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@@ -0,0 +1,11502 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Violet 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 Violet Fairy Book + +Author: Various + +Editor: Andrew Lang + +Release Date: September, 1996 [Etext #641] +Posting Date: November 29, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller for Tina + + + + + +THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK + +By Various + +Edited By Andrew Lang + + + + TO VIOLET MYERS + IS DEDICATED + THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK + + + + +PREFACE + + +The Editor takes this opportunity to repeat what he has often said +before, that he is not the author of the stories in the Fairy Books; +that he did not invent them 'out of his own head.' He is accustomed to +being asked, by ladies, 'Have you written anything else except the Fairy +Books?' He is then obliged to explain that he has NOT written the Fairy +Books, but, save these, has written almost everything else, except +hymns, sermons, and dramatic works. + +The stories in this Violet Fairy Book, as in all the others of the +series, have been translated out of the popular traditional tales in a +number of different languages. These stories are as old as anything +that men have invented. They are narrated by naked savage women to naked +savage children. They have been inherited by our earliest civilised +ancestors, who really believed that beasts and trees and stones can talk +if they choose, and behave kindly or unkindly. The stories are full of +the oldest ideas of ages when science did not exist, and magic took the +place of science. Anybody who has the curiosity to read the 'Legendary +Australian Tales,' which Mrs. Langloh Parker has collected from the lips +of the Australian savages, will find that these tales are closely akin +to our own. Who were the first authors of them nobody knows--probably +the first men and women. Eve may have told these tales to amuse Cain and +Abel. As people grew more civilised and had kings and queens, princes +and princesses, these exalted persons generally were chosen as heroes +and heroines. But originally the characters were just 'a man,' and 'a +woman,' and 'a boy,' and 'a girl,' with crowds of beasts, birds, and +fishes, all behaving like human beings. When the nobles and other people +became rich and educated, they forgot the old stories, but the country +people did not, and handed them down, with changes at pleasure, from +generation to generation. Then learned men collected and printed +the country people's stories, and these we have translated, to amuse +children. Their tastes remain like the tastes of their naked ancestors, +thousands of years ago, and they seem to like fairy tales better than +history, poetry, geography, or arithmetic, just as grown-up people like +novels better than anything else. + +This is the whole truth of the matter. I have said so before, and I +say so again. But nothing will prevent children from thinking that I +invented the stories, or some ladies from being of the same opinion. +But who really invented the stories nobody knows; it is all so long ago, +long before reading and writing were invented. The first of the stories +actually written down, were written in Egyptian hieroglyphs, or on +Babylonian cakes of clay, three or four thousand years before our time. + +Of the stories in this book, Miss Blackley translated 'Dwarf Long Nose,' +'The Wonderful Beggars,' 'The Lute Player,' 'Two in a Sack,' and 'The +Fish that swam in the Air.' Mr. W. A. Craigie translated from the +Scandinavian, 'Jasper who herded the Hares.' Mrs. Lang did the rest. + +Some of the most interesting are from the Roumanion, and three were +previously published in the late Dr. Steere's 'Swahili Tales.' By the +permission of his representatives these three African stories have here +been abridged and simplified for children. + + + +CONTENTS + + A Tale of the Tontlawald + The finest Liar in the World + The Story of three Wonderful Beggars + Schippeitaro + The Three Princes and their Beasts + The Goat's Ears of the Emperor Trojan + The Nine Pea-hens and the Golden Apples + The Lute Player + The Grateful Prince + The Child who came from an Egg + Stan Bolovan + The Two Frogs + The Story of a Gazelle + How a Fish swam in the Air and a Hare in the Water + Two in a Sack + The Envious Neighbour + The Fairy of the Dawn + The Enchanted Knife + Jesper who herded the Hares + The Underground Workers + The History of Dwarf Long Nose + The Nunda, Eater of People + The Story of Hassebu + The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet + The Monkey and the Jelly-fish + The Headless Dwarfs + The young Man who would have his Eyes opened + The Boys with the Golden Stars + The Frog + The Princess who was hidden Underground + The Girl who pretended to be a Boy + The Story of Halfman + The Prince who wanted to see the World + Virgililus the Sorcerer + Mogarzea and his Son + + + + +A TALE OF THE TONTLAWALD + +Long, long ago there stood in the midst of a country covered with lakes +a vast stretch of moorland called the Tontlawald, on which no man ever +dared set foot. From time to time a few bold spirits had been drawn by +curiosity to its borders, and on their return had reported that they had +caught a glimpse of a ruined house in a grove of thick trees, and round +about it were a crowd of beings resembling men, swarming over the grass +like bees. The men were as dirty and ragged as gipsies, and there were +besides a quantity of old women and half-naked children. + +One night a peasant who was returning home from a feast wandered a +little farther into the Tontlawald, and came back with the same story. A +countless number of women and children were gathered round a huge fire, +and some were seated on the ground, while others danced strange dances +on the smooth grass. One old crone had a broad iron ladle in her hand, +with which every now and then she stirred the fire, but the moment she +touched the glowing ashes the children rushed away, shrieking like night +owls, and it was a long while before they ventured to steal back. And +besides all this there had once or twice been seen a little old man with +a long beard creeping out of the forest, carrying a sack bigger than +himself. The women and children ran by his side, weeping and trying to +drag the sack from off his back, but he shook them off, and went on +his way. There was also a tale of a magnificent black cat as large as a +foal, but men could not believe all the wonders told by the peasant, +and it was difficult to make out what was true and what was false in his +story. However, the fact remained that strange things did happen there, +and the King of Sweden, to whom this part of the country belonged, more +than once gave orders to cut down the haunted wood, but there was no one +with courage enough to obey his commands. At length one man, bolder than +the rest, struck his axe into a tree, but his blow was followed by +a stream of blood and shrieks as of a human creature in pain. The +terrified woodcutter fled as fast as his legs would carry him, and after +that neither orders nor threats would drive anybody to the enchanted +moor. + +A few miles from the Tontlawald was a large village, where dwelt a +peasant who had recently married a young wife. As not uncommonly happens +in such cases, she turned the whole house upside down, and the two +quarrelled and fought all day long. + +By his first wife the peasant had a daughter called Elsa, a good quiet +girl, who only wanted to live in peace, but this her stepmother would +not allow. She beat and cuffed the poor child from morning till night, +but as the stepmother had the whip-hand of her husband there was no +remedy. + +For two years Elsa suffered all this ill-treatment, when one day +she went out with the other village children to pluck strawberries. +Carelessly they wandered on, till at last they reached the edge of the +Tontlawald, where the finest strawberries grew, making the grass red +with their colour. The children flung themselves down on the ground, +and, after eating as many as they wanted, began to pile up their +baskets, when suddenly a cry arose from one of the older boys: + +'Run, run as fast as you can! We are in the Tontlawald!' + +Quicker than lightning they sprang to their feet, and rushed madly away, +all except Elsa, who had strayed farther than the rest, and had found a +bed of the finest strawberries right under the trees. Like the others, +she heard the boy's cry, but could not make up her mind to leave the +strawberries. + +'After all, what does it matter?' thought she. 'The dwellers in the +Tontlawald cannot be worse than my stepmother'; and looking up she saw +a little black dog with a silver bell on its neck come barking towards +her, followed by a maiden clad all in silk. + +'Be quiet,' said she; then turning to Elsa she added: 'I am so glad you +did not run away with the other children. Stay here with me and be my +friend, and we will play delightful games together, and every day we +will go and gather strawberries. Nobody will dare to beat you if I tell +them not. Come, let us go to my mother'; and taking Elsa's hand she led +her deeper into the wood, the little black dog jumping up beside them +and barking with pleasure. + +Oh! what wonders and splendours unfolded themselves before Elsa's +astonished eyes! She thought she really must be in Heaven. Fruit trees +and bushes loaded with fruit stood before them, while birds gayer than +the brightest butterfly sat in their branches and filled the air with +their song. And the birds were not shy, but let the girls take them in +their hands, and stroke their gold and silver feathers. In the centre +of the garden was the dwelling-house, shining with glass and precious +stones, and in the doorway sat a woman in rich garments, who turned to +Elsa's companion and asked: + +'What sort of a guest are you bringing to me?' + +'I found her alone in the wood,' replied her daughter, 'and brought her +back with me for a companion. You will let her stay?' + +The mother laughed, but said nothing, only she looked Elsa up and down +sharply. Then she told the girl to come near, and stroked her cheeks and +spoke kindly to her, asking if her parents were alive, and if she really +would like to stay with them. Elsa stooped and kissed her hand, then, +kneeling down, buried her face in the woman's lap, and sobbed out: + +'My mother has lain for many years under the ground. My father is still +alive, but I am nothing to him, and my stepmother beats me all the day +long. I can do nothing right, so let me, I pray you, stay with you. I +will look after the flocks or do any work you tell me; I will obey your +lightest word; only do not, I entreat you, send me back to her. She will +half kill me for not having come back with the other children.' + +And the woman smiled and answered, 'Well, we will see what we can do +with you,' and, rising, went into the house. + +Then the daughter said to Elsa, 'Fear nothing, my mother will be your +friend. I saw by the way she looked that she would grant your request +when she had thought over it,' and, telling Elsa to wait, she entered +the house to seek her mother. Elsa meanwhile was tossed about between +hope and fear, and felt as if the girl would never come. + +At last Elsa saw her crossing the grass with a box in her hand. + +'My mother says we may play together to-day, as she wants to make up her +mind what to do about you. But I hope you will stay here always, as I +can't bear you to go away. Have you ever been on the sea?' + +'The sea?' asked Elsa, staring; 'what is that? I've never heard of such +a thing!' + +'Oh, I'll soon show you,' answered the girl, taking the lid from the +box, and at the very bottom lay a scrap of a cloak, a mussel shell, and +two fish scales. Two drops of water were glistening on the cloak, and +these the girl shook on the ground. In an instant the garden and lawn +and everything else had vanished utterly, as if the earth had opened +and swallowed them up, and as far as the eye could reach you could see +nothing but water, which seemed at last to touch heaven itself. Only +under their feet was a tiny dry spot. Then the girl placed the mussel +shell on the water and took the fish scales in her hand. The mussel +shell grew bigger and bigger, and turned into a pretty little boat, +which would have held a dozen children. The girls stepped in, Elsa very +cautiously, for which she was much laughed at by her friend, who used +the fish scales for a rudder. The waves rocked the girls softly, as if +they were lying in a cradle, and they floated on till they met other +boats filled with men, singing and making merry. + +'We must sing you a song in return,' said the girl, but as Elsa did not +know any songs, she had to sing by herself. Elsa could not understand +any of the men's songs, but one word, she noticed, came over and over +again, and that was 'Kisika.' Elsa asked what it meant, and the girl +replied that it was her name. + +It was all so pleasant that they might have stayed there for ever had +not a voice cried out to them, 'Children, it is time for you to come +home!' + +So Kisika took the little box out of her pocket, with the piece of +cloth lying in it, and dipped the cloth in the water, and lo! they +were standing close to a splendid house in the middle of the garden. +Everything round them was dry and firm, and there was no water anywhere. +The mussel shell and the fish scales were put back in the box, and the +girls went in. + +They entered a large hall, where four and twenty richly dressed women +were sitting round a table, looking as if they were about to attend a +wedding. At the head of the table sat the lady of the house in a golden +chair. + +Elsa did not know which way to look, for everything that met her eyes +was more beautiful than she could have dreamed possible. But she sat +down with the rest, and ate some delicious fruit, and thought she must +be in heaven. The guests talked softly, but their speech was strange +to Elsa, and she understood nothing of what was said. Then the hostess +turned round and whispered something to a maid behind her chair, and the +maid left the hall, and when she came back she brought a little old man +with her, who had a beard longer than himself. He bowed low to the lady +and then stood quietly near the door. + +'Do you see this girl?' said the lady of the house, pointing to Elsa. 'I +wish to adopt her for my daughter. Make me a copy of her, which we can +send to her native village instead of herself.' + +The old man looked Elsa all up and down, as if he was taking her +measure, bowed again to the lady, and left the hall. After dinner the +lady said kindly to Elsa, 'Kisika has begged me to let you stay with +her, and you have told her you would like to live here. Is that so?' + +At these words Elsa fell on her knees, and kissed the lady's hands and +feet in gratitude for her escape from her cruel stepmother; but her +hostess raised her from the ground and patted her head, saying, 'All +will go well as long as you are a good, obedient child, and I will take +care of you and see that you want for nothing till you are grown up and +can look after yourself. My waiting-maid, who teaches Kisika all sorts +of fine handiwork, shall teach you too.' + +Not long after the old man came back with a mould full of clay on his +shoulders, and a little covered basket in his left hand. He put down his +mould and his basket on the ground, took up a handful of clay, and made +a doll as large as life. When it was finished he bored a hole in the +doll's breast and put a bit of bread inside; then, drawing a snake out +of the basket, forced it to enter the hollow body. + +'Now,' he said to the lady, 'all we want is a drop of the maiden's +blood.' + +When she heard this Elsa grew white with horror, for she thought she was +selling her soul to the evil one. + +'Do not be afraid!' the lady hastened to say; 'we do not want your blood +for any bad purpose, but rather to give you freedom and happiness.' + +Then she took a tiny golden needle, pricked Elsa in the arm, and gave +the needle to the old man, who stuck it into the heart of the doll. When +this was done he placed the figure in the basket, promising that the +next day they should all see what a beautiful piece of work he had +finished. + +When Elsa awoke the next morning in her silken bed, with its soft white +pillows, she saw a beautiful dress lying over the back of a chair, ready +for her to put on. A maid came in to comb out her long hair, and brought +the finest linen for her use; but nothing gave Elsa so much joy as the +little pair of embroidered shoes that she held in her hand, for the girl +had hitherto been forced to run about barefoot by her cruel stepmother. +In her excitement she never gave a thought to the rough clothes she had +worn the day before, which had disappeared as if by magic during the +night. Who could have taken them? Well, she was to know that by-and-by. +But WE can guess that the doll had been dressed in them, which was to go +back to the village in her stead. By the time the sun rose the doll had +attained her full size, and no one could have told one girl from +the other. Elsa started back when she met herself as she looked only +yesterday. + +'You must not be frightened,' said the lady, when she noticed her +terror; 'this clay figure can do you no harm. It is for your stepmother, +that she may beat it instead of you. Let her flog it as hard as she +will, it can never feel any pain. And if the wicked woman does not come +one day to a better mind your double will be able at last to give her +the punishment she deserves.' + +From this moment Elsa's life was that of the ordinary happy child, who +has been rocked to sleep in her babyhood in a lovely golden cradle. She +had no cares or troubles of any sort, and every day her tasks became +easier, and the years that had gone before seemed more and more like +a bad dream. But the happier she grew the deeper was her wonder at +everything around her, and the more firmly she was persuaded that some +great unknown power must be at the bottom of it all. + +In the courtyard stood a huge granite block about twenty steps from the +house, and when meal times came round the old man with the long beard +went to the block, drew out a small silver staff, and struck the stone +with it three times, so that the sound could be heard a long way off. +At the third blow, out sprang a large golden cock, and stood upon the +stone. Whenever he crowed and flapped his wings the rock opened and +something came out of it. First a long table covered with dishes ready +laid for the number of persons who would be seated round it, and this +flew into the house all by itself. + +When the cock crowed for the second time, a number of chairs appeared, +and flew after the table; then wine, apples, and other fruit, all +without trouble to anybody. After everybody had had enough, the old +man struck the rock again. The golden cock crowed afresh, and back went +dishes, table, chairs, and plates into the middle of the block. + +When, however, it came to the turn of the thirteenth dish, which nobody +ever wanted to eat, a huge black cat ran up, and stood on the rock close +to the cock, while the dish was on his other side. + +There they all remained, till they were joined by the old man. + +He picked up the dish in one hand, tucked the cat under his arm, told +the cock to get on his shoulder, and all four vanished into the rock. +And this wonderful stone contained not only food, but clothes and +everything you could possibly want in the house. + +At first a language was often spoken at meals which was strange to +Elsa, but by the help of the lady and her daughter she began slowly +to understand it, though it was years before she was able to speak it +herself. + +One day she asked Kisika why the thirteenth dish came daily to the table +and was sent daily away untouched, but Kisika knew no more about it +than she did. The girl must, however, have told her mother what Elsa had +said, for a few days later she spoke to Elsa seriously: + +'Do not worry yourself with useless wondering. You wish to know why +we never eat of the thirteenth dish? That, dear child, is the dish of +hidden blessings, and we cannot taste of it without bringing our happy +life here to an end. And the world would be a great deal better if +men, in their greed, did not seek to snatch every thing for themselves, +instead of leaving something as a thankoffering to the giver of the +blessings. Greed is man's worst fault.' + +The years passed like the wind for Elsa, and she grew into a lovely +woman, with a knowledge of many things that she would never have learned +in her native village; but Kisika was still the same young girl that she +had been on the day of her first meeting with Elsa. Each morning they +both worked for an hour at reading and writing, as they had always done, +and Elsa was anxious to learn all she could, but Kisika much preferred +childish games to anything else. If the humour seized her, she would +fling aside her tasks, take her treasure box, and go off to play in the +sea, where no harm ever came to her. + +'What a pity,' she would often say to Elsa, 'that you have grown so big, +you cannot play with me any more.' + +Nine years slipped away in this manner, when one day the lady called +Elsa into her room. Elsa was surprised at the summons, for it was +unusual, and her heart sank, for she feared some evil threatened her. As +she crossed the threshold, she saw that the lady's cheeks were flushed, +and her eyes full of tears, which she dried hastily, as if she would +conceal them from the girl. 'Dearest child,' she began, 'the time has +come when we must part.' + +'Part?' cried Elsa, burying her head in the lady's lap. 'No, dear lady, +that can never be till death parts us. You once opened your arms to me; +you cannot thrust me away now.' + +'Ah, be quiet, child,' replied the lady; 'you do not know what I would +do to make you happy. Now you are a woman, and I have no right to keep +you here. You must return to the world of men, where joy awaits you.' + +'Dear lady,' entreated Elsa again. 'Do not, I beseech you, send me from +you. I want no other happiness but to live and die beside you. Make me +your waiting maid, or set me to any work you choose, but do not cast me +forth into the world. It would have been better if you had left me with +my stepmother, than first to have brought me to heaven and then send me +back to a worse place.' + +'Do not talk like that, dear child,' replied the lady; 'you do not know +all that must be done to secure your happiness, however much it costs +me. But it has to be. You are only a common mortal, who will have to die +one day, and you cannot stay here any longer. Though we have the +bodies of men, we are not men at all, though it is not easy for you to +understand why. Some day or other you will find a husband who has +been made expressly for you, and will live happily with him till death +separates you. It will be very hard for me to part from you, but it has +to be, and you must make up your mind to it.' Then she drew her golden +comb gently through Elsa's hair, and bade her go to bed; but little +sleep had the poor girl! Life seemed to stretch before her like a dark +starless night. + +Now let us look back a moment, and see what had been going on in Elsa's +native village all these years, and how her double had fared. It is +a well-known fact that a bad woman seldom becomes better as she grows +older, and Elsa's stepmother was no exception to the rule; but as the +figure that had taken the girl's place could feel no pain, the blows +that were showered on her night and day made no difference. If the +father ever tried to come to his daughter's help, his wife turned upon +him, and things were rather worse than before. + +One day the stepmother had given the girl a frightful beating, and then +threatened to kill her outright. Mad with rage, she seized the figure by +the throat with both hands, when out came a black snake from her mouth +and stung the woman's tongue, and she fell dead without a sound. At +night, when the husband came home, he found his wife lying dead upon the +ground, her body all swollen and disfigured, but the girl was nowhere +to be seen. His screams brought the neighbours from their cottages, but +they were unable to explain how it had all come about. It was true, they +said, that about mid-day they had heard a great noise, but as that was +a matter of daily occurrence they did not think much of it. The rest of +the day all was still, but no one had seen anything of the daughter. +The body of the dead woman was then prepared for burial, and her tired +husband went to bed, rejoicing in his heart that he had been delivered +from the firebrand who had made his home unpleasant. On the table he +saw a slice of bread lying, and, being hungry, he ate it before going to +sleep. + +In the morning he too was found dead, and as swollen as his wife, for +the bread had been placed in the body of the figure by the old man who +made it. A few days later he was placed in the grave beside his wife, +but nothing more was ever heard of their daughter. + +All night long after her talk with the lady Elsa had wept and wailed her +hard fate in being cast out from her home which she loved. + +Next morning, when she got up, the lady placed a gold seal ring on her +finger, strung a little golden box on a ribbon, and placed it round her +neck; then she called the old man, and, forcing back her tears, took +leave of Elsa. The girl tried to speak, but before she could sob out her +thanks the old man had touched her softly on the head three times with +his silver staff. In an instant Elsa knew that she was turning into +a bird: wings sprang from beneath her arms; her feet were the feet of +eagles, with long claws; her nose curved itself into a sharp beak, and +feathers covered her body. Then she soared high in the air, and floated +up towards the clouds, as if she had really been hatched an eagle. + +For several days she flew steadily south, resting from time to time when +her wings grew tired, for hunger she never felt. And so it happened +that one day she was flying over a dense forest, and below hounds were +barking fiercely, because, not having wings themselves, she was out of +their reach. Suddenly a sharp pain quivered through her body, and she +fell to the ground, pierced by an arrow. + +When Elsa recovered her senses, she found herself lying under a bush in +her own proper form. What had befallen her, and how she got there, lay +behind her like a bad dream. + +As she was wondering what she should do next the king's son came riding +by, and, seeing Elsa, sprang from his horse, and took her by the hand, +sawing, 'Ah! it was a happy chance that brought me here this morning. +Every night, for half a year, have I dreamed, dear lady, that I should +one day find you in this wood. And although I have passed through it +hundreds of times in vain, I have never given up hope. To-day I was +going in search of a large eagle that I had shot, and instead of the +eagle I have found--you.' Then he took Elsa on his horse, and rode with +her to the town, where the old king received her graciously. + +A few days later the wedding took place, and as Elsa was arranging the +veil upon her hair fifty carts arrived laden with beautiful things which +the lady of the Tontlawald had sent to Elsa. And after the king's death +Elsa became queen, and when she was old she told this story. But that +was the last that was ever heard of the Tontlawald. + +(From Ehstnische Marchen.) + + + + +THE FINEST LIAR IN THE WORLD + +At the edge of a wood there lived an old man who had only one son, and +one day he called the boy to him and said he wanted some corn ground, +but the youth must be sure never to enter any mill where the miller was +beardless. + +The boy took the corn and set out, and before he had gone very far he +saw a large mill in front of him, with a beardless man standing in the +doorway. + +'Good greeting, beardless one!' cried he. + +'Good greeting, sonny,' replied the man. + +'Could I grind something here?' + +'Yes, certainly! I will finish what I am doing and then you can grind as +long as you like.' + +But suddenly the boy remembered what his father had told him, and bade +farewell to the man, and went further down the river, till he came +to another mill, not knowing that as soon as his back was turned the +beardless man had picked up a bag of corn and run hastily to the same +mill before him. When the boy reached the second mill, and saw a second +beardless man sitting there, he did not stop, and walked on till he +came to a third mill. But this time also the beardless man had been too +clever for him, and had arrived first by another road. When it happened +a fourth time the boy grew cross, and said to himself, 'It is no good +going on; there seems to be a beardless man in every mill'; and he took +his sack from his back, and made up his mind to grind his corn where he +was. + +The beardless man finished grinding his own corn, and when he had done +he said to the boy, who was beginning to grind his, 'Suppose, sonny, we +make a cake of what you have there.' + +Now the boy had been rather uneasy when he recollected his father's +words, but he thought to himself, 'What is done cannot be undone,' and +answered, 'Very well, so let it be.' + +Then the beardless one got up, threw the flour into the tub, and made a +hole in the middle, telling the boy to fetch some water from the river +in his two hands, to mix the cake. When the cake was ready for baking +they put it on the fire, and covered it with hot ashes, till it was +cooked through. Then they leaned it up against the wall, for it was too +big to go into a cupboard, and the beardless one said to the boy: + +'Look here, sonny: if we share this cake we shall neither of us have +enough. Let us see who can tell the biggest lie, and the one who lies +the best shall have the whole cake.' + +The boy, not knowing what else to do, answered, 'All right; you begin.' + +So the beardless one began to lie with all his might, and when he was +tired of inventing new lies the boy said to him, 'My good fellow, if +THAT is all you can do it is not much! Listen to me, and I will tell you +a true story. + +'In my youth, when I was an old man, we had a quantity of beehives. +Every morning when I got up I counted them over, and it was quite easy +to number the bees, but I never could reckon the hives properly. One +day, as I was counting the bees, I discovered that my best bee was +missing, and without losing a moment I saddled a cock and went out to +look for him. I traced him as far as the shore, and knew that he had +crossed the sea, and that I must follow. When I had reached the other +side I found a man had harnessed my bee to a plough, and with his help +was sowing millet seed. + +'"That is my bee!" I shouted. "Where did you get him from?"' +"Brother," replied the man, "if he is yours, take him." And he not only +gave me back my bee, but a sack of millet seed into the bargain, because +he had made use of my bee. Then I put the bag on my shoulders, took +the saddle from the cock, and placed it on the back of the bee, which I +mounted, leading the cock by a string, so that he should have a rest. As +we were flying home over the sea one of the strings that held the bag +of millet broke in two, and the sack dropped straight into the ocean. It +was quite lost, of course, and there was no use thinking about it, and +by the time we were safe back again night had come. I then got down from +my bee, and let him loose, that he might get his supper, gave the cock +some hay, and went to sleep myself. But when I awoke with the sun what +a scene met my eyes! During the night wolves had come and had eaten my +bee. And honey lay ankle-deep in the valley and knee-deep on the hills. +Then I began to consider how I could best collect some, to take home +with me. + +'Now it happened that I had with me a small hatchet, and this I took to +the wood, hoping to meet some animal which I could kill, whose skin +I might turn into a bag. As I entered the forest I saw two roe-deer +hopping on one foot, so I slew them with a single blow, and made three +bags from their skins, all of which I filled with honey and placed on +the back of the cock. At length I reached home, where I was told that my +father had just been born, and that I must go at once to fetch some holy +water to sprinkle him with. As I went I turned over in my mind if there +was no way for me to get back my millet seed, which had dropped into the +sea, and when I arrived at the place with the holy water I saw the seed +had fallen on fruitful soil, and was growing before my eyes. And more +than that, it was even cut by an invisible hand, and made into a cake. + +'So I took the cake as well as the holy water, and was flying back +with them over the sea, when there fell a great rain, and the sea was +swollen, and swept away my millet cake. Ah, how vexed I was at its loss +when I was safe on earth again. + +'Suddenly I remembered that my hair was very long. If I stood it touched +the ground, although if I was sitting it only reached my ears. I seized +a knife and cut off a large lock, which I plaited together, and when +night came tied it into a knot, and prepared to use it for a pillow. But +what was I to do for a fire? A tinder box I had, but no wood. Then it +occurred to me that I had stuck a needle in my clothes, so I took the +needle and split it in pieces, and lit it, then laid myself down by +the fire and went to sleep. But ill-luck still pursued me. While I was +sleeping a spark from the fire lighted on the hair, which was burnt up +in a moment. In despair I threw myself on the ground, and instantly +sank in it as far as my waist. I struggled to get out, but only fell in +further; so I ran to the house, seized a spade, dug myself out, and took +home the holy water. On the way I noticed that the ripe fields were full +of reapers, and suddenly the air became so frightfully hot that the men +dropped down in a faint. Then I called to them, "Why don't you bring out +our mare, which is as tall as two days, and as broad as half a day, and +make a shade for yourselves?" My father heard what I said and jumped +quickly on the mare, and the reapers worked with a will in the shadow, +while I snatched up a wooden pail to bring them some water to drink. +When I got to the well everything was frozen hard, so in order to draw +some water I had to take off my head and break the ice with it. As I +drew near them, carrying the water, the reapers all cried out, "Why, +what has become of your head?" I put up my hand and discovered that I +really had no head, and that I must have left it in the well. I ran back +to look for it, but found that meanwhile a fox which was passing by had +pulled my head out of the water, and was tearing at my brains. I stole +cautiously up to him, and gave him such a kick that he uttered a loud +scream, and let fall a parchment on which was written, "The cake is +mine, and the beardless one goes empty-handed."' + +With these words the boy rose, took the cake, and went home, while the +beardless one remained behind to swallow his disappointment. + +(Volksmarchen der Serben.) + + + + +THE STORY OF THREE WONDERFUL BEGGARS + +There once lived a merchant whose name was Mark, and whom people called +'Mark the Rich.' He was a very hard-hearted man, for he could not bear +poor people, and if he caught sight of a beggar anywhere near his house, +he would order the servants to drive him away, or would set the dogs at +him. + +One day three very poor old men came begging to the door, and just as +he was going to let the fierce dogs loose on them, his little daughter, +Anastasia, crept close up to him and said: + +'Dear daddy, let the poor old men sleep here to-night, do--to please +me.' + +Her father could not bear to refuse her, and the three beggars were +allowed to sleep in a loft, and at night, when everyone in the house was +fast asleep, little Anastasia got up, climbed up to the loft, and peeped +in. + +The three old men stood in the middle of the loft, leaning on their +sticks, with their long grey beards flowing down over their hands, and +were talking together in low voices. + +'What news is there?' asked the eldest. + +'In the next village the peasant Ivan has just had his seventh son. What +shall we name him, and what fortune shall we give him?' said the second. + +The third whispered, 'Call him Vassili, and give him all the property of +the hard-hearted man in whose loft we stand, and who wanted to drive us +from his door.' + +After a little more talk the three made themselves ready and crept +softly away. + +Anastasia, who had heard every word, ran straight to her father, and +told him all. + +Mark was very much surprised; he thought, and thought, and in the +morning he drove to the next village to try and find out if such a child +really had been born. He went first to the priest, and asked him about +the children in his parish. + +'Yesterday,' said the priest, 'a boy was born in the poorest house +in the village. I named the unlucky little thing "Vassili." He is the +seventh son, and the eldest is only seven years old, and they hardly +have a mouthful amongst them all. Who can be got to stand godfather to +such a little beggar boy?' + +The merchant's heart beat fast, and his mind was full of bad thoughts +about that poor little baby. He would be godfather himself, he said, +and he ordered a fine christening feast; so the child was brought and +christened, and Mark was very friendly to its father. After the ceremony +was over he took Ivan aside and said: + +'Look here, my friend, you are a poor man. How can you afford to bring +up the boy? Give him to me and I'll make something of him, and I'll give +you a present of a thousand crowns. Is that a bargain?' + +Ivan scratched his head, and thought, and thought, and then he agreed. +Mark counted out the money, wrapped the baby up in a fox skin, laid +it in the sledge beside him, and drove back towards home. When he had +driven some miles he drew up, carried the child to the edge of a steep +precipice and threw it over, muttering, 'There, now try to take my +property!' + +Very soon after this some foreign merchants travelled along that same +road on the way to see Mark and to pay the twelve thousand crowns which +they owed him. + +As they were passing near the precipice they heard a sound of crying, +and on looking over they saw a little green meadow wedged in between two +great heaps of snow, and on the meadow lay a baby amongst the flowers. + +The merchants picked up the child, wrapped it up carefully, and drove +on. When they saw Mark they told him what a strange thing they had +found. Mark guessed at once that the child must be his godson, asked to +see him, and said: + +'That's a nice little fellow; I should like to keep him. If you will +make him over to me, I will let you off your debt.' + +The merchants were very pleased to make so good a bargain, left the +child with Mark, and drove off. + +At night Mark took the child, put it in a barrel, fastened the lid tight +down, and threw it into the sea. The barrel floated away to a great +distance, and at last it floated close up to a monastery. The monks were +just spreading out their nets to dry on the shore, when they heard the +sound of crying. It seemed to come from the barrel which was bobbing +about near the water's edge. They drew it to land and opened it, and +there was a little child! When the abbot heard the news, he decided to +bring up the boy, and named him 'Vassili.' + +The boy lived on with the monks, and grew up to be a clever, gentle, and +handsome young man. No one could read, write, or sing better than he, +and he did everything so well that the abbot made him wardrobe keeper. + +Now, it happened about this time that the merchant, Mark, came to the +monastery in the course of a journey. The monks were very polite to him +and showed him their house and church and all they had. When he went +into the church the choir was singing, and one voice was so clear and +beautiful, that he asked who it belonged to. Then the abbot told him +of the wonderful way in which Vassili had come to them, and Mark saw +clearly that this must be his godson whom he had twice tried to kill. + +He said to the abbot: 'I can't tell you how much I enjoy that young +man's singing. If he could only come to me I would make him overseer of +all my business. As you say, he is so good and clever. Do spare him to +me. I will make his fortune, and will present your monastery with twenty +thousand crowns.' + +The abbot hesitated a good deal, but he consulted all the other monks, +and at last they decided that they ought not to stand in the way of +Vassili's good fortune. + +Then Mark wrote a letter to his wife and gave it to Vassili to take +to her, and this was what was in the letter: 'When the bearer of this +arrives, take him into the soap factory, and when you pass near the +great boiler, push him in. If you don't obey my orders I shall be very +angry, for this young man is a bad fellow who is sure to ruin us all if +he lives.' + +Vassili had a good voyage, and on landing set off on foot for Mark's +home. On the way he met three beggars, who asked him: 'Where are you +going, Vassili?' + +'I am going to the house of Mark the Merchant, and have a letter for his +wife,' replied Vassili. + +'Show us the letter.' + +Vassili handed them the letter. They blew on it and gave it back to +him, saying: 'Now go and give the letter to Mark's wife. You will not be +forsaken.' + +Vassili reached the house and gave the letter. When the mistress read +it she could hardly believe her eyes and called for her daughter. In the +letter was written, quite plainly: 'When you receive this letter, +get ready for a wedding, and let the bearer be married next day to my +daughter, Anastasia. If you don't obey my orders I shall be very angry.' + +Anastasia saw the bearer of the letter and he pleased her very much. +They dressed Vassili in fine clothes and next day he was married to +Anastasia. + +In due time, Mark returned from his travels. His wife, daughter, and +son-in-law all went out to meet him. When Mark saw Vassili he flew into +a terrible rage with his wife. 'How dared you marry my daughter without +my consent?' he asked. + +'I only carried out your orders,' said she. 'Here is your letter.' + +Mark read it. It certainly was his handwriting, but by no means his +wishes. + +'Well,' thought he, 'you've escaped me three times, but I think I shall +get the better of you now.' And he waited a month and was very kind and +pleasant to his daughter and her husband. + +At the end of that time he said to Vassili one day, 'I want you to go +for me to my friend the Serpent King, in his beautiful country at the +world's end. Twelve years ago he built a castle on some land of mine. I +want you to ask for the rent for those twelve years and also to find out +from him what has become of my twelve ships which sailed for his country +three years ago.' + +Vassili dared not disobey. He said good-bye to his young wife, who cried +bitterly at parting, hung a bag of biscuits over his shoulders, and set +out. + +I really cannot tell you whether the journey was long or short. As he +tramped along he suddenly heard a voice saying: 'Vassili! where are you +going?' + +Vassili looked about him, and, seeing no one, called out: 'Who spoke to +me?' + +'I did; this old wide-spreading oak. Tell me where you are going.' + +'I am going to the Serpent King to receive twelve years' rent from him.' + +'When the time comes, remember me and ask the king: "Rotten to the +roots, half dead but still green, stands the old oak. Is it to stand +much longer on the earth?"' + +Vassili went on further. He came to a river and got into the ferryboat. +The old ferryman asked: 'Are you going far, my friend?' + +'I am going to the Serpent King.' + +'Then think of me and say to the king: "For thirty years the ferryman +has rowed to and fro. Will the tired old man have to row much longer?"' + +'Very well,' said Vassili; 'I'll ask him.' + +And he walked on. In time he came to a narrow strait of the sea and +across it lay a great whale over whose back people walked and drove as +if it had been a bridge or a road. As he stepped on it the whale said, +'Do tell me where you are going.' + +'I am going to the Serpent King.' + +And the whale begged: 'Think of me and say to the king: "The poor whale +has been lying three years across the strait, and men and horses have +nearly trampled his back into his ribs. Is he to lie there much longer?"' + +'I will remember,' said Vassili, and he went on. + +He walked, and walked, and walked, till he came to a great green meadow. +In the meadow stood a large and splendid castle. Its white marble walls +sparkled in the light, the roof was covered with mother o' pearl, +which shone like a rainbow, and the sun glowed like fire on the crystal +windows. Vassili walked in, and went from one room to another astonished +at all the splendour he saw. + +When he reached the last room of all, he found a beautiful girl sitting +on a bed. + +As soon as she saw him she said: 'Oh, Vassili, what brings you to this +accursed place?' + +Vassili told her why he had come, and all he had seen and heard on the +way. + +The girl said: 'You have not been sent here to collect rents, but for +your own destruction, and that the serpent may devour you.' + +She had not time to say more, when the whole castle shook, and a +rustling, hissing, groaning sound was heard. The girl quickly pushed +Vassili into a chest under the bed, locked it and whispered: 'Listen to +what the serpent and I talk about.' + +Then she rose up to receive the Serpent King. + +The monster rushed into the room, and threw itself panting on the bed, +crying: 'I've flown half over the world. I'm tired, VERY tired, and want +to sleep--scratch my head.' + +The beautiful girl sat down near him, stroking his hideous head, and +said in a sweet coaxing voice: 'You know everything in the world. After +you left, I had such a wonderful dream. Will you tell me what it means?' + +'Out with it then, quick! What was it?' + +'I dreamt I was walking on a wide road, and an oak tree said to me: "Ask +the king this: Rotten at the roots, half dead, and yet green stands the +old oak. Is it to stand much longer on the earth?"' + +'It must stand till some one comes and pushes it down with his foot. +Then it will fall, and under its roots will be found more gold and +silver than even Mark the Rich has got.' + +'Then I dreamt I came to a river, and the old ferryman said to me: "For +thirty year's the ferryman has rowed to and fro. Will the tired old man +have to row much longer?"' + +'That depends on himself. If some one gets into the boat to be ferried +across, the old man has only to push the boat off, and go his way +without looking back. The man in the boat will then have to take his +place.' + +'And at last I dreamt that I was walking over a bridge made of a whale's +back, and the living bridge spoke to me and said: "Here have I been +stretched out these three years, and men and horses have trampled my +back down into my ribs. Must I lie here much longer?"' + +'He will have to lie there till he has thrown up the twelve ships of +Mark the Rich which he swallowed. Then he may plunge back into the sea +and heal his back.' + +And the Serpent King closed his eyes, turned round on his other side, +and began to snore so loud that the windows rattled. + +In all haste the lovely girl helped Vassili out of the chest, and showed +him part of his way back. He thanked her very politely, and hurried off. + +When he reached the strait the whale asked: 'Have you thought of me?' + +'Yes, as soon as I am on the other side I will tell you what you want to +know.' + +When he was on the other side Vassili said to the whale: 'Throw up those +twelve ships of Mark's which you swallowed three years ago.' + +The great fish heaved itself up and threw up all the twelve ships and +their crews. Then he shook himself for joy, and plunged into the sea. + +Vassili went on further till he reached the ferry, where the old man +asked: 'Did you think of me?' + +'Yes, and as soon as you have ferried me across I will tell you what you +want to know.' + +When they had crossed over, Vassili said: 'Let the next man who comes +stay in the boat, but do you step on shore, push the boat off, and you +will be free, and the other man must take your place. + +Then Vassili went on further still, and soon came to the old oak tree, +pushed it with his foot, and it fell over. There, at the roots, was more +gold and silver than even Mark the Rich had. + +And now the twelve ships which the whale had thrown up came sailing +along and anchored close by. On the deck of the first ship stood the +three beggars whom Vassili had met formerly, and they said: 'Heaven has +blessed you, Vassili.' Then they vanished away and he never saw them +again. + +The sailors carried all the gold and silver into the ship, and then they +set sail for home with Vassili on board. + +Mark was more furious than ever. He had his horses harnessed and drove +off himself to see the Serpent King and to complain of the way in which +he had been betrayed. When he reached the river he sprang into the +ferryboat. The ferryman, however, did not get in but pushed the boat +off.... + +Vassili led a good and happy life with his dear wife, and his kind +mother-in-law lived with them. He helped the poor and fed and clothed +the hungry and naked and all Mark's riches became his. + +For many years Mark has been ferrying people across the river. His face +is wrinkled, his hair and beard are snow white, and his eyes are dim; +but still he rows on. + +(From the Serbian.) + + + + +SCHIPPEITARO + +It was the custom in old times that as soon as a Japanese boy reached +manhood he should leave his home and roam through the land in search of +adventures. Sometimes he would meet with a young man bent on the same +business as himself, and then they would fight in a friendly manner, +merely to prove which was the stronger, but on other occasions the +enemy would turn out to be a robber, who had become the terror of the +neighbourhood, and then the battle was in deadly earnest. + +One day a youth started off from his native village, resolved never +to come back till he had done some great deed that would make his name +famous. But adventures did not seem very plentiful just then, and he +wandered about for a long time without meeting either with fierce giants +or distressed damsels. At last he saw in the distance a wild mountain, +half covered with a dense forest, and thinking that this promised well +at once took the road that led to it. The difficulties he met with--huge +rocks to be climbed, deep rivers to be crossed, and thorny tracts to be +avoided--only served to make his heart beat quicker, for he was really +brave all through, and not merely when he could not help himself, like a +great many people. But in spite of all his efforts he could not find his +way out of the forest, and he began to think he should have to pass the +night there. Once more he strained his eyes to see if there was no place +in which he could take shelter, and this time he caught sight of a small +chapel in a little clearing. He hastened quickly towards it, and curling +himself up in a warm corner soon fell asleep. + +Not a sound was heard through the whole forest for some hours, but at +midnight there suddenly arose such a clamour that the young man, tired +as he was, started broad awake in an instant. Peeping cautiously between +the wooden pillars of the chapel, he saw a troop of hideous cats, +dancing furiously, making the night horrible with their yells. The +full moon lighted up the weird scene, and the young warrior gazed +with astonishment, taking great care to keep still, lest he should be +discovered. After some time he thought that in the midst of all their +shrieks he could make out the words, 'Do not tell Schippeitaro! Keep it +hidden and secret! Do not tell Schippeitaro!' Then, the midnight +hour having passed, they all vanished, and the youth was left alone. +Exhausted by all that had been going on round him, he flung himself on +the ground and slept till the sun rose. + +The moment he woke he felt very hungry, and began to think how he could +get something to eat. So he got up and walked on, and before he had gone +very far was lucky enough to find a little side-path, where he could +trace men's footsteps. He followed the track, and by-and-by came on some +scattered huts, beyond which lay a village. Delighted at this discovery, +he was about to hasten to the village when he heard a woman's voice +weeping and lamenting, and calling on the men to take pity on her and +help her. The sound of her distress made him forget he was hungry, and +he strode into the hut to find out for himself what was wrong. But +the men whom he asked only shook their heads and told him it was not a +matter in which he could give any help, for all this sorrow was caused +by the Spirit of the Mountain, to whom every year they were bound to +furnish a maiden for him to eat. + +'To-morrow night,' said they, 'the horrible creature will come for his +dinner, and the cries you have heard were uttered by the girl before +you, upon whom the lot has fallen.' + +And when the young man asked if the girl was carried off straight from +her home, they answered no, but that a large cask was set in the forest +chapel, and into this she was fastened. + +As he listened to this story, the young man was filled with a great +longing to rescue the maiden from her dreadful fate. The mention of the +chapel set him thinking of the scene of the previous night, and he +went over all the details again in his mind. 'Who is Schippeitaro?' he +suddenly asked; 'can any of you tell me?' + +'Schippeitaro is the great dog that belongs to the overseer of our +prince,' said they; 'and he lives not far away.' And they began to laugh +at the question, which seemed to them so odd and useless. + +The young man did not laugh with them, but instead left the hut and went +straight to the owner of the dog, whom he begged to lend him the animal +just for one night. Schippeitaro's master was not at all willing to +give him in charge to a man of whom he knew nothing, but in the end +he consented, and the youth led the dog away, promising faithfully to +return him next day to his master. He next hurried to the hut where +the maiden lived, and entreated her parents to shut her up safely in a +closet, after which he took Schippeitaro to the cask, and fastened him +into it. In the evening he knew that the cask would be placed in the +chapel, so he hid himself there and waited. + +At midnight, when the full moon appeared above the top of the mountain, +the cats again filled the chapel and shrieked and yelled and danced +as before. But this time they had in their midst a huge black cat who +seemed to be their king, and whom the young man guessed to be the Spirit +of the Mountain. The monster looked eagerly about him, and his eyes +sparkled with joy when he saw the cask. He bounded high into the air +with delight and uttered cries of pleasure; then he drew near and undid +the bolts. + +But instead of fastening his teeth in the neck of a beautiful maiden, +Schippeitaro's teeth were fastened in HIM, and the youth ran up and cut +off his head with his sword. The other cats were so astonished at the +turn things had taken that they forgot to run away, and the young man +and Schippeitaro between them killed several more before they thought of +escaping. + +At sunrise the brave dog was taken back to his master, and from that +time the mountain girls were safe, and every year a feast was held in +memory of the young warrior and the dog Schippeitaro. + +(Japanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE THREE PRINCES AND THEIR BEASTS (LITHUANIAN FAIRY TALE) + +Once on a time there were three princes, who had a step-sister. One day +they all set out hunting together. When they had gone some way through a +thick wood they came on a great grey wolf with three cubs. Just as they +were going to shoot, the wolf spoke and said, 'Do not shoot me, and I +will give each of you one of my young ones. It will be a faithful friend +to you.' + +So the princes went on their way, and a little wolf followed each of +them. + +Soon after they came on a lioness with three cubs. And she too begged +them not to shoot her, and she would give each of them a cub. And so it +happened with a fox, a hare, a boar, and a bear, till each prince had +quite a following of young beasts padding along behind him. + +Towards evening they came to a clearing in the wood, where three birches +grew at the crossing of three roads. The eldest prince took an arrow, +and shot it into the trunk of one of the birch trees. Turning to his +brothers he said: + +'Let each of us mark one of these trees before we part on different +ways. When any one of us comes back to this place, he must walk round +the trees of the other two, and if he sees blood flowing from the mark +in the tree he will know that that brother is dead, but if milk flows he +will know that his brother is alive.' + +So each of the princes did as the eldest brother had said, and when +the three birches were marked by their arrows they turned to their +step-sister and asked her with which of them she meant to live. + +'With the eldest,' she answered. Then the brothers separated from each +other, and each of them set out down a different road, followed by their +beasts. And the step-sister went with the eldest prince. + +After they had gone a little way along the road they came into a forest, +and in one of the deepest glades they suddenly found themselves opposite +a castle in which there lived a band of robbers. The prince walked up to +the door and knocked. The moment it was opened the beasts rushed in, and +each seized on a robber, killed him, and dragged the body down to +the cellar. Now, one of the robbers was not really killed, only badly +wounded, but he lay quite still and pretended to be dead like the +others. Then the prince and his step-sister entered the castle and took +up their abode in it. + +The next morning the prince went out hunting. Before leaving he told his +step-sister that she might go into every room in the house except into +the cave where the dead robbers lay. But as soon as his back was turned +she forgot what he had said, and having wandered through all the other +rooms she went down to the cellar and opened the door. As soon as she +looked in the robber who had only pretended to be dead sat up and said +to her: + +'Don't be afraid. Do what I tell you, and I will be your friend. + +If you marry me you will be much happier with me than with your brother. +But you must first go into the sitting-room and look in the cupboard. +There you will find three bottles. In one of them there is a healing +ointment which you must put on my chin to heal the wound; then if I +drink the contents of the second bottle it will make me well, and the +third bottle will make me stronger than I ever was before. Then, when +your brother comes back from the wood with his beasts you must go to him +and say, "Brother, you are very strong. If I were to fasten your thumbs +behind your back with a stout silk cord, could you wrench yourself +free?" And when you see that he cannot do it, call me.' + +When the brother came home, the step-sister did as the robber had told +her, and fastened her brother's thumbs behind his back. But with one +wrench he set himself free, and said to her, 'Sister, that cord is not +strong enough for me.' + +The next day he went back to the wood with his beasts, and the robber +told her that she must take a much stouter cord to bind his thumbs with. +But again he freed himself, though not so easily as the first time, and +he said to his sister: + +'Even that cord is not strong enough.' + +The third day, on his return from the wood he consented to have his +strength tested for the last time. So she took a very strong cord of +silk, which she had prepared by the robber's advice, and this time, +though the prince pulled and tugged with all his might, he could not +break the cord. So he called to her and said: 'Sister, this time the +cord is so strong I cannot break it. Come and unfasten it for me.' + +But instead of coming she called to the robber, who rushed into the room +brandishing a knife, with which he prepared to attack the prince. + +But the prince spoke and said: + +'Have patience for one minute. I would like before I die to blow three +blasts on my hunting horn--one in this room, one on the stairs, and one +in the courtyard.' + +So the robber consented, and the prince blew the horn. At the first +blast, the fox, which was asleep in the cage in the courtyard, awoke, +and knew that his master needed help. So he awoke the wolf by flicking +him across the eyes with his brush. Then they awoke the lion, who sprang +against the door of the cage with might and main, so that it fell in +splinters on the ground, and the beasts were free. Rushing through the +court to their master's aid, the fox gnawed the cord in two that bound +the prince's thumbs behind his back, and the lion flung himself on the +robber, and when he had killed him and torn him in pieces each of the +beasts carried off a bone. + +Then the prince turned to the step-sister and said: + +'I will not kill you, but I will leave you here to repent.' And he +fastened her with a chain to the wall, and put a great bowl in front of +her and said, 'I will not see you again till you have filled this bowl +with your tears.' + +So saying, he called his beasts, and set out on his travels. When he had +gone a little way he came to an inn. Everyone in the inn seemed so sad +that he asked them what was the matter. + +'Ah,' replied they, 'to-day our king's daughter is to die. She is to be +handed over to a dreadful nine-headed dragon.' + +Then the prince said: 'Why should she die? I am very strong, I will save +her.' + +And he set out to the sea-shore, where the dragon was to meet the +princess. And as he waited with his beasts round him a great procession +came along, accompanying the unfortunate princess: and when the shore +was reached all the people left her, and returned sadly to their houses. +But the prince remained, and soon he saw a movement in the water a long +way off. As it came nearer, he knew what it was, for skimming swiftly +along the waters came a monster dragon with nine heads. Then the prince +took counsel with his beasts, and as the dragon approached the shore +the fox drew his brush through the water and blinded the dragon by +scattering the salt water in his eyes, while the bear and the lion threw +up more water with their paws, so that the monster was bewildered and +could see nothing. Then the prince rushed forward with his sword and +killed the dragon, and the beasts tore the body in pieces. + +Then the princess turned to the prince and thanked him for delivering +her from the dragon, and she said to him: + +'Step into this carriage with me, and we will drive back to my father's +palace.' And she gave him a ring and half of her handkerchief. But on +the way back the coachman and footman spoke to one another and said: + +'Why should we drive this stranger back to the palace? Let us kill him, +and then we can say to the king that we slew the dragon and saved the +princess, and one of us shall marry her.' + +So they killed the prince, and left him dead on the roadside. And the +faithful beasts came round the dead body and wept, and wondered what +they should do. Then suddenly the wolf had an idea, and he started off +into the wood, where he found an ox, which he straightway killed. Then +he called the fox, and told him to mount guard over the dead ox, and if +a bird came past and tried to peck at the flesh he was to catch it and +bring it to the lion. Soon after a crow flew past, and began to peck +at the dead ox. In a moment the fox had caught it and brought it to the +lion. Then the lion said to the crow: + +'We will not kill you if you will promise to fly to the town where there +are three wells of healing and to bring back water from them in your +beak to make this dead man alive.' + +So the crow flew away, and she filled her beak at the well of healing, +the well of strength, and the well of swiftness, and she flew back to +the dead prince and dropped the water from her beak upon his lips, and +he was healed, and could sit up and walk. + +Then he set out for the town, accompanied by his faithful beasts. + +And when they reached the king's palace they found that preparations +for a great feast were being made, for the princess was to marry the +coachman. + +So the prince walked into the palace, and went straight up to the +coachman and said: 'What token have you got that you killed the dragon +and won the hand of the princess? I have her token here--this ring and +half her handkerchief.' + +And when the king saw these tokens he knew that the prince was speaking +the truth. So the coachman was bound in chains and thrown into prison, +and the prince was married to the princess and rewarded with half the +kingdom. + +One day, soon after his marriage, the prince was walking through the +woods in the evening, followed by his faithful beasts. Darkness came on, +and he lost his way, and wandered about among the trees looking for the +path that would lead him back to the palace. As he walked he saw the +light of a fire, and making his way to it he found an old woman raking +sticks and dried leaves together, and burning them in a glade of the +wood. + +As he was very tired, and the night was very dark, the prince determined +not to wander further. So he asked the old woman if he might spend the +night beside her fire. + +'Of course you may,' she answered. 