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diff --git a/old/52899-0.txt b/old/52899-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c004ae0..0000000 --- a/old/52899-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2716 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wonderful Stories of Fuz-Buz the Fly -and Mother Grabem the Spider, by Silas Wier Mitchell - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: The Wonderful Stories of Fuz-Buz the Fly and Mother Grabem the Spider - -Author: Silas Wier Mitchell - -Release Date: August 26, 2016 [EBook #52899] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FUZ-BUZ THE FLY *** - - - - -Produced by MWS, Christian Boissonnas and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - - THE - - WONDERFUL STORIES - - OF - - FUZ-BUZ THE FLY - - AND - - MOTHER GRABEM - - THE - - SPIDER. - - - - - PHILADELPHIA - J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., - 1867. - - - - - Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by - - J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., - - In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District - of Pennsylvania. - - - - -[Illustration] - - -MRS. GRABEM AND FUZ-BUZ. - - -Mrs. Grabem was a hairy spider who knit cobwebs and caught flies and -brought up a small household of nine young spiders. - -When I first knew this happy family, and learned all the wonderful -things they heard and did, their home was as pretty a place as a spider -need want. Their web was spun to and fro across the crotch of an old -apple tree, and when they looked down they could see the green grass, -and when they looked up they could see the great jolly red apples which -must have looked to those young spiders just as the stars look to our -own young folks. - -On one side of their web, Mrs. Grabem had knit with great labour a long -dark cave all of cobweb, where the family slept at night, and where -they lay trembling while the great winds blew and the tree rocked and -bent. - -One fine breezy morning in June, when the leaves above were clapping -their palms for joy at growing, and when the birds were tossing little -love songs to one another, the old lady sat mending her web which a -great wasp had broken. Meanwhile, the young spiders chased each other -along one thread and down another and shook the dew from the web as -they played. - -"Ah!" said the eldest of them, as he saw it sparkle in the sun, "these -must be the diamonds we have heard about." - -"No," said another, "they look to me blue, they are turquoises." - -"Geese!" said a third, who was on a distant part of the web, "they are -drops of gold, any one can see they are yellow." - -At this they fell to abusing each other, when suddenly the old lady -cried out, "Foolish children, if you change places you will see that -each of you is right. You make me think of a tale which my grandmother -used to tell me. It is a story which has come down in our family from -your ancestor who gave Robert Bruce such very good advice without ever -saying a word. You know that the king was looking at the spider when he -was swinging a line, striving to fasten it. The spider having tried six -times was about to stop, for before this spiders never tried more than -six times. But when he looked up and saw the king he knew just what was -needed to give him courage, and therefore it was that the spider made -one more mighty effort, and so at last made fast the web. - -"Thus you see that our ancestor invented trying seven times, although -I think the Bruce usually gets more credit than the spider. When this -wise spider grew older he went to Spain in the helmet of the good -Lord Douglas who was killed by the Moors, so that they got his helmet -and your great-great-great-grandfather, who kept quiet enough in the -darkest corner until he was carried to Granada, where he lived a long -while and found the flies many, and tender, and of good flavour. And -this was one of his stories which he had gotten at Granada, when he lay -among the Moors." - -Then all the young spiders listened, and the old mother spider began. - -"One night the King Almanzor was walking alone when he overheard three -water-carriers gossiping. - -"'I would not be the King,' said Amric, the first who spoke. 'Every -morning before prayers I peep through a crack in the wall of the Palace -garden, and always I see the King grave and sober, just when the sun is -rising red and the birds are laughing and telling their dreams. I would -not be a King, to look sober at dawn every day in the year. A grave man -is the King.' - -"'Bosh!' said the second, whose name was Hassan. 'The King is a sad -man. He must have done some evil in his youth, for just before noon-day -prayers I look into the Palace garden from my window, and lo! always -the King kneels weeping at the great fountain, which we call the forest -of waters.' - -"'And I,' cried Amrah, 'think ye both wrong. A merry man is King -Almanzor. For ever at evening, when the minarets call to prayer, I have -seen the King at the fountain laughing, always laughing, always glad. A -foolish man must the King be to laugh at nothing.' - -"'He's too sober,' said one. - -"'Too sad,' cried the second. - -"'Too merry,' said the third. - -"Then each held to his own opinion, and abused the others, until from -words they came to blows. - -"This roused the guard, who seized upon the whole three, and was taking -them away, when the King whispered to the Captain to bring them to the -Palace the next day. - -"Accordingly in the morning they were brought to the King in the garden -before prayer time. - -"'I hear,' said Almanzor, 'that you talked of me last night. It is said -that you think me sober, sad, and foolish.' - -"Not one of them answered. - -"'I will think of your crime, and how you shall be punished. Begone, -and return hither at noon.' - -"At noon-tide they were brought again to the King, who said to them -gravely, 'You have abused the King. You shall die to-morrow.' - -"'Woe is me!" cried they all, and as they were led away the King stayed -weeping by the water's edge. - -"But at evening, the guard took them out yet once more, and this time -the King was merry, and the sound of music mocked their sadness. - -"'You are pardoned,' said the King Almanzor. 'Judge not lightly of me -again. In the morning I reflect on the crimes which I have to judge, -and then I am grave. At noon I condemn some to die, and then ever I -weep. But at night-fall I pardon the least guilty, and then always I am -glad at heart. Be ye also merry to-night, and to-morrow wiser.' - -"And thus saying, the King gave them a purse of gold and turned away." - -"What a little story," cried the young spiders. - -"Hush!" answered Mrs. Grabem. "Now I must mend this hole in our cobweb. -But, bless me! run to the den. Here comes a big fly." - -Quick as could be they all ran into the dark passage and Mrs. Grabem -stayed at the door. Pretty soon the fly flew near. He was a handsome -gay fellow all over gold and purple and sparkling in the sun-light. He -thought he would have a little of the nice gum which flowed from the -apple tree bark, so he flew nearer, but just as he alighted his legs -caught in the net and then what a fuss he made! Buz, Buz, and pulled -and bit, but it was in vain, for he was held fast by a long cobweb -which allowed him to go a little way but no further. - -Then Mrs. Grabem ran out, and pulled at the web, and drew him near, -when all the little spiders began to sing, "We shall have a good -breakfast." - -"What! do you mean to eat me?" said Fuz-buz, the Fly. "I never hurt -you." - -"Oh no," said Mrs. Grabem, "you will do us a great deal of good very -soon. You are a queer-looking fly any how. I hope you won't disagree -with my children. Where do you live?" - -"In Spain," replied Fuz-buz proudly. "I am a Spanish fly." - -"Dear me," cried one of the spiders, "perhaps you can tell us some -stories." - -"I know a thousand fairy tales," said Fuz-buz. - -"Oh mamma!" said one fat little spider, "It would be a shame to eat a -thousand stories all at once. Let us keep him until he tells us nine -hundred and ninety-nine tales, and then we can eat him afterwards." - -"That I call good advice," cried Mrs. Grabem, and at once she fastened -the cobweb so that poor Fuz-buz could walk just a little way from the -web and no farther. - -"And now," said she, "twice a day you must tell my children a story. -But never let me find you trying to get away or I will eat you in a -moment." - -The young spiders could hardly wait. - -"Quick!" they cried, "a story!" "a story!" - -"What about?" replied Fuz-buz, glad to be spared. - -"Oh about men, big men like Robert Bruce," said they, "and about a -Princess too." - -"Very well," returned Fuz-buz, "Don't eat me, and I will tell you no -end of stories and the first shall be about - - -LADY GOLDEN HAIR AND HER TWO LOVERS, PRINCE CLEVER AND PRINCE STURDY. - -"A long while ago, and far far away, a lady lived who had such -beautiful locks that the people named her Lady Golden Hair. Folks said -that when she was little, her fairy Godmother had so well woven three -strands of sunshine with her curly tresses that it never got loose -again, and I suppose this must have been so, because when at night she -walked in the garden all the flowers woke up and looked about thinking -the daylight had come. - -"All day long her maidens combed her hair with combs of gold, and at -evening sang to her of the beautiful Prince who would one day come -across the seas and win her love for evermore. - -"Many came and looked into her deep brown eyes, but none suited her, -and so she shook her golden hair, and they went their ways again. - -"At length her Father the King said she must make up her mind to marry -somebody. - -"The Princess said, 'I will marry no one who does not own a Roc's egg, -and no one who has not kissed me, and no one who has not a lock of hair -to show exactly like my own. And no one shall kiss me, and no one ever -shall have a lock of my hair, and where on earth will any one get a -Roc's egg? And so how shall I ever be married? No, I never will marry -anybody.' - -"At this her Father was in despair, but as he thought that perhaps some -one might be bright enough to outwit the Princess, he caused it to be -proclaimed everywhere that the Lady Golden Hair would marry the man who -had kissed her, and who could show a lock of hair just like hers, and -who owned a Roc's egg. - -"When her lovers heard this they all cried and went away, except two -who were named Prince Clever and Prince Sturdy. - -"Prince Clever was handsome and tall, and very cunning, because he was -a Sorcerer's son, but Prince Sturdy was brave and straightforward, and -had honest eyes of his own which were brown as garnets and as steady as -stars. - -"Now when these two heard about the Princess, and what must be done to -marry her, Prince Clever said, 'I am so cunning that I shall be sure to -succeed;' but Prince Sturdy said, 'Thorns are roses to those who love! -I will try.' - -"When the Princess saw them she wished silently that Prince Sturdy -might succeed; still she only said, 'How foolish you both must be. Do -either of you own a Roc's egg?' and then she bade them good-bye and -they kissed their hands to her and rode away by different paths till -each of them entered a wood where they dismounted, and thought how to -get a Roc's egg. 