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diff --git a/old/52899-h/52899-h.htm b/old/52899-h/52899-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index b220afc..0000000 --- a/old/52899-h/52899-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3347 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Wonderful Stories of Fuz-Buz the - Fly and Mother Grabem the Spider, by S. Weir Mitchell. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - - /* PAGE DIMENSIONS */ - @media screen - { - body { width:90%; max-width:45em; margin: auto; } - } - - /* HEADINGS */ - h1, h2 { text-align:center; clear:both; } - - /*PARAGRAPHS */ - p { margin-top:.75em; text-align:justify; margin-bottom:.75em; - text-indent:1em } - .no-break { page-break-before: avoid; } - - /* TEXT ALIGNMENT AND MARGINS */ - .ac { text-align:center; } - .noindent { text-indent:0em; } - .p2 { margin-top:2em; } - .p4 { margin-top:4em; } - - p.drop-cap:first-letter {color:transparent; visibility:hidden; margin-left:-0.9em; } - - /* FONTS */ - .sc { font-variant:small-caps; } - .xx-smaller { font-size:58%; } - .smaller { font-size:83%; } - .larger { font-size:125% } - - /* HORIZONTAL LINES */ - hr.chap { margin-top:5em; margin-bottom:5em; margin-left:20%; - margin-right:20%; width:60%; } - /* Width=30% */ - hr.sect { margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:2em; margin-left:35%; - margin-right:35%; width: 30%; } - - /* TOC summaries */ - .chapsum { text-align: left; vertical-align: bottom; padding-top: 1em; - padding-left: 1.5em; text-indent: -1.5em; } - - /* IMAGES */ - img { max-width:100%; height:auto; } - /* Image border */ - .bord img { padding:1px; border: 2px solid black; } - .figcenter { clear:both; margin:auto; text-align:center; max-width:100%; - padding-top:1em; } - img.drop-cap { float:left; margin:0 0.5em 0 0; } - - /* VERSES */ - .poetry { margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align:left; - max-width:30em; display:inline-block; } - .poetry .verse { padding-left:3em; text-indent:-3em; font-size:smaller; } - .poetry-container { text-align:center; } - - /* PAGINATION */ - .pagenum { position:absolute; right:5%; text-indent:0em; - text-align:right; font-size:70%; font-weight:normal; - font-variant:normal; font-style:normal; - letter-spacing:normal; line-height:normal; color:#acacac; - border:1px solid #acacac; background:#ffffff; - padding:1px 2px; visibility: visible; } - - /* TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES */ - .transnote { background-color:#E6E6FA; color:black; padding-bottom:1em; - padding-top:.3em; margin-top:3em; margin-left:5%; - margin-right:5%; padding-left:2em; padding-right:1em; - font-family:sans-serif, serif; page-break-inside:avoid; } - - /* MEDIA-SPECIFIC FORMATTING */ - @media screen,print { - p.drop-cap:first-letter { color:transparent; visibility:hidden; } - img.drop-cap { float:left; margin:0 0.5em 0 0; } - } - - @media handheld { - body { margin:0; } - img.drop-cap { display:none } - p.drop-cap:first-letter { color:inherit; visibility:visible; margin-left:0;} - .transnote { page-break-before:always; margin-left:2%; margin-right:2%; - margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; padding:.5em; } - } - </style> - </head> - -<body> - - -<pre> - -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.) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter bord"><a name="i_frontis.jpg" id="i_frontis.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" width="398" height="600" alt="Frontispiece." /> -</div> - - -<h1 class="no-break"> -<span class="smaller">THE</span><br /><br /> -WONDERFUL STORIES<br /><br /> -<span class="xx-smaller">OF</span><br /><br /> -<span class="larger">FUZ-BUZ THE FLY</span><br /><br /> -<span class="xx-smaller">AND</span><br /><br /> -MOTHER GRABEM<br /><br /> -<span class="xx-smaller">THE</span><br /><br /> -SPIDER.</h1> - -<p class="noindent ac p4">PHILADELPHIA<br /> -J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.,<br /> -1867. -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<p class="noindent ac"> -Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by<br /> -J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.,<br /> -In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"><a name="i_003.jpg" id="i_003.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_003.jpg" width="600" height="133" alt="Page decoration." /> -</div> - -<p class="noindent ac p4"><span class="larger">MRS. GRABEM AND FUZ-BUZ.</span></p> - -<div class="p2"> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop_m.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt="M drop cap." /> -</div> -<p class="noindent drop-cap">MRS. GRABEM was a hairy spider who knit -cobwebs and caught flies and brought up a -small household of nine young spiders.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>One fine breezy morning in June, when the leaves -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"Ah!" said the eldest of them, as he saw it sparkle in -the sun, "these must be the diamonds we have heard -about."</p> - -<p>"No," said another, "they look to me blue, they are -turquoises."</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> -one more mighty effort, and so at last made fast the -web.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>Then all the young spiders listened, and the old mother -spider began.</p> - -<p>"One night the King Almanzor was walking alone -when he overheard three water-carriers gossiping.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> -the Palace garden from my window, and lo! always the -King kneels weeping at the great fountain, which we -call the forest of waters.