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@@ -0,0 +1,11711 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Yellow Fairy Book, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Yellow Fairy Book + +Author: Various + +Editor: Andrew Lang + +Release Date: August, 1996 [Etext #640] +Posting Date: November 30, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller for Tina + + + + + +THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK + +By Various + +Edited By Andrew Lang + + + +Dedication + +TO + +JOAN, TODDLES, AND TINY + + Books Yellow, Red, and Green and Blue, + All true, or just as good as true, + And here's the Yellow Book for YOU! + + Hard is the path from A to Z, + And puzzling to a curly head, + Yet leads to Books--Green, Blue, and Red. + + For every child should understand + That letters from the first were planned + To guide us into Fairy Land + + So labour at your Alphabet, + For by that learning shall you get + To lands where Fairies may be met. + + And going where this pathway goes, + You too, at last, may find, who knows? + The Garden of the Singing Rose. + + + + +PREFACE + +The Editor thinks that children will readily forgive him for publishing +another Fairy Book. We have had the Blue, the Red, the Green, and here +is the Yellow. If children are pleased, and they are so kind as to say +that they are pleased, the Editor does not care very much for what other +people may say. Now, there is one gentleman who seems to think that it +is not quite right to print so many fairy tales, with pictures, and to +publish them in red and blue covers. He is named Mr. G. Laurence Gomme, +and he is president of a learned body called the Folk Lore Society. Once +a year he makes his address to his subjects, of whom the Editor is one, +and Mr. Joseph Jacobs (who has published many delightful fairy tales +with pretty pictures)(1) is another. Fancy, then, the dismay of Mr. +Jacobs, and of the Editor, when they heard their president say that he +did not think it very nice in them to publish fairy books, above all, +red, green, and blue fairy books! They said that they did not see any +harm in it, and they were ready to 'put themselves on their country,' +and be tried by a jury of children. And, indeed, they still see no harm +in what they have done; nay, like Father William in the poem, they are +ready 'to do it again and again.' + + +(1) You may buy them from Mr. Nutt, in the Strand. + + +Where is the harm? The truth is that the Folk Lore Society--made up of +the most clever, learned, and beautiful men and women of the country--is +fond of studying the history and geography of Fairy Land. This is +contained in very old tales, such as country people tell, and savages: + + 'Little Sioux and little Crow, + Little frosty Eskimo.' + + +These people are thought to know most about fairyland and its +inhabitants. But, in the Yellow Fairy Book, and the rest, are many tales +by persons who are neither savages nor rustics, such as Madame D'Aulnoy +and Herr Hans Christian Andersen. The Folk Lore Society, or its +president, say that THEIR tales are not so true as the rest, and should +not be published with the rest. But WE say that all the stories which +are pleasant to read are quite true enough for us; so here they are, +with pictures by Mr. Ford, and we do not think that either the pictures +or the stories are likely to mislead children. + +As to whether there are really any fairies or not, that is a difficult +question. Professor Huxley thinks there are none. The Editor never saw +any himself, but he knows several people who have seen them--in the +Highlands--and heard their music. If ever you are in Nether Lochaber, +go to the Fairy Hill, and you may hear the music yourself, as grown-up +people have done, but you must goon a fine day. Again, if there are +really no fairies, why do people believe in them, all over the world? The +ancient Greeks believed, so did the old Egyptians, and the Hindoos, and +the Red Indians, and is it likely, if there are no fairies, that so +many different peoples would have seen and heard them? The Rev. Mr. +Baring-Gould saw several fairies when he was a boy, and was travelling +in the land of the Troubadours. For these reasons, the Editor thinks +that there are certainly fairies, but they never do anyone any +harm; and, in England, they have been frightened away by smoke and +schoolmasters. As to Giants, they have died out, but real Dwarfs are +common in the forests of Africa. Probably a good many stories not +perfectly true have been told about fairies, but such stories have also +been told about Napoleon, Claverhouse, Julius Caesar, and Joan of Arc, +all of whom certainly existed. A wise child will, therefore, remember +that, if he grows up and becomes a member of the Folk Lore Society, ALL +the tales in this book were not offered to him as absolutely truthful, +but were printed merely for his entertainment. The exact facts he can +learn later, or he can leave them alone. + + +There are Russian, German, French, Icelandic, Red Indian, and other +stories here. They were translated by Miss Cheape, Miss Alma, and Miss +Thyra Alleyne, Miss Sellar, Mr. Craigie (he did the Icelandic tales), +Miss Blackley, Mrs. Dent, and Mrs. Lang, but the Red Indian stories +are copied from English versions published by the Smithsonian Bureau of +Ethnology, in America. Mr. Ford did the pictures, and it is hoped that +children will find the book not less pleasing than those which have +already been submitted to their consideration. The Editor cannot say +'good-bye' without advising them, as they pursue their studies, to read +The Rose and the Ring, by the late Mr. Thackeray, with pictures by +the author. This book he thinks quite indispensable in every child's +library, and parents should be urged to purchase it at the first +opportunity, as without it no education is complete. + + A. LANG. + + +CONTENTS + + The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership + The Six Swans + The Dragon of the North + Story of the Emperor's New Clothes + The Golden Crab + The Iron Stove + The Dragon and his Grandmother + The Donkey Cabbage + The Little Green Frog + The Seven-headed Serpent + The Grateful Beasts + The Giants and the Herd-boy + The Invisible Prince + The Crow + How Six Men travelled through the Wide World + The Wizard King + The Nixy + The Glass Mountain + Alphege, or the Green Monkey + Fairer-than-a-Fairy + The Three Brothers + The Boy and the Wolves, or the Broken Promise + The Glass Axe + The Dead Wife + In the Land of Souls + The White Duck + The Witch and her Servants + The Magic Ring + The Flower Queen's Daughter + The Flying Ship + The Snow-daughter and the Fire-son + The Story of King Frost + The Death of the Sun-hero + The Witch + The Hazel-nut Child + The Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus + Prince Ring + The Swineherd + How to tell a True Princess + The Blue Mountains + The Tinder-box + The Witch in the Stone Boat + Thumbelina + The Nightingale + Hermod and Hadvor + The Steadfast Tin-soldier + Blockhead Hans + A Story about a Darning-needle + + + + + +THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK + + + + +THE CAT AND THE MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP + +A cat had made acquaintance with a mouse, and had spoken so much of +the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at last the Mouse +consented to live in the same house with her, and to go shares in the +housekeeping. 'But we must provide for the winter or else we shall +suffer hunger,' said the Cat. 'You, little Mouse, cannot venture +everywhere in case you run at last into a trap.' This good counsel was +followed, and a little pot of fat was bought. But they did not know +where to put it. At length, after long consultation, the Cat said, 'I +know of no place where it could be better put than in the church. No one +will trouble to take it away from there. We will hide it in a corner, +and we won't touch it till we are in want.' So the little pot was placed +in safety; but it was not long before the Cat had a great longing for +it, and said to the Mouse, 'I wanted to tell you, little Mouse, that my +cousin has a little son, white with brown spots, and she wants me to be +godmother to it. Let me go out to-day, and do you take care of the house +alone.' + +'Yes, go certainly,' replied the Mouse, 'and when you eat anything +good, think of me; I should very much like a drop of the red christening +wine.' + +But it was all untrue. The Cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to +be godmother. She went straight to the church, slunk to the little pot +of fat, began to lick it, and licked the top off. Then she took a walk +on the roofs of the town, looked at the view, stretched herself out in +the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought of the little pot of +fat. As soon as it was evening she went home again. + +'Ah, here you are again!' said the Mouse; 'you must certainly have had +an enjoyable day.' + +'It went off very well,' answered the Cat. + +'What was the child's name?' asked the Mouse. + +'Top Off,' said the Cat drily. + +'Topoff!' echoed the Mouse, 'it is indeed a wonderful and curious name. +Is it in your family?' + +'What is there odd about it?' said the Cat. 'It is not worse than +Breadthief, as your godchild is called.' + +Not long after this another great longing came over the Cat. She said to +the Mouse, 'You must again be kind enough to look after the house alone, +for I have been asked a second time to stand godmother, and as this +child has a white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse.' + +The kind Mouse agreed, but the Cat slunk under the town wall to the +church, and ate up half of the pot of fat. 'Nothing tastes better,' said +she, 'than what one eats by oneself,' and she was very much pleased with +her day's work. When she came home the Mouse asked, 'What was this child +called?' + +'Half Gone,' answered the Cat. + +'Halfgone! what a name! I have never heard it in my life. I don't +believe it is in the calendar.' + +Soon the Cat's mouth began to water once more after her licking +business. 'All good things in threes,' she said to the Mouse; 'I have +again to stand godmother. The child is quite black, and has very white +paws, but not a single white hair on its body. This only happens once in +two years, so you will let me go out?' + +'Topoff! Halfgone!' repeated the Mouse, 'they are such curious names; +they make me very thoughtful.' + +'Oh, you sit at home in your dark grey coat and your long tail,' said +the Cat, 'and you get fanciful. That comes of not going out in the day.' + +The Mouse had a good cleaning out while the Cat was gone, and made the +house tidy; but the greedy Cat ate the fat every bit up. + +'When it is all gone one can be at rest,' she said to herself, and at +night she came home sleek and satisfied. The Mouse asked at once after +the third child's name. + +'It won't please you any better,' said the Cat, 'he was called Clean +Gone.' + +'Cleangone!' repeated the Mouse. 'I do not believe that name has been +printed any more than the others. Cleangone! What can it mean?' She +shook her head, curled herself up, and went to sleep. + +From this time on no one asked the Cat to stand godmother; but when +the winter came and there was nothing to be got outside, the Mouse +remembered their provision and said, 'Come, Cat, we will go to our pot +of fat which we have stored away; it will taste very good.' + +'Yes, indeed,' answered the Cat; 'it will taste as good to you as if +you stretched your thin tongue out of the window.' + +They started off, and when they reached it they found the pot in its +place, but quite empty! + +'Ah,' said the Mouse,' 'now I know what has happened! It has all come +out! You are a true friend to me! You have eaten it all when you stood +godmother; first the top off, then half of it gone, then----' + +'Will you be quiet!' screamed the Cat. 'Another word and I will eat you +up.' + +'Clean-gone' was already on the poor Mouse's tongue, and scarcely was it +out than the Cat made a spring at her, seized and swallowed her. + +You see that is the way of the world. + + + + +THE SIX SWANS + +A king was once hunting in a great wood, and he hunted the game so +eagerly that none of his courtiers could follow him. When evening came +on he stood still and looked round him, and he saw that he had quite +lost himself. He sought a way out, but could find none. Then he saw an +old woman with a shaking head coming towards him; but she was a witch. + +'Good woman,' he said to her, 'can you not show me the way out of the +wood?' + +'Oh, certainly, Sir King,' she replied, 'I can quite well do that, but +on one condition, which if you do not fulfil you will never get out of +the wood, and will die of hunger.' + +'What is the condition?' asked the King. + +'I have a daughter,' said the old woman, 'who is so beautiful that she +has not her equal in the world, and is well fitted to be your wife; if +you will make her lady-queen I will show you the way out of the wood.' + +The King in his anguish of mind consented, and the old woman led him +to her little house where her daughter was sitting by the fire. She +received the King as if she were expecting him, and he saw that she was +certainly very beautiful; but she did not please him, and he could not +look at her without a secret feeling of horror. As soon as he had lifted +the maiden on to his horse the old woman showed him the way, and the +King reached his palace, where the wedding was celebrated. + +The King had already been married once, and had by his first wife seven +children, six boys and one girl, whom he loved more than anything in the +world. And now, because he was afraid that their stepmother might not +treat them well and might do them harm, he put them in a lonely castle +that stood in the middle of a wood. It lay so hidden, and the way to it +was so hard to find, that he himself could not have found it out had +not a wise-woman given him a reel of thread which possessed a marvellous +property: when he threw it before him it unwound itself and showed him +the way. But the King went so often to his dear children that the Queen +was offended at his absence. She grew curious, and wanted to know what +he had to do quite alone in the wood. She gave his servants a great deal +of money, and they betrayed the secret to her, and also told her of the +reel which alone could point out the way. She had no rest now till she +had found out where the King guarded the reel, and then she made some +little white shirts, and, as she had learnt from her witch-mother, sewed +an enchantment in each of them. + +And when the King had ridden off she took the little shirts and went +into the wood, and the reel showed her the way. The children, who saw +someone coming in the distance, thought it was their dear father coming +to them, and sprang to meet him very joyfully. Then she threw over each +one a little shirt, which when it had touched their bodies changed them +into swans, and they flew away over the forest. The Queen went home +quite satisfied, and thought she had got rid of her step-children; but +the girl had not run to meet her with her brothers, and she knew nothing +of her. + +The next day the King came to visit his children, but he found no one +but the girl. + +'Where are your brothers?' asked the King. + +'Alas! dear father,' she answered, 'they have gone away and left me all +alone.' And she told him that looking out of her little window she had +seen her brothers flying over the wood in the shape of swans, and she +showed him the feathers which they had let fall in the yard, and which +she had collected. The King mourned, but he did not think that the Queen +had done the wicked deed, and as he was afraid the maiden would also be +taken from him, he wanted to take her with him. But she was afraid of +the stepmother, and begged the King to let her stay just one night +more in the castle in the wood. The poor maiden thought, 'My home is no +longer here; I will go and seek my brothers.' And when night came she +fled away into the forest. She ran all through the night and the next +day, till she could go no farther for weariness. Then she saw a little +hut, went in, and found a room with six little beds. She was afraid to +lie down on one, so she crept under one of them, lay on the hard floor, +and was going to spend the night there. But when the sun had set she +heard a noise, and saw six swans flying in at the window. They stood on +the floor and blew at one another, and blew all their feathers off, and +their swan-skin came off like a shirt. Then the maiden recognised her +brothers, and overjoyed she crept out from under the bed. Her brothers +were not less delighted than she to see their little sister again, but +their joy did not last long. + +'You cannot stay here,' they said to her. 'This is a den of robbers; if +they were to come here and find you they would kill you.' + +'Could you not protect me?' asked the little sister. + +'No,' they answered, 'for we can only lay aside our swan skins for a +quarter of an hour every evening. For this time we regain our human +forms, but then we are changed into swans again.' + +Then the little sister cried and said, 'Can you not be freed?' + +'Oh, no,' they said, 'the conditions are too hard. You must not speak or +laugh for six years, and must make in that time six shirts for us out of +star-flowers. If a single word comes out of your mouth, all your labour +is vain.' And when the brothers had said this the quarter of an hour +came to an end, and they flew away out of the window as swans. + +But the maiden had determined to free her brothers even if it should +cost her her life. She left the hut, went into the forest, climbed +a tree, and spent the night there. The next morning she went out, +collected star-flowers, and began to sew. She could speak to no one, and +she had no wish to laugh, so she sat there, looking only at her work. + +When she had lived there some time, it happened that the King of the +country was hunting in the forest, and his hunters came to the tree on +which the maiden sat. They called to her and said 'Who are you?' + +But she gave no answer. + +'Come down to us,' they said, 'we will do you no harm.' + +But she shook her head silently. As they pressed her further with +questions, she threw them the golden chain from her neck. But they did +not leave off, and she threw them her girdle, and when this was no use, +her garters, and then her dress. The huntsmen would not leave her alone, +but climbed the tree, lifted the maiden down, and led her to the King. +The King asked, 'Who are you? What are you doing up that tree?' + +But she answered nothing. + +He asked her in all the languages he knew, but she remained as dumb as +a fish. Because she was so beautiful, however, the King's heart was +touched, and he was seized with a great love for her. He wrapped her up +in his cloak, placed her before him on his horse, and brought her to his +castle. There he had her dressed in rich clothes, and her beauty shone +out as bright as day, but not a word could be drawn from her. He set her +at table by his side, and her modest ways and behaviour pleased him +so much that he said, 'I will marry this maiden and none other in the +world,' and after some days he married her. But the King had a wicked +mother who was displeased with the marriage, and said wicked things of +the young Queen. 'Who knows who this girl is?' she said; 'she cannot +speak, and is not worthy of a king.' + +After a year, when the Queen had her first child, the old mother took +it away from her. Then she went to the King and said that the Queen had +killed it. The King would not believe it, and would not allow any harm +to be done her. But she sat quietly sewing at the shirts and troubling +herself about nothing. The next time she had a child the wicked mother +did the same thing, but the King could not make up his mind to believe +her. He said, 'She is too sweet and good to do such a thing as that. +If she were not dumb and could defend herself, her innocence would be +proved.' But when the third child was taken away, and the Queen was +again accused, and could not utter a word in her own defence, the King +was obliged to give her over to the law, which decreed that she must +be burnt to death. When the day came on which the sentence was to be +executed, it was the last day of the six years in which she must not +speak or laugh, and now she had freed her dear brothers from the power +of the enchantment. The six shirts were done; there was only the left +sleeve wanting to the last. + +When she was led to the stake, she laid the shirts on her arm, and as +she stood on the pile and the fire was about to be lighted, she looked +around her and saw six swans flying through the air. Then she knew +that her release was at hand and her heart danced for joy. The swans +fluttered round her, and hovered low so that she could throw the shirts +over them. When they had touched them the swan-skins fell off, and her +brothers stood before her living, well and beautiful. Only the youngest +had a swan's wing instead of his left arm. They embraced and kissed +each other, and the Queen went to the King, who was standing by in great +astonishment, and began to speak to him, saying, 'Dearest husband, now +I can speak and tell you openly that I am innocent and have been falsely +accused.' + +She told him of the old woman's deceit, and how she had taken the three +children away and hidden them. Then they were fetched, to the great joy +of the King, and the wicked mother came to no good end. + +But the King and the Queen with their six brothers lived many years in +happiness and peace. + + + + +THE DRAGON OF THE NORTH(2) + +(2) 'Der Norlands Drache,' from Esthnische Mahrchen. Kreutzwald. + +Very long ago, as old people have told me, there lived a terrible +monster, who came out of the North, and laid waste whole tracts +of country, devouring both men and beasts; and this monster was so +destructive that it was feared that unless help came no living creature +would be left on the face of the earth. It had a body like an ox, and +legs like a frog, two short fore-legs, and two long ones behind, and +besides that it had a tail like a serpent, ten fathoms in length. When +it moved it jumped like a frog, and with every spring it covered half a +mile of ground. Fortunately its habit, was to remain for several years +in the same place, and not to move on till the whole neighbourhood was +eaten up. Nothing could hunt it, because its whole body was covered with +scales, which were harder than stone or metal; its two great eyes shone +by night, and even by day, like the brightest lamps, and anyone who had +the ill luck to look into those eyes became as it were bewitched, and +was obliged to rush of his own accord into the monster's jaws. In this +way the Dragon was able to feed upon both men and beasts without the +least trouble to itself, as it needed not to move from the spot where it +was lying. All the neighbouring kings had offered rich rewards to +anyone who should be able to destroy the monster, either by force +or enchantment, and many had tried their luck, but all had miserably +failed. Once a great forest in which the Dragon lay had been set on +fire; the forest was burnt down, but the fire did not do the monster the +least harm. However, there was a tradition amongst the wise men of the +country that the Dragon might be overcome by one who possessed King +Solomon's signet-ring, upon which a secret writing was engraved. This +inscription would enable anyone who was wise enough to interpret it to +find out how the Dragon could be destroyed. Only no one knew where the +ring was hidden, nor was there any sorcerer or learned man to be found +who would be able to explain the inscription. + +At last a young man, with a good heart and plenty of courage, set out to +search for the ring. He took his way towards the sunrising, because he +knew that all the wisdom of old time comes from the East. After some +years he met with a famous Eastern magician, and asked for his advice in +the matter. The magician answered: + +'Mortal men have but little wisdom, and can give you no help, but the +birds of the air would be better guides to you if you could learn their +language. I can help you to understand it if you will stay with me a few +days.' + +The youth thankfully accepted the magician's offer, and said, 'I cannot +now offer you any reward for your kindness, but should my undertaking +succeed your trouble shall be richly repaid.' + +Then the magician brewed a powerful potion out of nine sorts of herbs +which he had gathered himself all alone by moonlight, and he gave the +youth nine spoonfuls of it daily for three days, which made him able to +understand the language of birds. + +At parting the magician said to him. 'If you ever find Solomon's ring +and get possession of it, then come back to me, that I may explain the +inscription on the ring to you, for there is no one else in the world +who can do this.' + +From that time the youth never felt lonely as he walked along; he always +had company, because he understood the language of birds; and in this +way he learned many things which mere human knowledge could never have +taught him. But time went on, and he heard nothing about the ring. It +happened one evening, when he was hot and tired with walking, and had +sat down under a tree in a forest to eat his supper, that he saw two +gaily-plumaged birds, that were strange to him, sitting at the top of +the tree talking to one another about him. The first bird said: + +'I know that wandering fool under the tree there, who has come so far +without finding what he seeks. He is trying to find King Solomon's lost +ring.' + +The other bird answered, 'He will have to seek help from the +Witch-maiden,(3) who will doubtless be able to put him on the right +track. If she has not got the ring herself, she knows well enough who +has it.' + +(3) Hollenmadchen. + + +'But where is he to find the Witch-maiden?' said the first bird. 'She +has no settled dwelling, but is here to-day and gone to-morrow. He might +as well try to catch the wind.' + +The other replied, 'I do not know, certainly, where she is at present, +but in three nights from now she will come to the spring to wash her +face, as she does every month when the moon is full, in order that +she may never grow old nor wrinkled, but may always keep the bloom of +youth.' + +'Well,' said the first bird, 'the spring is not far from here. Shall we +go and see how it is she does it?' + +'Willingly, if you like,' said the other. + +The youth immediately resolved to follow the birds to the spring, only +two things made him uneasy: first, lest he might be asleep when the +birds went, and secondly, lest he might lose sight of them, since he had +not wings to carry him along so swiftly. He was too tired to keep awake +all night, yet his anxiety prevented him from sleeping soundly, and when +with the earliest dawn he looked up to the tree-top, he was glad to +see his feathered companions still asleep with their heads under their +wings. He ate his breakfast, and waited until the birds should start, +but they did not leave the place all day. They hopped about from one +tree to another looking for food, all day long until the evening, when +they went back to their old perch to sleep. The next day the same thing +happened, but on the third morning one bird said to the other, 'To-day +we must go to the spring to see the Witch-maiden wash her face.' They +remained on the tree till noon; then they flew away and went towards the +south. The young man's heart beat with anxiety lest he should lose sight +of his guides, but he managed to keep the birds in view until they again +perched upon a tree. The young man ran after them until he was quite +exhausted and out of breath, and after three short rests the birds at +length reached a small open space in the forest, on the edge of which +they placed themselves on the top of a high tree. When the youth had +overtaken them, he saw that there was a clear spring in the middle of +the space. He sat down at the foot of the tree upon which the birds +were perched, and listened attentively to what they were saying to each +other. + +'The sun is not down yet,' said the first bird; 'we must wait yet awhile +till the moon rises and the maiden comes to the spring. Do you think she +will see that young man sitting under the tree?' + +'Nothing is likely to escape her eyes, certainly not a young man, said +the other bird. 'Will the youth have the sense not to let himself be +caught in her toils?' + +'We will wait,' said the first bird, 'and see how they get on together.' + +The evening light had quite faded, and the full moon was already shining +down upon the forest, when the young man heard a slight rustling sound. +After a few moments there came out of the forest a maiden, gliding over +the grass so lightly that her feet seemed scarcely to touch the ground, +and stood beside the spring. The youth could not turn away his eyes +from the maiden, for he had never in his life seen a woman so beautiful. +Without seeming to notice anything, she went to the spring, looked up +to the full moon, then knelt down and bathed her face nine times, then +looked up to the moon again and walked nine times round the well, and as +she walked she sang this song: + + 'Full-faced moon with light unshaded, + Let my beauty ne'er be faded. + Never let my cheek grow pale! + While the moon is waning nightly, + May the maiden bloom more brightly, + May her freshness never fail!' + +Then she dried her face with her long hair, and was about to go away, +when her eye suddenly fell upon the spot where the young man was +sitting, and she turned towards the tree. The youth rose and stood +waiting. Then the maiden said, 'You ought to have a heavy punishment +because you have presumed to watch my secret doings in the moonlight. +But I will forgive you this time, because you are a stranger and knew no +better. But you must tell me truly who you are and how you came to this +place, where no mortal has ever set foot before.' + +The youth answered humbly: 'Forgive me, beautiful maiden, if I have +unintentionally offended you. I chanced to come here after long +wandering, and found a good place to sleep under this tree. At your +coming I did not know what to do, but stayed where I was, because I +thought my silent watching could not offend you.' + +The maiden answered kindly, 'Come and spend this night with us. You will +sleep better on a pillow than on damp moss.' + +The youth hesitated for a little, but presently he heard the birds +saying from the top of the tree, 'Go where she calls you, but take care +to give no blood, or you will sell your soul.' So the youth went with +her, and soon they reached a beautiful garden, where stood a splendid +house, which glittered in the moonlight as if it was all built out of +gold and silver. When the youth entered he found many splendid chambers, +each one finer than the last. Hundreds of tapers burnt upon golden +candlesticks, and shed a light like the brightest day. At length they +reached a chamber where a table was spread with the most costly dishes. +At the table were placed two chairs, one of silver, the other of gold. +The maiden seated herself upon the golden chair, and offered the silver +one to her companion. They were served by maidens dressed in white, +whose feet made no sound as they moved about, and not a word was spoken +during the meal. Afterwards the youth and the Witch-maiden conversed +pleasantly together, until a woman, dressed in red, came in to remind +them that it was bedtime. The youth was now shown into another room, +containing a silken bed with down cushions, where he slept delightfully, +yet he seemed to hear a voice near his bed which repeated to him, +'Remember to give no blood!' + +The next morning the maiden asked him whether he would not like to +stay with her always in this beautiful place, and as he did not answer +immediately, she continued: 'You see how I always remain young and +beautiful, and I am under no one's orders, but can do just what I like, +so that I have never thought of marrying before. But from the moment I +saw you I took a fancy to you, so if you agree, we might be married and +might live together like princes, because I have great riches.' + +The youth could not but be tempted with the beautiful maiden's offer, +but he remembered how the birds had called her the witch, and their +warning always sounded in his ears. Therefore he answered cautiously, +'Do not be angry, dear maiden, if I do not decide immediately on this +important matter. Give me a few days to consider before we come to an +understanding.' + +'Why not?' answered the maiden. 'Take some weeks to consider if you +like, and take counsel with your own heart.' And to make the time +pass pleasantly, she took the youth over every part of her beautiful +dwelling, and showed him all her splendid treasures. But these treasures +were all produced by enchantment, for the maiden could make anything she +wished appear by the help of King Solomon's signet ring; only none of +these things remained fixed; they passed away like the wind without +leaving a trace behind. But the youth did not know this; he thought they +were all real. + +One day the maiden took him into a secret chamber, where a little gold +box was standing on a silver table. Pointing to the box, she said, 'Here +is my greatest treasure, whose like is not to be found in the whole +world. It is a precious gold ring. When you marry me, I will give you +this ring as a marriage gift, and it will make you the happiest of +mortal men. But in order that our love may last for ever, you must give +me for the ring three drops of blood from the little finger of your left +hand.' + +When the youth heard these words a cold shudder ran over him, for he +remembered that his soul was at stake. He was cunning enough, however, +to conceal his feelings and to make no direct answer, but he only asked +the maiden, as if carelessly, what was remarkable about the ring? + +She answered, 'No mortal is able entirely to understand the power +of this ring, because no one thoroughly understands the secret signs +engraved upon it. But even with my half-knowledge I can work great +wonders. If I put the ring upon the little finger of my left hand, then +I can fly like a bird through the air wherever I wish to go. If I put +it on the third finger of my left hand I am invisible, and I can see +everything that passes around me, though no one can see me. If I put the +ring upon the middle finger of my left hand, then neither fire nor water +nor any sharp weapon can hurt me. If I put it on the forefinger of my +left hand, then I can with its help produce whatever I wish. I can in a +single moment build houses or anything I desire. Finally, as long as I +wear the ring on the thumb of my left hand, that hand is so strong that +it can break down rocks and walls. Besides these, the ring has other +secret signs which, as I said, no one can understand. No doubt it +contains secrets of great importance. The ring formerly belonged to King +Solomon, the wisest of kings, during whose reign the wisest men lived. +But it is not known whether this ring was ever made by mortal hands: it +is supposed that an angel gave it to the wise King.' + +When the youth heard all this he determined to try and get possession of +the ring, though he did not quite believe in all its wonderful gifts. +He wished the maiden would let him have it in his hand, but he did not +quite like to ask her to do so, and after a while she put it back into +the box. A few days after they were again speaking of the magic ring, +and the youth said, 'I do not think it possible that the ring can have +all the power you say it has.' + +Then the maiden opened the box and took the ring out, and it glittered +as she held it like the clearest sunbeam. She put it on the middle +finger of her left hand, and told the youth to take a knife and try as +hard as he could to cut her with it, for he would not be able to hurt +her. He was unwilling at first, but the maiden insisted. Then he tried, +at first only in play, and then seriously, to strike her with the knife, +but an invisible wall of iron seemed to be between them, and the maiden +stood before him laughing and unhurt. Then she put the ring on her third +finger, and in an instant she had vanished from his eyes. Presently she +was beside him again laughing, and holding the ring between her fingers. + +'Do let me try,' said the youth, 'whether I can do these wonderful +things.' + +The maiden, suspecting no treachery, gave him the magic ring. + +The youth pretended to have forgotten what to do, and asked what finger +he must put the ring on so that no sharp weapon could hurt him?' + +'Oh, the middle finger of your left hand,' the maiden answered, +laughing. + +She took the knife and tried to strike the youth, and he even tried to +cut himself with it, but found it impossible. Then he asked the maiden +to show him how to split stones and rocks with the help of the ring. So +she led him into a courtyard where stood a great boulder-stone. 'Now,' +she said, 'put the ring upon the thumb of your left hand, and you will +see how strong that hand has become. The youth did so, and found to his +astonishment that with a single blow of his fist the stone flew into a +thousand pieces. Then the youth bethought him that he who does not use +his luck when he has it is a fool, and that this was a chance which once +lost might never return. So while they stood laughing at the shattered +stone he placed the ring, as if in play, upon the third finger of his +left hand. + +'Now,' said the maiden, 'you are invisible to me until you take the ring +off again.' + +But the youth had no mind to do that; on the contrary, he went farther +off, then put the ring on the little finger of his left hand, and soared +into the air like a bird. + +When the maiden saw him flying away she thought at first that he was +still in play, and cried, 'Come back, friend, for now you see I have +told you the truth.' But the young man never came back. + +Then the maiden saw she was deceived, and bitterly repented that she had +ever trusted him with the ring. + +The young man never halted in his flight until he reached the dwelling +of the wise magician who had taught him the speech of birds. The +magician was delighted to find that his search had been successful, +and at once set to work to interpret the secret signs engraved upon the +ring, but it took him seven weeks to make them out clearly. Then he gave +the youth the following instructions how to overcome the Dragon of the +North: 'You must have an iron horse cast, which must have little wheels +under each foot. You must also be armed with a spear two fathoms long, +which you will be able to wield by means of the magic ring upon your +left thumb. The spear must be as thick in the middle as a large tree, +and both its ends must be sharp. In the middle of the spear you must +have two strong chains ten fathoms in length. As soon as the Dragon has +made himself fast to the spear, which you must thrust through his jaws, +you must spring quickly from the iron horse and fasten the ends of the +chains firmly to the ground with iron stakes, so that he cannot get away +from them. After two or three days the monster's strength will be so +far exhausted that you will be able to come near him. Then you can put +Solomon's ring upon your left thumb and give him the finishing stroke, +but keep the ring on your third finger until you have come close to him, +so that the monster cannot see you, else he might strike you dead with +his long tail. But when all is done, take care you do not lose the ring, +and that no one takes it from you by cunning.' + +The young man thanked the magician for his directions, and promised, +should they succeed, to reward him. But the magician answered, 'I have +profited so much by the wisdom the ring has taught me that I desire no +other reward.' Then they parted, and the youth quickly flew home through +the air. After remaining in his own home for some weeks, he heard people +say that the terrible Dragon of the North was not far off, and might +shortly be expected in the country. The King announced publicly that +he would give his daughter in marriage, as well as a large part of his +kingdom, to whosoever should free the country from the monster. The +youth then went to the King and told him that he had good hopes of +subduing the Dragon, if the King would grant him all he desired for the +purpose. The King willingly agreed, and the iron horse, the great spear, +and the chains were all prepared as the youth requested. When all was +ready, it was found that the iron horse was so heavy that a hundred men +could not move it from the spot, so the youth found there was nothing +for it but to move it with his own strength by means of the magic ring. +The Dragon was now so near that in a couple of springs he would be over +the frontier. The youth now began to consider how he should act, for if +he had to push the iron horse from behind he could not ride upon it as +the sorcerer had said he must. But a raven unexpectedly gave him this +advice: 'Ride upon the horse, and push the spear against the ground, +as if you were pushing off a boat from the land.' The youth did so, and +found that in this way he could easily move forwards. The Dragon had his +monstrous jaws wide open, all ready for his expected prey. A few paces +nearer, and man and horse would have been swallowed up by them! The +youth trembled with horror, and his blood ran cold, yet he did not lose +his courage; but, holding the iron spear upright in his hand, he brought +it down with all his might right through the monster's lower jaw. Then +quick as lightning he sprang from his horse before the Dragon had time +to shut his mouth. A fearful clap like thunder, which could be heard for +miles around, now warned him that the Dragon's jaws had closed upon +the spear. When the youth turned round he saw the point of the spear +sticking up high above the Dragon's upper jaw, and knew that the other +end must be fastened firmly to the ground; but the Dragon had got his +teeth fixed in the iron horse, which was now useless. The youth now +hastened to fasten down the chains to the ground by means of the +enormous iron pegs which he had provided. The death struggle of the +monster lasted three days and three nights; in his writhing he beat his +tail so violently against the ground, that at ten miles' distance the +earth trembled as if with an earthquake. When he at length lost power to +move his tail, the youth with the help of the ring took up a stone which +twenty ordinary men could not have moved, and beat the Dragon so hard +about the head with it that very soon the monster lay lifeless before +him. + +You can fancy how great was the rejoicing when the news was spread +abroad that the terrible monster was dead. His conqueror was received +into the city with as much pomp as if he had been the mightiest of +kings. The old King did not need to urge his daughter to marry the +slayer of the Dragon; he found her already willing to bestow her hand +upon this hero, who had done all alone what whole armies had tried in +vain to do. In a few days a magnificent wedding was celebrated, at which +the rejoicings lasted four whole weeks, for all the neighbouring kings +had met together to thank the man who had freed the world from their +common enemy. But everyone forgot amid the general joy that they ought +to have buried the Dragon's monstrous body, for it began now to have +such a bad smell that no one could live in the neighbourhood, and +before long the whole air was poisoned, and a pestilence broke out +which destroyed many hundreds of people. In this distress, the King's +son-in-law resolved to seek help once more from the Eastern magician, to +whom he at once travelled through the air like a bird by the help of +the ring. But there is a proverb which says that ill-gotten gains never +prosper, and the Prince found that the stolen ring brought him ill-luck +after all. The Witch-maiden had never rested night nor day until she had +found out where the ring was. As soon as she had discovered by means of +magical arts that the Prince in the form of a bird was on his way to the +Eastern magician, she changed herself into an eagle and watched in the +air until the bird she was waiting for came in sight, for she knew him +at once by the ring which was hung round his neck by a ribbon. Then the +eagle pounced upon the bird, and the moment she seized him in her talons +she tore the ring from his neck before the man in bird's shape had time +to prevent her. Then the eagle flew down to the earth with her prey, and +the two stood face to face once more in human form. + +'Now, villain, you are in my power!' cried the Witch-maiden. 'I favoured +you with my love, and you repaid me with treachery and theft. You stole +my most precious jewel from me, and do you expect to live happily as the +King's son-in-law? Now the tables are turned; you are in my power, and I +will be revenged on you for your crimes.' + +'Forgive me! forgive me!' cried the Prince; 'I know too well how deeply +I have wronged you, and most heartily do I repent it.' + +The maiden answered, 'Your prayers and your repentance come too late, +and if I were to spare you everyone would think me a fool. You have +doubly wronged me; first you scorned my love, and then you stole my +ring, and you must bear the punishment.' + +With these words she put the ring upon her left thumb, lifted the young +man with one hand, and walked away with him under her arm. This time +she did not take him to a splendid palace, but to a deep cave in a rock, +where there were chains hanging from the wall. The maiden now chained +the young man's hands and feet so that he could not escape; then she +said in an angry voice, 'Here you shall remain chained up until you die. +I will bring you every day enough food to prevent you dying of hunger, +but you need never hope for freedom any more.' With these words she left +him. + +The old King and his daughter waited anxiously for many weeks for the +Prince's return, but no news of him arrived. The King's daughter often +dreamed that her husband was going through some great suffering: she +therefore begged her father to summon all the enchanters and magicians, +that they might try to find out where the Prince was and how he could +be set free. But the magicians, with all their arts, could find out +nothing, except that he was still living and undergoing great suffering; +but none could tell where he was to be found. At last a celebrated +magician from Finland was brought before the King, who had found out +that the King's son-in-law was imprisoned in the East, not by men, but +by some more powerful being. The King now sent messengers to the East to +look for his son-in-law, and they by good luck met with the old magician +who had interpreted the signs on King Solomon's ring, and thus was +possessed of more wisdom than anyone else in the world. The magician +soon found out what he wished to know, and pointed out the place where +the Prince was imprisoned, but said: 'He is kept there by enchantment, +and cannot be set free without my help. I will therefore go with you +myself.' + +So they all set out, guided by birds, and after some days came to the +cave where the unfortunate Prince had been chained up for nearly seven +years. He recognised the magician immediately, but the old man did not +know him, he had grown so thin. However, he undid the chains by the +help of magic, and took care of the Prince until he recovered and became +strong enough to travel. When he reached home he found that the old King +had died that morning, so that he was now raised to the throne. And now +after his long suffering came prosperity, which lasted to the end of his +life; but he never got back the magic ring, nor has it ever again been +seen by mortal eyes. + +Now, if YOU had been the Prince, would you not rather have stayed with +the pretty witch-maiden? + + + + +STORY OF THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES(4) + +(4) Andersen. + +Many years ago there lived an Emperor who was so fond of new clothes +that he spent all his money on them in order to be beautifully dressed. +He did not care about his soldiers, he did not care about the theatre; +he only liked to go out walking to show off his new clothes. He had a +coat for every hour of the day; and just as they say of a king, 'He is +in the council-chamber,' they always said here, 'The Emperor is in the +wardrobe.' + +In the great city in which he lived there was always something going on; +every day many strangers came there. One day two impostors arrived +who gave themselves out as weavers, and said that they knew how to +manufacture the most beautiful cloth imaginable. Not only were the +texture and pattern uncommonly beautiful, but the clothes which were +made of the stuff possessed this wonderful property that they were +invisible to anyone who was not fit for his office, or who was +unpardonably stupid. + +'Those must indeed be splendid clothes,' thought the Emperor. 'If I +had them on I could find out which men in my kingdom are unfit for the +offices they hold; I could distinguish the wise from the stupid! Yes, +this cloth must be woven for me at once.' And he gave both the impostors +much money, so that they might begin their work. + +They placed two weaving-looms, and began to do as if they were working, +but they had not the least thing on the looms. They also demanded the +finest silk and the best gold, which they put in their pockets, and +worked at the empty looms till late into the night. + +'I should like very much to know how far they have got on with the +cloth,' thought the Emperor. But he remembered when he thought about it +that whoever was stupid or not fit for his office would not be able +to see it. Now he certainly believed that he had nothing to fear for +himself, but he wanted first to send somebody else in order to see how +he stood with regard to his office. Everybody in the whole town knew +what a wonderful power the cloth had, and they were all curious to see +how bad or how stupid their neighbour was. + +'I will send my old and honoured minister to the weavers,' thought +the Emperor. 'He can judge best what the cloth is like, for he has +intellect, and no one understands his office better than he.' + +Now the good old minister went into the hall where the two impostors sat +working at the empty weaving-looms. 'Dear me!' thought the old minister, +opening his eyes wide, 'I can see nothing!' But he did not say so. + +Both the impostors begged him to be so kind as to step closer, and asked +him if it were not a beautiful texture and lovely colours. They pointed +to the empty loom, and the poor old minister went forward rubbing his +eyes; but he could see nothing, for there was nothing there. + +'Dear, dear!' thought he, 'can I be stupid? I have never thought that, +and nobody must know it! Can I be not fit for my office? No, I must +certainly not say that I cannot see the cloth!' + +'Have you nothing to say about it?' asked one of the men who was +weaving. + +'Oh, it is lovely, most lovely!' answered the old minister, looking +through his spectacles. 'What a texture! What colours! Yes, I will tell +the Emperor that it pleases me very much.' + +'Now we are delighted at that,' said both the weavers, and thereupon +they named the colours and explained the make of the texture. + +The old minister paid great attention, so that he could tell the same to +the Emperor when he came back to him, which he did. + +The impostors now wanted more money, more silk, and more gold to use in +their weaving. They put it all in their own pockets, and there came no +threads on the loom, but they went on as they had done before, working +at the empty loom. The Emperor soon sent another worthy statesman to +see how the weaving was getting on, and whether the cloth would soon +be finished. It was the same with him as the first one; he looked and +looked, but because there was nothing on the empty loom he could see +nothing. + +'Is it not a beautiful piece of cloth?' asked the two impostors, and +they pointed to and described the splendid material which was not there. + +'Stupid I am not!' thought the man, 'so it must be my good office for +which I am not fitted. It is strange, certainly, but no one must be +allowed to notice it.' And so he praised the cloth which he did not +see, and expressed to them his delight at the beautiful colours and the +splendid texture. 'Yes, it is quite beautiful,' he said to the Emperor. + +Everybody in the town was talking of the magnificent cloth. + +Now the Emperor wanted to see it himself while it was still on the +loom. With a great crowd of select followers, amongst whom were both +the worthy statesmen who had already been there before, he went to +the cunning impostors, who were now weaving with all their might, but +without fibre or thread. + +'Is it not splendid!' said both the old statesmen who had already been +there. 'See, your Majesty, what a texture! What colours!' And then they +pointed to the empty loom, for they believed that the others could see +the cloth quite well. + +'What!' thought the Emperor, 'I can see nothing! This is indeed +horrible! Am I stupid? Am I not fit to be Emperor? That were the most +dreadful thing that could happen to me. Oh, it is very beautiful,' he +said. 'It has my gracious approval.' And then he nodded pleasantly, and +examined the empty loom, for he would not say that he could see nothing. + +His whole Court round him looked and looked, and saw no more than the +others; but they said like the Emperor, 'Oh! it is beautiful!' And they +advised him to wear these new and magnificent clothes for the first time +at the great procession which was soon to take place. 'Splendid! Lovely! +Most beautiful!' went from mouth to mouth; everyone seemed delighted +over them, and the Emperor gave to the impostors the title of Court +weavers to the Emperor. + +Throughout the whole of the night before the morning on which the +procession was to take place, the impostors were up and were working by +the light of over sixteen candles. The people could see that they were +very busy making the Emperor's new clothes ready. They pretended they +were taking the cloth from the loom, cut with huge scissors in the +air, sewed with needles without thread, and then said at last, 'Now the +clothes are finished!' + +The Emperor came himself with his most distinguished knights, and each +impostor held up his arm just as if he were holding something, and said, +'See! here are the breeches! Here is the coat! Here the cloak!' and so +on. + +'Spun clothes are so comfortable that one would imagine one had nothing +on at all; but that is the beauty of it!' + +'Yes,' said all the knights, but they could see nothing, for there was +nothing there. + +'Will it please your Majesty graciously to take off your clothes,' said +the impostors, 'then we will put on the new clothes, here before the +mirror.' + +The Emperor took off all his clothes, and the impostors placed +themselves before him as if they were putting on each part of his new +clothes which was ready, and the Emperor turned and bent himself in +front of the mirror. + +'How beautifully they fit! How well they sit!' said everybody. 'What +material! What colours! It is a gorgeous suit!' + +'They are waiting outside with the canopy which your Majesty is wont +to have borne over you in the procession,' announced the Master of the +Ceremonies. + +'Look, I am ready,' said the Emperor. 'Doesn't it sit well!' And he +turned himself again to the mirror to see if his finery was on all +right. + +The chamberlains who were used to carry the train put their hands near +the floor as if they were lifting up the train; then they did as if they +were holding something in the air. They would not have it noticed that +they could see nothing. + +So the Emperor went along in the procession under the splendid canopy, +and all the people in the streets and at the windows said, 'How +matchless are the Emperor's new clothes! That train fastened to his +dress, how beautifully it hangs!' + +No one wished it to be noticed that he could see nothing, for then he +would have been unfit for his office, or else very stupid. None of the +Emperor's clothes had met with such approval as these had. + +'But he has nothing on!' said a little child at last. + +'Just listen to the innocent child!' said the father, and each one +whispered to his neighbour what the child had said. + +'But he has nothing on!' the whole of the people called out at last. + +This struck the Emperor, for it seemed to him as if they were right; but +he thought to himself, 'I must go on with the procession now. And the +chamberlains walked along still more uprightly, holding up the train +which was not there at all. + + + + +THE GOLDEN CRAB(5) + +(5) 'Prinz Krebs,' from Griechische Mahrchen. Schmidt. + +Once upon a time there was a fisherman who had a wife and three +children. Every morning he used to go out fishing, and whatever fish he +caught he sold to the King. One day, among the other fishes, he caught +a golden crab. When he came home he put all the fishes together into +a great dish, but he kept the Crab separate because it shone so +beautifully, and placed it upon a high shelf in the cupboard. Now while +the old woman, his wife, was cleaning the fish, and had tucked up her +gown so that her feet were visible, she suddenly heard a voice, which +said: + + 'Let down, let down thy petticoat + That lets thy feet be seen.' + +She turned round in surprise, and then she saw the little creature, the +Golden Crab. + +'What! You can speak, can you, you ridiculous crab?' she said, for she +was not quite pleased at the Crab's remarks. Then she took him up and +placed him on a dish. + +When her husband came home and they sat down to dinner, they presently +heard the Crab's little voice saying, 'Give me some too.' They were all +very much surprised, but they gave him something to eat. When the old +man came to take away the plate which had contained the Crab's dinner, +he found it full of gold, and as the same thing happened every day he +soon became very fond of the Crab. + +One day the Crab said to the fisherman's wife, 'Go to the King and tell +him I wish to marry his younger daughter.' + +The old woman went accordingly, and laid the matter before the King, who +laughed a little at the notion of his daughter marrying a crab, but did +not decline the proposal altogether, because he was a prudent monarch, +and knew that the Crab was likely to be a prince in disguise. He said, +therefore, to the fisherman's wife, 'Go, old woman, and tell the Crab I +will give him my daughter if by to-morrow morning he can build a wall in +front of my castle much higher than my tower, upon which all the flowers +of the world must grow and bloom.' + +The fisherman's wife went home and gave this message. + +Then the Crab gave her a golden rod, and said, 'Go and strike with this +rod three times upon the ground on the place which the King showed you, +and to-morrow morning the wall will be there.' + +The old woman did so and went away again. + +The next morning, when the King awoke, what do you think he saw? The +wall stood there before his eyes, exactly as he had bespoken it! + +Then the old woman went back to the King and said to him, 'Your +Majesty's orders have been fulfilled.' + +'That is all very well,' said the King, 'but I cannot give away my +daughter until there stands in front of my palace a garden in which +there are three fountains, of which the first must play gold, the second +diamonds, and the third brilliants.' + +So the old woman had to strike again three times upon the ground with +the rod, and the next morning the garden was there. The King now gave +his consent, and the wedding was fixed for the very next day. + +Then the Crab said to the old fisherman, 'Now take this rod; go and +knock with it on a certain mountain; then a black man(6) will come out +and ask you what you wish for. Answer him thus: ''Your master, the King, +has sent me to tell you that you must send him his golden garment that +is like the sun.'' Make him give you, besides, the queenly robes of gold +and precious stones which are like the flowery meadows, and bring them +both to me. And bring me also the golden cushion.' + +(6) Ein Mohr. + + +The old man went and did his errand. When he had brought the precious +robes, the Crab put on the golden garment and then crept upon the golden +cushion, and in this way the fisherman carried him to the castle, where +the Crab presented the other garment to his bride. Now the ceremony +took place, and when the married pair were alone together the Crab made +himself known to his young wife, and told her how he was the son of the +greatest king in the world, and how he was enchanted, so that he became +a crab by day and was a man only at night; and he could also change +himself into an eagle as often as he wished. No sooner had he said this +than he shook himself, and immediately became a handsome youth, but the +next morning he was forced to creep back again into his crab-shell. And +the same thing happened every day. But the Princess's affection for the +Crab, and the polite attention with which she behaved to him, surprised +the royal family very much. They suspected some secret, but though they +spied and spied, they could not discover it. Thus a year passed away, +and the Princess had a son, whom she called Benjamin. But her mother +still thought the whole matter very strange. At last she said to the +King that he ought to ask his daughter whether she would not like to +have another husband instead of the Crab? But when the daughter was +questioned she only answered: + +'I am married to the Crab, and him only will I have.' + +Then the King said to her, 'I will appoint a tournament in your honour, +and I will invite all the princes in the world to it, and if any one of +them pleases you, you shall marry him.' + +In the evening the Princess told this to the Crab, who said to her, +'Take this rod, go to the garden gate and knock with it, then a black +man will come out and say to you, ''Why have you called me, and what do +you require of me?'' Answer him thus: 'Your master the King has sent me +hither to tell you to send him his golden armour and his steed and the +silver apple.'' And bring them to me.' + +The Princess did so, and brought him what he desired. + +The following evening the Prince dressed himself for the tournament. +Before he went he said to his wife, 'Now mind you do not say when you +see me that I am the Crab. For if you do this evil will come of it. +Place yourself at the window with your sisters; I will ride by and throw +you the silver apple. Take it in your hand, but if they ask you who I +am, say that you do not know.' So saying, he kissed her, repeated his +warning once more, and went away. + +The Princess went with her sisters to the window and looked on at the +tournament. Presently her husband rode by and threw the apple up to her. +She caught it in her hand and went with it to her room, and by-and-by +her husband came back to her. But her father was much surprised that she +did not seem to care about any of the Princes; he therefore appointed a +second tournament. + +The Crab then gave his wife the same directions as before, only this +time the apple which she received from the black man was of gold. But +before the Prince went to the tournament he said to his wife, 'Now I +know you will betray me to-day.' + +But she swore to him that she would not tell who he was. He then +repeated his warning and went away. + +In the evening, while the Princess, with her mother and sisters, was +standing at the window, the Prince suddenly galloped past on his steed +and threw her the golden apple. + +Then her mother flew into a passion, gave her a box on the ear, and +cried out, 'Does not even that prince please you, you fool?' + +The Princess in her fright exclaimed, 'That is the Crab himself!' + +Her mother was still more angry because she had not been told sooner, +ran into her daughter's room where the crab-shell was still lying, took +it up and threw it into the fire. Then the poor Princess cried bitterly, +but it was of no use; her husband did not come back. + +Now we must leave the Princess and turn to the other persons in the +story. One day an old man went to a stream to dip in a crust of bread +which he was going to eat, when a dog came out of the water, snatched +the bread from his hand, and ran away. The old man ran after him, +but the dog reached a door, pushed it open, and ran in, the old man +following him. He did not overtake the dog, but found himself above a +staircase, which he descended. Then he saw before him a stately palace, +and, entering, he found in a large hall a table set for twelve persons. +He hid himself in the hall behind a great picture, that he might see +what would happen. At noon he heard a great noise, so that he trembled +with fear. When he took courage to look out from behind the picture, +he saw twelve eagles flying in. At this sight his fear became still +greater. The eagles flew to the basin of a fountain that was there and +bathed themselves, when suddenly they were changed into twelve handsome +youths. Now they seated themselves at the table, and one of them took +up a goblet filled with wine, and said, 'A health to my father!' And +another said, 'A health to my mother!' and so the healths went round. +Then one of them said: + + 'A health to my dearest lady, + Long may she live and well! + But a curse on the cruel mother + That burnt my golden shell!' + +And so saying he wept bitterly. Then the youths rose from the table, +went back to the great stone fountain, turned themselves into eagles +again, and flew away. + +Then the old man went away too, returned to the light of day, and went +home. Soon after he heard that the Princess was ill, and that the only +thing that did her good was having stories told to her. He therefore +went to the royal castle, obtained an audience of the Princess, and told +her about the strange things he had seen in the underground palace. No +sooner had he finished than the Princess asked him whether he could find +the way to that palace. + +'Yes,' he answered, 'certainly.' + +And now she desired him to guide her thither at once. The old man did +so, and when they came to the palace he hid her behind the great picture +and advised her to keep quite still, and he placed himself behind +the picture also. Presently the eagles came flying in, and changed +themselves into young men, and in a moment the Princess recognised her +husband amongst them all, and tried to come out of her hiding-place; but +the old man held her back. The youths seated themselves at the table; +and now the Prince said again, while he took up the cup of wine: + + 'A health to my dearest lady, + Long may she live and well! + But a curse on the cruel mother + That burnt my golden shell!' + +Then the Princess could restrain herself no longer, but ran forward and +threw her arms round her husband. And immediately he knew her again, and +said: + +'Do you remember how I told you that day that you would betray me? +Now you see that I spoke the truth. But all that bad time is past. Now +listen to me: I must still remain enchanted for three months. Will you +stay here with me till that time is over?' + +So the Princess stayed with him, and said to the old man, 'Go back to +the castle and tell my parents that I am staying here.' + +Her parents were very much vexed when the old man came back and told +them this, but as soon as the three months of the Prince's enchantment +were over, he ceased to be an eagle and became once more a man, and they +returned home together. And then they lived happily, and we who hear the +story are happier still. + + + + +THE IRON STOVE(7) + +(7) Grimm. + +Once upon a time when wishes came true there was a king's son who was +enchanted by an old witch, so that he was obliged to sit in a large iron +stove in a wood. There he lived for many years, and no one could free +him. At last a king's daughter came into the wood; she had lost her way, +and could not find her father's kingdom again. She had been wandering +round and round for nine days, and she came at last to the iron case. A +voice came from within and asked her, 'Where do you come from, and where +do you want to go?' She answered, 'I have lost my way to my father's +kingdom, and I shall never get home again.' Then the voice from the iron +stove said, 'I will help you to find your home again, and that in a very +short time, if you will promise to do what I ask you. I am a greater +prince than you are a princess, and I will marry you.' Then she grew +frightened, and thought, 'What can a young lassie do with an iron +stove?' But as she wanted very much to go home to her father, she +promised to do what he wished. + +He said, 'You must come again, and bring a knife with you to scrape a +hole in the iron.' + +Then he gave her someone for a guide, who walked near her and said +nothing, but he brought her in two hours to her house. There was great +joy in the castle when the Princess came back, and the old King fell on +her neck and kissed her. But she was very much troubled, and said, 'Dear +father, listen to what has befallen me! I should never have come home +again out of the great wild wood if I had not come to an iron stove, +to whom I have had to promise that I will go back to free him and marry +him!' The old King was so frightened that he nearly fainted, for she was +his only daughter. So they consulted together, and determined that the +miller's daughter, who was very beautiful, should take her place. They +took her there, gave her a knife, and said she must scrape at the iron +stove. She scraped for twenty-four hours, but did not make the least +impression. When the day broke, a voice called from the iron stove, 'It +seems to me that it is day outside.' Then she answered, 'It seems so to +me; I think I hear my father's mill rattling.' + +'So you are a miller's daughter! Then go away at once, and tell the +King's daughter to come.' + +Then she went away, and told the old King that the thing inside the +iron stove would not have her, but wanted the Princess. The old King was +frightened, and his daughter wept. But they had a swineherd's daughter +who was even more beautiful than the miller's daughter, and they gave +her a piece of gold to go to the iron stove instead of the Princess. +Then she was taken out, and had to scrape for four-and-twenty hours, but +she could make no impression. As soon as the day broke the voice from +the stove called out, 'It seems to be daylight outside.' Then she +answered, 'It seems so to me too; I think I hear my father blowing his +horn.' 