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diff --git a/old/63383-0.txt b/old/63383-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5a43ab5..0000000 --- a/old/63383-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9596 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Wonder Clock, by Howard Pyle and Katharine Pyle - -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 Wonder Clock - or four & twenty marvellous Tales, being one for each hour of the day - -Author: Howard Pyle - Katharine Pyle - -Release Date: October 5, 2020 [EBook #63383] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WONDER CLOCK *** - - - - -Produced by Richard Tonsing, David Edwards, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: The Wonder Clock] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - The - WONDER CLOCK - OR - _four & twenty marvellous Tales, being one for - each hour of the day; written & illustrated_ - - - By - Howard Pyle. - - _Embellished with Verses by - Katharine Pyle._ - - - _New York_, printed by - Harper & Brothers. - - - - - BOOKS BY - - HOWARD PYLE - - MEN OF IRON. Illustrated. Post 8vo - A MODERN ALADDIN. Illustrated. Post 8vo - PEPPER AND SALT. Illustrated. Post 8vo - REJECTED OF MEN. Post 8vo - THE ROSE OF PARADISE. Illustrated. 12mo - THE RUBY OF KISHMOOR. Illustrated. 8vo - STOLEN TREASURE. Illustrated. 12mo - TWILIGHT LAND. Illustrated. Post 8vo - THE WONDER CLOCK. Illustrated. Square 8vo - - HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK - - - Copyright, 1887, by HARPER & BROTHERS - - Copyright, 1915, by ANNE POOLE PYLE - - Printed in the United States of America - - - - -[Illustration] - - PREFACE. - - -I put on my dream-cap one day and stepped into Wonderland. - -Along the road I jogged and never dusted my shoes, and all the time the -pleasant sun shone and never burned my back, and the little white clouds -floated across the blue sky and never let fall a drop of rain to wet my -jacket. And by and by I came to a steep hill. - -I climbed the hill, though I had more than one tumble in doing it, and -there, on the tip top, I found a house as old as the world itself. - -That was where Father Time lived; and who should sit in the sun at the -door, spinning away for dear life, but Time’s Grandmother herself; and -if you would like to know how old she is you will have to climb to the -top of the church steeple and ask the wind as he sits upon the -weather-cock, humming the tune of Over-yonder song to himself. - -“Good-morning,” says Time’s Grandmother to me. - -“Good-morning,” says I to her. - -“And what do you seek here?” says she to me. - -“I come to look for odds and ends,” says I to her. - -“Very well,” says she; “just climb the stairs to the garret, and there -you will find more than ten men can think about.” - -“Thank you,” says I, and up the stairs I went. There I found all manner -of queer forgotten things which had been laid away, nobody but Time and -his Grandmother could tell where. - -Over in the corner was a great, tall clock, that had stood there -silently with never a tick or a ting since men began to grow too wise -for toys and trinkets. - -But I knew very well that the old clock was the - - _Wonder Clock_; - -so down I took the key and wound it—gurr! gurr! gurr! - -Click! buzz! went the wheels, and then—tick-tock! tick-tock! for the -Wonder Clock is of that kind that it will never wear out, no matter how -long it may stand in Time’s garret. - -Down I sat and watched it, for every time it struck it played a pretty -song, and when the song was ended—click! click!—out stepped the drollest -little puppet-figures and went through with a dance, and I saw it all -(with my dream-cap upon my head). - -But the Wonder Clock had grown rusty from long standing, and though now -and then the puppet-figures danced a dance that I knew as well as I know -my bread-and-butter, at other times they jigged a step I had never seen -before, and it came into my head that maybe a dozen or more puppet-plays -had become jumbled together among the wheels back of the clock-face. - -So there I sat in the dust watching the Wonder Clock, and when it had -run down and the tunes and the puppet-show had come to an end, I took -off my dream-cap, and—whisk!—there I was back home again among my books, -with nothing brought away with me from that country but a little dust -which I found sticking to my coat, and which I have never brushed away -to this day. - -Now if you also would like to go into Wonderland, you have only to hunt -up your dream-cap (for everybody has one somewhere about the house), and -to come to me, and I will show you the way to Time’s garret. - -That is right! Pull the cap well down about your ears. - - * * * * * - -Here we are! And now I will wind the clock. Gurr! gurr! gurr! - - _Tick-tock! tick-tock!_ - - - - -[Illustration] - - Table of Contents. - - - PAGE - - I. Bearskin 1 - - II. The Water of Life 15 - - III. How One Turned his Trouble to Some Account 27 - - IV. How Three Went out into the Wide World 39 - - V. The Clever Student and the Master of Black Arts 49 - - VI. The Princess Golden-Hair and the Great Black Raven 63 - - VII. Cousin Greylegs, the Great Red Fox, and Grandfather Mole 77 - - VIII. One Good Turn Deserves Another 89 - - IX. The White Bird 105 - - X. How the Good Gifts were Used by Two 121 - - XI. How Boots Befooled the King 135 - - XII. The Step-mother 149 - - XIII. Master Jacob 161 - - XIV. Peterkin and the Little Grey Hare 175 - - XV. Mother Hildegarde 189 - - XVI. Which is Best 203 - - XVII. The Simpleton and his Little Black Hen 217 - - XVIII. The Swan Maiden 229 - - XIX. The Three Little Pigs and the Ogre 241 - - XX. The Staff and the Fiddle 253 - - XXI. How the Princess’s Pride was Broken 267 - - XXII. How Two Went into Partnership 279 - - XXIII. King Stork 291 - - XXIV. The Best that Life has to Give 305 - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - List of Illustrations. - - - _Page_ - _Frontispiece._ - - _Head-piece—Preface_ v - _Head-piece—Table of Contents_ vii - _Head-piece—List of Illustrations_ ix - - - _ONE O’CLOCK_ 1 - - _Head-piece—Bearskin_ 3 - _The Baby drifts to the River’s Bank in the Basket_ 5 - _Bearskin parts from the Princess_ 9 - _The Princess weeps_ 10 - _Bearskin and the Swineherd feast together_ 12 - - - _TWO O’CLOCK_ 15 - - _Head-piece—The Water of Life_ 17 - _The King gazes upon the Picture_ 19 - _The North Wind flies with the Faithful Servant_ 21 - _The King brings the Water of Life to the Princess_ 23 - _The Faithful Servant gives the King his Golden Bracelet_ 25 - - - _THREE O’CLOCK_ 27 - - _Head-piece—How One Turned his Trouble to Some Account_ 29 - _The Soldier takes Trouble to Town_ 31 - _The Soldier brings Trouble to the King_ 33 - _The Giants fight one another_ 35 - _The Rich Man takes Trouble home_ 37 - - - _FOUR O’CLOCK_ 39 - - _Head-piece—How Three went out into the Wide World_ 41 - _The Grey Goose meets the Sausage_ 43 - _The Great Red Fox calls upon the Cock_ 45 - _The Great Red Fox calls upon the Sausage_ 46 - _The Great Red Fox rests softly_ 47 - - - _FIVE O’CLOCK_ 49 - - _Head-piece—The Clever Student and the Master of Black Arts_ 51 - _A Princess walks beside the River_ 53 - _The Clever Student and the Princess_ 55 - _The Master of Black Arts and the Little Black Hen_ 57 - _The Master of Black Arts is caught in his Tricks_ 60 - - - _SIX O’CLOCK_ 63 - - _Head-piece—The Princess Golden-Hair and the Great Black Raven_ 65 - _The King meets the Great Black Raven_ 67 - _The Princess Golden-Hair drinks_ 69 - _Princess Golden-Hair comes to Death’s Door_ 71 - _The Princess finds the Prince_ 75 - - - _SEVEN O’CLOCK_ 77 - - _Head-piece—Cousin Greylegs, the Great Red Fox, and Grandfather - Mole_ 79 - _Cousin Greylegs and the Great Red Fox go to the Fair_ 81 - _Cousin Greylegs runs away with the Bag_ 83 - _The Great Red Fox meets Grandfather Mole_ 85 - _The Great Red Fox tries the Fire_ 87 - - - _EIGHT O’CLOCK_ 89 - - _Head-piece—One Good Turn Deserves Another_ 91 - _The Young Fisherman catches a Strange Fish_ 93 - _The Young Fisherman and the Grey Master_ 97 - _The Grey Master is caught in the Water_ 101 - _The Princess finds the Young Fisherman_ 103 - - - _NINE O’CLOCK_ 105 - - _Head-piece—The White Bird_ 107 - _The Prince knocks at the Door of the Poor Little House_ 109 - _The Prince finds the Three Giants sleeping_ 111 - _The Prince finds the Sword of Brightness_ 115 - _The White Bird knows the Prince_ 119 - - - _TEN O’CLOCK_ 121 - - _Head-piece—How the Good Gifts were used by Two_ 123 - _St. Nicholas knocks at the Rich Man’s Door_ 125 - _St. Nicholas in the Poor Man’s House_ 127 - _The Poor Man welcomes St. Christopher_ 129 - _The Saints feast in the Rich Man’s House_ 131 - - - _ELEVEN O’CLOCK_ 135 - - _Head-piece—How Boots befooled the King_ 137 - _Peter goes to the King’s Castle_ 139 - _Paul comes Home again_ 141 - _The Old Woman smashes her Pots and Crocks_ 143 - _The Councillor finds a Wisdom-sack_ 145 - - - _TWELVE O’CLOCK_ 149 - - _Head-piece—The Step-mother_ 151 - _The Step-daughter follows the Golden Ball_ 153 - _The Young King brings the Maiden up from the Pit_ 155 - _The Step-mother bewitches the Young Queen_ 157 - _The Young King caresses the White Dove_ 159 - - - _ONE O’CLOCK_ 161 - - _Head-piece—Master Jacob_ 163 - _Master Jacob brings his Fat Pig to Town_ 165 - _Master Jacob and his Black Goat_ 167 - _The Three Cronies and the Black Goat_ 171 - _Master Jacob meets the Three Cronies_ 173 - - - _TWO O’CLOCK_ 175 - - _Head-piece—Peterkin and the Little Grey Hare_ 177 - _Peterkin in his Fine Clothes_ 179 - _Peterkin carries away the Giant’s Goose_ 183 - _Peterkin brings the Silver Bell to the King_ 185 - _Peterkin combs the Giant’s Hair_ 187 - - - _THREE O’CLOCK_ 189 - - _Head-piece—Mother Hildegarde_ 191 - _The Princess comes to Mother Hildegarde’s Door_ 193 - _The Princess looks into the Jar_ 195 - _The Wood-pigeons feed the Princess_ 197 - _Mother Hildegarde carries away the Baby_ 199 - - - _FOUR O’CLOCK_ 203 - - _Head-piece—Which is Best?_ 205 - _The Rich Brother leaves the Poor Brother in Blindness_ 207 - _The Poor Man finds the Little Door_ 209 - _The Poor Man finds that which is the Best_ 211 - _The Rich Man finds that which he Deserves_ 213 - - - _FIVE O’CLOCK_ 217 - - _Head-piece—The Simpleton and his Little Black Hen_ 219 - _Caspar starts to Town with his Little Black Hen_ 221 - _Caspar finds a Bag of Money_ 223 - _Three of them share the Money_ 225 - _Caspar rides to the King’s Castle_ 227 - - - _SIX O’CLOCK_ 229 - - _Head-piece—The Swan Maiden_ 231 - _The Swan carries the Prince on its Back_ 233 - _The Prince comes to the Three eyed Witch’s House_ 235 - _The Swan Maiden helps the Young Prince_ 237 - _The Witch and the Woman of Honey and Meal_ 239 - - - _SEVEN O’CLOCK_ 241 - - _Head-piece—The Three Little Pigs and the Ogre_ 243 - _The Ogre meets the Three Little Pigs in the Forest_ 245 - _The Ogre climbs the Tree_ 247 - _The Ogre shuts his Eyes and counts_ 249 - _The Ogre sticks fast in the Window_ 251 - - - _EIGHT O’CLOCK_ 253 - - _Head-piece—The Staff and the Fiddle_ 255 - _The Fiddler helps the Old Woman_ 257 - _The Fiddler and the Dwarf_ 259 - _The Fiddler finds the Princess_ 261 - _The Fiddler and the Little Black Mannikin_ 263 - - - _NINE O’CLOCK_ 267 - - _Head-piece—How the Princess’s Pride was broken_ 269 - _The Gooseherd plays with the Golden Ball_ 271 - _The King peeps over the Hedge_ 273 - _The Princess takes her Eggs to Market_ 275 - _The Princess knows the Young King_ 277 - - - _TEN O’CLOCK_ 279 - - _Head-piece—How Two Went into Partnership_ 281 - _The Great Red Fox goes to the Store-house_ 283 - _The Great Red Fox frightens Father Goat_ 285 - _The Great Red Fox and Uncle Bear at the Store-house_ 287 - _The Bear and the Fox go to Farmer John’s again_ 289 - - - _ELEVEN O’CLOCK_ 291 - - _Head-piece—King Stork_ 293 - _The Drummer helps the Old Man_ 295 - _The Princess comes forth from the Castle at Night_ 297 - _The Drummer helps himself_ 299 - _The Drummer catches the One-eyed Raven_ 303 - - - _TWELVE O’CLOCK_ 305 - - _Head-piece—The Best that Life has to Give_ 307 - _The Blacksmith steals the Dwarf’s Pine-cones_ 309 - _The Blacksmith chooses the Raven_ 311 - _The Blacksmith brings the Little Bird to the Queen_ 315 - _The Young Blacksmith Forges the Ring_ 317 - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - One O’clock· - - - One of the _Clock_, and silence deep [Sidenote: ☾] - Then up the _Stairway_, black and steep - The old _House-Cat_ comes creepy-creep - With soft feet goes from room to room - Her green eyes shining through the gloom, - And finds all fast asleep. [Sidenote: ○] - - K.P. - - - - -[Illustration: Bearskin.] - - I. - - -There was a king travelling through the country, and he and those with -him were so far away from home that darkness caught them by the heels, -and they had to stop at a stone mill for the night, because there was no -other place handy. - -While they sat at supper, they heard a sound in the next room, and it -was a baby crying. - -The miller stood in the corner, back of the stove, with his hat in his -hand. “What is that noise?” said the king to him. - -“Oh! it is nothing but another baby that the good storks have brought -into the house to-day,” said the miller. - -Now there was a wise man travelling along with the king, who could read -the stars and everything that they told as easily as one can read one’s -A B C’s in a book after one knows them, and the king, for a bit of a -jest, would have him find out what the stars had to foretell of the -miller’s baby. So the wise man went out and took a peep up in the sky, -and by and by he came in again. - -“Well,” said the king, “and what did the stars tell you?” - -“The stars tell me,” said the wise man, “that you shall have a daughter, -and that the miller’s baby, in the room yonder, shall marry her when -they are old enough to think of such things.” - -“What!” said the king, “and is a miller’s baby to marry the princess -that is to come! We will see about that.” So the next day he took the -miller aside and talked and bargained, and bargained and talked, until -the upshot of the matter was that the miller was paid two hundred -dollars, and the king rode off with the baby. - -As soon as he came home to the castle he called his chief forester to -him. “Here,” says he, “take this baby and do thus and so with it, and -when you have killed it bring its heart to me, that I may know that you -have really done as you have been told.” - -So off marched the forester with the baby; but on his way he stopped at -home, and there was his good wife working about the house. - -“Well, Henry,” said she, “what do you do with the baby?” - -“Oh!” said he, “I am just taking it off to the forest to do thus and so -with it.” - -“Come,” said she, “it would be a pity to harm the little innocent, and -to have its blood on your hands. Yonder hangs the rabbit that you shot -this morning, and its heart will please the king just as well as the -other.” - -Thus the wife talked, and the end of the business was that she and the -man smeared a basket all over with pitch and set the baby adrift in it -on the river, and the king was just as well satisfied with the rabbit’s -heart as he would have been with the baby’s. - -But the basket with the baby in it drifted on and on down the river, -until it lodged at last among the high reeds that stood along the bank. -By and by there came a great she-bear to the water to drink, and there -she found it. - -Now the huntsmen in the forest had robbed the she-bear of her cubs, so -that her heart yearned over the little baby, and she carried it home -with her to fill the place of her own young ones. There the baby throve -until he grew to a great strong lad, and as he had fed upon nothing but -bear’s milk for all that time, he was ten times stronger than the -strongest man in the land. - -One day, as he was walking through the forest, he came across a woodman -chopping the trees into billets of wood, and that was the first time he -had ever seen a body like himself. Back he went to the bear as fast as -he could travel, and told her what he had seen. “That,” said the bear, -“is the most wicked and most cruel of all the beasts.” - -[Illustration: The Baby drifts in the basket down the river to the reeds -beside the bank where the she-bear finds it. ):(] - -“Yes,” says the lad, “that may be so, all the same I love beasts like -that as I love the food I eat, and I long for nothing so much as to go -out into the wide world, where I may find others of the same kind.” - -At this the bear saw very well how the geese flew, and that the lad -would soon be flitting. - -“See,” said she, “if you must go out into the wide world you must. But -you will be wanting help before long; for the ways of the world are not -peaceful and simple as they are here in the woods, and before you have -lived there long you will have more needs than there are flies in -summer. See, here is a little crooked horn, and when your wants grow -many, just come to the forest and blow a blast on it, and I will not be -too far away to help you.” - -So off went the lad away from the forest, and all the coat he had upon -his back was the skin of a bear dressed with the hair on it, and that -was why folk called him “Bearskin.” - -He trudged along the high-road, until he came to the king’s castle, and -it was the same king who thought he had put Bearskin safe out of the way -years and years ago. - -Now, the king’s swineherd was in want of a lad, and as there was nothing -better to do in that town, Bearskin took the place and went every -morning to help drive the pigs into the forest, where they might eat the -acorns and grow fat. - -One day there was a mighty stir throughout the town; folk crying, and -making a great hubbub. “What is it all about?” says Bearskin to the -swineherd. - -What! and did he not know what the trouble was? Where had he been for -all of his life, that he had heard nothing of what was going on in the -world? Had he never heard of the great fiery dragon with three heads -that had threatened to lay waste all of that land, unless the pretty -princess were given up to him? This was the very day that the dragon was -to come for her, and she was to be sent up on the hill back of the town; -that was why all the folk were crying and making such a stir. - -“So!” says Bearskin, “and is there never a lad in the whole country that -is man enough to face the beast? Then I will go myself if nobody better -is to be found.” And off he went, though the swineherd laughed and -laughed, and thought it all a bit of a jest. By and by Bearskin came to -the forest, and there he blew a blast upon the little crooked horn that -the bear had given him. - -Presently came the bear through the bushes, so fast that the little -twigs flew behind her. “And what is it that you want?” said she. - -“I should like,” said Bearskin, “to have a horse, a suit of gold and -silver armor that nothing can pierce, and a sword that shall cut through -iron and steel; for I would like to go up on the hill to fight the -dragon and free the pretty princess at the king’s town over yonder.” - -“Very well,” said the bear, “look back of the tree yonder, and you will -find just what you want.” - -Yes; sure enough, there they were back of the tree: a grand white horse -that champed his bit and pawed the ground till the gravel flew, and a -suit of gold and silver armor such as a king might wear. Bearskin put on -the armor and mounted the horse, and off he rode to the high hill back -of the town. - -By and by came the princess and the steward of the castle, for it was he -that was to bring her to the dragon. But the steward stayed at the -bottom of the hill, for he was afraid, and the princess had to climb it -alone, though she could hardly see the road before her for the tears -that fell from her eyes. But when she reached the top of the hill she -found instead of the dragon a fine tall fellow dressed all in gold and -silver armor. And it did not take Bearskin long to comfort the princess, -I can tell you. “Come, come,” says he, “dry your eyes and cry no more; -all the cakes in the oven are not burned yet; just go back of the bushes -yonder, and leave it with me to talk the matter over with Master -Dragon.” - -The princess was glad enough to do that. Back of the bushes she went, -and Bearskin waited for the dragon to come. He had not long to wait -either; for presently it came flying through the air, so that the wind -rattled under his wings. - -Dear, dear! if one could but have been there to see that fight between -Bearskin and the dragon, for it was well worth the seeing, and that you -may believe. The dragon spit out flames and smoke like a house afire. -But he could do no hurt to Bearskin, for the gold and silver armor -sheltered him so well that not so much as one single hair of his head -was singed. So Bearskin just rattled away the blows at the dragon—slish, -slash, snip, clip—until all three heads were off, and there was an end -of it. - -After that he cut out the tongues from the three heads of the dragon, -and tied them up in his pocket-handkerchief. - -Then the princess came out from behind the bushes where she had lain -hidden, and begged Bearskin to go back with her to the king’s castle, -for the king had said that if any one killed the dragon he should have -her for his wife. But no; Bearskin would not go to the castle just now, -for the time was not yet ripe; but, if the princess would give them to -him, he would like to have the ring from her finger, the kerchief from -her bosom, and the necklace of golden beads from her neck. - -The princess gave him what he asked for, and a sweet kiss into the -bargain, and then Bearskin mounted upon his grand white horse and rode -away to the forest. “Here are your horse and armor,” said he to the -bear, “and they have done good service to-day, I can tell you.” Then he -tramped back again to the king’s castle with the old bear’s skin over -his shoulders. - -“Well,” says the swineherd, “and did you kill the dragon?” - -“Oh, yes,” says Bearskin, “I did that, but it was no such great thing to -do after all.” - -At that, the swineherd laughed and laughed, for he did not believe a -word of it. - -And now listen to what happened to the princess after Bearskin had left -her. The steward came sneaking up to see how matters had turned out, and -there he found her safe and sound, and the dragon dead. “Whoever did -this left his luck behind him,” said he, and he drew his sword and told -the princess that he would kill her if she did not swear to say nothing -of what had happened. Then he gathered up the dragon’s three heads, and -he and the princess went back to the castle again. - -“There!” said he, when they had come before the king, and he flung down -the three heads upon the floor, “I have killed the dragon and I have -brought back the princess, and now if anything is to be had for the -labor I would like to have it.” As for the princess, she wept and wept, -but she could say nothing, and so it was fixed that she was to marry the -steward, for that was what the king had promised. - -At last came the wedding-day, and the smoke went up from the chimneys in -clouds, for there was to be a grand wedding-feast, and there was no end -of good things cooking for those who were to come. - -“See now,” says Bearskin to the swineherd where they were feeding their -pigs together, out in the woods, “as I killed the dragon over yonder, I -ought at least to have some of the good things from the king’s kitchen; -you shall go and ask for some of the fine white bread and meat, such as -the king and princess are to eat to-day.” - -[Illustration: Bearskin slayeth y^e Dragon but will not go with y^e -Princess to y^e castle.] - -Dear, dear, but you should have seen how the swineherd stared at this -and how he laughed, for he thought the other must have gone out of his -wits; but as for going to the castle—no, he would not go a step, and -that was the long and the short of it. - -[Illustration: Thus the Princess sits and weeps and weeps.] - -“So! well, we will see about that,” says Bearskin, and he stepped to a -thicket and cut a good stout stick, and without another word caught the -swineherd by the collar, and began dusting his jacket for him until it -smoked again. - -“Stop, stop!” bawled the swineherd. - -“Very well,” says Bearskin; “and now will you go over to the castle for -me, and ask for some of the same bread and meat that the king and -princess are to have for their dinner?” - -Yes, yes; the swineherd would do anything that Bearskin wanted him. - -“So! good,” says Bearskin; “then just take this ring and see that the -princess gets it; and say that the lad who sent it would like to have -some of the bread and meat that she is to have for her dinner.” - -So the swineherd took the ring, and off he started to do as he had been -told. Rap! tap! tap! he knocked at the door. Well, and what did he want? - -Oh! there was a lad over in the woods yonder who had sent him to ask for -some of the same bread and meat that the king and princess were to have -for their dinner, and he had brought this ring to the princess as a -token. - -But how the princess opened her eyes when she saw the ring which she had -given to Bearskin up on the hill! For she saw, as plain as the nose on -her face, that he who had saved her from the dragon was not so far away -as she had thought. Down she went into the kitchen herself to see that -the very best bread and meat were sent, and the swineherd marched off -with a great basket full. - -“Yes,” says Bearskin, “that is very well so far, but I am for having -some of the red and white wine that they are to drink. Just take this -kerchief over to the castle yonder, and let the princess know that the -lad to whom she gave it upon the hill back of the town would like to -have a taste of the wine that she and the king are to have at the feast -to-day.” - -Well, the swineherd was for saying “no” to this as he had to the other, -but Bearskin just reached his hand over toward the stout stick that he -had used before, and the other started off as though the ground was hot -under his feet. And what was the swineherd wanting this time—that was -what they said over at the castle. - -“The lad with the pigs in the woods yonder,” says the swineherd, “must -have gone crazy, for he has sent this kerchief to the princess and says -that he should like to have a bottle or two of the wine that she and the -king are to drink to-day.” - -When the princess saw her kerchief again, her heart leaped for joy. She -made no two words about the wine, but went down into the cellar and -brought it up with her own hands, and the swineherd marched off with it -tucked under his coat. - -“Yes, that was all very well,” said Bearskin, “I am satisfied so far as -the wine is concerned, but now I would like to have some of the -sweetmeats that they are to eat at the castle to-day. See, here is a -necklace of golden beads; just take it to the princess and ask for some -of those sweetmeats, for I will have them,” and this time he had only to -look towards the stick, and the other started off as fast as he could -travel. - -[Illustration: Bearskin and y^e swineherd have a grand feast.] - -The swineherd had no more trouble with this asking than with the others, -for the princess went down-stairs and brought the sweetmeats from the -pantry with her own hands, and the swineherd carried them to Bearskin -where he sat out in the woods with the pigs. - -Then Bearskin spread out the good things, and he and the swineherd sat -down to the feast together, and a fine one it was, I can tell you. - -“And now,” says Bearskin, when they had eaten all that they could, “it -is time for me to leave you, for I must go and marry the princess.” So -off he started, and the swineherd did nothing but stand and gape after -him, with his mouth open, as though he were set to catch flies. But -Bearskin went straight to the woods, and there he blew upon his horn, -and the bear was with him as quickly this time as the last. - -“Well, what do you want now,” said she. - -“This time,” said Bearskin, “I want a fine suit of clothes made of gold -and silver cloth, and a horse to ride on up to the king’s house, for I -am going to marry the princess.” - -Very well; there was what he wanted back of the tree yonder; and it was -a suit of clothes fit for a great king to wear, and a splendid -dapple-gray horse with a golden saddle and bridle studded all over with -precious stones. So Bearskin put on the clothes and rode away, and a -fine sight he was to see, I can tell you. - -And how the folks stared when he rode up to the king’s castle. Out came -the king along with the rest, for he thought that Bearskin was some -great lord. But the princess knew him the moment she set eyes upon him, -for she was not likely to forget him so soon as all that. - -The king brought Bearskin into where they were feasting, and had a place -set for him alongside of himself. - -The steward was there along with the rest. “See,” said Bearskin to him, -“I have a question to put. One killed a dragon and saved a princess, but -another came and swore falsely that he did it. Now, what should be done -to such a one?” - -“Why this,” said the steward, speaking up as bold as brass, for he -thought to face the matter down, “he should be put in a cask stuck all -round with nails, and dragged behind three wild horses.” - -“Very well,” said Bearskin, “you have spoken for yourself. For I killed -the dragon up on the hill behind the town, and you stole the glory of -the doing.” - -“That is not so,” said the steward, “for it was I who brought home the -three heads of the dragon in my own hand, and how can that be with the -rest?” - -Then Bearskin stepped to the wall, where hung the three heads of the -dragon. He opened the mouth of each. “And where are the tongues?” said -he. - -At this the steward grew as pale as death, nevertheless he still spoke -up as boldly as ever: “Dragons have no tongues,” said he. But Bearskin -only laughed; he untied his handkerchief before them all, and there were -the three tongues. He put one in each mouth, and they fitted exactly, -and after that no one could doubt that he was the hero who had really -killed the dragon. So when the wedding came it was Bearskin, and not the -steward, who married the princess; what was done to him you may guess -for yourselves. - -And so they had a grand wedding, but in the very midst of the feast one -came running in and said there was a great brown bear without, who would -come in, willy-nilly. Yes, and you have guessed it right, it was the -great she-bear, and if nobody else was made much of at that wedding you -can depend upon it that she was. - -As for the king, he was satisfied that the princess had married a great -hero. So she had, only he was the miller’s son after all, though the -king knew no more of that than my grandfather’s little dog, and no more -did anybody but the wise man for the matter of that, and he said nothing -of it, for wise folk don’t tell all they know. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Two O’clock· - - - The _Black Cock_ crowed; - The _Moon_ was bright; - The _Red Cock_ answered - Through the night. [Sidenote: ●] - - _Big Gretchen_, sleeping, - Turned in bed, - And tossed her arms - Above her head. [Sidenote: ☽] - - The old _Hound_ stretched. - And, breathing deep, - He settled down - Again to sleep. [Sidenote: ○] - - - - -[Illustration: The Water of Life.] - - II. - - -Once upon a time there was an old king who had a faithful servant. There -was nobody in the whole world like him, and this was why: around his -wrist he wore an armlet that fitted as close as the skin. There were -words on the golden band; on one side they said: - - “WHO THINKS TO WEAR ME ON HIS ARM - MUST LACK BOTH GUILE AND THOUGHT OF HARM.” - -And on the other side they said: - - “I AM FOR ONLY ONE AND HE - SHALL BE AS STRONG AS TEN CAN BE.” - -At last the old king felt that his end was near, and he called the -faithful servant to him and besought him to serve and aid the young king -who was to come as he had served and aided the old king who was to go. -The faithful servant promised that which was asked, and then the old -king closed his eyes and folded his hands and went the way that those -had travelled who had gone before him. - -Well, one day a stranger came to that town from over the hills and far -away. With him he brought a painted picture, but it was all covered with -a curtain so that nobody could see what it was. - -He drew aside the curtain and showed the picture to the young king, and -it was a likeness of the most beautiful princess in the whole world; for -her eyes were as black as a crow’s wing, her cheeks were as red as -apples, and her skin as white as snow. Moreover, the picture was so -natural that it seemed as though it had nothing to do but to open its -lips and speak. - -The young king just sat and looked and looked. “Oh me!” said he, “I will -never rest content until I have such a one as that for my own.” - -“Then listen!” said the stranger, “this is a likeness of the princess -that lives over beyond the three rivers. A while ago she had a wise bird -on which she doted, for it knew everything that happened in the world, -so that it could tell the princess whatever she wanted to know. But now -the bird is dead, and the princess does nothing but grieve for it day -and night. She keeps the dead bird in a glass casket, and has promised -to marry whoever will bring a cup of water from the Fountain of Life, so -that the bird may be brought back to life again.” That was the story the -stranger told, and then he jogged on the way he was going, and I, for -one, do not know whither it led. - -But the young king had no peace or comfort in life for thinking of the -princess who lived over beyond the three rivers. At last he called the -faithful servant to him. “And can you not,” said he, “get me a cup of -the Water of Life?” - -“I know not, but I will try,” said the faithful servant, for he bore in -mind what he had promised to the old king. - -So out he went into the wide world, to seek for what the young king -wanted, though the way there is both rough and thorny. On he went and -on, until his shoes were dusty, and his feet were sore, and after a -while he came to the end of the earth, and there was nothing more over -the hill. There he found a little tumbled-down hut, and within the hut -sat an old, old woman with a distaff, spinning a lump of flax. - -“Good-morning, mother,” said the faithful servant. - -“Good-morning, son,” says the old woman, “and where are you travelling -that you have come so far?” - -“Oh!” says the faithful servant, “I am hunting for the Water of Life, -and have come as far as this without finding a drop of it.” - -“Hoity, toity,” says the old woman, “if that is what you are after, you -have a long way to go yet. The fountain is in the country that lies east -of the Sun and west of the Moon, and it is few that have gone there and -come back again, I can tell you. Besides that there is a great dragon -that keeps watch over the water, and you will have to get the better of -him before you can touch a drop of it. All the same, if you have made up -your mind to go you may stay here until my sons come home, and perhaps -they can put you in the way of getting there, for I am the Mother of the -Four Winds of Heaven, and it is few places that they have not seen.” - -[Illustration: The young king looks upon y^e beautiful picture which the -stranger showeth him.] - -So the faithful servant came in and sat down by the fire to wait till -the Winds came home. - -The first that came was the East Wind; but he knew nothing of the Water -of Life and the land that lay east of the Sun and west of the Moon; he -had heard folks talk of them both now and then, but he had never seen -them with his own eyes. - -The next that came was the South Wind, but he knew no more of it than -his brother, and neither did the West Wind for the matter of that. - -Last of all came the North Wind, and dear, dear, what a hubbub he made -outside of the door, stamping the dust off of his feet before he came -into the house. - -“And do you know where the Fountain of Life is, and the country that -lies east of the Sun and west of the Moon?” said the old woman. - -Oh, yes, the North Wind knew where it was. He had been there once upon a -time, but it was a long, long distance away. - -“So; good! then perhaps you will give this lad a lift over there -to-morrow,” said the old woman. - -At this the North Wind grumbled and shook his head; but at last he said -“yes,” for he is a good-hearted fellow at bottom, is the North Wind, -though his ways are a trifle rough perhaps. - -So the next morning he took the faithful servant on his back, and away -he flew till the man’s hair whistled behind him. On they went and on -they went and on they went, until at last they came to the country that -lay east of the Sun and west of the Moon; and they were none too soon -getting there either, I can tell you, for when the North Wind tumbled -the faithful servant off his back he was so weak that he could not have -lifted a feather. - -“Thank you,” said the faithful servant, and then he was for starting -away to find what he came for. - -“Stop a bit,” says the North Wind, “you will be wanting to come away -again after a while. I cannot wait here, for I have other business to -look after. But here is a feather; when you want me, cast it into the -air, and I will not be long in coming.” - -Then away he bustled, for he had caught his breath again, and time was -none too long for him. - -The faithful servant walked along a great distance until, by and by, he -came to a field covered all over with sharp rocks and white bones, for -he was not the first by many who had been that way for a cup of the -Water of Life. - -[Illustration: The North Wind flies with y^e Faithful Servant.] - -There lay the great fiery dragon in the sun, sound asleep, and so the -faithful servant had time to look about him. Not far away was a great -deep trench like a drain in a swampy field; that was a path that the -dragon had made by going to the river for a drink of water every day. -The faithful servant dug a hole in the bottom of this trench, and there -he hid himself as snugly as a cricket in the crack in the kitchen floor. -By and by the dragon awoke and found that he was thirsty, and then -started down to the river to get a drink. The faithful servant lay as -still as a mouse until the dragon was just above where he was hidden; -then he thrust his sword through its heart, and there it lay, after a -turn or two, as dead as a stone. - -After that he had only to fill the cup at the fountain, for there was -nobody to say nay to him. Then he cast the feather into the air, and -there was the North Wind, as fresh and as sound as ever. The North Wind -took him upon its back, and away it flew until it came home again. - -The faithful servant thanked them all around—the Four Winds and the old -woman—and as they would take nothing else, he gave them a few drops of -the Water of Life, and that is the reason that the Four Winds and their -mother are as fresh and young now as they were when the world began. - -Then the faithful servant set off home again, right foot foremost, and -he was not as long in getting there as in coming. - -As soon as the king saw the cup of the Water of Life he had the horses -saddled, and off he and the faithful servant rode to find the princess -who lived over beyond the three rivers. By and by they came to the town, -and there was the princess mourning and grieving over her bird just as -she had done from the first. But when she heard that the king had -brought the Water of Life she welcomed him as though he were a flower in -March. - -They sprinkled a few drops upon the dead bird, and up it sprang as -lively and as well as ever. - -But now, before the princess would marry the king she must have a talk -with the bird, and there came the hitch, for the Wise Bird knew as well -as you and I that it was not the king who had brought the Water of Life. -“Go and tell him,” said the Wise Bird, “that you are ready to marry him -as soon as he saddles and bridles the Wild Black Horse in the forest -over yonder, for if he is the hero who found the Water of Life he can do -that and more easily enough.” - -The princess did as the bird told her, and so the king missed getting -what he wanted after all. But off he went to the faithful servant. “And -can you not saddle and bridle the Wild Black Horse for me?” said he. - -“I do not know,” said the faithful servant, “but I will try.” - -So off he went to the forest to hunt up the Wild Black Horse, the saddle -over his shoulder and the bridle over his arm. By and by came the Wild -Black Horse galloping through the woods like a thunder gust in summer, -so that the ground shook under his feet. But the faithful servant was -ready for him; he caught him by the mane and forelock, and the Wild -Black Horse had never had such a one to catch hold of him before. - -[Illustration: The young King bringeth y^e cup of water of life to the -beautiful Queen.] - -But how they did stamp and wrestle: Up and down and here and there, -until the fire flew from the stones under their feet. But the Wild Black -Horse could not stand against the strength of ten men, such as the -faithful servant had, so by and by he fell on his knees, and the -faithful servant clapped the saddle on his back and slipped the bridle -over his ears. - -“Listen now,” says he; “to-morrow my master, the king, will ride you up -to the princess’s house, and if you do not do just as I tell you, it -will be the worse for you; when the king mounts upon your back you must -stagger and groan, as though you carried a mountain.” - -The horse promised to do as the other bade, and then the faithful -servant jumped on his back and away to the king, who had been waiting at -home for all this time. - -The next day the king rode up to the princess’s castle, and the Wild -Black Horse did just as the faithful servant told him to do; he -staggered and groaned, so that everybody cried out, “Look at the great -hero riding upon the Wild Black Horse!” - -And when the princess saw him she also thought that he was a great hero. -But the Wise Bird was of a different mind from her, for when the -princess came to talk to him about marrying the king he shook his head. -“No, no,” said he, “there is something wrong here, and the king has -baked his cake in somebody else’s oven. He never saddled and bridled the -Wild Black Horse by himself. Listen, you must say to him that you will -marry nobody but the man who wears such and such a golden armlet with -this and that written on it.” - -So the princess told the king what the Wise Bird had bidden her to say, -and the king went straightway to the faithful servant. - -“You must let me have your armlet,” said he. - -“Alas, master,” said the faithful servant, “that is a woful thing for -me, for the one and only way to take the armlet off of my wrist is to -cut my hand from off my body.” - -“So!” says the king, “that is a great pity, but the princess will not -have me without the armlet.” - -“Then you shall have it,” says the faithful servant; but the king had to -cut the hand off, for the faithful servant could not do it himself. - -[Illustration: The Faithful Servant gives y^e young Kind y^e golden -bracelet from his wrist as the other desires. ¶] - -But, bless your heart! the armlet was ever so much too large for the -king to wear! Nevertheless he tied it to his wrist with a bit of ribbon, -and off he marched to the princess’s castle. - -“Here is the armlet of gold,” said he, “and now will you marry me!” - -But the Wise Bird sat on the princess’s chair. “Hut! tut!” says he, “it -does not fit the man.” - -Yes, that was so; everybody who was there could see it easily enough; -and as for marrying him, the princess would marry nobody but the man who -could wear the armlet. - -What a hubbub there was then! Every one who was there was sure that the -armlet would fit him if it fitted nobody else. But no; it was far too -large for the best of them. The faithful servant was very sad, and stood -back of the rest, over by the wall, with his arm tied up in a napkin. -“You shall try it too,” says the princess; but the faithful servant only -shook his head, for he could not try it on as the rest had done, because -he had no hand. But the Wise Bird was there and knew what he was about; -“See now,” says he, “maybe the Water of Life will cure one thing as well -as another.” - -Yes, that was true, and one was sent to fetch the cup. They sprinkled it -on the faithful servant’s arm, and it was not twice they had to do it, -for there was another hand as good and better than the old. - -Then they gave him the armlet; he slipped it over his hand, and it -fitted him like his own skin. - -“This is the man for me,” says the princess, “and I will have none -other;” for she could see with half an eye that he was the hero who had -been doing all the wonderful things that had happened, because he said -nothing about himself. - -As for the king—why, all that was left for him to do was to pack off -home again; and I, for one, am glad of it. - -And this is true; the best packages are not always wrapped up in blue -paper and tied with a gay string, and there are better men in the world -than kings and princes, fine as they seem to be. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Three O’clock· - - - The _Rooms_ were cold, the _Hearth_ was grey: - Asleep in the ashes the _Kobold_ lay. - The _Board-Floor_ creaked, [Sidenote: ○] - The _Grey-Mouse_ squeaked, - And the _Kobold_ dreamed its ear he tweaked. - - He wrinkled up - His _Forehead_ and _Nose_, [Sidenote: K☊P; ☾♈︎, des.] - And smiled in his sleep, - And curled his _Toes_. [Sidenote: ☾] - - - - -[Illustration: How One turned his Trouble to some account.] - - III. - - -There was a soldier marching along the road—left, right! left, right! He -had been to the wars for five years, so that he was very brave, and now -he was coming home again. In his knapsack were two farthings, and that -was everything that he had in the world. All the same, he had a rich -brother at home, and that was something to say. - -So on he tramped until he had come to his rich brother’s house. - -“Good-day, brother,” said he, “and how does the old world treat you.” - -But the rich brother screwed up his face and rubbed his nose, for he was -none too glad to see the other. “What!” said he, “and is the Pewter -Penny back again?” That was the way that he welcomed the other to his -house. - -“Tut! tut!” says the brave soldier; “and is not this a pretty way to -welcome a brother home to be sure! All that I want is just a crust of -bread and a chance to rest the soles of my feet back of the stove a -little while.” - -Oh, well! if that was all that he wanted, he might have his supper and a -bed for the night, but he must not ask for any more, and he must jog on -in the morning and never come that way again. - -Well, as no more broth was to be had from that dish, the soldier said -that he would be satisfied with what he could get; so into the house he -came. - -Over by the fire was a bench, and on the bench was a basket, and in the -basket were seven young ducks that waited where it was warm until the -rest were hatched. The soldier saw nothing of these; down he sat, and -the little young ducks said “peep!” and died all at once. Up jumped the -soldier and over went the beer mug that sat by the fire so that the beer -ran all around and put out the blaze. - -At this the rich brother fell into a mighty rage. “See!” said he, “you -never go anywhere but you bring Trouble with you. Out of the house -before I make this broom rattle about your ears!” - -And so the brave soldier had to go out under the blessed sky again. -“Well! well!” said he, “the cream is all sour over yonder for sure and -certain! All the same it will better nothing to be in the dumps, so -we’ll just sing a bit of a song to keep our spirits up.” So the soldier -began to sing, and by and by he heard that somebody was singing along -with him. - -“Halloa, comrade!” said he, “who is there?” - -“Oh!” said a voice beside him, “it is only Trouble.” - -“And what are you doing there, Trouble?” said the soldier. - -Oh! Trouble was only jogging along with him. They had been friends and -comrades for this many a bright day, for when had the soldier ever gone -anywhere that Trouble had not gone along with him? - -The brave soldier scratched his head. “Yes, yes,” says he; “that is all -very fine; but there must be an end of the business. See! yonder is one -road and here is another; you may go that road and I will go this, for I -want no Trouble for a comrade.” - -“Oh, no!” says Trouble, “I will never leave you now; you and I have been -comrades too long for that!” - -Very well! the soldier would see about that. They should go to the king, -for things had come to a pretty pass if one could not choose one’s own -comrades in this broad world, but must, willy-nilly, have Trouble always -jogging at one’s heels. - -So off they went—the soldier and Trouble—and by and by they came to the -great town and there they found the king. - -“Well, and what is the trouble now?” said the king. - -Trouble indeed! Why, it was thus and so, here was that same Trouble -tramping around at the soldier’s heels and would go wherever he went. -Now, the soldier would like to know whether one had no right to choose -one’s own comrades—that was the business that had brought him to the -king! - -[Illustration: The Brave Soldier bringeth his Trouble to y^e town along -with him.] - -Well, the king thought and thought and puzzled and puzzled, but that nut -was too hard for him to crack, so he sent off for all of his wise -councillors to see what they had to say about the matter. - -So, when they had all come together the king told them that things were -thus and so, and thus and so, and now he would like to know what they -all thought about it. - -Then the wise councillors began to talk and talk, and one said one thing -and another another. After a while they fell to arguing with loud -voices, and then they grew angry and began talking all at once, and last -of all they came to fisticuffs. Then you should have heard what a racket -they made! for they buffeted and cuffed one another until the hair flew -as thick as dust in the mill. - -That was the kind of prank that Trouble played them. - -Now the king had a daughter, and the princess was as pretty a lass as -one could find were he to hunt for seven summer days. When she heard all -the hubbub she came to see what it was about, for that is the way with -all of us, and of women folk more than any. And the king told her all -about it; how the soldier had come to that town to get rid of Trouble, -and how he had done nothing but bring it with him. - -“Perhaps,” said she, “Trouble might leave him if he were married.” - -At this the king fell into a mighty fume, for no man likes to have a -woman tell him to do thus and so when things are in a pickle. He should -like to know what the princess meant by coming and pouring her broth -into their pot! If that was her notion she might help the soldier -herself. Married he should be, and _she_ should be his wife—that was -what the king said. - -So the soldier and the princess were married, and then the king had them -both put into a great chest and thrown into the sea—but there was room -in the chest for Trouble, and he went along with them. - -Well, they floated on and on and on for a great long time, until, at -last, the chest came ashore at a place where three giants lived. - -The three giants were sitting on the shore fishing. “See, brothers,” -said the first one of them, “yonder is a great chest washed up on the -shore.” So they went over to where it was, and then the second giant -took it on his shoulder and carried it home. After that they all three -sat down to supper. - -Just then the soldier’s nose began to itch and tickle, so that, for the -life of him, he could not help sneezing. - -“At-tchew!”