'Then,' said Clever, 'I see;' but Sturdy said, 'I will -ride till I find one.' - -"About a thousand miles away, across a great sea, lived a Roc who had -just laid an egg as big as a house and as hard as marble. No one knew -where she lived except a witch, to whose cave in a great hill Prince -Clever rode swiftly. - -"Because he was a Sorcerer's son the witch came out to speak to him. -But, meanwhile, Prince Sturdy having become lost in the woods rode on, -until at night-fall he heard voices. - -"Then he alighted and clambered over the hill and lay quiet until he -heard to his delight the witch telling Clever where to get the Roc's -egg. - -"As quick as could be Sturdy got on his horse and rode away as hard as -ever a man could ride. By and by he came to the sea, where he hired a -ship, and sailed many days to a desolate land where was nothing but -hills of gray sand. - -"Here he went on shore and sent the ship away. Then, drawing his sword, -he climbed a great sand hill and after two days reached the top. There -he saw in a mighty nest the great egg, as white and smooth as ivory. - -"As soon as the Roc flew away to get her dinner the Prince came near -and began to crack a big hole in the egg with his sword. Presently all -the insides of the egg ran out of the hole and nearly drowned him. When -it was well emptied and the whole of it had flowed away to the sea, the -Prince put his bag of cakes into the egg, and then his sword, and at -last squeezed himself in. - -"He was just able to thrust his turban into the hole, when the Roc flew -home to her nest. - -"When she left her nest once more Sturdy made a nice little opening as -big as a pea, so that he could just see through it. And what think you -he saw? - -"There were two ships on the sea, and Prince Clever with a hundred men. -Very soon they came up the hill and began to push the egg and to heave -it over with crow-bars and beams of wood, until it rolled to the edge -of the sand heap. Then to Prince Sturdy's horror the egg began to turn -over and over down the hill to the sea. - -"Fast it went, and faster and faster, while Sturdy tumbled over and -over, and was on his head one minute, and on his heels the next, -till at last splash went the egg into the water and floated lightly on -the rolling waves. - -[Illustration] - -"Very soon the sailors tied a rope around the egg, and fastened the -other end to their ships, and sailed away rejoicing. - -"In this manner they sailed many weeks, until poor Sturdy had eaten his -last cake and was nearly starved to death. - -"When at last they came to land, the egg was hoisted on to a huge car, -and a hundred horses drew it to the Palace of the Princess Golden Hair, -while Prince Clever rode alongside as happy as could be. - -"When the lady saw Clever and the egg she was ready to cry with -vexation, because she knew there was only one Roc's egg in the world, -and because Prince Clever had gotten it. - -"Soon her father called her to welcome the Prince, and every one went -to see the egg, while the music sounded and the people hurrahed for -Prince Clever. - -"As soon as he saw the lady he ran and knelt and said, 'Princess, here -is my Roc's egg.' - -"Then a voice was heard saying, 'No, it is mine!' - -"'Who spoke?' said Clever. - -"'I,' said the voice, 'It is mine!' - -"But no one could tell where the voice came from. - -"At last the Chief Magician cried aloud, 'Who dares to mock the King?' - -"Then said the voice, 'Oh great Magician, who owns the house, he who -lives in it, or he who looks at it?' - -"'He who lives in it,' answered the Magician. - -"'Then it is my egg,' said Sturdy, as he broke away the shell and -stepped out of the hole in the side of the egg. - -[Illustration.] - -"'Ah,' said the lady to herself, 'what beautiful eyes he has.' But -Prince Clever smote his breast, and the people hurrahed for Prince -Sturdy. - -"Meanwhile Sturdy knelt to the Lady. 'Ah,' said he, 'it is easy to live -in a Roc's egg, or to storm a city for a Lady's love, but to kiss her -and to find hair like thine, woe is me! How can these things be done?' - -"As for Clever, he smiled, and said to himself, 'It is hard to bring a -Roc's egg home, but to cheat a woman with a lock of hair and to steal a -kiss is easy.' - -"After Prince Clever had eaten and rested the two Princes kissed their -hands to the lady and rode away once more to find a tress of hair which -should be like that of the Princess. - -"Now what did Prince Clever do to get the lady? He went into the -country to see his fairy godmother and to ask her advice, and this was -what she told him to do. - -"He was to dress himself like a pedlar and was to take with him a -beautiful great opal, and afterwards he was to do other things which -presently you shall hear of. - -"When the Fairy told him all these things he said, 'Ah Godmother, -how shall I make my nose long and my mouth big and ugly so as to be -like a real pedlar?' - -"'Well my dear,' she replied, 'that is easy,' and so saying she put a -forefinger into the two corners of his mouth and pulled it until one -corner was under each ear. - -[Illustration.] - -"'I think that will do,' she said, 'and as to your nose, take a pinch -of this snuff.' - -"No sooner had he done as she desired than he began to sneeze so hard -that in five minutes the end of his delicate nose was blown out into a -great round purple knob, which was so bright that he could not keep -from squinting to get a look at it. - -"'I do not think any one will know you now,' said the Fairy, 'but be -careful not to open your mouth very wide or possibly your head may fall -off backwards.' - -"'Upon my word,' cried the Prince when he looked at his face in a -smooth pool of water, 'If I be as cunning as I am ugly I shall surely -win the Lady!' - -"The Fairy then gave him a little red cloak, and bade him walk like an -old man and be careful. - -"Finally she placed in his basket a gold box containing the magical -opal. - -[Illustration.] - -"When he had left her she drew a ring on the ground and stood within -it, and enchanted the Lady Golden Hair with wicked words, so that for -four days and nights she had no sleep, because the instant her lids -closed she dreamed that nine beautiful ladies were kissing Prince -Sturdy, and that he was also kissing one of them and the one he kissed -was not herself. - -"So it was that all these days she lay awake angry, and all the while -Prince Clever rode fiercely to her garden gate. - -"Near by he hid his horse, and walking like an old man came to the -Palace slowly and asked to see the Lady. - -"The guard laughed at his nose and told him the Princess was ill and -could not sleep. - -"'It is well,' answered he, 'I have a charm here to bring her sleep.' - -"As soon as this was known he was quickly ordered to the chamber of the -Princess, where resting on a couch she lay, while her ladies fanned her -with fans made of fresh flowers which every ten minutes were brought to -them by slaves. - -"Although she felt very badly from want of sleep no sooner did she see -the Prince with his new face than she began to laugh until she cried -with mirth. 'For tears,' said Saadi the poet, 'are the diamonds of -affliction and the pearls of merriment.' - -"After a time however the Princess grew silent, although she did not -dare to look at him when he talked. Now this was what he said,—'Here is -an amulet for them that sleep not, or sleeping have evil dreams. Let -thy ladies leave thee, and in a moment thou shalt sleep.' - -"'Instantly begone!' cried the Princess to her maidens. 'Fly! I have -no fears. Let a slave with a drawn scimetar keep the door and leave me -with this wise and astonishing man.' - -"Then, when there were none in the room but the Lady and himself, the -Prince opened his gold box and lifted out of it a large opal which -shone with a dim gray sleepy lustre with points of red and purple light. - -"When he held the jewel up before her eyes she said, 'It has letters on -it. What be they? What do they mean?' - -"'The words,' he replied, 'are the names of the nine most stupid books -that ever were written, and within is the name of the sleepiest man -that ever lived, and also the name of a very young baby who slept every -night all night long.' - -"'It is well,' said the Princess. 'Let me sleep.' - -"'Rise!' said the Prince, and she stood erect while he held the opal -before her eyes, and the golden flow of her hair fell from head to -neck and from waist to floor in curves of darkling gold like the early -sunlight when it is yet touched with the fading brown of twilight. - -"As she gazed fixedly at the jewel her eyelids closed, and drowsy -languor grew upon her face, till at last she swayed backwards and fell -upon the couch. - -"Then the Prince laid the jewel on the floor and crushed it with his -foot. As it brake, a rosy flame flashed from it, and a heavy odorous -smoke curled upwards and filled the room with dense vapour. - -"Then the Prince took a long lock of her golden hair, and with his -dagger cut it quickly. When he had twisted it around his sword hilt he -leaned over and kissed her cheek, but though the Lady slept the blood -seemed to leap to the spot he had touched, and her cheek grew scarlet, -as he turned away ashamed and fled from the palace. - -"Near to the garden he mounted his horse, and spurred swiftly away -through the night, while the trees moaned in the wind as he passed, -and the birds awoke and sang, 'Shame! shame!' till he stopped his ears -and fled faster and faster. - -"Thus it was that Prince Clever kissed the Lady and had a golden lock -to show which was like her own, because it was her own. The next day he -met Sturdy. - -"'Ha! ha!' said Clever, 'you own a Roc's egg, but I have kissed the -Lady, and who do you think has hair like this?' - -"'Only one,' replied Prince Sturdy sadly. - -"'We shall meet to-morrow,' said Clever, for so they had agreed, and -thus saying he rode away. - -"Prince Sturdy also arose and entered a wood near by, for he was sick -at heart and desired to see no man's face. - -"In a little while he was aware of two wild roses beside a rock on -which he had seated himself. As he thought of the Lady he wept, and -just one tear fell upon a rose. - -"Then said a faint clear voice, 'The dew falls.' - -"'I hope it is rain,' said another voice which was still more sweet and -pure. - -"'Ah,' sighed the Prince, 'happy roses!' - -"'Why do you weep?' said the roses, for it was their voices he had -heard. - -"'Because I may not steal a lady's kiss,' said the Prince, 'and -because I want a tress of golden hair the like of which is not to be -had on earth.' - -"'We don't know much about kisses,' said the rose. 'But it is pleasant -to touch a young rose bud when the winds blow us against one another. I -suppose that is a kiss.' - -"'Yes,' said Sturdy laughing, as he pushed the two roses together till -their red lips touched. - -"'Thanks,' said they. Then after a silence one of them said, 'If I were -you I would go and lie on the top of a great cliff, and as the yellow -sunlight trickles over the stones at morning, I would catch a bit in a -gold box and shut the lid quickly and keep it. Where is a Lady would -have golden locks like that, so yellow and so fine?' - -"'It is well,' cried the Prince, and so saying he went away, sadly -thinking of the kiss he might not have. - -"Next day the Court and the King and the Princess were in the garden -awaiting the two Princes. - -"First came Prince Clever who had gotten his good looks again, and who -came gaily with a hundred knights and with slaves who bore an ivory box -which held the Princess' hair. - -"Next came Prince Sturdy on a great black steed, but all alone and with -only a little gold box in his hand. - -"When both had bent before the lady she smiled and said, 'You are empty -handed.' - -"'No,' said Clever, and bade the slaves approach. Then from the ivory -box he took a glorious tress of the Lady's hair. - -"'Is it like?' said he. 'Ah!' she cried, as she matched it with her own -long hair. 'It is the same! It was mine! How came you by this?' - -"'Pardon me, Lady,' he said. 'It was I who in your sleep yesterday -stole this tress of hair. Where else is any like it?' - -"'Ah!' she cried, growing pale, 'You were the Sorcerer with the foul -visage. You must have worn your heart upon your face for once Fair Sir. -But ah me!' she continued, 'the kiss! the kiss! Did you dare to kiss -me, sir Prince?' - -"'I dared,' he said. 'How else could I win you?' - -"'Enough,' she said, and turned, pale and despairing, to Prince Sturdy. - -"'Lady,' said he, 'at morning I climbed the hill and caught in this box -a tress of golden sunlight. If it be not as like to thy hair as sun -to sun I am a false knight.' Then he opened the box beside the Lady's -wealth of hair. - -"'Bosh!' cried Prince Clever. 