the two young men sat +down to rest upon a rock in a shady valley. The slave put his flute to +his lips, and began to play. The prince loved music passionately, and +the idea had already occurred to him that, if he ever left this fair +retreat, he would like to purchase from Oaxus his accomplished slave. + +Suddenly Isdril broke the spell of the Prince's enjoyment by rising to +his feet, with the words: "It is time for us to be going." + +"Wherefore?" queried the Prince. "Why should we quit this delicious spot +so soon?" + +"Because," replied the other, "the neighbourhood is infested with lions. +It is well, therefore, to retire early within our abodes, and close the +gates. Upon one occasion I lagged behind, and see the consequence!" + +He rolled up his sleeve and revealed a big scar upon his arm. Azgid +turned pale, and upon reaching the house, informed his host that he had +changed his mind and found himself obliged to ride on farther. He +thanked Oaxus, bade farewell to him and to Isdril, and galloped off. + +Again he journeyed for three days, and came to a vast desert, in the +midst of which he beheld an Arab encampment. + +Thankfully he rode up to the black tents, for both he and his horse were +worn out with hunger and fatigue. + +He was received by a dignified Sheik, to whom he made the same speech +that he had addressed to the kindly Oaxus. + +Sheik Hajaar, like the shepherd, answered to the effect that he desired +no other remuneration than the pleasure of the Prince's society, and +that he should be delighted to keep his guest for ever, if so it might +be. He introduced Azgid to a large number of his friends, and provided +for his use a magnificent steed. + +A week passed. Day by day the Prince accompanied the Sheik in his +antelope-hunting expeditions, which he enjoyed exceedingly. He quite +thought that he was now happily settled for life, when one night, after +he had retired to rest, Sheik Hajaar approached his couch, and said: + +"My son, I have come to tell you how pleased my people are with you, +more especially with the spirit you have shown in the chase. But our +life is not wholly taken up in such easy recreations; we frequently +engage in hard fighting with other tribes. All my men are seasoned +warriors, and before they can have perfect confidence in you it is +necessary that they should have some proof of your prowess. Two leagues +to the south is a range of hills infested with lions. Go, then, early in +the morning, mounted upon your horse, and armed with sword and spear. +Slay one of these fierce beasts and bring us his skin; so shall we know +that we may rely upon you in the day of battle." + +[Illustration: "HE ROLLED UP HIS SLEEVE AND REVEALED A BIG SCAR" (_p._ +301).] + +When the Sheik had left him, Azgid rose, dressed himself, slipped +quietly out of his tent, and bade a sorrowful, affectionate farewell to +the horse which the Sheik had allowed him to use, now tethered with the +others. Then he mounted his own steed, and rode forth into the night. + +By the middle of the next day, he was rejoiced to find that he was +leaving the desert, and entering a fair region of hill and dale, meadows +and streams. Soon he came to a splendid palace, built of porphyry, and +standing in the midst of a magnificent garden. + +The owner of the palace, a rich Emir, was sitting in the porch, with his +golden-haired daughter, Perizide. + +Here, again, the Prince was most kindly received. The interior of the +building proved to be even more beautiful than the exterior. The rooms +blazed with gold and precious stones; walls and ceilings were covered +with valuable paintings; the windows were of the costliest stained +glass. The Emir set before his guest a collection of delicate viands. + +The Prince made his accustomed speech, avowing his rank, but concealing +his name. He added also his customary request, that he might be allowed +to remain for a time in the house of his present entertainer. + +The Emir replied politely that the prince was heartily welcome to remain +until the end of his life, if he chose to do so. Then he begged his +guest to excuse him for a few minutes, as he was expecting some friends, +and wished to make preparations for their reception. + +Thus Azgid was left alone with Perizide, with whom he was already in +love. She took him into the garden, after exploring the beauties of +which the pair returned to the house. + +The palace, now illuminated from top to bottom, was full of company. +The evening passed merrily. Observing a lute which lay upon a couch, the +music-loving young Prince begged Perizide to play to him. In the midst +of his enjoyment, however, he was startled by a strange, loud sound, and +asked his fair companion what it might be. + +"Oh!" replied she, with a laugh, "that is only Boulak, our black porter, +indulging in a yawn." + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Azgid; "what uncommonly good lungs he must +have!" + +After the other guests had left, and Perizide had gone to bed, the Emir +and the Prince chatted and smoked together for some time. By-and-by, the +former offered to conduct the latter to his sleeping apartment. When +they came to the foot of