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diff --git a/40359-8.txt b/40359-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5a72590..0000000 --- a/40359-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17905 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fairy Ring, 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 Fairy Ring - -Author: Various - -Editor: Kate Douglas Wiggin - Nora Archibald Smith - -Illustrator: Elizabeth MacKinstry - -Release Date: July 28, 2012 [EBook #40359] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIRY RING *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Emmy, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive and Hathi Trust Digital Library for the -Frontispiece used.) - - - - - - - - - - - - -FAIRY RING - - KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN - NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH - - - - -_The Fairy Ring_ - - - - -THE CHILDREN'S CRIMSON CLASSICS - - -EDITED BY KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN AND NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH - - GOLDEN NUMBERS - A Book of Verse for Youth - - THE POSY RING - A Book of Verse for Children - - PINAFORE PALACE - A Book of Rhymes for Children - - _Library of Fairy Literature_ - - THE FAIRY RING - - MAGIC CASEMENTS - A Second Fairy Book - - TALES OF LAUGHTER - A Third Fairy Book - - TALES OF WONDER - A Fourth Fairy Book - - THE TALKING BEASTS - Fables from Every Land - - _OTHER VOLUMES TO FOLLOW_ - -[Illustration: LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER] - - - - - -CRIMSON CLASSICS - -THE FAIRY RING - -EDITED BY KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN and NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH - - -[Illustration] - - ILLUSTRATED BY ELIZABETH MACKINSTRY - - - DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & COMPANY, INC. - GARDEN CITY 1934 NEW YORK - - - - - _Copyright, 1906, by_ - MCCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO. - - COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY - DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY - - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES - AT - THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y. - - - - -_Messrs. McClure, Phillips & Company wish to make acknowledgment of -their indebtedness to the following publishers:_ - -_Little, Brown & Company, for permission to use "Blanche and Vermilion" -and "Prince Desire and Princess Mignonette" from Old-Fashioned Fairy -Tales;_ - -_A. Wessells Company, for permission to use the story of "The Clever -Prince" from Fairy Tales from Afar;_ - -_American Book Company, for permission to use "Drakesbill and His -Friends" from Fairy Tales and Fables;_ - -_University Publishing Company, for permission to use "The Troll's -Hammer" from Fairy Life;_ - -_Harper & Brothers, for permission to use "The Fair One with Golden -Locks," "The White Cat," "Prince Cherry," and "The Frog Prince" from -Miss Mulock's Fairy Book, and "Yvon and Finette," "The Twelve Months," -and "The Story of Coquerico" from Laboulaye's Fairy Tales of all -Nations;_ - -_G. P. Putnam's Sons, for permission to use "History of Tom Thumb" and -"Tattercoats" from Joseph Jacobs's English Fairy Tales; "Munachar and -Manachar" from Joseph Jacobs's Celtic Fairy Tales; and "Master Tobacco," -"Mother Roundabout's Daughter," and "The Sheep and the Pig" from -Dasent's Tales from the Field;_ - -_F. A. Stokes Company, for permission to use "Lars, My Lad," and -"Twigmuntus and Cowbelliantus" from Fairy Tales from the Swedish;_ - -_Longmans, Green & Company, for permission to use the following -stories: "The Yellow Dwarf," "The Many-Furred Creature," "Spindle, -Shuttle, and Needle," "Princess and the Glass Hill," "The Golden Crab," -"The Magic Ring," "Snow-white and Rose-red," "Graciosa and Percinet," -"The Iron Stove," "The Good Little Mouse," and "The Three Feathers" from -the Andrew Lang Fairy Books._ - -_We also wish to express our thanks to Mr. Seumas MacManus, for -permission to use "The Bee, the Harp, and the Bum-Clock," "The Long -Leather Bag," and "The Widow's Daughter" from his books, Donegal Fairy -Tales and In Chimney Corners, published by us._ - - - - -_CONTENTS_ - - - SCANDINAVIAN - PAGE - EAST O' THE SUN AND WEST O' THE MOON 3 - THE GOLDEN LANTERN, GOLDEN GOAT, AND GOLDEN CLOAK 13 - MOTHER ROUNDABOUT'S DAUGHTER 21 - THE BEAR AND SKRATTEL 28 - THE GOLDEN BIRD 37 - THE DOLL IN THE GRASS 45 - THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 47 - THE RAM AND THE PIG WHO WENT INTO THE WOODS - TO LIVE BY THEMSELVES 56 - THE TROLL'S HAMMER 60 - THE CLEVER PRINCE 65 - "LARS, MY LAD!" 70 - TWIGMUNTUS, COWBELLIANTUS, PERCHNOSIUS 85 - - ENGLISH - MASTER TOBACCO 89 - THE HISTORY OF TOM THUMB 95 - TATTERCOATS 101 - HISTORY OF JACK THE GIANT-KILLER 104 - - FRENCH - YVON AND FINETTE 109 - THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN LOCKS 138 - THE LITTLE GOOD MOUSE 148 - THE STORY OF BLANCHE AND VERMILION 161 - PRINCE DESIRE AND PRINCESS MIGNONETTA 165 - THE YELLOW DWARF 171 - GRACIOSA AND PERCINET 179 - DRAK, THE FAIRY 197 - DRAKESBILL AND HIS FRIENDS 202 - RIQUET WITH THE TUFT 209 - THE WHITE CAT 216 - PRINCE CHERRY 229 - THE TWELVE MONTHS 264 - - SPANISH - THE STORY OF COQUERICO 254 - THE BIRD-CAGE MAKER 259 - - GAELIC - THE BEE, THE HARP, THE MOUSE, AND THE BUM-CLOCK 271 - THE LONG LEATHER BAG 279 - THE WIDOW'S DAUGHTER 288 - MUNACHAR AND MANACHAR 292 - - GERMAN - THE WILD SWANS 238 - THE ROAD TO FORTUNE 295 - THE GOLDEN CRAB 301 - THE TABLE, THE ASS, AND THE STICK 307 - THE LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER 318 - THE OLD GRIFFIN 324 - THE THREE FEATHERS 330 - THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD 334 - RAPUNZEL 339 - THE QUEEN BEE 343 - THE MANY-FURRED CREATURE 345 - SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 350 - THE FROG PRINCE 357 - THE GOOSE GIRL 361 - BRIAR ROSE 367 - THE IRON STOVE 370 - RUMPEL-STILTS-KEN 376 - FAITHFUL JOHN, THE KING'S SERVANT 379 - SPINDLE, SHUTTLE, AND NEEDLE 386 - - RUSSIAN - THE MAGIC EGG 390 - THE SPARROW AND THE BUSH 402 - THE IRON WOLF 404 - - EAST INDIAN - THE GRATEFUL COBRA 408 - THE MAGIC RING 413 - TIT FOR TAT 426 - THE BRAHMAN, THE TIGER, AND THE SIX JUDGES 427 - MUCHIE LAL 431 - THE VALIANT CHATTEEMAKER 439 - - - -_ILLUSTRATIONS_ - - - LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER _Frontispiece_ - FACING - PAGE - THE LASSIE RIDING OVER THE SEA ON THE BACK OF - THE NORTH WIND 10 - THE TROLL'S HUT, THE LANTERN, AND THE GOAT WITH - THE GOLDEN HORNS 14 - "SHE SAID SHE WOULD SIT AND DRIVE IN A SILVER - SPOON" 46 - JUST AS CINDERLAD TURNED HIS HORSE AROUND, THE - PRINCESS THREW THE GOLDEN APPLE 52 - "AND WHEN HE SET HER DOWN HE GAVE HER A KISS" 90 - TATTERCOATS FORGOT ALL HER TROUBLES AND FELL TO - DANCING 102 - "THE GIANT AND THE CONJURER NOW KNEW THAT THEIR - WICKED COURSE WAS AT AN END" 108 - "HE FLUNG HUGE MASSES OF ROCK AFTER THE VESSEL" 122 - "SHE WORE THEM ALWAYS...LOOSE AND FLOWING" 138 - "I FEEL AS IF I WERE THE DAUGHTER OF SOME GREAT - KING" 158 - "HE WAS A WEEK TRYING TO TREAD ON THIS FATAL TAIL" 166 - THE MERMAID TAKING THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MINES TO - THE STEEL CASTLE 178 - "MICHEAL, PETRIFIED, STOOD MUTE, . . . CONTEMPLATING - WITH A FRIGHTENED AIR THIS INCONGRUOUS DANCE" 200 - "ELIZA WENT, AND THE KING AND THE ARCHBISHOP FOLLOWED - HER" 252 - "MARCH ROSE IN TURN, AND STIRRED THE FIRE WITH THE - STAFF, WHEN BEHOLD! . . . IT WAS SPRING" 266 - "AN UGLY OLD WOMAN WITH THE MOST MONSTROUS NOSE EVER - BEHELD" 292 - "IN THIS WAY THE FISHERMAN CARRIED HIM TO THE CASTLE" 304 - "IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, WHEN GRIFFIN WAS SNORING - AWAY LUSTILY, JACK REACHED UP AND PULLED A - FEATHER OUT OF HIS TAIL" 328 - "THEN DUMMLING'S LOVELY MAIDEN SPRANG LIGHTLY AND - GRACEFULLY THROUGH THE RING" 332 - ""WHAT ARE YOU STANDING THERE GAPING FOR?" SCREAMED - THE DWARF" 356 - "FALADA, FALADA, THERE THOU HANGEST!" 364 - "AT LAST HE REACHED THE TOWER . . . WHERE BRIER ROSE - WAS ASLEEP" 370 - "JUST AS IT HAD COME TO THE END OF THE GOLDEN THREAD - IT REACHED THE KING'S SON" 388 - "THE RANEE SAID, 'THIS IS A DEAR LITTLE GIRL'" 434 - - - Throned on a grassy knoll, I watch - The elfin host come trooping by, - And hear the whir of fairy wings, - The goblin voices, shrill and high. - Behind them glides a magic train - Of Kings and Princes, armor-clad, - And serving as their squires bold - Boots, Ashiepattle, Cinderlad. - With silken rustle, flash of gem, - Queen and Czaritsa sweep along, - While red-capped Troll and rainbow Sprite - Peep out amid the enchanted throng. - - _Ting-ling, ting-ling, how sweet the ring, - Like golden bells, of fairy laughter; - Rap-tap, rap-tap, how sharp the clap - Of fairy footfalls following after!_ - - Where witch-grass grows and fern-seed lies, - A Fairy Ring is dimly seen; - And there a glitt'ring host is met - To dance upon the moonlit green. - Riquet, the Tufted, lightly turns - The Fair One with the Golden Hair; - And Prince Desire and Mignonette - Form yet another graceful pair. - Tall as a tower stands Galifron; - The Desert Fay, with snakes bedight, - First pirouettes with him and then - With wee Tom Thumb, King Arthur's Knight. - - _Ting-ling, ting-ling, how sweet the ring, - Like golden bells, of fairy laughter; - Rap-tap, rap-tap, how sharp the clap - Of fairy footfalls following after!_ - - Sweet, unseen harpers harp and sing, - Faint elfin horns the air repeat; - Rapunzel shakes her shining braids, - The White Cat trips with velvet feet. - Rose-red, Snow-white, the faithful Bear, - Cross hands with gallant Percinet; - While Tattercoats, in turn, salutes - Yvon, the Fearless, and Finette. - --But hark! the cock begins to crow; - The darkness turns to day, and, look! - The fairy dancers whirl within - The crimson covers of this book! - NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH - - - - -_INTRODUCTION_ - - -_"THERE was once upon a time a king who had a garden; in that garden was -an apple tree, and on that apple tree grew a golden apple every year."_ - -_These stories are the golden apples that grew on the tree in the king's -garden; grew and grew and grew as the golden years went by; and being -apples of gold they could never wither nor shrink nor change, so that -they are as beautiful and precious for you to pluck to-day as when first -they ripened long, long ago._ - -_Perhaps you do not care for the sort of golden apples that grew in the -king's garden; perhaps you prefer plain russets or green pippins? Well, -these are not to be despised, for they also are wholesome food for -growing boys and girls; but unless you can taste the flavor and feel the -magic that lies in the golden apples of the king's garden you will lose -one of the joys of youth._ - -_No one can help respecting apples (or stories) that gleam as brightly -to-day as they did hundreds and thousands of years ago, when first the -tiny blossoms ripened into precious fruit._ - - _"Should you ask me whence these stories, - Whence these legends and traditions - With the odors of the forest, - With the dew and damp of meadows?"--_ - -_I can say only that the people were telling fairy tales in Egypt, in -Joseph's time, more than three thousand years ago; and that grand old -Homer told them in the famous "Odyssey," with its witches and giants, -its cap of darkness, and shoes of swiftness. Old nurses and village -crones have repeated them by the fireside and in the chimney corner; -shepherds and cowherds have recounted them by the brookside, until the -children of the world have all learned them by heart, bequeathing them, -generation after generation, as a priceless legacy to their own -children. Nor must you fancy that they have been told in your own tongue -only. Long, long before the art of printing was known, men and women of -all nations recited these and similar tales to one another, never -thinking that the day would come when they would be regarded as the -peculiar property of youth and childhood. There is not a country in -Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, or the islands of the sea where fairy -stories of one sort or another have not been current since the dawn of -speech; and to make this Fairy Ring of sixty-odd tales the editors have -read and sifted as many hundreds. You will miss Cinderella, Red Riding -Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Toads and Diamonds, Puss in Boots, -Bluebeard, Beauty and the Beast, and other favorites, but these have -been omitted because they can be easily found in half a dozen volumes -already on your shelves, and we preferred to give you in their stead -stories less well known and hackneyed._ - -_The so-called Household Tales, such as Drakesbill, The Little Good -Mouse, and The Grateful Cobra go back to the times when men thought of -animals as their friends and brothers, and in the fireside stories of -that period the central figures were often wise and powerful beasts, -beasts that had language, assumed human form, and protected as well as -served mankind. Frogs, fishes, birds, wolves, cobras, cats, one and all -win our sympathy, admiration, and respect as we read of their deeds of -prowess, their sagacious counsel, their superhuman power of overcoming -obstacles and rescuing from danger or death the golden-haired princess, -the unhappy queen mother, or the intrepid but unfortunate prince._ - -_The giants and ogres and witches in the fairy stories need not greatly -affright even the youngest readers. For the most part they overreach -themselves in ill-doing and are quite at the mercy (as they properly -should be) of the brave and virtuous knight or the clever little -princess._ - -_If you chance to be an elder brother or sister it may surprise and -distress you to find that all the grace, courage, wit, and beauty, as -well as most of the good fortune, are vested in the youngest member of -the household. The fairy-tale family has customs of its own when it -comes to the distribution of vices and virtues, and the elder sons and -daughters are likely to be haughty, selfish, and cruel, while the -younger ones are as enchantingly beautiful as they are marvelously -amiable. The malevolent stepmother still further complicates the -domestic situation, and she is so wicked and malicious that if it were -not for the dear and delightful one in your own household, or the -equally lovable one next door, you might think stepmothers worse than -ogres or witches. I cannot account for this prejudice, except that -perhaps the ideal of mother love and mother goodness has always been so -high in the world that the slightest deviation from it has been held up -to scorn. As for the superhuman youngest son and daughter, perhaps they -are used only to show us that the least and humblest things and persons -are capable of becoming the mightiest and most powerful._ - -_Wiseacres (and people who have no love for golden apples) say that in -many of these tales "The greater the rogue the better his fortune"; but -the Grimm brothers, most famous and most faithful of fairy-tale -collectors, reply that the right user of these narratives "will find no -evil therein, but, as an old proverb has it, merely a witness of his own -heart. Children point at the stars without fear, while others, as the -popular superstition goes, thereby offend the angels."_ - -_The moment you have plucked a golden apple from the magic tree in the -king's garden (which phrase, being interpreted, means whenever you begin -one of the tales in this book) you will say farewell to time and space -as readily as if you had put on a wishing cap, or a pair of seven league -boots, or had blown an elfin pipe to call the fairy host. It matters not -when anything happened. It is "Once upon a time," or "A long time ago." -As to just where, that is quite as uncertain and unimportant, for we all -feel familiar with the fairy-tale landscape, which has delightful -features all its own, and easily recognizable. The house is always in -the heart of a deep, deep wood like the one "amidst the forest darkly -green" where Snowwhite lived with the dwarfs. You know the Well at the -World's End whence arose the Frog Prince; the Glass Mountain that -Cinderlad climbed, first in his copper, then in his silver, then in his -golden armor; the enchanted castle where the White Cat dwelt; the sea -over which Faithful John sailed with the Princess of the Golden Roof._ - -_In the story of The Spindle, the Shuttle, and the Needle, the prince -has just galloped past the cottage in the wood where the maiden is -turning her wheel, when the spindle leaps out of her hand to follow him -on his way--leaps and dances and pursues him along the woodland path, -the golden thread dragging behind. Then the prince turns (fairy princes -always turn at the right time), sees the magic spindle, and, led by the -shimmering thread, finds his way back to the lovely princess, the -sweetest, loveliest, thriftiest, most bewitching little princess in the -whole world, and a princess he might never have found had it not been -for the kind offices of the spindle, shuttle, and needle._ - -_This book is the magic spindle; the stories that were golden apples -have melted into a golden thread, a train of bright images that will -lead you into a radiant country where no one ever grows old; where, when -the prince finds and loves the princess, he marries her and they are -happy ever after; where the obstacles of life melt under the touch of -comprehending kindness; where menacing clouds of misfortune are blown -away by gay good will; and where wicked little trolls are invariably -defeated by wise simpletons._ - -_We feel that we can do anything when we journey in this enchanting -country. Come, then, let us mount and be off; we can ride fast and far, -for imagination is the gayest and fleetest of steeds. Let us climb the -gilded linden tree and capture the Golden Bird. Let us plunge into the -heart of the Briar Wood where the Rose o' the World lies sleeping. Let -us break the spell that holds all her court in drowsy slumber, and -then, coming out into the sunshine, mount and ride again into the -forest. As we pass the Fairy Tree on the edge of the glade we will pluck -a Merry Leaf, for this, when tucked away in belt or pouch, will give us -a glad heart and a laughing eye all the day long. We shall meet ogres, -no doubt, and the more the merrier, for, like Finette, we have but to -cry "Abracadabra!" to defeat not ogres only, but wicked bailiffs, -stewards, seneschals, witch hags, and even the impossibly vicious -stepmother! Cormoran and Blunderbore will quail before us, for our magic -weapons, like those of Cornish Jack, will be all-powerful. Then, flushed -with triumph we will mount the back of the North Wind and search for the -castle that lies East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon. Daylight will -fade, the stars come out, the fire burn low on the hearth, playmates' -voices sound unheeded. We shall still sit in the corner of the window -seat with the red-covered volume on our knees; for hours ago the magic -spindle wrought its spell, and we have been following the golden thread -that leads from this work-a-day world into fairyland._ - - _KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN_ - - - - -_East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon_ - - -ONCE on a time there was a poor husbandman who had so many children that -he hadn't much of either food or clothing to give them. Pretty children -they all were, but the prettiest was the youngest daughter, who was so -lovely that there was no end to all her loveliness. - -So one day--'twas on a Thursday evening, late at the fall of the year, -the weather was so wild and rough outside, and it was so cruelly dark, -and rain fell and wind blew till the walls of the cottage shook -again--there they all sat round the fire, busy with this thing and that. -But just then, all at once, something gave three taps on the windowpane. -Then the father went out to see what was the matter, and when he got out -of doors, what should he see but a great big white bear! - -"Good evening to you," said the White Bear. - -"The same to you," said the man. - -"Will you give me your youngest daughter? If you will, I'll make you as -rich as you are now poor," said the Bear. - -Well, the man would not be at all sorry to be rich, but still he thought -he must have a bit of a talk with his daughter first, so he went in and -told them how there was a great white bear waiting outside, who had -given his word to make them rich if he could only have the youngest -daughter. - -The lassie said "No" outright. Nothing could get her to say anything -else. So the man went out and settled it with the White Bear that he -should come again the next Thursday evening and get an answer. - -Meantime, he talked his daughter over, and kept on telling her of all -the riches they would get, and how well off she would be herself; and -so at last she thought better of it, and washed and mended her rags, -made herself as smart as she could, and was ready to start. - -Next Thursday evening came the White Bear to fetch her, and she got upon -his back with her bundle, and off they went. - -So, when they had gone a bit of the way, the White Bear said: - -"Are you afraid?" - -No, she wasn't. - -"Well, mind and hold tight to my shaggy coat, and then there's nothing -to fear," said the White Bear. - -So she rode a long, long way, until they came to a very steep hill. -There, on the face of it, the White Bear gave a knock, and a door -opened, and they came into a castle where there were many rooms, all lit -up, rooms gleaming with silver and gold, and there, too, was a table -ready laid, and it was all as grand as grand could be. - -Then the White Bear gave her a silver bell, and when she wanted anything -she had only to ring it and she would get it at once. - -Well, after she had eaten and drunk, and evening wore on, she got sleepy -after her journey, and thought she would like to go to bed. So she rang -the bell, and she had scarce taken hold of it before she came into a -chamber where there was a bed made, as fair and white as anyone could -wish to sleep in, with silken pillows and curtains and gold fringe. - -She slept quite soundly until morning; then she found her breakfast -waiting in a pretty room. When she had eaten it, the girl made up her -mind to take a walk around, in order to find out if there were any other -people there besides herself. - -But she saw nobody but an old woman, whom she took to be a witch, and as -the dame beckoned to her, the girl went at once. - -"Little girl," said the Witch, "if you'll promise not to say a word to -anybody, I'll tell you the secret about this place." - -Of course, the girl promised at once, so the old dame said: - -"In this house there lives a White Bear, but you must know that he is -only a White Bear in the daytime. Every night he throws off his beast -shape and becomes a man, for he is under the spell of a wicked fairy. -Now, be sure and not mention this to anybody, or misfortune will come," -and with these words she disappeared. - -So things went on happily for some time, but at last the girl began to -grow sad and sorrowful, for she went about all day alone, and she longed -to go home to see her father and mother and brothers and sisters. - -"Well, well," said the Bear, "perhaps there's a cure for all this -sorrow. But you must promise me one thing. When you go home, you mustn't -talk about me, except when they are all present, or, if you do, you will -bring bad luck to both of us." - -So one Sunday the White Bear came and said now they would set off to see -her father and mother. - -Well, off they started, she sitting on his back, and they went far and -long. At last they came to a grand house, and there her brothers and -sisters were running about out of doors at play, and everything was so -pretty 'twas a joy to see. - -"This is where your father and mother live now," said the White Bear; -"but don't forget what I told you, or you'll make us both unlucky." - -No--bless her!--she'd not forget, and when they reached the house the -White Bear turned right about and left her. - -Then, when she went in to see her father and mother, there was such joy -there was no end to it. None of them could thank her enough for all the -good fortune she had brought them. - -They had everything they wished, as fine as could be, and they all -wanted to know how she got on and where she lived. - -Well, she said it was very good to live where she did, and she had all -she wished. What she said besides I don't know, but I don't believe any -of them had the right end of the stick, or that they got much out of -her. - -But after dinner her sister called her outside the room, and asked all -manner of questions about the White Bear--whether he was cross, and -whether she ever set eyes on him, and such like--and the end of it all -was that she told her sister the story of how the White Bear was under a -spell. - -But the other girl wouldn't listen to the story, for she said it -couldn't be true, and this made the youngest daughter very angry. - -In the evening the White Bear came and fetched her away, and when they -had gone a bit of the way he asked her whether she had done as he had -told her and refused to speak about him. - -Then she confessed that she had spoken a few words to her sister about -him, and the Bear was very angry, for he said she would surely bring bad -luck to them both. - -When they reached home, she remembered how her sister had refused to -believe the story about the White Bear, so in the night, when she knew -that the Bear was fast asleep, she stole out of bed, lighted her candle, -and crept into his room. Yes, there he lay fast asleep, but instead of -being a White Bear, he was the handsomest Prince you ever saw. She gave -such a start that she dropped three spots of hot tallow from the candle -on to his pillow, so she ran off in a great fright. - -Next morning the White Bear said to her: "I fear you have found out my -secret, for I saw the drops of tallow on my pillow this morning, and now -I know that you spoke to your sister about me. If you had only kept -quiet for a whole year, then I should have become a man for always, and -I should have made you my wife at once. But now all ties are snapped -between us, and I must go away to a big castle which stands East o' the -sun and West o' the moon, and there, too, lives a Princess with a nose -three ells long, and she's the wife I must have now." - -The girl wept, and took it ill, but there was no help for it, go he -must. - -Then she asked if she mightn't go with him. - -No! she mightn't. - -"Tell me the way, then," she said, "and I'll search you out; that, -surely, I may get leave to do." - -Yes; she might do that, but there was no way to the place. It lay East -o' the sun and West o' the moon, and thither she'd never find her way. - -So next morning, when she woke, both Prince and castle were gone, and -there she lay on a little green patch, in the midst of the thick, gloomy -wood, and by her side lay the same bundle of rags that she had brought -with her from her old home. - -So when she had rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and wept till she was -tired, she set out on her way and walked many, many days, till she came -to a lofty crag. Under it sat an old hag, who played with a golden -apple, which she tossed about. The lassie asked her if she knew the way -to the Prince who lived in the castle that lay East o' the sun and West -o' the moon, and who was to marry a Princess with a nose three ells -long. - -"How did you come to know about him?" said the old hag; "but maybe you -are the lassie who ought to have had him?" - -Yes, she was. - -"So, so, it's you, is it?" said the old hag. "Well, all I know about him -is that he lives in the castle that lies East o' the sun and West o' the -moon, and thither you'll come, late or never; but still you may have the -loan of my horse, and on him you can ride to my next neighbor. Maybe -she'll be able to tell you what you want to know; and when you get -there, just give the horse a switch under the left ear, and beg him to -be off home; and stay, you may take this golden apple with you." - -So she got upon the horse and rode a long, long time, till she came to -another crag, under which sat another old hag, with a golden -carding-comb in her hand. The lassie asked her if she knew the way to -the castle that lay East o' the sun and West o' the moon, and she -answered, like the first old hag, that she knew nothing about it, except -that it was East o' the sun and West o' the moon. - -"And thither you'll come, late or never; but you shall have the loan of -my horse to go to my next neighbor; maybe she'll tell you all about it; -and when you get there, just switch the horse under the left ear and beg -him to be off home." - -And this old hag gave her the golden carding-comb; it might be she'd -find some use for it, she said. So the lassie got up on the horse and -rode far, far away, and had a weary time; and so at last she came to -another great crag, under which sat another old hag, spinning with a -golden spinning wheel. The lassie asked her, too, if she knew the way to -the Prince and where the castle was that lay East o' the sun and West o' -the moon. So it was the same thing over again. - -"Maybe it's you who ought to have had the Prince?" said the old hag. - -Yes, it was. - -But, she, too, didn't know the way a bit better than the other two. East -o' the sun and West o' the moon she knew it was; that was all. - -"And thither you'll come, late or never; but I'll lend you my horse, and -then I think you'd best ride to the East Wind and ask him; maybe he -knows those parts and can blow you thither. But when you get to him, you -need only give the horse a switch under the left ear, and he'll trot -home of himself." - -And so, too, she gave the lassie the golden spinning wheel. - -"Maybe you'll find a use for it," said the old hag. - -Then on she rode a great many weary days before she got to the East -Wind's house; but at last she did reach it, and then she asked the East -Wind if he could tell her the way to the Prince who dwelt East o' the -sun and West o' the moon. Yes, the East Wind had often heard about them, -both the Prince and the castle, but he couldn't tell her the way, for -he'd never blown so far. - -"But, if you will, I'll go with you to my brother, the West Wind; maybe -he's been there, for he's much stronger. So, if you will just jump on my -back, I'll carry you thither." - -Yes, she got on his back, and I should just think they went swiftly -along. - -So, when they reached there, they went into the West Wind's house, and -the East Wind said the lassie he had brought was the one that ought to -have married the Prince who lived in the castle East o' the sun and West -o' the moon, and that she had set out to seek him. He then said how he -had come with her, and would be glad to know if the West Wind knew how -to get to the castle. - -"Nay," said the West Wind, "for I've never blown so far; but, if you -will, I'll go with you to our brother, the South Wind, for he's much -stronger than either of us, and he has flapped his wings both far and -wide. Maybe he'll tell you; so you can get on my back and I'll carry you -to him." - -Yes, she got on his back, and so they traveled to the South Wind, and -they weren't so very long on the way, I should think. - -When they reached there, the West Wind asked him if he could tell them -the way to the castle that lay East o' the sun and West o' the moon, for -this was the lassie who ought to have married the Prince who lived -there. - -"You don't say so! That's she, is it?" said the South Wind. "Well, I've -blustered about in most places in my time, but so far I have never -blown; but, if you will, I'll take you to my brother, the North Wind; he -is the oldest and strongest of all of us. If he doesn't know where to -find the place, you will never find anybody to tell you where it is. You -can get on my back and I'll carry you thither." - -Yes, she got on his back, and away he went from his house at a very high -rate, and this time, too, she wasn't long on her way. - -When they got to the North Wind's house, he was so wild and cross that -the puffs came from quite a long way off. - -"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" he roared out to them, in such a voice that it made -them both shiver. - -"Well," said the South Wind, "you needn't talk like that, for here I am, -your brother, the South Wind, and here is the lassie who ought to have -had the Prince who dwells at the castle that lies East o' the sun and -West o' the moon, and now she wants to know if you were ever there, and -can tell her the way, for she would be so glad to find it again." - -[Illustration: THE LASSIE RIDING OVER THE SEA ON THE BACK OF THE NORTH -WIND] - -"YES! I KNOW WELL ENOUGH WHERE IT IS," said the North Wind. "Once in my -life I blew an aspen leaf there, but I was so tired that I couldn't blow -another puff for days after. But if you really wish to go there, and -aren't afraid to trust yourself to me, I'll take you on my back and blow -you thither." - -Yes! with all her heart. She must and would get thither, if it were -possible in any way; and as for fear, however madly he went, she -wouldn't be at all afraid. - -"Very well, then," said the North Wind. "But you must sleep here -to-night, for we must have the whole day before us if we are to get -thither at all." - -Early next morning the North Wind woke her, and puffed himself up, and -blew himself out, and made himself so stout and big 'twas fearful to -look at him; so off they went, up through the air, as if they would -never stop till they came to the world's end. - -Down below there was such a storm, it threw down long tracts of wood and -many houses, and when it swept over the great sea, ships foundered by -hundreds. - -So they tore on and on--nobody can believe how far they went--and all -the while they still went over the sea, and the North Wind got more and -more weary, and so out of breath he could scarce get out a puff. His -wings drooped and drooped, till at last he sank so low that the crests -of the waves dashed over his heels. - -"Are you afraid?" asked the North Wind. - -No, she wasn't. - -But they weren't very far from land, and the North Wind had still so -much strength in him that he managed to throw her upon the shore under -the windows of the castle which lay East o' the sun and West o' the -moon; but then he was so weak and worn out that he had to stay there and -rest for many days before he was fit to return home. - -Next morning the lassie sat down under the castle window and began to -play with the golden apple; and the first person she saw was Long-nose, -who was to marry the Prince. - -"What do you want for your golden apple, lassie?" said Long-nose; and -she threw up the window. - -"It's not for sale, for gold or money," said the lassie. - -"If it's not for sale for gold or money, what is it that you will sell -it for?" said the Princess. "You may name your own price for it." - -"Well, if you will let me speak a few words alone with the Prince who -lives in the castle, I will give you the apple," she answered. - -Yes, she might; that could be done. So the Princess got the golden -apple, and the lassie was shown into the Prince's room. But when she got -inside she found that the Prince was fast asleep, and although she shook -him and called him loudly, it was no use, for she couldn't wake him, so -she had to go away again. - -Next day she sat down under the castle window again, and began to card -with her golden carding-comb; and the same thing happened. The Princess -asked what she wanted for it; and she said it wasn't for sale for either -gold or money, but that if she might have a few words alone with the -Prince, the Princess should have the comb. - -So she was taken up to the Prince's room, and again she found him fast -asleep; and although she wept and shook him for quite a long time she -couldn't get life into him. - -So the next morning the lassie sat down under the castle window and -began to spin with her golden spinning wheel; and that, too, the -Princess with the long nose wanted to have. - -So she threw up the window and asked what the lassie wanted for it; and -the girl said, as she had said twice before, that if she might have a -few words alone with the Prince the Princess might have the wheel, and -welcome. - -Yes, she might do that; and the lassie was shown again into the Prince's -room. This time he was wide awake, and he was very pleased indeed to see -her. - -"Ah!" said the Prince, "you've just come in the nick of time, for -to-morrow is to be our wedding day; but now I won't have Long-nose, and -you are the bride for me. I'll just say that I want to find out what my -wife is fit for, and then I'll beg her to wash the pillow slip which has -on it the three spots of tallow. She will be sure to say 'Yes'; but when -she tries to get out the spots she'll soon find that it is not possible, -for she is a troll, like all the rest of her family, and it is not -possible for a troll to get rid of the marks. Then I'll say that I won't -have any other bride than she who can wash out the spots of tallow, and -I'll call you in to do it." - -The wedding was to take place next day, so just before the ceremony the -Prince said: - -"First of all, I'd just like to see what my bride is fit for." - -"Yes," said the mother, "I'm quite willing." - -"Well, I have a pillow slip which, somehow or other, has got some spots -of grease on it, and I have sworn never to take any bride but the woman -who is able to wash them out for me. If she can't do that, she is not -worth having." - -Well, that was no great thing, they said, so they agreed; and she with -the long nose began to wash away as hard as ever she could; but the more -she rubbed and scrubbed the bigger the spots grew. - -"Ah!" said the old hag, her mother, "you can't wash; let me try." - -But she hadn't long taken the job in hand before it got far worse than -ever; and with all her rubbing, wringing, and scrubbing, the spots grew -bigger and blacker and darker and uglier. - -Then all the other trolls began to wash; but the longer it lasted the -blacker and uglier it grew, until at last it looked as though it had -been up the chimney. - -"Ah!" said the Prince, "you are none of you worth a straw; you can't -wash. Why, there outside sits a beggar lassie, and I'll be bound she -knows how to wash better than the whole lot of you." - -So he shouted to the lassie to come in, and in she came. - -"Can you wash this clean, lassie?" said he. - -"I don't know, but I think I can." - -And almost before she had taken it and dipped it in the water, it was -white as driven snow, and whiter still. - -"Yes, you are the lassie for me," said the Prince. - -At that the old hag flew in such a rage that she burst on the spot, and -the Princess with the long nose after her; and then the whole pack of -trolls did the same. - -As for the Prince and Princess, they had a grand wedding, and lived -happily at the castle East o' the sun and West o' the moon until the end -of their days. - - - - -_The Golden Lantern, Golden Goat, and Golden Cloak_ - - -THERE was once a poor widow who had three sons. The two elder went out -to work for their living and while at home they were of little use, as -they seldom did as their mother wished, whatever she might say to them. -But the youngest lad always remained at home, and helped the old widow -in her daily occupations. Hence he was much beloved by his mother, but -disliked by his brothers, who in mockery gave him the nickname of -_Pinkel_. - -One day the old widow said to her sons: "You must all go abroad in the -world, and seek your fortunes while you can. I am no longer able to feed -you here at home, now that you are grown up." The lads answered that -they wished for nothing better, since it was contrary to their mother's -will that they should remain at home. They then prepared for their -departure, and set out on their journey; but, after wandering about from -place to place, were unable to procure any employment. - -After journeying thus for a long time, they came, late one evening, to a -vast lake. Far out in the water there was an island, on which there -appeared a strong light, as of fire. The lads stopped on shore observing -the wondrous light, and thence concluded that there must be human beings -in the place. As it was now dark, and the brothers knew not where to -find a shelter for the night, they resolved on taking a boat that lay -among the reeds, and rowing over to the island to beg a lodging. With -this view they placed themselves in the boat and rowed across. On -approaching the island they perceived a little hut standing at the -water's edge; on reaching which they discovered that the bright light -that shone over the neighborhood proceeded from a golden lantern that -stood at the door of the hut. In the yard without, a large goat was -wandering about, with golden horns, to which small bells were fastened, -that gave forth a pleasing sound whenever the animal moved. The brothers -wondered much at all this, but most of all at the old crone, who with -her daughter inhabited the hut. The crone was both old and ugly, but was -sumptuously clad in a pelisse or cloak, worked so artificially with -golden threads that it glittered like burnished gold in every hem. The -lads saw now very clearly that they had come to no ordinary human being, -but to a troll. - -[Illustration: THE TROLL'S HUT, THE LANTERN, AND THE GOAT WITH THE -GOLDEN HORNS] - -After some deliberation the brothers entered, and saw the crone standing -by the fireplace, and stirring with a ladle in a large pot that was -boiling on the hearth. They told their story and prayed to be allowed to -pass the night there; but the crone answered _No!_ at the same time -directing them to a royal palace, which lay on the other side of the -lake. While speaking she kept looking intently on the youngest boy, as -he was standing and casting his eyes over everything in the hut. The -crone said to him: "What is thy name, my boy?" The lad answered smartly: -"I am called Pinkel." The Troll then said: "Thy brothers can go their -way, but thou shalt stay here; for thou appearest to me very crafty, and -my mind tells me that I have no good to expect from thee if thou -shouldst stay long at the King's palace." Pinkel now humbly begged to be -allowed to accompany his brothers, and promised never to cause the crone -harm or annoyance. At length he also had leave to depart; after which -the brothers hastened to the boat, not a little glad that all three had -escaped so well in this adventure. - -Toward the morning they arrived at a royal palace, larger and more -magnificent than anything they had ever seen before. They entered and -begged for employment. The eldest two were received as helpers in the -royal stables, and the youngest was taken as page to the King's young -son; and, being a sprightly, intelligent lad, he soon won the good will -of everyone, and rose from day to day in the King's favor. At this his -brothers were sorely nettled, not enduring that he should be preferred -to themselves. At length they consulted together how they might compass -the fall of their young brother, in the belief that afterwards they -should prosper better than before. - -They therefore presented themselves one day before the King, and gave -him an exaggerated account of the beautiful lantern that shed light over -both land and water, adding that it ill beseemed a king to lack so -precious a jewel. On hearing this the King's attention was excited, and -he asked: "Where is this lantern to be found, and who can procure it for -me?" The brothers answered: "No one can do that unless it be our brother -Pinkel. He knows best where the lantern is to be found." The King was -now filled with a desire to obtain the golden lantern about which he had -heard tell, and commanded the youth to be called. When Pinkel came, the -King said: "If thou canst procure me the golden lantern that shines over -land and water I will make thee the chief man in my whole court." The -youth promised to do his best to execute his lord's behest, and the King -praised him for his willingness; but the brothers rejoiced at heart; for -they well knew it was a perilous undertaking, which could hardly -terminate favorably. - -Pinkel now prepared a little boat, and, unaccompanied by anyone, rowed -over to the island inhabited by the Troll-crone. When he arrived it was -already evening, and the crone was busied in boiling porridge for -supper, as was her custom. The youth creeping softly up to the roof -cast from time to time a handful of salt through the chimney, so that it -fell down into the pot that was boiling on the hearth. When the porridge -was ready, and the crone had begun to eat, she could not conceive what -had made it so salt and bitter. She was out of humor, and chided her -daughter, thinking that she had put too much salt into the porridge; but -let her dilute the porridge as she might, it could not be eaten, so salt -and bitter was it. She then ordered her daughter to go to the well, that -was just at the foot of the hill, and fetch water, in order to prepare -fresh porridge. The maiden answered: "How can I go to the well? It is so -dark out of doors that I cannot find the way over the hill." "Then take -my gold lantern," said the crone, peevishly. The girl took the beautiful -gold lantern accordingly, and hastened away to fetch the water. But as -she stooped to lift the pail, Pinkel, who was on the watch, seized her -by the feet, and cast her headlong into the water. He then took the -golden lantern, and betook himself in all haste to his boat. - -In the meantime the crone was wondering why her daughter stayed out so -long, and, at the same moment, chancing to look through the window she -saw the light gleaming far out on the water. At this sight she was -sorely vexed, and hurrying down to the shore, cried aloud: "Is that -thou, Pinkel?" The youth answered: "Yes, dear mother, it is I." The -Troll continued: "Art thou not a great knave?" The lad answered: "Yes, -dear mother, I am so." The crone now began to lament and complain, -saying: "Ah! what a fool was I to let thee go from me; I might have been -sure thou wouldst play me some trick. If thou ever comest hither again, -thou shalt not escape." And so the matter rested for that time. - -Pinkel now returned to the King's palace, and became the chief person at -court, as the King had promised. But when the brothers were informed -what complete success he had had in his adventure, they became yet more -envious and embittered than before, and often consulted together how -they might accomplish the fall of their young brother, and gain the -King's favor for themselves. - -Both brothers went, therefore, a second time before the King, and began -relating at full length about the beautiful goat that had horns of the -purest gold, from which little gold bells were suspended, which gave -forth a pleasing sound whenever the animal moved. They added that it ill -became so rich a king to lack so costly a treasure. On hearing their -story, the King was greatly excited, and said: "Where is this goat to be -found, and who can procure it for me?" The brothers answered: "That no -one can do, unless it be our brother Pinkel; for he knows best where the -goat is to be found." The King then felt a strong desire to possess the -goat with the golden horns, and therefore commanded the youth to appear -before him. When Pinkel came, the King said: "Thy brothers have been -telling me of a beautiful goat with horns of the purest gold, and little -bells fastened to the horns, which ring whenever the animal moves. Now -it is my will that thou go and procure for me this goat. If thou art -successful I will make thee lord over a third part of my kingdom." The -youth having listened to this speech, promised to execute his lord's -commission, if only fortune would befriend him. The King then praised -his readiness, and the brothers were glad at heart, believing that -Pinkel would not escape this time so well as the first. - -Pinkel now made the necessary preparations and rowed to the island where -the Troll-wife dwelt. When he reached it, evening was already advanced, -and it was dark, so that no one could be aware of his coming, the golden -lantern being no longer there, but shedding its light in the royal -palace. The youth now deliberated with himself how to get the golden -goat; but the task was no easy one; for the animal lay every night in -the crone's hut. At length it occurred to his mind that there was one -method which might probably prove successful, though, nevertheless, -sufficiently difficult to carry into effect. - -At night, when it was time for the crone and her daughter to go to bed, -the girl went as usual to bolt the door. But Pinkel was just outside on -the watch, and had placed a piece of wood behind the door, so that it -would not shut close. The girl stood for a long time trying to lock it, -but to no purpose. On perceiving this the crone thought there was -something out of order, and called out that the door might very well -remain unlocked for the night; as soon as it was daylight they could -ascertain what was wanting. The girl then left the door ajar and laid -herself down to sleep. When the night was a little more advanced, and -the crone and her daughter were snug in deep repose, the youth stole -softly into the hut, and approached the goat where he lay stretched out -on the hearth. Pinkel now stuffed wool into all the golden bells, lest -their sound might betray him; then seizing the goat, he bore it off to -his boat. When he had reached the middle of the lake, he took the wool -out of the goat's ears, and the animal moved so that the bells rang -aloud. At the sound the crone awoke, ran down to the water, and cried in -an angry tone: "Is that thou, Pinkel?" The youth answered: "Yes, dear -mother, it is." The crone said: "Hast thou stolen my golden goat?" The -youth answered: "Yes, dear mother, I have." The Troll continued: "Art -thou not a big knave?" Pinkel returned for answer: "Yes, I am so, dear -mother." Now the beldam began to whine and complain, saying: "Ah! what a -simpleton was I for letting thee slip away from me. I well knew thou -wouldst play me some trick. But if thou comest hither ever again, thou -shalt never go hence." - -Pinkel now returned to the King's court and obtained the government of a -third part of the kingdom, as the King had promised. But when the -brothers heard how the enterprise had succeeded, and also saw the -beautiful lantern and the goat with golden horns, which were regarded by -everyone as great wonders, they became still more hostile and embittered -than ever. They could think of nothing but how they might accomplish his -destruction. - -They went, therefore, one day again before the king, to whom they gave a -most elaborate description of the Troll-crone's fur cloak that shone -like the brightest gold and was worked with golden threads in every -seam. The brothers said it was more befitting a queen than a Troll to -possess such a treasure, and added that that alone was wanting to the -King's good fortune. When the King heard all this he became very -thoughtful, and said: "Where is this cloak to be found, and who can -procure it for me?" The brothers answered: "No one can do that except -our brother Pinkel; for he knows best where the golden cloak is to be -found." The King was thereupon seized with an ardent longing to possess -the golden cloak, and commanded the youth to be called before him. When -Pinkel came, the King said: "I have long been aware that thou hast an -affection for my young daughter; and thy brothers have been telling me -of a beautiful fur cloak which shines with the reddest gold in every -seam. It is, therefore, my will that thou go and procure for me this -cloak. If thou art successful, thou shalt be my son-in-law, and after me -shalt inherit the kingdom." When the youth heard this he was glad beyond -measure, and promised either to win the young maiden or perish in the -attempt. The King thereupon praised his readiness; but the brothers were -delighted in their false hearts, and trusted that the enterprise would -prove their brother's destruction. - -Pinkel then betook himself to his boat and crossed over to the island -inhabited by the Troll-crone. On the way he anxiously deliberated with -himself how he might get possession of the crone's golden cloak; but it -appeared to him not very likely that his undertaking would prove -successful, seeing that the Troll always wore the cloak upon her. So -after having concerted divers plans, one more hazardous than another, it -occurred to him that he would try one method which might perhaps -succeed, although it was bold and rash. - -In pursuance of his scheme he bound a bag under his clothes, and walked -with trembling step and humble demeanor into the beldam's hut. On -perceiving him, the Troll cast on him a savage glance, and said: -"Pinkel, is that thou?" The youth answered: "Yes, dear mother, it is." -The crone was overjoyed, and said: "Although thou art come voluntarily -into my power, thou canst not surely hope to escape again from here, -after having played me so many tricks." She then took a large knife and -prepared to make an end of poor Pinkel; but the youth, seeing her -design, appeared sorely terrified, and said: "If I must needs die, I -think I might be allowed to choose the manner of my death. I would -rather eat myself to death with milk porridge, than be killed with a -knife." The crone thought to herself that the youth had made a bad -choice, and therefore promised to comply with his wish. She then set a -huge pot on the fire, in which she put a large quantity of porridge. -When the mess was ready, she placed it before Pinkel that he might eat, -who for every spoonful of porridge that he put into his mouth, poured -two into the bag that was tied under his clothes. At length the crone -began to wonder how Pinkel could contrive to swallow such a quantity; -but just at the same moment the youth, making a show of being sick to -death, sank down from his seat as if he were dead, and unobserved cut a -hole in the bag, so that the porridge ran over the floor. - -The crone, thinking that Pinkel had burst with the quantity of porridge -he had eaten, was not a little glad, clapped her hands together, and ran -off to look for her daughter, who was gone to the well. But as the -weather was wet and stormy, she first took off her beautiful fur cloak -and laid it aside in the hut. Before she could have proceeded far, the -youth came to life again, and springing up like lightning seized on the -golden cloak, and ran off at the top of his speed. - -Shortly after, the crone perceived Pinkel as he was rowing in his little -boat. On seeing him alive again, and observing the golden cloak -glittering on the surface of the water, she was angry beyond all -conception, and ran far out on the strand, crying: "Is that thou, -Pinkel?" The youth answered: "Yes, it is I, dear mother." The crone -said: "Hast thou taken my beautiful golden cloak?" Pinkel responded: -"Yes, dear mother, I have." The Troll continued: "Art thou not a great -knave?" The youth replied: "Yes, I am so, dear mother." The old witch -was now almost beside herself, and began to whine and lament, and said: -"Ah! how silly was it of me to let thee slip away. I was well assured -thou wouldst play me many wicked tricks." They then parted from each -other. - -The Troll-wife now returned to her hut, and Pinkel crossed the water, -and arrived safely at the King's palace; there he delivered the golden -cloak, of which everyone said that a more sumptuous garment was never -seen nor heard of. The King honorably kept his word with the youth, and -gave him his young daughter to wife. Pinkel afterwards lived happy and -content to the end of his days; but his brothers were and continued to -be helpers in the stable as long as they lived. - - - - -_Mother Roundabout's Daughter_ - - -ONCE on a time there was a goody who had a son, and he was so lazy and -slow he would never turn his hand to anything that was useful; but -singing and dancing he was very fond of; and so he danced and sang as -long as it was day, and sometimes even some way on in the night. The -longer this lasted, the harder it was for the goody; the boy grew, and -meat he must have without stint, and more and more was spent in clothing -as he grew bigger and bigger, and it was soon worn out, I should think; -for he danced and sprang about both in wood and field. - -At last the goody thought it too bad; so she told the lad that now he -must begin to turn his hand to work and live steadily, or else there was -nothing before both of them but starving to death. But that the lad had -no mind to do. He said he would far rather woo Mother Roundabout's -daughter; for if he could only get her, he would be able to live well -and softly all his days, and sing and dance, and never do one stroke of -work. - -When his mother heard this she, too, thought it would be a very fine -thing; and so she fitted out the lad as well as she could, that he might -look tidy when he reached Mother Roundabout's house; and so he set off -on his way. - -Now when he got out of doors the sun shone warm and bright; but it had -rained the night before, so that the ways were soft and miry and all the -bog holes stood full of water. The lad took a short cut to Mother -Roundabout's, and he sang and jumped, as was ever his wont; but just as -he sprang and leaped he came to a bog hole, and over it lay a little -bridge, and from the bridge he had to make a spring across a hole on to -a tuft of grass, that he might not dirty his shoes. But _plump_, it went -all at once, and just as he put his foot on the tuft it gave way under -him, and there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty, deep, -dark hole. At first he could see nothing, but when he had been there a -while he had a glimpse of a rat, that came wiggle-waggle up to him with -a bunch of keys at the tip of her tail. - -"What! you here, my boy?" said the rat. "Thank you kindly for coming to -me. I have waited long for you. You come, of course, to woo me, and you -are eager at it, I can very well see; but you must have patience yet a -while, for I shall have a great dower. I am not ready for my wedding -just yet, but I'll do my best that it shall be as soon as ever I can." - -When she had said that, she brought out ever so many eggshells, with all -sorts of bits and scraps, such as rats are wont to eat, and set them -before him, and said: - -"Now, you must sit down and eat; I am sure you must be both tired and -hungry." - -But the lad thought he had no liking for such food. - -"If I were only well away from this, above ground again," he thought to -himself, but he said nothing out loud. - -"Now, I dare say you'd be glad to go home again," said the rat. "I know -your heart is set on this wedding, and I'll make all the haste I can; -and you must take with you this linen thread, and when you get up above -you must not look round, but go straight home, and on the way you must -mind and say nothing but - - 'Short before, and long back, - Short before, and long back';" - -and as she said this she put the linen thread into his hand. - -"Heaven be praised!" said the lad, when he got above ground. "Thither -I'll never come again, if I can help it." - -But he still had the thread in his hand, and he sprang and sang as he -was wont; but even though he thought no more of the rat hole, he had got -his tongue into the tune, and so he sang, - - "Short before, and long back, - Short before, and long back." - -So when he got back home into the porch he turned round, and there lay -many, many hundred ells of the whitest linen, so fine that the handiest -weaving girl could not have woven it finer. - -"Mother! mother! come out," he cried and roared. - -Out came the goody in a bustle, and asked whatever was the matter; but -when she saw the linen woof, which stretched as far back as she could -see and a bit besides, she couldn't believe her eyes, till the lad told -her how it had all happened. And when she had heard it, and tried the -woof between her fingers, she grew so glad that she, too, began to dance -and sing. - -So she took the linen and cut it out, and sewed shirts out of it both -for herself and her son, and the rest she took into the town and sold, -and got money for it. And now they both lived well and happily a while; -but when the money was all gone, the goody had no more food in the -house, and so she told her son he really must now begin to go to work, -and live like the rest of the world, else there was nothing for it but -starving for them both. - -But the lad had more mind to go to Mother Roundabout and woo her -daughter. Well, the goody thought that a very fine thing, for now he had -good clothes on his back, and he was not such a bad-looking fellow -either. So she made him smart, and fitted him out as well as she could; -and he took out his new shoes and brushed them till they were as bright -as glass, and when he had done that, off he went. - -But all happened just as it did before. When he got out of doors the sun -shone warm and bright; but it had rained overnight, so that it was soft -and miry, and all the bog holes were full of water. The lad took the -short cut to Mother Roundabout, and he sang and sprang as he was ever -wont. Now he took another way than the one he went before; but just as -he leaped and jumped, he got upon the bridge over the moor again, and -from it he had to jump over a bog hole on to a turf that he might not -soil his shoes. But _plump_ it went, and down it went under him, and -there was no stopping till he found himself in a nasty, deep, dark hole. -At first he could see nothing; but when he had been there a while he -caught a glimpse of a rat with a bunch of keys at the tip of her tail, -who came wiggle-waggle up to him. - -"What! you here, my boy?" said the rat. "That was nice of you to wish to -see me so soon again. You are very eager, that I can see; but you really -must wait a while, for there is still something wanting to my dower, -though the next time you come, it shall be all right." - -When she had said this she set before him all kinds of scraps and bits -in eggshells, such as rats eat and like; but the lad thought it all -looked like meat that had been already eaten once, and he wasn't hungry, -he said; and all the time he thought, "If I could only once get above -ground, well out of this hole." But he said nothing out loud. - -So after a while the rat said: - -"I dare say now you would be glad to get home again; but I'll hasten on -the wedding as fast as ever I can. And now you must take with you this -thread of wool; and when you come above ground you must not look round, -but go straight home, and all the way you must mind and say nothing but - - 'Short before, and long back, - Short before, and long back';" - -and as she said that she gave him a thread of wool in his hand. - -"Heaven be praised!" said the lad, "that I got away. Thither I'll never -go again, if I can help it"; and so he sang and jumped as he was wont. -As for the rat hole, he thought no more about it; but as he had got his -tongue into tune he sang, - - "Short before, and long back, - Short before, and long back"; - -and so he kept on the whole way home. - -When he had got into the yard at home again he turned and looked behind -him, and there lay the finest cloth, more than many hundred ells; aye, -almost above half a mile long, and so fine that no town dandy could have -had finer cloth to his coat. - -"Mother! mother! come out!" cried the lad. - -So the goody came out of doors, and clapped her hands, and was almost -ready to swoon for joy when she saw all that lovely cloth; and then he -had to tell her how he had got it, and how it had all happened from -first to last. Then they had a fine time of it, you may fancy. The lad -got new clothes of the finest sort, and the goody went off to the town -and sold the cloth by little and little, and made heaps of money. Then -she decked out her cottage, and looked as smart in her old days as -though she had been born a lady. So they lived well and happily; but at -last that money came to an end too, and so the day came when the goody -had no more food in the house, and then she told her son he really must -turn his hand to work, and live like the rest of the world, else there -was nothing but starvation staring both of them in the face. - -But the lad thought it far better to go to Mother Roundabout and woo her -daughter. This time the goody thought so too, and said not a word -against it; for now he had new clothes of the finest kind, and he looked -so well, she thought it quite out of the question that anyone could say -"No" to so smart a lad. So she smartened him up, and made him as tidy as -she could; and he himself brought out his new shoes, and rubbed them -till they shone so he could see his face in them, and when he had done -that, off he went. - -This time he did not take the short cut, but made a great bend, for down -to the rats he would not go if he could help it, he was so tired of all -that wiggle-waggle and that everlasting bridal gossip. As for the -weather and the ways, they were just as they had been twice before. The -sun shone, so that it was dazzling on the pools and bog holes, and the -lad sang and sprang as he was wont; but just as he sang and jumped, -before he knew where he was, he was on the very same bridge across the -bog again. So he tried to jump from the bridge over a bog hole on to a -tuft that he might not dirty his bright shoes. _Plump_ it went, and it -gave way with him, and there was no stopping till he was down in the -same nasty, deep, dark hole again. At first he was glad, for he could -see nothing; but when he had been there a while he had a glimpse of the -ugly rat, and loath he was to see her with the bunch of keys at the end -of her tail. - -"Good day, my boy!" said the rat; "you are heartily welcome again, for I -see you can't bear to be any longer without me. Thank you, thank you -kindly; but now everything is ready for the wedding, and we shall set -off to church at once." - -"Something dreadful is going to happen," thought the lad, but he said -nothing out loud. - -Then the rat whistled, and there came swarming out such a lot of small -rats and mice of all the holes and crannies, and six big rats came -harnessed to a frying pan; two mice got up behind as footmen, and two -got up before and drove; some, too, got into the pan, and the rat with -the bunch of keys at her tail took her seat among them. Then she said to -the lad: - -"The road is a little narrow here, so you must be good enough to walk by -the side of the carriage, my darling boy, till it gets broader, and then -you shall have leave to sit up in the carriage alongside of me." - -"Very fine that will be, I dare say," thought the lad. "If I were only -well above ground, I'd run away from the whole pack of you." That was -what he thought, but he said nothing out loud. - -So he followed them as well as he could; sometimes he had to creep on -all fours, and sometimes he had to stoop and bend his back as well, for -the road was low and narrow in places; but when it got broader he went -on in front, and looked about him how he might best give them the slip -and run away. But as he went forward he heard a clear, sweet voice -behind him, which said: - -"Now the road is good. Come, my dear, and get up into the carriage." - -The lad turned round in a trice, and had near lost both nose and ears. -There stood the grandest carriage, with six white horses to it, and in -the carriage sat a maiden as bright and lovely as the sun, and round her -sat others who were as pretty and soft as stars. They were a princess -and her playfellows, who had been bewitched all together. But now they -were free because he had come down to them, and never said a word -against them. - -"Come now," said the princess. So the lad stepped up into the carriage, -and they drove to church; and when they drove from church again the -princess said: "Now we will drive first to my house, and then we'll send -to fetch your mother." - -"That is all very well," thought the lad, for he still said nothing, -even now; but, for all that, he thought it would be better to go home to -his mother than down into that nasty rat hole. But just as he thought -that, they came to a grand castle; into it they turned, and there they -were to dwell. And so a grand carriage with six horses was sent to fetch -the goody, and when it came back they set to work at the wedding feast. -It lasted fourteen days, and maybe they are still at it. So let us all -make haste; perhaps we, too, may come in time to drink the bridegroom's -health and dance with the bride. - - - - -_The Bear and Skrattel_ - - -ONE Christmas Day, the King of Norway sat in the great hall of his -palace, holding a feast. "Here's a health," said he, "to our brother the -King of Denmark! What present shall we send our royal brother as a -pledge of our good will, this Christmas-time?" "Send him, please your -majesty," said the Norseman Gunter, who was the King's chief huntsman, -"one of our fine white bears, that his liegemen may show their little -ones what sort of kittens we play with." "Well said, Gunter!" cried the -King; "but how shall we find a bear that will travel so long a journey -willingly, and will know how to behave himself to our worthy brother -when he reaches him?" "Please your majesty," said Gunter, "I have a -glorious fellow, as white as snow, that I caught when he was a cub; he -will follow me wherever I go, play with my children, stand on his hind -legs, and behave himself as well as any gentleman ought to do. He is at -your service, and I will myself take him wherever you choose." - -So the King was well pleased, and ordered Gunter to set off at once with -master Bruin: "Start with the morning's dawn," said he, "and make the -best of your way." - -The Norseman went home to his house in the forest; and early next -morning he waked master Bruin, put the King's collar round his neck, and -away they went over rocks and valleys, lakes and seas, the nearest road -to the court of the King of Denmark. When they arrived there, the King -was away on a journey, and Gunter and his fellow-traveler set out to -follow. It was bright weather, the sun shone, and the birds sang, as -they journeyed merrily on, day after day, over hill and over dale, till -they came within a day's journey of where the King was. - -All that afternoon they traveled through a gloomy, dark forest; but -toward evening the wind began to whistle through the trees, and the -clouds began to gather and threaten a stormy night. The road, too, was -very rough, and it was not easy to tell which was more tired, Bruin or -his master. What made the matter worse was that they had found no inn -that day by the roadside, and their provisions had fallen short, so that -they had no very pleasant prospect before them for the night. "A pretty -affair this!" said Gunter. "I am likely to be charmingly off here in the -woods, with an empty stomach, a damp bed, and a bear for my bedfellow." - -While the Norseman was turning this over in his mind, the wind blew -harder and harder, and the clouds grew darker and darker: the bear shook -his ears, and his master looked at his wits' end, when to his great joy -a woodman came whistling along out of the woods, by the side of his -horse dragging a load of fagots. As soon as he came up Gunter stopped -him, and begged hard for a night's lodging for himself and his -countryman. - -The woodman seemed hearty and good-natured enough, and was quite ready -to find shelter for the huntsman; but as to the bear, he had never seen -such a beast before in his life, and would have nothing to do with him -on any terms. The huntsman begged hard for his friend, and told how he -was bringing him as a present to the King of Denmark; and how he was the -most good-natured, best-behaved animal in the world, though he must -allow that he was by no means one of the handsomest. - -The woodman, however, was not to be moved. His wife, he was sure, would -not like such a guest, and who could say what he might take it into his -head to do? Besides, he should lose his dog and his cat, his ducks and -his geese; for they would all run away for fright, whether the bear was -disposed to be friends with them or not. - -"Good night, master huntsman!" said he; "if you and old shaggy-back -there cannot part, I am afraid you must e'en stay where you are, though -you will have a sad night of it, no doubt." Then he cracked his whip, -whistled up his horse, and set off once more on his way homeward. - -The huntsman grumbled, and Bruin grunted, as they followed slowly after; -when to their great joy they saw the woodman, before he had gone many -yards, pull up his horse once more and turn round. "Stay, stay!" said -he; "I think I can tell you of a better plan than sleeping in a ditch. I -know where you may find shelter, if you will run the risk of a little -trouble from an unlucky imp that has taken up its abode in my old house -down the hill yonder. You must know, friend, that till last winter I -lived in yon snug little house that you will see at the foot of the hill -if you come this way. Everything went smoothly on with us till one -unlucky night, when the storm blew as it seems likely to do to-night, -some spiteful guest took it into his head to pay us a visit; and there -have ever since been such noises, clattering, and scampering up stairs -and down, from midnight till the cock crows in the morning, that at last -we were fairly driven out of house and home. What he is like no one -knows; for we never saw him or anything belonging to him, except a -little crooked high-heeled shoe, that he left one night in the pantry. -But though we have not seen him, we know he has a hand or a paw as heavy -as lead; for when it pleases him to lay it upon anyone, down he goes as -if the blacksmith's hammer had hit him. There is no end of his monkey -tricks. If the linen is hung out to dry, he cuts the line. If he wants a -cup of ale, he leaves the tap running. If the fowls are shut up, he lets -them loose. He puts the pig into the garden, rides upon the cows, and -turns the horses into the hay yard; and several times he nearly burned -the house down, by leaving a candle alight among the fagots. And then he -is sometimes so nimble and active that when he is once in motion, -nothing stands still around him, Dishes and plates--pots and pans--dance -about, clattering, making the most horrible music, and breaking each -other to pieces; and sometimes, when the whim takes him, the chairs and -tables seem as if they were alive, and dancing a hornpipe, or playing -battledore and shuttlecock together. Even the stones and beams of the -house seem rattling against one another; and it is of no use putting -things in order, for the first freak the imp took would turn everything -upside down again. - -"My wife and I bore such a lodger as long as we could, but at length we -were fairly beaten; and as he seemed to have taken up his abode in the -house, we thought it best to give up to him what he wanted; and the -little rascal knew what we were about when we were moving, and seemed -afraid we should not go soon enough. So he helped us off; for on the -morning we were to start, as we were going to put our goods upon the -wagon, there it stood before the door ready loaded; and when we started -we heard a loud laugh, and a little sharp voice cried out of the window, -'Good-by, neighbors!' So now he has our old house all to himself to play -his gambols in, whenever he likes to sleep within doors; and we have -built ourselves a snug cottage on the other side of the hill, where we -live as well as we can, though we have no great room to make merry in. -Now if you, and your ugly friend there, like to run the hazard of taking -up your quarters in the elf's house, pray do! Yonder is the road. He may -not be at home to-night." - -"We will try our luck," said Gunter. "Anything is better to my mind than -sleeping out of doors such a night as this. Your troublesome neighbor -will perhaps think so, too, and we may have to fight for our lodging; -but never mind, Bruin is rather an awkward hand to quarrel with, and the -goblin may perhaps find a worse welcome from him than your house dog -could give him. He will at any rate let him know what a bear's hug is; -for I dare say he has not been far enough north to know much about it -yet." - -Then the woodman gave Gunter a fagot to make his fire with, and wished -him a good night. He and the bear soon found their way to the deserted -house, and no one being at home they walked into the kitchen and made a -capital fire. - -"Lack-a-day!" said the Norseman; "I forgot one thing--I ought to have -asked that good man for some supper; I have nothing left but some dry -bread. However, this is better than sleeping in the woods. We must make -the most of what we have, keep ourselves warm, and get to bed as soon as -we can." So after eating up all their crusts, and drinking some water -from the well close by, the huntsman wrapped himself up close in his -cloak, and lay down in the snuggest corner he could find. Bruin rolled -himself up in the corner of the wide fireplace, and both were fast -asleep, the fire out, and everything quiet within doors long before -midnight. - -Just as the clock struck twelve the storm began to get louder--the wind -blew--a slight noise within the room wakened the huntsman, and all on a -sudden in popped a little ugly skrattel, scarce three spans high, with a -hump on his back, a face like a dried pippin, a nose like a ripe -mulberry, and an eye that had lost its neighbor. He had high-heeled -shoes and a pointed red cap; and came dragging after him a nice fat kid, -ready skinned and fit for roasting. "A rough night this," grumbled the -goblin to himself; "but, thanks to that booby woodman, I've a house to -myself. And now for a hot supper and a glass of good ale till the cock -crows." - -No sooner said than done. The skrattel busied himself about, here and -there; presently the fire blazed up, the kid was put on the spit and -turned merrily round. A keg of ale made its appearance from a closet, -the cloth was laid, and the kid was soon dished up for eating. Then the -little imp, in the joy of his heart, rubbed his hands, tossed up his red -cap, danced before the hearth, and sang his song: - - "Oh! 'tis weary enough abroad to ride, - In the shivery midnight blast; - And 'tis dreary enough alone to bide, - Hungry and cold, - On the wintry wold, - Where the drifting snow falls fast. - - "But 'tis cheery enough to revel by night, - In the crackling fagot's light; - 'Tis merry enough to have and to hold - The savory roast, - And the nut-brown toast, - With jolly good ale and old." - -The huntsman lay snug all this time, sometimes quaking, in dread of -getting into trouble, and sometimes licking his lips at the savory -supper before him, and half in the mind to fight for it with the imp. -However, he kept himself quiet in his corner; till all of a sudden the -little man's eye wandered from his cheering ale cup to Bruin's carcass, -as he lay rolled up like a ball fast asleep in the chimney corner. - -The imp turned round sharp in an instant, and crept softly nearer and -nearer to where Bruin lay, looking at him very closely, and not able to -make out what in the world he was. "One of the family, I suppose!" said -he to himself. But just then Bruin gave his ears a shake, and showed a -little of his shaggy muzzle. "Oh, ho!" said the imp, "that's all, is it? -But what a large one! Where could he come from, and how came he here? -What shall I do? Shall I let him alone or drive him out? Perhaps he may -do me some mischief, and I am not afraid of mice or rats. So here goes! -I have driven all the rest of the live stock out of the house, and why -should I be afraid of sending this brute after them?" - -With that the elf walked softly to the corner of the room, and taking up -the spit, stole back on tiptoe till he got quite close to the bear; then -raising up his weapon, down came a rattling thump across Bruin's mazard, -that sounded as hollow as a drum. The bear raised himself slowly up, -snorted, shook his head, then scratched it, opened first one eye, then -the other, took a turn across the room, and grinned at his enemy; who, -somewhat alarmed, ran back a few paces and stood with the spit in his -hand, foreseeing a rough attack. And it soon came, for the bear, rearing -himself up, walked leisurely forward, and putting out one of his paws -caught hold of the spit, jerked it out of the goblin's hand, and sent it -spinning to the other end of the kitchen. - -And now began a fierce battle. This way and that way flew tables and -chairs, pots and pans. The elf was one moment on the bear's back, -lugging his ears and pommeling him with blows that might have felled an -ox. In the next, the bear would throw him up in the air, and treat him -as he came down with a hug that would make the little imp squall. Then -up he would jump upon one of the beams out of Bruin's reach, and soon, -watching his chance, would be down astride upon his back. - -Meantime Gunter had become sadly frightened, and seeing the oven door -open, crept in for shelter from the fray, and lay there quaking for -fear. The struggle went on thus a long time, without its seeming at all -clear who would get the better--biting, scratching, hugging, clawing, -roaring, and growling, till the whole house rang. The elf, however, -seemed to grow weaker and weaker. The rivals stood for a moment as if to -get breath, and the bear was getting ready for a fierce attack when, all -in a moment, the skrattel dashed his red cap right in his eye, and while -Bruin was smarting with the blow and trying to recover his sight, darted -to the door, and was out of sight in a moment, though the wind blew, the -rain pattered, and the storm raged in a merciless manner. - -"Well done! Bravo, Bruin!" cried the huntsman, as he crawled out of the -oven and ran and bolted the door. "Thou hast combed his locks rarely; -and as for thine own ears, they are rather the worse for pulling. But -come, let us make the best of the good cheer our friend has left us!" So -saying, they fell to and ate a hearty supper. The huntsman, wishing the -skrattel a good night and pleasant dreams in a cup of his sparkling ale, -laid himself down and slept till morning; and Bruin tried to do the -same, as well as his aching bones would let him. - -In the morning the huntsman made ready to set out on his way, and had -not got far from the door before he met the woodman, who was eager to -hear how he had passed the night. Then Gunter told him how he had been -awakened, what sort of creature the elf was, and how he and Bruin had -fought it out. "Let us hope," said he, "you will now be well rid of the -gentleman. I suspect he will not come where he is likely to get any more -of Bruin's hugs; and thus you will be well paid for your entertainment -of us, which, to tell the truth, was none of the best, for if your ugly -little tenant had not brought his supper with him, we should have had -but empty stomachs this morning." - -The huntsman and his fellow-traveler journeyed on, and let us hope they -reached the King of Denmark safe and sound; but, to tell the truth, I -know nothing more of that part of the story. - -The woodman, meantime, went to his work, and did not fail to watch at -night to see whether the skrattel came, or whether he was thoroughly -frightened out of his old haunt by the bear, or whatever he might take -the beast to be that had handled him as he never was handled before. But -three nights passed over, and no traces being seen or heard of him, the -woodman began to think of moving back to his old house. - -On the fourth day he was out at his work in the forest, and as he was -taking shelter under a tree from a cold storm of sleet and rain that -passed over, he heard a little cracked voice singing, or rather croaking -in a mournful tone. So he crept along quietly, and peeped over some -bushes, and there sat the very same figure that the huntsman had -described to him. The goblin was sitting without any hat or cap on his -head, with a woe-begone face, and with his jacket torn into shreds, and -his leg scratched and smeared with blood, as if he had been creeping -through a bramble bush. The woodman listened quietly to his song, and it -ran as before: - - "Oh! 'tis weary enough abroad to ride, - In the shivery midnight blast; - And 'tis dreary enough alone to bide, - Hungry and cold, - On the wintry wold, - Where the drifting snow falls fast." - - -"Sing us the other verse, man!" cried the woodman, for he could not help -cracking a joke on his old enemy, who he saw was sadly in the dumps at -the loss of his good cheer and the shelter against the bad weather. But -the instant his voice was heard the little imp jumped up, stamped with -rage, and was out of sight in the twinkling of an eye. - -The woodman finished his work and was going home in the evening, -whistling by his horse's side, when all of a sudden he saw, standing on -a high bank by the wayside, the very same little imp, looking as grim -and sulky as before. "Hark ye, bumpkin?" cried the skrattel; "canst thou -hear, fellow? Is thy great cat alive, and at home still?" "My cat?" said -the woodman. "Thy great white cat, man!" thundered out the little imp. -"Oh, my cat!" said the woodman, at last recollecting himself. "Oh, yes, -to be sure! alive and well, I thank you; very happy, I'm sure, to see -you and all friends whenever you will do us the favor to call. And hark -ye, friend! as you seem to be so fond of my great cat, you may like to -know that she had five kittens last night." "Five kittens?" muttered the -elf. "Yes," replied the woodman, "five of the most beautiful white kits -you ever saw--so like the old cat, it would do your heart good to see -the whole family--such soft, gentle paws--such delicate whiskers--such -pretty little mouths!" "Five kittens?" muttered, or rather shrieked out, -the imp again. "Yes, to be sure!" said the woodman; "five kittens! Do -look in to-night, about twelve o'clock--the time, you know, that you -used to come and see us. The old cat will be so glad to show them to -you, and we shall be so happy to see you once more. But where can you -have been all this time?" - -"I come? Not I, indeed!" shrieked the skrattel. "What do I want with the -little wretches? Did not I see the mother once? Keep your kittens to -yourself. I must be off--this is no place for me. Five kittens! So there -are six of them now! Good-by to you, you'll see me no more; so bad luck -to your ugly cat and your beggarly house!" "And bad luck to you, Mr. -Crookback!" cried the woodman, as he threw him the red cap he had left -behind in his battle with Bruin. "Keep clear of my cat, and let us hear -no more of your pranks, and be hanged to you!" - -So now that he knew his troublesome guest had taken his leave, the -woodman soon moved back all his goods, and his wife and children into -their snug old house. And there they lived happily, for the elf never -came to see them any more; and the woodman every day after dinner drank, -"Long life to the King of Norway," for sending the cat that cleared his -house of vermin. - - - - -_The Golden Bird_ - - -THERE was once upon a time a king who had a garden; in that garden there -was an apple tree, and on that apple tree there grew a golden apple -every year; but when the time came to pluck the apple it was gone, and -no one knew who took it or what became of it; but gone it was. - -The King had three sons, and one day he told them that he who could -bring him the apple or get hold of the thief, should have the kingdom -after him, no matter whether he was the eldest, the second, or the -youngest son. - -The eldest set out first and sat down under the tree to keep watch for -the thief. Soon after dark a golden bird came flying, and the light from -it was so strong and dazzling that it could be seen a long way off. When -the Prince saw the bird and the dazzling light he became so frightened -that he dared not stay any longer, but rushed indoors as fast as he -could. - -Next morning the apple was gone; the Prince had then, however, recovered -his courage and began to get ready for his journey and wanted to set off -to find the bird. The King fitted him out in grand style and spared -neither money nor fine raiment. When the Prince had gone a bit on the -way he became hungry, opened his scrip and sat down to his breakfast by -the roadside. A fox then came out of the wood and sat down and looked at -him. - -"Do give me a little to eat," said the fox. - -"I'll give you some powder and shot," said the Prince; "my food I shall -want myself; nobody can tell how far and how long I may have to travel," -said he. - -"Just so," said the fox, and so he went back into the wood again. - -When the Prince had finished his meal and rested awhile he set out on -his way again. After a long time he came to a big city, and in that city -there was an inn, where there was always joy and never any sorrow; he -thought that would be a nice place to stop at, and so he remained. And -there was such dancing and drinking and joy and merrymaking that he -forgot the bird and his father and his journey and the whole kingdom. - -Away he was and away he stopped. - -The next year the second prince was to watch for the thief in the -garden; he also sat down under the tree when the apple began to ripen. -But one night, all of a sudden, the golden bird came flying, shining -like the sun, and the Prince became so afraid that he took to his heels -and ran indoors as fast as he could. - -In the morning the apple was gone, but the Prince had then recovered his -courage and wanted to set out and find the bird. He began to get ready -and the King fitted him out in grand style and spared neither money nor -fine raiment. But the same thing happened to him as to his brother; when -he had got a bit on the way he became hungry, opened his scrip and sat -down to his breakfast by the roadside. A fox then came out from the pine -wood and sat down and looked at him. - -"Do give me a little to eat," said the fox. - -"I'll give you some powder and shot," said the Prince; "my food I shall -want myself; nobody can tell how far and how long I may have to travel," -said he. - -"Just so," said the fox, and so he went back into the wood again. - -When the Prince had finished his meal and rested awhile, he set out on -his way again. After a long time he came to the same city and the same -inn, where there was always joy and never any sorrow; and there he also -thought it would be nice to stop, and the first he met was his brother, -and so he remained. The brother had been leading a gay and reckless life -and had scarcely any clothes left on his back; but now he began afresh, -and there was such dancing and drinking and joy and merriment that the -second prince also forgot the bird and his father and his journey and -the whole kingdom. Away he was and away he stopped. - -When the time came for the apple to ripen again the youngest prince was -to go into the garden and watch for the thief. He took a companion with -him who was to help him up into the tree, and to pass away the time so -that he should not fall asleep. All of a sudden they saw a bright light, -as if from the sun; every feather of the bird could be seen long before -it came to the tree. The Prince climbed up into the tree and at the same -time the golden bird swooped down and took the apple; the Prince tried -to seize the bird, but he only caught a feather out of its tail. - -So he went to the King's bedroom, and as he came in with the feather, it -became as light as day. - -He also wanted to try if he could find his brothers and catch the bird, -for he had been so near to it that he had got a feather from its tail -and would know it again anywhere, he said. - -Well, the King went and pondered long whether he should let him go, for -he thought the youngest would not fare any better than the two eldest, -who ought to have more knowledge of the world, and he was afraid he -should lose him also. But the Prince begged so earnestly that at last he -got permission to go. - -He then began to get ready and the King fitted him out in grand style, -both with clothes and money, and so he set off. - -When he had traveled for some time he became hungry and took his scrip -and sat down to have his breakfast, but just as he was in the midst of -it a fox came out of the wood and sat down close by his side and looked -at him. - -"Do give me a little to eat," said the fox. - -"I shall want the food myself," said the Prince, "for I cannot tell how -far I shall have to travel, but I have enough to give you a little." - -When the fox had got the piece of meat he asked the Prince where he was -going. - -Yes, that he would tell him. - -"If you will listen to me, I will help you, and you will have good -luck," said the fox. - -The Prince promised he would, and so they set off together. They -traveled a while till they came to the same city and the same inn, where -there was always joy, but no sorrow. - -"I must keep outside here; the dogs are rather a nuisance," said the -fox, and so he told the Prince where his brothers were to be found and -what they were doing; "and if you go in there you will not get any -further either," said he. - -The Prince promised he would not go in there, and gave him his hand on -it, and so each went his way. But when the Prince came to the inn and -heard the noise and merriment going on he felt he must go in; there was -no help for it, and when he met his brothers there was such rejoicing -that he forgot both the fox and the journey and the bird and his father. -But when he had been there awhile the fox came--he had ventured into the -city after all--and opened the door a little and made a sign to the -Prince, saying that now they must be off. So the Prince bethought -himself, and they went their way. - -When they had traveled awhile they saw a big mountain far away. The fox -said: - -"Three hundred miles at the back of that mountain there is a gilded -linden tree with golden leaves, and in that tree sits the golden bird -from which you took the feather." - -Thither they traveled together. When the Prince was going to catch the -bird the fox gave him some bright feathers which he was to wave in his -hands, and so attract the bird, which would then fly down and sit on his -hand. - -But the fox said he must not touch the linden tree, for inside it was a -big troll who owned it, and if the Prince touched only the smallest -twig the troll would come out and kill him on the spot. - -No, he would not touch it, said the Prince; but when he had got the bird -on his hand he thought he must have a twig of the tree; there was no -help for it, it was so bright and beautiful. So he took a tiny little -sprig, but the same moment the troll came out. - -"Who is that stealing my tree and my bird?" roared the troll, and he was -so angry that he spurted sparks of fire. - -"Thieves believe that all men steal," said the Prince; "but only those -get hanged who do not steal properly," said he. - -The troll said that made no difference, and was going to kill him, but -the Prince begged him to spare his life. - -"Well," said the troll, "if you can bring me back the horse which my -nearest neighbor has taken from me you will get off with your life." - -"Where shall I find it, then?" said the Prince. - -"Oh, he lives three hundred miles at the back of that big blue mountain -against the horizon yonder," said the troll. - -The Prince promised he would do his best. But when he came back to the -fox he found him in rather a bad temper. - -"Now you have got yourself into trouble," said the fox; "if you had -listened to me we could have been on our way home by this time," said -he. - -So they had to make a fresh start, for the Prince had pledged his word, -and his life depended on his finding the horse. - -At last they got there, but as the Prince was going to take the horse -the fox said: - -"When you come into the stable you will find all sorts of bridles -hanging on the wall, both of gold and silver; you must not touch them, -for then the troll will come and kill you; you must take the ugliest and -shabbiest you see." - -Yes, the Prince promised he would; but when he came into the stable he -thought it was quite unreasonable not to take a fine bridle, for there -were plenty of them, and so he took the brightest he could find. It was -as bright as gold, but just then the troll came and was so angry that -sparks flew from him. - -"Who is that stealing my horse and my bridle?" he shrieked. - -"Thieves believe that all men steal," said the Prince; "but only those -get hanged who do not steal properly," said he. - -"Well, that makes no difference. I'll kill you on the spot," shouted the -troll. - -But the Prince begged him to spare his life. - -"Well," said the troll, "if you can bring me back the fair damsel which -my nearest neighbor has taken from me I will spare you." - -"Whereabouts does he live, then?" asked the Prince. - -"Oh, he lives three hundred miles at the back of that big blue mountain -against the horizon yonder," said the troll. - -The Prince promised he would fetch the damsel, and was allowed to go, -and so he escaped with his life. - -But when he came out you may imagine how angry the fox was. - -"Now you've got yourself into trouble again," said he; "if you had -listened to me we could have been on our way home long ago. I almost -think I will not go with you any further." - -But the Prince begged and prayed and promised he would never do anything -else but what the fox told him, if he would only remain with him. At -last the fox gave in, and they became firm friends again; so they set -off once more and came at last to where the fair damsel was. - -"Well," said the fox, "I have your promise, but I dare not let you in to -the troll, after all; this time I must go myself." So he went in, and -after a while he came out with the damsel, and so they went back the -same way they had come. - -When they got to the troll who had the horse they took both the horse -and the brightest bridle; and when they got to the troll who had the -linden tree and the bird, they took both the tree and the bird and -started off with them. - -When they had got a bit on the way they came to a field of rye, and the -fox then said: - -"I hear a thundering noise; you had better go on ahead; I will remain -here awhile," he said. He then plaited himself a gown of rye straw, in -which he looked like a preacher. All at once the three trolls came -rushing along, hoping to overtake the Prince. - -"Have you seen anyone passing here with a fair damsel, a horse with a -golden bridle, a golden bird, and a gilded linden tree?" they shouted to -the fox as he stood there preaching. - -"Well, I've heard from my grandmother's grandmother that something of -the kind passed this way, but that was in the good old times, when my -grandmother's grandmother baked halfpenny cakes and gave back the -halfpenny." - -Then all the trolls burst out laughing: "Ha, ha, ha!" they laughed and -held on to one another. - -"If we have slept so long we may as well turn our noses homeward, and go -to sleep again," they said, and so they went back the way they came. - -The fox then set off after the Prince, but when they came to the city -where the inn and his brothers were, he said: - -"I dare not go through the town on account of the dogs; I must go my own -way just above here, but you must take good care your brothers do not -get hold of you." - -But when the Prince came into the city he thought it would be too bad if -he did not look in upon his brothers and have a word with them, and so -he tarried there for a while. - -When the brothers saw him they came out and took the damsel, and the -horse, and the bird, and the linden tree, and everything from him, and -they put him in a barrel, and threw him into the sea; and so they set -off home to the King's palace, with the damsel, and the horse, and the -bird, and the linden tree, and everything. But the damsel would not -speak, and she became pale and wretched to look upon; the horse got so -thin and miserable that it could hardly hang together; the bird became -silent and shone no more, and the linden tree withered. - -In the meantime the fox was sneaking about outside the city where the -inn and the merriment were, and was waiting for the Prince and the -damsel, and wondering why they did not return. - -He went hither and thither, waiting and watching for them, and at last -he came down to the shore, and when he saw the barrel, which was lying -out at sea drifting, he shouted: "Why are you drifting about there, you -empty barrel?" - -"Oh, it is I," said the Prince in the barrel. - -The fox then swam out to sea as fast as he could, got hold of the -barrel, and towed it to land; then he began to gnaw the hoops, and when -he had got some off the barrel, he said to the Prince: "Stamp and kick." - -The Prince stamped and kicked till all the staves flew about, and out he -jumped from the barrel. - -So they went together to the King's palace, and when they got there the -damsel regained her beauty and began to talk, the horse became so fat -and sleek that every hair glistened; the light shone from the bird and -it began to sing; the linden tree began to blossom and its leaves to -sparkle, and the damsel said, "He is the one who has saved us." - -They planted the linden tree in the garden, and the youngest prince was -to marry the princess, for such the damsel really was; but the two -eldest brothers were put each in a barrel and rolled down a high -mountain. - -Then they began to prepare for the wedding, but the fox first asked the -Prince to put him on the block and cut his head off, and although the -Prince both prayed and cried, there was no help for it; he would have -to do it. But as he cut the head off, the fox turned into a handsome -prince, and he was the brother of the princess, whom they had rescued -from the troll. - -So the wedding came off and everything was so grand and splendid, that -the news of the festivities reached all the way here. - - - - -_The Doll in the Grass_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a King who had twelve sons. When they were -grown up he told them they must go out into the world and find -themselves wives, who must all be able to spin and weave and make a -shirt in one day, else he would not have them for daughters-in-law. He -gave each of his sons a horse and a new suit of armor, and so they set -out in the world to look for wives. - -When they had traveled a bit on the way they said they would not take -Ashiepattle with them, for he was good for nothing. Ashiepattle must -stop behind; there was no help for it. He did not know what he should do -or which way he should turn; he became so sad that he got off the horse -and sat down on the grass and began to cry. - -When he had sat a while, one of the tussocks among the grass began to -move, and out of it came a small white figure; as it came nearer -Ashiepattle saw that it was a beautiful little girl, but she was so -tiny, so very, very tiny. - -She went up to him and asked him if he would come below and pay a visit -to the doll in the grass. - -Yes, that he would; and so he did. When he came down below, the doll in -the grass was sitting in a chair, dressed very finely and looking still -more beautiful. She asked Ashiepattle where he was going and what was -his errand. - -He told her they were twelve brothers, and that the King had given them -each a horse and a suit of armor, and told them to go out in the world -and find themselves wives, but they must all be able to spin and weave -and make a shirt in a day. - -[Illustration: "SHE SAID SHE WOULD SIT AND DRIVE IN A SILVER SPOON"] - -"If you can do that and will become my wife, I will not travel any -farther," said Ashiepattle to the doll in the grass. - -Yes, that she would, and she set to work at once to get the shirt spun, -woven, and made; but it was so tiny, so very, very tiny, no bigger -than--so! - -Ashiepattle then returned home, taking the shirt with him; but when he -brought it out he felt very shy because it was so small. But the King -said he could have her for all that, and you can imagine how happy and -joyful Ashiepattle became. - -The road did not seem long to him as he set out to fetch his little -sweetheart. When he came to the doll in the grass he wanted her to sit -with him on his horse; but no, that she wouldn't; she said she would sit -and drive in a silver spoon, and she had two small white horses which -would draw her. So they set out, he on his horse and she in the silver -spoon; and the horses which drew her were two small white mice. - -Ashiepattle always kept to one side of the road, for he was so afraid he -should ride over her; she was so very, very tiny. - -When they had traveled a bit on the way they came to a large lake; there -Ashiepattle's horse took fright and shied over to the other side of the -road, and upset the spoon, so that the doll in the grass fell into the -water. Ashiepattle became very sad, for he did not know how he should -get her out again; but after a while a merman brought her up. But now -she had become just as big as any other grown-up being and was much more -beautiful than she was before. So he placed her in front of him on the -horse and rode home. - -When Ashiepattle got there all his brothers had also returned, each with -a sweetheart; but they were so ugly and ill-favored and bad-tempered -that they had come to blows with their sweethearts on their way home. On -their heads they had hats which were painted with tar and soot, and this -had run from their hats down their faces, so that they were still uglier -and more ill-favored to behold. - -When the brothers saw Ashiepattle's sweetheart they all became -envious of him, but the King was so pleased with Ashiepattle and his -sweetheart that he drove all the others away, and so Ashiepattle was -married to the doll in the grass; and afterwards they lived happy and -comfortable for a long, long while; and if they are not dead, they must -be still alive. - - - - -_The Princess on the Glass Hill_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a man who had a meadow which lay on the side -of a mountain, and in the meadow there was a barn in which he stored -hay. But there had not been much hay in the barn for the last two years, -for every St. John's eve, when the grass was in the height of its vigor, -it was all eaten clean up, just as if a whole flock of sheep had gnawed -it down to the ground during the night. This happened once and it -happened twice, but then the man got tired of losing his crop, and said -to his sons--he had three of them, and the third was called -Cinderlad--that one of them must go and sleep in the barn on St. John's -night, for it was absurd to let the grass be eaten up again, blade and -stalk, as it had been the last two years, and the one who went to watch -must keep a sharp lookout, the man said. - -The eldest was quite willing to go to the meadow. He would watch the -grass, he said, and he would do it so well that neither man nor beast, -nor even the devil himself, should have any of it. So when evening came -he went to the barn and lay down to sleep; but when night was drawing -near there was such a rumbling and such an earthquake that the walls and -roof shook again, and the lad jumped up and took to his heels as fast as -he could, and never even looked back, and the barn remained empty that -year just as it had been for the last two. - -Next St. John's eve the man again said he could not go on in this way -losing all the grass in the outlying field year after year, and that one -of his sons must just go there and watch it, and watch well, too. So -the next oldest son was willing to show what he could do. He went to the -barn and lay down to sleep, as his brother had done; but when night was -drawing near there was a great rumbling, and then an earthquake, which -was even worse than that on the former St. John's night; and when the -youth heard it he was terrified, and went off, running as if for a -wager. - -The year after it was Cinderlad's turn, but when he made ready to go the -others laughed at him and mocked him. "Well, you are just the right one -to watch the hay, you who have never learned anything but how to sit -among the ashes and bake yourself!" said they. Cinderlad did not trouble -himself about what they said, but when evening drew near rambled away to -the outlying field. When he got there he went into the barn and lay -down, but in about an hour's time the rumbling and creaking began, and -it was frightful to hear it. "Well, if it gets no worse than that I can -manage to stand it," thought Cinderlad. In a little time the creaking -began again, and the earth quaked so that all the hay flew about the -boy. "Oh! if it gets no worse than that I can manage to stand it," -thought Cinderlad. But then came a third rumbling and a third -earthquake, so violent that the boy thought the walls and roof had -fallen down; but when that was over everything suddenly grew as still as -death around him. "I am pretty sure that it will come again," thought -Cinderlad; but no, it did not. Everything was quiet and everything -stayed quiet, and when he had lain still a short time he heard something -that sounded as if a horse were standing chewing just outside the barn -door. He stole away to the door, which was ajar, to see what was there, -and a horse was standing eating. It was so big and fat and fine a horse -that Cinderlad had never seen one like it before, and a saddle and -bridle lay upon it, and a complete suit of armor for a knight, and -everything was of copper and so bright that it shone again. "Ha! ha! it -is thou who eatest up our hay, then," thought the boy; "but I will stop -that." So he made haste and took out his steel for striking fire and -threw it over the horse, and then it had no power to stir from the -spot, and became so tame that the boy could do what he liked with it. So -he mounted it and rode away to a place which no one knew of but himself, -and there he tied it up. When he went home again his brothers laughed -and asked how he had got on. - -"You didn't lie long in the barn, if even you have been so far as the -field!" said they. - -"I lay in the barn till the sun rose, but I saw nothing and heard -nothing, not I," said the boy. "Heaven knows what there was to make you -two so frightened." - -"Well, we shall soon see whether you have watched the meadow or not," -answered the brothers; but when they got there the grass was all -standing just as long and as thick as it had been the night before. - -The next St. John's eve it was the same thing once again. Neither of the -two brothers dared to go to the outlying field to watch the crop, but -Cinderlad went, and everything happened exactly the same as on the -previous St. John's eve. First