'There is nothing there,' for the box of -a truth was empty. - -"'True,' said Sturdy, 'It was bright this morning, but it is darkness -now beside the sunshine of my Lady's locks.' - -"'Well said!' cried the King, while the Princess blushed like a whole -summer of rosy peaches. - -"'By my beard!' cried Clever, 'He has the egg, and it seems I am -outwitted about the lock of hair. I pray you to tell me which of us has -the kiss.' - -"'A gift is better than a theft,' said she, and whispering this, bent -down and kissed the brow of brave Prince Sturdy who trembled like a -lily of earth in the wind of Paradise. - -"But as for Prince Clever, he made a wry face and said, 'It is very -warm in this place,' and so went away with his hands in his pockets and -was no more seen among men." - - * * * * * - -When Fuz-buz had ended, all the little family of spiders began to -rejoice together, because of the nice story they had heard and also -because of the many more which were yet to be told. - -The next afternoon as soon as ever Mrs. Grabem began to knit, the -spiders cried aloud for a story. - -"But I am tired," said Fuz-buz. - -"No matter!" cried the spiders, "we are not." - -"Come, no nonsense!" roared Mrs. Grabem. - -"Well," cried poor Fuz-buz. "Let me think a little." - -"I should not suppose it took much thinking to make up stories," -replied Mrs. Grabem. - -By this time Fuz-buz was ready and having eaten a little cherry gum to -clear his throat, he began as follows: - -"This is a fairy tale about - - -COLD COUNTRY. - -ABOUT TROWEL KU THE BEAVER WHO BUILDS DAMS. ABOUT KANECRI THE LOON WHO -SINGS ON THE LAKES. ABOUT HOOTA THE OWL WHO IS NOT SO WISE AS HE LOOKS. -ABOUT WEESKA THE FOX WHO IS JUST AS SHARP AS HIS OWN NOSE, AND THAT IS -SAYING A GREAT DEAL. - -"Ever so many days ago," said Fuz-buz, "and ever so far away up among -the great lakes it was always summer. There the trees were always green -and the flowers never ceased to bloom nor the birds to sing. - -"The beaver built dams and no winter came to freeze them. The owl -hooted solemnly and the squirrels raced and played and ate nuts all the -year, and the foxes joked with the big bears, and the loons sang to the -stars all the nights long, and the stars winked at the lakes, and no -one ate any one else, for every one was merry and happy, because it was -summer all the year. - -"But at last everything and everybody grew tired of being so happy. - -"'Ah me!' said the bear, 'I get so fat it would be as easy to roll as -to walk.' - -"'Just so,' sighed the trees, 'what a bore to have to make leaves all -the time.' - -"Only the owl said, 'I'm comfortable,' and gave his feathers a lazy -shake and went to sleep again. - -"After a while all the animals and trees and fish had a great talk and -made up their minds that it was unpleasant to have hot weather always. - -"So the fox proposed that they should go in search of cool weather, and -bring back a little by way of a change. - -"At last they agreed to send Trowel Ku the Beaver, and Kanecri the -Loon, and Hoota the Owl, and Weeska the Fox. - -[Illustration.] - -"All were ready except Hoota the Owl, who said, 'I'm comfortable. -What's the use?' and fell asleep again, but Weeska bit his toes and -Kanecri the Loon sang in his ears and at last they woke him up. 'For,' -said the Beaver, 'he looks so wise we cannot do without him.' - -"Therefore it was resolved that Trowel Ku the Beaver should pull out -one of his feathers every five minutes to keep him wide awake, and -having thus planned the matter each one filled a birch bark bag with -food, and the whole party set off at daybreak. - -"After a long journey they came to the hut of a magician called a -Manitou, on a high hill. Here the Loon called aloud, but no one came -until the Owl mounted on the Fox's back and knocked at the door, when -a little hunch-backed woman opened it and said, 'You can't come in -without money.' - -"'Ha! ha!' said the Fox and ran away into the wood, and presently came -back with a handful of green leaves which he gave to the old woman. - -"'That will do,' said she, for she was blind. 'Money must be plenty -where you live. Come in.' By and by the Manitou came home. - -"'What now?' said he. - -"'Sir,' answered Trowel Ku, the Beaver, 'I am tired of summer and of -building dams. Tell us where we can buy a little cold to take home for -a change.' 'And I,' said the Fox, 'I find it always too hot.' 'For my -part,' cried the Loon, Kanecri, 'You have given us only summer. Either -give me fewer feathers or else a little cold. As for the trees they are -all growling about having no rest at making leaves.' - -"'Then,' said Manitou to the Owl, 'What do you want?' 'I'm -comfortable,' said Hoota the Owl, and straightway went to sleep. - -"'Well,' said Manitou, 'I will send you to the cold country and you can -all of you take home a bag of cold to your friends.' Then he began to -laugh, and taking a deer-skin bade them all jump inside. - -"When they were all in he sewed them up and putting the skin outside of -the hut bade it go. - -"At once it became alive and bounded off over the hills and through the -streams until it came to a great frozen lake. - -"Here the Beaver heard a noise, and presently an arrow went through the -deer which fell on the ice. The next moment a knife ripped the deer -open, and the Owl and the Beaver and Fox and Loon jumped out. - -"Then they saw two tall men made of icicles who gave a cry when they -saw them, dropped their knives, and skated away over the lake. - -"'Dear me!' said Trowel Ku, 'This must be cold land, let us fill our -bags,' cried Weeska the Fox, 'and be off.' 'Here is too much cold for -me, I'm not comfortable,' said Hoota the owl. 'Boo hoo how it bites my -toes!' - -"Then they all filled their birch bags with cold, of which there was -plenty for every one lying about loose, and set off homewards. - -"But after a little while they all became so cold that their jaws -chattered. By and by they saw the Manitou. - -"'What now?' said he. - -"'Too much cold,' said the Beaver. 'I think one bag would answer,' -added the Fox, 'and we could carry it by turns.' 'I'm not comfortable,' -groaned Hoota the Owl, 'my toes are frozen.' 'Suppose,' said the Loon, -'you were to help us to carry the cold home.' - -"'Ho!' answered Manitou, for he was very angry. 'Begone! you wanted -summer and I gave it to you, and you had leave to take as much cold as -you wanted, and were greedy and took too much. I will warm you a little -and send your cold home too.' - -"Thus saying he tore the sunset out of the west and threw it a thousand -miles into their country, and lo! it fell on the trees, and some it -stained yellow and some red and some brown, which so amazed them that -they let their leaves fall in affright and horror. - -"Next the Manitou took up the bags of cold and threw them after the -sunset, and as they flew they broke, and the white cold fell in little -fleecy blankets on the naked trees and on the land. - -"When the animals reached home there was no summer. So the Fox Weeska -ran into his den in the rocks, and the Beaver Trowel Ku cried, 'Woe is -me! the water has become white stone,' and the Loon Kanecri sang a song -to the stars and flew up into the skies and sailed away and away. But -Hoota the Owl said, 'I'm comfortable,' and fell fast asleep in a hollow -stump." - - * * * * * - -The next night Mrs. Grabem herself came along with her little ones to -hear Fuz-buz relate a tale. - -"Be sure it is a nice story," said one of the spiders. - -"For my part," cried Mrs. Grabem, "I take no interest in stories, but -it pleases me to see the youngsters amused. You may go on while I knit, -and as I have ten threads to mend let the story be a long one." - -"Please ma'am," answered Fuz-buz, "I will now tell you a story which I -flatter myself is the very best one I ever heard. It was brought by a -cousin of mine from Bagdad where he got it from a very aristocratic fly -who lived many years in the household of Sinbad the Sailor." - - -THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. - -"Once upon a time there lived in Persia a great king. He had one nephew -who was to be the ruler after him, and to have all his kingdom. - -"When this lad was about six years old a daughter was born to the King. -No sooner was her birth known than the magicians foretold that she -would be beautiful, and would have blue eyes like lakes, which last was -not very hard to foretell because they were already blue, but the magi -also declared that on the day of her marriage the King would die. - -"'Oh ho!' said the King, who was called Omar, 'If this be so she shall -never marry, and I shall live long and pleasantly, and after me she -shall be queen. As for my nephew, I fear that he may wish to be king -when he grows to manhood. Therefore let him be thrown into the sea.' -Then an old Magician arose and spoke thus. - -"'Be careful, oh King, not to do this wicked act, or if you greatly -dread the Prince Ali give him to me, and I will carry him far away to -an island on the coast, where he may be taught as a Prince should be, -and where he may live all his days and never know what he might have -been.' - -"Then said a second counsellor, 'For my part I advise that the Princess -be shut up in a palace around whose gardens a wall shall be built, that -she may grow up and see none but women, for so only can you make sure -that she will not fall in love and marry.' - -"'It were well,' said the King. 'Let the Magician take the Prince as -he has said.' Accordingly the next day Prince Ali was carried to an -island many miles from the main land and lodged in a fair palace. Here -he was cared for by trusty persons who taught him all manner of wisdom, -as well as to ride and hunt and swim, so that he grew up brave and -handsome and full of goodness and knowledge. - -"Meanwhile the Princess lived alone with her women in a gleaming marble -castle which looked across the sea, and was girt about by a high wall -on every side but that bounded by the waters of the ocean. - -"The busy years went on and by and by the little girl grew to be a -stately woman, and the Prince a tall and vigourous man, while the King -Omar became gray and old, and was every day more greedy to live. Each -morning he sent a slave to see how the Princess fared, and every month -he was told all about Prince Ali, and so made sure of his constant safe -keeping. - -"One fine morning just after a storm a strange thing happened to the -Prince. He was walking up and down the beach and looking at the waves -which were rushing up the shore and sweeping down again with a fierce -roar, when he heard a cry of distress among the rocks near by. In a -moment he climbed towards the spot and saw to his great wonder as he -came near long tresses of something like thin seaweed floating in the -wind from a rock above him. He seized it and was more amazed to find -that it was beautiful hair like his own, but of a bright green colour. -As he pulled it he heard again a cry of pain which hastened his steps. - -"This hair was wonderful, for it not only fell far down the cliff but -lay on top of the rocks and across bushes, and was strung here and -there with coral and great pearls. - -"When the nimble Prince had traced it some thirty feet it led him to a -deep hollow between two rocks. Into this he descended. As he reached -the bottom what should he see but a little old woman, with fins for -hands and a long scaly tail like that of a fish. She was such a comical -little old lady that the Prince sat down and laughed for five minutes. -He ceased his mirth, however, when the old creature waved her fins in a -helpless way and groaned aloud. - -[Illustration.] - -"'What can I do for you Mrs. Woman-fish?' said he, 'and how came you -here?' - -"'My dear,' said she, 'I am, as you see, a mermaid. I happened to come -on shore last night just to do a little knitting by the light of the -moon, when up came a big storm, and the waves gave me a great toss over -these rocks and into this hole. But the worst of it is I have lost my -spectacles, and my poor back is nearly broken, and one fin's out of -joint, and I've lost a knitting-needle and my back comb. Now if you -would kindly carry me to the edge of the rocks and throw me in, I think -I could reach home, but, as you may notice, I don't get along very well -upon land.' - -"The Prince was too good-natured to refuse, so he lifted her carefully, -and drawing her long hair after him climbed with his queer load to the -top of the cliff. Here he gave her a mighty cast, and away she went -fifty feet down into the sea with her green hair sailing after her. The -moment she felt the water she rolled over and kissing her fin to Prince -Ali sculled away as cleverly as could be. - -"The Prince said nothing about this adventure, but felt sorry that he -had not asked her some questions, for you must know that whenever he -asked questions of the people who waited on him, and taught him, they -were very apt to say, 'Oh don't bother me! I'm busy,' so that there -were many things which he desired to learn and could not. - -"From this day forward he spent all of his time upon the shore and -among the rocks. At last one evening he saw a large white crested wave -rolling in, and on a sudden out of it paddled the mermaid. She sculled -up the sand and rolling over on her back said to the Prince, 'My dear -I can never thank you enough. If the doctors had been quicker about -getting my flapper well I should have been here long ago.' - -"'You are most welcome,' returned Ali, 'and the more so because perhaps -you can tell me who I am.' - -"'Sir!' said she, 'You are