'So you are a swineherd's daughter! Go away at once, and let the +King's daughter come. And say to her that what I foretell shall come to +pass, and if she does not come everything in the kingdom shall fall into +ruin, and not one stone shall be left upon another.' When the Princess +heard this she began to cry, but it was no good; she had to keep her +word. She took leave of her father, put a knife in her belt, and went +to the iron stove in the wood. As soon as she reached it she began to +scrape, and the iron gave way and before two hours had passed she had +made a little hole. Then she peeped in and saw such a beautiful youth +all shining with gold and precious stones that she fell in love with him +on the spot. So she scraped away harder than ever, and made the hole +so large that he could get out. Then he said, 'You are mine, and I am +thine; you are my bride and have set me free!' He wanted to take her +with him to his kingdom, but she begged him just to let her go once more +to her father; and the Prince let her go, but told her not to say more +than three words to her father, then to come back again. So she went +home, but alas! she said MORE THAN THREE WORDS; and immediately the iron +stove vanished and went away over a mountain of glass and sharp swords. +But the Prince was free, and was no longer shut up in it. Then she said +good-bye to her father, and took a little money with her, and went again +into the great wood to look for the iron stove; but she could not find +it. She sought it for nine days, and then her hunger became so great +that she did not know how she could live any longer. And when it was +evening she climbed a little tree and wished that the night would not +come, because she was afraid of the wild beasts. When midnight came she +saw afar off a little light, and thought, 'Ah! if only I could reach +that!' Then she got down from the tree and went towards the light. She +came to a little old house with a great deal of grass growing round, and +stood in front of a little heap of wood. She thought, 'Alas! what am I +coming to?' and peeped through the window; but she saw nothing inside +except big and little toads, and a table beautifully spread with roast +meats and wine, and all the dishes and drinking-cups were of silver. +Then she took heart and knocked. Then a fat toad called out: + + 'Little green toad with leg like crook, + Open wide the door, and look + Who it was the latch that shook.' + +And a little toad came forward and let her in. When she entered they +all bid her welcome, and made her sit down. They asked her how she came +there and what she wanted. Then she told everything that had happened +to her, and how, because she had exceeded her permission only to speak +three words, the stove had disappeared with the Prince; and how she had +searched a very long time, and must wander over mountain and valley till +she found him. + +Then the old toad said: + + 'Little green toad whose leg doth twist, + Go to the corner of which you wist, + And bring to me the large old kist.' + +And the little toad went and brought out a great chest. Then they gave +her food and drink, and led her to a beautifully made bed of silk and +samite, on which she lay down and slept soundly. When the day dawned she +arose, and the old toad gave her three things out of the huge chest to +take with her. She would have need of them, for she had to cross a high +glass mountain, three cutting swords, and a great lake. When she had +passed these she would find her lover again. So she was given three +large needles, a plough-wheel, and three nuts, which she was to take +great care of. She set out with these things, and when she came to the +glass mountain which was so slippery she stuck the three needles behind +her feet and then in front, and so got over it, and when she was on the +other side put them carefully away. + +Then she reached the three cutting swords, and got on her plough-wheel +and rolled over them. At last she came to a great lake, and, when she +had crossed that, arrived at a beautiful castle. She went in and gave +herself out as a servant, a poor maid who would gladly be engaged. But +she knew that the Prince whom she had freed from the iron stove in the +great wood was in the castle. So she was taken on as a kitchen-maid for +very small wages. Now the Prince was about to marry another princess, +for he thought she was dead long ago. + +In the evening, when she had washed up and was ready, she felt in her +pocket and found the three nuts which the old toad had given her. She +cracked one and was going to eat the kernel, when behold! there was a +beautiful royal dress inside it! When the bride heard of this, she came +and begged for the dress, and wanted to buy it, saying that it was not a +dress for a serving-maid. Then she said she would not sell it unless she +was granted one favour--namely, to sleep by the Prince's door. The bride +granted her this, because the dress was so beautiful and she had so few +like it. When it was evening she said to her bridegroom, 'That stupid +maid wants to sleep by your door.' + +'If you are contented, I am,' he said. But she gave him a glass of wine +in which she had poured a sleeping-draught. Then they both went to his +room, but he slept so soundly that she could not wake him. The maid wept +all night long, and said, 'I freed you in the wild wood out of the iron +stove; I have sought you, and have crossed a glassy mountain, three +sharp swords, and a great lake before I found you, and will you not hear +me now?' The servants outside heard how she cried the whole night, and +they told their master in the morning. + +When she had washed up the next evening she bit the second nut, and +there was a still more beautiful dress inside. When the bride saw it she +wanted to buy it also. But the maid did not want money, and asked that +she should sleep again by the Prince's door. The bride, however, gave +him a sleeping-draught, and he slept so soundly that he heard nothing. +But the kitchen-maid wept the whole night long, and said, 'I have freed +you in a wood and from an iron stove; I sought you and have crossed a +glassy mountain, three sharp swords, and a great lake to find you, and +now you will not hear me!' The servants outside heard how she cried the +whole night, and in the morning they told their master. + +And when she had washed up on the third night she bit the third nut, +and there was a still more beautiful dress inside that was made of pure +gold. When the bride saw it she wanted to have it, but the maid would +only give it her on condition that she should sleep for the third +time by the Prince's door. But the Prince took care not to drink +the sleeping-draught. When she began to weep and to say, 'Dearest +sweetheart, I freed you in the horrible wild wood, and from an iron +stove,' he jumped up and said, 'You are right. You are mine, and I am +thine.' Though it was still night, he got into a carriage with her, and +they took the false bride's clothes away, so that she could not follow +them. When they came to the great lake they rowed across, and when they +reached the three sharp swords they sat on the plough-wheel, and on the +glassy mountain they stuck the three needles in. So they arrived at last +at the little old house, but when they stepped inside it turned into +a large castle. The toads were all freed, and were beautiful King's +children, running about for joy. There they were married, and they +remained in the castle, which was much larger than that of the +Princess's father's. But because the old man did not like being left +alone, they went and fetched him. So they had two kingdoms and lived in +great wealth. + + A mouse has run, + My story's done. + + + + +THE DRAGON AND HIS GRANDMOTHER + +There was once a great war, and the King had a great many soldiers, but +he gave them so little pay that they could not live upon it. Then three +of them took counsel together and determined to desert. + +One of them said to the others, 'If we are caught, we shall be hanged +on the gallows; how shall we set about it?' The other said, 'Do you see +that large cornfield there? If we were to hide ourselves in that, no +one could find us. The army cannot come into it, and to-morrow it is to +march on.' + +They crept into the corn, but the army did not march on, but remained +encamped close around them. They sat for two days and two nights in +the corn, and grew so hungry that they nearly died; but if they were to +venture out, it was certain death. + +They said at last, 'What use was it our deserting? We must perish here +miserably.' + +Whilst they were speaking a fiery dragon came flying through the air. It +hovered near them, and asked why they were hidden there. + +They answered, 'We are three soldiers, and have deserted because our pay +was so small. Now if we remain here we shall die of hunger, and if we +move out we shall be strung up on the gallows.' + +'If you will serve me for seven years,' said the dragon, I will lead you +through the midst of the army so that no one shall catch you.' 'We have +no choice, and must take your offer,' said they. Then the dragon seized +them in his claws, took them through the air over the army, and set them +down on the earth a long way from it. + +He gave them a little whip, saying, 'Whip and slash with this, and as +much money as you want will jump up before you. You can then live as +great lords, keep horses, and drive about in carriages. But after seven +years you are mine.' Then he put a book before them, which he made all +three of them sign. 'I will then give you a riddle,' he said; 'if you +guess it, you shall be free and out of my power.' The dragon then flew +away, and they journeyed on with their little whip. They had as much +money as they wanted, wore grand clothes, and made their way into the +world. Wherever they went they lived in merrymaking and splendour, drove +about with horses and carriages, ate and drank, but did nothing wrong. + +The time passed quickly away, and when the seven years were nearly ended +two of them grew terribly anxious and frightened, but the third +made light of it, saying, 'Don't be afraid, brothers, I wasn't born +yesterday; I will guess the riddle.' + +They went into a field, sat down, and the two pulled long faces. An old +woman passed by, and asked them why they were so sad. 'Alas! what have +you to do with it? You cannot help us.' 'Who knows?' she answered. 'Only +confide your trouble in me.' + +Then they told her that they had become the servants of the Dragon for +seven long years, and how he had given them money as plentifully as +blackberries; but as they had signed their names they were his, unless +when the seven years had passed they could guess a riddle. The old woman +said, 'If you would help yourselves, one of you must go into the wood, +and there he will come upon a tumble-down building of rocks which looks +like a little house. He must go in, and there he will find help.' + +The two melancholy ones thought, 'That won't save us!' and they remained +where they were. But the third and merry one jumped up and went into the +wood till he found the rock hut. In the hut sat a very old woman, who +was the Dragon's grandmother. She asked him how he came, and what was +his business there. He told her all that happened, and because she was +pleased with him she took compassion on him, and said she would help +him. + +She lifted up a large stone which lay over the cellar, saying, 'Hide +yourself there; you can hear all that is spoken in this room. Only sit +still and don't stir. When the Dragon comes, I will ask him what the +riddle is, for he tells me everything; then listen carefully what he +answers.' + +At midnight the Dragon flew in, and asked for his supper. His +grandmother laid the table, and brought out food and drink till he was +satisfied, and they ate and drank together. Then in the course of the +conversation she asked him what he had done in the day, and how many +souls he had conquered. + +'I haven't had much luck to-day,' he said, 'but I have a tight hold on +three soldiers.' + +'Indeed! three soldiers!' said she. 'Who cannot escape you?' + +'They are mine,' answered the Dragon scornfully, 'for I shall only give +them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.' + +'What sort of a riddle is it?' she asked. + +'I will tell you this. In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall +be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their +silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their +wineglass.' + +When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone +and let out the soldier. + +'Did you pay attention to everything?' + +'Yes,' he replied, 'I know enough, and can help myself splendidly.' + +Then he went by another way through the window secretly, and in all +haste back to his comrades. He told them how the Dragon had been +outwitted by his grandmother, and how he had heard from his own lips the +answer to the riddle. + +Then they were all delighted and in high spirits, took out their whip, +and cracked so much money that it came jumping up from the ground. +When the seven years had quite gone, the Fiend came with his book, and, +pointing at the signatures, said, 'I will take you underground with me; +you shall have a meal there. If you can tell me what you will get for +your roast meat, you shall be free, and shall also keep the whip.' + +Then said the first soldier, 'In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat; that +shall be the roast meat.' + +The Dragon was much annoyed, and hummed and hawed a good deal, and asked +the second, 'But what shall be your spoon?' + +'The rib of a whale shall be our silver spoon.' + +The Dragon-made a face, and growled again three times, 'Hum, hum, hum,' +and said to the third, 'Do you know what your wineglass shall be?' + +'An old horse's hoof shall be our wineglass.' + +Then the Dragon flew away with a loud shriek, and had no more power over +them. But the three soldiers took the little whip, whipped as much money +as they wanted, and lived happily to their lives end. + + + +THE DONKEY CABBAGE + +There was once a young Hunter who went boldly into the forest. He had a +merry and light heart, and as he went whistling along there came an ugly +old woman, who said to him, 'Good-day, dear hunter! You are very merry +and contented, but I suffer hunger and thirst, so give me a trifle.' The +Hunter was sorry for the poor old woman, and he felt in his pocket and +gave her all he could spare. He was going on then, but the old woman +stopped him and said, 'Listen, dear hunter, to what I say. Because of +your kind heart I will make you a present. Go on your way, and in a +short time you will come to a tree on which sit nine birds who have a +cloak in their claws and are quarrelling over it. Then take aim with +your gun and shoot in the middle of them; they will let the cloak fall, +but one of the birds will be hit and will drop down dead. Take the cloak +with you; it is a wishing-cloak, and when you throw it on your shoulders +you have only to wish yourself at a certain place, and in the twinkling +of an eye you are there. Take the heart out of the dead bird and swallow +it whole, and early every morning when you get up you will find a gold +piece under your pillow.' + +The Hunter thanked the wise woman, and thought to himself 'These are +splendid things she has promised me, if only they come to pass!' So +he walked on about a hundred yards, and then he heard above him in the +branches such a screaming and chirping that he looked up, and there +he saw a heap of birds tearing a cloth with their beaks and feet, +shrieking, tugging, and fighting, as if each wanted it for himself. +'Well,' said the Hunter, 'this is wonderful! It is just as the old woman +said'; and he took his gun on his shoulder, pulled the trigger, and +shot into the midst of them, so that their feathers flew about. Then the +flock took flight with much screaming, but one fell dead, and the cloak +fluttered down. Then the Hunter did as the old woman had told him: he +cut open the bird, found its heart, swallowed it, and took the cloak +home with him. The next morning when he awoke he remembered the promise, +and wanted to see if it had come true. But when he lifted up his pillow, +there sparkled the gold piece, and the next morning he found another, +and so on every time he got up. He collected a heap of gold, but at +last he thought to himself, 'What good is all my gold to me if I stay +at home? I will travel and look a bit about me in the world.' So he took +leave of his parents, slung his hunting knapsack and his gun round him, +and journeyed into the world. + +It happened that one day he went through a thick wood, and when he came +to the end of it there lay in the plain before him a large castle. At +one of the windows in it stood an old woman with a most beautiful maiden +by her side, looking out. But the old woman was a witch, and she said to +the girl, 'There comes one out of the wood who has a wonderful treasure +in his body which we must manage to possess ourselves of, darling +daughter; we have more right to it than he. He has a bird's heart in +him, and so every morning there lies a gold piece under his pillow.' + +She told her how they could get hold of it, and how she was to coax it +from him, and at last threatened her angrily, saying, 'And if you do not +obey me, you shall repent it!' + +When the Hunter came nearer he saw the maiden, and said to himself, 'I +have travelled so far now that I will rest, and turn into this beautiful +castle; money I have in plenty.' But the real reason was that he had +caught sight of the lovely face. + +He went into the house, and was kindly received and hospitably +entertained. It was not long before he was so much in love with the +witch-maiden that he thought of nothing else, and only looked in her +eyes, and whatever she wanted, that he gladly did. Then the old witch +said, 'Now we must have the bird-heart; he will not feel when it is +gone.' She prepared a drink, and when it was ready she poured it in a +goblet and gave it to the maiden, who had to hand it to the hunter. + +'Drink to me now, my dearest,' she said. Then he took the goblet, and +when he had swallowed the drink the bird-heart came out of his mouth. +The maiden had to get hold of it secretly and then swallow it herself, +for the old witch wanted to have it. Thenceforward he found no more gold +under his pillow, and it lay under the maiden's; but he was so much in +love and so much bewitched that he thought of nothing except spending +all his time with the maiden. + +Then the old witch said, 'We have the bird-heart, but we must also get +the wishing-cloak from him.' + +The maiden answered, 'We will leave him that; he has already lost his +wealth!' + +The old witch grew angry, and said, 'Such a cloak is a wonderful thing, +it is seldom to be had in the world, and have it I must and will.' She +beat the maiden, and said that if she did not obey it would go ill with +her. + +So she did her mother's bidding, and, standing one day by the window, +she looked away into the far distance as if she were very sad. + +'Why are you standing there looking so sad?' asked the Hunter. + +'Alas, my love,' she replied, 'over there lies the granite mountain +where the costly precious stones grow. I have a great longing to go +there, so that when I think of it I am very sad. For who can fetch them? +Only the birds who fly; a man, never.' + +'If you have no other trouble,' said the Hunter, 'that one I can easily +remove from your heart.' + +So he wrapped her round in his cloak and wished themselves to the +granite mountain, and in an instant there they were, sitting on it! The +precious stones sparkled so brightly on all sides that it was a pleasure +to see them, and they collected the most beautiful and costly together. +But now the old witch had through her caused the Hunter's eyes to become +heavy. + +He said to the maiden, 'We will sit down for a little while and rest; I +am so tired that I can hardly stand on my feet.' + +So they sat down, and he laid his head on her lap and fell asleep. As +soon as he was sound asleep she unfastened the cloak from his shoulders, +threw it on her own, left the granite and stones, and wished herself +home again. + +But when the Hunter had finished his sleep and awoke, he found that his +love had betrayed him and left him alone on the wild mountain. 'Oh,' +said he, 'why is faithlessness so great in the world?' and he sat down +in sorrow and trouble, not knowing what to do. + +But the mountain belonged to fierce and huge giants, who lived on it +and traded there, and he had not sat long before he saw three of them +striding towards him. So he lay down as if he had fallen into a deep +sleep. + +The giants came up, and the first pushed him with his foot, and said, +'What sort of an earthworm is that?' + +The second said, 'Crush him dead.' + +But the third said contemptuously, 'It is not worth the trouble! Let him +live; he cannot remain here, and if he goes higher up the mountain the +clouds will take him and carry him off.' + +Talking thus they went away. But the Hunter had listened to their talk, +and as soon as they had gone he rose and climbed to the summit. When he +had sat there a little while a cloud swept by, and, seizing him, carried +him away. It travelled for a time in the sky, and then it sank down and +hovered over a large vegetable garden surrounded by walls, so that he +came safely to the ground amidst cabbages and vegetables. The Hunter +then looked about him, saying, 'If only I had something to eat! I am so +hungry, and it will go badly with me in the future, for I see here +not an apple or pear or fruit of any kind--nothing but vegetables +everywhere.' At last he thought, 'At a pinch I can eat a salad; it does +not taste particularly nice, but it will refresh me.' So he looked about +for a good head and ate it, but no sooner had he swallowed a couple +of mouthfuls than he felt very strange, and found himself wonderfully +changed. Four legs began to grow on him, a thick head, and two long +ears, and he saw with horror that he had changed into a donkey. But as +he was still very hungry and this juicy salad tasted very good to his +present nature, he went on eating with a still greater appetite. At last +he got hold of another kind of cabbage, but scarcely had swallowed it +when he felt another change, and he once more regained his human form. + +The Hunter now lay down and slept off his weariness. When he awoke +the next morning he broke off a head of the bad and a head of the good +cabbage, thinking, 'This will help me to regain my own, and to punish +faithlessness.' Then he put the heads in his pockets, climbed the wall, +and started off to seek the castle of his love. When he had wandered +about for a couple of days he found it quite easily. He then browned his +face quickly, so that his own mother would not have known him, and went +into the castle, where he begged for a lodging. + +'I am so tired,' he said, 'I can go no farther.' + +The witch asked, 'Countryman, who are you, and what is your business?' + +He answered, 'I am a messenger of the King, and have been sent to seek +the finest salad that grows under the sun. I have been so lucky as to +find it, and am bringing it with me; but the heat of the sun is so great +that the tender cabbage threatens to grow soft, and I do not know if I +shall be able to bring it any farther.' + +When the old witch heard of the fine salad she wanted to eat it, and +said, 'Dear countryman, just let me taste the wonderful salad.' + +'Why not?' he answered; 'I have brought two heads with me, and will give +you one.' + +So saying, he opened his sack and gave her the bad one. The witch +suspected no evil, and her mouth watered to taste the new dish, so that +she went into the kitchen to prepare it herself. When it was ready she +could not wait till it was served at the table, but she immediately took +a couple of leaves and put them in her mouth. No sooner, however, had +she swallowed them than she lost human form, and ran into the courtyard +in the shape of a donkey. + +Now the servant came into the kitchen, and when she saw the salad +standing there ready cooked she was about to carry it up, but on the +way, according to her old habit, she tasted it and ate a couple of +leaves. Immediately the charm worked, and she became a donkey, and ran +out to join the old witch, and the dish with the salad in it fell to +the ground. In the meantime, the messenger was sitting with the lovely +maiden, and as no one came with the salad, and she wanted very much to +taste it, she said, 'I don't know where the salad is.' + +Then thought the Hunter, 'The cabbage must have already begun to work.' +And he said, 'I will go to the kitchen and fetch it myself.' + +When he came there he saw the two donkeys running about in the +courtyard, but the salad was lying on the ground. + +'That's all right,' said he; 'two have had their share!' And lifting the +remaining leaves up, he laid them on the dish and brought them to the +maiden. + +'I am bringing you the delicious food my own self,' he said, 'so that +you need not wait any longer.' + +Then she ate, and, as the others had done, she at once lost her human +form, and ran as a donkey into the yard. + +When the Hunter had washed his face, so that the changed ones might know +him, he went into the yard, saying, 'Now you shall receive a reward for +your faithlessness.' + +He tied them all three with a rope, and drove them away till he came to +a mill. He knocked at the window, and the miller put his head out and +asked what he wanted. + +'I have three tiresome animals,' he answered, 'which I don't want to +keep any longer. If you will take them, give them food and stabling, and +do as I tell you with them, I will pay you as much as you want.' + +The miller replied, 'Why not? What shall I do with them?' + +Then the Hunter said that to the old donkey, which was the witch, three +beatings and one meal; to the younger one, which was the servant, one +beating and three meals; and to the youngest one, which was the maiden, +no beating and three meals; for he could not find it in his heart to let +the maiden be beaten. + +Then he went back into the castle, and he found there all that he +wanted. After a couple of days the miller came and said that he must +tell him that the old donkey which was to have three beatings and only +one meal had died. 'The two others,' he added, 'are certainly not dead, +and get their three meals every day, but they are so sad that they +cannot last much longer.' + +Then the Hunter took pity on them, laid aside his anger, and told the +miller to drive them back again. And when they came he gave them some +of the good cabbage to eat, so that they became human again. Then the +beautiful maiden fell on her knees before him, saying, 'Oh, my dearest, +forgive me the ill I have done you! My mother compelled me to do it; +it was against my will, for I love you dearly. Your wishing-cloak is +hanging in a cupboard, and as for the bird-heart I will make a drink and +give it back to you.' + +But he changed his mind, and said, 'Keep it; it makes no difference, for +I will take you to be my own dear true wife.' + +And the wedding was celebrated, and they lived happy together till +death. + + + + + THE LITTLE GREEN FROG(8) + +(8) Cabinet des Fees. + +In a part of the world whose name I forget lived once upon a time two +kings, called Peridor and Diamantino. They were cousins as well as +neighbours, and both were under the protection of the fairies; though it +is only fair to say that the fairies did not love them half so well as +their wives did. + +Now it often happens that as princes can generally manage to get their +own way it is harder for them to be good than it is for common people. +So it was with Peridor and Diamantino; but of the two, the fairies +declared that Diamantino was much the worst; indeed, he behaved so badly +to his wife Aglantino, that the fairies would not allow him to live any +longer; and he died, leaving behind him a little daughter. As she was an +only child, of course this little girl was the heiress of the kingdom, +but, being still only a baby, her mother, the widow of Diamantino, was +proclaimed regent. The Queen-dowager was wise and good, and tried her +best to make her people happy. The only thing she had to vex her was +the absence of her daughter; for the fairies, for reasons of their own, +determined to bring up the little Princess Serpentine among themselves. + +As to the other King, he was really fond of his wife, Queen Constance, +but he often grieved her by his thoughtless ways, and in order to punish +him for his carelessness, the fairies caused her to die quite suddenly. +When she was gone the King felt how much he had loved her, and his grief +was so great (though he never neglected his duties) that his subjects +called him Peridor the Sorrowful. It seems hardly possible that any +man should live like Peridor for fifteen years plunged in such depth of +grief, and most likely he would have died too if it had not been for the +fairies. + +The one comfort the poor King had was his son, Prince Saphir, who was +only three years old at the time of his mother's death, and great care +was given to his education. By the time he was fifteen Saphir had learnt +everything that a prince should know, and he was, besides, charming and +agreeable. + +It was about this time that the fairies suddenly took fright lest his +love for his father should interfere with the plans they had made for +the young prince. So, to prevent this, they placed in a pretty little +room of which Saphir was very fond a little mirror in a black frame, +such as were often brought from Venice. The Prince did not notice +for some days that there was anything new in the room, but at last +he perceived it, and went up to look at it more closely. What was his +surprise to see reflected in the mirror, not his own face, but that of +a young girl as lovely as the morning! And, better still, every movement +of the girl, just growing out of childhood, was also reflected in the +wonderful glass. + +As might have been expected, the young Prince lost his heart completely +to the beautiful image, and it was impossible to get him out of the +room, so busy was he in watching the lovely unknown. Certainly it was +very delightful to be able to see her whom he loved at any moment he +chose, but his spirits sometimes sank when he wondered what was to be +the end of this adventure. + +The magic mirror had been for about a year in the Prince's possession, +when one day a new subject of disquiet seized upon him. As usual, he was +engaged in looking at the girl, when suddenly he thought he saw a second +mirror reflected in the first, exactly like his own, and with the same +power. And in this he was perfectly right. The young girl had only +possessed it for a short time, and neglected all her duties for the sake +of the mirror. Now it was not difficult for Saphir to guess the reason +of the change in her, nor why the new mirror was consulted so often; +but try as he would he could never see the face of the person who was +reflected in it, for the young girl's figure always came between. All he +knew was that the face was that of a man, and this was quite enough to +make him madly jealous. This was the doing of the fairies, and we must +suppose that they had their reasons for acting as they did. + +When these things happened Saphir was about eighteen years old, and +fifteen years had passed away since the death of his mother. King +Peridor had grown more and more unhappy as time went on, and at last he +fell so ill that it seemed as if his days were numbered. He was so much +beloved by his subjects that this sad news was heard with despair by the +nation, and more than all by the Prince. + +During his whole illness the King never spoke of anything but the Queen, +his sorrow at having grieved her, and his hope of one day seeing her +again. All the doctors and all the water-cures in the kingdom had been +tried, and nothing would do him any good. At last he persuaded them to +let him lie quietly in his room, where no one came to trouble him. + +Perhaps the worst pain he had to bear was a sort of weight on his chest, +which made it very hard for him to breathe. So he commanded his servants +to leave the windows open in order that he might get more air. One day, +when he had been left alone for a few minutes, a bird with brilliant +plumage came and fluttered round the window, and finally rested on the +sill. His feathers were sky-blue and gold, his feet and his beak of such +glittering rubies that no one could bear to look at them, his eyes made +the brightest diamonds look dull, and on his head he wore a crown. I +cannot tell you what the crown was made of, but I am quite certain that +it was still more splendid than all the rest. As to his voice I can +say nothing about that, for the bird never sang at all. In fact, he did +nothing but gaze steadily at the King, and as he gazed, the King felt +his strength come back to him. In a little while the bird flew into the +room, still with his eyes fixed on the King, and at every glance the +strength of the sick man became greater, till he was once more as well +as he used to be before the Queen died. Filled with joy at his cure, +he tried to seize the bird to whom he owed it all, but, swifter than a +swallow, it managed to avoid him. In vain he described the bird to +his attendants, who rushed at his first call; in vain they sought the +wonderful creature both on horse and foot, and summoned the fowlers to +their aid: the bird could nowhere be found. The love the people bore +King Peridor was so strong, and the reward he promised was so large, +that in the twinkling of an eye every man, woman, and child had fled +into the fields, and the towns were quite empty. + +All this bustle, however, ended in nothing but confusion, and, what +was worse, the King soon fell back into the same condition as he was in +before. Prince Saphir, who loved his father very dearly, was so unhappy +at this that he persuaded himself that he might succeed where the others +had failed, and at once prepared himself for a more distant search. +In spite of the opposition he met with, he rode away, followed by his +household, trusting to chance to help him. He had formed no plan, and +there was no reason that he should choose one path more than another. +His only idea was to make straight for those spots which were the +favourite haunts of birds. But in vain he examined all the hedges and +all the thickets; in vain he questioned everyone he met along the road. +The more he sought the less he found. + +At last he came to one of the largest forests in all the world, composed +entirely of cedars. But in spite of the deep shadows cast by the +wide-spreading branches of the trees, the grass underneath was soft and +green, and covered with the rarest flowers. It seemed to Saphir that +this was exactly the place where the birds would choose to live, and +he determined not to quit the wood until he had examined it from end to +end. And he did more. He ordered some nets to be prepared and painted of +the same colours as the bird's plumage, thinking that we are all easily +caught by what is like ourselves. In this he had to help him not only +the fowlers by profession, but also his attendants, who excelled in this +art. For a man is not a courtier unless he can do everything. + +After searching as usual for nearly a whole day Prince Saphir began +to feel overcome with thirst. He was too tired to go any farther, +when happily he discovered a little way off a bubbling fountain of the +clearest water. Being an experienced traveller, he drew from his pocket +a little cup (without which no one should ever take a journey), and was +just about to dip it in the water, when a lovely little green frog, +much prettier than frogs generally are, jumped into the cup. Far from +admiring its beauty, Saphir shook it impatiently off; but it was no +good, for quick as lightning the frog jumped back again. Saphir, who was +raging with thirst, was just about to shake it off anew, when the little +creature fixed upon him the most beautiful eyes in the world, and said, +'I am a friend of the bird you are seeking, and when you have quenched +your thirst listen to me.' + +So the Prince drank his fill, and then, by the command of the Little +Green Frog, he lay down on the grass to rest himself. + +'Now,' she began, 'be sure you do exactly in every respect what I tell +you. First you must call together your attendants, and order them to +remain in a little hamlet close by until you want them. Then go, quite +alone, down a road that you will find on your right hand, looking +southwards. This road is planted all the way with cedars of Lebanon; and +after going down it a long way you will come at last to a magnificent +castle. And now,' she went on, 'attend carefully to what I am going to +say. Take this tiny grain of sand, and put it into the ground as close +as you can to the gate of the castle. It has the virtue both of opening +the gate and also of sending to sleep all the inhabitants. Then go at +once to the stable, and pay no heed to anything except what I tell you. +Choose the handsomest of all the horses, leap quickly on its back, and +come to me as fast as you can. Farewell, Prince; I wish you good +luck,' and with these words the Little Frog plunged into the water and +disappeared. + +The Prince, who felt more hopeful than he had done since he left home, +did precisely as he had been ordered. He left his attendants in the +hamlet, found the road the frog had described to him, and followed it +all alone, and at last he arrived at the gate of the castle, which was +even more splendid than he had expected, for it was built of crystal, +and all its ornaments were of massive gold. However, he had no thoughts +to spare for its beauty, and quickly buried his grain of sand in the +earth. In one instant the gates flew open, and all the dwellers inside +fell sound asleep. Saphir flew straight to the stable, and already had +his hand on the finest horse it contained, when his eye was caught by +a suit of magnificent harness hanging up close by. It occurred to +him directly that the harness belonged to the horse, and without ever +thinking of harm (for indeed he who steals a horse can hardly be blamed +for taking his saddle), he hastily placed it on the animal's back. +Suddenly the people in the castle became broad awake, and rushed to the +stable. They flung themselves on the Prince, seized him, and dragged him +before their lord; but, luckily for the Prince, who could only find very +lame excuses for his conduct, the lord of the castle took a fancy to his +face, and let him depart without further questions. + +Very sad, and very much ashamed of himself poor Saphir crept back to the +fountain, where the Frog was awaiting him with a good scolding. + +'Whom do you take me for?' she exclaimed angrily. 'Do you really believe +that it was just for the pleasure of talking that I gave you the advice +you have neglected so abominably?' + +But the Prince was so deeply grieved, and apologised so very humbly, +that after some time the heart of the good little Frog was softened, and +she gave him another tiny little grain, but instead of being sand it was +now a grain of gold. She directed him to do just as he had done before, +with only this difference, that instead of going to the stable which +had been the ruin of his hopes, he was to enter right into the castle +itself, and to glide as fast as he could down the passages till he came +to a room filled with perfume, where he would find a beautiful maiden +asleep on a bed. He was to wake the maiden instantly and carry her off, +and to be sure not to pay any heed to whatever resistance she might +make. + +The Prince obeyed the Frog's orders one by one, and all went well for +this second time also. The gate opened, the inhabitants fell sound +asleep, and he walked down the passage till he found the girl on her +bed, exactly as he had been told he would. He woke her, and begged her +firmly, but politely, to follow him quickly. After a little persuasion +the maiden consented, but only on condition that she was allowed first +to put on her dress. This sounded so reasonable and natural that it did +not enter the Prince's head to refuse her request. + +But the maiden's hand had hardly touched the dress when the palace +suddenly awoke from its sleep, and the Prince was seized and bound. He +was so vexed with his own folly, and so taken aback at the disaster, +that he did not attempt to explain his conduct, and things would have +gone badly with him if his friends the fairies had not softened the +hearts of his captors, so that they once more allowed him to leave +quietly. However, what troubled him most was the idea of having to meet +the Frog who had been his benefactress. How was he ever to appear before +her with this tale? Still, after a long struggle with himself, he made +up his mind that there was nothing else to be done, and that he deserved +whatever she might say to him. And she said a great deal, for she had +worked herself into a terrible passion; but the Prince humbly implored +her pardon, and ventured to point out that it would have been very hard +to refuse the young lady's reasonable request. 'You must learn to do as +you are told,' was all the Frog would reply. + +But poor Saphir was so unhappy, and begged so hard for forgiveness, that +at last the Frog's anger gave way, and she held up to him a tiny diamond +stone. 'Go back,' she said, 'to the castle, and bury this little diamond +close to the door. But be careful not to return to the stable or to the +bedroom; they have proved too fatal to you. Walk straight to the garden +and enter through a portico, into a small green wood, in the midst of +which is a tree with a trunk of gold and leaves of emeralds. Perched on +this tree you will see the beautiful bird you have been seeking so long. +You must cut the branch on which it is sitting, and bring it back to +me without delay. But I warn you solemnly that if you disobey my +directions, as you have done twice before, you have nothing more to +expect either of me or anyone else.' + +With these words she jumped into the water, and the Prince, who had +taken her threats much to heart, took his departure, firmly resolved not +to deserve them. He found it all just as he had been told: the portico, +the wood, the magnificent tree, and the beautiful bird, which was +sleeping soundly on one of the branches. He speedily lopped off the +branch, and though he noticed a splendid golden cage hanging close by, +which would have been very useful for the bird to travel in, he left it +alone, and came back to the fountain, holding his breath and walking on +tip-toe all the way, for fear lest he should awake his prize. But what +was his surprise, when instead of finding the fountain in the spot where +he had left it, he saw in its place a little rustic palace built in +the best taste, and standing in the doorway a charming maiden, at whose +sight his mind seemed to give way. + +'What! Madam!' he cried, hardly knowing what he said. 'What! Is it you?' + +The maiden blushed and answered: 'Ah, my lord, it is long since I first +beheld your face, but I did not think you had ever seen mine.' + +'Oh, madam,' replied he, 'you can never guess the days and the hours I +have passed lost in admiration of you.' And after these words they each +related all the strange things that had happened, and the more they +talked the more they felt convinced of the truth of the images they +had seen in their mirrors. After some time spent in the most tender +conversation, the Prince could not restrain himself from asking the +lovely unknown by what lucky chance she was wandering in the forest; +where the fountain had gone; and if she knew anything of the Frog to +whom he owed all his happiness, and to whom he must give up the bird, +which, somehow or other, was still sound asleep. + +'Ah, my lord,' she replied, with rather an awkward air, 'as to the Frog, +she stands before you. Let me tell you my story; it is not a long one. I +know neither my country nor my parents, and the only thing I can say for +certain is that I am called Serpentine. The fairies, who have taken +care of me ever since I was born, wished me to be in ignorance as to my +family, but they have looked after my education, and have bestowed on me +endless kindness. I have always lived in seclusion, and for the last two +years I have wished for nothing better. I had a mirror'--here shyness +and embarrassment choked her words--but regaining her self-control, +she added, 'You know that fairies insist on being obeyed without +questioning. It was they who changed the little house you saw before you +into the fountain for which you are now asking, and, having turned me +into a frog, they ordered me to say to the first person who came to the +fountain exactly what I repeated to you. But, my lord, when you stood +before me, it was agony to my heart, filled as it was with thoughts of +you, to appear to your eyes under so monstrous a form. However, there +was no help for it, and, painful as it was, I had to submit. I desired +your success with all my soul, not only for your own sake, but also for +my own, because I could not get back my proper shape till you had become +master of the beautiful bird, though I am quite ignorant as to your +reason for seeking it.' + +On this Saphir explained about the state of his father's health, and all +that has been told before. + +On hearing this story Serpentine grew very sad, and her lovely eyes +filled with tears. + +'Ah, my lord,' she said, 'you know nothing of me but what you have seen +in the mirror; and I, who cannot even name my parents, learn that you +are a king's son.' + +In vain Saphir declared that love made them equal; Serpentine would only +reply: 'I love you too much to allow you to marry beneath your rank. I +shall be very unhappy, of course, but I shall never alter my mind. If +I do not find from the fairies that my birth is worthy of you, then, +whatever be my feelings, I will never accept your hand.' + +The conversation was at this point, and bid fair to last some time +longer, when one of the fairies appeared in her ivory car, accompanied +by a beautiful woman past her early youth. At this moment the bird +suddenly awakened, and, flying on to Saphir's shoulder (which it never +afterwards left), began fondling him as well as a bird can do. The fairy +told Serpentine that she was quite satisfied with her conduct, and made +herself very agreeable to Saphir, whom she presented to the lady she had +brought with her, explaining that the lady was no other than his Aunt +Aglantine, widow of Diamantino. + +Then they all fell into each other's arms, till the fairy mounted her +chariot, placed Aglantine by her side, and Saphir and Serpentine on the +front seat. She also sent a message to the Prince's attendants that +they might travel slowly back to the Court of King Peridor, and that +the beautiful bird had really been found. This matter being comfortably +arranged, she started off her chariot. But in spite of the swiftness +with which they flew through the air, the time passed even quicker for +Saphir and Serpentine, who had so much to think about. + +They were still quite confused with the pleasure of seeing each other, +when the chariot arrived at King Peridor's palace. He had had himself +carried to a room on the roof, where his nurses thought that he would +die at any moment. Directly the chariot drew within sight of the castle +the beautiful bird took flight, and, making straight for the dying King, +at once cured him of his sickness. Then she resumed her natural shape, +and he found that the bird was no other than the Queen Constance, whom +he had long believed to be dead. Peridor was rejoiced to embrace his +wife and his son once more, and with the help of the fairies began to +make preparations for the marriage of Saphir and Serpentine, who turned +out to be the daughter of Aglantine and Diamantino, and as much a +princess as he was a prince. The people of the kingdom were delighted, +and everybody lived happy and contented to the end of their lives. + + + + + THE SEVEN-HEADED SERPENT(9) + +(9) 'Die Siebenkopfige Schlange,' from Schmidt's Griechische Mahrchen. + +Once upon a time there was a king who determined to take a long voyage. +He assembled his fleet and all the seamen, and set out. They went +straight on night and day, until they came to an island which was +covered with large trees, and under every tree lay a lion. As soon as +the King had landed his men, the lions all rose up together and tried +to devour them. After a long battle they managed to overcome the +wild beasts, but the greater number of the men were killed. Those who +remained alive now went on through the forest and found on the other +side of it a beautiful garden, in which all the plants of the world +flourished together. + +There were also in the garden three springs: the first flowed with +silver, the second with gold, and the third with pearls. The men +unbuckled their knapsacks and filled them with those precious things. In +the middle of the garden they found a large lake, and when they reached +the edge of it the Lake began to speak, and said to them, 'What men are +you, and what brings you here? Are you come to visit our king?' But they +were too much frightened to answer. + +Then the Lake said, 'You do well to be afraid, for it is at your peril +that you are come hither. Our king, who has seven heads, is now asleep, +but in a few minutes he will wake up and come to me to take his bath! +Woe to anyone who meets him in the garden, for it is impossible to +escape from him. This is what you must do if you wish to save your +lives. Take off your clothes and spread them on the path which leads +from here to the castle. The King will then glide over something soft, +which he likes very much, and he will be so pleased with that that he +will not devour you. He will give you some punishment, but then he will +let you go.' + +The men did as the Lake advised them, and waited for a time. At noon the +earth began to quake, and opened in many places, and out of the openings +appeared lions, tigers, and other wild beasts, which surrounded the +castle, and thousands and thousands of beasts came out of the castle +following their king, the Seven-headed Serpent. The Serpent glided over +the clothes which were spread for him, came to the Lake, and asked it +who had strewed those soft things on the path? The Lake answered that +it had been done by people who had come to do him homage. The King +commanded that the men should be brought before him. They came humbly on +their knees, and in a few words told him their story. Then he spoke to +them with a mighty and terrible voice, and said, 'Because you have dared +to come here, I lay upon you the punishment. Every year you must bring +me from among your people twelve youths and twelve maidens, that I may +devour them. If you do not do this, I will destroy your whole nation.' + +Then he desired one of his beasts to show the men the way out of the +garden, and dismissed them. They then left the island and went back to +their own country, where they related what had happened to them. Soon +the time came round when the king of the beasts would expect the +youths and maidens to be brought to him. The King therefore issued +a proclamation inviting twelve youths and twelve maidens to offer +themselves up to save their country; and immediately many young people, +far more than enough, hastened to do so. A new ship was built, and set +with black sails, and in it the youths and maidens who were appointed +for the king of the beasts embarked and set out for his country. When +they arrived there they went at once to the Lake, and this time the +lions did not stir, nor did the springs flow, and neither did the Lake +speak. So they waited then, and it was not long before the earth quaked +even more terribly than the first time. The Seven-headed Serpent came +without his train of beasts, saw his prey waiting for him, and devoured +it at one mouthful. Then the ship's crew returned home, and the same +thing happened yearly until many years had passed. + +Now the King of this unhappy country was growing old, and so was the +Queen, and they had no children. One day the Queen was sitting at the +window weeping bitterly because she was childless, and knew that the +crown would therefore pass to strangers after the King's death. Suddenly +a little old woman appeared before her, holding an apple in her hand, +and said, 'Why do you weep, my Queen, and what makes you so unhappy?' + +'Alas, good mother,' answered the Queen, 'I am unhappy because I have no +children.' + +'Is that what vexes you?' said the old woman. 'Listen to me. I am a nun +from the Spinning Convent,(10) and my mother when she died left me this +apple. Whoever eats this apple shall have a child.' + +(10) Convent Gnothi. + + +The Queen gave money to the old woman, and bought the apple from her. +Then she peeled it, ate it, and threw the rind out of the window, and it +so happened that a mare that was running loose in the court below ate up +the rind. After a time the Queen had a little boy, and the mare also had +a male foal. The boy and the foal grew up together and loved each other +like brothers. In course of time the King died, and so did the Queen, +and their son, who was now nineteen years old, was left alone. One day, +when he and his horse were talking together, the Horse said to him, +'Listen to me, for I love you and wish for your good and that of the +country. If you go on every year sending twelve youths and twelve +maidens to the King of the Beasts, your country will very soon be +ruined. Mount upon my back: I will take you to a woman who can direct +you how to kill the Seven-headed Serpent.' + +Then the youth mounted his horse, who carried him far away to a mountain +which was hollow, for in its side was a great underground cavern. In the +cavern sat an old woman spinning. This was the cloister of the nuns, and +the old woman was the Abbess. They all spent their time in spinning, and +that is why the convent has this name. All round the walls of the cavern +there were beds cut out of the solid rock, upon which the nuns slept, +and in the middle a light was burning. It was the duty of the nuns to +watch the light in turns, that it might never go out, and if anyone of +them let it go out the others put her to death. + +As soon as the King's son saw the old Abbess spinning he threw himself +at her feet and entreated her to tell him how he could kill the +Seven-headed Serpent. + +She made the youth rise, embraced him, and said, 'Know, my son, that it +is I who sent the nun to your mother and caused you to be born, and with +you the horse, with whose help you will be able to free the world from +the monster. I will tell you what you have to do. Load your horse with +cotton, and go by a secret passage which I will show you, which is +hidden from the wild beasts, to the Serpent's palace. You will find the +King asleep upon his bed, which is all hung round with bells, and +over his bed you will see a sword hanging. With this sword only it is +possible to kill the Serpent, because even if its blade breaks a new one +will grow again for every head the monster has. Thus you will be able +to cut off all his seven heads. And this you must also do in order to +deceive the King: you must slip into his bed-chamber very softly, and +stop up all the bells which are round his bed with cotton. Then take +down the sword gently, and quickly give the monster a blow on his tail +with it. This will make him waken up, and if he catches sight of you he +will seize you. But you must quickly cut off his first head, and then +wait till the next one comes up. Then strike it off also, and so go on +till you have cut off all his seven heads.' + +The old Abbess then gave the Prince her blessing, and he set out upon +his enterprise, arrived at the Serpent's castle by following the secret +passage which she had shown him, and by carefully attending to all her +directions he happily succeeded in killing the monster. As soon as +the wild beasts heard of their king's death, they all hastened to the +castle, but the youth had long since mounted his horse and was already +far out of their reach. They pursued him as fast as they could, but they +found it impossible to overtake him, and he reached home in safety. Thus +he freed his country from this terrible oppression. + + + +THE GRATEFUL BEASTS(11) + +(11) From the Hungarian. Kletke. + +There was once upon a time a man and woman who had three fine-looking +sons, but they were so poor that they had hardly enough food for +themselves, let alone their children. So the sons determined to set out +into the world and to try their luck. Before starting their mother gave +them each a loaf of bread and her blessing, and having taken a tender +farewell of her and their father the three set forth on their travels. + +The youngest of the three brothers, whose name was Ferko, was a +beautiful youth, with a splendid figure, blue eyes, fair hair, and a +complexion like milk and roses. His two brothers were as jealous of him +as they could be, for they thought that with his good looks he would be +sure to be more fortunate than they would ever be. + +One day all the three were sitting resting under a tree, for the sun +was hot and they were tired of walking. Ferko fell fast asleep, but the +other two remained awake, and the eldest said to the second brother, +'What do you say to doing our brother Ferko some harm? He is so +beautiful that everyone takes a fancy to him, which is more than they do +to us. If we could only get him out of the way we might succeed better.' + +'I quite agree with you,' answered the second brother, 'and my advice +is to eat up his loaf of bread, and then to refuse to give him a bit +of ours until he has promised to let us put out his eyes or break his +legs.' + +His eldest brother was delighted with this proposal, and the two wicked +wretches seized Ferko's loaf and ate it all up, while the poor boy was +still asleep. + +When he did awake he felt very hungry and turned to eat his bread, but +his brothers cried out, 'You ate your loaf in your sleep, you glutton, +and you may starve as long as you like, but you won't get a scrap of +ours.' + +Ferko was at a loss to understand how he could have eaten in his sleep, +but he said nothing, and fasted all that day and the next night. But +on the following morning he was so hungry that he burst into tears, and +implored his brothers to give him a little bit of their bread. Then the +cruel creatures laughed, and repeated what they had said the day before; +but when Ferko continued to beg and beseech them, the eldest said at +last, 'If you will let us put out one of your eyes and break one of your +legs, then we will give you a bit of our bread.' + +At these words poor Ferko wept more bitterly than before, and bore the +torments of hunger till the sun was high in the heavens; then he could +stand it no longer, and he consented to allow his left eye to be put out +and his left leg to be broken. When this was done he stretched out his +hand eagerly for the piece of bread, but his brothers gave him such a +tiny scrap that the starving youth finished it in a moment and besought +them for a second bit. + +But the more Ferko wept and told his brothers that he was dying of +hunger, the more they laughed and scolded him for his greed. So he +endured the pangs of starvation all that day, but when night came his +endurance gave way, and he let his right eye be put out and his right +leg broken for a second piece of bread. + +After his brothers had thus successfully maimed and disfigured him for +life, they left him groaning on the ground and continued their journey +without him. + +Poor Ferko ate up the scrap of bread they had left him and wept +bitterly, but no one heard him or came to his help. Night came on, and +the poor blind youth had no eyes to close, and could only crawl along +the ground, not knowing in the least where he was going. But when the +sun was once more high in the heavens, Ferko felt the blazing heat +scorch him, and sought for some cool shady place to rest his aching +limbs. He climbed to the top of a hill and lay down in the grass, and as +he thought under the shadow of a big tree. But it was no tree he leant +against, but a gallows on which two ravens were seated. The one was +saying to the other as the weary youth lay down, 'Is there anything the +least wonderful or remarkable about this neighbourhood?' + +'I should just think there was,' replied the other; 'many things that +don't exist anywhere else in the world. There is a lake down there below +us, and anyone who bathes in it, though he were at death's door, becomes +sound and well on the spot, and those who wash their eyes with the dew +on this hill become as sharp-sighted as the eagle, even if they have +been blind from their youth.' + +'Well,' answered the first raven, 'my eyes are in no want of this +healing bath, for, Heaven be praised, they are as good as ever they +were; but my wing has been very feeble and weak ever since it was shot +by an arrow many years ago, so let us fly at once to the lake that I may +be restored to health and strength again.' And so they flew away. + +Their words rejoiced Ferko's heart, and he waited impatiently till +evening should come and he could rub the precious dew on his sightless +eyes. + +At last it began to grow dusk, and the sun sank behind the mountains; +gradually it became cooler on the hill, and the grass grew wet with dew. +Then Ferko buried his face in the ground till his eyes were damp with +dewdrops, and in a moment he saw clearer than he had ever done in his +life before. The moon was shining brightly, and lighted him to the lake +where he could bathe his poor broken legs. + +Then Ferko crawled to the edge of the lake and dipped his limbs in the +water. No sooner had he done so than his legs felt as sound and strong +as they had been before, and Ferko thanked the kind fate that had led +him to the hill where he had overheard the ravens' conversation. He +filled a bottle with the healing water, and then continued his journey +in the best of spirits. + +He had not gone far before he met a wolf, who was limping disconsolately +along on three legs, and who on perceiving Ferko began to howl dismally. + +'My good friend,' said the youth, 'be of good cheer, for I can soon heal +your leg,' and with these words he poured some of the precious water +over the wolf's paw, and in a minute the animal was springing about +sound and well on all fours. The grateful creature thanked his +benefactor warmly, and promised Ferko to do him a good turn if he should +ever need it. + +Ferko continued his way till he came to a ploughed field. Here he +noticed a little mouse creeping wearily along on its hind paws, for its +front paws had both been broken in a trap. + +Ferko felt so sorry for the little beast that he spoke to it in the most +friendly manner, and washed its small paws with the healing water. In +a moment the mouse was sound and whole, and after thanking the kind +physician it scampered away over the ploughed furrows. + +Ferko again proceeded on his journey, but he hadn't gone far before a +queen bee flew against him, trailing one wing behind her, which had been +cruelly torn in two by a big bird. Ferko was no less willing to help +her than he had been to help the wolf and the mouse, so he poured some +healing drops over the wounded wing. On the spot the queen bee was +cured, and turning to Ferko she said, 'I am most grateful for your +kindness, and shall reward you some day.' And with these words she flew +away humming, gaily. + +Then Ferko wandered on for many a long day, and at length reached +a strange kingdom. Here, he thought to himself, he might as well +go straight to the palace and offer his services to the King of the +country, for he had heard that the King's daughter was as beautiful as +the day. + +So he went to the royal palace, and as he entered the door the first +people he saw were his two brothers who had so shamefully ill-treated +him. They had managed to obtain places in the King's service, and when +they recognised Ferko with his eyes and legs sound and well they were +frightened to death, for they feared he would tell the King of their +conduct, and that they would be hung. + +No sooner had Ferko entered the palace than all eyes were turned on the +handsome youth, and the King's daughter herself was lost in admiration, +for she had never seen anyone so handsome in her life before. His +brothers noticed this, and envy and jealousy were added to their fear, +so much so that they determined once more to destroy him. They went to +the King and told him that Ferko was a wicked magician, who had come to +the palace with the intention of carrying off the Princess. + +Then the King had Ferko brought before him, and said, 'You are accused +of being a magician who wishes to rob me of my daughter, and I condemn +you to death; but if you can fulfil three tasks which I shall set you to +do your life shall be spared, on condition you leave the country; but if +you cannot perform what I demand you shall be hung on the nearest tree.' + +And turning to the two wicked brothers he said, 'Suggest something for +him to do; no matter how difficult, he must succeed in it or die.' + +They did not think long, but replied, 'Let him build your Majesty in one +day a more beautiful palace than this, and if he fails in the attempt +let him be hung.' + +The King was pleased with this proposal, and commanded Ferko to set to +work on the following day. The two brothers were delighted, for they +thought they had now got rid of Ferko for ever. The poor youth himself +was heart-broken, and cursed the hour he had crossed the boundary of +the King's domain. As he was wandering disconsolately about the meadows +round the palace, wondering how he could escape being put to death, a +little bee flew past, and settling on his shoulder whispered in his ear, +'What is troubling you, my kind benefactor? Can I be of any help to you? +I am the bee whose wing you healed, and would like to show my gratitude +in some way.' + +Ferko recognised the queen bee, and said, 'Alas! how could you help me? +for I have been set to do a task which no one in the whole world could +do, let him be ever such a genius! To-morrow I must build a palace more +beautiful than the King's, and it must be finished before evening.' + +'Is that all?' answered the bee, 'then you may comfort yourself; for +before the sun goes down to-morrow night a palace shall be built unlike +any that King has dwelt in before. Just stay here till I come again and +tell you that it is finished.' Having said this she flew merrily away, +and Ferko, reassured by her words, lay down on the grass and slept +peacefully till the next morning. + +Early on the following day the whole town was on its feet, and everyone +wondered how and where the stranger would build the wonderful palace. +The Princess alone was silent and sorrowful, and had cried all night +till her pillow was wet, so much did she take the fate of the beautiful +youth to heart. + +Ferko spent the whole day in the meadows waiting the return of the bee. +And when evening was come the queen bee flew by, and perching on his +shoulder she said, 'The wonderful palace is ready. Be of good cheer, +and lead the King to the hill just outside the city walls.' And humming +gaily she flew away again. + +Ferko went at once to the King and told him the palace was finished. The +whole court went out to see the wonder, and their astonishment was great +at the sight which met their eyes. A splendid palace reared itself on +the hill just outside the walls of the city, made of the most exquisite +flowers that ever grew in mortal garden. The roof was all of crimson +roses, the windows of lilies, the walls of white carnations, the floors +of glowing auriculas and violets, the doors of gorgeous tulips and +narcissi with sunflowers for knockers, and all round hyacinths and other +sweet-smelling flowers bloomed in masses, so that the air was perfumed +far and near and enchanted all who were present. + +This splendid palace had been built by the grateful queen bee, who had +summoned all the other bees in the kingdom to help her. + +The King's amazement knew no bounds, and the Princess's eyes beamed with +delight as she turned them from the wonderful building on the delighted +Ferko. But the two brothers had grown quite green with envy, and only +declared the more that Ferko was nothing but a wicked magician. + +The King, although he had been surprised and astonished at the way his +commands had been carried out, was very vexed that the stranger should +escape with his life, and turning to the two brothers he said, 'He has +certainly accomplished the first task, with the aid no doubt of his +diabolical magic; but what shall we give him to do now? Let us make it +as difficult as possible, and if he fails he shall die.' + +Then the eldest brother replied, 'The corn has all been cut, but it has +not yet been put into barns; let the knave collect all the grain in the +kingdom into one big heap before to-morrow night, and if as much as a +stalk of corn is left let him be put to death. + +The Princess grew white with terror when she heard these words; but +Ferko felt much more cheerful than he had done the first time, and +wandered out into the meadows again, wondering how he was to get out of +the difficulty. But he could think of no way of escape. The sun sank to +rest and night came on, when a little mouse started out of the grass +at Ferko's feet, and said to him, 'I'm delighted to see you, my kind +benefactor; but why are you looking so sad? Can I be of any help to you, +and thus repay your great kindness to me?' + +Then Ferko recognised the mouse whose front paws he had healed, and +replied, 'Alas I how can you help me in a matter that is beyond any +human power! Before to-morrow night all the grain in the kingdom has +to be gathered into one big heap, and if as much as a stalk of corn is +wanting I must pay for it with my life.' + +'Is that all?' answered the mouse; 'that needn't distress you much. Just +trust in me, and before the sun sets again you shall hear that your task +is done.' And with these words the little creature scampered away into +the fields. + +Ferko, who never doubted that the mouse would be as good as its word, +lay down comforted on the soft grass and slept soundly till next +morning. The day passed slowly, and with the evening came the little +mouse and said, 'Now there is not a single stalk of corn left in any +field; they are all collected in one big heap on the hill out there.' + +Then Ferko went joyfully to the King and told him that all he demanded +had been done. And the whole Court went out to see the wonder, and were +no less astonished than they had been the first time. For in a heap +higher than the King's palace lay all the grain of the country, and not +a single stalk of corn had been left behind in any of the fields. And +how had all this been done? The little mouse had summoned every other +mouse in the land to its help, and together they had collected all the +grain in the kingdom. + +The King could not hide his amazement, but at the same time his wrath +increased, and he was more ready than ever to believe the two brothers, +who kept on repeating that Ferko was nothing more nor less than a wicked +magician. Only the beautiful Princess rejoiced over Ferko's success, and +looked on him with friendly glances, which the youth returned. + +The more the cruel King gazed on the wonder before him, the more +angry he became, for he could not, in the face of his promise, put the +stranger to death. He turned once more to the two brothers and said, +'His diabolical magic has helped him again, but now what third task +shall we set him to do? No matter how impossible it is, he must do it or +die.' + +The eldest answered quickly, 'Let him drive all the wolves of the +kingdom on to this hill before to-morrow night. If he does this he may +go free; if not he shall be hung as you have said.' + +At these words the Princess burst into tears, and when the King saw this +he ordered her to be shut up in a high tower and carefully guarded till +the dangerous magician should either have left the kingdom or been hung +on the nearest tree. + +Ferko wandered out into the fields again, and sat down on the stump of +a tree wondering what he should do next. Suddenly a big wolf ran up to +him, and standing still said, 'I'm very glad to see you again, my kind +benefactor. What are you thinking about all alone by yourself? If I can +help you in any way only say the word, for I would like to give you a +proof of my gratitude.' + +Ferko at once recognised the wolf whose broken leg he had healed, and +told him what he had to do the following day if he wished to escape with +his life. 'But how in the world,' he added, 'am I to collect all the +wolves of the kingdom on to that hill over there?' + +'If that's all you want done,' answered the wolf, 'you needn't worry +yourself. I'll undertake the task, and you'll hear from me again before +sunset to-morrow. Keep your spirits up.' And with these words he trotted +quickly away. + +Then the youth rejoiced greatly, for now he felt that his life was safe; +but he grew very sad when he thought of the beautiful Princess, and that +he would never see her again if he left the country. He lay down once +more on the grass and soon fell fast asleep. + +All the next day he spent wandering about the fields, and toward +evening the wolf came running to him in a great hurry and said, 'I have +collected together all the wolves in the kingdom, and they are waiting +for you in the wood. Go quickly to the King, and tell him to go to the +hill that he may see the wonder you have done with his own eyes. Then +return at once to me and get on my back, and I will help you to drive +all the wolves together.' + +Then Ferko went straight to the palace and told the King that he was +ready to perform the third task if he would come to the hill and see it +done. Ferko himself returned to the fields, and mounting on the wolf's +back he rode to the wood close by. + +Quick as lightning the wolf flew round the wood, and in a minute many +hundred wolves rose up before him, increasing in number every moment, +till they could be counted by thousands. He drove them all before him on +to the hill, where the King and his whole Court and Ferko's two brothers +were standing. Only the lovely Princess was not present, for she was +shut up in her tower weeping bitterly. + +The wicked brothers stamped and foamed with rage when they saw the +failure of their wicked designs. But the King was overcome by a sudden +terror when he saw the enormous pack of wolves approaching nearer and +nearer, and calling out to Ferko he said, 'Enough, enough, we don't want +any more.' + +But the wolf on whose back Ferko sat, said to its rider, 'Go on! go +on!' and at the same moment many more wolves ran up the hill, howling +horribly and showing their white teeth. + +The King in his terror called out, 'Stop a moment; I will give you half +my kingdom if you will drive all the wolves away.' But Ferko pretended +not to hear, and drove some more thousands before him, so that everyone +quaked with horror and fear. + +Then the King raised his voice again and called out, 'Stop! you shall +have my whole kingdom, if you will only drive these wolves back to the +places they came from.' + +But the wolf kept on encouraging Ferko, and said, 'Go on! go on!' So he +led the wolves on, till at last they fell on the King and on the wicked +brothers, and ate them and the whole Court up in a moment. + +Then Ferko went straight to the palace and set the Princess free, and on +the same day he married her and was crowned King of the country. And the +wolves all went peacefully back to their own homes, and Ferko and his +bride lived for many years in peace and happiness together, and were +much beloved by great and small in the land. + + + + + THE GIANTS AND THE HERD-BOY(12) + +(12) From the Bukowniaer. Von Wliolocki. + +There was once upon a time a poor boy who had neither father nor mother. +In order to gain a living he looked after the sheep of a great Lord. Day +and night he spent out in the open fields, and only when it was very +wet and stormy did he take refuge in a little hut on the edge of a +big forest. Now one night, when he was sitting on the grass beside his +flocks, he heard not very far from him the sound as of some one crying. +He rose up and followed the direction of the noise. To his dismay and +astonishment he found a Giant lying at the entrance of the wood; he was +about to run off as fast as his legs could carry him, when the Giant +called out: 'Don't be afraid, I won't harm you. On the contrary, I will +reward you handsomely if you will bind up my foot. I hurt it when I was +trying to root up an oak-tree.' The Herd-boy took off his shirt, and +bound up the Giant's wounded foot with it. Then the Giant rose up and +said, 'Now come and I will reward you. We are going to celebrate a +marriage to-day, and I promise you we shall have plenty of fun. Come and +enjoy yourself, but in order that my brothers mayn't see you, put this +band round your waist and then you'll be invisible.' With these words +he handed the Herd-boy a belt, and walking on in front he led him to +a fountain where hundreds of Giants and Giantesses were assembled +preparing to hold a wedding. They danced and played different games till +midnight; then one of the Giants tore up a plant by its roots, and all +the Giants and Giantesses made themselves so thin that they disappeared +into the earth through the hole made by the uprooting of the plant. The +wounded Giant remained behind to the last and called out, 'Herd-boy, +where are you?' 