—and there it was. - -[Illustration: Here^† the Brave Soldier brings his trouble before the -king to find if it shall follow him wherever he goes.] - -“Hark, brothers!” said the third giant, “yonder is somebody in the -chest!” - -So the three giants came and opened the chest, and there were the -soldier and the princess. Trouble was there too, but the giants saw -nothing of him. - -They bound the soldier with strong cords so that they might have him to -eat for breakfast in the morning. - -And now what was to be done with the princess? - -“See, brothers,” said the first giant, “I am thinking that a wife will -about fit my needs. This lass will do as well as any, and, as I found -her, I will just keep her.” - -“Prut! how you talk!” said the second giant, “do you think that nobody -is to marry in the wide world but you? Who was it brought the lass to -the house I should like to know! No; I will marry her myself.” - -“Stop!” said the third giant. “You are both going too fast on that road. -I thought of a wife long before either of you. Who was it found that the -lass was in the house, I should like to know!” - -And so they talked and talked until they fell to quarrelling, and then -to blows. Over they rolled, cuffing and slapping, until each one killed -the other two, so that they all lay as dead as fishes. And that was an -end of them. - -“See, now,” said Trouble to the soldier, “who can say that I have done -nothing for you? I tell you, comrade, that I am a good friend of yours, -and love you as though you were my born brother. Listen! over yonder in -the field is a great stone under which the giants have hidden stacks and -stacks of money. Go and borrow a cart and two horses, and I will go with -you and show you where it is.” - -Well, you may guess that that was a song that pleased the soldier. Off -he went and borrowed a cart and two horses. Then he and Trouble went -into the field together, and Trouble showed him where the stone was -where the treasure lay. - -The soldier rolled the stone over, and there, sure enough, lay bags and -bags, all full of gold and silver money. - -Down he went into the pit and began bringing up the money and loading it -into the cart. After a while he had brought it all but one bag full. - -“See, Trouble,” said he, “my back is nearly broken with carrying the -money. There is still one bag down there yet; go down like a good lad -and bring it up for me.” - -[Illustration: The three Giants fight one another like fury.] - -Oh, yes! Trouble would do that much for the soldier, for had they not -been comrades for many and one bright, blessed days? Down he went into -the pit, and then you may believe that the soldier was not long in -rolling the stone into its place. So there was Trouble as tight as a fly -in a bottle. - -After that the soldier went back home again with great contentment—as I -would have done had I ridden home upon a cart full of gold and silver, -all of which belonged to me. He had left one bag of money, but then it -was worth that much to be rid of Trouble. - -After that the soldier built a ship and loaded it with the money. Then -he and the princess sailed away to the king’s house, for they thought -that maybe the king would like them better now that Trouble had left -them and money had come. - -When the king saw what a great boatload of gold and silver the soldier -had brought home with him he was as pleased as pleased could be. He -could not make enough of the brave soldier; he called him son, and -walked about the streets with him arm in arm, so that the folks might -see how fond he was of his son-in-law. Besides that he gave him half of -the kingdom to rule over, so that the soldier and the princess lived -together as snugly as a couple of mice in the barn when threshing is -going on. - -Well, one day a neighbor came to the rich brother and said, “Dear! dear! -but the world is easy with your brother, the soldier!” - -At this the rich brother pricked up his ears. “How is that?” said he—“my -brother, the soldier? How comes the world to be easy with him, I should -like to know?” - -Oh, the neighbor could not tell him that; all that he knew was that the -soldier was living over yonder with a princess for his wife, and more -gold and silver money than a body could count in a week. - -Well, well, this would never do! The rich brother must pick up -acquaintance with the soldier again, now that he was rising in the -world. So he put on his blue Sunday coat and his best hat, and away he -went to the soldier’s house. - -Well, the soldier was a good-natured fellow, and bore grudges against -nobody, so he shook hands with his brother, and they sat down together -by the stove. Then the rich brother wanted to know all about -everything—how came it that the other was so well off in the world? - -Oh, there was no secret about that; it happened thus and so. And then -the soldier told all about it. After that the other went home, but there -was a great buzzing in his head, I can tell you! - -“Now,” says he to himself, “I will go over yonder to the giants’ house, -and will let Trouble out from under the stone. Then he will come here to -my brother and will turn things topsy-turvy, and I will get the bag of -money that was left there.” - -So, off he went until he came to the place where Trouble lay under the -stone. He rolled the stone over, and—whisk! clip!—out popped Trouble -from the hole. “And so you were leaving me here to be starved, were -you?” said he. - -“Oh, dear friend Trouble! it was not I, it was my brother, the soldier!” - -Oh, well, that was all one to Trouble; now that he was out he would stay -with the man who let him out, and there was an end of it. “So bring -along the bag of gold,” says he, “for it is high time that we were going -home.” - -[Illustration: The rich man takes home money and trouble.] - -So the rich brother took the bag of gold over his shoulder, and the two -went home together; and if anybody was down in the mouth, it was the -rich brother. - -And now everything went wrong with him, for Trouble dogged his heels -wherever he went. At last his patience could hold out no longer, and he -began to cudgel his brains to find some way to get rid of the other. So -one day he says, - -“Come, Trouble, we will go out into the forest this morning and cut some -wood.” - -Well, that suited Trouble as well as anything else, so off they went -together, arm in arm. By and by they came to the forest, and there the -man cut down a great tree. Then he split open the stump, and drove a -wedge into it. So it came dinner-time, and then Trouble and he ate -together. - -“See now, Trouble,” said the man, “they tell me that you can go anywhere -in all of the world.” - -“Yes,” said Trouble, “that is so.” - -“And could you go into that tree that I have split yonder?” - -Oh, yes; Trouble could do that well enough. - -If that was so the man would like to see him do it, that he would. - -Oh, Trouble would do that and more, too, for a friend’s asking. So he -made himself small and smaller, and so crept into the cleft in the log -as easily as though he had been a mouse. But, no sooner was he snugly -there than the man seized his axe and knocked out the wedge, and there -was Trouble as safe as safe could be. He might beg and beg, but no, the -man was deaf in that ear. He shouldered his axe and off he went, leaving -Trouble where he was. - -Dear me! that was a long time ago; or else some busybody must have let -Trouble out of that log, for I know very well that he is stumping about -the world nowadays. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - Four O’clock· - - - The _Air_ grew chill, the _Sky_ was grey; [Sidenote: K☊P. ♊︎ des.] - [Sidenote: ●] [Sidenote: ☽] - The _Black Cock_ crowed, and far away - Another answered. In a dream - The _Kobold_ drank thick clotted _Cream_, - And chased _Roast-Goose_. He woke and sighed, - And turned upon his other side. - - - - -[Illustration: How three went out into the Wide World. HP:—] - - IV. - - -There was a woman who owned a fine grey goose. “To-morrow,” said she, “I -will pluck the goose for live feathers, so that I may take them to -market and sell them for good hard money.” - -This the goose heard, and liked it not. “Why should I grow live feathers -for other folks to pluck?” said she to herself. So off she went into the -wide world with nothing upon her back but what belonged to her. - -By and by she came up with a sausage. - -“Whither away, friend?” said the Grey Goose. - -“Out into the wide world,” said the Sausage. - -“Why do you travel that road?” said the Grey Goose. - -“Why should I stay at home?” said the Sausage. “They stuff me with good -meat and barley-meal over yonder, but they only do it for other folk’s -feasting. That is the way with the world.” - -“Yes, that is true,” said the Grey Goose; “and I too am going out into -the world, for why should I grow live feathers for other folk’s -plucking? So let us travel together, as we are both of a mind.” - -Well, that suited the Sausage well enough, so off they went, arm in arm. - -By and by they came up with a cock. - -“Whither away, friend?” said the Grey Goose and the Sausage. - -“Out into the wide world,” said the Cock. - -“Why do you travel that road?” said the Grey Goose and the Sausage. - -“Why should I stay at home?” said the Cock. “Every day they feed me with -barley-corn, but it is only that I may split my throat in the mornings, -calling the lads to the fields and the maids to the milking. That is the -way with the world.” - -“Yes, that is true,” said the Grey Goose; “why should I grow live -feathers for other folk’s picking?” - -And— - -“Yes, that is true,” said the Sausage, “why should I be stuffed with -meat and barley-meal for other folk’s feasting?” - -So the three being all of a mind, they settled to travel the same road -together. - -Well, they went on and on and on, until, at last, they came to a deep -forest, and, by and by, whom should they meet but a great red fox. - -“Whither away, friends?” said he. - -“Oh, we are going out into the wide world,” said the Grey Goose, the -Sausage, and the Cock. - -“And why do you travel that road?” said the Fox. - -Oh, there was nothing but tangled yarn at home: the Grey Goose grew live -feathers for other folk’s picking, the Sausage was stuffed for other -folk’s feasting, and the Cock crowed in the morn for other folk’s -waking. That was the way of the world over yonder, and so they had left -it. - -“Yes,” said the Fox, “that is true; so come with me into the deep -forest, for there every one can live for himself! and nobody else.” - -So they all went into the forest together, for the Fox’s words pleased -them very much. - -“And now,” said the Fox to the Grey Goose, “you shall be my wife,” for -he had never had a sweetheart before, and even a Grey Goose is better -than none. - -“And what is to become of us?” said the Sausage and the Cock. - -“You and I shall be dear friends,” said the Great Red Fox. Thereat the -Cock and the Sausage were content, for it took but little to satisfy -them. - -Well, everything was just as the Great Red Fox had said it should be: -the Goose kept her own feathers, the Sausage was stuffed for its own -good, the Cock crowed for its own ears, and everything was as smooth as -rich cream. Moreover, the Great Red Fox and the Grey Goose were husband -and wife, and the Great Red Fox and the Sausage and the Cock were dear -friends. - -[Illustration: The Grey Goose goes out into the wide world, where she -and a discontented Sausage meet the Cock and the Fox.] - -One morning says the Great Red Fox to the Grey Goose, “Neighbor Cock -makes a mighty hubbub with his crowing!” - -“Yes, that is so,” said the Grey Goose; for she always sang the same -tune as the Great Red Fox, as a good wife should. - -“Then,” said the Great Red Fox, “I will go over and have a talk with -him.” - -So off he packed, and by and by he came to Neighbor Cock’s house. Rap! -tap! tap! he knocked at the door, and who should look out of the window -but the Cock himself. - -“See, Neighbor Cock,” said the Great Red Fox, “you make a mighty hubbub -with that crowing of yours.” - -“That may be so, and that may not be so,” said the Cock; “all the same, -the hubbub is in my own house.” - -“That is good,” said the Great Red Fox, “but one should not trouble -one’s neighbors, even in one’s own house; so, if it suits you, we will -have no more crowing.” - -“I was made for crowing, and crow I must,” said the Cock. - -“You must crow no more,” said the Great Red Fox. - -“I must crow,” said the Cock. - -“You must not crow,” said the Great Red Fox. - -“I must crow,” said the Cock. And that was the last of it for—snip!—off -went its head, and it crowed no more. Nevertheless, he had the last -word, and that was some comfort. After that the Great Red Fox ate up the -Cock, body and bones, and then he went home again. - -“Will Neighbor Cock crow again?” said the Grey Goose. - -“No; he will crow no more,” said the Fox; and that was true. - -By and by came hungry times, with little or nothing in the house to eat. -“Look!” said the Great Red Fox, “yonder is Neighbor Sausage, and he has -plenty.” - -“Yes, that is true,” said the Grey Goose. - -“And one’s friend should help one when one is in need,” said the Great -Red Fox. - -“Yes, that is true,” said the Grey Goose again. - -So off went the Great Red Fox to Neighbor Sausage’s house. Rap! tap! -tap! he knocked at the door, and it was the Sausage himself who came. - -“See,” said the Fox, “there are hungry times over at our house.” - -[Illustration: The Great Red Fox goes to call on neighbour Cock at his -house because he will crow in the morn. ¶] - -[Illustration: The Great Red Fox calls upon the Sausage.] - -“I am sorry for that,” said the Sausage; “but hungry times will come to -the best of us.” - -“That is so,” said the Great Red Fox, “but, all the same, you must help -me through this crack. One would be in a bad pass without a friend to -turn to.” - -“But see,” said the Sausage, “all that I have is mine, and it is inside -of me at that.” - -“Nevertheless, I must have some of it,” said the Great Red Fox. - -“But you can’t have it,” said the Sausage. - -“But I must have it,” said the Great Red Fox. - -“But you can’t have it,” said the Sausage. - -And so they talked and talked and talked, but the end came at last, for -one cannot talk forever to an empty stomach. Snip! snap! and the Sausage -was down the Great Red Fox’s throat, and there was an end of it. And now -the Fox had all that his friend had to give him, and so he went back -home again. - -[Illustration: The Great Red Fox rests softly at home.] - -“Did Neighbor Sausage give you anything?” said the Grey Goose. - -“Oh, yes; he gave me all that he had with him,” said the Great Red Fox; -and that also was very true. - -After that the world went around for a while as easily as a greased -wheel. But one day the Great Red Fox said to the Grey Goose: “See now, -my bones grow sore by lying on the hard stones.” - -“That is a great pity,” said the Grey Goose; “and if the hard stones -were only soft, I, for one, would be glad.” - -“Yes,” said the Great Red Fox, “that is good; but soft talking makes -them none the easier to lie upon. Could you not spare me a few of your -feathers?” - -“A few feathers indeed!” said the Grey Goose, “it was not for this that -I left the ways of the world over yonder. If you must have feathers you -must pluck them from your own back.” - -“Prut!” said the Great Red Fox, “how you speak! A wife should do all -that she can to make the world soft for her husband.” - -Then you should have heard the Grey Goose talk and talk. But it was no -use; when times are hard with one, one’s wife should help to feather the -nest—that was what the Great Red Fox said. - -Snip! snap! crunch! cranch! and off went the Grey Goose’s head. After -that the Fox ate her up, body and bones, and there was an end of her. -Then he lay upon soft feathers and slept easily. - -Now this is true that I tell you: when a great red fox and a grey goose -marry, and hard times come, one must make it soft for the other—mostly -it is the grey goose who does that. - -Also I would have you listen to this: some folks say that it is not so, -but _I_ tell you that the ways of the world are the ways of the world, -even in the deep forest. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: K. P.] - - - Five O’clock· - - - The sleepy _Maid_ comes stumbling down - The _Stairs_, while buttoning her _Gown_, - And pokes the fire with a frown. - - Up in a rage the _Kobold_ flies, [Sidenote: ○] - And blows the _Ashes_ in her eyes; - “_Plague on the Fire!_” poor _Gretchen_ cries. [Sidenote: Sol. below] - - · · · · · - - The _Goodman_ turned about in _Bed_, [Sidenote: ☾] - And from the _Pillow_ raised his _Head_ - “_Wife, Wife, its five o’clock!_” he said. - K.P. - - - - -[Illustration: The Clever Student and the Master of Black Arts ¶: HP:] - - V. - - -The wood-chopper’s son was not content to follow in the steps of his -father, and to do nothing better than make fagots all the days of his -life. So off he went to the great school at the capital, and there he -studied and studied until he became the cleverest student in all of the -world. But of this his father thought nothing, for he had no care to -know more than he could see in front of his nose. - -“I can speak sixteen languages,” said the Clever Student, “I am a -master-hand at geometry and astronomy, and I know quite as much of black -art as the Great Master himself.” - -“But can you chop wood?” said the wood-chopper, “and can you bind the -fagots?” - -No; the Clever Student knew nothing of that trade, but there were better -eggs in Luck’s nest than wood-chopping. He knew enough of the black art -to be able to change himself into a fine, dapple-gray nag whenever he -chose, and by no more than the turning of a word or two. That he would -do, and the old wood-chopper should take him to the town and sell him -for fifty dollars. - -“But there is one thing you must remember,” said the Clever Student, -“you must take the bridle from off my head when you sell me, for so long -as it is on me I must, willy-nilly, remain a horse. The Great Master of -Black Arts would like nothing better than to catch me in such a trap as -that, for his books tell him that he is to have bad luck through me, and -he has been after me for this many a day.” - -The wood-chopper promised to remember all that the Clever Student told -him, and then the other went around back of the house and changed -himself into a fine, dapple-gray horse. The wood-chopper slipped a -bridle over the nag’s nose and a leg over his back, and then off he rode -towards the town. - -On and on they jogged till they came to where two roads crossed, and -there stood one who looked no better than he should. This was the Great -Master of Black Arts himself; but of that the wood-chopper knew nothing -at all. - -“How do you find yourself, friend?” said the Master of Black Arts to the -wood-chopper; “that is a fine horse that you have there, to be sure. Is -he for sale now?” - -“Yes,” said the wood-chopper, “the nag is for sale, and fifty dollars -will buy him—only the bridle does not go along with the horse.” - -Good! The wood-chopper might keep the bridle and welcome; but palm to -palm for a true sale, and here was the money. - -So they shook hands, and then the Master of Black Arts counted out the -money, and the wood-chopper pocketed it, and he had never rubbed his -fingers over so much in all of his life before. - -Then, as quick as a wink, the Master of Black Arts drew a bridle out of -his pocket. It was as thin as a wire and as light as silk, yet I tell -you the truth when I say that if he had ever slipped it over the nose of -the Clever Student it would have been an ill thing for him. - -But the Student had his eyes open, and his wits about him. No sooner had -his father taken the bridle off of him than—whisk! pop!—he changed -himself into a pigeon and away he flew till the wind whistled behind -him. - -But the Master of Black Arts knew a trick as good as that, that he did. -Whisk! pop!—and he became a hawk, and away he flew after the pigeon, and -all that the wood-chopper could do was to stand and look after them—But -he had the fifty dollars in his pocket, and that was something and more -or less. - -On and on flew the two, and if the pigeon flew fast, why, the hawk flew -faster. - -[Illustration: A Princess walks beside y^e water, into whose basket -leaps y^e ring.] - -By and by they came to the shore of a great sea. And that was a good -thing for the Clever Student, for, just as the hawk was about to grip -him, he dropped to the water and became a little fish, and away he swam. - -But the Master of Black Arts knew a trick as good as that. Down to the -water he dropped and became a pike, and after the little fish he swam -till the water boiled behind him. - -On and on they swam, and if the little fish swam fast, why, the great -pike swam faster. On and on they swam till they came to a place where a -beautiful princess, as white and as red as milk and rose leaves, was -walking along beside the shore gathering pretty shells into a little -basket. And that was a good thing for the Clever Student, for just as -the Master of Black Arts was about to catch him he changed himself into -a ruby ring and jumped out of the sea and into the basket of the -princess, and there he was safe and sound. - -Presently the princess looked down into the basket, and there lay the -ring. “What a pretty ring!” said she. “And how came it here?” - -She slipped it upon her finger, and it fitted as though it had been made -for nobody in the world but her. As for the Clever Student, he liked to -be there, I can tell you, for he thought that he had never seen such a -pretty lass. - -Well, by and by the princess had gathered all of the shells that she -wanted, and then she went back home again. - -When she had come there and to her own little room, all of a sudden a -tall, good-looking young fellow stood before her. That was the Clever -Student, who had changed himself back into his own true shape again. At -first the princess was ever so frightened, but the Student talked to her -so pleasantly that she began after a while to think that she had never -seen such a nice, clever young fellow. So they passed the time very -pleasantly together until evening drew near, and then the Student had to -go. - -But the Master of Black Arts was not at the end of his tricks yet. - -And the Clever Student knew that as well as he knew anything. - -“See, now,” said he to the princess, “the Master will be coming after me -before long. When he comes he will ask for the ruby ring, and he must -have it, but I have a trick in my head to meet that.” - -He cut off a lock of his hair and then pricked his arm till it bled. -With the blood he wet the hair, and by his arts he made of it a ruby -ring so like what he himself had been that even the princess herself -could not have told the one from the other. After that he changed -himself into a necklace of carbuncles, and the princess was just as fond -of it as she had been of the ring. - -[Illustration: The Clever Scholar remains a Ruby Ring no longer, having -regained his own true shape. ¶] - -Sure enough, it happened just as the Clever Student had foretold. Before -a great while the Master of Black Arts came along and on his arm he -carried a basket. Rap! tap! tap! he knocked at the door of the king’s -house. Down went one and asked him what he wanted. - -Oh! he only wanted to see the king; he had something for him here in the -basket. So he was shown up to where the king was, and then he opened the -basket and in it was a little black hen. - -“Only a little black hen!” you say? Wait; you should hear all before you -speak! - -The Master of Black Arts stood the little black hen on the table. -“Hickety-pickety!” said he, and before the king knew what to think of it -the little black hen had laid an egg all of pure silver. And that hen -was worth the having. - -As for the king, bless me! but he was glad to have such a hen as that. -If the master wanted anything that the king could give him, he had only -to ask for it and it was as good as his. - -“So; good!” says the Black Master, “then there is a little ruby ring -that the princess wears and that I have taken a fancy to; if I may have -that it will be all that I ask for.” - -Oh! if that was all that he wanted he should have it and welcome, that -was what the king said. So the pretty princess was sent for, and the -king asked her if she would give the Master of Black Arts the ruby ring -that she wore. - -“Oh, yes!” says the princess, “he shall have that and welcome, for I -have grown tired of it long ago.” So she gave it to him, and off he went -on the same path that he had come. - -As soon as he had reached home, he put the ring into a mortar and ground -it up until it was as fine as flour in the mill. - -“There!” said he to himself, “that is an end of the Clever Student at -any rate.” - -After that he went back to his books again and began to read them, and -then he soon found how he had been tricked by the Clever Student. - -The princess and the Clever Student were sitting together. “See, now,” -said the Student, “the Master of Black Arts will be coming this way -again in a little while. He will be wanting the necklace of carbuncles, -and you will have to let him have it. But I have a trick for his trick -yet, so that perhaps we will get the better of him in the end.” - -[Illustration: The Master of Black Arts bringeth a curious little Black -Hen to the King. ¶⁋] - -So the Clever Student did as he had done before; he pricked his arm till -it bled, and with the blood he wet a lock of his hair. Then by his arts -he changed the lock of hair into just such a necklace of carbuncles as -he himself had been. After that he changed himself into a pearl -ear-drop, and the princess hung him in her ear, and there he dangled. - -Sure enough; by and by came along the Master of Black Arts with another -basket. And you may believe that they did not let him cool his toes by -long standing outside the door. He opened his basket, and in it was a -white drake. - -“Only a white drake!” you say? Yes, yes; but just wait for a little! - -The Master of Black Arts stood the drake on the table and said, -“Spickety-lickety!” - -“Quack! quack!” said the drake, and every time it said “quack” a gold -piece dropped from its mouth. - -Hui! if the king was pleased with the little black hen, you can guess -how glad he was to have such a drake as that! All that the Master of -Black Arts had to do was to ask for what he wanted, and he might have it -if the king had it to give. - -“Good!” says the Master of Black Arts; “then the princess has a necklace -of carbuncles that I have taken a fancy to; if I may have that I will be -satisfied.” - -So the princess was sent for without waiting any longer, and would she -let the Master have the necklace of carbuncles that she wore around her -neck? - -“Yes, indeed!” says the princess, “that I will! I have grown sick and -tired of it long ago.” So she took it off of her neck and gave it to the -Master of Black Arts, and off he went with it. - -When he came home he put the necklace into the mortar, just as he had -done the ring, and ground it up and ground it up until it was as fine as -the dust on the shelf. There! he thought, that is an end of the Clever -Student at any rate. - -Then he went back to his books, and it was not long before he found that -he had been tricked again. - -“I can make no more changes,” said the Student, “for I am nearly at the -end of my arts. The Black Master will be wanting your ear-drop when he -comes, but, instead of giving it to him, throw it against the wall as -hard as you can. After that we shall have to trust to good Mother Luck.” - -It was not long before the Master of Black Arts came with his basket on -his arm, just as he had done twice before; he opened the basket, and -there was a grey goose. - -“Only a grey goose!” you say? Wait a moment, and you shall see that it -was not like any grey goose in our town! - -The Master of Black Arts stood the grey goose on the table; -“Flickety-whickety!” said he. - -“Cackle! cackle!” said the grey goose, and every time it said “cackle” a -bright diamond dropped on the table. - -When the king saw that he rubbed his hands and rubbed his hands, and -could not say enough of thanks to the Master of Black Arts. And what -would the Master have now? He had only to ask and it was his. - -“Oh!” says the Master of Black Arts, “the princess has a pearl ear-drop -that I have taken a liking to; if I may have that I will be quite -satisfied.” - -So the princess was sent for, and this time she was not so willing to -let the Master have what he wanted. She wept and begged, and begged and -wept; but it was all to no purpose; the Master of Black Arts wanted the -pearl ear-drop, and the Master of Black Arts must have it—that was what -the king said. So at last the princess took the pearl ear-drop out of -her ear, but, instead of giving it to the Master, she threw it against -the wall as hard as she was able, just as the Clever Student had told -her to do. - -And then what do you think happened? Why, the Student turned himself -into a ripe melon, so that when it struck the wall it burst open and the -seeds that were inside were scattered all over the floor. - -But the Master of Black Arts knew a trick as good as that. He changed -himself into a great red cock, and began pecking away at the seeds, -gobbling them up as fast as he could. By and by he looked around, and -not another seed could he see, whereupon he hopped up on a chair and, -shutting his eyes and flapping his wings, he crowed “cock-a-doodle-do!” - -But listen! One melon-seed had rolled into a crack in the floor, and the -cock had not seen it. That was a bad thing for him, for while his eyes -were shut and he was crowing “cock-a-doodle-do!” the Clever Student -changed himself from the melon-seed into a great fox. Up he jumped—snip! -snap!—and off flew the cock’s head, and there was an end of it and of -the Master of Black Arts. - -After that the Student turned himself into his own true shape again. -Then he and the princess told the king all about the business, and when -the king heard how fond the princess was of the lad, he said that there -was only one thing to be done, and that was to call in the minister. - -[Illustration: What happened to the Master of Black Arts after all his -tricks.] - -So the Student was married to his dear princess, and that is what comes -of book-learning. - -After the wedding was all over, and the fiddlers had gone home, the -Clever Student set out for his father’s house in a fine coach drawn by -six beautiful horses. There was the old man, making fagots in the forest -back of the house, just as he had always done. At first he would not -believe that the great lord in the coach was his own son. “No, no,” says -he; “and is it becoming in a fine spark from the great town to come here -and make sport of a poor old wood-chopper. I know very well that my son -is nothing but a poor student.” But at last he got the whole matter -through his head, and then he was so glad that he kissed his son on both -cheeks, and asked him whether he had not always said that it was better -for his boy to study books than to make fagots. For this is true: -everything happens for the best when Luck strokes one the right way. - -So the fagot-maker went back with his son to the fine house that the lad -lived in, now that he had married a princess. - -There everything was made easy for him, and he always had a warm corner -to sit in back of the stove. - -And that is the end of this story. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Six O’clock· - - - K. P. - - - The _Door_ is open, [Sidenote: Sol above.] - The _Dew_ is bright; - Forgotten now [Sidenote: ●] - Is the lonesome _Night_, - And the _Starling_ whistles, - “_All is right_.” - - The _House-wife_ moves - With her briskest tread - The _Chairs_ are set, - And the _Table_ spread [Sidenote: ☽] - With _Honey_ and _Eggs_ - And _Cream_ and _Bread_. - - - - -[Illustration: The Princess Golden-Hair _and the_ Great Black Raven.] - - VI. - - -Once upon a time there was a king who had three daughters, the two elder -were handsome enough, but the youngest, whose name was Golden-Hair, was -the prettiest maiden to be found within the four ends of the earth. - -One day the king went out hunting with all his people. Towards evening -he found himself in the forest at a place where he had never been -before, and where he was not able to tell the north from the south, nor -the east from the west, for he was lost. He wandered up and down and -here and there, but the farther he went the less able he was to find the -road home again. As he wandered thus he came to a place where a great -raven, as black as the soot in the chimney, and with eyes that glowed -like two coals of fire, sat in the middle of the path in front of him. - -“Whither away, king?” said the Great Black Raven. - -“That I cannot tell,” said the king, “for I am lost.” - -“See now,” said the Raven, “I will show you the way out of the forest, -if you will give me your youngest daughter to be my wife.” - -“Oh, no,” said the king, “I can never do such a thing as that, for my -daughter is as dear to me as the apple of my eye.” - -“Very well, then,” said the Raven, “off I go, and then there will be no -getting out of the forest for you, but here you will have to stay as -long as you live.” - -Now one will do much before one will stay in a dark forest forever, and -though it was a bad piece of business to be sure, the king promised at -last that if the Raven would show him the way home again, it should have -the Princess Golden-Hair for its wife, though it was a pity for the -girl, and that was the truth. So the Raven flapped on ahead of the king, -and showed him the way out of the forest. - -“To-morrow,” it said, “I will come for my bride.” - -Sure enough, when the next morning came, there was the Great Black Raven -sitting outside of the castle gateway waiting for the Princess -Golden-Hair to be sent to him. - -But it was not the princess whom he got after all; for the king had bade -them dress the swineherd’s daughter in the princess’s dress, and it was -she who went to the Great Black Raven. “A Great Black Raven,” said the -king to himself, “will never be able to tell a swineherd’s daughter from -a real princess.” - -Well, the Raven took the swineherd’s daughter on its back and away it -flew over woods and meadows, hills and valleys, until by and by it came -to a rude little hut that stood on the tip top of a great bleak hill. -And not a living soul was there, only a great number of birds of -different kinds. - -In the hut was a table, and on the table stood a golden goblet of red -wine, a silver cup of white wine, and an earthenware jug full of bitter -beer. - -“This is our home,” said the Raven; “and now will my dear one drink -refreshment after her long journey?” - -Yes, indeed; the swineherd’s daughter would do that, for she was weary -after her ride through the air. So she went to the table and took a good -drink of the beer, “for,” said she to herself, “the golden goblet and -the silver cup are too fine for the likes of me.” - -Then the Raven knew that she was no true princess to be contented with -bitter beer out of an earthenware jug when she could have good red wine -from a golden goblet. “Come,” said he, “home we go again, for you are -not the bride I seek!” Therewith he took her upon his back once more, -and away they flew over hill and valley till they had come back to the -king’s castle again. - -“See,” said the Raven, “this is not the one I want. Let me have my true -bride or you will suffer for it.” - -At this the king was frightened. “Very well,” said he, “come to-morrow -and you shall have your true bride.” - -[Illustration: The King being lost in y^e Forest meets with the Great -Black Raven.] - -Well, when the next morning came, there was the Raven waiting outside of -the castle gateway. But, after all, it was not the princess that he got, -for the king had ordered that the steward’s daughter should be dressed -in the princess’s dress, “for surely,” said he to himself, “she is a -good enough bride for a Great Black Raven.” - -So the Raven took her on his back and away he flew till he had come to -the little hut on top of the bleak hill. There stood the golden goblet, -the silver cup, and the earthenware jug just as they had done before. -And now would not the dear maiden drink a drop after her long journey? - -Yes, indeed, that she would; so she took a good, hearty drink of the -white wine in the silver cup, “for,” said she to herself, “silver is -none too good for a steward’s daughter.” - -But the Raven saw very well that she was no true princess, or she would -never have been contented with the silver cup. “Come,” said he, “home we -go again, for you are not the bride I seek.” So he took her on his back -once more and away he flew to the king’s castle. “See how you treat me,” -said he to the king, “you promise me one bride and give me another. -To-morrow morning I will come for the true one again, and if I do not -get her this time you will suffer for it, for I will pick out your eyes -and tear down your castle about your ears!” And away he flew. - -And now the king was terribly frightened, and saw that there must be no -trickery this time. So the next morning when the Raven came it was the -Princess Golden-Hair herself whom he got and none other. Up he took her -on his back and away he flew with her. As for the princess, she did -nothing but weep and weep, so that when they came to the little hut on -top of the bleak hill, she was glad enough to drink a drop for -refreshment’s sake. She never looked at the earthen jug or the silver -cup, but going straight to the golden goblet she wet her lips with the -good red wine. - -And then what do you think happened? Why, the hut grew and grew until it -changed into a splendid castle all built of pure silver and gold, and -all of the many birds outside changed into men and women servants. As -for the Great Black Raven, it was a Raven no longer, but the handsomest -prince in all of the world, and the only thing black about him was the -long curling locks of his hair. He kissed the Princess Golden-Hair and -said: “Now, indeed, have I found my true bride and none other. You have -freed me and my castle and all of my people from enchantment, which no -one but a real princess could do. For my wicked step-mother laid spells -upon us which could only be broken when a real princess drank out of the -golden goblet.” - -[Illustration: Princess Golden-Hair, being a true princess, drinketh -from the golden cup & touches neither y^e silver nor y^e clay. ¶] - -Then they were married, and a fine wedding they had of it, I can tell -you. - -Well, a year passed by, and the princess was as happy as the days were -long; but at the end of the twelve months she began to long to see her -father and her sisters again. So she spoke of her longing to the Raven -prince, but he only shook his head. No; he would not hear of her going, -for he felt that nothing but misfortune would come of it. - -But the princess begged and begged so prettily that at last the prince -said she might go if she would be contented to stay only three days. -Then he gave her a napkin of the finest linen, and told her that -whenever she wanted anything, she had only to spread the napkin and wish -and it would be there. But there was one thing she must not wish for, -and that was for him himself, for of that misfortune would come for sure -and certain. - -So off the princess went to her father’s house, and a fine sight she -made of it, I can tell you; for she rode in a golden coach drawn by four -milk-white horses, so that every one she passed stopped and looked after -her, and the little boys cried “Hi!” and ran along beside. - -Her father and her sisters wondered what fine lady it was that was -coming to the castle, and when the coach stopped they came out to look. -Dear, dear, but the king was glad to see her; as for her two sisters, -they grew as green as grass with envy, for when they heard where she -dwelt, and what a fine castle it was, all built of pure gold and silver, -and what a handsome prince it was that she had for a husband, they were -ready to burst with spite, for each felt that she might have had all -this for herself if the Raven prince had only chosen her instead of -Golden-Hair. So when the princess had told them all about what had -happened, they only nodded and winked at one another as though they did -not believe a word of it. - -“Yes, yes,” said they, “it is all very well to talk about your handsome -prince; but why did he not come along with you, we should like to know?” - -The princess could not tell them that; but she could bring him quickly -enough whenever she chose, for all that she had to do was to spread her -napkin and wish and he would be there. She would show them that what she -had said was true, had her prince not forbidden her. - -But the envious sisters only jeered and laughed as though all that the -princess said was the best jest in the world. - -Now one can bear anything better than laughter. So the end of the matter -was that the princess spread the linen napkin on the floor and wished -that the Raven prince might be with them. - -[Illustration: Princess Golden-Hair cometh to Death’s door where sits -Death’s aged Grandmother spinning flax within.] - -No sooner had she wished it than there he stood; but he looked at no one -but her. “Did I not tell you that misfortune would come of it if you -wished for me?” said he. “Now, I must leave you and go where you are not -likely ever to see me again.” - -Then the princess would have spoken, but he gave her no time for that. -He snatched up the napkin, and, becoming a Raven once more, he flew -through the open window and across the tree-tops and was gone. At the -same time her golden coach vanished, and, the coachman and footmen -became so many birds and flew away, so that not one of her fine things -was left. - -The poor princess wept and cried for a whole day and a whole night. But -at the end of that time she dried her eyes, and, tucking up her skirts, -started off into the wide world to find her dear prince again. - -Well, she travelled on and on and on for more days than she could count, -and till she had been over nearly all of the world, but in all that time -she could learn no news of the prince nor of whither he had gone. At -last one day, about nightfall, she came to a little hut in a deep -forest, and in the hut sat an old woman with hair as white as snow. - -“What do you want, child?” said the old woman; “do you not know that -this is Death’s house, and that if he returns and finds you here he will -kill you? I tell you that he spares neither the young nor the old, the -plain nor the handsome. As for me, I am his grandmother.” - -But all this was one to the princess, and went in at one ear and out of -the other; she could no longer drag one foot after the other, so there -she must stay even if Death should find her when he came home. - -Then she told Death’s grandmother all that had happened to her, and -Death’s grandmother took pity on her because she was so pretty and so -tired. She gave the princess something to eat and then hid her in the -tall clock that stood in the corner, so that Death might not find her -when he came home. - -By and by in came Death and hung up his great scythe behind the door. -“Hu-u-u-u!” cried he, “I smell Christian blood in the house for sure.” - -“Christian blood, indeed!” said his grandmother, “as though a Christian -would come to this house if he had anywhere else to go! But now I think -of it, a crow flew overhead to-day, and dropped a bone down the chimney. -I threw it out as soon as I could, but perhaps that is what you smell.” - -So Death said nothing more, but sat down to supper and ate heartily, for -he had had a long journey that day. - -“See,” said his grandmother, “I had a dream to-day. A princess is out in -the world hunting for her Raven sweetheart, and cannot tell where to -find him.” - -“That is easy enough to tell,” said Death; “he lives in a great castle -that stands at the end of the earth on a high hill of smooth glass.” - -“That is good,” said Death’s grandmother, “but I dreamed that after she -found where he lived, she was too weary to journey thither.” - -“That is easy enough, too,” said Death; “out in the forest yonder stands -my pale horse tied to an oak-tree. If she could only find the horse and -loose the bridle and mount his back he would take her there quickly -enough, for he can travel more rapidly than the north wind.” - -“Yes, yes, that is all very well,” said Death’s grandmother, “but I had -a third dream; I thought that when she came to the smooth hill of glass -she did not know how to climb to the top; what is the answer to that?” - -“Prut!” said Death, “that is easy to tell. Over by the glass hill are -seven birds fighting in the tree-top for an old hat. If she will throw a -stone in the midst of them they will drop the hat and fly away. It is -Wish’s own hat, and if she will put it on her head and wish herself at -the top of the hill, she will be there quickly enough, I can tell you.” - -After that Death put on his cloak and took up his scythe and was off -like a whirlwind, for he has little time to spare for talking, folks -say. Then Death’s grandmother opened the clock, and the princess came -out and thanked her and went her way. - -She hunted here and there through the forest until, sure enough, she -found Death’s great pale horse tied to an oak-tree. She loosened the -bridle and mounted upon his back, and away they went till the chips and -the stones flew behind them. So they soon came to the high hill of -smooth glass that stood at the end of the earth, and there, on top of -it, was the castle of the prince. - -The princess dismounted from the pale horse, and away he galloped home -again. - -Then the princess hunted for the birds that Death said fought for Wish’s -hat, and presently she heard them making a great hubbub, and, looking -up, saw them in the tree-top above her, fighting for the old hat, just -as Death said they would be doing. She picked up a stone and threw it in -the midst of them, and they dropped the hat and flew away screaming. -Then she put on the hat and wished herself at the top of the hill, and -there she was as quick as a wink. - -Now, her shoes were worn into holes by long journeying, and her clothes -were torn to threads and tatters by the brambles through which she had -passed, and hung fluttering all about her, and she looked for all the -world like nothing else than a common beggar-maid, except for her golden -hair. So it was that when she knocked at the door of the prince’s -castle, and the porter came and opened it and heard that she wanted to -see the prince, he snapped his fingers and laughed. All the same he told -her that the cook wanted a serving wench in the kitchen, and that she -might have the place if she liked; if that did not suit her she might be -jogging the way that she had come. - -Well, there was nothing for it but for the princess to serve in the -kitchen or to go away again. So she bound up her hair in a tattered -kerchief so that the beautiful golden tresses might not be seen, and -down she went to serve the cook. - -The prince’s dinner was cooking at the fire, and the princess was to -watch it so that it might not be burned. So she watched it, and as she -watched it she wept. - -“Why do you weep, hussy?” said the cook. - -“Ah me!” said the princess, “once I ate with my love and drank with my -love and lived by his side. If he did but know to what I have come how -his heart would ache!” - -After that the dinner was served, but, while nobody was looking, the -princess plucked a strand of her golden hair and laid it upon a white -napkin and the napkin upon an empty plate. Over all she placed a silver -cover, and when the Raven prince lifted it there lay the strand of -golden hair. “Where did this come from?” said he. But nobody could tell -him that. - -The next day the same thing happened; the princess watched the dinner, -and as she watched she wept. - -“Why do you weep, hussy?” said the cook. And thereto the princess -answered as she had done before: “Ah me! once I ate with my love and -drank with my love and lived by his side. If he did but know to what I -have come, how his heart would ache!” - -Then, while nobody was looking, she plucked another strand of golden -hair and the prince found it as he had done the other, and no one could -tell him whence it came. - -[Illustration: The Princess finds her Prince.] - -The third day the same thing happened as had happened twice before: the -princess watched and wept, and when nobody was looking plucked a third -strand of golden hair and sent it to the prince as she had the others. - -Then the prince sent for the cook. “Who has been serving this and that -with my dinner?” said he. - -The cook shook his head, for he knew nothing, but perhaps the new -serving wench could tell, for she wept and said things that none of them -understood. When the prince heard this he sent for her, and the princess -came and stood before him. He looked at her and knew her, for her golden -hair shone through a hole in the ugly head-dress that she wore. Then he -reached out his hand and snatched it off of her head, and her golden -hair fell down all about her shoulders until it reached the floor. Then -he took her in his arms and kissed her, and that was the end of all of -her troubles. - -After that they had a grand time at the castle; every one who came had -all that he could eat, and wine and beer flowed like water. I, too, was -there, but I brought nothing away with me in my pockets. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Seven O’clock· - - - Around about, [Sidenote: ☉☌⊕E3°26′.] - Around about, - The _Kobold_ played and in and out; - He peeped in every _Pot_ and _Pail_, - And grinned, and pulled the _Pussy’s_ tail. - - Big clumsy _Gretchen_, washing up [Sidenote: _Clear, pleasant._] - The _Breakfast-dishes_, dropped a _Cup_; - It fell upon the _Kobold’s Toe_, - And made him hop it hurt him so. - - K.P. del. - - - - -[Illustration: Cousin Greylegs, y^e Great Red Fox and Grandfather Mole.] - - VII. - - -In those days the Great Red Fox and Cousin Greylegs, the wolf, were -great cronies, and whenever you would see one you might be sure the -other was not far away. The Great Red Fox was a master-hand at roguery, -and Cousin Greylegs, the wolf, came close behind him. That was how they -made their living. - -By and by they fell out, so that they were never good friends again, and -this was how it happened. - -There was to be a great fair, and the world and his wife and the little -dog behind the stove were to be there. - -“We will go too,” says the pair of scamps; so off they went. - -By and by they came to an inn where the windows were red with the good -things cooking in the kitchen—green geese and ducks and chickens, and -sausages, and cabbage, and onions, and all the nice things you can think -of. But the two rogues had no money, and one cannot buy something with -nothing out in the wide world. But they found a ladder against the side -of the wall, and climbed up into the loft above and lay in the hay. - -Dear, dear, how nice the good things did smell down in the kitchen! “My -goodness!” says Cousin Greylegs, “but I would like to have a taste of -them.” - -As for the Great Red Fox, he had been nursing his wits all the time, and -now he had a trick hatched. So down he climbed from the loft the same -way he had climbed up; and nobody saw him, for he took good care of -that. Over he went to the stables where the horses stood munching away -at the corn in the mangers. He loosened a bridle here and a bridle there -until not one of the nags was fastened where he belonged; then he -slipped back into the loft once more. By and by began the kicking and -the squealing over at the stable; out ran the landlord and all the other -folks with him, and not a soul was left in the kitchen. Then brother -Greylegs and the Great Red Fox came down and helped themselves, and -while they were about it the Great Red Fox stuffed a fistful of -hazel-nuts into his pocket. - -After a while the landlord and the rest of them came from the stable; -but nothing was left for them of the good things but the leavings. - -As for Cousin Greylegs and the Great Red Fox, why, they lay up in the -loft among the straw, and ate and ate until they could eat no more. - -By and by there came along somebody else on his way to the fair, and it -was a rich corn-factor who made his money by buying corn cheap, and -selling it dear to poor folks, so that he was as great a rogue as the -two scamps up yonder in the loft. With him he brought a whole bag of -money; but it bought him no supper that night, for all the good things -had been stolen, and the corn-factor had to be contented with what -pickings he could get. As for the bag of money, he put that in a great -chest in the corner, and there he left it for safe-keeping. - -Now up in the loft where the two rogues lay was a cowhide, which the -landlord used for making straps and thongs and such like things. What -does the Great Red Fox do but whip out his needle and thread and sew the -cowhide fast to Cousin Greylegs’ Jacket, though Cousin Greylegs knew no -more of that than a mouse in a barrel. Then by and by the Great Red Fox -was up to another of his tricks. “See,” says he, “here I have a -pocketful of hazel-nuts, and I am for cracking one.” - -“Tut, tut, brother,” says Cousin Greylegs, “you must crack no nuts -here.” - -“But I must crack a nut,” says the Great Red Fox. - -“But you must not,” says Cousin Greylegs. - -“But I must,” says the Great Red Fox, and so he did. - -“Hark!” says the landlord; “yonder is somebody up in the loft cracking -the nuts that we were to have had for supper; it is a good beating he -shall have for the trick he has been playing upon us.” - -[Illustration: Cousin Greylegs and the Great Red Fox go together to y^e -fair. ¶ ):(] - -When Cousin Greylegs heard this he did not stop to tarry or to think; -down he jumped from the loft, and away he scampered as fast as he could -lay foot to the ground; but with him went the cowhide which the Great -Red Fox had sewed fast to his jacket. - -“Hi!” bawled the landlord, “there is the thief who stole our supper, and -he is taking my cowhide into the bargain.” - -Off they all scampered after Cousin Greylegs and the cowhide. The -corn-factor first of all. - -As for Cousin Greylegs, why, he laid down to the running as though he -had never been born for anything else. But it is hard work running with -a cowhide flapping about one’s legs, so they caught him just over the -hill, and then, dear, dear, what a drubbing they gave him. - -But as soon as everybody was safe away after Cousin Greylegs and the -cowhide, the Great Red Fox came down from the loft, and marched off with -the corn-factor’s money without anybody being about to say “No” to him. - -Off he went as happy as a cricket, until he came to the cross-roads over -the hill and back of the woods, and who should he see sitting there but -Cousin Greylegs rubbing the places that smarted the most. - -“Hi!” says the Great Red Fox, “and is that you, Cousin Greylegs? Why, I -have been looking up and down, over hill and over hollow for you. Here -is a whole bag of money that I found at the inn over yonder, and if it -wasn’t for the trick that I played you, there was never a penny of it -that would have come into our pockets.” - -“So!” says Cousin Greylegs. “Well, that was a different matter;” and he -swallowed the drubbing he had had, for it was to be share and share -alike with the money, and that was a salve for sore bones. So off they -went together arm in arm. - -By and by they came to another inn. “We’ll stop here,” says Cousin -Greylegs, “and have another bite to eat before we go any farther.” And -that suited the Great Red Fox well enough, so in they went, and gave the -bag of money into the landlord’s keeping, and Cousin Greylegs ordered a -supper fit for a lord. - -But the Great Red Fox had his wits about him all this time, for he was -not one to be caught napping when the sun was up. “Yes, yes,” says he to -himself, “Cousin Greylegs is up to some of his tricks, sure enough; -we’ll put a stopper in the bottle before the luck has dribbled out.” So -while Cousin Greylegs was pottering about in the kitchen down-stairs, -seeing that the cooking was done to his mind, the Great Red Fox took a -bag like the one they brought with them, and filled it full of old rusty -nails and bits of iron. Off he marched with it to the landlord. “See,” -says he, “Cousin Greylegs will come asking for a bag by and by; here it -is, give it to him and he will be satisfied.” - -[Illustration: Cousin Greylegs steals away from the inn, carrying off a -bag full of this & that with him.] - -Sure enough, when the supper was over and the Great Red Fox was snoring -in front of the fire, for all the world as though he were sound asleep, -off packed Cousin Greylegs to the landlord. “Look,” says he, “that bag -that the Great Red Fox left here, just hand it over to me, will you? for -I must be jogging. As for the Great Red Fox, you may let him have his -sleep out.” - -Yes, that was all right, and the landlord knew nothing about the tricks -of the two rogues, so he handed over the bag of rusty nails and bits of -iron. And Cousin Greylegs never once thought of looking to see, for the -bits of iron jingled, and the sound was enough for him, for that is the -way with folks out in the world. - -As for the Great Red Fox, he waited until Cousin Greylegs was well away -on his own business, then off he stepped along the road that led the -other way, and it was the bag of gold and silver money he carried with -him. - - -But that is not all of the story; for listen: There was a poor old blind -mole who lived in the ground because he had nowhere else to go, and that -was his home. But the Great Red Fox thought nothing of him. On he -came—tramp! tramp! tramp!—and would have trodden right on the roof of -the mole’s house. “Brother Fox,” cried Grandfather Mole, “look where you -are treading, or you will have the roof down about my ears.” - -“Pooh!” says the Great Red Fox, “when one has been sharp enough to trick -such a keen blade as Cousin Greylegs, one is not going to step out of -one’s way for a little gray mole as blind as charity:” and so he was for -going straight ahead. - -But up jumped Grandfather Mole and caught hold of him, and then he felt -the bag of gold and silver money the Great Red Fox carried. “Hi!” says -he, “and here is a new card in the game.” So he held on to the Great Red -Fox and began to bawl with all his might and main, “Help, good folks! -help! here is the Great Red Fox stealing my bag of gold and silver -money!” - -“Hush! hush!” said the Great Red Fox, for he was for having as little -said about the bag of money as need be, “let me go and I will promise to -tread on nobody’s house.” But no, it was easier to get into that hole -than it was to get out again, for Grandfather Mole held on and bawled -for help louder than ever. “Help! help! here is one robbing a poor blind -mole of all he has in the world!” That was the way he kept up the song, -and he made such a hubbub that the folks came running and hauled them -both up before the Master Judge to see what he had to say about the -business. - -[Illustration: The Great Red Fox meets y^e old, blind Mole.] - -“The bag of money is mine,” said the Great Red Fox. - -“Yes, good! but where did you get it?” says the judge, and that was a -question easier asked than answered. - -“See now,” says Grandfather Mole, “it is easy enough to talk, for breath -is cheap in this town, but the thing is to put it to trial and find out -who is telling the truth. We’ll build a fire and try who can stand it -the longest, and that will show the right in this matter as clear as a -morning in hay-season.” - -Well, that suited the fox well enough, “for,” says he to himself, “it is -a pretty business if I can’t stand a scorching as long as an old blind -mole;” and so that business was settled. - -Out they all went, and it was Grandfather Mole who was to try the -burning first of all. So they fetched sticks and twigs and covered him -all over with them, and then set fire to them. - -Dear, dear, but it was a fine blaze that went up, but the mole had his -wits about him; for as soon as he felt the heat of the fire he began -digging down into the ground with all his might and main, so that not a -spark touched him. - -“Do you burn, Grandfather Mole?” says the Great Red Fox. - -“No!” bawled Grandfather Mole. So they just threw on another armful of -twigs. - -By and by the Great Red Fox says again: “Do you burn, Grandfather Mole?” -for he thought by this time that the mole must be as scorched as an old -shoe under the stove. - -But Grandfather Mole was ready for him. “_No!!_” he bawled, louder than -ever. - -Dear, dear, but here was a strange happening; all the same, the Great -Red Fox threw on wood and threw on wood, until the blaze went up like a -chimney afire. “And _now_ do you burn, Grandfather Mole?” says he. - -“NO!!!” bawled Grandfather Mole until you might have thought his throat -would have split with the noise he made. - -So they let the fire go out, and up came Grandfather Mole out of the -ground looking as fresh and as sharp as a green gooseberry. - -And now it was the Great Red Fox’s turn; and they heaped the sticks and -twigs over him as they had done over Grandfather Mole, and then set fire -to them. - -“Do you burn?” says Grandfather Mole after a bit. - -“NO!!!” bawled the Great Red Fox, as though his throat was made of -leather. - -So they threw on more sticks and twigs, but the Great Red Fox just shut -his teeth and grinned, for he was bound that he would stand as much of a -burning as an old blind mole. - -[Illustration: The Great Red Fox beareth all that he can.] - -“Do you burn now?” says Grandfather Mole. - -“No,” says the Great Red Fox, but his voice was as small as peas in -March. So they threw on another armful of wood, and the fire grew hotter -and hotter. - -“And do you burn now?” says Grandfather Mole. - -“_Thunder and lightning, yes!_” bawled the Great Red Fox, and out he -jumped and away he scampered, smoking like a charcoal kiln. - -So all he gained by his roguery was a burnt skin and nothing to show for -it; and that has happened more than once to rogues whose wits are so -sharp that they cut their own fingers with them. - -Now in our town we do not make puddings without plums, or tell a story -without rhyme or reason, but if you wish to find any meaning in these -words, you must put on your spectacles and look for it for yourself, -even though the tale stands all legs and no head, as the man in the moon -said about his grandmother’s tongs. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Eight O’clock· - - - The _Sun_ in the _Sky_ [Sidenote: _Grows warmer_] - Is not yet high, - And the _Grasses_ are wet by the _Pool_. - With hop and jump, - By _Hedge_ and _Stump_, [Sidenote: ♈︎] - The _Children_ are going to _School_. - - K. P. - - - - -[Illustration: One Good Turn Deserves Another.] - - VIII. - - -Once upon a time there was a lad who was a fisherman, and every morning -he shouldered his net, and went down to the river to catch fish to sell -in the town. - -One morning as he walked beside the edge of the water, he came upon a -great tall stork caught in a trap that had been set for the water-rats. - -It was a tender heart that the young fisherman had under his jacket, so -when he saw Father Longlegs in such a pickle he waded out into the -water, among the reeds and arrowheads to where the other was, and -loosened the noose from about his leg. - -The storks bring good-luck to folks some people say, and that was what -happened to the young fisherman. - -“One good turn deserves another,” says Father Longlegs; “cross your -heart three times, cast your net into the water yonder, and see what you -catch.” So the lad did as he was told, and when he drew his net to the -shore, there was just one fish in it. - -Yes; just one fish, but that was worth the catching, I can tell you, for -the scales were all of pure silver and gold, so that it glistened like -the moon on smooth ice, and it was most wonderful to see. - -“There,” says the stork; “and now if you have your wits about you, it is -your fortune that you have caught out of the water. Take the fish up to -the king’s castle and show it to nobody but the king. When he sees it he -will want to have it for his own and will be for buying it, but there is -only one price you must ask for it, and that is to have the princess for -your wife.” That was what the stork said, and then he spread his wings -and flew away over the house-tops. - -So the lad wrapped the fish up in a clean white napkin and laid it in a -wicker basket, and then off he marched to the king’s castle to try his -luck there, as the stork had said. - -Rap! tap! tap! he knocked at the door. - -Well, and what did he want? - -Oh, he had brought a fish that he had caught over at the river yonder, -but he would show it to nobody but the king himself. - -No, it did no good for them to ask and to question and to talk; what he -had said he had said. So at last they had to take him up-stairs, and -there was the king sitting upon a golden throne with a golden crown upon -his head and a golden sceptre in his hand. - -“Well, and why do you wish to see me?” That was what the king said. - -It was no word that the lad spoke with his tongue, but he just unfolded -the napkin, and showed the king what he had brought in the wicker -basket. - -When the king saw the gold and silver fish, he thought he had never seen -anything so wonderful in all of his life before. Then it was just as the -stork had said. He must and would have the fish, no matter what it cost; -and what would the lad take for it? - -Why, the body over at the river yonder, who had put the lad up to -catching the fish, had told him that there was only one price to be -asked for it. Now, if the king would let him have the princess for his -wife, he might have the fish and welcome; for _that_ was the price, and -the long and the short of it. - -Well, the king hemmed and hawed, but he did not speak the little word -“no;” and after a while he said he would send for the princess, and see -what she had to say about it. So the princess came, and she was a beauty -I can tell you, for the very sight of her was enough to make one’s heart -melt inside of one, like a lump of butter in the oven. And as for the -wits of her, why, she was just as smart as she was pretty (which is -saying much and a little over), and that is why the king had sent for -her, for he wanted to get the gold and silver fish without paying the -price for it. - -“Yes,” says the princess when the king had told her all. “I am ready -enough to marry the lad, only he must promise to do one thing first.” - -[Illustration: Father Longlegs, the Stork, puts the Fisher Lad in y^e -way of catching a strange fish in his nets. ¶] - -Dear, dear, how the lad’s heart jumped inside of him at that. He was -willing enough to promise whatever was asked, for he would do anything -to marry the princess, now that he had seen how pretty she was. - -“Very well, then,” said the princess, “just bring me the key of -wish-house and I will marry you.” - -“There,” said the king, “that is a bargain; go and bring the key of -wish-house and you shall marry the princess; and you may just leave the -fish here until you come back again. And don’t show your face about here -without the key, if you wish to keep your head upon your shoulders.” - -So off went the lad from the king’s castle, with nothing at all in his -pocket and ill-luck astride of his back. Down he went to the river as -straight as he could walk, and there stood Father Stork gazing down into -the water and looking as wise as our minister on Sunday. See now, thus -and so and thus and so had happened, and the stork had gotten him into a -pretty scrape over at the castle by putting him up to asking such a -price for his herring; that was what the lad said. - -“Prut!” says the stork, “break no bones over that furrow; ill-luck -always comes before good-luck, and rain before the little flowers; what -is worth having is worth working for. Just get upon my back and I will -carry you to where the queen of the birds lives; if anybody can put you -in the way of finding the key of wish-house she will be the one.” So the -stork bent his red legs and up the lad got upon his back. Then Father -Longlegs spread his wings and away he flew, and on and on, over field -and fallow, over valley and mountain, over forest and over stream. - -After they had gone so far that the lad thought the end of the world -could not be a great way off, they came to a grand house, all built of -red brick, that stood on a high hill, and that was where the queen of -the birds lived. The stork flew straight to the house, and there was the -queen of the birds walking in the garden. - -The stork told everything from first to last, and that now what they -wanted to know was, whether the queen of the birds could tell them where -the key of wish-house was to be found. - -No, the queen did not know that herself, but she would call all of the -birds of the heavens and of the earth, and perhaps there would be some -one among them that could tell. - -A little silver whistle hung about her neck; she put it to her lips and -blew upon it so shrilly that it made a body’s ear ring to listen to it, -and the birds of the heavens and of the earth came flying from far and -near until the air was as full of them as a sunbeam is full of motes on -sweeping-day. - -The queen of the birds asked them one and all, from tom-tit to the wild -swan, if they could tell where the key of wish-house was to be found; -but not a single one of them knew. - -After all the rest had spoken there came flying an old eagle, so old -that he was as grey as the ashes upon the hearth, and he was six times -as big as any of the rest. He had come from the other end of nowhere, -and that is a long way off, as even simple Jack can tell you; that was -what had kept him such a time in the coming. - -And was it the key of wish-house that they were talking about? Oh, yes; -the old eagle knew where the key of wish-house was as well as he knew -his bread-and-butter, for the old Grey Master that lives on the iron -mountain had it hanging back of the kitchen door, and the eagle had seen -it there more than once. - -“Very well,” says the queen of the birds; “then here is a lad who has -come out into the world hunting for that key, a good-hearted fellow who -helped Father Stork out of a tight place over at the river yonder, where -he had been caught in a trap set for the water-rats. Now can you not -help him to find what he wants?” - -Well, the old eagle did not say no, for one good turn deserves another; -so he took the lad on his back at the root of his wings and away he -flew. - -One would have thought that the red-legged stork had flown far, but it -was nothing at all to the journey that the eagle took. On and on he flew -for such a long way that I, for one, could never find words to tell you -how far away it was. - -All the same, every journey must have an ending. And at last they came -to a great iron mountain the sides of which were as smooth as the face -of a looking-glass; so it was a good thing for the lad that he had a -great grey eagle to carry him up to the top, and that is the truth. - -There on the top of the mountain lay a green meadow, so wide that the -eye could not see to the other end of it. And in the middle of the -meadow stood a tall castle; that was where the Grey Master lived who -kept the key of wish-house back of the kitchen door. - -“This is all the farther I can carry you just now,” says the eagle; “but -here is a feather, when you are ready to come away just throw it up into -the air, and I will not be long in coming.” - -The lad thanked the eagle for the help he had had, and then he put the -feather in the lining of his hat. - -After that the eagle went one way and the lad went the other, and that -was towards the castle where the Grey Master lived. - -Off he stepped right foot foremost, and by and by he came to a little -stream of water that ran along through the meadow. But just in the -middle of the brook lay a great stone, that choked the stream so that it -could hardly crawl around it. - -“Here is a body in trouble as well as myself,” said the lad, and he -stooped and rolled away the great round stone so that the brook might -flow smoothly and freely. - -“One good turn deserves another,” said the brook. “Look in the place -where the great round stone lay and you will find a little red pebble; -so long as you keep that pebble in your mouth you will be as strong as -ten common men.” - -Well, the lad hunted until he found the pebble, and then he thanked the -brook and jogged along the way he was going. - -By and by he came to an apple-tree, and it was so loaded down with -apples that the branches were bent to the very ground. - -“Here is another body weighed down by the cares of the world,” said the -lad. So he shook some of the apples off and cut props to put under the -branches, that they might not be broken by the load. - -“One good turn deserves another,” said the apple-tree. “Look under my -roots and you will find a golden apple; while you keep that in your -bosom neither fire nor water can harm you, for it is an apple from the -tree of life.” - -Well, the lad found the apple under the roots of the tree, and then he -said “thank you,” and went on his way. - -By and by he came to a place where he heard a great hubbub over the -hedge; he looked and there he saw that it was a black cock and a red -cock fighting for dear life, and the red cock was having the worst of -it, for it was nearly dead already. - -“Here is another who is having the worst of the fight,” said the lad, -and he jumped over the hedge, and drove away the black cock with the -staff he held in his hand. - -“One good turn deserves another,” said the red cock. “I know what you -have come hither to find, and I will give you a bit of advice that will -be worth the having. When the Grey Master asks you what you want, tell -him it is to watch his black cattle for one night. If you do that he -must give you whatsoever you ask for. And listen; this is what you must -do to watch the cattle. When you open the stable door there will come -out three-and-twenty black cows, and after them a black bull breathing -fire and smoke. Him you must catch by the horns and must hold him fast -until the cock crows in the morning. But you must have the strength of -ten men to do that.” - -[Illustration: The Fisher Lad cometh to the Grey Master’s house.] - -Well, the lad thanked the cock for the advice he had given, and then he -went on his way and up to the castle where the Grey Master lived. - -He knocked at the door, and it was the Grey Master himself who came and -opened it. He was a head and shoulders taller than other men, was the -Grey Master, and he had but one eye, which gleamed and glistened like -the dog-star in January. Beside him flew two black ravens with eyes as -red as coals of fire. - -“And what is it that you want?” said the Grey Master. - -“Oh!” said the lad, “I have come from over in the brown world yonder, -and I want to watch your black cattle for one night, that is all I am -after.” - -When the Grey Master heard what the lad said, he frowned until his one -eye shone like lightning. “Very well,” said he, “you shall have a chance -and a try at what you want, but if you fail your head shall be cut off -and hung up over the gate yonder.” - -“That is not so pleasant to think of,” said the lad; “all the same, I -will have a try and see what I can do.” So in he came, and he and the -Grey Master sat down to supper together. - -By and by, when the lad had eaten all that he wanted the Grey Master -told him it was time to go about the business he had come for. So off -went the lad to the stable where the four-and-twenty black cattle stood -all in a row. He opened the door, and out they ran helter-skelter and as -fast as they could push, and—whisk! pop!—soon as they came out of the -door each cow changed into a black crow and flew around and around the -lad’s head as though it would beat his eyes out. Last of all came the -black bull, and the lad was ready and waiting for him. - -He clapped the red pebble into his mouth, and then he was as strong as -ten common men. He caught the bull by the horns, and it might puff out -fire and smoke, as it chose, for it could do him no harm because of the -apple of life which he carried in his bosom. - -How the bull did pitch and toss, and bellow and roar, to be sure, but it -was all for no use, the lad held on like hunger, until by and by the -bull stopped struggling and stood as quiet as a lamb. But the lad held -fast to the bull’s horns, and all the time the black crows flew about -his head, but never once so much as touched him. - -At last a cock crew, and then they all changed again into cows, and the -lad drove them back into the stable once more, and there they were. - -By and by came the Grey Master. “Well,” said he, “and did you watch the -black cattle?” - -Oh, yes, the lad had watched them, and it was no such hard task to do; -there they were in the stable yonder, safe and sound. - -Then you should have seen what a sour face the Master pulled over the -business! All the same, he had to pay the lad; so what did he want for -his wages? - -“Oh!” said the lad, “it is little that I want. If you will let me have -the key that hangs back of the kitchen door I will be satisfied.” So the -Grey Master had to go and get it for him, though he would rather have -given him one of his eye-teeth. - -Off marched the lad with what he had come for, and that is more than -most of us get. But the Grey Master was not for letting him off so easy -as all that, I can tell you, for the more he thought over the business -the less he liked to give up the key of wish-house. - -So after a while he took down the Sword of Sharpness which hung against -the wall, slipped his feet into the Shoes of Speed that stood in the -corner, took a peep into the Book of Knowledge which lay upon the shelf, -to see which way the lad had gone, and then set off after him hot-foot, -to get back what he had given away. - -Just as the lad got to where the apple-tree stood he looked over his -shoulder, and there he saw the Grey Master coming over the hills. - -“And where shall I go now,” says he. - -“One good turn deserves another,” said the apple-tree; “just come under -my branches.” - -The lad did as he was told, and the apple-tree drooped its branches -about him, until one could see neither hide nor hair of him. - -By and by up came the Grey Master puffing and blowing. “Apple-tree,” -says he, “did you see the fisher-lad come by this way?” - -No, the apple-tree had seen nobody go past that place. So back went the -Master home again to have another look into his Book of Knowledge. There -he saw as clear as day what sort of trick had been played upon him. Off -he started again after the lad at such a rate that the ground smoked -under his feet. - -But the lad had lost no time either, so that when he looked over his -shoulder and saw the Grey Master coming across the hills behind him, he -had gone as far as the brook. - -“One good turn deserves another,” said the brook, and it made itself -small and smaller, so that the lad stepped over without wetting so much -as the sole of his foot. Then it spread itself out again three times as -broad as before. Presently up came the Master, fuming like a pot on the -fire. - -“Brook,” says he, “did you see the fisher-lad go by this way?” - -“Yes,” said the brook; “there he is just on the other side.” And there -he was sure enough. - -The Grey Master never stopped to take off his shoes and stockings, but -into the water he splashed as fast as he could go. Just as he reached -the middle of the stream the brook began to swell, and grew large and -larger until it carried away the Grey Master like a cork in the gutter, -and there was an end of him. - -After that the lad went on without hurrying any more than he chose, -until he came to the side of the mountain. He took the eagle’s feather -from out his cap and threw it up in the air, and there was the eagle -before he had time to grow tired of waiting. - -He sat him upon the eagle’s back, and away they flew, and on and on -without stopping until they came to the house where the queen of the -birds lived. There was Father Longlegs (the stork) waiting for them. He -took his turn of carrying the lad, and when they stopped it was just -over beyond the king’s castle. - -But the lad had been out into the world, and had learned a thing or two. - -“See now,” says he, “it was hasty cooking that burned the broth;” and so -he would not go up to the castle with his key of wish-house without -first trying what door he could unlock with it himself. He took it out -of his pocket and struck it a rap or two upon the ground. - -“I should like,” says he, “to have golden clothes upon my back, and to -have a golden horse and a golden greyhound that shall chase a golden -hare.” That was what he said, and he did not have to say it twice; for -before he could wink there they were standing beside him just as he -wanted. He leaped upon his horse and away he rode after the greyhound -and the golden hare. - -How the people in the castle did stare when they saw him riding past! -The princess herself ran to the window to see the fine sight, and as for -the king, he sent six of his knights posting after the fisher-lad, for -he thought that it was some great lord who had come into those parts. - -[Illustration: The Grey Master is caught in the stream and is swept -away, but y^e Fisher Lad crosses it dry-shod. ):(] - -By and by the lad came to a thicket, and there he jumped off of his -horse and rapped upon the ground with his key. - -“I wish to be as I was before,” says he, and then he was the poor -fisher-lad and nothing else. As for the golden clothes, the golden -horse, the golden greyhound, and the golden hare, they went back to -Nomansland whither they had come; and when the king’s people came riding -up there was nobody but a lad in rags and tatters whistling into a key. - -They hunted up and they hunted down, but they could find neither sign -nor trace of the golden rider and the golden horse. So after a while -they had to ride back to the castle without them. - -“You should have brought the lad who blew upon the key,” said the -princess. - -The next day the lad rapped upon the ground with his key again. - -“I should like to have,” says he, “a golden coach drawn by six -milk-white horses, with coachman and footman and out-riders dressed in -clothes of gold and silver.” - -That was what he said; and there they were just as he wanted. Into the -coach he got, and off he rode down by the king’s castle. - -Dear, dear, how the folks did stare, to be sure! This time the king sent -twelve knights after the golden coach, for he thought it must be a king -or a prince for certain who rode by in such style. - -Pretty soon the lad came to a woods, and there he jumped out of the -coach and rapped upon the ground with his key. - -“I want to be just as I was before,” says he; and, sure enough, he was. - -Up clattered the twelve knights on their horses, and there sat the lad -in rags and tatters whistling upon his key. - -The twelve knights hunted high and hunted low, and not another soul -could they find, and so they had to ride back to the castle again. - -“See now,” said the princess, “did I not say that you should have -brought the lad who blew upon the key?” - -The next day the lad went out and rapped upon the ground for the third -time. - -“I should like,” said he, “to have a splendid castle all built of silver -and gold, such as nobody ever saw before.” - -That was what he said, and before the words had left his tongue just -such a great castle grew up out of nothing like a soap-bubble. - -[Illustration: The Princess finds the Fisher Lad with the key of Luck’s -house. ¶] - -The king chanced to look out of the window just then, and there was the -great splendid gold and silver castle. He took off his spectacles and -rubbed them and rubbed them, but there was the castle just the same as -ever. - -He bade them saddle the horses, and he and the princess, and all of the -court besides, rode away to find out who it was that had built such a -fine castle all in one night. - -But the lad saw them coming, and rapped upon the ground with his key. “I -should like,” said he, “for things to be just as they were before;” and -puff! away went the castle like the light of a candle when one blows it -out. - -Up came the king and the princess and all the court, and not a speck of -the grand castle could they find, but only a lad in rags and tatters who -sat upon a great round stone and whistled upon a key. - -But the princess was a lass who could see through a millstone with a -hole in it. So soon as she set eyes upon him she knew the whole business -from beginning to end. Up she marched to him, before them all, and took -him by the hand. “Now I will marry you,” said she, “for I see that you -have brought the key of wish-house with you;” and there she was as wise -as ever. For there be many kings and princes in the world, but I have -never yet heard of any one except the fisher-lad who had the key of -wish-house. Have you? - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Nine O’clock· - - - The _School-bell_ rings; [Sidenote: ☉] - The _Children_ all - Must answer to - The _Master’s_ call. [Sidenote: _Cloudy and warm._] - - The _Master_ has - A crooked _Nose_; - He whips the _Boys_, - And puffs, and blows; - - He makes them stand - And walk by _Rule_, - And bow before - They leave the _School_. - - K.P. - - - - -[Illustration: The White Bird.] - - IX. - - -Once there was a king, who, as time went on, found himself waxing old in -years and feeble in body, so he began to think of giving up the cares of -government and of taking his ease for as much of life as was left him. -But here was the trouble: there were three princes, and each one of them -was just as clever as the other two, so that the old king could not tell -which to choose as the right one to sit in his place. He thought and -thought and thought, until at last he plucked an apple off of his -thinking-tree, as folks say. All three of the princes should go out into -the world, and whichever of them should fetch back an apple from the -Tree of Happiness should rule over all of the kingdom. And I speak the -truth when I say that the apple was cheap enough even at that price. - -So off went the three to seek for what they wanted. They travelled along -without let or stay until towards evening they came to a place where two -houses stood, the one on the one side of the road and the other on the -other. - -One of them was as fine a house as a body ever saw. Every window was lit -up by the warm fires and the bright lights within, and even out on the -high-road one could hear the merry times the folks were having; laughing -and singing and clinking their glasses together. As for the good things -cooking in the kitchen, why it was enough to make one hungry just to -smell the steam of them. Over the door was a sign, and on the sign was -written, - - “WHO ENTERS HERE SHALL HAVE WHAT - HE LIKES AND PAY NOTHING FOR IT.” - -The other house was a poor, mean, little, tumble-down hut, as silent as -death, and with never a spark of light or fire shining at the windows. -There was also a sign over the door, and on the sign was written, - - “WHO ENTERS HERE SHALL HAVE WHAT HE - NEEDS AND PAY WHAT HE CAN.” - -“Yonder is the place for us,” said the older brothers, and they pointed -with their thumbs to the grand house, where there was good company with -plenty to eat and drink and nothing to pay. - -“Yes,” says the youngest of the three, “that is all very well, but I -would rather pay for what I need than get what I like for nothing.” - -Dear, dear, how the two did laugh at the one to be sure! but all the -same, the one held to what he had said, and so at last the two flew into -a huff. “Go your way,” said they, “and we will go ours.” And into the -grand house they went. There they gave themselves up to ease and -comfort, and it was a merry time they had of it, I can tell you. - -But the youngest brother went over to the little dark house and knocked -upon the door, and it was opened by a poor old man whose head and beard -were as white as the snow, and whose clothes hung about him all in tags -and tatters. - -“Come in and welcome,” said he, “for you are the first who has been here -for twenty-seven ages;” and that is a long time, as anybody knows -without the telling. - -But in the little house there was no wood to make a fire, and there was -no water to boil in the pot. So the prince took the axe and went out and -chopped an armful of wood, and then he took the pot and filled it at the -well. - -Out in the stable stood a white cow with silver horns; but there was -never a straw for it to lie upon, and never a bit of hay for it to eat. -So the prince shook down a bed for it, and then he filled the rack with -hay and left it munching away for dear life. - -Out in the yard was a red cock and a white hen, but though they -scratched and scratched it was never a grain that they found. So the -prince threw them a handful of barley and left them pecking away at it, -as though they had not seen the like for a week of Sundays. - -[Illustration: The Prince knocks at the door of the poor, mean, little -house and not the great, rich one. ¶] - -After he had done all these things, he and the old man sat down to -supper together, and, if it was not of the finest, why the prince had a -good appetite, and one can have no better sauce to a crust than that. - -The prince stayed all night, and the next morning he was for jogging on -his way. But before he went he offered the old man what money he had, -because anybody could read the sign over the door. - -But the old man shook his head. “No, no,” said he, “you have paid your -score. You have given what you can, and you shall have what you need. -Here is a little book, and in it you may read whatever you wish to know. -Go out into the stable and you will find a barley straw back of the -white cow’s ear. Take that with you, for you will need it. Look in the -manger and you will find an egg that the white hen has laid; take it -with you also, for it is worth the having.” - -Then he said good-bye and shut the door, and that was the last the -prince saw of him. - -The prince went to the stable, and there he found the barley straw and -the egg, just as the old man had said, and off he marched with them. - -He went to the grand house over the way and called his brothers, but -they only came to the windows and laughed and jeered at him. “No, no,” -said they, “we are going no farther along the road, for we know very -well when the world is smooth with us. The Fruit of Happiness can bring -us nothing better than what we have at hand.” - -And so the young prince had to trudge away by himself. But what to do -with the straw and the egg he knew no more than my grandmother’s cat. So -he opened his little book, and this was what it said between the leaves: - -“_Mount the straw and ride it whither it takes you._” - -“So,” said the prince; “that would be a strange thing to do for sure and -certain. All the same, an easy task is worth the trying;” so he just -flung his leg over the straw and—whisk! pop!—there he was, astride of a -great splendid horse with smooth hair as yellow as gold. - -That straw was a straw worth having! - -And the best part of the matter was that the prince had no need to draw -the bridle-rein either to the right or to the left; for the yellow horse -took the bit in his teeth and away he pounded so that the ground smoked -under his hoofs, and the wind whistled back of the prince’s ears. By and -by they came to a great sandy desert place where not a twig or a leaf -was to be seen, but only white bones scattered here and there, for the -prince was not the first by many who had tried to cross that desert to -the Tree of Happiness. - -[Illustration: The Prince finds y^e three giants sleeping under the tree -of life & snoring away like everything. ¶] - -But he had better luck than the others, for the yellow horse carried him -along like the wind, and on and on until at last he came within sight of -the Tree of Happiness. There sat three terrible giants, an old giant and -his two sons, and alongside of each lay a great iron club with sharp -spikes in the end of it. But all three sat with their eyes shut, -sleeping away as though they would never awaken. And that was a good -thing for the prince, for he had never seen such terrible, -wicked-looking creatures as the old giant and his two sons. He leaped -from off the back of the yellow horse, and there it was, nothing but a -barley straw. He put it in his pocket and took out his Book of Knowledge -and opened it. This was what it said: - -“_Fear not the giants, for they will not awake; but touch neither the -golden fruit nor the silver fruit, for they are not for you._” - -When the prince read what the Book of Knowledge said, he knew that it -was so. Up he marched to the Tree of Happiness as bold as bold could be, -and the giants snored away so that the leaves shook. - -There hung three apples; the first was of gleaming gold, the second was -of shining silver, and the third was just a poor, weazened, shrivelled -thing, that looked as though there were not three drops of juice in it. - -“Prut!” says the prince, “it can never be that I have travelled all this -way for nothing in the world but a dead apple. After all, it must be the -golden fruit that I am to take, in spite of what the Book of Knowledge -said; for if happiness is to be found in anything, it is to be found in -such as it.” - -So he reached up his hand and plucked the golden apple, and then—hi! -what a hubbub, for the Tree of Happiness began to clamor and call as -though every leaf on it had become a tongue to speak with. - -“Help! help!” it cried. “Here is one coming to rob us of our golden -fruit!” - -Up jumped the three giants, and each one snatched up his iron club and -came at the prince as though to put an end to him without any more talk -over the business. But the prince begged and prayed and prayed and -begged that they would spare his life. - -“Listen,” said the old giant; “if you will promise to bring us the Sword -of Brightness that shines in the darkness and cuts whatsoever the edge -is turned against, we will not only spare your life, but give you the -Fruit of Happiness into the bargain.” That was what the old giant said, -and the others agreed to it; for if they could once lay hand upon such a -sword as that they would be masters of all the world. - -Well, the prince promised that he would get them the Sword of -Brightness, for one will promise much before one will be knocked on the -head with an iron club; and then the giant let him go, and glad enough -he was to get away. - -Off he went back of the hill. He drew out his barley straw and threw his -leg over it, and there he sat astride of his yellow horse again. - -“I should like,” said he, “to be carried to where I can find the Sword -of Brightness that shines in the darkness and cuts whatever its edge is -turned against.” That was all that he had to say, and away clattered the -yellow horse over stock and stone so that the ground smoked beneath his -hoofs. On they went and on they went for a great long while, until at -last they came to a tall castle as black as your hat, and there was -where the Sword of Brightness was to be found. In front of the castle -gate lay two great fiery dragons, with smoke coming up out of their -nostrils instead of the breath of life, and all over their bodies were -brazen scales that shone like gold in the sunlight. But both dragons -were sound asleep. - -Inside of the court-yard were many and one fierce soldiers armed in -shining armor and each with a battle-axe or a sword or an iron club -lying beside him; but they too were as sound asleep as the dragon. - -Down jumped the prince from the great yellow horse, and there was the -barley straw again. He took out the Book of Knowledge from his pocket, -and this was what it said: - -“_Fear not the dragons nor the fierce soldiers, for they will not -awaken; but take only the old leathern scabbard with the sword._” - -So up walked the prince as bold as brass, and the soldiers and the -dragons said never a word, but just snored away so that the windows -rattled. Into the castle he walked, and nobody said “No” to him. There -sat an old man, as wicked as sin and as grey as the ashes in the hearth. -He never moved a hair, only his little red eyes turned here and there, -and were never still for a wink. A great keen sword lay on the table in -front of him, and the light on the blade was like the bright flash of -lightning. The prince took the sword up from the table, and the little -old man looked at him, but said never a word, good or bad. - -On the wall hung three scabbards; one was of gold studded all over with -precious stones; another of silver that gleamed like the light of the -moon in frosty weather; and the third was of nothing but old, shabby, -worm-eaten leather that looked as though they had just fetched it down -from the dusty garret. - -“It would be a pity,” said the prince, “to put such a fine sword into -such a poor scabbard. I’ll not choose the gold because of what happened -to me over at the Tree of Happiness yonder, but surely silver is none -too good for the Sword of Brightness.” - -So he took down the silver scabbard and thrust the sword into it, and -therewith dipped his spoon into the wrong pot again; for, no sooner had -he sheathed the sword in the silver scabbard than the old gray man began -to thump on the table in front of him and to bawl at the top of his -voice, “Help! help! here is one come to steal our Sword of Brightness.” - -At this the soldiers outside woke up and began to clash and rattle with -their battle-axes and swords and iron clubs, and the dragons began to -roar and send up clouds of smoke like a chimney afire. - -In ran the soldiers, and were for putting an end to the prince without -another word being said, but he begged and prayed and prayed and begged -that his life might be spared, just as he had done with the giants over -yonder at the Tree of Happiness. - -“Listen,” says the old grey man at last; “if you will promise to bring -me the White Bird from the black mountain, I will not only spare your -life, but will give you the Sword of Brightness into the bargain.” - -Yes, the prince would get the White Bird if anybody in the world could -get it. And thereupon they let him go, and glad enough he was to get -away. - -Back of the hedge he threw his leg over the barley straw. - -“I would like,” said he, “to be taken to where I can find the White Bird -that lives on the black mountain;” and away thundered the yellow horse, -like a storm in June. - -If it was far that they travelled before, it was farther that they -travelled this time. But at last they came to the black mountain, and -the prince jumped off the nag and thrust the straw into his pocket. - -There was not a blade of grass nor a bit of green to be seen on the -hill, but only a great lot of round, black stones scattered from top to -bottom. That was all that was left of the lads who had come that way -before to find the White Bird. - -[Illustration: The Prince finds the sword of brightness where sits an -old man. ∥] - -On the top of the mountain sat an old witch with golden hair, and in her -hand was the White Bird. The prince opened his Book of Knowledge, and -there he read that if one would gain the White Bird one would have to -catch the witch by her golden hair, for then she would be compelled to -grant whatever was asked of her; only he would have to be very careful -in his doings, for if the witch caught sight of him upon the black hill -she would change him into a stone just as she had all the rest who had -come that way. - -But how was he to climb the hill without the witch seeing him? That was -what the prince would like to know. So he turned over another leaf of -the Book of Knowledge, and there it was all in plain black and white. -This was what it said: - -“_Crack the egg of the white hen and put on the cap._” - -The prince cracked the egg, and, sure enough, inside of it was a little -cap of feathers. He put on the feather cap and—whisk!