the grand staircase, which was of white marble, +Azgid, looking up, was horrified to behold an enormous black lion +stretched upon the topmost landing. + +"What is that?" faltered he. + +"That," returned his host, "is Boulak, our black porter. He is a tame +lion, and will not harm you, if you are not afraid of him. He knows when +any one fears him and then becomes ferocious." + +"I fear him greatly!" whispered the Prince. + +As he could not be persuaded to mount the stairs, he had to return to +the saloon, and repose upon one of the divans. + +After the Emir had left him, Azgid carefully locked the door and +fastened the windows. Then he lay down, but not to sleep. For he could +hear the lion walking about, and once the beast actually came to the +door, and uttering a terrific roar, sprang against it with his forepaws. + +The poor Prince made sure that the door would burst open, and that he +should be devoured. Nothing of the kind happened, however. In a few +moments Boulak went upstairs, and came down no more that night. + +Azgid lay thinking. Evidently he had flown in the face of Providence +when he had fled from the lion at home. Since then, lions had met him at +every turn. He resolved to submit to what was so clearly his destined +duty--to return home and fulfil the condition required. + +In the morning, therefore, he told the Emir the whole truth. The kind +old man had been acquainted with Azgid's father, the King Almamoun. He +highly approved of the young man's resolution, and, with a parting +blessing, sped him on his way. But the Prince had no opportunity of +making his adieux to the fair Perizide. + +Then Azgid rode back to the Arab camp, and confessed all to the good +Sheik Hajaar. He also inquired after the beautiful horse. + +"He is well," replied the other, "and I should be gratified if you could +stay with us and use him again But it would be wrong to hinder you from +your pious, undertaking. Return to your home, and do your duty like a +man." + +Azgid next visited Oaxus, to whom, as to the others, he revealed his +name and parentage, confessed his fault, and expressed his repentance. + +[Illustration: "I FEAR HIM GREATLY!" (_p._ 305).] + +"Go, my friend!" said the kindly shepherd, "and may Heaven give you +strength to persevere in your laudable resolution!" + +"Farewell!" answered Azgid; "greet Isdril from me, and tell him that I +hope some day to return and listen to his sweet music in spite of the +lions." + +Without further interruption, the Prince rode straight home, and +announced to the old Vizier his intention to fight the lion. + +The old man wept tears of joy at his Prince's return, and it was +arranged that the combat should take place in a week's time. + +When the hour came, and the Prince entered the arena, the lion gave a +loud roar, and approached his opponent slowly, with fierce looks. Azgid +did not quail. With steady gaze he advanced, spear in hand. Suddenly the +lion bounded forward, and, with another roar, sprang clean over the +Prince's head. Then he ran joyously up to him, and began licking his +hands with every demonstration of affection. + +The Vizier called out to the Prince that he had conquered, and bade him +leave the arena. The lion followed like a dog. + +"As you now see, Prince Azgid," said the old Minister, "the lion is a +tame one, and would injure no one. You, however, were ignorant of this +fact, and have satisfactorily proved your courage and valour by your +readiness to fight him. Now all will know that you are worthy to ascend +the throne of your heroic ancestors." + +Two men--one old, the other very young--came forward to congratulate the +Prince. They were Oaxus and Isdril. + +[Illustration: "With steady gaze he advanced, spear in hand." _page +308_] + +"Prince Azgid," said the old shepherd, "as a memento of this happy day, +allow me to make you a present." So saying, he pushed forward his slave, +Isdril. + +[Illustration: "THE LION SPRANG CLEAN OVER THE PRINCE'S HEAD" (_p._ +308).] + +"I heartily thank you, Oaxus!" said the Prince, "and you, Isdril, are no +longer a slave. From this moment you are free; but you shall be my +companion, and delight me with your skill upon the flute." + +Presently another little group presented itself. It was composed of +Sheik Hajaar, some of his Arabs, and the horse which the Prince had +learned to love. + +"Azgid!" said the Sheik, "I congratulate you heartily, and beg your +acceptance of this steed." + +The Prince thanked and embraced the Sheik, and kissed the beautiful +creature, who returned his caresses. + +The Emir was the next person to appear upon the scene. He was surrounded +by a brilliant retinue, with music and banners. + +"I have come to congratulate you," said he to the Prince. "I have +brought you no present, but I and all my belongings are yours." + +"I am rejoiced to see you, noble Emir!" replied Azgid. "And how is your +lovely daughter? As soon as I am crowned, I intend to set off at +lightning speed to visit her!" + +"That will be needless," said the Emir; "come with me." And he led the +young man to a veiled lady, who sat upon a white horse. It was Perizide! + +Then, by order of the Vizier, the whole procession