'Here I am, close to you,' was the reply. 'Touch me,' +said the Giant, 'so that you too may come with us under ground.' The +Herd-boy did as he was told, and before he could have believed it +possible he found himself in a big hall, where even the walls were +made of pure gold. Then to his astonishment he saw that the hall was +furnished with the tables and chairs that belonged to his master. In a +few minutes the company began to eat and drink. + +The banquet was a very gorgeous one, and the poor youth fell to and ate +and drank lustily. When he had eaten and drunk as much as he could he +thought to himself, 'Why shouldn't I put a loaf of bread in my pocket? +I shall be glad of it to-morrow.' So he seized a loaf when no one was +looking and stowed it away under his tunic. No sooner had he done so +than the wounded Giant limped up to him and whispered softly, 'Herd-boy, +where are you?' 'Here I am,' replied the youth. 'Then hold on to me,' +said the Giant, 'so that I may lead you up above again.' So the Herd-boy +held on to the Giant, and in a few moments he found himself on the earth +once more, but the Giant had vanished. The Herd-boy returned to his +sheep, and took off the invisible belt which he hid carefully in his +bag. + +The next morning the lad felt hungry, and thought he would cut off a +piece of the loaf he had carried away from the Giants' wedding feast, +and eat it. But although he tried with all his might, he couldn't cut +off the smallest piece. Then in despair he bit the loaf, and what was +his astonishment when a piece of gold fell out of his mouth and rolled +at his feet. He bit the bread a second and third time, and each time a +piece of gold fell out of his mouth; but the bread remained untouched. +The Herd-boy was very much delighted over his stroke of good fortune, +and, hiding the magic loaf in his bag, he hurried off to the nearest +village to buy himself something to eat, and then returned to his sheep. + +Now the Lord whose sheep the Herd-boy looked after had a very lovely +daughter, who always smiled and nodded to the youth when she walked with +her father in his fields. For a long time the Herd-boy had made up his +mind to prepare a surprise for this beautiful creature on her birthday. +So when the day approached he put on his invisible belt, took a sack of +gold pieces with him, and slipping into her room in the middle of the +night, he placed the bag of gold beside her bed and returned to his +sheep. The girl's joy was great, and so was her parents' next day when +they found the sack full of gold pieces. The Herd-boy was so pleased to +think what pleasure he had given that the next night he placed another +bag of gold beside the girl's bed. And this he continued to do for seven +nights, and the girl and her parents made up their minds that it must +be a good Fairy who brought the gold every night. But one night they +determined to watch, and see from their hiding place who the bringer of +the sack of gold really was. + +On the eighth night a fearful storm of wind and rain came on while the +Herd-boy was on his way to bring the beautiful girl another bag of gold. +Then for the first time he noticed, just as he reached his master's +house, that he had forgotten the belt which made him invisible. He +didn't like the idea of going back to his hut in the wind and wet, so +he just stepped as he was into the girl's room, laid the sack of +gold beside her, and was turning to leave the room, when his master +confronted him and said, 'You young rogue, so you were going to steal +the gold that a good Fairy brings every night, were you?' The Herd-boy +was so taken aback by his words, that he stood trembling before him, +and did not dare to explain his presence. Then his master spoke. 'As you +have hitherto always behaved well in my service I will not send you to +prison; but leave your place instantly and never let me see your face +again.' So the Herd-boy went back to his hut, and taking his loaf and +belt with him, he went to the nearest town. There he bought himself +some fine clothes, and a beautiful coach with four horses, hired two +servants, and drove back to his master. You may imagine how astonished +he was to see his Herd-boy returning to him in this manner! Then the +youth told him of the piece of good luck that had befallen him, and +asked him for the hand of his beautiful daughter. This was readily +granted, and the two lived in peace and happiness to the end of their +lives. + + + + + THE INVISIBLE PRINCE + +Once upon a time there lived a Fairy who had power over the earth, the +sea, fire, and the air; and this Fairy had four sons. The eldest, who +was quick and lively, with a vivid imagination, she made Lord of Fire, +which was in her opinion the noblest of all the elements. To the second +son, whose wisdom and prudence made amends for his being rather dull, +she gave the government of the earth. The third was wild and savage, and +of monstrous stature; and the Fairy, his mother, who was ashamed of +his defects, hoped to hide them by creating him King of the Seas. The +youngest, who was the slave of his passions and of a very uncertain +temper, became Prince of the Air. + +Being the youngest, he was naturally his mother's favourite; but this +did not blind her to his weaknesses, and she foresaw that some day he +would suffer much pain through falling in love. So she thought the best +thing she could do was to bring him up with a horror of women; and, to +her great delight, she saw this dislike only increased as he grew older. +From his earliest childhood he heard nothing but stories of princes who +had fallen into all sorts of troubles through love; and she drew +such terrible pictures of poor little Cupid that the young man had no +difficulty in believing that he was the root of all evil. + +All the time that this wise mother could spare from filling her son +with hatred for all womenkind she passed in giving him a love of the +pleasures of the chase, which henceforth became his chief joy. For his +amusement she had made a new forest, planted with the most splendid +trees, and turned loose in it every animal that could be found in any of +the four quarters of the globe. In the midst of this forest she built a +palace which had not its equal for beauty in the whole world, and then +she considered that she had done enough to make any prince happy. + +Now it is all very well to abuse the God of Love, but a man cannot +struggle against his fate. In his secret heart the Prince got tired of +his mother's constant talk on this subject; and when one day she quitted +the palace to attend to some business, begging him never to go beyond +the grounds, he at once jumped at the chance of disobeying her. + +Left to himself the Prince soon forgot the wise counsels of his mother, +and feeling very much bored with his own company, he ordered some of +the spirits of the air to carry him to the court of a neighbouring +sovereign. This kingdom was situated in the Island of Roses, where the +climate is so delicious that the grass is always green and the flowers +always sweet. The waves, instead of beating on the rocks, seemed to die +gently on the shore; clusters of golden bushes covered the land, and the +vines were bent low with grapes. + +The King of this island had a daughter named Rosalie, who was more +lovely than any girl in the whole world. No sooner had the eyes of the +Prince of the Air rested on her than he forgot all the terrible woes +which had been prophesied to him ever since he was born, for in one +single moment the plans of years are often upset. He instantly began to +think how best to make himself happy, and the shortest way that occurred +to him was to have Rosalie carried off by his attendant spirits. + +It is easy to imagine the feelings of the King when he found that his +daughter had vanished. He wept her loss night and day, and his only +comfort was to talk over it with a young and unknown prince, who had +just arrived at the Court. Alas! he did not know what a deep interest +the stranger had in Rosalie, for he too had seen her, and had fallen a +victim to her charms. + +One day the King, more sorrowful than usual, was walking sadly along +the sea-shore, when after a long silence the unknown Prince, who was his +only companion, suddenly spoke. 'There is no evil without a remedy,' he +said to the unhappy father; 'and if you will promise me your daughter in +marriage, I will undertake to bring her back to you.' + +'You are trying to soothe me by vain promises,' answered the King. 'Did +I not see her caught up into the air, in spite of cries which would have +softened the heart of any one but the barbarian who has robbed me of +her? The unfortunate girl is pining away in some unknown land, where +perhaps no foot of man has ever trod, and I shall see her no more. But +go, generous stranger; bring back Rosalie if you can, and live happy +with her ever after in this country, of which I now declare you heir.' + +Although the stranger's name and rank were unknown to Rosalie's father, +he was really the son of the King of the Golden Isle, which had for +capital a city that extended from one sea to another. The walls, washed +by the quiet waters, were covered with gold, which made one think of the +yellow sands. Above them was a rampart of orange and lemon trees, and +all the streets were paved with gold. + +The King of this beautiful island had one son, for whom a life of +adventure had been foretold at his birth. This so frightened his father +and mother that in order to comfort them a Fairy, who happened to be +present at the time, produced a little pebble which she told them to +keep for the Prince till he grew up, as by putting it in his mouth he +would become invisible, as long as he did not try to speak, for if he +did the stone would lose all its virtue. In this way the good fairy +hoped that the Prince would be protected against all dangers. + +No sooner did the Prince begin to grow out of boyhood than he longed to +see if the other countries of the world were as splendid as the one in +which he lived. So, under pretence of visiting some small islands that +belonged to his father, he set out. But a frightful storm drove his ship +on to unknown shores, where most of his followers were put to death by +the savages, and the Prince himself only managed to escape by making use +of his magic pebble. By this means he passed through the midst of them +unseen, and wandered on till he reached the coast, where he re-embarked +on board his ship. + +The first land he sighted was the Island of Roses, and he went at once +to the court of the King, Rosalie's father. The moment his eyes beheld +the Princess, he fell in love with her like everyone else. + +He had already spent several months in this condition when the Prince of +the Air whirled her away, to the grief and despair of every man on the +island. But sad though everybody was, the Prince of the Golden Isle was +perfectly inconsolable, and he passed both days and nights in bemoaning +his loss. + +'Alas!' he cried; 'shall I never see my lovely Princess again?' Who +knows where she may be, and what fairy may have her in his keeping? I am +only a man, but I am strong in my love, and I will seek the whole world +through till I find her.' + +So saying, he left the court, and made ready for his journey. + +He travelled many weary days without hearing a single word of the lost +Princess, till one morning, as he was walking through a thick forest, +he suddenly perceived a magnificent palace standing at the end of a +pine avenue, and his heart bounded to think that he might be gazing on +Rosalie's prison. He hastened his steps, and quickly arrived at the gate +of the palace, which was formed of a single agate. The gate swung +open to let him through, and he next passed successively three courts, +surrounded by deep ditches filled with running water, with birds of +brilliant plumage flying about the banks. Everything around was rare and +beautiful, but the Prince scarcely raised his eyes to all these wonders. +He thought only of the Princess and where he should find her, but in +vain he opened every door and searched in every corner; he neither saw +Rosalie nor anyone else. At last there was no place left for him to +search but a little wood, which contained in the centre a sort of hall +built entirely of orange-trees, with four small rooms opening out of +the corners. Three of these were empty except for statues and wonderful +things, but in the fourth the Invisible Prince caught sight of Rosalie. +His joy at beholding her again was, however, somewhat lessened by seeing +that the Prince of the Air was kneeling at her feet, and pleading his +own cause. But it was in vain that he implored her to listen; she only +shook her head. 'No,' was all she would say; 'you snatched me from +my father whom I loved, and all the splendour in the world can never +console me. Go! I can never feel anything towards you but hate and +contempt.' With these words she turned away and entered her own +apartments. + +Unknown to herself the Invisible Prince had followed her, but fearing to +be discovered by the Princess in the presence of others, he made up his +mind to wait quietly till dark; and employed the long hours in writing a +poem to the Princess, which he laid on the bed beside her. This done, he +thought of nothing but how best to deliver Rosalie, and he resolved to +take advantage of a visit which the Prince of the Air paid every year to +his mother and brothers in order to strike the blow. + +One day Rosalie was sitting alone in her room thinking of her troubles +when she suddenly saw a pen get up from off the desk and begin to write +all by itself on a sheet of white paper. As she did not know that it was +guided by an invisible hand she was very much astonished, and the moment +that the pen had ceased to move she instantly went over to the table, +where she found some lovely verses, telling her that another shared her +distresses, whatever they might be, and loved her with all his heart; +and that he would never rest until he had delivered her from the hands +of the man she hated. Thus encouraged, she told him all her story, and +of the arrival of a young stranger in her father's palace, whose looks +had so charmed her that since that day she had thought of no one else. +At these words the Prince could contain himself no longer. He took the +pebble from his mouth, and flung himself at Rosalie's feet. + +When they had got over the first rapture of meeting they began to make +plans to escape from the power of the Prince of the Air. But this did +not prove easy, for the magic stone would only serve for one person at +a time, and in order to save Rosalie the Prince of the Golden Isle would +have to expose himself to the fury of his enemy. But Rosalie would not +hear of this. + +'No, Prince,' she said; 'since you are here this island no longer feels +a prison. Besides, you are under the protection of a Fairy, who always +visits your father's court at this season. Go instantly and seek her, +and when she is found implore the gift of another stone with similar +powers. Once you have that, there will be no further difficulty in the +way of escape.' + +The Prince of the Air returned a few days later from his mother's +palace, but the Invisible Prince had already set out. He had, however, +entirely forgotten the road by which he had come, and lost himself for +so long in the forest, that when at last he reached home the Fairy had +already left, and, in spite of all his grief, there was nothing for it +but to wait till the Fairy's next visit, and allow Rosalie to suffer +three months longer. This thought drove him to despair, and he had +almost made up his mind to return to the place of her captivity, when +one day, as he was strolling along an alley in the woods, he saw a +huge oak open its trunk, and out of it step two Princes in earnest +conversation. As our hero had the magic stone in his mouth they imagined +themselves alone, and did not lower their voices. + +'What!' said one, 'are you always going to allow yourself to be +tormented by a passion which can never end happily, and in your whole +kingdom can you find nothing else to satisfy you?' + +'What is the use,' replied the other, 'of being Prince of the Gnomes, +and having a mother who is queen over all the four elements, if I cannot +win the love of the Princess Argentine? From the moment that I first saw +her, sitting in the forest surrounded by flowers, I have never ceased +to think of her night and day, and, although I love her, I am quite +convinced that she will never care for me. You know that I have in my +palace the cabinets of the years. In the first, great mirrors reflect +the past; in the second, we contemplate the present; in the third, the +future can be read. It was here that I fled after I had gazed on the +Princess Argentine, but instead of love I only saw scorn and contempt. +Think how great must be my devotion, when, in spite of my fate, I still +love on!' + +Now the Prince of the Golden Isle was enchanted with this conversation, +for the Princess Argentine was his sister, and he hoped, by means of her +influence over the Prince of the Gnomes, to obtain from his brother +the release of Rosalie. So he joyfully returned to his father's palace, +where he found his friend the Fairy, who at once presented him with +a magic pebble like his own. As may be imagined, he lost no time in +setting out to deliver Rosalie, and travelled so fast that he soon +arrived at the forest, in the midst of which she lay a captive. But +though he found the palace he did not find Rosalie. He hunted high and +low, but there was no sign of her, and his despair was so great that +he was ready, a thousand times over, to take his own life. At last he +remembered the conversation of the two Princes about the cabinets of the +years, and that if he could manage to reach the oak tree, he would be +certain to discover what had become of Rosalie. Happily, he soon found +out the secret of the passage and entered the cabinet of the present, +where he saw reflected in the mirrors the unfortunate Rosalie sitting +on the floor weeping bitterly, and surrounded with genii, who never left +her night or day. + +This sight only increased the misery of the Prince, for he did not +know where the castle was, nor how to set about finding it. However, +he resolved to seek the whole world through till he came to the right +place. He began by setting sail in a favourable wind, but his bad luck +followed him even on the sea. He had scarcely lost sight of the land +when a violent storm arose, and after several hours of beating about, +the vessel was driven on to some rocks, on which it dashed itself +to bits. The Prince was fortunate enough to be able to lay hold of a +floating spar, and contrived to keep himself afloat; and, after a long +struggle with the winds and waves, he was cast upon a strange island. +But what was his surprise, on reaching the shore, to hear sounds of the +most heartrending distress, mingled with the sweetest songs which had +ever charmed him! His curiosity was instantly roused, and he advanced +cautiously till he saw two huge dragons guarding the gate of a wood. +They were terrible indeed to look upon. Their bodies were covered with +glittering scales; their curly tails extended far over the land; flames +darted from their mouths and noses, and their eyes would have made the +bravest shudder; but as the Prince was invisible and they did not see +him, he slipped past them into the wood. He found himself at once in a +labyrinth, and wandered about for a long time without meeting anyone; in +fact, the only sight he saw was a circle of human hands, sticking out +of the ground above the wrist, each with a bracelet of gold, on which +a name was written. The farther he advanced in the labyrinth the more +curious he became, till he was stopped by two corpses lying in the +midst of a cypress alley, each with a scarlet cord round his neck and a +bracelet on his arm on which were engraved their own names, and those of +two Princesses. + +The invisible Prince recognised these dead men as Kings of two large +islands near his own home, but the names of the Princesses were unknown +to him. He grieved for their unhappy fate, and at once proceeded to bury +them; but no sooner had he laid them in their graves, than their hands +started up through the earth and remained sticking up like those of +their fellows. + +The Prince went on his way, thinking about this strange adventure, when +suddenly at the turn of the walk he perceived a tall man whose face was +the picture of misery, holding in his hands a silken cord of the exact +colour of those round the necks of the dead men. A few steps further +this man came up with another as miserable to the full as he himself; +they silently embraced, and then without a word passed the cords round +their throats, and fell dead side by side. In vain the Prince rushed to +their assistance and strove to undo the cord. He could not loosen it; so +he buried them like the others and continued his path. + +He felt, however, that great prudence was necessary, or he himself might +become the victim of some enchantment; and he was thankful to slip past +the dragons, and enter a beautiful park, with clear streams and sweet +flowers, and a crowd of men and maidens. But he could not forget +the terrible things he had seen, and hoped eagerly for a clue to the +mystery. Noticing two young people talking together, he drew near +thinking that he might get some explanation of what puzzled him. And so +he did. + +'You swear,' said the Prince, 'that you will love me till you die, but I +fear your faithless heart, and I feel that I shall soon have to seek the +Fairy Despair, ruler of half this island. She carries off the lovers +who have been cast away by their mistresses, and wish to have done with +life. She places them in a labyrinth where they are condemned to walk +for ever, with a bracelet on their arms and a cord round their necks, +unless they meet another as miserable as themselves. Then the cord is +pulled and they lie where they fall, till they are buried by the first +passer by. Terrible as this death would be,' added the Prince, 'it would +be sweeter than life if I had lost your love.' + +The sight of all these happy lovers only made the Prince grieve the +more, and he wandered along the seashore spending his days; but one day +he was sitting on a rock bewailing his fate, and the impossibility +of leaving the island, when all in a moment the sea appeared to raise +itself nearly to the skies, and the caves echoed with hideous screams. +As he looked a woman rose from the depths of the sea, flying madly +before a furious giant. The cries she uttered softened the heart of +the Prince; he took the stone from his mouth, and drawing his sword +he rushed after the giant, so as to give the lady time to escape. But +hardly had he come within reach of the enemy, than the giant touched him +with a ring that he held in his hand, and the Prince remained immovable +where he stood. The giant then hastily rejoined his prey, and, seizing +her in his arms, he plunged her into the sea. Then he sent some tritons +to bind chains about the Prince of the Golden Isle, and he too felt +himself borne to the depths of the ocean, and without the hope of ever +again seeing the Princess. + +Now the giant whom the invisible had so rashly attacked was the Lord +of the Sea, and the third son of the Queen of the Elements, and he had +touched the youth with a magic ring which enabled a mortal to live under +water. So the Prince of the Golden Isle found, when bound in chains by +the tritons, he was carried through the homes of strange monsters +and past immense seaweed forests, till he reached a vast sandy space, +surrounded by huge rocks. On the tallest of the rocks sat the giant as +on a throne. + +'Rash mortal,' said he, when the Prince was dragged before him, 'you +have deserved death, but you shall live only to suffer more cruelly. Go, +and add to the number of those whom it is my pleasure to torture.' + +At these words the unhappy Prince found himself tied to a rock; but he +was not alone in his misfortunes, for all round him were chained Princes +and Princesses, whom the giant had led captive. Indeed, it was his chief +delight to create a storm, in order to add to the list of his prisoners. + +As his hands were fastened, it was impossible for the Prince of the +Golden Isle to make use of his magic stone, and he passed his nights and +days dreaming of Rosalie. But at last the time came when the giant took +it into his head to amuse himself by arranging fights between some +of his captives. Lots were drawn, and one fell upon our Prince, whose +chains were immediately loosened. The moment he was set free, he +snatched up his stone, and became invisible. + +The astonishment of the giant at the sudden disappearance of the Prince +may well be imagined. He ordered all the passages to be watched, but it +was too late, for the Prince had already glided between two rocks. He +wandered for a long while through the forests, where he met nothing but +fearful monsters; he climbed rock after rock, steered his way from tree +to tree, till at length he arrived at the edge of the sea, at the foot +of a mountain that he remembered to have seen in the cabinet of the +present, where Rosalie was held captive. + +Filled with joy, he made his way to the top of the mountain which +pierced the clouds, and there he found a palace. He entered, and in the +middle of a long gallery he discovered a crystal room, in the midst of +which sat Rosalie, guarded night and day by genii. There was no door +anywhere, nor any window. At this sight the Prince became more puzzled +than ever, for he did not know how he was to warn Rosalie of his return. +Yet it broke his heart to see her weeping from dawn till dark. + +One day, as Rosalie was walking up and down her room, she was surprised +to see that the crystal which served for a wall had grown cloudy, as if +some one had breathed on it, and, what was more, wherever she moved +the brightness of the crystal always became clouded. This was enough to +cause the Princess to suspect that her lover had returned. In order +to set the Prince of the Air's mind at rest she began by being very +gracious to him, so that when she begged that her captivity might be a +little lightened she should not be refused. At first the only favour she +asked was to be allowed to walk for one hour every day up and down the +long gallery. This was granted, and the Invisible Prince speedily took +the opportunity of handing her the stone, which she at once slipped +into her mouth. No words can paint the fury of her captor at her +disappearance. He ordered the spirits of the air to fly through all +space, and to bring back Rosalie wherever she might be. They instantly +flew off to obey his commands, and spread themselves over the whole +earth. + +Meantime Rosalie and the Invisible Prince had reached, hand in hand, +a door of the gallery which led through a terrace into the gardens. In +silence they glided along, and thought themselves already safe, when +a furious monster dashed itself by accident against Rosalie and the +Invisible Prince, and in her fright she let go his hand. No one can +speak as long as he is invisible, and besides, they knew that the +spirits were all around them, and at the slightest sound they would +be recognised; so all they could do was to feel about in the hope that +their hands might once more meet. + +But, alas! the joy of liberty lasted but a short time. The Princess, +having wandered in vain up and down the forest, stopped at last on the +edge of a fountain. As she walked she wrote on the trees: 'If ever the +Prince, my lover, comes this way, let him know that it is here I dwell, +and that I sit daily on the edge of this fountain, mingling my tears +with its waters.' + +These words were read by one of the genii, who repeated them to his +master. The Prince of the Air, in his turn making himself invisible, was +led to the fountain, and waited for Rosalie. When she drew near he +held out his hand, which she grasped eagerly, taking it for that of her +lover; and, seizing his opportunity, the Prince passed a cord round her +arms, and throwing off his invisibility cried to his spirits to drag her +into the lowest pit. + +It was at this moment that the Invisible Prince appeared, and at the +sight of the Prince of the Genii mounting into the air, holding a silken +cord, he guessed instantly that he was carrying off Rosalie. + +He felt so overwhelmed by despair that he thought for an instant of +putting an end to his life. 'Can I survive my misfortunes?' he cried. 'I +fancied I had come to an end of my troubles, and now they are worse than +ever. What will become of me? Never can I discover the place where this +monster will hide Rosalie.' + +The unhappy youth had determined to let himself die, and indeed his +sorrow alone was enough to kill him, when the thought that by means +of the cabinets of the years he might find out where the Princess was +imprisoned, gave him a little ray of comfort. So he continued to walk +on through the forest, and after some hours he arrived at the gate of a +temple, guarded by two huge lions. Being invisible, he was able to enter +unharmed. In the middle of the temple was an altar, on which lay a book, +and behind the altar hung a great curtain. The Prince approached the +altar and opened the book, which contained the names of all the lovers +in the world: and in it he read that Rosalie had been carried off by the +Prince of the Air to an abyss which had no entrance except the one that +lay by way of the Fountain of Gold. + +Now, as the Prince had not the smallest idea where this fountain was to +be found, it might be thought that he was not much nearer Rosalie than +before. This was not, however, the view taken by the Prince. + +'Though every step that I take may perhaps lead me further from her,' +he said to himself, 'I am still thankful to know that she is alive +somewhere.' + +On leaving the temple the Invisible Prince saw six paths lying before +him, each of which led through the wood. He was hesitating which to +choose, when he suddenly beheld two people coming towards him, down +the track which lay most to his right. They turned out to be the Prince +Gnome and his friend, and the sudden desire to get some news of his +sister, Princess Argentine, caused the Invisible Prince to follow them +and to listen to their conversation. + +'Do you think,' the Prince Gnome was saying, 'do you think that I would +not break my chains if I could? I know that the Princess Argentine will +never love me, yet each day I feel her dearer still. And as if this +were not enough, I have the horror of feeling that she probably loves +another. So I have resolved to put myself out of my pain by means of the +Golden Fountain. A single drop of its water falling on the sand around +will trace the name of my rival in her heart. I dread the test, and yet +this very dread convinces me of my misfortune.' + +It may be imagined that after listening to these words the Invisible +Prince followed Prince Gnome like his shadow, and after walking some +time they arrived at the Golden Fountain. The unhappy lover stooped down +with a sigh, and dipping his finger in the water let fall a drop on +the sand. It instantly wrote the name of Prince Flame, his brother. The +shock of this discovery was so real, that Prince Gnome sank fainting +into the arms of his friend. + +Meanwhile the Invisible Prince was turning over in his mind how he could +best deliver Rosalie. As, since he had been touched by the Giant's ring, +he had the power to live in the water as well as on land, he at once +dived into the fountain. He perceived in one corner a door leading into +the mountain, and at the foot of the mountain was a high rock on which +was fixed an iron ring with a cord attached. The Prince promptly guessed +that the cord was used to chain the Princess, and drew his sword and cut +it. In a moment he felt the Princess's hand in his, for she had +always kept her magic pebble in her mouth, in spite of the prayers and +entreaties of the Prince of the Air to make herself visible. + +So hand in hand the invisible Prince and Rosalie crossed the mountain; +but as the Princess had no power of living under water, she could not +pass the Golden Fountain. Speechless and invisible they clung together +on the brink, trembling at the frightful tempest the Prince of the Air +had raised in his fury. The storm had already lasted many days when +tremendous heat began to make itself felt. The lightning flashed, the +thunder rattled, fire bolts fell from heaven, burning up the forests and +even the fields of corn. In one instant the very streams were dried up, +and the Prince, seizing his opportunity, carried the Princess over the +Golden Fountain. + +It took them a long time still to reach the Golden Isle, but at last +they got there, and we may be quite sure they never wanted to leave it +any more. + + + + + THE CROW(13) + +(13) From the Polish. Kletke. + +Once upon a time there were three Princesses who were all three young +and beautiful; but the youngest, although she was not fairer than the +other two, was the most loveable of them all. + +About half a mile from the palace in which they lived there stood a +castle, which was uninhabited and almost a ruin, but the garden which +surrounded it was a mass of blooming flowers, and in this garden the +youngest Princess used often to walk. + +One day when she was pacing to and fro under the lime trees, a black +crow hopped out of a rose-bush in front of her. The poor beast was all +torn and bleeding, and the kind little Princess was quite unhappy about +it. When the crow saw this it turned to her and said: + +'I am not really a black crow, but an enchanted Prince, who has been +doomed to spend his youth in misery. If you only liked, Princess, you +could save me. But you would have to say good-bye to all your own people +and come and be my constant companion in this ruined castle. There is +one habitable room in it, in which there is a golden bed; there you will +have to live all by yourself, and don't forget that whatever you may see +or hear in the night you must not scream out, for if you give as much as +a single cry my sufferings will be doubled.' + +The good-natured Princess at once left her home and her family and +hurried to the ruined castle, and took possession of the room with the +golden bed. + +When night approached she lay down, but though she shut her eyes tight +sleep would not come. At midnight she heard to her great horror some one +coming along the passage, and in a minute her door was flung wide open +and a troop of strange beings entered the room. They at once proceeded +to light a fire in the huge fireplace; then they placed a great cauldron +of boiling water on it. When they had done this, they approached the +bed on which the trembling girl lay, and, screaming and yelling all +the time, they dragged her towards the cauldron. She nearly died with +fright, but she never uttered a sound. Then of a sudden the cock crew, +and all the evil spirits vanished. + +At the same moment the crow appeared and hopped all round the room with +joy. It thanked the Princess most heartily for her goodness, and said +that its sufferings had already been greatly lessened. + +Now one of the Princess's elder sisters, who was very inquisitive, had +found out about everything, and went to pay her youngest sister a visit +in the ruined castle. She implored her so urgently to let her spend the +night with her in the golden bed, that at last the good-natured little +Princess consented. But at midnight, when the odd folk appeared, the +elder sister screamed with terror, and from this time on the youngest +Princess insisted always on keeping watch alone. + +So she lived in solitude all the daytime, and at night she would have +been frightened, had she not been so brave; but every day the crow came +and thanked her for her endurance, and assured her that his sufferings +were far less than they had been. + +And so two years passed away, when one day the crow came to the Princess +and said: 'In another year I shall be freed from the spell I am under +at present, because then the seven years will be over. But before I +can resume my natural form, and take possession of the belongings of +my forefathers, you must go out into the world and take service as a +maidservant.' + +The young Princess consented at once, and for a whole year she served as +a maid; but in spite of her youth and beauty she was very badly treated, +and suffered many things. One evening, when she was spinning flax, and +had worked her little white hands weary, she heard a rustling beside her +and a cry of joy. Then she saw a handsome youth standing beside her; who +knelt down at her feet and kissed the little weary white hands. + +'I am the Prince,' he said, 'who you in your goodness, when I was +wandering about in the shape of a black crow, freed from the most awful +torments. Come now to my castle with me, and let us live there happily +together.' + +So they went to the castle where they had both endured so much. But when +they reached it, it was difficult to believe that it was the same, for +it had all been rebuilt and done up again. And there they lived for a +hundred years, a hundred years of joy and happiness. + + + + +HOW SIX MEN TRAVELLED THROUGH THE WIDE WORLD + +There was once upon a time a man who understood all sorts of arts; he +served in the war, and bore himself bravely and well; but when the war +was over, he got his discharge, and set out on his travels with three +farthings of his pay in his pocket. 'Wait,' he said; 'that does not +please me; only let me find the right people, and the King shall yet +give me all the treasures of his kingdom.' He strode angrily into the +forest, and there he saw a man standing who had uprooted six trees as +if they were straws. He said to him, 'Will you be my servant and travel +with me?' + +'Yes,' he answered; 'but first of all I will take this little bundle +of sticks home to my mother,' and he took one of the trees and wound +it round the other five, raised the bundle on his shoulders and bore it +off. Then he came back and went with his master, who said, 'We two ought +to be able to travel through the wide world!' And when they had gone a +little way they came upon a hunter, who was on his knees, his gun on his +shoulder, aiming at something. The master said to him, 'Hunter, what are +you aiming at?' + +He answered, 'Two miles from this place sits a fly on a branch of an +oak; I want to shoot out its left eye.' + +'Oh, go with me,' said the man; 'if we three are together we shall +easily travel through the wide world.' + +The hunter agreed and went with him, and they came to seven windmills +whose sails were going round quite fast, and yet there was not a breath +of wind, nor was a leaf moving. The man said, 'I don't know what is +turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.' So +he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they +saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out +of the other. + +'Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?' asked the man. + +He replied, 'Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; +see, I am blowing to drive them round.' + +'Oh, go with me,' said the man; 'if we four are together we shall easily +travel through the wide world.' + +So the blower got down and went with him, and after a time they saw a +man who was standing on one leg, and had unstrapped the other and +laid it near him. Then said the master, 'You have made yourself very +comfortable to rest!' + +'I am a runner,' answered he; 'and so that I shall not go too quickly, +I have unstrapped one leg; when I run with two legs, I go faster than a +bird flies.' + +'Oh, go with me; if we five are together, we shall easily travel through +the wide world.' So he went with him, and, not long afterwards, they met +a man who wore a little hat, but he had it slouched over one ear. + +'Manners, manners!' said the master to him; 'don't hang your hat over +one ear; you look like a madman!' + +'I dare not,' said the other, 'for if I were to put my hat on straight, +there would come such a frost that the very birds in the sky would +freeze and fall dead on the earth.' + +'Oh, go with me,' said the master; 'if we six are together, we shall +easily travel through the wide world. + +Now the Six came to a town in which the King had proclaimed that whoever +should run with his daughter in a race, and win, should become her +husband; but if he lost, he must lose his head. This was reported to +the man who declared he would compete, 'but,' he said, 'I shall let my +servant run for me.' + +The King replied, 'Then both your heads must be staked, and your head +and his must be guaranteed for the winner.' + +When this was agreed upon and settled, the man strapped on the runner's +other leg, saying to him, 'Now be nimble, and see that we win!' It was +arranged that whoever should first bring water out of a stream a long +way off, should be the victor. Then the runner got a pitcher, and the +King's daughter another, and they began to run at the same time; but in +a moment, when the King's daughter was only just a little way off, +no spectator could see the runner, and it seemed as if the wind had +whistled past. In a short time he reached the stream, filled his +pitcher with water, and turned round again. But, half way home, a great +drowsiness came over him; he put down his pitcher, lay down, and fell +asleep. He had, however, put a horse's skull which was lying on the +ground, for his pillow, so that he should not be too comfortable and +might soon wake up. + +In the meantime the King's daughter, who could also run well, as well +as an ordinary man could, reached the stream, and hastened back with her +pitcher full of water. When she saw the runner lying there asleep, she +was delighted, and said, 'My enemy is given into my hands!' She emptied +his pitcher and ran on. + +Everything now would have been lost, if by good luck the hunter had not +been standing on the castle tower and had seen everything with his sharp +eyes. + +'Ah,' said he, 'the King's daughter shall not overreach us;' and, +loading his gun, he shot so cleverly, that he shot away the horse's +skull from under the runner's head, without its hurting him. Then the +runner awoke, jumped up, and saw that his pitcher was empty and the +King's daughter far ahead. But he did not lose courage, and ran back +to the stream with his pitcher, filled it once more with water, and was +home ten minutes before the King's daughter arrived. + +'Look,' said he, 'I have only just exercised my legs; that was nothing +of a run.' + +But the King was angry, and his daughter even more so, that she should +be carried away by a common, discharged soldier. They consulted together +how they could destroy both him and his companions. + +'Then,' said the King to her, 'I have found a way. Don't be frightened; +they shall not come home again.' He said to them, 'You must now make +merry together, and eat and drink,' and he led them into a room which +had a floor of iron; the doors were also of iron, and the windows were +barred with iron. In the room was a table spread with delicious food. +The King said to them, 'Go in and enjoy yourselves,' and as soon as +they were inside he had the doors shut and bolted. Then he made the cook +come, and ordered him to keep up a large fire under the room until the +iron was red-hot. The cook did so, and the Six sitting round the table +felt it grow very warm, and they thought this was because of their good +fare; but when the heat became still greater and they wanted to go out, +but found the doors and windows fastened, then they knew that the King +meant them harm and was trying to suffocate them. + +'But he shall not succeed,' cried he of the little hat, 'I will make a +frost come which shall make the fire ashamed and die out!' So he put his +hat on straight, and at once there came such a frost that all the heat +disappeared and the food on the dishes began to freeze. When a couple of +hours had passed, and the King thought they must be quite dead from the +heat, he had the doors opened and went in himself to see. + +But when the doors were opened, there stood all Six, alive and well, +saying they were glad they could come out to warm themselves, for the +great cold in the room had frozen all the food hard in the dishes. Then +the King went angrily to the cook, and scolded him, and asked him why he +had not done what he was told. + +But the cook answered, 'There is heat enough there; see for yourself.' +Then the King saw a huge fire burning under the iron room, and +understood that he could do no harm to the Six in this way. The King +now began again to think how he could free himself from his unwelcome +guests. He commanded the master to come before him, and said, 'If you +will take gold, and give up your right to my daughter, you shall have as +much as you like.' + +'Oh, yes, your Majesty,' answered he, 'give me as much as my servant can +carry, and I will give up your daughter.' + +The King was delighted, and the man said, 'I will come and fetch it in +fourteen days.' + +Then he called all the tailors in the kingdom together, and made them +sit down for fourteen days sewing at a sack. When it was finished, he +made the strong man who had uprooted the trees take the sack on his +shoulder and go with him to the King. Then the King said, 'What a +powerful fellow that is, carrying that bale of linen as large as a house +on his shoulder!' and he was much frightened, and thought 'What a lot of +gold he will make away with!' Then he had a ton of gold brought, which +sixteen of the strongest men had to carry; but the strong man seized it +with one hand, put it in the sack, saying, 'Why don't you bring me more? +That scarcely covers the bottom!' Then the King had to send again and +again to fetch his treasures, which the strong man shoved into the sack, +and the sack was only half full. + +'Bring more,' he cried, 'these crumbs don't fill it.' So seven thousand +waggons of the gold of the whole kingdom were driven up; these the +strong man shoved into the sack, oxen and all. + +'I will no longer be particular,' he said, 'and will take what comes, so +that the sack shall be full.' + +When everything was put in and there was not yet enough, he said, 'I +will make an end of this; it is easy to fasten a sack when it is not +full.' Then he threw it on his back and went with his companions. + +Now, when the King saw how a single man was carrying away the wealth +of the whole country he was very angry, and made his cavalry mount +and pursue the Six, and bring back the strong man with the sack. Two +regiments soon overtook them, and called to them, 'You are prisoners! +lay down the sack of gold or you shall be cut down.' + +'What do you say?' said the blower, 'we are prisoners? Before that, you +shall dance in the air!' And he held one nostril and blew with the other +at the two regiments; they were separated and blown away in the blue sky +over the mountains, one this way, and the other that. A sergeant-major +cried for mercy, saying he had nine wounds, and was a brave fellow, and +did not deserve this disgrace. So the blower let him off, and he came +down without hurt. Then he said to him, 'Now go home to the King, and +say that if he sends any more cavalry I will blow them all into the +air.' + +When the King received the message, he said, 'Let the fellows go; they +are bewitched.' Then the Six brought the treasure home, shared it among +themselves, and lived contentedly till the end of their days. + + + + + THE WIZARD KING(14) + +(14) From Les fees illustres. + +In very ancient times there lived a King, whose power lay not only in +the vast extent of his dominions, but also in the magic secrets of which +he was master. After spending the greater part of his early youth in +pleasure, he met a Princess of such remarkable beauty that he at once +asked her hand in marriage, and, having obtained it, considered himself +the happiest of men. + +After a year's time a son was born, worthy in every way of such +distinguished parents, and much admired by the whole Court. As soon as +the Queen thought him strong enough for a journey she set out with him +secretly to visit her Fairy godmother. I said secretly, because the +Fairy had warned the Queen that the King was a magician; and as from +time immemorial there had been a standing feud between the Fairies and +the Wizards, he might not have approved of his wife's visit. + +The Fairy godmother, who took the deepest interest in all the Queen's +concerns, and who was much pleased with the little Prince, endowed him +with the power of pleasing everybody from his cradle, as well as with +a wonderful ease in learning everything which could help to make him +a perfectly accomplished Prince. Accordingly, to the delight of his +teachers, he made the most rapid progress in his education, constantly +surpassing everyone's expectations. Before he was many years old, +however, he had the great sorrow of losing his mother, whose last words +were to advise him never to undertake anything of importance without +consulting the Fairy under whose protection she had placed him. + +The Prince's grief at the death of his mother was great, but it +was nothing compared to that of the King, his father, who was quite +inconsolable for the loss of his dear wife. Neither time nor reason +seemed to lighten his sorrow, and the sight of all the familiar faces +and things about him only served to remind him of his loss. He therefore +resolved to travel for change, and by means of his magic art was able +to visit every country he came to see under different shapes, returning +every few weeks to the place where he had left a few followers. + +Having travelled from land to land in this fashion without finding +anything to rivet his attention, it occurred to him to take the form of +an eagle, and in this shape he flew across many countries and arrived +at length in a new and lovely spot, where the air seemed filled with the +scent of jessamine and orange flowers with which the ground was thickly +planted. Attracted by the sweet perfume he flew lower, and perceived +some large and beautiful gardens filled with the rarest flowers, and +with fountains throwing up their clear waters into the air in a hundred +different shapes. A wide stream flowed through the garden, and on it +floated richly ornamented barges and gondolas filled with people dressed +in the most elegant manner and covered with jewels. + +In one of these barges sat the Queen of that country with her only +daughter, a maiden more beautiful than the Day Star, and attended by +the ladies of the Court. No more exquisitely lovely mortal was ever seen +than this Princess, and it needed all an eagle's strength of sight to +prevent the King being hopelessly dazzled. He perched on the top of a +large orange tree, whence he was able to survey the scene and to gaze at +pleasure on the Princess's charms. + +Now, an eagle with a King's heart in his breast is apt to be bold, +and accordingly he instantly made up his mind to carry off the lovely +damsel, feeling sure that having once seen her he could not live without +her. + +He waited till he saw her in the act of stepping ashore, when, suddenly +swooping down, he carried her off before her equerry in attendance had +advanced to offer her his hand. The Princess, on finding herself in an +eagle's talons, uttered the most heart-breaking shrieks and cries; but +her captor, though touched by her distress, would not abandon his lovely +prey, and continued to fly through the air too fast to allow of his +saying anything to comfort her. + +At length, when he thought they had reached a safe distance, he began +to lower his flight, and gradually descending to earth, deposited +his burden in a flowery meadow. He then entreated her pardon for his +violence, and told her that he was about to carry her to a great kingdom +over which he ruled, and where he desired she should rule with him, +adding many tender and consoling expressions. + +For some time the Princess remained speechless; but recovering herself +a little, she burst into a flood of tears. The King, much moved, said, +'Adorable Princess, dry your tears. I implore you. My only wish is to +make you the happiest person in the world.' + +'If you speak truth, my lord,' replied the Princess, 'restore to me the +liberty you have deprived me of. Otherwise I can only look on you as my +worst enemy.' + +The King retorted that her opposition filled him with despair, but that +he hoped to carry her to a place where all around would respect her, and +where every pleasure would surround her. So saying, he seized her once +more, and in spite of all her cries he rapidly bore her off to the +neighbourhood of his capital. Here he gently placed her on a lawn, and +as he did so she saw a magnificent palace spring up at her feet. The +architecture was imposing, and in the interior the rooms were handsome +and furnished in the best possible taste. + +The Princess, who expected to be quite alone, was pleased at finding +herself surrounded by a number of pretty girls, all anxious to wait on +her, whilst a brilliantly-coloured parrot said the most agreeable things +in the world. + +On arriving at this palace the King had resumed his own form, and +though no longer young, he might well have pleased any other than this +Princess, who had been so prejudiced against him by his violence that +she could only regard him with feelings of hatred, which she was at +no pains to conceal. The King hoped, however, that time might not only +soften her anger, but accustom her to his sight. He took the precaution +of surrounding the palace with a dense cloud, and then hastened to his +Court, where his prolonged absence was causing much anxiety. + +The Prince and all the courtiers were delighted to see their beloved +King again, but they had to submit themselves to more frequent absences +than ever on his part. He made business a pretext for shutting himself +up in his study, but it was really in order to spend the time with the +Princess, who remained inflexible. + +Not being able to imagine what could be the cause of so much obstinacy +the King began to fear, lest, in spite of all his precautions, she might +have heard of the charms of the Prince his son, whose goodness, youth +and beauty, made him adored at Court. This idea made him horribly +uneasy, and he resolved to remove the cause of his fears by sending the +Prince on his travels escorted by a magnificent retinue. + +The Prince, after visiting several Courts, arrived at the one where the +lost Princess was still deeply mourned. The King and Queen received him +most graciously, and some festivities were revived to do him honour. + +One day when the Prince was visiting the Queen in her own apartments he +was much struck by a most beautiful portrait. He eagerly inquired whose +it was, and the Queen, with many tears, told him it was all that was +left her of her beloved daughter, who had suddenly been carried off, she +knew neither where nor how. + +The Prince was deeply moved, and vowed that he would search the world +for the Princess, and take no rest till he had found and restored her to +her mother's arms. The Queen assured him of her eternal gratitude, +and promised, should he succeed, to give him her daughter in marriage, +together with all the estates she herself owned. + +The Prince, far more attracted by the thoughts of possessing the +Princess than her promised dower, set forth in his quest after taking +leave of the King and Queen, the latter giving him a miniature of her +daughter which she was in the habit of wearing. His first act was +to seek the Fairy under whose protection he had been placed, and he +implored her to give him all the assistance of her art and counsel in +this important matter. + +After listening attentively to the whole adventure, the Fairy asked +for time to consult her books. After due consideration she informed the +Prince that the object of his search was not far distant, but that it +was too difficult for him to attempt to enter the enchanted palace where +she was, as the King his father had surrounded it with a thick cloud, +and that the only expedient she could think of would be to gain +possession of the Princess's parrot. This, she added, did not +appear impossible, as it often flew about to some distance in the +neighbourhood. + +Having told the Prince all this, the Fairy went out in hopes of seeing +the parrot, and soon returned with the bird in her hand. She promptly +shut it up in a cage, and, touching the Prince with her wand, +transformed him into an exactly similar parrot; after which, she +instructed him how to reach the Princess. + +The Prince reached the palace in safety, but was so dazzled at first by +the Princess's beauty, which far surpassed his expectations, that he +was quite dumb for a time. The Princess was surprised and anxious, and +fearing the parrot, who was her greatest comfort, had fallen ill, she +took him in her hand and caressed him. This soon reassured the Prince, +and encouraged him to play his part well, and he began to say a thousand +agreeable things which charmed the Princess. + +Presently the King appeared, and the parrot noticed with joy how much +he was disliked. As soon as the King left, the Princess retired to her +dressing-room, the parrot flew after her and overheard her lamentations +at the continued persecutions of the King, who had pressed her to +consent to their marriage. The parrot said so many clever and tender +things to comfort her that she began to doubt whether this could indeed +be her own parrot. + +When he saw her well-disposed towards him, he exclaimed: 'Madam, I +have a most important secret to confide to you, and I beg you not to be +alarmed by what I am about to say. I am here on behalf of the Queen your +mother, with the object of delivering your Highness; to prove which, +behold this portrait which she gave me herself.' So saying he drew forth +the miniature from under his wing. The Princess's surprise was great, +but after what she had seen and heard it was impossible not to indulge +in hope, for she had recognised the likeness of herself which her mother +always wore. + +The parrot, finding she was not much alarmed, told her who he was, all +that her mother had promised him and the help he had already received +from a Fairy who had assured him that she would give him means to +transport the Princess to her mother's arms. + +When he found her listening attentively to him, he implored the Princess +to allow him to resume his natural shape. She did not speak, so he drew +a feather from his wing, and she beheld before her a Prince of such +surpassing beauty that it was impossible not to hope that she might owe +her liberty to so charming a person. + +Meantime the Fairy had prepared a chariot, to which she harnessed two +powerful eagles; then placing the cage, with the parrot in it, +she charged the bird to conduct it to the window of the Princess's +dressing-room. This was done in a few minutes, and the Princess, +stepping into the chariot with the Prince, was delighted to find her +parrot again. + +As they rose through the air the Princess remarked a figure mounted on +an eagle's back flying in front of the chariot. She was rather alarmed, +but the Prince reassured her, telling her it was the good Fairy to +whom she owed so much, and who was now conducting her in safety to her +mother. + +That same morning the King woke suddenly from a troubled sleep. He +had dreamt that the Princess was being carried off from him, and, +transforming himself into an eagle, he flew to the palace. When he +failed to find her he flew into a terrible rage, and hastened home to +consult his books, by which means he discovered that it was his son +who had deprived him of this precious treasure. Immediately he took the +shape of a harpy, and, filled with rage, was determined to devour his +son, and even the Princess too, if only he could overtake them. + +He set out at full speed; but he started too late, and was further +delayed by a strong wind which the Fairy raised behind the young couple +so as to baffle any pursuit. + +You may imagine the rapture with which the Queen received the daughter +she had given up for lost, as well as the amiable Prince who had rescued +her. The Fairy entered with them, and warned the Queen that the Wizard +King would shortly arrive, infuriated by his loss, and that nothing +could preserve the Prince and Princess from his rage and magic unless +they were actually married. + +The Queen hastened to inform the King her husband, and the wedding took +place on the spot. + +As the ceremony was completed the Wizard King arrived. His despair at +being so late bewildered him so entirely that he appeared in his natural +form and attempted to sprinkle some black liquid over the bride and +bridegroom, which was intended to kill them, but the Fairy stretched out +her wand and the liquid dropped on the Magician himself. He fell down +senseless, and the Princess's father, deeply offended at the cruel +revenge which had been attempted, ordered him to be removed and locked +up in prison. + +Now as magicians lose all their power as soon as they are in prison, the +King felt himself much embarrassed at being thus at the mercy of +those he had so greatly offended. The Prince implored and obtained his +father's pardon, and the prison doors were opened. + +No sooner was this done than the Wizard King was seen in the air under +the form of some unknown bird, exclaiming as he flew off that he would +never forgive either his son or the Fairy the cruel wrong they had done +him. + +Everyone entreated the Fairy to settle in the kingdom where she now was, +to which she consented. She built herself a magnificent palace, to which +she transported her books and fairy secrets, and where she enjoyed the +sight of the perfect happiness she had helped to bestow on the entire +royal family. + + + + + THE NIXY(15) + +(15) From the German. Kletke. + +There was once upon a time a miller who was very well off, and had as +much money and as many goods as he knew what to do with. But sorrow +comes in the night, and the miller all of a sudden became so poor +that at last he could hardly call the mill in which he sat his own. He +wandered about all day full of despair and misery, and when he lay down +at night he could get no rest, but lay awake all night sunk in sorrowful +thoughts. + +One morning he rose up before dawn and went outside, for he thought his +heart would be lighter in the open air. As he wandered up and down on +the banks of the mill-pond he heard a rustling in the water, and when he +looked near he saw a white woman rising up from the waves. + +He realised at once that this could be none other than the nixy of the +mill-pond, and in his terror he didn't know if he should fly away or +remain where he was. While he hesitated the nixy spoke, called him by +his name, and asked him why he was so sad. + +When the miller heard how friendly her tone was, he plucked up heart and +told her how rich and prosperous he had been all his life up till now, +when he didn't know what he was to do for want and misery. + +Then the nixy spoke comforting words to him, and promised that she would +make him richer and more prosperous than he had ever been in his life +before, if he would give her in return the youngest thing in his house. + +The miller thought she must mean one of his puppies or kittens, so +promised the nixy at once what she asked, and returned to his mill full +of hope. On the threshold he was greeted by a servant with the news that +his wife had just given birth to a boy. + +The poor miller was much horrified by these tidings, and went in to +his wife with a heavy heart to tell her and his relations of the fatal +bargain he had just struck with the nixy. 'I would gladly give up all +the good fortune she promised me,' he said, 'if I could only save my +child.' But no one could think of any advice to give him, beyond taking +care that the child never went near the mill-pond. + +So the boy throve and grew big, and in the meantime all prospered with +the miller, and in a few years he was richer than he had ever been +before. But all the same he did not enjoy his good fortune, for he could +not forget his compact with the nixy, and he knew that sooner or later +she would demand his fulfilment of it. But year after year went by, and +the boy grew up and became a great hunter, and the lord of the land took +him into his service, for he was as smart and bold a hunter as you would +wish to see. In a short time he married a pretty young wife, and lived +with her in great peace and happiness. + +One day when he was out hunting a hare sprang up at his feet, and ran +for some way in front of him in the open field. The hunter pursued it +hotly for some time, and at last shot it dead. Then he proceeded to +skin it, never noticing that he was close to the mill-pond, which from +childhood up he had been taught to avoid. He soon finished the skinning, +and went to the water to wash the blood off his hands. He had hardly +dipped them in the pond when the nixy rose up in the water, and seizing +him in her wet arms she dragged him down with her under the waves. + +When the hunter did not come home in the evening his wife grew very +anxious, and when his game bag was found close to the mill-pond she +guessed at once what had befallen him. She was nearly beside herself +with grief, and roamed round and round the pond calling on her husband +without ceasing. At last, worn out with sorrow and fatigue, she fell +asleep and dreamt that she was wandering along a flowery meadow, when +she came to a hut where she found an old witch, who promised to restore +her husband to her. + +When she awoke next morning she determined to set out and find the +witch; so she wandered on for many a day, and at last she reached the +flowery meadow and found the hut where the old witch lived. The poor +wife told her all that had happened and how she had been told in a dream +of the witch's power to help her. + +The witch counselled her to go to the pond the first time there was a +full moon, and to comb her black hair with a golden comb, and then to +place the comb on the bank. The hunter's wife gave the witch a handsome +present, thanked her heartily, and returned home. + +Time dragged heavily till the time of the full moon, but it passed at +last, and as soon as it rose the young wife went to the pond, combed +her black hair with a golden comb, and when she had finished, placed the +comb on the bank; then she watched the water impatiently. Soon she heard +a rushing sound, and a big wave rose suddenly and swept the comb off the +bank, and a minute after the head of her husband rose from the pond and +gazed sadly at her. But immediately another wave came, and the head sank +back into the water without having said a word. The pond lay still and +motionless, glittering in the moonshine, and the hunter's wife was not a +bit better off than she had been before. + +In despair she wandered about for days and nights, and at last, worn out +by fatigue, she sank once more into a deep sleep, and dreamt exactly the +same dream about the old witch. So next morning she went again to the +flowery meadow and sought the witch in her hut, and told her of her +grief. The old woman counselled her to go to the mill-pond the next +full moon and play upon a golden flute, and then to lay the flute on the +bank. + +As soon as the next moon was full the hunter's wife went to the +mill-pond, played on a golden flute, and when she had finished placed it +on the bank. Then a rushing sound was heard, and a wave swept the flute +off the bank, and soon the head of the hunter appeared and rose up +higher and higher till he was half out of the water. Then he gazed sadly +at his wife and stretched out his arms towards her. But another rushing +wave arose and dragged him under once more. The hunter's wife, who had +stood on the bank full of joy and hope, sank into despair when she saw +her husband snatched away again before her eyes. + +But for her comfort she dreamt the same dream a third time, and betook +herself once more to the old witch's hut in the flowery meadow. This +time the old woman told her to go the next full moon to the mill-pond, +and to spin there with a golden spinning-wheel, and then to leave the +spinning-wheel on the bank. + +The hunter's wife did as she was advised, and the first night the moon +was full she sat and spun with a golden spinning-wheel, and then left +the wheel on the bank. In a few minutes a rushing sound was heard in the +waters, and a wave swept the spinning-wheel from the bank. Immediately +the head of the hunter rose up from the pond, getting higher and higher +each moment, till at length he stepped on to the bank and fell on his +wife's neck. + +But the waters of the pond rose up suddenly, overflowed the bank where +the couple stood, and dragged them under the flood. In her despair the +young wife called on the old witch to help her, and in a moment the +hunter was turned into a frog and his wife into a toad. But they were +not able to remain together, for the water tore them apart, and when the +flood was over they both resumed their own shapes again, but the hunter +and the hunter's wife found themselves each in a strange country, and +neither knew what had become of the other. + +The hunter determined to become a shepherd, and his wife too became a +shepherdess. So they herded their sheep for many years in solitude and +sadness. + +Now it happened once that the shepherd came to the country where the +shepherdess lived. The neighbourhood pleased him, and he saw that the +pasture was rich and suitable for his flocks. So he brought his sheep +there, and herded them as before. The shepherd and shepherdess became +great friends, but they did not recognise each other in the least. + +But one evening when the moon was full they sat together watching their +flocks, and the shepherd played upon his flute. Then the shepherdess +thought of that evening when she had sat at the full moon by the +mill-pond and had played on the golden flute; the recollection was too +much for her, and she burst into tears. The shepherd asked her why she +was crying, and left her no peace till she told him all her story. Then +the scales fell from the shepherd's eyes, and he recognised his wife, +and she him. So they returned joyfully to their own home, and lived in +peace and happiness ever after. + + + + +THE GLASS MOUNTAIN(16) + +(16) From the Polish. Kletke. + +Once upon a time there was a Glass Mountain at the top of which stood +a castle made of pure gold, and in front of the castle there grew an +apple-tree on which there were golden apples. + +Anyone who picked an apple gained admittance into the golden castle, and +there in a silver room sat an enchanted Princess of surpassing fairness +and beauty. She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of +the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest +gold stood round the walls of all the rooms. + +Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain +they attempted to climb the mountain. In spite of having their horses +shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and +then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery +hill. Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man +had broken his neck even. + +The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights +trying to reach her on their splendid horses. The sight of her always +gave men fresh courage, and they flocked from the four quarters of the +globe to attempt the work of rescuing her. But all in vain, and for +seven years the Princess had sat now and waited for some one to scale +the Glass Mountain. + +A heap of corpses both of riders and horses lay round the mountain, and +many dying men lay groaning there unable to go any farther with their +wounded limbs. The whole neighbourhood had the appearance of a vast +churchyard. In three more days the seven years would be at an end, +when a knight in golden armour and mounted on a spirited steed was seen +making his way towards the fatal hill. + +Sticking his spurs into his horse he made a rush at the mountain, and +got up half-way, then he calmly turned his horse's head and came down +again without a slip or stumble. The following day he started in the +same way; the horse trod on the glass as if it had been level earth, +and sparks of fire flew from its hoofs. All the other knights gazed in +astonishment, for he had almost gained the summit, and in another moment +he would have reached the apple-tree; but of a sudden a huge eagle rose +up and spread its mighty wings, hitting as it did so the knight's horse +in the eye. + +The beast shied, opened its wide nostrils and tossed its mane, then +rearing high up in the air, its hind feet slipped and it fell with its +rider down the steep mountain side. Nothing was left of either of them +except their bones, which rattled in the battered golden armour like dry +peas in a pod. + +And now there was only one more day before the close of the seven years. +Then there arrived on the scene a mere schoolboy--a merry, happy-hearted +youth, but at the same time strong and well-grown. He saw how many +knights had broken their necks in vain, but undaunted he approached the +steep mountain on foot and began the ascent. + +For long he had heard his parents speak of the beautiful Princess who +sat in the golden castle at the top of the Glass Mountain. He listened +to all he heard, and determined that he too would try his luck. But +first he went to the forest and caught a lynx, and cutting off the +creature's sharp claws, he fastened them on to his own hands and feet. + +Armed with these weapons he boldly started up the Glass Mountain. + +The sun was nearly going down, and the youth had not got more than +half-way up. He could hardly draw breath he was so worn out, and his +mouth was parched by thirst. A huge black cloud passed over his head, +but in vain did he beg and beseech her to let a drop of water fall on +him. He opened his mouth, but the black cloud sailed past and not as +much as a drop of dew moistened his dry lips. + +His feet were torn and bleeding, and he could only hold on now with his +hands. Evening closed in, and he strained his eyes to see if he could +behold the top of the mountain. Then he gazed beneath him, and what a +sight met his eyes! A yawning abyss, with certain and terrible death at +the bottom, reeking with half-decayed bodies of horses and riders! And +this had been the end of all the other brave men who like himself had +attempted the ascent. + +It was almost pitch dark now, and only the stars lit up the Glass +Mountain. The poor boy still clung on as if glued to the glass by his +blood-stained hands. He made no struggle to get higher, for all his +strength had left him, and seeing no hope he calmly awaited death. +Then all of a sudden he fell into a deep sleep, and forgetful of his +dangerous position, he slumbered sweetly. But all the same, although he +slept, he had stuck his sharp claws so firmly into the glass that he was +quite safe not to fall. + +Now the golden apple-tree was guarded by the eagle which had overthrown +the golden knight and his horse. Every night it flew round the Glass +Mountain keeping a careful look-out, and no sooner had the moon emerged +from the clouds than the bird rose up from the apple-tree, and circling +round in the air, caught sight of the sleeping youth. + +Greedy for carrion, and sure that this must be a fresh corpse, the bird +swooped down upon the boy. But he was awake now, and perceiving the +eagle, he determined by its help to save himself. + +The eagle dug its sharp claws into the tender flesh of the youth, but he +bore the pain without a sound, and seized the bird's two feet with his +hands. The creature in terror lifted him high up into the air and began +to circle round the tower of the castle. The youth held on bravely. He +saw the glittering palace, which by the pale rays of the moon looked +like a dim lamp; and he saw the high windows, and round one of them a +balcony in which the beautiful Princess sat lost in sad thoughts. Then +the boy saw that he was close to the apple-tree, and drawing a small +knife from his belt, he cut off both the eagle's feet. The bird rose up +in the air in its agony and vanished into the clouds, and the youth fell +on to the broad branches of the apple-tree. + +Then he drew out the claws of the eagle's feet that had remained in his +flesh, and put the peel of one of the golden apples on the wound, and +in one moment it was healed and well again. He pulled several of the +beautiful apples and put them in his pocket; then he entered the castle. +The door was guarded by a great dragon, but as soon as he threw an apple +at it, the beast vanished. + +At the same moment a gate opened, and the youth perceived a courtyard +full of flowers and beautiful trees, and on a balcony sat the lovely +enchanted Princess with her retinue. + +As soon as she saw the youth, she ran towards him and greeted him as her +husband and master. She gave him all her treasures, and the youth became +a rich and mighty ruler. But he never returned to the earth, for only +the mighty eagle, who had been the guardian of the Princess and of the +castle, could have carried on his wings the enormous treasure down to +the world. But as the eagle had lost its feet it died, and its body was +found in a wood on the Glass Mountain. + +. . . . . . . + +One day when the youth was strolling about in the palace garden with the +Princess, his wife, he looked down over the edge of the Glass Mountain +and saw to his astonishment a great number of people gathered there. He +blew his silver whistle, and the swallow who acted as messenger in the +golden castle flew past. + +'Fly down and ask what the matter is,' he said to the little bird, who +sped off like lightning and soon returned saying: + +'The blood of the eagle has restored all the people below to life. All +those who have perished on this mountain are awakening up to-day, as +it were from a sleep, and are mounting their horses, and the whole +population are gazing on this unheard-of wonder with joy and amazement.' + + + + + ALPHEGE, OR THE GREEN MONKEY + +Many years ago there lived a King, who was twice married. His first +wife, a good and beautiful woman, died at the birth of her little son, +and the King her husband was so overwhelmed with grief at her loss that +his only comfort was in the sight of his heir. + +When the time for the young Prince's christening came the King chose +as godmother a neighbouring Princess, so celebrated for her wisdom and +goodness that she was commonly called 'the Good Queen.' She named the +baby Alphege, and from that moment took him to her heart. + +Time wipes away the greatest griefs, and after two or three years the +King married again. His second wife was a Princess of undeniable beauty, +but by no means of so amiable a disposition as the first Queen. In due +time a second Prince was born, and the Queen was devoured with rage at +the thought that Prince Alphege came between her son and the throne. She +took care however to conceal her jealous feelings from the King. + +At length she could control herself no longer, so she sent a trusty +servant to her old and faithful friend the Fairy of the Mountain, to beg +her to devise some means by which she might get rid of her stepson. + +The Fairy replied that, much as she desired to be agreeable to the Queen +in every way, it was impossible for her to attempt anything against the +young Prince, who was under the protection of some greater Power than +her own. + +The 'Good Queen' on her side watched carefully over her godson. She was +obliged to do so from a distance, her own country being a remote one, +but she was well informed of all that went on and knew all about the +Queen's wicked designs. She therefore sent the Prince a large and +splendid ruby, with injunctions to wear it night and day as it would +protect him from all attacks, but added that the talisman only retained +its power as long as the Prince remained within his father's dominions. +The Wicked Queen knowing this made every attempt to get the Prince out +of the country, but her efforts failed, till one day accident did what +she was unable to accomplish. + +The King had an only sister who was deeply attached to him, and who was +married to the sovereign of a distant country. She had always kept up +a close correspondence with her brother, and the accounts she heard of +Prince Alphege made her long to become acquainted with so charming a +nephew. She entreated the King to allow the Prince to visit her, and +after some hesitation which was overruled by his wife, he finally +consented. + +Prince Alphege was at this time fourteen years old, and the handsomest +and most engaging youth imaginable. In his infancy he had been placed +in the charge of one of the great ladies of the Court, who, according +to the prevailing custom, acted first as his head nurse and then as his +governess. When he outgrew her care her husband was appointed as his +tutor and governor, so that he had never been separated from this +excellent couple, who loved him as tenderly as they did their only +daughter Zayda, and were warmly loved by him in return. + +When the Prince set forth on his travels it was but natural that this +devoted couple should accompany him, and accordingly he started with +them and attended by a numerous retinue. + +For some time he travelled through his father's dominions and all went +well; but soon after passing the frontier they had to cross a desert +plain under a burning sun. They were glad to take shelter under a group +of trees near, and here the Prince complained of burning thirst. Luckily +a tiny stream ran close by and some water was soon procured, but no +sooner had he tasted it than he sprang from his carriage and disappeared +in a moment. In vain did his anxious followers seek for him, he was +nowhere to be found. + +As they were hunting and shouting through the trees a black monkey +suddenly appeared on a point of rock and said: 'Poor sorrowing people, +you are seeking your Prince in vain. Return to your own country and know +that he will not be restored to you till you have for some time failed +to recognise him.' + +With these words he vanished, leaving the courtiers sadly perplexed; but +as all their efforts to find the Prince were useless they had no choice +but to go home, bringing with them the sad news, which so greatly +distressed the King that he fell ill and died not long after. + +The Queen, whose ambition was boundless, was delighted to see the crown +on her son's head and to have the power in her own hands. Her hard rule +made her very unpopular, and it was commonly believed that she had +made away with Prince Alphege. Indeed, had the King her son not been +deservedly beloved a revolution would certainly have arisen. + +Meantime the former governess of the unfortunate Alphege, who had lost +her husband soon after the King's death, retired to her own house with +her daughter, who grew up a lovely and most loveable girl, and both +continued to mourn the loss of their dear Prince. + +The young King was devoted to hunting, and often indulged in his +favourite pastime, attended by the noblest youths in his kingdom. + +One day, after a long morning's chase he stopped to rest near a brook in +the shade of a little wood, where a splendid tent had been prepared +for him. Whilst at luncheon he suddenly spied a little monkey of the +brightest green sitting on a tree and gazing so tenderly at him that +he felt quite moved. He forbade his courtiers to frighten it, and the +monkey, noticing how much attention was being paid him, sprang from +bough to bough, and at length gradually approached the King, who offered +him some food. The monkey took it very daintily and finally came to the +table. The King took him on his knees, and, delighted with his capture, +brought him home with him. He would trust no one else with its care, and +the whole Court soon talked of nothing but the pretty green monkey. + +One morning, as Prince Alphege's governess and her daughter were alone +together, the little monkey sprang in through an open window. He had +escaped from the palace, and his manners were so gentle and caressing +that Zayda and her mother soon got over the first fright he had given +them. He had spent some time with them and quite won their hearts by +his insinuating ways, when the King discovered where he was and sent to +fetch him back. But the monkey made such piteous cries, and seemed so +unhappy when anyone attempted to catch him, that the two ladies begged +the King to leave him a little longer with them, to which he consented. + +One evening, as they sat by the fountain in the garden, the little +monkey kept gazing at Zayda with such sad and loving eyes that she and +her mother could not think what to make of it, and they were still more +surprised when they saw big tears rolling down his cheeks. + +Next day both mother and daughter were sitting in a jessamine bower in +the garden, and they began to talk of the green monkey and his strange +ways. The mother said, 'My dear child, I can no longer hide my feelings +from you. I cannot get the thought out of my mind that the green monkey +is no other than our beloved Prince Alphege, transformed in this strange +fashion. I know the idea sounds wild, but I cannot get it out of my +heart, and it leaves me no peace.' + +As she spoke she glanced up, and there sat the little monkey, whose +tears and gestures seemed to confirm her words. + +The following night the elder lady dreamt that she saw the Good Queen, +who said, 'Do not weep any longer but follow my directions. Go into +your garden and lift up the little marble slab at the foot of the great +myrtle tree. You will find beneath it a crystal vase filled with a +bright green liquid. Take it with you and place the thing which is at +present most in your thoughts into a bath filled with roses and rub it +well with the green liquid.' + +At these words the sleeper awoke, and lost no time in rising and +hurrying to the garden, where she found all as the Good Queen had +described. Then she hastened to rouse her daughter and together they +prepared the bath, for they would not let their women know what they +were about. Zayda gathered quantities of roses, and when all was ready +they put the monkey into a large jasper bath, where the mother rubbed +him all over with the green liquid. + +Their suspense was not long, for suddenly the monkey skin dropped off, +and there stood Prince Alphege, the handsomest and most charming of +men. The joy of such a meeting was beyond words. After a time the ladies +begged the Prince to relate his adventures, and he told them of all his +sufferings in the desert when he was first transformed. His only comfort +had been in visits from the Good Queen, who had at length put him in the +way of meeting his brother. + +Several days were spent in these interesting conversations, but at +length Zayda's mother began to think of the best means for placing the +Prince on the throne, which was his by right. + +The Queen on her side was feeling very anxious. She had felt sure from +the first that her son's pet monkey was no other than Prince Alphege, +and she longed to put an end to him. Her suspicions were confirmed by +the Fairy of the Mountain, and she hastened in tears to the King, her +son. + +'I am informed,' she cried, 'that some ill-disposed people have raised +up an impostor in the hopes of dethroning you. You must at once have him +put to death.' + +The King, who was very brave, assured the Queen that he would soon +punish the conspirators. He made careful inquiries into the matter, and +thought it hardly probable that a quiet widow and a young girl would +think of attempting anything of the nature of a revolution. + +He determined to go and see them, and to find out the truth for himself; +so one night, without saying anything to the Queen or his ministers, he +set out for the palace where the two ladies lived, attended only by a +small band of followers. + +The two ladies were at the moment deep in conversation with Prince +Alphege, and hearing a knocking so late at night begged him to keep out +of sight for a time. What was their surprise when the door was opened to +see the King and his suite. + +'I know,' said the King, 'that you are plotting against my crown and +person, and I have come to have an explanation with you.' + +As she was about to answer Prince Alphege, who had heard all, came +forward and said, 'It is from me you must ask an explanation, brother.' +He spoke with such grace and dignity that everyone gazed at him with +mute surprise. + +At length the King, recovering from his astonishment at recognising the +brother who had been lost some years before, exclaimed, 'Yes, you are +indeed my brother, and now that I have found you, take the throne to +which I have no longer a right.' So saying, he respectfully kissed the +Prince's hand. + +Alphege threw himself into his arms, and the brothers hastened to the +royal palace, where in the presence of the entire court he received +the crown from his brother's hand. To clear away any possible doubt, he +showed the ruby which the Good Queen had given him in his childhood. As +they were gazing at it, it suddenly split with a loud noise, and at the +same moment the Wicked Queen expired. + +King Alphege lost no time in marrying his dear and lovely Zayda, and +his joy was complete when the Good Queen appeared at his wedding. She +assured him that the Fairy of the Mountain had henceforth lost all +power over him, and after spending some time with the young couple, +and bestowing the most costly presents on them, she retired to her own +country. + +King Alphege insisted on his brother sharing his throne, and they all +lived to a good old age, universally beloved and admired. + + + + + FAIRER-THAN-A-FAIRY + +Once there lived a King who had no children for many years after his +marriage. At length heaven granted him a daughter of such remarkable +beauty that he could think of no name so appropriate for her as +'Fairer-than-a-Fairy.' + +It never occurred to the good-natured monarch that such a name was +certain to call down the hatred and jealousy of the fairies in a body on +the child, but this was what happened. No sooner had they heard of this +presumptuous name than they resolved to gain possession of her who bore +it, and either to torment her cruelly, or at least to conceal her from +the eyes of all men. + +The eldest of their tribe was entrusted to carry out their revenge. This +Fairy was named Lagree; she was so old that she only had one eye and one +tooth left, and even these poor remains she had to keep all night in a +strengthening liquid. She was also so spiteful that she gladly devoted +all her time to carrying out all the mean or ill-natured tricks of the +whole body of fairies. + +With her large experience, added to her native spite, she found but +little difficulty in carrying off Fairer-than-a-Fairy. The poor child, +who was only seven years old, nearly died of fear on finding herself +in the power of this hideous creature. However, when after an hour's +journey underground she found herself in a splendid palace with lovely +gardens, she felt a little reassured, and was further cheered when she +discovered that her pet cat and dog had followed her. + +The old Fairy led her to a pretty room which she said should be hers, at +the same time giving her the strictest orders never to let out the fire +which was burning brightly in the grate. She then gave two glass bottles +into the Princess's charge, desiring her to take the greatest care of +them, and having enforced her orders with the most awful threats in case +of disobedience, she vanished, leaving the little girl at liberty to +explore the palace and grounds and a good deal relieved at having only +two apparently easy tasks set her. + +Several years passed, during which time the Princess grew accustomed to +her lonely life, obeyed the Fairy's orders, and by degrees forgot all +about the court of the King her father. + +One day, whilst passing near a fountain in the garden, she noticed +that the sun's rays fell on the water in such a manner as to produce +a brilliant rainbow. She stood still to admire it, when, to her great +surprise, she heard a voice addressing her which seemed to come from the +centre of its rays. The voice was that of a young man, and its sweetness +of tone and the agreeable things it uttered, led one to infer that its +owner must be equally charming; but this had to be a mere matter of +fancy, for no one was visible. + +The beautiful Rainbow informed Fairer-than-a-Fairy that he was young, +the son of a powerful king, and that the Fairy, Lagree, who owed his +parents a grudge, had revenged herself by depriving him of his natural +shape for some years; that she had imprisoned him in the palace, where +he had found his confinement hard to bear for some time, but now, he +owned, he no longer sighed for freedom since he had seen and learned to +love Fairer-than-a-Fairy. + +He added many other tender speeches to this declaration, and the +Princess, to whom such remarks were a new experience, could not help +feeling pleased and touched by his attentions. + +The Prince could only appear or speak under the form of a Rainbow, and +it was therefore necessary that the sun should shine on water so as to +enable the rays to form themselves. + +Fairer-than-a-Fairy lost no moment in which she could meet her lover, +and they enjoyed many long and interesting interviews. One day, however, +their conversation became so absorbing and time passed so quickly that +the Princess forgot to attend to the fire, and it went out. Lagree, on +her return, soon found out the neglect, and seemed only too pleased to +have the opportunity of showing her spite to her lovely prisoner. She +ordered Fairer-than-a-Fairy to start next day at dawn to ask Locrinos +for fire with which to relight the one she had allowed to go out. + +Now this Locrinos was a cruel monster who devoured everyone he came +across, and especially enjoyed a chance of catching and eating any young +girls. Our heroine obeyed with great sweetness, and without having been +able to take leave of her lover she set off to go to Locrinos as to +certain death. As she was crossing a wood a bird sang to her to pick up +a shining pebble which she would find in a fountain close by, and to use +it when needed. She took the bird's advice, and in due time arrived at +the house of Locrinos. Luckily she only found his wife at home, who was +much struck by the Princess's youth and beauty and sweet gentle manners, +and still further impressed by the present of the shining pebble. + +She readily let Fairer-than-a-Fairy have the fire, and in return for +the stone she gave her another, which, she said, might prove useful some +day. Then she sent her away without doing her any harm. + +Lagree was as much surprised as displeased at the happy result of this +expedition, and Fairer-than-a Fairy waited anxiously for an opportunity +of meeting Prince Rainbow and telling him her adventures. She found, +however, that he had already been told all about them by a Fairy who +protected him, and to whom he was related. + +The dread of fresh dangers to his beloved Princess made him devise +some more convenient way of meeting than by the garden fountain, and +Fairer-than-a-Fairy carried out his plan daily with entire success. +Every morning she placed a large basin full of water on her window-sill, +and as soon as the sun's rays fell on the water the Rainbow appeared +as clearly as it had ever done in the fountain. By this means they were +able to meet without losing sight of the fire or of the two bottles in +which the old Fairy kept her eye and her tooth at night, and for some +time the lovers enjoyed every hour of sunshine together. + +One day Prince Rainbow appeared in the depths of woe. He had just heard +that he was to be banished from this lovely spot, but he had no idea +where he was to go. The poor young couple were in despair, and only +parted with the last ray of sunshine, and in hopes of meeting next +morning. Alas! next day was dark and gloomy, and it was only late in the +afternoon that the sun broke through the clouds for a few minutes. + +Fairer-than-a-Fairy eagerly ran to the window, but in her haste she +upset the basin, and spilt all the water with which she had carefully +filled it overnight. No other water was at hand except that in the two +bottles. It was the only chance of seeing her lover before they were +separated, and she did not hesitate to break the bottle and pour their +contents into the basin, when the Rainbow appeared at once. Their +farewells were full of tenderness; the Prince made the most ardent and +sincere protestations, and promised to neglect nothing which might help +to deliver his dear Fairer-than-a-Fairy from her captivity, and implored +her to consent to their marriage as soon as they should both be free. +The Princess, on her side, vowed to have no other husband, and declared +herself willing to brave death itself in order to rejoin him. + +They were not allowed much time for their adieus; the Rainbow vanished, +and the Princess, resolved to run all risks, started off at once, taking +nothing with her but her dog, her cat, a sprig of myrtle, and the stone +which the wife of Locrinos gave her. + +When Lagree became aware of her prisoner's flight she was furious, and +set off at full speed in pursuit. She overtook her just as the poor +girl, overcome by fatigue, had lain down to rest in a cave which the +stone had formed itself into to shelter her. The little dog who was +watching her mistress promptly flew at Lagree and bit her so severely +that she stumbled against a corner of the cave and broke off her only +tooth. Before she had recovered from the pain and rage this caused her, +the Princess had time to escape, and was some way on her road. Fear gave +her strength for some time, but at last she could go no further, and +sank down to rest. As she did so, the sprig of myrtle she carried +touched the ground, and immediately a green and shady bower sprang up +round her, in which she hoped to sleep in peace. + +But Lagree had not given up her pursuit, and arrived just as +Fairer-than-a-Fairy had fallen fast asleep. This time she made sure of +catching her victim, but the cat spied her out, and, springing from one +of the boughs of the arbour she flew at Lagree's face and tore out her +only eye, thus delivering the Princess for ever from her persecutor. + +One might have thought that all would now be well, but no sooner had +Lagree been put to fight than our heroine was overwhelmed with hunger +and thirst. She felt as though she should certainly expire, and it was +with some difficulty that she dragged herself as far as a pretty little +green and white house, which stood at no great distance. Here she was +received by a beautiful lady dressed in green and white to match the +house, which apparently belonged to her, and of which she seemed the +only inhabitant. + +She greeted the fainting Princess most kindly, gave her an excellent +supper, and after a long night's rest in a delightful bed told her that +after many troubles she should finally attain her desire. + +As the green and white lady took leave of the Princess she gave her a +nut, desiring her only to open it in the most urgent need. + +After a long and tiring journey Fairer-than-a-Fairy was once more +received in a house, and by a lady exactly like the one she had quitted. +Here again she received a present with the same injunctions, but instead +of a nut this lady gave her a golden pomegranate. The mournful Princess +had to continue her weary way, and after many troubles and hardships she +again found rest and shelter in a third house exactly similar to the two +others. + +These houses belonged to three sisters, all endowed with fairy gifts, +and all so alike in mind and person that they wished their houses and +garments to be equally alike. Their occupation consisted in helping +those in misfortune, and they were as gentle and benevolent as Lagree +had been cruel and spiteful. + +The third Fairy comforted the poor traveller, begged her not to lose +heart, and assured her that her troubles should be rewarded. + +She accompanied her advice by the gift of a crystal smelling-bottle, +with strict orders only to open it in case of urgent need. +Fairer-than-a-Fairy thanked her warmly, and resumed her way cheered by +pleasant thoughts. + +After a time her road led through a wood, full of soft airs and sweet +odours, and before she had gone a hundred yards she saw a wonderful +silver Castle suspended by strong silver chains to four of the +largest trees. It was so perfectly hung that a gentle breeze rocked it +sufficiently to send you pleasantly to sleep. + +Fairer-than-a-Fairy felt a strong desire to enter this Castle, but +besides being hung a little above the ground there seemed to be neither +doors nor windows. She had no doubt (though really I cannot think why) +that the moment had come in which to use the nut which had been given +her. She opened it, and out came a diminutive hall porter at whose belt +hung a tiny chain, at the end of which was a golden key half as long as +the smallest pin you ever saw. + +The Princess climbed up one of the silver chains, holding in her hand +the little porter who, in spite of his minute size, opened a secret door +with his golden key and let her in. She entered a magnificent room which +appeared to occupy the entire Castle, and which was lighted by gold and +jewelled stars in the ceiling. In the midst of this room stood a couch, +draped with curtains of all the colours of the rainbow, and suspended by +golden cords so that it swayed with the Castle in a manner which rocked +its occupant delightfully to sleep. + +On this elegant couch lay Prince Rainbow, looking more beautiful than +ever, and sunk in profound slumber, in which he had been held ever since +his disappearance. + +Fairy-than-a-Fairy, who now saw him for the first time in his real +shape, hardly dared to gaze at him, fearing lest his appearance might +not be in keeping with the voice and language which had won her heart. +At the same time she could not help feeling rather hurt at the apparent +indifference with which she was received. + +She related all the dangers and difficulties she had gone through, and +though she repeated the story twenty times in a loud clear voice, the +Prince slept on and took no heed. She then had recourse to the golden +pomegranate, and on opening it found that all the seeds were as many +little violins which flew up in the vaulted roof and at once began +playing melodiously. + +The Prince was not completely roused, but he opened his eyes a little +and looked all the handsomer. + +Impatient at not being recognised, Fairer-than-a-Fairy now drew out her +third present, and on opening the crystal scent-bottle a little syren +flew out, who silenced the violins and then sang close to the Prince's +ear the story of all his lady love had suffered in her search for him. +She added some gentle reproaches to her tale, but before she had got +far he was wide awake, and transported with joy threw himself at the +Princess's feet. At the same moment the walls of the room expanded and +opened out, revealing a golden throne covered with jewels. A magnificent +Court now began to assemble, and at the same time several elegant +carriages filled with ladies in magnificent dresses drove up. In the +first and most splendid of these carriages sat Prince Rainbow's mother. +She fondly embraced her son, after which she informed him that his +father had been dead for some years, that the anger of the Fairies was +at length appeased, and that he might return in peace to reign over his +people, who were longing for his presence. + +The Court received the new King with joyful acclamations which would +have delighted him at any other time, but all his thoughts were full of +Fairer-than-a-Fairy. He was just about to present her to his mother and +the Court, feeling sure that her charms would win all hearts, when the +three green and white sisters appeared. + +They declared the secret of Fairy-than-a-Fairy's royal birth, and the +Queen taking the two lovers in her carriage set off with them for the +capital of the kingdom. + +Here they were received with tumultuous joy. The wedding was celebrated +without delay, and succeeding years diminished neither the virtues, +beauty, nor the mutual affection of King Rainbow and his Queen, +Fairer-than-a-Fairy. + + + + + THE THREE BROTHERS(17) + +(17) From the Polish. Kletke. + +There was once upon a time a witch, who in the shape of a hawk used +every night to break the windows of a certain village church. In the +same village there lived three brothers, who were all determined to kill +the mischievous hawk. But in vain did the two eldest mount guard in the +church with their guns; as soon as the bird appeared high above their +heads, sleep overpowered them, and they only awoke to hear the windows +crashing in. + +Then the youngest brother took his turn of guarding the windows, and to +prevent his being overcome by sleep he placed a lot of thorns under his +chin, so that if he felt drowsy and nodded his head, they would prick +him and keep him awake. + +The moon was already risen, and it was as light as day, when suddenly he +heard a fearful noise, and at the same time a terrible desire to sleep +overpowered him. + +His eyelids closed, and his head sank on his shoulders, but the thorns +ran into him and were so painful that he awoke at once. He saw the hawk +swooping down upon the church, and in a moment he had seized his gun +and shot at the bird. The hawk fell heavily under a big stone, severely +wounded in its right wing. The youth ran to look at it, and saw that +a huge abyss had opened below the stone. He went at once to fetch his +brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to +the spot. They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the +rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss. At first it was +quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls. +But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting +himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom. Here he found a +lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers. + +In the middle of the meadow stood a huge stone castle, with an iron gate +leading to it, which was wide open. Everything in the castle seemed +to be made of copper, and the only inhabitant he could discover was +a lovely girl, who was combing her golden hair; and he noticed that +whenever one of her hairs fell on the ground it rang out like pure +metal. The youth looked at her more closely, and saw that her skin was +smooth and fair, her blue eyes bright and sparkling, and her hair as +golden as the sun. He fell in love with her on the spot, and kneeling at +her feet, he implored her to become his wife. + +The lovely girl accepted his proposal gladly; but at the same time she +warned him that she could never come up to the world above till her +mother, the old witch, was dead. And she went on to tell him that the +only way in which the old creature could be killed was with the sword +that hung up in the castle; but the sword was so heavy that no one could +lift it. + +Then the youth went into a room in the castle where everything was made +of silver, and here he found another beautiful girl, the sister of his +bride. She was combing her silver hair, and every hair that fell on the +ground rang out like pure metal. The second girl handed him the sword, +but though he tried with all his strength he could not lift it. At last +a third sister came to him and gave him a drop of something to drink, +which she said would give him the needful strength. He drank one drop, +but still he could not lift the sword; then he drank a second, and the +sword began to move; but only after he had drunk a third drop was he +able to swing the sword over his head. + +Then he hid himself in the castle and awaited the old witch's arrival. +At last as it was beginning to grow dark she appeared. She swooped down +upon a big apple-tree, and after shaking some golden apples from it, she +pounced down upon the earth. As soon as her feet touched the ground she +became transformed from a hawk into a woman. This was the moment the +youth was waiting for, and he swung his mighty sword in the air with all +his strength and the witch's head fell off, and her blood spurted up on +the walls. + +Without fear of any further danger, he packed up all the treasures of +the castle into great chests, and gave his brothers a signal to pull +them up out of the abyss. First the treasures were attached to the rope +and then the three lovely girls. And now everything was up above and +only he himself remained below. But as he was a little suspicious of his +brothers, he fastened a heavy stone on to the rope and let them pull it +up. At first they heaved with a will, but when the stone was half way +up they let it drop suddenly, and it fell to the bottom broken into a +hundred pieces. + +'So that's what would have happened to my bones had I trusted myself to +them,' said the youth sadly; and he began to cry bitterly, not because +of the treasures, but because of the lovely girl with her swanlike neck +and golden hair. + +For a long time he wandered sadly all through the beautiful underworld, +and one day he met a magician who asked him the cause of his tears. The +youth told him all that had befallen him, and the magician said: + +'Do not grieve, young man! If you will guard the children who are hidden +in the golden apple-tree, I will bring you at once up to the earth. +Another magician who lives in this land always eats my children up. It +is in vain that I have hidden them under the earth and locked them into +the castle. Now I have hidden them in the apple-tree; hide yourself +there too, and at midnight you will see my enemy.' + +The youth climbed up the tree, and picked some of the beautiful golden +apples, which he ate for his supper. + +At midnight the wind began to rise, and a rustling sound was heard at +the foot of the tree. The youth looked down and beheld a long thick +serpent beginning to crawl up the tree. It wound itself round the stem +and gradually got higher and higher. It stretched its huge head, in +which the eyes glittered fiercely, among the branches, searching for the +nest in which the little children lay. They trembled with terror when +they saw the hideous creature, and hid themselves beneath the leaves. + +Then the youth swung his mighty sword in the air, and with one blow cut +off the serpent's head. He cut up the rest of the body into little bits +and strewed them to the four winds. + +The father of the rescued children was so delighted over the death of +his enemy that he told the youth to get on his back, and in this way he +carried him up to the world above. + +With what joy did he hurry now to his brothers' house! He burst into a +room where they were all assembled, but no one knew who he was. Only his +bride, who was serving as cook to her sisters, recognised her lover at +once. + +His brothers, who had quite believed he was dead, yielded him up his +treasures at once, and flew into the woods in terror. But the good youth +forgave them all they had done, and divided his treasures with them. +Then he built himself a big castle with golden windows, and there he +lived happily with his golden-haired wife till the end of their lives. + + + + + THE BOY AND THE WOLVES, OR THE BROKEN PROMISE(18) + +(18) A North American Indian story. + +Once upon a time an Indian hunter built himself a house in the middle +of a great forest, far away from all his tribe; for his heart was gentle +and kind, and he was weary of the treachery and cruel deeds of those +who had been his friends. So he left them, and took his wife and three +children, and they journeyed on until they found a spot near to a clear +stream, where they began to cut down trees, and to make ready their +wigwam. For many years they lived peacefully and happily in this +sheltered place, never leaving it except to hunt the wild animals, which +served them both for food and clothes. At last, however, the strong man +felt sick, and before long he knew he must die. + +So he gathered his family round him, and said his last words to them. +'You, my wife, the companion of my days, will follow me ere many moons +have waned to the island of the blest. But for you, O my children, whose +lives are but newly begun, the wickedness, unkindness, and ingratitude +from which I fled are before you. Yet I shall go hence in peace, my +children, if you will promise always to love each other, and never to +forsake your youngest brother. + +'Never!' they replied, holding out their hands. And the hunter died +content. + +Scarcely eight moons had passed when, just as he had said, the wife went +forth, and followed her husband; but before leaving her children she +bade the two elder ones think of their promise never to forsake the +younger, for he was a child, and weak. And while the snow lay thick upon +the ground, they tended him and cherished him; but when the earth showed +green again, the heart of the young man stirred within him, and he +longed to see the wigwams of the village where his father's youth was +spent. + +Therefore he opened all his heart to his sister, who answered: 'My +brother, I understand your longing for our fellow-men, whom here we +cannot see. But remember our father's words. Shall we not seek our own +pleasures, and forget the little one?' + +But he would not listen, and, making no reply, he took his bow and +arrows and left the hut. The snows fell and melted, yet he never +returned; and at last the heart of the girl grew cold and hard, and her +little boy became a burden in her eyes, till one day she spoke thus to +him: 'See, there is food for many days to come. Stay here within the +shelter of the hut. I go to seek our brother, and when I have found him +I shall return hither.' + +But when, after hard journeying, she reached the village where her +brother dwelt, and saw that he had a wife and was happy, and when she, +too, was sought by a young brave, then she also forgot the boy alone in +the forest, and thought only of her husband. + +Now as soon as the little boy had eaten all the food which his sister +had left him, he went out into the woods, and gathered berries and dug +up roots, and while the sun shone he was contented and had his fill. But +when the snows began and the wind howled, then his stomach felt empty +and his limbs cold, and he hid in trees all the night, and only crept +out to eat what the wolves had left behind. And by-and-by, having no +other friends, he sought their company, and sat by while they devoured +their prey, and they grew to know him, and gave him food. And without +them he would have died in the snow. + +But at last the snows melted, and the ice upon the great lake, and +as the wolves went down to the shore, the boy went after them. And it +happened one day that his big brother was fishing in his canoe near the +shore, and he heard the voice of a child singing in the Indian tone-- + + 'My brother, my brother! + I am becoming a wolf, + I am becoming a wolf!' + +And when he had so sung he howled as wolves howl. Then the heart of +the elder sunk, and he hastened towards him, crying, 'Brother, little +brother, come to me;' but he, being half a wolf, only continued his +song. And the louder the elder called him, 'Brother, little brother, +come to me,' the swifter he fled after his brothers the wolves, and +the heavier grew his skin, till, with a long howl, he vanished into the +depths of the forest. + +So, with shame and anguish in his soul, the elder brother went back to +his village, and, with his sister, mourned the little boy and the broken +promise till the end of his life. + + + + + THE GLASS AXE(19) + +(19) From the Hungarian. Kletke. + +There was once upon a time a King and Queen who had everything they +could possibly wish for in this world except a child. At last, after +twelve years, the Queen gave birth to a son; but she did not live long +to enjoy her happiness, for on the following day she died. But before +her death she called her husband to her and said, 'Never let the child +put his feet on the ground, for as soon as he does so he will fall into +the power of a wicked Fairy, who will do him much harm.' And these were +the last words the poor Queen spoke. + +The boy throve and grew big, and when he was too heavy for his nurse +to carry, a chair was made for him on little wheels, in which he could +wander through the palace gardens without help; at other times he was +carried about on a litter, and he was always carefully watched and +guarded for fear he should at any time put his feet to the ground. + +But as this sort of life was bad for his health, the doctors ordered him +horse exercise, and he soon became a first-rate rider, and used to go +out for long excursions on horseback, accompanied always by his father's +stud-groom and a numerous retinue. + +Every day he rode through the neighbouring fields and woods, and always +returned home in the evening safe and well. In this way many years +passed, and the Prince grew to manhood, and hardly anyone remembered the +Queen's warning, though precautions were still taken, more from use and +wont than for any other reason. + +One day the Prince and his suite went out for a ride in a wood where his +father sometimes held a hunt. Their way led through a stream whose banks +were overgrown with thick brushwood. Just as the horsemen were about +to ford the river, a hare, startled by the sound of the horses' hoofs, +started up from the grass and ran towards the thicket. The young Prince +pursued the little creature, and had almost overtaken it, when the girth +of his saddle suddenly broke in two and he fell heavily to the ground. +No sooner had his foot touched the earth than he disappeared before the +eyes of the horrified courtiers. + +They sought for him far and near, but all in vain, and they were forced +to recognise the power of the evil Fairy, against which the Queen had +warned them on her death-bed. The old King was much grieved when they +brought him the news of his son's disappearance, but as he could do +nothing to free him from his fate, he gave himself up to an old age of +grief and loneliness, cherishing at the same time the hope that some +lucky chance might one day deliver the youth out of the hands of his +enemy. + +Hardly had the Prince touched the ground than he felt himself violently +seized by an unseen power, and hurried away he knew not whither. A whole +new world stretched out before him, quite unlike the one he had left. +A splendid castle surrounded by a huge lake was the abode of the Fairy, +and the only approach to it was over a bridge of clouds. On the other +side of the lake high mountains rose up, and dark woods stretched +along the banks; over all hung a thick mist, and deep silence reigned +everywhere. + +No sooner had the Fairy reached her own domain than she made herself +visible, and turning to the Prince she told him that unless he obeyed +all her commands down to the minutest detail he would be severely +punished. Then she gave him an axe made of glass, and bade him cross the +bridge of clouds and go into the wood beyond and cut down all the trees +there before sunset. At the same time she cautioned him with many angry +words against speaking to a black girl he would most likely meet in the +wood. + +The Prince listened to her words meekly, and when she had finished took +up the glass axe and set out for the forest. At every step he seemed to +sink into the clouds, but fear gave wings to his feet, and he crossed +the lake in safety and set to work at once. + +But no sooner had he struck the first blow with his axe than it broke +into a thousand pieces against the tree. The poor youth was so terrified +he did not know what to do, for he was in mortal dread of the punishment +the wicked old Fairy would inflict on him. He wandered to and fro in the +wood, not knowing where he was going, and at last, worn out by fatigue +and misery, he sank on the ground and fell fast asleep. + +He did not know how long he had slept when a sudden sound awoke him, and +opening his eyes he saw a black girl standing beside him. Mindful of +the Fairy's warning he did not dare to address her, but she on her part +greeted him in the most friendly manner, and asked him at once if he +were under the power of the wicked Fairy. The Prince nodded his head +silently in answer. + +Then the black girl told him that she too was in the power of the Fairy, +who had doomed her to wander about in her present guise until some youth +should take pity on her and bear her in safety to the other side of the +river which they saw in the distance, and on the other side of which the +Fairy's domain and power ended. + +The girl's words so inspired the Prince with confidence that he told her +all his tale of woe, and ended up by asking her advice as to how he was +to escape the punishment the Fairy would be sure to inflict on him when +she discovered that he had not cut down the trees in the wood and that +he had broken her axe. + +'You must know,' answered the black girl, 'that the Fairy in whose power +we both are is my own mother, but you must not betray this secret, for +it would cost me my life. If you will only promise to try and free me +I will stand by you, and will accomplish for you all the tasks which my +mother sets you.' + +The Prince promised joyfully all she asked; then having once more warned +him not to betray her confidence, she handed him a draught to drink +which very soon sunk his senses in a deep slumber. + +His astonishment was great when he awoke to find the glass axe whole and +unbroken at his side, and all the trees of the wood lying felled around +him! + +He made all haste across the bridge of clouds, and told the Fairy that +her commands were obeyed. She was much amazed when she heard that all +the wood was cut down, and saw the axe unbroken in his hand, and +since she could not believe that he had done all this by himself, she +questioned him narrowly if he had seen or spoken to the black girl. But +the Prince lied manfully, and swore he had never looked up from his work +for a moment. Seeing she could get nothing more out of him, she gave him +a little bread and water, and showing him to a small dark cupboard she +told him he might sleep there. + +Morning had hardly dawned when the Fairy awoke the Prince, and giving +him the glass axe again she told him to cut up all the wood he had +felled the day before, and to put it in bundles ready for firewood; at +the same time she warned him once more against approaching or speaking a +word to the black girl if he met her in the wood. + +Although his task was no easier than that of the day before, the youth +set out much more cheerfully, because he knew he could count an the help +of the black girl. With quicker and lighter step he crossed the bridge +of clouds, and hardly had he reached the other side than his friend +stood before him and greeted him cheerfully. When she heard what the +Fairy demanded this time, she answered smilingly, 'Never fear,' and +handed him another draught, which very soon caused the Prince to sink +into a deep sleep. + +When he awoke everything, was done. All the trees of the wood were cut +up into firewood and arranged in bundles ready for use. + +He returned to the castle as quickly as he could, and told the Fairy +that her commands were obeyed. She was even more amazed than she had +been before, and asked him again if he had either seen or spoken to the +black girl; but the Prince knew better than to betray his word, and once +more lied freely. + +On the following day the Fairy set him a third task to do, even harder +than the other two. She told him he must build a castle on the other +side of the lake, made of nothing but gold, silver, and precious stones, +and unless he could accomplish this within an hour, the most frightful +doom awaited him. + +The Prince heard her words without anxiety, so entirely did he rely on +the help of his black friend. Full of hope he hurried across the bridge, +and recognised at once the spot where the castle was to stand, for +spades, hammers, axes, and every other building implement lay scattered +on the ground ready for the workman's hand, but of gold, silver, and +precious stones there was not a sign. But before the Prince had time +to feel despondent the black girl beckoned to him in the distance from +behind a rock, where she had hidden herself for fear her mother should +catch sight of her. Full of joy the youth hurried towards her, and +begged her aid and counsel in the new piece of work he had been given to +do. + +But this time the Fairy had watched the Prince's movements from +her window, and she saw him hiding himself behind the rock with her +daughter. She uttered a piercing shriek so that the mountains re-echoed +with the sound of it, and the terrified pair had hardly dared to look +out from their hiding-place when the enraged woman, with her dress and +hair flying in the wind, hurried over the bridge of clouds. The Prince +at once gave himself up for lost, but the girl told him to be of good +courage and to follow her as quickly as he could. But before they left +their shelter she broke off a little bit of the rock, spoke some magic +words over it, and threw it in the direction her mother was coming from. +In a moment a glittering palace arose before the eyes of the Fairy which +blinded her with its dazzling splendour, and with its many doors and +passages prevented her for some time from finding her way out of it. + +In the meantime the black girl hurried on with the Prince, hastening to +reach the river, where once on the other side they would for ever be out +of the wicked Fairy's power. But before they had accomplished half the +way they heard again the rustle of her garments and her muttered curses +pursuing them closely. + +The Prince was terrified; he dared not look back, and he felt his +strength giving way. But before he had time to despair the girl uttered +some more magic words, and immediately she herself was changed into a +pond, and the Prince into a duck swimming on its surface. + +When the Fairy saw this her rage knew no bounds, and she used all her +magic wits to make the pond disappear; she caused a hill of sand to +arise at her feet, meaning it to dry up the water at once. But the sand +hill only drove the pond a little farther away, and its waters seemed to +increase instead of diminishing. When the old woman saw that the powers +of her magic were of so little avail, she had recourse to cunning. She +threw a lot of gold nuts into the pond, hoping in this way to catch +the duck, but all her efforts were fruitless, for the little creature +refused to let itself be caught. + +Then a new idea struck the wicked old woman, and hiding herself behind +the rock which had sheltered the fugitives, she waited behind it, +watching carefully for the moment when the Prince and her daughter +should resume their natural forms and continue their journey. + +She had not to wait long, for as soon as the girl thought her mother was +safely out of the way, she changed herself and the Prince once more into +their human shape, and set out cheerfully for the river. + +But they had not gone many steps when the wicked Fairy hurried after +them, a drawn dagger in her hand, and was close upon them, when +suddenly, instead of the Prince and her daughter, she found herself in +front of a great stone church, whose entrance was carefully guarded by a +huge monk. + +Breathless with rage and passion, she tried to plunge her dagger into +the monk's heart, but it fell shattered in pieces at her feet. In her +desperation she determined to pull down the church, and thus to destroy +her two victims for ever. She stamped three times on the ground, and the +earth trembled, and both the church and the monk began to shake. As soon +as the Fairy saw this she retreated to some distance from the building, +so as not to be hurt herself by its fall. But once more her scheme was +doomed to failure, for hardly had she gone a yard from the church than +both it and the monk disappeared, and she found herself in a wood black +as night, and full of wolves and bears and wild animals of all sorts and +descriptions. + +Then her wrath gave place to terror, for she feared every moment to be +torn in pieces by the beasts who one and all seemed to defy her power. +She thought it wisest to make her way as best she could out of the +forest, and then to pursue the fugitives once more and accomplish their +destruction either by force or cunning. + +In the meantime the Prince and the black girl had again assumed their +natural forms, and were hurrying on as fast as they could to reach the +river. But when they got there they found that there was no way in which +they could cross it, and the girl's magic art seemed no longer to +have any power. Then turning to the Prince she said, 'The hour for my +deliverance has not yet come, but as you promised to do all you could to +free me, you must do exactly as I bid you now. Take this bow and arrow +and kill every beast you see with them, and be sure you spare no living +creature.' + +With these words she disappeared, and hardly had she done so than a +huge wild boar started out of the thicket near and made straight for the +Prince. But the youth did not lose his presence of mind, and drawing +his bow he pierced the beast with his arrow right through the skull. The +creature fell heavily on the ground, and out of its side sprang a little +hare, which ran like the wind along the river bank. The Prince drew his +bow once more, and the hare lay dead at his feet; but at the same moment +a dove rose up in the air, and circled round the Prince's head in the +most confiding manner. But mindful of the black girl's commands, he +dared not spare the little creature's life, and taking another arrow +from his quiver he laid it as dead as the boar and the hare. But when +he went to look at the body of the bird he found instead of the dove a +round white egg lying on the ground. + +While he was gazing on it and wondering what it could mean, he heard the +sweeping of wings above him, and looking up he saw a huge vulture with +open claws swooping down upon him. In a moment he seized the egg and +flung it at the bird with all his might, and lo and behold! instead of +the ugly monster the most beautiful girl he had ever seen stood before +the astonished eyes of the Prince. + +But while all this was going on the wicked old Fairy had managed to +make her way out of the wood, and was now using the last resource in her +power to overtake her daughter and the Prince. As soon as she was in the +open again she mounted her chariot, which was drawn by a fiery dragon, +and flew through the air in it. But just as she got to the river she saw +the two lovers in each other's arms swimming through the water as easily +as two fishes. + +Quick as lightning, and forgetful of every danger, she flew down upon +them. But the waters seized her chariot and sunk it in the lowest +depths, and the waves bore the wicked old woman down the stream till she +was caught in some thorn bushes, where she made a good meal for all the +little fishes that were swimming about. + +And so at last the Prince and his lovely Bride were free. They hurried +as quickly as they could to the old King, who received them with joy and +gladness. On the following day a most gorgeous wedding feast was held, +and as far as we know the Prince and his bride lived happily for ever +afterwards. + + + + +THE DEAD WIFE(20) + +(20) From the Iroquois. + +Once upon a time there were a man and his wife who lived in the forest, +very far from the rest of the tribe. Very often they spent the day in +hunting together, but after a while the wife found that she had so many +things to do that she was obliged to stay at home; so he went alone, +though he found that when his wife was not with him he never had any +luck. One day, when he was away hunting, the woman fell ill, and in a +few days she died. + +Her husband grieved bitterly, and buried her in the house where she had +passed her life; but as the time went on he felt so lonely without her +that he made a wooden doll about her height and size for company, and +dressed it in her clothes. He seated it in front of the fire, and tried +to think he had his wife back again. The next day he went out to hunt, +and when he came home the first thing he did was to go up to the doll +and brush off some of the ashes from the fire which had fallen on its +face. But he was very busy now, for he had to cook and mend, besides +getting food, for there was no one to help him. And so a whole year +passed away. + +At the end of that time he came back from hunting one night and found +some wood by the door and a fire within. The next night there was not +only wood and fire, but a piece of meat in the kettle, nearly ready for +eating. He searched all about to see who could have done this, but could +find no one. The next time he went to hunt he took care not to go far, +and came in quite early. And while he was still a long way off he saw a +woman going into the house with wood on her shoulders. So he made haste, +and opened the door quickly, and instead of the wooden doll, his wife +sat in front of the fire. + +Then she spoke to him and said, 'The Great Spirit felt sorry for you, +because you would not be comforted, so he let me come back to you, but +you must not stretch out your hand to touch me till we have seen the +rest of our people. If you do, I shall die.' + +So the man listened to her words, and the woman dwelt there, and brought +the wood and kindled the fire, till one day her husband said to her, 'It +is now two years since you died. Let us now go back to our tribe. Then +you will be well, and I can touch you.' + +And with that he prepared food for the journey, a string of deer's flesh +for her to carry, and one for himself; and so they started. Now the camp +of the tribe was distant six days' journey, and when they were yet one +day's journey off it began to snow, and they felt weary and longed for +rest. Therefore they made a fire, cooked some food, and spread out their +skins to sleep. + +Then the heart of the man was greatly stirred, and he stretched out his +arms to his wife, but she waved her hands and said, 'We have seen no one +yet; it is too soon.' + +But he would not listen to her, and caught her to him, and behold! he +was clasping the wooden doll. And when he saw it was the doll he pushed +it from him in his misery and rushed away to the camp, and told them all +his story. And some doubted, and they went back with him to the place +where he and his wife had stopped to rest, and there lay the doll, and +besides, they saw in the snow the steps of two people, and the foot of +one was like the foot of the doll. And the man grieved sore all the days +of his life. + + + + +IN THE LAND OF SOULS (21) + +(21) From the Red Indian. + +Far away, in North America, where the Red Indians dwell, there lived a +long time ago a beautiful maiden, who was lovelier than any other girl +in the whole tribe. Many of the young braves sought her in marriage, but +she would listen to one only--a handsome chief, who had taken her fancy +some years before. So they were to be married, and great rejoicings were +made, and the two looked forward to a long life of happiness together, +when the very night before the wedding feast a sudden illness seized the +girl, and, without a word to her friends who were weeping round her, she +passed silently away. + +The heart of her lover had been set upon her, and the thought of her +remained with him night and day. He put aside his bow, and went neither +to fight nor to hunt, but from sunrise to sunset he sat by the place +where she was laid, thinking of his happiness that was buried there. +At last, after many days, a light seemed to come to him out of the +darkness. He remembered having heard from the old, old people of the +tribe, that there was a path that led to the Land of Souls--that if you +sought carefully you could find it. + +So the next morning he got up early, and put some food in his pouch and +slung an extra skin over his shoulders, for he knew not how long +his journey would take, nor what sort of country he would have to go +through. Only one thing he knew, that if the path was there, he would +find it. At first he was puzzled, as there seemed no reason he should go +in one direction more than another. Then all at once he thought he had +heard one of the old men say that the Land of Souls lay to the south, +and so, filled with new hope and courage, he set his face southwards. +For many, many miles the country looked the same as it did round his own +home. The forests, the hills, and the rivers all seemed exactly like the +ones he had left. The only thing that was different was the snow, which +had lain thick upon the hills and trees when he started, but grew less +and less the farther he went south, till it disappeared altogether. Soon +the trees put forth their buds, and flowers sprang up under his feet, +and instead of thick clouds there was blue sky over his head, and +everywhere the birds were singing. Then he knew that he was in the right +road. + +The thought that he should soon behold his lost bride made his heart +beat for joy, and he sped along lightly and swiftly. Now his way led +through a dark wood, and then over some steep cliffs, and on the top of +these he found a hut or wigwam. An old man clothed in skins, and holding +a staff in his hand, stood in the doorway; and he said to the young +chief who was beginning to tell his story, 'I was waiting for you, +wherefore you have come I know. It is but a short while since she whom +you seek was here. Rest in my hut, as she also rested, and I will tell +you what you ask, and whither you should go.' + +On hearing these words, the young man entered the hut, but his heart was +too eager within him to suffer him to rest, and when he arose, the old +man rose too, and stood with him at the door. 