summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/641-h/641-h.htm
blob: 88f7fe04ad5110dbd1488f477e496f23e0eed2dd (plain) 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000
1001
1002
1003
1004
1005
1006
1007
1008
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
1018
1019
1020
1021
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035
1036
1037
1038
1039
1040
1041
1042
1043
1044
1045
1046
1047
1048
1049
1050
1051
1052
1053
1054
1055
1056
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1063
1064
1065
1066
1067
1068
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076
1077
1078
1079
1080
1081
1082
1083
1084
1085
1086
1087
1088
1089
1090
1091
1092
1093
1094
1095
1096
1097
1098
1099
1100
1101
1102
1103
1104
1105
1106
1107
1108
1109
1110
1111
1112
1113
1114
1115
1116
1117
1118
1119
1120
1121
1122
1123
1124
1125
1126
1127
1128
1129
1130
1131
1132
1133
1134
1135
1136
1137
1138
1139
1140
1141
1142
1143
1144
1145
1146
1147
1148
1149
1150
1151
1152
1153
1154
1155
1156
1157
1158
1159
1160
1161
1162
1163
1164
1165
1166
1167
1168
1169
1170
1171
1172
1173
1174
1175
1176
1177
1178
1179
1180
1181
1182
1183
1184
1185
1186
1187
1188
1189
1190
1191
1192
1193
1194
1195
1196
1197
1198
1199
1200
1201
1202
1203
1204
1205
1206
1207
1208
1209
1210
1211
1212
1213
1214
1215
1216
1217
1218
1219
1220
1221
1222
1223
1224
1225
1226
1227
1228
1229
1230
1231
1232
1233
1234
1235
1236
1237
1238
1239
1240
1241
1242
1243
1244
1245
1246
1247
1248
1249
1250
1251
1252
1253
1254
1255
1256
1257
1258
1259
1260
1261
1262
1263
1264
1265
1266
1267
1268
1269
1270
1271
1272
1273
1274
1275
1276
1277
1278
1279
1280
1281
1282
1283
1284
1285
1286
1287
1288
1289
1290
1291
1292
1293
1294
1295
1296
1297
1298
1299
1300
1301
1302
1303
1304
1305
1306
1307
1308
1309
1310
1311
1312
1313
1314
1315
1316
1317
1318
1319
1320
1321
1322
1323
1324
1325
1326
1327
1328
1329
1330
1331
1332
1333
1334
1335
1336
1337
1338
1339
1340
1341
1342
1343
1344
1345
1346
1347
1348
1349
1350
1351
1352
1353
1354
1355
1356
1357
1358
1359
1360
1361
1362
1363
1364
1365
1366
1367
1368
1369
1370
1371
1372
1373
1374
1375
1376
1377
1378
1379
1380
1381
1382
1383
1384
1385
1386
1387
1388
1389
1390
1391
1392
1393
1394
1395
1396
1397
1398
1399
1400
1401
1402
1403
1404
1405
1406
1407
1408
1409
1410
1411
1412
1413
1414
1415
1416
1417
1418
1419
1420
1421
1422
1423
1424
1425
1426
1427
1428
1429
1430
1431
1432
1433
1434
1435
1436
1437
1438
1439
1440
1441
1442
1443
1444
1445
1446
1447
1448
1449
1450
1451
1452
1453
1454
1455
1456
1457
1458
1459
1460
1461
1462
1463
1464
1465
1466
1467
1468
1469
1470
1471
1472
1473
1474
1475
1476
1477
1478
1479
1480
1481
1482
1483
1484
1485
1486
1487
1488
1489
1490
1491
1492
1493
1494
1495
1496
1497
1498
1499
1500
1501
1502
1503
1504
1505
1506
1507
1508
1509
1510
1511
1512
1513
1514
1515
1516
1517
1518
1519
1520
1521
1522
1523
1524
1525
1526
1527
1528
1529
1530
1531
1532
1533
1534
1535
1536
1537
1538
1539
1540
1541
1542
1543
1544
1545
1546
1547
1548
1549
1550
1551
1552
1553
1554
1555
1556
1557
1558
1559
1560
1561
1562
1563
1564
1565
1566
1567
1568
1569
1570
1571
1572
1573
1574
1575
1576
1577
1578
1579
1580
1581
1582
1583
1584
1585
1586
1587
1588
1589
1590
1591
1592
1593
1594
1595
1596
1597
1598
1599
1600
1601
1602
1603
1604
1605
1606
1607
1608
1609
1610
1611
1612
1613
1614
1615
1616
1617
1618
1619
1620
1621
1622
1623
1624
1625
1626
1627
1628
1629
1630
1631
1632
1633
1634
1635
1636
1637
1638
1639
1640
1641
1642
1643
1644
1645
1646
1647
1648
1649
1650
1651
1652
1653
1654
1655
1656
1657
1658
1659
1660
1661
1662
1663
1664
1665
1666
1667
1668
1669
1670
1671
1672
1673
1674
1675
1676
1677
1678
1679
1680
1681
1682
1683
1684
1685
1686
1687
1688
1689
1690
1691
1692
1693
1694
1695
1696
1697
1698
1699
1700
1701
1702
1703
1704
1705
1706
1707
1708
1709
1710
1711
1712
1713
1714
1715
1716
1717
1718
1719
1720
1721
1722
1723
1724
1725
1726
1727
1728
1729
1730
1731
1732
1733
1734
1735
1736
1737
1738
1739
1740
1741
1742
1743
1744
1745
1746
1747
1748
1749
1750
1751
1752
1753
1754
1755
1756
1757
1758
1759
1760
1761
1762
1763
1764
1765
1766
1767
1768
1769
1770
1771
1772
1773
1774
1775
1776
1777
1778
1779
1780
1781
1782
1783
1784
1785
1786
1787
1788
1789
1790
1791
1792
1793
1794
1795
1796
1797
1798
1799
1800
1801
1802
1803
1804
1805
1806
1807
1808
1809
1810
1811
1812
1813
1814
1815
1816
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
2037
2038
2039
2040
2041
2042
2043
2044
2045
2046
2047
2048
2049
2050
2051
2052
2053
2054
2055
2056
2057
2058
2059
2060
2061
2062
2063
2064
2065
2066
2067
2068
2069
2070
2071
2072
2073
2074
2075
2076
2077
2078
2079
2080
2081
2082
2083
2084
2085
2086
2087
2088
2089
2090
2091
2092
2093
2094
2095
2096
2097
2098
2099
2100
2101
2102
2103
2104
2105
2106
2107
2108
2109
2110
2111
2112
2113
2114
2115
2116
2117
2118
2119
2120
2121
2122
2123
2124
2125
2126
2127
2128
2129
2130
2131
2132
2133
2134
2135
2136
2137
2138
2139
2140
2141
2142
2143
2144
2145
2146
2147
2148
2149
2150
2151
2152
2153
2154
2155
2156
2157
2158
2159
2160
2161
2162
2163
2164
2165
2166
2167
2168
2169
2170
2171
2172
2173
2174
2175
2176
2177
2178
2179
2180
2181
2182
2183
2184
2185
2186
2187
2188
2189
2190
2191
2192
2193
2194
2195
2196
2197
2198
2199
2200
2201
2202
2203
2204
2205
2206
2207
2208
2209
2210
2211
2212
2213
2214
2215
2216
2217
2218
2219
2220
2221
2222
2223
2224
2225
2226
2227
2228
2229
2230
2231
2232
2233
2234
2235
2236
2237
2238
2239
2240
2241
2242
2243
2244
2245
2246
2247
2248
2249
2250
2251
2252
2253
2254
2255
2256
2257
2258
2259
2260
2261
2262
2263
2264
2265
2266
2267
2268
2269
2270
2271
2272
2273
2274
2275
2276
2277
2278
2279
2280
2281
2282
2283
2284
2285
2286
2287
2288
2289
2290
2291
2292
2293
2294
2295
2296
2297
2298
2299
2300
2301
2302
2303
2304
2305
2306
2307
2308
2309
2310
2311
2312
2313
2314
2315
2316
2317
2318
2319
2320
2321
2322
2323
2324
2325
2326
2327
2328
2329
2330
2331
2332
2333
2334
2335
2336
2337
2338
2339
2340
2341
2342
2343
2344
2345
2346
2347
2348
2349
2350
2351
2352
2353
2354
2355
2356
2357
2358
2359
2360
2361
2362
2363
2364
2365
2366
2367
2368
2369
2370
2371
2372
2373
2374
2375
2376
2377
2378
2379
2380
2381
2382
2383
2384
2385
2386
2387
2388
2389
2390
2391
2392
2393
2394
2395
2396
2397
2398
2399
2400
2401
2402
2403
2404
2405
2406
2407
2408
2409
2410
2411
2412
2413
2414
2415
2416
2417
2418
2419
2420
2421
2422
2423
2424
2425
2426
2427
2428
2429
2430
2431
2432
2433
2434
2435
2436
2437
2438
2439
2440
2441
2442
2443
2444
2445
2446
2447
2448
2449
2450
2451
2452
2453
2454
2455
2456
2457
2458
2459
2460
2461
2462
2463
2464
2465
2466
2467
2468
2469
2470
2471
2472
2473
2474
2475
2476
2477
2478
2479
2480
2481
2482
2483
2484
2485
2486
2487
2488
2489
2490
2491
2492
2493
2494
2495
2496
2497
2498
2499
2500
2501
2502
2503
2504
2505
2506
2507
2508
2509
2510
2511
2512
2513
2514
2515
2516
2517
2518
2519
2520
2521
2522
2523
2524
2525
2526
2527
2528
2529
2530
2531
2532
2533
2534
2535
2536
2537
2538
2539
2540
2541
2542
2543
2544
2545
2546
2547
2548
2549
2550
2551
2552
2553
2554
2555
2556
2557
2558
2559
2560
2561
2562
2563
2564
2565
2566
2567
2568
2569
2570
2571
2572
2573
2574
2575
2576
2577
2578
2579
2580
2581
2582
2583
2584
2585
2586
2587
2588
2589
2590
2591
2592
2593
2594
2595
2596
2597
2598
2599
2600
2601
2602
2603
2604
2605
2606
2607
2608
2609
2610
2611
2612
2613
2614
2615
2616
2617
2618
2619
2620
2621
2622
2623
2624
2625
2626
2627
2628
2629
2630
2631
2632
2633
2634
2635
2636
2637
2638
2639
2640
2641
2642
2643
2644
2645
2646
2647
2648
2649
2650
2651
2652
2653
2654
2655
2656
2657
2658
2659
2660
2661
2662
2663
2664
2665
2666
2667
2668
2669
2670
2671
2672
2673
2674
2675
2676
2677
2678
2679
2680
2681
2682
2683
2684
2685
2686
2687
2688
2689
2690
2691
2692
2693
2694
2695
2696
2697
2698
2699
2700
2701
2702
2703
2704
2705
2706
2707
2708
2709
2710
2711
2712
2713
2714
2715
2716
2717
2718
2719
2720
2721
2722
2723
2724
2725
2726
2727
2728
2729
2730
2731
2732
2733
2734
2735
2736
2737
2738
2739
2740
2741
2742
2743
2744
2745
2746
2747
2748
2749
2750
2751
2752
2753
2754
2755
2756
2757
2758
2759
2760
2761
2762
2763
2764
2765
2766
2767
2768
2769
2770
2771
2772
2773
2774
2775
2776
2777
2778
2779
2780
2781
2782
2783
2784
2785
2786
2787
2788
2789
2790
2791
2792
2793
2794
2795
2796
2797
2798
2799
2800
2801
2802
2803
2804
2805
2806
2807
2808
2809
2810
2811
2812
2813
2814
2815
2816
2817
2818
2819
2820
2821
2822
2823
2824
2825
2826
2827
2828
2829
2830
2831
2832
2833
2834
2835
2836
2837
2838
2839
2840
2841
2842
2843
2844
2845
2846
2847
2848
2849
2850
2851
2852
2853
2854
2855
2856
2857
2858
2859
2860
2861
2862
2863
2864
2865
2866
2867
2868
2869
2870
2871
2872
2873
2874
2875
2876
2877
2878
2879
2880
2881
2882
2883
2884
2885
2886
2887
2888
2889
2890
2891
2892
2893
2894
2895
2896
2897
2898
2899
2900
2901
2902
2903
2904
2905
2906
2907
2908
2909
2910
2911
2912
2913
2914
2915
2916
2917
2918
2919
2920
2921
2922
2923
2924
2925
2926
2927
2928
2929
2930
2931
2932
2933
2934
2935
2936
2937
2938
2939
2940
2941
2942
2943
2944
2945
2946
2947
2948
2949
2950
2951
2952
2953
2954
2955
2956
2957
2958
2959
2960
2961
2962
2963
2964
2965
2966
2967
2968
2969
2970
2971
2972
2973
2974
2975
2976
2977
2978
2979
2980
2981
2982
2983
2984
2985
2986
2987
2988
2989
2990
2991
2992
2993
2994
2995
2996
2997
2998
2999
3000
3001
3002
3003
3004
3005
3006
3007
3008
3009
3010
3011
3012
3013
3014
3015
3016
3017
3018
3019
3020
3021
3022
3023
3024
3025
3026
3027
3028
3029
3030
3031
3032
3033
3034
3035
3036
3037
3038
3039
3040
3041
3042
3043
3044
3045
3046
3047
3048
3049
3050
3051
3052
3053
3054
3055
3056
3057
3058
3059
3060
3061
3062
3063
3064
3065
3066
3067
3068
3069
3070
3071
3072
3073
3074
3075
3076
3077
3078
3079
3080
3081
3082
3083
3084
3085
3086
3087
3088
3089
3090
3091
3092
3093
3094
3095
3096
3097
3098
3099
3100
3101
3102
3103
3104
3105
3106
3107
3108
3109
3110
3111
3112
3113
3114
3115
3116
3117
3118
3119
3120
3121
3122
3123
3124
3125
3126
3127
3128
3129
3130
3131
3132
3133
3134
3135
3136
3137
3138
3139
3140
3141
3142
3143
3144
3145
3146
3147
3148
3149
3150
3151
3152
3153
3154
3155
3156
3157
3158
3159
3160
3161
3162
3163
3164
3165
3166
3167
3168
3169
3170
3171
3172
3173
3174
3175
3176
3177
3178
3179
3180
3181
3182
3183
3184
3185
3186
3187
3188
3189
3190
3191
3192
3193
3194
3195
3196
3197
3198
3199
3200
3201
3202
3203
3204
3205
3206
3207
3208
3209
3210
3211
3212
3213
3214
3215
3216
3217
3218
3219
3220
3221
3222
3223
3224
3225
3226
3227
3228
3229
3230
3231
3232
3233
3234
3235
3236
3237
3238
3239
3240
3241
3242
3243
3244
3245
3246
3247
3248
3249
3250
3251
3252
3253
3254
3255
3256
3257
3258
3259
3260
3261
3262
3263
3264
3265
3266
3267
3268
3269
3270
3271
3272
3273
3274
3275
3276
3277
3278
3279
3280
3281
3282
3283
3284
3285
3286
3287
3288
3289
3290
3291
3292
3293
3294
3295
3296
3297
3298
3299
3300
3301
3302
3303
3304
3305
3306
3307
3308
3309
3310
3311
3312
3313
3314
3315
3316
3317
3318
3319
3320
3321
3322
3323
3324
3325
3326
3327
3328
3329
3330
3331
3332
3333
3334
3335
3336
3337
3338
3339
3340
3341
3342
3343
3344
3345
3346
3347
3348
3349
3350
3351
3352
3353
3354
3355
3356
3357
3358
3359
3360
3361
3362
3363
3364
3365
3366
3367
3368
3369
3370
3371
3372
3373
3374
3375
3376
3377
3378
3379
3380
3381
3382
3383
3384
3385
3386
3387
3388
3389
3390
3391
3392
3393
3394
3395
3396
3397
3398
3399
3400
3401
3402
3403
3404
3405
3406
3407
3408
3409
3410
3411
3412
3413
3414
3415
3416
3417
3418
3419
3420
3421
3422
3423
3424
3425
3426
3427
3428
3429
3430
3431
3432
3433
3434
3435
3436
3437
3438
3439
3440
3441
3442
3443
3444
3445
3446
3447
3448
3449
3450
3451
3452
3453
3454
3455
3456
3457
3458
3459
3460
3461
3462
3463
3464
3465
3466
3467
3468
3469
3470
3471
3472
3473
3474
3475
3476
3477
3478
3479
3480
3481
3482
3483
3484
3485
3486
3487
3488
3489
3490
3491
3492
3493
3494
3495
3496
3497
3498
3499
3500
3501
3502
3503
3504
3505
3506
3507
3508
3509
3510
3511
3512
3513
3514
3515
3516
3517
3518
3519
3520
3521
3522
3523
3524
3525
3526
3527
3528
3529
3530
3531
3532
3533
3534
3535
3536
3537
3538
3539
3540
3541
3542
3543
3544
3545
3546
3547
3548
3549
3550
3551
3552
3553
3554
3555
3556
3557
3558
3559
3560
3561
3562
3563
3564
3565
3566
3567
3568
3569
3570
3571
3572
3573
3574
3575
3576
3577
3578
3579
3580
3581
3582
3583
3584
3585
3586
3587
3588
3589
3590
3591
3592
3593
3594
3595
3596
3597
3598
3599
3600
3601
3602
3603
3604
3605
3606
3607
3608
3609
3610
3611
3612
3613
3614
3615
3616
3617
3618
3619
3620
3621
3622
3623
3624
3625
3626
3627
3628
3629
3630
3631
3632
3633
3634
3635
3636
3637
3638
3639
3640
3641
3642
3643
3644
3645
3646
3647
3648
3649
3650
3651
3652
3653
3654
3655
3656
3657
3658
3659
3660
3661
3662
3663
3664
3665
3666
3667
3668
3669
3670
3671
3672
3673
3674
3675
3676
3677
3678
3679
3680
3681
3682
3683
3684
3685
3686
3687
3688
3689
3690
3691
3692
3693
3694
3695
3696
3697
3698
3699
3700
3701
3702
3703
3704
3705
3706
3707
3708
3709
3710
3711
3712
3713
3714
3715
3716
3717
3718
3719
3720
3721
3722
3723
3724
3725
3726
3727
3728
3729
3730
3731
3732
3733
3734
3735
3736
3737
3738
3739
3740
3741
3742
3743
3744
3745
3746
3747
3748
3749
3750
3751
3752
3753
3754
3755
3756
3757
3758
3759
3760
3761
3762
3763
3764
3765
3766
3767
3768
3769
3770
3771
3772
3773
3774
3775
3776
3777
3778
3779
3780
3781
3782
3783
3784
3785
3786
3787
3788
3789
3790
3791
3792
3793
3794
3795
3796
3797
3798
3799
3800
3801
3802
3803
3804
3805
3806
3807
3808
3809
3810
3811
3812
3813
3814
3815
3816
3817
3818
3819
3820
3821
3822
3823
3824
3825
3826
3827
3828
3829
3830
3831
3832
3833
3834
3835
3836
3837
3838
3839
3840
3841
3842
3843
3844
3845
3846
3847
3848
3849
3850
3851
3852
3853
3854
3855
3856
3857
3858
3859
3860
3861
3862
3863
3864
3865
3866
3867
3868
3869
3870
3871
3872
3873
3874
3875
3876
3877
3878
3879
3880
3881
3882
3883
3884
3885
3886
3887
3888
3889
3890
3891
3892
3893
3894
3895
3896
3897
3898
3899
3900
3901
3902
3903
3904
3905
3906
3907
3908
3909
3910
3911
3912
3913
3914
3915
3916
3917
3918
3919
3920
3921
3922
3923
3924
3925
3926
3927
3928
3929
3930
3931
3932
3933
3934
3935
3936
3937
3938
3939
3940
3941
3942
3943
3944
3945
3946
3947
3948
3949
3950
3951
3952
3953
3954
3955
3956
3957
3958
3959
3960
3961
3962
3963
3964
3965
3966
3967
3968
3969
3970
3971
3972
3973
3974
3975
3976
3977
3978
3979
3980
3981
3982
3983
3984
3985
3986
3987
3988
3989
3990
3991
3992
3993
3994
3995
3996
3997
3998
3999
4000
4001
4002
4003
4004
4005
4006
4007
4008
4009
4010
4011
4012
4013
4014
4015
4016
4017
4018
4019
4020
4021
4022
4023
4024
4025
4026
4027
4028
4029
4030
4031
4032
4033
4034
4035
4036
4037
4038
4039
4040
4041
4042
4043
4044
4045
4046
4047
4048
4049
4050
4051
4052
4053
4054
4055
4056
4057
4058
4059
4060
4061
4062
4063
4064
4065
4066
4067
4068
4069
4070
4071
4072
4073
4074
4075
4076
4077
4078
4079
4080
4081
4082
4083
4084
4085
4086
4087
4088
4089
4090
4091
4092
4093
4094
4095
4096
4097
4098
4099
4100
4101
4102
4103
4104
4105
4106
4107
4108
4109
4110
4111
4112
4113
4114
4115
4116
4117
4118
4119
4120
4121
4122
4123
4124
4125
4126
4127
4128
4129
4130
4131
4132
4133
4134
4135
4136
4137
4138
4139
4140
4141
4142
4143
4144
4145
4146
4147
4148
4149
4150
4151
4152
4153
4154
4155
4156
4157
4158
4159
4160
4161
4162
4163
4164
4165
4166
4167
4168
4169
4170
4171
4172
4173
4174
4175
4176
4177
4178
4179
4180
4181
4182
4183
4184
4185
4186
4187
4188
4189
4190
4191
4192
4193
4194
4195
4196
4197
4198
4199
4200
4201
4202
4203
4204
4205
4206
4207
4208
4209
4210
4211
4212
4213
4214
4215
4216
4217
4218
4219
4220
4221
4222
4223
4224
4225
4226
4227
4228
4229
4230
4231
4232
4233
4234
4235
4236
4237
4238
4239
4240
4241
4242
4243
4244
4245
4246
4247
4248
4249
4250
4251
4252
4253
4254
4255
4256
4257
4258
4259
4260
4261
4262
4263
4264
4265
4266
4267
4268
4269
4270
4271
4272
4273
4274
4275
4276
4277
4278
4279
4280
4281
4282
4283
4284
4285
4286
4287
4288
4289
4290
4291
4292
4293
4294
4295
4296
4297
4298
4299
4300
4301
4302
4303
4304
4305
4306
4307
4308
4309
4310
4311
4312
4313
4314
4315
4316
4317
4318
4319
4320
4321
4322
4323
4324
4325
4326
4327
4328
4329
4330
4331
4332
4333
4334
4335
4336
4337
4338
4339
4340
4341
4342
4343
4344
4345
4346
4347
4348
4349
4350
4351
4352
4353
4354
4355
4356
4357
4358
4359
4360
4361
4362
4363
4364
4365
4366
4367
4368
4369
4370
4371
4372
4373
4374
4375
4376
4377
4378
4379
4380
4381
4382
4383
4384
4385
4386
4387
4388
4389
4390
4391
4392
4393
4394
4395
4396
4397
4398
4399
4400
4401
4402
4403
4404
4405
4406
4407
4408
4409
4410
4411
4412
4413
4414
4415
4416
4417
4418
4419
4420
4421
4422
4423
4424
4425
4426
4427
4428
4429
4430
4431
4432
4433
4434
4435
4436
4437
4438
4439
4440
4441
4442
4443
4444
4445
4446
4447
4448
4449
4450
4451
4452
4453
4454
4455
4456
4457
4458
4459
4460
4461
4462
4463
4464
4465
4466
4467
4468
4469
4470
4471
4472
4473
4474
4475
4476
4477
4478
4479
4480
4481
4482
4483
4484
4485
4486
4487
4488
4489
4490
4491
4492
4493
4494
4495
4496
4497
4498
4499
4500
4501
4502
4503
4504
4505
4506
4507
4508
4509
4510
4511
4512
4513
4514
4515
4516
4517
4518
4519
4520
4521
4522
4523
4524
4525
4526
4527
4528
4529
4530
4531
4532
4533
4534
4535
4536
4537
4538
4539
4540
4541
4542
4543
4544
4545
4546
4547
4548
4549
4550
4551
4552
4553
4554
4555
4556
4557
4558
4559
4560
4561
4562
4563
4564
4565
4566
4567
4568
4569
4570
4571
4572
4573
4574
4575
4576
4577
4578
4579
4580
4581
4582
4583
4584
4585
4586
4587
4588
4589
4590
4591
4592
4593
4594
4595
4596
4597
4598
4599
4600
4601
4602
4603
4604
4605
4606
4607
4608
4609
4610
4611
4612
4613
4614
4615
4616
4617
4618
4619
4620
4621
4622
4623
4624
4625
4626
4627
4628
4629
4630
4631
4632
4633
4634
4635
4636
4637
4638
4639
4640
4641
4642
4643
4644
4645
4646
4647
4648
4649
4650
4651
4652
4653
4654
4655
4656
4657
4658
4659
4660
4661
4662
4663
4664
4665
4666
4667
4668
4669
4670
4671
4672
4673
4674
4675
4676
4677
4678
4679
4680
4681
4682
4683
4684
4685
4686
4687
4688
4689
4690
4691
4692
4693
4694
4695
4696
4697
4698
4699
4700
4701
4702
4703
4704
4705
4706
4707
4708
4709
4710
4711
4712
4713
4714
4715
4716
4717
4718
4719
4720
4721
4722
4723
4724
4725
4726
4727
4728
4729
4730
4731
4732
4733
4734
4735
4736
4737
4738
4739
4740
4741
4742
4743
4744
4745
4746
4747
4748
4749
4750
4751
4752
4753
4754
4755
4756
4757
4758
4759
4760
4761
4762
4763
4764
4765
4766
4767
4768
4769
4770
4771
4772
4773
4774
4775
4776
4777
4778
4779
4780
4781
4782
4783
4784
4785
4786
4787
4788
4789
4790
4791
4792
4793
4794
4795
4796
4797
4798
4799
4800
4801
4802
4803
4804
4805
4806
4807
4808
4809
4810
4811
4812
4813
4814
4815
4816
4817
4818
4819
4820
4821
4822
4823
4824
4825
4826
4827
4828
4829
4830
4831
4832
4833
4834
4835
4836
4837
4838
4839
4840
4841
4842
4843
4844
4845
4846
4847
4848
4849
4850
4851
4852
4853
4854
4855
4856
4857
4858
4859
4860
4861
4862
4863
4864
4865
4866
4867
4868
4869
4870
4871
4872
4873
4874
4875
4876
4877
4878
4879
4880
4881
4882
4883
4884
4885
4886
4887
4888
4889
4890
4891
4892
4893
4894
4895
4896
4897
4898
4899
4900
4901
4902
4903
4904
4905
4906
4907
4908
4909
4910
4911
4912
4913
4914
4915
4916
4917
4918
4919
4920
4921
4922
4923
4924
4925
4926
4927
4928
4929
4930
4931
4932
4933
4934
4935
4936
4937
4938
4939
4940
4941
4942
4943
4944
4945
4946
4947
4948
4949
4950
4951
4952
4953
4954
4955
4956
4957
4958
4959
4960
4961
4962
4963
4964
4965
4966
4967
4968
4969
4970
4971
4972
4973
4974
4975
4976
4977
4978
4979
4980
4981
4982
4983
4984
4985
4986
4987
4988
4989
4990
4991
4992
4993
4994
4995
4996
4997
4998
4999
5000
5001
5002
5003
5004
5005
5006
5007
5008
5009
5010
5011
5012
5013
5014
5015
5016
5017
5018
5019
5020
5021
5022
5023
5024
5025
5026
5027
5028
5029
5030
5031
5032
5033
5034
5035
5036
5037
5038
5039
5040
5041
5042
5043
5044
5045
5046
5047
5048
5049
5050
5051
5052
5053
5054
5055
5056
5057
5058
5059
5060
5061
5062
5063
5064
5065
5066
5067
5068
5069
5070
5071
5072
5073
5074
5075
5076
5077
5078
5079
5080
5081
5082
5083
5084
5085
5086
5087
5088
5089
5090
5091
5092
5093
5094
5095
5096
5097
5098
5099
5100
5101
5102
5103
5104
5105
5106
5107
5108
5109
5110
5111
5112
5113
5114
5115
5116
5117
5118
5119
5120
5121
5122
5123
5124
5125
5126
5127
5128
5129
5130
5131
5132
5133
5134
5135
5136
5137
5138
5139
5140
5141
5142
5143
5144
5145
5146
5147
5148
5149
5150
5151
5152
5153
5154
5155
5156
5157
5158
5159
5160
5161
5162
5163
5164
5165
5166
5167
5168
5169
5170
5171
5172
5173
5174
5175
5176
5177
5178
5179
5180
5181
5182
5183
5184
5185
5186
5187
5188
5189
5190
5191
5192
5193
5194
5195
5196
5197
5198
5199
5200
5201
5202
5203
5204
5205
5206
5207
5208
5209
5210
5211
5212
5213
5214
5215
5216
5217
5218
5219
5220
5221
5222
5223
5224
5225
5226
5227
5228
5229
5230
5231
5232
5233
5234
5235
5236
5237
5238
5239
5240
5241
5242
5243
5244
5245
5246
5247
5248
5249
5250
5251
5252
5253
5254
5255
5256
5257
5258
5259
5260
5261
5262
5263
5264
5265
5266
5267
5268
5269
5270
5271
5272
5273
5274
5275
5276
5277
5278
5279
5280
5281
5282
5283
5284
5285
5286
5287
5288
5289
5290
5291
5292
5293
5294
5295
5296
5297
5298
5299
5300
5301
5302
5303
5304
5305
5306
5307
5308
5309
5310
5311
5312
5313
5314
5315
5316
5317
5318
5319
5320
5321
5322
5323
5324
5325
5326
5327
5328
5329
5330
5331
5332
5333
5334
5335
5336
5337
5338
5339
5340
5341
5342
5343
5344
5345
5346
5347
5348
5349
5350
5351
5352
5353
5354
5355
5356
5357
5358
5359
5360
5361
5362
5363
5364
5365
5366
5367
5368
5369
5370
5371
5372
5373
5374
5375
5376
5377
5378
5379
5380
5381
5382
5383
5384
5385
5386
5387
5388
5389
5390
5391
5392
5393
5394
5395
5396
5397
5398
5399
5400
5401
5402
5403
5404
5405
5406
5407
5408
5409
5410
5411
5412
5413
5414
5415
5416
5417
5418
5419
5420
5421
5422
5423
5424
5425
5426
5427
5428
5429
5430
5431
5432
5433
5434
5435
5436
5437
5438
5439
5440
5441
5442
5443
5444
5445
5446
5447
5448
5449
5450
5451
5452
5453
5454
5455
5456
5457
5458
5459
5460
5461
5462
5463
5464
5465
5466
5467
5468
5469
5470
5471
5472
5473
5474
5475
5476
5477
5478
5479
5480
5481
5482
5483
5484
5485
5486
5487
5488
5489
5490
5491
5492
5493
5494
5495
5496
5497
5498
5499
5500
5501
5502
5503
5504
5505
5506
5507
5508
5509
5510
5511
5512
5513
5514
5515
5516
5517
5518
5519
5520
5521
5522
5523
5524
5525
5526
5527
5528
5529
5530
5531
5532
5533
5534
5535
5536
5537
5538
5539
5540
5541
5542
5543
5544
5545
5546
5547
5548
5549
5550
5551
5552
5553
5554
5555
5556
5557
5558
5559
5560
5561
5562
5563
5564
5565
5566
5567
5568
5569
5570
5571
5572
5573
5574
5575
5576
5577
5578
5579
5580
5581
5582
5583
5584
5585
5586
5587
5588
5589
5590
5591
5592
5593
5594
5595
5596
5597
5598
5599
5600
5601
5602
5603
5604
5605
5606
5607
5608
5609
5610
5611
5612
5613
5614
5615
5616
5617
5618
5619
5620
5621
5622
5623
5624
5625
5626
5627
5628
5629
5630
5631
5632
5633
5634
5635
5636
5637
5638
5639
5640
5641
5642
5643
5644
5645
5646
5647
5648
5649
5650
5651
5652
5653
5654
5655
5656
5657
5658
5659
5660
5661
5662
5663
5664
5665
5666
5667
5668
5669
5670
5671
5672
5673
5674
5675
5676
5677
5678
5679
5680
5681
5682
5683
5684
5685
5686
5687
5688
5689
5690
5691
5692
5693
5694
5695
5696
5697
5698
5699
5700
5701
5702
5703
5704
5705
5706
5707
5708
5709
5710
5711
5712
5713
5714
5715
5716
5717
5718
5719
5720
5721
5722
5723
5724
5725
5726
5727
5728
5729
5730
5731
5732
5733
5734
5735
5736
5737
5738
5739
5740
5741
5742
5743
5744
5745
5746
5747
5748
5749
5750
5751
5752
5753
5754
5755
5756
5757
5758
5759
5760
5761
5762
5763
5764
5765
5766
5767
5768
5769
5770
5771
5772
5773
5774
5775
5776
5777
5778
5779
5780
5781
5782
5783
5784
5785
5786
5787
5788
5789
5790
5791
5792
5793
5794
5795
5796
5797
5798
5799
5800
5801
5802
5803
5804
5805
5806
5807
5808
5809
5810
5811
5812
5813
5814
5815
5816
5817
5818
5819
5820
5821
5822
5823
5824
5825
5826
5827
5828
5829
5830
5831
5832
5833
5834
5835
5836
5837
5838
5839
5840
5841
5842
5843
5844
5845
5846
5847
5848
5849
5850
5851
5852
5853
5854
5855
5856
5857
5858
5859
5860
5861
5862
5863
5864
5865
5866
5867
5868
5869
5870
5871
5872
5873
5874
5875
5876
5877
5878
5879
5880
5881
5882
5883
5884
5885
5886
5887
5888
5889
5890
5891
5892
5893
5894
5895
5896
5897
5898
5899
5900
5901
5902
5903
5904
5905
5906
5907
5908
5909
5910
5911
5912
5913
5914
5915
5916
5917
5918
5919
5920
5921
5922
5923
5924
5925
5926
5927
5928
5929
5930
5931
5932
5933
5934
5935
5936
5937
5938
5939
5940
5941
5942
5943
5944
5945
5946
5947
5948
5949
5950
5951
5952
5953
5954
5955
5956
5957
5958
5959
5960
5961
5962
5963
5964
5965
5966
5967
5968
5969
5970
5971
5972
5973
5974
5975
5976
5977
5978
5979
5980
5981
5982
5983
5984
5985
5986
5987
5988
5989
5990
5991
5992
5993
5994
5995
5996
5997
5998
5999
6000
6001
6002
6003
6004
6005
6006
6007
6008
6009
6010
6011
6012
6013
6014
6015
6016
6017
6018
6019
6020
6021
6022
6023
6024
6025
6026
6027
6028
6029
6030
6031
6032
6033
6034
6035
6036
6037
6038
6039
6040
6041
6042
6043
6044
6045
6046
6047
6048
6049
6050
6051
6052
6053
6054
6055
6056
6057
6058
6059
6060
6061
6062
6063
6064
6065
6066
6067
6068
6069
6070
6071
6072
6073
6074
6075
6076
6077
6078
6079
6080
6081
6082
6083
6084
6085
6086
6087
6088
6089
6090
6091
6092
6093
6094
6095
6096
6097
6098
6099
6100
6101
6102
6103
6104
6105
6106
6107
6108
6109
6110
6111
6112
6113
6114
6115
6116
6117
6118
6119
6120
6121
6122
6123
6124
6125
6126
6127
6128
6129
6130
6131
6132
6133
6134
6135
6136
6137
6138
6139
6140
6141
6142
6143
6144
6145
6146
6147
6148
6149
6150
6151
6152
6153
6154
6155
6156
6157
6158
6159
6160
6161
6162
6163
6164
6165
6166
6167
6168
6169
6170
6171
6172
6173
6174
6175
6176
6177
6178
6179
6180
6181
6182
6183
6184
6185
6186
6187
6188
6189
6190
6191
6192
6193
6194
6195
6196
6197
6198
6199
6200
6201
6202
6203
6204
6205
6206
6207
6208
6209
6210
6211
6212
6213
6214
6215
6216
6217
6218
6219
6220
6221
6222
6223
6224
6225
6226
6227
6228
6229
6230
6231
6232
6233
6234
6235
6236
6237
6238
6239
6240
6241
6242
6243
6244
6245
6246
6247
6248
6249
6250
6251
6252
6253
6254
6255
6256
6257
6258
6259
6260
6261
6262
6263
6264
6265
6266
6267
6268
6269
6270
6271
6272
6273
6274
6275
6276
6277
6278
6279
6280
6281
6282
6283
6284
6285
6286
6287
6288
6289
6290
6291
6292
6293
6294
6295
6296
6297
6298
6299
6300
6301
6302
6303
6304
6305
6306
6307
6308
6309
6310
6311
6312
6313
6314
6315
6316
6317
6318
6319
6320
6321
6322
6323
6324
6325
6326
6327
6328
6329
6330
6331
6332
6333
6334
6335
6336
6337
6338
6339
6340
6341
6342
6343
6344
6345
6346
6347
6348
6349
6350
6351
6352
6353
6354
6355
6356
6357
6358
6359
6360
6361
6362
6363
6364
6365
6366
6367
6368
6369
6370
6371
6372
6373
6374
6375
6376
6377
6378
6379
6380
6381
6382
6383
6384
6385
6386
6387
6388
6389
6390
6391
6392
6393
6394
6395
6396
6397
6398
6399
6400
6401
6402
6403
6404
6405
6406
6407
6408
6409
6410
6411
6412
6413
6414
6415
6416
6417
6418
6419
6420
6421
6422
6423
6424
6425
6426
6427
6428
6429
6430
6431
6432
6433
6434
6435
6436
6437
6438
6439
6440
6441
6442
6443
6444
6445
6446
6447
6448
6449
6450
6451
6452
6453
6454
6455
6456
6457
6458
6459
6460
6461
6462
6463
6464
6465
6466
6467
6468
6469
6470
6471
6472
6473
6474
6475
6476
6477
6478
6479
6480
6481
6482
6483
6484
6485
6486
6487
6488
6489
6490
6491
6492
6493
6494
6495
6496
6497
6498
6499
6500
6501
6502
6503
6504
6505
6506
6507
6508
6509
6510
6511
6512
6513
6514
6515
6516
6517
6518
6519
6520
6521
6522
6523
6524
6525
6526
6527
6528
6529
6530
6531
6532
6533
6534
6535
6536
6537
6538
6539
6540
6541
6542
6543
6544
6545
6546
6547
6548
6549
6550
6551
6552
6553
6554
6555
6556
6557
6558
6559
6560
6561
6562
6563
6564
6565
6566
6567
6568
6569
6570
6571
6572
6573
6574
6575
6576
6577
6578
6579
6580
6581
6582
6583
6584
6585
6586
6587
6588
6589
6590
6591
6592
6593
6594
6595
6596
6597
6598
6599
6600
6601
6602
6603
6604
6605
6606
6607
6608
6609
6610
6611
6612
6613
6614
6615
6616
6617
6618
6619
6620
6621
6622
6623
6624
6625
6626
6627
6628
6629
6630
6631
6632
6633
6634
6635
6636
6637
6638
6639
6640
6641
6642
6643
6644
6645
6646
6647
6648
6649
6650
6651
6652
6653
6654
6655
6656
6657
6658
6659
6660
6661
6662
6663
6664
6665
6666
6667
6668
6669
6670
6671
6672
6673
6674
6675
6676
6677
6678
6679
6680
6681
6682
6683
6684
6685
6686
6687
6688
6689
6690
6691
6692
6693
6694
6695
6696
6697
6698
6699
6700
6701
6702
6703
6704
6705
6706
6707
6708
6709
6710
6711
6712
6713
6714
6715
6716
6717
6718
6719
6720
6721
6722
6723
6724
6725
6726
6727
6728
6729
6730
6731
6732
6733
6734
6735
6736
6737
6738
6739
6740
6741
6742
6743
6744
6745
6746
6747
6748
6749
6750
6751
6752
6753
6754
6755
6756
6757
6758
6759
6760
6761
6762
6763
6764
6765
6766
6767
6768
6769
6770
6771
6772
6773
6774
6775
6776
6777
6778
6779
6780
6781
6782
6783
6784
6785
6786
6787
6788
6789
6790
6791
6792
6793
6794
6795
6796
6797
6798
6799
6800
6801
6802
6803
6804
6805
6806
6807
6808
6809
6810
6811
6812
6813
6814
6815
6816
6817
6818
6819
6820
6821
6822
6823
6824
6825
6826
6827
6828
6829
6830
6831
6832
6833
6834
6835
6836
6837
6838
6839
6840
6841
6842
6843
6844
6845
6846
6847
6848
6849
6850
6851
6852
6853
6854
6855
6856
6857
6858
6859
6860
6861
6862
6863
6864
6865
6866
6867
6868
6869
6870
6871
6872
6873
6874
6875
6876
6877
6878
6879
6880
6881
6882
6883
6884
6885
6886
6887
6888
6889
6890
6891
6892
6893
6894
6895
6896
6897
6898
6899
6900
6901
6902
6903
6904
6905
6906
6907
6908
6909
6910
6911
6912
6913
6914
6915
6916
6917
6918
6919
6920
6921
6922
6923
6924
6925
6926
6927
6928
6929
6930
6931
6932
6933
6934
6935
6936
6937
6938
6939
6940
6941
6942
6943
6944
6945
6946
6947
6948
6949
6950
6951
6952
6953
6954
6955
6956
6957
6958
6959
6960
6961
6962
6963
6964
6965
6966
6967
6968
6969
6970
6971
6972
6973
6974
6975
6976
6977
6978
6979
6980
6981
6982
6983
6984
6985
6986
6987
6988
6989
6990
6991
6992
6993
6994
6995
6996
6997
6998
6999
7000
7001
7002
7003
7004
7005
7006
7007
7008
7009
7010
7011
7012
7013
7014
7015
7016
7017
7018
7019
7020
7021
7022
7023
7024
7025
7026
7027
7028
7029
7030
7031
7032
7033
7034
7035
7036
7037
7038
7039
7040
7041
7042
7043
7044
7045
7046
7047
7048
7049
7050
7051
7052
7053
7054
7055
7056
7057
7058
7059
7060
7061
7062
7063
7064
7065
7066
7067
7068
7069
7070
7071
7072
7073
7074
7075
7076
7077
7078
7079
7080
7081
7082
7083
7084
7085
7086
7087
7088
7089
7090
7091
7092
7093
7094
7095
7096
7097
7098
7099
7100
7101
7102
7103
7104
7105
7106
7107
7108
7109
7110
7111
7112
7113
7114
7115
7116
7117
7118
7119
7120
7121
7122
7123
7124
7125
7126
7127
7128
7129
7130
7131
7132
7133
7134
7135
7136
7137
7138
7139
7140
7141
7142
7143
7144
7145
7146
7147
7148
7149
7150
7151
7152
7153
7154
7155
7156
7157
7158
7159
7160
7161
7162
7163
7164
7165
7166
7167
7168
7169
7170
7171
7172
7173
7174
7175
7176
7177
7178
7179
7180
7181
7182
7183
7184
7185
7186
7187
7188
7189
7190
7191
7192
7193
7194
7195
7196
7197
7198
7199
7200
7201
7202
7203
7204
7205
7206
7207
7208
7209
7210
7211
7212
7213
7214
7215
7216
7217
7218
7219
7220
7221
7222
7223
7224
7225
7226
7227
7228
7229
7230
7231
7232
7233
7234
7235
7236
7237
7238
7239
7240
7241
7242
7243
7244
7245
7246
7247
7248
7249
7250
7251
7252
7253
7254
7255
7256
7257
7258
7259
7260
7261
7262
7263
7264
7265
7266
7267
7268
7269
7270
7271
7272
7273
7274
7275
7276
7277
7278
7279
7280
7281
7282
7283
7284
7285
7286
7287
7288
7289
7290
7291
7292
7293
7294
7295
7296
7297
7298
7299
7300
7301
7302
7303
7304
7305
7306
7307
7308
7309
7310
7311
7312
7313
7314
7315
7316
7317
7318
7319
7320
7321
7322
7323
7324
7325
7326
7327
7328
7329
7330
7331
7332
7333
7334
7335
7336
7337
7338
7339
7340
7341
7342
7343
7344
7345
7346
7347
7348
7349
7350
7351
7352
7353
7354
7355
7356
7357
7358
7359
7360
7361
7362
7363
7364
7365
7366
7367
7368
7369
7370
7371
7372
7373
7374
7375
7376
7377
7378
7379
7380
7381
7382
7383
7384
7385
7386
7387
7388
7389
7390
7391
7392
7393
7394
7395
7396
7397
7398
7399
7400
7401
7402
7403
7404
7405
7406
7407
7408
7409
7410
7411
7412
7413
7414
7415
7416
7417
7418
7419
7420
7421
7422
7423
7424
7425
7426
7427
7428
7429
7430
7431
7432
7433
7434
7435
7436
7437
7438
7439
7440
7441
7442
7443
7444
7445
7446
7447
7448
7449
7450
7451
7452
7453
7454
7455
7456
7457
7458
7459
7460
7461
7462
7463
7464
7465
7466
7467
7468
7469
7470
7471
7472
7473
7474
7475
7476
7477
7478
7479
7480
7481
7482
7483
7484
7485
7486
7487
7488
7489
7490
7491
7492
7493
7494
7495
7496
7497
7498
7499
7500
7501
7502
7503
7504
7505
7506
7507
7508
7509
7510
7511
7512
7513
7514
7515
7516
7517
7518
7519
7520
7521
7522
7523
7524
7525
7526
7527
7528
7529
7530
7531
7532
7533
7534
7535
7536
7537
7538
7539
7540
7541
7542
7543
7544
7545
7546
7547
7548
7549
7550
7551
7552
7553
7554
7555
7556
7557
7558
7559
7560
7561
7562
7563
7564
7565
7566
7567
7568
7569
7570
7571
7572
7573
7574
7575
7576
7577
7578
7579
7580
7581
7582
7583
7584
7585
7586
7587
7588
7589
7590
7591
7592
7593
7594
7595
7596
7597
7598
7599
7600
7601
7602
7603
7604
7605
7606
7607
7608
7609
7610
7611
7612
7613
7614
7615
7616
7617
7618
7619
7620
7621
7622
7623
7624
7625
7626
7627
7628
7629
7630
7631
7632
7633
7634
7635
7636
7637
7638
7639
7640
7641
7642
7643
7644
7645
7646
7647
7648
7649
7650
7651
7652
7653
7654
7655
7656
7657
7658
7659
7660
7661
7662
7663
7664
7665
7666
7667
7668
7669
7670
7671
7672
7673
7674
7675
7676
7677
7678
7679
7680
7681
7682
7683
7684
7685
7686
7687
7688
7689
7690
7691
7692
7693
7694
7695
7696
7697
7698
7699
7700
7701
7702
7703
7704
7705
7706
7707
7708
7709
7710
7711
7712
7713
7714
7715
7716
7717
7718
7719
7720
7721
7722
7723
7724
7725
7726
7727
7728
7729
7730
7731
7732
7733
7734
7735
7736
7737
7738
7739
7740
7741
7742
7743
7744
7745
7746
7747
7748
7749
7750
7751
7752
7753
7754
7755
7756
7757
7758
7759
7760
7761
7762
7763
7764
7765
7766
7767
7768
7769
7770
7771
7772
7773
7774
7775
7776
7777
7778
7779
7780
7781
7782
7783
7784
7785
7786
7787
7788
7789
7790
7791
7792
7793
7794
7795
7796
7797
7798
7799
7800
7801
7802
7803
7804
7805
7806
7807
7808
7809
7810
7811
7812
7813
7814
7815
7816
7817
7818
7819
7820
7821
7822
7823
7824
7825
7826
7827
7828
7829
7830
7831
7832
7833
7834
7835
7836
7837
7838
7839
7840
7841
7842
7843
7844
7845
7846
7847
7848
7849
7850
7851
7852
7853
7854
7855
7856
7857
7858
7859
7860
7861
7862
7863
7864
7865
7866
7867
7868
7869
7870
7871
7872
7873
7874
7875
7876
7877
7878
7879
7880
7881
7882
7883
7884
7885
7886
7887
7888
7889
7890
7891
7892
7893
7894
7895
7896
7897
7898
7899
7900
7901
7902
7903
7904
7905
7906
7907
7908
7909
7910
7911
7912
7913
7914
7915
7916
7917
7918
7919
7920
7921
7922
7923
7924
7925
7926
7927
7928
7929
7930
7931
7932
7933
7934
7935
7936
7937
7938
7939
7940
7941
7942
7943
7944
7945