'But I am afraid of your beasts. Let +me hit them with my rod, and then I shall not be afraid of them.' + +'Very well,' said the prince, 'I don't mind'; and she stretched out her +rod and hit the beasts, and in one moment they were turned into stone, +and so was the prince. + +Now soon after this the prince's youngest brother came to the +cross-roads with the three birches, where the brothers had parted from +each other when they set out on their wanderings. Remembering what they +had agreed to do, he walked round the two trees, and when he saw that +blood oozed from the cut in the eldest prince's tree he knew that his +brother must be dead. So he set out, followed by his beasts, and came to +the town over which his brother had ruled, and where the princess he +had married lived. And when he came into the town all the people were in +great sorrow because their prince had disappeared. + +But when they saw his youngest brother, and the beasts following him, +they thought it was their own prince, and they rejoiced greatly, and +told him how they had sought him everywhere. Then they led him to the +king, and he too thought that it was his son-in-law. But the princess +knew that he was not her husband, and she begged him to go out into the +woods with his beasts, and to look for his brother till he found him. + +So the youngest prince set out to look for his brother, and he too lost +his way in the wood and night overtook him. Then he came to the clearing +among the trees, where the fire was burning and where the old woman was +raking sticks and leaves into the flames. And he asked her if he might +spend the night beside her fire, as it was too late and too dark to go +back to the town. + +And she answered: 'Certainly you may. But I am afraid of your beasts. +May I give them a stroke with my rod, then I shall not be afraid of +them.' + +And he said she might, for he did not know that she was a witch. So she +stretched out her rod, and in a moment the beasts and their master were +turned into stone. + +It happened soon after that the second brother returned from his +wanderings and came to the cross-roads where the three birches grew. As +he went round the trees he saw that blood poured from the cuts in the +bark of two of the trees. Then he wept and said: + +'Alas! both my brothers are dead.' And he too set out towards the town +in which his brother had ruled, and his faithful beasts followed him. +When he entered the town, all the people thought it was their own prince +come back to them, and they gathered round him, as they had gathered +round his youngest brother, and asked him where he had been and why +he had not returned. And they led him to the king's palace, but the +princess knew that he was not her husband. So when they were alone +together she besought him to go and seek for his brother and bring him +home. Calling his beasts round him, he set out and wandered through the +woods. And he put his ear down to the earth, to listen if he could hear +the sound of his brother's beasts. And it seemed to him as if he heard a +faint sound far off, but he did not know from what direction it came. So +he blew on his hunting horn and listened again. And again he heard the +sound, and this time it seemed to come from the direction of a fire +burning in the wood. So he went towards the fire, and there the old +woman was raking sticks and leaves into the embers. And he asked her +if he might spend the night beside her fire. But she told him she was +afraid of his beasts, and he must first allow her to give each of them a +stroke with her rod. + +But he answered her: + +'Certainly not. I am their master, and no one shall strike them but +I myself. Give me the rod'; and he touched the fox with it, and in a +moment it was turned into stone. Then he knew that the old woman was a +witch, and he turned to her and said: + +'Unless you restore my brothers and their beasts back to life at once, +my lion will tear you in pieces.' + +Then the witch was terrified, and taking a young oak tree she burnt +it into white ashes, and sprinkled the ashes on the stones that stood +around. And in a moment the two princes stood before their brother, and +their beasts stood round them. + +Then the three princes set off together to the town. And the king did +not know which was his son-in-law, but the princess knew which was her +husband, and there were great rejoicings throughout the land. + + + + +THE GOAT'S EARS OF THE EMPEROR TROJAN + +Once upon a time there lived an emperor whose name was Trojan, and he +had ears like a goat. Every morning, when he was shaved, he asked if the +man saw anything odd about him, and as each fresh barber always replied +that the emperor had goat's ears, he was at once ordered to be put to +death. + +Now after this state of things had lasted a good while, there was hardly +a barber left in the town that could shave the emperor, and it came +to be the turn of the Master of the Company of Barbers to go up to the +palace. But, unluckily, at the very moment that he should have set out, +the master fell suddenly ill, and told one of his apprentices that he +must go in his stead. + +When the youth was taken to the emperor's bedroom, he was asked why he +had come and not his master. The young man replied that the master was +ill, and there was no one but himself who could be trusted with the +honour. The emperor was satisfied with the answer, and sat down, and let +a sheet of fine linen be put round him. Directly the young barber began +his work, he, like the rest, remarked the goat's ears of the emperor, +but when he had finished and the emperor asked his usual question as +to whether the youth had noticed anything odd about him, the young man +replied calmly, 'No, nothing at all.' This pleased the emperor so much +that he gave him twelve ducats, and said, 'Henceforth you shall come +every day to shave me.' + +So when the apprentice returned home, and the master inquired how he had +got on with the emperor, the young man answered, 'Oh, very well, and +he says I am to shave him every day, and he has given me these twelve +ducats'; but he said nothing about the goat's ears of the emperor. + +From this time the apprentice went regularly up to the palace, receiving +each morning twelve ducats in payment. But after a while, his secret, +which he had carefully kept, burnt within him, and he longed to tell it +to somebody. His master saw there was something on his mind, and asked +what it was. The youth replied that he had been tormenting himself +for some months, and should never feel easy until some one shared his +secret. + +'Well, trust me,' said the master, 'I will keep it to myself; or, if you +do not like to do that, confess it to your pastor, or go into some field +outside the town and dig a hole, and, after you have dug it, kneel down +and whisper your secret three times into the hole. Then put back the +earth and come away.' + +The apprentice thought that this seemed the best plan, and that very +afternoon went to a meadow outside the town, dug a deep hole, then knelt +and whispered to it three times over, 'The Emperor Trojan has goat's +ears.' And as he said so a great burden seemed to roll off him, and he +shovelled the earth carefully back and ran lightly home. + +Weeks passed away, and there sprang up in the hole an elder tree which +had three stems, all as straight as poplars. Some shepherds, tending +their flocks near by, noticed the tree growing there, and one of them +cut down a stem to make flutes of; but, directly he began to play, the +flute would do nothing but sing: 'The Emperor Trojan has goat's ears.' +Of course, it was not long before the whole town knew of this wonderful +flute and what it said; and, at last, the news reached the emperor in +his palace. He instantly sent for the apprentice and said to him: + +'What have you been saying about me to all my people?' + +The culprit tried to defend himself by saying that he had never told +anyone what he had noticed; but the emperor, instead of listening, only +drew his sword from its sheath, which so frightened the poor fellow +that he confessed exactly what he had done, and how he had whispered the +truth three times to the earth, and how in that very place an elder tree +had sprung up, and flutes had been cut from it, which would only repeat +the words he had said. Then the emperor commanded his coach to be made +ready, and he took the youth with him, and they drove to the spot, for +he wished to see for himself whether the young man's confession was +true; but when they reached the place only one stem was left. So the +emperor desired his attendants to cut him a flute from the remaining +stem, and, when it was ready, he ordered his chamberlain to play on it. +But no tune could the chamberlain play, though he was the best flute +player about the court--nothing came but the words, 'The Emperor Trojan +has goat's ears.' Then the emperor knew that even the earth gave up its +secrets, and he granted the young man his life, but he never allowed him +to be his barber any more. + +(Volksmarchen der Serben.) + + + + +THE NINE PEA-HENS AND THE GOLDEN APPLES + +Once upon a time there stood before the palace of an emperor a golden +apple tree, which blossomed and bore fruit each night. But every morning +the fruit was gone, and the boughs were bare of blossom, without anyone +being able to discover who was the thief. + +At last the emperor said to his eldest son, 'If only I could prevent +those robbers from stealing my fruit, how happy I should be!' + +And his son replied, 'I will sit up to-night and watch the tree, and I +shall soon see who it is!' + +So directly it grew dark the young man went and hid himself near the +apple tree to begin his watch, but the apples had scarcely begun to +ripen before he fell asleep, and when he awoke at sunrise the apples +were gone. He felt very much ashamed of himself, and went with lagging +feet to tell his father! + +Of course, though the eldest son had failed, the second made sure that +he would do better, and set out gaily at nightfall to watch the apple +tree. But no sooner had he lain himself down than his eyes grew heavy, +and when the sunbeams roused him from his slumbers there was not an +apple left on the tree. + +Next came the turn of the youngest son, who made himself a comfortable +bed under the apple tree, and prepared himself to sleep. Towards +midnight he awoke, and sat up to look at the tree. And behold! the +apples were beginning to ripen, and lit up the whole palace with their +brightness. At the same moment nine golden pea-hens flew swiftly through +the air, and while eight alighted upon the boughs laden with fruit, the +ninth fluttered to the ground where the prince lay, and instantly was +changed into a beautiful maiden, more beautiful far than any lady in +the emperor's court. The prince at once fell in love with her, and they +talked together for some time, till the maiden said her sisters had +finished plucking the apples, and now they must all go home again. The +prince, however, begged her so hard to leave him a little of the fruit +that the maiden gave him two apples, one for himself and one for his +father. Then she changed herself back into a pea-hen, and the whole nine +flew away. + +As soon as the sun rose the prince entered the palace, and held out +the apple to his father, who was rejoiced to see it, and praised his +youngest son heartily for his cleverness. That evening the prince +returned to the apple tree, and everything passed as before, and so it +happened for several nights. At length the other brothers grew angry at +seeing that he never came back without bringing two golden apples with +him, and they went to consult an old witch, who promised to spy after +him, and discover how he managed to get the apples. So, when the evening +came, the old woman hid herself under the tree and waited for the +prince. Before long he arrived and laid down on his bed, and was soon +fast asleep. Towards midnight there was a rush of wings, and the eight +pea-hens settled on the tree, while the ninth became a maiden, and ran +to greet the prince. Then the witch stretched out her hand, and cut off +a lock of the maiden's hair, and in an instant the girl sprang up, a +pea-hen once more, spread her wings and flew away, while her sisters, +who were busily stripping the boughs, flew after her. + +When he had recovered from his surprise at the unexpected disappearance +of the maiden, the prince exclaimed, 'What can be the matter?' and, +looking about him, discovered the old witch hidden under the bed. He +dragged her out, and in his fury called his guards, and ordered them to +put her to death as fast as possible. But that did no good as far as the +pea-hens went. They never came back any more, though the prince returned +to the tree every night, and wept his heart out for his lost love. This +went on for some time, till the prince could bear it no longer, and +made up his mind he would search the world through for her. In vain his +father tried to persuade him that his task was hopeless, and that other +girls were to be found as beautiful as this one. The prince would listen +to nothing, and, accompanied by only one servant, set out on his quest. + +After travelling for many days, he arrived at length before a large +gate, and through the bars he could see the streets of a town, and even +the palace. The prince tried to pass in, but the way was barred by the +keeper of the gate, who wanted to know who he was, why he was there, and +how he had learnt the way, and he was not allowed to enter unless the +empress herself came and gave him leave. A message was sent to her, and +when she stood at the gate the prince thought he had lost his wits, for +there was the maiden he had left his home to seek. And she hastened to +him, and took his hand, and drew him into the palace. In a few days they +were married, and the prince forgot his father and his brothers, and +made up his mind that he would live and die in the castle. + +One morning the empress told him that she was going to take a walk by +herself, and that she would leave the keys of twelve cellars to his +care. 'If you wish to enter the first eleven cellars,' said she, 'you +can; but beware of even unlocking the door of the twelfth, or it will be +the worse for you.' + +The prince, who was left alone in the castle, soon got tired of being by +himself, and began to look about for something to amuse him. + +'What CAN there be in that twelfth cellar,' he thought to himself, +'which I must not see?' And he went downstairs and unlocked the doors, +one after the other. When he got to the twelfth he paused, but his +curiosity was too much for him, and in another instant the key was +turned and the cellar lay open before him. It was empty, save for a +large cask, bound with iron hoops, and out of the cask a voice was +saying entreatingly, 'For goodness' sake, brother, fetch me some water; +I am dying of thirst!' + +The prince, who was very tender-hearted, brought some water at once, and +pushed it through a hole in the barrel; and as he did so one of the iron +hoops burst. + +He was turning away, when a voice cried the second time, 'Brother, for +pity's sake fetch me some water; I'm dying of thirst!' + +So the prince went back, and brought some more water, and again a hoop +sprang. + +And for the third time the voice still called for water; and when water +was given it the last hoop was rent, the cask fell in pieces, and out +flew a dragon, who snatched up the empress just as she was returning +from her walk, and carried her off. Some servants who saw what had +happened came rushing to the prince, and the poor young man went nearly +mad when he heard the result of his own folly, and could only cry out +that he would follow the dragon to the ends of the earth, until he got +his wife again. + +For months and months he wandered about, first in this direction and +then in that, without finding any traces of the dragon or his captive. +At last he came to a stream, and as he stopped for a moment to look +at it he noticed a little fish lying on the bank, beating its tail +convulsively, in a vain effort to get back into the water. + +'Oh, for pity's sake, my brother,' shrieked the little creature, 'help +me, and put me back into the river, and I will repay you some day. Take +one of my scales, and when you are in danger twist it in your fingers, +and I will come!' + +The prince picked up the fish and threw it into the water; then he took +off one of its scales, as he had been told, and put it in his pocket, +carefully wrapped in a cloth. Then he went on his way till, some miles +further down the road, he found a fox caught in a trap. + +'Oh! be a brother to me!' called the fox, 'and free me from this trap, +and I will help you when you are in need. Pull out one of my hairs, and +when you are in danger twist it in your fingers, and I will come.' + +So the prince unfastened the trap, pulled out one of the fox's hairs, +and continued his journey. And as he was going over the mountain he +passed a wolf entangled in a snare, who begged to be set at liberty. + +'Only deliver me from death,' he said, 'and you will never be sorry +for it. Take a lock of my fur, and when you need me twist it in your +fingers.' And the prince undid the snare and let the wolf go. + +For a long time he walked on, without having any more adventures, till +at length he met a man travelling on the same road. + +'Oh, brother!' asked the prince, 'tell me, if you can, where the +dragon-emperor lives?' + +The man told him where he would find the palace, and how long it would +take him to get there, and the prince thanked him, and followed his +directions, till that same evening he reached the town where the +dragon-emperor lived. When he entered the palace, to his great joy he +found his wife sitting alone in a vast hall, and they began hastily to +invent plans for her escape. + +There was no time to waste, as the dragon might return directly, so they +took two horses out of the stable, and rode away at lightning speed. +Hardly were they out of sight of the palace than the dragon came home +and found that his prisoner had flown. He sent at once for his talking +horse, and said to him: + +'Give me your advice; what shall I do--have my supper as usual, or set +out in pursuit of them?' + +'Eat your supper with a free mind first,' answered the horse, 'and +follow them afterwards.' + +So the dragon ate till it was past mid-day, and when he could eat no +more he mounted his horse and set out after the fugitives. In a short +time he had come up with them, and as he snatched the empress out of her +saddle he said to the prince: + +'This time I will forgive you, because you brought me the water when I +was in the cask; but beware how you return here, or you will pay for it +with your life.' + +Half mad with grief, the prince rode sadly on a little further, hardly +knowing what he was doing. Then he could bear it no longer and turned +back to the palace, in spite of the dragon's threats. Again the empress +was sitting alone, and once more they began to think of a scheme by +which they could escape the dragon's power. + +'Ask the dragon when he comes home,' said the prince, 'where he got that +wonderful horse from, and then you can tell me, and I will try to find +another like it.' + +Then, fearing to meet his enemy, he stole out of the castle. + +Soon after the dragon came home, and the empress sat down near him, and +began to coax and flatter him into a good humour, and at last she said: + +'But tell me about that wonderful horse you were riding yesterday. +There cannot be another like it in the whole world. Where did you get it +from?' + +And he answered: + +'The way I got it is a way which no one else can take. On the top of a +high mountain dwells an old woman, who has in her stables twelve horses, +each one more beautiful than the other. And in one corner is a thin, +wretched-looking animal whom no one would glance at a second time, +but he is in reality the best of the lot. He is twin brother to my own +horse, and can fly as high as the clouds themselves. But no one can ever +get this horse without first serving the old woman for three whole days. +And besides the horses she has a foal and its mother, and the man who +serves her must look after them for three whole days, and if he does not +let them run away he will in the end get the choice of any horse as a +present from the old woman. But if he fails to keep the foal and its +mother safe on any one of the three nights his head will pay.' + +The next day the prince watched till the dragon left the house, and then +he crept in to the empress, who told him all she had learnt from her +gaoler. The prince at once determined to seek the old woman on the top +of the mountain, and lost no time in setting out. It was a long and +steep climb, but at last he found her, and with a low bow he began: + +'Good greeting to you, little mother!' + +'Good greeting to you, my son! What are you doing here?' + +'I wish to become your servant,' answered he. + +'So you shall,' said the old woman. 'If you can take care of my mare for +three days I will give you a horse for wages, but if you let her stray +you will lose your head'; and as she spoke she led him into a courtyard +surrounded with palings, and on every post a man's head was stuck. One +post only was empty, and as they passed it cried out: + +'Woman, give me the head I am waiting for!' + +The old woman made no answer, but turned to the prince and said: + +'Look! all those men took service with me, on the same conditions as +you, but not one was able to guard the mare!' + +But the prince did not waver, and declared he would abide by his words. + +When evening came he led the mare out of the stable and mounted her, +and the colt ran behind. He managed to keep his seat for a long time, +in spite of all her efforts to throw him, but at length he grew so weary +that he fell fast asleep, and when he woke he found himself sitting on a +log, with the halter in his hands. He jumped up in terror, but the mare +was nowhere to be seen, and he started with a beating heart in search of +her. He had gone some way without a single trace to guide him, when he +came to a little river. The sight of the water brought back to his mind +the fish whom he had saved from death, and he hastily drew the scale +from his pocket. It had hardly touched his fingers when the fish +appeared in the stream beside him. + +'What is it, my brother?' asked the fish anxiously. + +'The old woman's mare strayed last night, and I don't know where to look +for her.' + +'Oh, I can tell you that: she has changed herself into a big fish, and +her foal into a little one. But strike the water with the halter and +say, "Come here, O mare of the mountain witch!" and she will come.' + +The prince did as he was bid, and the mare and her foal stood before +him. Then he put the halter round her neck, and rode her home, the foal +always trotting behind them. The old woman was at the door to receive +them, and gave the prince some food while she led the mare back to the +stable. + +'You should have gone among the fishes,' cried the old woman, striking +the animal with a stick. + +'I did go among the fishes,' replied the mare; 'but they are no friends +of mine, for they betrayed me at once.' + +'Well, go among the foxes this time,' said she, and returned to the +house, not knowing that the prince had overheard her. + +So when it began to grow dark the prince mounted the mare for the second +time and rode into the meadows, and the foal trotted behind its mother. +Again he managed to stick on till midnight: then a sleep overtook him +that he could not battle against, and when he woke up he found himself, +as before, sitting on the log, with the halter in his hands. He gave a +shriek of dismay, and sprang up in search of the wanderers. As he went +he suddenly remembered the words that the old woman had said to the +mare, and he drew out the fox hair and twisted it in his fingers. + +'What is it, my brother?' asked the fox, who instantly appeared before +him. + +'The old witch's mare has run away from me, and I do not know where to +look for her.' + +'She is with us,' replied the fox, 'and has changed herself into a big +fox, and her foal into a little one, but strike the ground with a halter +and say, "Come here, O mare of the mountain witch!"' + +The prince did so, and in a moment the fox became a mare and stood +before him, with the little foal at her heels. He mounted and rode back, +and the old woman placed food on the table, and led the mare back to the +stable. + +'You should have gone to the foxes, as I told you,' said she, striking +the mare with a stick. + +'I did go to the foxes,' replied the mare, 'but they are no friends of +mine and betrayed me.' + +'Well, this time you had better go to the wolves,' said she, not knowing +that the prince had heard all she had been saying. + +The third night the prince mounted the mare and rode her out to the +meadows, with the foal trotting after. He tried hard to keep awake, +but it was of no use, and in the morning there he was again on the log, +grasping the halter. He started to his feet, and then stopped, for he +remembered what the old woman had said, and pulled out the wolf's grey +lock. + +'What is it, my brother?' asked the wolf as it stood before him. + +'The old witch's mare has run away from me,' replied the prince, 'and I +don't know where to find her.' + +'Oh, she is with us,' answered the wolf, 'and she has changed herself +into a she-wolf, and the foal into a cub; but strike the earth here with +the halter, and cry, "Come to me, O mare of the mountain witch."' + +The prince did as he was bid, and as the hair touched his fingers the +wolf changed back into a mare, with the foal beside her. And when he had +mounted and ridden her home the old woman was on the steps to receive +them, and she set some food before the prince, but led the mare back to +her stable. + +'You should have gone among the wolves,' said she, striking her with a +stick. + +'So I did,' replied the mare, 'but they are no friends of mine and +betrayed me.' + +The old woman made no answer, and left the stable, but the prince was at +the door waiting for her. + +'I have served you well,' said he, 'and now for my reward.' + +'What I promised that will I perform,' answered she. 'Choose one of +these twelve horses; you can have which you like.' + +'Give me, instead, that half-starved creature in the corner,' asked the +prince. 'I prefer him to all those beautiful animals.' + +'You can't really mean what you say?' replied the woman. + +'Yes, I do,' said the prince, and the old woman was forced to let him +have his way. So he took leave of her, and put the halter round his +horse's neck and led him into the forest, where he rubbed him down till +his skin was shining like gold. Then he mounted, and they flew straight +through the air to the dragon's palace. The empress had been looking for +him night and day, and stole out to meet him, and he swung her on to his +saddle, and the horse flew off again. + +Not long after the dragon came home, and when he found the empress was +missing he said to his horse, 'What shall we do? Shall we eat and drink, +or shall we follow the runaways?' and the horse replied, 'Whether you +eat or don't eat, drink or don't drink, follow them or stay at home, +matters nothing now, for you can never, never catch them.' + +But the dragon made no reply to the horse's words, but sprang on his +back and set off in chase of the fugitives. And when they saw him coming +they were frightened, and urged the prince's horse faster and faster, +till he said, 'Fear nothing; no harm can happen to us,' and their hearts +grew calm, for they trusted his wisdom. + +Soon the dragon's horse was heard panting behind, and he cried out, 'Oh, +my brother, do not go so fast! I shall sink to the earth if I try to +keep up with you.' + +And the prince's horse answered, 'Why do you serve a monster like that? +Kick him off, and let him break in pieces on the ground, and come and +join us.' + +And the dragon's horse plunged and reared, and the dragon fell on a +rock, which broke him in pieces. Then the empress mounted his horse, +and rode back with her husband to her kingdom, over which they ruled for +many years. + +(Volksmarchen der Serben.) + + + + +THE LUTE PLAYER + +Once upon a time there was a king and queen who lived happily and +comfortably together. They were very fond of each other and had nothing +to worry them, but at last the king grew restless. He longed to go out +into the world, to try his strength in battle against some enemy and to +win all kinds of honour and glory. + +So he called his army together and gave orders to start for a distant +country where a heathen king ruled who ill-treated or tormented everyone +he could lay his hands on. The king then gave his parting orders and +wise advice to his ministers, took a tender leave of his wife, and set +off with his army across the seas. + +I cannot say whether the voyage was short or long; but at last he +reached the country of the heathen king and marched on, defeating all +who came in his way. But this did not last long, for in time he came +to a mountain pass, where a large army was waiting for him, who put his +soldiers to flight, and took the king himself prisoner. + +He was carried off to the prison where the heathen king kept his +captives, and now our poor friend had a very bad time indeed. All night +long the prisoners were chained up, and in the morning they were yoked +together like oxen and had to plough the land till it grew dark. + +This state of things went on for three years before the king found +any means of sending news of himself to his dear queen, but at last he +contrived to send this letter: 'Sell all our castles and palaces, +and put all our treasures in pawn and come and deliver me out of this +horrible prison.' + +The queen received the letter, read it, and wept bitterly as she said to +herself, 'How can I deliver my dearest husband? If I go myself and the +heathen king sees me he will just take me to be one of his wives. If I +were to send one of the ministers!--but I hardly know if I can depend on +them.' + +She thought, and thought, and at last an idea came into her head. + +She cut off all her beautiful long brown hair and dressed herself in +boy's clothes. Then she took her lute and, without saying anything to +anyone, she went forth into the wide world. + +She travelled through many lands and saw many cities, and went through +many hardships before she got to the town where the heathen king lived. +When she got there she walked all round the palace and at the back +she saw the prison. Then she went into the great court in front of +the palace, and taking her lute in her hand, she began to play so +beautifully that one felt as though one could never hear enough. + +After she had played for some time she began to sing, and her voice was +sweeter than the lark's: + + 'I come from my own country far + Into this foreign land, + Of all I own I take alone + My sweet lute in my hand. + + 'Oh! who will thank me for my song, + Reward my simple lay? + Like lover's sighs it still shall rise + To greet thee day by day. + + 'I sing of blooming flowers + Made sweet by sun and rain; + Of all the bliss of love's first kiss, + And parting's cruel pain. + + 'Of the sad captive's longing + Within his prison wall, + Of hearts that sigh when none are nigh + To answer to their call. + + 'My song begs for your pity, + And gifts from out your store, + And as I play my gentle lay + I linger near your door. + + 'And if you hear my singing + Within your palace, sire, + Oh! give, I pray, this happy day, + To me my heart's desire.' + +No sooner had the heathen king heard this touching song sung by such a +lovely voice, than he had the singer brought before him. + +'Welcome, O lute player,' said he. 'Where do you come from?' + +'My country, sire, is far away across many seas. For years I have been +wandering about the world and gaining my living by my music.' + +'Stay here then a few days, and when you wish to leave I will give you +what you ask for in your song--your heart's desire.' + +So the lute player stayed on in the palace and sang and played almost +all day long to the king, who could never tire of listening and almost +forgot to eat or drink or to torment people. + +He cared for nothing but the music, and nodded his head as he declared, +'That's something like playing and singing. It makes me feel as if some +gentle hand had lifted every care and sorrow from me.' + +After three days the lute player came to take leave of the king. + +'Well,' said the king, 'what do you desire as your reward?' + +'Sire, give me one of your prisoners. You have so many in your prison, +and I should be glad of a companion on my journeys. When I hear his +happy voice as I travel along I shall think of you and thank you.' + +'Come along then,' said the king, 'choose whom you will.' And he took +the lute player through the prison himself. + +The queen walked about amongst the prisoners, and at length she picked +out her husband and took him with her on her journey. They were long on +their way, but he never found out who she was, and she led him nearer +and nearer to his own country. + +When they reached the frontier the prisoner said: + +'Let me go now, kind lad; I am no common prisoner, but the king of this +country. Let me go free and ask what you will as your reward.' + +'Do not speak of reward,' answered the lute player. 'Go in peace.' + +'Then come with me, dear boy, and be my guest.' + +'When the proper time comes I shall be at your palace,' was the reply, +and so they parted. + +The queen took a short way home, got there before the king and changed +her dress. + +An hour later all the people in the palace were running to and fro and +crying out: 'Our king has come back! Our king has returned to us.' + +The king greeted every one very kindly, but he would not so much as look +at the queen. + +Then he called all his council and ministers together and said to them: + +'See what sort of a wife I have. Here she is falling on my neck, but +when I was pining in prison and sent her word of it she did nothing to +help me.' + +And his council answered with one voice, 'Sire, when news was brought +from you the queen disappeared and no one knew where she went. She only +returned to-day.' + +Then the king was very angry and cried, 'Judge my faithless wife! + +Never would you have seen your king again, if a young lute player had +not delivered him. I shall remember him with love and gratitude as long +as I live.' + +Whilst the king was sitting with his council, the queen found time to +disguise herself. She took her lute, and slipping into the court in +front of the palace she sang, clear and sweet: + + 'I sing the captive's longing + Within his prison wall, + Of hearts that sigh when none are nigh + To answer to their call. + + 'My song begs for your pity, + And gifts from out your store, + And as I play my gentle lay + I linger near your door. + + 'And if you hear my singing + Within your palace, sire, + Oh! give, I pray, this happy day, + To me my heart's desire.' + +As soon as the king heard this song he ran out to meet the lute player, +took him by the hand and led him into the palace. + +'Here,' he cried, 'is the boy who released me from my prison. And now, +my true friend, I will indeed give you your heart's desire.' + +'I am sure you will not be less generous than the heathen king was, +sire. I ask of you what I asked and obtained from him. But this time I +don't mean to give up what I get. I want YOU--yourself!' + +And as she spoke she threw off her long cloak and everyone saw it was +the queen. + +Who can tell how happy the king was? In the joy of his heart he gave a +great feast to the whole world, and the whole world came and rejoiced +with him for a whole week. + +I was there too, and ate and drank many good things. I sha'n't forget +that feast as long as I live. + +(From the Russian.) + + + + +THE GRATEFUL PRINCE + +Once upon a time the king of the Goldland lost himself in a forest, and +try as he would he could not find the way out. As he was wandering down +one path which had looked at first more hopeful than the rest he saw a +man coming towards him. + +'What are you doing here, friend?' asked the stranger; 'darkness is +falling fast, and soon the wild beasts will come from their lairs to +seek for food.' + +'I have lost myself,' answered the king, 'and am trying to get home.' + +'Then promise me that you will give me the first thing that comes out of +your house, and I will show you the way,' said the stranger. + +The king did not answer directly, but after awhile he spoke: 'Why should +I give away my BEST sporting dog. I can surely find my way out of the +forest as well as this man.' + +So the stranger left him, but the king followed path after path for +three whole days, with no better success than before. He was almost in +despair, when the stranger suddenly appeared, blocking up his way. + +'Promise you will give me the first thing that comes out of your house +to meet you?' + +But still the king was stiff-necked and would promise nothing. + +For some days longer he wandered up and down the forest, trying first +one path, then another, but his courage at last gave way, and he sank +wearily on the ground under a tree, feeling sure his last hour had come. +Then for the third time the stranger stood before the king, and said: + +'Why are you such a fool? What can a dog be to you, that you should give +your life for him like this? Just promise me the reward I want, and I +will guide you out of the forest.' + +'Well, my life is worth more than a thousand dogs,' answered the king, +'the welfare of my kingdom depends on me. I accept your terms, so +take me to my palace.' Scarcely had he uttered the words than he found +himself at the edge of the wood, with the palace in the dim distance. He +made all the haste he could, and just as he reached the great gates out +came the nurse with the royal baby, who stretched out his arms to his +father. The king shrank back, and ordered the nurse to take the baby +away at once. + +Then his great boarhound bounded up to him, but his caresses were only +answered by a violent push. + +When the king's anger was spent, and he was able to think what was best +to be done, he exchanged his baby, a beautiful boy, for the daughter of +a peasant, and the prince lived roughly as the son of poor people, while +the little girl slept in a golden cradle, under silken sheets. At the +end of a year, the stranger arrived to claim his property, and took away +the little girl, believing her to be the true child of the king. The +king was so delighted with the success of his plan that he ordered a +great feast to be got ready, and gave splendid presents to the foster +parents of his son, so that he might lack nothing. But he did not dare +to bring back the baby, lest the trick should be found out. The peasants +were quite contented with this arrangement, which gave them food and +money in abundance. + +By-and-by the boy grew big and tall, and seemed to lead a happy life in +the house of his foster parents. But a shadow hung over him which really +poisoned most of his pleasure, and that was the thought of the poor +innocent girl who had suffered in his stead, for his foster father +had told him in secret, that he was the king's son. And the prince +determined that when he grew old enough he would travel all over the +world, and never rest till he had set her free. To become king at the +cost of a maiden's life was too heavy a price to pay. So one day he put +on the dress of a farm servant, threw a sack of peas on his back, and +marched straight into the forest where eighteen years before his father +had lost himself. After he had walked some way he began to cry loudly: +'Oh, how unlucky I am! Where can I be? Is there no one to show me the +way out of the wood?' + +Then appeared a strange man with a long grey beard, with a leather bag +hanging from his girdle. He nodded cheerfully to the prince, and said: +'I know this place well, and can lead you out of it, if you will promise +me a good reward.' + +'What can a beggar such as I promise you?' answered the prince. 'I have +nothing to give you save my life; even the coat on my back belongs to my +master, whom I serve for my keep and my clothes.' + +The stranger looked at the sack of peas, and said, 'But you must possess +something; you are carrying this sack, which seems to be very heavy.' + +'It is full of peas,' was the reply. 'My old aunt died last night, +without leaving money enough to buy peas to give the watchers, as is +the custom throughout the country. I have borrowed these peas from my +master, and thought to take a short cut across the forest; but I have +lost myself, as you see.' + +'Then you are an orphan?' asked the stranger. 'Why should you not enter +my service? I want a sharp fellow in the house, and you please me.' + +'Why not, indeed, if we can strike a bargain?' said the other. 'I was +born a peasant, and strange bread is always bitter, so it is the same to +me whom I serve! What wages will you give me?' + +'Every day fresh food, meat twice a week, butter and vegetables, your +summer and winter clothes, and a portion of land for your own use.' + +'I shall be satisfied with that,' said the youth. 'Somebody else will +have to bury my aunt. I will go with you!' + +Now this bargain seemed to please the old fellow so much that he spun +round like a top, and sang so loud that the whole wood rang with his +voice. Then he set out with his companion, and chattered so fast that he +never noticed that his new servant kept dropping peas out of the sack. +At night they slept under a fig tree, and when the sun rose started +on their way. About noon they came to a large stone, and here the +old fellow stopped, looked carefully round, gave a sharp whistle, and +stamped three times on the ground with his left foot. Suddenly there +appeared under the stone a secret door, which led to what looked like +the mouth of a cave. The old fellow seized the youth by the arm, and +said roughly, 'Follow me!' + +Thick darkness surrounded them, yet it seemed to the prince as if their +path led into still deeper depths. After a long while he thought he saw +a glimmer of light, but the light was neither that of the sun nor of +the moon. He looked eagerly at it, but found it was only a kind of pale +cloud, which was all the light this strange underworld could boast. +Earth and water, trees and plants, birds and beasts, each was different +from those he had seen before; but what most struck terror into his +heart was the absolute stillness that reigned everywhere. Not a rustle +or a sound could be heard. Here and there he noticed a bird sitting on a +branch, with head erect and swelling throat, but his ear caught nothing. +The dogs opened their mouths as if to bark, the toiling oxen seemed +about to bellow, but neither bark nor bellow reached the prince. The +water flowed noiselessly over the pebbles, the wind bowed the tops of +the trees, flies and chafers darted about, without breaking the silence. +The old greybeard uttered no word, and when his companion tried to ask +him the meaning of it all he felt that his voice died in his throat. + +How long this fearful stillness lasted I do not know, but the prince +gradually felt his heart turning to ice, his hair stood up like +bristles, and a cold chill was creeping down his spine, when at +last--oh, ecstasy!--a faint noise broke on his straining ears, and this +life of shadows suddenly became real. It sounded as if a troop of horses +were ploughing their way over a moor. + +Then the greybeard opened his mouth, and said: 'The kettle is boiling; +we are expected at home.' + +They walked on a little further, till the prince thought he heard the +grinding of a saw-mill, as if dozens of saws were working together, but +his guide observed, 'The grandmother is sleeping soundly; listen how she +snores.' + +When they had climbed a hill which lay before them the prince saw in +the distance the house of his master, but it was so surrounded with +buildings of all kinds that the place looked more like a village or +even a small town. They reached it at last, and found an empty kennel +standing in front of the gate. 'Creep inside this,' said the master, +'and wait while I go in and see my grandmother. Like all very old +people, she is very obstinate, and cannot bear fresh faces about her.' + +The prince crept tremblingly into the kennel, and began to regret the +daring which had brought him into this scrape. + +By-and-by the master came back, and called him from his hiding-place. +Something had put out his temper, for with a frown he said, 'Watch +carefully our ways in the house, and beware of making any mistake, or it +will go ill with you. Keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut, +obey without questions. Be grateful if you will, but never speak unless +you are spoken to.' + +When the prince stepped over the threshold he caught sight of a maiden +of wonderful beauty, with brown eyes and fair curly hair. 'Well!' the +young man said to himself, 'if the old fellow has many daughters like +that I should not mind being his son-in-law. This one is just what I +admire'; and he watched her lay the table, bring in the food, and take +her seat by the fire as if she had never noticed that a strange man was +present. Then she took out a needle and thread, and began to darn her +stockings. The master sat at table alone, and invited neither his new +servant nor the maid to eat with him. Neither was the old grandmother +anywhere to be seen. His appetite was tremendous: he soon cleared all +the dishes, and ate enough to satisfy a dozen men. When at last he could +eat no more he said to the girl, 'Now you can pick up the pieces, and +take what is left in the iron pot for your own dinner, but give the +bones to the dog.' + +The prince did not at all like the idea of dining off scraps, which +he helped the girl to pick up, but, after all, he found that there was +plenty to eat, and that the food was very good. During the meal he stole +many glances at the maiden, and would even have spoken to her, but +she gave him no encouragement. Every time he opened his mouth for the +purpose she looked at him sternly, as if to say, 'Silence,' so he could +only let his eyes speak for him. Besides, the master was stretched on a +bench by the oven after his huge meal, and would have heard everything. + +After supper that night, the old man said to the prince, 'For two days +you may rest from the fatigues of the journey, and look about the house. +But the day after to-morrow you must come with me, and I will point out +the work you have to do. The maid will show you where you are to sleep.' + +The prince thought, from this, he had leave to speak, but his master +turned on him with a face of thunder and exclaimed: + +'You dog of a servant! If you disobey the laws of the house you will +soon find yourself a head shorter! Hold your tongue, and leave me in +peace.' + +The girl made a sign to him to follow her, and, throwing open a door, +nodded to him to go in. He would have lingered a moment, for he thought +she looked sad, but dared not do so, for fear of the old man's anger. + +'It is impossible that she can be his daughter!' he said to himself, +'for she has a kind heart. I am quite sure she must be the same girl who +was brought here instead of me, so I am bound to risk my head in this +mad adventure.' He got into bed, but it was long before he fell asleep, +and even then his dreams gave him no rest. He seemed to be surrounded by +dangers, and it was only the power of the maiden who helped him through +it all. + +When he woke his first thoughts were for the girl, whom he found hard at +work. He drew water from the well and carried it to the house for her, +kindled the fire under the iron pot, and, in fact, did everything that +came into his head that could be of any use to her. In the afternoon +he went out, in order to learn something of his new home, and wondered +greatly not to come across the old grandmother. In his rambles he came +to the farmyard, where a beautiful white horse had a stall to itself; in +another was a black cow with two white-faced calves, while the clucking +of geese, ducks, and hens reached him from a distance. + +Breakfast, dinner, and supper were as savoury as before, and the prince +would have been quite content with his quarters had it not been for +the difficulty of keeping silence in the presence of the maiden. On the +evening of the second day he went, as he had been told, to receive his +orders for the following morning. + +'I am going to set you something very easy to do to-morrow,' said the +old man when his servant entered. 'Take this scythe and cut as much +grass as the white horse will want for its day's feed, and clean out its +stall. If I come back and find the manger empty it will go ill with you. +So beware!' + +The prince left the room, rejoicing in his heart, and saying to himself, +'Well, I shall soon get through that! If I have never yet handled either +the plough or the scythe, at least I have often watched the country +people work them, and know how easy it is.' + +He was just going to open his door, when the maiden glided softly past +and whispered in his ear: 'What task has he set you?' + +'For to-morrow,' answered the prince, 'it is really nothing at all! Just +to cut hay for the horse, and to clean out his stall!' + +'Oh, luckless being!' sighed the girl; 'how will you ever get through +with it. The white horse, who is our master's grandmother, is always +hungry: it takes twenty men always mowing to keep it in food for one +day, and another twenty to clean out its stall. How, then, do you expect +to do it all by yourself? But listen to me, and do what I tell you. It +is your only chance. When you have filled the manger as full as it will +hold you must weave a strong plait of the rushes which grow among the +meadow hay, and cut a thick peg of stout wood, and be sure that the +horse sees what you are doing. Then it will ask you what it is for, and +you will say, 'With this plait I intend to bind up your mouth so that +you cannot eat any more, and with this peg I am going to keep you still +in one spot, so that you cannot scatter your corn and water all over +the place!' After these words the maiden went away as softly as she had +come. + +Early the next morning he set to work. His scythe danced through the +grass much more easily than he had hoped, and soon he had enough to fill +the manger. He put it in the crib, and returned with a second supply, +when to his horror he found the crib empty. + +Then he knew that without the maiden's advice he would certainly have +been lost, and began to put it into practice. He took out the rushes +which had somehow got mixed up with the hay, and plaited them quickly. + +'My son, what are you doing?' asked the horse wonderingly. + +'Oh, nothing!' replied he. 'Just weaving a chin strap to bind your jaws +together, in case you might wish to eat any more!' + +The white horse sighed deeply when it heard this, and made up its mind +to be content with what it had eaten. + +The youth next began to clean out the stall, and the horse knew it had +found a master; and by mid-day there was still fodder in the manger, +and the place was as clean as a new pin. He had barely finished when in +walked the old man, who stood astonished at the door. + +'Is it really you who have been clever enough to do that?' he asked. 'Or +has some one else given you a hint?' + +'Oh, I have had no help,' replied the prince, 'except what my poor weak +head could give me.' + +The old man frowned, and went away, and the prince rejoiced that +everything had turned out so well. + +In the evening his master said, 'To-morrow I have no special task to set +you, but as the girl has a great deal to do in the house you must milk +the black cow for her. But take care you milk her dry, or it may be the +worse for you.' + +'Well,' thought the prince as he went away, 'unless there is some trick +behind, this does not sound very hard. I have never milked a cow before, +but I have good strong fingers.' + +He was very sleepy, and was just going toward his room, when the maiden +came to him and asked: 'What is your task to-morrow?' + +'I am to help you,' he answered, 'and have nothing to do all day, except +to milk the black cow dry.' + +'Oh, you are unlucky,' cried she. 'If you were to try from morning till +night you couldn't do it. There is only one way of escaping the danger, +and that is, when you go to milk her, take with you a pan of burning +coals and a pair of tongs. Place the pan on the floor of the stall, and +the tongs on the fire, and blow with all your might, till the coals burn +brightly. The black cow will ask you what is the meaning of all this, +and you must answer what I will whisper to you.' And she stood on +tip-toe and whispered something in his ear, and then went away. + +The dawn had scarcely reddened the sky when the prince jumped out of +bed, and, with the pan of coals in one hand and the milk pail in the +other, went straight to the cow's stall, and began to do exactly as the +maiden had told him the evening before. + +The black cow watched him with surprise for some time, and then said: +'What are you doing, sonny?' + +'Oh, nothing,' answered he; 'I am only heating a pair of tongs in case +you may not feel inclined to give as much milk as I want.' + +The cow sighed deeply, and looked at the milkman with fear, but he took +no notice, and milked briskly into the pail, till the cow ran dry. + +Just at that moment the old man entered the stable, and sat down to milk +the cow himself, but not a drop of milk could he get. 'Have you really +managed it all yourself, or did somebody help you?' + +'I have nobody to help me,' answered the prince, 'but my own poor head.' +The old man got up from his seat and went away. + +That night, when the prince went to his master to hear what his next +day's work was to be, the old man said: 'I have a little hay-stack out +in the meadow which must be brought in to dry. To-morrow you will have +to stack it all in the shed, and, as you value your life, be careful not +to leave the smallest strand behind.' The prince was overjoyed to hear +he had nothing worse to do. + +'To carry a little hay-rick requires no great skill,' thought he, 'and +it will give me no trouble, for the horse will have to draw it in. I am +certainly not going to spare the old grandmother.' + +By-and-by the maiden stole up to ask what task he had for the next day. + +The young man laughed, and said: 'It appears that I have got to learn +all kinds of farmer's work. To-morrow I have to carry a hay-rick, and +leave not a stalk in the meadow, and that is my whole day's work!' + +'Oh, you unlucky creature!' cried she; 'and how do you think you are to +do it. If you had all the men in the world to help you, you could not +clear off this one little hay-rick in a week. The instant you have +thrown down the hay at the top, it will take root again from below. But +listen to what I say. You must steal out at daybreak to-morrow and +bring out the white horse and some good strong ropes. Then get on the +hay-stack, put the ropes round it, and harness the horse to the ropes. +When you are ready, climb up the hay-stack and begin to count one, two, +three. + +The horse will ask you what you are counting, and you must be sure to +answer what I whisper to you.' + +So the maiden whispered something in his ear, and left the room. And the +prince knew nothing better to do than to get into bed. + +He slept soundly, and it was still almost dark when he got up and +proceeded to carry out the instructions given him by the girl. First he +chose some stout ropes, and then he led the horse out of the stable and +rode it to the hay-stack, which was made up of fifty cartloads, so that +it could hardly be called 'a little one.' The prince did all that the +maiden had told him, and when at last he was seated on top of the rick, +and had counted up to twenty, he heard the horse ask in amazement: 'What +are you counting up there, my son?' + +'Oh, nothing,' said he, 'I was just amusing myself with counting the +packs of wolves in the forest, but there are really so many of them that +I don't think I should ever be done.' + +The word 'wolf' was hardly out of his mouth than the white horse was +off like the wind, so that in the twinkling of an eye it had reached +the shed, dragging the hay-stack behind it. The master was dumb with +surprise as he came in after breakfast and found his man's day's work +quite done. + +'Was it really you who were so clever?' asked he. 'Or did some one give +you good advice?' + +'Oh, I have only myself to take counsel with,' said the prince, and the +old man went away, shaking his head. + +Late in the evening the prince went to his master to learn what he was +to do next day. + +'To-morrow,' said the old man, 'you must bring the white-headed calf to +the meadow, and, as you value your life, take care it does not escape +from you.' + +The prince answered nothing, but thought, 'Well, most peasants of +nineteen have got a whole herd to look after, so surely I can manage +one.' And he went towards his room, where the maiden met him. + +'To morrow I have got an idiot's work,' said he; 'nothing but to take +the white-headed calf to the meadow.' + +'Oh, you unlucky being!' sighed she. 'Do you know that this calf is so +swift that in a single day he can run three times round the world? Take +heed to what I tell you. Bind one end of this silk thread to the left +fore-leg of the calf, and the other end to the little toe of your left +foot, so that the calf will never be able to leave your side, whether +you walk, stand, or lie.' After this the prince went to bed and slept +soundly. + +The next morning he did exactly what the maiden had told him, and led +the calf with the silken thread to the meadow, where it stuck to his +side like a faithful dog. + +By sunset, it was back again in its stall, and then came the master and +said, with a frown, 'Were you really so clever yourself, or did somebody +tell you what to do?' + +'Oh, I have only my own poor head,' answered the prince, and the old man +went away growling, 'I don't believe a word of it! I am sure you have +found some clever friend!' + +In the evening he called the prince and said: 'To-morrow I have no work +for you, but when I wake you must come before my bed, and give me your +hand in greeting.' + +The young man wondered at this strange freak, and went laughing in +search of the maiden. + +'Ah, it is no laughing matter,' sighed she. 'He means to eat you, and +there is only one way in which I can help you. You must heat an iron +shovel red hot, and hold it out to him instead of your hand.' + +So next morning he wakened very early, and had heated the shovel before +the old man was awake. At length he heard him calling, 'You lazy fellow, +where are you? Come and wish me good morning.' + +But when the prince entered with the red-hot shovel his master only +said, 'I am very ill to-day, and too weak even to touch your hand. You +must return this evening, when I may be better.' + +The prince loitered about all day, and in the evening went back to the +old man's room. He was received in the most; friendly manner, and, to +his surprise, his master exclaimed, 'I am very well satisfied with you. +Come to me at dawn and bring the maiden with you. I know you have long +loved each other, and I wish to make you man and wife.' + +The young man nearly jumped into the air for joy, but, remembering the +rules of the house, he managed to keep still. When he told the maiden, +he saw to his astonishment that she had become as white as a sheet, and +she was quite dumb. + +'The old man has found out who was your counsellor,' she said when she +could speak, 'and he means to destroy us both.' We must escape somehow, +or else we shall be lost. Take an axe, and cut off the head of the calf +with one blow. With a second, split its head in two, and in its brain +you will see a bright red ball. Bring that to me. Meanwhile, I will do +what is needful here. + +And the prince thought to himself, 'Better kill the calf than be killed +ourselves. If we can once escape, we will go back home. The peas which I +strewed about must have sprouted, so that we shall not miss the way.' + +Then he went into the stall, and with one blow of the axe killed the +calf, and with the second split its brain. In an instant the place was +filled with light, as the red ball fell from the brain of the calf. The +prince picked it up, and, wrapping it round with a thick cloth, hid it +in his bosom. Mercifully, the cow slept through it all, or by her cries +she would have awakened the master. + +He looked round, and at the door stood the maiden, holding a little +bundle in her arms. + +'Where is the ball?' she asked. + +'Here,' answered he. + +'We must lose no time in escaping,' she went on, and uncovered a tiny +bit of the shining ball, to light them on their way. + +As the prince had expected the peas had taken root, and grown into a +little hedge, so that they were sure they would not lose the path. +As they fled, the girl told him that she had overheard a conversation +between the old man and his grandmother, saying that she was a king's +daughter, whom the old fellow had obtained by cunning from her parents. +The prince, who knew all about the affair, was silent, though he was +glad from his heart that it had fallen to his lot to set her free. So +they went on till the day began to dawn. + +The old man slept very late that morning, and rubbed his eyes till he +was properly awake. Then he remembered that very soon the couple were +to present themselves before him. After waiting and waiting till quite +a long time had passed, he said to himself, with a grin, 'Well, they are +not in much hurry to be married,' and waited again. + +At last he grew a little uneasy, and cried loudly, 'Man and maid! what +has become of you?' + +After repeating this many times, he became quite frightened, but, call +as he would, neither man nor maid appeared. At last he jumped angrily +out of bed to go in search of the culprits, but only found an empty +house, and beds that had never been slept in. + +Then he went straight to the stable, where the sight of the dead calf +told him all. Swearing loudly, he opened the door of the third stall +quickly, and cried to his goblin servants to go and chase the fugitives. +'Bring them to me, however you may find them, for have them I must!' he +said. So spake the old man, and the servants fled like the wind. + +The runaways were crossing a great plain, when the maiden stopped. +'Something has happened!' she said. 'The ball moves in my hand, and +I'm sure we are being followed!' and behind them they saw a black cloud +flying before the wind. Then the maiden turned the ball thrice in her +hand, and cried, + + 'Listen to me, my ball, my ball. + Be quick and change me into a brook, + And my lover into a little fish.' + +And in an instant there was a brook with a fish swimming in it. The +goblins arrived just after, but, seeing nobody, waited for a little, +then hurried home, leaving the brook and the fish undisturbed. When they +were quite out of sight, the brook and the fish returned to their usual +shapes and proceeded on their journey. + +When the goblins, tired and with empty hands, returned, their master +inquired what they had seen, and if nothing strange had befallen them. + +'Nothing,' said they; 'the plain was quite empty, save for a brook and a +fish swimming in it.' + +'Idiots!' roared the master; 'of course it was they!' And dashing open +the door of the fifth stall, he told the goblins inside that they must +go and drink up the brook, and catch the fish. And the goblins jumped +up, and flew like the wind. + +The young pair had almost reached the edge of the wood, when the maiden +stopped again. 'Something has happened,' said she. 'The ball is moving +in my hand,' and looking round she beheld a cloud flying towards them, +large and blacker than the first, and striped with red. 'Those are our +pursuers,' cried she, and turning the ball three times in her hand she +spoke to it thus: + + 'Listen to me, my ball, my ball. + Be quick and change us both. + Me into a wild rose bush, + And him into a rose on my stem.' + +And in the twinkling of an eye it was done. Only just in time too, for +the goblins were close at hand, and looked round eagerly for the stream +and the fish. But neither stream nor fish was to be seen; nothing but a +rose bush. So they went sorrowing home, and when they were out of sight +the rose bush and rose returned to their proper shapes and walked all +the faster for the little rest they had had. + +'Well, did you find them?' asked the old man when his goblins came back. + +'No,' replied the leader of the goblins, 'we found neither brook nor +fish in the desert.' + +'And did you find nothing else at all?' + +'Oh, nothing but a rose tree on the edge of a wood, with a rose hanging +on it.' + +'Idiots!' cried he. 'Why, that was they.' And he threw open the door of +the seventh stall, where his mightiest goblins were locked in. 'Bring +them to me, however you find them, dead or alive!' thundered he, 'for I +will have them! Tear up the rose tree and the roots too, and don't leave +anything behind, however strange it may be!' + +The fugitives were resting in the shade of a wood, and were refreshing +themselves with food and drink. Suddenly the maiden looked up. +'Something has happened,' said she. 'The ball has nearly jumped out of +my bosom! Some one is certainly following us, and the danger is near, +but the trees hide our enemies from us.' + +As she spoke she took the ball in her hand, and said: + + 'Listen to me, my ball, my ball. + Be quick and change me into a breeze, + And make my lover into a midge.' + +An instant, and the girl was dissolved into thin air, while the prince +darted about like a midge. The next moment a crowd of goblins rushed up, +and looked about in search of something strange, for neither a rose bush +nor anything else was to be seen. But they had hardly turned their backs +to go home empty-handed when the prince and the maiden stood on the +earth again. + +'We must make all the haste we can,' said she, 'before the old man +himself comes to seek us, for he will know us under any disguise.' + +They ran on till they reached such a dark part of the forest that, if +it had not been for the light shed by the ball, they could not have +made their way at all. Worn out and breathless, they came at length to +a large stone, and here the ball began to move restlessly. The maiden, +seeing this, exclaimed: + + 'Listen to me, my ball, my ball. + Roll the stone quickly to one side, + That we may find a door.' + +And in a moment the stone had rolled away, and they had passed through +the door to the world again. + +'Now we are safe,' cried she. 'Here the old wizard has no more power +over us, and we can guard ourselves from his spells. But, my friend, we +have to part! You will return to your parents, and I must go in search +of mine.' + +'No! no!' exclaimed the prince. 'I will never part from you. You +must come with me and be my wife. We have gone through many troubles +together, and now we will share our joys. The maiden resisted his words +for some time, but at last she went with him. + +In the forest they met a woodcutter, who told them that in the palace, +as well as in all the land, there had been great sorrow over the loss +of the prince, and many years had now passed away during which they had +found no traces of him. So, by the help of the magic ball, the maiden +managed that he should put on the same clothes that he had been wearing +at the time he had vanished, so that his father might know him more +quickly. She herself stayed behind in a peasant's hut, so that father +and son might meet alone. + +But the father was no longer there, for the loss of his son had killed +him; and on his deathbed he confessed to his people how he had contrived +that the old wizard should carry away a peasant's child instead of the +prince, wherefore this punishment had fallen upon him. + +The prince wept bitterly when he heard this news, for he had loved his +father well, and for three days he ate and drank nothing. But on the +fourth day he stood in the presence of his people as their new king, +and, calling his councillors, he told them all the strange things that +had befallen him, and how the maiden had borne him safe through all. + +And the councillors cried with one voice, 'Let her be your wife, and our +liege lady.' + +And that is the end of the story. + +(Ehstnische Marchen.) + + + + +THE CHILD WHO CAME FROM AN EGG + +Once upon a time there lived a queen whose heart was sore because she +had no children. She was sad enough when her husband was at home with +her, but when he was away she would see nobody, but sat and wept all day +long. + +Now it happened that a war broke out with the king of a neighbouring +country, and the queen was left in the palace alone. + +She was so unhappy that she felt as if the walls would stifle her, so +she wandered out into the garden, and threw herself down on a grassy +bank, under the shade of a lime tree. She had been there for some time, +when a rustle among the leaves caused her to look up, and she saw an old +woman limping on her crutches towards the stream that flowed through the +grounds. + +When she had quenched her thirst, she came straight up to the queen, and +said to her: 'Do not take it evil, noble lady, that I dare to speak to +you, and do not be afraid of me, for it may be that I shall bring you +good luck.' + +The queen looked at her doubtfully, and answered: 'You do not seem as if +you had been very lucky yourself, or to have much good fortune to spare +for anyone else.' + +'Under rough bark lies smooth wood and sweet kernel,' replied the old +woman. 