there was a rumbling and an earthquake, -and then there was another, and then a third; but all three earthquakes -were much, very much more violent than they had been the year before. -Then everything became still as death again, and the boy heard something -chewing outside the barn door, so he stole as softly as he could to the -door, which was slightly ajar, and again there was a horse standing -close by the wall of the house, eating and chewing, and it was far -larger and fatter than the first horse, and it had a saddle on its back, -and a bridle was on it, too, and a full suit of armor for a knight, all -of bright silver, and as beautiful as anyone could wish to see. "Ho! -ho!" thought the boy, "is it thou who eatest up our hay in the night? -But I will put a stop to that." So he took out his steel for striking -fire and threw it over the horse's mane, and the beast stood there as -quiet as a lamb. Then the boy rode this horse, too, away to the place -where he kept the other, and then went home again. - -"I suppose you will tell us that you have watched well again this time," -said the brothers. - -"Well, so I have," said Cinderlad. So they went there again, and there -the grass was, standing as high and as thick as it had been before; but -that did not make them any kinder to Cinderlad. - -When the third St. John's night came, neither of the two elder brothers -dared to lie in the outlying barn to watch the grass, for they had been -so heartily frightened the night that they had slept there that they -could not get over it; but Cinderlad dared to go, and everything -happened just the same as on the two former nights. There were three -earthquakes, each worse than the other, and the last flung the boy from -one wall of the barn to the other, but then everything suddenly became -still as death. When he had lain quietly a short time he heard something -chewing outside the barn door. Then he once more stole to the door, -which was slightly ajar, and behold! a horse was standing just outside -it, which was much larger and fatter than the two others he had caught. -"Ho! ho! it is thou, then, who art eating up our hay this time," thought -the boy; "but I will put a stop to that." So he pulled out his steel for -striking fire and threw it over the horse, and it stood as still as if -it had been nailed to the field, and the boy could do just what he liked -with it. Then he mounted it and rode away to the place where he had the -two others, and then he went home again. Then the two brothers mocked -him just as they had done before, and told him that they could see that -he must have watched the grass very carefully that night, for he looked -just as if he were walking in his sleep; but Cinderlad did not trouble -himself about that, but just bade them go to the field and see. They did -go, and this time, too, the grass was standing, looking as fine and as -thick as ever. - -The King of the country in which Cinderlad's father dwelt had a daughter -whom he would give to no one who could not ride up to the top of the -glass hill, for there was a high, high hill of glass, slippery as ice, -and it was close to the King's palace. Upon the very top of this the -King's daughter was to sit with three golden apples in her lap, and the -man who could ride up and take the three golden apples should marry her -and have half the kingdom. The King had this proclaimed in every church -in the whole kingdom, and in many other kingdoms, too. The Princess was -very beautiful, and all who saw her fell violently in love with her, -even in spite of themselves. So it is needless to say that all the -princes and knights were eager to win her and half the kingdom besides, -and that for this cause they came riding thither from the very end of -the world, dressed so splendidly that their raiments gleamed in the -sunshine, and riding on horses which seemed to dance as they went, and -there was not one of these princes who did not think that he was sure to -win the Princess. - -When the day appointed by the King had come, there was such a host of -knights and princes under the glass hill that they seemed to swarm, and -everyone who could walk or even creep was there, too, to see who won the -King's daughter. Cinderlad's two brothers were there, but they would not -hear of letting him go with them, for he was so dirty and black with -sleeping and grubbing among the ashes that they said everyone would -laugh at them if they were seen in the company of such an oaf. - -"Well, then, I will go all alone by myself," said Cinderlad. - -When the two brothers got to the glass hill all the princes and knights -were trying to ride up it, and their horses were in a foam; but it was -all in vain, for no sooner did the horses set foot upon the hill than -down they slipped, and there was not one which could get even so much as -a couple of yards up. Nor was that strange, for the hill was as smooth -as glass windowpanes and as steep as the side of a house. But they were -all eager to win the King's daughter and half the kingdom, so they rode -and they slipped, and thus it went on. At length all the horses were so -tired that they could do no more and so hot that the foam dropped from -them, and the riders were forced to give up the attempt. - -The King was just thinking that he would cause it to be proclaimed that -the riding should begin afresh on the following day, when perhaps it -might go better, when suddenly a knight came riding up on so fine a -horse that no one had ever seen the like of it before, and the knight -had armor of copper, and his bridle was of copper, too, and all his -accouterments were so bright that they shone again. The other knights -all called out to him that he might just as well spare himself the -trouble of trying to ride up the glass hill, for it was of no use to -try; but he did not heed them, and rode straight off to it and went up -as if it were nothing at all. Thus he rode for a long way--it may have -been a third part of the way up--but when he had got so far he turned -his horse round and rode down again. But the Princess thought that she -had never yet seen so handsome a knight, and while he was riding up she -was sitting thinking, "Oh, how I hope he may be able to come up to the -top!" And when she saw that he was turning his horse back she threw one -of the golden apples down after him, and it rolled into his shoe. But -when he had come down from off the hill he rode away, and that so fast -that no one knew what had become of him. - -[Illustration: JUST AS CINDERLAD TURNED HIS HORSE AROUND, THE PRINCESS -THREW THE GOLDEN APPLE] - -So all the princes and knights were bidden to present themselves before -the King that night, so that he who had ridden so far up the glass hill -might show the golden apple which the king's daughter had thrown down. -But no one had anything to show. One knight presented himself after the -other, and none could show the apple. - -At night, too, Cinderlad's brothers came home again and had a long story -to tell about the riding up the glass hill. At first, they said, there -was not one who was able to get even so much as one step up, but then -came a knight who had armor of copper and a bridle of copper, and his -armor and trappings were so bright that they shone to a great distance, -and it was something like a sight to see him riding. He rode one third -of the way up the glass hill, and he could easily have ridden the whole -of it if he had liked; but he had turned back, for he had made up his -mind that that was enough for once. "Oh! I should have liked to see him -too, that I should," said Cinderlad, who was as usual sitting by the -chimney among the cinders. "You, indeed!" said the brothers. "You -look as if you were fit to be among such great lords, dirty creature -that you are to sit there!" - -Next day the brothers were for setting out again, and this time, too, -Cinderlad begged them to let him go with them and see who rode; but no, -they said he was not fit to do that, for he was much too ugly and dirty. -"Well, well, then I will go all alone by myself," said Cinderlad. So the -brothers went to the glass hill, and all the princes and knights began -to ride again, and this time they had taken care to rough the shoes of -their horses; but that did not help them. They rode and they slipped as -they had done the day before, and not one of them could even get so far -as a yard up the hill. When they had tired out their horses, so that -they could do no more, they again had to stop altogether. But just as -the King was thinking that it would be well to proclaim that the riding -should take place next day for the last time, so that they might have -one more chance, he suddenly bethought himself that it would be well to -wait a little longer to see if the knight in copper armor would come on -this day too. But nothing was to be seen of him. - -Just as they were still looking for him, however, came a knight riding -on a steed that was much, much finer than that which the knight in -copper armor had ridden, and this knight had silver armor and a silver -saddle and bridle, and all were so bright that they shone and glistened -when he was a long way off. Again the other knights called to him, and -said that he might just as well give up the attempt to ride up the glass -hill, for it was useless to try; but the knight paid no heed to that, -but rode straight away to the glass hill, and went still farther up than -the knight in copper armor had gone; but when he had ridden two thirds -of the way up he turned his horse round and rode down again. The -Princess liked this knight still better than she had liked the other, -and sat longing that he might be able to get up above, and when she saw -him turning back she threw the second apple after him, and it rolled -into his shoe, and as soon as he had got down the glass hill he rode -away so fast that no one could see what had become of him. - -In the evening, when everyone was to appear before the King and -Princess, in order that he who had the golden apple might show it, one -knight went in after the other, but none of them had a golden apple to -show. - -At night the two brothers went home as they had done the night before, -and told how things had gone, and how everyone had ridden, but no-one -had been able to get up the hill. "But last of all," they said, "came -one in silver armor, and he had a silver bridle on his horse and a -silver saddle, and oh, but he could ride! He took his horse two thirds -of the way up the hill, but then he turned back. He was a fine fellow," -said the brothers, "and the Princess threw the second golden apple to -him!" - -"Oh, how I should have liked to see him too!" said Cinderlad. - -"Oh, indeed! He was a little brighter than the ashes that you sit -grubbing among, you dirty, black creature!" said the brothers. - -On the third day everything went just as on the former days. Cinderlad -wanted to go with them to look at the riding, but the two brothers would -not have him in their company, and when they got to the glass hill there -was no one who could ride even so far as a yard up it, and everyone -waited for the knight in silver armor, but he was neither to be seen nor -heard of. At last, after a long time, came a knight riding upon a horse -that was such a fine one its equal had never yet been seen. The knight -had golden armor and the horse a golden saddle and bridle, and these -were all so bright that they shone and dazzled everyone, even while the -knight was still at a great distance. The other princes and knights were -not able even to call to tell him how useless it was to try to ascend -the hill, so amazed were they at the sight of his magnificence. He rode -straight away to the glass hill, and galloped up it as if it were no -hill at all, so that the Princess had not even time to wish that he -might get up the whole way. As soon as he had ridden to the top he took -the third golden apple from the lap of the Princess, and then turned his -horse about and rode down again, and vanished from their sight before -anyone was able to say a word to him. - -When the two brothers came home again at night they had much to tell of -how the riding had gone off that day, and at last they told about the -knight in the golden armor too. "He was a fine fellow, that was! Such -another splendid knight is not to be found on earth!" said the brothers. - -"Oh, how I should have liked to see him too!" said Cinderlad. - -"Well, he shone nearly as brightly as the coal-heaps that thou art -always lying raking among, dirty black creature that thou art!" said the -brothers. - -Next day all the knights and princes were to appear before the King and -the Princess--it had been too late for them to do it the night -before--in order that he who had the golden apple might produce it. They -all went in turn, first princes and then knights, but none of them had a -golden apple. - -"But somebody must have it," said the King, "for with our own eyes we -all saw a man ride up and take it." So he commanded that everyone in the -kingdom should come to the palace and see if he could show the apple. -And one after the other they all came, but no one had the golden apple, -and after a long, long time Cinderlad's two brothers came likewise. They -were the last of all, so the King inquired of them if there was no one -else in the kingdom left to come. - -"Oh, yes, we have a brother," said the two, "but he never got the golden -apple! He never left the cinder-heap on any of the three days." - -"Never mind that," said the King. "As everyone else has come to the -palace, let him come too." - -So Cinderlad was forced to go to the King's palace. - -"Hast thou the golden apple?" asked the King. - -"Yes, here is the first, and here is the second, and here is the third -too," said Cinderlad, and he took all the three apples out of his -pocket, and with that threw off his sooty rags and appeared there -before them in his bright golden armor, which gleamed as he stood. - -"Thou shalt have my daughter and the half of my kingdom, and thou hast -well earned both!" said the King. So there was a wedding, and Cinderlad -got the King's daughter, and everyone made merry at the wedding, for all -of them could make merry, though they could not ride up the glass hill, -and if they have not left off their merry-making they must be at it -still. - - - - -_The Ram and the Pig who went into the Woods to Live by Themselves_ - - -THERE was once upon a time a ram, who was being fattened up for killing. -He had therefore plenty to eat, and he soon became round and fat with -all the good things he got. One day the dairymaid came and gave him some -more food. - -"You must eat, Ram," she said; "you'll not be long here now, for -to-morrow we are going to kill you." - -"There's an old saying that no one should sneer at old women's advice, -and that advice and physic can be had for everything except death," -thought the Ram to himself; "but perhaps I might manage to escape it -this time." - -And so he went on eating till he was full, and when he was quite -satisfied he ran his horns against the door, burst it open, and set off -to the neighboring farm. There he made straight for the pigsty, to look -for a pig with whom he had struck up an acquaintance on the common, -since when they had always been good friends and got on well together. - -"Good day, and thanks for your kindness last time we met," said the Ram -to the Pig. - -"Good day, and thanks to you," said the Pig. - -"Do you know why they make you so comfortable, and why they feed you and -look after you so well?" said the Ram. - -"No," said the Pig. - -"There are many mouths to feed on this farm, you must know," said the -Ram; "they are going to kill you and eat you." - -"Are they?" said the Pig. "Well, much good may it do them!" - -"If you are of the same mind as I, we will go into the woods and build a -house and live by ourselves; there is nothing like having a home of your -own, you know," said the Ram. - -Yes, the Pig was quite willing. "It's nice to be in fine company," said -he, and off they started. - -When they had got a bit on the way they met a goose. - -"Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness last time we -met," said the Goose. "Where are you off to?" - -"Good day, and thanks to you," said the Ram. "We had it altogether too -comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods to live by -ourselves. In your own house you are your own master, you know," said -he. - -"Well, I'm very comfortable where I am," said the Goose; "but why -shouldn't I join you? Good company makes the day shorter," said she. - -"But neither hut nor house can be built by gabbling and quacking," said -the Pig. "What do you think you can do?" - -"Good counsel and skill may do as much as a giant's will," said the -Goose. "I can pluck moss and stuff it into the crevices, so that the -house will be warm and comfortable." - -Well, she might come with them, thought the Pig, for he liked the place -to be warm and cozy. - -When they had gone a bit on the way--the Goose was not getting along -very fast--they met a hare, who came scampering out of the wood. - -"Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness the last time we -met," said the Hare. "How far are you going to-day?" said he. - -"Good day, and thanks to you," said the Ram; "we had it altogether too -comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods to build a house -and live by ourselves. When you have tried both East and West, you'll -find that a home of your own is, after all, the best," said he. - -"Well, I have, of course, a home in every bush," said the Hare; "but I -have often said to myself in the winter that if I lived till the summer -I would build a house, so I have a good mind to go with you and build -one after all," said he. - -"Well, if the worst comes to the worst, we might take you with us to -frighten the dogs away," said the Pig, "for you couldn't help us to -build the house, I should say." - -"There is always something for willing hands to do in this world," said -the Hare. "I have teeth to gnaw pegs with, and I have paws to knock them -into the walls, so I'll do very well for a carpenter; for 'good tools -make good work,' as the man said, when he skinned his mare with an -auger," said the Hare. - -Well, he might come along with them and help to build the house; there -could be no harm in that. - -When they had got a bit farther on the way they met a cock. - -"Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness last time we -met," said the Cock; "where are you all going to-day?" he said. - -"Good day, and thanks to you," said the Ram; "we had it altogether too -comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods to build a house -and live by ourselves. 'For unless at home you bake, you'll lose both -fuel and cake,'" said he. - -"Well, I am comfortable enough where I am," said the Cock, "but it's -better to have your own roost than to sit on a stranger's perch and -crow; and that cock is best off who has a home of his own," said he. "If -I could join such fine company as yours, I, too, would like to go to the -woods and build a house." - -"Well, flapping and crowing is all very well for noise, but it won't cut -joists," said the Pig. "You can't help us to build a house," he said. - -"It is not well to live in a house where there is neither dog nor cock," -said the Cock; "I am early to rise and early to crow." - -"Yes, 'early to rise makes one wealthy and wise,' so let him come with -us!" said the Pig. (He was always the heaviest sleeper.) "Sleep is a big -thief, and steals half one's life," he said. - -So they all set off to the woods and built the house. The Pig felled the -trees and the Ram dragged them home; the Hare was the carpenter, and -gnawed pegs and hammered them into walls and roof; the Goose plucked -moss and stuffed it into the crevices between the logs; the Cock crew -and took care that they did not oversleep themselves in the mornings, -and when the house was ready and the roof covered with birch bark and -thatched with turf, they could at least live by themselves, and they -were all both happy and contented. - -"It's pleasant to travel both East and West, but home is, after all, the -best," said the Ram. - -But a bit farther into the wood two wolves had their lair, and when they -saw that a new house had been built hard by they wanted to know what -sort of folks they had got for neighbors. For they thought, "a good -neighbor is better than a brother in a foreign land, and it is better to -live among good neighbors than to be known far and wide." - -So one of them made it his business to call there and ask for a light -for his pipe. The moment he came inside the door the Ram rushed at him, -and gave him such a butt with his horns that the wolf fell on his head -into the hearth; the Pig snapped and bit, the Goose nipped and pecked, -the Cock flew up on a rafter and began to crow and cackle, and the Hare -became so frightened that he scampered and jumped around, both high and -low, and knocked and scrambled about from one corner of the room to the -other. - -At last the Wolf managed to get out of the house. - -"Well, to know one's neighbors is to add to one's wisdom," said the Wolf -who was waiting outside; "I suppose you had a grand reception, since you -stayed so long. But what about the light? I don't see either pipe or -smoke," said he. - -"Yes, that was a nice light I got, and a nice lot of people they were," -said he who had been inside. "Such treatment I never met with before, -but 'as you make your bed so you must lie,' and 'an unexpected guest -must put up with what he gets,'" said the Wolf. "No sooner was I inside -the door than the shoemaker threw his last at me, and I fell on my head -in the middle of the forge; there sat two smiths, blowing bellows and -pinching and snipping bits of flesh off me with red-hot tongs and -pincers; the hunter rushed about the room looking for his gun, but, as -luck would have it, he couldn't find it. And up on the rafters sat some -one beating his arms about and shouting: 'Let's hook him! let's hook -him! Sling him up! sling him up!' and if he had only got hold of me I -should never have come out alive." - - - - -_The Troll's Hammer_ - - -WHEN a great famine prevails in a country even the rich suffer. Hard, -indeed, must the lot of the poor peasant be at such a time. - -During a famine a poor peasant, unable to support all his family, told -his eldest son, Niels, that he would have to go out in the world and -provide for himself. - -Niels left home and went out to seek his fortune. As the evening of the -first day drew on, he found himself in a dense forest, and fearing lest -the wild beasts might do him harm during the night, he climbed into a -tree. Hardly had he reached his perch, when he saw a little man running -toward the tree. He was hunchbacked, and had crooked legs, a long beard, -and wore on his head a red cap. He was pursued by a wolf, which attacked -him just under the tree in which Niels was sitting. The little man began -to scream; he bit and scratched, and defended himself as well as he -could. But the wolf was the stronger, and would have torn the little -fellow to pieces if Niels had not sprung down from the tree. As soon as -the wolf saw that he had two to contend with, he fled back into the -forest. - -The troll then said to Niels: - -"Thou hast preserved my life and done me a good service; in return I -will also give thee something that will be of use. See! here is a hammer -with which thou shalt be able to do smith's work that no one shall be -able to equal." When the troll had spoken these words, he sank into the -ground and disappeared. - -The next day the boy wandered on until he came to the neighborhood of -the royal palace, and here he engaged himself to a smith. - -Now it just happened that a few days before a thief had broken into the -King's treasury and stolen a large bag of money. All the smiths in the -city were therefore sent for to the palace, and the King promised that -he who could make the best lock should be appointed court locksmith, and -have a handsome reward into the bargain. The lock had to be finished in -eight days, and so constructed that it could not be picked by anyone. - -When the smith, with whom Niels lived, returned home and related this, -the boy thought he should like to try whether his hammer really -possessed those qualities which the troll had said. He therefore begged -his master to allow him to make a lock, and promised that it should be -finished by the appointed time. Although the smith had no great opinion -of the boy's abilities, he permitted the trial. - -Niels then requested a separate workshop, locked himself in, and began -hammering the iron. One day went, and then another, and the master began -to be curious; but Niels let no one come into his shop, and the smith -was obliged to remain outside, and peep through the keyhole. The work, -however, succeeded far better than the boy himself had expected; and, -without his really knowing how it came to pass, the lock was finished on -the evening of the third day. - -The following morning he went down to his master and asked for some -money. "Yesterday I worked hard," said Niels, "and to-day I will enjoy -myself." - -He went out of the city, and did not return to the workshop till late in -the evening. The next day and the next he did the same, and so through -the rest of the week. - -His master was very angry at this, and threatened to turn him away -unless he finished his work at the appointed time. But Niels told him to -rest easy, and engaged that his lock should be the best. - -When the day arrived, Niels brought his work forth, and carried it up to -the palace. His lock was so ingenious and so delicately made, that it -far excelled all the others. Niels's master was acknowledged as the most -skillful, and he received the promised office and reward. - -The smith was delighted, but he took good care not to confess to anyone -who it was that had made the curious lock. He received one job after -another from the King, and let Niels do them all. - -In the meantime the report spread from place to place of the wonderful -lock the King had got for his treasury. Travelers came from a distance -to see it, and a foreign King came among them. When he had examined the -work a long time he said that the man who had made such a lock deserved -to be honored and respected. - -"But however good a smith he may be," added the foreign King, "I have -his master at home." - -He continued boasting in this manner, till at length the two kings made -a wager as to which smith could execute the most skillful piece of -workmanship. The smiths were sent for, and the two kings determined that -each smith should make a knife. - -The smith related to Niels what had passed, and desired him to try -whether he could make as good a knife as the lock he had made. Niels -promised to do so, although his last work had not brought him much. The -smith was in truth a mean man, and treated Niels so niggardly that -sometimes he had not enough to eat and drink. - -One day, as he was out buying steel to make the knife, he met a man from -his own village, and, in the course of conversation, Niels learned that -his father was in great want and misery. Then he asked his master for -some money, but this was the answer: "You shall not have a shilling -until you have made the knife." - -Thereupon Niels shut himself up in the workshop for a whole day, and, as -on the former occasion, the knife was made without his knowing how it -had happened. - -When the day arrived on which the work was to be exhibited, Niels -dressed himself in his best clothes, and went with his master up to the -palace where the two kings were expecting them. - -The strange smith first showed his knife. It was so beautiful, and so -curiously wrought, that it was a pleasure to look at; it was, moreover, -so sharp and well-tempered that it would cut through a millstone as -easily as through a cheese. Niels's knife, on the contrary, looked very -poor and common. - -The King already began to think he had lost his wager, and spoke harshly -to the master-smith, when his boy begged leave to examine the stranger's -knife a little more closely. - -After having looked at it for some time, he said: "This is a beautiful -piece of workmanship which you have made, and shame on those who would -say otherwise; but my master is, nevertheless, your superior, as you -shall soon experience." - -Saying this, he took the stranger's knife and split it lengthwise from -point to handle with his own knife as easily as one splits a twig of -willow. The kings could scarcely believe their eyes, and the consequence -was that Niels's master was declared the victor. - -When Niels asked for payment, the master refused to give him anything, -although knowing full well that the poor boy only wanted the money to -help his father. Upon this Niels grew angry, went to the King, and told -who it was that had made both the lock and the knife. The master was -then called, but he denied everything, and accused Niels of being an -idle boy, whom he had taken into service out of charity and compassion. - -"We shall soon find out the truth of this story," said the King, who -sided with the master. "Since thou sayest it is thou who hast made this -wonderful knife, and thy master says it is he who has done it, I will -adjudge each of you to make a sword for me within eight days. He who can -make the most perfect one shall be my master-smith; but he who loses -shall forfeit his life." - -Niels was well satisfied with this agreement. He went home, packed up -all his things, and bade his master farewell. The smith would gladly -have made all good again, but Neils appeared not to understand him, and -went his way. He engaged with another master, and began cheerfully to -work on the sword. - -When the appointed day arrived, both Niels and his former master met at -the palace, and the master produced a sword of the most beautiful -workmanship that anyone could wish to see. It was inlaid with gold and -set with precious stones. The King was greatly delighted with it. - -"Now, little Niels," said he, "what dost thou say to this sword?" - -"It is not so badly made as one might expect from such a bungler," said -the boy. - -"Canst thou show anything like it?" asked the King. - -"I believe I can," answered Niels. - -"Well, where is thy sword?" said the King. - -"In my waistcoat pocket," replied Niels. - -Hereupon there was a general laugh which was increased when they saw the -boy take a little packet out of his waistcoat pocket. Niels opened the -paper in which the blade was rolled up like a watch-spring. "Here is my -work," said he. "Will you just cut the thread, master?" - -The smith did it willingly, and in a moment the blade straightened out -and struck him in the face. - -Niels took out of his other pocket a hilt of gold and screwed it fast to -the blade; then he presented the sword to the King; and all present were -obliged to confess that they never before had seen such matchless -workmanship. - -Niels was declared the victor, and the master was obliged to -acknowledge that the boy had made both the lock and the knife. - -The King in his indignation would have had the master put to death if -the boy had not begged for mercy on the culprit. - -Niels received a handsome reward from the King, and from that day all -the work from the palace was intrusted to him. He took his old father to -reside with him, and lived in comfort and happiness till his death. - - - - -_The Clever Prince_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a youthful Prince who was so wonderfully -handsome that no one had ever seen his like; and he knew this, and was -very glad of it. And everybody said that he was as clever as he was -handsome, and that no one could be compared to him. Of this he was quite -convinced, and he made a solemn vow that he would never take any woman -to wife unless she was as handsome and nearly as clever as he was -himself. If he could find such a paragon he would marry her. There were -many beautiful maidens in the land, but they were not the cleverest. -There were also many maidens who were clever enough, but they were not -the fairest. This much is certain, the Prince found no girl who combined -in her person half enough good looks and wit to suit him. He was now of -an age when he and his father the King, and their faithful subjects, -were all of opinion that he ought to get married; but, as we have seen, -because of the vow he had made, there was not a maiden in the land to -whom he could pay his addresses. - -So he determined to journey to other countries, and to travel -_incognito_ and unattended. He wanted to see things for himself, and to -have no one with him who could reveal anything about him. He traveled -far and wide, from one land to another, but it fared with him abroad as -it had fared with him at home; he could find no girl beautiful or -clever enough for him, much less could he find one who could lay claim -to the possession of both these attributes. So once more he felt his -quest for a worthy bride had proved vain, and turned his face homeward. - -One day he was riding through a wood. He rode and rode, still he could -not get to the end of the forest. Noonday came, and the evening came, -and still he was in the wood, and still could see no way out of it. He -had completely lost his way; he had no idea where he was, nor where he -was going, nor where he should find shelter for the night and food and -rest for himself and his horse. And they were both tired out. At last he -saw a small cloud of blue smoke rising amid the green trees, and riding -toward it he soon came to a little cottage, very poor and mean-looking. -But he was glad enough, for here at least he should find somebody. He -got off his horse and knocked at the door. A poor old man opened it, and -a poor old woman also came forward. They appeared very much astonished -to see such a fine, handsome young knight. The Prince, after wishing -them good evening, said that he had lost his way, and that he had been -riding through the wood all day long without coming to a dwelling of any -kind, and now he begged them to give him shelter for the night. At first -they said they were not the sort of people to receive such grand -gentlefolk. It was easy to see they wanted to get rid of him; but when -he told them that neither he nor his horse could hold out any longer, so -greatly did they need rest and a night's lodging, the old couple had not -the heart to refuse, so they agreed to take him in if he would put up -with what they could offer him. His first care was for his horse. Stable -there was none, but there was a bit of a shed for the old people's cow. -As it was summer time the cow was out to grass, so the Prince put his -horse up in the shed, and gave him a drink of water and a bundle of hay, -to the great content of the poor, tired beast. Then he went into the -cottage, which consisted of one little room, which was both dark and -low. He sat down on a wooden bench and began to talk to the old people. -Did they live here all alone in the wild wood? Yes, the old folk said, -they did. There was nobody else in the house, and there was no other -house for miles and miles around. They got on as best they could, and -managed to make a living out of their goat and their cow. - -Then the Prince had his supper, the best the house could afford--a crust -of dry bread and a bowl of milk. The old folk then fetched a wisp of -straw and spread it out on the floor, intending to lie upon it--they had -but one bed, and they meant to give it up to their grand guest. But the -Prince would not hear of such a thing; they should sleep in their own -bed, and he would lie on the bundle of straw that was spread upon the -floor. So it was arranged as he wished, and they all three retired to -rest. It was quite a different sort of couch from the one he was -accustomed to, but he was thoroughly tired out, so he soon fell asleep, -and he dreamt of all the beautiful maidens who were not clever enough, -and of all the clever maidens who were not beautiful enough, and so he -slept sweetly till the day began to dawn. - -Then he awoke, and stiff enough he was in all his limbs from lying on so -hard a bed; twist and turn as he might, he could not get to sleep again. -Presently he heard something stirring in the little loft overhead. It -might be rats or mice, or perhaps a cat. Yes, it was certainly a cat. -But a little while after he heard a whirring sound, exactly like a -spinning wheel. Then he heard singing. That could not be the cat, nor -was it the song of the birds out in the wood; no, it was a woman's sweet -voice keeping time with the whirring of the wheel. So sweet a song he -had never heard before. He sprang to his feet, rubbed his eyes, pricked -up his ears, and at the same moment the old folk got up too. The Prince -at once asked them who it was up there in the loft that had begun -spinning and singing at break of day. All was quite quiet again overhead -now, and the old people persisted, as they had done the previous night, -that there was no one in the house but themselves. - -"Nay," said the Prince, "it is no use trying to make me believe that. I -prefer believing what I have heard with my own ears. And you may as well -tell me the plain truth, for I am determined to learn it, one way or -another." - -So then the old man made a clean breast of it. The Prince was quite -right, there was somebody else in the house--it was their daughter, in -her little room up in the loft. They were so afraid lest some one should -see her and want to take her away from them; for, indeed, they would -miss her sadly, old and feeble as they were; she earned a few pence by -her spinning and weaving. Who else was there to take care of them? Soon -they would be no longer able to look after themselves. - -Well, the Prince said he had heard her, and now he wanted to see her. He -was no man-eater, nor woman-eater either, so far as he knew; therefore -they might surely let him see the maiden. So the old man had to go and -call her, and she came running down, tripping along, clad in mean -attire, so blithe and fresh and fair. When she saw the handsome young -man, she blushed rosy red, and the Prince was thunderstruck as he looked -on her. Never had he seen anything half so lovely as she was! He was -utterly at a loss what to say or do. In all his travels he had seen no -one to be compared with her. This poor peasant's daughter was far more -beautiful than all the princesses and grand ladies he had ever met at -home or abroad. He could not picture to himself anything more lovely. -But a poor beggar-maid, such as she was, he might not even dream of -making his wife. So he turned resolutely away, and at once bestirred -himself, getting his horse ready to start, and would not so much as -allow himself to look at her again. But when he was in the saddle, just -setting off, as he nodded good-by to the old folk, to whom he had given -a broad gold piece for his night's lodging, and who now were bowing and -scraping before him, he could not help giving a side glance to where she -stood gazing at him with lovely, wondering eyes. And now, of course, he -was obliged to lift his hat and bow "farewell"; and as she returned his -greeting with downcast eyes, and bowed and blushing face, the Prince -felt as if his heart were in his mouth. The lovely eyes looked up once -more as he galloped off, and they followed him till he was out of sight. -And not only did they follow him thus far, but long after he had left -both house and wood far behind those beautiful eyes still haunted him. -And as he rode along he said to himself: - -"Yes, she is beautiful, and more than beautiful enough for me; but I -also vowed that she whom I marry must be as clever, or nearly as clever, -as I am, and that, of course, she cannot be." - -He marked well where the little cottage stood, and soon he reached a -road he knew well, for the wild wood lay on the very border of his own -land. He rode straight home to his father's castle, and told him he had -not yet found anyone who could be considered his equal. - -The old King was much vexed on hearing this, but he was so certain of -his son's exceeding cleverness that he had no doubt matters were exactly -as the Prince represented. He had but one wish, to see his son married -before closing his eyes forever, and he had such faith in his son that -he knew the Prince's choice of a wife would be a wise one. - -So now the Prince was at home once more, surrounded by all the good -things imaginable, and yet he knew not one moment's content. Dainty food -failed to tempt his appetite, no sweet sleep came to him on his downy -couch. His thoughts were always with the fair young maiden who dwelt in -the wild wood. He thought of her early and late, and whether he would or -not. - -At last he said to himself: "There must be an end of this." - -He called to mind his vow that the loveliest and cleverest girl should -be his bride, and so in order to be rid of all thought of her he -determined to convince himself that although the peasant's daughter -might be beautiful enough, yet she was far from being clever enough for -him. So he wrote a letter to her, enclosing two skeins of silk, and -bidding her weave for him with them a pair of bed curtains. He sent off -a royal courier at once, bidding him bring back an immediate answer. The -messenger returned the same evening with a letter from the woodland -maiden, and in the letter lay two tiny splinters of wood. The maiden had -written that if out of these bits of wood he would make her a loom she -would weave him the curtains he had ordered. - -After this the Prince could no longer doubt that she was quite as clever -as he was, and now he felt bound to perform the vow that he had made, -which was just what he most wished to do. So he rode forth with all his -royal train to the cottage in the wild wood; and he told the old people -that he had come to woo their daughter for his bride--if she were -willing. And she was willing. The old folk were very down-hearted at -parting from their child, but they did not wish to stand in the way of -her happiness, so they gave their consent. Then the court ladies clad -the bride in scarlet and silk attire, and adorned her with gold and -jewels. And she had ladies-in-waiting and coaches and carriages and all -sorts of splendor, and the wedding was celebrated with joy and great -magnificence. - - - - -"_Lars, my Lad!_" - - -THERE was once a Prince or a Duke, or something of that sort, but at any -rate he belonged to a very grand family, and he would not stop at home. -So he traveled all over the world, and wherever he went he was well -liked, and was received in the best and gayest families, for he had no -end of money. He made friends and acquaintances, as you may imagine, -wherever he went, for he who has a well-filled trough is sure to fall in -with pigs who want to have their fill. But he went on spending his money -until he came to want, and at last his purse became so empty that he had -not even a farthing left. And now there was an end to all his friends as -well, for they behaved like the pigs; when the trough was empty and he -had no more to give them, they began to grunt and grin, and then they -ran away in all directions. There he stood alone with a long face. -Everybody had been so willing to help him to get rid of his money, but -nobody would help him without it; and so there was nothing for it but to -trudge home and beg for crusts on the way. - -So late one evening he came to a great forest. He did not know where he -should find a shelter for the night, but he went on looking and -searching till he caught sight of an old tumble-down hut, which stood in -the middle of some bushes. It was not exactly good enough for such a -fine cavalier, but when you cannot get what you want you must take what -you can get. And, since there was no help for it, he went into the hut. -Not a living soul was to be seen; there was not even a stool to sit -upon, but alongside the wall stood a big chest. What could there be -inside that chest? If only there were some bits of moldy bread in it! -How nice they would taste! For, you must know, he had not had a single -bit of food the whole day, and he was so hungry and his stomach so empty -that it groaned with pain. He lifted the lid. But inside the chest there -was another chest, and inside that chest there was another; and so it -went on, each one smaller than the other, until they became quite tiny -boxes. The more there were the harder he worked away, for there must be -something very fine inside, he thought, since it was so well hidden. - -At last he came to a tiny, little box, and in this box lay a bit of -paper--and that was all he got for his trouble! It was very annoying, of -course, but then he discovered there was something written on the paper, -and when he looked at it he was just able to spell it out, although at -first it looked somewhat difficult. - -"Lars, my lad!" - -As he pronounced these words something answered right in his ear: - -"What are master's orders?" - -He looked round, but he saw nobody. This was very funny, he thought, and -so he read out the words once more: - -"Lars, my lad!" - -And the answer came as before: - -"What are master's orders?" - -But he did not see anybody this time either. - -"If there is anybody about who hears what I say, then be kind enough to -bring me something to eat," he said. And the next moment there stood a -table laid out with all the best things one could think of. He set to -work to eat and drink, and had a proper meal. He had never enjoyed -himself so much in all his life, he thought. - -When he had eaten all he could get down, he began to feel sleepy, and so -he took out the paper again: - -"Lars, my lad!" - -"What are master's orders?" - -"Well, you have given me food and drink, and now you must get me a bed -to sleep in as well. But I want a really fine bed," he said, for you -must know he was a little more bold now that his hunger was stayed. -Well, there it stood, a bed so fine and dainty that even the King -himself might covet it. Now this was all very well in its way, but when -once you are well off you wish for still more, and he had no sooner got -into bed than he began to think that the room was altogether too -wretched for such a grand bed. So he took out the paper again: - -"Lars, my lad!" - -"What are master's orders?" - -"Since you are able to get me such food and such a bed here in the midst -of the wild forest, I suppose you can manage to get me a better room, -for you see I am accustomed to sleep in a palace, with golden mirrors -and draped walls and ornaments and comforts of all kinds," he said. -Well, he had no sooner spoken the words than he found himself lying in -the grandest chamber anybody had ever seen. - -Now he was comfortable, he thought, and felt quite satisfied as he -turned his face to the wall and closed his eyes. - -But that was not all the grandeur; for when he woke up in the morning -and looked round, he saw it was a big palace he had been sleeping in. -One room led into the other, and wherever he went the place was full of -all sorts of finery and luxuries, both on the walls and on the ceilings, -and they glittered so much when the sun shone on them that he had to -shade his eyes with his hand, so strong was the glare of gold and silver -wherever he turned. He then happened to look out of the window. Good -gracious! How grand it was! There was something else than pine forests -and juniper bushes to look at, for there was the finest garden anyone -could wish for, with splendid trees and roses of all kinds. But he could -not see a single human being, or even a cat; and that, you know, was -rather lonely, for otherwise he had everything so grand and had been set -up as his own master again. - -So he took out the bit of paper: - -"Lars, my lad!" - -"What are master's orders?" - -"Well, now you have given me food and bed and a palace to live in, I -intend to remain here, for I like the place," he said, "yet I don't like -to live quite by myself. I must have both lads and lasses whom I may -order about to wait upon me," he said. - -And there they were. There came servants and stewards and scullery maids -and chambermaids of all sorts, and some came bowing and some curtseying. -So now the Duke thought he was really satisfied. - -But now it happened that there was a large palace on the other side of -the forest, and there the King lived who owned the forest, and the -great, big fields around it. As he was walking up and down in his room -he happened to look out through the window and saw the new palace, where -the golden weathercocks were swinging to and fro on the roof in the -sunlight, dazzling his eyes. - -"This is very strange," he thought; and so he called his courtiers. They -came rushing in, and began bowing and scraping. - -"Do you see the palace over there?" said the King. - -They opened their eyes and began to stare. - -Yes, of course, they saw it. - -"Who is it that has dared to build such a palace on my grounds?" said -the King. - -They bowed, and they scraped with their feet, but they did not know -anything about it. - -The King then called his generals and captains. - -They came, stood at attention and presented arms. - -"Be gone, soldiers and troopers," said the King, "and pull down the -palace over there, and hang him who has built it; and don't lose any -time about it!" - -Well, they set off in great haste to arm themselves, and away they went. -The drummers beat the skins of their drums, and the trumpeters blew -their trumpets, and the other musicians played and blew as best they -could, so that the Duke heard them long before he could see them. But he -had heard that kind of noise before, and knew what it meant, so he took -out his scrap of paper: - -"Lars, my lad!" - -"What are master's orders?" - -"There are soldiers coming here," he said, "and now you must provide me -with soldiers and horses, that I may have double as many as those over -in the wood, and with sabers and pistols, and guns and cannons with all -that belongs to them; but be quick about it." - -And no time was lost; for when the Duke looked out, he saw an immense -number of soldiers, who were drawn up around the palace. - -When the King's men arrived, they came to a sudden halt and dared not -advance. But the Duke was not afraid; he went straight up to the Colonel -of the King's soldiers and asked him what he wanted. - -The Colonel told him his errand. - -"It's of no use," said the Duke. "You see how many men I have; and if -the King will listen to me, we shall become good friends, and I will -help him against his enemies, and in such a way that it will be heard -of far and wide," he said. - -The Colonel was of the same opinion, and the Duke then invited him and -all his soldiers inside the palace, and the men had more than one glass -to drink and plenty of everything to eat as well. - -But while they were eating and drinking they began talking; and the Duke -then got to hear that the King had a daughter who was his only child, -and was so wonderfully fair and beautiful that no one had ever seen her -like before. And the more the King's soldiers ate and drank the more -they thought she would suit the Duke for a wife. - -And they went on talking so long that the Duke at last began to be of -the same opinion. "The worst of it," said the soldiers, "is that she is -just as proud as she is beautiful, and will never look at a man." - -But the Duke laughed at this. "If that's all," said the Duke, "there's -sure to be a remedy for that complaint." - -When the soldiers had eaten and drunk as much as they could find room -for, they shouted "Hurrah!" so that it echoed among the hills, and then -they set out homeward. But, as you may imagine, they did not walk -exactly in parade order, for they were rather unsteady about the knees, -and many of them did not carry their guns in regulation manner. The Duke -asked them to greet the King from him. He would call on him the -following day, he said. - -When the Duke was alone again, he began to think of the Princess, and to -wonder if she were as beautiful and fair as they had made her out to be. -He would like to make sure of it; and as so many strange things had -happened that day it might not be impossible to find that out as well, -he thought. - -"Lars, my lad!" - -"What are master's orders?" - -"Well, now you must bring me the King's daughter as soon as she has gone -to sleep," he said; "but she must not be awakened either on the way here -or back. Do you hear that?" he said. And before long the Princess was -lying on the bed. She slept so soundly and looked so wonderfully -beautiful as she lay there. Yes, she was as sweet as sugar, I can tell -you. - -The Duke walked round about her, but she was just as beautiful from -whatever point of view he looked at her. - -The more he looked the more he liked her. - -"Lars, my lad!" - -"What are master's orders?" - -"You must now carry the Princess home," he said, "for now I know how she -looks, and to-morrow I will ask for her hand," he said. - -Next morning the King looked out of the window. "I suppose I shall not -be troubled with the sight of that palace any more," he thought. But, -zounds! There it stood just as on the day before, and the sun shone so -brightly on the roof, and the weathercocks dazzled his eyes. - -He now became furious, and called all his men. - -They came quicker than usual. - -The courtiers bowed and scraped, and the soldiers stood at attention and -presented arms. - -"Do you see the palace there?" screamed the King. - -They stretched their necks, and stared and gaped. - -Yes, of course, that they did. - -"Have I not ordered you to pull down the palace and hang the builder?" -he said. - -Yes, they could not deny that; but then the Colonel himself stepped -forward and reported what had happened and how many soldiers the Duke -had, and how wonderfully grand the palace was. - -And next he told him what the Duke had said, and how he had asked him to -give his greetings to the King, and all that sort of thing. - -The King felt quite confused, and had to put his crown on the table and -scratch his head. He could not understand all this, although he was a -king; for he could take his oath it had all been built in a single -night; and if the Duke were not the evil one himself, he must in any -case have done it by magic. - -While he sat there pondering, the Princess came into the room. - -"Good morning to you, father!" she said. "Just fancy, I had such a -strange and beautiful dream last night!" she said. - -"What did you dream then, my girl?" said the King. - -"I dreamed I was in the new palace over yonder, and that I saw a Duke -there, so fine and handsome that I could never have imagined the like; -and now I want to get married, father," she said. - -"Do you want to get married?--you, who never cared to look at a man! -That's very strange!" said the King. - -"That may be," said the Princess; "but it's different now, and I want to -get married, and it's the Duke I want," she said. - -The King was quite beside himself, so frightened did he become of the -Duke. - -But all of a sudden he heard a terrible noise of drums and trumpets and -instruments of all kinds; and then came a message that the Duke had just -arrived with a large company, all of whom were so grandly dressed that -gold and silver glistened in every fold. The King put on his crown and -his coronation robes, and then went out on the steps to receive them. -And the Princess was not slow to follow him. - -The Duke bowed most graciously, and the King of course did likewise, and -when they had talked awhile about their affairs and their grandeur they -became the best of friends. A great banquet was then prepared, and the -Duke was placed next to the Princess at the table. What they talked -about is not easy to tell, but the Duke spoke so well for himself that -the Princess could not very well say "No" to anything he said, and then -he went up to the King and asked for her hand. The King could not -exactly say "No" either, for he could very well see that the Duke was a -person with whom it was best to be on friendly terms; but give his -sanction there and then, he could not very well do that either. He -wanted to see the Duke's palace first, and find out about the state of -affairs over there, as you may understand. - -So it was arranged that he should visit the Duke and take the Princess -with him to see his palace; and with this they parted company. - -When the Duke returned home, Lars became busier than ever, for there was -so much to attend to. But he set to work and strove hard; and when the -King and his daughter arrived everything was so magnificent and splendid -that no words can describe it. They went through all the rooms and -looked about, and they found everything as it should be, and even still -more splendid, thought the King, and so he was quite pleased. - -The wedding then took place, and that in grand style; and on the Duke's -arrival home with his bride he, too, gave a great feast, and then there -was an end to the festivities. - -Some time passed by, and one evening the Duke heard these words: - -"Are you satisfied now?" - -It was Lars, as you may guess, but the Duke could not see him. - -"Well, I ought to be," said the Duke. "You have provided me with -everything I have," he said. - -"Yes, but what have I got in return?" asked Lars. - -"Nothing," said the Duke; "but, bless me, what could I have given you, -who are not of flesh and blood, and whom I cannot see either?" he said. -"But if there is anything I can do for you, tell me what it is, and I -shall do it." - -"Well, I should like to ask you for that little scrap of paper which you -found in the chest," said Lars. - -"Nothing else?" said the Duke. "If such a trifle can help you, I can -easily do without it, for now I begin to know the words by heart," he -said. - -Lars thanked the Duke, and asked him to put the paper on the chair in -front of the bed when he retired to rest, and he would be sure to fetch -it during the night. - -The Duke did as he was told; and so he and the Princess lay down and -went to sleep. - -But early in the morning the Duke awoke and felt so cold that his teeth -chattered, and when he had got his eyes quite open he found he was quite -naked and had not even as much as a thread on his back; and instead of -the grand bed and the beautiful bedroom, and the magnificent palace, he -lay on the big chest in the old tumble-down hut. - -He began to shout: - -"Lars, my lad!" But he got no answer. He shouted once more: - -"Lars, my lad!" But he got no answer this time either. So he shouted all -he could: - -"Lars, my lad!" But it was all in vain. - -Now he began to understand how matters stood. When Lars had got the -scrap of paper he was freed from service at the same time, and now he -had taken everything with him, But there was no help for it. There stood -the Duke in the old hut quite naked; and as for the Princess she was not -much better off, although she had her clothes on, for she had got them -from her father, so Lars had no power over them. - -The Duke had now to tell the Princess everything, and ask her to leave -him. He would have to manage as best he could, he said. But she would -not hear of it. She well remembered what the parson had said when he -married them, and she would never, never leave him, she said. - -In the meantime the King in his palace had also awakened, and when he -looked out of the window he did not see any sign whatever of the other -palace where his daughter and son-in-law lived. He became uneasy, as you -may imagine, and called his courtiers. - -They came in, and began to bow and scrape. - -"Do you see the palace over yonder behind the forest?" he asked. - -They stretched their necks and stared with all their might. - -No, they did not see it. - -"Where has it gone to, then?" asked the King. - -Well, really they did not know. - -It was not long before the King set out with all his court through the -forest; and when he arrived at the place where the palace with the -beautiful gardens should have been, he could not see anything but -heather and juniper bushes and firs. But then he discovered the old -tumble-down hut, which stood there among the bushes. He entered the hut -and--mercy on us!--what a sight met his eyes! There stood his -son-in-law, quite naked, and his daughter, who had not very many clothes -on either, and who was crying and moaning. - -"Dear, dear! what does all this mean?" said the King; but he did not get -any answer, for the Duke would rather have died than tell him. - -The King did his utmost to get him to speak; but in spite of all the -King's promises and threats the Duke remained obstinate and would not -utter a word. - -The King then became angry--and no wonder, for now he could see that -this grand Duke was not what he pretended to be, and so he ordered the -Duke to be hanged, and that without any loss of time. The Princess -begged and prayed for mercy; but neither prayers nor tears were of any -help now; for an impostor he was, and as an impostor he should die, said -the King. - -And so it had to be. They erected a gallows, and placed the rope round -the Duke's neck. But while they were getting the gallows ready, the -Princess got hold of the hangman, and gave both him and his assistant -some money, that they should so manage the hanging of the Duke that he -should not lose his life, and in the night they were to cut him down, so -that he and the Princess might then flee the country. And that's how the -matter was arranged. - -In the meantime they had strung up the Duke, and the King and his court -and all the people went their way. - -The Duke was now in great straits. He had, however, plenty of time to -reflect how foolish he had been in not saving some of the crumbs when he -was living in plenty, and how unpardonably stupid he had been in letting -Lars have the scrap of paper. This vexed him more than all. If only he -had it again, he thought, they should see he had been gaining some sense -in return for all he had lost. But it is of little use snarling if you -haven't got any teeth. "Ah, well, well!" he sighed, and so he dangled -his legs, which was really all he could do. - -The day passed slowly and tediously for him, and he was not at all -displeased when he saw the sun setting behind the forest. But just -before it disappeared he heard a fearful shouting, and when he looked -down the hill, he saw seven cartloads of worn-out shoes, and on the top -of the hindmost cart he saw a little old man in gray clothes and with a -red pointed cap on his head. His face was like that of the worst -scarecrow, and the rest of him was not very handsome either. - -He drove straight up to the gallows, and when he arrived right under it -he stopped and looked up at the Duke, and then burst out laughing, the -ugly old fellow! - -"How stupid you were!" he said; "but what should the fool do with his -stupidity if he did not make use of it?" And then he laughed again. -"Yes, there you are hanging now, and here am I carting away all the -shoes I have worn out for your whims. I wonder if you can read what is -written on this bit of paper, and if you recognize it?" he said with an -ugly laugh, holding up the paper before the Duke's eyes. - -But all who hang are not dead, and this time it was Lars who was -befooled. - -The Duke made a clutch, and snatched the paper from him. - -"Lars, my lad!" - -"What are master's orders?" - -"Well, you must cut me down from the gallows and put the palace and all -the rest in its place again, exactly as it was before, and when the -night has set in you must bring back the Princess." - -All went merrily as in a dance, and before long everything was in its -place, just as it was when Lars took himself off. - -When the King awoke the next morning he looked out of the window, as was -his custom, and there stood the palace again, with the weathercocks -glittering so beautifully in the sunshine. He called his courtiers, and -they came and began to bow and scrape. - -They stretched their necks as far as they could, and stared and gaped. - -"Do you see the palace over there?" said the King. - -Yes, of course, they did. - -The King then sent for the Princess, but she was not to be found. He -then went out to see if his son-in-law was still hanging on the gallows, -but neither son-in-law nor gallows was to be seen. - -He had to lift off his crown and scratch his head. But that did not -improve matters; he could not make head or tail of either one thing or -the other. He set off at once with all his court through the forest, and -when he came to the place where the palace should stand, there it stood -sure enough. The gardens and the roses were exactly as they used to be, -and the Duke's people were to be seen everywhere among the trees. His -son-in-law and his daughter received him on the steps, dressed in their -finest clothes. - -"Well, I never saw the like of this," said the King to himself; he could -scarcely believe his own eyes, so wonderful did it all seem to him. - -"God's peace be with you, father, and welcome here!" said the Duke. - -The King stood staring at him. - -"Are you my son-in-law?" he asked. - -"Well, I suppose I am," said the Duke. "Who else should I be?" - -"Did I not order you to be hanged yesterday like any common thief?" said -the King. - -"I think you must have been bewitched on the way," said the Duke, with a -laugh. "Do you think I am the man to let myself be hanged? Or is there -anyone here who dares to believe it?" he said, and looked so fiercely at -the courtiers that they felt as if they were being pierced through and -through. - -They bowed and scraped and cringed before him. - -Who could believe such a thing? Was it at all likely? - -"Well, if there is anyone who dares to say the King could have wished me -such evil, let him speak out," said the Duke, and fixed his eyes upon -them still more fiercely than before. - -They went on bowing and scraping and cringing. - -How could anyone dare to say such a thing? No, they had more sense than -that, they should hope. - -The King did not know what to believe, for when he looked at the Duke he -thought he never could have wished him such evil; but still he was not -quite convinced. - -"Did I not come here yesterday, and was not the whole palace gone, and -was there not an old hut in its place? And did not I go into that hut, -and did not you stand stark naked right before my eyes?" he asked. - -"I wonder the King can talk so," said the Duke. "I think the trolls must -have bewitched your eyes in the forest and made you quite crazy; or what -do you think?" he said, and turned round to the courtiers. - -They bowed and bowed till their backs were bent double, and agreed with -everything he said, there could be no mistake about that. The King -rubbed his eyes, and looked round about him. - -"I suppose it is as you say, then," he said to the Duke, "and it is well -I have got back my proper sight and have come to my senses again. For it -would have been a sin and a shame if I had let you be hanged," he said; -and so he was happy again, and nobody thought any more about the -matter. - -"Once bitten, twice shy," as the proverb says; and the Duke now took -upon himself to manage and look after most of his affairs, so that it -was seldom Lars had to wear out his shoes. The King soon gave the Duke -half the kingdom into the bargain; so he had now plenty to do, and -people said they would have to search a long time to find his equal in -wise and just ruling. - -Then one day Lars came to the Duke, looking very little better than the -first time he had seen him; but he was, of course, more humble, and did -not dare to giggle and make grimaces. - -"You do not want my help any longer, now," he said; "for although I did -wear out my shoes at first, I am now unable to wear out a single pair, -and my feet will soon be covered all over with moss. So I thought I -might now get my leave of absence," he said. - -The Duke quite agreed with him. "I have tried to spare you, and I almost -think I could do without you," he said. "But the palace and all the rest -I do not want to lose, for such a clever builder as you I shall never -get again; nor do I ever want to adorn the gallows again, as you can -well understand; so I cannot give you back the paper on any account," he -said. - -"Well, as long as you have got it, I need not fear," said Lars; "but if -anybody else should get hold of it there will be nothing but running and -trudging about again, and that's what I want to avoid; for when one has -been tramping about for a thousand years, as I have done, one begins to -get tired of it," he said. - -But they went on talking, and at last they agreed that the Duke should -put the paper in the box, and then bury it seven ells under the ground, -under a stone fixed in the earth. They then gave mutual thanks for the -time they had spent in each other's company, and so they parted. - -The Duke carried out his part of the agreement, for he was not likely -to want to change it. He lived happy and contented with the Princess, -and they had both sons and daughters. When the King died, he got the -whole of the kingdom, and you may guess he was none the worse off for -that; and there no doubt he still lives and reigns, if he is not dead. - -But as for that box with the scrap of paper in it, there are many who -are still running about looking for it. - - - - -_Twigmuntus, Cowbelliantus, Perchnosius_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a king who was so very learned that no parson -in the whole world could surpass him; in fact, he was so learned that -ordinary folks could hardly understand what he said, nor could he -understand them either. But in order to have some one to talk with he -procured seven wise professors, who were not quite so learned as -himself, but who were just able to interpret his learned sayings so that -people could apprehend them, and who could twist and turn about the talk -of ordinary folk so that it became sufficiently learned and complicated -for the King to understand it. - -The King had no son, but he had a daughter, and in order that she should -be happily married, and the country governed according to the -fundamental principles of his learning, he issued an edict that he who -was so learned as to put the King and his professors to silence should -have his daughter and half the kingdom there and then. But anyone who -attempted the task and did not succeed should lose his head for having -dared to exchange words with the King. - -That was no joke; but the Princess was so fair and beautiful that it was -no joke to gaze at her either. And the King did not keep her caged up, -for anyone who wished could see her. - -There came princes and counts and barons and parsons and doctors and -learned persons from all quarters of the world; and no sooner did they -see the Princess than they one and all wanted to try their luck. But, -however learned they were, their learning never proved sufficient, and -everyone of them lost his head. - -Over in a corner of the kingdom there lived a farmer who had a son. This -lad was not stupid; he was quick of apprehension and sharp-witted, and -he was not afraid of anything. - -When the King's edict came to this out-of-the-way place, and the parson -had read it from the pulpit, the lad wanted to try his luck. "He who -nothing risks, nothing wins," thought the lad; and so he went to the -parson and told him that if he would give him lessons in the evenings, -he would work for this worship in the daytime, but he wanted to become -so learned that he could try a bout with the King and his professors. - -"Whoever means to compete with them must be able to do something more -than munch bread," said the parson. - -"That may be," said the lad; "but I'll try my luck." - -The parson thought, of course, that he was mad; but when he could get -such a clever hand to work for him only for his keep, he thought he -could not very well say no; and so the lad got what he wanted. - -He worked for the parson in the daytime, and the parson read with him in -the evening; and in this way they went on for some time, but at last the -lad grew tired of his books. - -"I am not going to sit here and read and grind away, and lose what few -wits I have," he said; "and it won't be of much help either, for if you -are lucky things will come right of themselves, and if you are not lucky -you'll never make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." - -And with this he pitched the books on the shelf and went his way. - -All at once he came to a large forest, where the trees and the bushes -were so thick that it was with difficulty he could get along. While he -was thus pushing his way through, he began wondering what he should say -when he came to the king's palace, and how best he could make use of the -learning he had picked up from the parson. All of a sudden the twig of -a tree struck him across his mouth, so that his teeth rattled. - -"That is Twigmuntus," he said. - -A little while after he came to a meadow where a cow was standing -bellowing so furiously that it almost deafened him. - -"That is Cowbelliantus," he said. - -He then came to a river; but as there was neither bridge nor planks -across it, he had to put his clothes on his head and swim across. - -While he was swimming a perch came and bit him on the nose. - -"That is Perchnosius," he said. - -At last he came to the King's palace, where things did not look at all -pleasant, for there were men's heads stuck on long stakes round about, -and they grinned so horribly that they were enough to frighten anyone -out of his wits. But the lad was not easily frightened. - -"God's peace!" he said, and raised his cap. "There you stick and grin at -me; but who knows if I may not be keeping you company before the day is -over, and be grinning with you at others? But if I happen to be alive, -you shall not stick there any longer gaping at people," he said. - -So he went up to the palace and knocked at the gate. - -The guard came out and asked what he wanted. - -"I have come to try my luck with the Princess," said the lad. - -"You?" said the guard, "well, you're a likely one, you are! Have you -lost your senses? There have been princes and counts and barons and -parsons and doctors and learned persons here, and all of them have had -to pay with their heads for that pleasure; and yet you think you'll -succeed!" he said. - -"I should say it is no concern of yours," said the lad; "just open the -gate, and you'll see one who's not afraid of anything." - -But the guard would not let him in. - -"Do as I tell you," said the lad, "or there'll be a fine to-do!" - -But the guard would not. - -The lad then seized him by the collar and flung him against the wall so -that it creaked; and then he walked straight in to the King, who sat in -his parlor with his seven professors about him. Their faces were long -and thin, and they looked like puny, sickly persons about to die. They -were sitting with their heads on one side, meditating and staring at the -floor. - -Then one of them, who looked up, asked the lad in ordinary language: -"Who are you?" - -"A suitor," said the lad. - -"Do you want to try for the Princess's hand?" - -"Well, that's about it!" said the lad. - -"Have you lost your wits? There have been princes and counts and barons -and parsons and doctors and learned persons here, and all of them have -gone headless away; so you had better turn about and get away while your -head is on your shoulders," he said. - -"Don't trouble yourself on that account, but rather think of the head on -your own shoulders," said the lad. "You look after yours, and I'll take -care of mine! So just begin and let me hear how much wit you have got, -for I don't think you look so very clever," he said. - -The first professor then began a long harangue of gibberish; and when he -had finished the second went on; and then the third; and in this way -they continued till at length it was the turn of the seventh. The lad -did not understand a single word of it all, but he didn't lose courage -for all that. He only nodded his approval to all of it. - -When the last had finished his harangue he asked: - -"Can you reply to that?" - -"That's easy enough," said the lad. "Why, when I was in my cradle and in -my go-cart I could twist my mouth about and prate and jabber like you," -he said. "But since you are so terribly learned, I'll put a question to -you, and that shall not be a long one: - -"Twigmuntus, Cowbelliantus, Perchnosius? Can you give me an answer to -that?" - -And now you should have seen how they stretched their necks and -strained their ears. They put on their spectacles and began to look into -their books and turn over the leaves. - -But while they were searching and meditating, the lad put his hands in -his trousers pockets, and looked so frank and fearless that they could -not help admiring him, and wondering that one who was so young could be -so learned and yet look just like other people. - -"Well, how are you getting on?" said the lad. "Cannot all your learning -help you to open your mouths, so that I can have an answer to my -question?" he said. - -Then they began to ponder and meditate, and then they glanced at the -ceiling, and then they stared at the walls, and then they fixed their -eyes upon the floor. But they could not give him any answer, nor could -the King himself, although he was much more learned than all the others -together. They had to give it up, and the lad got the Princess and half -the kingdom. This he ruled in his own way, and if it did not fare -better, it did not fare worse for him than for the King with all his -fundamental principles. - - - - -_Master Tobacco_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a poor woman who went about begging with her -son; for at home she had neither a morsel to eat nor a stick to burn. -First she tried the country, and went from parish to parish; but it was -poor work, and so she came into the town. There she went about from -house to house for a while, and at last she came to the Lord Mayor. He -was both open-hearted and open-handed, and he was married to the -daughter of the richest merchant in the town, and they had one little -daughter. As they had no more children, you may fancy she was sugar and -spice and all that's nice, and in a word there was nothing too good for -her. This little girl soon came to know the beggar boy as he went about -with his mother; and as the Lord Mayor was a wise man, as soon as he -saw what friends the two were, he took the boy into his house that he -might be his daughter's playmate. Yes, they played and read and went to -school together, and never had so much as one quarrel. - -[Illustration: "AND WHEN HE SET HER DOWN HE GAVE HER A KISS"] - -One day the Lady Mayoress stood at the window, and watched the children -as they were trudging off to school. There had been a shower of rain, -and the street was flooded, and she saw how the boy first carried the -basket with their dinner over the stream, and then he went back and -lifted the little girl over, and when he set her down he gave her a -kiss. - -When the Lady Mayoress saw this, she got very angry. "To think of such a -ragamuffin kissing our daughter--we who are the best people in the -place!" That was what she said. Her husband did his best to stop her -tongue. "No one knew," he said, "how children would turn out in life, or -what might befall his own. The boy was a clever, handy lad, and often -and often a great tree sprang from a slender plant." - -But no! it was all the same, whatever he said and whichever way he put -it. The Lady Mayoress held her own, and said beggars on horseback always -rode their cattle to death, and that no one had ever heard of a silk -purse being made out of a sow's ear; adding, that a penny would never -turn into a shilling, even though it glittered like a guinea. The end of -it all was that the poor lad was turned out of the house, and had to -pack up his rags and be off. - -When the Lord Mayor saw there was no help for it, he sent him away with -a trader who had come thither with a ship, and he was to be cabin boy on -board her. He told his wife he had sold the boy for a roll of tobacco. - -But before he went the Lord Mayor's daughter broke her ring into two -bits and gave the boy one bit, that it might be a token to know him by -if they ever met again; and so the ship sailed away, and the lad came to -a town, far, far off in the world, and to that town a priest had just -come who was so good a preacher that everyone went to church to hear -him, and the crew of the ship went with the rest the Sunday after to -hear the sermon. As for the lad, he was left behind to mind the ship and -to cook the dinner. So while he was hard at work he heard some one -calling out across the water on an island. So he took the boat and rowed -across, and there he saw an old hag, who called and roared. - -"Aye," she said, "you have come at last! Here have I stood a hundred -years calling and bawling, and thinking how I should ever get over this -water; but no one has ever heard or heeded but you, and you shall be -well paid if you will put me over to the other side." - -So the lad had to row her to her sister's house, who lived on a hill on -the other side close by; and when they got there, she told him to beg -for the old tablecloth which lay on the dresser. Yes! he would beg for -it; and when the old witch who lived there knew that he had helped her -sister over the water, she said he might have whatever he chose to ask. - -"Oh," said the boy, "then I won't have anything else than that old -tablecloth on the dresser yonder." - -"Oh," said the old witch, "that you never asked out of your own wits." - -"Now I must be off," said the lad, "to cook the Sunday dinner for the -church-goers." - -"Never mind that," said the first old hag; "it will cook itself while -you are away. Stop with me, and I will pay you better still. Here have I -stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, but no one has ever -heeded me but you." - -The end was he had to go with her to another sister, and when he got -there the old hag said he was to be sure and ask for the old sword, -which was such that he could put it into his pocket and it became a -knife, and when he drew it out it was a long sword again. One edge was -black and the other white, and if he smote with the black edge -everything fell dead, and if with the white everything came to life -again. So when they came over, and the second old witch heard how he had -helped her sister across, she said he might have anything he chose to -ask for her fare. - -"Oh," said the lad, "then I will have nothing else but that old sword -which hangs up over the cupboard." - -"That you never asked out of your own wits," said the old witch; but for -all that he got the sword. - -Then the old hag said again: "Come on with me to my third sister. Here -have I stood and called and bawled for a hundred years, and no one has -heeded me but you. Come on to my third sister, and you shall have better -pay still." - -So he went with her, and on the way she told him he was to ask for the -old hymn book; and that was such a book that when anyone was sick and -the nurse sang one of the hymns, the sickness passed away, and they were -well again. Well! when they got across, and the third old witch heard he -had helped her sister across, she said he was to have whatever he chose -to ask for his fare. - -"Oh," said the lad, "then I won't have anything else but granny's old -hymn book." - -"That," said the old hag, "you never asked out of your own wits." - -When he got back to the ship the crew were still at church, so he tried -his tablecloth, and spread just a little bit of it out, for he wanted to -see what good it was before he laid it on the table. Yes! in a trice it -was covered with good food and strong drink, enough and to spare. So he -just took a little snack, and then he gave the ship's dog as much as it -could eat. - -When the church-goers came on board, the captain said: "Wherever did you -get all that food for the dog? Why, he's as round as a sausage, and as -lazy as a snail." - -"Oh, if you must know," said the lad, "I gave him the bones." - -"Good boy," said the captain, "to think of the dog." - -So he spread out the cloth, and at once the whole table was covered all -over with such brave meat and drink as they had never before seen in all -their born days. - -Now when the boy was again alone with the dog, he wanted to try the -sword, so he smote at the dog with the black edge, and it fell dead on -the deck; but when he turned the blade and smote with the white edge -the dog came to life again and wagged his tail and fawned on his -playmate. But the book--that he could not get tried just then. - -Then they sailed well and far till a storm overtook them which lasted -many days, so they lay to and drove till they were quite out of their -course, and could not tell where they were. At last the wind fell, and -then they came to a country far, far off that none of them knew; but -they could easily see there was great grief there, as well there might -be, for the King's daughter was a leper. The King came down to the -shore, and asked was there anyone on board who could cure her and make -her well again. - -"No, there was not." That was what they all said who were on deck. - -"Is there no one else on board the ship than those I see?" asked the -King. - -"Yes; there's a little beggar boy." - -"Well," said the King, "let him come on deck." - -So when he came and heard what the King wanted, he said he thought he -might cure her; and then the captain got so wroth and mad with rage that -he ran round and round like a squirrel in a cage, for he thought the boy -was only putting himself forward to do something in which he was sure to -fail, and he told the King not to listen to such childish chatter. - -But the King only said that wit came as children grew, and that there -was the making of a man in every bairn. The boy had said he could do it, -and he might as well try. After all, there were many who had tried and -failed before him. So he took him home to his daughter, and the lad sang -a hymn once. Then the Princess could lift her arm. Once again he sang -it, and she could sit up in bed. And when he had sung it thrice, the -King's daughter was as well as you and I are. - -The King was so glad he wanted to give him half his kingdom and the -princess to wife. - -"Yes," said the lad, "land and power are fine things to have half of," -and was very grateful; "but as for the Princess, he was betrothed to -another," he said, "and he could not take her to wife." - -So he stayed there awhile and got half the kingdom; and when he had not -been very long there, war broke out, and the lad went out to battle with -the rest, and you may fancy he did not spare the black edge of his -sword. The enemy's soldiers fell before him like flies, and the King won -the day. But when they had conquered, he turned the white edge, and they -all rose up alive and became the King's soldiers, who had granted them -their lives. But then there were so many of them that they were badly -off for food, though the King wished to send them away full, both of -meat and drink. So the lad had to bring out his tablecloth, and then -there was not a man that lacked anything. - -Now when he had lived a little longer with the King, he began to long to -see the Lord Mayor's daughter. So he fitted out four ships of war and -set sail; and when he came off the town where the Lord Mayor lived, he -fired off his cannon like thunder, till half the panes of glass in the -town were shivered. On board those ships everything was as grand as in a -King's palace; and as for himself, he had gold on every seam of his -coat, so fine he was. It was not long before the Lord Mayor came down to -the shore and asked if the foreign lord would not be so good as to come -up and dine with him. "Yes, he would go," he said; and so he went up to -the Mansion House where the Lord Mayor lived, and there he took his seat -between the Lady Mayoress and her daughter. - -So as they sat there in the greatest state, and ate and drank and were -merry, he threw the half of the ring into the daughter's glass, and no -one saw it; but she was not slow to find out what he meant, and excused -herself from the feast and went out and fitted his half to her half. Her -mother saw there was something in the wind and hurried after her as fast -as she could. - -"Do you know who that is in there, mother?" said the daughter. - -"No!" said the Lady Mayoress. - -"He whom papa sold for a roll of tobacco," said the daughter. - -At these words the Lady Mayoress fainted and fell down flat on the -floor. - -In a little while the Lord Mayor came out to see what was the matter, -and when he heard how things stood he was almost as uneasy as his wife. - -"There is nothing to make a fuss about," said Master Tobacco. "I have -only come to claim the little girl I kissed as we were going to school." - -But to the Lady Mayoress he said: - -"You should never despise the children of the poor and needy, for none -can tell how they may turn out; since there is the making of a man in -every child of man, and wit and wisdom come with growth and strength." - - - - -_The History of Tom Thumb_ - - -IN the days of the great Prince Arthur there lived a mighty magician, -called Merlin, the most learned and skillful enchanter the world has -ever seen. - -This famous magician, who could take any form he pleased, was traveling -about as a poor beggar, and being very tired, he stopped at the cottage -of a plowman to rest himself, and asked for some food. - -The countryman bade him welcome, and his wife, who was a very -good-hearted woman, soon brought him some milk in a wooden bowl, and -some coarse brown bread on a platter. - -Merlin was much pleased with the kindness of the plowman and his wife; -but he could not help noticing that though everything was neat and -comfortable in the cottage, they both seemed to be very unhappy. He -therefore asked them why they were so melancholy, and learned that they -were miserable because they had no children. - -The poor woman said, with tears in her eyes: "I should be the happiest -creature in the world if I had a son; although he was no bigger than my -husband's thumb, I would be satisfied." - -Merlin was so much amused with the idea of a boy no bigger than a man's -thumb that he determined to grant the poor woman's wish. Accordingly, in -a short time after, the plowman's wife had a son, who, wonderful to -relate, was not a bit bigger than his father's thumb! - -The queen of the fairies, wishing to see the little fellow, came in at -the window while the mother was sitting up in the bed admiring him. The -queen kissed the child, and, giving it the name of Tom Thumb, sent for -some of the fairies, who dressed her little godson according to her -orders: - - An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown; - His shirt of web by spiders spun, - With jacket wove of thistle's down. - His trousers were of feathers done; - His stockings, of apple-rind, they tie - With eyelash from his mother's eye; - His shoes were made of mouse's skin, - Tann'd with the downy hair within. - -Tom never grew any larger than his father's thumb, which was only of -ordinary size; but as he got older he became very cunning and full of -tricks. When he was old enough to play with the boys, and had lost all -his own cherry stones, he used to creep into the bags of his -playfellows, fill his pockets, and, getting out without their noticing -him, would again join in the game. - -One day, however, as he was coming out of a bag of cherry stones, where -he had been stealing as usual, the boy to whom it belonged chanced to -see him. "Ah, ah! my little Tommy," said the boy, "so I have caught you -stealing my cherry stones at last, and you shall be rewarded for your -thievish tricks." On saying this, he drew the string tight round his -neck, and gave the bag such a hearty shake that poor little Tom's legs, -thighs, and body were sadly bruised. He roared loud with pain, and -begged to be let out, promising never to steal again. - -A short time afterwards his mother was making a batter-pudding, and Tom, -being very anxious to see how it was made, climbed up to the edge of the -bowl; but his foot slipped, and he plumped over head and ears into the -batter, without his mother noticing him, who stirred him into the -pudding-bag, and put him in the pot to boil. - -The batter filled Tom's mouth and prevented him from crying; but, on -feeling the hot water, he kicked and struggled so much in the pot that -his mother thought that the pudding was bewitched, and, pulling it out -of the pot, she threw it outside the door. A poor tinker, who was -passing by, lifted up the pudding, and, then putting it into his budget, -walked off. As Tom had now got his mouth cleared of the batter, he then -began to cry aloud, which so frightened the tinker that he flung down -the pudding and ran away. The pudding being broken to pieces by the -fall, Tom crept out, covered all over with the batter, and walked home. -His mother, who was very sorry to see her darling in such a woeful -state, put him into a teacup and soon washed off the batter; after which -she kissed him, and laid him in bed. - -Soon after the adventure of the pudding, Tom's mother went to milk her -cow in the meadow, and she took him along with her. As the wind was very -high, for fear of being blown away, she tied him to a thistle with a -piece of fine thread. The cow soon observed Tom's oak-leaf hat, and -liking the appearance of it, took poor Tom and the thistle at one -mouthful. While the cow was chewing the thistle, Tom was afraid of her -great teeth, which threatened to crush him in pieces, and he roared out -as loud as he could: "Mother, mother!" - -"Where are you, Tommy, my dear Tommy?" said his mother. - -"Here, mother," replied he, "in the red cow's mouth." - -His mother began to cry and wring her hands; but the cow, surprised at -the odd noise in her throat, opened her mouth and let Tom drop out. -Fortunately his mother caught him in her apron as he was falling to the -ground, or he would have been dreadfully hurt. She then put Tom in her -bosom and ran home with him. - -Tom's father made him a whip of a barley straw to drive the cattle with, -and having one day gone into the fields, Tom slipped a foot and rolled -into the furrow. A raven, which was flying over, picked him up, and flew -with him over the sea, and there dropped him. - -A large fish swallowed Tom the moment he fell into the sea, which was -soon after caught and bought for the table of King Arthur. When they -opened the fish in order to cook it, everyone was astonished at finding -such a little boy, and Tom was quite delighted at being free again. They -carried him to the King, who made Tom his dwarf, and he soon grew a -great favorite at court; for by his tricks and gambols he not only -amused the King and Queen, but also all the Knights of the Round Table. - -It is said that when the King rode out on horseback he often took Tom -along with him, and if a shower came on he used to creep into his -majesty's waistcoat pocket, where he slept till the rain was over. - -King Arthur one day asked Tom about his parents, wishing to know if they -were as small as he was, and whether they were well off. Tom told the -King that his father and mother were as tall as anybody about the court, -but in rather poor circumstances. On hearing this the King carried Tom -to his treasury, the place where he kept all his money, and told him to -take as much money as he could carry home to his parents, which made the -poor little fellow caper with joy. Tom went immediately to procure a -purse, which was made of a water bubble, and then returned to the -treasury, where he received a silver threepenny-piece to put into it. - -Our little hero had some difficulty in lifting the burden upon his back; -but he at last succeeded in getting it placed to his mind, and set -forward on his journey. However, without meeting with any accident, and -after resting himself more than a hundred times by the way, in two days -and two nights he reached his father's house in safety. - -Tom had traveled forty-eight hours with a huge silver-piece on his back, -and was almost tired to death, when his mother ran out to meet him, and -carried him into the house. But he soon returned to court. - -As Tom's clothes had suffered much in the batter-pudding and the inside -of the fish, his majesty ordered him a new suit of clothes and to be -mounted as a knight on a mouse. - - Of butterfly's wings his shirt was made, - His boots of chicken's hide; - And by a nimble fairy blade, - Well learned in the tailoring trade, - His clothing was supplied. - A needle dangled by his side; - A dapper mouse he used to ride, - Thus strutted Tom in stately pride! - -It was certainly very diverting to see Tom in this dress and mounted on -the mouse as he rode out a-hunting with the King and nobility, who were -all ready to expire with laughter at Tom and his fine prancing charger. - -The King was so charmed with his address that he ordered a little chair -to be made, in order that Tom might sit upon his table, and also a -palace of gold, a span high, with a door an inch wide, to live in. He -also gave him a coach, drawn by six small mice. - -The Queen was so enraged at the honors conferred on Sir Thomas that she -resolved to ruin him, and told the King that the little knight had been -saucy to her. - -The King sent for Tom in great haste, but being fully aware of the -danger of royal anger, he crept into an empty snail shell, where he lay -for a long time, until he was almost starved with hunger; but at last he -ventured to peep out, and seeing a fine large butterfly on the ground -near the place of his concealment, he got close to it, and jumping -astride on it was carried up into the air. The butterfly flew with him -from tree to tree and from field to field, and at last returned to the -court, where the King and nobility all strove to catch him; but at last -poor Tom fell from his seat into a watering pot, in which he was almost -drowned. - -When the Queen saw him she was in a rage, and said he should be -beheaded; and he was again put into a mouse trap until the time of his -execution. - -However, a cat, observing something alive in the trap, patted it about -till the wires broke, and set Thomas at liberty. - -The King received Tom again into favor, which he did not live to enjoy, -for a large spider one day attacked him; and although he drew his sword -and fought well, yet the spider's poisonous breath at last overcame him. - - He fell dead on the ground where he stood, - And the spider suck'd every drop of his blood. - -King Arthur and his whole court were so sorry at the loss of their -little favorite that they went into mourning and raised a fine white -marble monument over his grave with the following epitaph: - - Here lies Tom Thumb, King Arthur's knight, - Who died by a spider's cruel bite. - He was well known in Arthur's court, - Where he afforded gallant sport; - He rode a tilt and tournament, - And on a mouse a-hunting went. - Alive he filled the court with mirth; - His death to sorrow soon gave birth. - Wipe, wipe your eyes, and shake your head - And cry,--Alas! Tom Thumb is dead! - - - - -_Tattercoats_ - - -IN a great palace by the sea there once dwelt a very rich old lord who -had neither wife nor children living, only one little granddaughter, -whose face he had never seen in all her life. He hated her bitterly, -because at her birth his favorite daughter died; and when the old nurse -brought him the baby he swore that it might live or die as it liked, but -he would never look on its face as long as it lived. - -So he turned his back and sat by his window looking out over the sea, -and weeping great tears for his lost daughter, till his white hair and -beard grew down over his shoulders and twined round his chair and crept -into the chinks of the floor, and his tears, dropping on to the window -ledge, wore a channel through the stone and ran away in a little river -to the great sea. And meanwhile his granddaughter grew up with no one to -care for her or clothe her; only the old nurse, when no one was by, -would sometimes give her a dish of scraps from the kitchen or a torn -petticoat from the rag bag; while the other servants of the palace would -drive her from the house with blows and mocking words, calling her -"Tattercoats," and pointing at her bare feet and shoulders, till she ran -away crying, to hide among the bushes. - -And so she grew up, with little to eat or wear, spending her days in the -fields and lanes, with only the gooseherd for a companion, who would -play to her so merrily on his little pipe when she was hungry or cold or -tired that she forgot all her troubles, and fell to dancing, with his -flock of noisy geese for partners. - -But one day people told each other that the King was traveling through -the land, and in the town near by was to give a great ball to all the -lords and ladies of the country, when the Prince, his only son, was to -choose a wife. - -One of the royal invitations was brought to the palace by the sea, and -the servants carried it up to the old lord who still sat by his window, -wrapped in his long white hair and weeping into the little river that -was fed by his tears. - -But when he heard the King's command he dried his eyes and bade them -bring shears to cut him loose, for his hair had bound him a fast -prisoner and he could not move. And then he sent them for rich clothes -and jewels, which he put on; and he ordered them to saddle the white -horse with gold and silk that he might ride to meet the King. - -Meanwhile Tattercoats had heard of the great doings in the town, and she -sat by the kitchen door weeping because she could not go to see them. -And when the old nurse heard her crying she went to the lord of the -palace, and begged him to take his granddaughter with him to the King's -ball. - -But he only frowned and told her to be silent, while the servants -laughed and said: "Tattercoats is happy in her rags, playing with the -gooseherd; let her be--it is all she is fit for." - -[Illustration: TATTERCOATS FORGOT ALL HER TROUBLES AND FELL TO DANCING] - -A second, and then a third time, the old nurse begged him to let the -girl go with him, but she was answered only by black looks and fierce -words, till she was driven from the room by the jeering servants with -blows and mocking words. - -Weeping over her ill success, the old nurse went to look for -Tattercoats; but the girl had been turned from the door by the cook, and -had run away to tell her friend the gooseherd how unhappy she was -because she could not go to the King's ball. - -But when the gooseherd had listened to her story he bade her cheer up, -and proposed that they should go together into the town to see the King -and all the fine things; and when she looked sorrowfully down at her -rags and bare feet he played a note or two upon his pipe, so gay and -merry that she forgot all about her tears and her troubles, and, before -she well knew, the herdboy had taken her by the hand, and she and he, -and the geese before them, were dancing down the road toward the town. - -Before they had gone very far a handsome young man, splendidly dressed, -rode up and stopped to ask the way to the castle where the King was -staying; and when he found that they too were going thither, he got -off his horse and walked beside them along the road. - -The herdboy pulled out his pipe and played a low, sweet tune, and the -stranger looked again and again at Tattercoats' lovely face, till he -fell deeply in love with her and begged her to marry him. - -But she only laughed and shook her golden head. - -"You would be finely put to shame if you had a goosegirl for your wife!" -said she; "go and ask one of the great ladies you will see to-night at -the King's ball, and do not flout poor Tattercoats." - -But the more she refused him the sweeter the pipe played and the deeper -the young man fell in love, till at last he begged her, as a proof of -his sincerity, to come that night at twelve to the King's ball, just as -she was, with the herdboy and his geese, and in her torn petticoat and -bare feet, and he would dance with her before the King and the lords and -ladies, and present her to them all as his dear and honored bride. - -So when night came, and the hall in the castle was full of light and -music, and the lords and ladies were dancing before the King, just as -the clock struck twelve, Tattercoats and the herdboy, followed by his -flock of noisy geese, entered at the great doors and walked straight up -the ballroom, while on either side the ladies whispered, the lords -laughed, and the King, seated at the far end, stared in amazement. - -But as they came in front of the throne Tattercoats' lover rose from -beside the King and came to meet her. Taking her by the hand, he kissed -her thrice before them all, and turned to the King. - -"Father," he said, for it was the Prince himself, "I have made my -choice, and here is my bride, the loveliest girl in all the land, and -the sweetest as well!" - -Before he had finished speaking the herdboy put his pipe to his lips and -played a few low notes that sounded like a bird singing far off in the -woods; and as he played, Tattercoats' rags were changed to shining robes -sewn with glittering jewels, a golden crown lay upon her golden hair, -and the flock of geese behind her became a crowd of dainty pages -bearing her long train. - -And, as the King rose to greet her as his daughter, the trumpets sounded -loudly in honor of the new Princess, and the people outside in the -street said to each other: - -"Ah, now the Prince has chosen for his wife the loveliest girl in all -the land!" - -But the gooseherd was never seen again, and no one knew what became of -him; while the old lord went home once more to his palace by the sea, -for he could not stay at court when he had sworn never to look on his -granddaughter's face. - -So there he still sits by his window, if you could only see him, as you -some day may, weeping more bitterly than ever, as he looks out over the -sea. - - - - -_History of Jack the Giant-Killer_ - - -IN the reign of the famous King Arthur there lived in Cornwall a lad -named Jack, who was a boy of a bold temper and took delight in hearing -or reading of conjurers, giants, and fairies, and used to listen eagerly -to the deeds of the Knights of King Arthur's Round Table. - -In those days there lived on St. Michael's Mount, off Cornwall, a huge -giant, eighteen feet high and nine feet round, and whose fierce and -savage looks were the terror of all who beheld him. - -He dwelt in a gloomy cavern on the top of the mountain, and used to wade -over to the mainland in search of prey, when he would throw half a dozen -oxen upon his back, tie three times as many sheep and hogs around his -waist, and march back to his own abode. - -The giant had done this for many years, when Jack resolved to destroy -him. - -Jack took a horn, a shovel, a pickax, his armor, and a dark lantern, and -one winter's evening he went to the mount. There he dug a pit -twenty-two feet deep and twenty broad. He covered the top over so as to -make it look like solid ground. He then blew such a tantivy that the -giant awoke and came out of his den, with a cry: "You saucy villain, you -shall pay for this! I'll broil you for my breakfast!" - -He had just finished, when, taking one step farther, he tumbled headlong -into the pit, and Jack struck him a blow on the head with his pickax -that killed him. Jack then returned home to cheer his friends with the -news. - -Another giant, called Blunderbore, vowed to be revenged on Jack if ever -he should have him in his power. This giant kept an enchanted castle in -the midst of a lonely wood, and some time after the death of Cormoran, -Jack was passing through a wood, and being weary sat down and went to -sleep. - -The giant, passing by and seeing Jack, carried him to his castle, where -he locked him up in a large room, the floor of which was covered with -the bodies, skulls, and bones of men and women. - -Soon after the giant went to fetch his brother, who was likewise a -giant, to take a meal off his flesh, and Jack saw with terror through -the bars of his prison the two giants approaching. - -Jack, perceiving in one corner of the room a strong cord, took courage, -and making a slipknot at each end, he threw them over their heads and -tied it to the window bars; he then pulled till he had choked them. When -they were black in the face he slid down the rope and quickly disposed -of them. - -Jack next took a great bunch of keys from the pocket of Blunderbore and -went into the castle again. He made a strict search through all the -rooms, and in one of them found three ladies tied up by the hair of -their heads and almost starved to death. They told him that their -husbands had been killed by the giants, who had then condemned them to -be starved to death, because they would not eat the flesh of the -captives he brought in. - -"Ladies," said Jack, "I have put an end to the monster and his wicked -brother, and I give you this castle and all the riches it contains, to -make some amends for the dreadful pains you have felt." He then very -politely gave them the keys of the castle and went farther on his -journey to Wales. - -As Jack had but little money he went on as fast as possible. At length -he came to a handsome house. Jack knocked at the door, when there came -forth a Welsh giant. Jack said he was a traveler who had lost his way, -on which the giant made him welcome and let him into a room where there -was a good bed to sleep in. - -Jack took off his clothes quickly, but though he was wear he could not -go to sleep. Soon after this he heard the giant walking backward and -forward in the next room and saying to himself: - - "Though here you lodge with me this night, - You shall not see the morning light; - My club shall dash your brains out quite." - -"Say you so?" thought Jack. "Are these your tricks upon travelers? But I -hope to prove as cunning as you are." Then, getting out of bed, he -groped about the room, and at last found a large thick billet of wood. -He laid it in his own place in the bed and then hid himself in a dark -corner of the room. - -The giant, about midnight, entered the apartment, and with his bludgeon -struck many blows on the bed, in the very place where Jack had laid the -log; and then he went back to his own room, thinking he had broken all -Jack's bones. - -Early in the morning Jack put a bold face upon the matter and walked -into the giant's room to thank him for his lodging. The giant started -when he saw him and began to stammer out: "Oh, dear me! Is it you? Pray -how did you sleep last night? Did you hear or see anything in the dead -of the night?" - -"Nothing worth speaking of," said Jack carelessly. "A rat, I believe, -gave me three or four slaps with its tail and disturbed me a little, but -I soon went to sleep again." - -The giant wondered more and more at this, yet he did not answer a word, -but went to bring two great bowls of hasty pudding for their breakfast. -Jack wanted to make the giant believe that he could eat as much as -himself, so he contrived to button a leathern bag inside his coat and -slip the hasty pudding into this bag, while he seemed to put it into his -mouth. - -When breakfast was over he said to the giant: "Now I will show you a -fine trick. I can cure all wounds with a touch. I could cut off my head -in one minute and the next put it sound again on my shoulders. You shall -see an example." He then took hold of the knife, ripped up the leathern -bag, and all the hasty pudding tumbled out upon the floor. - -"Ods splutter hur nails!" cried the Welsh giant, who was ashamed to be -outdone by such a little fellow as Jack, "hur can do that hurself." So -he snatched up the knife, plunged it into his own stomach, and in a -moment dropped down dead. - -Jack, having hitherto been successful in all his undertakings, resolved -not to be idle in future. He therefore furnished himself with a horse, a -cap of knowledge, a sword of sharpness, shoes of swiftness, and an -invisible coat, the better to perform the wonderful enterprises that lay -before him. - -He traveled over high hills, and on the third day he came to a large and -spacious forest through which his road lay. Scarcely had he entered the -forest when he beheld a monstrous giant dragging along by the hair of -their heads a handsome knight and his lady. Jack alighted from his -horse, and tying him to an oak tree, put on his invisible coat, under -which he carried his sword of sharpness. - -When he came up to the giant he made several strokes at him, but could -not reach his body, though he wounded his thighs in several places; and -at length putting both hands to his sword and aiming with all his -might, he cut off both his legs. Then Jack, setting his foot upon the -giant's neck, plunged his sword into the great body, when the monster -gave a groan and expired. - -[Illustration: "THE GIANT AND THE CONJURER NOW KNEW THAT THEIR WICKED -COURSE WAS AT AN END"] - -The knight and his lady thanked Jack for their deliverance and invited -him to their house, to receive a proper reward for his services. "No," -said Jack, "I cannot be easy till I find out this monster's habitation." -So taking the knight's directions, he mounted his horse and soon after -came in sight of another giant, who was sitting on a block of timber -waiting for his brother's return. - -Jack alighted from his horse and, putting on his invisible coat, -approached and aimed a blow at the giant's head, but missing his aim he -only cut off his nose. On this the giant seized his club and laid about -him most unmercifully. - -"Nay," said Jack, "if this be the case I'd better dispatch you!" So -jumping upon the block he stabbed him in the back, when he dropped down -dead. - -Jack then proceeded on his journey and traveled over hills and dales, -till arriving at the foot of a high mountain he knocked at the door of a -lonely house, when an old man let him in. - -When Jack was seated, the hermit thus addressed him: "My son, on the top -of this mountain is an enchanted castle, kept by the giant Galligantus -and a vile magician. I lament the fate of a duke's daughter, whom they -seized as she was walking in her father's garden and brought hither -transformed into a deer." - -Jack promised that in the morning, at the risk of his life, he would -break the enchantment, and after a sound sleep he arose early, put on -his invisible coat, and made ready for the attempt. - -When he had climbed to the top of the mountain he saw two fiery -griffins, but he passed between them without the least fear of danger, -for they could not see him because of his invisible coat. On the castle -gate he found a golden trumpet, under which were written these lines: - - "Whoever can this trumpet blow - Shall cause the giant's overthrow." - -As soon as Jack had read this he seized the trumpet and blew a shrill -blast, which made the gates fly open and the very castle itself tremble. - -The giant and the conjurer now knew that their wicked course was at an -end, and they stood biting their thumbs and shaking with fear. Jack, -with his sword of sharpness, soon killed the giant, and the magician was -then carried away by a whirlwind; and every knight and beautiful lady -who had been changed into birds and beasts returned to their proper -shapes. The castle vanished away like smoke, and the head of the giant -Galligantus was then sent to King Arthur. - -The knights and ladies rested that night at the old man's hermitage, and -next day they set out for the court. Jack then went up to the King and -gave his majesty an account of all his fierce battles. - -Jack's fame had now spread through the whole country, and at the King's -desire the duke gave him his daughter in marriage, to the joy of all his -kingdom. After this the King gave him a large estate, on which he and -his lady lived the rest of their days in joy and contentment. - - - - -_Yvon and Finette_ - -A TALE OF BRITTANY - - -I - -ONCE upon a time there lived in Brittany a noble lord, who was called -the Baron Kerver. His manor house was the most beautiful in the -province. It was a great Gothic castle, with a groined roof and walls, -covered with carving, that looked at a distance like a vine climbing -over an arbor. On the first floor six stained glass balcony windows -looked out on each side toward the rising and the setting sun. In the -morning when the Baron, mounted on his dun mare, went forth into the -forest, followed by his tall greyhounds, he saw at each window one of -his daughters, with prayer book in hand, praying for the house of -Kerver, and who, with their fair curls, blue eyes, and clasped hands, -might have been taken for six madonnas in an azure niche. At evening -when the sun declined and the Baron returned homeward, after riding -round his domains, he perceived from afar, in the windows looking toward -the west, six sons, with dark locks and eagle gaze, the hope and pride -of the family, who might have been taken for six sculptured knights at -the portal of a church. For ten leagues round all who wished to quote a -happy father and a powerful lord named the Baron Kerver. - -The castle had but twelve windows, and the Baron had thirteen children. -The last, the one that had no place, was a handsome boy of sixteen by -the name of Yvon. As usual, he was the best beloved. In the morning at -his departure, and at evening on his return, the Baron always found Yvon -waiting on the threshold to embrace him. With his fair hair falling to -his waist, his graceful figure, his willful air, and his bold bearing, -Yvon was beloved by all the Bretons. At twelve years of age he had -bravely attacked and killed a wolf with an ax, which had won him the -name of _Fearless_. He deserved the title, for never was there a bolder -heart. - -One day, when the Baron had stayed at home, and was amusing himself by -breaking a lance with his squire, Yvon entered the armory in a traveling -dress, and, bending one knee to the ground: - -"My lord and father," said he to the Baron, "I come to ask your -blessing. The house of Kerver is rich in knights, and has no need of a -child; it is time for me to go to seek my fortune. I wish to go to -distant countries to try my strength, and to make myself a name." - -"You are right, Fearless," replied the Baron, more moved than he wished -to appear. "I will not keep you back; I have no right to do so; but you -are very young, my child; perhaps it would be better for you to stay -another year with us." - -"I am sixteen, my father; at that age you had already fought one of the -proudest lords of the country. I have not forgotten that our arms are a -unicorn ripping up a lion, and our motto, "Onward!" I do not wish the -Kervers to blush for their last child." - -Yvon received his father's blessing, shook hands with his brothers, -embraced his sisters, bade adieu to all the weeping vassals, and set out -with a light heart. - -Nothing stopped him on his way. A river appeared, he swam it; a -mountain, he climbed it; a forest, he made his way through it with the -sun for a guide. "_On--the Kerver!