a King's son. Your parents are dead, and -your uncle has put you here for fear that you may wish to take the -kingdom away from his daughter the Princess Jessalie who is the most -beautiful woman in the world. She also is a prisoner within the gardens -of her Palace because it has been foretold that whenever she marries, -her Father the King will die.' - -"'Would that I could see her!' said the Prince. - -"'Sir!' replied the mermaid, 'to-morrow I will bring you her picture, -and meanwhile here are some trifles which my children have sent you as -tokens of their gratitude.' - -"Thus saying she shook her head and a double handful of pearls fell -from her hair and dropped at the feet of the Prince, after which the -mermaid tumbled into the water and swam deftly away. - -"The next morning early Ali went to the beach and found the mermaid -waiting with a large piece of crystal in her flappers. - -"'Prince,' she said, 'Yesterday the Princess Jessalie chanced to look -into a small pool of water on the shore where she walks. As quick as -could be I enchanted the pool and turned it into a crystal mirror, so -that the face of the Princess is fixed upon it forever. Look, I have -brought it away with me.' - -"At once the Prince regarded the mirror, and this was what he saw in -it. Calm lazy eyes of blue, and below them cheeks dimpled and rosy, -and twin lips which made you jealous of each, because ever they kissed -one the other, and brown hair which must have fallen down about this -face as it looked into the pool of water, and blue around it all, the -heavens which spread above her as she had bent to gaze at her own -fairness. - -"'Ah!' said Ali, 'This is my fate! Take me to this woman swiftly that I -may see her and die contented.' - -"'Not so,' said the mermaid, 'be guided by me and in time you shall -marry her. Give me a message and I will carry it to the Princess, -but as yet she must not know your name, or it might be that the King -hearing it would put you to death. Speak your message to this shell and -I will answer for the rest.' - -"Thus saying she pointed to a white shell which lay on the beach. The -Prince took it up, and laughing, whispered a few words in its curled -lip, and then as the mermaid bade him threw it far out into the sea. - -"'Now,' said the mermaid, 'If you tell a lady once that you love her -she laughs. If you tell her twice she is angry, but when you have ten -times said 'I love,' she will either hate or love you, or perhaps -may hate and love by turns, each for five minutes as sometimes doth -chance. Now, therefore, many times you must say to her I love you.' - -"'But _how_ shall I do this?' asked Prince Ali. - -"'Sir,' she said, 'look upwards and clap your hands thrice.' - -"Without further words the young man did as he was told, when instantly -a great white swan descended from a vast height and alighted on the -water's edge beside them. The mermaid at once began to dig in the sand, -and presently found a large oyster shell which she desired Ali to -open. As he did so a necklace of pearls fell out, the like of which no -jeweller ever saw before or since. - -"'Now!' said the mermaid, 'hang this on the swan's neck for a present -to the Princess, and with thy finger write on the bird's breast a -message.' - -"The Prince was lost in wonder, but without hesitation he traced a -few rapid letters on the white breast of the swan. As he wrote, the -feathers where he touched them grew scarlet, so that you might read in -red letters 'I love thee,' marked on the snowy whiteness of the swan's -bosom. - -"Scarcely had he made an end of this short letter of love when the swan -rose in swift flight until she was no longer to be seen by the amazed -Prince, who turned to look at the mermaid, though only to find that -she too had vanished. Then in still greater wonder Ali walked homeward -along the water's edge. - -"Thus many days went by and brought no change, for ever the west winds -blew, and ever the waves climbed the shore and laid soft cheeks on the -sands and whispered, and went backward moaning again. - -"This sadness pleased the Prince who lay on the rocks all day and heard -the sobbing waters, and looked wearily over the wide green ocean fields -where the bubble-crested foam came and went from sight like the white -clover blossoms which swayed amid their fields of green, when the wind -leaped across the rocks and took its pleasure inland. - -"One of these days the Princess walked on the shore with her women, -when the youngest of them said, 'What a lovely shell!' 'Let me hear -what it says,' cried the Princess; but no sooner had she put it to her -ear than the shell murmured softly, 'I LOVE YOU.' - -"'Ah!' said the Princess Jessalie to the oldest of her ladies, 'This -shell sings to me words new and strange. Tell me I pray you what is -LOVE?' - -"She had scarcely finished when all the old ladies held up their hands -in horror, for this and all other such words were forbidden within the -Palace bounds. The more they made faces and signs at her the more the -Princess wished to know. So she kept saying continually, 'What is love? -I will know what is love.' - -"But no one answered, and some of the old ladies cried, and some ran -away, for they all feared that King Omar would strangle them because -the Princess had heard the forbidden word, and because no one of them -knew but that presently she would say, 'what is a man?' or some other -such dreadful words. - -"When at length the Princess found herself alone with her governess, -she said again, 'What is love?' - -"'My dear child,' replied the old lady, 'it is a kind of medicine!' - -"'Ah!' cried the Princess, 'Then I see why the ladies made faces when -I spoke of it. I suppose they had all taken a dose. But it sounds very -pleasant,' she added, and all day long she went about with the shell at -her ear. - -"The next morning the shell was gone, for the ladies had taken it away -so that they might prevent further mischief by hiding this wonderful -shell. But before they concealed it they listened to hear it say 'I -love you.' No one listened twice, and they all said the shell was an -ill-bred shell and had no manners, though what it said to them I know -not, perhaps something true but not pleasant. - -"The next day while walking in the garden the Princess asked eagerly -about her singing shell. While everybody pretended to look for it a -whirring noise was heard and a fluttering of white wings was seen as -the swan lit at the feet of the lady and shook the pearl necklace into -her lap. - -"'Oh marvellous!' cried the Princess, 'come quickly look at this! see -what pearls! and Mahomet preserve us! Bismillah! Here is the name of -that medicine again, written in scarlet on the breast of this beautiful -swan, 'I LOVE THEE.' - -"No sooner had the old ladies seen these fatal words than they rushed -at the bird and beat it so cruelly that it had hard work to get away -even with the help of the Princess herself. - -"This time she was so urgent to be told more, and so eager in her -questions, that the matter came to the quick ears of the King Omar her -father. At once the guards around her Palace gardens were doubled. -Twelve old ladies were set to work to gather up all the shells along -shore, while twelve more were ordered to keep strict watch lest any -other messages of love should come to the fair Jessalie. - -"Meantime none knew whence came these strange words, and the King grew -more and more angry and alarmed whenever he thought about it. - -"All his precautions were in vain. One fine morning every rose-leaf in -the gardens had written upon it in golden Arabic letters, 'I LOVE YOU.' - -"This drove the King wild, and he commanded all the rose-bushes in the -kingdom to be cut down, which was instantly done. - -"The next morrow at day-break a great noise was heard, and when the -Princess arose and peeped from her window every bird in the garden was -singing, 'I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU.' - -"This time the King ordered the Princess to be shut up in the Palace. -Then the birds were driven away and a great silken net hung over the -garden so that the voice of the birds might no more be heard singing -this sweet treason among the flowers. - -"Very soon, however, the Princess became so weary of her Palace that -she fell ill, and no one dared to tell the King that all night long in -dreams she whispered, 'I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU.' - -"Far and near the King sought counsel of all manner of wise men and -doctors, but no one would venture to order medicine for the Princess -without seeing her, and as to a man doing that, it was out of the -question. - -"About this time the mermaid, who I need not say was the merrymaker of -all this mischief, met the Prince on the beach one evening and thus -addressed him. - -"'The Princess whom you love is ill, because she has not found out who -it is that is ever saying through the shells and the birds and the -flowers, "I love you." Take therefore this mirror, write on it a letter -with your finger tip, and I will see that it reaches the Princess.' - -"The Prince gladly followed these directions, for though when he had -traced words on the glass he could see nothing of them, he felt sure -of the mermaid's power to help him. - -"When he had ended she took the mirror, and carrying it all the way -above the waves hastened to the main-land. When she came to the shore -she put on a long petticoat to hide her scaly fish tail, and drawing -her fins through the sleeves of a gown, mounted up on a pair of -crutches and hobbled with great labour to the Palace of King Omar. Here -she told the guard to let the King know that a lame doctoress who had -come from a far country was waiting to cure the Princess. - -"So soon as ever the King heard this he ordered her to be admitted. -When he set eyes upon her odd figure he cried out, - -"'Quick! old woman speak! and that shortly! If you can cure my daughter -say so.' - -"'Oh King!' she answered, 'Let the lady look into this mirror, but see -that no one touches it on the way. Let the Princess breathe upon it as -she looks, and if it does not cure her throw me into the sea without -mercy.' - -"'Well said!' cried the King. 'It shall be as you desire. Let the -mirror be carried to the Princess.' - -"Accordingly that evening the crystal was taken to the Palace with -every care and given to Jessalie. - -"'You have but to breathe on it,' said her Governess, 'and you will be -well.' - -"'Give it to me,' she said, and instantly blew a breath upon its -polished surface. As she did so, to her great amazement she read these -words which seemed to come into view on the glass as her breathing -moistened it, 'I LOVE YOU. I, THE PRINCE ALI YOUR COUSIN, I LOVE YOU.' - -"As her breath faded from the glass the words fled from sight, but the -Princess fell back murmuring, 'My cousin Ali, he loves me.' - -"Then there was confusion. The ladies tore their hair and screamed -aloud, and the slaves beat their breasts, while the Princess fainted -away. In a moment the news came to the King that his daughter had no -sooner seen the mirror than she had called aloud the name of her cousin -and fainted. - -"'Allah!' muttered the King, 'Well said the poet, "A daughter is an -aching tooth, and he who doth not beat his child shall one day strike -his knees in vain." Let this old hag of a doctor be cast into the sea,' -he added, 'and let the captain of the guard take ship speedily and slay -this nephew of mine whom I did ill to spare so long.' - -"Accordingly the mermaid was taken to the rocks and thrown a hundred -feet down into the waves, where she laughed a little, and kicking off -her petticoats swam away merrily to see the Prince, for whose safety -she had great fears. - -"Just as she reached the island she saw the Prince standing on a rock -and bravely defending himself against the guard of the King. - -"As quick as could be the mermaid called to him to leap off of the -rocks into the sea, for although he had killed at least a dozen of his -foes he was faint and sorely pressed. When he heard her call he smote -the captain of the guard a fierce blow, and bounding up the rocks -hesitated an instant, and then leaped boldly into the foaming waters at -their feet. - -"For a moment he felt his strength fail, then he saw a thousand colours -before his eyes, then a gray mist came over them, and after that -darkness, until he awakened as from a dream of death. - -"When he became conscious, he was under the water seated at the foot of -a vast tree of coral. About him was a forest of like trees, hung with -huge pearls and covered with sea-weed of many tints, among which great -fish and nameless ocean beasts floated lazily to and fro. - -"'Come,' said the mermaid, 'You are now a son of the sea. Let us go.' - -"Upon this he arose and in a great maze of wonder walked along, while -the mermaid swam easily by his side. Sometimes they passed huge heaps -of amber, and sometimes turned aside from the wrecks of mighty ships, -or else trode through caverns whose sand was gold dust and gleaming -jewels, till at length they came to a vast wall of rock. - -"Here the mermaid knocked and a door opened and let them into a mighty -hall builded throughout of the purest jasper. - -"But what the Prince saw here no one will ever know, for here the -mermen and mermaids lived, and here they made the Prince so welcome -that he would never have wished for earth again if the Princess whom he -loved had only been with him. - -"Meanwhile King Omar felt himself growing old and feeble, but the -nearer he came to death the more he desired to live. Then there came -into his head a cunning way to cheat the Angel of Death. He therefore -summoned his counsel and spake to them thus, - -"'It has been foretold that I shall die when my daughter marries. Now -let proclamation be made that whosoever shall bring to me a cup of -water from the fountain of youth shall have the Princess for his wife. -So shall I drink of the water and become young again, and that which -was to kill me shall bring me life.' - -"Then there was silence awhile till at last an aged Mufti arose. - -"'Oh King!' said he, 'Beware how you resist the words of fate. Is it -so easy to live rightly that you would crave for more of life? He who -lengthens the life of this world makes shorter the life of the world to -come. Beware!' - -"'Fool!' said the King, 'thou art ten years younger than I. Let it be -as I have said.' - -"Soon after this the mermaid said to Ali, 'It is time Prince that you -left us. The King desires a cup of the fountain of youth, and to him -who brings it he will give the Princess. Therefore have no fear, but -take thy sword and this crystal flask, and passing through yonder -gateway journey on until you reach a deep valley, at the bottom of -which you will find the fountain. Drink none, but fill your flask and -hasten to the King without pause or fear.' - -"With this counsel the Prince took his sword, and tying the flask about -his neck set out. As he stepped through the gate-way of amber he looked -up and saw above him the splendid blue of the deep sea like one vast -quiet sapphire. Before him a gradual slope led downwards over rocks -and sea grasses which at last ceased, and he came upon a floor of sand -whiter than the purest snow. - -"As the descent ended he saw in front of him a majestic angel of vast -height. Her foot rested on a marble skull of huge proportions, and upon -her brow was written _Azrael_. - -[Illustration.] - -"For a moment the Prince paused in dread; then he took courage and said -humbly, - -"'Is this the fountain of youth?' As he ceased the angel murmured, -'_Out of death cometh all life_,' and solemnly struck the skull with -her wand. Instantly a purple liquid gushed from under the skull and -floated in slow spirals upward through the still water. - -"With a bound the Prince knelt at the skull, filled his flask and -turned away in haste, for already the purple color was tinting the -whole sea about him, and he remembered well the mermaid's warning. - -"Three days after this Ali reached the court of King Omar. To his great -joy he found the court sitting, and the King on his throne. - -"So splendid was Prince Ali's dress and so noble his air that no one -stopped him, and he entered freely and unquestioned. Before him sat the -King his uncle. He was very old, but still vigourous enough to live for -many years beyond the common span of human life. - -"Ali listened while the Muftis read aloud the promise of the King that -whosoever brought the cup of water from the fountain of youth should -marry the Princess Jessalie. - -"No sooner had they ended than Ali bowed before the throne. - -"'Oh King!' said he, 'I am the Prince Ali, thy nephew, whom you would -have slain. I have brought to you here a cup of the water of the -fountain of youth, Drink, but read first what words have come on the -flask since I filled it at the fountain. Drink then if you will, and -give me the Princess, for by my sword this is water of the fountain of -youth and none other.' - -"'Ha!' said the King, 'Give it to me!' and tottering he arose and -descending a few steps seized the flask. Then he tore from it the -silver cover with which the Prince had sealed it. - -"At once a dense purple vapour rose in clouds from the lip of the flask -and curled upwards through the hall. Whosoever breathed of this his -eyes flashed and he dreamed of mornings long ago, and of fair women and -of boyhood, so that all who felt it stood bewildered. - -"Then cried the King, 'I drink to youth!' and would have drained the -flask, but Ali held his hand and bade him read the words which were -graven upon the vessel. - -'"It is but a moment to wait for youth,' cried the King, and turning to -a magician bade him read the words, 'For,' said he, 'I am old and my -sight fails me.' - -"'Oh my master!' said the magician, 'these are the words: - - "'He who steals to-morrows - Shall drink the wine of sorrows.'" - -"Then the aged counsellor fell back with an altered face as he breathed -the purple fumes, 'Woe is me! I am stronger! I am grown younger! Woe is -me! I am further from Allah.' - -"But the King, saying no word, set the flask to his lips and drained -it to the utmost drop. Then with a cry of delight he threw the vessel -away, and shouting aloud, 'I am young again!' bounded up the steps and -pausing faced the mutely wondering crowd. - -"When he turned he was seen as a man in the lusty vigour of life, -stalwart and strong of limb. - -"'Ho!' he said, 'my guard!' but none stirred, for his face was still -changing, and now his beard was gone, and it was a lad who sat upon the -throne, and a lad's voice which cried aloud. - -"'This man to the dungeons! What ho! my guard!' And yet they moved not, -for the lad was now a child. - -"Still the stern will worked, and the child-King said faintly, 'My -guards! my guards!' till his voice broke into baby lispings, and now it -was an infant who sat upon the throne. - -"Then the changes seemed to cease, and the ancient counsellor who had -so wisely warned the King cried aloud, 'Allah il Allah! great and -wonderful are thy ways!' - -"When one man had thus broken silence a mighty tumult arose, amidst -which the baby King looked right and left with blue eyes of wonder. - -"But Ali drew his sword and in a terrible voice ordered the guard to -clear the hall. Instantly he was obeyed, and then there was great -counsel held as to what should be done with the King. At length it was -decided that he should be sent to the island where Ali had lived, and -be kept there all his days. These indeed proved few, for it is recorded -in the chronicles of the kingdom that he took teething rather hard, -and died in his second summer of malignant whooping-cough. - -"As to Prince Ali he married his cousin the Princess Jessalie, and the -mermen and the mermaids came to the wedding and brought with them for -presents pearls and amber and tortoise shells such as folks never see -now-a-days. - -"They lived long together, and loved one another well, and they both -died at one and the same moment, which was the happiest thing of all -their happy lives." - - * * * * * - -The sun was not yet down on the next evening when the young spiders -began to collect around Fuz-buz. - -"Tell us," said one of them, "a story about giants." - -"There's a jolly idea," cried another. "Is it to be a spider giant?" - -"Ahem!" replied Fuz-buz. "I wish there were such giants, and I wish one -of them would come along this very moment and gobble you all up." - -This he said in so fierce a voice that the young spiders ran away -squealing so loud that if you had been a spider and had owned an -ear-trumpet, you might have heard them at least three inches off. - -As for Mrs. Grabem she hurried in a rage to Fuz-Buz, and gave him a -shake, saying, "Have a care old rascal, how you scare my young ones. -Tell them a story at once, or you shall never tell another on this -earth." - -"Yes, madam," answered Fuz-buz very meekly, and as soon as ever he -could get his breath he began as follows, to tell them the story of -Krusstikuss and Growlegrum. - - -KRUSSTIKUSS AND GROWLEGRUM. - -"There have been many giants I believe, but there never were any others -like the great giant Growlegrum and his twin brother Krusstikuss. - -"These two giants were both of them Ogres. Their mother was an Afrite, -and their grandfather a Ghoul. On which account they were probably the -most unpleasant giants that anybody ever came across. - -"When very young they were tall and stout, but one day unluckily for -Krusstikuss, his grandmother, who was a fat giantess, sat down on him. - -"Not feeling anything in particular she fell asleep and did not awaken -for three months. - -"Of course it was hard for Krusstikuss to grow while his grandmother -sat upon him, so he began to spread out sideways and never afterwards -got out of the habit. He therefore became as fat as a bun, while his -brother Growlegrum grew as tall as the highest tree. - -"So one was tall, and one stout, but both were of the same size in -wickedness, and as to Krusstikuss he liked to eat babies, while -Growlegrum was fond of young ladies, although their hoops sometimes -disagreed with him. - -"When these monsters grew up they ate so many people that their father -told them they would cause a famine, and must go away and find another -land where people were more plenty. - -"At last they took his advice and started out together to seek a new -home. After eating a great many folks they came to a beautiful country -where lived a King who had a daughter as good as she was pretty. - -"When the two giants reached the borders of this land they sat down and -began to talk. - -"'I am getting so big,' said Krusstikuss, 'that I find it a labour to -walk about and look for babies. They must be very scarce.' - -"'Not more so than young ladies,' cried Growlegrum. 'I should think -they would like to be eaten before they grow to be old and ugly, but -really it does not seem so.' - -"While they were thus lamenting the scarcity of food, an old woman with -a red cap and a green kirtle came from the wood and stood before them. - -"'Sirs,' said she, 'I am a cousin of yours, and also a witch. Why -should you be troubled about your meals? Order the King Hassan to send -hither twice every day ten fat babies and one young lady.' - -"'Good,' said the giants, 'we can lie on these hills and eat and sleep -without labour. So let it be. Go you to King Hassan and tell him to -send us the babies and the young ladies without fail, or else we will -eat him and fry him first.' - -"This made the old witch chuckle, and she went away quickly towards -the city with her wicked news. Presently she entered the Palace, for -she was a cousin of the King, and went straight to the garden where -she told King Hassan that the two giants were on the borders of his -country, and must have ten babies and a young lady twice a day or else -they would eat the King and fry him first, which made Hassan feel hot -all over. - -"He soon saw that he could do nothing against such vast monsters, and -therefore beat his breast and ordered his captains to take to the -giants the babies and the young ladies. - -"You may be sure that when this happened twice a day for a week folks -began to be very much troubled. By and by the mammas hid away the -babies in tree-tops and chimnies and in all sorts of out of the way -places. And as to young ladies there were none to be found, for every -one of them put on her brother's pantaloons, and it was hard work to -catch a woman at all. - -"It chanced about this time that the Princess was walking in a wood -near the Palace when she saw a young girl crying. Now as the Princess -was very kind-hearted she stopped at once and said, - -"'Why do you cry? What ails you?' - -"'Oh dear!' said the other, 'to-morrow I am to be taken by the guard -to be eaten by the Ogres, Growlegrum and Krusstikuss, and when I am -gone who will comfort my old mother, for she has no child but me?' - -"When the Princess heard this she told her to wait a little, and went -herself to find the King. - -"'Father,' said she, 'it is hard that all the young girls should be -eaten alive by these false giants. Why do not you raise an army and go -and fight and kill them? It is base to give up to them in this way. -Were I a man I would slay them myself.' - -"'It would be in vain to try,' answered the King. 