—as quick as a wink -he was changed into a titmouse, which is the least of all the birds in -that land. - -He spread his wings and flew and flew and flew, until he was close -behind the witch where she sat on the black mountain. He took off his -cap and there he was in his own shape again. He caught the old witch by -her golden hair and held her fast. And you should have heard how she -screamed and scolded, and you should have seen how she twisted and -turned! - -But the prince just held fast, and she could make nothing of it for all -her trying. - -“And what do you want, that you come here to torment me?” said she at -last. - -“I want the White Bird,” said the prince; “and I will be satisfied with -nothing else.” It was all to no purpose that the old witch stormed and -scolded, for what he had said he had said, and he would be satisfied -with nothing else. So at last, willy-nilly, she had to give him what he -asked for. - -The prince took it in his hands, and it was a white bird no longer, but -the prettiest lass that ever a body’s eyes looked upon, with cheeks as -red as roses and a skin as white as snow. - -But still the prince held tight to the old witch’s hair, and now what -else was it he was wanting. - -Why, before he would let her go, she must change all the round stones -back again into the lads of flesh and blood they had been before. - -So the old witch had to do that also, and there stood so many good stout -lads in the place of the hard, round stones. - -But still the prince held fast to her golden hair. And what else was it -he was wanting? - -Why, this! The old witch must promise to do no harm to him or to anybody -else who should come that way. The old witch had to promise. And then he -let go of her hair, and you can guess what a rage she was in. - -But the prince cared nothing for that, for he had found what he came -for. - -He took the barley straw out of his pocket and threw his leg over it. -Then he took the princess up behind him on the great yellow horse, and -away he clattered, leaving the witch scolding behind him. - -After a while he came to the black castle; there he took out his Book of -Knowledge, for now that he had the White Bird he could not bear to think -of giving her up; and this was what the book said: - -“_Take the White Bird to the old grey man and he will give you the Sword -of Brightness, turn the edge against him and against the fierce soldiers -and against the two dragons, and then ride away with your White Bird._” - -So up he rode to the black castle, and the fiery dragons let him pass -when they saw that the White Bird rode behind him. The old grey man gave -the lad the Sword of Brightness quickly enough, for the White Bird was -worth that and a great deal more, I can tell you. - -As soon as the prince had hold of the Sword of Brightness, he turned the -keen edge of the blade against the wicked old man and the soldiers and -the dragons; off flew their heads, and there they lay as dead as red -herrings in a box. - -Then he thrust the Sword of Brightness into the leathern scabbard, for -he had learned a grain or two of wisdom by this time, and away he rode -with the White Bird sitting behind him. - -On they rode and on they rode until they came to the desert place and -the Tree of Happiness. And then the prince took out his Book of Wisdom -and turned over the leaves, for he was of no mind to give up the Sword -of Brightness if he could help doing so. - -“_Turn the edge of the blade against the three giants._” - -Thus said the book, and the lad did so, and there they lay all three of -them as dead as stocks. - -I know that this is true which I tell, because since then there have -been no cruel giants to keep a body from getting a taste of the Fruit of -Happiness now and then, if a body chooses to travel that far to find it. -But that is neither here nor there, and what I have to tell is this: - -The young prince rode away towards home with the White Bird sitting -behind him, the Sword of Brightness hanging by his side, and the Fruit -of Happiness in his pocket. - -By and by he came to the place where the two houses stood, the one on -the one side of the road, and the one on the other, and there he took -out his Book of Knowledge to have a peep at it, and this was what it -said: - -“_Buy no black sheep._” - -“Prut!” says the prince, “what should I want with black sheep I should -like to know?” - -By and by he met a great crowd, and in the midst of all the rest were -his two brothers with their hands tied behind them with stout ropes. - -And what were they going to do with the two? That was what the prince -would like to know. - -“Why,” said those who held them, “they have spent all their money at the -great house over yonder, and have run up a score for good things -besides, and now they are packing off to prison because they cannot pay -what they owe.” - -“Come, come,” says the prince, “let them go and I will pay their -reckoning;” and so he did, and that was what the Book of Wisdom meant by -buying black sheep. - -After that they all stepped away homeward, right foot foremost; for -since the young prince had brought the Fruit of Happiness along with -him, there was no need of the other brothers going to look for it. - -By and by they felt weary and sat down by the roadside to rest, and as -they sat there the youngest prince fell asleep. While he slept the elder -brothers stole away the Sword of Brightness and the Fruit of Happiness. -Then they wakened him and made him strip off his fine clothes, and gave -him a parcel of rags and tatters fit for no one but a beggar, and he had -to put them on or go without. - -As for the White Bird, they made her vow and swear that she would say -nothing of all this. Then off they marched with her and with the Sword -of Brightness, and left the prince with never a stitch or a thread that -was worth the having. - -“See,” said they, as soon as they came home, “not only have we brought -the Fruit of Happiness, but the Sword of Brightness and the White Bird -into the bargain.” - -As for the youngest brother, they told the king that he had stopped over -at the tavern yonder, and had spent all his money in eating and -drinking, just as they themselves had really done. - -[Illustration: The Prince sits down beside y^e garden-gate and only one -knoweth him.] - -But the White Bird did nothing but weep and weep, and neither this -brother nor that could draw the Sword of Brightness from its leathern -scabbard. And when the king came to taste the Fruit of Happiness, it was -as bitter as gall. So, after all, the two gained nothing by what they -had done. - -But the young prince was not for giving up all that he had lost, without -trying to get what he could back again. Off he marched in his rags and -tatters until he came to the castle where the king, his father, lived. -Up he stepped to the door and knocked, but nobody would let him in -because he looked like nothing but a beggar. So down he sat beside the -gate of the castle garden, since he could not come into the house. - -After a while the folks came out, one by one and two by two, to walk in -the garden and take the air, and all the time the prince sat there and -nobody knew him. - -Last of all came the old king, and with him walked the White Bird. The -king was for passing the lad by as all the rest had done. But as soon as -the White Bird saw him, she knew who he was and ran to him and threw her -arms around his neck and kissed him. - -“Here is my own sweetheart,” said she, “and he has come back to me -again.” - -The prince told the king all that had happened from beginning to end, -and how it really was he who had found the White Bird, the Sword of -Brightness, and the Fruit of Happiness. - -“Yes, yes,” says the king, “that is all very well, but it is just the -tale that your brothers tell; now can you draw the Sword of Brightness -from the leathern scabbard?” - -“Oh, yes,” said the prince, “I can do that easily enough.” So the sword -was brought and—whisk!—he whipped the blade out of the scabbard so that -the light of it dazzled the eyes of everybody that looked upon it. - -Then the king saw what had happened as plain as the nose on his face, -and was for punishing the elder brothers as they deserved, but nobody -could find them, for as soon as they heard that the youngest prince had -come home again they packed off without waiting to learn more news. - -And why do I call this the story of the White Bird? Listen: any Tom or -Jake or Harry might have found the Sword of Brightness or the Fruit of -Happiness; but you may depend upon it that nobody but a real prince -could ever have found the White Bird. - - - - -[Illustration] - - Ten O’clock· - - - The _Children_ drone [Sidenote: ♓︎] - In sing-song tone, - The _Master’s_ shoes creak on the _Floor_. - They’re baking _Pies_ - At _Home_, and _Flies_ [Sidenote: _Good weather for farming._] - Buzz in and out the open _Door_. - - The _Beds_ are made; - The _Pans_ are laid - Out in the pleasant _Sun_ to dry. - Good _Gretchen_ takes - Some _Dough_, and makes, - For little _John_, a _Saucer Pie_. [Sidenote: KP] - - - - -[Illustration: How the Good Gifts were used by Two.] - - X. - - -This is the way that this story begins: - -Once upon a time there was a rich brother and a poor brother, and the -one lived across the street from the other. - -The rich brother had all of the world’s gear that was good for him and -more besides; as for the poor brother, why, he had hardly enough to keep -soul and body together, yet he was contented with his lot, and -contentment did not sit back of the stove in the rich brother’s house; -wherefore in this the rich brother had less than the poor brother. - -Now these things happened in the good old times when the saints used to -be going hither and thither in the world upon this business and upon -that. So one day, who should come travelling to the town where the rich -brother and the poor brother lived, but Saint Nicholas himself. - -Just beside the town gate stood the great house of the rich brother; -thither went the saint and knocked at the door, and it was the rich -brother himself who came and opened it to him. - -Now, Saint Nicholas had had a long walk of it that day, so that he was -quite covered with dust, and looked no better than he should. Therefore -he seemed to be only a common beggar; and when the rich brother heard -him ask for a night’s lodging at his fine, great house, he gaped like a -toad in a rain-storm. What! Did the traveller think that he kept a free -lodging-house for beggars? If he did he was bringing his grist to the -wrong mill; there was no place for the likes of him in the house, and -that was the truth. But yonder was a poor man’s house across the street, -if he went over there perhaps he could get a night’s lodging and a crust -of bread. That was what the rich brother said, and after he had said it -he banged to the door, and left Saint Nicholas standing on the outside -under the blessed sky. - -So now there was nothing for good Saint Nicholas to do but to go across -the street to the poor brother’s house, as the other had told him to do. -Rap! tap! tap! he knocked at the door, and it was the poor brother who -came and opened it for him. - -“Come in, come in!” says he, “come in and welcome!” - -So in came Saint Nicholas, and sat himself down behind the stove where -it was good and warm, while the poor man’s wife spread before him all -that they had in the house—a loaf of brown bread and a crock of cold -water from the town fountain. - -“And is that all that you have to eat?” said Saint Nicholas. - -Yes; that was all that they had. - -“Then, maybe, I can help you to better,” said Saint Nicholas. “So bring -me hither a bowl and a crock.” - -You may guess that the poor man’s wife was not long in fetching what he -wanted. When they were brought the saint blessed the one and passed his -hand over the other. - -Then he said, “Bowl be filled!” and straightway the bowl began to boil -up with a good rich meat pottage until it was full to the brim. Then the -saint said, “Bowl be stilled!” and it stopped making the broth, and -there stood as good a feast as man could wish for. - -Then Saint Nicholas said, “Crock be filled!” and the crock began to -bubble up with the best of beer. Then he said, “Crock be stilled!” and -there stood as good drink as man ever poured down his throat. - -Down they all sat, the saint and the poor man and the poor man’s wife, -and ate and drank till they could eat and drink no more, and whenever -the bowl and the crock grew empty, the one and the other became filled -at the bidding. - -[Illustration: Saint Nicholas knocks at the rich man’s door but finds -only a chill welcome & cold faring.] - -The next morning the saint trudged off the way he was going, but he left -behind him the bowl and the crock, so that there was no danger of hunger -and thirst coming to that house. - -Well, the world jogged along for a while, maybe a month or two, and life -was as easy for the poor man and his wife as an old shoe. One day the -rich brother said to _his_ wife. “See now, Luck seems to be stroking our -brother over yonder the right way; I’ll just go and see what it all -means.” - -So over the street he went, and found the poor man at home. Down he sat -back of the stove and began to chatter and talk and talk and chatter, -and the upshot of the matter was that, bit by bit, he dragged out the -whole story from the poor man. Then nothing would do but he must see the -bowl and the crock at work. So the bowl and the crock were brought and -set to work and—Hui!—how the rich brother opened his eyes when he saw -them making good broth and beer of themselves. - -And now he must and would have that bowl and crock. At first the poor -brother said “No,” but the other bargained and bargained until, at last, -the poor man consented to let him have the two for a hundred dollars. So -the rich brother paid down his hundred dollars, and off he marched with -what he wanted. - -When the next day had come, the rich brother said to his wife, “Never -you mind about the dinner to-day. Go you into the harvest-field, and I -will see to the dinner.” So off went the wife with the harvesters, and -the husband stayed at home and smoked his pipe all the morning, for he -knew that dinner would be ready at the bidding. So when noontide had -come he took out the bowl and the crock, and, placing them on the table, -said, “Bowl be filled! crock be filled!” and straightway they began -making broth and beer as fast as they could. - -In a little while the bowl and the crock were filled, and then they -could hold no more, so that the broth and beer ran down all over the -table and the floor. Then the rich brother was in a pretty pickle, for -he did not know how to bid the bowl and the crock to stop from making -what they were making. Out he ran and across the street to the poor -man’s house, and meanwhile the broth and beer filled the whole room -until it could hold no more, and then ran out into the gutters so that -all the pigs and dogs in the town had a feast that day. - -“Oh, dear brother!” cried the rich man to the poor man, “do tell me what -to do or the whole town will soon be smothered in broth and beer.” - -But, no; the poor brother was not to be stirred in such haste; they -would have to strike a bit of a bargain first. So the upshot of the -matter was that the rich brother had to pay the poor brother another -hundred dollars to take the crock and the bowl back again. - -[Illustration: Saint Nicholas blesses the poor man’s crock and bowl with -food and drink.] - -See, now, what comes of being covetous! - -As for the poor man, he was well off in the world, for he had all that -he could eat and drink, and a stockingful of money back of the stove -besides. - -Well, time went along as time does, and now it was Saint Christopher who -was thinking about taking a little journey below. “See, brother,” says -Saint Nicholas to him, “if you chance to be jogging by yonder town, stop -at the poor man’s house, for there you will have a warm welcome and -plenty to eat.” - -But when Saint Christopher came to the town, the rich man’s house seemed -so much larger and finer than the poor man’s house, that he thought that -he would ask for lodging there. - -But it fared the same with him that it had with Saint Nicholas. Prut! -Did he think that the rich man kept free lodgings for beggars? -And—bang!—the door was slammed in his face, and off packed the saint -with a flea in his ear. - -Over he went to the poor man’s house, and there was a warm welcome for -him, and good broth and beer from the bowl and the crock that Saint -Nicholas had blessed. After he had supped he went to bed, where he slept -as snug and warm as a mouse in the nest. - -Then the good wife said to the husband, “See, now, the poor fellow’s -shirt is none too good for him to be wearing. I’ll just make him another -while he is sleeping, so that he’ll have a decent bit of linen to wear -in the morning.” - -So she brought her best roll of linen out of the closet, and set to work -stitching and sewing, and never stopped till she had made the new shirt -to the last button. The next morning, when the saint awoke, there lay -the nice, new, clean shirt, and he put it on and gave thanks for it. - -Before he left the house the poor man took him aside, and emptied the -stockingful of silver money on the table, and bade the saint take what -he wanted, “for,” says he, “a penny or two is never amiss in the great -world.” - -After that it was time for the traveller to be jogging; but before he -went he said, “See, now, because you have been so kind and so good to a -poor wayfarer, I will give you a blessing; whatever you begin doing this -morning, you shall continue doing till sunset.” So saying, he took up -his staff and went his way. - -[Illustration: The Poor Man welcomes Saint Christopher to his house.] - -After Saint Christopher had gone the poor man and his wife began talking -together as to what would be best for them to be doing all of the day, -and one said one thing and the other said the other, but every plug was -too small for the hole, as we say in our town, for nothing seemed to fit -the case. - -“Come, come,” said the good woman, “here we are losing time that can -never be handled again. While we are talking the matter over I will be -folding the linen that is left from making the shirt.” - -“And I,” said the good man, “will be putting the money away that the -holy man left behind him.” - -So the wife began folding the linen into a bundle again, and the man -began putting away the money that he had offered in charity. Thus they -began doing, and thus they kept on doing; so that by the time that the -evening had come the whole house was full of fine linen, and every tub -and bucket and mug and jug about the place was brimming with silver -money. As for the good couple, their fortune was made, and that is the -heart of the whole matter in four words. - -That night who should come over from across the street but the rich -brother, with his pipe in his mouth and his hands in his pockets. But -when he saw how very rich the poor man had become all of a sudden, and -what a store of fine linen and silver money he had, he was so -wonder-struck that he did not know whither to look and what to think. - -Dear heart’s sake alive! Where did all these fine things come from? That -was what he should like to know. - -Oh! there was nothing to hide in the matter, and the poor man told all -about what had happened. - -As for the rich brother, when he found how he had shut his door in the -face of good-fortune, he rapped his head with his knuckles because he -was so angry at his own foolishness. However, crying never mended a torn -jacket, so he made the poor brother promise that if either of the saints -came that way again, they should be sent over to his house for a night’s -lodging, for it was only fair and just that he should have a share of -the same cake his brother had eaten. - -So the poor brother promised to do what the other wanted, and after that -the rich brother went back home again. - -Well, a year and a day passed, and then, sure enough, who should come -along that way but both the saints together, arm in arm. Rap! tap! tap! -they knocked at the poor man’s door, for they thought that where they -had had good lodging before they could get it again. And so they could -and welcome, only the poor brother told them that his rich brother -across the street had asked that they should come and lodge at the fine -house when they came that way again. - -[Illustration: The rich man spreads a feast for the Saints.] - -The saints were willing enough to go to the rich brother’s house, though -they would rather have stayed with the other. So over they went, and -when the rich brother saw them coming he ran out to meet them, and shook -each of them by the hand, and bade them to come in and sit down back of -the stove where it was warm. - -But you should have seen the feast that was set for the two saints at -the rich brother’s house! I can only say that I never saw the like, and -I only wish that I had been there with my legs under the table. After -supper they were shown to a grand room, where each saint had a bed all -to his very own self, and before they were fairly asleep the rich man’s -wife came and took away their old shirts, and laid a shirt of fine -cambric linen in the place of each. When the next morning came and the -saints were about to take their leave, the rich brother brought out a -great bag of golden money, and bade them to stuff what they would of it -into their pockets. - -Well, all this was as it should be, and before the two went on their way -they said that they would give the same blessing to him and his wife -that they had given to the other couple—that whatsoever they should -begin doing that morning, that they should continue doing until sunset. - -After that they put on their hats and took up their staffs, and off they -plodded. - -Now the rich brother was a very envious man, and was not contented to do -only as well as his brother had done, no indeed! He would do something -that would make him even richer than counting out money for himself all -day. So down he sat back of the stove and began turning the matter over -in his mind, and rubbing up his wits to make them the brighter. - -In the meantime the wife said to herself, “See, now, I shall be folding -fine cambric linen all day, and the pigs will have to go with nothing to -eat. I have no time to waste in feeding them, but I’ll just run out and -fill their troughs with water at any rate.” - -So out she went with a bucketful of water which she began pouring into -the troughs for the pigs. That was the first thing she did, and after -that there was no leaving off, but pour water she must until sunset. - -All this while the man sat back of the stove, warming his wits and -saying to himself, “Shall I do this? shall I do that?” and answering -“No” to himself every time. At last he began wondering what his wife was -doing, so out he went to find her. Find her he did, for there she was -pouring out water to the pigs. Then if anybody was angry it was the rich -man. “What!” cried he, “and is this the way that you waste the gifts of -the blessed saints?”. - -So saying, he looked around, and there lay a bit of a switch on the -ground near by. He picked up the bit of a switch and struck the woman -across the shoulders with it, and that was the first thing that he began -doing. After that he had to keep on doing the same. - -So the woman poured water and poured water, and the man stood by and -beat her with the little switch until there was nothing left of it, and -that was what they did all day. - -And what is more, they made such a hubbub that the neighbors came to see -what was going forward. They looked and laughed and went away again, and -others came, and there stood the two—the woman pouring water and the man -beating her with the bit of a switch. - -When the evening came, and they left off their work, they were so weary -that they could hardly stand; and nothing was to show for it but a -broken switch and a wet sty, for even the blessed saints cannot give -wisdom to those who will have none of it, and that is the truth. - -And such is the end of this story, with only this to tell: Tommy Pfouce -tells me that there are folks, even in these wise times, who, if they -did all day what they began in the morning, would find themselves at -sunset doing no better work than pouring pure water to pigs. - -That is the small kernel to this great nut. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Eleven O’clock· - - - The _Cook_ undoes the _Oven Door_; [Sidenote: _Hot and dusty._] - The _Kobold_ smells the baking _Pies_; - Licking his _Lips_, with glistening _Eyes_, - He hops across the _Floor_. [Sidenote: K⊕P.] - - Our fat, old _Betty_ sweats and blows; - She does not see how near he stands, - And when she bangs the _Door, Good Lands_! - It’ most cuts off his _Nose_. - - - - -[Illustration: How Boots befooled the King.] - - XI. - - -Once upon a time there was a king who was the wisest in all of the -world. So wise was he that no one had ever befooled him, which is a rare -thing, I can tell you. Now, this king had a daughter who was as pretty -as a ripe apple, so that there was no end to the number of the lads who -came asking to marry her. Every day there were two or three of them -dawdling around the house, so that at last the old king grew tired of -having them always about. - -So he sent word far and near that whoever should befool him might have -the princess and half of the kingdom to boot, for he thought that it -would be a wise man indeed who could trick him. But the king also said, -that whoever should try to befool him and should fail, should have a -good whipping. This was to keep all foolish fellows away. - -The princess was so pretty that there was no lack of lads who came to -have a try for her and half of the kingdom, but every one of these went -away with a sore back and no luck. - -Now, there was a man who was well off in the world, and who had three -sons; the first was named Peter, and the second was named Paul. Peter -and Paul thought themselves as wise as anybody in all of the world, and -their father thought as they did. - -As for the youngest son, he was named Boots. Nobody thought anything of -him except that he was silly, for he did nothing but sit poking in the -warm ashes all of the day. - -One morning Peter spoke up and said that he was going to the town to -have a try at befooling the king, for it would be a fine thing to have a -princess in the family. His father did not say no, for if anybody was -wise enough to befool the king, Peter was the lad. - -So, after Peter had eaten a good breakfast, off he set for the town, -right foot foremost. After a while he came to the king’s house and—rap! -tap! tap!—he knocked at the door. - -Well; what did he want? - -Oh! he would only like to have a try at befooling the king. - -Very good; he should have his try. He was not the first one who had been -there that morning, early as it was. - -So Peter was shown in to the king. - -“Oh, look!” said he, “yonder are three black geese out in the -court-yard” - -But no, the king was not to be fooled so easily as all that. “One goose -is enough to look at at a time,” said he; “take him away and give him a -whipping!” - -And so they did, and Peter went home bleating like a sheep. - -One day Paul spoke up. “I should like to go and have a try for the -princess, too,” said he. - -Well, his father did not say no, for, after all, Paul was the more -clever of the two. - -So off Paul went as merrily as a duck in the rain. By and by he came to -the castle, and then he too was brought before the king just as Peter -had been. - -“Oh, look!” said he, “yonder is a crow sitting in the tree with three -white stripes on his back!” - -But the king was not so silly as to be fooled in that way. “Here is a -Jack,” said he, “who will soon have more stripes on his back than he -will like. Take him away and give him his whipping!” - -Then it was done as the king had said, and Paul went away home bawling -like a calf. - -One day up spoke Boots. “I should like to go and have a try for the -pretty princess, too,” said he. - -[Illustration: Peter goes to the castle to befool the king, dressed in -his finest clothes.] - -At this they all stared and sniggered. What! he go where his clever -brothers had failed, and had nothing to show for the trying but a good -beating? What had come over the lout! Here was a pretty business, to be -sure! That was what they all said. - -But all of this rolled away from Boots like water from a duck’s back. No -matter, he would like to go and have a try like the others. So he begged -and begged until his father was glad to let him go to be rid of his -teasing, if nothing else. - -Then Boots asked if he might have the old tattered hat that hung back of -the chimney. - -Oh, yes, he might have that if he wanted it, for nobody with good wits -was likely to wear such a thing. - -So Boots took the hat, and after he had brushed the ashes from his shoes -set off for the town, whistling as he went. - -The first body whom he met was an old woman with a great load of -earthenware pots and crocks on her shoulders. - -“Good-day, mother,” said Boots. - -“Good-day, son,” said she. - -“What will you take for all of your pots and crocks?” said Boots. - -“Three shillings,” said she. - -“I will give you five shillings if you will come and stand in front of -the king’s house, and do thus and so when I say this and that,” said -Boots. - -Oh, yes! she would do that willingly enough. - -So Boots and the old woman went on together, and presently came to the -king’s house. When they had come there, Boots sat down in front of the -door and began bawling as loud as he could—“No, I will not! I will not -do it, I say! No, I will not do it!” - -So he kept on, bawling louder and louder until he made such a noise -that, at last, the king himself came out to see what all of the hubbub -was about. But when Boots saw him he only bawled out louder than ever, -“No, I will not! I will not do it, I say!” - -“Stop! stop!” cried the king, “what is all this about?” - -“Why,” said Boots, “everybody wants to buy my cap, but I will not sell -it! I will not do it, I say!” - -“But, why should anybody want to buy such a cap as that?” said the king. - -“Because,” said Boots, “it is a fooling cap and the only one in all of -the world.” - -[Illustration: Paul comes home again from the king’s castle with no -luck. ¶] - -“A fooling cap!” said the king. For he did not like to hear of such a -cap as that coming into the town. “Hum-m-m-m! I should like to see you -fool somebody with it. Could you fool that old body yonder with the pots -and the crocks?” - -“Oh, yes! that is easily enough done,” said Boots, and without more ado -he took off his tattered cap and blew into it. Then he put it on his -head again and bawled out, “Break pots! break pots!” - -No sooner had he spoken these words than the old woman jumped up and -began breaking and smashing her pots and crocks as though she had gone -crazy. That was what Boots had paid her five shillings for doing, but of -it the king knew nothing. “Hui!” said he to himself, “I must buy that -hat from the fellow or he will fool the princess away from me for sure -and certain.” Then he began talking to Boots as sweetly as though he had -honey in his mouth. Perhaps Boots would sell the hat to him? - -Oh, no! Boots could not think of such a thing as selling his fooling -cap. - -Come, come; the king wanted that hat, and sooner than miss buying it he -would give a whole bag of gold money for it. - -At this Boots looked up and looked down, scratching his head. Well, he -supposed he would have to sell the hat some time, and the king might as -well have it as anybody else. But for all that he did not like parting -with it. - -So the king gave Boots the bag of gold, and Boots gave the king the old -tattered hat, and then he went his way. - -After Boots had gone the king blew into the hat and blew into the hat, -but though he blew enough breath into it to sail a big ship, he did not -befool so much as a single titmouse. Then, at last, he began to see that -the fooling cap was good on nobody else’s head but Boots’s; and he was -none too pleased at that, you may be sure. - -As for Boots, with his bag of gold he bought the finest clothes that -were to be had in the town, and when the next morning had come he -started away bright and early for the king’s house. “I have come,” said -he, “to marry the princess, if you please.” - -At this the king hemmed and hawed and scratched his head. Yes; Boots had -befooled him sure enough, but, after all, he could not give up the -princess for such a thing as that. Still, he would give Boots another -chance. Now, there was the high-councillor, who was the wisest man in -all of the world. Did Boots think that he could fool him also? - -Oh, yes! Boots thought that it might be done. - -[Illustration: The old woman smashes pots and things at Boots’ bidding. -)(] - -Very well; if he could befool the high-councillor so as to bring him to -the castle the next morning against his will, Boots should have the -princess and the half of the kingdom; if he did not do so he should have -his beating. - -Then Boots went away, and the king thought that he was rid of him now -for good and all. - -As for the high-councillor, he was not pleased with the matter at all, -for he did not like the thought of being fooled by a clever rogue, and -taken here and there against his will. So when he had come home, he -armed all of his servants with blunderbusses, and then waited to give -Boots a welcome when he should come. - -But Boots was not going to fall into any such trap as that! No indeed! -not he! The next morning he went quietly and bought a fine large -meal-sack. Then he put a black wig over his beautiful red hair, so that -no one might know him. After that he went to the place where the -high-councillor lived, and when he had come there he crawled inside of -the sack, and lay just beside the door of the house. - -By and by came one of the maid servants to the door, and there lay the -great meal-sack with somebody in it. - -“Ach!” cried she, “who is there?” - -But Boots only said, “Sh-h-h-h-h!” - -Then the serving maid went back into the house, and told the -high-councillor that one lay outside in a great meal-sack, and that all -that he said was, “Sh-h-h-h-h!” - -So the councillor went himself to see what it was all about. “What do -you want here?” said he. - -“Sh-h-h-h-h!” said Boots, “I am not to be talked to now. This is a -wisdom-sack, and I am learning wisdom as fast as a drake can eat peas.” - -“And what wisdom have you learned?” said the councillor. - -Oh! Boots had learned wisdom about everything in the world. He had -learned that the clever scamp who had fooled the king yesterday was -coming with seventeen tall men to take the high-councillor, willy-nilly, -to the castle that morning. - -When the high-councillor heard this he fell to trembling till his teeth -rattled in his head. “And have you learned how I can get the better of -this clever scamp?” said he. - -Oh, yes! Boots had learned that easily enough. - -[Illustration: The Councilor finds one in the Sack who teaches him -wisdom. ¶] - -So, good! then if the wise man in the sack would tell the -high-councillor how to escape the clever rogue, the high-councillor -would give the wise man twenty dollars. - -But no, that was not to be done; wisdom was not bought so cheaply as the -high-councillor seemed to think. - -Well, the councillor would give him a hundred dollars then. - -That was good! A hundred dollars were a hundred dollars. If the -councillor would give him that much he might get into the sack himself, -and then he could learn all the wisdom that he wanted, and more besides. - -So Boots crawled out of the sack, and the councillor paid his hundred -dollars and crawled in. - -As soon as he was in all snug and safe, Boots drew the mouth of the sack -together and tied it tightly. Then he flung sack, councillor, and all -over his shoulder, and started away to the king’s house, and anybody who -met them could see with half an eye that the councillor was going -against his will. - -When Boots came to the king’s castle he laid the councillor down in the -goose-house, and then he went to the king. - -When the king saw Boots again, he bit his lips with vexation. “Well,” -said he, “have you fooled the councillor?” - -“Oh, yes!” says Boots, “I have done that.” - -And where was the councillor now? - -Oh, Boots had just left him down in the goose-house. He was tied up safe -and sound in a sack, waiting till the king should send for him. - -So the councillor was sent for, and when he came the king saw at once -that he had been brought against his will. - -“And now may I marry the princess?” said Boots. - -But the king was not willing for him to marry the princess yet; no! no! -Boots must not go so fast. There was more to be done yet. If he would -come to-morrow morning he might have the princess and welcome, but he -would have to pick her out from among fourscore other maids just like -her; did he think that he could do that? - -Oh, yes! Boots thought that that might be easy enough to do. - -So, good! then come to-morrow; but he must understand that if he failed -he should have a good whipping, and be sent packing from the town. - -So off went Boots, and the king thought that he was rid of him now, for -he had never seen the princess, and how could he pick her out from among -eighty others? - -But Boots was not going to give up so easily as all that! No, not he! He -made a little box, and then he hunted up and down until he had caught a -live mouse to put into it. - -When the next morning came he started away to the king’s house, taking -his mouse along with him in the box. - -There was the king, standing in the doorway, looking out into the -street. When he saw Boots coming towards him he made a wry face. “What!” -said he, “are you back again?” - -Oh, yes! Boots was back again. And now if the princess was ready he -would like to go and find her, for lost time was not to be gathered -again like fallen apples. - -So off they marched to a great room, and there stood eighty-and-one -maidens, all as much alike as peas in the same dish. - -Boots looked here and there, but, even if he had known the princess, he -could not have told her from the others. But he was ready for all that. -Before any one knew what he was about, he opened the box, and out ran -the little mouse among them all. Then what a screaming, and a hubbub -there was! Many looked as though they would have liked to swoon, but -only one of them did so. As soon as the others saw what had happened, -they forgot all about the mouse, and ran to her and fell to fanning her -and slapping her hands and chafing her temples. - -“This is the princess,” said Boots. - -And so it was. - -After that the king could think of nothing more to set Boots to do, so -he let him marry the princess as he had promised, and have half of the -kingdom to boot. - -That is all of this story. - -Only this: It is not always the silliest one that sits kicking his feet -in the ashes at home. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Twelve O’clock· - - - The _Dial_ marks the hour of _Noon_; [Sidenote: ☉ enters] - The _Men_ will come to _Dinner_ soon, - And _Gretchen_ takes the _Beer-Mugs_ down - Into the _Cellar_, cool and brown. - - The _Bread_ is cut, the _Soup_ is hot, [Sidenote: _Dry and Hot._] - The _Cabbage_ simmers in the _Pot_; - The _Mistress_ scolds a clumsy _Maid_, - And _Towzer_ dozes in the _Shade_. - - K.P. - - - - -[Illustration: The Step-mother.] - - XII. - - -Once upon a time there was a man who was well off in the world so far as -good things were concerned; but all the flesh and blood that belonged to -him was a daughter, for his wife was dead, and he lived alone. - -One day he went away from home and was gone for a long, long time, and -when he came back again he brought a new wife with him, for that was the -business that he had been about. As for the woman, she was as wicked as -she was handsome, and as handsome as she was wicked, and whichever of -the two one said of her one spoke the truth; for, though she was the -most beautiful woman in all of the land, she was as great a witch as -ever turned over the leaves of the black book with the red letters in -it. - -At first things went as smoothly in the rich man’s house as butter and -eggs, for the Step-mother was forever petting and caressing the man’s -daughter, and could not make enough of her. But that was only for a -while, for as the maid grew in years she grew prettier and prettier, -until there was none like her in all of that land. - -One day the Step-mother and the step-daughter walked together in the -fields, for it was in the spring-time, the weather was pleasant, and the -grass was fresh and green. Two crows sat on a flowering thorn. - -“Look,” says one crow, “yonder go two beauties.” - -“Yes,” says the other, “but when you talk of good looks, the old one is -to the young one as a cabbage is to a rose.” - -Then, “Caw! caw!” they both cried, and flapped their wings and flew -away. - -That was what the two crows said; and though the maiden knew nothing, -the Step-mother could tell what passed between them as well as could be, -for she had eaten a bite of the white snake, and knew all that the birds -and the beasts said to one another. So her heart grew bitter with hatred -and envy, and she began to cudgel her brains for some means to put the -girl out of the way. That night she made a ball of hollow gold and wrote -this and that upon it, which nobody but herself could read. The next day -she and the girl walked in the fields again, and when nobody was near -the wicked Step-mother took the golden ball out of her pocket. - -“See,” said she, “here is a new plaything for you.” She threw it upon -the ground, and it rolled and rolled and rolled, and, whether she liked -it or not, the maiden had to follow wherever it went. On and on rolled -the ball, for no matter how fast the girl ran she could not catch it. By -and by she came to a dark, lonesome place, where was a great, deep pit. -Into the pit rolled the golden ball, and the poor girl had to follow. So -into the pit she fell, and there she lay, for the sides were as smooth -as glass, and one would have to have feet like a fly to climb from the -bottom to the top. - -As for the witch Step-mother, she was well content with what she had -done, for the two crows sat on the thorn-tree. And— - -“Look,” said the first, “yonder goes the beauty.” - -“It is the truth that you speak,” said the second. “For the other -followed the golden ball and fell into the deep pit!” And then they -clapped their wings and away they flew. - -But the poor girl lay in the deep pit all alone, and cried and cried. - -Suddenly a little door opened—click! clack!