'Let me see your hand, that I may read the future.' + +The queen held out her hand, and the old woman examined its lines +closely. Then she said, 'Your heart is heavy with two sorrows, one old +and one new. The new sorrow is for your husband, who is fighting far +away from you; but, believe me, he is well, and will soon bring you +joyful news. But your other sorrow is much older than this. Your +happiness is spoilt because you have no children.' At these words the +queen became scarlet, and tried to draw away her hand, but the old woman +said: + +'Have a little patience, for there are some things I want to see more +clearly.' + +'But who are you?' asked the queen, 'for you seem to be able to read my +heart.' + +'Never mind my name,' answered she, 'but rejoice that it is permitted to +me to show you a way to lessen your grief. You must, however, promise to +do exactly what I tell you, if any good is to come of it.' + +'Oh, I will obey you exactly,' cried the queen, 'and if you can help me +you shall have in return anything you ask for.' + +The old woman stood thinking for a little: then she drew something from +the folds of her dress, and, undoing a number of wrappings, brought out +a tiny basket made of birch-bark. She held it out to the queen, saying, +'In the basket you will find a bird's egg. This you must be careful to +keep in a warm place for three months, when it will turn into a doll. +Lay the doll in a basket lined with soft wool, and leave it alone, for +it will not need any food, and by-and-by you will find it has grown to +be the size of a baby. Then you will have a baby of your own, and you +must put it by the side of the other child, and bring your husband to +see his son and daughter. The boy you will bring up yourself, but you +must entrust the little girl to a nurse. When the time comes to have +them christened you will invite me to be godmother to the princess, and +this is how you must send the invitation. Hidden in the cradle, you will +find a goose's wing: throw this out of the window, and I will be with +you directly; but be sure you tell no one of all the things that have +befallen you.' + +The queen was about to reply, but the old woman was already limping +away, and before she had gone two steps she had turned into a young +girl, who moved so quickly that she seemed rather to fly than to walk. +The queen, watching this transformation, could hardly believe her eyes, +and would have taken it all for a dream, had it not been for the basket +which she held in her hand. Feeling a different being from the poor +sad woman who had wandered into the garden so short a time before, she +hastened to her room, and felt carefully in the basket for the egg. +There it was, a tiny thing of soft blue with little green spots, and she +took it out and kept it in her bosom, which was the warmest place she +could think of. + +A fortnight after the old woman had paid her visit, the king came home, +having conquered his enemies. At this proof that the old woman had +spoken truth, the queen's heart bounded, for she now had fresh hopes +that the rest of the prophecy might be fulfilled. + +She cherished the basket and the egg as her chiefest treasures, and had +a golden case made for the basket, so that when the time came to lay the +egg in it, it might not risk any harm. + +Three months passed, and, as the old woman had bidden her, the queen +took the egg from her bosom, and laid it snugly amidst the warm woollen +folds. The next morning she went to look at it, and the first thing she +saw was the broken eggshell, and a little doll lying among the pieces. +Then she felt happy at last, and leaving the doll in peace to grow, +waited, as she had been told, for a baby of her own to lay beside it. + +In course of time, this came also, and the queen took the little girl +out of the basket, and placed it with her son in a golden cradle which +glittered with precious stones. Next she sent for the king, who nearly +went mad with joy at the sight of the children. + +Soon there came a day when the whole court was ordered to be present at +the christening of the royal babies, and when all was ready the queen +softly opened the window a little, and let the goose wing fly out. +The guests were coming thick and fast, when suddenly there drove up a +splendid coach drawn by six cream-coloured horses, and out of it stepped +a young lady dressed in garments that shone like the sun. Her face could +not be seen, for a veil covered her head, but as she came up to the +place where the queen was standing with the babies she drew the veil +aside, and everyone was dazzled with her beauty. She took the little +girl in her arms, and holding it up before the assembled company +announced that henceforward it would be known by the name of +Dotterine--a name which no one understood but the queen, who knew that +the baby had come from the yolk of an egg. The boy was called Willem. + +After the feast was over and the guests were going away, the godmother +laid the baby in the cradle, and said to the queen, 'Whenever the baby +goes to sleep, be sure you lay the basket beside her, and leave the +eggshells in it. As long as you do that, no evil can come to her; so +guard this treasure as the apple of your eye, and teach your daughter +to do so likewise.' Then, kissing the baby three times, she mounted her +coach and drove away. + +The children throve well, and Dotterine's nurse loved her as if she +were the baby's real mother. Every day the little girl seemed to grow +prettier, and people used to say she would soon be as beautiful as her +godmother, but no one knew, except the nurse, that at night, when the +child slept, a strange and lovely lady bent over her. At length she told +the queen what she had seen, but they determined to keep it as a secret +between themselves. + +The twins were by this time nearly two years old, when the queen was +taken suddenly ill. All the best doctors in the country were sent for, +but it was no use, for there is no cure for death. The queen knew she +was dying, and sent for Dotterine and her nurse, who had now become +her lady-in-waiting. To her, as her most faithful servant, she gave the +lucky basket in charge, and besought her to treasure it carefully. 'When +my daughter,' said the queen, 'is ten years old, you are to hand it over +to her, but warn her solemnly that her whole future happiness depends on +the way she guards it. About my son, I have no fears. He is the heir of +the kingdom, and his father will look after him.' The lady-in-waiting +promised to carry out the queen's directions, and above all to keep the +affair a secret. And that same morning the queen died. + +After some years the king married again, but he did not love his second +wife as he had done his first, and had only married her for reasons of +ambition. She hated her step-children, and the king, seeing this, kept +them out of the way, under the care of Dotterine's old nurse. But if +they ever strayed across the path of the queen, she would kick them out +of her sight like dogs. + +On Dotterine's tenth birthday her nurse handed her over the cradle, and +repeated to her her mother's dying words; but the child was too young to +understand the value of such a gift, and at first thought little about +it. + +Two more years slipped by, when one day during the king's absence the +stepmother found Dotterine sitting under a lime tree. She fell as +usual into a passion, and beat the child so badly that Dotterine went +staggering to her own room. Her nurse was not there, but suddenly, as +she stood weeping, her eyes fell upon the golden case in which lay the +precious basket. She thought it might contain something to amuse her, +and looked eagerly inside, but nothing was there save a handful of wool +and two empty eggshells. Very much disappointed, she lifted the wool, +and there lay the goose's wing. 'What old rubbish,' said the child to +herself, and, turning, threw the wing out of the open window. + +In a moment a beautiful lady stood beside her. 'Do not be afraid,' said +the lady, stroking Dotterine's head. 'I am your godmother, and have come +to pay you a visit. Your red eyes tell me that you are unhappy. I know +that your stepmother is very unkind to you, but be brave and patient, +and better days will come. She will have no power over you when you are +grown up, and no one else can hurt you either, if only you are careful +never to part from your basket, or to lose the eggshells that are in it. +Make a silken case for the little basket, and hide it away in your dress +night and day and you will be safe from your stepmother and anyone that +tries to harm you. But if you should happen to find yourself in any +difficulty, and cannot tell what to do, take the goose's wing from the +basket, and throw it out of the window, and in a moment I will come to +help you. Now come into the garden, that I may talk to you under the +lime trees, where no one can hear us.' + +They had so much to say to each other, that the sun was already setting +when the godmother had ended all the good advice she wished to give the +child, and saw it was time for her to be going. 'Hand me the basket,' +said she, 'for you must have some supper. I cannot let you go hungry to +bed.' + +Then, bending over the basket, she whispered some magic words, and +instantly a table covered with fruits and cakes stood on the ground +before them. When they had finished eating, the godmother led the child +back, and on the way taught her the words she must say to the basket +when she wanted it to give her something. + +In a few years more, Dotterine was a grown-up young lady, and those who +saw her thought that the world did not contain so lovely a girl. + +About this time a terrible war broke out, and the king and his army were +beaten back and back, till at length they had to retire into the town, +and make ready for a siege. It lasted so long that food began to fail, +and even in the palace there was not enough to eat. + +So one morning Dotterine, who had had neither supper nor breakfast, +and was feeling very hungry, let her wing fly away. She was so weak and +miserable, that directly her godmother appeared she burst into tears, +and could not speak for some time. + +'Do not cry so, dear child,' said the godmother. 'I will carry you away +from all this, but the others I must leave to take their chance.' Then, +bidding Dotterine follow her, she passed through the gates of the town, +and through the army outside, and nobody stopped them, or seemed to see +them. + +The next day the town surrendered, and the king and all his courtiers +were taken prisoners, but in the confusion his son managed to make his +escape. The queen had already met her death from a spear carelessly +thrown. + +As soon as Dotterine and her godmother were clear of the enemy, +Dotterine took off her own clothes, and put on those of a peasant, +and in order to disguise her better her godmother changed her face +completely. 'When better times come,' her protectress said cheerfully, +'and you want to look like yourself again, you have only to whisper the +words I have taught you into the basket, and say you would like to have +your own face once more, and it will be all right in a moment. But you +will have to endure a little longer yet.' Then, warning her once more to +take care of the basket, the lady bade the girl farewell. + +For many days Dotterine wandered from one place to another without +finding shelter, and though the food which she got from the basket +prevented her from starving, she was glad enough to take service in a +peasant's house till brighter days dawned. At first the work she had +to do seemed very difficult, but either she was wonderfully quick in +learning, or else the basket may have secretly helped her. Anyhow at the +end of three days she could do everything as well as if she had cleaned +pots and swept rooms all her life. + +One morning Dotterine was busy scouring a wooden tub, when a noble lady +happened to pass through the village. The girl's bright face as she +stood in the front of the door with her tub attracted the lady, and she +stopped and called the girl to come and speak to her. + +'Would you not like to come and enter my service?' she asked. + +'Very much,' replied Dotterine, 'if my present mistress will allow me.' + +'Oh, I will settle that,' answered the lady; and so she did, and the +same day they set out for the lady's house, Dotterine sitting beside the +coachman. + +Six months went by, and then came the joyful news that the king's son +had collected an army and had defeated the usurper who had taken his +father's place, but at the same moment Dotterine learned that the old +king had died in captivity. The girl wept bitterly for his loss, but in +secrecy, as she had told her mistress nothing about her past life. + +At the end of a year of mourning, the young king let it be known that he +intended to marry, and commanded all the maidens in the kingdom to come +to a feast, so that he might choose a wife from among them. For weeks +all the mothers and all the daughters in the land were busy preparing +beautiful dresses and trying new ways of putting up their hair, and the +three lovely daughters of Dotterine's mistress were as much excited as +the rest. The girl was clever with her fingers, and was occupied all day +with getting ready their smart clothes, but at night when she went to +bed she always dreamed that her godmother bent over her and said, 'Dress +your young ladies for the feast, and when they have started follow them +yourself. Nobody will be so fine as you.' + +When the great day came, Dotterine could hardly contain herself, and +when she had dressed her young mistresses and seen them depart with +their mother she flung herself on her bed, and burst into tears. Then +she seemed to hear a voice whisper to her, 'Look in your basket, and you +will find in it everything that you need.' + +Dotterine did not want to be told twice! Up she jumped, seized her +basket, and repeated the magic words, and behold! there lay a dress on +the bed, shining as a star. She put it on with fingers that trembled +with joy, and, looking in the glass, was struck dumb at her own beauty. +She went downstairs, and in front of the door stood a fine carriage, +into which she stepped and was driven away like the wind. + +The king's palace was a long way off, yet it seemed only a few minutes +before Dotterine drew up at the great gates. She was just going to +alight, when she suddenly remembered she had left her basket behind her. +What was she to do? Go back and fetch it, lest some ill-fortune should +befall her, or enter the palace and trust to chance that nothing evil +would happen? But before she could decide, a little swallow flew up with +the basket in its beak, and the girl was happy again. + +The feast was already at its height, and the hall was brilliant with +youth and beauty, when the door was flung wide and Dotterine entered, +making all the other maidens look pale and dim beside her. Their hopes +faded as they gazed, but their mothers whispered together, saying, +'Surely this is our lost princess!' + +The young king did not know her again, but he never left her side nor +took his eyes from her. And at midnight a strange thing happened. A +thick cloud suddenly filled the hall, so that for a moment all was dark. +Then the mist suddenly grew bright, and Dotterine's godmother was seen +standing there. + +'This,' she said, turning to the king, 'is the girl whom you have always +believed to be your sister, and who vanished during the siege. She is +not your sister at all, but the daughter of the king of a neighbouring +country, who was given to your mother to bring up, to save her from the +hands of a wizard.' + +Then she vanished, and was never seen again, nor the wonder-working +basket either; but now that Dotterine's troubles were over she could get +on without them, and she and the young king lived happily together till +the end of their days. + +(Ehstnische Marchen.) + + + + +STAN BOLOVAN + +Once upon a time what happened did happen, and if it had not happened +this story would never have been told. + +On the outskirts of a village just where the oxen were turned out to +pasture, and the pigs roamed about burrowing with their noses among the +roots of the trees, there stood a small house. In the house lived a man +who had a wife, and the wife was sad all day long. + +'Dear wife, what is wrong with you that you hang your head like a +drooping rosebud?' asked her husband one morning. 'You have everything +you want; why cannot you be merry like other women?' + +'Leave me alone, and do not seek to know the reason,' replied she, +bursting into tears, and the man thought that it was no time to question +her, and went away to his work. + +He could not, however, forget all about it, and a few days after he +inquired again the reason of her sadness, but only got the same reply. +At length he felt he could bear it no longer, and tried a third time, +and then his wife turned and answered him. + +'Good gracious!' cried she, 'why cannot you let things be as they are? +If I were to tell you, you would become just as wretched as myself. If +you would only believe, it is far better for you to know nothing.' + +But no man yet was ever content with such an answer. The more you beg +him not to inquire, the greater is his curiosity to learn the whole. + +'Well, if you MUST know,' said the wife at last, 'I will tell you. There +is no luck in this house--no luck at all!' + +'Is not your cow the best milker in all the village? Are not your trees +as full of fruit as your hives are full of bees? Has anyone cornfields +like ours? Really you talk nonsense when you say things like that!' + +'Yes, all that you say is true, but we have no children.' + +Then Stan understood, and when a man once understands and has his eyes +opened it is no longer well with him. From that day the little house in +the outskirts contained an unhappy man as well as an unhappy woman. And +at the sight of her husband's misery the woman became more wretched than +ever. + +And so matters went on for some time. + +Some weeks had passed, and Stan thought he would consult a wise man +who lived a day's journey from his own house. The wise man was sitting +before his door when he came up, and Stan fell on his knees before him. +'Give me children, my lord, give me children.' + +'Take care what you are asking,' replied the wise man. 'Will not +children be a burden to you? Are you rich enough to feed and clothe +them?' + +'Only give them to me, my lord, and I will manage somehow!' and at a +sign from the wise man Stan went his way. + +He reached home that evening tired and dusty, but with hope in his +heart. As he drew near his house a sound of voices struck upon his ear, +and he looked up to see the whole place full of children. Children +in the garden, children in the yard, children looking out of every +window--it seemed to the man as if all the children in the world must be +gathered there. And none was bigger than the other, but each was smaller +than the other, and every one was more noisy and more impudent and more +daring than the rest, and Stan gazed and grew cold with horror as he +realised that they all belonged to him. + +'Good gracious! how many there are! how many!' he muttered to himself. + +'Oh, but not one too many,' smiled his wife, coming up with a crowd more +children clinging to her skirts. + +But even she found that it was not so easy to look after a hundred +children, and when a few days had passed and they had eaten up all the +food there was in the house, they began to cry, 'Father! I am hungry--I +am hungry,' till Stan scratched his head and wondered what he was to do +next. It was not that he thought there were too many children, for his +life had seemed more full of joy since they appeared, but now it came to +the point he did not know how he was to feed them. The cow had ceased to +give milk, and it was too early for the fruit trees to ripen. + +'Do you know, old woman!' said he one day to his wife, 'I must go out +into the world and try to bring back food somehow, though I cannot tell +where it is to come from.' + +To the hungry man any road is long, and then there was always the +thought that he had to satisfy a hundred greedy children as well as +himself. + +Stan wandered, and wandered, and wandered, till he reached to the end of +the world, where that which is, is mingled with that which is not, and +there he saw, a little way off, a sheepfold, with seven sheep in it. In +the shadow of some trees lay the rest of the flock. + +Stan crept up, hoping that he might manage to decoy some of them away +quietly, and drive them home for food for his family, but he soon found +this could not be. For at midnight he heard a rushing noise, and through +the air flew a dragon, who drove apart a ram, a sheep, and a lamb, and +three fine cattle that were lying down close by. And besides these he +took the milk of seventy-seven sheep, and carried it home to his old +mother, that she might bathe in it and grow young again. And this +happened every night. + +The shepherd bewailed himself in vain: the dragon only laughed, and Stan +saw that this was not the place to get food for his family. + +But though he quite understood that it was almost hopeless to fight +against such a powerful monster, yet the thought of the hungry children +at home clung to him like a burr, and would not be shaken off, and at +last he said to the shepherd, 'What will you give me if I rid you of the +dragon?' + +'One of every three rams, one of every three sheep, one of every three +lambs,' answered the herd. + +'It is a bargain,' replied Stan, though at the moment he did not know +how, supposing he DID come off the victor, he would ever be able to +drive so large a flock home. + +However, that matter could be settled later. At present night was not +far off, and he must consider how best to fight with the dragon. + +Just at midnight, a horrible feeling that was new and strange to him +came over Stan--a feeling that he could not put into words even to +himself, but which almost forced him to give up the battle and take +the shortest road home again. He half turned; then he remembered the +children, and turned back. + +'You or I,' said Stan to himself, and took up his position on the edge +of the flock. + +'Stop!' he suddenly cried, as the air was filled with a rushing noise, +and the dragon came dashing past. + +'Dear me!' exclaimed the dragon, looking round. 'Who are you, and where +do you come from?' + +'I am Stan Bolovan, who eats rocks all night, and in the day feeds on +the flowers of the mountain; and if you meddle with those sheep I will +carve a cross on your back.' + +When the dragon heard these words he stood quite still in the middle of +the road, for he knew he had met with his match. + +'But you will have to fight me first,' he said in a trembling voice, for +when you faced him properly he was not brave at all. + +'I fight you?' replied Stan, 'why I could slay you with one breath!' +Then, stooping to pick up a large cheese which lay at his feet, he +added, 'Go and get a stone like this out of the river, so that we may +lose no time in seeing who is the best man.' + +The dragon did as Stan bade him, and brought back a stone out of the +brook. + +'Can you get buttermilk out of your stone?' asked Stan. + +The dragon picked up his stone with one hand, and squeezed it till it +fell into powder, but no buttermilk flowed from it. 'Of course I can't!' +he said, half angrily. + +'Well, if you can't, I can,' answered Stan, and he pressed the cheese +till buttermilk flowed through his fingers. + +When the dragon saw that, he thought it was time he made the best of his +way home again, but Stan stood in his path. + +'We have still some accounts to settle,' said he, 'about what you have +been doing here,' and the poor dragon was too frightened to stir, lest +Stan should slay him at one breath and bury him among the flowers in the +mountain pastures. + +'Listen to me,' he said at last. 'I see you are a very useful person, +and my mother has need of a fellow like you. Suppose you enter her +service for three days, which are as long as one of your years, and she +will pay you each day seven sacks full of ducats.' + +Three times seven sacks full of ducats! The offer was very tempting, +and Stan could not resist it. He did not waste words, but nodded to the +dragon, and they started along the road. + +It was a long, long way, but when they came to the end they found the +dragon's mother, who was as old as time itself, expecting them. Stan saw +her eyes shining like lamps from afar, and when they entered the house +they beheld a huge kettle standing on the fire, filled with milk. When +the old mother found that her son had arrived empty-handed she grew very +angry, and fire and flame darted from her nostrils, but before she could +speak the dragon turned to Stan. + +'Stay here,' said he, 'and wait for me; I am going to explain things to +my mother.' + +Stan was already repenting bitterly that he had ever come to such a +place, but, since he was there, there was nothing for it but to take +everything quietly, and not show that he was afraid. + +'Listen, mother,' said the dragon as soon as they were alone, 'I have +brought this man in order to get rid of him. He is a terrific fellow who +eats rocks, and can press buttermilk out of a stone,' and he told her +all that had happened the night before. + +'Oh, just leave him to me!' she said. 'I have never yet let a man slip +through my fingers.' So Stan had to stay and do the old mother service. + +The next day she told him that he and her son should try which was the +strongest, and she took down a huge club, bound seven times with iron. + +The dragon picked it up as if it had been a feather, and, after whirling +it round his head, flung it lightly three miles away, telling Stan to +beat that if he could. + +They walked to the spot where the club lay. Stan stooped and felt +it; then a great fear came over him, for he knew that he and all his +children together would never lift that club from the ground. + +'What are you doing?' asked the dragon. + +'I was thinking what a beautiful club it was, and what a pity it is that +it should cause your death.' + +'How do you mean--my death?' asked the dragon. + +'Only that I am afraid that if I throw it you will never see another +dawn. You don't know how strong I am!' + +'Oh, never mind that be quick and throw.' + +'If you are really in earnest, let us go and feast for three days: that +will at any rate give you three extra days of life.' + +Stan spoke so calmly that this time the dragon began to get a little +frightened, though he did not quite believe that things would be as bad +as Stan said. + +They returned to the house, took all the food that could be found in the +old mother's larder, and carried it back to the place where the club was +lying. Then Stan seated himself on the sack of provisions, and remained +quietly watching the setting moon. + +'What are you doing?' asked the dragon. + +'Waiting till the moon gets out of my way.' + +'What do you mean? I don't understand.' + +'Don't you see that the moon is exactly in my way? But of course, if you +like, I will throw the club into the moon.' + +At these words the dragon grew uncomfortable for the second time. + +He prized the club, which had been left him by his grandfather, very +highly, and had no desire that it should be lost in the moon. + +'I'll tell you what,' he said, after thinking a little. 'Don't throw +the club at all. I will throw it a second time, and that will do just as +well.' + +'No, certainly not!' replied Stan. 'Just wait till the moon sets.' + +But the dragon, in dread lest Stan should fulfil his threats, tried +what bribes could do, and in the end had to promise Stan seven sacks of +ducats before he was suffered to throw back the club himself. + +'Oh, dear me, that is indeed a strong man,' said the dragon, turning to +his mother. 'Would you believe that I have had the greatest difficulty +in preventing him from throwing the club into the moon?' + +Then the old woman grew uncomfortable too! Only to think of it! It was +no joke to throw things into the moon! So no more was heard of the club, +and the next day they had all something else to think about. + +'Go and fetch me water!' said the mother, when the morning broke, and +gave them twelve buffalo skins with the order to keep filling them till +night. + +They set out at once for the brook, and in the twinkling of an eye the +dragon had filled the whole twelve, carried them into the house, and +brought them back to Stan. Stan was tired: he could scarcely lift the +buckets when they were empty, and he shuddered to think of what would +happen when they were full. But he only took an old knife out of his +pocket and began to scratch up the earth near the brook. + +'What are you doing there? How are you going to carry the water into the +house?' asked the dragon. + +'How? Dear me, that is easy enough! I shall just take the brook!' + +At these words the dragon's jaw dropped. This was the last thing that +had ever entered his head, for the brook had been as it was since the +days of his grandfather. + +'I'll tell you what!' he said. 'Let me carry your skins for you.' + +'Most certainly not,' answered Stan, going on with his digging, and the +dragon, in dread lest he should fulfil his threat, tried what bribes +would do, and in the end had again to promise seven sacks of ducats +before Stan would agree to leave the brook alone and let him carry the +water into the house. + +On the third day the old mother sent Stan into the forest for wood, and, +as usual, the dragon went with him. + +Before you could count three he had pulled up more trees than Stan could +have cut down in a lifetime, and had arranged them neatly in rows. When +the dragon had finished, Stan began to look about him, and, choosing the +biggest of the trees, he climbed up it, and, breaking off a long rope of +wild vine, bound the top of the tree to the one next it. And so he did +to a whole line of trees. + +'What are you doing there?' asked the dragon. + +'You can see for yourself,' answered Stan, going quietly on with his +work. + +'Why are you tying the trees together?' + +'Not to give myself unnecessary work; when I pull up one, all the others +will come up too.' + +'But how will you carry them home?' + +'Dear me! don't you understand that I am going to take the whole forest +back with me?' said Stan, tying two other trees as he spoke. + +'I'll tell you what,' cried the dragon, trembling with fear at the +thought of such a thing; 'let me carry the wood for you, and you shall +have seven times seven sacks full of ducats.' + +'You are a good fellow, and I agree to your proposal,' answered Stan, +and the dragon carried the wood. + +Now the three days' service which were to be reckoned as a year were +over, and the only thing that disturbed Stan was, how to get all those +ducats back to his home! + +In the evening the dragon and his mother had a long talk, but Stan heard +every word through a crack in the ceiling. + +'Woe be to us, mother,' said the dragon; 'this man will soon get us into +his power. Give him his money, and let us be rid of him.' + +But the old mother was fond of money, and did not like this. + +'Listen to me,' said she; 'you must murder him this very night.' + +'I am afraid,' answered he. + +'There is nothing to fear,' replied the old mother. 'When he is asleep +take the club, and hit him on the head with it. It is easily done.' + +And so it would have been, had not Stan heard all about it. And when the +dragon and his mother had put out their lights, he took the pigs' trough +and filled it with earth, and placed it in his bed, and covered it with +clothes. Then he hid himself underneath, and began to snore loudly. + +Very soon the dragon stole softly into the room, and gave a tremendous +blow on the spot where Stan's head should have been. Stan groaned loudly +from under the bed, and the dragon went away as softly as he had come. +Directly he had closed the door, Stan lifted out the pigs' trough, and +lay down himself, after making everything clean and tidy, but he was +wise enough not to shut his eyes that night. + +The next morning he came into the room when the dragon and his mother +were having their breakfast. + +'Good morning,' said he. + +'Good morning. How did you sleep?' + +'Oh, very well, but I dreamed that a flea had bitten me, and I seem to +feel it still.' + +The dragon and his mother looked at each other. 'Do you hear that?' +whispered he. 'He talks of a flea. I broke my club on his head.' + +This time the mother grew as frightened as her son. There was nothing to +be done with a man like this, and she made all haste to fill the sacks +with ducats, so as to get rid of Stan as soon as possible. But on his +side Stan was trembling like an aspen, as he could not lift even one +sack from the ground. So he stood still and looked at them. + +'What are you standing there for?' asked the dragon. + +'Oh, I was standing here because it has just occurred to me that I +should like to stay in your service for another year. I am ashamed that +when I get home they should see I have brought back so little. I know +that they will cry out, "Just look at Stan Bolovan, who in one year has +grown as weak as a dragon."' + +Here a shriek of dismay was heard both from the dragon and his mother, +who declared they would give him seven or even seven times seven the +number of sacks if he would only go away. + +'I'll tell you what!' said Stan at last. 'I see you don't want me to +stay, and I should be very sorry to make myself disagreeable. I will +go at once, but only on condition that you shall carry the money home +yourself, so that I may not be put to shame before my friends.' + +The words were hardly out of his mouth before the dragon had snatched up +the sacks and piled them on his back. Then he and Stan set forth. + +The way, though really not far, was yet too long for Stan, but at length +he heard his children's voices, and stopped short. He did not wish the +dragon to know where he lived, lest some day he should come to take back +his treasure. Was there nothing he could say to get rid of the monster? +Suddenly an idea came into Stan's head, and he turned round. + +'I hardly know what to do,' said he. 'I have a hundred children, and I +am afraid they may do you harm, as they are always ready for a fight. +However, I will do my best to protect you.' + +A hundred children! That was indeed no joke! The dragon let fall the +sacks from terror, and then picked them up again. But the children, who +had had nothing to eat since their father had left them, came rushing +towards him, waving knives in their right hands and forks in their left, +and crying, 'Give us dragon's flesh; we will have dragon's flesh.' + +At this dreadful sight the dragon waited no longer: he flung down his +sacks where he stood and took flight as fast as he could, so terrified +at the fate that awaited him that from that day he has never dared to +show his face in the world again. + +(Adapted from Rumanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE TWO FROGS + +Once upon a time in the country of Japan there lived two frogs, one of +whom made his home in a ditch near the town of Osaka, on the sea coast, +while the other dwelt in a clear little stream which ran through the +city of Kioto. At such a great distance apart, they had never even heard +of each other; but, funnily enough, the idea came into both their heads +at once that they should like to see a little of the world, and the +frog who lived at Kioto wanted to visit Osaka, and the frog who lived at +Osaka wished to go to Kioto, where the great Mikado had his palace. + +So one fine morning in the spring they both set out along the road that +led from Kioto to Osaka, one from one end and the other from the other. +The journey was more tiring than they expected, for they did not know +much about travelling, and half way between the two towns there arose a +mountain which had to be climbed. It took them a long time and a great +many hops to reach the top, but there they were at last, and what was +the surprise of each to see another frog before him! They looked at each +other for a moment without speaking, and then fell into conversation, +explaining the cause of their meeting so far from their homes. It was +delightful to find that they both felt the same wish--to learn a little +more of their native country--and as there was no sort of hurry they +stretched themselves out in a cool, damp place, and agreed that they +would have a good rest before they parted to go their ways. + +'What a pity we are not bigger,' said the Osaka frog; 'for then we could +see both towns from here, and tell if it is worth our while going on.' + +'Oh, that is easily managed,' returned the Kioto frog. 'We have only got +to stand up on our hind legs, and hold on to each other, and then we can +each look at the town he is travelling to.' + +This idea pleased the Osaka frog so much that he at once jumped up and +put his front paws on the shoulders of his friend, who had risen also. +There they both stood, stretching themselves as high as they could, and +holding each other tightly, so that they might not fall down. The Kioto +frog turned his nose towards Osaka, and the Osaka frog turned his nose +towards Kioto; but the foolish things forgot that when they stood up +their great eyes lay in the backs of their heads, and that though their +noses might point to the places to which they wanted to go their eyes +beheld the places from which they had come. + +'Dear me!' cried the Osaka frog, 'Kioto is exactly like Osaka. It is +certainly not worth such a long journey. I shall go home!' + +'If I had had any idea that Osaka was only a copy of Kioto I should +never have travelled all this way,' exclaimed the frog from Kioto, and +as he spoke he took his hands from his friend's shoulders, and they both +fell down on the grass. Then they took a polite farewell of each other, +and set off for home again, and to the end of their lives they believed +that Osaka and Kioto, which are as different to look at as two towns can +be, were as like as two peas. + +(Japanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE STORY OF A GAZELLE + +Once upon a time there lived a man who wasted all his money, and grew +so poor that his only food was a few grains of corn, which he scratched +like a fowl from out of a dust-heap. + +One day he was scratching as usual among a dust-heap in the street, +hoping to find something for breakfast, when his eye fell upon a small +silver coin, called an eighth, which he greedily snatched up. 'Now I can +have a proper meal,' he thought, and after drinking some water at a well +he lay down and slept so long that it was sunrise before he woke again. +Then he jumped up and returned to the dust-heap. 'For who knows,' he +said to himself, 'whether I may not have some good luck again.' + +As he was walking down the road, he saw a man coming towards him, +carrying a cage made of twigs. 'Hi! you fellow!' called he, 'what have +you got inside there?' + +'Gazelles,' replied the man. + +'Bring them here, for I should like to see them.' + +As he spoke, some men who were standing by began to laugh, saying to the +man with the cage: 'You had better take care how you bargain with him, +for he has nothing at all except what he picks up from a dust-heap, and +if he can't feed himself, will he be able to feed a gazelle?' + +But the man with the cage made answer: 'Since I started from my home in +the country, fifty people at the least have called me to show them +my gazelles, and was there one among them who cared to buy? It is the +custom for a trader in merchandise to be summoned hither and thither, +and who knows where one may find a buyer?' And he took up his cage and +went towards the scratcher of dust-heaps, and the men went with him. + +'What do you ask for your gazelles?' said the beggar. 'Will you let me +have one for an eighth?' + +And the man with the cage took out a gazelle, and held it out, saying, +'Take this one, master!' + +And the beggar took it and carried it to the dust-heap, where he +scratched carefully till he found a few grains of corn, which he divided +with his gazelle. This he did night and morning, till five days went by. + +Then, as he slept, the gazelle woke him, saying, 'Master.' + +And the man answered, 'How is it that I see a wonder?' + +'What wonder?' asked the gazelle. + +'Why, that you, a gazelle, should be able to speak, for, from the +beginning, my father and mother and all the people that are in the world +have never told me of a talking gazelle.' + +'Never mind that,' said the gazelle, 'but listen to what I say! First, +I took you for my master. Second, you gave for me all you had in the +world. I cannot run away from you, but give me, I pray you, leave to go +every morning and seek food for myself, and every evening I will come +back to you. What you find in the dust-heaps is not enough for both of +us.' + +'Go, then,' answered the master; and the gazelle went. + +When the sun had set, the gazelle came back, and the poor man was very +glad, and they lay down and slept side by side. + +In the morning it said to him, 'I am going away to feed.' + +And the man replied, 'Go, my son,' but he felt very lonely without +his gazelle, and set out sooner than usual for the dust-heap where he +generally found most corn. And glad he was when the evening came, and he +could return home. He lay on the grass chewing tobacco, when the gazelle +trotted up. + +'Good evening, my master; how have you fared all day? I have been +resting in the shade in a place where there is sweet grass when I am +hungry, and fresh water when I am thirsty, and a soft breeze to fan me +in the heat. It is far away in the forest, and no one knows of it but +me, and to-morrow I shall go again.' + +So for five days the gazelle set off at daybreak for this cool spot, but +on the fifth day it came to a place where the grass was bitter, and it +did not like it, and scratched, hoping to tear away the bad blades. But, +instead, it saw something lying in the earth, which turned out to be a +diamond, very large and bright. 'Oh, ho!' said the gazelle to itself, +'perhaps now I can do something for my master who bought me with all the +money he had; but I must be careful or they will say he has stolen it. +I had better take it myself to some great rich man, and see what it will +do for me.' + +Directly the gazelle had come to this conclusion, it picked up the +diamond in its mouth, and went on and on and on through the forest, but +found no place where a rich man was likely to dwell. For two more days +it ran, from dawn to dark, till at last early one morning it caught +sight of a large town, which gave it fresh courage. + +The people were standing about the streets doing their marketing, when +the gazelle bounded past, the diamond flashing as it ran. They called +after it, but it took no notice till it reached the palace, where the +sultan was sitting, enjoying the cool air. And the gazelle galloped up +to him, and laid the diamond at his feet. + +The sultan looked first at the diamond and next at the gazelle; then he +ordered his attendants to bring cushions and a carpet, that the gazelle +might rest itself after its long journey. And he likewise ordered milk +to be brought, and rice, that it might eat and drink and be refreshed. + +And when the gazelle was rested, the sultan said to it: 'Give me the +news you have come with.' + +And the gazelle answered: 'I am come with this diamond, which is +a pledge from my master the Sultan Darai. He has heard you have a +daughter, and sends you this small token, and begs you will give her to +him to wife.' + +And the sultan said: 'I am content. The wife is his wife, the family is +his family, the slave is his slave. Let him come to me empty-handed, I +am content.' + +When the sultan had ended, the gazelle rose, and said: 'Master, +farewell; I go back to our town, and in eight days, or it may be in +eleven days, we shall arrive as your guests.' + +And the sultan answered: 'So let it be.' + +All this time the poor man far away had been mourning and weeping for +his gazelle, which he thought had run away from him for ever. + +And when it came in at the door he rushed to embrace it with such joy +that he would not allow it a chance to speak. + +'Be still, master, and don't cry,' said the gazelle at last; 'let us +sleep now, and in the morning, when I go, follow me.' + +With the first ray of dawn they got up and went into the forest, and on +the fifth day, as they were resting near a stream, the gazelle gave +its master a sound beating, and then bade him stay where he was till it +returned. And the gazelle ran off, and about ten o'clock it came near +the sultan's palace, where the road was all lined with soldiers who were +there to do honour to Sultan Darai. And directly they caught sight of +the gazelle in the distance one of the soldiers ran on and said, 'Sultan +Darai is coming: I have seen the gazelle.' + +Then the sultan rose up, and called his whole court to follow him, +and went out to meet the gazelle, who, bounding up to him, gave him +greeting. The sultan answered politely, and inquired where it had left +its master, whom it had promised to bring back. + +'Alas!' replied the gazelle, 'he is lying in the forest, for on our way +here we were met by robbers, who, after beating and robbing him, took +away all his clothes. And he is now hiding under a bush, lest a passing +stranger might see him.' + +The sultan, on hearing what had happened to his future son-in-law, +turned his horse and rode to the palace, and bade a groom to harness +the best horse in the stable and order a woman slave to bring a bag of +clothes, such as a man might want, out of the chest; and he chose out +a tunic and a turban and a sash for the waist, and fetched himself a +gold-hilted sword, and a dagger and a pair of sandals, and a stick of +sweet-smelling wood. + +'Now,' said he to the gazelle, 'take these things with the soldiers to +the sultan, that he may be able to come.' + +And the gazelle answered: 'Can I take those soldiers to go and put my +master to shame as he lies there naked? I am enough by myself, my lord.' + +'How will you be enough,' asked the sultan, 'to manage this horse and +all these clothes?' + +'Oh, that is easily done,' replied the gazelle. 'Fasten the horse to my +neck and tie the clothes to the back of the horse, and be sure they are +fixed firmly, as I shall go faster than he does.' + +Everything was carried out as the gazelle had ordered, and when all was +ready it said to the sultan: 'Farewell, my lord, I am going.' + +'Farewell, gazelle,' answered the sultan; 'when shall we see you again?' + +'To-morrow about five,' replied the gazelle, and, giving a tug to the +horse's rein, they set off at a gallop. + +The sultan watched them till they were out of sight: then he said to his +attendants, 'That gazelle comes from gentle hands, from the house of a +sultan, and that is what makes it so different from other gazelles.' And +in the eyes of the sultan the gazelle became a person of consequence. + +Meanwhile the gazelle ran on till it came to the place where its master +was seated, and his heart laughed when he saw the gazelle. + +And the gazelle said to him, 'Get up, my master, and bathe in the +stream!' and when the man had bathed it said again, 'Now rub yourself +well with earth, and rub your teeth well with sand to make them bright +and shining.' And when this was done it said, 'The sun has gone down +behind the hills; it is time for us to go': so it went and brought the +clothes from the back of the horse, and the man put them on and was well +pleased. + +'Master!' said the gazelle when the man was ready, 'be sure that where +we are going you keep silence, except for giving greetings and asking +for news. Leave all the talking to me. I have provided you with a wife, +and have made her presents of clothes and turbans and rare and precious +things, so it is needless for you to speak.' + +'Very good, I will be silent,' replied the man as he mounted the horse. +'You have given all this; it is you who are the master, and I who am the +slave, and I will obey you in all things.' + +'So they went their way, and they went and went till the gazelle saw in +the distance the palace of the sultan. Then it said, 'Master, that is +the house we are going to, and you are not a poor man any longer: even +your name is new.' + +'What IS my name, eh, my father?' asked the man. + +'Sultan Darai,' said the gazelle. + +Very soon some soldiers came to meet them, while others ran off to tell +the sultan of their approach. And the sultan set off at once, and the +viziers and the emirs, and the judges, and the rich men of the city, all +followed him. + +Directly the gazelle saw them coming, it said to its master: 'Your +father-in-law is coming to meet you; that is he in the middle, wearing a +mantle of sky-blue. Get off your horse and go to greet him.' + +And Sultan Darai leapt from his horse, and so did the other sultan, and +they gave their hands to one another and kissed each other, and went +together into the palace. + +The next morning the gazelle went to the rooms of the sultan, and said +to him: 'My lord, we want you to marry us our wife, for the soul of +Sultan Darai is eager.' + +'The wife is ready, so call the priest,' answered he, and when the +ceremony was over a cannon was fired and music was played, and within +the palace there was feasting. + +'Master,' said the gazelle the following morning, 'I am setting out on +a journey, and I shall not be back for seven days, and perhaps not then. +But be careful not to leave the house till I come.' + +And the master answered, 'I will not leave the house.' + +And it went to the sultan of the country and said to him: 'My lord, +Sultan Darai has sent me to his town to get the house in order. It will +take me seven days, and if I am not back in seven days he will not leave +the palace till I return.' + +'Very good,' said the sultan. + +And it went and it went through the forest and wilderness, till it +arrived at a town full of fine houses. At the end of the chief road was +a great house, beautiful exceedingly, built of sapphire and turquoise +and marbles. 'That,' thought the gazelle, 'is the house for my master, +and I will call up my courage and go and look at the people who are +in it, if any people there are. For in this town have I as yet seen no +people. If I die, I die, and if I live, I live. Here can I think of no +plan, so if anything is to kill me, it will kill me.' + +Then it knocked twice at the door, and cried 'Open,' but no one +answered. And it cried again, and a voice replied: + +'Who are you that are crying "Open"?' + +And the gazelle said, 'It is I, great mistress, your grandchild.' + +'If you are my grandchild,' returned the voice, 'go back whence you +came. Don't come and die here, and bring me to my death as well.' + +'Open, mistress, I entreat, I have something to say to you.' + +'Grandchild,' replied she, 'I fear to put your life in danger, and my +own too.' + +'Oh, mistress, my life will not be lost, nor yours either; open, I pray +you.' So she opened the door. + +'What is the news where you come from, my grandson,' asked she. + +'Great lady, where I come from it is well, and with you it is well.' + +'Ah, my son, here it is not well at all. If you seek a way to die, or if +you have not yet seen death, then is to-day the day for you to know what +dying is.' + +'If I am to know it, I shall know it,' replied the gazelle; 'but tell +me, who is the lord of this house?' + +And she said: 'Ah, father! in this house is much wealth, and much +people, and much food, and many horses. And the lord of it all is an +exceeding great and wonderful snake.' + +'Oh!' cried the gazelle when he heard this; 'tell me how I can get at +the snake to kill him?' + +'My son,' returned the old woman, 'do not say words like these; you risk +both our lives. He has put me here all by myself, and I have to cook his +food. When the great snake is coming there springs up a wind, and blows +the dust about, and this goes on till the great snake glides into the +courtyard and calls for his dinner, which must always be ready for him +in those big pots. He eats till he has had enough, and then drinks a +whole tankful of water. After that he goes away. Every second day he +comes, when the sun is over the house. And he has seven heads. How then +can you be a match for him, my son?' + +'Mind your own business, mother,' answered the gazelle, 'and don't mind +other people's! Has this snake a sword?' + +'He has a sword, and a sharp one too. It cuts like a dash of lightning.' + +'Give it to me, mother!' said the gazelle, and she unhooked the sword +from the wall, as she was bidden. 'You must be quick,' she said, 'for +he may be here at any moment. Hark! is not that the wind rising? He has +come!' + +They were silent, but the old woman peeped from behind a curtain, and +saw the snake busy at the pots which she had placed ready for him in +the courtyard. And after he had done eating and drinking he came to the +door: + +'You old body!' he cried; 'what smell is that I smell inside that is not +the smell of every day?' + +'Oh, master!' answered she, 'I am alone, as I always am! But to-day, +after many days, I have sprinkled fresh scent all over me, and it is +that which you smell. What else could it be, master?' + +All this time the gazelle had been standing close to the door, holding +the sword in one of its front paws. And as the snake put one of +his heads through the hole that he had made so as to get in and out +comfortably, it cut it of so clean that the snake really did not feel +it. The second blow was not quite so straight, for the snake said to +himself, 'Who is that who is trying to scratch me?' and stretched out +his third head to see; but no sooner was the neck through the hole than +the head went rolling to join the rest. + +When six of his heads were gone the snake lashed his tail with such fury +that the gazelle and the old woman could not see each other for the dust +he made. And the gazelle said to him, 'You have climbed all sorts of +trees, but this you can't climb,' and as the seventh head came darting +through it went rolling to join the rest. + +Then the sword fell rattling on the ground, for the gazelle had fainted. + +The old woman shrieked with delight when she saw her enemy was dead, and +ran to bring water to the gazelle, and fanned it, and put it where the +wind could blow on it, till it grew better and gave a sneeze. And +the heart of the old woman was glad, and she gave it more water, till +by-and-by the gazelle got up. + +'Show me this house,' it said, 'from beginning to end, from top to +bottom, from inside to out.' + +So she arose and showed the gazelle rooms full of gold and precious +things, and other rooms full of slaves. 'They are all yours, goods and +slaves,' said she. + +But the gazelle answered, 'You must keep them safe till I call my +master.' + +For two days it lay and rested in the house, and fed on milk and rice, +and on the third day it bade the old woman farewell and started back to +its master. + +And when he heard that the gazelle was at the door he felt like a man +who has found the time when all prayers are granted, and he rose and +kissed it, saying: 'My father, you have been a long time; you have left +sorrow with me. I cannot eat, I cannot drink, I cannot laugh; my heart +felt no smile at anything, because of thinking of you.' + +And the gazelle answered: 'I am well, and where I come from it is well, +and I wish that after four days you would take your wife and go home.' + +And he said: 'It is for you to speak. Where you go, I will follow.' + +'Then I shall go to your father-in-law and tell him this news.' + +'Go, my son.' + +So the gazelle went to the father-in-law and said: 'I am sent by my +master to come and tell you that after four days he will go away with +his wife to his own home.' + +'Must he really go so quickly? We have not yet sat much together, I +and Sultan Darai, nor have we yet talked much together, nor have we yet +ridden out together, nor have we eaten together; yet it is fourteen days +since he came.' + +But the gazelle replied: 'My lord, you cannot help it, for he wishes to +go home, and nothing will stop him.' + +'Very good,' said the sultan, and he called all the people who were in +the town, and commanded that the day his daughter left the palace ladies +and guards were to attend her on her way. + +And at the end of four days a great company of ladies and slaves and +horses went forth to escort the wife of Sultan Darai to her new home. +They rode all day, and when the sun sank behind the hills they rested, +and ate of the food the gazelle gave them, and lay down to sleep. And +they journeyed on for many days, and they all, nobles and slaves, loved +the gazelle with a great love--more than they loved the Sultan Darai. + +At last one day signs of houses appeared, far, far off. And those who +saw cried out, 'Gazelle!' + +And it answered, 'Ah, my mistresses, that is the house of Sultan Darai.' + +At this news the women rejoiced much, and the slaves rejoiced much, and +in the space of two hours they came to the gates, and the gazelle bade +them all stay behind, and it went on to the house with Sultan Darai. + +When the old woman saw them coming through the courtyard she jumped and +shouted for joy, and as the gazelle drew near she seized it in her arms, +and kissed it. The gazelle did not like this, and said to her: 'Old +woman, leave me alone; the one to be carried is my master, and the one +to be kissed is my master.' + +And she answered, 'Forgive me, my son. I did not know this was our +master,' and she threw open all the doors so that the master might see +everything that the rooms and storehouses contained. Sultan Darai looked +about him, and at length he said: + +'Unfasten those horses that are tied up, and let loose those people that +are bound. And let some sweep, and some spread the beds, and some cook, +and some draw water, and some come out and receive the mistress.' + +And when the sultana and her ladies and her slaves entered the house, +and saw the rich stuffs it was hung with, and the beautiful rice that +was prepared for them to eat, they cried: 'Ah, you gazelle, we have seen +great houses, we have seen people, we have heard of things. But this +house, and you, such as you are, we have never seen or heard of.' + +After a few days, the ladies said they wished to go home again. The +gazelle begged them hard to stay, but finding they would not, it brought +many gifts, and gave some to the ladies and some to their slaves. And +they all thought the gazelle greater a thousand times than its master, +Sultan Darai. + +The gazelle and its master remained in the house many weeks, and one day +it said to the old woman, 'I came with my master to this place, and I +have done many things for my master, good things, and till to-day he has +never asked me: "Well, my gazelle, how did you get this house? Who is +the owner of it? And this town, were there no people in it?" All good +things I have done for the master, and he has not one day done me any +good thing. But people say, "If you want to do any one good, don't do +him good only, do him evil also, and there will be peace between you." +So, mother, I have done: I want to see the favours I have done to my +master, that he may do me the like.' + +'Good,' replied the old woman, and they went to bed. + +In the morning, when light came, the gazelle was sick in its stomach and +feverish, and its legs ached. And it said 'Mother!' + +And she answered, 'Here, my son?' + +And it said, 'Go and tell my master upstairs the gazelle is very ill.' + +'Very good, my son; and if he should ask me what is the matter, what am +I to say?' + +'Tell him all my body aches badly; I have no single part without pain.' + +The old woman went upstairs, and she found the mistress and master +sitting on a couch of marble spread with soft cushions, and they asked +her, 'Well, old woman, what do you want?' + +'To tell the master the gazelle is ill,' said she. + +'What is the matter?' asked the wife. + +'All its body pains; there is no part without pain.' + +'Well, what can I do? Make some gruel of red millet, and give to it.' + +But his wife stared and said: 'Oh, master, do you tell her to make +the gazelle gruel out of red millet, which a horse would not eat? Eh, +master, that is not well.' + +But he answered, 'Oh, you are mad! Rice is only kept for people.' + +'Eh, master, this is not like a gazelle. It is the apple of your eye. If +sand got into that, it would trouble you.' + +'My wife, your tongue is long,' and he left the room. + +The old woman saw she had spoken vainly, and went back weeping to the +gazelle. And when the gazelle saw her it said, 'Mother, what is it, and +why do you cry? If it be good, give me the answer; and if it be bad, +give me the answer.' + +But still the old woman would not speak, and the gazelle prayed her to +let it know the words of the master. At last she said: 'I went upstairs +and found the mistress and the master sitting on a couch, and he asked +me what I wanted, and I told him that you, his slave, were ill. And his +wife asked what was the matter, and I told her that there was not a +part of your body without pain. And the master told me to take some +red millet and make you gruel, but the mistress said, 'Eh, master, the +gazelle is the apple of your eye; you have no child, this gazelle is +like your child; so this gazelle is not one to be done evil to. This +is a gazelle in form, but not a gazelle in heart; he is in all things +better than a gentleman, be he who he may.' + +And he answered her, 'Silly chatterer, your words are many. I know its +price; I bought it for an eighth. What loss will it be to me?' + +The gazelle kept silence for a few moments. Then it said, 'The elders +said, "One that does good like a mother," and I have done him good, and +I have got this that the elders said. But go up again to the master, and +tell him the gazelle is very ill, and it has not drunk the gruel of red +millet.' + +So the old woman returned, and found the master and the mistress +drinking coffee. And when he heard what the gazelle had said, he cried: +'Hold your peace, old woman, and stay your feet and close your eyes, +and stop your ears with wax; and if the gazelle bids you come to me, say +your legs are bent, and you cannot walk; and if it begs you to listen, +say your ears are stopped with wax; and if it wishes to talk, reply that +your tongue has got a hook in it.' + +The heart of the old woman wept as she heard such words, because she saw +that when the gazelle first came to that town it was ready to sell its +life to buy wealth for its master. Then it happened to get both life and +wealth, but now it had no honour with its master. + +And tears sprung likewise to the eyes of the sultan's wife, and she +said, 'I am sorry for you, my husband, that you should deal so wickedly +with that gazelle'; but he only answered, 'Old woman, pay no heed to the +talk of the mistress: tell it to perish out of the way. I cannot sleep, +I cannot eat, I cannot drink, for the worry of that gazelle. Shall a +creature that I bought for an eighth trouble me from morning till night? +Not so, old woman!' + +The old woman went downstairs, and there lay the gazelle, blood flowing +from its nostrils. And she took it in her arms and said, 'My son, the +good you did is lost; there remains only patience.' + +And it said, 'Mother, I shall die, for my soul is full of anger and +bitterness. My face is ashamed, that I should have done good to my +master, and that he should repay me with evil.' It paused for a moment, +and then went on, 'Mother, of the goods that are in this house, what do +I eat? I might have every day half a basinful, and would my master be +any the poorer? But did not the elders say, "He that does good like a +mother!"' + +And it said, 'Go and tell my master that the gazelle is nearer death +than life.' + +So she went, and spoke as the gazelle had bidden her; but he answered, +'I have told you to trouble me no more.' + +But his wife's heart was sore, and she said to him: 'Ah, master, what +has the gazelle done to you? How has he failed you? The things you do +to him are not good, and you will draw on yourself the hatred of the +people. For this gazelle is loved by all, by small and great, by women +and men. Ah, my husband! I thought you had great wisdom, and you have +not even a little!' + +But he answered, 'You are mad, my wife.' + +The old woman stayed no longer, and went back to the gazelle, followed +secretly by the mistress, who called a maidservant and bade her take +some milk and rice and cook it for the gazelle. + +'Take also this cloth,' she said, 'to cover it with, and this pillow +for its head. And if the gazelle wants more, let it ask me, and not its +master. And if it will, I will send it in a litter to my father, and he +will nurse it till it is well.' + +And the maidservant did as her mistress bade her, and said what her +mistress had told her to say, but the gazelle made no answer, but turned +over on its side and died quietly. + +When the news spread abroad, there was much weeping among the people, +and Sultan Darai arose in wrath, and cried, 'You weep for that gazelle +as if you wept for me! And, after all, what is it but a gazelle, that I +bought for an eighth?' + +But his wife answered, 'Master, we looked upon that gazelle as we looked +upon you. It was the gazelle who came to ask me of my father, it was the +gazelle who brought me from my father, and I was given in charge to the +gazelle by my father.' + +And when the people heard her they lifted up their voices and spoke: + +'We never saw you, we saw the gazelle. It was the gazelle who met with +trouble here, it was the gazelle who met with rest here. + +So, then, when such an one departs from this world we weep for +ourselves, we do not weep for the gazelle.' + +And they said furthermore: + +'The gazelle did you much good, and if anyone says he could have done +more for you he is a liar! Therefore, to us who have done you no good, +what treatment will you give? The gazelle has died from bitterness of +soul, and you ordered your slaves to throw it into the well. Ah! leave +us alone that we may weep.' + +But Sultan Darai would not heed their words, and the dead gazelle was +thrown into the well. + +When the mistress heard of it, she sent three slaves, mounted on +donkeys, with a letter to her father the sultan, and when the sultan had +read the letter he bowed his head and wept, like a man who had lost his +mother. And he commanded horses to be saddled, and called the governor +and the judges and all the rich men, and said: + +'Come now with me; let us go and bury it.' + +Night and day they travelled, till the sultan came to the well where the +gazelle had been thrown. And it was a large well, built round a rock, +with room for many people; and the sultan entered, and the judges and +the rich men followed him. And when he saw the gazelle lying there he +wept afresh, and took it in his arms and carried it away. + +When the three slaves went and told their mistress what the sultan had +done, and how all the people were weeping, she answered: + +'I too have eaten no food, neither have I drunk water, since the day the +gazelle died. I have not spoken, and I have not laughed.' + +The sultan took the gazelle and buried it, and ordered the people to +wear mourning for it, so there was great mourning throughout the city. + +Now after the days of mourning were at an end, the wife was sleeping at +her husband's side, and in her sleep she dreamed that she was once more +in her father's house, and when she woke up it was no dream. + +And the man dreamed that he was on the dust-heap, scratching. And when +he woke, behold! that also was no dream, but the truth. + +(Swahili Tales.) + + + + +HOW A FISH SWAM IN THE AIR AND A HARE IN THE WATER. + +Once upon a time an old man and his wife lived together in a little +village. They might have been happy if only the old woman had had the +sense to hold her tongue at proper times. But anything which might +happen indoors, or any bit of news which her husband might bring in when +he had been anywhere, had to be told at once to the whole village, and +these tales were repeated and altered till it often happened that much +mischief was made, and the old man's back paid for it. + +One day, he drove to the forest. When he reached the edge of it he got +out of his cart and walked beside it. Suddenly he stepped on such a soft +spot that his foot sank in the earth. + +'What can this be?' thought he. 