7946
7947
7948
7949
7950
7951
7952
7953
7954
7955
7956
7957
7958
7959
7960
7961
7962
7963
7964
7965
7966
7967
7968
7969
7970
7971
7972
7973
7974
7975
7976
7977
7978
7979
7980
7981
7982
7983
7984
7985
7986
7987
7988
7989
7990
7991
7992
7993
7994
7995
7996
7997
7998
7999
8000
8001
8002
8003
8004
8005
8006
8007
8008
8009
8010
8011
8012
8013
8014
8015
8016
8017
8018
8019
8020
8021
8022
8023
8024
8025
8026
8027
8028
8029
8030
8031
8032
8033
8034
8035
8036
8037
8038
8039
8040
8041
8042
8043
8044
8045
8046
8047
8048
8049
8050
8051
8052
8053
8054
8055
8056
8057
8058
8059
8060
8061
8062
8063
8064
8065
8066
8067
8068
8069
8070
8071
8072
8073
8074
8075
8076
8077
8078
8079
8080
8081
8082
8083
8084
8085
8086
8087
8088
8089
8090
8091
8092
8093
8094
8095
8096
8097
8098
8099
8100
8101
8102
8103
8104
8105
8106
8107
8108
8109
8110
8111
8112
8113
8114
8115
8116
8117
8118
8119
8120
8121
8122
8123
8124
8125
8126
8127
8128
8129
8130
8131
8132
8133
8134
8135
8136
8137
8138
8139
8140
8141
8142
8143
8144
8145
8146
8147
8148
8149
8150
8151
8152
8153
8154
8155
8156
8157
8158
8159
8160
8161
8162
8163
8164
8165
8166
8167
8168
8169
8170
8171
8172
8173
8174
8175
8176
8177
8178
8179
8180
8181
8182
8183
8184
8185
8186
8187
8188
8189
8190
8191
8192
8193
8194
8195
8196
8197
8198
8199
8200
8201
8202
8203
8204
8205
8206
8207
8208
8209
8210
8211
8212
8213
8214
8215
8216
8217
8218
8219
8220
8221
8222
8223
8224
8225
8226
8227
8228
8229
8230
8231
8232
8233
8234
8235
8236
8237
8238
8239
8240
8241
8242
8243
8244
8245
8246
8247
8248
8249
8250
8251
8252
8253
8254
8255
8256
8257
8258
8259
8260
8261
8262
8263
8264
8265
8266
8267
8268
8269
8270
8271
8272
8273
8274
8275
8276
8277
8278
8279
8280
8281
8282
8283
8284
8285
8286
8287
8288
8289
8290
8291
8292
8293
8294
8295
8296
8297
8298
8299
8300
8301
8302
8303
8304
8305
8306
8307
8308
8309
8310
8311
8312
8313
8314
8315
8316
8317
8318
8319
8320
8321
8322
8323
8324
8325
8326
8327
8328
8329
8330
8331
8332
8333
8334
8335
8336
8337
8338
8339
8340
8341
8342
8343
8344
8345
8346
8347
8348
8349
8350
8351
8352
8353
8354
8355
8356
8357
8358
8359
8360
8361
8362
8363
8364
8365
8366
8367
8368
8369
8370
8371
8372
8373
8374
8375
8376
8377
8378
8379
8380
8381
8382
8383
8384
8385
8386
8387
8388
8389
8390
8391
8392
8393
8394
8395
8396
8397
8398
8399
8400
8401
8402
8403
8404
8405
8406
8407
8408
8409
8410
8411
8412
8413
8414
8415
8416
8417
8418
8419
8420
8421
8422
8423
8424
8425
8426
8427
8428
8429
8430
8431
8432
8433
8434
8435
8436
8437
8438
8439
8440
8441
8442
8443
8444
8445
8446
8447
8448
8449
8450
8451
8452
8453
8454
8455
8456
8457
8458
8459
8460
8461
8462
8463
8464
8465
8466
8467
8468
8469
8470
8471
8472
8473
8474
8475
8476
8477
8478
8479
8480
8481
8482
8483
8484
8485
8486
8487
8488
8489
8490
8491
8492
8493
8494
8495
8496
8497
8498
8499
8500
8501
8502
8503
8504
8505
8506
8507
8508
8509
8510
8511
8512
8513
8514
8515
8516
8517
8518
8519
8520
8521
8522
8523
8524
8525
8526
8527
8528
8529
8530
8531
8532
8533
8534
8535
8536
8537
8538
8539
8540
8541
8542
8543
8544
8545
8546
8547
8548
8549
8550
8551
8552
8553
8554
8555
8556
8557
8558
8559
8560
8561
8562
8563
8564
8565
8566
8567
8568
8569
8570
8571
8572
8573
8574
8575
8576
8577
8578
8579
8580
8581
8582
8583
8584
8585
8586
8587
8588
8589
8590
8591
8592
8593
8594
8595
8596
8597
8598
8599
8600
8601
8602
8603
8604
8605
8606
8607
8608
8609
8610
8611
8612
8613
8614
8615
8616
8617
8618
8619
8620
8621
8622
8623
8624
8625
8626
8627
8628
8629
8630
8631
8632
8633
8634
8635
8636
8637
8638
8639
8640
8641
8642
8643
8644
8645
8646
8647
8648
8649
8650
8651
8652
8653
8654
8655
8656
8657
8658
8659
8660
8661
8662
8663
8664
8665
8666
8667
8668
8669
8670
8671
8672
8673
8674
8675
8676
8677
8678
8679
8680
8681
8682
8683
8684
8685
8686
8687
8688
8689
8690
8691
8692
8693
8694
8695
8696
8697
8698
8699
8700
8701
8702
8703
8704
8705
8706
8707
8708
8709
8710
8711
8712
8713
8714
8715
8716
8717
8718
8719
8720
8721
8722
8723
8724
8725
8726
8727
8728
8729
8730
8731
8732
8733
8734
8735
8736
8737
8738
8739
8740
8741
8742
8743
8744
8745
8746
8747
8748
8749
8750
8751
8752
8753
8754
8755
8756
8757
8758
8759
8760
8761
8762
8763
8764
8765
8766
8767
8768
8769
8770
8771
8772
8773
8774
8775
8776
8777
8778
8779
8780
8781
8782
8783
8784
8785
8786
8787
8788
8789
8790
8791
8792
8793
8794
8795
8796
8797
8798
8799
8800
8801
8802
8803
8804
8805
8806
8807
8808
8809
8810
8811
8812
8813
8814
8815
8816
8817
8818
8819
8820
8821
8822
8823
8824
8825
8826
8827
8828
8829
8830
8831
8832
8833
8834
8835
8836
8837
8838
8839
8840
8841
8842
8843
8844
8845
8846
8847
8848
8849
8850
8851
8852
8853
8854
8855
8856
8857
8858
8859
8860
8861
8862
8863
8864
8865
8866
8867
8868
8869
8870
8871
8872
8873
8874
8875
8876
8877
8878
8879
8880
8881
8882
8883
8884
8885
8886
8887
8888
8889
8890
8891
8892
8893
8894
8895
8896
8897
8898
8899
8900
8901
8902
8903
8904
8905
8906
8907
8908
8909
8910
8911
8912
8913
8914
8915
8916
8917
8918
8919
8920
8921
8922
8923
8924
8925
8926
8927
8928
8929
8930
8931
8932
8933
8934
8935
8936
8937
8938
8939
8940
8941
8942
8943
8944
8945
8946
8947
8948
8949
8950
8951
8952
8953
8954
8955
8956
8957
8958
8959
8960
8961
8962
8963
8964
8965
8966
8967
8968
8969
8970
8971
8972
8973
8974
8975
8976
8977
8978
8979
8980
8981
8982
8983
8984
8985
8986
8987
8988
8989
8990
8991
8992
8993
8994
8995
8996
8997
8998
8999
9000
9001
9002
9003
9004
9005
9006
9007
9008
9009
9010
9011
9012
9013
9014
9015
9016
9017
9018
9019
9020
9021
9022
9023
9024
9025
9026
9027
9028
9029
9030
9031
9032
9033
9034
9035
9036
9037
9038
9039
9040
9041
9042
9043
9044
9045
9046
9047
9048
9049
9050
9051
9052
9053
9054
9055
9056
9057
9058
9059
9060
9061
9062
9063
9064
9065
9066
9067
9068
9069
9070
9071
9072
9073
9074
9075
9076
9077
9078
9079
9080
9081
9082
9083
9084
9085
9086
9087
9088
9089
9090
9091
9092
9093
9094
9095
9096
9097
9098
9099
9100
9101
9102
9103
9104
9105
9106
9107
9108
9109
9110
9111
9112
9113
9114
9115
9116
9117
9118
9119
9120
9121
9122
9123
9124
9125
9126
9127
9128
9129
9130
9131
9132
9133
9134
9135
9136
9137
9138
9139
9140
9141
9142
9143
9144
9145
9146
9147
9148
9149
9150
9151
9152
9153
9154
9155
9156
9157
9158
9159
9160
9161
9162
9163
9164
9165
9166
9167
9168
9169
9170
9171
9172
9173
9174
9175
9176
9177
9178
9179
9180
9181
9182
9183
9184
9185
9186
9187
9188
9189
9190
9191
9192
9193
9194
9195
9196
9197
9198
9199
9200
9201
9202
9203
9204
9205
9206
9207
9208
9209
9210
9211
9212
9213
9214
9215
9216
9217
9218
9219
9220
9221
9222
9223
9224
9225
9226
9227
9228
9229
9230
9231
9232
9233
9234
9235
9236
9237
9238
9239
9240
9241
9242
9243
9244
9245
9246
9247
9248
9249
9250
9251
9252
9253
9254
9255
9256
9257
9258
9259
9260
9261
9262
9263
9264
9265
9266
9267
9268
9269
9270
9271
9272
9273
9274
9275
9276
9277
9278
9279
9280
9281
9282
9283
9284
9285
9286
9287
9288
9289
9290
9291
9292
9293
9294
9295
9296
9297
9298
9299
9300
9301
9302
9303
9304
9305
9306
9307
9308
9309
9310
9311
9312
9313
9314
9315
9316
9317
9318
9319
9320
9321
9322
9323
9324
9325
9326
9327
9328
9329
9330
9331
9332
9333
9334
9335
9336
9337
9338
9339
9340
9341
9342
9343
9344
9345
9346
9347
9348
9349
9350
9351
9352
9353
9354
9355
9356
9357
9358
9359
9360
9361
9362
9363
9364
9365
9366
9367
9368
9369
9370
9371
9372
9373
9374
9375
9376
9377
9378
9379
9380
9381
9382
9383
9384
9385
9386
9387
9388
9389
9390
9391
9392
9393
9394
9395
9396
9397
9398
9399
9400
9401
9402
9403
9404
9405
9406
9407
9408
9409
9410
9411
9412
9413
9414
9415
9416
9417
9418
9419
9420
9421
9422
9423
9424
9425
9426
9427
9428
9429
9430
9431
9432
9433
9434
9435
9436
9437
9438
9439
9440
9441
9442
9443
9444
9445
9446
9447
9448
9449
9450
9451
9452
9453
9454
9455
9456
9457
9458
9459
9460
9461
9462
9463
9464
9465
9466
9467
9468
9469
9470
9471
9472
9473
9474
9475
9476
9477
9478
9479
9480
9481
9482
9483
9484
9485
9486
9487
9488
9489
9490
9491
9492
9493
9494
9495
9496
9497
9498
9499
9500
9501
9502
9503
9504
9505
9506
9507
9508
9509
9510
9511
9512
9513
9514
9515
9516
9517
9518
9519
9520
9521
9522
9523
9524
9525
9526
9527
9528
9529
9530
9531
9532
9533
9534
9535
9536
9537
9538
9539
9540
9541
9542
9543
9544
9545
9546
9547
9548
9549
9550
9551
9552
9553
9554
9555
9556
9557
9558
9559
9560
9561
9562
9563
9564
9565
9566
9567
9568
9569
9570
9571
9572
9573
9574
9575
9576
9577
9578
9579
9580
9581
9582
9583
9584
9585
9586
9587
9588
9589
9590
9591
9592
9593
9594
9595
9596
9597
9598
9599
9600
9601
9602
9603
9604
9605
9606
9607
9608
9609
9610
9611
9612
9613
9614
9615
9616
9617
9618
9619
9620
9621
9622
9623
9624
9625
9626
9627
9628
9629
9630
9631
9632
9633
9634
9635
9636
9637
9638
9639
9640
9641
9642
9643
9644
9645
9646
9647
9648
9649
9650
9651
9652
9653
9654
9655
9656
9657
9658
9659
9660
9661
9662
9663
9664
9665
9666
9667
9668
9669
9670
9671
9672
9673
9674
9675
9676
9677
9678
9679
9680
9681
9682
9683
9684
9685
9686
9687
9688
9689
9690
9691
9692
9693
9694
9695
9696
9697
9698
9699
9700
9701
9702
9703
9704
9705
9706
9707
9708
9709
9710
9711
9712
9713
9714
9715
9716
9717
9718
9719
9720
9721
9722
9723
9724
9725
9726
9727
9728
9729
9730
9731
9732
9733
9734
9735
9736
9737
9738
9739
9740
9741
9742
9743
9744
9745
9746
9747
9748
9749
9750
9751
9752
9753
9754
9755
9756
9757
9758
9759
9760
9761
9762
9763
9764
9765
9766
9767
9768
9769
9770
9771
9772
9773
9774
9775
9776
9777
9778
9779
9780
9781
9782
9783
9784
9785
9786
9787
9788
9789
9790
9791
9792
9793
9794
9795
9796
9797
9798
9799
9800
9801
9802
9803
9804
9805
9806
9807
9808
9809
9810
9811
9812
9813
9814
9815
9816
9817
9818
9819
9820
9821
9822
9823
9824
9825
9826
9827
9828
9829
9830
9831
9832
9833
9834
9835
9836
9837
9838
9839
9840
9841
9842
9843
9844
9845
9846
9847
9848
9849
9850
9851
9852
9853
9854
9855
9856
9857
9858
9859
9860
9861
9862
9863
9864
9865
9866
9867
9868
9869
9870
9871
9872
9873
9874
9875
9876
9877
9878
9879
9880
9881
9882
9883
9884
9885
9886
9887
9888
9889
9890
9891
9892
9893
9894
9895
9896
9897
9898
9899
9900
9901
9902
9903
9904
9905
9906
9907
9908
9909
9910
9911
9912
9913
9914
9915
9916
9917
9918
9919
9920
9921
9922
9923
9924
9925
9926
9927
9928
9929
9930
9931
9932
9933
9934
9935
9936
9937
9938
9939
9940
9941
9942
9943
9944
9945
9946
9947
9948
9949
9950
9951
9952
9953
9954
9955
9956
9957
9958
9959
9960
9961
9962
9963
9964
9965
9966
9967
9968
9969
9970
9971
9972
9973
9974
9975
9976
9977
9978
9979
9980
9981
9982
9983
9984
9985
9986
9987
9988
9989
9990
9991
9992
9993
9994
9995
9996
9997
9998
9999
10000
10001
10002
10003
10004
10005
10006
10007
10008
10009
10010
10011
10012
10013
10014
10015
10016
10017
10018
10019
10020
10021
10022
10023
10024
10025
10026
10027
10028
10029
10030
10031
10032
10033
10034
10035
10036
10037
10038
10039
10040
10041
10042
10043
10044
10045
10046
10047
10048
10049
10050
10051
10052
10053
10054
10055
10056
10057
10058
10059
10060
10061
10062
10063
10064
10065
10066
10067
10068
10069
10070
10071
10072
10073
10074
10075
10076
10077
10078
10079
10080
10081
10082
10083
10084
10085
10086
10087
10088
10089
10090
10091
10092
10093
10094
10095
10096
10097
10098
10099
10100
10101
10102
10103
10104
10105
10106
10107
10108
10109
10110
10111
10112
10113
10114
10115
10116
10117
10118
10119
10120
10121
10122
10123
10124
10125
10126
10127
10128
10129
10130
10131
10132
10133
10134
10135
10136
10137
10138
10139
10140
10141
10142
10143
10144
10145
10146
10147
10148
10149
10150
10151
10152
10153
10154
10155
10156
10157
10158
10159
10160
10161
10162
10163
10164
10165
10166
10167
10168
10169
10170
10171
10172
10173
10174
10175
10176
10177
10178
10179
10180
10181
10182
10183
10184
10185
10186
10187
10188
10189
10190
10191
10192
10193
10194
10195
10196
10197
10198
10199
10200
10201
10202
10203
10204
10205
10206
10207
10208
10209
10210
10211
10212
10213
10214
10215
10216
10217
10218
10219
10220
10221
10222
10223
10224
10225
10226
10227
10228
10229
10230
10231
10232
10233
10234
10235
10236
10237
10238
10239
10240
10241
10242
10243
10244
10245
10246
10247
10248
10249
10250
10251
10252
10253
10254
10255
10256
10257
10258
10259
10260
10261
10262
10263
10264
10265
10266
10267
10268
10269
10270
10271
10272
10273
10274
10275
10276
10277
10278
10279
10280
10281
10282
10283
10284
10285
10286
10287
10288
10289
10290
10291
10292
10293
10294
10295
10296
10297
10298
10299
10300
10301
10302
10303
10304
10305
10306
10307
10308
10309
10310
10311
10312
10313
10314
10315
10316
10317
10318
10319
10320
10321
10322
10323
10324
10325
10326
10327
10328
10329
10330
10331
10332
10333
10334
10335
10336
10337
10338
10339
10340
10341
10342
10343
10344
10345
10346
10347
10348
10349
10350
10351
10352
10353
10354
10355
10356
10357
10358
10359
10360
10361
10362
10363
10364
10365
10366
10367
10368
10369
10370
10371
10372
10373
10374
10375
10376
10377
10378
10379
10380
10381
10382
10383
10384
10385
10386
10387
10388
10389
10390
10391
10392
10393
10394
10395
10396
10397
10398
10399
10400
10401
10402
10403
10404
10405
10406
10407
10408
10409
10410
10411
10412
10413
10414
10415
10416
10417
10418
10419
10420
10421
10422
10423
10424
10425
10426
10427
10428
10429
10430
10431
10432
10433
10434
10435
10436
10437
10438
10439
10440
10441
10442
10443
10444
10445
10446
10447
10448
10449
10450
10451
10452
10453
10454
10455
10456
10457
10458
10459
10460
10461
10462
10463
10464
10465
10466
10467
10468
10469
10470
10471
10472
10473
10474
10475
10476
10477
10478
10479
10480
10481
10482
10483
10484
10485
10486
10487
10488
10489
10490
10491
10492
10493
10494
10495
10496
10497
10498
10499
10500
10501
10502
10503
10504
10505
10506
10507
10508
10509
10510
10511
10512
10513
10514
10515
10516
10517
10518
10519
10520
10521
10522
10523
10524
10525
10526
10527
10528
10529
10530
10531
10532
10533
10534
10535
10536
10537
10538
10539
10540
10541
10542
10543
10544
10545
10546
10547
10548
10549
10550
10551
10552
10553
10554
10555
10556
10557
10558
10559
10560
10561
10562
10563
10564
10565
10566
10567
10568
10569
10570
10571
10572
10573
10574
10575
10576
10577
10578
10579
10580
10581
10582
10583
10584
10585
10586
10587
10588
10589
10590
10591
10592
10593
10594
10595
10596
10597
10598
10599
10600
10601
10602
10603
10604
10605
10606
10607
10608
10609
10610
10611
10612
10613
10614
10615
10616
10617
10618
10619
10620
10621
10622
10623
10624
10625
10626
10627
10628
10629
10630
10631
10632
10633
10634
10635
10636
10637
10638
10639
10640
10641
10642
10643
10644
10645
10646
10647
10648
10649
10650
10651
10652
10653
10654
10655
10656
10657
10658
10659
10660
10661
10662
10663
10664
10665
10666
10667
10668
10669
10670
10671
10672
10673
10674
10675
10676
10677
10678
10679
10680
10681
10682
10683
10684
10685
10686
10687
10688
10689
10690
10691
10692
10693
10694
10695
10696
10697
10698
10699
10700
10701
10702
10703
10704
10705
10706
10707
10708
10709
10710
10711
10712
10713
10714
10715
10716
10717
10718
10719
10720
10721
10722
10723
10724
10725
10726
10727
10728
10729
10730
10731
10732
10733
10734
10735
10736
10737
10738
10739
10740
10741
10742
10743
10744
10745
10746
10747
10748
10749
10750
10751
10752
10753
10754
10755
10756
10757
10758
10759
10760
10761
10762
10763
10764
10765
10766
10767
10768
10769
10770
10771
10772
10773
10774
10775
10776
10777
10778
10779
10780
10781
10782
10783
10784
10785
10786
10787
10788
10789
10790
10791
10792
10793
10794
10795
10796
10797
10798
10799
10800
10801
10802
10803
10804
10805
10806
10807
10808
10809
10810
10811
10812
10813
10814
10815
10816
10817
10818
10819
10820
10821
10822
10823
10824
10825
10826
10827
10828
10829
10830
10831
10832
10833
10834
10835
10836
10837
10838
10839
10840
10841
10842
10843
10844
10845
10846
10847
10848
10849
10850
10851
10852
10853
10854
10855
10856
10857
10858
10859
10860
10861
10862
10863
10864
10865
10866
10867
10868
10869
10870
10871
10872
10873
10874
10875
10876
10877
10878
10879
10880
10881
10882
10883
10884
10885
10886
10887
10888
10889
10890
10891
10892
10893
10894
10895
10896
10897
10898
10899
10900
10901
10902
10903
10904
10905
10906
10907
10908
10909
10910
10911
10912
10913
10914
10915
10916
10917
10918
10919
10920
10921
10922
10923
10924
10925
10926
10927
10928
10929
10930
10931
10932
10933
10934
10935
10936
10937
10938
10939
10940
10941
10942
10943
10944
10945
10946
10947
10948
10949
10950
10951
10952
10953
10954
10955
10956
10957
10958
10959
10960
10961
10962
10963
10964
10965
10966
10967
10968
10969
10970
10971
10972
10973
10974
10975
10976
10977
10978
10979
10980
10981
10982
10983
10984
10985
10986
10987
10988
10989
10990
10991
10992
10993
10994
10995
10996
10997
10998
10999
11000
11001
11002
11003
11004
11005
11006
11007
11008
11009
11010
11011
11012
11013
11014
11015
11016
11017
11018
11019
11020
11021
11022
11023
11024
11025
11026
11027
11028
11029
11030
11031
11032
11033
11034
11035
11036
11037
11038
11039
11040
11041
11042
11043
11044
11045
11046
11047
11048
11049
11050
11051
11052
11053
11054
11055
11056
11057
11058
11059
11060
11061
11062
11063
11064
11065
11066
11067
11068
11069
11070
11071
11072
11073
11074
11075
11076
11077
11078
11079
11080
11081
11082
11083
11084
11085
11086
11087
11088
11089
11090
11091
11092
11093
11094
11095
11096
11097
11098
11099
11100
11101
11102
11103
11104
11105
11106
11107
11108
11109
11110
11111
11112
11113
11114
11115
11116
11117
11118
11119
11120
11121
11122
11123
11124
11125
11126
11127
11128
11129
11130
11131
11132
11133
11134
11135
11136
11137
11138
11139
11140
11141
11142
11143
11144
11145
11146
11147
11148
11149
11150
11151
11152
11153
11154
11155
11156
11157
11158
11159
11160
11161
11162
11163
11164
11165
11166
11167
11168
11169
11170
11171
11172
11173
11174
11175
11176
11177
11178
11179
11180
11181
11182
11183
11184
11185
11186
11187
11188
11189
11190
11191
11192
11193
11194
11195
11196
11197
11198
11199
11200
11201
11202
11203
11204
11205
11206
11207
11208
11209
11210
11211
11212
11213
11214
11215
11216
11217
11218
11219
11220
11221
11222
11223
11224
11225
11226
11227
11228
11229
11230
11231
11232
11233
11234
11235
11236
11237
11238
11239
11240
11241
11242
11243
11244
11245
11246
11247
11248
11249
11250
11251
11252
11253
11254
11255
11256
11257
11258
11259
11260
11261
11262
11263
11264
11265
11266
11267
11268
11269
11270
11271
11272
11273
11274
11275
11276
11277
11278
11279
11280
11281
11282
11283
11284
11285
11286
11287
11288
11289
11290
11291
11292
11293
11294
11295
11296
11297
11298
11299
11300
11301
11302
11303
11304
11305
11306
11307
11308
11309
11310
11311
11312
11313
11314
11315
11316
11317
11318
11319
11320
11321
11322
11323
11324
11325
11326
11327
11328
11329
11330
11331
11332
11333
11334
11335
11336
11337
11338
11339
11340
11341
11342
11343
11344
11345
11346
11347
11348
11349
11350
11351
11352
11353
11354
11355
11356
11357
11358
11359
11360
11361
11362
11363
11364
11365
11366
11367
11368
11369
11370
11371
11372
11373
11374
11375
11376
11377
11378
11379
11380
11381
11382
11383
11384
11385
11386
11387
11388
11389
11390
11391
11392
11393
11394
11395
11396
11397
11398
11399
11400
11401
11402
11403
11404
11405
11406
11407
11408
11409
11410
11411
11412
11413
11414
11415
11416
11417
11418
11419
11420
11421
11422
11423
11424
11425
11426
11427
11428
11429
11430
11431
11432
11433
11434
11435
11436
11437
11438
11439
11440
11441
11442
11443
11444
11445
11446
11447
11448
11449
11450
11451
11452
11453
11454
11455
11456
11457
11458
11459
11460
11461
11462
11463
11464
11465
11466
11467
11468
11469
11470
11471
11472
11473
11474
11475
11476
11477
11478
11479
11480
11481
11482
11483
11484
11485
11486
11487
11488
11489
11490
11491
11492
11493
11494
11495
11496
11497
11498
11499
11500
11501
11502
11503
11504
11505
11506
11507
11508
11509
11510
11511
11512
11513
11514
11515
11516
11517
11518
11519
11520
11521
11522
11523
11524
11525
11526
11527
11528
11529
11530
11531
11532
11533
11534
11535
11536
11537
11538
11539
11540
11541
11542
11543
11544
11545
11546
11547
11548
11549
11550
11551
11552
11553
11554
11555
11556
11557
11558
11559
11560
11561
11562
11563
11564
11565
11566
11567
11568
11569
11570
11571
11572
11573
11574
11575
11576
11577
11578
11579
11580
11581
11582
11583
11584
11585
11586
11587
11588
11589
11590
11591
11592
11593
11594
11595
11596
11597
11598
11599
11600
11601
11602
11603
11604
11605
11606
11607
11608
11609
11610
11611
11612
11613
11614
11615
11616
11617
11618
11619
11620
11621
11622
11623
11624
11625
11626
11627
11628
11629
11630
11631
11632
11633
11634
11635
11636
11637
11638
11639
11640
11641
11642
11643
11644
11645
11646
11647
11648
11649
11650
11651
11652
11653
11654
11655
11656
11657
11658
11659
11660
11661
11662
11663
11664
11665
11666
11667
11668
11669
11670
11671
11672
11673
11674
11675
11676
11677
11678
11679
11680
11681
11682
11683
11684
11685
11686
11687
11688
11689
11690
11691
11692
11693
11694
11695
11696
11697
11698
11699
11700
11701
11702
11703
11704
11705
11706
11707
11708
11709
11710
11711
11712
11713
11714
11715
11716
11717
11718
11719
11720
11721
11722
11723
11724
11725
11726
11727
11728
11729
11730
11731
11732
11733
11734
11735
11736
11737
11738
11739
11740
11741
11742
11743
11744
11745
11746
11747
11748
11749
11750
11751
11752
11753
11754
11755
11756
11757
11758
11759
11760
11761
11762
11763
11764
11765
11766
11767
11768
11769
11770
11771
11772
11773
11774
11775
11776
11777
11778
11779
11780
11781
11782
11783
11784
11785
11786
11787
11788
11789
11790
11791
11792
11793
11794
11795
11796
11797
11798
11799
11800
11801
11802
11803
11804
11805
11806
11807
11808
11809
11810
11811
11812
11813
11814
11815
11816
11817
11818
11819
11820
11821
11822
11823
11824
11825
11826
11827
11828
11829
11830
11831
11832
11833
11834
11835
11836
11837
11838
11839
11840
11841
11842
11843
11844
11845
11846
11847
11848
11849
11850
11851
11852
11853
11854
11855
11856
11857
11858
11859
11860
11861
11862
11863
11864
11865
11866
11867
11868
11869
11870
11871
11872
11873
11874
11875
11876
11877
11878
11879
11880
11881
11882
11883
11884
11885
11886
11887
11888
11889
11890
11891
11892
11893
11894
11895
11896
11897
11898
11899
11900
11901
11902
11903
11904
11905
11906
11907
11908
11909
11910
11911
11912
11913
11914
11915
11916
11917
11918
11919
11920
11921
11922
11923
11924
11925
11926
11927
11928
11929
11930
11931
11932
11933
11934
11935
11936
11937
11938
11939
11940
11941
11942
11943
11944
11945
11946
11947
11948
11949
11950
11951
11952
11953
11954
11955
11956
11957
11958
11959
11960
11961
11962
11963
11964
11965
11966
11967
11968
11969
11970
11971
11972
11973
11974
11975
11976
11977
11978
11979
11980
11981
11982
11983
11984
11985
11986
11987
11988
11989
11990
11991
11992
11993
11994
11995
11996
11997
11998
11999
12000
12001
12002
12003
12004
12005
12006
12007
12008
12009
12010
12011
12012
12013
12014
12015
12016
12017
12018
12019
12020
12021
12022
12023
12024
12025
12026
12027
12028
12029
12030
12031
12032
12033
12034
12035
12036
12037
12038
12039
12040
12041
12042
12043
12044
12045
12046
12047
12048
12049
12050
12051
12052
12053
12054
12055
12056
12057
12058
12059
12060
12061
12062
12063
12064
12065
12066
12067
12068
12069
12070
12071
12072
12073
12074
12075
12076
12077
12078
12079
12080
12081
12082
12083
12084
12085
12086
12087
12088
12089
12090
12091
12092
12093
12094
12095
12096
12097
12098
12099
12100
12101
12102
12103
12104
12105
12106
12107
12108
12109
12110
12111
12112
12113
12114
12115
12116
12117
12118
12119
12120
12121
12122
12123
12124
12125
12126
12127
12128
12129
12130
12131
12132
12133
12134
12135
12136
12137
12138
12139
12140
12141
12142
12143
12144
12145
12146
12147
12148
12149
12150
12151
12152
12153
12154
12155
12156
12157
12158
12159
12160
12161
12162
12163
12164
12165
12166
12167
12168
12169
12170
12171
12172
12173
12174
12175
12176
12177
12178
12179
12180
12181
12182
12183
12184
12185
12186
12187
12188
12189
12190
12191
12192
12193
12194
12195
12196
12197
12198
12199
12200
12201
12202
12203
12204
12205
12206
12207
12208
12209
12210
12211
12212
12213
12214
12215
12216
12217
12218
12219
12220
12221
12222
12223
12224
12225
12226
12227
12228
12229
12230
12231
12232
12233
12234
12235
12236
12237
12238
12239
12240
12241
12242
12243
12244
12245
12246
12247
12248
12249
12250
12251
12252
12253
12254
12255
12256
12257
12258
12259
12260
12261
12262
12263
12264
12265
12266
12267
12268
12269
12270
12271
12272
12273
12274
12275
12276
12277
12278
12279
12280
12281
12282
12283
12284
12285
12286
12287
12288
12289
12290
12291
12292
12293
12294
12295
12296
12297
12298
12299
12300
12301
12302
12303
12304
12305
12306
12307
12308
12309
12310
12311
12312
12313
12314
12315
12316
12317
12318
12319
12320
12321
12322
12323
12324
12325
12326
12327
12328
12329
12330
12331
12332
12333
12334
12335
12336
12337
12338
12339
12340
12341
12342
12343
12344
12345
12346
12347
12348
12349
12350
12351
12352
12353
12354
12355
12356
12357
12358
12359
12360
12361
12362
12363
12364
12365
12366
12367
12368
12369
12370
12371
12372
12373
12374
12375
12376
12377
12378
12379
12380
12381
12382
12383
12384
12385
12386
12387
12388
12389
12390
12391
12392
12393
12394
12395
12396
12397
12398
12399
12400
12401
12402
12403
12404
12405
12406
12407
12408
12409
12410
12411
12412
12413
12414
12415
12416
12417
12418
12419
12420
12421
12422
12423
12424
12425
12426
12427
12428
12429
12430
12431
12432
12433
12434
12435
12436
12437
12438
12439
12440
12441
12442
12443
12444
12445
12446
12447
12448
12449
12450
12451
12452
12453
12454
12455
12456
12457
12458
12459
12460
12461
12462
12463
12464
12465
12466
12467
12468
12469
12470
12471
12472
12473
12474
12475
12476
12477
12478
12479
12480
12481
12482
12483
12484
12485
12486
12487
12488
12489
12490
12491
12492
12493
12494
12495
12496
12497
12498
12499
12500
12501
12502
12503
12504
12505
12506
12507
12508
12509
12510
12511
12512
12513
12514
12515
12516
12517
12518
12519
12520
12521
12522
12523
12524
12525
12526
12527
12528
12529
12530
12531
12532
12533
12534
12535
12536
12537
12538
12539
12540
12541
12542
12543
12544
12545
12546
12547
12548
12549
12550
12551
12552
12553
12554
12555
12556
12557
12558
12559
12560
12561
12562
12563
12564
12565
12566
12567
12568
12569
12570
12571
12572
12573
12574
12575
12576
12577
12578
12579
12580
12581
12582
12583
12584
12585
12586
12587
12588
12589
12590
12591
12592
12593
12594
12595
12596
12597
12598
12599
12600
12601
12602
12603
12604
12605
12606
12607
12608
12609
12610
12611
12612
12613
12614
12615
12616
12617
12618
12619
12620
12621
12622
12623
12624
12625
12626
12627
12628
12629
12630
12631
12632
12633
12634
12635
12636
12637
12638
12639
12640
12641
12642
12643
12644
12645
12646
12647
12648
12649
12650
12651
12652
12653
12654
12655
12656
12657
12658
12659
12660
12661
12662
12663
12664
12665
12666
12667
12668
12669
12670
12671
12672
12673
12674
12675
12676
12677
12678
12679
12680
12681
12682
12683
12684
12685
12686
12687
12688
12689
12690
12691
12692
12693
12694
12695
12696
12697
12698
12699
12700
12701
12702
12703
12704
12705
12706
12707
12708
12709
12710
12711
12712
12713
12714
12715
12716
12717
12718
12719
12720
12721
12722
12723
12724
12725
12726
12727
12728
12729
12730
12731
12732
12733
12734
12735
12736
12737
12738
12739
12740
12741
12742
12743
12744
12745
12746
12747
12748
12749
12750
12751
12752
12753
12754
12755
12756
12757
12758
12759
12760
12761
12762
12763
12764
12765
12766
12767
12768
12769
12770
12771
12772
12773
12774
12775
12776
12777
12778
12779
12780
12781
12782
12783
12784
12785
12786
12787
12788
12789
12790
12791
12792
12793
12794
12795
12796
12797
12798
12799
12800
12801
12802
12803
12804
12805
12806
12807
12808
12809
12810
12811
12812
12813
12814
12815
12816
12817
12818
12819
12820
12821
12822
12823
12824
12825
12826
12827
12828
12829
12830
12831
12832
12833
12834
12835
12836
12837
12838
12839
12840
12841
12842
12843
12844
12845
12846
12847
12848
12849
12850
12851
12852
12853
12854
12855
12856
12857
12858
12859
12860
12861
12862
12863
12864
12865
12866
12867
12868
12869
12870
12871
12872
12873
12874
12875
12876
12877
12878
12879
12880
12881
12882
12883
12884
12885
12886
12887
12888
12889
12890
12891
12892
12893
12894
12895
12896
12897
12898
12899
12900
12901
12902
12903
12904
12905
12906
12907
12908
12909
12910
12911
12912
12913
12914
12915
12916
12917
12918
12919
12920
12921
12922
12923
12924
12925
12926
12927
12928
12929
12930
12931
12932
12933
12934
12935
12936
12937
12938
12939
12940
12941
12942
12943
12944
12945
12946
12947
12948
12949
12950
12951
12952
12953
12954
12955
12956
12957
12958
12959
12960
12961
12962
12963
12964
12965
12966
12967
12968
12969
12970
12971
12972
12973
12974
12975
12976
12977
12978
12979
12980
12981
12982
12983
12984
12985
12986
12987
12988
12989
12990
12991
12992
12993
12994
12995
12996
12997
12998
12999
13000
13001
13002
13003
13004
13005
13006
13007
13008
13009
13010
13011
13012
13013
13014
13015
13016
13017
13018
13019
13020
13021
13022
13023
13024
13025
13026
13027
13028
13029
13030
13031
13032
13033
13034
13035
13036
13037
13038
13039
13040
13041
13042
13043
13044
13045
13046
13047
13048
13049
13050
13051
13052
13053
13054
13055
13056
13057
13058
13059
13060
13061
13062
13063
13064
13065
13066
13067
13068
13069
13070
13071
13072
13073
13074
13075
13076
13077
13078
13079
13080
13081
13082
13083
13084
13085
13086
13087
13088
13089
13090
13091
13092
13093
13094
13095
13096
13097
13098
13099
13100
13101
13102
13103
13104
13105
13106
13107
13108
13109
13110
13111
13112
13113
13114
13115
13116
13117
13118
13119
13120
13121
13122
13123
13124
13125
13126
13127
13128
13129
13130
13131
13132
13133
13134
13135
13136
13137
13138
13139
13140
13141
13142
13143
13144
13145
13146
13147
13148
13149
13150
13151
13152
13153
13154
13155
13156
13157
13158
13159
13160
13161
13162
13163
13164
13165
13166
13167
13168
13169
13170
13171
13172
13173
13174
13175
13176
13177
13178
13179
13180
13181
13182
13183
13184
13185
13186
13187
13188
13189
13190
13191
13192
13193
13194
13195
13196
13197
13198
13199
13200
13201
13202
13203
13204
13205
13206
13207
13208
13209
13210
13211
13212
13213
13214
13215
13216
13217
13218
13219
13220
13221
13222
13223
13224
13225
13226
13227
13228
13229
13230
13231
13232
13233
13234
13235
13236
13237
13238
13239
13240
13241
13242
13243
13244
13245
13246
13247
13248
13249
13250
13251
13252
13253
13254
13255
13256
13257
13258
13259
13260
13261
13262
13263
13264
13265
13266
13267
13268
13269
13270
13271
13272
13273
13274
13275
13276
13277
13278
13279
13280
13281
13282
13283
13284
13285
13286
13287
13288
13289
13290
13291
13292
13293
13294
13295
13296
13297
13298
13299
13300
13301
13302
13303
13304
13305
13306
13307
13308
13309
13310
13311
13312
13313
13314
13315
13316
13317
13318
13319
13320
13321
13322
13323
13324
13325
13326
13327
13328
13329
13330
13331
13332
13333
13334
13335
13336
13337
13338
13339
13340
13341
13342
13343
13344
13345
13346
13347
13348
13349
13350
13351
13352
13353
13354
13355
13356
13357
13358
13359
13360
13361
13362
13363
13364
13365
13366
13367
13368
13369
13370
13371
13372
13373
13374
13375
13376
13377
13378
13379
13380
13381
13382
13383
13384
13385
13386
13387
13388
13389
13390
13391
13392
13393
13394
13395
13396
13397
13398
13399
13400
13401
13402
13403
13404
13405
13406
13407
13408
13409
13410
13411
13412
13413
13414
13415
13416
13417
13418
13419
13420
13421
13422
13423
13424
13425
13426
13427
13428
13429
13430
13431
13432
13433
13434
13435
13436
13437
13438
13439
13440
13441
13442
13443
13444
13445
13446
13447
13448
13449
13450
13451
13452
13453
13454
13455
13456
13457
13458
13459
13460
13461
13462
13463
13464
13465
13466
13467
13468
13469
13470
13471
13472
13473
13474
13475
13476
13477
13478
13479
13480
13481
13482
13483
13484
13485
13486
13487
13488
13489
13490
13491
13492
13493
13494
13495
13496
13497
13498
13499
13500
13501
13502
13503
13504
13505
13506
13507
13508
13509
13510
13511
13512
13513
13514
13515
13516
13517
13518
13519
13520
13521
13522
13523
13524
13525
13526
13527
13528
13529
13530
13531
13532
13533
13534
13535
13536
13537
13538
13539
13540
13541
13542
13543
13544
13545
13546
13547
13548
13549
13550
13551
13552
13553
13554
13555
13556
13557
13558
13559
13560
13561
13562
13563
13564
13565
13566
13567
13568
13569
13570
13571
13572
13573
13574
13575
13576
13577
13578
13579
13580
13581
13582
13583
13584
13585
13586
13587
13588
13589
13590
13591
13592
13593
13594
13595
13596
13597
13598
13599
13600
13601
13602
13603
13604
13605
13606
13607
13608
13609
13610
13611
13612
13613
13614
13615
13616
13617
13618
13619
13620
13621
13622
13623
13624
13625
13626
13627
13628
13629
13630
13631
13632
13633
13634
13635
13636
13637
13638
13639
13640
13641
13642
13643
13644
13645
13646
13647
13648
13649
13650
13651
13652
13653
13654
13655
13656
13657
13658
13659
13660
13661
13662
13663
13664
13665
13666
13667
13668
13669
13670
13671
13672
13673
13674
13675
13676
13677
13678
13679
13680
13681
13682
13683
13684
13685
13686
13687
13688
13689
13690
13691
13692
13693
13694
13695
13696
13697
13698
13699
13700
13701
13702
13703
13704
13705
13706
13707
13708
13709
13710
13711
13712
13713
13714
13715
13716
13717
13718
13719
13720
13721
13722
13723
13724
13725
13726
13727
13728
13729
13730
13731
13732
13733
13734
13735
13736
13737
13738
13739
13740
13741
13742
13743
13744
13745
13746
13747
13748
13749
13750
13751
13752
13753
13754
13755
13756
13757
13758
13759
13760
13761
13762
13763
13764
13765
13766
13767
13768
13769
13770
13771
13772
13773
13774
13775
13776
13777
13778
13779
13780
13781
13782
13783
13784
13785
13786
13787
13788
13789
13790
13791
13792
13793
13794
13795
13796
13797
13798
13799
13800
13801
13802
13803
13804
13805
13806
13807
13808
13809
13810
13811
13812
13813
13814
13815
13816
13817
13818
13819
13820
13821
13822
13823
13824
13825
13826
13827
13828
13829
13830
13831
13832
13833
13834
13835
13836
13837
13838
13839
13840
13841
13842
13843
13844
13845
13846
13847
13848
13849
13850
13851
13852
13853
13854
13855
13856
13857
13858
13859
13860
13861
13862
13863
13864
13865
13866
13867
13868
13869
13870
13871
13872
13873
13874
13875
13876
13877
13878
13879
13880
13881
13882
13883
13884
13885
13886
13887
13888
13889
13890
13891
13892
13893
13894
13895
13896
13897
13898
13899
13900
13901
13902
13903
13904
13905
13906
13907
13908
13909
13910
13911
13912
13913
13914
13915
13916
13917
13918
13919
13920
13921
13922
13923
13924
13925
13926
13927
13928
13929
13930
13931
13932
13933
13934
13935
13936
13937