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'He's too sober,' said one.</p> - -<p>"'Too sad,' cried the second.</p> - -<p>"'Too merry,' said the third.</p> - -<p>"Then each held to his own opinion, and abused the -others, until from words they came to blows.</p> - -<p>"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 next -day.</p> - -<p>"Accordingly in the morning they were brought to the -King in the garden before prayer time.</p> - -<p>"'I hear,' said Almanzor, 'that you talked of me last -night. It is said that you think me sober, sad, and -foolish.'</p> - -<p>"Not one of them answered.</p> - -<p>"'I will think of your crime, and how you shall be -punished. Begone, and return hither at noon.'</p> - -<p>"At noon-tide they were brought again to the King, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> -who said to them gravely, 'You have abused the King. -You shall die to-morrow.'</p> - -<p>"'Woe is me!" cried they all, and as they were led -away the King stayed weeping by the water's edge.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"And thus saying, the King gave them a purse of -gold and turned away."</p> - -<p>"What a little story," cried the young spiders.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>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! -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>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."</p> - -<p>"What! do you mean to eat me?" said Fuz-buz, the -Fly. "I never hurt you."</p> - -<p>"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?"</p> - -<p>"In Spain," replied Fuz-buz proudly. "I am a Spanish -fly."</p> - -<p>"Dear me," cried one of the spiders, "perhaps you can -tell us some stories."</p> - -<p>"I know a thousand fairy tales," said Fuz-buz.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> - -<p>The young spiders could hardly wait.</p> - -<p>"Quick!" they cried, "a story!" "a story!"</p> - -<p>"What about?" replied Fuz-buz, glad to be spared.</p> - -<p>"Oh about men, big men like Robert Bruce," said -they, "and about a Princess too."</p> - -<p>"Very well," returned Fuz-buz, "Don't eat me, and I -will tell you no end of stories and the first shall be -about</p> - - -<p class="noindent ac p2"><span class="sc">Lady Golden Hair and her Two Lovers, Prince -Clever and Prince Sturdy</span>.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> - -<p>"At length her Father the King said she must make -up her mind to marry somebody.</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"When her lovers heard this they all cried and went -away, except two who were named Prince Clever and -Prince Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> -Prince Sturdy said, 'Thorns are roses to those who love! -I will try.'</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> -many days to a desolate land where was nothing but -hills of gray sand.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"He was just able to thrust his turban into the hole, -when the Roc flew home to her nest.</p> - -<p>"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?</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Fast it went, and faster and faster, while Sturdy -tumbled over and over, and was on his head one minute, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> -and on his heels the next, till at last splash went the egg -into the water and floated lightly on the rolling waves.</p> - -<div class="figcenter bord"><a name="i_012.jpg" id="i_012.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_012.jpg" width="600" height="353" - alt="Egg on the rolling waves." /> -</div> - -<p>"Very soon the sailors tied a rope around the egg, -and fastened the other end to their ships, and sailed away -rejoicing.</p> - -<p>"In this manner they sailed many weeks, until poor -Sturdy had eaten his last cake and was nearly starved to -death.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"As soon as he saw the lady he ran and knelt and -said, 'Princess, here is my Roc's egg.'</p> - -<p>"Then a voice was heard saying, 'No, it is mine!'</p> - -<p>"'Who spoke?' said Clever.</p> - -<p>"'I,' said the voice, 'It is mine!'</p> - -<p>"But no one could tell where the voice came from.</p> - -<p>"At last the Chief Magician cried aloud, 'Who dares -to mock the King?'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Then said the voice, 'Oh great Magician, who owns -the house, he who lives in it, or he who looks at it?'</p> - -<p>"'He who lives in it,' answered the Magician.</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<div class="figcenter bord"><a name="i_014.jpg" id="i_014.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_014.jpg" width="600" height="362" - alt="Sturdy broke away the shell and stepped out." /> -</div> - -<p>"'Ah,' said the lady to herself, 'what beautiful eyes -he has.' But Prince Clever smote his breast, and the -people hurrahed for Prince Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"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?'</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"When the Fairy told him all these things he said, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> -'Ah Godmother, how shall I make my nose long and -my mouth big and ugly so as to be like a real pedlar?'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"><a name="i_015.jpg" id="i_015.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_015.jpg" width="600" height="605" - alt="She put a forefinger into the two corners of his mouth." /> -</div> - -<p>"'I think that will do,' she said, 'and as to your nose, -take a pinch of this snuff.'