'Look,' he said, 'at the +water which lies far out yonder, and the plains which stretch beyond. +That is the Land of Souls, but no man enters it without leaving his body +behind him. So, lay down your body here; your bow and arrows, your skin +and your dog. They shall be kept for you safely.' + +Then he turned away, and the young chief, light as air, seemed hardly to +touch the ground; and as he flew along the scents grew sweeter and the +flowers more beautiful, while the animals rubbed their noses against +him, instead of hiding as he approached, and birds circled round him, +and fishes lifted up their heads and looked as he went by. Very soon he +noticed with wonder, that neither rocks nor trees barred his path. He +passed through them without knowing it, for indeed, they were not rocks +and trees at all, but only the souls of them; for this was the Land of +Shadows. + +So he went on with winged feet till he came to the shores of a great +lake, with a lovely island in the middle of it; while on the bank of the +lake was a canoe of glittering stone, and in the canoe were two shining +paddles. + +The chief jumped straight into the canoe, and seizing the paddles pushed +off from the shore, when to his joy and wonder he saw following him in +another canoe exactly like his own the maiden for whose sake he had made +this long journey. But they could not touch each other, for between them +rolled great waves, which looked as if they would sink the boats, yet +never did. And the young man and the maiden shrank with fear, for down +in the depths of the water they saw the bones of those who had died +before, and in the waves themselves men and women were struggling, and +but few passed over. Only the children had no fear, and reached the +other side in safety. Still, though the chief and the young girl quailed +in terror at these horrible sights and sounds, no harm came to them, +for their lives had been free from evil, and the Master of Life had said +that no evil should happen unto them. So they reached unhurt the shore +of the Happy Island, and wandered through the flowery fields and by the +banks of rushing streams, and they knew not hunger nor thirst; neither +cold nor heat. The air fed them and the sun warmed them, and they forgot +the dead, for they saw no graves, and the young man's thoughts turned +not to wars, neither to the hunting of animals. And gladly would these +two have walked thus for ever, but in the murmur of the wind he heard +the Master of Life saying to him, 'Return whither you came, for I have +work for you to do, and your people need you, and for many years you +shall rule over them. At the gate my messenger awaits you, and you shall +take again your body which you left behind, and he will show you what +you are to do. Listen to him, and have patience, and in time to come you +shall rejoin her whom you must now leave, for she is accepted, and will +remain ever young and beautiful, as when I called her hence from the +Land of Snows.' + + + + +THE WHITE DUCK + +Once upon a time a great and powerful King married a lovely Princess. No +couple were ever so happy; but before their honeymoon was over they were +forced to part, for the King had to go on a warlike expedition to a far +country, and leave his young wife alone at home. Bitter were the tears +she shed, while her husband sought in vain to soothe her with words of +comfort and counsel, warning her, above all things, never to leave +the castle, to hold no intercourse with strangers, to beware of evil +counsellors, and especially to be on her guard against strange women. +And the Queen promised faithfully to obey her royal lord and master in +these four matters. + +So when the King set out on his expedition she shut herself up with +her ladies in her own apartments, and spent her time in spinning and +weaving, and in thinking of her royal husband. Often she was very sad +and lonely, and it happened that one day while she was seated at the +window, letting salt tears drop on her work, an old woman, a kind, +homely-looking old body, stepped up to the window, and, leaning upon her +crutch, addressed the Queen in friendly, flattering tones, saying: + +'Why are you sad and cast down, fair Queen? You should not mope all day +in your rooms, but should come out into the green garden, and hear the +birds sing with joy among the trees, and see the butterflies fluttering +above the flowers, and hear the bees and insects hum, and watch +the sunbeams chase the dew-drops through the rose-leaves and in the +lily-cups. All the brightness outside would help to drive away your +cares, O Queen.' + +For long the Queen resisted her coaxing words, remembering the promise +she had given the King, her husband; but at last she thought to herself: +After all, what harm would it do if I were to go into the garden for a +short time and enjoy myself among the trees and flowers, and the singing +birds and fluttering butterflies and humming insects, and look at +the dew-drops hiding from the sunbeams in the hearts of the roses and +lilies, and wander about in the sunshine, instead of remaining all +day in this room? For she had no idea that the kind-looking old woman +leaning on her crutch was in reality a wicked witch, who envied the +Queen her good fortune, and was determined to ruin her. And so, in all +ignorance, the Queen followed her out into the garden and listened to +her smooth, flattering words. Now, in the middle of the garden there was +a pond of water, clear as crystal, and the old woman said to the Queen: + +'The day is so warm, and the sun's rays so scorching, that the water in +the pond looks very cool and inviting. Would you not like to bathe in +it, fair Queen?' + +'No, I think not,' answered the Queen; but the next moment she regretted +her words, and thought to herself: Why shouldn't I bathe in that cool, +fresh water? No harm could come of it. And, so saying, she slipped off +her robes and stepped into the water. But scarcely had her tender feet +touched the cool ripples when she felt a great shove on her shoulders, +and the wicked witch had pushed her into the deep water, exclaiming: + +'Swim henceforth, White Duck!' + +And the witch herself assumed the form of the Queen, and decked herself +out in the royal robes, and sat among the Court ladies, awaiting the +King's return. And suddenly the tramp of horses' hoofs was heard, and +the barking of dogs, and the witch hastened forward to meet the royal +carriages, and, throwing her arms round the King's neck, kissed him. +And in his great joy the King did not know that the woman he held in his +arms was not his own dear wife, but a wicked witch. + +In the meantime, outside the palace walls, the poor White Duck swam up +and down the pond; and near it laid three eggs, out of which there came +one morning two little fluffy ducklings and a little ugly drake. And the +White Duck brought the little creatures up, and they paddled after her +in the pond, and caught gold-fish, and hopped upon the bank and waddled +about, ruffling their feathers and saying 'Quack, quack' as they +strutted about on the green banks of the pond. But their mother used to +warn them not to stray too far, telling them that a wicked witch lived +in the castle beyond the garden, adding, 'She has ruined me, and she +will do her best to ruin you.' But the young ones did not listen to +their mother, and, playing about the garden one day, they strayed close +up to the castle windows. The witch at once recognised them by their +smell, and ground her teeth with anger; but she hid her feelings, and, +pretending to be very kind she called them to her and joked with them, +and led them into a beautiful room, where she gave them food to eat, and +showed them a soft cushion on which they might sleep. Then she left them +and went down into the palace kitchens, where she told the servants to +sharpen the knives, and to make a great fire ready, and hang a large +kettleful of water over it. + +In the meantime the two little ducklings had fallen asleep, and the +little drake lay between them, covered up by their wings, to be kept +warm under their feathers. But the little drake could not go to sleep, +and as he lay there wide awake in the night he heard the witch come to +the door and say: + +'Little ones, are you asleep?' + +And the little drake answered for the other two: + + 'We cannot sleep, we wake and weep, + Sharp is the knife, to take our life; + The fire is hot, now boils the pot, + And so we wake, and lie and quake.' + +'They are not asleep yet,' muttered the witch to herself; and she walked +up and down in the passage, and then came back to the door, and said: + +'Little ones, are you asleep?' + +And again the little drake answered for his sisters: + + 'We cannot sleep, we wake and weep, + Sharp is the knife, to take our life; + The fire is hot, now boils the pot, + And so we wake, and lie and quake.' + +'Just the same answer,' muttered the witch; 'I think I'll go in and +see.' So she opened the door gently, and seeing the two little ducklings +sound asleep, she there and then killed them. + +The next morning the White Duck wandered round the pond in a distracted +manner, looking for her little ones; she called and she searched, but +could find no trace of them. And in her heart she had a foreboding that +evil had befallen them, and she fluttered up out of the water and flew +to the palace. And there, laid out on the marble floor of the court, +dead and stone cold, were her three children. The White Duck threw +herself upon them, and, covering up their little bodies with her wings, +she cried: + + 'Quack, quack--my little loves! + Quack, quack--my turtle-doves! + I brought you up with grief and pain, + And now before my eyes you're slain. + + I gave you always of the best; + I kept you warm in my soft nest. + I loved and watched you day and night-- + You were my joy, my one delight.' + + +The King heard the sad complaint of the White Duck, and called to the +witch: 'Wife, what a wonder is this? Listen to that White Duck.' + +But the witch answered, 'My dear husband, what do you mean? There is +nothing wonderful in a duck's quacking. Here, servants! Chase that duck +out of the courtyard.' But though the servants chased and chevied, they +could not get rid of the duck; for she circled round and round, and +always came back to the spot where her children lay, crying: + + 'Quack, quack--my little loves! + Quack, quack--my turtle-doves! + The wicked witch your lives did take-- + The wicked witch, the cunning snake. + First she stole my King away, + Then my children did she slay. + Changed me, from a happy wife, + To a duck for all my life. + Would I were the Queen again; + Would that you had never been slain.' + +And as the King heard her words he began to suspect that he had been +deceived, and he called out to the servants, 'Catch that duck, and bring +it here.' But, though they ran to and fro, the duck always fled past +them, and would not let herself be caught. So the King himself stepped +down amongst them, and instantly the duck fluttered down into his hands. +And as he stroked her wings she was changed into a beautiful woman, and +he recognised his dear wife. And she told him that a bottle would be +found in her nest in the garden, containing some drops from the spring +of healing. And it was brought to her; and the ducklings and little +drake were sprinkled with the water, and from the little dead bodies +three lovely children arose. And the King and Queen were overjoyed when +they saw their children, and they all lived happily together in the +beautiful palace. But the wicked witch was taken by the King's command, +and she came to no good end. + + + + +THE WITCH AND HER SERVANTS(22) + +(22) From the Russian. Kletke. + +Long time ago there lived a King who had three sons; the eldest was +called Szabo, the second Warza, and the youngest Iwanich. + +One beautiful spring morning the King was walking through his +gardens with these three sons, gazing with admiration at the various +fruit-trees, some of which were a mass of blossom, whilst others were +bowed to the ground laden with rich fruit. During their wanderings they +came unperceived on a piece of waste land where three splendid trees +grew. The King looked on them for a moment, and then, shaking his head +sadly, he passed on in silence. + +The sons, who could not understand why he did this, asked him the reason +of his dejection, and the King told them as follows: + +'These three trees, which I cannot see without sorrow, were planted by +me on this spot when I was a youth of twenty. A celebrated magician, who +had given the seed to my father, promised him that they would grow into +the three finest trees the world had ever seen. My father did not live +to see his words come true; but on his death-bed he bade me transplant +them here, and to look after them with the greatest care, which I +accordingly did. At last, after the lapse of five long years, I noticed +some blossoms on the branches, and a few days later the most exquisite +fruit my eyes had ever seen. + +'I gave my head-gardener the strictest orders to watch the trees +carefully, for the magician had warned my father that if one unripe +fruit were plucked from the tree, all the rest would become rotten at +once. When it was quite ripe the fruit would become a golden yellow. + +'Every day I gazed on the lovely fruit, which became gradually more +and more tempting-looking, and it was all I could do not to break the +magician's commands. + +'One night I dreamt that the fruit was perfectly ripe; I ate some of it, +and it was more delicious than anything I had ever tasted in real life. +As soon as I awoke I sent for the gardener and asked him if the fruit on +the three trees had not ripened in the night to perfection. + +'But instead of replying, the gardener threw himself at my feet and +swore that he was innocent. He said that he had watched by the trees all +night, but in spite of it, and as if by magic, the beautiful trees had +been robbed of all their fruit. + +'Grieved as I was over the theft, I did not punish the gardener, of +whose fidelity I was well assured, but I determined to pluck off all the +fruit in the following year before it was ripe, as I had not much belief +in the magician's warning. + +'I carried out my intention, and had all the fruit picked off the tree, +but when I tasted one of the apples it was bitter and unpleasant, and +the next morning the rest of the fruit had all rotted away. + +'After this I had the beautiful fruit of these trees carefully guarded +by my most faithful servants; but every year, on this very night, the +fruit was plucked and stolen by an invisible hand, and next morning not +a single apple remained on the trees. For some time past I have given up +even having the trees watched.' + +When the King had finished his story, Szabo, his eldest son, said to +him: 'Forgive me, father, if I say I think you are mistaken. I am sure +there are many men in your kingdom who could protect these trees from +the cunning arts of a thieving magician; I myself, who as your eldest +son claim the first right to do so, will mount guard over the fruit this +very night.' + +The King consented, and as soon as evening drew on Szabo climbed up on +to one of the trees, determined to protect the fruit even if it cost him +his life. So he kept watch half the night; but a little after midnight +he was overcome by an irresistible drowsiness, and fell fast asleep. +He did not awake till it was bright daylight, and all the fruit on the +trees had vanished. + +The following year Warza, the second brother, tried his luck, but with +the same result. Then it came to the turn of the third and youngest son. + +Iwanich was not the least discouraged by the failure of his elder +brothers, though they were both much older and stronger than he was, +and when night came climbed up the tree as they had done, The moon had +risen, and with her soft light lit up the whole neighbourhood, so that +the observant Prince could distinguish the smallest object distinctly. + +At midnight a gentle west wind shook the tree, and at the same moment +a snow-white swan-like bird sank down gently on his breast. The +Prince hastily seized the bird's wings in his hands, when, lo! to his +astonishment he found he was holding in his arms not a bird but the most +beautiful girl he had ever seen. + +'You need not fear Militza,' said the beautiful girl, looking at the +Prince with friendly eyes. 'An evil magician has not robbed you of your +fruit, but he stole the seed from my mother, and thereby caused her +death. When she was dying she bade me take the fruit, which you have no +right to possess, from the trees every year as soon as it was ripe. +This I would have done to-night too, if you had not seized me with such +force, and so broken the spell I was under.' + +Iwanich, who had been prepared to meet a terrible magician and not a +lovely girl, fell desperately in love with her. They spent the rest of +the night in pleasant conversation, and when Militza wished to go away +he begged her not to leave him. + +'I would gladly stay with you longer,' said Militza, 'but a wicked witch +once cut off a lock of my hair when I was asleep, which has put me in +her power, and if morning were still to find me here she would do me +some harm, and you, too, perhaps.' + +Having said these words, she drew a sparkling diamond ring from her +finger, which she handed to the Prince, saying: 'Keep this ring in +memory of Militza, and think of her sometimes if you never see her +again. But if your love is really true, come and find me in my own +kingdom. I may not show you the way there, but this ring will guide you. + +'If you have love and courage enough to undertake this journey, whenever +you come to a cross-road always look at this diamond before you settle +which way you are going to take. If it sparkles as brightly as ever go +straight on, but if its lustre is dimmed choose another path.' + +Then Militza bent over the Prince and kissed him on his forehead, and +before he had time to say a word she vanished through the branches of +the tree in a little white cloud. + +Morning broke, and the Prince, still full of the wonderful apparition, +left his perch and returned to the palace like one in a dream, without +even knowing if the fruit had been taken or not; for his whole mind was +absorbed by thoughts of Militza and how he was to find her. + +As soon as the head-gardener saw the Prince going towards the palace he +ran to the trees, and when he saw them laden with ripe fruit he hastened +to tell the King the joyful news. The King was beside himself for joy, +and hurried at once to the garden and made the gardener pick him some of +the fruit. He tasted it, and found the apple quite as luscious as it +had been in his dream. He went at once to his son Iwanich, and after +embracing him tenderly and heaping praises on him, he asked him how +he had succeeded in protecting the costly fruit from the power of the +magician. + +This question placed Iwanich in a dilemma. But as he did not want the +real story to be known, he said that about midnight a huge wasp had +flown through the branches, and buzzed incessantly round him. He had +warded it off with his sword, and at dawn, when he was becoming quite +worn out, the wasp had vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. + +The King, who never doubted the truth of this tale, bade his son go to +rest at once and recover from the fatigues of the night; but he himself +went and ordered many feasts to be held in honour of the preservation of +the wonderful fruit. + +The whole capital was in a stir, and everyone shared in the King's joy; +the Prince alone took no part in the festivities. + +While the King was at a banquet, Iwanich took some purses of gold, and +mounting the quickest horse in the royal stable, he sped off like the +wind without a single soul being any the wiser. + +It was only on the next day that they missed him; the King was very +distressed at his disappearance, and sent search-parties all over the +kingdom to look for him, but in vain; and after six months they gave him +up as dead, and in another six months they had forgotten all about him. +But in the meantime the Prince, with the help of his ring, had had a +most successful journey, and no evil had befallen him. + +At the end of three months he came to the entrance of a huge forest, +which looked as if it had never been trodden by human foot before, and +which seemed to stretch out indefinitely. The Prince was about to enter +the wood by a little path he had discovered, when he heard a voice +shouting to him: 'Hold, youth! Whither are you going?' + +Iwanich turned round, and saw a tall, gaunt-looking man, clad in +miserable rags, leaning on a crooked staff and seated at the foot of +an oak tree, which was so much the same colour as himself that it was +little wonder the Prince had ridden past the tree without noticing him. + +'Where else should I be going,' he said, 'than through the wood?' + +'Through the wood?' said the old man in amazement. 'It's easily seen +that you have heard nothing of this forest, that you rush so blindly to +meet your doom. Well, listen to me before you ride any further; let me +tell you that this wood hides in its depths a countless number of the +fiercest tigers, hyenas, wolves, bears, and snakes, and all sorts of +other monsters. If I were to cut you and your horse up into tiny morsels +and throw them to the beasts, there wouldn't be one bit for each hundred +of them. Take my advice, therefore, and if you wish to save your life +follow some other path.' + +The Prince was rather taken aback by the old man's words, and considered +for a minute what he should do; then looking at his ring, and perceiving +that it sparkled as brightly as ever, he called out: 'If this wood held +even more terrible things than it does, I cannot help myself, for I must +go through it.' + +Here he spurred his horse and rode on; but the old beggar screamed so +loudly after him that the Prince turned round and rode back to the oak +tree. + +'I am really sorry for you,' said the beggar, 'but if you are quite +determined to brave the dangers of the forest, let me at least give you +a piece of advice which will help you against these monsters. + +'Take this bagful of bread-crumbs and this live hare. I will make you +a present of them both, as I am anxious to save your life; but you must +leave your horse behind you, for it would stumble over the fallen trees +or get entangled in the briers and thorns. When you have gone about a +hundred yards into the wood the wild beasts will surround you. Then you +must instantly seize your bag, and scatter the bread-crumbs among them. +They will rush to eat them up greedily, and when you have scattered the +last crumb you must lose no time in throwing the hare to them; as soon +as the hare feels itself on the ground it will run away as quickly as +possible, and the wild beasts will turn to pursue it. In this way you +will be able to get through the wood unhurt.' + +Iwanich thanked the old man for his counsel, dismounted from his horse, +and, taking the bag and the hare in his arms, he entered the forest. He +had hardly lost sight of his gaunt grey friend when he heard growls and +snarls in the thicket close to him, and before he had time to think he +found himself surrounded by the most dreadful-looking creatures. On +one side he saw the glittering eye of a cruel tiger, on the other the +gleaming teeth of a great she-wolf; here a huge bear growled fiercely, +and there a horrible snake coiled itself in the grass at his feet. + +But Iwanich did not forget the old man's advice, and quickly put his +hand into the bag and took out as many bread-crumbs as he could hold in +his hand at a time. He threw them to the beasts, but soon the bag grew +lighter and lighter, and the Prince began to feel a little frightened. +And now the last crumb was gone, and the hungry beasts thronged round +him, greedy for fresh prey. Then he seized the hare and threw it to +them. + +No sooner did the little creature feel itself on the ground than it +lay back its ears and flew through the wood like an arrow from a bow, +closely pursued by the wild beasts, and the Prince was left alone. He +looked at his ring, and when he saw that it sparkled as brightly as ever +he went straight on through the forest. + +He hadn't gone very far when he saw a most extraordinary looking man +coming towards him. He was not more than three feet high, his legs +were quite crooked, and all his body was covered with prickles like a +hedgehog. Two lions walked with him, fastened to his side by the two +ends of his long beard. + +He stopped the Prince and asked him in a harsh voice: 'Are you the man +who has just fed my body-guard?' + +Iwanich was so startled that he could hardly reply, but the little man +continued: 'I am most grateful to you for your kindness; what can I give +you as a reward?' + +'All I ask,' replied Iwanich, 'is, that I should be allowed to go +through this wood in safety.' + +'Most certainly,' answered the little man; 'and for greater security I +will give you one of my lions as a protector. But when you leave this +wood and come near a palace which does not belong to my domain, let the +lion go, in order that he may not fall into the hands of an enemy and be +killed.' + +With these words he loosened the lion from his beard and bade the beast +guard the youth carefully. + +With this new protector Iwanich wandered on through the forest, and +though he came upon a great many more wolves, hyenas, leopards, and +other wild beasts, they always kept at a respectful distance when they +saw what sort of an escort the Prince had with him. + +Iwanich hurried through the wood as quickly as his legs would carry him, +but, nevertheless, hour after hour went by and not a trace of a green +field or a human habitation met his eyes. At length, towards evening, +the mass of trees grew more transparent, and through the interlaced +branches a wide plain was visible. + +At the exit of the wood the lion stood still, and the Prince took leave +of him, having first thanked him warmly for his kind protection. It had +become quite dark, and Iwanich was forced to wait for daylight before +continuing his journey. + +He made himself a bed of grass and leaves, lit a fire of dry branches, +and slept soundly till the next morning. + +Then he got up and walked towards a beautiful white palace which he saw +gleaming in the distance. In about an hour he reached the building, and +opening the door he walked in. + +After wandering through many marble halls, he came to a huge staircase +made of porphyry, leading down to a lovely garden. + +The Prince burst into a shout of joy when he suddenly perceived Militza +in the centre of a group of girls who were weaving wreaths of flowers +with which to deck their mistress. + +As soon as Militza saw the Prince she ran up to him and embraced him +tenderly; and after he had told her all his adventures, they went into +the palace, where a sumptuous meal awaited them. Then the Princess +called her court together, and introduced Iwanich to them as her future +husband. + +Preparations were at once made for the wedding, which was held soon +after with great pomp and magnificence. + +Three months of great happiness followed, when Militza received one day +an invitation to visit her mother's sister. + +Although the Princess was very unhappy at leaving her husband, she did +not like to refuse the invitation, and, promising to return in seven +days at the latest, she took a tender farewell of the Prince, and +said: 'Before I go I will hand you over all the keys of the castle. Go +everywhere and do anything you like; only one thing I beg and beseech +you, do not open the little iron door in the north tower, which is +closed with seven locks and seven bolts; for if you do, we shall both +suffer for it.' + +Iwanich promised what she asked, and Militza departed, repeating her +promise to return in seven days. + +When the Prince found himself alone he began to be tormented by pangs +of curiosity as to what the room in the tower contained. For two days he +resisted the temptation to go and look, but on the third he could stand +it no longer, and taking a torch in his hand he hurried to the tower, +and unfastened one lock after the other of the little iron door until it +burst open. + +What an unexpected sight met his gaze! The Prince perceived a small room +black with smoke, lit up feebly by a fire from which issued long blue +flames. Over the fire hung a huge cauldron full of boiling pitch, and +fastened into the cauldron by iron chains stood a wretched man screaming +with agony. + +Iwanich was much horrified at the sight before him, and asked the man +what terrible crime he had committed to be punished in this dreadful +fashion. + +'I will tell you everything,' said the man in the cauldron; 'but first +relieve my torments a little, I implore you.' + +'And how can I do that?' asked the Prince. + +'With a little water,' replied the man; 'only sprinkle a few drops over +me and I shall feel better.' + +The Prince, moved by pity, without thinking what he was doing, ran +to the courtyard of the castle, and filled a jug with water, which he +poured over the man in the cauldron. + +In a moment a most fearful crash was heard, as if all the pillars of the +palace were giving way, and the palace itself, with towers and doors, +windows and the cauldron, whirled round the bewildered Prince's head. +This continued for a few minutes, and then everything vanished into +thin air, and Iwanich found himself suddenly alone upon a desolate heath +covered with rocks and stones. + +The Prince, who now realised what his heedlessness had done, cursed too +late his spirit of curiosity. In his despair he wandered on over the +heath, never looking where he put his feet, and full of sorrowful +thoughts. At last he saw a light in the distance, which came from a +miserable-looking little hut. + +The owner of it was none other than the kind-hearted gaunt grey beggar +who had given the Prince the bag of bread-crumbs and the hare. Without +recognising Iwanich, he opened the door when he knocked and gave him +shelter for the night. + +On the following morning the Prince asked his host if he could get him +any work to do, as he was quite unknown in the neighbourhood, and had +not enough money to take him home. + +'My son,' replied the old man, 'all this country round here is +uninhabited; I myself have to wander to distant villages for my living, +and even then I do not very often find enough to satisfy my hunger. But +if you would like to take service with the old witch Corva, go straight +up the little stream which flows below my hut for about three hours, and +you will come to a sand-hill on the left-hand side; that is where she +lives.' + +Iwanich thanked the gaunt grey beggar for his information, and went on +his way. + +After walking for about three hours the Prince came upon a +dreary-looking grey stone wall; this was the back of the building and +did not attract him; but when he came upon the front of the house +he found it even less inviting, for the old witch had surrounded her +dwelling with a fence of spikes, on every one of which a man's skull was +stuck. In this horrible enclosure stood a small black house, which had +only two grated windows, all covered with cobwebs, and a battered iron +door. + +The Prince knocked, and a rasping woman's voice told him to enter. + +Iwanich opened the door, and found himself in a smoke-begrimed kitchen, +in the presence of a hideous old woman who was warming her skinny hands +at a fire. The Prince offered to become her servant, and the old hag +told him she was badly in want of one, and he seemed to be just the +person to suit her. + +When Iwanich asked what his work, and how much his wages would be, the +witch bade him follow her, and led the way through a narrow damp +passage into a vault, which served as a stable. Here he perceived two +pitch-black horses in a stall. + +'You see before you,' said the old woman, 'a mare and her foal; you have +nothing to do but to lead them out to the fields every day, and to see +that neither of them runs away from you. If you look after them both for +a whole year I will give you anything you like to ask; but if, on the +other hand, you let either of the animals escape you, your last hour is +come, and your head shall be stuck on the last spike of my fence. The +other spikes, as you see, are already adorned, and the skulls are all +those of different servants I have had who have failed to do what I +demanded.' + +Iwanich, who thought he could not be much worse off than he was already, +agreed to the witch's proposal. + +At daybreak nest morning he drove his horses to the field, and brought +them back in the evening without their ever having attempted to break +away from him. The witch stood at her door and received him kindly, and +set a good meal before him. + +So it continued for some time, and all went well with the Prince. + +Early every morning he led the horses out to the fields, and brought +them home safe and sound in the evening. + +One day, while he was watching the horses, he came to the banks of a +river, and saw a big fish, which through some mischance had been cast on +the land, struggling hard to get back into the water. + +Iwanich, who felt sorry for the poor creature, seized it in his arms and +flung it into the stream. But no sooner did the fish find itself in the +water again, than, to the Prince's amazement, it swam up to the bank and +said: + +'My kind benefactor, how can I reward you for your goodness?' + +'I desire nothing,' answered the Prince. 'I am quite content to have +been able to be of some service to you.' + +'You must do me the favour,' replied the fish, 'to take a scale from my +body, and keep it carefully. If you should ever need my help, throw it +into the river, and I will come to your aid at once.' + +Iwanich bowed, loosened a scale from the body of the grateful beast, put +it carefully away, and returned home. + +A short time after this, when he was going early one morning to the +usual grazing place with his horses, he noticed a flock of birds +assembled together making a great noise and flying wildly backwards and +forwards. + +Full of curiosity, Iwanich hurried up to the spot, and saw that a large +number of ravens had attacked an eagle, and although the eagle was big +and powerful and was making a brave fight, it was overpowered at last by +numbers, and had to give in. + +But the Prince, who was sorry for the poor bird, seized the branch of +a tree and hit out at the ravens with it; terrified at this unexpected +onslaught they flew away, leaving many of their number dead or wounded +on the battlefield. + +As soon as the eagle saw itself free from its tormentors it plucked a +feather from its wing, and, handing it to the Prince, said: 'Here, my +kind benefactor, take this feather as a proof of my gratitude; should +you ever be in need of my help blow this feather into the air, and I +will help you as much as is in my power.' + +Iwanich thanked the bird, and placing the feather beside the scale he +drove the horses home. + +Another day he had wandered farther than usual, and came close to a +farmyard; the place pleased the Prince, and as there was plenty of good +grass for the horses he determined to spend the day there. Just as he +was sitting down under a tree he heard a cry close to him, and saw a fox +which had been caught in a trap placed there by the farmer. + +In vain did the poor beast try to free itself; then the good-natured +Prince came once more to the rescue, and let the fox out of the trap. + +The fox thanked him heartily, tore two hairs out of his bushy tail, and +said: 'Should you ever stand in need of my help throw these two hairs +into the fire, and in a moment I shall be at your side ready to obey +you.' + +Iwanich put the fox's hairs with the scale and the feather, and as it +was getting dark he hastened home with his horses. + +In the meantime his service was drawing near to an end, and in three +more days the year was up, and he would be able to get his reward and +leave the witch. + +On the first evening of these last three days, when he came home and was +eating his supper, he noticed the old woman stealing into the stables. + +The Prince followed her secretly to see what she was going to do. He +crouched down in the doorway and heard the wicked witch telling the +horses to wait next morning till Iwanich was asleep, and then to go and +hide themselves in the river, and to stay there till she told them to +return; and if they didn't do as she told them the old woman threatened +to beat them till they bled. + +When Iwanich heard all this he went back to his room, determined that +nothing should induce him to fall asleep next day. On the following +morning he led the mare and foal to the fields as usual, but bound a +cord round them both which he kept in his hand. + +But after a few hours, by the magic arts of the old witch, he was +overpowered by sleep, and the mare and foal escaped and did as they had +been told to do. The Prince did not awake till late in the evening; and +when he did, he found, to his horror, that the horses had disappeared. +Filled with despair, he cursed the moment when he had entered the +service of the cruel witch, and already he saw his head sticking up on +the sharp spike beside the others. + +Then he suddenly remembered the fish's scale, which, with the eagle's +feather and the fox's hairs, he always carried about with him. He drew +the scale from his pocket, and hurrying to the river he threw it in. In +a minute the grateful fish swam towards the bank on which Iwanich was +standing, and said: 'What do you command, my friend and benefactor?' + +The Prince replied: 'I had to look after a mare and foal, and they have +run away from me and have hidden themselves in the river; if you wish to +save my life drive them back to the land.' + +'Wait a moment,' answered the fish, 'and I and my friends will soon +drive them out of the water.' With these words the creature disappeared +into the depths of the stream. + +Almost immediately a rushing hissing sound was heard in the waters, the +waves dashed against the banks, the foam was tossed into the air, and +the two horses leapt suddenly on to the dry land, trembling and shaking +with fear. + +Iwanich sprang at once on to the mare's back, seized the foal by its +bridle, and hastened home in the highest spirits. + +When the witch saw the Prince bringing the horses home she could hardly +conceal her wrath, and as soon as she had placed Iwanich's supper before +him she stole away again to the stables. The Prince followed her, and +heard her scolding the beasts harshly for not having hidden themselves +better. She bade them wait next morning till Iwanich was asleep and then +to hide themselves in the clouds, and to remain there till she called. +If they did not do as she told them she would beat them till they bled. + +The next morning, after Iwanich had led his horses to the fields, he +fell once more into a magic sleep. The horses at once ran away and hid +themselves in the clouds, which hung down from the mountains in soft +billowy masses. + +When the Prince awoke and found that both the mare and the foal had +disappeared, he bethought him at once of the eagle, and taking the +feather out of his pocket he blew it into the air. + +In a moment the bird swooped down beside him and asked: 'What do you +wish me to do?' + +'My mare and foal,' replied the Prince, 'have run away from me, and have +hidden themselves in the clouds; if you wish to save my life, restore +both animals to me.' + +'Wait a minute,' answered the eagle; 'with the help of my friends I will +soon drive them back to you.' + +With these words the bird flew up into the air and disappeared among the +clouds. + +Almost directly Iwanich saw his two horses being driven towards him by +a host of eagles of all sizes. He caught the mare and foal, and having +thanked the eagle he drove them cheerfully home again. + +The old witch was more disgusted than ever when she saw him appearing, +and having set his supper before him she stole into the stables, and +Iwanich heard her abusing the horses for not having hidden themselves +better in the clouds. Then she bade them hide themselves next morning, +as soon as Iwanich was asleep, in the King's hen-house, which stood on +a lonely part of the heath, and to remain there till she called. If they +failed to do as she told them she would certainly beat them this time +till they bled. + +On the following morning the Prince drove his horses as usual to the +fields. After he had been overpowered by sleep, as on the former days, +the mare and foal ran away and hid themselves in the royal hen house. + +When the Prince awoke and found the horses gone he determined to appeal +to the fox; so, lighting a fire, he threw the two hairs into it, and +in a few moments the fox stood beside him and asked: 'In what way can I +serve you?' + +'I wish to know,' replied Iwanich, 'where the King's hen-house is.' + +'Hardly an hour's walk from here,' answered the fox, and offered to show +the Prince the way to it. + +While they were walking along the fox asked him what he wanted to do +at the royal hen-house. The Prince told him of the misfortune that had +befallen him, and of the necessity of recovering the mare and foal. + +'That is no easy matter,' replied the fox. 'But wait a moment. I have +an idea. Stand at the door of the hen-house, and wait there for your +horses. In the meantime I will slip in among the hens through a hole in +the wall and give them a good chase, so that the noise they make will +arouse the royal henwives, and they will come to see what is the matter. +When they see the horses they will at once imagine them to be the cause +of the disturbance, and will drive them out. Then you must lay hands on +the mare and foal and catch them. + +All turned out exactly as the sly fox had foreseen. The Prince swung +himself on the mare, seized the foal by its bridle, and hurried home. + +While he was riding over the heath in the highest of spirits the mare +suddenly said to her rider: 'You are the first person who has ever +succeeded in outwitting the old witch Corva, and now you may ask what +reward you like for your service. If you promise never to betray me I +will give you a piece of advice which you will do well to follow.' + +The Prince promised never to betray her confidence, and the mare +continued: 'Ask nothing else as a reward than my foal, for it has not +its like in the world, and is not to be bought for love or money; for it +can go from one end of the earth to another in a few minutes. Of course +the cunning Corva will do her best to dissuade you from taking the foal, +and will tell you that it is both idle and sickly; but do not believe +her, and stick to your point.' + +Iwanich longed to possess such an animal, and promised the mare to +follow her advice. + +This time Corva received him in the most friendly manner, and set a +sumptuous repast before him. As soon as he had finished she asked him +what reward he demanded for his year's service. + +'Nothing more nor less,' replied the Prince, 'than the foal of your +mare.' + +The witch pretended to be much astonished at his request, and said that +he deserved something much better than the foal, for the beast was lazy +and nervous, blind in one eye, and, in short, was quite worthless. + +But the Prince knew what he wanted, and when the old witch saw that he +had made up his mind to have the foal, she said, 'I am obliged to keep +my promise and to hand you over the foal; and as I know who you are and +what you want, I will tell you in what way the animal will be useful to +you. The man in the cauldron of boiling pitch, whom you set free, is a +mighty magician; through your curiosity and thoughtlessness Militza came +into his power, and he has transported her and her castle and belongings +into a distant country. + +'You are the only person who can kill him; and in consequence he fears +you to such an extent that he has set spies to watch you, and they +report your movements to him daily. + +'When you have reached him, beware of speaking a single word to him, or +you will fall into the power of his friends. Seize him at once by the +beard and dash him to the ground.' + +Iwanich thanked the old witch, mounted his foal, put spurs to its sides, +and they flew like lightning through the air. + +Already it was growing dark, when Iwanich perceived some figures in the +distance; they soon came up to them, and then the Prince saw that it +was the magician and his friends who were driving through the air in a +carriage drawn by owls. + +When the magician found himself face to face with Iwanich, without hope +of escape, he turned to him with false friendliness and said: 'Thrice my +kind benefactor!' + +But the Prince, without saying a word, seized him at once by his beard +and dashed him to the ground. At the same moment the foal sprang on the +top of the magician and kicked and stamped on him with his hoofs till he +died. + +Then Iwanich found himself once more in the palace of his bride, and +Militza herself flew into his arms. + +From this time forward they lived in undisturbed peace and happiness +till the end of their lives. + + + + +THE MAGIC RING + +Once upon a time there lived an old couple who had one son called +Martin. Now when the old man's time had come, he stretched himself out +on his bed and died. Though all his life long he had toiled and moiled, +he only left his widow and son two hundred florins. The old woman +determined to put by the money for a rainy day; but alas! the rainy day +was close at hand, for their meal was all consumed, and who is prepared +to face starvation with two hundred florins at their disposal? So the +old woman counted out a hundred of her florins, and giving them to +Martin, told him to go into the town and lay in a store of meal for a +year. + +So Martin started off for the town. When he reached the meat-market he +found the whole place in turmoil, and a great noise of angry voices and +barking of dogs. Mixing in the crowd, he noticed a stag-hound which the +butchers had caught and tied to a post, and which was being flogged in +a merciless manner. Overcome with pity, Martin spoke to the butchers, +saying: + +'Friends, why are you beating the poor dog so cruelly?' + +'We have every right to beat him,' they replied; 'he has just devoured a +newly-killed pig.' + +'Leave off beating him,' said Martin, 'and sell him to me instead.' + +'If you choose to buy him,' answered the butchers derisively; 'but for +such a treasure we won't take a penny less than a hundred florins.' + +'A hundred!' exclaimed Martin. 'Well, so be it, if you will not take +less;' and, taking the money out of his pocket, he handed it over in +exchange for the dog, whose name was Schurka. + +When Martin got home, his mother met him with the question: + +'Well, what have you bought?' + +'Schurka, the dog,' replied Martin, pointing to his new possession. +Whereupon his mother became very angry, and abused him roundly. He ought +to be ashamed of himself, when there was scarcely a handful of meal in +the house, to have spent the money on a useless brute like that. On the +following day she sent him back to the town, saying, 'Here, take our +last hundred florins, and buy provisions with them. I have just emptied +the last grains of meal out of the chest, and baked a bannock; but it +won't last over to-morrow.' + +Just as Martin was entering the town he met a rough-looking peasant who +was dragging a cat after him by a string which was fastened round the +poor beast's neck. + +'Stop,' cried Martin; 'where are you dragging that poor cat?' + +'I mean to drown him,' was the answer. + +'What harm has the poor beast done?' said Martin. + +'It has just killed a goose,' replied the peasant. + +'Don't drown him, sell him to me instead,' begged Martin. + +'Not for a hundred florins,' was the answer. + +'Surely for a hundred florins you'll sell it?' said Martin. 'See! here +is the money;' and, so saying, he handed him the hundred florins, which +the peasant pocketed, and Martin took possession of the cat, which was +called Waska. + +When he reached his home his mother greeted him with the question: + +'Well, what have you brought back?' + +'I have brought this cat, Waska,' answered Martin. + +'And what besides?' + +'I had no money over to buy anything else with,' replied Martin. + +'You useless ne'er-do-weel!' exclaimed his mother in a great passion. +'Leave the house at once, and go and beg your bread among strangers;' +and as Martin did not dare to contradict her, he called Schurka and +Waska and started off with them to the nearest village in search of +work. On the way he met a rich peasant, who asked him where he was +going. + +'I want to get work as a day labourer,' he answered. + +'Come along with me, then. But I must tell you I engage my labourers +without wages. If you serve me faithfully for a year, I promise you it +shall be for your advantage.' + +So Martin consented, and for a year he worked diligently, and served +his master faithfully, not sparing himself in any way. When the day of +reckoning had come the peasant led him into a barn, and pointing to two +full sacks, said: 'Take whichever of these you choose.' + +Martin examined the contents of the sacks, and seeing that one was full +of silver and the other of sand, he said to himself: + +'There must be some trick about this; I had better take the sand.' And +throwing the sack over his shoulders he started out into the world, +in search of fresh work. On and on he walked, and at last he reached +a great gloomy wood. In the middle of the wood he came upon a meadow, +where a fire was burning, and in the midst of the fire, surrounded by +flames, was a lovely damsel, more beautiful than anything that Martin +had ever seen, and when she saw him she called to him: + +'Martin, if you would win happiness, save my life. Extinguish the flames +with the sand that you earned in payment of your faithful service.' + +'Truly,' thought Martin to himself, 'it would be more sensible to save a +fellow-being's life with this sand than to drag it about on one's back, +seeing what a weight it is.' And forthwith he lowered the sack from his +shoulders and emptied its contents on the flames, and instantly the +fire was extinguished; but at the same moment lo! and behold the lovely +damsel turned into a Serpent, and, darting upon him, coiled itself round +his neck, and whispered lovingly in his ear: + +'Do not be afraid of me, Martin; I love you, and will go with you +through the world. But first you must follow me boldly into my Father's +Kingdom, underneath the earth; and when we get there, remember this--he +will offer you gold and silver, and dazzling gems, but do not touch +them. Ask him, instead, for the ring which he wears on his little +finger, for in that ring lies a magic power; you have only to throw it +from one hand to the other, and at once twelve young men will appear, +who will do your bidding, no matter how difficult, in a single night.' + +So they started on their way, and after much wandering they reached +a spot where a great rock rose straight up in the middle of the road. +Instantly the Serpent uncoiled itself from his neck, and, as it touched +the damp earth, it resumed the shape of the lovely damsel. Pointing to +the rock, she showed him an opening just big enough for a man to wriggle +through. Passing into it, they entered a long underground passage, which +led out on to a wide field, above which spread a blue sky. In the middle +of the field stood a magnificent castle, built out of porphyry, with a +roof of gold and with glittering battlements. And his beautiful guide +told him that this was the palace in which her father lived and reigned +over his kingdom in the Under-world. + +Together they entered the palace, and were received by the King with +great kindness. Turning to his daughter, he said: + +'My child, I had almost given up the hope of ever seeing you again. +Where have you been all these years?' + +'My father,' she replied, 'I owe my life to this youth, who saved me +from a terrible death.' + +Upon which the King turned to Martin with a gracious smile, saying: 'I +will reward your courage by granting you whatever your heart desires. +Take as much gold, silver, and precious stones as you choose.' + +'I thank you, mighty King, for your gracious offer,' answered Martin,' +'but I do not covet either gold, silver, or precious stones; yet if you +will grant me a favour, give me, I beg, the ring from off the little +finger of your royal hand. Every time my eye falls on it I shall think +of your gracious Majesty, and when I marry I shall present it to my +bride.' + +So the King took the ring from his finger and gave it to Martin, saying: +'Take it, good youth; but with it I make one condition--you are never +to confide to anyone that this is a magic ring. If you do, you will +straightway bring misfortune on yourself.' + +Martin took the ring, and, having thanked the King, he set out on the +same road by which he had come down into the Under-world. When he had +regained the upper air he started for his old home, and having found his +mother still living in the old house where he had left her, they settled +down together very happily. So uneventful was their life that it +almost seemed as if it would go on in this way always, without let or +hindrance. But one day it suddenly came into his mind that he would like +to get married, and, moreover, that he would choose a very grand wife--a +King's daughter, in short. But as he did not trust himself as a wooer, +he determined to send his old mother on the mission. + +'You must go to the King,' he said to her, 'and demand the hand of his +lovely daughter in marriage for me.' + +'What are you thinking of, my son?' answered the old woman, aghast at +the idea. 'Why cannot you marry someone in your own rank? That would be +far more fitting than to send a poor old woman like me a-wooing to the +King's Court for the hand of a Princess. Why, it is as much as our heads +are worth. Neither my life nor yours would be worth anything if I went +on such a fool's errand.' + +'Never fear, little mother,' answered Martin. 'Trust me; all will be +well. But see that you do not come back without an answer of some kind.' + +And so, obedient to her son's behest, the old woman hobbled off to the +palace, and, without being hindered, reached the courtyard, and began to +mount the flight of steps leading to the royal presence chamber. At +the head of the landing rows of courtiers were collected in magnificent +attire, who stared at the queer old figure, and called to her, and +explained to her, with every kind of sign, that it was strictly +forbidden to mount those steps. But their stern words and forbidding +gestures made no impression whatever on the old woman, and she +resolutely continued to climb the stairs, bent on carrying out her son's +orders. Upon this some of the courtiers seized her by the arms, and held +her back by sheer force, at which she set up such a yell that the King +himself heard it, and stepped out on to the balcony to see what was the +matter. When he beheld the old woman flinging her arms wildly about, and +heard her scream that she would not leave the place till she had laid +her case before the King, he ordered that she should be brought into +his presence. And forthwith she was conducted into the golden presence +chamber, where, leaning back amongst cushions of royal purple, the King +sat, surrounded by his counsellors and courtiers. Courtesying low, the +old woman stood silent before him. 'Well, my good old dame, what can I +do for you?' asked the King. + +'I have come,' replied Martin's mother--'and your Majesty must not be +angry with me--I have come a-wooing.' + +'Is the woman out of her mind?' said the King, with an angry frown. + +But Martin's mother answered boldly: 'If the King will only listen +patiently to me, and give me a straightforward answer, he will see that +I am not out of my mind. You, O King, have a lovely daughter to give +in marriage. I have a son--a wooer--as clever a youth and as good a +son-in-law as you will find in your whole kingdom. There is nothing that +he cannot do. Now tell me, O King, plump and plain, will you give your +daughter to my son as wife?' The King listened to the end of the old +woman's strange request, but every moment his face grew blacker, and his +features sterner; till all at once he thought to himself, 'Is it worth +while that I, the King, should be angry with this poor old fool?' And +all the courtiers and counsellors were amazed when they saw the hard +lines round his mouth and the frown on his brow grow smooth, and heard +the mild but mocking tones in which he answered the old woman, saying: + +'If your son is as wonderfully clever as you say, and if there is +nothing in the world that he cannot do, let him build a magnificent +castle, just opposite my palace windows, in four and twenty hours. The +palace must be joined together by a bridge of pure crystal. On each +side of the bridge there must be growing trees, having golden and silver +apples, and with birds of Paradise among the branches. At the right of +the bridge there must be a church, with five golden cupolas; in this +church your son shall be wedded to my daughter, and we will keep the +wedding festivities in the new castle. But if he fails to execute this +my royal command, then, as a just but mild monarch, I shall give orders +that you and he are taken, and first dipped in tar and then in feathers, +and you shall be executed in the market-place for the entertainment of +my courtiers.' + +And a smile played round the King's lips as he finished speaking, and +his courtiers and counsellors shook with laughter when they thought of +the old woman's folly, and praised the King's wise device, and said to +each other, 'What a joke it will be when we see the pair of them tarred +and feathered! The son is just as able to grow a beard on the palm of +his hand as to execute such a task in twenty-four hours.' + +Now the poor old woman was mortally afraid and, in a trembling voice she +asked: + +'Is that really your royal will, O King? Must I take this order to my +poor son?' + +'Yes, old dame; such is my command. If your son carries out my order, +he shall be rewarded with my daughter; but if he fails, away to the +tar-barrel and the stake with you both!' + +On her way home the poor old woman shed bitter tears, and when she saw +Martin she told him what the King had said, and sobbed out: + +'Didn't I tell you, my son, that you should marry someone of your own +rank? It would have been better for us this day if you had. As I told +you, my going to Court has been as much as our lives are worth, and +now we will both be tarred and feathered, and burnt in the public +market-place. It is terrible!' and she moaned and cried. + +'Never fear, little mother,' answered Martin; 'trust me, and you will +see all will be well. You may go to sleep with a quiet mind.' + +And, stepping to the front of the hut, Martin threw his ring from the +palm of one hand into the other, upon which twelve youths instantly +appeared, and demanded what he wanted them to do. Then he told them the +King's commands, and they answered that by next morning all should be +accomplished exactly as the King had ordered. + +Next morning when the King awoke, and looked out of his window, to his +amazement he beheld a magnificent castle, just opposite his own palace, +and joined to it a bridge of pure crystal. + +At each side of the bridge trees were growing, from whose branches hung +golden and silver apples, among which birds of Paradise perched. At the +right, gleaming in the sun, were the five golden cupolas of a splendid +church, whose bells rang out, as if they would summon people from all +corners of the earth to come and behold the wonder. Now, though the King +would much rather have seen his future son-in-law tarred, feathered, and +burnt at the stake, he remembered his royal oath, and had to make the +best of a bad business. So he took heart of grace, and made Martin a +Duke, and gave his daughter a rich dowry, and prepared the grandest +wedding-feast that had ever been seen, so that to this day the old +people in the country still talk of it. + +After the wedding Martin and his royal bride went to dwell in the +magnificent new palace, and here Martin lived in the greatest comfort +and luxury, such luxury as he had never imagined. But though he was as +happy as the day was long, and as merry as a grig, the King's daughter +fretted all day, thinking of the indignity that had been done her in +making her marry Martin, the poor widow's son, instead of a rich young +Prince from a foreign country. So unhappy was she that she spent all her +time wondering how she should get rid of her undesirable husband. +And first she determined to learn the secret of his power, and, with +flattering, caressing words, she tried to coax him to tell her how he +was so clever that there was nothing in the world that he could not do. +At first he would tell her nothing; but once, when he was in a yielding +mood, she approached him with a winning smile on her lovely face, and, +speaking flattering words to him, she gave him a potion to drink, with +a sweet, strong taste. And when he had drunk it Martin's lips were +unsealed, and he told her that all his power lay in the magic ring that +he wore on his finger, and he described to her how to use it, and, still +speaking, he fell into a deep sleep. And when she saw that the potion +had worked, and that he was sound asleep, the Princess took the magic +ring from his finger, and, going into the courtyard, she threw it from +the palm of one hand into the other. + +On the instant the twelve youths appeared, and asked her what she +commanded them to do. Then she told them that by the next morning they +were to do away with the castle, and the bridge, and the church, and +put in their stead the humble hut in which Martin used to live with his +mother, and that while he slept her husband was to be carried to his old +lowly room; and that they were to bear her away to the utmost ends of +the earth, where an old King lived who would make her welcome in his +palace, and surround her with the state that befitted a royal Princess. + +'You shall be obeyed,' answered the twelve youths at the same moment. +And lo and behold! the following morning, when the King awoke and looked +out of his window he beheld to his amazement that the palace, bridge, +church, and trees had all vanished, and there was nothing in their place +but a bare, miserable-looking hut. + +Immediately the King sent for his son-in-law, and commanded him to +explain what had happened. But Martin looked at his royal father-in-law, +and answered never a word. Then the King was very angry, and, calling +a council together, he charged Martin with having been guilty of +witchcraft, and of having deceived the King, and having made away with +the Princess; and he was condemned to imprisonment in a high stone +tower, with neither meat nor drink, till he should die of starvation. + +Then, in the hour of his dire necessity, his old friends Schurka (the +dog) and Waska (the cat) remembered how Martin had once saved them from +a cruel death; and they took counsel together as to how they should help +him. And Schurka growled, and was of opinion that he would like to tear +everyone in pieces; but Waska purred meditatively, and scratched the +back of her ear with a velvet paw, and remained lost in thought. At the +end of a few minutes she had made up her mind, and, turning to Schurka, +said: 'Let us go together into the town, and the moment we meet a baker +you must make a rush between his legs and upset the tray from off his +head; I will lay hold of the rolls, and will carry them off to our +master.' No sooner said than done. Together the two faithful creatures +trotted off into the town, and very soon they met a baker bearing a tray +on his head, and looking round on all sides, while he cried: + + 'Fresh rolls, sweet cake, + Fancy bread of every kind. + Come and buy, come and take, + Sure you'll find it to your mind,' + + +At that moment Schurka made a rush between his legs--the baker stumbled, +the tray was upset, the rolls fell to the ground, and, while the man +angrily pursued Schurka, Waska managed to drag the rolls out of sight +behind a bush. And when a moment later Schurka joined her, they set off +at full tilt to the stone tower where Martin was a prisoner, taking the +rolls with them. Waska, being very agile, climbed up by the outside to +the grated window, and called in an anxious voice: + +'Are you alive, master?' + +'Scarcely alive--almost starved to death,' answered Martin in a weak +voice. 'I little thought it would come to this, that I should die of +hunger.' + +'Never fear, dear master. Schurka and I will look after you,' said +Waska. And in another moment she had climbed down and brought him back a +roll, and then another, and another, till she had brought him the whole +tray-load. Upon which she said: 'Dear master, Schurka and I are going +off to a distant kingdom at the utmost ends of the earth to fetch you +back your magic ring. You must be careful that the rolls last till our +return.' + +And Waska took leave of her beloved master, and set off with Schurka +on their journey. On and on they travelled, looking always to right +and left for traces of the Princess, following up every track, making +inquiries of every cat and dog they met, listening to the talk of every +wayfarer they passed; and at last they heard that the kingdom at the +utmost ends of the earth where the twelve youths had borne the Princess +was not very far off. And at last one day they reached that distant +kingdom, and, going at once to the palace, they began to make friends +with all the dogs and cats in the place, and to question them about +the Princess and the magic ring; but no one could tell them much about +either. Now one day it chanced that Waska had gone down to the palace +cellar to hunt for mice and rats, and seeing an especially fat, well-fed +mouse, she pounced upon it, buried her claws in its soft fur, and was +just going to gobble it up, when she was stopped by the pleading tones +of the little creature, saying, 'If you will only spare my life I may be +of great service to you. I will do everything in my power for you; for I +am the King of the Mice, and if I perish the whole race will die out.' + +'So be it,' said Waska. 'I will spare your life; but in return you must +do something for me. In this castle there lives a Princess, the wicked +wife of my dear master. She has stolen away his magic ring. You must get +it away from her at whatever cost; do you hear? Till you have done this +I won't take my claws out of your fur.' + +'Good!' replied the mouse; 'I will do what you ask.' And, so saying, +he summoned all the mice in his kingdom together. A countless number +of mice, small and big, brown and grey, assembled, and formed a circle +round their king, who was a prisoner under Waska's claws. Turning to +them he said: 'Dear and faithful subjects, who ever among you will steal +the magic ring from the strange Princess will release me from a cruel +death; and I shall honour him above all the other mice in the kingdom.' + +Instantly a tiny mouse stepped forward and said: 'I often creep about +the Princess's bedroom at night, and I have noticed that she has a ring +which she treasures as the apple of her eye. All day she wears it on her +finger, and at night she keeps it in her mouth. I will undertake, sire, +to steal away the ring for you.' + +And the tiny mouse tripped away into the bedroom of the Princess, and +waited for nightfall; then, when the Princess had fallen asleep, it +crept up on to her bed, and gnawed a hole in the pillow, through which +it dragged one by one little down feathers, and threw them under the +Princess's nose. And the fluff flew into the Princess's nose, and into +her mouth, and starting up she sneezed and coughed, and the ring fell +out of her mouth on to the coverlet. In a flash the tiny mouse had +seized it, and brought it to Waska as a ransom for the King of the Mice. +Thereupon Waska and Schurka started off, and travelled night and day +till they reached the stone tower where Martin was imprisoned; and the +cat climbed up the window, and called out to him: + +'Martin, dear master, are you still alive?' + +'Ah! Waska, my faithful little cat, is that you?' replied a weak voice. +'I am dying of hunger. For three days I have not tasted food.' + +'Be of good heart, dear master,' replied Waska; 'from this day forth you +will know nothing but happiness and prosperity. If this were a moment to +trouble you with riddles, I would make you guess what Schurka and I have +brought you back. Only think, we have got you your ring!' + +At these words Martin's joy knew no bounds, and he stroked her fondly, +and she rubbed up against him and purred happily, while below Schurka +bounded in the air, and barked joyfully. Then Martin took the ring, and +threw it from one hand into the other, and instantly the twelve youths +appeared and asked what they were to do. + +'Fetch me first something to eat and drink, as quickly as possible; and +after that bring musicians hither, and let us have music all day long.' + +Now when the people in the town and palace heard music coming from the +tower they were filled with amazement, and came to the King with the +news that witchcraft must be going on in Martin's Tower, for, instead +of dying of starvation, he was seemingly making merry to the sound of +music, and to the clatter of plates, and glass, and knives and forks; +and the music was so enchantingly sweet that all the passers-by stood +still to listen to it. On this the King sent at once a messenger to +the Starvation Tower, and he was so astonished with what he saw that he +remained rooted to the spot. Then the King sent his chief counsellors, +and they too were transfixed with wonder. At last the King came himself, +and he likewise was spellbound by the beauty of the music. + +Then Martin summoned the twelve youths, spoke to them, saying, 'Build up +my castle again, and join it to the King's Palace with a crystal bridge; +do not forget the trees with the golden and silver apples, and with the +birds of Paradise in the branches; and put back the church with the five +cupolas, and let the bells ring out, summoning the people from the four +corners of the kingdom. And one thing more: bring back my faithless +wife, and lead her into the women's chamber.' + +And it was all done as he commanded, and, leaving the Starvation Tower, +he took the King, his father-in-law, by the arm, and led him into the +new palace, where the Princess sat in fear and trembling, awaiting her +death. And Martin spoke to the King, saying, 'King and royal father, I +have suffered much at the hands of your daughter. What punishment shall +be dealt to her?' + +Then the mild King answered: 'Beloved Prince and son-in-law, if you love +me, let your anger be turned to grace--forgive my daughter, and restore +her to your heart and favour.' + +And Martin's heart was softened and he forgave his wife, and they lived +happily together ever after. And his old mother came and lived with him, +and he never parted with Schurka and Waska; and I need hardly tell you +that he never again let the ring out of his possession. + + + + +THE FLOWER QUEEN'S DAUGHTER(23) + +(23) From the Bukowinaer. Von Wliolocki. + +A young Prince was riding one day through a meadow that stretched for +miles in front of him, when he came to a deep open ditch. He was turning +aside to avoid it, when he heard the sound of someone crying in the +ditch. He dismounted from his horse, and stepped along in the direction +the sound came from. To his astonishment he found an old woman, who +begged him to help her out of the ditch. The Prince bent down and lifted +her out of her living grave, asking her at the same time how she had +managed to get there. + +'My son,' answered the old woman, 'I am a very poor woman, and soon +after midnight I set out for the neighbouring town in order to sell my +eggs in the market on the following morning; but I lost my way in the +dark, and fell into this deep ditch, where I might have remained for +ever but for your kindness.' + +Then the Prince said to her, 'You can hardly walk; I will put you on my +horse and lead you home. Where do you live?' + +'Over there, at the edge of the forest in the little hut you see in the +distance,' replied the old woman. + +The Prince lifted her on to his horse, and soon they reached the hut, +where the old woman got down, and turning to the Prince said, 'Just wait +a moment, and I will give you something.' And she disappeared into her +hut, but returned very soon and said, 'You are a mighty Prince, but +at the same time you have a kind heart, which deserves to be rewarded. +Would you like to have the most beautiful woman in the world for your +wife?' + +'Most certainly I would,' replied the Prince. + +So the old woman continued, 'The most beautiful woman in the whole world +is the daughter of the Queen of the Flowers, who has been captured by a +dragon. If you wish to marry her, you must first set her free, and this +I will help you to do. I will give you this little bell: if you ring it +once, the King of the Eagles will appear; if you ring it twice, the King +of the Foxes will come to you; and if you ring it three times, you will +see the King of the Fishes by your side. These will help you if you are +in any difficulty. Now farewell, and heaven prosper your undertaking.' +She handed him the little bell, and there disappeared hut and all, as +though the earth had swallowed her up. + +Then it dawned on the Prince that he had been speaking to a good fairy, +and putting the little bell carefully in his pocket, he rode home and +told his father that he meant to set the daughter of the Flower Queen +free, and intended setting out on the following day into the wide world +in search of the maid. + +So the next morning the Prince mounted his fine horse and left his home. +He had roamed round the world for a whole year, and his horse had died +of exhaustion, while he himself had suffered much from want and misery, +but still he had come on no trace of her he was in search of. At last +one day he came to a hut, in front of which sat a very old man. The +Prince asked him, 'Do you not know where the Dragon lives who keeps the +daughter of the Flower Queen prisoner?' + +'No, I do not,' answered the old man. 'But if you go straight along +this road for a year, you will reach a hut where my father lives, and +possibly he may be able to tell you.' + +The Prince thanked him for his information, and continued his journey +for a whole year along the same road, and at the end of it came to +the little hut, where he found a very old man. He asked him the same +question, and the old man answered, 'No, I do not know where the Dragon +lives. But go straight along this road for another year, and you will +come to a hut in which my father lives. I know he can tell you.' + +And so the Prince wandered on for another year, always on the same road, +and at last reached the hut where he found the third old man. He put +the same question to him as he had put to his son and grandson; but this +time the old man answered, 'The Dragon lives up there on the mountain, +and he has just begun his year of sleep. For one whole year he is always +awake, and the next he sleeps. But if you wish to see the Flower Queen's +daughter go up the second mountain: the Dragon's old mother lives there, +and she has a ball every night, to which the Flower Queen's daughter +goes regularly.' + +So the Prince went up the second mountain, where he found a castle all +made of gold with diamond windows. He opened the big gate leading into +the courtyard, and was just going to walk in, when seven dragons rushed +on him and asked him what he wanted? + +The Prince replied, 'I have heard so much of the beauty and kindness of +the Dragon's Mother, and would like to enter her service.' + +This flattering speech pleased the dragons, and the eldest of them said, +'Well, you may come with me, and I will take you to the Mother Dragon.' + +They entered the castle and walked through twelve splendid halls, all +made of gold and diamonds. In the twelfth room they found the Mother +Dragon seated on a diamond throne. She was the ugliest woman under the +sun, and, added to it all, she had three heads. Her appearance was a +great shock to the Prince, and so was her voice, which was like the +croaking of many ravens. She asked him, 'Why have you come here?' + +The Prince answered at once, 'I have heard so much of your beauty and +kindness, that I would very much like to enter your service.' + +'Very well,' said the Mother Dragon; 'but if you wish to enter my +service, you must first lead my mare out to the meadow and look after +her for three days; but if you don't bring her home safely every +evening, we will eat you up.' + +The Prince undertook the task and led the mare out to the meadow. + +But no sooner had they reached the grass than she vanished. The Prince +sought for her in vain, and at last in despair sat down on a big stone +and contemplated his sad fate. As he sat thus lost in thought, he +noticed an eagle flying over his head. Then he suddenly bethought him of +his little bell, and taking it out of his pocket he rang it once. In a +moment he heard a rustling sound in the air beside him, and the King of +the Eagles sank at his feet. + +'I know what you want of me,' the bird said. 'You are looking for the +Mother Dragon's mare who is galloping about among the clouds. I will +summon all the eagles of the air together, and order them to catch the +mare and bring her to you.' And with these words the King of the Eagles +flew away. Towards evening the Prince heard a mighty rushing sound in +the air, and when he looked up he saw thousands of eagles driving the +mare before them. They sank at his feet on to the ground and gave the +mare over to him. Then the Prince rode home to the old Mother Dragon, +who was full of wonder when she saw him, and said, 'You have succeeded +to-day in looking after my mare, and as a reward you shall come to my +ball to-night.' She gave him at the same time a cloak made of copper, +and led him to a big room where several young he-dragons and she-dragons +were dancing together. Here, too, was the Flower Queen's beautiful +daughter. Her dress was woven out of the most lovely flowers in the +world, and her complexion was like lilies and roses. As the Prince was +dancing with her he managed to whisper in her ear, 'I have come to set +you free!' + +Then the beautiful girl said to him, 'If you succeed in bringing the +mare back safely the third day, ask the Mother Dragon to give you a foal +of the mare as a reward.' + +The ball came to an end at midnight, and early next morning the Prince +again led the Mother Dragon's mare out into the meadow. But again she +vanished before his eyes. Then he took out his little bell and rang it +twice. + +In a moment the King of the Foxes stood before him and said: 'I know +already what you want, and will summon all the foxes of the world +together to find the mare who has hidden herself in a hill.' + +With these words the King of the Foxes disappeared, and in the evening +many thousand foxes brought the mare to the Prince. + +Then he rode home to the Mother-Dragon, from whom he received this time +a cloak made of silver, and again she led him to the ball-room. + +The Flower Queen's daughter was delighted to see him safe and sound, +and when they were dancing together she whispered in his ear: 'If you +succeed again to-morrow, wait for me with the foal in the meadow. After +the ball we will fly away together.' + +On the third day the Prince led the mare to the meadow again; but once +more she vanished before his eyes. Then the Prince took out his little +bell and rang it three times. + +In a moment the King of the Fishes appeared, and said to him: 'I know +quite well what you want me to do, and I will summon all the fishes +of the sea together, and tell them to bring you back the mare, who is +hiding herself in a river.' + +Towards evening the mare was returned to him, and when he led her home +to the Mother Dragon she said to him: + +'You are a brave youth, and I will make you my body-servant. But what +shall I give you as a reward to begin with?' + +The Prince begged for a foal of the mare, which the Mother Dragon at +once gave him, and over and above, a cloak made of gold, for she had +fallen in love with him because he had praised her beauty. + +So in the evening he appeared at the ball in his golden cloak; but +before the entertainment was over he slipped away, and went straight to +the stables, where he mounted his foal and rode out into the meadow to +wait for the Flower Queen's daughter. Towards midnight the beautiful +girl appeared, and placing her in front of him on his horse, the +Prince and she flew like the wind till they reached the Flower Queen's +dwelling. But the dragons had noticed their flight, and woke their +brother out of his year's sleep. He flew into a terrible rage when +he heard what had happened, and determined to lay siege to the Flower +Queen's palace; but the Queen caused a forest of flowers as high as the +sky to grow up round her dwelling, through which no one could force a +way. + +When the Flower Queen heard that her daughter wanted to marry the +Prince, she said to him: 'I will give my consent to your marriage +gladly, but my daughter can only stay with you in summer. In winter, +when everything is dead and the ground covered with snow, she must come +and live with me in my palace underground.' The Prince consented to +this, and led his beautiful bride home, where the wedding was held with +great pomp and magnificence. The young couple lived happily together +till winter came, when the Flower Queen's daughter departed and went +home to her mother. In summer she returned to her husband, and their +life of joy and happiness began again, and lasted till the approach of +winter, when the Flower Queen's daughter went back again to her mother. +This coming and going continued all her life long, and in spite of it +they always lived happily together. + + + + +THE FLYING SHIP(24) + +(24) From the Russian. + +Once upon a time there lived an old couple who had three sons; the two +elder were clever, but the third was a regular dunce. The clever sons +were very fond of their mother, gave her good clothes, and always spoke +pleasantly to her; but the youngest was always getting in her way, +and she had no patience with him. Now, one day it was announced in the +village that the King had issued a decree, offering his daughter, the +Princess, in marriage to whoever should build a ship that could fly. +Immediately the two elder brothers determined to try their luck, and +asked their parents' blessing. So the old mother smartened up their +clothes, and gave them a store of provisions for their journey, not +forgetting to add a bottle of brandy. When they had gone the poor +Simpleton began to tease his mother to smarten him up and let him start +off. + +'What would become of a dolt like you?' she answered. 