_" he cried, whenever he met with an -obstacle, and went straight forward in spite of everything. - -For three years he had been roaming over the world in search of -adventures, sometimes conquering, sometimes conquered, always bold and -gay, when he received an offer to go to fight the heathen of Norway. To -kill unbelievers and to conquer a kingdom was a double pleasure. Yvon -enlisted twelve brave comrades, freighted a ship, and hoisted from the -mainmast a blue standard, with the unicorn and motto of the Kervers. - -The sea was calm, the wind fair, and the night serene. Yvon, stretched -on the deck, watched the stars, and sought the one which cast its -trembling light on his father's castle. All at once the vessel struck -upon a rock; a terrible crash was heard; the sails fell like tinder; and -an enormous wave burst over the deck, and swept away everything upon it. - -"_On--the Kerver!_" cried Yvon, as soon as his head appeared above the -water; and he began to swim as tranquilly as if he had been bathing in -the lake of the old castle. Happily the moon was rising. Yvon saw, at a -little distance, a black speck among the silvery waves--it was land. He -approached it, not without difficulty, and finally succeeded in gaining -a foothold. Dripping wet, exhausted with fatigue, and out of breath, he -dragged himself on the sand; then, without more anxiety, said his -prayers, and went to sleep. - - -II - -IN the morning, on awaking, Yvon tried to discover in what country he -had been cast. He saw in the distance a house as large as a church, with -windows fifty feet in height. He walked a whole day before reaching it, -and at last found himself in front of an immense door, with a knocker so -heavy that it was impossible for a man to lift it. - -Yvon took a great stone and began to knock. "Come in," cried a voice, -that sounded like the roar of a bull. At the same instant the door -opened, and the little Breton found himself in the presence of a giant -not less than forty feet in height. - -"What is your name, and what do you want here?" said the giant, taking -up Yvon between his thumb and finger, and lifting him from the ground so -as to see him better. - -"My name is Fearless, and I am seeking my fortune," answered Yvon, -looking at the monster with an air of defiance. - -"Well, brave Fearless, your fortune is made," said the giant, in a -mocking tone. "I am in need of a servant, and I will give you the place. -You can go to work directly. This is the time for leading my sheep to -the pasture; you may clean the stable while I am gone. I shall give you -nothing else to do," added he, bursting into a laugh. "You see that I am -a good master. Do your task, and, above all things, don't prowl about -the house, or it will cost you your life." - -"Certainly I have a good master; the work is not hard," thought Yvon, -when the giant was gone. "I have plenty of time to sweep the stable. -What shall I do meanwhile to amuse myself? Shall I look about the house? -Since I am forbidden to do so, it must be because there is something to -see." - -He entered the first room, and saw a large fireplace, in which a great -pot was hanging, suspended from a hook. The pot was boiling, but there -was no fire on the hearth. - -"What does this mean?" thought Yvon; "there is some mystery here." He -cut off a lock of his hair, dipped it into the pot, and took it out all -coated with copper. - -"Oh, oh!" cried he, "this is a new kind of soup; anybody that swallows -it must have an iron-clad stomach." - -He went into the next room; there also a pot was suspended from a hook, -and boiling without fire. Yvon dipped a lock of hair into it, and took -it out all coated with silver. - -"The broth is not so rich as this in the Kerver kitchen," thought he, -"but it may have a better taste." - -Upon this, he entered the third room. There also a pot was suspended -from a hook, and boiling without fire. Yvon dipped a lock of hair into -it, and took it out all coated with gold. It shone so brightly that it -might have been mistaken for a sunbeam. - -"Good!" cried he. "In our country the old women have a saying, -'Everything gets worse and worse'; here it is just the contrary, -everything gets better and better. What shall I find in the fourth room, -I wonder--diamond soup?" - -He pushed open the door, and saw something rarer than precious stones. -This was a young woman of such marvelous beauty that Yvon, dazzled, fell -on his knees at the sight. - -"Unfortunate youth!" cried she, in a trembling voice, "what are you -doing here?" - -"I belong to the house," answered Yvon; "the giant took me into his -service this morning." - -"His service!" repeated the young girl. "May Heaven preserve you from -it!" - -"Why so?" said Yvon. "I have a good master; the work is not hard. The -stable once swept, my task is finished." - -"Yes, and how will you set to work to sweep it?" asked the lady. "If you -sweep it in the usual way, for every forkful of dung that you throw out -of the door, ten will come in at the window. But I will tell you what to -do. Turn the fork and sweep with the handle, and the dung will instantly -fly out of itself." - -"I will obey," said Yvon; upon which he sat down by the young girl and -began to talk with her. She was the daughter of a fairy, whom the -wretched giant had made his slave. Friendship soon springs up between -companions in misfortune. Before the end of the day, Finette (for that -was the lady's name) and Yvon had already promised to belong to each -other, if they could escape from their abominable master. The difficulty -was to find the means. - -Time passes quickly in this kind of talk. Evening was approaching when -Finette sent away her new friend, advising him to sweep the stable -before the giant came home. - -Yvon took down the fork and attempted to use it as he had seen it done -at his father's castle. He soon had enough of it. In less than a second -there was so much dung in the stable that the poor boy knew not which -way to turn. He did as Finette had bid him; he turned the fork and swept -with the handle, when behold! in the twinkling of an eye, the stable was -as clean as if no cattle had ever entered it. - -The task finished, Yvon seated himself on a bench before the door of the -house. As soon as he saw the giant coming, he lolled back in his seat, -crossed his legs, and began to sing one of his native airs. - -"Have you cleaned the stable?" asked the giant, with a frown. - -"Everything is ready, master," answered Yvon, without troubling himself -to move. - -"I am going to see for myself," howled the giant. He entered the stable -grumbling, found everything in order, and came out furious. - -"You have seen my Finette," cried he; "this trick did not come from your -own head!" - -"What is myfinette?" asked Yvon, opening his mouth and shutting his -eyes. "Is it one of the animals that you have in this country? Show it -to me, master." - -"Hold your tongue, fool," replied the giant; "you will see her sooner -than you will want to." - -The next morning the giant gathered his sheep together to lead them to -the pasture; but, before setting out, he ordered Yvon to go in the -course of the day in search of his horse, which was turned out to graze -on the mountain. "After that," said he, bursting into a laugh, "you can -rest all day long. You see that I am a good master. Do your task; and, -above all things, don't prowl about the house, or I will cut off your -head." - -Yvon winked his eye as the giant left. "Yes, you are a good master," -said he between his teeth. "I understand your tricks; but, in spite of -your threats, I shall go into the house, and talk with your Finette. It -remains to be seen whether she will not be more mine than yours." - -He ran to the young girl's room. "Hurrah!" cried he; "I have nothing to -do all day but to go to the mountain after a horse." - -"Very well," said Finette; "how will you set to work to ride him?" - -"A fine question," returned Yvon. "As if it were a difficult thing to -ride a horse! I fancy that I have ridden worse ones than this." - -"It is not so easy as you think," replied Finette; "but I will tell you -what to do. Take the bit that hangs behind the stable door, and, when -the animal rushes toward you breathing fire and smoke from his nostrils, -force it straight between his teeth; he will instantly become as gentle -as a lamb, and you can do what you please with him." - -"I will obey," said Yvon; upon which he sat down by the side of Finette, -and began to talk with her. They talked of everything; but, however far -their fancy strayed, they always came back to the point that they were -promised to each other, and that they must escape from the giant. Time -passes quickly in this kind of talk. The evening drew nigh. Yvon had -forgotten the horse and the mountain, and Finette was obliged to send -him away, advising him to bring back the animal before his master's -arrival. - -Yvon took down the bit that was hidden behind the stable door, and -hastened to the mountain, when lo! a horse almost as large as an -elephant rushed toward him at full gallop, breathing fire and smoke from -his nostrils. Yvon firmly awaited the huge animal, and, the moment he -opened his enormous jaws, thrust between them the bit; when lo! the -horse instantly became as gentle as a lamb. Yvon made him kneel down, -sprang on his back, and tranquilly returned home. - -His task finished, Yvon seated himself on the bench before the door of -the house. As soon as he saw the giant coming, he lolled back in his -seat, crossed his legs, and began to sing one of his native airs. - -"Have you brought back the horse?" asked the giant with a frown. - -"Yes, master," answered Yvon, without taking the trouble to move. "He is -a fine animal, and does you credit. He is gentle, well trained, and as -quiet as a lamb. He is feeding yonder in the stable." - -"I am going to see for myself!" howled the giant. He entered the stable -grumbling, found everything in order, and came out furious. - -"You have seen my Finette," said he; "this trick did not come from your -own head." - -"Oh, master," returned Yvon, opening his mouth and shutting his eyes, -"it is the same story over again. What is this myfinette? Once for all, -show me this monster." - -"Hold your tongue, fool," returned the giant; "you will see her sooner -than you will want to." - -The third day at dawn the giant gathered his sheep together to lead them -to the pasture; but, before setting out, he said to Yvon: - -"To-day you must go to the bottomless pit to collect my rent. After -that," continued he, bursting into a laugh, "you may rest all day long. -You see that I am a good master." - -"A good master, so be it," murmured Yvon, "but the task is none the less -hard. I will go and see my Finette, as the giant says; I have great need -of her help to get through to-day's business." - -When Finette had learned what was the task of the day, "Well," said she, -"how will you go to work to do it?" - -"I don't know," said Yvon sadly; "I have never been to the bottomless -pit, and, even if I knew the way there, I should not know what to ask -for. Tell me what to do." - -"Do you see that great rock yonder?" said Finette; "that is one of the -gates of the bottomless pit. Take this stick, knock three times on the -stone, and a demon will come out all streaming with flames, who will ask -you how much you want. Take care to answer, 'No more than I can carry.'" - -"I will obey," said Yvon; upon which he took a seat by the side of -Finette, and began to talk with her. He would have been there till this -time if the young girl had not sent him to the great rock, when the -evening drew nigh, to execute the giant's commands. - -On reaching the spot pointed out to him, Yvon found a great block of -granite. He struck it three times with the stick, when lo! the rock -opened, and a demon came forth all streaming with flames. - -"What do you want?" he cried. - -"I have come for the giant's rent," answered Yvon calmly. - -"How much do you want?" - -"I never want any more than I can carry," replied the Breton. - -"It is well for you that you do not," returned the man in flames. "Enter -this cavern, and you will find what you want." - -Yvon entered, and opened his eyes wide. Everywhere he saw nothing but -gold, silver, diamonds, carbuncles, and emeralds. They were as numerous -as the sands on the seashore. The young Kerver filled a sack, threw it -across his shoulder, and tranquilly returned home. - -His task finished, our Breton seated himself on the bench before the -door of the house. As soon as he saw the giant coming, he lolled back in -his seat, crossed his legs, and began to sing one of his native airs. - -"Have you been to the bottomless pit to collect my rent?" asked the -giant, with a frown. - -"Yes, master," answered Yvon, without taking the trouble to stir. "The -sack is there right before your eyes; you can count it." - -"I am going to see for myself!" howled the giant. He untied the strings -of the sack, which was so full that the gold and silver rolled in all -directions. - -"You have seen my Finette," he cried; "this trick did not come from your -own head." - -"Don't you know but one song," said Yvon, opening his mouth and shutting -his eyes. "It is the old story, myfinette, myfinette. Once for all, show -me this thing." - -"Well, well," roared the giant with fury, "wait till to-morrow, and you -shall make her acquaintance!" - -"Thank you, master," said Yvon. "It is very good of you; but I see from -your face that you are laughing at me." - - -III - -THE next morning the giant went out without giving Yvon any orders, -which troubled Finette. At noon he returned without his flock, -complaining of the heat and fatigue, and said to the young girl: - -"You will find a child, my servant, at the door. Cut his throat, put him -into the great pot to boil, and call me when the broth is ready." Saying -this he stretched himself on the bed to take a nap, and was soon snoring -so loud that it seemed like thunder shaking the mountains. - -Finette prepared a log of wood, took a large knife, and called Yvon. She -pricked his little finger; three drops of blood fell on the log. - -"That is enough," said Finette; "now help me to fill the pot." - -They threw into it all that they could find--old clothes, old shoes, old -carpets, and everything else. Finette then took Yvon by the hand, and -led him through the three antechambers, where she ran in a mold three -bullets of gold, two bullets of silver, and one bullet of copper, after -which they quitted the house and ran toward the sea. - -"_On--the Kerver!_" cried Yvon, as soon as he saw himself in the -country. "Explain yourself, dear Finette; what farce are we playing -now?" - -"Let us run--let us run!" she cried; "if we do not quit this wretched -island before night, it is all over with us." - -"_On--the Kerver!_" replied Yvon laughing, "and down with the giant!" - -When he had snored a full hour, the giant stretched his limbs, half -opened one eye, and cried, "Is it ready?" - -"It is just beginning to boil," answered the first drop of blood on the -log. - -The giant turned over, and snored louder than ever for an hour or two -longer. Then he stretched his limbs, half opened one eye, and cried out, -"Do you hear me? Is it almost ready?" - -"It is half done," answered the second drop of blood on the log. - -The giant turned over, and slept an hour longer. Then he yawned, -stretched his great limbs, and cried out impatiently, "Isn't it ready -yet?" - -"It is ready now," answered the third drop of blood on the log. - -The giant sat up in bed, rubbed his eyes, and looked around to see who -had spoken; but it was in vain to look; he saw nobody. - -"Finette!" howled he, "why isn't the table set?" - -There was no answer. The giant, furious, sprang out of bed, seized a -ladle, which looked like a caldron with a pitchfork for a handle, and -plunged it into the pot to taste the soup. - -"Finette!" howled he, "you haven't salted it. What sort of a soup is -this? I see neither meat nor vegetables." - -No; but, in return, he saw his carpet, which had not quite all boiled to -pieces. At this sight he fell into such a fit of rage that he could not -keep his feet. - -"Villains!" said he, "you have played a fine trick on me; but you shall -pay for it!" - -He rushed out with a stick in his hand, and strode along at such a rate -that in a quarter of an hour he discovered the two fugitives still far -from the seashore. He uttered such a cry of joy that the earth shook for -twelve leagues around. - -Finette stopped, trembling. Yvon clasped her to his heart. - -"_On--the Kerver!_" said he; "the sea is not far off; we shall be there -before our enemy." - -"Here he is! here he is!" cried Finette, pointing to the giant not a -hundred yards off; "we are lost if this charm does not save us." - -She took the copper bullet and threw it on the ground, saying: - - "Copper bullet, save us, pray, - Stop the giant on his way." - -And behold, the earth cracked apart with a terrific noise, and an -enormous fissure, a bottomless pit, stopped the giant just as he was -stretching out his hand to seize his prey. - -"Let us fly!" cried Finette, grasping the arm of Yvon, who was gazing at -the giant with a swaggering air, defying him to come on. - -The giant ran backward and forward along the abyss like a bear in his -cage, seeking a passage everywhere and finding none; then, with a -furious jerk, he tore up an immense oak by the roots, and flung it -across the gap. The branches of the oak nearly crushed the children as -it fell. The giant seated himself astride the huge tree, which bent -under his weight, and crept slowly along, suspended between heaven and -earth, entangled as he was among the branches. When he reached the other -side, Yvon and Finette were already on the shore with the sea rolling -before them. - -Alas! there was neither bark nor ship. The fugitives were lost. Yvon, -always brave, picked up stones to attack the giant, and to sell his life -dearly. Finette, trembling with fear, threw one of the silver bullets -into the sea, saying: - - "Silver bullet, bright and pliant, - Save us from this frightful giant." - -Scarcely had she spoken the magic words when a beautiful ship rose from -the waves like a swan spreading its white wings. Yvon and Finette -plunged into the sea; a rope was thrown them by an invisible hand; and -when the furious giant reached the shore, the ship was receding rapidly -at full sail, leaving behind it a long furrow of shining foam. - -Giants do not like the water. This fact is certified to by old Homer, -who knew Polyphemus; and the same observation will be found in all -natural histories worthy of the name. Finette's master resembled -Polyphemus. He roared with rage when he saw his slaves about to escape -him. He ran hesitatingly along the shore; he flung huge masses of rock -after the vessel, which happily fell by the side of it, and only made -great black holes in the water; and, finally, mad with anger he plunged -head foremost into the sea, and began to swim after the ship with -frightful speed. At each stroke he advanced forty feet, blowing like a -whale, and like a whale cleaving the waves. By degrees he gained on his -enemies; one more effort would bring him within reach of the rudder, and -already he was stretching out his arm to seize it, when Finette threw -the second silver bullet into the sea, and cried, in tears: - - "Silver bullet, bright and pliant, - Save us from this frightful giant." - -Suddenly from the midst of the foam darted forth a gigantic swordfish, -with a sword at least twenty feet in length. It rushed straight toward -the giant, who scarcely had time to dive, chased him under the water, -pursued him on the top of the waves, followed him closely whichever way -he turned, and forced him to flee as fast as he could to his island, -where he finally landed with the greatest difficulty, and fell upon the -shore dripping, worn out, and conquered. - -"_On--the Kerver!_" cried Yvon, "we are saved!" - -"Not yet," said Finette, trembling. "The giant has a witch for a -godmother, I fear that she will revenge on me the insult offered to her -godson. My art tells me, my dear Yvon, that if you quit me a single -instant until you give me your name in the chapel of the Kervers, I have -everything to dread." - -[Illustration: "HE FLUNG HUGE MASSES OF ROCK AFTER THE VESSEL"] - -"By the unicorn of my ancestors," cried Yvon, "you have the heart of a -hare and not of a hero! Am I not here? Am I going to abandon you? Do you -believe that Providence has saved us from the fangs of that monster to -wreck us in port?" - -He laughed so gayly that Finette laughed in turn at the terror that had -seized her. - - -IV - -THE rest of the voyage passed off admirably. An invisible hand seemed to -impel the ship onward. Twenty days after their departure the boat landed -Yvon and Finette near Kerver Castle. Once on shore, Yvon turned to thank -the crew. No one was there. Both boat and ship had vanished under the -waves, leaving no trace behind but a gull on the wing. - -Yvon recognized the spot where he had so often gathered shells and -chased the crabs to their holes when a child. Half an hour's walk would -bring him in sight of the towers of the old castle. His heart beat; he -looked tenderly at Finette, and saw, for the first time, that her dress -was fantastic and unworthy of a woman about to enter the noble house of -Kerver. - -"My dear child," said he, "the Baron, my father, is a noble lord, -accustomed to be treated with respect. I cannot introduce you to him in -this gypsy dress; neither is it fitting that you should enter our great -castle on foot like a peasant. Wait for me a few moments, and I will -bring you a horse and one of my sister's dresses. I wish you to be -received like a lady of high degree. I wish my father himself to meet -you on your arrival, and hold it an honor to give you his hand." - -"Yvon, Yvon!" cried Finette, "do not quit me, I beg you. Once returned -to your castle, I know that you will forget me." - -"Forget you!" exclaimed Yvon. "If anyone else were to offer me such an -insult, I would teach him with my sword to suspect a Kerver. Forget -you, my Finette! you do not know the fidelity of a Breton." - -That the Bretons are faithful, no one doubts; but that they are still -more headstrong is a justice that none will deny them. It was useless -for poor Finette to plead in her most loving tones; she was forced to -yield. She resigned herself with a heavy heart, and said to Yvon: - -"Go without me, then, to your castle, but only stay long enough to speak -to your friends; then go straight to the stable, and return as soon as -possible. You will be surrounded by people; act as if you saw no one, -and, above all, do not eat or drink anything whatever. Should you take -only a glass of water, evil would come upon us both." - -Yvon promised and swore all that Finette asked, but he smiled in his -heart at this feminine weakness. He was sure of himself; and he thought -with pride how different a Breton was from those fickle Frenchmen, whose -words, they say, are borne away by the first breath of the wind. - -On entering the old castle he could scarcely recognize its dark walls. -All the windows were festooned with leaves and flowers within and -without; the courtyard was strewn with fragrant grass; on one side were -spread tables groaning under their weight; on the other, musicians, -mounted on casks, were playing merry airs. The vassals, dressed in their -holiday attire, were singing and dancing, and dancing and singing. It -was a day of great rejoicing at the castle. The Baron himself was -smiling. It is true that he had just married his fifth daughter to the -Knight of Kervalec. This marriage added another quartering to the -illustrious escutcheon of the Kervers. - -Yvon, recognized and welcomed by all the crowd, was instantly surrounded -by his relatives, who embraced him and shook him by the hand. Where had -he been? Where did he come from? Had he conquered a kingdom, a duchy, or -a barony? Had he brought the bride the jewels of some queen? Had the -fairies protected him? How many rivals had he overthrown? All these -questions were showered upon him without reply. Yvon respectfully -kissed his father's hand, hastened to his sisters' chamber, took two of -their finest dresses, went to the stable, saddled a pony, mounted a -beautiful Spanish jennet, and was about to quit the castle, when he -found his relatives, friends, squires, and vassals all standing in his -way, their glasses in their hands, ready to drink their young lord's -health and his safe return. - -Yvon gracefully thanked them, bowed, and made his way by degrees through -the crowd, when, just as he was about to cross the drawbridge, a -fair-haired lady, with a haughty and disdainful air, a stranger to him, -a sister of the bridegroom, perhaps, approached him, holding a -pomegranate in her hand. - -"My handsome knight," said she, with a singular smile, "you surely will -not refuse a lady's first request. Taste this pomegranate, I entreat -you. If you are neither hungry nor thirsty after so long a journey, I -suppose at least that you have not forgotten the laws of politeness." - -Yvon dared not refuse this appeal. He was very wrong. Scarcely had he -tasted the pomegranate when he looked round him like a man waking from a -dream. - -"What am I doing on this horse?" thought he. "What means this pony that -I am leading? Is not my place in my father's house at my sister's -wedding? Why should I quit the castle?" - -He threw the bridle to one of the grooms, leaped lightly to the ground, -and offered his hand to the fair-haired lady, who accepted him as her -attendant on the spot, and gave him her bouquet to hold as a special -mark of favor. - -Before the evening was over there was another betrothed couple in the -castle. Yvon had pledged his faith to the unknown lady, and Finette was -forgotten. - - -V - -POOR Finette, seated on the seashore, waited all day long for Yvon, but -Yvon did not come. The sun was setting in the fiery waves, when Finette -rose, sighing, and took the way to the castle in her turn. She had not -walked long in a steep road, bordered with thorn trees in blossom, when -she found herself in front of a wretched hut, at the door of which stood -an old woman about to milk her cow. Finette approached her, and, making -a low courtesy, begged a shelter for the night. - -The old woman looked at the stranger from head to foot. With her buskins -trimmed with fur, her full red petticoat, her blue jacket edged with -jet, and her diadem, Finette looked more like an Egyptian princess than -a Christian. The old woman frowned, and, shaking her fist in the face of -the poor forsaken girl, "Begone, witch!" she cried; "there is no room -for you in this honest house." - -"My good mother," said Finette, "give me only a corner of the stable." - -"Oh," said the old woman, laughing, and showing the only tooth she had -left, which projected from her mouth like a bear's tusk, "so you want a -corner of the stable, do you! Well, you shall have it, if you will fill -my milk pail with gold." - -"It is a bargain," said Finette quietly. She opened a leather purse -which she wore at her belt, took from it a golden bullet, and threw it -into the milk pail, saying: - - "Golden bullet, precious treasure, - Save me, if it be thy pleasure." - -And behold! the pieces of gold began to dance about in the pail; they -rose higher and higher, flapping about like fish in a net, while the old -woman on her knees gazed with wonder at the sight. - -When the pail was full the old woman rose, put her arm through the -handle, and said to Finette, "Madam, all is yours, the house, the cow, -and everything else. Hurrah! I am going to the town to live like a lady -with nothing to do. Oh, dear, how I wish I were only sixty!" And, -shaking her crutch, without looking backward, she set out on a run -toward Kerver Castle. - -Finette entered the house. It was a wretched hovel, dark, low, damp, -bad-smelling, and full of dust and spiders' webs--a horrible refuge for -a woman accustomed to living in the giant's grand castle. Without -seeming troubled, Finette went to the hearth, on which a few green -boughs were smoking, took another golden bullet from her purse, and -threw it into the fire, saying: - - "Golden bullet, precious treasure, - Save me, if it be thy pleasure." - -The gold melted, bubbled up, and spread all over the house like running -water, and behold! the whole cottage, the walls, the thatch, the wooden -rocking chair, the stool, the chest, the bed, the cow's horns, -everything, even to the spiders in their webs, was turned to gold. The -house gleamed in the moonlight, among the trees, like a star in the -night. - -When Finette had milked the cow and drunk a little new milk, she threw -herself on the bed without undressing, and, worn out by the fatigue of -the day, fell asleep in the midst of her tears. - -Old women do not know how to hold their tongues, at least in Brittany. -Finette's hostess had scarcely reached the village when she hastened to -the house of the steward. He was an important personage, who had more -than once made her tremble when she had driven her cow into her -neighbor's pasture by mistake. The steward listened to the old woman's -story, shook his head, and said that it looked like witchcraft; then he -mysteriously brought a pair of scales, weighed the guineas, which he -found to be genuine and of full weight, kept as many of them as he -could, and advised the owner to tell no one of this strange adventure. -"If it should come to the ears of the bailiff or the seneschal," said -he, "the least that would happen to you, mother, would be to lose every -one of these beautiful bright guineas. Justice is impartial; it knows -neither favor nor repugnance; it takes the whole." - -The old woman thanked the steward for his advice, and promised to follow -it. She kept her word so well that she only told her story that evening -to two neighbors, her dearest friends, both of whom swore on the heads -of their little children to keep it secret. The oath was a solemn one, -and so well kept that at noon the next day there was not a boy of six in -the village that did not point his finger at the old woman, while the -very dogs seemed to bark in their language, "Here is the old woman with -her guineas!" - -A girl who amuses herself by filling milk-pails with gold is not to be -found every day. Even though she should be something of a witch, such a -girl would none the less be a treasure in a family. The steward, who was -a bachelor, made this wise reflection that night on going to bed. Before -dawn he rose to make his rounds in the direction of the stranger's -cottage. By the first gleam of day he spied something shining in the -distance like a light among the woods. On reaching the place he was -greatly surprised to find a golden cottage instead of the wretched hut -that had stood there the day before. But, on entering the house, he was -much more surprised and delighted to find a beautiful young girl, with -raven hair, sitting by the window, and spinning on her distaff with the -air of an empress. - -Like all men the steward did himself justice, and knew, at the bottom of -his heart, that there was not a woman in the world that would not be too -happy to give him her hand. Without hesitating therefore he declared to -Finette that he had come to marry her. The young girl burst out -laughing, upon which the steward flew into a passion. - -"Take care!" said he, in a terrible voice; "I am the master here. No one -knows who you are or whence you came. The gold that you gave the old -woman has raised suspicions. There is magic in this house. If you do not -accept me for a husband this very instant I will arrest you, and before -night perhaps a witch will be burned before Kerver Castle." - -"You are very amiable," said Finette, with a charming grimace; "you have -a peculiar way of paying court to ladies. Even when they have decided -not to refuse, a gallant man spares their blushes." - -"We Bretons are plain-spoken people," replied the steward; "we go -straight to the point. Marriage or prison, which do you choose?" - -"Oh!" cried Finette, laying down the distaff, "there are the firebrands -falling all over the room." - -"Don't trouble yourself," said the steward, "I will pick them up." - -"Lay them carefully on the top of the ashes," returned Finette. "Have -you the tongs?" - -"Yes," said the steward, picking up the crackling coals. - -"_Abracadabra!_" cried Finette, rising. "Villain, may the tongs hold -you, and may you hold the tongs till sunset!" - -No sooner said than done. The wicked steward stood there all day with -the tongs in his hand, picking up and throwing back the burning coals -that snapped in his face, and the hot ashes that flew into his eyes. It -was useless for him to shout, pray, weep, and blaspheme; no one heard -him. If Finette had stayed at home she would doubtless have taken pity -on him; but, after putting the spell upon him she hastened to the -seashore, where, forgetting everything else, she watched for Yvon in -vain. - -The moment that the sun set the tongs fell from the steward's hands. He -did not stop to finish his errand, but ran as if the devil or justice -were at his heels. He made such leaps, he uttered such groans, he was so -blackened, scorched, and benumbed, that everyone in the village was -afraid of him, thinking that he was mad. The boldest tried to speak to -him, but he fled without answering, and hid himself in his house, more -ashamed than a wolf that has left his paw in the trap. - -At evening, when Finette returned home in despair, instead of the -steward she found another visitor little less formidable. The bailiff -had heard the story of the guineas, and had also made up his mind to -marry the stranger. He was not rough like the steward, but a fat, -good-natured man who could not speak without bursting into a laugh, -showing his great yellow teeth, and puffing and blowing like an ox, -though at heart he was not less obstinate or less threatening than his -predecessor. Finette entreated the bailiff to leave her alone. He -laughed and hinted to her in a good-natured way that, by right of his -office, he had the power to imprison and hang people without process of -law. She clasped her hands, and begged him with tears to go. For his -only answer he took a roll of parchment from his pocket, wrote on it a -contract of marriage, and declared to Finette that should he stay all -night he would not leave the house till she had signed the promise. - -"Nevertheless," said he, "if you do not like my person I have another -parchment here on which I will write an agreement to live apart; and if -my sight annoys you, you have only to shut your eyes." - -"Why," said Finette, "I might decide to do as you wish if I were sure of -finding a good husband in you; but I am afraid." - -"Of what, my dear child?" asked the bailiff, smiling, and already as -proud as a peacock. - -"Do you think," said she, with a pettish air, "that a good husband would -leave that door wide open, and not know that his wife was freezing with -cold?" - -"You are right, my dear," said the bailiff; "it was very stupid in me. I -will go and shut it." - -"Have you hold of the knob?" asked Finette. - -"Yes, my charmer," answered the happy bailiff; "I am just shutting the -door." - -"_Abracadabra!_" cried Finette. "May you hold the door, villain, and may -the door hold you till daybreak." - -And behold, the door opened and shut, and slammed against the walls like -an eagle flapping its wings. You may judge what a dance the poor captive -kept up all night. Never had he tried such a waltz, and I imagine that -he never wished to dance a second one of the same sort. Sometimes the -door swung open with him in the street; sometimes it flew back and -crushed him against the wall. He swung backward and forward, screaming, -swearing, weeping, and praying, but all in vain; the door was deaf, and -Finette asleep. - -At daybreak his hands unclasped, and he fell in the road head foremost. -Without waiting to finish his errand he ran as if the Moors were after -him. He did not even turn around for fear that the door might be at his -heels. Fortunately for him all were still asleep when he reached the -village, and he could hide himself in bed without anyone seeing his -deplorable plight. This was a great piece of good fortune for him for he -was covered with whitewash from head to foot, and so pale, haggard, and -trembling that he might have been taken for the ghost of a miller -escaped from the infernal regions. - -When Finette opened her eyes she saw by her bedside a tall man dressed -in black, with a velvet cap and a sword. It was the seneschal of the -barony of Kerver. He stood with his arms folded, gazing at Finette in a -way that chilled the very marrow of her bones. - -"What is your name, vassal?" said he in a voice of thunder. - -"Finette, at your service, my lord," replied she, trembling. - -"Is this house and furniture yours?" - -"Yes, my lord, everything, at your service." - -"I mean that it shall be at my service," returned the seneschal sternly. -"Rise, vassal! I do you the honor to marry you, and to take yourself, -your person, and your property under my guardianship." - -"My lord," returned Finette, "this is much too great an honor for a poor -girl like me, a stranger, without friends or kindred." - -"Be silent, vassal!" replied the seneschal. "I am your lord and master; -I have nothing to do with your advice. Sign this paper." - -"My lord," said Finette, "I don't know how to write." - -"Do you think that I do, either?" returned the seneschal, in a voice -that shook the house. "Do you take me for a clerk? A cross--that is the -signature of gentlemen." - -He made a large cross on the paper, and handed the pen to Finette. - -"Sign," said he. "If you are afraid to make a cross, infidel, you pass -your own death sentence, and I shall take on myself to execute it." He -drew his heavy sword from the scabbard as he spoke, and threw it on the -table. - -For her only answer, Finette leaped out of the window, and ran to the -stable. The seneschal pursued her thither; but, on attempting to enter -an unexpected obstacle stopped him. The frightened cow had backed at the -sight of the young girl, and stood in the doorway with Finette clinging -to her horns, and making of her a sort of buckler. - -"You shall not escape me, sorceress!" cried the seneschal, and, with a -grasp like that of Hercules, he seized the cow by the tail and dragged -her out of the stable. - -"_Abracadabra!_" cried Finette. "May the cow's tail hold you, villain, -and may you hold the cow's tail till you have both been around the world -together." - -And behold! the cow darted off like lightning, dragging the unhappy -seneschal after her. Nothing stopped the two inseparable comrades; they -rushed over mountains and valleys, crossed marshes, rivers, quagmires, -and brakes, glided over the seas without sinking, were frozen in Siberia -and scorched in Africa, climbed the Himalayas, descended Mont Blanc, and -at length after thirty-six hours of a journey, the like of which had -never been seen, both stopped out of breath in the public square of the -village. - -A seneschal harnessed to a cow's tail is a sight not to be seen every -day, and all the peasants in the neighborhood crowded together to wonder -at the spectacle. But, torn as he was by the cactuses of Barbary and the -thickets of Tartary, the seneschal had lost nothing of his haughty air. -With a threatening gesture he dispersed the rabble, and limped to his -house to taste the repose of which he began to feel the need. - - -VI - -WHILE the steward, the bailiff, and the seneschal were experiencing -these little unpleasantnesses, of which they did not think it proper to -boast, preparations were being made for a great event at Kerver Castle, -namely, the marriage of Yvon and the fair-haired lady. Two days had -passed in these preparations, and all the friends of the family had -gathered together for twenty leagues round, when one fine morning Yvon -and his bride, with the Baron and Baroness Kerver, took their seats in a -great carriage adorned with flowers, and set out for the celebrated -church of St. Maclou. - -A hundred knights, in full armor, mounted on horses decked with ribbons, -rode on each side of the betrothed couple, each with his visor raised -and his lance at rest in token of honor. By the side of each baron, a -squire, also on horseback, carried the seigniorial banner. At the head -of the procession rode the seneschal with a gilded staff in his hand. -Behind the carriage gravely walked the bailiff, followed by the vassals, -while the steward railed at the serfs, a noisy and curious rabble. - -As they were crossing a brook a league from the castle, one of the -traces of the carriage broke, and they were forced to stop. The accident -repaired, the coachman cracked his whip, and the horses started with -such force that the new trace broke in three pieces. Six times this -provoking piece of wood was replaced, and six times it broke anew -without drawing the carriage from the hole where it was wedged. - -Everyone had a word of advice to offer; even the peasants, as -wheelwrights and carpenters, were not the last to make a show of their -knowledge. This gave the steward courage; he approached the Baron, took -off his cap, and, scratching his head: - -"My lord," said he, "in the house that you see shining yonder among the -trees there lives a woman who does things such as nobody else can do. -Only persuade her to lend you her tongs, and, in my humble opinion, they -will hold till morning." - -The Baron made a sign, and ten peasants ran to the cottage of Finette, -who very obligingly lent them her gold tongs. They were put in the place -of the trace; the coachman cracked his whip, and off went the carriage -like a feather. - -Everyone rejoiced, but the joy did not last long. A hundred steps -farther, lo! the bottom of the carriage gave way; little more and the -noble Kerver family would have sunk quite out of sight. The wheelwrights -and the carpenters set to work at once; they sawed planks, nailed them -down fast, and in the twinkling of an eye repaired the accident. The -coachman cracked his whip, and the horses started, when behold! half of -the carriage was left behind; the Baroness Kerver sat motionless by the -side of the bride, while Yvon and the Baron were carried off at full -gallop. Here was a new difficulty. Three times was the carriage mended; -three times it broke anew. There was every reason to believe that it was -enchanted. - -Everyone had a word of advice to offer. This gave the bailiff courage. -He approached the Baron, and said in a low tone: - -"My lord, in the house that you see shining yonder among the trees, -there lives a woman who does things such as nobody else can do. Only -persuade her to lend you her door for the bottom of the carriage, and, -in my opinion, it will hold till morning." - -The Baron made a sign, and twenty peasants ran to the cottage of -Finette, who very obligingly lent them her gold door. They put it in the -bottom of the carriage where it fitted as if it had been made expressly -for it. The party took their seats in the carriage, the coachman cracked -his whip, the church was in sight, and all the troubles of the journey -seemed ended. - -Not at all! Suddenly the horses stopped, and refused to draw. There were -four of them. Six, eight, ten, twenty-four more were put to the -carriage, but all in vain; it was impossible to stir them. The more they -were whipped the deeper the wheels sunk into the ground like the colter -of a plow. - -What were they to do? To go on foot would have been a disgrace. To mount -a horse and ride to the church like simple peasants, was not the custom -of the Kervers. They tried to lift the carriage, they pushed the -wheels, they shook it, they pulled it, but all in vain. Meanwhile the -day was declining, and the hour for the marriage had passed. - -Everyone had a word of advice to offer. This gave the seneschal courage. -He approached the Baron, alighted from his horse, raised his velvet cap, -and said: - -"My lord, in the house that you see shining yonder among the trees, -there lives a woman who does things such as nobody else can do. Only -persuade her to lend you her cow to draw the carriage, and, in my -opinion, she will draw it till morning." - -The Baron made a sign, and thirty peasants ran to the cottage of -Finette, who very obligingly lent them her golden-horned cow. - -To go to church drawn by a cow was not, perhaps, what the ambitious -bride had dreamed of, but it was better than to remain unmarried in the -road. The heifer was harnessed therefore before the horses, and -everybody looked on anxiously to see what this boasted animal was -capable of doing. - -But before the coachman had time to crack his whip, lo! the cow started -off as if she were about to go around the world anew. Horses, carriage, -Baron, betrothed, coachman, all were hurried away by the furious animal. -In vain the knights spurred their horses to follow the pair; in vain the -peasants ran at full speed, taking the crossroad and cutting across the -meadows. The carriage flew as if it had wings; a pigeon could not have -followed it. - -On reaching the door of the church the party, a little disturbed by this -rapid journey, would not have been sorry to alight. Everything was ready -for the ceremony, and the bridal pair had long been expected; but, -instead of stopping, the cow redoubled her speed. Thirteen times she ran -round the church like lightning, then suddenly made her way in a -straight line across the fields to the castle with such force that the -whole party were almost shaken to pieces before their arrival. - - -VII - -NO more marriage was to be thought of for that day; but the tables were -set and the dinner served, and the Baron Kerver was too noble a knight -to take leave of his brave Bretons until they had eaten and drunk -according to custom--that is, from sunset till sunrise, and even a -little later. - -Orders were given for the guests to take their seats. Ninety-six tables -were ranged in eight rows. In front of them, on a large platform covered -with velvet, with a canopy in the middle, was a table larger than the -rest, and loaded with fruit and flowers, to say nothing of the roast -hares and the peacocks smoking beneath their plumage. At this table the -bridal pair were to have been seated in full sight in order that nothing -might be lacking to the pleasures of the feast, and that the meanest -peasant might have the honor of saluting them by emptying his cup of -hydromel to the honor and prosperity of the high and mighty house of -Kerver. - -The Baron seated the hundred knights at his table, and placed their -squires behind their chairs to serve them. At his right he put the bride -and Yvon, but he left the seat at his left vacant, and, calling a page, -"Child," said he, "run to the house of the stranger lady who obliged us -only too much this morning. It was not her fault if her success exceeded -her good will. Tell her that the Baron Kerver thanks her for her help, -and invites her to the wedding feast of his son Lord Yvon." - -On reaching the golden house, where Finette in tears was mourning for -her beloved, the page bent one knee to the ground, and, in the Baron's -name, invited the stranger lady to the castle to do honor to the wedding -of Lord Yvon. - -"Thank your master for me," answered the young girl proudly, "and tell -him that if he is too noble to come to my house I am too noble to go to -his." - -When the page repeated this answer to his master the Baron Kerver struck -the table such a blow that three plates flew into the air. - -"By my honor," said he, "this is spoken like a lady, and, for the first -time, I own myself beaten. Quick, saddle my dun mare, and let my knights -and squires prepare to attend me." - -It was with this brilliant train that the Baron alighted at the door of -the golden cottage. He begged Finette's pardon, held the stirrup for -her, and seated her behind him on his own horse, neither more nor less -than a duchess in person. Through respect he did not speak a single word -to her on the way. On reaching the castle, he uncovered his head and led -her to the seat of honor that he had chosen for her. - -The Baron's departure had made a great excitement, and his return caused -still greater surprise. Everyone asked who the lady could be that the -Baron treated with such respect. Judging from her costume she was a -foreigner; could she be the Duchess of Normandy or the Queen of France? -The steward, the bailiff, and the seneschal were appealed to. The -steward trembled, the bailiff turned pale, and the seneschal blushed, -but all three were as mute as fishes. The silence of these important -personages added to the general wonder. - -All eyes were fixed on Finette, who felt a deadly chill at her heart, -for Yvon saw but did not know her. He cast an indifferent glance at her, -then began again to talk in a tender tone to the fair-haired lady, who -smiled disdainfully. - -Finette, in despair, took from the purse the golden bullet, her last -hope. While talking with the Baron, who was charmed with her wit, she -shook the little ball in her hand, and repeated in a whisper: - - "Golden bullet, precious treasure, - Save me, if it be thy pleasure." - -And behold, the bullet grew larger and larger until it became a goblet -of chased gold, the most beautiful cup that ever graced the table of -baron or king. - -Finette filled the cup herself with spiced wine, and calling the -seneschal, who was cowering behind her, she said in her gentlest tones, -"My good seneschal, I entreat you to offer this goblet to Lord Yvon. I -wish to drink his health, and I am sure that he will not refuse me this -pleasure." - -Yvon took the goblet, which the seneschal presented to him on a salver -of enamel and gold, with a careless hand, bowed to the stranger, drank -the wine, and, setting the cup on the table before him, turned to the -fair-haired lady who occupied all his thoughts. The lady seemed anxious -and vexed. He whispered a few words in her ear that seemed to please -her, for her eyes sparkled, and she placed her hand again in his. - -Finette cast down her head and began to weep. All was over. - -"Children," cried the Baron, in a voice of thunder, "fill your glasses. -Let us all drink to the noble stranger who honors us with her presence. -'To the lovely lady of the golden cottage!'" - -All began to huzzah and drink. Yvon contented himself with raising his -goblet to a level with his eyes. Suddenly he started and stood mute, his -mouth open and his eyes fixed, like a man who has a vision. - -It was a vision. In the gold of the goblet Yvon saw his past life as in -a mirror: the giant pursuing him; Finette dragging him along; both -embarking in the ship that saved them; both landing on the shore of -Brittany; he quitting her for an instant; she weeping at his departure. -Where was she? By his side, of course. What other woman than Finette -could be by the side of Yvon? - -He turned toward the fair-haired lady, and cried out like a man treading -on a serpent. Then, staggering as if he were drunk, he rose and looked -around him with haggard eyes. At the sight of Finette he clasped his -trembling hands, and, dragging himself toward her, fell on his knees and -exclaimed, "Finette, forgive me!" - -To forgive is the height of happiness. Before evening Finette was seated -by the side of Yvon, both weeping and smiling. - -And what became of the fair-haired lady? No one knows. At the cry of -Yvon she disappeared; but it was said that a wretched old hag was seen -flying on a broomstick over the castle walls, chased by the dogs; and it -was the common opinion among the Kervers that the fair-haired lady was -none other than the witch, the godmother of the giant. I am not sure -enough of the fact, however, to dare warrant it. It is always prudent to -believe, without proof, that a woman may be a witch, but it is never -wise to say so. - -[Illustration: "SHE WORE THEM ALWAYS ... LOOSE AND FLOWING"] - -What I can say on the word of an historian is that the feast, -interrupted for a moment, went on gayer than ever. Early the next -morning they went to the church, where, to the joy of his heart, Yvon -married Finette, who was no longer afraid of evil spirits; after which -they ate, drank, and danced for thirty-six hours, without anyone -thinking of resting. The steward's arms were a little heavy, the bailiff -rubbed his back at times, and the seneschal felt a sort of weariness in -his limbs, but all three had a weight on their consciences which they -could not shake off, and which made them tremble and flutter, till -finally they fell on the ground and were carried off. Finette took no -other vengeance on them; her only desire was to render all happy around -her, far and near, who belonged to the noble house of Kerver. Her memory -still lives in Brittany; and, among the ruins of the old castle, anyone -will show you the statue of the good lady, with five bullets in her -hand. - - - - -_The Fair One with Golden Locks_ - - -THERE was once a king's daughter so beautiful that they named her the -Fair One with Golden Locks. These golden locks were the most remarkable -in the world, soft and fine, and falling in long waves down to her very -feet. She wore them always thus, loose and flowing, surmounted with a -wreath of flowers; and though such long hair was sometimes rather -inconvenient, it was so exceedingly beautiful, shining in the sun like -ripples of molten gold, that everybody agreed she fully deserved her -name. - -Now there was a young king of a neighboring country, very handsome, very -rich, and wanting nothing but a wife to make him happy. He heard so much -of the various perfections of the Fair One with Golden Locks that at -last, without even seeing her, he fell in love with her so desperately -that he could neither eat nor drink, and resolved to send an ambassador -at once to demand her in marriage. So he ordered a magnificent -equipage--more than a hundred horses and a hundred footmen--in order -to bring back to him the Fair One with Golden Locks, who, he never -doubted, would be only too happy to become his queen. Indeed, he felt so -sure of her that he refurnished the whole palace, and had made, by all -the dressmakers of the city, dresses enough to last a lady for a -lifetime. But, alas! when the ambassador arrived and delivered his -message, either the princess was in a bad humor or the offer did not -appear to be to her taste, for she returned her best thanks to his -majesty, but said she had not the slightest wish or intention to be -married. She also, being a prudent damsel, declined receiving any of the -presents which the King had sent her; except that, not quite to offend -his majesty, she retained a box of English pins, which were in that -country of considerable value. - -When the ambassador returned, alone and unsuccessful, all the court was -very much affected, and the King himself began to weep with all his -might. Now, there was in the palace household a young gentleman named -Avenant, beautiful as the sun, besides being at once so amiable and so -wise that the King confided to him all his affairs; and everyone loved -him, except those people--to be found in all courts--who were envious of -his good fortune. These malicious folk hearing him say gayly, "If the -King had sent me to fetch the Fair One with Golden Locks, I know she -would have come back with me," repeated the saying in such a manner that -it appeared as if Avenant thought overmuch of himself and his beauty, -and felt sure the Princess would have followed him all over the world; -which, when it came to the ears of the King, as it was meant to do, -irritated him so much that he commanded Avenant to be imprisoned in a -high tower, and left to die there of hunger. The guards accordingly -carried off the young man, who had quite forgotten his idle speech, and -had not the least idea what fault he had committed. They ill-treated him -very much and then left him, with nothing to eat and only water to -drink. This, however, kept him alive for a few days, during which he did -not cease to complain aloud, and to call upon the King, saying, "O King, -what harm have I done? You have no subject more faithful than I. Never -have I had a thought which could offend you." - -And it so befell that the King, coming by chance, or else from a sense -of remorse, past the tower, was touched by the voice of the young -Avenant, whom he had once so much regarded. In spite of all the -courtiers could do to prevent him, he stopped to listen, and overheard -these words. The tears rushed into his eyes; he opened the door of the -tower and called, "Avenant!" Avenant came, creeping feebly along, fell -at the King's knees, and kissed his feet: - -"O sire, what have I done that you should treat me so cruelly?" - -"You have mocked me and my ambassador; for you said if I had sent you to -fetch the Fair One with Golden Locks, you would have been successful and -brought her back." - -"I did say it, and it was true," replied Avenant fearlessly; "for I -should have told her so much about your majesty and your various high -qualities, which no one knows so well as myself, that I am persuaded she -would have returned with me." - -"I believe it," said the King, with an angry look at those who had -spoken ill of his favorite; he then gave Avenant a free pardon, and took -him back with him to the court. - -After having supplied the famished youth with as much supper as he could -eat, the King admitted him to a private audience and said: "I am as much -in love as ever with the Fair One with Golden Locks, so I will take thee -at thy word, and send thee to try and win her for me." - -"Very well, please your majesty," replied Avenant cheerfully; "I will -depart to-morrow." - -The King, overjoyed with his willingness and hopefulness, would have -furnished him with a still more magnificent equipage and suite than the -first ambassador, but Avenant refused to take anything except a good -horse to ride and letters of introduction to the Princess's father. The -King embraced him and eagerly saw him depart. - -It was on a Monday morning when, without any pomp or show, Avenant thus -started on his mission. He rode slowly and meditatively, pondering over -every possible means of persuading the Fair One with Golden Locks to -marry the King; but, even after several days' journey toward her -country, no clear project had entered into his mind. One morning, when -he had started at break of day, he came to a great meadow with a stream -running through it, along which were planted willows and poplars. It was -such a pleasant, rippling stream that he dismounted and sat down on its -banks. There he perceived, gasping on the grass, a large golden carp, -which, in leaping too far after gnats, had thrown itself quite out of -the water, and now lay dying on the greensward. Avenant took pity on it, -and though he was very hungry, and the fish was very fat, and he would -well enough have liked it for his breakfast, still he lifted it gently -and put it back into the stream. No sooner had the carp touched the -fresh cool water than it revived and swam away; but shortly returning, -it spoke to him from the water in this wise: - -"Avenant, I thank you for your good deed. I was dying, and you have -saved me. I will recompense you for this one day." - -After this pretty little speech, the fish popped down to the bottom of -the stream, according to the habit of carp, leaving Avenant very much -astonished, as was natural. - -Another day he met with a raven that was in great distress, being -pursued by an eagle, which would have swallowed him up in no time. -"See," thought Avenant, "how the stronger oppress the weaker! What right -has an eagle to eat up a raven?" So taking his bow and arrow, which he -always carried, he shot the eagle dead, and the raven, delighted, -perched in safety on an opposite tree. - -"Avenant," screeched he, though not in the sweetest voice in the world; -"you have generously succored me, a poor miserable raven. I am not -ungrateful, and I will recompense you one day." - -"Thank you," said Avenant, and continued his road. - -Entering in a thick wood, so dark with the shadows of early morning that -he could scarcely find his way, he heard an owl hooting, as if in great -tribulation. She had been caught by the nets spread by birdcatchers to -entrap finches, larks, and other small birds. "What a pity," thought -Avenant, "that men must always torment poor birds and beasts who have -done them no harm!" So he took out his knife, cut the net, and let the -owl go free. She went sailing up into the air, but immediately returned, -hovering over his head on her brown wings. - -"Avenant," said she, "at daylight the birdcatchers would have been here, -and I should have been caught and killed. I have a grateful heart; I -will recompense you one day." - -These were the three principal adventures that befell Avenant on his way -to the kingdom of the Fair One with Golden Locks. Arrived there, he -dressed himself with the greatest care, in a habit of silver brocade, -and a hat adorned with plumes of scarlet and white. He threw over all a -rich mantle, and carried a little basket in which was a lovely little -dog, an offering of respect to the Princess. With this he presented -himself at the palace gates, where, even though he came alone, his mien -was so dignified and graceful, so altogether charming, that everyone did -him reverence, and was eager to run and tell the Fair One with Golden -Locks that Avenant, another ambassador from the King her suitor, awaited -an audience. - -"Avenant!" repeated the Princess. "That is a pretty name; perhaps the -youth is pretty too." - -"So beautiful," said the ladies of honor, "that while he stood under -the palace window we could do nothing but look at him." - -"How silly of you!" sharply said the Princess. But she desired them to -bring her robe of blue satin, to comb out her long hair and adorn it -with the freshest garland of flowers, to give her her high-heeled shoes, -and her fan. "Also," added she, "take care that my audience chamber is -well swept and my throne well dusted. I wish in everything to appear as -becomes the Fair One with Golden Locks." - -This done, she seated herself on her throne of ivory and ebony, and gave -orders for her musicians to play, but softly, so as not to disturb -conversation. Thus, shining in all her beauty, she admitted Avenant to -her presence. - -He was so dazzled that at first he could not speak; then he began and -delivered his harangue to perfection. - -"Gentle Avenant," returned the princess, after listening to all his -reasons for her returning with him, "your arguments are very strong, and -I am inclined to listen to them; but you must first find for me a ring -which I dropped into the river about a month ago. Until I recover it I -can listen to no propositions of marriage." - -Avenant, surprised and disturbed, made her a profound reverence and -retired, taking with him the basket and the little dog Cabriole, which -she refused to accept. All night long he sat sighing to himself: "How -can I ever find a ring which she dropped into the river a month ago? She -has set me an impossibility." - -"My dear master," said Cabriole, "nothing is an impossibility to one so -young and charming as you are. Let us go at daybreak to the riverside." - -Avenant patted him, but replied nothing; until, worn out with grief, he -slept. Before dawn Cabriole wakened him, saying, "Master, dress yourself -and let us go to the river." - -There Avenant walked up and down, with his arms folded and his head -bent, but saw nothing. At last he heard a voice calling from a distance, -"Avenant, Avenant!" - -The little dog ran to the waterside--"Never believe me again, master, -if it is not a golden carp with a ring in its mouth!" - -"Yes, Avenant," said the carp, "this is the ring which the Princess has -lost. You saved my life in the willow meadow, and I have recompensed -you. Farewell!" - -Avenant took the ring gratefully and returned to the palace with -Cabriole, who scampered about in great glee. Craving an audience, he -presented the Princess with her ring, and begged her to accompany him to -his master's kingdom. She took the ring, looked at it, and thought she -was surely dreaming. - -"Some fairy must have assisted you, fortunate Avenant," said she. - -"Madam, I am fortunate only in my desire to obey your wishes." - -"Obey me still," she said graciously. "There is a prince named Galifron, -whose suit I have refused. He is a giant as tall as a tower, who eats a -man as a monkey eats a nut. He puts cannons into his pockets instead of -pistols, and when he speaks his voice is so loud that everyone near him -becomes deaf. Go and fight him, and bring me his head." - -Avenant was thunderstruck; but after a time he recovered himself. "Very -well, madam. I shall certainly perish, but I will perish like a brave -man. I will depart at once to fight the Giant Galifron." - -The Princess, now in her turn surprised and alarmed, tried every -persuasion to induce him not to go, but in vain. Avenant armed himself -and started, carrying his little dog in its basket. Cabriole was the -only creature that gave him consolation: "Courage, master! While you -attack the giant, I will bite his legs. He will stoop down to strike me, -and then you can knock him on the head." Avenant smiled at the little -dog's spirit, but he knew it was useless. - -Arrived at the castle of Galifron, he found the road all strewn with -bones and carcasses of men. Soon he saw the giant walking. His head was -level with the highest trees, and he sang in a terrific voice: - - "Bring me babies to devour; - More--more--more--more-- - Men and women, tender and tough; - All the world holds not enough." - -To which Avenant replied, imitating the tune: - - "Avenant you here may see, - He is come to punish thee; - Be he tender, be he tough, - To kill thee, giant, he is enough." - -Hearing these words, the giant took up his massive club, looked around -for the singer, and, perceiving him, would have slain him on the spot, -had not a raven, sitting on a tree close by, suddenly flown down upon -him and picked out both his eyes. Then Avenant easily killed him and cut -off his head, while the raven, watching him, said: - -"You shot the eagle who was pursuing me. I promised to recompense you, -and to-day I have done it. We are quits." - -"No, it is I who am your debtor, Sir Raven," replied Avenant as, hanging -the frightful head to his saddle bow, he mounted his horse and rode back -to the city of the Fair One with Golden Locks. - -There everybody followed him, shouting, "Here is brave Avenant, who has -killed the giant," until the Princess, hearing the noise, and fearing it -was Avenant himself who was killed, appeared, all trembling; and even -when he appeared with Galifron's head, she trembled still, although she -had nothing to fear. - -"Madam," said Avenant, "your enemy is dead, so I trust you will accept -the hand of the king, my master." - -"I cannot," replied she, thoughtfully, "unless you first bring me a vial -of the water in the Grotto of Darkness. It is six leagues in length, and -guarded at the entrance by two fiery dragons. Within it is a pit, full -of scorpions, lizards, and serpents, and at the bottom of this place -flows the Fountain of Beauty and Health. All who wash in it become, if -ugly, beautiful; and if beautiful, beautiful forever; if old, young; and -if young, young forever. Judge then, Avenant, if I can quit my kingdom -without carrying with me some of this miraculous water." - -"Madam," replied Avenant, "you are already so beautiful that you require -it not; but I am an unfortunate ambassador whose death you desire. I -will obey you, though I know I shall never return." - -So he departed with his only friends--his horse and his faithful dog -Cabriole; while all who met him looked at him compassionately, pitying -so pretty a youth bound on such a hopeless errand. But, however kindly -they addressed him, Avenant rode on and answered nothing, for he was too -sad at heart. - -He reached a mountain-side, where he sat down to rest, leaving his horse -to graze and Cabriole to run after the flies. He knew that the Grotto of -Darkness was not far off, yet he looked about him like one who sees -nothing. At last he perceived a rock as black as ink, whence came a -thick smoke; and in a moment appeared one of the two dragons, breathing -out flames. It had a yellow-and-green body, claws, and a long tail. When -Cabriole saw the monster, the poor little dog hid himself in terrible -fright. But Avenant resolved to die bravely; so taking a vial which the -Princess had given him, he prepared to descend into the cave. - -"Cabriole," said he, "I shall soon be dead. Then fill this vial with my -blood and carry it to the Fair One with Golden Locks, and afterwards to -the King my master, to show him I have been faithful to the last." - -While he was thus speaking a voice called, "Avenant, Avenant!" and he -saw an owl sitting on a hollow tree. Said the owl: "You cut the net in -which I was caught, and I vowed to recompense you. Now is the time. Give -me the vial. I know every corner of the Grotto of Darkness. I will fetch -you the water of beauty." - -Delighted beyond words, Avenant delivered up his vial; the owl flew with -it into the grotto, and in less than half an hour reappeared, bringing -it quite full and well corked. Avenant thanked her with all his heart, -and joyfully took once more the road to the city. - -The Fair One with Golden Locks had no more to say. She consented to -accompany him back, with all her suite, to his master's court. On the -way thither she saw so much of him, and found him so charming, that -Avenant might have married her himself had he chosen; but he would not -have been false to his master for all the beauties under the sun. At -length they arrived at the King's city, and the Fair One with Golden -Locks became his spouse and queen. But she still loved Avenant in her -heart, and often said to the king her lord: "But for Avenant I should -not be here; he has done all sorts of impossible deeds for my sake; he -has fetched me the water of beauty, and I shall never grow old--in -short, I owe him everything." - -And she praised him in this sort so much that at length the King became -jealous, and though Avenant gave him not the slightest cause of offense, -he shut him up in the same high tower once more--but with irons on his -hands and feet, and a cruel jailer besides, who fed him with bread and -water only. His sole companion was his little dog Cabriole. - -When the Fair One with Golden Locks heard of this, she reproached her -husband for his ingratitude, and then, throwing herself at his knees, -implored that Avenant might be set free. But the King only said, "She -loves him!" and refused the prayer. The Queen entreated no more, but -fell into a deep melancholy. - -When the King saw it, he thought she did not care for him because he was -not handsome enough; and that if he could wash his face with her water -of beauty, it would make her love him more. He knew that she kept it in -a cabinet in her chamber, where she could find it always. - -Now it happened that a waiting maid, in cleaning out this cabinet, had, -the very day before knocked down the vial, which was broken in a -thousand pieces, and all the contents were lost. Very much alarmed, she -then remembered seeing in a cabinet belonging to the King, a similar -vial. This she fetched and put in the place of the other one, in which -was the water of beauty. But the King's vial contained the water of -death. It was a poison, used to destroy great criminals--that is, -noblemen, gentlemen, and such like. Instead of hanging them or cutting -their heads off, like common people, they were compelled to wash their -faces with this water, upon which they fell asleep and woke no more. So -it happened that the king, taking up this vial, believing it to be the -water of beauty, washed his face with it, fell asleep, and--died. - -Cabriole heard the news, and, gliding in and out among the crowd which -clustered round the young and lovely widow, whispered softly to her, -"Madam, do not forget poor Avenant." If she had been disposed to do so, -the sight of his little dog would have been enough to remind her of -him--his many sufferings and his great fidelity. She rose up, without -speaking to anybody, and went straight to the tower where Avenant was -confined. There, with her own hands, she struck off his chains, and -putting a crown of gold on his head and a purple mantle on his -shoulders, said to him, "Be King--and my husband." - -Avenant could not refuse, for in his heart he had loved her all the -time. He threw himself at her feet, and then took the crown and scepter, -and ruled her kingdom like a king. All the people were delighted to have -him as their sovereign. The marriage was celebrated in all imaginable -pomp, and Avenant and the Fair One with Golden Locks lived and reigned -happily together all their days. - - - - -_The Little Good Mouse_ - - -Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who loved each other so -much that they were never happy unless they were together. Day after day -they went out hunting or fishing; night after night they went to balls -or to the opera; they sang and danced and ate sugarplums, and were the -gayest of the gay, and all their subjects followed their example so that -the kingdom was called the Joyous Land. Now in the next kingdom -everything was as different as it could possibly be. The King was sulky -and savage, and never enjoyed himself at all. He looked so ugly and -cross that all his subjects feared him, and he hated the very sight of a -cheerful face; so if he ever caught anyone smiling he had his head cut -off that very minute. This kingdom was very appropriately called the -Land of Tears. Now when this wicked King heard of the happiness of the -jolly King, he was so jealous that he collected a great army and set out -to fight him, and the news of his approach was soon brought to the King -and Queen. The Queen, when she heard of it, was frightened out of her -wits, and began to cry bitterly. "Sire," she said, "let us collect all -our riches and run away as far as ever we can, to the other side of the -world." - -But the King answered: - -"Fie, madam! I am far too brave for that. It is better to die than to be -a coward." - -Then he assembled all his armed men, and after bidding the Queen a -tender farewell, he mounted his splendid horse and rode away. When he -was lost to sight the Queen could do nothing but weep and wring her -hands and cry. - -"Alas! If the King is killed, what will become of me and of my little -daughter?" and she was so sorrowful that she could neither eat nor -sleep. - -The King sent her a letter every day, but at last, one morning, as she -looked out of the palace window, she saw a messenger approaching in hot -haste. - -"What news, courier? What news?" cried the Queen, and he answered: - -"The battle is lost and the King is dead, and in another moment the -enemy will be here." - -The poor Queen fell back insensible, and all her ladies carried her to -bed, and stood round her weeping and wailing. Then began a tremendous -noise and confusion, and they knew that the enemy had arrived, and very -soon they heard the King himself stamping about the palace seeking the -Queen. Then her ladies put the little Princess into her arms, and -covered her up, head and all, in the bedclothes, and ran for their -lives, and the poor Queen lay there shaking and hoping she would not be -found. But very soon the wicked King clattered into the room, and in a -fury because the Queen would not answer when he called to her, he tore -back her silken coverings and tweaked off her lace cap, and when all her -lovely hair came tumbling down over her shoulders, he wound it three -times round his hand and threw her over his shoulder, where he carried -her like a sack of flour. - -The poor Queen held her little daughter safe in her arms and shrieked -for mercy, but the wicked King only mocked her, and begged her to go on -shrieking, as it amused him, and so mounted his great black horse, and -rode back to his own country. When he got there he declared that he -would have the Queen and the little Princess hanged on the nearest tree; -but his courtiers said that seemed a pity, for when the baby grew up she -would be a very nice wife for the King's only son. - -The King was rather pleased with this idea, and shut the Queen up in the -highest room of a tall tower, which was very tiny, and miserably -furnished with a table and a very hard bed upon the floor. Then he sent -for a fairy who lived near his kingdom, and after receiving her with -more politeness than he generally showed, and entertaining her at a -sumptuous feast, he took her up to see the Queen. The fairy was so -touched by the sight of her misery that when she kissed her hand she -whispered: - -"Courage, madam! I think I see a way to help you." - -The Queen, a little comforted by these words, received her graciously, -and begged her to take pity upon the poor little Princess, who had met -with such a sudden reverse of fortune. But the King got very cross when -he saw them whispering together, and cried harshly: - -"Make an end of these fine speeches, madam. I brought you here to tell -me if the child will grow up pretty and fortunate." - -Then the fairy answered that the Princess would be as pretty and clever -and well brought-up as it was possible to be, and the old King growled -to the Queen that it was lucky for her that it was so, as they would -certainly have been hanged if it were otherwise. Then he stamped off, -taking the fairy with him, and leaving the poor Queen in tears. - -"How can I wish my little daughter to grow up pretty if she is to be -married to that horrid little dwarf, the King's son," she said to -herself, "and yet, if she is ugly we shall both be killed. If I could -only hide her away somewhere, so that the cruel King could never find -her." - -As the days went on, the Queen and the little Princess grew thinner and -thinner, for their hard-hearted jailer gave them every day only three -boiled peas and a tiny morsel of black bread, so that they were always -terribly hungry. - -At last, one evening, as the Queen sat at her spinning wheel--for the -King was so avaricious that she was made to work day and night--she saw -a tiny, pretty little mouse creep out of a hole, and said to it: - -"Alas, little creature! what are you coming to look for here? I have -only three peas for my day's provision, so unless you wish to fast you -must go elsewhere." - -But the mouse ran hither and thither, and danced and capered so -prettily, that at last the Queen gave it her last pea, which she was -keeping for her supper, saying: "Here, little one, eat it up; I have -nothing better to offer you, but I give this willingly in return for the -amusement I have had from you." - -She had hardly spoken when she saw upon the table a delicious little -roast partridge, and two dishes of preserved fruit. "Truly," said she, -"a kind action never goes unrewarded"; and she and the little Princess -ate their supper with great satisfaction, and then the Queen gave what -was left to the little mouse, who danced better than ever afterwards. -The next morning came the jailer with the Queen's allowance of three -peas, which he brought in upon a large dish to make them look smaller; -but as soon as he set it down the little mouse came and ate up all -three, so that when the Queen wanted her dinner there was nothing left -for her. Then she was quite provoked, and said: - -"What a bad little beast that mouse must be! If it goes on like this I -shall be starved." But when she glanced at the dish again it was covered -with all sorts of nice things to eat, and the Queen made a very good -dinner and was gayer than usual over it. But afterwards as she sat at -her spinning wheel she began to consider what would happen if the little -Princess did not grow up pretty enough to please the King, and she said -to herself: - -"Oh, if I could only think of some way of escaping!" - -As she spoke she saw the little mouse playing in a corner with some long -straws. The Queen took them and began to plait them, saying: - -"If only I had straws enough I would make a basket with them, and let my -baby down in it from the window to any kind passer-by who would take -care of her." - -By the time the straws were all plaited the little mouse had dragged in -more and more, until the Queen had plenty to make her basket, and she -worked at it day and night, while the little mouse danced for her -amusement; and at dinner and supper time the Queen gave it the three -peas and the bit of black bread, and always found something good in the -dish in their place. She really could not imagine where all the nice -things came from. At last one day when the basket was finished, the -Queen was looking out of the window to see how long a cord she must make -to lower it to the bottom of the tower, when she noticed a little old -woman who was leaning upon her stick and looking up at her. Presently -she said: - -"I know your trouble, madam. If you like, I will help you." - -"Oh, my dear friend," said the Queen; "if you really wish to be of use -to me you will come at the time that I will appoint, and I will let down -my poor little baby in a basket. If you will take her and bring her up -for me, when I am rich I will reward you splendidly." - -"I don't care about the reward," said the old woman, "but there is one -thing I should like. You must know that I am very particular about what -I eat, and if there is one thing that I fancy above all others, it is a -plump, tender little mouse. If there is such a thing in your garret just -throw it down to me, and in return I will promise that your little -daughter shall be well taken care of." - -The Queen when she heard this began to cry, but made no answer, and the -old woman after waiting a few minutes asked her what was the matter. - -"Why," said the Queen, "there is only one mouse in this garret, and that -is such a dear, pretty little thing that I cannot bear to think of its -being killed." - -"What!" cried the old woman in a rage. "Do you care more for a miserable -mouse than for your own baby? Good-by, madam! I leave you to enjoy its -company, and for my own part I thank my stars that I can get plenty of -mice without troubling you to give them to me." - -And she hobbled off grumbling and growling. As to the Queen, she was so -disappointed that, in spite of finding a better dinner than usual, and -seeing the little mouse dancing in its merriest mood, she could do -nothing but cry. That night when her baby was fast asleep she packed it -into the basket, and wrote on a slip of paper, "This unhappy little girl -is called Delicia!" This she pinned to its robe, and then very sadly she -was shutting the basket when in sprang the little mouse and sat on the -baby's pillow. - -"Ah! little one," said the Queen, "it cost me dear to save your life. -How shall I know now whether my Delicia is being taken care of or not? -Anyone else would have let the greedy old woman have you and eat you up, -but I could not bear to do it." Whereupon the mouse answered: - -"Believe me, madam, you will never repent of your kindness." - -The Queen was immensely astonished when the mouse began to speak, and -still more so when she saw its little sharp nose turn to a beautiful -face, and its paws to hands and feet; then it suddenly grew tall, and -the Queen recognized the fairy who had come with the wicked King to -visit her. - -The fairy smiled at her astonished look, and said: - -"I wanted to see if you were faithful and capable of feeling a real -friendship for me, for you see we fairies are rich in everything but -friends, and those are hard to find." - -"It is not possible that you should want for friends, you charming -creature," said the Queen, kissing her. - -"Indeed it is so," the fairy said. "For those who are only friendly with -me for their own advantage, I do not count at all. But when you cared -for the poor little mouse you could not have known there was anything to -be gained by it, and to try you further I took the form of the old woman -whom you talked to from the window, and then I was convinced that you -really loved me." Then, turning to the little Princess, she kissed her -rosy lips three times, saying: - -"Dear little one, I promise that you shall be richer than your father, -and shall live a hundred years, always pretty and happy, without fear of -old age and wrinkles." - -The Queen, quite delighted, thanked the fairy gratefully, and begged her -to take charge of the little Delicia and bring her up as her own -daughter. This she agreed to do, and then they shut the basket and -lowered it carefully, baby and all, to the ground at the foot of the -tower. The fairy then changed herself back into the form of a mouse, and -this delayed her a few seconds, after which she ran nimbly down the -straw rope, only to find when she got to the bottom that the baby had -disappeared. - -In the greatest terror she ran up again to the Queen, crying: - -"All is lost! my enemy Cancaline has stolen the Princess away. You must -know that she is a cruel fairy who hates me, and as she is older than I -am and has more power, I can do nothing against her. I know no way of -rescuing Delicia from her clutches." - -When the Queen heard this terrible news she was heartbroken, and begged -the fairy to do all she could to get the poor little Princess back -again. At this moment in came the jailer, and when he missed the little -Princess he at once told the King, who came in a great fury, asking -what the Queen had done with her. She answered that a fairy, whose name -she did not know, had come and carried her off by force. Upon this the -King stamped upon the ground, and cried in a terrible voice: - -"You shall be hung! I always told you you should." And without another -word he dragged the unlucky Queen out into the nearest wood, and climbed -up into a tree to look for a branch to which he could hang her. But when -he was quite high up, the fairy, who had made herself invisible and -followed them, gave him a sudden push, which made him lose his footing -and fall to the ground with a crash and break four of his teeth, and -while he was trying to mend them the fairy carried the Queen off in her -flying chariot to a beautiful castle, where she was so kind to her that -but for the loss of Delicia the Queen would have been perfectly happy. -But though the good little mouse did her very utmost, they could not -find out where Cancaline had hidden the little Princess. - -Thus fifteen years went by, and the Queen had somewhat recovered from -her grief, when the news reached her that the son of the wicked King -wished to marry the little maiden who kept the turkeys, and that she had -refused him; the wedding dresses had been made, nevertheless, and the -festivities were to be so splendid that all the people for leagues round -were flocking in to be present at them. The Queen felt quite curious -about a little turkey maiden who did not wish to be a queen, so the -little mouse conveyed herself to the poultry yard to find out what she -was like. - -She found the turkey maiden sitting upon a big stone, barefooted and -miserably dressed in an old, coarse, linen gown and cap; the ground at -her feet was all strewn with robes of gold and silver, ribbons and -laces, diamonds and pearls, over which the turkeys were stalking to and -fro, while the king's ugly, disagreeable son stood opposite her, -declaring angrily that if she would not marry him she should be killed. - -The turkey maiden answered proudly: - -"I never will marry you! You are too ugly and too much like your cruel -father. Leave me in peace with my turkeys, which I like far better than -all your fine gifts." - -The little mouse watched her with the greatest admiration, for she was -as beautiful as the spring; and as soon as the wicked Prince was gone, -she took the form of an old peasant woman and said to her: - -"Good day, my pretty one! you have a fine flock of turkeys there." - -The young turkey maiden turned her gentle eyes upon the old woman and -answered: - -"Yet they wish me to leave them to become a miserable queen! What is -your advice upon the matter?" - -"My child," said the fairy, "a crown is a very pretty thing, but you -know neither the price nor the weight of it." - -"I know so well that I have refused to wear one," said the little -maiden, "though I don't know who was my father or who was my mother, and -I have not a friend in the world." - -"You have goodness and beauty, which are of more value than ten -kingdoms," said the wise fairy. "But tell me, child, how came you here, -and how is it you have neither father nor mother nor friend?" - -"A fairy called Cancaline is the cause of my being here," answered she, -"for while I lived with her I got nothing but blows and harsh words, -until at last I could bear it no longer, and ran away from her without -knowing where I was going, and as I came through a wood the wicked -Prince met me and offered to give me charge of the poultry yard. I -accepted gladly, not knowing that I should have to see him day by day. -And now he wants to marry me, but that I will never consent to." - -Upon hearing this the fairy became convinced that the little turkey -maiden was none other than the Princess Delicia. - -"What is your name, my little one?" said she. - -"I am called Delicia, if it please you," she answered. - -Then the fairy threw her arms round the Princess's neck, and nearly -smothered her with kisses, saying: - -"Ah, Delicia! I am a very old friend of yours, and I am truly glad to -find you at last; but you might look nicer than you do in that old gown, -which is only fit for a kitchenmaid. Take this pretty dress and let us -see the difference it will make." - -So Delicia took off the ugly cap, and shook out all her fair shining -hair, and bathed her hands and face in clear water from the nearest -spring till her cheeks were like roses, and when she was adorned with -the diamonds and the splendid robe the fairy had given her she looked -the most beautiful princess in the world, and the fairy with great -delight, cried: - -"Now you look as you ought to look, Delicia. What do you think about it -yourself?" - -And Delicia answered: - -"I feel as if I were the daughter of some great king." - -"And would you be glad if you were?" asked the fairy. - -"Indeed I should," answered she. - -"Ah, well," said the fairy, "to-morrow I may have some pleasant news for -you." - -So she hurried back to her castle, where the Queen sat busy with her -embroidery, and cried: - -"Well, madam, will you wager your thimble and your golden needle that I -am bringing you the best news you could possibly hear?" - -"Alas!" sighed the Queen, "since the death of the jolly King and the -loss of my Delicia, all the news in the world is not worth a pin to me." - -"There, there, don't be melancholy," said the fairy. "I assure you the -Princess is quite well, and I have never seen her equal for beauty. She -might be a queen to-morrow if she chose"; and then she told all that had -happened, and the Queen first rejoiced over the thought of Delicia's -beauty, and then wept at the idea of her being a turkey maiden. - -"I will not hear of her being made to marry the wicked King's son," she -said. "Let us go at once and bring her here." - -In the meantime the wicked Prince, who was very angry with Delicia, had -sat himself down under a tree, and cried and howled with rage and spite -until the King heard him, and cried out from the window: - -"What is the matter with you, that you are making all this disturbance?" - -[Illustration: "I FEEL AS IF I WERE THE DAUGHTER OF SOME GREAT KING"] - -The Prince replied: - -"It is all because our turkey maiden will not love me!" - -"Won't love you, eh!" said the King. "We'll very soon see about that!" -So he called his guards and told them to go and fetch Delicia. "See if I -don't make her change her mind pretty soon!" said the wicked King with a -chuckle. - -Then the guards began to search the poultry yard, and could find nobody -there but Delicia, who, with her splendid dress and her crown of -diamonds, looked such a lovely princess that they hardly dared to speak -to her. But she said to them very politely: - -"Pray tell me what you are looking for here?" - -"Madam," they answered, "we are sent for an insignificant little person -called Delicia." - -"Alas!" said she, "that is my name. What can you want with me?" - -So the guards tied her hands and feet with thick ropes, for fear she -might run away, and brought her to the King, who was waiting with his -son. - -When he saw her he was very much astonished at her beauty, which would -have made anyone less hard-hearted sorry for her. But the wicked King -only laughed and mocked at her, and cried: "Well, little fright, little -toad! why don't you love my son, who is far too handsome and too good -for you? Make haste and begin to love him this instant, or you shall be -tarred and feathered." - -Then the poor little Princess, shaking with terror, went down on her -knees, crying: - -"Oh, don't tar and feather me, please! It would be so uncomfortable. Let -me have two or three days to make up my mind, and then you shall do as -you like with me." - -The wicked Prince would have liked very much to see her tarred and -feathered, but the King ordered that she should be shut up in a dark -dungeon. It was just at this moment that the Queen and the fairy arrived -in the flying chariot, and the Queen was dreadfully distressed at the -turn affairs had taken, and said miserably that she was destined to be -unfortunate all her days. But the fairy bade her take courage. - -"I'll pay them out yet," said she, nodding her head with an air of great -determination. - -That very same night, as soon as the wicked King had gone to bed, the -fairy changed herself into the little mouse, and creeping up on to his -pillow nibbled his ear so that he squealed out quite loudly and turned -over on his other side; but that did no good, for the little mouse only -set to work and gnawed away at the second ear until it hurt more than -the first one. - -Then the King cried "Murder!" and "Thieves!" and all his guards ran to -see what was the matter, but they could find nothing and nobody, for the -little mouse had run off to the Prince's room and was serving him in -exactly the same way. All night long she ran from one to the other, -until at last, driven quite frantic by terror and want of sleep, the -King rushed out of the palace crying: - -"Help! help! I am pursued by rats." - -The Prince when he heard this got up also, and ran after the King, and -they had not gone far when they both fell into the river and were never -heard of again. - -Then the good fairy ran to tell the Queen, and they went together to the -black dungeon where Delicia was imprisoned. The fairy touched each door -with her wand, and it sprang open instantly; but they had to go through -forty before they came to the Princess, who was sitting on the floor -looking very dejected. But when the Queen rushed in and kissed her -twenty times in a minute, and laughed and cried and told her all her -history, the Princess was wild with delight. Then the fairy showed her -all the wonderful dresses and jewels she had brought for her, and said: - -"Don't let us waste time; we must go and harangue the people." - -So she walked first, looking very serious and dignified, and wearing a -dress the train of which was at least ten ells long. Behind her came the -Queen wearing a blue velvet robe embroidered with gold and a diamond -crown that was brighter than the sun itself. Last of all walked Delicia, -who was so beautiful that it was nothing short of marvelous. - -They proceeded through the streets, returning the salutations of all -they met, great or small, and all the people turned and followed them, -wondering who these noble ladies could be. - -When the audience hall was quite full, the fairy said to the subjects of -the wicked King that if they would accept Delicia, who was the daughter -of the jolly King, as their Queen, she would undertake to find a -suitable husband for her, and would promise that during their reign -there should be nothing but rejoicing and merrymaking, and all dismal -things should be entirely banished. Upon this the people cried with one -accord: "We will, we will! We have been gloomy and miserable too long -already." And they all took hands and danced round the Queen and Delicia -and the good fairy, singing: "Yes, yes; we will, we will!" - -Then there were feasts and fireworks in every street in the town, and -early the next morning the fairy, who had been all over the world in the -night, brought back with her in her flying chariot the most handsome and -good-tempered Prince she could find anywhere. He was so charming that -Delicia loved him from the moment their eyes met, and as for him, of -course he could not help thinking himself the luckiest prince in the -world. The Queen felt that she had really come to the end of her -misfortunes at last, and they all lived happily ever after. - - - - -_The Story of Blanche and Vermilion_ - - -THERE was once upon a time a widow, a very good kind of woman, who had -two daughters, both very amiable. The elder was called "Blanche" and the -younger "Vermilion." They had received these names because one of them -had the fairest complexion that was ever seen, and the other had cheeks -and lips as red as coral. - -One day, as the good woman was seated near the door of her cottage -spinning, she perceived a poor old woman who could hardly hobble along -with the assistance of her stick. "You appear to be very much tired, my -good woman," said the widow; "sit down here and rest yourself awhile"; -and she then desired one of her daughters to fetch her a chair. Both of -them immediately rose, but Vermilion outran her sister and brought the -chair. - -"Will you please to drink?" said the good old dame to the old woman. -"With all my heart," answered she; "and I feel even as if I could eat a -little if you could give me a bit of something nice." "You shall be -welcome to anything that I have," said the good widow; "but, as I am -poor, it will be nothing out of the common way." At the same time she -desired her daughters to lay the table for the good old dame, who -straightway seated herself at it. - -The widow then told the elder daughter to go and gather some plums from -a tree that she had planted herself, and was very fond of. Blanche, -instead of obeying her mother willingly, murmured, and said to herself, -"So it is for this old gormandizer that I have been so very careful of -my plum tree." She, however, dared not refuse to fetch a few plums, but -she gave them with much reluctance and very ungraciously. "You, -Vermilion," said the good woman to her younger daughter, "have no fruit -to give to this good dame, for your grapes are not ripe." "That's true," -said Vermilion; "but I hear my hen cackling, so she must have laid an -egg, and if the gentlewoman would like a new-laid egg she is very -welcome to it"; and without waiting for any answer from the old woman, -she ran off to seek her egg. The moment she presented it, however, the -old woman disappeared and was replaced by a beautiful lady who said to -the mother: "I am about to recompense your two daughters according to -their deserts. The elder shall become a great queen, and the younger a -farmer's wife." With these words she struck the house with her wand; it -disappeared, and in its place rose a nice, snug-looking farm. "That is -your portion," said she to Vermilion. "I know that I have given each of -you what you like best." Having thus said, the fairy departed; and the -good woman and her two daughters remained in great surprise. - -They went into the farmhouse, and were charmed with the neatness of the -furniture. The chairs were only of wood, but they were so bright that -one might see one's face in them as in a looking-glass. The bedding was -of Irish linen, as white as snow. In the pens were sheep; four oxen and -the like number of cows were in the cowhouses, and the yard was well -stocked with all sorts of domestic animals, as poultry, ducks, pigeons, -etc. There was also a pretty garden, planted with different kinds of -fruit, vegetables, and flowers. - -Blanche regarded without any feelings of jealousy the fairy's gift to -her sister. Her only thoughts were concerning the pleasures she -anticipated in being a queen. All at once she heard a huntsman's horn, -and going to the door to see the party pass, she appeared so beautiful -to the King that he resolved to marry her, and did so accordingly. -Blanche, when she was become a queen, said to her sister Vermilion: "I -do not wish that you should marry a farmer; come to court with me, -sister; I will procure you a great lord for your husband." "I am very -much obliged to you, sister," replied Vermilion, "but I am accustomed to -a country life, and do not wish to change it." - -Queen Blanche then set out, and she was so gratified that she passed -several nights without sleeping, for joy. The first few months she was -so taken up with fine clothes, balls, and plays that she thought of -nothing else. But she soon grew used to these things, and nothing now -amused her; on the contrary, she was very discontented. All the ladies -of the court showed her great respect when they were in her presence; -but she knew that they did not like her, and that they said to each -other behind her back, "See how this peasant girl plays the fine lady! -The King must have had very poor taste to take such a personage for his -consort." The King heard of these remarks, and they made him reflect on -what he had done. He began to think that he had acted wrongly in -marrying Blanche, and as his passion for her had cooled, he soon -neglected her. - -When the courtiers perceived that the King no longer loved his wife, -they paid her little or no attention. She was very unfortunate, for she -had not a single friend to whom she could impart her grief. She observed -that it was the fashion at court to sacrifice one's friend to one's -interest, to smile on one's bitterest enemy, and to tell lies -continually. She was obliged to be serious, because she was told that a -queen ought always to look grave and majestic. She had several children, -and during all this time she was constantly attended by a physician, who -examined everything that she ate, and ordered everything that she liked -to be removed from the table. She was allowed no salt in her soup, she -was forbidden to quit the house when she felt inclined to take a -walk--in a word, she was contradicted from