'I'll dig a bit and see.' + +So he dug and dug, and at last he came on a little pot full of gold and +silver. + +'Oh, what luck! Now, if only I knew how I could take this treasure home +with me----but I can never hope to hide it from my wife, and once +she knows of it she'll tell all the world, and then I shall get into +trouble.' + +He sat down and thought over the matter a long time, and at last he made +a plan. He covered up the pot again with earth and twigs, and drove +on into the town, where he bought a live pike and a live hare in the +market. + +Then he drove back to the forest and hung the pike up at the very top +of a tree, and tied up the hare in a fishing net and fastened it on the +edge of a little stream, not troubling himself to think how unpleasant +such a wet spot was likely to be to the hare. + +Then he got into his cart and trotted merrily home. + +'Wife!' cried he, the moment he got indoors. 'You can't think what a +piece of good luck has come our way.' + +'What, what, dear husband? Do tell me all about it at once.' + +'No, no, you'll just go off and tell everyone.' + +'No, indeed! How can you think such things! For shame! If you like I +will swear never to----' + +'Oh, well! if you are really in earnest then, listen.' + +And he whispered in her ear: 'I've found a pot full of gold and silver +in the forest! Hush!----' + +'And why didn't you bring it back?' + +'Because we'll drive there together and bring it carefully back between +us.' + +So the man and his wife drove to the forest. + +As they were driving along the man said: + +'What strange things one hears, wife! I was told only the other day +that fish will now live and thrive in the tree tops and that some wild +animals spend their time in the water. Well! well! times are certainly +changed.' + +'Why, you must be crazy, husband! Dear, dear, what nonsense people do +talk sometimes.' + +'Nonsense, indeed! Why, just look. Bless my soul, if there isn't a fish, +a real pike I do believe, up in that tree.' + +'Gracious!' cried his wife. 'How did a pike get there? It IS a pike--you +needn't attempt to say it's not. Can people have said true----' + +But the man only shook his head and shrugged his shoulders and opened +his mouth and gaped as if he really could not believe his own eyes. + +'What are you standing staring at there, stupid?' said his wife. 'Climb +up the tree quick and catch the pike, and we'll cook it for dinner.' + +The man climbed up the tree and brought down the pike, and they drove +on. + +When they got near the stream he drew up. + +'What are you staring at again?' asked his wife impatiently. 'Drive on, +can't you?' + +'Why, I seem to see something moving in that net I set. I must just go +and see what it is.' + +He ran to it, and when he had looked in it he called to his wife: + +'Just look! Here is actually a four-footed creature caught in the net. I +do believe it's a hare.' + +'Good heavens!' cried his wife. 'How did the hare get into your net? It +IS a hare, so you needn't say it isn't. After all, people must have said +the truth----' + +But her husband only shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as if he +could not believe his own eyes. + +'Now what are you standing there for, stupid?' cried his wife. 'Take up +the hare. A nice fat hare is a dinner for a feast day.' + +The old man caught up the hare, and they drove on to the place where the +treasure was buried. They swept the twigs away, dug up the earth, took +out the pot, and drove home again with it. + +And now the old couple had plenty of money and were cheery and +comfortable. But the wife was very foolish. Every day she asked a lot +of people to dinner and feasted them, till her husband grew quite +impatient. He tried to reason with her, but she would not listen. + +'You've got no right to lecture me!' said she. 'We found the treasure +together, and together we will spend it.' + +Her husband took patience, but at length he said to her: 'You may do as +you please, but I sha'n't give you another penny.' + +The old woman was very angry. 'Oh, what a good-for-nothing fellow to +want to spend all the money himself! But just wait a bit and see what I +shall do.' + +Off she went to the governor to complain of her husband. + +'Oh, my lord, protect me from my husband! Ever since he found the +treasure there is no bearing him. He only eats and drinks, and won't +work, and he keeps all the money to himself.' + +The governor took pity on the woman, and ordered his chief secretary to +look into the matter. + +The secretary called the elders of the village together, and went with +them to the man's house. + +'The governor,' said he, 'desires you to give all that treasure you +found into my care.' + +The man shrugged his shoulders and said: 'What treasure? I know nothing +about a treasure.' + +'How? You know nothing? Why your wife has complained of you. Don't +attempt to tell lies. If you don't hand over all the money at once you +will be tried for daring to raise treasure without giving due notice to +the governor about it.' + +'Pardon me, your excellency, but what sort of treasure was it supposed +to have been? My wife must have dreamt of it, and you gentlemen have +listened to her nonsense.' + +'Nonsense, indeed,' broke in his wife. 'A kettle full of gold and +silver, do you call that nonsense?' + +'You are not in your right mind, dear wife. Sir, I beg your pardon. Ask +her how it all happened, and if she convinces you I'll pay for it with +my life.' + +'This is how it all happened, Mr. Secretary,' cried the wife. 'We +were driving through the forest, and we saw a pike up in the top of a +tree----' + +'What, a PIKE?' shouted the secretary. 'Do you think you may joke with +me, pray?' + +'Indeed, I'm not joking, Mr. Secretary! I'm speaking the bare truth.' + +'Now you see, gentlemen,' said her husband, 'how far you can trust her, +when she chatters like this.' + +'Chatter, indeed? I!! Perhaps you have forgotten, too, how we found a +live hare in the river?' + +Everyone roared with laughter; even the secretary smiled and stroked his +beard, and the man said: + +'Come, come, wife, everyone is laughing at you. You see for yourself, +gentlemen, how far you can believe her.' + +'Yes, indeed,' said the village elders, 'it is certainly the first time +we have heard that hares thrive in the water or fish among the tree +tops.' + +The secretary could make nothing of it all, and drove back to the town. +The old woman was so laughed at that she had to hold her tongue and +obey her husband ever after, and the man bought wares with part of the +treasure and moved into the town, where he opened a shop, and prospered, +and spent the rest of his days in peace. + + + + +TWO IN A SACK + +What a life that poor man led with his wife, to be sure! Not a day +passed without her scolding him and calling him names, and indeed +sometimes she would take the broom from behind the stove and beat him +with it. He had no peace or comfort at all, and really hardly knew how +to bear it. + +One day, when his wife had been particularly unkind and had beaten him +black and blue, he strolled slowly into the fields, and as he could not +endure to be idle he spread out his nets. + +What kind of bird do you think he caught in his net? He caught a crane, +and the crane said, 'Let me go free, and I'll show myself grateful.' + +The man answered, 'No, my dear fellow. I shall take you home, and then +perhaps my wife won't scold me so much.' + +Said the crane: 'You had better come with me to my house,' and so they +went to the crane's house. + +When they got there, what do you think the crane took from the wall? He +took down a sack, and he said: + +'Two out of a sack!' + +Instantly two pretty lads sprang out of the sack. They brought in oak +tables, which they spread with silken covers, and placed all sorts of +delicious dishes and refreshing drinks on them. The man had never seen +anything so beautiful in his life, and he was delighted. + +Then the crane said to him, 'Now take this sack to your wife.' + +The man thanked him warmly, took the sack, and set out. + +His home was a good long way off, and as it was growing dark, and he was +feeling tired, he stopped to rest at his cousin's house by the way. + +The cousin had three daughters, who laid out a tempting supper, but the +man would eat nothing, and said to his cousin, 'Your supper is bad.' + +'Oh, make the best of it,' said she, but the man only said: 'Clear +away!' and taking out his sack he cried, as the crane had taught him: + +'Two out of the sack!' + +And out came the two pretty boys, who quickly brought in the oak tables, +spread the silken covers, and laid out all sorts of delicious dishes and +refreshing drinks. + +Never in their lives had the cousin and her daughters seen such a +supper, and they were delighted and astonished at it. But the cousin +quietly made up her mind to steal the sack, so she called to her +daughters: 'Go quickly and heat the bathroom: I am sure our dear guest +would like to have a bath before he goes to bed.' + +When the man was safe in the bathroom she told her daughters to make a +sack exactly like his, as quickly as possible. Then she changed the two +sacks, and hid the man's sack away. + +The man enjoyed his bath, slept soundly, and set off early next morning, +taking what he believed to be the sack the crane had given him. + +All the way home he felt in such good spirits that he sang and whistled +as he walked through the wood, and never noticed how the birds were +twittering and laughing at him. + +As soon as he saw his house he began to shout from a distance, 'Hallo! +old woman! Come out and meet me!' + +His wife screamed back: 'You come here, and I'll give you a good +thrashing with the poker!' + +The man walked into the house, hung his sack on a nail, and said, as the +crane had taught him: + +'Two out of the sack!' + +But not a soul came out of the sack. + +Then he said again, exactly as the crane had taught him: + +'Two out of the sack!' + +His wife, hearing him chattering goodness knows what, took up her wet +broom and swept the ground all about him. + +The man took flight and rushed oft into the field, and there he found +the crane marching proudly about, and to him he told his tale. + +'Come back to my house,' said the crane, and so they went to the crane's +house, and as soon as they got there, what did the crane take down from +the wall? Why, he took down a sack, and he said: + +'Two out of the sack!' + +And instantly two pretty lads sprang out of the sack, brought in oak +tables, on which they laid silken covers, and spread all sorts of +delicious dishes and refreshing drinks on them. + +'Take this sack,' said the crane. + +The man thanked him heartily, took the sack, and went. He had a long +way to walk, and as he presently got hungry, he said to the sack, as the +crane had taught him: + +'Two out of the sack!' + +And instantly two rough men with thick sticks crept out of the bag and +began to beat him well, crying as they did so: + + 'Don't boast to your cousins of what you have got, + One--two-- + Or you'll find you will catch it uncommonly hot, + One--two--' + +And they beat on till the man panted out: + +'Two into the sack.' + +The words were hardly out of his mouth, when the two crept back into the +sack. + +Then the man shouldered the sack, and went off straight to his cousin's +house. He hung the sack up on a nail, and said: 'Please have the +bathroom heated, cousin.' + +The cousin heated the bathroom, and the man went into it, but he neither +washed nor rubbed himself, he just sat there and waited. + +Meantime his cousin felt hungry, so she called her daughters, and all +four sat down to table. Then the mother said: + +'Two out of the sack.' + +Instantly two rough men crept out of the sack, and began to beat the +cousin as they cried: + + 'Greedy pack! Thievish pack! + One--two-- + Give the peasant back his sack! + One--two--' + +And they went on beating till the woman called to her eldest daughter: +'Go and fetch your cousin from the bathroom. Tell him these two ruffians +are beating me black and blue.' + +'I've not finished rubbing myself yet,' said the peasant. + +And the two ruffians kept on beating as they sang: + + 'Greedy pack! Thievish pack! + One--two-- Give the peasant back his sack! + + One--two--' + +Then the woman sent her second daughter and said: 'Quick, quick, get him +to come to me.' + +'I'm just washing my head,' said the man. + +Then she sent the youngest girl, and he said: 'I've not done drying +myself.' + +At last the woman could hold out no longer, and sent him the sack she +had stolen. + +NOW he had quite finished his bath, and as he left the bathroom he +cried: + +'Two into the sack.' + +And the two crept back at once into the sack. + +Then the man took both sacks, the good and the bad one, and went away +home. + +When he was near the house he shouted: 'Hallo, old woman, come and meet +me!' + +His wife only screamed out: + +'You broomstick, come here! Your back shall pay for this.' + +The man went into the cottage, hung his sack on a nail, and said, as the +crane had taught him: + +'Two out of the sack.' + +Instantly two pretty lads sprang out of the sack, brought in oak tables, +laid silken covers on them, and spread them with all sorts of delicious +dishes and refreshing drinks. + +The woman ate and drank, and praised her husband. + +'Well, now, old man, I won't beat you any more,' said she. + +When they had done eating, the man carried off the good sack, and put +it away in his store-room, but hung the bad sack up on the nail. Then he +lounged up and down in the yard. + +Meantime his wife became thirsty. She looked with longing eyes at the +sack, and at last she said, as her husband had done: + +'Two out of the sack.' + +And at once the two rogues with their big sticks crept out of the sack, +and began to belabour her as they sang: + + 'Would you beat your husband true? + + Don't cry so! + Now we'll beat you black and blue! + Oh! Oh!' + +The woman screamed out: 'Old man, old man! Come here, quick! Here are +two ruffians pommelling me fit to break my bones.' + +Her husband only strolled up and down and laughed, as he said: 'Yes, +they'll beat you well, old lady.' + +And the two thumped away and sang again: + + 'Blows will hurt, remember, crone, + We mean you well, we mean you well; + In future leave the stick alone, + + For how it hurts, you now can tell, + One--two--' + +At last her husband took pity on her, and cried: + +'Two into the sack.' + +He had hardly said the words before they were back in the sack again. + +From this time the man and his wife lived so happily together that it +was a pleasure to see them, and so the story has an end. + +(From Russiche Marchen.) + + + + +THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR + +Long, long ago an old couple lived in a village, and, as they had no +children to love and care for, they gave all their affection to a little +dog. He was a pretty little creature, and instead of growing spoilt and +disagreeable at not getting everything he wanted, as even children will +do sometimes, the dog was grateful to them for their kindness, and never +left their side, whether they were in the house or out of it. + +One day the old man was working in his garden, with his dog, as usual, +close by. The morning was hot, and at last he put down his spade and +wiped his wet forehead, noticing, as he did so, that the animal was +snuffling and scratching at a spot a little way off. There was nothing +very strange in this, as all dogs are fond of scratching, and he went +on quietly with his digging, when the dog ran up to his master, barking +loudly, and back again to the place where he had been scratching. +This he did several times, till the old man wondered what could be the +matter, and, picking up the spade, followed where the dog led him. +The dog was so delighted at his success that he jumped round, barking +loudly, till the noise brought the old woman out of the house. + +Curious to know if the dog had really found anything, the husband began +to dig, and very soon the spade struck against something. He stooped +down and pulled out a large box, filled quite full with shining gold +pieces. The box was so heavy that the old woman had to help to carry it +home, and you may guess what a supper the dog had that night! Now that +he had made them rich, they gave him every day all that a dog likes best +to eat, and the cushions on which he lay were fit for a prince. + +The story of the dog and his treasure soon became known, and a neighbour +whose garden was next the old people's grew so envious of their good +luck that he could neither eat nor sleep. As the dog had discovered a +treasure once, this foolish man thought he must be able to discover one +always, and begged the old couple to lend him their pet for a little +while, so that he might be made rich also. + +'How can you ask such a thing?' answered the old man indignantly. + +'You know how much we love him, and that he is never out of our sight +for five minutes.' + +But the envious neighbour would not heed his words, and came daily with +the same request, till at last the old people, who could not bear to +say no to anyone, promised to lend the dog, just for a night or two. +No sooner did the man get hold of the dog than he turned him into the +garden, but the dog did nothing but race about, and the man was forced +to wait with what patience he could. + +The next morning the man opened the house door, and the dog bounded +joyfully into the garden, and, running up to the foot of a tree, began +to scratch wildly. The man called loudly to his wife to bring a spade, +and followed the dog, as he longed to catch the first glimpse of the +expected treasure. But when he had dug up the ground, what did he find? +Why, nothing but a parcel of old bones, which smelt so badly that he +could not stay there a moment longer. And his heart was filled with rage +against the dog who had played him this trick, and he seized a pickaxe +and killed it on the spot, before he knew what he was doing. When he +remembered that he would have to go with his story to the old man and +his wife he was rather frightened, but there was nothing to be gained +by putting it off, so he pulled a very long face and went to his +neighbour's garden. + +'Your dog,' said he, pretending to weep, 'has suddenly fallen down dead, +though I took every care of him, and gave him everything he could wish +for. And I thought I had better come straight and tell you.' + +Weeping bitterly, the old man went to fetch the body of his favourite, +and brought it home and buried it under the fig-tree where he had found +the treasure. From morning till night he and his wife mourned over their +loss, and nothing could comfort them. + +At length, one night when he was asleep, he dreamt that the dog appeared +to him and told him to cut down the fig-tree over his grave, and out of +its wood to make a mortar. But when the old man woke and thought of his +dream he did not feel at all inclined to cut down the tree, which bore +well every year, and consulted his wife about it. The woman did not +hesitate a moment, and said that after what had happened before, the +dog's advice must certainly be obeyed, so the tree was felled, and a +beautiful mortar made from it. And when the season came for the rice +crop to be gathered the mortar was taken down from its shelf, and the +grains placed in it for pounding, when, lo and behold! in a twinkling of +an eye, they all turned into gold pieces. At the sight of all this gold +the hearts of the old people were glad, and once more they blessed their +faithful dog. + +But it was not long before this story also came to the ears of their +envious neighbour, and he lost no time in going to the old people and +asking if they happened to have a mortar which they could lend him. The +old man did not at all like parting with his precious treasure, but he +never could say no, so the neighbour went off with the mortar under his +arm. + +The moment he got into his own house he took a great handful of rice, +and began to shell off the husks, with the help of his wife. But, +instead of the gold pieces for which they looked, the rice turned into +berries with such a horrible smell that they were obliged to run away, +after smashing the mortar in a rage and setting fire to the bits. + +The old people next door were naturally very much put out when they +learned the fate of their mortar, and were not at all comforted by the +explanations and excuses made by their neighbour. But that night the dog +again appeared in a dream to his master, and told him that he must go +and collect the ashes of the burnt mortar and bring them home. Then, +when he heard that the Daimio, or great lord to whom this part of the +country belonged, was expected at the capital, he was to carry the ashes +to the high road, through which the procession would have to pass. And +as soon as it was in sight he was to climb up all the cherry-trees and +sprinkle the ashes on them, and they would soon blossom as they had +never blossomed before. + +This time the old man did not wait to consult his wife as to whether he +was to do what his dog had told him, but directly he got up he went to +his neighbour's house and collected the ashes of the burnt mortar. He +put them carefully in a china vase, and carried it to the high road, +Sitting down on a seat till the Daimio should pass. The cherry-trees +were bare, for it was the season when small pots of them were sold to +rich people, who kept them in hot places, so that they might blossom +early and decorate their rooms. As to the trees in the open air, no one +would ever think of looking for the tiniest bud for more than a month +yet. The old man had not been waiting very long before he saw a cloud of +dust in the far distance, and knew that it must be the procession of the +Daimio. On they came, every man dressed in his finest clothes, and the +crowd that was lining the road bowed their faces to the ground as they +went by. Only the old man did not bow himself, and the great lord saw +this, and bade one of his courtiers, in anger, go and inquire why he had +disobeyed the ancient customs. But before the messenger could reach him +the old man had climbed the nearest tree and scattered his ashes far and +wide, and in an instant the white flowers had flashed into life, and the +heart of the Daimio rejoiced, and he gave rich presents to the old man, +whom he sent for to his castle. + +We may be sure that in a very little while the envious neighbour had +heard this also, and his bosom was filled with hate. He hastened to the +place where he had burned the mortar, collected a few of the ashes which +the old man had left behind, and took them to the road, hoping that +his luck might be as good as the old man's, or perhaps even better. +His heart beat with pleasure when he caught the first glimpses of the +Daimio's train, and he held himself ready for the right moment. As the +Daimio drew near he flung a great handful of ashes over the trees, but +no buds or flowers followed the action: instead, the ashes were all +blown back into the eyes of the Daimio and his warriors, till they cried +out from pain. Then the prince ordered the evil-doer to be seized and +bound and thrown into prison, where he was kept for many months. By the +time he was set free everybody in his native village had found out his +wickedness, and they would not let him live there any longer; and as he +would not leave off his evil ways he soon went from bad to worse, and +came to a miserable end. + +(Japanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE FAIRY OF THE DAWN + +Once upon a time what should happen DID happen; and if it had not +happened this tale would never have been told. + +There was once an emperor, very great and mighty, and he ruled over an +empire so large that no one knew where it began and where it ended. But +if nobody could tell the exact extent of his sovereignty everybody was +aware that the emperor's right eye laughed, while his left eye wept. +One or two men of valour had the courage to go and ask him the reason of +this strange fact, but he only laughed and said nothing; and the reason +of the deadly enmity between his two eyes was a secret only known to the +monarch himself. + +And all the while the emperor's sons were growing up. And such sons! All +three like the morning stars in the sky! + +Florea, the eldest, was so tall and broad-shouldered that no man in the +kingdom could approach him. + +Costan, the second, was quite different. Small of stature, and slightly +built, he had a strong arm and stronger wrist. + +Petru, the third and youngest, was tall and thin, more like a girl than +a boy. He spoke very little, but laughed and sang, sang and laughed, +from morning till night. He was very seldom serious, but then he had a +way when he was thinking of stroking his hair over his forehead, which +made him look old enough to sit in his father's council! + +'You are grown up, Florea,' said Petru one day to his eldest brother; +'do go and ask father why one eye laughs and the other weeps.' + +But Florea would not go. He had learnt by experience that this question +always put the emperor in a rage. + +Petru next went to Costan, but did not succeed any better with him. + +'Well, well, as everyone else is afraid, I suppose I must do it myself,' +observed Petru at length. No sooner said than done; the boy went +straight to his father and put his question. + +'May you go blind!' exclaimed the emperor in wrath; 'what business is it +of yours?' and boxed Petru's ears soundly. + +Petru returned to his brothers, and told them what had befallen him; but +not long after it struck him that his father's left eye seemed to weep +less, and the right to laugh more. + +'I wonder if it has anything to do with my question,' thought he. + +'I'll try again! After all, what do two boxes on the ear matter?' + +So he put his question for the second time, and had the same answer; +but the left eye only wept now and then, while the right eye looked ten +years younger. + +'It really MUST be true,' thought Petru. 'Now I know what I have to do. +I shall have to go on putting that question, and getting boxes on the +ear, till both eyes laugh together.' + +No sooner said than done. Petru never, never forswore himself. + +'Petru, my dear boy,' cried the emperor, both his eyes laughing +together, 'I see you have got this on the brain. Well, I will let you +into the secret. My right eye laughs when I look at my three sons, and +see how strong and handsome you all are, and the other eye weeps +because I fear that after I die you will not be able to keep the empire +together, and to protect it from its enemies. But if you can bring me +water from the spring of the Fairy of the Dawn, to bathe my eyes, then +they will laugh for evermore; for I shall know that my sons are brave +enough to overcome any foe.' + +Thus spoke the emperor, and Petru picked up his hat and went to find his +brothers. + +The three young men took counsel together, and talked the subject well +over, as brothers should do. And the end of it was that Florea, as the +eldest, went to the stables, chose the best and handsomest horse they +contained, saddled him, and took leave of the court. + +'I am starting at once,' said he to his brothers, 'and if after a year, +a month, a week, and a day I have not returned with the water from the +spring of the Fairy of the Dawn, you, Costan, had better come after me.' +So saying he disappeared round a corner of the palace. + +For three days and three nights he never drew rein. Like a spirit the +horse flew over mountains and valleys till he came to the borders of +the empire. Here was a deep, deep trench that girdled it the whole way +round, and there was only a single bridge by which the trench could be +crossed. Florea made instantly for the bridge, and there pulled up to +look around him once more, to take leave of his native land Then he +turned, but before him was standing a dragon--oh! SUCH a dragon!--a +dragon with three heads and three horrible faces, all with their mouths +wide open, one jaw reaching to heaven and the other to earth. + +At this awful sight Florea did not wait to give battle. He put spurs to +his horse and dashed off, WHERE he neither knew nor cared. + +The dragon heaved a sigh and vanished without leaving a trace behind +him. + +A week went by. Florea did not return home. Two passed; and nothing was +heard of him. After a month Costan began to haunt the stables and to +look out a horse for himself. And the moment the year, the month, the +week, and the day were over Costan mounted his horse and took leave of +his youngest brother. + +'If I fail, then you come,' said he, and followed the path that Florea +had taken. + +The dragon on the bridge was more fearful and his three heads more +terrible than before, and the young hero rode away still faster than his +brother had done. + +Nothing more was heard either of him or Florea; and Petru remained +alone. + +'I must go after my brothers,' said Petru one day to his father. + +'Go, then,' said his father, 'and may you have better luck than they'; +and he bade farewell to Petru, who rode straight to the borders of the +kingdom. + +The dragon on the bridge was yet more dreadful than the one Florea and +Costan had seen, for this one had seven heads instead of only three. + +Petru stopped for a moment when he caught sight of this terrible +creature. Then he found his voice. + +'Get out of the way!' cried he. 'Get out of the way!' he repeated again, +as the dragon did not move. 'Get out of the way!' and with this last +summons he drew his sword and rushed upon him. In an instant the heavens +seemed to darken round him and he was surrounded by fire--fire to right +of him, fire to left of him, fire to front of him, fire to rear of him; +nothing but fire whichever way he looked, for the dragon's seven heads +were vomiting flame. + +The horse neighed and reared at the horrible sight, and Petru could not +use the sword he had in readiness. + +'Be quiet! this won't do!' he said, dismounting hastily, but holding the +bridle firmly in his left hand and grasping his sword in his right. + +But even so he got on no better, for he could see nothing but fire and +smoke. + +'There is no help for it; I must go back and get a better horse,' said +he, and mounted again and rode homewards. + +At the gate of the palace his nurse, old Birscha, was waiting for him +eagerly. + +'Ah, Petru, my son, I knew you would have to come back,' she cried. 'You +did not set about the matter properly.' + +'How ought I to have set about it?' asked Petru, half angrily, half +sadly. + +'Look here, my boy,' replied old Birscha. 'You can never reach the +spring of the Fairy of the Dawn unless you ride the horse which your +father, the emperor, rode in his youth. Go and ask where it is to be +found, and then mount it and be off with you.' + +Petru thanked her heartily for her advice, and went at once to make +inquiries about the horse. + +'By the light of my eyes!' exclaimed the emperor when Petru had put his +question. 'Who has told you anything about that? It must have been that +old witch of a Birscha? Have you lost your wits? Fifty years have passed +since I was young, and who knows where the bones of my horse may be +rotting, or whether a scrap of his reins still lie in his stall? I have +forgotten all about him long ago.' + +Petru turned away in anger, and went back to his old nurse. + +'Do not be cast down,' she said with a smile; 'if that is how the affair +stands all will go well. Go and fetch the scrap of the reins; I shall +soon know what must be done.' + +The place was full of saddles, bridles, and bits of leather. Petru +picked out the oldest, and blackest, and most decayed pair of reins, +and brought them to the old woman, who murmured something over them and +sprinkled them with incense, and held them out to the young man. + +'Take the reins,' said she, 'and strike them violently against the +pillars of the house.' + +Petru did what he was told, and scarcely had the reins touched the +pillars when something happened--HOW I have no idea--that made Petru +stare with surprise. A horse stood before him--a horse whose equal +in beauty the world had never seen; with a saddle on him of gold and +precious stones, and with such a dazzling bridle you hardly dared +to look at it, lest you should lose your sight. A splendid horse, a +splendid saddle, and a splendid bridle, all ready for the splendid young +prince! + +'Jump on the back of the brown horse,' said the old woman, and she +turned round and went into the house. + +The moment Petru was seated on the horse he felt his arm three times as +strong as before, and even his heart felt braver. + +'Sit firmly in the saddle, my lord, for we have a long way to go and no +time to waste,' said the brown horse, and Petru soon saw that they were +riding as no man and horse had ever ridden before. + +On the bridge stood a dragon, but not the same one as he had tried to +fight with, for this dragon had twelve heads, each more hideous and +shooting forth more terrible flames than the other. But, horrible though +he was, he had met his match. Petru showed no fear, but rolled up his +sleeves, that his arms might be free. + +'Get out of the way!' he said when he had done, but the dragon's heads +only breathed forth more flames and smoke. Petru wasted no more words, +but drew his sword and prepared to throw himself on the bridge. + +'Stop a moment; be careful, my lord,' put in the horse, 'and be sure you +do what I tell you. Dig your spurs in my body up to the rowel, draw +your sword, and keep yourself ready, for we shall have to leap over both +bridge and dragon. When you see that we are right above the dragon cut +off his biggest head, wipe the blood off the sword, and put it back +clean in the sheath before we touch earth again.' + +So Petru dug in his spurs, drew his sword, cut of the head, wiped the +blood, and put the sword back in the sheath before the horse's hoofs +touched the ground again. + +And in this fashion they passed the bridge. + +'But we have got to go further still,' said Petru, after he had taken a +farewell glance at his native land. + +'Yes, forwards,' answered the horse; 'but you must tell me, my lord, at +what speed you wish to go. Like the wind? Like thought? Like desire? or +like a curse?' + +Petru looked about him, up at the heavens and down again to the earth. +A desert lay spread out before him, whose aspect made his hair stand on +end. + +'We will ride at different speeds,' said he, 'not so fast as to grow +tired nor so slow as to waste time.' + +And so they rode, one day like the wind, the next like thought, the +third and fourth like desire and like a curse, till they reached the +borders of the desert. + +'Now walk, so that I may look about, and see what I have never seen +before,' said Petru, rubbing his eyes like one who wakes from sleep, or +like him who beholds something so strange that it seems as if... Before +Petru lay a wood made of copper, with copper trees and copper leaves, +with bushes and flowers of copper also. + +Petru stood and stared as a man does when he sees something that he has +never seen, and of which he has never heard. + +Then he rode right into the wood. On each side of the way the rows of +flowers began to praise Petru, and to try and persuade him to pick some +of them and make himself a wreath. + +'Take me, for I am lovely, and can give strength to whoever plucks me,' +said one. + +'No, take me, for whoever wears me in his hat will be loved by the most +beautiful woman in the world,' pleaded the second; and then one +after another bestirred itself, each more charming than the last, all +promising, in soft sweet voices, wonderful things to Petru, if only he +would pick them. + +Petru was not deaf to their persuasion, and was just stooping to pick +one when the horse sprang to one side. + +'Why don't you stay still?' asked Petru roughly. + +'Do not pick the flowers; it will bring you bad luck; answered the +horse. + +'Why should it do that?' + +'These flowers are under a curse. Whoever plucks them must fight the +Welwa(1) of the woods.' + +(1) A goblin. + +'What kind of a goblin is the Welwa?' + +'Oh, do leave me in peace! But listen. Look at the flowers as much as +you like, but pick none,' and the horse walked on slowly. + +Petru knew by experience that he would do well to attend to the horse's +advice, so he made a great effort and tore his mind away from the +flowers. + +But in vain! If a man is fated to be unlucky, unlucky he will be, +whatever he may do! + +The flowers went on beseeching him, and his heart grew ever weaker and +weaker. + +'What must come will come,' said Petru at length; 'at any rate I shall +see the Welwa of the woods, what she is like, and which way I had best +fight her. If she is ordained to be the cause of my death, well, then +it will be so; but if not I shall conquer her though she were twelve +hundred Welwas,' and once more he stooped down to gather the flowers. + +'You have done very wrong,' said the horse sadly. 'But it can't be +helped now. Get yourself ready for battle, for here is the Welwa!' + +Hardly had he done speaking, scarcely had Petru twisted his wreath, when +a soft breeze arose on all sides at once. Out of the breeze came a storm +wind, and the storm wind swelled and swelled till everything around +was blotted out in darkness, and darkness covered them as with a thick +cloak, while the earth swayed and shook under their feet. + +'Are you afraid?' asked the horse, shaking his mane. + +'Not yet,' replied Petru stoutly, though cold shivers were running down +his back. 'What must come will come, whatever it is.' + +'Don't be afraid,' said the horse. 'I will help you. Take the bridle +from my neck, and try to catch the Welwa with it.' + +The words were hardly spoken, and Petru had no time even to unbuckle +the bridle, when the Welwa herself stood before him; and Petru could not +bear to look at her, so horrible was she. + +She had not exactly a head, yet neither was she without one. She did not +fly through the air, but neither did she walk upon the earth. She had +a mane like a horse, horns like a deer, a face like a bear, eyes like a +polecat; while her body had something of each. And that was the Welwa. + +Petru planted himself firmly in his stirrups, and began to lay about him +with his sword, but could feel nothing. + +A day and a night went by, and the fight was still undecided, but at +last the Welwa began to pant for breath. + +'Let us wait a little and rest,' gasped she. + +Petru stopped and lowered his sword. + +'You must not stop an instant,' said the horse, and Petru gathered up +all his strength, and laid about him harder than ever. + +The Welwa gave a neigh like a horse and a howl like a wolf, and threw +herself afresh on Petru. For another day and night the battle raged more +furiously than before. And Petru grew so exhausted he could scarcely +move his arm. + +'Let us wait a little and rest,' cried the Welwa for the second time, +'for I see you are as weary as I am.' + +'You must not stop an instant,' said the horse. + +And Petru went on fighting, though he barely had strength to move his +arm. But the Welwa had ceased to throw herself upon him, and began to +deliver her blows cautiously, as if she had no longer power to strike. + +And on the third day they were still fighting, but as the morning sky +began to redden Petru somehow managed--how I cannot tell--to throw the +bridle over the head of the tired Welwa. In a moment, from the Welwa +sprang a horse--the most beautiful horse in the world. + +'Sweet be your life, for you have delivered me from my enchantment,' +said he, and began to rub his nose against his brother's. And he told +Petru all his story, and how he had been bewitched for many years. + +So Petru tied the Welwa to his own horse and rode on. Where did he +ride? That I cannot tell you, but he rode on fast till he got out of the +copper wood. + +'Stay still, and let me look about, and see what I never have seen +before,' said Petru again to his horse. For in front of him stretched a +forest that was far more wonderful, as it was made of glistening trees +and shining flowers. It was the silver wood. + +As before, the flowers began to beg the young man to gather them. + +'Do not pluck them,' warned the Welwa, trotting beside him, 'for my +brother is seven times stronger than I'; but though Petru knew by +experience what this meant, it was no use, and after a moment's +hesitation he began to gather the flowers, and to twist himself a +wreath. + +Then the storm wind howled louder, the earth trembled more violently, +and the night grew darker, than the first time, and the Welwa of the +silver wood came rushing on with seven times the speed of the other. +For three days and three nights they fought, but at last Petru cast the +bridle over the head of the second Welwa. + +'Sweet be your life, for you have delivered me from enchantment,' said +the second Welwa, and they all journeyed on as before. + +But soon they came to a gold wood more lovely far than the other +two, and again Petru's companions pleaded with him to ride through it +quickly, and to leave the flowers alone. But Petru turned a deaf ear +to all they said, and before he had woven his golden crown he felt that +something terrible, that he could not see, was coming near him right out +of the earth. He drew his sword and made himself ready for the fight. 'I +will die!' cried he, 'or he shall have my bridle over his head.' + +He had hardly said the words when a thick fog wrapped itself around +him, and so thick was it that he could not see his own hand, or hear +the sound of his voice. For a day and a night he fought with his sword, +without ever once seeing his enemy, then suddenly the fog began to +lighten. By dawn of the second day it had vanished altogether, and the +sun shone brightly in the heavens. It seemed to Petru that he had been +born again. + +And the Welwa? She had vanished. + +'You had better take breath now you can, for the fight will have to +begin all over again,' said the horse. + +'What was it?' asked Petru. + +'It was the Welwa,' replied the horse, 'changed into a fog 'Listen! She +is coming!' + +And Petru had hardly drawn a long breath when he felt something +approaching from the side, though what he could not tell. A river, yet +not a river, for it seemed not to flow over the earth, but to go where +it liked, and to leave no trace of its passage. + +'Woe be to me!' cried Petru, frightened at last. + +'Beware, and never stand still,' called the brown horse, and more he +could not say, for the water was choking him. + +The battle began anew. For a day and a night Petru fought on, without +knowing at whom or what he struck. At dawn on the second, he felt that +both his feet were lame. + +'Now I am done for,' thought he, and his blows fell thicker and harder +in his desperation. And the sun came out and the water disappeared, +without his knowing how or when. + +'Take breath,' said the horse, 'for you have no time to lose. The Welwa +will return in a moment.' + +Petru made no reply, only wondered how, exhausted as he was, he should +ever be able to carry on the fight. But he settled himself in his +saddle, grasped his sword, and waited. + +And then something came to him--WHAT I cannot tell you. Perhaps, in his +dreams, a man may see a creature which has what it has not got, and has +not got what it has. At least, that was what the Welwa seemed like to +Petru. She flew with her feet, and walked with her wings; her head was +in her back, and her tail was on top of her body; her eyes were in her +neck, and her neck in her forehead, and how to describe her further I do +not know. + +Petru felt for a moment as if he was wrapped in a garment of fear; then +he shook himself and took heart, and fought as he had never yet fought +before. + +As the day wore on, his strength began to fail, and when darkness fell +he could hardly keep his eyes open. By midnight he knew he was no longer +on his horse, but standing on the ground, though he could not have +told how he got there. When the grey light of morning came, he was past +standing on his feet, but fought now upon his knees. + +'Make one more struggle; it is nearly over now,' said the horse, seeing +that Petru's strength was waning fast. + +Petru wiped the sweat from his brow with his gauntlet, and with a +desperate effort rose to his feet. + +'Strike the Welwa on the mouth with the bridle,' said the horse, and +Petru did it. + +The Welwa uttered a neigh so loud that Petru thought he would be deaf +for life, and then, though she too was nearly spent, flung herself upon +her enemy; but Petru was on the watch and threw the bridle over her +head, as she rushed on, so that when the day broke there were three +horses trotting beside him. + +'May your wife be the most beautiful of women,' said the Welwa, 'for +you have delivered me from my enchantment.' So the four horses galloped +fast, and by nightfall they were at the borders of the golden forest. + +Then Petru began to think of the crowns that he wore, and what they had +cost him. + +'After all, what do I want with so many? I will keep the best,' he said +to himself; and taking off first the copper crown and then the silver, +he threw them away. + +'Stay!' cried the horse, 'do not throw them away! Perhaps we shall find +them of use. Get down and pick them up.' So Petru got down and picked +them up, and they all went on. + +In the evening, when the sun is getting low, and all the midges are +beginning to bite, Peter saw a wide heath stretching before him. + +At the same instant the horse stood still of itself. + +'What is the matter?' asked Petru. + +'I am afraid that something evil will happen to us,' answered the horse. + +'But why should it?' + +'We are going to enter the kingdom of the goddess Mittwoch,(2) and the +further we ride into it the colder we shall get. But all along the road +there are huge fires, and I dread lest you should stop and warm yourself +at them.' + +(2) In German 'Mittwoch,' the feminine form of Mercury. + +'And why should I not warm myself?' + +'Something fearful will happen to you if you do,' replied the horse +sadly. + +'Well, forward!' cried Petru lightly, 'and if I have to bear cold, I +must bear it!' + +With every step they went into the kingdom of Mittwoch, the air grew +colder and more icy, till even the marrow in their bones was frozen. But +Petru was no coward; the fight he had gone through had strengthened his +powers of endurance, and he stood the test bravely. + +Along the road on each side were great fires, with men standing by them, +who spoke pleasantly to Petru as he went by, and invited him to join +them. The breath froze in his mouth, but he took no notice, only bade +his horse ride on the faster. + +How long Petru may have waged battle silently with the cold one cannot +tell, for everybody knows that the kingdom of Mittwoch is not to be +crossed in a day, but he struggled on, though the frozen rocks burst +around, and though his teeth chattered, and even his eyelids were +frozen. + +At length they reached the dwelling of Mittwoch herself, and, jumping +from his horse, Petru threw the reins over his horse's neck and entered +the hut. + +'Good-day, little mother!' said he. + +'Very well, thank you, my frozen friend!' + +Petru laughed, and waited for her to speak. + +'You have borne yourself bravely,' went on the goddess, tapping him on +the shoulder. 'Now you shall have your reward,' and she opened an iron +chest, out of which she took a little box. + +'Look!' said she; 'this little box has been lying here for ages, waiting +for the man who could win his way through the Ice Kingdom. Take it, and +treasure it, for some day it may help you. + +If you open it, it will tell you anything you want, and give you news of +your fatherland.' + +Petru thanked her gratefully for her gift, mounted his horse, and rode +away. + +When he was some distance from the hut, he opened the casket. + +'What are your commands?' asked a voice inside. + +'Give me news of my father,' he replied, rather nervously. + +'He is sitting in council with his nobles,' answered the casket. + +'Is he well?' + +'Not particularly, for he is furiously angry.' + +'What has angered him?' + +'Your brothers Costan and Florea,' replied the casket. 'It seems to me +they are trying to rule him and the kingdom as well, and the old man +says they are not fit to do it.' + +'Push on, good horse, for we have no time to lose!' cried Petru; then he +shut up the box, and put it in his pocket. + +They rushed on as fast as ghosts, as whirlwinds, as vampires when they +hunt at midnight, and how long they rode no man can tell, for the way is +far. + +'Stop! I have some advice to give you,' said the horse at last. + +'What is it?' asked Petru. + +'You have known what it is to suffer cold; you will have to endure heat, +such as you have never dreamed of. Be as brave now as you were then. Let +no one tempt you to try to cool yourself, or evil will befall you.' + +'Forwards!' answered Petru. 'Do not worry yourself. If I have escaped +without being frozen, there is no chance of my melting.' + +'Why not? This is a heat that will melt the marrow in your bones--a heat +that is only to be felt in the kingdom of the Goddess of Thunder.'(3) + +(3) In the German 'Donnerstag'--the day of the Thunder God, i.e. +Jupiter. + +And it WAS hot. The very iron of the horse's shoes began to melt, but +Petru gave no heed. The sweat ran down his face, but he dried it with +his gauntlet. What heat could be he never knew before, and on the way, +not a stone's throw from the road, lay the most delicious valleys, full +of shady trees and bubbling streams. When Petru looked at them his heart +burned within him, and his mouth grew parched. And standing among the +flowers were lovely maidens who called to him in soft voices, till he +had to shut his eyes against their spells. + +'Come, my hero, come and rest; the heat will kill you,' said they. + +Petru shook his head and said nothing, for he had lost the power of +speech. + +Long he rode in this awful state, how long none can tell. Suddenly the +heat seemed to become less, and, in the distance, he saw a little hut +on a hill. This was the dwelling of the Goddess of Thunder, and when he +drew rein at her door the goddess herself came out to meet him. + +She welcomed him, and kindly invited him in, and bade him tell her all +his adventures. So Petru told her all that had happened to him, and why +he was there, and then took farewell of her, as he had no time to lose. +'For,' he said, 'who knows how far the Fairy of the Dawn may yet be?' + +'Stay for one moment, for I have a word of advice to give you. You are +about to enter the kingdom of Venus;(4) go and tell her, as a message +from me, that I hope she will not tempt you to delay. On your way back, +come to me again, and I will give you something that may be of use to +you.' + +(4) 'Vineri' is Friday, and also 'Venus.' + +So Petru mounted his horse, and had hardly ridden three steps when he +found himself in a new country. Here it was neither hot nor cold, but +the air was warm and soft like spring, though the way ran through a +heath covered with sand and thistles. + +'What can that be?' asked Petru, when he saw a long, long way off, at +the very end of the heath, something resembling a house. + +'That is the house of the goddess Venus,' replied the horse, 'and if we +ride hard we may reach it before dark'; and he darted off like an +arrow, so that as twilight fell they found themselves nearing the house. +Petru's heart leaped at the sight, for all the way along he had been +followed by a crowd of shadowy figures who danced about him from right +to left, and from back to front, and Petru, though a brave man, felt now +and then a thrill of fear. + +'They won't hurt you,' said the horse; 'they are just the daughters of +the whirlwind amusing themselves while they are waiting for the ogre of +the moon.' + +Then he stopped in front of the house, and Petru jumped off and went to +the door. + +'Do not be in such a hurry,' cried the horse. 'There are several things +I must tell you first. You cannot enter the house of the goddess Venus +like that. She is always watched and guarded by the whirlwind.' + +'What am I to do then?' + +'Take the copper wreath, and go with it to that little hill over +there. When you reach it, say to yourself, "Were there ever such lovely +maidens! such angels! such fairy souls!" Then hold the wreath high in +the air and cry, "Oh! if I knew whether any one would accept this wreath +from me... if I knew! if I knew!" and throw the wreath from you!' + +'And why should I do all this?' said Petru. + +'Ask no questions, but go and do it,' replied the horse. And Petru did. + +Scarcely had he flung away the copper wreath than the whirlwind flung +himself upon it, and tore it in pieces. + +Then Petru turned once more to the horse. + +'Stop!' cried the horse again. 'I have other things to tell you. + +Take the silver wreath and knock at the windows of the goddess Venus. +When she says, "Who is there?" answer that you have come on foot and +lost your way on the heath. She will then tell you to go your way back +again; but take care not to stir from the spot. Instead, be sure you say +to her, "No, indeed I shall do nothing of the sort, as from my childhood +I have heard stories of the beauty of the goddess Venus, and it was not +for nothing that I had shoes made of leather with soles of steel, and +have travelled for nine years and nine months, and have won in battle +the silver wreath, which I hope you may allow me to give you, and have +done and suffered everything to be where I now am." This is what you +must say. What happens after is your affair.' + +Petru asked no more, but went towards the house. + +By this time it was pitch dark, and there was only the ray of light +that streamed through the windows to guide him, and at the sound of his +footsteps two dogs began to bark loudly. + +'Which of those dogs is barking? Is he tired of life?' asked the goddess +Venus. + +'It is I, O goddess!' replied Petru, rather timidly. 'I have lost my way +on the heath, and do not know where I am to sleep this night.' + +'Where did you leave your horse?' asked the goddess sharply. + +Petru did not answer. He was not sure if he was to lie, or whether he +had better tell the truth. + +'Go away, my son, there is no place for you here,' replied she, drawing +back from the window. + +Then Petru repeated hastily what the horse had told him to say, and no +sooner had he done so than the goddess opened the window, and in gentle +tones she asked him: + +'Let me see this wreath, my son,' and Petru held it out to her. + +'Come into the house,' went on the goddess; 'do not fear the dogs, they +always know my will.' And so they did, for as the young man passed they +wagged their tails to him. + +'Good evening,' said Petru as he entered the house, and, seating himself +near the fire, listened comfortably to whatever the goddess might choose +to talk about, which was for the most part the wickedness of men, +with whom she was evidently very angry. But Petru agreed with her in +everything, as he had been taught was only polite. + +But was anybody ever so old as she! I do not know why Petru devoured her +so with his eyes, unless it was to count the wrinkles on her face; but +if so he would have had to live seven lives, and each life seven times +the length of an ordinary one, before he could have reckoned them up. + +But Venus was joyful in her heart when she saw Petru's eyes fixed upon +her. + +'Nothing was that is, and the world was not a world when I was born,' +said she. 'When I grew up and the world came into being, everyone +thought I was the most beautiful girl that ever was seen, though many +hated me for it. But every hundred years there came a wrinkle on my +face. And now I am old.' Then she went on to tell Petru that she was the +daughter of an emperor, and their nearest neighbour was the Fairy of the +Dawn, with whom she had a violent quarrel, and with that she broke out +into loud abuse of her. + +Petru did not know what to do. He listened in silence for the most +part, but now and then he would say, 'Yes, yes, you must have been badly +treated,' just for politeness' sake; what more could he do? + +'I will give you a task to perform, for you are brave, and will carry it +through,' continued Venus, when she had talked a long time, and both +of them were getting sleepy. 'Close to the Fairy's house is a well, and +whoever drinks from it will blossom again like a rose. Bring me a flagon +of it, and I will do anything to prove my gratitude. It is not easy! no +one knows that better than I do! The kingdom is guarded on every side by +wild beasts and horrible dragons; but I will tell you more about that, +and I also have something to give you.' Then she rose and lifted the lid +of an iron-bound chest, and took out of it a very tiny flute. + +'Do you see this?' she asked. 'An old man gave it to me when I was +young: whoever listens to this flute goes to sleep, and nothing can wake +him. Take it and play on it as long as you remain in the kingdom of the +Fairy of the Dawn, and you will be safe. + +At this, Petru told her that he had another task to fulfil at the well +of the Fairy of the Dawn, and Venus was still better pleased when she +heard his tale. + +So Petru bade her good-night, put the flute in its case, and laid +himself down in the lowest chamber to sleep. + +Before the dawn he was awake again, and his first care was to give to +each of his horses as much corn as he could eat, and then to lead them +to the well to water. Then he dressed himself and made ready to start. + +'Stop,' cried Venus from her window, 'I have still a piece of advice +to give you. Leave one of your horses here, and only take three. Ride +slowly till you get to the fairy's kingdom, then dismount and go on +foot. When you return, see that all your three horses remain on the +road, while you walk. But above all beware never to look the Fairy +of the Dawn in the face, for she has eyes that will bewitch you, and +glances that will befool you. + +She is hideous, more hideous than anything you can imagine, with owl's +eyes, foxy face, and cat's claws. Do you hear? do you hear? Be sure you +never look at her.' + +Petru thanked her, and managed to get off at last. + +Far, far away, where the heavens touch the earth, where the stars kiss +the flowers, a soft red light was seen, such as the sky sometimes has in +spring, only lovelier, more wonderful. + +That light was behind the palace of the Fairy of the Dawn, and it took +Petru two days and nights through flowery meadows to reach it. And +besides, it was neither hot nor cold, bright nor dark, but something of +them all, and Petru did not find the way a step too long. + +After some time Petru saw something white rise up out of the red of the +sky, and when he drew nearer he saw it was a castle, and so splendid +that his eyes were dazzled when they looked at it. He did not know there +was such a beautiful castle in the world. + +But no time was to be lost, so he shook himself, jumped down from his +horse, and, leaving him on the dewy grass, began to play on his flute as +he walked along. + +He had hardly gone many steps when he stumbled over a huge giant, who +had been lulled to sleep by the music. This was one of the guards of the +castle! As he lay there on his back, he seemed so big that in spite of +Petru's haste he stopped to measure him. + +The further went Petru, the more strange and terrible were the sights he +saw--lions, tigers, dragons with seven heads, all stretched out in the +sun fast asleep. It is needless to say what the dragons were like, for +nowadays everyone knows, and dragons are not things to joke about. Petru +ran through them like the wind. Was it haste or fear that spurred him +on? + +At last he came to a river, but let nobody think for a moment that this +river was like other rivers? Instead of water, there flowed milk, +and the bottom was of precious stones and pearls, instead of sand +and pebbles. And it ran neither fast nor slow, but both fast and slow +together. And the river flowed round the castle, and on its banks slept +lions with iron teeth and claws; and beyond were gardens such as only +the Fairy of the Dawn can have, and on the flowers slept a fairy! All +this saw Petru from the other side. + +But how was he to get over? To be sure there was a bridge, but, even if +it had not been guarded by sleeping lions, it was plainly not meant for +man to walk on. Who could tell what it was made of? It looked like soft +little woolly clouds! + +So he stood thinking what was to be done, for get across he must. + +After a while, he determined to take the risk, and strode back to the +sleeping giant. 'Wake up, my brave man!' he cried, giving him a shake. + +The giant woke and stretched out his hand to pick up Petru, just as we +should catch a fly. But Petru played on his flute, and the giant fell +back again. Petru tried this three times, and when he was satisfied that +the giant was really in his power he took out a handkerchief, bound the +two little fingers of the giant together, drew his sword, and cried for +the fourth time, 'Wake up, my brave man.' + +When the giant saw the trick which had been played on him he said to +Petru. 'Do you call this a fair fight? Fight according to rules, if you +really are a hero!' + +'I will by-and-by, but first I want to ask you a question! Will you +swear that you will carry me over the river if I fight honourably with +you?' And the giant swore. + +When his hands were freed, the giant flung himself upon Petru, hoping to +crush him by his weight. But he had met his match. It was not yesterday, +nor the day before, that Petru had fought his first battle, and he bore +himself bravely. + +For three days and three nights the battle raged, and sometimes one had +the upper hand, and sometimes the other, till at length they both lay +struggling on the ground, but Petru was on top, with the point of his +sword at the giant's throat. + +'Let me go! let me go!' shrieked he. 'I own that I am beaten!' + +'Will you take me over the river?' asked Petru. + +'I will,' gasped the giant. + +'What shall I do to you if you break your word?' + +'Kill me, any way you like! But let me live now.' + +'Very well,' said Petru, and he bound the giant's left hand to his right +foot, tied one handkerchief round his mouth to prevent him crying out, +and another round his eyes, and led him to the river. + +Once they had reached the bank he stretched one leg over to the other +side, and, catching up Petru in the palm of his hand, set him down on +the further shore. + +'That is all right,' said Petru. Then he played a few notes on his +flute, and the giant went to sleep again. Even the fairies who had been +bathing a little lower down heard the music and fell asleep among the +flowers on the bank. Petru saw them as he passed, and thought, 'If they +are so beautiful, why should the Fairy of the Dawn be so ugly?' But he +dared not linger, and pushed on. + +And now he was in the wonderful gardens, which seemed more wonderful +still than they had done from afar. But Petru could see no faded +flowers, nor any birds, as he hastened through them to the castle. No +one was there to bar his way, for all were asleep. Even the leaves had +ceased to move. + +He passed through the courtyard, and entered the castle itself. + +What he beheld there need not be told, for all the world knows that the +palace of the Fairy of the Dawn is no ordinary place. Gold and precious +stones were as common as wood with us, and the stables where the horses +of the sun were kept were more splendid than the palace of the greatest +emperor in the world. + +Petru went up the stairs and walked quickly through eight-and-forty +rooms, hung with silken stuffs, and all empty. In the forty-ninth he +found the Fairy of the Dawn herself. + +In the middle of this room, which was as large as a church, Petru saw +the celebrated well that he had come so far to seek. It was a well +just like other wells, and it seemed strange that the Fairy of the Dawn +should have it in her own chamber; yet anyone could tell it had been +there for hundreds of years. And by the well slept the Fairy of the +Dawn--the Fairy of the Dawn--herself! + +And as Petru looked at her the magic flute dropped by his side, and he +held his breath. + +Near the well was a table, on which stood bread made with does' milk, +and a flagon of wine. It was the bread of strength and the wine of +youth, and Petru longed for them. He looked once at the bread and once +at the wine, and then at the Fairy of the Dawn, still sleeping on her +silken cushions. + +As he looked a mist came over his senses. The fairy opened her eyes +slowly and looked at Petru, who lost his head still further; but he just +managed to remember his flute, and a few notes of it sent the Fairy +to sleep again, and he kissed her thrice. Then he stooped and laid his +golden wreath upon her forehead, ate a piece of the bread and drank a +cupful of the wine of youth, and this he did three times over. Then he +filled a flask with water from the well, and vanished swiftly. + +As he passed through the garden it seemed quite different from what +it was before. The flowers were lovelier, the streams ran quicker, the +sunbeams shone brighter, and the fairies seemed gayer. And all this had +been caused by the three kisses Petru had given the Fairy of the Dawn. + +He passed everything safely by, and was soon seated in his saddle again. +Faster than the wind, faster than thought, faster than longing, faster +than hatred rode Petru. At length he dismounted, and, leaving his horses +at the roadside, went on foot to the house of Venus. + +The goddess Venus knew that he was coming, and went to meet him, bearing +with her white bread and red wine. + +'Welcome back, my prince,' said she. + +'Good day, and many thanks,' replied the young man, holding out the +flask containing the magic water. She received it with joy, and after a +short rest Petru set forth, for he had no time to lose. + +He stopped a few minutes, as he had promised, with the Goddess of +Thunder, and was taking a hasty farewell of her, when she called him +back. + +'Stay, I have a warning to give you,' said she. 