'Why, you would be +eaten up by wolves.' + +But the foolish youth kept repeating, 'I will go, I will go, I will go!' + +Seeing that she could do nothing with him, the mother gave him a crust +of bread and a bottle of water, and took no further heed of him. + +So the Simpleton set off on his way. When he had gone a short distance +he met a little old manikin. They greeted one another, and the manikin +asked him where he was going. + +'I am off to the King's Court,' he answered. 'He has promised to give +his daughter to whoever can make a flying ship.' + +'And can you make such a ship?' + +'Not I.' + +'Then why in the world are you going?' + +'Can't tell,' replied the Simpleton. + +'Well, if that is the case,' said the manikin, 'sit down beside me; we +can rest for a little and have something to eat. Give me what you have +got in your satchel.' + +Now, the poor Simpleton was ashamed to show what was in it. However, he +thought it best not to make a fuss, so he opened the satchel, and could +scarcely believe his own eyes, for, instead of the hard crust, he saw +two beautiful fresh rolls and some cold meat. He shared them with the +manikin, who licked his lips and said: + +'Now, go into that wood, and stop in front of the first tree, bow three +times, and then strike the tree with your axe, fall on your knees on +the ground, with your face on the earth, and remain there till you are +raised up. You will then find a ship at your side, step into it and fly +to the King's Palace. If you meet anyone on the way, take him with you.' + +The Simpleton thanked the manikin very kindly, bade him farewell, and +went into the road. When he got to the first tree he stopped in front of +it, did everything just as he had been told, and, kneeling on the ground +with his face to the earth, fell asleep. After a little time he was +aroused; he awoke and, rubbing his eyes, saw a ready-made ship at his +side, and at once got into it. + +And the ship rose and rose, and in another minute was flying through the +air, when the Simpleton, who was on the look out, cast his eyes down to +the earth and saw a man beneath him on the road, who was kneeling with +his ear upon the damp ground. + +'Hallo!' he called out, 'what are you doing down there?' + +'I am listening to what is going on in the world,' replied the man. + +'Come with me in my ship,' said the Simpleton. + +So the man was only too glad, and got in beside him; and the ship flew, +and flew, and flew through the air, till again from his outlook the +Simpleton saw a man on the road below, who was hopping on one leg, while +his other leg was tied up behind his ear. So he hailed him, calling out: + +'Hallo! what are you doing, hopping on one leg?' + +'I can't help it,' replied the man. 'I walk so fast that unless I tied +up one leg I should be at the end of the earth in a bound.' + +'Come with us on my ship,' he answered; and the man made no objections, +but joined them; and the ship flew on, and on, and on, till suddenly the +Simpleton, looking down on the road below, beheld a man aiming with a +gun into the distance. + +'Hallo!' he shouted to him, 'what are you aiming at? As far as eye can +see, there is no bird in sight.' + +'What would be the good of my taking a near shot?' replied the man; 'I +can hit beast or bird at a hundred miles' distance. That is the kind of +shot I enjoy.' + +'Come into the ship with us,' answered the Simpleton; and the man was +only too glad to join them, and he got in; and the ship flew on, farther +and farther, till again the Simpleton from his outlook saw a man on the +road below, carrying on his back a basket full of bread. And he waved to +him, calling out: + +'Hallo! where are you going?' + +'To fetch bread for my breakfast.' + +'Bread? Why, you have got a whole basket-load of it on your back.' + +'That's nothing,' answered the man; 'I should finish that in one +mouthful.' + +'Come along with us in my ship, then.' + +And so the glutton joined the party, and the ship mounted again into the +air, and flew up and onward, till the Simpleton from his outlook saw +a man walking by the shore of a great lake, and evidently looking for +something. + +'Hallo!' he cried to him,' what are you seeking? + +'I want water to drink, I'm so thirsty,' replied the man. + +'Well, there's a whole lake in front of you; why don't you drink some of +that?' + +'Do you call that enough?' answered the other. 'Why, I should drink it +up in one gulp.' + +'Well, come with us in the ship.' + +And so the mighty drinker was added to the company; and the ship flew +farther, and even farther, till again the Simpleton looked out, and this +time he saw a man dragging a bundle of wood, walking through the forest +beneath them. + +'Hallo!' he shouted to him, 'why are you carrying wood through a +forest?' + +'This is not common wood,' answered the other. + +'What sort of wood is it, then?' said the Simpleton. + +'If you throw it upon the ground,' said the man, 'it will be changed +into an army of soldiers.' + +'Come into the ship with us, then.' + +And so he too joined them; and away the ship flew on, and on, and on, +and once more the Simpleton looked out, and this time he saw a man +carrying straw upon his back. + +'Hallo! Where are you carrying that straw to?' + +'To the village,' said the man. + +'Do you mean to say there is no straw in the village?' + +'Ah! but this is quite a peculiar straw. If you strew it about even in +the hottest summer the air at once becomes cold, and snow falls, and the +people freeze.' + +Then the Simpleton asked him also to join them. + +At last the ship, with its strange crew, arrived at the King's Court. +The King was having his dinner, but he at once despatched one of his +courtiers to find out what the huge, strange new bird could be that had +come flying through the air. The courtier peeped into the ship, and, +seeing what it was, instantly went back to the King and told him that it +was a flying ship, and that it was manned by a few peasants. + +Then the King remembered his royal oath; but he made up his mind that +he would never consent to let the Princess marry a poor peasant. So he +thought and thought, and then said to himself: + +'I will give him some impossible tasks to perform; that will be the best +way of getting rid of him.' And he there and then decided to despatch +one of his courtiers to the Simpleton, with the command that he was +to fetch the King the healing water from the world's end before he had +finished his dinner. + +But while the King was still instructing the courtier exactly what +he was to say, the first man of the ship's company, the one with the +miraculous power of hearing, had overheard the King's words, and hastily +reported them to the poor Simpleton. + +'Alas, alas!' he cried; 'what am I to do now? It would take me quite a +year, possibly my whole life, to find the water.' + +'Never fear,' said his fleet-footed comrade, 'I will fetch what the King +wants.' + +Just then the courtier arrived, bearing the King's command. + +'Tell his Majesty,' said the Simpleton, 'that his orders shall be +obeyed; 'and forthwith the swift runner unbound the foot that was strung +up behind his ear and started off, and in less than no time had reached +the world's end and drawn the healing water from the well. + +'Dear me,' he thought to himself, 'that's rather tiring! I'll just rest +for a few minutes; it will be some little time yet before the King has +got to dessert.' So he threw himself down on the grass, and, as the sun +was very dazzling, he closed his eyes, and in a few seconds had fallen +sound asleep. + +In the meantime all the ship's crew were anxiously awaiting him; the +King's dinner would soon be finished, and their comrade had not yet +returned. So the man with the marvellous quick hearing lay down and, +putting his ear to the ground, listened. + +'That's a nice sort of fellow!' he suddenly exclaimed. 'He's lying on +the ground, snoring hard!' + +At this the marksman seized his gun, took aim, and fired in the +direction of the world's end, in order to awaken the sluggard. And a +moment later the swift runner reappeared, and, stepping on board the +ship, handed the healing water to the Simpleton. So while the King was +still sitting at table finishing his dinner news was brought to him that +his orders had been obeyed to the letter. + +What was to be done now? The King determined to think of a still more +impossible task. So he told another courtier to go to the Simpleton with +the command that he and his comrades were instantly to eat up twelve +oxen and twelve tons of bread. Once more the sharp-eared comrade +overheard the King's words while he was still talking to the courtier, +and reported them to the Simpleton. + +'Alas, alas!' he sighed; 'what in the world shall I do? Why, it would +take us a year, possibly our whole lives, to eat up twelve oxen and +twelve tons of bread.' + +'Never fear,' said the glutton. 'It will scarcely be enough for me, I'm +so hungry.' + +So when the courtier arrived with the royal message he was told to take +back word to the King that his orders should be obeyed. Then twelve +roasted oxen and twelve tons of bread were brought alongside of the +ship, and at one sitting the glutton had devoured it all. + +'I call that a small meal,' he said. 'I wish they'd brought me some +more.' + +Next, the King ordered that forty casks of wine, containing forty +gallons each, were to be drunk up on the spot by the Simpleton and his +party. When these words were overheard by the sharp-eared comrade and +repeated to the Simpleton, he was in despair. + +'Alas, alas!' he exclaimed; 'what is to be done? It would take us a +year, possibly our whole lives, to drink so much.' + +'Never fear,' said his thirsty comrade. 'I'll drink it all up at a +gulp, see if I don't.' And sure enough, when the forty casks of wine +containing forty gallons each were brought alongside of the ship, they +disappeared down the thirsty comrade's throat in no time; and when they +were empty he remarked: + +'Why, I'm still thirsty. I should have been glad of two more casks.' + +Then the King took counsel with himself and sent an order to the +Simpleton that he was to have a bath, in a bath-room at the royal +palace, and after that the betrothal should take place. Now the +bath-room was built of iron, and the King gave orders that it was to +be heated to such a pitch that it would suffocate the Simpleton. And so +when the poor silly youth entered the room, he discovered that the iron +walls were red hot. But, fortunately, his comrade with the straw on his +back had entered behind him, and when the door was shut upon them he +scattered the straw about, and suddenly the red-hot walls cooled down, +and it became so very cold that the Simpleton could scarcely bear to +take a bath, and all the water in the room froze. So the Simpleton +climbed up upon the stove, and, wrapping himself up in the bath +blankets, lay there the whole night. And in the morning when they opened +the door there he lay sound and safe, singing cheerfully to himself. + +Now when this strange tale was told to the King he became quite sad, +not knowing what he should do to get rid of so undesirable a son-in-law, +when suddenly a brilliant idea occurred to him. + +'Tell the rascal to raise me an army, now at this instant!' he exclaimed +to one of his courtiers. 'Inform him at once of this, my royal will.' +And to himself he added, 'I think I shall do for him this time.' + +As on former occasions, the quick-eared comrade had overheard the King's +command and repeated it to the Simpleton. + +'Alas, alas!' he groaned; 'now I am quite done for.' + +'Not at all,' replied one of his comrades (the one who had dragged the +bundle of wood through the forest). 'Have you quite forgotten me?' + +In the meantime the courtier, who had run all the way from the palace, +reached the ship panting and breathless, and delivered the King's +message. + +'Good!' remarked the Simpleton. 'I will raise an army for the King,' and +he drew himself up. 'But if, after that, the King refuses to accept me +as his son-in-law, I will wage war against him, and carry the Princess +off by force.' + +During the night the Simpleton and his comrade went, together into a big +field, not forgetting to take the bundle of wood with them, which the +man spread out in all directions--and in a moment a mighty army stood +upon the spot, regiment on regiment of foot and horse soldiers; the +bugles sounded and the drums beat, the chargers neighed, and their +riders put their lances in rest, and the soldiers presented arms. + +In the morning when the King awoke he was startled by these warlike +sounds, the bugles and the drums, and the clatter of the horses, and the +shouts of the soldiers. And, stepping to the window, he saw the lances +gleam in the sunlight and the armour and weapons glitter. And the proud +monarch said to himself, 'I am powerless in comparison with this man.' +So he sent him royal robes and costly jewels, and commanded him to come +to the palace to be married to the Princess. And his son-in-law put +on the royal robes, and he looked so grand and stately that it was +impossible to recognise the poor Simpleton, so changed was he; and the +Princess fell in love with him as soon as ever she saw him. + +Never before had so grand a wedding been seen, and there was so much +food and wine that even the glutton and the thirsty comrade had enough +to eat and drink. + + + + +THE SNOW-DAUGHTER AND THE FIRE-SON(25) + +(25) From the Bukowinaer Tales and Legends. Von Wliolocki. + +There was once upon a time a man and his wife, and they had no children, +which was a great grief to them. One winter's day, when the sun was +shining brightly, the couple were standing outside their cottage, and +the woman was looking at all the little icicles which hung from the +roof. She sighed, and turning to her husband said, 'I wish I had as many +children as there are icicles hanging there.' 'Nothing would please me +more either,' replied her husband. Then a tiny icicle detached itself +from the roof, and dropped into the woman's mouth, who swallowed it with +a smile, and said, 'Perhaps I shall give birth to a snow child now!' Her +husband laughed at his wife's strange idea, and they went back into the +house. + +But after a short time the woman gave birth to a little girl, who was +as white as snow and as cold as ice. If they brought the child anywhere +near the fire, it screamed loudly till they put it back into some cool +place. The little maid throve wonderfully, and in a few months she could +run about and speak. But she was not altogether easy to bring up, and +gave her parents much trouble and anxiety, for all summer she insisted +on spending in the cellar, and in the winter she would sleep outside in +the snow, and the colder it was the happier she seemed to be. Her father +and mother called her simply 'Our Snow-daughter,' and this name stuck to +her all her life. + +One day her parents sat by the fire, talking over the extraordinary +behaviour of their daughter, who was disporting herself in the snowstorm +that raged outside. The woman sighed deeply and said, 'I wish I had +given birth to a Fire-son!' As she said these words, a spark from the +big wood fire flew into the woman's lap, and she said with a laugh, 'Now +perhaps I shall give birth to a Fire-son!' The man laughed at his wife's +words, and thought it was a good joke. But he ceased to think it a +joke when his wife shortly afterwards gave birth to a boy, who screamed +lustily till he was put quite close to the fire, and who nearly yelled +himself into a fit if the Snow-daughter came anywhere near him. The +Snow-daughter herself avoided him as much as she could, and always crept +into a corner as far away from him as possible. The parents called the +boy simply 'Our Fire-son,' a name which stuck to him all his life. They +had a great deal of trouble and worry with him too; but he throve and +grew very quickly, and before he was a year old he could run about and +talk. He was as red as fire, and as hot to touch, and he always sat on +the hearth quite close to the fire, and complained of the cold; if his +sister were in the room he almost crept into the flames, while the girl +on her part always complained of the great heat if her brother were +anywhere near. In summer the boy always lay out in the sun, while the +girl hid herself in the cellar: so it happened that the brother and +sister came very little into contact with each other--in fact, they +carefully avoided it. + +Just as the girl grew up into a beautiful woman, her father and mother +both died one after the other. Then the Fire-son, who had grown up in +the meantime into a fine, strong young man, said to his sister, 'I am +going out into the world, for what is the use of remaining on here?' + +'I shall go with you,' she answered, 'for, except you, I have no one in +the world, and I have a feeling that if we set out together we shall be +lucky.' + +The Fire-son said, 'I love you with all my heart, but at the same time +I always freeze if you are near me, and you nearly die of heat if I +approach you! How shall we travel about together without being odious +the one to the other?' + +'Don't worry about that,' replied the girl, 'for I've thought it all +over, and have settled on a plan which will make us each able to bear +with the other! See, I have had a fur cloak made for each of us, and if +we put them on I shall not feel the heat so much nor you the cold.' So +they put on the fur cloaks, and set out cheerfully on their way, and for +the first time in their lives quite happy in each other's company. + +For a long time the Fire-son and the Snow-daughter wandered through the +world, and when at the beginning of winter they came to a big wood they +determined to stay there till spring. The Fire-son built himself a hut +where he always kept up a huge fire, while his sister with very few +clothes on stayed outside night and day. Now it happened one day that +the King of the land held a hunt in this wood, and saw the Snow-daughter +wandering about in the open air. He wondered very much who the beautiful +girl clad in such garments could be, and he stopped and spoke to her. +He soon learnt that she could not stand heat, and that her brother could +not endure cold. The King was so charmed by the Snow-daughter, that he +asked her to be his wife. The girl consented, and the wedding was held +with much state. The King had a huge house of ice made for his wife +underground, so that even in summer it did not melt. But for his +brother-in-law he had a house built with huge ovens all round it, that +were kept heated all day and night. The Fire-son was delighted, but +the perpetual heat in which he lived made his body so hot, that it was +dangerous to go too close to him. + +One day the King gave a great feast, and asked his brother-in-law +among the other guests. The Fire-son did not appear till everyone had +assembled, and when he did, everyone fled outside to the open air, so +intense was the heat he gave forth. Then the King was very angry and +said, 'If I had known what a lot of trouble you would have been, I would +never have taken you into my house.' Then the Fire-son replied with a +laugh, 'Don't be angry, dear brother! I love heat and my sister loves +cold--come here and let me embrace you, and then I'll go home at once.' +And before the King had time to reply, the Fire-son seized him in a +tight embrace. The King screamed aloud in agony, and when his wife, the +Snow-daughter, who had taken refuge from her brother in the next room, +hurried to him, the King lay dead on the ground burnt to a cinder. When +the Snow-daughter saw this she turned on her brother and flew at him. +Then a fight began, the like of which had never been seen on earth. When +the people, attracted by the noise, hurried to the spot, they saw the +Snow-daughter melting into water and the Fire-son burn to a cinder. And +so ended the unhappy brother and sister. + + + + +THE STORY OF KING FROST (26) + +(26) From the Russian. + +There was once upon a time a peasant-woman who had a daughter and a +step-daughter. The daughter had her own way in everything, and whatever +she did was right in her mother's eyes; but the poor step-daughter had +a hard time. Let her do what she would, she was always blamed, and got +small thanks for all the trouble she took; nothing was right, everything +wrong; and yet, if the truth were known, the girl was worth her weight +in gold--she was so unselfish and good-hearted. But her step-mother did +not like her, and the poor girl's days were spent in weeping; for it +was impossible to live peacefully with the woman. The wicked shrew was +determined to get rid of the girl by fair means or foul, and kept saying +to her father: 'Send her away, old man; send her away--anywhere so that +my eyes sha'n't be plagued any longer by the sight of her, or my ears +tormented by the sound of her voice. Send her out into the fields, and +let the cutting frost do for her.' + +In vain did the poor old father weep and implore her pity; she was firm, +and he dared not gainsay her. So he placed his daughter in a sledge, +not even daring to give her a horse-cloth to keep herself warm with, and +drove her out on to the bare, open fields, where he kissed her and left +her, driving home as fast as he could, that he might not witness her +miserable death. + +Deserted by her father, the poor girl sat down under a fir-tree at the +edge of the forest and began to weep silently. Suddenly she heard a +faint sound: it was King Frost springing from tree to tree, and cracking +his fingers as he went. At length he reached the fir-tree beneath which +she was sitting, and with a crisp crackling sound he alighted beside +her, and looked at her lovely face. + +'Well, maiden,' he snapped out, 'do you know who I am? I am King Frost, +king of the red-noses.' + +'All hail to you, great King!' answered the girl, in a gentle, trembling +voice. 'Have you come to take me?' + +'Are you warm, maiden?' he replied. + +'Quite warm, King Frost,' she answered, though she shivered as she +spoke. + +Then King Frost stooped down, and bent over the girl, and the crackling +sound grew louder, and the air seemed to be full of knives and darts; +and again he asked: + +'Maiden, are you warm? Are you warm, you beautiful girl?' + +And though her breath was almost frozen on her lips, she whispered +gently, 'Quite warm, King Frost.' + +Then King Frost gnashed his teeth, and cracked his fingers, and his eyes +sparkled, and the crackling, crisp sound was louder than ever, and for +the last time he asked her: + +'Maiden, are you still warm? Are you still warm, little love?' + +And the poor girl was so stiff and numb that she could just gasp, 'Still +warm, O King!' + +Now her gentle, courteous words and her uncomplaining ways touched +King Frost, and he had pity on her, and he wrapped her up in furs, and +covered her with blankets, and he fetched a great box, in which were +beautiful jewels and a rich robe embroidered in gold and silver. And she +put it on, and looked more lovely than ever, and King Frost stepped with +her into his sledge, with six white horses. + +In the meantime the wicked step-mother was waiting at home for news of +the girl's death, and preparing pancakes for the funeral feast. And she +said to her husband: 'Old man, you had better go out into the fields and +find your daughter's body and bury her.' Just as the old man was leaving +the house the little dog under the table began to bark, saying: + + 'YOUR daughter shall live to be your delight; + HER daughter shall die this very night.' + +'Hold your tongue, you foolish beast!' scolded the woman. 'There's a +pancake for you, but you must say: + + "HER daughter shall have much silver and gold; + HIS daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold."' + +But the doggie ate up the pancake and barked, saying: + + 'His daughter shall wear a crown on her head; + Her daughter shall die unwooed, unwed.' + + +Then the old woman tried to coax the doggie with more pancakes and +to terrify it with blows, but he barked on, always repeating the same +words. And suddenly the door creaked and flew open, and a great heavy +chest was pushed in, and behind it came the step-daughter, radiant and +beautiful, in a dress all glittering with silver and gold. For a moment +the step-mother's eyes were dazzled. Then she called to her husband: +'Old man, yoke the horses at once into the sledge, and take my daughter +to the same field and leave her on the same spot exactly; 'and so the +old man took the girl and left her beneath the same tree where he had +parted from his daughter. In a few minutes King Frost came past, and, +looking at the girl, he said: + +'Are you warm, maiden?' + +'What a blind old fool you must be to ask such a question!' she answered +angrily. 'Can't you see that my hands and feet are nearly frozen?' + +Then King Frost sprang to and fro in front of her, questioning her, and +getting only rude, rough words in reply, till at last he got very angry, +and cracked his fingers, and gnashed his teeth, and froze her to death. + +But in the hut her mother was waiting for her return, and as she grew +impatient she said to her husband: 'Get out the horses, old man, to go +and fetch her home; but see that you are careful not to upset the sledge +and lose the chest.' + +But the doggie beneath the table began to bark, saying: + + 'Your daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold, + And shall never have a chest full of gold.' + +'Don't tell such wicked lies!' scolded the woman. 'There's a cake for +you; now say: + + "HER daughter shall marry a mighty King." + +At that moment the door flew open, and she rushed out to meet her +daughter, and as she took her frozen body in her arms she too was +chilled to death. + + + + +THE DEATH OF THE SUN-HERO (27) + +(27) From the Bukowinaer Tales and Legends. Von Wliolocki. + +Many, many thousand years ago there lived a mighty King whom heaven had +blessed with a clever and beautiful son. When he was only ten years old +the boy was cleverer than all the King's counsellors put together, and +when he was twenty he was the greatest hero in the whole kingdom. His +father could not make enough of his son, and always had him clothed in +golden garments which shone and sparkled like the sun; and his mother +gave him a white horse, which never slept, and which flew like the +wind. All the people in the land loved him dearly, and called him the +Sun-Hero, for they did not think his like existed under the sun. Now +it happened one night that both his parents had the same extraordinary +dream. They dreamt that a girl all dressed in red had come to them and +said: 'If you wish that your son should really become the Sun-Hero in +deed and not only in name, let him go out into the world and search for +the Tree of the Sun, and when he has found it, let him pluck a golden +apple from it and bring it home.' + +When the King and Queen had each related their dreams to the other, +they were much amazed that they should both have dreamt exactly the same +about their son, and the King said to his wife, 'This is clearly a sign +from heaven that we should send our son out into the world in order that +he may come home the great Sun-Hero, as the Red Girl said, not only in +name but in deed.' + +The Queen consented with many tears, and the King at once bade his son +set forth in search of the Tree of the Sun, from which he was to pluck +a golden apple. The Prince was delighted at the prospect, and set out on +his travels that very day. + +For a long time he wandered all through the world, and it was not till +the ninety-ninth day after he started that he found an old man who +was able to tell him where the Tree of the Sun grew. He followed his +directions, and rode on his way, and after another ninety-nine days +he arrived at a golden castle, which stood in the middle of a vast +wilderness. He knocked at the door, which was opened noiselessly and by +invisible hands. Finding no one about, the Prince rode on, and came to +a great meadow, where the Sun-Tree grew. When he reached the tree he put +out his hand to pick a golden apple; but all of a sudden the tree grew +higher, so that he could not reach its fruit. Then he heard some one +behind him laughing. Turning round, he saw the girl in red walking +towards him, who addressed him in these words: + +'Do you really imagine, brave son of the earth, that you can pluck an +apple so easily from the Tree of the Sun? Before you can do that, you +have a difficult task before you. You must guard the tree for nine days +and nine nights from the ravages of two wild black wolves, who will try +to harm it. Do you think you can undertake this?' + +'Yes,' answered the Sun-Hero, 'I will guard the Tree of the Sun nine +days and nine nights.' + +Then the girl continued: 'Remember, though, if you do not succeed the +Sun will kill you. Now begin your watch.' + +With these words the Red Girl went back into the golden castle. She had +hardly left him when the two black wolves appeared: but the Sun-Hero +beat them off with his sword, and they retired, only, however, to +reappear in a very short time. The Sun-Hero chased them away once more, +but he had hardly sat down to rest when the two black wolves were on +the scene again. This went on for seven days and nights, when the white +horse, who had never done such a thing before, turned to the Sun-Hero +and said in a human voice: 'Listen to what I am going to say. A Fairy +gave me to your mother in order that I might be of service to you; so +let me tell you, that if you go to sleep and let the wolves harm the +tree, the Sun will surely kill you. The Fairy, foreseeing this, put +everyone in the world under a spell, which prevents their obeying the +Sun's command to take your life. But all the same, she has forgotten +one person, who will certainly kill you if you fall asleep and let the +wolves damage the tree. So watch and keep the wolves away.' + +Then the Sun-Hero strove with all his might and kept the black wolves +at bay, and conquered his desire to sleep; but on the eighth night his +strength failed him, and he fell fast asleep. When he awoke a woman in +black stood beside him, who said: 'You have fulfilled your task very +badly, for you have let the two black wolves damage the Tree of the Sun. +I am the mother of the Sun, and I command you to ride away from here at +once, and I pronounce sentence of death upon you, for you proudly let +yourself be called the Sun-Hero without having done anything to deserve +the name.' + +The youth mounted his horse sadly, and rode home. The people all +thronged round him on his return, anxious to hear his adventures, but +he told them nothing, and only to his mother did he confide what had +befallen him. But the old Queen laughed, and said to her son: 'Don't +worry, my child; you see, the Fairy has protected you so far, and the +Sun has found no one to kill you. So cheer up and be happy.' + +After a time the Prince forgot all about his adventure, and married a +beautiful Princess, with whom he lived very happily for some time. But +one day when he was out hunting he felt very thirsty, and coming to a +stream he stooped down to drink from it, and this caused his death, for +a crab came swimming up, and with its claws tore out his tongue. He was +carried home in a dying condition, and as he lay on his death-bed +the black woman appeared and said: 'So the Sun has, after all, found +someone, who was not under the Fairy's spell, who has caused your death. +And a similar fate will overtake everyone under the Sun who wrongfully +assumes a title to which he has no right.' + + + + +THE WITCH (28) + +(28) From the Russian. + +Once upon a time there was a peasant whose wife died, leaving him with +two children--twins--a boy and a girl. For some years the poor man +lived on alone with the children, caring for them as best he could; but +everything in the house seemed to go wrong without a woman to look after +it, and at last he made up his mind to marry again, feeling that a +wife would bring peace and order to his household and take care of his +motherless children. So he married, and in the following years several +children were born to him; but peace and order did not come to the +household. For the step-mother was very cruel to the twins, and beat +them, and half-starved them, and constantly drove them out of the house; +for her one idea was to get them out of the way. All day she thought +of nothing but how she should get rid of them; and at last an evil idea +came into her head, and she determined to send them out into the great +gloomy wood where a wicked witch lived. And so one morning she spoke to +them, saying: + +'You have been such good children that I am going to send you to visit +my granny, who lives in a dear little hut in the wood. You will have to +wait upon her and serve her, but you will be well rewarded, for she will +give you the best of everything.' + +So the children left the house together; and the little sister, who was +very wise for her years, said to the brother: + +'We will first go and see our own dear grandmother, and tell her where +our step-mother is sending us.' + +And when the grandmother heard where they were going, she cried and +said: + +'You poor motherless children! How I pity you; and yet I can do nothing +to help you! Your step-mother is not sending you to her granny, but to +a wicked witch who lives in that great gloomy wood. Now listen to me, +children. You must be civil and kind to everyone, and never say a cross +word to anyone, and never touch a crumb belonging to anyone else. Who +knows if, after all, help may not be sent to you?' + +And she gave her grandchildren a bottle of milk and a piece of ham and +a loaf of bread, and they set out for the great gloomy wood. When they +reached it they saw in front of them, in the thickest of the trees, a +queer little hut, and when they looked into it, there lay the witch, +with her head on the threshold of the door, with one foot in one corner +and the other in the other corner, and her knees cocked up, almost +touching the ceiling. + +'Who's there?' she snarled, in an awful voice, when she saw the +children. + +And they answered civilly, though they were so terrified that they hid +behind one another, and said: + +'Good-morning, granny; our step-mother has sent us to wait upon you, and +serve you.' + +'See that you do it well, then,' growled the witch. 'If I am pleased +with you, I'll reward you; but if I am not, I'll put you in a pan and +fry you in the oven--that's what I'll do with you, my pretty dears! You +have been gently reared, but you'll find my work hard enough. See if you +don't.' + +And, so saying, she set the girl down to spin yarn, and she gave the boy +a sieve in which to carry water from the well, and she herself went +out into the wood. Now, as the girl was sitting at her distaff, weeping +bitterly because she could not spin, she heard the sound of hundreds +of little feet, and from every hole and corner in the hut mice came +pattering along the floor, squeaking and saying: + + 'Little girl, why are your eyes so red? + If you want help, then give us some bread.' + +And the girl gave them the bread that her grandmother had given her. +Then the mice told her that the witch had a cat, and the cat was very +fond of ham; if she would give the cat her ham, it would show her the +way out of the wood, and in the meantime they would spin the yarn for +her. So the girl set out to look for the cat, and, as she was hunting +about, she met her brother, in great trouble because he could not carry +water from the well in a sieve, as it came pouring out as fast as he +put it in. And as she was trying to comfort him they heard a rustling of +wings, and a flight of wrens alighted on the ground beside them. And the +wrens said: + + 'Give us some crumbs, then you need not grieve. + + For you'll find that water will stay in the sieve.' + +Then the twins crumbled their bread on the ground, and the wrens pecked +it, and chirruped and chirped. And when they had eaten the last crumb +they told the boy to fill up the holes of the sieve with clay, and then +to draw water from the well. So he did what they said, and carried the +sieve full of water into the hut without spilling a drop. When they +entered the hut the cat was curled up on the floor. So they stroked her, +and fed her with ham, and said to her: + +'Pussy, grey pussy, tell us how we are to get away from the witch?' + +Then the cat thanked them for the ham, and gave them a +pocket-handkerchief and a comb, and told them that when the witch +pursued them, as she certainly would, all they had to do was to throw +the handkerchief on the ground and run as fast as they could. As soon as +the handkerchief touched the ground a deep, broad river would spring up, +which would hinder the witch's progress. If she managed to get across +it, they must throw the comb behind them and run for their lives, for +where the comb fell a dense forest would start up, which would delay the +witch so long that they would be able to get safely away. + +The cat had scarcely finished speaking when the witch returned to see if +the children had fulfilled their tasks. + +'Well, you have done well enough for to-day,' she grumbled; 'but +to-morrow you'll have something more difficult to do, and if you don't +do it well, you pampered brats, straight into the oven you go.' + +Half-dead with fright, and trembling in every limb, the poor children +lay down to sleep on a heap of straw in the corner of the hut; but they +dared not close their eyes, and scarcely ventured to breathe. In the +morning the witch gave the girl two pieces of linen to weave before +night, and the boy a pile of wood to cut into chips. Then the witch left +them to their tasks, and went out into the wood. As soon as she had +gone out of sight the children took the comb and the handkerchief, and, +taking one another by the hand, they started and ran, and ran, and ran. +And first they met the watch-dog, who was going to leap on them and tear +them to pieces; but they threw the remains of their bread to him, and +he ate them and wagged his tail. Then they were hindered by the +birch-trees, whose branches almost put their eyes out. But the little +sister tied the twigs together with a piece of ribbon, and they got past +safely, and, after running through the wood, came out on to the open +fields. + +In the meantime in the hut the cat was busy weaving the linen and +tangling the threads as it wove. And the witch returned to see how the +children were getting on; and she crept up to the window, and whispered: + +'Are you weaving, my little dear?' + +'Yes, granny, I am weaving,' answered the cat. + +When the witch saw that the children had escaped her, she was furious, +and, hitting the cat with a porringer, she said: 'Why did you let the +children leave the hut? Why did you not scratch their eyes out?' + +But the cat curled up its tail and put its back up, and answered: 'I +have served you all these years and you never even threw me a bone, but +the dear children gave me their own piece of ham.' + +Then the witch was furious with the watch-dog and with the birch-trees, +because they had let the children pass. But the dog answered: + +'I have served you all these years and you never gave me so much as a +hard crust, but the dear children gave me their own loaf of bread.' + +And the birch rustled its leaves, and said: 'I have served you longer +than I can say, and you never tied a bit of twine even round my +branches; and the dear children bound them up with their brightest +ribbons.' + +So the witch saw there was no help to be got from her old servants, and +that the best thing she could do was to mount on her broom and set off +in pursuit of the children. And as the children ran they heard the sound +of the broom sweeping the ground close behind them, so instantly they +threw the handkerchief down over their shoulder, and in a moment a deep, +broad river flowed behind them. + +When the witch came up to it, it took her a long time before she found a +place which she could ford over on her broom-stick; but at last she got +across, and continued the chase faster than before. And as the children +ran they heard a sound, and the little sister put her ear to the ground, +and heard the broom sweeping the earth close behind them; so, quick as +thought, she threw the comb down on the ground, and in an instant, +as the cat had said, a dense forest sprung up, in which the roots and +branches were so closely intertwined, that it was impossible to force a +way through it. So when the witch came up to it on her broom she found +that there was nothing for it but to turn round and go back to her hut. + +But the twins ran straight on till they reached their own home. Then +they told their father all that they had suffered, and he was so angry +with their step-mother that he drove her out of the house, and never let +her return; but he and the children lived happily together; and he took +care of them himself, and never let a stranger come near them. + + + + +THE HAZEL-NUT CHILD (29) + +(29) From the Bukowniaer. Van Wliolocki. + +There was once upon a time a couple who had no children, and they prayed +Heaven every day to send them a child, though it were no bigger than +a hazel-nut. At last Heaven heard their prayer and sent them a child +exactly the size of a hazel-nut, and it never grew an inch. The parents +were very devoted to the little creature, and nursed and tended it +carefully. Their tiny son too was as clever as he could be, and so sharp +and sensible that all the neighbours marvelled over the wise things he +said and did. + +When the Hazel-nut child was fifteen years old, and was sitting one day +in an egg-shell on the table beside his mother, she turned to him and +said, 'You are now fifteen years old, and nothing can be done with you. +What do you intend to be?' + +'A messenger,' answered the Hazel-nut child. + +Then his mother burst out laughing and said, 'What an idea! You a +messenger! Why, your little feet would take an hour to go the distance +an ordinary person could do in a minute!' + +But the Hazel-nut child replied, 'Nevertheless I mean to be a messenger! +Just send me a message and you'll see that I shall be back in next to no +time.' + +So his mother said, 'Very well, go to your aunt in the neighbouring +village, and fetch me a comb.' The Hazel-nut child jumped quickly out +of the egg-shell and ran out into the street. Here he found a man on +horseback who was just setting out for the neighbouring village. He +crept up the horse's leg, sat down under the saddle, and then began to +pinch the horse and to prick it with a pin. The horse plunged and reared +and then set off at a hard gallop, which it continued in spite of its +rider's efforts to stop it. When they reached the village, the Hazel-nut +child left off pricking the horse, and the poor tired creature pursued +its way at a snail's pace. The Hazel-nut child took advantage of this, +and crept down the horse's leg; then he ran to his aunt and asked her +for a comb. On the way home he met another rider, and did the return +journey in exactly the same way. When he handed his mother the comb that +his aunt had given him, she was much amazed and asked him, 'But how did +you manage to get back so quickly?' + +'Ah! mother,' he replied, 'you see I was quite right when I said I knew +a messenger was the profession for me.' + +His father too possessed a horse which he often used to take out into +the fields to graze. One day he took the Hazel-nut child with him. At +midday the father turned to his small son and said, 'Stay here and look +after the horse. I must go home and give your mother a message, but I +shall be back soon.' + +When his father had gone, a robber passed by and saw the horse grazing +without any one watching it, for of course he could not see the +Hazel-nut child hidden in the grass. So he mounted the horse and rode +away. But the Hazel-nut child, who was the most active little creature, +climbed up the horse's tail and began to bite it on the back, enraging +the creature to such an extent that it paid no attention to the +direction the robber tried to make it go in, but galloped straight home. +The father was much astonished when he saw a stranger riding his horse, +but the Hazel-nut child climbed down quickly and told him all that had +happened, and his father had the robber arrested at once and put into +prison. + +One autumn when the Hazel-nut child was twenty years old he said to his +parents: 'Farewell, my dear father and mother. I am going to set out +into the world, and as soon as I have become rich I will return home to +you.' + +The parents laughed at the little man's words, but did not believe him +for a moment. In the evening the Hazel-nut child crept on to the roof, +where some storks had built their nest. The storks were fast asleep, +and he climbed on to the back of the father-stork and bound a silk cord +round the joint of one of its wings, then he crept among its soft downy +feathers and fell asleep. + +The next morning the storks flew towards the south, for winter was +approaching. The Hazel-nut child flew through the air on the stork's +back, and when he wanted to rest he bound his silk cord on to the joint +of the bird's other wing, so that it could not fly any farther. In this +way he reached the country of the black people, where the storks took +up their abode close to the capital. When the people saw the Hazel-nut +child they were much astonished, and took him with the stork to the King +of the country. The King was delighted with the little creature and kept +him always beside him, and he soon grew so fond of the little man that +he gave him a diamond four times as big as himself. The Hazel-nut child +fastened the diamond firmly under the stork's neck with a ribbon, and +when he saw that the other storks were getting ready for their northern +flight, he untied the silk cord from his stork's wings, and away they +went, getting nearer home every minute. At length the Hazel-nut child +came to his native village; then he undid the ribbon from the stork's +neck and the diamond fell to the ground; he covered it first with sand +and stones, and then ran to get his parents, so that they might carry +the treasure home, for he himself was not able to lift the great +diamond. + +So the Hazel-nut child and his parents lived in happiness and prosperity +after this till they died. + + + + +THE STORY OF BIG KLAUS AND LITTLE KLAUS + +In a certain village there lived two people who had both the same name. +Both were called Klaus, but one owned four horses and the other only +one. In order to distinguish the one from the other, the one who had +four horses was called Big Klaus, and the one who had only one horse, +Little Klaus. Now you shall hear what befell them both, for this is a +true story. + +The whole week through Little Klaus had to plough for Big Klaus, and +lend him his one horse; then Big Klaus lent him his four horses, but +only once a week, and that was on Sunday. Hurrah! how loudly Little +Klaus cracked his whip over all the five horses! for they were indeed as +good as his on this one day. The sun shone brightly, and all the bells +in the church-towers were pealing; the people were dressed in their best +clothes, and were going to church, with their hymn books under their +arms, to hear the minister preach. They saw Little Klaus ploughing with +the five horses; but he was so happy that he kept on cracking his whip, +and calling out 'Gee-up, my five horses!' + +'You mustn't say that,' said Big Klaus. 'Only one horse is yours.' + +But as soon as someone else was going by Little Klaus forgot that he +must not say it, and called out 'Gee-up, my five horses!' + +'Now you had better stop that,' said Big Klaus, 'for if you say it once +more I will give your horse such a crack on the head that it will drop +down dead on the spot!' + +'I really won't say it again!' said Little Klaus. But as soon as more +people passed by, and nodded him good-morning, he became so happy in +thinking how well it looked to have five horses ploughing his field +that, cracking his whip, he called out 'Gee-up, my five horses!' + +'I'll see to your horses!' said Big Klaus; and, seizing an iron bar, he +struck Little Klaus' one horse such a blow on the head that it fell down +and died on the spot. + +'Alas! Now I have no horse!' said Little Klaus, beginning to cry. Then +he flayed the skin off his horse, dried it, and put it in a sack, which +he threw over his shoulder, and went into the town to sell it. He had a +long way to go, and had to pass through a great dark forest. A dreadful +storm came on, in which he lost his way, and before he could get on to +the right road night came on, and it was impossible to reach the town +that evening. + +Right in front of him was a large farm-house. The window-shutters were +closed, but the light came through the chinks. 'I should very much like +to be allowed to spend the night there,' thought Little Klaus; and he +went and knocked at the door. The farmer's wife opened it, but when she +heard what he wanted she told him to go away; her husband was not at +home, and she took in no strangers. + +'Well, I must lie down outside,' said Little Klaus; and the farmer's +wife shut the door in his face. Close by stood a large haystack, +and between it and the house a little out-house, covered with a flat +thatched roof. + +'I can lie down there,' thought Little Klaus, looking at the roof; 'it +will make a splendid bed, if only the stork won't fly down and bite my +legs.' For a live stork was standing on the roof, where it had its nest. +So Little Klaus crept up into the out-house, where he lay down, and made +himself comfortable for the night. The wooden shutters over the windows +were not shut at the top, and he could just see into the room. + +There stood a large table, spread with wine and roast meat and a +beautiful fish. The farmer's wife and the sexton sat at the table, but +there was no one else. She was filling up his glass, while he stuck his +fork into the fish which was his favourite dish. + +'If one could only get some of that!' thought Little Klaus, stretching +his head towards the window. Ah, what delicious cakes he saw standing +there! It WAS a feast! + +Then he heard someone riding along the road towards the house. It was +the farmer coming home. He was a very worthy man; but he had one great +peculiarity--namely, that he could not bear to see a sexton. If he +saw one he was made quite mad. That was why the sexton had gone to say +good-day to the farmer's wife when he knew that her husband was not at +home, and the good woman therefore put in front of him the best food she +had. But when they heard the farmer coming they were frightened, and the +farmer's wife begged the sexton to creep into a great empty chest. He +did so, as he knew the poor man could not bear to see a sexton. The wife +hastily hid all the beautiful food and the wine in her oven; for if her +husband had seen it, he would have been sure to ask what it all meant. + +'Oh, dear! oh, dear!' groaned Little Klaus up in the shed, when he saw +the good food disappearing. + +'Is anybody up there?' asked the farmer, catching sight of Little Klaus. +'Why are you lying there? Come with me into the house.' + +Then Little Klaus told him how he had lost his way, and begged to be +allowed to spend the night there. + +'Yes, certainly,' said the farmer; 'but we must first have something to +eat!' + +The wife received them both very kindly, spread a long table, and gave +them a large plate of porridge. The farmer was hungry, and ate with a +good appetite; but Little Klaus could not help thinking of the delicious +dishes of fish and roast meats and cakes which he knew were in the oven. +Under the table at his feet he had laid the sack with the horse-skin in +it, for, as we know, he was going to the town to sell it. The porridge +did not taste good to him, so he trod upon his sack, and the dry skin in +the sack squeaked loudly. + +'Hush!' said Little Klaus to his sack, at the same time treading on it +again so that it squeaked even louder than before. + +'Hallo! what have you got in your sack?' asked the farmer. + +'Oh, it is a wizard!' said Little Klaus. 'He says we should not eat +porridge, for he has conjured the whole oven full of roast meats and +fish and cakes.' + +'Goodness me!' said the farmer; and opening the oven he saw all the +delicious, tempting dishes his wife had hidden there, but which he now +believed the wizard in the sack had conjured up for them. The wife could +say nothing, but she put the food at once on the table, and they ate the +fish, the roast meat, and the cakes. Little Klaus now trod again on his +sack, so that the skin squeaked. + +'What does he say now?' asked the farmer. + +'He says,' replied Little Klans, 'that he has also conjured up for us +three bottles of wine; they are standing in the corner by the oven!' + +The wife had to fetch the wine which she had hidden, and the farmer +drank and grew very merry. He would very much like to have had such a +wizard as Little Klaus had in the sack. + +'Can he conjure up the Devil?' asked the farmer. 'I should like to see +him very much, for I feel just now in very good spirits!' + +'Yes,' said Little Klaus; 'my wizard can do everything that I ask. Isn't +that true?' he asked, treading on the sack so that it squeaked. 'Do you +hear? He says ''Yes;'' but that the Devil looks so ugly that we should +not like to see him.' + +'Oh! I'm not at all afraid. What does he look like?' + +'He will show himself in the shape of a sexton!' + +'I say!' said the farmer, 'he must be ugly! You must know that I can't +bear to look at a sexton! But it doesn't matter. I know that it is the +Devil, and I sha'n't mind! I feel up to it now. But he must not come too +near me!' + +'I must ask my wizard,' said Little Klaus, treading on the sack and +putting his ear to it. + +'What does he say?' + +'He says you can open the chest in the corner there, and you will see +the Devil squatting inside it; but you must hold the lid so that he +shall not escape.' + +'Will you help me to hold him?' begged the farmer, going towards the +chest where his wife had hidden the real sexton, who was sitting inside +in a terrible fright. The farmer opened the lid a little way, and saw +him inside. + +'Ugh!' he shrieked, springing back. 'Yes, now I have seen him; he looked +just like our sexton. Oh, it was horrid!' + +So he had to drink again, and they drank till far on into the night. + +'You MUST sell me the wizard,' said the farmer. 'Ask anything you like! +I will pay you down a bushelful of money on the spot.' + +'No, I really can't,' said Little Klans. 'Just think how many things I +can get from this wizard!' + +'Ah! I should like to have him so much!' said the farmer, begging very +hard. + +'Well!' said Little Klaus at last, 'as you have been so good as to give +me shelter to-night, I will sell him. You shall have the wizard for a +bushel of money, but I must have full measure.' + +'That you shall,' said the farmer. 'But you must take the chest with +you. I won't keep it another hour in the house. Who knows that he isn't +in there still?' + +Little Klaus gave the farmer his sack with the dry skin, and got instead +a good bushelful of money. The farmer also gave him a wheelbarrow to +carry away his money and the chest. 'Farewell,' said Little Klaus; and +away he went with his money and the big chest, wherein sat the sexton. + +On the other side of the wood was a large deep river. The water flowed +so rapidly that you could scarcely swim against the stream. + +A great new bridge had been built over it, on the middle of which Little +Klaus stopped, and said aloud so that the sexton might hear: + +'Now, what am I to do with this stupid chest? It is as heavy as if it +were filled with stones! I shall only be tired, dragging it along; I +will throw it into the river. If it swims home to me, well and good; and +if it doesn't, it's no matter.' + +Then he took the chest with one hand and lifted it up a little, as if he +were going to throw it into the water. + +'No, don't do that!' called out the sexton in the chest. 'Let me get out +first!' + +'Oh, oh!' said Little Klaus, pretending that he was afraid. 'He is still +in there! I must throw him quickly into the water to drown him!' + +'Oh! no, no!' cried the sexton. 'I will give you a whole bushelful of +money if you will let me go!' + +'Ah, that's quite another thing!' said Little Klaus, opening the chest. +The sexton crept out very quickly, pushed the empty chest into the water +and went to his house, where he gave Little Klaus a bushel of money. One +he had had already from the farmer, and now he had his wheelbarrow full +of money. + +'Well, I have got a good price for the horse!' said he to himself when +he shook all his money out in a heap in his room. 'This will put Big +Klaus in a rage when he hears how rich I have become through my one +horse; but I won't tell him just yet!' + +So he sent a boy to Big Klaus to borrow a bushel measure from him. + +'Now what can he want with it?' thought Big Klaus; and he smeared some +tar at the bottom, so that of whatever was measured a little should +remain in it. And this is just what happened; for when he got his +measure back, three new silver five-shilling pieces were sticking to it. + +What does this mean?' said Big Klaus, and he ran off at once to Little +Klaus. + +'Where did you get so much money from?' + +'Oh, that was from my horse-skin. I sold it yesterday evening.' + +'That's certainly a good price!' said Big Klaus; and running home in +great haste, he took an axe, knocked all his four horses on the head, +skinned them, and went into the town. + +'Skins! skins! Who will buy skins?' he cried through the streets. + +All the shoemakers and tanners came running to ask him what he wanted +for them. 'A bushel of money for each,' said Big Klaus. + +'Are you mad?' they all exclaimed. 'Do you think we have money by the +bushel?' + +'Skins! skins! Who will buy skins?' he cried again, and to all who asked +him what they cost, he answered, 'A bushel of money.' + +'He is making game of us,' they said; and the shoemakers seized their +yard measures and the tanners their leathern aprons and they gave Big +Klaus a good beating. 'Skins! skins!' they cried mockingly; yes, we will +tan YOUR skin for you! Out of the town with him!' they shouted; and Big +Klaus had to hurry off as quickly as he could, if he wanted to save his +life. + +'Aha!' said he when he came home, 'Little Klaus shall pay dearly for +this. I will kill him!' + +Little Klaus' grandmother had just died. Though she had been very unkind +to him, he was very much distressed, and he took the dead woman and laid +her in his warm bed to try if he could not bring her back to life. +There she lay the whole night, while he sat in the corner and slept on a +chair, which he had often done before. And in the night as he sat there +the door opened, and Big Klaus came in with his axe. He knew quite +well where Little Klaus's bed stood, and going up to it he struck the +grandmother on the head just where he thought Little Klaus would be. +'There!' said he. 'Now you won't get the best of me again!' And he went +home. + +'What a very wicked man!' thought Little Klaus. 'He was going to kill +me! It was a good thing for my grandmother that she was dead already, or +else he would have killed her!' + +Then he dressed his grandmother in her Sunday clothes, borrowed a horse +from his neighbour, harnessed the cart to it, sat his grandmother on the +back seat so that she could not fall out when he drove, and away they +went. When the sun rose they were in front of a large inn. Little Klaus +got down, and went in to get something to drink. The host was very rich. +He was a very worthy but hot-tempered man. + +'Good morning!' said he to Little Klaus. 'You are early on the road.' + +'Yes,' said Little Klaus. 'I am going to the town with my grandmother. +She is sitting outside in the cart; I cannot bring her in. Will you not +give her a glass of mead? But you will have to speak loud, for she is +very hard of hearing.' + +'Oh yes, certainly I will!' said the host; and, pouring out a large +glass of mead, he took it out to the dead grandmother, who was sitting +upright in the cart. + +'Here is a glass of mead from your son,' said the host. But the dead +woman did not answer a word, and sat still. 'Don't you hear?' cried the +host as loud as he could. 'Here is a glass of mead from your son!' + +Then he shouted the same thing again, and yet again, but she never moved +in her place; and at last he grew angry, threw the glass in her face, so +that she fell back into the cart, for she was not tied in her place. + +'Hullo!' cried Little Klaus, running out of the door, and seizing the +host by the throat. 'You have killed my grandmother! Look! there is a +great hole in her forehead!' + +'Oh, what a misfortune!' cried the host, wringing his hands. 'It all +comes from my hot temper! Dear Little Klaus! I will give you a bushel of +money, and will bury your grandmother as if she were my own; only don't +tell about it, or I shall have my head cut off, and that would be very +uncomfortable.' + +So Little Klaus got a bushel of money, and the host buried his +grandmother as if she had been his own. + +Now when Little Klaus again reached home with so much money he sent his +boy to Big Klaus to borrow his bushel measure. + +'What's this?' said Big Klaus. 'Didn't I kill him? I must see to this +myself!' + +So he went himself to Little Klaus with the measure. + +'Well, now, where did you get all this money?' asked he, opening his +eyes at the heap. + +'You killed my grandmother--not me,' said Little Klaus. 'I sold her, and +got a bushel of money for her.' + +'That is indeed a good price!' said Big Klaus; and, hurrying home, he +took an axe and killed his grandmother, laid her in the cart, and drove +off to the apothecary's, and asked whether he wanted to buy a dead body. + +'Who is it, and how did you get it?' asked the apothecary. + +'It is my grandmother,' said Big Klaus. 'I killed her in order to get a +bushel of money.' + +'You are mad!' said the apothecary. 'Don't mention such things, or you +will lose your head!' And he began to tell him what a dreadful thing +he had done, and what a wicked man he was, and that he ought to be +punished; till Big Klaus was so frightened that he jumped into the cart +and drove home as hard as he could. The apothecary and all the people +thought he must be mad, so they let him go. + +'You shall pay for this!' said Big Klaus as he drove home. 'You shall +pay for this dearly, Little Klaus!' + +So as soon as he got home he took the largest sack he could find, and +went to Little Klaus and said: 'You have fooled me again! First I killed +my horses, then my grandmother! It is all your fault; but you sha'n't do +it again!' And he seized Little Klaus, pushed him in the sack, threw it +over his shoulder, crying out 'Now I am going to drown you!' + +He had to go a long way before he came to the river, and Little Klaus +was not very light. The road passed by the church; the organ was +sounding, and the people were singing most beautifully. + +Big Klaus put down the sack with Little Klaus in it by the church-door, +and thought that he might as well go in and hear a psalm before going on +farther. Little Klaus could not get out, and everybody was in church; so +he went in. + +'Oh, dear! oh, dear!' groaned Little Klaus in the sack, twisting and +turning himself. But he could not undo the string. + +There came by an old, old shepherd, with snow-white hair and a long +staff in his hand. He was driving a herd of cows and oxen. These pushed +against the sack so that it was overturned. + +'Alas!' moaned Little Klans, 'I am so young and yet I must die!' + +'And I, poor man,' said the cattle-driver, 'I am so old and yet I cannot +die!' + +'Open the sack,' called out Little Klaus; 'creep in here instead of me, +and you will die in a moment!' + +'I will gladly do that,' said the cattle-driver; and he opened the sack, +and Little Klaus struggled out at once. + +'You will take care of the cattle, won't you?' asked the old man, +creeping into the sack, which Little Klaus fastened up and then went on +with the cows and oxen. Soon after Big Klaus came out of the church, and +taking up the sack on his shoulders it seemed to him as if it had become +lighter; for the old cattle-driver was not half as heavy as Little +Klaus. + +'How easy he is to carry now! That must be because I heard part of the +service.' + +So he went to the river, which was deep and broad, threw in the sack +with the old driver, and called after it, for he thought Little Klaus +was inside: + +'Down you go! You won't mock me any more now!' + +Then he went home; but when he came to the cross-roads, there he met +Little Klaus, who was driving his cattle. + +'What's this?' said Big Klaus. 'Haven't I drowned you?' + +'Yes,' replied Little Klaus; 'you threw me into the river a good +half-hour ago!' + +'But how did you get those splendid cattle?' asked Big Klaus. + +'They are sea-cattle!' said Little Klaus. 'I will tell you the whole +story, and I thank you for having drowned me, because now I am on dry +land and really rich! How frightened I was when I was in the sack! How +the wind whistled in my ears as you threw me from the bridge into the +cold water! I sank at once to the bottom; but I did not hurt myself for +underneath was growing the most beautiful soft grass. I fell on this, +and immediately the sack opened; the loveliest maiden in snow-white +garments, with a green garland round her wet hair, took me by the hand, +and said! ''Are you Little Klaus? Here are some cattle for you to begin +with, and a mile farther down the road there is another herd, which +I will give you as a present!'' Now I saw that the river was a great +high-road for the sea-people. Along it they travel underneath from +the sea to the land till the river ends. It was so beautiful, full of +flowers and fresh grass; the fishes which were swimming in the water +shot past my ears as the birds do here in the air. What lovely people +there were, and what fine cattle were grazing in the ditches and dykes!' + +'But why did you come up to us again?' asked Big Klaus. 'I should not +have done so, if it is so beautiful down below!' + +'Oh!' said Little Klaus, 'that was just so politic of me. You heard +what I told you, that the sea-maiden said to me a mile farther along the +road--and by the road she meant the river, for she can go by no other +way--there was another herd of cattle waiting for me. But I know what +windings the river makes, now here, now there, so that it is a long way +round. Therefore it makes it much shorter if one comes on the land and +drives across the field to the river. Thus I have spared myself quite +half a mile, and have come much quicker to my sea-cattle!' + +'Oh, you're a lucky fellow!' said Big Klaus. 'Do you think I should also +get some cattle if I went to the bottom of the river?' + +'Oh, yes! I think so,' said Little Klaus. 'But I can't carry you in a +sack to the river; you are too heavy for me! If you like to go there +yourself and then creep into the sack, I will throw you in with the +greatest of pleasure.' + +'Thank you,' said Big Klaus; 'but if I don't get any sea-cattle when I +come there, you will have a good hiding, mind!' + +'Oh, no! Don't be so hard on me!' Then they went to the river. When +the cattle, which were thirsty, caught sight of the water, they ran as +quickly as they could to drink. + +'Look how they are running!' said Little Klaus. 'They want to go to the +bottom again!' + +'Yes; but help me first,' said Big Klaus, 'or else you shall have a +beating!' + +And so he crept into the large sack, which was lying on the back of +one of the oxen. 'Put a stone in, for I am afraid I may not reach the +bottom,' said Big Klaus. + +'It goes all right!' said Little Klaus; but still he laid a big stone in +the sack, fastened it up tight, and then pushed it in. Plump! there was +Big Klaus in the water, and he sank like lead to the bottom. + +'I doubt if he will find any cattle!' said Little Klaus as he drove his +own home. + + + + +PRINCE RING (30) + +(30) From the Icelandic. + +Once upon a time there was a King and his Queen in their kingdom. + +They had one daughter, who was called Ingiborg, and one son, whose name +was Ring. He was less fond of adventures than men of rank usually were +in those days, and was not famous for strength or feats of arms. When he +was twelve years old, one fine winter day he rode into the forest along +with his men to enjoy himself. They went on a long way, until they +caught sight of a hind with a gold ring on its horns. The Prince was +eager to catch it, if possible, so they gave chase and rode on without +stopping until all the horses began to founder beneath them. At last the +Prince's horse gave way too, and then there came over them a darkness so +black that they could no longer see the hind. By this time they were far +away from any house, and thought it was high time to be making their way +home again, but they found they had got lost now. At first they all kept +together, but soon each began to think that he knew the right way best; +so they separated, and all went in different directions. + +The Prince, too, had got lost like the rest, and wandered on for a time +until he came to a little clearing in the forest not far from the sea, +where he saw a woman sitting on a chair and a big barrel standing +beside her. The Prince went up to her and saluted her politely, and she +received him very graciously. He looked down into the barrel then, and +saw lying at the bottom an unusually beautiful gold ring, which pleased +him so much that he could not take his eyes off it. The woman saw this, +and said that he might have it if he would take the trouble to get it; +for which the Prince thanked her, and said it was at least worth trying. +So he leaned over into the barrel, which did not seem very deep, and +thought he would easily reach the ring; but the more he stretched down +after it the deeper grew the barrel. As he was thus bending down into it +the woman suddenly rose up and pushed him in head first, saying that +now he could take up his quarters there. Then she fixed the top on the +barrel and threw it out into the sea. + +The Prince thought himself in a bad plight now, as he felt the barrel +floating out from the land and tossing about on the waves. + +How many days he spent thus he could not tell, but at last he felt that +the barrel was knocking against rocks, at which he was a little cheered, +thinking it was probably land and not merely a reef in the sea. Being +something of a swimmer, he at last made up his mind to kick the bottom +out of the barrel, and having done so he was able to get on shore, for +the rocks by the sea were smooth and level; but overhead there were high +cliffs. It seemed difficult to get up these, but he went along the foot +of them for a little, till at last he tried to climb up, which at last +he did. + +Having got to the top, he looked round about him and saw that he was +on an island, which was covered with forest, with apples growing, and +altogether pleasant as far as the land was concerned. After he had been +there several days, he one day heard a great noise in the forest, which +made him terribly afraid, so that he ran to hide himself among the +trees. Then he saw a Giant approaching, dragging a sledge loaded with +wood, and making straight for him, so that he could see nothing for it +but to lie down just where he was. When the Giant came across him, he +stood still and looked at the Prince for a little; then he took him up +in his arms and carried him home to his house, and was exceedingly kind +to him. He gave him to his wife, saying he had found this child in the +wood, and she could have it to help her in the house. The old woman was +greatly pleased, and began to fondle the Prince with the utmost delight. +He stayed there with them, and was very willing and obedient to them in +everything, while they grew kinder to him every day. + +One day the Giant took him round and showed him all his rooms except the +parlour; this made the Prince curious to have a look into it, thinking +there must be some very rare treasure there. So one day, when the Giant +had gone into the forest, he tried to get into the parlour, and managed +to get the door open half-way. Then he saw that some living creature +moved inside and ran along the floor towards him and said something, +which made him so frightened that he sprang back from the door and shut +it again. As soon as the fright began to pass off he tried it again, for +he thought it would be interesting to hear what it said; but things went +just as before with him. He then got angry with himself, and, summoning +up all his courage, tried it a third time, and opened the door of the +room and stood firm. Then he saw that it was a big Dog, which spoke to +him and said: + +'Choose me, Prince Ring.' + +The Prince went away rather afraid, thinking with himself that it was no +great treasure after all; but all the same what it had said to him stuck +in his mind. + +It is not said how long the Prince stayed with the Giant, but one +day the latter came to him and said he would now take him over to the +mainland out of the island, for he himself had no long time to live. He +also thanked him for his good service, and told him to choose some-one +of his possessions, for he would get whatever he wanted. Ring thanked +him heartily, and said there was no need to pay him for his services, +they were so little worth; but if he did wish to give him anything he +would choose what was in the parlour. The Giant was taken by surprise, +and said: + +'There, you chose my old woman's right hand; but I must not break my +word.' + +Upon this he went to get the Dog, which came running with signs of great +delight; but the Prince was so much afraid of it that it was all he +could do to keep from showing his alarm. + +After this the Giant accompanied him down to the sea, where he saw a +stone boat which was just big enough to hold the two of them and the +Dog. On reaching the mainland the Giant took a friendly farewell of +Ring, and told him he might take possession of all that was in the +island after he and his wife died, which would happen within two weeks +from that time. The Prince thanked him for this and for all his other +kindnesses, and the Giant returned home, while Ring went up some +distance from the sea; but he did not know what land he had come to, and +was afraid to speak to the Dog. After he had walked on in silence for a +time the Dog spoke to him and said: + +'You don't seem to have much curiosity, seeing you never ask my name.' + +The Prince then forced himself to ask, 'What is your name?' + +'You had best call me Snati-Snati,' said the Dog. 