</p> - -<p>"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, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> -which was so bright that he could not keep from squinting -to get a look at it.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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!'</p> - -<p>"The Fairy then gave him a little red cloak, and bade -him walk like an old man and be careful.</p> - -<p>"Finally she placed in his basket a gold box containing -the magical opal.</p> - -<div class="figcenter bord"><a name="i_016.jpg" id="i_016.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_016.jpg" width="399" height="600" - alt="The Fairy then gave him a little red cloak." /> -</div> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"So it was that all these days she lay awake angry, -and all the while Prince Clever rode fiercely to her garden -gate.</p> - -<p>"Near by he hid his horse, and walking like an old -man came to the Palace slowly and asked to see the -Lady.</p> - -<p>"The guard laughed at his nose and told him the -Princess was ill and could not sleep.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'It is well,' answered he, 'I have a charm here to -bring her sleep.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"When he held the jewel up before her eyes she said, -'It has letters on it. What be they? What do they mean?'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'It is well,' said the Princess. 'Let me sleep.'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Near to the garden he mounted his horse, and spurred -swiftly away through the night, while the trees moaned -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> -in the wind as he passed, and the birds awoke and sang, -'Shame! shame!' till he stopped his ears and fled faster -and faster.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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?'</p> - -<p>"'Only one,' replied Prince Sturdy sadly.</p> - -<p>"'We shall meet to-morrow,' said Clever, for so they -had agreed, and thus saying he rode away.</p> - -<p>"Prince Sturdy also arose and entered a wood near -by, for he was sick at heart and desired to see no man's -face.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Then said a faint clear voice, 'The dew falls.'</p> - -<p>"'I hope it is rain,' said another voice which was still -more sweet and pure.</p> - -<p>"'Ah,' sighed the Prince, 'happy roses!'</p> - -<p>"'Why do you weep?' said the roses, for it was their -voices he had heard.</p> - -<p>"'Because I may not steal a lady's kiss,' said the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> -Prince, 'and because I want a tress of golden hair the -like of which is not to be had on earth.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'Yes,' said Sturdy laughing, as he pushed the two -roses together till their red lips touched.</p> - -<p>"'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?'</p> - -<p>"'It is well,' cried the Prince, and so saying he went -away, sadly thinking of the kiss he might not have.</p> - -<p>"Next day the Court and the King and the Princess -were in the garden awaiting the two Princes.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Next came Prince Sturdy on a great black steed, but -all alone and with only a little gold box in his hand.</p> - -<p>"When both had bent before the lady she smiled and -said, 'You are empty handed.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'No,' said Clever, and bade the slaves approach. -Then from the ivory box he took a glorious tress of the -Lady's hair.</p> - -<p>"'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?'</p> - -<p>"'Pardon me, Lady,' he said. 'It was I who in your -sleep yesterday stole this tress of hair. Where else is any -like it?'</p> - -<p>"'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?'</p> - -<p>"'I dared,' he said. 'How else could I win you?'</p> - -<p>"'Enough,' she said, and turned, pale and despairing, -to Prince Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"'Bosh!' cried Prince Clever. 'There is nothing there,' -for the box of a truth was empty.</p> - -<p>"'True,' said Sturdy, 'It was bright this morning, but -it is darkness now beside the sunshine of my Lady's -locks.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Well said!' cried the King, while the Princess -blushed like a whole summer of rosy peaches.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<hr class="sect" /> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>The next afternoon as soon as ever Mrs. Grabem began -to knit, the spiders cried aloud for a story.</p> - -<p>"But I am tired," said Fuz-buz.</p> - -<p>"No matter!" cried the spiders, "we are not."</p> - -<p>"Come, no nonsense!" roared Mrs. Grabem.</p> - -<p>"Well," cried poor Fuz-buz. "Let me think a little."</p> - -<p>"I should not suppose it took much thinking to make -up stories," replied Mrs. Grabem.</p> - -<p>By this time Fuz-buz was ready and having eaten a little -cherry gum to clear his throat, he began as follows:</p> - -<p>"This is a fairy tale about</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> - -<p class="noindent ac p2"><span class="sc">Cold Country.</span></p> - -<p class="chapsum"><span class="sc">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.</span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"But at last everything and everybody grew tired of -being so happy.</p> - -<p>"'Ah me!' said the bear, 'I get so fat it would be as -easy to roll as to walk.'</p> - -<p>"'Just so,' sighed the trees, 'what a bore to have to -make leaves all the time.'