—and there was a little grey -man no higher than a body’s knee, but with a long white beard that -touched the ground. - -“Hi!” says he to the step-daughter, “and how came you here in the pit?” - -The girl told him all from beginning to end, and the little man listened -to every word. - -“See, now,” said he, when she had ended her story. “Since you are here -in the deep pit and cannot get out, you shall be the queen of all the -little men like myself, and we shall serve you, for you are the most -beautiful maiden that ever my eyes looked upon.” - -[Illustration: The Step-daughter follows y^e golden ball in spite of -herself. )(] - -So there the maiden lived for many a long day, and the little man and -others like him brought her rich food and wine, and covered all the -inside of the pit with jewels and with gold, so that it was most -splendid to see. And every day the maiden grew more and more beautiful. - -One day the young king of that country went a-hunting, and all of his -court with him, and four-and-twenty hounds besides. They came riding by -the pit where the maiden sat, and there the hounds stopped and began to -whimper and to howl, for they knew very well that human flesh and blood -was down below. - -“Listen to the hounds,” says the king; “there is somebody fallen into -the pit; now who will go down and bring the unfortunate up again?” - -At this everybody looked at his neighbor, but nobody said, “I will go.” - -“Very well,” said the king, “then I myself will go down into the pit, if -no one else dares to venture.” - -So the others lowered the king into the pit, and when he reached the -bottom you can guess how he stared and how he wondered; but he had no -eyes for the jewels and gold that covered the walls; he had often seen -the like of them, but never in all of his days had he beheld such a -beauty as the maiden he found there. - -Then the people above hauled them up together, and the king set her upon -a milk-white horse, and then they all rode away to the palace, for that -was where he was to take her. There they dressed her in splendid clothes -and put a golden crown upon her head, and then she and the king were -married. Around her neck he hung a golden chain and a locket, and in the -locket was a picture of himself; on her finger he slipped a ring, and -within were secret words which nobody but he and she knew. - -One day the wicked Step-mother was walking in the fields, and the two -crows sat on the thorn-tree. - -“Look,” says the first crow, “yonder goes the beauty.” - -“Yes,” says the second, “but she is only as a cabbage to a rose when -compared to the lass who followed the golden ball down into the pit, and -who has married the handsome young king over at the castle yonder.” - -Then, “Caw! caw!” they cried, and flapped their wings and flew away. - -As for the Step-mother, her heart was ready to burst with anger and with -spite. Home she went and began to think of what she should do to put her -step-daughter out of the way again. - -[Illustration: The Young King goeth down into the pit and bringeth up -y^e maiden.] - -She took some dough and some feathers, and of them she made an old hen -and six chicks. She put them in the oven and baked them, and when she -drew them out again they were all of pure gold. But the strangest of all -was, that when she set them upon the table the little golden hen -strutted and clucked, and the chicks cried, “Peep! peep!” and followed -at her heels. - -Then the woman clad herself in a strange dress, so that no one might -know who she was. She hid a long, keen silver pin in her bosom, and off -she set for the castle with the golden hen and the golden chickens in a -basket wrapped up in a white napkin. - -She set her basket on the ground under the palace window, and when the -folks within saw the little clucking hen and her chicks, all made of -pure gold that shone in the sunlight, they could not look enough. - -Off ran one and told the queen, who came and looked and looked, and -wondered and wondered, until by and by she longed for the golden hen and -the golden chickens as she had never longed for anything in all of her -life before. So she called one of her maids, and sent her down to ask -the strange woman the price of her golden chickens. - -“Prut!” says the wicked witch of a Step-mother, “who are you that you -should come to talk with me? If the young queen would buy my wares she -must come and bargain with me herself.” - -So down went the young queen to the wicked Step-mother; “And what is the -price of your hen and chicks, my good woman,” said she, for she did not -know the other, because of the strange dress in which she was clad. - -“Oh! it is little or nothing I ask for my hen and chickens,” said the -wicked Step-mother to the beautiful queen. “If you will give me a kiss -down in the garden back of the rose-tree yonder, you may have the -chickens and welcome.” - -Oh, yes; the queen was willing enough to pay the price, if that was all -the woman wanted. So off they went back of the rose-tree, she and the -Step-mother. There the witch drew out the silver pin from her bosom, and -as she kissed the queen she thrust the pin deep into her head. Then -quick as a wink the queen was changed into a white dove and flew away -over the tree-tops. - -Off went the Step-mother, and was as pleased with what she had done this -time as with what she had done that time; for the two crows sat on the -thorn-tree, and the first crow said to the second crow, “Yonder goes the -beauty.” And the second crow said to the first, “Yes, there is none to -compare with her now that the young queen has been changed to a white -dove.” - -[Illustration: The Step-mother bringeth mischief upon the Young Queen by -sundry magic spells.] - -At the king’s castle they hunted for the queen high, and they hunted for -the queen low, but could find neither thread nor hair of her. As for the -white dove, it had flown in at a window, and there the little cook-boy -found it, and caught it and sold it to the cook for a penny. So the -beautiful white dove sat over the kitchen window, and did nothing but -mourn from the dawn to the gloaming. - -One day the folk in the kitchen were talking together. The king was -lying sick abed and dying of a broken heart because his beautiful young -queen was nowhere to be found. That was what they said, and the white -bird heard every word of it. - -The next morning when they came to the kitchen there was a beautiful -sweet cake lying upon a white napkin, and on the cake were written these -words: - -“Break this, my king, and ease thy sorrow.” - -They took the sweet cake to the king where he lay, and he broke it as -the words told him to. Within it he found the ring which he had given to -the queen, inside of which were written words which no one but he and -she knew. - -“Where did this come from?” said he; but nobody could tell him. - -“Where the ring came from,” said he, “there will the queen be found.” -And up he got from his bed and dressed himself, and ate his breakfast -with a cheerful face. - -They talked about what had happened down in the kitchen, and the white -dove heard it all. - -Next morning there, on a fine linen napkin, lay another cake like the -first, and on it was written: - -“Break this, my king, and be comforted.” - -They took it up to the king as they had done the first. And the king -snatched it like a hungry man. He broke the cake, and there was the -necklace and the locket that he had given the queen. - -“Where did this come from?” said he. - -But they could tell him no more about that than about the other. - -All the same, they talked about it down in the kitchen, and the white -dove heard what was said. - -But that night the little cook-boy hid in the closet to watch, for he -wanted to see who it was that brought the cakes that they took up-stairs -to the king. So he watched and watched, and by and by the clock struck -twelve. And when the last stroke sounded the dove flew down from over -the window, and as soon as it lit upon the floor it was the white dove -no longer, but the queen herself. She made a sweet cake of sugar and of -flour, and in it she put a feather as white as silver. Then she became -the white dove again, and flew back over the window where she had sat -before. - -[Illustration: The Young King caresses y^e white dove.] - -The next morning they found the third cake lying upon a white napkin, -and on the cake was written: - -“Break this, my king, for the time has come.” - -They took it up to the king and he broke it, and there was the white -feather. - -Then the king called everybody that was in the castle, and asked each -one in turn if he or she could tell where the sweet cake had come from. -But no; nobody knew, until last of all they questioned the kitchen-boy. - -“Oh, yes,” said he, “I know who it was that brought the cake. Last night -the white dove in the kitchen flew down from over the window and became -the queen herself; she made the sweet cake and laid it upon the white -napkin, for I saw her do it with my own eyes.” - -Up they brought the white dove from the kitchen, and the king took it in -his own hands and held it up to his bosom, and stroked it and caressed -it. - -“If thou art my queen,” said he, “why dost thou not speak to me?” - -But the dove answered never a word, and the king stroked it and stroked -it. - -By and by he felt something, and when he came to look it was the head of -the silver pin. He drew it forth, and there stood the young queen again -in her own true shape. - -She told everything that had happened to her from the first to the last, -and how her Step-mother had treated her. Then, hui! but the king was -angry! He sent a great lot of soldiers off to the father’s house to -bring the Step-mother to the castle so that she might be punished for -her wickedness. But she was not to be caught as easily as a sparrow in a -rain-storm; she jumped upon a broom straw, and—puff!—away she flew up -the chimney, and that was the last that anybody saw of her so far as -ever I heard. - -But they brought the father over to the king’s castle, where he sat in -the warmest corner and had the best that was to be had. - -That is all of this story, and if you see a blind mouse run across the -floor throw your cap over it and catch it, for it is yours. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - One O’clock· - - - The _Kobold_ lies, [Sidenote: _Hazy. Very pleasant._] - And blinks his _Eyes_, - Under the _Grape-vine_ leaves. - The _Chickens_ scratch - In a sunny _Patch_, - And the _Sparrows_ fight on the _Eaves_. - - The _Bee-Hive_ hums; - The _House-wife_ comes, - And looks outside the _Door_. - The speckled _Chick_ - Hops in, to pick [Sidenote: K.P. des.] - The _Crumbs_ from off the _Floor_. - - - - -[Illustration: Master Jacob.] - - XIII. - - -Once upon a time there was a man whose name was just Master Jacob and -nothing more. - -All that Master Jacob had in the world was a good fat pig, two black -goats, a wife, and a merry temper—which was more than many a better man -than he had, for the matter of that. - -“See, now,” says Master Jacob, “I will drive the fat pig to the market -to-morrow; who knows but that I might strike a bit of a sale.” - -“Do,” says Master Jacob’s wife, for she was of the good sort, and always -nodded when he said “yes,” as the saying goes. - -Now there were three rogues in the town over the hill, who lived in -plenty; one was the priest, one was the provost, and one was the master -mayor; and which was the greatest rogue of the three it would be a hard -matter to tell, but perhaps it was the priest. - -“See, now,” says the priest to the other two, “Master Jacob, who lives -over yonder way, is going to bring his fat pig to market to-morrow. If -you have a mind for a trick, we will go snacks in what we win, and each -of us will have a rib or two of bacon hanging in the pantry, and a -string or so of sausages back in the chimney without paying so much as a -brass button for them.” - -Well, of course that was a tune to which the others were willing to -dance. So the rogue of a priest told them to do thus and so, and to say -this and that, and they would cheat Master Jacob out of his good fat pig -as easily as a beggar eats buttered parsnips. - -So the next morning off starts Master Jacob to the market, driving his -fat pig before him with a bit of string around the leg of it. Down he -comes into the town, and the first one whom he meets is the master -priest. - -“How do you find yourself, Master Jacob?” says the priest, “and where -are you going with that fine, fat dog?” - -“Dog!” says Master Jacob, opening his eyes till they were as big and as -round as saucers. “Dog! Prut! It is as fine a pig as ever came into this -town, I would have you know.” - -“What!” says the priest. “Do you try to tell me that that is a pig, when -I can see with both of my ears and all of my eyes that it is a great, -fat dog?” - -“I say it is a pig!” says Master Jacob. - -“I say it is a dog!” says the priest. - -“I say it is a pig!” says Master Jacob. - -“I say it is a dog!” says the priest. - -“I say it is a pig!” says Master Jacob. - -Just then who should come along but the provost, with his hands in his -pockets and his pipe in his mouth, looking as high and mighty as though -he owned all of that town and the sun and the moon into the bargain. - -“Look, friend,” says the priest. “We have been saying so and so and so -and so, just now. Will you tell me, _is_ that a pig, or _is_ it a dog?” - -“Prut!” says the provost, “how you talk, neighbor! Do you take me for a -fool I should like to know? Why, it is as plain as the nose on your face -that it is a great, fat dog.” - -“I say it is a pig!” bawled Master Jacob. - -“I say it is a dog!” says the provost. - -“I say it is a pig!” says Master Jacob. - -“I say it is a dog!” says the provost. - -“I say it is a pig!” says Master Jacob. - -“Come, come,” says the priest, “let us have no high words over the -matter. No, no; we will take it to the mayor. If he says that it is a -pig we two will give you ten shillings; and if he says it is a dog, you -will give the animal to us as a penance.” - -Well, Master Jacob was satisfied with that, for he was almost certain -that it was a pig. So off they marched to the mayor’s house. There the -priest told all about the matter, for he was used to talking. “And now,” -says he, “_is_ it a pig, or _is_ it a dog?” - -[Illustration: Master Jacob comes to y^e town with his fine, fat pig and -there falls in with the Priest and the Provost.] - -“Why,” says the mayor, “I wish I may be choked to death with a string of -sausages if it is not a dog, and a big dog and a fat dog into the -bargain.” - -So there was an end of the matter, and Master Jacob had to march off -home without his pig and with no more in his pockets than he had before. -All the same, he saw what kind of trick had been played on him, and, -says he to himself, “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the -gander. If one can pipe another can whistle; I’ll just try a bit of a -trick myself.” So he went to his wife and told her that he had a mind to -do thus and so, and that she must do this and that; for he thought of -trying his hand at a little trickery as well as other folks. - -Now, as I told you before, Master Jacob had two goats, both of them as -black as the inside of your hat at midnight; moreover, they were as like -as two spoons in the same dish; for no one could have told them apart -unless he had lived with them year in and year out, rainy weather and -clear, as Master Jacob had done. - -Well, the next day Master Jacob tied a rope around the neck of one of -the goats, took down a basket from the wall, and started off to the town -over the hill, leading his goat behind him. By and by he came to the -market place and began buying many and one things, until his basket was -as full as it could hold. After a while whom should he see coming along -but the priest and the provost and the mayor, walking arm in arm as bold -as you please. - -“Halloa, Master Jacob,” said they, “and what have you there?” - -“The blessed saints only know that,” said Master Jacob. “It may be a -black cat for all that I know; it _was_ a black goat when I left home -this morning.” - -And what was Master Jacob going to do with his little black goat? That -was what they should like to know. - -“Oh,” said Master Jacob, “I am about to send my little black goat on an -errand; if you will wait you shall see for yourselves.” - -Then what did he do but hang the basket around the goat’s neck. “Go home -to your mistress,” said he, “and tell her to boil the beef and cabbage -for dinner to-day; and, stop! tell her to go to Neighbor Nicholas’s -house and borrow a good big jug of beer, for I have a masterful thirst -this morning.” Then he gave the goat a slap on the back, and off it went -as though the ground were hot under it. But whether it ever really went -home or not, I never heard. - -[Illustration: Master Jacob takes his black goat to town.] - -As for the priest, the provost, and the mayor, you may guess how they -grinned at all of this. Good land sake’s alive! And did Master Jacob -really mean to say that the little black goat would tell the mistress -all that? - -Oh, yes; that it would. It was a keen blade, that little black goat, and -if they would only come home with him, Master Jacob would show them. - -So off they all went, Master Jacob and the priest and the provost and -the mayor, and after a while they came to Master Jacob’s house. Yes, -sure enough, there was a black goat feeding in the front yard, and how -should the priest and the provost and the mayor know that it was not the -same one that they had seen at the market-place! And just then out came -Master Jacob’s wife. “Come in, Jacob,” says she, “the cabbage and the -meat are all ready. As for the beer, Neighbor Nicholas had none to -spare, so I just borrowed a jugful of Neighbor Frederick, and it is as -good as the other for certain and sure.” - -Dear, dear! how the three cronies did open their eyes when they heard -all of this! They would like to have such a goat as that, indeed they -would. Now, if Master Jacob had a mind to sell his goat, they would give -as much as twenty dollars for it. - -Oh, no; Master Jacob could not think of selling his nice little, dear -little black goat for twenty dollars. - -For thirty, then. - -No; Master Jacob would not sell his goat for thirty dollars, either. - -Well, they would give as much as forty. - -No; forty dollars was not enough for such a goat as that. - -So they bargained and bargained till the upshot of the matter was that -they paid Master Jacob fifty dollars, and marched off with the goat as -pleased as pleased could be. - -Well, the three rogues were not long in finding out what a trick had -been played upon them, I can tell you. So, in a day or two, whom should -Master Jacob see coming down the road but the priest, the provost, and -the master mayor, and anybody could see with half an eye that they were -in an awful fume. - -“Hi!” says Master Jacob, “there will be hot water boiling presently.” In -he went to his good wife. “Here,” says he, “take this bladder of blood -that we were going to make into pudding, and hide it under your apron, -and then when I do this and that, you do thus and so.” - -Presently in came the priest, the provost, and the mayor, bubbling and -sizzling like water on slake lime. “What kind of a goat was that that -you sold us?” bawled they, as soon as they could catch their breaths. - -“My black goat,” says Master Jacob. - -Then look! He would run on no errands, and would do nothing that it was -told. It was of no more use about the house than five wheels to a wagon. -Now Master Jacob might just go and put his hat on and come along with -them, for they were about to take him away to prison. - -“But stop a bit,” says Master Jacob. “Did you say ‘by the great horn -spoon,’ when you told the goat to do this or that?” - -No; the cronies had done nothing of the kind, for Master Jacob had said -nothing about a great horn spoon when he sold them the goat. - -“Why didn’t you remind me?” says Master Jacob to his good wife. - -“I didn’t think of it,” says she. - -“You didn’t?” says he. - -“No,” says she. - -“Then take that!” says he, and he out with a great sharp knife and -jabbed it into the bladder under her apron, so that the blood ran out -like everything. - -“Ugh!” says the good wife, and then fell down and lay quite still, just -for all the world as though she were dead. - -When the three cronies saw this, they gaped like fish out of water. Just -look now! Master Jacob had gone and killed his good wife, and all for -nothing at all. Dear, dear! what a hasty temper the man had. Now he had -gotten himself into a pretty scrape, and would have to go before the -judge and settle the business with him. - -“Tut! tut!” says Master Jacob, “the broth is not all in the ashes yet. -Perhaps I am a bit hasty, but we will soon mend this stocking.” - -So he went to the closet in the corner of the room, and brought out a -little tin horn. He blew a turn or two over his wife, whereat she -sneezed, and then sat up as good and as sound as ever. - -As for the priest and the provost and the mayor, they thought that they -had never seen anything so wonderful in all of their lives before. They -must and would have that tin horn if it was to be had; now, how much -would Master Jacob take for it, money down? - -Oh, Master Jacob did not want to part with his horn; all the same, if he -had to sell it, he would just as lief that they should buy it as -anybody. So they bargained and bargained, and the end of the matter was -that they paid down another fifty dollars and marched off with the -little tin horn, blowing away at it for dear life. - -By and by they came home, and there stood the goat, nibbling at the -grass in front of the house and thinking of no harm at all. “So!” says -the provost, “was it you that would do nothing for us without our -saying, ‘By the great horn spoon?’ Take that then!” And he fetched the -goat a thwack with his heavy walking-staff so that it fell down, and lay -with no more motion than a stone. “There,” says he, “that business is -done; and now lend me the horn a minute, brother, till I fetch him back -again.” - -Well, he blew and he blew, and he blew and he blew, till he was as red -in the face as a cherry, but the goat moved never so much as a single -hair. Then the priest took a turn at the horn, but he had no better luck -than the provost. Last of all the mayor had a try at it; but he might as -well have blown the horn over a lump of dough for all the answer he had -for his blowing. - -Then it began to work into their heads that they had been befooled -again. Phew! what a passion they were in. I can only say that I am glad -that I was not in Master Jacob’s shoes. “We’ll put him in prison right -away,” said they, and off they went to do as they said. - -But Master Jacob saw them coming down the road, and was ready for them -this time too. He took two pots and filled them with pitch, and over the -top of the pitch he spread gold and silver money, so that if you had -looked into the pots you would have thought that there was nothing in -them but what you saw on the top. Then he took the pots off into the -little woods back of the house. Now in the woods was a great deep pit, -and all around the pit grew a row of bushes, so thick that nothing was -to be seen of the mouth of the hole. - -By and by came the priest and the mayor and the provost to Master -Jacob’s house, puffing and blowing and fuming. - -Rap! rap! tap! they knocked at the door, but nobody was there but Master -Jacob’s wife. - -Was Master Jacob at home? That was what they wanted to know, for they -had a score to settle with him. - -Oh, Master Jacob’s wife did not know just where he was, but she thought -that he was in the little woods back of the house yonder, gathering -money. - -Phew! and did money grow so near to the house as all that? This was a -matter to be looked into, for if money was to be gathered they must have -their share. So off they went to the woods, hot-foot. - -Yes; there was Master Jacob, sure enough, and what was more, he was -carrying two pots, one on each arm. - -“Hi! Master Jacob, and what have you there?” said they. - -“Oh, nothing much,” says Master Jacob. - -Yes; that was all very good, but they would like to look into those pots -that he was carrying; that was what the three cronies said. - -[Illustration: The Priest, the Provost and the Master Mayor blow and -blow the little tin trumpet over y^e black goat. ¶] - -“Well,” says Master Jacob, “you may look into the pots if you choose; -all the same, I will tell you that they are both full of pitch, and that -there is only just a little money scattered over the top.” - -Yes, yes; that was all very well, but the three cronies knew the smell -of money from the smell of pitch. See now, they had been fooled twice -already, and were not to be caught again. Now, where did Master Jacob -get that money, that was what they wanted to know. - -“Oh,” says Master Jacob, “I cannot tell you that; if you want to gather -money you will have to look for it yourselves. But you must not go too -near to those thick bushes yonder, for there is a deep pit hidden there, -and you will be sure to fall into it.” - -When the priest and the provost and the mayor heard this, they nudged -one another with their elbows and winked with one eye. They knew how -much of that cheese to swallow. They would just take a look at this -wonderful pit, for they thought that the money was hidden in the bushes -for sure and certain. So off they went as fast as they could lay foot to -the ground. - -“Just you stay here,” said the priest to the others, “while I go and see -whether there really is a pit as he said.” For he thought to himself -that he would go and gather a pocketful of the money before it would be -share and share with his comrades. So, into the thicket he jumped, -and—plump!—he fell into the great, deep pit; and there was an end of -number one. - -By and by the others grew tired of tarrying. “I’ll go and see what he is -waiting for,” says the provost. For he thought to himself, “He is -filling his pockets, and I might as well have my share.” So, into the -thicket he jumped, and—plump!—he fell into the great, deep pit; and -there was an end of number two. - -As for the mayor, he waited and waited. “What a fool am I,” said he at -last, “to sit here twiddling my thumbs while the two rogues yonder are -filling their pockets without me. It is little or nothing but the scraps -and the bones that I will come in for.” - -So the upshot of the matter was that he too ran and jumped into the -thicket, and heels over head into the great, deep pit, and there was an -end of number three. And if Master Jacob ever helped them out, you may -depend upon it that he made them promise to behave themselves in time to -come. - -[Illustration: Master Jacob with his two pots meets the three cronies in -the woods.] - -And this is true that I tell you: it would have been cheaper for them to -have bought their pork in the first place, for, as it was, they paid a -pretty penny for it. - -As for Master Jacob and his good wife, they had a hundred dollars in -good hard money, and if they did not get along in the world with that, -why I, for one, want nothing more to do with them. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Two O’clock· - - - They shake the _Bread-Crumbs_ - Out of the _Door_, - They scrub the _Table_, - And sand the _Floor_; [Sidenote: _Some thunder._] [Sidenote: _Clear._] - - They shoo out the _Chickens_, - And _Cats_, and all, - And say “_Run, Johnnie, - And play with your Ball_.” - - K.P. - - - - -[Illustration: Peterkin and the Little Grey Hare.] - - XIV. - - -There was a man who died and left behind him three sons, and nothing but -two pennies to each. So, as there was little to be gained by scraping -the dish at home, off they packed to the king’s house, where they might -find better faring. The two elder lads were smart fellows enough; as for -Peterkin, he was the youngest—why, nobody thought much of him. - -So off they went—tramp! tramp! tramp!—all three together. By and by they -came to a great black forest where little was to be seen either before -or behind them. - -There old Father Hunger met them, and that was the worse for them, for -there was nothing at all to eat. They looked here and there, and, after -a while, what should they come across but a little grey hare caught in a -snare. - -Then, if anybody was glad, it was the two elder brothers. “Here is -something to stay our stomachs,” said they. - -But Peterkin had a soft heart in his breast. “See, brothers,” said he, -“look how the poor thing turns up its eyes. Sure it would be a pity to -take its life, even though our stomachs do grumble a bit.” - -But the two elder brothers were deaf in that ear. They had gone without -their dinners long enough, and they were no such foolish fellows as to -throw it away, now that it had come to them. - -But Peterkin begged and begged, until, at last, the two said that they -would let the Little Grey Hare go free if he would give them the two -pennies that he had in his pocket. - -Well, Peterkin let them have the pennies, and they let the hare go, and -glad enough it was to get away, I can tell you. - -“See, Peterkin,” it said, speaking as plainly as a Christian, “you shall -lose nothing by this. When you are in a tight place, whistle on your -fingers—thus—and perhaps help will come to you.” - -Then it thumped its feet on the ground and away it scampered. - -As for Peter’s brothers, they laughed and laughed. A fool and his money -were soon parted, said they. How could a little grey hare help him, they -should like to know? - -After a while they came to the town, where Peterkin’s brothers took up -their lodgings at a good inn. As for Peterkin, he had to go and sleep in -the straw, for one cannot spend money and have it both. So while the -brothers were eating broth with meat in it, Peterkin went with nothing. - -“I wonder,” said he, “if the Little Grey Hare can help me now.” So he -whistled on his fingers, just as it had told him. - -Then who should come hopping and skipping along but the Little Grey Hare -itself. “What do you want, Peterkin?” it said. - -“I should like,” said Peterkin, “to have something to eat.” - -“Nothing easier than that,” said the Little Grey Hare; and before one -could wink twice a fine feast, fit for a king, was spread out before -him, and he fell to as though he had not eaten a bite for seven years. - -After that he slept like a flat stone, for one can sleep well even in -the straw, if one only has a good supper within one. - -When the next morning had come, the two elder brothers bought them each -a good new coat with brass buttons. Peterkin they said would have to go -as he was, for patches and tatters were good enough for such a -spendthrift. - -But Peterkin knew a way out of that hole. Back of the house he went, and -there he blew on his fingers. - -“What will you have?” said the Little Grey Hare. - -“I should like,” said Peterkin, “to have a fine new suit of clothes, so -that I can go to the king’s house with my brothers and not be ashamed.” - -“If that is all that you want,” said the Hare, “it is little enough;” -and there lay the finest suit of clothes that Peterkin had ever seen, -for it was all of blue silk sewed with golden threads. So Peterkin -dressed himself in his fine clothes, and you may guess how his brothers -stared when they saw him. - -[Illustration: Peterkin’s brothers marvel at the fine clothes that the -hare gave him.] - -Off they all went to the king’s house, and there was the king feeding -his chickens; for that was all the work he had upon his hands, and an -easy life he led of it. The king looked at Peterkin, and thought that he -had never seen such fine clothes. Did they want service? Well, the king -thought that he might give it to them. The oldest brother might tend the -pigs, the second might look after the cows. But as for Peterkin, he was -so spruce and neat that he might stay in the house and open the door -when folks knocked. That was what his fine clothes did for him. - -So Peterkin had the soft feathers in that nest, for he sat in the warm -chimney all day, and had the scraping of the pipkins when good things -had been cooked. - -Well, things went quietly enough for a while, but the elder brothers -kept up a great buzzing in their heads, I can tell you; for one does not -like to see another step in front of one, and that is the truth. - -So, one day, who should come to the king but the two elder brothers. -Perhaps, said they, the king did not know it, but there was a giant over -yonder who had a grey goose that laid a golden egg every day of her -life. Now Peterkin had said more than once, and over and over again, -that he was man enough to get the grey goose for the king whenever the -king wanted it. You can guess how this tickled the king’s ears. Off he -sent for Peterkin, and Peterkin came. - -Hui! how Peterkin opened his eyes when he heard what the king wanted. He -had never said that he could get the giant’s goose; he vowed and swore -that he had not. But it was to no purpose that he talked, the king -wanted the grey goose, and Peterkin would have to get it for him. He -might have three days for the business, and that was all. Then, if he -brought the grey goose, he should have two bags of gold money; if he did -not bring it he should pack off to the prison. - -So Peterkin left the king, and if anybody was down in the mouth in all -of the world it was Peterkin. - -“Perhaps,” said he, “the Little Grey Hare can help me.” So he blew a -turn or two on his fingers, and the Little Grey Hare came hopping and -skipping up to him. - -What was Peterkin in the dumps about now? That was what it wanted to -know. - -Why, the king wanted him to get such and such a grey goose from over at -the giant’s house, and Peterkin knew no more about it than a red herring -in a box; that was the trouble. - -“Oh, well,” says the Little Grey Hare, “maybe that can be cured; just go -to the king and ask for this and that and the other thing, and we will -see what can be done about the business.” - -So off went Peterkin to the king; perhaps he could get the grey goose -after all, but he must have three barrels of soft pitch, and a bag of -barley-corn, and a pot of good tallow. - -The king let him have all that he wanted, and then the Little Grey Hare -took Peterkin and the three barrels of soft pitch and the bag of -barley-corn and the pot of good tallow on its back, and off it went till -the wind whistled behind Peterkin’s ears. - -(Now that was a great load for a little grey hare; but I tell the story -to you just as Time’s Clock told it to me.) - -After a while they came to a river, and then the Little Grey Hare said: - -“Brother Pike! Brother Pike! Here are folks would like to cross the wide -river.” - -Then up came a great river pike, and on his back he took Peterkin and -the Little Grey Hare and the three barrels of pitch and the sack of -barley-corn and the pot of good tallow, and away he swam till he had -brought them from this side to that. - -(Now that was a great load for a river pike to carry; but as Time’s -Clock told the story to me I tell it to you.) - -Then the Little Grey Hare went on and on again until it came to a high -hill, and on the top of the high hill was a great house; that was where -the giant lived. - -Then Peterkin took the soft pitch and made a wide pathway of it. After -that he smeared his feet all over with the tallow, so that he stuck to -the soft pitch no more than water sticks to a cabbage leaf. Then he -shouldered his bag of barley-corn and went up to the giant’s castle, and -hunted around and hunted around until he had found where the grey goose -was; and it was in the kitchen and would not come out. But Peterkin had -a way to bring it; he scattered the barley-corn all about, and when the -grey goose saw that, it came out quickly enough and began to eat the -grains as fast as it could gobble. But Peterkin did not give it much -time for this, for up he caught it, and off he went as fast as he could -scamper. - -Then the grey goose flapped its wings and began squalling. “Master! -master! Here I am! here I am! It is Peterkin who has me!” - -Out ran the giant with his great iron club, and after Peterkin he came -as fast as he could lay foot to the ground. But Peterkin had the -buttered side of the cake this time, for he ran over the pitch road as -easily as though it were made of good stones; that was because his boots -were smeared with tallow. As for the giant, he stuck to it as a fly -sticks to the butter, so that it was very slow travelling that he made -of it. - -Then the hare took Peterkin up on its back, and away it scampered till -the wind whistled behind his ears. When it had come to the river it -said: - -“Brother Pike! Brother Pike! Here are folks would like to cross the wide -river.” - -Then the pike took them on its back and away they went. But it was a -tight squeeze through that crack, I can tell you, for they had hardly -left the shore when up came the giant, fuming and boiling like water in -the pot. - -“Is that you, Peterkin?” said he. - -“Yes; it is I,” said Peterkin. - -“And did you steal my grey goose?” said the giant. - -“Yes; I stole your grey goose,” said Peterkin. - -“And what would you do if you were me and I were you?” said the giant. - -“I would do what I could,” said Peterkin. - -After that the giant went back home, shaking his head and talking to -himself. - -So the king got the grey goose, and was as glad as glad could be. And -Peterkin got the bags of gold, and was glad also. Thus there were two in -the world pleased at the same time. - -And now the king could not make too much of Peterkin. It was Peterkin -here and Peterkin there, till Peterkin’s brothers were as sour as bad -beer over the matter. - -So, one day, they came buzzing in the king’s ear again; perhaps the king -did not know it, but that same giant had a silver bell, and every time -that the bell was rung a good dinner was spread ready for the eating. -Now, Peterkin had been saying to everybody that he could get that bell -for the king just as easily as he had gotten the grey goose. At this the -king pricked up his ears, for it tickled them to hear such talk. He sent -for Peterkin to come to him, and Peterkin came. He vowed and swore that -he had said nothing about getting the giant’s bell. But it was of no -use; he only wasted his breath. The king wanted the silver bell, and the -king must have it. Peterkin should have three days in which to get it. -If he brought it at the end of that time, he should have half of the -kingdom to rule over. If he did not bring it he should have his ears -clipped; so there was an end of that talk. - -[Illustration: Peterkin, with y^e help of the hare, carries off the -Giant’s goose. —(] - -It was a bad piece of business, but off Peterkin went and blew on his -fingers, and up came the Little Grey Hare. - -“Well,” said the Little Grey Hare, “and what is the trouble with us -now?” - -Why, the king wanted a little silver bell that was over at the giant’s -house, and he had to go and get it for him; that was the trouble with -Peterkin. - -“Well,” says the Little Grey Hare, “there is no telling what one can do -till one tries; just get a little wad of tow and come along, and we will -see what we can make of it.” - -So Peterkin got the wad of tow, and then he sat him on the Little Grey -Hare’s back, and away they went till the wind whistled behind his ears. -When they came to the river the Little Grey Hare called on the pike, and -up it came and carried them over as it had done before. By and by they -came to the giant’s house, and this time the giant was away from home, -which was a lucky thing for Peterkin. - -Peterkin climbed into the window, and hunted here and there till he had -found the little silver bell. Then he wrapped the tow around the -clapper, but, in spite of all that he could do, it made a jingle or two. -Then away he scampered to the Little Grey Hare. He mounted on its back, -and off they went. - -But the giant heard the jingle of the little silver bell, and home he -came as fast as his legs could carry him. - -He hunted here and there till he found the track of Peterkin, then after -him he went, three miles at a step. - -When he came to the river, there was Peterkin, just out of harm’s way. - -“Is that you, Peterkin?” bawled the giant. - -“Yes; it is I,” said Peterkin. - -“And have you stolen my silver bell?” said the giant. - -“Yes; I have stolen your silver bell,” said Peterkin. - -“And have you stolen my grey goose too?” said the giant. - -Yes; Peterkin had stolen that too. - -“And what would you do if you were me and I were you?” said the giant. - -“I would do what I could,” said Peterkin. - -At this the giant went back home, grumbling and muttering to himself, -and if Peterkin had been by it would have been bad for Peterkin. - -[Illustration: Peterkin bringeth y^e little silver bell of the Giant to -the King. |] - -Dear, dear! but the king was glad to get the silver bell; as for -Peterkin, he was a great man now, for he ruled over half of the kingdom. - -But now the two elder brothers were less pleased than ever before; they -grumbled and talked together until the upshot of the matter was that -they went to the king for the third time. Peterkin had been bragging and -talking again. This time he had said that the giant over yonder had a -sword of such a kind that it gave more light in the dark than fourteen -candles, and that he could get the sword as easily as he had gotten the -grey goose and the little silver bell. - -After that nothing would satisfy the king but for Peterkin to go and get -the sword. Peterkin argued and talked, and talked and argued, but it was -for no good; he might have talked till the end of all things. The king -wanted the sword, and the king must have it. If Peterkin could bring it -to him in three days’ time he might have the princess for his wife; if -he came back empty-handed he should have a good thong of skin cut off of -his back from top to bottom; that was what the king said. - -So there was nothing for it but for Peterkin to whistle on his fingers -for the Little Grey Hare once more. - -“And what is it this time?” said the Little Grey Hare. - -Why, the king wanted such and such a kind of sword, and Peterkin must go -and get it for him; that was the trouble. - -Well, well; there might be a hole in this hedge as well as another. But -this time Peterkin must borrow one of the princess’s dresses and her -golden comb; then one might see what could be done. - -So Peterkin went to the king and said that he must have the dress and -the comb, and the king let him have them. Then he mounted on the Little -Grey Hare and—whisk!—away they went as fast as before. - -Well, they crossed the river and came to the giant’s house once more. -There Peterkin dressed himself in the princess’s dress, and combed his -hair with her golden comb; and as he combed his hair it grew longer and -longer, and the end of the matter was that he looked for all the world -like as fine and strapping a lass as ever a body saw. Then he went up to -the giant’s house, and—rap! tap! tap!—he knocked at the door as bold as -brass. The giant was in this time, and he came and opened the door -himself. But when he saw what he thought was a fine lass, he smiled as -though he had never eaten anything in all his life but soft butter. - -Perhaps the pretty lass would come in and sit down for a bit; that was -what he said to Peterkin. - -[Illustration: Peterkin as a girl combs the Giant’s hair.] - -Oh, yes! that suited Peterkin; of course he would come in. So in he -came, and then he and the giant sat down to supper together. After they -had eaten as much as they could the giant laid his head in Peterkin’s -lap, and Peterkin combed his hair and combed his hair, until he fell -fast asleep and began to snore so that he made the cinders fly up the -chimney. - -Then Peterkin rose up softly and took down the Sword of Light from the -wall. After that he went out on tiptoes and mounted the Little Grey -Hare, and away they went till the chips flew behind them. - -By and by the giant opened his eyes and saw that Peterkin was gone, and, -what was more, his Sword of Light was gone also. Then what a rage he was -in! Off he went after Peterkin and the Little Grey Hare, seven miles at -a step. But he was just a little too late, though there was no room to -spare between Peterkin and him, and that is the truth. - -“Is that you, Peterkin?” said he. - -“Yes; it is I,” said Peterkin. - -“And have you stolen my Sword of Light?” said the giant. - -Oh, yes; Peterkin had done that. - -“And what would you do if you were me and I were you?” said the giant. - -“I would drink the river dry and follow after,” said Peterkin. - -“That is good,” said the giant. So he laid himself down and drank and -drank and drank, until he drank so much that he burst with a great -noise, and there was an end of him! - -The king was so pleased with the Sword of Light that it seemed as though -he could not look at it and talk about it enough. As for Peterkin, he -got the princess for his wife, and that pleased him also, you may be -sure. The princess was pleased too, for Peterkin was a good, smart, -tight bit of a lad, and that is what the girls like. So it was that -everybody was pleased except the two elder brothers, who looked as sour -as green gooseberries. But now Peterkin was an apple that hung too high -for them to reach, and so they had to let him alone. - -The next day after the wedding, whom should Peterkin come across but the -Little Grey Hare. - -“See, Peterkin,” it said, “I have done much for you; will you do a -little for me?” - -“Yes, indeed, that I will,” said Peterkin. - -“Then take the Sword of Light and cut off my head and feet,” said the -Little Grey Hare. - -No, no; Peterkin could never do such a thing as that; that would be a -pretty way to treat a good friend. - -But the Little Grey Hare begged and begged and begged, until at last -Peterkin did as he asked; he cut off his head and his feet. Then who -should stand before him but a handsome young prince, with yellow hair -and blue eyes. That was what the Little Grey Hare had been all the time, -only the giant had bewitched him. - -As for Peterkin—well, this is the way of it; the youngest will step -ahead of the others sometimes. - - - - -[Illustration] - - Three O’clock· - - - The _Peddler-Man_ is at the _Door_;[Sidenote: _Make hay._] [Sidenote: - ☐♆☉] - It’s _Weeks_ since he was here before. - He gives our little _John_ a _Toy_, - And says he is a fine, big _Boy_. - The _Mistress_ buys some _Flower Seeds_, - And _Gretchen_ gets some _Pins_ and _Beads_. - - K.P. - - - - -[Illustration: Mother Hildegarde.] - - XV. - - -Once upon a time there lived a king who had an only daughter, and the -princess was more handsome than I can tell you. But the queen had been -dead for so long that the king began to think about marrying a second -time. So the upshot of the matter was that by and by there came a -step-mother into the house, and a step-sister besides, for the new queen -had a daughter of her own. And that was a sorrowful thing for the -princess. - -At first the new queen was kind enough to the poor girl; but before long -there were other cakes baking in that oven, for the step-mother began -saying to herself: “See, now, if this hussy were out of the way my own -dear girl would be the first in the land, and might, in time, have the -kingdom for her very own.” So, in the end, the poor princess found but -little peace in the same house with the woman and her daughter. - -One day the step-mother, the step-sister, and the pretty princess sat -together in the castle garden beside a deep cistern of water. By the -cistern hung a silver cup for the use of those who wished to drink. And -as they sat there the princess grew thirsty, and would have taken the -cup to quench her thirst, but the step-mother stopped her. - -“See, now,” said she, “if you must drink you will have to stoop to the -water, for the silver cup is too good for such as you.” - -“Alas!” said the poor princess, “the time was when a cup of gold was not -too good for me!” And thereupon she began to weep as though her heart -would break. But there was no help for it; if she would drink she must -stoop for it; so down she knelt and began to drink from the deep water -without any thought or fear of harm. - -But as the princess thus stooped and drank, the wicked step-mother came -behind her without her knowing it, and gave her a push so that she fell -headlong into the cistern and sank to the bottom. After that the -step-mother and the step-sister went back to the castle again, rejoicing -and thinking that now they were rid of the princess for good and all, -and that the step-sister would be the first in all of the land. - -But in this they counted black chicks before they were hatched; for when -the princess sank down to the bottom of the cistern, she found herself -in a great wide meadow, all covered over with bright flowers, as many as -there are stars in the sky at night. - -Across this meadow she went on and on and on; but never a single soul -did she see until at last she came to a great, fine house that stood all -alone by itself, without another to be seen, near or afar. In the -doorway of the house stood an old woman, whom the princess saw very -plainly was not like common folk. - -And she was right, for the old woman was none other than Mother -Hildegarde, who is so wise that she knows almost as much as Father Time -himself. Thus it was that she knew all about the princess, and who she -was and whence she came, without the asking. “Listen,” said she, “I will -give you food and lodging, and will pay you well if you will serve me -faithfully for the space of a year and a day.” - -That the princess was willing enough to do, for she was both tired and -hungry; so into the house she went to serve Mother Hildegarde for a year -and a day. - -But it was no common work that the princess did, I can tell you; for -listen: When she blew the bellows that the fire might blaze the -brighter, the wind swept over the great brown world so that every -windmill turned around and around from Jacob Pfennigdrummel’s to the -shores of the great black sea at the north end of the earth; and when -she sprinkled the clothes, the blessed rain came tumbling down till all -the gutters ran with water so that little folk had either to stay home -from school or to go thither under great, wide umbrellas. - -[Illustration: The Princess cometh into a wonderful country and to the -house of a strange old woman. ¶] - -But of all this the pretty princess knew nothing whatever, but only -thought that she blew the fire and sprinkled the clothes. And that is -often the way of the world—at least, so Tommy Pfouce tells me. - -Well, one day Mother Hildegarde said to the princess: “See, now; I am -going off on a journey, and it may be a while before I am back again. -Here are the keys of all of the house, and you are free to go wherever -you choose. Only here is a black key that unlocks a little room into -which you must not go; for if you do I will be sure to know it, and -ill-luck will be certain to happen to you.” Then off she went, and the -princess was left all alone. - -The first day the lass went here, and the second day she went there, and -the third day she had gone everywhere except into the little room where -Mother Hildegarde had told her not to go; and she never wanted anything -in all of her life as much as she wanted just to peep into that little -room. - -“I wonder,” said she to herself—“I wonder what harm there could be in it -if I were only to take one little peep?” So the upshot of the matter was -that she went there just to look at the outside of the door. - -“I wonder,” said she, “if the key will fit the lock?” - -Yes; it did fit it. - -“I wonder,” said she, “if the key will turn the bolt?” - -Yes; it did turn it. - -“I wonder,” said she, “whether it would do any harm just to peep into -the room?” - -And she did peep into it. - -Believe me or not, all the same I tell you the truth when I say that -there was not one thing in the room but a covered jar, that stood in the -middle of the floor. Of course the princess must have just one peep into -the jar, for as she had gone as far as she had, there could be no more -harm in this than in the other. So she went to the jar and took off the -lid and peeped into it. - -And what do you think was in it? Nothing but water! - -But as the princess looked into the water she saw Mother Hildegarde as -though she were a great way off, and the Mother Hildegarde whom she saw -in the water was looking at nobody in all of the world but her. As soon -as the princess saw what she saw, she clapped down the lid of the jar -again; but she clapped it down just a moment too late, for a lock of -hair fell down over her face, and one single hair touched the water in -the jar. - -[Illustration: The Princess looks into that which she should not have -done.] - -Yes; only one single hair. But when the princess looked she saw that -every lock upon her head was turned to pure gold. Then if anybody in all -of the world was frightened it was the poor princess. She twisted up the -hair upon the top of her head and bound her kerchief about it so that it -was all hidden; but all the same the hair was there, and could never be -changed from the gold again. - -Just then who should come walking into the house but Mother Hildegarde -herself. “Have you obeyed all that I have told you?” said she. - -“Yes,” said the princess, but all the same she was so frightened that -her knees knocked together. - -“Did you go into the little room?” said