morning till night. -Governesses were engaged for her children, who brought them up in direct -opposition to her wishes; yet she was not permitted to find fault. Poor -Queen Blanche was dying with sorrow, and she grew so thin that it was -pitiable to see her. She had not seen her sister once during the three -years that she had been a queen, because she thought it would be -demeaning her high rank to pay a visit to a farmer's wife; but when she -was quite oppressed with melancholy, she came to the resolution of -spending a few days in the country to restore herself. She asked leave -of the King to go, who permitted her very willingly, for he thought that -he should thus get rid of her for some time. She set out, and arrived in -the dusk of the evening at Vermilion's farm. As she was drawing near, -she observed about the door a company of shepherds and shepherdesses who -were dancing and merrymaking in high glee. "Alas!" said the Queen -sighing, "there was once a time when I could divert myself like these -poor people, and no one found fault with me." Directly she came in -sight, her sister ran to embrace her. She looked so happy, she had grown -so plump, that the Queen could not forbear crying when she looked at -her. - -Vermilion had married a farmer's son, who had no fortune; but he never -ceased to remember that his wife had brought him all that he possessed, -and he strove by his obliging disposition to show his gratitude. -Vermilion had not many servants; but those that she had were as fond of -her as if she had been their mother, because she treated them well. All -her neighbors also liked her, and they were all zealous in showing their -love. She had not much money, nor had she any occasion for much, for her -farm yielded her corn, wine, and oil. Her herds furnished her with milk, -with which she made butter and cheese. She spun the wool supplied by her -sheep into the materials of clothes for herself, her husband, and her -two children. They all enjoyed excellent health, and in the evening, -when the period of working had passed, they diverted themselves with all -sorts of pastimes. "Alas!" cried the Queen, "the fairy made me a very -evil present when she gave me a crown. Contentment is not to be found in -magnificent palaces, but only in the innocent employments of a country -life." These words had hardly passed her lips when the fairy appeared. -"It was not my intention, when I made you Queen, to reward, but to -punish you," said the fairy to her, "for giving me your plums with so -much ill will. To be truly contented and happy, you must, like your -sister, possess only what is necessary, and wish for nothing more." "Ah, -madam!" faltered Blanche, "you are sufficiently revenged; I entreat you -to put an end to my unhappiness." - -"It is at an end," answered the fairy. "The King, who no longer loves -you, has just married another wife, and his officers will arrive here -to-morrow to desire you, in his name, never to return to his court." It -came to pass exactly as the fairy had foretold. Blanche passed the -remainder of her days with her sister Vermilion, in all happiness and -reasonable pleasure, and she never thought of the court again except to -thank the fairy for having brought her from it to her native village. - - - - -_Prince Desire and Princess Mignonetta_ - - -THERE was once upon a time a king who was passionately fond of a -princess; but she could not be married, because she was enchanted. He -went to consult a fairy, to ascertain what he ought to do to make the -Princess love him. The fairy said to him, "You know that the Princess -has a large cat, of which she is very fond; well, she can marry that -person only who can succeed in treading on her cat's tail." The King -said to himself, "That will not be very difficult to accomplish"; and he -quitted the fairy, determined rather to crush the cat's tail than to -fail in treading on it. He hastened to his mistress's palace; Master -Puss came to meet him, very consequentially, as was his wont; the King -lifted up his foot, but when he thought to have put it on the cat's -tail, Puss turned round so quickly that he trod on nothing but the -floor. He was a week trying to tread on this fatal tail, which appeared -to be full of quicksilver, for it was continually moving. But, at last, -the King had the good fortune to surprise Master Puss while he was -asleep, and trod upon his tail with all his weight. Puss awakened, -mewing horribly, and immediately took the shape of a tall man, who, -looking at the King with eyes full of anger, said to him: "You may now -marry the Princess, since you have dissolved the enchantment which -prevented you; but I will be revenged. You shall have a son who will -always be unfortunate until the time when he shall become aware that his -nose is too long; and, if you take any umbrage at what I threaten, you -shall immediately be put to death." - -[Illustration: "HE WAS A WEEK TRYING TO TREAD ON THIS FATAL TAIL"] - -Although the King was frightened at the sight of this tall man, who was -an enchanter, he could not help laughing at his threat. "If my son's -nose should be too long," said he to himself, "unless he should be -either blind or silly, he will certainly be able to see or feel it." -When the enchanter had disappeared, the King went to find the Princess, -who consented to marry him. However, he did not live long with her, for -he died eight months after the wedding. Shortly after his death, the -Queen gave birth to a young Prince, who was called Desire. He had the -finest large blue eyes in the world, and a pretty little mouth; but his -nose was so large that it covered half his face. The Queen was -inconsolable when she saw this large nose; but the ladies who were with -her told her that the nose was not so large as it appeared to her to be; -that it was a Roman nose, and that history averred that all heroes had -large noses. The Queen, who loved her son to excess, was charmed with -this discourse; and, by continually looking at Desire, his nose no -longer appeared to be so very long. The Prince was brought up very -carefully; and, as soon as he could speak, all kinds of shocking stories -were told him of people who had short noses. No one was allowed to -remain near him whose nose did not a little resemble his own; and the -courtiers, to show their respect to the Queen and her son, pulled their -children's noses several times a day, with a view of lengthening them. -They had, however, a difficult task; for their sons appeared to have -hardly any nose at all compared with Prince Desire's. When he became old -enough to understand it, he was instructed in history; and, whenever any -great prince or handsome princess was mentioned to him, he or she was -always spoken of as having a long nose. The room was hung round with -pictures in which all the figures had large noses; and Desire grew so -accustomed to regard length of nose as an ornament, that he would not -for an empire have parted with an atom of his. When he had reached the -age of twenty, it was thought expedient for him to marry; and the -portraits of various princesses were submitted to him. He was in -raptures with that of Mignonetta, the daughter of a great king, and -heiress to several kingdoms; of the kingdoms, however, Desire thought -not at all, he was so much struck with her beauty. - -The Princess Mignonetta, although he was thus charmed with her, had a -little turned-up nose which harmonized admirably with her other -features, but which very much perplexed the courtiers. They had acquired -such a habit of ridiculing small noses, that they sometimes could not -forbear laughing at that of the Princess; but Desire would not suffer a -jest on this subject; and he banished two courtiers from his presence, -who dared to make insinuations against Mignonetta's nose. The others, -warned by their fate, were more cautious; and there was one who said to -the Prince, that, in truth, a man could not be amiable who had not a -large nose, but that it was not the same in respect to woman; for a wise -man, who spoke Greek, had informed him that he had read in an old -manuscript that the fair Cleopatra had the end of her nose turned up. -The Prince made a magnificent present to the courtier who told him this -good news, and dispatched ambassadors to demand Mignonetta in marriage. -His proposal was accepted, and he was so anxious to see her, that he -went more than nine miles on the road to meet her; but as he was just -stepping forward to kiss her hand, the enchanter appeared and carried -off the Princess before his face, leaving him quite inconsolable. - -Desire resolved never to reënter his kingdom, until he had discovered -Mignonetta. He would not allow any of his courtiers to accompany him, -and, mounting a good horse, he laid the bridle on his neck, and allowed -him to choose his own road. The horse presently came to a large plain, -which he traversed the whole day without seeing a single house. Both -horse and rider were ready to die with hunger; at last, as night was -about to set in, they discovered a cave in which a light was burning. -Desire entered, and saw a little old woman, who appeared to be more than -a hundred years old. She put on her spectacles to look at the Prince; -but she was a long time adjusting them, for her nose was too short. The -Prince and the fairy (for it was a fairy) burst out laughing as they -looked at each other; exclaiming simultaneously, "Oh, what a comical -nose!" "Not so comical as yours," said Desire; "but, madam, let us leave -our noses as they are, and have the goodness to give me something to -eat; for both I and my poor horse are dying with hunger." - -"With all my heart," answered the fairy. "Although your nose is -ridiculous, you are not the less the son of my best friend. I loved the -King, your father, like my own brother; but he had a very handsome -nose." "And what is there wanting in mine?" asked Desire. "Oh, it wants -nothing," answered the fairy; "on the contrary, there is far too much of -it; but no matter; a man may be very good, and yet have too large a -nose. I was saying, then, that I was your father's friend; at that time -he frequently came to see me; and you must know that in those days I was -very pretty; your father told me so. I must repeat to you a conversation -that we had together the last time he saw me." "Very well, madam," said -Desire; "I will listen to you with a great deal of pleasure when I have -had my supper; consider, if you please, that I have eaten nothing -to-day." "The poor child is right," said the fairy; "I did not think of -that. I will prepare your supper; and, while you are eating, I will tell -you my history in a few words; for I do not like long tales. A long -tongue is still more insufferable than a large nose; and I remember, -when I was young, that I was admired for not being a great talker; the -Queen, my mother, used frequently to have it mentioned to her; for, such -as you see me, I am a great king's daughter. My father--" "Your father -ate when he was hungry," said the Prince, interrupting her. "Yes, he -did, doubtless," said the fairy, "and you also will have your supper in -a moment: I was merely going to tell you that my father--" "But I will -not listen to a word until I have something to eat," said the Prince, -growing angry. He checked himself, however, for he wanted something of -the fairy, and said: "I know that the pleasure I should take in -listening to you would make me forget my own hunger; but my horse, who -will not understand you, is in need of some food." This compliment made -the fairy blush prettily. "You shall wait no longer," said she to -Desire, calling her domestics; "you are very polite, and, in spite of -the size of your nose, you are very amiable." "Plague take the old woman -with my nose!" said the Prince to himself; "one would have sworn that my -mother had stolen what is wanting in hers, to make mine with; if I were -not hungry, I would leave this prate-a-pace, who fancies that she is a -little talker. One must be very stupid not to perceive one's own -defects; that comes of her being born a princess: flatterers have -spoiled her, and persuaded her that she is a little talker." - -While that was passing in the Prince's mind, the servants laid the -table; and the Prince wondered at the fairy, who kept asking them a -thousand questions, solely to have the pleasure of talking: he was -especially surprised at a waiting woman, who, in everything that she -saw, praised her mistress for her discretion. "Egad!" thought he, as he -was eating, "I am delighted to have found my way here. This example -demonstrates to me how wisely I have acted in not listening to -flatterers, who praise all princes very shamelessly, concealing our -defects from us, or representing them to us as perfections; but as for -me, I shall never be their dupe; I know my own defects, God be thanked." -Poor Desire quite thought he was right, and little imagined that those -who had praised his nose had ridiculed it in their hearts, as the -waiting woman was ridiculing the fairy; for the Prince observed that she -turned her head aside every now and then to laugh. With regard to -himself, he did not say a word, but ate away as fast as he could. -"Prince," said the fairy to him, when he began to be satisfied, "move a -little I entreat you; your nose makes so large a shadow that it prevents -me from seeing what is on my plate. By the way, with regard to your -father: I went to his court when he was quite a child; but it is forty -years since I first retired into this solitude. Tell me a little how -things are going on at court now; are the ladies still as fond of -running about? In my time they used to go on the same day to the -promenade, to the assembly, to the theater, to the ball--But how long -your nose is! I cannot grow used to it." "In truth, madam," answered -Desire, "do not say any more about my nose; it is as it is, and in what -does it concern you? I am contented with it, and do not wish that it was -any shorter; everyone to his taste." "Oh, I perceive now I have hurt -your feelings, my poor Desire," said the fairy, "but I did not intend to -do so; on the contrary, I am your friend, and I wish to do you a -service; but notwithstanding that, I cannot help being shocked at your -nose; I will not, however, mention it to you again; I will even -constrain myself to think that you are snub-nosed; though in truth there -are materials enough in it to make three reasonable noses." - -Desire, who had finished his supper, grew so tired of the fairy's -tedious prattle about his nose that he sprang on his horse and rode away -from the cavern. He continued his journey; and wherever he went, he -thought that everybody was mad, for everybody talked about his nose; -nevertheless, he had been so accustomed to hear it asserted that his -nose was handsome, that he could not reconcile to himself the idea that -it was too long. - -The old fairy, who wished to do him a service in spite of himself, -determined to shut up Mignonetta in a crystal palace, and place this -palace in the Prince's road. Desire, transported with joy, strove to -break it; but he could not succeed: in despair, he wished to approach -near it, so as at least to speak to the Princess, who, on her part, -stretched her hand close to the crystal wall of the palace. He was very -anxious to kiss her hand; but turn his head which way he would, he could -not place his mouth near it, his nose constantly preventing him. He then -perceived for the first time its extraordinary length, and feeling all -over it with his hand, "I must confess," said he, "that my nose is too -large." At the moment he pronounced those words, the crystal palace -vanished, and the fairy appeared leading Mignonetta by the hand, and -saying: "Confess that you are greatly obliged to me. I vainly wished to -speak to you about your nose; but you would never have acknowledged its -defect unless it had become an obstacle to your wishes. In this way -self-love conceals from us all the defects of our minds and bodies. In -vain reason endeavors to unveil them to us; we can never perceive them -until the same self-love that blinds us to them finds them to be opposed -to its interests." Desire, whose nose had become an ordinary nose, -profited by this lesson. He married Mignonetta, and lived very happily -with her to a good old age. - - - - -_The Yellow Dwarf_ - - -THERE once lived a widowed Queen, who had one daughter. There had been -several other children, you must know, but one by one they had died, -until the beautiful Princess All-fair was the only child left. - -Time passed on, and every day the maiden grew more and more lovely, and, -to tell the truth, she not only grew lovelier, but she also became very -vain indeed. - -Well, by the time she reached the age of eighteen, All-fair was so -charming that she had won the hearts of twenty noble kings, and they -were all courting her at the same time. - -But never a smile did they get from the fair Princess. There was not a -man living, be he king or peasant, who was good enough to become her -husband, she said. - -So when the twenty kings heard this, nineteen of them took their hats at -once, and set off in a body to search for brides who were a little less -charming and a little easier to please. - -But the twentieth man, the King of the Golden Mines, was so much in -love with All-fair, that he stayed behind in the hope that she would -change her mind. - -"This will never do," said the Queen one day. "Here am I getting quite -old, and I want to see All-fair safely married and settled down before I -die. I must go and visit the Desert Fairy, and see if she will give me -some advice as to how I can manage my stubborn daughter." - -Now you must know that it was a very hard task indeed to reach the -Desert Fairy, for she was guarded by two fierce and terrible lions. The -only way to get past the animals was to throw them a huge cake made from -crocodiles' eggs, millet, and sugar candy. - -So the Queen set to work, and with her own royal hands she prepared one -of these cakes; then she placed it in a basket and set out for the home -of the Desert Fairy. - -Well, the day was hot, and the cake was heavy, and before long the Queen -was lying fast asleep under a big tree. - -Suddenly a terrible roar awakened her, and she looked round for her cake -to throw to the angry lions, but to her horror it was gone. - -"What is to become of me?" cried the poor Queen in terror, and she burst -into tears. - -"Hem! hem!" cried a small voice, and the Queen looked all around her to -see who could be speaking. - -At last she looked upward, and there, in the branches of the big orange -tree overhead, sat a little yellow man. He was just half a yard high, -and he was eating oranges as quickly as ever he could; in fact, he -didn't even stop eating while he spoke to the Queen, which, of course, -was very rude. - -"Ah, Queen!" he went on, "there is only one way by which you can escape -the lions, and that is by letting me marry your daughter." - -The Queen was so surprised that she even stopped crying. The idea of -that hideous little creature marrying her beautiful daughter was quite -absurd, and she was just about to tell him so when again she heard the -dreadful roaring of the lions. "Be quick and make up your mind!" cried -the Yellow Dwarf. (He was called the Yellow Dwarf, you know, because he -lived in the orange tree, and he had eaten so much of the fruit that his -skin had become the same color.) "Just remember you have no cake to -throw to the lions." - -So, to save her life, the Queen was forced to give her consent to a -marriage between the Yellow Dwarf and her beautiful daughter. - -No sooner did she agree to the match than she began to feel very drowsy, -and the next minute the Queen found herself safely back in her own -palace. - -She was so filled with sadness at the thought of her promise to the -dwarf that a fit of deep gloom settled upon her, and for weeks she never -smiled. - -The Princess was quite at a loss to know what had come over her mother; -so in the end she, too, made up her mind to visit the Desert Fairy in -the hope that she would be able to tell her what ailed the Queen. - -Then All-fair set to work and made a cake from the crocodiles' eggs, -millet, and sugar candy, and when it was ready she started off for the -Desert Fairy's grotto. - -She soon reached the fatal orange tree, and the fruit looked so very -tempting that All-fair laid her cake upon the ground and began to pick -and eat the ripe oranges. - -Just then one of the lions gave a terrible roar, and All-fair looked for -her cake to throw to them. Alas, it was gone! and the maiden began to -weep bitterly. - -"Dry your eyes, lovely Princess!" cried a voice, and, looking up, -All-fair spied the Yellow Dwarf. - -"You need not trouble to go to the Desert Fairy," went on the dwarf, -"for I can tell you what ails your mother." - -"I shall be obliged if you will tell me at once, then," replied -All-fair. - -"Oh, it is all your fault," said the Yellow Dwarf. - -"How dare you say such things!" cried the Princess. "It is nothing of -the sort." - -"Oh, yes, it is," answered the dwarf, with a grin. "Your mother is -sorry now that she promised you to me in marriage." - -"I am sure my mother did not promise me to a fright like you," cried the -angry Princess, "and I will not marry you!" - -"Oh, please yourself," answered the Yellow Dwarf; "but if you don't -marry me you will make a fine meal for the lions, that is all." - -Just at that moment the lions began to roar louder than ever. - -"Well, to save my life," cried poor All-fair, "I will agree to marry -you." - -"I wouldn't have you now," said the dwarf, with an air of disdain. - -"Oh, please do," begged All-fair, "or I shall be torn to pieces by the -lions!" - -"I'll marry you out of charity then," said the Yellow Dwarf. "But don't -suppose that I really want a vain creature like you." - -At that instant the Princess found herself growing very drowsy, and the -next minute she was back again at the palace, and on her finger was a -ring made of a single red hair, which she could not take off. - -After that All-fair grew sad, for she feared that the Yellow Dwarf might -claim her. - -Of course nobody knew the cause of her sadness, and they all wondered -what it could be. - -So the Queen's ministers held a cabinet meeting, and they agreed to ask -the Princess once more if she would marry, for they thought the -excitement of choosing her wedding gown would rouse her from her gloom. - -To the great surprise of them all, All-fair said she was quite willing -to do as they wished. So the King of the Golden Mines had his reward for -waiting so long, for the Princess chose him as her husband. He was very -rich and powerful, and so gallant, that All-fair thought when once she -was his wife she need fear the Yellow Dwarf no more. - -The wedding day arrived at last, and as the guests were on their way to -the church they saw a big box moving toward them, and on the top sat a -very ugly old woman. - -"Stop!" she cried, with a dreadful frown. "Do you remember the promise -you made to my friend, the Yellow Dwarf? I am the Desert Fairy, and if -All-fair does not marry the dwarf she will taste my wrath, you will -find." - -This speech made the brave King of the Golden Mines so angry that he -drew his sword, and shouted loudly: - -"Begone, or I will take your evil life!" - -As soon as he uttered these words, off flew the top of the box, and out -came the Yellow Dwarf seated upon a big, black Spanish cat. - -"Not so fast!" cried the Yellow Dwarf. "I am your rival, so do not vent -your wrath upon the Desert Fairy. I claim the Princess for my bride, and -in token of her promise to me, on her finger you will find a ring made -of a single red hair." - -"It is false!" cried the King of the Golden Mines, and he made a dash, -sword in hand, for the Yellow Dwarf. - -But quick as thought the dwarf drew his sword also, and he rode forward -on his Spanish cat. - -Well, they fought long and fiercely, but the King was not able to -overcome the dwarf because he was protected by two enormous giants, who -stood one on each side of him. - -Suddenly the Desert Fairy stepped forward, and on her head was a wreath -of big, curling snakes. Raising her lance, she struck the Princess such -a blow that All-fair sank fainting into her mother's arms. - -"Revenge!" shouted the King of the Golden Mines, and he rushed to the -aid of his love, as a brave man would, of course. - -But, alas! he was too late, for the dwarf had torn her from her mother's -arms, lifted her on to his Spanish cat, and the next minute they were -flying through the air beyond his reach. - -The poor King was so surprised that all he could do was to gaze up -toward the clouds and wonder what would happen next. Suddenly a mist -gathered before his eyes, and he felt himself being carried up into the -air also. - -Now you must know that the ugly old Desert Fairy had fallen madly in -love with the King of the Golden Mines, and she had made up her mind -that he should never marry All-fair; so she carried him off to secure -him for herself. - -Up into the air they went until they reached a gloomy cave. Then the -fairy set him down, and restored his sight by means of her magic arts. - -"He is sure to fall in love with me," she cried to herself, "now that -All-fair is safely out of the way!" - -But it was not a bit of use, for she was so ugly that the King only -looked the other way the whole time, and this made her very angry -indeed. - -So the fairy tried another plan. She took the form of a beautiful -maiden, and placed the King in a splendid chariot, drawn by two -snow-white swans. - -Then she, too, stepped in, and together they sailed away through the -air. - -"He'll never resist my charms this time," she said to herself. But she -found out her mistake very soon, I can tell you. You see, although the -fairy could change her form at will, her feet always remained the same, -and the King caught sight of two ugly webbed feet, that looked as if -they belonged to a griffin; so he was not deceived at all, and knew her -to be the Desert Fairy, in spite of the disguise. - -On and on they went, and once the King chanced to look downward. There -he saw a castle built of bright polished steel, and on the balcony stood -All-fair weeping very bitterly. - -All-fair chanced to look upward, and she spied the chariot drawn by the -snow-white swans. Although it passed along very quickly, she could see -the King seated inside with a lovely maiden, and as she did not know it -was the Desert Fairy, she felt very jealous indeed. - -Soon the chariot alighted at a lonely palace, shut in by a wall of -emeralds on one side and the sea on the other. - -Well, the King just cast his eyes around the place, and made up his mind -not to stay there long. - -"I'll escape somehow," he said to himself; and he did, too, before very -long. - -He pretended to be in love with the Desert Fairy, and this pleased and -flattered her so much that she began to treat him very kindly indeed. -She even allowed him to walk alone on the seashore for half an hour each -day. - -One morning as the King stood upon the beach he was surprised to see a -charming mermaid rise up from the water. - -"King of the Golden Mines," she said, "I know your story, and have the -power to set you free. I can also restore your Princess All-fair to you -once more. Now, as I am an enemy of the Desert Fairy, I will do this for -you." - -The King thanked her, of course, and the mermaid bade him set himself -upon her tail, and away they sailed at full speed across the blue ocean -until they had gone many miles. - -"The Princess, you must know," said the mermaid, "is being kept a -prisoner by the Yellow Dwarf. She is in a bright steel castle, and in -another hour we shall reach the place." - -On they went still farther, and at length the mermaid set the King down -upon the seashore. - -"The rest of the journey," she said, "you must take alone, and you will -have many enemies to fight before you reach the Princess. But," she -added, "I will present you with this magic sword, which will overcome -everything, so long as you never let it out of your hand." - -The King took the sword, and thanked the mermaid again and again, and -then he set out to seek the steel castle. - -But before he had gone a hundred yards, four terrible griffins attacked -him, and the King stood a good chance of being torn to pieces by their -long claws. Just in time, however, he remembered his magic sword, and no -sooner did the four griffins behold it than they sank to the ground, -blinded by its brightness. - -After that it was an easy matter to cut off their heads, and the King -went on his way again. - -[Illustration: THE MERMAID TAKING THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MINES TO THE -STEEL CASTLE] - -Soon after he met six big dragons, and each one was covered with scales -like cast iron. But by means of his magic sword the King was able to -kill them also, and then he hoped his troubles were nearly over. - -Alas! before he had gone many yards, twenty-four nymphs, all lovely as -the sun, set themselves right in his path. - -"Our business," they said, "is to keep you from reaching the steel -castle. If we let you pass, all our lives will be sacrificed. We have -done you no harm, so do go back again that our innocent lives may be -spared." - -Well, the King scarcely knew how to act; it seemed a pity to destroy -such lovely creatures, and yet get to the steel castle he must. - -"Strike! Strike!" cried a voice loudly, "or you will lose your Princess -forever!" - -So his Majesty destroyed the whole twenty-four of them, and at that -moment the steel castle appeared in sight. - -On the balcony stood All-fair, just as she had been when he passed -through the air in the chariot drawn by swans. - -"Princess," he cried, "your faithful lover has returned at last!" - -"Faithful indeed!" replied All-fair angrily. "You were not faithful when -I saw you being carried through the air in company with a beautiful -maiden." - -"Indeed I was," replied the King of the Golden Mines. "The maiden you -saw was the wicked Desert Fairy. She carried me off to an island, and -there I should be now, if a kind mermaid had not set me free." - -Then the King cast himself at her feet; but, unfortunately, he managed -to drop the magic sword over the balcony. - -Out popped the ugly Yellow Dwarf from behind a big cabbage, where he was -hiding, and he snapped up the sword in a trice. - -The Princess gave a loud shriek when she set eyes on the dwarf, but the -little man, who knew well what a treasure the sword was, just uttered -two magic words, with the weapon in his hand, and there appeared two -terrible giants, who at once bound the King in chains in spite of his -struggles. - -"Now," chuckled the Yellow Dwarf, "your lover is in my power. If he will -consent to your becoming my bride, I will set him free at once." - -"Never!" cried the King of the Golden Mines. - -"Then take that," replied the Yellow Dwarf, and he buried the magic -sword in the heart of the King. - -The poor Princess was filled with sorrow at the loss of her lover, and -she cried loudly: - -"Hideous dwarf, you have gained nothing by slaying my lover, for I will -never marry you. Since he is dead, I will die too." - -Then she seized the sword and plunged it into her own heart. - -The good mermaid was very unhappy when she heard what had taken place, -but as her only power lay in the magic sword, she could help them no -further. - -So she changed them into two palm trees, growing side by side, and every -time the soft breezes blew, their branches caressed and kissed each -other, so they were happy together, after all, in spite of the ugly -Yellow Dwarf. - - - - -_Graciosa and Percinet_ - - -Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had one charming -daughter. She was so graceful and pretty and clever that she was called -Graciosa, and the Queen was so fond of her that she could think of -nothing else. - -Every day she gave the Princess a lovely new frock of gold brocade, or -satin, or velvet, and when she was hungry she had bowls full of -sugarplums, and at least twenty pots of jam. Everybody said she was the -happiest princess in the world. Now there lived at this same court a -very rich old Duchess whose name was Grumbly. She was more frightful -than tongue can tell; her hair was red as fire, and she had but one eye, -and that not a pretty one! Her face was as broad as a full moon, and her -mouth was so large that everybody who met her would have been afraid -they were going to be eaten up, only she had no teeth. As she was as -cross as she was ugly, she could not bear to hear everyone saying how -pretty and how charming Graciosa was; so she presently went away from -the court to her own castle, which was not far off. But if anybody who -went to see her happened to mention the charming Princess, she would cry -angrily: - -"It's not true that she is lovely. I have more beauty in my little -finger than she has in her whole body." - -Soon after this, to the great grief of the Princess, the Queen was taken -ill and died, and the King became so melancholy that for a whole year he -shut himself up in his palace. At last his physicians, fearing that he -would fall ill, ordered that he should go out and amuse himself; so a -hunting party was arranged, but as it was very hot weather the King soon -grew tired, and said he would dismount and rest at a castle which they -were passing. - -This happened to be the Duchess Grumbly's castle, and when she heard -that the King was coming she went out to meet him, and said that the -cellar was the coolest place in the whole castle if he would condescend -to come down into it. So down they went together, and the King seeing -about two hundred great casks ranged side by side, asked if it was only -for herself that she had this immense store of wine. - -"Yes, sire," answered she, "it is for myself alone, but I shall be most -happy to let you taste some of it. Which do you like, canary, St. -Julien, champagne, hermitage sack, raisin, or cider?" - -"Well," said the King, "since you are so kind as to ask me, I prefer -champagne to anything else." - -Then Duchess Grumbly took up a little hammer and tapped upon the cask -twice, and out came at least a thousand crowns. - -"What's the meaning of this?" said she, smiling. - -Then she tapped the next cask, and out came a bushel of gold pieces. - -"I don't understand this at all," said the Duchess, smiling more than -before. - -Then she went on to the third cask, tap, tap, and out came such a stream -of diamonds and pearls that the ground was covered with them. - -"Ah!" she cried, "this is altogether beyond my comprehension, sire. Some -one must have stolen my good wine and put all this rubbish in its -place." - -"Rubbish, do you call it, Madam Grumbly?" cried the King. "Rubbish! why -there is enough there to buy ten kingdoms." - -"Well," said she, "you must know that all those casks are full of gold -and jewels, and if you like to marry me it shall all be yours." - -Now the King loved money more than anything else in the world, so he -cried joyfully: - -"Marry you? why, with all my heart! to-morrow if you like." - -"But I make one condition," said the Duchess; "I must have entire -control of your daughter to do as I please with her." - -"Oh, certainly, you shall have your own way; let us shake hands upon the -bargain," said the King. - -So they shook hands and went up out of the cellar of treasure together, -and the Duchess locked the door and gave the key to the King. - -When he returned to his own palace Graciosa ran out to meet him, and -asked if he had had good sport. - -"I have caught a dove," answered he. - -"Oh! do give it to me," said the Princess, "and I will keep it and take -care of it." - -"I can hardly do that," said he, "for, to speak more plainly, I mean -that I met the Duchess Grumbly, and have promised to marry her." - -"And you call her a dove?" cried the Princess. "I should have called her -a screech owl." - -"Hold your tongue," said the King very crossly. "I intend you to behave -prettily to her. So now go and make yourself fit to be seen, as I am -going to take you to visit her." - -So the Princess went very sorrowfully to her own room, and her nurse, -seeing her tears, asked what was vexing her. - -"Alas! who would not be vexed?" answered she, "for the King intends to -marry again, and has chosen for his new bride my enemy, the hideous -Duchess Grumbly." - -"Oh, well!" answered the nurse, "you must remember that you are a -Princess, and are expected to set a good example in making the best of -whatever happens. You must promise me not to let the Duchess see how -much you dislike her." - -At first the Princess would not promise, but the nurse showed her so -many good reasons for it that in the end she agreed to be amiable to her -stepmother. - -Then the nurse dressed her in a robe of pale green and gold brocade, and -combed out her long fair hair till it floated round her like a golden -mantle, and put on her head a crown of roses and jasmine with emerald -leaves. - -When she was ready nobody could have been prettier, but she still could -not help looking sad. - -Meanwhile the Duchess Grumbly was also occupied in attiring herself. She -had one of her shoe heels made an inch or so higher than the other, that -she might not limp so much, and put a cunningly made glass eye in the -place of the one she had lost. She dyed her red hair black, and painted -her face. Then she put on a gorgeous robe of lilac satin lined with -blue, and a yellow petticoat trimmed with violet ribbons, and because -she had heard that queens always rode into their new dominions, she -ordered a horse to be made ready for her to ride. - -While Graciosa was waiting until the King should be ready to set out, -she went down all alone through the garden into a little wood, where she -sat down upon a mossy bank and began to think. And her thoughts were so -doleful that very soon she began to cry, and she cried and cried, and -forgot all about going back to the palace, until she suddenly saw a -handsome page standing before her. He was dressed in green, and the cap -which he held in his hand was adorned with white plumes. When Graciosa -looked at him he went down on one knee, and said to her: - -"Princess, the King awaits you." - -The Princess was surprised, and, if the truth must be told, very much -delighted at the appearance of this charming page, whom she could not -remember to have seen before. Thinking he might belong to the household -of the Duchess, she said: - -"How long have you been one of the King's pages?" - -"I am not in the service of the King, madam," answered he, "but in -yours." - -"In mine?" said the Princess with great surprise. "Then how is it that I -have never seen you before?" - -"Ah, Princess!" said he, "I have never before dared to present myself to -you, but now the King's marriage threatens you with so many dangers that -I have resolved to tell you at once how much I love you already, and I -trust that in time I may win your regard. I am Prince Percinet, of whose -riches you may have heard, and whose fairy gift will, I hope, be of use -to you in all your difficulties, if you will permit me to accompany you -under this disguise." - -"Ah, Percinet!" cried the Princess, "is it really you? I have so often -heard of you and wished to see you. If you will indeed be my friend, I -shall not be afraid of that wicked old Duchess any more." - -So they went back to the palace together, and there Graciosa found a -beautiful horse which Percinet had brought for her to ride. As it was -very spirited he led it by the bridle, and this arrangement enabled him -to turn and look at the Princess often, which he did not fail to do. -Indeed, she was so pretty that it was a real pleasure to look at her. -When the horse which the Duchess was to ride appeared beside Graciosa's, -it looked no better than an old cart horse, and as to their trappings, -there was simply no comparison between them, as the Princess's saddle -and bridle were one glittering mass of diamonds. The King had so many -other things to think of that he did not notice this, but all his -courtiers were entirely taken up with admiring the Princess and her -charming page in green, who was more handsome and distinguished looking -than all the rest of the court put together. - -When they met the Duchess Grumbly she was seated in an open carriage -trying in vain to look dignified. The King and the Princess saluted her, -and her horse was brought forward for her to mount. But when she saw -Graciosa's she cried angrily: - -"If that child is to have a better horse than mine, I will go back to my -own castle this very minute. What is the good of being a Queen, if one -is to be slighted like this?" - -Upon this the King commanded Graciosa to dismount and to beg the Duchess -to honor her by mounting her horse. The Princess obeyed in silence, and -the Duchess, without looking at her or thanking her, scrambled up upon -the beautiful horse, where she sat looking like a bundle of clothes, and -eight officers had to hold her up for fear she should fall off. - -Even then she was not satisfied, and was still grumbling and muttering, -so they asked her what was the matter. - -"I wish that page in green to come and lead the horse, as he did when -Graciosa rode it," said she very sharply. - -And the King ordered the page to come and lead the Queen's horse. -Percinet and the Princess looked at one another, but said never a word, -and then he did as the King commanded, and the procession started in -great pomp. The Duchess was greatly elated, and as she sat there in -state would not have wished to change places even with Graciosa. But at -the moment when it was least expected the beautiful horse began to -plunge and rear and kick, and finally to run away at such a pace that it -was impossible to stop him. - -At first the Duchess clung to the saddle, but she was very soon thrown -off and fell in a heap among the stones and thorns, and there they found -her, shaken to a jelly, and collected what was left of her as if she had -been a broken glass. Her bonnet was here and her shoes there, her face -was scratched, and her fine clothes were covered with mud. Never was a -bride seen in such a dismal plight. They carried her back to the palace -and put her to bed, but as soon as she recovered enough to be able to -speak, she began to scold and rage, and declared that the whole affair -was Graciosa's fault, that she had contrived it on purpose to try and -get rid of her, and that if the King would not have her punished, she -would go back to her castle and enjoy her riches by herself. - -At this the King was terribly frightened, for he did not at all want to -lose all those barrels of gold and jewels. So he hastened to appease the -Duchess, and told her she might punish Graciosa in any way she pleased. - -Thereupon she sent for Graciosa, who turned pale and trembled at the -summons, for she guessed that it promised nothing agreeable for her. She -looked all about for Percinet, but he was nowhere to be seen; so she had -no choice but to go to the Duchess Grumbly's room. She had hardly got -inside the door when she was seized by four waiting women, who looked so -tall and strong and cruel that the Princess shuddered at the sight of -them, and still more when she saw them arming themselves with great -bundles of rods, and heard the Duchess call out to them from her bed to -beat the Princess without mercy. Poor Graciosa wished miserably that -Percinet could only know what was happening and come to rescue her. But -no sooner did they begin to beat her than she found, to her great -relief, that the rods had changed to bundles of peacocks' feathers, and -though the Duchess's women went on till they were so tired that they -could no longer raise their arms from their sides, yet she was not hurt -in the least. However, the Duchess thought she must be black and blue -after such a beating; so Graciosa, when she was released, pretended to -feel very ill, and went away into her own room, where she told her nurse -all that had happened, and then the nurse left her, and when the -Princess turned round there stood Percinet beside her. She thanked him -gratefully for helping her so cleverly, and they laughed and were very -merry over the way they had taken in the Duchess and her waiting maids; -but Percinet advised her still to pretend to be ill for a few days and -after promising to come to her aid whenever she needed him, he -disappeared as suddenly as he had come. - -The Duchess was so delighted at the idea that Graciosa was really ill -that she herself recovered twice as fast as she would have done -otherwise, and the wedding was held with great magnificence. Now as the -King knew that, above all other things, the Queen loved to be told that -she was beautiful, he ordered that her portrait should be painted, and -that a tournament should be held, at which all the bravest knights of -his court should maintain against all comers that Grumbly was the most -beautiful princess in the world. - -Numbers of knights came from far and wide to accept the challenge, and -the hideous Queen sat in great state in a balcony hung with cloth of -gold to watch the contests, and Graciosa had to stand up behind her, -where her loveliness was so conspicuous that the combatants could not -keep their eyes off her. But the Queen was so vain that she thought all -their admiring glances were for herself, especially as, in spite of the -badness of their cause, the King's knights were so brave that they were -the victors in every combat. - -However, when nearly all the strangers had been defeated, a young -unknown knight presented himself. He carried a portrait, inclosed in a -box incrusted with diamonds, and he declared himself willing to maintain -against them all, that the Queen was the ugliest creature in the world, -and that the Princess whose portrait he carried was the most beautiful. - -So one by one the knights came out against him, and one by one he -vanquished them all, and then he opened the box, and said that, to -console them, he would show them the portrait of his queen of beauty, -and when he did so, everyone recognized the Princess Graciosa. The -unknown knight then saluted her gracefully and retired, without telling -his name to anybody. But Graciosa had no difficulty in guessing that it -was Percinet. - -As to the Queen, she was so furiously angry that she could hardly speak; -but she soon recovered her voice, and overwhelmed Graciosa with a -torrent of reproaches. - -"What!" she said, "do you dare to dispute with me for the prize of -beauty, and expect me to endure this insult to my knights? But I will -not bear it, proud Princess. I will have my revenge." - -"I assure you, madam," said the Princess, "that I had nothing to do with -it and am quite willing that you shall be declared queen of beauty." - -"Ah! you are pleased to jest, popinjay!" said the Queen, "but it will be -my turn soon!" - -The King was speedily told what had happened, and how the Princess was -in terror of the angry Queen, but he only said: - -"The Queen must do as she pleases. Graciosa belongs to her!" - -The wicked Queen waited impatiently until night fell, and then she -ordered her carriage to be brought. Graciosa, much against her will, was -forced into it, and away they drove, and never stopped until they -reached a great forest, a hundred leagues from the palace. This forest -was so gloomy and so full of lions, tigers, bears, and wolves that -nobody dared pass through it even by daylight, and here they set down -the unhappy Princess in the middle of the black night, and left her in -spite of all her tears and entreaties. The Princess stood quite still at -first from sheer bewilderment, but when the last sound of the retreating -carriage died away in the distance she began to run aimlessly hither and -thither, sometimes knocking herself against a tree, sometimes tripping -over a stone, fearing every minute that she would be eaten up by the -lions. Presently she was too tired to advance another step, so she threw -herself down upon the ground and cried miserably: - -"O Percinet! where are you? Have you forgotten me altogether?" - -She had hardly spoken when all the forest was lighted up with a sudden -glow. Every tree seemed to be sending out a soft radiance, which was -clearer than moonlight and softer than daylight, and at the end of a -long avenue of trees opposite to her the Princess saw a palace of clear -crystal which blazed like the sun. At that moment a slight sound behind -her made her turn around, and there stood Percinet himself. - -"Did I frighten you, my Princess?" said he. "I come to bid you welcome -to our fairy palace, in the name of the Queen, my mother, who is -prepared to love you as much as I do." The Princess joyfully mounted -with him into a little sledge, drawn by two stags, which bounded off and -drew them swiftly to the wonderful palace, where the Queen received her -with the greatest kindness, and a splendid banquet was served at once. -Graciosa was so happy to have found Percinet, and to have escaped from -the gloomy forest and all its terrors, that she was very hungry and very -merry, and they were a gay party. After supper they went into another -lovely room, where the crystal walls were covered with pictures, and the -Princess saw with great surprise that her own history was represented, -even down to the moment when Percinet found her in the forest. - -"Your painters must indeed be diligent," she said, pointing out the last -picture to the Prince. - -"They are obliged to be, for I will not have anything forgotten that -happens to you," he answered. - -When the Princess grew sleepy, twenty-four charming maidens put her to -bed in the prettiest room she had ever seen, and then sang to her so -sweetly that Graciosa's dreams were all of mermaids, and cool sea -waves, and caverns, in which she wandered with Percinet; but when she -woke up again her first thought was that, delightful as this fairy -palace seemed to her, yet she could not stay in it, but must go back to -her father. When she had been dressed by the twenty-four maidens in a -charming robe which the Queen had sent for her, and in which she looked -prettier than ever, Prince Percinet came to see her, and was bitterly -disappointed when she told him what she had been thinking. He begged her -to consider again how unhappy the wicked Queen would make her, and how, -if she would but marry him, all the fairy palace would be hers, and his -one thought would be to please her. But, in spite of everything he could -say, the Princess was quite determined to go back, though he at last -persuaded her to stay eight days, which were so full of pleasure and -amusement that they passed like a few hours. On the last day, Graciosa, -who had often felt anxious to know what was going on in her father's -palace, said to Percinet that she was sure that he could find out for -her, if he would, what reason the Queen had given her father for her -sudden disappearance. Percinet at first offered to send his courier to -find out, but the Princess said: - -"Oh! isn't there a quicker way of knowing than that?" - -"Very well," said Percinet, "you shall see for yourself." - -So up they went together to the top of a very high tower, which, like -the rest of the castle, was built entirely of rock crystal. - -There the Prince held Graciosa's hand in his, and made her put the tip -of her little finger into her mouth, and look toward the town, and -immediately she saw the wicked Queen go to the King, and heard her say -to him: "That miserable Princess is dead, and no great loss either. I -have ordered that she shall be buried at once." - -And then the Princess saw how she dressed up a log of wood and had it -buried, and how the old King cried, and all the people murmured that the -Queen had killed Graciosa with her cruelties, and that she ought to have -her head cut off. When the Princess saw that the King was so sorry for -her pretended death that he could neither eat nor drink, she cried: - -"Ah, Percinet! take me back quickly, if you love me." - -And so, though he did not want to at all, he was obliged to promise that -he would let her go. - -"You may not regret me, Princess," he said sadly, "for I fear that you -do not love me well enough; but I foresee that you will more than once -regret that you left this fairy palace where we have been so happy." - -But, in spite of all he could say, she bade farewell to the Queen, his -mother, and prepared to set out; so Percinet, very unwillingly, brought -the little sledge with the stags and she mounted beside him. But they -had hardly gone twenty yards when a tremendous noise behind her made -Graciosa look back, and she saw the palace of crystal fly into a million -splinters, like the spray of a fountain, and vanish. - -"O Percinet!" she cried, "what has happened? The palace is gone!" - -"Yes," he answered, "my palace is a thing of the past; you will see it -again, but not until after you have been buried." - -"Now you are angry with me," said Graciosa in her most coaxing voice, -"though after all I am more to be pitied than you are." - -When they drew near the palace the Prince made the sledge and themselves -invisible, so the Princess got in unobserved, and ran up to the great -hall where the King was sitting all by himself. At first he was very -much startled by Graciosa's sudden appearance, but she told him how the -Queen had left her out in the forest, and how she had caused a log of -wood to be buried. The King, who did not know what to think, sent -quickly and had it dug up, and sure enough it was as the Princess had -said. Then he caressed Graciosa, and made her sit down to supper with -him, and they were as happy as possible. But some one had by this time -told the wicked Queen that Graciosa had come back, and was at supper -with the King, and in she flew in a terrible fury. The poor old King -quite trembled before her, and when she declared that Graciosa was not -the Princess at all, but a wicked impostor, and that if the King did not -give her up at once she would go back to her own castle and never see -him again, he had not a word to say, and really seemed to believe that -it was not Graciosa after all. So the Queen in great triumph sent for -her waiting women, who dragged the unhappy Princess away and shut her up -in a garret; they took away all her jewels and her pretty dress, and -gave her a rough cotton frock, wooden shoes, and a little cloth cap. -There was some straw in a corner, which was all she had for a bed, and -they gave her a very little bit of black bread to eat. In this miserable -plight Graciosa did indeed regret the fairy palace, and she would have -called Percinet to her aid, only she felt sure he was still vexed with -her for leaving him, and thought that she could not expect him to come. - -Meanwhile the Queen had sent for an old fairy, as malicious as herself, -and said to her: - -"You must find me some task for this fine Princess which she cannot -possibly do, for I mean to punish her, and if she does not do what I -order, she will not be able to say that I am unjust." So the old fairy -said she would think it over, and come again the next day. When she -returned she brought with her a skein of thread, three times as big as -herself; it was so fine that a breath of air would break it, and so -tangled that it was impossible to see the beginning or the end of it. - -The Queen sent for Graciosa, and said to her: - -"Do you see this skein? Set your clumsy fingers to work upon it, for I -must have it disentangled by sunset, and if you break a single thread it -will be the worse for you." So saying she left her, locking the door -behind her with three keys. - -The Princess stood dismayed at the sight of the terrible skein. If she -did but turn it over to see where to begin, she broke a thousand -threads, and not one could she disentangle. At last she threw it into -the middle of the floor, crying: - -"O Percinet! this fatal skein will be the death of me if you will not -forgive me and help me once more." - -And immediately in came Percinet as easily as if he had all the keys in -his own possession. - -"Here I am, Princess, as much as ever at your service," said he, "though -really you are not very kind to me." - -Then he just stroked the skein with his wand, and all the broken threads -joined themselves together, and the whole skein wound itself smoothly -off in the most surprising manner, and the Prince, turning to Graciosa, -asked if there was nothing else that she wished him to do for her, and -if the time would never come when she would wish for him for his own -sake. - -"Don't be vexed with me, Percinet," she said. "I am unhappy enough -without that." - -"But why should you be unhappy, my Princess?" cried he. "Only come with -me and we shall be as happy together as the day is long." - -"But suppose you get tired of me?" said Graciosa. - -The Prince was so grieved at this want of confidence that he left her -without another word. - -The wicked Queen was in such a hurry to punish Graciosa that she thought -the sun would never set; and indeed it was before the appointed time -that she came with her four fairies, and as she fitted the three keys -into the locks she said: - -"I'll venture to say that the idle minx has not done anything at -all--she prefers to sit with her hands before her to keep them white." - -But as soon as she entered, Graciosa presented her with the ball of -thread in perfect order, so that she had no fault to find, and could -only pretend to discover that it was soiled, for which imaginary fault -she gave Graciosa a blow on each cheek, that made her white-and-pink -skin turn green and yellow. And then she sent her back to be locked into -the garret once more. - -Then the Queen sent for the fairy again and scolded her furiously. -"Don't make such a mistake again; find me something that it will be -quite impossible for her to do," she said. - -So the next day the fairy appeared with a huge barrel full of the -feathers of all sorts of birds. There were feathers from nightingales, -canaries, goldfinches, linnets, tomtits, parrots, owls, sparrows, doves, -ostriches, bustards, peacocks, larks, partridges, and every sort that -you can think of. These feathers were all mixed up in such confusion -that the birds themselves could not have chosen out their own. "Here," -said the fairy, "is a little task which it will take all your prisoner's -skill and patience to accomplish. Tell her to pick out and lay in a -separate heap the feathers of each bird. She would need to be an -enchanter to do it." - -The Queen was more than delighted at the thought of the despair this -task would cause the Princess. She sent for her, and with the same -threats as before locked her up with the three keys, ordering that all -the feathers should be sorted by sunset. Graciosa set to work at once, -but before she had taken out a dozen feathers she found that it was -perfectly impossible to know one from another. - -"Ah, well," she sighed, "the Queen wishes to kill me, and if I must die -I must. I cannot ask Percinet to help me again, for if he really loved -me he would not wait till I called him, he would come without that." - -"I am here, my Graciosa," cried Percinet, springing out of the barrel, -where he had been hiding. "How can you still doubt that I love you with -all my heart?" - -Then he gave three strokes of his wand upon the barrel, and all the -feathers flew out in a cloud and settled down in neat little separate -heaps all round the room. - -"What should I do without you, Percinet?" said Graciosa gratefully. But -still she could not quite make up her mind to go with him and leave her -father's kingdom forever; so she begged him to give her more time to -think of it, and he had to go away disappointed once more. - -When the wicked Queen came at sunset she was amazed and infuriated to -find the task done. However, she complained that the heaps of feathers -were badly arranged, and for that the Princess was beaten and sent back -to her garret. Then the Queen sent for the fairy once more, and scolded -her until she was fairly terrified, and promised to go home and think of -another task for Graciosa, worse than either of the others. - -At the end of three days she came again, bringing with her a box. - -"Tell your slave," said she, "to carry this wherever you please, but on -no account to open it. She will not be able to help doing so, and then -you will be quite satisfied with the result." So the Queen came to -Graciosa and said: - -"Carry this box to my castle, and place it upon the table in my own -room. But I forbid you on pain of death to look at what it contains." - -Graciosa set out, wearing her little cap and wooden shoes and the old -cotton frock, but even in this disguise she was so beautiful that all -the passers-by wondered who she could be. She had not gone far before -the heat of the sun and the weight of the box tired her so much that she -sat down to rest in the shade of a little wood which lay on one side of -a green meadow. She was carefully holding the box upon her lap when she -suddenly felt the greatest desire to open it. - -"What could possibly happen if I did?" she said to herself. "I should -not take anything out. I should only just see what was there." - -And without further hesitation she lifted the cover. - -Instantly out came swarms of little men and women, no taller than her -finger, and scattered themselves all over the meadow, singing and -dancing, and playing the merriest games, so that at first Graciosa was -delighted and watched them with much amusement. But presently, when she -was rested and wished to go on her way, she found that, do what she -would, she could not get them back into their box. If she chased them in -the meadow they fled into the wood, and if she pursued them into the -wood they dodged around trees and behind sprigs of moss, and with peals -of elfin laughter scampered back again into the meadow. - -At last, weary and terrified, she sat down and cried. - -"It is my own fault," she said sadly. "Percinet, if you can still care -for such an imprudent Princess, do come and help me once more." - -Immediately Percinet stood before her. - -"Ah, Princess!" he said, "but for the wicked Queen I fear you would -never think of me at all." - -"Indeed I should," said Graciosa; "I am not so ungrateful as you think. -Only wait a little and I believe I shall love you quite dearly." - -Percinet was pleased at this, and with one stroke of his wand compelled -all the willful little people to come back to their places in the box, -and then rendering the Princess invisible he took her with him in his -chariot to the castle. - -When the Princess presented herself at the door, and said that the Queen -had ordered her to place the box in her own room, the governor laughed -heartily at the idea. - -"No, no, my little shepherdess," said he, "that is not the place for -you. No wooden shoes have ever been over that floor yet." - -Then Graciosa begged him to give her a written message telling the Queen -that he had refused to admit her. This he did, and she went back to -Percinet, who was waiting for her, and they set out together for the -palace. You may imagine that they did not go the shortest way, but the -Princess did not find it too long, and before they parted she had -promised that if the Queen was still cruel to her, and tried again to -play her any spiteful trick, she would leave her and come to Percinet -forever. - -When the Queen saw her returning she fell upon the fairy, whom she had -kept with her, and pulled her hair, and scratched her face, and would -really have killed her if a fairy could be killed. And when the Princess -presented the letter and the box she threw them both upon the fire -without opening them, and looked very much as if she would like to -throw the Princess after them. However, what she really did do was to -have a great hole as deep as a well dug in her garden, and the top of it -covered with a flat stone. Then she went and walked near it, and said to -Graciosa and all her ladies who were with her: - -"I am told that a great treasure lies under that stone: let us see if we -can lift it." - -So they all began to push and pull at it, and Graciosa among the others, -which was just what the Queen wanted; for as soon as the stone was -lifted high enough, she gave the Princess a push which sent her down to -the bottom of the well, and then the stone was let fall again, and there -she was a prisoner. Graciosa felt that now indeed she was hopelessly -lost; surely not even Percinet could find her in the heart of the earth. - -"This is like being buried alive," she said with a shudder. "O Percinet! -if you only knew how I am suffering for my want of trust in you! But how -could I be sure that you would not be like other men and tire of me from -the moment you were sure I loved you?" - -As she spoke she suddenly saw a little door open, and the sunshine -blazed into the dismal well. Graciosa did not hesitate an instant, but -passed through into a charming garden. Flowers and fruit grew on every -side, fountains plashed, and birds sang in the branches overhead, and -when she reached a great avenue of trees and looked up to see where it -would lead her, she found herself close to the palace of crystal. Yes! -there was no mistaking it, and the Queen and Percinet were coming to -meet her. - -"Ah, Princess!" said the Queen, "don't keep this poor Percinet in -suspense any longer. You little guess the anxiety he has suffered while -you were in the power of that miserable Grumbly." - -The Princess kissed her gratefully, and promised to do as she wished in -everything, and holding out her hand to Percinet, with a smile, she -said: - -"Do you remember telling me that I should not see your palace again -until I had been buried? I wonder if you guessed that when that -happened, I should tell you that I love you with all my heart, and will -marry you whenever you like?" - -Prince Percinet joyfully took the hand that was given him, and, for fear -the Princess should change her mind, the wedding was held at once with -the greatest splendor, and Graciosa and Percinet lived happily ever -after. - - - - -_Drak, the Fairy_ - - -IN the last century there lived in the little town of Gaillac, in -Languedoc, a young merchant, who, having arrived at an age when he -wished to settle down in life, sought a wife. Providing she was -sweet-tempered, witty, rich, pretty, and of good family, he was not -particular about the rest; for Michael knew that he must be moderate in -his desires. Unhappily, he could not see in Gaillac one who appeared -worthy of his choice. All the young girls had some known fault, not to -mention those which were not known. At length he was told of a young -lady of Lavaur, endowed with innumerable good qualities and a dowry of -twenty thousand crowns. This sum was exactly that required by Michael to -establish himself in business; so he instantly fell in love with the -young lady of Lavaur. He obtained an introduction to the family, who -liked his appearance, and gave him a good reception. But the young -heiress had many suitors, from whom she hesitated to make a definite -choice. After several discussions it was decided by her parents that the -contending lovers should be brought together at a ball, and after having -compared them a choice should be made. - -On the appointed day Michael set out for Lavaur. His portmanteau was -packed with his finest clothes: an apple-green coat, a lavender vest, -breeches of black velvet, silk stockings with silver trees, buckled -shoes, powder box, and a satin ribbon for his queue. His horse was -harnessed with gay trappings. Furthermore, the prudent traveler, not -having a pistol to put in his holsters, had slipped in a little bottle -of wine and several slices of almond cake, in order to have something at -hand to keep his courage up. For in reality now that the day had come he -was in a very anxious state, and when he saw in the distance the church -of Lavaur he felt quite taken aback. He slackened the pace of his horse, -then dismounted, and in order to reflect upon what he should do at the -ball he entered a little wood and sat down on the turf. He drew from his -holsters, to keep him company, the almond cake and the bottle; the -latter he placed between his knees, so that without thinking of it he -varied his reflections by sips of wine and mouthfuls of cake. These -distractions somewhat enlivened him and gave him confidence, so much so -that he began to discover in himself a number of virtues and -excellences, which could not fail to insure him the victory. - -The sun having disappeared from the horizon he was about to pursue his -journey, when he heard a sound behind him among the leaves, as of a -multitude of little footsteps trampling the grass in tune to the music -of a flute and cymbals. Astonished, he turned around, and by the light -of the first stars, he perceived a troop of fairies, who were running -headed by the King, Tambourinet. In their rear, turning over and over -like a wheel, was the buffoon of the little people--Drak, the fairy. - -The fairies surrounded the traveler, and gave him a thousand welcomes -and good wishes. Michael, who had drunk too freely not to be brave, -welcomed them as old acquaintances, and seeing their little eyes fixed -upon the cake he began to crumble and throw it to them as one would to -the birds. In spite of their numbers, each one had his crumb with the -exception of Drak, who arrived when everyone had finished. Tambourinet -next asked what was in the bottle, and passed it from hand to hand till -it reached the buffoon, who, finding it empty, threw it away. Michael -burst out laughing. - -"That is justice, my little man," said he to the fairy. "For those who -arrive late, there remains nothing but regret." - -"I will make you remember what you have just said," cried Drak in anger. - -"And how?" asked the traveler ironically. "Do you think, now, you are -big enough to revenge yourself?" - -Drak disappeared without answering; and Michael, after taking leave of -Tambourinet, mounted his horse again. - -He had not gone a hundred paces, when the saddle turned and threw him -roughly to the ground. He arose a little stunned, rebuckled the straps, -and mounted his horse again. A little farther on, as he was going over a -bridge, the right stirrup bent slightly, and he found himself thrown in -the middle of the rivulet. He got out again in a very bad humor, and -fell the third time over the pebbles in the road, hurting himself so -much that he could hardly proceed. He began to think if he persisted in -riding in the saddle he would be unable to present himself at all to the -family of the young lady, so he decided to ride his horse barebacked, -and take the saddle upon his shoulder. In this manner he made his entry -into Lavaur amid the loud laughter of the people who were sitting at -their doors. - -"Laugh! laugh! you great stupids," murmured Michael; "is it very -marvelous that a man should carry his saddle when it will not carry -him?" - -At length he reached the inn, where he alighted, and asked for a room in -which to change his traveling clothes. Having obtained a chamber, he -proceeded with much care to open his portmanteau and lay out carefully -on the bed the articles for his toilet. - -His first consideration was whether he should powder his hair white or -yellow. Having decided it should be white, he seized the swans-down -powder puff, and commenced the operation on the right side. But at the -moment when he had finished that side he saw that an invisible hand had -powdered the other side yellow, so that his head had the appearance of -a half-peeled lemon. Michael, stupefied, hastened to mix the powder with -the comb, and finding himself too pressed for time to seek to think out -the reason of the mischance (he was always a slow thinker) stretched out -his hand toward the reel on which the satin for his queue was wound. The -reel escaped from his fingers and fell to the ground. - -[Illustration: "MICHAEL, PETRIFIED, STOOD MUTE, ... CONTEMPLATING WITH A -FRIGHTENED AIR THIS INCONGRUOUS DANCE"] - -Michael went to pick it up, but it seemed to roll before him. Twenty -times he was about to seize it, and twenty times his impatient hands -missed it. One would have said he looked like a kitten playing with a -reel. At length, seeing that time was going, he lost patience and -resigned himself to wear his old ribbon. - -He now hastened to put on his morocco shoes. He buckled the right, then -having finished the left, he stooped to admire them, but as he did so -the right buckle fell to the ground. He replaced it, but no sooner had -he done so than the left followed suit. He had hardly put that right -before the other one claimed his attention again in the same manner as -before. He proceeded thus for some time, without being able to get both -buckles fastened together. - -Furious, he finished by putting on his traveling boots, and was about to -take his velvet breeches, when, immediately he approached the bed, lo! -the breeches began of their own accord to walk about the room. - -Michael, petrified, stood mute, with his arm extended, contemplating -with a frightened air this incongruous dance. But you may guess how he -looked when he saw the vest, coat, and hat join the breeches at their -respective places, and form a sort of counterfeit of himself, which -commenced to walk about and parody his attitudes. - -Pale with fear he drew back to the window; but at this moment the -Michaelesque figure turned toward him, and he saw under the cocked hat -the grimacing face of Drak, the fairy. - -Michael uttered a cry. - -"It is you, you villain, is it? I'll make you repent of your insolence -if you don't instantly give me back my clothes." - -So saying, he rushed to take them; but the fairy, turning sharply -around, ran to the other side of the room. Michael was beside himself -with anger and impatience, and rushed again toward the fairy, who this -time passed between his legs and rushed out on to the staircase. Michael -pursued him angrily up four flights of stairs till they arrived at the -garret, where the fairy dodged him round and round, and then skipped out -of the window. Michael, exasperated, took the same route. The malicious -fairy led him from roof to roof, dragging the velvet breeches, the vest, -and coat in all the gutters, to Michael's despair. At length, after a -peregrination of an hour or two across this Pyrenees of the cats and -swallows, Drak gained a high chimney at the foot of which his pursuer -was forced to stop. - -Drak, leaning over toward Michael, who was out of breath and -discouraged, said: - -"You see, my good friend, you have forced me to spoil your ball dress; -but, happily, I see underneath me the copper of a laundress, where -everything can be put right for you." - -With these words Drak shook the velvet breeches over the chimney pot. - -"What are you doing, rascal?" cried Michael. - -"I am sending your dress to the wash!" said the fairy. - -And so saying, the vest, coat, and hat followed the breeches into the -smoking gulf. - -The young gallant sat down upon the roof with a cry of despair; but -rising immediately, said with resolution: - -"Well, I'll go to the ball in my traveling dress." - -"Hark!" interrupted the fairy. - -The sound of a bell rang out from a neighboring steeple. Midnight -struck! Michael counted the twelve strokes, and could not restrain a -cry. It was the hour designated by the parents when they would proclaim -to the suitors who had presented themselves at the ball their daughter's -choice for a husband. He wrung his hands in despair. - -"Unhappy man that I am!" he cried. "When I arrive all will be over; she -and her parents will laugh at me." - -"And that would be justice, my big man," replied Drak, with a pointed -sneer. "For you have said yourself, '_For those who arrive late, there -remains nothing but regret_.' This will serve you, I hope, as a lesson, -and prevent you another time from laughing at the feeble; for from -henceforth you will know that the smallest are big enough to avenge -themselves." - - - - -_Drakesbill and His Friends_ - - -DRAKESBILL was very little, and that is why some people called him Bill -Drake; but, tiny as he was, he knew a thing or two. He was a great -worker and laid up every cent that he earned; and, long before he was -half as tall as a gray goose he had saved a hundred dollars in gold. The -King of the country, who never did anything but spend money, heard that -Drakesbill had some gold pieces, and he made haste to borrow them. How -very kind and gracious he was until he heard the little yellow coins -jingle in his pocket! And how proud it made Drakesbill feel to have it -said that he had lent money to the King! - -A year went by--two years, three years--and the King seemed to have -forgotten him. He did not even offer to pay Drakesbill the interest, and -the little fellow was very uneasy lest he should lose all his money. At -last he made up his mind that he would go and see the King and tell him -that he needed the gold pieces very much. - -So, early one morning, Drakesbill, as spruce and fresh as a young robin, -went down the highroad toward the King's palace, singing, "Quack, quack, -quack, when shall I get my money back?" - -He had not gone far when he met friend Fox coming home from his rounds -among the farmyards. - -"Good morning, my good neighbor," said friend Fox; "where are you going -so early in the day?" - -"I am going to the King to ask him to pay me what he owes me." - -"Oh, take me with you!" - -"One can't have too many friends," thought Drakesbill. Then he said: -"Certainly I will take you; but you walk on four legs, and you will soon -get tired. So make yourself very small, get into my mouth, creep under -my tongue--and I will carry you." - -Friend Fox thanked him very kindly, made himself very small, and was out -of sight like a letter in a letterbox. - -Then Drakesbill was off again, all spruce and fresh as a spring morning, -and still singing, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money -back?" - -He had not gone far when he met his lady friend Ladder leaning against -her wall. "Good morning, ducky darling," said the lady friend, "whither -away, so bold and gay, this fine, new day?" - -"I am going to the King to ask him to pay me what he owes me." - -"Oh, take me with you!" - -"One can't have too many friends," thought Drakesbill. Then he said, -"Certainly I will take you; but you have such long wooden legs that you -will soon get tired. So make yourself very small, get into my mouth, -creep under my tongue--and I will carry you." - -The Ladder thanked him, made herself very small, and went to keep -company with friend Fox. - -Then Drakesbill was off again, spruce and fresh as any dapper little -dandy, and singing, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money -back?" - -He had not gone far when he met his sweetheart, laughing River, -wandering quietly in the sunshine. - -"Good morning, my spoonbill," she said, "whither do you go, so happy and -slow, while the soft breezes blow?" - -"I am going to the King, you know, for he owes me money, and I want him -to pay me back." - -"Oh, take me with you!" - -"One can't have too many friends," thought Drakesbill. Then he said: -"Certainly I will take you; but you always sleep while you run, and you -will soon get tired. So make yourself very small, get into my mouth, -creep under my tongue--and I will carry you." - -The River thanked him very kindly, and then, glou! glou! glou! she went -to take her place between friend Fox and friend Ladder. - -And Drakesbill was off again, spruce and fresh as a busy bee, and -singing, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?" - -A little farther on he met neighbor Wasp-nest, taking his wasps out for -some fresh air. - -"Good morning, neighbor Bill," said Wasp-nest; "whither do we run, so -full of fun, in the bright warm sun?" - -"Oh, don't you know that the King owes me money? And I am going down to -see him and make him pay me," answered Drakesbill. - -"Oh, take us with you!" - -"One can't have too many friends," thought Drakesbill. Then he said: -"Certainly I will take you; but there are so many of you that you will -soon get tired. So make yourself quite small, get into my mouth, creep -under my tongue--and I will carry you." - -Neighbor Wasp-nest thanked him very kindly, and then buzz, buzz, buzz, -file right! march! There wasn't much more room, but by getting close -together everybody was made quite comfortable. - -And then Drakesbill went on singing. - -In the afternoon he came to the great city where the King lived; and as -he marched straight up High Street, he sang as loud as he could, "Quack, -quack, quack! Oh, when shall I get my money back?" - -When he came to the King's palace he climbed up the step; and then he -stood on tiptoe, and knocked at the door, toc! toc! toc! - -"Who's there?" asked the doorkeeper, looking out through the keyhole. - -"'Tis I, Drakesbill. I want to speak with the King." - -"Speak with the King? Nonsense! That is easier said than done. The King -is in the parlor counting out his money." - -"That is just what I want to see him do," said Drakesbill. "Tell him I -am here, and then he will know my business." - -The doorkeeper went into the parlor to speak with the King. But he was -not there; he was in the kitchen, just sitting down to dinner with a -white napkin round his neck. - -"Good! good!" said the King. "I know the rascal. Fetch him in and put -him with the turkeys and chickens." - -The doorkeeper went back to the door. - -"Walk in, sir!" - -"Good!" said Drakesbill to himself. "Now I can see how the folks eat at -the King's table." - -"This way, this way!" said the doorkeeper. "Now step through that gate. -There you are!" - -"What! In the poultry yard? How? What?" - -How vexed the little fellow was! And no wonder. - -"Just wait," he said at last. "I think I'll show them a thing or two. -Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?" - -But turkeys and chickens are queer things, as you know, and think -themselves a good deal better than other folks. When they saw what a -funny little fellow had come among them, and when they heard him singing -his queer song, they began to ask one another: - -"Who is he? What is he doing here?" - -Then they all rushed upon him, and if he had not had his wits about him -they would have pecked him to death in no time. But, as good luck would -have it, he remembered his friend Fox, and he cried out: - - "Fox, friend Fox, from your hiding place - Come quick, or sad will be my case!" - -Then friend Fox, who was only waiting for these words, leaped out from -his hiding place, as big as life and as happy as a sunflower; and he -threw himself on the wicked fowls, and snip, snap! crish, crash! he -tore them in pieces; and at the end of five minutes not one of them was -left alive. And Drakesbill, spruce and fresh as ever, began to sing -again, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?" - -But the King was very angry when the poultry woman and the cook and the -doorkeeper all rushed into the kitchen where he was eating and told him -what had happened. He ordered them to seize this naughty little -Drakesbill and throw him into the well, and thus make an end of him. - -"I am lost! I am lost!" cried Drakesbill as he fell fluttering down into -the deep, dark hole. "I can never climb out of this place." - -Then he happened to think of his lady friend Ladder, and he sang: - - "Ladder, Ladder, from beneath my tongue - Come quick, or soon my song will be sung!" - -Friend Ladder, who had only been waiting for these words, leaped quickly -out, as tall as a flag pole and as charming as a walking stick; and she -stood with her feet at the bottom of the well and her two arms resting -upon the top; and Drakesbill climbed nimbly on her back, and hip! hop! -hup! how soon he was up and singing louder than ever, "Quack, quack, -quack, when shall I get my money back?" - -The King, who was still at the table, heard him singing, and the song -made him so angry that he almost choked. - -"Can't anybody make that fellow hush?" he cried. - -Then he ordered his men to build a great fire, and, when it was hot, to -throw Drakesbill into it and burn him up for a wicked wizard. - -But Drakesbill was not much afraid this time; he remembered his -sweetheart River. Just when the flames were the highest, and the captain -of the King's men was going to toss him into them, he sang out: - - "River, River, outward flow, - Or into the fire I must go!" - -Then friend River, who had only been waiting for these words, flowed -quickly out, as strong as a storm and as swift as the wind; and she put -out the fire, and drowned all the people that had kindled it; and, glou! -glou! glou! she flowed into the King's palace and stood four feet deep -in the great hall. And Drakesbill, spruce and fresh as ever, swam hither -and thither, singing, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money -back?" - -Of course, after all this had happened, the King was more angry than he -had ever been before; and when he saw Drakesbill swimming about so -coolly, while he had to stand on the table to keep his feet dry, he -could hardly hold himself. - -"Bring the fellow here, and I'll finish him with the carving knife! -bring him here quick!" he cried. - -Two servants rushed out and seized Drakesbill very rudely. They dragged -him toward the King, who was standing with drawn carving knife. The -King's brave men with swords in their hands were all around him. "It is -all over with me now," said Drakesbill. "I don't see how I can live -through this!" - -But just then he thought of his neighbor Wasp-nest, and he cried out: - - "Wasp-nest, Wasp-nest, hither fly, - Or Drakesbill soon will have to die!" - -Then Wasp-nest, who had been waiting for these words, began to wake up -his wasps, and things changed very quickly. - -"Buzz, buzz, buzz! Charge!" cried Wasp-nest. And the wasps rushed out -and threw themselves upon the King and his brave men, and stung them so -badly that they ran and jumped right out from the windows, and nobody in -the palace ever saw them again. - -As for Drakesbill, he could only sit still and wonder what was going to -happen next. But after a while he remembered his money, and began to -sing as before. Then, as the house was very still, he thought that he -might as well look around a little while; perhaps he would find his -hundred yellow pieces of gold. - -It was of no use, however. He peeped into all the corners and opened all -the drawers. There was not a dollar in the house. The King had spent -everything. - -By and by Drakesbill found his way into the room where the King's throne -stood, and as he was very tired he sat down to rest among the cushions -of velvet and gold. - -When the people saw the King and his brave men running away from the -wasps they felt sure that they would never come back. So they crowded -into the palace to see what was the matter. And the only person they -found there was little Drakesbill sitting by himself on the throne. Then -they all shouted: - - "The King is dead! long live the King! - How glad we'll be to be ruled by this thing!" - -And one of them ran and fetched the golden crown; and they put it on -Drakesbill's head and hailed him as King. And Drakesbill, who had made -up his mind not to be surprised at anything, sat very still and took it -all as a matter of course. - -"He doesn't look much like a king," whispered a few idle fellows; but -they were soon driven out of the hall and made to understand that it was -wrong even to think such words. - -"He will be the best king we have ever had," said others. And some who -had known him before said: "A Drakesbill is better any day than a king -who does nothing but spend our money." - -And that is the way in which little Drakesbill became King. When he had -been crowned, and the people had finished shouting, he made a speech -from the throne. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I am very hungry. Let -us all go to supper." - - - - -_Riquet with the Tuft_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a Queen who had a son, so ugly and misshapen -that it was doubted for a long time whether his form was really human. A -fairy, who was present at his birth, affirmed, nevertheless, that he -would be worthy to be loved, as he would have an excellent wit; she -added, moreover, that by virtue of the gift she had bestowed upon him, -he would be able to impart equal intelligence to the one whom he loved -best. All this was some consolation to the poor Queen, who was much -distressed at having brought so ugly a little monkey into the world. It -is true that the child was no sooner able to speak than he said a -thousand pretty things, and that in all his ways there was a certain air -of intelligence, with which everyone was charmed. I had forgotten to say -that he was born with a little tuft of hair on his head, and so he came -to be called Riquet with the Tuft; for Riquet was the family name. - -About seven or eight years later, the Queen of a neighboring kingdom had -two daughters. The elder was fairer than the day, and the Queen was so -delighted that it was feared some harm might come to her from her great -joy. The same fairy who had assisted at the birth of little Riquet was -present upon this occasion, and in order to moderate the joy of the -Queen she told her that this little Princess would have no gifts of mind -at all, and that she would be as stupid as she was beautiful. The Queen -was greatly mortified on hearing this, but shortly after, she was even -more annoyed when her second little daughter was born and proved to be -extremely ugly. "Do not distress yourself, madam," said the fairy to -her, "your daughter will find compensation, for she will have so much -intelligence that her lack of beauty will scarcely be perceived." - -"Heaven send it may be so!" replied the Queen; "but are there no means -whereby a little more understanding might be given to the elder, who is -so lovely?" "I can do nothing for her in the way of intelligence, -madam," said the fairy, "but everything in the way of beauty; as, -however, there is nothing in my power I would not do to give you -comfort, I will bestow on her the power of conferring beauty on any man -or woman who shall please her." As these two Princesses grew up their -endowments also became more perfect, and nothing was talked of anywhere -but the beauty of the elder and the intelligence of the younger. It is -true that their defects also greatly increased with their years. The -younger became uglier every moment, and the elder more stupid every day. -She either made no answer when she was spoken to, or else said something -foolish. With this she was so clumsy that she could not even place four -pieces of china on a mantel shelf without breaking one of them, or drink -a glass of water without spilling half of it on her dress. -Notwithstanding the attraction of beauty, the younger, in whatever -society they might be, nearly always bore away the palm from her sister. -At first everyone went up to the more beautiful to gaze at and admire -her; but they soon left her for the cleverer one, to listen to her many -pleasant and amusing sayings; and people were astonished to find that in -less than a quarter of an hour the elder had not a soul near her, while -all the company had gathered around the younger. The elder, though very -stupid, noticed this, and would have given, without regret, all her -beauty for half the sense of her sister. Discreet as she was, the Queen -could not help often reproaching her with her stupidity, which made the -poor Princess ready to die of grief. - -One day, when she had gone by herself into a wood to weep over her -misfortune, she saw approaching her a little man of very ugly and -unpleasant appearance, but magnificently dressed. It was the young -Prince Riquet with the Tuft, who, having fallen in love with her from -seeing her portraits, which were sent all over the world, had left his -father's kingdom that he might have the pleasure of beholding her and -speaking to her. Enchanted at meeting her thus alone, he addressed her -with all the respect and politeness imaginable. Having remarked, after -paying her the usual compliments, that she was very melancholy, he said -to her: "I cannot understand, madam, how a person as beautiful as you -are can be so unhappy as you appear; for, although I can boast of having -seen an infinite number of beautiful people, I can say with truth that I -have never seen one whose beauty could be compared with yours." - -"You are pleased to say so, sir," replied the Princess, and there she -stopped. - -"Beauty," continued Riquet, "is so great an advantage that it ought to -take the place of every other, and, possessed of it, I see nothing that -can have power to afflict one." - -"I would rather," said the Princess, "be as ugly as you are and have -intelligence, than possess the beauty I do and be as stupid as I am." - -"There is no greater proof of intelligence, madam, than the belief that -we have it not; it is the nature of that gift, that the more we have, -the more we believe ourselves to be without it." - -"I do not know how that may be," said the Princess, "but I know well -enough that I am very stupid, and this is the cause of the grief that is -killing me." - -"If that is all that troubles you, madam, I can easily put an end to -your sorrow." - -"And how would you do so?" said the Princess. - -"I have the power, madam," said Riquet with the Tuft, "to give as much -intelligence as it is possible to possess to the person whom I love -best; as you, madam, are that person, it will depend entirely upon -yourself whether or not you become gifted with this amount of -intelligence--provided that you are willing to marry me." - -The Princess was stricken dumb with astonishment, and replied not a -word. - -"I see," said Riquet with the Tuft, "that this proposal troubles you, -and I am not surprised, but I will give you a full year to consider it." - -The Princess had so little sense, and at the same time was so anxious to -have a great deal, that she thought the end of that year would never -come; so she at once accepted the offer that was made her. She had no -sooner promised Riquet with the Tuft that she would marry him that day -twelve months than she felt herself quite another person from what she -had previously been. She found she was able to say whatever she pleased, -with a readiness past belief, and to say it in a clever, but easy and -natural manner. She immediately began a sprightly and well-sustained -conversation with Riquet with the Tuft, and was so brilliant in her talk -that the Prince began to think he had given her more wit than he had -reserved for himself. On her return to the palace, the whole court was -puzzled to account for a change so sudden and extraordinary; for instead -of the number of foolish things which they had been accustomed to hear -from her, she now made as many sensible and exceedingly witty remarks. -All the court was in a state of joy not to be described. The younger -sister alone was not altogether pleased, for, having lost her -superiority over her sister in the way of intelligence, she now appeared -by her side merely as a very unpleasing-looking person. - -The King now began to be guided by his elder daughter's advice, and at -times even held his council in her apartments. The news of the change of -affairs was spread abroad, and all the young princes of the neighboring -kingdoms exerted themselves to gain her affection, and nearly all of -them asked her hand in marriage. She found none of them, however, -intelligent enough to please her, and she listened to all of them -without engaging herself to one. - -At length arrived a prince so rich and powerful, so clever and so -handsome, that she could not help listening willingly to his addresses. -Her father, having perceived this, told her that he left her at perfect -liberty to choose a husband for herself, and that she had only to make -known her decision. As the more intelligence we possess, the more -difficulty we find in making up our mind on such a matter as this, she -begged her father, after having thanked him, to allow her time to think -about it. - -She went by chance to walk in the same wood in which she had met Riquet -with the Tuft, in order to meditate more uninterruptedly over what she -had to do. While she was walking, deep in thought, she heard a dull -sound beneath her feet, as of many persons running to and fro and busily -occupied. Having listened more attentively she heard one say, "Bring me -that saucepan"; another, "Give me that kettle"; another, "Put some wood -on the fire." At the same moment the ground opened, and she saw beneath -her what appeared to be a large kitchen, full of cooks, scullions, and -all sorts of servants necessary for the preparation of a magnificent -banquet. There came forth a band of about twenty to thirty cooks, who -went and established themselves in an avenue of the wood, at a very long -table, and who, each with the larding pin in his hand and the tail of -his fur cap over his ear, set to work, keeping time to a harmonious -song. - -The Princess, astonished at this sight, asked the men for whom they were -working. - -"Madam," replied the chief among them, "for Prince Riquet with the Tuft, -whose marriage will take place to-morrow." The Princess, still more -surprised than she was before, and suddenly recollecting that it was -just a twelvemonth from the day on which she had promised to marry -Prince Riquet with the Tuft, was overcome with trouble and amazement. -The reason of her not having remembered her promise was, that when she -made it she had been a very foolish person, and since she became gifted -with the new mind that the Prince had given her, she had forgotten all -her follies. - -She had not taken another thirty steps when Riquet with the Tuft -presented himself before her, gaily and splendidly attired, like a -prince about to be married. "You see, madam," said he, "I keep my word -punctually, and I doubt not that you have come hither to keep yours, and -to make me, by the giving of your hand, the happiest of men." - -"I confess to you frankly," answered the Princess, "that I have not yet -made up my mind on that matter, and that I doubt if I shall ever be able -to do so in the way you wish." - -"You astonish me, madam," said Riquet with the Tuft. - -"I have no doubt I do," said the Princess; "and assuredly, had I to deal -with a stupid person, with a man without intelligence, I should feel -greatly perplexed. 