'Beware of your life; +make friends with no man; do not ride fast, or let the water go out of +your hand; believe no one, and flee flattering tongues. Go, and take +care, for the way is long, the world is bad, and you hold something very +precious. But I will give you this cloth to help you. It is not much +to look at, but it is enchanted, and whoever carries it will never be +struck by lightning, pierced by a lance, or smitten with a sword, and +the arrows will glance off his body.' + +Petru thanked her and rode off, and, taking out his treasure box, +inquired how matters were going at home. Not well, it said. The emperor +was blind altogether now, and Florea and Costan had besought him to give +the government of the kingdom into their hands; but he would not, saying +that he did not mean to resign the government till he had washed his +eyes from the well of the Fairy of the Dawn. Then the brothers had gone +to consult old Birscha, who told them that Petru was already on his way +home bearing the water. They had set out to meet him, and would try +to take the magic water from him, and then claim as their reward the +government of the emperor. + +'You are lying!' cried Petru angrily, throwing the box on the ground, +where it broke into a thousand pieces. + +It was not long before he began to catch glimpses of his native land, +and he drew rein near a bridge, the better to look at it. He was still +gazing, when he heard a sound in the distance as if some one was calling +hit by his name. + +'You, Petru!' it said. + +'On! on!' cried the horse; 'it will fare ill with you if you stop.' + +'No, let us stop, and see who and what it is!' answered Petru, turning +his horse round, and coming face to face with his two brothers. He had +forgotten the warning given him by the Goddess of Thunder, and when +Costan and Florea drew near with soft and flattering words he jumped +straight off his horse, and rushed to embrace them. He had a thousand +questions to ask, and a thousand things to tell. But his brown horse +stood sadly hanging his head. + +'Petru, my dear brother,' at length said Florea, 'would it not be better +if we carried the water for you? Some one might try to take it from you +on the road, while no one would suspect us.' + +'So it would,' added Costan. 'Florea speaks well.' But Petru shook his +head, and told them what the Goddess of Thunder had said, and about the +cloth she had given him. And both brothers understood there was only one +way in which they could kill him. + +At a stone's throw from where they stood ran a rushing stream, with +clear deep pools. + +'Don't you feel thirsty, Costan?' asked Florea, winking at him. + +'Yes,' replied Costan, understanding directly what was wanted. 'Come, +Petru, let us drink now we have the chance, and then we will set out on +our way home. It is a good thing you have us with you, to protect you +from harm.' + +The horse neighed, and Petru knew what it meant, and did not go with his +brothers. + +No, he went home to his father, and cured his blindness; and as for his +brothers, they never returned again. + +(From Rumanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE ENCHANTED KNIFE + +Once upon a time there lived a young man who vowed that he would never +marry any girl who had not royal blood in her veins. One day he plucked +up all his courage and went to the palace to ask the emperor for his +daughter. The emperor was not much pleased at the thought of such a +match for his only child, but being very polite, he only said: + +'Very well, my son, if you can win the princess you shall have her, +and the conditions are these. In eight days you must manage to tame and +bring to me three horses that have never felt a master. The first is +pure white, the second a foxy-red with a black head, the third coal +black with a white head and feet. And besides that, you must also bring +as a present to the empress, my wife, as much gold as the three horses +can carry.' + +The young man listened in dismay to these words, but with an effort he +thanked the emperor for his kindness and left the palace, wondering +how he was to fulfil the task allotted to him. Luckily for him, the +emperor's daughter had overheard everything her father had said, and +peeping through a curtain had seen the youth, and thought him handsomer +than anyone she had ever beheld. + +So returning hastily to her own room, she wrote him a letter which she +gave to a trusty servant to deliver, begging her wooer to come to her +rooms early the next day, and to undertake nothing without her advice, +if he ever wished her to be his wife. + +That night, when her father was asleep, she crept softly into his +chamber and took out an enchanted knife from the chest where he kept his +treasures, and hid it carefully in a safe place before she went to bed. + +The sun had hardly risen the following morning when the princess's nurse +brought the young man to her apartments. Neither spoke for some minutes, +but stood holding each other's hands for joy, till at last they both +cried out that nothing but death should part them. Then the maiden said: + +'Take my horse, and ride straight through the wood towards the sunset +till you come to a hill with three peaks. When you get there, turn first +to the right and then to the left, and you will find yourself in a sun +meadow, where many horses are feeding. Out of these you must pick out +the three described to you by my father. If they prove shy, and refuse +to let you get near them, draw out your knife, and let the sun shine on +it so that the whole meadow is lit up by its rays, and the horses will +then approach you of their own accord, and will let you lead them away. +When you have them safely, look about till you see a cypress tree, whose +roots are of brass, whose boughs are of silver, and whose leaves are +of gold. Go to it, and cut away the roots with your knife, and you will +come to countless bags of gold. Load the horses with all they can carry, +and return to my father, and tell him that you have done your task, and +can claim me for your wife.' + +The princess had finished all she had to say, and now it depended on the +young man to do his part. He hid the knife in the folds of his girdle, +mounted his horse, and rode off in search of the meadow. This he found +without much difficulty, but the horses were all so shy that they +galloped away directly he approached them. Then he drew his knife, and +held it up towards the sun, and directly there shone such a glory that +the whole meadow was bathed in it. From all sides the horses rushed +pressing round, and each one that passed him fell on its knees to do him +honour. + +But he only chose from them all the three that the emperor had +described. These he secured by a silken rope to his own horse, and then +looked about for the cypress tree. It was standing by itself in one +corner, and in a moment he was beside it, tearing away the earth with +his knife. Deeper and deeper he dug, till far down, below the roots of +brass, his knife struck upon the buried treasure, which lay heaped up +in bags all around. With a great effort he lifted them from their hiding +place, and laid them one by one on his horses' backs, and when they +could carry no more he led them back to the emperor. And when the +emperor saw him, he wondered, but never guessed how it was the young man +had been too clever for him, till the betrothal ceremony was over. Then +he asked his newly made son-in-law what dowry he would require with his +bride. To which the bridegroom made answer, 'Noble emperor! all I desire +is that I may have your daughter for my wife, and enjoy for ever the use +of your enchanted knife.' + +(Volksmarchen der Serben.) + + + + +JESPER WHO HERDED THE HARES + +There was once a king who ruled over a kingdom somewhere between sunrise +and sunset. It was as small as kingdoms usually were in old times, and +when the king went up to the roof of his palace and took a look round +he could see to the ends of it in every direction. But as it was all his +own, he was very proud of it, and often wondered how it would get along +without him. He had only one child, and that was a daughter, so he +foresaw that she must be provided with a husband who would be fit to be +king after him. Where to find one rich enough and clever enough to be +a suitable match for the princess was what troubled him, and often kept +him awake at night. + +At last he devised a plan. He made a proclamation over all his kingdom +(and asked his nearest neighbours to publish it in theirs as well) that +whoever could bring him a dozen of the finest pearls the king had ever +seen, and could perform certain tasks that would be set him, should +have his daughter in marriage and in due time succeed to the throne. The +pearls, he thought, could only be brought by a very wealthy man, and the +tasks would require unusual talents to accomplish them. + +There were plenty who tried to fulfil the terms which the king proposed. +Rich merchants and foreign princes presented themselves one after the +other, so that some days the number of them was quite annoying; but, +though they could all produce magnificent pearls, not one of them could +perform even the simplest of the tasks set them. Some turned up, too, +who were mere adventurers, and tried to deceive the old king with +imitation pearls; but he was not to be taken in so easily, and they were +soon sent about their business. At the end of several weeks the stream +of suitors began to fall off, and still there was no prospect of a +suitable son-in-law. + +Now it so happened that in a little corner of the king's dominions, +beside the sea, there lived a poor fisher, who had three sons, and their +names were Peter, Paul, and Jesper. Peter and Paul were grown men, while +Jesper was just coming to manhood. + +The two elder brothers were much bigger and stronger than the youngest, +but Jesper was far the cleverest of the three, though neither Peter nor +Paul would admit this. It was a fact, however, as we shall see in the +course of our story. + +One day the fisherman went out fishing, and among his catch for the day +he brought home three dozen oysters. When these were opened, every shell +was found to contain a large and beautiful pearl. Hereupon the three +brothers, at one and the same moment, fell upon the idea of offering +themselves as suitors for the princess. After some discussion, it was +agreed that the pearls should be divided by lot, and that each should +have his chance in the order of his age: of course, if the oldest was +successful the other two would be saved the trouble of trying. + +Next morning Peter put his pearls in a little basket, and set off for +the king's palace. He had not gone far on his way when he came upon the +King of the Ants and the King of the Beetles, who, with their armies +behind them, were facing each other and preparing for battle. + +'Come and help me,' said the King of the Ants; 'the beetles are too big +for us. I may help you some day in return.' + +'I have no time to waste on other people's affairs,' said Peter; 'just +fight away as best you can;' and with that he walked off and left them. + +A little further on the way he met an old woman. + +'Good morning, young man,' said she; 'you are early astir. What have you +got in your basket?' + +'Cinders,' said Peter promptly, and walked on, adding to himself, 'Take +that for being so inquisitive.' + +'Very well, cinders be it,' the old woman called after him, but he +pretended not to hear her. + +Very soon he reached the palace, and was at once brought before the +king. When he took the cover off the basket, the king and all his +courtiers said with one voice that these were the finest pearls they +had ever seen, and they could not take their eyes off them. But then +a strange thing happened: the pearls began to lose their whiteness and +grew quite dim in colour; then they grew blacker and blacker till at +last they were just like so many cinders. Peter was so amazed that he +could say nothing for himself, but the king said quite enough for both, +and Peter was glad to get away home again as fast as his legs would +carry him. To his father and brothers, however, he gave no account of +his attempt, except that it had been a failure. + +Next day Paul set out to try his luck. He soon came upon the King of the +Ants and the King of the Beetles, who with their armies had encamped on +the field of battle all night, and were ready to begin the fight again. + +'Come and help me,' said the King of the Ants; 'we got the worst of it +yesterday. I may help you some day in return.' + +'I don't care though you get the worst of it to-day too,' said Paul. +'I have more important business on hand than mixing myself up in your +quarrels.' + +So he walked on, and presently the same old woman met him. 'Good +morning,' said she; 'what have YOU got in your basket?' + +'Cinders,' said Paul, who was quite as insolent as his brother, and +quite as anxious to teach other people good manners. + +'Very well, cinders be it,' the old woman shouted after him, but Paul +neither looked back nor answered her. He thought more of what she said, +however, after his pearls also turned to cinders before the eyes of +king and court: then he lost no time in getting home again, and was very +sulky when asked how he had succeeded. + +The third day came, and with it came Jesper's turn to try his fortune. +He got up and had his breakfast, while Peter and Paul lay in bed and +made rude remarks, telling him that he would come back quicker than +he went, for if they had failed it could not be supposed that he would +succeed. Jesper made no reply, but put his pearls in the little basket +and walked off. + +The King of the Ants and the King of the Beetles were again marshalling +their hosts, but the ants were greatly reduced in numbers, and had +little hope of holding out that day. + +'Come and help us,' said their king to Jesper, 'or we shall be +completely defeated. I may help you some day in return.' + +Now Jesper had always heard the ants spoken of as clever and industrious +little creatures, while he never heard anyone say a good word for the +beetles, so he agreed to give the wished-for help. At the first charge +he made, the ranks of the beetles broke and fled in dismay, and those +escaped best that were nearest a hole, and could get into it before +Jesper's boots came down upon them. In a few minutes the ants had the +field all to themselves; and their king made quite an eloquent speech to +Jesper, thanking him for the service he had done them, and promising to +assist him in any difficulty. + +'Just call on me when you want me,' he said, 'where-ever you are. I'm +never far away from anywhere, and if I can possibly help you, I shall +not fail to do it.' + +Jesper was inclined to laugh at this, but he kept a grave face, said +he would remember the offer, and walked on. At a turn of the road he +suddenly came upon the old woman. 'Good morning,' said she; 'what have +YOU got in your basket?' + +'Pearls,' said Jesper; 'I'm going to the palace to win the princess with +them.' And in case she might not believe him, he lifted the cover and +let her see them. + +'Beautiful,' said the old woman; 'very beautiful indeed; but they will +go a very little way towards winning the princess, unless you can also +perform the tasks that are set you. However,' she said, 'I see you have +brought something with you to eat. Won't you give that to me: you are +sure to get a good dinner at the palace.' + +'Yes, of course,' said Jesper, 'I hadn't thought of that'; and he handed +over the whole of his lunch to the old woman. + +He had already taken a few steps on the way again, when the old woman +called him back. + +'Here,' she said; 'take this whistle in return for your lunch. It isn't +much to look at, but if you blow it, anything that you have lost or that +has been taken from you will find its way back to you in a moment.' + +Jesper thanked her for the whistle, though he did not see of what use it +was to be to him just then, and held on his way to the palace. + +When Jesper presented his pearls to the king there were exclamations +of wonder and delight from everyone who saw them. It was not pleasant, +however, to discover that Jesper was a mere fisher-lad; that wasn't the +kind of son-in-law that the king had expected, and he said so to the +queen. + +'Never mind,' said she, 'you can easily set him such tasks as he will +never be able to perform: we shall soon get rid of him.' + +'Yes, of course,' said the king; 'really I forget things nowadays, with +all the bustle we have had of late.' + +That day Jesper dined with the king and queen and their nobles, and at +night was put into a bedroom grander than anything of the kind he had +ever seen. It was all so new to him that he could not sleep a wink, +especially as he was always wondering what kind of tasks would be set +him to do, and whether he would be able to perform them. In spite of the +softness of the bed, he was very glad when morning came at last. + +After breakfast was over, the king said to Jesper, 'Just come with me, +and I'll show you what you must do first.' He led him out to the barn, +and there in the middle of the floor was a large pile of grain. 'Here,' +said the king, 'you have a mixed heap of wheat, barley, oats, and rye, a +sackful of each. By an hour before sunset you must have these sorted out +into four heaps, and if a single grain is found to be in a wrong heap +you have no further chance of marrying my daughter. I shall lock the +door, so that no one can get in to assist you, and I shall return at the +appointed time to see how you have succeeded.' + +The king walked off, and Jesper looked in despair at the task before +him. Then he sat down and tried what he could do at it, but it was soon +very clear that single-handed he could never hope to accomplish it +in the time. Assistance was out of the question--unless, he suddenly +thought--unless the King of the Ants could help. On him he began to +call, and before many minutes had passed that royal personage made his +appearance. Jesper explained the trouble he was in. + +'Is that all?' said the ant; 'we shall soon put that to rights.' He gave +the royal signal, and in a minute or two a stream of ants came pouring +into the barn, who under the king's orders set to work to separate the +grain into the proper heaps. + +Jesper watched them for a while, but through the continual movement +of the little creatures, and his not having slept during the previous +night, he soon fell sound asleep. When he woke again, the king had just +come into the barn, and was amazed to find that not only was the task +accomplished, but that Jesper had found time to take a nap as well. + +'Wonderful,' said he; 'I couldn't have believed it possible. However, +the hardest is yet to come, as you will see to-morrow.' + +Jesper thought so too when the next day's task was set before him. The +king's gamekeepers had caught a hundred live hares, which were to be let +loose in a large meadow, and there Jesper must herd them all day, and +bring them safely home in the evening: if even one were missing, he +must give up all thought of marrying the princess. Before he had quite +grasped the fact that this was an impossible task, the keepers had +opened the sacks in which the hares were brought to the field, and, with +a whisk of the short tail and a flap of the long ears, each one of the +hundred flew in a different direction. + +'Now,' said the king, 'as he walked away, 'let's see what your +cleverness can do here.' + +Jesper stared round him in bewilderment, and having nothing better to do +with his hands, thrust them into his pockets, as he was in the habit of +doing. Here he found something which turned out to be the whistle given +to him by the old woman. He remembered what she had said about the +virtues of the whistle, but was rather doubtful whether its powers +would extend to a hundred hares, each of which had gone in a different +direction and might be several miles distant by this time. However, he +blew the whistle, and in a few minutes the hares came bounding through +the hedge on all the four sides of the field, and before long were all +sitting round him in a circle. After that, Jesper allowed them to run +about as they pleased, so long as they stayed in the field. + +The king had told one of the keepers to hang about for a little and see +what became of Jesper, not doubting, however, that as soon as he saw the +coast clear he would use his legs to the best advantage, and never +show face at the palace again. It was therefore with great surprise and +annoyance that he now learned of the mysterious return of the hares and +the likelihood of Jesper carrying out his task with success. + +'One of them must be got out of his hands by hook or crook,' said he. +'I'll go and see the queen about it; she's good at devising plans.' + +A little later, a girl in a shabby dress came into the field and walked +up to Jesper. + +'Do give me one of those hares,' she said; 'we have just got visitors +who are going to stay to dinner, and there's nothing we can give them to +eat.' + +'I can't,' said Jesper. 'For one thing, they're not mine; for another, a +great deal depends on my having them all here in the evening.' + +But the girl (and she was a very pretty girl, though so shabbily +dressed) begged so hard for one of them that at last he said: + +'Very well; give me a kiss and you shall have one of them.' + +He could see that she didn't quite care for this, but she consented to +the bargain, and gave him the kiss, and went away with a hare in her +apron. Scarcely had she got outside the field, however, when Jesper blew +his whistle, and immediately the hare wriggled out of its prison like an +eel, and went back to its master at the top of its speed. + +Not long after this the hare-herd had another visit. This time it was a +stout old woman in the dress of a peasant, who also was after a hare to +provide a dinner for unexpected visitors. Jesper again refused, but the +old lady was so pressing, and would take no refusal, that at last he +said: + +'Very well, you shall have a hare, and pay nothing for it either, if you +will only walk round me on tiptoe, look up to the sky, and cackle like a +hen.' + +'Fie,' said she; 'what a ridiculous thing to ask anyone to do; just +think what the neighbours would say if they saw me. They would think I +had taken leave of my senses.' + +'Just as you like,' said Jesper; 'you know best whether you want the +hare or not.' + +There was no help for it, and a pretty figure the old lady made in +carrying out her task; the cackling wasn't very well done, but Jesper +said it would do, and gave her the hare. As soon as she had left the +field, the whistle was sounded again, and back came long-legs-and-ears +at a marvellous speed. + +The next to appear on the same errand was a fat old fellow in the dress +of a groom: it was the royal livery he wore, and he plainly thought a +good deal of himself. + +'Young man,' said he, 'I want one of those hares; name your price, but I +MUST have one of them.' + +'All right,' said Jesper; 'you can have one at an easy rate. Just stand +on your head, whack your heels together, and cry "Hurrah," and the hare +is yours.' + +'Eh, what!' said the old fellow; 'ME stand on my head, what an idea!' + +'Oh, very well,' said Jesper, 'you needn't unless you like, you know; +but then you won't get the hare.' + +It went very much against the grain, one could see, but after some +efforts the old fellow had his head on the grass and his heels in the +air; the whacking and the 'Hurrah' were rather feeble, but Jesper was +not very exacting, and the hare was handed over. Of course, it wasn't +long in coming back again, like the others. + +Evening came, and home came Jesper with the hundred hares behind him. +Great was the wonder over all the palace, and the king and queen seemed +very much put out, but it was noticed that the princess actually smiled +to Jesper. + +'Well, well,' said the king; 'you have done that very well indeed. +If you are as successful with a little task which I shall give you +to-morrow we shall consider the matter settled, and you shall marry the +princess.' + +Next day it was announced that the task would be performed in the great +hall of the palace, and everyone was invited to come and witness it. The +king and queen sat on their thrones, with the princess beside them, and +the lords and ladies were all round the hall. At a sign from the king, +two servants carried in a large empty tub, which they set down in the +open space before the throne, and Jesper was told to stand beside it. + +'Now,' said the king, 'you must tell us as many undoubted truths as will +fill that tub, or you can't have the princess.' + +'But how are we to know when the tub is full?' said Jesper. + +'Don't you trouble about that,' said the king; 'that's my part of the +business.' + +This seemed to everybody present rather unfair, but no one liked to be +the first to say so, and Jesper had to put the best face he could on the +matter, and begin his story. + +'Yesterday,' he said, 'when I was herding the hares, there came to me a +girl, in a shabby dress, and begged me to give her one of them. She got +the hare, but she had to give me a kiss for it; AND THAT GIRL WAS THE +PRINCESS. Isn't that true?' said he, looking at her. + +The princess blushed and looked very uncomfortable, but had to admit +that it was true. + +'That hasn't filled much of the tub,' said the king. 'Go on again.' + +'After that,' said Jesper, 'a stout old woman, in a peasant's dress, +came and begged for a hare. Before she got it, she had to walk round me +on tiptoe, turn up her eyes, and cackle like a hen; AND THAT OLD WOMAN +WAS THE QUEEN. Isn't that true, now?' + +The queen turned very red and hot, but couldn't deny it. + +'H-m,' said the king; 'that is something, but the tub isn't full yet.' +To the queen he whispered, 'I didn't think you would be such a fool.' + +'What did YOU do?' she whispered in return. + +'Do you suppose I would do anything for HIM?' said the king, and then +hurriedly ordered Jesper to go on. + +'In the next place,' said Jesper, 'there came a fat old fellow on the +same errand. He was very proud and dignified, but in order to get the +hare he actually stood on his head, whacked his heels together, and +cried "Hurrah"; and that old fellow was the----' + +'Stop, stop,' shouted the king; 'you needn't say another word; the tub +is full.' Then all the court applauded, and the king and queen accepted +Jesper as their son-in-law, and the princess was very well pleased, for +by this time she had quite fallen in love with him, because he was so +handsome and so clever. When the old king got time to think over it, he +was quite convinced that his kingdom would be safe in Jesper's hands if +he looked after the people as well as he herded the hares. + +(Scandinavian.) + + + + +THE UNDERGROUND WORKERS + +On a bitter night somewhere between Christmas and the New Year, a man +set out to walk to the neighbouring village. It was not many miles off, +but the snow was so thick that there were no roads, or walls, or hedges +left to guide him, and very soon he lost his way altogether, and was +glad to get shelter from the wind behind a thick juniper tree. Here he +resolved to spend the night, thinking that when the sun rose he would be +able to see his path again. + +So he tucked his legs snugly under him like a hedgehog, rolled himself +up in his sheepskin, and went to sleep. How long he slept, I cannot tell +you, but after awhile he became aware that some one was gently shaking +him, while a stranger whispered, 'My good man, get up! If you lie there +any more, you will be buried in the snow, and no one will ever know what +became of you.' + +The sleeper slowly raised his head from his furs, and opened his heavy +eyes. Near him stood a long thin man, holding in his hand a young fir +tree taller than himself. 'Come with me,' said the man, 'a little way +off we have made a large fire, and you will rest far better there than +out upon this moor.' The sleeper did not wait to be asked twice, but +rose at once and followed the stranger. The snow was falling so fast +that he could not see three steps in front of him, till the stranger +waved his staff, when the drifts parted before them. Very soon they +reached a wood, and saw the friendly glow of a fire. + +'What is your name?' asked the stranger, suddenly turning round. + +'I am called Hans, the son of Long Hans,' said the peasant. + +In front of the fire three men were sitting clothed in white, just as +if it was summer, and for about thirty feet all round winter had been +banished. The moss was dry and the plants green, while the grass seemed +all alive with the hum of bees and cockchafers. But above the noise the +son of Long Hans could hear the whistling of the wind and the crackling +of the branches as they fell beneath the weight of the snow. + +'Well! you son of Long Hans, isn't this more comfortable than your +juniper bush?' laughed the stranger, and for answer Hans replied he +could not thank his friend enough for having brought him here, and, +throwing off his sheepskin, rolled it up as a pillow. Then, after a hot +drink which warmed both their hearts, they lay down on the ground. The +stranger talked for a little to the other men in a language Hans did +not understand, and after listening for a short time he once more fell +asleep. + +When he awoke, neither wood nor fire was to be seen, and he did not know +where he was. He rubbed his eyes, and began to recall the events of the +night, thinking he must have been dreaming; but for all that, he could +not make out how he came to be in this place. + +Suddenly a loud noise struck on his ear, and he felt the earth tremble +beneath his feet. Hans listened for a moment, then resolved to go +towards the place where the sound came from, hoping he might come across +some human being. He found himself at length at the mouth of a rocky +cave in which a fire seemed burning. He entered, and saw a huge forge, +and a crowd of men in front of it, blowing bellows and wielding hammers, +and to each anvil were seven men, and a set of more comical smiths could +not be found if you searched all the world through! Their heads were +bigger than their little bodies, and their hammers twice the size of +themselves, but the strongest men on earth could not have handled their +iron clubs more stoutly or given lustier blows. + +The little blacksmiths were clad in leather aprons, which covered them +from their necks to their feet in front, and left their backs naked. +On a high stool against the wall sat the man with the pinewood staff, +watching sharply the way the little fellows did their work, and near him +stood a large can, from which every now and then the workers would come +and take a drink. The master no longer wore the white garments of the +day before, but a black jerkin, held in its place by a leathern girdle +with huge clasps. + +From time to time he would give his workmen a sign with his staff, for +it was useless to speak amid such a noise. + +If any of them had noticed that there was a stranger present they took +no heed of him, but went on with what they were doing. After some hours' +hard labour came the time for rest, and they all flung their hammers to +the ground and trooped out of the cave. + +Then the master got down from his seat and said to Hans: + +'I saw you come in, but the work was pressing, and I could not stop to +speak to you. To-day you must be my guest, and I will show you something +of the way in which I live. Wait here for a moment, while I lay aside +these dirty clothes.' With these words he unlocked a door in the cave, +and bade Hans pass in before him. + +Oh, what riches and treasures met Hans' astonished eyes! Gold and silver +bars lay piled on the floor, and glittered so that you could not look at +them! Hans thought he would count them for fun, and had already reached +the five hundred and seventieth when his host returned and cried, +laughing: + +'Do not try to count them, it would take too long; choose some of the +bars from the heap, as I should like to make you a present of them.' + +Hans did not wait to be asked twice, and stooped to pick up a bar of +gold, but though he put forth all his strength he could not even move it +with both hands, still less lift it off the ground. + +'Why, you have no more power than a flea,' laughed the host; 'you will +have to content yourself with feasting your eyes upon them!' + +So he bade Hans follow him through other rooms, till they entered one +bigger than a church, filled, like the rest, with gold and silver. +Hans wondered to see these vast riches, which might have bought all the +kingdoms of the world, and lay buried, useless, he thought, to anyone. + +'What is the reason,' he asked of his guide, 'that you gather up these +treasures here, where they can do good to nobody? If they fell into +the hands of men, everyone would be rich, and none need work or suffer +hunger.' + +'And it is exactly for that reason,' answered he, 'that I must keep +these riches out of their way. The whole world would sink to idleness if +men were not forced to earn their daily bread. It is only through work +and care that man can ever hope to be good for anything.' + +Hans stared at these words, and at last he begged that his host would +tell him what use it was to anybody that this gold and silver should lie +mouldering there, and the owner of it be continually trying to increase +his treasure, which already overflowed his store rooms. + +'I am not really a man,' replied his guide, 'though I have the outward +form of one, but one of those beings to whom is given the care of the +world. It is my task and that of my workmen to prepare under the earth +the gold and silver, a small portion of which finds its way every year +to the upper world, but only just enough to help them carry on their +business. To none comes wealth without trouble: we must first dig out +the gold and mix the grains with earth, clay, and sand. Then, after long +and hard seeking, it will be found in this state, by those who have good +luck or much patience. But, my friend, the hour of dinner is at hand. If +you wish to remain in this place, and feast your eyes on this gold, then +stay till I call you.' + +In his absence Hans wandered from one treasure chamber to another, +sometimes trying to break off a little lump of gold, but never able to +do it. After awhile his host came back, but so changed that Hans could +not believe it was really he. His silken clothes were of the brightest +flame colour, richly trimmed with gold fringes and lace; a golden girdle +was round his waist, while his head was encircled with a crown of gold, +and precious stones twinkled about him like stars in a winter's night, +and in place of his wooden stick he held a finely worked golden staff. + +The lord of all this treasure locked the doors and put the keys in his +pocket, then led Hans into another room, where dinner was laid for them. +Table and seats were all of silver, while the dishes and plates were of +solid gold. Directly they sat down, a dozen little servants appeared to +wait on them, which they did so cleverly and so quickly that Hans could +hardly believe they had no wings. As they did not reach as high as the +table, they were often obliged to jump and hop right on to the top to +get at the dishes. Everything was new to Hans, and though he was rather +bewildered he enjoyed himself very much, especially when the man with +the golden crown began to tell him many things he had never heard of +before. + +'Between Christmas and the New Year,' said he, 'I often amuse myself +by wandering about the earth watching the doings of men and learning +something about them. But as far as I have seen and heard I cannot +speak well of them. The greater part of them are always quarrelling and +complaining of each other's faults, while nobody thinks of his own.' + +Hans tried to deny the truth of these words, but he could not do it, and +sat silent, hardly listening to what his friend was saying. Then he went +to sleep in his chair, and knew nothing of what was happening. + +Wonderful dreams came to him during his sleep, where the bars of gold +continually hovered before his eyes. He felt stronger than he had ever +felt during his waking moments, and lifted two bars quite easily on +to his back. He did this so often that at length his strength seemed +exhausted, and he sank almost breathless on the ground. Then he heard +the sound of cheerful voices, and the song of the blacksmiths as they +blew their bellows--he even felt as if he saw the sparks flashing before +his eyes. Stretching himself, he awoke slowly, and here he was in the +green forest, and instead of the glow of the fire in the underworld +the sun was streaming on him, and he sat up wondering why he felt so +strange. + +At length his memory came back to him, and as he called to mind all the +wonderful things he had seen he tried in vain to make them agree with +those that happen every day. After thinking it over till he was nearly +mad, he tried at last to believe that one night between Christmas and +the New Year he had met a stranger in the forest, and had slept all +night in his company before a big fire; the next day they had dined +together, and had drunk a great deal more than was good for them--in +short, he had spent two whole days revelling with another man. But here, +with the full tide of summer around him, he could hardly accept his own +explanation, and felt that he must have been the plaything or sport of +some magician. + +Near him, in the full sunlight, were the traces of a dead fire, and when +he drew close to it he saw that what he had taken for ashes was really +fine silver dust, and that the half burnt firewood was made of gold. + +Oh, how lucky Hans thought himself; but where should he get a sack to +carry his treasure home before anyone else found it? But necessity is +the mother of invention: Hans threw off his fur coat, gathered up the +silver ashes so carefully in it that none remained behind, laid the gold +sticks on top, and tied up the bag thus made with his girdle, so that +nothing should fall out. The load was not, in point of fact, very heavy, +although it seemed so to his imagination, and he moved slowly along till +he found a safe hiding-place for it. + +In this way Hans suddenly became rich--rich enough to buy a property of +his own. But being a prudent man, he finally decided that it would be +best for him to leave his old neighbourhood and look for a home in a +distant part of the country, where nobody knew anything about him. It +did not take him long to find what he wanted, and after he had paid for +it there was plenty of money left over. When he was settled, he married +a pretty girl who lived near by, and had some children, to whom on his +death-bed he told the story of the lord of the underworld, and how he +had made Hans rich. + +(Ehstnische Marchen.) + + + + +THE HISTORY OF DWARF LONG NOSE + +It is a great mistake to think that fairies, witches, magicians, and +such people lived only in Eastern countries and in such times as those +of the Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid. Fairies and their like belong to every +country and every age, and no doubt we should see plenty of them now--if +we only knew how. + +In a large town in Germany there lived, some couple of hundred years +ago, a cobbler and his wife. They were poor and hard-working. The man +sat all day in a little stall at the street corner and mended any shoes +that were brought him. His wife sold the fruit and vegetables they grew +in their garden in the Market Place, and as she was always neat and +clean and her goods were temptingly spread out she had plenty of +customers. + +The couple had one boy called Jem. A handsome, pleasant-faced boy of +twelve, and tall for his age. He used to sit by his mother in the market +and would carry home what people bought from her, for which they often +gave him a pretty flower, or a slice of cake, or even some small coin. + +One day Jem and his mother sat as usual in the Market Place with plenty +of nice herbs and vegetables spread out on the board, and in some +smaller baskets early pears, apples, and apricots. Jem cried his wares +at the top of his voice: + +'This way, gentlemen! See these lovely cabbages and these fresh herbs! +Early apples, ladies; early pears and apricots, and all cheap. Come, +buy, buy!' + +As he cried an old woman came across the Market Place. She looked very +torn and ragged, and had a small sharp face, all wrinkled, with red +eyes, and a thin hooked nose which nearly met her chin. She leant on +a tall stick and limped and shuffled and stumbled along as if she were +going to fall on her nose at any moment. + +In this fashion she came along till she got to the stall where Jem and +his mother were, and there she stopped. + +'Are you Hannah the herb seller?' she asked in a croaky voice as her +head shook to and fro. + +'Yes, I am,' was the answer. 'Can I serve you?' + +'We'll see; we'll see! Let me look at those herbs. I wonder if you've +got what I want,' said the old woman as she thrust a pair of hideous +brown hands into the herb basket, and began turning over all the neatly +packed herbs with her skinny fingers, often holding them up to her nose +and sniffing at them. + +The cobbler's wife felt much disgusted at seeing her wares treated like +this, but she dared not speak. When the old hag had turned over the +whole basket she muttered, 'Bad stuff, bad stuff; much better fifty +years ago--all bad.' + +This made Jem very angry + +'You are a very rude old woman,' he cried out. 'First you mess all our +nice herbs about with your horrid brown fingers and sniff at them with +your long nose till no one else will care to buy them, and then you say +it's all bad stuff, though the duke's cook himself buys all his herbs +from us.' + +The old woman looked sharply at the saucy boy, laughed unpleasantly, and +said: + +'So you don't like my long nose, sonny? Well, you shall have one +yourself, right down to your chin.' + +As she spoke she shuffled towards the hamper of cabbages, took up one +after another, squeezed them hard, and threw them back, muttering again, +'Bad stuff, bad stuff.' + +'Don't waggle your head in that horrid way,' begged Jem anxiously. 'Your +neck is as thin as a cabbage-stalk, and it might easily break and your +head fall into the basket, and then who would buy anything?' + +'Don't you like thin necks?' laughed the old woman. 'Then you sha'n't +have any, but a head stuck close between your shoulders so that it may +be quite sure not to fall off.' + +'Don't talk such nonsense to the child,' said the mother at last. + +'If you wish to buy, please make haste, as you are keeping other +customers away.' + +'Very well, I will do as you ask,' said the old woman, with an angry +look. 'I will buy these six cabbages, but, as you see, I can only walk +with my stick and can carry nothing. Let your boy carry them home for me +and I'll pay him for his trouble.' + +The little fellow didn't like this, and began to cry, for he was afraid +of the old woman, but his mother ordered him to go, for she thought +it wrong not to help such a weakly old creature; so, still crying, he +gathered the cabbages into a basket and followed the old woman across +the Market Place. + +It took her more than half an hour to get to a distant part of the +little town, but at last she stopped in front of a small tumble-down +house. She drew a rusty old hook from her pocket and stuck it into a +little hole in the door, which suddenly flew open. How surprised Jem +was when they went in! The house was splendidly furnished, the walls and +ceiling of marble, the furniture of ebony inlaid with gold and precious +stones, the floor of such smooth slippery glass that the little fellow +tumbled down more than once. + +The old woman took out a silver whistle and blew it till the sound rang +through the house. Immediately a lot of guinea pigs came running down +the stairs, but Jem thought it rather odd that they all walked on their +hind legs, wore nutshells for shoes, and men's clothes, whilst even +their hats were put on in the newest fashion. + +'Where are my slippers, lazy crew?' cried the old woman, and hit about +with her stick. 'How long am I to stand waiting here?' + +They rushed upstairs again and returned with a pair of cocoa nuts lined +with leather, which she put on her feet. Now all limping and shuffling +was at an end. She threw away her stick and walked briskly across the +glass floor, drawing little Jem after her. At last she paused in a room +which looked almost like a kitchen, it was so full of pots and pans, but +the tables were of mahogany and the sofas and chairs covered with the +richest stuffs. + +'Sit down,' said the old woman pleasantly, and she pushed Jem into +a corner of a sofa and put a table close in front of him. 'Sit down, +you've had a long walk and a heavy load to carry, and I must give you +something for your trouble. Wait a bit, and I'll give you some nice +soup, which you'll remember as long as you live.' + +So saying, she whistled again. First came in guinea pigs in men's +clothing. They had tied on large kitchen aprons, and in their belts were +stuck carving knives and sauce ladles and such things. After them hopped +in a number of squirrels. They too walked on their hind legs, wore full +Turkish trousers, and little green velvet caps on their heads. They +seemed to be the scullions, for they clambered up the walls and brought +down pots and pans, eggs, flour, butter, and herbs, which they carried +to the stove. Here the old woman was bustling about, and Jem could see +that she was cooking something very special for him. At last the broth +began to bubble and boil, and she drew off the saucepan and poured its +contents into a silver bowl, which she set before Jem. + +'There, my boy,' said she, 'eat this soup and then you'll have +everything which pleased you so much about me. And you shall be a clever +cook too, but the real herb--no, the REAL herb you'll never find. Why +had your mother not got it in her basket?' + +The child could not think what she was talking about, but he quite +understood the soup, which tasted most delicious. His mother had often +given him nice things, but nothing had ever seemed so good as this. The +smell of the herbs and spices rose from the bowl, and the soup tasted +both sweet and sharp at the same time, and was very strong. As he was +finishing it the guinea pigs lit some Arabian incense, which gradually +filled the room with clouds of blue vapour. They grew thicker and +thicker and the scent nearly overpowered the boy. He reminded himself +that he must get back to his mother, but whenever he tried to rouse +himself to go he sank back again drowsily, and at last he fell sound +asleep in the corner of the sofa. + +Strange dreams came to him. He thought the old woman took off all his +clothes and wrapped him up in a squirrel skin, and that he went about +with the other squirrels and guinea pigs, who were all very pleasant and +well mannered, and waited on the old woman. + +First he learned to clean her cocoa-nut shoes with oil and to rub them +up. Then he learnt to catch the little sun moths and rub them through +the finest sieves, and the flour from them he made into soft bread for +the toothless old woman. + +In this way he passed from one kind of service to another, spending a +year in each, till in the fourth year he was promoted to the kitchen. +Here he worked his way up from under-scullion to head-pastrycook, and +reached the greatest perfection. He could make all the most difficult +dishes, and two hundred different kinds of patties, soup flavoured +with every sort of herb--he had learnt it all, and learnt it well and +quickly. + +When he had lived seven years with the old woman she ordered him one +day, as she was going out, to kill and pluck a chicken, stuff it with +herbs, and have it very nicely roasted by the time she got back. He did +this quite according to rule. He wrung the chicken's neck, plunged it +into boiling water, carefully plucked out all the feathers, and rubbed +the skin nice and smooth. Then he went to fetch the herbs to stuff it +with. In the store-room he noticed a half-opened cupboard which he did +not remember having seen before. He peeped in and saw a lot of baskets +from which came a strong and pleasant smell. He opened one and found a +very uncommon herb in it. The stems and leaves were a bluish green, and +above them was a little flower of a deep bright red, edged with yellow. +He gazed at the flower, smelt it, and found it gave the same strong +strange perfume which came from the soup the old woman had made him. But +the smell was so sharp that he began to sneeze again and again, and at +last--he woke up! + +There he lay on the old woman's sofa and stared about him in surprise. +'Well, what odd dreams one does have to be sure!' he said to himself. +'Why, I could have sworn I had been a squirrel, a companion of guinea +pigs and such creatures, and had become a great cook, too. How mother +will laugh when I tell her! But won't she scold me, though, for sleeping +away here in a strange house, instead of helping her at market!' + +He jumped up and prepared to go: all his limbs still seemed quite stiff +with his long sleep, especially his neck, for he could not move his head +easily, and he laughed at his own stupidity at being still so drowsy +that he kept knocking his nose against the wall or cupboards. The +squirrels and guinea pigs ran whimpering after him, as though they would +like to go too, and he begged them to come when he reached the door, but +they all turned and ran quickly back into the house again. + +The part of the town was out of the way, and Jem did not know the many +narrow streets in it and was puzzled by their windings and by the crowd +of people, who seemed excited about some show. From what he heard, he +fancied they were going to see a dwarf, for he heard them call out: +'Just look at the ugly dwarf!' 'What a long nose he has, and see how his +head is stuck in between his shoulders, and only look at his ugly brown +hands!' If he had not been in such a hurry to get back to his mother, he +would have gone too, for he loved shows with giants and dwarfs and the +like. + +He was quite puzzled when he reached the market-place. There sat his +mother, with a good deal of fruit still in her baskets, so he felt he +could not have slept so very long, but it struck him that she was sad, +for she did not call to the passers-by, but sat with her head resting on +her hand, and as he came nearer he thought she looked paler than usual. + +He hesitated what to do, but at last he slipped behind her, laid a hand +on her arm, and said: 'Mammy, what's the matter? Are you angry with me?' + +She turned round quickly and jumped up with a cry of horror. + +'What do you want, you hideous dwarf?' she cried; 'get away; I can't +bear such tricks.' + +'But, mother dear, what's the matter with you?' repeated Jem, quite +frightened. 'You can't be well. Why do you want to drive your son away?' + +'I have said already, get away,' replied Hannah, quite angrily. 'You +won't get anything out of me by your games, you monstrosity.' + +'Oh dear, oh dear! she must be wandering in her mind,' murmured the lad +to himself. 'How can I manage to get her home? Dearest mother, do look +at me close. Can't you see I am your own son Jem?' + +'Well, did you ever hear such impudence?' asked Hannah, turning to a +neighbour. 'Just see that frightful dwarf--would you believe that he +wants me to think he is my son Jem?' + +Then all the market women came round and talked all together and scolded +as hard as they could, and said what a shame it was to make game of Mrs. +Hannah, who had never got over the loss of her beautiful boy, who had +been stolen from her seven years ago, and they threatened to fall upon +Jem and scratch him well if he did not go away at once. + +Poor Jem did not know what to make of it all. He was sure he had gone +to market with his mother only that morning, had helped to set out the +stall, had gone to the old woman's house, where he had some soup and a +little nap, and now, when he came back, they were all talking of seven +years. And they called him a horrid dwarf! Why, what had happened to +him? When he found that his mother would really have nothing to do +with him he turned away with tears in his eyes, and went sadly down the +street towards his father's stall. + +'Now I'll see whether he will know me,' thought he. 'I'll stand by the +door and talk to him.' + +When he got to the stall he stood in the doorway and looked in. The +cobbler was so busy at work that he did not see him for some time, but, +happening to look up, he caught sight of his visitor, and letting shoes, +thread, and everything fall to the ground, he cried with horror: 'Good +heavens! what is that?' + +'Good evening, master,' said the boy, as he stepped in. 'How do you do?' + +'Very ill, little sir, replied the father, to Jem's surprise, for he did +not seem to know him. 'Business does not go well. I am all alone, and am +getting old, and a workman is costly.' + +'But haven't you a son who could learn your trade by degrees?' asked +Jem. + +'I had one: he was called Jem, and would have been a tall sturdy lad +of twenty by this time, and able to help me well. Why, when he was only +twelve he was quite sharp and quick, and had learnt many little things, +and a good-looking boy too, and pleasant, so that customers were taken +by him. Well, well! so goes the world!' + +'But where is your son?' asked Jem, with a trembling voice. + +'Heaven only knows!' replied the man; 'seven years ago he was stolen +from the market-place, and we have heard no more of him.' + +'SEVEN YEARS AGO!' cried Jem, with horror. + +'Yes, indeed, seven years ago, though it seems but yesterday that my +wife came back howling and crying, and saying the child had not come +back all day. I always thought and said that something of the kind would +happen. Jem was a beautiful boy, and everyone made much of him, and +my wife was so proud of him, and liked him to carry the vegetables and +things to grand folks' houses, where he was petted and made much of. But +I used to say, "Take care--the town is large, there are plenty of bad +people in it--keep a sharp eye on Jem." And so it happened; for one day +an old woman came and bought a lot of things--more than she could carry; +so my wife, being a kindly soul, lent her the boy, and--we have never +seen him since.' + +'And that was seven years ago, you say?' + +'Yes, seven years: we had him cried--we went from house to house. Many +knew the pretty boy, and were fond of him, but it was all in vain. No +one seemed to know the old woman who bought the vegetables either; only +one old woman, who is ninety years old, said it might have been the +fairy Herbaline, who came into the town once in every fifty years to buy +things.' + +As his father spoke, things grew clearer to Jem's mind, and he saw now +that he had not been dreaming, but had really served the old woman seven +years in the shape of a squirrel. As he thought it over rage filled his +heart. Seven years of his youth had been stolen from him, and what had +he got in return? To learn to rub up cocoa nuts, and to polish glass +floors, and to be taught cooking by guinea pigs! He stood there +thinking, till at last his father asked him: + +'Is there anything I can do for you, young gentleman? Shall I make you a +pair of slippers, or perhaps' with a smile--'a case for your nose?' + +'What have you to do with my nose?' asked Jem. 'And why should I want a +case for it?' + +'Well, everyone to his taste,' replied the cobbler; 'but I must say if I +had such a nose I would have a nice red leather cover made for it. Here +is a nice piece; and think what a protection it would be to you. As it +is, you must be constantly knocking up against things.' + +The lad was dumb with fright. He felt his nose. It was thick, and quite +two hands long. So, then, the old woman had changed his shape, and that +was why his own mother did not know him, and called him a horrid dwarf! + +'Master,' said he, 'have you got a glass that I could see myself in?' + +'Young gentleman,' was the answer, 'your appearance is hardly one to +be vain of, and there is no need to waste your time looking in a glass. +Besides, I have none here, and if you must have one you had better +ask Urban the barber, who lives over the way, to lend you his. Good +morning.' + +So saying, he gently pushed Jem into the street, shut the door, and went +back to his work. + +Jem stepped across to the barber, whom he had known in old days. + +'Good morning, Urban,' said he; 'may I look at myself in your glass for +a moment?' + +'With pleasure,' said the barber, laughing, and all the people in his +shop fell to laughing also. 'You are a pretty youth, with your swan-like +neck and white hands and small nose. No wonder you are rather vain; but +look as long as you like at yourself.' + +So spoke the barber, and a titter ran round the room. Meantime Jem had +stepped up to the mirror, and stood gazing sadly at his reflection. +Tears came to his eyes. + +'No wonder you did not know your child again, dear mother,' thought he; +'he wasn't like this when you were so proud of his looks.' + +His eyes had grown quite small, like pigs' eyes, his nose was huge and +hung down over his mouth and chin, his throat seemed to have disappeared +altogether, and his head was fixed stiffly between his shoulders. He was +no taller than he had been seven years ago, when he was not much more +than twelve years old, but he made up in breadth, and his back and +chest had grown into lumps like two great sacks. His legs were small and +spindly, but his arms were as large as those of a well-grown man, with +large brown hands, and long skinny fingers. + +Then he remembered the morning when he had first seen the old woman, and +her threats to him, and without saying a word he left the barber's shop. + +He determined to go again to his mother, and found her still in the +market-place. He begged her to listen quietly to him, and he reminded +her of the day when he went away with the old woman, and of many things +in his childhood, and told her how the fairy had bewitched him, and he +had served her seven years. Hannah did not know what to think--the story +was so strange; and it seemed impossible to think her pretty boy and +this hideous dwarf were the same. At last she decided to go and talk to +her husband about it. She gathered up her baskets, told Jem to follow +her, and went straight to the cobbler's stall. + +'Look here,' said she, 'this creature says he is our lost son. He has +been telling me how he was stolen seven years ago, and bewitched by a +fairy.' + +'Indeed!' interrupted the cobbler angrily. 'Did he tell you this? Wait a +minute, you rascal! Why I told him all about it myself only an hour ago, +and then he goes off to humbug you. So you were bewitched, my son were +you? Wait a bit, and I'll bewitch you!' + +So saying, he caught up a bundle of straps, and hit out at Jem so hard +that he ran off crying. + +The poor little dwarf roamed about all the rest of the day without food +or drink, and at night was glad to lie down and sleep on the steps of a +church. He woke next morning with the first rays of light, and began to +think what he could do to earn a living. Suddenly he remembered that he +was an excellent cook, and he determined to look out for a place. + +As soon as it was quite daylight he set out for the palace, for he +knew that the grand duke who reigned over the country was fond of good +things. + +When he reached the palace all the servants crowded about him, and made +fun of him, and at last their shouts and laughter grew so loud that the +head steward rushed out, crying, 'For goodness sake, be quiet, can't +you. Don't you know his highness is still asleep?' + +Some of the servants ran off at once, and others pointed out Jem. + +Indeed, the steward found it hard to keep himself from laughing at the +comic sight, but he ordered the servants off and led the dwarf into his +own room. + +When he heard him ask for a place as cook, he said: 'You make some +mistake, my lad. I think you want to be the grand duke's dwarf, don't +you?' + +'No, sir,' replied Jem. 'I am an experienced cook, and if you will +kindly take me to the head cook he may find me of some use.' + +'Well, as you will; but believe me, you would have an easier place as +the grand ducal dwarf.' + +So saying, the head steward led him to the head cook's room. + +'Sir,' asked Jem, as he bowed till his nose nearly touched the floor, +'do you want an experienced cook?' + +The head cook looked him over from head to foot, and burst out laughing. + +'You a cook! Do you suppose our cooking stoves are so low that you can +look into any saucepan on them? Oh, my dear little fellow, whoever sent +you to me wanted to make fun of you.' + +But the dwarf was not to be put off. + +'What matters an extra egg or two, or a little butter or flour and spice +more or less, in such a house as this?' said he. 'Name any dish you wish +to have cooked, and give me the materials I ask for, and you shall see.' + +He said much more, and at last persuaded the head cook to give him a +trial. + +They went into the kitchen--a huge place with at least twenty +fireplaces, always alight. A little stream of clear water ran through +the room, and live fish were kept at one end of it. Everything in the +kitchen was of the best and most beautiful kind, and swarms of cooks and +scullions were busy preparing dishes. + +When the head cook came in with Jem everyone stood quite still. + +'What has his highness ordered for luncheon?' asked the head cook. + +'Sir, his highness has graciously ordered a Danish soup and red Hamburg +dumplings.' + +'Good,' said the head cook. 'Have you heard, and do you feel equal to +making these dishes? Not that you will be able to make the dumplings, +for they are a secret receipt.' + +'Is that all!' said Jem, who had often made both dishes. 'Nothing +easier. Let me have some eggs, a piece of wild boar, and such and such +roots and herbs for the soup; and as for the dumplings,' he added in a +low voice to the head cook, 'I shall want four different kinds of meat, +some wine, a duck's marrow, some ginger, and a herb called heal-well.' + +'Why,' cried the astonished cook, 'where did you learn cooking? Yes, +those are the exact materials, but we never used the herb heal-well, +which, I am sure, must be an improvement.' + +And now Jem was allowed to try his hand. He could not nearly reach up to +the kitchen range, but by putting a wide plank on two chairs he managed +very well. All the cooks stood round to look on, and could not help +admiring the quick, clever way in which he set to work. At last, when +all was ready, Jem ordered the two dishes to be put on the fire till he +gave the word. Then he began to count: 'One, two, three,' till he got to +five hundred when he cried, 'Now!' The saucepans were taken off, and he +invited the head cook to taste. + +The first cook took a golden spoon, washed and wiped it, and handed +it to the head cook, who solemnly approached, tasted the dishes, and +smacked his lips over them. 'First rate, indeed!' he exclaimed. 'You +certainly are a master of the art, little fellow, and the herb heal-well +gives a particular relish.' + +As he was speaking, the duke's valet came to say that his highness was +ready for luncheon, and it was served at once in silver dishes. The head +cook took Jem to his own room, but had hardly had time to question him +before he was ordered to go at once to the grand duke. He hurried on his +best clothes and followed the messenger. + +The grand duke was looking much pleased. He had emptied the dishes, and +was wiping his mouth as the head cook came in. 'Who cooked my luncheon +to-day?' asked he. 'I must say your dumplings are always very good; but +I don't think I ever tasted anything so delicious as they were to-day. +Who made them?' + +'It is a strange story, your highness,' said the cook, and told him +the whole matter, which surprised the duke so much that he sent for the +dwarf and asked him many questions. Of course, Jem could not say he had +been turned into a squirrel, but he said he was without parents and had +been taught cooking by an old woman. + +'If you will stay with me,' said the grand duke, 'you shall have fifty +ducats a year, besides a new coat and a couple of pairs of trousers. You +must undertake to cook my luncheon yourself and to direct what I shall +have for dinner, and you shall be called assistant head cook.' + +Jem bowed to the ground, and promised to obey his new master in all +things. + +He lost no time in setting to work, and everyone rejoiced at having him +in the kitchen, for the duke was not a patient man, and had been known +to throw plates and dishes at his cooks and servants if the things +served were not quite to his taste. Now all was changed. He never +even grumbled at anything, had five meals instead of three, thought +everything delicious, and grew fatter daily. + +And so Jem lived on for two years, much respected and considered, and +only saddened when he thought of his parents. One day passed much like +another till the following incident happened. + +Dwarf Long Nose--as he was always called--made a practice of doing his +marketing as much as possible himself, and whenever time allowed went to +the market to buy his poultry and fruit. One morning he was in the goose +market, looking for some nice fat geese. No one thought of laughing at +his appearance now; he was known as the duke's special body cook, and +every goose-woman felt honoured if his nose turned her way. + +He noticed one woman sitting apart with a number of geese, but not +crying or praising them like the rest. He went up to her, felt and +weighed her geese, and, finding them very good, bought three and the +cage to put them in, hoisted them on his broad shoulders, and set off on +his way back. + +As he went, it struck him that two of the geese were gobbling and +screaming as geese do, but the third sat quite still, only heaving a +deep sigh now and then, like a human being. 'That goose is ill,' said +he; 'I must make haste to kill and dress her.' + +But the goose answered him quite distinctly: + + 'Squeeze too tight + And I'll bite, + If my neck a twist you gave + I'd bring you to an early grave.' + +Quite frightened, the dwarf set down the cage, and the goose gazed at +him with sad wise-looking eyes and sighed again. + +'Good gracious!' said Long Nose. 