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE html
   PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
   "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" >

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en">
  <head>
    <title>
      The Violet Fairy Book, by Various
    </title>
    <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve">

    body { margin:5%; text-align:justify}
    P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; }
    H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; }
    hr  { width: 50%; text-align: center;}
    .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; }
    blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;}
    .mynote    {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;}
    .toc       { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;}
    .toc2      { margin-left: 20%;}
    div.fig    { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; }
    div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; }
    .figleft   {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;}
    .figright  {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;}
    .pagenum   {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal;
               margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%;
               text-align: right;}
    pre        { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;}

</style>
  </head>
  <body>
<pre xml:space="preserve">

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: November 29, 2009 [EBook #641]
Last Updated: December 16, 2016

Language: English

Character set encoding: UTF-8

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK ***




Produced by David Widger, and Charles Keller for Tina





</pre>
    <p>
      <br /><br />
    </p>
    <h1>
      THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK
    </h1>
    <p>
      <br />
    </p>
    <h2>
      By Various
    </h2>
    <p>
      <br />
    </p>
    <h2>
      Edited By Andrew Lang
    </h2>
    <h3>
      TO VIOLET MYERS<br /> IS DEDICATED<br /> THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK <br /> <br />
    </h3>
    <hr />
    <p>
      <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <h2>
      PREFACE
    </h2>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;out of his own head.&rsquo; He is accustomed to being asked, by
      ladies, &lsquo;Have you written anything else except the Fairy Books?&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;Legendary Australian
      Tales,&rsquo; 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&mdash;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 &lsquo;a man,&rsquo; and &lsquo;a woman,&rsquo; 
      and &lsquo;a boy,&rsquo; and &lsquo;a girl,&rsquo; 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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Of the stories in this book, Miss Blackley translated &lsquo;Dwarf Long Nose,&rsquo; 
      &lsquo;The Wonderful Beggars,&rsquo; &lsquo;The Lute Player,&rsquo; &lsquo;Two in a Sack,&rsquo; and &lsquo;The Fish
      that swam in the Air.&rsquo; Mr. W. A. Craigie translated from the Scandinavian,
      &lsquo;Jasper who herded the Hares.&rsquo; Mrs. Lang did the rest.
    </p>
    <p>
      Some of the most interesting are from the Roumanion, and three were
      previously published in the late Dr. Steere&rsquo;s &lsquo;Swahili Tales.&rsquo; By the
      permission of his representatives these three African stories have here
      been abridged and simplified for children.
    </p>
    <p>
      <br /> <br />
    </p>
    <hr />
    <p>
      <br /> <br />
    </p>
    <blockquote>
      <p class="toc">
        <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big>
      </p>
      <p>
        <br />
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE </a>
      </p>
      <p>
        <br />
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> A TALE OF THE TONTLAWALD </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> THE FINEST LIAR IN THE WORLD </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> THE STORY OF THREE WONDERFUL BEGGARS </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> SCHIPPEITARO </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0006"> THE THREE PRINCES AND THEIR BEASTS (LITHUANIAN
        FAIRY TALE) </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0007"> THE GOAT&rsquo;S EARS OF THE EMPEROR TROJAN </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0008"> THE NINE PEA-HENS AND THE GOLDEN APPLES </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0009"> THE LUTE PLAYER </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0010"> THE GRATEFUL PRINCE </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0011"> THE CHILD WHO CAME FROM AN EGG </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0012"> STAN BOLOVAN </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0013"> THE TWO FROGS </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0014"> THE STORY OF A GAZELLE </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0015"> HOW A FISH SWAM IN THE AIR AND A HARE IN THE
        WATER. </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0016"> TWO IN A SACK </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0017"> THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0018"> THE FAIRY OF THE DAWN </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0019"> THE ENCHANTED KNIFE </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0020"> JESPER WHO HERDED THE HARES </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0021"> THE UNDERGROUND WORKERS </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0022"> THE HISTORY OF DWARF LONG NOSE </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0023"> THE NUNDA, EATER OF PEOPLE </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0024"> THE STORY OF HASSEBU </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0025"> THE MAIDEN WITH THE WOODEN HELMET </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0026"> THE MONKEY AND THE JELLY-FISH </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0027"> THE HEADLESS DWARFS </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0028"> THE YOUNG MAN WHO WOULD HAVE HIS EYES OPENED
        </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0029"> THE BOYS WITH THE GOLDEN STARS </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0030"> THE FROG </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0031"> THE PRINCESS WHO WAS HIDDEN UNDERGROUND </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0032"> THE GIRL WHO PRETENDED TO BE A BOY </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0033"> THE STORY OF HALFMAN </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0034"> THE PRINCE WHO WANTED TO SEE THE WORLD </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0035"> VIRGILIUS THE SORCERER </a>
      </p>
      <p class="toc">
        <a href="#link2H_4_0036"> MOGARZEA AND HIS SON </a>
      </p>
    </blockquote>
    <p>
      <br /> <br />
    </p>
    <hr />
    <p>
      <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <h2>
      A TALE OF THE TONTLAWALD
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Run, run as fast as you can! We are in the Tontlawald!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s cry, but could not make up her mind to leave the
      strawberries.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;After all, what does it matter?&rsquo; thought she. &lsquo;The dwellers in the
      Tontlawald cannot be worse than my stepmother&rsquo;; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Be quiet,&rsquo; said she; then turning to Elsa she added: &lsquo;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&rsquo;; and taking Elsa&rsquo;s hand she led her
      deeper into the wood, the little black dog jumping up beside them and
      barking with pleasure.
    </p>
    <p>
      Oh! what wonders and splendours unfolded themselves before Elsa&rsquo;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&rsquo;s
      companion and asked:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What sort of a guest are you bringing to me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I found her alone in the wood,&rsquo; replied her daughter, &lsquo;and brought her
      back with me for a companion. You will let her stay?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s lap, and sobbed out:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the woman smiled and answered, &lsquo;Well, we will see what we can do with
      you,&rsquo; and, rising, went into the house.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the daughter said to Elsa, &lsquo;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,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      At last Elsa saw her crossing the grass with a box in her hand.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;t bear you to go away. Have you ever been on the sea?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The sea?&rsquo; asked Elsa, staring; &lsquo;what is that? I&rsquo;ve never heard of such a
      thing!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, I&rsquo;ll soon show you,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We must sing you a song in return,&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s songs, but one word, she noticed, came over and over again,
      and that was &lsquo;Kisika.&rsquo; Elsa asked what it meant, and the girl replied that
      it was her name.
    </p>
    <p>
      It was all so pleasant that they might have stayed there for ever had not
      a voice cried out to them, &lsquo;Children, it is time for you to come home!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do you see this girl?&rsquo; said the lady of the house, pointing to Elsa. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Kisika has begged me to let you stay with her, and you
      have told her you would like to live here. Is that so?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      At these words Elsa fell on her knees, and kissed the lady&rsquo;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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s
      breast and put a bit of bread inside; then, drawing a snake out of the
      basket, forced it to enter the hollow body.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now,&rsquo; he said to the lady, &lsquo;all we want is a drop of the maiden&rsquo;s blood.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When she heard this Elsa grew white with horror, for she thought she was
      selling her soul to the evil one.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not be afraid!&rsquo; the lady hastened to say; &lsquo;we do not want your blood
      for any bad purpose, but rather to give you freedom and happiness.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You must not be frightened,&rsquo; said the lady, when she noticed her terror;
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      From this moment Elsa&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      There they all remained, till they were joined by the old man.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;s worst fault.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What a pity,&rsquo; she would often say to Elsa, &lsquo;that you have grown so big,
      you cannot play with me any more.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s cheeks were flushed, and her eyes
      full of tears, which she dried hastily, as if she would conceal them from
      the girl. &lsquo;Dearest child,&rsquo; she began, &lsquo;the time has come when we must
      part.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Part?&rsquo; cried Elsa, burying her head in the lady&rsquo;s lap. &lsquo;No, dear lady,
      that can never be till death parts us. You once opened your arms to me;
      you cannot thrust me away now.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah, be quiet, child,&rsquo; replied the lady; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dear lady,&rsquo; entreated Elsa again. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not talk like that, dear child,&rsquo; replied the lady; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; Then she drew her golden comb gently through Elsa&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Now let us look back a moment, and see what had been going on in Elsa&rsquo;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&rsquo;s stepmother was no exception to the rule; but as the figure that
      had taken the girl&rsquo;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&rsquo;s help, his wife turned upon him, and things were
      rather worse than before.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      As she was wondering what she should do next the king&rsquo;s son came riding
      by, and, seeing Elsa, sprang from his horse, and took her by the hand,
      sawing, &lsquo;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&mdash;you.&rsquo; 
      Then he took Elsa on his horse, and rode with her to the town, where the
      old king received her graciously.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From Ehstnische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE FINEST LIAR IN THE WORLD
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good greeting, beardless one!&rsquo; cried he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good greeting, sonny,&rsquo; replied the man.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Could I grind something here?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, certainly! I will finish what I am doing and then you can grind as
      long as you like.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;It is no good going on;
      there seems to be a beardless man in every mill&rsquo;; and he took his sack
      from his back, and made up his mind to grind his corn where he was.
    </p>
    <p>
      The beardless man finished grinding his own corn, and when he had done he
      said to the boy, who was beginning to grind his, &lsquo;Suppose, sonny, we make
      a cake of what you have there.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Now the boy had been rather uneasy when he recollected his father&rsquo;s words,
      but he thought to himself, &lsquo;What is done cannot be undone,&rsquo; and answered,
      &lsquo;Very well, so let it be.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The boy, not knowing what else to do, answered, &lsquo;All right; you begin.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;&ldquo;That is my bee!&rdquo; I shouted. &ldquo;Where did you get him from?&rdquo;&rsquo; &ldquo;Brother,&rdquo;
       replied the man, &ldquo;if he is yours, take him.&rdquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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, &ldquo;Why don&rsquo;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?&rdquo; 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, &ldquo;Why, what has become of your head?&rdquo; 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,
      &ldquo;The cake is mine, and the beardless one goes empty-handed.&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      With these words the boy rose, took the cake, and went home, while the
      beardless one remained behind to swallow his disappointment.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Volksmarchen der Serben.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE STORY OF THREE WONDERFUL BEGGARS
    </h2>
    <p>
      There once lived a merchant whose name was Mark, and whom people called
      &lsquo;Mark the Rich.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dear daddy, let the poor old men sleep here to-night, do&mdash;to please
      me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What news is there?&rsquo; asked the eldest.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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?&rsquo; said the second.
    </p>
    <p>
      The third whispered, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      After a little more talk the three made themselves ready and crept softly
      away.
    </p>
    <p>
      Anastasia, who had heard every word, ran straight to her father, and told
      him all.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yesterday,&rsquo; said the priest, &lsquo;a boy was born in the poorest house in the
      village. I named the unlucky little thing &ldquo;Vassili.&rdquo; 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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The merchant&rsquo;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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Look here, my friend, you are a poor man. How can you afford to bring up
      the boy? Give him to me and I&rsquo;ll make something of him, and I&rsquo;ll give you
      a present of a thousand crowns. Is that a bargain?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;There, now try to take my property!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;That&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The merchants were very pleased to make so good a bargain, left the child
      with Mark, and drove off.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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 &lsquo;Vassili.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He said to the abbot: &lsquo;I can&rsquo;t tell you how much I enjoy that young man&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s
      good fortune.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;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&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Vassili had a good voyage, and on landing set off on foot for Mark&rsquo;s home.
      On the way he met three beggars, who asked him: &lsquo;Where are you going,
      Vassili?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am going to the house of Mark the Merchant, and have a letter for his
      wife,&rsquo; replied Vassili.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Show us the letter.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Vassili handed them the letter. They blew on it and gave it back to him,
      saying: &lsquo;Now go and give the letter to Mark&rsquo;s wife. You will not be
      forsaken.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;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&rsquo;t obey my orders I shall be very angry.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;How dared you marry my daughter without my
      consent?&rsquo; he asked.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I only carried out your orders,&rsquo; said she. &lsquo;Here is your letter.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Mark read it. It certainly was his handwriting, but by no means his
      wishes.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well,&rsquo; thought he, &lsquo;you&rsquo;ve escaped me three times, but I think I shall
      get the better of you now.&rsquo; And he waited a month and was very kind and
      pleasant to his daughter and her husband.
    </p>
    <p>
      At the end of that time he said to Vassili one day, &lsquo;I want you to go for
      me to my friend the Serpent King, in his beautiful country at the world&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      I really cannot tell you whether the journey was long or short. As he
      tramped along he suddenly heard a voice saying: &lsquo;Vassili! where are you
      going?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Vassili looked about him, and, seeing no one, called out: &lsquo;Who spoke to
      me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I did; this old wide-spreading oak. Tell me where you are going.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am going to the Serpent King to receive twelve years&rsquo; rent from him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;When the time comes, remember me and ask the king: &ldquo;Rotten to the roots,
      half dead but still green, stands the old oak. Is it to stand much longer
      on the earth?&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Vassili went on further. He came to a river and got into the ferryboat.
      The old ferryman asked: &lsquo;Are you going far, my friend?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am going to the Serpent King.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then think of me and say to the king: &ldquo;For thirty years the ferryman has
      rowed to and fro. Will the tired old man have to row much longer?&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well,&rsquo; said Vassili; &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll ask him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Do tell me
      where you are going.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am going to the Serpent King.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the whale begged: &lsquo;Think of me and say to the king: &ldquo;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?&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I will remember,&rsquo; said Vassili, and he went on.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When he reached the last room of all, he found a beautiful girl sitting on
      a bed.
    </p>
    <p>
      As soon as she saw him she said: &lsquo;Oh, Vassili, what brings you to this
      accursed place?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Vassili told her why he had come, and all he had seen and heard on the
      way.
    </p>
    <p>
      The girl said: &lsquo;You have not been sent here to collect rents, but for your
      own destruction, and that the serpent may devour you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Listen to what the serpent
      and I talk about.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then she rose up to receive the Serpent King.
    </p>
    <p>
      The monster rushed into the room, and threw itself panting on the bed,
      crying: &lsquo;I&rsquo;ve flown half over the world. I&rsquo;m tired, VERY tired, and want
      to sleep&mdash;scratch my head.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The beautiful girl sat down near him, stroking his hideous head, and said
      in a sweet coaxing voice: &lsquo;You know everything in the world. After you
      left, I had such a wonderful dream. Will you tell me what it means?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Out with it then, quick! What was it?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I dreamt I was walking on a wide road, and an oak tree said to me: &ldquo;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?&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then I dreamt I came to a river, and the old ferryman said to me: &ldquo;For
      thirty year&rsquo;s the ferryman has rowed to and fro. Will the tired old man
      have to row much longer?&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And at last I dreamt that I was walking over a bridge made of a whale&rsquo;s
      back, and the living bridge spoke to me and said: &ldquo;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?&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the Serpent King closed his eyes, turned round on his other side, and
      began to snore so loud that the windows rattled.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When he reached the strait the whale asked: &lsquo;Have you thought of me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, as soon as I am on the other side I will tell you what you want to
      know.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When he was on the other side Vassili said to the whale: &lsquo;Throw up those
      twelve ships of Mark&rsquo;s which you swallowed three years ago.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Vassili went on further till he reached the ferry, where the old man
      asked: &lsquo;Did you think of me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, and as soon as you have ferried me across I will tell you what you
      want to know.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When they had crossed over, Vassili said: &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Heaven has blessed
      you, Vassili.&rsquo; Then they vanished away and he never saw them again.
    </p>
    <p>
      The sailors carried all the gold and silver into the ship, and then they
      set sail for home with Vassili on board.
    </p>
    <p>
      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....
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s riches became his.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From the Serbian.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0005" id="link2H_4_0005">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      SCHIPPEITARO
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;huge
      rocks to be climbed, deep rivers to be crossed, and thorny tracts to be
      avoided&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Do not tell Schippeitaro! Keep it hidden and secret! Do not
      tell Schippeitaro!&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To-morrow night,&rsquo; said they, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Who is Schippeitaro?&rsquo; he suddenly
      asked; &lsquo;can any of you tell me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Schippeitaro is the great dog that belongs to the overseer of our
      prince,&rsquo; said they; &lsquo;and he lives not far away.&rsquo; And they began to laugh
      at the question, which seemed to them so odd and useless.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      But instead of fastening his teeth in the neck of a beautiful maiden,
      Schippeitaro&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Japanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0006" id="link2H_4_0006">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE THREE PRINCES AND THEIR BEASTS (LITHUANIAN FAIRY TALE)
    </h2>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Do not shoot me, and I will
      give each of you one of my young ones. It will be a faithful friend to
      you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So the princes went on their way, and a little wolf followed each of them.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;With the eldest,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t be afraid. Do what I tell you, and I will be your friend.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &ldquo;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?&rdquo; And
      when you see that he cannot do it, call me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When the brother came home, the step-sister did as the robber had told
      her, and fastened her brother&rsquo;s thumbs behind his back. But with one
      wrench he set himself free, and said to her, &lsquo;Sister, that cord is not
      strong enough for me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Even that cord is not strong enough.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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: &lsquo;Sister, this time the cord is so strong I
      cannot break it. Come and unfasten it for me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      But the prince spoke and said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Have patience for one minute. I would like before I die to blow three
      blasts on my hunting horn&mdash;one in this room, one on the stairs, and
      one in the courtyard.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s aid, the fox gnawed the cord in two that bound the prince&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the prince turned to the step-sister and said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I will not kill you, but I will leave you here to repent.&rsquo; And he
      fastened her with a chain to the wall, and put a great bowl in front of
      her and said, &lsquo;I will not see you again till you have filled this bowl
      with your tears.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah,&rsquo; replied they, &lsquo;to-day our king&rsquo;s daughter is to die. She is to be
      handed over to a dreadful nine-headed dragon.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the prince said: &lsquo;Why should she die? I am very strong, I will save
      her.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the princess turned to the prince and thanked him for delivering her
      from the dragon, and she said to him:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Step into this carriage with me, and we will drive back to my father&rsquo;s
      palace.&rsquo; 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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he set out for the town, accompanied by his faithful beasts.
    </p>
    <p>
      And when they reached the king&rsquo;s palace they found that preparations for a
      great feast were being made, for the princess was to marry the coachman.
    </p>
    <p>
      So the prince walked into the palace, and went straight up to the coachman
      and said: &lsquo;What token have you got that you killed the dragon and won the
      hand of the princess? I have her token here&mdash;this ring and half her
      handkerchief.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Of course you may,&rsquo; she answered. &lsquo;But I am afraid of your beasts. Let me
      hit them with my rod, and then I shall not be afraid of them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well,&rsquo; said the prince, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t mind&rsquo;; and she stretched out her
      rod and hit the beasts, and in one moment they were turned into stone, and
      so was the prince.
    </p>
    <p>
      Now soon after this the prince&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And she answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Alas! both my brothers are dead.&rsquo; 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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      But he answered her:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Certainly not. I am their master, and no one shall strike them but I
      myself. Give me the rod&rsquo;; 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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Unless you restore my brothers and their beasts back to life at once, my
      lion will tear you in pieces.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0007" id="link2H_4_0007">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE GOAT&rsquo;S EARS OF THE EMPEROR TROJAN
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s ears, he was at once ordered to be put to death.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the youth was taken to the emperor&rsquo;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&rsquo;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, &lsquo;No,
      nothing at all.&rsquo; This pleased the emperor so much that he gave him twelve
      ducats, and said, &lsquo;Henceforth you shall come every day to shave me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So when the apprentice returned home, and the master inquired how he had
      got on with the emperor, the young man answered, &lsquo;Oh, very well, and he
      says I am to shave him every day, and he has given me these twelve
      ducats&rsquo;; but he said nothing about the goat&rsquo;s ears of the emperor.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, trust me,&rsquo; said the master, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;The Emperor Trojan has goat&rsquo;s
      ears.&rsquo; And as he said so a great burden seemed to roll off him, and he
      shovelled the earth carefully back and ran lightly home.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;The Emperor Trojan has goat&rsquo;s ears.&rsquo; 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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What have you been saying about me to all my people?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&mdash;nothing
      came but the words, &lsquo;The Emperor Trojan has goat&rsquo;s ears.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Volksmarchen der Serben.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0008" id="link2H_4_0008">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE NINE PEA-HENS AND THE GOLDEN APPLES
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      At last the emperor said to his eldest son, &lsquo;If only I could prevent those
      robbers from stealing my fruit, how happy I should be!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And his son replied, &lsquo;I will sit up to-night and watch the tree, and I
      shall soon see who it is!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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!
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When he had recovered from his surprise at the unexpected disappearance of
      the maiden, the prince exclaimed, &lsquo;What can be the matter?&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
      &lsquo;If you wish to enter the first eleven cellars,&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;you can; but
      beware of even unlocking the door of the twelfth, or it will be the worse
      for you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What CAN there be in that twelfth cellar,&rsquo; he thought to himself, &lsquo;which
      I must not see?&rsquo; 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, &lsquo;For goodness&rsquo; 
      sake, brother, fetch me some water; I am dying of thirst!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He was turning away, when a voice cried the second time, &lsquo;Brother, for
      pity&rsquo;s sake fetch me some water; I&rsquo;m dying of thirst!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So the prince went back, and brought some more water, and again a hoop
      sprang.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, for pity&rsquo;s sake, my brother,&rsquo; shrieked the little creature, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh! be a brother to me!&rsquo; called the fox, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So the prince unfastened the trap, pulled out one of the fox&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Only deliver me from death,&rsquo; he said, &lsquo;and you will never be sorry for
      it. Take a lock of my fur, and when you need me twist it in your fingers.&rsquo; 
      And the prince undid the snare and let the wolf go.
    </p>
    <p>
      For a long time he walked on, without having any more adventures, till at
      length he met a man travelling on the same road.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, brother!&rsquo; asked the prince, &lsquo;tell me, if you can, where the
      dragon-emperor lives?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Give me your advice; what shall I do&mdash;have my supper as usual, or
      set out in pursuit of them?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Eat your supper with a free mind first,&rsquo; answered the horse, &lsquo;and follow
      them afterwards.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s power.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ask the dragon when he comes home,&rsquo; said the prince, &lsquo;where he got that
      wonderful horse from, and then you can tell me, and I will try to find
      another like it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then, fearing to meet his enemy, he stole out of the castle.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And he answered:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good greeting to you, little mother!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good greeting to you, my son! What are you doing here?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I wish to become your servant,&rsquo; answered he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;So you shall,&rsquo; said the old woman. &lsquo;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&rsquo;; and as she spoke she led him into a courtyard
      surrounded with palings, and on every post a man&rsquo;s head was stuck. One
      post only was empty, and as they passed it cried out:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Woman, give me the head I am waiting for!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The old woman made no answer, but turned to the prince and said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Look! all those men took service with me, on the same conditions as you,
      but not one was able to guard the mare!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the prince did not waver, and declared he would abide by his words.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is it, my brother?&rsquo; asked the fish anxiously.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The old woman&rsquo;s mare strayed last night, and I don&rsquo;t know where to look
      for her.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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,
      &ldquo;Come here, O mare of the mountain witch!&rdquo; and she will come.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You should have gone among the fishes,&rsquo; cried the old woman, striking the
      animal with a stick.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I did go among the fishes,&rsquo; replied the mare; &lsquo;but they are no friends of
      mine, for they betrayed me at once.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, go among the foxes this time,&rsquo; said she, and returned to the house,
      not knowing that the prince had overheard her.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is it, my brother?&rsquo; asked the fox, who instantly appeared before
      him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The old witch&rsquo;s mare has run away from me, and I do not know where to
      look for her.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;She is with us,&rsquo; replied the fox, &lsquo;and has changed herself into a big
      fox, and her foal into a little one, but strike the ground with a halter
      and say, &ldquo;Come here, O mare of the mountain witch!&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You should have gone to the foxes, as I told you,&rsquo; said she, striking the
      mare with a stick.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I did go to the foxes,&rsquo; replied the mare, &lsquo;but they are no friends of
      mine and betrayed me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, this time you had better go to the wolves,&rsquo; said she, not knowing
      that the prince had heard all she had been saying.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s grey lock.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is it, my brother?&rsquo; asked the wolf as it stood before him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The old witch&rsquo;s mare has run away from me,&rsquo; replied the prince, &lsquo;and I
      don&rsquo;t know where to find her.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, she is with us,&rsquo; answered the wolf, &lsquo;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, &ldquo;Come to me, O mare of the mountain witch.&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You should have gone among the wolves,&rsquo; said she, striking her with a
      stick.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;So I did,&rsquo; replied the mare, &lsquo;but they are no friends of mine and
      betrayed me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The old woman made no answer, and left the stable, but the prince was at
      the door waiting for her.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have served you well,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;and now for my reward.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What I promised that will I perform,&rsquo; answered she. &lsquo;Choose one of these
      twelve horses; you can have which you like.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Give me, instead, that half-starved creature in the corner,&rsquo; asked the
      prince. &lsquo;I prefer him to all those beautiful animals.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You can&rsquo;t really mean what you say?&rsquo; replied the woman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, I do,&rsquo; 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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Not long after the dragon came home, and when he found the empress was
      missing he said to his horse, &lsquo;What shall we do? Shall we eat and drink,
      or shall we follow the runaways?&rsquo; and the horse replied, &lsquo;Whether you eat
      or don&rsquo;t eat, drink or don&rsquo;t drink, follow them or stay at home, matters
      nothing now, for you can never, never catch them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the dragon made no reply to the horse&rsquo;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&rsquo;s horse faster and faster, till he
      said, &lsquo;Fear nothing; no harm can happen to us,&rsquo; and their hearts grew
      calm, for they trusted his wisdom.
    </p>
    <p>
      Soon the dragon&rsquo;s horse was heard panting behind, and he cried out, &lsquo;Oh,
      my brother, do not go so fast! I shall sink to the earth if I try to keep
      up with you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the prince&rsquo;s horse answered, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the dragon&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Volksmarchen der Serben.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0009" id="link2H_4_0009">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE LUTE PLAYER
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Sell all our castles and palaces, and put
      all our treasures in pawn and come and deliver me out of this horrible
      prison.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The queen received the letter, read it, and wept bitterly as she said to
      herself, &lsquo;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!&mdash;but I hardly know if I can depend
      on them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      She thought, and thought, and at last an idea came into her head.
    </p>
    <p>
      She cut off all her beautiful long brown hair and dressed herself in boy&rsquo;s
      clothes. Then she took her lute and, without saying anything to anyone,
      she went forth into the wide world.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      After she had played for some time she began to sing, and her voice was
      sweeter than the lark&rsquo;s:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
     &lsquo;I come from my own country far
           Into this foreign land,
      Of all I own I take alone
           My sweet lute in my hand.

     &lsquo;Oh!  who will thank me for my song,
           Reward my simple lay?
       Like lover&rsquo;s sighs it still shall rise
           To greet thee day by day.

     &lsquo;I sing of blooming flowers
           Made sweet by sun and rain;
      Of all the bliss of love&rsquo;s first kiss,
           And parting&rsquo;s cruel pain.

     &lsquo;Of the sad captive&rsquo;s longing
           Within his prison wall,
      Of hearts that sigh when none are nigh
           To answer to their call.

     &lsquo;My song begs for your pity,
           And gifts from out your store,
      And as I play my gentle lay
          I linger near your door.

     &lsquo;And if you hear my singing
          Within your palace, sire,
     Oh! give, I pray, this happy day,
          To me my heart&rsquo;s desire.&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      No sooner had the heathen king heard this touching song sung by such a
      lovely voice, than he had the singer brought before him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Welcome, O lute player,&rsquo; said he. &lsquo;Where do you come from?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stay here then a few days, and when you wish to leave I will give you
      what you ask for in your song&mdash;your heart&rsquo;s desire.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He cared for nothing but the music, and nodded his head as he declared,
      &lsquo;That&rsquo;s something like playing and singing. It makes me feel as if some
      gentle hand had lifted every care and sorrow from me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      After three days the lute player came to take leave of the king.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well,&rsquo; said the king, &lsquo;what do you desire as your reward?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come along then,&rsquo; said the king, &lsquo;choose whom you will.&rsquo; And he took the
      lute player through the prison himself.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When they reached the frontier the prisoner said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not speak of reward,&rsquo; answered the lute player. &lsquo;Go in peace.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then come with me, dear boy, and be my guest.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;When the proper time comes I shall be at your palace,&rsquo; was the reply, and
      so they parted.
    </p>
    <p>
      The queen took a short way home, got there before the king and changed her
      dress.
    </p>
    <p>
      An hour later all the people in the palace were running to and fro and
      crying out: &lsquo;Our king has come back! Our king has returned to us.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The king greeted every one very kindly, but he would not so much as look
      at the queen.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he called all his council and ministers together and said to them:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And his council answered with one voice, &lsquo;Sire, when news was brought from
      you the queen disappeared and no one knew where she went. She only
      returned to-day.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the king was very angry and cried, &lsquo;Judge my faithless wife!
    </p>
    <p>
      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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
     &lsquo;I sing the captive&rsquo;s longing
           Within his prison wall,
      Of hearts that sigh when none are nigh
           To answer to their call.

     &lsquo;My song begs for your pity,
           And gifts from out your store,
      And as I play my gentle lay
           I linger near your door.