</p> - -<p>"Only the owl said, 'I'm comfortable,' and gave his -feathers a lazy shake and went to sleep again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"So the fox proposed that they should go in search of -cool weather, and bring back a little by way of a change.</p> - -<p>"At last they agreed to send Trowel Ku the Beaver, -and Kanecri the Loon, and Hoota the Owl, and Weeska -the Fox.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"><a name="i_024.jpg" id="i_024.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_024.jpg" width="600" height="405" - alt="Trowel Ku the Beaver, and Kanecri the Loon, and Hoota the Owl, - and Weeska the Fox." /> -</div> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"'What now?' said he.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'Then,' said Manitou to the Owl, 'What do you -want?' 'I'm comfortable,' said Hoota the Owl, and -straightway went to sleep.</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"When they were all in he sewed them up and putting -the skin outside of the hut bade it go.</p> - -<p>"At once it became alive and bounded off over the -hills and through the streams until it came to a great -frozen lake.</p> - -<p>"Here the Beaver heard a noise, and presently an -arrow went through the deer which fell on the ice. The -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> -next moment a knife ripped the deer open, and the Owl -and the Beaver and Fox and Loon jumped out.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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!'</p> - -<p>"Then they all filled their birch bags with cold, of -which there was plenty for every one lying about loose, -and set off homewards.</p> - -<p>"But after a little while they all became so cold that -their jaws chattered. By and by they saw the Manitou.</p> - -<p>"'What now?' said he.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"Thus saying he tore the sunset out of the west and -threw it a thousand miles into their country, and lo! it fell -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<hr class="sect" /> - -<p>The next night Mrs. Grabem herself came along with -her little ones to hear Fuz-buz relate a tale.</p> - -<p>"Be sure it is a nice story," said one of the spiders.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> - -<p class="noindent ac p2"><span class="sc">The Fountain of Youth.</span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> -up and see none but women, for so only can you make -sure that she will not fall in love and marry.'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"><a name="i_030.jpg" id="i_030.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_030.jpg" width="413" height="600" - alt="The old creature waved her fins in a helpless way." /> -</div> - -<p>"'What can I do for you Mrs. Woman-fish?' said he, -'and how came you here?'</p> - -<p>"'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, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> -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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> -been quicker about getting my flapper well I should have -been here long ago.'</p> - -<p>"'You are most welcome,' returned Ali, 'and the more -so because perhaps you can tell me who I am.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'Would that I could see her!' said the Prince.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"The next morning early Ali went to the beach and -found the mermaid waiting with a large piece of crystal -in her flappers.</p> - -<p>"'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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> -of the Princess is fixed upon it forever. Look, I have -brought it away with me.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'Ah!' said Ali, 'This is my fate! Take me to this -woman swiftly that I may see her and die contented.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> -chance. Now, therefore, many times you must say to -her I love you.'</p> - -<p>"'But <i>how</i> shall I do this?' asked Prince Ali.</p> - -<p>"'Sir,' she said, 'look upwards and clap your hands -thrice.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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, '<span class="sc">I love you</span>.'</p> - -<p>"'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 <span class="sc">love</span>?'</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"But no one answered, and some of the old ladies -cried, and some ran away, for they all feared that King -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"When at length the Princess found herself alone with -her governess, she said again, 'What is love?'</p> - -<p>"'My dear child,' replied the old lady, 'it is a kind of -medicine!'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'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, '<span class="sc">I -love thee</span>.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Meantime none knew whence came these strange -words, and the King grew more and more angry and -alarmed whenever he thought about it.</p> - -<p>"All his precautions were in vain. One fine morning -every rose-leaf in the gardens had written upon it in -golden Arabic letters, '<span class="sc">I love you</span>.'</p> - -<p>"This drove the King wild, and he commanded all -the rose-bushes in the kingdom to be cut down, which -was instantly done.</p> - -<p>"The next morrow at day-break a great noise was -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> -heard, and when the Princess arose and peeped from her -window every bird in the garden was singing, '<span class="sc">I love -you</span>, <span class="sc">I love you</span>, <span class="sc">I love you</span>.