'A Princess is bound by her word,' he would say to -me, 'and you must marry me, as you have promised to do so.' But as the -person to whom I speak is, of all men in the world, the one of greatest -sense and understanding, I am certain he will listen to reason. You know -that, when I was no better than a fool, I nevertheless could not decide -to marry you--how can you expect, now that I have the mind which you -have given me, and which renders me much more difficult to please than -before, that I should take to-day a resolution which I could not then? -If you seriously thought of marrying me you did very wrong to take away -my stupidity, and so enable me to see more clearly than I saw then." - -"If a man without intelligence," replied Riquet with the Tuft, "who -reproached you with your breach of promise, might have a right, as you -have just intimated, to be treated with indulgence, why would you, -madam, that I should receive less consideration in a matter which -affects the entire happiness of my life? Is it reasonable that persons -of intellect should be in a worse position than those that have none? -Can you assert this--you who have so much, and who so earnestly desired -to possess it? But let us come to the point, if you please. Setting -aside my ugliness, is there anything in me that displeases you? Are you -dissatisfied with my birth, my understanding, my temper, or my manners?" - -"Not in the least," replied the Princess; "I admire in you everything -you have mentioned." - -"If that is so," rejoined Riquet with the Tuft, "I shall soon be happy, -as you have it in your power to make me the most pleasing-looking of -men." - -"How can that be done?" asked the Princess. - -"It can be done," said Riquet with the Tuft, "if you love me -sufficiently to wish that it should be. And in order, madam, that you -should have no doubt about it, know that the same fairy who, on the day -I was born, endowed me with the power to give intelligence to the person -I chose, gave you also the power to render handsome the man you should -love, and on whom you should wish to bestow this favor." - -"If such be the fact," said the Princess, "I wish, with all my heart, -that you should become the handsomest and most lovable Prince in the -world, and I bestow the gift on you to the fullest extent in my power." - -The Princess had no sooner pronounced these words than Riquet with the -Tuft appeared to her eyes, of all men in the world, the handsomest, the -best-made, and most attractive she had ever seen. There are some who -assert that it was not the spell of the fairy, but love alone that -caused this metamorphosis. They say that the Princess, having reflected -on the perseverance of her lover, on his prudence, and on all the good -qualities of his heart and mind, no longer saw the deformity of his -body, or the ugliness of his features; that his hump appeared to her -nothing more than a good-natured shrug of his shoulders, and that -instead of noticing, as she had done, how badly he limped, she saw in -him only a certain lounging air, which charmed her. They say also that -his eyes, which squinted, only seemed to her the more brilliant for -this; and that the crookedness of his glance was to her merely -expressive of his great love; and, finally, that his great red nose had -in it, to her mind, something martial and heroic. However this may be, -the Princess promised on the spot to marry him, provided he obtained the -consent of the King, her father. The King, having learned that his -daughter entertained a great regard for Riquet with the Tuft, whom he -knew also to be a very clever and wise Prince, received him with -pleasure as his son-in-law. The wedding took place the next morning, as -Riquet with the Tuft had foreseen, and according to the orders which he -had given a long time before. - - No beauty, no talent, has power above - Some indefinite charm discern'd only by love. - - - - -_The White Cat_ - - -THERE was once a king who had three sons, all handsome, brave, and noble -of heart. Nevertheless, some wicked courtiers made their father believe -they were eager to wear his crown, which, though he was old, he had no -mind to resign. He therefore invented a plan to get them out of the -kingdom and prevent their carrying out any undutiful projects. Sending -for them to a private audience, he conversed with them kindly, and said: -"You must be sensible, my dear children, that my great age prevents me -from attending as closely as I have hitherto done to state affairs. I -fear this may be injurious to my subjects; I therefore desire to place -my crown on the head of one of you; but it is no more than just that, in -return for such a present, you should procure me some amusement in my -retirement, before I leave the capital forever. I cannot help thinking -that a little dog, handsome, faithful, and engaging, would be the very -thing to make me happy; so that, without bestowing a preference on -either of you, I declare that he who brings me the most perfect little -dog shall be my successor." - -The Princes were much surprised at the fancy of their father to have a -little dog, yet they accepted the proposition with pleasure; and -accordingly, after taking leave of the King, who presented them with -abundance of money and jewels, and appointed that day twelvemonth for -their return, they set off on their travels. - -Before separating, however, they took some refreshment together in an -old palace about three miles out of town, where they mutually agreed to -meet in the same place on that day twelvemonth, and go all together with -their presents to court. They also agreed to change their names and -travel incognito. - -Each took a different road; but it is intended to relate the adventures -of only the youngest, who was the most beautiful, amiable, and -accomplished prince in the world. As he traveled from town to town, he -bought all the handsome dogs that fell in his way; and as soon as he -saw one that was handsomer than those he had, he made a present of the -rest, for twenty servants would scarcely have been sufficient to take -care of all the dogs he was continually purchasing. At length, wandering -he knew not whither, he found himself in a forest; night suddenly came -on, and with it a violent storm of thunder, lightning, and rain. To add -to his perplexity, he lost his way. After he had groped about for a long -time, he perceived a light, which made him suppose that he was not far -from some house. He accordingly pursued his way toward it, and in a -short time found himself at the gates of the most magnificent palace he -had ever beheld. The entrance door was of gold, covered with sapphires, -which shone so that scarcely could the strongest eyesight bear to look -at it. This was the light the Prince had seen from the forest. The walls -were of transparent porcelain, variously colored, and represented the -history of all the fairies that had existed from the beginning of the -world. The Prince, coming back to the golden door, observed a deer's -foot fastened to a chain of diamonds; he could not help wondering at the -magnificence he beheld, and the security in which the inhabitants seemed -to live. "For," said he to himself, "nothing could be easier than for -thieves to steal this chain, and as many of the sapphire stones as would -make their fortunes." He pulled the chain and heard a bell, the sound of -which was exquisite. In a few moments the door was opened; yet he -perceived nothing but twelve hands in the air, each holding a torch. The -Prince was so astonished that he durst not move a step--when he felt -himself gently pushed on by some other hands from behind him. He walked -on in great perplexity till he entered a vestibule inlaid with porphyry -and lapis stone, where the most melodious voice he had ever heard -chanted the following words: - - "Welcome, Prince, no danger fear, - Mirth and love attend you here; - You shall break the magic spell, - That on a beauteous lady fell. - - "Welcome, Prince, no danger fear, - Mirth and love attend you here." - -The Prince now advanced with confidence, wondering what these words -could mean; the hands moved him forward toward a large door of coral, -which opened of itself to give him admittance into a splendid apartment -built of mother-of-pearl, through which he passed into others, so richly -adorned with paintings and jewels, and so resplendently lighted with -thousands of lamps, girandoles, and lusters, that he imagined he must be -in an enchanted palace. When he had passed through sixty apartments, all -equally splendid, he was stopped by the hands, and a large easy chair -advanced of itself toward the fireplace; then the hands, which he -observed were extremely white and delicate, took off his wet clothes, -and supplied their place with the finest linen imaginable, adding a -comfortable wrapping gown embroidered with gold and pearls. - -The hands next brought him an elegant dressing table, and combed his -hair so very gently that he scarcely felt their touch. They held before -him a beautiful basin, filled with perfumes, for him to wash his face -and hands, and afterwards took off the wrapping gown and dressed him in -a suit of clothes of still greater splendor. When his toilet was -complete, they conducted him to an apartment he had not yet seen, and -which also was magnificently furnished. There was a table spread for -supper, and everything upon it was of the purest gold adorned with -jewels. The Prince observed there were two covers set, and was wondering -who was to be his companion, when his attention was suddenly caught by a -small figure not a foot high which just then entered the room and -advanced toward him. It had on a long black veil, and was supported by -two cats dressed in mourning and with swords by their sides. They were -followed by a numerous retinue of cats, some carrying cages full of -rats, and others mouse traps full of mice. - -The Prince was at a loss what to think. The little figure now -approached, and throwing aside her veil, he beheld a most beautiful -white cat. She seemed young and melancholy, and addressing herself to -him, she said: "My Prince, you are welcome; your presence affords me the -greatest pleasure." - -"Madam," replied he, "I would fain thank you for your generosity, nor -can I help observing that you must be an extraordinary creature to -possess, with your present form, the gift of speech and the most -magnificent palace I have ever seen." - -"All this is very true," answered the beautiful cat; "but, Prince, I am -not fond of talking, and least of all do I like compliments; let us -therefore sit down to supper." - -The trunkless hands then placed the dishes on the table, and the Prince -and White Cat seated themselves at it. The first dish was a pie made of -young pigeons, and the next was a fricassee of the fattest mice. The -view of the one made the Prince almost afraid to taste the other, till -the White Cat, who guessed his thoughts, assured him that there were -certain dishes at table which had been dressed on purpose for him, in -which there was not a morsel of either rat or mouse. Accordingly, he ate -heartily of such as she recommended. When supper was over, he perceived -that the White Cat had a portrait set in gold hanging to one of her -feet. He begged her permission to look at it, when, to his astonishment, -he saw the portrait of a handsome young man who exactly resembled -himself! He thought there was something most extraordinary in all this; -yet, as the White Cat sighed and looked very sorrowful, he did not -venture to ask any questions. He conversed with her on different -subjects, and found her extremely well versed in everything that was -passing in the world. When night was far advanced, his hostess wished -him a good night, and he was conducted by the hands to his bedchamber, -which was different still from anything he had seen in the palace, being -hung with the wings of butterflies mixed with the most curious feathers. -His bed was of gauze, festooned with bunches of the gayest ribbons, and -the looking-glasses reached from the floor to the ceiling. The Prince -was undressed and put into bed by the hands without speaking a word. He, -however, slept little, and in the morning was awakened by a confused -noise. The hands took him out of bed and put on him a handsome hunting -jacket. He looked into the courtyard and perceived more than five -hundred cats busily employed in preparing for the field--for this was a -day of festival. Presently the White Cat came to his apartment, and -having politely inquired after his health, she invited him to partake of -their amusement. The Prince willingly acceded, and mounted a wooden -horse, richly caparisoned, which had been prepared for him, and which he -was assured would gallop to admiration. The beautiful White Cat mounted -a monkey; she wore a dragoon's cap, which made her look so fierce that -all the rats and mice ran away in the utmost terror. - -Everything being ready, the horns sounded and away they went. No hunting -was ever more agreeable. The cats ran faster than the hares and rabbits, -and when they caught any they turned them out to be hunted in the -presence of the White Cat, and a thousand cunning tricks were played. -Nor were the birds in safety, for the monkey made nothing of climbing up -the trees with the White Cat on his back, to the nests of the young -eagles. When the chase was over, the whole retinue returned to the -palace. The White Cat immediately exchanged her dragoon's cap for the -veil, and sat down to supper with the Prince, who, being very hungry, -ate heartily, and afterwards partook with her of the most delicious -wines. He then was conducted to his chamber as before, and wakened in -the morning to renew the same sort of life, which day after day became -so charming to him that he no longer thought of anything but of pleasing -the sweet little creature who received him so courteously. Accordingly, -every day was spent in new amusements. The Prince had almost forgotten -his country and relations, and sometimes even regretted that he was not -a cat, so great was his affection for his mewing companions. - -"Alas!" said he to the White Cat, "how will it afflict me to leave you, -whom I love so much! Either make yourself a lady or make me a cat." She -smiled at the Prince's wish, but offered no reply. - -At length the twelvemonth was nearly expired. The White Cat, who knew -the very day when the Prince was to reach his father's palace, reminded -him that he had but three days longer to look for a perfect little dog. -The Prince, astonished at his own forgetfulness, began to afflict -himself, when the cat told him not to be so sorrowful, since she would -not only provide him with a little dog, but also with a wooden horse -which should convey him safely home in less than twelve hours. - -"Look here," said she, showing him an acorn, "this contains what you -desire." - -The Prince put the acorn to his ear, and heard the barking of a little -dog. Transported with joy, he thanked the cat a thousand times, and the -next day, bidding her tenderly adieu, he set out on his return. - -The Prince arrived first at the place of rendezvous, and was soon joined -by his brothers. They mutually embraced, and began to give an account of -their success, when the youngest showed them only a little mongrel cur, -telling them that he thought it could not fail to please the King, from -its extraordinary beauty. The brothers trod on each other's toes under -the table, as much as to say, "We have little to fear from this -sorry-looking animal." The next day they went together to the palace. -The dogs of the two elder brothers were lying on cushions, and so -curiously wrapped around with embroidered quilts that one would scarcely -venture to touch them. The youngest produced his cur, and all wondered -how the Prince could hope to receive a crown for such a shabby present. -The King examined the two little dogs of the elder Princes, and declared -he thought them so equally beautiful that he knew not to which, with -justice, he could give the preference. They accordingly began to -dispute, when the youngest Prince, taking his acorn from his pocket, -soon ended their contention; for a little dog appeared which could with -ease go through the smallest ring, and was besides a miracle of beauty. -The King could not possibly hesitate in declaring his satisfaction; yet, -as he was not more inclined than the year before to part with his crown, -he told his sons that he was extremely obliged to them for the pains -they had taken, and since they had succeeded so well, he wished they -would make a second attempt; he therefore begged they would take -another year in order to procure a piece of cambric fine enough to be -drawn through the eye of a small needle. - -The three Princes thought this very hard; yet they set out, in obedience -to the King's command. The two eldest took different roads, and the -youngest remounted his wooden horse, and in a short time arrived at the -palace of his beloved White Cat, who received him with the greatest joy, -while the trunkless hands helped him to dismount and provided him with -immediate refreshment. Afterwards the Prince gave the White Cat an -account of the admiration which had been bestowed on the beautiful -little dog, and informed her of the further injunction of his father. - -"Make yourself perfectly easy, dear Prince," said she; "I have in my -palace some cats who are perfect adepts in making such cambric as the -King requires; so you have nothing to do but to give me the pleasure of -your company while it is making and I will procure you all the amusement -possible." - -She accordingly ordered the most curious fireworks to be played off in -sight of the window of the apartment in which they were sitting, and -nothing but festivity and rejoicing was heard throughout the palace for -the Prince's return. As the White Cat frequently gave proofs of an -excellent understanding, the Prince was by no means tired of her -company; she talked with him of state affairs, of theaters, of -fashions--in short, she was at a loss on no subject whatever; so that -when the Prince was alone he had plenty of amusement in thinking how it -could possibly be that a small white cat should be endowed with all the -attractions of the very best and most charming of women. - -The twelvemonth in this manner again passed insensibly away, but the cat -took care to remind the Prince of his duty in proper time. "For once, my -Prince," said she, "I will have the pleasure of equipping you as suits -your high rank." And, looking into the courtyard, he saw a superb car, -ornamented all over with gold, silver, pearls, and diamonds, drawn by -twelve horses as white as snow, and harnessed in the most sumptuous -trappings; and behind the car a thousand guards, richly appareled, were -waiting to attend on the Prince's person. She then presented him with a -nut: "You will find in it," said she, "the piece of cambric I promised -you; do not break the shell till you are in the presence of the King -your father." Then, to prevent the acknowledgments which the Prince was -about to offer, she hastily bade him adieu. - -Nothing could exceed the speed with which the snow-white horses conveyed -this fortunate Prince to his father's palace, where his brothers had -just arrived before him. They embraced each other, and demanded an -immediate audience of the King, who received them with the greatest of -kindness. The Princes hastened to place at the feet of his majesty the -curious present he had required them to procure. The eldest produced a -piece of cambric so extremely fine that his friends had no doubt of its -passing through the eye of a needle, which was now delivered to the -King, having been kept locked up in the custody of his majesty's -treasurer all the time. But when the King tried to draw the cambric -through the eye of the needle it would not pass, though it failed but -very little. Then came the second Prince, who made as sure of obtaining -the crown as his brother had done, but, alas! with no better success; -for though his piece of cambric was exquisitely fine, yet it could not -be drawn through the eye of the needle. It was now the turn of the -youngest Prince, who accordingly advanced, and opening an elegant little -box inlaid with jewels, took out a walnut and cracked the shell, -imagining he should immediately perceive his piece of cambric; but what -was his astonishment to see nothing but a filbert! He did not, however, -lose his hopes; he cracked the filbert, and it presented him with a -cherry stone. The lords of the court, who had assembled to witness this -extraordinary trial, could not, any more than the Princes his brothers, -refrain from laughing, to think he should be so silly as to claim the -crown on no better pretensions. The Prince, however, cracked the cherry -stone, which was filled with a kernel; he divided it, and found in the -middle a grain of wheat, and in that a grain of millet seed. He was now -absolutely confounded, and could not help muttering between his teeth, -"O White Cat, White Cat, thou hast deceived me!" At this instant he felt -his hand scratched by the claw of a cat, upon which he again took -courage, and opening the grain of millet seed, to the astonishment of -all present he drew forth a piece of cambric four hundred yards long, -and fine enough to be threaded with perfect ease through the eye of the -needle. - -When the King found he had no pretext left for refusing the crown to his -youngest son, he sighed deeply, and it was easy to be seen that he was -sorry for the Prince's success. - -"My sons," said he, "it is so gratifying to the heart of a father to -receive proofs of his children's love and obedience, that I cannot -refuse myself the satisfaction of requiring of you one thing more. You -must undertake another expedition. That one of you who, by the end of -the year, brings me the most beautiful lady shall marry her and obtain -my crown." - -So they again took leave of the King and of each other, and set out -without delay; and in less than twelve hours our young Prince arrived, -in his splendid car, at the palace of his dear White Cat. Everything -went on as before till the end of another year. At length only one day -remained of the year, when the White Cat thus addressed him: "To-morrow, -my Prince, you must present yourself at the palace of your father and -give him a proof of your obedience. It depends only on yourself to -conduct thither the most beautiful princess ever yet beheld, for the -time is come when the enchantment by which I am bound may be ended. You -must cut off my head and tail," continued she, "and throw them into the -fire." - -"I!" said the Prince hastily--"I cut off your head and tail! You surely -mean to try my affection, which, believe me, beautiful cat, is truly -yours." - -"You mistake me, generous Prince," said she; "I do not doubt your -regard, but if you wish to see me in any other form than that of a cat -you must consent to do as I desire, when you will have done me a service -I shall never be able sufficiently to repay." - -The Prince's eyes filled with tears as she spoke, yet he considered -himself obliged to undertake the dreadful task; and the cat continuing -to press him with the greatest eagerness, with a trembling hand he drew -his sword, cut off her head and tail, and threw them into the fire. No -sooner was this done than the most beautiful lady his eyes had ever seen -stood before him, and ere he had sufficiently recovered from his -surprise to speak to her, a long train of attendants, who at the same -moment as their mistress were changed to their natural shapes, came to -offer their congratulations to the Queen and inquire her commands. She -received them with the greatest kindness, and ordering them to withdraw, -thus addressed the astonished Prince: - -"Do not imagine, dear Prince, that I have always been a cat, or that I -am of obscure birth. My father was the monarch of six kingdoms; he -tenderly loved my mother, and left her always at liberty to follow her -own inclinations. Her prevailing passion was to travel, and a short time -before my birth, having heard of some fairies who were in possession of -the largest gardens filled with the most delicious fruits, she had so -strong a desire to eat some of them that she set out for the country -where they lived. She arrived at their abode, which she found to be a -magnificent palace, glittering on all sides with gold and precious -stones. She knocked a long time at the gates, but no one came, nor could -she perceive the least sign that it had any inhabitant. The difficulty, -however, did but increase the violence of my mother's longing, for she -saw the tops of the trees above the garden walls loaded with the most -luscious fruits. The Queen, in despair, ordered her attendants to place -tents close to the door of the palace; but, having waited six weeks -without seeing anyone pass the gates, she fell sick of vexation and her -life was despaired of. - -"One night, as she lay half asleep, she turned herself about, and -opening her eyes, perceived a little old woman, very ugly and deformed, -seated in the easy chair by her bedside. 'I and my sister fairies,' said -she, 'take it very ill that your majesty should so obstinately persist -in getting some of our fruit; but since so precious a life is at stake, -we consent to give you as much as you can carry away provided you will -give us in return what we shall ask.' 'Ah, kind fairy!' cried the Queen, -'I will give you anything that I possess, even my very kingdoms, on -condition that I eat of your fruit.' The old fairy then informed the -Queen that what they required was that she should give them the child -she was going to have as soon as it should be born, adding that every -possible care should be taken of it, and that it should become the most -accomplished princess. The Queen replied that however cruel the -conditions she must accept them, since nothing but the fruit could save -her life. In short, dear Prince," continued the lady, "my mother -instantly got out of bed, was dressed by her attendants, entered the -palace, and satisfied her longing. Having eaten her fill, she ordered -four thousand mules to be procured and loaded with the fruit, which had -the virtue of continuing all the year round in a state of perfection. -Thus provided, she returned to the King my father, who, with the whole -court, received her with rejoicings, as it was before imagined she would -die of disappointment. All this time the Queen said nothing to my father -of the promise she had made to give her daughter to the fairies, so that -when the time was come that she expected my birth she grew very -melancholy; till at length, being pressed by the King, she declared to -him the truth. Nothing could exceed his affliction when he heard that -his only child, when born, was to be given to the fairies. He bore it, -however, as well as he could for fear of adding to my mother's grief, -and also believing he should find some means of keeping me in a place of -safety, which the fairies would not be able to approach. As soon, -therefore, as I was born, he had me conveyed to a tower in the palace, -to which there were twenty flights of stairs and a door to each, of -which my father kept the key, so that none came near me without his -consent. When the fairies heard of what had been done, they sent first -to demand me, and on my father's refusal, they let loose a monstrous -dragon, which devoured men, women, and children, and which, by the -breath of its nostrils, destroyed everything it came near, so that even -the trees and plants began to die. The grief of the King was excessive, -and, finding that his whole kingdom would in a short time be reduced to -famine, he consented to give me into their hands. I was accordingly laid -in a cradle of mother-of-pearl, ornamented with gold and jewels, and -carried to their palace, when the dragon immediately disappeared. The -fairies placed me in a tower, elegantly furnished, but to which there -was no door, so that whoever approached was obliged to come by the -windows, which were a great height from the ground. From these I had the -liberty of getting out into a delightful garden, in which were baths, -and every sort of cooling fruit. In this place was I educated by the -fairies, who behaved to me with the greatest kindness; my clothes were -splendid, and I was instructed in every kind of accomplishment; in -short, Prince, if I had never seen anyone but themselves I should have -remained very happy. One day, however, as I was talking at the window -with my parrot, I perceived a young gentleman who was listening to our -conversation. As I had never seen a man but in pictures, I was not sorry -for the opportunity of gratifying my curiosity. I thought him a very -pleasing object, and he at length bowed in the most respectful manner, -without daring to speak, for he knew that I was in the palace of the -fairies. When it began to grow dark he went away, and I vainly -endeavored to see which road he took. The next morning, as soon as it -was light, I again placed myself at the window, and had the pleasure of -seeing that the gentleman had returned to the same place. He now spoke -to me through a speaking trumpet, and informed me he thought me a most -charming lady, and that he should be very unhappy if he did not pass his -life in my company. - -"I resolved to find some means of escaping from my tower, and was not -long in devising the means for the execution of my project. I begged the -fairies to bring me a netting needle, a mesh, and some cord, saying I -wished to make some nets to amuse myself with catching birds at my -window. This they readily complied with, and in a short time I completed -a ladder long enough to reach to the ground. I now sent my parrot to -the Prince to beg he would come to the usual place, as I wished to speak -with him. He did not fail; and finding the ladder, mounted it, and -quickly entered my tower. This at first alarmed me, but the charms of -his conversation had restored me to tranquillity, when all at once the -window opened, and the Fairy Violent, mounted on the dragon's back, -rushed into the tower. My beloved Prince thought of nothing but how to -defend me from their fury, for I had had time to relate to him my story -previous to this cruel interruption, but their numbers overpowered him, -and the Fairy Violent had the barbarity to command the dragon to devour -my lover before my eyes. In my despair I would have thrown myself also -into the mouth of the horrible monster, but this they took care to -prevent, saying my life should be preserved for greater punishment. The -fairy then touched me with her wand and I instantly became a white cat. -She next conducted me to this palace, which belonged to my father, and -gave me a train of cats for my attendants, together with the twelve -hands that waited on your highness. She then informed me of my birth and -the death of my parents, and pronounced upon me what she imagined the -greatest of maledictions; that I should not be restored to my natural -figure until a young prince, the perfect resemblance of him I had lost, -should cut off my head and tail. You are that perfect resemblance, and -accordingly you ended the enchantment. I need not add that I already -love you more than my life; let us therefore hasten to the palace of the -King your father, and obtain his approbation to our marriage." - -The Prince and Princess accordingly set out side by side, in a car of -still greater splendor than before, and reached the palace just as the -two brothers had arrived with two beautiful princesses. The King, -hearing that each of his sons had succeeded in finding what he had -required, again began to think of some new expedient to delay the time -of his resigning the crown; but when the whole court with the King was -assembled to pass judgment, the Princess who accompanied the youngest, -perceiving his thoughts by his countenance, stepped majestically forward -and thus addressed him: - -"It is a pity that your majesty, who is so capable of governing, should -think of resigning the crown! I am fortunate enough to have six kingdoms -in my possession; permit me to bestow one on each of the eldest princes, -and to enjoy the remaining four in the society of the youngest. And may -it please your majesty to keep your own kingdom, and make no decision -concerning the beauty of three princesses, who, without such a proof of -your majesty's preference, will no doubt live happily together!" - -The air resounded with the applauses of the assembly. The young Prince -and Princess embraced the King, and next their brothers and sisters. The -three weddings immediately took place, and the kingdoms were divided as -the Princess had proposed. - - - - -_Prince Cherry_ - - -LONG ago there lived a monarch who was such a very honest man that his -subjects entitled him the Good King. One day, when he was out hunting, a -little white rabbit, which had been half killed by his hounds, leaped -right into his majesty's arms. Said he, caressing it: "This poor -creature has put itself under my protection, and I will allow no one to -injure it." So he carried it to his palace, had prepared for it a neat -little rabbit hutch, with abundance of the daintiest food such as -rabbits love, and there he left it. - -The same night, when he was alone in his chamber, there appeared to him -a beautiful lady. She was dressed neither in gold, nor silver, nor -brocade, but her flowing robes were white as snow, and she wore a -garland of white roses on her head. The Good King was greatly astonished -at the sight, for his door was locked, and he wondered how so dazzling a -lady could possibly enter; but she soon removed his doubts. - -"I am the Fairy Candide," said she, with a smiling and gracious air. -"Passing through the wood where you were hunting, I took a desire to -know if you were as good as men say you are. I therefore changed myself -into a white rabbit, and took refuge in your arms. You saved me and now -I know that those who are merciful to dumb beasts will be ten times more -so to human beings. You merit the name your subjects give you: you are -the Good King. I thank you for your protection, and shall be always one -of your best friends. You have but to say what you most desire, and I -promise you your wish shall be granted." - -"Madam," replied the King, "if you are a fairy, you must know without my -telling you the wish of my heart. I have one well-beloved son, Prince -Cherry. Whatever kindly feeling you have toward me, extend it to him." - -"Willingly," said Candide. "I will make him the handsomest, richest, or -most powerful prince in the world. Choose whichever you desire for him." - -"None of the three," returned the father. "I only wish him to be -good--the best prince in the whole world. Of what use would riches, -power, or beauty be to him if he were an evil man?" - -"You are right," said the fairy; "but I cannot make him good. He must do -that himself. I can only change his external fortunes; for his personal -character the utmost I can promise is to give him good counsel, reprove -him for his faults, and even punish him if he will not punish himself. -You mortals can do the same with your children." - -"Ah, yes!" said the King, sighing. Still he felt that the kindness of a -fairy was something gained for his son, and died not long after, content -and at peace. - -Prince Cherry mourned deeply, for he dearly loved his father, and would -have gladly given all his kingdoms and treasures to keep him in life a -little longer. Two days after the Good King was no more, Prince Cherry -was sleeping in his chamber when he saw the same dazzling vision of the -Fairy Candide. - -"I promised your father," said she, "to be your best friend, and in -pledge of this take what I now give you"; and she placed a small gold -ring upon his finger. "Poor as it looks, it is more precious than -diamonds, for whenever you do ill it will prick your finger. If, after -that warning, you still continue in evil, you will lose my friendship -and I shall become your direst enemy." - -So saying she disappeared, leaving Cherry in such amazement that he -would have believed it all a dream save for the ring on his finger. - -He was for a long time so good that the ring never pricked him at all, -and this made him so cheerful and pleasant in his humor that everybody -called him "Happy Prince Cherry." But one unlucky day he was out hunting -and found no sport, which vexed him so much that he showed his ill -temper by his looks and ways. He fancied his ring felt very tight and -uncomfortable, but as it did not prick him he took no heed of this, -until, reëntering his palace, his little pet dog, Bibi, jumped up upon -him, and was sharply told to get away. The creature, accustomed to -nothing but caresses, tried to attract his attention by pulling at his -garments, when Prince Cherry turned and gave it a severe kick. At this -moment he felt in his finger a prick like a pin. - -"What nonsense!" said he to himself. "The fairy must be making game of -me. Why, what great evil have I done! I, the master of a great empire, -cannot I kick my own dog?" - -A voice replied, or else Prince Cherry imagined it: "No, sire; the -master of a great empire has a right to do good, but not evil. I--a -fairy--am as much above you as you are above your dog. I might punish -you, kill you, if I chose; but I prefer leaving you to amend your ways. -You have been guilty of three faults to-day--bad temper, passion, -cruelty. Do better to-morrow." - -The Prince promised, and kept his word awhile; but he had been brought -up by a foolish nurse who indulged him in every way, and was always -telling him that he would be a king one day, when he might do as he -liked in all things. He found out now that even a king cannot always do -that; it vexed him and made him angry. His ring began to prick him so -often that his little finger was continually bleeding. He disliked this, -as was natural, and soon began to consider whether it would not be -easier to throw the ring away altogether than to be constantly annoyed -by it. It was such a queer thing for a king to have always a spot of -blood on his finger! At last, unable to put up with it any more, he took -his ring off and hid it where he would never see it, and believed -himself the happiest of men, for he could now do exactly what he liked. -He did it, and became every day more and more miserable. - -One day he saw a young girl so beautiful that, being always accustomed -to have his own way, he immediately determined to espouse her. He never -doubted that she would be only too glad to be made a queen, for she was -very poor. But Zelia--that was her name--answered, to his great -astonishment, that she would rather not marry him. - -"Do I displease you?" asked the Prince, into whose mind it had never -entered that he could displease anybody. - -"Not at all, my Prince," said the honest peasant maiden. "You are very -handsome, very charming; but you are not like your father the Good King. -I will not be your queen, for you would make me miserable." - -At these words the Prince's love seemed all to turn to hatred. He gave -orders to his guards to convey Zelia to a prison near the palace, and -then took counsel with his foster brother, the one of all his evil -companions who most incited him to do wrong. - -"Sire," said this man, "if I were in your majesty's place, I would never -vex myself about a poor silly girl. Feed her on bread and water till she -comes to her senses, and if she still refuses you, let her die in -torment, as a warning to your other subjects should they venture to -dispute your will. You will be disgraced should you suffer yourself to -be conquered by a simple girl." - -"But," said Prince Cherry, "shall I not be disgraced if I harm a -creature so perfectly innocent?" - -"No one is innocent who disputes your majesty's authority," said the -courtier bowing; "and it is better to commit an injustice than allow it -to be supposed you can ever be contradicted with impunity." - -This touched Cherry on his weak point--his good impulses faded; he -resolved once more to ask Zelia if she would marry him, and if she again -refused, to sell her as a slave. Arrived at the cell in which she was -confined, what was his astonishment to find her gone! He knew not whom -to accuse, for he had kept the key in his pocket the whole time. At last -the foster brother suggested that the escape of Zelia might have been -contrived by an old man, Suliman by name, the Prince's former tutor, who -was the only one who now ventured to blame him for anything that he did. -Cherry sent immediately and ordered his old friend to be brought to him -loaded heavily with irons. Then, full of fury, he went and shut himself -up in his own chamber, where he went raging to and fro, till startled by -a noise like a clap of thunder. The Fairy Candide stood before him. - -"Prince," said she in a severe voice, "I promised your father to give -you good counsels, and to punish you if you refused to follow them. My -counsels were forgotten, my punishments despised. Under the figure of a -man you have been no better than the beasts you chase. Like a lion in -fury, a wolf in gluttony, a serpent in revenge, and a bull in brutality. -Take, therefore, in your new form the likeness of all these animals." - -Scarcely had Prince Cherry heard these words than to his horror he found -himself transformed into what the fairy had named. He was a creature -with the head of a lion, the horns of a bull, the feet of a wolf, and -the tail of a serpent. At the same time he felt himself transported to a -distant forest where, standing on the bank of a stream, he saw reflected -in the water his own frightful shape, and heard a voice saying: - -"Look at thyself, and know that thy soul has become a thousand times -uglier even than thy body." - -Cherry recognized the voice of Candide, and in his rage would have -sprung upon her and devoured her; but he saw nothing, and the same voice -said behind him: - -"Cease thy feeble fury, and learn to conquer thy pride by being in -submission to thine own subjects." - -Hearing no more, he soon quitted the stream, hoping at least to get rid -of the sight of himself; but he had scarcely gone twenty paces when he -tumbled into a pitfall that was laid to catch bears; the bear hunters, -descending from some trees hard by, caught him, chained him, and, only -too delighted to get hold of such a curious-looking animal, led him -along with them to the capital of his own kingdom. - -There great rejoicings were taking place, and the bear hunters, asking -what it was all about, were told that it was because Prince Cherry, the -torment of his subjects, had just been struck dead by a -thunderbolt--just punishment of all his crimes. Four courtiers, his -wicked companions, had wished to divide his throne between them, but the -people had risen up against them and offered the crown to Suliman, the -old tutor whom Cherry had ordered to be arrested. - -All this the poor monster heard. He even saw Suliman sitting upon his -own throne, and trying to calm the populace by representing to them that -it was not certain Prince Cherry was dead; that he might return one day -to reassume with honor the crown which Suliman only consented to wear as -a sort of viceroy. - -"I know his heart," said the honest and faithful old man; "it is -tainted, but not corrupt. If alive, he may yet reform, and be all his -father over again to you, his people, whom he has caused to suffer so -much." - -These words touched the poor beast so deeply that he ceased to beat -himself against the iron bars of the cage in which the hunters carried -him about, became gentle as a lamb, and suffered himself to be taken -quietly to a menagerie, where were kept all sorts of strange and -ferocious animals--a place which he had often visited as a boy, but in -which he never thought he should be shut up himself. - -However, he owned he had deserved it all, and began to make amends by -showing himself very obedient to his keeper. This man was almost as -great a brute as the animals he had charge of, and when he was in ill -humor he used to beat them without rhyme or reason. One day, while he -was sleeping, a tiger broke loose and leaped upon him, eager to devour -him. Cherry at first felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of being -revenged; then, seeing how helpless the man was, he wished himself free, -that he might defend him. Immediately the doors of his cage opened. The -keeper, waking up, saw the strange beast leap out, and imagined, of -course, that he was going to be slain at once. Instead, he saw the tiger -lying dead, and the strange beast creeping up and laying itself at his -feet to be caressed. But as he lifted up his hand to stroke it, a voice -was heard saying, "Good actions never go unrewarded"; and, instead of -the frightful monster, there crouched on the ground nothing but a pretty -little dog. - -Cherry, delighted to find himself thus metamorphosed, caressed the -keeper in every possible way, till at last the man took him up in his -arms and carried him to the King, to whom he related this wonderful -story from beginning to end. The Queen wished to have the charming -little dog, and Cherry would have been exceedingly happy could he have -forgotten that he was originally a man and a King. He was lodged most -elegantly, had the richest of collars to adorn his neck, and heard -himself praised continually. But his beauty rather brought him into -trouble, for the Queen, afraid lest he might grow too large for a pet, -took advice of dog doctors, who ordered that he should be fed entirely -upon bread, and that very sparingly, so poor Cherry was sometimes nearly -starved. - -One day when they gave him his crust for breakfast, a fancy seized him -to go and eat it in the palace garden; so he took the bread in his mouth -and trotted away toward a stream which he knew, and where he sometimes -stopped to drink. But instead of the stream he saw a splendid palace -glittering with gold and precious stones. Entering the doors was a crowd -of men and women magnificently dressed, and within there was singing and -dancing and good cheer of all sorts. Yet, however grandly and gayly the -people went in, Cherry noticed that those who came out were pale, thin, -ragged, half-naked, covered with wounds and sores. Some of them dropped -dead at once; others dragged themselves on a little way and then lay -down, dying of hunger, and vainly begged a morsel of bread from others -who were entering in--who never took the least notice of them. - -Cherry perceived one woman who was trying feebly to gather and eat some -green herbs. "Poor thing!" said he to himself; "I know what it is to be -hungry, and I want my breakfast badly enough; but still it will not kill -me to wait till dinner time, and my crust may save the life of this poor -woman." - -So the little dog ran up to her and dropped his bread at her feet; she -picked it up and ate it with avidity. Soon she looked quite recovered, -and Cherry, delighted, was trotting back again to his kennel when he -heard loud cries, and saw a young girl dragged by four men to the door -of the palace, which they were trying to compel her to enter. Oh, how he -wished himself a monster again, as when he slew the tiger!--for the -young girl was no other than his beloved Zelia. Alas! what could a poor -little dog do to defend her? But he ran forward and barked at the men, -and bit their heels, until at last they chased him away with heavy -blows. And then he lay down outside the palace door, determined to watch -and see what had become of Zelia. - -Conscience pricked him now. "What!" thought he, "I am furious against -these wicked men, who are carrying her away, and did I not do the same -myself? Did I not cast her into prison and intend to sell her as a -slave? Who knows how much more wickedness I might not have done to her -and others if Heaven's justice had not stopped me in time?" - -While he lay thinking and repenting, he heard a window open, and saw -Zelia throw out of it a bit of dainty meat. Cherry, who felt hungry -enough by this time, was just about to eat it when the woman to whom he -had given his crust snatched him up in her arms. - -"Poor little beast!" cried she, patting him, "every bit of food in that -palace is poisoned. You shall not touch a morsel." - -At the same time the voice in the air repeated again, "Good actions -never go unrewarded"; and Cherry found himself changed into a beautiful -little white pigeon. He remembered with joy that white was the color of -the Fairy Candide, and began to hope that she was taking him into favor -again. - -So he stretched his wings, delighted that he might now have a chance of -approaching his fair Zelia. He flew up to the palace windows, and, -finding one of them open, entered and sought everywhere, but he could -not find Zelia. Then, in despair, he flew out again, resolved to go over -the world until he beheld her once more. - -He took flight at once, and traversed many countries, swiftly as a bird -can, but found no trace of his beloved. At length in a desert, sitting -beside an old hermit in his cave and partaking with him his frugal -repast, Cherry saw a poor peasant girl, and recognized Zelia. -Transported with joy he flew in, perched on her shoulder, and expressed -his delight and affection by a thousand caresses. - -She, charmed with the pretty little pigeon, caressed it in her turn, and -promised it that, if it would stay with her, she would love it always. - -"What have you done, Zelia?" said the hermit, smiling; and while he -spoke the white pigeon vanished, and there stood Prince Cherry in his -own natural form. "Your enchantment ended, Prince, when Zelia promised -to love you. Indeed, she has loved you always, but your many faults -constrained her to hide her love. These are now amended, and you may -both live happy if you will, because your union is founded upon mutual -esteem." - -Cherry and Zelia threw themselves at the feet of the hermit, whose form -also began to change. His soiled garments became of dazzling whiteness, -and his long beard and withered face grew into the flowing hair and -lovely countenance of the Fairy Candide. - -"Rise up, my children," said she; "I must now transport you to your -palace, and restore to Prince Cherry his father's crown, of which he is -now worthy." - -She had scarcely ceased speaking when they found themselves in the -chamber of Suliman, who, delighted to find again his beloved pupil and -master, willingly resigned the throne, and became the most faithful of -his subjects. - -King Cherry and Queen Zelia reigned together for many years, and it is -said that the former was so blameless and strict in all his duties that -though he constantly wore the ring which Candide had restored him, it -never once pricked his finger enough to make it bleed. - - - - -_The Wild Swans_ - - -FAR away in the land to which the swallows fly when it is winter, dwelt -a king who had eleven sons, and one daughter named Eliza. The eleven -brothers were princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast -and a sword by his side. They wrote with diamond pencils on gold slates, -and learned their lessons so quickly and read so easily that everyone -might know they were princes. Their sister Eliza sat on a little stool -of plate glass, and had a book full of pictures which had cost as much -as half a kingdom. Oh, these children were indeed happy, but they were -not to remain so always. Their father, who was King of the country, -married a very wicked Queen who did not love the poor children at all. -They knew this from the very first day after the wedding. In the palace -there were great festivities, and the children played at receiving -company; but instead of having, as usual, all the cakes and apples that -were left, she gave them some sand in a teacup and told them to pretend -it was cake. The week after she sent little Eliza into the country to a -peasant and his wife, and then she told the King so many untrue things -about the young princes that he gave himself no more trouble respecting -them. - -"Go out into the world and get your own living," said the Queen. "Fly -like great birds who have no voice." But she could not make them ugly as -she wished, for they were turned into eleven beautiful wild swans. Then, -with a strange cry, they flew through the windows of the palace, over -the park, to the forest beyond. It was yet early morning when they -passed the peasant's cottage, where their sister Eliza lay asleep in her -room. They hovered over the roof, twisted their long necks, and flapped -their wings; but no one heard them or saw them, so they were at last -obliged to fly away, high up in the clouds; and over the wide world they -flew till they came to a thick, dark wood, which stretched far away to -the seashore. Poor little Eliza was alone in her room playing with a -green leaf, for she had no other playthings, and she pierced a hole -through the leaf and looked through it at the sun, and it was as if she -saw her brothers' clear eyes, and when the warm sun shone on her cheeks -she thought of all the kisses they had given her. One day passed just -like another; sometimes the winds rustled through the leaves of the -rosebush, and would whisper to the roses, "Who can be more beautiful -than you?" But the roses would shake their heads and say, "Eliza is." -And when the old woman sat at the cottage door on Sunday and read her -hymn book, the wind would flutter the leaves and say to the book, "Who -can be more pious than you?" and then the hymn book would answer, -"Eliza." And the roses and the hymn book told the real truth. At fifteen -she returned home, but when the Queen saw how beautiful she was, she -became full of spite and hatred toward her. Willingly would she have -turned her into a swan, like her brothers, but she did not dare to do so -yet, because the King wished to see his daughter. Early one morning the -Queen went into the bathroom; it was built of marble, and had soft -cushions trimmed with the most beautiful tapestry. She took three toads -with her and kissed them, and said to one: "When Eliza comes to the -bath, seat yourself upon her head, that she may become as stupid as you -are." Then she said to another: "Place yourself on her forehead, that -she may become as ugly as you are, and that her father may not know -her." "Rest on her heart," she whispered to the third, "then she will -have evil inclinations, and suffer in consequence." So she put the toads -into clear water, and they turned green immediately. She next called -Eliza and helped her to undress and get into the bath. As Eliza dipped -her head under the water one of the toads sat on her hair, a second on -her forehead, and a third on her breast, but she did not seem to notice -them, and when she rose out of the water there were three red poppies -floating upon it. Had not the creatures been venomous or been kissed by -the witch they would have been changed into red roses. At all events -they became flowers, because they had rested on Eliza's head, and on her -heart. She was too good and too innocent for witchcraft to have any -power over her. When the wicked Queen saw this, she rubbed her face with -walnut juice, so that she was quite brown; then she tangled her -beautiful hair and smeared it with disgusting ointment, till it was -quite impossible to recognize the beautiful Eliza. - -When her father saw her, he was much shocked and declared she was not -his daughter. No one but the watchdog and the swallows knew her, and -they were only dumb animals and could say nothing. Then poor Eliza wept, -and thought of her eleven brothers who were all away. Sorrowfully she -stole away from the palace, and walked the whole day over fields and -moors till she came to the great forest. She knew not in what direction -to go; but she was so unhappy and longed so for her brothers who had -been, like herself, driven out into the world, that she was determined -to seek them. She had been but a short time in the wood when night came -on, and she quite lost the path; so she laid herself down on the soft -moss, offered up her evening prayer, and leaned her head against the -stump of a tree. All nature was still, and the soft, mild air fanned her -forehead. The light of hundreds of glowworms shone amidst the grass and -the moss, like green fire; and if she touched a twig with her hand ever -so lightly, the brilliant fireflies fell down around her like shooting -stars. - -All night long she dreamed of her brothers. She and they were children -again playing together. She saw them writing with their diamond pencils -on golden slates, while she looked at the beautiful picture book which -had cost half a kingdom. They were not writing lines and letters, as -they used to do, but descriptions of the noble deeds they had performed, -and of all they had discovered and seen. In the picture book, too, -everything was living. The birds sang, and the people came out of the -book and spoke to Eliza and her brothers; but, as the leaves turned over -they darted back again to their places, that all might be in order. - -When she awoke the sun was high in the heavens, yet she could scarcely -see him, for the lofty trees spread their branches thickly over her -head, and his beams were glancing through the leaves here and there like -a golden mist. There was a sweet fragrance from the fresh verdure, and -the birds almost perched upon her shoulders. She heard water rippling -from a number of springs, all flowing into a lake with golden sands. -Bushes grew thickly around the lake, and at one spot an opening had been -made by a deer, through which Eliza went down to the water. The lake was -so clear that, had not the wind rustled the branches of the trees and -the bushes so that they moved, they would have appeared as if painted in -the depths of the lake, for every leaf was reflected in the water, -whether it stood in the shade or the sunshine. As soon as Eliza saw her -own face, she was quite terrified at finding it so brown and ugly; but -when she wetted her little hand and rubbed her eyes and forehead the -white skin gleamed forth once more; and, after she had undressed and -dipped herself in the fresh water, a more beautiful king's daughter -could not be found in the wide world. As soon as she had dressed herself -again, and braided her long hair, she went to the bubbling spring and -drank some water out of the hollow of her hand. Then she wandered far -into the forest, not knowing whither she went. She thought of her -brothers, and felt sure that God would not forsake her. It is God who -makes the wild apples grow in the wood to satisfy the hungry, and He now -led her to one of these trees, which was so loaded with fruit that the -boughs bent beneath its weight. Here she held her noonday repast, -placed props under the boughs, and then went into the gloomiest depths -of the forest. It was so still that she could hear the sound of her own -footsteps, as well as the rustling of every withered leaf which she -crushed under her feet. Not a bird was to be seen, not a sunbeam could -penetrate through the large dark boughs of the trees. The lofty trunks -stood so close together that when she looked before her it seemed as if -she were inclosed within trelliswork. Such solitude she had never known -before. The night was very dark. Not a single glowworm glittered in the -moss. - -Sorrowfully she laid herself down to sleep, and after a while it seemed -to her as if the branches of the trees parted over her head, and that -the mild eyes of angels looked down upon her from heaven. When she awoke -in the morning, she knew not whether she had dreamed this or if it had -really been so. Then she continued her wandering, but she had not gone -many steps forward when she met an old woman with berries in her basket, -and begged a few to eat. Then Eliza asked her if she had seen eleven -princes riding through the forest. - -"No," replied the old woman, "but I saw yesterday eleven swans, with -gold crowns on their heads, swimming on the river close by." Then she -led Eliza a little distance farther to a sloping bank, at the foot of -which wound a little stream. The trees on its banks stretched their long -leafy branches across the water toward each other, and where the growth -prevented them from meeting naturally, the roots had torn themselves -away from the ground, so that the branches might mingle their foliage as -they hung over the stream. Eliza bade the old woman farewell and walked -by the flowing river till she reached the shore of the open sea. And -there before the young maiden's eyes lay the glorious ocean, but not a -sail appeared on its surface; not even a boat could be seen. How was she -to go farther? She noticed how the countless pebbles on the seashore had -been smoothed and rounded by the action of the water. Glass, iron, -stones, everything that lay there mingled together, had taken its shape -from the same power, and felt as smooth, or even smoother, than her own -delicate hand. "The water rolls on without weariness," she said, "till -all that is hard becomes smooth; so will I be unwearied in my task. -Thanks for your lessons, bright rolling waves; my heart tells me you -will lead me to my dear brothers." On the foam-covered seaweeds lay -eleven white swan feathers, which she gathered up and placed together. -Drops of water lay upon them; whether they were dewdrops or tears no one -could say. Lonely as it was on the seashore she did not observe it, for -the ever-moving sea showed more changes in a few hours than the most -varying lake could produce during a whole year. If a black heavy cloud -arose, it was as if the sea said, "I can look dark and angry too"; and -then the wind blew, and the waves turned to white foam as they rolled. -When the wind slept and the clouds glowed with the red sunlight, then -the sea looked like a rose leaf. But however quietly its white glassy -surface rested, there was still a motion on the shore, as its waves rose -and fell like the breast of a sleeping child. When the sun was about to -set, Eliza saw eleven white swans with golden crowns on their heads -flying toward the land, one behind the other, like a long white ribbon. -Then Eliza went down the slope from the shore and hid herself behind the -bushes. The swans alighted quite close to her, and flapped their great -white wings. As soon as the sun had disappeared under the water, the -feathers of the swans fell off, and eleven beautiful princes, Eliza's -brothers, stood near her. She uttered a loud cry, for, although they -were very much changed, she knew them immediately. She sprang into their -arms and called them each by name. Then, how happy the princes were at -meeting their little sister again! for they recognized her, although she -had grown so tall and beautiful. They laughed and they wept, and very -soon understood how wickedly their mother had acted to them all. "We -brothers," said the eldest, "fly about as wild swans so long as the sun -is in the sky, but as soon as it sinks behind the hills, we recover our -human shape. Therefore must we always be near a resting place for our -feet before sunset; for if we should be flying toward the clouds at the -time we recovered our natural form as men, we should fall deep into the -sea. We do not dwell here, but in a land just as fair, that lies beyond -the ocean, which we have to cross for a long distance; there is no -island in our passage upon which we could pass the night; nothing but a -little rock rising out of the sea, upon which we can scarcely stand with -safety, even closely crowded together. If the sea is rough, the foam -dashes over us, yet we thank God even for this rock; we have passed -whole nights upon it, or we should never have reached our beloved -fatherland, for our flight across the sea occupies two of the longest -days in the year. We have permission to visit our home once in every -year and to remain eleven days, during which we fly across the forest to -look once more at the palace where our father dwells and where we were -born, and at the church where our mother lies buried. Here it seems as -if the very trees and bushes were related to us. The wild horses leap -over the plains as we have seen them in our childhood. The charcoal -burners sing the old songs to which we have danced as children. This is -our fatherland to which we are drawn by loving ties; and here we have -found you, our dear little sister. Two days longer we can remain here, -and then must we fly away to a beautiful land which is not our home; and -how can we take you with us? We have neither ship nor boat." - -"How can I break this spell?" said their sister. And then she talked -about it nearly the whole night, only slumbering for a few hours. Eliza -was awakened by the rustling of the swans' wings as they soared above. -Her brothers were again changed to swans, and they flew in circles wider -and wider till they were far away; but one of them, the youngest swan, -remained behind and laid his head in his sister's lap, while she stroked -his wings, and they remained together the whole day. Toward evening the -rest came back, and as the sun went down they resumed their natural -forms. "To-morrow," said one, "we shall fly away, not to return again -till a whole year has passed. But we cannot leave you here. Have you -courage to go with us? My arm is strong enough to carry you through the -wood; and will not all our wings be strong enough to fly with you over -the sea?" - -"Yes, take me with you," said Eliza. Then they spent the whole night in -weaving a net with the pliant willow and rushes. It was very large and -strong. Eliza laid herself down on the net, and when the sun rose and -her brothers again became wild swans, they took up the net with their -beaks and flew up to the clouds with their dear sister, who still slept. -The sunbeams fell on her face, therefore one of the swans soared over -her head, so that his broad wing might shade her. They were far from the -land when Eliza woke. She thought she must still be dreaming, it seemed -so strange to her to feel herself being carried so high in the air over -the sea. By her side lay a branch full of beautiful ripe berries and a -bundle of sweet roots; the youngest of her brothers had gathered them -for her, and placed them by her side. She smiled her thanks to him; she -knew it was the same who had hovered over her to shade her with his -wings. They were now so high that a large ship beneath them looked like -a white sea gull skimming the waves. A great cloud floating behind them -appeared like a vast mountain, and upon it Eliza saw her own shadow and -those of the eleven swans, looking gigantic in size. Altogether it -formed a more beautiful picture than she had ever seen; but as the sun -rose higher, and the clouds were left behind, the shadowy picture -vanished away. Onward the whole day they flew through the air like a -winged arrow, yet more slowly than usual, for they had their sister to -carry. The weather seemed inclined to be stormy, and Eliza watched the -sinking sun with great anxiety, for the little rock in the ocean was not -yet in sight. It appeared to her as if the swans were making great -efforts with their wings. Alas! she was the cause of their not advancing -more quickly. When the sun set they would change to men, fall into the -sea, and be drowned. Then she offered a prayer from her inmost heart, -but still no appearance of the rock. Dark clouds came nearer, the gusts -of wind told of a coming storm, while from a thick, heavy mass of clouds -the lightning burst forth flash after flash. The sun had reached the -edge of the sea, when the swans darted down so swiftly that Eliza's -head trembled; she believed they were falling, but they again soared -onward. Presently she caught sight of the rock just below them, and by -this time the sun was half hidden by the waves. The rock did not appear -larger than a seal's head thrust out of the water. They sank so rapidly -that at the moment their feet touched the rock the sun shone only like a -star, and at last disappeared like the last spark in a piece of burned -paper. Then she saw her brothers standing closely around her with their -arms linked together. There was but just room enough for them, and not -the smallest space to spare. The sea dashed against the rock and covered -them with spray. The heavens were lighted up with continual flashes, and -peal after peal of thunder rolled. But the sister and brothers sat -holding each other's hands and singing hymns, from which they gained -hope and courage. In the early dawn the air became calm and still, and -at sunrise the swans flew away from the rock with Eliza. The sea was -still rough, and from their high position in the air the white foam on -the dark green waves looked like millions of swans swimming on the -water. As the sun rose higher Eliza saw before her, floating in the air, -a range of mountains with shining masses of ice on their summits. In the -center rose a castle apparently a mile long, with rows of columns rising -one above another, while around it palm trees waved and flowers bloomed -as large as mill wheels. She asked if this was the land to which they -were hastening. The swans shook their heads, for what she beheld were -the beautiful ever-changing cloud palaces of the "Fata Morgana," into -which no mortal can enter. Eliza was still gazing at the scene when -mountains, forests, and castles melted away, and twenty stately churches -rose in their stead, with high towers and pointed Gothic windows. Eliza -even fancied she could hear the tones of the organ, but it was the music -of the murmuring sea which she heard. As they drew nearer to the -churches, these also changed into a fleet of ships, which seemed to be -sailing beneath her; but as she looked again, she found it was only a -sea mist gliding over the ocean. So there continued to pass before her -eyes a constant change of scene, till at last she saw the real land to -which they were bound, with its blue mountains, its cedar forests, and -its cities and palaces. Long before the sun went down she sat on a rock -in front of a large cave, on the floor of which the overgrown yet -delicate green creeping plants looked like an embroidered carpet. "Now -we shall expect to hear what you dream of to-night," said the youngest -brother, as he showed his sister her bedroom. - -"Heaven grant that I may dream how to save you!" she replied. And this -thought took such hold upon her mind that she prayed earnestly to God -for help, and even in her sleep she continued to pray. Then it appeared -to her as if she were flying high in the air, toward the cloudy palace -of the "Fata Morgana," and a fairy came out to meet her, radiant and -beautiful in appearance, and yet very much like the old woman who had -given her berries in the wood, and who had told her of the swans with -golden crowns on their heads. "Your brothers can be released," said she, -"if you have only courage and perseverance. True, water is softer than -your own delicate hands, and yet it polishes stones into shapes; it -feels no pain as your fingers would feel, it has no soul, and cannot -suffer such agony and torment as you will have to endure. Do you see the -stinging nettle which I hold in my hand? Quantities of the same sort -grow around the cave in which you sleep, but none will be of any use to -you unless they grow upon the graves in a churchyard. These you must -gather even while they burn blisters on your hands. Break them to pieces -with your hands and feet, and they will become flax, from which you must -spin and weave eleven coats with long sleeves; if these are then thrown -over the eleven swans the spell will be broken. But remember, that from -the moment you commence your task until it is finished, even should it -occupy years of your life, you must not speak. The first word you utter -will pierce through the hearts of your brothers like a deadly dagger. -Their lives hang upon your tongue. Remember all I have told you." And as -she finished speaking, she touched her hand lightly with the nettle, -and a pain as of burning fire awoke Eliza. - -It was broad daylight, and close by where she had been sleeping lay a -nettle like the one she had seen in her dream. She fell on her knees and -offered her thanks to God. Then she went forth from the cave to begin -her work with her delicate hands. She groped in among the ugly nettles, -which burned great blisters on her hands and arms, but she determined to -bear it gladly if she could only release her dear brothers. So she -bruised the nettles with her bare feet and spun the flax. At sunset her -brothers returned and were very much frightened when they found her -dumb. They believed it to be some new sorcery of their wicked -stepmother. But when they saw her hands they understood what she was -doing on their behalf, and the youngest brother wept, and where his -tears fell the pain ceased and the burning blisters vanished. She kept -at her work all night, for she could not rest till she had released her -dear brothers. During the whole of the following day, while her brothers -were absent, she sat in solitude, but never before had the time flown so -quickly. One coat was already finished and she had begun the second when -she heard a huntsman's horn and was struck with fear. The sound came -nearer and nearer; she heard the dogs barking, and fled with terror into -the cave. She hastily bound together the nettles she had gathered into a -bundle and sat upon them. Immediately a great dog came bounding toward -her out of the ravine, and then another and another; they barked loudly, -ran back, and then came again. In a very few minutes all the huntsmen -stood before the cave, and the handsomest of them was the King of the -country. He advanced toward her, for he had never seen a more beautiful -maiden. - -"How did you come here, my sweet child?" he asked. But Eliza shook her -head. She dared not speak, at the cost of her brothers' lives. And she -hid her hands under her apron, so that the King might not see how she -must be suffering. - -"Come with me," he said; "here you cannot remain. If you are as good as -you are beautiful, I will dress you in silk and velvet, I will place a -golden crown on your head, and you shall dwell and rule and make your -home in my richest castle." And then he lifted her on his horse. She -wept and wrung her hands, but the King said: "I wish only your -happiness. A time will come when you will thank me for this." And then -he galloped away over the mountains, holding her before him on his -horse, and the hunters followed behind them. As the sun went down they -approached a fair, royal city, with churches and cupolas. On arriving at -the castle the King led her into marble halls where large fountains -played, and where the walls and the ceilings were covered with rich -paintings. But she had no eyes for all these glorious sights; she could -only mourn and weep. Patiently she allowed the women to array her in -royal robes, to weave pearls in her hair, and draw soft gloves over her -blistered fingers. As she stood before them in all her rich dress, she -looked so dazzlingly beautiful that the court bowed low in her presence. -Then the King declared his intention of making her his bride, but the -archbishop shook his head, and whispered that the fair young maiden was -only a witch who had blinded the King's eyes and enchanted his heart. -But the King would not listen to this; he ordered the music to sound, -the daintiest dishes to be served, and the loveliest maidens to dance. -Afterwards he led her through fragrant gardens and lofty halls, but not -a smile appeared on her lips or sparkled in her eyes. She looked the -very picture of grief. Then the King opened the door of a little chamber -in which she was to sleep; it was adorned with rich green tapestry, and -resembled the cave in which he had found her. On the floor lay the -bundle of flax which she had spun from the nettles, and under the -ceiling hung the coat she had made. These things had been brought away -from the cave as curiosities by one of the huntsmen. - -"Here you can dream yourself back again in the old home in the cave," -said the King; "here is the work with which you employed yourself. It -will amuse you now in the midst of all this splendor to think of that -time." - -When Eliza saw all these things which lay so near her heart, a smile -played around her mouth and the crimson blood rushed to her cheeks. She -thought of her brothers, and their release made her so joyful that she -kissed the King's hand. Then he pressed her to his heart. Very soon the -joyous church bells announced the marriage feast, and that the beautiful -dumb girl out of the wood was to be made Queen of the country. Then the -archbishop whispered wicked words in the King's ear, but they did not -sink into his heart. The marriage was still to take place, and the -archbishop himself had to place the crown on the bride's head; in his -wicked spite he pressed the narrow circlet so tightly on her forehead -that it caused her pain. But a heavier weight encircled her -heart--sorrow for her brothers. She felt not bodily pain. Her mouth was -closed; a single word would cost her brothers their lives. But she loved -the kind, handsome King, who did everything to make her happy, more and -more each day; she loved him with her whole heart, and her eyes beamed -with the love she dared not speak. Oh, if she had only been able to -confide in him and tell him of her grief! But dumb she must remain till -her task was finished. Therefore at night she crept away into her little -chamber, which had been decked out to look like the cave, and quickly -wove one coat after another. But when she began the seventh she found -she had no more flax. She knew that the nettles she wanted to use grew -in the churchyard, and that she must pluck them herself. How should she -get out there? "Oh, what is the pain in my fingers to the torment which -my heart endures?" said she. "I must venture; I shall not be denied help -from heaven." Then with a trembling heart, as if she were about to -perform a wicked deed, she crept into the garden in the broad moonlight, -and passed through the narrow walks and the deserted streets till she -reached the churchyard. Then she saw on one of the broad tombstones a -group of ghouls. These hideous creatures took off their rags, as if they -intended to bathe, and then, clawing open the grassy graves with their -long skinny fingers, pulled out the bones and threw them about! Eliza -had to pass close by them, and they fixed their wicked glances upon her, -but she prayed silently, gathered the burning nettles, and carried them -home with her to the castle. One person only had seen her, and that was -the archbishop--he was awake while everybody was asleep. Now he thought -his opinion was evidently correct. All was not right with the Queen. She -was a witch, and had enchanted the King and all the people. Secretly he -told the King what he had seen and what he feared, and as the hard words -came from his tongue, the carved images of the saints shook their heads -as if they would say, "It is not so. Eliza is innocent." - -But the archbishop interpreted it in another way; he believed that they -witnessed against her, and were shaking their heads at her wickedness. -Two large tears rolled down the King's cheeks, and he went home with -doubt in his heart, and at night pretended to sleep, but there came no -real sleep to his eyes, for he saw Eliza get up every night and -disappear in her own chamber. From day to day his brow became darker, -and Eliza saw it and did not understand the reason, but it alarmed her -and made her heart tremble for her brothers. Her hot tears glittered -like pearls on the regal velvet and diamonds, while all who saw her were -wishing they could be queens. In the meantime she had almost finished -her task; only one coat of mail was wanting, but she had no flax left, -and not a single nettle. Once more only, and for the last time, must she -venture to the churchyard and pluck a few handfuls. She thought with -terror of the solitary walk, and of the horrible ghouls, but her will -was firm, as well as her trust in Providence. Eliza went, and the King -and the archbishop followed her. They saw her vanish through the wicket -gate into the churchyard, and when they came nearer they saw the ghouls -sitting on the tombstone as Eliza had seen them, and the King turned -away his head, for he thought she was with them--she whose head had -rested on his breast that very evening. "The people must condemn her," -said he, and she was very quickly condemned by everyone to suffer death -by fire. Away from the gorgeous regal halls was she led to a dark, -dreary cell, where the wind whistled through the iron bars. Instead of -the velvet and silk dresses, they gave her the coats of mail which she -had woven to cover her, and the bundle of nettles for a pillow; but -nothing they could give her would have pleased her more. She continued -her task with joy, and prayed for help, while the street boys sang -jeering songs about her, and not a soul comforted her with a kind word. -Toward evening she heard at the grating the flutter of a swan's wing; it -was her youngest brother--he had found his sister, and she sobbed for -joy, although she knew that very likely this would be the last night she -would have to live. But still she could hope, for her task was almost -finished and her brothers were come. Then the archbishop arrived, to be -with her during her last hours, as he had promised the King. But she -shook her head, and begged him, by looks and gestures, not to stay, for -in this night she knew she must finish her task, otherwise all her pain -and tears and sleepless nights would have been suffered in vain. The -archbishop withdrew, uttering bitter words against her; but poor Eliza -knew that she was innocent, and diligently continued her work. - -[Illustration: "ELIZA WENT, AND THE KING AND THE ARCHBISHOP FOLLOWED -HER"] - -The little mice ran about the floor; they dragged the nettles to her -feet, to help as well as they could, and the thrush sat outside the -grating of the window and sang to her the whole night long, as sweetly -as possible, to keep up her spirits. - -It was still twilight and at least an hour before sunrise when the -eleven brothers stood at the castle gate and demanded to be brought -before the King. They were told it could not be, it was yet almost -night, and as the King slept they dared not disturb him. They -threatened, they entreated. Then the guard appeared, and even the King -himself, inquiring what all the noise meant. At this moment the sun -rose. The eleven brothers were seen no more, but eleven wild swans flew -away over the castle. - -And now all the people came streaming forth from the gates of the city -to see the witch burned. An old horse drew the cart on which she sat. -They had dressed her in a garment of coarse sackcloth. Her lovely hair -hung loose on her shoulders, her cheeks were deadly pale, her lips moved -silently, while her fingers still worked at the green flax. Even on the -way to death she would not give up her task. The ten coats of mail -lay at her feet, she was working hard at the eleventh, while the mob -jeered her and said, "See the witch, how she mutters! She has no hymn -book in her hand. She sits there with her ugly sorcery. Let us tear it -in a thousand pieces." - -And then they pressed toward her, and would have destroyed the coats of -mail, but at the same moment eleven wild swans flew over her and -alighted on the cart. Then they flapped their large wings and the crowd -drew on one side in alarm. - -"It is a sign from heaven that she is innocent," whispered many of them, -but they ventured not to say it aloud. - -As the executioner seized her by the hand to lift her out of the cart, -she hastily threw the eleven coats of mail over the swans, and they -immediately became eleven handsome princes; but the youngest had a -swan's wing instead of an arm, for she had not been able to finish the -last sleeve of the coat. - -"Now I may speak!" she exclaimed. "I am innocent." - -Then the people, who saw what happened, bowed to her as before a saint, -but she sank lifeless in her brother's arms, overcome with suspense, -anguish, and pain. - -"Yes, she is innocent," said the eldest brother; and then he related all -that had taken place, and while he spoke there rose in the air a -fragrance as from millions of flowers. Every piece of fagot in the pile -had taken root, and thrown out branches, and appeared a thick hedge, -large and high, covered with roses, while above all bloomed a white and -shining blossom that glittered like a star. This flower the King plucked -and placed in Eliza's bosom, when she awoke from her swoon with peace -and happiness in her heart. And all the church bells rang of themselves -and the birds came in great troops. And a marriage procession returned -to the castle such as no king had ever before seen. - - - - -_The Story of Coquerico_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a handsome hen who lived like a great lady in -the poultry yard of a rich farmer, surrounded by a numerous family that -clucked about her, and none of which clamored more loudly or picked up -the corn faster with his beak than a poor little deformed and crippled -chicken. This was precisely the one that the mother loved best. It is -the way with all mothers; the weakest and most unsightly are always -their favorites. This misshapen creature had but one eye, one wing, and -one leg in good condition; it might have been thought that Solomon had -executed his memorable sentence on Coquerico, for that was the name of -the wretched chicken, and cut him in two with his famous sword. When a -person is one-eyed, lame, and one-armed, he may reasonably be expected -to be modest; but our Castilian ragamuffin was prouder than his father, -the best spurred, most elegant, bravest, and most gallant cock to be -seen from Burgos to Madrid. He thought himself a phoenix of grace and -beauty, and passed the best part of the day in admiring himself in the -brook. If one of his brothers ran against him by accident, he abused -him, called him envious and jealous, and risked his only remaining eye -in battle; if the hens clucked on seeing him, he said it was to hide -their spite because he did not condescend to look at them. - -One day, when he was more puffed up with vanity than usual, he resolved -no longer to remain in such a narrow sphere, but to go out into the -world, where he would be better appreciated. - -"My lady mother," said he, "I am tired of Spain; I am going to Rome to -see the Pope and cardinals." - -"What are you thinking of, my poor child!" cried his mother. "Who has -put such a folly into your head? Never has one of our family been known -to quit his country, and, for this reason, we are the honor of our race, -and are proud of our genealogy. Where will you find a poultry yard like -this--mulberry trees to shade you, a whitewashed hen roost, a -magnificent dunghill, worms and corn everywhere, brothers that love you, -and three great dogs to guard you from the foxes? Do you not think that -at Rome itself you will regret the ease and plenty of such a life?" - -Coquerico shrugged his crippled wing in token of disdain. "You are a -simple woman, my good mother," said he; "everything is accounted worthy -of admiration by him who has never quitted his dunghill. But I have wit -enough to see that my brothers have no ideas, and that my cousins are -nothing but rustics. My genius is stifling in this hole; I wish to roam -the world and seek my fortune." - -"But, my son, have you never looked in the brook?" resumed the poor hen. -"Don't you know that you lack an eye, a leg, and a wing? To make your -fortune, you need the eyes of a fox, the legs of a spider, and the wings -of a vulture. Once outside of these walls, you are lost." - -"My good mother," replied Coquerico, "when a hen hatches a duck, she is -always frightened on seeing it run to the water. You know me no better. -It is my nature to succeed by my wit and talent. I must have a public -capable of appreciating the charms of my person; my place is not among -inferior people." - -"My son," said the hen, seeing all her counsels useless, "my son, listen -at least to your mother's last words. If you go to Rome, take care to -avoid St. Peter's Church; the saint, it is said, dislikes cocks, -especially when they crow. Shun, moreover, certain personages called -cooks and scullions; you will know them by their paper caps, their -tucked-up sleeves, and the great knives which they wear at their sides. -They are licensed assassins, who track our steps without pity, and cut -our throats without giving us time to cry mercy. And now, my child," she -added, raising her claw, "receive my blessing. May St. James, the patron -saint of pilgrims, protect thee!" - -Coquerico pretended not to see the tear that trembled in his mother's -eye, nor did he trouble himself any more about his father, who bristled -his plumage and seemed about to call him back. Without caring for those -whom he left behind, he glided through the half-open door, and, once -outside, flapped his only wing and crowed three times, to celebrate his -freedom--"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" - -As he half-flew, half-hopped over the fields, he came to the bed of a -brook which had been dried up by the sun. In the middle of the sands, -however, still trickled a tiny thread of water, so small that it was -choked by a couple of dead leaves that had fallen into it. - -"My friend," exclaimed the Streamlet at the sight of our traveler, "my -friend, you see my weakness; I have not even the strength to carry away -these leaves which obstruct my passage, much less to make a circuit, so -completely am I exhausted. With a stroke of your beak you can restore me -to life. I am not an ingrate; if you oblige me, you may count on my -gratitude the first rainy day, when the water from heaven shall have -restored my strength." - -"You are jesting?" said Coquerico. "Do I look like one whose business it -is to sweep the brooks? Apply to those of your own sort." And, with his -sound leg, he leaped across the Streamlet. - -"You will remember me when you least expect it," murmured the Brook, but -with so feeble a voice that it was lost on the proud cock. - -A little farther on, Coquerico saw the Wind lying breathless on the -ground. - -"Dear Coquerico, come to my aid," it cried; "here on earth we should -help each other. You see to what I am reduced by the heat of the day; I, -who in former times uprooted the olive trees and lashed the waves to -frenzy, lie here well nigh slain by the dog star. I suffered myself to -be lulled to sleep by the perfume of the roses with which I was playing; -and lo! here I am, stretched almost lifeless upon the ground. If you -will raise me a couple of inches with your beak and fan me a little with -your wing, I shall have the strength to mount to yonder white clouds -which I see in the distance, where I shall receive aid enough from my -family to keep me alive till I gain fresh strength from the next -whirlwind. - -"My lord," answered the spiteful Coquerico, "your excellency has more -than once amused himself by playing tricks at my expense. It is not a -week since your lordship glided like a traitor behind me, and diverted -himself by opening my tail like a fan and covering me with confusion in -the face of nations. Have patience, therefore, my worthy friend; mockers -always have their turn; it does them good to repent, and to learn to -respect those whose birth, wit, and beauty should screen them from the -jests of a fool." And Coquerico, bristling his plumage, crowed three -times in his shrillest voice and proudly strutted onward. - -A little farther on he came to a newly mown field, where the farmers had -piled up the weeds in order to burn them. Coquerico approached a smoking -heap, hoping to find some stray kernels of corn, and saw a little flame -which was charring the green stalks without being able to set them on -fire. - -"My good friend," cried the Flame to the newcomer, "you are just in time -to save my life; I am dying for want of air. I cannot imagine what has -become of my cousin, the Wind, who cares for nothing but his own -amusement. Bring me a few dry straws to rekindle my strength, and you -will not have obliged an ingrate." - -"Wait a moment," said Coquerico, "and I will serve you as you deserve, -insolent fellow that dares ask my help!" And behold! he leaped on the -heap of dried weeds, and trampled it down till he smothered both Flame -and smoke; after which he exultingly shouted three times -"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" and flapped his wings, as if he had done a great -deed. - -Proudly strutting onward and crowing, Coquerico at last arrived at Rome, -the place to which all roads lead. Scarcely had he reached the city when -he hastened to the great church of St. Peter. Grand and beautiful as it -was, he did not stop to admire it, but, planting himself in front of the -main entrance, where he looked like a fly among the great columns, he -raised himself on tiptoe and began to shout "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" only to -enrage the saint and disobey his mother. - -He had not yet ended his song when one of the Pope's guards, who chanced -to hear him, laid hands on the insolent wretch who dared thus to insult -the saint, and carried him home in order to roast him for supper. - -"Quick!" said he to his wife on entering the house, "give me some -boiling water; here is a sinner to be punished." - -"Pardon, pardon, Madam Water!" cried Coquerico. "O good and gentle -Water, the best and purest thing in the world, do not scald me, I pray -you!" - -"Did you have pity on me when I implored your aid, ungrateful wretch?" -answered the Water, boiling with indignation. And with a single gush it -inundated him from head to foot, and left not a bit of down on his body. - -The unhappy Coquerico stripped of all his feathers, the soldier took him -and laid him on the gridiron. - -"O Fire, do not burn me!" cried he, in an agony of terror. "O beautiful -and brilliant Fire, the brother of the Sun and the cousin of the -Diamond, spare an unhappy creature; restrain thy ardor and soften thy -flame; do not roast me!" - -"Did you have pity on me when I implored your aid, ungrateful wretch?" -answered the Fire, and, fiercely blazing with anger, in an instant it -burned Coquerico to a coal. - -The soldier, seeing his roast chicken in this deplorable condition, took -him by the leg and threw him out of the window. The Wind bore the -unhappy fowl to a dunghill, where it left him for a moment. - -"O Wind," murmured Coquerico, who still breathed, "oh, kindly zephyr, -protecting breeze, behold me cured of my vain follies; let me rest on -the paternal dunghill." - -"Let you rest!" roared the Wind. "Wait and I will teach you how I treat -ingrates." And with one blast it sent him so high in the air that, as he -fell back, he was transfixed by a steeple. - -There St. Peter was awaiting him. With his own hand he nailed him to the -highest steeple in Rome, where he is still shown to travelers. However -high placed he may be, all despise him because he turns with the -slightest wind; black, dried up, stripped of his feathers, and beaten by -the rain, he is no longer called Coquerico, but Weathercock; and thus -expiates, and must expiate eternally, his disobedience, vanity, and -wickedness. - - - - -_The Bird-Cage Maker_ - - -IN a town of the ancient kingdom of Castile there lived, in former ages, -a youth called Bartolo, who tried to eke out a living by making cages -for birds, and taking them round to sell at the neighboring villages. -But his trade was a poor one, and he judged himself in luck if he sold -one cage in the day, and as may be supposed, he knew what sorrow and -privation were. - -One day as he was proceeding to a village he heard sounds of revelry, -the buzz of many people, and the strains of a band of music. This -merrymaking was a procession of children dressed in white, carrying in -their midst a beautiful child crowned with roses, in a chariot covered -with white satin, and ornamented with acacia and myrtle. This procession -was in honor of Maya, the personification of Spring, and took place to -announce the entry of Spring. In front of the little chariot some -children danced, and held in their hands tin platters for contributions; -and, as may be imagined, all, or nearly all, the spectators dropped -their coins into them. - -Bartolo moved away in a desponding mood, saying to himself as he walked -on: "Is this the justice of the world? There they are, flinging their -money into these platters just because these children come in -procession to announce to them that it is the month of May, as though -they could not know it by looking in an almanac. They barter and grind -me down to the lowest price for my cages, even when I chance to sell -one." - -Full of these bitter thoughts he walked on sadly, for the voices of two -importunate enemies were making themselves heard within him--these were -hunger and thirst: the one clamored for food and the other for drink. -Bartolo had nothing in his wallet but his clasp knife, and had had -nought for his breakfast but hopes, and these made him sharp and active. - -He had reached a plantation when he perceived a well-dressed individual -coming toward him. Pressed by hunger Bartolo, taking his cap off -respectfully, approached and said: "Excuse me, sir, but could you kindly -give me a trifle? I promise I will return it as soon as I earn some -money." - -"Don't you think that it is a shameful thing for a man like you, young -and with a good, healthy appearance, to be demanding charity of people? -Does it not strike you that you have a duty to earn your living by -working at your trade?" - -"Yes, sir, certainly, but my trade does not fulfill its own duty. Most -people like to see the birds flying about free rather than in cages, -and, therefore, day by day I find myself poorer than before." - -At first the stranger doubted what he heard, but the bird-cage maker -gave him so detailed an account of his work and the small profits he -derived, that he became interested and sympathized with his ill fortune. -Bartolo was a man who always knew how to excite great interest in -himself. - -"Come, come," the stranger said, smiling, "I will do something for you. -As I cannot find customers for your cages, I will afford you a powerful -means by which you shall never more be in want." - -He then blew a whistle, and Bartolo saw flying before him a bird blue -as the sky, which came and perched on one of his cages. - -"See here," added the stranger, "what will compensate for all your past -misery. From this day forward you have only to formulate a wish and say -slowly and distinctly, _'Bluest of blue birds, do your duty!'_ and your -wish will be granted to you." - -"By my faith!" cried the bird-cage maker, "but I will try it at once. -For the last twenty years I have wished to kill hunger: 'Bluest of blue -birds, do your duty!'" - -Scarcely were the words out of his mouth than he saw suddenly spread -before him on the grass a breakfast fit for a prince, laid on a service -of exquisite silver and glass and the whitest of cloths. Bartolo, -astonished, flung himself on his knees before his benefactor to thank -him, but he raised him up saying: - -"I am the good genius of the honest workingmen of Castile. Sit down and -eat without fear. Take advantage of your lucky star," and then suddenly -disappeared. - -Bartolo reverently bent down and kissed the spot upon which he had -stood, unable to find adequate expression of his gratitude. He then sat -down and ate his breakfast. After his meal, Bartolo judged that a man -who had feasted in such an elegant manner ought to have other, better -clothing than his well-worn working suit; and, lifting his staff, he -cried to the bird: "Bluest of blue birds, do your duty!" In an instant -his old suit became transformed into one of richest velvet, embroidered -in gold and silver, and his rough staff into a splendid horse fully -caparisoned, and having round its neck a collar of silver bells. - -More astonished than ever, Bartolo suspended to the saddle the cage with -the blue bird, leaped on the horse, and went his way, as proud of his -dress as a donkey of its ears. - -Setting spurs to his horse, he soon reached the gates of a splendid -castle. Some feast was taking place within. The guests were all seated -under a shady bower, deploring that they had been disappointed of the -minstrels who were to have played. - -Bartolo, on learning this, advanced to the bower, and, after elegantly -saluting the lord and lady of the castle, in a most refined voice said: - -"If it be right for a simple knight to offer his services to such a -distinguished company of rank and beauty, I think I could promise to -provide what you are requiring." - -"Oh, do! at once, please!" cried all the ladies, who were longing to -dance. - -"Bluest of blue birds, do your duty!" said Bartolo. - -Suddenly, in the distance, was heard the noise of many feet, and a troop -of musicians with their instruments appeared, to the great delight of -the company. - -The lord of the castle thanked the stranger, and desired him to open the -ball with his eldest daughter, a maiden fair and lovely, like a -snowbird. - -When the ball was at its height, the bird-cage maker ordered an elegant -banquet to be served, during which the bluest of blue birds was -commanded to sing some songs, which were very much admired. Games of -chance followed, and Bartolo, taking advantage of his good fortune, -distributed among the ladies pearls, bracelets, and rings of precious -stones. All those present were surprised beyond measure, because the -lord of the castle was known to be extremely niggardly and mean. - -The lord of the castle, who knew how all this had been done through the -agency of the bird, and being himself of an inordinately avaricious -nature, thought he might do a fine stroke of business were he to buy the -creature. Hence, calling his unknown guest away to his study, he -proposed to him to purchase the bird for what price he should quote. - -"You would never give me my price," replied Bartolo. - -"For it I would give my castle with its nine forests," said the lord of -the castle. - -"It is not enough!" - -"Very well, I will add my olive plantations and vineyards." - -"That is still insufficient!" cried Bartolo. - -"I will add the orchards, gardens, and houses." - -"I want something else!" - -"What, still more? Why, man, you must want paradise itself!" - -"Not so; I want what you can give me this very moment. I want your -daughter with whom I danced just now! Let her be my bride." - -"What, my daughter!" cried the old miser, in an ecstasy of joy; "by my -faith, we shall soon conclude the bargain. Why did you not say so -before?" - -He went to seek the girl, and told her of the engagement he had entered -into. But his daughter, in utter amazement, cried out: - -"But what if he be a wicked elf, and all he does be witchcraft?" - -"You have an amulet of coral hanging from your neck; it is an antidote -against all witchery." - -"And what if he be Satan himself?" - -"I will give you a piece of blessed candle, and he will have no power -over you," replied the unrelenting father. - -Taking her hand, he led her to the stranger, who was already on his -horse, and assisted her to mount behind her future husband. Taking the -cage with the bluest of birds, he watched the retreating forms of the -pair as the horse carried them away swifter than the wind, and when out -of sight, he proceeded to join his guests. The company were all gathered -in knots discussing the extraordinary powers of the bird and all the -events which had taken place. - -"Peace! peace!" cried the lord of the castle, as he entered; "I will -perform more marvelous things than ever he did. I have given him my -daughter to wed in exchange for the bird, and this blue bird will render -me more wealthy than the King of Aragon. Approach, and see the wonders I -will work with it." - -He took the cage, and lifting it up to look at the bird, was astonished -to find that it was not blue at all, but a large gray bird, which -turned to stare at him in an insolent manner, gave a fierce peck at the -door of the cage with its beak, flung it open, and flew out of the -window uttering a terrible screech. - -The lord of the castle stood with open mouth, not knowing what to do or -say. His guests broke out in peals of laughter at his discomfiture and -the well-deserved punishment for his unseemly avarice in exchanging his -beautiful daughter for a worthless bird. - -Meanwhile, Bartolo was galloping on with his bride to the nearest town -to be married, and when he arrived at the first hostelry, he wished to -dismount and engage the most splendid suite of apartments for his -intended wife, but he found himself utterly penniless. He had not -calculated that in parting with the bird he had parted with his luck, -and therefore as soon as he dismounted the horse disappeared and his -elegant dress became changed for the shabby one he had worn before he -met the kind individual who had wished to befriend him. When the -beautiful daughter of the lord of the castle beheld the transformation -which had taken place she ran back to her father as fast as she could, -fright lending wings to her feet. - -Bartolo had to return to his old life of making cages and to his -miserable existence. - - - - -_The Twelve Months_ - - -THERE was once a woman who was left a widow with two children. The -elder, who was only her stepdaughter, was named Dobrunka; the younger, -who was as wicked as her mother, was called Katinka. The mother -worshiped her daughter, but she hated Dobrunka, simply because she was -as beautiful as her sister was ugly. Dobrunka did not even know that she -was pretty, and she could not understand why her stepmother flew into a -rage at the mere sight of her. The poor child was obliged to do all the -work of the house; she had to sweep, cook, wash, sew, spin, weave, cut -the grass, and take care of the cow, while Katinka lived like a -princess, that is to say, did nothing. - -Dobrunka worked with a good will, and took reproaches and blows with the -gentleness of a lamb; but nothing soothed her stepmother, for every day -added to the beauty of the elder sister and the ugliness of the younger. -"They are growing up," thought the mother, "and suitors will soon appear -who will refuse my daughter when they see this hateful Dobrunka, who -grows beautiful on purpose to spite me. I must get rid of her, cost what -it may." - -One day in the middle of January, Katinka took a fancy for some violets. -She called Dobrunka and said: "Go to the forest and bring me a bunch of -violets, that I may put them in my bosom and enjoy their fragrance." - -"Oh, sister, what an idea!" answered Dobrunka; "as if there were any -violets under the snow!" - -"Hold your tongue, stupid lass," returned her sister, "and do as I bid -you. If you do not go to the forest and bring me back a bunch of -violets, I will beat you to a jelly." Upon this the mother took Dobrunka -by the arm, put her out of the door, and drew the bolt on her. - -The poor girl went to the forest weeping bitterly. Every thing was -covered with snow; there was not even a footpath. She lost her way, and -wandered about till, famishing with hunger and perishing with cold, she -entreated God to take her from this wretched life. - -All at once she saw a light in the distance. She went on, climbing -higher and higher, until at last she reached the top of a huge rock, -upon which a great fire was built. Around the fire were twelve stones, -and on each stone sat a motionless figure, wrapped in a large mantle, -his head covered with a hood which fell over his eyes. Three of these -mantles were white like the snow, three were green like the grass of the -meadows, three were golden like the sheaves of ripe wheat, and three -were purple like the grapes of the vine. These twelve figures, gazing -at the fire in silence, were the Twelve Months of the year. - -[Illustration: "MARCH ROSE IN TURN, AND STIRRED THE FIRE WITH THE STAFF, -WHEN, BEHOLD! . . . IT WAS SPRING"] - -Dobrunka knew January by his long white beard. He was the only one that -had a staff in his hand. The poor girl was terribly frightened. She drew -near, saying, in a timid voice: "My good sirs, please let me warm myself -by your fire; I am freezing with cold." - -January nodded his head. "Why have you come here, my child?" he asked. -"What are you looking for?" - -"I am looking for violets," replied Dobrunka. - -"This is not the season for them; there are no violets in the time of -snow," said January, in his gruff voice. - -"I know it," replied Dobrunka sadly; "but my sister and mother will beat -me to a jelly if I do not bring them some. My good sirs, please tell me -where I can find them." - -Old January rose, and, turning to a young man in a green mantle, put his -staff in his hand, and said to him, "Brother March, this is your -business." - -March rose in turn, and stirred the fire with the staff, when behold! -the flames rose, the snow melted, the buds put forth on the trees, the -grass turned green under the bushes, the flowers peeped through the -verdure, and the violets opened--it was spring. - -"Make haste, my child, and gather your violets," said March. - -Dobrunka gathered a large bouquet, thanked the Twelve Months, and -joyfully ran home. You can imagine the astonishment of Katinka and the -stepmother. The fragrance of the violets filled the whole house. - -"Where did you find these fine things?" asked Katinka, in a disdainful -voice. - -"Up yonder on the mountain," answered her sister. "It looked like a -great blue carpet under the bushes." - -Katinka put the bouquet in her bosom, and did not even thank the poor -child. - -The next morning the wicked sister, as she sat idling by the stove, took -a fancy for some strawberries. - -"Go to the forest and bring me some strawberries," said she to Dobrunka. - -"Oh, sister, what an idea! as if there were any strawberries under the -snow!" - -"Hold your tongue, stupid lass, and do as I bid you. If you don't go to -the forest and bring me back a basket of strawberries, I will beat you -to a jelly." - -The mother took Dobrunka by the arm, put her out of the door, and drew -the bolt on her. - -The poor girl returned to the forest, looking with all her eyes for the -light that she had seen the day before. She was fortunate enough to spy -it, and she reached the fire trembling and almost frozen. - -The Twelve Months were in their places, motionless and silent. - -"My good sirs," said Dobrunka, "please let me warm myself by your fire; -I am almost frozen with cold." - -"Why have you returned?" asked January. "What are you looking for?" - -"I am looking for strawberries," answered she. - -"This is not the season for them," returned January, in his gruff voice; -"there are no strawberries under the snow." - -"I know it," replied Dobrunka sadly; "but my mother and sister will beat -me to a jelly if I do not bring them some. My good sirs, please tell me -where I can find them." - -Old January rose, and, turning to a man in a golden mantle, he put his -staff in his hand, saying, "Brother June, this is your business." - -June rose in turn and stirred the fire with the staff, when behold! the -flames rose, the snow melted, the earth grew green, the trees were -covered with leaves, the birds sang, and the flowers opened--it was -summer. Thousands of little white stars enameled the turf, then turned -to red strawberries, looking, in their green cups, like rubies set in -emeralds. - -"Make haste, my child, and gather your strawberries," said June. - -Dobrunka filled her apron, thanked the Twelve Months, and joyfully ran -home. You may imagine the astonishment of Katinka and the stepmother. -The fragrance of the strawberries filled the whole house. - -"Where did you find these fine things?" asked Katinka, in a disdainful -voice. - -"Up yonder on the mountain," answered her sister; "there were so many of -them that they looked like blood poured on the ground." - -Katinka and her mother devoured the strawberries without even thanking -the poor child. - -The third day the wicked sister took a fancy for some red apples. The -same threats, the same insults, and the same violence followed. Dobrunka -ran to the mountain, and was fortunate enough to find the Twelve Months -warming themselves, motionless and silent. - -"You here again, my child?" said old January, making room for her by the -fire. Dobrunka told him, with tears, how, if she did not bring home some -red apples, her mother and sister would beat her to death. - -Old January repeated the ceremonies of the day before. "Brother -September," said he to a gray-bearded man in a purple mantle, "this is -your business." - -September rose and stirred the fire with the staff, when behold! the -flames ascended, the snow melted, and the trees put forth a few yellow -leaves, which fell one by one before the wind--it was autumn. The only -flowers were a few late pinks, daisies, and immortelles. Dobrunka saw -but one thing, an apple tree with its rosy fruit. - -"Make haste, my child; shake the tree," said September. - -She shook it, and an apple fell; she shook it again, and a second apple -followed. - -"Make haste, Dobrunka, make haste home!" cried September, in an -imperious voice. - -The good child thanked the Twelve Months, and joyfully ran home. You may -imagine the astonishment of Katinka and the stepmother. - -"Fresh-plucked apples in January! Where did you get these apples?" asked -Katinka. - -"Up yonder on the mountain; there is a tree there that is as red with -them as a cherry tree in July." - -"Why did you bring only two? You ate the rest on the way." - -"Oh, sister, I did not touch them; I was only permitted to shake the -tree twice, and but two apples fell." - -"Begone, you wretch!" cried Katinka, striking her sister, who ran away -crying. - -The wicked girl tasted one of the apples; she had never eaten anything -so delicious in her life, neither had her mother. How they regretted not -having any more! - -"Mother," said Katinka, "give me my fur cloak. I will go to the forest -and find the tree, and, whether I am permitted or not, I will shake it -so hard that all the apples will be ours." - -The mother tried to stop her. A spoiled child listens to nothing. -Katinka wrapped herself in her fur cloak, drew the hood over her head, -and hastened to the forest. - -Everything was covered with snow; there was not even a footpath. Katinka -lost her way, but she pushed on, spurred by pride and covetousness. She -spied a light in the distance. She climbed and climbed till she reached -the place, and found the Twelve Months each seated on his stone, -motionless and silent. Without asking their permission, she approached -the fire. - -"Why have you come here? What do you want? Where are you going?" asked -old January gruffly. - -"What matters it to you, old fool?" answered Katinka. "It is none of -your business where I came from or whither I am going." She plunged into -the forest. January frowned, and raised his staff above his head. In the -twinkling of an eye the sky was overcast, the fire went out, the snow -fell, and the wind blew. Katinka could not see the way before her. She -lost herself, and vainly tried to retrace her steps. The snow fell and -the wind blew. She called her mother, she called her sister, she prayed -to God. The snow fell and the wind blew. Katinka froze, her limbs -stiffened, and she fell motionless. The snow still fell and the wind -still blew. - -The mother went without ceasing from the window to the door, and from -the door to the window. The hours passed, and Katinka did not return. - -"I must go and look for my daughter," said she. "The child has forgotten -herself with those hateful apples." She took her fur cloak and hood, and -hastened to the mountain. Everything was covered with snow; there was -not even a footpath. She plunged into the forest, calling her daughter. -The snow fell and the wind blew. She walked on with feverish anxiety, -shouting at the top of her voice. The snow still fell and the wind still -blew. - -Dobrunka waited through the evening and the night, but no one returned. -In the morning she took her wheel and spun a whole distaff full; there -was still no news. "What can have happened?" said the good girl, -weeping. The sun was shining through an icy mist, and the ground was -covered with snow. Dobrunka prayed for her mother and sister. They did -not return; and it was not till spring that a shepherd found the two -bodies in the forest. - -Dobrunka remained the sole mistress of the house, the cow, and the -garden, to say nothing of a piece of meadow adjoining the house. But -when a good and pretty girl has a field under her window, the next thing -that follows is a young farmer, who offers her his heart and hand. -Dobrunka was soon married. The Twelve Months did not abandon their -child. More than once, when the north wind blew fearfully and the -windows shook in their frames, old January stopped up all the crevices -of the house with snow, so that the cold might not enter this peaceful -abode. - -Dobrunka lived to a good old age, always virtuous and happy, having, -according to the proverb, winter at the door, summer in the barn, autumn -in the cellar, and spring in the heart. - - - - -_The Bee, the Harp, the Mouse, and the Bum-Clock_ - - -ONCE there was a widow, and she had one son, called Jack. Jack and his -mother owned just three cows. They lived well and happy for a long time; -but at last hard times came down on them, and the crops failed, and -poverty looked in at the door, and things got so sore against the poor -widow that for want of money and for want of necessities she had to make -up her mind to sell one of the cows. "Jack," she said one night, "go -over in the morning to the fair to sell the branny cow." - -Well and good: in the morning my brave Jack was up early, and took a -stick in his fist and turned out the cow, and off to the fair he went -with her; and when Jack came into the fair, he saw a great crowd -gathered in a ring in the street. He went into the crowd to see what -they were looking at, and there in the middle of them he saw a man with -a wee, wee harp, a mouse, and a bum-clock,[A] and a bee to play the -harp. And when the man put them down on the ground and whistled, the bee -began to play the harp, and the mouse and the bum-clock stood up on -their hind legs and took hold of each other and began to waltz. And as -soon as the harp began to play and the mouse and the bum-clock to dance, -there wasn't a man or woman, or a thing in the fair that didn't begin to -dance also; and the pots and pans, and the wheels and reels jumped and -jigged all over the town, and Jack himself and the branny cow were as -bad as the next. - -There was never a town in such a state before or since, and after a -while the man picked up the bee, the harp, and the mouse, and the -bum-clock and put them into his pocket, and the men and women, Jack and -the cow, the pots and pans, wheels and reels that had hopped and jigged -now stopped, and everyone began to laugh as if to break its heart. Then -the man turned to Jack. "Jack," says he, "how would you like to be -master of all these animals?" - -"Why," says Jack, "I should like it fine." - -"Well, then," says the man, "how will you and me make a bargain about -them?" - -"I have no money," says Jack. - -"But you have a fine cow," says the man. "I will give you the bee and -the harp for it." - -"Oh, but," Jack says, says he, "my poor mother at home is very sad and -sorrowful entirely, and I have this cow to sell and lift her heart -again." - -"And better than this she cannot get," says the man. "For when she sees -the bee play the harp, she will laugh if she never laughed in her life -before." - -"Well," says Jack, says he, "that will be grand." - -He made the bargain. The man took the cow; and Jack started home with -the bee and the harp in his pocket, and when he came home his mother -welcomed him back. - -"And Jack," says she, "I see you have sold the cow." - -"I have done that," says Jack. - -"Did you do well?" says the mother. - -"I did well, and very well," says Jack. - -"How much did you get for her?" says the mother. - -"Oh," says he, "it was not for money at all I sold her, but for -something far better." - -"O, Jack! Jack!" says she, "what have you done?" - -"Just wait until you see, mother," says he, "and you will soon say I -have done well." - -Out of his pocket he takes the bee and the harp and sets them in the -middle of the floor, and whistles to them, and as soon as he did this -the bee began to play the harp, and the mother she looked at them and -let a big, great laugh out of her, and she and Jack began to dance, the -pots and pans, the wheels and reels began to jig and dance over the -floor, and the house itself hopped about also. - -When Jack picked up the bee and the harp again the dancing all stopped, -and the mother laughed for a long time. But when she came to herself she -got very angry entirely with Jack, and she told him he was a silly, -foolish fellow, that there was neither food nor money in the house, and -now he had lost one of her good cows also. "We must do something to -live," says she. "Over to the fair you must go to-morrow morning, and -take the black cow with you and sell her." - -And off in the morning at an early hour brave Jack started, and never -halted until he was in the fair. When he came into the fair he saw a big -crowd gathered in a ring in the street. Said Jack to himself, "I wonder -what they are looking at." - -Into the crowd he pushed, and saw the wee man this day again with a -mouse and a bum-clock, and he put them down in the street and whistled. -The mouse and the bum-clock stood up on their hind legs and got hold of -each other and began to dance there and jig, and as they did there was -not a man or woman in the street who didn't begin to jig also, and Jack -and the black cow, and the wheels and the reels, and the pots and pans, -all of them were jigging and dancing all over the town, and the houses -themselves were jumping and hopping about, and such a place Jack or -anyone else never saw before. - -When the man lifted the mouse and the bum-clock into his pocket they all -stopped dancing and settled down, and everybody laughed right hearty. -The man turned to Jack. "Jack," says he, "I am glad to see you; how -would you like to have these animals?" - -"I should like well to have them," says Jack, says he, "only I cannot." - -"Why cannot you?" says the man. - -"Oh!" says Jack, says he, "I have no money, and my poor mother is very -downhearted. She sent me to the fair to sell this cow and bring some -money to lift her heart." - -"Oh!" says the man, says he, "if you want to lift your mother's heart I -will sell you the mouse, and when you set the bee to play the harp and -the mouse to dance to it, your mother will laugh if she never laughed in -her life before." - -"But I have no money," says Jack, says he, "to buy your mouse." - -"I don't mind," says the man, says he, "I will take your cow for it." - -Poor Jack was so taken with the mouse, and had his mind so set on it, -that he thought it was a grand bargain entirely, and he gave the man his -cow and took the mouse and started off for home; and when he got home -his mother welcomed him. - -"Jack," says she, "I see you have sold the cow." - -"I did that," says Jack. - -"Did you sell her well?" says she. - -"Very well indeed," says Jack, says he. - -"How much did you get for her?" - -"I didn't get money," says he, "but I got value." - -"O Jack! Jack!" says she, "what do you mean?" - -"I will soon show you that, mother," says he, taking the mouse out of -his pocket and the harp and the bee, and setting all on the floor; and -when he began to whistle, the bee began to play, and the mouse got up on -its hind legs and began to dance and jig, and the mother gave such a -hearty laugh as she never laughed in her life before. To dancing and -jigging herself and Jack fell, and the pots and pans and the wheels and -reels began to dance and jig over the floor, and the house jigged also. -And when they were tired of this, Jack lifted the harp and the mouse and -the bee and put them in his pocket, and his mother she laughed for a -long time. - -But when she got over that she got very downhearted and very angry -entirely with Jack. "And oh, Jack!" she says, "you are a stupid, -good-for-nothing fellow. We have neither money nor meat in the house, -and here you have lost two of my good cows, and I have only one left -now. To-morrow morning," she says, "you must be up early and take this -cow to the fair and sell her. See you get something to lift my heart -up." - -"I will do that," says Jack, says he. So he went to his bed, and early -in the morning he was up and turned out the spotty cow and went to the -fair. - -When Jack got to the fair he saw a crowd gathered in a ring in the -street. "I wonder what they are looking at, anyhow," says he. He pushed -through the crowd, and there he saw the same wee man he had seen before, -with a bum-clock; and when he put the bum-clock on the ground he -whistled, and the bum-clock began to dance; and the men, women, and -children in the street, and Jack and the spotty cow began to dance and -jig also, and everything on the street and about it--the wheels and -reels, the pots and pans began to jig, and the houses themselves began -to dance likewise. And when the man lifted the bum-clock and put it in -his pocket everybody stopped jigging and dancing and everyone laughed -aloud. The wee man turned and saw Jack. - -"Jack, my brave boy," says he, "you will never be right fixed until you -have this bum-clock, for it is a very fancy thing to have." - -"Oh! but," says Jack, says he, "I have no money." - -"No matter for that," says the man; "you have a cow, and that is as good -as money to me." - -"Well," says Jack, "I have a poor mother who is very downhearted at -home, and she sent me to the fair to sell this cow and raise some money -and lift her heart." - -"Oh! but Jack," says the wee man, "this bum-clock is the very thing to -lift her heart, for when you put down your harp and bee and mouse on the -floor, and put the bum-clock along with them she will laugh if she never -laughed in her life before." - -"Well, that is surely true," says Jack, says he, "and I think I will -make a swap with you." - -So Jack gave the cow to the man and took the bum-clock himself, and -started for home. His mother was glad to see Jack back, and says she, -"Jack, I see that you have sold the cow." - -"I did that, mother," says Jack. - -"Did you sell her well, Jack?" says the mother. - -"Very well indeed, mother," says Jack. - -"How much did you get for her?" says the mother. - -"I didn't take any money for her, mother, but value," says Jack, and he -takes out of his pocket the bum-clock and the mouse, and set them on the -floor and began to whistle, and the bee began to play the harp and the -mouse and the bum-clock stood up on their hind legs and began to dance, -and Jack's mother laughed very hearty, and everything in the house--the -wheels and the reels and the pots and pans went jigging and hopping over -the floor, and the house itself went jigging and hopping about likewise. - -When Jack lifted up the animals and put them in his pocket everything -stopped, and the mother laughed for a good while. But after a while, -when she came to herself and saw what Jack had done and how they were -now without either money, or food, or a cow, she got very, very angry at -Jack and scolded him hard, and then sat down and began to cry. - -Poor Jack, when he looked at himself, confessed that he was a stupid -fool entirely. "And what," says he, "shall I now do for my poor mother?" -He went out along the road, thinking and thinking, and he met a wee -woman who said: "Good morrow to you, Jack," says she, "how is it you are -not trying for the King's daughter of Ireland?" - -"What do you mean?" says Jack. - -Says she: "Didn't you hear what the whole world has heard, that the King -of Ireland has a daughter who hasn't laughed for seven years, and he has -promised to give her in marriage and to give the kingdom along with her -to any man who will take three laughs out of her." - -"If that is so," says Jack, says he, "it is not here I should be." - -Back to the house he went and gathers together the bee, the harp, the -mouse, and the bum-clock, and putting them into his pocket he bade his -mother good-by, and told her it wouldn't be long till she got good news -from him, and off he hurries. - -When he reached the castle there was a ring of spikes all around the -castle and men's heads on nearly every spike there. - -"What heads are these?" Jack asked one of the King's soldiers. - -"Any man that comes here trying to win the King's daughter and fails to -make her laugh three times loses his head and has it stuck on a spike. -These are the heads of the men that failed," says he. - -"A mighty big crowd," says Jack, says he. Then Jack sent word to tell -the King's daughter and the King that there was a new man who had come -to win her. - -In a very little time the King and the King's daughter and the King's -court all came out and sat themselves down on gold-and-silver chairs in -front of the castle, and ordered Jack to be brought in until he should -have his trial. Jack, before he went, took out of his pocket the bee, -the harp, the mouse, and the bum-clock, and he gave the harp to the bee, -and he tied a string to one and the other, and took the end of the -string himself, and marched into the castle yard before all the court, -with his animals coming on a string behind him. - -When the Queen and the King and the court and the princes saw poor -ragged Jack with his bee and mouse and bum-clock hopping behind him on a -string they set up one roar of laughter that was long and loud enough, -and when the King's daughter herself lifted her head and looked to see -what they were laughing at, and saw Jack and his paraphernalia, she -opened her mouth and she gave such a laugh as was never heard before. - -Then Jack dropped a low courtesy and said: "Thank you, my lady; I have -one of the three parts of you won." - -Then he drew up his animals in a circle and began to whistle, and the -minute he did the bee began to play the harp, and the mouse and the -bum-clock stood up on their hind legs, got hold of each other, and began -to dance, and the King and the King's court and Jack himself began to -dance and jig, and everything about the King's castle--pots and pans, -wheels and reels, and the castle itself began to dance also. And the -King's daughter, when she saw this, opened her mouth again and gave a -laugh twice louder than she did before, and Jack, in the middle of his -jigging, drops another courtesy, and says: "Thank you, my lady; that is -two of the three parts of you won." - -Jack and his menagerie went on playing and dancing, but Jack could not -get the third laugh out of the King's daughter, and the poor fellow saw -his big head in danger of going on the spike. Then the brave mouse came -to Jack's help and wheeled round upon its heel, and as it did so its -tail swept into the bum-clock's mouth, and the bum-clock began to cough -and cough and cough. And when the King's daughter saw this she opened -her mouth again, and she laughed the loudest and hardest and merriest -laugh that was ever heard before or since; and, "Thank you, my lady," -says Jack, dropping another courtesy; "I have all of you won." - -Then when Jack stopped his menagerie the King took himself and the -menagerie within the castle. He was washed and combed and dressed in a -suit of silk and satin, with all kinds of gold and silver ornaments, and -then was led before the King's daughter. And true enough she confessed -that a handsomer and finer fellow than Jack she had never seen, and she -was very willing to be his wife. - -Jack sent for his poor old mother and brought her to the wedding, which -lasted nine days and nine nights, every night better than the other. All -the lords and ladies and gentry of Ireland were at the wedding. I was at -it, too, and got brogues, broth and slippers of bread, and came jigging -home on my head. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote A: Cockroach.] - - - - -_The Long Leather Bag_ - - -ONCE on a time, long, long ago, there was a widow woman who had three -daughters. When their father died, their mother thought they never would -want, for he had left her a long leather bag filled with gold and -silver. But he was not long dead, when an old Hag came begging to the -house one day and stole the long leather bag filled with gold and -silver, and went away out of the country with it, no one knew where. - -So from that day, the widow woman and her three daughters were poor, and -she had a hard struggle to live and to bring up her three daughters. - -But when they were grown up, the eldest said one day: "Mother, I'm a -young woman now, and it's a shame for me to be here doing nothing to -help you or myself. Bake me a bannock and cut me a callop, till I go -away to push my fortune." - -The mother baked her a whole bannock, and asked her if she would have -half of it with her blessing, or the whole of it without. She said to -give her the whole bannock without. - -So she took it and went away. She told them if she was not back in a -year and a day from that, then they would know she was doing well, and -making her fortune. - -She traveled away and away before her, far farther than I could tell -you, and twice as far as you could tell me, until she came into a -strange country, and going up to a little house, she found an old Hag -living in it. The Hag asked her where she was going. She said she was -going to push her fortune. - -Said the Hag: "How would you like to stay here with me, for I want a -maid?" - -"What will I have to do?" said she. - -"You will have to wash me and dress me, and sweep the hearth clean; but -on the peril of your life, never look up the chimney," said the Hag. - -"All right," she agreed to this. - -The next day, when the Hag arose, she washed her and dressed her, and -when the Hag went out, she swept the hearth clean, and she thought it -would do no harm to have one wee look up the chimney. And there, what -did she see but her own mother's long leather bag of gold and silver! So -she took it down at once, and getting it on her back, started away for -home as fast as she could run. - -But she had not gone far when she met a horse grazing in a field, and -when he saw her he said: "Rub me! Rub me! for I haven't been rubbed -these seven years." - -But she only struck him with a stick she had in her hand, and drove him -out of her way. - -She had not gone much farther when she met a sheep, who said: "Oh, shear -me! Shear me! for I haven't been shorn these seven years." - -But she struck the sheep, and sent it scurrying out of her way. - -She had not gone much farther when she met a goat tethered, and he said: -"Oh, change my tether! Change my tether! for it hasn't been changed -these seven years." - -But she flung a stone at him, and went on. - -Next she came to a limekiln, and it said: "Oh, clean me! Clean me! for I -haven't been cleaned these seven years." - -But she only scowled at it, and hurried on. - -After another bit she met a cow, and it said: - -"Oh, milk me! Milk me! for I haven't been milked these seven years." - -She struck the cow out of her way, and went on. - -Then she came to a mill. The mill said: "Oh, turn me! Turn me! for I -haven't been turned these seven years." - -But she did not heed what it said, only went in and lay down behind the -mill door, with the bag under her head, for it was then night. - -When the Hag came into her hut again and found the girl gone, she ran to -the chimney and looked up to see if she had carried off the bag. She -flew into a great rage, and she started to run as fast she could after -her. - -She had not gone far when she met the horse, and she said: "Oh, horse, -horse of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, -with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have earned -since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the horse, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So on she ran, and it was not long till she met the sheep, and said she: -"Sheep, sheep of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with -my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have -earned since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the sheep, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the goat, and said -she: "Goat, goat of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, -with my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I -have earned since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the goat, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the limekiln, and -said she: "Limekiln, limekiln of mine, did you see this maid of mine, -with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, and with all the -gold and silver I have earned since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the limekiln, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the cow, and said -she: "Cow, cow of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with -my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have -earned since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the cow, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the mill, and said -she: "Mill, mill of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, -with my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I -have earned since I was a maid?" - -And the mill said: "Yes, she is sleeping behind the door." - -She went in and struck her with a white rod, and turned her into a -stone. She then took the bag of gold and silver on her back and went -away back home. - -A year and a day had gone by after the eldest daughter left home, and -when they found she had not returned, the second daughter got up, and -she said: "My sister must be doing well and making her fortune, and -isn't it a shame for me to be sitting here doing nothing, either to help -you, mother, or myself? Bake me a bannock," said she, "and cut me a -callop, till I go away to push my fortune." - -The mother did this, and asked her would she have half the bannock with -her blessing, or the whole bannock without. - -She said the whole bannock without, and she set off. Then she said: "If -I am not back here in a year and a day, you may be sure that I am doing -well and making my fortune," and then she went away. - -She traveled away and away on before her, far farther than I could tell -you, and twice as far as you could tell me, until she came into a -strange country, and going up to a little house, she found an old Hag -living in it. The old Hag asked her where she was going. She said she -was going to push her fortune. - -Said the Hag: "How would you like to stay here with me, for I want a -maid?" - -"What will I have to do?" says she. - -"You'll have to wash me and dress me, and sweep the hearth clean; and on -the peril of your life never look up the chimney," said the Hag. - -"All right," she agreed to this. - -The next day, when the Hag arose, she washed her and dressed her, and -when the Hag went out she swept the hearth, and she thought it would do -no harm to have one wee look up the chimney. And there, what did she see -but her own mother's long leather bag of gold and silver! So she took it -down at once, and getting it on her back, started away for home as fast -as she could run. - -But she had not gone far when she met a horse grazing in a field, and -when he saw her he said: "Rub me! Rub me! for I haven't been rubbed -these seven years." - -But she only struck him with a stick she had in her hand and drove him -out of her way. - -She had not gone much farther when she met the sheep, who said: "Oh, -shear me! Shear me! for I haven't been shorn in seven years." - -But she struck the sheep and sent it scurrying out of her way. - -She had not gone much farther when she met the goat tethered, and he -said: "Oh, change my tether! Change my tether! for it hasn't been -changed in seven years." - -But she flung a stone at him and went on. - -Next she came to the limekiln, and that said: "Oh, clean me! Clean me! -for I haven't been cleaned these seven years." - -But she only scowled at it and hurried on. - -Then she came to the cow, and it said: "Oh, milk me! Milk me! for I -haven't been milked these seven years." - -She struck the cow out of her way and went on. - -Then she came to the mill. The mill said: "Oh, turn me! Turn me! for I -haven't been turned these seven years." - -But she did not heed what it said, only went in and lay down behind the -mill door, with the bag under her head, for it was then night. - -When the Hag came into her hut again and found the girl gone, she ran to -the chimney and looked up to see if she had carried off the bag. She -flew into a great rage, and she started to run as fast as she could -after her. - -She had not gone far when she met the horse, and she said: "Oh, horse, -horse of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, -with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have earned -since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the horse, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So on she ran, and it was not long until she met the sheep, and said -she: "Oh, sheep, sheep of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my -tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver -I have earned since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the sheep, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the goat, and said: -"Goat, goat of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with my -tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have earned -since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the goat, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the limekiln, and -said she: "Limekiln, limekiln of mine, did you see this maid of mine, -with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and -silver I have earned since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the limekiln, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the cow, and says -she: "Cow, cow of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with -my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have -earned since I was a maid?" - -"Aye," said the cow, "it is not long since she passed here." - -So she goes on, and it was not long before she met the mill, and said -she: "Mill, mill of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, -with my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I -have earned since I was a maid?" - -And the mill said: "Yes, she is sleeping behind the door." - -She went in and struck her with a white rod, and turned her into a -stone. She then took the bag of gold and silver on her back and went -home. - -When the second daughter had been gone a year and a day and she hadn't -come back, the youngest daughter said: "My two sisters must be doing -very well indeed, and making great fortunes when they are not coming -back, and it's a shame for me to be sitting here doing nothing, either -to help you, mother, or myself. Make me a bannock and cut me a callop, -till I go away and push my fortune." - -The mother did this, and asked her would she have half of the bannock -with her blessing, or the whole bannock without. - -She said: "I will have half of the bannock with your blessing, mother." - -The mother gave her a blessing and half a bannock, and she set out. - -She traveled away and away on before her, far farther than I could tell -you, and twice as far as you could tell me, until she came into a -strange country, and going up to a little house, she found an old Hag -living in it. The Hag asked her where she was going. She said she was -going to push her fortune. - -Said the Hag: "How would you like to stay here with me, for I want a -maid?" - -"What will I have to do?" said she. - -"You'll have to wash me and dress me, and sweep the hearth clean; and on -the peril of your life never look up the chimney," said the Hag. - -"All right," she agreed to this. - -The next day when the Hag arose, she washed her and dressed her, and -when the Hag went out she swept the hearth, and she thought it would do -no harm to have one wee look up the chimney, and there, what did she see -but her own mother's long leather bag of gold and silver! So she took it -down at once, and getting it on her back, started away for home as fast -as she could run. - -When she got to the horse, the horse said: "Rub me! Rub me! for I -haven't been rubbed these seven years." - -"Oh, poor horse, poor horse," she said, "I'll surely do that." And she -laid down her bag and rubbed the horse. - -Then she went on, and it wasn't long before she met the sheep, who said: -"Oh, shear me! Shear me! for I haven't been shorn these seven years." - -"Oh, poor sheep, poor sheep," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she -laid down the bag and sheared the sheep. - -On she went till she met the goat who said: "Oh, change my tether! -Change my tether! for it hasn't been changed these seven years." - -"Oh, poor goat, poor goat," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she -laid down the bag and changed the goat's tether. - -Then she went on till she met the limekiln. The limekiln said: "Oh, -clean me! Clean me! for I haven't been cleaned these seven years." - -"Oh, poor limekiln, poor limekiln," she said, "I'll surely do that," and -she laid down the bag and cleaned the limekiln. - -Then she went on and met the cow. The cow said: "Oh, milk me! Milk me! -for I haven't been milked these seven years." - -"Oh, poor cow, poor cow," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she laid -down the bag and milked the cow. - -At last she reached the mill. The mill said: "Oh, turn me! Turn me! for -I haven't been turned these seven years." - -"Oh, poor mill, poor mill," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she -turned the mill too. - -As night was on her she went in and lay down behind the mill door to -sleep. - -When the Hag came into her hut again and found the girl gone, she ran to -the chimney to see if she had carried off the bag. She flew into a great -rage, and started to run as fast as she could after her. - -She had not gone far until she came up to the horse and said: "Oh, -horse, horse of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with -my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have -earned since I was a maid?" - -The horse said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids -for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information." - -Then she came upon the sheep. "Oh, sheep, sheep of mine, have you seen -this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, -and all the gold and silver I have earned since I was a maid?" - -The sheep said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids -for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information." - -Then she went on till she met the goat. "Oh, goat, goat of mine, have -you seen this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long -leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have earned since I was a -maid?" - -The goat said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids -for you? You can go somewhere else and look for information." - -Then she went on till she came to the limekiln. "Oh, limekiln, limekiln -of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with -my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have earned since I -was a maid?" - -Said the limekiln: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your -maids for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information." - -Next she met the cow. "Oh, cow, cow of mine, have you seen this maid of -mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the -gold and silver I have earned since I was a maid?" - -The cow said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids -for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information." - -Then she got to the mill. "Oh, mill, mill of mine, have you seen this -maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, and -all the gold and silver I have earned since I was a maid?" - -The mill said: "Come nearer and whisper to me." - -She went nearer to whisper to the mill, and the mill dragged her under -the wheels and ground her up. - -The old Hag had dropped the white rod out of her hand, and the mill told -the young girl to take this white rod and strike two stones behind the -mill door. She did that, and her two sisters stood up. She hoisted the -leather bag on her back, and the three of them set out and traveled -away and away till they reached home. - -The mother had been crying all the time while they were away, and was -now ever so glad to see them, and rich and happy they all lived ever -after. - - - - -_The Widow's Daughter_ - - -THERE was once a poor widow woman, living in the North of Ireland, who -had one daughter named Nabla. And Nabla grew up both idle and lazy, till -at length, when she had grown to be a young woman, she was both -thriftless and useless, fit only to sit with her heels in the ashes and -croon to the cat the day long. Her mother was annoyed with her, so that -one day, when Nabla refused to do some little trifle about the house, -her mother got out a good stout sally rod and came in and thrashed her -soundly with it. - -As her mother was giving Nabla the whacking she had so richly earned, -who should happen to be riding past but the King's son himself. He heard -the mother beating and scolding, and Nabla crying and pleading within. -So he drew rein, and at the top of his voice shouted to know what was -the matter. The widow came to the door, courtesying when she saw who he -was. Not wishing to give out a bad name on her daughter, she told the -King's son that she had a daughter who killed herself working the -leelong day and refused to rest when her mother asked her, so that she -had always to be beaten before she would stop. - -"What work can your daughter do?" the Prince asked. - -"She can spin, weave, and sew, and do every work that ever a woman did," -the mother replied. - -Now, it so happened that a twelvemonth before the Prince had taken a -notion of marrying, and his mother, anxious he should have none but the -best wife, with his approval, sent messengers over all Ireland to find -him a woman who could perform all a woman's duties, including the three -accomplishments the widow named--spinning, that is, weaving and sewing. -But all the candidates whom the messengers had secured were found -unsatisfactory on being put to trial, and the Prince had remained -unwedded. When, now, the King's son heard this account of Nabla from her -own mother he said: - -"You are not fit to have the charge of such a good girl. For twelve -months, through all parts of my mother's kingdom, search was being made -for just such a young woman that she might become my wife. I'll take -Nabla with me." - -Poor Nabla was rejoiced and her mother astonished. The King's son helped -Nabla to a seat behind him on the horse's back and bidding adieu to the -widow, rode off. - -When he had got Nabla home, he introduced her to his mother, telling the -Queen that by good fortune he had secured the very woman they had so -long sought in vain. The Queen asked what Nabla could do, and he replied -that she could spin, weave, and sew, and do everything else a woman -should; and, moreover, she was so eager for work that her mother was -beating her within an inch of her life to make her rest herself when he -arrived on the scene at Nabla's own cottage. The Queen said that was -well. - -She took Nabla to a large room and gave her a heap of silk and a golden -wheel, and told her she must have all the silk spun into thread in -twenty-four hours. Then she bolted her in. - -Poor Nabla, in amazement, sat looking at the big heap of silk and the -golden wheel. And at length she began to cry, for she had not spun a -yard of thread in all her life. As she cried an ugly woman, having one -of her feet as big as a bolster, appeared before her. - -"What are you crying for?" she asked. - -Nabla told her, and the woman said, "I'll spin the silk for you if you -ask me to the wedding." - -"I'll do that," Nabla said. And then the woman sat down to the wheel, -and working it with her big foot, very soon had the whole heap spun. - -When the Queen came and found all spun she said: "That is good." Then -she brought in a golden loom and told Nabla she must have all that -thread woven in twenty-four hours. - -When the Queen had gone, Nabla sat down and looked from the thread to -the loom and from the loom to the thread, wondering, for she had not in -all her life even thrown a shuttle. At length she put her face in her -hands and began to cry. There now appeared to her an ugly woman with one -hand as big as a pot hanging by her side. She asked Nabla why she cried. -Nabla told her, and then the woman said: - -"I'll weave all that for you if you'll give me the promise of your -wedding." - -Nabla said she would surely. So the woman sat down to the golden loom, -and very soon had all the thread woven into webs. - -When again the Queen came and found all woven she said: "That is good." -And then she gave Nabla a golden needle and thimble and said that in -twenty-four hours more she must have all the webs made into shirts for -the Prince. - -Again when the Queen had gone, Nabla, who had never even threaded a -needle in all her life, sat for a while looking at the needle and -thimble and looking at the webs of silk, and again she broke down, and -began to cry heartily. - -As she cried an ugly woman with a monstrously big nose came into the -room and asked: - -"Why do you cry?" - -When Nabla had told her, the ugly woman said: - -"I'll make up all those webs into shirts for the Prince if you promise -me the wedding." - -"I'll do that," Nabla said, "and a thousand welcomes." - -So the woman with the big nose, taking the needle and thimble, sat down, -and in a short time had made all the silk into shirts and disappeared -again. - -When the Queen came a third time and found all the silk made up in -shirts she was mightily pleased and said: - -"You are the very woman for my son, for he'll never want a housekeeper -while he has you." - -Then Nabla and the Prince were betrothed, and on the wedding night there -was a gay and a gorgeous company in the hall of the castle. All was -mirth and festivity. But as they were about to sit down to a splendid -repast there was a loud knock at the door. A servant opened it and there -came in an ugly old woman with one foot as big as a bolster who, amid -the loud laughter of the company, hobbled along the floor and took a -seat at the table. She was asked of which party was she, the bride or -the groom's, and she replied that she was of the bride's party. When the -Prince heard this he believed that she was one of Nabla's poor friends. -He went up to her and asked her what had made her foot so big. - -"Spinning," she said, "I have been all my life at the wheel, and that's -what it has done for me." - -"Then, by my word," said the Prince, striking the table a great blow, -"my wife shall not turn a wheel while I'm here to prevent it!" - -As the guests were again settling themselves another knock came to the -door. A servant opening it, let in a woman with one hand as big as a -pot. The weight of this hand hanging by her side gave her body a great -lean over, so that as she hobbled along the floor the company at the -table lay back, laughing and clapping their hands at the funny sight. -This woman, taking a seat at the table, was asked by whose invitation -she was there, to which she replied that she was of the bride's party. -Then the Prince went up to her and inquired what caused her hand to be -so big. - -"Weaving," she said. "I have slaved at the shuttle all my life; that's -what has come on me." - -"Then," the Prince said, striking the table a thundering blow, "by my -word, my wife shall never throw a shuttle again while I live to prevent -it." - -A third time the guests were ready to begin their repast, when again -there came a knock to the door. Everyone looked up; and they saw the -servant now admit an ugly old woman with the most monstrous nose ever -beheld. This woman likewise took a chair at the table. She was then -asked who had invited her--the bride or the groom. She said she was one -of the bride's party. Then the Prince, going up to her asked her why her -nose had come to be so very big. - -[Illustration: "AN UGLY OLD WOMAN WITH THE MOST MONSTROUS NOSE EVER -BEHELD"] - -"It's with sewing," she said. "All my life I have been bending my head -over sewing, so that every drop of blood ran down into my nose, swelling -it out like that." - -Then the Prince struck the table a blow that made the dishes leap and -rattle. - -"By my word," he said, "my wife shall never either put a needle in cloth -again, or do any other sort of household work while I live to prevent -it." - -And the Prince faithfully kept his word. He was always on the lookout to -try and catch Nabla spinning, weaving, or sewing, or doing any other -sort of work, for he thought she might at any time try to work on the -sly. - -Poor Nabla, however, never did anything to confirm his uneasiness, but, -taking her old mother to stay in the castle with her, lived happy and -contented, and as lazy as the day was long, ever after. - - - - -_Munachar and Manachar_ - - -THERE once lived a Munachar and a Manachar, a long time ago, and it is a -long time since it was, and if they were alive now they would not be -alive then. They went out together to pick raspberries, and as many as -Munachar used to pick Manachar used to eat. Munachar said he must go -look for a rod to make a gad to hang Manachar, who ate his raspberries -every one; and he came to the rod. "What news to-day?" said the rod. "It -is my own news that I'm seeking. Going looking for a rod, a rod to make -a gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who ate my raspberries every one. - -"You will not get me," said the rod, "until you get an ax to cut me." He -came to the ax. "What news to-day?" said the ax. "It's my own news I'm -seeking. Going looking for an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a -gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get me," said the ax, "until you get a flag to edge me." -He came to the flag. "What news to-day?" says the flag. "It's my own -news I'm seeking. Going looking for a flag, flag to edge ax, ax to cut a -rod, a rod to to make a gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who ate my -raspberries every one." - -"You will not get me," says the flag, "till you get water to wet me." He -came to the water. "What news to-day?" says the water. "It's my own news -I'm seeking. Going looking for water, water to wet flag, flag to edge -ax, ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who -ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get me," said the water, "until you get a deer who will -swim me." He came to the deer. "What news to-day?" says the deer. "It's -my own news I'm seeking. Going looking for a deer, deer to swim water, -water to wet flag, flag to edge ax, ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a -gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get me," said the deer, "until you get a hound who will -hunt me." He came to the hound. "What news to-day?" says the hound. -"It's my own news I'm seeking. Going looking for a hound, hound to hunt -deer, deer to swim water, water to wet flag, flag to edge ax, ax to cut -a rod, a rod to make a gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who ate my -raspberries every one." - -"You will not get me," said the hound, "until you get a bit of butter to -put in my claw." He came to the butter. "What news to-day?" says the -butter. "It's my own news I'm seeking. Going looking for butter, butter -to go in claw of hound, hound to hunt deer, deer to swim water, water to -wet flag, flag to edge ax, ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a gad, a gad -to hang Manachar, who ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get me," said the butter, "until you get a cat who shall -scrape me." He came to the cat. "What news to-day?" said the cat. "It's -my own news I'm seeking. Going looking for a cat, cat to scrape butter, -butter to go in claw of hound, hound to hunt deer, deer to swim water, -water to wet flag, flag to edge ax, ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a -gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get me," said the cat, "until you get milk which you will -give me." He came to the cow. "What news to-day?" said the cow. "It's my -own news I'm seeking. Going looking for a cow, cow to give me milk, milk -I will give to the cat, cat to scrape butter, butter to go in claw of -hound, hound to hunt deer, deer to swim water, water to wet flag, flag -to edge ax, ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a gad, a gad to hang -Manachar, who ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get any milk from me," said the cow, "until you bring me a -whisp of straw from those threshers yonder." He came to the threshers. -"What news to-day?" said the threshers. "It's my own news I'm seeking. -Going looking for a whisp of straw to give to the cow, the cow to give -me milk, milk I will give to the cat, cat to scrape butter, butter to go -in claw of hound, hound to hunt deer, deer to swim water, water to wet -flag, flag to edge ax, ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a gad, a gad to -hang Manachar, who ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get any whisp of straw from us," said the threshers, -"until you bring us the makings of a cake from the miller over yonder." -He came to the miller. "What news to-day?" said the miller. "It's my own -news I'm seeking. Going looking for the makings of a cake which I will -give the threshers, the threshers to give me a whisp of straw, the whisp -of straw I will give to the cow, the cow to give me milk, milk I will -give to the cat, cat to scrape butter, butter to go in claw of hound, -hound to hunt deer, deer to swim water, water to wet flag, flag to edge -ax, ax to cut a rod, a rod to make a gad, a gad to hang Manachar, who -ate my raspberries every one." - -"You will not get any makings of a cake from me," said the miller, "till -you bring me the full of that sieve of water from the river over there." - -He took the sieve in his hand and went over to the river, but as often -as ever he would stoop and fill it with water, the moment he raised it -the water would run out of it again, and sure, if he had been there, -from that day till this, he never could have filled it. A crow went -flying by him, over his head, "Daub! daub!" said the crow. "My blessings -on ye, then," said Munachar, "but it's the good advice you have"; and he -took the red clay and the daub that was by the brink, and he rubbed it -to the bottom of the sieve, until all the holes were filled, and then -the sieve held the water, and he brought the water to the miller, and -the miller gave him the makings of a cake, and he gave the makings of -the cake to the threshers, and the threshers gave him a whisp of straw, -and he gave the whisp of straw to the cow, and the cow gave him milk, -the milk he gave to the cat, the cat scraped the butter, the butter went -into the claw of the hound, the hound hunted the deer, the deer swam the -water, the water wet the flag, the flag sharpened the ax, the ax cut the -rod, and the rod made a gad, and when he had it ready to hang Manachar -he found that Manachar had BURST. - - - - -_The Road to Fortune_ - - -ONE fine morning two young men were strolling together through the -fields, when they perceived, at a great distance, a very high hill, on -the top of which stood a beautiful castle, which sparkled so brightly in -the sunshine that the youths were quite delighted, and could not help -gazing at it. - -"Let us go to it," said one of the lads. - -"It is easy to say, 'Let us go,' but how can we walk so far?" retorted -the other, who was a lazy fellow. - -"You may do it easily," replied a clear voice behind them. - -On looking around to see whence these words came, they perceived a -beautiful fairy standing on a large ball, which rolled along with her -upon it in the direction of the castle. - -"It is no very difficult task for her, at all events. Look, she can get -forward without moving a limb," said the lazy one, throwing himself down -on the grass. - -The other, however, was not so easily satisfied; for, without stopping -to reflect, he started off after the fairy as fast as he could run, and -catching hold of the skirts of her robe cried, "Who art thou?" - -"I am Fortune," answered the fairy, "and yonder is my castle--follow me -there! If thou reachest it before midnight, I will receive thee as a -friend; but remember, shouldst thou arrive one moment later, my door -will be closed against thee." - -With these words the fairy drew her robe from the hand of the young man, -and went off so quickly upon her ball that she was soon out of sight. - -The youth immediately ran back to his companion and told him all that -had happened, adding: "I intend taking the fairy's advice. Will you -accompany me?" - -"Are you mad?" inquired the other; "for my part, if I had a good horse I -should not mind the journey, but as for walking all that way, I -certainly shall not attempt it." - -"Farewell then," answered his comrade, who started off at a brisk pace -in the direction of the castle. - -The lazy one, however, reasoned thus to himself: "Exert yourself as much -as you please, my worthy friend. Good fortune often comes while we are -dozing; perhaps it may be my case to-day." And without more ado he -stretched himself on the grass and fell fast asleep; not, however, -before he had cast a longing glance at the beautiful castle on the -hill. After sleeping some time he felt as though there were a warm wind -blowing on his ear, and when he had stretched his slothful limbs and -rubbed his sleepy eyes, he perceived a beautiful milk-white horse, ready -saddled, standing beside him, shaking his mane and neighing lustily in -the clear morning air. - -"Ah, did I not say as much?" cried the youth. "Oh, if people would but -trust to Fate! Come here, you fine creature! We must be good friends." -So saying, he threw himself into the saddle, and the steed galloped off -with him as swift as the wind. Thus mounted, our lazy friend very soon -overtook his industrious companion, and hailing him as he passed cried: -"Show respect to my horse's heels!" The other, however, continued on at -a steady pace, without paying much heed to his satire. - -About midday, on arriving at the summit of a beautiful hill, the horse -suddenly stopped. "Quite right," cried his rider; "I find you are a very -sagacious creature--'soft and fairly' is a good proverb; the castle is -now not very far off, but my appetite is a great deal nearer." So -dismounting, he sought out a shady slope, and having laid down in the -moss with his feet against the stump of a tree, he began to take some -refreshment--for happily he had a good supply of bread and sausage in -his pocket, and a pleasant drink in his flask. As soon as the youth had -satisfied his appetite, he began to feel rather drowsy, and, as is usual -with indolent people, he gave full vent to the inclination, stretched -himself on the moss, and fell into a sound sleep. Never had man a more -pleasant sleep, nor accompanied with more delightful dreams. He imagined -that he was already in the castle, reposing on silken cushions; and that -all that he desired came to him immediately upon his beckoning with his -little finger. After thus enjoying himself for some time, it seemed as -though a firework went off with a great explosion; this was followed by -strains of soft music, which went to the tune of a song he had often -heard, every verse of which terminated with these words: - - "Healthful limbs and spirits gay, - Bear the traveler on his way." - -This continued some time, when he awoke with the song still ringing in -his ears; then rubbing his eyes, he perceived that the setting sun was -fast sinking behind the castle, and heard the voice of his companion -singing from the valley before him the very words he had heard in his -dream. - -"What a time I have slept!" cried the lazy fellow. "It is high time that -I was getting on my way. Come here, my steed! where are you?" But no -steed was to be found; the only creature that he could see, after -looking all around, was an old gray donkey, grazing on the top of a hill -at some distance. He shouted and whistled with all his might, but the -horse was gone quite out of hearing, and the old donkey did not seem to -pay the least attention. So, after exerting his lungs to no purpose, the -lazy fellow was obliged to go and try to make friends with the gray old -beast, which allowed itself to be quietly mounted, and then trudged -slowly on with him. - -But our youth found this kind of traveling very different from the -previous stage, for then he not only proceeded at a much quicker pace, -but had a more comfortable seat, which was by no means an unimportant -consideration with him. In the course of a short time it began to grow -dark, and heavy clouds overspread the sky; already he could perceive -that the castle was being lighted up, and now he began to be very -frightened and anxious to get forward. The donkey, however, did not seem -in any way to partake of his feelings, but continued on at even a slower -pace than before. At length it became quite dark, and the donkey, after -going slower and slower, came to a dead stand in the midst of a thick -wood. All his entreaties were of no use, nor were threats and kicks of -more avail--the donkey would not move. At last the rider became so -exasperated that he struck it with his fist; but this did not much -improve our lazy friend's condition, for the obstinate brute instantly -flung up its hind legs, and by that process released itself of its -burden, which fell heavily on the ground. It required much less -violence than our youth experienced in his fall to prove to him that he -was not lying on a satin couch, for his legs and arms were dreadfully -bruised. He remained some time in this miserable plight, but the bright -and inviting appearance of the lights in the castle at length attracted -his attention. "Ah!" thought he, "what beautiful beds must there be in -that fine building!" - -This thought alone aroused for a moment his sluggish energies, and he -managed to get on his feet. "Perhaps," thought he, "the gray old donkey -may by this time have got into a better temper." So he searched about -for him in every direction; but after knocking his head against the -trees here, tearing his face with the thorns there, and stumbling over -roots and stones for a full quarter of an hour without finding it, he -gave up the search as hopeless. It was high time, however, that he made -some effort to get out of this dismal wood, which every now and then -resounded with dreary howls, sounding very much as though they proceeded -from the throats of hungry wolves. At last, when quite bewildered with -fear, he suddenly stumbled against something soft and slimy; he knew by -the touch that it was not the donkey, but fancying it to be in the form -of a saddle, he was about to bestride it at once; yet he found it so -cold and damp to the touch that he quite shuddered at the thought. He -was still hesitating when the castle clock struck, and he counted -eleven. Recollecting that it was drawing near to the eventful time and -that he had no other hope, he threw himself on what appeared to be the -saddle. He found his seat tolerably easy, as it was very soft, and at -his back was something to lean against; another great advantage was that -the creature on which he was mounted seemed to be very surefooted; there -was, however, one great objection to it, and that was the creeping pace -at which it moved, for it went along much slower than even the obstinate -donkey. - -Proceeding thus for some time, he got so near to the castle that he -could count the windows, and in this occupation he was engaged when -suddenly the moon shone out from between the clouds, and, oh, horror! -what did he behold. The creature on which he sat was neither a horse nor -a donkey, but an enormous snail, quite as large as a calf, and its house -which it carried upon its back had served him to lean against! Now he -could well understand why he had come at such a creeping pace. He turned -as cold as death, and his hair stood on end with fright! But there was -now no time for fear, for the castle clock had already made the woods -resound with the first stroke of the midnight hour, just as his steed -crawled out from the wood. Then how great was the young man's -astonishment when he beheld the castle of Fortune in all its grandeur! -Hitherto he had sat quietly on the snail, without hastening it, or in -any way interfering with its pace; at the sight of the castle, however, -he dashed both his heels into its sides, and attempted to urge it on. To -this treatment the snail was quite unaccustomed, and instantly it drew -its head into its shell and left the youth sprawling on the ground. The -castle clock rang out the second stroke. Had the lazy fellow but -mustered up resolution and trusted to his feet even then, he might have -reached the castle in time. But no, there he stood crying bitterly and -screaming out: "A beast! a beast! of whatever kind it may be, to carry -me to yon castle." - -The inmates of the building had already begun to extinguish the lights, -and the moon being hidden by the clouds, he was again in total darkness. -As the clock struck the third time he heard something moving near him, -and, as well as he could make out in the dark, it seemed like a saddled -horse: "Ah, that is my long-lost steed," cried he, "that Heaven has -kindly sent to me at the needful moment!" As quickly as his lazy limbs -would enable him, he leaped on the back of the creature. There was now -only a little elevation to be surmounted, and he could easily see his -companion standing at the open door of the castle waving his cap and -beckoning him on. The clock chimed out the fourth stroke when the -creature whereon he sat began to move slowly; then went the fifth and -sixth strokes, and it began to advance a little at a very awkward pace; -at the seventh, the creature began to move, first sideways and then went -backward! To his great horror and surprise the rider found that he could -not throw himself off, though he struggled with all his might. By a -passing ray of the moon, he discovered that the new steed on which he -was riding was a horrid monster with ten legs, and from either side -there extended a large claw with which it held him fast by the arms. The -youth screamed loudly for help, but all to no purpose; the animal still -kept receding farther and farther from the castle, while the eventful -moment approached nearer and nearer, until the twelfth stroke proclaimed -the midnight hour. A flitting ray of the moon displayed the castle once -more to his view in all its splendor. But in the same moment the youth -heard the door shut, and the rattling noise of chains and bolts. The -entrance to the castle of Fortune was closed against him forever! The -moon now shone again in full luster and discovered the horrid monster, -that still kept carrying him away, to be nothing more nor less than an -enormous crab. Where he went to on this uncommon steed I cannot tell; -for the fact is, nobody ever troubled themselves further about the lazy -fellow. - - - - -_The Golden Crab_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a fisherman who had a wife and three -children. Every morning he used to go out fishing, and whatever fish he -caught he sold to the King. One day, among the other fishes, he caught a -golden crab. When he came home he put all the fishes together into a -great dish, but he kept the crab separate because it shone so -beautifully, and placed it upon a high shelf in the cupboard. Now, while -the old woman, his wife, was cleaning the fish, and had tucked up her -gown so that her feet were visible, she suddenly heard a voice, which -said: - - "Let down, let down thy petticoat - That lets thy feet be seen." - -She turned around in surprise, and then she saw the little creature, the -golden crab. - -"What! You can speak, can you, you ridiculous crab?" she said, for she -was not quite pleased at the crab's remark. Then she took him up and -placed him on a dish. - -When her husband came home and they sat down to dinner, they presently -heard the crab's little voice saying: "Give me some, too." They were all -very much surprised, but they gave him something to eat. When the old -man came to take away the plate which had contained the crab's dinner, -he found it full of gold, and as the same thing happened every day he -soon became very fond of the crab. - -One day the crab said to the fisherman's wife: "Go to the King and tell -him I wish to marry his younger daughter." - -The old woman went accordingly and laid the matter before the King, who -laughed a little at the notion of his daughter marrying a crab, but did -not decline the proposal altogether, because he was a prudent monarch -and knew that the crab was likely to be a prince in disguise. He said, -therefore, to the fisherman's wife: "Go, old woman, and tell the crab I -will give him my daughter if by to-morrow morning he can build a wall in -front of my castle much higher than my tower, upon which all the flowers -of the world must grow and bloom." - -The fisherman's wife went home and gave this message. - -Then the crab gave her a golden rod and said: "Go and strike with this -rod three times upon the ground on the place which the King showed you, -and to-morrow morning the wall will be there." - -The old woman did so and went away again. - -The next morning, when the King awoke, what do you think he saw? The -wall stood there before his eyes, exactly as he had bespoken it! - -Then the old woman went back to the King and said to him: "Your -majesty's orders have been fulfilled." - -"That is all very well," said the King, "but I cannot give away my -daughter until there stands in front of my palace a garden in which -there are three fountains, of which the first must play gold, the second -diamonds, and the third brilliants." - -So the old woman had to strike again three times upon the ground with -the rod, and the next morning the garden was there. The King now gave -his consent, and the wedding was fixed for the very next day. - -Then the crab said to the old fisherman: - -"Now take this rod; go and knock with it on a certain mountain; then a -black man will come out and ask you what you wish for. Answer him thus: -'Your master, the King, has sent me to tell you that you must send him -his golden garment that is like the sun.' Make him give you, besides, -the queenly robes of gold and precious stones which are like the flowery -meadows, and bring them both to me, and bring me also the golden -cushion." - -The old man went and did his errand. When he had brought the precious -robes the crab put on the golden garment and then crept upon the golden -cushion, and in this way the fisherman carried him to the castle, where -the crab presented the other garment to his bride. Now the ceremony took -place, and when the married pair were alone together the crab made -himself known to his young wife, and told her how he was the son of the -greatest king in the world, and how he was enchanted, so that he became -a crab by day and was a man only at night and he could also change -himself into an eagle as often as he wished. No sooner had he said this -than he shook himself and immediately became a handsome youth; but the -next morning he was forced to creep back again into his crabshell. And -the same thing happened every day. But the Princess's affection for the -crab and the polite attention with which she behaved to him surprised -the royal family very much. They suspected some secret, but though they -spied and spied, they could not discover it. Thus a year passed away and -the Princess had a son, whom she called Benjamin. But her mother still -thought the whole matter very strange. At last she said to the King that -he ought to ask his daughter whether she would not like to have another -husband instead of the crab. But when the daughter was questioned she -only answered: - -[Illustration: "IN THIS WAY THE FISHERMAN CARRIED HIM TO THE CASTLE"] - -"I am married to the crab, and him only will I have." - -Then the King said to her: "I will appoint a tournament in your honor -and I will invite all the princes in the world to it, and if any one of -them pleases you you shall marry him." - -In the evening the Princess told this to the crab, who said to her: -"Take this rod; go to the garden gate and knock with it; then a black -man will come out and say to you, 'Why have you called me and what do -you require of me?' Answer him thus: 'Your master the King has sent me -hither to tell you to send him his golden armor and his steed and the -silver apple.' And bring them to me." - -The Princess did so and brought him what he desired. - -The following evening the Prince dressed himself for the tournament. -Before he went he said to his wife: "Now mind you do not say when you -see me that I am the crab. For if you do this evil will come of it. -Place yourself at the window with your sisters; I will ride by and throw -you the silver apple. Take it in your hand, but if they ask who I am, -say that you do not know." So saying, he kissed her, repeated his -warning once more, and went away. - -The Princess went with her sisters to the window and looked on at the -tournament. Presently her husband rode by and threw the apple up to her. -She caught it in her hand and went with it to her room, and by and by -her husband came back to her. But her father was much surprised that she -did not seem to care about any of the princes; he therefore appointed a -second tournament. - -The crab then gave his wife the same directions as before, only this -time the apple which she received from the black man was of gold. But -before the Prince went to the tournament he said to his wife: "Now I -know you will betray me to-day." - -But she swore to him that she would not tell who he was. He then -repeated his warning and went away. - -In the evening, while the Princess, with her mother and sisters, was -standing at the window, the Prince suddenly galloped past on his steed -and threw her the golden apple. - -Then her mother flew into a passion, gave her a box on the ear, and -cried out: "Does not even that prince please you, you fool?" - -The Princess in her fright exclaimed: "That is the crab himself!" - -Her mother was still more angry because she had not been told sooner, -ran into her daughter's room where the crab shell was still lying, took -it up and threw it into the fire. Then the poor Princess cried bitterly, -but it was of no use; her husband did not come back. - -Now we must leave the Princess and turn to the other persons in the -story. One day an old man went to a stream to dip in a crust of bread -which he was going to eat, when a dog came out of the water, snatched -the bread from his hand, and ran away. The old man ran after him, but -the dog reached a door, pushed it open, and ran in, the old man -following him. He did not overtake the dog, but found himself above a -staircase, which he descended. Then he saw before him a stately palace, -and entering, he found in a large hall a table set for twelve persons. -He hid himself in the hall behind a great picture, that he might see -what would happen. At noon he heard a great noise, so that he trembled -with fear. When he took courage to look out from behind the picture he -saw twelve eagles flying in. At this sight his fear became still -greater. The eagles flew to the basin of a fountain that was there and -bathed themselves, when suddenly they were changed into twelve handsome -youths. Now they seated themselves at the table, and one of them took up -a goblet filled with wine and said, "A health to my father!" And another -said, "A health to my mother!" and so the healths went round. Then one -of them said: - - "A health to my dearest lady, - Long may she live and well! - But a curse on the cruel mother - Who burned my golden shell!" - -And so saying, he wept bitterly. Then the youths rose from the table, -went back to the great stone fountain, turned themselves into eagles -again and flew away. - -Then the old man went away too, returned to the light of day and went -home. Soon after he heard that the Princess was ill, and that the only -thing that did her good was having stories told to her. He therefore -went to the royal castle, obtained an audience of the Princess, and told -her about the strange things he had seen in the underground palace. No -sooner had he finished than the Princess asked him whether he could find -the way to that palace. - -"Yes, certainly," he answered. - -And now she desired him to guide her thither at once. The old man did -so, and when they came to the palace he hid her behind the great picture -and advised her to keep quite still, and he placed himself behind the -picture also. Presently the eagles came flying in and changed themselves -into young men, and in a moment the Princess recognized her husband -among them all and tried to come out of her hiding place; but the old -man held her back. The youths seated themselves at the table; and now -the Prince said again, while he took up the cup of wine: - - "A health to my dearest lady, - Long may she live and well! - But a curse on the cruel mother - Who burned my golden shell!" - -Then the Princess could restrain herself no longer, but ran forward and -threw her arms around her husband. And immediately he knew her again and -said: - -"Do you remember how I told you that day that you would betray me? Now -you see that I spoke the truth. But all that evil time is past. Now -listen to me: I must still remain enchanted for three months. Will you -stay here with me till that time is over?" - -So the Princess stayed with him and said to the old man: "Go back to the -castle and tell my parents that I am staying here." - -Her parents were very much vexed when the old man came back and told -them this, but as soon as the three months of the Prince's enchantment -were over he ceased to be an eagle and became once more a man, and they -returned home together. And then they lived happily, and we who hear the -story are happier still. - - - - -_The Table, the Ass, and the Stick_ - - -ONCE upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a Tailor and his three -sons; but they only had one Goat, which, as it had to give milk enough -for all, had to feed well every day. The sons had to lead it to pasture -in turns, and one morning, when it was the turn of the eldest, he took -it into the churchyard, where grew the richest grass, and let it eat its -fill. In the evening, when it was time to return, he said: - -"Goat, have you eaten well?" - -And the Goat answered: - - "'Tis said that enough is as good as a feast, - And I've had enough for a wise little beast." - -"Then we will go home," said the youth; and he led the Goat home by its -halter, and tied it up in the stable for the night. - -"Well," said the Tailor, "has the Goat eaten well?" - -"It has eaten as much as it can," answered the boy. - -But the father wanted to make sure; so he went into the stable and -stroked the Goat, saying: - -"Goat, have you eaten well?" - -The wicked Goat replied: - - "How can I have eaten well? - I wandered where the dead lie, - But nothing found to feed upon." - -"What do you say?" cried the Tailor, and running in to his son he cried, -"Oh, you wicked boy! you told me the Goat had eaten well, and I find him -shivering in the stable almost famished!" and, seizing his yard measure, -he chased the boy out of the house in great wrath. - -The next day it was the second son's turn, and he chose a place under -the hedge in the garden where there grew some fine rich grass, which the -Goat was not long in eating up completely. When the evening came, and it -was time to go home, this lad, too, asked the Goat if it had had enough, -and it answered as before: - - "'Tis said that enough is as good as a feast, - And I've had enough for a wise little beast." - -"Then we will go home," said the boy, and he took it to the stable and -tied it up. When he went into the house, the Tailor met him, and asked -him: - -"Has the Goat eaten well?" - -"It has eaten as much as it can," answered his son. - -But the Tailor would make sure for all that, and nothing would satisfy -him but that he should go to the stable and ask the Goat for himself. - - "How can I have eaten well? - I roamed all day along the hedge, - And nothing found to feed upon," - -answered the Goat. - -"You bad rascal, to starve such a splendid animal!" cried the Tailor, -running back to the house and catching up his yard measure. Then with -cuffs and blows he chased his second son out of the house. - -The next day it was the third boy's turn, and he found a spot where -there was some lovely young grass; and when it was time to go home, he -asked the Goat the same question, and obtained the same answer: - - "'Tis said that enough is as good as a feast, - And I've had enough for a wise little beast." - -So the lad led the Goat home, and he put it in the stable; and soon the -Tailor came and asked if the Goat had had enough. - -"Yes," replied the boy. - -But the old man would go and make sure for all that. - - "How can I have eaten well? - I sought all day among the leaves, - And nothing found to feed upon," - -was the wicked Goat's answer. - -"The scamp!" cried the Tailor in a fury; "he is as bad as the others, -and out he shall go!" and he drove the poor boy out with the yard -measure, dealing him fearful blows. - -Now the Tailor was left alone to look after the Goat, and next day he -went to it and said: - -"Come, pretty creature, I will take you myself to pasture," and he took -it to the lettuce bed, and there it fed all day. When night came he -asked it, as the boys had done, if it had eaten well, and it said: - - "'Tis said that enough is as good as a feast, - And I've had enough for a wise little beast." - -So they went home, and he put it in the stable; but as he was going, he -said once more: - -"Goat, have you eaten well?" - -The wicked animal, not thinking for the moment to whom he was replying, -answered with the usual complaint: - - "How can I have eaten well? - I only frisked about the bed, - And nothing found to feed upon." - -When the old man heard this he was horrified, for he saw at once how -things had stood all the time, and that he had driven his boys away for -no reason whatever. - -"Oh, you brute!" he said. "You, too, shall be driven out; and I will -take care that you never dare to appear among honest tailors again." - -So he rushed into the house for his razor, and shaved the Goat's head as -smooth as your face; and because the yard measure was too good to use -upon him, he fetched his whip and gave the Goat such a sound thrashing -that it was only too glad to scamper out of the stable and make off as -fast as its legs could carry it. - -When the Tailor returned into his house he was overcome with sorrow for -the three sons whom he had driven from home, and who were wandering no -one knew where. - -However, the eldest boy had apprenticed himself to a carpenter, and he -worked with him well and merrily till his time was out. Then his master -gave him a table, which, though it looked only like an ordinary common -wooden one, yet if its owner stood before it and said, "Table, Table, -spread yourself," it at once became covered with all sorts of good -things, meat and wine and everything necessary for a splendid meal. - -"Now I shall never want again," the young man said to himself, and he -went on journeying merrily, never troubling himself whether his lodging -was good or bad, or whether there was anything to eat or not. - -Sometimes he did not go to an inn at all, but just stopped where he was, -under a hedge or in a wood, and there he would put down his table and -cry, "Table, Table, spread yourself," and then in the twinkle of an eye -he had before him as much as he liked to eat and drink. - -One day he made up his mind to turn his steps homeward, as his father's -anger, he knew, was sure to have died down by then, and they could live -very comfortably together with his lucky table. It happened that one -evening he came to an inn that was full of people, who invited him to -eat in their company. - -"No, not a mouthful, unless you consent to be my guests," answered the -boy. - -The people of course laughed, and thought he was joking; but their mirth -soon changed to wonder when he set down his table in their midst, and -saw that at his command, "Table, Table, spread yourself," it at once -covered itself with all sorts of delicious things, quite as good as the -host could have given them, and smelling very tempting to the hungry -guests. - -"Pray be seated, friends," said the Carpenter cheerily; and the people, -seeing he really meant it, sat down at once and began to ply their -knives and forks very merrily. - -The thing that surprised them the most was, that whenever they emptied -one dish, another full one always appeared immediately in its place; and -the innkeeper, who was looking on, said to himself, "My friend, you -could do very well with such a table as that in your own kitchen"; but -he kept his own counsel. The guests sat up very late that night, but at -last they went to bed. The Carpenter lay down, too, with his magic table -beside him. - -Now the landlord couldn't get to sleep that night at all for thinking -and wishing, till suddenly he remembered that in the lumber room there -was a table that he didn't use, and which was as like the one he coveted -as two pins. Breathlessly and very cautiously he made his way to the -garret and fetched it, and put it beside the lad's bed in place of the -lucky table, which he carried away and hid in a safe place. The next day -the Carpenter paid for his lodging and went on his way, not noticing any -difference in the table, which he hoisted on his back. At midday he -reached his home, and his father was overjoyed to see him. - -"Well, my dear boy," said the old man, "what have you been doing all -these months?" - -"I have been apprenticed to a carpenter," answered the lad. - -"And a very good trade, too; and what have you brought home with you?" - -"The most wonderful thing I ever set eyes on," said his son, setting -down the table. - -"Uhm! I don't think much of that; it looks a very common piece of -furniture," said the father, looking at it all around. - -"But," cried the boy, "it is a magic table, and when I say, 'Table, -Table, spread yourself,' it is at once covered with good things, which -will make your mouth water. Invite all our friends in, and you will see -what a feast there will be." - -When the guests had all arrived, he fetched his table, and placing it in -the middle of the room, he commanded it to spread itself. But the table -remained just like any other table, which takes no notice when you speak -to it; and the poor lad saw at once that somebody had robbed him. Of -course the guests thought he was an impostor and laughed at him, and -went home without any feast, to the poor Carpenter's shame. So the -Tailor had to take up his needle again and stitch away as fast as ever, -and the boy had to leave home again and work for another carpenter. - -Meantime, the second son had taken service with a miller, and when he -had learned everything, his master said: - -"Because you have worked for me faithfully I will give you this ass, -which, though it can neither draw nor carry, is a clever beast, -nevertheless." - -"What can it do, then?" said the boy. - -"Why, if you only pat it and cry 'Bricklebit,' gold will drop out of its -mouth like potatoes into a sack," replied the Miller. - -"That is grand," said the boy; so, thanking his master, he started on -his journey. Now he was rich, for he only had to say "Bricklebit" and a -torrent of gold pieces came out of the ass's mouth, and were there for -the picking up. Wherever he went he ordered the best of everything, and -the more he had to pay for it the better he was pleased. - -Soon he got tired of wandering about the world and thought he would like -to go home and see his father, whose anger had, no doubt, died down by -this time; or, if not, it certainly would when he saw what a rich ass he -had brought home with him. - -Now it chanced that he came to the very same inn where his brother had -lost his table, and when the landlord came out and offered to take the -animal to the stable he said: "No, I will take him myself, for I want to -see where he goes." - -The landlord was surprised, but thought that one who would look after -his own beast must be a poor man. But the boy, putting his hand in his -pocket, drew out two gold pieces, and ordered the best the house -contained. The landlord was very much astonished indeed, and ran and -fetched him the best of everything. When he had eaten his fill the boy -asked what more he owed, and the landlord, being a greedy man, said that -two more gold pieces would pay the bill. The youth put his hand in his -pocket and found it empty. - -"Wait a moment, my friend, and I will fetch some gold," he said -carelessly, and picking up the tablecloth, he went out. - -The landlord didn't at all understand what was going on, but being -inquisitive he crept out after the youth, and as the stable door was -bolted carefully, the landlord had to glue his eye to a hole in the -wall. Then he saw the boy spread out the cloth and say "Bricklebit," and -immediately gold began to drop out of the ass's mouth in showers, as if -it were hailing. - -"Thunder and lightning!" gasped the landlord, running back to the house, -"did one ever see the like of this! Why, that is the finest and fattest -purse I ever set eyes on, and I must see what I can do to obtain it." - -Later in the evening the lad paid his bill and went to bed; but when he -was well asleep, the wicked landlord crept into the stable and took away -the ass, and tied up an ordinary one in its stead. - -The next day the youth went on his way with the ass, which he never -noticed had been changed, and arrived at midday at his father's house. -His father was delighted to see him again, and asked what trade he had -learned. The boy told him that he was a miller. - -"And what have you brought home with you?" said the old man. - -"Only an ass," replied the boy. - -"Ah, my lad, you had better have brought a goat. We have asses enough -about already." - -"Perhaps so," retorted the boy; "but wait till you see what this ass can -do. I have only to say 'Bricklebit' and gold drops out of his mouth in -heaps. Just send for all your friends, and we will make them rich in a -trice." - -"Indeed," said the Tailor, "that is not a bad idea. If what you say is -true, I shall never need to do any more tailoring," and he hurried out -and gathered all his friends in. - -They arrived in high excitement, as you may be sure, and the youth bade -them stand in a circle while he spread out a cloth under the ass's head. - -"Now," he said proudly, "listen to me," and he called, "Bricklebit!" - -But nothing happened, and it seemed that the ass could not coin gold -after all; for it is not an easy thing to do, as you will agree. - -The poor youth was very rueful, for he saw that some one had robbed him, -and he was obliged to apologize to the guests, who only sneered and -jeered at him and departed as poor as they came. - -So the Tailor had to take up his needle once more and stitch away as -fast as ever, and the boy had to go and work for another miller. - -Meantime, the third son had apprenticed himself to a turner. But it -takes a long time to learn to be a turner, and he was still with his -master when his brothers sent a message to tell him how they had fared, -and all about the wicked landlord who had robbed them of their precious -belongings. - -Time went on, and soon he had learned everything, and he took leave of -his master, who gave him a sack, saying: - -"In the sack lies a stick." - -"I will take the sack gladly," said the youth, "for it will be handy. -But of what use is the stick, except to make the sack heavier?" - -"This is the use of the stick: if you want to punish anyone at any time, -you have only to say, 'Come forth, Stick!' and the stick will slip out -of the sack and lay about your enemy's shoulders in such a lively -fashion that he will be as quiet as a tortoise for days afterwards, and -it will not cease beating till you say, 'Stop, Stick, and into the -sack!'" - -The youth thanked him and went on his way, and when any rogue interfered -with him, he only had to cry, "Come forth, Stick!" and out it came and -gave them a sound thrashing, until he told it to stop, and then it -slipped back so quickly that nobody saw where it went. - -One night he arrived at the very inn where his brothers had been -deceived, and putting his sack on the table, he began to boast of all -the curious things he had seen. - -"Yes," he said, "I have even known of a table which covers itself with -food and wine in a twinkling. But that is not all, for I have seen an -ass which coins gold, and scores of other wonderful things besides. But, -when all is said and done, none have compared with what I carry in my -sack." - -The landlord opened his round eyes, saying: - -"I wonder what it is?" and he thought to himself: "The sack must be full -of precious stones. I must get hold of it, for all good luck runs in -threes, and there is no reason why I should not succeed this time as I -have done before." - -As soon as it was time to go to bed the youth lay down on a bench and -pillowed his head on his sack, and when the landlord thought he was fast -asleep he came creeping softly to his side and pulled ever so gently at -the sack to see if he could exchange it for another which he had all -ready in his hand. - -However, the boy was only waiting for this, and suddenly he called out, -"Come forth, Stick!" Immediately it sprang out and beat the landlord -right merrily. - -The landlord howled for mercy, but the Stick only hit the faster, till -at last the rogue fell down exhausted. - -"Now," said the Turner, ordering the stick to return to its bag, "if you -do not deliver up to me the magic table and the lucky ass, the Stick -shall begin again." - -"No, no!" gasped the wretched man. "I will give them up if you will only -spare me!" - -"I will pardon you if you keep your word," said the youth; "but beware -if you try to deceive me!" - -Early next morning the Turner went on his way with the ass and the table -to his father's house. When he arrived his father was overjoyed to see -him, and asked him what trade he had learned. - -"Dear father," he said, "I have become a turner." - -"That is a difficult trade. And what have you brought home with you?" - -"A sack and a stick, and a very valuable stick, too," said the son. - -"What!" cried the old man. "A stick! Why, you can cut a stick off any -tree!" - -"Not a stick like this, for I have only to say, 'Come forth, Stick!' and -it immediately slips out and lays about the shoulders of anyone who -would injure me, so that he has to cry for mercy. By the aid of my stick -I have got back the magic table and lucky ass which the thief of a -landlord stole from my brothers. Now send for them, and call in all your -friends, and I will give them a feast and fill their pockets with money -as well." - -The old Tailor could scarcely believe him, but he did as he was told. -Then the youth spread a cloth on the floor and brought in the ass, -telling his brother to speak to it. - -The Miller called out, "Bricklebit!" and immediately the gold pieces -began dropping out on to the floor in showers, till they all had as much -as they could carry. - -Then the table was brought in and the Carpenter said, "Table, be -spread!" and at once it was covered with all sorts of dainties. Then -they had such a feast as the Tailor had never seen, and they all -remained till late at night making merry. - -The next day the happy Tailor gathered together all his needles and -thread and measures and goose and put them away, and he lived happily -with his sons forever after. - -Now we must see what became of the Goat, whose fault it was that the -brothers had been driven away. It was so ashamed of its shaven head that -it crept into a fox's hole to hide itself. When the Fox came home he saw -two great eyes glittering out of the blackness, and he was so terrified -that he ran away. Soon he met a bear, who, noticing how frightened he -looked, said: - -"What has happened, Brother Fox, to make you look like that?" - -"Oh!" he said, "in my lair is a fearful monster that rolled flaming eyes -at me." - -"We will soon turn him out," said the brave Bear. But when he looked in, -he also was terrified at the glittering eyes and took to flight. He soon -met a bee, and seeing that it was no good to sting him through his thick -coat she said, in friendly fashion: - -"You look very solemn, Mr. Bear. What has come over you?" - -"Oh!" said the Bear, "in Brother Fox's lair is a fearful monster which -rolls flaming eyes at us, and we daren't drive him out." - -"Well, Mr. Bear," said the Bee, "I am sorry for you, and I believe I can -help, though I am such a little creature that nobody thinks I can do any -good in the world." - -So she flew off to the Fox's lair, and dropping on to his bald head, -stung him so terribly that the poor Goat rushed out madly, and he has -never been heard of since. - - - - -_The Little Brother and Sister_ - - -THERE was once a little Brother who took his Sister by the hand and -said: "Since our own dear mother's death we have not had one happy hour; -our stepmother beats us every day, and, if we come near her, kicks us -away with her foot. Our food is the hard crusts of bread which are left, -and even the dog under the table fares better than we, for he often gets -a nice morsel. Come, let us wander forth into the wide world." So the -whole day long they traveled over meadows, fields, and stony roads, and -when it rained the Sister said, "It is Heaven crying in sympathy." By -evening they came into a large forest, and were so wearied with grief, -hunger, and their long walk that they laid themselves down in a hollow -tree and went to sleep. When they awoke the next morning the sun had -already risen high in the heavens, and its beams made the tree so hot -that the little boy said to his Sister, "I am so thirsty; if I knew -where there was a brook I would go and drink. Ah, I think I hear one -running"; and so saying he got up, and taking his Sister's hand they -went in search of the brook. - -The wicked stepmother, however, was a witch, and had witnessed the -departure of the two children; so sneaking after them secretly, as is -the habit of witches, she had enchanted all the springs in the forest. - -Presently they found a brook which ran trippingly over the pebbles, and -the Brother would have drunk out of it, but the Sister heard how it said -as it ran along, "Who drinks of me will become a tiger!" So the Sister -exclaimed: "I pray you, Brother, drink not, or you will become a tiger -and tear me to pieces!" So the Brother did not drink, although his -thirst was so great, and he said, "I will wait till the next brook." As -they came to the second the Sister heard it say, "Who drinks of me -becomes a wolf!" The Sister ran up crying: "Brother, do not, pray do -not, drink, or you will become a wolf and eat me up!" Then the Brother -did not drink, saying: "I will wait until we come to the next spring, -but then I must drink, you may say what you will; my thirst is much too -great." Just as they reached the third brook the Sister heard the voice -saying: "Who drinks of me will become a fawn--who drinks of me will -become a fawn!" So the Sister said: "Oh, my Brother! do not drink, or -you will be changed to a fawn and run away from me!" But he had already -kneeled down and drank of the water, and, as the first drops passed his -lips, his shape became that of a fawn. - -At first the Sister cried over her little changed Brother, and he wept -too, and knelt by her very sorrowful; but at last the maiden said, "Be -still, dear little Fawn, and I will never forsake you"; and, undoing her -golden garter, she put it around his neck, and weaving rushes made a -white girdle to lead him with. This she tied to him, and, taking the -other end in her hand she led him away, and they traveled deeper and -deeper into the forest. After they had walked a long distance they came -to a little hut, and the maiden, peeping in, found it empty, and -thought, "Here we can stay and dwell." Then she looked for leaves and -moss to make a soft couch for the Fawn, and every morning she went out -and collected roots and berries and nuts for herself and tender grass -for the Fawn, which he ate out of her hand, and played happily around -her. In the evening, when the Sister was tired and had said her prayers, -she laid her head upon the back of the Fawn, which served for a pillow, -on which she slept soundly. Had but the Brother regained his own proper -form, their life would have been happy indeed. - -Thus they dwelt in this wilderness, and some time had elapsed, when it -happened that the King of the country held a great hunt in the forest; -and now resounded through the trees the blowing of horns, the barking of -dogs, and the lusty cries of the hunters, so that the little Fawn heard -them and wanted very much to join. "Ah!" said he to his Sister, "let me -go to the hunt, I cannot restrain myself any longer"; and he begged so -hard that at last she consented. "But," said she to him, "return again -in the evening, for I shall shut my door against the wild huntsmen, -and, that I may know you, do you knock and say, 'Sister, let me in,' and -if you do not speak I shall not open the door." As soon as she had said -this, the little Fawn sprang off, quite glad and merry in the fresh -breeze. The King and his huntsmen perceived the beautiful animal, and -pursued him; but they could not catch him, and when they thought they -had him for certain he sprang away over the bushes and got out of sight. -Just as it was getting dark he ran up to the hut, and, knocking, said, -"Sister mine, let me in." Then she undid the little door, and he went in -and rested all night long upon his soft couch. The next morning the hunt -was commenced again, and as soon as the little Fawn heard the horns and -the tallyho of the sportsmen he could not rest, and said, "Sister, dear, -open the door, I must be off." The Sister opened it, saying, "Return at -evening, mind, and say the words as before." When the King and his -huntsmen saw again the Fawn with the golden necklace, they followed him -closely, but he was too nimble and quick for them. The whole day long -they kept up with him, but toward evening the huntsmen made a circle -around him, and one wounded him slightly in the hind foot, so that he -could only run slowly. Then one of them slipped after him to the little -hut, and heard him say, "Sister, dear, open the door," and saw that the -door was opened and immediately shut behind. The huntsman, having -observed all this, went and told the King what he had seen and heard, -and he said, "On the morrow I will once more pursue him." - -The Sister, however, was terribly frightened when she saw that her Fawn -was wounded, and washing off the blood she put herbs upon the foot and -said: "Go and rest upon your bed, dear Fawn, that the wound may heal." -It was so slight that the next morning he felt nothing of it, and when -he heard the hunting cries outside he exclaimed: "I cannot stop away--I -must be there, and none shall catch me so easily again!" The Sister wept -very much and told him: "Soon they will kill you, and I shall be here -all alone in this forest, forsaken by all the world. I cannot let you -go." - -"I shall die here in vexation," answered the Fawn, "if you do not, for -when I hear the horn I think I shall jump out of my skin." The Sister, -finding she could not prevent him, opened the door with a heavy heart, -and the Fawn jumped out, quite delighted, into the forest. As soon as -the King perceived him he said to his huntsmen: "Follow him all day long -till the evening, but let no one do him an injury." When the sun had -set, the King asked his huntsmen to show him the hut; and as they came -to it, he knocked at the door and said, "Let me in, dear Sister." Then -the door was opened, and stepping in the King saw a maiden more -beautiful than he had ever before seen. She was frightened when she saw -not her Fawn, but a man step in who had a golden crown upon his head. -But the King, looking at her with a friendly glance, reached her his -hand, saying, "Will you go with me to my castle and be my dear wife?" -"Oh, yes," replied the maiden; "but the Fawn must go too; him I will -never forsake." The King replied: "He shall remain with you as long as -you live, and shall want for nothing." In the meantime the Fawn had come -in, and the Sister, binding the girdle to him, again took it in her -hand, and led him away with her out of the hut. - -The King took the beautiful maiden upon his horse, and rode to his -castle, where the wedding was celebrated with great splendor, and she -became Queen, and they lived together a long time; while the Fawn was -taken care of and lived well, playing about the castle garden. The -wicked stepmother, however, on whose account the children had wandered -forth into the world, supposed that long ago the Sister had been torn in -pieces by the wild beasts, and the little Brother hunted to death in his -Fawn's shape by the hunters. As soon, therefore, as she heard how happy -they had become, and how everything prospered with them, envy and -jealousy were roused in her heart and left her no peace, and she was -always thinking in what way she could work misfortune to them. Her own -daughter, who was as ugly as night and had but one eye, for which she -was continually reproached, said, "The luck of being a queen has never -yet happened to me." - -"Be quiet now," said the old woman, "and make yourself contented. When -the time comes, I shall be at hand." As soon, then, as the time came -when the Queen brought into the world a beautiful little boy, which -happened when the King was out hunting, the old witch took the form of a -chambermaid, and got into the room where the Queen was lying, and said -to her: "The bath is ready which will restore you and give you fresh -strength; be quick, before it gets cold." Her daughter being at hand, -they carried the weak Queen between them into the room, and laid her in -the bath, and then, shutting the door, they ran off; but first they had -made an immense fire in the stove, which must soon suffocate the young -Queen. - -When this was done the old woman took her daughter, and putting a cap on -her, laid her in the bed in the Queen's place. She gave her, too, the -form and appearance of the real Queen as far as she could; but she could -not restore the lost eye, and so that the King might not notice it, she -turned upon that side where there was no eye. When he came home at -evening and heard that a son was born to him, he was much delighted, and -prepared to go to his wife's bedside to see how she did. So the old -woman called out in a great hurry: "For your life, do not undraw the -curtains; the Queen must not yet see the light, and must be kept quiet." -So the King went away, and did not discover that a false Queen was laid -in the bed. - -When midnight came and everyone was asleep, the nurse, who sat by -herself, wide awake, near the cradle in the nursery, saw the door open -and the true Queen come in. She took the child in her arms and rocked it -awhile, and then, shaking up its pillow, laid it down in its cradle and -covered it over again. She did not forget the Fawn either, but going to -the corner where he was, stroked his back, and then went silently out at -the door. The nurse asked in the morning of the guards if anyone had -passed into the castle during the night, but they answered, "No, we have -seen nobody." For many nights afterwards she came constantly, and never -spoke a word; and the nurse saw her always, but she would not trust -herself to speak about it to anyone. - -When some time had passed away, the Queen one night began to speak, and -said: - - "How fares my child, how fares my Fawn? - Twice more will I come, but never again." - -The nurse made no reply; but, when she had disappeared, went to the King -and told him all. The King exclaimed: "Oh, heavens! what does this mean? -The next night I will watch myself by the child." In the evening he went -into the nursery, and about midnight the Queen appeared and said: - - "How fares my child, how fares my Fawn? - Once more will I come, but never again." - -And she nursed the child as she was used to do, and then disappeared. -The King dared not speak, but he watched the following night, and this -time she said: - - "How fares my child, how fares my Fawn? - This time have I come, but never again." - -At these words the King could hold back no longer, but sprang up and -said, "You can be no other than my dear wife!" Then she answered, "Yes, -I am your dear wife"; and at that moment her life was restored by God's -mercy, and she was again as beautiful and charming as ever. She told the -King the fraud which the witch and her daughter had practiced upon him, -and he had them both tried and sentence pronounced against them. The -daughter was taken into the forest, where the wild beasts tore her in -pieces, but the old witch was led to the fire and miserably burned. And -as soon as she was reduced to ashes the little Fawn was unbewitched, and -received again his human form; and the Brother and Sister lived happily -together to the end of their days. - - - - -_The Old Griffin_ - - -THERE was once a king, but where he reigned and how he was called I know -nothing about. He had no son, only a daughter, who was always ill, and -no doctor could cure her; but it was prophesied to the King that his -daughter would eat herself well with an apple. So he made it known all -over the kingdom that whoever brought his daughter some apples with -which she could eat herself well should marry her and be King. Now a -peasant who had three sons heard of it; and he said to the eldest: "Go -to the garden, take a basketful of those beautiful apples with the red -cheeks, and carry them to the court. Perhaps the King's daughter will be -able to eat herself well with them, and then you can marry her and be -King." The chap did as he was bid and took to the road. When he had -walked a little while he met quite a little iron man, who asked him what -he had in his basket. So Hele, for that was his name, said, "Frogs' -legs!" The Little Man then said, "Well, so it shall be and remain"; and -then went on. At last Hele came to the castle, and had it announced that -he had some apples which would cure the Princess if she ate them. At -that the King was mightily pleased, and received Hele in court. Oh, -dear! when he opened it, instead of apples he had frogs' legs in the -basket, and they were kicking about still. The King flew into a great -rage, and had him kicked out of the castle. When he got home he told his -father how he had fared. Then the father sent his next son, whose name -was Saeme, but it went just the same with him as with Hele. The little -Iron Man met him very soon, and asked him what he had in the basket, and -Saeme said, "Sow-thistles"; and the Little Man said, "Well, so it shall -be and remain." When he arrived at the King's castle, and said he had -apples with which the King's daughter could eat herself well, they would -not let him in, and told him there had already been one who had made -fools of them. But Saeme insisted he had really such apples; they should -only let him in. At last they believed him and took him before the -King; but when he opened the basket he had nothing but sow-thistles. -That annoyed the King most dreadfully, so that he had Saeme whipped out -of the castle. When he got home he told them what had happened to him, -and then came the youngest boy, whom they had always called Stupid Jack, -and asked the father whether he, too, might go with apples. "Yes," said -the father, "you are just the right sort of fellow; if the clever ones -can't succeed, what will you be able to do?" The boy did not believe it. -"Well, father, I will go too." "Get away, you stupid chap!" said the -father; "you must wait till you grow wiser"; and then he turned his back -upon him; but the boy tugged at his smock frock behind and said, "Now, -father, I will go too." "Well, just as you like; go--you will be sure to -come back," he answered in a spiteful way. The boy was beyond measure -delighted, and jumped for joy. "Aye, there! act like a fool! You get -stupider from one day to the next," said the father. That did not affect -Jack a bit, who would not be disturbed in his joy. As night soon came -on, he thought he would wait till the next morning; anyhow, he would not -be able to get to court that day. He could not sleep that night in bed, -and when he only slumbered a little he dreamed of beautiful maidens, of -castles, gold, silver, and all that sort of thing. Early next morning he -went his way, and soon the Little Man in his iron dress met him and -asked him what he had in the basket. "Apples," he answered, "with which -the King's daughter can eat herself well." "Well," said the Little Man, -"such it shall be and remain." But at court they would not let Jack in -at all; for that there had been two who had said they brought apples, -and one had frogs' legs and the other sow-thistles. But Jack insisted -tremendously he had no frogs' legs, but the most beautiful apples that -grew in the kingdom. As he spoke so nicely the doorkeeper thought he -could not be telling a lie, and let him in; and they did quite right, -too, for when Jack uncovered the basket before the King, apples as -yellow as gold came tumbling out. The King was delighted, and had some -of them taken to his daughter at once, and waited in anxious -expectation until they should bring him word what effect they had. Not -long after news was brought him; but what think you it was? It was the -daughter herself! As soon as she had eaten of those apples she had -jumped out of bed quite well. What the King's delight was cannot be -described. - -But now the King would not give Jack his daughter to marry, and said -that he must first make him a boat that would swim better on land than -in the water. Jack agreed to the condition and went home and told his -adventures. So the father sent Hele into the wood to make such a boat; -he worked away diligently, and whistled the while. At midday, when the -sun was at the highest, came the little Iron Man and asked what he was -making. "Wooden bowls," answered he. The Little Man answered, "Well, so -it shall be and remain." In the evening Hele thought he had made the -boat, but when he was going to get into it, it turned to wooden bowls. -The next day Saeme went into the wood, but he met with exactly the same -fate as his brother. On the third day Stupid Jack went. He worked very -hard, so that the wood resounded all through with his heavy blows, and -he sang and whistled besides right merrily. The Little Man came to him -at midday when it was very warm, and asked him what he was making. "A -boat that will swim better on dry land than in the water," he answered, -"and that when he had done it he should marry the King's daughter." -"Well," said the Little Man, "such an one it shall be and remain." In -the evening when the sun was setting like a ball of gold, Jack made -ready his boat and all things belonging to it, and rowed toward the -castle; but the boat went as fast as the wind. The King saw it a long -way off, but would not give Jack his daughter yet, and said he must -first take a hundred hares out grazing from early morning to late in the -evening, and if one were missing he should not have his daughter. Jack -was quite contented, and the next day went out with his herd to the -meadow, and kept a sharp lookout that none should stray away. Not many -hours had passed when a maid came from the castle, and said Jack was to -give her a hare directly, as some visitors had arrived. But Jack saw -through that well enough, and said he would not give her one; the King -might treat his visitors to hare pepper. But the maid would not heed -him, and at last set to scolding. So Jack said that if the King's -daughter came herself he would give her a hare. The maid told them in -the castle, and the King's daughter did go herself. But in the meantime -the Little Man had come again to Jack and asked him what he was doing -there. Oh, he had to watch a hundred hares so that none ran away, and -then he might marry the King's daughter and be King. "Good!" said the -Little Man, "there's a whistle for you, and when one runs away, only -just whistle and he will come back again." When the King's daughter -came, Jack put a hare into her apron, but when she had gone about a -hundred steps off, Jack whistled, and the hare jumped out of the cloth, -and jump, jump! was back to the herd directly. In the evening the -hareherd whistled again, and looked to see they were all right, and -drove them to the castle. The King wondered how Jack had been able to -take care of a hundred hares, so that none should run off, but he would -not yet give him his daughter so easily, but said he must first get him -a feather from the Old Griffin's tail. - -Jack started at once, and marched right briskly on. In the evening he -arrived at a castle, where he asked for a night's lodging, for at that -time there were no such things as hotels; and the master of the castle -greeted him very civilly, and asked him where he was going to. Jack -answered, "To the Old Griffin." "Oh, indeed! to the Old Griffin; they -say he knows everything, and I have lost the key to an iron money chest; -perhaps you would be good enough to ask him where it is!" "Certainly," -said Jack, "that I will." Early the next morning he started off again on -his road, and arrived at another castle, where he again passed the -night. When the people learned that he was going to the Old Griffin, -they said a daughter was ill in the house; they had already tried every -possible remedy, but without effect; would he be kind enough to ask Old -Griffin what would cure her? Jack said he would do it with pleasure, and -went on again. He arrived at a lake, and instead of a ferryboat there -was a big man who had to carry everybody over. The man asked him where -he was bound for? "To the Old Griffin," said Jack. "When you get to -him," said the man, "just ask him why I am obliged to carry everybody -over the water." "Yes, to be sure," said Jack; "goodness gracious! yes, -willingly!" The man then took him up on his shoulder and carried him -over. At last Jack arrived at the Old Griffin's house, and only found -the wife at home, not Old Griffin. The woman asked him what he wanted, -so he told her he must have a feather from Old Griffin's tail; and that -in a castle they had lost the key to the money chest, and he was to ask -the Griffin where it was; and then, in another castle, the daughter was -ill, and he was to know what would make her well again; then not far -from there were the water and the man who was obliged to carry everybody -over, and he should very much like to know why the man was obliged to -carry everybody over. "But," said the woman, "look you, my good friend, -no Christian can speak with a Griffin; he eats them all up; but, if you -like, you can lie there under his bed, and at night when he is fast -asleep you can reach up and pull a feather out of his tail; and as to -those things that you want to know, I will ask him myself." Jack was -quite satisfied with the arrangement, and got under the bed. In the -evening Old Griffin came home, and when he stepped into the room he -said, "Wife, I smell a Christian!" "Yes," said the wife, "there has been -one here to-day, but he went away again." So Old Griffin said no more. -In the middle of the night, when Griffin was snoring away lustily, Jack -reached up and pulled a feather out of his tail. The Griffin jumped up -suddenly and cried: "Wife, I smell a Christian! and it was just as if -some one had been plucking at my tail." The wife said: "You have no -doubt been dreaming. I have told you already that one has been here -to-day, but that he went away again. He told me all sorts of things; -that in one castle they had lost the key of the money chest and could -not find it." "Oh, the fools!" exclaimed the Griffin; "the key lies in -the wood-shed, behind the door, under a log of wood." "And further, he -said that in another castle the daughter was ill, and they knew no means -to cure her." "Oh, the fools!" said the Griffin, "under the cellar -stairs a toad has made its nest of her hair, and if she got the hair -back again she would be well." "And then, again, he said at a certain -place there was a lake, and a man who was obliged to carry everybody -over." "Oh, the fool!" said the Old Griffin, "if he were only to put -somebody into the middle he need not carry any more over." - -[Illustration: "IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, WHEN GRIFFIN WAS SNORING -AWAY LUSTILY, JACK REACHED UP AND PULLED A FEATHER OUT OF HIS TAIL"] - -Early next morning the Old Griffin got up and went out, and Jack crept -from under the bed with a beautiful feather, having heard what the -Griffin had said about the key, the daughter, and the man. The wife -repeated it all to him so that he should not forget, and then he started -off toward home. He came to the man at the water first, and he asked him -directly what the Griffin had said; but Jack said he must carry him over -first, and then he would tell him. So he carried him over, and when they -got there Jack told him he had only to put somebody into the middle and -then he need carry no more. The man was delighted beyond measure, and -told Jack that out of gratitude he should like to carry him over and -back once more. But Jack said nay, he would save him the trouble; he was -quite contented with him already, and then went on. Next he arrived at -the castle where the daughter was ill; he took her on his shoulder, for -she was not able to walk, and carried her down the cellar stairs, and -then took the toad's nest from under the bottom step and put it into the -daughter's hand, and all at once she jumped off his shoulder, up the -stairs before him, strong and well. Now the father and mother were -delighted indeed, and made Jack presents of gold and silver, and -whatever he wanted they gave him. - -When Jack arrived at the other castle he went straight to the wood-shed, -and found the key right behind the door under the log of wood, and took -it to the master. He was not a little pleased, and gave Jack in return a -great deal of gold that was in the box and all sorts of things besides, -such as cows and sheep and goats. - -When Jack returned to the King with all these things, with the money and -gold and silver, and the cows, sheep, and goats, the King asked him how -he had come by it all. So Jack said the Old Griffin would give one as -much as one liked. The King thought he could find a use for that kind of -gifts himself, and so started off to the Griffin; but when he got to the -water he happened to be the first who had crossed over since Jack, and -the man put him in the middle of the stream and walked off, and the King -was drowned. - -So Jack married the King's daughter and became King. - - - - -_The Three Feathers_ - - -ONCE upon a time there lived a king who had three sons, two of whom were -bright youths, but the youngest never had anything to say for himself, -so he was set down by everyone as a simpleton. - -Years went on, and the King felt himself growing old, and he thought it -was time to decide which of his sons was to succeed him. - -This was not so easy, so he told the youths that whoever should bring -him the most beautiful carpet should be his heir, and, lest they should -all want to go in the same direction and quarrel, he went up to the roof -of the palace and blew three feathers up into the air, saying: - -"As they fly, thither shall you follow." - -One feather flew east, another west, and the third went in a straight -line between the two for a little way, and then fell suddenly to the -ground. So one brother went east, and another west, and poor Dummling -was left to follow the third feather, which had gone no distance at all, -whereat his brothers were much amused. - -Dummling sat down beside his feather, feeling very sad and doleful, and -he was just thinking that all chance of the kingdom was at an end for -him, when he discovered that all the time he was staring at a trapdoor -in the ground. He lifted it, and found steps leading down into the -earth, so he went down the stairs till he came to a door, and then he -knocked. - -Immediately he heard a voice singing: - - "Little frog, so green and cold, - I prithee open and behold - Who it is that knocks so bold," - -and the door opened, and he saw a large frog squatting in the middle of -a circle of little ones. The big one bowed to him as he entered, and -asked him what he sought. - -"Please," said Dummling, taking off his cap and returning the bow, "I -want to know if you can help me to get the most beautiful carpet in the -world." - -The Frog rolled her eyes for a minute, and then, turning to one of the -little ones at her side, said: - -"Go bring me hither the big casket," and the little frog hopped away, -and came back dragging a large box. - -Then the mother Frog took a key that hung around her neck on a chain, -and opened the box and drew forth the most beautiful carpet that was -ever seen. - -Dummling was delighted with it, and thanking her very heartily, he -hurried up the steps, eager to take it to the palace. - -Meanwhile, the two brothers, never thinking that Dummling was