     &lsquo;And if you hear my singing
           Within your palace, sire,
      Oh!  give, I pray, this happy day,
           To me my heart&rsquo;s desire.&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Here,&rsquo; he cried, &lsquo;is the boy who released me from my prison. And now, my
      true friend, I will indeed give you your heart&rsquo;s desire.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;t
      mean to give up what I get. I want YOU&mdash;yourself!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And as she spoke she threw off her long cloak and everyone saw it was the
      queen.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      I was there too, and ate and drank many good things. I sha&rsquo;n&rsquo;t forget that
      feast as long as I live.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From the Russian.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0010" id="link2H_4_0010">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE GRATEFUL PRINCE
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you doing here, friend?&rsquo; asked the stranger; &lsquo;darkness is
      falling fast, and soon the wild beasts will come from their lairs to seek
      for food.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have lost myself,&rsquo; answered the king, &lsquo;and am trying to get home.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then promise me that you will give me the first thing that comes out of
      your house, and I will show you the way,&rsquo; said the stranger.
    </p>
    <p>
      The king did not answer directly, but after awhile he spoke: &lsquo;Why should I
      give away my BEST sporting dog. I can surely find my way out of the forest
      as well as this man.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Promise you will give me the first thing that comes out of your house to
      meet you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But still the king was stiff-necked and would promise nothing.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, my life is worth more than a thousand dogs,&rsquo; answered the king,
      &lsquo;the welfare of my kingdom depends on me. I accept your terms, so take me
      to my palace.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then his great boarhound bounded up to him, but his caresses were only
      answered by a violent push.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the king&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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: &lsquo;Oh, how unlucky I am!
      Where can I be? Is there no one to show me the way out of the wood?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;I
      know this place well, and can lead you out of it, if you will promise me a
      good reward.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What can a beggar such as I promise you?&rsquo; answered the prince. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The stranger looked at the sack of peas, and said, &lsquo;But you must possess
      something; you are carrying this sack, which seems to be very heavy.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is full of peas,&rsquo; was the reply. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then you are an orphan?&rsquo; asked the stranger. &lsquo;Why should you not enter my
      service? I want a sharp fellow in the house, and you please me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why not, indeed, if we can strike a bargain?&rsquo; said the other. &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I shall be satisfied with that,&rsquo; said the youth. &lsquo;Somebody else will have
      to bury my aunt. I will go with you!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Follow me!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;oh,
      ecstasy!&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the greybeard opened his mouth, and said: &lsquo;The kettle is boiling; we
      are expected at home.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;The grandmother is sleeping soundly; listen how she
      snores.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Creep inside this,&rsquo; said the master, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince crept tremblingly into the kennel, and began to regret the
      daring which had brought him into this scrape.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When the prince stepped over the threshold he caught sight of a maiden of
      wonderful beauty, with brown eyes and fair curly hair. &lsquo;Well!&rsquo; the young
      man said to himself, &lsquo;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&rsquo;; 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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Silence,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      After supper that night, the old man said to the prince, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince thought, from this, he had leave to speak, but his master
      turned on him with a face of thunder and exclaimed:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s anger.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is impossible that she can be his daughter!&rsquo; he said to himself, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am going to set you something very easy to do to-morrow,&rsquo; said the old
      man when his servant entered. &lsquo;Take this scythe and cut as much grass as
      the white horse will want for its day&rsquo;s feed, and clean out its stall. If
      I come back and find the manger empty it will go ill with you. So beware!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince left the room, rejoicing in his heart, and saying to himself,
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He was just going to open his door, when the maiden glided softly past and
      whispered in his ear: &lsquo;What task has he set you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;For to-morrow,&rsquo; answered the prince, &lsquo;it is really nothing at all! Just
      to cut hay for the horse, and to clean out his stall!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, luckless being!&rsquo; sighed the girl; &lsquo;how will you ever get through with
      it. The white horse, who is our master&rsquo;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, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; After these words
      the maiden went away as softly as she had come.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he knew that without the maiden&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;My son, what are you doing?&rsquo; asked the horse wonderingly.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, nothing!&rsquo; replied he. &lsquo;Just weaving a chin strap to bind your jaws
      together, in case you might wish to eat any more!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The white horse sighed deeply when it heard this, and made up its mind to
      be content with what it had eaten.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is it really you who have been clever enough to do that?&rsquo; he asked. &lsquo;Or
      has some one else given you a hint?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, I have had no help,&rsquo; replied the prince, &lsquo;except what my poor weak
      head could give me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The old man frowned, and went away, and the prince rejoiced that
      everything had turned out so well.
    </p>
    <p>
      In the evening his master said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well,&rsquo; thought the prince as he went away, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He was very sleepy, and was just going toward his room, when the maiden
      came to him and asked: &lsquo;What is your task to-morrow?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am to help you,&rsquo; he answered, &lsquo;and have nothing to do all day, except
      to milk the black cow dry.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, you are unlucky,&rsquo; cried she. &lsquo;If you were to try from morning till
      night you couldn&rsquo;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.&rsquo; And she stood on tip-toe and
      whispered something in his ear, and then went away.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s stall, and began to do exactly as the maiden
      had told him the evening before.
    </p>
    <p>
      The black cow watched him with surprise for some time, and then said:
      &lsquo;What are you doing, sonny?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, nothing,&rsquo; answered he; &lsquo;I am only heating a pair of tongs in case you
      may not feel inclined to give as much milk as I want.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Have you really
      managed it all yourself, or did somebody help you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have nobody to help me,&rsquo; answered the prince, &lsquo;but my own poor head.&rsquo; 
      The old man got up from his seat and went away.
    </p>
    <p>
      That night, when the prince went to his master to hear what his next day&rsquo;s
      work was to be, the old man said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; The prince was overjoyed to hear he had
      nothing worse to do.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To carry a little hay-rick requires no great skill,&rsquo; thought he, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      By-and-by the maiden stole up to ask what task he had for the next day.
    </p>
    <p>
      The young man laughed, and said: &lsquo;It appears that I have got to learn all
      kinds of farmer&rsquo;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&rsquo;s work!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, you unlucky creature!&rsquo; cried she; &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The horse will ask you what you are counting, and you must be sure to
      answer what I whisper to you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;a little one.&rsquo; 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: &lsquo;What are you
      counting up there, my son?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, nothing,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;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&rsquo;t
      think I should ever be done.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The word &lsquo;wolf&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s day&rsquo;s work quite done.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Was it really you who were so clever?&rsquo; asked he. &lsquo;Or did some one give
      you good advice?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, I have only myself to take counsel with,&rsquo; said the prince, and the
      old man went away, shaking his head.
    </p>
    <p>
      Late in the evening the prince went to his master to learn what he was to
      do next day.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To-morrow,&rsquo; said the old man, &lsquo;you must bring the white-headed calf to
      the meadow, and, as you value your life, take care it does not escape from
      you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince answered nothing, but thought, &lsquo;Well, most peasants of nineteen
      have got a whole herd to look after, so surely I can manage one.&rsquo; And he
      went towards his room, where the maiden met him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To morrow I have got an idiot&rsquo;s work,&rsquo; said he; &lsquo;nothing but to take the
      white-headed calf to the meadow.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, you unlucky being!&rsquo; sighed she. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; After this the prince went to bed and slept soundly.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      By sunset, it was back again in its stall, and then came the master and
      said, with a frown, &lsquo;Were you really so clever yourself, or did somebody
      tell you what to do?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, I have only my own poor head,&rsquo; answered the prince, and the old man
      went away growling, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t believe a word of it! I am sure you have
      found some clever friend!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      In the evening he called the prince and said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The young man wondered at this strange freak, and went laughing in search
      of the maiden.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah, it is no laughing matter,&rsquo; sighed she. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So next morning he wakened very early, and had heated the shovel before
      the old man was awake. At length he heard him calling, &lsquo;You lazy fellow,
      where are you? Come and wish me good morning.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But when the prince entered with the red-hot shovel his master only said,
      &lsquo;I am very ill to-day, and too weak even to touch your hand. You must
      return this evening, when I may be better.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince loitered about all day, and in the evening went back to the old
      man&rsquo;s room. He was received in the most; friendly manner, and, to his
      surprise, his master exclaimed, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The old man has found out who was your counsellor,&rsquo; she said when she
      could speak, &lsquo;and he means to destroy us both.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the prince thought to himself, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He looked round, and at the door stood the maiden, holding a little bundle
      in her arms.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Where is the ball?&rsquo; she asked.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Here,&rsquo; answered he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We must lose no time in escaping,&rsquo; she went on, and uncovered a tiny bit
      of the shining ball, to light them on their way.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Well, they are not in
      much hurry to be married,&rsquo; and waited again.
    </p>
    <p>
      At last he grew a little uneasy, and cried loudly, &lsquo;Man and maid! what has
      become of you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Bring
      them to me, however you may find them, for have them I must!&rsquo; he said. So
      spake the old man, and the servants fled like the wind.
    </p>
    <p>
      The runaways were crossing a great plain, when the maiden stopped.
      &lsquo;Something has happened!&rsquo; she said. &lsquo;The ball moves in my hand, and I&rsquo;m
      sure we are being followed!&rsquo; and behind them they saw a black cloud flying
      before the wind. Then the maiden turned the ball thrice in her hand, and
      cried,
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;Listen to me, my ball, my ball.
            Be quick and change me into a brook,
           And my lover into a little fish.&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the goblins, tired and with empty hands, returned, their master
      inquired what they had seen, and if nothing strange had befallen them.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Nothing,&rsquo; said they; &lsquo;the plain was quite empty, save for a brook and a
      fish swimming in it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Idiots!&rsquo; roared the master; &lsquo;of course it was they!&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The young pair had almost reached the edge of the wood, when the maiden
      stopped again. &lsquo;Something has happened,&rsquo; said she. &lsquo;The ball is moving in
      my hand,&rsquo; and looking round she beheld a cloud flying towards them, large
      and blacker than the first, and striped with red. &lsquo;Those are our
      pursuers,&rsquo; cried she, and turning the ball three times in her hand she
      spoke to it thus:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, did you find them?&rsquo; asked the old man when his goblins came back.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No,&rsquo; replied the leader of the goblins, &lsquo;we found neither brook nor fish
      in the desert.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And did you find nothing else at all?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, nothing but a rose tree on the edge of a wood, with a rose hanging on
      it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Idiots!&rsquo; cried he. &lsquo;Why, that was they.&rsquo; And he threw open the door of
      the seventh stall, where his mightiest goblins were locked in. &lsquo;Bring them
      to me, however you find them, dead or alive!&rsquo; thundered he, &lsquo;for I will
      have them! Tear up the rose tree and the roots too, and don&rsquo;t leave
      anything behind, however strange it may be!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The fugitives were resting in the shade of a wood, and were refreshing
      themselves with food and drink. Suddenly the maiden looked up. &lsquo;Something
      has happened,&rsquo; said she. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      As she spoke she took the ball in her hand, and said:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;Listen to me, my ball, my ball.
            Be quick and change me into a breeze,
           And make my lover into a midge.&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We must make all the haste we can,&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;before the old man himself
      comes to seek us, for he will know us under any disguise.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;Listen to me, my ball, my ball.
            Roll the stone quickly to one side,
           That we may find a door.&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      And in a moment the stone had rolled away, and they had passed through the
      door to the world again.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now we are safe,&rsquo; cried she. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No! no!&rsquo; exclaimed the prince. &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s hut, so that father and son might meet alone.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s child instead of the
      prince, wherefore this punishment had fallen upon him.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the councillors cried with one voice, &lsquo;Let her be your wife, and our
      liege lady.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And that is the end of the story.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Ehstnische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0011" id="link2H_4_0011">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE CHILD WHO CAME FROM AN EGG
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Now it happened that a war broke out with the king of a neighbouring
      country, and the queen was left in the palace alone.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When she had quenched her thirst, she came straight up to the queen, and
      said to her: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The queen looked at her doubtfully, and answered: &lsquo;You do not seem as if
      you had been very lucky yourself, or to have much good fortune to spare
      for anyone else.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Under rough bark lies smooth wood and sweet kernel,&rsquo; replied the old
      woman. &lsquo;Let me see your hand, that I may read the future.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The queen held out her hand, and the old woman examined its lines closely.
      Then she said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; At these words the queen became scarlet, and tried to
      draw away her hand, but the old woman said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Have a little patience, for there are some things I want to see more
      clearly.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But who are you?&rsquo; asked the queen, &lsquo;for you seem to be able to read my
      heart.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Never mind my name,&rsquo; answered she, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, I will obey you exactly,&rsquo; cried the queen, &lsquo;and if you can help me
      you shall have in return anything you ask for.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;In
      the basket you will find a bird&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s heart bounded, for she now had fresh hopes that the
      rest of the prophecy might be fulfilled.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      After the feast was over and the guests were going away, the godmother
      laid the baby in the cradle, and said to the queen, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; Then, kissing the baby three times, she mounted her coach and
      drove away.
    </p>
    <p>
      The children throve well, and Dotterine&rsquo;s nurse loved her as if she were
      the baby&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;When my
      daughter,&rsquo; said the queen, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; The lady-in-waiting promised
      to carry out the queen&rsquo;s directions, and above all to keep the affair a
      secret. And that same morning the queen died.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s old nurse. But if they
      ever strayed across the path of the queen, she would kick them out of her
      sight like dogs.
    </p>
    <p>
      On Dotterine&rsquo;s tenth birthday her nurse handed her over the cradle, and
      repeated to her her mother&rsquo;s dying words; but the child was too young to
      understand the value of such a gift, and at first thought little about it.
    </p>
    <p>
      Two more years slipped by, when one day during the king&rsquo;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&rsquo;s wing. &lsquo;What old rubbish,&rsquo; said the child to herself, and, turning,
      threw the wing out of the open window.
    </p>
    <p>
      In a moment a beautiful lady stood beside her. &lsquo;Do not be afraid,&rsquo; said
      the lady, stroking Dotterine&rsquo;s head. &lsquo;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&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Hand me the basket,&rsquo; said
      she, &lsquo;for you must have some supper. I cannot let you go hungry to bed.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not cry so, dear child,&rsquo; said the godmother. &lsquo;I will carry you away
      from all this, but the others I must leave to take their chance.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;When
      better times come,&rsquo; her protectress said cheerfully, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; Then, warning her once more to take care of the basket, the
      lady bade the girl farewell.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      One morning Dotterine was busy scouring a wooden tub, when a noble lady
      happened to pass through the village. The girl&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Would you not like to come and enter my service?&rsquo; she asked.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very much,&rsquo; replied Dotterine, &lsquo;if my present mistress will allow me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, I will settle that,&rsquo; answered the lady; and so she did, and the same
      day they set out for the lady&rsquo;s house, Dotterine sitting beside the
      coachman.
    </p>
    <p>
      Six months went by, and then came the joyful news that the king&rsquo;s son had
      collected an army and had defeated the usurper who had taken his father&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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, &lsquo;Dress your young
      ladies for the feast, and when they have started follow them yourself.
      Nobody will be so fine as you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Look in your basket, and you will find in
      it everything that you need.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The king&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Surely this is our
      lost princess!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s godmother was seen standing there.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This,&rsquo; she said, turning to the king, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then she vanished, and was never seen again, nor the wonder-working basket
      either; but now that Dotterine&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Ehstnische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0012" id="link2H_4_0012">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      STAN BOLOVAN
    </h2>
    <p>
      Once upon a time what happened did happen, and if it had not happened this
      story would never have been told.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dear wife, what is wrong with you that you hang your head like a drooping
      rosebud?&rsquo; asked her husband one morning. &lsquo;You have everything you want;
      why cannot you be merry like other women?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Leave me alone, and do not seek to know the reason,&rsquo; replied she,
      bursting into tears, and the man thought that it was no time to question
      her, and went away to his work.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good gracious!&rsquo; cried she, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, if you MUST know,&rsquo; said the wife at last, &lsquo;I will tell you. There
      is no luck in this house&mdash;no luck at all!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, all that you say is true, but we have no children.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s misery the woman became more wretched than
      ever.
    </p>
    <p>
      And so matters went on for some time.
    </p>
    <p>
      Some weeks had passed, and Stan thought he would consult a wise man who
      lived a day&rsquo;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. &lsquo;Give me
      children, my lord, give me children.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take care what you are asking,&rsquo; replied the wise man. &lsquo;Will not children
      be a burden to you? Are you rich enough to feed and clothe them?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Only give them to me, my lord, and I will manage somehow!&rsquo; and at a sign
      from the wise man Stan went his way.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good gracious! how many there are! how many!&rsquo; he muttered to himself.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, but not one too many,&rsquo; smiled his wife, coming up with a crowd more
      children clinging to her skirts.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Father! I am hungry&mdash;I
      am hungry,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do you know, old woman!&rsquo; said he one day to his wife, &lsquo;I must go out into
      the world and try to bring back food somehow, though I cannot tell where
      it is to come from.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;What will you give me if I rid you of the dragon?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;One of every three rams, one of every three sheep, one of every three
      lambs,&rsquo; answered the herd.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is a bargain,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Just at midnight, a horrible feeling that was new and strange to him came
      over Stan&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You or I,&rsquo; said Stan to himself, and took up his position on the edge of
      the flock.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stop!&rsquo; he suddenly cried, as the air was filled with a rushing noise, and
      the dragon came dashing past.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dear me!&rsquo; exclaimed the dragon, looking round. &lsquo;Who are you, and where do
      you come from?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But you will have to fight me first,&rsquo; he said in a trembling voice, for
      when you faced him properly he was not brave at all.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I fight you?&rsquo; replied Stan, &lsquo;why I could slay you with one breath!&rsquo; Then,
      stooping to pick up a large cheese which lay at his feet, he added, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The dragon did as Stan bade him, and brought back a stone out of the
      brook.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Can you get buttermilk out of your stone?&rsquo; asked Stan.
    </p>
    <p>
      The dragon picked up his stone with one hand, and squeezed it till it fell
      into powder, but no buttermilk flowed from it. &lsquo;Of course I can&rsquo;t!&rsquo; he
      said, half angrily.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, if you can&rsquo;t, I can,&rsquo; answered Stan, and he pressed the cheese till
      buttermilk flowed through his fingers.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We have still some accounts to settle,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;about what you have
      been doing here,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Listen to me,&rsquo; he said at last. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      It was a long, long way, but when they came to the end they found the
      dragon&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stay here,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;and wait for me; I am going to explain things to my
      mother.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Listen, mother,&rsquo; said the dragon as soon as they were alone, &lsquo;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,&rsquo; and he told her all
      that had happened the night before.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, just leave him to me!&rsquo; she said. &lsquo;I have never yet let a man slip
      through my fingers.&rsquo; So Stan had to stay and do the old mother service.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you doing?&rsquo; asked the dragon.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I was thinking what a beautiful club it was, and what a pity it is that
      it should cause your death.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How do you mean&mdash;my death?&rsquo; asked the dragon.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Only that I am afraid that if I throw it you will never see another dawn.
      You don&rsquo;t know how strong I am!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, never mind that be quick and throw.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      They returned to the house, took all the food that could be found in the
      old mother&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you doing?&rsquo; asked the dragon.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Waiting till the moon gets out of my way.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What do you mean? I don&rsquo;t understand.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      At these words the dragon grew uncomfortable for the second time.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll tell you what,&rsquo; he said, after thinking a little. &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t throw the
      club at all. I will throw it a second time, and that will do just as
      well.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, certainly not!&rsquo; replied Stan. &lsquo;Just wait till the moon sets.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, dear me, that is indeed a strong man,&rsquo; said the dragon, turning to
      his mother. &lsquo;Would you believe that I have had the greatest difficulty in
      preventing him from throwing the club into the moon?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Go and fetch me water!&rsquo; said the mother, when the morning broke, and gave
      them twelve buffalo skins with the order to keep filling them till night.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you doing there? How are you going to carry the water into the
      house?&rsquo; asked the dragon.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How? Dear me, that is easy enough! I shall just take the brook!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      At these words the dragon&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll tell you what!&rsquo; he said. &lsquo;Let me carry your skins for you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Most certainly not,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      On the third day the old mother sent Stan into the forest for wood, and,
      as usual, the dragon went with him.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you doing there?&rsquo; asked the dragon.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You can see for yourself,&rsquo; answered Stan, going quietly on with his work.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why are you tying the trees together?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Not to give myself unnecessary work; when I pull up one, all the others
      will come up too.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But how will you carry them home?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dear me! don&rsquo;t you understand that I am going to take the whole forest
      back with me?&rsquo; said Stan, tying two other trees as he spoke.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll tell you what,&rsquo; cried the dragon, trembling with fear at the thought
      of such a thing; &lsquo;let me carry the wood for you, and you shall have seven
      times seven sacks full of ducats.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are a good fellow, and I agree to your proposal,&rsquo; answered Stan, and
      the dragon carried the wood.
    </p>
    <p>
      Now the three days&rsquo; 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!
    </p>
    <p>
      In the evening the dragon and his mother had a long talk, but Stan heard
      every word through a crack in the ceiling.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Woe be to us, mother,&rsquo; said the dragon; &lsquo;this man will soon get us into
      his power. Give him his money, and let us be rid of him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the old mother was fond of money, and did not like this.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Listen to me,&rsquo; said she; &lsquo;you must murder him this very night.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am afraid,&rsquo; answered he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;There is nothing to fear,&rsquo; replied the old mother. &lsquo;When he is asleep
      take the club, and hit him on the head with it. It is easily done.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Very soon the dragon stole softly into the room, and gave a tremendous
      blow on the spot where Stan&rsquo;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&rsquo; trough, and lay
      down himself, after making everything clean and tidy, but he was wise
      enough not to shut his eyes that night.
    </p>
    <p>
      The next morning he came into the room when the dragon and his mother were
      having their breakfast.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good morning,&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good morning. How did you sleep?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, very well, but I dreamed that a flea had bitten me, and I seem to
      feel it still.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The dragon and his mother looked at each other. &lsquo;Do you hear that?&rsquo; 
      whispered he. &lsquo;He talks of a flea. I broke my club on his head.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you standing there for?&rsquo; asked the dragon.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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, &ldquo;Just look at Stan Bolovan, who in one year has grown as
      weak as a dragon.&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll tell you what!&rsquo; said Stan at last. &lsquo;I see you don&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The way, though really not far, was yet too long for Stan, but at length
      he heard his children&rsquo;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&rsquo;s head, and he turned round.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I hardly know what to do,&rsquo; said he. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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,
      &lsquo;Give us dragon&rsquo;s flesh; we will have dragon&rsquo;s flesh.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Adapted from Rumanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0013" id="link2H_4_0013">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE TWO FROGS
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;to learn a little more of
      their native country&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What a pity we are not bigger,&rsquo; said the Osaka frog; &lsquo;for then we could
      see both towns from here, and tell if it is worth our while going on.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, that is easily managed,&rsquo; returned the Kioto frog. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dear me!&rsquo; cried the Osaka frog, &lsquo;Kioto is exactly like Osaka. It is
      certainly not worth such a long journey. I shall go home!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If I had had any idea that Osaka was only a copy of Kioto I should never
      have travelled all this way,&rsquo; exclaimed the frog from Kioto, and as he
      spoke he took his hands from his friend&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Japanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0014" id="link2H_4_0014">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE STORY OF A GAZELLE
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Now I can have a
      proper meal,&rsquo; 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. &lsquo;For who knows,&rsquo; he said to
      himself, &lsquo;whether I may not have some good luck again.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      As he was walking down the road, he saw a man coming towards him, carrying
      a cage made of twigs. &lsquo;Hi! you fellow!&rsquo; called he, &lsquo;what have you got
      inside there?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Gazelles,&rsquo; replied the man.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Bring them here, for I should like to see them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      As he spoke, some men who were standing by began to laugh, saying to the
      man with the cage: &lsquo;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&rsquo;t feed himself, will he be able to feed a gazelle?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the man with the cage made answer: &lsquo;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?&rsquo; And he took up his cage and went
      towards the scratcher of dust-heaps, and the men went with him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What do you ask for your gazelles?&rsquo; said the beggar. &lsquo;Will you let me
      have one for an eighth?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the man with the cage took out a gazelle, and held it out, saying,
      &lsquo;Take this one, master!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then, as he slept, the gazelle woke him, saying, &lsquo;Master.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the man answered, &lsquo;How is it that I see a wonder?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What wonder?&rsquo; asked the gazelle.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Never mind that,&rsquo; said the gazelle, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Go, then,&rsquo; answered the master; and the gazelle went.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      In the morning it said to him, &lsquo;I am going away to feed.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the man replied, &lsquo;Go, my son,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Oh, ho!&rsquo; said the gazelle to itself,
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And when the gazelle was rested, the sultan said to it: &lsquo;Give me the news
      you have come with.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the gazelle answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the sultan said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When the sultan had ended, the gazelle rose, and said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the sultan answered: &lsquo;So let it be.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Be still, master, and don&rsquo;t cry,&rsquo; said the gazelle at last; &lsquo;let us sleep
      now, and in the morning, when I go, follow me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;clock it came near the
      sultan&rsquo;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, &lsquo;Sultan Darai
      is coming: I have seen the gazelle.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Alas!&rsquo; replied the gazelle, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now,&rsquo; said he to the gazelle, &lsquo;take these things with the soldiers to the
      sultan, that he may be able to come.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the gazelle answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How will you be enough,&rsquo; asked the sultan, &lsquo;to manage this horse and all
      these clothes?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, that is easily done,&rsquo; replied the gazelle. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Everything was carried out as the gazelle had ordered, and when all was
      ready it said to the sultan: &lsquo;Farewell, my lord, I am going.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Farewell, gazelle,&rsquo; answered the sultan; &lsquo;when shall we see you again?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To-morrow about five,&rsquo; replied the gazelle, and, giving a tug to the
      horse&rsquo;s rein, they set off at a gallop.
    </p>
    <p>
      The sultan watched them till they were out of sight: then he said to his
      attendants, &lsquo;That gazelle comes from gentle hands, from the house of a
      sultan, and that is what makes it so different from other gazelles.&rsquo; And
      in the eyes of the sultan the gazelle became a person of consequence.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the gazelle said to him, &lsquo;Get up, my master, and bathe in the stream!&rsquo; 
      and when the man had bathed it said again, &lsquo;Now rub yourself well with
      earth, and rub your teeth well with sand to make them bright and shining.&rsquo; 
      And when this was done it said, &lsquo;The sun has gone down behind the hills;
      it is time for us to go&rsquo;: so it went and brought the clothes from the back
      of the horse, and the man put them on and was well pleased.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Master!&rsquo; said the gazelle when the man was ready, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very good, I will be silent,&rsquo; replied the man as he mounted the horse.
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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, &lsquo;Master, that is the
      house we are going to, and you are not a poor man any longer: even your
      name is new.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What IS my name, eh, my father?&rsquo; asked the man.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Sultan Darai,&rsquo; said the gazelle.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Directly the gazelle saw them coming, it said to its master: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The next morning the gazelle went to the rooms of the sultan, and said to
      him: &lsquo;My lord, we want you to marry us our wife, for the soul of Sultan
      Darai is eager.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The wife is ready, so call the priest,&rsquo; answered he, and when the
      ceremony was over a cannon was fired and music was played, and within the
      palace there was feasting.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Master,&rsquo; said the gazelle the following morning, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the master answered, &lsquo;I will not leave the house.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And it went to the sultan of the country and said to him: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very good,&rsquo; said the sultan.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
      &lsquo;That,&rsquo; thought the gazelle, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then it knocked twice at the door, and cried &lsquo;Open,&rsquo; but no one answered.
      And it cried again, and a voice replied:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Who are you that are crying &ldquo;Open&rdquo;?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the gazelle said, &lsquo;It is I, great mistress, your grandchild.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If you are my grandchild,&rsquo; returned the voice, &lsquo;go back whence you came.
      Don&rsquo;t come and die here, and bring me to my death as well.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Open, mistress, I entreat, I have something to say to you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Grandchild,&rsquo; replied she, &lsquo;I fear to put your life in danger, and my own
      too.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, mistress, my life will not be lost, nor yours either; open, I pray
      you.&rsquo; So she opened the door.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the news where you come from, my grandson,&rsquo; asked she.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Great lady, where I come from it is well, and with you it is well.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If I am to know it, I shall know it,&rsquo; replied the gazelle; &lsquo;but tell me,
      who is the lord of this house?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And she said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh!&rsquo; cried the gazelle when he heard this; &lsquo;tell me how I can get at the
      snake to kill him?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;My son,&rsquo; returned the old woman, &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Mind your own business, mother,&rsquo; answered the gazelle, &lsquo;and don&rsquo;t mind
      other people&rsquo;s! Has this snake a sword?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;He has a sword, and a sharp one too. It cuts like a dash of lightning.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Give it to me, mother!&rsquo; said the gazelle, and she unhooked the sword from
      the wall, as she was bidden. &lsquo;You must be quick,&rsquo; she said, &lsquo;for he may be
      here at any moment. Hark! is not that the wind rising? He has come!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You old body!&rsquo; he cried; &lsquo;what smell is that I smell inside that is not
      the smell of every day?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, master!&rsquo; answered she, &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Who is that who
      is trying to scratch me?&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;You have climbed all sorts of
      trees, but this you can&rsquo;t climb,&rsquo; and as the seventh head came darting
      through it went rolling to join the rest.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the sword fell rattling on the ground, for the gazelle had fainted.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Show me this house,&rsquo; it said, &lsquo;from beginning to end, from top to bottom,
      from inside to out.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So she arose and showed the gazelle rooms full of gold and precious
      things, and other rooms full of slaves. &lsquo;They are all yours, goods and
      slaves,&rsquo; said she.
    </p>
    <p>
      But the gazelle answered, &lsquo;You must keep them safe till I call my master.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the gazelle answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And he said: &lsquo;It is for you to speak. Where you go, I will follow.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then I shall go to your father-in-law and tell him this news.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Go, my son.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So the gazelle went to the father-in-law and said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the gazelle replied: &lsquo;My lord, you cannot help it, for he wishes to go
      home, and nothing will stop him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very good,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;more than they loved the Sultan Darai.
    </p>
    <p>
      At last one day signs of houses appeared, far, far off. And those who saw
      cried out, &lsquo;Gazelle!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And it answered, &lsquo;Ah, my mistresses, that is the house of Sultan Darai.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Old woman,
      leave me alone; the one to be carried is my master, and the one to be
      kissed is my master.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And she answered, &lsquo;Forgive me, my son. I did not know this was our
      master,&rsquo; 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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The gazelle and its master remained in the house many weeks, and one day
      it said to the old woman, &lsquo;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: &ldquo;Well, my gazelle, how did you get this house? Who is the owner
      of it? And this town, were there no people in it?&rdquo; All good things I have
      done for the master, and he has not one day done me any good thing. But
      people say, &ldquo;If you want to do any one good, don&rsquo;t do him good only, do
      him evil also, and there will be peace between you.&rdquo; So, mother, I have
      done: I want to see the favours I have done to my master, that he may do
      me the like.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good,&rsquo; replied the old woman, and they went to bed.
    </p>
    <p>
      In the morning, when light came, the gazelle was sick in its stomach and
      feverish, and its legs ached. And it said &lsquo;Mother!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And she answered, &lsquo;Here, my son?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And it said, &lsquo;Go and tell my master upstairs the gazelle is very ill.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very good, my son; and if he should ask me what is the matter, what am I
      to say?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Tell him all my body aches badly; I have no single part without pain.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Well,
      old woman, what do you want?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To tell the master the gazelle is ill,&rsquo; said she.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the matter?&rsquo; asked the wife.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;All its body pains; there is no part without pain.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, what can I do? Make some gruel of red millet, and give to it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But his wife stared and said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But he answered, &lsquo;Oh, you are mad! Rice is only kept for people.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Eh, master, this is not like a gazelle. It is the apple of your eye. If
      sand got into that, it would trouble you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;My wife, your tongue is long,&rsquo; and he left the room.
    </p>
    <p>
      The old woman saw she had spoken vainly, and went back weeping to the
      gazelle. And when the gazelle saw her it said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And he answered her, &lsquo;Silly chatterer, your words are many. I know its
      price; I bought it for an eighth. What loss will it be to me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The gazelle kept silence for a few moments. Then it said, &lsquo;The elders
      said, &ldquo;One that does good like a mother,&rdquo; 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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And tears sprung likewise to the eyes of the sultan&rsquo;s wife, and she said,
      &lsquo;I am sorry for you, my husband, that you should deal so wickedly with
      that gazelle&rsquo;; but he only answered, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The old woman went downstairs, and there lay the gazelle, blood flowing
      from its nostrils. And she took it in her arms and said, &lsquo;My son, the good
      you did is lost; there remains only patience.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And it said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; It paused for a moment, and then
      went on, &lsquo;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, &ldquo;He that does good like a mother!&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And it said, &lsquo;Go and tell my master that the gazelle is nearer death than
      life.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So she went, and spoke as the gazelle had bidden her; but he answered, &lsquo;I
      have told you to trouble me no more.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But his wife&rsquo;s heart was sore, and she said to him: &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But he answered, &lsquo;You are mad, my wife.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take also this cloth,&rsquo; she said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the news spread abroad, there was much weeping among the people, and
      Sultan Darai arose in wrath, and cried, &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But his wife answered, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And when the people heard her they lifted up their voices and spoke:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      So, then, when such an one departs from this world we weep for ourselves,
      we do not weep for the gazelle.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And they said furthermore:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But Sultan Darai would not heed their words, and the dead gazelle was
      thrown into the well.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come now with me; let us go and bury it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the three slaves went and told their mistress what the sultan had
      done, and how all the people were weeping, she answered:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Now after the days of mourning were at an end, the wife was sleeping at
      her husband&rsquo;s side, and in her sleep she dreamed that she was once more in
      her father&rsquo;s house, and when she woke up it was no dream.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Swahili Tales.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0015" id="link2H_4_0015">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      HOW A FISH SWAM IN THE AIR AND A HARE IN THE WATER.
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s back paid for it.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What can this be?&rsquo; thought he. &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll dig a bit and see.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So he dug and dug, and at last he came on a little pot full of gold and
      silver.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, what luck! Now, if only I knew how I could take this treasure home
      with me&mdash;&mdash;but I can never hope to hide it from my wife, and
      once she knows of it she&rsquo;ll tell all the world, and then I shall get into
      trouble.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he got into his cart and trotted merrily home.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Wife!&rsquo; cried he, the moment he got indoors. &lsquo;You can&rsquo;t think what a piece
      of good luck has come our way.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What, what, dear husband? Do tell me all about it at once.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, no, you&rsquo;ll just go off and tell everyone.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, indeed! How can you think such things! For shame! If you like I will
      swear never to&mdash;&mdash;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, well! if you are really in earnest then, listen.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And he whispered in her ear: &lsquo;I&rsquo;ve found a pot full of gold and silver in
      the forest! Hush!&mdash;&mdash;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And why didn&rsquo;t you bring it back?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Because we&rsquo;ll drive there together and bring it carefully back between
      us.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So the man and his wife drove to the forest.
    </p>
    <p>
      As they were driving along the man said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why, you must be crazy, husband! Dear, dear, what nonsense people do talk
      sometimes.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Nonsense, indeed! Why, just look. Bless my soul, if there isn&rsquo;t a fish, a
      real pike I do believe, up in that tree.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Gracious!&rsquo; cried his wife. &lsquo;How did a pike get there? It IS a pike&mdash;you
      needn&rsquo;t attempt to say it&rsquo;s not. Can people have said true&mdash;&mdash;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you standing staring at there, stupid?&rsquo; said his wife. &lsquo;Climb up
      the tree quick and catch the pike, and we&rsquo;ll cook it for dinner.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The man climbed up the tree and brought down the pike, and they drove on.
    </p>
    <p>
      When they got near the stream he drew up.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you staring at again?&rsquo; asked his wife impatiently. &lsquo;Drive on,
      can&rsquo;t you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why, I seem to see something moving in that net I set. I must just go and
      see what it is.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He ran to it, and when he had looked in it he called to his wife:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Just look! Here is actually a four-footed creature caught in the net. I
      do believe it&rsquo;s a hare.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good heavens!&rsquo; cried his wife. &lsquo;How did the hare get into your net? It IS
      a hare, so you needn&rsquo;t say it isn&rsquo;t. After all, people must have said the
      truth&mdash;&mdash;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But her husband only shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as if he
      could not believe his own eyes.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now what are you standing there for, stupid?&rsquo; cried his wife. &lsquo;Take up
      the hare. A nice fat hare is a dinner for a feast day.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You&rsquo;ve got no right to lecture me!&rsquo; said she. &lsquo;We found the treasure
      together, and together we will spend it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Her husband took patience, but at length he said to her: &lsquo;You may do as
      you please, but I sha&rsquo;n&rsquo;t give you another penny.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The old woman was very angry. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Off she went to the governor to complain of her husband.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;t work, and he
      keeps all the money to himself.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The governor took pity on the woman, and ordered his chief secretary to
      look into the matter.
    </p>
    <p>
      The secretary called the elders of the village together, and went with
      them to the man&rsquo;s house.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The governor,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;desires you to give all that treasure you found
      into my care.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The man shrugged his shoulders and said: &lsquo;What treasure? I know nothing
      about a treasure.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How? You know nothing? Why your wife has complained of you. Don&rsquo;t attempt
      to tell lies. If you don&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Nonsense, indeed,&rsquo; broke in his wife. &lsquo;A kettle full of gold and silver,
      do you call that nonsense?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;ll pay for it with my
      life.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This is how it all happened, Mr. Secretary,&rsquo; cried the wife. &lsquo;We were
      driving through the forest, and we saw a pike up in the top of a tree&mdash;&mdash;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What, a PIKE?&rsquo; shouted the secretary. &lsquo;Do you think you may joke with me,
      pray?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Indeed, I&rsquo;m not joking, Mr. Secretary! I&rsquo;m speaking the bare truth.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now you see, gentlemen,&rsquo; said her husband, &lsquo;how far you can trust her,
      when she chatters like this.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Chatter, indeed? I!! Perhaps you have forgotten, too, how we found a live
      hare in the river?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Everyone roared with laughter; even the secretary smiled and stroked his
      beard, and the man said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come, come, wife, everyone is laughing at you. You see for yourself,
      gentlemen, how far you can believe her.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, indeed,&rsquo; said the village elders, &lsquo;it is certainly the first time we
      have heard that hares thrive in the water or fish among the tree tops.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0016" id="link2H_4_0016">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      TWO IN A SACK
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      What kind of bird do you think he caught in his net? He caught a crane,
      and the crane said, &lsquo;Let me go free, and I&rsquo;ll show myself grateful.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The man answered, &lsquo;No, my dear fellow. I shall take you home, and then
      perhaps my wife won&rsquo;t scold me so much.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Said the crane: &lsquo;You had better come with me to my house,&rsquo; and so they
      went to the crane&rsquo;s house.
    </p>
    <p>
      When they got there, what do you think the crane took from the wall? He
      took down a sack, and he said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of a sack!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the crane said to him, &lsquo;Now take this sack to your wife.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The man thanked him warmly, took the sack, and set out.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s house by the way.
    </p>
    <p>
      The cousin had three daughters, who laid out a tempting supper, but the
      man would eat nothing, and said to his cousin, &lsquo;Your supper is bad.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, make the best of it,&rsquo; said she, but the man only said: &lsquo;Clear away!&rsquo; 
      and taking out his sack he cried, as the crane had taught him:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Go quickly
      and heat the bathroom: I am sure our dear guest would like to have a bath
      before he goes to bed.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s sack away.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      As soon as he saw his house he began to shout from a distance, &lsquo;Hallo! old
      woman! Come out and meet me!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      His wife screamed back: &lsquo;You come here, and I&rsquo;ll give you a good thrashing
      with the poker!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The man walked into the house, hung his sack on a nail, and said, as the
      crane had taught him:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But not a soul came out of the sack.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he said again, exactly as the crane had taught him:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      His wife, hearing him chattering goodness knows what, took up her wet
      broom and swept the ground all about him.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come back to my house,&rsquo; said the crane, and so they went to the crane&rsquo;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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take this sack,&rsquo; said the crane.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And instantly two rough men with thick sticks crept out of the bag and
      began to beat him well, crying as they did so:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
  &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t boast to your cousins of what you have got,
         One&mdash;two&mdash;
            Or you&rsquo;ll find you will catch it uncommonly hot,
                        One&mdash;two&mdash;&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      And they beat on till the man panted out:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two into the sack.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The words were hardly out of his mouth, when the two crept back into the
      sack.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the man shouldered the sack, and went off straight to his cousin&rsquo;s
      house. He hung the sack up on a nail, and said: &lsquo;Please have the bathroom
      heated, cousin.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The cousin heated the bathroom, and the man went into it, but he neither
      washed nor rubbed himself, he just sat there and waited.
    </p>
    <p>
      Meantime his cousin felt hungry, so she called her daughters, and all four
      sat down to table. Then the mother said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Instantly two rough men crept out of the sack, and began to beat the
      cousin as they cried:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
            &lsquo;Greedy pack!  Thievish pack!
                  One&mdash;two&mdash;
                      Give the peasant back his sack!
                           One&mdash;two&mdash;&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      And they went on beating till the woman called to her eldest daughter: &lsquo;Go
      and fetch your cousin from the bathroom. Tell him these two ruffians are
      beating me black and blue.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;ve not finished rubbing myself yet,&rsquo; said the peasant.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the two ruffians kept on beating as they sang:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;Greedy pack!  Thievish pack!
                  One&mdash;two&mdash;                     Give the peasant back his sack!