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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, '<span class="sc">I love -you</span>, <span class="sc">I love you</span>.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"The Prince gladly followed these directions, for -though when he had traced words on the glass he could -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> -see nothing of them, he felt sure of the mermaid's power -to help him.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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,</p> - -<p>"'Quick! old woman speak! and that shortly! If you -can cure my daughter say so.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'Well said!' cried the King. 'It shall be as you -desire. Let the mirror be carried to the Princess.'</p> - -<p>"Accordingly that evening the crystal was taken to the -Palace with every care and given to Jessalie.</p> - -<p>"'You have but to breathe on it,' said her Governess, -'and you will be well.'</p> - -<p>"'Give it to me,' she said, and instantly blew a breath -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> -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, '<span class="sc">I -love you</span>. <span class="sc">I, the Prince Ali your Cousin, I love -you.</span>'</p> - -<p>"As her breath faded from the glass the words fled -from sight, but the Princess fell back murmuring, 'My -cousin Ali, he loves me.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Just as she reached the island she saw the Prince -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> -standing on a rock and bravely defending himself against -the guard of the King.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'Come,' said the mermaid, 'You are now a son of -the sea. Let us go.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Here the mermaid knocked and a door opened and -let them into a mighty hall builded throughout of the -purest jasper.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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,</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"Then there was silence awhile till at last an aged -Mufti arose.</p> - -<p>"'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!'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Fool!' said the King, 'thou art ten years younger -than I. Let it be as I have said.'</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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 -<i>Azrael</i>.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"><a name="i_044.jpg" id="i_044.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_044.jpg" width="405" height="600" - alt="A majestic angel of vast height." /> -</div> - -<p>"For a moment the Prince paused in dread; then he -took courage and said humbly,</p> - -<p>"'Is this the fountain of youth?' As he ceased the -angel murmured, '<i>Out of death cometh all life</i>,' and -solemnly struck the skull with her wand. Instantly a -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> -purple liquid gushed from under the skull and floated in -slow spirals upward through the still water.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"No sooner had they ended than Ali bowed before the -throne.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>'"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.'</p> - -<p>"'Oh my master!' said the magician, 'these are the -words:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="verse">"'He who steals to-morrows</div> - <div class="verse">Shall drink the wine of sorrows.'"</div> - </div> -</div> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> -am young again!' bounded up the steps and pausing -faced the mutely wondering crowd.</p> - -<p>"When he turned he was seen as a man in the lusty -vigour of life, stalwart and strong of limb.</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"'This man to the dungeons! What ho! my guard!' -And yet they moved not, for the lad was now a child.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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!'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> -took teething rather hard, and died in his second summer -of malignant whooping-cough.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<hr class="sect" /> - -<p>The sun was not yet down on the next evening when -the young spiders began to collect around Fuz-buz.</p> - -<p>"Tell us," said one of them, "a story about giants."</p> - -<p>"There's a jolly idea," cried another. "Is it to be a -spider giant?"</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>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."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - - -<p class="noindent ac p2"><span class="sc">Krusstikuss and Growlegrum.</span></p> - -<p>"There have been many giants I believe, but there -never were any others like the great giant Growlegrum -and his twin brother Krusstikuss.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Not feeling anything in particular she fell asleep and -did not awaken for three months.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"When the two giants reached the borders of this land -they sat down and began to talk.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> -young ladies without fail, or else we will eat him and fry -him first.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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,</p> - -<p>"'Why do you cry? What ails you?'