Mother Hildegarde. - -“No,” said the princess; but her heart beat so that she could hardly -speak. - -Then Mother Hildegarde snatched the kerchief off of the princess’s head, -and her golden hair came tumbling down all about her shoulders, -glittering, so that it was the finest sight that you could see between -here and Nomansland. - -“Then how came your hair to be like that?” said Mother Hildegarde. - -“I do not know,” said the princess; and then she began crying and -sobbing as though her heart would break. - -“See now,” said Mother Hildegarde; “you have served me well for all of -the time that you have been with me, therefore I will have pity upon -you, only you must tell me the truth. Did you go into the little room -while I was away?” - -But for all that Mother Hildegarde spoke ever so kindly the princess -could not bring herself to speak the truth. - -“No,” said she. - -“Then how came your hair to be like that?” said Mother Hildegarde. - -“I do not know,” said the princess. - -At this Mother Hildegarde frowned till her eyes burned like sparks of -fire. She caught the princess by the arm and struck her staff upon the -ground, and away they flew through the air till the wind whistled behind -them. So by and by they came to a great forest, out of which there was -no path to be found either to the east or the west or the north or the -south. - -[Illustration: The Princess dwells in the oak-tree where y^e wild -pigeons come to feed her.] - -“See now,” said Mother Hildegarde, “because you have been faithful in -your labor with me I will give you still another chance. But if you do -not answer me truthfully this time, I will leave you alone here in the -forest, and will take away your speech so that you will be as dumb as -the beasts of the field. Did you go into the little room?” - -But still the princess hardened her heart and answered “No.” - -“Then how came your hair to be like that?” said Mother Hildegarde. - -“I do not know,” said the princess. - -Then Mother Hildegarde went away, and left the princess alone in the -forest as she had promised to do; and not only that, but she took away -the princess’s speech, so that she was quite dumb. So in the forest the -princess dwelt for a long, long time, and there she would have died of -hunger, only that Mother Hildegarde still cared for her and sent the -wood-pigeons to feed her, which they did from day to day and from week -to week and from month to month. As for the princess, she lived in the -branches of the trees, for she was afraid of the wild beasts that roamed -through the wood. - -By and by her clothes became nothing but rags and tatters, and then she -had to weave her beautiful hair about her, so that she was clad all from -head to foot in her golden tresses, and in them alone. - -Well, one time it happened that a young king came riding into the forest -to hunt the wild boars, and many of his people came along with him. Some -of those who rode on before came suddenly to where a great flock of -wood-pigeons flew about in the tree-tops above them. But when they -looked up, you may guess how wonder-struck they were when they saw that -the pigeons were feeding a beautiful maiden who sat in the branches -above, clad all in her golden hair. Back they rode to the young king and -told him all that they had seen, and up he came as fast as he could -ride. There he saw the maiden and how beautiful she was, and he called -to her to come down. But she only shook her head, for she could not -speak, and she was ashamed of being found where she was. Then the young -king, seeing that she would not come down from the branches to him, -climbed up himself and brought her. - -He wrapped his cloak about her and set her on his horse in front of him, -and then he and all that were with him rode away out of the dark forest -and under the blue sky, until they had come to the king’s castle. But -all the time the princess did nothing but weep and weep, for she could -not speak a single word. The young king gave her to his mother to care -for, who was none too glad to have such a dumb maiden brought into the -house, even though the lass was as pretty as milk and rose leaves. - -[Illustration: Mother Hildegarde carries ye baby away from the castle of -the king.] - -But the young king cared nothing whatever for what his mother thought -about the matter, for the more he looked at the princess, the more -beautiful she appeared in his eyes. So the end of the matter was that he -married her, even though she had not a word to say for herself. - -Well, time went on and on, till one day the storks that lived on the -castle roof brought a baby boy to the poor dumb princess, whereat -everybody was as glad as glad could be. - -But their gladness was soon changed to sadness, for that night, when -every one in the king’s house was fast and sound asleep, Mother -Hildegarde came softly into the princess’s room. She gave her back her -speech for the time being, and then she said, “I will still have pity -upon you. If you will only tell me the truth you shall have your speech -again, and all will go well with you. But if you tell me a falsehood -once more, still greater troubles will come upon you. Now tell me, did -you go into the little room?” - -“No,” said the princess, for still she could not bring herself to -confess to Mother Hildegarde. - -“Then how came your hair to be like that?” - -“I do not know,” said the princess. - -So Mother Hildegarde took away her speech once more. - -After that she smeared the mouth of the princess with blood, and then, -wrapping the baby in her mantle, she carried it away with her, leaving -the mother weeping alone. - -You can guess what a hubbub there was the next morning in the castle, -when they came and found that the baby was gone, and that the princess’s -mouth was smeared with blood. “See,” said the king’s mother, “what did I -tell you from the very first. Do you not see that you have brought a -wicked witch into the house, and that she has killed her own child?” - -But the king would listen to no such words as these, for it seemed to -him that the princess was too beautiful and too good to do such a wicked -thing. - -After a time there came another baby to the princess, and once more -Mother Hildegarde came to her and said, “Did you go into the little -room?” - -“No,” said the princess. - -“Then how came your hair to be like that?” - -“I do not know,” said the princess. - -So Mother Hildegarde took this baby away as she had done the other, and -left the princess with her lips smeared with blood. - -And now every one of the king’s household began to mutter and to whisper -to his neighbor, and the king had nothing to say, but only left the room -silently, for his heart was like heavy lead within his breast. Still he -would not hear of harm coming to the princess, no matter what had -happened. - -In time there came a third baby, but still the princess could not soften -her heart, and Mother Hildegarde took it away as she had done the -others. This time the king could do nothing to save the princess, for -every one cried out upon her that she was a wicked witch who killed her -children, and that she should be burned at the stake, as was fitting for -such a one. So a great pile of fagots was built out in the castle -court-yard, and the princess was brought out and tied to a stake that -stood in the midst. Then they lit the pile of fagots, and it began to -crackle and burn around her where she stood. - -Then suddenly, Mother Hildegarde stood beside her in the midst of the -fire. In her arms she held the princess’s youngest baby, and the others -stood, one upon one side and the other upon the other, and held on to -her skirts. - -She gave the princess her speech again, and then she said, “Now, tell -me, did you go into the little room?” - -Even yet the princess would have answered “No;” but when she saw her -children standing in the midst of the fire with her, her heart melted -away within her. - -“Yes!” she cried, “I went in and I saw.” - -“And how came your hair to be like that?” said Mother Hildegarde. - -“Alas!” said the princess, “I gazed upon that which I should not have -gazed upon, and looked into that which I should not have looked into, -and one hair touched the water and all was turned to gold.” - -Then Mother Hildegarde smiled till her face shone as white as the moon. -“The truth is better late than not at all,” said she; “and if you had -but spoken in the first place, I would have freely forgiven you.” As she -spoke a shower of rain fell down from the sky, and the fire of the -fagots was quenched. - -And now you can guess what joy there was in the king’s castle when every -one knew all that had happened, and it was seen how the right thing had -come about at last, though it was the toss of a farthing betwixt this -and that. Even the king’s mother was glad enough when she came to know -that it was a real princess whom her son had married after all. - -And now listen to what happened in the end. - -They gave a great feast, and everybody was asked to come from far and -near. Then who should come travelling along with the others, as grand as -you please, but the wicked step-mother and step-sister of the princess. - -Dear, dear, how they stared and goggled when they saw who the young -queen really was, and that the poor princess had married the richest and -greatest king in all of the land! - -Their hearts were so filled with envy that they swelled and swelled -until they burst within them, and they fell down dead, and there was an -end of them. - -Thus it is that everything turns out right in the long run—that is in -fairy tales. - -But, after all, if the princess had only told the truth in the first -place, she would never have gotten in all this peck of trouble. - -And then who knows what Mother Hildegarde would have done for her, for -she is a strange woman, is Mother Hildegarde. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Four O’clock· - - - Bare-necked _Gretchen_ combs her hair [Sidenote: ☉K.P.☋ _Warm and - Dusty._] - At the _Looking-Glass_. - This is _Grease_, and these are _Beads_ - She takes to early _Mass_. - - Her _Water-Pitcher_, blue and white, - Has got a broken _Nose_, - And both the _Stockings_ that she wears - Are ravelled at the _Toes_. - - - - -[Illustration: Which is Best?] - - XVI. - - -There was a rich man who lived on a hill, and a poor man who lived down -in the valley, and they were brothers, the one was older and the other -younger. The one lived in a grand house and the other in a little, -rickety, tumble-down hut, and the one was covetous and greedy and the -other was kind and merciful. All the same, it was a merry life that the -poor brother led of it, for each morning when he took a drink he said, -“Thank Heaven for clear water;” and when the day was bright he said, -“Thank Heaven for the warm sun that shines on us all;” and when it was -wet it was, “Thank Heaven for the gentle rain that makes the green grass -grow.” - -One day the poor brother was riding in the forest, and there he met the -rich brother, and they jogged along the way together. The one rode upon -a poor, old, spavined, white horse, and the other rode upon a fine, -prancing steed. - -By and by they met an old woman, and it was all that she could do to -hobble along the way she was going. - -“Dear, good, kind gentlemen,” said she, “do help a poor old body with a -penny or two, for it is nothing I have in the world, and life sits heavy -on old shoulders.” - -The rich brother was for passing along as though he heard never a word -of what she said, but the poor brother had a soft heart, and reined in -his horse. - -“It is only three farthings that I have in the world,” said he; “but -such as they are you are welcome to them,” and he emptied his purse into -her hand. - -“You shall not have the worst of the bargain,” said the old woman; “here -is something that is worth the having,” and she gave him a little black -stone about as big as a bean. Then off she went with what he had given -her. - -“See, now,” said the rich brother, “that is why you are so poor as -hardly to be able to make both ends meet in the world.” - -“That may be so, or may not be so,” said the poor brother; “all the -same, mercy is better than greed.” - -How the elder did laugh at this, to be sure! “Why, look,” says he, “here -I am riding upon a grand horse with my pockets full of gold and silver -money, and there you are astride of a beast that can hardly hobble along -the road, and with never a copper bit in your pocket to jingle against -another.” - -Yes; that was all true enough; nevertheless, the younger brother stuck -to it that mercy was better than greed, until, at last, the other flew -into a mighty huff. - -“Very well,” says he, “I will wager my horse against yours that I am -right, and we will leave it to the first body we meet to settle the -point.” - -Well, that suited the poor brother, and he was agreed to do as the other -said. - -So by and by they met a grand lord riding along the road with six -servants behind him; and would he tell whether mercy or greed were the -best for a body in this world? - -The rich lord laughed and laughed. “Why,” said he, “greed is the best, -for if it were otherwise, and I had only what belonged to me, I should -never be jogging along through the world with six servants behind me.” - -So off he rode, and the poor brother had to give up his horse to the -other, who had no more use for it than I have for five more fingers. -“All the same,” says the poor brother, “mercy is better than greed.” -Goodness! what a rage the rich brother fell into, to be sure! “There is -no teaching a simpleton,” said he; “nevertheless, I will wager all the -money in my purse against your left eye that greed is better than mercy, -and we will leave it to the next body we meet, since you are not content -with the other.” - -[Illustration: Having been thrice adjudged in the wrong, the poor man is -left by the rich man blind upon the highway.] - -That suited the younger brother well enough, and on they jogged until -they met a rich merchant driving a donkey loaded with things to sell. -And would he judge between them whether mercy or greed were the best for -a body? - -“Poof!” says the merchant, “what a question to ask! All the world knows -that greed is the best. If it were not for taking the cool end of the -bargain myself, and leaving the hot end for my neighbor to hold, it is -little or nothing that I should have in the world to call my own.” And -off he went whither he was going. - -“There,” says the rich brother, “now perhaps you will be satisfied;” and -he put out the poor man’s left eye. - -But no, the other still held that mercy was better than greed; and so -they made another wager of all the rich man had in the world against the -poor man’s right eye. - -This time it was a poor ploughman whom they met, and would he tell -whether mercy or greed were the best? - -“Prut!” said he, “any simpleton can tell that greed is the best, for all -the world rides on the poor man’s shoulders, and he is able to bear the -burden the least of all.” - -Then the rich man put out the poor man’s right eye; “for,” says he, “a -body deserves to be blind who cannot see the truth when it is as plain -as a pikestaff.” - -But still the poor man stuck to it that mercy was the best. So the rich -man rode away and left him in his blindness. - -As all was darkness to his eyes, he sat down beside the road at the -first place he could find, and that was underneath the gallows where -three wicked robbers had been hung. While he sat there two ravens came -flying, and lit on the gallows above him. They began talking to one -another, and the younger brother heard what they said, for he could -understand the speech of the birds of the air and of the beasts of the -field, just as little children can, because he was innocent. - -And the first raven said to the second raven, “Yonder, below, sits a -fellow in blindness, because he held that mercy was better than greed.” - -And the second raven said to the first, “Yes, that is so, but he might -have his sight again if he only knew enough to spread his handkerchief -upon the grass, and bathe his eyes in the dew which falls upon it from -the gallows above.” - -And the first raven said to the second, “That is as true as that one and -one make two; but there is more to tell yet, for in his pocket he -carries a little black stone with which he may open every door that he -touches. Back of the oak-tree yonder is a little door; if he would but -enter thereat he would find something below well worth the having.” - -[Illustration: The poor man touches the door with y^e stone.] - -That was what the two ravens said, and then they flapped their wings and -flew away. - -As for the younger brother, you can guess how his heart danced at what -he heard. He spread his handkerchief on the grass, and by and by, when -night came, the dew fell upon it until it was as wet as clothes on the -line. He wiped his eyes with it, and when the dew touched the lids they -were cured, and he could see as well and better than ever. - -By and by the day broke, and he lost no time in finding the door back of -the oak-tree. He touched the lock with the little black stone, and the -door opened as smoothly as though the hinges were greased. There he -found a flight of steps that led down into a pit as dark as a beer -vault. Down the steps he went, and on and on until, at last, he came to -a great room, the like of which his eyes had never seen before. In the -centre of the room was a statue as black as ink; in one hand it held a -crystal globe which shone with a clear white light, so that it dazzled -one’s eyes to look upon it; in the other hand it held a great diamond as -big as a hen’s egg. Upon the breast of the statue were written these -words in letters of gold: - - “WHAT THOU DESERVEST - THAT THOU SHALT HAVE.” - -On three sides of the room sat three statues, and at the feet of each -statue stood a heavy chest: - -The first statue was of gold, and over its head were written these -words: - - “WHO CHOOSES HERE TAKES THE BEST THAT THE EARTH HAS TO GIVE.” - -The second statue was of silver, and over its head was written these -words: - - “WHO CHOOSES HERE TAKES WHAT THE RICH MAN LOVES.” - -The third statue was of dull lead, and over its head was written: - - “WHO CHOOSES HERE TAKES WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE.” - -The man touched the chest at the feet of the golden statue with the -little black stone. And—click! clack!—up flew the lid, and the chest was -full of all kinds of precious stones. - -“Pugh!” says the younger brother; “and if this is the best that the -world has to give, it is poor enough.” And he shut down the lid again. - -He touched the chest at the feet of the silver statue with his little -black stone, and it was full of gold and silver money. - -“Pish!” says he; “and if this is what the rich man loves, why, so do not -I.” And he shut down the lid again. - -Last of all he touched the chest at the feet of the leaden statue. - -[Illustration: The poor man finds that which is the best. ¶] - -In it was a book, and the letters on it said that whoever read within -would know all that was worth the knowing. Beside the book was a pair of -spectacles, and whoever set them astride of his nose might see the truth -without having to rub the glasses with his pocket-handkerchief. But the -best of all in the chest was an apple, and whoever ate of it would be -cured of sorrow and sickness. - -“Hi!” said the younger brother, “but these are worth the having, for -sure and certain.” And he put the spectacles upon his nose and the apple -and the book in his pocket. Then off he went, and the spectacles showed -him the way, although it was as crooked as sin and as black as night. - -So by and by he came out into the blessed sunlight again, and at the -same place where he had gone in. - -Off he went to his own home as fast as his legs could carry him, and you -can guess how the rich brother stared when he saw the poor brother back -in that town again, with his eyesight as good as ever. - -As for the poor brother, he just turned his hand to being a doctor; and -there has never been one like him since that day, for not only could he -cure all sickness with his apple, but he could cure all sorrow as well. -Money and fame poured in on him; and whenever trouble lit on his -shoulders he just put on his spectacles and looked into the business, -and then opened the book of wisdom and found how to cure it. So his life -was as happy as the day was long; and a body can ask for no more than -that in this world here below. - -One day the rich brother came and knocked at the other’s door. “Well, -brother,” says he, “I am glad to see you getting along so well in the -world. Let us let bygones be bygones and live together as we should, for -I am sorry for what I did to you.” - -Well, that suited the younger brother well enough; he bore no malice -against the other, for all that had been done had turned out for the -best. All the same, he was more sure than ever now that mercy was better -than greed. - -The elder brother twisted up his face at this, as though the words were -sour; all the same, he did not argue the question, for what he had come -for was to find why the world had grown so easy with the other all of a -sudden. So in he came, and they lit their pipes and sat down by the -stove together. - -He was a keen blade, was the elder brother, and it was not long before -he had screwed the whole story out of the other. - -[Illustration: The rich man findeth that which he deserveth.] - -“Dear, dear, dear!” said he, “I only wish I could find a black pebble -like that one of yours.” - -“It would do you no good if you had it,” said the younger brother, “for -I have brought away all that is worth the having. All the same, if you -want my black pebble now you are welcome to it.” - -Did the elder brother want it! Why, of course he wanted it, and he could -not find words enough to thank the younger. - -Off he went, hot-foot, to find the door back of the oak-tree; “For,” -said he to himself, “I will bring something back better worth the having -than a musty book, an old pair of spectacles, and a red apple.” - -He touched the door with the black stone, and it opened for him just as -it had for the younger brother. - -Down the steps he went, and on and on and on, until by and by he came to -the room where the statues were. There was the black statue holding out -the crystal ball and the diamond as big as a hen’s egg, and there sat -the golden statue and the silver statue and the leaden statue, just as -they had sat when the younger brother had been there, only there was -nothing in the chest at the feet of the leaden statue. - -The rich brother touched the lock of the chest in front of the silver -statue. Up flew the lid, and there lay all the gold and silver money. - -“Yes,” says he, “that is what the rich man loves, sure enough. -Nevertheless, there may be something else that is better worth the -having.” So he let the money lay where it was. - -He touched the chest in front of the golden statue. Up flew the lid, and -he had to blink and wink his eyes because the precious stones dazzled -them so. - -“Yes,” says he, “this is the best the world has to give, and there is no -gainsaying that; all the same, there may be something better worth the -having than these.” - -So he looked all about the room, until he saw the golden letters on the -breast of the black statue that stood in the middle. First he read the -words: - - “WHAT THOU DESERVEST - THAT THOU SHALT HAVE.” - -And then he saw the great diamond that the statue held in its left hand. - -“Why,” said he, “it is as plain as daylight that I deserve this precious -stone, for not being so simple as my brother, and taking what I could -find without looking for anything better.” - -So up he stepped and took the diamond out of the statue’s hand. - -Crash!—and all was darkness, darker than the darkest midnight; for, as -quick as a wink, the black statue let the crystal globe of light fall -from its right hand upon the stone floor, where it broke into ten -thousand pieces. - -And now the rich brother might wander up and wander down, but wander as -he chose he could never find his way out of that place again, for the -darkness shut him in like a blanket. - -So, after all, mercy and temperance were better in the long run than -greed and covetousness, in spite of what the great lord and the rich -merchant and the poor ploughman had said. - -Maybe I have got this story twisted awry in the telling; all the same, -Tommy Pfouce says that it is a true-enough story, if you put on your -spectacles and look at it from the right side. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Five O’clock· - - - _Pussy-Cat_, _Pussy-Cat_ what do you dream, - Sleeping out there in the _Sun_? - The _Red Cow_ and _White Cow_ are out in the _Lane_; - I guess that the _Milking_ is done. [Sidenote: ☾’s pl. Const.] - [Sidenote: ☉ K.P. ⊕] - - _Pussy-Cat_, _Pussy-Cat_ open your _Eyes_, - And see what your _Kitten_’s about; - She’s found a great _Rat-Hole_ that’s close to the _Step_, - And is watching for him to come out. - - - - -[Illustration: The Simpleton _and his_ Little Black Hen.] - - XVII. - - -There were three brothers left behind when the father died. The two -elder, whose names were John and James, were as clever lads as ever ate -pease with a fork. - -As for the youngest, his name was Caspar, he had no more than enough -sense to blow his potatoes when they were hot. Well, when they came to -divide things up between themselves, John and James contrived to share -all of the good things between them. As for Caspar, “why, the little -black hen is enough for him,” says John and James, and that was all the -butter he got from that churn. - -“I’ll take the little black hen to the fair,” says Caspar, “and there -I’ll sell her and buy me some eggs. I’ll set the eggs under the -minister’s speckled hen, and then I’ll have more chicks. Then I’ll buy -me more eggs and have more chicks, and then I’ll buy me more eggs and -have more chicks, and after that I’ll be richer than Uncle Henry, who -has two cows and a horse, and will marry my sweetheart into the -bargain.” So off he went to the fair with the black hen under his arm, -as he had promised himself to do. - -“There goes a goose to the plucking,” says John and James, and then they -turned no hairs grey by thinking any more about the case. - -As for him, why, he went on and on until he came to the inn over the -hill not far from the town, the host of which was no better than he -should be, and that was the long and the short of it. - -“Where do you go with the little black hen, Caspar?” says he. - -“Oh,” says Caspar, “I take it to the fair to sell it and buy me some -eggs. I’ll set the eggs under the minister’s speckled hen, and then I’ll -have more chicks. Then I’ll buy me more eggs and have more chicks, and -then I’ll buy me more eggs and have more chicks, and after that I’ll be -richer than Uncle Henry, who has two cows and a horse, and will marry my -sweetheart into the bargain.” - -Prut! And why should Caspar take his hen to the fair? That was what the -landlord said. It was a silly thing to tramp to the river for water -before the well was dry at home. Why, the landlord had a friend over -yonder who would give ten pennies to one that he could get at the fair -for his black hen. Now, had Caspar ever heard tell of the little old -gentleman who lived in the old willow-tree over yonder? - -No, Caspar had never heard tell of him in all of his life. And there was -no wonder in that, for no more had anybody else, and the landlord was -only up to a bit of a trick to get the little black hen for himself. - -But the landlord sucked in his lips—“_tsch_”—so! Well, that was a pity, -for the little old gentleman had said, time and time again, that he -would give a whole bagful of gold and silver money for just such a -little black hen as the one that Caspar carried under his arm. - -Dear, dear! How Caspar’s eyes did open at this, to be sure. Off he -started for the willow-tree. “Here’s the little black hen,” said he, -“and I’ll sell her for a bagful of gold and silver money.” But nobody -answered him; and you may be sure of that, for there was nobody there. - -“Well,” says Caspar, “I’ll just tie the hen to the tree here, and you -may pay me to-morrow.” So he did as he had said, and off he marched. -Then came the landlord and took the hen off home and had it for his -supper; and there was an end of that business. - -An end of that business? No, no; stop a bit, for we will not drive too -fast down the hill. Listen: there was a wicked robber who had hidden a -bag of gold and silver money in that very tree; but of that neither -Caspar nor the landlord knew any more than the chick in the shell. - -“Hi!” says Caspar, “it is the wise man who gets along in the world.” But -there he was wrong for once in his life, Tommy Pfouce tells me. - -“And did you sell your hen?” says John and James. - -Oh, yes; Caspar had done that. - -And what had he got for it? - -[Illustration: The cunning landlord telleth Caspar where to take his hen -to sell it for a good price.] - -Oh, just a bag of gold and silver money, that was all. He would show it -to them to-morrow, for he was to go and get it then from the old -gentleman who lived in the willow-tree over yonder by the inn over the -hill. - -When John and James heard that they saw as plain as the nose on your -face that Caspar had been bitten by the _fool dog_. - -But Caspar never bothered his head about that; off he went the next day -as grand as you please. Up he marched to the willow-tree, but never a -soul did he find there; for why, there was nobody. - -Rap! tap! tap! He knocked upon the tree as civil as a beggar at the -kitchen door, but nobody said, “Come in!” - -“Look,” says he, “we will have no dilly-dallying; I want my money and I -will have it,” and he fetched a kick at the tree that made the bark fly. -But he might as well have kicked my grandfather’s bedpost for all the -good he had of it. “Oh, very well!” says he, and off he marched and -brought the axe that stood back of the stable door. - -Hui! how the chips flew! for Caspar was bound to get to the bottom of -the business. So by and by the tree lay on the ground, and there was the -bag of gold and silver money that the wicked robber had hidden. “So!” -says Caspar, “better late than never!” and off he marched with it. - -By and by whom should he meet but John and James. Bless me, how they -stared! And did Caspar get all of that money for one little black hen? - -Oh, yes; that he had. - -And where did he get it? - -Oh! the little old man in the willow-tree had paid it to him. - -So, good! that was a fine thing, and it should be share and share alike -among brothers; that was what John and James said, and Caspar did not -say “No;” so down they all sat on the grass and began counting it out. - -“This is mine,” said John. - -“And this is mine,” said James. - -“And this is mine,” said John. - -“And this is mine,” said James. - -“And where is mine?” says Caspar. But neither of the others thought of -him because he was so simple. - -Just then who should come along but the rogue of a landlord. “Hi! and -where did you get all that?” says he. - -[Illustration: Caspar findeth money in the willow-tree.] - -“Oh,” says Caspar, “the little old man in the willow-tree paid it to me -for my little black hen.” - -Yes, yes, the landlord knew how much of that cake to eat. He was not to -have the wool pulled over his eyes so easily. See, now, he knew very -well that thieving had been done, and he would have them all up before -the master mayor for it. So the upshot of the matter was that they had -to take him in to share with them. - -“This is mine,” says the landlord. - -“And this is mine,” says John. - -“And this is mine,” says James. - -“And where do I come in?” says poor Caspar. But nobody thought of him -because he was so simple. - -Just then came along a company of soldiers—tramp! tramp! tramp!—and -there they found them all sharing the money between them, except Caspar. - -“Hi!” says the captain, “here are a lot of thieves, and no mistake!” and -off he marched them to the king’s house, which was finer than any in our -town, and as big as a church into the bargain. - -And how had they come by all that money? that was what the king would -like to know. - -As for the three rogues, they sang a different tune now than they had -whistled before. - -“It’s none of mine, it’s his,” said the landlord, and he pointed to -John. - -“It’s none of mine, it’s his,” said John, and he pointed to James. - -“It’s none of mine, it’s his,” said James, and he pointed to Caspar. - -“And how did you get it?” says the king. - -“Oh!” says Caspar, “the little old man in the willow-tree gave it to me -for my little black hen;” and then he told the whole story without -missing a single grain. - -Beside the king sat the princess, who was so serious and solemn that she -had never laughed once in all her life. So the king had said, time and -time again, that whoever should make her laugh should have her for his -wife. Now, when she heard Caspar’s story, and how he came in behind all -the rest, so that he always had the pinching, like the tail of our cat -in the crack of the door, she laughed like everything, for she could not -help it. So there was the fat in the fire, for Caspar was not much to -look at, and that was the truth. Dear, dear, what a stew the king was -in, for he had no notion for Caspar as a son-in-law. So he began to -think about striking a bargain. “Come,” says he to Caspar, “how much -will you take to give up the princess instead of marrying her?” - -Well, Caspar did not know how much a princess was worth. So he scratched -his head and scratched his head, and by and by he said that he would be -willing to take ten dollars and let the princess go. - -At this the king boiled over into a mighty fume, like water into the -fire. What! did Caspar think that ten dollars was a fit price for a -princess! - -Oh, Caspar had never done any business of this kind before. He had a -sweetheart of his own at home, and if ten dollars was too much for the -princess he would be willing to take five. - -Sakes alive! what a rage the king was in! Why, I would not have stood in -Caspar’s shoes just then—no, not for a hundred dollars. The king would -have had him whipped right away, only just then he had some other -business on hand. So he paid Caspar his five dollars, and told him that -if he would come back the next day he should have all that his back -could carry—meaning a whipping. - -[Illustration: The three share the money amongst them.] - -As for Caspar and his brothers and the rogue of a landlord, they thought -that the king was talking about dollars. So when they had left the -king’s house and had come out into the road again, the three rogues -began to talk as smooth and as soft as though their words were buttered. - -See, now, what did Caspar want with all that the king had promised him; -that was what they said. If he would let them have it, they would give -him all of their share of the money he had found in the willow-tree. - -“Ah, yes,” says Caspar, “I am willing to do that. For,” says he to -himself, “an apple in the pocket is worth three on the tree.” And there -he was right for once in his life. - -Well, the next day back they all tramped to the king’s house again to -get what had been promised to Caspar. - -So! Caspar had come back for the rest, had he? - -Oh, yes, he had come back again; but the lord king must know that he had -sold all that had been promised to him to these three lads for their -share of the money he had found in the willow-tree over yonder. - -“Yes,” says the landlord, “one part of what has been promised is mine.” - -“And one part of it is mine,” says John. - -“Stop a bit, brother,” says James; “remember, one part of it is mine -too.” - -At this the king could not help laughing, and that broke the back of his -anger. - -First of all he sent the landlord for his share, and if his back did not -smart after he had it, why, it was not the fault of those who gave it to -him. By and by he came back again, but he said nothing to the others of -what had been given to him; but all the same he grinned as though he had -been eating sour gooseberries. Then John went, and last of all James, -and what they got satisfied them, I can tell you. - -After that the king told Caspar that he might go into the other room and -fill his pockets with money for what he had given up to the others; so -he had the cool end of that bargain, and did not burn his fingers after -all. - -But the three rogues were not satisfied with this. No, indeed! Caspar -should have his share of the smarting, see if he shouldn’t! So back they -went to the king’s house one fine day, and said that Caspar had been -talking about the lord king, and had said that he was no better than an -old hunks. At this the king was awfully angry. And so off he sent the -others to fetch Caspar along so that he might settle the score with him. - -When the three came home, there was Caspar lying on a bench in the sun, -for he could take the world easy now, because he was so rich. - -“Come along, Caspar,” said they, “the king wants to see you over at his -house yonder.” - -Yes, yes, but there was too much hurrying in this business, for it was -over-quick cooking that burned the broth. If Caspar was to go to the -king’s house he would go in fitting style, so they would just have to -wait till he found a horse, for he was not going to jog it afoot; that -was what Caspar said. - -[Illustration: The three rogues lend Caspar sundry things so that he may -go to the king’s castle.] - -“Yes,” says the landlord, “but sooner than you should lose time in the -waiting, I will lend you my fine dapple-grey.” - -But where was the bridle to come from? Caspar would have them know that -he was not going to ride a horse to the king’s house without a good -bridle over the nag’s ears. - -Oh, John would lend him the new bridle that he bought in the town last -week; so that was soon settled. - -But how about the saddle?—that was what Caspar wanted to know—yes, how -about the saddle? Did they think that he was going to ride up to the -king’s house with his heels thumping against the horse’s ribs as though -he were no better than a ploughman? - -Oh, James would lend him a saddle if that was all he wanted. - -So off they went, all four of them, to the king’s house. - -There was the king, walking up and down, and fussing and fuming with -anger till he was all of a heat. - -“See, now,” says he, as soon as he saw Caspar, “what did you call me an -old hunks for?” - -“I didn’t call you an old hunks,” said Caspar. - -“Yes, you did,” said the king. - -“No, I didn’t,” said Caspar. - -“Yes, you did,” said the king, “for these three lads told me so.” - -“Prut!” said Caspar, “who would believe what they say? Why, they would -just as lief tell you that this horse and saddle and bridle belong to -them.” - -“And so they do!” bawled the three rogues. - -“See there, now,” said Caspar. - -The king scratched his head, for here was a tangled knot, for certain. -“Yes, yes,” said he, “these fellows are fooling either Caspar or me, and -we are both in the same tub, for the matter of that. Take them away and -whip them!” So it was done as he said, and that was all that they got -for their trouble. - -Wit and Luck are not always hatched in the same nest, says Tommy Pfouce, -and maybe he is right about it, for Caspar married his sweetheart, and -if she did not keep his money for him, and himself out of trouble, she -would not have been worth speaking of, and I, for one, would never have -told this story. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Six O’clock - - - Little _John_ and _Eliza_ [Sidenote: K.P. des.] - Went down to the _Mill_, - But now it has stopped, - And the _Hopper_ is still; - - So _John_ and _Eliza_ [Sidenote: _Cool for the season._] - Come _Home_ to their _Tea_, - And both are as hungry, - As hungry can be. - - - - -[Illustration: The Swan Maiden. H.P.] - - XVIII. - - -Once there was a king who had a pear-tree which bore four-and-twenty -golden pears. Every day he went into the garden and counted them to see -that none were missing. - -But, one morning, he found that a pear had been taken during the night, -and thereat he was troubled and vexed to the heart, for the pear-tree -was as dear to him as the apple of his eye. Now, the king had three -sons, and so he called the eldest prince to him. - -“See,” said he, “if you will watch my pear-tree to-night, and will find -me the thief who stole the pear, you shall have half of my kingdom now, -and the whole of it when I am gone.” - -You can guess how the prince was tickled at this: oh, yes, he would -watch the tree, and if the thief should come he should not get away -again as easily. - -Well, that night he sat down beside the tree, with his gun across his -knees, to wait for the coming of the thief. - -He waited and waited, and still he saw not so much as a thread or a -hair. But about the middle of the night there came the very prettiest -music that his ears had ever heard, and before he knew what he was about -he was asleep and snoring until the little leaves shook upon the tree. -When the morning came and he awoke, another pear was gone, and he could -tell no more about it than the man in the moon. - -The next night the second son set out to watch the pear-tree. But he -fared no better than the first. About midnight came the music, and in a -little while he was snoring till the stones rattled. When the morning -came another pear was gone, and he had no more to tell about it than his -brother. - -The third night it was the turn of the youngest son, and he was more -clever than the others, for, when the evening came, he stuffed his ears -full of wax, so that he was as deaf as a post. About midnight, when the -music came, he heard nothing of it, and so he stayed wide awake. After -the music had ended he took the wax out of his ears, so that he might -listen for the coming of the thief. Presently there was a loud clapping -and rattling, and a white swan flew overhead and lit in the pear-tree -above him. It began picking at one of the pears, and then the prince -raised his gun to shoot at it. But when he looked along the barrel it -was not a swan that he saw up in the pear-tree, but the prettiest girl -that he had ever looked upon. - -“Don’t shoot me, king’s son! Don’t shoot me!” cried she. - -But the prince had no thought of shooting her, for he had never seen -such a beautiful maiden in all of his days. “Very well,” said he, “I -will not shoot, but, if I spare your life, will you promise to be my -sweetheart and to marry me?” - -“That may be as may be,” said the Swan Maiden. “For listen! I serve the -witch with three eyes. She lives on the glass hill that lies beyond the -seven high mountains, the seven deep valleys, and the seven wide rivers; -are you man enough to go that far?” - -“Oh, yes,” said the prince, “I am man enough for that and more too.” - -“That is good,” said the Swan Maiden, and thereupon she jumped down from -the pear-tree to the earth. Then she became a swan again, and bade the -king’s son to mount upon her back at the roots of her wings. When he had -done as she had told him, she sprang into the air and flew away, bearing -him with her. - -On flew the swan, and on and on, until, by and by, she said, “What do -you see, king’s son?” - -“I see the grey sky above me and the dark earth below me, but nothing -else,” said he. - -After that they flew on and on again, until, at last, the Swan Maiden -said, “What do you see now, king’s son?” - -[Illustration: The Swan carries the Prince over the hills and far away. -HP.] - -“I see the grey sky above me and the dark earth below me, but nothing -else,” said he. - -So once more they flew on until the Swan Maiden said, for the third -time, “And what do you see by now, king’s son?” - -But this time the prince said, “I see the grey sky above me and the dark -earth below me, and over yonder is a glass hill, and on the hill is a -house that shines like fire.” - -“That is where the witch with three eyes lives,” said the Swan Maiden; -“and now listen: when she asks you what it is that you came for, ask her -to give you the one who draws the water and builds the fire; for that is -myself.” - -So, when they had come to the top of the hill of glass, the king’s son -stepped down to the ground, and the swan flew over the roof. - -Rap! tap! tap! he knocked at the door, and the old witch herself came -and opened it. - -“And what do you want here?” said she. - -“I want the one who draws the water and builds the fire,” said the -prince. - -At this the old witch scowled until her eyebrows met. - -“Very well,” said she, “you shall have what you want if you can clean my -stables to-morrow between the rise and the set of the sun. But I tell -you plainly, if you fail in the doing, you shall be torn to pieces body -and bones.” - -But the prince was not to be scared away with empty words. So the next -morning the old witch came and took him to the stables where he was to -do his task. There stood more than a hundred cattle, and the stable had -not been cleaned for at least ten long years. - -“There is your work,” said the old witch, and then she left him. - -Well, the king’s son set to work with fork and broom and might and main, -but—prut!—he might as well have tried to bale out the great ocean with a -bucket. - -At noontide who should come to the stable but the pretty Swan Maiden -herself. - -“When one is tired, one should rest for a while,” said she; “come and -lay your head in my lap.” - -The prince was glad enough to do as she said, for nothing was to be -gained by working at that task. So he laid his head in her lap, and she -combed his hair with a golden comb till he fell fast asleep. When he -awoke the Swan Maiden was gone, the sun was setting, and the stable was -as clean as a plate. Presently he heard the old witch coming, so up he -jumped and began clearing away a straw here and a speck there, just as -though he were finishing the work. - -[Illustration: The Prince comes to the old, three eyed Witch’s house.] - -“You never did this by yourself!” said the old witch, and her brows grew -as black as a thunder-storm. - -“That may be so, and that may not be so,” said the king’s son, “but you -lent no hand to help; so now may I have the one who builds the fire and -draws the water?” - -At this the old witch shook her head. “No,” said she, “there is more to -be done yet before you can have what you ask for. If you can thatch the -roof of the stable with bird feathers, no two of which shall be of the -same color, and can do it between the rise and the set of sun to-morrow, -then you shall have your sweetheart and welcome. But if you fail your -bones shall be ground as fine as malt in the mill.” - -Very well; that suited the king’s son well enough. So at sunrise he -arose and went into the fields with his gun; but if there were birds to -be shot, it was few of them that he saw; for at noontide he had but two, -and they were both of a color. At that time who should come to him but -the Swan Maiden. - -“One should not tramp and tramp all day with never a bit of rest,” said -she; “come hither and lay your head in my lap for a while.” - -The prince did as she bade him, and the maiden again combed his hair -with a golden comb until he fell asleep. When he awoke the sun was -setting, and his work was done. He heard the old witch coming, so up he -jumped to the roof of the stable and began laying a feather here and a -feather there, for all the world as though he were just finishing his -task. - -“You never did that work alone,” said the old witch. - -“That may be so, and that may not be so,” said the prince; “all the -same, it was none of your doing. So now may I have the one who draws the -water and builds the fire?” - -But the witch shook her head. “No,” said she, “there is still another -task to do before that. Over yonder is a fir-tree; on the tree is a -crow’s nest, and in the nest are three eggs. If you can harry that nest -to-morrow between the rising and the setting of the sun, neither -breaking nor leaving a single egg, you shall have that for which you -ask.” - -Very well; that suited the prince. The next morning at the rising of the -sun he started off to find the fir-tree, and there was no trouble in the -finding I can tell you, for it was more than a hundred feet high, and as -smooth as glass from root to tip. As for climbing it, he might as well -have tried to climb a moonbeam, for in spite of all his trying he did -nothing but slip and slip. By and by came the Swan Maiden as she had -come before. - -[Illustration: The Swan Maiden helps y^e young Prince.] - -“Do you climb the fir-tree?” said she. - -“None too well,” said the king’s son. - -“Then I may help you in a hard task,” said she. - -She let down the braids of her golden hair, so that it hung down all -about her and upon the ground, and then she began singing to the wind. -She sang and sang, and by and by the wind began to blow, and, catching -up the maiden’s hair, carried it to the top of the fir-tree, and there -tied it to the branches. Then the prince climbed the hair and so reached -the nest. There were the three eggs; he gathered them, and then he came -down as he had gone up. After that the wind came again and loosed the -maiden’s hair from the branches, and she bound it up as it was before. - -“Now, listen,” said she to the prince: “when the old witch asks you for -the three crow’s eggs which you have gathered, tell her that they belong -to the one who found them. She will not be able to take them from you, -and they are worth something, I can tell you.” - -At sunset the old witch came hobbling along, and there sat the prince at -the foot of the fir-tree. “Have you gathered the crow’s eggs?” said she. - -“Yes,” said the prince, “here they are in my handkerchief. And now may I -have the one who draws the water and builds the fire?” - -“Yes,” said the old witch, “you may have her; only give me my crow’s -eggs.” - -“No,” said the prince, “the crow’s eggs are none of yours, for they -belong to him who gathered them.” - -When the old witch found that she was not to get her crow’s eggs in that -way, she tried another, and began using words as sweet as honey. Come, -come, there should be no hard feeling between them. The prince had -served her faithfully, and before he went home with what he had come for -he should have a good supper, for it is ill to travel on an empty -stomach. - -So she brought the prince into the house, and then she left him while -she went to put the pot on the fire, and to sharpen the bread-knife on -the stone door-step. - -While the prince sat waiting for the witch, there came a tap at the -door, and whom should it be but the pretty Swan Maiden. - -“Come,” said she, “and bring the three eggs with you, for the knife that -the old witch is sharpening is for you, and so is the great pot on the -fire, for she means to pick your bones in the morning.” - -[Illustration: The witch and y^e woman of honey & meal.] - -She led the prince down into the kitchen; there they made a figure out -of honey and barley-meal, so that it was all soft and sticky; then the -maiden dressed the figure in her own clothes and set it in the -chimney-corner by the fire. - -After that was done, she became a swan again, and, taking the prince -upon her back, she flew away, over hill and over dale. - -As for the old witch, she sat on the stone door-step, sharpening her -knife. By and by she came in, and, look as she might, there was no -prince to be found. - -Then if anybody was ever in a rage it was the old witch; off she went, -storming and fuming, until she came to the kitchen. There sat the woman -of honey and barley-meal beside the fire, dressed in the maiden’s -clothes, and the old woman thought that it was the girl herself. “Where -is your sweetheart?” said she; but to this the woman of honey and -barley-meal answered never a word. - -“How now! are you dumb?” cried the old witch; “I will see whether I -cannot bring speech to your lips.” She raised her hand—_slap!