clever -enough to find any sort of carpet at all, said to each other: - -"Let us buy the shawl of the first peasant woman we meet. That should be -good enough to win us the kingdom." - -So they bought a common old shawl at the first opportunity, and took it -home to the palace, arriving just at the same moment as Dummling. - -The King was astonished when the carpets were spread out before him and -he saw the lovely thing Dummling had brought. - -[Illustration: "THEN DUMMLING'S LOVELY MAIDEN SPRANG LIGHTLY AND -GRACEFULLY THROUGH THE RING"] - -"The prize," said he, "should by rights belong to my youngest son." - -But the others were so angry at this, and worried their father so much, -that for very peace he had to consent to a new test. - -So the King gave out that whoever should bring him the most beautiful -ring should be King when he died, and he blew up the feathers as before, -and bade the youths follow them. - -The two eldest went east and west, but Dummling's feather did as it did -the first time, and fell to earth just by the trapdoor. So he pulled it -up once again and went down the steps. - -When the door was opened, he told the big Frog that he wanted the most -beautiful ring in the world. So she sent one of her little attendants -hopping for her jewel casket, and, when it was come, she took out of it -a ring that fairly blazed with diamonds and other jewels, and finer than -the finest workmanship that could be obtained. You may imagine Dummling -thanked her very warmly for the ring, and hurried off back to the palace -as fast as his legs could carry him. He found his brothers had just -arrived with rings they had taken no more pains to make than to beat two -rusty nails into circlets. As soon as the King saw Dummling's lovely -jewel, he cried out: - -"The kingdom belongs to him." - -But the brothers again flew into a passion at this, and said that a -youth who had as little wit as Dummling could not possibly reign over -the land. So they worried the father at last to make just one more -condition; and this time he said that whoever should bring home the most -beautiful woman in the world should succeed to the throne. A third time -he blew the feathers into the air, and the youths set out after them. - -Dummling's feather floated and fell just as before, and again he pulled -up his trapdoor and went down into the presence of the old Frog, and -told her that this time he wanted the most beautiful maiden in all the -world. - -"Hum!" said the Frog, "it is not everyone who gets that; still I will do -my best for you, nevertheless. But first take this," and she gave -Dummling a little toy cart made of a hollow carrot, to which were -harnessed six beautiful white mice. - -The youth looked at this rather doubtfully, and asked the mother Frog -what he was to do with it. - -"I will tell you," she said. "Take one of my little frog attendants and -set her on the carrot." - -So Dummling picked up the one that happened to be nearest him and put -her on the carrot, and lo and behold! no sooner was she seated than she -changed into a beautiful maiden, and the carrot and the mice into a -grand chariot drawn by six prancing horses. As soon as he could stop -rubbing his eyes from wonder, Dummling kissed the maiden, and drove off -in triumph to the palace. - -Meanwhile, the brothers, as usual, had taken no trouble whatever, and at -the moment Dummling drove up in his glory they appeared with two peasant -girls, who were not even pretty. - -Of course the King had nothing for it but to award the kingdom to his -youngest son, and, of course, the elder brothers still grumbled, and -made such a fuss that at last the poor King had to consent to yet -another trial. - -To prove which was the best wife of the three, he decided that they -should all jump through a hoop in the hall, and the one who did it most -prettily was to be the winner. - -And now all the court was gathered together in the hall to see the -contest. The country girls jumped, but were so plump that they fell -heavily and broke their arms and legs. Then Dummling's lovely maiden -sprang lightly and gracefully through the ring, and landed safely on the -other side. - -So at last the brothers had to be content, and in time Dummling came to -the throne and ruled wisely and well for many, many years. - - - - -_The House in the Wood_ - - -THERE was once a poor Woodcutter who lived with his Wife and three -Daughters in a little hut on the edge of a large forest. One morning, -when he went out to his usual work, he said to his Wife: "Let my dinner -be brought by our eldest Daughter, I shall not be ready to come home; -and that she may not lose her way, I will take with me a bag of seeds -and strew them on my path." - -So when the sun was risen to the center of the heavens, the Maiden set -out on her way, carrying a jug of soup. But the field and wood sparrows, -the larks, blackbirds, goldfinches, and greenfinches, had many hours ago -picked up the seeds, so that the Maiden could find no trace of the way. -So she walked on, trusting to fortune, till the sun set and night came -on. The trees soon began to rustle in the darkness, the owls to hoot, -and the girl began to feel frightened. All at once she perceived a light -shining at a distance among the trees. "People must dwell there," she -thought, "who will keep me during the night"; and she walked toward the -light. In a short time she came to a cottage where the windows were all -lighted up, and when she knocked at the door a hoarse voice called from -within, "Come in." The girl opened the door and perceived a hoary Old -Man sitting at a table with his face buried in his hands, and his white -beard flowing down over the table on to the ground. On the hearth lay -three animals--a hen, a cock, and a brindled cow. The girl told the Old -Man her adventures, and begged for a night's lodging. The Man said: - - "Pretty Hen, pretty Cock, - And pretty brindled Cow, - What have you to say to that?" - -"Cluck!" said the animals, and as that meant they were satisfied, the -Old Man said to the Maiden: "Here is abundance, and to spare; go now -into the kitchen and cook some supper for us." - -The girl found plenty of everything in the kitchen, and cooked a good -meal, but thought nothing about the animals. When she had finished she -carried a full dish into the room, and, sitting down opposite the Old -Man, ate till she had satisfied her hunger. When she had done she said: -"I am very tired; where is my bed, where I shall lie down and sleep?" -The animals replied: - - "You have eaten with him, - You have drunk, too, with him; - And yet you have not thought of us; - Still you may pass the night here." - -Thereupon the Old Man said: "Step down yon stair, and you will come to a -room containing two beds, shake them up and cover them with white -sheets, and then I will come and lie down to sleep myself." The Maiden -stepped down the stair, and as soon as she had shaken up the beds and -covered them afresh, she laid herself down in one bed, without waiting -for the Old Man. But after some time the Old Man came, and, after -looking at the girl with the light, shook his head when he saw she was -fast asleep; and then, opening a trapdoor, dropped her down into the -cellar below. - -Late in the evening the Woodcutter arrived at home, and scolded his Wife -because she had let him hunger all day long. "It is not my fault," she -replied; "the girl was sent out with your dinner; she must have lost her -way; but to-morrow she will return, no doubt." At daybreak the -Woodcutter got up to go into the forest, and desired that the second -Daughter should bring him his meal this time. "I will take a bag of -peas," he said; "they are larger than corn seed, and the girl will -therefore see them better and not lose my track." At noonday, -accordingly, the girl set out with her father's dinner; but the peas had -all disappeared, for the wood birds had picked them all up as they had -on the day before, and not one was left. So the poor girl wandered about -in the forest till it was quite dark, and then she also arrived at the -Old Man's hut, was invited in, and begged food and a night's lodging. -The Man of the white beard asked his animals again: - - "Pretty Hen, and pretty Cock, - And pretty brindled Cow, - What have you to say to that?" - -They answered again, "Cluck!" and everything thereupon occurred the same -as on the previous day. The girl cooked a good meal, ate and drank with -the Old Man, but never once thought of the animals; and when she asked -for her bed, they made answer: - - "You have eaten with him, - You have drunk, too, with him; - And yet you have not thought of us; - Still you may pass the night here!" - -As soon as she was gone to sleep the Old Man came, and, after looking at -her and shaking his head as before, dropped her into the cellar below. - -Meanwhile the third morning arrived, and the Woodcutter told his Wife to -send their youngest child with his dinner: "For," said he, "she is -always obedient and good; she will keep in the right path and not run -about like those idle hussies, her sisters!" - -But the Mother refused, and said: "Shall I lose my youngest child too?" - -"Be not afraid of that," said her husband; "the girl will not miss her -way, she is too steady and prudent; but for more precaution I will take -beans to strew, they are larger still than peas, and will show her the -way better." - -But by and by, when the girl went out with her basket on her arm, the -wood pigeons had eaten up all the beans, and she knew not which way to -turn. She was full of trouble, and thought with grief how her Father -would want his dinner and how her dear Mother would grieve when she did -not return. At length, when it became quite dark, she also perceived -the lighted cottage, and entering it, begged very politely to be allowed -to pass the night there. The Old Man asked the animals a third time in -the same words: - - "Pretty Hen, pretty Cock, - And pretty brindled Cow, - What have you to say to that?" - -"Cluck, cluck!" said they. Thereupon the Maiden stepped up to the fire, -near which they lay, and fondled the pretty Hen and Cock, smoothing -their plumage down with her hands, while she stroked the Cow between her -horns. Afterwards, when she had got ready a good supper at the Old Man's -request, and had placed the dishes on the table, she thought to herself: -"I must not appease my hunger till I have fed these good creatures. -There is an abundance in the kitchen, I will serve them first." Thus -thinking she went and fetched some corn and strewed it before the fowls, -and then she brought an armful of hay and gave it to the Cow. "Now, eat -away, you good creatures," said she to them, "and when you are thirsty -you shall have a nice fresh draught." So saying she brought in a pailful -of water; and the Hen and Cock perched themselves on its edge, put their -beaks in, and then drew their heads up as birds do when drinking; the -Cow also took a hearty draught. When the animals were thus fed, the -Maiden sat down at table with the Old Man and ate what was left for her. -In a short while the Hen and Cock began to fold their wings over their -heads, and the brindled Cow blinked with both eyes. Then the Maiden -asked: "Shall we not also take our rest?" The Old Man replied as before: - - "Pretty Hen, pretty Cock, - And pretty brindled Cow, - What have you to say to that?" - -"Cluck, cluck!" replied the animals, meaning: - - "You have eaten with us, - You have drunk, too, with us, - You have thought of us kindly, too; - And we wish you a good night's rest." - -So the Maiden went down the stairs, and shook up the feather beds and -laid on clean sheets, and when they were ready the Old Man came and lay -down in one, with his white beard stretching down to his feet. The girl -then lay down in the other bed, first saying her prayers before she went -to sleep. - -She slept quietly till midnight, and at that hour there began such a -tumult in the house that it awakened her. Presently it began to crack -and rumble in every corner of the room, and the doors were slammed back -against the wall, and then the beams groaned as if they were being riven -away from their fastenings, and the stairs fell down, and at last it -seemed as if the whole roof fell in. Soon after that all was quiet, but -the Maiden took no harm, and went quietly off again to sleep. When, -however the bright light of the morning sun awoke her, what a sight met -her eyes! She found herself lying in a large chamber, with everything -around belonging to regal pomp. On the walls were represented gold -flowers growing on a green silk ground; the bed was of ivory, and the -curtains of red velvet, and on a stool close by was placed a pair of -slippers ornamented with pearls. The Maiden thought it was all a dream; -but presently in came three servants dressed in rich liveries, who asked -her what were her commands. "Leave me," replied the Maiden; "I will get -up at once and cook some breakfast for the Old Man, and also feed the -pretty Hen, the pretty Cock, and the brindled Cow." She spoke thus -because she thought the Old Man was already up; but when she looked -round at his bed, she saw a stranger to her lying asleep in it. While -she was looking at him, and saw that he was both young and handsome, he -awoke, and starting up, said to the Maiden: "I am a king's son, who was -long ago changed by a wicked old witch into the form of an old man, and -condemned to live alone in the wood, with nobody to bear me company but -my three servants in the form of a hen, a cock, and a brindled cow. And -the enchantment was not to end until a maiden should come so -kind-hearted that she should behave as well to my animals as she did to -me; and such a one you have been; and, therefore, this last midnight we -were saved through you, and the old wooden hut has again become my royal -palace." - -When he had thus spoken the girl and he arose, and the Prince told his -three servants to fetch to the palace the Father and Mother of the -Maiden, that they might witness her marriage. - -"But where are my two Sisters?" she asked. "I have put them in the -cellar," replied the Prince, "and there they must remain till to-morrow -morning, when they shall be led into the forest, and bound as servants -to a collier, until they have reformed their tempers, and learned not to -let poor animals suffer hunger." - - - - -_Rapunzel_ - - -THERE was once a man and his wife who had long wished in vain for a -child, when at last they had reason to hope that Heaven would grant -their wish. There was a little window at the back of their house, which -overlooked a beautiful garden, full of lovely flowers and shrubs. It -was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and nobody dared to enter it, -because it belonged to a powerful witch, who was feared by everyone. - -One day the woman, standing at this window and looking into the garden, -saw a bed planted with beautiful corn salad. It looked so fresh and -green that it made her long to eat some of it. This longing increased -every day, and as she knew it could never be satisfied, she began to -look pale and miserable, and to pine away. Then her husband became -alarmed, and said: "What ails you, my dear wife?" - -"Alas!" she answered, "if I cannot get any of the corn salad from the -garden behind our house to eat, I shall die." - -Her husband, who loved her, thought: "Before you let your wife die, you -must fetch her some of that corn salad, cost what it may." So in the -twilight he climbed over the wall into the Witch's garden, hastily -picked a handful of corn salad, and took it back to his wife. She -immediately dressed it, and ate it up very eagerly. It was so very, very -nice that the next day her longing for it increased threefold. She could -have no peace unless her husband fetched her some more. So in the -twilight he set out again; but when he got over the wall he was -terrified to see the Witch before him. - -"How dare you come into my garden like a thief, and steal my corn -salad?" she said, with angry looks. "It shall disagree with you." - -"Alas!" he answered, "be merciful to me; I am only here from necessity. -My wife sees your corn salad from the window, and she has such a longing -for it that she would die if she could not get some of it." - -The anger of the Witch abated, and she said to him: "If it is as you -say, I will allow you to take away with you as much corn salad as you -like, but on one condition. You must give me the child which your wife -is about to bring into the world. I will care for it like a mother, and -all will be well with it." In his fear the man consented to everything, -and when the baby was born the Witch appeared, gave it the name of -Rapunzel (corn salad), and took it away with her. - -Rapunzel was the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was twelve -years old, the Witch shut her up in a tower which stood in a wood. It -had neither staircase nor doors, and only a little window quite high up -in the wall. When the Witch wanted to enter the tower, she stood at the -foot of it and cried: - -"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" - -Rapunzel had splendid long hair, as fine as spun gold. As soon as she -heard the voice of the Witch she unfastened her plaits and twisted them -around a hook by the window. They fell twenty ells downward, and the -Witch climbed up by them. - -It happened a couple of years later that the King's son rode through the -forest and came close to the tower. From thence he heard a song so -lovely that he stopped to listen. It was Rapunzel, who in her loneliness -made her sweet voice resound to pass away the time. The King's son -wanted to join her, and he sought for the door of the tower, but there -was none to find. - -He rode home, but the song had touched his heart so deeply that he went -into the forest every day to listen to it. Once, when he was hidden -behind a tree, he saw a witch come to the tower and call out: - -"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" - -Then Rapunzel lowered her plaits of hair and the Witch climbed up to -her. - -"If that is the ladder by which one ascends, I will try my luck myself." -And the next day, when it began to grow dark, he went to the tower and -cried: - -"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" - -The hair fell down at once, and the King's son climbed up by it. - -At first Rapunzel was terrified, for she had never set eyes on a man -before, but the King's son talked to her in a friendly way, and told her -that his heart had been so deeply touched by her song that he had no -peace, and he was obliged to see her. Then Rapunzel lost her fear, and -when he asked if she would have him for her husband, and she saw that he -was young and handsome, she thought, "He will love me better than old -Mother Gothel." So she said, "Yes," and laid her hand in his. She said: -"I will gladly go with you, but I do not know how I am to get down from -this tower. When you come, will you bring a skein of silk with you every -time? I will twist it into a ladder, and when it is long enough I will -descend by it, and you can take me away with you on your horse." - -She arranged with him that he should come and see her every evening, for -the old Witch came in the daytime. - -The Witch discovered nothing, till suddenly Rapunzel said to her: "Tell -me, Mother Gothel, how can it be that you are so much heavier to draw up -than the young Prince who will be here in a moment?" - -"Oh, you wicked child, what do you say? I thought I had separated you -from all the world, and yet you have deceived me." In her rage she -seized Rapunzel's beautiful hair, twisted it twice around her left hand, -snatched up a pair of shears and cut off the plaits, which fell to the -ground. She was so merciless that she took poor Rapunzel away into a -wilderness, where she forced her to live in the greatest grief and -misery. - -In the evening of the day on which she had banished Rapunzel, the Witch -fastened the plaits, which she had cut off, to the hook by the window, -and when the Prince came and called, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your -hair!" she lowered the hair. The Prince climbed up, but there he found, -not his beloved Rapunzel, but the Witch, who looked at him with angry -and wicked eyes. - -"Ah!" she cried mockingly, "you have come to fetch your ladylove, but -the pretty bird is no longer in her nest; and she can sing no more, for -the cat has seized her, and it will scratch your own eyes out too. -Rapunzel is lost to you; you will never see her again." - -The Prince was beside himself with grief, and in his despair he sprang -out of the window. He was not killed, but his eyes were scratched out by -the thorns among which he fell. He wandered about blind in the wood, and -had nothing but roots and berries to eat. He did nothing but weep and -lament over the loss of his beloved wife Rapunzel. In this way he -wandered about for some years, till at last he reached the wilderness -where Rapunzel had been living in great poverty with the twins (a boy -and a girl) who had been born to her. - -He heard a voice which seemed very familiar to him, and he went toward -it. The voice was Rapunzel's, and she knew him at once, and fell weeping -upon his neck. Two of her tears fell upon his eyes, and they immediately -grew quite clear, and he could see as well as ever. - -He took her to his kingdom, where he was received with joy, and they -lived long and happily together. - - - - -_The Queen Bee_ - - -ONCE upon a time two princes started off in search of adventure, and, -falling into a wild, free mode of life, did not come home again. - -The third brother, who was called the Blockhead, set out to look for the -other two. But when at last he found them, they mocked him for thinking -of making his way in the world with his simplicity, while they, who were -so much cleverer, could not get on. - -They all three went on together till they came to an ant heap. The two -elder princes wanted to disturb it, to see how the little ants crept -away, carrying their eggs. - -But the Blockhead said: "Leave the little creatures alone; I will not -allow you to disturb them." - -Then they went on farther till they came to a lake in which a great many -ducks were swimming about. The two wanted to catch and roast a pair. - -But the Blockhead would not allow it, and said: "Leave the creatures -alone. You shall not kill them." - -At last they came to a bee's nest, containing such a quantity of honey -that it flowed around the trunk of the tree. - -The two princes wanted to set fire to the tree and suffocate the bees, -so as to remove the honey. - -But the Blockhead stopped them again, and said: "Leave the creatures -alone. I will not let you burn them." - -At last the three brothers came to a castle, where the stables were full -of stone horses, but not a soul was to be seen. They went through all -the rooms till they came to a door quite at the end, fastened with three -bolts. In the middle of the door was a lattice, through which one could -see into the room. - -There they saw a little gray man sitting at a table. They called to him -once, twice; but he did not hear them. Finally, when they had called him -the third time, he stood up and opened the door and came out. He said -not a word, but led them to a richly spread table, and when they had -eaten and drunk, he took them each to a bedroom. - -The next morning the little Gray Man came to the eldest Prince, -beckoned, and led him to a stone tablet whereon were inscribed three -tasks by means of which the castle should be freed from enchantment. - -This was the first task: in the wood, under the moss, lay the Princess's -pearls, a thousand in number. These had all to be found, and if at -sunset a single one were missing, the seeker would be turned to stone. - -The eldest went away, and searched all day, but when evening came, he -had only found the first hundred, and it happened as the inscription -foretold--he was turned to stone. - -The next day the second brother undertook the quest; but he fared no -better than the first, for he found only two hundred pearls, and he too -was turned to stone. - -At last came the Blockhead's turn; he searched in the moss, but the -pearls were hard to find, and he got on but slowly. - -Then he sat down on a rock and cried, and as he was sitting there, the -Ant King, whose life he had saved, came up with five thousand ants, and -it was not long before the little creatures had found all the pearls and -laid them in a heap. - -Now the second task was to get the key of the Princess's room out of the -lake. - -When the Blockhead came to the lake, the ducks, which he had once saved, -swam up, dived, and brought up the key from the depths. - -But the third task was the hardest. The Prince had to find out which was -the youngest and prettiest of the princesses while they were asleep. - -They were exactly alike, and could not be distinguished in any way, -except that before going to sleep each had eaten a different kind of -sweet. The eldest a piece of sugar, the second a little syrup, and the -third a spoonful of honey. - -Then the Queen of the Bees, whom the Blockhead had saved from burning, -came and tried the lips of all three. Finally, she settled on the mouth -of the one who had eaten the honey, and so the Prince recognized the -right one. - -Then the charm was broken and everything in the castle was set free, and -those who had been turned to stone took human form again. - -And the Blockhead married the youngest and sweetest Princess, and became -King after her father's death, while his two brothers married the other -sisters. - - - - -_The Many-Furred Creature_ - - -THERE was once upon a time a king who had a wife with golden hair, and -she was so beautiful that you couldn't find anyone like her in the -world. It happened that she fell ill, and when she felt that she must -soon die she sent for the King and said: "If you want to marry after my -death, make no one queen unless she is just as beautiful as I am and has -just such golden hair as I have. Promise me this." After the King had -promised her this she closed her eyes and died. - -For a long time the King was not to be comforted, and he did not even -think of taking a second wife. At last his councilors said: "The King -must marry again, so that we may have a Queen." So messengers were sent -far and wide to seek for a bride equal to the late Queen in beauty. But -there was no one in the wide world, and if there had been she could not -have had such golden hair. Then the messengers came home again, not -having been able to find a queen. - -Now, the King had a daughter who was just as beautiful as her dead -mother and had just such golden hair. One day, when she had grown up, -her father looked at her and saw that she was exactly like her mother, -so he said to his councilors: "I will marry my daughter to one of you -and she shall be Queen, for she is exactly like her dead mother, and -when I die her husband shall be King." But when the Princess heard of -her father's decision she was not at all pleased and said to him: -"Before I do your bidding I must have three dresses; one as golden as -the sun, one as silver as the moon, and one as shining as the stars. -Besides these, I want a cloak made of a thousand different kinds of -skin. Every animal in your kingdom must give a bit of his skin to it." -But she thought to herself: "This will be quite impossible, and I shall -not have to marry some one I do not care for." - -The King, however, was not to be turned from his purpose, and he -commanded the most skilled maidens in his kingdom to weave the three -dresses, one as golden as the sun, and one as silver as the moon, and -one as shining as the stars; and he gave orders to all his huntsmen to -catch one of every kind of beast in the kingdom and to get a bit of its -skin to make the cloak of a thousand pieces of fur. At last, when all -was ready, the King commanded the cloak to be brought to him, and he -spread it out before the Princess and said: "To-morrow shall be your -wedding day." When the Princess saw that there was no more hope of -changing her father's resolution, she determined to flee away. - -In the night, when everyone else was sleeping, she got up and took three -things from her treasures, a gold ring, a little gold spinning wheel, -and a gold reel. She put the sun, moon, and star dresses in a nut shell, -drew on the cloak of many skins, and made her face and hands black with -soot. Then she commended herself to God and went out and traveled the -whole night till she came to a large forest. And as she was very much -tired she sat down inside a hollow tree and fell asleep. - -The sun rose and she still slept on and on, although it was nearly noon. -Now, it happened that the King to whom this wood belonged was hunting in -it. When his dogs came to the tree they sniffed and ran round and round -it, barking. The King said to the huntsmen: "See what sort of a wild -beast is in there." The huntsmen went in and then came back and said: -"In the hollow tree there lies a wonderful animal that we don't know, -and we have never seen one like it. Its skin is made of a thousand -pieces of fur; but it is lying down asleep." The King said: "See if you -can catch it alive, and then fasten it to the cart and we will take it -with us." - -When the huntsmen seized the maiden, she awoke and was frightened and -cried out to them: "I am a poor child, forsaken by father and mother. -Take pity on me and let me go with you." Then they said to her: -"Many-furred Creature, you can work in the kitchen. Come with us and -sweep the ashes together." So they put her in the cart and went back to -the palace. There they showed her a tiny room under the stairs, where no -daylight came, and said to her: "Many-furred Creature, you can live and -sleep here." Then she was sent into the kitchen, where she carried wood -and water, poked the fire, washed vegetables, plucked fowls, swept up -the ashes, and did all the dirty work. - -So the Many-furred Creature lived for a long time in great poverty. Ah, -beautiful king's daughter, what is going to befall you now? - -It happened once when a great feast was being held in the palace that -she said to the cook: "Can I go upstairs for a little bit and look on? I -will stand outside the doors." The cook replied: "Yes, you can go up, -but in half an hour you must be back here to sweep up the ashes." Then -she took her little oil lamp and went into her little room, drew off her -fur cloak, and washed off the soot from her face and hands, so that her -beauty shone forth, and it was as if one sunbeam after another were -coming out of a black cloud. Then she opened the nut and took out the -dress as golden as the sun. And when she had done this she went up to -the feast, and everyone stepped out of her way, for nobody knew her, and -they thought she must be a king's daughter. But the King came toward her -and gave her his hand, and danced with her, thinking to himself, "My -eyes have never beheld anyone so fair!" When the dance was ended she -courtesied to him, and when the King looked around she had disappeared, -no one knew whither. The guards who were standing before the palace were -called and questioned, but no one had seen her. - -She had run to her little room and had quickly taken off her dress, made -her face and hands black, put on the fur cloak, and was once more the -Many-furred Creature. When she came into the kitchen and was setting -about her work of sweeping the ashes together the cook said to her: "Let -that wait till to-morrow, and just cook the King's soup for me. I want -to have a little peep at the company upstairs. But be sure that you do -not let a hair fall into it, otherwise you will get nothing to eat in -future!" So the cook went away, and the Many-furred Creature cooked the -soup for the King. She made a bread soup as well as she possibly could, -and when it was done she fetched her gold ring from her little room and -laid it in the tureen in which the soup was to be served up. - -When the dance was ended the King had his soup brought to him and ate -it, and it was so good that he thought he had never tasted such soup in -his life. But when he came to the bottom of the dish he saw a gold ring -lying there, and he could not imagine how it got in. Then he commanded -the cook to be brought before him. The cook was terrified when he heard -the command and said to the Many-furred Creature: "You must have let a -hair fall into the soup, and if you have you deserve a good beating!" - -When he came before the King, the King asked who had cooked the soup. -The cook answered: "I cooked it." But the King said: "That's not true, -for it was quite different and much better soup than you have ever -cooked." Then the cook said: "I must confess. I did not cook the soup; -the Many-furred Creature did." "Let her be brought before me," said the -King. - -When the Many-furred Creature came the King asked her who she was. "I -am a poor child without father or mother." Then he asked her: "What do -you do in my palace?" "I am of no use except to have boots thrown at my -head." "How did you get the ring which was in the soup?" he asked. "I -know nothing at all about the ring," she answered. So the King could -find out nothing and was obliged to send her away. - -After a time there was another feast, and the Many-furred Creature -begged the cook again to let her go and look on. He answered: "Yes, but -come back again in half an hour and cook the King the bread soup that he -likes so much." So she ran away to her little room, washed herself -quickly, took out of the nut the dress as silver as the moon and put it -on. Then she went upstairs looking just like a king's daughter, and the -King came toward her, delighted to see her again, and as the dance had -just begun, they danced together. But when the dance was ended she -disappeared again so quickly that the King could not see which way she -went. - -She ran to her little room and changed herself once more into the -Many-furred Creature, and went into the kitchen to cook the bread soup. -When the cook was upstairs she fetched the golden spinning wheel and put -it in the dish, so that the soup was poured over it. It was brought to -the King, who ate it and liked it as much as the last time. He had the -cook sent to him, and again he had to confess that the Many-furred -Creature had cooked the soup. Then the Many-furred Creature came before -the King, but she said again that she was of no use except to have boots -thrown at her head, and that she knew nothing at all of the golden -spinning wheel. - -When the King had a feast for the third time things did not turn out -quite the same as they had before. The cook said: "You must be a witch, -Many-furred Creature, for you always put something in the soup, so that -it is much better and tastes nicer to the King than any that I cook." -But because she begged hard he let her go up for the third time. Now she -put on the dress as shining as the stars and stepped into the hall in -it. - -The King danced again with the beautiful maiden, and thought she had -never looked so beautiful. And while he was dancing he put a gold ring -on her finger without her seeing it, and he commanded that the dance -should last longer than usual. When it was finished he wanted to keep -her hands in his, but she broke from him and sprang so quickly away -among the people that she vanished from his sight. She ran as fast as -she could to her little room under the stairs, but because she had -stayed too long beyond the half hour she could not stop to take off the -beautiful dress, but only threw the fur cloak over it, and in her haste -did not make herself quite black with the soot, one finger remaining -white. - -The Many-furred Creature now ran into the kitchen, cooked the King's -bread soup, and when the cook had gone she laid the golden reel in the -dish. When the King found the reel at the bottom, he had the Many-furred -Creature brought to him, and then he saw the white finger and the ring -which he had put on her hand in the dance. Then he took her hand and -held her tightly, and as she was trying to get away she undid the fur -cloak a little bit and the star dress shone out. The King seized the -cloak and tore it off her. Her golden hair came down, and she stood -there in her full splendor and could not hide herself away any more. And -when the soot and ashes had been washed from her face she looked more -beautiful than anyone in the world. But the King said: "You are my dear -bride and we will never be separated from each other." So the wedding -was celebrated and they lived happily ever after. - - - - -_Snow-white and Rose-red_ - - -A POOR widow once lived in a little cottage with a garden in front of -it, in which grew two rose trees, one bearing white roses and the other -red. She had two children, who were just like the two rose trees; one -was called Snow-white and the other Rose-red, and they were the -sweetest and best children in the world, always diligent and always -cheerful; but Snow-white was quieter and more gentle than Rose-red. -Rose-red loved to run about the fields and meadows and to pick flowers -and catch butterflies; but Snow-white sat at home with her mother and -helped her in the household, or read aloud to her when there was no work -to do. The two children loved each other so dearly that they always -walked about, hand in hand, whenever they went out together, and when -Snow-white said, "We will never desert each other," Rose-red answered, -"No, not as long as we live"; and the mother added: "Whatever one gets -she shall share with the other." They often roamed about in the woods -gathering berries, and no beast offered to hurt them; on the contrary, -they came up to them in the most confiding manner; the little hare would -eat a cabbage leaf from their hands, the deer grazed beside them, the -stag would bound past them merrily, and the birds remained on the -branches and sang to them with all their might. No evil ever befell -them; if they tarried late in the wood and night overtook them, they lay -down together on the moss and slept till morning, and their mother knew -they were quite safe and never felt anxious about them. Once, when they -had slept the night in the wood and had been wakened by the morning sun, -they perceived a beautiful child in a shining white robe sitting close -to their resting place. The figure rose up, looked at them kindly, but -said nothing and vanished into the wood. And when they looked round -about them they became aware that they had slept quite close to a -precipice, over which they would certainly have fallen had they gone on -a few steps farther in the darkness. And when they told their mother of -their adventure, she said what they had seen must have been the angel -that guards good children. - -Snow-white and Rose-red kept their mother's cottage so beautifully clean -and neat that it was a pleasure to go into it. In summer Rose-red looked -after the house, and every morning before her mother awoke she placed a -bunch of flowers before the bed, and a rose from each tree. In winter -Snow-white lit the fire and put on the kettle, which was made of brass, -but so beautifully polished that it shone like gold. In the evening when -the snowflakes fell, their mother said, "Snow-white, go and close the -shutters"; and they drew round the fire, while the mother put on her -spectacles and read aloud from a big book, and the two girls listened -and sat and spun. Beside them on the ground lay a little lamb, and -behind them perched a little white dove with its head tucked under its -wings. - -One evening as they sat thus cozily together some one knocked at the -door as though he desired admittance. The mother said: "Rose-red, open -the door quickly! it must be some traveler seeking shelter." Rose-red -hastened to unbar the door, and thought she saw a poor man standing in -the darkness outside; but it was no such thing, only a bear, who poked -his thick black head through the door. Rose-red screamed aloud and -sprang back in terror, the lamb began to bleat, the dove flapped its -wings, and Snow-white ran and hid behind her mother's bed. But the bear -began to speak, and said: "Don't be afraid; I won't hurt you. I am half -frozen, and only wish to warm myself a little." "My poor bear," said the -mother, "lie down by the fire, only take care you don't burn your fur." -Then she called out: "Snow-white and Rose-red, come out; the bear will -do you no harm; he is a good, honest creature." So they both came out of -their hiding places, and gradually the lamb and dove drew near too, and -they all forgot their fear. The bear asked the children to beat the snow -a little out of his fur, and they fetched a brush and scrubbed him till -he was dry. Then the beast stretched himself in front of the fire and -growled quite happily and comfortably. The children soon grew quite at -their ease with him and led their hapless guest a fearful life. They -tugged his fur with their hands, put their small feet on his back, and -rolled him about here and there, or took a hazel wand and beat him with -it; and if he growled they only laughed. The bear submitted to -everything with the best possible good nature, only when they went too -far he cried: "O children, spare my life! - - "'Snow-white and Rose-red, - Don't beat your lover dead.'" - -When it was time to retire for the night and the others went to bed, the -mother said to the bear: "You can lie there on the hearth, in Heaven's -name; it will be shelter for you from the cold and wet." As soon as day -dawned the children let him out, and he trotted over the snow into the -wood. From this time on the bear came every evening at the same hour, -and lay down by the hearth and let the children play what pranks they -liked with him; and they grew so accustomed to him that the door was -never shut till their black friend had made his appearance. - -When spring came and all outside was green, the bear said one morning to -Snow-white: "Now I must go away and not return again the whole summer." -"Where are you going to, dear bear?" asked Snow-white. "I must go to the -wood and protect my treasure from the wicked dwarfs. In winter, when the -earth is frozen hard, they are obliged to remain underground, for they -can't work their way through; but now, when the sun has thawed and -warmed the ground, they break through and come up above to spy the land -and steal what they can. What once falls into their hands and into their -caves is not easily brought back to light." Snow-white was quite sad -over their friend's departure, and when she unbarred the door for him -the bear, stepping out, caught a piece of his fur in the door knocker, -and Snow-white thought she caught sight of glittering gold beneath it, -but she couldn't be certain of it; and the bear ran hastily away and -soon disappeared behind the trees. - -A short time after this the mother sent the children into the wood to -collect fagots. They came in their wanderings upon a big tree which lay -felled on the ground, and on the trunk among the long grass they noticed -something jumping up and down, but what it was they couldn't -distinguish. - -When they approached nearer they perceived a dwarf with a wizened face -and a beard a yard long. The end of the beard was jammed into a cleft of -the tree, and the little man sprang about like a dog on a chain, and -didn't seem to know what he was to do. He glared at the girls with his -fiery red eyes and screamed out: "What are you standing there for? Can't -you come and help me?" "What were you doing, little man?" asked -Rose-red. "You stupid, inquisitive goose!" replied the dwarf; "I wanted -to split the tree in order to get little chips of wood for our kitchen -fire; those thick logs that serve to make fires for coarse, greedy -people like yourselves quite burn up all the little food we need. I had -successfully driven in the wedge and all was going well, but the horrid -wood was so slippery that it suddenly sprang out, and the tree closed up -so rapidly that I had no time to take my beautiful white beard out, so -here I am stuck fast and I can't get away; and you silly, smooth-faced, -milk-and-water girls just stand and laugh. Ugh, what wretches you are!" - -The children did all in their power, but they couldn't get the beard -out; it was wedged in far too firmly. "I will run and fetch somebody," -said Rose-red. "Crazy blockheads!" snapped the dwarf; "what's the good -of calling anyone else? You're already two too many for me. Does nothing -better occur to you than that?" "Don't be so impatient," said -Snow-white. "I'll see you get help." And taking her scissors out of her -pocket she cut the end off his beard. As soon as the dwarf felt himself -free he seized a bagful of gold which was hidden among the roots of the -tree, lifted it up, and muttered aloud: "Curse these rude wretches, -cutting off a piece of my splendid beard!" With these words he swung the -bag over his back and disappeared without as much as looking at the -children again. - -Shortly after this Snow-white and Rose-red went out to get a dish of -fish. As they approached the stream they saw something which looked like -an enormous grasshopper springing toward the water as if it were going -to jump in. They ran forward and recognized their old friend, the -dwarf. "Where are you going to?" asked Rose-red. "You're surely not -going to jump into the water?" "I'm not such a fool," screamed the -dwarf. "Don't you see that horrid fish is trying to drag me in?" The -little man had been sitting on the bank fishing, when unfortunately the -wind had entangled his beard in the line; and when immediately -afterwards a big fish bit, the feeble little creature had no strength to -pull it out. The fish had the upper fin and dragged the dwarf toward -him. He clung on with all his might to every rush and blade of grass, -but it didn't help him much. He had to follow every movement of the fish -and was in great danger of being drawn into the water. The girls came up -just at the right moment, held him firm, and did all they could to -disentangle his beard from the line; but in vain--beard and line were in -a hopeless muddle. Nothing remained but to produce the scissors and cut -the beard, by which a small part of it was sacrificed. - -When the dwarf perceived what they were about, he yelled to them: "Do -you call that manners, you toadstools! to disfigure a fellow's face? It -wasn't enough that you shortened my beard before, but you must now needs -cut off the best of it. I can't appear like this before my own people. I -wish you'd been at Jericho first." Then he fetched a sack of pearls that -lay among the rushes, and without saying another word he dragged it away -and disappeared behind a stone. - -It happened that soon after this the mother sent the two girls to the -town to buy needles, thread, laces, and ribbons. Their road led over a -heath where huge bowlders of rock lay scattered here and there. While -trudging along they saw a big bird hovering in the air, circling slowly -above them, but always descending lower, till at last it settled on a -rock not far from them. Immediately afterwards they heard a sharp, -piercing cry. They ran forward and saw with horror that the eagle had -pounced on their old friend the dwarf and was about to carry him off. -The tender-hearted children seized hold of the little man, and struggled -so long with the bird that at last he let go his prey. When the dwarf -had recovered from the first shock he screamed in his squeaking voice: -"Couldn't you have treated me more carefully? You have torn my thin -little coat all to shreds, useless, awkward hussies that you are!" Then -he took a bag of precious stones and vanished under the rocks into his -cave. The girls were accustomed to his ingratitude, and went on their -way and did their business in town. On their way home, as they were -again passing the heath, they surprised the dwarf pouring out his -precious stones on an open space, for he had thought no one would pass -by at so late an hour. The evening sun shone on the glittering stones, -and they glanced and gleamed so beautifully that the children stood -still and gazed on them. "What are you standing there gaping for?" -screamed the dwarf, and his ashen-gray face became scarlet with rage. He -was about to go off with these angry words, when a sudden growl was -heard and a black bear trotted out of the wood. The dwarf jumped up in a -great fright, but he hadn't time to reach his place of retreat, for the -bear was already close to him. Then he cried in terror: "Dear Mr. Bear, -spare me! I'll give you all my treasure. Look at these beautiful -precious stones lying there. Spare my life! What pleasure would you get -from a poor, feeble little fellow like me? You won't feel me between -your teeth. There, lay hold of these two wicked girls--they will be a -tender morsel for you, as fat as young quails; eat them up, for Heaven's -sake." But the bear, paying no attention to his words, gave the evil -little creature one blow with his paw and he never moved again. - -[Illustration: "'WHAT ARE YOU STANDING THERE GAPING FOR?' SCREAMED THE -DWARF"] - -The girls had run away, but the bear called after them: "Snow-white and -Rose-red, don't be afraid. Wait, and I'll come with you." Then they -recognized his voice and stood still, and when the bear was quite close -to them his skin suddenly fell off, and a beautiful man stood beside -them, all dressed in gold. "I am a king's son," he said, "and have been -doomed by that unholy little dwarf, who had stolen my treasure, to roam -about the woods as a wild bear till his death should set me free. Now he -has received his well-merited punishment." - -Snow-white married him and Rose-red his brother, and they divided the -great treasure the dwarf had collected in his cave between them. The old -mother lived for many years peacefully with her children; and she -carried the two rose trees with her, and they stood in front of her -window, and every year they bore the finest red and white roses. - - - - -_The Frog Prince_ - - -IN times of yore, when wishes were both heard and granted, lived a king -whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so lovely that -the sun himself, who has seen so much, wondered at her beauty every time -he looked in her face. Now, near the King's castle was a large dark -forest; and in the forest, under an old linden tree, was a deep well. -When the day was very hot, the King's daughter used to go to the wood -and seat herself at the edge of the cool well; and when she became -wearied she would take a golden ball, throw it up in the air, and catch -it again. This was her favorite amusement. Once it happened that her -golden ball, instead of falling back into the little hand that she -stretched out for it, dropped on the ground and immediately rolled away -into the water. The King's daughter followed it with her eyes, but the -ball had vanished and the well was so deep that no one could see down to -the bottom. Then she began to weep, wept louder and louder every minute, -and could not console herself at all. - -While she was thus lamenting, some one called to her: "What is the -matter with you, King's daughter? You weep so bitterly that you would -touch the heart of a stone." - -She looked around to see whence the voice came, and saw a frog -stretching his thick, ugly head out of the water. - -"Ah, it is you, old water paddler!" said she. "I am crying for my golden -ball, which has fallen into the well." - -"Be content," answered the Frog, "I dare say I can give you some good -advice; but what will you give me if I bring back your plaything to -you?" - -"Whatever you like, dear Frog," said she, "my clothes, my pearls, and -jewels, even the golden crown I wear." - -The Frog answered: "Your clothes, your pearls, and jewels, even your -golden crown I do not care for; but if you will love me, and let me be -your companion and playfellow; sit near you at your little table, eat -from your little golden plate, drink from your little cup, and sleep in -your little bed--if you will promise me this, then I will bring you back -your golden ball from the bottom of the well." - -"Oh, yes!" said she; "I promise you everything, if you will only bring -me back my golden ball." - -She thought to herself meanwhile: "What nonsense the silly Frog talks! -He sits in the water with the other frogs and croaks, and cannot be -anybody's playfellow." - -But the Frog, as soon as he had received the promise, dipped his head -under the water and sank down. In a little while up he came again with -the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass. The King's daughter -was overjoyed when she beheld her pretty plaything and picked it up and -ran away with it. - -"Wait! wait!" cried the Frog; "take me with you. I cannot run as fast as -you." - -Alas! of what use was it that he croaked after her as loud as he could. -She would not listen to him, but hastened home, and soon forgot the poor -Frog, who was obliged to plunge again to the bottom of his well. - -The next day, when she was sitting at dinner with the King and all the -courtiers, eating from her little golden plate, there came a sound of -something creeping up the marble staircase--splish, splash; and when it -had reached the top, it knocked at the door and cried: "Youngest King's -daughter, open to me." - -She ran, wishing to see who was outside; but when she opened the door, -and there sat the Frog, she flung it hastily to again, and sat down at -table, feeling very, very uncomfortable. The King saw that her heart was -beating violently, and said: "Well, my child, why are you afraid? Is a -giant standing outside the door to carry you off?" - -"Oh, no!" answered she, "it is no giant, but a nasty frog, who -yesterday, when I was playing in the wood near the well, fetched my -golden ball out of the water. For this I promised him he should be my -companion, but I never thought he could come out of his well. Now he is -at the door, and wants to come in." - -Again, the second time there was a knock, and a voice cried: - - "Youngest King's daughter, - Open to me; - Know you what yesterday - You promised me - By the cool water? - Youngest King's daughter, - Open to me." - -Then said the King: "What you promised you must perform. Go and open the -door." She went and opened the door; the Frog hopped in, always -following and following her till he came up to her chair. There he sat -and cried out: "Lift me up to you on the table." She refused, till the -King, her father commanded her to do it. When the Frog was on the table -he said: "Now push your little golden plate nearer to me that we may eat -together." She did as he desired, but one could easily see that she did -it unwillingly. The Frog seemed to enjoy his dinner very much, but every -morsel she ate stuck in the throat of the poor little Princess. - -Then said the Frog: "I have eaten enough, and am tired; carry me to your -little room, and make your little silken bed smooth, and we will lay -ourselves down to sleep together." - -At this the daughter of the King began to weep, for she was afraid of -the cold frog, who wanted to sleep in her pretty clean bed. - -But the King looked angrily at her, and said again: "What you have -promised you must perform. The Frog is your companion." - -It was no use to complain; whether she liked it or not, she was obliged -to take the Frog with her up to her little bed. So she picked him up -with two fingers, hating him bitterly the while, and carried him -upstairs. But when she got into bed, instead of lifting him up to her, -she threw him with all her strength against the wall, saying: "Now, you -nasty Frog, there will be an end of you!" - -But what fell down from the wall was not a dead frog, but a living young -prince, with beautiful and loving eyes, who at once became, by her own -promise and her father's will, her dear companion and husband. He told -her how he had been cursed by a wicked sorceress, and that no one but -the King's youngest daughter could release him from his enchantment and -take him out of the well. - -The next day a carriage drove up to the palace gates with eight white -horses, having white feathers on their heads and golden reins. Behind it -stood the servant of the young Prince, called the Faithful Henry. This -Faithful Henry had been so grieved when his master was changed into a -frog, that he had been compelled to have three iron bands fastened -around his heart, lest it should break. Now the carriage came to convey -the Prince to his kingdom, so the Faithful Henry lifted in the bride and -bridegroom, and mounted behind, full of joy at his lord's release. But -when they had gone a short distance, the Prince heard behind him a noise -as if something was breaking. He turned around and cried out: "Henry, -the carriage is breaking!" - -But Henry replied: "No, sir, it is not the carriage, but one of the -bands from my heart with which I was forced to bind it up, or it would -have broken with grief while you sat as a frog at the bottom of the -well." - -Twice again this happened, and the Prince always thought the carriage -was breaking; but it was only the bands breaking off from the heart of -the Faithful Henry, out of joy that his lord the Frog Prince was a frog -no more. - - - - -_The Goose Girl_ - - -THE King of a great land died, and left his Queen to take care of their -only child. This child was a daughter who was very beautiful, and her -mother loved her dearly and was very kind to her. And there was a good -fairy, too, who was fond of the Princess, and helped her mother to watch -over her. When she grew up she was betrothed to a prince who lived a -great way off; and as the time drew near for her to be married she made -ready to set off on her journey to his country. Then the Queen, her -mother, packed up a great many costly things; jewels and gold and -silver; trinkets, fine dresses, and in short, everything that became a -royal bride. And she gave her a waiting maid to ride with her, and give -her into the bridegroom's hands; and each had a horse for the journey. -Now the Princess's horse was the fairy's gift, and it was called Falada, -and could speak. - -When the time came for them to set out the fairy went into her -bedchamber, and took a little knife and cut off a lock of her hair and -gave it to the Princess, and said: "Take care of it, dear child; for it -is a charm that may be of use to you on the road." Then they all took a -sorrowful leave of the Princess; and she put the lock of hair into her -bosom, got upon her horse, and set off on her journey to her -bridegroom's kingdom. - -One day, as they were riding along by a brook, the Princess began to -feel very thirsty, and she said to her maid: "Pray get down and fetch me -some water in my golden cup out of yonder brook, for I want to drink." -"Nay," said the maid, "if you are thirsty, get off yourself and stoop -down by the water and drink; I shall not be your waiting maid any -longer." Then she was so thirsty that she got down and knelt over the -little brook and drank, for she was frightened, and dared not bring out -her golden cup; and she wept and said: - -"Alas! what will become of me?" And the lock of hair answered her, and -said: - - "Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, - Sadly, sadly would she rue it." - -But the Princess was very gentle and meek, so she said nothing to her -maid's ill behavior, but got upon her horse again. - -Then all rode farther on their journey till the day grew so warm, and -the sun so scorching that the bride began to feel very thirsty again; -and at last, when they came to a river, she forgot her maid's rude -speech, and said: "Pray get down and fetch me some water to drink in my -golden cup." But the maid answered her, and spoke even more haughtily -than before: "Drink if you will, but I shall not be your waiting maid." -Then the Princess was so thirsty that she got off her horse and lay -down, and held her head over the running stream and cried and said: -"What will become of me?" And the lock of hair answered her again: - - "Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, - Sadly, sadly would she rue it." - -And as she leaned down to drink, the lock of hair fell from her bosom -and floated away with the water. Now she was so frightened that she did -not see it; but her maid saw it and was very glad, for she knew the -charm; and she saw that the poor bride would be in her power, now that -she had lost the hair. So when the bride had done drinking, and would -have got upon Falada again, the maid said: "I shall ride upon Falada, -and you may have my horse instead." So she was forced to give up her -horse, and soon afterwards to take off her royal clothes and put on her -maid's shabby ones. - -At last, as they drew near the end of their journey, this treacherous -servant threatened to kill her mistress if she ever told anyone what had -happened. But Falada saw it all and marked it well. - -Then the waiting maid got upon Falada, and the real bride rode upon the -other horse, and they went on in this way till at last they came to the -royal court. There was great joy at their coming, and the Prince flew to -meet them, and lifted the maid from her horse, thinking she was the one -who was to be his wife; and she was led upstairs to the royal chamber; -but the true Princess was told to stay in the court below. - -Now the old King happened just then to have nothing else to do, so he -amused himself by sitting at his kitchen window, looking at what was -going on, and he saw her in the courtyard. As she looked very pretty, -and too delicate for a waiting maid, he went up into the royal chamber -to ask the bride who it was she had brought with her, that was thus left -standing in the court below. "I brought her with me for the sake of her -company on the road," said she; "pray give the girl some work to do, -that she may not be idle." The old King could not for some time think of -any work for her to do, but at last he said: "I have a lad who takes -care of my geese, she may go and help him." Now the name of this lad -that the real bride was to help in watching the King's geese was -Curdken. - -But the false bride said to the Prince: "Dear husband, pray do me one -act of kindness." "That I will," said the Prince. "Then tell one of your -slaughterers to cut off the head of the horse I rode upon, for it was -very unruly, and plagued me sadly on the road"; but the truth was, she -was very much afraid lest Falada should some day or other speak and tell -all she had done to the Princess. She carried her point, and the -faithful Falada was killed; but when the true Princess heard of it she -wept, and begged the man to nail up Falada's head against a large dark -gate of the city, through which she had to pass every morning and -evening, that there she might still see him sometimes. Then the -slaughterer said he would do as she wished; and cut off the head, and -nailed it up under the dark gate. - -Early the next morning, as she and Curdken went out through the gate, -she cried sorrowfully: - -[Illustration: "FALADA, FALADA, THERE THOU HANGEST!" - -"BRIDE, BRIDE, THERE THOU GANGEST!"] - - "Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!" - -and the head answered: - - "Bride, bride, there thou gangest! - Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, - Sadly, sadly would she rue it." - -Then they went out of the city and drove the geese on. And when she came -to the meadow she sat down upon a bank there, and let down her waving -locks of hair, which were all of pure silver; and when Curdken saw it -glitter in the sun he ran up, and would have pulled some of the locks -out, but she cried: - - "Blow, breezes, blow! - Let Curdken's hat go! - Blow, breezes, blow! - Let him after it go! - O'er hills, dales, and rocks, - Away be it whirl'd, - Till the silvery locks - Are all comb'd and curl'd!" - -Then there came a wind so strong that it blew off Curdken's hat, and -away it flew over the hills, and he was forced to turn and run after it, -till, by the time he came back, she had done combing and curling her -hair, and had put it up safe again. Then he was very angry and sulky, -and would not speak to her at all; but they watched the geese until it -grew dark in the evening, and then drove them homeward. - -The next morning, as they were going through the dark gate, the poor -girl looked up at Falada's head, and cried: - - "Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!" - -and it answered: - - "Bride, bride, there thou gangest! - Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, - Sadly, sadly would she rue it." - -Then she drove on the geese, and sat down again in the meadow, and began -to comb out her hair as before; and Curdken ran up to her, and wanted to -take hold of it, but she cried out quickly: - - "Blow, breezes, blow! - Let Curdken's hat go! - Blow, breezes, blow! - Let him after it go! - O'er hills, dales, and rocks, - Away be it whirl'd, - Till the silvery locks - Are all comb'd and curl'd!" - -Then a wind came and blew away his hat; and off it flew a great way, -over the hills and far away, so that he had to run after it; and when he -came back she had bound up her hair again, and all was safe. So they -watched the geese till it grew dark. - -In the evening, after they came home, Curdken went to the old King, and -said: "I cannot have that strange girl to help me to keep the geese any -longer." "Why?" said the King. "Because, instead of doing any good, she -does nothing but tease me all day long." Then the King made him tell -what had happened. And Curdken said: "When we go in the morning through -the dark gate with our flock of geese, she cries and talks with the head -of a horse that hangs upon the wall, and says: - - "Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!" - -and the head answers: - - "Bride, bride, there thou gangest! - Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, - Sadly, sadly would she rue it." - -And Curdken went on telling the King what had happened upon the meadow -where the geese fed; how his hat was blown away, and how he was forced -to run after it, and to leave his flock of geese to themselves. But the -old King told the boy to go out again the next day. And when morning -came, he placed himself behind the dark gate, and heard how she spoke to -Falada, and how Falada answered. Then he went into the field, and hid -himself in a bush by the meadow's side; and he soon saw with his own -eyes how they drove the flock of geese; and how, after a little time, -she let down her hair that glittered in the sun. And then he heard her -say: - - "Blow, breezes, blow! - Let Curdken's hat go! - Blow, breezes, blow! - Let him after it go! - O'er hills, dales, and rocks, - Away be it whirl'd, - Till the silvery locks - Are all comb'd and curl'd!" - -And soon came a gale of wind and carried away Curdken's hat, and away -went Curdken after it, while the girl went on combing and curling her -hair. All this the old King saw. So he went home without being seen, and -when the little goose girl came back in the evening he called her aside, -and asked her why she did this; but she burst into tears, and said: -"That I must not tell you or any man, or I shall lose my life." - -But the old King begged so hard that she had no peace till she had told -him all the tale, from beginning to end, word for word. And it was very -lucky for her that she did so, for when she had done, the King ordered -royal clothes to be put upon her, and gazed on her with wonder, she was -so beautiful. Then he called his son, and told him that he had only the -false bride; for that she was merely a waiting maid while the true bride -stood by. And the young King rejoiced when he saw her beauty, and heard -how meek and patient she had been; and without saying anything to the -false bride, the King ordered a great feast to be made ready for all his -court. The bridegroom sat at the head, with the false Princess on one -side, and the true one on the other; but nobody knew her again, for her -beauty was quite dazzling to their eyes, and she did not seem at all -like the little goose girl, now that she had her brilliant dress on. - -When they had eaten and drunk, and were very merry, the old King said he -would tell them a tale. So he began, and told all the story of the -Princess, as if it was one that he had once heard; and he asked the true -waiting maid what she thought ought to be done to anyone who would -behave thus. "Nothing better," said this false bride, "than that she -should be banished to the depths of the dark woods and live there -forever." "Thou art she!" said the old King; "and as thou hast judged -thyself, so shall it be done to thee." And the young King was then -married to his true wife, and they reigned over the kingdom in peace and -happiness all their lives; and the good fairy came to see them, and -restored the faithful Falada to life again. - - - - -_Briar Rose_ - - -A LONG time ago there lived a king and a queen, who said every day, "If -only we had a child"; but for a long time they had none. - -It fell out once, as the Queen was bathing, that a frog crept out of the -water on to the land and said to her: "Your wish shall be fulfilled; -before a year has passed you shall bring a daughter into the world." - -The frog's words came true. The Queen had a little girl who was so -beautiful that the King could not contain himself for joy, and prepared -a great feast. He invited not only his relations, friends, and -acquaintances, but the fairies, in order that they might be favorably -and kindly disposed toward the child. There were thirteen of them in the -kingdom, but as the King had only twelve golden plates for them to eat -off, one of the fairies had to stay at home. - -The feast was held with all splendor, and when it came to an end the -fairies all presented the child with a magic gift. One gave her virtue, -another beauty, a third riches, and so on, with everything in the world -that she could wish for. - -When eleven of the fairies had said their say, the thirteenth suddenly -appeared. She wanted to revenge herself for not having been invited. -Without greeting anyone, or even glancing at the company, she called out -in a loud voice, "The Princess shall prick herself with a distaff in her -fifteenth year and shall fall down dead"; and without another word she -turned and left the hall. - -Everyone was terror-stricken, but the twelfth fairy, whose wish was -still unspoken, stepped forward. She could not cancel the curse, but -could only soften it, so she said: "It shall not be death, but a deep -sleep lasting a hundred years, into which your daughter shall fall." - -The King was so anxious to guard his dear child from the misfortune that -he sent out a command that all the distaffs in the whole kingdom should -be burned. - -All the promises of the fairies came true. - -The Princess grew up so beautiful, modest, kind, and clever that -everyone who saw her could not but love her. Now it happened that on the -very day when she was fifteen years old the King and Queen were away -from home, and the Princess was left quite alone in the castle. She -wandered about over the whole place, looking at rooms and halls as she -pleased, and at last she came to an old tower. She ascended a narrow, -winding staircase and reached a little door. A rusty key was sticking in -the lock, and when she turned it the door flew open. In a little room -sat an old woman with a spindle, busily spinning her flax. - -"Good day, Granny," said the Princess; "what are you doing?" - -"I am spinning," said the old woman, and nodded her head. - -"What is the thing that whirls round so merrily?" asked the Princess; -and she took the spindle and tried to spin too. - -But she had scarcely touched it before the curse was fulfilled, and she -pricked her finger with the spindle. The instant she felt the prick she -fell upon the bed which was standing near, and lay still in a deep -sleep which spread over the whole castle. - -The King and Queen, who had just come home and had stepped into the -hall, went to sleep, and all their courtiers with them. The horses went -to sleep in the stable, the dogs in the yard, the doves on the roof, the -flies on the wall; yes, even the fire flickering on the hearth grew -still and went to sleep, and the roast meat stopped crackling; and the -cook, who was pulling the scullion's hair because he had made some -mistake, let him go and went to sleep. And the wind dropped, and on the -trees in front of the castle not a leaf stirred. - -But round the castle a hedge of brier roses began to grow up; every year -it grew higher, till at last it surrounded the whole castle so that -nothing could be seen of it, not even the flags on the roof. - -But there was a legend in the land about the lovely sleeping Brier Rose, -as the King's daughter was called, and from time to time princes came -and tried to force a way through the hedge into the castle. But they -found it impossible, for the thorns, as though they had hands, held them -fast, and the princes remained caught in them without being able to free -themselves, and so died a miserable death. - -After many, many years a prince came again to the country and heard an -old man tell of the castle which stood behind the brier hedge, in which -a most beautiful maiden called Brier Rose had been asleep for the last -hundred years, and with her slept the King, Queen, and all her -courtiers. He knew also, from his grandfather, that many princes had -already come and sought to pierce through the brier hedge, and had -remained caught in it and died a sad death. - -Then the young Prince said: "I am not afraid; I am determined to go and -look upon the lovely Brier Rose." - -The good old man did all in his power to dissuade him, but the Prince -would not listen to his words. - -Now, however, the hundred years were just ended, and the day had come -when Brier Rose was to wake up again. When the Prince approached the -brier hedge it was in blossom, and was covered with beautiful large -flowers which made way for him of their own accord and let him pass -unharmed, and then closed up again into a hedge behind him. - -[Illustration: "AT LAST HE REACHED THE TOWER ... WHERE BRIER ROSE WAS -ASLEEP"] - -In the courtyard he saw the horses and dappled hounds lying asleep, on -the roof sat the doves with their heads under their wings, and when he -went into the house the flies were asleep on the walls, and near the -throne lay the King and Queen; in the kitchen was the cook, with his -hand raised as though about to strike the scullion, and the maid sat -with the black fowl before her which she was about to pluck. - -He went on farther, and all was so still that he could hear his own -breathing. At last he reached the tower, and opened the door into the -little room where Brier Rose was asleep. There she lay, looking so -beautiful that he could not take his eyes off her; he bent down and gave -her a kiss. As he touched her, Brier Rose opened her eyes and looked -quite sweetly at him. Then they went down together; and the King and the -Queen and all the courtiers woke up, and looked at each other with -astonished eyes. The horses in the stable stood up and shook themselves, -the hounds leaped about and wagged their tails, the doves on the roof -lifted their heads from under their wings, looked around, and flew into -the fields; the flies on the walls began to crawl again, the fire in the -kitchen roused itself and blazed up and cooked the food, the meat began -to crackle, and the cook boxed the scullion's ears so soundly that he -screamed aloud, while the maid finished plucking the fowl. Then the -wedding of the Prince and Brier Rose was celebrated with all splendor, -and they lived happily till they died. - - - - -_The Iron Stove_ - - -ONCE upon a time when wishes came true there was a king's son who was -enchanted by an old witch, so that he was obliged to sit in a large iron -stove in a wood. There he lived for many years, and no one could free -him. At last a king's daughter came into the wood; she had lost her -way and could not find her father's kingdom again. She had been -wandering round and round for nine days, and she came at last to the -iron stove. A voice came from within and asked her: "Where do you come -from and where do you want to go?" She answered: "I have lost my way to -my father's kingdom, and I shall never get home again." Then the voice -from the iron stove said: "I will help you to find your home again, and -that in a very short time, if you will promise to do what I ask you. I -am a greater prince than you are a princess, and I will marry you." Then -she grew frightened and thought: "What can a young lassie do with an -iron stove?" But as she wanted very much to go home to her father, she -promised to do what he wished. He said: "You must come again, and bring -a knife with you to scrape a hole in the iron." - -Then he gave her some one for a guide, who walked near her and said -nothing, but he brought her in two hours to her house. There was great -joy in the castle when the Princess came back, and the old King fell on -her neck and kissed her. But she was very much troubled and said: "Dear -father, listen to what has befallen me. I should never have come home -again out of the great wildwood if I had not come to an iron stove, and -I have had to promise that I will go back to free him and marry him!" -The old King was so frightened that he nearly fainted, for she was his -only daughter. So they consulted together and determined that the -miller's daughter, who was very beautiful, should take her place. They -took her there, gave her a knife, and said she must scrape at the iron -stove. She scraped for twenty-four hours, but did not make the least -impression. When the day broke a voice called from the iron stove: "It -seems to me that it is day outside." Then she answered: "It seems so to -me; I think I hear my father's mill rattling." - -"So you are a miller's daughter! Then go away at once and tell the -King's daughter to come." - -Then she went away and told the old King that the thing inside the iron -stove would not have her, but wanted the Princess. The old King was -frightened, and his daughter wept. But they had a swineherd's daughter -who was even more beautiful than the miller's daughter, and they gave -her a piece of gold to go to the iron stove instead of the Princess. -Then she was taken there and made to scrape for twenty-four hours, but -she could make no impression. As soon as the day broke the voice from -the stove called out: "It seems to be daylight outside." Then she -answered: "It seems so to me, too; I think I hear my father blowing his -horn." "So you are a swineherd's daughter! Go away at once and let the -King's daughter come. And say to her that what I foretell shall come to -pass, and if she does not come everything in the kingdom shall fall into -ruin, and not one stone shall be left upon another." When the Princess -heard this she began to cry, but it was no good; she had to keep her -word. She took leave of her father, put a knife in her belt, and went to -the iron stove in the wood. As soon as she reached it she began to -scrape and the iron gave way, and before two hours had passed she had -made a little hole. Then she peeped in and saw such a beautiful youth -all shining with gold and precious stones that she fell in love with him -on the spot. So she scraped away harder than ever, and made the hole so -large that he could get out. Then he said: "You are mine and I am thine; -you are my bride and have set me free!" He wanted to take her with him -to his kingdom, but she begged him just to let her go once more to her -father; and the Prince let her go, but told her not to say more than -three words to her father, then to come back again. So she went home, -but, alas! she said more than three words; and immediately the iron -stove vanished and went away over a mountain of glass and sharp swords. -But the Prince was free and was no longer shut up in it. Then she said -good-by to her father, and took a little money with her and went again -into the great wood to look for the iron stove; but she could not find -it. She sought it for nine days, and then her hunger became so great -that she did not know how she could live any longer. And when it was -evening she climbed a little tree and wished that the night would not -come, because she was afraid of the wild beasts. When midnight came she -saw afar off a little light and thought: "Ah, if only I could reach -that!" Then she got down from the tree and went toward the light. She -came to a little old house with a great deal of grass growing around, -and stood in front of a little heap of wood. She thought, "Alas! what am -I coming to?" and peeped through the window; but she saw nothing inside -except big and little toads and a table beautifully spread with roast -meats and wine, and all the dishes and drinking cups were of silver, so -she took heart and knocked. Then a fat toad called out: - - "Little green toad with leg like crook, - Open wide the door, and look - Who it was the latch that shook." - -And a little toad came forward and let her in. When she entered they all -bade her welcome and made her sit down. They asked her how she came -there and what she wanted. Then she told everything that had happened to -her, and how, because she had exceeded her permission only to speak -three words, the stove had disappeared with the Prince; and how she had -searched a very long time, and must wander over mountain and valley till -she found him. - -Then the old toad said: - - "Little green toad whose leg doth twist, - Go to the corner of which you wist, - And bring to me the large old kist." - -And the little toad went and brought out a great chest. Then they gave -her food and drink and led her to a beautifully made bed of silk and -samite, on which she lay down and slept soundly. When the day dawned she -arose, and the old toad gave her three things out of the huge chest to -take with her. She would have need of them, for she had to cross a high -glass mountain, three cutting swords, and a great lake. When she had -passed these she would find her lover again. So she was given three -large needles, a plow wheel, and three nuts, which she was to take great -care of. She set out with these things, and when she came to the glass -mountain which was so slippery, she stuck the three needles behind her -feet and then in front, and so got over it, and when she was on the -other side put them carefully away. - -Then she reached the three cutting swords and got on her plow wheel and -rolled over them. At last she came to a great lake, and when she had -crossed that arrived at a beautiful castle. She went in and gave herself -out as a servant, a poor maid who would gladly be engaged. But she knew -that the Prince whom she had freed from the iron stove in the great wood -was in the castle. So she was taken on as a kitchen maid for very small -wages. Now, the Prince was about to marry another princess, for he -thought she was dead long ago. - -In the evening, when she had washed up and was ready, she felt in her -pocket and found the three nuts which the old toad had given her. She -cracked one and was going to eat the kernel, when behold! there was a -beautiful royal dress inside it. When the bride heard of this she came -and begged for the dress and wanted to buy it, saying that it was not a -dress for a serving maid. Then she said she would not sell it unless she -was granted one favor--namely, to sleep by the Prince's door. The bride -granted her this, because the dress was so beautiful and she had so few -like it. When it was evening she said to her bridegroom: "That stupid -maid wants to sleep by your door." - -"If you are contented, I am," he said. But she gave him a glass of wine -in which she had poured a sleeping draught. Then they both went to their -room, but he slept so soundly that she could not wake him. The maid wept -all night long and said: "I freed you in the wildwood out of the iron -stove. I have sought you and have crossed a glassy mountain, three sharp -swords, and a great lake before I found you, and will you not hear me -now?" The servants outside heard how she cried the whole night, and they -told their master in the morning. - -When she had washed up the next evening she bit the second nut, and -there was a still more beautiful dress inside. When the bride saw it she -wanted to buy it also. But the maid did not want money and asked that -she should sleep again by the Prince's door. The bride, however, gave -him a sleeping draught, and he slept so soundly that he heard nothing. -But the kitchen maid wept the whole night long and said: "I have freed -you in a wood and from an iron stove; I sought you and have crossed a -glassy mountain, three sharp swords, and a great lake to find you, and -now you will not hear me!" The servants outside heard how she cried the -whole night, and in the morning they told their master. And when she had -washed up on the third night she bit the third nut, and there was a -still more beautiful dress inside that was made of pure gold. When the -bride saw it she wanted to have it, but the maid would only give it her -on condition that she should sleep for the third time by the Prince's -door. But the Prince took care not to drink the sleeping draught. When -she began to weep and to say, "Dearest sweetheart, I freed you in the -horrible wildwood and from an iron stove," he jumped up and said: "Thou -art right. Thou art mine and I am thine." Though it was still night, he -got into a carriage with her, and they took the false bride's clothes -away, so that she could not follow them. When they came to the great -lake they rowed across, and when they reached the three sharp swords -they sat on the plow wheel, and on the glassy mountain they stuck the -three needles in. So they arrived at last at the little old house, but -when they stepped inside it turned into a large castle. The toads were -all freed and were beautiful king's children running about for joy. -There they were married, and they remained in the castle, which was much -larger than that of the Princess's father. But because the old man did -not like being left alone they went and fetched him. So they had two -kingdoms and lived in great wealth. - - "A mouse has run, - My story's done." - - - - -_Rumpel-stilts-ken_ - - -BY the side of a wood, in a country a long way off, ran a fine stream of -water, and upon the stream there stood a mill. The miller's house was -close by, and the miller, you must know, had a very beautiful daughter. -She was, moreover, very shrewd and clever; and the miller was so proud -of her that he one day told the King of the land, who used to come and -hunt in the wood, that his daughter could spin gold out of straw. Now -this King was very fond of money, and when he heard the miller's boast -his greediness was roused, and he sent for the girl to be brought before -him. Then he led her to a chamber in his palace where there was a great -heap of straw, and gave her a spinning wheel, and said: "All this must -be spun into gold before morning, as you love your life." It was in vain -that the poor maiden said that it was only a silly boast of her father, -for that she could do no such thing as spin straw into gold. The chamber -door was locked, and she was left alone. - -She sat down in one corner of the room and began to bewail her hard -fate, when on a sudden the door opened and a droll-looking little man -hobbled in and said: "Good morrow to you, my good lass; what are you -weeping for?" "Alas!" said she, "I must spin this straw into gold, and I -know not how." "What will you give me," said the hobgoblin, "to do it -for you?" "My necklace," replied the maiden. He took her at her word and -sat himself down to the wheel, and whistled and sang: - - "Round about, round about, - Lo and behold! - Reel away, reel away, - Straw into gold!" - -And round about the wheel went merrily; the work was quickly done, and -the straw was all spun into gold. - -When the King came in and saw this he was greatly astonished and -pleased, but his heart grew still more greedy of gain, and he shut up -the poor miller's daughter again with a fresh task. Then she knew not -what to do, and sat down once more to weep; but the dwarf soon opened -the door and said: "What will you give me to do your task?" "The ring on -my finger," said she. So her little friend took the ring, and began to -work at the wheel again, and whistled and sang, - - "Round about, round about, - Lo and behold! - Reel away, reel away, - Straw into gold!" - -till, long before morning, all was done again. - -The King was greatly delighted to see all this glittering treasure, but -still he had not enough, so he took the miller's daughter to a yet -larger heap and said: "All this must be spun to-night; and if it is, you -shall be my Queen." As soon as she was alone the dwarf came in and said: -"What will you give me to spin gold for you this third time?" "I have -nothing left," said she. "Then say you will give me," said the little -man, "the first little child that you may have when you are Queen." "That -may never be," thought the miller's daughter, and as she knew no other -way to get her task done she said she would do what he asked. Round went -the wheel again to the old song, and the manikin once more spun the heap -into gold. The King came in the morning, and, finding all he wanted, was -forced to keep his word; so he married the miller's daughter, and she -really became Queen. - -At the birth of her first little child she was very glad, and forgot the -dwarf and what she had promised. But one day he came into her room, -where she was sitting playing with her baby, and put her in mind of it. -Then she grieved sorely at her misfortune, and said she would give him -all the wealth of the kingdom if he would let her off, but in vain; till -at last her tears softened him and he said: "I will give you three days' -grace, and, if during that time you tell me my name, you shall keep your -child." - -Now the Queen lay awake all night, thinking of all the odd names that -she had ever heard, and she sent messengers all over the land to find -out new ones. The next day the little man came, and she began with -TIMOTHY, ICHABOD, BENJAMIN, JEREMIAH, and all the names she could -remember; but to all and each of them he said: "Madam, that is not my -name." - -The second day she began with all the comical names she could hear of, -BANDY LEGS, HUNCHBACK, CROOK SHANKS, and so on; but the little gentleman -still said to every one of them: "Madam, that is not my name." - -The third day one of the messengers came back and said: "I traveled two -days without hearing of any other names; but yesterday, as I was -climbing a high hill, among the trees of the forest where the fox and -the hare bid each other good night, I saw a little hut; and before the -hut burned a fire; and round about the fire a funny little dwarf was -dancing upon one leg, and singing: - - "'Merrily the feast I'll make, - To-day I'll brew, to-morrow bake; - Merrily I'll dance and sing, - For next day will a stranger bring. - Little does my lady dream - Rumpel-stilts-ken is my name!'" - -When the Queen heard this she jumped for joy, and as soon as her little -friend came she sat down upon her throne and called all her court around -to enjoy the fun; and the nurse stood by her side with the baby in her -arms, as if it was quite ready to be given up. Then the little man began -to chuckle at the thoughts of having the poor child to take home with -him to his hut in the woods, and he cried out: "Now, lady, what is my -name?" "Is it JOHN?" asked she. "No, madam!" "Is it TOM?" "No, madam!" -"Is it JEMMY?" "It is not." "Can your name be RUMPEL-STILTS-KEN?" said -the lady slyly. "Some witch told you that!--some witch told you that!" -cried the little man, and dashed his right foot in a rage so deep into -the floor, that he was forced to lay hold of it with both hands to pull -it out. - -Then he made the best of his way off, while the nurse laughed and the -baby crowed; and all the court jeered at him for having had so much -trouble for nothing, and said: "We wish you a very good morning, and a -merry feast, Mr. RUMPEL-STILTS-KEN!" - - - - -_Faithful John, the King's Servant_ - - -THE old King lay dying and was very much worried in his mind because he -was leaving behind him, as his heir, his son, who was a headstrong and -willful youth, not yet come to years of wisdom. He called to his bedside -faithful John, who had been his servant ever since he was a boy, and -charged him thus: - -"I am going to my last rest, and am sorrowful because my boy is left -alone in a high position, and will have no other guidance but yours. Be -his guardian and counselor, and serve him faithfully even as you have -served me, or I cannot die happily." - -"Master, I will," answered faithful John, "even if it cost me my life." - -"Now I can rest in peace," said the King. "When I am dead you must lead -him all over the castle, and show him the halls and chambers and the -vaults and the treasures therein. But one room he must never enter, the -last room in the long corridor, for there hangs the portrait of the -daughter of the King of the Golden Palace, and she is so beautiful that -whoever gazes on her picture will fall down in a swoon for love of her, -and will go through great perils for her sake. Therefore he must never -enter that room." - -The trusty servant pressed his master's hand and promised to do his -commands, and soon afterwards the King laid his head on the pillow and -died. - -After the old King was laid in his grave, the faithful John told the -young King of the commands his father had laid upon him, and swore to -serve him faithfully, even unto death. - -When the days of mourning were over he told the young King that it was -now time for him to see his inheritance; so they went all over the -castle, up into the towers and down into the vaults, and saw all the -great treasure the old King had collected; and they went into all the -grand halls and splendid chambers, into all save one--the last room at -the end of the long corridor, wherein hung the portrait. - -The King noticed that they always passed this door, and asked John why. - -"There is something there that it is dangerous to see," said John. - -"But," answered the King, "I have seen everything else that I possess, -and you must not imagine I am going away without seeing this." - -Faithful John tried to argue him out of it, but it was of no use, and -the obstinate King even made an effort to force the door open, and -declared that he would not leave the spot till he had seen the contents -of the chamber. - -So John, seeing that there was nothing for it but to yield, sorrowfully -took the key from the bunch and put it in the lock. He turned it -suddenly and hurried in, hoping to cover over the portrait before the -King saw it; but he was close on his heels, and John was too late to -prevent the catastrophe, for no sooner had his master set eyes on the -wonderful painting, which appeared to be living, breathing flesh, than -he fell on the floor in a swoon. - -Poor John carried him tenderly to his bed, deeply bewailing the -misfortune that had come upon them, and by dint of forcing wine down his -throat he brought him round again. The first words that he uttered were: - -"Who is the lady of the beautiful picture?" - -"She is the daughter of the King of the Golden Palace," replied John. - -"Then," said the King, "we must seek her at once, for I am filled with -so great a love for her that if all the leaves on the trees had tongues -they should not gainsay it." - -Then trusty John thought for a long, long time as how to set about the -matter, for it was very difficult to reach the presence of the beautiful -Princess. At last he thought of a plan, and he said to the King: - -"I have thought of a way by which you may achieve your end; all the -things the Princess uses, and all the things about her, are -gold--chairs, tables, dishes, pots and pans, all are fashioned of gold. -There are five tons of gold bars in your cellars; you must have them -wrought into articles of every kind, even into beasts and flowers, and -then we will set out and seek her favor." - -So the King sent for all the goldsmiths in the kingdom, and they worked -day and night till all the gold was made into most wonderful and -beautiful forms of the finest workmanship. Then they took them all -aboard a great ship and set sail. They sailed for many days, till they -came to the city where dwelt the daughter of the King of the Golden -Palace. - -The faithful John had decided that it was better for him to go ashore, -so he told the King to remain on board and have all things in readiness, -the treasures displayed and all in order, lest he should bring the -Princess back with him. Then he tied up some of the smaller things in a -handkerchief and rowed ashore. - -When he entered the courtyard of the palace, he saw a beautiful girl -filling two golden pails at the well. When they were full she turned, -and, perceiving the stranger, demanded his business. So he untied the -handkerchief and showed her the dainty trinkets. She was delighted with -them, and at once said: - -"The Princess must see these, for she has a passion for golden things, -and will, no doubt, buy them all." So she took him by the hand and led -him to the King's daughter. The Princess was even more beautiful than -report had made her, and John was dazzled. The lady was very gracious to -him, and was charmed with his treasures, which she wished to purchase. -But John said: - -"I am only a servant. My master is a rich merchant who has even more -beautiful things than these aboard his ship." - -"Let them be brought hither," replied the Princess; but he said: - -"That would take many days and nights, their number is so vast, and even -if they were all brought hither there is no room in the palace large -enough to show them to advantage." - -The Princess's curiosity was very much excited by this time, and she -said: - -"Bring me to the ship, and I will see them there." - -Faithful John was overjoyed at the success of his plans, and conducted -her thither immediately. When the King saw her, he was so overcome with -her beauty that he could hardly help her aboard, but he managed to -control the violent beatings of his heart, and led her down into the -cabin. John remained on deck, and commanded the helmsman to steer out to -sea, and put on all the sail he could, so that they might leave the land -far behind. - -Down below the Princess was enjoying herself immensely, looking at all -the beautiful and curious things, and several hours passed before she -bethought her that it was time to go ashore. So she went on deck -prepared to land immediately, and behold! no land was to be seen, -nothing but the wide sea all around her. - -"Ah!" she screamed, in sudden terror, "I am entrapped by a strange -merchant. I would rather die than remain in his power!" - -The King reassured her, and taking her hand he said: "I am no merchant, -I am a king of royal blood like yourself. I have carried you off because -my love for you is so great that I cannot live without you. You must -know that when I saw your portrait, I was so stricken with love for you -that I fell in a swoon before it." - -When the King's daughter heard this her fear disappeared, and love grew -in its place and she was willing to be his bride. - -One day, when John was sitting on deck piping sweet music, three crows -flew over the ship, talking hard all the time. John understood every -word they said, and this is what he heard: - -"There he is, sailing home with the daughter of the King of the Golden -Palace," said the first. "Ah! they are not home yet," said the second. -"But she is with him in the ship," said the third. "What matters that?" -began the first again; "when they land there will come a beautiful -fox-colored horse, and he will spring upon it and the horse will bound -away with him up into the air and he will never be seen again." - -"But is there no way to save him?" the second one asked. - -"Yes, if one springs up quickly behind him and seizes the pistols which -are in the holsters and shoots the fox-colored horse, then the King will -be saved. But nobody knows, and if one knew and told him, he would be -turned into stone from toe to knee." - -Then the second crow spoke again: - -"I know still more, for even if the horse be shot he will not keep his -lovely bride. When they arrive at the castle a bridal shirt will be -brought to him on a dish, looking as though it were made of silver and -gold, but it is only sulphur and pitch, and when he puts it on he will -be burned to the marrow of his bones." - -"Is there no way to save him?" asked the third crow. - -"Oh, yes! if one were to take up the shirt with his gloves on and throw -it on the fire before the King touches it, he will be saved. But what -matter? for no one knows that, and if one knew and were to tell, he -would be turned into stone from his knee to his heart." - -Then the third crow spoke again: - -"I know even more. Even if the shirt be burned the King will not keep -his bride. After supper a dance will be held, and suddenly, when she is -dancing, the Queen will turn pale and fall in a faint; and if some one -does not raise her up and take three drops of blood from her little -finger and throw them away, she will die. But if anyone knows that and -tells it, he will be turned into stone from the crown of his head to the -toes of his feet." - -Then the crows flew away, leaving John very quiet and sad; for if he -concealed what he knew, misfortune would fall upon his master, and if he -told, he must lose his own life; but he decided that whatever happened -to himself he must save his master. - -When they landed it happened just as the crows had said, and a beautiful -fox-colored horse appeared in front of the King. He exclaimed with -pleasure: - -"Splendid! this shall carry us to the castle." And he sprang into the -saddle. - -But John sprang up after him, and finding the pistols, shot the horse -dead. The other servants who were jealous of John, began to grumble at -this, and said: - -"Shame to kill such a lovely animal, which was fit to bear the King!" - -But the King said: - -"Peace; be silent. He is my faithful servant and I trust him. Who knows -what he has saved us from?" - -Then they went on to the castle, and in the hall it happened just as it -had been foretold--a beautiful bridal shirt was brought to the King. He -was just about to pick it up and put it on when John threw himself in -front of him, and seizing the shirt, carried it to the fire and burned -it. - -Again the other servants set up a murmur: - -"What is he about? See, he has burned the bridal shirt!" - -But the King silenced them and said: - -"He is my faithful John, and I trust him. Who knows what danger he has -averted?" - -After the wedding supper a grand ball was given, and John watched the -Queen very carefully while she danced. Suddenly he saw her turn pale and -fall in a faint. He hurried toward her, and lifting her up he carried -her away to her chamber. Then he knelt down, and drawing three drops of -blood from her little finger he threw them away. Soon the Queen stirred, -and then sat up, quite herself again. But the King had watched all this, -and this time he was furiously angry with faithful John, and ordered him -to be thrown into prison. Next day he was brought to trial and condemned -to be hanged at the gallows. When he was about to be executed he asked -for the usual privilege of a condemned prisoner, to speak once what was -in his mind. The King granted it, and faithful John began: - -"I am innocent of any crime against you, and have always served you -faithfully." - -Then he told what he had heard the crows saying at sea; and how he had -done all these things to save his master's life. - -Then the King cried: "Pardon, pardon, my faithful friend; you are -innocent!" - -But at the last word he had spoken John had fallen down, turned into -stone. - -After this there was great sorrow and lamentation in the palace, and -they had the statue raised and taken to their chamber and placed near -the bed, and often the King looked at it and said: - -"Ah! my trusty John, could I but bring you back to life again!" - -Some time afterwards, to their great joy, twins were born to them, two -healthy boys. One day the Queen was at church and the King was at home -playing with his children, when he looked up at the statue and said: - -"Ah, my poor faithful John, what would I not do to bring you back to -life!" - -To his surprise the statue answered him and said: - -"If you will sacrifice what is dearest to you, you can restore my life -to me." - -"I will do anything in the world for you, only tell me what," answered -the King. - -Then the statue spoke again: - -"Cut off the heads of your children, and sprinkle me with their blood, -and I will be restored to life." - -The poor King was horrified when he heard this, for how could he do such -an awful deed as to kill his own children? But he thought of all John -had done for him, and how much he had sacrificed, and, without -flinching, he drew his sword to cut off their heads. - -But as he was about to kill the little princes, faithful John became -alive again, crying: - -"Stop, stop, my master! Your faith in me is rewarded, and I am free." - -The King was now as happy as he could be, and he thought to give his -wife a pleasant surprise; so when he heard her coming he hid faithful -John and the twins in a cupboard. When she came in he asked her if she -had prayed for all her friends. - -"Yes," she answered; "but I have been thinking of poor John, who is past -our prayers." - -Then the King said: - -"We can restore him to life again, but we must sacrifice both our sons." - -The Queen turned very pale at this and nearly fainted; but she thought -of how it was their fault that John had suffered, and she said bravely -that if it was to restore him to life it must be done. - -The King was overjoyed to find that she thought as he did, and he threw -open the cupboard door and disclosed, not only the twins, but faithful -John also. Then they all rejoiced and were happy together to the end of -their days. - - - - -_Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle_ - - -ONCE upon a time there lived a girl who lost her father and mother when -she was quite a tiny child. Her godmother lived all alone in a little -cottage at the far end of the village, and there she earned her living -by spinning, weaving, and sewing. The old woman took the little orphan -home with her and brought her up in good, pious, industrious habits. - -When the girl was fifteen years old her godmother fell ill, and calling -the child to her bedside she said: "My dear daughter, I feel that my end -is near. I leave you my cottage, which will, at least, shelter you, and -also my spindle, my weaver's shuttle, and my needle, with which to earn -your bread." - -Then she laid her hands on the girl's head, blessed her, and added: -"Mind and be good, and then all will go well with you." With that she -closed her eyes for the last time, and when she was carried to her grave -the girl walked behind her coffin weeping bitterly and paid her all the -last honors. - -After this the girl lived all alone in the little cottage. She worked -hard, spinning, weaving, and sewing, and her old godmother's blessing -seemed to prosper all she did. The flax seemed to spread and increase; -and when she wove a carpet or a piece of linen, or made a shirt, she was -sure to find a customer who paid her well, so that not only did she feel -no want herself, but she was able to help those who did. - -Now, it happened that about this time the King's son was making a tour -through the entire country to look out for a bride. He could not marry a -poor woman and he did not wish for a rich one. - -"She shall be my wife," said he, "who is at once the poorest and the -richest." - -When he reached the village where the girl lived he inquired who was the -richest and who the poorest woman in it. The richest was named first; -the poorest, he was told, was a young girl who lived alone in a little -cottage at the far end of the village. - -The rich girl sat at her door dressed in all her best clothes, and when -the King's son came near she got up, went to meet him, and made him a -low courtesy. He looked well at her, said nothing, but rode on farther. - -When he reached the poor girl's house he did not find her at her door, -for she was at work in her room. The Prince reined in his horse, looked -in at the window through which the sun was shining brightly, and saw the -girl sitting at her wheel busily spinning away. - -[Illustration: "JUST AS IT HAD COME TO THE END OF THE GOLDEN THREAD IT -REACHED THE KING'S SON"] - -She looked up, and when she saw the King's son gazing in at her she -blushed red all over, cast down her eyes, and spun on. Whether the -thread was quite as even as usual I really cannot say, but she went on -spinning till the King's son had ridden off. Then she stepped to the -window and opened the lattice, saying, "The room is so hot," but she -looked after him as long as she could see the white plumes of his hat. - -Then she sat down to her work once more and spun on, and as she did so -an old saying, which she had often heard her godmother repeat while at -work, came into her head, and she began to sing: - - "Spindle, spindle, go and see - If my love will come to me." - -Lo and behold! the spindle leaped from her hand and rushed out of the -room, and when she had sufficiently recovered from her surprise to look -after it she saw it dancing merrily through the fields, dragging a long -golden thread after it, and soon it was lost to sight. - -The girl, having lost her spindle, took up the shuttle and, seating -herself at her loom, began to weave. Meantime the spindle danced on and -on, and just as it had come to the end of the golden thread it reached -the King's son. - -"What do I see?" he cried. "This spindle seems to wish to point out the -way to me." So he turned his horse's head and rode back beside the -golden thread. - -Meantime the girl sat weaving and sang: - - "Shuttle, weave both web and woof; - Bring my love beneath my roof." - -The shuttle instantly escaped from her hand and with one bound was out -at the door. On the threshold it began weaving the loveliest carpet that -was ever seen. Roses and lilies bloomed on both sides, and in the -center a thicket seemed to grow with rabbits and hares running through -it, stags and fawns peeping through the branches, while on the topmost -boughs sat birds of brilliant plumage and so lifelike one almost -expected to hear them sing. The shuttle flew from side to side and the -carpet seemed almost to grow of itself. - -As the shuttle had run away the girl sat down to sew. She took her -needle and sang: - - "Needle, needle, stitch away; - Make my chamber bright and gay." - -And the needle promptly slipped from her fingers and flew about the room -like lightning. You would have thought