</p> - -<p>"'Oh dear!' said the other, 'to-morrow I am to be -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> -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?'</p> - -<p>"When the Princess heard this she told her to wait a -little, and went herself to find the King.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"The King was very angry, but the Princess was -obstinate. Then a young Prince who was present arose -and said,</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"Then the Princess looked and saw that the Prince -had brave eyes and was fair of face, so she replied,</p> - -<p>"'It shall be as you say.'</p> - -<p>"'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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> -you wear it all things living and dead will love you, and -no giant will wish to eat you.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Then said Growlegrum, 'Here comes dinner,' but -when she drew nearer he added, 'She's too pretty to eat. -Who are you my dear?'</p> - -<p>"'I am the Princess Violet,' said she, 'the King's -daughter.'</p> - -<p>"'Hah!' said both of the Ogres, 'You shall be my -wife.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"As for that Prince he went away to a magician and -asked him how he could become thin.</p> - -<p>"'There are four ways,' answered the magician,</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> - <div class="verse">'Eat nothing,</div> - <div class="verse">'Fall in love,</div> - <div class="verse">'Become jealous, and</div> - <div class="verse">'Think ever so much.'</div> - </div> -</div> - -<p>"Then said the Prince, 'The advice is good,' and so -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"As soon as she heard the noise she came to the door -and said,</p> - -<p>"'Who is it?'</p> - -<p>"'It is I,' answered the Prince, but his voice was so -thin that he could hardly be heard, and if the Princess -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> -had not loved him she never would have been able to -hear a word he said.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'But what shall I live on myself?' cried Krusstikuss.</p> - -<p>"'Oh!' said the Princess, 'if you are in love you will -not care to eat.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'That's queer,' returned the giant, 'but I suppose it -won't hurt me to suck my paws for awhile like the -bears.'</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"In the afternoon came Growlegrum, who was as big -in length as Krusstikuss was sideways.</p> - -<p>"'My love,' said he, when he had peeped over the -wall, 'What's this? Babies.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'Ah me!' said the giant, 'I shall die of starvation.'</p> - -<p>"'Don't, if you love me,' said Violet.</p> - -<p>"'Enough,' cried Growlegrum. 'Here lovely Princess -is the first, and every day you shall have another.'</p> - -<p>"So saying, he jerked a beautiful young lady out of his -pocket and set her down inside of the castle.</p> - -<div class="figcenter bord"><a name="i_056.jpg" id="i_056.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_056.jpg" width="600" height="406" - alt="He jerked a beautiful young lady out of his - pocket and set her down inside of the castle." /> -</div> - -<p>"'Good-bye,' said the Princess.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Good-bye,' said the giant, 'If I stay I shall steal a -baby.'</p> - -<p>"So he gnashed his ugly grim teeth and walked away -with vast steps.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Then in haste he ran into the woods and took the -road which led to the city where King Hassan lived.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'Good,' answered he. 'Now I perceive that you -love me.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'What do ye want?' roared Growlegrum.</p> - -<p>"'Oh sir!' said they, 'we would see the great giant -Krusstikuss.'</p> - -<p>"'It is well,' returned the giant. 'Speak.'</p> - -<p>"'Sir,' said they, 'We come to offer to the great giant -Krusstikuss one-half of the kingdom and the Princess for -a wife.'</p> - -<p>"'Ha!' answered the giant, 'and what shall his brother -have?'</p> - -<p>"'Perhaps,' returned one of the lawyers, 'he might be -persuaded to leave, or else your highness could quietly -knock him on the head.'</p> - -<p>"'Scoundrels!' roared Growlegrum, 'My name is not -Krusstikuss. I'll teach you to make trouble, you rascals.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"In half an hour he was outrageous, and by the time -he met his brother he was ready to fight anybody.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'You have done well,' said Jack, 'but we must now -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> -get rid of this other giant who I hear is a terrible fellow. -Let us go and see him.'</p> - -<p>"'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,</p> - -<p>"'Dinner! Here comes my dinner!'</p> - -<p>"When they had come still nearer Jack cried aloud, 'I -am Jack, the Giant Killer, and I have come to visit you.'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"'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?'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"'Good!' cried Jack, 'Come with us.'</p> - -<p>"Upon this the giant picked them both up and walked -off in the direction which Jack pointed out. Presently -they came to a house.</p> - -<p>"'Stop!' said Jack, and the giant set them down.</p> - -<p>"'Eat the man who lives in that house,' said Jack.</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Oh dear!' he said, 'Don't eat me, and I will never -fib any more, and never make any more speeches ever -again.'