'Now we are coming to +a King's seat, and you must ask the King to keep us all winter, and to +give you a little room for both of us.' + +The Prince now began to be less afraid of the Dog. They came to the King +and asked him to keep them all the winter, to which he agreed. When the +King's men saw the Dog they began to laugh at it, and make as if they +would tease it; but when the Prince saw this he advised them not to do +it, or they might have the worst of it. They replied that they didn't +care a bit what he thought. + +After Ring had been with the King for some days the latter began to +think there was a great deal in him, and esteemed him more than the +others. The King, however, had a counsellor called Red, who became very +jealous when he saw how much the King esteemed Ring; and one day he +talked to him, and said he could not understand why he had so good an +opinion of this stranger, who had not yet shown himself superior to +other men in anything. The King replied that it was only a short time +since he had come there. Red then asked him to send them both to cut +down wood next morning, and see which of them could do most work. +Snati-Snati heard this and told it to Ring, advising him to ask the King +for two axes, so that he might have one in reserve if the first one +got broken. Next morning the King asked Ring and Red to go and cut down +trees for him, and both agreed. Ring got the two axes, and each went his +own way; but when the Prince had got out into the wood Snati took one of +the axes and began to hew along with him. In the evening the King came +to look over their day's work, as Red had proposed, and found that +Ring's wood-heap was more than twice as big. + +'I suspected,' said the King, 'that Ring was not quite useless; never +have I seen such a day's work.' + +Ring was now in far greater esteem with the King than before, and Red +was all the more discontented. One day he came to the King and said, 'If +Ring is such a mighty man, I think you might ask him to kill the wild +oxen in the wood here, and flay them the same day, and bring you the +horns and the hides in the evening.' + +'Don't you think that a desperate errand?' said the King, 'seeing they +are so dangerous, and no one has ever yet ventured to go against them?' + +Red answered that he had only one life to lose, and it would be +interesting to see how brave he was; besides, the King would have good +reason to ennoble him if he overcame them. The King at last allowed +himself, though rather unwillingly, to be won over by Red's persistency, +and one day asked Ring to go and kill the oxen that were in the wood for +him, and bring their horns and hides to him in the evening. Not knowing +how dangerous the oxen were, Ring was quite ready, and went off at once, +to the great delight of Red, who was now sure of his death. + +As soon as Ring came in sight of the oxen they came bellowing to meet +him; one of them was tremendously big, the other rather less. Ring grew +terribly afraid. + +'How do you like them?' asked Snati. + +'Not well at all,' said the Prince. + +'We can do nothing else,' said Snati, 'than attack them, if it is to go +well; you will go against the little one, and I shall take the other.' + +With this Snati leapt at the big one, and was not long in bringing +him down. Meanwhile the Prince went against the other with fear and +trembling, and by the time Snati came to help him the ox had nearly got +him under, but Snati was not slow in helping his master to kill it. + +Each of them then began to flay their own ox, but Ring was only half +through by the time Snati had finished his. In the evening, after they +had finished this task, the Prince thought himself unfit to carry all +the horns and both the hides, so Snati told him to lay them all on his +back until they got to the Palace gate. + +The Prince agreed, and laid everything on the Dog except the skin of the +smaller ox, which he staggered along with himself. At the Palace gate he +left everything lying, went before the King, and asked him to come that +length with him, and there handed over to him the hides and horns of the +oxen. The King was greatly surprised at his valour, and said he knew no +one like him, and thanked him heartily for what he had done. + +After this the King set Ring next to himself, and all esteemed him +highly, and held him to be a great hero; nor could Red any longer say +anything against him, though he grew still more determined to destroy +him. One day a good idea came into his head. He came to the King and +said he had something to say to him. + +'What is that?' said the King. + +Red said that he had just remembered the gold cloak, gold chess-board, +and bright gold piece that the King had lost about a year before. + +'Don't remind me of them!' said the King. + +Red, however, went on to say that, since Ring was such a mighty man that +he could do everything, it had occurred to him to advise the King to +ask him to search for these treasures, and come back with them before +Christmas; in return the King should promise him his daughter. + +The King replied that he thought it altogether unbecoming to propose +such a thing to Ring, seeing that he could not tell him where the things +were; but Red pretended not to hear the King's excuses, and went on +talking about it until the King gave in to him. One day, a month or so +before Christmas, the King spoke to Ring, saying that he wished to ask a +great favour of him. + +'What is that?' said Ring. + +'It is this,' said the King: 'that you find for me my gold cloak, my +gold chess-board, and my bright gold piece, that were stolen from me +about a year ago. If you can bring them to me before Christmas I will +give you my daughter in marriage.' + +'Where am I to look for them, then?' said Ring. + +'That you must find out for yourself,' said the King: 'I don't know.' + +Ring now left the King, and was very silent, for he saw he was in a +great difficulty: but, on the other hand, he thought it was excellent +to have such a chance of winning the King's daughter. Snati noticed that +his master was at a loss, and said to him that he should not disregard +what the King had asked him to do; but he would have to act upon his +advice, otherwise he would get into great difficulties. The Prince +assented to this, and began to prepare for the journey. + +After he had taken leave of the King, and was setting out on the +search, Snati said to him, 'Now you must first of all go about the +neighbourhood, and gather as much salt as ever you can.' The Prince did +so, and gathered so much salt that he could hardly carry it; but Snati +said, 'Throw it on my back,' which he accordingly did, and the Dog then +ran on before the Prince, until they came to the foot of a steep cliff. + +'We must go up here,' said Snati. + +'I don't think that will be child's play,' said the Prince. + +'Hold fast by my tail,' said Snati; and in this way he pulled Ring up on +the lowest shelf of the rock. The Prince began to get giddy, but up went +Snati on to the second shelf. Ring was nearly swooning by this time, but +Snati made a third effort and reached the top of the cliff, where the +Prince fell down in a faint. After a little, however, he recovered +again, and they went a short distance along a level plain, until they +came to a cave. This was on Christmas Eve. They went up above the cave, +and found a window in it, through which they looked, and saw four +trolls lying asleep beside the fire, over which a large porridge-pot was +hanging. + +'Now you must empty all the salt into the porridge-pot,' said Snati. + +Ring did so, and soon the trolls wakened up. The old hag, who was the +most frightful of them all, went first to taste the porridge. + +'How comes this?' she said; 'the porridge is salt! I got the milk by +witchcraft yesterday out of four kingdoms, and now it is salt!' + +All the others then came to taste the porridge, and thought it nice, but +after they had finished it the old hag grew so thirsty that she could +stand it no longer, and asked her daughter to go out and bring her some +water from the river that ran near by. + +'I won't go,' said she, 'unless you lend me your bright gold piece.' + +'Though I should die you shan't have that,' said the hag. + +'Die, then,' said the girl. + +'Well, then, take it, you brat,' said the old hag, 'and be off with you, +and make haste with the water.' + +The girl took the gold and ran out with it, and it was so bright that it +shone all over the plain. As soon as she came to the river she lay down +to take a drink of the water, but meanwhile the two of them had got down +off the roof and thrust her, head first, into the river. + +The old hag began now to long for the water, and said that the girl +would be running about with the gold piece all over the plain, so she +asked her son to go and get her a drop of water. + +'I won't go,' said he, 'unless I get the gold cloak.' + +'Though I should die you shan't have that,' said the hag. + +'Die, then,' said the son. + +'Well, then, take it,' said the old hag, 'and be off with you, but you +must make haste with the water.' + +He put on the cloak, and when he came outside it shone so bright that he +could see to go with it. On reaching the river he went to take a drink +like his sister, but at that moment Ring and Snati sprang upon him, took +the cloak from him, and threw him into the river. + +The old hag could stand the thirst no longer, and asked her husband +to go for a drink for her; the brats, she said, were of course running +about and playing themselves, just as she had expected they would, +little wretches that they were. + +'I won't go,' said the old troll, 'unless you lend me the gold +chess-board.' + +'Though I should die you shan't have that,' said the hag. + +'I think you may just as well do that,' said he, 'since you won't grant +me such a little favour.' + +'Take it, then, you utter disgrace!' said the old hag, 'since you are +just like these two brats.' + +The old troll now went out with the gold chess-board, and down to the +river, and was about to take a drink, when Ring and Snati came upon him, +took the chess-board from him, and threw him into the river. Before they +had got back again, however, and up on top of the cave, they saw +the poor old fellow's ghost come marching up from the river. Snati +immediately sprang upon him, and Ring assisted in the attack, and after +a hard struggle they mastered him a second time. When they got back +again to the window they saw that the old hag was moving towards the +door. + +'Now we must go in at once,' said Snati, 'and try to master her there, +for if she once gets out we shall have no chance with her. She is the +worst witch that ever lived, and no iron can cut her. One of us must +pour boiling porridge out of the pot on her, and the other punch her +with red-hot iron.' + +In they went then, and no sooner did the hag see them than she said, +'So you have come, Prince Ring; you must have seen to my husband and +children.' + +Snati saw that she was about to attack them, and sprang at her with a +red-hot iron from the fire, while Ring kept pouring boiling porridge on +her without stopping, and in this way they at last got her killed. Then +they burned the old troll and her to ashes, and explored the cave, where +they found plenty of gold and treasures. The most valuable of these they +carried with them as far as the cliff, and left them there. Then they +hastened home to the King with his three treasures, where they arrived +late on Christmas night, and Ring handed them over to him. + +The King was beside himself with joy, and was astonished at how clever +a man Ring was in all kinds of feats, so that he esteemed him still more +highly than before, and betrothed his daughter to him; and the feast +for this was to last all through Christmastide. Ring thanked the King +courteously for this and all his other kindnesses, and as soon as he had +finished eating and drinking in the hall went off to sleep in his own +room. Snati, however, asked permission to sleep in the Prince's bed for +that night, while the Prince should sleep where the Dog usually lay. +Ring said he was welcome to do so, and that he deserved more from him +than that came to. So Snati went up into the Prince's bed, but after a +time he came back, and told Ring he could go there himself now, but to +take care not to meddle with anything that was in the bed. + +Now the story comes back to Red, who came into the hall and showed the +King his right arm wanting the hand, and said that now he could see what +kind of a man his intended son-in-law was, for he had done this to him +without any cause whatever. The King became very angry, and said he +would soon find out the truth about it, and if Ring had cut off his hand +without good cause he should be hanged; but if it was otherwise, then +Red should die. So the King sent for Ring and asked him for what reason +he had done this. Snati, however, had just told Ring what had happened +during the night, and in reply he asked the King to go with him and he +would show him something. The King went with him to his sleeping-room, +and saw lying on the bed a man's hand holding a sword. + +'This hand,' said Ring, 'came over the partition during the night, and +was about to run me through in my bed, if I had not defended myself.' + +The King answered that in that case he could not blame him for +protecting his own life, and that Red was well worthy of death. So Red +was hanged, and Ring married the King's daughter. + +The first night that they went to bed together Snati asked Ring to allow +him to lie at their feet, and this Ring allowed him to do. During the +night he heard a howling and outcry beside them, struck a light in a +hurry and saw an ugly dog's skin lying near him, and a beautiful Prince +in the bed. Ring instantly took the skin and burned it, and then shook +the Prince, who was lying unconscious, until he woke up. The bridegroom +then asked his name; he replied that he was called Ring, and was a +King's son. In his youth he had lost his mother, and in her place his +father had married a witch, who had laid a spell on him that he should +turn into a dog, and never be released from the spell unless a Prince +of the same name as himself allowed him to sleep at his feet the first +night after his marriage. He added further, 'As soon as she knew that +you were my namesake she tried to get you destroyed, so that you +might not free me from the spell. She was the hind that you and your +companions chased; she was the woman that you found in the clearing with +the barrel, and the old hag that we just now killed in the cave.' + +After the feasting was over the two namesakes, along with other men, +went to the cliff and brought all the treasure home to the Palace. Then +they went to the island and removed all that was valuable from it. +Ring gave to his namesake, whom he had freed from the spell, his sister +Ingiborg and his father's kingdom to look after, but he himself stayed +with his father-in-law the King, and had half the kingdom while he lived +and the whole of it after his death. + + + + +THE SWINEHERD + +There was once a poor Prince. He possessed a kingdom which, though +small, was yet large enough for him to marry on, and married he wished +to be. + +Now it was certainly a little audacious of him to venture to say to the +Emperor's daughter, 'Will you marry me?' But he did venture to say so, +for his name was known far and wide. There were hundreds of princesses +who would gladly have said 'Yes,' but would she say the same? + +Well, we shall see. + +On the grave of the Prince's father grew a rose-tree, a very beautiful +rose-tree. It only bloomed every five years, and then bore but a single +rose, but oh, such a rose! Its scent was so sweet that when you smelt +it you forgot all your cares and troubles. And he had also a nightingale +which could sing as if all the beautiful melodies in the world were shut +up in its little throat. This rose and this nightingale the Princess was +to have, and so they were both put into silver caskets and sent to her. + +The Emperor had them brought to him in the great hall, where +the Princess was playing 'Here comes a duke a-riding' with her +ladies-in-waiting. And when she caught sight of the big caskets which +contained the presents, she clapped her hands for joy. + +'If only it were a little pussy cat!' she said. But the rose-tree with +the beautiful rose came out. + +'But how prettily it is made!' said all the ladies-in-waiting. + +'It is more than pretty,' said the Emperor, 'it is charming!' + +But the Princess felt it, and then she almost began to cry. + +'Ugh! Papa,' she said, 'it is not artificial, it is REAL!' + +'Ugh!' said all the ladies-in-waiting, 'it is real!' + +'Let us see first what is in the other casket before we begin to be +angry,' thought the Emperor, and there came out the nightingale. It sang +so beautifully that one could scarcely utter a cross word against it. + +'Superbe! charmant!' said the ladies-in-waiting, for they all chattered +French, each one worse than the other. + +'How much the bird reminds me of the musical snuff-box of the late +Empress!' said an old courtier. 'Ah, yes, it is the same tone, the same +execution!' + +'Yes,' said the Emperor; and then he wept like a little child. + +'I hope that this, at least, is not real?' asked the Princess. + +'Yes, it is a real bird,' said those who had brought it. + +'Then let the bird fly away,' said the Princess; and she would not on +any account allow the Prince to come. + +'But he was nothing daunted. He painted his face brown and black, +drew his cap well over his face, and knocked at the door. 'Good-day, +Emperor,' he said. 'Can I get a place here as servant in the castle?' + +'Yes,' said the Emperor, 'but there are so many who ask for a place that +I don't know whether there will be one for you; but, still, I will think +of you. Stay, it has just occurred to me that I want someone to look +after the swine, for I have so very many of them.' + +And the Prince got the situation of Imperial Swineherd. He had a +wretched little room close to the pigsties; here he had to stay, but the +whole day he sat working, and when evening was come he had made a pretty +little pot. All round it were little bells, and when the pot boiled they +jingled most beautifully and played the old tune-- + + 'Where is Augustus dear? + Alas! he's not here, here, here!' + +But the most wonderful thing was, that when one held one's finger in the +steam of the pot, then at once one could smell what dinner was ready in +any fire-place in the town. That was indeed something quite different +from the rose. + +Now the Princess came walking past with all her ladies-in-waiting, and +when she heard the tune she stood still and her face beamed with joy, +for she also could play 'Where is Augustus dear?' + +It was the only tune she knew, but that she could play with one finger. + +'Why, that is what I play!' she said. 'He must be a most accomplished +Swineherd! Listen! Go down and ask him what the instrument costs.' + +And one of the ladies-in-waiting had to go down; but she put on wooden +clogs. 'What will you take for the pot?' asked the lady-in-waiting. + +'I will have ten kisses from the Princess,' answered the Swineherd. + +'Heaven forbid!' said the lady-in-waiting. + +'Yes, I will sell it for nothing less,' replied the Swineherd. + +'Well, what does he say?' asked the Princess. + +'I really hardly like to tell you,' answered the lady-in-waiting. + +'Oh, then you can whisper it to me.' + +'He is disobliging!' said the Princess, and went away. But she had only +gone a few steps when the bells rang out so prettily-- + + 'Where is Augustus dear? + Alas! he's not here, here, here.' + +'Listen!' said the Princess. 'Ask him whether he will take ten kisses +from my ladies-in-waiting.' + +'No, thank you,' said the Swineherd. 'Ten kisses from the Princess, or +else I keep my pot.' + +'That is very tiresome!' said the Princess. 'But you must put yourselves +in front of me, so that no one can see.' + +And the ladies-in-waiting placed themselves in front and then spread out +their dresses; so the Swineherd got his ten kisses, and she got the pot. + +What happiness that was! The whole night and the whole day the pot was +made to boil; there was not a fire-place in the whole town where they +did not know what was being cooked, whether it was at the chancellor's +or at the shoemaker's. + +The ladies-in-waiting danced and clapped their hands. + +'We know who is going to have soup and pancakes; we know who is going to +have porridge and sausages--isn't it interesting?' + +'Yes, very interesting!' said the first lady-in-waiting. + +'But don't say anything about it, for I am the Emperor's daughter.' + +'Oh, no, of course we won't!' said everyone. + +The Swineherd--that is to say, the Prince (though they did not know +he was anything but a true Swineherd)--let no day pass without making +something, and one day he made a rattle which, when it was turned round, +played all the waltzes, galops, and polkas which had ever been known +since the world began. + +'But that is superbe!' said the Princess as she passed by. 'I have never +heard a more beautiful composition. Listen! Go down and ask him what +this instrument costs; but I won't kiss him again.' + +'He wants a hundred kisses from the Princess,' said the lady-in-waiting +who had gone down to ask him. + +'I believe he is mad!' said the Princess, and then she went on; but she +had only gone a few steps when she stopped. + +'One ought to encourage art,' she said. 'I am the Emperor's daughter! +Tell him he shall have, as before, ten kisses; the rest he can take from +my ladies-in-waiting.' + +'But we don't at all like being kissed by him,' said the +ladies-in-waiting. + +'That's nonsense,' said the Princess; 'and if I can kiss him, you can +too. Besides, remember that I give you board and lodging.' + +So the ladies-in-waiting had to go down to him again. + +'A hundred kisses from the Princess,' said he, 'or each keeps his own.' + +'Put yourselves in front of us,' she said then; and so all the +ladies-in-waiting put themselves in front, and he began to kiss the +Princess. + +'What can that commotion be by the pigsties?' asked the Emperor, who was +standing on the balcony. He rubbed his eyes and put on his spectacles. +'Why those are the ladies-in-waiting playing their games; I must go down +to them.' + +So he took off his shoes, which were shoes though he had trodden them +down into slippers. What a hurry he was in, to be sure! + +As soon as he came into the yard he walked very softly, and the +ladies-in-waiting were so busy counting the kisses and seeing fair play +that they never noticed the Emperor. He stood on tiptoe. + +'What is that?' he said, when he saw the kissing; and then he threw +one of his slippers at their heads just as the Swineherd was taking his +eighty-sixth kiss. + +'Be off with you!' said the Emperor, for he was very angry. And the +Princess and the Swineherd were driven out of the empire. + +Then she stood still and wept; the Swineherd was scolding, and the rain +was streaming down. + +'Alas, what an unhappy creature I am!' sobbed the Princess. + +'If only I had taken the beautiful Prince! Alas, how unfortunate I am!' + +And the Swineherd went behind a tree, washed the black and brown off +his face, threw away his old clothes, and then stepped forward in his +splendid dress, looking so beautiful that the Princess was obliged to +courtesy. + +'I now come to this. I despise you!' he said. 'You would have nothing +to do with a noble Prince; you did not understand the rose or the +nightingale, but you could kiss the Swineherd for the sake of a toy. +This is what you get for it!' And he went into his kingdom and shut the +door in her face, and she had to stay outside singing-- + + 'Where's my Augustus dear? + Alas! he's not here, here, here! + + + + +HOW TO TELL A TRUE PRINCESS + +There was once upon a time a Prince who wanted to marry a Princess, but +she must be a true Princess. So he travelled through the whole world to +find one, but there was always something against each. There were plenty +of Princesses, but he could not find out if they were true Princesses. +In every case there was some little defect, which showed the genuine +article was not yet found. So he came home again in very low spirits, +for he had wanted very much to have a true Princess. One night there was +a dreadful storm; it thundered and lightened and the rain streamed down +in torrents. It was fearful! There was a knocking heard at the Palace +gate, and the old King went to open it. + +There stood a Princess outside the gate; but oh, in what a sad plight +she was from the rain and the storm! The water was running down from +her hair and her dress into the points of her shoes and out at the heels +again. And yet she said she was a true Princess! + +'Well, we shall soon find that!' thought the old Queen. But she said +nothing, and went into the sleeping-room, took off all the bed-clothes, +and laid a pea on the bottom of the bed. Then she put twenty mattresses +on top of the pea, and twenty eider-down quilts on the top of the +mattresses. And this was the bed in which the Princess was to sleep. + +The next morning she was asked how she had slept. + +'Oh, very badly!' said the Princess. 'I scarcely closed my eyes all +night! I am sure I don't know what was in the bed. I laid on something +so hard that my whole body is black and blue. It is dreadful!' + +Now they perceived that she was a true Princess, because she had felt +the pea through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down quilts. + +No one but a true Princess could be so sensitive. + +So the Prince married her, for now he knew that at last he had got hold +of a true Princess. And the pea was put into the Royal Museum, where it +is still to be seen if no one has stolen it. Now this is a true story. + + + + +THE BLUE MOUNTAINS + +There were once a Scotsman and an Englishman and an Irishman serving in +the army together, who took it into their heads to run away on the first +opportunity they could get. The chance came and they took it. They +went on travelling for two days through a great forest, without food or +drink, and without coming across a single house, and every night they +had to climb up into the trees through fear of the wild beasts that were +in the wood. On the second morning the Scotsman saw from the top of his +tree a great castle far away. He said to himself that he would certainly +die if he stayed in the forest without anything to eat but the roots of +grass, which would not keep him alive very long. As soon, then, as he +got down out of the tree he set off towards the castle, without so much +as telling his companions that he had seen it at all; perhaps the hunger +and want they had suffered had changed their nature so much that the +one did not care what became of the other if he could save himself. He +travelled on most of the day, so that it was quite late when he reached +the castle, and to his great disappointment found nothing but closed +doors and no smoke rising from the chimneys. He thought there was +nothing for it but to die after all, and had lain down beside the wall, +when he heard a window being opened high above him. At this he looked +up, and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. + +'Oh, it is Fortune that has sent you to me,' he said. + +'It is indeed,' said she. 'What are you in need of, or what has sent you +here?' + +'Necessity,' said he. 'I am dying for want of food and drink.' + +'Come inside, then,' she said; 'there is plenty of both here.' + +Accordingly he went in to where she was, and she opened a large room for +him, where he saw a number of men lying asleep. She then set food before +him, and after that showed him to the room where the others were. He lay +down on one of the beds and fell sound asleep. And now we must go back +to the two that he left behind him in the wood. + +When nightfall and the time of the wild beasts came upon these, the +Englishman happened to climb up into the very same tree on which the +Scotsman was when he got a sight of the castle; and as soon as the day +began to dawn and the Englishman looked to the four quarters of heaven, +what did he see but the castle too! Off he went without saying a word to +the Irishman, and everything happened to him just as it had done to the +Scotsman. + +The poor Irishman was now left all alone, and did not know where +the others had gone to, so he just stayed where he was, very sad and +miserable. When night came he climbed up into the same tree as the +Englishman had been on the night before. As soon as day came he also saw +the castle, and set out towards it; but when he reached it he could +see no signs of fire or living being about it. Before long, however, he +heard the window opened above his head, looked up, and beheld the most +beautiful woman he had ever seen. He asked if she would give him food +and drink, and she answered kindly and heartily that she would, if he +would only come inside. This he did very willingly, and she set before +him food and drink that he had never seen the like of before. In the +room there was a bed, with diamond rings hanging at every loop of the +curtains, and everything that was in the room besides astonished him so +much that he actually forgot that he was hungry. When she saw that he +was not eating at all, she asked him what he wanted yet, to which he +replied that he would neither eat nor drink until he knew who she was, +or where she came from, or who had put her there. + +'I shall tell you that,' said she. 'I am an enchanted Princess, and my +father has promised that the man who releases me from the spell shall +have the third of his kingdom while he is alive, and the whole of it +after he is dead, and marry me as well. If ever I saw a man who looked +likely to do this, you are the one. I have been here for sixteen years +now, and no one who ever came to the castle has asked me who I was, +except yourself. Every other man that has come, so long as I have been +here, lies asleep in the big room down there.' + +'Tell me, then,' said the Irishman, 'what is the spell that has been +laid on you, and how you can be freed from it.' + +'There is a little room there,' said the Princess, 'and if I could get a +man to stay in it from ten o'clock till midnight for three nights on end +I should be freed from the spell.' + +'I am the man for you, then,' said he; 'I will take on hand to do it.' + +Thereupon she brought him a pipe and tobacco, and he went into the room; +but before long he heard a hammering and knocking on the outside of the +door, and was told to open it. + +'I won't,' he said. + +The next moment the door came flying in, and those outside along with +it. They knocked him down, and kicked him, and knelt on his body till it +came to midnight; but as soon as the cock crew they all disappeared. The +Irishman was little more than alive by this time. As soon as daylight +appeared the Princess came, and found him lying full length on the +floor, unable to speak a word. She took a bottle, rubbed him from head +to foot with something from it, and thereupon he was as sound as ever; +but after what he had got that night he was very unwilling to try it a +second time. The Princess, however, entreated him to stay, saying +that the next night would not be so bad, and in the end he gave in and +stayed. + +When it was getting near midnight he heard them ordering him to open the +door, and there were three of them for every one that there had been the +previous evening. He did not make the slightest movement to go out to +them or to open the door, but before long they broke it up, and were in +on top of him. They laid hold of him, and kept throwing him between them +up to the ceiling, or jumping above him, until the cock crew, when they +all disappeared. When day came the Princess went to the room to see if +he was still alive, and taking the bottle put it to his nostrils, which +soon brought him to himself. The first thing he said then was that he +was a fool to go on getting himself killed for anyone he ever saw, and +was determined to be off and stay there no longer, When the Princess +learned his intention she entreated him to stay, reminding him that +another night would free her from the spell. 'Besides,' she said, 'if +there is a single spark of life in you when the day comes, the stuff +that is in this bottle will make you as sound as ever you were.' + +With all this the Irishman decided to stay; but that night there were +three at him for every one that was there the two nights before, and +it looked very unlikely that he would be alive in the morning after all +that he got. When morning dawned, and the Princess came to see if he was +still alive, she found him lying on the floor as if dead. She tried to +see if there was breath in him, but could not quite make it out. +Then she put her hand on his pulse, and found a faint movement in it. +Accordingly she poured what was in the bottle on him, and before long +he rose up on his feet, and was as well as ever he was. So that business +was finished, and the Princess was freed from the spell. + +The Princess then told the Irishman that she must go away for the +present, but would return for him in a few days in a carriage drawn by +four grey horses. He told her to 'be aisy,' and not speak like that to +him. 'I have paid dear for you for the last three nights,' he said, 'if +I have to part with you now;' but in the twinkling of an eye she had +disappeared. He did not know what to do with himself when he saw that +she was gone, but before she went she had given him a little rod, with +which he could, when he pleased, waken the men who had been sleeping +there, some of them for sixteen years. + +After being thus left alone, he went in and stretched himself on three +chairs that were in the room, when what does he see coming in at the +door but a little fair-haired lad. + +'Where did you come from, my lad?' said the Irishman. + +'I came to make ready your food for you,' said he. + +'Who told you to do that?' said the Irishman. + +'My mistress,' answered the lad--'the Princess that was under the spell +and is now free.' + +By this the Irishman knew that she had sent the lad to wait on him. The +lad also told him that his mistress wished him to be ready next morning +at nine o'clock, when she would come for him with the carriage, as she +had promised. He was greatly pleased at this, and next morning, when +the time was drawing near, went out into the garden; but the little +fair-haired lad took a big pin out of his pocket, and stuck it into the +back of the Irishman's coat without his noticing it, whereupon he fell +sound asleep. + +Before long the Princess came with the carriage and four horses, and +asked the lad whether his master was awake. He said that he wasn't. 'It +is bad for him,' said she, 'when the night is not long enough for him to +sleep. Tell him that if he doesn't meet me at this time to-morrow it is +not likely that he will ever see me again all his life.' + +As soon as she was gone the lad took the pin out of his master's coat, +who instantly awoke. The first word he said to the lad was, 'Have you +seen her?' + +'Yes,' said he, 'and she bade me tell you that if you don't meet her at +nine o'clock to-morrow you will never see her again.' + +He was very sorry when he heard this, and could not understand why the +sleep should have fallen upon him just when she was coming. He decided, +however, to go early to bed that night, in order to rise in time nest +morning, and so he did. When it was getting near nine o'clock he went +out to the garden to wait till she came, and the fair-haired lad along +with him; but as soon as the lad got the chance he stuck the pin into +his master's coat again and he fell asleep as before. Precisely at nine +o'clock came the Princess in the carriage with four horses, and asked +the lad if his master had got up yet; but he said 'No, he was asleep, +just as he was the day before.' 'Dear! dear!' said the Princess, 'I am +sorry for him. Was the sleep he had last night not enough for him? Tell +him that he will never see me here again; and here is a sword that you +will give him in my name, and my blessing along with it.' + +With this she went off, and as soon as she had gone the lad took the pin +out of his master's coat. He awoke instantly, and the first word he said +was, 'Have you seen her?' The lad said that he had, and there was the +sword she had left for him. The Irishman was ready to kill the lad out +of sheer vexation, but when he gave a glance over his shoulder not a +trace of the fair-haired lad was left. + +Being thus left all alone, he thought of going into the room where all +the men were lying asleep, and there among the rest he found his two +comrades who had deserted along with him. Then he remembered what the +Princess had told him--that he had only to touch them with the rod she +had given him and they would all awake; and the first he touched were +his own comrades. They started to their feet at once, and he gave them +as much silver and gold as they could carry when they went away. There +was plenty to do before he got all the others wakened, for the two doors +of the castle were crowded with them all the day long. + +The loss of the Princess, however, kept rankling in his mind day and +night, till finally he thought he would go about the world to see if he +could find anyone to give him news of her. So he took the best horse in +the stable and set out. Three years he spent travelling through forests +and wildernesses, but could find no one able to tell him anything of the +Princess. At last he fell into so great despair that he thought he would +put an end to his own life, and for this purpose laid hold of the sword +that she had given him by the hands of the fair-haired lad; but on +drawing it from its sheath he noticed that there was some writing on one +side of the blade. He looked at this, and read there, 'You will find me +in the Blue Mountains.' This made him take heart again, and he gave up +the idea of killing himself, thinking that he would go on in hope of +meeting some one who could tell him where the Blue Mountains were. After +he had gone a long way without thinking where he was going, he saw at +last a light far away, and made straight for it. On reaching it he found +it came from a little house, and as soon as the man inside heard the +noise of the horse's feet he came out to see who was there. Seeing a +stranger on horseback, he asked what brought him there and where he was +going. + +'I have lived here,' said he, 'for three hundred years, and all that +time I have not seen a single human being but yourself.' + +'I have been going about for the last three years,' said the Irishman, +'to see if I could find anyone who can tell me where the Blue Mountains +are.' + +'Come in,' said the old man, 'and stay with me all night. I have a +book which contains the history of the world, which I shall go through +to-night, and if there is such a place as the Blue Mountains in it we +shall find it out.' + +The Irishman stayed there all night, and as soon as morning came rose +to go. The old man said he had not gone to sleep all night for going +through the book, but there was not a word about the Blue Mountains +in it. 'But I'll tell you what,' he said, 'if there is such a place on +earth at all, I have a brother who lives nine hundred miles from here, +and he is sure to know where they are, if anyone in this world does.' +The Irishman answered that he could never go these nine hundred miles, +for his horse was giving in already. 'That doesn't matter,' said the old +man; 'I can do better than that. I have only to blow my whistle and you +will be at my brother's house before nightfall.' + +So he blew the whistle, and the Irishman did not know where on earth he +was until he found himself at the other old man's door, who also told +him that it was three hundred years since he had seen anyone, and asked +him where he was going. + +'I am going to see if I can find anyone that can tell me where the Blue +Mountains are,' he said. + +'If you will stay with me to-night,' said the old man, 'I have a book +of the history of the world, and I shall know where they are before +daylight, if there is such a place in it at all.' + +He stayed there all night, but there was not a word in the book about +the Blue Mountains. Seeing that he was rather cast down, the old man +told him that he had a brother nine hundred miles away, and that if +information could be got about them from anyone it would be from him; +'and I will enable you,' he said, 'to reach the place where he lives +before night.' So he blew his whistle, and the Irishman landed at the +brother's house before nightfall. When the old man saw him he said he +had not seen a single man for three hundred years, and was very much +surprised to see anyone come to him now. + +'Where are you going to?' he said. + +'I am going about asking for the Blue Mountains,' said the Irishman. + +'The Blue Mountains?' said the old man. + +'Yes,' said the Irishman. + +'I never heard the name before; but if they do exist I shall find them +out. I am master of all the birds in the world, and have only to blow my +whistle and every one will come to me. I shall then ask each of them to +tell where it came from, and if there is any way of finding out the Blue +Mountains that is it.' + +So he blew his whistle, and when he blew it then all the birds of the +world began to gather. The old man questioned each of them as to where +they had come from, but there was not one of them that had come from the +Blue Mountains. After he had run over them all, however, he missed a +big Eagle that was wanting, and wondered that it had not come. Soon +afterwards he saw something big coming towards him, darkening the sky. +It kept coming nearer and growing bigger, and what was this after all +but the Eagle? When she arrived the old man scolded her, and asked what +had kept her so long behind. + +'I couldn't help it,' she said; 'I had more than twenty times further to +come than any bird that has come here to-day.' + +'Where have you come from, then?' said the old man. + +'From the Blue Mountains,' said she. + +'Indeed!' said the old man; and what are they doing there?' + +'They are making ready this very day,' said the Eagle, 'for the marriage +of the daughter of the King of the Blue Mountains. For three years now +she has refused to marry anyone whatsoever, until she should give up all +hope of the coming of the man who released her from the spell. Now she +can wait no longer, for three years is the time that she agreed with her +father to remain without marrying.' + +The Irishman knew that it was for himself she had been waiting so +long, but he was unable to make any better of it, for he had no hope of +reaching the Blue Mountains all his life. The old man noticed how sad he +grew, and asked the Eagle what she would take for carrying this man on +her back to the Blue Mountains. + +'I must have threescore cattle killed,' said she, 'and cut up into +quarters, and every time I look over my shoulder he must throw one of +them into my mouth.' + +As soon as the Irishman and the old man heard her demand they went out +hunting, and before evening they had killed three-score cattle. They +made quarters of them, as the Eagle told them, and then the old man +asked her to lie down, till they would get it all heaped up on her back. +First of all, though, they had to get a ladder of fourteen steps, to +enable them to get on to the Eagle's back, and there they piled up the +meat as well as they could. Then the old man told the Irishman to mount, +and to remember to throw a quarter of beef to her every time she looked +round. He went up, and the old man gave the Eagle the word to be off, +which she instantly obeyed; and every time she turned her head the +Irishman threw a quarter of beef into her mouth. + +As they came near the borders of the kingdom of the Blue Mountains, +however, the beef was done, and, when the Eagle looked over her +shoulder, what was the Irishman at but throwing the stone between her +tail and her neck! At this she turned a complete somersault, and threw +the Irishman off into the sea, where he fell into the bay that was right +in front of the King's Palace. Fortunately the points of his toes just +touched the bottom, and he managed to get ashore. + +When he went up into the town all the streets were gleaming with light, +and the wedding of the Princess was just about to begin. He went into +the first house he came to, and this happened to be the house of the +King's hen-wife. He asked the old woman what was causing all the noise +and light in the town. + +'The Princess,' said she, 'is going to be married to-night against her +will, for she has been expecting every day that the man who freed her +from the spell would come.' + +'There is a guinea for you,' said he; 'go and bring her here.' + +The old woman went, and soon returned along with the Princess. She and +the Irishman recognised each other, and were married, and had a great +wedding that lasted for a year and a day. + + + + +THE TINDER-BOX + +A soldier came marching along the high road--left, right! A left, right! +He had his knapsack on his back and a sword by his side, for he had been +to the wars and was now returning home. + +An old Witch met him on the road. She was very ugly to look at: her +under-lip hung down to her breast. + +'Good evening, Soldier!' she said. 'What a fine sword and knapsack you +have! You are something like a soldier! You ought to have as much money +as you would like to carry!' + +'Thank you, old Witch,' said the Soldier. + +'Do you see that great tree there?' said the Witch, pointing to a tree +beside them. 'It is hollow within. You must climb up to the top, and +then you will see a hole through which you can let yourself down into +the tree. I will tie a rope round your waist, so that I may be able to +pull you up again when you call.' + +'What shall I do down there?' asked the Soldier. + +'Get money!' answered the Witch. 'Listen! When you reach the bottom of +the tree you will find yourself in a large hall; it is light there, for +there are more than three hundred lamps burning. Then you will see three +doors, which you can open--the keys are in the locks. If you go into the +first room, you will see a great chest in the middle of the floor with +a dog sitting upon it; he has eyes as large as saucers, but you needn't +trouble about him. I will give you my blue-check apron, which you must +spread out on the floor, and then go back quickly and fetch the dog and +set him upon it; open the chest and take as much money as you like. It +is copper there. If you would rather have silver, you must go into the +next room, where there is a dog with eyes as large as mill-wheels. +But don't take any notice of him; just set him upon my apron, and help +yourself to the money. If you prefer gold, you can get that too, if you +go into the third room, and as much as you like to carry. But the dog +that guards the chest there has eyes as large as the Round Tower at +Copenhagen! He is a savage dog, I can tell you; but you needn't be +afraid of him either. Only, put him on my apron and he won't touch you, +and you can take out of the chest as much gold as you like!' + +'Come, this is not bad!' said the Soldier. 'But what am I to give you, +old Witch; for surely you are not going to do this for nothing?' + +'Yes, I am!' replied the Witch. 'Not a single farthing will I take! For +me you shall bring nothing but an old tinder-box which my grandmother +forgot last time she was down there.' + +'Well, tie the rope round my waist! 'said the Soldier. + +'Here it is,' said the Witch, 'and here is my blue-check apron.' + +Then the Soldier climbed up the tree, let himself down through the hole, +and found himself standing, as the Witch had said, underground in the +large hall, where the three hundred lamps were burning. + +Well, he opened the first door. Ugh! there sat the dog with eyes as big +as saucers glaring at him. + +'You are a fine fellow!' said the Soldier, and put him on the Witch's +apron, took as much copper as his pockets could hold; then he shut the +chest, put the dog on it again, and went into the second room. Sure +enough there sat the dog with eyes as large as mill-wheels. + +'You had better not look at me so hard!' said the Soldier. 'Your eyes +will come out of their sockets!' + +And then he set the dog on the apron. When he saw all the silver in the +chest, he threw away the copper he had taken, and filled his pockets and +knapsack with nothing but silver. + +Then he went into the third room. Horrors! the dog there had two eyes, +each as large as the Round Tower at Copenhagen, spinning round in his +head like wheels. + +'Good evening!' said the Soldier and saluted, for he had never seen +a dog like this before. But when he had examined him more closely, he +thought to himself: 'Now then, I've had enough of this!' and put him +down on the floor, and opened the chest. Heavens! what a heap of gold +there was! With all that he could buy up the whole town, and all the +sugar pigs, all the tin soldiers, whips and rocking-horses in the whole +world. Now he threw away all the silver with which he had filled his +pockets and knapsack, and filled them with gold instead--yes, all his +pockets, his knapsack, cap and boots even, so that he could hardly walk. +Now he was rich indeed. He put the dog back upon the chest, shut the +door, and then called up through the tree: + +'Now pull me up again, old Witch!' + +'Have you got the tinder-box also?' asked the Witch. + +'Botheration!' said the Soldier, 'I had clean forgotten it!' And then he +went back and fetched it. + +The Witch pulled him up, and there he stood again on the high road, with +pockets, knapsack, cap and boots filled with gold. + +'What do you want to do with the tinder-box?' asked the Soldier. + +'That doesn't matter to you,' replied the Witch. 'You have got your +money, give me my tinder-box.' + +'We'll see!' said the Soldier. 'Tell me at once what you want to do with +it, or I will draw my sword, and cut off your head!' + +'No!' screamed the Witch. + +The Soldier immediately cut off her head. That was the end of her! But +he tied up all his gold in her apron, slung it like a bundle over his +shoulder, put the tinder-box in his pocket, and set out towards the +town. + +It was a splendid town! He turned into the finest inn, ordered the best +chamber and his favourite dinner; for now that he had so much money he +was really rich. + +It certainly occurred to the servant who had to clean his boots that +they were astonishingly old boots for such a rich lord. But that +was because he had not yet bought new ones; next day he appeared in +respectable boots and fine clothes. Now, instead of a common soldier +he had become a noble lord, and the people told him about all the grand +doings of the town and the King, and what a beautiful Princess his +daughter was. + +'How can one get to see her?' asked the Soldier. + +'She is never to be seen at all!' they told him; 'she lives in a great +copper castle, surrounded by many walls and towers! No one except the +King may go in or out, for it is prophesied that she will marry a common +soldier, and the King cannot submit to that.' + +'I should very much like to see her,' thought the Soldier; but he could +not get permission. + +Now he lived very gaily, went to the theatre, drove in the King's +garden, and gave the poor a great deal of money, which was very nice +of him; he had experienced in former times how hard it is not to have a +farthing in the world. Now he was rich, wore fine clothes, and made many +friends, who all said that he was an excellent man, a real nobleman. And +the Soldier liked that. But as he was always spending money, and never +made any more, at last the day came when he had nothing left but two +shillings, and he had to leave the beautiful rooms in which he had been +living, and go into a little attic under the roof, and clean his own +boots, and mend them with a darning-needle. None of his friends came to +visit him there, for there were too many stairs to climb. + +It was a dark evening, and he could not even buy a light. But all at +once it flashed across him that there was a little end of tinder in the +tinder-box, which he had taken from the hollow tree into which the Witch +had helped him down. He found the box with the tinder in it; but just as +he was kindling a light, and had struck a spark out of the tinder-box, +the door burst open, and the dog with eyes as large as saucers, which he +had seen down in the tree, stood before him and said: + +'What does my lord command?' + +'What's the meaning of this?' exclaimed the Soldier. 'This is a pretty +kind of tinder-box, if I can get whatever I want like this. Get me +money!' he cried to the dog, and hey, presto! he was off and back again, +holding a great purse full of money in his mouth. + +Now the Soldier knew what a capital tinder-box this was. If he rubbed +once, the dog that sat on the chest of copper appeared; if he rubbed +twice, there came the dog that watched over the silver chest; and if +he rubbed three times, the one that guarded the gold appeared. Now, the +Soldier went down again to his beautiful rooms, and appeared once more +in splendid clothes. All his friends immediately recognised him again, +and paid him great court. + +One day he thought to himself: 'It is very strange that no one can get +to see the Princess. They all say she is very pretty, but what's the use +of that if she has to sit for ever in the great copper castle with +all the towers? Can I not manage to see her somehow? Where is my +tinder-box?' and so he struck a spark, and, presto! there came the dog +with eyes as large as saucers. + +'It is the middle of the night, I know,' said the Soldier; 'but I should +very much like to see the Princess for a moment.' + +The dog was already outside the door, and before the Soldier could look +round, in he came with the Princess. She was lying asleep on the +dog's back, and was so beautiful that anyone could see she was a real +Princess. The Soldier really could not refrain from kissing her--he was +such a thorough Soldier. Then the dog ran back with the Princess. But +when it was morning, and the King and Queen were drinking tea, the +Princess said that the night before she had had such a strange dream +about a dog and a Soldier: she had ridden on the dog's back, and the +Soldier had kissed her. + +'That is certainly a fine story,' said the Queen. But the next night one +of the ladies-in-waiting was to watch at the Princess's bed, to see if +it was only a dream, or if it had actually happened. + +The Soldier had an overpowering longing to see the Princess again, and +so the dog came in the middle of the night and fetched her, running as +fast as he could. But the lady-in-waiting slipped on india-rubber shoes +and followed them. When she saw them disappear into a large house, she +thought to herself: 'Now I know where it is; 'and made a great cross on +the door with a piece of chalk. Then she went home and lay down, and the +dog came back also, with the Princess. But when he saw that a cross had +been made on the door of the house where the Soldier lived, he took a +piece of chalk also, and made crosses on all the doors in the town; and +that was very clever, for now the lady-in-waiting could not find the +right house, as there were crosses on all the doors. + +Early next morning the King, Queen, ladies-in-waiting, and officers came +out to see where the Princess had been. + +'There it is!' said the King, when he saw the first door with a cross on +it. + +'No, there it is, my dear!' said the Queen, when she likewise saw a door +with a cross. + +'But here is one, and there is another!' they all exclaimed; wherever +they looked there was a cross on the door. Then they realised that the +sign would not help them at all. + +But the Queen was an extremely clever woman, who could do a great deal +more than just drive in a coach. She took her great golden scissors, cut +up a piece of silk, and made a pretty little bag of it. This she filled +with the finest buckwheat grains, and tied it round the Princess' neck; +this done, she cut a little hole in the bag, so that the grains would +strew the whole road wherever the Princess went. + +In the night the dog came again, took the Princess on his back and ran +away with her to the Soldier, who was very much in love with her, and +would have liked to have been a Prince, so that he might have had her +for his wife. + +The dog did not notice how the grains were strewn right from the castle +to the Soldier's window, where he ran up the wall with the Princess. + +In the morning the King and the Queen saw plainly where their daughter +had been, and they took the Soldier and put him into prison. + +There he sat. Oh, how dark and dull it was there! And they told him: +'To-morrow you are to be hanged.' Hearing that did not exactly cheer +him, and he had left his tinder-box in the inn. + +Next morning he could see through the iron grating in front of his +little window how the people were hurrying out of the town to see him +hanged. He heard the drums and saw the soldiers marching; all the +people were running to and fro. Just below his window was a shoemaker's +apprentice, with leather apron and shoes; he was skipping along so +merrily that one of his shoes flew off and fell against the wall, just +where the Soldier was sitting peeping through the iron grating. + +'Oh, shoemaker's boy, you needn't be in such a hurry!' said the Soldier +to him. 'There's nothing going on till I arrive. But if you will run +back to the house where I lived, and fetch me my tinder-box, I will give +you four shillings. But you must put your best foot foremost.' + +The shoemaker's boy was very willing to earn four shillings, and fetched +the tinder-box, gave it to the Soldier, and--yes--now you shall hear. + +Outside the town a great scaffold had been erected, and all round were +standing the soldiers, and hundreds of thousands of people. The King and +Queen were sitting on a magnificent throne opposite the judges and the +whole council. + +The Soldier was already standing on the top of the ladder; but when they +wanted to put the rope round his neck, he said that the fulfilment of +one innocent request was always granted to a poor criminal before he +underwent his punishment. He would so much like to smoke a small pipe of +tobacco; it would be his last pipe in this world. + +The King could not refuse him this, and so he took out his tinder-box, +and rubbed it once, twice, three times. And lo, and behold I there stood +all three dogs--the one with eyes as large as saucers, the second with +eyes as large as mill-wheels, and the third with eyes each as large as +the Round Tower of Copenhagen. + +'Help me now, so that I may not be hanged!' cried the Soldier. And +thereupon the dogs fell upon the judges and the whole council, seized +some by the legs, others by the nose, and threw them so high into the +air that they fell and were smashed into pieces. + +'I won't stand this!' said the King; but the largest dog seized him +too, and the Queen as well, and threw them up after the others. This +frightened the soldiers, and all the people cried: 'Good Soldier, you +shall be our King, and marry the beautiful Princess!' + +Then they put the Soldier into the King's coach, and the three dogs +danced in front, crying 'Hurrah!' And the boys whistled and the soldiers +presented arms. + +The Princess came out of the copper castle, and became Queen; and that +pleased her very much. + +The wedding festivities lasted for eight days, and the dogs sat at table +and made eyes at everyone. + + + + +THE WITCH IN THE STONE BOAT(31) + +(31) From the Icelandic. + +There were once a King and a Queen, and they had a son called Sigurd, +who was very strong and active, and good-looking. When the King came +to be bowed down with the weight of years he spoke to his son, and +said that now it was time for him to look out for a fitting match for +himself, for he did not know how long he might last now, and he would +like to see him married before he died. + +Sigurd was not averse to this, and asked his father where he thought +it best to look for a wife. The King answered that in a certain country +there was a King who had a beautiful daughter, and he thought it would +be most desirable if Sigurd could get her. So the two parted, and Sigurd +prepared for the journey, and went to where his father had directed him. + +He came to the King and asked his daughter's hand, which he readily +granted him, but only on the condition that he should remain there as +long as he could, for the King himself was not strong and not very able +to govern his kingdom. Sigurd accepted this condition, but added that +he would have to get leave to go home again to his own country when +he heard news of his father's death. After that Sigurd married the +Princess, and helped his father-in-law to govern the kingdom. He and the +Princess loved each other dearly, and after a year a son came to them, +who was two years old when word came to Sigurd that his father was dead. +Sigurd now prepared to return home with his wife and child, and went on +board ship to go by sea. + +They had sailed for several days, when the breeze suddenly fell, and +there came a dead calm, at a time when they needed only one day's voyage +to reach home. Sigurd and his Queen were one day on deck, when most of +the others on the ship had fallen asleep. There they sat and talked for +a while, and had their little son along with them. After a time Sigurd +became so heavy with sleep that he could no longer keep awake, so he +went below and lay down, leaving the Queen alone on the deck, playing +with her son. + +A good while after Sigurd had gone below the Queen saw something black +on the sea, which seemed to be coming nearer. As it approached she +could make out that it was a boat, and could see the figure of some one +sitting in it and rowing it. At last the boat came alongside the ship, +and now the Queen saw that it was a stone boat, out of which there +came up on board the ship a fearfully ugly Witch. The Queen was more +frightened than words can describe, and could neither speak a word nor +move from the place so as to awaken the King or the sailors. The Witch +came right up to the Queen, took the child from her and laid it on the +deck; then she took the Queen, and stripped her of all her fine clothes, +which she proceeded to put on herself, and looked then like a human +being. Last of all she took the Queen, put her into the boat, and said-- + +'This spell I lay upon you, that you slacken not your course until you +come to my brother in the Underworld.' + +The Queen sat stunned and motionless, but the boat at once shot away +from the ship with her, and before long she was out of sight. + +When the boat could no longer be seen the child began to cry, and though +the Witch tried to quiet it she could not manage it; so she went below +to where the King was sleeping with the child on her arm, and awakened +him, scolding him for leaving them alone on deck, while he and all the +crew were asleep. It was great carelessness of him, she said, to leave +no one to watch the ship with her. + +Sigurd was greatly surprised to hear his Queen scold him so much, for +she had never said an angry word to him before; but he thought it was +quite excusable in this case, and tried to quiet the child along with +her, but it was no use. Then he went and wakened the sailors, and +bade them hoist the sails, for a breeze had sprung up and was blowing +straight towards the harbour. + +They soon reached the land which Sigurd was to rule over, and found all +the people sorrowful for the old King's death, but they became glad when +they got Sigurd back to the Court, and made him King over them. + +The King's son, however, hardly ever stopped crying from the time he +had been taken from his mother on the deck of the ship, although he had +always been such a good child before, so that at last the King had to +get a nurse for him--one of the maids of the Court. As soon as the child +got into her charge he stopped crying, and behaved well as before. + +After the sea-voyage it seemed to the King that the Queen had altered +very much in many ways, and not for the better. He thought her much more +haughty and stubborn and difficult to deal with than she used to be. +Before long others began to notice this as well as the King. In the +Court there were two young fellows, one of eighteen years old, the other +of nineteen, who were very fond of playing chess, and often sat long +inside playing at it. Their room was next the Queen's, and often during +the day they heard the Queen talking. + +One day they paid more attention than usual when they heard her talk, +and put their ears close to a crack in the wall between the rooms, and +heard the Queen say quite plainly, 'When I yawn a little, then I am a +nice little maiden; when I yawn half-way, then I am half a troll; and +when I yawn fully, then I am a troll altogether.' + +As she said this she yawned tremendously, and in a moment had put on +the appearance of a fearfully ugly troll. Then there came up through the +floor of the room a three-headed Giant with a trough full of meat, who +saluted her as his sister and set down the trough before her. She began +to eat out of it, and never stopped till she had finished it. The young +fellows saw all this going on, but did not hear the two of them say +anything to each other. They were astonished though at how greedily the +Queen devoured the meat, and how much she ate of it, and were no longer +surprised that she took so little when she sat at table with the King. +As soon as she had finished it the Giant disappeared with the trough by +the same way as he had come, and the Queen returned to her human shape. + +Now we must go back to the King's son after he had been put in charge of +the nurse. One evening, after she had lit a candle and was holding the +child, several planks sprang up in the floor of the room, and out at the +opening came a beautiful woman dressed in white, with an iron belt round +her waist, to which was fastened an iron chain that went down into the +ground. The woman came up to the nurse, took the child from her, +and pressed it to her breast; then she gave it back to the nurse and +returned by the same way as she had come, and the floor closed over her +again. Although the woman had not spoken a single word to her, the nurse +was very much frightened, but told no one about it. + +Next evening the same thing happened again, just as before, but as the +woman was going away she said in a sad tone, 'Two are gone, and one +only is left,' and then disappeared as before. The nurse was still more +frightened when she heard the woman say this, and thought that perhaps +some danger was hanging over the child, though she had no ill-opinion of +the unknown woman, who, indeed, had behaved towards the child as if it +were her own. The most mysterious thing was the woman saying 'and only +one is left;' but the nurse guessed that this must mean that only one +day was left, since she had come for two days already. + +At last the nurse made up her mind to go to the King, and told him the +whole story, and asked him to be present in person next day about the +time when the woman usually came. The King promised to do so, and came +to the nurse's room a little before the time, and sat down on a chair +with his drawn sword in his hand. Soon after the planks in the floor +sprang up as before, and the woman came up, dressed in white, with the +iron belt and chain. The King saw at once that it was his own Queen, and +immediately hewed asunder the iron chain that was fastened to the belt. +This was followed by such noises and crashings down in the earth that +all the King's Palace shook, so that no one expected anything else than +to see every bit of it shaken to pieces. At last, however, the noises +and shaking stopped, and they began to come to themselves again. + +The King and Queen embraced each other, and she told him the whole +story--how the Witch came to the ship when they were all asleep and sent +her off in the boat. After she had gone so far that she could not see +the ship, she sailed on through darkness until she landed beside a +three-headed Giant. The Giant wished her to marry him, but she refused; +whereupon he shut her up by herself, and told her she would never get +free until she consented. After a time she began to plan how to get her +freedom, and at last told him that she would consent if he would allow +her to visit her son on earth three days on end. This he agreed to, but +put on her this iron belt and chain, the other end of which he fastened +round his own waist, and the great noises that were heard when the King +cut the chain must have been caused by the Giant's falling down the +underground passage when the chain gave way so suddenly. The Giant's +dwelling, indeed, was right under the Palace, and the terrible shakings +must have been caused by him in his death-throes. + +The King now understood how the Queen he had had for some time past had +been so ill-tempered. He at once had a sack drawn over her head and made +her be stoned to death, and after that torn in pieces by untamed horses. +The two young fellows also told now what they had heard and seen in the +Queen's room, for before this they had been afraid to say anything about +it, on account of the Queen's power. + +The real Queen was now restored to all her dignity, and was beloved by +all. The nurse was married to a nobleman, and the King and Queen gave +her splendid presents. + + + + +THUMBELINA + +There was once a woman who wanted to have quite a tiny, little child, +but she did not know where to get one from. So one day she went to an +old Witch and said to her: 'I should so much like to have a tiny, little +child; can you tell me where I can get one?' + +'Oh, we have just got one ready!' said the Witch. 'Here is a barley-corn +for you, but it's not the kind the farmer sows in his field, or feeds +the cocks and hens with, I can tell you. Put it in a flower-pot, and +then you will see something happen.' + +'Oh, thank you!' said the woman, and gave the Witch a shilling, for +that was what it cost. Then she went home and planted the barley-corn; +immediately there grew out of it a large and beautiful flower, which +looked like a tulip, but the petals were tightly closed as if it were +still only a bud. + +'What a beautiful flower!' exclaimed the woman, and she kissed the red +and yellow petals; but as she kissed them the flower burst open. It +was a real tulip, such as one can see any day; but in the middle of the +blossom, on the green velvety petals, sat a little girl, quite tiny, +trim, and pretty. She was scarcely half a thumb in height; so they +called her Thumbelina. An elegant polished walnut-shell served +Thumbelina as a cradle, the blue petals of a violet were her mattress, +and a rose-leaf her coverlid. There she lay at night, but in the +day-time she used to play about on the table; here the woman had put a +bowl, surrounded by a ring of flowers, with their stalks in water, in +the middle of which floated a great tulip pedal, and on this Thumbelina +sat, and sailed from one side of the bowl to the other, rowing herself +with two white horse-hairs for oars. It was such a pretty sight! She +could sing, too, with a voice more soft and sweet than had ever been +heard before. + +One night, when she was lying in her pretty little bed, an old toad +crept in through a broken pane in the window. She was very ugly, clumsy, +and clammy; she hopped on to the table where Thumbelina lay asleep under +the red rose-leaf. + +'This would make a beautiful wife for my son,' said the toad, taking up +the walnut-shell, with Thumbelina inside, and hopping with it through +the window into the garden. + +There flowed a great wide stream, with slippery and marshy banks; here +the toad lived with her son. Ugh! how ugly and clammy he was, just like +his mother! 