'So you can speak, Mistress Goose. I +never should have thought it! Well, don't be anxious. I know better +than to hurt so rare a bird. But I could bet you were not always in this +plumage--wasn't I a squirrel myself for a time?' + +'You are right,' said the goose, 'in supposing I was not born in this +horrid shape. Ah! no one ever thought that Mimi, the daughter of the +great Weatherbold, would be killed for the ducal table.' + +'Be quite easy, Mistress Mimi,' comforted Jem. 'As sure as I'm an honest +man and assistant head cook to his highness, no one shall harm you. I +will make a hutch for you in my own rooms, and you shall be well fed, +and I'll come and talk to you as much as I can. I'll tell all the other +cooks that I am fattening up a goose on very special food for the grand +duke, and at the first good opportunity I will set you free.' + +The goose thanked him with tears in her eyes, and the dwarf kept his +word. He killed the other two geese for dinner, but built a little shed +for Mimi in one of his rooms, under the pretence of fattening her under +his own eye. He spent all his spare time talking to her and comforting +her, and fed her on all the daintiest dishes. They confided their +histories to each other, and Jem learnt that the goose was the daughter +of the wizard Weatherbold, who lived on the island of Gothland. He +fell out with an old fairy, who got the better of him by cunning and +treachery, and to revenge herself turned his daughter into a goose and +carried her off to this distant place. When Long Nose told her his story +she said: + +'I know a little of these matters, and what you say shows me that you +are under a herb enchantment--that is to say, that if you can find the +herb whose smell woke you up the spell would be broken.' + +This was but small comfort for Jem, for how and where was he to find the +herb? + +About this time the grand duke had a visit from a neighbouring prince, a +friend of his. He sent for Long Nose and said to him: + +'Now is the time to show what you can really do. This prince who is +staying with me has better dinners than any one except myself, and is a +great judge of cooking. As long as he is here you must take care that +my table shall be served in a manner to surprise him constantly. At +the same time, on pain of my displeasure, take care that no dish shall +appear twice. Get everything you wish and spare nothing. If you want to +melt down gold and precious stones, do so. I would rather be a poor man +than have to blush before him.' + +The dwarf bowed and answered: + +'Your highness shall be obeyed. I will do all in my power to please you +and the prince.' + +From this time the little cook was hardly seen except in the kitchen, +where, surrounded by his helpers, he gave orders, baked, stewed, +flavoured and dished up all manner of dishes. + +The prince had been a fortnight with the grand duke, and enjoyed himself +mightily. They ate five times a day, and the duke had every reason to +be content with the dwarf's talents, for he saw how pleased his guest +looked. On the fifteenth day the duke sent for the dwarf and presented +him to the prince. + +'You are a wonderful cook,' said the prince, 'and you certainly know +what is good. All the time I have been here you have never repeated a +dish, and all were excellent. But tell me why you have never served the +queen of all dishes, a Suzeraine Pasty?' + +The dwarf felt frightened, for he had never heard of this Queen of +Pasties before. But he did not lose his presence of mind, and replied: + +'I have waited, hoping that your highness' visit here would last some +time, for I proposed to celebrate the last day of your stay with this +truly royal dish.' + +'Indeed,' laughed the grand duke; 'then I suppose you would have waited +for the day of my death to treat me to it, for you have never sent it +up to me yet. However, you will have to invent some other farewell dish, +for the pasty must be on my table to-morrow.' + +'As your highness pleases,' said the dwarf, and took leave. + +But it did not please HIM at all. The moment of disgrace seemed at hand, +for he had no idea how to make this pasty. He went to his rooms very +sad. As he sat there lost in thought the goose Mimi, who was left free +to walk about, came up to him and asked what was the matter? When she +heard she said: + +'Cheer up, my friend. I know the dish quite well: we often had it at +home, and I can guess pretty well how it was made.' Then she told him +what to put in, adding: 'I think that will be all right, and if some +trifle is left out perhaps they won't find it out.' + +Sure enough, next day a magnificent pasty all wreathed round with +flowers was placed on the table. Jem himself put on his best clothes and +went into the dining hall. As he entered the head carver was in the act +of cutting up the pie and helping the duke and his guests. The grand +duke took a large mouthful and threw up his eyes as he swallowed it. + +'Oh! oh! this may well be called the Queen of Pasties, and at the same +time my dwarf must be called the king of cooks. Don't you think so, dear +friend?' + +The prince took several small pieces, tasted and examined carefully, and +then said with a mysterious and sarcastic smile: + +'The dish is very nicely made, but the Suzeraine is not quite +complete--as I expected.' + +The grand duke flew into a rage. + +'Dog of a cook,' he shouted; 'how dare you serve me so? I've a good mind +to chop off your great head as a punishment.' + +'For mercy's sake, don't, your highness! I made the pasty according to +the best rules; nothing has been left out. Ask the prince what else I +should have put in.' + +The prince laughed. 'I was sure you could not make this dish as well +as my cook, friend Long Nose. Know, then, that a herb is wanting called +Relish, which is not known in this country, but which gives the pasty +its peculiar flavour, and without which your master will never taste it +to perfection.' + +The grand duke was more furious than ever. + +'But I WILL taste it to perfection,' he roared. 'Either the pasty must +be made properly to-morrow or this rascal's head shall come off. Go, +scoundrel, I give you twenty-four hours respite.' + +The poor dwarf hurried back to his room, and poured out his grief to the +goose. + +'Oh, is that all,' said she, 'then I can help you, for my father taught +me to know all plants and herbs. Luckily this is a new moon just now, +for the herb only springs up at such times. But tell me, are there +chestnut trees near the palace?' + +'Oh, yes!' cried Long Nose, much relieved; 'near the lake--only a couple +of hundred yards from the palace--is a large clump of them. But why do +you ask?' + +'Because the herb only grows near the roots of chestnut trees,' replied +Mimi; 'so let us lose no time in finding it. Take me under your arm and +put me down out of doors, and I'll hunt for it.' + +He did as she bade, and as soon as they were in the garden put her on +the ground, when she waddled off as fast as she could towards the lake, +Jem hurrying after her with an anxious heart, for he knew that his life +depended on her success. The goose hunted everywhere, but in vain. She +searched under each chestnut tree, turning every blade of grass with her +bill--nothing to be seen, and evening was drawing on! + +Suddenly the dwarf noticed a big old tree standing alone on the other +side of the lake. 'Look,' cried he, 'let us try our luck there.' + +The goose fluttered and skipped in front, and he ran after as fast as +his little legs could carry him. The tree cast a wide shadow, and it was +almost dark beneath it, but suddenly the goose stood still, flapped +her wings with joy, and plucked something, which she held out to her +astonished friend, saying: 'There it is, and there is more growing here, +so you will have no lack of it.' + +The dwarf stood gazing at the plant. It gave out a strong sweet scent, +which reminded him of the day of his enchantment. The stems and leaves +were a bluish green, and it bore a dark, bright red flower with a yellow +edge. + +'What a wonder!' cried Long Nose. 'I do believe this is the very herb +which changed me from a squirrel into my present miserable form. Shall I +try an experiment?' + +'Not yet,' said the goose. 'Take a good handful of the herb with you, +and let us go to your rooms. We will collect all your money and clothes +together, and then we will test the powers of the herb.' + +So they went back to Jem's rooms, and here he gathered together some +fifty ducats he had saved, his clothes and shoes, and tied them all up +in a bundle. Then he plunged his face into the bunch of herbs, and drew +in their perfume. + +As he did so, all his limbs began to crack and stretch; he felt his head +rising above his shoulders; he glanced down at his nose, and saw it grow +smaller and smaller; his chest and back grew flat, and his legs grew +long. + +The goose looked on in amazement. 'Oh, how big and how beautiful you +are!' she cried. 'Thank heaven, you are quite changed.' + +Jem folded his hands in thanks, as his heart swelled with gratitude. But +his joy did not make him forget all he owed to his friend Mimi. + +'I owe you my life and my release,' he said, 'for without you I should +never have regained my natural shape, and, indeed, would soon have been +beheaded. I will now take you back to your father, who will certainly +know how to disenchant you.' + +The goose accepted his offer with joy, and they managed to slip out of +the palace unnoticed by anyone. + +They got through the journey without accident, and the wizard soon +released his daughter, and loaded Jem with thanks and valuable presents. +He lost no time in hastening back to his native town, and his parents +were very ready to recognise the handsome, well-made young man as their +long-lost son. With the money given him by the wizard he opened a shop, +which prospered well, and he lived long and happily. + +I must not forget to mention that much disturbance was caused in the +palace by Jem's sudden disappearance, for when the grand duke sent +orders next day to behead the dwarf, if he had not found the necessary +herbs, the dwarf was not to be found. The prince hinted that the duke +had allowed his cook to escape, and had therefore broken his word. The +matter ended in a great war between the two princes, which was known in +history as the 'Herb War.' After many battles and much loss of life, a +peace was at last concluded, and this peace became known as the 'Pasty +Peace,' because at the banquet given in its honour the prince's cook +dished up the Queen of Pasties--the Suzeraine--and the grand duke +declared it to be quite excellent. + + + + +THE NUNDA, EATER OF PEOPLE + +Once upon a time there lived a sultan who loved his garden dearly, +and planted it with trees and flowers and fruits from all parts of +the world. He went to see them three times every day: first at seven +o'clock, when he got up, then at three, and lastly at half-past five. +There was no plant and no vegetable which escaped his eye, but he +lingered longest of all before his one date tree. + +Now the sultan had seven sons. Six of them he was proud of, for they +were strong and manly, but the youngest he disliked, for he spent all +his time among the women of the house. The sultan had talked to him, and +he paid no heed; and he had beaten him, and he paid no heed; and he had +tied him up, and he paid no heed, till at last his father grew tired of +trying to make him change his ways, and let him alone. + +Time passed, and one day the sultan, to his great joy, saw signs +of fruit on his date tree. And he told his vizir, 'My date tree is +bearing;' and he told the officers, 'My date tree is bearing;' and he +told the judges, 'My date tree is bearing;' and he told all the rich men +of the town. + +He waited patiently for some days till the dates were nearly ripe, and +then he called his six sons, and said: 'One of you must watch the date +tree till the dates are ripe, for if it is not watched the slaves will +steal them, and I shall not have any for another year.' + +And the eldest son answered, 'I will go, father,' and he went. + +The first thing the youth did was to summon his slaves, and bid them +beat drums all night under the date tree, for he feared to fall asleep. +So the slaves beat the drums, and the young man danced till four +o'clock, and then it grew so cold he could dance no longer, and one +of the slaves said to him: 'It is getting light; the tree is safe; lie +down, master, and go to sleep.' + +So he lay down and slept, and his slaves slept likewise. + +A few minutes went by, and a bird flew down from a neighbouring thicket, +and ate all the dates, without leaving a single one. And when the tree +was stripped bare, the bird went as it had come. Soon after, one of the +slaves woke up and looked for the dates, but there were no dates to see. +Then he ran to the young man and shook him, saying: + +'Your father set you to watch the tree, and you have not watched, and +the dates have all been eaten by a bird.' + +The lad jumped up and ran to the tree to see for himself, but there was +not a date anywhere. And he cried aloud, 'What am I to say to my father? +Shall I tell him that the dates have been stolen, or that a great rain +fell and a great storm blew? But he will send me to gather them up and +bring them to him, and there are none to bring! Shall I tell him that +Bedouins drove me away, and when I returned there were no dates? And he +will answer, "You had slaves, did they not fight with the Bedouins?" It +is the truth that will be best, and that will I tell him.' + +Then he went straight to his father, and found him sitting in his +verandah with his five sons round him; and the lad bowed his head. + +'Give me the news from the garden,' said the sultan. + +And the youth answered, 'The dates have all been eaten by some bird: +there is not one left.' + +The sultan was silent for a moment: then he asked, 'Where were you when +the bird came?' + +The lad answered: 'I watched the date tree till the cocks were crowing +and it was getting light; then I lay down for a little, and I slept. +When I woke a slave was standing over me, and he said, "There is not +one date left on the tree!" And I went to the date tree, and saw it was +true; and that is what I have to tell you.' + +And the sultan replied, 'A son like you is only good for eating and +sleeping. I have no use for you. Go your way, and when my date tree +bears again, I will send another son; perhaps he will watch better.' + +So he waited many months, till the tree was covered with more dates than +any tree had ever borne before. When they were near ripening he sent one +of his sons to the garden: saying, 'My son, I am longing to taste those +dates: go and watch over them, for to-day's sun will bring them to +perfection.' + +And the lad answered: 'My father, I am going now, and to-morrow, when +the sun has passed the hour of seven, bid a slave come and gather the +dates.' + +'Good,' said the sultan. + +The youth went to the tree, and lay down and slept. And about midnight +he arose to look at the tree, and the dates were all there--beautiful +dates, swinging in bunches. + +'Ah, my father will have a feast, indeed,' thought he. 'What a fool my +brother was not to take more heed! Now he is in disgrace, and we know +him no more. Well, I will watch till the bird comes. I should like to +see what manner of bird it is.' + +And he sat and read till the cocks crew and it grew light, and the dates +were still on the tree. + +'Oh my father will have his dates; they are all safe now,' he thought +to himself. 'I will make myself comfortable against this tree,' and he +leaned against the trunk, and sleep came on him, and the bird flew down +and ate all the dates. + +When the sun rose, the head-man came and looked for the dates, and there +were no dates. And he woke the young man, and said to him, 'Look at the +tree.' + +And the young man looked, and there were no dates. And his ears were +stopped, and his legs trembled, and his tongue grew heavy at the thought +of the sultan. His slave became frightened as he looked at him, and +asked, 'My master, what is it?' + +He answered, 'I have no pain anywhere, but I am ill everywhere. My whole +body is well, and my whole body is sick I fear my father, for did I not +say to him, "To-morrow at seven you shall taste the dates"? And he +will drive me away, as he drove away my brother! I will go away myself, +before he sends me.' + +Then he got up and took a road that led straight past the palace, but +he had not walked many steps before he met a man carrying a large silver +dish, covered with a white cloth to cover the dates. + +And the young man said, 'The dates are not ripe yet; you must return +to-morrow.' + +And the slave went with him to the palace, where the sultan was sitting +with his four sons. + +'Good greeting, master!' said the youth. + +And the sultan answered, 'Have you seen the man I sent?' + +'I have, master; but the dates are not yet ripe.' + +But the sultan did not believe his words, and said; 'This second year I +have eaten no dates, because of my sons. Go your ways, you are my son no +longer!' + +And the sultan looked at the four sons that were left him, and promised +rich gifts to whichever of them would bring him the dates from the tree. +But year by year passed, and he never got them. One son tried to keep +himself awake with playing cards; another mounted a horse and rode round +and round the tree, while the two others, whom their father as a last +hope sent together, lit bonfires. But whatever they did, the result was +always the same. Towards dawn they fell asleep, and the bird ate the +dates on the tree. + +The sixth year had come, and the dates on the tree were thicker than +ever. And the head-man went to the palace and told the sultan what he +had seen. But the sultan only shook his head, and said sadly, 'What +is that to me? I have had seven sons, yet for five years a bird has +devoured my dates; and this year it will be the same as ever.' + +Now the youngest son was sitting in the kitchen, as was his custom, when +he heard his father say those words. And he rose up, and went to his +father, and knelt before him. 'Father, this year you shall eat dates,' +cried he. 'And on the tree are five great bunches, and each bunch I will +give to a separate nation, for the nations in the town are five. This +time, I will watch the date tree myself.' But his father and his mother +laughed heartily, and thought his words idle talk. + +One day, news was brought to the sultan that the dates were ripe, and he +ordered one of his men to go and watch the tree. His son, who happened +to be standing by, heard the order, and he said: + +'How is it that you have bidden a man to watch the tree, when I, your +son, am left?' + +And his father answered, 'Ah, six were of no use, and where they failed, +will you succeed?' + +But the boy replied: 'Have patience to-day, and let me go, and to-morrow +you shall see whether I bring you dates or not.' + +'Let the child go, Master,' said his wife; 'perhaps we shall eat the +dates--or perhaps we shall not--but let him go.' + +And the sultan answered: 'I do not refuse to let him go, but my heart +distrusts him. His brothers all promised fair, and what did they do?' + +But the boy entreated, saying, 'Father, if you and I and mother be alive +to-morrow, you shall eat the dates.' + +'Go then,' said his father. + +When the boy reached the garden, he told the slaves to leave him, and +to return home themselves and sleep. When he was alone, he laid himself +down and slept fast till one o'clock, when he arose, and sat opposite +the date tree. Then he took some Indian corn out of one fold of his +dress, and some sandy grit out of another. + +And he chewed the corn till he felt he was growing sleepy, and then +he put some grit into his mouth, and that kept him awake till the bird +came. + +It looked about at first without seeing him, and whispering to itself, +'There is no one here,' fluttered lightly on to the tree and stretched +out his beak for the dates. Then the boy stole softly up, and caught it +by the wing. + +The bird turned and flew quickly away, but the boy never let go, not +even when they soared high into the air. + +'Son of Adam,' the bird said when the tops of the mountains looked small +below them, 'if you fall, you will be dead long before you reach the +ground, so go your way, and let me go mine.' + +But the boy answered, 'Wherever you go, I will go with you. You cannot +get rid of me.' + +'I did not eat your dates,' persisted the bird, 'and the day is dawning. +Leave me to go my way.' + +But again the boy answered him: 'My six brothers are hateful to my +father because you came and stole the dates, and to-day my father shall +see you, and my brothers shall see you, and all the people of the town, +great and small, shall see you. And my father's heart will rejoice.' + +'Well, if you will not leave me, I will throw you off,' said the bird. + +So it flew up higher still--so high that the earth shone like one of the +other stars. + +'How much of you will be left if you fall from here?' asked the bird. + +'If I die, I die,' said the boy, 'but I will not leave you.' + +And the bird saw it was no use talking, and went down to the earth +again. + +'Here you are at home, so let me go my way,' it begged once more; 'or at +least make a covenant with me.' + +'What covenant?' said the boy. + +'Save me from the sun,' replied the bird, 'and I will save you from +rain.' + +'How can you do that, and how can I tell if I can trust you?' + +'Pull a feather from my tail, and put it in the fire, and if you want me +I will come to you, wherever I am.' + +And the boy answered, 'Well, I agree; go your way.' + +'Farewell, my friend. When you call me, if it is from the depths of the +sea, I will come.' + +The lad watched the bird out of sight; then he went straight to the date +tree. And when he saw the dates his heart was glad, and his body felt +stronger and his eyes brighter than before. And he laughed out loud with +joy, and said to himself, 'This is MY luck, mine, Sit-in-the-kitchen! +Farewell, date tree, I am going to lie down. What ate you will eat you +no more.' + +The sun was high in the sky before the head-man, whose business it was, +came to look at the date tree, expecting to find it stripped of all +its fruit, but when he saw the dates so thick that they almost hid the +leaves he ran back to his house, and beat a big drum till everybody came +running, and even the little children wanted to know what had happened. + +'What is it? What is it, head-man?' cried they. + +'Ah, it is not a son that the master has, but a lion! This day +Sit-in-the-kitchen has uncovered his face before his father!' + +'But how, head-man?' + +'To day the people may eat the dates.' + +'Is it true, head-man?' + +'Oh yes, it is true, but let him sleep till each man has brought forth +a present. He who has fowls, let him take fowls; he who has a goat, let +him take a goat; he who has rice, let him take rice.' And the people did +as he had said. + +Then they took the drum, and went to the tree where the boy lay +sleeping. + +And they picked him up, and carried him away, with horns and clarionets +and drums, with clappings of hands and shrieks of joy, straight to his +father's house. + +When his father heard the noise and saw the baskets made of green +leaves, brimming over with dates, and his son borne high on the necks of +slaves, his heart leaped, and he said to himself 'To-day at last I shall +eat dates.' And he called his wife to see what her son had done, and +ordered his soldiers to take the boy and bring him to his father. + +'What news, my son?' said he. + +'News? I have no news, except that if you will open your mouth you shall +see what dates taste like.' And he plucked a date, and put it into his +father's mouth. + +'Ah! You are indeed my son,' cried the sultan. 'You do not take after +those fools, those good-for-nothings. But, tell me, what did you do with +the bird, for it was you, and you only who watched for it?' + +'Yes, it was I who watched for it and who saw it. And it will not come +again, neither for its life, nor for your life, nor for the lives of +your children.' + +'Oh, once I had six sons, and now I have only one. It is you, whom I +called a fool, who have given me the dates: as for the others, I want +none of them.' + +But his wife rose up and went to him, and said, 'Master, do not, I pray +you, reject them,' and she entreated long, till the sultan granted her +prayer, for she loved the six elder ones more than her last one. + +So they all lived quietly at home, till the sultan's cat went and caught +a calf. And the owner of the calf went and told the sultan, but he +answered, 'The cat is mine, and the calf mine,' and the man dared not +complain further. + +Two days after, the cat caught a cow, and the sultan was told, 'Master, +the cat has caught a cow,' but he only said, 'It was my cow and my cat.' + +And the cat waited a few days, and then it caught a donkey, and they +told the sultan, 'Master, the cat has caught a donkey,' and he said, +'My cat and my donkey.' Next it was a horse, and after that a camel, and +when the sultan was told he said, 'You don't like this cat, and want me +to kill it. And I shall not kill it. Let it eat the camel: let it even +eat a man.' + +And it waited till the next day, and caught some one's child. And the +sultan was told, 'The cat has caught a child.' And he said, 'The cat is +mine and the child mine.' Then it caught a grown-up man. + +After that the cat left the town and took up its abode in a thicket near +the road. So if any one passed, going for water, it devoured him. If it +saw a cow going to feed, it devoured him. If it saw a goat, it devoured +him. Whatever went along that road the cat caught and ate. + +Then the people went to the sultan in a body, and told him of all the +misdeeds of that cat. But he answered as before, 'The cat is mine and +the people are mine.' And no man dared kill the cat, which grew bolder +and bolder, and at last came into the town to look for its prey. + +One day, the sultan said to his six sons, 'I am going into the country, +to see how the wheat is growing, and you shall come with me.' They went +on merrily along the road, till they came to a thicket, when out sprang +the cat, and killed three of the sons. + +'The cat! The cat!' shrieked the soldiers who were with him. And this +time the sultan said: + +'Seek for it and kill it. It is no longer a cat, but a demon!' + +And the soldiers answered him, 'Did we not tell you, master, what the +cat was doing, and did you not say, "My cat and my people"?' + +And he answered: 'True, I said it.' + +Now the youngest son had not gone with the rest, but had stayed at home +with his mother; and when he heard that his brothers had been killed +by the cat he said, 'Let me go, that it may slay me also.' His mother +entreated him not to leave her, but he would not listen, and he took his +sword and a spear and some rice cakes, and went after the cat, which by +this time had run of to a great distance. + +The lad spent many days hunting the cat, which now bore the name of 'The +Nunda, eater of people,' but though he killed many wild animals he saw +no trace of the enemy he was hunting for. There was no beast, however +fierce, that he was afraid of, till at last his father and mother begged +him to give up the chase after the Nunda. + +But he answered: 'What I have said, I cannot take back. If I am to die, +then I die, but every day I must go and seek for the Nunda.' + +And again his father offered him what he would, even the crown itself, +but the boy would hear nothing, and went on his way. + +Many times his slaves came and told him, 'We have seen footprints, and +to-day we shall behold the Nunda.' But the footprints never turned out +to be those of the Nunda. They wandered far through deserts and through +forests, and at length came to the foot of a great hill. And something +in the boy's soul whispered that here was the end of all their seeking, +and to-day they would find the Nunda. + +But before they began to climb the mountain the boy ordered his slaves +to cook some rice, and they rubbed the stick to make a fire, and when +the fire was kindled they cooked the rice and ate it. Then they began +their climb. + +Suddenly, when they had almost reached the top, a slave who was on in +front cried: + +'Master! Master!' And the boy pushed on to where the slave stood, and +the slave said: + +'Cast your eyes down to the foot of the mountain.' And the boy looked, +and his soul told him it was the Nunda. + +And he crept down with his spear in his hand, and then he stopped and +gazed below him. + +'This MUST be the real Nunda,' thought he. 'My mother told me its ears +were small, and this one's are small. She told me it was broad and not +long, and this is broad and not long. She told me it had spots like a +civet-cat, and this has spots like a civet-cat.' + +Then he left the Nunda lying asleep at the foot of the mountain, and +went back to his slaves. + +'We will feast to-day,' he said; 'make cakes of batter, and bring +water,' and they ate and drank. And when they had finished he bade them +hide the rest of the food in the thicket, that if they slew the Nunda +they might return and eat and sleep before going back to the town. And +the slaves did as he bade them. + +It was now afternoon, and the lad said: 'It is time we went after the +Nunda.' And they went till they reached the bottom and came to a great +forest which lay between them and the Nunda. + +Here the lad stopped, and ordered every slave that wore two cloths to +cast one away and tuck up the other between his legs. 'For,' said he, +'the wood is not a little one. Perhaps we may be caught by the thorns, +or perhaps we may have to run before the Nunda, and the cloth might bind +our legs, and cause us to fall before it.' + +And they answered, 'Good, master,' and did as he bade them. Then they +crawled on their hands and knees to where the Nunda lay asleep. + +Noiselessly they crept along till they were quite close to it; then, at +a sign from the boy, they threw their spears. The Nunda did not stir: +the spears had done their work, but a great fear seized them all, and +they ran away and climbed the mountain. + +The sun was setting when they reached the top, and glad they were to +take out the fruit and the cakes and the water which they had hidden +away, and sit down and rest themselves. And after they had eaten and +were filled, they lay down and slept till morning. + +When the dawn broke they rose up and cooked more rice, and drank more +water. After that they walked all round the back of the mountain to the +place where they had left the Nunda, and they saw it stretched out where +they had found it, stiff and dead. And they took it up and carried it +back to the town, singing as they went, 'He has killed the Nunda, the +eater of people.' + +And when his father heard the news, and that his son was come, and was +bringing the Nunda with him, he felt that the man did not dwell on the +earth whose joy was greater than his. And the people bowed down to the +boy and gave him presents, and loved him, because he had delivered them +from the bondage of fear, and had slain the Nunda. + +(Adapted from Swahili Tales.) + + + + +THE STORY OF HASSEBU + +Once upon a time there lived a poor woman who had only one child, and +he was a little boy called Hassebu. When he ceased to be a baby, and +his mother thought it was time for him to learn to read, she sent him +to school. And, after he had done with school, he was put into a shop +to learn how to make clothes, and did not learn; and he was put to do +silversmith's work, and did not learn; and whatsoever he was taught, he +did not learn it. His mother never wished him to do anything he did not +like, so she said: 'Well, stay at home, my son.' And he stayed at home, +eating and sleeping. + +One day the boy said to his mother: 'What was my father's business?' + +'He was a very learned doctor,' answered she. + +'Where, then, are his books?' asked Hassebu. + +'Many days have passed, and I have thought nothing of them. But look +inside and see if they are there.' So Hassebu looked, and saw they were +eaten by insects, all but one book, which he took away and read. + +He was sitting at home one morning poring over the medicine book, when +some neighbours came by and said to his mother: 'Give us this boy, that +we may go together to cut wood.' For wood-cutting was their trade, and +they loaded several donkeys with the wood, and sold it in the town. + +And his mother answered, 'Very well; to-morrow I will buy him a donkey, +and you can all go together.' + +So the donkey was bought, and the neighbours came, and they worked hard +all day, and in the evening they brought the wood back into the town, +and sold it for a good sum of money. And for six days they went and did +the like, but on the seventh it rained, and the wood-cutters ran and +hid in the rocks, all but Hassebu, who did not mind wetting, and stayed +where he was. + +While he was sitting in the place where the wood-cutters had left him, +he took up a stone that lay near him, and idly dropped it on the ground. +It rang with a hollow sound, and he called to his companions, and said, +'Come here and listen; the ground seems hollow!' + +'Knock again!' cried they. And he knocked and listened. + +'Let us dig,' said the boy. And they dug, and found a large pit like a +well, filled with honey up to the brim. + +'This is better than firewood,' said they; 'it will bring us more money. +And as you have found it, Hassebu, it is you who must go inside and dip +out the honey and give to us, and we will take it to the town and sell +it, and will divide the money with you.' + +The following day each man brought every bowl and vessel he could find +at home, and Hassebu filled them all with honey. And this he did every +day for three months. + +At the end of that time the honey was very nearly finished, and there +was only a little left, quite at the bottom, and that was very deep +down, so deep that it seemed as if it must be right in the middle of the +earth. Seeing this, the men said to Hassebu, 'We will put a rope under +your arms, and let you down, so that you may scrape up all the honey +that is left, and when you have done we will lower the rope again, and +you shall make it fast, and we will draw you up.' + +'Very well,' answered the boy, and he went down, and he scraped and +scraped till there was not so much honey left as would cover the point +of a needle. 'Now I am ready!' he cried; but they consulted together and +said, 'Let us leave him there inside the pit, and take his share of the +money, and we will tell his mother, "Your son was caught by a lion and +carried off into the forest, and we tried to follow him, but could not."' + +Then they arose and went into the town and told his mother as they had +agreed, and she wept much and made her mourning for many months. And +when the men were dividing the money, one said, 'Let us send a little to +our friend's mother,' and they sent some to her; and every day one took +her rice, and one oil; one took her meat, and one took her cloth, every +day. + +It did not take long for Hassebu to find out that his companions had +left him to die in the pit, but he had a brave heart, and hoped that +he might be able to find a way out for himself. So he at once began to +explore the pit and found it ran back a long way underground. And by +night he slept, and by day he took a little of the honey he had gathered +and ate it; and so many days passed by. + +One morning, while he was sitting on a rock having his breakfast, a +large scorpion dropped down at his feet, and he took a stone and killed +it, fearing it would sting him. Then suddenly the thought darted into +his head, 'This scorpion must have come from somewhere! Perhaps there is +a hole. I will go and look for it,' and he felt all round the walls of +the pit till he found a very little hole in the roof of the pit, with +a tiny glimmer of light at the far end of it. Then his heart felt glad, +and he took out his knife and dug and dug, till the little hole became +a big one, and he could wriggle himself through. And when he had got +outside, he saw a large open space in front of him, and a path leading +out of it. + +He went along the path, on and on, till he reached a large house, with a +golden door standing open. Inside was a great hall, and in the middle +of the hall a throne set with precious stones and a sofa spread with +the softest cushions. And he went in and lay down on it, and fell fast +asleep, for he had wandered far. + +By-and-by there was a sound of people coming through the courtyard, and +the measured tramp of soldiers. This was the King of the Snakes coming +in state to his palace. + +They entered the hall, but all stopped in surprise at finding a man +lying on the king's own bed. The soldiers wished to kill him at once, +but the king said, 'Leave him alone, put me on a chair,' and the +soldiers who were carrying him knelt on the floor, and he slid from +their shoulders on to a chair. When he was comfortably seated, he turned +to his soldiers, and bade them wake the stranger gently. And they woke +him, and he sat up and saw many snakes all round him, and one of them +very beautiful, decked in royal robes. + +'Who are you?' asked Hassebu. + +'I am the King of the Snakes,' was the reply, 'and this is my palace. +And will you tell me who you are, and where you come from?' + +'My name is Hassebu, but whence I come I know not, nor whither I go.' + +'Then stay for a little with me,' said the king, and he bade his +soldiers bring water from the spring and fruits from the forest, and to +set them before the guest. + +For some days Hassebu rested and feasted in the palace of the King +of the Snakes, and then he began to long for his mother and his own +country. So he said to the King of the Snakes, 'Send me home, I pray.' + +But the King of the Snakes answered, 'When you go home, you will do me +evil!' + +'I will do you no evil,' replied Hassebu; 'send me home, I pray.' + +But the king said, 'I know it. If I send you home, you will come back, +and kill me. I dare not do it.' But Hassebu begged so hard that at last +the king said, 'Swear that when you get home you will not go to bathe +where many people are gathered.' And Hassebu swore, and the king ordered +his soldiers to take Hassebu in sight of his native city. Then he went +straight to his mother's house, and the heart of his mother was glad. + +Now the Sultan of the city was very ill, and all the wise men said that +the only thing to cure him was the flesh of the King of the Snakes, and +that the only man who could get it was a man with a strange mark on his +chest. So the Vizir had set people to watch at the public baths, to see +if such a man came there. + +For three days Hassebu remembered his promise to the King of the Snakes, +and did not go near the baths; then came a morning so hot he could +hardly breathe, and he forgot all about it. + +The moment he had slipped off his robe he was taken before the Vizir, +who said to him, 'Lead us to the place where the King of the Snakes +lives.' + +'I do not know it!' answered he, but the Vizir did not believe him, and +had him bound and beaten till his back was all torn. + +Then Hassebu cried, 'Loose me, that I may take you.' + +They went together a long, long way, till they reached the palace of the +King of the Snakes. + +And Hassebu said to the King: 'It was not I: look at my back and you +will see how they drove me to it.' + +'Who has beaten you like this?' asked the King. + +'It was the Vizir,' replied Hassebu. + +'Then I am already dead,' said the King sadly, 'but you must carry me +there yourself.' + +So Hassebu carried him. And on the way the King said, 'When I arrive, I +shall be killed, and my flesh will be cooked. But take some of the water +that I am boiled in, and put it in a bottle and lay it on one side. The +Vizir will tell you to drink it, but be careful not to do so. Then +take some more of the water, and drink it, and you will become a great +physician, and the third supply you will give to the Sultan. And when +the Vizir comes to you and asks, "Did you drink what I gave you?" you +must answer, "I did, and this is for you," and he will drink it and die! +and your soul will rest.' + +And they went their way into the town, and all happened as the King of +the Snakes had said. + +And the Sultan loved Hassebu, who became a great physician, and cured +many sick people. But he was always sorry for the poor King of the +Snakes. + +(Adapted from Swahili Tales,) + + + + +THE MAIDEN WITH THE WOODEN HELMET + +In a little village in the country of Japan there lived long, long ago a +man and his wife. For many years they were happy and prosperous, but bad +times came, and at last nothing was left them but their daughter, who +was as beautiful as the morning. The neighbours were very kind, and +would have done anything they could to help their poor friends, but the +old couple felt that since everything had changed they would rather go +elsewhere, so one day they set off to bury themselves in the country, +taking their daughter with them. + +Now the mother and daughter had plenty to do in keeping the house clean +and looking after the garden, but the man would sit for hours together +gazing straight in front of him, and thinking of the riches that once +were his. Each day he grew more and more wretched, till at length he +took to his bed and never got up again. + +His wife and daughter wept bitterly for his loss, and it was many months +before they could take pleasure in anything. Then one morning the mother +suddenly looked at the girl, and found that she had grown still more +lovely than before. Once her heart would have been glad at the sight, +but now that they two were alone in the world she feared some harm might +come of it. So, like a good mother, she tried to teach her daughter all +she knew, and to bring her up to be always busy, so that she would never +have time to think about herself. And the girl was a good girl, and +listened to all her mother's lessons, and so the years passed away. + +At last one wet spring the mother caught cold, and though in the +beginning she did not pay much attention to it, she gradually grew more +and more ill, and knew that she had not long to live. Then she called +her daughter and told her that very soon she would be alone in the +world; that she must take care of herself, as there would be no one to +take care of her. And because it was more difficult for beautiful women +to pass unheeded than for others, she bade her fetch a wooden helmet out +of the next room, and put it on her head, and pull it low down over her +brows, so that nearly the whole of her face should lie in its shadow. +The girl did as she was bid, and her beauty was so hidden beneath the +wooden cap, which covered up all her hair, that she might have gone +through any crowd, and no one would have looked twice at her. And when +she saw this the heart of the mother was at rest, and she lay back in +her bed and died. + +The girl wept for many days, but by-and-by she felt that, being alone in +the world, she must go and get work, for she had only herself to depend +upon. There was none to be got by staying where she was, so she made her +clothes into a bundle, and walked over the hills till she reached the +house of the man who owned the fields in that part of the country. And +she took service with him and laboured for him early and late, and every +night when she went to bed she was at peace, for she had not forgotten +one thing that she had promised her mother; and, however hot the sun +might be, she always kept the wooden helmet on her head, and the people +gave her the nickname of Hatschihime. + +In spite, however, of all her care the fame of her beauty spread abroad: +many of the impudent young men that are always to be found in the world +stole softly up behind her while she was at work, and tried to lift off +the wooden helmet. But the girl would have nothing to say to them, and +only bade them be off; then they began to talk to her, but she never +answered them, and went on with what she was doing, though her wages +were low and food not very plentiful. Still she could manage to live, +and that was enough. + +One day her master happened to pass through the field where she was +working, and was struck by her industry and stopped to watch her. After +a while he put one or two questions to her, and then led her into his +house, and told her that henceforward her only duty should be to tend +his sick wife. From this time the girl felt as if all her troubles were +ended, but the worst of them was yet to come. + +Not very long after Hatschihime had become maid to the sick woman, the +eldest son of the house returned home from Kioto, where he had been +studying all sorts of things. He was tired of the splendours of the town +and its pleasures, and was glad enough to be back in the green country, +among the peach-blossoms and sweet flowers. Strolling about in the early +morning, he caught sight of the girl with the odd wooden helmet on her +head, and immediately he went to his mother to ask who she was, and +where she came from, and why she wore that strange thing over her face. + +His mother answered that it was a whim, and nobody could persuade her +to lay it aside; whereat the young man laughed, but kept his thoughts to +himself. + +One hot day, however, he happened to be going towards home when he +caught sight of his mother's waiting maid kneeling by a little stream +that flowed through the garden, splashing some water over her face. +The helmet was pushed on one side, and as the youth stood watching +from behind a tree he had a glimpse of the girl's great beauty; and he +determined that no one else should be his wife. But when he told his +family of his resolve to marry her they were very angry, and made up +all sorts of wicked stories about her. However, they might have spared +themselves the trouble, as he knew it was only idle talk. 'I have merely +to remain firm,' thought he, 'and they will have to give in.' It was +such a good match for the girl that it never occurred to anyone that she +would refuse the young man, but so it was. It would not be right, she +felt, to make a quarrel in the house, and though in secret she wept +bitterly, for a long while, nothing would make her change her mind. At +length one night her mother appeared to her in a dream, and bade her +marry the young man. So the next time he asked her--as he did nearly +every day--to his surprise and joy she consented. The parents then saw +they had better make the best of a bad business, and set about +making the grand preparations suitable to the occasion. Of course the +neighbours said a great many ill-natured things about the wooden helmet, +but the bridegroom was too happy to care, and only laughed at them. + +When everything was ready for the feast, and the bride was dressed in +the most beautiful embroidered dress to be found in Japan, the maids +took hold of the helmet to lift it off her head, so that they might do +her hair in the latest fashion. But the helmet would not come, and +the harder they pulled, the faster it seemed to be, till the poor girl +yelled with pain. Hearing her cries the bridegroom ran in and soothed +her, and declared that she should be married in the helmet, as she could +not be married without. Then the ceremonies began, and the bridal pair +sat together, and the cup of wine was brought them, out of which they +had to drink. And when they had drunk it all, and the cup was empty, a +wonderful thing happened. The helmet suddenly burst with a loud noise, +and fell in pieces on the ground; and as they all turned to look they +found the floor covered with precious stones which had fallen out of it. +But the guests were less astonished at the brilliancy of the diamonds +than at the beauty of the bride, which was beyond anything they had ever +seen or heard of. The night was passed in singing and dancing, and then +the bride and bridegroom went to their own house, where they lived till +they died, and had many children, who were famous throughout Japan for +their goodness and beauty. + +(Japanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE MONKEY AND THE JELLY-FISH + +Children must often have wondered why jelly-fishes have no shells, like +so many of the creatures that are washed up every day on the beach. In +old times this was not so; the jelly-fish had as hard a shell as any +of them, but he lost it through his own fault, as may be seen in this +story. + +The sea-queen Otohime, whom you read of in the story of Uraschimatoro, +grew suddenly very ill. The swiftest messengers were sent hurrying to +fetch the best doctors from every country under the sea, but it was all +of no use; the queen grew rapidly worse instead of better. Everyone had +almost given up hope, when one day a doctor arrived who was cleverer +than the rest, and said that the only thing that would cure her was the +liver of an ape. Now apes do not dwell under the sea, so a council of +the wisest heads in the nation was called to consider the question how a +liver could be obtained. At length it was decided that the turtle, whose +prudence was well known, should swim to land and contrive to catch a +living ape and bring him safely to the ocean kingdom. + +It was easy enough for the council to entrust this mission to the +turtle, but not at all so easy for him to fulfil it. However he swam to +a part of the coast that was covered with tall trees, where he thought +the apes were likely to be; for he was old, and had seen many things. It +was some time before he caught sight of any monkeys, and he often grew +tired with watching for them, so that one hot day he fell fast asleep, +in spite of all his efforts to keep awake. By-and-by some apes, who +had been peeping at him from the tops of the trees, where they had been +carefully hidden from the turtle's eyes, stole noiselessly down, and +stood round staring at him, for they had never seen a turtle before, and +did not know what to make of it. At last one young monkey, bolder than +the rest, stooped down and stroked the shining shell that the strange +new creature wore on its back. The movement, gentle though it was, woke +the turtle. With one sweep he seized the monkey's hand in his mouth, and +held it tight, in spite of every effort to pull it away. The other apes, +seeing that the turtle was not to be trifled with, ran off, leaving +their young brother to his fate. + +Then the turtle said to the monkey, 'If you will be quiet, and do what +I tell you, I won't hurt you. But you must get on my back and come with +me.' + +The monkey, seeing there was no help for it, did as he was bid; indeed +he could not have resisted, as his hand was still in the turtle's mouth. + +Delighted at having secured his prize, the turtle hastened back to the +shore and plunged quickly into the water. He swam faster than he had +ever done before, and soon reached the royal palace. Shouts of joy broke +forth from the attendants when he was seen approaching, and some of them +ran to tell the queen that the monkey was there, and that before long +she would be as well as ever she was. In fact, so great was their relief +that they gave the monkey such a kind welcome, and were so anxious to +make him happy and comfortable, that he soon forgot all the fears that +had beset him as to his fate, and was generally quite at his ease, +though every now and then a fit of home-sickness would come over him, +and he would hide himself in some dark corner till it had passed away. + +It was during one of these attacks of sadness that a jelly-fish happened +to swim by. At that time jelly-fishes had shells. At the sight of the +gay and lively monkey crouching under a tall rock, with his eyes closed +and his head bent, the jelly-fish was filled with pity, and stopped, +saying, 'Ah, poor fellow, no wonder you weep; a few days more, and they +will come and kill you and give your liver to the queen to eat.' + +The monkey shrank back horrified at these words and asked the jelly-fish +what crime he had committed that deserved death. + +'Oh, none at all,' replied the jelly-fish, 'but your liver is the only +thing that will cure our queen, and how can we get at it without killing +you? You had better submit to your fate, and make no noise about it, for +though I pity you from my heart there is no way of helping you.' Then he +went away, leaving the ape cold with horror. + +At first he felt as if his liver was already being taken from his body, +but soon he began to wonder if there was no means of escaping this +terrible death, and at length he invented a plan which he thought would +do. For a few days he pretended to be gay and happy as before, but when +the sun went in, and rain fell in torrents, he wept and howled from dawn +to dark, till the turtle, who was his head keeper, heard him, and came +to see what was the matter. Then the monkey told him that before he left +home he had hung his liver out on a bush to dry, and if it was always +going to rain like this it would become quite useless. And the rogue +made such a fuss and moaning that he would have melted a heart of stone, +and nothing would content him but that somebody should carry him back to +land and let him fetch his liver again. + +The queen's councillors were not the wisest of people, and they decided +between them that the turtle should take the monkey back to his native +land and allow him to get his liver off the bush, but desired the turtle +not to lose sight of his charge for a single moment. The monkey knew +this, but trusted to his power of beguiling the turtle when the time +came, and mounted on his back with feelings of joy, which he was, +however, careful to conceal. They set out, and in a few hours were +wandering about the forest where the ape had first been caught, and +when the monkey saw his family peering out from the tree tops, he swung +himself up by the nearest branch, just managing to save his hind leg +from being seized by the turtle. He told them all the dreadful things +that had happened to him, and gave a war cry which brought the rest of +the tribe from the neighbouring hills. At a word from him they rushed +in a body to the unfortunate turtle, threw him on his back, and tore off +the shield that covered his body. Then with mocking words they hunted +him to the shore, and into the sea, which he was only too thankful to +reach alive. Faint and exhausted he entered the queen's palace for the +cold of the water struck upon his naked body, and made him feel ill +and miserable. But wretched though he was, he had to appear before the +queen's advisers and tell them all that had befallen him, and how he had +suffered the monkey to escape. But, as sometimes happens, the turtle was +allowed to go scot-free, and had his shell given back to him, and all +the punishment fell on the poor jelly-fish, who was condemned by the +queen to go shieldless for ever after. + +(Japanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE HEADLESS DWARFS + +There was once a minister who spent his whole time in trying to find +a servant who would undertake to ring the church bells at midnight, in +addition to all his other duties. + +Of course it was not everyone who cared to get up in the middle of the +night, when he had been working hard all day; still, a good many had +agreed to do it. But the strange thing was that no sooner had the +servant set forth to perform his task than he disappeared, as if the +earth had swallowed him up. No bells were rung, and no ringer ever came +back. The minister did his best to keep the matter secret, but it leaked +out for all that, and the end of it was that no one would enter his +service. Indeed, there were even those who whispered that the minister +himself had murdered the missing men! + +It was to no purpose that Sunday after Sunday the minister gave out from +his pulpit that double wages would be paid to anyone that would fulfil +the sacred duty of ringing the bells of the church. No one took the +slightest notice of any offer he might make, and the poor man was in +despair, when one day, as he was standing at his house door, a youth +known in the village as Clever Hans came up to him. 'I am tired of +living with a miser who will not give me enough to eat and drink,' said +he, 'and I am ready to do all you want.' 'Very good, my son,' replied +the minister, 'you shall have the chance of proving your courage this +very night. To-morrow we will settle what your wages are to be.' + +Hans was quite content with this proposal, and went straight into the +kitchen to begin his work, not knowing that his new master was quite +as stingy as his old one. In the hope that his presence might be a +restraint upon them, the minister used to sit at the table during his +servants' meals, and would exhort them to drink much and often, thinking +that they would not be able to eat as well, and beef was dearer than +beer. But in Hans he had met his match, and the minister soon found to +his cost that in his case at any rate a full cup did not mean an empty +plate. + +About an hour before midnight, Hans entered the church and locked +the door behind him, but what was his surprise when, in place of the +darkness and silence he expected, he found the church brilliantly +lighted, and a crowd of people sitting round a table playing cards. Hans +felt no fear at this strange sight, or was prudent enough to hide it if +he did, and, going up to the table, sat down amongst the players. One of +them looked up and asked, 'My friend, what are you doing here?' and Hans +gazed at him for a moment, then laughed and answered, 'Well, if anybody +has a right to put that question, it is I! And if _I_ do not put it, it +will certainly be wiser for you not to do so!' + +Then he picked up some cards, and played with the unknown men as if +he had known them all his life. The luck was on his side, and soon the +money of the other gamblers found its way from their pockets into his. +On the stroke of midnight the cock crew, and in an instant lights, +table, cards, and people all had vanished, and Hans was left alone. + +He groped about for some time, till he found the staircase in the tower, +and then began to feel his way up the steps. + +On the first landing a glimmer of light came through a slit in the wall, +and he saw a tiny man sitting there, without a head. 'Ho! ho! my little +fellow, what are you doing there?' asked Hans, and, without waiting for +an answer, gave him a kick which sent him flying down the stairs. Then +he climbed higher still, and finding as he went dumb watchers sitting on +every landing, treated them as he had done the first. + +At last he reached the top, and as he paused for a moment to look +round him he saw another headless man cowering in the very bell itself, +waiting till Hans should seize the bell-pull in order to strike him a +blow with the clapper, which would soon have made an end of him. + +'Stop, my little friend!' cried Hans. 'That is not part of the bargain! +Perhaps you saw how your comrades walked down stairs, and you are going +after them. But as you are in the highest place you shall make a more +dignified exit, and follow them through the window!' + +With these words he began to climb the ladder, in order to take the +little man from the bell and carry out his threat. + +At this the dwarf cried out imploringly, 'Oh, brother! spare my life, +and I promise that neither I nor my comrades will ever trouble you any +more. I am small and weak, but who knows whether some day I shall not be +able to reward you.' + +'You wretched little shrimp,' replied Hans, 'a great deal of good +your gratitude is likely to do me! But as I happen to be feeling in a +cheerful mood to-night I will let you have your life. But take care how +you come across me again, or you may not escape so easily!' + +The headless man thanked him humbly, slid hastily down the bell rope, +and ran down the steps of the tower as if he had left a fire behind him. +Then Hans began to ring lustily. + +When the minister heard the sound of the midnight bells he wondered +greatly, but rejoiced that he had at last found some one to whom he +could trust this duty. Hans rang the bells for some time, then went to +the hay-loft, and fell fast asleep. + +Now it was the custom of the minister to get up very early, and to go +round to make sure that the men were all at their work. This morning +everyone was in his place except Hans, and no one knew anything about +him. Nine o'clock came, and no Hans, but when eleven struck the minister +began to fear that he had vanished like the ringers who had gone before +him. When, however, the servants all gathered round the table for +dinner, Hans at last made his appearance stretching himself and yawning. + +'Where have you been all this time?' asked the minister. + +'Asleep,' said Hans. + +'Asleep!' exclaimed the minister in astonishment. 'You don't mean to +tell me that you can go on sleeping till mid-day?' + +'That is exactly what I do mean,' replied Hans. 'If one works in the +night one must sleep in the day, just as if one works in the day one +sleeps in the night. If you can find somebody else to ring the bells at +midnight I am ready to begin work at dawn; but if you want me to ring +them I must go on sleeping till noon at the very earliest.' + +The minister tried to argue the point with him, but at length the +following agreement was come to. Hans was to give up the ringing, and +was to work like the rest from sunrise to sunset, with the exception of +an hour after breakfast and an hour after dinner, when he might go to +sleep. 'But, of course,' added the minister carelessly, 'it may happen +now and then, especially in winter, when the days are short, that you +will have to work a little longer, to get something finished.' + +'Not at all!' answered Hans. 'Unless I were to leave off work earlier +in summer, I will not do a stroke more than I have promised, and that is +from dawn to dark; so you know what you have to expect.' + +A few weeks later the minister was asked to attend a christening in the +neighbouring town. He bade Hans come with him, but, as the town was only +a few hours' ride from where he lived, the minister was much surprised +to see Hans come forth laden with a bag containing food. + +'What are you taking that for?' asked the minister. 'We shall be there +before dark.' + +'Who knows?' replied Hans. 'Many things may happen to delay our journey, +and I need not remind you of our contract that the moment the sun sets +I cease to be your servant. If we don't reach the town while it is still +daylight I shall leave you to shift for yourself.' + +The minister thought he was joking, and made no further remark. But when +they had left the village behind them, and had ridden a few miles, they +found that snow had fallen during the night, and had been blown by the +wind into drifts. This hindered their progress, and by the time they had +entered the thick wood which lay between them and their destination +the sun was already touching the tops of the trees. The horses ploughed +their way slowly through the deep soft snow and as they went Hans kept +turning to look at the sun, which lay at their backs. + +'Is there anything behind you?' asked the minister. 'Or what is it you +are always turning round for?' + +'I turn round because I have no eyes in the back of my neck,' said Hans. + +'Cease talking nonsense,' replied the minister, 'and give all your mind +to getting us to the town before nightfall.' + +Hans did not answer, but rode on steadily, though every now and then he +cast a glance over his shoulder. + +When they arrived in the middle of the wood the sun sank altogether. +Then Hans reined up his horse, took his knapsack, and jumped out of the +sledge. + +'What are you doing? Are you mad?' asked the minister, but Hans answered +quietly, 'The sun is set and my work is over, and I am going to camp +here for the night.' + +In vain the master prayed and threatened, and promised Hans a large +reward if he would only drive him on. The young man was not to be moved. + +'Are you not ashamed to urge me to break my word?' said he. 'If you want +to reach the town to-night you must go alone. The hour of my freedom has +struck, and I cannot go with you.' + +'My good Hans,' entreated the minister, 'I really ought not to leave +you here. Consider what danger you would be in! Yonder, as you see, a +gallows is set up, and two evil-doers are hanging on it. You could not +possibly sleep with such ghastly neighbours.' + +'Why not?' asked Hans. 'Those gallows birds hang high in the air, and +my camp will be on the ground; we shall have nothing to do with each +other.' As he spoke, he turned his back on the minister, and went his +way. + +There was no help for it, and the minister had to push on by himself, if +he expected to arrive in time for the christening. His friends were +much surprised to see him drive up without a coachman, and thought some +accident had happened. But when he told them of his conversation with +Hans they did not know which was the most foolish, master or man. + +It would have mattered little to Hans had he known what they were saying +or thinking of him. He satisfied his hunger with the food he had in his +knapsack, lit his pipe, pitched his tent under the boughs of a tree, +wrapped himself in his furs, and went sound asleep. After some hours, +he was awakened by a sudden noise, and sat up and looked about him. +The moon was shining brightly above his head, and close by stood two +headless dwarfs, talking angrily. At the sight of Hans the little dwarfs +cried out: + +'It is he! It is he!' and one of them stepping nearer exclaimed, 'Ah, +my old friend! it is a lucky chance that has brought us here. My bones +still ache from my fall down the steps of the tower. I dare say you +have not forgotten that night! Now it is the turn of your bones. Hi! +comrades, make haste! make haste!' + +Like a swarm of midges, a host of tiny headless creatures seemed to +spring straight out of the ground, and every one was armed with a club. +Although they were so small, yet there were such numbers of them and +they struck so hard that even a strong man could do nothing against +them. Hans thought his last hour was come, when just as the fight was at +the hottest another little dwarf arrived on the scene. + +'Hold, comrades!' he shouted, turning to the attacking party. 'This man +once did me a service, and I am his debtor. When I was in his power he +granted me my life. And even if he did throw you downstairs, well, a +warm bath soon cured your bruises, so you must just forgive him and go +quietly home.' + +The headless dwarfs listened to his words and disappeared as suddenly as +they had come. As soon as Hans recovered himself a little he looked at +his rescuer, and saw he was the dwarf he had found seated in the church +bell. + +'Ah!' said the dwarf, seating himself quietly under the tree. 'You +laughed at me when I told you that some day I might do you a good turn. +Now you see I was right, and perhaps you will learn for the future not +to despise any creature, however small.' + +'I thank you from my heart,' answered Hans. 