                          One&mdash;two&mdash;&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      Then the woman sent her second daughter and said: &lsquo;Quick, quick, get him
      to come to me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;m just washing my head,&rsquo; said the man.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then she sent the youngest girl, and he said: &lsquo;I&rsquo;ve not done drying
      myself.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      At last the woman could hold out no longer, and sent him the sack she had
      stolen.
    </p>
    <p>
      NOW he had quite finished his bath, and as he left the bathroom he cried:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two into the sack.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the two crept back at once into the sack.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the man took both sacks, the good and the bad one, and went away
      home.
    </p>
    <p>
      When he was near the house he shouted: &lsquo;Hallo, old woman, come and meet
      me!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      His wife only screamed out:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You broomstick, come here! Your back shall pay for this.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The man went into the cottage, hung his sack on a nail, and said, as the
      crane had taught him:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The woman ate and drank, and praised her husband.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, now, old man, I won&rsquo;t beat you any more,&rsquo; said she.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Meantime his wife became thirsty. She looked with longing eyes at the
      sack, and at last she said, as her husband had done:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two out of the sack.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And at once the two rogues with their big sticks crept out of the sack,
      and began to belabour her as they sang:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;Would you beat your husband true?

                Don&rsquo;t cry so!
                    Now we&rsquo;ll beat you black and blue!
                         Oh!  Oh!&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      The woman screamed out: &lsquo;Old man, old man! Come here, quick! Here are two
      ruffians pommelling me fit to break my bones.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Her husband only strolled up and down and laughed, as he said: &lsquo;Yes,
      they&rsquo;ll beat you well, old lady.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the two thumped away and sang again:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;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&mdash;two&mdash;&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      At last her husband took pity on her, and cried:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two into the sack.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He had hardly said the words before they were back in the sack again.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From Russiche Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0017" id="link2H_4_0017">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The story of the dog and his treasure soon became known, and a neighbour
      whose garden was next the old people&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How can you ask such a thing?&rsquo; answered the old man indignantly.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You know how much we love him, and that he is never out of our sight for
      five minutes.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s garden.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Your dog,&rsquo; said he, pretending to weep, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s, or perhaps even better. His heart beat with
      pleasure when he caught the first glimpses of the Daimio&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Japanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0018" id="link2H_4_0018">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE FAIRY OF THE DAWN
    </h2>
    <p>
      Once upon a time what should happen DID happen; and if it had not happened
      this tale would never have been told.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And all the while the emperor&rsquo;s sons were growing up. And such sons! All
      three like the morning stars in the sky!
    </p>
    <p>
      Florea, the eldest, was so tall and broad-shouldered that no man in the
      kingdom could approach him.
    </p>
    <p>
      Costan, the second, was quite different. Small of stature, and slightly
      built, he had a strong arm and stronger wrist.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s council!
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are grown up, Florea,&rsquo; said Petru one day to his eldest brother; &lsquo;do
      go and ask father why one eye laughs and the other weeps.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But Florea would not go. He had learnt by experience that this question
      always put the emperor in a rage.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru next went to Costan, but did not succeed any better with him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, well, as everyone else is afraid, I suppose I must do it myself,&rsquo; 
      observed Petru at length. No sooner said than done; the boy went straight
      to his father and put his question.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;May you go blind!&rsquo; exclaimed the emperor in wrath; &lsquo;what business is it
      of yours?&rsquo; and boxed Petru&rsquo;s ears soundly.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru returned to his brothers, and told them what had befallen him; but
      not long after it struck him that his father&rsquo;s left eye seemed to weep
      less, and the right to laugh more.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I wonder if it has anything to do with my question,&rsquo; thought he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll try again! After all, what do two boxes on the ear matter?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It really MUST be true,&rsquo; thought Petru. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      No sooner said than done. Petru never, never forswore himself.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Petru, my dear boy,&rsquo; cried the emperor, both his eyes laughing together,
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Thus spoke the emperor, and Petru picked up his hat and went to find his
      brothers.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am starting at once,&rsquo; said he to his brothers, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
      So saying he disappeared round a corner of the palace.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;oh! SUCH a dragon!&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The dragon heaved a sigh and vanished without leaving a trace behind him.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If I fail, then you come,&rsquo; said he, and followed the path that Florea had
      taken.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Nothing more was heard either of him or Florea; and Petru remained alone.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I must go after my brothers,&rsquo; said Petru one day to his father.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Go, then,&rsquo; said his father, &lsquo;and may you have better luck than they&rsquo;; and
      he bade farewell to Petru, who rode straight to the borders of the
      kingdom.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru stopped for a moment when he caught sight of this terrible creature.
      Then he found his voice.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Get out of the way!&rsquo; cried he. &lsquo;Get out of the way!&rsquo; he repeated again,
      as the dragon did not move. &lsquo;Get out of the way!&rsquo; 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&mdash;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&rsquo;s seven
      heads were vomiting flame.
    </p>
    <p>
      The horse neighed and reared at the horrible sight, and Petru could not
      use the sword he had in readiness.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Be quiet! this won&rsquo;t do!&rsquo; he said, dismounting hastily, but holding the
      bridle firmly in his left hand and grasping his sword in his right.
    </p>
    <p>
      But even so he got on no better, for he could see nothing but fire and
      smoke.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;There is no help for it; I must go back and get a better horse,&rsquo; said he,
      and mounted again and rode homewards.
    </p>
    <p>
      At the gate of the palace his nurse, old Birscha, was waiting for him
      eagerly.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah, Petru, my son, I knew you would have to come back,&rsquo; she cried. &lsquo;You
      did not set about the matter properly.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How ought I to have set about it?&rsquo; asked Petru, half angrily, half sadly.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Look here, my boy,&rsquo; replied old Birscha. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru thanked her heartily for her advice, and went at once to make
      inquiries about the horse.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;By the light of my eyes!&rsquo; exclaimed the emperor when Petru had put his
      question. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru turned away in anger, and went back to his old nurse.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not be cast down,&rsquo; she said with a smile; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take the reins,&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;and strike them violently against the pillars
      of the house.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru did what he was told, and scarcely had the reins touched the pillars
      when something happened&mdash;HOW I have no idea&mdash;that made Petru
      stare with surprise. A horse stood before him&mdash;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!
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Jump on the back of the brown horse,&rsquo; said the old woman, and she turned
      round and went into the house.
    </p>
    <p>
      The moment Petru was seated on the horse he felt his arm three times as
      strong as before, and even his heart felt braver.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Sit firmly in the saddle, my lord, for we have a long way to go and no
      time to waste,&rsquo; said the brown horse, and Petru soon saw that they were
      riding as no man and horse had ever ridden before.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Get out of the way!&rsquo; he said when he had done, but the dragon&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stop a moment; be careful, my lord,&rsquo; put in the horse, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s hoofs
      touched the ground again.
    </p>
    <p>
      And in this fashion they passed the bridge.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But we have got to go further still,&rsquo; said Petru, after he had taken a
      farewell glance at his native land.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, forwards,&rsquo; answered the horse; &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We will ride at different speeds,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;not so fast as to grow tired
      nor so slow as to waste time.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now walk, so that I may look about, and see what I have never seen
      before,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru stood and stared as a man does when he sees something that he has
      never seen, and of which he has never heard.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take me, for I am lovely, and can give strength to whoever plucks me,&rsquo; 
      said one.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, take me, for whoever wears me in his hat will be loved by the most
      beautiful woman in the world,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru was not deaf to their persuasion, and was just stooping to pick one
      when the horse sprang to one side.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why don&rsquo;t you stay still?&rsquo; asked Petru roughly.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not pick the flowers; it will bring you bad luck; answered the horse.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why should it do that?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;These flowers are under a curse. Whoever plucks them must fight the
      Welwa(1) of the woods.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      (1) A goblin.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What kind of a goblin is the Welwa?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, do leave me in peace! But listen. Look at the flowers as much as you
      like, but pick none,&rsquo; and the horse walked on slowly.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru knew by experience that he would do well to attend to the horse&rsquo;s
      advice, so he made a great effort and tore his mind away from the flowers.
    </p>
    <p>
      But in vain! If a man is fated to be unlucky, unlucky he will be, whatever
      he may do!
    </p>
    <p>
      The flowers went on beseeching him, and his heart grew ever weaker and
      weaker.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What must come will come,&rsquo; said Petru at length; &lsquo;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,&rsquo; 
      and once more he stooped down to gather the flowers.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You have done very wrong,&rsquo; said the horse sadly. &lsquo;But it can&rsquo;t be helped
      now. Get yourself ready for battle, for here is the Welwa!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Are you afraid?&rsquo; asked the horse, shaking his mane.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Not yet,&rsquo; replied Petru stoutly, though cold shivers were running down
      his back. &lsquo;What must come will come, whatever it is.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t be afraid,&rsquo; said the horse. &lsquo;I will help you. Take the bridle from
      my neck, and try to catch the Welwa with it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru planted himself firmly in his stirrups, and began to lay about him
      with his sword, but could feel nothing.
    </p>
    <p>
      A day and a night went by, and the fight was still undecided, but at last
      the Welwa began to pant for breath.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Let us wait a little and rest,&rsquo; gasped she.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru stopped and lowered his sword.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You must not stop an instant,&rsquo; said the horse, and Petru gathered up all
      his strength, and laid about him harder than ever.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Let us wait a little and rest,&rsquo; cried the Welwa for the second time, &lsquo;for
      I see you are as weary as I am.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You must not stop an instant,&rsquo; said the horse.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And on the third day they were still fighting, but as the morning sky
      began to redden Petru somehow managed&mdash;how I cannot tell&mdash;to
      throw the bridle over the head of the tired Welwa. In a moment, from the
      Welwa sprang a horse&mdash;the most beautiful horse in the world.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Sweet be your life, for you have delivered me from my enchantment,&rsquo; said
      he, and began to rub his nose against his brother&rsquo;s. And he told Petru all
      his story, and how he had been bewitched for many years.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stay still, and let me look about, and see what I never have seen
      before,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      As before, the flowers began to beg the young man to gather them.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not pluck them,&rsquo; warned the Welwa, trotting beside him, &lsquo;for my
      brother is seven times stronger than I&rsquo;; but though Petru knew by
      experience what this meant, it was no use, and after a moment&rsquo;s hesitation
      he began to gather the flowers, and to twist himself a wreath.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Sweet be your life, for you have delivered me from enchantment,&rsquo; said the
      second Welwa, and they all journeyed on as before.
    </p>
    <p>
      But soon they came to a gold wood more lovely far than the other two, and
      again Petru&rsquo;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. &lsquo;I will die!&rsquo; cried he,
      &lsquo;or he shall have my bridle over his head.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the Welwa? She had vanished.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You had better take breath now you can, for the fight will have to begin
      all over again,&rsquo; said the horse.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What was it?&rsquo; asked Petru.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It was the Welwa,&rsquo; replied the horse, &lsquo;changed into a fog &lsquo;Listen! She is
      coming!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Woe be to me!&rsquo; cried Petru, frightened at last.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Beware, and never stand still,&rsquo; called the brown horse, and more he could
      not say, for the water was choking him.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now I am done for,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take breath,&rsquo; said the horse, &lsquo;for you have no time to lose. The Welwa
      will return in a moment.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And then something came to him&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Make one more struggle; it is nearly over now,&rsquo; said the horse, seeing
      that Petru&rsquo;s strength was waning fast.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru wiped the sweat from his brow with his gauntlet, and with a
      desperate effort rose to his feet.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Strike the Welwa on the mouth with the bridle,&rsquo; said the horse, and Petru
      did it.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;May your wife be the most beautiful of women,&rsquo; said the Welwa, &lsquo;for you
      have delivered me from my enchantment.&rsquo; So the four horses galloped fast,
      and by nightfall they were at the borders of the golden forest.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then Petru began to think of the crowns that he wore, and what they had
      cost him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;After all, what do I want with so many? I will keep the best,&rsquo; he said to
      himself; and taking off first the copper crown and then the silver, he
      threw them away.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stay!&rsquo; cried the horse, &lsquo;do not throw them away! Perhaps we shall find
      them of use. Get down and pick them up.&rsquo; So Petru got down and picked them
      up, and they all went on.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      At the same instant the horse stood still of itself.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the matter?&rsquo; asked Petru.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am afraid that something evil will happen to us,&rsquo; answered the horse.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But why should it?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      (2) In German &lsquo;Mittwoch,&rsquo; the feminine form of Mercury.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And why should I not warm myself?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Something fearful will happen to you if you do,&rsquo; replied the horse sadly.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, forward!&rsquo; cried Petru lightly, &lsquo;and if I have to bear cold, I must
      bear it!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      At length they reached the dwelling of Mittwoch herself, and, jumping from
      his horse, Petru threw the reins over his horse&rsquo;s neck and entered the
      hut.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good-day, little mother!&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well, thank you, my frozen friend!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru laughed, and waited for her to speak.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You have borne yourself bravely,&rsquo; went on the goddess, tapping him on the
      shoulder. &lsquo;Now you shall have your reward,&rsquo; and she opened an iron chest,
      out of which she took a little box.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Look!&rsquo; said she; &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      If you open it, it will tell you anything you want, and give you news of
      your fatherland.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru thanked her gratefully for her gift, mounted his horse, and rode
      away.
    </p>
    <p>
      When he was some distance from the hut, he opened the casket.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are your commands?&rsquo; asked a voice inside.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Give me news of my father,&rsquo; he replied, rather nervously.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;He is sitting in council with his nobles,&rsquo; answered the casket.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is he well?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Not particularly, for he is furiously angry.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What has angered him?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Your brothers Costan and Florea,&rsquo; replied the casket. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Push on, good horse, for we have no time to lose!&rsquo; cried Petru; then he
      shut up the box, and put it in his pocket.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stop! I have some advice to give you,&rsquo; said the horse at last.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is it?&rsquo; asked Petru.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Forwards!&rsquo; answered Petru. &lsquo;Do not worry yourself. If I have escaped
      without being frozen, there is no chance of my melting.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why not? This is a heat that will melt the marrow in your bones&mdash;a
      heat that is only to be felt in the kingdom of the Goddess of Thunder.&lsquo;(3)
    </p>
    <p>
      (3) In the German &lsquo;Donnerstag&rsquo;&mdash;the day of the Thunder God, i.e.
      Jupiter.
    </p>
    <p>
      And it WAS hot. The very iron of the horse&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come, my hero, come and rest; the heat will kill you,&rsquo; said they.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru shook his head and said nothing, for he had lost the power of
      speech.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;For,&rsquo; he
      said, &lsquo;who knows how far the Fairy of the Dawn may yet be?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      (4) &lsquo;Vineri&rsquo; is Friday, and also &lsquo;Venus.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What can that be?&rsquo; asked Petru, when he saw a long, long way off, at the
      very end of the heath, something resembling a house.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;That is the house of the goddess Venus,&rsquo; replied the horse, &lsquo;and if we
      ride hard we may reach it before dark&rsquo;; and he darted off like an arrow,
      so that as twilight fell they found themselves nearing the house. Petru&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;They won&rsquo;t hurt you,&rsquo; said the horse; &lsquo;they are just the daughters of the
      whirlwind amusing themselves while they are waiting for the ogre of the
      moon.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he stopped in front of the house, and Petru jumped off and went to
      the door.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not be in such a hurry,&rsquo; cried the horse. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What am I to do then?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take the copper wreath, and go with it to that little hill over there.
      When you reach it, say to yourself, &ldquo;Were there ever such lovely maidens!
      such angels! such fairy souls!&rdquo; Then hold the wreath high in the air and
      cry, &ldquo;Oh! if I knew whether any one would accept this wreath from me... if
      I knew! if I knew!&rdquo; and throw the wreath from you!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And why should I do all this?&rsquo; said Petru.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ask no questions, but go and do it,&rsquo; replied the horse. And Petru did.
    </p>
    <p>
      Scarcely had he flung away the copper wreath than the whirlwind flung
      himself upon it, and tore it in pieces.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then Petru turned once more to the horse.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stop!&rsquo; cried the horse again. &lsquo;I have other things to tell you.
    </p>
    <p>
      Take the silver wreath and knock at the windows of the goddess Venus. When
      she says, &ldquo;Who is there?&rdquo; 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, &ldquo;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.&rdquo; This is what you must say. What happens
      after is your affair.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru asked no more, but went towards the house.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Which of those dogs is barking? Is he tired of life?&rsquo; asked the goddess
      Venus.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is I, O goddess!&rsquo; replied Petru, rather timidly. &lsquo;I have lost my way
      on the heath, and do not know where I am to sleep this night.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Where did you leave your horse?&rsquo; asked the goddess sharply.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru did not answer. He was not sure if he was to lie, or whether he had
      better tell the truth.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Go away, my son, there is no place for you here,&rsquo; replied she, drawing
      back from the window.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Let me see this wreath, my son,&rsquo; and Petru held it out to her.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come into the house,&rsquo; went on the goddess; &lsquo;do not fear the dogs, they
      always know my will.&rsquo; And so they did, for as the young man passed they
      wagged their tails to him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good evening,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      But Venus was joyful in her heart when she saw Petru&rsquo;s eyes fixed upon
      her.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Nothing was that is, and the world was not a world when I was born,&rsquo; said
      she. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru did not know what to do. He listened in silence for the most part,
      but now and then he would say, &lsquo;Yes, yes, you must have been badly
      treated,&rsquo; just for politeness&rsquo; sake; what more could he do?
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I will give you a task to perform, for you are brave, and will carry it
      through,&rsquo; continued Venus, when she had talked a long time, and both of
      them were getting sleepy. &lsquo;Close to the Fairy&rsquo;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.&rsquo; Then she rose and lifted the lid of an
      iron-bound chest, and took out of it a very tiny flute.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do you see this?&rsquo; she asked. &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      So Petru bade her good-night, put the flute in its case, and laid himself
      down in the lowest chamber to sleep.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stop,&rsquo; cried Venus from her window, &lsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      She is hideous, more hideous than anything you can imagine, with owl&rsquo;s
      eyes, foxy face, and cat&rsquo;s claws. Do you hear? do you hear? Be sure you
      never look at her.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Petru thanked her, and managed to get off at last.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s haste he stopped to measure him.
    </p>
    <p>
      The further went Petru, the more strange and terrible were the sights he
      saw&mdash;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?
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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!
    </p>
    <p>
      So he stood thinking what was to be done, for get across he must.
    </p>
    <p>
      After a while, he determined to take the risk, and strode back to the
      sleeping giant. &lsquo;Wake up, my brave man!&rsquo; he cried, giving him a shake.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Wake up, my brave man.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When the giant saw the trick which had been played on him he said to
      Petru. &lsquo;Do you call this a fair fight? Fight according to rules, if you
      really are a hero!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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?&rsquo; And
      the giant swore.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s throat.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Let me go! let me go!&rsquo; shrieked he. &lsquo;I own that I am beaten!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Will you take me over the river?&rsquo; asked Petru.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I will,&rsquo; gasped the giant.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What shall I do to you if you break your word?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Kill me, any way you like! But let me live now.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well,&rsquo; said Petru, and he bound the giant&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;That is all right,&rsquo; 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, &lsquo;If they are so beautiful,
      why should the Fairy of the Dawn be so ugly?&rsquo; But he dared not linger, and
      pushed on.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He passed through the courtyard, and entered the castle itself.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;the
      Fairy of the Dawn&mdash;herself!
    </p>
    <p>
      And as Petru looked at her the magic flute dropped by his side, and he
      held his breath.
    </p>
    <p>
      Near the well was a table, on which stood bread made with does&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The goddess Venus knew that he was coming, and went to meet him, bearing
      with her white bread and red wine.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Welcome back, my prince,&rsquo; said she.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good day, and many thanks,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stay, I have a warning to give you,&rsquo; said she. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are lying!&rsquo; cried Petru angrily, throwing the box on the ground,
      where it broke into a thousand pieces.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You, Petru!&rsquo; it said.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;On! on!&rsquo; cried the horse; &lsquo;it will fare ill with you if you stop.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, let us stop, and see who and what it is!&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Petru, my dear brother,&rsquo; at length said Florea, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;So it would,&rsquo; added Costan. &lsquo;Florea speaks well.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      At a stone&rsquo;s throw from where they stood ran a rushing stream, with clear
      deep pools.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t you feel thirsty, Costan?&rsquo; asked Florea, winking at him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes,&rsquo; replied Costan, understanding directly what was wanted. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The horse neighed, and Petru knew what it meant, and did not go with his
      brothers.
    </p>
    <p>
      No, he went home to his father, and cured his blindness; and as for his
      brothers, they never returned again.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From Rumanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0019" id="link2H_4_0019">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE ENCHANTED KNIFE
    </h2>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The sun had hardly risen the following morning when the princess&rsquo;s nurse
      brought the young man to her apartments. Neither spoke for some minutes,
      but stood holding each other&rsquo;s hands for joy, till at last they both cried
      out that nothing but death should part them. Then the maiden said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; 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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      (Volksmarchen der Serben.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0020" id="link2H_4_0020">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      JESPER WHO HERDED THE HARES
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Now it so happened that in a little corner of the king&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Next morning Peter put his pearls in a little basket, and set off for the
      king&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come and help me,&rsquo; said the King of the Ants; &lsquo;the beetles are too big
      for us. I may help you some day in return.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have no time to waste on other people&rsquo;s affairs,&rsquo; said Peter; &lsquo;just
      fight away as best you can;&rsquo; and with that he walked off and left them.
    </p>
    <p>
      A little further on the way he met an old woman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good morning, young man,&rsquo; said she; &lsquo;you are early astir. What have you
      got in your basket?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Cinders,&rsquo; said Peter promptly, and walked on, adding to himself, &lsquo;Take
      that for being so inquisitive.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well, cinders be it,&rsquo; the old woman called after him, but he
      pretended not to hear her.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come and help me,&rsquo; said the King of the Ants; &lsquo;we got the worst of it
      yesterday. I may help you some day in return.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t care though you get the worst of it to-day too,&rsquo; said Paul. &lsquo;I
      have more important business on hand than mixing myself up in your
      quarrels.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So he walked on, and presently the same old woman met him. &lsquo;Good morning,&rsquo; 
      said she; &lsquo;what have YOU got in your basket?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Cinders,&rsquo; said Paul, who was quite as insolent as his brother, and quite
      as anxious to teach other people good manners.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well, cinders be it,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The third day came, and with it came Jesper&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come and help us,&rsquo; said their king to Jesper, &lsquo;or we shall be completely
      defeated. I may help you some day in return.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Just call on me when you want me,&rsquo; he said, &lsquo;where-ever you are. I&rsquo;m
      never far away from anywhere, and if I can possibly help you, I shall not
      fail to do it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Good morning,&rsquo; said she; &lsquo;what have YOU got in
      your basket?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Pearls,&rsquo; said Jesper; &lsquo;I&rsquo;m going to the palace to win the princess with
      them.&rsquo; And in case she might not believe him, he lifted the cover and let
      her see them.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Beautiful,&rsquo; said the old woman; &lsquo;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,&rsquo; she said, &lsquo;I see you have
      brought something with you to eat. Won&rsquo;t you give that to me: you are sure
      to get a good dinner at the palace.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, of course,&rsquo; said Jesper, &lsquo;I hadn&rsquo;t thought of that&rsquo;; and he handed
      over the whole of his lunch to the old woman.
    </p>
    <p>
      He had already taken a few steps on the way again, when the old woman
      called him back.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Here,&rsquo; she said; &lsquo;take this whistle in return for your lunch. It isn&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;t the
      kind of son-in-law that the king had expected, and he said so to the
      queen.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Never mind,&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;you can easily set him such tasks as he will
      never be able to perform: we shall soon get rid of him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, of course,&rsquo; said the king; &lsquo;really I forget things nowadays, with
      all the bustle we have had of late.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      After breakfast was over, the king said to Jesper, &lsquo;Just come with me, and
      I&rsquo;ll show you what you must do first.&rsquo; He led him out to the barn, and
      there in the middle of the floor was a large pile of grain. &lsquo;Here,&rsquo; said
      the king, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;unless, he suddenly thought&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is that all?&rsquo; said the ant; &lsquo;we shall soon put that to rights.&rsquo; He gave
      the royal signal, and in a minute or two a stream of ants came pouring
      into the barn, who under the king&rsquo;s orders set to work to separate the
      grain into the proper heaps.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Wonderful,&rsquo; said he; &lsquo;I couldn&rsquo;t have believed it possible. However, the
      hardest is yet to come, as you will see to-morrow.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Jesper thought so too when the next day&rsquo;s task was set before him. The
      king&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now,&rsquo; said the king, &lsquo;as he walked away, &lsquo;let&rsquo;s see what your cleverness
      can do here.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;One of them must be got out of his hands by hook or crook,&rsquo; said he.
      &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll go and see the queen about it; she&rsquo;s good at devising plans.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      A little later, a girl in a shabby dress came into the field and walked up
      to Jesper.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do give me one of those hares,&rsquo; she said; &lsquo;we have just got visitors who
      are going to stay to dinner, and there&rsquo;s nothing we can give them to eat.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I can&rsquo;t,&rsquo; said Jesper. &lsquo;For one thing, they&rsquo;re not mine; for another, a
      great deal depends on my having them all here in the evening.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well; give me a kiss and you shall have one of them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He could see that she didn&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Fie,&rsquo; said she; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Just as you like,&rsquo; said Jesper; &lsquo;you know best whether you want the hare
      or not.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      There was no help for it, and a pretty figure the old lady made in
      carrying out her task; the cackling wasn&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Young man,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;I want one of those hares; name your price, but I
      MUST have one of them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;All right,&rsquo; said Jesper; &lsquo;you can have one at an easy rate. Just stand on
      your head, whack your heels together, and cry &ldquo;Hurrah,&rdquo; and the hare is
      yours.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Eh, what!&rsquo; said the old fellow; &lsquo;ME stand on my head, what an idea!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, very well,&rsquo; said Jesper, &lsquo;you needn&rsquo;t unless you like, you know; but
      then you won&rsquo;t get the hare.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;Hurrah&rsquo; were rather feeble, but Jesper was not very
      exacting, and the hare was handed over. Of course, it wasn&rsquo;t long in
      coming back again, like the others.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, well,&rsquo; said the king; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now,&rsquo; said the king, &lsquo;you must tell us as many undoubted truths as will
      fill that tub, or you can&rsquo;t have the princess.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But how are we to know when the tub is full?&rsquo; said Jesper.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t you trouble about that,&rsquo; said the king; &lsquo;that&rsquo;s my part of the
      business.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yesterday,&rsquo; he said, &lsquo;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&rsquo;t that true?&rsquo; said he, looking at her.
    </p>
    <p>
      The princess blushed and looked very uncomfortable, but had to admit that
      it was true.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;That hasn&rsquo;t filled much of the tub,&rsquo; said the king. &lsquo;Go on again.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;After that,&rsquo; said Jesper, &lsquo;a stout old woman, in a peasant&rsquo;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&rsquo;t that true, now?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The queen turned very red and hot, but couldn&rsquo;t deny it.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;H-m,&rsquo; said the king; &lsquo;that is something, but the tub isn&rsquo;t full yet.&rsquo; To
      the queen he whispered, &lsquo;I didn&rsquo;t think you would be such a fool.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What did YOU do?&rsquo; she whispered in return.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do you suppose I would do anything for HIM?&rsquo; said the king, and then
      hurriedly ordered Jesper to go on.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;In the next place,&rsquo; said Jesper, &lsquo;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
      &ldquo;Hurrah&rdquo;; and that old fellow was the&mdash;&mdash;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stop, stop,&rsquo; shouted the king; &lsquo;you needn&rsquo;t say another word; the tub is
      full.&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s hands if he
      looked after the people as well as he herded the hares.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Scandinavian.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0021" id="link2H_4_0021">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE UNDERGROUND WORKERS
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Come with me,&rsquo; said the man, &lsquo;a little way off we
      have made a large fire, and you will rest far better there than out upon
      this moor.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is your name?&rsquo; asked the stranger, suddenly turning round.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am called Hans, the son of Long Hans,&rsquo; said the peasant.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well! you son of Long Hans, isn&rsquo;t this more comfortable than your juniper
      bush?&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      From time to time he would give his workmen a sign with his staff, for it
      was useless to speak amid such a noise.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; hard
      labour came the time for rest, and they all flung their hammers to the
      ground and trooped out of the cave.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the master got down from his seat and said to Hans:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; With these words he unlocked a door in the cave, and
      bade Hans pass in before him.
    </p>
    <p>
      Oh, what riches and treasures met Hans&rsquo; 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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why, you have no more power than a flea,&rsquo; laughed the host; &lsquo;you will
      have to content yourself with feasting your eyes upon them!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the reason,&rsquo; he asked of his guide, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And it is exactly for that reason,&rsquo; answered he, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am not really a man,&rsquo; replied his guide, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s night, and in
      place of his wooden stick he held a finely worked golden staff.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Between Christmas and the New Year,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;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&rsquo;s faults, while nobody thinks of his own.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      In this way Hans suddenly became rich&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Ehstnische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0022" id="link2H_4_0022">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE HISTORY OF DWARF LONG NOSE
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&mdash;if we
      only knew how.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This way, gentlemen! See these lovely cabbages and these fresh herbs!
      Early apples, ladies; early pears and apricots, and all cheap. Come, buy,
      buy!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      In this fashion she came along till she got to the stall where Jem and his
      mother were, and there she stopped.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Are you Hannah the herb seller?&rsquo; she asked in a croaky voice as her head
      shook to and fro.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, I am,&rsquo; was the answer. &lsquo;Can I serve you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We&rsquo;ll see; we&rsquo;ll see! Let me look at those herbs. I wonder if you&rsquo;ve got
      what I want,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The cobbler&rsquo;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, &lsquo;Bad stuff, bad stuff; much better fifty years ago&mdash;all
      bad.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      This made Jem very angry
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are a very rude old woman,&rsquo; he cried out. &lsquo;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&rsquo;s all bad stuff, though the duke&rsquo;s cook himself buys all his herbs from
      us.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The old woman looked sharply at the saucy boy, laughed unpleasantly, and
      said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;So you don&rsquo;t like my long nose, sonny? Well, you shall have one yourself,
      right down to your chin.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      As she spoke she shuffled towards the hamper of cabbages, took up one
      after another, squeezed them hard, and threw them back, muttering again,
      &lsquo;Bad stuff, bad stuff.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t waggle your head in that horrid way,&rsquo; begged Jem anxiously. &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t you like thin necks?&rsquo; laughed the old woman. &lsquo;Then you sha&rsquo;n&rsquo;t have
      any, but a head stuck close between your shoulders so that it may be quite
      sure not to fall off.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t talk such nonsense to the child,&rsquo; said the mother at last.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If you wish to buy, please make haste, as you are keeping other customers
      away.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well, I will do as you ask,&rsquo; said the old woman, with an angry look.
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;ll
      pay him for his trouble.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The little fellow didn&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s clothes, whilst even their hats
      were put on in the newest fashion.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Where are my slippers, lazy crew?&rsquo; cried the old woman, and hit about
      with her stick. &lsquo;How long am I to stand waiting here?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Sit down,&rsquo; said the old woman pleasantly, and she pushed Jem into a
      corner of a sofa and put a table close in front of him. &lsquo;Sit down, you&rsquo;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&rsquo;ll give you some nice soup, which
      you&rsquo;ll remember as long as you live.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So saying, she whistled again. First came in guinea pigs in men&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;There, my boy,&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;eat this soup and then you&rsquo;ll have everything
      which pleased you so much about me. And you shall be a clever cook too,
      but the real herb&mdash;no, the REAL herb you&rsquo;ll never find. Why had your
      mother not got it in her basket?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;he
      had learnt it all, and learnt it well and quickly.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&mdash;he woke up!
    </p>
    <p>
      There he lay on the old woman&rsquo;s sofa and stared about him in surprise.
      &lsquo;Well, what odd dreams one does have to be sure!&rsquo; he said to himself.
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;t she scold me, though, for sleeping away