'Well,' said the -Princess, 'to-morrow I shall go alone in place of the maiden who is -chosen, and perhaps some good knight will not willingly let me die so -mean a death.' - -"The King was very angry, but the Princess was obstinate. Then a young -Prince who was present arose and said, - -"'I have come, lady, a thousand miles to help you. My name is Prince -Bluets, and I am the great-grandson of John, who is sometimes called -Jack, the Giant Killer. Go to the giants as you have said and all will -yet be well.' - -"Then the Princess looked and saw that the Prince had brave eyes and -was fair of face, so she replied, - -"'It shall be as you say.' - -"'To-morrow, then,' continued the Prince, 'you shall go to the giants -and I will follow you. But first take this amulet and hang it around -your neck. So long as you wear it all things living and dead will love -you, and no giant will wish to eat you.' - -"Thus saying he hung around her neck a gold chain, and at once she went -away and ordered her horse to ride to the giants. Meanwhile it was -proclaimed that out of love for her people the Princess was going to -beg the giants to go away and not to eat any more babies. - -"As for the Princess, she sent word to the little maiden in the wood -that she was going in her place, and then bravely mounted her horse and -rode through the town to the gate. - -"No sooner did the people see her than they began to follow her, -because the amulet made every one wish to be near to her. But at the -gate she bade them return, and rode away alone into the wood, though -even there the charm still worked, and all things loved her more and -more. The sun stared her in the eyes like a gallant over-bold, and the -wind played with her chestnut hair and was happy, and the leaves bent -down and kissed her, and all the mice and the birds and the bears and -the foxes came out and followed her. - -"But when she came near to the two Ogres and saw them sitting on a hill -with their white eyes and rough faces and great black teeth like marble -tombstones, all the animals set up a dismal howl and ran away. Yet -still the lady rode along, and presently the two giants became aware of -her presence. - -"Then said Growlegrum, 'Here comes dinner,' but when she drew nearer he -added, 'She's too pretty to eat. Who are you my dear?' - -"'I am the Princess Violet,' said she, 'the King's daughter.' - -"'Hah!' said both of the Ogres, 'You shall be my wife.' - -"'Well,' cried she, 'I cannot have two husbands; put me in a safe place -and after I have known you both for a month I can decide which I will -have for my husband.' - -"'Good,' returned Krusstikuss, 'So let it be.' Then they lifted her -gently and put her near by in a castle whose owner they had devoured, -and every day they brought her goodies to eat, enough for twenty -dinners. - -"In the morning came Growlegrum and looked over the castle wall and -said, 'I love you my dear.' But in the afternoons came Krusstikuss and -said, 'Bless me! how I love you!' Now the Princess knew that within a -month she should hear of Prince Bluets. - -"As for that Prince he went away to a magician and asked him how he -could become thin. - -"'There are four ways,' answered the magician, - - 'Eat nothing, - 'Fall in love, - 'Become jealous, and - 'Think ever so much.' - -"Then said the Prince, 'The advice is good,' and so saying he gave him -three links of a gold chain which he wore, and mounted his horse and -rode swiftly until he came to a high hill which at a great distance -overlooked the castle where the lady was. Here he sat down and with his -spy-glass looked until he saw Krusstikuss kissing his great hand to the -lady. - -"This made him horribly jealous, and at once he began to get thin. Then -for four days he ate nothing and so became thinner and thinner. Of -course he was miserably in love, and this also made him lose flesh. - -"After four days he was still too fat, so he began to think of all -the hard conundrums and riddles and charades that ever were heard of, -but at last when he had been two days thinking how to make apple pies -out of donkies he became so thin that his bones were no thicker than -walking sticks, and when he stood sideways he had no shadow at all. - -"Then he took his sword and walking carefully for fear of breaking into -halves or of being blown away, he descended the hill, and late at night -knocked at a side door of the castle where the Princess Violet now -lived. - -"As soon as she heard the noise she came to the door and said, - -"'Who is it?' - -"'It is I,' answered the Prince, but his voice was so thin that he -could hardly be heard, and if the Princess had not loved him she never -would have been able to hear a word he said. - -"'My love,' he cried, 'It is I, Prince Bluets. Presently I shall -squeeze my head through the key-hole, and you must then seize me by the -hair and drag me in.' - -"Of course giants' castles have very large key-holes, and as the Prince -was as thin as could be he easily pushed his head through the key-hole, -when the Princess took hold of his hair, and pretty soon drew him into -the castle. - -"She was very much amazed when she saw him so lean and meagre, but the -Prince explained it all and they sat down and had a good talk until -morning, when the Prince hid away in a corner under some hay. - -"By and by came Krusstikuss, and looking over the castle wall said in a -large voice, 'I love you my dear. Here are some nice little dishes for -breakfast!' and so saying, he emptied his pockets of about two wagon -loads of cakes and candy and bon-bons and all kind of goodies such as -Princesses eat. - -"'Sir,' said the Princess, 'If I am to be a giant's wife, I must learn -to eat babies. If you love me you will bring me all the babies you get, -that I may keep them until they get so fat and tender that I shall be -tempted to eat them.' - -"'But what shall I live on myself?' cried Krusstikuss. - -"'Oh!' said the Princess, 'if you are in love you will not care to -eat.' - -"'That's queer,' returned the giant, 'but I suppose it won't hurt me to -suck my paws for awhile like the bears.' - -"Then he took four babies out of his hat and two out of his pockets, -saying, 'I am sorry, but I ate four on the way. To-morrow you shall -have all, and when you get them fat enough I will come and dine with -you.' - -"After this he went away leaving the babies to the Princess, who put -them all in a row and fed them with nine dough-nuts apiece, so that if -they did not get fat it was not her fault. - -"In the afternoon came Growlegrum, who was as big in length as -Krusstikuss was sideways. - -"'My love,' said he, when he had peeped over the wall, 'What's this? -Babies.' - -"'Sir,' she replied, 'Your brother loves me, and has promised me all -the babies, that I may fatten them. If you also love me at all, you -will give me the young ladies you were to eat every day, that I may -have some one to take care of the babies and feed them.' - -"'Ah me!' said the giant, 'I shall die of starvation.' - -"'Don't, if you love me,' said Violet. - -"'Enough,' cried Growlegrum. 'Here lovely Princess is the first, and -every day you shall have another.' - -"So saying, he jerked a beautiful young lady out of his pocket and set -her down inside of the castle. - -[Illustration] - -"'Good-bye,' said the Princess. - -"'Good-bye,' said the giant, 'If I stay I shall steal a baby.' - -"So he gnashed his ugly grim teeth and walked away with vast steps. - -"When he was out of sight Prince Bluets came forth, and the Princess -and he laughed with joy, because of the babies whom they had saved. But -as there was no time to lose the Prince kissed her and wriggled through -the key-hole again. - -"Then in haste he ran into the woods and took the road which led to the -city where King Hassan lived. - -"On the way he heard voices, and climbing a tree he listened eagerly -until he learned that these came from five persons who were dressed in -long robes and were riding from the town. By good luck they rested a -little while just under the tree in which Bluets lay hidden. He soon -understood that all five were lawyers whom the King had sent to see -Krusstikuss, that they might offer the Princess in marriage to him with -half of the kingdom if he would send his brother away, and learn to eat -beef and mutton in place of babies. - -"'Ho!' said the Prince, 'This won't do,' so he waited till they left, -and then descending ran back to the castle and called the Princess. - -"Then through the key-hole he gave her a little advice about the five -lawyers. After this he went away once more towards the city. - -"As for the Princess she waved her handkerchief from the castle wall -until Growlegrum espied her and strode over the hills and valleys to -the castle. - -"'Sir,' she said, 'Do not be surprised if you see a party of men in -gowns coming from the city. Go and meet them, if they think you are -Krusstikuss they will tell you something.' - -"'Good,' answered he. 'Now I perceive that you love me.' - -"Then, without waiting, he walked towards the city. A little way on he -met the five lawyers. As soon as they saw him they dismounted and threw -themselves on the ground. - -"'What do ye want?' roared Growlegrum. - -"'Oh sir!' said they, 'we would see the great giant Krusstikuss.' - -"'It is well,' returned the giant. 'Speak.' - -"'Sir,' said they, 'We come to offer to the great giant Krusstikuss -one-half of the kingdom and the Princess for a wife.' - -"'Ha!' answered the giant, 'and what shall his brother have?' - -"'Perhaps,' returned one of the lawyers, 'he might be persuaded to -leave, or else your highness could quietly knock him on the head.' - -"'Scoundrels!' roared Growlegrum, 'My name is not Krusstikuss. I'll -teach you to make trouble, you rascals.' - -"Upon this he seized them one after another, and ate the whole five. -The effects of this meal were dreadful. In five minutes Growlegrum was -bent double with stomach-ache, for you see the lawyers disagreed with -him, and they also disagreed with one another inside of him. - -"But this was not all, for in a few moments he began to grow so -quarrelsome that he became the most unsafe giant that could anywhere be -found. - -"In half an hour he was outrageous, and by the time he met his brother -he was ready to fight anybody. - -"Well the end of it was they did fight. They fought for two days and -two nights, when Krusstikuss got so weak that Growlegrum took him up by -the heels and stood him on his head and gave him a mighty spin, for he -was made just like a top, and then, while he was spinning, treated him -to a kick, and hoisted him over two hills into the sea, where he spun -to the bottom and never more was heard of. - -"When this awful battle was over Growlegrum sat on a hill and began to -pick his teeth with a fence rail. Meanwhile Prince Bluets hastened to -the city. - -"He had gone but a little way when who should he see but his -great-great-grandfather Jack, the Giant Killer, who had journeyed a -long way to see what had become of Bluets. After they had embraced one -another, the Prince told his grandfather all that had passed. - -"'You have done well,' said Jack, 'but we must now get rid of this -other giant who I hear is a terrible fellow. Let us go and see him.' - -"'Very well,' replied Bluets, 'We will go,' and so saying they turned, -and very soon spied Growlegrum sitting on the hill. As soon as ever he -saw them he roared out, - -"'Dinner! Here comes my dinner!' - -"When they had come still nearer Jack cried aloud, 'I am Jack, the -Giant Killer, and I have come to visit you.' - -"'Ha, ha!' laughed the giant, 'You are a little man and brave.' 'There -is one thing you cannot do, big though you be,' said Jack. - -"'Name it,' said Growlegrum. 'I can pull up trees and kick down towns -and chew cannon balls and eat you. What is there I cannot do?' - -"'Sir,' answered Jack, 'All these things are easy.' 'If I cannot eat -anything and kill anybody I will quit this land and go home,' said the -giant in a rage. - -"'Good!' cried Jack, 'Come with us.' - -"Upon this the giant picked them both up and walked off in the -direction which Jack pointed out. Presently they came to a house. - -"'Stop!' said Jack, and the giant set them down. - -"'Eat the man who lives in that house,' said Jack. - -"'Poh!' cried Growlegrum, and gave the house a kick which knocked it -down in a twinkling. Then he pulled out of the ruins a man who began to -roar for mercy. - -"'Oh dear!' he said, 'Don't eat me, and I will never fib any more, and -never make any more speeches ever again.' - -"'Who is he?' asked the giant. '_A member of Congress_,' cried Jack. - -"'Eat _him?