invisible spirits were at work, -for in next to no time the table and benches were covered with green -cloth, the chairs with velvet, and elegant silk curtains hung before the -windows. The needle had barely put in its last stitch when the girl, -glancing at the window, spied the white-plumed hat of the King's son, -who was being led back by the spindle with the golden thread. - -He dismounted and walked over the carpet into the house, and when he -entered the room there stood the girl blushing like any rose. "You are -the poorest and yet the richest," said he. "Come with me--you shall be -my bride." - -She said nothing but she held out her hand. Then he kissed her and led -her out, lifted her on his horse, and took her to his royal palace, -where the wedding was celebrated with great rejoicings. - -The spindle, the shuttle, and the needle were carefully placed in the -treasury and were always held in the very highest honor. - - - - -_The Magic Egg_ - - -THERE was once upon a time a lark who was the Czar among the birds, and -he took unto himself as his Czaritsa a little shrew mouse. They had a -field all to themselves, which they sowed with wheat, and when the wheat -grew up they divided it between them. When they found that there was one -grain over, the mouse said: - -"Let me have it!" - -But the lark said: - -"No, let me have it!" - -"What's to be done?" thought they. - -They would have liked to take counsel of some one; but they had no -parents or kinsmen--nobody at all to whom they could go and ask advice -in the matter. At last the mouse said: - -"At any rate, let me have the first nibble!" - -The lark Czar agreed to this; but the little mouse fastened her teeth in -it, and ran off into her hole with it, and there ate it all up. At this -the lark Czar was wroth, and collected all the birds of the air to make -war upon the mouse Czaritsa; but the Czaritsa called together all the -beasts to defend her, and so the war began. Whenever the beasts came -rushing out of the wood to tear the birds to pieces, the birds flew up -into the trees; but the birds kept in the air, and hacked and pecked the -beasts wherever they could. Thus they fought the whole day, and in the -evening they lay down to rest. Now when the Czaritsa looked around upon -her forces she saw that the ant was taking no part in the war. She -immediately went and commanded the ant to be there by evening, and when -the ant came the Czaritsa ordered her to climb up the trees with her -kinsmen, and bite off the feathers around the birds' wings. - -Next day, when there was light enough to see by, the mouse Czaritsa -cried: - -"Up, up, my warriors!" - -Thereupon the birds also rose up, and immediately fell to the ground, -where the beasts tore them to bits. So the Czaritsa overcame the Czar. -But there was one eagle who saw there was something wrong, so he did not -try to fly, but remained sitting on the tree. And lo! there came an -archer along that way, and seeing the eagle on the tree, he took aim at -it; but the eagle besought him and said: - -"Do not kill me, and I'll be of great service to thee!" - -The archer aimed a second time, but the eagle besought him still more -and said: - -"Take me down rather and keep me, and thou shalt see that it will be to -thy advantage." - -The archer, however, took aim a third time, but the eagle began to beg -of him most piteously: - -"Nay, kill me not, but take me home with thee, and thou shalt see what -great advantage it will be to thee!" - -The archer believed the bird. He climbed up the tree, took the eagle -down, and carried it home. Then the eagle said to him: - -"Put me in a hut, and feed me with flesh till my wings have grown -again." - -Now this archer had two cows and a steer, and he at once killed and cut -up one of the cows for the eagle. The eagle fed upon this cow for a full -year, and then he said to the archer: - -"Let me go, that I may fly. I see that my wings have already grown -again!" - -Then the archer let him loose from the hut. The eagle flew around and -around, he flew about for half a day, and then he returned to the archer -and said: - -"I feel I have but little strength in me, slay me another cow!" - -And the archer obeyed him, and slew the second cow, and the eagle lived -upon that for yet another year. Again the eagle flew around and around -in the air. He flew around and about the whole day till evening, when he -returned to the archer and said: - -"I am stronger than I was, but I have still but little strength in me, -slay me the steer also!" - -Then the man thought to himself: - -"What shall I do? Shall I slay it, or shall I not slay it?" - -At last he said: - -"Well! I've sacrificed more than this before, so let this go too!" and -he took the steer and slaughtered it for the eagle. - -Then the eagle lived upon this for another whole year longer, and after -that he took to flight, and flew high up right to the very clouds. Then -he flew down again to the man and said to him: - -"I thank thee, brother, for that thou hast been the saving of me! come -now and sit upon me!" - -"Nay, but," said the man, "what if some evil befall me?" - -"Sit on me, I say!" cried the eagle. - -So the archer sat down upon the bird. - -Then the eagle bore him nearly as high as the big clouds, and then let -him fall. Down plumped the man; but the eagle did not let him fall to -the earth, but swiftly flew beneath him and upheld him, and said to him: - -"How dost thou feel now?" - -"I feel," said the man, "as if I had no life in me." - -Then the eagle replied: - -"That was just how I felt when thou didst aim at me the first time." - -Then he said to him: - -"Sit on my back again!" - -The man did not want to sit on him, but what could he do? Sit he must. -Then the eagle flew with him quite as high as the big clouds, and shook -him off, and down he fell headlong till he was about two fathoms from -the ground, when the bird again flew beneath him and held him up. Again -the eagle asked him: - -"How dost thou feel?" - -And the man replied: - -"I feel just as if all my bones were already broken to bits!" - -"That is just how I felt when thou didst take aim at me the second -time," replied the eagle. "But now sit on my back once more." - -The man did so, and the eagle flew with him as high as the small fleecy -clouds, and then he shook him off, and down he fell headlong; but when -he was but a hand's breadth from the earth, the eagle again flew beneath -him and held him up, and said to him: - -"How dost thou feel now?" - -And he replied: - -"I feel as if I no longer belonged to this world!" - -"That is just how I felt when thou didst aim at me the third time," -replied the eagle. "But now," continued the bird, "thou art guilty no -more. We are quits. I owe thee naught, and thou owest naught to me; so -sit on my back again, and I'll take thee to my master." - -They flew on and on, they flew till they came to the eagle's uncle. And -the eagle said to the archer: - -"Go to my house, and when they ask thee: 'Hast thou not seen our poor -child?' reply, 'Give me the magic egg, and I'll bring him before your -eyes!'" - -So he went to the house, and there they said to him: - -"Hast thou heard of our poor child with thine ears, or seen him with -thine eyes, and hast thou come hither willingly or unwillingly?" - -And he answered: - -"I have come hither willingly!" - -Then they asked: - -"Hast thou smelt out anything of our poor youngster? for it is three -years now since he went to the wars, and there's neither sight nor sound -of him more!" - -And he answered: - -"Give me the magic egg, and I'll bring him straightway before your -eyes!" - -Then they replied: - -"'Twere better we never saw him than that we should give thee the magic -egg!" - -Then he went back to the eagle and said to him: - -"They said: 'Twere better we never saw him than that we should give thee -the magic egg.'" - -Then the eagle answered: - -"Let us fly on farther!" - -They flew on and on till they came to the eagle's brother, and the -archer said just the same to him as he had said to the eagle's uncle, -and still he didn't get the egg. Then they flew to the eagle's father, -and the eagle said to him: - -"Go up to the hut, and if they ask for me, say that thou hast seen me -and will bring me before their eyes." - -So he went up to the hut, and they said to him: - -"O Czarevich, we hear thee with our ears and see thee with our eyes, but -hast thou come hither of thine own free will or by the will of another?" - -And the archer answered: - -"I have come hither of my own free will!" - -Then they asked him: - -"Hast thou seen our son? Lo, these four years we have not had news of -him. He went off to the wars, and perchance he has been slain there." - -And he answered them: - -"I have seen him, and if thou wilt give me the magic egg, I will bring -him before your eyes." - -And the eagle's father said to him: - -"What good will such a thing do thee? We had better give thee the lucky -penny!" - -But he answered: - -"I don't want the lucky penny, give me the magic egg!" - -"Come hither, then!" said he, "and thou shalt have it." - -So he went into the hut. Then the eagle's father rejoiced and gave him -the egg and said to him: - -"Take heed thou dost not break it anywhere on the road, and when thou -gettest home, hedge it around and build a strong fence about it, and it -will do thee good." - -So he went homeward. He went on and on till a great thirst came upon -him. So he stopped at the first spring he came to, and as he stooped to -drink he stumbled and the magic egg was broken. Then he perceived that -an ox had come out of the egg and was rolling away. He gave chase to the -ox, but whenever he was getting close to one side of it, the other side -of it got farther away from him. Then the poor fellow cried: - -"I shall do nothing with it myself, I see." - -At that moment an old she dragon came up to him and said: - -"What wilt thou give me, O man, if I chase this ox back again into the -egg for thee?" - -And the archer replied: - -"What can I give?" - -The dragon said to him: - -"Give me what thou hast at home without thy will and wit!" - -"Done!" said the archer. - -Then the dragon chased the ox nicely into the egg again, patched it up -prettily, and gave it into the man's hand. Then the archer went home, -and when he got home he found a son had been born to him there, and his -son said to him: - -"Why didst thou give me to the old she dragon, dad? But never mind, I'll -manage to live in spite of her." - -Then the father was very grieved for a time, but what could he do? Now -the name of this son was Ivan. - -So Ivan lost no time in going to the dragon, and the dragon said to him: - -"Go to my house and do me three tasks, and if thou dost them not, I'll -devour thee." - -Now around the dragon's house was a large meadow stretching as far as -the eye could reach. And the dragon said to him: - -"Thou must in a single night weed out this field and sow wheat in it, -and reap the wheat and store it, all in this very night; and thou must -bake me a roll out of this selfsame wheat, and the roll must be lying -ready for me on my table in the morning." - -Then Ivan went and leaned over the fence, and his heart within him was -sore troubled. Now near to him there was a post, and on this post was -the dragon's starveling daughter. So when he came thither and fell -a-weeping, she asked him: - -"Wherefore dost thou weep?" - -And he said: "How can I help weeping? The dragon has bidden me do -something I can never, never do; and what is more, she has bidden me do -it in a single night." - -"What is it, pray?" asked the dragon's daughter. Then he told her. - -"Not every bush bears a berry!" cried she. "Promise to take me to wife, -and I'll do all she has bidden thee do." - -He promised, and then she said to him again: - -"Now go and lie down, but see that thou art up early in the morning to -bring her her roll." - -Then she went to the field, and before one could whistle she had cleaned -it of weeds and harrowed it and sown it with wheat, and by dawn she had -reaped the wheat and cooked the roll and brought it to him, and said: - -"Now, take it to her hut and put it on her table." - -Then the old she dragon awoke and came to the door, and was amazed at -the sight of the field, which was now all stubble, for the corn had been -cut. Then she said to Ivan: - -"Yes, thou hast done the work well. But now, see that thou doest my -second task." - -Then she gave him her second command: - -"Dig up that mountain yonder and let the Dnieper flow past the site of -it, and there build a storehouse, and in the storehouse stack the wheat -that thou hast reaped, and sell this wheat to the merchant barques that -sail by, and everything must be done by the time I get up early next -morning!" - -Then he again went to the fence and wept, and the maiden said to him: - -"Why dost thou weep?" and he told her all that the she dragon had bidden -him do. - -"There are lots of bushes, but where are the berries? Go and lie down, -and I'll do it all for thee." - -Then she whistled, and the mountain was leveled and the Dnieper flowed -over the site of it, and round about the Dnieper, storehouses rose up, -and then she came and woke him that he might go and sell the wheat to -the merchant barques that sailed by that way, and when the she dragon -rose up early in the morning she was amazed to see that everything had -been done which she had commanded him. - -Then she gave him her third command: - -"This night thou must catch the golden hare, and bring it to me by the -morning light." - -Again he went to the fence and fell a-weeping. And the girl asked him: - -"Why art thou weeping?" - -He said to her: "She has ordered me to catch her the golden hare." - -"Oh, oh!" cried the she dragon's daughter, "the berries are ripening -now; only her father knows how to catch such a hare as that. -Nevertheless, I'll go to a rocky place I know of, and there perchance we -shall be able to catch it." - -So they went to this rocky place together, and she said to him: - -"Stand over that hole. I'll go in and chase him out of the hole, and -thou catch him as he comes out; but mind, whatever comes out of the -hole, seize it, for it will be the golden hare." - -So she went and began beating up, and all at once out came a snake and -hissed, and he let it go. Then she came out of the hole and said to him: - -"What! has nothing come out?" - -"Well," said he, "only a snake, and I was afraid it would bite me, so I -let it go." - -"What hast thou done?" said she; "that was the very hare itself. Look -now!" said she, "I'll go in again, and if anyone comes out and tells you -that the golden hare is not here, don't believe it, but hold him fast." - -So she crept into the hole again and began to beat for game, and out -came an old woman, who said to the youth: - -"What art thou poking about there for?" - -And he said to her: "For the golden hare." - -She said to him: "It is not here, for this is a snake's hole," and when -she had said this she went away. Presently the girl also came out and -said to him: - -"What! hast thou not got the hare? Did nothing come out, then?" - -"No," said he, "nothing but an old woman who asked me what I was -seeking, and I told her the golden hare, and she said, 'It is not here,' -so I let her go." - -Then the girl replied: "Why didst thou not lay hold of her? for she was -the very golden hare itself, and now thou never wilt catch it unless I -turn myself into a hare and thou take and lay me on the table, and give -me into my mother's, the she dragon's hands, and go away, for if she -find out all about it she will tear the pair of us to pieces." - -So she changed herself into a hare, and he took and laid her on the -table, and said to the she dragon: - -"There's thy hare for thee, and now let me go away!" - -She said to him: "Very well--be off!" - -Then he set off running, and he ran and ran as hard as he could. Soon -after the old she dragon discovered that it was not the golden hare, but -her own daughter, so she set about chasing after them and destroying -them both, for the daughter had made haste in the meantime to join Ivan. -But as the she dragon couldn't run herself, she sent her husband, and he -began chasing them and they knew he was coming, for they felt the earth -trembling beneath his tread. Then the she dragon's daughter said to -Ivan: - -"I hear him running after us. I'll turn myself into standing wheat and -thee into an old man guarding me, and if he ask thee, 'Hast thou seen a -lad and a lass pass by this way?' say to him: 'Yes, they passed by this -way while I was sowing this wheat!'" - -A little while afterwards the she dragon's husband came flying up. - -"Have a lad and a lass passed by this way?" said he. - -"Yes," replied the old man, "they have." - -"Was it long ago?" asked the she dragon's husband. - -"It was while this wheat was being sown," replied the old man. - -"Oh!" thought the serpent, "this wheat is ready for the sickle; they -couldn't have been this way yesterday." - -So he turned back. Then the she dragon's daughter turned herself back -into a maiden and the old man into a youth, and off they set again. But -the dragon returned home, and the she dragon asked him: - -"What! hast thou not caught them or met them on the road?" - -"Met them, no!" said he. "I did, indeed, pass on the road some standing -wheat and an old man watching it, and I asked the old man if he had seen -a lad and a lass pass by that way, and he said, 'Yes, while this wheat -was being sown'; but the wheat was quite ripe for the sickle, so I knew -it was a long while ago and turned back." - -"Why didst thou not tear that old man and the wheat to pieces?" cried -the she dragon; "it was they! Be off after them again, and mind, this -time tear them to pieces without fail." - -So the dragon set off after them again, and they heard him coming from -afar, for the earth trembled beneath him. So the damsel said to Ivan: - -"He's coming again; I hear him; now I'll change myself into a monastery, -so old that it will be almost falling to pieces, and I'll change thee -into an old black monk at the gate, and when he comes up and asks, 'Hast -thou seen a lad and a lass pass this way?' say to him: 'Yes, they passed -by this way when this monastery was being built.'" - -Soon afterwards the dragon came flying past, and asked the monk: "Hast -thou seen a lad and a lass pass by this way?" - -"Yes," he replied, "I saw them what time the holy fathers began to build -this monastery." - -The dragon thought to himself: "That was not yesterday! This monastery -has stood a hundred years if it has stood a day, and won't stand much -longer either"; and with that he turned him back. When he got home he -said to the she dragon, his wife: "I met a black monk who serves in a -monastery and I asked him about them, and he told me that a lad and a -lass had run past that way when the monastery was being built, but that -was not yesterday, for the monastery is a hundred years old at the very -least." - -"Why didst thou not tear the black monk to pieces and pull down the -monastery? for 'twas they. But I see I must go after them myself; thou -art no good at all." - -So off she set and ran and ran, and they knew she was coming, for the -earth quaked and yawned beneath her. Then the damsel said to Ivan: - -"I fear me 'tis all over, for she is coming herself! Look now, I'll -change thee into a stream and myself into a fish--a perch." - -Immediately after the she dragon came up and said to the perch: - -"Oh, oh! so thou wouldst run away from me, eh!" - -Then she turned herself into a pike and began chasing the perch, but -every time she drew near to it the perch turned its prickly fins toward -her, so that she could not catch hold of it. So she kept on chasing it -and chasing it, but finding she could not catch it, she tried to drink -up the stream, till she drank so much of it that she burst. - -Then the maiden who had become a fish said to the youth who had become a -river: - -"Now that we are alive and not dead, go back to thy lord father and thy -father's house and see them, and kiss them all except the daughter of -thy uncle, for if thou kiss that damsel thou wilt forget me, and I shall -go to the land of Nowhere." - -So he went home and greeted them all, and as he did so he thought to -himself: - -"Why should I not greet my uncle's daughter like the rest of them? Why, -they'll think me a mere pagan if I don't!" - -So he kissed her, and the moment he did so he forgot all about the girl -who had saved him. - -So he remained there half a year, and then bethought him of taking to -himself a wife. So they betrothed him to a very pretty girl, and he -accepted her and forgot all about the other girl who had saved him from -the dragon, the one who herself was the she dragon's daughter. Now the -evening before the wedding they heard a young damsel crying _shishki_[B] -in the streets. They called to the young damsel to go away, or say who -she was, for nobody knew her. But the damsel answered never a word, but -began to knead more cakes, and made a cock dove and a hen dove out of -the dough and put them down on the ground, and they became alive. And -the hen dove said to the cock dove: - -"Hast thou forgotten how I cleared the field for thee, and sowed it with -wheat, and thou mad'st a roll from the corn which thou gavest to the she -dragon?" - -But the cock dove answered: - -"Forgotten! forgotten!" - -Then she said to him again: - -"And hast thou forgotten how I dug away the mountain for thee, and let -the Dnieper flow by it that the merchant barques might come to thy -storehouses, and that thou might'st sell thy wheat to the merchant -barques?" - -But the cock dove replied: - -"Forgotten! forgotten!" - -Then the hen dove said to him again: - -"And hast thou forgotten how we two went together in search of the -golden hare? Hast thou forgotten me then altogether?" - -And the cock dove answered again: - -"Forgotten! forgotten!" - -Then the good youth Ivan bethought him who this damsel was that had made -the doves, and he took her to his arms and made her his wife, and they -lived happily ever afterwards. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote B: Wedding-cakes of the shape of pine cones.] - - - - -_The Sparrow and the Bush_ - - -A SPARROW once flew down upon a bush and said: - -"Little bush, give good little sparrow a swing." - -"I won't!" said the little bush. Then the sparrow was angry, and went to -the goat and said: - -"Goat, goat, nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a swing." - -"I won't!" said the goat. - -Then the sparrow went to the wolf and said: - -"Wolf, wolf, eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give good -little sparrow a swing." - -"I won't!" said the wolf. - -Then the sparrow went to the people and said: - -"Good people, kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, -bush won't give good little sparrow a swing." - -"We won't!" said the people. - -Then the sparrow went to the Tartars: - -"Tartars, Tartars, slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat -goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a -swing." But the Tartars said: - -"We won't slay the people!" and the people said: - -"We won't kill the wolf!" and the wolf said: - -"I won't eat the goat!" and the goat said: - -"I won't nibble the bush!" and the bush said: - -"I won't give the good little sparrow a swing." - -"Go!" said the bush, "to the fire, for the Tartars won't slay the -people, and the people won't kill the wolf, and the wolf won't eat the -goat, and the goat won't nibble the bush, and the bush won't give the -dear little sparrow a swing." - -But the fire also said: - -"I won't!" (they were all alike)--"go to the water," said he. - -So the sparrow went to the water and said: - -"Come water, quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay -people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble -bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a swing." - -But the water also said: - -"I won't!" So the sparrow went to the ox and said: - -"Ox, ox, drink water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, -Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, -goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing." - -"I won't!" said the ox. - -Then the sparrow went to the poleax and said: - -"Poleax, poleax, strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't quench -fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't -kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give -little sparrow a swing." - -"I won't!" said the poleax. - -So the sparrow went to the worms and said: - -"Worms, worms, gnaw poleax, poleax won't strike ox, ox won't drink -water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't -slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't -nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing." - -"We won't!" said the worms. - -Then the sparrow went to the hen and said: - -"Hen, hen, peck worms, worms won't gnaw poleax, poleax won't strike ox, -ox won't drink water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, -Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, -goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing." - -"I won't!" said the hen, "but go to the sparrow hawk, he ought to give -the first push, or why is he called the pusher!"[C] - -So the sparrow went to the sparrow hawk and said: - -"Come, pusher, seize hen, hen won't peck worms, worms won't gnaw poleax, -poleax won't strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't quench fire, -fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill -wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give -little sparrow a swing." - -Then the sparrow hawk began to seize the hen, the hen began to peck the -worms, the worms began to gnaw the poleax, the poleax began to hit the -ox, the ox began to drink the water, the water began to quench the fire, -the fire began to burn the Tartars, the Tartars began to slay the -people, the people began to kill the wolf, the wolf began to eat the -goat, the goat began to nibble the bush, and the bush cried out: - - "Swing away, swing away, swi-i-i-i-ing! - Little daddy sparrow, have your fli-i-i-ing!" - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote C: _Shulyak_ means both _sparrow hawk_ and _push_.] - - - - -_The Iron Wolf_ - - -THERE was once upon a time a parson who had a servant and when this -servant had served him faithfully for twelve years and upward, he came -to the parson and said: "Let us now settle our accounts, master, and pay -me what thou owest me. I have now served long enough, and would fain -have a little place in the wide world all to myself." - -"Good!" said the parson. "I'll tell thee now what wage I'll give thee -for thy faithful service. I'll give thee this egg. Take it home, and -when thou gettest there, make to thyself a cattle pen, and make it -strong; then break the egg in the middle of thy cattle pen, and thou -shalt see something. But whatever thou doest, don't break it on thy way -home, or all thy luck will leave thee." - -So the servant departed on his homeward way. He went on and on, and at -last he thought to himself: - -"Come now, I'll see what is inside this egg of mine!" So he broke it, -and out of it came all sorts of cattle in such numbers that the open -steppe became like a fair. The servant stood there in amazement, and he -thought to himself: - -"However in this world shall I be able to drive all these cattle back -again?" He had scarcely uttered the words when the Iron Wolf came -running up, and said to him: - -"I'll collect and drive back all these cattle into the egg again, and -I'll patch the egg up so that it will become quite whole. But in return -for that," continued the Iron Wolf, "whenever thou dost sit down on the -bridal bench,[D] I'll come and eat thee." - -"Well," thought the servant to himself, "a lot of things may happen -before I sit down on the bridal bench and he comes to eat me, and in the -meantime I shall get all these cattle. Agreed, then," said he. So the -Iron Wolf immediately collected all the cattle, and drove them back into -the egg, and patched up the egg and made it whole just as it was before. - -The servant went home to the village where he lived, made him a cattle -pen stronger than strong, went inside it and broke the egg, and -immediately that cattle pen was as full of cattle as it could hold. Then -he took to farming and cattle-breeding, and he became so rich that in -the whole wide world there was none richer than he. He kept to himself, -and his goods increased and multiplied exceedingly; the only thing -wanting to his happiness was a wife, but a wife he was afraid to take. -Now near to where he lived was a general who had a lovely daughter, and -this daughter fell in love with the rich man. So the general went and -said to him: - -"Come, why don't you marry? I'll give you my daughter and lots of money -with her." - -"How is it possible for me to marry?" replied the man; "as soon as ever -I sit down on the bridal bench the Iron Wolf will come and eat me up." -And he told the general all that had happened. - -"Oh, nonsense!" said the general, "don't be afraid. I have a mighty -host, and when the time comes for you to sit down on the bridal bench -we'll surround your house with three strong rows of soldiers, and they -won't let the Iron Wolf get at you, I can tell you." So they talked the -matter over till he let himself be persuaded, and then they began to -make great preparations for the bridal banquet. Everything went off -exceedingly well, and they made merry till the time came when bride and -bridegroom were to sit down together on the bridal bench. Then the -general placed his men in three strong rows all around the house so as -not to let the Iron Wolf get in; and no sooner had the young people sat -down upon the bridal bench than, sure enough, the Iron Wolf came running -up. He saw the host standing around the house in three strong rows, but -through all three rows he leaped and made straight for the house. But -the man, as soon as he saw the Iron Wolf, leaped out of the window, -mounted his horse, and galloped off with the wolf after him. - -Away and away he galloped, and after him came the Wolf, but try as it -would, it could not catch him up anyhow. At last, toward evening, the -man stopped and looked about him, and saw that he was in a lone forest, -and before him stood a hut. He went up to this hut, and saw an old man -and an old woman sitting in front of it, and said to them: - -"Would you let me rest a little while with you, good people?" - -"By all means!" said they. - -"There is one thing, however, good people," said he, "don't let the Iron -Wolf catch me while I am resting with you." - -"Have no fear of that!" replied the old couple. "We have a dog called -Chutko[E] who can hear a wolf coming a mile off, and he'll be sure to -let us know." - -So he laid him down to sleep, and was just dropping off when Chutko -began to bark. Then the old people awoke him, and said: - -"Be off! be off! for the Iron Wolf is coming." - -And they gave him the dog, and a wheaten hearth cake as provision by the -way. - -So he went on and on, and the dog followed after him till it began to -grow dark, and then he perceived another hut in another forest. He went -up to that hut, and in front of it were sitting an old man and an old -woman. He asked them for a night's lodging. - -"Only," said he, "take care that the Iron Wolf doesn't catch me." - -"Have no fear of that," said they. "We have a dog here called Vazhko,[F] -who can hear a wolf nine miles off." - -So he laid him down and slept. Just before dawn Vazhko began to bark. -Immediately they awoke him. - -"Run!" cried they, "the Iron Wolf is coming!" - -And they gave him the dog, and a barley hearth-cake as provision by the -way. So he took the hearth cake, sat him on his horse and off he went, -and his two dogs followed after him. - -He went on and on. On and on he went till evening, when again he stopped -and looked about him, and he saw that he was in another forest, and -another little hut stood before him. He went into the hut, and there -were sitting an old man and an old woman. - -"Will you let me pass the night here, good people?" said he. "Only take -care that the Iron Wolf does not get hold of me." - -"Have no fear," said they, "we have a dog called Bary, who can hear a -wolf coming twelve miles off. He'll let us know." - -So he lay down to sleep, and early in the morning Bary let them know -that the Iron Wolf was drawing nigh. Immediately they awoke him. - -"'Tis high time for you to be off!" said they. - -Then they gave him the dog, and a buckwheat hearth cake as provision by -the way. He took the hearth cake, sat him on his horse, and off he -went. So now he had three dogs, and they all three followed him. - -He went on and on, and toward evening he found himself in front of -another hut. He went into it, and there was nobody there. He went and -lay down, and his dogs lay down also--Chutko on the threshold of the -room door, Vazhko at the threshold of the house door, and Bary at the -threshold of the outer gate. Presently the Iron Wolf came trotting up. -Immediately Chutko gave the alarm, Vazhko nailed him to the earth, and -Bary tore him to pieces. - -Then the man gathered his faithful dogs around him, mounted his horse, -and went back to his own home. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote D: _Posad_, or _posag_, a bench covered with white cloth on -which the bride and bridegroom sat down together.] - -[Footnote E: Hearkener.] - -[Footnote F: Heavysides.] - - - - -_The Grateful Cobra_ - - -ONCE upon a time there was a rajah and ranee who were much grieved -because they had no children, and the little dog in the palace had also -no puppies. At last the Rajah and Ranee had some children, and it also -happened that the pet dog in the palace had some puppies; but, -unfortunately, the Ranee's two children were two puppies and the dog's -two puppies were two pretty little girls! This vexed her majesty very -much; and sometimes when the dog had gone away to its dinner, the Ranee -used to put the two puppies (her children) into the kennel, and carry -away the dog's two little girls to the palace. Then the poor dog grew -very unhappy, and said: "They never will leave my two little children -alone. I must take them away into the jungle, or their lives will be -worried out." So one night she took the little girls in her mouth and -ran with them to the jungle, and there made them a home in a pretty cave -in the rock, beside a clear stream; and every day she would go into the -towns and carry away some nice currie and rice to give her little -daughters; and if she found any pretty clothes or jewels that she could -bring away in her mouth, she used to take them also for the children. - -Now it happened some time after this, one day, when the dog had gone to -fetch her daughters' dinner, two young princes (a rajah and his brother) -came to hunt in the jungle, and they hunted all day and found nothing. -It had been very hot, and they were thirsty; so they went to a tree -which grew on a little piece of high ground, and sent their attendants -to search all around for water; but no one could find any. At last one -of the hunting dogs came to the foot of the tree, quite muddy, and the -Rajah said: "Look, the dog is muddy: he must have found water; follow -him, and see where he goes." The attendants followed the dog, and saw -him go to the stream at the mouth of the cave where the two children -were; and the two children also saw them, and were very much frightened -and ran inside the cave. Then the attendants returned to the two princes -and said: "We have found clear, sparkling water flowing past a cave, -and, what is more, within the cave are two of the most lovely young -ladies that eye ever beheld, clothed in fine dresses and covered with -jewels; but when they saw us they were frightened and ran away." On -hearing this the princes bade their servants lead them to the place; and -when they saw the two young girls, they were quite charmed with them, -and asked them to go to their kingdom and become their wives. The -maidens were frightened; but at last the Rajah and his brother persuaded -them, and they went, and the Rajah married the elder sister, and his -brother married the younger. - -When the dog returned, she was grieved to find her children gone, and -for twelve long years the poor thing ran many, many miles to find them, -but in vain. At last one day she came to the place where the two -princesses lived. Now it chanced that the elder, the wife of the Rajah, -was looking out of the window, and seeing the dog run down the street, -she said: "That must be my dear, long-lost mother." So she ran into the -street as fast as possible, and took the tired dog in her arms, and -brought her into her own room, and made her a nice comfortable bed on -the floor, and bathed her feet, and was very kind to her. Then the dog -said to her: "My daughter, you are good and kind, and it is a great joy -to me to see you again, but I must not stay; I will first go and see -your younger sister, and then return." The Ranee answered: "Do not do -so, dear mother; rest here to-day; to-morrow I will send and let my -sister know, and she, too, will come and see you." But the poor, silly -dog would not stay, but ran to the house of her second daughter. Now the -second daughter was looking out of the window when the unfortunate -creature came to the door, and seeing the dog she said to herself: "That -must be my mother. What will my husband think if he learns that this -wretched, ugly, miserable-looking dog is my mother?" So she ordered her -servants to go and throw stones at it, and drive it away, and they did -so; and one large stone hit the dog's head, and she ran back, very much -hurt, to her elder daughter's house. The Ranee saw her coming, and ran -out into the street and brought her in in her arms, and did all she -could to make her well, saying: "Ah, mother, mother! why did you ever -leave my house?" But all her care was in vain: the poor dog died. Then -the Ranee thought her husband might be vexed if he found a dead dog (an -unclean animal) in the palace; so she put the body in a small room into -which the Rajah hardly ever went, intending to have it reverently -buried; and over it she placed a basket turned topsy-turvy. - -It so happened, however, that when the Rajah came to visit his wife, as -chance would have it, he went through this very room; and tripping over -the upturned basket, called for a light to see what it was. Then, lo and -behold! there lay the statue of a dog, life-size, composed entirely of -diamonds, emeralds, and other precious stones, set in gold! So he called -out to his wife, and said: "Where did you get this beautiful dog?" And -when the Ranee saw the golden dog, she was very much frightened, and, -I'm sorry to say, instead of telling her husband the truth, she told a -story, and said, "Oh, it is only a present my parents sent me." - -Now see what trouble she got into for not telling the truth. - -"_Only!_" said the Rajah; "why this is valuable enough to buy the whole -of my kingdom. Your parents must be very rich people to be able to send -you such presents as this. How is it you never told me of them? Where do -they live?" Now she had to tell another story to cover the first. She -said: "In the jungle." He replied: "I will go and see them; you must -take me and show me where they live." Then the Ranee thought: "What will -the Rajah say when he finds I have been telling him such stories? He -will order my head to be cut off." So she said, "You must first give me -a palanquin, and I will go into the jungle and tell them you are -coming"; but really she had determined to kill herself, and so get out -of her difficulties. Away she went; and when she had gone some distance -in her palanquin, she saw a large white ants' nest, over which hung a -cobra, with his mouth wide open; then the Ranee thought: "I will go to -that cobra and put my finger in his mouth, that he may bite me, and so I -shall die." So she ordered the palkee bearers to wait, and said she -would be back in a while, and got out, and ran to the ants' nest, and -put her finger in the cobra's mouth. Now a large thorn had run, a short -time before, into the cobra's throat, and hurt him very much; and the -Ranee, by putting her finger into his mouth, pushed out this thorn; then -the cobra, feeling much better, turned to her, and said: "My dear -daughter, you have done me a great kindness; what return can I make -you?" The Ranee told him all her story, and begged him to bite her, that -she might die. But the cobra said: "You certainly did very wrong to tell -the Rajah that story; nevertheless, you have been very kind to me. I -will help you in your difficulty. Send your husband here. I will provide -you with a father and mother of whom you need not be ashamed." So the -Ranee returned joyfully to the palace, and invited her husband to come -and see her parents. - -When they reached the spot near where the cobra was, what a wonderful -sight awaited them! There, in the place which had before been thick -jungle, stood a splendid palace, twenty-four miles long and twenty-four -miles broad, with gardens and trees and fountains all around; and the -light shining from it was to be seen a hundred miles off. The walls -were made of gold and precious stones, and the carpets, cloth of gold. -Hundreds of servants, in rich dresses, stood waiting in the long, lofty -rooms; and in the last room of all, upon golden thrones, sat a -magnificent old Rajah and Ranee, who introduced themselves to the young -Rajah as his papa- and mamma-in-law. The Rajah and Ranee stayed at the -palace six months, and were entertained the whole of that time with -feasting and music; and they left for their own home loaded with -presents. Before they started, however, the Ranee went to her friend, -the cobra, and said: "You have conjured up all these beautiful things to -get me out of my difficulties, but my husband, the Rajah has enjoyed his -visit so much that he will certainly want to come here again. Then, if -he returns and finds nothing at all, he will be very angry with me." The -friendly cobra answered: "Do not fear. When you have gone twenty-four -miles on your journey, look back, and see what you will see." So they -started; and on looking back at the end of twenty-four miles, saw the -whole of the splendid palace in flames, the fire reaching up to heaven. -The Rajah returned to see if he could help anybody to escape, or invite -them in their distress to his court; but he found that all was burned -down--not a stone nor a living creature remained! - -Then he grieved much over the sad fate of his parents-in-law. - -When the party returned home, the Rajah's brother said to him: "Where -did you get these magnificent presents?" He replied: "They are gifts -from my father- and mother-in-law." At this news the Rajah's brother -went home to his wife very discontented, and asked her why she had never -told him of her parents, and taken him to see them, whereby he might -have received rich gifts as well as his brother. His wife then went to -her sister, and asked how she had managed to get all the things. But the -Ranee said: "Go away, you wicked woman, I will not speak to you. You -killed the poor dog, our mother." - -But afterwards she told her all about it. - -The sister then said: "I shall go and see the cobra, and get presents -too." The Ranee then answered: "You can go if you like." - -So the sister ordered her palanquin, and told her husband she was going -to see her parents, and prepare them for a visit from him. When she -reached the ants' nest she saw the cobra there, and she went and put her -finger in his mouth, and the cobra bit her, and she died. - - - - -_The Magic Ring_ - - -ONCE upon a time there lived an old couple who had one son called -Martin. Now, when the old man's time had come he stretched himself out -on his bed and died. Though all his life long he had toiled and moiled, -he only left his widow and son two hundred florins. The old woman -determined to put by the money for a rainy day, but, alas! the rainy day -was close at hand, for their meal was all consumed, and who is prepared -to face starvation with two hundred florins at their disposal? So the -old woman counted out one hundred florins, and giving them to Martin, -told him to go into the town and lay in a store of meal for a year. - -So Martin started off for the town. When he reached the meat market he -found the whole place in turmoil and a great noise of angry voices and -barking of dogs. Mixing in the crowd, he noticed a stag hound which the -butchers had caught and tied to a post, and which was being flogged in a -merciless manner. Overcome with pity, Martin spoke to the butchers, -saying: - -"Friends, why are you beating the poor dog so cruelly?" - -"We have every right to beat him," they replied. "He has just devoured a -newly killed pig." - -"Leave off beating him," said Martin, "and sell him to me instead." - -"If you choose to buy him," answered the butchers derisively; "but for -such a treasure we won't take a penny less than one hundred florins." - -"A hundred!" exclaimed Martin. "Well, so be it, if you will not take -less"; and taking the money out of his pocket he handed it over in -exchange for the dog, whose name was Schurka. - -When Martin got home his mother met him with the question: - -"Well, what have you bought?" - -"Schurka, the dog," replied Martin, pointing to his new possession. -Whereupon his mother became very angry and abused him roundly. He ought -to be ashamed of himself, when there was scarcely a handful of meal in -the house, to have spent the money on a useless brute like that. On the -following day she sent him back to the town, saying: "Here, take our -last one hundred florins and buy provisions with them. I have just -emptied the last grains of meal out of the chest and baked a bannock; -but it won't last over to-morrow." - -Just as Martin was entering the town he met a rough-looking peasant who -was dragging a cat after him by a string which was fastened around the -poor beast's neck. - -"Stop!" cried Martin. "Where are you dragging that poor cat?" - -"I mean to drown it," was the answer. - -"What harm has the poor beast done?" said Martin. - -"It has just killed a goose," replied the peasant. - -"Don't drown it--sell it to me instead," begged Martin. - -"Not for one hundred florins," was the answer. - -"Surely for one hundred florins you'll sell it?" said Martin. "See! here -is the money." And so saying he handed him the one hundred florins, -which the peasant pocketed, and Martin took possession of the cat, which -was called Waska. - -When he reached his home his mother greeted him with the question: - -"Well, what have you brought back?" - -"I have brought this cat, Waska," answered Martin. - -"And what besides?" - -"I had no money over to buy anything else with," replied Martin. - -"You useless ne'er-do-weel!" exclaimed his mother in a great passion. -"Leave the house at once and go and beg your bread among strangers," And -as Martin did not dare to contradict her, he called Schurka and Waska -and started off with them to the nearest village in search of work. On -the way he met a rich peasant, who asked him where he was going. - -"I want to get work as a day laborer," he answered. - -"Come along with me, then. But I must tell you I engage my laborers -without wages. If you serve me faithfully for a year I promise you it -shall be to your advantage." - -So Martin consented, and for a year he worked diligently and served his -master faithfully, not sparing himself in any way. When the day of -reckoning had come the peasant led him into a barn, and pointing to two -full sacks said: "Take whichever of these you choose." - -Martin examined the contents of the sacks, and seeing that one was full -of silver and the other of sand, he said to himself: "There must be some -trick about this. I had better take the sand." And throwing the sack -over his shoulders he started out into the world in search of fresh -work. On and on he walked, and at last he reached a great gloomy wood. -In the middle of the wood he came upon a meadow, where a fire was -burning, and in the midst of the fire, surrounded by flames, was a -lovely damsel, more beautiful than anything that Martin had ever seen, -and when she saw him she called to him: - -"Martin, if you would win happiness save my life. Extinguish the flames -with the sand that you earned in payment of your faithful service." - -"Truly," thought Martin to himself, "it would be more sensible to save a -fellow-being's life with this sand than to drag it about on one's back, -seeing what a weight it is." And forthwith he lowered the sack from his -shoulders and emptied its contents on the flames, and instantly the -fire was extinguished; but at the same moment lo and behold! the lovely -damsel turned into a serpent and darting upon him coiled itself around -his neck and whispered lovingly in his ear: - -"Do not be afraid of me, Martin. I love you and will go with you through -the world. But first you must follow me boldly into my father's kingdom, -underneath the earth; and when we get there, remember this--he will -offer you gold and silver and dazzling gems, but do not touch them. Ask -him, instead, for the ring which he wears on his little finger, for in -that ring lies a magic power. You have only to throw it from one hand to -the other, and at once twelve young men will appear who will do your -bidding, no matter how difficult it is, in a single night." - -So they started on their way, and after much wandering they reached a -spot where a great rock rose straight up in the middle of the road. -Instantly the serpent uncoiled itself from his neck, and as it touched -the damp earth it resumed the shape of the lovely damsel. Pointing to -the rock, she showed him an opening just big enough for a man to wriggle -through. Passing into it, they entered a long underground passage which -led out on to a wide field above which spread a blue sky. In the middle -of the field stood a magnificent castle built out of porphyry, with a -roof of gold and with glittering battlements. And his beautiful guide -told him that this was the palace in which her father lived and reigned -over his kingdom in the underworld. - -Together they entered the palace and were received by the King with -great kindness. Turning to his daughter he said: - -"My child, I had almost given up the hope of ever seeing you again. -Where have you been all these years?" - -"My father," she replied, "I owe my life to this youth, who saved me -from a terrible death." - -Upon which the King turned to Martin with a gracious smile, saying: "I -will reward your courage by granting you whatever your heart desires. -Take as much gold, silver, and precious stones as you choose." - -"I thank you, mighty King, for your gracious offer," answered Martin, -"but I do not covet either gold, silver, or precious stones; yet if you -will grant me a favor, give me, I beg, the ring from off the little -finger of your royal hand. Every time my eye falls on it I shall think -of your gracious majesty, and when I marry I shall present it to my -bride." - -So the King took the ring from his finger and gave it to Martin, saying: -"Take it, good youth; but with it I make one condition--you are never to -confide to anyone that this is a magic ring. If you do, you will -straightway bring misfortune on yourself." - -Martin took the ring, and having thanked the King he set out on the same -road by which he had come down into the underworld. When he had regained -the upper air he started for his old home, and having found his mother -still living in the old house where he had left her, they settled down -together very happily. So uneventful was their life that it almost -seemed as if it would go on in this way always without let or hindrance. -But one day it suddenly came into his mind that he would like to get -married, and, moreover, that he would choose a very grand wife--a king's -daughter, in short. But as he did not trust himself as a wooer, he -determined to send his old mother on the mission. - -"You must go to the King," he said to her, "and demand the hand of his -lovely daughter in marriage for me." - -"What are you thinking of, my son?" answered the old woman, aghast at -the idea. "Why cannot you marry some one in your own rank? That would be -far more fitting than to send a poor old woman like me a-wooing to the -King's court for the hand of a princess. Why, it is as much as our heads -are worth. Neither my life nor yours would be worth anything if I went -on such a fool's errand." - -"Never fear, little mother," answered Martin. "Trust me; all will be -well. But see that you do not come back without an answer of some kind." - -And so, obedient to her son's behest, the old woman hobbled off to the -palace, and without being hindered reached the courtyard and began to -mount the flight of steps leading to the royal presence chamber. At the -head of the landing rows of courtiers were collected in magnificent -attire, who stared at the queer old figure, and called to her and -explained to her with every kind of sign that it was strictly forbidden -to mount those steps. But their stern words and forbidding gestures made -no impression whatever on the old woman, and she resolutely continued to -climb the stairs, bent on carrying out her son's orders. Upon this some -of the courtiers seized her by the arms and held her back by sheer -force, at which she set up such a yell that the King himself heard it -and stepped out on to the balcony to see what was the matter. When he -beheld the old woman flinging her arms wildly about and heard her scream -that she would not leave the place till she had laid her case before the -King, he ordered that she should be brought into his presence. And -forthwith she was conducted into the golden presence chamber, where, -leaning back among cushions of royal purple, the King sat, surrounded by -his counselors and courtiers. Courtesying low, the old woman stood -silent before him. - -"Well, my good old dame, what can I do for you?" asked the King. - -"I have come," replied Martin's mother--"and your majesty must not be -angry with me--I have come a-wooing." - -"Is the woman out of her mind?" said the King, with an angry frown. - -But Martin's mother answered boldly: "If the King will only listen -patiently to me and give me a straightforward answer, he will see that I -am not out of my mind. You, O King, have a lovely daughter to give in -marriage. I have a son--a wooer--as clever a youth and as good a -son-in-law as you will find in your whole kingdom. There is nothing that -he cannot do. Now tell me, O King, plump and plain, will you give your -daughter to my son as wife?" - -The King listened to the end of the old woman's strange request, but -every moment his face grew blacker and his features sterner, till all at -once he thought to himself: "Is it worth while that I, the King, should -be angry with this poor old fool?" And all the courtiers and counselors -were amazed when they saw the hard lines around his mouth and the frown -on his brow grow smooth, and heard the mild but mocking tones in which -he answered the old woman, saying: - -"If your son is as wonderfully clever as you say, and if there is -nothing in the world that he cannot do, let him build a magnificent -castle, just opposite my palace windows, in twenty-four hours. The -palaces must be joined together by a bridge of pure crystal. On each -side of the bridge there must be growing trees, having golden and silver -apples and with birds of paradise among the branches. At the right of -the bridge there must be a church with five golden cupolas. In this -church your son shall be wedded to my daughter, and we will keep the -wedding festivities in the new castle. But if he fails to execute this -my royal command, then, as a just but mild monarch, I shall give orders -that you and he be taken and first dipped in tar and then in feathers, -and you shall be executed in the market place for the entertainment of -my courtiers." - -And a smile played around the King's lips as he finished speaking, and -his courtiers and counselors shook with laughter when they thought of -the old woman's folly, and praised the King's wise device and said to -each other: "What a joke it will be when we see the pair of them tarred -and feathered! The son is just as able to grow a beard on the palm of -his hand as to execute such a task in twenty-four hours." - -Now, the poor old woman was mortally afraid, and in a trembling voice -she asked: - -"Is that really your royal will, O King? Must I take this order to my -poor son?" - -"Yes, old dame; such is my command. If your son carries out my order he -shall be rewarded with my daughter; but if he fails, away to the tar -barrel and the stake with you both!" - -On her way home the poor old woman shed bitter tears, and when she saw -Martin she told him what the King had said, and sobbed out: - -"Didn't I tell you, my son, that you should marry some one of your own -rank? It would have been better for us this day if you had. As I told -you, my going to court has been as much as our lives are worth, and now -we will both be tarred and feathered and burned in the public market -place. It is terrible!" And she moaned and cried. - -"Never fear, little mother," answered Martin. "Trust me, and you will -see all will be well. You may go to sleep with a quiet mind." - -And stepping to the front of the hut Martin threw his ring from the palm -of one hand into the other, upon which twelve youths instantly appeared -and demanded what he wanted them to do. Then he told them the King's -commands, and they answered that by next morning all should be -accomplished exactly as the King had ordered. - -Next morning when the King awoke and looked out of his window, to his -amazement he beheld a magnificent castle, just opposite his own palace, -and joined to it by a bridge of pure crystal. - -At each side of the bridge trees were growing, from whose branches hung -golden and silver apples, among which birds of paradise perched. At the -right, gleaming in the sun, were the five golden cupolas of a splendid -church, whose bells rang out as if they would summon people from all -corners of the earth to come and behold the wonder. Now, though the King -would much rather have seen his future son-in-law tarred, feathered, and -burned at the stake, he remembered his royal oath and had to make the -best of a bad business. So he took heart of grace and made Martin a -duke, and gave his daughter a rich dowry, and prepared the grandest -wedding feast that had ever been seen, so that to this day the old -people in the country still talk of it. - -After the wedding Martin and his royal bride went to dwell in the -magnificent new palace, and here Martin lived in the greatest comfort -and luxury, such luxury as he had never imagined. But though he was as -happy as the day was long and as merry as a grig, the King's daughter -fretted all day, thinking of the indignity that had been done her in -making her marry Martin, the poor widow's son, instead of a rich young -prince from a foreign country. So unhappy was she that she spent all her -time wondering how she should get rid of her undesirable husband. And -first she determined to learn the secret of his power, and with -flattering, caressing words she tried to coax him to tell her how he was -so clever that there was nothing in the world that he could not do. At -first he would tell her nothing; but once, when he was in a yielding -mood, she approached him with a winning smile on her lovely face, and -speaking flattering words to him she gave him a potion to drink, with a -sweet, strong taste. And when he had drunk it Martin's lips were -unsealed, and he told her that all his power lay in the magic ring that -he wore on his finger, and he described to her how to use it, and still -speaking he fell into a deep sleep. And when she saw that the potion had -worked and that he was sound asleep, the Princess took the magic ring -from his finger, and going into the courtyard she threw it from the palm -of one hand into the other. On the instant the twelve youths appeared -and asked her what she commanded them to do. Then she told them that by -the next morning they were to do away with the castle and the bridge and -the church, and put in their stead the humble hut in which Martin used -to live with his mother, and that while he slept her husband was to be -carried to his old lowly room; and that they were to bear her away to -the utmost ends of the earth, where an old king lived who would make her -welcome in his palace and surround her with the state that befitted a -royal princess. - -"You shall be obeyed," answered the twelve youths at the same moment. -And lo and behold! the following morning when the King woke and looked -out of his window he beheld to his amazement that the palace, bridge, -church, and trees had all vanished, and there was nothing in their place -but a bare, miserable-looking hut. - -Immediately the King sent for his son-in-law and commanded him to -explain what had happened. But Martin looked at his royal father-in-law -and answered never a word. Then the King was very angry, and calling a -council together, he charged Martin with having been guilty of -witchcraft, and of having deceived the King, and having made away with -the Princess; and he was condemned to imprisonment in a high stone -tower, with neither meat nor drink, till he should die of starvation. - -Then, in the hour of his dire necessity, his old friends Schurka (the -dog) and Waska (the cat) remembered how Martin had once saved them from -a cruel death; and they took counsel together as to how they should help -him. And Schurka growled and was of opinion that he would like to tear -everyone in pieces; but Waska purred meditatively, scratched the back of -her ear with a velvet paw, and remained lost in thought. At the end of a -few minutes she had made up her mind, and turning to Schurka, said: "Let -us go together into the town, and the moment we meet a baker you must -make a rush between his legs and upset the tray from off his head. I -will lay hold of the rolls and will carry them off to our master." No -sooner said than done. Together the two faithful creatures trotted off -into the town, and very soon they met a baker bearing a tray on his head -and looking around on all sides while he cried: - - "Fresh rolls, sweet cake, - Fancy bread of every kind, - Come and buy, come and take, - Sure you'll find it to your mind." - -At that moment Schurka made a rush between his legs--the baker stumbled, -the tray was upset, the rolls fell to the ground, and while the man -angrily pursued Schurka, Waska managed to drag the rolls out of sight -behind a bush. And when a moment later Schurka joined her, they set off -at full tilt to the stone tower where Martin was a prisoner, taking the -rolls with them. Waska, being very agile, climbed up by the outside to -the grated window and called in an anxious voice: - -"Are you alive, master?" - -"Scarcely alive--almost starved to death," answered Martin in a weak -voice. "I little thought it would come to this, that I should die of -hunger." - -"Never fear, dear master. Schurka and I will look after you," said -Waska. And in another moment she had climbed down and brought him back a -roll, and then another and another till she had brought him the whole -tray load. Upon which she said: "Dear master, Schurka and I are going -off to a distant kingdom at the utmost ends of the earth to fetch you -back your magic ring. You must be careful that the rolls last till our -return." - -And Waska took leave of her beloved master and set off with Schurka on -their journey. On and on they traveled, looking always to right and left -for traces of the Princess, following up every track, making inquiries -of every cat and dog they met, listening to the talk of every wayfarer -they passed; and at last they heard that the kingdom at the utmost ends -of the earth, where the twelve youths had borne the Princess, was not -very far off. And one day they reached that distant kingdom, and going -at once to the palace they began to make friends with all the dogs and -cats in the place and to question them about the Princess and the magic -ring; but no one could tell them much about either. Now, one day it -chanced that Waska had gone down to the palace cellar to hunt for mice -and rats, and seeing an especially fat, well-fed mouse, she pounced upon -it, buried her claws in its soft fur, and was just going to gobble it up -when she was stopped by the pleading tones of the little creature, -saying: "If you will only spare my life I will be of great service to -you. I will do everything in my power for you; for I am the king of the -mice, and if I perish the whole race will die out." - -"So be it," said Waska. "I will spare your life, but in return you must -do something for me. In this castle there lives a princess, the wicked -wife of my dear master. She has stolen away his magic ring. You must get -it away from her at whatever cost. Do you hear? Till you have done this -I won't take my claws out of your fur." - -"Good!" replied the mouse. "I will do what you ask." And so saying he -summoned all the mice in his kingdom together. A countless number of -mice, small and big, brown and gray, assembled and formed a circle -around their king, who was a prisoner under Waska's claws. Turning to -them he said: "Dear and faithful subjects, whoever among you will steal -the magic ring from the strange Princess will release me from a cruel -death, and I shall honor him above all the other mice in the kingdom." - -Instantly a tiny mouse stepped forward and said: "I often creep about -the Princess's bedroom at night, and I have noticed that she has a ring -which she treasures as the apple of her eye. All day she wears it on her -finger, and at night she keeps it in her mouth. I will undertake, sire, -to steal away the ring for you." - -And the tiny mouse tripped away into the bedroom of the Princess and -waited for nightfall; then, when the Princess had fallen asleep, it -crept up on to her bed and gnawed a hole in the pillow, through which it -dragged, one by one, little down feathers and threw them under the -Princess's nose. And the fluff flew into the Princess's nose and into -her mouth, and starting up she sneezed and coughed, and the ring fell -out of her mouth on to the coverlet. In a flash the tiny mouse had -seized it and brought it to Waska as a ransom for the king of the mice. -Thereupon Waska and Schurka started off and traveled night and day till -they reached the stone tower where Martin was imprisoned; and the cat -climbed up the window and called out to him: - -"Martin, dear master, are you still alive?" - -"Ah! Waska, my faithful little cat, is that you?" replied a weak voice. -"I am dying of hunger. For three days I have not tasted food." - -"Be of good heart, dear master," replied Waska. "From this day forth, -you will know nothing but happiness and prosperity. If this were a -moment to trouble you with riddles, I would make you guess what Schurka -and I have brought you back. Only think, we have found you your ring!" - -At these words Martin's joy knew no bounds, and he stroked her fondly -and she rubbed up against him and purred happily, while below Schurka -bounded in the air and barked joyfully. Then Martin took the ring and -threw it from one hand into the other, and instantly the twelve youths -appeared and asked what they were to do. - -"Fetch me first something to eat and drink as quickly as possible; and -after that bring musicians hither and let us have music all day long." - -Now, when the people in the town and palace heard music coming from the -tower they were filled with amazement, and came to the King with the -news that witchcraft must be going on in Martin's tower, for instead of -dying of starvation he was seemingly making merry to the sound of music -and to the clatter of plates and glass and knives and forks; and the -music was so enchantingly sweet that all the passers-by stood still to -listen to it. On this the King sent at once a messenger to Starvation -Tower, and he was so astonished with what he saw that he remained rooted -to the spot. Then the King sent his chief counselors, and they too were -transfixed with wonder. At last the King came himself, and he likewise -was spellbound by the beauty of the music. - -Then Martin summoned the twelve youths and said to them: "Build up my -castle again and join it to the King's palace with a crystal bridge. Do -not forget the trees with the golden and silver apples and with the -birds of paradise in the branches, and put back the church with the five -cupolas, and let the bells ring out, summoning the people from the four -corners of the kingdom. And one thing more--bring back my faithless wife -and lead her into the women's chamber." - -And it was all done as he commanded, and leaving Starvation Tower he -took the King, his father-in-law, by the arm and led him into the new -palace, where the Princess sat in fear and trembling awaiting her death. -And Martin spoke to the King, saying: "King and royal father, I have -suffered much at the hands of your daughter. What punishment shall be -dealt to her?" - -Then the mild King answered: "Beloved Prince and son-in-law, if you love -me, let your anger be turned to grace--forgive my daughter and restore -her to your heart and favor." - -And Martin's heart was softened and he forgave his wife, and they lived -happily together ever after. And his old mother came and lived with -them, and he never parted with Schurka and Waska; and I need hardly tell -you that he never again let the ring out of his possession. - - - - -_Tit for Tat_ - - -THERE once lived a camel and a jackal who were great friends. One day -the Jackal said to the Camel: "I know that there is a fine field of -sugar cane on the other side of the river. If you will take me across, -I'll show you the place. This plan will suit me as well as you. You will -enjoy eating the sugar cane, and I am sure to find many crabs, bones, -and bits of fish by the riverside, on which to make a good dinner." - -The Camel consented and swam across the river, taking the Jackal, who -could not swim, on his back. When they reached the other side, the Camel -went to eating the sugar cane, and the Jackal ran up and down the river -bank devouring all the crabs, bits of fish, and bones he could find. - -But being so much smaller an animal, he had made an excellent meal -before the Camel had eaten more than two or three mouthfuls; and no -sooner had he finished his dinner than he ran round and round the -sugar-cane field, yelping and howling with all his might. - -The villagers heard him, and thought: "There is a jackal among the sugar -canes; he will be scratching holes in the ground and spoiling the roots -of the plants." And they all went down to the place to drive him away. -But when they got there they found to their surprise not only a jackal, -but a camel who was eating the sugar canes! This made them very angry, -and they caught the poor Camel and drove him from the field and beat and -beat him until he was nearly dead. - -When they had gone, the Jackal said to the Camel, "We had better go -home." And the Camel said: "Very well; then jump upon my back as you did -before." - -So the Jackal jumped upon the Camel's back, and the Camel began to -recross the river. When they had got well into the water the Camel said: -"This is a pretty way in which you have treated me, friend Jackal. No -sooner had you finished your own dinner than you must go yelping about -the place loud enough to arouse the whole village, and bring all the -villagers down to beat me black and blue, and turn me out of the field -before I had eaten two mouthfuls! What in the world did you make such a -noise for?" - -"I don't know," said the Jackal. "It is a habit I have. I always like to -sing a little after dinner." - -The Camel waded on through the river. The water reached up to his -knees--then above them--up, up, up, higher and higher, until he was -obliged to swim. Then turning to the Jackal he said, "I feel very -anxious to roll." "Oh, pray don't; why do you wish to do so?" asked the -Jackal. "I don't know," answered the Camel. "It is a habit I have. I -always like to have a little roll after dinner." So saying, he rolled -over in the water, shaking the Jackal off as he did so. And the Jackal -was drowned, but the Camel swam safely ashore. - - - - -_The Brahman, the Tiger, and the Six Judges_ - - -ONCE upon a time a Brahman, who was walking along the road, came upon an -iron cage, in which a great tiger had been shut up by the villagers who -caught him. - -As the Brahman passed by, the Tiger called out and said to him: "Brother -Brahman, brother Brahman, have pity on me, and let me out of this cage -for one minute only to drink a little water, for I am dying of thirst." -The Brahman answered: "No, I will not; for if I let you out of the cage -you will eat me." - -"Oh, father of mercy," answered the Tiger, "in truth that I will not. I -will never be so ungrateful; only let me out, that I may drink some -water and return." Then the Brahman took pity on him and opened the cage -door; but no sooner had he done so than the Tiger, jumping out, said: -"Now, I will eat you first and drink the water afterwards." But the -Brahman said: "Only do not kill me hastily. Let us first ask the opinion -of six, and if all of them say it is just and fair that you should put -me to death, then I am willing to die." - -"Very well," answered the Tiger, "it shall be as you say; we will first -ask the opinion of six." - -So the Brahman and the Tiger walked on till they came to a Banyan tree; -and the Brahman said to it: "Banyan Tree, Banyan Tree, hear and give -judgment." "On what must I give judgment?" asked the Banyan Tree. "This -Tiger," said the Brahman, "begged me to let him out of his cage to drink -a little water, and he promised not to hurt me if I did so; but now, -that I have let him out, he wishes to eat me. Is it just that he should -do so or no?" - -The Banyan Tree answered: "Men often come to take shelter in the cool -shade under my boughs from the scorching rays of the sun; but when they -have rested, they cut and break my pretty branches and wantonly scatter -my leaves. Let the Tiger eat the man, for men are an ungrateful race." - -At these words the Tiger would have instantly killed the Brahman, but -the Brahman said: "Tiger, Tiger, you must not kill me yet, for you -promised that we should first hear the judgment of six." "Very well," -said the Tiger, and they went on their way. After a little while they -met a camel. "Sir Camel, Sir Camel," cried the Brahman, "hear and give -judgment." "On what shall I give judgment?" asked the Camel. And the -Brahman related how the Tiger had begged him to open the cage door, and -promised not to eat him if he did so; and how he had afterwards -determined to break his word, and asked if that were just or not. The -Camel replied: "When I was young and strong, and could do much work, my -master took care of me and gave me good food; but now that I am old, and -have lost all my strength in his service, he overloads me and starves me -and beats me without mercy. Let the Tiger eat the man, for men are an -unjust and cruel race." - -The Tiger would then have killed the Brahman, but the latter said: -"Stop, Tiger, for we must first hear the judgment of six." - -So they both went again on their way. At a little distance they found a -bullock lying by the roadside. The Brahman said to him: "Brother -Bullock, brother Bullock, hear and give judgment." "On what must I give -judgment?" asked the Bullock. The Brahman answered: "I found this Tiger -in a cage, and he prayed me to open the door and let him out to drink a -little water, and promised not to kill me if I did so; but when I had -let him out he resolved to put me to death. Is it fair that he should do -so or not?" The Bullock said: "When I was able to work my master fed me -well and tended me carefully, but now I am old he has forgotten all I -did for him, and left me by the roadside to die. Let the Tiger eat the -man, for men have no pity." - -Three out of the six had given judgment against the Brahman, but still -he did not lose all hope and determined to ask the other three. - -They next met an eagle flying through the air, to whom the Brahman -cried, "O Eagle, great Eagle, hear and give judgment." "On what must I -give judgment?" asked the Eagle. The Brahman stated the case, and the -Eagle answered: "Whenever men see me they try to shoot me; they climb -the rocks and steal away my little ones. Let the Tiger eat the man, for -men are the persecutors of the earth." - -Then the Tiger began to roar and said: "The judgment of all is against -you, O Brahman!" But the Brahman answered: "Stay yet a little longer, -for two others must first be asked." After this they saw an alligator, -and the Brahman related the matter to him, hoping for a more favorable -verdict. But the Alligator said: "Whenever I put my nose out of the -water men torment me and try to kill me. Let the Tiger eat the man, for -as long as men live we shall have no rest." - -The Brahman gave himself up as lost; but again he prayed the Tiger to -have patience and let him ask the opinion of the sixth judge. Now the -sixth was a jackal. The Brahman told his story, and said to him: "Uncle -Jackal, Uncle Jackal, say what is your judgment?" The Jackal answered: -"It is impossible for me to decide who is in the right and who in the -wrong unless I see the exact position in which you were when the dispute -began. Show me the place." So the Brahman and the Tiger returned to the -place where they first met, and the Jackal went with them. When they got -there, the Jackal said: "Now Brahman, show me exactly where you stood." -"Here," said the Brahman, standing by the iron tiger cage. "Exactly -there, was it?" asked the Jackal. "Exactly here," replied the Brahman. -"Where was the Tiger, then?" asked the Jackal. "In the cage," answered -the Tiger. "How do you mean?" said the Jackal; "how were you within the -cage? which way were you looking?" "Why, I stood so," said the Tiger, -jumping into the cage, "and my head was on this side." "Very good," said -the Jackal, "but I cannot judge without understanding the whole matter -exactly. Was the cage door open or shut?" "Shut and bolted," said the -Brahman. "Then shut and bolt it," said the Jackal. - -When the Brahman had done this, the Jackal said: "Oh, you wicked and -ungrateful Tiger! when the good Brahman opened your cage door, is to eat -him the only return you would make? Stay there, then, for the rest of -your days, for no one will ever let you out again. Proceed on your -journey, friend Brahman. Your road lies that way and mine this." - -So saying, the Jackal ran off in one direction, and the Brahman went -rejoicing on his way in the other. - - - - -_Muchie Lal_ - - -ONCE upon a time there were a rajah and ranee who had no children. Long -had they wished and prayed that the gods would send them a son, but it -was all in vain--their prayers were not granted. One day a number of -fish were brought into the royal kitchen to be cooked for the Rajah's -dinner, and among them was one little fish that was not dead, though all -the rest were dead. One of the palace maid servants seeing this, took -the little fish and put him in a basin of water. Shortly afterwards the -Ranee saw him, and, thinking him very pretty, kept him as a pet; and -because she had no children she lavished all her affection on the fish -and loved him as a son; and the people called him Muchie Rajah (the Fish -Prince). In a little while Muchie Rajah had grown too long to live in -the small basin, so they put him in a larger one, and then when he grew -too long for that, into a big tub. In time, however, Muchie Rajah became -too large for even the big tub to hold him, so the Ranee had a tank made -for him in which he lived very happily; and twice a day she fed him with -boiled rice. Now, though the people fancied Muchie Rajah was only a -fish, this was not the case. He was, in truth, a young rajah who had -angered the gods, and been turned by them into a fish and thrown into -the river as a punishment. - -One morning, when the Ranee brought him his daily meal of boiled rice, -Muchie Rajah called out to her and said: "Queen Mother, Queen Mother, I -am so lonely here all by myself! Cannot you get me a wife?" The Ranee -promised to try, and sent messengers to all the people she knew to ask -if they would allow one of their children to marry her son, the Fish -Prince. But they all answered: "We cannot give one of our dear little -daughters to be devoured by a great fish, even though he is the Muchie -Rajah and so high in your majesty's favor." - -At news of this the Ranee did not know what to do. She was so foolishly -fond of Muchie Rajah, however, that she resolved to get him a wife at -any cost. Again she sent out messengers, but this time she gave them a -great bag containing a lac of gold mohurs,[G] and said to them: "Go into -every land until you find a wife for my Muchie Rajah, and to whoever -will give you a child to be the Muchie Ranee you shall give this bag of -gold mohurs." The messengers started on their search, but for some time -they were unsuccessful. Not even the beggars were to be tempted to sell -their children, fearing the great fish would devour them. At last one -day the messengers came to a village where there lived a fakir, who had -lost his first wife and married again. His first wife had had one little -daughter, and his second wife also had a daughter. As it happened, the -Fakir's second wife hated her little stepdaughter, always gave her the -hardest work to do and the least food to eat, and tried by every means -in her power to get her out of the way in order that the child might not -rival her own daughter. When she heard of the errand on which the -messengers had come, she sent for them when the Fakir was out, and said -to them: "Give me the bag of gold mohurs, and you shall take my little -daughter to marry the Muchie Rajah." ("For," she thought to herself, -"the great fish will certainly eat the girl, and she will thus trouble -us no more.") Then, turning to her stepdaughter, she said: "Go down to -the river and wash your saree, that you may be fit to go with these -people, who will take you to the Ranee's court." At these words the poor -girl went down to the river very sorrowful, for she saw no hope of -escape, as her father was from home. As she knelt by the riverside, -washing her saree and crying bitterly, some of her tears fell into the -hole of an old seven-headed cobra, who lived on the river bank. This -Cobra was a very wise animal, and seeing the maiden, he put his head out -of his hole and said to her, "Little girl, why do you cry?" "Oh, sir," -she answered, "I am very unhappy, for my father is from home, and my -stepmother has sold me to the Ranee's people to be the wife of the -Muchie Rajah, that great fish, and I know he will eat me up." "Do not be -afraid, my daughter," said the Cobra; "but take with you these three -stones and tie them up in the corner of your saree"; and so saying he -gave her three little round pebbles. "The Muchie Rajah, whose wife you -are to be, is not really a fish, but a rajah who has been enchanted. -Your home will be a little room which the Ranee has had built in the -tank wall. When you are taken there, wait and be sure you don't go to -sleep or the Muchie Rajah will certainly come and eat you up. But as you -hear him coming rushing through the water, be prepared, and as soon as -you see him throw this first stone at him; he will then sink to the -bottom of the tank. The second time he comes, throw the second stone, -when the same thing will happen. The third time he comes, throw this -third stone, and he will immediately resume his human shape." So saying, -the old Cobra dived down again into his hole. The Fakir's daughter took -the stones and determined to do as the Cobra had told her, though she -hardly believed it would have the desired effect. - -When she reached the palace the Ranee spoke kindly to her, and said to -the messengers: "You have done your errand well; this is a dear little -girl." Then she ordered that she should be let down the side of the tank -in a basket to a little room which had been prepared for her. When the -Fakir's daughter got there, she thought she had never seen such a pretty -place in her life, for the Ranee had caused the little room to be very -nicely decorated for the wife of her favorite; and she would have felt -very happy away from her cruel stepmother and all the hard work she had -been made to do, had it not been for the dark water that lay black and -unfathomable below the door, and the fear of the terrible Muchie Rajah. - -After waiting some time she heard a rushing sound, and little waves came -dashing against the threshold; faster they came and faster, and the -noise got louder and louder, until she saw a great fish's head above the -water--Muchie Rajah was coming toward her open-mouthed. The Fakir's -daughter seized one of the stones that the Cobra had given her and threw -it at him, and down he sank to the bottom of the tank; a second time he -rose and came toward her, and she threw the second stone at him, and he -again sank down; a third time he came more fiercely than before, when, -seizing the third stone, she threw it with all her force. No sooner did -it touch him than the spell was broken, and there, instead of a fish, -stood a handsome young prince. The poor little Fakir's daughter was so -startled that she began to cry. But the Prince said to her: "Pretty -maiden, do not be frightened. You have rescued me from a horrible -thraldom, and I can never thank you enough; but if you will be the -Muchie Ranee, we will be married to-morrow." Then he sat down on the -doorstep, thinking over his strange fate and watching for the dawn. - -[Illustration: "THE RANEE SAID, 'THIS IS A DEAR LITTLE GIRL'"] - -Next morning early several inquisitive people came to see if the Muchie -Rajah had eaten up his poor little wife, as they feared he would; what -was their astonishment, on looking over the tank wall, to see, not the -Muchie Rajah, but a magnificent prince! The news soon spread to the -palace. Down came the Rajah, down came the Ranee, down came all their -attendants and dragged Muchie Rajah and the Fakir's daughter up the side -of the tank in a basket; and when they heard their story there were -great and unparalleled rejoicings. The Ranee said: "So I have indeed -found a son at last!" And the people were so delighted, so happy and so -proud of the new Prince and Princess that they covered all their path -with damask from the tank to the palace, and cried to their fellows: -"Come and see our new Prince and Princess. Were ever any so divinely -beautiful? Come see a right royal couple--a pair of mortals like the -gods!" And when they reached the palace the Prince was married to the -Fakir's daughter. - -There they lived very happily for some time. The Muchie Ranee's -stepmother, hearing what had happened, came often to see her -stepdaughter, and pretended to be delighted at her good fortune; and -the Ranee was so good that she quite forgave all her stepmother's former -cruelty, and always received her very kindly. At last, one day, the -Muchie Ranee said to her husband: "It is a weary while since I saw my -father. If you will give me leave, I should much like to visit my native -village and see him again." "Very well," he replied, "you may go. But do -not stay away long, for there can be no happiness for me till you -return." So she went, and her father was delighted to see her; but her -stepmother, though she pretended to be very kind, was, in reality, only -glad to think she had got the Ranee into her power, and determined, if -possible, never to allow her to return to the palace again. One day -therefore she said to her own daughter: "It is hard that your stepsister -should have become Ranee of all the land instead of being eaten up by -the great fish, while we gained no more than a lac of gold mohurs. Do -now as I bid you, that you may become ranee in her stead." She then went -on to instruct her how she must invite the Ranee down to the river bank, -and there beg her to let her try on her jewels, and while putting them -on give her a push and drown her in the river. - -The girl consented, and standing by the river bank, said to her -stepsister: "Sister, may I try on your jewels? How pretty they are!" -"Yes," said the Ranee, "and we shall be able to see in the river how -they look." So, undoing her necklaces, she clasped them around the -other's neck. But while she was doing so her stepsister gave her a push, -and she fell backward into the water. The girl watched to see that the -body did not rise, and then, running back, said to her mother: "Mother, -here are all the jewels, and she will trouble us no more." But it -happened that just when her stepsister pushed the Ranee into the river -her old friend the Seven-headed Cobra chanced to be swimming across it, -and seeing the little Ranee likely to be drowned, he carried her on his -back until they reached his hole, into which he took her safely. Now -this hole, in which the Cobra and his wife and all his little ones lived -had two entrances--the one under the water and leading to the river, -and the other above water, leading out into the open fields. To this -upper end of his hole the Cobra took the Muchie Ranee, where he and his -wife took care of her; and there she lived with them for some time. -Meanwhile, the wicked Fakir's wife, having dressed up her own daughter -in all the Ranee's jewels, took her to the palace, and said to the -Muchie Rajah: "See, I have brought your wife, my dear daughter, back -safe and well." The Rajah looked at her, and thought, "This does not -look like my wife." However, the room was dark and the girl was cleverly -disguised, and he thought he might be mistaken. Next day he said again: -"My wife must be sadly changed or this cannot be she, for she was always -bright and cheerful. She had pretty loving ways and merry words, while -this woman never opens her lips." Still, he did not like to seem to -mistrust his wife, and comforted himself by saying, "Perhaps she is -tired with the long journey." On the third day, however, he could bear -the uncertainty no longer, and tearing off her jewels saw, not the face -of his own little wife, but another woman. Then he was very angry and -turned her out of doors, saying: "Begone! since you are but the wretched -tool of others, I spare your life." But of the Fakir's wife he said to -his guards: "Fetch that woman here instantly, for unless she can tell me -where my wife is, I will have her hanged." It chanced, however, that the -Fakir's wife had heard of the Muchie Rajah having turned her daughter -out of doors; so, fearing his anger, she hid herself, and was not to be -found. - -Meantime, the Muchie Ranee, not knowing how to get home, continued to -live in the great Seven-headed Cobra's hole, and he and his wife and all -his family were very kind to her, and loved her as if she had been one -of them; and there her little son was born, and she called him Muchie -Lal,[H] after the Muchie Rajah, his father. Muchie Lal was a lovely -child, merry and brave, and his playmates all day long were the young -cobras. When he was about three years old a bangle seller came by that -way, and the Muchie Ranee bought some bangles from him and put them on -her boy's wrists and ankles; but by the next day, in playing, he had -broken them all. Then, seeing the bangle seller, the Ranee called him -again and bought some more, and so on every day until the bangle seller -got quite rich from selling so many bangles for the Muchie Lal--for the -Cobra's hole was full of treasure, and he gave the Muchie Ranee as much -money to spend every day as she liked. There was nothing she wished for -he did not give her, only he would not let her try to get home to her -husband, which she wished more than all. When she asked him he would -say: "No, I will not let you go. If your husband comes here and fetches -you, it is well; but I will not allow you to wander in search of him -through the land alone." - -And so she was obliged to stay where she was. - -All this time the poor Muchie Rajah was hunting in every part of the -country for his wife, but he could learn no tidings of her. For grief -and sorrow at losing her he had gone well-nigh distracted, and did -nothing but wander from place to place, crying, "She is gone! she is -gone!" Then, when he had long inquired without avail of all the people -in her native village about her, he one day met a bangle seller, and -said to him, "Whence do you come?" The bangle seller answered: "I have -just been selling bangles to some people who live in a cobra's hole in -the river bank." "People! What people?" asked the Rajah. "Why," answered -the bangle seller, "a woman and a child. The child is the most beautiful -I ever saw. He is about three years old, and of course, running about, -is always breaking his bangles, and his mother buys him new ones every -day." "Do you know what the child's name is?" said the Rajah. "Yes," -answered the bangle seller carelessly, "for the lady always calls him -her Muchie Lal." "Ah," thought the Muchie Rajah, "this must be my wife." -Then he said to him again: "Good bangle seller, I would see these -strange people of whom you speak; cannot you take me there?" "Not -to-night," replied the bangle seller; "daylight has gone, and we should -only frighten them; but I shall be going there again to-morrow, and then -you may come too. Meanwhile, come and rest at my house for the night, -for you look faint and weary." The Rajah consented. Next morning, -however, very early, he woke the bangle seller, saying: "Pray let us go -now and see the people you spoke about yesterday." "Stay," said the -bangle seller; "it is much too early. I never go till after breakfast." -So the Rajah had to wait till the bangle seller was ready to go. At last -they started off, and when they reached the Cobra's hole the first thing -the Rajah saw was a fine little boy playing with the young cobras. - -As the bangle seller came along, jingling his bangles, a gentle voice -from inside the hole called out: "Come here, my Muchie Lal, and try on -your bangles." Then the Muchie Rajah, kneeling down at the mouth of the -hole, said, "O lady, show your beautiful face to me." At the sound of -his voice the Ranee ran out, crying, "Husband, husband! have you found -me again!" And she told him how her sister had tried to drown her, and -how the good Cobra had saved her life and taken care of her and her -child. Then he said, "And will you now come home with me?" And she told -him how the Cobra would never let her go, and said: "I will first tell -him of your coming; for he has been as a father to me." So she called -out: "Father Cobra, father Cobra, my husband has come to fetch me; will -you let me go?" "Yes," he said, "if your husband has come to fetch you, -you may go." And his wife said: "Farewell, dear lady, we are loth to -lose you, for we have loved you as a daughter." And all the little -cobras were very sorrowful to think that they must lose their -playfellow, the young Prince. Then the Cobra gave the Muchie Rajah and -the Muchie Ranee and Muchie Lal all the most costly gifts he could find -in his treasure-house, and so they went home, where they lived very -happy ever after. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote G: A lac of gold mohurs is equal to about $750,000.] - -[Footnote H: Little Ruby Fish.] - - - - -_The Valiant Chatteemaker_ - - -ONCE upon a time, in a violent storm of thunder, lightning, wind, and -rain, a tiger crept for shelter close to the wall of an old woman's hut. -This old woman was very poor, and her hut was but a tumble-down place, -through the roof of which the rain came drip, drip, drip, on more sides -than one. This troubled her much, and she went running about from side -to side, dragging first one thing and then another out of the way of the -leaky places in the roof, and as she did so she kept saying to herself: -"Oh, dear! oh, dear! how tiresome this is! I'm sure the roof will come -down! If an elephant, or a lion, or a tiger were to walk in, he wouldn't -frighten me half so much as this perpetual dripping." And then she would -begin dragging the bed and all the other things in the room about again, -to get them out of the way of the wet. The tiger, who was crouching down -just outside, heard all that she said, and thought to himself: "This old -woman says she would not be afraid of an elephant, or a lion, or a -tiger, but that this perpetual dripping frightens her more than all. -What can this 'perpetual dripping' be?--it must be something very -dreadful." And hearing her immediately afterwards dragging all the -things about the room again, he said to himself: "What a terrible noise! -Surely that must be the 'perpetual dripping.'" - -At this moment a Chatteemaker,[I] who was in search of his donkey, which -had strayed away, came down the road. The night being very cold, he had, -truth to say, taken a little more toddy than was good for him, and -seeing, by the glare of a flash of lightning, a large animal lying down -close to the old woman's hut, he mistook it for the donkey he was -looking for. - -So, running up to the tiger, he seized hold of it by one ear, and -commenced beating, kicking, and abusing it with all his might and main. -"You wretched creature!" he cried, "is this the way you serve me, -obliging me to come out and look for you in such pouring rain and on -such a dark night as this? Get up instantly or I'll break every bone in -your body"; so he went on scolding and thumping the tiger with his -utmost power, for he had worked himself up into a terrible rage. The -tiger did not know what to make of it all, but he began to feel quite -frightened, and said to himself: "Why, this must be the 'perpetual -dripping'; no wonder the old woman said she was more afraid of it than -of an elephant, a lion, or a tiger, for it gives most dreadfully hard -blows." - -The Chatteemaker, having made the tiger get up, got on his back and -forced him to carry him home, kicking and beating him the whole way, for -all this time he fancied he was on his donkey; and then he tied his -forefeet and his head firmly together, and fastened him to a post in -front of his house, and when he had done this he went to bed. - -Next morning, when the Chatteemaker's wife got up and looked out of the -window, what did she see but a great big tiger tied up, in front of -their house, to the post to which they usually fastened the donkey. She -was very much surprised, and running to her husband, awoke him, saying: -"Do you know what animal you fetched home last night?" "Yes, the donkey, -to be sure," he answered. "Come and see," said she, and she showed him -the great tiger tied to the post. The Chatteemaker at this was no less -astonished than his wife, and felt himself all over to find if the tiger -had not wounded him. But, no, he was safe and sound, and there was the -tiger tied to the post, just as he had fastened it up the night before. - -News of the Chatteemaker's exploit soon spread through the village, and -all the people came to see him and hear him tell how he had caught the -tiger and tied it to the post; and this they thought so wonderful that -they sent a deputation to the Rajah, with a letter to tell him how a man -of their village had, alone and unarmed, caught a great tiger and tied -it to a post. - -When the Rajah read the letter he also was much surprised, and -determined to go in person and see this astonishing sight. So he sent -for his horses and carriages, his lords and attendants, and they all set -off together to look at the Chatteemaker and the tiger he had caught. - -Now the tiger was a very large one, and had long been the terror of the -whole country around, which made the whole matter still more -extraordinary; and all this being represented to the Rajah, he -determined to confer all possible honor on the valiant Chatteemaker. So -he gave him houses and lands, and as much money as would fill a well, -made him a lord of his court, and conferred on him the command of ten -thousand horse. - -It came to pass, shortly after this, that a neighboring rajah, who had -long had a quarrel with this one, sent to announce his intention of -going instantly to war with him; and tidings were brought at the same -time that the Rajah who sent the challenge had gathered a great army -together on the borders, and was prepared at a moment's notice to invade -the country. - -In this dilemma no one knew what to do. The Rajah sent for all his -generals, and inquired of them which would be willing to take command of -his forces and oppose the enemy. They all replied that the country was -so ill prepared for the emergency, and the case was apparently so -hopeless, that they would rather not take the responsibility of the -chief command. The Rajah knew not whom to appoint in their stead. Then -some of his people said to him: "You have lately given the command of -ten thousand horse to the valiant Chatteemaker who caught the tiger. Why -not make him commander-in-chief? A man who could catch a tiger and tie -him to a post, must surely be more courageous and clever than most." -"Very well," said the Rajah, "I will make him commander-in-chief." So he -sent for the Chatteemaker and said to him: "In your hands I place all -the power of the kingdom; you must put our enemies to flight for us." -"So be it," answered the Chatteemaker; "but, before I lead the whole -army against the enemy, suffer me to go by myself and examine their -position, and, if possible, find out their numbers and strength." - -The Rajah consented, and the Chatteemaker returned home to his wife and -said: "They have made me commander-in-chief, which is a very difficult -post for me to fill, because I shall have to ride at the head of all the -army, and you know I never was on a horse in my life. But I have -succeeded in gaining a little delay, as the Rajah has given me -permission to go first alone and reconnoiter the enemy's camp. Do you -therefore provide a very quiet pony, for you know I cannot ride, and I -will start to-morrow morning." - -But, before the Chatteemaker had started, the Rajah sent over to him a -most magnificent charger richly caparisoned, which he begged he would -ride when going to see the enemy's camp. The Chatteemaker was frightened -almost out of his life, for the charger that the Rajah had sent him was -very powerful and spirited, and he felt sure that even if he ever got on -it, he should very soon tumble off; however, he did not dare to refuse -it, for fear of offending the Rajah by not accepting his present. So he -sent back to him a message of thanks, and said to his wife: "I cannot go -on the pony, now that the Rajah has sent me this fine horse; but how am -I ever to ride it?" "Oh, don't be frightened," she answered; "you've -only to get upon it, and I will tie you firmly on so that you cannot -tumble off, and if you start at night no one will see that you are tied -on." "Very well," he said. - -So that night his wife brought the horse that the Rajah had sent him to -the door. "Indeed," said the Chatteemaker, "I can never get into that -saddle, it is so high up." "You must jump," said his wife. So he tried -to jump several times, but each time he jumped he tumbled down again. "I -always forget when I am jumping," said he, "which way I ought to turn." -"Your face must be toward the horse's head," she answered. "To be sure, -of course," he cried, and giving one great jump he jumped into the -saddle, but with his face toward the horse's tail. "This won't do at -all," said his wife as she helped him down again; "try getting on -without jumping." "I never can remember," he continued, "when I have got -my left foot in the stirrup, what to do with my right foot or where to -put it." "That must go in the other stirrup," she answered; "let me help -you." So after many trials in which he tumbled down very often, for the -horse was fresh and did not like standing still, the Chatteemaker got -into the saddle; but no sooner had he got there than he cried: "Oh, -wife, wife! tie me very firmly as quickly as possible, for I know I -shall jump down if I can." Then she fetched some strong rope and tied -his feet firmly into the stirrups, fastened one stirrup to the other, -and put another rope around his waist and another around his neck, and -fastened them to the horse's body and neck and tail. - -When the horse felt all these ropes about him he could not imagine what -queer creature had got upon his back, and he began rearing and kicking -and prancing, and at last set off full gallop, as fast as he could tear, -right across country. "Wife, wife!" cried the Chatteemaker, "you forgot -to tie my hands." "Never mind," said she, "hold on by the mane." So he -caught hold of the horse's mane as firmly as he could. Then away went -horse, away went Chatteemaker--away, away, away over hedges, over -ditches, over rivers, over plains--away, away like a flash of -lightning--now this way, now that--on, on, on, gallop, gallop, -gallop--until they came in sight of the enemy's camp. - -The Chatteemaker did not like his ride at all, and when he saw where it -was leading him he liked it still less, for he thought the enemy would -catch him and very likely kill him. So he determined to make one -desperate effort to be free, and stretching out his hand as the horse -shot past a young banyan tree, seized hold of it with all his might, -hoping that the resistance it offered might cause the ropes that tied -him to break. But the horse was going at his utmost speed, and the soil -in which the banyan tree grew was loose, so that when the Chatteemaker -caught hold of it and gave it such a violent pull it came up by the -roots, and on he rode as fast as before, with the tree in his hand. - -All the soldiers in the camp saw him coming, and, having heard that an -army was to be sent against them, made sure that the Chatteemaker was -one of the vanguard. "See," cried they, "here comes a man of gigantic -stature on a mighty horse! He rides at full speed across the country, -tearing up the very trees in his rage! He is one of the opposing force; -the whole army must be close at hand. If they are such as he, we are all -dead men." Then, running to their Rajah, some of them cried again: "Here -comes the whole force of the enemy" (for the story had by this time -become exaggerated); "they are men of gigantic stature, mounted on -mighty horses; as they come they tear up the very trees in their rage; -we can oppose men, but not monsters such as these." These were followed -by others, who said: "It is all true," for by this time the Chatteemaker -had got pretty near the camp; "they're coming! they're coming! let us -fly! let us fly--fly, fly for your lives!" And the whole panic-stricken -multitude fled from the camp, those who had seen no cause for alarm -going because the others did, or because they did not care to stay by -themselves, after having obliged their Rajah to write a letter to the -one whose country he was about to invade, to say that he would not do -so, and to propose terms of peace, and to sign it and seal it with his -seal. Scarcely had all the people fled from the camp when the horse on -which the Chatteemaker was came galloping into it, and on his back rode -the Chatteemaker, almost dead from fatigue, with the banyan tree in his -hand. Just as he reached the camp the ropes by which he was tied broke, -and he fell to the ground. The horse stood still, too tired with his -long run to go farther. On recovering his senses, the Chatteemaker -found, to his surprise, that the whole camp, full of rich arms, clothes, -and trappings, was entirely deserted. In the principal tent, moreover, -he found a letter addressed to his Rajah, announcing the retreat of the -invading army and proposing terms of peace. - -So he took the letter and returned home with it as fast as he could, -leading his horse all the way, for he was afraid to mount him again. It -did not take him long to reach his house by the direct road, for while -riding he had gone a more circuitous journey than was necessary, and he -reached there just at nightfall. His wife ran out to meet him, overjoyed -at his speedy return. As soon as he saw her, he said: "Ah, wife, since I -saw you last I've been all around the world, and had many wonderful and -terrible adventures. But never mind that now: send this letter quickly -to the Rajah by a messenger, and send the horse also that he sent for me -to ride. He will then see, by the horse looking so tired, what a long -ride I've had; and if he is sent on beforehand, I shall not be obliged -to ride him up to the palace door to-morrow morning, as I otherwise -should, and that would be very tiresome, for most likely I should tumble -off." So his wife sent the horse and the letter to the Rajah, and a -message that her husband would be at the palace early next morning, as -it was then late at night. And next day he went down there, as he had -said he would; and when the people saw him coming, they said: "This man -is as modest as he is brave; after having put our enemies to flight, he -walks quite simply to the door, instead of riding here in state, as -another man would." For they did not know that the Chatteemaker walked -because he was afraid to ride. - -The Rajah came to the palace door to meet him, and paid him all possible -honor. Terms of peace were agreed upon between the two countries, and -the Chatteemaker was rewarded for all he had done, by being given twice -as much rank and wealth as he had before, and he lived very happily all -the rest of his life. - - -THE END - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote I: Potter.] - - - * * * * * - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Obvious punctuation errors repaired. - -Page 18, "the" changed to "The" (The crone answered) - -Page 41, word "time" added to text. Original read (home by this," said) - -Page 47, "re" changed to "are" (if they are not dead) - -Page 200, illustration facing, "MICHEAL" changed to "MICHAEL" (MICHAEL, -PETRIFIED, STOOD) - -Page 215, "preseverance" changed to "perseverance" (perseverance of her -lover) - -Page 304, "pased" changed to "passed" (a year passed away) - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fairy Ring, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIRY RING *** - -***** This file should be named 40359-8.txt or 40359-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/3/5/40359/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Emmy, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive and Hathi Trust Digital Library for the -Frontispiece used.) - - -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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