      here in a strange house, instead of helping her at market!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Just look at
      the ugly dwarf!&rsquo; &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He hesitated what to do, but at last he slipped behind her, laid a hand on
      her arm, and said: &lsquo;Mammy, what&rsquo;s the matter? Are you angry with me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      She turned round quickly and jumped up with a cry of horror.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What do you want, you hideous dwarf?&rsquo; she cried; &lsquo;get away; I can&rsquo;t bear
      such tricks.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But, mother dear, what&rsquo;s the matter with you?&rsquo; repeated Jem, quite
      frightened. &lsquo;You can&rsquo;t be well. Why do you want to drive your son away?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have said already, get away,&rsquo; replied Hannah, quite angrily. &lsquo;You won&rsquo;t
      get anything out of me by your games, you monstrosity.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh dear, oh dear! she must be wandering in her mind,&rsquo; murmured the lad to
      himself. &lsquo;How can I manage to get her home? Dearest mother, do look at me
      close. Can&rsquo;t you see I am your own son Jem?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, did you ever hear such impudence?&rsquo; asked Hannah, turning to a
      neighbour. &lsquo;Just see that frightful dwarf&mdash;would you believe that he
      wants me to think he is my son Jem?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s stall.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now I&rsquo;ll see whether he will know me,&rsquo; thought he. &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll stand by the
      door and talk to him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Good
      heavens! what is that?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good evening, master,&rsquo; said the boy, as he stepped in. &lsquo;How do you do?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very ill, little sir, replied the father, to Jem&rsquo;s surprise, for he did
      not seem to know him. &lsquo;Business does not go well. I am all alone, and am
      getting old, and a workman is costly.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But haven&rsquo;t you a son who could learn your trade by degrees?&rsquo; asked Jem.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But where is your son?&rsquo; asked Jem, with a trembling voice.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Heaven only knows!&rsquo; replied the man; &lsquo;seven years ago he was stolen from
      the market-place, and we have heard no more of him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;SEVEN YEARS AGO!&rsquo; cried Jem, with horror.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo; houses, where he was petted and made much of. But I used to say,
      &ldquo;Take care&mdash;the town is large, there are plenty of bad people in it&mdash;keep
      a sharp eye on Jem.&rdquo; And so it happened; for one day an old woman came and
      bought a lot of things&mdash;more than she could carry; so my wife, being
      a kindly soul, lent her the boy, and&mdash;we have never seen him since.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And that was seven years ago, you say?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, seven years: we had him cried&mdash;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      As his father spoke, things grew clearer to Jem&rsquo;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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is there anything I can do for you, young gentleman? Shall I make you a
      pair of slippers, or perhaps&rsquo; with a smile&mdash;&lsquo;a case for your nose?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What have you to do with my nose?&rsquo; asked Jem. &lsquo;And why should I want a
      case for it?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, everyone to his taste,&rsquo; replied the cobbler; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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!
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Master,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;have you got a glass that I could see myself in?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Young gentleman,&rsquo; was the answer, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So saying, he gently pushed Jem into the street, shut the door, and went
      back to his work.
    </p>
    <p>
      Jem stepped across to the barber, whom he had known in old days.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good morning, Urban,&rsquo; said he; &lsquo;may I look at myself in your glass for a
      moment?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;With pleasure,&rsquo; said the barber, laughing, and all the people in his shop
      fell to laughing also. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No wonder you did not know your child again, dear mother,&rsquo; thought he;
      &lsquo;he wasn&rsquo;t like this when you were so proud of his looks.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      His eyes had grown quite small, like pigs&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s shop.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;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&rsquo;s stall.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Look here,&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Indeed!&rsquo; interrupted the cobbler angrily. &lsquo;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&rsquo;ll bewitch you!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So saying, he caught up a bundle of straps, and hit out at Jem so hard
      that he ran off crying.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;For goodness sake, be quiet, can&rsquo;t you.
      Don&rsquo;t you know his highness is still asleep?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Some of the servants ran off at once, and others pointed out Jem.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When he heard him ask for a place as cook, he said: &lsquo;You make some
      mistake, my lad. I think you want to be the grand duke&rsquo;s dwarf, don&rsquo;t
      you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, sir,&rsquo; replied Jem. &lsquo;I am an experienced cook, and if you will kindly
      take me to the head cook he may find me of some use.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, as you will; but believe me, you would have an easier place as the
      grand ducal dwarf.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So saying, the head steward led him to the head cook&rsquo;s room.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Sir,&rsquo; asked Jem, as he bowed till his nose nearly touched the floor, &lsquo;do
      you want an experienced cook?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The head cook looked him over from head to foot, and burst out laughing.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the dwarf was not to be put off.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What matters an extra egg or two, or a little butter or flour and spice
      more or less, in such a house as this?&rsquo; said he. &lsquo;Name any dish you wish
      to have cooked, and give me the materials I ask for, and you shall see.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He said much more, and at last persuaded the head cook to give him a
      trial.
    </p>
    <p>
      They went into the kitchen&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the head cook came in with Jem everyone stood quite still.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What has his highness ordered for luncheon?&rsquo; asked the head cook.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Sir, his highness has graciously ordered a Danish soup and red Hamburg
      dumplings.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good,&rsquo; said the head cook. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is that all!&rsquo; said Jem, who had often made both dishes. &lsquo;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,&rsquo; he added in a low voice to
      the head cook, &lsquo;I shall want four different kinds of meat, some wine, a
      duck&rsquo;s marrow, some ginger, and a herb called heal-well.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why,&rsquo; cried the astonished cook, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;One, two, three,&rsquo; till he got to five
      hundred when he cried, &lsquo;Now!&rsquo; The saucepans were taken off, and he invited
      the head cook to taste.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;First rate, indeed!&rsquo; he exclaimed. &lsquo;You certainly are a
      master of the art, little fellow, and the herb heal-well gives a
      particular relish.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      As he was speaking, the duke&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The grand duke was looking much pleased. He had emptied the dishes, and
      was wiping his mouth as the head cook came in. &lsquo;Who cooked my luncheon
      to-day?&rsquo; asked he. &lsquo;I must say your dumplings are always very good; but I
      don&rsquo;t think I ever tasted anything so delicious as they were to-day. Who
      made them?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is a strange story, your highness,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If you will stay with me,&rsquo; said the grand duke, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Jem bowed to the ground, and promised to obey his new master in all
      things.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Dwarf Long Nose&mdash;as he was always called&mdash;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&rsquo;s special body cook, and
      every goose-woman felt honoured if his nose turned her way.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;That goose is ill,&rsquo; said he; &lsquo;I
      must make haste to kill and dress her.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the goose answered him quite distinctly:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;Squeeze too tight
           And I&rsquo;ll bite,
           If my neck a twist you gave
           I&rsquo;d bring you to an early grave.&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      Quite frightened, the dwarf set down the cage, and the goose gazed at him
      with sad wise-looking eyes and sighed again.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good gracious!&rsquo; said Long Nose. &lsquo;So you can speak, Mistress Goose. I
      never should have thought it! Well, don&rsquo;t be anxious. I know better than
      to hurt so rare a bird. But I could bet you were not always in this
      plumage&mdash;wasn&rsquo;t I a squirrel myself for a time?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are right,&rsquo; said the goose, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Be quite easy, Mistress Mimi,&rsquo; comforted Jem. &lsquo;As sure as I&rsquo;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&rsquo;ll
      come and talk to you as much as I can. I&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I know a little of these matters, and what you say shows me that you are
      under a herb enchantment&mdash;that is to say, that if you can find the
      herb whose smell woke you up the spell would be broken.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      This was but small comfort for Jem, for how and where was he to find the
      herb?
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The dwarf bowed and answered:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Your highness shall be obeyed. I will do all in my power to please you
      and the prince.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are a wonderful cook,&rsquo; said the prince, &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have waited, hoping that your highness&rsquo; visit here would last some
      time, for I proposed to celebrate the last day of your stay with this
      truly royal dish.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Indeed,&rsquo; laughed the grand duke; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;As your highness pleases,&rsquo; said the dwarf, and took leave.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; Then she told him what to
      put in, adding: &lsquo;I think that will be all right, and if some trifle is
      left out perhaps they won&rsquo;t find it out.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;t you think so, dear
      friend?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince took several small pieces, tasted and examined carefully, and
      then said with a mysterious and sarcastic smile:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The dish is very nicely made, but the Suzeraine is not quite complete&mdash;as
      I expected.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The grand duke flew into a rage.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dog of a cook,&rsquo; he shouted; &lsquo;how dare you serve me so? I&rsquo;ve a good mind
      to chop off your great head as a punishment.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;For mercy&rsquo;s sake, don&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince laughed. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The grand duke was more furious than ever.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But I WILL taste it to perfection,&rsquo; he roared. &lsquo;Either the pasty must be
      made properly to-morrow or this rascal&rsquo;s head shall come off. Go,
      scoundrel, I give you twenty-four hours respite.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The poor dwarf hurried back to his room, and poured out his grief to the
      goose.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, is that all,&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, yes!&rsquo; cried Long Nose, much relieved; &lsquo;near the lake&mdash;only a
      couple of hundred yards from the palace&mdash;is a large clump of them.
      But why do you ask?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Because the herb only grows near the roots of chestnut trees,&rsquo; replied
      Mimi; &lsquo;so let us lose no time in finding it. Take me under your arm and
      put me down out of doors, and I&rsquo;ll hunt for it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;nothing to be seen, and evening was drawing on!
    </p>
    <p>
      Suddenly the dwarf noticed a big old tree standing alone on the other side
      of the lake. &lsquo;Look,&rsquo; cried he, &lsquo;let us try our luck there.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;There it is, and there is more growing here,
      so you will have no lack of it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What a wonder!&rsquo; cried Long Nose. &lsquo;I do believe this is the very herb
      which changed me from a squirrel into my present miserable form. Shall I
      try an experiment?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Not yet,&rsquo; said the goose. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So they went back to Jem&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The goose looked on in amazement. &lsquo;Oh, how big and how beautiful you are!&rsquo; 
      she cried. &lsquo;Thank heaven, you are quite changed.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I owe you my life and my release,&rsquo; he said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The goose accepted his offer with joy, and they managed to slip out of the
      palace unnoticed by anyone.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      I must not forget to mention that much disturbance was caused in the
      palace by Jem&rsquo;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 &lsquo;Herb
      War.&rsquo; After many battles and much loss of life, a peace was at last
      concluded, and this peace became known as the &lsquo;Pasty Peace,&rsquo; because at
      the banquet given in its honour the prince&rsquo;s cook dished up the Queen of
      Pasties&mdash;the Suzeraine&mdash;and the grand duke declared it to be
      quite excellent.
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0023" id="link2H_4_0023">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE NUNDA, EATER OF PEOPLE
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Time passed, and one day the sultan, to his great joy, saw signs of fruit
      on his date tree. And he told his vizir, &lsquo;My date tree is bearing;&rsquo; and he
      told the officers, &lsquo;My date tree is bearing;&rsquo; and he told the judges, &lsquo;My
      date tree is bearing;&rsquo; and he told all the rich men of the town.
    </p>
    <p>
      He waited patiently for some days till the dates were nearly ripe, and
      then he called his six sons, and said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the eldest son answered, &lsquo;I will go, father,&rsquo; and he went.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;clock, and
      then it grew so cold he could dance no longer, and one of the slaves said
      to him: &lsquo;It is getting light; the tree is safe; lie down, master, and go
      to sleep.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So he lay down and slept, and his slaves slept likewise.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Your father set you to watch the tree, and you have not watched, and the
      dates have all been eaten by a bird.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The lad jumped up and ran to the tree to see for himself, but there was
      not a date anywhere. And he cried aloud, &lsquo;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, &ldquo;You had slaves, did they not fight with the Bedouins?&rdquo; It is
      the truth that will be best, and that will I tell him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Give me the news from the garden,&rsquo; said the sultan.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the youth answered, &lsquo;The dates have all been eaten by some bird: there
      is not one left.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The sultan was silent for a moment: then he asked, &lsquo;Where were you when
      the bird came?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The lad answered: &lsquo;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, &ldquo;There is not one date
      left on the tree!&rdquo; And I went to the date tree, and saw it was true; and
      that is what I have to tell you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the sultan replied, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;My son, I am longing to taste those
      dates: go and watch over them, for to-day&rsquo;s sun will bring them to
      perfection.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the lad answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good,&rsquo; said the sultan.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;beautiful
      dates, swinging in bunches.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah, my father will have a feast, indeed,&rsquo; thought he. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And he sat and read till the cocks crew and it grew light, and the dates
      were still on the tree.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh my father will have his dates; they are all safe now,&rsquo; he thought to
      himself. &lsquo;I will make myself comfortable against this tree,&rsquo; and he leaned
      against the trunk, and sleep came on him, and the bird flew down and ate
      all the dates.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Look at the
      tree.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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,
      &lsquo;My master, what is it?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He answered, &lsquo;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, &ldquo;To-morrow at seven you shall taste the dates&rdquo;? And he will
      drive me away, as he drove away my brother! I will go away myself, before
      he sends me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the young man said, &lsquo;The dates are not ripe yet; you must return
      to-morrow.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the slave went with him to the palace, where the sultan was sitting
      with his four sons.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good greeting, master!&rsquo; said the youth.
    </p>
    <p>
      And the sultan answered, &lsquo;Have you seen the man I sent?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have, master; but the dates are not yet ripe.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the sultan did not believe his words, and said; &lsquo;This second year I
      have eaten no dates, because of my sons. Go your ways, you are my son no
      longer!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Father, this year you shall eat dates,&rsquo; 
      cried he. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; But his father and his mother
      laughed heartily, and thought his words idle talk.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How is it that you have bidden a man to watch the tree, when I, your son,
      am left?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And his father answered, &lsquo;Ah, six were of no use, and where they failed,
      will you succeed?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the boy replied: &lsquo;Have patience to-day, and let me go, and to-morrow
      you shall see whether I bring you dates or not.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Let the child go, Master,&rsquo; said his wife; &lsquo;perhaps we shall eat the dates&mdash;or
      perhaps we shall not&mdash;but let him go.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the sultan answered: &lsquo;I do not refuse to let him go, but my heart
      distrusts him. His brothers all promised fair, and what did they do?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the boy entreated, saying, &lsquo;Father, if you and I and mother be alive
      to-morrow, you shall eat the dates.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Go then,&rsquo; said his father.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      It looked about at first without seeing him, and whispering to itself,
      &lsquo;There is no one here,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The bird turned and flew quickly away, but the boy never let go, not even
      when they soared high into the air.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Son of Adam,&rsquo; the bird said when the tops of the mountains looked small
      below them, &lsquo;if you fall, you will be dead long before you reach the
      ground, so go your way, and let me go mine.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the boy answered, &lsquo;Wherever you go, I will go with you. You cannot get
      rid of me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I did not eat your dates,&rsquo; persisted the bird, &lsquo;and the day is dawning.
      Leave me to go my way.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But again the boy answered him: &lsquo;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&rsquo;s heart will rejoice.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, if you will not leave me, I will throw you off,&rsquo; said the bird.
    </p>
    <p>
      So it flew up higher still&mdash;so high that the earth shone like one of
      the other stars.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How much of you will be left if you fall from here?&rsquo; asked the bird.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If I die, I die,&rsquo; said the boy, &lsquo;but I will not leave you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the bird saw it was no use talking, and went down to the earth again.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Here you are at home, so let me go my way,&rsquo; it begged once more; &lsquo;or at
      least make a covenant with me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What covenant?&rsquo; said the boy.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Save me from the sun,&rsquo; replied the bird, &lsquo;and I will save you from rain.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How can you do that, and how can I tell if I can trust you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the boy answered, &lsquo;Well, I agree; go your way.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Farewell, my friend. When you call me, if it is from the depths of the
      sea, I will come.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is it? What is it, head-man?&rsquo; cried they.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But how, head-man?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To day the people may eat the dates.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is it true, head-man?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; And the people did as he
      had said.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then they took the drum, and went to the tree where the boy lay sleeping.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s house.
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;To-day at last I shall eat
      dates.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What news, my son?&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;News? I have no news, except that if you will open your mouth you shall
      see what dates taste like.&rsquo; And he plucked a date, and put it into his
      father&rsquo;s mouth.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah! You are indeed my son,&rsquo; cried the sultan. &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But his wife rose up and went to him, and said, &lsquo;Master, do not, I pray
      you, reject them,&rsquo; and she entreated long, till the sultan granted her
      prayer, for she loved the six elder ones more than her last one.
    </p>
    <p>
      So they all lived quietly at home, till the sultan&rsquo;s cat went and caught a
      calf. And the owner of the calf went and told the sultan, but he answered,
      &lsquo;The cat is mine, and the calf mine,&rsquo; and the man dared not complain
      further.
    </p>
    <p>
      Two days after, the cat caught a cow, and the sultan was told, &lsquo;Master,
      the cat has caught a cow,&rsquo; but he only said, &lsquo;It was my cow and my cat.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the cat waited a few days, and then it caught a donkey, and they told
      the sultan, &lsquo;Master, the cat has caught a donkey,&rsquo; and he said, &lsquo;My cat
      and my donkey.&rsquo; Next it was a horse, and after that a camel, and when the
      sultan was told he said, &lsquo;You don&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And it waited till the next day, and caught some one&rsquo;s child. And the
      sultan was told, &lsquo;The cat has caught a child.&rsquo; And he said, &lsquo;The cat is
      mine and the child mine.&rsquo; Then it caught a grown-up man.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;The cat is mine and the
      people are mine.&rsquo; And no man dared kill the cat, which grew bolder and
      bolder, and at last came into the town to look for its prey.
    </p>
    <p>
      One day, the sultan said to his six sons, &lsquo;I am going into the country, to
      see how the wheat is growing, and you shall come with me.&rsquo; They went on
      merrily along the road, till they came to a thicket, when out sprang the
      cat, and killed three of the sons.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The cat! The cat!&rsquo; shrieked the soldiers who were with him. And this time
      the sultan said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Seek for it and kill it. It is no longer a cat, but a demon!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the soldiers answered him, &lsquo;Did we not tell you, master, what the cat
      was doing, and did you not say, &ldquo;My cat and my people&rdquo;?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And he answered: &lsquo;True, I said it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Let me go, that it may slay me also.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The lad spent many days hunting the cat, which now bore the name of &lsquo;The
      Nunda, eater of people,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      But he answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And again his father offered him what he would, even the crown itself, but
      the boy would hear nothing, and went on his way.
    </p>
    <p>
      Many times his slaves came and told him, &lsquo;We have seen footprints, and
      to-day we shall behold the Nunda.&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s soul whispered that here was the end of all their seeking, and
      to-day they would find the Nunda.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Suddenly, when they had almost reached the top, a slave who was on in
      front cried:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Master! Master!&rsquo; And the boy pushed on to where the slave stood, and the
      slave said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Cast your eyes down to the foot of the mountain.&rsquo; And the boy looked, and
      his soul told him it was the Nunda.
    </p>
    <p>
      And he crept down with his spear in his hand, and then he stopped and
      gazed below him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This MUST be the real Nunda,&rsquo; thought he. &lsquo;My mother told me its ears
      were small, and this one&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he left the Nunda lying asleep at the foot of the mountain, and went
      back to his slaves.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We will feast to-day,&rsquo; he said; &lsquo;make cakes of batter, and bring water,&rsquo; 
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      It was now afternoon, and the lad said: &lsquo;It is time we went after the
      Nunda.&rsquo; And they went till they reached the bottom and came to a great
      forest which lay between them and the Nunda.
    </p>
    <p>
      Here the lad stopped, and ordered every slave that wore two cloths to cast
      one away and tuck up the other between his legs. &lsquo;For,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And they answered, &lsquo;Good, master,&rsquo; and did as he bade them. Then they
      crawled on their hands and knees to where the Nunda lay asleep.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;He has killed the Nunda, the eater of
      people.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Adapted from Swahili Tales.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0024" id="link2H_4_0024">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE STORY OF HASSEBU
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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: &lsquo;Well, stay at home, my son.&rsquo; And he stayed at home,
      eating and sleeping.
    </p>
    <p>
      One day the boy said to his mother: &lsquo;What was my father&rsquo;s business?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;He was a very learned doctor,&rsquo; answered she.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Where, then, are his books?&rsquo; asked Hassebu.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Many days have passed, and I have thought nothing of them. But look
      inside and see if they are there.&rsquo; So Hassebu looked, and saw they were
      eaten by insects, all but one book, which he took away and read.
    </p>
    <p>
      He was sitting at home one morning poring over the medicine book, when
      some neighbours came by and said to his mother: &lsquo;Give us this boy, that we
      may go together to cut wood.&rsquo; For wood-cutting was their trade, and they
      loaded several donkeys with the wood, and sold it in the town.
    </p>
    <p>
      And his mother answered, &lsquo;Very well; to-morrow I will buy him a donkey,
      and you can all go together.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Come
      here and listen; the ground seems hollow!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Knock again!&rsquo; cried they. And he knocked and listened.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Let us dig,&rsquo; said the boy. And they dug, and found a large pit like a
      well, filled with honey up to the brim.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This is better than firewood,&rsquo; said they; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well,&rsquo; 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. &lsquo;Now I am ready!&rsquo; he cried; but they consulted together and
      said, &lsquo;Let us leave him there inside the pit, and take his share of the
      money, and we will tell his mother, &ldquo;Your son was caught by a lion and
      carried off into the forest, and we tried to follow him, but could not.&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Let us send a little to our
      friend&rsquo;s mother,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;This scorpion must have come from somewhere! Perhaps there is a
      hole. I will go and look for it,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      They entered the hall, but all stopped in surprise at finding a man lying
      on the king&rsquo;s own bed. The soldiers wished to kill him at once, but the
      king said, &lsquo;Leave him alone, put me on a chair,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Who are you?&rsquo; asked Hassebu.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am the King of the Snakes,&rsquo; was the reply, &lsquo;and this is my palace. And
      will you tell me who you are, and where you come from?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;My name is Hassebu, but whence I come I know not, nor whither I go.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then stay for a little with me,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Send me home, I pray.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the King of the Snakes answered, &lsquo;When you go home, you will do me
      evil!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I will do you no evil,&rsquo; replied Hassebu; &lsquo;send me home, I pray.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the king said, &lsquo;I know it. If I send you home, you will come back, and
      kill me. I dare not do it.&rsquo; But Hassebu begged so hard that at last the
      king said, &lsquo;Swear that when you get home you will not go to bathe where
      many people are gathered.&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s house, and the heart of his mother was glad.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The moment he had slipped off his robe he was taken before the Vizir, who
      said to him, &lsquo;Lead us to the place where the King of the Snakes lives.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I do not know it!&rsquo; answered he, but the Vizir did not believe him, and
      had him bound and beaten till his back was all torn.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then Hassebu cried, &lsquo;Loose me, that I may take you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      They went together a long, long way, till they reached the palace of the
      King of the Snakes.
    </p>
    <p>
      And Hassebu said to the King: &lsquo;It was not I: look at my back and you will
      see how they drove me to it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Who has beaten you like this?&rsquo; asked the King.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It was the Vizir,&rsquo; replied Hassebu.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then I am already dead,&rsquo; said the King sadly, &lsquo;but you must carry me
      there yourself.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So Hassebu carried him. And on the way the King said, &lsquo;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, &ldquo;Did you drink what I gave you?&rdquo; you must
      answer, &ldquo;I did, and this is for you,&rdquo; and he will drink it and die! and
      your soul will rest.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And they went their way into the town, and all happened as the King of the
      Snakes had said.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Adapted from Swahili Tales,)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0025" id="link2H_4_0025">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE MAIDEN WITH THE WOODEN HELMET
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s lessons, and so the years passed away.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      One hot day, however, he happened to be going towards home when he caught
      sight of his mother&rsquo;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&rsquo;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. &lsquo;I have merely to remain firm,&rsquo; thought he,
      &lsquo;and they will have to give in.&rsquo; 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&mdash;as he did nearly every day&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Japanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0026" id="link2H_4_0026">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE MONKEY AND THE JELLY-FISH
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the turtle said to the monkey, &lsquo;If you will be quiet, and do what I
      tell you, I won&rsquo;t hurt you. But you must get on my back and come with me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s mouth.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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,
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The monkey shrank back horrified at these words and asked the jelly-fish
      what crime he had committed that deserved death.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, none at all,&rsquo; replied the jelly-fish, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; Then he
      went away, leaving the ape cold with horror.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The queen&rsquo;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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Japanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0027" id="link2H_4_0027">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE HEADLESS DWARFS
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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!
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;I am tired of living with a miser
      who will not give me enough to eat and drink,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;and I am ready to
      do all you want.&rsquo; &lsquo;Very good, my son,&rsquo; replied the minister, &lsquo;you shall
      have the chance of proving your courage this very night. To-morrow we will
      settle what your wages are to be.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; 
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;My friend, what are you doing here?&rsquo; and Hans gazed at him for a
      moment, then laughed and answered, &lsquo;Well, if anybody has a right to put
      that question, it is I! And if <i>I</i> do not put it, it will certainly
      be wiser for you not to do so!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He groped about for some time, till he found the staircase in the tower,
      and then began to feel his way up the steps.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Ho! ho! my little
      fellow, what are you doing there?&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Stop, my little friend!&rsquo; cried Hans. &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      With these words he began to climb the ladder, in order to take the little
      man from the bell and carry out his threat.
    </p>
    <p>
      At this the dwarf cried out imploringly, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You wretched little shrimp,&rsquo; replied Hans, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Where have you been all this time?&rsquo; asked the minister.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Asleep,&rsquo; said Hans.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Asleep!&rsquo; exclaimed the minister in astonishment. &lsquo;You don&rsquo;t mean to tell
      me that you can go on sleeping till mid-day?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;That is exactly what I do mean,&rsquo; replied Hans. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
      &lsquo;But, of course,&rsquo; added the minister carelessly, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Not at all!&rsquo; answered Hans. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; ride from where he lived, the minister was much surprised to
      see Hans come forth laden with a bag containing food.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you taking that for?&rsquo; asked the minister. &lsquo;We shall be there
      before dark.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Who knows?&rsquo; replied Hans. &lsquo;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&rsquo;t reach the town while it is still
      daylight I shall leave you to shift for yourself.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is there anything behind you?&rsquo; asked the minister. &lsquo;Or what is it you are
      always turning round for?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I turn round because I have no eyes in the back of my neck,&rsquo; said Hans.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Cease talking nonsense,&rsquo; replied the minister, &lsquo;and give all your mind to
      getting us to the town before nightfall.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Hans did not answer, but rode on steadily, though every now and then he
      cast a glance over his shoulder.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What are you doing? Are you mad?&rsquo; asked the minister, but Hans answered
      quietly, &lsquo;The sun is set and my work is over, and I am going to camp here
      for the night.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Are you not ashamed to urge me to break my word?&rsquo; said he. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;My good Hans,&rsquo; entreated the minister, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why not?&rsquo; asked Hans. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
      As he spoke, he turned his back on the minister, and went his way.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is he! It is he!&rsquo; and one of them stepping nearer exclaimed, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Hold, comrades!&rsquo; he shouted, turning to the attacking party. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah!&rsquo; said the dwarf, seating himself quietly under the tree. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I thank you from my heart,&rsquo; answered Hans. &lsquo;My bones are still sore from
      their blows, and had it not been for you I should indeed have fared
      badly.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have almost paid my debt,&rsquo; went on the little man, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The sun was high in the heavens when his master returned from the town.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Hans,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;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,&rsquo; he went on, rattling some coins while he spoke, to make Hans
      understand how much he had lost.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Ah, sir,&rsquo; replied Hans calmly, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How did you manage that?&rsquo; asked the minister eagerly, but Hans answered,
      &lsquo;It is only fools who boast of their farthings; wise men take care to hide
      their crowns.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Ehstnische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0028" id="link2H_4_0028">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE YOUNG MAN WHO WOULD HAVE HIS EYES OPENED
    </h2>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;s courage
      to bear the sight.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      He stopped and looked at the young man, who nodded his head, and then the
      wizard continued, &lsquo;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&rsquo; 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&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Blindness
      is man&rsquo;s highest good.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      (Ehstnische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0029" id="link2H_4_0029">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE BOYS WITH THE GOLDEN STARS
    </h2>
    <p>
      Once upon a time what happened did happen: and if it had not happened, you
      would never have heard this story.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s wool, was
      as beautiful as both her sisters put together&mdash;as beautiful as she
      alone could be.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      As they drew near the three sisters, and marked their beauty, they checked
      their horses and rode slowly by.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Listen, sisters!&rsquo; said Anna, as they passed on. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And if I,&rsquo; said Stana, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And I,&rsquo; said Laptitza, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And though they spoke low the young men heard, and turned their horses&rsquo; 
      heads.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I take you at your word, and mine shall you be, most lovely of
      empresses!&rsquo; cried the emperor, and swung Laptitza and her strawberries on
      the horse before him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And I will have you,&rsquo; &lsquo;And I you,&rsquo; exclaimed two of his friends, and they
      all rode back to the palace together.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Now the emperor had a stepmother, and she had a daughter by her first
      husband, who lived with her in the palace. The girl&rsquo;s mother had always
      believed that her daughter would be empress, and not the &lsquo;Milkwhite
      Maiden,&rsquo; the child of a mere shepherd. So she hated the girl with all her
      heart, and only bided her time to do her ill.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The emperor came into the palace, and when they told him the news he went
      straight to Laptitza&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Not many days after, the stepmother&rsquo;s wish was fulfilled. The emperor took
      her daughter to wife, and again the rejoicings lasted for three days and
      three nights.
    </p>
    <p>
      Let us now see what happened to the two little boys.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Let
      them alone; I like to see them there! They are the finest aspens I have
      ever beheld!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the aspens grew as no aspens had ever grown before. In each day they
      added a year&rsquo;s growth, and each night they added a year&rsquo;s growth, and at
      dawn, when the stars faded out of the sky, they grew three years&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      One morning the empress sat on the edge of her husband&rsquo;s bed, and began to
      coax him with all sorts of pretty ways.
    </p>
    <p>
      It was some time before the bait took, but at length&mdash;even emperors
      are only men!
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, well,&rsquo; he said at last, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s room.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is it too heavy for you, little brother?&rsquo; asked one of the beds.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, no, it is not heavy at all,&rsquo; answered the bed in which the emperor
      was sleeping. &lsquo;I feel nothing but joy now that my beloved father rests
      over me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is very heavy for me!&rsquo; said the other bed, &lsquo;for on me lies an evil
      soul.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And so they talked on till the morning, the empress listening all the
      while.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Yet while they were burning the empress seemed to hear the same words,
      which she alone could understand.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s fishermen went down to
      the river to get some fish for their master&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Do not take us there, for that is whence we came, and yonder lies our
      destruction,&rsquo; said one of the fishes.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But what are we to do with you?&rsquo; asked the fisherman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;s rays
      shall have dried off the dew,&rsquo; answered the other fish.
    </p>
    <p>
      The fisherman did as they told him&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The boys grew fast. In every day they grew a year&rsquo;s growth, and in every
      night another year&rsquo;s growth, but at dawn, when the stars were fading, they
      grew three years&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now take us to our father,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      By the time they arrived there it was midday, and the fisherman and his
      charges went up to an official who was standing about. &lsquo;We wish to speak
      with the emperor,&rsquo; said one of the boys.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You must wait until he has finished his dinner,&rsquo; replied the porter.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, while he is eating it,&rsquo; said the second boy, stepping across the
      threshold.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We desire to enter,&rsquo; said one of the princes sharply to a servant who
      stood near the door.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;That is quite impossible,&rsquo; replied the servant.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is it? let us see!&rsquo; said the second prince, pushing the servants to right
      and left.
    </p>
    <p>
      But the servants were many, and the princes only two. There was the noise
      of a struggle, which reached the emperor&rsquo;s ears.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the matter?&rsquo; asked he angrily.
    </p>
    <p>
      The princes stopped at the sound of their father&rsquo;s voice.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Two boys who want to force their way in,&rsquo; replied one of the servants,
      approaching the emperor.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;To FORCE their way in? Who dares to use force in my palace? What boys are