_ eat _him!_ said the giant, 'I don't want to be poisoned. -You must think I am a fool.' - -"'Eat him!' cried Jack. - -"'No, sir,' said Krusstikuss. 'I'd rather leave. If I must die I would -like to die easy.' - -"So saying the giant gave a groan and set off across the hills. I do -not know where he went, but I suppose he travelled home to his mamma, -and told her what a fool Jack had made of him. - -"As soon as the giant had gone Jack and Prince Bluets went to the -castle and set free the Princess and all the babies, who showed their -gratitude by screaming for a week. But perhaps this might have been -owing to the dough-nuts they had eaten. - -"I do believe there never was such a wedding as that of Prince Bluets -and Princess Violet, for all the fairy folk came, and Cinderella and -all the fairy godmothers, and Aladdin, and Prince Nosey, and the seven -champions, and Hop O'my Thumb, Goody Two Shoes, and Red Riding Hood. -All of them brought presents to the bride, but the Prince gave her only -his love and took away from her the amulet for fear it should make any -one love her more than he could." - - * * * * * - -During the next week it rained so hard every day that no one of the -spider's family could venture out of their den. - -It was no wonder that they became hungry for stories, and that at the -first gleam of sunshine they all ran together and began to pull at the -line of cobweb to which poor Fuz-Buz was fettered. - -As for Fuz-Buz he was so wet and cold that he crawled out of his hole -with trouble and pain. - -"Ah, my dears!" cried he. "I ache all over with the gout. We lived too -high in Spain I fear." - -"Bother the gout!" said the spiders. - -"Tell us a new story, and pretty soon too, or mammy will eat you, and -won't that be worse than the gout?" - -"I don't know," answered Fuz-Buz, "I think I would rather be eaten up -at once, and have it over." - -"Ha! ha!" cried Mrs. Grabem, who overheard what the fly had said. - -"Ha! ha! you would like to be eaten; would you like to have your legs -pulled off and your wings torn, and—-?" - -"Oh dear! oh dear!" shrieked Fuz-Buz. "Pray stop, I am all in a shiver. -I will never be so hasty again." - -[Illustration] - -"Very well," returned the spider firmly. "See that you remember -what I have said, and on no account venture to keep my blessed little -children waiting. It spoils their tempers for life. I will have no more -of it." - -When Mrs. Grabem ceased, all the young spiders cried aloud, - -"You had better take care, or mammy will finish you!" - -"How are your legs?" said one. - -"Where is that story?" said another. - -"Here it is," answered Fuz-Buz, tapping his head. "I have it all here -ever since the day I heard it told by a famous Dervish at the porch of -the great Mosque of Salamanca." - - -MUSTAPHA, OR THE MUSICAL GOURD. - -"In the year of the Hegira, 709, and the twelfth of our Caliph Haroun, -the Magnificent, there lived in the royal city of Bagdad a cobbler of -the name of Ali Ben Slippah. - -"His shop was small, but being well situated at the corner of the -street of the Prophet, and the great street of Mosques, the cobbler -managed to live very comfortably, so that with the aid of Smyrna -tobacco and a contented disposition which the poet has well called the -'Pipe of the just,' he eked out a tranquil life free from care and -ambition. - -"His house was neatly kept by his daughter Lelie, or the Dark-eyed, who -was a little maiden with lips like the roses of Istamboul, and cheeks -as darkly lovely as the brown lilies of Ispahan. - -"Besides these the sole remaining member of their household was a great -black cat known by the name of Yussef, or the Hump-backed, because she -was always in an evil humour, and was forever hunching her back up to -show how cross she felt. - -"It so chanced that when Lelie was a child this cat pursued by boys and -dogs had taken refuge with Lelie, who had saved her life. Thenceforward -she had never left her, but was so jealous of her mistress that it was -enough to look at her to drive the Pussy crazy with rage. - -"Now to let you into a secret. You should know that Yussef was a wicked -genius who for a terrible crime had been condemned to live an hundred -years in the body of a cat. - -"About the time at which this trap story begins, a young soldier of the -Caliph's guard, whose name was Mustapha, fell in love with Lelie, and -as he was very handsome and clever, was so lucky as to make her also -love him in return. - -"Unhappily for them both, Yussef overheard Mustapha speaking of the day -when they were to be married, and at once fell into a fit of jealousy -which was dreadful to see. - -"In her wrath she flew at Mustapha and scratched his nose, then -knocked down and broke the cobbler's best chibouque, and at length -dashed out of the house just as Ali Ben Slippah threw his lap-stone at -her in fierce anger, because of his broken pipe. - -"It was late in the evening when Yussef darted out, and with her heart -full of jealous rage bounded up the walls and over the house-tops, -until at last she seated herself on a gable and began to think. - -"As it became later she was suddenly aware of a noble-looking person -who was walking slowly along, followed at a short distance by four -guards with drawn scimetars. - -"As soon as Yussef saw the cavalier she knew that he was the Caliph, -and remembering that he was then seeking everywhere for beautiful women -to wait upon his sick daughter, she formed on the moment the most -spiteful scheme of mischief that ever you heard of. - -"With two or three crazy leaps she alighted at the feet of the Caliph -and began to miaou a tune of the most singular character. - -"'By the beard of the Prophet!' said Haroun al Raschid, 'This is -passing wonderful! Catch that cat!' - -"But Yussef was too quick for that. She turned two somersaults, and -miaoued again. The guards and the Caliph followed her in wonder, while -she retreated until they came to the cobbler's door. Here she miaoued -once more, and leaped into an open window. - -"When the Caliph drew near as she had desired he would do, he looked -into the window and saw the beautiful Lelie. - -"'Bismillah!' cried he, as he thrust back the guards. 'Blessed be cats -for evermore! Here is the maiden I have sought for my daughter.' - -"So saying, he turned and gave brief orders to his attendants bidding -them be careful and secret; and thus saying moved away quietly through -the deserted streets. - -"Very early next morning when the cobbler had gone to market Yussef -heard a noise, and looking saw the shop full of black slaves who seized -Lelie, muffled her in a shawl, and leaving a bag of gold on the counter -hurried away swiftly. - -"As soon as they left Yussef hastened after them, and when they entered -a gilded caique on the Tigris, she also tried to leap into the boat. -But to her dismay one of the guards seized her by the tail and threw -her thirty feet away into the river. - -"Yussef spluttered and spit as she came to the surface, and must surely -have been drowned had she been a real cat. - -"As it was she lost three out of her nine lives, and unluckily came to -land on the premises of a tanner where she was set upon by six dogs -who tore her hair out and bit her tail, and altogether so misused her -that she came to look more like a bit of ill-used foot-rug than a -respectable Maltese cat. - -"At last, with her heart full of rage and her stomach full of water, -she reached home to find the poor cobbler in the utmost grief for the -loss of his daughter. - -"By and by he resigned himself to his fate, and seeing well that no -common person had stolen the maiden, he smoked the more abundantly, -and like a true believer took comfort in that verse of the Koran which -says, 'All things that are are well; but some, saith the Prophet, are -disagreeable.' - -"Meanwhile poor Mustapha became nearly crazed with grief. He roamed the -streets all day, and at evening returned to the cobbler's in the vain -hope of hearing some news of Lelie. - -"On one of these occasions he was so unlucky as to stumble over Yussef -who gave him a fierce scratch, and fled from his wrath to devise new -plans of mischief, for although Lelie was gone, she was lost to herself -as well as to Mustapha, and the cat never had ceased to hate him as the -cause of all her troubles. - -"Yussef therefore resolved to rid herself of his presence, and she set -about it after her own wicked fashion. - -"Some two or three nights later Mustapha was wandering sadly in the -gardens of the Caliph when he heard a voice from the trees above him -saying, - -"'Come to-night to the tomb of the Caliphs, under the cedars, on the -road to Damascus, and thou shalt hear news of thy love.' - -"The voice sounded like that of Lelie, and the soldier in vain sought -about him on every side for its source. At length the words were -repeated and he made up his mind to obey them. - -"It was near midnight when Mustapha found himself at the appointed -spot. All Bagdad lay behind him still and slumbering. Here and there -a long arrow of light darted from some tall minaret, while the full -moon-light pouring down on the Mosque of El Rahab lit up its golden -dome like a mound of fire. - -"Before him the quiet groves of fig and olive, pomegranates and -mourning cypresses stretched away for miles, bounded in the far -distance by the curves of the Tigris, whose broad bendings flashed in -the light like gigantic scimetars. - -"As Mustapha approached the Caliph's tomb he came to an open space -girt in by dense thickets. Pushing these aside he stepped cautiously -forward, for he heard a sound of music and voices. - -"Presently a fire flashed up on the open ground among the ruined tombs, -and the soldier shook with fear as he looked on what its light revealed. - -"Seated about the slope which led downwards on every side to a broken -tomb were gigantic figures in white robes that floated about them like -mist, so that only sometimes he could see their solemn faces. - -"From the tomb came slowly a long procession of Ghouls and Vampires -and Afrites of hideous shapes, such as men see in dreams, while all the -air and the ground seemed to be alive with a myriad of little winged -forms who hovered about like butterflies. - -"At last there was silence, when Yussef suddenly appeared before the -tallest of the Genii, and miaoued frightfully. - -"Then the Genie said in a mild great voice, 'What would you of your -brethren?' - -"'The man,' said Yussef, 'who has mocked my fallen estate and stolen my -love from me is here awaiting judgment.' - -"When Mustapha heard these words he was ready to die with fear, but his -limbs refused to bear him away and he was forced to support himself by -grasping a tree. - -"'Oh King,' cried Yussef, 'Let him be brought to thee.' - -"'Be it so!' said the Genie. - -"At this two fearful-looking Afrites leaped into the air, and with one -swoop of their clawed wings alighted beside Mustapha. Then they seized -him and thrust him into the circle before the cloudy form of the King -of the Genii who thus addressed him. - -"'It is not given us to slay, but that thou shalt no more trouble us -we order thee to become a gourd, and as we may not sentence any to an -endless fate it shall be that when it pleaseth Allah to turn thee -inside out thou shalt then only assume again the form of man.' - -"'It is well,' cried Yussef. 'Thanks, oh King!' - -"At these words Mustapha fainted. When he recovered he found himself -hanging on a vine near by, and presently discovered that he was a huge -green gourd. - -"After this many days fled away, and Mustapha the gourd grew bigger and -bigger, and at last began to ripen and turn yellow. - -"Every night as he hung on the vine he saw the strange midnight -meetings of the Genii and Ghouls and Afrites. All the wonderful things -he heard and saw no one will ever know, for he saw their wild feasts -and dances, and heard music such as before no mortal ears had ever -listened to. - -"At length one warm summer morning two farmers came by on the way to -market. - -"'Bismillah!' cried one, as he saw the great gourd Mustapha. 'What a -monstrous gourd!' - -"'Let us take it with us and sell it,' said the second. - -"Thus saying he took a knife from his girdle and cut the stem by which -Mustapha hung. This caused him so much pain that he cried aloud, - -"'What's that?' said the farmer. 