wended its way +towards the palace. + +Many thoughts and emotions stirred within the breast of the young +Prince. "When I fled from duty," reflected he, "everything went against +me; now that I have fulfilled it, fresh happiness meets me at every +step." + +The coronation--and also a wedding--took place on the same day. Azgid +and Perizide reigned long and happily. By the King's command, his +adventures were recorded in the annals of the kingdom. And over the door +of his palace were inscribed, in golden letters, these words: "_Never +run from the lion._" + + + Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury. + + + + +THE FIFTY-TWO LIBRARY + +Edited by ALFRED H. MILES + +_In large crown 8vo, 400--500 pp., cloth, bevelled boards, richly gilt, +gilt edges, well illustrated._ + +=5s. each= + +The "Fifty-two Series" forms an excellent library of fiction for young +people. The stories are by the best writers for boys and girls, +including: + + G. A. HENTY + W. CLARK RUSSELL + G. MANVILLE FENN + W. H. G. KINGSTON + R. M. BALLANTYNE + CAPTAIN MAYNE REID + GORDON STABLES, M.D., R.N. + ASCOTT HOPE + F. C. SELOUS + ROBERT CHAMBERS + R. E. FRANCILLON + DAVID KER + MRS. G. LINNÆUS BANKS + ROSA MULHOLLAND + ALICE CORKRAN + SARAH DOUDNEY + +and MANY OTHER WELL-KNOWN WRITERS. + +_The Guardian_ says: "Such volumes are invaluable for young people, and +all thanks are due to those who have brought them within easy reach of +every child in the three kingdoms." + +Over half a million volumes sold. + +The following are the volumes: + + 1. Fifty-two Stories for Boys. + + 2. Fifty-two Stories for Girls. + + 3. Fifty-two more Stories for Boys. + + 4. Fifty-two more Stories for Girls. + + 5. Fifty-two further Stories for Boys. + + 6. Fifty-two further Stories for Girls. + + 7. Fifty-two other Stories for Boys. + + 8. Fifty-two other Stories for Girls. + + 9. Fifty-two Fairy Tales. + + 10. Fifty-two Stories for Boyhood and Youth. + + 11. Fifty-two Stories for Girlhood and Youth. + + 12. Fifty-two Stories for Children. + + 13. Fifty-two Stories of Boy Life. + + 14. Fifty-two Stories of Girl Life. + + 15. Fifty-two Stories of Life and Adventure for Boys. + + 16. Fifty-two Stories of Life and Adventure for Girls. + + 17. Fifty-two Stories of the Indian Mutiny and the Men who saved India. + Edited by A. H. MILES and A. J. PATTLE. + + 18. Fifty-two Stories of Pluck and Peril for Boys. + + 19. Fifty-two Stories of Pluck, Peril, and Romance for Girls. + + 20. Fifty-two Stories of the British Navy. + + 21. Fifty-two Stories of Duty and Daring for Boys. + + 22. Fifty-two Stories of Duty and Daring for Girls. + + 23. Fifty-two Stories of the British Army. + + 24. Fifty-two Holiday Stories for Boys. + + 25. Fifty-two Holiday Stories for Girls. + + 26. Fifty-two Sunday Stories for Boys and Girls. + + 27. Fifty-two Stories of Heroism in Life and Action for Boys. + + 28. Fifty-two Stories of Heroism in Life and Action for Girls. + + 29. Fifty-two Stories of the Wide, Wide World. + + 30. Fifty-two Stirring Stories for Boys. + + 31. Fifty-two Stirring Stories for Girls. + + 32. Fifty-two Stories of the British Empire. + + 33. Fifty-two Stories of Courage and Endeavour for Boys. + + 34. Fifty-two Stories of Courage and Endeavour for Girls. + + 35. Fifty-two Stories of Greater Britain. + + 36. Fifty-two Stories of the Brave and True for Boys. + + 37. Fifty-two Stories of the Brave and True for Girls. + + 38. Fifty-two Stories for the Little Ones. + + 39. Fifty-two Stories of School Life and After for Boys. + + 40. Fifty-two Stories of School Life and After for Girls. + + 41. Fifty-two Stories of Animal Life and Adventure. + + 42. Fifty-two Stories of Grit and Character for Boys. + + 43. Fifty-two Stories of Grit and Character for Girls. + + 44. Fifty-two Stories of Wild Life, East and West. + + 45. Fifty-two Stories of Head, Heart, and Hand for Boys. + + 46. Fifty-two Stories of Head, Heart, and Hand for Girls. + + 47. Fifty-two Thrilling Stories of Life at Home and Abroad. + + 48. Fifty-two New Stories for Boys. + + 49. Fifty-two New Stories for Girls. + + 50. Fifty-two Pioneer Stories all round the Compass. + + 51. Fifty-two Excelsior Stories for Boys. + + 52. Fifty-two Excelsior Stories for Girls. + + + + +List of corrections: + + p. 160: "It inceased yet more" was changed to "It increased yet more." + + p. 225: "made a despeate effort" was changed to "made a desperate + effort." + + p. 250: "From it the the castle had received its name" was changed to + "From it the castle had received its name." + + +Errata: + +Some chapter titles do not match exactly with the corresponding titles +in the contents' page. The original wording has been retained. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Diamond Fairy Book, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DIAMOND FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 37995-8.txt or 37995-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/9/9/37995/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Eleni Christofaki and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://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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