      they?&rsquo; said the emperor all in one breath.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;We know not, O mighty emperor,&rsquo; answered the servant, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The emperor, as he listened, grew red with anger.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Thrust them out,&rsquo; cried he. &lsquo;Set the dogs after them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Leave us alone, and we will go quietly,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The emperor commands you to return,&rsquo; panted he: &lsquo;the empress wishes to
      see you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take off your caps,&rsquo; said one of the courtiers.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;A covered head is among men a sign of honour. We wish to seem what we
      are.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Never mind,&rsquo; said the emperor, whose anger had dropped before the silvery
      tones of the boy&rsquo;s voice. &lsquo;Stay as you are, but tell me WHO you are! Where
      do you come from, and what do you want?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And a second cushion fell down.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Let them take their silliness home,&rsquo; said the empress.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, no, let them go on,&rsquo; said the emperor. &lsquo;You wished to see them, but I
      wish to hear them. Go on, boys, sing me the story.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The empress was silent, but the princes began to sing the story of their
      lives.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;There was once an emperor,&rsquo; began they, and the third cushion fell down.
    </p>
    <p>
      When they reached the warlike expedition of the emperor three of the
      cushions fell down at once.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Rumanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0030" id="link2H_4_0030">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE FROG
    </h2>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the frog answered: &lsquo;Do not weep on that account; give me the thread,
      and I will spin it for you.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Flop! and the frog appeared out of the water close beside him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take this,&rsquo; she said; &lsquo;here is the linen that I have spun for you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then she turned to her sons and said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Flop! and close beside him, he saw the frog. &lsquo;Why are you weeping?&rsquo; she
      said. Then he told her his difficulty, and that he did not know to whom he
      should take the puppy.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Give it to me,&rsquo; she said, &lsquo;and I will bring it up for you.&rsquo; And, seeing
      that the youth hesitated, she took the little creature out of his arms,
      and disappeared with it into the pond.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The youngest son, as was his custom, went to the pond, and called on the
      frog to come to his rescue.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      In high spirits the youth carried it off to his mother. As soon as she saw
      it, she exclaimed: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then, turning to the others, she said: &lsquo;Here are three shirts; take them
      to your chosen wives. Whoever sews the best will be my favourite
      daughter-in-law.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So the young men set out once more; and again, this time, the work of the
      frog was much the best and the neatest.
    </p>
    <p>
      This time the mother said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Flop! and once more the faithful frog was beside him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is troubling you so much?&rsquo; she asked him, and then the youth told
      her everything.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Will you take me for a wife?&rsquo; she asked.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What should I do with you as a wife,&rsquo; he replied, wondering at her
      strange proposal.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Once more, will you have me or will you not?&rsquo; she said.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I will neither have you, nor will I refuse you,&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come with me,&rsquo; she said. And he got up and followed her into the chariot.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s home. Great was the delight of the mother at her
      youngest son&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From the Italian.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0031" id="link2H_4_0031">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE PRINCESS WHO WAS HIDDEN UNDERGROUND
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s daughter should have her to wife. If he
      were not capable of finding her then he must die.
    </p>
    <p>
      Many young men sought to discover her, but all perished in the attempt.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the latter saw the golden lamb, he asked the herd: &lsquo;Will you sell me
      this lamb?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the herd answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;Open, Sartara Martara of the earth!&rsquo; 
      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: &lsquo;Open,
      Sartara Martara of the earth!&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      After a while the lamb got loose, which, when the princess saw, she said:
      &lsquo;See, father, the lamb is free.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the king answered: &lsquo;It is only a lamb, why should it not be free?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he left the lamb with the princess, and went his way.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Why
      did you come here disguised in a sheepskin like that?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he answered: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The princess exclaimed: &lsquo;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, &ldquo;Which of these ducks is the
      princess?&rdquo; Then I will turn my head back, and with my bill will clean my
      wings, so that you may know me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      But the king said: &lsquo;I cannot leave it with you, my daughter, for it is
      only lent to me.&rsquo; So he took it away with him, and gave it back to the
      shepherd.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the young man threw the skin from off him, and went to the king,
      saying: &lsquo;Sire, I am persuaded I can find your daughter.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When the king saw how handsome he was, he said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the young man answered, &lsquo;I accept your conditions, oh king; I will
      either find her or lose my head.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Speak the words
      that it may open.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the king answered: &lsquo;What are the words? Shall I say something like
      this: &ldquo;Shut; shut; shut&rdquo;?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No,&rsquo; said he; &lsquo;say &ldquo;Open, Sartara Martara of the earth.&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then spoke the king and said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And immediately the king changed all the maidens into ducks, and he drove
      them before the young man, and said: &lsquo;Now show me which is my daughter.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the princess, according to their understanding, began to clean her
      wings with her bill, and the lad said: &lsquo;She who cleans her wings is the
      princess.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From the German.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0032" id="link2H_4_0032">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE GIRL WHO PRETENDED TO BE A BOY
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; service.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three
      summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;My daughter,&rsquo; answered the emperor, &lsquo;what you say is true. Never have you
      given me one moment&rsquo;s pain. Yet now you cannot help me. Ah! why is not one
      of you a boy!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t understand,&rsquo; she answered in surprise. &lsquo;Tell us what is wrong:
      and though we are not boys, we are not quite useless!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But what can you do, my dear children? Spin, sew, and weave&mdash;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo; service that is part of the
      price which the vanquished must pay?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;<i>I</i> will,&rsquo; cried the eldest girl, springing to her feet. But her
      father only shook his head sadly.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Never will I bring shame upon you,&rsquo; urged the girl. &lsquo;Let me go. Am I not
      a princess, and the daughter of an emperor?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Go then!&rsquo; he said.
    </p>
    <p>
      The brave girl&rsquo;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&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      He had chosen his time well, and in about half an hour the sound of a
      horse&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The old emperor, who had got back long since, came to the door to meet
      her, and touching her shining armour, he said, &lsquo;Did I not tell you, my
      child, that flies do not make honey?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Did I not tell you, my
      child, that every bird is not caught in a net?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s
      private apartments. &lsquo;My father, it is my turn now. Perhaps I shall get the
      better of that wolf!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What, do you think you are braver than your sisters, vain little one? You
      who have hardly left your long clothes behind you!&rsquo; but she did not mind
      being laughed at, and answered,
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Still the emperor hesitated, but the girl petted and coaxed him till at
      last he said,
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;He laughs best who laughs last,&rsquo; said the princess.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s ancient war-horse, old and worn like himself, stretched sadly
      out on the straw.
    </p>
    <p>
      The girl&rsquo;s eyes filled with tears, and she stood gazing at him. The horse
      lifted his head, gave a little neigh, and said softly, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And how should you be tended?&rsquo; asked the girl.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I should like to try the treatment, as you might help me in carrying out
      my scheme.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Try it then, mistress, and I promise you will never repent.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So in a week&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then looking at the princess who had come early to the stable, he said
      joyfully,
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;May success await on the steps of my master&rsquo;s daughter, for she has given
      me back my life. Tell me what I can do for you, princess, and I will do
      it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I will listen to everything. Can you start in three days?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This moment, if you like,&rsquo; said the horse.
    </p>
    <p>
      The preparations of the emperor&rsquo;s youngest daughter were much fewer and
      simpler than those of her sisters. They only consisted of some boy&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      A day&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s head from its
      body at a single blow.
    </p>
    <p>
      The beast saw the sword, and shrank back, which was the best thing it
      could do, as now the girl&rsquo;s blood was up, and the light of battle in her
      eyes. Then without looking round, she rode across the bridge.
    </p>
    <p>
      The emperor, proud of this first victory, took a short cut, and waited for
      her at the end of another day&rsquo;s journey, close to a river, over which he
      threw a bridge of silver. And this time he took the shape of a lion.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;No,&rsquo; and quickened his pace,
      neither turning to the right or the left.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Warriors,&rsquo; he told her, &lsquo;only rest when they have won the victory. You
      have still another battle to fight, and it is the hardest of all.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      This time it was neither a wolf nor a lion that was waiting for her at the
      end of the third day&rsquo;s journey, but a dragon with twelve heads, and a
      golden bridge behind it.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When he had done speaking, the princess knelt down to receive his
      blessing, and they went their different ways.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Fet-Fruners! deliver me
      from my enemy, and I will give you the horn that can be heard the distance
      of a three days&rsquo; journey;&rsquo; while the other cried, &lsquo;Fet-Fruners! help me to
      conquer this pagan thief, and you shall have my horse, Sunlight.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s room, and exchanged his faded flowers for those she held.
      Then she crept back to her own bed and fell fast asleep.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;some
      plain and bare, others ornamented with precious stones&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      And there was nothing for the mother to do but to submit, though she still
      stuck to her own opinion.
    </p>
    <p>
      The princess mounted Sunlight, and touched him with her spur, when the old
      horse, who was galloping at her side, suddenly said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&mdash;now
      that there is someone to take my place, I will confess it&mdash;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How should I not love you?&rsquo; answered Sunlight; &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then, with tears in her eyes, the princess took leave of her old horse,
      who galloped back to her father.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If you take it,&rsquo; said Sunlight, &lsquo;you will repent, and if you don&rsquo;t, you
      will repent too: so take it.&rsquo; On this the girl dismounted, and picking up
      the curl, wound it round her neck for safety.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      However, there was no time for talking and concealing her fright.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the pages heard of this shocking state of things, they went to their
      companion and implored her to come to the rescue.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;the celebrated Iliane of the song which begins:
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">
          &lsquo;Golden Hair
           The fields are green,&rsquo; 
</pre>
    <p>
      and that to their certain knowledge he had a curl of her hair in his
      possession.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then, after making the princess show him the golden curl which she wore
      round her neck, he added: &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      At his first words she brightened up. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      On hearing this advice, the princess went at once into the emperor&rsquo;s
      presence.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;May a long life be yours, O Sovereign all mighty!&rsquo; said she. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You shall have all that I possess if you will bring me the golden-haired
      Iliane,&rsquo; said the emperor.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;A merchant,&rsquo; 
      replied the princess, &lsquo;who had somehow missed his road, and lost himself
      among the island swamps of the sea.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s saddle, and leaping up behind her, they were off
      like a flash.
    </p>
    <p>
      It was not till they drew near the town that the princess stooped and
      asked Sunlight what they should do. &lsquo;Put your hand into my left ear,&rsquo; said
      he, &lsquo;and take out a sharp stone, which you must throw behind you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      They heard her coming, faster, faster; and again the princess stooped to
      ask what was to be done now. &lsquo;Put your hand into my right ear,&rsquo; said the
      horse, &lsquo;and throw the brush you will find there behind you.&rsquo; 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&mdash;always, always&mdash;till their
      hair was singed by the flames of her mouth.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then, in despair, the princess again bent down and asked if there was
      nothing more to be done, and Sunlight replied &lsquo;Quick, quick, take off the
      betrothal ring on the finger of Iliane and throw it behind you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s ring which lay there, and held her tight.
      Only her claws could be seen grasping the battlements.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The emperor received Iliane with all the respect that was due to her, and
      fell in love at first sight besides.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      So when the emperor asked her to share his throne Iliane answered:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Noble Sovereign, I may not think of marriage till my stud of horses has
      been brought me, with their trappings all complete.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      When he heard this, the emperor once more sent for Fet-Fruners, and said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Fet-Fruners, fetch me instantly the stud of mares, with their trappings
      all complete. If not, your head shall pay the forfeit.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;How do I know? They may be anywhere in heaven or earth; but, wherever
      they are, you will have to find them.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The princess bowed and went to consult Sunlight. He listened while she
      told her tale, and then said:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;s desires will be his undoing.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s thigh.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s head from his body. Still
      trembling from the long struggle, she turned away, and went to the meadow
      where the stud were feeding.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Nothing now remained to be done but to drive the whole stud to the
      emperor&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s heart grew light again, and she sat down
      gaily to milk them, as if she had done it every morning of her life.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Grant me, Sire, just one request more, and then
      I will really marry you; for you have waited patiently this long time.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;My beautiful dove,&rsquo; replied the emperor, &lsquo;both I and all I possess are
      yours, so ask your will, and you shall have it.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Get me, then,&rsquo; she said, &lsquo;a flask of the holy water that is kept in a
      little church beyond the river Jordan, and I will be your wife.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This, my mistress,&rsquo; said Sunlight, when she was saddling him, &lsquo;is the
      last and most difficult of your tasks. But fear nothing, for the hour of
      the emperor has struck.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It stands,&rsquo; he said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;all but one, who remained on guard,
      as was the custom.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      By the time she reached the emperor&rsquo;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: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am content, Fet-Fruners,&rsquo; replied the emperor, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, I will marry you,&rsquo; said the young man, with a voice almost as soft
      as when he was a princess. &lsquo;But know that in OUR house, it will be the
      cock who sings and not the hen!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      (From Sept Contes Roumains, Jules Brun and Leo Bachelin.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0033" id="link2H_4_0033">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE STORY OF HALFMAN
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the matter, sir, said he, &lsquo;you look troubled?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, leave me alone, my good man!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But what is it?&rsquo; persisted the other.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, I am successful in my profession and a person of importance, but I
      care nothing for it all, as I have no children.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the old man said, &lsquo;Here are twelve apples. If your wife eats them,
      she will have twelve sons.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The judge thanked him joyfully as he took the apples, and went to seek his
      wife. &lsquo;Eat these apples at once,&rsquo; he cried, &lsquo;and you will have twelve
      sons.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The eleven sons came into the world, strong and handsome boys; but when
      the twelfth was born, there was only half of him.
    </p>
    <p>
      By-and-by they all grew into men, and one day they told their father it
      was high time he found wives for them. &lsquo;I have a brother,&rsquo; he answered,
      &lsquo;who lives away in the East, and he has twelve daughters; go and marry
      them.&rsquo; So the twelve sons saddled their horses and rode for twelve days,
      till they met an old woman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good greeting to you, young men!&rsquo; said she, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the twelve brothers followed her gladly, and their father&rsquo;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,
      &lsquo;Listen, all of you! This man is no uncle of ours, but an ogre.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Nonsense; of course he is our uncle,&rsquo; answered they.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, this very night you will see!&rsquo; said Halfman. And he did not go to
      bed, but hid himself and watched.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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!
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Get up and run
      for your lives, as the ogress is killing her daughters.&rsquo; The brothers
      needed no second bidding, and in a moment were out of the house.
    </p>
    <p>
      By this time the ogress had slain all her daughters but one, who awoke
      suddenly and saw what had happened. &lsquo;Mother, what are you doing?&rsquo; cried
      she. &lsquo;Do you know that you have killed my sisters?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, woe is me!&rsquo; wailed the ogress. &lsquo;Halfman has outwitted me after all!&rsquo; 
      And she turned to wreak vengeance on him, but he and his brothers were far
      away.
    </p>
    <p>
      They rode all day till they got to the town where their real uncle lived,
      and inquired the way to his house.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why have you been so long in coming?&rsquo; asked he, when they had found him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, dear uncle, we were very nearly not coming at all!&rsquo; replied they. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take them!&rsquo; said the uncle; &lsquo;the eldest for the eldest, the second for
      the second, and so on to the youngest.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      But the wife of Halfman was the prettiest of them all, and the other
      brothers were jealous and said to each other: &lsquo;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!&rsquo; And they waited for a chance.
    </p>
    <p>
      After they had all ridden, in company with their brides, for some
      distance, they arrived at a brook, and one of them asked, &lsquo;Now, who will
      go and fetch water from the brook?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Halfman is the youngest,&rsquo; said the elder brother, &lsquo;he must go.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Throw me the rope and draw me up,
      for I cannot get out alone.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Fear nothing, Halfman;
      I will help you.&rsquo; And the fish guided him to a shallow place, so that he
      scrambled out. On the way it said to him, &lsquo;Do you understand what your
      brothers, whom you saved from death, have done to you?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes; but what am I to do?&rsquo; asked Halfman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take one of my scales,&rsquo; said the fish, &lsquo;and when you find yourself in
      danger, throw it in the fire. Then I will appear before you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Thank you,&rsquo; said Halfman, and went his way, while the fish swam back to
      its home.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
      &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Whatever you like!&rsquo; said Halfman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Come into my house, then,&rsquo; said the ogress, and he followed her.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Look here!&rsquo; she called to her husband, &lsquo;I have got hold of Halfman. I am
      going to roast him, so be quick and make up the fire!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So the ogre brought wood, and heaped it up till the flames roared up the
      chimney. Then he turned to his wife and said: &lsquo;It is all ready, let us put
      him on!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the hurry, my good ogre?&rsquo; asked Halfman. &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;That is a very sensible remark,&rsquo; replied the ogre; &lsquo;but what fattens you
      quickest?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Butter, meat, and red wine,&rsquo; answered Halfman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very good; we will lock you into this room, and here you shall stay till
      you are ready for eating.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Now I have
      got quite fat; take me out, and kill me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Get out, then!&rsquo; said the ogre.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But,&rsquo; went on Halfman, &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, that is a good idea,&rsquo; answered they.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You had better bring the wood in here,&rsquo; continued Halfman, &lsquo;and I will
      split it up small, so that there may be no delay in cooking me.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      After he had chopped for a little while he called to the girl, &lsquo;Come and
      help me, or else I shan&rsquo;t have it all ready when your mother gets back.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;All right,&rsquo; said she, and held a billet of wood for him to chop.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;This is
      Halfman&rsquo;s work, why did we listen to him?&rsquo; But Halfman was far away.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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, &lsquo;Come up!
      come up! you will find me here!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But how can I come up?&rsquo; said the ogre, &lsquo;I see no door, and I could not
      possibly climb that tower.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, there is no door,&rsquo; replied Halfman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then how did you climb up?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;A fish carried me on his back.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And what am I to do?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very good,&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s wife was still alive, for she
      had taken no part in kindling the fire.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh,&rsquo; she shrieked with rage, &lsquo;you have killed my daughters and my
      husband, and all the men belonging to me; how can I get at you to avenge
      myself?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, that is easy enough,&rsquo; said Halfman. &lsquo;I will let down a rope, and if
      you tie it tightly round you, I will draw it up.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;All right,&rsquo; returned the ogress, fastening the rope which Halfman let
      down. &lsquo;Now pull me up.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Are you sure it is secure?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, quite sure.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t be afraid.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, I am not afraid at all!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;That was hard work; the rope has hurt my hands badly, but
      now I am rid of her for ever.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Halfman, to-morrow
      your brother is to marry your wife.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, how can I stop it?&rsquo; asked he. &lsquo;Will you help me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, I will,&rsquo; replied the ogress.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Thank you, thank you!&rsquo; cried Halfman, kissing her on the forehead. &lsquo;My
      wife is dearer to me than anything else in the world, and it is not my
      brother&rsquo;s fault that I am not dead long ago.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well, I will rid you of him,&rsquo; said the ogress, &lsquo;but only on one
      condition. If a boy is born to you, you must give him to me!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, anything,&rsquo; answered Halfman, &lsquo;as long as you deliver me from my
      brother, and get me my wife.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Mount on my back, then, and in a quarter of an hour we shall be there.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s house. As he drew near he heard sounds of weeping and
      lamentations, and he said to a man he met: &lsquo;What is the matter?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The judge&rsquo;s eldest son was married yesterday, and died suddenly before
      night.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well,&rsquo; thought Halfman, &lsquo;my conscience is clear anyway, for it is quite
      plain he coveted my wife, and that is why he tried to drown me.&rsquo; He went
      at once to his father&rsquo;s room, and found him sitting in tears on the floor.
      &lsquo;Dear father,&rsquo; said Halfman, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, no, he was better than you!&rsquo; moaned the father.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why, dear father?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;He told me you had behaved very ill,&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, call my brothers,&rsquo; answered Halfman, &lsquo;as I have a story to tell
      them.&rsquo; So the father called them all into his presence. Then Halfman
      began: &lsquo;After we were twelve days&rsquo; journey from home, we met an ogress,
      who gave us greeting and said, &ldquo;Why have you been so long coming? The
      daughters of your uncle have waited for you in vain,&rdquo; and she bade us
      follow her to the house, saying, &ldquo;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.&rdquo; But I warned my brothers that the man was not our uncle, but an
      ogre.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&mdash;I or my brothers?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Is this story true?&rsquo; said the father, turning to his sons.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;It is true, my father,&rsquo; answered they. &lsquo;It is even as Halfman has said,
      and the girl belongs to him.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the judge embraced Halfman and said to him: &lsquo;You have done well, my
      son. Take your bride, and may you both live long and happily together!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      At the end of the year Halfman&rsquo;s wife had a son, and not long after she
      came one day hastily into the room, and found her husband weeping. &lsquo;What
      is the matter?&rsquo; she asked.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;The matter?&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, why are you weeping?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Because,&rsquo; replied Halfman, &lsquo;the baby is not really ours, but belongs to
      an ogress.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Are you mad?&rsquo; cried the wife. &lsquo;What do you mean by talking like that?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I promised,&rsquo; said Halfman, &lsquo;when she undertook to kill my brother and to
      give you to me, that the first son we had should be hers.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And will she take him from us now?&rsquo; said the poor woman.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, not quite yet,&rsquo; replied Halfman; &lsquo;when he is bigger.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And is she to have all our children?&rsquo; asked she.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;No, only this one,&rsquo; returned Halfman.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Go to your father,&rsquo; 
      she said, &lsquo;and repeat this speech to him: &ldquo;I want my forfeit; when am I to
      have it?&rdquo;&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;All right,&rsquo; 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. &lsquo;I forgot all about it,&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, put this ring on your finger, and then you won&rsquo;t forget.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Very well,&rsquo; replied the boy, and went home.
    </p>
    <p>
      The next morning, as he was at breakfast, his mother said to him, &lsquo;Child,
      where did you get that ring?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then his father burst into tears and said, &lsquo;If she comes again you must
      say to her that your parents bid her take her forfeit at once, and
      depart.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      At this they both began to weep afresh, and his mother kissed him, and put
      on his new clothes and said, &lsquo;If the woman bids you to follow her, you
      must go,&rsquo; 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, &lsquo;Look how
      smart I am; I am going away with my aunt to foreign lands.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      At that moment the ogress came up and asked him, &lsquo;Did you give my message
      to your father and mother?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, dear aunt, I did.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;And what did they say?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take it away at once!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      So she took him.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, that will be the best,&rsquo; said she.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Halfman, why did you come here?&rsquo; said she.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I have a question I want to ask you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, that is it,&rsquo; replied Halfman. Then he seized her hand and said, &lsquo;Oh,
      let me see my son, and how he looks, and what he is doing.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The ogress was silent, but stuck her staff hard in the earth, and the
      earth opened, and the boy appeared and said, &lsquo;Dear father, have you come
      too?&rsquo; And his father clasped him in his arms, and began to cry. But the
      boy struggled to be free, saying &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Then his father sat him down and said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;All right,&rsquo; replied the boy, and called &lsquo;Mother!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is it?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are never to take away any more of my father and mother&rsquo;s children!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now that I have got you, I don&rsquo;t want any more,&rsquo; answered she.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the boy turned to his father and said, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And Halfman mounted his horse and rode home, and told his wife all he had
      seen, and the message sent by Mohammed&mdash;Mohammed the son of Halfman,
      the son of the judge.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Marchen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis. Hans von Stumme.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0034" id="link2H_4_0034">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      THE PRINCE WHO WANTED TO SEE THE WORLD
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;When you are
      in any trouble, cry &ldquo;Come to my aid, O dove!&rdquo; 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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Thus the prince went on his way, and in course of time he arrived at the
      king&rsquo;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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Take this wheat, this millet, and this barley, and sow them at once, so
      that I may have loaves of them all to-morrow.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;Dove, dove! be quick and come.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is it?&rsquo; 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. &lsquo;Fear nothing; it will be all right,&rsquo; replied the dove,
      as she flew away again.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Good. The man who can do this can also find the ring which my eldest
      daughter dropped into the sea.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The prince hastened back to his room and summoned the dove, and when she
      heard this new command she said: &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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,
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      Wondering at this strange order, the prince picked up his knife and
      severed the dove&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;This evening you will mount my colt and ride him to the field, and break
      him in properly.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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:
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo; ribs were broken. The youngest,
      however, was quite unharmed. That night she came to the prince and
      whispered to him:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why those were the runaways, of course,&rsquo; she cried, flying into a
      passion, &lsquo;and if you had only brought a scrap of the nun&rsquo;s dress, or a bit
      of stone from the wall, I should have had them in my power.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;Have you seen a young man and a girl go
      by?&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Idiot!&rsquo; cried she, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The girl saw them from afar, and a great fear fell on her, for she knew
      her mother&rsquo;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 &lsquo;No&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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. &lsquo;It is because I know you will soon forget all about me,&rsquo; said
      she, and though he laughed at her and told her it was impossible, she did
      not cease to believe it.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the poor girl heard this she wept bitterly, and cried out, &lsquo;Come to
      me, my sisters, for I need you badly!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      In a moment they stood beside her, and the elder one said, &lsquo;Do not be sad,
      all will go well,&rsquo; and they told the innkeeper that if any of the king&rsquo;s
      servants wanted any birds for their master they were to be sent up to
      them, as they had three doves for sale.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;If you could only hear us speak, you would admire us
      still more.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And another perched on a table and added, &lsquo;Talk away, it might help him to
      remember!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      And the third flew on his shoulder and whispered to him, &lsquo;Put on this
      ring, prince, and see if it fits you.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (From the Portuguese.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0035" id="link2H_4_0035">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      VIRGILIUS THE SORCERER
    </h2>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s life also, sent him away to Spain, that he
      might study in the great University of Toledo.
    </p>
    <p>
      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, &lsquo;Virgilius! Virgilius!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Who calls?&rsquo; he asked, stopping and looking round.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Virgilius!&rsquo; answered the voice, &lsquo;do you mark upon the ground where you
      are standing a slide or bolt?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I do,&rsquo; replied Virgilius.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Then,&rsquo; said the voice, &lsquo;draw back that bolt, and set me free.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But who are you?&rsquo; asked Virgilius, who never did anything in a hurry.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am an evil spirit,&rsquo; said the voice, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Why, you can&rsquo;t have been as big as that when you were in the hole!&rsquo; cried
      Virgilius.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;But I was!&rsquo; replied the spirit.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t believe it!&rsquo; answered Virgilius.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, I&rsquo;ll just get in and show you,&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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, &lsquo;Rogue of a sorcerer, there shalt thou
      hang!&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      For three days she stood there, till every hearth in Rome was alight, and
      then she was suffered to go where she would.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;Emperor, all hail! seek for me in Sicily,&rsquo; jumped headlong into
      the pail, and vanished from their sight.
    </p>
    <p>
      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 &lsquo;Preservation of
      Rome.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Next day they went to the senate house, where the laws were made, and,
      bowing low, they said, &lsquo;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?&rsquo; And leave having been given, the messengers took
      workmen and dug up the gold and made merry with it.
    </p>
    <p>
      A few days later the diviners again appeared before the senate, and said,
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      A week or two passed by, and once more they appeared in the senate house.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;O, noble lords!&rsquo; said they, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      The emperor, desiring nothing so much as the safety of his subjects, took
      counsel with Virgilius how this violence could be put down.
    </p>
    <p>
      Virgilius thought hard for a long time, and then he spoke:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Great prince,&rsquo; said he, &lsquo;cause a copper horse and rider to be made, and
      stationed in front of the Capitol. Then make a proclamation that at ten
      o&rsquo;clock a bell will toll, and every man is to enter his house, and not
      leave it again.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      The emperor did as Virgilius advised, but thieves and murderers laughed at
      the horse, and went about their misdeeds as usual.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&mdash;and there
      were still many remaining&mdash;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&rsquo;s hoofs they stuck their ladders into
      the walls, and climbed up above the reach of the horse and its rider.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Thus did Virgilius restore peace and order to the city.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then the sultan ordered his guards to bind him, and left him there till
      the following day.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s passion broke forth, and he accused his captive of the crime of
      conveying the princess into distant lands without his leave.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Not so!&rsquo; cried the sultan, &lsquo;but a shameful death you shall die!&rsquo; And the
      princess fell on her knees, and begged she might die with him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You are out in your reckoning, Sir Sultan!&rsquo; 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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Adapted from &lsquo;Virgilius the Sorcerer.&rsquo;)
    </p>
    <p>
      <a name="link2H_4_0036" id="link2H_4_0036">
      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
    </p>
    <div style="height: 4em;">
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </div>
    <h2>
      MOGARZEA AND HIS SON
    </h2>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When the man awoke in the morning he was much surprised to find the boy
      nestling up close to him.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Dear me! where do you come from?&rsquo; said he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I am your son, born in the night,&rsquo; replied the boy.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;If that is true,&rsquo; said the man, &lsquo;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.&rsquo; Then he pointed out where the border of his land
      lay, and bade the boy begin his work at once.
    </p>
    <p>
      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: &lsquo;What is your name, father?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Mogarzea,&rsquo; answered he.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I wonder you are not tired of living by yourself in this lonely place.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;There is no reason you should wonder! Don&rsquo;t you know that there was never
      a bear yet who danced of his own free will?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Yes, that is true,&rsquo; replied the boy. &lsquo;But why is it you are always so
      sad? Tell me your history, father.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;What is the use of my telling you things that would only make you sad
      too?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, never mind that! I should like to hear. Are you not my father, and am
      I not your son?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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&rsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;All right, I will take great care. Do let me go, father,&rsquo; said the boy,
      as they stretched themselves out to sleep.
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;s dry ground.
    </p>
    <p>
      On the third day he was sitting under the shadow of a tree, playing on his
      flute&mdash;and there was nobody in the world who could play a flute
      better&mdash;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Now let me go,&rsquo; he cried at last, &lsquo;for poor Mogarzea must be dying of
      hunger. I will come and play for you to-morrow.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Well, you may go!&rsquo; they said, &lsquo;but remember that even if you break your
      promise you will not escape us.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;I shall never find another flute like that, moaned he. &lsquo;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!&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;There is a cherry tree in our garden that is exactly seven years old,&rsquo; 
      said they. &lsquo;Come with us, and you shall make yourself another flute.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      Then he demanded of them Mogarzea&rsquo;s soul.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;Oh, well, if you must have it, it is in a bottle on the window sill,&rsquo; 
      said they, hoping that they might obtain their freedom at once. But they
      were mistaken.
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;You have made so many men suffer,&rsquo; answered he sternly, &lsquo;that it is but
      just you should suffer yourselves, but to-morrow I will let you go.&rsquo; And
      he turned towards home, taking his sheep and the soul of Mogarzea with
      him.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      When his excitement had somewhat calmed down, he cried to the boy,
      &lsquo;Whether you are really my son matters nothing to me; tell me, how can I
      repay you for what you have done for me?&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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&rsquo;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.
    </p>
    <p>
      For three days the boy stayed in the palace, receiving the thanks and
      praises of the whole court. Then he said to Mogarzea:
    </p>
    <p>
      &lsquo;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.&rsquo; 
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      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.
    </p>
    <p>
      (Olumanische Marchen.)
    </p>
    <p>
      <br /><br /><br /><br />
    </p>
<pre xml:space="preserve">