'The gourd speaks! It is alive!' - -"Upon this he pricked the gourd with his knife. At this Mustapha -exclaimed, 'Don't!' - -"'Mahomet!' said the farmer. 'The thing is enchanted. It will fetch us -a fortune.' - -"Shortly afterwards they carried the gourd to the market. Here they -made a goodly fortune by running pins into Mustapha that he might cry -out for the amusement of the by-standers. - -"Before long all Bagdad flocked to see and hear this wonderful gourd, -and at last an officer of the Caliph's household arrived, payed a great -sum for the gourd, and putting it in a basket, carried it away to the -Palace. - -"By and by Mustapha found himself in a superb room of the Palace, -where, surrounded by her ladies, the Princess lay upon a couch. - -"Suddenly Mustapha the gourd as he lay in his basket heard the voice of -his beloved Lelie who was fanning the Princess. - -"This so moved poor Mustapha that he cried aloud, - -"'Allah! I hear my love!' and so saying rolled from the basket and fell -at Lelie's feet. - -"'Mahomet!' cried the Princess. 'The thing is bewitched! take it away!' - -"But as for Lelie the words were as sweet music to her, and seizing the -gourd she placed it tenderly in the basket and carried it to her room. -Here she implored it with tears to speak again, but in vain; so that at -last she was forced to leave it and return to the Princess. - -"Soon after she had gone Mustapha was aware of a rose-colored cloud in -the room, out of which grew into shape the form of a huge Genie which -thus addressed him. - -"'Know, frail mortal, that I am your guardian spirit. I have heard -with pity of your sad fate and am come to give you a chance for life -again. Perhaps what I shall do for you may render your position better. -Unluckily I cannot give to you once more your mortal shape.' - -"With these words the figure inclined towards him gravely and touched -his yellow cheek. He shuddered and lost consciousness. - -"What next was his amazement to find himself standing in the shop of -Harim, the merchant. Presently he began to look at himself with curious -care. He had a gold head like that of a bird, with ruby eyes. His -neck was of satin wood, long and slim, while his clothes which were -stiffened with whalebone and wire, resembled petticoats upside down. - -"'Allah il Allah!' cried he, 'What an existence!' - -"Just then a Dervish looking at him asked the merchant, 'What is that?' - -"'It is,' answered he, 'a Frankish device which the men in Frangistan -carry to keep off the rain. Their women are only allowed to carry -smaller ones, so they make up for that by bearing them about in fair as -well as wet weather.' - -"'A device of Eblis!' exclaimed the Dervish, and muttering a verse of -the Koran, walked gravely away. - -"By and by came the grand Purveyor of the Caliph. He was seeking new -and curious things for the Princess, who was ill and refused to eat so -that day after day she became more feeble. - -"'Ah!' said the Purveyor, 'This is a Frank tent. I saw them when I was -Envoy to the court of Charlemagne.' - -"At this Mustapha blushed, for the officer seized him and began to -expand his skirts so that his leg, for he had but one, was alarmingly -exposed. - -"Very soon the Purveyor, having paid a good price, took Mustapha away -to the Palace where he explained the uses of this portable tent. - -"'This,' said he, 'Is what the Franks, whom Allah confound! call an -umbrella, and the female of the thing they term a parasol.' - -"'I shall need it not,' said the Princess Ellera. 'No sun will shine -on me any more. On me no rain will fall. I shall die if I find nothing -that I can eat.' - -"'Take it Lelie,' she cried, 'As thou hast lost thy gourd, take it.' - -"Upon this Lelie took Mustapha away and placed him in a quiet corner of -her room. - -"Meanwhile some days went by, and all the cooks tried in vain to please -the sick Princess. All day long an army of slaves went past her bed, -each bearing some rare dish or some luscious fruit, but still alas! in -vain; so that at length the doctors decided that if she did not eat -within a day she would surely die. - -"Lelie, who was in great distress, left the Princess and went to her -own room to weep alone. At last she arose to go out into the garden, -thinking that perhaps the Princess might be tempted by a rose-leaf -salad. - -"As she walked past Mustapha he cried aloud, 'Take me.' - -"'This is queer,' said she, but when the words were repeated she -clutched the Frankish toy and ran out into the garden. Here she -wandered long, but as evening fell she suddenly saw that a storm had -gathered. - -"Before she could reach the Palace, a wild gust of wind caught in -Mustapha's skirts and nearly tore him from her hand. As she struggled -the wind expanded his petticoats, and at last crack went the wires, and -then what do you think? - -"Mustapha was turned inside out, and the umbrella was a man once more. - -"In a moment he explained everything, but after he had kissed her twice -she began to sob, for now she knew that he had escaped one evil fate -only to light upon another as fearful. - -"'Ah!' she cried, 'a man! You, a soldier, in the gardens of the Palace! -You will be put to death at once.' - -"'No!' he answered, after thinking a little. 'Not if I can save the -Princess. Let us go to the Caliph and confess all. Meanwhile have no -fears.' - -"Lelie at last gave her consent, and with trembling steps she left him, -and seeking the Princess related their strange story. - -"In a moment all was confusion. A man in the harem! - -"'Bowstrings and sacks!' cried the captain of the guard, as he hurried -Mustapha before the Caliph. - -"'Wretch!' said Al Raschid the Caliph, 'Who art thou?' - -"'A soldier,' said Mustapha. - -"'Let him die!' cried Al Raschid. - -"'Oh Caliph,' answered Mustapha, 'In the land of the Genii it was given -me once to learn secrets of the vile Franks, wherewith it may be that I -can save thy daughter the Princess.' - -"'Thou dost lie like unto a rusty weathercock,' said the Caliph, 'But -that none may say I am unjust, take this man to the kitchen. Let him do -his best, and if he fail have him strangled instantly.' - -"'It is well said,' replied Mustapha. - -"Very soon he was left alone in the great kitchen of the Palace, while -all the strange things he had seen at the feasts of the Genii came back -to his mind. - -"Presently he sought about him among the stores of provisions, and -took from a basket those striped apples which grow by the brooks of -Alkeldrina. - -"These he pared deftly and set each within a cup of wheaten dough, -such as only the Caliph's farms can furnish. Therein he placed also -the golden orange-peel and the spices of distant Borneo. Lastly, he -sprinkled it within and without with the aromatic sugar of Turkan, and -hanging each apple thus prepared in a silken net carefully cooked them. - -"When they were ready he placed them upon golden dishes, and threw over -each a hail of snowy sugar and fragrant cinnamon, covering all with a -handful of almond blossoms. - -"Then he called the guard, and with scimetars crossed over his head he -was allowed to carry his dish to the Princess. As she looked languidly -upon it he shook off the blossoms. - -"'Then,' said the Princess, 'These be the roses of Paradise which I do -smell.' - -"At these words he knelt down and offered the dish to the lady. -Wonderful to tell the Princess called for a silver fork and ate up the -whole of the apples so greedily that she scalded her throat in the most -dreadful way. - -"But between every mouthful she blessed poor Mustapha as the king of -cooks, and from that instant she recovered so quickly as to disgust all -the doctors, who said Mustapha was a quack, and went away. - -"Of course he married Lelie, and had a patent for making this wonderful -dish, and was created Lord Marquis of Apple-butter and Duke of -Dumplings, and lived merrily all his days." - - * * * * * - -"That's a good story," cried the spiders. - -"Glad you like it," said Fuz-Buz. "Now if you please I will sleep, as I -am tired." - -In this pleasant way the days went by until Fuz-buz had told them nine -hundred and ninety-nine stories. - -On this last evening he overheard the spiders talking as he lay tied by -the leg in a deep dark crack of the apple tree where he slept. - -"My children," said the old spider, "After Fuz-Buz has told us one more -story we will eat him. It will be best to wait until after dark, and -then seize him on a sudden and kill him; for he is a very strong fly, -and may give me trouble." - -They all agreed to this excepting the youngest, who said it would be a -shame to serve him so, and that they ought to let him go. - -But Mrs. Grabem replied, "You know nothing of house-keeping my dear. Go -to sleep and hold your tongue." - -When Fuz-Buz overheard all this he was scared to death. All next day he -was so sick that he could not even tell the shortest story. - -At night-fall when the family had gone to their den, he sat on the tree -near his cosy little crack and tried to gnaw the web which held him. - -Unluckily it was too tough. When he was in despair who should hum by -but a huge Bee. - -"Halloa!" said he, "What's wrong with you?" - -"Sir!" replied Fuz-Buz, "I am tied by the leg to this web, and am to be -eaten to-night by a cruel monster of a spider who lives near, and who -will overhear you if you do not speak in a low voice." - -"Who's afraid?" said the Bee. "Which leg is it?" - -"This," answered Fuz-Buz. - -"Pshaw!" cried the Bee, and with that he twisted the web about his legs -and gave a jump. Snap went the line and Fuz-buz was free once more. -Never a fly was so glad as he. - -"Sir!" he said, "I am only sorry that you have not had the honour to -slay this vile spider. Now if you were to slip into this crack where I -sleep, you would have a fine chance, because when Mrs. Grabem comes to -eat me you could give her a pleasing surprise." - -"That's a rather jolly notion," answered the Bee. So he went down on -the ground, and after sharpening his sting on a smooth pebble, thrust -himself deep into the crack where Fuz-Buz was wont to sleep. - -But as for Fuz-Buz the fly, he sat on a limb above and looked on. After -a little, when it was dark or nearly so, out came Mrs. Grabem slowly, -and crawling over her web went down into the crack to murder poor -innocent Fuz-Buz. Presently she cried aloud, - -"Oh! I'm dead!" which was true in a moment, for Sir Bee had run his -long sword straight through her, and she had tumbled off the tree as -dead as could be. - -At the sound of her voice all the young spiders ran out, and in a -moment they saw Sir Bee with his quick sword. In a twinkling he stabbed -them one after another, until he came to the youngest. Then Fuz-Buz -said, - -"Halloa! my friend, let this one go, for he was the only one who did -not desire to kill me." - -"Sir!" cried the youngest spider, "I do not wish to live after you have -killed my mother and all my brothers and sisters. Take that, sir!" - -So saying he dealt the Bee such a crack that he was forced to stab him -like the rest, and there at last was the end of all of them. - -As for Fuz-Buz, he said "Well, it's one spider less, and so many flies -more. Spiders are of no use and flies are." - -Meanwhile Sir Bee wiped his sword and took up his bag of honey, feeling -that he had done a clever day's work, while Fuz-Buz flew away to Spain, -and never could be brought to tell anybody a story long or short up to -the end of his happy life. - - - - - ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ - │ Transcriber's Note: │ - │ │ - │ Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. │ - │ Otherwise spelling variations were not changed. │ - │ │ - │ Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained. │ - │ │ - │ Mid-paragraph illustrations have been moved between paragraphs │ - │ and some illustrations have been moved closer to the text that │ - │ references them. The List of Illustrations pagination was │ - │ changed accordingly. │ - │ │ - │ Italicized words are surrounded by underline characters, _like │ - │ this_. │ - └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wonderful Stories of Fuz-Buz the -Fly and Mother Grabem the Spider, by Silas Wier Mitchell - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FUZ-BUZ THE FLY *** - -***** This file should be named 52899-0.txt or 52899-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/8/9/52899/ - -Produced by MWS, Christian Boissonnas and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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