</p> - -<p>"'Who is he?' asked the giant. '<i>A member of Congress</i>,' -cried Jack.</p> - -<p>"'Eat <i>him?</i> eat <i>him!</i> said the giant, 'I don't want to -be poisoned. You must think I am a fool.'</p> - -<p>"'Eat him!' cried Jack.</p> - -<p>"'No, sir,' said Krusstikuss. 'I'd rather leave. If I -must die I would like to die easy.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> -her the amulet for fear it should make any one love her -more than he could."</p> - -<hr class="sect" /> - -<p>During the next week it rained so hard every day -that no one of the spider's family could venture out of -their den.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>As for Fuz-Buz he was so wet and cold that he crawled -out of his hole with trouble and pain.</p> - -<p>"Ah, my dears!" cried he. "I ache all over with the -gout. We lived too high in Spain I fear."</p> - -<p>"Bother the gout!" said the spiders.</p> - -<p>"Tell us a new story, and pretty soon too, or mammy -will eat you, and won't that be worse than the gout?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know," answered Fuz-Buz, "I think I would -rather be eaten up at once, and have it over."</p> - -<p>"Ha! ha!" cried Mrs. Grabem, who overheard what -the fly had said.</p> - -<p>"Ha! ha! you would like to be eaten; would you -like to have your legs pulled off and your wings torn, -and—-?"</p> - -<p>"Oh dear! oh dear!" shrieked Fuz-Buz. "Pray stop, -I am all in a shiver. I will never be so hasty again."</p> - -<div class="figcenter bord"><a name="i_062.jpg" id="i_062.jpg"></a> - <img src="images/i_062.jpg" width="600" height="404" - alt="Ha! ha! you would like to be eaten." /> -</div> - -<p>"Very well," returned the spider firmly. "See that -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> -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."</p> - -<p>When Mrs. Grabem ceased, all the young spiders cried -aloud,</p> - -<p>"You had better take care, or mammy will finish -you!"</p> - -<p>"How are your legs?" said one.</p> - -<p>"Where is that story?" said another.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - - -<p class="noindent ac p2"><span class="sc">Mustapha, or the Musical Gourd.</span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"His house was neatly kept by his daughter Lelie, or -the Dark-eyed, who was a little maiden with lips like the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> -roses of Istamboul, and cheeks as darkly lovely as the -brown lilies of Ispahan.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"In her wrath she flew at Mustapha and scratched his -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'By the beard of the Prophet!' said Haroun al Raschid, -'This is passing wonderful! Catch that cat!'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"When the Caliph drew near as she had desired he -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> -would do, he looked into the window and saw the beautiful -Lelie.</p> - -<p>"'Bismillah!' cried he, as he thrust back the guards. -'Blessed be cats for evermore! Here is the maiden I have -sought for my daughter.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Yussef spluttered and spit as she came to the surface, -and must surely have been drowned had she been a real -cat.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Yussef therefore resolved to rid herself of his presence, -and she set about it after her own wicked fashion.</p> - -<p>"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,</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"From the tomb came slowly a long procession of -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"At last there was silence, when Yussef suddenly appeared -before the tallest of the Genii, and miaoued frightfully.</p> - -<p>"Then the Genie said in a mild great voice, 'What -would you of your brethren?'</p> - -<p>"'The man,' said Yussef, 'who has mocked my fallen -estate and stolen my love from me is here awaiting judgment.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'Oh King,' cried Yussef, 'Let him be brought to -thee.'</p> - -<p>"'Be it so!' said the Genie.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'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 -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> -when it pleaseth Allah to turn thee inside out thou shalt -then only assume again the form of man.'</p> - -<p>"'It is well,' cried Yussef. 'Thanks, oh King!'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"After this many days fled away, and Mustapha the -gourd grew bigger and bigger, and at last began to ripen -and turn yellow.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"At length one warm summer morning two farmers -came by on the way to market.</p> - -<p>"'Bismillah!' cried one, as he saw the great gourd -Mustapha. 'What a monstrous gourd!'</p> - -<p>"'Let us take it with us and sell it,' said the second.</p> - -<p>"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,</p> - -<p>"'What's that?' said the farmer. 'The gourd speaks! -It is alive!'</p> - -<p>"Upon this he pricked the gourd with his knife. At -this Mustapha exclaimed, 'Don't!'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Mahomet!' said the farmer. 'The thing is enchanted. -It will fetch us a fortune.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"By and by Mustapha found himself in a superb -room of the Palace, where, surrounded by her ladies, the -Princess lay upon a couch.</p> - -<p>"Suddenly Mustapha the gourd as he lay in his basket -heard the voice of his beloved Lelie who was fanning the -Princess.