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-h.htm or 641-h.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
        http://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/641/

Produced by David Widger, and 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.  Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.



*** START: FULL LICENSE ***

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase &ldquo;Project
Gutenberg&rdquo;), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://gutenberg.org/license).


Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works

1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B.  &ldquo;Project Gutenberg&rdquo; is a registered trademark.  It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.  See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (&ldquo;the Foundation&rdquo;
 or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.

1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase &ldquo;Project Gutenberg&rdquo; appears, or with which the phrase &ldquo;Project
Gutenberg&rdquo; is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:

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

1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase &ldquo;Project Gutenberg&rdquo; associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.

1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.

1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.

1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
&ldquo;Plain Vanilla ASCII&rdquo; or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original &ldquo;Plain Vanilla ASCII&rdquo; or other
form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that

- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
     address specified in Section 4, &ldquo;Information about donations to
     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.&rdquo;
 
- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
     License.  You must require such a user to return or
     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
     Project Gutenberg-tm works.

- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
     of receipt of the work.

- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.

1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
&ldquo;Defects,&rdquo; such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.

1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the &ldquo;Right
of Replacement or Refund&rdquo; described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you &lsquo;AS-IS&rsquo; WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.


Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm

Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm&rsquo;s
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org.


Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service.  The Foundation&rsquo;s EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state&rsquo;s laws.

The Foundation&rsquo;s principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation&rsquo;s web site and official
page at http://pglaf.org

For additional contact information:
     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
     Chief Executive and Director
     gbnewby@pglaf.org


Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit http://pglaf.org

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations.
To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate


Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.

Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.


Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.


Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:

     http://www.gutenberg.org

This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.


</pre>
  </body>
</html>
generated by cgit v1.2.3 (git 2.25.1) at 2026-03-17 18:34:58 +0000