_—she -struck, and so hard was the blow that her hand stuck fast to the honey -and barley-meal. “What!” cried she, “will you hold me?”—_slap!_—she -struck with the other hand, and it too stuck fast. So there she was, -and, for all that I know, she is sticking to the woman of honey and -barley-meal to this day. - -As for the Swan Maiden and the prince, they flew over the seven high -mountains, the seven deep valleys, and the seven wide rivers, until they -came near to the prince’s home again. The Swan Maiden lit in a great -wide field, and there she told the prince to break open one of the -crow’s eggs. The prince did as she bade him, and what should he find but -the most beautiful little palace, all of pure gold and silver. He set -the palace on the ground, and it grew and grew and grew until it covered -as much ground as seven large barns. Then the Swan Maiden told him to -break another egg, and he did as she said, and what should come out of -it but such great herds of cows and sheep that they covered the meadow -far and near. The Swan Maiden told him to break the third egg, and out -of it came scores and scores of servants all dressed in gold and silver -livery. - -That morning, when the king looked out of his bedroom window, there -stood the splendid castle of silver and gold. Then he called all of his -people together, and they rode over to see what it meant. On the way -they met such herds of fat sheep and cattle that the king had never seen -the like in all of his life before; and when he came to the fine castle, -there were two rows of servants dressed in clothes of silver and gold, -ready to meet him. But when he came to the door of the castle, there -stood the prince himself. Then there was joy and rejoicing, you may be -sure! only the two elder brothers looked down in the mouth, for since -the young prince had found the thief who stole the golden pears, their -father’s kingdom was not for them. But the prince soon set their minds -at rest on that score, for he had enough and more than enough of his -own. - -After that the prince and the Swan Maiden were married, and a grand -wedding they had of it, with music of fiddles and kettle-drums, and -plenty to eat and to drink. I, too, was there; but all of the good red -wine ran down over my tucker, so that not a drop of it passed my lips, -and I had to come away empty. - -And that is all. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Seven O’clock· - - - The _Work_ is over for the _Day_; [Sidenote: K.P. del. ⌣ _Grows cool._] - The _Sky_ is pale, and far away - The _Village Children_ shout at _Play_. - - Now from his _Hole_ the _Toad_ comes out, - And blinks his _Eyes_, and hops about, - And likes the pleasant _Air_, no doubt. - - - - -[Illustration: The Three Little Pigs _and the_ OGRE.] - - XIX. - - -There were three nice, fat little pigs. The first was small, the second -was smaller, and the third was the smallest of all. And these three -little pigs thought of going out into the woods to gather acorns, for -there were better acorns there than here. - -“There’s a great ogre who lives over yonder in the woods,” says the -barn-yard cock. - -“And he will eat you up, body and bones,” says the speckled hen. - -“And there will be an end of you,” says the black drake. - -“If folks only knew what was good for them, they would stay at home and -make the best of what they had there,” said the old grey goose who laid -eggs under the barn, and who had never gone out into the world or had -had a peep of it beyond the garden-gate. - -But no; the little pigs would go out into the world, whether or no; -“for,” said they, “if we stay at home because folks shake their heads, -we will never get the best acorns that are to be had;” and there was -more than one barley-corn of truth in that chaff, I can tell you. - -So out into the woods they went. - -They hunted for acorns here and they hunted for acorns there, and by and -by whom should the smallest of all the little pigs meet but the great, -wicked ogre himself. - -“Aha!” says the great, wicked ogre, “it is a nice, plump little pig that -I have been wanting for my supper this many a day past. So you may just -come along with me now.” - -“Oh, Master Ogre,” squeaked the smallest of the little pigs in the -smallest of voices—“oh, Master Ogre, don’t eat me! There’s a bigger pig -back of me, and he will be along presently.” - -So the ogre let the smallest of the little pigs go, for he would rather -have a larger pig if he could get it. - -By and by came the second little pig. “Aha!” says the great, wicked -ogre, “I have been wanting just such a little pig as you for my supper -for this many a day past. So you may just come along with me now.” - -“Oh, Master Ogre,” said the middle-sized pig, in his middle-sized voice, -“don’t take me for your supper; there’s a bigger pig than I am coming -along presently. Just wait for him.” - -Well, the ogre was satisfied to do that; so he waited, and by and by, -sure enough, came the largest of the little pigs. - -“And now,” says the great, wicked ogre, “I will wait no longer, for you -are just the pig I want for my supper, and so you may march along with -me.” - -But the largest of the little pigs had his wits about him, I can tell -you. “Oh, very well,” says he; “if I am the shoe that fits there is no -use in hunting for another; only, have you a roasted apple to put in my -mouth when I am cooked? for no one ever heard of a little pig brought on -the table without a roast apple in its mouth.” - -No; the ogre had no roasted apple. - -Dear, dear! that was a great pity. If he would wait for a little while, -the largest of the little pigs would run home and fetch one, and then -things would be as they should. - -Yes, the ogre was satisfied with that. So off ran the little pig, and -the ogre sat down on a stone and waited for him. - -Well, he waited and he waited and he waited and he waited, but not a tip -of a hair of the little pig did he see that day, as you can guess -without my telling you. - -And Tommy Pfouce tells me that the great, wicked ogre is not the only -one who has gone without either pig or roast apple, because when he -could get the one he would not take it without the other. - -[Illustration: The Ogre meets the three little pigs in the forest, -whither they went to gather acorns.] - -“And now,” says the cock and the speckled hen and the black drake and -the old grey goose who laid her eggs under the barn, and had never been -out into the world beyond the garden-gate—“and now perhaps you will run -out into the world and among ogres no more. Are there not good enough -acorns at home?” - -Perhaps there were; but that was not what the three little pigs thought. -“See, now,” said the smallest of the three little pigs, “if one is -afraid of the water, one will never catch any fish. I, for one, am going -out into the woods to get a few acorns.” - -So out into the woods he went, and there he found all of the acorns that -he wanted. But, on his way home, whom should he meet but the great, -wicked ogre. - -“Aha!” says the ogre, “and is that you?” - -Oh, yes, it was nobody else; but had the ogre come across three fellows -tramping about in the woods down yonder? - -No, the ogre had met nobody in the woods that day. - -“Dear, dear,” says the smallest little pig, “but that is a pity, for -those three fellows were three wicked robbers, and they have just hidden -a meal-bag full of money in that hole up in the tree yonder.” - -You can guess how the ogre pricked up his ears at this, and how he -stared till his eyes were as big as saucers. - -“Just wait,” said he to the smallest little pig, “and I will be down -again in a minute.” So he laid his jacket to one side and up the tree he -climbed, for he wanted to find that bag of money, and he meant to have -it. - -“Do you find the hole?” says the smallest of the little pigs. - -Yes; the ogre had found the hole. - -“And do you find the money?” says the smallest of the little pigs. - -No; the ogre could find no money. - -“Then good-bye,” says the smallest of the little pigs, and off he -trotted home, leaving the ogre to climb down the tree again as he chose. - -“And now, at least, you will go out into the woods no more,” says the -cock, the speckled hen, the black drake, and the grey goose. - -Oh, well, there was no telling what the three little pigs would do yet, -they would have to wait and see. - -One day it was the middle-sized little pig who would go out into the -woods, for he also had a mind to taste the acorns there. - -So out into the woods the middle-sized little pig went, and there he had -all the acorns that he wanted. - -But by and by the ogre came along. “Aha!” says he. “Now I have you for -sure and certain.” - -[Illustration: The Ogre climbs the tree for the money that he believes -to be there.] - -But the middle-sized little pig just stood and looked at a great rock -just in front of him, with all of his might and main. “Sh-h-h-h-h-h!” -says he, “I am not to be talked to or bothered now!” - -Hoity-toity! Here was a pretty song, to be sure! And why was the -middle-sized pig not to be talked to? That was what the ogre should like -to know. - -Oh, the middle-sized little pig was looking at what was going on under -the great rock yonder, for he could see the little folk brewing more -beer than thirty-seven men could drink. - -So! Why, the ogre would like to see that for himself. - -“Very well,” says the middle-sized little pig, “there is nothing easier -than to learn that trick! just take a handful of leaves from yonder bush -and rub them over your eyes, and then shut them tight and count fifty.” - -Well, the ogre would have a try at that. So he gathered a handful of the -leaves and rubbed them over his eyes, just as the middle-sized pig had -said. - -“And now are you ready?” said the middle-sized little pig. - -Yes; the ogre was ready. - -“Then shut your eyes and count,” said the middle-sized little pig. - -So the ogre shut them as tightly as he could and began to count, “One, -two, three, four, five,” and so on; and while he was counting, why, the -little pig was running away home again. - -By and by the ogre bawled out “_Fifty!!!_” and opened his eyes, for he -was done. Then he saw not more, but less, than he had seen before, for -the little pig was not there. - -And now it was the largest of the three little pigs who began to talk -about going out into the woods to look for acorns. - -“You had better stay at home and take things as they come. The crock -that goes often to the well gets broken at last;” that was what the -cock, the speckled hen, the black drake, and the grey goose said; and -they thought themselves very wise to talk as they did. - -But no; the little pig wanted to go out into the woods, and into the -woods the little pig would go, ogre or no ogre. - -After he had eaten all of the acorns that he wanted he began to think of -going home again, but just then the ogre came stumping along. “Aha!” -says he, “we have met again, have we?” - -“Yes,” said the largest of the three little pigs, “we have. And I want -to say that I could find no roast apple at home, and so I did not come -back again.” - -[Illustration: The Ogre shuts his eyes and counts fifty] - -Yes, yes, that was all very fine; but they should have a settling of old -scores now. The largest of the three little pigs might just come along -home with the ogre, and to-morrow he should be made into sausages; for -there was to be no trickery this time, so there was an end of the -matter. - -Come, come! the ogre must not be too testy. There was such a thing as -having too much pepper in the pudding—that was what the largest of the -little pigs said. If it were sausages that the ogre was after, maybe the -pig could help him. Over home at the farm yonder was a storehouse filled -with more sausages and good things than two men could count. There was a -window where the ogre could just squeeze through. Only he must promise -to eat what he wanted and to carry nothing away with him. - -Well, the ogre promised to eat all he wanted in the storehouse, and then -off they went together. - -By and by they came to the storehouse at the farm, and there, sure -enough, was a window, and it was _just_ large enough for the ogre to -squeeze through without a button to spare in the size. - -Dear, dear! how the ogre did stuff himself with the sausages and -puddings and other good things in the storehouse. - -By and by the little pig bawled out as loud as he could, “_Have you had -enough yet?_” - -“Hush-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!” says the ogre, “don’t talk so loud, or you’ll -be rousing the folks and having them about our ears like a hive of -bees.” - -“No,” bawled the little pig, louder than before, “but tell me, _have_ -you had enough yet?” - -“Yes, yes,” says the ogre, “I have had almost enough, only be still -about it!” - -“Very well!” bawled the little pig, as loud as he could, “if you have -had enough, and if you have eaten all of the sausages and all of the -puddings you can stuff, it is about time that you were going, for here -comes the farmer and two of his men to see what all the stir is about.” - -And, sure enough, the farmer and his men were coming as fast as they -could lay foot to the ground. - -But when the ogre heard them coming, he felt sure that it was time that -he was getting away home again, and so he tried to get out of the same -window that he had gotten in a little while before. But he had stuffed -himself with so much of the good things that he had swelled like -everything, and there he stuck in the storehouse window like a cork in a -bottle, and could budge neither one way nor the other; and that was a -pretty pickle to be in. - -“Oho!” says the farmer, “you were after my sausages and my puddings, -were you? Then you will come no more.” - -And that was so; for when the farmer and his men were done with the ogre -he never went into the woods again, for he could not. - -As for the three little pigs, they trotted away into the woods every day -of their lives, for there was nobody nowadays to stop them from -gathering all the acorns that they wanted. - -[Illustration: The Ogre sticks fast in the window.] - -Now, don’t you believe folks when they say that this is _all_ stuff and -nonsense that I have been telling you; for if you turn it upside down -and look in the bottom of it you will find that there is more than one -grain of truth there; that is if you care to scratch among the chaff for -it. And that is the end of this story. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Eight O’Clock· - - - The little _Bats_ fly [Sidenote: _Cooler winds._] - About in the _Sky_, - And the _Kobold_’s wide awake. - The great black _Trees_ [Sidenote: ●] - Are stirred in the _Breeze_, - And a curious _Sound_ they make. - - The _Plays_ are done, [Sidenote: ☽] - And the _Prayers_ are said, - And the _Children_ are snugly - Tucked in _Bed_. [Sidenote: K.P.] - - - - -[Illustration: The Staff and The Fiddle.] - - XX. - - -_The wind of heaven blows the chips and the straws together._ - -There was a fiddler, a tinker, and a shoemaker jogging along the road, -but whatever brought them in company is more than I am able to tell you. -All the same, there they were, and, after all, that is the kernel of the -nut. - -The fiddler was as merry a little toad as ever a body could wish to see; -as for the tinker and the shoemaker, why, they were as sour as bad beer. - -Well, they plodded along, all three of them, until by and by they came -to a cross-road, and there sat an old body begging; “Dear, good, kind -gentlemen, give a poor old woman a penny or two. Do now.” - -“Pooh!” says the tinker and the shoemaker, and off they walked with -their noses in the air as though they were hunting for flies up yonder. - -As for the fiddler, he had another kind of a heart under his jacket; -“Come,” says he, “we are all chicks in the same puddle.” So he gave the -old woman all that he had, which was only two pennies. - -“A cake for a pie,” said the old woman; “and what would you like to have -in the way of a wish? for all that you have to do is to ask, and it -shall be granted.” - -This old woman was a famous wise one, I can tell you, though the fiddler -knew nothing of that. - -The fiddler thought and thought, but there was little that he had to -wish for; nevertheless, since they were in the way of asking and giving, -and seeing that his body was none of the largest, he would like to have -it for a wish that whenever he should say, “Rub-a-dub-dub,” the staff in -his hand would up and fight for him. - -So! and was that all that he wanted? Then it was granted and welcome, -for it was little enough. - -After that they said, “Good-morning,” and the fiddler went one way and -the old woman the other. - -So the three companions plodded along together until, by and by, night -came, and there they were, in a deep forest, with branches over their -heads and not a peep out from under the trees, no matter where they -might look; and that was not the pleasantest thing for them, I can tell -you. But by and by they saw a light, and then the world looked up with -them again. So they hurried along more rapidly, and presently came to -the house where the light was shining; and, after all, it was not much -to look at. - -Rap, tap, tap! they knocked at the door, but nobody came; so they opened -it for themselves and walked in. - -No; there was no one at home, but there was a table spread with a -smoking hot supper, and places for three. Down they sat without waiting -for the bidding, for their hunger was as sharp as vinegar. - -Well, they ate and they ate and they ate until they could eat no more, -and then they turned around and roasted their toes at the warm fire. - -That was all very well and good, but by and by all the wood was burned, -and then who was to go out into the dark forest and fetch another -armful? - -“Not I,” says the tinker. - -“Not I,” says the shoemaker. - -And so it fell to the lot of the fiddler, and off he went. - -But many a one spills the milk-mug to save the water-jug, and so it was -with the tinker and the shoemaker; for, while they sat warming their -shins at the fire and rubbing their hands over their knees, in walked an -ugly little troll no taller than a yard-stick, but with a head as big as -a cabbage, and a good stout cudgel twice as long as himself in his hand; -as for his eyes, why, they were as big as your mother’s teacups. - -[Illustration: The Fiddler gives the old woman all that he has in his -purse. ¶):(⁋] - -“I want something to eat,” says he. - -“You’ll get nothing here,” says the tinker and the shoemaker. - -“Yes, but I will,” says the little manikin. - -“No, but you will not,” says the tinker and the shoemaker. - -“That we’ll see,” says the manikin; whereupon he spat upon his hands, -snatched up his club, and, without more ado, fell upon the tinker and -the shoemaker, and began beating them with all his might and main. My -goodness, you should have seen how they hopped about like two peas on a -drum-head, and you should have heard how they bellowed and bawled for -mercy! But the little ugly troll never stopped until he was too tired to -drub them any more; then he went away whither he had come, and all that -the two fellows could do was to rub the places that smarted the most. - -By and by in came the fiddler with his armful of wood, but never a word -did the tinker and the shoemaker say, for they had no notion of telling -how such a little manikin had dusted the coats of two great hulking -fellows like themselves; only the next day they thought that it would be -well to rest where they were, for their bones were too sore to be -jogging. So they lolled around the house all day, and found everything -that they wanted to eat in the cupboards. - -After supper there was more wood to be brought in from the forest, and -this time it was the tinker and the shoemaker who went to fetch it, for -they had settled it between them that the fiddler was to have a taste of -the same broth that they had supped. - -Sure enough, by and by in came the ugly little troll with the great long -cudgel. - -“I want something to eat,” says he. - -“There it is, brother,” says the fiddler, “help yourself.” - -“It is you who shall wait on me,” says the ugly little troll. - -“Tut!” says the fiddler, “how you talk, neighbor; have you no hands of -your own?” - -“You shall wait on me,” says the manikin. - -“I shall not,” says the fiddler. - -“That we will see,” says the manikin, and he spat upon his hands and -gripped his cudgel. - -“Hi!” says the fiddler, “and is that the game you are playing? Then, -rub-a-dub-dub!” says he. - -[Illustration: The Fiddler gives the word & the staff falls to drubbing -the Dwarf as he deserves.] - -Pop!—up jumps his staff from the corner where he had stood it, and then -you should have seen the dust fly! This time it was the manikin who -hopped over the chairs and begged and bawled for mercy. As for the -fiddler, he stood by with his hands in his pockets and whistled. By and -by the manikin found the door, and out he jumped with the fiddler at his -heels. But the fiddler was not quick enough, for, before he could catch -him, the little troll popped into a great hole in the ground like a frog -into a well; and there was an end to that business. - -After a while the tinker and the shoemaker came back from the forest -with their load of wood, and then how the fiddler did laugh at them, for -he saw very well how the wind had been blowing with them. As for him, he -was all for following the little manikin into the hole in the ground; so -they hunted here and they hunted there, until they found a great basket -and a rope, and then the tinker and the shoemaker lowered the fiddler -and his staff down into the pit. - -Down he went ever so deep until he reached the bottom, and there he -found a great room. The first body whom he saw was a princess as pretty -as a ripe apple, but looking, oh, so sad! at being in such a place. The -next he saw was the ugly little troll, who sat in the corner and growled -like our cat when the dog comes into the kitchen. - -“So!” says the fiddler, “there you are, are you? Then it is -rub-a-dub-dub again.” And this time before the drubbing was stopped it -was all over with the troll. - -And then who was glad but the pretty princess. She flung her arms around -the merry little fiddler’s neck, and gave him a right good smacking kiss -or two, and that paid a part of the score, I can tell you. Then they sat -down and the pretty princess told him all about how the troll had -carried her off a year and more ago, and had kept her in this place ever -since. After that she took a pure gold ring off of her finger and broke -it in two; half of it was for the fiddler and half of it was for her; -for they were sweethearts now, and the ring was to be a love-token. - -Then the fiddler put the princess into the basket, and the two fellows -above hauled her up. By and by down came the basket again, and now it -was the fiddler’s turn. “Suppose,” says he, “that they are up to some of -their tricks!” So he tumbled a great stone into the basket in the place -of himself. Sure enough, when the basket was about half-way up, down it -came tumbling, for the rogues above had cut the rope, and if the fiddler -had been there in the place of the stone, it would have been all over -with him. - -[Illustration: The Fiddler finds y^e Princess in the cavern of the -Dwarf.] - -Then if anybody was ever down in the dumps the fiddler was the fellow. -For there he was down in the pit, and he could no more get out of his -pickle than a toad out of the cellar window. After he had been there for -ever so long a time, he saw a pretty little fiddle that hung back of the -cupboard. “Aha!” says he, “there is some butter to the crust after all; -and now we will just have a bit of a jig to cheer us up a little.” So -down he sat and began to play. - -And then what do you think happened? Why, up popped a little fellow no -higher than your knee and as black as your hat! - -“What do you want, master?” said he. - -“So,” said the fiddler, “and is that the tune we play? Well, I should -like to get out of this pit, that I should.” - -No sooner said than done, for he had hardly time to pick up his staff -and tuck the fiddle under his arm, when—whisk!—he was up above as quick -as a wink. - -“Hi!” said he, “but this is a pretty fiddle to own and no mistake!” and -off he went, right foot foremost. - -After a while he came to the town where the king lived, and there was a -great buzzing and gossip, and this was why: all the folks were talking -about how the tinker and the shoemaker had brought back the princess -from the ugly little troll, and of how the king had promised that -whoever did that was to have her for his wife and half of the kingdom to -boot; but here were two lads, and the question was who was to have her. -For before they had left the pit over yonder, the tinker and the -shoemaker had made the princess vow and promise that she would say -nothing about how they had treated the fiddler, and now each fellow was -saying that he had brought her up out of the troll’s den. - -And the princess did nothing but sit and cry and cry; but, as for -marrying, she vowed and declared that she would not do that till she had -a pair of slippers of pure gold, and a real diamond buckle on each -slipper; and nobody in all of the town was able to make the kind that -she wanted. - -When the fiddler heard all this he went straight to a shoemaker’s shop. -“Will you take a journeyman shoemaker?” says he. - -“What can you do?” says the master shoemaker. - -“I can make a pair of slippers such as the princess wants, only I must -have a room all to myself to make them in,” says the fiddler. - -When the master shoemaker heard this, he was not long in making up his -mind, so the bargain was closed and that settled the business. - -[Illustration: The Fiddler and the little, black mannikin.] - -As soon as the fiddler was alone he drew out his fiddle and began to -play a bit of a jig, and there stood the little black fellow, just as he -had done before. - -“What do you want?” says he. - -“I should like,” said the fiddler, “to have a pair of slippers such as -the princess asks for, but I only want one buckle to the pair, and that -must be made of real diamonds.” - -Oh! that was an easy thing to have, and there were the slippers just as -the fiddler had ordered. - -“But there is only one buckle,” says the master shoemaker. - -“Tut!” says the fiddler, “turn no hairs grey for that, brother. Just -tell the princess that the fiddler has the other, and matters will be as -smooth as cream.” - -Well, the master shoemaker did as the fiddler said, and you may guess -how the princess opened her pretty eyes when she heard that her -sweetheart was thereabouts. Nothing would suit her but that she must see -that journeyman shoemaker. But when they sent to fetch him, he was gone. - -And now the shoemaker and the tinker began to talk again; the princess -had been promised to the man who saved her from the troll, and so she -must and should choose one of them. But no; the princess was not ready -yet; she would never marry till she had a pair of gloves of the finest -silk, all embroidered with silver and pearls and with a ruby clasp at -the wrist of each. - -And now came the same dance with a different tune, for nobody was to be -found in all of the town who could make such a pair of gloves as she -wanted. By and by the matter came to the fiddler’s ears, and off he set -to the glover’s shop. And did the glover want an apprentice? - -Yes, the glover wanted an apprentice, but he must know first what the -other could do. - -“Well,” said the fiddler, “if I have a room all to myself, I can make a -pair of gloves such as the princess asks for.” And after that he was not -left to kick his toes in the cold. - -As soon as he was alone, he drew out his fiddle and struck up an air, -and there stood the little black man again. - -“I would like,” said the fiddler, “to have a pair of gloves such as the -princess asks for. But there must be only one clasp to the wrist, and -that made all of pure rubies.” That is what he said, and there were the -gloves without his having to ask twice for them. - -“But there is only one clasp,” said the glover. - -“Never mind that,” said the wonderful apprentice; “just tell the -princess that the fiddler had the other, and she will be satisfied.” - -As for the princess, she sent off post-haste for the lad who had made -her gloves. But she was behindhand this time too, for, when those whom -she sent came to the glover’s house, they found nobody there but the cat -and the kettle, and the master glover, for the fiddler was gone. - -And now the tinker and the shoemaker began again; the princess had her -gloves, and she must and should choose one or the other of them. - -But no. First of all the princess must have a fine dress all of white -silk with both sleeves looped up with pearls as big as marbles. - -But there was nobody to make such a dress as that in all of the town, -till the fiddler went to the master tailor and offered himself as a -journeyman workman. Then the dress came quickly enough, and with only -the tune of a fiddle. But the loop of pearls on one sleeve was missing. - -“And that will never do in the wide world,” says the tailor. - -“Oh,” says the fiddler, “that is nothing; just tell the princess that -the fiddler has the other, and she will be satisfied.” - -Well, the tailor did as he said, and when the princess heard who had the -pearl loop, she was satisfied, just as the fiddler had said she would -be. - -By and by the tinker and the shoemaker began again; the princess must -choose one or the other of them. And now there was nothing left for her -to do but to say “Yes.” She felt sure that the fiddler would be on hand -at the right time, and so a day was fixed for choosing whom she would -marry. - -It was not long before the fiddler heard of that, for news flies fast. -Off he went by himself and played a turn or two on his fiddle. - -“And what do you want now?” says the little manikin. - -“This time,” said the fiddler, “I want a splendid suit of clothes for -myself, all of silver and gold; besides that, I want a hat with a great -feather in it and a fine milk-white horse.” - -So; good! Well, he could have those things easily enough, and there they -were. - -So the fiddler dressed himself in his fine clothes, and then, when it -was about time for the princess to make her choice, he mounted upon his -great milk-white horse and set off for the king’s house with his staff -across the saddle in front of him. - -But you should have seen how the people looked as he rode along the -street, for they had never laid eyes upon such a fine sight in all of -their lives before. Up he rode to the castle, and when he knocked at the -door they did not keep him waiting long out in the cold, I can tell you. - -There they all sat at dinner, the tinker on one side of the princess and -the shoemaker on the other. But when they saw the fiddler in his grand -clothes, they thought that he was some great nobleman for sure and -certain, for neither the princess nor the two rogues knew who he was. -The folks squeezed together along the bench and made room for him; so he -leaned his staff in the corner and down he sat, just across the table -from the princess. - -By and by he asked the princess if she would drink a glass of red wine -with him. - -Yes, the princess would do that. - -So the fiddler drank, and then what did he do but drop his half of the -ring that the princess had given him into the cup, before he passed it -across to her. - -Then the princess drank, but something bobbed against her lips; and when -she came to look—lo and behold!—there was the half of her ring. - -And if anybody in all of the world was glad, it was the princess at that -very moment. Up she stood before them all; “There is my sweetheart,” -says she, “and I will marry him and no one else.” - -As for the fiddler, he just said, “Rub-a-dub-dub,” and up jumped the -staff and began to thump and bang the tinker and the shoemaker until -they scampered away for dear life, and there was an end of them so far -as I know, for if you would like to know what happened to them -afterwards, you will have to ask some one else. - -The king was ever so glad to have the fiddler for a son-in-law in the -place either of the tinker or the shoemaker, for he was a much -better-looking lad. Besides, the others had done nothing but brew -trouble and worriment ever since they had come into the house. - -After that there was a grand wedding. I too was there at the feasting, -but I got nothing but empty sausage and wind pudding, and so I came away -again. - -And that is the end of this story. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Nine O’clock· - - - When all are wrapped in _Slumbers_ sweet, [Sidenote: ○] - About the _House_, with stealthy _Tread_, - With flowered _Gown_, and night-capped _Head_, - _Dame Margery_ goes, in _Stocking Feet_. - - She stops and listens at the _Doors_; [Sidenote: ☾] - She sees that every thing is right, - And safe, and quiet for the _Night_, - Then goes to _Bed_, and sleeps, and snores. - - K.P. - - - - -[Illustration: How the Princess’s Pride was broken.] - - XXI. - - -There was a princess who was as pretty as a picture, and she was so -proud of that that she would not so much as look at a body; all the -same, there was no lack of lads who came a-wooing, and who would have -liked nothing so much as to have had her for a sweetheart because she -was so good-looking. But, no, she would have nothing to do with any of -them; this one was too young and that one was too old; this one was too -lean and that one was too fat; this one was too little and that one was -too big; this one was too dark and that one was too fair. So there was -never a white sheep in the whole flock, as one might say. - -Now there was one came who was a king in his own country, and a fine one -at that. The only blemish about him was a mole on his chin; apart from -that he was as fresh as milk and rose leaves. - -But when the princess saw him she burst out laughing; “Who would choose -a specked apple from the basket?” said she; and that was all the cake -the prince bought at that shop, for off he was packed. - -But he was not for giving up, not he; he went and dressed himself up in -rags and tatters; then back he came again, and not a soul knew him. - -Rap! tap! rap!—he knocked at the door, and did they want a stout lad -about the place? - -Well, yes; they were wanting a gooseherd, and if he liked the place he -might have it. - -Oh, that fitted his wants like a silk stocking, and the next day he -drove the geese up on the hill back of the king’s house, so that they -might eat grass where it was fresh and green. By and by he took a golden -ball out of his pocket and began tossing it up and catching it, and as -he played with it the sun shone on it so that it dazzled one’s eyes to -look at it. - -The princess sat at her window, and it was not long before she saw it, I -can tell you. Dear, dear, but it was a pretty one, the golden ball. The -princess would like to have such a plaything, that she would; so she -sent one of the maids out to ask whether the gooseherd had a mind to -sell it. - -Oh, yes, it was for sale, and cheap at that; the princess should have it -for the kerchief which she wore about her neck. - -Prut! but the lad was a saucy one; that was what the princess said. But, -after all, a kerchief was only a kerchief; fetch the gooseherd over and -she would give it to him, for she wanted the pretty golden ball for her -own, and she would have it if it were to be had. - -But, no; the gooseherd would not come at the princess’s bidding. If she -wanted to buy the golden ball she must come up on the hill and pay him, -for he was not going to leave his flock of geese, and have them waddling -into the garden perhaps; that is what the gooseherd said. So the upshot -of the matter was that the princess went out with her women, and gave -the lad the kerchief up on the hill behind the hedge, and brought back -the golden ball with her for her own. - -As for the gooseherd he just tied the kerchief around his arm so that -everybody might see it; and all the folks said, “Hi! that is the -princess’s kerchief.” - -The next day, when he drove his flock of geese up on the hill, he took a -silver looking-glass and a golden comb out of his pocket and began to -comb his hair, and you should have seen how the one and the other -glistened in the sun. - -It took the princess no longer to see the comb and the looking-glass -than it had the golden ball, and then she must and would have them. So -she sent one to find whether the lad was of a mind to sell them, for she -thought that she had never seen anything so pretty in all of her life -before. - -[Illustration: The Royal gooseherd playeth with the golden ball.] - -“Yes,” said he, “I will sell them, but the princess must come up on the -hill back of the hedge and give me the necklace she wears about her -neck.” - -The princess made a sour enough face at this, but, as the gooseherd -would take nothing more nor less than what he had said, she and her -maids had to tuck up their dresses and go up on the hill; there she paid -him his price, and brought home the silver looking-glass and the golden -comb. - -The lad clasped the necklace about his throat, and, dear, dear, how all -the folks did goggle and stare. “See,” said they, “the princess has been -giving the gooseherd the necklace from about her own throat.” - -The third day it was a new thing the gooseherd had, for he brought out a -musical box with figures on it, dressed up, and looking for all the -world like real little men and women. He turned the handle, and when the -music played it was sweeter than drops of honey. And all the while the -little men and women bowed to one another and went through with a dance, -for all the world as though they knew what they were about, and were -doing it with their own wits. - -Good gracious! how the princess did wonder at the pretty musical box! -She must and would have it at any price; but this time it was -five-and-twenty kisses that the lad was wanting for his musical box, and -he would take nothing more nor less than just that much for it. -Moreover, she would have to come up on the hillside and give them to -him, for he could not leave his geese even for five-and-twenty kisses. - -But you should have seen what a stew the princess was in at this! -Five-and-twenty kisses, indeed! And did the fellow think that it was for -the likes of her to be kissing a poor gooseherd? He might keep his -musical box if that was the price he asked for it; that was what she -said. - -As for the lad, he just played the music and played the music, and the -more the princess heard and saw the more she wanted it. “After all,” -said she, at last, “a kiss is only a kiss, and I will be none the poorer -for giving one or two of them; I’ll just let him have them, since he -will take nothing else.” So off she marched, with all of her maidens, to -pay the gooseherd his price, though it was a sour face she made of it, -and that is the truth. - -Now, somebody had been buzzing in the king’s ear, and had told him that -the gooseherd over yonder was wearing the princess’s kerchief and her -golden necklace, and folks said she had given them to him of her own -free will. - -[Illustration: The King peeps over the hedge and sees what is going on -upon the other side.] - -“What!” says the king, “is that so? her kerchief! golden necklace! we -will have to look into this business.” So off he marched, with his -little dog at his heels, to find out what he could about it. Up the hill -he went to where the gooseherd watched his flock; and when he came near -the hedge where the kissing was going on, he heard them -counting—“Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three—” and he wondered what in -the world they were all about. So he just peeped over the bushes, and -there he saw the whole business. - -Mercy on us! what a rage he was in! So; the princess would turn up her -nose at folks as good as herself, would she? And here she was kissing -the gooseherd back of the hedge. If he was the kind she liked she should -have him for good and all. - -So the minister was called in, and the princess and the gooseherd were -married then and there, and that was the end of the business. Then off -they were packed to shift for themselves in the wide world, for they -were not to live at the king’s castle, and that was the long and the -short of it. - -But the lad did nothing but grumble and growl, and seemed as sore over -his bargain as though he had been trying to trick a Jew. What did he -want with a lass for a wife who could neither brew nor bake nor boil -blue beans? That is what he said. All the same, they were hitched to the -same plough, and there was nothing for it but to pull together the best -they could. So off they packed, and the poor princess trudged after him -and carried his bundle. - -So they went on until they came to a poor, mean little hut. There she -had to take off her fine clothes and put on rags and tatters; and that -was the way she came home. - -“Well,” said the gooseherd one day, “it’s not the good end of the -bargain that I have had in marrying; all the same, one must make the -best one can of a crooked stick when there is none other to be cut in -the hedge. It is little or nothing you are fit for; but here is a basket -of eggs, and you shall take them to the market and sell them.” - -So off the poor princess went to the great town, and stood in the corner -of the market with her eggs. By and by there came along a tipsy -countryman—tramp! tramp! tramp! As for the basket of eggs, he minded -them no more than so many green apples. Smash! and there they lay on the -ground, and were fit for nothing but to patch broken promises, as we say -in our town. - -Then how the poor princess did wring her hands and cry and cry, for she -was afraid to go home to her husband, because of the hard words he would -be sure to fling at her. All the same, there was no other place for her -to go; so back she went. - -[Illustration: The Princess taketh her eggs to the market.] - -“There!” said he, “I always knew that you were good for nothing but to -look at, and now I am more sure of it than ever. The china pitcher was -never fit to send to the well, and it was a rainy day for me when I -married such a left-handed wife;” that was what the gooseherd said. All -the same, the princess should try again; this time she should take a -basket of apples to the market to sell; for whatever happened she could -not break them; so off she went again. - -Well, by and by came a fellow driving swine, and there sat the princess -in the way; that was bad luck for her, for over tumbled the basket, and -the apples went rolling all about the street. When the drove had passed -there was not a single apple to be seen, for the pigs had eaten every -one of them. So there was nothing for the princess but to go home -crying, with her apron to her eyes. - -“Yes, yes,” said the gooseherd, “it is as plain as reading and writing -and the nose on your face that you are just fit for nothing at all! All -the same, we’ll make one more try to mend the crack in your luck. The -king up in the castle yonder is married and is going to give a grand -feast. They are wanting a body in the kitchen to draw the water and chop -the wood; and you shall go and try your hand at that; and see, here is a -basket; you shall take it along and bring home the kitchen scrapings for -supper.” - -So off went the princess to the castle kitchen, and there she drew the -water and chopped the wood for the cook. After her work was done she -begged so prettily for the kitchen scrapings that the cook filled her -basket full of the leavings from the pots and the pans, for they were -about having a grand dinner up-stairs and the king was going to bring -home his wife that day. - -By and by it was time for her to be going home, so she picked up her -basket and off she went. Just outside stood two tall soldiers. “Halt!” -said they. And was she the lass who had been chopping the wood and -drawing the water for the cook that day? Yes? Then she must go along -with them, for she was wanted up-stairs. No; it did no good for her to -beg and to pray and to cry and to wring her hands, and it mattered -nothing if her good man was waiting for her at home. She had been sent -for, and she must go, willy-nilly. So she had only just time to fling -her apron over her basket of kitchen scrapings, and off they marched -her. - -There sat the king on his golden throne, dressed all in splendid golden -robes, and with a golden crown glittering upon his head. But the poor -princess was so frightened that she neither looked at anything nor saw -anything, but only stood there trembling. - -“What have you under your apron?” said the king. But to this the -princess could not answer a single word. Then somebody who stood near -snatched away her apron, and there was the basket full of kitchen -scrapings, and all the time the princess stood so heart-struck with -shame that she saw nothing but the cracks in the floor. - -But the king stepped down from his golden throne, dressed all in his -golden robes, just as he was, and took the princess by the hand. “And do -you not know me?” said he; “look! I am the gooseherd.” - -[Illustration: The Princess knoweth the Young King.] - -And so he was! She could see it easily enough now, but that made her -more ashamed than ever. - -And listen: the king had more to tell her yet. He was the tipsy -countryman and had knocked over her basket of eggs himself, and more -than that he was the swineherd who had driven his pigs over her basket -of apples so that they were spilled on the ground. But the princess only -bowed her head lower and lower, for her pride was broken. - -“Come,” says the king, “you are my own sweetheart now;” and he kissed -her on the cheek and seated her beside himself, and if the princess -cried any more the king wiped away her tears with his own -pocket-handkerchief. As for the poor and rough clothes in which she was -dressed, he thought nothing of them, for they were nothing to him. - -That is the end of this story, for everything ends aright in a story -worth the telling. - -But if the princess was proud and haughty before, she never was again; -and that is the plain truth, fresh from the churn and no hairs in it, -and a lump of it is worth spreading your bread with, I can tell you. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Ten O’clock· - - - Out of the _Cupboard_ [Sidenote: ○] - The _Kobold_ takes - Some bits of the _Morning - Griddle-Cakes_. - - The _Windows_ rattle, [Sidenote: _Cold and windy._] [Sidenote: ☾] - The _North Wind_ blows, - But the _Ashes_ are warm - Between his _Toes_. [Sidenote: K.P.] - - The little grey _Mouse_ [Sidenote: ●] - Looks out of the _Wall_, - And wishes he had - The _Crumbs_ that fall. - - - - -[Illustration: How Two _went into_ Partnership.] - - XXII. - - -This was the way of it. - -Uncle Bear had a pot of honey and a big cheese, but the Great Red Fox -had nothing but his wits. - -The fox was for going into partnership, for he says, says he, “a head -full of wits is worth more than a pot of honey and a big cheese,” which -was as true as gospel, only that wits cannot be shared in partnership -among folks, like red herring and blue beans, or a pot of honey and a -big cheese. - -All the same, Uncle Bear was well enough satisfied, and so they went -into partnership together, just as the Great Red Fox had said. As for -the pot of honey and the big cheese, why, they were put away for a rainy -day, and the wits were all that were to be used just now. - -“Very well,” says the fox, “we’ll rattle them up a bit;” and so he did, -and this was how. - -He was hungry for the honey, was the Great Red Fox. “See, now,” said he, -“I am sick to-day, and I will just go and see the Master Doctor over -yonder.” - -But it was not the doctor he went to; no, off he marched to the -storehouse, and there he ate part of the honey. After that he laid out -in the sun and toasted his skin, for that is pleasant after a great -dinner. - -By and by he went home again. - -“Well,” says Uncle Bear, “and how do you feel now?” - -“Oh, well enough,” says the Great Red Fox. - -“And was the medicine bitter?” says Uncle Bear. - -“Oh, no, it was good enough,” says the Great Red Fox. - -“And how much did the doctor give you?” says Uncle Bear. - -“Oh, about one part of a pot full,” says the Red Fox. - -Dear, dear! thinks Uncle Bear, that is a great deal of medicine to take, -for sure and certain. - -Well, things went on as smoothly as though the wheels were greased, -until by and by the fox grew hungry for a taste of honey again; and this -time he had to go over yonder and see his aunt. Off he went to the -storehouse, and there he ate all the honey he wanted, and then, after he -had slept a bit in the sun, he went back home again. - -“Well,” says Uncle Bear, “and did you see your aunt?” - -“Oh, yes,” says the Great Red Fox, “I saw her.” - -“And did she give you anything?” says Uncle Bear. - -“Oh, yes, she gave me a trifle,” says the Great Red Fox. - -“And what was it she gave you?” says Uncle Bear. - -“Why, she gave me another part of a pot full, that was all,” says the -Great Red Fox. - -“Dear, dear! but that is a queer thing to give,” says Uncle Bear. - -By and by the Great Red Fox was thinking of honey again, and now it was -a christening he had to go to. Off he went to the pot of honey, and this -time he finished it all and licked the pot into the bargain. - -And had everything gone smoothly at the christening? That was what Uncle -Bear wanted to know. - -“Oh, smoothly enough,” says the Great Red Fox. - -“And did they have a christening feast?” says Uncle Bear. - -“Oh, yes, they had that,” says the Great Red Fox. - -“And what did they have?” says Uncle Bear. - -“Oh, everything that was in the pot,” says the Great Red Fox. - -“Dear, dear,” says Uncle Bear, “but they must have been a hungry set at -that christening.” - -Well, one day Uncle Bear says, “We’ll have a feast and eat up the pot of -honey and the big cheese, and we’ll ask Father Goat over to help us.” - -That suited the Great Red Fox well enough, so off he went to the -storehouse to fetch the pot of honey and the cheese; as for Uncle Bear -he went to ask Father Goat to come and help them eat up the good things. - -[Illustration: The Great Red Fox goeth to the storehouse and helps -himself to the good things. ¶] - -“See, now,” says the Great Red Fox to himself, “the pot of honey and the -big cheese belong together, and it is a pity to part them.” So down he -sat without more ado, and when he got up again the cheese was all inside -of him. - -When he came home again there was Father Goat toasting his toes at the -fire and waiting for supper; and there was Uncle Bear on the back -door-step sharpening the bread-knife. - -“Hi!” says the Great Red Fox, “and what are you doing here, Father -Goat?” - -“I am just waiting for supper, and that is all,” says Father Goat. - -“And where is Uncle Bear?” says the Great Red Fox. - -“He is sharpening the bread-knife,” says Father Goat. - -“Yes,” says the Great Red Fox, “and when he is through with that he is -going to cut your tail off.” - -Dear, dear! but Father Goat was in a great fright; that house was no -place for him, and he could see that with one eye shut; off he marched, -as though the ground was hot under him. As for the Great Red Fox, he -went out to Uncle Bear; “That was a pretty body you asked to take supper -with us,” says he; “here he has marched off with the pot of honey and -the big cheese, and we may sit down and whistle over an empty table -between us.” - -When Uncle Bear heard this he did not tarry, I can tell you; up he got -and off he went after Father Goat. “Stop! stop!” he bawled, “let me have -a little at least.” - -But Father Goat thought that Uncle Bear was speaking of his tail, for he -knew nothing of the pot of honey and the big cheese; so he just knuckled -down to it, and away he scampered till the gravel flew behind him. - -And this was what came of that partnership; nothing was left but the -wits that the Great Red Fox had brought into the business; for nobody -could blame Father Goat for carrying the wits off with him, and one -might guess that without the telling. - -Now, as the pot of honey and big cheese were gone, something else must -be looked up, for one cannot live on thin air, and that is the truth. - -“See, now,” says the Great Red Fox, “Farmer John over yonder has a -storehouse full of sausages and chitterlings and puddings, and all sort -of good things. As nothing else is left of the partnership we’ll just -churn our wits a bit, and see if we can make butter with them, as the -saying goes;” that was what the Great Red Fox said, and it suited Uncle -Bear as well as anything he ever heard; so off they marched arm in arm. - -[Illustration: The Fox tells Father Goat a strange story.] - -By and by they came to Farmer John’s house, and nobody was about, which -was just what the two rogues wanted; and, yes, there was the storehouse -as plain as the nose on your face, only the door was locked. Above was a -little window just big enough for the Great Red Fox to creep into, -though it was up ever so high. “Just give me a lift up through the -window yonder,” says he to Uncle Bear, “and I will drop the good things -out for you to catch.” - -So Uncle Bear gave the Great Red Fox a leg up, and—pop!—and there he was -in the storehouse like a mouse in the cheese-box. - -As soon as he was safe among the good things he bawled out to Uncle -Bear, “What shall it be first, sausages or puddings?” - -“Hush! hush!” said Uncle Bear. - -“Yes, yes,” bawled the Red Fox louder than ever, “only tell me which I -shall take first, sausages or puddings?” - -“Sh-h-h-h!” said Uncle Bear, “if you are making such a noise as that you -will have them about our ears; take the first that comes and be quick -about it.” - -“Yes, yes,” bawled the fox as loud as he was able; “but one is just as -handy as another, and you must tell me which I shall take first.” - -But Uncle Bear got neither pudding nor sausage, for the Great Red Fox -had made such a hubbub that Farmer John and his men came running, and -three great dogs with them. - -“Hi!” said they, “there is Uncle Bear after the sausages and puddings;” -and there was nothing for him to do but to lay foot to the ground as -fast as he could. All the same, they caught him over the hill, and gave -him such a drubbing that his bones ached for many a long day. - -But the Great Red Fox only waited until all the others were well away on -their own business, and then he filled a bag with the best he could lay -his hands on, opened the door from the inside, and walked out as though -it were from his own barn; for there was nobody to say “No” to him. He -hid the good things away in a place of his own, and it was little of -them that Uncle Bear smelt. After he had gathered all this, Master Fox -came home, groaning as though he had had an awful drubbing; it would -have moved a heart of stone to hear him. - -“Dear, oh dear! what a drubbing I have had,” said he. - -“And so have I,” said Uncle Bear, grinning over his sore bones as though -cold weather were blowing snow in his teeth. - -“See, now,” said the Great Red Fox, “this is what comes of going into -partnership, and sharing one’s wits with another. If you had made your -choice when I asked you, your butter would never have been spoiled in -the churning.” - -[Illustration: Uncle Bear and the Great Red Fox visit the farmer’s -storehouse.] - -That was all the comfort Uncle Bear had, and cold enough it was too. All -the same, he is not the first in the world who has lost his dinner, and -had both the drubbing and the blame into the bargain. - -But things do not last forever, and so by and by the good things from -Farmer John’s storehouse gave out, and the Great Red Fox had nothing in -the larder. - -“Listen,” says he to Uncle Bear, “I saw them shaking the apple-trees at -Farmer John’s to-day, and if you have a mind to try the wits that belong -to us, we’ll go and bring a bagful apiece from the storehouse over -yonder at the farm.” - -Yes, that suited Uncle Bear well enough; so off they marched, each of -them with an empty bag to fetch back the apples. By and by they came to -the storehouse, and nobody was about. This time the door was not locked, -so in the both of them went and began filling their bags with apples. -The Great Red Fox tumbled them into his bag as fast as ever he could, -taking them just as they came, good or bad; but Uncle Bear took his time -about it and picked them all over, for since he had come there he was -bound to get the best that were to be had. - -So the upshot of the matter was that the Great Red Fox had his bag full -before Uncle Bear had picked out half a score of good juicy apples. - -“I’ll just peep out of the window yonder,” says the Great Red Fox, “and -see if Farmer John is coming.” But in his sleeve he said to himself, -“I’ll slip outside and turn the key of the door on Uncle Bear, for -somebody will have to carry the blame of this, and his shoulders are -broader and his skin tougher than mine; he will never be able to get out -of that little window.” So up he jumped with his bag of apples, to do as -he said. - -But listen! A hasty man drinks hot broth. And so it was with the Great -Red Fox, for up in the window they had set a trap to catch rats. But he -knew nothing of that; out he jumped from the window—click! went the trap -and caught him by the tail, and there he hung. - -“Is Farmer John coming?” bawled Uncle Bear, by and by. - -“Hush! hush!” said the Great Red Fox, for he was trying to get his tail -out of the trap. - -But the boot was on the other leg now. “Yes, yes,” bawled Uncle Bear, -louder than before, “but tell me, is Farmer John coming?” - -“Sh-h-h-h!” says the Great Red Fox. - -“No, no,” bawled Uncle Bear, as loud as he could, “what I want to know -is, is Farmer John coming?” - -[Illustration: The Bear & the Fox go to farmer John’s again.] - -Yes, he was, for he had heard the hubbub, and here he was with a lot of -his men and three great dogs. - -“Oh, Farmer John,” bawled the Great Red Fox, “don’t touch me, I am not -the thief. Yonder is Uncle Bear in the pantry, he is the one.” - -Yes, yes, Farmer John knew how much of that cake to eat; here was the -rogue of a fox caught in the trap, and the beating was ready for him. -That was the long and the short of it. - -When the Great Red Fox heard this, he pulled with all his might and -main. Snap! went his tail and broke off close to his body, and away he -scampered with Farmer John, the men and the dogs close to his heels. But -Uncle Bear filled his bag full of apples, and when all hands had gone -racing away after the Great Red Fox, he walked quietly out of the door -and off home. - -And that is how the Great Red Fox lost his tail in the trap. - -What is the meaning of all this? Why, here it is: When a rogue and -another cracks a nut together, it is not often the rogue who breaks his -teeth by trying to eat the hulls. And this too: But when one sets a trap -for another, it is a toss of a copper whether or no it flies up and -pinches his own fingers. - -If there is anything more left in the dish you may scrape it for -yourself. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Eleven O’clock· - - - Who goes about the _House_ when all - Are sleeping but the _Clock_, - And no one hears it, all alone, [Sidenote: ☽] - Still saying tick-a-tock? [Sidenote: ⚲☊ K.P.] - - It is not _Gretchen_ goes about, - She’s snoring in her _Bed_; - It’s not the _Hound_ that goes about - He never lifts his _Head_; - - It is the _Wind_ that goes about, [Sidenote: ☾] - And sighs around the _House_, - And never wakes the toothless _Hound_, - Or stops the gnawing _Mouse_. - - - - -[Illustration: King Stork.] - - XXIII. - - -There was a drummer marching along the high-road—forward march!—left, -right!—tramp, tramp, tramp!—for the fighting was done, and he was coming -home from the wars. By and by he came to a great wide stream of water, -and there sat an old man as gnarled and as bent as the hoops in a cooper -shop. “Are you going to cross the water?” said he. - -“Yes,” says the drummer, “I am going to do that if my legs hold out to -carry me.” - -“And will you not help a poor body across?” says the old man. - -Now, the drummer was as good-natured a lad as ever stood on two legs. -“If the young never gave a lift to the old,” says he to himself, “the -wide world would not be worth while living in.” So he took off his shoes -and stockings, and then he bent his back and took the old man on it, and -away he started through the water—splash! - -But this was no common old man whom the drummer was carrying, and he was -not long finding that out, for the farther he went in the water the -heavier grew his load—like work put off until to-morrow—so that, when he -was half-way across, his legs shook under him and the sweat stood on his -forehead like a string of beads in the shop-window. But by and by he -reached the other shore, and the old man jumped down from his back. - -“Phew!” says the drummer, “I am glad to be here at last!” - -And now for the wonder of all this: The old man was an old man no -longer, but a splendid tall fellow with hair as yellow as gold. “And who -do you think I am?” said he. - -But of that the drummer knew no more than the mouse in the haystack, so -he shook his head, and said nothing. - -“I am king of the storks, and here I have sat for many days; for the -wicked one-eyed witch who lives on the glass hill put it upon me for a -spell that I should be an old man until somebody should carry me over -the water. You are the first to do that, and you shall not lose by it. -Here is a little bone whistle; whenever you are in trouble just blow a -turn or two on it, and I will be by to help you.” - -Thereupon King Stork drew a feather cap out of his pocket and clapped it -on his head, and away he flew, for he was turned into a great, long, -red-legged stork as quick as a wink. - -But the drummer trudged on the way he was going, as merry as a cricket, -for it is not everybody who cracks his shins against such luck as he had -stumbled over, I can tell you. By and by he came to the town over the -hill, and there he found great bills stuck up over the walls. They were -all of them proclamations. And this is what they said: - -The princess of that town was as clever as she was pretty; that was -saying a great deal, for she was the handsomest in the whole world. -(“Phew! but that is a fine lass for sure and certain,” said the -drummer.) So it was proclaimed that any lad who could answer a question -the princess would ask, and would ask a question the princess could not -answer, and would catch the bird that she would be wanting, should have -her for his wife and half of the kingdom to boot. (“Hi! but here is luck -for a clever lad,” says the drummer.) But whoever should fail in any one -of the three tasks should have his head chopped off as sure as he lived. -(“Ho! but she is a wicked one for all that,” says the drummer.) - -That was what the proclamation said, and the drummer would have a try -for her; “for,” said he, “it is a poor fellow who cannot manage a wife -when he has her”—and he knew as much about that business as a goose -about churning butter. As for chopping off heads, he never bothered his -own about that; for, if one never goes out for fear of rain one never -catches fish. - -Off he went to the king’s castle as fast as he could step, and there he -knocked on the door, as bold as though his own grandmother lived there. - -[Illustration: The Drummer carries the Old Body across the River.] - -But when the king heard what the drummer had come for, he took out his -pocket-handkerchief and began to wipe his eyes, for he had a soft heart -under his jacket, and it made him cry like anything to see another -coming to have his head chopped off, as so many had done before him. For -there they were, all along the wall in front of the princess’s window, -like so many apples. - -But the drummer was not to be scared away by the king’s crying a bit, so -in he came, and by and by they all sat down to supper—he and the king -and the princess. As for the princess, she was so pretty that the -drummer’s heart melted inside of him, like a lump of butter on the -stove—and that was what she was after. After a while she asked him if he -had come to answer a question of hers, and to ask her a question of his, -and to catch the bird that she should set him to catch. - -“Yes,” said the drummer, “I have come to do that very thing.” And he -spoke as boldly and as loudly as the clerk in church. - -“Very well, then,” says the princess, as sweet as sugar candy, “just -come along to-morrow, and I will ask you your question.” - -Off went the drummer; he put his whistle to his lips and blew a turn or -two, and there stood King Stork, and nobody knows where he stepped from. - -“And what do you want?” says he. - -The drummer told him everything, and how the princess was going to ask -him a question to-morrow morning that he would have to answer, or have -his head chopped off. - -“Here you have walked into a pretty puddle, and with your eyes open,” -says King Stork, for he knew that the princess was a wicked enchantress, -and loved nothing so much as to get a lad into just such a scrape as the -drummer had tumbled into. “But see, here is a little cap and a long -feather—the cap is a dark-cap, and when you put it on your head one can -see you no more than so much thin air. At twelve o’clock at night the -princess will come out into the castle garden and will fly away through -the air. Then throw your leg over the feather, and it will carry you -wherever you want to go; and if the princess flies fast it will carry -you as fast and faster.” - -“Dong! Dong!” The clock struck twelve, and the princess came out of her -house; but in the garden was the drummer waiting for her with the -dark-cap on his head, and he saw her as plain as a pikestaff. She -brought a pair of great wings which she fastened to her shoulders, and -away she flew. But the drummer was as quick with his tricks as she was -with hers; he flung his leg over the feather which King Stork had given -him, and away he flew after her, and just as fast as she with her great -wings. - -[Illustration: Thus the Princess cometh forth from the Castle at twelve -o’clock at night.] - -By and by they came to a huge castle of shining steel that stood on a -mountain of glass. And it was a good thing for the drummer that he had -on his cap of darkness, for all around outside of the castle stood fiery -dragons and savage lions to keep anybody from going in without leave. - -But not a thread of the drummer did they see; in he walked with the -princess, and there was a great one-eyed witch with a beard on her chin, -and a nose that hooked over her mouth like the beak of a parrot. - -“Uff!” said she, “here is a smell of Christian blood in the house.” - -“Tut, mother!” says the princess, “how you talk! do you not see that -there is nobody with me?” For the drummer had taken care that the wind -should not blow the cap of darkness off of his head, I can tell you. By -and by they sat down to supper, the princess and the witch, but it was -little the princess ate, for as fast as anything was put on her plate -the drummer helped himself to it, so that it was all gone before she -could get a bite. - -“Look, mother!” she said, “I eat nothing, and yet it all goes from my -plate; why is that so?” But that the old witch could not tell her, for -she could see nothing of the drummer. - -“There was a lad came to-day to answer the question I shall put to him,” -said the princess. “Now what shall I ask him by way of a question?” - -“I have a tooth in the back part of my head,” said the witch, “and it -has been grumbling a bit; ask him what it is you are thinking about, and -let it be that.” - -Yes; that was a good question for sure and certain, and the princess -would give it to the drummer to-morrow, to see what he had to say for -himself. As for the drummer, you can guess how he grinned, for he heard -every word that they said. - -After a while the princess flew away home again, for it was nearly the -break of day, and she must be back before the sun rose. And the drummer -flew close behind her, but she knew nothing of that. - -The next morning up he marched to the king’s castle and knocked at the -door, and they let him in. - -There sat the king and the princess, and lots of folks besides. Well, -had he come to answer her question? That was what the princess wanted to -know. - -Yes; that was the very business he had come about. - -Very well, this was the question, and he might have three guesses at it; -what was she thinking of at that minute? - -[Illustration: The Drummer helps himself to the good things, though no -one can see him.] - -Oh, it could be no hard thing to answer such a question as that, for -lasses’ heads all ran upon the same things more or less; was it a fine -silk dress with glass buttons down the front that she was thinking of -now? - -No, it was not that. - -Then, was it of a good stout lad like himself for a sweetheart, that she -was thinking of? - -No, it was not that. - -No? Then it was the bad tooth that had been grumbling in the head of the -one-eyed witch for a day or two past, perhaps. - -Dear, dear! but you should have seen the princess’s face when she heard -this! Up she got and off she packed without a single word, and the king -saw without the help of his spectacles that the drummer had guessed -right. He was so glad that he jumped up and down and snapped his fingers -for joy. Besides that he gave out that bonfires should be lighted all -over the town, and that was a fine thing for the little boys. - -The next night the princess flew away to the house of the one-eyed witch -again, but there was the drummer close behind her just as he had been -before. - -“Uff!” said the one-eyed witch, “here is a smell of Christian blood, for -sure and certain.” But all the same, she saw no more of the drummer than -if he had never been born. - -“See, mother,” said the princess, “that rogue of a drummer answered my -question without winking over it.” - -“So,” said the old witch, “we have missed for once, but the second time -hits the mark; he will be asking you a question to-morrow, and here is a -book that tells everything that has happened in the world, and if he -asks you more than that he is a smart one and no mistake.” - -After that they sat down to supper again, but it was little the princess -ate, for the drummer helped himself out of her plate just as he had done -before. - -After a while the princess flew away home, and the drummer with her. - -“And, now, what will we ask her that she cannot answer?” said the -drummer; so off he went back of the house, and blew a turn or two on his -whistle, and there stood King Stork. - -“And what will we ask the princess,” said he, “when she has a book that -tells her everything?” - -King Stork was not long in telling him that; “Just ask her so and so and -so and so,” said he, “and she would not dare to answer the question.” - -Well, the next morning there was the drummer at the castle all in good -time; and, had he come to ask her a question? that was what the princess -wanted to know. - -Oh, yes, he had come for that very thing. - -Very well, then, just let him begin, for the princess was ready and -waiting, and she wet her thumb, and began to turn over the leaves of her -Book of Knowledge. - -Oh, it was an easy question the drummer was going to ask, and it needed -no big book like that to answer it. The other night he dreamed that he -was in a castle all built of shining steel, where there lived a witch -with one eye. There was a handsome bit of a lass there who was as great -a witch as the old woman herself, but for the life of him he could not -tell who she was; now perhaps the princess could make a guess at it. - -There the drummer had her as tight as a fly in a bottle, for she did not -dare to let folks know that she was a wicked witch like the one-eyed -one; so all she could do was to sit there and gnaw her lip. As for the -Book of Knowledge, it was no more use to her than a fifth wheel under a -cart. - -But if the king was glad when the drummer answered the princess’s -question, he was twice as glad when he found she could not answer his. - -All the same, there is more to do yet, and many a slip betwixt the cup -and the lip. “The bird I want is the one-eyed raven,” said the princess; -“Now bring her to me if you want to keep your head off of the wall -yonder.” - -Yes; the drummer thought he might do that as well as another thing. So -off he went back of the house to talk to King Stork of the matter. - -“Look,” said King Stork, and he drew a net out of his pocket as fine as -a cobweb and as white as milk; “take this with you when you go with the -princess to the one-eyed witch’s house to-night, throw it over the -witch’s head, and then see what will happen; only when you catch the -one-eyed raven you are to wring her neck as soon as you lay hands on -her, for if you don’t it will be the worse for you.” - -Well, that night off flew the princess just as she had done before, and -off flew the drummer at her heels, until they came to the witch’s house, -both of them. - -“And did you take his head this time?” said the witch. - -No, the princess had not done that, for the drummer had asked such and -such a question, and she could not answer it; all the same, she had him -tight enough now, for she had set it as a task upon him that he should -bring her the one-eyed raven, and it was not likely he would be up to -doing that. After that the princess and the one-eyed witch sat down to -supper together, and the drummer served the princess the same trick that -he had done before, so that she got hardly a bite to eat. - -“See,” said the old witch when the princess was ready to go, “I will go -home with you to-night, and see that you get there safe and sound.” So -she brought out a pair of wings, just like those the princess had, and -set them on her shoulders, and away both of them flew with the drummer -behind. So they came home without seeing a soul, for the drummer kept -his cap of darkness tight upon his head all the while. - -“Good-night,” said the witch to the princess, and “Good-night” said the -princess to the witch, and the one was for going one way and the other -the other. But the drummer had his wits about him sharply enough, and -before the old witch could get away he flung the net that King Stork had -given him over her head. - -“Hi!” but you should have been there to see what happened; for it was a -great one-eyed raven, as black as the inside of the chimney, that he had -in his net. - -Dear, dear, how it flapped its wings and struck with its great beak! But -that did no good, for the drummer just wrung its neck, and there was an -end of it. - -The next morning he wrapped it up in his pocket-handkerchief and off he -started for the king’s castle, and there was the princess waiting for -him, looking as cool as butter in the well, for she felt sure the -drummer was caught in the trap this time. - -“And have you brought the one-eyed raven with you?” she said. - -“Oh, yes,” said the drummer, and here it was wrapped up in this -handkerchief. - -But when the princess saw the raven with its neck wrung, she gave a -great shriek and fell to the floor. There she lay and they had to pick -her up and carry her out of the room. - -But everybody saw that the drummer had brought the bird she had asked -for, and all were as glad as glad could be. The king gave orders that -they should fire off the town cannon, just as they did on his birthday, -and all the little boys out in the street flung up their hats and caps -and cried, “Hurrah! Hurrah!” - -But the drummer went off back of the house. He blew a turn or two on his -whistle, and there stood King Stork. “Here is your dark-cap and your -feather,” says he, “and it is I who am thankful to you, for they have -won me a real princess for a wife.” - -[Illustration: The Drummer catches y^e one-eyed raven.] - -“Yes, good,” says King Stork, “you have won her, sure enough, but the -next thing is to keep her; for a lass is not cured of being a witch as -quickly as you seem to think, and after one has found one’s eggs one -must roast them and butter them into the bargain. See now, the princess -is just as wicked as ever she was before, and if you do not keep your -eyes open she will trip you up after all. So listen to what I tell you. -Just after you are married, get a great bowl of fresh milk and a good, -stiff switch. Pour the milk over the princess when you are alone -together, and after that hold tight to her and lay on the switch, no -matter what happens, for that is the only way to save yourself and to -save her.” - -Well, the drummer promised to do as King Stork told him, and by and by -came the wedding-day. Off he went over to the dairy and got a fresh pan -of milk, and out he went into the woods and cut a stout hazel switch, as -thick as his finger. - -As soon as he and the princess were alone together he emptied the milk -all over her; then he caught hold of her and began laying on the switch -for dear life. - -It was well for him that he was a brave fellow and had been to the wars, -for, instead of the princess, he held a great black cat that glared at -him with her fiery eyes, and growled and spat like anything. But that -did no good, for the drummer just shut his eyes and laid on the switch -harder than ever. - -Then—puff!—instead of a black cat it was like a great, savage wolf, that -snarled and snapped at the drummer with its red jaws; but the drummer -just held fast and made the switch fly, and the wolf scared him no more -than the black cat had done. - -So out it went, like a light of a candle, and there was a great snake -that lashed its tail and shot out its forked tongue and spat fire. But -no; the drummer was no more frightened at that than he had been at the -wolf and the cat, and, dear, dear! how he dressed the snake with his -hazel switch. - -Last of all, there stood the princess herself. “Oh, dear husband!” she -cried, “let me go, and I will promise to be good all the days of my -life.” - -“Very well,” says the drummer, “and that is the tune I like to hear.” - -That was the way he gained the best of her, whether it was the bowl of -milk or the hazel switch, for afterwards she was as good a wife as ever -churned butter; but what did it is a question that you will have to -answer for yourself. All the same, she tried no more of her tricks with -him, I can tell you. And so this story comes to an end, like everything -else in the world. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - Twelve O’clock· - - - _Hist! Hark!_ [Sidenote: ●] - The _Watch-dogs_ bark. - The _Fire_ is covered. - The _Bricks_ grow cold; - In the warmest _Corner’s_ - The brown _Kobold_. [Sidenote: ☽] - He sits quite still, - And his _Eyes_ are bright. - The _Clock_ strikes twelve; - ’Tis the dead of _Night_. - Snuggle down closer [Sidenote: ♓︎ _Look out for frost._] - Into your _Bed_, - And pull the _Coverlets_ - Over your _Head_. - - - - -[Illustration: The Best that Life has to give.] - - XXIV. - - -There was a blacksmith who lived near to a great, dark pine forest. He -was as poor as charity soup; but dear knows whether that was his fault -or not, for he laid his troubles upon the back of ill-luck, as everybody -else does in our town. - -One day the snow lay thick all over the ground, and hunger and cold sat -in the blacksmith’s house. “I’ll go out into the forest,” says he, “and -see whether I cannot get a bagful of pine-cones to make a fire in the -stove.” So off he stumped, but could find no cones, because they were -all covered up with white. On into the woods he went, farther and -farther and deeper and deeper, until he came to a high hill, all of bare -rock. There he found a clear place and more pine-cones scattered over -the ground than a body could count. He filled his basket, and it did not -take him long to do that. - -But he was not to get his pine-cones for nothing: click! clack!—a great -door opened in the side of the hill, and out stepped a little dwarf, as -ugly as ugly could be, for his head was as big as a cabbage, his hair as -red as carrots, and his eyes as green as a snake’s. - -“So,” said he, “you are stealing my pine-cones, are you? And there are -none in the world like them. Look your last on the sunlight, for now you -shall die.” - -Down fell the blacksmith on his knees. “Alas!” said he, “I did not know -that they were your pine-cones. I will empty them out of my sack and -find some elsewhere.” - -“No,” said the dwarf, “it is too late to do that now. But listen, you -might hunt the world over, and find no such pine-cones as these; so we -will strike a bit of a bargain between us. You shall go in peace with -your pine-cones if you will give me what lies in the bread-trough at -home.” - -“Oh, yes,” said the blacksmith, “I will do that gladly.” - -“Very well,” said the dwarf, “I will come for my pay at the end of seven -days,” and back he went into the hill again, and the door shut to behind -him. - -Off went the blacksmith, chuckling to himself. “It is the right end of -the bargain that I have this time,” said he. - -But, bless you! he talked of that horse before he had looked into its -mouth, as my Uncle Peter used to say. For, listen: while his wife sat at -home spinning, she wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid it in the -bread-trough, because it was empty and as good as a cradle. And that was -what the dwarf spoke of, for he knew what had been done over at the -blacksmith’s house. - -But the blacksmith was as happy as a cricket under the hearth; on he -plodded, kicking up the soft snow with his toes; but all the time the -basket of pine-cones kept growing heavier and heavier. - -“Come,” said he, at last, “I can carry this load no farther, some of the -pine-cones must be left behind.” So he opened the basket to throw a -parcel of them out. But— - -Hi! how he did stare! for every one of those pine-cones had turned to -pure silver as white as the frost on the window-pane. After that he was -for throwing none of them away, but for carrying all of them home, if he -broke his back at it, and upon that you may depend. - -“And I had them all for nothing,” said he to his wife; “for the dwarf -gave them to me for what was in the bread-trough, and I knew very well -that there was nothing there.” - -“Alas,” said she, “what have you done! the baby is sleeping there, and -has been sleeping there all the morning.” - -When the blacksmith heard this he scratched his head, and looked up and -looked down, for he had burned his fingers with the hot end of the -bargain after all. All the same, there was nothing left but to make the -best that he could of it. So he took two or three of the silver -pine-cones to the town and bought plenty to eat, and plenty to drink, -and warm things to wear into the bargain. - -[Illustration: The blacksmith takes y^e dwarf’s pine-cones.] - -At the end of seven days up came the dwarf and knocked at the -blacksmith’s house. - -“Well, and is the baby ready?” said he, “for I have come to fetch it.” - -But the blacksmith’s wife begged and prayed and prayed and begged that -the baby might be spared to her. “Let us keep it for seven years at -least,” said she, “for what can you want with a young baby in the -house?” - -Yes, that was very true. Young babies were troublesome things to have -about the house, and the woman might keep it for seven years since she -was anxious to do so. So off went the dwarf, and the woman had what she -wanted, for seven years is a long time to put off our troubles. - -But at the end of that time up came the dwarf a second time. - -“Well, is the boy ready now?” said he, “for I have come to take him.” - -“Yes, yes,” says the woman, “the boy is yours, but why not leave him for -another seven years, for he is very young to be out in the world yet?” - -Yes, that was true, and so the dwarf put off taking him for seven years -longer. - -But when it had passed, back he came again, and this time it did no good -for his mother and father to beg and pray, for he had put off his -bargain long enough, and now he was for having what was his. - -“All the same,” says he to the blacksmith, “if you will come after five -years to the place in the woods where you saw me, you shall have your -son, if you choose to take him.” And off he went with the lad at his -heels. - -Well, after five years had passed, the blacksmith went into the forest -to find the dwarf and to bring back his son again. - -There was the dwarf waiting for him, and in his hand he held a basket. -“Well, neighbor,” says he, “and have you come to fetch your son again?” - -Yes, that was what the blacksmith wanted. - -“Very well,” says the dwarf, “here he is, and all that you have to do is -to take him.” He opened the basket, and inside was a wren, a thrush, and -a dove. - -“But which of the three is the lad?” says the blacksmith. - -“That is for you to tell, neighbor,” says the dwarf. - -The blacksmith looked and looked, and first he thought it might be the -wren, and then he thought it might be the thrush, and then he thought it -might be the dove. But he was afraid to choose any one of the three, -lest he should not be right in the choosing. So he shook his head and -sighed, and was forced at last to go away with empty hands. - -Out by the edge of the forest sat an old woman spinning flax from a -distaff. - -“Whither away, friend?” said she, “and why do you wear such a sorrowful -face?” - -The blacksmith stopped and told her the whole story from beginning to -end. “Tut!” said the old woman, “you should have chosen the dove, for -that was your son for sure and certain.” - -“There!” said the blacksmith, “if I had only known that in the first -place it would have saved me so much leg wear,” and back he went, -hot-foot, to find the dwarf and to get his son again. - -There was the dwarf waiting for him with a basket on his arm, but this -time it was a sparrow and a magpie and a lark that were in it, and the -blacksmith might take which of the three he liked, for one of them was -his own son. - -[Illustration: The blacksmith chooses y^e raven and runs away with it. -¶):(⁋] - -The man looked and looked, and could make nothing of it, so all that he -could do was to shake his head and turn away again with empty hands. - -Out by the edge of the forest sat the old woman spinning. “Prut!” says -she, “you should have chosen the lark, for it was your son for sure and -certain. But listen; go back and try again; look each bird in the eyes, -and choose where you find tears; for nothing but the human soul weeps.” - -Back went the man into the forest for the third time, and there was the -dwarf just as before, only this time it was a sparrow and a jackdaw and -a raven that he had in his basket. - -The man looked at each of the three in turn, and there were tears in the -raven’s eyes. - -“This is the one I choose,” said he, and he snatched it and ran. And it -was his son and none other whom he held. - -As for the dwarf, he stood and stamped his feet and tore his hair, but -that was all he could do, for one must abide by one’s bargain, no matter -what happens. - -You can guess how glad the father and the mother were to have their son -back home again. But the lad just sat back of the stove and warmed his -shins, and stared into the Land of Nowhere, without doing a stroke of -work from morning till night. At last the father could stand it no -longer, for, though one is glad to have one’s own safe under the roof at -home, it is another thing to have one’s own doing nothing the livelong -day but sit back of the stove and eat good bread and meat; for the -silver pine-cones were gone by this time, and good things were no more -plentiful in the blacksmith’s house than they had been before. - -“Come!” says he to lazy-boots one day, “is there nothing at all that you -can do to earn the salt you eat?” - -“Oh, yes,” said the lad, “I have learned many things, and one over at -the dwarf’s house yonder, for the dwarf is a famous blacksmith.” So out -he came from behind the stove, and brushed the ashes from his hair, and -went out into the forge. - -“Give me a piece of iron,” says he, “and I will show you a trick or two -worth the knowing.” - -“Yes,” says the blacksmith, “you shall have the iron; all the same I -know that it is little or nothing that you know about the hammer and the -tongs.” - -But the young fellow answered nothing. He made a bed of hot coals, and -laid the iron in it. - -“Here,” said he to his father, “do you blow the bellows till I come -back, and be sure that you do not stop for so much as a wink, or else -all will be spoiled.” So he gave the handle into the blacksmith’s hand -and off he went. - -The old man blew the bellows and blew the bellows, but the dwarf over in -the forest knew what was being done as well as though he stood in the -forge. He was not for letting the lad steal his tricks if he could help -it. So he changed himself into a great fly, and came and lit on the -blacksmith’s neck, and bit him till the blood ran; but the blacksmith -just shut his eyes tight, and grinned and bore it, and blew the bellows -and blew the bellows. - -By and by the lad came in, and the fly flew away. He drew the iron out -of the fire, and dipped it in the water, and what do you think it was? -Why, a golden tree with a little golden bird sitting in the branches, -with bright jewels for its eyes. - -The lad drew a little silver wand from his pocket, and gave the tree a -tap, and the bird began to hop from branch to branch, and to sing so -sweetly that it made one’s heart stand still to listen to it. - -As for the blacksmith, he just stood and gaped and stared, with his -mouth and eyes as wide open as if they never would shut again. - -Now there was no king in that country, but a queen who lived in a grand -castle on a high hill, and was as handsome a one as ever a body’s eyes -looked upon. - -“Here,” says the lad to his father, “take this up to the queen at the -castle yonder, and she will pay you well for it.” Then he went and sat -down back of the stove again, and toasted his shins and stared at -nothing at all. - -Up went the blacksmith to the queen’s castle with the golden bird and -the golden tree wrapped up in his pocket-handkerchief. Dear, dear, how -the queen did look and listen and wonder, when she saw how pretty it -was, and heard how sweetly the little golden bird sang. She called her -steward and bade him give the blacksmith a whole bag of gold and silver -money for it, and off went the man as pleased as pleased could be. - -And now they lived upon the very best of good things over at the -blacksmith’s house; but good things cost money, and by and by the last -penny was spent of what the queen had given him, and nothing would do -but for the lad to go out and work a little while at the forge. So up he -got from back of the stove, and out he went into the forge. He made a -bed of coals and laid the iron upon it. - -“Now,” says he to his father, “do you blow the bellows till I come -back,” and off he went. - -Well, the old man took the handle and blew and blew, but the dwarf knew -what was going on this time, just as well as he had done before. He -changed himself into a fly, and came and lit on the blacksmith’s neck, -and dear, dear, how he did bite! The blacksmith shut his eyes and -grinned, but at last he could bear it no longer. He raised his hand and -slapped at the fly, but away it flew with never a hair hurt. - -In came the lad and drew the iron out of the fire and plunged it into -the water, and there it was a beautiful golden comb that shone like -fire. But the lad was not satisfied with that. “You should have done as -I told you,” said he, “and have stopped at nothing; for now the work is -spoiled.” - -The blacksmith vowed and declared that he had not stopped from blowing -the bellows, but the lad knew better than that; for there should have -been a golden looking-glass as well as the comb. The one was of no use -without the other, for when one looked in the golden looking-glass, and -combed one’s hair with the golden comb, one grew handsomer every day, -and the lad had intended both for the queen. - -“All the same,” said the old man, “I will take the golden comb up to the -castle;” and it did no good for the lad to shake his head and say no. -“For,” says the father, “old heads are wise heads; and the queen will -like this as well as the other.” So up to the castle he would go, and up -to the castle he went. - -But when the queen saw the golden comb her brows grew as black as a -thunder-storm. “Where is the looking-glass?” said she; and though the -old man vowed and declared that no looking-glass belonged with the comb, -she knew a great deal better. So, now, the blacksmith might have his -choice; he should either bring her the looking-glass that belonged to -the golden comb or bring her that which was the best in all the world. -If he did neither of these he should be thrown into a deep pit full of -toads and vipers. - -Back went the old man home again and told the lad all that had happened -from beginning to end. And then he wanted to know what he should do to -get himself out of his pickle. - -[Illustration: The blacksmith brings y^e wonderful little bird and tree -to y^e Queen.] - -Well, it was no easy task to make what the queen wanted; all the same, -the lad would try what he could do. So he rolled up his sleeves and out -he went into the forge and laid a piece of iron upon the bed of hot -coals. - -This time he would not trust the old man to blow the bellows for him, -but took the handle into his own hand and blew and blew. - -The dwarf knew what was happening this time as well as before. He -changed himself into a fly and came and sat on the lad’s forehead, and -bit until the blood ran down into his eyes and blinded him; but the lad -blew the bellows and blew the bellows. - -First the fire burned red, and then it burned white, and then it burned -blue, and after that the work was done. - -Then the young man raised his hand and struck the fly and killed it, and -that was an end of the dwarf for good and all. - -What he had made he dipped into the water and it was a gold ring, -nothing less nor more. He took a sharp knife and drew charms upon it, -and inside of the circle he wrote these words: - - “WHO WEARS THIS SHALL HAVE THE BEST - THAT THE WORLD HAS TO GIVE.” - -“Here,” said the lad to his father, “take this up to the queen, for it -is what she wants, and there is nothing better in the world.” - -Off marched the old man and gave the ring to the queen, and she slipped -it on her finger. - -That was how the blacksmith saved his own skin; but the poor queen did -nothing but just sit and look out of the window, and sigh and sigh. - -After a while she called her steward to her and bade him go over and -tell the blacksmith’s son to come to her. - -There sat the lad back of the stove. “Prut!” said he, “she must send a -better than you if she would have me come to her.” So the steward had -just to go back to the castle again and tell the queen what the lad had -said. - -Then the queen called her chief minister to her. “Do you go,” said she, -“and bid the lad come to me.” - -There sat the lad back of the stove. “Prut!” said he, “she must send a -better than you if she would have me come to her.” - -[Illustration: The Young Smith forges the best that Life has to give.] - -Off went the minister and told the queen what he had said, and the queen -saw as plain as the nose on her face that she must go herself if she -would have the lad come at her bidding. - -There sat the lad back of the stove. And would he come with her now? - -Yes, indeed, that he would. So he slipped from behind the stove and took -her by the hand, and they walked out of the house and up to her castle -on the high hill, for that was where he belonged now. There they were -married, and ruled the land far and near. For it is one thing to be a -blacksmith of one kind, and another thing to be a blacksmith of another -kind, and that is the truth, whether you believe it or not. - -And did the queen really get the best in the world? Bless your heart, my -dear, wait until you are as old as I am, and have been married as long, -and you will be able to answer that question without the asking. - - -[Illustration: The End.] - - - HIC LIBER CAPITE NOSTRO FACTUS EST MANUQUE NOSTRA - - RIDEANT HOMINUM STULTITIAS STULTI, SED - NE, QUOD IN STULTITIIS HOMINUM - HOMINIS ALIQUID EST, - OMNIA IN LEVI - HABEAMUS - * - -[Illustration] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - 2. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. - 3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. - 4. Superscripts are denoted by a caret before a single superscript - character, e.g. M^r. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Wonder Clock, by Howard Pyle and Katharine Pyle - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WONDER CLOCK *** - -***** This file should be named 63383-0.txt or 63383-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/3/8/63383/ - -Produced by Richard Tonsing, David Edwards, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from 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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