</p> - -<p>"This so moved poor Mustapha that he cried aloud,</p> - -<p>"'Allah! I hear my love!' and so saying rolled from -the basket and fell at Lelie's feet.</p> - -<p>"'Mahomet!' cried the Princess. 'The thing is bewitched! -take it away!'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Soon after she had gone Mustapha was aware of a -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> -rose-colored cloud in the room, out of which grew into -shape the form of a huge Genie which thus addressed -him.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"With these words the figure inclined towards him -gravely and touched his yellow cheek. He shuddered -and lost consciousness.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'Allah il Allah!' cried he, 'What an existence!'</p> - -<p>"Just then a Dervish looking at him asked the merchant, -'What is that?'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'A device of Eblis!' exclaimed the Dervish, and muttering -a verse of the Koran, walked gravely away.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'Ah!' said the Purveyor, 'This is a Frank tent. I -saw them when I was Envoy to the court of Charlemagne.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Very soon the Purveyor, having paid a good price, -took Mustapha away to the Palace where he explained -the uses of this portable tent.</p> - -<p>"'This,' said he, 'Is what the Franks, whom Allah -confound! call an umbrella, and the female of the thing -they term a parasol.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'Take it Lelie,' she cried, 'As thou hast lost thy -gourd, take it.'</p> - -<p>"Upon this Lelie took Mustapha away and placed him -in a quiet corner of her room.</p> - -<p>"Meanwhile some days went by, and all the cooks -tried in vain to please the sick Princess. All day long -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> -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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"As she walked past Mustapha he cried aloud, 'Take -me.'</p> - -<p>"'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.</p> - -<p>"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?</p> - -<p>"Mustapha was turned inside out, and the umbrella -was a man once more.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'Ah!' she cried, 'a man! You, a soldier, in the -gardens of the Palace! You will be put to death at -once.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"Lelie at last gave her consent, and with trembling -steps she left him, and seeking the Princess related their -strange story.</p> - -<p>"In a moment all was confusion. A man in the -harem!</p> - -<p>"'Bowstrings and sacks!' cried the captain of the -guard, as he hurried Mustapha before the Caliph.</p> - -<p>"'Wretch!' said Al Raschid the Caliph, 'Who art -thou?'</p> - -<p>"'A soldier,' said Mustapha.</p> - -<p>"'Let him die!' cried Al Raschid.</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'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.'</p> - -<p>"'It is well said,' replied Mustapha.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"Presently he sought about him among the stores of -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> -provisions, and took from a basket those striped apples -which grow by the brooks of Alkeldrina.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"'Then,' said the Princess, 'These be the roses of -Paradise which I do smell.'</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<hr class="sect" /> - -<p>"That's a good story," cried the spiders.</p> - -<p>"Glad you like it," said Fuz-Buz. "Now if you please -I will sleep, as I am tired."</p> - -<p>In this pleasant way the days went by until Fuz-buz -had told them nine hundred and ninety-nine stories.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>But Mrs. Grabem replied, "You know nothing of -house-keeping my dear. Go to sleep and hold your -tongue."</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>Unluckily it was too tough. When he was in despair -who should hum by but a huge Bee.</p> - -<p>"Halloa!" said he, "What's wrong with you?"</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>"Who's afraid?" said the Bee. "Which leg is it?"</p> - -<p>"This," answered Fuz-Buz.</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>"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."</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>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, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> -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,</p> - -<p>"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.</p> - -<p>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,</p> - -<p>"Halloa! my friend, let this one go, for he was the -only one who did not desire to kill me."</p> - -<p>"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!"</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>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."</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<div class="transnote"> - -<h2>Transcriber's Note:</h2> - -<ul> - <li>Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Otherwise spelling - variations were not changed.</li> - <li>Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained.</li> - <li>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 - paginations were changed accordingly.</li> -</ul> -</div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -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-h.htm or 52899-h.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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