'My bones are still sore +from their blows, and had it not been for you I should indeed have fared +badly.' + +'I have almost paid my debt,' went on the little man, 'but as you have +suffered already, I will do more, and give you a piece of information. +You need not remain any longer in the service of that stingy minister, +but when you get home to-morrow go at once to the north corner of the +church, and there you will find a large stone built into the wall, but +not cemented like the rest. The day after to-morrow the moon is full, +and at midnight you must go to the spot and get the stone out of the +wall with a pickaxe. Under the stone lies a great treasure, which has +been hidden there in time of war. Besides church plate, you will find +bags of money, which have been lying in this place for over a hundred +years, and no one knows to whom it all belongs. A third of this money +you must give to the poor, but the rest you may keep for yourself.' As +he finished, the cocks in the village crowed, and the little man was +nowhere to be seen. Hans found that his limbs no longer pained him, and +lay for some time thinking of the hidden treasure. Towards morning he +fell asleep. + +The sun was high in the heavens when his master returned from the town. + +'Hans,' said he, 'what a fool you were not to come with me yesterday! I +was well feasted and entertained, and I have money in my pocket into the +bargain,' he went on, rattling some coins while he spoke, to make Hans +understand how much he had lost. + +'Ah, sir,' replied Hans calmly, 'in order to have gained so much money +you must have lain awake all night, but I have earned a hundred times +that amount while I was sleeping soundly.' + +'How did you manage that?' asked the minister eagerly, but Hans +answered, 'It is only fools who boast of their farthings; wise men take +care to hide their crowns.' + +They drove home, and Hans neglected none of his duties, but put up the +horses and gave them their food before going to the church corner, where +he found the loose stone, exactly in the place described by the dwarf. +Then he returned to his work. + +The first night of the full moon, when the whole village was asleep, he +stole out, armed with a pickaxe, and with much difficulty succeeded in +dislodging the stone from its place. Sure enough, there was the hole, +and in the hole lay the treasure, exactly as the little man had said. + +The following Sunday he handed over the third part to the village poor, +and informed the minister that he wished to break his bond of +service. As, however, he did not claim any wages, the minister made no +objections, but allowed him to do as he wished. So Hans went his way, +bought himself a large house, and married a young wife, and lived +happily and prosperously to the end of his days. + +(Ehstnische Marchen.) + + + + +THE YOUNG MAN WHO WOULD HAVE HIS EYES OPENED + +Once upon a time there lived a youth who was never happy unless he was +prying into something that other people knew nothing about. After he had +learned to understand the language of birds and beasts, he discovered +accidentally that a great deal took place under cover of night which +mortal eyes never saw. From that moment he felt he could not rest till +these hidden secrets were laid bare to him, and he spent his whole time +wandering from one wizard to another, begging them to open his eyes, +but found none to help him. At length he reached an old magician called +Mana, whose learning was greater than that of the rest, and who could +tell him all he wanted to know. But when the old man had listened +attentively to him, he said, warningly: + +'My son, do not follow after empty knowledge, which will not bring you +happiness, but rather evil. Much is hidden from the eyes of men, because +did they know everything their hearts would no longer be at peace. +Knowledge kills joy, therefore think well what you are doing, or some +day you will repent. But if you will not take my advice, then truly I +can show you the secrets of the night. Only you will need more than a +man's courage to bear the sight.' + +He stopped and looked at the young man, who nodded his head, and then +the wizard continued, 'To-morrow night you must go to the place where, +once in seven years, the serpent-king gives a great feast to his whole +court. In front of him stands a golden bowl filled with goats' milk, +and if you can manage to dip a piece of bread in this milk, and eat it +before you are obliged to fly, you will understand all the secrets of +the night that are hidden from other men. It is lucky for you that the +serpent-king's feast happens to fall this year, otherwise you would have +had long to wait for it. But take care to be quick and bold, or it will +be the worse for you.' + +The young man thanked the wizard for his counsel, and went his way +firmly resolved to carry out his purpose, even if he paid for it with +his life; and when night came he set out for a wide, lonely moor, where +the serpent-king held his feast. With sharpened eyes, he looked eagerly +all round him, but could see nothing but a multitude of small hillocks, +that lay motionless under the moonlight. He crouched behind a bush +for some time, till he felt that midnight could not be far off, when +suddenly there arose in the middle of the moor a brilliant glow, as if +a star was shining over one of the hillocks. At the same moment all the +hillocks began to writhe and to crawl, and from each one came hundreds +of serpents and made straight for the glow, where they knew they should +find their king. When they reached the hillock where he dwelt, which was +higher and broader than the rest, and had a bright light hanging over +the top, they coiled themselves up and waited. The whirr and confusion +from all the serpent-houses were so great that the youth did not dare to +advance one step, but remained where he was, watching intently all that +went on; but at last he began to take courage, and moved on softly step +by step. + +What he saw was creepier than creepy, and surpassed all he had ever +dreamt of. Thousands of snakes, big and little and of every colour, were +gathered together in one great cluster round a huge serpent, whose body +was as thick as a beam, and which had on its head a golden crown, from +which the light sprang. Their hissings and darting tongues so terrified +the young man that his heart sank, and he felt he should never have +courage to push on to certain death, when suddenly he caught sight of +the golden bowl in front of the serpent-king, and knew that if he lost +this chance it would never come back. So, with his hair standing on end +and his blood frozen in his veins, he crept forwards. Oh! what a noise +and a whirr rose afresh among the serpents. Thousands of heads were +reared, and tongues were stretched out to sting the intruder to death, +but happily for him their bodies were so closely entwined one in the +other that they could not disentangle themselves quickly. Like lightning +he seized a bit of bread, dipped it in the bowl, and put it in his +mouth, then dashed away as if fire was pursuing him. On he flew as if a +whole army of foes were at his heels, and he seemed to hear the noise +of their approach growing nearer and nearer. At length his breath failed +him, and he threw himself almost senseless on the turf. While he lay +there dreadful dreams haunted him. He thought that the serpent-king with +the fiery crown had twined himself round him, and was crushing out his +life. With a loud shriek he sprang up to do battle with his enemy, when +he saw that it was rays of the sun which had wakened him. He rubbed his +eyes and looked all round, but nothing could he see of the foes of the +past night, and the moor where he had run into such danger must be at +least a mile away. But it was no dream that he had run hard and far, or +that he had drunk of the magic goats' milk. And when he felt his limbs, +and found them whole, his joy was great that he had come through such +perils with a sound skin. + +After the fatigues and terrors of the night, he lay still till mid-day, +but he made up his mind he would go that very evening into the forest to +try what the goats' milk could really do for him, and if he would now be +able to understand all that had been a mystery to him. And once in the +forest his doubts were set at rest, for he saw what no mortal eyes had +ever seen before. Beneath the trees were golden pavilions, with flags of +silver all brightly lighted up. He was still wondering why the pavilions +were there, when a noise was heard among the trees, as if the wind had +suddenly got up, and on all sides beautiful maidens stepped from the +trees into the bright light of the moon. These were the wood-nymphs, +daughters of the earth-mother, who came every night to hold their +dances, in the forest. The young man, watching from his hiding place, +wished he had a hundred eyes in his head, for two were not nearly enough +for the sight before him, the dances lasting till the first streaks of +dawn. Then a silvery veil seemed to be drawn over the ladies, and they +vanished from sight. But the young man remained where he was till the +sun was high in the heavens, and then went home. + +He felt that day to be endless, and counted the minutes till night +should come, and he might return to the forest. But when at last he got +there he found neither pavilions nor nymphs, and though he went back +many nights after he never saw them again. Still, he thought about them +night and day, and ceased to care about anything else in the world, and +was sick to the end of his life with longing for that beautiful vision. +And that was the way he learned that the wizard had spoken truly when he +said, 'Blindness is man's highest good.' + +(Ehstnische Marchen.) + + + + +THE BOYS WITH THE GOLDEN STARS + +Once upon a time what happened did happen: and if it had not happened, +you would never have heard this story. + +Well, once upon a time there lived an emperor who had half a world all +to himself to rule over, and in this world dwelt an old herd and his +wife and their three daughters, Anna, Stana, and Laptitza. + +Anna, the eldest, was so beautiful that when she took the sheep to +pasture they forgot to eat as long as she was walking with them. Stana, +the second, was so beautiful that when she was driving the flock the +wolves protected the sheep. But Laptitza, the youngest, with a skin +as white as the foam on the milk, and with hair as soft as the finest +lamb's wool, was as beautiful as both her sisters put together--as +beautiful as she alone could be. + +One summer day, when the rays of the sun were pouring down on the earth, +the three sisters went to the wood on the outskirts of the mountain to +pick strawberries. As they were looking about to find where the largest +berries grew they heard the tramp of horses approaching, so loud that +you would have thought a whole army was riding by. But it was only the +emperor going to hunt with his friends and attendants. + +They were all fine handsome young men, who sat their horses as if they +were part of them, but the finest and handsomest of all was the young +emperor himself. + +As they drew near the three sisters, and marked their beauty, they +checked their horses and rode slowly by. + +'Listen, sisters!' said Anna, as they passed on. 'If one of those young +men should make me his wife, I would bake him a loaf of bread which +should keep him young and brave for ever.' + +'And if I,' said Stana, 'should be the one chosen, I would weave my +husband a shirt which will keep him unscathed when he fights with +dragons; when he goes through water he will never even be wet; or if +through fire, it will not scorch him.' + +'And I,' said Laptitza, 'will give the man who chooses me two boys, +twins, each with a golden star on his forehead, as bright as those in +the sky.' + +And though they spoke low the young men heard, and turned their horses' +heads. + +'I take you at your word, and mine shall you be, most lovely of +empresses!' cried the emperor, and swung Laptitza and her strawberries +on the horse before him. + +'And I will have you,' 'And I you,' exclaimed two of his friends, and +they all rode back to the palace together. + +The following morning the marriage ceremony took place, and for three +days and three nights there was nothing but feasting over the whole +kingdom. And when the rejoicings were over the news was in everybody's +mouth that Anna had sent for corn, and had made the loaf of which she +had spoken at the strawberry beds. And then more days and nights passed, +and this rumour was succeeded by another one--that Stana had procured +some flax, and had dried it, and combed it, and spun it into linen, +and sewed it herself into the shirt of which she had spoken over the +strawberry beds. + +Now the emperor had a stepmother, and she had a daughter by her first +husband, who lived with her in the palace. The girl's mother had always +believed that her daughter would be empress, and not the 'Milkwhite +Maiden,' the child of a mere shepherd. So she hated the girl with all +her heart, and only bided her time to do her ill. + +But she could do nothing as long as the emperor remained with his wife +night and day, and she began to wonder what she could do to get him away +from her. + +At last, when everything else had failed, she managed to make her +brother, who was king of the neighbouring country, declare war against +the emperor, and besiege some of the frontier towns with a large army. +This time her scheme was successful. The young emperor sprang up in +wrath the moment he heard the news, and vowed that nothing, not even +his wife, should hinder his giving them battle. And hastily assembling +whatever soldiers happened to be at hand he set off at once to meet +the enemy. The other king had not reckoned on the swiftness of his +movements, and was not ready to receive him. The emperor fell on him +when he was off his guard, and routed his army completely. Then when +victory was won, and the terms of peace hastily drawn up, he rode home +as fast as his horse would carry him, and reached the palace on the +third day. + +But early that morning, when the stars were growing pale in the sky, two +little boys with golden hair and stars on their foreheads were born to +Laptitza. And the stepmother, who was watching, took them away, and dug +a hole in the corner of the palace, under the windows of the emperor, +and put them in it, while in their stead she placed two little puppies. + +The emperor came into the palace, and when they told him the news he +went straight to Laptitza's room. No words were needed; he saw with +his own eyes that Laptitza had not kept the promise she had made at the +strawberry beds, and, though it nearly broke his heart, he must give +orders for her punishment. + +So he went out sadly and told his guards that the empress was to be +buried in the earth up to her neck, so that everyone might know what +would happen to those who dared to deceive the emperor. + +Not many days after, the stepmother's wish was fulfilled. The emperor +took her daughter to wife, and again the rejoicings lasted for three +days and three nights. + +Let us now see what happened to the two little boys. + +The poor little babies had found no rest even in their graves. In the +place where they had been buried there sprang up two beautiful young +aspens, and the stepmother, who hated the sight of the trees, which +reminded her of her crime, gave orders that they should be uprooted. But +the emperor heard of it, and forbade the trees to be touched, saying, +'Let them alone; I like to see them there! They are the finest aspens I +have ever beheld!' + +And the aspens grew as no aspens had ever grown before. In each day they +added a year's growth, and each night they added a year's growth, and at +dawn, when the stars faded out of the sky, they grew three years' growth +in the twinkling of an eye, and their boughs swept across the palace +windows. And when the wind moved them softly, the emperor would sit and +listen to them all the day long. + +The stepmother knew what it all meant, and her mind never ceased from +trying to invent some way of destroying the trees. It was not an easy +thing, but a woman's will can press milk out of a stone, and her cunning +will overcome heroes. What craft will not do soft words may attain, and +if these do not succeed there still remains the resource of tears. + +One morning the empress sat on the edge of her husband's bed, and began +to coax him with all sorts of pretty ways. + +It was some time before the bait took, but at length--even emperors are +only men! + +'Well, well,' he said at last, 'have your way and cut down the trees; +but out of one they shall make a bed for me, and out of the other, one +for you!' + +And with this the empress was forced to be content. The aspens were cut +down next morning, and before night the new bed had been placed in the +emperor's room. + +Now when the emperor lay down in it he seemed as if he had grown a +hundred times heavier than usual, yet he felt a kind of calm that was +quite new to him. But the empress felt as if she was lying on thorns and +nettles, and could not close her eyes. + +When the emperor was fast asleep, the bed began to crack loudly, and to +the empress each crack had a meaning. She felt as if she were listening +to a language which no one but herself could understand. + +'Is it too heavy for you, little brother?' asked one of the beds. + +'Oh, no, it is not heavy at all,' answered the bed in which the emperor +was sleeping. 'I feel nothing but joy now that my beloved father rests +over me.' + +'It is very heavy for me!' said the other bed, 'for on me lies an evil +soul.' + +And so they talked on till the morning, the empress listening all the +while. + +By daybreak the empress had determined how to get rid of the beds. She +would have two others made exactly like them, and when the emperor had +gone hunting they should be placed in his room. This was done and the +aspen beds were burnt in a large fire, till only a little heap of ashes +was left. + +Yet while they were burning the empress seemed to hear the same words, +which she alone could understand. + +Then she stooped and gathered up the ashes, and scattered them to the +four winds, so that they might blow over fresh lands and fresh seas, and +nothing remain of them. + +But she had not seen that where the fire burnt brightest two sparks flew +up, and, after floating in the air for a few moments, fell down into the +great river that flows through the heart of the country. Here the sparks +had turned into two little fishes with golden scales, and one was so +exactly like the other that everyone could tell at the first glance that +they must be twins. Early one morning the emperor's fishermen went down +to the river to get some fish for their master's breakfast, and cast +their nets into the stream. As the last star twinkled out of the sky +they drew them in, and among the multitude of fishes lay two with scales +of gold, such as no man had ever looked on. + +They all gathered round and wondered, and after some talk they decided +that they would take the little fishes alive as they were, and give them +as a present to the emperor. + +'Do not take us there, for that is whence we came, and yonder lies our +destruction,' said one of the fishes. + +'But what are we to do with you?' asked the fisherman. + +'Go and collect all the dew that lies on the leaves, and let us swim in +it. Then lay us in the sun, and do not come near us till the sun's rays +shall have dried off the dew,' answered the other fish. + +The fisherman did as they told him--gathered the dew from the leaves and +let them swim in it, then put them to lie in the sun till the dew should +be all dried up. + +And when he came back, what do you think he saw? Why, two boys, two +beautiful young princes, with hair as golden as the stars on their +foreheads, and each so like the other, that at the first glance every +one would have known them for twins. + +The boys grew fast. In every day they grew a year's growth, and in every +night another year's growth, but at dawn, when the stars were fading, +they grew three years' growth in the twinkling of an eye. And they +grew in other things besides height, too. Thrice in age, and thrice in +wisdom, and thrice in knowledge. And when three days and three nights +had passed they were twelve years in age, twenty-four in strength, and +thirty-six in wisdom. + +'Now take us to our father,' said they. So the fisherman gave them each +a lambskin cap which half covered their faces, and completely hid their +golden hair and the stars on their foreheads, and led them to the court. + +By the time they arrived there it was midday, and the fisherman and his +charges went up to an official who was standing about. 'We wish to speak +with the emperor,' said one of the boys. + +'You must wait until he has finished his dinner,' replied the porter. + +'No, while he is eating it,' said the second boy, stepping across the +threshold. + +The attendants all ran forward to thrust such impudent youngsters +outside the palace, but the boys slipped through their fingers like +quicksilver, and entered a large hall, where the emperor was dining, +surrounded by his whole court. + +'We desire to enter,' said one of the princes sharply to a servant who +stood near the door. + +'That is quite impossible,' replied the servant. + +'Is it? let us see!' said the second prince, pushing the servants to +right and left. + +But the servants were many, and the princes only two. There was the +noise of a struggle, which reached the emperor's ears. + +'What is the matter?' asked he angrily. + +The princes stopped at the sound of their father's voice. + +'Two boys who want to force their way in,' replied one of the servants, +approaching the emperor. + +'To FORCE their way in? Who dares to use force in my palace? What boys +are they?' said the emperor all in one breath. + +'We know not, O mighty emperor,' answered the servant, 'but they must +surely be akin to you, for they have the strength of lions, and have +scattered the guards at the gate. And they are as proud as they are +strong, for they will not take their caps from their heads.' + +The emperor, as he listened, grew red with anger. + +'Thrust them out,' cried he. 'Set the dogs after them.' + +'Leave us alone, and we will go quietly,' said the princes, and stepped +backwards, weeping silently at the harsh words. They had almost reached +the gates when a servant ran up to them. + +'The emperor commands you to return,' panted he: 'the empress wishes to +see you.' + +The princes thought a moment: then they went back the way they had come, +and walked straight up to the emperor, their caps still on their heads. + +He sat at the top of a long table covered with flowers and filled with +guests. And beside him sat the empress, supported by twelve cushions. +When the princes entered one of the cushions fell down, and there +remained only eleven. + +'Take off your caps,' said one of the courtiers. + +'A covered head is among men a sign of honour. We wish to seem what we +are.' + +'Never mind,' said the emperor, whose anger had dropped before the +silvery tones of the boy's voice. 'Stay as you are, but tell me WHO you +are! Where do you come from, and what do you want?' + +'We are twins, two shoots from one stem, which has been broken, and +half lies in the ground and half sits at the head of this table. We have +travelled a long way, we have spoken in the rustle of the wind, have +whispered in the wood, we have sung in the waters, but now we wish to +tell you a story which you know without knowing it, in the speech of +men.' + +And a second cushion fell down. + +'Let them take their silliness home,' said the empress. + +'Oh, no, let them go on,' said the emperor. 'You wished to see them, but +I wish to hear them. Go on, boys, sing me the story.' + +The empress was silent, but the princes began to sing the story of their +lives. + +'There was once an emperor,' began they, and the third cushion fell +down. + +When they reached the warlike expedition of the emperor three of the +cushions fell down at once. + +And when the tale was finished there were no more cushions under the +empress, but the moment that they lifted their caps, and showed their +golden hair and the golden stars, the eyes of the emperor and of all +his guests were bent on them, and they could hardly bear the power of so +many glances. + +And there happened in the end what should have happened in the +beginning. Laptitza sat next her husband at the top of the table. The +stepmother's daughter became the meanest sewing maid in the palace, the +stepmother was tied to a wild horse, and every one knew and has never +forgotten that whoever has a mind turned to wickedness is sure to end +badly. + +(Rumanische Marchen.) + + + + +THE FROG + +Once upon a time there was a woman who had three sons. Though they +were peasants they were well off, for the soil on which they lived was +fruitful, and yielded rich crops. One day they all three told their +mother they meant to get married. To which their mother replied: 'Do +as you like, but see that you choose good housewives, who will look +carefully after your affairs; and, to make certain of this, take with +you these three skeins of flax, and give it to them to spin. Whoever +spins the best will be my favourite daughter-in-law.' + +Now the two eldest sons had already chosen their wives; so they took the +flax from their mother, and carried it off with them, to have it spun +as she had said. But the youngest son was puzzled what to do with his +skein, as he knew no girl (never having spoken to any) to whom he could +give it to be spun. He wandered hither and thither, asking the girls +that he met if they would undertake the task for him, but at the sight +of the flax they laughed in his face and mocked at him. Then in despair +he left their villages, and went out into the country, and, seating +himself on the bank of a pond began to cry bitterly. + +Suddenly there was a noise close beside him, and a frog jumped out of +the water on to the bank and asked him why he was crying. The youth told +her of his trouble, and how his brothers would bring home linen spun for +them by their promised wives, but that no one would spin his thread. + +Then the frog answered: 'Do not weep on that account; give me the +thread, and I will spin it for you.' And, having said this, she took +it out of his hand, and flopped back into the water, and the youth went +back, not knowing what would happen next. + +In a short time the two elder brothers came home, and their mother asked +to see the linen which had been woven out of the skeins of flax she had +given them. They all three left the room; and in a few minutes the two +eldest returned, bringing with them the linen that had been spun by +their chosen wives. But the youngest brother was greatly troubled, for +he had nothing to show for the skein of flax that had been given to him. +Sadly he betook himself to the pond, and sitting down on the bank, began +to weep. + +Flop! and the frog appeared out of the water close beside him. + +'Take this,' she said; 'here is the linen that I have spun for you.' + +You may imagine how delighted the youth was. She put the linen into his +hands, and he took it straight back to his mother, who was so pleased +with it that she declared she had never seen linen so beautifully spun, +and that it was far finer and whiter than the webs that the two elder +brothers had brought home. + +Then she turned to her sons and said: 'But this is not enough, my sons, +I must have another proof as to what sort of wives you have chosen. In +the house there are three puppies. Each of you take one, and give it to +the woman whom you mean to bring home as your wife. She must train it +and bring it up. Whichever dog turns out the best, its mistress will be +my favourite daughter-in-law.' + +So the young men set out on their different ways, each taking a puppy +with him. The youngest, not knowing where to go, returned to the pond, +sat down once more on the bank, and began to weep. + +Flop! and close beside him, he saw the frog. 'Why are you weeping?' she +said. Then he told her his difficulty, and that he did not know to whom +he should take the puppy. + +'Give it to me,' she said, 'and I will bring it up for you.' And, seeing +that the youth hesitated, she took the little creature out of his arms, +and disappeared with it into the pond. + +The weeks and months passed, till one day the mother said she would like +to see how the dogs had been trained by her future daughters-in-law. The +two eldest sons departed, and returned shortly, leading with them two +great mastiffs, who growled so fiercely, and looked so savage, that the +mere sight of them made the mother tremble with fear. + +The youngest son, as was his custom, went to the pond, and called on the +frog to come to his rescue. + +In a minute she was at his side, bringing with her the most lovely +little dog, which she put into his arms. It sat up and begged with its +paws, and went through the prettiest tricks, and was almost human in the +way it understood and did what it was told. + +In high spirits the youth carried it off to his mother. As soon as she +saw it, she exclaimed: 'This is the most beautiful little dog I have +ever seen. You are indeed fortunate, my son; you have won a pearl of a +wife.' + +Then, turning to the others, she said: 'Here are three shirts; take +them to your chosen wives. Whoever sews the best will be my favourite +daughter-in-law.' + +So the young men set out once more; and again, this time, the work of +the frog was much the best and the neatest. + +This time the mother said: 'Now that I am content with the tests I gave, +I want you to go and fetch home your brides, and I will prepare the +wedding-feast.' + +You may imagine what the youngest brother felt on hearing these words. +Whence was he to fetch a bride? Would the frog be able to help him in +this new difficulty? With bowed head, and feeling very sad, he sat down +on the edge of the pond. + +Flop! and once more the faithful frog was beside him. + +'What is troubling you so much?' she asked him, and then the youth told +her everything. + +'Will you take me for a wife?' she asked. + +'What should I do with you as a wife,' he replied, wondering at her +strange proposal. + +'Once more, will you have me or will you not?' she said. + +'I will neither have you, nor will I refuse you,' said he. + +At this the frog disappeared; and the next minute the youth beheld a +lovely little chariot, drawn by two tiny ponies, standing on the road. +The frog was holding the carriage door open for him to step in. + +'Come with me,' she said. And he got up and followed her into the +chariot. + +As they drove along the road they met three witches; the first of them +was blind, the second was hunchbacked, and the third had a large thorn +in her throat. When the three witches beheld the chariot, with the +frog seated pompously among the cushions, they broke into such fits of +laughter that the eyelids of the blind one burst open, and she recovered +her sight; the hunchback rolled about on the ground in merriment till +her back became straight, and in a roar of laughter the thorn fell out +of the throat of the third witch. Their first thought was to reward +the frog, who had unconsciously been the means of curing them of their +misfortunes. + +The first witch waved her magic wand over the frog, and changed her into +the loveliest girl that had ever been seen. The second witch waved +the wand over the tiny chariot and ponies, and they were turned into +a beautiful large carriage with prancing horses, and a coachman on the +seat. The third witch gave the girl a magic purse, filled with money. +Having done this, the witches disappeared, and the youth with his lovely +bride drove to his mother's home. Great was the delight of the mother at +her youngest son's good fortune. A beautiful house was built for them; +she was the favourite daughter-in-law; everything went well with them, +and they lived happily ever after. + +(From the Italian.) + + + + +THE PRINCESS WHO WAS HIDDEN UNDERGROUND + +Once there was a king who had great riches, which, when he died, he +divided among his three sons. The two eldest of these lived in rioting +and feasting, and thus wasted and squandered their father's wealth till +nothing remained, and they found themselves in want and misery. The +youngest of the three sons, on the contrary, made good use of his +portion. He married a wife and soon they had a most beautiful daughter, +for whom, when she was grown up, he caused a great palace to be built +underground, and then killed the architect who had built it. Next he +shut up his daughter inside, and then sent heralds all over the world to +make known that he who should find the king's daughter should have her +to wife. If he were not capable of finding her then he must die. + +Many young men sought to discover her, but all perished in the attempt. + +After many had met their death thus, there came a young man, beautiful +to behold, and as clever as he was beautiful, who had a great desire to +attempt the enterprise. First he went to a herdsman, and begged him to +hide him in a sheepskin, which had a golden fleece, and in this disguise +to take him to the king. The shepherd let himself be persuaded so to do, +took a skin having a golden fleece, sewed the young man in it, putting +in also food and drink, and so brought him before the king. + +When the latter saw the golden lamb, he asked the herd: 'Will you sell +me this lamb?' + +But the herd answered: 'No, oh king; I will not sell it; but if you find +pleasure therein, I will be willing to oblige you, and I will lend it to +you, free of charge, for three days, after that you must give it back to +me.' + +This the king agreed to do, and he arose and took the lamb to his +daughter. When he had led it into her palace, and through many rooms, +he came to a shut door. Then he called 'Open, Sartara Martara of the +earth!' and the door opened of itself. After that they went through many +more rooms, and came to another closed door. Again the king called out: +'Open, Sartara Martara of the earth!' and this door opened like the +other, and they came into the apartment where the princess dwelt, the +floor, walls, and roof of which were all of silver. + +When the king had embraced the princess, he gave her the lamb, to her +great joy. She stroked it, caressed it, and played with it. + +After a while the lamb got loose, which, when the princess saw, she +said: 'See, father, the lamb is free.' + +But the king answered: 'It is only a lamb, why should it not be free?' + +Then he left the lamb with the princess, and went his way. + +In the night, however, the young man threw off the skin. When the +princess saw how beautiful he was, she fell in love with him, and asked +him: 'Why did you come here disguised in a sheepskin like that?' + +Then he answered: 'When I saw how many people sought you, and could not +find you, and lost their lives in so doing, I invented this trick, and +so I am come safely to you.' + +The princess exclaimed: 'You have done well so to do; but you must know +that your wager is not yet won, for my father will change me and my +maidens into ducks, and will ask you, "Which of these ducks is the +princess?" Then I will turn my head back, and with my bill will clean my +wings, so that you may know me.' + +When they had spent three days together, chatting and caressing one +another, the herd came back to the king, and demanded his lamb. Then the +king went to his daughter to bring it away, which troubled the princess +very much, for she said they had played so nicely together. + +But the king said: 'I cannot leave it with you, my daughter, for it is +only lent to me.' So he took it away with him, and gave it back to the +shepherd. + +Then the young man threw the skin from off him, and went to the king, +saying: 'Sire, I am persuaded I can find your daughter.' + +When the king saw how handsome he was, he said: 'My lad, I have pity on +your youth. This enterprise has already cost the lives of many, and will +certainly be your death as well.' + +But the young man answered, 'I accept your conditions, oh king; I will +either find her or lose my head.' + +Thereupon he went before the king, who followed after him, till they +came to the great door. Then the young man said to the king: 'Speak the +words that it may open.' + +And the king answered: 'What are the words? Shall I say something like +this: "Shut; shut; shut"?' + +'No,' said he; 'say "Open, Sartara Martara of the earth."' + +When the king had so said, the door opened of itself, and they went +in, while the king gnawed his moustache in anger. Then they came to the +second door, where the same thing happened as at the first, and they +went in and found the princess. + +Then spoke the king and said: 'Yes, truly, you have found the princess. +Now I will turn her as well as all her maidens into ducks, and if you +can guess which of these ducks is my daughter, then you shall have her +to wife.' + +And immediately the king changed all the maidens into ducks, and he +drove them before the young man, and said: 'Now show me which is my +daughter.' + +Then the princess, according to their understanding, began to clean her +wings with her bill, and the lad said: 'She who cleans her wings is the +princess.' + +Now the king could do nothing more but give her to the young man to +wife, and they lived together in great joy and happiness. + +(From the German.) + + + + +THE GIRL WHO PRETENDED TO BE A BOY + +Once upon a time there lived an emperor who was a great conqueror, and +reigned over more countries than anyone in the world. And whenever he +subdued a fresh kingdom, he only granted peace on condition that the +king should deliver him one of his sons for ten years' service. + +Now on the borders of his kingdom lay a country whose emperor was as +brave as his neighbour, and as long as he was young he was the victor in +every war. But as years passed away, his head grew weary of making +plans of campaign, and his people wanted to stay at home and till their +fields, and at last he too felt that he must do homage to the other +emperor. + +One thing, however, held him back from this step which day by day he saw +more clearly was the only one possible. His new overlord would demand +the service of one of his sons. And the old emperor had no son; only +three daughters. + +Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, +and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did +everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose. + +At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three +summoned up all her courage and said to her father: + +'What secret grief is troubling you? Are your subjects discontented? or +have we given you cause for displeasure? To smooth away your wrinkles, +we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and +this you know.' + +'My daughter,' answered the emperor, 'what you say is true. Never have +you given me one moment's pain. Yet now you cannot help me. Ah! why is +not one of you a boy!' + +'I don't understand,' she answered in surprise. 'Tell us what is wrong: +and though we are not boys, we are not quite useless!' + +'But what can you do, my dear children? Spin, sew, and weave--that is +all your learning. Only a warrior can deliver me now, a young giant who +is strong to wield the battle-axe: whose sword deals deadly blows.' + +'But WHY do you need a son so much at present? Tell us all about it! It +will not make matters worse if we know!' + +'Listen then, my daughters, and learn the reason of my sorrow. You have +heard that as long as I was young no man ever brought an army against +me without it costing him dear. But the years have chilled my blood and +drunk my strength. And now the deer can roam the forest, my arrows will +never pierce his heart; strange soldiers will set fire to my houses and +water their horses at my wells, and my arm cannot hinder them. No, my +day is past, and the time has come when I too must bow my head under the +yoke of my foe! But who is to give him the ten years' service that is +part of the price which the vanquished must pay?' + +'_I_ will,' cried the eldest girl, springing to her feet. But her father +only shook his head sadly. + +'Never will I bring shame upon you,' urged the girl. 'Let me go. Am I +not a princess, and the daughter of an emperor?' + +'Go then!' he said. + +The brave girl's heart almost stopped beating from joy, as she set about +her preparations. She was not still for a single moment, but danced +about the house, turning chests and wardrobes upside down. She set +aside enough things for a whole year--dresses embroidered with gold and +precious stones, and a great store of provisions. And she chose the most +spirited horse in the stable, with eyes of flame, and a coat of shining +silver. + +When her father saw her mounted and curvetting about the court, he gave +her much wise advice, as to how she was to behave like the young man she +appeared to be, and also how to behave as the girl she really was. Then +he gave her his blessing, and she touched her horse with the spur. + +The silver armour of herself and her steed dazzled the eyes of the +people as she darted past. She was soon out of sight, and if after a few +miles she had not pulled up to allow her escort to join her, the rest of +the journey would have been performed alone. + +But though none of his daughters were aware of the fact, the old emperor +was a magician, and had laid his plans accordingly. He managed, unseen, +to overtake his daughter, and throw a bridge of copper over a stream +which she would have to cross. Then, changing himself into a wolf, he +lay down under one of the arches, and waited. + +He had chosen his time well, and in about half an hour the sound of a +horse's hoofs was heard. His feet were almost on the bridge, when a big +grey wolf with grinning teeth appeared before the princess. With a deep +growl that froze the blood, he drew himself up, and prepared to spring. + +The appearance of the wolf was so sudden and so unexpected, that the +girl was almost paralysed, and never even dreamt of flight, till the +horse leaped violently to one side. Then she turned him round, and +urging him to his fullest speed, never drew rein till she saw the gates +of the palace rising before her. + +The old emperor, who had got back long since, came to the door to meet +her, and touching her shining armour, he said, 'Did I not tell you, my +child, that flies do not make honey?' + +The days passed on, and one morning the second princess implored her +father to allow her to try the adventure in which her sister had made +such a failure. He listened unwillingly, feeling sure it was no use, but +she begged so hard that in the end he consented, and having chosen her +arms, she rode away. + +But though, unlike her sister, she was quite prepared for the appearance +of the wolf when she reached the copper bridge, she showed no greater +courage, and galloped home as fast as her horse could carry her. On the +steps of the castle her father was standing, and as still trembling with +fright she knelt at his feet, he said gently, 'Did I not tell you, my +child, that every bird is not caught in a net?' + +The three girls stayed quietly in the palace for a little while, +embroidering, spinning, weaving, and tending their birds and flowers, +when early one morning, the youngest princess entered the door of the +emperor's private apartments. 'My father, it is my turn now. Perhaps I +shall get the better of that wolf!' + +'What, do you think you are braver than your sisters, vain little one? +You who have hardly left your long clothes behind you!' but she did not +mind being laughed at, and answered, + +'For your sake, father, I would cut the devil himself into small bits, +or even become a devil myself. I think I shall succeed, but if I fail, I +shall come home without more shame than my sisters.' + +Still the emperor hesitated, but the girl petted and coaxed him till at +last he said, + +'Well, well, if you must go, you must. It remains to be seen what I +shall get by it, except perhaps a good laugh when I see you come back +with your head bent and your eyes on the ground.' + +'He laughs best who laughs last,' said the princess. + +Happy at having got her way, the princess decided that the first thing +to be done was to find some old white-haired boyard, whose advice she +could trust, and then to be very careful in choosing her horse. So she +went straight to the stables where the most beautiful horses in the +empire were feeding in the stalls, but none of them seemed quite what +she wanted. Almost in despair she reached the last box of all, which was +occupied by her father's ancient war-horse, old and worn like himself, +stretched sadly out on the straw. + +The girl's eyes filled with tears, and she stood gazing at him. The +horse lifted his head, gave a little neigh, and said softly, 'You look +gentle and pitiful, but I know it is your love for your father which +makes you tender to me. Ah, what a warrior he was, and what good times +we shared together! But now I too have grown old, and my master has +forgotten me, and there is no reason to care whether my coat is dull or +shining. Yet, it is not too late, and if I were properly tended, in a +week I could vie with any horse in the stables!' + +'And how should you be tended?' asked the girl. + +'I must be rubbed down morning and evening with rain water, my barley +must be boiled in milk, because of my bad teeth, and my feet must be +washed in oil.' + +'I should like to try the treatment, as you might help me in carrying +out my scheme.' + +'Try it then, mistress, and I promise you will never repent.' + +So in a week's time the horse woke up one morning with a sudden shiver +through all his limbs; and when it had passed away, he found his skin +shining like a mirror, his body as fat as a water melon, his movement +light as a chamois. + +Then looking at the princess who had come early to the stable, he said +joyfully, + +'May success await on the steps of my master's daughter, for she has +given me back my life. Tell me what I can do for you, princess, and I +will do it.' + +'I want to go to the emperor who is our over-lord, and I have no one +to advise me. Which of all the white-headed boyards shall I choose as +counsellor?' + +'If you have me, you need no one else: I will serve you as I served your +father, if you will only listen to what I say.' + +'I will listen to everything. Can you start in three days?' + +'This moment, if you like,' said the horse. + +The preparations of the emperor's youngest daughter were much fewer and +simpler than those of her sisters. They only consisted of some boy's +clothes, a small quantity of linen and food, and a little money in case +of necessity. Then she bade farewell to her father, and rode away. + +A day's journey from the palace, she reached the copper bridge, but +before they came in sight of it, the horse, who was a magician, had +warned her of the means her father would take to prove her courage. + +Still in spite of his warning she trembled all over when a huge wolf, as +thin as if he had fasted for a month, with claws like saws, and mouth +as wide as an oven, bounded howling towards her. For a moment her heart +failed her, but the next, touching the horse lightly with her spur, she +drew her sword from its sheath, ready to separate the wolf's head from +its body at a single blow. + +The beast saw the sword, and shrank back, which was the best thing it +could do, as now the girl's blood was up, and the light of battle in her +eyes. Then without looking round, she rode across the bridge. + +The emperor, proud of this first victory, took a short cut, and waited +for her at the end of another day's journey, close to a river, over +which he threw a bridge of silver. And this time he took the shape of a +lion. + +But the horse guessed this new danger and told the princess how to +escape it. But it is one thing to receive advice when we feel safe and +comfortable, and quite another to be able to carry it out when some +awful peril is threatening us. And if the wolf had made the girl quake +with terror, it seemed like a lamb beside this dreadful lion. + +At the sound of his roar the very trees quivered and his claws were so +large that every one of them looked like a cutlass. + +The breath of the princess came and went, and her feet rattled in the +stirrups. Suddenly the remembrance flashed across her of the wolf whom +she had put to flight, and waving her sword, she rushed so violently on +the lion that he had barely time to spring on one side, so as to avoid +the blow. Then, like a flash, she crossed this bridge also. + +Now during her whole life, the princess had been so carefully brought +up, that she had never left the gardens of the palace, so that the sight +of the hills and valleys and tinkling streams, and the song of the larks +and blackbirds, made her almost beside herself with wonder and delight. +She longed to get down and bathe her face in the clear pools, and pick +the brilliant flowers, but the horse said 'No,' and quickened his pace, +neither turning to the right or the left. + +'Warriors,' he told her, 'only rest when they have won the victory. You +have still another battle to fight, and it is the hardest of all.' + +This time it was neither a wolf nor a lion that was waiting for her at +the end of the third day's journey, but a dragon with twelve heads, and +a golden bridge behind it. + +The princess rode up without seeing anything to frighten her, when a +sudden puff of smoke and flame from beneath her feet, caused her to +look down, and there was the horrible creature twisted and writhing, its +twelve heads reared up as if to seize her between them. + +The bridle fell from her hand: and the sword which she had just grasped +slid back into its sheath, but the horse bade her fear nothing, and with +a mighty effort she sat upright and spurred straight on the dragon. + +The fight lasted an hour and the dragon pressed her hard. But in the +end, by a well-directed side blow, she cut off one of the heads, and +with a roar that seemed to rend the heavens in two, the dragon fell back +on the ground, and rose as a man before her. + +Although the horse had informed the princess the dragon was really her +own father, the girl had hardly believed him, and stared in amazement at +the transformation. But he flung his arms round her and pressed her to +his heart saying, 'Now I see that you are as brave as the bravest, and +as wise as the wisest. You have chosen the right horse, for without his +help you would have returned with a bent head and downcast eyes. You +have filled me with the hope that you may carry out the task you have +undertaken, but be careful to forget none of my counsels, and above all +to listen to those of your horse.' + +When he had done speaking, the princess knelt down to receive his +blessing, and they went their different ways. + +The princess rode on and on, till at last she came to the mountains +which hold up the roof of the world. There she met two Genii who had +been fighting fiercely for two years, without one having got the least +advantage over the other. Seeing what they took to be a young man +seeking adventures, one of the combatants called out, 'Fet-Fruners! +deliver me from my enemy, and I will give you the horn that can be +heard the distance of a three days' journey;' while the other cried, +'Fet-Fruners! help me to conquer this pagan thief, and you shall have my +horse, Sunlight.' + +Before answering, the princess consulted her own horse as to which offer +she should accept, and he advised her to side with the genius who was +master of Sunlight, his own younger brother, and still more active than +himself. + +So the girl at once attacked the other genius, and soon clove his skull; +then the one who was left victor begged her to come back with him to his +house and he would hand her over Sunlight, as he had promised. + +The mother of the genius was rejoiced to see her son return safe and +sound, and prepared her best room for the princess, who, after so much +fatigue, needed rest badly. But the girl declared that she must first +make her horse comfortable in his stable; but this was really only an +excuse, as she wanted to ask his advice on several matters. + +But the old woman had suspected from the very first that the boy who +had come to the rescue of her son was a girl in disguise, and told the +genius that she was exactly the wife he needed. The genius scoffed, and +inquired what female hand could ever wield a sabre like that; but, in +spite of his sneers, his mother persisted, and as a proof of what she +said, laid at night on each of their pillows a handful of magic flowers, +that fade at the touch of man, but remain eternally fresh in the fingers +of a woman. + +It was very clever of her, but unluckily the horse had warned the +princess what to expect, and when the house was silent, she stole very +softly to the genius's room, and exchanged his faded flowers for those +she held. Then she crept back to her own bed and fell fast asleep. + +At break of day, the old woman ran to see her son, and found, as she +knew she would, a bunch of dead flowers in his hand. She next passed +on to the bedside of the princess, who still lay asleep grasping the +withered flowers. But she did not believe any the more that her guest +was a man, and so she told her son. So they put their heads together and +laid another trap for her. + +After breakfast the genius gave his arm to his guest, and asked her to +come with him into the garden. For some time they walked about looking +at the flowers, the genius all the while pressing her to pick any she +fancied. But the princess, suspecting a trap, inquired roughly why they +were wasting the precious hours in the garden, when, as men, they should +be in the stables looking after their horses. Then the genius told his +mother that she was quite wrong, and his deliverer was certainly a man. +But the old woman was not convinced for all that. + +She would try once more she said, and her son must lead his visitor +into the armoury, where hung every kind of weapon used all over the +world--some plain and bare, others ornamented with precious stones--and +beg her to make choice of one of them. The princess looked at them +closely, and felt the edges and points of their blades, then she hung at +her belt an old sword with a curved blade, that would have done credit +to an ancient warrior. After this she informed the genius that she would +start early next day and take Sunlight with her. + +And there was nothing for the mother to do but to submit, though she +still stuck to her own opinion. + +The princess mounted Sunlight, and touched him with her spur, when the +old horse, who was galloping at her side, suddenly said: + +'Up to this time, mistress, you have obeyed my counsels and all has gone +well. Listen to me once more, and do what I tell you. I am old, and--now +that there is someone to take my place, I will confess it--I am afraid +that my strength is not equal to the task that lies before me. Give me +leave, therefore, to return home, and do you continue your journey under +the care of my brother. Put your faith in him as you put it in me, and +you will never repent. Wisdom has come early to Sunlight.' + +'Yes, my old comrade, you have served me well; and it is only through +your help that up to now I have been victorious. So grieved though I am +to say farewell, I will obey you yet once more, and will listen to your +brother as I would to yourself. Only, I must have a proof that he loves +me as well as you do.' + +'How should I not love you?' answered Sunlight; 'how should I not be +proud to serve a warrior such as you? Trust me, mistress, and you +shall never regret the absence of my brother. I know there will be +difficulties in our path, but we will face them together.' + +Then, with tears in her eyes, the princess took leave of her old horse, +who galloped back to her father. + +She had ridden only a few miles further, when she saw a golden curl +lying on the road before her. Checking her horse, she asked whether it +would be better to take it or let it lie. + +'If you take it,' said Sunlight, 'you will repent, and if you don't, you +will repent too: so take it.' On this the girl dismounted, and picking +up the curl, wound it round her neck for safety. + +They passed by hills, they passed by mountains, they passed through +valleys, leaving behind them thick forests, and fields covered with +flowers; and at length they reached the court of the over-lord. + +He was sitting on his throne, surrounded by the sons of the other +emperors, who served him as pages. These youths came forward to greet +their new companion, and wondered why they felt so attracted towards +him. + +However, there was no time for talking and concealing her fright. + +The princess was led straight up to the throne, and explained, in a low +voice, the reason of her coming. The emperor received her kindly, and +declared himself fortunate at finding a vassal so brave and so charming, +and begged the princess to remain in attendance on his person. + +She was, however, very careful in her behaviour towards the other pages, +whose way of life did not please her. One day, however, she had been +amusing herself by making sweetmeats, when two of the young princes +looked in to pay her a visit. She offered them some of the food which +was already on the table, and they thought it so delicious that they +even licked their fingers so as not to lose a morsel. Of course they did +not keep the news of their discovery to themselves, but told all their +companions that they had just been enjoying the best supper they had +had since they were born. And from that moment the princess was left no +peace, till she had promised to cook them all a dinner. + +Now it happened that, on the very day fixed, all the cooks in the palace +became intoxicated, and there was no one to make up the fire. + +When the pages heard of this shocking state of things, they went to +their companion and implored her to come to the rescue. + +The princess was fond of cooking, and was, besides, very good-natured; +so she put on an apron and went down to the kitchen without delay. When +the dinner was placed before the emperor he found it so nice that he ate +much more than was good for him. The next morning, as soon as he woke, +he sent for his head cook, and told him to send up the same dishes as +before. The cook, seized with fright at this command, which he knew he +could not fulfil, fell on his knees, and confessed the truth. + +The emperor was so astonished that he forgot to scold, and while he was +thinking over the matter, some of his pages came in and said that their +new companion had been heard to boast that he knew where Iliane was to +be found--the celebrated Iliane of the song which begins: + + 'Golden Hair + The fields are green,' + +and that to their certain knowledge he had a curl of her hair in his +possession. + +When he heard that, the emperor desired the page to be brought before +him, and, as soon as the princess obeyed his summons, he said to her +abruptly: + +'Fet-Fruners, you have hidden from me the fact that you knew the +golden-haired Iliane! Why did you do this? for I have treated you more +kindly than all my other pages.' + +Then, after making the princess show him the golden curl which she wore +round her neck, he added: 'Listen to me; unless by some means or other +you bring me the owner of this lock, I will have your head cut off in +the place where you stand. Now go!' + +In vain the poor girl tried to explain how the lock of hair came into +her possession; the emperor would listen to nothing, and, bowing low, +she left his presence and went to consult Sunlight what she was to do. + +At his first words she brightened up. 'Do not be afraid, mistress; +only last night my brother appeared to me in a dream and told me that a +genius had carried off Iliane, whose hair you picked up on the road. But +Iliane declares that, before she marries her captor, he must bring her, +as a present, the whole stud of mares which belong to her. The genius, +half crazy with love, thinks of nothing night and day but how this can +be done, and meanwhile she is quite safe in the island swamps of the +sea. Go back to the emperor and ask him for twenty ships filled with +precious merchandise. The rest you shall know by-and-by.' + +On hearing this advice, the princess went at once into the emperor's +presence. + +'May a long life be yours, O Sovereign all mighty!' said she. 'I have +come to tell you that I can do as you command if you will give me twenty +ships, and load them with the most precious wares in your kingdom.' + +'You shall have all that I possess if you will bring me the +golden-haired Iliane,' said the emperor. + +The ships were soon ready, and the princess entered the largest and +finest, with Sunlight at her side. Then the sails were spread and the +voyage began. + +For seven weeks the wind blew them straight towards the west, and early +one morning they caught sight of the island swamps of the sea. + +They cast anchor in a little bay, and the princess made haste to +disembark with Sunlight, but, before leaving the ship, she tied to her +belt a pair of tiny gold slippers, adorned with precious stones. Then +mounting Sunlight, she rode about till she came to several palaces, +built on hinges, so that they could always turn towards the sun. + +The most splendid of these was guarded by three slaves, whose greedy +eyes were caught by the glistening gold of the slippers. They hastened +up to the owner of these treasures, and inquired who he was. 'A +merchant,' replied the princess, 'who had somehow missed his road, and +lost himself among the island swamps of the sea.' + +Not knowing if it was proper to receive him or not, the slaves returned +to their mistress and told her all they had seen, but not before she had +caught sight of the merchant from the roof of her palace. Luckily her +gaoler was away, always trying to catch the stud of mares, so for the +moment she was free and alone. + +The slaves told their tale so well that their mistress insisted on going +down to the shore and seeing the beautiful slippers for herself. They +were even lovelier than she expected, and when the merchant besought her +to come on board, and inspect some that he thought were finer still, her +curiosity was too great to refuse, and she went. + +Once on board ship, she was so busy turning over all the precious things +stored there, that she never knew that the sails were spread, and that +they were flying along with the wind behind them; and when she did know, +she rejoiced in her heart, though she pretended to weep and lament at +being carried captive a second time. Thus they arrived at the court of +the emperor. + +They were just about to land, when the mother of the genius stood before +them. She had learnt that Iliane had fled from her prison in company +with a merchant, and, as her son was absent, had come herself in +pursuit. Striding over the blue waters, hopping from wave to wave, one +foot reaching to heaven, and the other planted in the foam, she was +close at their heels, breathing fire and flame, when they stepped on +shore from the ship. One glance told Iliane who the horrible old woman +was, and she whispered hastily to her companion. Without saying a word, +the princess swung her into Sunlight's saddle, and leaping up behind +her, they were off like a flash. + +It was not till they drew near the town that the princess stooped and +asked Sunlight what they should do. 'Put your hand into my left ear,' +said he, 'and take out a sharp stone, which you must throw behind you.' + +The princess did as she was told, and a huge mountain sprang up behind +them. The mother of the genius began to climb up it, and though they +galloped quickly, she was quicker still. + +They heard her coming, faster, faster; and again the princess stooped to +ask what was to be done now. 