'Croak, croak, croak!' was all he could say when he saw the +pretty little girl in the walnut-shell. + +'Don't talk so load, or you'll wake her,' said the old toad. 'She might +escape us even now; she is as light as a feather. We will put her at +once on a broad water-lily leaf in the stream. That will be quite an +island for her; she is so small and light. She can't run away from us +there, whilst we are preparing the guest-chamber under the marsh where +she shall live.' + +Outside in the brook grew many water-lilies, with broad green leaves, +which looked as if they were swimming about on the water. + +The leaf farthest away was the largest, and to this the old toad swam +with Thumbelina in her walnut-shell. + +The tiny Thumbelina woke up very early in the morning, and when she saw +where she was she began to cry bitterly; for on every side of the great +green leaf was water, and she could not get to the land. + +The old toad was down under the marsh, decorating her room with +rushes and yellow marigold leaves, to make it very grand for her new +daughter-in-law; then she swam out with her ugly son to the leaf where +Thumbelina lay. She wanted to fetch the pretty cradle to put it into her +room before Thumbelina herself came there. The old toad bowed low in the +water before her, and said: 'Here is my son; you shall marry him, and +live in great magnificence down under the marsh.' + +'Croak, croak, croak!' was all that the son could say. Then they took +the neat little cradle and swam away with it; but Thumbelina sat alone +on the great green leaf and wept, for she did not want to live with the +clammy toad, or marry her ugly son. The little fishes swimming about +under the water had seen the toad quite plainly, and heard what she had +said; so they put up their heads to see the little girl. When they saw +her, they thought her so pretty that they were very sorry she should +go down with the ugly toad to live. No; that must not happen. They +assembled in the water round the green stalk which supported the leaf +on which she was sitting, and nibbled the stem in two. Away floated the +leaf down the stream, bearing Thumbelina far beyond the reach of the +toad. + +On she sailed past several towns, and the little birds sitting in the +bushes saw her, and sang, 'What a pretty little girl!' The leaf floated +farther and farther away; thus Thumbelina left her native land. + +A beautiful little white butterfly fluttered above her, and at +last settled on the leaf. Thumbelina pleased him, and she, too, +was delighted, for now the toads could not reach her, and it was so +beautiful where she was travelling; the sun shone on the water and made +it sparkle like the brightest silver. She took off her sash, and tied +one end round the butterfly; the other end she fastened to the leaf, so +that now it glided along with her faster than ever. + +A great cockchafer came flying past; he caught sight of Thumbelina, and +in a moment had put his arms round her slender waist, and had flown off +with her to a tree. The green leaf floated away down the stream, and +the butterfly with it, for he was fastened to the leaf and could not get +loose from it. Oh, dear! how terrified poor little Thumbelina was when +the cockchafer flew off with her to the tree! But she was especially +distressed on the beautiful white butterfly's account, as she had tied +him fast, so that if he could not get away he must starve to death. But +the cockchafer did not trouble himself about that; he sat down with her +on a large green leaf, gave her the honey out of the flowers to eat, and +told her that she was very pretty, although she wasn't in the least like +a cockchafer. Later on, all the other cockchafers who lived in the same +tree came to pay calls; they examined Thumbelina closely, and remarked, +'Why, she has only two legs! How very miserable!' + +'She has no feelers!' cried another. + +'How ugly she is!' said all the lady chafers--and yet Thumbelina was +really very pretty. + +The cockchafer who had stolen her knew this very well; but when he heard +all the ladies saying she was ugly, he began to think so too, and would +not keep her; she might go wherever she liked. So he flew down from the +tree with her and put her on a daisy. There she sat and wept, because +she was so ugly that the cockchafer would have nothing to do with her; +and yet she was the most beautiful creature imaginable, so soft and +delicate, like the loveliest rose-leaf. + +The whole summer poor little Thumbelina lived alone in the great wood. +She plaited a bed for herself of blades of grass, and hung it up under a +clover-leaf, so that she was protected from the rain; she gathered +honey from the flowers for food, and drank the dew on the leaves every +morning. Thus the summer and autumn passed, but then came winter--the +long, cold winter. All the birds who had sung so sweetly about her had +flown away; the trees shed their leaves, the flowers died; the great +clover-leaf under which she had lived curled up, and nothing remained of +it but the withered stalk. She was terribly cold, for her clothes were +ragged, and she herself was so small and thin. Poor little Thumbelina! +she would surely be frozen to death. It began to snow, and every +snow-flake that fell on her was to her as a whole shovelful thrown on +one of us, for we are so big, and she was only an inch high. She wrapt +herself round in a dead leaf, but it was torn in the middle and gave her +no warmth; she was trembling with cold. + +Just outside the wood where she was now living lay a great corn-field. +But the corn had been gone a long time; only the dry, bare stubble was +left standing in the frozen ground. This made a forest for her to wander +about in. All at once she came across the door of a field-mouse, who had +a little hole under a corn-stalk. There the mouse lived warm and snug, +with a store-room full of corn, a splendid kitchen and dining-room. Poor +little Thumbelina went up to the door and begged for a little piece of +barley, for she had not had anything to eat for the last two days. + +'Poor little creature!' said the field-mouse, for she was a kind-hearted +old thing at the bottom. 'Come into my warm room and have some dinner +with me.' + +As Thumbelina pleased her, she said: 'As far as I am concerned you may +spend the winter with me; but you must keep my room clean and tidy, and +tell me stories, for I like that very much.' + +And Thumbelina did all that the kind old field-mouse asked, and did it +remarkably well too. + +'Now I am expecting a visitor,' said the field-mouse; 'my neighbour +comes to call on me once a week. He is in better circumstances than I +am, has great, big rooms, and wears a fine black-velvet coat. If you +could only marry him, you would be well provided for. But he is blind. +You must tell him all the prettiest stories you know.' + +But Thumbelina did not trouble her head about him, for he was only a +mole. He came and paid them a visit in his black-velvet coat. + +'He is so rich and so accomplished,' the field-mouse told her. + +'His house is twenty times larger than mine; he possesses great +knowledge, but he cannot bear the sun and the beautiful flowers, and +speaks slightingly of them, for he has never seen them.' + +Thumbelina had to sing to him, so she sang 'Lady-bird, lady-bird, fly +away home!' and other songs so prettily that the mole fell in love with +her; but he did not say anything, he was a very cautious man. A short +time before he had dug a long passage through the ground from his own +house to that of his neighbour; in this he gave the field-mouse and +Thumbelina permission to walk as often as they liked. But he begged them +not to be afraid of the dead bird that lay in the passage: it was a real +bird with beak and feathers, and must have died a little time ago, and +now laid buried just where he had made his tunnel. The mole took a piece +of rotten wood in his mouth, for that glows like fire in the dark, and +went in front, lighting them through the long dark passage. When they +came to the place where the dead bird lay, the mole put his broad nose +against the ceiling and pushed a hole through, so that the daylight +could shine down. In the middle of the path lay a dead swallow, his +pretty wings pressed close to his sides, his claws and head drawn under +his feathers; the poor bird had evidently died of cold. Thumbelina was +very sorry, for she was very fond of all little birds; they had sung +and twittered so beautifully to her all through the summer. But the mole +kicked him with his bandy legs and said: + +'Now he can't sing any more! It must be very miserable to be a little +bird! I'm thankful that none of my little children are; birds always +starve in winter.' + +'Yes, you speak like a sensible man,' said the field-mouse. 'What has +a bird, in spite of all his singing, in the winter-time? He must starve +and freeze, and that must be very pleasant for him, I must say!' + +Thumbelina did not say anything; but when the other two had passed on +she bent down to the bird, brushed aside the feathers from his head, +and kissed his closed eyes gently. 'Perhaps it was he that sang to me so +prettily in the summer,' she thought. 'How much pleasure he did give me, +dear little bird!' + +The mole closed up the hole again which let in the light, and then +escorted the ladies home. But Thumbelina could not sleep that night; +so she got out of bed, and plaited a great big blanket of straw, and +carried it off, and spread it over the dead bird, and piled upon +it thistle-down as soft as cotton-wool, which she had found in the +field-mouse's room, so that the poor little thing should lie warmly +buried. + +'Farewell, pretty little bird!' she said. 'Farewell, and thank you for +your beautiful songs in the summer, when the trees were green, and the +sun shone down warmly on us!' Then she laid her head against the bird's +heart. But the bird was not dead: he had been frozen, but now that she +had warmed him, he was coming to life again. + +In autumn the swallows fly away to foreign lands; but there are some who +are late in starting, and then they get so cold that they drop down as +if dead, and the snow comes and covers them over. + +Thumbelina trembled, she was so frightened; for the bird was very large +in comparison with herself--only an inch high. But she took courage, +piled up the down more closely over the poor swallow, fetched her own +coverlid and laid it over his head. + +Next night she crept out again to him. There he was alive, but very +weak; he could only open his eyes for a moment and look at Thumbelina, +who was standing in front of him with a piece of rotten wood in her +hand, for she had no other lantern. + +'Thank you, pretty little child!' said the swallow to her. 'I am so +beautifully warm! Soon I shall regain my strength, and then I shall be +able to fly out again into the warm sunshine.' + +'Oh!' she said, 'it is very cold outside; it is snowing and freezing! +stay in your warm bed; I will take care of you!' + +Then she brought him water in a petal, which he drank, after which he +related to her how he had torn one of his wings on a bramble, so that he +could not fly as fast as the other swallows, who had flown far away +to warmer lands. So at last he had dropped down exhausted, and then he +could remember no more. The whole winter he remained down there, and +Thumbelina looked after him and nursed him tenderly. Neither the mole +nor the field-mouse learnt anything of this, for they could not bear the +poor swallow. + +When the spring came, and the sun warmed the earth again, the swallow +said farewell to Thumbelina, who opened the hole in the roof for him +which the mole had made. The sun shone brightly down upon her, and the +swallow asked her if she would go with him; she could sit upon his back. +Thumbelina wanted very much to fly far away into the green wood, but +she knew that the old field-mouse would be sad if she ran away. 'No, I +mustn't come!' she said. + +'Farewell, dear good little girl!' said the swallow, and flew off into +the sunshine. Thumbelina gazed after him with the tears standing in her +eyes, for she was very fond of the swallow. + +'Tweet, tweet!' sang the bird, and flew into the green wood. Thumbelina +was very unhappy. She was not allowed to go out into the warm sunshine. +The corn which had been sowed in the field over the field-mouse's home +grew up high into the air, and made a thick forest for the poor little +girl, who was only an inch high. + +'Now you are to be a bride, Thumbelina!' said the field-mouse, 'for our +neighbour has proposed for you! What a piece of fortune for a poor child +like you! Now you must set to work at your linen for your dowry, for +nothing must be lacking if you are to become the wife of our neighbour, +the mole!' + +Thumbelina had to spin all day long, and every evening the mole visited +her, and told her that when the summer was over the sun would not shine +so hot; now it was burning the earth as hard as a stone. Yes, when the +summer had passed, they would keep the wedding. + +But she was not at all pleased about it, for she did not like the stupid +mole. Every morning when the sun was rising, and every evening when it +was setting, she would steal out of the house-door, and when the breeze +parted the ears of corn so that she could see the blue sky through them, +she thought how bright and beautiful it must be outside, and longed to +see her dear swallow again. But he never came; no doubt he had flown +away far into the great green wood. + +By the autumn Thumbelina had finished the dowry. + +'In four weeks you will be married!' said the field-mouse; 'don't be +obstinate, or I shall bite you with my sharp white teeth! You will get +a fine husband! The King himself has not such a velvet coat. His +store-room and cellar are full, and you should be thankful for that.' + +Well, the wedding-day arrived. The mole had come to fetch Thumbelina +to live with him deep down under the ground, never to come out into the +warm sun again, for that was what he didn't like. The poor little girl +was very sad; for now she must say good-bye to the beautiful sun. + +'Farewell, bright sun!' she cried, stretching out her arms towards it, +and taking another step outside the house; for now the corn had +been reaped, and only the dry stubble was left standing. 'Farewell, +farewell!' she said, and put her arms round a little red flower that +grew there. 'Give my love to the dear swallow when you see him!' + +'Tweet, tweet!' sounded in her ear all at once. She looked up. There was +the swallow flying past! As soon as he saw Thumbelina, he was very glad. +She told him how unwilling she was to marry the ugly mole, as then she +had to live underground where the sun never shone, and she could not +help bursting into tears. + +'The cold winter is coming now,' said the swallow. 'I must fly away to +warmer lands: will you come with me? You can sit on my back, and we will +fly far away from the ugly mole and his dark house, over the mountains, +to the warm countries where the sun shines more brightly than here, +where it is always summer, and there are always beautiful flowers. +Do come with me, dear little Thumbelina, who saved my life when I lay +frozen in the dark tunnel!' + +'Yes, I will go with you,' said Thumbelina, and got on the swallow's +back, with her feet on one of his outstretched wings. Up he flew into +the air, over woods and seas, over the great mountains where the snow +is always lying. And if she was cold she crept under his warm feathers, +only keeping her little head out to admire all the beautiful things in +the world beneath. At last they came to warm lands; there the sun was +brighter, the sky seemed twice as high, and in the hedges hung the +finest green and purple grapes; in the woods grew oranges and lemons: +the air was scented with myrtle and mint, and on the roads were +pretty little children running about and playing with great gorgeous +butterflies. But the swallow flew on farther, and it became more and +more beautiful. Under the most splendid green trees besides a blue +lake stood a glittering white-marble castle. Vines hung about the high +pillars; there were many swallows' nests, and in one of these lived the +swallow who was carrying Thumbelina. + +'Here is my house!' said he. 'But it won't do for you to live with me; I +am not tidy enough to please you. Find a home for yourself in one of the +lovely flowers that grow down there; now I will set you down, and you +can do whatever you like.' + +'That will be splendid!' said she, clapping her little hands. + +There lay a great white marble column which had fallen to the ground +and broken into three pieces, but between these grew the most beautiful +white flowers. The swallow flew down with Thumbelina, and set her upon +one of the broad leaves. But there, to her astonishment, she found +a tiny little man sitting in the middle of the flower, as white and +transparent as if he were made of glass; he had the prettiest golden +crown on his head, and the most beautiful wings on his shoulders; he +himself was no bigger than Thumbelina. He was the spirit of the flower. +In each blossom there dwelt a tiny man or woman; but this one was the +King over the others. + +'How handsome he is!' whispered Thumbelina to the swallow. + +The little Prince was very much frightened at the swallow, for in +comparison with one so tiny as himself he seemed a giant. But when he +saw Thumbelina, he was delighted, for she was the most beautiful girl he +had ever seen. So he took his golden crown from off his head and put it +on hers, asking her her name, and if she would be his wife, and then +she would be Queen of all the flowers. Yes! he was a different kind of +husband to the son of the toad and the mole with the black-velvet coat. +So she said 'Yes' to the noble Prince. And out of each flower came a +lady and gentleman, each so tiny and pretty that it was a pleasure to +see them. Each brought Thumbelina a present, but the best of all was a +beautiful pair of wings which were fastened on to her back, and now she +too could fly from flower to flower. They all wished her joy, and the +swallow sat above in his nest and sang the wedding march, and that he +did as well as he could; but he was sad, because he was very fond of +Thumbelina and did not want to be separated from her. + +'You shall not be called Thumbelina!' said the spirit of the flower to +her; 'that is an ugly name, and you are much too pretty for that. We +will call you May Blossom.' + +'Farewell, farewell!' said the little swallow with a heavy heart, and +flew away to farther lands, far, far away, right back to Denmark. There +he had a little nest above a window, where his wife lived, who can tell +fairy-stories. 'Tweet, tweet!' he sang to her. And that is the way we +learnt the whole story. + + + + +THE NIGHTINGALE + +In China, as I daresay you know, the Emperor is a Chinaman, and all his +courtiers are also Chinamen. The story I am going to tell you happened +many years ago, but it is worth while for you to listen to it, before it +is forgotten. + +The Emperor's Palace was the most splendid in the world, all made of +priceless porcelain, but so brittle and delicate that you had to take +great care how you touched it. In the garden were the most beautiful +flowers, and on the loveliest of them were tied silver bells which +tinkled, so that if you passed you could not help looking at the +flowers. Everything in the Emperor's garden was admirably arranged with +a view to effect; and the garden was so large that even the gardener +himself did not know where it ended. If you ever got beyond it, you came +to a stately forest with great trees and deep lakes in it. The forest +sloped down to the sea, which was a clear blue. Large ships could +sail under the boughs of the trees, and in these trees there lived a +Nightingale. She sang so beautifully that even the poor fisherman who +had so much to do stood and listened when he came at night to cast his +nets. 'How beautiful it is!' he said; but he had to attend to his work, +and forgot about the bird. But when she sang the next night and the +fisherman came there again, he said the same thing, 'How beautiful it +is!' + +From all the countries round came travellers to the Emperor's town, who +were astonished at the Palace and the garden. But when they heard the +Nightingale they all said, 'This is the finest thing after all!' + +The travellers told all about it when they went home, and learned +scholars wrote many books upon the town, the Palace, and the garden. But +they did not forget the Nightingale; she was praised the most, and all +the poets composed splendid verses on the Nightingale in the forest by +the deep sea. + +The books were circulated throughout the world, and some of them reached +the Emperor. He sat in his golden chair, and read and read. He nodded +his head every moment, for he liked reading the brilliant accounts of +the town, the Palace, and the garden. 'But the Nightingale is better +than all,' he saw written. + +'What is that?' said the Emperor. 'I don't know anything about the +Nightingale! Is there such a bird in my empire, and so near as in my +garden? I have never heard it! Fancy reading for the first time about it +in a book!' + +And he called his First Lord to him. He was so proud that if anyone of +lower rank than his own ventured to speak to him or ask him anything, he +would say nothing but 'P!' and that does not mean anything. + +'Here is a most remarkable bird which is called a Nightingale!' said the +Emperor. 'They say it is the most glorious thing in my kingdom. Why has +no one ever said anything to me about it?' + +'I have never before heard it mentioned!' said the First Lord. 'I will +look for it and find it!' + +But where was it to be found? The First Lord ran up and down stairs, +through the halls and corridors; but none of those he met had ever heard +of the Nightingale. And the First Lord ran again to the Emperor, and +told him that it must be an invention on the part of those who had +written the books. + +'Your Imperial Majesty cannot really believe all that is written! There +are some inventions called the Black Art!' + +'But the book in which I read this,' said the Emperor, 'is sent me by +His Great Majesty the Emperor of Japan; so it cannot be untrue, and I +will hear the Nightingale! She must be here this evening! She has my +gracious permission to appear, and if she does not, the whole Court +shall be trampled under foot after supper!' + +'Tsing pe!' said the First Lord; and he ran up and down stairs, through +the halls and corridors, and half the Court ran with him, for they +did not want to be trampled under foot. Everyone was asking after the +wonderful Nightingale which all the world knew of, except those at +Court. + +At last they met a poor little girl in the kitchen, who said, 'Oh! I +know the Nightingale well. How she sings! I have permission to carry the +scraps over from the Court meals to my poor sick mother, and when I am +going home at night, tired and weary, and rest for a little in the wood, +then I hear the Nightingale singing! It brings tears to my eyes, and I +feel as if my mother were kissing me!' + +'Little kitchenmaid!' said the First Lord, 'I will give you a place in +the kitchen, and you shall have leave to see the Emperor at dinner, if +you can lead us to the Nightingale, for she is invited to come to Court +this evening.' + +And so they all went into the wood where the Nightingale was wont to +sing, and half the Court went too. + +When they were on the way there they heard a cow mooing. + +'Oh!' said the Courtiers, 'now we have found her! What a wonderful power +for such a small beast to have! I am sure we have heard her before!' + +'No; that is a cow mooing!' said the little kitchenmaid. 'We are still a +long way off!' + +Then the frogs began to croak in the marsh. 'Splendid!' said the Chinese +chaplain. 'Now we hear her; it sounds like a little church-bell!' + +'No, no; those are frogs!' said the little kitchenmaid. 'But I think we +shall soon hear her now!' + +Then the Nightingale began to sing. + +'There she is!' cried the little girl. 'Listen! She is sitting there!' +And she pointed to a little dark-grey bird up in the branches. + +'Is it possible!' said the First Lord. 'I should never have thought it! +How ordinary she looks! She must surely have lost her feathers because +she sees so many distinguished men round her!' + +'Little Nightingale,' called out the little kitchenmaid, 'our Gracious +Emperor wants you to sing before him!' + +'With the greatest of pleasure!' said the Nightingale; and she sang so +gloriously that it was a pleasure to listen. + +'It sounds like glass bells!' said the First Lord. 'And look how her +little throat works! It is wonderful that we have never heard her +before! She will be a great success at Court.' + +'Shall I sing once more for the Emperor?' asked the Nightingale, +thinking that the Emperor was there. + +'My esteemed little Nightingale,' said the First Lord, 'I have the +great pleasure to invite you to Court this evening, where His Gracious +Imperial Highness will be enchanted with your charming song!' + +'It sounds best in the green wood,' said the Nightingale; but still, she +came gladly when she heard that the Emperor wished it. + +At the Palace everything was splendidly prepared. The porcelain walls +and floors glittered in the light of many thousand gold lamps; the most +gorgeous flowers which tinkled out well were placed in the corridors. +There was such a hurrying and draught that all the bells jingled so much +that one could not hear oneself speak. In the centre of the great hall +where the Emperor sat was a golden perch, on which the Nightingale sat. +The whole Court was there, and the little kitchenmaid was allowed to +stand behind the door, now that she was a Court-cook. Everyone was +dressed in his best, and everyone was looking towards the little grey +bird to whom the Emperor nodded. + +The Nightingale sang so gloriously that the tears came into the +Emperor's eyes and ran down his cheeks. Then the Nightingale sang even +more beautifully; it went straight to all hearts. The Emperor was so +delighted that he said she should wear his gold slipper round her neck. +But the Nightingale thanked him, and said she had had enough reward +already. 'I have seen tears in the Emperor's eyes--that is a great +reward. An Emperor's tears have such power!' Then she sang again with +her gloriously sweet voice. + +'That is the most charming coquetry I have ever seen!' said all the +ladies round. And they all took to holding water in their mouths that +they might gurgle whenever anyone spoke to them. Then they thought +themselves nightingales. Yes, the lackeys and chambermaids announced +that they were pleased; which means a great deal, for they are the most +difficult people of all to satisfy. In short, the Nightingale was a real +success. + +She had to stay at Court now; she had her own cage, and permission to +walk out twice in the day and once at night. + +She was given twelve servants, who each held a silken string which was +fastened round her leg. There was little pleasure in flying about like +this. + +The whole town was talking about the wonderful bird, and when two people +met each other one would say 'Nightin,' and the other 'Gale,' and then +they would both sigh and understand one another. + +Yes, and eleven grocer's children were called after her, but not one of +them could sing a note. + +One day the Emperor received a large parcel on which was written 'The +Nightingale.' + +'Here is another new book about our famous bird!' said the Emperor. + +But it was not a book, but a little mechanical toy, which lay in a +box--an artificial nightingale which was like the real one, only that it +was set all over with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. When it was wound +up, it could sing the piece the real bird sang, and moved its tail +up and down, and glittered with silver and gold. Round its neck was a +little collar on which was written, 'The Nightingale of the Emperor of +Japan is nothing compared to that of the Emperor of China.' + +'This is magnificent!' they all said, and the man who had brought +the clockwork bird received on the spot the title of 'Bringer of the +Imperial First Nightingale.' + +'Now they must sing together; what a duet we shall have!' + +And so they sang together, but their voices did not blend, for the real +Nightingale sang in her way and the clockwork bird sang waltzes. + +'It is not its fault!' said the bandmaster; 'it keeps very good time and +is quite after my style!' + +Then the artificial bird had to sing alone. It gave just as much +pleasure as the real one, and then it was so much prettier to look at; +it sparkled like bracelets and necklaces. Three-and-thirty times it sang +the same piece without being tired. People would like to have heard it +again, but the Emperor thought that the living Nightingale should sing +now--but where was she? No one had noticed that she had flown out of the +open window away to her green woods. + +'What SHALL we do!' said the Emperor. + +And all the Court scolded, and said that the Nightingale was very +ungrateful. 'But we have still the best bird!' they said and the +artificial bird had to sing again, and that was the thirty-fourth time +they had heard the same piece. But they did not yet know it by heart; +it was much too difficult. And the bandmaster praised the bird +tremendously; yes, he assured them it was better than a real +nightingale, not only because of its beautiful plumage and diamonds, but +inside as well. 'For see, my Lords and Ladies and your Imperial Majesty, +with the real Nightingale one can never tell what will come out, but all +is known about the artificial bird! You can explain it, you can open it +and show people where the waltzes lie, how they go, and how one follows +the other!' + +'That's just what we think!' said everyone; and the bandmaster received +permission to show the bird to the people the next Sunday. They should +hear it sing, commanded the Emperor. And they heard it, and they were +as pleased as if they had been intoxicated with tea, after the Chinese +fashion, and they all said 'Oh!' and held up their forefingers and +nodded time. But the poor fishermen who had heard the real Nightingale +said: 'This one sings well enough, the tunes glide out; but there is +something wanting--I don't know what!' + +The real Nightingale was banished from the kingdom. + +The artificial bird was put on silken cushions by the Emperor's bed, all +the presents which it received, gold and precious stones, lay round +it, and it was given the title of Imperial Night-singer, First from the +left. For the Emperor counted that side as the more distinguished, being +the side on which the heart is; the Emperor's heart is also on the left. + +And the bandmaster wrote a work of twenty-five volumes about the +artificial bird. It was so learned, long, and so full of the hardest +Chinese words that everyone said they had read it and understood it; for +once they had been very stupid about a book, and had been trampled under +foot in consequence. So a whole year passed. The Emperor, the Court, and +all the Chinese knew every note of the artificial bird's song by heart. +But they liked it all the better for this; they could even sing with +it, and they did. The street boys sang 'Tra-la-la-la-la, and the Emperor +sang too sometimes. It was indeed delightful. + +But one evening, when the artificial bird was singing its best, and the +Emperor lay in bed listening to it, something in the bird went crack. +Something snapped! Whir-r-r! all the wheels ran down and then the music +ceased. The Emperor sprang up, and had his physician summoned, but +what could HE do! Then the clockmaker came, and, after a great deal of +talking and examining, he put the bird somewhat in order, but he said +that it must be very seldom used as the works were nearly worn out, and +it was impossible to put in new ones. Here was a calamity! Only once a +year was the artificial bird allowed to sing, and even that was almost +too much for it. But then the bandmaster made a little speech full +of hard words, saying that it was just as good as before. And so, of +course, it WAS just as good as before. So five years passed, and then a +great sorrow came to the nation. The Chinese look upon their Emperor as +everything, and now he was ill, and not likely to live it was said. + +Already a new Emperor had been chosen, and the people stood outside in +the street and asked the First Lord how the old Emperor was. 'P!' said +he, and shook his head. + +Cold and pale lay the Emperor in his splendid great bed; the whole +Court believed him dead, and one after the other left him to pay their +respects to the new Emperor. Everywhere in the halls and corridors cloth +was laid down so that no footstep could be heard, and everything was +still--very, very still. And nothing came to break the silence. + +The Emperor longed for something to come and relieve the monotony of +this deathlike stillness. If only someone would speak to him! If only +someone would sing to him. Music would carry his thoughts away, and +would break the spell lying on him. The moon was streaming in at the +open window; but that, too, was silent, quite silent. + +'Music! music!' cried the Emperor. 'You little bright golden bird, sing! +do sing! I gave you gold and jewels; I have hung my gold slipper round +your neck with my own hand--sing! do sing!' But the bird was silent. +There was no one to wind it up, and so it could not sing. And all was +silent, so terribly silent! + +All at once there came in at the window the most glorious burst of song. +It was the little living Nightingale, who, sitting outside on a bough, +had heard the need of her Emperor and had come to sing to him of comfort +and hope. And as she sang the blood flowed quicker and quicker in the +Emperor's weak limbs, and life began to return. + +'Thank you, thank you!' said the Emperor. 'You divine little bird! +I know you. I chased you from my kingdom, and you have given me life +again! How can I reward you?' + +'You have done that already!' said the Nightingale. 'I brought tears +to your eyes the first time I sang. I shall never forget that. They +are jewels that rejoice a singer's heart. But now sleep and get strong +again; I will sing you a lullaby.' And the Emperor fell into a deep, +calm sleep as she sang. + +The sun was shining through the window when he awoke, strong and well. +None of his servants had come back yet, for they thought he was dead. +But the Nightingale sat and sang to him. + +'You must always stay with me!' said the Emperor. 'You shall sing +whenever you like, and I will break the artificial bird into a thousand +pieces.' + +'Don't do that!' said the Nightingale. 'He did his work as long as he +could. Keep him as you have done! I cannot build my nest in the Palace +and live here; but let me come whenever I like. I will sit in the +evening on the bough outside the window, and I will sing you something +that will make you feel happy and grateful. I will sing of joy, and of +sorrow; I will sing of the evil and the good which lies hidden from you. +The little singing-bird flies all around, to the poor fisherman's hut, +to the farmer's cottage, to all those who are far away from you and your +Court. I love your heart more than your crown, though that has about it +a brightness as of something holy. Now I will sing to you again; but you +must promise me one thing----' + +'Anything!' said the Emperor, standing up in his Imperial robes, which +he had himself put on, and fastening on his sword richly embossed with +gold. + +'One thing I beg of you! Don't tell anyone that you have a little bird +who tells you everything. It will be much better not to!' Then the +Nightingale flew away. + +The servants came in to look at their dead Emperor. + +The Emperor said, 'Good-morning!' + + + + +HERMOD AND HADVOR (32) + +(32) From the Icelandic. + +Once upon a time there were a King and a Queen who had an only daughter, +called Hadvor, who was fair and beautiful, and being an only child, was +heir to the kingdom. The King and Queen had also a foster son, named +Hermod, who was just about the same age as Hadvor, and was good-looking, +as well as clever at most things. Hermod and Hadvor often played +together while they were children, and liked each other so much that +while they were still young they secretly plighted their troth to each +other. + +As time went on the Queen fell sick, and suspecting that it was her last +illness, sent for the King to come to her. When he came she told him +that she had no long time to live, and therefore wished to ask one thing +of him, which was, that if he married another wife he should promise to +take no other one than the Queen of Hetland the Good. The King gave the +promise, and thereafter the Queen died. + +Time went past, and the King, growing tired of living alone, fitted +out his ship and sailed out to sea. As he sailed there came upon him +so thick a mist that he altogether lost his bearings, but after long +trouble he found land. There he laid his ship to, and went on shore all +alone. After walking for some time he came to a forest, into which he +went a little way and stopped. Then he heard sweet music from a harp, +and went in the direction of the sound until he came to a clearing, and +there he saw three women, one of whom sat on a golden chair, and was +beautifully and grandly dressed; she held a harp in her hands, and +was very sorrowful. The second was also finely dressed, but younger +in appearance, and also sat on a chair, but it was not so grand as the +first one's. The third stood beside them, and was very pretty to look +at; she had a green cloak over her other clothes, and it was easy to see +that she was maid to the other two. + +After the King had looked at them for a little he went forward and +saluted them. The one that sat on the golden chair asked him who he +was and where he was going; and he told her all the story--how he was +a king, and had lost his queen, and was now on his way to Hetland the +Good, to ask the Queen of that country in marriage. She answered that +fortune had contrived this wonderfully, for pirates had plundered +Hetland and killed the King, and she had fled from the land in terror, +and had come hither after great trouble, and she was the very person +he was looking for, and the others were her daughter and maid. The +King immediately asked her hand; she gladly received his proposal and +accepted him at once. Thereafter they all set out, and made their way to +the ship; and after that nothing is told of their voyage until the King +reached his own country. There he made a great feast, and celebrated his +marriage with this woman; and after that things are quiet for a time. + +Hermod and Hadvor took but little notice of the Queen and her daughter, +but, on the other hand, Hadvor and the Queen's maid, whose name was +Olof, were very friendly, and Olof came often to visit Hadvor in her +castle. Before long the King went out to war, and no sooner was he away +than the Queen came to talk with Hermod, and said that she wanted him to +marry her daughter. Hermod told her straight and plain that he would +not do so, at which the Queen grew terribly angry, and said that in that +case neither should he have Hadvor, for she would now lay this spell on +him, that he should go to a desert island and there be a lion by day and +a man by night. He should also think always of Hadvor, which would cause +him all the more sorrow, and from this spell he should never be freed +until Hadvor burned the lion's skin, and that would not happen very +soon. + +As soon as the Queen had finished her speech Hermod replied that he also +laid a spell on her, and that was, that as soon as he was freed from her +enchantments she should become a rat and her daughter a mouse, and fight +with each other in the hall until he killed them with his sword. + +After this Hermod disappeared, and no one knew what had become of him; +the Queen caused search to be made for him, but he could nowhere be +found. One time, when Olof was in the castle beside Hadvor, she asked +the Princess if she knew where Hermod had gone to. At this Hadvor became +very sad, and said that she did not. + +'I shall tell you then,' said Olof, 'for I know all about it. Hermod has +disappeared through the wicked devices of the Queen, for she is a witch, +and so is her daughter, though they have put on these beautiful forms. +Because Hermod would not fall in with the Queen's plans, and marry her +daughter, she has laid a spell on him, to go on an island and be a lion +by day and a man by night, and never be freed from this until you burn +the lion's skin. Besides,' said Olof, 'she has looked out a match for +you; she has a brother in the Underworld, a three-headed Giant, whom she +means to turn into a beautiful prince and get him married to you. This +is no new thing for the Queen; she took me away from my parents' house +and compelled me to serve her; but she has never done me any harm, for +the green cloak I wear protects me against all mischief. + +Hadvor now became still sadder than before at the thought of the +marriage destined for her, and entreated Olof to think of some plan to +save her. + +'I think,' said Olof, 'that your wooer will come up through the floor of +the castle to you, and so you must be prepared when you hear the noise +of his coming and the floor begins to open, and have at hand blazing +pitch, and pour plenty of it into the opening. That will prove too much +for him.' + +About this time the King came home from his expedition, and thought it +a great blow that no one knew what had become of Hermod; but the Queen +consoled him as best she could, and after a time the King thought less +about his disappearance. + +Hadvor remained in her castle, and had made preparations to receive her +wooer when he came. One night, not long after, a loud noise and rumbling +was heard under the castle. Hadvor at once guessed what it was, and told +her maids to be ready to help her. The noise and thundering grew louder +and louder, until the floor began to open, whereupon Hadvor made them +take the caldron of pitch and pour plenty of it into the opening. With +that the noises grew fainter and fainter, till at last they ceased +altogether. + +Next morning the Queen rose early, and went out to the Palace gate, and +there she found her brother the Giant lying dead. She went up to him and +said, 'I pronounce this spell, that you become a beautiful prince, and +that Hadvor shall be unable to say anything against the charges that I +shall bring against her.' + +The body of the dead Giant now became that of a beautiful prince, and +the Queen went in again. + +'I don't think,' said she to the King, 'that your daughter is as good as +she is said to be. My brother came and asked her hand, and she has had +him put to death. I have just found his dead body lying at the Palace +gate.' + +The King went along with the Queen to see the body, and thought it all +very strange; so beautiful a youth, he said, would have been a worthy +match for Hadvor, and he would readily have agreed to their marriage. +The Queen asked leave to decide what Hadvor's punishment should be, +which the King was very willing to allow, so as to escape from punishing +his own daughter. The Queen's decision was that the King should make a +big grave-mound for her brother, and put Hadvor into it beside him. + +Olof knew all the plans of the Queen, and went to tell the Princess what +had been done, whereupon Hadvor earnestly entreated her to tell her what +to do. + +'First and foremost,' said Olof, 'you must get a wide cloak to wear over +your other clothes, when you are put into the mound. The Giant's ghost +will walk after you are both left together in there, and he will have +two dogs along with him. He will ask you to cut pieces out of his legs +to give to the dogs, but that you must not promise to do unless he tells +you where Hermod has gone to, and tells you how to find him. He will +then let you stand on his shoulders, so as to get out of the mound; but +he means to cheat you all the same, and will catch you by the cloak to +pull you back again; but you must take care to have the cloak loose on +your shoulders, so that he will only get hold of that.' + +The mound was all ready now, and the Giant laid in it, and into it +Hadvor also had to go without being allowed to make any defence. After +they were both left there everything happened just as Olof had said. The +prince became a Giant again, and asked Hadvor to cut the pieces out of +his legs for the dogs; but she refused until he told her that Hermod was +in a desert island, which she could not reach unless she took the skin +off the soles of his feet and made shoes out of that; with these shoes +she could travel both on land and sea. This Hadvor now did, and the +Giant then let her get up on his shoulders to get out of the mound. As +she sprang out he caught hold of her cloak; but she had taken care to +let it lie loose on her shoulders, and so escaped. + +She now made her way down to the sea, to where she knew there was the +shortest distance over to the island in which Hermod was. This strait +she easily crossed, for the shoes kept her up. On reaching the island +she found a sandy beach all along by the sea, and high cliffs above. Nor +could she see any way to get up these, and so, being both sad at heart +and tired with the long journey, she lay down and fell asleep. As she +slept she dreamed that a tall woman came to her and said, 'I know that +you are Princess Hadvor, and are searching for Hermod. He is on this +island; but it will be hard for you to get to him if you have no one to +help you, for you cannot climb the cliffs by your own strength. I have +therefore let down a rope, by which you will be able to climb up; and as +the island is so large that you might not find Hermod's dwelling-place +so easily, I lay down this clew beside you. You need only hold the end +of the thread, and the clew will run on before and show you the way. I +also lay this belt beside you, to put on when you awaken; it will keep +you from growing faint with hunger.' + +The woman now disappeared, and Hadvor woke, and saw that all her dream +had been true. The rope hung down from the cliff, and the clew and belt +lay beside her. The belt she put on, the rope enabled her to climb up +the cliff, and the clew led her on till she came to the mouth of a cave, +which was not very big. She went into the cave, and saw there a low +couch, under which she crept and lay down. + +When evening came she heard the noise of footsteps outside, and became +aware that the lion had come to the mouth of the cave, and shook itself +there, after which she heard a man coming towards the couch. She was +sure this was Hermod, because she heard him speaking to himself about +his own condition, and calling to mind Hadvor and other things in the +old days. Hadvor made no sign, but waited till he had fallen asleep, and +then crept out and burned the lion's skin, which he had left outside. +Then she went back into the cave and wakened Hermod, and they had a most +joyful meeting. + +In the morning they talked over their plans, and were most at a loss +to know how to get out of the island. Hadvor told Hermod her dream, and +said she suspected there was some one in the island who would be able to +help them. Hermod said he knew of a Witch there, who was very ready to +help anyone, and that the only plan was to go to her. So they went to +the Witch's cave, and found her there with her fifteen young sons, and +asked her to help them to get to the mainland. + +'There are other things easier than that,' said she, 'for the Giant that +was buried will be waiting for you, and will attack you on the way, +as he has turned himself into a big whale. I shall lend you a boat, +however, and if you meet the whale and think your lives are in danger, +then you can name me by name.' + +They thanked her greatly for her help and advice, and set out from the +island, but on the way they saw a huge fish coming towards them, with +great splashing and dashing of waves. They were sure of what it was, and +thought they had as good reason as ever they would have to call on +the Witch, and so they did. The next minute they saw coming after them +another huge whale, followed by fifteen smaller ones. All of these swam +past the boat and went on to meet the whale. There was a fierce battle +then, and the sea became so stormy that it was not very easy to keep the +boat from being filled by the waves. After this fight had gone on for +some time, they saw that the sea was dyed with blood; the big whale +and the fifteen smaller ones disappeared, and they got to land safe and +sound. + +Now the story goes back to the King's hall, where strange things had +happened in the meantime. The Queen and her daughter had disappeared, +but a rat and a mouse were always fighting with each other there. Ever +so many people had tried to drive them away, but no one could manage it. +Thus some time went on, while the King was almost beside himself with +sorrow and care for the loss of his Queen, and because these monsters +destroyed all mirth in the hall. + +One evening, however, while they all sat dull and down-hearted, in came +Hermod with a sword by his side, and saluted the King, who received +him with the greatest joy, as if he had come back from the dead. Before +Hermod sat down, however, he went to where the rat and the mouse were +fighting, and cut them in two with his sword. All were astonished then +by seeing two witches lying dead on the floor of the hall. + +Hermod now told the whole story to the King, who was very glad to be rid +of such vile creatures. Next he asked for the hand of Hadvor, which the +King readily gave him, and being now an old man, gave the kingdom to him +as well; and so Hermod became King. + +Olof married a good-looking nobleman, and that is the end of the story. + + + + +THE STEADFAST TIN-SOLDIER + +There were once upon a time five-and twenty tin-soldiers--all brothers, +as they were made out of the same old tin spoon. Their uniform was red +and blue, and they shouldered their guns and looked straight in front of +them. The first words that they heard in this world, when the lid of the +box in which they lay was taken off, were: 'Hurrah, tin-soldiers!' This +was exclaimed by a little boy, clapping his hands; they had been given +to him because it was his birthday, and now he began setting them out on +the table. Each soldier was exactly like the other in shape, except just +one, who had been made last when the tin had run short; but there he +stood as firmly on his one leg as the others did on two, and he is the +one that became famous. + +There were many other playthings on the table on which they were being +set out, but the nicest of all was a pretty little castle made of +cardboard, with windows through which you could see into the rooms. In +front of the castle stood some little trees surrounding a tiny mirror +which looked like a lake. Wax swans were floating about and reflecting +themselves in it. That was all very pretty; but the most beautiful thing +was a little lady, who stood in the open doorway. She was cut out of +paper, but she had on a dress of the finest muslin, with a scarf of +narrow blue ribbon round her shoulders, fastened in the middle with a +glittering rose made of gold paper, which was as large as her head. The +little lady was stretching out both her arms, for she was a Dancer, and +was lifting up one leg so high in the air that the Tin-soldier couldn't +find it anywhere, and thought that she, too, had only one leg. + +'That's the wife for me!' he thought; 'but she is so grand, and lives in +a castle, whilst I have only a box with four-and-twenty others. This is +no place for her! But I must make her acquaintance.' Then he stretched +himself out behind a snuff-box that lay on the table; from thence he +could watch the dainty little lady, who continued to stand on one leg +without losing her balance. + +When the night came all the other tin-soldiers went into their box, +and the people of the house went to bed. Then the toys began to play at +visiting, dancing, and fighting. The tin-soldiers rattled in their box, +for they wanted to be out too, but they could not raise the lid. The +nut-crackers played at leap-frog, and the slate-pencil ran about the +slate; there was such a noise that the canary woke up and began to talk +to them, in poetry too! The only two who did not stir from their places +were the Tin-soldier and the little Dancer. She remained on tip-toe, +with both arms outstretched; he stood steadfastly on his one leg, never +moving his eyes from her face. + +The clock struck twelve, and crack! off flew the lid of the snuff-box; +but there was no snuff inside, only a little black imp--that was the +beauty of it. + +'Hullo, Tin-soldier!' said the imp. 'Don't look at things that aren't +intended for the likes of you!' + +But the Tin-soldier took no notice, and seemed not to hear. + +'Very well, wait till to-morrow!' said the imp. + +When it was morning, and the children had got up, the Tin-soldier was +put in the window; and whether it was the wind or the little black imp, +I don't know, but all at once the window flew open and out fell the +little Tin-soldier, head over heels, from the third-storey window! That +was a terrible fall, I can tell you! He landed on his head with his leg +in the air, his gun being wedged between two paving-stones. + +The nursery-maid and the little boy came down at once to look for him, +but, though they were so near him that they almost trod on him, they did +not notice him. If the Tin-soldier had only called out 'Here I am!' they +must have found him; but he did not think it fitting for him to cry out, +because he had on his uniform. + +Soon it began to drizzle; then the drops came faster, and there was a +regular down-pour. When it was over, two little street boys came along. + +'Just look!' cried one. 'Here is a Tin-soldier! He shall sail up and +down in a boat!' + +So they made a little boat out of newspaper, put the Tin-soldier in it, +and made him sail up and down the gutter; both the boys ran along beside +him, clapping their hands. What great waves there were in the gutter, +and what a swift current! The paper-boat tossed up and down, and in the +middle of the stream it went so quick that the Tin-soldier trembled; but +he remained steadfast, showed no emotion, looked straight in front +of him, shouldering his gun. All at once the boat passed under a long +tunnel that was as dark as his box had been. + +'Where can I be coming now?' he wondered. 'Oh, dear! This is the black +imp's fault! Ah, if only the little lady were sitting beside me in the +boat, it might be twice as dark for all I should care!' + +Suddenly there came along a great water-rat that lived in the tunnel. + +'Have you a passport?' asked the rat. 'Out with your passport!' + +But the Tin-soldier was silent, and grasped his gun more firmly. + +The boat sped on, and the rat behind it. Ugh! how he showed his teeth, +as he cried to the chips of wood and straw: 'Hold him, hold him! he has +not paid the toll! He has not shown his passport!' + +But the current became swifter and stronger. The Tin-soldier could +already see daylight where the tunnel ended; but in his ears there +sounded a roaring enough to frighten any brave man. Only think! at the +end of the tunnel the gutter discharged itself into a great canal; that +would be just as dangerous for him as it would be for us to go down a +waterfall. + +Now he was so near to it that he could not hold on any longer. On went +the boat, the poor Tin-soldier keeping himself as stiff as he could: no +one should say of him afterwards that he had flinched. The boat whirled +three, four times round, and became filled to the brim with water: it +began to sink! The Tin-soldier was standing up to his neck in water, and +deeper and deeper sank the boat, and softer and softer grew the paper; +now the water was over his head. He was thinking of the pretty little +Dancer, whose face he should never see again, and there sounded in his +ears, over and over again: + + 'Forward, forward, soldier bold! + Death's before thee, grim and cold!' + +The paper came in two, and the soldier fell--but at that moment he was +swallowed by a great fish. + +Oh! how dark it was inside, even darker than in the tunnel, and it was +really very close quarters! But there the steadfast little Tin-soldier +lay full length, shouldering his gun. + +Up and down swam the fish, then he made the most dreadful contortions, +and became suddenly quite still. Then it was as if a flash of lightning +had passed through him; the daylight streamed in, and a voice exclaimed, +'Why, here is the little Tin-soldier!' The fish had been caught, taken +to market, sold, and brought into the kitchen, where the cook had cut it +open with a great knife. She took up the soldier between her finger and +thumb, and carried him into the room, where everyone wanted to see the +hero who had been found inside a fish; but the Tin-soldier was not at +all proud. They put him on the table, and--no, but what strange things +do happen in this world!--the Tin-soldier was in the same room in which +he had been before! He saw the same children, and the same toys on +the table; and there was the same grand castle with the pretty little +Dancer. She was still standing on one leg with the other high in the +air; she too was steadfast. That touched the Tin-soldier, he was nearly +going to shed tin-tears; but that would not have been fitting for a +soldier. He looked at her, but she said nothing. + +All at once one of the little boys took up the Tin-soldier, and threw +him into the stove, giving no reasons; but doubtless the little black +imp in the snuff-box was at the bottom of this too. + +There the Tin-soldier lay, and felt a heat that was truly terrible; but +whether he was suffering from actual fire, or from the ardour of his +passion, he did not know. All his colour had disappeared; whether this +had happened on his travels or whether it was the result of trouble, who +can say? He looked at the little lady, she looked at him, and he felt +that he was melting; but he remained steadfast, with his gun at his +shoulder. Suddenly a door opened, the draught caught up the little +Dancer, and off she flew like a sylph to the Tin-soldier in the stove, +burst into flames--and that was the end of her! Then the Tin-soldier +melted down into a little lump, and when next morning the maid was +taking out the ashes, she found him in the shape of a heart. There was +nothing left of the little Dancer but her gilt rose, burnt as black as a +cinder. + + + + +BLOCKHEAD-HANS + +Far away in the country lay an old manor-house where lived an old squire +who had two sons. They thought themselves so clever, that if they had +known only half of what they did know, it would have been quite enough. +They both wanted to marry the King's daughter, for she had proclaimed +that she would have for her husband the man who knew best how to choose +his words. + +Both prepared for the wooing a whole week, which was the longest time +allowed them; but, after all, it was quite long enough, for they both +had preparatory knowledge, and everyone knows how useful that is. One +knew the whole Latin dictionary and also three years' issue of the daily +paper of the town off by heart, so that he could repeat it all backwards +or forwards as you pleased. The other had worked at the laws of +corporation, and knew by heart what every member of the corporation +ought to know, so that he thought he could quite well speak on State +matters and give his opinion. He understood, besides this, how to +embroider braces with roses and other flowers, and scrolls, for he was +very ready with his fingers. + +'I shall win the king's daughter!' they both cried. + +Their old father gave each of them a fine horse; the one who knew the +dictionary and the daily paper by heart had a black horse, while the +other who was so clever at corporation law had a milk-white one. Then +they oiled the corners of their mouths so that they might be able to +speak more fluently. All the servants stood in the courtyard and saw +them mount their steeds, and here by chance came the third brother; for +the squire had three sons, but nobody counted him with his brothers, +for he was not so learned as they were, and he was generally called +'Blockhead-Hans.' + +'Oh, oh!' said Blockhead-Hans. 'Where are you off to? You are in your +Sunday-best clothes!' + +'We are going to Court, to woo the Princess! Don't you know what is +known throughout all the country side?' And they told him all about it. + +'Hurrah! I'll go to!' cried Blockhead-Hans; and the brothers laughed at +him and rode off. + +'Dear father!' cried Blockhead-Hans, 'I must have a horse too. What a +desire for marriage has seized me! If she will have me, she WILL have +me, and if she won't have me, I will have her.' + +'Stop that nonsense!' said the old man. 'I will not give you a horse. +YOU can't speak; YOU don't know how to choose your words. Your brothers! +Ah! they are very different lads!' + +'Well,' said Blockhead-Hans, 'if I can't have a horse, I will take the +goat which is mine; he can carry me!' + +And he did so. He sat astride on the goat, struck his heels into its +side, and went rattling down the high-road like a hurricane. + +'Hoppetty hop! what a ride!' Here I come!' shouted Blockhead-Hans, +singing so that the echoes were roused far and near. But his brothers +were riding slowly in front. They were not speaking, but they were +thinking over all the good things they were going to say, for everything +had to be thought out. + +'Hullo!' bawled Blockhead-Hans, 'here I am! Just look what I found on +the road!'--and he showed them a dead crow which he had picked up. + +'Blockhead!' said his brothers, 'what are you going to do with it?' + +'With the crow? I shall give it to the Princess!' + +'Do so, certainly!' they said, laughing loudly and riding on. + +'Slap! bang! here I am again! Look what I have just found! You don't +find such things every day on the road!' And the brothers turned round +to see what in the world he could have found. + +'Blockhead!' said they, 'that is an old wooden shoe without the top! Are +you going to send that, too, to the Princess?' + +'Of course I shall!' returned Blockhead-Hans; and the brothers laughed +and rode on a good way. + +'Slap! bang! here I am!' cried Blockhead-Hans; 'better and better--it is +really famous!' + +'What have you found now?' asked the brothers. + +'Oh,' said Blockhead-Hans, 'it is really too good! How pleased the +Princess will be!' + +'Why!' said the brothers, 'this is pure mud, straight from the ditch.' + +'Of course it is!' said Blockhead-Hans, 'and it is the best kind! Look +how it runs through one's fingers!' and, so saying, he filled his pocket +with the mud. + +But the brothers rode on so fast that dust and sparks flew all around, +and they reached the gate of the town a good hour before Blockhead-Hans. +Here came the suitors numbered according to their arrival, and they were +ranged in rows, six in each row, and they were so tightly packed +that they could not move their arms. This was a very good thing, for +otherwise they would have torn each other in pieces, merely because the +one was in front of the other. + +All the country people were standing round the King's throne, and were +crowded together in thick masses almost out of the windows to see the +Princess receive the suitors; and as each one came into the room all his +fine phrases went out like a candle! + +'It doesn't matter!' said the Princess. 'Away! out with him!' + +At last she came to the row in which the brother who knew the dictionary +by heart was, but he did not know it any longer; he had quite forgotten +it in the rank and file. And the floor creaked, and the ceiling was all +made of glass mirrors, so that he saw himself standing on his head, and +by each window were standing three reporters and an editor; and each +of them was writing down what was said, to publish it in the paper that +came out and was sold at the street corners for a penny. It was fearful, +and they had made up the fire so hot that it was grilling. + +'It is hot in here, isn't it!' said the suitor. + +'Of course it is! My father is roasting young chickens to-day!' said the +Princess. + +'Ahem!' There he stood like an idiot. He was not prepared for such a +speech; he did not know what to say, although he wanted to say something +witty. 'Ahem!' + +'It doesn't matter!' said the Princess. 'Take him out!' and out he had +to go. + +Now the other brother entered. + +'How hot it is!' he said. + +'Of course! We are roasting young chickens to-day!' remarked the +Princess. + +'How do you--um!' he said, and the reporters wrote down. 'How do +you--um.' + +'It doesn't matter!' said the Princess. 'Take him out!' + +Now Blockhead-Hans came in; he rode his goat right into the hall. + +'I say! How roasting hot it is here!' said he. + +'Of course! I am roasting young chickens to-day!' said the Princess. + +'That's good!' replied Blockhead-Hans; 'then can I roast a crow with +them?' + +'With the greatest of pleasure!' said the Princess; 'but have you +anything you can roast them in? for I have neither pot nor saucepan.' + +'Oh, rather!' said Blockhead-Hans. 'Here is a cooking implement with tin +rings,' and he drew out the old wooden shoe, and laid the crow in it. + +'That is quite a meal!' said the Princess; 'but where shall we get the +soup from?' + +'I've got that in my pocket!' said Blockhead-Hans. 'I have so much that +I can quite well throw some away!' and he poured some mud out of his +pocket. + +'I like you!' said the Princess. 'You can answer, and you can speak, and +I will marry you; but do you know that every word which we are saying +and have said has been taken down and will be in the paper to-morrow? +By each window do you see there are standing three reporters and an +old editor, and this old editor is the worst, for he doesn't understand +anything!' but she only said this to tease Blockhead-Hans. And the +reporters giggled, and each dropped a blot of ink on the floor. + +'Ah! are those the great people?' said Blockhead-Hans. 'Then I will give +the editor the best!' So saying, he turned his pockets inside out, and +threw the mud right in his face. + +'That was neatly done!' said the Princess. 'I couldn't have done it; but +I will soon learn how to!' + +Blockhead-Hans became King, got a wife and a crown, and sat on the +throne; and this we have still damp from the newspaper of the editor and +the reporters--and they are not to be believed for a moment. + + + + +A STORY ABOUT A DARNING-NEEDLE + +There was once a Darning-needle who thought herself so fine that she +believed she was an embroidery-needle. 'Take great care to hold me +tight!' said the Darning-needle to the Fingers who were holding her. +'Don't let me fall! If I once fall on the ground I shall never be found +again, I am so fine!' + +'It is all right!' said the Fingers, seizing her round the waist. + +'Look, I am coming with my train!' said the Darning-needle as she drew a +long thread after her; but there was no knot at the end of the thread. + +The Fingers were using the needle on the cook's shoe. The upper leather +was unstitched and had to be sewn together. + +'This is common work!' said the Darning-needle. 'I shall never get +through it. I am breaking! I am breaking!' And in fact she did break. +'Didn't I tell you so!' said the Darning-needle. 'I am too fine!' + +'Now she is good for nothing!' said the Fingers; but they had to hold +her tight while the cook dropped some sealing-wax on the needle and +stuck it in the front of her dress. + +'Now I am a breast-pin!' said the Darning-needle. 'I always knew I +should be promoted. When one is something, one will become something!' +And she laughed to herself; you can never see when a Darning-needle is +laughing. Then she sat up as proudly as if she were in a State coach, +and looked all round her. + +'May I be allowed to ask if you are gold?' she said to her neighbour, +the Pin. 'You have a very nice appearance, and a peculiar head; but +it is too small! You must take pains to make it grow, for it is +not everyone who has a head of sealing-wax.' And so saying the +Darning-needle raised herself up so proudly that she fell out of the +dress, right into the sink which the cook was rinsing out. + +'Now I am off on my travels!' said the Darning-needle. 'I do hope I +sha'n't get lost!' She did indeed get lost. + +'I am too fine for this world!' said she as she lay in the gutter; 'but +I know who I am, and that is always a little satisfaction!' + +And the Darning-needle kept her proud bearing and did not lose her +good-temper. + +All kinds of things swam over her--shavings, bits of straw, and scraps +of old newspapers. + +'Just look how they sail along!' said the Darning-needle. 'They don't +know what is underneath them! Here I am sticking fast! There goes a +shaving thinking of nothing in the world but of itself, a mere chip! +There goes a straw--well, how it does twist and twirl, to be sure! Don't +think so much about yourself, or you will be knocked against a stone. +There floats a bit of newspaper. What is written on it is long ago +forgotten, and yet how proud it is! I am sitting patient and quiet. I +know who I am, and that is enough for me!' + +One day something thick lay near her which glittered so brightly that +the Darning-needle thought it must be a diamond. But it was a bit of +bottle-glass, and because it sparkled the Darning-needle spoke to it, +and gave herself out as a breast-pin. + +'No doubt you are a diamond?' + +'Yes, something of that kind!' And each believed that the other was +something very costly; and they both said how very proud the world must +be of them. + +'I have come from a lady's work-box,' said Darning-needle, 'and this +lady was a cook; she had five fingers on each hand; anything so proud as +these fingers I have never seen! And yet they were only there to take me +out of the work-box and to put me back again!' + +'Were they of noble birth, then?' asked the bit of bottle-glass. + +'Of noble birth!' said the Darning-needle; 'no indeed, but proud! They +were five brothers, all called ''Fingers.'' They held themselves proudly +one against the other, although they were of different sizes. The +outside one, the Thumb, was short and fat; he was outside the rank, and +had only one bend in his back, and could only make one bow; but he said +that if he were cut off from a man that he was no longer any use as +a soldier. Dip-into-everything, the second finger, dipped into sweet +things as well as sour things, pointed to the sun and the moon, and +guided the pen when they wrote. Longman, the third, looked at the others +over his shoulder. Goldband, the fourth, had a gold sash round his +waist; and little Playman did nothing at all, and was the more proud. +There was too much ostentation, and so I came away.' + +'And now we are sitting and shining here!' said the bit of bottle-glass. + +At that moment more water came into the gutter; it streamed over the +edges and washed the bit of bottle-glass away. + +'Ah! now he has been promoted!' said the Darning-needle. 'I remain here; +I am too fine. But that is my pride, which is a sign of respectability!' +And she sat there very proudly, thinking lofty thoughts. + +'I really believe I must have been born a sunbeam, I am so fine! It +seems to me as if the sunbeams were always looking under the water for +me. Ah, I am so fine that my own mother cannot find me! If I had my old +eye which broke off, I believe I could weep; but I can't--it is not fine +to weep!' + +One day two street-urchins were playing and wading in the gutter, +picking up old nails, pennies, and such things. It was rather dirty +work, but it was a great delight to them. + +'Oh, oh!' cried out one, as he pricked himself with the Darning-needle; +'he is a fine fellow though!' + +'I am not a fellow; I am a young lady!' said the Darning-needle; but no +one heard. The sealing-wax had gone, and she had become quite black; but +black makes one look very slim, and so she thought she was even finer +than before. + +'Here comes an egg-shell sailing along!' said the boys, and they stuck +the Darning-needle into the egg-shell. + +'The walls white and I black--what a pretty contrast it makes!' said +the Darning-needle. 'Now I can be seen to advantage! If only I am not +sea-sick! I should give myself up for lost!' + +But she was not sea-sick, and did not give herself up. + +'It is a good thing to be steeled against sea-sickness; here one has +indeed an advantage over man! Now my qualms are over. The finer one is +the more one can beat.' + +'Crack!' said the egg-shell as a wagon-wheel went over it. + +'Oh! how it presses!' said the Darning-needle. 'I shall indeed be +sea-sick now. I am breaking!' But she did not break, although the +wagon-wheel went over her; she lay there at full length, and there she +may lie. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Yellow Fairy Book, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 640.txt or 640.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/640/ + +Produced by Charles Keller for Tina + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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