'Put your hand into my right ear,' said +the horse, 'and throw the brush you will find there behind you.' The +princess did so, and a great forest sprang up behind them, and, so thick +were its leaves, that even a wren could not get through. But the old +woman seized hold of the branches and flung herself like a monkey from +one to the others, and always she drew nearer--always, always--till +their hair was singed by the flames of her mouth. + +Then, in despair, the princess again bent down and asked if there was +nothing more to be done, and Sunlight replied 'Quick, quick, take off +the betrothal ring on the finger of Iliane and throw it behind you.' + +This time there sprang up a great tower of stone, smooth as ivory, +hard as steel, which reached up to heaven itself. And the mother of the +genius gave a howl of rage, knowing that she could neither climb it +nor get through it. But she was not beaten yet, and gathering herself +together, she made a prodigious leap, which landed her on the top of the +tower, right in the middle of Iliane's ring which lay there, and held +her tight. Only her claws could be seen grasping the battlements. + +All that could be done the old witch did; but the fire that poured from +her mouth never reached the fugitives, though it laid waste the country +a hundred miles round the tower, like the flames of a volcano. Then, +with one last effort to free herself, her hands gave way, and, falling +down to the bottom of the tower, she was broken in pieces. + +When the flying princess saw what had happened she rode back to the +spot, as Sunlight counselled her, and placed her finger on the top of +the tower, which was gradually shrinking into the earth. In an instant +the tower had vanished as if it had never been, and in its place was the +finger of the princess with a ring round it. + +The emperor received Iliane with all the respect that was due to her, +and fell in love at first sight besides. + +But this did not seem to please Iliane, whose face was sad as she walked +about the palace or gardens, wondering how it was that, while other +girls did as they liked, she was always in the power of someone whom she +hated. + +So when the emperor asked her to share his throne Iliane answered: + +'Noble Sovereign, I may not think of marriage till my stud of horses has +been brought me, with their trappings all complete.' + +When he heard this, the emperor once more sent for Fet-Fruners, and +said: + +'Fet-Fruners, fetch me instantly the stud of mares, with their trappings +all complete. If not, your head shall pay the forfeit.' + +'Mighty Emperor, I kiss your hands! I have but just returned from doing +your bidding, and, behold, you send me on another mission, and stake my +head on its fulfilment, when your court is full of valiant young men, +pining to win their spurs. They say you are a just man; then why not +entrust this quest to one of them? Where am I to seek these mares that I +am to bring you?' + +'How do I know? They may be anywhere in heaven or earth; but, wherever +they are, you will have to find them.' + +The princess bowed and went to consult Sunlight. He listened while she +told her tale, and then said: + +'Fetch quickly nine buffalo skins; smear them well with tar, and lay +them on my back. Do not fear; you will succeed in this also; but, in the +end, the emperor's desires will be his undoing.' + +The buffalo skins were soon got, and the princess started off with +Sunlight. The way was long and difficult, but at length they reached the +place where the mares were grazing. Here the genius who had carried off +Iliane was wandering about, trying to discover how to capture them, all +the while believing that Iliane was safe in the palace where he had left +her. + +As soon as she caught sight of him, the princess went up and told +him that Iliane had escaped, and that his mother, in her efforts +to recapture her, had died of rage. At this news a blind fury took +possession of the genius, and he rushed madly upon the princess, who +awaited his onslaught with perfect calmness. As he came on, with his +sabre lifted high in the air, Sunlight bounded right over his head, so +that the sword fell harmless. And when in her turn the princess prepared +to strike, the horse sank upon his knees, so that the blade pierced the +genius's thigh. + +The fight was so fierce that it seemed as if the earth would give way +under them, and for twenty miles round the beasts in the forests fled to +their caves for shelter. At last, when her strength was almost gone, the +genius lowered his sword for an instant. The princess saw her chance, +and, with one swoop of her arm, severed her enemy's head from his body. +Still trembling from the long struggle, she turned away, and went to the +meadow where the stud were feeding. + +By the advice of Sunlight, she took care not to let them see her, and +climbed a thick tree, where she could see and hear without being seen +herself. Then he neighed, and the mares came galloping up, eager to +see the new comer--all but one horse, who did not like strangers, and +thought they were very well as they were. As Sunlight stood his ground, +well pleased with the attention paid him, this sulky creature suddenly +advanced to the charge, and bit so violently that had it not been for +the nine buffalo skins Sunlight's last moment would have come. When +the fight was ended, the buffalo skins were in ribbons, and the beaten +animal writhing with pain on the grass. + +Nothing now remained to be done but to drive the whole stud to the +emperor's court. So the princess came down from the tree and mounted +Sunlight, while the stud followed meekly after, the wounded horse +bringing up the rear. On reaching the palace, she drove them into a +yard, and went to inform the emperor of her arrival. + +The news was told at once to Iliane, who ran down directly and called +them to her one by one, each mare by its name. And at the first sight of +her the wounded animal shook itself quickly, and in a moment its wounds +were healed, and there was not even a mark on its glossy skin. + +By this time the emperor, on hearing where she was, joined her in the +yard, and at her request ordered the mares to be milked, so that both he +and she might bathe in the milk and keep young for ever. But they would +suffer no one to come near them, and the princess was commanded to +perform this service also. + +At this, the heart of the girl swelled within her. The hardest tasks +were always given to her, and long before the two years were up, she +would be worn out and useless. But while these thoughts passed through +her mind, a fearful rain fell, such as no man remembered before, and +rose till the mares were standing up to their knees in water. Then as +suddenly it stopped, and, behold! the water was ice, which held the +animals firmly in its grasp. And the princess's heart grew light again, +and she sat down gaily to milk them, as if she had done it every morning +of her life. + +The love of the emperor for Iliane waxed greater day by day, but she +paid no heed to him, and always had an excuse ready to put off their +marriage. At length, when she had come to the end of everything she +could think of, she said to him one day: 'Grant me, Sire, just one +request more, and then I will really marry you; for you have waited +patiently this long time.' + +'My beautiful dove,' replied the emperor, 'both I and all I possess are +yours, so ask your will, and you shall have it.' + +'Get me, then,' she said, 'a flask of the holy water that is kept in a +little church beyond the river Jordan, and I will be your wife.' + +Then the emperor ordered Fet-Fruners to ride without delay to the river +Jordan, and to bring back, at whatever cost, the holy water for Iliane. + +'This, my mistress,' said Sunlight, when she was saddling him, 'is the +last and most difficult of your tasks. But fear nothing, for the hour of +the emperor has struck.' + +So they started; and the horse, who was not a wizard for nothing, told +the princess exactly where she was to look for the holy water. + +'It stands,' he said, 'on the altar of a little church, and is guarded +by a troop of nuns. They never sleep, night or day, but every now and +then a hermit comes to visit them, and from him they learn certain +things it is needful for them to know. When this happens, only one of +the nuns remains on guard at a time, and if we are lucky enough to hit +upon this moment, we may get hold of the vase at once; if not, we shall +have to wait the arrival of the hermit, however long it may be; for +there is no other means of obtaining the holy water.' + +They came in sight of the church beyond the Jordan, and, to their great +joy, beheld the hermit just arriving at the door. They could hear him +calling the nuns around him, and saw them settle themselves under a +tree, with the hermit in their midst--all but one, who remained on +guard, as was the custom. + +The hermit had a great deal to say, and the day was very hot, so the +nun, tired of sitting by herself, lay down right across the threshold, +and fell sound asleep. + +Then Sunlight told the princess what she was to do, and the girl stepped +softly over the sleeping nun, and crept like a cat along the dark aisle, +feeling the wall with her fingers, lest she should fall over something +and ruin it all by a noise. But she reached the altar in safety, and +found the vase of holy water standing on it. This she thrust into her +dress, and went back with the same care as she came. With a bound she +was in the saddle, and seizing the reins bade Sunlight take her home as +fast as his legs could carry him. + +The sound of the flying hoofs aroused the nun, who understood instantly +that the precious treasure was stolen, and her shrieks were so loud and +piercing that all the rest came flying to see what was the matter. The +hermit followed at their heels, but seeing it was impossible to overtake +the thief, he fell on his knees and called his most deadly curse down on +her head, praying that if the thief was a man, he might become a woman; +and if she was a woman, that she might become a man. In either case he +thought that the punishment would be severe. + +But punishments are things about which people do not always agree, and +when the princess suddenly felt she was really the man she had pretended +to be, she was delighted, and if the hermit had only been within reach +she would have thanked him from her heart. + +By the time she reached the emperor's court, Fet-Fruners looked a young +man all over in the eyes of everyone; and even the mother of the genius +would now have had her doubts set at rest. He drew forth the vase from +his tunic and held it up to the emperor, saying: 'Mighty Sovereign, all +hail! I have fulfilled this task also, and I hope it is the last you +have for me; let another now take his turn.' + +'I am content, Fet-Fruners,' replied the emperor, 'and when I am dead it +is you who will sit upon my throne; for I have yet no son to come after +me. But if one is given me, and my dearest wish is accomplished, then +you shall be his right hand, and guide him with your counsels.' + +But though the emperor was satisfied, Iliane was not, and she determined +to revenge herself on the emperor for the dangers which he had caused +Fet-Fruners to run. And as for the vase of holy water, she thought that, +in common politeness, her suitor ought to have fetched it himself, which +he could have done without any risk at all. + +So she ordered the great bath to be filled with the milk of her mares, +and begged the emperor to clothe himself in white robes, and enter the +bath with her, an invitation he accepted with joy. Then, when both were +standing with the milk reaching to their necks, she sent for the horse +which had fought Sunlight, and made a secret sign to him. The horse +understood what he was to do, and from one nostril he breathed fresh +air over Iliane, and from the other, he snorted a burning wind which +shrivelled up the emperor where he stood, leaving only a little heap of +ashes. + +His strange death, which no one could explain, made a great sensation +throughout the country, and the funeral his people gave him was the +most splendid ever known. When it was over, Iliane summoned Fet-Fruners +before her, and addressed him thus: + +'Fet-Fruners! it is you who brought me and have saved my life, and +obeyed my wishes. It is you who gave me back my stud; you who killed the +genius, and the old witch his mother; you who brought me the holy water. +And you, and none other, shall be my husband.' + +'Yes, I will marry you,' said the young man, with a voice almost as soft +as when he was a princess. 'But know that in OUR house, it will be the +cock who sings and not the hen!' + +(From Sept Contes Roumains, Jules Brun and Leo Bachelin.) + + + + +THE STORY OF HALFMAN + +In a certain town there lived a judge who was married but had no +children. One day he was standing lost in thought before his house, when +an old man passed by. + +'What is the matter, sir, said he, 'you look troubled?' + +'Oh, leave me alone, my good man!' + +'But what is it?' persisted the other. + +'Well, I am successful in my profession and a person of importance, but +I care nothing for it all, as I have no children.' + +Then the old man said, 'Here are twelve apples. If your wife eats them, +she will have twelve sons.' + +The judge thanked him joyfully as he took the apples, and went to seek +his wife. 'Eat these apples at once,' he cried, 'and you will have +twelve sons.' + +So she sat down and ate eleven of them, but just as she was in the +middle of the twelfth her sister came in, and she gave her the half that +was left. + +The eleven sons came into the world, strong and handsome boys; but when +the twelfth was born, there was only half of him. + +By-and-by they all grew into men, and one day they told their father it +was high time he found wives for them. 'I have a brother,' he answered, +'who lives away in the East, and he has twelve daughters; go and marry +them.' So the twelve sons saddled their horses and rode for twelve days, +till they met an old woman. + +'Good greeting to you, young men!' said she, 'we have waited long for +you, your uncle and I. The girls have become women, and are sought, in +marriage by many, but I knew you would come one day, and I have kept +them for you. Follow me into my house.' + +And the twelve brothers followed her gladly, and their father's brother +stood at the door, and gave them meat and drink. But at night, when +every one was asleep, Halfman crept softly to his brothers, and said to +them, 'Listen, all of you! This man is no uncle of ours, but an ogre.' + +'Nonsense; of course he is our uncle,' answered they. + +'Well, this very night you will see!' said Halfman. And he did not go to +bed, but hid himself and watched. + +Now in a little while he saw the wife of the ogre steal into the room +on tiptoe and spread a red cloth over the brothers and then go and cover +her daughters with a white cloth. After that she lay down and was soon +snoring loudly. When Halfman was quite sure she was sound asleep, he +took the red cloth from his brothers and put it on the girls, and laid +their white cloth over his brothers. Next he drew their scarlet caps +from their heads and exchanged them for the veils which the ogre's +daughters were wearing. This was hardly done when he heard steps coming +along the floor, so he hid himself quickly in the folds of a curtain. +There was only half of him! + +The ogress came slowly and gently along, stretching out her hands before +her, so that she might not fall against anything unawares, for she had +only a tiny lantern slung at her waist, which did not give much light. +And when she reached the place where the sisters were lying, she stooped +down and held a corner of the cloth up to the lantern. Yes! it certainly +was red! Still, to make sure that there was no mistake, she passed her +hands lightly over their heads, and felt the caps that covered them. +Then she was quite certain the brothers lay sleeping before her, and +began to kill them one by one. And Halfman whispered to his brothers, +'Get up and run for your lives, as the ogress is killing her daughters.' +The brothers needed no second bidding, and in a moment were out of the +house. + +By this time the ogress had slain all her daughters but one, who awoke +suddenly and saw what had happened. 'Mother, what are you doing?' cried +she. 'Do you know that you have killed my sisters?' + +'Oh, woe is me!' wailed the ogress. 'Halfman has outwitted me after +all!' And she turned to wreak vengeance on him, but he and his brothers +were far away. + +They rode all day till they got to the town where their real uncle +lived, and inquired the way to his house. + +'Why have you been so long in coming?' asked he, when they had found +him. + +'Oh, dear uncle, we were very nearly not coming at all!' replied they. +'We fell in with an ogress who took us home and would have killed us if +it had not been for Halfman. He knew what was in her mind and saved us, +and here we are. Now give us each a daughter to wife, and let us return +whence we came.' + +'Take them!' said the uncle; 'the eldest for the eldest, the second for +the second, and so on to the youngest.' + +But the wife of Halfman was the prettiest of them all, and the other +brothers were jealous and said to each other: 'What, is he who is only +half a man to get the best? Let us put him to death and give his wife to +our eldest brother!' And they waited for a chance. + +After they had all ridden, in company with their brides, for some +distance, they arrived at a brook, and one of them asked, 'Now, who will +go and fetch water from the brook?' + +'Halfman is the youngest,' said the elder brother, 'he must go.' + +So Halfman got down and filled a skin with water, and they drew it up by +a rope and drank. When they had done drinking, Halfman, who was standing +in the middle of the stream, called out: 'Throw me the rope and draw me +up, for I cannot get out alone.' And the brothers threw him a rope to +draw him up the steep bank; but when he was half-way up they cut the +rope, and he fell back into the stream. Then the brothers rode away as +fast as they could, with his bride. + +Halfman sank down under the water from the force of the fall, but +before he touched the bottom a fish came and said to him, 'Fear nothing, +Halfman; I will help you.' And the fish guided him to a shallow place, +so that he scrambled out. On the way it said to him, 'Do you understand +what your brothers, whom you saved from death, have done to you?' + +'Yes; but what am I to do?' asked Halfman. + +'Take one of my scales,' said the fish, 'and when you find yourself in +danger, throw it in the fire. Then I will appear before you.' + +'Thank you,' said Halfman, and went his way, while the fish swam back to +its home. + +The country was strange to Halfman, and he wandered about without +knowing where he was going, till he suddenly found the ogress standing +before him. 'Ah, Halfman, have I got you at last? You killed my +daughters and helped your brothers to escape. What do you think I shall +do with you?' + +'Whatever you like!' said Halfman. + +'Come into my house, then,' said the ogress, and he followed her. + +'Look here!' she called to her husband, 'I have got hold of Halfman. I +am going to roast him, so be quick and make up the fire!' + +So the ogre brought wood, and heaped it up till the flames roared up the +chimney. Then he turned to his wife and said: 'It is all ready, let us +put him on!' + +'What is the hurry, my good ogre?' asked Halfman. 'You have me in your +power, and I cannot escape. I am so thin now, I shall hardly make one +mouthful. Better fatten me up; you will enjoy me much more.' + +'That is a very sensible remark,' replied the ogre; 'but what fattens +you quickest?' + +'Butter, meat, and red wine,' answered Halfman. + +'Very good; we will lock you into this room, and here you shall stay +till you are ready for eating.' + +So Halfman was locked into the room, and the ogre and his wife brought +him his food. At the end of three months he said to his gaolers: 'Now I +have got quite fat; take me out, and kill me.' + +'Get out, then!' said the ogre. + +'But,' went on Halfman, 'you and your wife had better go to invite your +friends to the feast, and your daughter can stay in the house and look +after me!' + +'Yes, that is a good idea,' answered they. + +'You had better bring the wood in here,' continued Halfman, 'and I will +split it up small, so that there may be no delay in cooking me.' + +So the ogress gave Halfman a pile of wood and an axe, and then set out +with her husband, leaving Halfman and her daughter busy in the house. + +After he had chopped for a little while he called to the girl, 'Come and +help me, or else I shan't have it all ready when your mother gets back.' + +'All right,' said she, and held a billet of wood for him to chop. + +But he raised his axe and cut off her head, and ran away like the wind. +By-and-by the ogre and his wife returned and found their daughter +lying without her head, and they began to cry and sob, saying, 'This is +Halfman's work, why did we listen to him?' But Halfman was far away. + +When he escaped from the house he ran on straight before him for some +time, looking for a safe shelter, as he knew that the ogre's legs were +much longer than his, and that it was his only chance. At last he saw +an iron tower which he climbed up. Soon the ogre appeared, looking right +and left lest his prey should be sheltering behind a rock or tree, but +he did not know Halfman was so near till he heard his voice calling, +'Come up! come up! you will find me here!' + +'But how can I come up?' said the ogre, 'I see no door, and I could not +possibly climb that tower.' + +'Oh, there is no door,' replied Halfman. + +'Then how did you climb up?' + +'A fish carried me on his back.' + +'And what am I to do?' + +'You must go and fetch all your relations, and tell them to bring plenty +of sticks; then you must light a fire, and let it burn till the tower +becomes red hot. After that you can easily throw it down.' + +'Very good,' said the ogre, and he went round to every relation he had, +and told them to collect wood and bring it to the tower where Halfman +was. The men did as they were ordered, and soon the tower was glowing +like coral, but when they flung themselves against it to overthrow it, +they caught themselves on fire and were burnt to death. And overhead sat +Halfman, laughing heartily. But the ogre's wife was still alive, for she +had taken no part in kindling the fire. + +'Oh,' she shrieked with rage, 'you have killed my daughters and my +husband, and all the men belonging to me; how can I get at you to avenge +myself?' + +'Oh, that is easy enough,' said Halfman. 'I will let down a rope, and if +you tie it tightly round you, I will draw it up.' + +'All right,' returned the ogress, fastening the rope which Halfman let +down. 'Now pull me up.' + +'Are you sure it is secure?' + +'Yes, quite sure.' + +'Don't be afraid.' + +'Oh, I am not afraid at all!' + +So Halfman slowly drew her up, and when she was near the top he let go +the rope, and she fell down and broke her neck. Then Halfman heaved a +great sigh and said, 'That was hard work; the rope has hurt my hands +badly, but now I am rid of her for ever.' + +So Halfman came down from the tower, and went on, till he got to a +desert place, and as he was very tired, he lay down to sleep. While +it was still dark, an ogress passed by, and she woke him and said, +'Halfman, to-morrow your brother is to marry your wife.' + +'Oh, how can I stop it?' asked he. 'Will you help me?' + +'Yes, I will,' replied the ogress. + +'Thank you, thank you!' cried Halfman, kissing her on the forehead. 'My +wife is dearer to me than anything else in the world, and it is not my +brother's fault that I am not dead long ago.' + +'Very well, I will rid you of him,' said the ogress, 'but only on one +condition. If a boy is born to you, you must give him to me!' + +'Oh, anything,' answered Halfman, 'as long as you deliver me from my +brother, and get me my wife.' + +'Mount on my back, then, and in a quarter of an hour we shall be there.' + +The ogress was as good as her word, and in a few minutes they arrived at +the outskirts of the town where Halfman and his brothers lived. Here +she left him, while she went into the town itself, and found the wedding +guests just leaving the brother's house. Unnoticed by anyone, the ogress +crept into a curtain, changing herself into a scorpion, and when the +brother was going to get into bed, she stung him behind the ear, so that +he fell dead where he stood. Then she returned to Halfman and told him +to go and claim his bride. He jumped up hastily from his seat, and +took the road to his father's house. As he drew near he heard sounds +of weeping and lamentations, and he said to a man he met: 'What is the +matter?' + +'The judge's eldest son was married yesterday, and died suddenly before +night.' + +'Well,' thought Halfman, 'my conscience is clear anyway, for it is quite +plain he coveted my wife, and that is why he tried to drown me.' He +went at once to his father's room, and found him sitting in tears on +the floor. 'Dear father,' said Halfman, 'are you not glad to see me? You +weep for my brother, but I am your son too, and he stole my bride from +me and tried to drown me in the brook. If he is dead, I at least am +alive.' + +'No, no, he was better than you!' moaned the father. + +'Why, dear father?' + +'He told me you had behaved very ill,' said he. + +'Well, call my brothers,' answered Halfman, 'as I have a story to tell +them.' So the father called them all into his presence. Then Halfman +began: 'After we were twelve days' journey from home, we met an ogress, +who gave us greeting and said, "Why have you been so long coming? The +daughters of your uncle have waited for you in vain," and she bade us +follow her to the house, saying, "Now there need be no more delay; you +can marry your cousins as soon as you please, and take them with you to +your own home." But I warned my brothers that the man was not our uncle, +but an ogre. + +'When we lay down to sleep, she spread a red cloth over us, and covered +her daughters with a white one; but I changed the cloths, and when the +ogress came back in the middle of the night, and looked at the cloths, +she mistook her own daughters for my brothers, and killed them one by +one, all but the youngest. Then I woke my brothers, and we all stole +softly from the house, and we rode like the wind to our real uncle. + +'And when he saw us, he bade us welcome, and married us to his twelve +daughters, the eldest to the eldest, and so on to me, whose bride was +the youngest of all and also the prettiest. And my brothers were filled +with envy, and left me to drown in a brook, but I was saved by a fish +who showed me how to get out. Now, you are a judge! Who did well, and +who did evil--I or my brothers?' + +'Is this story true?' said the father, turning to his sons. + +'It is true, my father,' answered they. 'It is even as Halfman has said, +and the girl belongs to him.' + +Then the judge embraced Halfman and said to him: 'You have done well, my +son. Take your bride, and may you both live long and happily together!' + +At the end of the year Halfman's wife had a son, and not long after she +came one day hastily into the room, and found her husband weeping. 'What +is the matter?' she asked. + +'The matter?' said he. + +'Yes, why are you weeping?' + +'Because,' replied Halfman, 'the baby is not really ours, but belongs to +an ogress.' + +'Are you mad?' cried the wife. 'What do you mean by talking like that?' + +'I promised,' said Halfman, 'when she undertook to kill my brother and +to give you to me, that the first son we had should be hers.' + +'And will she take him from us now?' said the poor woman. + +'No, not quite yet,' replied Halfman; 'when he is bigger.' + +'And is she to have all our children?' asked she. + +'No, only this one,' returned Halfman. + +Day by day the boy grew bigger, and one day as he was playing in the +street with the other children, the ogress came by. 'Go to your father,' +she said, 'and repeat this speech to him: "I want my forfeit; when am I +to have it?"' + +'All right,' replied the child, but when he went home forgot all about +it. The next day the ogress came again, and asked the boy what answer +the father had given. 'I forgot all about it,' said he. + +'Well, put this ring on your finger, and then you won't forget.' + +'Very well,' replied the boy, and went home. + +The next morning, as he was at breakfast, his mother said to him, +'Child, where did you get that ring?' + +'A woman gave it to me yesterday, and she told me, father, to tell you +that she wanted her forfeit, and when was she to have it?' + +Then his father burst into tears and said, 'If she comes again you +must say to her that your parents bid her take her forfeit at once, and +depart.' + +At this they both began to weep afresh, and his mother kissed him, and +put on his new clothes and said, 'If the woman bids you to follow her, +you must go,' but the boy did not heed her grief, he was so pleased +with his new clothes. And when he went out, he said to his play-fellows, +'Look how smart I am; I am going away with my aunt to foreign lands.' + +At that moment the ogress came up and asked him, 'Did you give my +message to your father and mother?' + +'Yes, dear aunt, I did.' + +'And what did they say?' + +'Take it away at once!' + +So she took him. + +But when dinner-time came, and the boy did not return, his father and +mother knew that he would never come back, and they sat down and wept +all day. At last Halfman rose up and said to his wife, 'Be comforted; we +will wait a year, and then I will go to the ogress and see the boy, and +how he is cared for.' + +'Yes, that will be the best,' said she. + +The year passed away, then Halfman saddled his horse, and rode to the +place where the ogress had found him sleeping. She was not there, but +not knowing what to do next, he got off his horse and waited. About +midnight she suddenly stood before him. + +'Halfman, why did you come here?' said she. + +'I have a question I want to ask you.' + +'Well, ask it; but I know quite well what it is. Your wife wishes you to +ask whether I shall carry off your second son as I did the first.' + +'Yes, that is it,' replied Halfman. Then he seized her hand and said, +'Oh, let me see my son, and how he looks, and what he is doing.' + +The ogress was silent, but stuck her staff hard in the earth, and the +earth opened, and the boy appeared and said, 'Dear father, have you come +too?' And his father clasped him in his arms, and began to cry. But the +boy struggled to be free, saying 'Dear father, put me down. I have got +a new mother, who is better than the old one; and a new father, who is +better than you.' + +Then his father sat him down and said, 'Go in peace, my boy, but listen +first to me. Tell your father the ogre and your mother the ogress, that +never more shall they have any children of mine.' + +'All right,' replied the boy, and called 'Mother!' + +'What is it?' + +'You are never to take away any more of my father and mother's +children!' + +'Now that I have got you, I don't want any more,' answered she. + +Then the boy turned to his father and said, 'Go in peace, dear father, +and give my mother greeting and tell her not to be anxious any more, for +she can keep all her children.' + +And Halfman mounted his horse and rode home, and told his wife all he +had seen, and the message sent by Mohammed--Mohammed the son of Halfman, +the son of the judge. + +(Marchen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis. Hans von Stumme.) + + + + +THE PRINCE WHO WANTED TO SEE THE WORLD + +There was once a king who had only one son, and this young man tormented +his father from morning till night to allow him to travel in far +countries. For a long time the king refused to give him leave; but at +last, wearied out, he granted permission, and ordered his treasurer to +produce a large sum of money for the prince's expenses. The youth was +overjoyed at the thought that he was really going to see the world, and +after tenderly embracing his father he set forth. + +He rode on for some weeks without meeting with any adventures; but one +night when he was resting at an inn, he came across another traveller, +with whom he fell into conversation, in the course of which the stranger +inquired if he never played cards. The young man replied that he was +very fond of doing so. Cards were brought, and in a very short time the +prince had lost every penny he possessed to his new acquaintance. When +there was absolutely nothing left at the bottom of the bag, the stranger +proposed that they should have just one more game, and that if the +prince won he should have the money restored to him, but in case he +lost, should remain in the inn for three years, and besides that should +be his servant for another three. The prince agreed to those terms, +played, and lost; so the stranger took rooms for him, and furnished him +with bread and water every day for three years. + +The prince lamented his lot, but it was no use; and at the end of three +years he was released and had to go to the house of the stranger, who +was really the king of a neighbouring country, and be his servant. +Before he had gone very far he met a woman carrying a child, which was +crying from hunger. The prince took it from her, and fed it with his +last crust of bread and last drop of water, and then gave it back to its +mother. The woman thanked him gratefully, and said: + +'Listen, my lord. You must walk straight on till you notice a very +strong scent, which comes from a garden by the side of the road. Go in +and hide yourself close to a tank, where three doves will come to bathe. +As the last one flies past you, catch hold of its robe of feathers, and +refuse to give it back till the dove has promised you three things.' + +The young man did as he was told, and everything happened as the woman +had said. He took the robe of feathers from the dove, who gave him in +exchange for it a ring, a collar, and one of its own plumes, saying: +'When you are in any trouble, cry "Come to my aid, O dove!" I am the +daughter of the king you are going to serve, who hates your father and +made you gamble in order to cause your ruin.' + +Thus the prince went on his way, and in course of time he arrived at the +king's palace. As soon as his master knew he was there, the young man +was sent for into his presence, and three bags were handed to him with +these words: + +'Take this wheat, this millet, and this barley, and sow them at once, so +that I may have loaves of them all to-morrow.' + +The prince stood speechless at this command, but the king did not +condescend to give any further explanation, and when he was dismissed +the young man flew to the room which had been set aside for him, and +pulling out his feather, he cried: 'Dove, dove! be quick and come.' + +'What is it?' said the dove, flying in through the open window, and +the prince told her of the task before him, and of his despair at being +unable to accomplish it. 'Fear nothing; it will be all right,' replied +the dove, as she flew away again. + +The next morning when the prince awoke he saw the three loaves standing +beside his bed. He jumped up and dressed, and he was scarcely ready +when a page arrived with the message that he was to go at once into the +king's chamber. Taking the loaves in his arm he followed the boy, and, +bowing low, laid them down before the king. The monarch looked at the +loaves for a moment without speaking, then he said: + +'Good. The man who can do this can also find the ring which my eldest +daughter dropped into the sea.' + +The prince hastened back to his room and summoned the dove, and when she +heard this new command she said: 'Now listen. To-morrow take a knife +and a basin and go down to the shore and get into a boat you will find +there.' + +The young man did not know what he was to do when he was in the boat or +where he was to go, but as the dove had come to his rescue before, he +was ready to obey her blindly. + +When he reached the boat he found the dove perched on one of the masts, +and at a signal from her he put to sea; the wind was behind them and +they soon lost sight of land. The dove then spoke for the first time and +said, 'Take that knife and cut off my head, but be careful that not a +single drop of blood falls to the ground. Afterwards you must throw it +into the sea.' + +Wondering at this strange order, the prince picked up his knife and +severed the dove's head from her body at one stroke. A little while +after a dove rose from the water with a ring in its beak, and laying +it in the prince's hand, dabbled itself with the blood that was in the +basin, when its head became that of a beautiful girl. Another moment and +it had vanished completely, and the prince took the ring and made his +way back to the palace. + +The king stared with surprise at the sight of the ring, but he thought +of another way of getting rid of the young man which was surer even than +the other two. + +'This evening you will mount my colt and ride him to the field, and +break him in properly.' + +The prince received this command as silently as he had received the +rest, but no sooner was he in his room than he called for the dove, who +said: 'Attend to me. My father longs to see you dead, and thinks he will +kill you by this means. He himself is the colt, my mother is the saddle, +my two sisters are the stirrups, and I am the bridle. Do not forget to +take a good club, to help you in dealing with such a crew.' + +So the prince mounted the colt, and gave him such a beating that when he +came to the palace to announce that the animal was now so meek that it +could be ridden by the smallest child, he found the king so bruised that +he had to be wrapped in cloths dipped in vinegar, the mother was too +stiff to move, and several of the daughters' ribs were broken. The +youngest, however, was quite unharmed. That night she came to the prince +and whispered to him: + +'Now that they are all in too much pain to move, we had better seize our +chance and run away. Go to the stable and saddle the leanest horse +you can find there.' But the prince was foolish enough to choose the +fattest: and when they had started and the princess saw what he had +done, she was very sorry, for though this horse ran like the wind, the +other flashed like thought. However, it was dangerous to go back, and +they rode on as fast as the horse would go. + +In the night the king sent for his youngest daughter, and as she did +not come he sent again; but she did not come any the more for that. The +queen, who was a witch, discovered that her daughter had gone off with +the prince, and told her husband he must leave his bed and go after +them. The king got slowly up, groaning with pain, and dragged himself to +the stables, where he saw the lean horse still in his stall. + +Leaping on his back he shook the reins, and his daughter, who knew what +to expect and had her eyes open, saw the horse start forward, and in the +twinkling of an eye changed her own steed into a cell, the prince into a +hermit, and herself into a nun. + +When the king reached the chapel, he pulled up his horse and asked if +a girl and a young man had passed that way. The hermit raised his eyes, +which were bent on the ground, and said that he had not seen a living +creature. The king, much disgusted at this news, and not knowing what +to do, returned home and told his wife that, though he had ridden for +miles, he had come across nothing but a hermit and a nun in a cell. + +'Why those were the runaways, of course,' she cried, flying into a +passion, 'and if you had only brought a scrap of the nun's dress, or a +bit of stone from the wall, I should have had them in my power.' + +At these words the king hastened back to the stable, and brought out the +lean horse who travelled quicker than thought. But his daughter saw +him coming, and changed her horse into a plot of ground, herself into +a rose-tree covered with roses, and the prince into a gardener. As the +king rode up, the gardener looked up from the tree which he was trimming +and asked if anything was the matter. 'Have you seen a young man and a +girl go by?' said the king, and the gardener shook his head and replied +that no one had passed that way since he had been working there. So the +king turned his steps homewards and told his wife. + +'Idiot!' cried she, 'if you had only brought me one of the roses, or a +handful of earth, I should have had them in my power. But there is no +time to waste. I shall have to go with you myself.' + +The girl saw them from afar, and a great fear fell on her, for she knew +her mother's skill in magic of all kinds. However, she determined to +fight to the end, and changed the horse into a deep pool, herself into +an eel, and the prince into a turtle. But it was no use. Her mother +recognised them all, and, pulling up, asked her daughter if she did not +repent and would not like to come home again. The eel wagged 'No' with +her tail, and the queen told her husband to put a drop of water from +the pool into a bottle, because it was only by that means that she could +seize hold of her daughter. The king did as he was bid, and was just in +the act of drawing the bottle out of the water after he had filled it, +when the turtle knocked against and spilt it all. The king then filled +it a second time, but again the turtle was too quick for him. + +The queen saw that she was beaten, and called down a curse on her +daughter that the prince should forget all about her. After having +relieved her feelings in this manner, she and the king went back to the +palace. + +The others resumed their proper shapes and continued their journey, but +the princess was so silent that at last the prince asked her what was +the matter. 'It is because I know you will soon forget all about me,' +said she, and though he laughed at her and told her it was impossible, +she did not cease to believe it. + +They rode on and on and on, till they reached the end of the world, +where the prince lived, and leaving the girl in an inn he went himself +to the palace to ask leave of his father to present her to him as his +bride; but in his joy at seeing his family once more he forgot all about +her, and even listened when the king spoke of arranging a marriage for +him. + +When the poor girl heard this she wept bitterly, and cried out, 'Come to +me, my sisters, for I need you badly!' + +In a moment they stood beside her, and the elder one said, 'Do not be +sad, all will go well,' and they told the innkeeper that if any of the +king's servants wanted any birds for their master they were to be sent +up to them, as they had three doves for sale. + +And so it fell out, and as the doves were very beautiful the servant +bought them for the king, who admired them so much that he called his +son to look at them. The prince was much pleased with the doves and was +coaxing them to come to him, when one fluttered on to the top of the +window and said, 'If you could only hear us speak, you would admire us +still more.' + +And another perched on a table and added, 'Talk away, it might help him +to remember!' + +And the third flew on his shoulder and whispered to him, 'Put on this +ring, prince, and see if it fits you.' + +And it did. Then they hung a collar round his neck, and held a feather +on which was written the name of the dove. And at last his memory came +back to him, and he declared he would marry the princess and nobody +else. So the next day the wedding took place, and they lived happy till +they died. + +(From the Portuguese.) + + + + +VIRGILIUS THE SORCERER + +Long, long ago there was born to a Roman knight and his wife Maja a +little boy called Virgilius. While he was still quite little, his father +died, and the kinsmen, instead of being a help and protection to the +child and his mother, robbed them of their lands and money, and the +widow, fearing that they might take the boy's life also, sent him away +to Spain, that he might study in the great University of Toledo. + +Virgilius was fond of books, and pored over them all day long. But one +afternoon, when the boys were given a holiday, he took a long walk, and +found himself in a place where he had never been before. In front of him +was a cave, and, as no boy ever sees a cave without entering it, he went +in. The cave was so deep that it seemed to Virgilius as if it must run +far into the heart of the mountain, and he thought he would like to see +if it came out anywhere on the other side. For some time he walked on +in pitch darkness, but he went steadily on, and by-and-by a glimmer of +light shot across the floor, and he heard a voice calling, 'Virgilius! +Virgilius!' + +'Who calls?' he asked, stopping and looking round. + +'Virgilius!' answered the voice, 'do you mark upon the ground where you +are standing a slide or bolt?' + +'I do,' replied Virgilius. + +'Then,' said the voice, 'draw back that bolt, and set me free.' + +'But who are you?' asked Virgilius, who never did anything in a hurry. + +'I am an evil spirit,' said the voice, 'shut up here till Doomsday, +unless a man sets me free. If you will let me out I will give you some +magic books, which will make you wiser than any other man.' + +Now Virgilius loved wisdom, and was tempted by these promises, but again +his prudence came to his aid, and he demanded that the books should be +handed over to him first, and that he should be told how to use them. +The evil spirit, unable to help itself, did as Virgilius bade him, and +then the bolt was drawn back. Underneath was a small hole, and out of +this the evil spirit gradually wriggled himself; but it took some time, +for when at last he stood upon the ground he proved to be about three +times as large as Virgilius himself, and coal black besides. + +'Why, you can't have been as big as that when you were in the hole!' +cried Virgilius. + +'But I was!' replied the spirit. + +'I don't believe it!' answered Virgilius. + +'Well, I'll just get in and show you,' said the spirit, and after +turning and twisting, and curling himself up, then he lay neatly packed +into the hole. Then Virgilius drew the bolt, and, picking the books up +under his arm, he left the cave. + +For the next few weeks Virgilius hardly ate or slept, so busy was he in +learning the magic the books contained. But at the end of that time a +messenger from his mother arrived in Toledo, begging him to come at +once to Rome, as she had been ill, and could look after their affairs no +longer. + +Though sorry to leave Toledo, where he was much thought of as showing +promise of great learning, Virgilius would willingly have set out at +once, but there were many things he had first to see to. So he entrusted +to the messenger four pack-horses laden with precious things, and a +white palfrey on which she was to ride out every day. Then he set about +his own preparations, and, followed by a large train of scholars, he at +length started for Rome, from which he had been absent twelve years. + +His mother welcomed him back with tears in her eyes, and his poor +kinsmen pressed round him, but the rich ones kept away, for they feared +that they would no longer be able to rob their kinsman as they had done +for many years past. Of course, Virgilius paid no attention to this +behaviour, though he noticed they looked with envy on the rich presents +he bestowed on the poorer relations and on anyone who had been kind to +his mother. + +Soon after this had happened the season of tax-gathering came round, and +everyone who owned land was bound to present himself before the emperor. +Like the rest, Virgilius went to court, and demanded justice from the +emperor against the men who had robbed him. But as these were kinsmen +to the emperor he gained nothing, as the emperor told him he would think +over the matter for the next four years, and then give judgment. This +reply naturally did not satisfy Virgilius, and, turning on his heel, he +went back to his own home, and, gathering in his harvest, he stored it +up in his various houses. + +When the enemies of Virgilius heard of this, they assembled together +and laid siege to his castle. But Virgilius was a match for them. Coming +forth from the castle so as to meet them face to face, he cast a spell +over them of such power that they could not move, and then bade them +defiance. After which he lifted the spell, and the invading army slunk +back to Rome, and reported what Virgilius had said to the emperor. + +Now the emperor was accustomed to have his lightest word obeyed, almost +before it was uttered, and he hardly knew how to believe his ears. But +he got together another army, and marched straight off to the castle. +But directly they took up their position Virgilius girded them about +with a great river, so that they could neither move hand nor foot, then, +hailing the emperor, he offered him peace, and asked for his friendship. +The emperor, however, was too angry to listen to anything, so Virgilius, +whose patience was exhausted, feasted his own followers in the presence +of the starving host, who could not stir hand or foot. + +Things seemed getting desperate, when a magician arrived in the camp and +offered to sell his services to the emperor. His proposals were gladly +accepted, and in a moment the whole of the garrison sank down as if they +were dead, and Virgilius himself had much ado to keep awake. He did not +know how to fight the magician, but with a great effort struggled to +open his Black Book, which told him what spells to use. In an instant +all his foes seemed turned to stone, and where each man was there he +stayed. Some were half way up the ladders, some had one foot over the +wall, but wherever they might chance to be there every man remained, +even the emperor and his sorcerer. All day they stayed there like +flies upon the wall, but during the night Virgilius stole softly to +the emperor, and offered him his freedom, as long as he would do him +justice. The emperor, who by this time was thoroughly frightened, said +he would agree to anything Virgilius desired. So Virgilius took off his +spells, and, after feasting the army and bestowing on every man a gift, +bade them return to Rome. And more than that, he built a square tower +for the emperor, and in each corner all that was said in that quarter of +the city might be heard, while if you stood in the centre every whisper +throughout Rome would reach your ears. + +Having settled his affairs with the emperor and his enemies, Virgilius +had time to think of other things, and his first act was to fall in +love! The lady's name was Febilla, and her family was noble, and her +face fairer than any in Rome, but she only mocked Virgilius, and was +always playing tricks upon him. To this end, she bade him one day come +to visit her in the tower where she lived, promising to let down a +basket to draw him up as far as the roof. Virgilius was enchanted at +this quite unexpected favour, and stepped with glee into the basket. It +was drawn up very slowly, and by-and-by came altogether to a standstill, +while from above rang the voice of Febilla crying, 'Rogue of a sorcerer, +there shalt thou hang!' And there he hung over the market-place, which +was soon thronged with people, who made fun of him till he was mad with +rage. At last the emperor, hearing of his plight, commanded Febilla to +release him, and Virgilius went home vowing vengeance. + +The next morning every fire in Rome went out, and as there were no +matches in those days this was a very serious matter. The emperor, +guessing that this was the work of Virgilius, besought him to break +the spell. Then Virgilius ordered a scaffold to be erected in the +market-place, and Febilla to be brought clothed in a single white +garment. And further, he bade every one to snatch fire from the maiden, +and to suffer no neighbour to kindle it. And when the maiden appeared, +clad in her white smock, flames of fire curled about her, and the Romans +brought some torches, and some straw, and some shavings, and fires were +kindled in Rome again. + +For three days she stood there, till every hearth in Rome was alight, +and then she was suffered to go where she would. + +But the emperor was wroth at the vengeance of Virgilius, and threw him +into prison, vowing that he should be put to death. And when everything +was ready he was led out to the Viminal Hill, where he was to die. + +He went quietly with his guards, but the day was hot, and on reaching +his place of execution he begged for some water. A pail was brought, and +he, crying 'Emperor, all hail! seek for me in Sicily,' jumped headlong +into the pail, and vanished from their sight. + +For some time we hear no more of Virgilius, or how he made his peace +with the emperor, but the next event in his history was his being sent +for to the palace to give the emperor advice how to guard Rome from +foes within as well as foes without. Virgilius spent many days in deep +thought, and at length invented a plan which was known to all as the +'Preservation of Rome.' + +On the roof of the Capitol, which was the most famous public building +in the city, he set up statues representing the gods worshipped by every +nation subject to Rome, and in the middle stood the god of Rome herself. +Each of the conquered gods held in its hand a bell, and if there was +even a thought of treason in any of the countries its god turned its +back upon the god of Rome and rang its bell furiously, and the senators +came hurrying to see who was rebelling against the majesty of the +empire. Then they made ready their armies, and marched against the foe. + +Now there was a country which had long felt bitter jealousy of Rome, +and was anxious for some way of bringing about its destruction. So the +people chose three men who could be trusted, and, loading them with +money, sent them to Rome, bidding them to pretend that they were +diviners of dreams. No sooner had the messengers reached the city than +they stole out at night and buried a pot of gold far down in the earth, +and let down another into the bed of the Tiber, just where a bridge +spans the river. + +Next day they went to the senate house, where the laws were made, and, +bowing low, they said, 'Oh, noble lords, last night we dreamed that +beneath the foot of a hill there lies buried a pot of gold. Have we your +leave to dig for it?' And leave having been given, the messengers took +workmen and dug up the gold and made merry with it. + +A few days later the diviners again appeared before the senate, and +said, 'Oh, noble lords, grant us leave to seek out another treasure, +which has been revealed to us in a dream as lying under the bridge over +the river.' + +And the senators gave leave, and the messengers hired boats and men, and +let down ropes with hooks, and at length drew up the pot of gold, some +of which they gave as presents to the senators. + +A week or two passed by, and once more they appeared in the senate +house. + +'O, noble lords!' said they, 'last night in a vision we beheld twelve +casks of gold lying under the foundation stone of the Capitol, on which +stands the statue of the Preservation of Rome. Now, seeing that by your +goodness we have been greatly enriched by our former dreams, we wish, in +gratitude, to bestow this third treasure on you for your own profit; so +give us workers, and we will begin to dig without delay.' + +And receiving permission they began to dig, and when the messengers had +almost undermined the Capitol they stole away as secretly as they had +come. + +And next morning the stone gave way, and the sacred statue fell on its +face and was broken. And the senators knew that their greed had been +their ruin. + +From that day things went from bad to worse, and every morning crowds +presented themselves before the emperor, complaining of the robberies, +murders, and other crimes that were committed nightly in the streets. + +The emperor, desiring nothing so much as the safety of his subjects, +took counsel with Virgilius how this violence could be put down. + +Virgilius thought hard for a long time, and then he spoke: + +'Great prince,' said he, 'cause a copper horse and rider to be made, and +stationed in front of the Capitol. Then make a proclamation that at ten +o'clock a bell will toll, and every man is to enter his house, and not +leave it again.' + +The emperor did as Virgilius advised, but thieves and murderers laughed +at the horse, and went about their misdeeds as usual. + +But at the last stroke of the bell the horse set off at full gallop +through the streets of Rome, and by daylight men counted over two +hundred corpses that it had trodden down. The rest of the thieves--and +there were still many remaining--instead of being frightened into +honesty, as Virgilius had hoped, prepared rope ladders with hooks to +them, and when they heard the sound of the horse's hoofs they stuck +their ladders into the walls, and climbed up above the reach of the +horse and its rider. + +Then the emperor commanded two copper dogs to be made that would run +after the horse, and when the thieves, hanging from the walls, mocked +and jeered at Virgilius and the emperor, the dogs leaped high after them +and pulled them to the ground, and bit them to death. + +Thus did Virgilius restore peace and order to the city. + +Now about this time there came to be noised abroad the fame of the +daughter of the sultan who ruled over the province of Babylon, and +indeed she was said to be the most beautiful princess in the world. + +Virgilius, like the rest, listened to the stories that were told of her, +and fell so violently in love with all he heard that he built a bridge +in the air, which stretched all the way between Rome and Babylon. +He then passed over it to visit the princess, who, though somewhat +surprised to see him, gave him welcome, and after some conversation +became in her turn anxious to see the distant country where this +stranger lived, and he promised that he would carry her there himself, +without wetting the soles of his feet. + +The princess spent some days in the palace of Virgilius, looking at +wonders of which she had never dreamed, though she declined to accept +the presents he longed to heap on her. The hours passed as if they were +minutes, till the princess said that she could be no longer absent from +her father. Then Virgilius conducted her himself over the airy bridge, +and laid her gently down on her own bed, where she was found next +morning by her father. + +She told him all that had happened to her, and he pretended to be very +much interested, and begged that the next time Virgilius came he might +be introduced to him. + +Soon after, the sultan received a message from his daughter that the +stranger was there, and he commanded that a feast should be made ready, +and, sending for the princess delivered into her hands a cup, which he +said she was to present to Virgilius herself, in order to do him honour. + +When they were all seated at the feast the princess rose and presented +the cup to Virgilius, who directly he had drunk fell into a deep sleep. + +Then the sultan ordered his guards to bind him, and left him there till +the following day. + +Directly the sultan was up he summoned his lords and nobles into his +great hall, and commanded that the cords which bound Virgilius should be +taken off, and the prisoner brought before him. The moment he appeared +the sultan's passion broke forth, and he accused his captive of the +crime of conveying the princess into distant lands without his leave. + +Virgilius replied that if he had taken her away he had also brought her +back, when he might have kept her, and that if they would set him free +to return to his own land he would come hither no more. + +'Not so!' cried the sultan, 'but a shameful death you shall die!' And +the princess fell on her knees, and begged she might die with him. + +'You are out in your reckoning, Sir Sultan!' said Virgilius, whose +patience was at an end, and he cast a spell over the sultan and his +lords, so that they believed that the great river of Babylon was flowing +through the hall, and that they must swim for their lives. So, leaving +them to plunge and leap like frogs and fishes, Virgilius took the +princess in his arms, and carried her over the airy bridge back to Rome. + +Now Virgilius did not think that either his palace, or even Rome itself, +was good enough to contain such a pearl as the princess, so he built her +a city whose foundations stood upon eggs, buried far away down in the +depths of the sea. And in the city was a square tower, and on the roof +of the tower was a rod of iron, and across the rod he laid a bottle, and +on the bottle he placed an egg, and from the egg there hung chained an +apple, which hangs there to this day. And when the egg shakes the city +quakes, and when the egg shall be broken the city shall be destroyed. +And the city Virgilius filled full of wonders, such as never were seen +before, and he called its name Naples. + +(Adapted from 'Virgilius the Sorcerer.') + + + + +MOGARZEA AND HIS SON + +There was once a little boy, whose father and mother, when they were +dying, left him to the care of a guardian. But the guardian whom they +chose turned out to be a wicked man, and spent all the money, so the boy +determined to go away and strike out a path for himself. + +So one day he set off, and walked and walked through woods and meadows +till when evening came he was very tired, and did not know where to +sleep. He climbed a hill and looked about him to see if there was no +light shining from a window. At first all seemed dark, but at length he +noticed a tiny spark far, far off, and, plucking up his spirits, he at +once went in search of it. + +The night was nearly half over before he reached the spark, which turned +out to be a big fire, and by the fire a man was sleeping who was so +tall he might have been a giant. The boy hesitated for a moment what he +should do; then he crept close up to the man, and lay down by his legs. + +When the man awoke in the morning he was much surprised to find the boy +nestling up close to him. + +'Dear me! where do you come from?' said he. + +'I am your son, born in the night,' replied the boy. + +'If that is true,' said the man, 'you shall take care of my sheep, and I +will give you food. But take care you never cross the border of my land, +or you will repent it.' Then he pointed out where the border of his land +lay, and bade the boy begin his work at once. + +The young shepherd led his flock out to the richest meadows and stayed +with them till evening, when he brought them back, and helped the man to +milk them. When this was done, they both sat down to supper, and while +they were eating the boy asked the big man: 'What is your name, father?' + +'Mogarzea,' answered he. + +'I wonder you are not tired of living by yourself in this lonely place.' + +'There is no reason you should wonder! Don't you know that there was +never a bear yet who danced of his own free will?' + +'Yes, that is true,' replied the boy. 'But why is it you are always so +sad? Tell me your history, father.' + +'What is the use of my telling you things that would only make you sad +too?' + +'Oh, never mind that! I should like to hear. Are you not my father, and +am I not your son?' + +'Well, if you really want to know my story, this is it: As I told you, +my name is Mogarzea, and my father is an emperor. I was on my way to the +Sweet Milk Lake, which lies not far from here, to marry one of the three +fairies who have made the lake their home. But on the road three wicked +elves fell on me, and robbed me of my soul, so that ever since I have +stayed in this spot watching my sheep without wishing for anything +different, without having felt one moment's joy, or ever once being able +to laugh. And the horrible elves are so ill-natured that if anyone sets +one foot on their land he is instantly punished. That is why I warn you +to be careful, lest you should share my fate.' + +'All right, I will take great care. Do let me go, father,' said the boy, +as they stretched themselves out to sleep. + +At sunrise the boy got up and led his sheep out to feed, and for +some reason he did not feel tempted to cross into the grassy meadows +belonging to the elves, but let his flock pick up what pasture they +could on Mogarzea's dry ground. + +On the third day he was sitting under the shadow of a tree, playing +on his flute--and there was nobody in the world who could play a flute +better--when one of his sheep strayed across the fence into the flowery +fields of the elves, and another and another followed it. But the boy +was so absorbed in his flute that he noticed nothing till half the flock +were on the other side. + +He jumped up, still playing on his flute, and went after the sheep, +meaning to drive them back to their own side of the border, when +suddenly he saw before him three beautiful maidens who stopped in front +of him, and began to dance. The boy understood what he must do, and +played with all his might, but the maidens danced on till evening. + +'Now let me go,' he cried at last, 'for poor Mogarzea must be dying of +hunger. I will come and play for you to-morrow.' + +'Well, you may go!' they said, 'but remember that even if you break your +promise you will not escape us.' + +So they both agreed that the next day he should come straight there with +the sheep, and play to them till the sun went down. This being settled, +they each returned home. + +Mogarzea was surprised to find that his sheep gave so much more milk +than usual, but as the boy declared he had never crossed the border the +big man did not trouble his head further, and ate his supper heartily. + +With the earliest gleams of light, the boy was off with his sheep to the +elfin meadow, and at the first notes of his flute the maidens appeared +before him and danced and danced and danced till evening came. Then the +boy let the flute slip through his fingers, and trod on it, as if by +accident. + +If you had heard the noise he made, and how he wrung his hands and wept +and cried that he had lost his only companion, you would have been sorry +for him. The hearts of the elves were quite melted, and they did all +they could to comfort him. + +'I shall never find another flute like that, moaned he. 'I have never +heard one whose tone was as sweet as mine! It was cut from the centre of +a seven-year-old cherry tree!' + +'There is a cherry tree in our garden that is exactly seven years old,' +said they. 'Come with us, and you shall make yourself another flute.' + +So they all went to the cherry tree, and when they were standing round +it the youth explained that if he tried to cut it down with an axe he +might very likely split open the heart of the tree, which was needed for +the flute. In order to prevent this, he would make a little cut in the +bark, just large enough for them to put their fingers in, and with this +help he could manage to tear the tree in two, so that the heart should +run no risk of damage. The elves did as he told them without a thought; +then he quickly drew out the axe, which had been sticking into the +cleft, and behold! all their fingers were imprisoned tight in the tree. + +It was in vain that they shrieked with pain and tried to free +themselves. They could do nothing, and the young man remained cold as +marble to all their entreaties. + +Then he demanded of them Mogarzea's soul. + +'Oh, well, if you must have it, it is in a bottle on the window sill,' +said they, hoping that they might obtain their freedom at once. But they +were mistaken. + +'You have made so many men suffer,' answered he sternly, 'that it is but +just you should suffer yourselves, but to-morrow I will let you go.' And +he turned towards home, taking his sheep and the soul of Mogarzea with +him. + +Mogarzea was waiting at the door, and as the boy drew near he began +scolding him for being so late. But at the first word of explanation the +man became beside himself with joy, and he sprang so high into the air +that the false soul which the elves had given him flew out of his mouth, +and his own, which had been shut tightly into the flask of water, took +its place. + +When his excitement had somewhat calmed down, he cried to the boy, +'Whether you are really my son matters nothing to me; tell me, how can I +repay you for what you have done for me?' + +'By showing me where the Milk Lake is, and how I can get one of the +three fairies who lives there to wife, and by letting me remain your son +for ever.' + +The night was passed by Mogarzea and his son in songs and feasting, for +both were too happy to sleep, and when day dawned they set out together +to free the elves from the tree. When they reached the place of their +imprisonment, Mogarzea took the cherry tree and all the elves with it on +his back, and carried them off to his father's kingdom, where everyone +rejoiced to see him home again. But all he did was to point to the boy +who had saved him, and had followed him with his flock. + +For three days the boy stayed in the palace, receiving the thanks and +praises of the whole court. Then he said to Mogarzea: + +'The time has come for me to go hence, but tell me, I pray you, how to +find the Sweet Milk Lake, and I will return, and will bring my wife back +with me.' + +Mogarzea tried in vain to make him stay, but, finding it was useless, he +told him all he knew, for he himself had never seen the lake. + +For three summer days the boy and his flute journeyed on, till one +evening he reached the lake, which lay in the kingdom of a powerful +fairy. The next morning had scarcely dawned when the youth went down +to the shore, and began to play on his flute, and the first notes had +hardly sounded when he saw a beautiful fairy standing before him, with +hair and robes that shone like gold. He gazed at her in wonder, when +suddenly she began to dance. Her movements were so graceful that +he forgot to play, and as soon as the notes of his flute ceased she +vanished from his sight. The next day the same thing happened, but on +the third he took courage, and drew a little nearer, playing on his +flute all the while. Suddenly he sprang forward, seized her in his arms +and kissed her, and plucked a rose from her hair. + +The fairy gave a cry, and begged him to give her back her rose, but he +would not. He only stuck the rose in his hat, and turned a deaf ear to +all her prayers. + +At last she saw that her entreaties were vain, and agreed to marry him, +as he wished. And they went together to the palace, where Mogarzea was +still waiting for him, and the marriage was celebrated by the emperor +himself. But every May they returned to the Milk Lake, they and their +children, and bathed in its waters. + +(Olumanische Marchen.) + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Violet Fairy Book, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 641.txt or 641.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/641/ + +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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